text:
The 2013 Buick Encore sold at Ballas Buick GMC, located in Toledo, Ohio has arrived at our dealership. It has been getting great reviews, which is not surprising. Examinator.com writer, Greg Engle gave the Buick Encore great marks. Below are some of his remarks.
"Out of the minivan craze grew the SUV; the Sport Utility Vehicle. These had more style, more comfort than a minivan, but still served the same purpose; plenty of room for growing families, and for hauling bits of your everyday life. But there were other reasons SUVs became popular; the fact that they were based on truck platforms, they were larger and higher giving a more commanding view of the road. But given the size and the truck heritage, most required a fuel tanker following them around to keep going.
Fast forward to modern day and thanks in large part to a bunch of sheiks in the Middle East, auto makers have developed a new breed of SUV; the crossover. Instead of trucks the crossovers are based on car platforms, thus use less fuel than their larger more ungainly cousins. But you still get a little more room than most cars and a higher more commanding view of the road.
Entering the new realm of the crossover SUV is Buick. And they have done so quite nicely.
Buick has survived the turmoil in the auto industry rising from the ashes at GM that saw Pontiac, Saturn and Oldsmobile fall by the wayside. They've done this, as they have always done, by filling a niche; reasonably priced vehicles with luxury features that make them a great value. It's something they've done yet again with the newest entry into the crossover SUV genre, the Encore.
Introduced this year, the Encore is cousin to the Enclave, Buick's full on SUV. Unlike its larger cousin however, the Encore is much smaller and of course less expensive. It doesn't have the room of a full SUV; the cabin is best described as cozy, comfortable, but cozy. You might not want to bring along Uncle Jack who only showers once a week, but there is certainly enough room not to feel claustrophobic. Storage in the rear isn't much more than a regular car, but a crossover isn't about hauling things.
Inside the cabin is where any Buick shines. The base model Encore at $28,190 has enough standard features to keep you happy and many things you would expect only in higher priced vehicles. But for only a few dollars more why not go all out. The FWD Encore with the Premium group I had totaled out at $30,730, and there is an array of amenities that is almost staggering. Among the many items is navigation and radio information via a 7" screen in the center of the dash, rear vision camera, climate control, cruise control, rain sensing wipers, leather wrap steering wheel, cruise control and front and rear parking assist just to name a few. Enough to keep you busy for weeks.
My biggest reservation prior to driving the Encore was the size of the engine. Buick put a 1.4 liter turbocharged four cylinder powerplant rated at 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. I could imagine myself urging the vehicle up a hill thinking all the while 'I think it can, I think it can'. However, my fears proved very wrong. When mated up to the six-speed automatic the Encore performs just fine. It merges into traffic with ease and leaves the line respectfully. No it won't be sufficient for a high speed police chase should you decide to use it for a getaway vehicle after a bank robbery and you'll have to hang your head in shame if challenged at a stop light, but given the available power to weight ratio (3190 pounds in the front wheel drive version I had for week) for what the Encore is the powertrain is just fine.
That powertrain is more than adequate for the purpose the Encore was designed for; getting around town without having to stop at a gas station every few miles, but with many of the things a full size SUV is known for, such as a more commanding view of traffic. That higher view of the road isn't sacrificed for poor handling though. The first time I aggressively took the Encore into a corner I held on for dear life fully expecting to be hanging upside down moments later. Had I crashed a total of ten airbags could have deployed making me feel as though I woke up in a bag of marshmallows. That wasn't the case however; yes there was a bit of body roll, but the 18 inch wheels along with the StabiliTrak stability control system was a pleasant surprise and kept body roll to a minimum.
While riding around town, the road noise was kept to a minimum. The Encore has a system called 'QuietTuning' which along with sound dampening throughout features Buick's first use of Bose Active Noise Cancellation technology. While it promised a cabin as quiet of a library and it is quite good, it was more like a college library with few sophomores goofing around in the corner.
You won't see an Encore charging up a dusty road as a rancher in Texas heads out to punch some little doggies or whatever it is they do, but after all that isn't what a crossover SUV is for. Likewise growing families might find it too small. But for a small family or a couple whose kids have left the nest and who are looking for an SUV view while zipping around town without the SUV problems, a crossover will work just fine.
The Encore fits well into that crossover arena. It also continues the decades old Buick story of delivering loads of luxury at a reasonable price. Maybe that's why Buick is known as a survivor; and if the Encore is any indication they are liable to survive for many more years to come.
Bottom Line: Looking for SUV features without breaking the bank or spending the day at the pumps? The Encore delivers luxuriously.
About Ballas Buick GMC: Ballas Buick-GMC has been a fixture in the Toledo business community since 1970. Ballas earned the coveted General Motor's "Mark of Excellence" award in 2009 , 2010 and 2011 (for business excellence). For more information, please call us at 419.535.1000 or stop by 5715 W. Central Ave 43615.


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The files for the "Talon Hand 2.0" created by Peter Binkley can be found HERE
Files are available for download on Thingiverse:
Thing #229620
Creator: Peter Binkley ( profbink)
Instruction manual coming soon.
By accepting any design, plan, component or assembly related to the so called "e-NABLE Hand" , I understand and agree that any such information or material furnished by any individual associated with the design team is furnished as is without representation or warranties of any kind, express or implied, and is intended to be a gift for the sole purpose of evaluating various design iterations, ideas and modifications. I understand that such improvements are intended to benefit individuals having specific disabilities and are not intended, and shall not be used, for commercial use. I further understand and agree that any individual associated with e-NABLE organization shall not be liable for any injuries or damages resulting from the use of any of the materials related to the e-NABLE hand.

subset: commoncrawl


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B.J. Upton and his brother Justin hit back-to-back homers for the first time in their careers, leading the Atlanta Braves past the Colorado Rockies 10-2 Tuesday night to complete a doubleheader sweep on a day that began with the coldest game ever played at Coors Field.
DENVER — B.J. Upton and his brother Justin hit back-to-back homers for the first time in their careers, leading the Atlanta Braves past the Colorado Rockies 10-2 Tuesday night to complete a doubleheader sweep on a day that began with the coldest game ever played at Coors Field.
It was the 27th time in major league history that brothers homered in the same game but only the second time they went deep in consecutive at-bats. Lloyd and Paul Waner of the Pittsburgh Pirates also hit successive homers on Sept. 15, 1938.
In the first game, Justin Upton, Dan Uggla and rookie Evan Gattis homered in support of a solid outing by Mike Minor as the Braves won 4-3 in a game that began with a temperature of 23 degrees.
In game 2, B.J. Upton homered to left off Jon Garland to start the fifth, his third of the season. Justin Upton, who homered in the first game as part of Atlanta's 4-3 victory, then drove Garland's first pitch over the wall in center for his major league-leading 11th home run.
The Uptons have homered in the same game three times this season.
Tuesday, the coldest day ever at Coors Field was short-sleeve weather for Atlanta Braves pitcher Mike Minor.
Starting the day-night doubleheader that opened with the temperature at 23 degrees, Justin Upton hit his 10th home run, Dan Uggla and rookie Evan Gattis also connected in support of Minor's solid outing.
Reed Johnson, playing right field for Atlanta because Jason Heyward underwent an appendectomy Monday night, went 4 for 4 with three doubles. Heyward was put on the 15-day disabled list.
The matchup featured baseball's hottest teams — Colorado and Atlanta each began the day at 13-5, tied for the best record in the major leagues — in the coldest gametime temperature in the majors since it began collecting data in 1991, according to STATS. The Rockies said the previous low at Coors Field was 28.
Donning a short-sleeve jersey with his standard T-shirt underneath while many of the other players were bundled up, Minor (3-1) allowed three runs and five hits in six innings. He said he decided against warmer attire because he wanted the same freedom of movement he feels with his arms uncovered.
"I don't know what it is, but with (long) sleeves on, I feel restricted," he said. "It's just a feeling and you want to feel comfortable out there."By the time Craig Kimbrel, pitched a one-hit ninth for his eighth save in eight chances, the temperature had warmed up to 27.
Gattis hit a tiebreaking home run in the fourth and ended the game by throwing out Wilin Rosario trying to steal second.
Jeff Francis (1-2) gave up four runs and six hits in four innings, leaving him with an 8.44 ERA.
Upton hit a solo drive in the first, and Uggla's two-run homer in the second made it 3-0. Colorado closed in the second on Rosario's run-scoring groundout and Jordan Pacheco's RBI single, then tied the score in the third when Dexter Fowler tripled to the right-field wall and Josh Rutledge singled. Gattis homered leading off the fourth.


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From design to production and customer support, NBC-Sys applies its expertise across a broad range of technologies to counter Nuclear, Radiological, Biological and Chemical threats (NRBC).
Its product range covers detection (chemical and biological threats), personal protection (gas masks, filter cartridges, etc.), group protection (air treatment, climate control and filtration systems for vehicles and buildings) and decontamination (of aircraft, vehicles, sensitive equipment and personnel).
Military and civil applications
The overwhelming majority of NBC-Sys people are technicians, engineers and managers, who apply their specialist skills to delivering creative innovation, project management and customer service. Our skills focus on the following areas of expertise:
|· Chemistry
· Biology
· Measurement and testin
|· Thermal technologies
· Aeraulics
· Electronics (hardware and software)
· Mechanical engineering
· Plastics processes
· Ergonomics
In responding to the expectations of its military and civil customers, NBC-Sys applies a proactive policy of preparing for the future by devoting approximately 20% of its annual revenue to R&D.
Its engineers work in close collaboration with the advanced research teams of private, public and university laboratories, including those of the CEA (the French atomic energy authority) and the DGA (the French defense procurement agency).
NBC-Sys products can be found all over the world, with particular focus on Europe, Asia and the Gulf States.


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This post is going to cover two different themes: social media and the attention it brings people, and Christian privilege in the public square. They're related, I promise I'll get to that point.
I grew up in a time that was right on the front end of the Internet age. As a freshman computer science undergraduate student in 1992, the Internet was still a weird buzzword that social rejects and highly specialized academics used.
The host of the local morning show that I used to listen to once told a funny story where he didn't want to be pestered by the guy sitting next to him on an airplane. "So what do you do?" asked the guy in the story. "Computers," lied the professional radio host. "That shut him right up!" he bragged. You can imagine how much that story cheered up a guy like me as I wrangled with projects in UNIX and struggled through classes on data structures and algorithms, and got scorned by the frat guys in my dorm suite.
People didn't really get what was going on with the internet yet. This cartoon was considered very amusing at the time.
Just a few years later, the computer lab at my university was swarming with liberal arts majors checking their email. About half a decade after I received my BS, MySpace was born, opening up the internet to even more casual users. Blogging became a big thing. A few years on, MySpace was eclipsed by Facebook and Twitter. I barely used them for a while, but one day in 2008 I turned around and noticed that everyone I knew had a significant amount of content on there. So I became an enthusiastic Facebook user. This year I've finally decided to get more active on Twitter too. (Follow me, @RussellGlasser, if you like.)
Anyway, this whole thing seems to have gone hand in hand with the reality TV phenomenon. People not only expect to get fifteen minutes of fame, as per Andy Warhol, but they seem to presume that they'll get a low level of attention at all times. You watch a movie, you write a two sentence review of it, and people react to what you said immediately. Sometimes you get into flame wars, and sometimes your friends love and praise your insight. It's kind of addicting.
Meanwhile, YouTube can make somebody a TV star for a few minutes or longer — randomly, capriciously, but often in an incredibly global way. That Gangnam Style song is topping the charts in 30 countries, and it's a major victory for the Korean music industry. This is thanks in no small part to the ability of people to spread foreign content they like as easily as emailing a link to their friends. The video has over a BILLION HITS on YouTube.
So I'm assuming that PSY is grateful for social media, that's all I'm saying.
You don't have to be a big media backed star to get famous, but it's hard to predict exactly what will make you famous. A decent amateur video on Funny Or Die may be seen by more people than a big screen comedy that flops. There's now a whole industry of TV shows in the mold of Pop Idol / American Idol that are selling the idea of yanking schmucks off the street and making them famous, although they can be famous because they're talented or famous because they really, really, REALLY suck.
The lure of quick fame is so tantalizing that it can cause some people to do incredibly stupid things. For example, a few years ago, world class idiot Richard Heene faked losing his son in a balloon accident, wasting the time and resources of the police and the National Guard and causing the Denver airport to be shut down. He did it because he wanted to get enough national attention so he could pitch his own reality show. He didn't get the show, and he was convicted on felony charges. But he still got his wish for fame, if only because he's now famous enough for me to mention him now so I can illustrate what kind of assholes are born of fame addiction.
In pointing out this phenomenon, I'm not trying to except myself from it. I'm always the first one to say that I've got an ego. The Atheist Experience owes a lot to Internet word of mouth publicity. We're a relatively small phenomenon, and I know some people associated with the show (hi Tracie) absolutely hate it when people refer to them as celebrities, but I like reading our fan mail — most of the time — because it's still fun to hear that the stuff we say impacts people's thinking some of the time. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Our outreach to people is voluntary. We're never so overly concerned about being popular that we let it get in the way of doing content that we think is interesting. Sometimes we get emails saying that someone intends to quit watching because of something we did, but that rarely concerns us enough to fundamentally change our approach.
Even if the Internet has amplified both the desire and ability to make people pay attention to you, it certainly didn't invent it in the first place. Some kinds of attention seekers are very familiar to atheists, because a reoccurring topic that comes up a lot on the show is the concept of Christian Privilege. This privilege pops up especially when an issue comes up regarding separation of church and state.
Here's a joke. I'm warning you in advance, it's not a funny joke.
A dog had followed his owner to school. His owner was a fourth grader at a public elementary school. However, when the bell rang, the dog sidled inside the building and made it all the way to the child's classroom before a teacher noticed and shoo'ed him outside, closing the door behind him. The dog sat down, whimpered and stared at the closed doors. Then God appeared beside the dog, patted his head, and said, "Don't feel bad fella'…. they won't let ME in either."
Sound familiar? It's the same kind of line that arrogant, privileged douche-nozzle Mike Huckabee was pushing on us a few weeks ago, when he said that school shootings are inevitable when "we've systematically removed God from our schools." What his claim boils down to is that the omnipotent creator of the universe is physically prevented from rescuing little kids because there is no organized school prayer.
Similarly, the 60's atheist provocateur Madalyn Murray O'Hair is frequently described as being the person who "kicked God out of schools." Student activist Jessica Ahlquist was described as an "evil little thing" by her state representative for pursuing a lawsuit to get a mural with a Christian prayer removed from her public school.
The truth is that prayer has never been removed from schools. Students and teachers alike are free to pray on school grounds, when and where they choose to do so, as long as it doesn't interfere with their school day or disrupt class for the other kids. What the courts have decided is that, since public schools are public and host people of all faiths (and, of course, people of none), the school may not use their state authority to lead prayers, or otherwise coerce students and employees in the direction of a favored religion. That's it.
Similarly, in principle the local government should not issue proclamations in promotion of a favored religion; a state sponsored "national day of prayer" shouldn't exist, and so forth and so on. Private citizens are free to do private things. They're free to do many of those things in public. They're not allowed to leverage public resources in order to inflict their prayers or proclamations or endorsements or whatever on the rest of us. It's that simple.
I like to sum this up issue with this basic one liner: You have the right to say what you want, but you don't have the right to make people listen. As long as this point is properly observed, this issue hasn't got a thing to do with free speech.
I've raised two distinct points here: One is that the Internet feeds our desire for attention and amplifies our impression that what we say is important. The other is that some people — often Christians looking for a megaphone to broadcast their religion — see "freedom of speech" as synonymous with "forcing people to listen to you." Let me draw these points together a bit on a recent topic here: Message boards, comment lists, and other outlets of social networking sites.
I'd actually been sitting on this post a few days when I notice that Matt Dillahunty had made a video — or a "drive to work brain dump" as he called it — that kind of touches on this topic. Matt's been criticized recently for blocking people from his Twitter and Facebook feeds; some people are telling him that he's somehow violating their free speech. We get the same complaints any time we ban people from the TV show chat room or this blog.
If you get blocked from somebody's YouTube comments, your free speech rights under the United States Constitution have not been violated. People who complain about being blocked are not complaining because they can't say what they want. You haven't been banned from the entire Internet. You've just been banned from saying this on one forum. And after all, the Constitution doesn't guarantee that you can say what you want, everywhere, all the time. If you take a megaphone onto the campus of a private college and start ranting, campus security services have the right to remove you. If you jump onto the pulpit of a church, shove the minister out of the way, and start reading from "God Is Not Great," the church authorities aren't being thugs and bullies when they ask you to leave — it's their church.
And if you call The Atheist Experience and we hang up on you, we haven't censored you. Go ahead, start your own anti-Atheist TV show. Make your own web site telling us we're bad people. Create yourself a nice little #AtheistExperienceBullies hashtag on Twitter. Just don't expect that you'll get to spam our forums, message boards, or Twitter feeds 24/7 with links to your efforts.
What it comes down to is that the web is a big network of various private spaces. My Facebook page, my Twitter account, my blog, and my email are among those private spaces. Some people are more open to comments than others, but there have been many times when I've gotten aggressive emails saying "You're stupid because you're an atheist and I demand that you address me." My answer is, "You're a very rude person, and I'm not interested in talking to you." My attention, or anyone's, is not among your mandated rights.


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Use this guide to automatic garment presses to find out about important features and functions and learn about some of the models on the market.
Automatic garment presses are designed to deliver print-production speed and accuracy, access to more colors and effects, and higher levels of consistency and output quality. Many models are available to accommodate new shops or facilities without much floor space to spare, growing businesses that need greater capacity than manual presses can offer, and large-scale operations that print garments in the millions. Before we look at a cross-section of what's on the market, let's review some of the basics you'll need to consider when shopping for an automatic garment press.
The carousel configuration is the most common type of automatic garment press and is the focus of this article. Its operation is similar to that of the manual press—that is, it indexes in a circular pattern. Oval presses are still available, though the number of domestic manufacturers that offer this type of machine has decreased significantly over the years. As its name implies, the oval press is longer than it is wide. It typically is modular in design and indexes shirts along a track on the perimeter of the press.
Carousel presses require unobstructed areas that are larger than their total circumference, otherwise known as footprint, to give operators access to all print stations and press controls. Shop floors that are peppered with ceiling-support pillars or other structural components can limit the maximum allowable press size. An oval press may be a good solution in places where broad, open areas are unavailable.
Colors and stations
Automatic garment presses are available with as few as four colors/six stations to more than 18 colors/20 stations. Auto-matics typically feature two more stations than colors to provide for garment loading and unloading. Some configurations are designed specially for single-operator use and are equipped with only one extra station dedicated to loading and unloading. Be sure to take into account the flash-curing positions you'll need—as well as positions dedicated to underbases, specialty inks, and more—when deciding how many stations you want.
Drive systems and press movement
Pneumatic, electromechanical, and servomechanical drives are the most common types used in the operation of automatic garment presses. Some machines use one type of drive; others combine them. Pneumatic systems use pressurized air to index printing platens and/or to power squeegee/floodbar assemblies. Electronic valves control speed and distance of motion. Presses with strictly pneumatic drive systems are often less expensive than models that use electromechanical or servomechanical drives.
Did you enjoy this article? Click here to subscribe to the magazine.


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Finding a Religion to Abide By
by Dwayne Eutsey
For various reasons, I've been missing-in-action from this column for a while.
In addition to my full-time work, there's the part-time job I took on a year or so ago; there's the fact that we have a house full of adolescent kids now (which may help you understand why I have the part-time gig); and there's that new religion I've been helping to found.
Yes, you read that correctly.
In what spare time I have, I've been spreading the good word of the Church of the Latter-Day Dude (or Dudeism), the world's slowest-growing religion, to the masses. www.dudeism.com
Inspired by the Coen Brothers' film classic The Big Lebowski, Dudeism follows the laid-back path revealed by the movie's main character, called the Dude (hilariously played by Jeff Brides), who exemplifies for all us stressed out sinners just how take it easy, man, in a world gone crazy with stress.
Or as Dudeism's founder Oliver Benjamin (aka the Dudely Lama) describes it:
The idea is this: Life is short and complicated and nobody knows what to do about it. So don't do anything about it. Just take it easy, man. Stop worrying so much whether you'll make it into the finals. Kick back with some friends and some oat soda and whether you roll strikes or gutters, do your best to be true to yourself and others – that is to say, abide.
Dudeism is in part a joke, but it's a joke with a serious undercurrent drawn from the ancient traditions of holy fools and trickster gods with a lot of self-deprecating Taoism, humanism, and Kahlua tossed in.
It's Time to Can Soup and Chili
by J.R. Coffey
It is hard to believe another canning season will soon be over. This is the best time of year to can soups to have for the Winter ahead. Hunters will soon be going out and I have included directions on how to can beef or venison. All of these make for quick meals. Just heat and serve. You also do not have to worry if the power goes off and losing your food. I will give you some general information for all of the recipes that will follow:
General Directions for Soups
1). I prefer to make my broth or stock the day before. This allows you to skim off the excess fat and discard it or use it for soap. Some fat should be left in, but too much will prevent jars from sealing.
2). Prepare all vegetables just as you would to cook. Peel and chop or dice every vegetables. String and cut or break green beans, shell limas or peas, cut corn off of cob etc. Some of this can be done the day before and items refrigerated to finish the next day. Soup spoils easily so work with help or in amounts you can do quickly.
3). Leave 1" headspace in all jars. Clean jar rims and seal. Failure to clean jar rims can result in seal failure.
Back to School Brings Challenges, Blessings and Gratitude!
by Cyndi Paxton Johnson
Every mom has the picture of her baby's first day of school. Proud and nervous he stands in his shiny new clothes with his shiny new backpack. Some pictures tell a slightly different story. Here's MY picture of my daughters' first day of school ever!
No new clothes or backpacks, they wouldn't let me drive them to school but shrugged off my hugs and trudged up the country lane to their bus stop. My big girls!!
Ok, they ARE in Junior High. But it was STILL their FIRST day of school - ever. We've always homeschooled - and liked the lifestyle and the flexibility it afforded us. We homeschooled for many reasons, including the ability to tailor the educational experience to the child. Well, and the fact that I would have made a HORRIBLE public-school parent.
Me: "Why are you teaching fractions to a child who can't yet add?"
"Why did you give her an "A" on this paper? She's mixed up their/there and has no subject-verb agreement on that last sentence."
"No, we're not going to cancel our plans this weekend so she can draw a picture of a turkey. That's not a good use of her time."
Trust me - the teachers would have put out a contract on me in no time. I would have seriously flunked out.
So....why are 2/3 of my kids now attending school? They wanted to go. One was more interested than the other, but after a tour and some serious grilling of the assistant principal they both decided to try the school adventure.
So far - they like it! I'm even enjoying it. When one of them was writing a composition and couldn't whine and complain to me to get out of it - I was downright giddy. (ok - she was happy about that, too. Apparently I'm WAY too critical of her writing. Whatever.)
Make Your Life a ROCKIN' Reality Show!
by Cyndi Paxton Johnson
We all know fear - and change - is part of life. Yada yada yada. It's easy to say the words – but it's harder to walk the walk. Doing something new is terrifying! Your heart rate increases, you wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat and wonder if you're doing the right thing. It's hard to think of anything else, since your entire body goes into that "fight or flight" scenario – preparing for action.
But we need this shake-up, this rush of adrenaline, this pure terror. Without it, we stagnate – lose interest in moving forward – and resign ourselves to watching yet another reality tv show – watching others risk all without ever leaving the safety of our easy chair.
Why else would reality shows be so overwhelmingly popular? All the drama without ever having to risk anything, ourselves.
But let's face it, folks – Our lives ARE a reality show! Every day we face choices that will determine what direction our lives will take. We even have an audience watching our performance – our family, friends, even neighbors. Our very own fan club, cheering us along!
…so I thought the GPS was supposed to keep me from wandering around in circles?
by Cyndi Paxton Johnson
I like maps. I like planning my route, calculating the best routes, rest stops and note worthy attractions. I like leaving a congested highway and making my way on back roads, with only the most basic of maps to keep me heading in the chosen direction. I'm famous for my "shortcuts" – and most of them involve dirt roads. Reading maps has given me an innate sense of direction (note: unless I'm in DC, then all bets are off). I can be on a dirt road surrounded by cornfields – and simply "know" which direction leads to home.
As a map connoisseur, I rejected the GPS with the conviction a Coke Classic lover showed for New Coke. I snickered over stories of hapless individuals driving into walls or off of bridges while following their electronic masters. Really? A little common sense, please! You see? This is what happens when we rely on electronics instead of our brains, people!
Pride goeth before a fall. And mine fell when I landed a training contract that required me to drive all around two states, making dozens of stops along the way. I started with my maps, of course. It took HOURS to plot my route. I eventually succumbed and bought a highly rated GPS – and I was on my way!
I took to my new GPS toy the way a dieter takes to dessert buffet. It was so easy! All I had to do was follow Lola's (yup, Lola!) rather annoying insistent vocal commands – and I magically arrived at my desired destination! So easy! I'll admit to feeling frustrated by her determination to keep me on the major intersections – I much prefer short cuts and back roads. And so, I would deliberately turn OFF Lola's preferred path – and when she got too vocal in her objections – I shut her off. I think everyone should come with an OFF button – don't you?
Plumbers, Mechanics and More. Oh Joy.
It's been one of those weeks. Everything in my life is making odd noises: the minivan, the pump, the children. (ok, the children's noises may have been due to the sheer number of kids involved.) Nonetheless, having to deal with a plumber AND a mechanic in the same day left me feeling quite sorry for myself (and my wallet).
Because we believe in small businesses we tend to call the little guys: the solo plumber, the small repair shop, etc. They're not always as effecient as larger organizations - and I've spent a bit of time tracking down the mechanic, trying to get an estimate for the work. (because if it turns out to be triple what I'm expecting, I'm going to need to get some xanax from my doctor. It's best to be prepared!)
Yup, I've worried about the cost of all this manual labor. Plus parts. Did you know the silly 20 gallon pump tank costs $158 from a plumbing supply house? It's an empty tank, for crying out loud! {sigh}
HEAT: The Unexpected Dangers
by Cyndi Paxton Johnson
As the mercury rises and we brace ourselves for yet ANOTHER stretch of nasty weather - it's time to ask ourselves..."Was all that hairspray of the 60's and 70's REALLY worth it???"
We all know the standard dangers of extreme heat - heat stroke, heart attacks, etc. (yada yada yada) - but for me, the dangers of heat are MUCH more, well, dangerous!
1. CRANKINESS - both my own - and other peoples'. Let's face it- if you really want to see my head explode this is a great time to push my buttons. (and I'd prefer to be cranky ALONE - so the rest of you crank-heads go bother someone else.)
2. Reduced work performance. Now is NOT a good time to need the services of those requiring fine motor skills. Avoid neurosurgery, piano concerts and hairdressers. (trust me on this last one - OIY!!!)
In a Cucumber Pickle
By James R. Coffey
I hope everyone had a good Winter and Spring season. It is hard to believe another canning season has arrived. It seems like everyone at some time has a glut of cucumbers and the recipes that follow are some of my favorite ways to preserve them.
Bread and Butter Pickle
This is a recipe I have won a Blue Ribbon on at Cecil County Fair.
3 pounds medium size cucumbers
2 large white onions, sliced
½ large red pepper, washed, seeded and choppe
2 T. canning salt
1 ¼ C. cider vinegar
1 ¼ C. sugar
1 ½ t. mustard seed
1 t. turmeric
1/8 t. ground cloves
Wash cucumbers and cut off and discard a thin slice from each end. Slice cucumbers as thin as possible, either by hand or use a food processor. Layer cucumbers, onions, peppers and salt in a bowl. Let stand for 1 hour. Drain vegetables and rinse in cold water. Combine vinegar, sugar and spices in large kettle and bring to a boil. Add vegetables and heat, but do not boil. Remove from heat. Pack pickles into clean jars, leaving ½ " headspace. Wipe jar rims. Seal.Process 5 minutes in a boiling water bath.Makes 4 pts.
…and so they dragged me, kicking and screaming, into the digital age
by Cyndi Paxton Johnson
I used to be cool. Really! I was active on WOW (the pre-AOL chat room) before most folks ever heard of the internet. I was cutting edge – for a non-techie. I even had a column in the now defunct online Cecil County Magazine. And, no thanks to my now husband, I had a computer WITH a hard drive! (my first computer had only two floppies because – and I quote my wonderful techie husband – "No one would ever need an entire 20mb of space!" In his defense – it was a LONG time ago!)
And yet, despite my advanced beginnings – I am now a technological wash-out. I own NO Apple products. I FINALLY got a GPS last Christmas –and like it. And, most importantly from a Book Slut point of view – I FINALLY have a Kindle.
We have ONE Kindle in our household – and we're constantly fighting over it. Because of this – there's an eclectic combination of digital books for our perusing pleasure. I've finally found some Facebook folks that keep me current on FREE and low-cost ebooks: BookGorilla, Pixel of Ink, Readers of Kindle Books, etc – and I'm stocking up
Additionally, there are plenty of business books that we're perusing – which keep us motivated and growing! I LOVE taking ONE of my entire libraries with me wherever I go – it makes waiting MUCH less frustrating! (still love the thousands of books in our home – but digital sure weighs less!)
I don't know how we survived without our Kindle for so long – something about loving the feel of a real book in my hands. You get over it. Trust me.
Maybe one day I'll have an i-pod!
Endangered Childhood: Growing Up Shouldn't be Dangerous!
by Cyndi Paxton Johnson
I can't turn around without finding yet another example of endangered childhood - online or in my own community. It's reaching epidemic proportions - and I'm terrified of what will become of these once innocent children. I've been insulated by the homeschooling community and the parenting blogs that were my lifeline - though they made me feel like a bad mom for not buying natural peanut butter and not getting my brood to eat sprouts. But my gang's finishing their first year in public school (and loving it), and I've gotten to know a lot of kids who have more to deal with than JIF peanut butter.
There's the teenage boy who was kept confined in his sparse bedroom and allowed to do nothing outside of watching his spoiled little sister. Or the sisters who are tossed between homes like a volleyball, occasionally landing back with their abusive mother. Or the girl who witnessed a fatal shooting in her home - by her father.
Childhood shouldn't be this traumatic.


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Reviewed by Jennifer T. (age 10)
I like the story because it was a wonderful story about what mothers do for their babies. My favorite part is when Sid had her two eggs and how she took care of them.
This story reminds of the time that I went to the park and I saw two birds and their mother was giving worms to her babies.
I recommend this book because it may have a lesson like when they put the letter down they felt excited because they saw a pigeon with two eggs. I would recommend this book to my teacher. It might interest beginning readers who like animals, especially birds.


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Ed Snider
Ed Snider is an iconic entrepreneur and true visionary in the sports and entertainment industry. His emergence as a leader in the Philadelphia sports market began in 1966 when he brought a National Hockey League franchise to the city as the founder of the Philadelphia Flyers. He became the driving force behind the construction of the Spectrum and assumed control of the building in 1971. In 1974, Snider created Spectacor as the management company to oversee the Flyers and Spectrum. Over the next 20 years, Spectacor experienced unprecedented growth, earning national acclaim for its impact in the sports and entertainment business. Under Snider's guidance, Spectacor developed and acquired nearly a dozen related companies.
In 1996, Snider merged Spectacor with the Comcast Corporation to form Comcast-Spectacor. The new venture initially consisted of the Philadelphia Flyers, Philadelphia 76ers, Wells Fargo Center, The Spectrum, and the Philadelphia Phantoms. Comcast-Spectacor then joined with the Philadelphia Phillies to form Comcast SportsNet, one of the highest-rated regional sports cable networks in the country.
Most recently, Comcast-Spectacor developed Global Spectrum, an international facilities management company; Ovations Food Services, an international concessions company; New Era Tickets; and the Flyers Skate Zones. These entities all represent components of Snider's vision: "Take what you do well and grow it."
Through an illustrious career, Snider originated and developed PRISM, the country's largest regional pay television network. He and his son Jay also created one of the nation's first all-sports radio stations, WIP in 1987.
Snider's success and business acumen have been widely recognized by his peers. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988 and serves on the NHL's Executive Committee. He is a recipient of the Lester Patrick Award for outstanding service to hockey in the United States and has been elected to the US Hockey Hall of Fame, the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame, the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, the Washington, DC Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, and the Flyers Hall of Fame. In 2005, he received the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce's William Penn Award, the most prestigious business honor in the region, and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor awarded to Americans of all ethnic backgrounds who have made significant contributions to our society.
One of Snider's more recent and proudest accomplishments is the creation of the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation, which provides underserved children from inner-city communities with the opportunity to learn to play ice hockey at area rinks. The program features an educational component that emphasizes the importance of staying in school, community service and goal-setting. In 2008, by taking control of funding and operations, the Foundation rescued three Philadelphia inner-city ice-skating rinks that budgetary constraints had forced the city to target for closure. This partnership quickly grew to include the staffing and programming at all five of the city's public rinks. In 2011, the Foundation matched a grant by the Commonwealth to fund a $13 million renovation project that will ensure the long-range sustainability of these vital community resources and result in the enclosure of up to four of these rinks for year round use.
Snider has received honorary degrees from Hahnemann University and Thomas Jefferson Hospital. He is also the benefactor of the Sol C. Snider Entrepreneurial Center of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and Vice Chairman of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.
Snider's philanthropic generosity has benefitted numerous organizations and agencies throughout the Greater Philadelphia Region.
In May 1999, readers of the Philadelphia Daily News selected him as Philly's greatest mover and shaker of the millennium.


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Latest News
BSO identifies deputy whose patrol car struck woman who just left hospital
Complaining about chest pains, Helen Bernadette Adams told a friend it felt like "someone stole her heart."
The woman dropped Adams and her boyfriend off at Broward Health Imperial Point Hospital in Fort Lauderdale around 11 p.m. Tuesday.
She and her boyfriend John Adams walked out of Imperial Point shortly after 3 a.m. Wednesday, and decided to walk east across Federal Highway to the nearby 7-Eleven for snacks.
As she tried to cross the busy thoroughfare, a Broward Sheriff's Office squad car heading south crashed into her. She was pronounced dead at 3:30 a.m.
"Why did the deputy not see her," said Adam's sister Lisa Adams, who was devastated by the news. "You don't hear that everyday that someone got hit by a cop."
Police say the deputy, Cpl. Jeffrey Bates, was driving the patrol car that hit Adams.
"He was speeding," John Adams told Miami Herald news partner CBS4. "I know he was."
But Adams said he didn't actually see the BSO patrol car strike Helen Adams, 46, because he was walking ahead of her.
BSO's s traffic homicide unit is investigating to see whether speed, weather or other factors were involved, said BSO spokeswoman Dani Moschella.
The couple was crossing east on Federal Highway, an area without a crosswalk, she said.
Even though the accident happened in Fort Lauderdale, BSO is investigating because the crash involved a deputy, Moschella said.
"Deputies go to work every day to protect the public and make sure people are safe," Moschella said. "So it's very difficult for everyone when a deputy is involved in a crash."
Bates, a road patrol officer for the Pompano Beach area, is an 11-year veteran on the force. He was not injured in the crash.
According to police, Bates had been in one previous accident that had no injuries and was deemed preventable.
Bates made headlines in 2007 when a suspect stabbed him in his right thigh with a steak knife after Bates pulled over to check out a suspicious situation.
John Adams, who also was not injured in the crash, told CBS4 he did what he could to help his longtime girlfriend.
"I ran back across and I tried to help her," he told the television station through tears. "I was trying to help her, give her CPR. I hoped she'd be alright."
Lisa Adams said her sister grew up in Miami and was a mother of five and a grandmother of seven. Her sister had been living with family and friends in recent years and at one point worked as a babysitter. She had been suffering from a heart condition in recent years, her sister said.
"We were very close," said Lisa Adams, who said the two spoke three days ago. "I can't believe my sister is dead. I just can't even put my head around it."
Miami Herald news partner CBS4 contributed to this report.


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Adult Pets Need Special CareSubmitted by Alicinha
Long before you expect it, Fido and Snowball are no longer able to bolt out the door or leap onto the bed. But with routine visits to the vet, regular exercise and good weight control, you can help your beloved pet ward off the onset of age-related disease, one veterinary expert suggests.
"Aging pets are a lot like aging people with respect to diseases," Susan Nelson, a Kansas State University assistant professor of clinical services, said in a university news release. Diabetes, chronic kidney disease, cancer, osteoarthritis, periodontal disease and heart disease are among the problems pets face as they grow older, she noted.
"Like people, routine exams and tests can help detect some of these problems earlier and make treatment more successful," Nelson added, making a special reference to heartworm prevention and general vaccinations.
"It's also important to work closely with your veterinarian," Nelson said, because "many pets are on more than one type of medication as they age, just like humans."
Cats between 8 and 11 years (equal to 48 to 60 in human years) are considered "senior," while those over the age of 12 fall into the category of "geriatric," Nelson explained.
For dogs it depends on weight: those under 20 pounds are considered senior at 8 years, and geriatric at 11 years. Those 120 pounds and up, however, are considered senior at 4 years and geriatric at 6 years, with a sliding age-scale applied to canines between 20 and 120 pounds.
Nelson said that to catch problems early, older cats and dogs need to be taken in for a semiannual health exam and lab tests. "Diseases such as systemic hypertension and diabetes mellitus are just a few that can occur at a relatively young age and often take owners by surprise. Urinary or fecal incontinence are other issues that may occur as your pet matures," she added.
"Such actions obviously can't prevent all diseases, but when caught early, many diseases can be managed" and the good quality of life extended, Nelson said.
Nelson also wants owners to be aware that pet behavior can shift with age if mental problems such as senility, phobias and various anxieties take hold. Disorientation can ensue, alongside changes in eating habits and the tendency to sleep more.
The risk for joint problems also grows with age, and older pets should not be encouraged to run or jump as much as they might have in the past. Swimming and walking are good alternatives, she suggested, and supplements and medications can help keep pain from arthritis at bay.
Overall, Nelson advises owners to "give your senior pets lots of TLC — tender, loving care." That, she said, can go a long way towards easing the aging process.
Image to link: Pet Paradiseah


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Jump to navigation
Abstract: DaVinci Code, Templars, and Archaeology
The ruined castles of the Knights Templar are scattered across the Middle East and they provide insights into this order of Crusading knights. Professor Fuller has visited several of these archaeological sites and examined the ruins. Find out the perspective of a field archaeologist (with an interest in the Crusades) on the bestselling murder mystery. He will discuss castles in Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and Israel.
AIA Tours


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The Sunday Comics
July 25, 2010 by © Joan Miller - Luxegen Genealogy.
Filed under genealogy, humour
Remember the classic comics that we can't seem to find anymore? I was poking around Footnote and came across a whole batch of historic comics! If you enjoy the Sunday comics (or daily comics) then you might want to check these out. Grumps Original Katzenjammer Kids Blondie Dick Tracey Peanuts Smilin Jack Robin Malone Advice [...]


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Pacers Host College Night Each Tuesday Home Game• January 29, 2008 Share:
The Indiana Pacers are giving college students the opportunity to see a game in Conseco Fieldhouse for a special price on a night specifically for them.
Pacers College Night gives college students the chance to see a Pacers game from the best available seat in the balcony for $10 and receive a free College Night t-shirt at the game. Students can take advantage of this offer every Tuesday home game for the remainder of the season.
On Monday before each College Night, Pacers' mascot Bowser and members of the Pacemates dance team will appear on select college campuses and provide giveaways and entertainment.
The remainder of the Pacers College Night schedule is Jan. 29 vs. Detroit; Feb. 5 vs. San Antonio (Tim Duncan, Tony Parker); Feb. 12 vs. Boston (Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce); Mar. 11 vs. Seattle (Kevin Durant); Mar. 25 vs. New Orleans (Chris Paul); and Apr. 8 vs. Atlanta.
Tickets can be purchased at Pacers.com or at the Conseco Fieldhouse Box Office. More Information about College Night can be found at Pacers.com.
For group ticket information, contact Ryan Davenport at (317) 917-2896. For additional information, contact Eric Saxton at (317) 917-2805 or Pacers Sports & Entertainment's Public Information Department at (317) 917-2500.


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As the biggest and most diverse online community for trans hook-ups, TS TV Dates is the place to go if you are interested in meeting shemales, transvestites, or transsexuals for sex, dating, or friendship. The community is currently over 35 million members strong and they come from all over the globe. This TS TV Dates review will discuss some of the key benefits of becoming a registered member.
To make it easier to find likeminded people, TS TV Dates offers its users a wide variety of different matching tools and resources. It is a warm, friendly, and frequently steamy platform where trans lovers can come together and share intimate experiences. There is no doubt that TS TV Dates is one of the best sites on the net for transvestite and transsexual dating. Plus, it is supported by a giant of the online hook-up scene, Adult Friend Finder.
So, you can guarantee that becoming a member of TS TV Dates will secure you a string of hot matches. The intensity of the experience is entirely up to you. You can talk hot and horny from the outset, with other passionate members, or you can start slow and work your way up to kinkier chats and encounters. Whatever you need, whatever you are looking for, you're sure to find it here.
If that weren't enough, the superb TS TV Dates membership guarantee makes users a big promise. If you don't find an amazing hook up within three months, you are entitled to another three on the house.
If you've never used TS TV Dates before, you'll be glad to know that it is very simply. It works in much the same way as the more mainstream dating and match sites. First, you create a personal profile that tells other members all about you and what type of match you want. Your profile will be accessible to the community and, if it catches the eye, you'll get an inbox full of hot and steamy messages.
The thing that sets TS TV Dates apart from other hook up sites is the quality of its profiles and matching process. They can be fully personalised and you are free to add as much information about yourself as you like. In fact, the more details that you provide, the easier it will be to find a likeminded match. You can add a wealth of high quality pictures and browse the pictures on other profiles too.
Your online profile is your secret weapon when it comes to finding a date or a casual encounter. It is your advertisement, your endorsement; the number of different options available on TS TV Dates makes selling yourself not just easy, but also a lot of fun. According to TSTVDates.com itself, users should feel like they can express anything they want about themselves and the platform should give them the confidence and skills to achieve it.
You'll have a lot of fun putting together a personal profile on TSTVDates.com. The first step is usually to add a picture or three. There are actually no restrictions on how many images you can upload, so find your best snaps and start showing off. Also, there are multiple personality and needs surveys that you can complete. These are a good option for anybody who finds writing out all of their own profile descriptions a little tiring. The system uses your survey answers to fill in the boxes on your behalf.
There is even the option to add a short audio message to your profile. You can tell interested members what you're all about and why they should check you out. On top of this, you can upload as many as five video clips to help convince sexy singles that you are the right choice.
If you want to jazz your profile up, you can incorporate some profile 'bling.' This is a kind of visual decoration made up of different icons and pictograms. For example, if you love going out for pizza or watching movies, you can tell people that by placing a little icon of the activity on your page. Once you start to build up an online presence and have done some TS TV Dates exploration, you can add icons to show which individual groups and communities you are a part of.
This is one of the most popular tools on the whole site, because the icons make it really easy to see, at a glance, which members are into the same things as you. It might be first date ideas, favourite foods, favourite television shows, or sexual preferences; this is an open and honest platform where users aren't afraid to speak their minds.
There are all kinds of additional extras and fun stuff that you can try. The only way to find out which ones are right for you is to really dive in and be an active, engaged member of the site. For instance, the 'purity tests' are another popular game. They are a light hearted way to show how 'pure' or 'impure' your personality is and they can help you to find similarly innocent or filthy matches.
The results of any personality quiz, survey, or test that you take may be published on your profile and used to tell other users about yourself. Ultimately, the possibilities on TS TV Dates are endless, so don't hesitate to start exploring. It is definitely worth taking some time to really craft a great profile, because it will really make a difference to the amount of matches, messages, and hook ups that you get.
If you are interested in getting together with other members, for sexy fun or just a date, you can use the search tool to look for users in your area. This speeds up the whole process and means that you don't spend time browsing through profiles that don't fit your criteria. For the most part, users do their own searching and find their own matches. However, there are a number of resources that can pick potential matches for you, based on the information that you have provided.
The 'Meet the VIPs,' 'Members Near Me, and 'Choose from Hot Member Content' tools will all pick out eligible matches so that you don't have to search for them. Then, you can reject and accept the suggestions in whatever way you like. As there so many profiles on TS TV Dates, these functions can be a way to match up with people that you might otherwise never get around to considering.
Once again, after you've been using the platform for a little while, all of the features will start to become more useful to you. For example, there is a blocked list which you can add names to if you feel like a member is behaving unreasonably towards you. Just like Facebook, you don't have to deal with abusive or unwanted attention; you can simply block this content with the click of a button. Alternatively, there is a Friends List for members that you talk to on a regular basis and a Hot List for people that you are hoping to hook up with.
If you ever have any trouble navigating or understanding a part of the site, there is an extensive FAQs section with lots of technical information and advice. So, you never have to feel lost or confused. And, finally, there is the biggest advantage of all. We couldn't end this TSTVDates.com review without mentioning the price. For just $15 per month, you can subscribe for a full gold membership. This will give you access to every single feature, tool, and function on TS TV Dates, for a period of twelve months.
If one thing is clear, it is that the world needs more safe and warm communities for transsexuals, transvestites, shemales, and the people who love them to meet up and have fun. TS TV Dates is one such community and it will change the way that you view online dating.
Click here to visit TSTVDates.com today.


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Many people agree that focusing on a smartphone or tablet is a bad idea when you're supposed to be driving a car, but what about when you're parenting a child?
As mobile devices become increasingly absorbing and pervasive, social commentators and researchers worry what effects they're having on interactions between children and distracted caregivers.
In a paper published Monday in the journal Pediatrics, Boston researchers described what they called the first-ever investigation into the topic.
They did so by secretly watching subjects at fast-food restaurants and recording their observations in notebooks or laptop computers outfitted with security screens so that their notes couldn't be seen.
As it turns out, parents were so preoccupied with either their smartphones or their children that nobody caught on to what the researchers were doing.
"We chose to observe caregivers and children during meals because this is a daily routine in which face-to-face caregiver-child interactions are considered beneficial," wrote Dr. Jenny Radesky, a pediatrician at Boston Medical Center.
"It has been estimated that 40% of American meals are eaten outside the home, so fast-food outings probably represent a substantial proportion of family meals," Radesky and her colleagues wrote.
Among other observations, researchers found that caregivers who were the most highly absorbed in their technology often responded harshly to child misbehavior.
For example, one woman kicked a child's foot under the table, and another pushed a young boy's hands away when he was trying repeatedly to lift her face up from looking at a tablet screen.
They found also that the highest level of caretaker absorption in an electronic device involved typing or scrolling through information, and not talking on the phone. When they were on the phone, they still made eye contact with their children.
While some caregivers tried to use the devices to settle down unruly children, by playing a video for instance, others were so engrossed that they responded either angrily or robotically to their children.
"Caregiver is looking at the phone, nodding a little while the child talks but not looking back at her or responding with words," one researcher wrote in their observation notes. "Caregiver doesn't appear to be listening but says a few words in response every once in a while."
In another instance involving a father and his sons, a researcher wrote, "Oldest boy starts singing "jingle bells, Batman smells," and the others try to join but don't know the words ... Dad tells them to stop in a firm voice. Then he looks back to the phone ..."
The researchers observed a total of 55 caregivers who were eating with one or more children. Of the caregivers observed, 40 used a mobile device at some point. All were observed in the Boston area.
Radesky and her colleagues acknowledged that the sampling was small, but said it was intended to be the starting point for future, more elaborate studies.
"We did find it striking that during caregiver absorption with devices, some children appeared to accept the lack of engagement and entertained themselves, whereas others showed increasing bids for attention that were often answered with negative parent responses," the authors wrote.


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When you make your own pasta, you will always end up with some scraps, even more if you make ravioli. You can easily recycle this leftover pasta to make maltagliati, meaning "poorly cut" in Italian, which was traditionally meant as food for the poor. We are way past that, and today you can enjoy rich texture and amazing flavor of your pasta without the social stigma ;-)
Honey meat ravioli
This delicious meal is amazingly easy to prepare, as long as you have a pasta machine and ravioli tablet — it's a small grid in which you can prepare ravioli "like a sandwich", then roll out the ready ravioli using a rolling pin. Super easy, and with just very little effort you will end up having a luxurious feast!
Creamy scrambled eggs
I love the creamy texture of scrambled eggs, but I strongly dislike the idea of eating eggs raw, so I hacked a scrambled eggs recipe to be both completely set, creamy, and pack a crunchy punch as an extra. It's so delicious with fresh bread or toast, and the consistency makes it spreadable like a cottage cheese! I come back to this recipe quite often, because it's simple, fast and feels luxurious ;-)
Sweet potato quiche
Quiche is that one recipe that I love coming back to — it's easy to make, looks delicious and tastes heavenly :-) Plus, it allows me to come up with new fillings, which makes it very versatile!
Sweet potatoes are very smooth and creamy when boiled, then baked, and shallots add a crunchy texture. The combination of them is very mild and aromatic, so make sure you spice it up to your liking!
Red bean and pepper meatballs
This is my favorite meatballs recipe to date. It's spicy, it's rich, it's deliciously thick and serves as a complete meal on it's own. It's one of my never failed meals, because it's impossible to make it taste bad, it can even survive burning (a bit :P), wrong order of cooking, missing ingredients and virtually any cooking disaster you can imagine ;-)


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Spring Training Memories
Spring Training is almost here! All 34 Padres pitchers and their six catchers are reporting to Peoria this Saturday, on Valentine's Day. How sweet. Anyway, as I look ahead to Spring Training 2009, I can't help but look back at my first Spring Training in 2008.
I was an upset, slightly recovering young Padres fan, SO ready for baseball. The offseason had been long and hard for me, dealing with the reeling blow of Game 163. But finally, finally, Padres baseball was back, and boy was I starving for it. The first game that was on the radio, I locked myself in my room and listened to the entire thing. It was a noon game. It was so great to hear the voices of Ted Leitner, Jerry Coleman, and Andy Masur, to hear them calling some Padres baseball. I remember "noticing" that the pitchers were not quite to mid-season form yet. It was a high-scoring game. But newcomer Jody Gerut had a few hits, as well as Jim Edmonds (ugh). We lost the game like 8-6.
Now, as most of you know, I was really obsessed with the Padres back then. It was bad. I think I listened to like every Spring Training game that month. I would cram all my schoolwork into the morning and then lock myself in my room for the whole game. I don't think I will be doing that this year. You know, it will be great to hear Padres baseball again, but I don't need to be listening to every second of the pre-season games.
Anyway, while I was locked in my room listening to baseball, I would knit. It's great to sit there and listen to the radio, but sometimes you kind of need something to do with your hands. And no, knitting is not just for old women. It's actually quite hip for teenagers. So, I found this pattern that was relatively simple, and I made this blanket:
What I did was knitted about 45-50 squares and sewed them all together. It kept me busy all month during the games last year.
I think it should be a tradition for me for a while to knit something during Spring Training. I would love to make another one of these blankets, but I don't know what I would do with it! Plus, the fuzzy yarn is kind of expensive, and that blanket took a lot of yarn! I'm thinking about making pillow covers this year, in that same fuzzy stuff 🙂
In other Padres news, we traded our number one draft pick from 2004, Matt Bush, to the Toronto Blue Jays for a player to be named later or cash considerations. I hope we get a good player for him. Good riddance. Bush was a troublemaker, plus he couldn't succeed as a baseball player. He's got a great arm, there's no doubt about that. But he's abusing his talent. It's pretty sad, actually. But hopefully the cold air in Toronto will cool him down a bit.
Also, Jake Peavy gave an interview for the first time this offseason. I wasn't able to listen to it yet, but the article on padres.com was very good. He's going to be with the Padres for at least a part of this season. It's great news!
One more note: The Padres' beat writer, Corey Brock, has re-started his blog. This guy is a great writer, and his entries are very entertaining. Plus, I want his job someday 🙂 Check it out: Who's your Padre?
(photo credit: ME!!)


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- Words by Mr Philip Delves Broughton
There are two kinds of summer movies. The popcorn films that draw you out of the melting heat into the coolness of the multiplex in high July, with big special effects and hero's journeys. And then those films that linger with you all year long, maybe all life long, like sand in the heel of an old boat shoe. They evoke the emptiness and possibility of summer, the balmy months when everyone has time and no one has the energy or inclination to judge. When the same few songs play hypnotically on the radio and the warmth seems to turn us into looser, fuller versions of ourselves - at least until September snaps us back to attention. Summer is a time of transitions and rites of passage, the season of living between the institutional demands of schools, colleges and work. Long days without adult supervision are a ripe time for misbehaviour, whether for teenage girls at a beach club or men left alone in the city by their wives. Anything can happen. And frequently, anything does. These movies all bottle some of that languid summer magic, to be consumed long after summer is past.


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Stop self hate today
Self hate, or disgust with yourself, saps your energy, and reduces enjoyment and productivity in your life. When you feel that you hate yourself and 'deserve' bad things then you are, of course, your own worst enemy.
Self hate may have arisen because of past conditioning: maybe you were fed negative ideas about yourself from others, maybe people treated you like an object to be used and thrown aside. Perhaps the self hate really originates from another's voice and isn't your own sense of self at all. The dust and grime of years of conditioning may have obscured how you really see yourself.
Perfectionism and self hate
It may be that you are a perfectionist who sees reality in black and white and therefore whenever you do something 'imperfectly' you feel disgusted with yourself.
Then again perhaps you have been conditioned to feel guilty about all kinds of things and you over-ruminate about your past mistakes (which we've all made).
Perhaps you feel others are better than you or that you always seem to say or do the wrong thing.
Get a more realistic view of yourself
Too much self hate is still too much self regard and self-focus. When you feel more relaxed and better about yourself then you don't have to think about yourself so much and can focus more on other things in life. What a relief!
When you give yourself more leeway and begin to show some decency to yourself then you live life more fully and effectively.
Download Stop Self Hate now and start giving yourself a chance!
Stop Self Hate has been purchased by 1146 customers.
Why you can relax about buying from Uncommon Knowledge...
Stop Self Hate
Narrator: Mark Tyrrell
Length: 20:02
Buy these together Stop Self HateSelf Acceptance and save $6.95
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With more than 500,000 customers and 30,000 fans of our Facebook page, we are proud to serve people from countries as far afield as New Zealand, India, South Africa, as well as Europe, the US and Canada. (And our shipping is free worldwide, did you know?)


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Once again, HP has retooled the MediaSmart Server EX490 and EX495 with new capabilities, including faster hardware and better MAC support. That makes it all the better to connect to your home network to serve as your personal backup center and media server. Additionally, HP changed the Windows Home Server (WHS) styled user interface (UI) available on the MediaSmart Server EX487 and EX470 to a Web style UI logon. HP could have done a better job improving the software before launch, as bugs were encountered, even with the new Windows 7. So, while the $699.99 MediaSmart EX495 is an improvement over previous generations, it's still not perfect.
Buzz up!on Yahoo!
Design and Setup
With the EX495, HP kept the MediaSmart enclosure identical to the two-year-old models. If it wasn't for a slightly different hue of the front LEDs at the bottom of the case, you couldn't tell them apart. On the back of the enclosure are the same e-SATA, Ethernet and USB ports in the same spots. There's still a USB port tucked under the front grill next to the status LEDs.
Although the enclosure has remained a fixture, HP upgraded the internal hardware. HP has moved away from the Celeron and gone with an Intel Pentium Dual Core E5200, 2GB RAM, and 1.5 TB of storage. The single hard drive is allocated to storage and the Windows Home Server (WHS) software, the same as with previous MediaSmart servers.
Installing and configuring the WHS Console client hasn't changed. During the setup, for instance, you can allow WHS to backup your computer while in hibernation or in sleep mode. The rest of the WHS installation differs only slightly.
I used the included WHS Connector Setup software to connect to the MediaSmart Server and to switch to another WHS server I was reviewing on the same network, the Lenovo IdeaCentre D400 Home Server. However, switching back and forth between WHS consoles never worked right. It's probably best not to run two WHS boxes on the same network.
System management got a great makeover in the new start up page created by HP. If you find that the MediaSmart server is performing too slowly, a look of the performance indicators on the System Status page could help you figure out if the problem is in the Server or the network. It also displays storage utilization, remote access connectivity and general server status alerts. To modify any of the server settings, however, you still have to use the Settings Window, which hasn't changed at all. Using that, I changed the remote and backup settings, and tested the media settings.
I was disappointed to see that some network settings were removed in this version. For example, you can't change the DHCP settings to static IP. Instead, HP provides a TZO dynamic DNS client account which is free for one year with a "yourname.hphome.com" domain, or a life-time free Windows Live Custom Domains client. Either one can be activated when accessing MediaSmart over the Web with a domain name. With the Windows Live Custom Domain service, you have to settle with the ".homeserver.com" name. TZO also lets you use your own domain if you pay $59.95 a year.
HP chose a black background with blue banners and small fonts in white for it's new UI. The new design has its pluses and minuses. You get a smooth experience as you navigate between the new features. However, the entire environment is still based on WHS, so many of the features are only accessible in the old UI anyway. HP couldn't hide all the WHS, so users have to settle for this odd mix of UIs. As I played with the new features, I found a couple of errors in both UIs. Some of the panes were blank or took a long time to come up. I also found encountered a port access error when accessing User Accounts. The only solution was to reboot the server to clear it away.
The improvements (specifically features like the Media Collector, Web/iPhone Streaming, and HP Video Converter) are more than touch ups. Media Collector gathers files from computers on your network and organizes them based by dates or by folders. The internal file conversion is done automatically, except with videos, which you can select and reconvert the files for use on computers or mobile devices and many media devices. The Apple media files require that you download a free iStream app from the Apple App Store. When I tested this on Windows 7, I got an incompatible connection status.
Resetting the collection database or rebooting the server did not fix the error, nor was a fix easily found on HP's Web site or in the help files. When I tried with Windows XP, the Media Collector was able to scan and copy the files to the server. Once the files were collected, the file conversion, publishing and streaming worked well. We talked to HP about it, but they couldn't get the Media Collector to work with Windows 7 either, though the regular network access worked fine. HP says the issue comes from Windows Media Player 12, that it works fine with the older WMP 11 and there's a workaround.
The EX495 Video Converter can transcode DIVX, FLV, M2TS, MOV, MP3 and many other media file formats, even non-copy protected DVDs from remote computers. Setting up a DVD so that the converter can access the file requires a couple of manual steps, but nothing that a novice can't manage.
Accessing folders on the MediaSmart from computers on your home network or the Web also requires a few manual steps. The older and more stable access features of WHS such as User Account, Shared Folders and Backup haven't changed. I found that the User Guide can help with many of the networking steps.
HP spruced up the performance of the EX495, so I ran a couple of quick tests by uploading a 1 TB file to the MediaSmart over a Gigabit Ethernet network. The EX495 averaged 22 Megabytes per second (MBps) with a single drive. Our last WHS Editor's Choice winner, the Western Digital WD ShareSpace managed only 11.2 MBps with a slightly larger file. However, ShareSpace was configured with RAID 5, and this reduces the hard drive access speed quite a bit.
Bottom Line
No doubt, HP has put a lot of effort in improving usability, but it would have been nice to eradicate the infrequent UI errors before releasing the EX495 to market. Despite some of the problems I encountered, MediaSmart is still leading the pack among home servers by supporting many features that are not available in other network storage devices. It's far from perfect, but definitely still leads the WHS product market.


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When I was 21 I wrote a novel( never published) called " A question of Balance" about my gymnastics competing and coaching experience and that phrase has always stuck with me. Searching for balance has always been a key metaphor in my life, even when I was decidedly out of balance.Perhaps even more because of that.
"And in those simple beautiful movements I remembered what was really important in training; that consistency trumps intensity; all the time. That intensity is born from consistency. That one cannot force it, one has to lay in wait for it, patiently, instinctively, calmly and be ready to grab it when Grace lays it down in front of you."
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Training for Life.
When I was 21 I wrote a novel( never published) called " A question of Balance" about my gymnastics competing and coaching experience and that phrase has always stuck with me. Searching for balance has always been a key metaphor in my life, even when I was decidedly out of balance.Perhaps even more because of that.
22 comments:
- Howie Brewer said...
Very insightful, heartfelt and true Rif. I turn 40 in 8 months and having a 2-yr old, my biggest goal is to be able to keep up with him 10 and 15 years from now. And to be prepared for anything that comes along in between. Thanks for sharing.
- Franklin B. Herman said...
Another of your powerful observations that really pulled my heartstrings .. thanks!
Like yourself I'm a "middle age" man with adult kids who wants the rest of his life to be of the highest quality both physically and mentally.
Everyday I count my lucky stars for discovering RKC hard-style training (both physical and mental) and how it has changed my life for the better.
- Geoff Neupert said...
GREAT insights--glad you are finally "there."
I too am examining my life and asking myself what the cost has been and what the cost might be and whether or not I'm willing to pay that cost.
Give me a call when you get a chance.
- Mark Reifkind said...
being able to move and run and play with your kids is so much more important than any poundage I ever lifted. way more. I just wish I had known that sooner.the kettlebell is such an incredible tool for staying fit and healthy at the same time in the shortest amount of time.
- Mark Reifkind said...
thanks franklin,
I know just what you mean about lucky stars and discovering RKC. What a blessing it has been for me and so many others.
- Mark Reifkind said...
glad we got the chance to talk Geoff; you know how long a road this has been for me.
- Bob Garon II said...
Your words are very inspiring. I really like the "Question of Balance" concept.
I am always doing my best to find a balance in my life where training is concerned. I came from a bodybuilding mindset in my background where hypertrophy and pain was the only way to experience results. I found kettlebells through a friend/prior client shortly after my herniated disc injury almost 2 years ago.
This has been a tough road, but a very fun one as well while attempting to recover from the injury. It seems like just one stupid movement in the wrong way will set it off into spasms and inflammation. I know what training movements not to perform(deadlifts, barbell squats, sots presses), but hate being limited. I love the physical environment and opportunity that kettlebells have presented to me and I have never been stronger.
I turned 30 this past December and only want my growing years to be ones filled with education, inspiration, fulfilled experiences, and all centered around my love of simply being as healthy as I can be. That is why I love to train. I competed in sports when I was younger, but for me now competition is only as good as my last workout. I compete with me and my own personal bests.
I hope to be able to afford the RKC one day, but in the meantime have truly enjoyed the enlightenment of you Mark and others such as the websites of David Whitley, Anthony DiLuglio, of course Pavel(dragondoor), Steve Cotter, Jordan Venzina(he has been a great help and he's lucky to have you), and there are others as well. I frequent these sites each day to just catch a glimmer of what you interesting men have to offer the not only kettlebell community, but also the entire community of self-improvement. I will say this again- You have truly inspired me more than once.
Thank you Mark and I hope to one day have the privilege to meet you and be trained by you.
-Bob Garon
P.S. I'm gonna post this on my site as well so others can have the chance to know your story.
- Mark Reifkind said...
I know what you mean about spasms. I suffered from some serious spasms in the psoas, lateral hamstrings, lumbar spine and calves for many years. It was what drove me to discover corrective exercise and learn the difference betwee tonic and phasic musculature. I saw a way to balance my body and musculature and get out of pain.
I too very much being so limited but I tell you what; I hate being in constant pain more.
So the first thing one has to do is stop doing the offending motions and get the body balanced first. If you keep applying the inflammatory source the problem won't heal.
THat is what I have finally come to after fighting to keep squatting benching and pulling for so long while still in constant pain.
Doesnt sound so smart now but I had always been a competitor- it was who I was.somethings have a steeper price tag than others.
Bob I'm sure we will meet and train one day. its a small world.
- Boris said...
I pulled a hamstring scooting out of bed to tend to my (then) newborn son and that was the first of many hamstring and lower back issues that plagued my short career as a less-than-mediocre powerlifter. It took me several years to finally accept what your lifting partner seemed to figure out pretty quickly.
Great stuff - thank you Rif.
- Bob Garon II said...
I have been using the foam roller for quite some time. I started using it merely on my IT Bands and have seen great results. I'm still trying to figure out how to effectively use it on my hams and lower back.
I don't really have much pain at all in any area, but the lower back I guess spasms according to my chiropractor. It does become inflamed when I either train to hard or just do something to tweak it. I've had about 3 flare ups over the past 2 years since the original injury. One of those was when I was trying to deadlift. I have since decided that I will simply not ever deadlift. The other time I remember was when I was moving last year. It was the hottest day of the year(114 degrees) and it was actually the last piece. I lifted and instantly knew what I had done. Now I will hire movers the next time I decide to move. :)
This injury is indeed a plague, but I have found ways to work around it. The foam roller and regular massages are great tools to keep it at bay. I just wish it would completely heal. I read somewhere it may take around 5 years for that to happen.
Any advice Mark?
- fawn said...
What a really moving message... thanks for posting it.
- Mark Reifkind said...
two things to look into, Z health drills and learning how to use the foam roller or myo fascial release balls for the piroformis.
I've found SO many connections between locked piriformis' and lower back tightness. also LOTS of abdominal stretching( back bends over stability balls and upward facing dog pose from yoga.
stretch out those abs!
- Mark Reifkind said...
I know just what you mean. the hammies and lower back are seriously intimate. I love the foam roller for stretchingout the hammies.
- Mark Reifkind said...
thanks fawn,
glad you enjoyed it.
- Bob Garon II said...
From the looks of things it doesn't seem as though my abs are the problem needing to be stretched. In fact when I bend forward I feel relief. I try to keep my legs straight, weight on heels, and touch my chest to my thighs. This seems to give me a really good hamstring stretch that works.
I can't find the right way of using the foam roller on my hams. Whenever I sit on it they don't really feel like much is going on. I just try to do a lot of floor stretching work on them instead.
I have never used miofacial balls. Where do I get them and is there a good reference you recommend to train me on them?
I looked at Z-Health's website some time ago and was nothing but confused as to what it even was. Also I don't want to spend money on anything that expensive unless I know exactly what I'm getting and if it is the level of training I require. I wouldn't want to purchase something I will not benefit from if it isn't as advance for me as I need or that I would progress quickly at and then feel I wasted my money. If that is not the case with Z-Health then please advise further.
P.S. Maybe I might just have to take a trip out to Cali and work with you for a weekend. How would I go about doing that as financially efficiently as possible? You can email me privately if you want.
- Mark Reifkind said...
alot of times themuscles that are overstretched feel temporary relief from being stretched but it doenst help in the long run
you shoulde get my dvd on restoring lost physical function as it covers all thelength tension imbalances as well as how to use thefoam roller correctly.
I dont think the weekend thing will work; first cause I dont work weekends :) and it wouldnt be feasible finanacially for almost anyone if they wanted to induce me too,lol
- Bob Garon II said...
We'll we can certainly do it during the week.
Whatever works best for you, but I will definitely purchase your DVD. Just go to dragondoor for it? Is that the best vendor?
- Tori said...
Very inspirational! Thanks for sharing. It couldn't have come at a better time when I am trying to figure out my own goals. I have learned so much from your blog and Tracy's...you guys are awesome!
- Mark Reifkind said...
thanks tori,
I've been reading your blog and tracy has linked it to her site. hope that's ok.
you are really making progress and thats great to see. thanks for posting here.
- Tim Anderson said...
You are still my Yoda. Awesome post; and so needed. Thanks again.
- Mark Reifkind said...
good to hear from you and thank you for the compliment.good to know I can still inspire :))
- Gabi said...
So very educational, thank you for sharing, Mark.
"I know that if I have to miss workouts it is not only ok, but what my training is supposed to be preparing me FOR. Real world tasks that have to be done." - Realizing that must feel like receiving the release order from one's own self-built prison.


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I don't think it's possible to go over only half of a cliff, any more than one can kill half of a dog. But the "fiscal cliff" isn't really a cliff; it's a metaphor.
The metaphor refers to two very different phenomena. The first is a tax hike for everyone who pays federal incomes taxes. The second half is a rather large cut in federal spending.
I don't know of any conservative who favors raising all tax rates. But many conservatives would not rule out a big spending cut, even if it extends to the Pentagon.
The two phenomenon — tax hikes and spending cuts — were lumped together to form the "fiscal cliff" in order to create a threat that all sides want to avoid. But if we go over the cliff, the tax hikes and the spending cuts will then live separate lives.
The life of the universal tax hike would almost surely be short. Senate Democrats would immediately pass legislation cutting taxes for everyone making less than $250,000 per year. House Republicans would initially resist that legislation and pass their own bill cutting taxes for everyone. But because the public will scream bloody murder at the Republicans (mainly), eventually Congress would likely pass something fairly close to the Democratic bill. But regardless of the final cut-off number — be it $250,000 a year, $400,000 a year or whatever — Congress in all likelihood will make sure the "middle class" gets retroactive tax relief.
The "cliff" spending cuts are another matter. The House, I imagine, will seek relief from the impact of the cuts in military spending. The Senate will try to tie that relief to relief on other spending cuts.
But Republicans can resist the Democrats on this. The public sides with the Dems on taxes and probably on entitlement reform. But when it comes to cutting government spending (as opposed to entitlements), Republicans will start with the upper hand, and may well retain it even if/when the Obama administration tries to manipulate the cuts to inflict pain.
Therefore, as I see it, we should expect one of two outcomes. If the Dems play hard ball the spending cuts will basically stick across the board. If the Dems relent in the name of national security, there will be significant relief on the military cuts but not much relief elsewhere.
The second outcome is what most conservatives want. The first outcome would be a mixed bag. But there is much to be said for putting the federal government on a diet, even if it means some discomfort for the military.
This would leave untouched the matter of entitlement reform, which is the key to solving our debt problem. If entitlements can't be dealt with in a grand post-cliff bargain, they can be addressed in connection with debt-ceiling limit negotiations. These would occur either in February or, if Republicans think that's to early given President Obama's high current standing, later this year.
I'd still prefer a reasonable deal with the Democrats now to going over any portion of the fiscal cliff. But if Obama continues to take a hard line, Republicans should be willing to go over the better half of the cliff.


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Wrist / Fitness GPSGarmin Forerunner 210 Special Edition Sport Watch - White/Green/Blue
Garmin Forerunner 210 Special Edition Sport Watch - White/Green/Blue
DetailsGARMIN FORERUNNER 210 SPECIAL EDITION SPORT WATCHForerunner 210
Forerunner 210 gives you the freedom to train indoors or out, while tracking every minute and every mile. This GPS-enabled sport watch accurately records how far, how fast and how hard you worked.
Easy to Use
Forerunner 210 is simple to use so you can focus on your workout. Out of the box, you'll charge it, take it outside to find GPS satellites and answer a few setup questions. Then just press start and take off. Once you're done, press stop. It really is that easy.
Take It Further
For runners who want more training capabilities, Forerunner 210 lets you create customized interval sessions and see your pace for each interval. If you're using the 210 with the foot pod, you will later be able to see your cadence, or steps per minute, when you upload your data to Garmin Connect.
Follow Your Heart
Forerunner 210 is available with our without our premium soft strap heart rate monitor to display your heart rate in beats per minute. It has 5 heart rate zones, which you can customize based on your exact zones. You can also set up heart rate alerts to notify you when you are above or below your targets. Forerunner 210 provides heart rate-based calorie computations so you can more accurately track your calories burned.
Outdoors or In
We took the easy-to-use operations of the Forerunner 110 and added indoor capabilities, making the 210 the perfect sport watch for those who like options. For outdoor runs, Forerunner 210 uses GPS to accurately record your time, pace and distance. To track that same data at the gym, snap the foot pod¹ onto your shoe and you're good to go. Using advanced accelerometer technology, the foot pod collects and sends precise data about your movements, gathering distance and speed data that is 9% accurate for most users, right out of the box.
Forerunner 210 also works with certain indoor fitness equipment so you can track and store data from a treadmill run or an indoor cycling workout. This capability helps you bridge the gap between your indoor and outdoor fitness activities so you can continually track your progress. See a list of fitness facilities and compatible equipment.
Store, Analyze and Share
Whether you're training for a race or launching a healthier lifestyle, you'll love the motivation that comes from reviewing your workouts online. Tracking your data is simple with Garmin Connect for free data analysis and sharing. Just upload to Garmin Connect from your computer (Windows or Mac), then see the route you traveled on a map, view a summary of your workout data, create goals and more. For indoor activities when the GPS isnt in use, you won't see mapping in Garmin Connect, but you?ll still have a record of your workout data.
Monitor Your Health
You also can track weight, body fat, body water and 6 other measurements when using the Forerunner 210 with the Tanita BC-1000 body composition scale. The readings are stored on Forerunner 210, then automatically sent to Garmin Connect when in range of your computer.
Fast and Accurate
Forerunner 210 features HotFix satellite prediction, which means it locks onto satellites quickly so you can be out the door and on with your run in no time. It also has a high-sensitivity GPS receiver to stay locked onto satellites, even near tall buildings or under tree cover.
¹Included with some models, sold separately on others.
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It's about perverts, prejudice, family, and furry little animals that disregard logic and physics when necessary . . . or bored. Its about people whom other people refuse to recognize as people and the amount of damage a lie can deal oh and don't pet anything, it bites Public Humiliation, art, story and characters are copyright Riley McCool 2013
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Your wives are either cruel or not understanding about the sweater
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Stress Management and Relaxation
The content of this page is intended for general informational purposes, and as an aide in your overall welness. it should not be used in place of a visit, call or consultation with a qualifed care provider or mental health counselor. You should not disregard or delay seeking care from your healthcare provider becuase of something you have read, seen or heard on these pages or files. MP3 files courtesy of Fresno City College.


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The real estate market of Downtown Brickell has experienced consistently high growth figures, for the past several years, these growth figures have consistently hovered around double digit figures. This has also led to an unprecedented boom, in the construction of condominiums in this region. The good news for Downtown Miami real estate investors is that the condominiums continue to sell at the same unprecedented rates, at which they are being constructed. In fact there are frequent instances of condominiums selling out completely within a few days.
The rate at which urban redevelopment and transformation is undergoing currently at Downtown Miami, is going to turn it into an entirely different and maybe unrecognizable city in a few years. Real estate pundits have predicted that over the next ten years, the Greater Miami real estate market would witness the introduction of about 90 new, high-end, Miami condo buildings.
They will come up chiefly in areas such as Downtown Miami, Brickell, the Miami Design District, Brickell Keys, Wynwood, Edgewater, and Coral Gables. Apart from that, there are projects that involve the construction of promenades, shopping centers, offices and condos which are contributing heavily to giving an entirely new look to the Miami Downtown Miami real estate market.
Renting an Apartment in Miami
If you would like to invest in condominiums in Downtown Miami area, then irrespective of the fact, whether you are new in the market or you are an experienced investor, you should consult professionals who have the expertise and background, as well as extensive resources that would help you achieve your real estate goals. However, finding a real estate agent who has the experience and skills, required to help you achieve your goals, can turn out to be as challenging a process, as the buying of your home. You should look for a real estate agent who can offer you a full range of real estate and other associated services, which can be customized to meet varying requirements of individual clients.
A well established real estate agent in Downtown Miami can also help you in selling your property, as they would have a well connected international network of eligible buyers, and they would be able to market your Miami condo to this huge network of willing buyers.
Miami Real Estate - What The State Government Is Doing To Help Homeowners
The conditions in the housing market front in Florida, and much like in most of the regional markets in the US is a complex, but not hopeless one. The main concern is that real estate property values today have skyrocketed, and property taxes increased as well with them, and most local governments spent it.
The fate of Florida homeowners who are protected by the Homesteaded act, or Florida's Save Our Homes constitutional amendment, saw only minor increases. However, even these quite trivial increases were viewed as truly unfair by non-homesteaded homeowners who are now bearing the brunt of this new development.
For the city of Miami, it's a tough season, as well. With buyers choosing to stay on the sidelines for the moment, most property developers from Brickell, Aventura, Sunny Isles, North Miami, Fisher Island and other areas are finding ways to sell their units, to help them overcome their investments. However, not all is lost, as the state and federal governments have enacted new measures to save faltering homeowners, and flailing property developers as well.
Housing analysts in Miami, and in the whole of Florida as well, are hopeful that the new year will bring a generous inventory for home buyers to effectively choose from, and they note that the demand exists, however many of these prospective buyers are fearful that prices will slide a bit more, so many prefer to sit an wait it out. While that cautious view may stem more from anxiety than actual fact, the market will change direction, slowly and stubbornly, but on its way back to normal levels.
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Do You Need A Realestate Agent To Buy A Brickell Condo Florida