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PowerShell is super, but its documentation is still lousy. You might think that how to test a database field for a null value would be straightforward, and indeed it is, but it ain't documented anywhere. I've just spent the afternoon searching and eventually had to work it out for myself. So here it...
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Nathan Winters
Nathan Winters is a Unified Communications Consultant for Dimension Data; a Microsoft Gold Partner on five continents whose clients include over 70% of the Global Fortune 100. Nathan has been working in I.T. for four years and specialises in Exchange, Active Directory and Virtualisation. Recent work...
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I have been working as a messaging engineer for a US-based international hospitality and travel company for the past nine years. I spend a good deal of my time in a test lab working out the details of the next messaging project. I work with Exchange, anti-virus and anti-spam solutions, BlackBerry, Lotus...
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The following article was kindly written by Adrian Beasley General I have recently installed Certificate Services on a Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition machine, in order to make available version 2 certificate templates, which are configurable, and I have been investigating these, and the...
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Goals and Gathering Information The first thing to do is ask yourself why you are about to install Active Directory. You will need to research the various features and evaluate exactly how some of these features will benefit your business in some way. You may be looking to simplify your current Windows...
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Practical Exchange Service Delivery Reporting
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Recently, I took part in a discussion, where a number of people were debating the need to have a business representative or business-focused Project Manager involved in the design stages of a data warehouse. My own view is that business users should have input at every stage of the development. User...
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The Rudder softball game against Brenham on Tuesday, April 8th will be played at Rudder with JV starting at 5, followed by Varsity at 7 p.m.
Due to wet field conditions for the March 10th home game, Rudder played at Brenham. Therefore the site for next week's game has been flipped and will be played at Rudder.
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In assessing the severity of their current problems, Democrats have split into three distinct camps.
The first, the Loyal Obamaites, is made up of those most committed to President Obama, whether or not they're on his payroll. They stress that it is a long time until November 2010 and that their party's problems are primarily driven by the economy.
In their view, if the economy turns around over the next year, the president's fortunes and those of his party will improve. If the economy fails to improve, Democrats are pretty much screwed no matter what they do, the Loyalists continue. They maintain that tackling health care reform would be tough in any year, that candidate Obama promised to take on this challenge, and that he cannot back down. Some Democrats in this camp sound as if they would not mind if a dozen or so "Blue Dogs" lost next year, since on tough votes these moderate-to-conservative Democrats are not with the president and their party's House leadership anyway.
The second Democratic camp, the Purists, is chiefly composed of liberal activists and bloggers who see the current problems of the president and the party as the result of their being insufficiently liberal and of not sticking with their convictions. Purists see compromise as weakness or appeasement. And on health care they view anything short of a full-blown public option as a rejection of core Democratic principles. Oddly, universal coverage is not where they draw their line in the sand.
(Without weighing in on the validity of the liberal Purists' arguments, I would like the record to show that when conservatives made a similar argument -- that Republicans lost the 2006 and 2008 elections because they had veered away from conservative principles -- liberals laughed hysterically.)
Finally, there are the Skeptics, those Democrats who have concluded that this is not the cruise they signed up for. They worry that the problems facing Obama and their party's congressional leadership stem from something deeper than just the recession and that major strategic mistakes have been made. They can't see how this trajectory doesn't take their party to a bad place by November 2010. The Skeptics think that the rapid and unprecedented expansion of government -- under both Presidents Bush and Obama -- since last year's collapse of Lehman Brothers has gone too far and that costly health care proposals and cap-and-trade legislation are the straws breaking the camel's back.
If the economy fails to improve, Democrats are screwed no matter what they do, Obama's Loyalists say.
My own hunch is that the Skeptics are right that the Democrats' problems are bigger than the recession: Purple America is reacting to the growth of government with emotions ranging from dubiousness to outright hostility. So, the rebound for which almost everyone is praying won't necessarily fix the Democrats' problems.
To my way of thinking, many of the unprecedented actions that the Bush administration took in its last four months and that Obama took in his first few months as president were necessary to prevent a worldwide economic collapse. But that view is not widely shared and, thus, is of no solace to those alarmed by what they see as an ineffectual federal government expanding far beyond its competence.
What's more, the Loyalist notion that a dozen or so Blue Dogs might be expendable ignores the fact that a political environment that culls the Democratic herd in the House would very likely cost Democrats two to four senators, people whose votes are anything but expendable. Right now, seven Democratic Senate seats are vulnerable -- eight if GOP Rep. Michael Castle runs for the open seat in Delaware. It is not hard to envision Democrats going 0 for 5 among the vulnerable Republican-held open seats (in Kentucky, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Texas) and also not ousting any Republican incumbents. Another complicating factor for Democrats is that although Purple America holds some residual goodwill toward Obama, it has none for the Democratic Congress. When the institution is held in very low regard, plenty of well-liked and well-respected members of the majority party can simply get sucked down by the undertow. That happened to Republicans in 2006 and Democrats in 1994.
If the folks in the Obama White House are right that an economic turnaround will ease their political problems, that's great for them. But if the Democrats' problems are deeper and more fundamental, an economic recovery may not do the trick.
This article appears in the September 12, 2009 edition of National Journal Magazine.
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Look Out! Little Shop of Horrors Opens Tomorrow, Feb 28
The Little Shop of Horrors, Deerfield's first musical in the Large Auditorium in 20 years, opens tomorrow at 7 p.m. and goes until Saturday.
The Little Shop of Horrors, Deerfield's first musical in the Large Auditorium in 20 years, opens tomorrow at 7 p.m. and goes until Saturday.
As the 2010-2011 school year comes to a close so do 27 years of directing at Deerfield Academy for John Reese.
This spring's play She Stoops to Conquer unfolds in a country manor in late eighteenth-century England, a setting that demands luxury to the point of frivolity.
Deerfield hosted this year's Eight Schools Theatre Festival, a daylong event which welcomed Hotchkiss, Andover, Exeter, and Northfield Mount Hermon to present a student-directed, one-act play.
Delighting families, teenagers, and adults alike, Imago's Theatre's world-famous productions merge all aspects of performance, from acting to acrobatics, and from dancing to mime.
This Friday, Parents' Weekend, the Deerfield community will gather in the large auditorium to experience the world of the performing arts.
This fall's play, Seven Minutes in Heaven by Steven Levenson, perfectly captures the stereotypes young teenagers try so desperately to adopt…
Intense, artistic, and theatrical, Camille Coppola '10 is a well-known face in the theater department. She has been in a play ten of her twelve trimesters, and has been in Acting Tutorial class for four years…
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PICTURES: Motor enthusiasts flock to Haverhill for first vehicle show and annual transport rally
Posted: July 15, 2014|
Market-goers got more than they bargained for this week when they visited Haverhill town centre for their shopping.
A range of sports cars and vintage vehicles pulled up beside the weekly stalls as the town welcomed its first ever motor show on Saturday
The event, organised by St Edmundsbury Borough Council, was also visited by a road sweeper and refuse freighter – with children and parents invited inside for a look.
The fun continued all weekend with the town's annual transport rally and road run taking place the following day.
Wacky vehicles, including a vintage double decker bus, lined the Arts Centre car park on Sunday, before taking a tour of the surrounding villages.
Held every year, the road run is a family favourite in the Haverhill calendar.
Nick Keeble, arts and leisure manager, said: "Despite the heavy showers, there were good numbers throughout the day.
"We had to run extra coach trips because of the demand and there was great feedback form those attending – particularly those who came for a trip down vehicle memory lane."


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Published at PO Box 96 124 W. St. Clair Romeo, MI 48065. Phone: (586)752-3524 Fax: (586)752-0548
Updated Wednesday, June 24, 2015 at 3 PM EST
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You are Viewing an Archived IssuePosted: 08/20/14
TRW GRANT. Above, from left, TRW Automotive Program Manager Jessica Abey presents a check to Romeo High School Principal Mike Kaufman, Romeo Engineering and Technology Center Assistant Principal Natalie Davis and Byting Bulldogs Team Mentor Dan Gardner.
(Observer photo by Chris Gray)
TRW gives $3,500 to RCS for robotics, printer
by CHRIS GRAYA Washington Township-based company is encouraging students to pursue science and technology careers with its third-annual donation.
Observer Staff Writer
TRW Automotive presented $3,500 to Romeo Community Schools on Aug. 14 to bolster Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.
Romeo High School Principal Mike Kaufman emphasized the importance of the financial support from TRW and other entities in the community for the district's programs.
"Partnerships with great companies like TRW really do us a great service because we could not operate the programs and offer our kids what we do," he said.
As with past donations, a portion of the grant will support the robotics program. The Romeo robotics team, known as the Byting Bulldogs, will use the grant to buy materials for constructing a robot to compete in the For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) robotics competition.
Dan Gardner, team mentor and former head coach, said the donations are crucial since the kits they receive for the competition are sparse.
"It's just what all these corporations had said 'we'll give this to FIRST robotics and distribute it to the teams,'" he said. "We use some of the kit parts and items, some of them we have to buy our own materials to do the things we want to do."
The second portion of the grant will purchase a 3D printer. Drafting, architectural and mechanical design and alternative energy instructor Evva Dossin applied for the grant.
Natalie Davis, assistant principal at the Romeo Engineering and Technology Center, said the printer will be used for all of Dossin's programs.
A 3D printer can create three-dimensional objects based on electronic data such as computer-aided design software.
Gardner said the printer allows students to design a gear, for instance, and actually create the gear based on their designs without having to go to machining.
"A lot of the robotics teams are buying 3D printers now because we want a prototype fast," he said. "You want to try stuff you design before you go and cut something out in metal, which takes a lot of time and expertise."
He said he could see its applications in his electronics class, giving students a chance to actually build something instead of relying on schematics.
The printer provides real-word education as well. Jessica Abey, program manager at TRW and a team mentor for the Byting Bulldogs, said TRW uses 3D printers for testing out parts for concepts.
"We use them extensively here," she said.
Abey, a Romeo High School graduate, said TRW's goal with the grants is to encourage students to check out fields like science and engineering.
"It's good to get kids in the community involved and interested in STEM," she said. "They're the future employees for our industry."
The encouragement appears to be working. Gardner said in the robotics program alone, nine out of 10 graduating seniors pursue a degree in a STEM field such as engineering or computer science, often with the aid of scholarships.
"Our results have been spectacular so far," he said.
Last year's donation of $3,000 went toward the physics department for new analytical technology and to the robotics program.
In its first year, $3,000 was given to purchase Qwizdom hardware for the science program, while $1,000 went to the Byting Bulldogs.
TRW Automotive, which also has a Romeo facility, manufactures safety systems like airbags, seat belts and steering wheels.


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Harvard Professor To NFL: Treat Concussions With Pot
A well regarded Harvard professor emeritus has a modest suggestion for the NFL: start funding marijuana research as a way to treat concussions.
Civilian Busted For Bringing Pot Into Pentagon
An Army employee was busted with 25 grams of marijuana.
Poll: Majority Of Americans In Favor Of Legalizing Marijuana
For the first time in history, a clear majority of Americans are in favor of legalizing marijuana a new poll shows.
Study: Longtime Marijuana Smokers Lack Motivation, Reward-Seeking Behavior
A new study finds that longtime marijuana use lowers motivation and reward-seeking behavior as the brain produces less dopamine.


text:
POSTED IN: TV Show Recipes , Pati's Mexican Table
TAGS: avocado , EP210 , Mexico , Patricia Jinich , salad
Print This Page | Print Recipe | COMMENTS (7)
Ensalada de todos los días
Serves 6
1 head butter lettuce or red leaf lettuce
1/3 cup white distilled vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar, or to taste
4 carrots, or 3/4 lb, peeled, thinly sliced
1 large cucumber , or 3/4 lb, peeled, seeded, sliced
2 ripe tomatoes, or 3/4 lb, quartered, seeded, sliced
1 large ripe Mexican avocado, halved, pitted, sliced
In a plastic container that has a lid, add the vinegar, vegetable and olive oils, Dijon mustard, garlic, onion, salt, black pepper and sugar. Cover the container with a lid and shake for 10 seconds until the vinaigrette is well emulsified. Alternatively, you can also whisk with a fork in a bowl.
Place the lettuce, carrots, cucumber and tomato in a large salad bowl. Pour a generous amount of the vinaigrette on top and toss. The salad should be coated with the vinaigrette but not swimming in it.
Top with avocado slices, drizzle a bit more vinaigrette on top of and serve.
I'm so excited to try this salad and the dressing.... It sounds SOOOOO familiar to something my mom used to make when I was a child. Yay!!!Linda Leigh | November 5, 2012 9:12 PM
Thanks for your comment, Linda. I hope this salad recalls childhood memories for you.Pati Jinich replied to comment from Linda Leigh | November 15, 2012 12:05 PM
Pati, love your show! You had said when you were working with the cucumbers that your mom and other women in the family would rub the end of the cut cucumber to keep it sweet. My mom who came from an Italian family did this too, she also did it with zucchini. I am like you, if it works why change it. Thank you for helping me discover REAL Mexican cooking.MarianneBaird | December 22, 2012 11:48 AM
Hi Marianne, Thank you very much for watching the show!! I didn't know they did the cucumber trick in Italy too. Good to know!!Pati Jinich replied to comment from MarianneBaird | December 28, 2012 5:49 PM
Pati my husband and I are so excited to try this recipe I was wondering if you can change up the vinagers in the dressing? Can you use red wine or apple cider?? I love watching your show we set our tv to remind us when it's on so we don't miss an episode:) Thanks for sharing all your recipes and for allowing us in your kitchen:)Amy | January 6, 2013 7:09 PM
cant wait to try the flan reciepe my boy friend is from mexico and he loves flan do you have a reciepe for bolillo breadrockel | January 6, 2013 7:48 PM
Hi Pati,
just watched your show on Create for the 1st time and I love the dressing recipe. I will be trying that soon. When you mentioned about rubbing the cucumber ends it reminded me of my Mom who does that in India. Good to know some things are same no matter where you are from.
Thanks for your recipes. Taruna
You are currently viewing "Pati's Mexican Table: Everyday Green Salad" at: http://patismexicantable.com/2012/11/everyday-green-salad.html
Courtesy of Pati's Mexican Table: http://patismexicantable.com/
2009 © Patricia Jinich. All text and images are property of Patricia Jinich. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Energy One is one of the fastest growing home improvement companies in the nation. We market and install high performance energy-efficient windows, vinyl siding, and insulated wall systems.
The majority of our success is due to our unique marketing strategy. We feel that spending huge sums on advertising campaigns directly affects the homeowner by – more... driving up the cost of overhead. Instead, we developed what is considered a progressive approach. Using this technique, Energy One is able to access communities and market itself from the inside out. By keeping our advertising budget low, Energy One passes on more than just incredible fuel savings to our customers – we pass on incredible value! – less


text:
Texas on the Potomac
Washington news with a Texas accent
Posts filtered on Tag
Houston veteran: Iraq War is over, but shadow of 9/11 still looms
"I never thought of joining the military until September 11 happened," said Brad Morris, a Houston resident and veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. "It didn't seem like something to do until it seemed like the only thing to do." [Read More]
Twitter war erupts after Dewhurst posts video of wounded soldier
Katrina Pierson referred to a veteran as "deformed" on Twitter. Her wording was challenged by the veteran and others. [Read More]
Ron Paul launches $1 million ad campaign
Texas Rep. Ron Paul plugged his military service in a $1 million advertising campaign, launched the day of the presidential debate for candidates seeking the Republican nomination. [Read More]


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Associate Professor Oscar Casares participates in H-E-B Read 3 Literacy Campaign
Posted: April 16, 2012
Department of English Associate Professor Oscar Casares participated in H-E-B Grocery Company's Read 3 program in early March with a special in-store reading of Dr. Seuss books to thirty first graders.
The Read 3 program is a literacy campaign that encourages caregivers to read to children at least three times a week and strives to provide books to children in need, with a goal of collecting 1 million books during 2011 and 2012.
Oscar Casares is the author of two noted books, earning him fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Copernicus Society of America, and the Texas Institute of Letters. His collection of stories, Brownsville, was selected by American Library Association as a Notable Book of 2004, and is now included in the curriculum at several universities throughout the country. His first novel, Amigoland, received a "starred review" from Publisher's Weekly, which called it "a winning novel." A graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop, he teaches and directs the MFA program in creative writing at the University of Texas at Austin.


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(Gawker)- A Utah man who appeared on a recent episode of daytime talk show The Doctors claims he has held on to a McDonald's burger for 14 years — and it looks the same today as on the day he first bought it.
"I was showing some people how enzymes work and I thought a hamburger would be a good idea. And I used it for a month and then forgot about it," David Whipple told the show's hosts. "It ended up in a paper sack in the original sack with the receipt in my coat tossed in the back of my truck and it sat there for, I don't know, two or three months."
The coat was then moved to Whipple's closet, where it remained until his wife dug it up along with the burger "a year or two" later.
"We pulled it out and said 'oh my gosh, I can't believe it looks the same way,'" Whipple said.
And it continues to maintain its ostensible freshness to this day, some 14 years after it was initially purchased.
Though he nearly sold it on eBay once — and for $2,000 no less — Whipple decided it was better to hold on to the burger for posterity's sake.
"It's great for the grandkids to see," he said. "To see what happens with fast food."
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Tried & true
We're about to make choosing a venue for your event just a tad more difficult by sharing a slew of places where, through our long experience, we know you can throw the most excellent party, no matter what your style.
It goes almost without saying: Here in Seattle, there's something for everyone!
Sky View Observatory
Located on the 73rd floor of Columbia Center, Sky View offers a 360º panoramic view of Mt. Baker, Bellevue, the Cascade Mountains, Mt. Rainier, Elliott Bay, the Olympic Mountains, the Space Needle and the city of Seattle. Its convenient location means easy access from I-5, most major bus lines and light rail service. The building is just a few blocks from Pike Place Market and just 20 minutes from Sea-Tac. More about Sky View Observatory
A working whiskeyhouse with a striking modern event space right in the heart of SODO, Westland Distillery is a dramatic and stylish venue for your party of up to 140. More about Westland Distillery
The birthplace of two of Seattle's most famous statues — Fremont's Lenin and Capitol Hill's Jimmy Hendrix. This venue now offers 11,000 square feet of naturally lit rooms, featuring 20-foot skylights, a spacious courtyard, art gallery, an expans of rooftop terrace, & a penthouse with sweeping views of Seattle. Steel, natural wood and exposed concrete highlight the building's unconventional industrial ambiance. Ideal for corporate events, product rollouts, fashion shows, music events, photo sessions, weddings & private parties. More about Fremont Foundry
Up to 6000 square feet for your event — in the former home of the beloved Elliott Bay Books, Axis inhabits a historic 1890 space with 18' brick arches & antique wood floors. Event capacity: 400 (250 seated). More about Axis Pioneer Square
DeLille Cellars
A family-run & independently owned winery making old-world style red & white wines consistently rated in the 90s by wine writers & prominent connoisseurs. Whether it's a company holiday party or an intimate wedding, the DeLille Cellars chateau offers one of the most cozy & charming venues for private events in Woodinville Wine Country. More about DeLille Cellars
Melrose Market Studios
A creative and flexible event venue on the west edge of Capitol Hill, Melrose Market Studios has exposed red brick walls, huge Douglas fir beams, high ceilings & polished concrete floor. The hall can accommodate 250 people standing & approximately 200 people sitting. More about Melrose Market Studios
The Artist's Loft at Hotel Max
Untraditional! 6,300 square feet of "not your momma's hotel event space." What it lacks in polish it makes up for in versatility: This soaring, light-filled space with concrete floors and a saw tooth ceiling punctuated by skylights is perfect for parties, fashion shows and musical performances. Guests access the space through an 8' car elevator: How cool is that?! More about the Artist's Loft
Jardin del Sol
Who doesn't love the amazing natural beauty around us? Consider marrying in a gorgeous wedding garden atop 7 acres of rolling pasture and lush woodlands. An outdoor dancefloor means fun under the stars, and an available tent is always on hand in case of unexpected weather. Located 2 miles from downtown Shohomish and just 5 minutes from I-5. More about Jardin del Sol
The Admiral's House
Secluded on nearly 4 acres in Magnolia, this venue overlooks Elliott Bay and boasts an unobstructed view of the Seattle city skyline that includes the Space Needle and majestic Mount Rainier. Accommodates up to 200 guests. More about the Admiral's House
The Factory Luxe
Warm, timeless, intriguing — A combination of industrial edge & elegance located in Seattle's historic Rainier Brewery. Perfect for 40 to 200 guests, with a capacity of 200 for a cocktail reception & 80 formally seated with lounge reception — ideal for dinner & dancing! More about The Factory Luxe
Mercer Island Community & Event Center
Panoramic views & modern architecture welcome guests upon arrival. Spectacular Lake Washington and Cascade Mountain views. As elegant as it is affordable. Brides, guests, wedding planners, florists, photographers & videographers appreciate the Center's open floorplan, variety of rooms, flexible seating options & 222 parking spaces. Seats up to 225. More about The Mercer Island Community & Event Center
The Piranha Shop
The Piranha Shop is a vibrant creative space located in Seattle's SODO neighborhood. A cultural hub & private event venue, The Piranha Shop is Seattle's premier DIY location: Cool professionalism together with a unique aesthetic & vision become the backdrop & underpinnings of some of the Northwest's most prominent events. More about the Piranha Shop
The Club
The Yacht Club on Lake Union is a flexible & accommodating waterside party space with a gorgeous view & a wide deck overlooking Lake Union. Dockside access makes for fun opportunities & parking is free and easy. The home base of Ravishing Radish, we can handle everything for you start to finish, including the venue booking. More about the Club
Urban Light Studios
Hidden in the heart of Greenwood-Phinney, Urban Light Studios is a 3700 s.f. eclectic architectural event space for up to 250 guests. In an "artistic speakeasy," a long hallway guides visitors off the street into a new world. A large outdoor patio, optional photo studio/art gallery, and a designer kitchen/bar area offer further versatility to your event. More about Urban Light
A great complement to the 1906 Mukilteo Lighthouse (a favorite for vows), Rosehill Community Center dazzles with floor-to-ceiling windows & sweeping views of Possession Sound and Whidbey Island. The Point Elliott Room can accommodate 450 people theater-style or 216 at table, or can be divided into two rooms for smaller events — includes plenty of parking in its adjacent lots. More about Rosehill Community Center
Farm Kitchen
A rustic yet elegant space for celebration & relaxation, located on an 18-acre organic farm near Seattle. The french doors of the renovated barn open out to gardens all around. The multiple gardens and lawns provide a peaceful, private setting for weddings, parties and business meetings, retreats & community events. More about The Farm Kitchen
The Woodhouse Wine Estates
Located in the heart of Woodinville Wine Country, Woodhouse wine estates has an exquisite Viking kitchen & elegant chandeliers. The venue can accommodate anything from small intimate groups to 80 seated guests or 100 guests in a cocktail-like setting. More about Woodhouse Wine Estates
Within Sodo
Highlighting the natural materials & creating a "function through form" design, Within Sodo can adapt & house a wide variety of events, from an hour_long photoshoot to a day long corporate retreat & everything in between. The venue consists of two dividable rooms of 1600 square feet each, a 3000 square foot roof deck, & a capacity of 330 total. More about Within Sodo
For fun, funky, artistic & intimate parties of up to 50, Studio 116 on Elliott near the SAM Olympic Sculpture Park features a flexible space, floor-to-ceiling paned windows, a photography backdrop & an overall loft feel. More about Studio 116
Spacious rooms with spectacular, sweeping views of the city & a stone fireplace add warmth & intimacy with elegant French doors that open onto a balcony overlooking the waters of Lake Union. The floating dock can hold 100 people for standing ceremonies & cocktail hours. The banquet room can be configured to hold up to 140 for dinner. More about The College Club Boathouse
The Clubhouse on Queen Anne
Seattle's history is reflected by the Clubhouse's brick and mahogany walls and gold-rush era bar within one of the original buildings built on Queen Anne Hill. Affordable rentals help restore and preserve this historic building. Non-profit, accommodates 20-120. More about the Clubhouse
Your favorite other spot!
Your desired venue not listed here? Not a problem! We cater to just about any location within range. Email us or call us at 206-860-7449 & let us cater to your favorite venue or a private home. Contact Vickie
Wow! I can't say enough about how great everything went. We had such a fun time and didn't have to worry about any of the details.
From the very start, we really enjoyed working with Kalila. She was so on top of things, patient, responsive and friendly.
Sara and all of the event staff did an amazing job as well. Several people commented about the great food and I heard guests say it was the best food they've ever had at a wedding.
Thanks to all at Ravishing Radish who made our wedding such a big success!
I wanted to thank you so much for your beautiful work for our wedding. Many people commented on how amazing the food was…some said it was the BEST wedding food they have ever had. Pretty awesome. The staff was fantastic! We also appreciated the extra helping moving all of the pies over to the kitchen. Wouldn't have changed a thing.
Working with you was awesome. I never felt in question about whether things were being taken care. Thank you, thank you for all of it.
I cannot say enough about the service and the people on the team that provided that service. They were friendly but unobtrusive. From the minute they arrived to the minute they left, they took care of everything efficiently and flawlessly! For us as the homeowners it was a delight to discover they left our house cleaner when they left than they found it when they arrived. They thought of absolutely everything.
All of the staff was super friendly, always had a smile on their face, and even at the end of the night (12 hours into their day!) the folks behind the bar were bopping along to the music and super cheerful and friendly.
And of course the food was awesome. This is the third or fourth wedding I've been to in the last couple of years that they catered and everything is always fantastic.
RR catered our wedding recently, and I couldn't be happier with how it came out.
Finding an organic, local caterer was very important to us and to my parents. We looked into a few other options in town, but RR was the best to work with initially. We don't live in Seattle, so we couldn't attend a tasting. Unlike most other places, they arranged a private tasting for us — even opened some prosecco. It was lovely. They were also comfortable with our budget restrictions, which was terrific.
I didn't have a planner or a day-of coordinator (just really lovely friends!), but I didn't think it was an issue. RR always wrote or called back within a reasonable time frame, and was super responsive to our changing needs and helpful in decision-making about the menu, room setup, timeline, etc.
My friends running the show at the venue that day said they were extremely impressed with how timely and professional they were.
And the FOOD! The food was amazing! We ended up doing family style, which people loved. Loads of guests told us they loved the meal.
Hiring RR was among the best decisions we made in our wedding planning process. I can't recommend them strongly enough.
When we began to plan our event, our number one priority was to have good food. Many of our guests were hospitality industry veterans who can hold a high standard, so we also wanted amazing service. We found it in Ravishing Radish. They were professional, patient with us, accommodating of last minute changes, hit the ground running, and could adapt well to ever-changing needs and surprise challenges on event day. The food tasted great and they were a pleasure to work with.
We would not have been able to create such a wonderful event without Ravishing Radish's delicious food.
When we began to plan our event, our number one priority was to have good food. Many of our guests were hospitality industry veterans who can hold a high standard, so we also wanted amazing service. We found it in Ravishing Radish. They were professional, patient with us, accommodating of last minute changes, hit the ground running, and could adapt well to ever-changing needs and surprise challenges on event day.
Everyone told us it was the best food they ever had at a wedding and we agreed.
The wonderful ladies at Ravishing make me want to throw another wedding reception. My guests and I really enjoyed the food which was wonderful. As I was at my honeymoon resort I was dreaming about the food at our reception.
The event staff more than anticipated our needs. They saved some of our appetizers that we would have missed during the cocktail hour while we were taking photos. The event staff were really flexible when we arrived early and they worked hard to get the dinner buffet ready early. They also made up plates for the groom and I so we didn't have to go through the line and had food ready when we were. I was dancing pretty hard in my satin ballgown and when I turned around one of the event staff had a glass of ice water and linen napkin for me. It was so appreciated. As I looked around the reception hall I noticed that the event staff was upbeat, positive, and smiling which really kept the whole atmosphere on a positive note.
Working with the team beforehand we received really helpful advice about which sauces would go best together, but the food just sells itself. When we went in for the tasting it was the day after a close friend's wedding where we were in the bridal party. We had a late and large brunch and then two hours later we attended the tasting. We had tasted at several other caterers and were generally disappointed so we went in with some reservations. When we tried the food my husband immediately wanted to hire Ravishing. It was pretty funny: He was ready to write a check and take the sour orange mojo sauce with chicken home. The Ravishing team was so charming and helpful and assured him we would work out the details later but to enjoy the food.
Ravishing Radish also did our bar catering. Nick the bar manager was so helpful with the tasting and really helped us put together a fantastic wine/beer open bar. I cannot wait for RR to cater our next event.


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Monthly Returns During Presidential and Congressional Election Years
May 27, 2014 • Posted in Calendar Effects, Political Indicators
Do the hopes and fears of elections in the U.S. affect the "normal" seasonal variation in monthly stock market returns? To check, we compare average returns and volatilities (standard deviations of returns) by calendar month for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) during years with and without quadrennial U.S. presidential elections and biennial congressional elections. Using monthly closes for the DJIA over the period October 1928 through April 2014 (about 86 years and 20 presidential elections), we find that:
The following chart compares average DJIA returns by calendar month for four subsamples:
- Years during which there is a presidential election (20 observations).
- Years during which there is a congressional election (43 observations, including presidential election years).
- Years during which there is no presidential election (64 observations).
- Years during which there is no congressional election (43 observations).
The average return for all months over this period is 0.55%. Results suggest that elections may have special effects on January, April, May and August. However, the election subsamples are not large.
What about an effect on stock market volatility by calendar month?
The final chart shows the standard deviations of DJIA returns by calendar month for the same four subsamples. Results suggest elevated stock market volatility during May, July and August, and perhaps subdued volatility in September and October. However, as noted, the election subsamples are note large.
In summary, evidence from simple tests supports some belief that elections have effects on typical U.S. stock market seasonality.
Cautions regarding findings include:
- As noted, subsample sizes are not large, limiting confidence in findings.
- Changes in U.S. political processes and the stock market environment could affect seasonality.
See also the differences in cumulative returns and volatilities of the S&P 500 Index Trading Calendar for even and odd years.
It costs less than a single trading commission. Learn more here.


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Nothing to be Frightened ofPaperback Vintage Books
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- Publisher: VINTAGE
- Format: Paperback | 256 pages
- Dimensions: 129mm x 198mm x 16mm | 183g
- Publication date: 5 March 2009
- Publication City/Country: London
- Sales rank: 24,769
Product description
'I don't believe in God, but I miss Him.' Julian Barnes' new book is, among many things, a family memoir, an exchange with his philosopher brother, a meditation on mortality and the fear of death, a celebration of art, an argument with and about God, and a homage to the French writer Jules Renard. Though he warns us that 'this is not my autobiography', the result is a tour of the mind of one of our most brilliant writers.
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Julian Barnes is the author of twelve novels, including Metroland, Flaubert's Parrot, Arthur & George and most recently The Sense of an Ending, which won the 2011 Man Booker Prize for Fiction. He has also written three books of short stories, Cross Channel, The Lemon Table and Pulse; and three collections of journalism, Letters from London, Something to Declare and The Pedant in the Kitchen. His work has been translated into more than thirty languages. In France he is the only British writer to have won both the Prix Medicis (for Flaubert's Parrot) and the Prix Femina (for Talking it Over). In 2004 he received the Austrian State Prize for European Literature, and in 2011 he was awarded the David Cohen Prize for Literature. He lives in London.
Review quote
"Both fun and funny. It is sharp too, in the sense of painful as well as witty... Barnes dissects with tremendous verve and insight this awesome inevitability of death and its impact on the human psyche. He also tears at your heart" New Statesman "A maverick form of family memoir that is mainly an extended reflection on the fear of death and on that great consolation, religioous belief... It is entertaining, intriguing, absorbing...an inventive and invigorating slant on what is nowadays called 'life writing'. It took me hours to write this review because each reference to my notes set me off rereading; that is a reviewer's ultimate accolade" -- Penelope Lively Financial Times "A brilliant bible of elegant despair...that most urgent kind of self-help manual: the one you must read before you die" -- Tim Adams Vogue "Intensely fascinating" The Times "An elegant memoir and meditation. A deep seismic tremor of a book that keeps rumbling and grumbling in the mind for weeks thereafter" Garrison Keillor
Editorial reviews
Life's a bichon, and then you die.Elegant and eloquent, Barnes (Arthur & George, 2006, etc.) arrives a touch belatedly on a well-worked scene: namely, English writers pondering and arguing the existence or nonexistence of God. Barnes inclines toward the golden mean: "I don't believe in God," he writes, "but I miss Him." He was once more inclined to the atheism of Hitchens, Dawkins et al., but now, 62 years on, he admits to less certainty and "more awareness of ignorance," to say nothing of a growing understanding that the good times on this side of the grass are finite. On that point, one of this slim memoir's finest moments is a vignette of just a couple of paragraphs about disposing of his recently deceased parents' stuff, sending some of it off to the consignment shop, some to the recycling center and shamefacedly tossing the rest and feeling a little queasy in the bargain, "as if I had buried my parents in a paper bag rather than a proper coffin." All this musing on death and the divine makes Pascal's wager an ever more attractive proposition, even if Barnes readily recognizes that one of the most powerful impulses for religion is the knowledge - and consequent dread - of death, the great divide in life being between those who fear the end and those who do not. Rambling along amiably, the author stops to look in on some famous last words - Hegel's, for one, who said before expiring, "Only one man ever understood me, and he didn't understand me." Barnes also composes a lovely, oh-so-English self-effacing obituary for himself, confessing to a love of love, friendship, books and the wine bottle. He ends with a meditation on how that obituary might be occasioned, though the reader will hope that he proves right in reckoning himself only three-fourths of the way down the walk toward the light.Gentle and lucid - a welcome change from the polemical tone of so many books on the matter (or antimatter, if you like) of the big guy upstairs. (Kirkus Reviews)


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Thursday, May 09, 2013
Hello everyone! After nearly two weeks of internet silence, it's good to be back and to see all my Sparkfriends again. I hope you were all well while I was gone. I know I missed tons - definitely make sure to tell me what all happened while I was on vacation! And speaking of vacation, Jason and I had a (mostly) lovely time. I'll start with the Spark-related stuff first, and then give a short recap with pictures of our time away.
Food: Well, it was a cruise, and almost inevitably, you eat a lot on a cruise. Part of this is the availability, variety, and ever-constant presence of food, and part of this is the fact that evening meals, at least on the cruise line I've been on, consist of 4-5 courses. Thankfully, some of the courses are small, but when you eat 4-5 courses over 1.5 hours, you can get really overfed. For most of my weight loss journey, I've relied on intuitive eating, which says to stop eating not when you're full, but when you're no longer hungry. By that standard, I would have stopped eating often by the first or second course. That, of course, didn't happen. I ate full meals every night, and had dessert pretty much twice a day while I was on the ship. So I was eating a lot more than normal, though some of my overeating at meals was counter-balanced by the fact that I rarely snacked, because I simply wasn't hungry! I also usually got in 5-6 servings of fruits and veggies per day, so yay for that!
Exercise: On last year's cruise, I spent hours in the gym or on the ship's jogging track. This year, I only went to the gym once, and I only got on the track 3 or 4 times. Now, to be fair, we only had two at-sea days, and so I spent a lot of time off the boat, walking around cities, hiking up hills, snorkeling, etc. Plus, on the at-sea days, the boat was rocking so hard that it was difficult to walk straight. The one time I got on the treadmill, I was zigzagging back and forth while I ran. Yeah. So I didn't spend a lot of time getting in "official" exercise, but I was a lot more active on this trip than last. I didn't use the elevator at all, which meant climbing 7-8 flights of stairs any time I wanted to go just about anywhere. Altogether on this trip, between hills and stairs, my fitbit recorded 589 floors in 10 days, with the highest being 120 floors in a single day. I also walked 138,301 steps (~62 miles) in that time. So I wasn't officially exercising, but I was super duper active on this trip. Fitbit says I burned an average of 2450 calories per day.
Weight: I don't yet know, officially, how much weight I gained on this trip. Right before I left, I was put on a 5-day steroid treatment for my bronchitis, and of course steroids cause weight gain, grr. I had been maintaining my weight for weeks, and suddenly I jumped up to 153 lbs within days of starting the steroid treatment. I don't record medicinal- or water-related weight gains in my tracker unless they stick around for a week instead of flushing out, so I didn't change my ticker before I left. On my first day back from vacation, swollen from travel-related water weight, the scale showed 157.5. I knew that was mostly water - there's no way I ate an extra 17000-20000 calories in those two weeks, I'm just not capable of eating that much! - so I didn't freak out. Tuesday dropped to 156, Wednesday to 154.5, and today I'm at 153.5. By Saturday, all the water should be gone, and I'll know officially how much I gained on my trip, because I do think I gained some, but I would guess it's only about 1-2 lbs. I'll update my tracker officially this weekend.
Okay. Now that the health and fitness part of this blog is over with, let's get to the vacation part!
First stop: San Juan, Puerto Rico.
This can be easily summed up in a single sentence: Puerto Rico was frickin' awesome. Jason and I stayed in Old San Juan, and spent 1.5 days walking around the streets, seeing everything we could: old churches, the pigeon park, tons of sculptures, forts, cemeteries that butted up against the beach, crazy-looking caterpillars, art museums, saint portraits on houses, and more. I had the best meal I've had in a really long time, called a mofongo, or mashed unripe plantains stuffed with spicy chicken and onions. Oh my god heavenly. Here are a couple pictures from our time in Old San Juan:
Next up: the Celebrity Summit.
After 1.5 days in San Juan, we got onto our boat. We sailed with Celebrity last year, and really liked them, so we went with them again this year. After trying out both ships (the Summit this year and the Equinox last year), we both agree that the Equinox was superior, but both were good. We had a lot of fun with on-board activities, from dance classes to dressing up for dinner to hanging out in the library to the evening shows. My favorite event of the cruise was when the illusionist Jason Bishop performed. He was AMAZING. Last year, there was an illusionist on our cruise, and his show was kinda lame. But Jason Bishop was incredible. J and I both had no idea how he did any of his tricks. They were fantastic. You can look some of them up on youtube and see just how amazing they were. Beyond that, he was very funny - much funnier than the comedian on board - and very personable. On both cruises I've been on so far, there has been one outstanding performance that stood out from the rest, and Jason Bishop's was the one this year. Definitely the highlight. Here are a couple pictures from our time on the ship:
First cruise-stop: St. Maarten.
St. Maarten is an island jointly owned by the French and the Dutch. None of the cruise-sponsored excursions sounded any good (they were all shopping-related), so Jason and I took a water taxi to Phillipsburg, capital of the Dutch side of the island. Turns out, Phillipsburg had a few streets of shops trying to sell diamonds and crafts to tourists, and then a few streets of extremely poor, falling-apart slums. There was absolutely nothing else there - we walked every street of the city. It was...rather disappointing, I admit. At least the island itself was pretty:
Second cruise-stop: St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
We were warned in advance that St. Thomas would be very similar to the US and not to expect anything foreign. Jason and I are unusual among cruise-goers in that we are not particularly into shopping, swimming, the beach, etc. We like seeing foreign cultures and experiencing things like local food, art, architecture, nature, etc. Since we knew not to try to find anything like that on St. Thomas, we decided to go to a nearby butterfly farm, which turned out to be really neat. Here are some pictures:
Third cruise-stop: Tortola, British Virgin Islands.
While St. Maarten was a bit disappointing, Tortola was the only truly horrible moment on our trip. We signed up for a snorkeling excursion at a "nearby" island that was supposed to be very beautiful. That island was actually an hour away in a speedboat, on rough water that left us all bruised and sick. It was also not a terribly impressive snorkeling area, and the equipment they gave us was horrible. My first mask kept flooding with water through the tube, and my second one had the biting tabs bitten off. Jason had flippers that were meant for scuba diving and didn't work on the surface, his life-jacket wouldn't inflate, and his mask kept filling up with water both in the tube and goggles. From start to finish, the experience was awful. I'm really, really glad it wasn't my first snorkeling experience, because I really LOVED snorkeling in Grand Cayman last year. If this had been my first experience, I never would have snorkeled again. My only picture from Tortola:
Fourth cruise-stop: Bermuda.
In all honesty, Jason and I knew upfront that we were mostly interested in Puerto Rico and Bermuda, and not the three other stops. We did our best to find things we enjoyed there, but like I said above, we're mostly interested in experiencing other cultures, landscapes, food, etc. Bermuda was far enough away from the other islands that we knew it would be different, and it was. Our ship was docked in Bermuda for 1.5 days, so we had a chance to explore three different areas. The first was the King's Wharf/Royal Naval Dockyard area (where we were docked), the second was Hamilton (a busier, commercial city), and the third was St. George's (a tiny, historic town). All three areas were fantastic: Yarn-bombed trees. Chickens running around the ferry dock. Parks full of hobbit doors and sculptures and storybook paths. Roofs covered in lime. A 400-year-old church with gravestones out back so old and worn they no longer have words on them. And more. We walked and walked and walked. We stopped in a grocery store and got ourselves cassava-and-chicken bread from the deli. We bought the kids souvenirs from a second-hand store that supported the local historical society. Everything in Bermuda was amazing. Pictures:
That was about it for our trip. I can only include so many pictures here on my Sparkblog, but I have so many to share! On Facebook, I've posted about a third of the pictures I took on our vacation. Normally, I keep my picture albums viewable by friends only, but I've made this one public and will keep it that way for about a month or so, if you'd like to see more. I've tried to include little stories about everything we did in all the places on those pictures, so there's a lot more detail than I'm able to go into here. If you're interested, here's the album:
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Beautiful pictures!! I would love to go on a cruise! That one sounds great! I was watching Titanic with my daughter not too long ago, and I told her let's go on a cruise! She looked at me and said, "Really Mom? Did you really just suggest going on a cruise while watching Titanic?" lol That cruise line you went on looks wonderful! And you look so cute in your red dress! And so sophisticated in the next pic! Glad you had a great time!
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Welcome back!! Your pics are beautiful!!
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Welcome back! We missed you! With the exception of the snorkeling, it all sounds fabulous. Thanks for sharing your pictures.
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Thanks for sharing your pics, that's great! Sounds like you had a good time, and stayed healthy = )
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Wow, so beautiful. Glad you had a great time.
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Loved all the photos!
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What an incredible recap. I've heard that Puerto Rico is simply amazing. I'm so glad you had a wonderful time (except for the snorkel adventure - what a bummer!). Hopefully you were felling better and off the steroids when before the cruise was over and that you are feeling 100% again.
Have a wonderful Mother's Day!
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Glad you had a good time thanks for sharing your pics they are wonderful
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Great couple, great photos, great trip! Looks like you handled yourself very well, stayed active and must have exercised some kind of portion control if you only picked up a pound or two!
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Love the pics. The flower in your facebook pic#44 is wild!
Glad you had fun (except for those couple of instances). Seems you made the absolute most of the trip! I want to try mafongo!
Thanks so much for sharing!
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Love the pictures! Thank you for sharing. It sounds like you had a blast! And don't worry about that weight gain, it seems to be melting off as well.
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Looks like a lovely time was had! Such pretty pics, thanks for sharing :)
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Great pictures!!
So jealous of the lovely trip! I would love all the walking opportunities too!
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What a wonderful trip.
Glad you had such a great time! and welcome home!
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Glad you had fun!!!!
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Sounds like a wonderful trip! Such beautiful scenery!
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Sounds like you had a great time. Welcome home!
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So glad you had such an awesome trip, and way to go being so active! I travel to PR periodically for work - it is a wonderful island and the mofongo is one of my favorites too!
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Awesome! Sounds like a great trip, and I'm glad you had a [mostly] great time, but it's good to have you back, too!
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i2P Youth Expedition Botswana
Youth Ambassador Breanna Cornell is finishing up a beautiful training run in Michigan - near the Great Lakes! Her major in Environmental Engineering will be a great educational foundation as she makes her way to Botswana to learn about water & biodiversity with i2P!
Check out the website here: i2PBotswana.com
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OMG Pillow from Alexandra Ferguson
I am fascinated by the study of languages and I have always wanted to know how they evolve in time, getting new different features and changing as if they were a living organism. What I have noticed about languages today is the fact that there is a general tendency to shorten words and messages and use easier symbols for transmitting a message. Apart from the fact that English seems to have become a universal language, it also generated short messages that are understood by young people from all over the world. For example "LOL" in "computer talk" means "laughing out loud" and "OMG" comes from "Oh, my God!", meaning great surprise.
Any way, the young and creative designer Alexandra Ferguson had this crazy idea that kids and teenagers will just love seeing these messages on their bedroom pillows, so she created the "Modern lexicon " pillows. This pillow is made of recycled bottles felt and is filled with recycled polyester. It closes nicely with a zip and this shows great, as you can't see the spot where the zip merges the felt. The pillow is available in many colour combinations and you can choose it in order to match it with the colour of your sofa. Its dimensions are 14" x 18" and you can now purchase it for $79 directly on the designer's web site.


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Last week Row 44 announced it has received approval from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to operate over the Atlantic, and laid claim to the distinction of being "the only provider allowed to operate and charge for in-flight broadband connectivity on transatlantic flights".
If I may borrow a catchphrase from the late Gary Coleman's Diff'rent Strokes days: "What you talking about, Willis?"
How can Row 44 make this assertion when Lufthansa's FlyNet Ku-band in-flight Internet service – supported by Panasonic Avionics and T-Mobile – was formally re-launched on 1 December, is installed on 12 aircraft, will go live on an additional four aircraft in the next few weeks, and will cost passengers money from 1 February?
I tapped Row 44′s new chief commercial officer Howard Lefkowitz for some answers and, much to my surprise, he was willing to talk to me (quite the departure from Row 44′s curb-side snub of RWG in July 2009…damn, time flies).
Says Lefkowitz:
"We are now duly authorized by the federal government pursuant to a particular authorization to provide this service and to charge for it. It is not provisional. It is a completed FCC document with authorization [for the T11N North Atlantic Oceanic Coverage Ku satellite]. Whether [Panasonic's] provisional activity calls for them to be able to charge, I can't tell you. Whether their provisional thing can be taken away, whether they'll get a final version, I can't tell you. I don't know the answer. I know that they are provisional today. I know that in general there is a lot of noise out there, and people say things and make promises the way they are not portrayed. The statement we made, as far as I know, is accurate. We are the only ones at this stage that have the official authority of the governing body to do this. It doesn't mean that they can't or that they won't. It means that today [Panasonic is] provisional, and they [Lufthansa] are not charging for it [in-flight Internet]."
I'm sure Lefkowitz will forgive me for pointing out the obvious – that Row 44′s press statement rather conveniently fails to mention that Panasonic has the authority, albeit provisional at present, to charge for in-flight Internet on the North Atlantic route covered by the T11N satellite footprint.
Referencing its authority to conduct market studies of in-flight Internet in US airspace on Lufthansa aircraft, including its ability to charge for said service, a Panasonic spokesman says:
"Lufthansa is currently providing free service under this authority, and intends to initiate revenue service shortly. Panasonic has consulted with the FCC staff to confirm that initial revenue service, in which we will study traffic volumes, network loading and related data at chosen price points, is permitted under our existing authority during the pendency of [Panasonic's] commercial license application."
So what does that mean? It means that Panasonic was able to charge for the in-flight Internet service before Lufthansa's 30 November press flight, could start charging for the service today, and intends to be able to charge for the service in the foreseeable future, according to the firm.
Lufthansa, meanwhile, says it will begin charging for FlyNet on 1 February.
A Lufthansa spokeswoman tells RWG:
"The service is currently being offered on a complimentary basis during this introductory period because Lufthansa wants to give its customers the opportunity to become familiar with the service free-of-charge. Simultaneously, we continue to further equip our long-haul fleet with FlyNet in order to be able to offer a high availability after the initial introduction period."
Suffice it to say that the row between Row 44 and Panasonic – which has been playing out in FCC filings, as first highlighted here – has escalated. I also think it's fair to say that Row 44 intends to make life as difficult as possible for Panasonic at the FCC (perhaps even as difficult as ViaSat made things for Row 44 when the latter firm was seeking FCC authority).
But what about ViaSat, which provides Ku-band satellite-based in-flight connectivity to business aircraft operators (and which is working a Ka-band deal with JetBlue)? What does ViaSat think of Row 44′s claim about being the only provider able to charge for in-flight broadband over the Atlantic?
Says ViaSat director of regulatory affairs Daryl Hunter:
"We see marketing claims like this all the time, "we're the first", "we're the fastest", or variations of that theme. But in a number of cases, we know that as a minimum, we had already had an experimental or commercial license to do the same thing already, and so there's a chance that others may have as well.
"We've been providing transatlantic service for several years, either directly ourselves or via ARINC's SKYLink service, which was developed and operated by ViaSat. (T11N is one of the points of communication we are authorized to use.)
"To top it all off, once your feet [are] wet and outside US jurisdictional waters and associated interference region, you don't need a FCC license anyway, so for that matter, Panasonic could operate service on transatlantic flights once outside US jurisdiction too even though they don't yet have a FCC license."


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Pulling It Together:
The focus on cufflinks has become commonplace in the past two decades. For over twenty years, Jan Leslie has designed and manufactured, cufflinks of affluence. The creative process begins with the study of the creative subject. A simple statement makes a wonderful Valentine gift.
Sold at Bergdof Goodman and Neiman Marcus


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join DrummersUnite.net
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Anne Beeche
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Planet Earth
Posts: 104
Re: join DrummersUnite.net
Originally Posted by
I noticed Matt''s intentions were transparent. He won't participate unless he can spam. Much like a few folks as of late.
Typical semi-buried spam post.
Hey fellow drummers! I am new here!
- Check my kit out! = Try my product/items for sale
- This guy rocks! = Now check out the link to MY drum forum
- Have you guys ever tried... = I have a product just for you!
Sadly, it almost reminds me of an art forum I used to go on, where I was the resident grouch.
So, people kept posting their artwork with the same old problems, and I kept recommending the same old anatomy books and techniques that worked for me. I almost felt like one of those advertising robots.
But that's just a somewhat off-topic rant. Don't mind me.
Anne Beeche
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Pretty Little Liars
Who Is "A"? Top Suspects From Pretty Little Liars Season 2, Episode 3: "My Name Is Trouble"
We know that you're dying to know who "A" might be! Don't worry — we've got our crack team of sleuths on the case, picking up even the tiniest clue for your mystery-solving pleasure. Here are some hints from Pretty Little Liars Season 2, Episode 3, "My Name Is Trouble," that may help us solve this thing for good!
Suspect #1: Wren Kim
Why he might be "A": It would make sense that he would be angry, since he got dumped by Melissa (Torrey DeVitto) and apparently ignored by Spencer (Troian Bellisario). But where has he been all this time? Maybe he's been busy shacking up with various other women in Rosewood while simultaneously hitting on their younger sisters as well?
Why he might not be "A": Based on what we saw of him last time around, he seemed way too nice and silly to be "A." Remember how he dropped that potted plant in Season 1? That was about the most devious thing he did. So he may not be a great environmentalist, but that doesn't necessarily make him "A" either.
Suspect #2: Melissa Hastings
Why she might be "A": We're not yet sure why she was meeting with Wren so late at night (although we're guessing it wasn't a booty call). And let's hope she didn't want to get her engagement ring back anytime soon. Then again, we don't know why she's so desperate to stay married to a presumed killer. (But if things don't work out between her and Ian (Ryan Merriman), we hear that the Unabomber is single.)
Why she might not be "A": Maybe Melissa isn't evil and just does a terrible job of choosing guys. Melissa has even worse luck with men than Taylor Swift!
Suspect #3: Lucas Gottesman
Why he might be "A": Lucas Gottesman (Brendan Robinson) would seem to have a pretty solid reason to be angry at Rosewood's elite, considering he's been getting mocked and ignored for so long. Plus, he seems to be pretty good with a camera, which would come in handy when you're stalking someone. (Uh, not that we would know about stalking anyone.)
Why he might not be "A": Okay, so he did destroy that memorial for Alison DiLaurentis (Sasha Pieterse) last season. But if everyone who hated Alison was automatically considered to be an "A" suspect, then interviewing each of the suspects would take about three years.


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Cookie Monster: Crunchy Almond Butter Oatmeal Cookies
I couldn't leave Cookie Monster behind without sharing my recipe for flourless almond butter oatmeal cookies, which bake up super crisp and crunchy. More
I couldn't leave Cookie Monster behind without sharing my recipe for flourless almond butter oatmeal cookies, which bake up super crisp and crunchy. More
These rich blondies are flavored with honey, studded with dried cherries, and topped with salty, crunchy Marcona almonds. They'll satisfy fruit and nut lovers alike. More
Cinnamon coated candied almonds are the secret ingredient in these extra crunchy chocolate chip biscotti. More
Oft-overlooked cashews are the key to these chewy dark chocolate chip and sea salt cookies. More
These oversized macaroons are flavored with lemon zest and dipped in white chocolate. More
I didn't make up the name, or the idea, but I did bake a chocolate chip cookies onto brownies and this is what happened. More
Pillowy ricotta cookies are scented with Fiori di Sicilia, a fragrant blend of citrus extracts. More
These shortbread are like Irish soda bread in cookie form. More
These crisp sugar cookies are flavored with citrusy Earl Grey tea leaves. More
White chocolate, cherries, and almonds make these dessert-worthy biscotti. More
If you like Chewy Chips Ahoy and peanut butter, these chewy peanut butter chocolate chip cookies will be right up your alley. More
Sugar cookies that actually have good flavor and texture while still looking adorable their pink sanding sugar coats? I think that any Valentine can get behind that. More
These fudgey brownies have a smokey heat thanks to ancho chile powder. Cinnamon and cayenne round out the warm flavors while the chocolate chips add a double dose of chocolate. More
Some boozy sweets don't really taste like booze. That's not the case with these cookies, which marry the flavors of brown butter, pecans, and bourbon. More
French butter cookies (sables) are topped with the Middle Eastern spice blend za'atar for a savory-sweet snack that would be great as an hors d'oeuvre with wine. More
These teeny macaroons are pretty adorable—and delicious to boot. More
These addictively crispy, chewy balls are full of my two favorite combinations: dark chocolate-cranberry and honey-salt. More
Among the thousands of cookies I've baked this year, which stick in my mind most? These nutty, gooey, chunky, dunkable treats. More
A holiday take on the traditional blossom cookie: a cakey chocolate cookie with a festive peppermint Kiss. More
For those of you who read my Day in the Life post last Friday and have eagerly been awaiting this recipe, I am happy to say it's finally here. (And if I may say, the wait is worth it.) More


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The breakout star of Braxton Family Values knows how to truly rock her bump in style. Click through some of her most fantastic mom-to-be looks.
Tamar really looks good!I was suprised that she looks so good.
At least she pregnant for real .
Tamar ,I want to know how to do the Tamar dance you did wit your sister at your Dads Birthday party. I tried it and ohhhhhhhhhhhhh you have to have strong calves for that dance.
She looks like a tranny
ysss tamar. She dresses better pregnant but that hooded dress was a no no for me
WELL, I don;t really see where her dressing is all that…..she looks ok!
I actually like her style. She is always dressed to empress.
MommyNoire, a flagship destination for the black pregnancy community provides expert advice and tips for black mothers and the expectant mom. Parenting topics and parenting information cover: motherhood, African American family issues, black love, black fatherhood, marriage, relationships, black baby names, black celebrity kids, black teens, black education, black fashion, health, nutrition, and entertainment coverage of black celebrity moms like: Beyonce, La La Anthony, Solange, Nia Long, Monica, Tia Mowry-Hardrict, Jada Pinkett, and more.
MommyNoire™ Copyright © 2012-2015 Moguldom Media Group. All Rights Reserved.


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About Rare Books
Care and Value of Old Books
Concise answers to many questions about old, rare, and antiquarian books can be found at "Your Old Books," produced under the auspices of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section, Association of College and Research Libraries. The Newberry Library also provides useful guidance on how to "Be Your Book's Best Friend."
Condition, relative rarity, age, ownership history or association, demand, and bibliographic details all affect market value; and appraisal of antiquarian books can be more an art than a science. We in the Department of Special Collections are not permitted to appraise books or suggest their market value. Some readily available sources list recent asking or selling prices for some copies of antiquarian titles, but buyers and sellers need always to recognize that an asking price concerns a given copy of a given title (and that an asking price is not always realized). Reputable and well-informed book dealers, especially those who belong to recognized professional associations (such as the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America) and who subscribe to a stringent code of ethics, can generally offer practical guidance about the title you own or the title you seek.
Donating Books to a Charitable Organization
Should you wish to donate a book or books to a charitable or non-profit organization such as the University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries, the Friends of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries (contact the Friends at 608-265-2505) or the University of Wisconsin Foundation, you should consult your own tax advisor about any tax implications of your decision. The Department of Special Collections is prohibited by university policy and the Tax Reform Act of 1984 from participating in the direct appraisal of gifts.
Sources for Appraisal Information
With these caveats in mind, such published sources as Bookman's price index, American book prices current, Annual register of book values: Modern first editions (and other specialized volumes), International rare book prices, and Mandeville's used book price guide may prove useful. All are available in the Department's reference collection. The glossaries in John Carter's ABC for book collectors and Marvin Mondlin's Appraisals: A guide for bookmen [sic] may also be helpful.
An electronic version of American book prices current -- ABPC on CD-ROM -- is now available in the Special Collections reference collection. This is an easily searched database version representing auction sales of books, manuscripts, and autographs, as reported by American book prices current from September 1975 through at least 2004.
Additional possibilities for searching the catalogs of antiquarian book dealers (and used-book dealers) are now available through the Internet. Such services as Abebooks and AddALL make possible book price comparisons. For international prices, you might try UKBookWorld, which searches British booksellers, or the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers.
Please note: Inclusion of sources in these lists does not imply endorsement or warrant by the University of Wisconsin-Madison of their publications, information, services, or accuracy.


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WASHINGTON - The White House has stepped in with a veto threat against a House GOP plan to advance a round of 2014 spending bills that would ease sequester-imposed cuts on the Pentagon while forcing even deeper cuts on non-defense programs.
Those cuts would come in areas like education, energy and water development and foreign aid.
The veto promise comes as the House is set this week to consider the first of 12 spending bills for the budget year beginning Oct. 1.
The first measure totals $73 billion and awards a 3.5 percent increase for veterans programs while cutting construction costs at military bases.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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Geoff Meador
I'm a husband to Abby and daddy to our son Luke, and I've served on the staff of Grace Church for the past few years. I enjoy working on artistic and creative projects, and I'm a student (literally) of how we communicate truth to the world around us. I also obsesses over very small details; in fact, this biography was revised several times.
Scripture Passage
Proverbs 26:18-19 Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death, Is the man who deceives his neighbor, And says, I was only joking!
Big Idea
Many of us enjoy joking with those we know and love; it's part of how we relate and communicate our affection. At times, though, careless humor can become a weapon that does serious damage to those around us.
Devotional Reading
"Firebrands, arrows, and death." Upon reading those words, my mind immediately recalls dramatic scenes of combat portrayed by Hollywood in films like Gladiator or Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. The archers in these stories fling their devastating weapons through the air and bring their enemies to ruin. The book of Proverbs, however, places the deadly image of the archer in a more unexpected context: our daily relationships.
Many in America grew up with the maxim, "Words will never hurt me," but the wisdom of Scripture paints a very different picture. The person who carelessly deceives those around him, even in a misguided attempt at humor, has the effect of a madman launching arrows into a crowd and setting buildings on fire. What are these weapons, and what is their effect?
The firebrand is, simply, a piece of burning wood. In a peaceful environment, a firebrand might warm the hearth of a home or cook a delicious meal. Thrown during combat, however, it can potentially set fire to everything around it: people, homes, forests, even entire cities.
Like the firebrand, practical jokes or well-timed verbal jabs might bring mutual laughter and smiles to a dull moment with friends. Unfortunately, deceptive jokes also carry the same danger: we can inadvertently harm our friends and family, and the emotional firestorm has the potential to spread uncontrollably if others become involved.
Most of us are familiar with the arrow, of course. It's a shaft, tipped with a point, and launched from a bow. It has one purpose: to pierce destructively. It is designed in such a way that the natural defenses of the body, such as skin or quick reflexes, offer no protection at all. Soldiers fighting against archers need to cover their bodies with armor and take shelter behind their shields; an unprepared target is defenseless.
In our relationships, we might also armor ourselves for confrontation in certain situations. Meetings, debates, or unfamiliar people may cause us to preemptively defend ourselves against attack. When we are with people that we trust, however, we often let down our guard and relax. That's why deceptive jokes against a neighbor can be so damaging — when you let your words and actions fly like an arrow toward your neighbor, they'll probably land on a defenseless target.
Most importantly, it seems that "I was only joking," isn't a valid excuse when things don't turn out like we expect. Proverbs reveals that others can experience legitimate hurt when we strike them with careless humor. If we've wounded our neighbor, we need to recognize he might need care and significant time to recover — and he deserves a legitimate apology. According to the next few verses in Proverbs 26, fighting about it only adds fuel to the fire.
Questions for Reflection
- What kind of wounds have I received from the ill-timed or deceptive pranks of others?
- Is there anyone I've wounded, even though I was only joking?
- What elements of a relationship are more valuable than humor?


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"Clear Focus"
R&R Trailers was established in the summer of 1994 co founded by Bob Brewer and Rick Daniels. The company was established to provide high quality aluminum trailers at a reasonable price. Originally the trailers were sold through a dealer network only. Starting in 2009 we have made the trailers available for purchase factory direct or through a factory outlet store to save you money.
The company started with 4 employees and built 200 trailers in 1994. Today, R&R employs 35 employees and builds 3000 trailers a year. The product line has expanded from just open snowmobile trailers to include enclosed snowmobile, cargo, utility, car, motorcycle, power parachute, quad/atv and custom trailers.
R&R Trailers is perfectly located in the southwest corner of Michigan to be accessible to all the Midwest states. We are only 30 minutes off the 80/90 toll road. In addition, we have many factory outlets to pick up your trailer if you don't want to drive. Current locations include: West Michigan (factory), Illinois, Minnesota, and Canada.
R&R is always changing and evolving, implementing the latest technology and improving on current products. New products are being added and old obsolete products are being re-designed or left to other manufactures to build. There are other manufacturers that copy what we do but cut corners and charge you more. Be sure that when you compare trailers that you compare apples to apples and you will see that we offer you more for less.
R&R Trailers is dedicated to providing you with a quality aluminum trailer that you will be proud of towing down the road or parked at the lot. We will stand behind our product as evidenced by the best warranty in the industry. 10 Years on the frame. The trailer will look good and last longer than steel trailers. Aluminum is lighter than steel and wont rust. Aluminum is more expensive than steel but will last twice as long. If you have been waiting for an aluminum trailer, wait no more!
More and more manufacturers are trying to build aluminum trailers. Be sure to buy from an experienced aluminum trailer manufacturer and not someone who does it as a sideline.
Thank you for your time and if you have any questions you can call anytime at 888-316-4675 or 269-278-5310.


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Hilton Garden Inn Idaho Falls
- Reviews & Prices
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|Hotel Class 3.0-star
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Based on 446 reviews
Looking for a place to hold your business meeting, company parties, or weddings? The Hilton Garden Inn ~ Idaho Falls has everything right where you need it. At the Hilton Garden Inn - Idaho Falls hotel, you'll find everything you need including complimentary high-speed Internet and remote printing provided by PrinterOn in all guestrooms and lobby areas. The Hilton Garden Inn - Idaho Falls, Idaho hotel is certain to please the busy executive or leisure traveler. Our Hilton Garden Inn Idaho Falls hotel is just minutes away from downtown Idaho Falls and within walking distance of several fine restaurants and shops.The Hilton Garden Inn - Idaho Falls, ID Hotel Features:* Great American Grill (Open for Breakfast and Dinner)* Room service from 5pm - 9pm* 24-hour Pavilion Pantry* Pavilion Lounge * Complimentary 24-hour shuttle service* Complimentary parking* Complimentary 24-hour business service* Indoor heated pool and Jacuzzi* 24-hour Fitness Center and in-room Stay Fit Kits* Four state-of-the-art meeting rooms for groups from five to 300* Complimentary USA Today newspapers each weekday morningThe Hilton Garden Inn - Hotel in Idaho Falls' Sales Team Features:* From a small board meeting to a special wedding day* Dedicated sales team to focus on the details of your event* Meeting rooms with state-of-the-art technology* On-site catering of breakfast, lunch and dinnerThe Hilton Garden Inn - Hotel in Idaho Falls, Idaho Social Functions:* Business groups* Wedding groups* Sports groups* Family reunions* High school and college reunionsThe Hilton Garden Inn - Hotel in Idaho Falls, ID Location:* Adjacent the Snake River and the Scenic Falls and Greenbelt - four miles of riverside pathways popular for jogging, walking or biking.* Easy on and off access to I-15 with easy access to Hwy 20 & 26* 10 minutes from the Tautphaus Park Zoo* 15 minutes from the Grand Teton Mall * Historic Downtown Idaho Falls***** Everything. Right where you need it!
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