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- Bob Vila TV Shows >
- Storm-Ready Design > Episode 9: Kitchen Finishes for the Storm-Ready House
Builder-Grade Cabinets in the Kitchen
Bob's in Punta Gorda for kitchen finishes to this storm-ready home. Jack Ballantine from Ambassador Kitchens joins him for the installation of the Cardell maple builder-line cabinets with solid wood framing, maple faces, and pressboard box construction. Richard Wagner of Wagner Cabinetry shows Bob how the upper cabinets are installed on the exterior wall and the base cabinets are set for level, shimmed, drilled in place, and finished with a toe kick and maple crown molding. Andrea Johnson from DuPont Corian shows Bob some of the more than 100 colors and patterns available. These solid surface countertops are stain and scratch resistant, non-porous, and easy to clean. The new colors, like Canyon, are inspired by nature and designed to bring the outside in. Scott Lawyer, the countertop fabricator, joins Bob first to create a template for the solid-surface counters that will be made in his shop, and then to install them. The Luan template is made from blueprints, checked at the site, and set on the Corian as a cutting guide. The Corian integral sink and counter are installed. The counter sections are joined and finish sanded for an invisible seam. Mike Goodrich installs the Whirlpool dishwasher for quiet operation.
- Part 1: Builder-Grade Cabinets in the Kitchen
- Bob is in the Punta Gorda house with Jack Ballantine of Ambassador Kitchens, where builder line kitchen cabinets have been installed. These Maple cabinets from Cardell Cabinets of San Antonio, Texas, have maple faces, solid wood frames, and pressboard boxes. The hinges are from Blum and are fully adjustable European or concealed hinges. The drawers feature a builder-grade box, which means it's of consistently high quality but not of the company's highest grade. A builder-grade cabinet will feature baseline construction with custom features like cabinet faces and wood selections. The benefit, Ballantine explains, is that the cabinets are delivered on time, consistently. A special rate and quality service are extended to customers, like Ambassador Kitchens or Mercedes Homes, who outfit a number of homes with their line. In Florida, where the demand and wait times are significant, a delivery period of three to four weeks is terrific. Richard Wagner of Wagner Cabinetry is in Punta Gorda for the installation of Cardell Maple cabinets. He starts with an overhead box that is marked for placement using a laser level. Since the exterior walls are concrete and the wall studs are steel, Bob asks how they handle installation. Wagner explains that as with wood, it's a matter of finding a stud and tacking with a finish nail before screwing the cabinets in place. Once tacked, the cabinets are checked again for level and screwed together with 2 1/2-inch flathead, square drive, zinc-coated screws with wood master tips that are serrated and cut through wood like a drill bit. With these screws, Wagner can avoid pre-drilling. After the doors are reattached and adjusted for swing, the crew moves to the base cabinet, which is nearly level and needs only be shimmed in the back. It is checked with a laser line at the wall and two feet out before being drilled in and finished with a toe kick. Bob shows the crown molding that is glued and tacked in place at the top of the cabinets for a finished look.
- Part 2: Building a Template for a Kitchen Countertop
- Part 3: Installing the Dishwasher
When hurricanes strike again and again, as they did in Florida in 2004, the effects are devastating. Bob Vila and crew work to completely rebuild a damaged house, using new standards for storm-ready housing. Along the way, Bob investigates a home's vulnerabilities in extreme weather and learns why some building systems fail and others succeed.
Also from Storm-Ready Design
Episode 1 - Rebuilding to Beat a HurricaneDescription:
Bob is in hurricane battered Punta Gorda, Florida, to build a storm-ready home in Season 1 of Bob Vila. Bob visits two homes in the same neighborhood, one that was completely destroyed by Hurricane Charley in August 2004, the other that was built to exceed hurricane codes and was left unscathed by hurricane winds and water from the same storm. Scott Buescher of Mercedes Homes shows how enhanced building practices and technologies can create a storm-resistant home, while Lieutenant Governor Toni Jennings and Secretary of Community Affairs Thaddeus Cohen discuss rebuilding Florida. Building inspector Randy Cole and Mercedes Homes' Jesse Gonzalez review the site and watch the pour of a three-stage steam wall that sits below grade and ties the slab foundation to the ground. The resulting foundation will resist water penetration from storm surge by allowing water to move around the foundation without encountering entry points. Bob reviews the house plans with Scott Buescher of Mercedes Homes and learns how the house is constructed as an integrated system. Building connections are emphasized and reinforced rebar and steel mesh are extended from the stem wall to the roof line in preparation for the solid concrete pour that will form the exterior walls.
Episode 2 - Building a Reinforced Concrete HouseDescription:
Bob recaps construction of the stem-wall foundation and integral concrete slab, the vertical steel reinforcing, steel mesh, window bucks, headers, and spacers put in place for the cast-in-place concrete walls. Cameron Parker and the crew of Solid Wall Systems spray the aluminum wall forms with an organic oil spray to prevent adhesion from the concrete and set the forms for the pour. Bob joins Wayne Sallade, Charlotte County Emergency Manager, to review cleanup, demolition, and repair one year after Hurricane Charley. sallade explains that housing built in the 1960s through the 1980s, before the Florida Unified Building Code, had stick framing, gable roofs, and siding. "It didn't stand a chance," he says. Looking at surviving 1920s Florida architecture, it's clear that unified construction, concrete walls, protected windows, and hip roofsare the way to design wind-resistant homes. Back on site, bob watches the pour, learns how the walls and window openings will be vibrated to eliminate voids, and sees the bracing set to hold the walls square before leaving the site to let it cure overnight. Once the forms are removed, Jesse Gonzalez explains how a traditional three-coat Florida plaster job will complete the exterior once the structure has cured for two weeks.
Episode 3 - Building a Storm-Ready RoofDescription:
This episode of Bob Vila will focus on roofs, how they are built and tied down to keep structures safe. Leslie Chapman-Henderson from FLASH, the Federal Alliance for Safe Housing, explains how FLASH brings information about safe housing technologies and practices to homes across America, to protect them against floods, winds, hail, and wildfires. Chapman-Henderson explains how a connected house works as a system to beat back the pushing and pulling forces of wind. Randy Shackelford of Simpson Strong-Tie shows Bob the embedded truss anchors that will tie down each truss member of the roof framing, as well as retrofit tie-downs and heavy connectors designed to fight wind uplift forces. Jesse Gonzalez walks Bob through the steel-framed interior that has a master suite and bath, and lots of open space. Bart Cox of Hanson Roof Tiles brings factory-extruded cement clay-look tiles that are pre-drilled for mechanical installation. Dave Peck of D. Peck Roofing explains that stiffer 5/8-inch plywood sheathing, 30 pound felt that is nailed, hot mopped with asphalt, and covered with 90 pound felt makes a strong, water-resistant roof deck for the tiles. Metal nailer boards keep cap tiles in place when wind strikes.
Episode 4 - Impact-Resistant Windows for a Storm-Ready Home
Episode 5 - Storm-Ready Doors, Fiberglass Wallboard, and Power Backup
Episode 6 - Faux Columns and a Gunite Pool
Episode 7 - Storm-Ready Stucco Paint, Foyer Tile, and Textured Finishes
Episode 8 - Concrete Color Staining, Soffits, and Energy Efficiency
Episode 10 - Pool Deck, Toto Washlet, and Wind-Proof Garage Door
Episode 11 - Sustainable Landscaping, Water Use, and Termite Control
Episode 12 - Hurricane-Safe Pool Structures, Pool Mechanicals, and Safety
Episode 13 - Surge Protection, Plumbing, Bamboo Blinds and Garden
Episode 14 - Completing the Punta Gorda Storm-Ready House
- 15 Old House Features We Were Wrong to Abandon
- 17 Tiny Bathrooms We Love
- 20 Insanely Easy 60-Minute Home Improvements
- 70 Gardening Tricks and Ideas for Total Beginners
- 16 Inventive Beds You Can Make Yourself
- Top 10 Classic DIY Projects for the Outdoors
- 15 Once-Popular Household Items That Are Vanishing
- 159 Smart Storage Ideas for the Whole House
- 30 Things Every Adult Should Know How to Do
- 10 Wise Ways to Get Rid of Pests and Critters
- Before and After: 9 Totally Amazing Mobile Home Makeovers
- Top Tips for Keeping Countertops Like New
- 15 Amazing Things You Can Make with $0 Scrap Wood
- 14 Ways to Get More Kitchen Counter Space
- Assembly Required: 15 DIY Kit Homes
- 18 Bathroom Updates You Can Do in 1 Day
- 9 Tried-and-True Methods of Eliminating Weeds
- Picture-Perfect Patios: 10 Outdoor Spaces to Love
- 11 Clever Alternatives to Kitchen Cabinets
- 7 Easy Budget-Friendly Backyard Makeovers
- Project Introduced | 7:17
- Inspection of Structure | 6:80
- Pouring the Foundation and Constructing the Walls | 6:34


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December 2012
Monthly Career Horoscope for SagittariusPresented by Horoscope.com
Your penchant for taking risks will pay off toward the middle of December. Don't be surprised if you're given a prize or promotion as a result of a daring campaign. Unfortunately, your family won't be terribly impressed by this tribute. They resent your job because it keeps you away from home. It makes you sad, but it can't be helped. You've always wanted a stimulating career, and you refuse to apologize for pursuing your dream. This impulse can be taken to extremes, however. Refuse to interrupt holiday festivities for the sake of work. Your boss will drive a hard bargain, but your first loyalty should be to your kin.
Don't know your sign? Enter your birthday:
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Fortune TellerOpen a Love Fortune CookieMore

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Political notebook: Bills go forward, but without Dayton deal
Republican state budget plans will become clear in the coming week, although no one expects the governor to agree. A week ago, the GOP released a budget outline, and legislative committees now are de...
Posted on 3/20/11 at 8:31 PM
Political Notebook: Leaders seek nearly $1 billion in bondingST. PAUL - Minnesota's legislative leaders have agreed to a public works funding bill nearing $1 billion.
By Don Davis, Forum News Service , January 11, 2010
Political notebook: Pawlenty continues travel, this time in New HampshireST. PAUL – New Hampshire's newspapers were kind to Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty on his inaugural visit as a potential presidential candidate. The Concord Monitor's headline read, "Pawlenty: U.S. is not a beggar; Minnesota governor rallies state Republicans."
By Don Davis, Forum News Service , December 21, 2009
Political notebook: Peterson brings home most money to his districtST. PAUL - A respected nonpartisan blog reports Collin Peterson gets more pork than Jim Oberstar when it comes to the battle of Minnesota's two powerful U.S. House chairmen.
By Don Davis, Forum News Service , December 14, 2009
Political notebook: Minnesota lawmakers point fingers over budget deficitST. PAUL – Minnesota's budget deficit announcement Wednesday resulted in lots of finger-pointing, most notably from Democrats blaming Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty for what could be a nearly $7 billion shortfall over the next three and a half years.
By Don Davis, Forum News Service , December 07, 2009
Political Notebook: Minnesota cities gear up for funding fightST. PAUL – A perennial Minnesota legislative debate about local government aid is expected in the 2010 session, or maybe earlier.
By Don Davis, Forum News Service , November 30, 2009
Political notebook: Minnesota state park talks may resumeST. PAUL – Talks to buy land for a Lake Vermilion state park are on hold, the state natural resources commissioner told a legislative committee, but hope remains that a deal could be completed.
By Don Davis, Forum News Service , November 23, 2009
Political notebook: Pawlenty makes his rounds on national stageST. PAUL – Minnesotans may think their home-state media report on Tim Pawlenty's potential presidential run only because he is their governor, but the Republican is getting plenty of attention nationwide.
By Don Davis, Forum News Service , November 16, 2009
Political notebook: Earlier primary election likely in MinnesotaST. PAUL – It appears Minnesotans will go to the polls for the 2010 primary election in August, a month earlier than usual.
By Don Davis, State Capitol Bureau , November 09, 2009
Political notebook: Franken asks supporters to donate to DorganST. PAUL – U.S. Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., is asking his supporters to help finance a North Dakota colleague's campaign.
By Don Davis, Forum News Service , November 02, 2009
Political notebook: Bachmann rules out 2012 bid for presidencyST. PAUL – A darling of conservative media will not run for president in 2012.
By Don Davis, Forum News Service , October 26, 2009
Political notebook: Governor hopefuls could affect sessionST. PAUL – The Minnesota 2010 governor's race is unique.
By Don Davis, Forum News Service , October 19, 2009
Political Notebook: Military bill splits Minnesota congressmenST. PAUL – Two of Minnesota's most military-oriented politicians went different ways when the U.S. House approved the defense authorization bill.
By Don Davis, Forum News Service , October 12, 2009
Political notebook: Franken shying away from media in WashingtonST. PAUL – National news reporters are at least a little frustrated with new Minnesota Sen. Al Franken.
By Don Davis, Forum News Service , October 05, 2009
Political notebook: Official says board violated meetings lawST. PAUL – A Minnesota Administration Department opinion tightens the state open meetings law.
By Don Davis, Forum News Service , September 28, 2009
Political notebook: Pawlenty undecided on 2012 presidential runST. PAUL – Gov. Tim Pawlenty is traveling the country talking about how the Republican Party should improve, fueling speculation that he is preparing for a 2012 presidential run.
By Don Davis, Forum News Service , September 21, 2009
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This series of teaching workshops has been designed for adjunct faculty in their first three years at USF. Adjunct colleagues will collaborate, discuss, and learn about strategies that address common teaching challenges. Snacks and beverages are on us.As a reminder, all activities and programs at the Center for Teaching Excellence are open to Adjunct Faculty.
Each January before classes begin, the CTE will offer a day-long faculty workshop focused on a timely teaching issue. Our 2012 Intensives focused on Reinventing Rigor.
The CTE provides annual competitive grants to small groups of faculty who wish to focus attention on a particular teaching concern. At year's end, each group contributes material or programming to CTE for the benefit of other faculty. Begins Spring 2013.
Monthly workshops for faculty in their first three years at USF focus on developing effective teaching practices, and creating solutions to common teaching challenges. Plus, the CTE provides lunch!
The Open Classroom Project brings colleagues together through classroom visits. Faculty participate as visitors, hosts, or both. The program gives faculty a chance to:
The process is simple: visit a class outside your own discipline or school, meet your host for coffee or a phone call afterward, and begin the conversation. At the least you need to visit one classroom, but you are encouraged to visit even more if you can.Open Classrooms are completely non-evaluative. There's no assessment or critiquing involved. Just a simple visit to learn, get inspired, and talk about teaching with colleagues. Open Classrooms run for about 6 weeks each semester.
A confidential, peer-to-peer program, Peer Consultation provides a unique opportunity to enrich and enhance your teaching practice. Your peer consultant visits and observes your class, paying special attention to three concerns that you identify, and then shares his or her observations as you strategize effective solutions together.
An annual event, the Faculty Book Club kicked off in 2011 with The Heart of Higher Education: A Call to Renewal. In 2012, our choice is How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching. Whether you love the summer book, hate it, or something in between, we want you in the discussion.
What does current research tell us about how students learn? How do we know if what we do in the classroom works? At Teaching Cafés, colleagues converse and learn together over lunch.For more information, visit the CTE Faculty Lounge.


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Special event items are produced by manufacturers only after the outcome of a game or event. These are advanced sale items and will ship immediately after they are received in our warehouse.
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Customized items can be personalized with options such as your name, your favorite number, and/or designs. Some options may be limited by league rules.


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Alternative Names
Definition of Erection problems
An erection problem is the inability to get or maintain an erection that is firm enough for a man to have satisfactory intercourse. You may be unable to get an erection at all, or you may lose the erection during intercourse before you are ready. If the condition persists, the medical term is erectile dysfunction.
Reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. Also reviewed by Scott Miller, MD, Urologist, private practice, Atlanta, Georgia. – 8/10/2009


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by HELEN001
Damascus, Dimashq, Syria
March 27, 2006
All the Dogon dances relate in some way to the creation stories of their belief system. Each dance tells a particular episode of the story, and each dance has a different number of dancers. The dancers always wear masks, and there are over 80 different styles of mask depending on what is being celebrated. Some dances take place on a daily basis, while others only happen after months or even years have passed between performances. There are seasonal dances, and dances for birth and death. There are three types of masks; animals (monkeys, rabbits, crocodiles), people (hunters, blacksmiths, thieves), and the Kanaga Mask, representing the creation story. A new Kanaga Mask is carved once every 60 years for each Sigi celebration taking place in the area. At least that's how it was explained to me, but I suspect there are variations on this depending on which village you're in.
Nowhere is any of this written down in a manner that would translate easily into a text that we could read. The Dogon storytelling tradition is oral, so to is Dogon tourist information. Don't be surprised if you hear more than one version of a story or explanation about something; your guide was not wrong, he was simply telling the story the way he heard it. In some cases there is more than one story or explanation behind something and the guides are happy to give you all the versions. It's slightly different with the dance however, and those villages where dances des masques are held for tourists all seem to present a bog-standard creation story involving animals. It wasn't until I thought about it later that I realised I'd probably watched a dance ritual performed only for tourists.
While I was watching the dance, I had wondered a bit about the baggy indigo blue trousers the dancers were wearing under their skirts. They didn't look out of place, but they just didn't seem to sit very well with the striking colours and design of the rest of the costume. I could be wrong, but I just like the idea that the Dogon are only letting us see what they want us to see. Having heard the drumming on the cliffs at night, I'm also inclined to think that Dogon dances are usually a bit less staid than the danses des masques performed for tourists. Having said all that, I really enjoyed the performance and admired the skill of the stilt walkers. The dance takes place in a flattened-earth, open public space surrounded by thatched granaries and traditional mud houses. Apart from the tourists, the audience consists of the village elders, wearing dark blue indigo outfits and sitting in the shade, and hundreds of children sitting on walls and low roofs. It is a colourful and photogenic scene, and well worth watching.
From journal Delirious and Deranged in Dogon Country
by Invicta73
London, United Kingdom
September 9, 2003
The picturesque geography of the area is among the main reasons for spending some time there. The defining feature of the local landscape is the 100-mile long Bandiagara Escarpment, which separates a rocky plateau from the dusty plain below. The countryside is not only picturesque, but is also particularly good terrain for hiking, especially in the vicinity of the cliff.
However, what makes the place really special is the utterly distinctive culture of the local tribe that it is named after. Numbering around 300,000 people, they moved into the vicinity several centuries ago in order to avoid the encroachment of Muslim tribes. The migration proved to be so successful that the way of life has survived to this day pretty much intact, thanks mainly to the rugged and remote nature of the territory. The animist religion and cosmology is a remnant of the traditions that once predominated in the region, and is renowned for both elaborate rituals and intriguing artistic expression. To be honest, it is far too complex to explain here, and anyway learning something about the beliefs from the friendly locals is probably the most fascinating aspect of being in the area.
The villages, especially those along the foot of the escarpment, are not only aesthetically unusual and very attractive, but are also physical representations of the traditional ways, especially the intricately carved wooden doors and window shutters that feature symbolic designs from the mythology. The mud-covered granaries, which have conical straw roofs and that stand on stone plinths for protection against pests, are another common sight. Every settlement also has a squat dry stone thatched building where the older males gather to socialise and debate issues. Meanwhile, carved into the rock face are the former dwellings of the Tellem, the mysterious original inhabitants, which have long since become burial chambers.
Although hiring someone in Bankass or Sanga to give a guided tour and act as an interpreter is by no means essential, it is undoubtedly extremely beneficial. Otherwise the level of cultural understanding gained will be minimal, there is the danger of causing accidental offence, and missing best hikes and places to stay, as well as the most interesting things to see, is a real possibility.
Finally, it is even more vital than usual to practise responsible travel. The way of life has only continued due to lengthy isolation, and thoughtless tourism could easily succeed where history has previously failed. Dressing appropriately, bringing one's own water, resisting the temptation to hand out frivolous gifts, and other such common sense measures are critical.
From journal Mopti - The gateway to the best of Mali
Having grown to current proportions only in fairly recent times, it is perhaps unsurprising that there is not a great quantity of venerable buildings around. Nevertheless, the oldest district, known as Komoguel, which is located just to the east of the modern centre across a bridge, is pretty traditional and fairly atmospheric. The district's main draw is definitely the Grand Mosque, which is an attractive, if not overly awe inspiring, example of the local mud brick religious architectural style dating from 1935. Typically, non-Muslims will find it difficult, but not necessarily impossible to gain entry, but is possible to appreciate the beauty of the structure from the flat roofs of some neighbouring residents for a small fee.
Close to the place of worship is the larger of city's two markets, which is where traders sell locally produced commodities. Meanwhile, the other is in the newer part of town, and will probably be of more interest to tourists. All kinds of traditional items are available in the tightly packed bazaar, including pieces of bogolan mud cloth, Fulani jewellery and Dogon handicrafts.
However, the real heart of Mopti is the bustling harbour on the Bani, close to the meeting point with the Niger. It is a constant hive of activity throughout the day, with boats arriving, departing, loading and unloading cargoes including slabs of salt, spices, vegetables, people and livestock. Perhaps the single best vantage point from which to observe the fascinating scenes unfold is the terrace of Bar Le Bozo. It is also one of the best places to organise a trip on the river, which is definitely a highly recommended activity.


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Playoff Prediction Thread
Posted 05 October 2012 - 11:35 PM
Detroit vs Oakland - Oakland. Detroit's defense is deplorable and Scherzer's health is a concern. If Verlander could pitch every game I could see Detroit winning it.
New York vs. Baltimore - Baltimore. Riding the hot hand, everybody's favorite overachievers win in a very close series. The Yankees just don't have the pitching for a deep playoff run and their lineup is starting to show their age.
Washington vs. St Louis - Washington. If the Cardinals wind up winning the World Series, I would invite you to TP Bud Selig's house with me for creating that second wild card spot.
San Francisco vs. Cincinnati - Cincinnati. Cincinnati does everything so incredibly well. Their offense is balanced they have decent to exceptional defenders at every position and their hitting will overcome San Fran's exceptional pitching. That being said I think this will be the closest matchup in the divisional matchups.
Oakland vs. Baltimore - Baltimore. Oakland's improbable season ends while Baltimore goes to the World Series for the first time since Cal Ripken Jr. was a first-time all star.
Cincinnati vs. Washington - Cincinnati. Both of these teams are solid, but Washington is sorely going to miss Strausberg this series.
World Series
Cincinnati vs. Baltimore - Cincinnati. Two franchises that had a rough early part of the decade meet up in a matchup that nobody saw coming at the beginning of the season. The 'nati is just too stacked. Dusty Baker wins his first World Series championship and possibly rides off into the sunset.
Posted 06 October 2012 - 06:08 AM
The Cards were playing well in Sept., but the Nats were playing better, so bet on the Nats.
The Yankees are the cream of the crop in the AL: they've been on fire. It's too bad that the O's are playing them first, as they were much better than the A's or Tigers.
A's and Tigers is the toughest: those two were basically identical after Labor Day.
The Yanks should be favored over whoever wins the 1972 rematch. The Nats and Giants would be too close to call.
I'm curious: why do you think that Cinci is stacked? I consider them to be by far the weakest of the post-season teams, including the two that were just eliminated!
Posted 06 October 2012 - 12:26 PM
Tigers vs. A's-The A's have argueably been the biggest story of the season, even more so than the O's and Nats. Not sure how the Tigers offense will fare in the Colliseum, but any time you have Justin Verlander on the mount for 2 games in a best out of 5 series, the odds be with you.
Prediction: Tigers in 4
Orioles vs. Yankees: The O's have been left for dead by opening day doe to the fact that they're in a division with 4 perenial .500 teams, inclusing the 2 biggest pay roll teams in baseball. How big of a story would it be if the Orioles were to knock the Yankees out of the playoff? Big. Still, I don't see it happening.That bullpen's full of unknowns having great seasons, but I don't trust the starting pitching, and that team as a whole is such a rag-tag bunch. The Yankees are simply the better team.
Prediction: Yankees in 3
NLDS: Cardinals vs. Nats: Even without Strasberg, the Nats have a very tight rotation, and are strong all along. Rather depressing considering the sewage that they've risen from in comparison with where the Cubs have bee during that time. A lot depends on Wainwright and Carpenter, but I think that the Nats will prevail. Or maybe I just hope that they do.
Prediction: Nats in 5
Giants vs. Reds: I think that a lot of this will come down to park factors. How will Giants pitching fare in GBP? How will the Reds hitters do at AT&T? Will Lincecum step up? Two very strong overall teams, but I think that it ultimately comes down to HFA.
Reds in 5
ALCS: Yankees vs. Tigers. Depending on how little rest Leyland is wiling to pitch Verlander on, there's a good good chance that the Tigers will have to go with pitchers not named Verlander, most of whom are not as trust worthy. Yanks will take them out again.
Prediction: Yankees in 6
NLCS: Reds vs. Nationals: The NLs two top teams facing off against one another, as well it should be. Enough with the 80 some teams back dooring their way into the World Series.This one goes the distance. Who wins? Tough call. The Nats?
Not so bold prediction: Nats in 7
World Series: Yankess vs. Nationals. Really? The fucking Expos are going to join the Rays and Rockies in beating us to a World Series? FML. Another tough one to call, but I have a feeling that the Nationals will regret going into this without activiating Strasburg. While the Nats top 3 SP look beter than the Yanks on paper, Petitte will emoty everything left in his tank, and the Yankees will win it all.Attaboy Ichiro!
Prediction: Yankees in 5
Posted 06 October 2012 - 12:57 PM
The main reason I think they'll win is pitching and defense.
Posted 06 October 2012 - 03:22 PM
Run prevention is only half of the game. Whether teams have high September run differentials from one or the other (really, you need both), or low September run differential from one or the other does not matter too much: those teams lose.
The main reason I think they'll win is pitching and defense.
Again, the Reds had a negative run differential in September. Those teams almost always are eliminated in the first round. Of the three such teams that managed to win the LDS despite bad Septembers, two of them got to play the Twins: so whatever thin association there is between bad Septembers and surviving the first round doesn't apply here! Quite frankly, I think that it has to do with the fact that baseball is probabilistic, and thus the lesser team will win 3 out of 5 some times.
As for everything that happened between April and August, ignore it: LDS performance is essentially random with respect to that.
Posted 07 October 2012 - 06:34 AM
Did you read the part where they have seven hitters in the lineup who hit at least 14 home runs?
"Again, the Reds had a negative run differential in September..."
Cool story bro. Again they won 97 games without their best player in Votto for nearly 1/3rd of the season. They had a playoff spot locked up fairly early in September which allowed them to give their starters regular rest so they had lineups that looked like this: http://www.bleachern...tember-20-2012/
I don't really understand the point that you're trying to make in the rest of the post. The Reds are a balanced team throughout their lineup, rotation, and bullpen (which doesn't feature any regular with an ERA over 3.50). My only concern is the bullpen being overtaxed due to Cueto going down and Latos having to come in. I'm guessing Arroyo and Bailey get the next two starts, so we'll see. If they have a lead going into the 6th I wouldn't bet against them.
Posted 07 October 2012 - 09:12 AM
Reds do have a strong lineup and rotation, though Cueto will hurt if he's out for the playoffs, and the back of their pen has been incredibly dominant.
This being said, as we learned in 2008, whatever happens between April-September becomes irrelevant in October. Another case in point: 2006&2011 Cardinals.
Posted 07 October 2012 - 09:31 AM
Posted 07 October 2012 - 07:35 PM
though I'm looking pretty wrong on picking the A's over the Tigers holy bullpen implosions Batman!
also this:
Posted 07 October 2012 - 08:16 PM
That was the excuse of the 2011 Yankees and 2011 Phillies. And the 2010 Reds. And the 2009 Cards. And the 2008 Cubs. Remember, playoff performance is essentially random with respect to overall season record, and completely random with respect to the pre-September record. Again, look at the graph: really, the only teams that make post-season despite awful Septembers are the ones who coast into post-season, and yet almost none of them recover.
Cool story bro. Again they won 97 games without their best player in Votto for nearly 1/3rd of the season. They had a playoff spot locked up fairly early in September which allowed them to give their starters regular rest so they had lineups that looked like this: http://www.bleachern...tember-20-2012/
It does not matter why a team plays poorly in September: the ones that do usually lose. In the last 11 years, no team has played as badly as the Reds and made the WS.
If they do beat the Giants, then it will be the biggest upset since the 'Mets beat the 'Dodgers in '06.
Posted 07 October 2012 - 10:21 PM
and this is after beating them solidly despite their starting pitcher only throwing nine pitches
Posted 09 October 2012 - 01:24 PM
Again, you keep writing as if anything prior to 1 September is relevant in post-season.
have you even been watching these games? They're up 9-0 in the 8th inning which means they'll have a 2-0 lead and going back home to Cinci
and this is after beating them solidly despite their starting pitcher only throwing nine pitches
Now,it does look like the Reds are going to win. But just like the Mets over the Dodgers or the Cards over the Padres in '06, this represents the minority of times where the inferior team wins. Remember, we do expect the inferior team to win a quarter of the series. However, three quarters of series are won by the team that played better the last 4 weeks of the season, so your best bet for any individual series is to go with the team that played best in September. On average, that will get you 3 of 4. (Your type of approach nets on average 2 of 4.)
Again, here another version of the breakdown, showing the number of years in which X teams in the Reds position (worse September run differential) lose and the expected number if teams in the Reds shoes win 25% of the time in parentheses:
0: 1 (0.0)
1: 0 (0.5)
2: 1 (2.3)
3: 6 (4.6)
4: 3 (3.5)
As you can see, most years, only one team in the Red's position wins, even though many if not most of them have all of the same reasons for falling off as the Reds had. The 2nd most common outcome is that none of the teams in their position win. (We probably will have 2 of 4 this year, but that is not because we are "owed" one at this point; it's just random within a probabilistic model.)
If you go by regular season performance (again, as run-differential), then you get an outcome indistinguishable fair-coin flip model.
0: 0 (0.7)
1: 2 (2.8)
2: 4 (4.1)
3: 5 (2.8)
4: 0 (0.7)
That "blip" on 3 of 4 reflects the fact that regular season performance is not completely independent of September: bad Septembers pull down overall numbers and good September's raise overall numbers; base this purely on April-August and that goes away. That pretty much falsifies any correlation between April-August performance and post-season performance.
Posted 11 October 2012 - 03:28 PM
Posted 11 October 2012 - 03:44 PM
Eh, all of the teams in the Reds shoes had excuses for losing in October, just like they had for being bad in September. However, it comes down to this: if you don't play well in September for whatever reasons, then you aren't going to win in October.
I forgot the most important factor: Dusty Baker is the manager and played a washed-up Rolen over rookie of the year contender Todd Fraizer. Fuckin Dusty, man.
Posted 12 October 2012 - 02:55 PM
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- Critic & User
- Videos &
- Codes
& FAQs
- Gameplay
- Similar
Game Details
- Number of Players 4
- Online Enabled Yes
Game Description
The fate of planet Earth and the entire Marvel Universe is at stake. Luckily, you're about to assemble your dream team of super heroes to save it! Dr. Doom and the Masters of Evil are about to hatch a diabolical plan...one that will force the world's greatest heroes to band together. Assemble the ultimate Marvel team from an initial roster of 20 playable heroes, including Spider-Man, Wolverine, and The Thing. You'll encounter an amazing 140 Marvel characters during the game's action-packed storyline. Fates let you see how your decisions altered the storyline and the Marvel Universe. You'll also find online and offline multiplayer, with co-op stories and head-to-head competitions.
Critic Reviews
GamesRadar Review (8.0 out of 10)
Marvel Ultimate Alliance Get ready for a fanboy's delight in this spandex-filled adventure Developer Raven Software and publisher Activision have teamed up for two of the best X-Men adventures in videogames ( X-Men Legends and X-Men Legends II: Rise of the Apocalypse ...more
User Reviews
Average Member Rating: 7.3 out of 10
The Ultimate Team. (7 out of 10)
posted by Harrdcore4 (WAYNESBORO, PA) on Nov 17, 2006
Member since Oct 2006
4 out of 5 gamers (80%) found this review helpful
Member since Oct 2006
4 out of 5 gamers (80%) found this review helpful
This game definitely keeps true to X-Men Legends 1 and 2, which isn't a bad thing. It is a plus that you have so many comic legends to your arsenal, but they are not all very useful. Even worse is the fact that the first few you work so hard to unlock, aren't even worth it. Once I found my core tea...more
Specs & Requirements
Modes MultiPlayer Co-Op, Story, Team Battle, Arcade, Online Co-op, Full Mission Single-Player, Full Mission Co-Op
Controllers Communicator Headset
Online Features Quick Match, OptiMatch, Friends, Online Multiplayer, Voice
Audio/Video In-Game Dolby Digital, HDTV 720p
Similar Games
- Star Wars: Battlefront IIRelease 11/1/2005
- Mortal Kombat: ArmageddonRelease 10/12/2006
- Call of Duty 4: Modern WarfareRelease 11/7/2007


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Nearly 10 years ago when Chris Smith was 27, he got bad news in the form of a type 1 diabetes diagnosis. Now known as the Diabetic Chef, Smith is making the most of having diabetes by "re-teaching America to cook."
'Reality Cooking'
Smith calls his culinary style "reality cooking." He authored "Cooking With the Diabetic Chef," a 150- recipe paperback cookbook filled with simple, basic everyday recipes, from blueberry muffins to banana pancakes and many more.
"One of the components of reality cooking is nutritional MVP-MVP for moderation, variety and portion control," Smith explains. "I teach my audiences that the key is quality foods that are quick, home-style foods and comfort foods that they can realistically make for everyone at the dinner table. Even my children and my wife enjoy them."
Bad Timing
Back in 1993, Smith was a college student at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, when he started feeling sick with severe stomach cramps, excessive thirst and trips to the bathroom.
"I was being treated for an ulcer that did not exist," Smith says. "I was drinking 3 to 4 gallons of liquid a day."
In just six months, the 5-foot-10-inch chef lost 35 pounds, withering to just 105 pounds. Help came in a last-ditch visit to a new physician and a 45-second test that diagnosed Smith with type 1.
Smith's new doctor was concerned about the compatibility of diabetes with his culinary career.
"He gave me a choice of leaving the culinary industry, as I was working 18 hours a day, six days a week, which wasn't conducive to a healthy lifestyle at that age," Smith says. "But I had chosen my career. This was something I was committed to for the rest of my life."
Making the Best of the Situation
Smith didn't realize what he had to share, and he didn't start thinking about combining the two things with the greatest impact on his life-cooking and diabetes-until he was asked to give a talk before a New York University endocrinologist's diabetes group.
"People kept coming in the door until there were no more seats left," Smith says. "Just before I spoke, I looked at the door and I saw a totem pole of heads looking in the window, just to see me. It was a feeling of disbelief that really shook me to the core-that the room was full of people to see me."
Smith, who is the fifth child of six in his family, wasn't used to that kind of attention.
"At that moment I had an epiphany: that I could take my years of experience of having diabetes and merge it with my professional experience of being a chef," he says. "I started going around to different local communities and providing recipes. I started going out and looking at the audiences, and I found there was a dire need for really good, flavorful food."
A Focus on Lowering Fat and Sodium
Smith says he eats and cooks everything he wants. "I do nothing different just because I have diabetes. I cook what I'd cook for anyone," he says. "I focus on lowering fat and sodium, looking at classic dishes like a simple roast chicken or turkey."
Although he is the executive chef at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and is an author and public speaker as well, Smith says he still enjoys cooking at home.
"It's instinctual," he says.
"I have diabetes and I focus on eating healthy," Smith says. "But it's also true for my children. I'm teaching them about their palates, about the taste of sodium and fat, but not overdoing it. So they have a greater awareness and also a palate trained not to want the extra sodium and fat. People with diabetes, cardiac patients and everyone should be aware of sodium and fats."
Foods that are always found in Smith's kitchen include chicken stock, fresh herbs and fresh garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, fat-free half and half and a variety of fresh seasonal vegetables.
"I like using different-colored potatoes and tomatoes, which can complement just about any other dish," he says. "They're the makings of very healthy, flavorful meals. Conceptually, you use a protein, such as lean beef or chicken, and you can create hundreds of different flavors. When you start, you want to have an idea of the finished product's taste and work toward that taste."
Mix in Some Exercise and Regular BG Monitoring
While all of this time in the kitchen may be a hazard for someone counting carbs and using an insulin pump to treat diabetes, Smith says his weight isn't a big problem.
"I've always been extremely active," says Smith, who is training to run a marathon. "My exercise regimen also includes visits to the gym twice weekly.
" Smith also monitors his blood glucose regularly and eats four to five small meals a day. Consuming smaller meals throughout the day and eating until you're just 80 percent full decreases your chances of overeating, he says.
"Personally, I like to test my blood sugar about eight or 10 times a day," he says.
While cooking and monitoring his diabetes come easier to Smith, he says he is convinced that most people of his generation have forgotten how to cook healthful and tasty foods, the way our grandparents did.
"My goal is to teach America how to cook healthy. Everyone I ask would agree that their grandparents' style of cooking is what they really enjoy. And, when you look at that, it really is the classical cooking that I learned in school," he says.
We have become a convenience-oriented and super-sized nation. Unfortunately, the direct result is obesity in all age groups and people acquiring diabetes at epidemic levels.
"I want to re-teach America to cook," Smith says. "I want to empower people to enjoy food again. Because we are diagnosed with diabetes, it is assumed that our food has to be bland. I'm here to draw the line and say, no, it does not."
More Books to Come
Smith is currently working on a second cookbook to be published by the American Diabetes Association later this year or in early 2005.
For more information about Smith and his books, visit www.thediabeticchef. com. Book reviews are also available online.
What do you cook for your family?
Everything. Nothing different just because I have diabetes. I cook what I'd cook for anyone. One of my focuses is lowering fat and sodium, looking at and working with classic foods-dishes that are as simple as roast chicken or turkey.
What foods do you always have in the fridge?
Basic foods like chicken stock, fresh herbs, fresh garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, fat-free half and half. I always try to get fresh vegetables and some different vegetables in season like different-colored potatoes and tomatoes. From these foods you can complement just about any other dish. They're the makings of very healthy, flavorful meals. Conceptually, in good cooking, you have a protein, such as lean beef or chicken. You can create hundreds of different flavors. You want to have an idea of what the finished product will taste like and work toward that.
As a chef, you're always in the kitchen and around food. Is weight an issue for you?
No. I'm beginning training for a marathon. I have always been extremely active, under the scale in weight. As a chef I run around a lot, and I'm active with my wife and children. I have a rigorous exercise regimen that involves going to the gym twice a week.
What surprises you most in your travels and meetings with folks with diabetes?
People don't know how to cook. I feel very strongly that my generation has lost the ability to cook, and my goal is to teach America how to cook healthy meals.
How is your approach to diabetes different in terms of what to cook and what to eat?
From a chef's perspective, I know what something tastes like. I like to teach people to combine ingredients, to improvise, to think about how the flavors meld and complement each other. The techniques and methods of cooking are the templates for excitement and flavor.
What tips can you share about types of foods, recipes or food preparation for people with diabetes?
Write notes in your cookbooks. Take a look at recipes and redefine them. We can look at recipes and substitute items, provide alternatives, use fresh herbs and spices.
Categories: Blood Glucose, Celebrities, Diabetes, Diabetes, Diets, Food, Inspiration, Insulin, Insulin Pumps, Personal Stories, Type 1 Issues
First off I only checked Anonymous because I am not a Registered User but, I would like to know where can I obtain recipes for my mom who has been diagnosed with Type2 diabetes. Please inform me. Thanks!! Great article by the way!!
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LSU and Les Miles taking heat for Honey Badger situation; mail
Story Highlights
Les Miles' handling of high-profile player issues continues to be a mixed-bag
The Big East's commissioner hire shows television's influence on college sports
Plus: Wisconsin's potential; the true power of scholarship reductions; and more
In visiting a couple of campuses this week for upcoming stories, I'm reminded of what a uniquely uplifting rite this time of year can be. With new and returning students all converging from their respective hometowns, you can feel the anticipation in the air that comes with the start of a new school year.
Unfortunately, the biggest story in college football this past week involved a player who got sent home.
Jordan Jefferson last year and now the Honey Badger. Would you say things are ugly in Baton Rouge, or has Les Miles done a good job of disciplining despite superstar status? How would you rate his job as a mentor compared to other programs?
-- Jeff, Hyrum, Utah
As you know, nearly every team in the country has players dismissed for disciplinary reasons almost every single year. This year in particular has not been particularly stellar for once-celebrated running backs (Georgia's Isaiah Crowell, Auburn-turned-Arkansas State's Michael Dyer) or cornerback/punt return fiends (Florida State's Greg Reid and now Tyrann Mathieu). For the most part, however, the overwhelming majority of disciplinary cases involve backup safeties or linemen you've never heard from.
In general LSU has had fewer off-field issues under Miles than most programs of its ilk. Unfortunately for Miles, though, the ones he's had -- going back to former quarterback Ryan Perrilloux -- have often involved some of his highest-profile players. I'm not sure that's a reflection of the coach, nor is it necessarily a total coincidence. The more hoopla a player receives, the more temptations he's exposed to, and the more he might start to think he's above the law. Miles oversees 100-plus players. It's no surprise if two or three get into some sort of trouble. But it's going to generate a lot more headlines when those two or three are Perrilloux, Jefferson and Honey Badger.
As for how Miles handled each case, I'd say it's a mixed bag. The oft-troubled Perrilloux seemed to get nearly as many chances as college football world record-holder Stephen Garcia (and once we saw Perriloux's eventual replacements, we found out why). The initial allegation against Jefferson -- that he kicked a man in the face -- may have warranted more than a month's suspension, but a grand jury ultimately reduced the charge to a misdemeanor in part based on Jefferson's testimony. And Mathieu's situation was all but taken out of Miles' hands. It's been reported that Mathieu failed a drug test, which would have been his third at LSU, which, according to school policy, automatically garnered a year's suspension. Whether Miles chose to make the dismissal permanent or that too was in keeping with university protocol, Mathieu wasn't going to play for the Tigers in 2012.
In none of those cases did Miles act all that differently from how most coaches would. There are some (Mark Richt, for example) who tend to take harder-line stances, but when you're never more than a bad year or two from the hot seat, no matter your career record, it's a lot easier to cast off a trouble-making third-string tackle than the starting quarterback or a returning Heisman finalist cornerback.
I find Les Miles' statement on the Honey Badger curious. If Mathieu was really a "quality" guy, would he have violated team rules and got dismissed from the team? He cares nothing about the team and nothing about his teammates, selfish. Why would Les say he'll help him in every way possible? Dump this clown and move on. There's no quality in this kid.
-- Mark Rusin, Naperville, Ill.
And you know this how? I can't imagine Mathieu has spent too much time in Naperville, so I find it curious how you could be a better judge of his character than the coach who's spent three years around him.
Mathieu screwed up, multiple times. I'm not here to make excuses for him. But I have a problem with people passing judgment on 20-year-old kids they don't know based on a quote or a headline they read. I met Mathieu a couple of times, but I don't claim to know him. I do know, based on a riveting profile last January by my new colleague Thayer Evans, that his mother had little role in his upbringing and his father is serving a life sentence for murder. The grandfather who initially cared for him died when he was five, his aunt and uncle raised him, and at one point they got displaced by Hurricane Katrina. I could see, therefore, why Miles might want to help the kid. And while there's no excuse for violating a team rule three times knowing full well the consequences, Mathieu has not been charged with a crime. As far as I know he's never been accused of a violent act against another person, just of getting high. If that makes someone a clown, then Barnum & Bailey should probably start recruiting at every college campus in America.
Do you think the hiring of Mike Aresco will help the Big East obtain prominence in the coming years? Besides winning big games during the regular season and hopefully the occasional win in a reputable bowl game, what else can the Big East possibly do in the near future to stay "in the game" for a title shot?
-- Gerald Woods, Tampa
The Big East set out to find its own Larry Scott -- the outsider who comes in and remakes a conference's media image -- and industry observers agree it accomplished just that with Aresco. It's becoming clear that the Big East's future will hinge a great deal on its upcoming television negotiations this fall, and the Big East essentially went one step farther than even the Pac-12 -- which hired Scott for his acumen negotiating pro tennis television deals -- by hiring an actual television executive. In this case, however, Aresco has dealt extensively with college properties for nearly three decades, including the most recent NCAA tournament deal. Not that we needed it, but this is the clearest indication yet that television now runs college sports, not the other way around.
The upcoming TV deal will be crucial for the league. It's not realistic that the conference would get Big Ten, SEC, Pac-12 or Big 12 money, but if it could get something approaching the ACC's recent ESPN deal ($17 million), it would send a message of strength. ESPN will obviously bid to keep the league, but NBC figures to make a strong push, and now perhaps CBS will as well. But ultimately, as Gerald wrote, it's all about the on-field product. One or more of the incoming programs needs to show it can compete on the national level. When it comes to marquee bowl access, the Big East will likely be treated much the same as the current non-AQ leagues, simply because most of its programs have demonstrated limited TV appeal and travel bases. However, the four-team playoff is open to everybody, and I find it hard to imagine an undefeated Cincinnati, USF or anyone else would be left out at the expense of four one-loss (or more) teams.
Stewart, for several years you had an amusing Mailbag discussion of players who seem to have been eligible to play college football forever (I think you called them "eighth year seniors"). Are there any such candidates this year?
-- Tom, Los Angeles
Have we really not played that game yet? That tells you it's been quite the busy offseason.
The undisputed captain of the 2012 edition is Purdue quarterback Robert Marve, who initially committed to Miami when Larry Coker was still the coach. Seriously. His teammates this year include USF quarterback B.J. Daniels, Florida State quarterback EJ Manuel, Alabama center Barrett Jones, Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o, LSU receiver Russell Shepard, Nebraska running back Rex Burkhead, Temple (formerly Boston College) running back Montel Harris, Arizona (formerly Texas) receiver Dan Buckner, Minnesota quarterback MarQueis Gray and Iowa State linebackers Jake Knott and A.J. Klein.
I welcome other nominees.
With the Ohio State and Penn State situations duly noted, I still fail to see why Wisconsin is getting so much love. Sure, Montee Ball's return is great and they have another fun media story with the Maryland quarterback transfer, Danny O'Brien, but they lost (practically) their ENTIRE coaching staff! They all just hauled up and moved to Pitt. I happen to think losing an entire staff is harder for a program to recover from than losing a crop of successful seniors. What say you?
-- Rob, Seattle
I share your concerns. With all due respect to Bret Bielema, who's done a fantastic job with the Badgers (three 11- or 12-win seasons in six years), we're going to find out this season just how much of the Badgers' offensive success of late was due to Paul Chryst and his staff. He deserves a lot of the credit. Sure, Wisconsin has been churning out All-American linemen and 1,000-yard rushers since the Barry Alvarez days, so it's easy to assume the program is simply self-sustaining at this point, but Chryst had a noticeable impact on the Badgers' passing attack. Their quarterbacks got notably more efficient after Chryst came aboard in 2005, topping out with record-setter Russell Wilson last year. Ball will get his yards, but just how many he gets will depend in large part on how well new coordinator Matt Canada deploys O'Brien, thus creating play-action opportunities.
Even so, it's hard to envision a scenario where the Badgers don't go back to Indianapolis. Either they'd have to completely fall apart, or Illinois or Purdue will have to break out one of their best seasons in years. And knowing that, it's easy to see why so many would pick Wisconsin to threepeat its way to Pasadena. But in the conference pecking order, I'd actually put the Badgers fourth this year, behind Michigan State, Michigan and Ohio State, albeit very bunched together (and with Nebraska not far behind those), all of them amongst the nation's Top 15 to 20 teams.
Patrick Kane scores game-winner in OT to lead Blackhawks past Blues
Stars recover from slow start, beat Ducks to tie up series


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A Facebook friend has been watching my struggle in naming our baby girl. I'm due in 4 weeks, so she decided to put me out of my misery and recommended your site. I perused through your site to see if anyone had a similar struggle, and I didn't come across one. So I thought I would see if you could point me in the right direction or perhaps post about it.
Here is my perceived problem. Our last name is Oliver. 3 syllables. Begins with a vowel. Ends in a strong R. It seems, in our quest for a girl's name, that every girl's name begins in a vowel or ends in one. For example, Carina or Emmaline (which we like.) And names like with an R don't work because of the two strong Rs. For example, Riley or Jennifer (which we don't like anyway.) To throw a wrench in the mix, I'm also wedded to the idea of a name with nickname possibilities. So even though I like the name Coraline, the nickname Cora puts me back in the "girls names that end in a vowel" category.This is all rather frustrating since we have a son whose name we love and found pretty easily. We went with William and his nickname is Liam (Irish nickname vs. the common Will or Bill in the U.S.) It seems to be a strong first name with a cute nickname. Yet, if he wants, he can go by Bill or Will in the future. Plenty of options. The name is only two syllables, which makes the point about syllables seem valid. His middle name is Rockwell - a family twist on my husband's name that means 'rocky ledge' and my father's name.The one name that I really like is Gwendolyn. Elegant. Classy. Not too popular. With great nickname options like Gwen or Wendy or Lyn. And I think Lyn and Liam may be cute sibling names, and both would have a variety of nickname options to choose from in the future. Plus, the nicknames are different from their actual first names, though both using the last letters of their given name, making the use of their names similar, if you follow me on that logic and potential coolness factor. Until someone told me that Gwendolyn Oliver is a mouthful since it is a dual three syllable name.I've also been considering the middle name Annabeth, which combines my Mom's middle name of Elizabeth with my grandmother's name of Ann. Again, since my son's middle name is a family twist, I thought it should carry through to her too. But Gwendolyn Annabeth Oliver may be syllable overkill.All in all, hoping you can help. Because what is currently making me hyperventilate, I'm hoping is either a fun challenge for you or something you think is a piece of cake. Neither, of which, I'm currently thinking or may be overthinking.
I think it would be useful to start by separating preferences from requirements. Right now you want the name to:
- not contain a strong R sound
- not end with a vowel
- not start with a vowel
- not have too many syllables
- have a nickname
- have the nickname not end in a vowel
- have the nickname not start with a vowel
- have a middle name that is a mash-up of relative names
- line up with your son's name at each comparison point
And all those are in addition to having a somewhat difficult surname to work with. (If it would be helpful, we've done a couple of posts with the same surname: Baby Boy-Girl Twins Oliver and Baby Girl Oliver.)
I think the first preferences I'd suggest eliminating are the ones about vowels and syllables. Those are matters purely of taste and not of name law, and can instead be taken on a case-by-case basis. Some names that start or end with vowels might sound bumpy, but some will not---and some consonant sounds will run together with Oliver. Some longer names may sound, as Laura Wattenberg puts it, "like falling down stairs"; others will sound great. And names that sound great to you may sound like a mouthful to someone else and vice versa, but this just means it's a nice thing we all name our own children.
So my first question is: Do YOU think Gwendolyn Oliver sounds like a mouthful? My own tastes run toward longer names for girls, and I'm not put off by lots of syllables. Syllable-wise, I would use Gwendolyn Annabeth Oliver without blinking; in fact, my daughter's name has more syllables than that. If the 3-3-3 pattern is not to your own tastes, I'd be equally likely to suggest going longer as to suggest going shorter: Gwendolyn Elizabeth Oliver is nice, and is more of an honor to your mother than using the fourth syllable of her middle name.
As you can see from the Elizabeth suggestion, the next preference I'd suggest letting go of is the one where your daughter's name has to line up with your son's in every element. Not only is success in this area unnecessary, it will make things exponentially more difficult if you have more children later. I do enjoy it when sibling names coordinate, and it does please me when things line up nicely (everyone having a family middle name, for example, or everyone having a similar type of nickname), but you can drive yourself crazy requiring it for every single element of the name. I suggest choosing the part or parts where it's most important to you that it match, but then seeing if you can keep it loose: for example, giving both children family names in the middle-name slot, but not requiring that both family names be clever mash-ups. Or giving both children names with good nicknames that go well together, but not trying to match the end-of-name source.
If nicknames are important, most of the candidates will be longer names. One possibility is to use a name like Margaret: it has tons of adorable nicknames (Greta, Daisy, Meg, Maggie, Maisie), but is commonly pronounced with two syllables (MAR-gret). Margaret Annabeth Oliver; William and Margaret; Liam and Greta.
Or Charlotte has Charlie or Lottie. Charlotte Annabeth Oliver; William and Charlotte; Liam and Lottie.
Or Violet has Vi and Lettie. Violet Annabeth Oliver; William and Violet; Liam and Lettie.
Or, Elizabeth has four syllables to break up the 3-3 pattern, and also has tons of nicknames (Bess, Betsy, Libby, Lizzie, Beth). Elizabeth Ann Oliver; William and Elizabeth; Liam and Beth, or Liam and Lizzy, or Liam and Libby.
But if you agree on Gwendolyn and it meets all your preferences, I'd ignore the "mouthful" objection: one tiny (and subjective) downfall like that doesn't seem like much when balanced against all the preferences it meets.


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Reporting on gun violence has been inaccurate
Much has been written recently concerning gun violence in the United States. Much of it has been inaccurate, especially regarding so-called assault weapons.
The FBI website has the correct information. In 1993, 24,526 deaths were caused by guns. This number declined every year between '93 and 2011, when there were 14,612 deaths. The rate has declined even more dramatically, when one takes into account population increases, from 9.5 per 100,000 in 1993 to 4.7 per 100,000 in 2011. This has taken place despite the 2004 expiration of the federal assault-weapons ban.
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FREEPRESS wrote on Dec 23, 2012 5:23 AM:
" At last a breath of fresh air and honest information putting the truth about gun violence in perspective. But of course anti-gunners (like most Democrats and liberals) choose to ignore the facts and push their wrong headed agenda on the backs of innocent school children and the tragedy in Newtown. "
al.cap wrote on Dec 23, 2012 12:58 PM:
" there's no place for facts and rationality amidst the fervent hysteria, sir. "
More stories from Letters
- Hug your children more tightly tonight
- A stroke of evil leaves bewilderment in its agonizing wake
- From darkness of mass murder emerges beauty in reactions
- Role of drugs in shootings need to be probed
- Reporting on gun violence has been inaccurate
- Town was wrong to go forward with festivities
- 2nd Amendment has become an obsolete right
- Music helps sustain spirit against horror
- If the rich don't create jobs, then who does?
- Bring back mental institutions to protect society


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tawkle is free safe secure and unlimited
Megaupload's flamboyant founder Kim Dotcom will stay free on bail after a New Zealand judge dismissed an appeal on Wednesday that sought to return him to jail.
Dotcom, who ran the Megaupload file-sharing website until it was shut down, was denied bail shortly after he was arrested on Jan. 20. The decision was upheld after he appealed.
Dotcom then filed a second bail application based on new factual circumstances and was freed on Feb. 22. The judge found it was unlikely that Dotcom would flee New Zealand since it appeared all of his bank accounts have been frozen.
But New Zealand prosecutors acting on behalf of the U.S. government appealed, arguing he is still a flight risk. They lost that appeal with Wednesday's ruling.
Dotcom holds German and Finnish passports but could be prosecuted in either of those nations if he fled. As part of his bail conditions, Dotcom is required to mostly stay at his rented mansion outside of Auckland except for medical emergencies, wear an electronic monitoring bracelet, and stay off the Internet. His wife, who is pregnant with twins, and their three children also remain at the mansion.
The U.S. is expected to soon request Dotcom's extradition to face charges of copyright infringement, racketeering, money laundering and wire fraud. A grand jury in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia indicted Dotcom along with six other Megaupload associates and two companies on Jan. 5.
The U.S. Department of Justice alleges Megaupload ran a criminal organization that sold subscriptions to its website offering fast downloads of content such as movies, TV programs, e-books, music, video games and computer software without permission from copyright holders.
Dotcom's extradition hearing isn't expected to begin until July at the earliest.
Send news tips and comments to email@example.com
tawkle is free safe secure and unlimited
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.
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Whats open, whats not for Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Banks: American Pride Bank, Ameris Bank, Bank of America, BB&T, Capital City Bank, CB&T Bank of Middle Georgia, CertusBank, Colony Bank, MidSouth Federal Credit Union, Robins Federal Credit Union, State Bank & Trust, SunMark Community Bank, SunTrust Bank and Wells Fargo will be closed Monday.
Government offices: Offices for the cities of Byron, Centerville, Forsyth, Fort Valley, Gray, Jeffersonville, Macon, Roberta and Warner Robins as well as offices for Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Monroe, Peach and Twiggs counties will be closed Monday. The Department of Family and Children Services and the Labor Department will be closed Monday, as well as state and federal courts.
Mail delivery: No delivery Monday.
Garbage: Garbage routes in the cities of Byron, Centerville, Perry and Warner Robins as well as in Bibb, Crawford, Houston and Peach counties will run on schedule. Garbage routes in the cities of Fort Valley and Macon will not run Monday and will run one day behind all week.
Libraries: The libraries in Houston and Peach counties will be closed Monday. The Middle Georgia Regional Library and branches will be closed Saturday, Sunday and Monday.


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Well I fancy this floating across my dash again…Lance is a genius.
Hunger Games Series
So I made you all a deal that if you got me enough sponsors, I'd draw District 13~
Well you guys did that so well! I'm really flattered with how many people opted to sponsor me! I really appreciate it guys, so here's your drawing! I was going with Simple classy, using the hazard sign as my inspiration, and bringing in some nuclear energy references! I hope you enjoy, and here's my next offer for you:
If I can get 100 more sponsors, I will draw some Capitol Couture outfits!
I know a bunch of you were asking for them, so here's your chance! Simply click on this link:
And type in "Lance - D10" (Or copy and paste) and click submit!
If you sponsor me, drop me an ask! I'd LOVE to thank you personally <3 Thanks guys, you really are the best followers EVER. <33 Also, anything else you guys would like me to draw?


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Don't mess with the concrete, there are far easier ways to make up the dif.
I'd shim all the studs in the shower area or add another layer of cementboard just in the shower area. Use trim (a quarter-round or something) at the corner of the shower to transition down to the 'normal' bathroom wall.


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Recipes, Cheese Pairings & More
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Melt-in-your-mouth chocolate and centers of creamy mint.
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Caramel Pecan Clusters
$27.99 Available through May 30th
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A few weeks ago we visited our friends at the Lehigh County Senior Center to serve some coffee we made without electricity. They loved it. We're just not sure if they loved it because it was free, or electric-free.
Anyway, while we were there we bumped into the center's executive director, Rick Daugherty. While he was enjoying a cup of coffee, he said something he's probably regretting right now.
"Ya' know, you ought to do a cheap column about my campaign," Rick said with a smile.
Rick was the Democrat challenging Republican incumbent Charlie Dent in the race for Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District.
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We like to keep things nonpartisan here at On The Cheap. Regardless of your political persuasion, Rick accomplished something admirable. He ran a pretty effective campaign on a shoestring.
If you don't believe us, just check the numbers. Rick got 123,735 votes, or 43.4 percent, after spending $22,572. That might sound like a lot, but consider that his opponent and several previous candidates spent more than $1 million campaigning for the seat. Suddenly, Rick's war chest looks more like a change purse.
Still, his performance was as good or better than any Democrat facing Charlie in the last five elections, even though the district was recently reconfigured in a manner that makes it more favorable for Republicans.
We did some number-crunching in the On The Cheap lab and figure Rick spent 18 cents per vote compared with $8.25 per vote for Charlie, who spent $1.3 million seeking re-election. In 2010, Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan challenged Charlie and spent nearly $25 per vote, or nearly $2 million, and had a smaller vote count than Rick.
What?! ... some of you are probably thinking. Millions of dollars to run a campaign? A look at Charlie's campaign finance reports reveals how seeking office can be expensive. First, you have to pay people to go out and collect donations. Then, you have to feed all of those donors at fundraising events. Signing checks can sure make you hungry.
It's not fair to pick solely on Charlie. Politicians in both major parties engage in this practice. Candidates in House, Senate and the presidential campaigns spent more than $2.5 billion in the 2012 election cycle, according to the Federal Election Commission.
Rick said technology helped him make his campaign efficient. They spread the word with homemade YouTube videos, kept tabs on things with cellphones and shared online calendars so a campaign headquarters with a staff wasn't necessary.
His campaign's biggest expenses were a television commercial that aired the weekend before the election and a campaign mailer.
"We sent out postcards because those are the cheapest," Rick said.
You can learn more about Rick's shoestring campaign, and hear from his campaign manager, Michael Laws, in a video at http://www.mcall.com/onthecheap.
Even though he lost the election, Rick said he is proud to send a message that you don't need boatloads of money to run a campaign. He thinks the perception that you need to raise a lot of money and then owe favors to your donors discourages many good people from seeking public office.
"I just don't think money is as big an issue in politics as people think it is," Rick said. "I've seen candidates with a lot of money lose and I've seen candidates with little money win."
Send your tips: email@example.com, 610-820-6694 or P.O. Box 1260 Allentown, 18105
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Videos: mcall.com/onthecheap


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"Sin taxes have always been the easiest to pass," Rep. Richard Laird told the Emergency Services Committee during its Tuesday meeting.
The Cleburne County Commission set up the new committee to agree upon how a proposed tax would be distributed among the county's rescue squad and its 12 fire departments.
Laird's suggestion gave the firefighters in attendance, who already were struggling to agree on how to divide the tax revenue, something new to debate.
Cane Creek fire Chief Jerry Fuller said he would much rather see the sales tax because people could opt out of it if they didn't buy alcohol or cigarettes.
But Carl Smith, chief of the Ranburne Fire Department, said the committee was formed to discuss a 2-mill ad valorem tax. He said he believes the committee needed some guidance from the Cleburne County Commission to move in another direction.
The committee met with state legislators Laird and Rep. Richard Lindsey to get their feedback on the proposal. The legislators would have to introduce a bill to the state legislature that would allow the county to hold a referendum for the property tax increase.
An additional 2-mill tax on a home valued at $100,000 would mean roughly an extra $20 on the homeowner's annual tax bill.
A 2-mill tax brings in about $240,000 in Cleburne County, said Joyce Fuller, Cleburne County's revenue commissioner, at a previous committee meeting. About $200,000 is from property taxes and about $40,000 is from car tags, she said.
At Tuesday's meeting, however, Laird suggested the committee members hold that request until 2015 because this coming year is an election year.
"Everybody's running for re-election and generally the public out there, when you talk about taxes, oh boy," Laird said.
As Hollis fire Chief Dan Hopkins talked about how much the extra money would mean to the department, an audience member said, "Maybe you need to tighten your belt a little bit. … That goes for the whole county."
Tuesday's meeting was the fourth for the new committee. The members have agreed to set aside a percentage of the revenue for Cleburne Search and Rescue and for emergency communications. But dividing the money between the county's 12 fire departments has been a battle.
At the third meeting, the committee agreed to ask Fuller to estimate how much collections were within each fire district. She told the committee Tuesday that it would be difficult to divide the collections that way. Property taxes are collected by parcels and one parcel of property may cross over into two or even three fire districts. In addition, utilities pay a lump sum but are spread throughout the county.
"It's a little complex for me," Fuller said. "It's too time-consuming, and we do not have the manpower or the money to put toward that."
Commissioner Laura Cobb attended Tuesday's meeting and said she felt like the committee was getting off track. The commission intended the tax to fund Cleburne Search and Rescue, emergency communications and to provide the fire departments with extra funding for training and equipment – not for everyday operations.
"Our search and rescue squad, they have no building. They have no funds," Cobb said. "Our whole goal when we talked about this was to fund them, that building and give them some security."
But Hopkins said he's more concerned about keeping the Hollis fire station open. He said they have the same amount of calls as Heflin's fire department, which operates with $100,000 a year.
"I'm doing it on $20,000," he said. "You can't do it."
The committee's indecision wasn't lost on the legislators.
"I'd like to say, y'all have to come up with something that everybody can support and that's not easy to do," Lindsey said.
But if the beneficiaries of the tax can't agree, the measure won't pass, Lindsey said. He also agreed with Laird about submitting the issue after the 2014 elections.
"It's obvious we have some more work to do," said County Administrator Steve Swafford.
After the meeting, Cobb said she wasn't sure she would support an alcohol and tobacco tax. She'd want to see how that might affect businesses in the county, Cobb said.
One of the reasons she supported the ad valorem tax was because the added training and equipment the fire departments could afford might have improved the property insurance rates for residents.
"If it's going to keep my insurance rates down, then I would pay the ad valorem tax," Cobb said.
Staff writer Laura Camper: 256-235-3545. On Twitter @LCamper_Star.


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$129 Buy
DeLonghi Icona Retro Style 4 Slice Toaster
Homewares Information for Australia
View the latest catalogues and offers on home and garden supplies from retailers in your area such as IKEA, Myer, Target, BIG W, Fantastic Furniture and OzDesign. This section lets you browse offers on furniture, cookware, small appliances, storage, window furnishings and home furnishings as well as haberdashery and supplies for knitting and crochet, including wool, yarn and patterns.
To read Homewares reviews check out the Lasoo blogs for daily professional and consumer Australian product reviews.


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U.S. Soccer Continuing Development of Business Plan for Women's Pro League
CHICAGO (Wednesday, July 7, 1999) - U.S. Soccer President Dr. S. Robert Contiguglia announced today that U.S. Soccer is continuing its role as a leader in women's sports by assisting in the development of a business plan to explore the feasibility of a future women's professional soccer league in the United States.
"U.S. Soccer has been at the forefront of women's athletics for many years," said Contiguglia. "We have implemented a number of progressive women's programs to ensure the continued success of women's soccer, and we are moving into this project with the same mind set. That is, to try and produce the best possible plan to entice investors.
"As the governing body of the sport, U.S. Soccer's role is to encourage dialogue and the eventual development of a business plan for potential investors, but not to directly fund or operate a league."
U.S. Soccer has committed funds to develop the plan and present it to potential investors by early next year. Funding for the plan is also being provided by John Hendricks, founder of the Discovery Channel. The plan is being drafted by Mark Abbott, the chief operating officer of Major League Soccer, who was a key contributor in the development of that league's original business plan. To aid in the plan's development, discussions have been held with members of the U.S. Women's National Team, as well as other participants and sponsors in the women's soccer community.
"There are many elements that need to be in place before you can proceed with a start-up project like this," said Contiguglia. "It's important to remember that this is just the first step in the process."


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Mike Gottlieb feels like the Death Row inmate who gets a last-minute reprieve from the governor.
Only in this case, the governor came up with $300,000 out of the state budget to keep Gottlieb's Towson University baseball team alive for a couple more years.
So there was Gottlieb on Wednesday afternoon at Towson's Schuerholz Park, standing in the bright sunshine and biting wind before the Tigers' 5-3 loss to Navy, marveling at what a close call it had been for his team.
"I remember growing up in the 60's," he was saying now, "and there was a Superman episode where they found out a guy who was on Death Row was innocent. But there was a lightning storm and the phones [at the prison] were down!
"So he was being put in the electric chair and Superman flies [in] and breaks through the wall and he puts his arm on the handle that starts the juice and says: 'Sorry about your wall, governor.' And that's kind of like what happened with us."
What a crazy five months it's been for Gottlieb and his players.
In October, they were warned by Towson president Maravene Loeschke that the baseball and soccer programs were in danger of being axed for budget reasons and to comply with Title IX rules for gender equity in sports.
Then in March, Loeschke made it official, the whole thing turning into a huge PR disaster for the school.
Gottlieb and his players said they were kept in the dark until the last minute, then told to appear at a hastily-called news conference with Loeschke. They said Loeschke made the bombshell announcement surrounded by police officers, as if the players were suddenly going to attack her with Louisville Sluggers, and left right away.
Gottlieb, Towson's head coach for 26 years, was furious. The players and their families were angry and bitter. The public outcry, once the media got hold of the story, was predictably loud and overwhelmingly anti-Loeschke.
Then Monday evening, a local sportscaster called Gottlieb and dropped another bombshell: hey, you're not dead yet, pal. Gov. Martin O'Malley was including another $300,000 in his 2014 budget to save baseball.
A shocked Gottlieb immediately started calling his players, some of whom were already making plans to transfer to other schools.
"I told one kid," he said, "and the first words out of his mouth were: 'Is this an April Fool's joke?'"
So now the General Assembly has to approve the money O'Malley wants to cough up. But with the governor's clout in Annapolis, that's probably a done deal.
And there might be good news on the way soon for Towson's soccer program, too.
I say that because also in the house at Towson's game yesterday was Comptroller Peter Franchot, the other state big-wig who's fighting to save Tiger baseball and soccer.
When I asked him if money could be found to save the soccer program, too, he said: "Absolutely. Obviously a big mistake was made getting rid of these two great programs that have been around for decades.
". . . I'm pretty emphatic that the administration at Towson should admit they made a mistake and put the baseball and soccer programs back in place without any probation, and fix the fiscal problems in the athletic program. Obviously there are concerns there, but it's not the fault of the baseball and soccer kids."
But Franchot said while he thinks the governor's "heart is in the right place," he disagrees with using taxpayer money to bail out the baseball program.
". . . It'll open Pandora's box to every other university saying 'Can we get $200,000 for the blocking dummies here?' or ' $300,000 for the lacrosse team or the scoreboard?' It'll be endless. So that's really bad fiscal policy.
"And the fiscal problems in Towson athletics come from overspending and not controlling the budget. Well, get a new athletic director if you can't manage the budget. But don't start eliminating programs arbitrarily."
But Mike Gottlieb wasn't worrying about all that yesterday as the Tigers took the field against Navy.
He had been through so many low points in the last five months. Now he was still riding the high from that Monday phone call that said his players still had a team, and he still had a job — at least for a couple more years.
"I'm optimistic," Gottlieb said. "I'm certainly not in the know. But I'm optimistic."
He paused and laughed.
"I guess the roller coaster is still going up and down. And I'm getting dizzy."
Listen to Kevin Cowherd at Tuesdays at 7:20 a.m. on Tuesdays on 105.7 The Fan's "The Norris and Davis Show."


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The fourth European project of the Réseau Art Nouveau Network "Art Nouveau & Ecology" plans a series of five historical labs aiming to share the knowledge at a European level. The free study days combines research, experience and know-how to reach professionals and Art Nouveau lovers.
Historical Lab 1
The Art Nouveau Herbarium, Terrassa, 3 June 2010
Programme and abstracts (French, English and Catalan)
Conference play MP3 (in Italian)
Document PDF (in Catalan)
Conference play MP3 (in Catalan)
Conference play MP3 (in French)
Document PDF (in French)
Conference play MP3 (in French)
With the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union
Responsible publisher: Arlette Verkruyssen, General Director,
Ministry of the Brussels Capital Region Department of Spatial Planning and Housing,
Rue du Progrès 80 b 1, 1035 Brussels - Belgium


text:
Please enter your travel dates.
Standard Double Room (Exclude Breakfast)
- One Double Bed
Superior Double Room (Excluded Breakfast)
- One Double Bed
Standard Double Room (Include Breakfast)
- One Double Bed
Superior Double Room (Include Breakfast)
- One Double Bed
Phuket hotel with an outdoor pool
Situated in Phuket, this hotel is close to Dino Park Mini Golf, Big Buddha, and Chalong Temple. Local attractions also include Kata Noi Beach and Phunaka Golf Course.
Hotel Features
In addition to a restaurant, Manohra Cozy Resort features an outdoor pool. Other amenities include a poolside bar and complimentary wireless Internet access.
Room Amenities
Televisions come with satellite channels. Guestrooms also feature complimentary wireless Internet access, refrigerators, and safes.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!
Hotel Amenities
- General
The hotel offers a restaurant. A poolside bar is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. Public areas are equipped with complimentary high-speed wired and wireless Internet access. For a surcharge, a roundtrip airport shuttle (available 24 hours) is offered to guests. This Phuket hotel also offers an outdoor pool, laundry facilities, and room service (during limited hours). Onsite parking is complimentary.
- Free guest parking during stay
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Free parking
- Restaurant
- Room service (limited hours)
- Total number of rooms - 29
- Airport transportation (surcharge)
- Laundry facilities
- Poolside bar
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Area shuttle (complimentary)
- Swimming pool - outdoor
- Free Wi-Fi
- Free wired high-speed Internet
- Internet
Available in all rooms: Free Wi-Fi
Available in some public areas: Free Wi-Fi, Free wired high-speed Internet
- Parking
Free parking, Free guest parking during stay
- Room Amenities
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Balcony
- Direct-dial phone
- Refrigerator
- Minibar
- Private bathroom
- Shower/tub combination
- In-room safe
- Satellite TV service
- Free Wi-Fi
- Dining
Cooked-to-order breakfasts are available for a surcharge and are served each morning between 7 AM and 11 AM.
Manohra Cozy Resort has a restaurant on site.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.
- Recreation
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Swimming on site
Policies & Fees
- Check-in
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
- Check-out
Check-out time is noon
- Payment types
Accepted at this hotel: MasterCard, Visa
- General
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
- Fees
- The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check-in, or check-out.
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
- Breakfast fee: between THB 150 and THB 250 per person (approximately)
- Airport shuttle fee: THB 1000 per vehicle (one way)
- Rollaway bed fee: THB 500 per night
- Additional Details
This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply). Guests must contact the property with arrival details before travel, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property.


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What is work in the garden ? For a garden photographer in his own garden, work shifts as the garden speaks.
There are times when the garden cries out for care, and the work is sweaty, grimy, intensely physical. Then there are times when the garden sings and the work is quiet, aesthetically sensual, even joyful. Continue Reading →


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Analog Devices ad1821 Free Driver Download
Modem / ISDN, MEDIA, Modem, ...
See details of driver package which includes support for this device.
Device Name
Supported Operating Systems
Windows 95, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003, Windows 98, Windows 98SE, Windows ME, Windows Vista
Uploader Notes
try to connect to
update firstname.lastname@example.com/update/
Uploaded By
Mauricio Roth (DG Member) on 12/1/1999
Driver Package
AD1821-MODIO-V2_31MA.zip (1.4 MB)
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