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Welcome to my WebsiteOriginal Paintings, Drawings, Imagery of Fantasy and Portrait
in Realism Style by Fantasy Contemporary Artist Katerina Koukiotis
Originals,Prints Commissions,Gifts,enjoy your stay!
Main Page | Artist | Commission Info | Merchandise Info | Image Usage & License Info |
New Art
FREE Domestic first class Shipping on ALL Orders
from my Website.
International buyers on 8.5 x 11 (large prints) please contact me for shipping quote thank you.
Psp tubes with my art now available at
Digital Art Heaven
**New** PDF Coloring Book FAEsthetics V2 "Flower Maidens"FAEsthetics V1 "Woodland Fantasy" Woodland Fantasy
Coloring Books "Flower Maidens" and "Woodland Fantasy"Now available in Paperback coloring books at lulu.com
FAEsthetics Artists Collaboration:Coloring Books for Adults:
My Art Book available for Sale HERE
My 2019 Calendar
Fantasy Art 2019 Calendar By Katerina Art
now available at my zazzle store.
Visit my zazzle store
Visit my Etsy Shop for Coloring Pages
Etsy Store - Coloring pages/books
Original **SOLD***
My 6th ACEO in my Fairytale Series, my version of the Little Match Girl based on Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale "The Little Match Girl." Click below to read the touching christmas fairytale story.
completed with watercolor and Color Pencils
on 2'5 x 3'5 Arches hotpress Watercolor paper.
Limited Edition prints - SOLD OUT
The Little Match Girl By: Hans Christian Anderson
Once upon a time . . . a little girl tried to make a living by selling matches in the street.
It was New Year's Eve and the snowclad streets were deserted. From brightly lit windows came the tinkle of laughter and the sound of singing. People were getting ready to bring in the New Year. But the poor little matchseller sat sadly beside the fountain. Her ragged dress and worn shawl did not keep out the cold and she tried to keep her bare feet from touching the frozen ground. She hadn't sold one box of matches all day and she was frightened to go home, for her father would certainly be angry. It wouldn't be much warmer anyway, in the draughty attic that was her home. The little girl's fingers were stiff with cold. If only she could light a match! But what would her father say at such a waste! Falteringly she took out a match and lit it. What a nice warm flame! The little matchseller cupped her hand over it, and as she did so, she magically saw in its light a big brightly burning stove.
She held out her hands to the heat, but just then the match went out and the vision faded. The night seemed blacker than before and it was getting colder. A shiver ran through the little girl's thin body.
After hesitating for a long time, she struck another match on the wall, and this time, the glimmer turned the wall into a great sheet of crystal. Beyond that stood a fine table laden with food and lit by a candlestick. Holding out her arms towards the plates, the little matchseller seemed to pass through the glass, but then the match went out and the magic faded. Poor thing: in just a few seconds she had caught a glimpse of everything that life had denied her: warmth and good things to eat. Her eyes filled with tears and she lifted her gaze to the lit windows, praying that she too might know a little of such happiness.
She lit the third match and an even more wonderful thing happened. There stood a Christmas tree hung with hundreds of candles, glittering with tinsel and coloured balls. "Oh, how lovely!" exclaimed the little matchseller, holding up the match. Then, the match burned her finger and flickered out. The light from the Christmas candles rose higher and higher, then one of the lights fell, leaving a trail behind it. "Someone is dying," murmured the little girl, as she remembered her beloved Granny who used to say: "When a star falls, a heart stops beating!"
Scarcely aware of what she was doing, the little matchseller lit another match. This time, she saw her grandmother.
"Granny, stay with me!" she pleaded, as she lit one match after the other, so that her grandmother could not disappear like all the other visions. However, Granny did not vanish, but gazed smilingly at her. Then she opened her arms and the little girl hugged her crying: "Granny, take me away with you!"
A cold day dawned and a pale sun shone on the fountain and the icy road. Close by lay the lifeless body of a little girl surrounded by spent matches. "Poor little thing!" exclaimed the passersby. "She was trying to keep warm!"
But by that time, the little matchseller was far away where there is neither cold, hunger nor pain.
Little Girl Model Refernce :
Atist At Play


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The following is a guest post, written for The Bottomless Pint. See the end of the article for this writer's bio. Have an article idea? Drop me a line – beermostly AT gmail.com.
Let's set the scene. It's a Saturday night after a Toronto Sports Game (go sports!), and whether I like it or not, I end up at a Front St. bar, meeting with a few friends who had also been at the game. I head to the bar to order a beer, I grab the menu to take a look at their surprisingly awesome beer list. I'm about halfway through the list, when a large, burly looking, inebriated white dude leans in and says "You know, I really like number 6." Annoyed and unprepared, I say, "Oh yeah? Why's that?" Much to my surprise (not), he didn't really know what beer he was drinking, he had no tasting notes or real recommendations, and he seemingly just wanted to hear himself speak. So, I told him not-so-politely that I didn't need his recommendations, and I was fully capable of selecting a beer for myself. I'm paraphrasing, but if you know me, you can imagine what I really said. And then, I tweeted this:
Granted, this dude absolutely chose the wrong lady. I'm not the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed rookie that I once was. This stuff happens to me too much, and so I tend to be a bit saltier than most women might be in the same situation. So I sent out this tweet to make light and bring humour to an all-to-familiar situation, took a deep breath, and then I let it go. Cut to the next day, where the tweet has 80+ likes, 2 retweets, and 8 different replies; mainly in the form of hilarious GIFs asking whether or not this dude was still alive. There was even a good one from the owner of this blog, comparing me to Ron Swanson in a Home Depot (I chortled approvingly). As I read through the replies and watched the likes roll in, I started realizing that there are a lot of other people, men and women, who are just as tired and -yes, salty- about this stuff as I am. It was humbling, enraging, and inspiring.
So where do we go from here? Well, let's talk. The concept of toxic masculinity is really what seems to be at the core of instances like this; the same concept that empowers men to cat call, mansplain, and generally Act a Fool. As a woman in the beer industry, I face situations like this quite often. I've spoken on sexism in this industry several times, including here and here. But when I talk to my male friends about this, they are still surprised and in shock, and they sometimes can't believe that these types of things happen to me. For those of you who are still blissfully unaware of these microaggressions, I've compiled a small list.
Some of the real things actual people have said to me (and my sassy inner dialogue during these moments):
"So, do you like beer?"
"If you like beer so much, how are you so skinny?"
Imagine if I came to your workplace and asked you about your weight?
"So, what, does your dad own the brewery?"
Yes, that's the only plausible reason I could have a job at a craft brewery.
"Is that your boyfriend's car?" (Referring to my branded brewery vehicle)
SING IT WITH ME, LADIES. Shoes on my feet, I bought em. Car I'm driving, I bou- wait, actually it's technically a company vehicle… but anyway I DEPEND ON ME.
"So you're just the pretty face then?"
When I get this one, I usually I just stare blankly while a piece of me dies inside.
"Wow, you actually know a lot about beer!"
I love a fresh, spicy, backhanded compliment in the morning.
"You're sexy when you're angry/serious/bossy."
As if my sexiness was dependent at all on moods, *tosses hair.* But seriously, when thoughts like this enter your head, have you ever considered just not talking????
"You remind me of my ex-wife."
She was probably a Goddess, you are trash.
And if these little treasures aren't enough to convince you, here are a handful of things that happen to me, and not to my male colleagues:
- Needing to be walked to my car because I was catcalled in an LCBO parking lot
- Getting followed for several blocks and targeted in a parking lot
- Being told my appearance has to do with why I'm good at my job
- The use of subtle gendered language like "abrasive," "aggressive," "intense," "demanding," and my personal favourite, "bossy."
- Receiving lines of questioning about my relationship status and sexuality while trying to work
I just feel like my lady ancestors did not pioneer the art of brewing in the 18th century for this type of nonsense happening in 2018. You know? Whether you've been on the receiving end of unwanted attention or whether you've seen it happen, I think it's fair to say that we've all been there. Recently, I've had male colleagues and friends ask me what they should do in these situations. Or, they explain to me that they witness similar occurrences and they come to me wondering if they could have done more. To me, these conversations mean the world. I've only been in the industry for a few years, but it feels these aren't conversations that we were having even 2 or 3 years ago. Men bringing these important questions to the forefront makes me feel validated, it makes me feel acknowledged, and it shows that they are tired too. They want to be a part of the solution. If you're reading this, I'm sure you do too.
Realistically, there is no prescription. There's no one answer, no objectively perfect thing for you to do when you want to interfere and shut a toxic interaction down. But what I can tell you for sure, is that there have been countless times where I've wished someone was there to step in and help me. Someone to be the one to put an end to unwanted attention, when I felt the confines of my job and upholding a brand image would have been jeopardized by shutting it down myself. This happens all the time with servers, bartenders, brand ambassadors, and plenty of other customer-facing positions; the microaggressions are shrugged off so she can save face and continue doing her job. In this industry specifically, it can be a really hard thing to navigate – interpersonal relationships are the foundation of how business is done. Creating meaningful relationships while keeping it professional is not easy.
For my final list, here are some things that I have put together that I, as a woman beer rep, want people to start doing. I want to acknowledge that these are based on my lived experiences, and experiences that I know enough about to comfortably speak to. Please understand that there are various intersections of marginalization that I cannot authentically capture or represent.
Things you can do:
- Believe her, when she comes to you saying she's experiencing something unwanted or uncomfortable.
- Ask her, discreetly, if she wants help. If yes, step in. Sometimes, she's got this.
- Change the conversation. If you hear someone making comments about her appearance/making an advance, be the one to commend her on her skills, talent, knowledge, etc.
- Stop assuming. Don't ask her male colleague technical questions before you ask her. Don't explain rudimentary concepts to her that you wouldn't go out of your way to explain to a male in the same position.
- Be observant. Check in with your friends, notice if someone is making her uncomfortable. Don't shrug it off.
- Call him out. Male to male accountability, specifically, is a very impactful thing. It's problematic that boys prefer listening to other boys, but hey. That's kind of where we're at.
- Check yourself. Is your opinion needed? Is your advice solicited? What are you adding to the conversation? It's good to listen.
- Ask questions. Look outside of your own experiences, think about what it's like for people that walk through the world with less privilege than you.
- Give her a platform. Turn to her expertise, let her take the lead. Call your male coworkers out when they interrupt her. Ask her opinion, and respect it.
- Do more. Don't settle. Demand more of your peers, your colleagues, your employers. Raise your expectations for your friends. Stop being complacent. Challenge yourself.
That's all I've got, for now. But I think it's a good start. If you have more to add, or want to talk, or maybe need a hug, reach out – I'm here for you. The most important thing is just to have these conversations and to be brave enough to ask for better from each other. I didn't write this piece to bum you out, though. So I leave you with this: the link to the twitter thread where you can see all of the hilarious replies to the tweet that started at all. To each of you who took the time to respond, you are a beautiful internet unicorn and I adore you.
PS- If you made it all the way through that and are still here, here is a bonus tweet about some really special human beings. They know who they are.
About The Writer
Victoria Rombis is a Sales Rep for an excellent Ontario Craft brewery, but her views are her own. She's written for The Bottomless Pint intermittently during her career. She likes crushing the patriarchy and getting caught in the rain. Follow along on her journey on twitter @_VictoriaBrews and on Instagram @victoria_r.

subset: commoncrawl


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We are currently Hiring a Housing Search and information specialist AmeriCorps Member.
Michigan's Campaign to End Homelessness (CTEH) AmeriCorps Program will support service providers by increasing their capacity to offer assistance to homeless and at-risk individuals and families. Specifically, the AmeriCorps members in the CTEH program will provide services that will increase an individual's self-sufficiency in the area of income and life skills.
Click here for More information.
To Apply: Please send a resume and a cover letter to both Virginia Taylor, site supervisor, at firstname.lastname@example.com and Kelli Beavers, program director, at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Something that used to bug me—used to, because I am so accustomed to work around it that I rarely notice the problem—is that in neither C nor C++ you can use strings (const char * or std::string) in switch/case statement. Indeed, the switch/case statement works only on integral values (an enum, an integral type such as char and int, or an object type with implicit cast to an integral type). But strings aren't of integral types!
In pure C, we're pretty much done for. The C preprocessor is too weak to help us built compile-time expression out of strings (or, more exactly, const char *), and there'sn't much else in the language to help us. However, things are a bit different in C++.
Since C++11, a function or a variable can be defined as constexpr, that is, guaranteed to have value entirely defined at compile-time. This allows the compiler to compute, at compile time, the values of expressions. (This, in turn, implies that the code "compiles away" and just leaves the result.) There are a number of requirements to make a function or an expression constexpr, but we can still use that to make switch/case work on strings (or const char *).
The switch/case statement itself will still require an integral operand, so we must transform a string into an integral value. The usual way of doing this is to use a hash function. Can we built a constexpr hash function?
Well, yes, obviously—otherwise I wouldn't have bothered to write that much text. One limitation of constexpr functions is that they pretty much have to limit themselves to declarations, directives, and a return statement. A good way of using these limitations is to think functional programming, where recursion is the main control mechanism. To hash a string (or a const char *) we must scan every character at least once. This suggest a hash function such as:
uint64_t constexpr mix(char m, uint64_t s) { return ((s<<7) + ~(s>>3)) + ~m; } uint64_t constexpr hash(const char * m) { return (*m) ? mix(*m,hash(m+1)) : 0; }
…where mix is the real hash function. I'm sure you can come up with something better, but as long as it is good enough, it'll work just fine. So how do we use that in a switch/case? Most simply:
void switch_test(const char * str) { switch( hash(str) ) // run-time { case hash("tatatututoto"): // compile-time std::cout << "tutu!" << std::endl; break; case hash("tatatititoto"): // compile-time std::cout << "titi!" << std::endl; break; default: std::cout << "wut?" << std::endl; break; }; } int main() { switch_test("tatatititoto"); switch_test("tatatututoto"); switch_test("abababubabub"); return 0; }
This indeed produces the desired output:
titi! tutu! wut?
* *
The main problem with this approach is the possibility of hash collisions. The above hash function isn't very strong, very obviously, but can be dealt with by the compiler. If a collision occurs, it will be detected at compile-time and the compiler will issue a warning or an error about "duplicate case value". In this case, the only correct workaround is to eliminate collisions by changing the hash function. Anyway, I'm sure you can do better than the mix hash function above.


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1889 Fire Damage
Primary tabs
Photograph of the damage to the business district caused by the 1889. The photo was taken from the railroad tower across Main Street. The Congregational Church is visible in the back center of the image. Main Street is on the left and Central Park on the far right. The fire started in two grain elevators next to the railroad around noon. The presumption is that a spark from the railroad ignited the very flammable contents of the elevators. The fire destroyed everything not constructed of brick. In 1891, the whole center of the block to the north burned.


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Zombies, Run! has hit the Windows Phone Marketplace. It is listed as a fitness app that plays out more along the lines of a game.
Zombies, Run! has you listening to a story line or mission while jogging or walking. As you progress through the audio adventure you collect supplies that are used at your base township, after your run. The supplies are used in turn to support township growth and as your town grows, additional missions become available.
The main page of Zombies, Run! has options to view the chapters/missions, check you township, view the people/places/special items/supplies you've collected and access the app's settings. Settings covers turning on/off zombie chases, how item pick-ups are confirmed (speech/vibration), run the app under the lock screen and unit measurements. To start your run and the mission, just swipe up from the bottom of the main page. Once your run is complete, you'll get a summary screen highlighting your run and items collected for distribution.
Zombies, Run! contains thirty missions and over forty runs. In addition to making your runs more interesting by avoiding Zombies, collecting supplies and building your township the app also tracks your fitness progress by displaying your distance, time and pace for each run on the summary screen.
Zombies, Run! is an interesting exercise/game concept that may make those morning runs a little more exciting. Who knows, it may give you enough motivation to run more often.
There is a free trial version available for Zombies, Run! to let you try things out. The full version of Zombies, Run! is currently running $7.99 and you can find it all here at the Windows Phone Marketplace.
Thanks, Vanessa and Adrian, for the tip!


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Cost: $15
Contemporary Modern (Horton Technique)
About Alex
Originally from Beaumont, TX, Alex J. Gordon began his formal dance training at Washington University in St. Louis at age 19. Within his four years at the university Alex received his BA in architecture and minor in modern dance. "During my time at Wash U I also was asked to join The Slaughter Project, [a pre-professional dance company ran my Cecil Slaughter, the senior lecturer of dance at Wash U.] I soon found myself staying in Saint Louis through the summers dancing and guesting with local companies and performance artists [such Tom Brady, Atrek Dance Collective, Ashliance Dance Company, and USMALS dance department.]"
After graduating from Washington University in 2010 Alex attended ADF (The American Dance Festival) in North Carolina on a work-study scholarship. "ADF was my first summer program and it allowed me to use my architecture skills, dance and choreography skills, and theater skills all at the same time!" Right after the program Alex joined The Missouri Contemporary Ballet in Columbia, MO. In his first year as a trainee his piece, The Dirt BeNeath was chosen by Artisitc Director Karen Mareck Grundy to become a full length work to be featured in the upcoming show EVOKE in 2011.
Alex has designed and guested in Deeply Rooted Emerging Artist Showcase (2013-2014) and teaches Modern and Contemporary dance techniques throughout the Mid-West. "I hope to continue to increase my abilities in design, teaching, and dance until I am able to create my own dance theater company."
The class focuses on strengthening the core, flexibility of the spine and lower back and accessing the horizontal plane as well as the vertical. The center and across the floor exercises incorporate ballet and modern techniques that are later expanded upon in the contemporary combination at the end of class.


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Disney hotels discount on Priceline.com to shore up sales
While Disney has sold its theme park tickets on Priceline for about four years now (and not at a deep markdown), it held off on expanding its nearly two dozen high-dollar hotels -- such as the Polynesian Resort, the Animal Kingdom Lodge, and the Beach Club -- to the site. Priceline, which offers both standard booking engine results and blind name-your-own-price bidding services, is a budget traveler's friend, but the perception of bottom-scraping discounts chafes against the premium image Disney strives to cultivate for itself.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that Disney will not allow its hotel inventory to appear in the William Shatner-promoted "Name Your Own Price" section of Priceline, but only in the regular search results.
Walt Disney himself despised classism, and he specifically chose hotels with generic themes, such as Polynesia or the "Contemporary," as not to impose upper-class pretensions on his guests. That laudable ethic shattered in the Michael Eisner era, when the snob appeal of construction projects such as the Hotel del Coronado-inspired Grand Floridian made exclusivity a crucial aspect of the Disney profit model. The Priceline-Disney connection announcement will lower that velvet rope slightly for customers who simply can't resist indulging.
Still, occupancy in Disney-owned hotels has been dropping faster than the logs on Splash Mountain. The company's third-quarter sales report, which covered until early July, revealed that occupancy fell 8.8% from the year before. During the same period, Universal Orlando's grand Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened, stealing business.
The shift is also a testament to Priceline's rise. From early 2008 to mid-2010, its travel bookings nearly doubled to $3.4 billion, which is faster than Expedia and Orbitz. It's surely no coincidence that the success of the money-saving travel site neatly coincided with the penny-pinching demands of the recession.
Not that Disney hotels will become the cheapest hotel options. Considering Priceline is currently offering hotel prices near the Walt Disney World for as low as $21 (for the purgatorial Howard Johnson in Kissimmee) and $74 (for a Holiday Inn located on the resort property itself), the rates Priceline will yield will mostly be a mild corrective to Disney's extreme rates, which are overpriced for the Orlando market.
If Disney's lowest-priced, "Value" resorts (the All-Stars and the Pop Century, currently $82 to $119 most times of year without a discount) are offered at a discount, the new price is still unlikely to beat off-property competition, but families will find the fantasy of staying on Disney property to be a little closer to their grasp.


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Wednesday, 30 September 2009
It is decided... October shall forth be knownth as...
Ok, two things, firstly; I didn't invent these fabulous word things, they were invented already and I have stolen them for my own interests. Secondly, I'm going to be making clothes and concentrating on my own health, and not following through on the actual fundraising efforts, but YOU can if have time to fundraise.
Ocsober is about cutting out alcohol for a month for our kids and raising funds for Life Education (that educates Aussie children about drugs and alcohol) and Frocktober is about wearing dresses and raising dosh for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation in Australia.
In my case, I'm good at promoting and talking and sewing, so here is my plug (and I'll donate some dosh to you if you sign up - let me know) for both monthly events. And I'll blog my efforts in sewing a dress a day (this time a REAL dress not just tshirts and skirts) and staying off the booze for the month of October.
(I'm cringing here, as a wine really really really helps you sew better - let's just hope I can still sew without the Sav Blonk!)
But it's part of my bigger picture (by Christmas not be blubby, by Christmas to actually have a clear and gorgeous voice, by Christmas to have loads of garments sewn, and to be in good spirits always) plan and I'm reckoning that I did so well in July for a garment a day then, that I'll be very proud and in uber spirits by the time November comes around.
If you'd like to join in on Frocktober (Veronica Darling style) let me know, I know it's a mean feat for some you darlings (espech if you have kidlets) but if you fancy sewing a dress a day in October I'll make a special button and link to you from my page or whatever.
Ok, gotta dash cause a friend is talking about cool stuff at an art gallery, and gotta get back early so I can work more on this green bombshell wiggle dress.
4 comments:
I love the fact that you are doing the dress a day thing. That way I have something to drool over every day. I wished I had the time right now to take on such a challenge. But alas, with the little ones, I don't see the time now to join in. But keep doing this once in a while and in a couple of years, when the littlest one goes to school, I join you, deal? :-)ReplyDelete
Oh, well done you! I can't sew very well at all, so that's out and I have a couple of big celebrations in ocober, so alcohol is necessary (this is Scotland!) But I have an idea: one of the dresses you make, could you do it to my measurements and I'll buy it and you can donate the profits to the charity? If you fancy it - no worries if not! I'll send you an email!ReplyDelete
Deal and Deal for both of you darlings!ReplyDelete
Hi Veronica! I just signed up for Frocktober! Fun fun! Can't wait to see what you make this month, I may even attempt a few creations of my own...ReplyDelete
Thanks for inspiring me :)
Dongmen Lu Fabric Market
Happy Wednesday! Time to get some fabric inspiration from the Dongmen Lu Fabric Market here in Shanghai! Can't believe how quickly 201...
Hello there! Do you get to the very very very near end of a project and pause for a bit and get excited about the next one? I'm often ...
Last week the girls at Craft'd Shanghai asked me to host a "Next Step" type sewing a class… they've been organising the 'learning to s...


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Let's talk baking and why it can be terrifying. I have admitted to you before, my talents do not lie in the baking department. I mean the pressure of having to measure everything so perfectly and follow the recipe to a tee takes all the fun out of why I love to be in the kitchen in the first place.
And while I am not the most skilled baker, I do frequently get in a baking mood. I have several recipes that I keep on hand to pull out that do not take much time or thought and usually I have most of the ingredients on hand. This is how I usually end up baking...I get in the mood which is followed by rummaging through my pantry to see what I have in there already and that usually dictates what I end up making.
These cute little baby apple pies were the result of a really rainy day, where I was stuck inside and you can probably guess what happened next...yep, I was forced to bake something. I had just bought quite a few of my favorite honey crisp apples, and thought hmm...of course, apple pies!
I looked online for easy crusts, because I really don't make them enough to know how off the top of my head. I found one that was just flour, butter, salt, and ice water. I thought that's easy, until I read that I have to use a pastry cutter and work my butter into my flour yada yada yada... No thank you...short cut please...and that's where the food processor became my new pie making friend.
I really had no idea how they were going to come out since I probably have made one pie in my entire life, and I'm pretty sure I bought the crust, but I gave it a go.
The result was...well frankly they were amazing if I do say so myself! Not too sweet, flaky buttery crust, gooey inside... and topped with some vanilla ice cream...holy moly!
So if you have been a part of the anti make your pie yourself club, these minis are for you! They would be perfect to add to your Thanksgiving menu. You probably already have the ingredients!
For the Crust-
- 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 Stick Cold Unsalted Butter
- 1/4 Tsp. Salt
- Ice Cold Water (I keep a mug beside the processor to add a little at a time)
For the Filling-
- 2 Peeled and Diced Apples (I used honey crisps)
- 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 4 Tsp. of Ground Cinnamon
- 3 Tbsp. of Melted Butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel your apples and then dice them into small cubes, the smaller the better.
Oh hey Amos...of course you want some apple, don't all dogs? This one happens to love fruit, way more than any dog treat (his brother does not share his opinion.) As soon as he hears me chopping, like clockwork, he comes over and gives me that look...with those eyes. Seriously... He wins every time, I never stand a chance.
Ok on to the next step. After you finish dicing, place your apples in a mixing bowl and add your brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Combine well until all apples are coated with the other ingredients. You can let the bowl hang out while you make your dough.
In your food processor add two cups of all purpose flour, your stick of butter cut into small cubes for easier mixing, and your salt. Pulse the mixture until it is the texture of bread crumbs. At this point, you will want to add a tablespoon of ice cold water about 3 tbsp. at a time. Add a little, pulse, add a little more, until the dough sticks together when you pinch it. (No food processor? You can definitely do this by cutting the butter into the flour with a fork or pastry cutter until you get the same texture.)
After your dough is ready, flour a large working surface, your rolling pin and form a ball with your dough mixture. Roll your dough out fairly thin, like maybe at 1/8 inch or less. This should make anywhere from 8-10 pies.
Using either a glass or round cookie cutter, cut out 16-20 circles in the dough (a top and a bottom.) Place bottom layer onto a Silpat (a silicone sheet that nothing sticks to) lined on top of a cookie sheet , or line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Either is fine. Top bottom circles with a small spoonful of the apple filling, leaving a little edge to press top layer onto. It's ok if the filling starts to spill out, that just means they are going to be extra good on the inside!
The next step is to place your second dough circle on top of the apple mixture. To close the sides, press the end of a fork (this does not have to be perfect, think rustic and handmade) and work all the way around until ends are sealed. Take a small knife and cut two slits in the top to allow steam to escape when the pies go into the oven so that your crust gets crispy. You will want to make an egg wash (one beaten egg) and brush on top of the pies before they go into the oven so that they will become shiny and have a nice golden color to them. Into the oven they go for 25-35 minutes depending on your oven.
They are done when they are nicely browned on top! Let them cool on a cooling rack to ensure the crust stays crisp.
They are delicious as is, and you should definitely eat one right out of the oven. How else will you know if they are a success or not? You wouldn't want to serve bad pies to your family and friends after all...
And then later when you serve them to others and you eat your second one (it's ok, they are mini), add a couple of scoops of ice cream to that bad boy and be prepared for amazingness.
One last thing: If you don't have apples, you could swap them for pears, peaches, or even a little of that pumpkin pie filling that you are probably already making!


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Rock property prediction for integrated exploration and development, Vaca Muerta formation, Neuquén Basin, Argentina
Carlos Convers, Thomas L. Davis, Christian Hanitzsch and David Curia
Journal name: First Break
Issue: Vol 35, No 7, July 2017 pp. 51 - 57
Language: English
Info: Article, PDF ( 1.13Mb )
Price: € 30
Oil companies have been testing different characteristics related to shale plays in an effort to identify the best zones for a good productive well. Total organic carbon (TOC), pore pressure, natural fractures, thickness, mineralogical composition and geomechanical parameters are used to define those zones. The vertical and lateral heterogeneity of rock properties are critical factors that impact production. The integration of 3D seismic and well data is necessary for the prediction of rock properties and identifies their distribution within the rock, which can also be related to the mechanical response of the rock. This study uses TOC and carbonate content as part of the mineralogical composition of the Vaca Muerta (VM) Formation to identify the best zones with hydrocarbon presence (sweet spots) and rock with brittle characteristics based on carbonate content. For this purpose, the study includes a 3D seismic survey and several vertical wells with full log suites in each well to complete the analysis. The well logs are used to compute a model-based inversion which uses pre-stack seismic data to estimate rock property volumes. An inverse relationship between P-impedance and TOC is observed and quantified. Likewise, a direct relationship between P-impedance and volume of carbonate is identified. Neural network is then used to predict the lateral and vertical heterogeneity of rock properties. TOC behaves as an adequate indicator of possible zones with high potential of hydrocarbon presence. Meanwhile, the carbonate content in the VM Formation is a valid indicator of brittle-ductile rock. The analysis detected zones that have a good presence of hydrocarbons and brittle rock. This model presents a more complete understanding of the reservoir, which can be used as an aid in future exploration and development of the VM Formation.
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Sporting Areas in Orlando
Browse 73 attractions, meet 8 travelers, 20 tour guides and discover 378 photos
Travelers are voting Amway Center and Walt Disney World Speedway as the best sporting areas in Orlando. There are 2 sporting areas in Apopka a city just 43 km from Orlando and 2 sporting areas in Kissimmee which is 39 km distant. The most popular of these are Amway Center in Apopka and Walt Disney World Speedway in Kissimmee. You can find 17 sporting areas in Florida and 358 sporting areas in the country of United States. Our members favorite in Florida is Amway Center and Churchill Downs is the top pick in United States. Want more? Check out our map of sporting areas in Orlando.
Amway CenterRecreation / Outdoor Sporting Areas400 West Church Street, Orlando, Florida, United States
The Amway Center is a sports and entertainment venue in Orlando, Florida, located in the Downtown area. It is part of Downtown Orlando Master…
Walt Disney World SpeedwayRecreation / Outdoor Race TracksFloridian Way, Orlando, Florida, United States
Walt Disney World Speedway is a racing facility located on the grounds of the Walt Disney World resort near Orlando, Florida. It was built in…


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Episode 65 - The Grandma Effect/
The Asylum Presents Lou Ferrigno in "The Grandma Effect" Buckle up buddy, cause this is another thrilltacular episode of This Is What I Don't Understand! Action at every corner, drama up the wazoo, and enough side-splitting laughs to fill a 65 gallon drum! This week Tad and Jim investigate these topics:
* Asylum Films
* "Can I Help You With Anything Today?"
* No Demos for Games Anymore
* White Clothing
Critics are raving over the newest chapter in the magical Larry Porter series, The Secret Corridor! Watch as Larry and his pals Don and Hilamine uncover a dark secret at their magic school Pigpimple. The Dark Lord is after them this time after they interrupt his plan to take over the world by producing cheap knock off films. Critics love the CG effects that are dated even for films 20 years older, and the script is pulled from a different Mad Libs book this time! 4 Stars says Big Pete at the Fat Greaser in Wilmington, Wisconsin.
Hey, dummy! Are all these bright colors and big signs making your brainy-wainy hurty-wurty? Well have no fear, [INSERT BIG BOX RETAILER HERE] employees are here to help! No more hours of looking for that one thing you need, we'll get it for you! Do you need someone to interrupt your conversation every 5 minutes? We offer that too! Do you need anything? Do you need some HELP? DO YOU NEED ANYTHING AT ALL?! DO YOU NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Gone are the days of demos. Those wonderful days where you could try something out before buying it. No, nowadays they expect you to go through the hassle of buying the game, opening it up, installing it, patching it, and then spending a few hours to find out it stinks. GOTTA GET THOSE FIRST DAY SALES. CAN'T LET PEOPLE TRY IT OUT FOR FREE. CAN'T LET THEM FIND OUT IT WON'T BE PLAYABLE UNTIL AFTER THE FIRST THREE WEEKLY PATCHES.
You know, when I'm watching my TV, and a man comes on to tell me how white my shirts could be, I change the channel because I don't own any white shirts. Because every time I wear one, I spill some wine on it, or accidentally drip some barbecue sauce on it, or a hobo vomits on it. Bleach should serve one purpose, and it's not for clothes, it's for mouths. If you wanna spend your time cleaning your shoes or your Miami Vice jacket, be my guest, just don't include me (unless there's a wet t-shirt contest).
Plus, we listen to voicemails and reveal what movie we'll be watching for March's commentary. Which one of us has been mistaken for a hobo? You'll have to listen to find out! Remember to visit or Patreon and join our Discord


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Ensuring customer service is performing to objectives isn't just for retailers. Many of our clients across the public sector utilise our significant expertise in applying and adapting the mystery shopping methodology to meet their objectives and deliver a wide range of outcomes.
Mystery shopping offers the opportunity to explore the customer experience in more depth, since the mystery shopper is aware of what insights needs to be captured from the very start of the customer interaction.
A Growing Need
Our focus on mystery shopping for the public sector has grown significantly in recent years. We have produced programmes for a wide range of local authorities and services, covering everything from parks and leisure, to projects assessing government funded help lines.
Mystery Shopping versus Customer Satisfaction
We provide both mystery shopping programmes and customer satisfaction surveys for the public and private sectors. These two types of customer service evaluations differ in their aims and what they deliver.
Mystery shopping research uses individuals trained to observe, experience and measure the customer service process by acting as a prospective customer and undertaking a series of pre-determined tasks. This gives a first-hand perspective on the customers' experience of the service.
However, where customer views and expectations are sought, and the organisation seeks to establish how a service stacks up against these expectations without any measure against a defined and objective benchmark, then a customer satisfaction survey may be most appropriate.
Why Choose Mystery Shopping?
One weakness of using customer satisfaction surveys only is that customers are often unaware of the service standards which have been set, or which they are 'entitled' to. Whilst they may walk away from the service with a sense of satisfaction, this does not mean that the service has fully delivered all the benefits required to engage or connect with the service user on a long term basis.
Mystery shopping can explore the extent to which service providers are delivering to pre-agreed standards, as defined by the commissioners of the research (who have responsibility for the service overall). This information, when compared and contrasted with customer feedback and evaluation, enables us to draw correlations between levels of service delivery, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty to the service.


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The Robo Advisor Landscape
At the end of last month ByAllAccounts hosted a webinar on what can be learned from robo-advisors and how you can grow your firm in a changing market. In the following podcast, you can hear an excerpt from the webinar in which Raef Lee, Managing Director at SEI Advisor Network outlines the robo-advisor landscape.
Click the play button below to listen to the podcast:
Click here to listen to the full replay.
You may also be interested in:
Podcast: How can you stand out from robo-advisors?
What You Can Learn From Robo Advisors (Whitepaper)
Learning from Robo Advisors (Blog post by Raef Lee, Managing Director, SEI Advisor Network)comments powered by Disqus


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The Essential James Taylor, two-disc set, was among the CD's I enjoyed listening to (again) on our road trip last week. This singer-songwriter's ability to craft an unforgettable melody and marry it to thoughtful words is legendary. His website biography … Continue reading
July 5, 2017
by Paul Tautges
Comments Off on You've Got a Friend


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Tammy - posted on 02/03/2010 ( 2 moms have responded )
My daughter Sophie is 17 months old and hates her car seat. We finally got a dvd player and that does help, but after being in the car about 10-15 minutes she starts crying. She doesn't like sitting still or sitting anywhere for any amount of time. She is always on the go. I am a Stay at Home Mom so we dont go that many places, but when i do need to get out, it's not fun. We would like to take a trip this summer and I dont know how she will do. This child has never taken a nap in a stroller or a car seat HELP!!!


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Below please find my current listings. I can also help you with houses, land, and properties listed with other realtors, as well as those for sale by owner and builders. For your own protection, you want to engage a licensed, certified, experienced, and reputable realtor; one who is intimately familiar with the areas of interest, most notably Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, and Queen Anne's County.
Do you really need a real estate agent (realtor)? The proliferation of services that help home buyers and sellers complete their own real estate transactions is relatively recent, and may have you wondering whether using a real estate agent is becoming a relic of a bygone era. While doing the work yourself can save you commission rates that real estate agents command, flying solo or relying upon non-professionals could very well end costing you more than a realtor's commission. Buying or selling a home or other property is a major financial (and emotional) undertaking. The real estate industry is loaded with all sorts of requirements and complexities. It isn't as simple as selling a product. If you truly value your funds, you should not put them at risk.
Donna Wisniewski | 410-991-7305 | Contact Me
711 Bestgate Rd. - Annapolis, MD 21401
Copyright © , All Rights Reserved
© 2019 BRIGHT, All Rights Reserved. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. The data relating to real estate for sale on this website appears in part through the BRIGHT Internet Data Exchange program, a voluntary cooperative exchange of property listing data between licensed real estate brokerage firms in which Long and Foster Real Estate participates, and is provided by BRIGHT through a licensing agreement. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Long and Foster Real Estate are marked with the IDX logo and detailed information about each listing includes the name of the listing broker. The information provided by this website is for the personal, non-commercial use of consumers and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Some properties which appear for sale on this website may no longer be available because they are under contract, have Closed or are no longer being offered for sale. Some real estate firms do not participate in IDX and their listings do not appear on this website. Some properties listed with participating firms do not appear on this website at the request of the seller. Data last updated on 2019-08-18.


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This might get a little long-winded, so if you'd just like the short version, here it is - spoiler alert - it was excellent. The pairing for each course was spot-on, balancing. Green Dirt Farm's owner/farmer Jacqueline Smith and McCoy's brewmaster Keith Thompson did a fantastic job explaining the food and beer, respectively, and were happy to answer any and all questions that came their way. And chef Michael Peterson outdid himself. The food was magnificent. Overall, a fun, educational, and delicious night.
|Jacqueline Smith
|Keith Thompson
Now, for the long version. . .


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Today I added one headstone photograph to the page for St. Mary's Anglican Church Cemetery, Shiers Road, Harrigan Cove, Halifax County, NS. It is one of four steel crosses in a row.
This could be Spencer Harry MacDonald, but from other steel crosses in the same cemetery, I believe the cross marks the burial for two people: Spencer AND Harry MacDonald. More than likely, they are brothers.
I have not found any records to indicate who Spencer and Harry MacDonald are. The names on the other steel crosses are: Jim, Edward, Charles and Levine MacDonald.
Assuming these individuals are from the same family, we might also assume the couple Levine (also spelt Lavinia in some records) and Charles are the parents of Spencer and Harry.
Found in the 1891 Census is the family with the following children: William, Amelia, Daniel, Mary, Jeremiah Freeman, Annie A., Edmond, James F, Maud Julia, Adam, Freeman and Henry E. The Edmond in this group might be the Edward on the steel cross. The Henry might be Harry, and James could easily be Jim. I have not found any vital or census record with the name Spencer in the area. Hopefully, the name will show up as I continue to add information to this page, and I will be able to properly identify him.
Alphabetical Birth Records Search
Searching for surnames starting with the letter A
Atkins, Grace Evelyn: Born May 17, 1901 at Harrigan Cove, Halifax County, NS, the daughter of Margaret Catherine Smith and George William Atkins.


text: Personal development is important to me. Not that I strive night and day to conquer the world, but in a sense that know it is important to me to keep an eye on where I feel I might be going and trying to keep vision and motivation somewhere within reach. I did this picture as a reminder to me to look for the small opportunities to stand out from the crowd, to be inspired by something, to be creative and to be a source of positivity and encouragement wherever I find myself. I have a responsibility to myself to not just sit back on my journey of life but to participate in it and seek the explore the landscape that my path leads me through.


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Income Elasticity for Direct and Indirect Demand of Food Grains
Laura Cornelsen, Andrew Dorward
Income elasticity describes the relationship between demand and incomes. Usually when incomes increase the demand for food increases but not as much.
A 10% increase in income leads to a 2-4% increase in demand for grains. When incomes increase there is also more demand for meat and thus more demand for grains for livestock feed (indirect demand).
There is a contradiction in the literature as it is generally stated that income elasticity for grain demand is small (i.e. demand does not change much when incomes increase) but at the same time acknowledge an increased demand for grains for livestock feed.
This project seeks to analyse the income elasticity for grain demand differentiating between the demand for consumption and for livestock feed and if possible, provide new estimates taking into account both direct and indirect demand.
The findings will provide important input into macro models estimating food demand and supply and help improve understanding of the substitution between foods when incomes change.
Results are not yet available.


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Jump for Joy !!! The Greg Billings Band plays Clearwater, Dunedin, Trinity, and Madeira Beach this week !!
The Greg Billings Band is proud to be sponsored by Budweiser and The Fran Haasch Law Group !!
Wednesday Night at O'Keefes with Black Honkeys at 7PM and GBB at 9PM
Thursday at Cricketers in Dunedin at 8PM
Friday at Fiddlers Green for first time in 2016 for their Friday Night Tent Party !! 9PM
Saturday in Madeira Beach at ROC Park at 8PM


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If there is one thing that I'm really disappointed about with current fashion trends, it's that not enough garments incorporate bits that light up.
The Light Kicks LED shoe system from Think Geek is a step towards rectifying that. You can change the colour and have them either always on or just when you step down. What more do you need!


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The County of San Luis Obispo Public Libraries are a resource for entertainment and education for Teens age 13-18. Teens can access books, music, movies, and study resources at their library branch or online. Teens in seventh grade and over are invited to take part in our library teen volunteer program or other teen focused activities.
Teen Volunteers
Volunteering at your local library is a great way to earn service hours and give back to your community in a place you already love.
Inquire at your local San Luis Obispo County Library about the volunteer application process. Remember all teen volunteers must be 13 or older, complete a volunteer application with a parent or guardian's approval, and be willing to volunteer on an ongoing basis.
Other Programs
Teen Book Club - Teens are invited to the Santa Margarita Book Club on the first Saturday of the month from 4-5PM
Teen Crafts - Teen craft programs are available on a regular basis.
Other Teen Programs are often available through your library. Be sure to check our calendar to find out more.
Award Winners


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We've created an online Amazon Store featuring some the products we use and love.
You can click on any of the products for more information. If you choose to purchase through these links, we will receive a small commission. We've used all of the products shown. We recommend them because they are helpful and from companies that we trust, not because of the commissions that we may earn from your purchases.
Thank you for helping support our site! — Laura and Deb


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The cover of the May 14-18 issue of InvestmentNews has an article by Darla Mercado titled: VA Surrenders jumped after Hartford bowed out. She states: "The unusual increase in surrenders, which has happened at other carriers that have left the business, shows that some brokers use the exits as a rationale to encourage legacy VA holders either to cash out their contracts or exchange them for new annuities." She goes on to point out that "At the same time, [such actions] benefit brokers selling new contracts, which carry commissions of as high as 7%, depending on the carrier and share class."
The article leads to a very interesting discussion of the value of living and death benefits in existing contracts and how much individual owners can lose when they exchange for a new contract. Of course, there are many individual variables, and insurers should expect these replacements to be scrutinized by regulators. However, I am skeptical about the ability of current replacement disclosure forms to adequately set out the trade-offs at play in these cases. I think particularly of the forms under New York's Reg 60. It is clear that they were developed long before the most valuable benefits in today's annuity contracts, and with each passing year and each new benefit, it gets more and more difficult to clearly convey the trade-offs to a consumer on those forms, now so dated. Those forms illustrate the downside to forms that require a lot of specific information rather than a more free-form disclosure. If the specific information that is required is not the most important information, the consumer gets the mandated disclosure, but not always effective disclosure. Of course there are risks to leaving more discretion in what is disclosed, but if accompanied by active regulatory oversight, it can lead to better actual disclosure.
There are some market players who have an interest in seeing that the contracts stay in force and Ms. Mercado reports that some broker/dealers are "considering a program in which clients with certain rich contracts receive regular reminders of their VA's attributes and benefits." In the past, thinking about replacements has assumed that the carrier with the contract in-force would have an interest in retaining the business, but that is not always the case. This article concludes with a quote from Tom Hamlin, founder of Somerset Wealth Strategies and branch manager with Raymond James Financial Services Inc.: "The insurance companies aren't protecting their existing clients, because they want to get out from underneath the exposure to living and death benefits. There is no legitimate excuse to exchange or liquidate these annuities; nobody who is informed would do it."


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Halloween is here!
You might already wore that night creeping costumes and those spooky flavor food in your kitchen. But as we continue our Halloween celebration you might also want to glimpse at these spooky plants to get you in the mood.
Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii)
The ghost orchid is so-called due to the form of the leafless plant that consists only of a network of thin roots wrapped around the host branch; the flowers borne on spikes arising from the root network appear to be suspended in the forest air. The white flower also explains this species' other common name of 'frog orchid'; as the elongated lip petal resembles the back legs of a jumping frog.
The Ghost Orchid of the Florida swamps blooms only a few months each year. The plant is extremely endangered and has long been the desire of collectors, leading to poaching that threatens the continued existence of this spooky flower.
Bat Flower (Tacca chantrieri)
Native to southern parts of Asia, bat flower (Tacca spp.) has shiny, bright green leaves. It blooms on a stem from the center of the plant, with a cluster of purple flowers in the center. This member of the Lily family is known for its unusual black flowers, which to some people resemble a bat in flight. Other common names include Cat's Whiskers and Devil Flower. Above these flowers are two bracts (leaves that resemble flower petals) that look like bat wings. Numerous threadlike bracteoles hang from the flowers resembling 8-10 inch long whiskers.
This plant is considered a collector's item and can be difficult to find in garden centers, but is sometimes sold as a specialty item around Halloween.
Fascinatingly, some scientists believe that this plant may have cancer-fighting properties, and research is underway.
Devil's Hand Tree (Chiranthodendron pentadactylon)
This species is native to Guatemala and southern Mexico. The unusual appearance of the 'hands' has stimulated cultivation in gardens around the world, primarily in North America where it grows well near its native range. The common name of this tree is certainly easy to understand! The distinctive flowers appear in late spring and early summer; the five stamens are long, curved upward, and bright red had made it Devils hand.
Medusa Orchid (Bulbophyllum medusae)
Bulbophyllum medusae is a small orchid with white flowers resembling an explosion of fireworks a well as straight falling hair .It is an epiphytic orchid with pseudo-bulbs of 3-4 cm and a creeping rhizome.
Synonyms: Cirrhopetalum medusae, Phyllorkis medusae
Origin: South-East Asia


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I finally started printing my shirts.
As always the process involves preparations but I am getting there.
First step was to take the elements needed from the original illustration and the replace them to fit into the shirts proportions.
Once done I verified that I was actually putting myself through more work so I ended up cutting the prints to then expose on my screens.
So the process of printing is actually the hard work. I started to clean of two screens so that I could make one for the back of the shirts and one for the front.
After all the preparation of getting the moltion, letting drying several times and exposing the image I start printing the front of the shirts.
The progress is down below.


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I am passionate about making a difference in children's lives, which is why I obtained my certification as a Licensed Play Therapist.
What Is Play Therapy?
Children, by their very nature, do not have the verbal language or maturity to express their thoughts or feelings, and they may feel a bit guarded about expressing their feelings. But in Play Therapy, toys are the words and play is the language and the barriers come down.
Through play, I help children express what is troubling them and teach them adaptive behaviors that can compensate for emotional or social skills deficits. The bond that we create provides an emotional experience necessary for healing and provides insights about a child's cognitive development and thinking patterns.
How Does It Work?
Play therapy enables children to change the way they think about and feel toward their world. Even the most serious of issues can be confronted and resolved through play--via discoveries, rehearsals, and adaptations.
Who Can Benefit?
Play therapy is a treatment of choice among mental health, school, agency, developmental, hospital, residential, and recreational settings with clients of all ages. It is designed to address issues ranging from anger management, grief and loss, divorce and family dissolution, crisis and drama, and modification of behavioral disorders (anxiety, depression, ADHD, developmental issues including autism, disabilities, and conduct disorders).


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All our products ship the SAME DAY via USPS Priority mail direct from our warehouse for only $3.95 (flat rate) on any size order located at 9809 River Road Marcy NY 13403
Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for the answers to popular questions about our products.
Do you have other questions about our brushes or your application? call Tony at 315-527-1817
Posted by Unknown on 10th Oct 2016
Awsome product, super fast shipping. I would recommend to anyone!!!
Posted by thecheese on 7th Oct 2016
Perfect for the smaller more precise jobs. Love it. Will be ordering more in the future.
Posted by Unknown on 8th Jul 2016
This is one of the best purchases I have ever made...cleaning the shower tile and grout is not the most pleasant job, but the 2 inch green brush and the scrub pads made it so quick and easy. I will most likely add some of the other brushes to my inventory!
Posted by Unknown on 23rd Jan 2016
This product is well made with sturdy bristles that hold up with continued use. I used it to clean bathroom shower tile and it worked very good.
Posted by kw on 9th Dec 2015
This is exactly what I hoped it would be. The amount of time and effort I spend now to get my shower stall free of buildup just became a manageable job. Would recommend this brush to be a staple to your cleaning line up.
All prices are in USD. All prices are in USD.


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Priced below KBB Fair Purchase Price! *BLUETOOTH*, *BACKUP CAMERA*, *NAVIGATION*, *SUNROOF*, *APPLE CARPLAY/ANDROID AUTO*, *ALUMINUM ALLOY WHEELS*, *REMOTE START*, *SIRIUS XM*, *LEATHER*, Automatically Dimmed Exterior Mirrors, BLIS Blind Spot Information System, Compass in Rear View Mirror, Front & Rear Park Assist, Heated Front Seats, Heated Front Seats & Heated Steering Wheel, Heated Steering Wheel, HomeLink Garage Door Transmitter, Keyless Entry w/Illuminated Door Handles, Navigation System, Premium Package, Retractable Side View Mirrors, Wheels: 19" Momentum.
Volvo, the company putting people first. With a focus on Scandinavian design and human-centric innovation, our award-winning SUVs stand out on the road. Luxury, unparalleled technology, and effortless power translate to sedans that let you enjoy every mile of every journey. Our plug-in hybrid technology delivers an exhilarating drive with high performance and intelligent power. Find the Volvo of your dreams at Volvo Cars Hagerstown.
New 2019 VolvoS60 T5 Momentum Sedan
- Stock: R2909000
- Fuel Economy
- 24.0/36.0 mpg City/Hwy
- Exterior Color
- Black Stone
- Interior Color
- Charcoal
- Body
- Sedan
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Drivetrain
- Front-wheel Drive
- Engine
- 2.0L I-4 cyl
Volvo S60


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FOOD is one of my favorite attractions when we travel. Whenever possible we avoid anything we can get at home and eat local. There are just so many flavors to explore! Here are four restaurants you don't want to miss in Gallup, New Mexico! 1. El Rancho–El Rancho is a historic hotel on Route 66…. [continue reading]
Hiking Church Rock with Kids
"Can we hike those mountains?" was what my crew wanted to know as soon as we crossed the New Mexico border and began seeing hills. Well that and, "Is that what the Grand Canyon looks like?" Ha! Our initial road trip didn't afford many stops as we were in a hurry to make it to… [continue reading]


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Drs. Benko and Dr. Mask practice dentistry in the Elizabethtown and Middletown areas and focus on providing you and your family the best dental care.
We offer 0% financing through CareCredit with various payment period options. Click the button below or call our office for more details.
You and your family deserve the best oral health. Let us help you maintain your healthy smiles.
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Have discolored or chipped teeth? We can help you restore your pearly whites.
Are you missing teeth? Let us give you the best available options to give you the smile you deserve.


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Researchers suggest that delivering drugs to the brain using nanoparticles in a nasal spray could be an effective and rapid method capable of overcoming the problem of traversing the blood-brain barrier.
The team - from the University of Washington in St. Louis (WUSTL), MO - describes the proof-of-concept research in the journal Scientific Reports.
For the brain to function, it must operate in a tightly controlled chemical environment that is protected from the more varied fluctuations of the rest of the body.
This stable environment is maintained by the blood-brain barrier, which comprises layers of specialized cells in the inner linings of the small blood vessels in the brain and spinal cord.
The blood-brain barrier prevents toxins from entering the tissues of the brain and spinal cord. Unfortunately, it does the job so well that it also keeps out many drugs, such as those used to kill cancer cells.
One way to overcome this is to deliver drugs to the brain using injections. However, such invasive approaches are risky in that they can damage tissue and have little control over the distribution of the drugs from the point of injection, note the study researchers.
Thus, in a bid to find an effective and less risky alternative, the WUSTL team decided to explore the potential of using nanoparticles to carry drugs to the brain through the nose.
Nose offers easy access to the brain
Interest in using nanotechnology - the ability to control matter at the atomic and molecular scale - to develop new diagnostic tools and treatments is growing, note the authors in their study report.
A number of new nanomaterials have been used to carry drugs to specific targets in organs and tissues. These appear to maximize drug effectiveness while minimizing side effects.
Co-author Barani Raman, associate professor of biomedical engineering, says that the nose offers the shortest - and most likely the easiest - route to the brain.
He and his colleagues note that from various studies, gold nanoparticles have emerged as the material of choice for drug delivery. They are relatively easy to synthesize and customize, and they have good biocompatibility.
The team developed a new aerosol diffusion method that deposits gold nanoparticles in the upper regions of the nasal cavity. They produced the nanoparticles to a controlled shape, size, and surface charge, and tagged them with fluorescent markers so that they could track them.
Locusts offer a good model of the human blood-brain barrier
The researchers tested the effectiveness of the nanoparticle aerosol in locusts because their blood-brain barriers bear similarities to those of humans - especially when going through the nasal route.
Prof. Raman explains that in humans, to reach the brain through the nose, the nanoparticles have to travel through the olfactory bulb and then the olfactory cortex, "two relays and you've reached the cortex," he says.
"The same is true for invertebrate olfactory circuitry," he adds, "although the latter is a relatively simpler system, with [a] supraesophageal ganglion instead of an olfactory bulb and cortex."
The team exposed the locusts' antennae to the aerosol and tracked the progress of the tagged nanoparticles. Within a few minutes, the nanoparticles had traversed the insects' olfactory circuitry, passed through the brain-blood barrier, and suffused the brain tissue.
The team showed that the nanoparticles did not affect the insects' brain function. They measured the electrophysiological responses of the locusts' olfactory neurons before and after treatment and found no discernible difference up to several hours afterwards.
The researchers say that the next stage of their research will be to load the nanoparticles with different drugs and use ultrasound to target precise doses to reach specific areas of the brain. Such methods could potentially make a big difference to the treatment of brain tumors.
"The blood-brain barrier protects the brain from foreign substances in the blood that may injure the brain. But when we need to deliver something there, getting through that barrier is difficult and invasive. Our non-invasive technique can deliver drugs via nanoparticles, so there's less risk and better response times."
Prof. Barani Raman
Learn how soluble aspirin could be a breakthrough for treating brain tumors.


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THANDO SIKWILA: My Voice
When Thando Sikwila sings, nothing else in the world exists. Performing in multiple bands, and also recently taking to the stage as Shug Avary in Australia's first performance of the Broadway musical The Color Purple, Thando's talents far exceed the everyday singer.
Growing up in Canberra and moving to Melbourne, Thando has seen the ups and downs of putting yourself on the line for your art. Though never finding race a focal point of who she is, Thando continues to push boundaries and take risks, entering national talent contests in order to do what she loves: sing.
THE PIN. Where did you grow up?
THANDO SIKWILA. I grew up in Zimbabwe for the first seven years of my life, and then when we moved to Australia I grew up in Canberra. I was there for about ten years and I have been in Melbourne for like five years.
What was your Australian childhood like in Canberra?
T. It was good. When I first got here I did feel like a complete outsider, though I spoke perfect English (because we were a colonised country, everyone spoke english); but obviously my accent was really heavy. I found I had to find a way to assimilate so I wasn't the 'weird black kid', because I was the only black kid at my school at the time.
I started to change my accent and the way I dressed. My mum would put me in a checked school dress, but all the other girls would wear the boys uniform - the polo shirts and bottoms - so I would try to do that. I would sneak these things in my bag and change when I got to school, just so I could feel like the other kids had nothing different to point out about me.
In grade six, it was the time when kids started overusing swear words; it was the thing cool kids did. I started to do that as well, saying 'fuck' left, right and centre with no real understanding of what it meant. All I knew was that I had to break down the wall that was making me different from everybody else. Everything became real easy once I settled in. I got attention for being black in a good way. I was the 'token black chick' who everyone wanted to be friends with. That got me to a point where I felt that I fit in, and was happy. Doesn't turn out that way when you're older.
Within your household, was there a different culture to the outside?
T. Oh yeah, definitely. I always felt like, when I was at home I was the daughter that my parents had brought up, or expected to be if we were still in Zimbabwe. There are certain expectations, like doing chores and getting good grades and stuff, that's just kind of a given. It's not something that I have to argue with my parents about. Going out and hanging with friends was a privilege that I got for meeting their expectations as a daughter, whereas I found it was very different if I was outside of school.
How old were you when you became aware of race?
T. Maybe fifteen or sixteen years old. In Canberra, on Australia Day every year they have this huge event on the lawns of Parliament House. They put on a big concert. One year Jessica Mauboy was there, so me and a couple of friends (who are all from different backgrounds) painted little Australian flags on our cheeks and wore the Australian flag singlets and walked to the event. We were so excited to be there. To me, Australia Day was an opportunity to celebrate diversity and all the things that make Australia what it is. I'd never felt like I was different. I did when I first got here, but I had assimilated so much to the point where I didn't really see myself as anything but Australian.
There was a group of really drunk men there, and when we walked past they were just screaming, 'How dare you wear our flag on your brown skin!', 'Go back to your own country!', 'Go back to where you came from!', 'This celebration isn't for you'. And whether it was how they really felt, or they were just hammered and trying to be in tough in front of their friends, I think it was the first time I realised that I'm not...I wasn't...what I thought I was.
I went home that day and cried for hours. I started to feel really resentful. Any of my friends who weren't 'Australian', I distanced myself from. I don't know if they felt the same way. Then I started noticing things. Whenever I hung out with certain people, they'd play out African-American stereotypes like neck snaps and the 'gurlll' stuff. I used to laugh but after the incident I became a lot more aware of how much those things can hurt feelings. I'm not even African-American, and for people to have this assumption of who I am based on how I look on the outside made me question why I should have to tell anyone about who I am.
Race is tricky.
When did you start singing?
T. There was this community church back in Belconnen, they had a church band that was basically a rock band. These three Ghanian girls and I joined the band and the music started getting really upbeat and fun. I think I would've been about nine or ten years old at that stage. There was just something about being up in front of people, creating music, that gave me this confidence. That was probably the only time I felt comfortable and like I belonged. I never questioned who I was on stage.
What was the experience like for you to be on a mainstream television show like The Voice?
T. In the moment it was great. I am really glad I had that experience, but it definitely made it very apparent to me that it's not about the music; it's about what people can see at face value. Which is why there was a big focus on what my story was, you know coming to Australia and migrating from a third-world country. It wasn't a third-world country when I moved here. Everything was sweet when we left. We came here because my mum got a job, we weren't running away from anything. They kept trying to paint this picture of a struggle. In a sense I can understand why they were doing that, so they could appeal to another demographic of people who felt like they could relate to that story, so that they could get their ratings [laughs]. Whether it was good intentions or for personal gain, to be used as a vessel for that made me realise I could do these things and be hugely successful, but people would only care about what they see on the surface. I've been working to get away from that.
Do you think that through the show you were represented accurately?
T. Absolutely not. My parents really did their best to raise me with Zimbabwean traditions, but they realised as well that they were raising their kids in a different culture and that we would absorb the new culture and grow up as Australians.
I realised there was this big focus on my background and my story, but I wasn't able to recall anything that they wanted to hear. They wanted me to talk about the struggle and how difficult it was to learn English. I already knew English; it's my first language. I just wanted to go there and sing. I just wanted to be a singer and have people like me based on that, not my background.
What was it like being mentored through that show?
T. It was Kylie [Minogue] to start with, in the early stages they're just moving you through the motions, so not so much [mentoring]. Then I ended up with Ricky Martin. I felt like it was genuine, but I don't know if that was because of his eyes….[laughs]. Totally joking.
I honestly felt like it was genuine. We talked a lot about how I struggled introducing my partner to my parents. The relationship I have with my dad, we love each other, but it's very much don't ask/don't tell. I've been with my partner for nearly four years now, and they just met early last year, which is good. We never really talk about things candidly though.
When I was on the show Ricky said it would be great to have my partner in the audience. I wasn't sure how I felt about having my boyfriend on the show, and then having to talk to my dad about it. My dad would question who this man is. Ricky said, 'Obviously you are happy in this relationship with him, but you are being very cautious and making sure he is the right guy before bringing him home to your dad. You respect your father enough to not just bring home any guy, you want to make sure he's right and special enough. Your dad is going to appreciate that no matter what'. This whole conversation happened when cameras were off, it was off the record and no one saw it. It meant a lot to me that he took the time to get to know me and find out how I was feeling about things. So my partner was on the show, me and my dad talked about it, and then ... I got eliminated next week. That's what happens [laughs].
What's it like now, going from performing in a group, to being a solo performer in your own right?
T. It's fun but there is a lot of pressure. I play with a backing band but I do a lot of solo stuff as well. There's a lot of pressure to be able to deliver. For me, it's not so much pressure from the industry, the pressures that I have are internal and with my band. I work with seven other people, I have to try and keep them happy. I have had lineup changes for the last three and a half years. I've gone through five drummers. They're the hardest to hold onto! When you've got a good one you've got to hold on! Also, not taking for granted everyone else in the band. It's full on. I do everything for the band myself. Book gigs, get posters distributed, organise itineraries for eight people, organise accommodation, make sure there is enough money in the kitty for petrol. We got stuck in a lift in Sydney on our last tour! I had to manage people's anxieties.
I'm a very emotional person, and when things happen I take a lot of it on. I like to just have my tantrum, have that outburst, and let it go. I can't show any sign of weakness in those situations, I have to be the leader they need me to be. It's so worth it, when you get on stage and play, and celebrate everything we've worked for.
It's definitely a lot easier working in a group. You get to share the fear, and you're all in it for the same thing.
What's it like to be in the Australian music industry as a woman of colour?
T. It's very difficult to break people's perceptions of what kind of artist I am supposed to be. There's always this expectation that I'll be a big soul singer. When I first started, I appreciated it. People were putting me on the same level as the Aretha's and Whitney Houstons, which was great for my self-esteem...but if you ever try and take a risk and do something different, it's either not very well received or people don't understand it. It's a risk you have to take for yourself though. With my new EP, it's a different direction to what people expect of me. Stylistically, I'm a soul singer, but this new EP is anything but. My publicist is calling it future soul. It's really electronic, focused on production, lyrics, and layering the harmonies. I wanted to do something totally different to start that conversation. Not every person of colour is doing the same music.
THE PIN. If you could give your younger self a piece of advice, what would it be?
THANDO SIKWILA. Don't change yourself to fit in, because when you're older and you have the platform to make a difference, you're going to wish that you owned every part of your blackness...to let the next little girl know that it's okay to be brown.
- This interview has been edited and condensed.
Photo credit: Gail Hislop


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Review: The Swarm Roller Coaster at Thorpe ParkBy Nick Sim, Sunday, March 18, 2012 21:36
The months of hype are over, and Thorpe Park's highly-anticipated new roller coaster for the 2012 season is finally here. Guests at the self-professed "Nation's Thrill Capital" have been experiencing The Swarm, the first "winged" coaster to open in the UK. But does it live up to expectations?
Thorpe Park has invested in an expensive marketing campaign for The Swarm, under the slogan "War is Here". There's no escaping the post-apocalyptic theme at the park, with roaming actors chanting conspiracy theories and soundtracks for other rides being interrupted by mysterious noises. Excited adrenaline-junkies have descended on the island that hosts the ride, housed close to the existing Stealth and Flying Fish coasters.
Awaiting them is the world's second Bolliger & Mabillard Wing Rider roller coaster, which forms the centre of a small new land. The area, dotted with burnt-out vehicles, also hosts a shop, several game stalls and a new dining outlet, Roast & Relish (which serves hand-carved pork and gammon baguettes).
The Swarm has become the second-tallest ride at Thorpe Park behind Stealth, and is visible from all over the park. It offers UK theme park fans the chance to soar into the skies on "wings" on either side of the track, an experience that is currently totally unique in the country.
War is Here
An accusation that has often been levelled at Thorpe Park is that it doesn't invest enough in theming to surround its mega-thrill rides. Only the harshest of critics could claim that this is the case with The Swarm. The ride's backstory centres on an alien invasion of the Earth, and for once the surroundings - and the coaster itself - are completely consistent with the plot.
The area that houses The Swarm is designed to resemble the site of a mysterious incident, and is strewn with wreckage. The most impressive element on show is a crashed plane, which will remind many visitors of the opening episode of Lost. It's not just for show - the coaster itself passes within inches of the plane's body. Other burnt-out vehicles (including two fire trucks, a lorry and a helicopter) are used cleverly to house games and shops, or simply for show.
The storyline, filled in via "News 16" reports that are shown in The Swarm's queue line, is that a swarm of aliens has attacked London. As well as destroying large swathes of the city, the aliens also have a nasty habit of plucking humans off the ground and carrying them into the skies. The coaster's trains represent the aliens themselves - and riders are set to be "abducted".
Heading to church
The Swarm's lengthy queue line winds along the outside of a mock church, which has been partially destroyed during the aliens' attack. Visually, the line isn't particularly interesting, but the combination of the ride itself and the News 16 reports are enough to build anticipation for the excitement to come.
On nearing the station (housed inside the ruins of the church), guests are offered the chance to join one of two sub-queues: one for the front row of the train, and one for the other rows. These are then split further, with some guests queuing for the right-hand wing, and others queuing for the left-hand wing.
Unusually, rather than queuing separately, guests who want to ride on the front row are given a pass and join the final section of the queue with the other guests. This can cause some confusion, with many front-row passholders seemingly unaware that they should have been waiting on the left-hand-side. Thorpe Park is likely to refine this system as the ride beds into operation.
The station itself is very impressive, with the alien-themed trains gliding into the church in a suitably menacing fashion. The church theme works well, and hosting the ride operators' booth in an overturned police vehicle is a neat touch.
Wait times for the The Swarm hit upwards of 70 minutes during the opening Saturday of the 2012 season. While this represents a significant wait, it was still much shorter than wait times for Saw - The Ride, suggesting that the newer ride will cope reasonably well with the large crowds that are sure to swamp it throughout the summer.
Boarding the "wings"
As with the first B&M Wing Rider, Gardaland's Raptor, guests are seated in groups of two on either side of The Swarm's trains. Groups who wish to ride together in a single row have to coordinate cleverly across the queues on either side of the station, but ride operators are accommodating in this. There's little point, though, as you won't be able to see your friends on the other of the train.
The over-the-shoulder restraints are very comfortable, to the point that you almost won't notice you're wearing them. Being seated on the wings, with no track beneath you, provides an unrivalled level of freedom and the head-banging that affects Thorpe Park's most recent coaster, Saw - The Ride, is not in evidence on The Swarm at all.
Flying with The Swarm
On leaving the station, The Swarm's trains ascend its 127-feet-tall lift hill. For those guests that manage to keep their eyes open, this offers stunning views across the rest of Thorpe Park - but most will be focused on the unusual element that awaits at the top of the ascent.
Unusually, the first inversion on The Swarm takes place before it even plummets down its first drop. The train rolls 180 degrees at the crest of the hill, leaving riders dangling upside down. They then race down a half-loop, seemingly on a collision course with the plane wreckage below. At the last moment, they dip under the plane's wing, providing a classic "near-miss" sensation and completing a stunning start to Thorpe Park's new addition.
There's barely time for riders to catch their breath before they are rocketing through a 100-feet-tall zero-G roll, which leads into two highly banked turns and a corkscrew. The second of these turns takes place over a small pond, giving riders a great view of the crashed helicopter that sits partially submerged within it. Thorpe Park is still working on the fire and water effects that will take place in this section, which are currently a little underwhelming.
The Swarm's circuit completes with another near-miss (this time with a section of the church's wall), and an inline twist. At this point, we felt fully warmed-up and ready for some more thrills. Unfortunately, though, the train then hits the brake run and coasts back into the station - with the total ride time coming in at under two minutes.
Our Thoughts
The Swarm packs a number of incredible elements into its compact circuit, all of which are greatly enhanced by the wing rider coaster's design. There's no other ride in the UK that offers the same sense of being exposed to danger, with the near-misses being particularly pronounced for those sitting on the outside of the train. Riding on the front row at least once is recommended, as you'll have a much better view of the scenery surrounding the ride.
The main downside to Thorpe Park's new ride is its short ride time. In reality, much of this is spent on the lift hill and coasting back into the station, with less than a minute of "real" ride time. We heard few complaints from fellow riders about the length of The Swarm, but we felt a little short-changed - brilliant as it is, the overall experience of the new ride is just too short for it to be considered a classic.
That said, though, the same accusation can be levelled at nearby Stealth, and that hasn't stopped it becoming one of the most highly-regarded roller coasters in the UK. The Swarm's ride system and circuit are stunning engineering feats, and Thorpe Park has defied its critics by installing some of the best theming seen alongside any ride in the country.
The Swarm is destined to become one of the most popular attractions in a park that is already packed full of major coasters and flat rides. It may have fallen just short of our sky-high expectations, but it's still a ride that every theme park fan in the UK should make a pilgrimage to experience.
You can find more photographs of Thorpe Park's latest addition in our The Swarm image gallery.
You can keep up to date with the latest confirmed and rumored opening dates for new attractions through Theme Park Tourist's "New Attraction Watch" section, and by signing up for our weekly newsletter.
I also went on Swarm on the opening day and totally agree with your review. Nice smooth roller-coaster. It does feel like your flying around in a invisible stunt plane. As you say, just as you get into it, it's all over
Though the inversion at the start was great I personally think if it was a forward drop like SAW and then corkscrewed round and went under the plane wing it would be even better.
I was seated 3rd row from the back on the inside as my Daughter insisted on being on the outside so the first rotation wasn't as big for me but she has been raving to school friends about it. It looks scarier than it feels but defiantly worth a ride.
Thanks for sharing your positive & clear review of the ride. Good job guys!
The Swarm is absolutely amazing! It was totally worth the wait, the theming is fantastic, the actors are hilarious, the ride it's self is jaw dropping. The best parts are all the near misses during the ride. You HAVE to go on this ride, don't miss it for the world!!!
First time in Thorpe park for 2012, heading straight for the swarm, this ride is like no other. I personally would say this is one of if not the best roller-coasters I have experienced, I have been to america several times but I think the swarm lives up to its expectations. The excellent theme, excellent inversion drop and 100ft zero G make you feel like your flying with nothing holding on. The ride is really secure and unlike SAW and COLOSSUS there is no head banging. Overall 9/10 if the ride was slightly longer it would get 10/10.
Great review. I completely agree about the theme of the ride and how the surroundings help to enhance the experience.
(Loved the lost reference in the article by the way!)
I was slightly annoyed when I got off... It was not as good as nemisis inferno or SAW, or even most of the rides! I was looking forward to going on it. But when I did it disappointed me. Don't get me wrong it's worth going on it, but you probably do not want to go on it again :)
The Swarm was the most disappointing ride at Thorpe Park.
We had to wait over an hour even though we had purchased the fast track wrist bands.
When we finally got on the ride we thought that we were in for something really exciting but sadly that was not the case.
This ride has nothing on the likes of Saw or even Colossus.
I felt so sorry for the people without the fast track that would have been waiting for over 2 hours.
I would not waste my time waiting for this ride and only do it after you have enjoyed the rest of the park first and only then if you really have time.
All the money they must have spent on PR and advertising this ride could have been spent on actually making the ride worth going on….
Sadly very very disappointed…..
I went on swarm with a friend yesterday and although there was long queing time which was mainl due to the hype it was worth the wait. It was the first big rollercoaster i have ever been on other than the vampire ride at chesigton. It was amazing and i would recomend that it was the one ride you have to go on if you go to thorpe park. Next time though i would consider buying a fast track or que for it as soon as i got there.
I thought it was very poor.when they were building it last year I thought it looked like it would be slow and short and indeed it was.nothing compared to the coasters in Florida and saw,nemesis and colossus I feel are more enjoyable coasters.dont get me wrong, the swarms design is cool and the seats are very comfy.its just more of a roller coaster for your mum to go on and get off saying 'that was great fun wasn't it!' meh...waste of money
Personally I think it should have been a powered launch coaster. The idea of the ride is that you are plucked up by the swarm and flown around, the fact you have to slowly ascend a lift hill really detracts from this. I went mid July and had to queue for 130 minutes which was really not cool, the queue is too long and when you go up the stairs you don't realise there is a whole other section of queue awaiting you. Did enjoy it but powered launch would have made it epic
Well, I made sure we headed for it as soon as the park opened and me, my sister and best friend got in. The queue wasn't bad at all - about 15 minutes (we went on a Friday in the middle of August) and then waited until just after 6pm and went on it again 3 times, once at the front!
I loved it - smooth, the feeling of flying, the beautiful scenery amongst the man made desolation of the 'incident site'. Colossus used to be my thorpe park fave, but Swarm is now.
Definitely have a go n the front row if you can, it was so much fun, a bit scarier and very floaty. Ok so it doesn't leave your heart in your mouth , or your stomache on the floor, but there's other rides for that!
4 of us travelled 125 miles to go on this after the hype!
we decided the queue was too long in the morning so did the rest of the park 1st after going on many roller coasters (some of us different ones around the world) we went on the swarm after a 35 minute queue we was hauled up the incline and poof it was over, did we blink and miss it? extremely disappointing coaster slow and awful!
other reviews are saying collosus and saw are better,
WE AGREE! we cant say it is even remotely good we say dont waste your time its slow and too comfy not what we expected DONT WASTE YOUR TIME!!
Rise itself is pretty average- its that first twist and half loop that I think makes it special
'Brave it backwards' was our first experience as this was advertised as the most challenging - sadly not!
We got in the queue, close to the main entrance and after 10 minutes of not moving, they announced that the 'Brave it backwards' queue would take nearly two hours, not a good start, but understandable as this is a newish attraction!!! Finally we got to our seat close to two hours later and hoped for the best! We were both excited and couldn't wait!!
After 75 seconds or so it ended and we both turned to each other and said, "is that it?" 1/10
We queued up again later on in the day to try it forward and the queue by now was a lot less and we had a funny feeling this was because people thought that it wasn't worth another go!
We did, we thought it was before we made a final decision on Thorpe Parks new £20 million ride!
A lot better going forward, but still too tame and too smooth, noting really exciting about it. A generous 6/10
There is a positive about The Swarm, the decor and overall styling of the ride is brilliant. Love the theme and the attention to detail in the queue line and the winged coaster is amazing, the 'News Reports' to build up tension was good, but the ride itself is just a let down.
Overall an average 5/10.
I love this ride. First time I went to thorpester is 2012 I was desperate to ride it but the queue was too long. It was 80 mins. So I came on 31/8/12 and queued 90 mins, honestly too long bjt I loved the ride it was thrilling and the near misses were great. Ever since I have been on it 8 times fowards and 2 times backwards.
Thrill - 7/10
Fun - 8/10
Comfort - 9/10
Overall - 8/10


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Sophia lost her first baby tooth this week. We placed it in a pink satin box and waited for the tooth fairy to appear overnight.
The next morning, the tooth fairy brought Sophia a magic crystal ball filled with snow and glitter
all the way back from Innsbruck, Austria ;)
Yesterday, Mama baked a special birthday cake for Lucy - a chocolate swirl cheesecake - but alas, it cracked upon coming out of the oven.
However, the cracked cheesecake was lusciously transformed by a thick dark chocolate glaze, a handful of chocolate flakes, and a dusting of cocoa.
Lucy didn't seem to mind.
She blew out the candles all by herself
and was ready to dig in!
After our cake festival, there were several presents to unwrap (minus the now completely chocolate smeared tablecloth!)
Lucy worked hard
and Sophia helped.
The aftermath was sweet.
I hope you also had a happy and eventful week too!
p.s.- Does anyone know how to keep a cheesecake from cracking?


text: Share: Comments Print September 27, 2013 at 11:29 AM Affordable Care Act Posted by Letters Coordinator Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, and GOP leaders speak to reporters Sept. 26, 2013. The Democratic-led Senate is expected to strip a tea party-backed plan to defund the Affordable Care Act from their bill. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Reassurance for young adults Now that the House of Representatives has voted for the 40th time to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), I want to point out the devastating effects this action would have on my family and families across the United States. ["Insuring health: Navigating your way through the Affordable Care Act," Section J, Sept. 22.] In this world of high medical costs, knowing that my son will be covered by my insurance until he turns 26 is a profound relief. I cannot believe the behavior of lawmakers trying to strip this protection from young adults working on completing their education and entering the workforce. I looked into it and found that, because of the ACA, 7,000 young adults have been added to their parents' plants in my district (WA-2) alone. Now, they can focus on taking their places in the American economy without worrying that they are one accident or illness away from financial disaster and years of debt. Republicans also seem not to care that repealing the law would return us to the days when insurance companies could refuse to cover children with pre-existing conditions. I speak for many when I say that this would be a catastrophe. We can't put little children with pre-existing conditions at the mercy of greedy insurance companies. John Berg, Lynnwood Comments | More in Health care | Topics: ACA, Affordable Care Act, Group Health


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Thiruvananthapuram, also known as Trivandrum, is the capital of Kerala. It is a beautiful city built on seven hills, known for its serene beaches and other tourist spots. Thiruvananthapuram is an ancient city bounded by the Arabian sea on the west, the Kollam district on the north and Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu on the eastern and southern sides. Two of the main backwater areas of Thiruvananthapuram are Thiruvallam and Veli.
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text: Injured athletes will be transported to Jasper Tue, 06/28/2016 - 3:06pm The potential detrimental health hazards of closing the North Georgia Medical Center extend beyond Gilmer County's borders. Aside from daily visitors ...PLEASE LOG IN FOR PREMIUM CONTENT. Our website requires visitors to log in to view the best local news. Not yet a subscriber? Subscribe today! Read more about Injured athletes will be transported to Jasper