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Digital Distractions
Is technology supporting or threatening our well-being?
Soothing candlelight warms the room with a mellow glow, and soft music eases everyone into deep relaxation. You're slipping into a meditative state, holding your yin yoga pose, when a phone rings. It stops. Relief. It rings again. Aggravation. It rings a third time. Now, you're angry. The mood is irretrievably shattered. The phone owner looks up at the class leader and shrugs her shoulders. Complaints flood the front desk. Fran Philip, owner of Menlo Pilates & Yoga studio in Menlo Park, California—the heart of Silicon Valley—shared this true incident. However, it's all too common and could have happened at your facility.
Electronic gadgets are essential to most of our lives; however, if unmanaged, they can undermine our ability to pay attention to one task for more than a few minutes. The preceding example shows how technology's constant presence can prevent simple, uninterrupted enjoyment of an activity. For fitness professionals, whose livelihoods depend on helping clients achieve results, this makes it more difficult to accomplish objectives. The task of motivating people is enhanced by biofeedback devices and programs but, on the other hand, complicated by the need to capture the attention of an increasingly fragmented and inattentive clientele.
Mobile technology brings unprecedented advantages, and yet excessive electronic stimulation produces negative consequences. Digital distraction can harm mental health and cause physical injury from accidents. Scientists range in opinion on the matter. Some think that constant media engagement is one of the most serious threats to humanity, and others argue that multitasking with devices may increase the brain's processing speed and improve multitasking capacity (Carr 2011). While long-term consequences are still to be determined, research is shedding light on how the brain processes information and how technology and social media usage may be affecting people.
Distraction from electronic devices and media is real and increasing. Some call it digital distraction; others, an epidemic of distraction. It refers to the overload we experience when we consume too much media or use too many devices. What we're really talking about is "task switching," says Larry D. Rosen, PhD, professor of psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills, and author of iDisorder: Understanding Our Obsession with Technology and Overcoming Its Hold on Us (Palgrave Macmillan 2012).
"Nobody truly 'multitasks,' except in rare situations. What we're doing is 'task switching,' or telling our brains to focus on something different for a moment or longer, and then trying to go back to our original task. The problem is that digital technology is highly engaging and lures our attention away easily—and when we return, we need to reconstruct what we were doing and hopefully have enough time to complete the task."
"An issue that arises is what we call 'continuous partial attention,' meaning that you never spend time analyzing some problem or issue in depth, but rather, spend a limited amount of time doing each task superficially," Rosen continues. "This use of technology, particularly constant task switching, predicts symptoms of many psychological disorders."
"Pure" multitasking occurs only under two conditions, according to Rosen. "The first is when both tasks are very simple. The second is when one task is automatic, such as in riding an exercise bicycle while listening to the news, and paying attention to both. Most of the neurological work of bike riding is done at lower-brain-stem levels, with minimum higher-order cognitive processing. If you're new to an activity, however, until you reach a level of automaticity it takes more time and effort. Adding in another task will lead to more mistakes."
Receiving digital messages is inherently stimulating, and responding to such stimuli borders on being irresistible. The allure of media task switching and participating in digital activities is so appealing that, for some, it leads to addiction. Research suggests that every time we receive any electronic notice, it alerts a primitive survival function of our brain to respond. Alerts trigger dopamine, a neurotransmitter (Richtel 2010a). A factor in people with addiction issues, dopamine signals that a "reward" is present. For some, playing video games, texting, checking Facebook and interacting via other social media can become addictive. Addiction to digital technology or online activities is similar to other impulse control disorders, explains Kimberly Young, PsyD, founder of the Center for Internet Addiction, who has developed a diagnostic tool to identify people showing signs of Internet addiction. (For a detailed discussion of dopamine and food addiction, read "Food and Addiction: The Dopamine Made Me Do It," by Pamela Peeke, MD, MPH, FACP, in the October 2012 issue of IDEA Fitness Journal.)
Regardless of consequences, the "device era" is here. As of December 2012, 87% of American adults had a cell phone and 45% had a smartphone (Smith 2013). As of January 2013, 26% of American adults owned an e-book reader and 31% owned a tablet computer (Smith 2013). Twenty-three percent of teens aged 12–17 own a smartphone and the median teen texter averages 60 texts per day. Americans aged 18–24 exchange an average of 109.5 messages per day (Smith 2011). A survey of all adults shows an average of 10 texts daily (Smith 2011) Accidents involving texting drivers and pedestrians preoccupied with personal devices are on the rise.
A growing body of research confirms that overuse of devices or electronic media increases stress and anxiety, impacts life balance and quality, overwhelms our ability to concentrate, reduces multitasking success and, in some cases, limits rather than boosts productivity. This is ironic when the ultimate purpose of these devices is to improve efficiency and enhance our lives.
The following preliminary issues are being identified:
There is more stress. Forty-nine percent of employees who use the Internet or email at work say that technologies such as the Internet, email, cell phones and instant messaging have increased job stress (Madden & Jones 2008). Early research on "technostress" showed that frequent introduction of new software, rapid changes in workplace technology and more time pressures from technology increased workplace stress (Arnetz 1997).There is more anxiety. More individuals are suffering from "phantom vibration syndrome"—the perception that a cell phone is vibrating when it isn't. This has been suggested as evidence of anxiety among those obsessed with mobile phones (Rosen et al. 2013). Some individuals suffer anxiety when they can't check devices and/or social media frequently, but researchers have yet to determine whether this anxiety harms health (Durocher et al. 2011).
It's difficult to disconnect from work. Among professionals and managers, increased technological connectivity leads to longer work hours and more challenges disconnecting during nonworking hours (Madden & Jones 2008). Those aged 30–49 have the most difficulty disconnecting fully from work, and this is impacting their life balance.
People find it hard to concentrate. Only 38% of employed adults who go online, use email or own a cell phone say technologies have made it harder for them to focus at work, while 50% of those who own a PDA or Blackberry note problems concentrating at work (Madden & Jones 2008). These statistics, however, predate the proliferation of iPhones and other smartphones. The typical U.S. worker is interrupted every 3 minutes (Silverman 2012).
Sleep is disrupted, and depression sets in. In a study of 4,100 young adults aged 20–24, conducted at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, heavy mobile-phone use was linked to an increase in sleeping difficulties among men and an increase in depression in both men and women. Heavy computer use was related to increased stress, sleeping problems and depression in women and to sleeping problems in men (Thomee 2012).
There's an increase in distracted-driving and distracted-pedestrian accidents. Nearly 400,000 people are killed or injured each year in distracted-driving accidents in the United States. Distractions include anything that diverts manual, visual or cognitive attention from driving. Since texting includes all three, it is of particular concern (NHTSA 2013). Pedestrians who use mobile phones while walking also cross unsafely into oncoming traffic significantly more often than other pedestrians (Weksler & Weksler 2012).
The ability to learn is being undermined. Theories of how humans learn emphasize the importance of downtime, which allows the brain to process new information. Some experts are concerned that constant stimulation interferes with this learning process (Richtel 2010b). Students who accessed Facebook more frequently when studying had lower grade-point averages than those who avoided it (Rosen et al. 2013a).
Multitasking is a myth. In a lab-based study, heavy media multitaskers were worse at ignoring irrelevant but distracting information than light media multitaskers (Ophir, Nass & Wagner 2009). Heavy media multitaskers perceived themselves as being more effective than they actually were (Sanbonmatsu et al. 2013).
On the positive side, technology allows us to access information at any time, to connect easily with others, to collect and manage data and to work more flexibly. In fact, instant access offers many advantages. Emerging research is showing that portable devices and media can usefully convey health information, support the achievement of weight loss and other health objectives, and track biometric data such as weight, calories burned, nutrients consumed, blood pressure, oxygen saturation and more (Appel et al. 2011).
The Journal of Medical Internet Research is a leading health informatics journal that focuses on ehealth, including the use of social media, mobile apps and Internet resources for health. Many positive consequences may result from the informed application of technology. It has a lot of potential to help people improve their health and manage chronic conditions.
Given the potentially harmful consequences of technology overuse, however, a key to promoting digital well-being is to use media and devices with conscious awareness. In contexts where people put themselves and others at risk, such as when driving, public prevention policies are warranted.
To understand how technologies that were originally created for entertainment, connectivity and productivity can produce negative consequences, it helps to learn some basic principles about how the brain processes information. Two important concepts include working memory and executive attention. An individual can process limited information in working memory at any given time. Every task has a cognitive cost. As we become more experienced in performing a particular activity, it requires less cognitive energy (Lee, Lin & Robertson 2011). For example, a new bicycle rider must concentrate fully to learn the skills involved. With practice, bicycling becomes more automated, but it always requires an intrinsic amount of attention.
When we task-shift or multitask, we increase demand on working memory. If you're doing a simple task like treadmill walking and you're used to it, listening to background music may enhance your experience. Your primary focus is still walking. If you add interactivity by talking on a phone, your attention shifts to the conversation, and less mental energy is allocated to your external environment and to walking. If you increase your cognitive load further by using your hands to send a text message while looking at your phone, you give even less attention to walking and other environmental cues. This overload exponentially increases the risk that you may trip and fall.
"When you're trying to juggle multiple streams of information and multiple responses," explains Rosen, "you're going to feel overloaded. From a brain perspective, you're constantly moving blood and oxygen from area to area so that neurotransmitters can be released and then moving to another area and back again. This is the epitome of cognitive overload."
The concept of executive attention refers to our ability, within the context of working memory, to prioritize information and to focus on accomplishing a specific goal without distraction from irrelevant stimuli. Individuals with high levels of executive attention are typically more productive. In people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, executive attention is a challenge; they are unable to prevent their minds from wandering and are easily distracted.
Theories of memory and learning are based on the principle that downtime, or time when we are taking a break from activity, is when the brain actually processes information into a learned memory. Loren Frank, PhD, assistant professor in the department of physiology at the University of California, San Francisco, told Matt Richtel of The New York Times, "Almost certainly, downtime lets the brain go over experiences it's had, solidify them and turn them into permanent long-term memories." Frank believes that when the brain is constantly stimulated, "you prevent this learning process" (Richtel 2010b).
Growing evidence even supports the importance of sleep after learning, to promote long-term memory consolidation (Djonlagic et al. 2012). Susan Johanssen, ME, a mechanical engineer with Ariel Dynamics in Coto de Caza, California, tested emergency safety protocols for NASA astronauts. "Our research confirmed that good-quality sleep enhanced learning, because astronauts performed an emergency protocol better when sleep occurred after initial learning." Researchers hypothesized that the brain was able to process information into a persistent memory after the downtime of sleep.
Such research about working memory, executive attention, learning and creation of persistent memories shows that continuous technological stimulation may create cognitive overload and conditions that undermine learning. Signs and symptoms of what Rosen calls iDisorder, or the negative relationship between technology use and mental well-being, include the following:
- continually checking in with virtual worlds on the phone or computer
- experiencing anxiety if not checking in >>
- waking in the middle of the night with a flood of thoughts
- feeling more stress or anxiety
- making more mistakes or having accidents
As digital distraction impacts society at large, it also affects the fitness profession through its influence over clients and training professionals—and through the array of devices used to monitor, support and facilitate training. Leading facilities and studios are adopting formal policies on device use in order to promote safety and enforce etiquette. Claudia Micco, fitness coordinator at the Ritz-Carlton® Kapalua in Maui, Hawaii, has 27 years of experience. "Everyone brings the phone to sessions these days, because they believe they can't live without it," Micco says. "Generally, I've noticed that people over 55 are able to turn it off for the whole session. Under 37, I usually have to make deals with them. People between 37 and 55 can keep it on vibrate." Micco has created a designated safe area where people can place devices during training.
Studio owners have implemented strategies to keep mobile devices out of the training room or to limit their use in this setting. "We installed foyer lockers, not cubbies," Philip says. "Students can leave belongings [including their phones] in the lockers and take a key. Often I hear at least two phones ring in the lockers [during class]. Our policy is to encourage students to tell the teacher if they're expecting an important call and to place that client close to the door. If the call/text arrives, the person can exit the room."
"[For staff], studio policy is that no teacher is to have a device at hand. Once when an instructor did need to wait for a call, I volunteered to take it for her during class. With trainers, if they must take an important call, I ask them to inform clients and to keep the phone close by and face down. That way the buzzing [and flashing] does not affect lighting in the room."
Ken Alan, lecturer at California State University, Fullerton, says, "Many clubs in the Los Angeles area no longer allow mobile phone conversations on the fitness floor because it's either distracting to other members or disruptive of other people's workouts. Sometimes a person gets so involved in conversation that he forgets to get off a piece of equipment while others are waiting."
People still frequently text or read email while training, however. Fitness facility accidents related to device use include people falling off treadmills. Future policies may require members to expressly agree that they assume all responsibility for any risk of harm if they choose to use a personal electronic device while training on premises.
Since clients pay for services, it requires finesse to discourage device use. Experienced personal trainers point out the advantages of using training time to concentrate on the workout. "I want clients to take personal responsibility if they don't see the results they expected or hoped for," says Fred Hoffman, MEd, 2007 IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year, who lives in Paris. "I encourage a truly mindful presence of all five senses and concentration," adds Lawrence Biscontini, MA, mindful movement specialist based in New York and Greece. "Having gum, headphones and a vibrating cell phone are examples of three things that I discourage."
Studies show that students pay more attention and perform better in school if educators provide specific breaks to check mobile devices (Rosen et al. 2013a). Trainers and group instructors may use a similar strategy, reminding clients at the beginning of a session to check devices, respond if necessary and turn off alerts (sound and vibration). Class participants who need to leave early can be invited to do so before the final relaxation, and to leave props behind for the instructor to put away.
In addition to policies regarding device use during sessions, fitness pros need tools to capture fragmented attention. The warm-up is a time not only to prepare the body but also to prepare and focus a preoccupied mind. Mind-body techniques cultivate present-moment awareness. Effective methods include stimulating the senses and using breathing and balance exercises.
Exercise is suggested as a leading countermeasure to too much media exposure. But as technology creeps into workouts, keeping exercise as a solution, rather than making it part of the problem, is a new challenge. To effectively promote health, it's important to identify when cognitive overload is happening and when to use coping strategies to prevent harm. Fitness professionals can help by understanding this issue, setting policies that foster a safe and effective training environment and providing clients with informed advice.
With digital proliferation, we must remind ourselves that the mind is master and that technology is a tool. The cognitive cost of overload and the risk of harm highlight the imperative to manage device and media use mindfully and effectively. Technological advances create formerly inconceivable opportunities to promote health, see real-time training effects, offer immediate feedback and long-distance encouragement, and record data for analysis and program personalization. For inspiring individuals and transforming lives, however, our own wisdom and heartfelt personal touch are paramount.
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Use the following techniques to ground and center distracted clients:
Introduce breathing exercises. Focus on the breath. Emphasize the exhalation by breathing through pursed lips, creating a "sh" sound, making a "ha" sound, or constricting the throat as in yogic ujjayi breathing.
Do a body scan. Conduct a total body scan with closed eyes to draw attention to one's physical state, energy levels and tension areas before beginning an exercise.
Create an individual response scale. Ask clients to assess their energy level on a scale of 1–10 at the start and end of a session, to create awareness.
Ask about perceived exertion. Set training intensity goals, and ask participants to assess how hard they are working on a scale of 1–10.
Try balance exercises. Do any one-legged movement with closed eyes, or practice an exercise on a low beam or other balance tool.
Exercise the eyes. Hold the head steady and look in a variety of directions (as in the clock exercise), or move the body while fixing the gaze on a single point.
Use tactile cuing. Manually assist or adjust a client's body position, or use manual pressure, to draw awareness to a particular body area. Use small props, like balls, to provide tactile stimulation to focus a client's attention.
Refine your verbal cuing. Remind clients to feel a weight's resistance and to engage with that feeling through the entire range of motion, to heighten concentration.
Do partner exercises. Have participants work in pairs to stimulate interaction and bring attention to the present moment.
Apply the following tips from Larry Rosen, PhD, in your own life, or share them with clients, to enhance technology use and mental well-being. After 90 minutes of technology use, take a 10- to 15-minute break to reset your brain with any of the following activities:
- Meditate.
- Walk in nature.
- Talk to a friend face-to-face.
- Exercise.
Rosen recommends training oneself to consciously manage weapons of "mass distraction" in order to avoid feeling anxious.
- Check your phone for any messages. Put it on silent, and set an alarm for 15 minutes. Put the phone upside down in front of you.
- Check email for 1 minute.
- Check social media for 1 minute.
- Do not recheck any of the above until the alarm goes off. Gradually expand the time limit until you can go up to 30 minutes without checking your phone and other media.
This practice allows you to learn how to avoid getting anxious when you don't check your phone every few minutes. Here are some additional suggestions from other sources:
- Check email or social media at specific times of day.
- Write fewer emails, and send only short, clear messages with direct proposals instead of questions. For example, when requesting a meeting, suggest a few specific dates and times, rather than asking if someone is interested in meeting.
- Turn off alerts. Avoid being at the beck and call of your device.
- Designate specific times when no devices are allowed or when devices are turned off, except in emergency situations. Periods could include family meals, sleeping at night or designated family time during vacations or weekends.
- Manage apps and updates. Use apps selectively. Update software tools only when necessary, as updates often require a new learning curve.
"Digital training devices are here to stay. It's in our [fitness professionals'] best interest to be informed—to know the advantages and disadvantages, ease of use, cost and whether or not [these tools] help to achieve results so that we can discuss their use with clients and offer advice," says Fred Hoffman, MEd, 2007 IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year. "As devices become more sophisticated and more clients want to use them, we need to learn how to incorporate them to assist and add value, without taking away from the benefits of 'live' training."
Mindful movement specialist Lawrence Biscontini, MA, adds, "I encourage uses that simplify lives, such as apps that track calories, protein, carb, fat and fiber intake and send information directly to the trainer, or apps that monitor sleep depth and patterns, hydration or elimination."
Experts suggest these tips on how fitness pros can remain relevant and offer "live" value:
Provide customized options. Design programming to fit each client's specific needs and objectives.
Incorporate functional training. Teach functional movement patterns that are individualized to clients' everyday lives. Most digital programs teach "cookie-cutter" exercises.
Personalize motivation. Offer feedback that speaks to each client's personality and concerns.
Be adaptable. Adjust to daily changes in energy level or life circumstances that impact training frequency, intensity or volume.
Offer social support. Communicate that you care. "A device can never replace the personal relationship that can develop between a trainer and client," says Ken Alan, lecturer in kinesiology at California State University, Fullerton. "The fact that you acknowledge a person, know what's happening in [his or her life]—people appreciate attention. It means a lot to them."
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Carr, N. 2011. The Shallows. New York: Norton.
Djonlagic, I., et al. 2012. Increased sleep fragmentation leads to impaired off-line consolidation of motor memories in humans. PLoS ONE, 7 (3), e34106.
Durocher, J.J., et al. 2011. Social technology restriction alters state-anxiety but not autonomic activity in humans. American Journal of Physiology, Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 301 (6), R1773-78.
Kanai, R., et al. 2011. Distractibility in daily life is reflected in the structure and function of human parietal cortex. The Journal of Neuroscience, 31 (18), 6620-26.
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Lenhart, A. 2010. Cell phones and American life. Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project. www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Cell-Phones-and-American-Adults.aspx.
Lin, L. 2009. Breadth-biased versus focused cognitive control in media multitasking behaviors. PNAS, 106 (37), 15521-22.
Madden, M., & Jones, S. 2008. Networked workers. Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project. www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2008/Networked-Workers/6-Attitudes-and-Impacts-of-Technology.aspx.
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Russ Downing won his 4th Lincoln Grand Prix today in front of a huge crowd in the heart of the historic East Midlands cathedral city. Russ rode up Michaelgate alone to equal Paul Curran's record of four wins in this classic UK event. He was at the front of the race throughout the event and admitted afterwards he was always in control of it and was getting stronger as the laps passed by.
Downing attacked with a lap to go and after racing through the finish area alone, he waited for a lone chaser in Marcin Bialoblocki (Node4 - Giordana), the perfect partner to hold off the chase group of Kristian House (Rapha Condor Sharp), Simon Richardson (Team IG - Sigma Sport) and Russell Hampton (Raleigh GAC). The pair opened up the gap to over a minute before Downing said goodbye to Bialoblocki and raced up the steep and cobbled slopes of Michaelgate, followed by a roar of cheering people as he did so, to emerge in front of Lincoln Castle as the winner.
Russ Downing: There's one race to win in the UK, that's the Lincoln Grand Prix. It's like racing past my front door here because all I could hear was "go on Russ". It's great to win. I was in control all race. Kristian was going really well for the King of the Hills so I just rode off him really and we found ourselves always riding away. I think it was with four to go that I split the group and that was perfect and then I went with two to go and then with one to go was away on my own. I saw Marcin coming across and he must have ridden hard to get me as I was riding full gas. Fair ride by him. Then Malc (Malcolm Elliott) gave my confidence a boost before the feed. He just looked at Marcin and looked at me and said "you're an animal!" I was like "Cheers Malc!" because it's a good compliment coming from a rider like him. Coming into the race, I trained until Wednesday and then rested up. Normally I'll train really hard the day before and the day before that but I did a 200km ride on Tuesday that took me six hours. Then Wednesday, I was in the hills and did some good hard efforts before I eased off. I've had some hard weeks and my form is good. I go to the Tour of Norway next week which is a UCI 2.1 event and hopefully get a stage win there. Scott Thwaites (First Under 23 & 2011 winner): I did alright. Still got a top 10 and first under 23 so I am very happy with that. Russ winning was perfect for the team in continuing our good run of form. It was a good race, a bit harder than last year with the extra two laps and the strong wind – it was actually quite tough. The team were not sure if only having two in the first split (Downing & Ian Wilkinson) was enough so Dean and myself got across and then when Russ got away with the group of five that got clear, we were pretty confident he could win. Julian Winn (Sporting Director) It's all about numbers up front and when Scott and Dean (Windsor) chased down the split with Russ and Ian in it, I was a lot happier as we had good strength in there. After that it was about winning on their own, whittling it down. Russell had already shown good form in the Tour of Reservoir where I just don't think that race was hard enough to expose everybody. I did think Russ would be the rider who would dictate things today but what he needed were teammates around him and he had that in Dean, Ian and Scott. It was perfect in the end. Russ knew what to do because once he gets the bit between his teeth, he knows where he needs to be and following him, you could see he was pedalling well and in control of it.
Click here for results.
Report and photos by Larry Hickmott | www.VeloUK.net
Video from British Cycling Premier Calendar's YouTube channel by Cyclevox


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POPSUGAR Fashion Proenza Schouler Proenza Schouler Gallery by Fashion 9/16/09 0 Shares Print 0 0 0 0 0 Previous Photo 1 of 35 View on One Page ADVERTISEMENT ( more slides) Next Share This Link Copy 1 Proenza Schouler Gallery Previous Photo 1 of 35 View on One Page ADVERTISEMENT ( more slides) Next 0 0 0 0 0 Read More 2010 Spring New York Fashion WeekProenza Schouler Proenza Schouler A Sneaky Styling Trick To Steal From Proenza Schouler 1 week ago Is Proenza Schouler the Official Cool-Girl Uniform For Spring? 9/10/14 Get Schooled by Proenza Schouler With a Lesson in Downtown Cool 9/07/14 10 Awesome Ways to Style Your Denim Jacket! 8/01/14 Summer Bag Inspiration! 7/17/14 We Don't Think We Can Wait Until October For Proenza Schouler Swimwear 6/04/14 See the Proenza Schouler x MAC Makeup Collection 4/12/14 Get chic with our daily newsletter Enjoy street style trends, runway looks, and the best in celeb beauty in your inbox. Celebrity Style Fashion & Beauty News Beauty Tips Street Style Sign up with Link Love Iggy Azalea is P.O.'d about her leaked Steve Madden line photos — HuffPost Style It might be time to get your man a murse — The Cut Fast fashion vs investment pieces: this infographic breaks it down — Racked Lions, fire, and Lenny Kravitz? Katy Perry's halftime show sounds wild — InStyle What will it take for Gap to make a comeback? — Style.com Pregnant ladies, rejoice: Rachel Zoe has a maternity line — SheFinds Oops — you might be ruining your jewelry and not even know — Who What Wear Stock-photo models are people too! — Lucky Say goodbye to another brand: Jones New York is no longer — Fashionista Latest Fashion
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During two decades of visiting family in Nashville, I have see all the things that must be seen. I have watched country music acts like the Gatlin Brothers, Barbara Mandrell, and, yes, Minnie Pearl perform a song apiece at the Grand Ole Opry in its newfangled quarters at Opryland USA, the amusement park and concert hall that is Nashville's main attraction. I have toured Andrew Jackson's house, walked around the replica of the Parthenon, and rolled up the Cumberland River on a paddle wheeler. But in recent years Nashville has been a boomtown, and so I have fallen behind on my must-sees.
I missed the opening of the umpteenth Planet Hollywood, with Demi and Bruce and Arnold winging in for the ribbon-cutting. I haven't yet line-danced at the Wildhorse Saloon, the giant club off Lower Broadway that has a 3,300-square-foot dance floor. I haven't been to the newly opened Nashville Arena, the first venue in town big enough for Garth Brooks. And I haven't yet made tailgate-party plans for the day in 1999 when the Houston Oilers become Nashville's National Football League franchise.
It's not that I'm ignoring the goings-on in one of my favorite places in America I've just been looking elsewhere in Nashville. For as the city has become a sort of country-and-western theme park, down to the Civil War sites and occasional antebellum mansion, another kind of tourism has experienced a parallel spurt in growth. It too focuses on Nashville's glorious past-- but unlike those merchandised and marketed by Official Nashville, these attractions are as engaging for the locals as they are for visitors.
A mile up the road from Planet Hollywood, for example, crowds still gravitate to Hap Townes, a dumpy old cinder-block diner that has taken the meat-and-three-vegetables lunch plate to the level of art. Around the corner from that mammoth line-dancing club, Robert's Western World serves up cheap beer and music that sounds pretty much as it did 40 years ago. Just down the block, Hatch Show Print continues to create concert posters with type that's almost 150 years old. Unlike other cities that have become tourist destinations, Nashville matches every sign of Disneyfication with a thriving slice of the city's authentic, native culture. There's no danger that these small enterprises will put a dent in Opryland admissions, but their street-level survival represents a triumph of continuity; by preserving the past, they reach out to the future.
Twenty-five years ago, Nashvillians will tell you, the only time you saw people downtown after dark was when shifts changed at the phone company. No longer. Lower Broadway, the street that used to define the heart of commercial Nashville, is once again a magnet. However I construct my Nashville days, Lower Broadway is where I tend to spend my evenings, for a very simple reason: Nashville is one of the last cities where you can hear great American music at bargain prices, in informal settings, and without reservations. And by music, I don't mean just achy-breaky Eagles rip-offs sung by studs in cowboy hats; I'm talking about thought-provoking lyrics and crafty tunes by performers you've never heard of but who are just as good as (or better than) ones you have. Know this: Nashville's best live music has nothing in common with the stuff that afflicts you when your car radio lands for a few seconds on a commercial country station.
The perfect spot to kick off your first day in town is the Pancake Pantry. Looking in, you might not think it's the absolute best place to have breakfast, but that's because they've renovated this Nashville institution, froufrouing it up with sconces and green Naugahyde booths. Regulars might complain about the redo, but it hasn't driven them away. And if you're fortunate enough to have Joyce Stubblefield, a 33-year veteran of the Pantry, as your waitress, she may tell you about the time Garth Brooks told Jay Leno he ate only cereal for breakfast. So Leno got Joyce on the air and she, as is her way, told the truth: "Garth has two scrambled eggs, ham, and hash browns, with two hot chocolates."
From the Pancake Pantry, I'd go immediately to the most important repository of Nashville's musical history. The artifacts at the Country Music Hall of Fame tell a story that's easy to gather in an hour or two: this music was originally played at barn dances and church socials, and it developed alongside the blues as an indigenous, unpretentious folk art. Then radio came along, and, with it, the Grand Ole Opry. After singers became stars, it was only a matter of time before country became big business.
These exhibits testify to a love of music more than of money. It's evident in the wonderful footage of country greats from Jimmie Rodgers to Travis Tritt. Or in the handwritten lyrics to songs you know well, such as Kris Kristofferson's "Help Me Make It Through the Night," scrawled on the stationery of the Monument Records company. Happily, there's also goofy stuff, like Willie Nelson's sneakers. And, of course, the showstopper: Elvis's 1960 Cadillac limousine, with 40 coats of paint to give it a "solid gold" look, a shoe polisher, an ice machine that makes cubes in two minutes, and gold records lining the roof.
For a fresh perspective on Elvis and a host of other musicians, walk (or drive) the few blocks to RCA Studio B for the museum's ultimate exhibit, the no-frills birthplace of countless hits on the order of Presley's "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" and much of the classic Nashville sound, syrupy with strings and backup choirs. Still a working studio, it was created in the 1950's and looks as retro as The Flintstones. Nostalgia is one thing, but kitsch is another; I'd avoid the mini-museums and gift shops that surround the hall of fame.
Better to make a radical mood shift and tour Belle Meade Plantation, a Greek Revival house called "the Queen of Tennessee Plantations." It was built in 1853 by owners who had taste as well as money. Evidence of the slavery this fortune depended on has been stripped away, and only the beauty of the grounds and house remains. And then I would stroll through nearby Cheekwood, the city's best museum. There's a good collection of regional art here, but I'm more taken by the lush grounds, including 27 acres of botanical gardens, that surround this Georgian mansion just 10 minutes from the center of town.
If, like me, you're someone who believes that a day of travel without a bout of shopping is a missed opportunity, the place to do it without breaking your nostalgic reverie is the White Way Antique Mall. The 55 dealers who stock this 9,000-square-foot emporium seem to bring only their quirkiest items and best-preserved vintage clothes. Howard Finster folk paintings range from $250 to $600, 1930's-style plastic clocks top out at $75, and a cherrywood corner cupboard costs $2,500. For years, I've been buying perfectly preserved pink Schiaparelli hatboxes here, never for more than $40, but now I have my eye on a $65 ladder-back chair with a cane seat, and an early-fifties bicycle that's unaccountably selling for $110.
The ideal choice for dinner on your first night of Nashville time-traveling is Jimmy Kelly's, which opened in 1934. Southern hospitality lives on: the owner is third-generation, the waiters wear white jackets, and the menu features corn cakes, blackened fish, and steak. If there were a swing band and after-dinner dancing, the supper club experience would be complete.
After a soothing martini and a hefty meal, Lower Broadway will come as a shock. The main drag is aflame with lights and awash with people; it's like an Edward Hopper nightscape, but painted on a night when Hopper was in a rare good mood. First stop, Tootsies Orchid Lounge. It's not enough for Tootsies to have one ancient and legendary music room that doesn't charge admission you can stroll past the band and the knots of dancers to an even shabbier and more exalted shrine, Upstairs at Tootsies. Part of the magic here is that the Ryman Auditorium, the celebrated home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974, is just across the alley; Opry stars used to slip out between sets for a drink at this bar.
As midnight approaches, time to move down three doors to Robert's Western World, also known as "the Boot Bar" because the walls are lined with official country footwear. The boots are allegedly for sale, though no one I know has ever witnessed a purchase. The main attraction is music. If you're lucky, you'll catch the group called BR5-49, which takes its name from a license plate on the old TV show Hee Haw. This band has a repertoire, and then some; they've regularly played four or five hours a night here, and gained a Grammy nomination for their brand of high-quality hard country that honors the tradition and fools around with it, too: at the stroke of midnight, they break into "Me and Opie Down by the Duck Pond," an homage to Andy Griffith.


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What do you think? Give us your opinion. Anonymous comments allowed.
#131 to #126
torexofthenight (04/02/2012) [-]
I like all color of eyes, I've always found eyes to literally be the door to the soul. Look into someones eyes and you can find out everything about them. I say blue because you can usually get lost in deep, blue eyes. I agree with you on the green too though, green is beautiful as well.
#135 to #134
torexofthenight (04/02/2012) [-]
I've always been able to look into someones eyes and tell how they feel. Might be because mine tend to change colors with my emotions. Mine are normally a bright, sky blue. Yet when I'm angry they slowly turn to a dark hazel kinda, when I'm depressed they turn into this very pale green. On one occasion i had a friend swear they were black, i think he was just exaggerating though lol.
#138 to #137
torexofthenight (04/02/2012) [-]
I think its a genetic thing, everyone in my family has it. Except our eyes don't turn the same colors. Its pretty cool though, except you know when you're getting sick. My eyes always become a very light shade of blue if I'm about to get sick. Its annoying as hell when you notice it too lol.


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Our Facilities
Recreation Park
Raleigh Road and Ripley Road
Wilson, NC 27893
(Get Map & Directions)
Phone: 252.399.2266
Fax: 252.399.2281
Picnic shelters, Tennis courts, Ballfield, Flag football field, Swimming pools, Miniature train, Nature trail.
Facility Details
Two (2) picnic shelters with picnic tables available for rent; playground apparatus; fenced in tot lot; 10 lighted tennis courts; miniature train open Sunday, 1pm - 5pm, spring, summer & fall;($1.00 per rider), available for camps, and outings; swimming pools (diving & shallow - year round use); nature trail. For more information call 399.2266.
Trail Details
Nature trail from Ripley Road to Ward Boulevard, 3/4 mile.


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You are here: Home / News & Publications / Abigroup News
12 April 2011
The NSW Government's Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian formally opened Abigroup's new Head Office on Sydney's North Shore last week as the company prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
The new office is located on four floors of the iconic Zenith buildings in Chatswood which offer spectacular views of Sydney and the surrounding area.
Abigroup's Managing Director David Jurd said, "Relocating our Head Office to a major transport hub positions our business for the future and we have taken the opportunity to upgrade our space.
"It's fitting that the formal opening of our new prestigious offices should coincide with our 50th anniversary because it reflects how far we've come from a small Sydney based earthmoving company to a top tier contractor with a 3000 strong workforce and a $2.5 billion turnover."
The office fitout was carried out by Abigroup's NSW Building team and was completed to the highest standards with quality finishes and a showcase main reception area. The Zenith deal includes naming rights to Tower B.
The office boasts a variety of environmental features including energy efficient lighting and services and a 4 star Green Star office interiors V1.1 as-built rating has been applied for from the Green Building Council of Australia.
The anniversary of the foundation of Abigroup is on 13 April. It was on that day back in 1961 that Italian emigrant Gennaro "Jim" Abignano first registered his small Sydney earthmoving business as G.Abignano Ltd.
Fifty years on and several name changes later, the company that Jim created is one of Australia's leading and most diverse contractors with expert teams delivering works in areas including roads, buildings, rail, mining services, water, tunnels, bridges, telecommunications and energy.
A high quality book about the company's history has been produced and the first copy was presented to Gennaro by David Jurd during the Head Office opening ceremony.


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Thank goodness it's only Sunday! Yesterday we ran a bazillion errands and there's still more things to do (but most of the ones left are fun!). We also spent the evening with friends, grilled out and ate delicious kebabs and pasta salad, which was an excellent, relaxing way to end the day. AND, our friends' baby and I bonded in a totally new way: apparently my finger tastes AWESOME.
But, time to hit the rewind button to talk about this recipe, which we made yesterday morning. In keeping with our love of delicious breakfasts and with the fact that we have four partial bags of carrots in the crisper, Dave had the idea of making carrot cake muffins for the weekend.
We didn't do a frosting or glaze, because the recipe was so good on its own, it didn't need anything in addition. These were only slightly sweet – even though carrot cake functions like a muffin recipe normally (so sayeth Alton), this recipe is not just carrot cake made in muffin tins. It's less sweet and contains whole wheat flour (unless you happen to not have any on hand, which we did not ).
This recipe was only very slightly modified from the New York Times Recipes for Health.
You will need:
- 2 1/2 cups AP flour (original called for whole wheat – these muffins were the perfect consistency with AP – if you go with whole wheat I would add a little more milk and a little more baking soda)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1 1/3 cups buttermilk (I didn't have any – subbed milk + 1 Tbsp. vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2/3 cup raisins, tossed with 1 tbsp. flour
- 1 1/2 cups grated carrots
It's kind of a long list, but almost all of it is probably in your pantry.
As with all muffin recipes, this one uses "The Muffin Method." Use a whisk to gently mix together the wet ingredients wand the sugar. Stir the dry ingredients together separately (excluding the carrots and raisins).
Add the liquid to the solid all at once, and stir as little as possible to combine. I recommend using a large whisk and stirring no more than 5-10 big strokes. When all of the flour has been worked into the liquid, add the carrots and raisins and gently fold in – it should take fewer than five more stirs to blend it together.
Pour into a well-greased muffin tin and bake at 375 for exactly 25 minutes. You can double-check if you want (or if your oven is historically funky), but this made mine totally perfect.
The recipe will make 15 smaller muffins, or if you like them to be a little bigger, the batter will all fit into 12 muffin tins and doesn't expand enough that it would be a problem.


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We finished the last article describing how Sicily had begun to be affected by mafia-style behaviour. The West of the island and Palermo in particular were beginning to experience types of illegal activities that we now associate with organised crime. A prime example were the citrus orchards around Palermo. Initially these locations were easy targets for production sabotage but when protection was required the gangs responsible for the disruption would force the owners to hire their own men. A mafia cause and effect had been established and the mafia Roulette Casino had begun.
By 1864 the operations were well enough established for the head of the Palermo National Guard to remark that the gangs:
"affiliates every day of the brightest young people coming from the rural class, of the guardians of the fields in the Palermitan countryside, and of the large number of smugglers; a sect which gives and receives protection to and from certain men who make a living on traffic and internal commerce. It is a sect with little or no fear of public bodies, because its members believe that they can easily elude this."
In higher circles in Italy the phenomenon had also been noticed and Sicily had become an issue. The term "mafia" was first recorded in relation to organised crime in a police report sent to Rome in 1865. As the movement became more ingrained in Sicilian life, opportunities arose for the leaders to influence local politics in a way akin to Blackjack Strategy. In an era when very few people were eligible to vote, it was relatively easy to use money or more violent measures to ensure a local politician cooperated with you.
By the turn of the century, the mafia style gangs had been operating for some thirty years and were extremely well entrenched. For the Sicilian population in general, much of the population had grown up knowing nothing else but this type of society. Second generation gang members were able to operate freely via their influence over local politicians and even when arrested were able to pay for defense lawyers. If imprisoned, family members could be supported financially. The mafia was here to stay in the same way as the Online Casino is now.
Part Three follows……


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VIDEO: Trade Only roundtable in Miami
Posted onMIAMI BEACH – A cross section of industry leaders met Wednesday night for the annual Soundings Trade Only Editorial Roundtable prior to the opening of the Miami International Boat Show.
Eight men representing the manufacturing, dealer, banking, accessories and electronics segments discussed some of the issues facing the industry. A recurring theme was the need to adopt a new model of doing business.
Roundtable attendees were Jim Coburn, National Marine Bankers Association; Bob Apple, Volvo Penta; Peter Truslow, EdgeWater Power Boats; Bill Yeargin, Correct Craft; Louis Chemi, Navico Americas; Darren Plymale, Galati Yachts; David Pugsley, Brewer Yacht Sales; and Bob Staehle, Kellogg Marine Supply.
Click play to hear what they had to say about operating in the "new normal."
Click here to watch on YouTube.
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This friendly, all mini-suite hotel affords its guests the opportunity to spread out and get comfortable in between enjoying all of the exciting adventures awaiting right outside its doors. From enjoying time on the slopes at nearby Sunlight Mountain Resort to soaking in the world's largest hot springs swimming pool or enjoying the magnificent Vapor Caves, there's fun around every corner in Glenwood Springs and the Hampton Inn Glenwood is an ideal base camp.
Complimentary Internet access in public areas
24-hour front desk
Gift shop or newsstand
Dry cleaning/laundry service
Guest laundry facilities
Handicap accessible
Swimming pool - indoor
Hot tub - indoor
Fitness facilities
Complimentary breakfast
Complimentary self parking
Complimentary wireless Internet
Safe deposit box - front desk
Business services
Car recommended to access lifts
Glenwood Springs
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Hampton Inn
Glenwood SpringsCar recommended to access lifts
Rental Shops
- Glenwood Canyon Brewing Company
- Rivers Restaurant
- The Pullman
Policies including cancellation vary by property. With questions about this property's policies, contact a Ski.com Mountain Vacation Specialist.


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Saturday, December 29, 2012
HERE for my readers, because I now feel that the three of us know each other well enough, is a cautionary Yuletide tale from my guileless early 20s. The story takes place just before Christmas in a pleasant Colchester suburb.
There comes a point during an omelette's flight where the omelette parts company with the plate which it's on . . . The omelette, being lighter than the plate, rapidly loses trajectory as it begins to fragment. Some of the component pieces will generally hit a wall, whilst others, depending upon the moisture content of the omelette's filling, will fragment still further, dropping onto the floor or adhering to other surfaces, such as clothing. The plate, on the other hand, will continue gaining momentum, especially if the person at whom it has been hurled takes evasive action to avoid injury. If this happens, the plate, if it's of a heavy white catering type, will hit a door frame, shattering on impact as the broken pieces fall to the floor nearest to the impact point.
She had only been back for about 20 minutes. "You look hungry. Let me cook you an omelette," she suggested. I stood there in our kitchen, in a happy pre-Christmas haze of cheap port and tobacco smoke. After a row and many weeks apart, she had returned. That was the main thing. "Oh, I forgot to mention," I began, as brightly as I could. "Ian and his German visitors will be back pretty soon, to pick up the girl." There was a pause. "Girl?" she asked. "Yeah," I said, explaining that they were all out doing a spot of last-minute Christmas shopping. The German girl had had a drink on the ferry over and was a bit woozy upon arrival.
So when they popped in, they'd asked me if they could leave her here to sleep it off. I added that I'd just been cleaning the place up for Christmas, you know? Putting the odd decoration up and waiting for them all to return . . . "A drunk German girl – here?" she interrupted. "I didn't notice her in the living room."
"Well no, you didn't let me explain that bit," I smiled. "I thought it was better – since I was making a racket with the Hoover and everything – to put her in the bedroom."
"You've put a drunk German girl in our bedroom?"
I said: "But it's not as if you've even been here for weeks and there's nothing going on. I don't even know her – well, I met her briefly on a German tour once – but I mean . . . Anyway, we put her in there to sleep. Until they pick her up. Which should be any minute now."
"Where, exactly, did you put her?" she asked me. "On the bed of course," I replied. As if I'd considered the wardrobe or maybe draped her over the dressing table but then, upon reflection, had opted for the bed. She stared at me all this time, carefully transferring the omelette from the pan to the plate.
Thus, just as darkness fell on a December afternoon in the late 1970s, began the inaugural and only Flight of the Omelette. The plate skimmed my ribcage before hitting the door lintel and breaking up. Some of the omelette hit me in the chest. Two minutes later, following some quite bad language, I was watching her marching past the kitchen window, down the street, into the winter darkness. In her hands were the two bags which she'd set down upon her arrival and hadn't yet bothered to unzip. I was busy picking up pieces of broken plate and wiping omelette off the wall and myself with a wet dishcloth. The two cats were helping with the stuff on the floor.
Only minutes afterwards, my friend Ian and his German guests returned. They woke the sleeping girl and loaded her gently into their camper van. The whole drama had happened in their absence. The girl hadn't even stirred during the row. I told them there'd been a bit of a kerfuffle, whilst they were out. They shrugged – like Germans sometimes do. A while after that, they all got in the van and left, leaving me, the cats and my troubles. I poured myself another port, lit a cigarette, put David Bowie's Low on the record player and I said to myself: "Merry Christmas, Yoko."
Here, for interested readers, are the salient lessons learned from this incident:
■ Never assume, even if she walked out on you several weeks earlier, that your girlfriend won't suddenly decide to return, and without any kind of formal announcement.
■ Never let anyone deposit a drunk German girl on your bed – not even if they've promised to pick her up within a couple of hours.
■ Never hope that just because you've done a good deed, and are absolutely innocent of any kind of impropriety, that someone won't think the worst of you.
■ Never assume that any woman with whom you've been in a relationship will have even a passing acquaintanceship with fairness. Do not expect that she will hear, let alone understand, any of the things which you say in your own defence, in a court of her devising, where she is judge, jury and legal team acting for the prosecution.
■ Never try to second-guess a flying omelette.
Merry Christmas. And may all your Christmases be white. Or sometimes yellow, with a few bits of chopped mushroom, garnished with parsley and broken crockery.
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We create custom, personal pizzas with quality ingredients in only five minutes (Pie Five, get it?). Tell us your favorite crust, sauce, and toppings, and we'll create and bake it in under five minutes for one price. Crazy, right? All you have to do is enjoy it.
From the crust to the toppings, we're using quality ingredients, like our all-natural, organic, preservative-free tomato sauce that we make in-house.
Not to mention our all-natural grilled chicken breast and 100% pork sausage with no antibiotics or hormones. Just a few more of the ways we're making sure you're eating the best ingredients possible.


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Wordpress is one of the most successful blogging platform which we too are currently on. From the past few articles we have been giving out a few cool wordpress themes for download. Instead of coming up with some more themes, we decided to write a tutorial on how to develop a wordpress theme which we are sure will help a lot of you to design as you wish and bring them out into wordpress. We are not too advanced wordpress developers but still we are sure the below tutorial will help you successfully develop a wordpress theme. Below you will learn to convert your xHTML CSS site into a Compact Wordpress Theme (final output is same as the normal theme but here code is shorter and easier to understand).
(not the widget way, you manually place the php to generate stuff on your sidebar here)
You have successfully converted your design into a Wordpress theme. Now, go ahead and upload it into your sites wp-admin and start of publishing your content trough wp-admin (wp-admin is the admin console of Wordpress where you manage your sites content and options). Sure from our side that this whole dev process can be done within 30 - 40 minutes. How about you ? We hope that this (bit) long tutorial has been of some use to you. Feel free to question trough comments (and report if we had made a mistake above). Please do support us how ever you feel to (we have seen many of our content being stolen and there is nothing we could do...)
Replace the_content(__('more...')); With if($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']=="/pagename/"){ include_once(TEMPLATEPATH ."/custom.php"); }else{ the_content(__('more...')); } ?> Create a new page (will show up on your standard wp navigation) in the wp-admin and give some junk content into it. Now as above, you will replace the php snippet in your index.php. pagename is the same name of the page you just created in wp-admin. custom.php is a custom php file you will create in your theme folder with any content (can include wordpress php content too...) which will show up in your content area instead of the junk content you added to your custom page in wp-admin. This is how the sitemap section on our site works. By this way you can have more control over your custom content and highlight the page in the wordpress navigation too. You can also have multiple pages like this by adding the else if in the above snippet.


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There are many, many reasons I could list why Mark Driscoll scares me.
I could talk about the outlandish things he's said from the pulpit or the gross things he's said online. I could link to all the different blogs and articles that point out his awful views toward women, toward gays (or even effeminate men), toward God and the people God hates, toward movies like Avatar (the most demonic movie ever, by the way), toward books like The Shack, etc. I could outline why I think he is so entrenched in the power and influence he has garnered over the past 15 years of leading Mars Hill in Seattle, and how it is slowly destroying him and will eventually significantly damage the 10,000 person community he has created.
And maybe someday I will. If for no other reason than to demonstrate that I have real, valid reasons for my concerns. They are not just baseless claims, jumping on the anti-Driscoll band wagon.
But at the moment, let me share this with you.
There is a site that was recently created called JoyfulExiles.com, and it exists to help the public see just a glimpse of how off track Driscoll and his church have gotten. It's created by a pastor who was fired from there a couple years back, and it documents his strange journey of what led to his firing. And if you have time, I implore you to read the narrative account written by his wife. It is incredible. And because of my own experience, I believe every word of it. (Don't misread me and think that The Grove is like Mars Hill. It's not.)
Perhaps you've heard about or read other such stories coming out lately.
And it scares me.
It should scare you, too.
Why anybody continues to follow this guy, or look up to him, or for heaven's sake MODEL THEIR church after his, is beyond me.
That being said, I'm reminded of Paul's words to the Philippian church, wherein he acknowledged that some people where preaching Christ out of envy, or rivalry, or selfish ambition. And what was Paul's take? "What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice." (Phil 1:18)
Hmmm… It makes me wonder, then, what Paul's take would be on a guy like Driscoll. A guy who, in my opinion, has done significant damage to the message of the Gospel, the message of Christ, and the good news about the Love of God. Are people still coming to know Christ through his ministry? It would appear so (even if the "Christ" they are coming to know might ultimately be a distorted version… but couldn't that be said for many of us, myself included?)
I don't know. Maybe I'm way too judgmental on Driscoll. Maybe sites like joyfulexiles.com are unhelpful (although I do love one of the quotes on their page, "If you don't say it's wrong, then that says it's right"). Maybe we should all just stop criticizing pastors like Driscoll for what they say and what they do.
I don't know.
What do you think?
Do you think it's okay, or good, or needed, to call out influential people like this, and to raise awareness when you think they are totally in error? Or do you think it's mean and should not be done? (I know some people feel this way about me. They feel the need to tell me and tell others that I am wrong. Meh… doesn't bother me if they want to do that).


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Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, photographed by Annie Leibovitz for the March 2010 issue.
Over the decades, Vanity Fair has shot nearly every leading man of comedy—from portfolios by Herb Ritts to covers by Annie Leibovitz. We've dressed them as clowns, pinup beauties, and colonial officers, and even stripped them naked. Below, a sampling of our best comedic photography.


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Trexus Intro Operators Chair PCB High Back H490mm Seat W490xD450xH440-560mm Blue
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High Back Permanent Contact Chair. The intro Range of entry-level operator and managers seating provides both value and quality, sacrificing none of the comfort and durability you would expect from this brand. Meeting fire retardancy standard BS7176 medium hazard makes them suitable for use in both the working and domestic environments.
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- Manufacturer No: ST204 (3 LEVER)


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Sep 1, 2012 8:42 PM by MTN News
BILLINGS - Calling it an opportunity to support "traditional family values", the Montana Family Foundation will open a Chick-fil-A drive-thru in Billings for one day in September.
The "Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day" is Sept. 8. For a suggested donation of $20 per person, the public is invited to attend this fundraising event where hot Chick-fil-A chicken, coleslaw and chocolate chip cookies will be available to the first 1000 people.
Earlier this summer, Chick-Fil-A CEO Dan Cathy made several statements supporting what he believes to be "the traditional family," saying about same-sex marriage that those who "have the audacity to define what marriage is about" were "inviting God's judgment on our nation".
His comments spurred boycotts from gay marriage advocates and human rights groups, but Cathy supporters include former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who started a Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day movement. More than 600,000 people RSVPed on Facebook for Huckabee's appreciation event.
On Aug. 1, Chick-fil-A restaurants reported record-breaking sales.
The Billings event will be held at 328 S. Shiloh Road.
Jeff Laszloffy, President/CEO of the Montana Family Foundation said, "A majority of the citizens of Montana share the same conservative values as Dan Cathy and solidified them as the law in 2004 when Montana voted to amend its Constitution to define marriage as being exclusively between one man and one woman in this state."
"Since Chick-fil-A doesn't yet have locations in our state most Montanan's were unable to participate in the national event in August. So we created Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day 2.0 on Saturday, September 8th from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and invite the Treasure State to join the celebration and help support the Montana Family Foundation's efforts."
13 hours ago


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Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Corey and Nikki Stinson talk with Nikki's stepdad, Keith Johnsen, left, and their daughter Kelli Crane, right, about the slide at the Stinson home in Oso on Saturday, April 5, 2014. After the Stinsons returned home from a mandatory evacuation when the mudslide hit, their home became a throughway for around 13 relatives and family friends volunteering in shifts at the site. Corey, who has volunteered at the slide, says it's "...surreal. You don't know where to start. Devastation everywhere." Nikki Stinson, who kept the house running during the two weeks after the slide, says she's "..inspired by the strength of victims looking for their family members. I can't even imagine." Nikki says everyone in the community is just doing their part. "I'm proud to say that we live in Oso. I'm proud of my boys, of our whole community."
© The Seattle Times Company


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If you like the itinerary below please quote REF SOUTHEAST ASIA 336 when enquiring for further details.
Alternatively you may like modify this trip with your own Holiday Wish List
Welcome to Burma, 'quite unlike any place you know about'. Arrive Yangon with included airport transfer to your hotel where later in the day a Welcome Meeting will be held. After, we explore the fascinating city of Yangon and its famous religious monuments. The highlights will include Chaukhtatkyi Pagoda, Kabar Aye Pagoda, Mahapasana Cave, Sule Pagoda, Maha Bandoola Park with Independence Monument, City Hall, High Court and many colonial style buildings. We conclude the day in the evening, with a visit to the magnificent Shwedagon pagoda, landmark of Myanmar and one of the greatest wonders of the world.
This morning you fly to Bagan to explore its astounding temple filled plain. Your full day tour includes visits to the beautiful golden Shwezigon Pagoda and the 13th century Wetkyi-in Gubyaukkyi Temple with its lovely frescoes. Your guided exploration includes all the key temples a list to long to mention, and a Burmese lacquerware factory before an evening excursion to Ananda, Bagan's finest and most revered temple.
Today enjoy a day trip to the village of Salay and Mount Popa today. Salay is home to many active monasteries including the impressive Yoke-son Monastery and its famous wood carvings. Mystical Mount Popa, is an extinct volcano which is believed to be the abode of spirits. 777 winding steps are carved into the side of the mountain, taking pilgrims up to the striking Popa Taungkalat monastery which sits atop the mountain.
This morning you take to skies once again and fly to Mandalay, former capital of the Burmese Empire and spend the day exploring the city sights including the incredible golden Buddha of Mahamuni Paya. Then enjoy spectacular sunset views of the city from Mandalay Hill. (OVERNIGHT- Mandalay Swan Hotel)
After a morning flight to Heho, you transfer to picturesque Pindaya, located on the shores of Lake Pindaya to explore its remarkable caves which contain over 9000 Buddha statues. After, a short stop to see Banyan Trees aged over 250 years old, we then conclude our day by visiting a Mulberry paper making factory and a Bamboo hat making factory.
Discover the delights of the region with a morning visit Pone Ta Late Late and the local market. Thereafter, drive to Nyaung Shwe we take the scenic route to Nyaung Shwe Jetty by travelling the spectacular uphill and winding road over the Shan Plateau. Afternoon on beautiful Lake Inle with a insighful boat excursion. Along the way you will see the stilted houses and various cottage industries of the Intha people and visit the famous Paungdaw Oo Pagoda.
Today enjoy an exploration of the Indein village on the western side of Inle Lake. You'll visit the impressive Shwe Indein Pa-O complex affording magnificent views over the lake and walk through bamboo forest where local villagers bathe along the riverside. Returning back to the hotel we stop to visit Myaynigone village and a Lotus fiber weaving factory.
Enjoy a day at your leisure. You could take advantage of the lush surrounding countryside and partake in canoeing or cycling or simply relax at the hotel.
After breakfast we leave the lake and transfer to the Heho airport for our flight back to Yangon but first stopping to see the Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery for photos opportunities. Once back in the capital your guide will take you on a journey to see Bogyoke market formerly known as "Scott market" then we visit Botahtaung Pagoda, a famous landmark on Yangon's waterfront. Conclude the day with a visit to Nanthida Jetty and Yangon's River that offers a remarkable atmosphere with spectacular colours and photo opportunities then stroll around in China town where an evening market selling various kind of food, fruits and products can be seen.
Today marks the end of our Burmese adventure with hotel check out and airport departure transfer.


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SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. — The University of Rhode Island canceled Tuesday night's Honors Colloquium — part of the university's premiere lecture series — because the featured speaker, Providence Mayor Angel Taveras, stayed in south Florida for family and campaign events.
Danny Kedem, spokesman for Taveras' gubernatorial campaign, refused to say specifically what Taveras was doing Tuesday night, but said the mayor apologized for Monday's last-minute notice to URI. Taveras has been in Florida since Thanksgiving.
The annual colloquium is a series of fall lectures on a different topic each year, such as race issues and climate change. Past speakers have included the late Christopher Reeve, Coretta Scott King and former Newark Mayor Cory Booker, now a U.S. senator.
This year's colloquium is called "Great Public Schools: Everyone's Right? Everyone's Responsibility?" Diane Kern, co-coordinator, said some of the speakers have attracted several hundred people and thousands of website visitors.
Taveras had been scheduled to talk about the $5-million grant that Providence received for his initiative to use technology to improve the vocabularies of low-income, preschool-age children.
Hosts from the "The Beauty Salon," a program on the campus radio station, WRIU, planned for months to interview Taveras.
"I personally would say we were profoundly disappointed not to have the chance to discuss the mayor's award-winning proposal with him at the Colloquium, since we think that proposal was brilliant and connected well with our own values of bringing beauty and expression to the lives of all, including children at risk," said philosophy Prof. Cheryl Foster, one of the "Beauty Salon" hosts, and associate director of URI's honors program.
The colloquium will end Tuesday, Dec. 10, with a lecture by Pasi Sahlberg, a renowned education scholar who helped turn Finland's public school system into one of the best in the world. That program will begin at 7:30 p.m. at URI's Edwards Hall.
Twitter: @AlishaPina


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' Starting the day with healthy Breakfast '
One quick tip you can use to keep your breakfast balanced is to "strive for five." That means you try to include at least 5 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein in every breakfast.
(11 Recipes) Created by EATANDENJOY
Recipes in this Collection
Very Good 4.7/5
(6 ratings)
Low Fat - High Fiber - High Protein --- I used this as 'stage 3' for increasing fiber intake. Heart healthy recipe! Submitted by MRSHONEYC Carbs: 37.7g | Fat: 5g | Fiber: 8.3g | Protein: 8.4g | Calories: 207.5
A slightly lighter/healthier version of a Meal Makeover Moms Recipe. Very hearty and filling, and you can top with fruit/syrup or eat them by themselves! Delicious! Submitted by SANDRA_92083 Carbs: 45.9g | Fat: 2.1g | Fiber: 5.2g | Protein: 9.9g | Calories: 232.6
This recipe has been marked private.
French toast doesn't just have to be a "sometimes" food with this lightened-up version! This recipe eliminates the fat while keeping the flavor and texture you crave. Submitted by JLLLEW00 Carbs: 26g | Fat: 1.1g | Fiber: 5g | Protein: 20.4g | Calories: 179.6
This is a very healthy and filling breakfast, snack or even lunch. Submitted by TABBYKAT75 Carbs: 64.3g | Fat: 4.3g | Fiber: 17.4g | Protein: 13.4g | Calories: 289.1
Very Good 4.1/5
(19 ratings)
Submitted by HELENC222 Carbs: 18.3g | Fat: 13.9g | Fiber: 5.8g | Protein: 19.7g | Calories: 263.6
Very Good 4.1/5
(17 ratings)
Submitted by PRECARIOUSCAT Carbs: 57.6g | Fat: 4.9g | Fiber: 8.7g | Protein: 12.3g | Calories: 304.5
Very Good 4.7/5
(12 ratings)
I need protein in the morning or I'm starving before 10! I like to sleep until the last minute possible, but need breakfast on the go. I was buying those Jimmie Dean Egg White sandwiches, when I thought "I can make these MYSELF, and CHEAPER too!" I cook up a dozen egg whites at a time - the LAZY way--I spray a silicone muffin pan with non-stick spray and place 1 egg white in each muffin cup and bake at 400 until done (about 15 minutes). I let them cool and freeze them in ziplocs. This is a great way to use up your eggs before they get old and saves me time in the morning. By the time I toast my multigrain thin (or you can use a light english muffin) the egg white are heated up in the microwave (about 30 seconds). I slap them on my toasted mutigrain thins with a slice of cheese and head out the door! Submitted by WISHICOULDFLY Carbs: 23g | Fat: 4g | Fiber: 5g | Protein: 16g | Calories: 179
Found this recipe on Foodnetwork under healthy choices. I use the vanilla soy milk and added raisins sometimes. It is very good and could be used with any fruit and jam. I plan to try blueberry. If Diabetic use the sugar free jam and fruit yummmm 0 Submitted by WENDI_WA1 Carbs: 67g | Fat: 3.5g | Fiber: 6g | Protein: 8g | Calories: 297.1
A healthy, delicious morning cereal. I mix 1/4 cup of this cereal with a bowl of bran flakes, or a 1/2 strawberry yogurt, and sliced fruit for a quick and healthy breakfast Submitted by TABBYKAT75 Carbs: 44.8g | Fat: 8g | Fiber: 6.8g | Protein: 10.1g | Calories: 281.5
A healthy non-egg alternative that can be used with any type of fresh fruit for a topping. Submitted by THEOTHERHALF Carbs: 35g | Fat: 6.3g | Fiber: 5.7g | Protein: 10.9g | Calories: 226.8


text: Home » Product Gallery » Rugs | Vibrantly Vegas | August 2012 Rugs | Vibrantly Vegas | August 2012 In Foreign Accents' Festival collection, the new design FBK2748 is made of Favriel poly-acrylic yarn and mixes gray with bright hues for a contemporary look. foreignaccentsrugs.com Here in the pink colorway, the bright colors of the Chenille Blend Rectangle make it ideal for kids' rooms and is made of space-dyed yarns in six colorways. colonialmills.com The GoodWeave-certified Jolie rug from Company C, in its Circles & Swirls collection, melds a traditional motif with a more modern scale and has bright colors. companyc.com The Scion collection from Surya is a diverse mix of versatile and imaginative prints, ranging from everyday classics to contemporary looks. Handtufted in India of wool. surya.com This new rug from Momeni incorporates the suzani design, here in a black colorway. momeni.com In Rizzy Home's Highland collection, this design (HD2841) is handtufted of wool in India. Seven sizes are available. rizzyhome.com The new design 4576 Ivory/Blue Wildflowers is in the handtufted Florence collection and is also available in a silver coloration. kasrugs.com Safavieh's new Tangier collection of Moroccan-weave rugs includes the design TGR644A here. The handknotted collection is made of a blend of wool and hemp in India, and is in natural tones. safavieh.com Handknotted in India of bamboo silk and in solid, tonal designs, the Byron collection adds a sleek style to modern and transitional room settings. loloirugs.com Oriental Weavers adds to its indoor/outdoor rug category with Bali, a polypropylene group of 14 designs. owrugs.com From Dynamic Rugs comes the Treasure collection, shown here as design 2995-110 beige. dynamicrugs.com Featuring vibrant colors of splashy art, the Rant collection has a hard twist texture made of 100 percent New Zealand wool and deeply carved details. surya.com Nourison has added two new designs, Smoke Teal and, here, Ocean Sand, to its Contour collection. The handtufted collection is made of polyester in China. nourison.com Capel will debut a new collection in its Williamsburg license called Bowden Scallop, inspired by an elegant needlepoint upholstery design in the Williamsburg home of John D. Rockefeller. capelrugs.com


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Fred Durst on joining Cash Money and being the same guy with his hat backwards from 1999
More than fifteen years after the release of Three Dolla Bill, Y'all, Limp Bizkit is back with a brand new album, Stampede of the Disco Elephants, on the Cash Money imprint. In advance of the band's return to Denver in support of that album this weekend, we caught up with Fred Durst yesterday as he was making coffee in Omaha, and we spoke with him a bit about the return of Wes Borland, how Limp Bizkit never died and how the band ended up on Cash Money.
See also:
- Saturday: Limp Bizkit at Fillmore Auditorium, 5/18/13
- The ten best concerts to see in Denver this weekend
- Cash Money signed Limp Bizkit last week. No, really.
Westword: How's it going?
Fred Durst: Just pulled into Omaha [Nebraska]. Makin' some coffee.
A quick pick-me-up?
I don't know if it does that. I just like to have it in the morning. My mama and my papa used to drink it. I remember the smell of it, and I even enjoy the taste of it a little bit.
How did you get together with Cash Money Records?
Well, we were looking for an out from where we were at the time, and I went into the studio with Polow da Don to work on a track together, and we came up with "Ready to Go." I told him I wanted Lil Wayne on it. He knows Wayne, so he said he'd reach out to him. He liked the track, and collaborated with me. I gave the song to Cash Money and asked them if they wanted to put it out themselves. In turn, they said, "We'd love to, but we'd be more interested in signing you."
It just happened to be the right thing to do to send over that track. That's how it happened. I got on the phone with Baby and Slim and really liked where they were coming from. They are both very smart and just great people and understand how to deal with artists and how to empower artists to be the best they can be without any limitations. It just felt like a great place to be. I knew the news would be a little polar, which doesn't bother me; it sort of completes our entity here. I think Limp Bizkit is the kind of band that can get away with it.
You said the band was looking for an out, so you mean Interscope, right?
How were they limiting you and Limp Bizkit as artists?
It wasn't just us, but it was a lot of things. They just felt this way on being ahead of the curve, and just not having the boundaries of being innovative without chasing our tails. It felt like, you know, unless it was hip-hop or pop, it just wasn't working over there. The team was dwindling down to nobody. It was just headed in its own direction.
I think they were focused on certain urban acts with pop appeal or somehow fitting into the mainstream, as opposed to a dying genre of rock and hybrids of rock and things like that. Plus, when the main guy is focused on headphones and is very successful at that, it just wasn't the right place to be for a rock band.
How do you feel with Cash Money, and specifically this new album, that you'll be able to breath new life into what you say is a dying genre?
That genre, I can't speak for it. I think everything goes in waves. As rare as Limp Bizkit was when we came out in the mid '90s, we are even more rare right now. There is something to be said for that. Mainly what we do is about our live show, and that kind of connection, but it's really rare. There seems to be some place in the world where that voice can exist, and there is no need to hike up to the top of the mountain. We have already been there. It's more like maintaining and being passionate about what we do without limitations and not try to throw all our dough into a cookie cutter.
It's like whatever we feel and are passionate about, and now we feel like rockin'. Maybe it will be catchy and maybe it will not. Maybe people will gravitate towards it, or not. Maybe it's too heavy for anything. There are no moods. It's all about content and being passionate about what we do, instead of trying to milk the cow for that last drop of milk. It's that kind of freedom. We are a rock band, or at least some sort of hybrid of one. We don't have any expectations.
Our fans are the band. The band and what we have accomplished and being a part of the Cash Money family is just being an asset. There is no pressure. They are not asking, "Where's that next song?" It just doesn't exist. I feel like they really empower their artists to be who they want to be, and it really helps you find yourself as you go through waves in life.
You need to look back at the ocean you've been riding and see that it's been a wave for you. Everybody will constantly, no matter how flat the water, or up and down in your individual experience, it's always evolving. Sometimes it will be cloudy, or sharp and focused, but it's about being human and honest that feels right. There are so many other ways I could survive and pay the bills and make money.
I'd say you proved that with directing feature films and the other projects you've had going in the past six or so years. Would you refer to those years as the flat water you and your band?
We've had lots of flat water, lots of glass, and it kind of goes in waves. Looking at it from the outside, you just see it as a bubble. We are real people. We wake up everyday and deal with our own individual lives, and there are lots of up and downs. It's a real saga. It's a great one. It's like Lawrence of Arabia, but with Bizkits.
It's just that time where Wes wanted to go do his thing, and the communication wasn't there. He wanted to express himself and find other outlets, until he realized after a while that he could've always done this and done Limp Bizkit. He's not the elephant in the room anymore. He is Wes of Limp Bizkit, and he knew he had this. He's human. There is no way he couldn't know that what we have is irreplaceable and priceless. Eventually, we all know that we can't find this anywhere else.
At the end of 2008 or 2009, he said he was sorry and wanted to do it. We were like, "Fuck. Let's go." There was a little lull there, but we are ready. We have so much fun playing live. The recording process is a little different -- it's not as fun as playing live. We have always been a live band that just had to go make songs. We are kind of backwards. If you don't see Limp Bizkit live, you might be missing half of the picture.
Continue reading for more from Durst.
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Has anyone ever used this product?? If so did the circled numbers on the muslin show through on your light fabrics?? if so, how did you handle this???
I just finished about 20 squares for the Hunter's Star and am frustrated that I wasted time and fabric on a project that I can never use!!! |
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by jennifer_in_va (My Page) on Sun, Jul 15, 07 at 17:20
I'm not sure of the product, but wouldn't the markings wash out after the quilt is washed? Is there a brand name along the edge that you could do an internet search on for information? |
I haven't used it either, but I too would think it would wash out. I couldn't find anything on the internet. Does the package say what to do? If not, I'd contact them and ask about it. Good luck! |
- Posted by sew_self-taught (My Page) on Sun, Jul 15, 07 at 19:06
Hi joellen - I'm sorry I can't help you with your question, I hope it all comes out okay. I just wanted to say welcome! Nina |
- Posted by joellencox (My Page) on Mon, Jul 16, 07 at 12:31
I did wash it and it did not come out even the slightest. Have e-mailed the company with no reply yet! The picture on their website shows a quilt (pineapple) that has light colors in it also!They could have just as easily made the printing way, way lighter maybe in grey or cream that would not show through, this printing was dark green!! So sad--'Cuz the quilt was so cute! |
- Posted by joellencox (My Page) on Mon, Jul 16, 07 at 13:18
The company e-mailed me back---the foundation printing does not come off---they recommend using 2 layers of fabric and they instruct to sew on the opposite side of paper piecing. Now that the quilt is done, they suggested that I cut away the underside where it shows--good for me---at least the whole quilt isn't ruined! |
So glad you found some solution. I enjoy paper piecing but have never bought preprinted foundation although I have heard of it. I have always copied mine on the printer. Recently, however, someone suggested if we are making many of the same blocks we can stack the papers and perforate it with by sewing with a needle and no thread on the lines. I wish I remember who said this because I sure want to say thanks. I have used it on 2 patterns already. It is also easier to remove than the paper usually is although I use a very small stitch. I just use a regular stitch to make the pattern. Good luck with your quilt. Post a picture for us. Sally |
Thanks for warning us. I would be really upset with the company. Glad you could save the quilt. Rosa |
Welcome, joellen! Thanks for sharing. I have foundations for Hunter's star, too, but haven't used them yet. You probably saved me much frustration by posting. Sally, I'm pretty sure you thanked me for the perforation suggestion; I'm so glad it's working for you. Cheryl |
- Posted by Anita(firstname.lastname@example.com) onWed, Jun 1, 11 at 17:40
All foundation piecing is done on the back side of the marked fabric. If the fabric is muslin, it shouldn't show through on light colored fabrics. I know that this was a very old post, but it might help someone at some time. |
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