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The Mauldin High School band director took home top honors at the Greenville County Schools award ceremony on Thursday.
Band and music appreciation teacher Adam Scheuch was named GCS Teacher of the Year. Scheuch has taught for 15 years after earning a bachelor's degree from Furman University and a master's from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago.
Scheuch has served as band director at Mauldin since 2004. In 2011, he took the band to New Orleans to perform during the half-time show at the Super Bowl.
Other teachers honored at Thursday's event included:
First Runner-up - David Evett, special education, Tanglewood Middle
Second Runner-up - Grant Hunter, mathematics, Wade Hampton High
Third Runner-up - Jake Gambrell, second grade, Oakview Elementary
Elementary Emerging Teacher of the Year - Ashley Bentley, fifth grade, Greenbrier Elementary
Secondary Emerging Teacher of the Year - Jessica Richardson, Spanish, Travelers Rest High


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Monday, September 15, 2014
Let's Hear it for Raspberry!
In the interest of keeping my body from reaching record-breaking girth, I don't eat a LOT of jam. There. I said it. I do, however, make a lot of jam--and when I do eat jam, I want that jam to be made with fresh ingredients and bottled by my own hands.
I've just had a jam season like no other. I have rock-hard muscles (and some degree of pain!) in my calves to attest to the long hours spent tending the jam kettle this summer/early fall. I've been experimenting with jam flavours. The rhubarb-orange jam I made with rhubarb donated by my country neighbour has been pronounced "outstanding" by jam connoisseurs in my circle; even I have to admit it comes thisclose to reproducing the delectable rhubarb-orange jams of my Newfoundland childhood. But that jam takes hours of finely chopping rhubarb, finely shredding orange peel, and boiling the peel before its addition to the jam kettle. The jam I choose to showcase in this post is a most unassuming and downright easy one. It has two ingredients: raspberries and sugar. You can make as much or as little as you like because the ingredients are a perfect 1:1 ratio. If you have 1 kilo of raspberries, you mix them with 1 kilo of granulated sugar, and boil them until the jelly stage.
I prefer to measure jam ingredients by weight; one gets a much more accurate measure and with jams, the ratio of ingredients is crucial. Too much sugar and your jam is nauseatingly sweet; too little sugar and your jam won't jell.
For the season's final batch of raspberry jam, I used frozen berries from Lakeshore Farms Market https://www.facebook.com/LakeshoreFarmsMarket in Wellington, Ontario. They have their own fields of berries (their strawberries are awesome, too) and they clean and flash freeze the berries at the height of their ripeness. The resulting jam is every bit as tasty as jam made with fresh berries--and a heck of a lot less work!
Raspberry Jam
Makes 10- 250 ml (half-pint) jars with a little leftover to snack on
2 kilos raspberries
2 kilos granulated sugar
Juice from half a lemon, optional
Sterilize 10 250 ml (half-pint) jars, lids and bands. It is very important that pantry-stored jars be sterilized properly. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, submerge jars and bands in the water, add more boiling water till there is at least 1 inch of water over the top of the jars. Bring back to a boil and sterilize for 15 minutes. Remove with sterilized tongs and upend on clean paper towels just before filling. Put lids in a shallow pan (not touching each other) and pour boiling water over them. Keep lids in the hot water until needed, then remove to clean paper towel (rubber seal side down) with sterilized tongs.
Mix berries and sugar together in a large, heavy stainless steel or enamel pot over high heat until sugar melts. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring often (so berries don't stick). If the jam boils too high, drop the heat a bit. (The cooking will take longer, but at least you won't have a mess on your stove.) Boil until the mixture reaches the jelly stage. You can hasten the jelly stage by adding the juice of half a lemon. Bear in mind that the longer you boil, the more the chance of losing some of that sharp raspberry taste.
I've been making jams and jellies for close to 50 years, so I am an old (uh huh, REALLY old) hand at finding the jelly stage. I can tell by the feel of the mixture as I stir, I can tell by how the mixture looks, and finally, I can tell by the way the mixture sheets off a metal spoon, that the jelly stage is near. If you are a new hand to making jams, you might wish to use a candy thermometer to help point out the arrival of the jelly stage.
As soon as the jam reaches the jell point, remove from heat, ladle into hot, sterilized jars, wipe the tops of the jars with clean paper towel to remove all food residue and ensure a good seal, carefully top with the sterilized lids, attach the bands and set the jars on a folded dishcloth on your counter. The reason you need the dishcloth is not to save your counter top from the heat of the jars; it's to keep your jars from cooling too rapidly and ruining your proper seal. I put paper towel over my dishcloth in case there's any jam sticking to the bottom of the jars!
You will hear pop after pop as your jars seal. After 4-5 hours, examine your jars. Press your fingertip gently into the middle (seal) part of the lid. If the jar is properly sealed, you will not hear a popping sound and there will be no "give" in the lid. If any of the jars have failed to seal, either store those jars in the refrigerator or subject the jars to a water bath. Purists will insist on the water bath if you need to store the jam on your pantry shelves. I've never had a problem omitting this step--unless the jar failed to pop (seal properly).
Before storing, check whether there's any jam residue on your jars that might attract unwanted visitors. If there is, wipe the jar with a damp cloth till all residue is gone.
As you can see, the colour of this jam is amazing. Jewel-like. But it's the flavour that will keep you holding on to the recipe and making it year after year, even in the dead of winter if you use frozen berries. With peanut butter or cream cheese on a piece of multi-grain toast, it's a doubly yummy treat that I allow myself every now and then. My housemate? He gobbles it by the spoonful, sometimes omitting the toast.
Interesting facts about raspberries:
1) The individual parts of the berry's pulp are called drupelets.
2) 8% of the raspberry's weight is fibre.
3) In 2011, Canada produced only 2% of the world's raspberries; Russia produced 26%.
4) If you don't place some kind of barrier in the earth around raspberries, they can and will take over your garden. I know this from personal experience!
Till next time, keep on cookin',
Copyright © 2014 by Ev McTaggart
Posted by Ev McTaggart at Monday, September 15, 2014 0 comments
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Add extra features and styles to make SeaMonkey your own.Close
|User since
|March 5, 2007
|Number of add-ons developed
|0 add-ons
|Average rating of developer's add-ons
|Not yet rated
Love it, simple yet stylish.
love this, use it on TB and FF.
Simply adds search of seomoz site. Why?
What exactly does this add on do? Installed it but no apparent way of accessing all the features it appears to offer. SGII.
Love this theme, enhances my Firefox 4 on KDE considerably.This review is for a previous version of the add-on (2.6.6).
I'm using KDE 4.4.1 with FF 3.6.3. This extension keeps crashing. Unfortunately it doesn't work well with Xmarks either - it keeps deleting all my passwordsThis review is for a previous version of the add-on (0.6).
well done with this addon, the UK coloured icon is a great addition.
I love this extension so much, just wish I had found it earlier. Long may it continue.This review is for a previous version of the add-on (0.4).
To create your own collections, you must have a Mozilla Add-ons account.


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Introducing the Intel® Math Kernel Library
Intel® Math Kernel Library (Intel® MKL) is a computing math library of highly optimized, extensively threaded routines for applications that require maximum performance. The library provides Fortran and C programming language interfaces. Intel MKL C language interfaces can be called from applications written in either C or C++, as well as in any other language that can reference a C interface.
Intel MKL provides comprehensive functionality support in these major areas of computation:
- BLAS (level 1, 2, and 3) and LAPACK linear algebra routines, offering vector, vector-matrix, and matrix-matrix operations.
- ScaLAPACK distributed processing linear algebra routines for Linux* and Windows* operating systems, as well as the Basic Linear Algebra Communications Subprograms (BLACS) and the Parallel Basic Linear Algebra Subprograms (PBLAS).
- The PARDISO direct sparse solver, an iterative sparse solver, and supporting sparse BLAS (level 1, 2, and 3) routines for solving sparse systems of equations.
- Fast Fourier transform (FFT) functions in one, two, or three dimensions with support for mixed radices (not limited to sizes that are powers of 2), as well as distributed versions of these functions provided for use on clusters of the Linux* and Windows* operating systems.
- Vector Math Library (VML) routines for optimized mathematical operations on vectors.
- Vector Statistical Library (VSL) routines, which offer high-performance vectorized random number generators (RNG) for several probability distributions, convolution and correlation routines, and summary statistics functions.
- Data Fitting Library, which provides capabilities for spline-based approximation of functions, derivatives and integrals of functions, and search.
- Extended Eigensolver, a shared memory programming (SMP) version of an eigensolver based on the Feast Eigenvalue Solver.
For details see the Intel® MKL Reference Manual.
Intel MKL is optimized for the latest Intel processors, including processors with multiple cores (see the Intel MKL Release Notes for the full list of supported processors). Intel MKL also performs well on non-Intel processors.
For Windows* and Linux* systems based on Intel® 64 Architecture, Intel MKL also includes support for the Intel® Many Integrated Core (Intel® MIC) Architecture and provides libraries to help you port your applications to Intel MIC Architecture.
Intel's compilers may or may not optimize to the same degree for non-Intel microprocessors for optimizations that are not unique to Intel microprocessors. These optimizations include SSE2, SSE3, and SSSE3 instruction sets and other optimizations. Intel does not guarantee the availability, functionality, or effectiveness of any optimization on microprocessors not manufactured by Intel. Microprocessor-dependent optimizations in this product are intended for use with Intel microprocessors. Certain optimizations not specific to Intel microarchitecture are reserved for Intel microprocessors. Please refer to the applicable product User and Reference Guides for more information regarding the specific instruction sets covered by this notice.
Notice revision #20110804


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Capture your precious moments with the OLYMPUS SZ-15 digital camera. Its 16MP CCD sensor allows you to capture clear and sharp images even in low light conditions. With a 24x optical zoom, this digital camera lets you snap far away subjects with accuracy. It has a 3" bright color TFT display that lets you frame pictures and review your photos. This camera allows you to edit images with its shadow adjustment, image resizing, image cropping and red-eye reduction options. It has 38 MB of built-in memory to store your photos and a USB 2.0 and HDMI outputs to connect to compatible devices. The camera has features such as 3D panorama shooting, face detection and dual image stabilization. Powered by 1 lithium ion non-universal battery, included.
Megapixels: 16.0 Megapixels
Sensor Type: CCD Sensor
Zoom: 24.0 X Optical , 4.0 X Digital
Camera Features: Focus System CCD Contrast Detection, Auto Focus, Dual Image Stabilization, Self Timer, 3D Panorama Shooting, 720p HD Movie Recording
Flash Features: Built-In Flash, Red-Eye Reduction, Fill-In Flash, Auto On/Off
Lens Features: Face Detection, Image Stabilization
Display Size: 3.0 "
ISO Equivalent: 800, 400, 1600, 200, 100, Auto
Battery Required, included: 1 lithium ion non-universal
Weight: 7.8 Oz.
Warranty: 1 Year Manufacturer Warranty
other Info.
Warranty Information
To obtain a copy of the manufacturer's warranty for this item, please call Target Guest Services at 1-800-591-3869.
- Imported


text:
|Tolkien Gateway is 10 years old. Sign up today to edit TG and help us grow for years to come.
Casey Kasem
Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem (April 27, 1932 - June 15, 2014[1]), played Merry in The Return of the King (1980 film). Kasem, a renowned voice actor, is perhaps best known as Shaggy in Scooby Doo.
[edit] External links
- Casey Kasem at Wikipedia
- Casey Kasem at Voice Chasers
- Casey Kasem at IMDb


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Disclaimer: objects may appear larger than they actually are. These are meant for ideas, not portion sizes <<<< and yes, this disclaimer is necessary because last year, people were stunned I would give my kids so. much. cheese.
I want 3 things in life.
1. a pool in my backyard.
2. to eat whatever I want and never gain weight.
3. for my kids to not be in such a hurry for recess and actually eat their lunch.
Are these things too much to ask for?! *shakes fists*
Summer is flying by as always and it's time to start thinking about the dreaded school lunch boxes again.*groan*
I'm always seeing super cute kid bento boxes on Pinterest, and I think "Wow, those are awesome!", which is immediately followed by me laughing out loud. Because, come on. Who has the time to make those??? Not parents. Well, not parents who don't have a maid or nanny.
But every year, I do try and come up with some creative, yet realistic, lunch box ideas that will keep my kids seated in the cafeteria five extra minutes, so they don't come home starving and cranky.
Here's this year's creations!
1. Alright. PB&J (or in our case, sun butter and jelly) isn't a tough sell, I know. So why not just make a regular sandwich? Well, I still think it entices your kid to eat, when you make it fun. Try these – cut crusts off the bread (or don't), use a rolling pin to make them thin, spread some nut butter and jam of your choice, and roll up. Serve with pretzels and chocolate covered blueberries
2. I've said this a million times, and I'll say it again, kids love food on a stick. Hell, I love food on a stick! Cut up cubes of bread, spread some mayo and/or mustard on one side, thread on skewers with deli ham and colby jack cheese. Serve with crackers and dill pickles.
3. This one is for the slightly more ambitious eater, like my Haley. My popular Greek Summer Pasta Salad…deconstructed. Cooked pasta with some Greek dressing and feta. Serve with summer sausage, cucumbers, and red bell pepper.
Here are last year's ideas that I'll still be using.
And the year before!
Now, if only I could figure out a way to make homework more fun!


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Why Are So Many Men So Selfish?
Ever notice that men- ahem- or should I call them boys, only care about feelings when it's their own? If they hurt someone else they usually don't... Show More
Most Helpful Opinion
Well people are selfish, just to what to degree of selfishness and arrogance is the more important question.
You can look at it from almost any angle, from relationships falling out, to people in general to people you don't know around your neighborhood,city, campus,etc.
When I see people rushing for the train while a lady needs help getting her stroller with her baby in it down the stairs , I help out. I don't it other for the simple fact, she needs my help. So what's the problem? It can be girls and guys,women are more sympathetic then men, doesn't mean necessarily that's a bad thing, sympathy is just another word for compassion in my opinion.
So not all people are going to be sympathetic or compassionate, so you have to look out for yourself. IF people are helpful, thank them for their kindness , if not then accept the truth of reality, despite its tough and a hard pill to swallow, but that's life, you gotta just roll with the punches and play with the cards you were dealt with. I believe kindness is like a positive virus, it spreads, one simple act of kindness may persuade the other person to do the same to another person, and it keeps on spreading.
I definitely always try to be nice and caring. I think the same way you do. I help someone because they need it. It seems like the only place I see my kindness spreading is in my little cousin. She used to be very spoiled, and her parents didn't really teach her how to respect and be nice to others, and now she is usually nicer to people. I am really proud of her.
I always thank others for their kindness, they deserve it. Usually I can just roll with the punches, it's just getting punched
one-to-many times will knock you out, and you get frustrated and confused. But this questions and the answers have come to help me realize that there are more people than I thought who care. It's helped phenomenally and it makes me feel better knowing you're out there. :)
theres more people then you can imagine.
What Guys Said 6
Often times selfishness reaps the greatest reward.
Selfless acts do not reap any reward. They are a reward.
And women respond so positively to selfish men, it's a bit difficult for us to behave otherwise.
A man thinks only of himself and his personal needs and desires, and of course, women see him as an alpha male and flock to him. To be a giver is to be a beta.
Honestly though, if women would f*ck a guy for being nice and selfless, we'd probably do it more often. But we aren't saints. And we see what works, so we do it.
Selfishness generally means more money to ourselves, more women, more fun really.
The real question is: How could men not be so selfish?
What kind of woman wants a selfish man? If I meet a selfish guy I don't respect him or look at him as an alpha. I think, "disgusting" and get as far away as possible. I look up to men who respect others and have real leader qualities. And that has nothing to do with money or a jerk attitude. If I see a guy helping out a woman I will go over and help too, and then tell him thankyou. And you know what, the selfish guys fade in my memory. The good ones stay there forever and are remembered.
Perhaps if women in general responded more positively to kindness and generosity in men, we would exhibit those traits more often.
Unfortunately, what women say they want is irrelevant to what women respond to.
And I feel as though if the fire of selfishness wasn't fueled so readily, you wouldn't have had to ask this question.
Women-ahem-or should I call them girls can be selfish too. this isn't a one gender trait
how selfish is it for a girl to expect a guy to buy her jewelry and buy dinners and buy flowers all the time? not every girl expects that but a lot get pissed off when you dont.
as for feelings and stuff, you females are more emotional than we are, so we might not always understand how your feeling because we've never had those kind of feelings. doesn't mean we can't love or anything we just feel it differently than you do
Really? Girls get mad at you if you don't buy them things? I always offer to pay for my own things. Hello, we're in a recession. I don't judge a guy by what he buys me but how he treats me.
And I did mention that girls are selfish too.
As for females being more emotional, I don't think that's so much to do with what sex is more emotional than what kind of people. But like I said above, been seem to take the majority.
I don't get women getting so over-emotional either. It's a mystery to me too.
- Show Older Hide Older
okay I don't know how you keep missing it but I'll put it in all capitols in hopes that you don't miss it this time- the third time I will have said this. I THINK WOMEN AND GIRLS ARE SELFISH TOO, LEARN TO READ EVERYTHING. I DO NOT THINK ONLY MEN ARE SELFISH ONLY THAT MORE MEN SEEM TO BE, AS I STATED IN MY QUESTION AND AGAIN IN MY LAST COMMENT TO YOUR ANSWER.
and I'm saying I disagree, and that just as many selfish women exist than men. In fact, I think this question is pretty selfish. if you ask a question on here you should expect different POV's and its selfish to only expect the answers you want to hear. if you don't like someone elses question than don't read or answer it, plain and simple. if guys are selfish for complaining about stuff on this site than so are you for making a big deal about it
I think what you will find is that people who are easily offended are primed to do so. They have been trained that it isn't their caring mental abilities that are sought after, but it is their skill at sports, physicality, making a lot of money, or knowledge of mechanics that is valued.
I, as a young man was not good at some of those before mentioned things, but had no problem getting dates because I really enjoy women. I learned what women want, both in and out of bed and it only makes sense to study something that is so much a basic part of the life you want to have.A woman seem to value a man who can fix her car AND let her know she is the most important thing in the world to him at the same time. Not that difficult really.
i think everyone's selfish... EVERYONE.
True. To a point everyone is. Okay so rephrase. Why is everyone selfish so much?
- Show Older Hide Older
The economy sucks right now. There's 7 billion people on this planet, which is way too many. Resources are being consumed at an alarming rate. Which means ... we're all gonna fight each other for our own survival. Perhaps if there's a future where the population dips down to an all-time low, such as 3-4 billion, then things would be different. People would be happier because of the abundance.
maybe, but if you look at history people have always been selfish by nature.
Funny how you tell us to man up, yet when you reward us with sex for being nice and all that to you, we're practically rolling over and playing dead for you to do that. Nice double standard!
Oh and by the way, girls are just as selfish! Trust me
Well I don't know what girl does that, I certainly don't, I just want guys to be themselves when they're around me but I guess that's too much to ask. For some, not all.
So it's not a double standard when it comes to me, and I stand by what I said.
And maybe you missed it- no problem- but I did say girls are selfish too.
I know that, and it's ridiculous.
I don't get them either.
I don't think it's okay at all for a girl/woman to use sex to make a man do what she wants. That's messed up.
Just sayin'
Yeah, I get it. If I ever did that I hope someone would point it out and jump my butt about it. That's wrong.
What Girls Said 4
guys are socialized to play the field when they are young and settle down when they are older and more established. so if he is not like in his late 20s or 30s he is more than likely not thinking of making a life with you. aka you're a temporary girl, and one of many temporary girls until he one day meets his wife (but not any time soon). so you can't expect a guy to act like prince charming because they werent raised watching disney love stories and reading bridal magazines thinking of their future wives one day. plainly put, they don't give a f*** its about sex and convenience until they meet The One/Mrs Right/wifey
I don't want Prince Charming. He's fake. I just want some respect, and I want guys to be themselves. I give respect, but I don't tend to receive it. Which is fine until I am guilted into spending time with a guy who does not respect me. I can't ignore his feelings even if he doesn't respect me. Maybe I care too much but I can't seem to help that.
People in general are selfish - that can't be helped.
I think the reason - more guys fly off the wall, is because they feel an immense pressure to be perfect, and after trying over and over again in figuring out what they have to do in order to get a woman -
They're more easily set off about certain things.
It's always the lonely guys, one's who haven't dated yet, severely insecure, overall - just can't f***ing figure it out guys.
They tend to think in the one dimension, and fight against reality because they want to argue why the world should be suited for their desires - because they struggle to gain on their own.
All I can say is - ignore them.
Everyone has many lessons to learn in life - this is obviously one of their's to learn for themselves.
They can type and spew until all the keys on their comp fall off - but nothing in their reality is going to change until they step up and do something about it.
That goes for all the complainers on here about this and that issue with their life - girl and guy alike. - I respect the people who actually seek out and look for legit help - not post their question ranting just to spite the topic they choose.
But eh - you'll encounter tons of people like this so, just gotta deal with it ha ha
I wouldn't mind dealing with some, that's fine. It's just there seems to be so many now. One after the other. Thank you though. This did help. :)
yea sometimes there's heaps of mopey mona's and mitch's but sometimes there's not too many. Meh lol
Have an opinion?


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Hold down Control (PC) or Command (Mac) key + mouseclick to select more than one option
|Avg. Dinner Entrée
|Greater than $25
|$18.01 - $25
|$12.01 - $18
|$7.01 - $12
|Less than $7
Posted by Anonymous on 01/26/2008
This place has decent food but it is so unbelievably slow that it is not worth it. Sadly it is one of the few Bagel places in the area.
Posted by Julie on 01/24/2008
I love living right next door to this place, because it's a super fast [drop]-in for yummy bagels, spreads, excellent tuna/pasta salad and THE best black-and-white cookies. The big ones are a must try. Surprisingly good fries too! Busy on weekends after 10:30
Posted by anon on 08/24/2007
I worked one Avenue away from Bagel Express, and it is basically our agency's cafeteria. Delivery can be slow, but take out is great. Large selection of bagels, yummy cream cheese. The sandwiches are basic, but great. The pasta/chicken salad is good too. The staff know their regular customers and aim to please.
Posted by Anonymous on 07/12/2007
Sadly, this is one of the only places to grab a bagel nearby. But if you can make it, go somewhere else. We waited in line for 20 minutes for two bagels with cream cheese. When people after us started getting served, we asked about our order. The guy behind the counter said it was not his problem that we had not gotten our food and we should move out of the way. I will not be returning....
Posted by Anonymous on 07/08/2007
Don't expect mind-blowing fare at Bagel Express. Their salads and extensive selection of bagels are typical, but good quality and relatively inexpensive. Again, not the greatest place (the service could especially use some work), but simple and cheap is just what you need for a weekday morning or light snack.
Posted by Slowest Delivery ever on 05/06/2007
The food here is good for a bagel place, but don't order delivery. Take out you still wait in a long line, but at least the lines move. Delivery service takes an hour, on average, for a small order. It is utterly ridiculous...
Posted by AnnMarie on 04/24/2007
Food is great! But don't ask for delivery they are always an hour or so to deliver few items...and if they don't like the tip they tell you in mexican very rude no mannes!!


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September 2009
Monthly Archive
Monthly Archive
Scroll back three decades with me. Texas Instruments has just released its first home computer and the gatekeepers to technology open their humble shops, beautifully clean, beautifully quiet, carpeted, furnished with curious ergonomic kneeling chairs. The small computer store has the convivial hush and vibe of a library and the owners practically live there, so truly engrossed are they in the emergence of the new inventions they vend. You remember these guys…dressed casually to the point of rumples, stains on their button-up shirts worn notably sans neckties, often bearded, chubby, bespectacled, soft-spoken with an air of pleased abstraction.
The world may dub them nerds or geeks, but as a little girl making frequent trips to the shop with her computer programmer father, I know these men are wizards whose spells speak of sprites and ROM, floppy disks and if/then, Basic and text adventures. I learn magic passwords like random from them as they kindly suffer me to kneel in all of their chairs, doodle on their koala pads, run my small hands over all of their keyboards. In fact, I think the wizards hardly notice me, so intent are they in their conversation with my father about two strange creatures known as peek and poke.
Yet, while I hunt the wumpus, I am listening to their knowledge and their world becomes part of mine and my whole approach to the land of technology is filtered and colored through the lens of gentle familiarity and an acceptance of children as small apprentices to the craft. Their shops were spare and sparse, their manners often awkward and opinionated in their zeal, and their love of electronics marked them as an odd minority in that distant age, but how I miss these guys!
A crashing wave of nostalgia hit me this week when my laptop died and I was forced to visit Best Buy in the nearest major city. I searched first to see if any of the small businesses had survived and though I found a couple clinging to the misty borders of box store homogeneity, none of them carried laptops and so I was forced to enter the giant sliding doors into a realm that feels to me anything but human. The thudding noise – this underlies the whole Best Buy experience as various TVs, computers and video game systems vie with one another to make the deepest boom and the most jarring screech. You cannot escape the disorienting cacophony no matter which corner of the store you seek and it reaches its uncomfortable apex when you approach the shelves of technology. The floors are unyielding to the feet and the ceilings loom darkly out of sight. There is no place to sit down.
Gone are the bearded wizards with their passion for long chat and and the thrill of the newest thing, replaced by tense-looking youths who doubtless have their winning qualities but who are very obviously just doing their job. No one is happy, no one is excited. Jeff D. approaches, half-choked in his executive tie, sales folder in hand, alarmingly trained in the upsell.
When you take your computer home, he warns you in monotone, it will not boot up and belong to you. It will belong to Windows and Norton and a dozen other companies who will plague you with popup installation ads unless you pay extra to have those workers Best Buy dares to term 'geeks' remove these programs for you. In fact, unless you pay extra, the computer may not work when you get it home. Pay extra for inspection. And even if it works for a few weeks, if you don't pay extra for a warranty, they will feel no shame about not helping you. You can log into Best Buy's website and give Jeff. D. a review as a favor to him, but he will never become your friend in the computer shop. He will always remain just Jeff D. and he probably won't be there the next time you visit Best Buy. He will have moved on to work in another big box. Perhaps that's just as well for him.
My Atari 2600, built in 1977, still works beautifully and so do all of its games, but my Compaq Presario, built in 2004, didn't last 5 years before it was so broken that replacing the parts would have been almost as expensive as buying a new model. I'm typing now on my new HP laptop and it's very shiny and very slick, but it won't become my companion as the TIs and Commodores and Atari 800s became in the homes of yesteryear, proving their worth by sticking with us for the long haul. My HP will break in a couple of years, and even with my expensive upsold warranty from Jeff D., I will probably end up buying whatever they're selling in 2013. I won't haul my broken box into a shop where the wizards feel personal regret and accountability over a weird boot error, where they will huddle over my keyboard trying to work some un-do spell and continue to earn my trust, friendship and business for the long haul. The wizards are gone and Best Buy has gobbled up their realm, replacing the healthy drive for a good reputation with the sickly complacency of monopolistic 'who cares?'.
The proof in this is that we've been utterly burned by Best Buy in the past. They sold us a defective part once that crashed our company's main computer, and not only would they not give us our money back for the bad part, they also charged us for looking at the broken computer. The 'geeks' were glassy-eyed and defensive…seemingly not out of loyalty to their big box but simply out of uncaring policy. No one was helpful. No one cared. We left their domain with hot faces and unspoken curses on our lips but here we are, doing business with them again, certainly not because they've earned it but because they've managed to become the only game in town.
Once upon a time, the local small computer store was the only game in the town where I grew up, but how different their efforts to gain and keep customers and friends were! They are long gone now. Did it not pay to be passionate, honest, accountable, generous, fair? I am wondering about the lesson in all this. Why did our society look the other way when these small, worthy businesses disappeared, one by one, off the map, falling beneath the shadows of the generic box stores?
I can't see that we gained anything good in this trade-off of franchises for family-owned businesses. But I'm sure I've gained a very different attitude about entering the land of technology in modern times. I am wary. I am irritated and on-guard against being treated with indifference and hung with absurd price tags for purchases that break after a few years' use. I am longing for some chubby, bearded fellow to lean across the bulk of a big cream-colored monitor and listen to my tale of who I am and what I need and then solve my problem by showing me, with pride, the very best solution to my quest. I'm yearning to hear him say, "let me know if you run into any problems. I'll be here."
Walking out of the inharmonious din and dimness of Best Buy this week, I realized my old magic passwords don't work anymore. The quiet cult of technology of the late 1970s and early 1980s mutated into yuppie executive-ness and then was swallowed by the monsters of franchise. Everyone has technology now. And, in this, I see the true trade-off. The shelves of today's storehouses are piled high with laptops, notebooks and iPhones, and they are the sum total point. Things are not cheap, but they are throwaway. The human element is what's missing. The old gatekeepers, amiable, whimsical and charming, are gone. The machines rule.
6 comments Wednesday 30 Sep 2009 | admin | Inside the Igloo
If you haven't already checked out the new Place Pages interface in Google Maps yet, try this sample search for Barbara Oliver & Company Jewelry in Buffalo and you'll see the full page information layout that is causing buzz in Local Search circles this week.
If you'd like to read up on this, take a gander at my latest Search Engine Guide Post, Google Maps Place Pages Widens Local Horizons, and don't miss these insightful posts from Mike Blumenthal and Greg Sterling.
Initially, word had it that Google would not be indexing these Wikipedia-like information pages about businesses, neighborhoods, landmarks and cities, but Mike Blumenthal reports that he is already seeing them in the SERPs and that certainly makes sense to me. We're awaiting clarification from Google on this point, but just imagine how powerful a Place Page could be for any small business making an effort to occupy as many places in the organic results as possible with good, positive, informative entries for their brand name search – possibly even for other keyword searches.
It's early days yet, but I think Place Pages could become a powerhouse for local business owners and users. Google is pulling so much data from so many different place and, provided that the data is accurate, Place Pages could become real go-to pages for numerous facts about all kinds of places. If you run a local business, definitely stay tuned into this story. I think it's going to develop into a big one.
6 comments Sunday 27 Sep 2009 | admin | Local SEO
Bad Apples! Anyone who follows Local Search news knows how they've spoiled Google's barrel when it comes to locksmith listings. No one has done a more expert job of covering this topic than Mike Blumenthal of locksmith whistle blowing fame. The shenanigans going on in a typical search for Locksmith San Diego CA have brought us not only this, with 117 co-opted restaurant reviews fueling the top listing:
….but also this, with some pretty ugly accusations of illegal business practices cluttering up the user reviews portions of the results:
The last time I looked, legitimate locksmiths weren't hand-making tortillas in their windows and quality search results were not delivered by heaping on extra toppings of indictments of fraud, but hey, that's Google's headache, not mine.
And that's what I had to tell totally, utterly, absolutely, unquestionably legitimate locksmith, Glenn Younger, when he called me up several months ago to discuss a redesign of his website. Since 1914, Grah Safe And Lock have been Good Apples to their neighbors. This is an authentic and trustworthy local security specialist and locksmith company that has helped thousands and thousands of residents and business owners to be safer over the past century – not some fly-by-night entity with phony Google Maps rankings on the brain. But, as Glenn and I discussed within seconds of my answering his call, Google has yet to learn to tell the difference and because of this, we were going to have to act as though Google didn't exist if we were to approach this contract with sanity and purpose.
I actually suggested he get in touch with Mr. Blumenthal if he was interested in more insight into the Google locksmith spam scandal, and Glenn was not only already very hip to Mike's blog but he was, in fact, spearheading efforts to bring legal attention to the locksmith spam problem. Being at ground zero with the issue, Glen knew more about the locksmith fiasco than I did and I was very impressed with his patience, his knowledge and his commitment to an eventual solution. Glenn had done some assessment of this situation that is so negatively impacting his industry and reported,
"In California we have just documented over 60,000 fraudulent locksmith listings in Google alone."
Bottom line…we couldn't take on this project with our normal goals of achieving high Maps rankings for this local business and we were going to have to follow Google's own good advice of doing things for humans instead of for search engines. Our aim was to improve the design, usability and content of GrahSecurity.com so that users arriving at the website, from whatever source, would be welcomed, educated and assisted in finding the services they need. These were excellent goals that we could accomplish for Glenn and his team.
What We Did For Grah Safe And Lock
One of the key purposes of any website is to establish a feeling of trust between the site user and the company being presented. This is especially critical when the services being offered hinge on something as sensitive as home or business security. In addition to creating a simple and professional new visual design for the whole site, one of our main objectives was to establish a very personable About Page for this company. I wanted a photo of Glenn Younger there – and doesn't he radiate solidity, honesty and helpfulness? I wanted to get the company's YouTube videos onto this page to show that they have been featured in local news reports. I wanted to include information about their century of serving the local community and I wanted to give users multiple options for keeping up to date on this business as well as reviewing them. We've got links pointing to everything from Kudzu to Yelp to Twitter and I feel that this level of interactivity suggests legitimacy, accountability and a very real presence in San Diego.
Of similar importance to us was the handling of the services and equipment Grah Safe And Lock offers. Their original website had all of this information listed on a single page, but we saw a great opportunity to break this content out into multiple unique pages that would give the locksmiths the room they needed to more fully explain what each of these items are. This is a chance for Grah to educate their users and demonstrate experience and knowledge. At the same time, this multi-page approach will help the website stand a better chance of winning organic rankings for exact match and long tail phrases.
A third task was to create an on-site blog for Grah Safe and Lock so that they will have the ability to share safety tips and local security news with their community. We're really looking forward to seeing the locksmiths use this blog to good purpose.
Finally, we spent some time creating a few new profiles for this business in indexes other than Google's and that should continue to strengthen Grah's presence on the web.
Signs Of Effort People Can Trust
Fraudulent schemers are unlikely to invest the kind of care, time and effort that has gone into creating this new site for Grah Safe And Lock. Spammy tactics may be winning bad apples high Maps rankings right now, but we believe that a website like this one has its feet firmly planted for present and future success.
The state of spam in industries like Glenn Younger's remains a tremendous discredit to Google's good name, but forward-thinking business owners in similarly troubled verticals will not let that stop them. They will continue to move forward, looking for ever better ways to connect with their users and serve them well. As one of the largest, – and certainly the oldest – locksmith companies in San Diego, Grah Safe & Lock deserves to be at the top of the 10-Pack if Google wants to deliver relevance based upon performance and trustworthiness. But as things are, Google's Maps results for locksmiths simply can't be seen as relevant.
Until they work these problems out, there are many other ways to pursue visibility, and I can only hope that if you ever lose your keys in San Diego, you'll skip over the 10-pack and make it to a website like Glenn Younger's where you can be confident that you'll be doing business with a licensed, local professional, not some scammer whose only merit is that they've pulled the wool over Google's algorithmic eyes.
This project was a pleasure from start to finish and we are very proud to be including this ethical, smart and friendly locksmith company in our portfolio.
What This Great Client Had To Say About The Project:
"My expectations of what a web design firm can do for a company have been forever altered after working with Miriam and Liam at Solas Web Design. My industry has many challenges, and so hopes were not high, but after working with real professionals who focused on what IS possible, we are very pleased with the results. Working around the challenges, coming up with creative solutions and using best in class and state of the art web design principles, Solas gave us much more than expected. If you are in a situation where you would like to stand out as an exceptional company, Solas Web Design should be your first call."
5 comments Wednesday 23 Sep 2009 | admin | Local SEO
Think of yourself as an e-commerce vendor? Google's Matt Cutts says think again and if you haven't yet seen this short video clip, please do watch it. The message is clear: don't be a vendor, be a….
That's right! A minstrel, a troubadour, a town crier, a bard. You need to learn to sing the praises of your products loud and long if you're aiming for good Google rankings. You may have viewed your job in your e-commerce venture as little more than assembling a catalog of SKUs, but if you want to experience the benefits of garnering search engine traffic, Google is making it clear that you will have to become a storyteller.
A Storyteller. That may seem like a rather archaic job description in our brave new world of iPhones and KML files, tweets and RSS feeds, but it's the stories you tell that are the true stuff of your connection with the rest of the world, no matter what the medium. Google's index is already groaning with thin content price comparison sites and similar wordless lists of things to buy. In this virtually mute setting, your business will distinguish itself by altering the way you view those items commonly known as product pages and coming to see them as the chapters in the story that explains why your business exists, page by page.
Turning Product Pages Into Story Pages
Just a few days ago, I came across some old television commercials at the end of an ancient video tape. Judging by the enormous frizzed hairstyles abounding, these ads definitely dated to the early 1980s. Pretty much everything advertised, from pasta sauce to syrup, was being billed as having half-the-fat. Half-the-fat must have been really huge in the 80s! I couldn't help thinking about how food advertising has changed since then, largely thanks to corporations like Whole Foods who came to the powerful realization that they could sell products by telling stories.
In my pantry right now, I have a tin of cocoa powder. While it doesn't say anything about having half-the-fat, it tells me all this:
-It's Organic
-It's Fair Trade
-It's produced by a method described as 'Full Circle Sustainability'
-The scientific name of cocoa is 'theobroma cacao'
-This means 'food of the gods'
-Cocoa originated in South America
-By purchasing this product I am 'directly supporting a better life for farming families through fair prices, direct trade, community development and environmental stewardship.'
-Ingredients and nutritional data are given
– And, I can learn more by visiting the company's website
If this little tin of chocolate can tell me this much about itself, think of the room you have on any given web page to inform, educate, entertain and inspire. Whole Foods' typical products aren't just bread or strawberries or tea. They are organically produced in the verdant foothills of the Andes, by honored sustainable farmers whose lives are improved by the benefits of health care and educational programs. Being half-the-fat just isn't enough any more for shoppers who have now come to expect a literary justification of a product before they will make a purchase. Recognize this trend and it will breathe new life into your entire website and especially into your product stories.
We specialize in working with niche-oriented companies and these types of businesses tend to offer the richest fodder for the creation of winning copy, but almost any business owner will be able to ask himself some of the following questions in order to get into the proper frame of mind for writing about products in a new and meaningful way:
What Problem Does This Product Solve?
Does it make the house safer, assuage hunger, organize messes, calm the mind, clean something, strengthen something, beautify something, get people somewhere they need to go? When someone purchases this product, what will it accomplish for them that they need to have accomplished? This is always the first question to ask, as solving a problem is the purpose of almost any product you could possibly hope to sell.
Who Made The Product?
Yes, who actually created this thing you are selling? Do you know? Was it fine old gentleman sitting on porches in the mountain fastnesses of the Ozarks? The active ladies of the wool-producing capitol of Minnesota who alternate shifts in the local woolen mill with giving community service talks at the chamber of commerce? Mom and Pop? The family business? Sweatshop labor in Asia…uh-oh…maybe it's time to go into a new business where you can tell a better story.
Why Do You Sell This Product Instead Of Another One?
Is it greener, softer, more durable, brighter, more powerful, tastier, healthier, prettier, better smelling, domestic, imported, cheaper, higher quality, safer than X? What made you choose to sell candles made with beeswax instead of paraffin? Why is your trail mix created with sunflower seed oil instead of lard? Why do your garden lamps operate on solar power instead of electricity? What made you pick this product in your inventory over something similar you could have sold? What was your reasoning?
Who Uses This Product?
Kids, adults, elders? Lawyers, technicians, contractors, interior decorators? Sick people, healthy people, hungry people, eco-conscious people, busy people, religious people, confident people, scared people? Maybe young men hunting for jobs use it. Maybe women over 40 do. Maybe famous people use it. Define who the product is for and you'll know you're addressing the right audience, while helping that audience to identify that this is the product for them.
What's It Made Of?
Just what is acai berry, anyway? Where does it come from? What is its place in history, its origin, its chemical and nutritional properties? What is copper? Where does it come from? How is it mined? How does LED lighting work? Who invented it? What can you tell me about the components that make up your product whether these are parts, features or ingredients?
Who Can I Give It To?
Is this suitable for gift-giving? For Mother's Day, Easter, Hanukkah? Will it ease Uncle Joe's arthritis or help Aunt Pat to get her first good night's sleep in a century? This ties into the question of who uses the product but it's a chance to shine a special light on the product as a gift-giving solution.
Where Does It Fit Into The Human Story?
Is it something used only at bath time, something once used by astronauts, something Shakespeare wrote about, a signature of the 60's, a staple of the Roman Empire, an essential for an authentic Chinese dinner? What is the historical and modern scenario in which this product falls neatly into place? What does my purchase of it connect me to? Does a long history of use dictate the sense of buying this item or is it so new that no one before has ever enjoyed its benefits until now?
What Do People Say About It?
We can think of this briefly as customer testimonials, and the power of being able to give evidence of satisfied customers is certainly potent. Use full names if you can – even avatars. Go beyond this, too. Has the product received any press from organizations, traditional media, bloggers, review boards? Does it qualify for certification by any quality boards? Does it meet certain standards? Could trusted, well-known or influential people be persuaded to try and recommend this product? Is a form or function in place for customers to send you feedback about the product? Tell them you want to hear from them.
Does It Work Well With Something Else?
You've bought the barbecue. Don't forget the coals! Are there other items in your inventory that can be tied into the product you are selling, expanding the text content on the page and strengthening your internal linking structure? Are there any additional uses for the product I might not have thought of, whether on its own or in combination with something else? Will I benefit more from a total package rather than a single purchase?
Special Instructions
Technical specifications, directions, assembly instructions, care instructions, expiration instructions, replacement instructions…the list goes on. If I need to know something about the use, maintenance or eventual replacement of the product, your page can give me those guidelines. Even if you plan to include those things when you ship off the package, why not lay it all out on the page so that I can feel confident that I'm making a fully-informed purchase?
Feeling Inspired?
I hope these few suggestions I've given have gotten the wheels turning in your mind and helped you to start envisioning this more in-depth approach to featuring and defining the products you sell. Don't think you can pass muster as a story teller? For some business owners, this will honestly be the case. Writing well, even with guidelines, is not everyone's forte. Do you have employees? Perhaps one of them is a budding writer, just waiting for you to discover their hidden talents at bringing your company's inventory to life with the written word. No dice? Well, then….
You could always hire a professional copywriter. Matt Cutts' video makes it pretty apparent that you are going to need someone prosy on your team if you want to compete in Google's game.
"O! Fie!" you say. "You mean I'm going to have to hire a storyteller to write copy for me if I can't do it myself?"
You'll be smart if you do, yes. Companies hire pros to write their ad copy, their jingles, their press releases and speeches. When you understand that acquiring the skills of a professional copywriter may mean the difference between being somewhere or nowhere in Google's SERPs, the essential wisdom of budgeting for this becomes suddenly clear.
Can You Do This Cheaply?
There are services out there offering copywriting for pennies, yes. The creation of your content can be outsourced to such companies which employ a stable of cheap writers who will put words between paragraph tags for you. It's unlikely that you will speak directly to the writers and there is no guarantee that you will even share the same native idiom with the writers employed. Taking this path will result in your acquisition of some text for your website's pages…but it certainly can't be described as authentic story telling.
If you've read all the way to this point in this article, take my advice and decide that you are going to develop a relationship with an individual writer who is going to devote the time required to learning all about you and your business. How can someone write truthfully, genuinely or compellingly about your company and the products you sell without knowing you and knowing what you're hoping to achieve?
When a potential copywriting client comes to me, I see that as the start of a meaningful relationship. I need to hear his voice, be attentive to his manner of expressing himself, listen to his stories about his typical customers. I need to see all his print marketing materials, and sometimes, I need him to send me samples of his products so that I can put into words what it's like to hold that product in my own two hands. E-commerce sites depend on people being willing to buy things without physical interaction. Good copy approximates that interaction as closely as possible while instilling a sense of experience and correct expectations in the potential customer. Good copy informs, entertains, inspires and engages.
"Miriam, your copywriting for our soap descriptions is nothing short of fine literature."
Jackie Barth
(A recent copywriting client).
That's what you want to be saying when your professional copywriter hands over the stories she has written about your company's products. You want the satisfaction of knowing that your inventory's tale has finally been well told and that all future customers will see you have gone the extra mile to make their shopping experience exceptionally satisfying.
And don't forget, the mighty benefit of this effort, this investment of time and creativity, will be a feast for Google's bots. In one fell swoop, you will have seen to the needs of human users and search engines and your website will be the better for it.
Today's a good day to take a look at those pieces of data you call product pages and begin to imagine how you can infuse them with new warmth and life. What story will you tell? Your audience awaits.
0 comments Tuesday 22 Sep 2009 | admin | Copywriting Tips
At Solas Web Design, we make no secret of our green sensibilities. When we're not hard at work in the office, we're hard at play on our organic micro-farm, working towards our future goals of total self-sufficiency. We're deeply invested in the pursuit of an eco-friendly mode of living and our ears really prick up when a new client comes to us and tells us how his or her small business fits into the better green world so many of us are trying to build.
I was totally delighted to hear from soapmaker, Jackie Barth, several months ago. Jackie has been making natural bar soaps for years, enjoying healthy success at trade shows and fairs. Jackie had come to the decision that she could improve her life by cutting down on the miles she was covering to bring her hand made soaps to customers by creating a place for them to shop with ease and pleasure online. This week, we're celebrating the launch of Dragonfly Soaps on the web and if you lean towards natural bar soaps, we hope you'll pay this new website a visit.
Our Favorite Aspects Of This Fun Project
We were absolutely thrilled to learn that a professional Rodale Press photographer, Thomas MacDonald was going to be handling the photo shoot of Dragonfly Soaps' beautiful products. Professional photography really brings out the colors and textures in the bar soaps and that addresses one of the main challenges in selling items that have such sensory, tactile appeal. Mr. MacDonald had become a fan of Dragonfly Soaps' handcrafted bar soaps after trying them and this partnership resulted in some of the prettiest product photos it has ever been our pleasure to utilize in website design.
Visual website design needed to play a supporting role in the project – stepping back and letting the products shine through while the site navigation did the legwork of getting customers to whichever category of soaps they might like to investigate with as few clicks a possible.
Our absolute favorite part of the project was the copywriting. Jackie sent us a whole wonderful box of her handmade soaps and then put her faith in us to write the copy that would give a clear sense of the benefits customers would enjoy from each unique bar of soap. We really had a ball describing the natural, botanical ingredients and bringing to life the romance of soaps like Lemon Chiffon, Jasmine, and Oatmeal Almond.
Each product became a chance to write a mini article that would be the next best thing to holding one of Dragonfly Soaps' bar soaps in one's own hands and by the end of project, Jackie and her business partner were calling me the J. Petermen of soaps and the Queen of Copywriting. I'll take those compliments with much pleasure! Is the copy for your website's products or services engaging, informing and entertaining your customers? Today's a good day to ask yourself that question.
We are truly proud to do our best for a company that operates on a green scale of ethics. Dragonfly Soaps handcrafts their bar soaps in small, careful batches. Nothing toxic is created or disposed of from their workshop. They donate the ends and scraps from their soapmaking process to worthy charities and their packaging and print materials are printed on recycled paper. Their product is Made in the USA and simply lovely. When we understood these details about Dragonfly Soaps, we felt totally confident that we were the right match for their project and we look forward to continuing to work with Jackie and her team towards success on the web.
Do You Run A Green Small Business?
Call us up at (707) 981-7943 and tell us your story. We build SEO-based websites, offer copywriting and local search marketing services to you. Most of all, we get to the heart of what your business is all about and help you discover the most effective way to present the benefits of what you are offering to your clientele.
Our blogging has been on the light side for the past month or so because we've been so busy working for our wonderful clients. We're excited about launching DFSoaps.com and have a handful of other big projects underway at the moment, but we definitely have time to listen to what you've got to say about your green small business and we'd love to hear from you!
0 comments Saturday 19 Sep 2009 | admin | Web Design


text:
Where do you think she's keeping her husband?
What you need to do: Put a blood-splattered apron over your most lady-like dress, and make sure to wear a string of pearls. Make a fake butcher knife by covering styrofoam with tinfoil and painting a styrofoam hand black.
Source: Instagram user sarahbeth_lovelife


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MMA News
Free Fight Video | Nick Diaz Avenges His First Pro Loss | UFC NEWS
In his third fight of the night at the UA: King of the Mountain welterweight tournament, a 19-year-old and undefeated Nick Diaz would fall to the strikes of Jeremy Jackson in forty-nine seconds. It would mark the only time he would ever be stopped in his career. Ten months later, Diaz would step into the ring in defend his IFC United States welterweight title for the first time against the man who first defeated him. This time, the King of the 209 would get his revenge, and we have the never-before-seen video of this fight from July, 2003. Don't ask us how we got this footage, because we don't know. It showed up on our Youtube account watermarked and with a simple message in the notes: 'this is really rare.'
It's true, very few people have seen this fight.
Like the movie Prometheus, it's best to not ask questions and just sit back and enjoy the violence in front of you. Either that or Nick Diaz is an Engineer. I'm behind that hypothesis too. Check out this rarely-seen second fight in the Diaz/Jackson trilogy that concluded at UFC 44. Enjoy.
Credit Middleeasy.com
12 Responses to "Free Fight Video | Nick Diaz Avenges His First Pro Loss | UFC NEWS"
best part of the video is the beef thats going on in stands. i'm 59 years old with high blood pressure and im gonna kick your ass.
No doubt that was some funny shit.
Yeah definitly
test comment
What a difference in fighting styles of today to young nick. Dude threw 2 punches standing and didn't connect on either. Nowadays you get Stockton slapped 500 times a fight. I can't wait for this dumbass suspension to ride out. War Diaz!!!
Just shows how "old school" MMA Diaz really is. The hard core fans remember him back in the day.
Wow. Per his Wiki, Jeremy Jackson is serving 25 to life on multiple counts of aggravated rape charges. He has a 1 million $ bail.
really? here i was thinking Jeremy was a cool dude. The more you know.
Man i cant remember too many of nicks fights that arent awesome! The guy should get mostARespect from the fans but yet people dislike a guy that throws down every fight.. i wish we had more fighters like him..
Thx for posting that video!
so when did the 'mean face' started?
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MOSCOW Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday hit back hard against countries that have imposed sanctions over the Ukraine crisis, ordering trade cuts that an official said would include a ban on all imports of agricultural products from the United States.
The full list of products to be banned or limited for up to one year is to be published Thursday. But the state news agency RIA Novosti quoted Alexei Alexeenko of Russias plant and veterinary oversight service as saying from the USA, all products that are produced there and brought to Russia will be prohibited.
Alexeenko also was quoted as saying he thinks all fruits and vegetables from European Union countries will also be banned.
The move follows the latest round of sanctions against Russia imposed by the EU last week, which for the first time targeted entire sectors of the Russian economy.
President Barack Obama said in a news conference Wednesday that U.S. sanctions against Russia over its actions in Ukraine are straining the Russian economy, which has ground to a halt.
The U.S. and the EU have accused Russia, which annexed Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in March, of fomenting tensions in eastern Ukraine by supplying arms and expertise to a pro-Moscow insurgency, and have imposed asset freezes and loan bans on a score of individuals and companies.
White House spokeswoman Laura Lucas Magnuson decried the move, saying Retaliating against Western companies or countries will deepen Russias international isolation, causing further damage to its own economy.
Russia depends heavily on imported foodstuffs most of it from the West particularly in the largest and most prosperous cities such as Moscow. Food and agricultural imports from the U.S. amounted to $1.3 billion last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and in 2013 the EUs agricultural exports to Russia totaled $15.8 billion.
Putins order says the limits are being imposed with the goal of guaranteeing the security of the Russian Federation and calls for undertaking measures to guard against quick price hikes.
The order appears to show that Russia, although increasingly suffering the effects of Western sanctions, is disinclined to back down on Ukraine. Russia denies allegations that it is supporting the Ukrainian rebels or supplying them with equipment and has rejected claims that its artillery has been firing from across the border.
As tensions over Ukraine rise, a respected newspaper this week cited unnamed sources as saying Russia is considering closing its airspace to European carriers flying to Asia. The report sent the stocks of some airlines sharply lower.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday said he wouldnt comment on rumors of airspace being closed, but said our Western partners should think about their companies and their citizens, the Interfax news agency reported.
Russia last week banned the import of apples and some other fruits from Poland, saying this was because of sanitary concerns, but raising speculation that the move was in retaliation for Polands support of the Ukrainian authorities.
AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski A woman is picking apples to buy at 1.99 zlotys per kilogram at a supermarket in Warsaw, Poland, on Wednesday, the day when fruit farmers marched in the city intending to encourage Poles to eat more apples and this way offset the expected negative effects of a ban that Russia imposed last week on Polish fruit, a move seen as retaliation for European Union sanctions on Moscow over Ukraine.×
AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with local officials in Voronezh, Russia, on Tuesday.×
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Jul 08, 2008
It's no secret we're done having children. In fact, we're a little gun-shy in the whole "boink-a-boink-a" department because of it. In the words of Mr. Flinger, "I am a potent man!"
Now, it's not so much a good thing.
However, I have friends who want, crave, try to have children. Who may not get the opportunity. Who undergo treatments, stress, financial burden all to obtain the thing I take for granted on a daily basis: Motherhood.
It's a little bit astonishing to me how much I don't appreciate my own gift of birthing to healthy babies. Some days I look at our children in marvel and wonder and think I may explode from the sheer love of having these people in my life. Other days I wonder what-the-hell and when I can get back to me. Me. Not Mom, just Me.
There are people unable to get to the place in life where I'm at right now, sitting here with children needing and wanting me more than anything in the world. Children who squeal with delight when I walk in the door. Children who yell out, "Mommy! I was just missing you A WHOLE BUNCH!"
What kind of a rotten, horrible person am I for not loving every minute of it?
I'm normal.
I once asked Mr. Flinger if he thought I had a drinking problem. "No, I think you're a mom" he replied. He's right. With every second of joy and love there's alternating seconds of frustration and irritation. Would I trade any of it? No. I wouldn't. But I've been so vocal about the frustrating parts that I sometimes forget to share all the mushy wonder of my soft, lovely tiny humans that we created.
We created.
Some people can't create. Or need help creating. Or adopt. Or suffer possible serious physical consequences stopping medication to create a home for a child in their body. And here I sit, sputtering, wishing I could take back ever negative thing I've said. While it's real, true, it's not fair.
It's never fair.
So what do you say to a friend who can't get to the place you are? The place you some days wish you weren't? The place where children are so needy you cling to your sanity with threads and other days you snuggle to their soft breathing as their tiny chest rises and falls beneath your hand. The chest, the heart, the body you grew?
I'm not sure but I think maybe it's more about listening?
By Karen Sugarpants on 2008 07 08
I was one of those women who had a horrible unimaginably terrible journey to become a mother. I thought for sure that I would LOVE every second of it, that I would never feel like running from the building screaming, but I do. Being a mom is hard. Harder than I imagined. Would I trade any of that hard hard journey getting here for those hard times now? HELL NO.
How do you support those friends that are in that hell now? Listen. Love. Understand that the desire to have someone to LOVE as much as you LOVE LB, and O is what drives them to do what they do.
They don't have any hard feelings for you having a hard time with motherhood. They are just struggling because they can't share the good and bad times with you. They feel alone, and like they will never be a part of that.
By Momma's Tantrum on 2008 07 08
Wow… thanks for this. It is such a great post and totally made me teary-eyed at work.
I don't think anyone could fault you or anyone else for sometimes wishing for a break or a moment to yourself. No one who is worth a penny would ever think there was something wrong with that or that it meant you loved your children less.
As for your friend, I'd say all you can do is be there to listen and support. Unfortunately, it is not one of those things you can help with or relate to for her sake, and so you just have to offer what you can… a friendly place to be, a listening ear…
By Heather on 2008 07 08
Having gone through the trying-to-conceive journey myself, and talking sometimes non-stop with other TTC-ers on numerous message boards, all I can say is: everyone is different. There are some women who take offense any time ANY mother or pregnant woman complains. Some don't take other people's experiences personally. A lot of that is hormonal, and it's such a roller coaster.
My advice would be: be sensitive, listen, be a good friend. If she opens up to you about TTC stuff, ask gentle questions, but don't ever be pushy. Give hugs, and support. "This must be so hard for you" is a good response if you're lacking one. DON'T EVER SAY: everything happens for a reason. I know it sounds helpful, but if you're struggling, especially after a miscarriage, it's like a slap in the face.
Don't feel guilty for what you're going through in your life compared to others, because no life is perfect. Do take something positive from it. Hug those babies extra tight, let it remind you to use gentle words. Cherish their smiles a bit more, spend 5 extra minutes reading a book. And on a particularly frustrating day, have an extra drink, girlfriend!
By Andrea's Sweet Life on 2008 07 08
You say, "I'm sorry. I'm here for anything you need."
And mean it. Just be there. Don't be afraid to talk to them, even if it is difficult and you feel bad that you have kids and they don't.
And listen…It is NORMAL to love your kids more than life itself and still want to throttle them simultaneously.
Even when, in my case, you have lost a child and you VOW TO APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY MOMENT FROM NOW UNTIL THE END OF TIME!!!!! It just isn't possible. While I DO in the overall picture, I just lost it at my kids this morning when I realized they basically crop-dusted my living room with Doritio dust.
It's ok. They know you love them.
By Loralee on 2008 07 08
Thank you. And I love you. That is all.
By Mrs. Flinger on 2008 07 08
I can't say it better than Loralee. So I'll just say "ditto" to what she said.
By pgoodness on 2008 07 08
I found where you posted on MomsJournal saying you were just like Erica. Then I saw your really nifty domain, so I jumped right over to take a look (see if it was real!). It is real, and I was tickled pink at that.
Then I read this post, and I'm choosing not to wipe the tears from my cheeks. Because I am one of those people who "shouldn't" have children. (I intend to try, anyway. There's no risk to my would-be baby; the risk is all to me.) It has cost me the only man I have ever truly loved (he wants kids, and would rather take his chances finding someone with whom he can have them than stay with me knowing it may never happen). But I hope to find someone else who is less cowardly.
As a person watching from the sidelines, I can tell you that you needn't feel guilty for not "loving every minute of it." Raising children is a challenging job. There are times when you have to sit on your hands to keep from using them on your kids, or bite your tongue so you don't blurt out horrible words at them.
But as difficult as it can be, there are times that make it all worthwhile. You obviously recognize this. You're doing what you should be doing, and feeling what you should be feeling. And your friend knows that you appreciate your status as "mother". Honestly, you don't have to say anything at all. But if your friend ever does bring it up, listen. Don't try to unload about how horrible it all is, because she'll see right through that. She knows that there are moments when you are overwhelmed by how incredible it is that you made those children, and continue to shape them every day. Just be honest with her. But, most importantly, just be there.
By Smarmoofus on 2008 07 09
I totally know how you feel. I love my twins beyond reason and would kill anyone who ever tried to harm them…but…there are those days where Smarmoofus is right, you have to sit on your hands and bite your tounge. It is hard and its ok to fuss about the bad. Just remember to exalt the good, too. Heck, I'd even scream the good stuff from the rooftop because its what makes it all worthwhile.
By Vicki on 2008 07 09
Smarmoofus, darnit! Now I'm trying not to cry. Thank you. The whole "sitting on your hands and biting your tounge" thing is so real. But most of the time it's not that at all. It's the love/shaping minds/teaching/caring/providing thing. It's easy to forget.
I'm sorry you lost your love over a possibility of not bearing children. I hope you find someone who will try with you and support you.
By Mrs. Flinger on 2008 07 09
Loralee nailed it in her first sentence.
I don't have children. I'll never have children. I can't speak for others like me, but I can say that it doesn't bother when those who have children vent about it. Some days you feel like the hydrant, so I understand.
By MariaV on 2008 07 09
Beautiful new page design! I swear I just did a mental "oooooooooh, ahhhhhhh"
By skyzi on 2008 07 09
I struggle with the guilt of not enjoying every single minute of motherhood. I should- it was a long and hard road to get here… but being a mom has surely been a harder road than I ever could have imagined, too.
By Kate on 2008 07 09
You don't say anything at all. You are just there for them as a friend when they need you. And as with life, sometimes life is sweet and sometimes it is sour. Just because you are human and your kids drive you nuts doesn't mean anything other than that. I think everyone gets stuck in the "grass is greener" Or "I remember when" phase. But then they go and do something so incredibly sweet and you forget it all, but what you have. You said it best.
By Heidi on 2008 07 12
Gorgeous post. You just so poignantly expressed what I'm feeling all of the time lately.
(And I must tell you, awesome blog makeover. Love it.)
By Kaza on 2008 07 12
I know this is an older post, but I need to comment. Because I am very much like you in this way. I was NOT planning to get pregnant with my third. I love and cherish and adore him now, but he was totally unexpected and when I found out, I was PISSED. And I had a hard time talking to friends who couldn't conceive about how I was "too fertile."
And even now, with a hormonal pre-teen girl and two very "boy" boys, I sometimes wonder who thought it was a good idea to give me three kids. But I love it and wouldn't trade any of it. I love my kids and I love being a mom.
But when I am faced with explaining why I live in fear of ever getting pregnant again to a friend whose one and only desire is to get pregnant, it's hard. I finally was able to explain that as much as they were hoping and praying to get pregnant, that is how much *I* do NOT want to get pregnant. Fortunately, my husband understood and got "fixed" before #3 was ever born. Of course that whole "no sex until there is no sperm" edict did wonders in bringing him around to my POV.
(sorry for hijacking your comments!)
By buffi on 2008 07 15


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Celebrate Tagore All This Week at the NCPA
In the last six months, we've seen Rabindranath Tagore provide inspiration for everything from an indie pop song and a contemporary dance show to a hit Bollywood ballad. Part of the reason we never seem to get enough of Tagore is because there is just so much of Tagore to choose from: the Nobel prize-winning polymath's cultural legacy spans an expanisve range of works for our musicians, dancers, theatre directors and filmmakers to mine. It's fitting then that the city's foremost cultural organisation, the National Centre for the Performing Arts should celebrate Tagore's 150th birth year with a five-day festival entitled Timeless Tagore, a series of events that not only highlights his immense influence on our creative industries but also serves as a primer to the man himself.
They include a lecture-demonstration entitled "Essential Tagore", a sort of 101 on his life, music, poetry and personal philosophies, by author and Rabindrasangeet singer Reba Som on Wednesday, March 28 (Experimental Theatre, 6.30pm, tickets priced at Rs100 and Rs200); and two events on Sunday, April 1—a staging of New Delhi-based Odissi dancer Ranjana Gauhar's interpretation of Tagore's 1892 dance drama Chitrangada (Experimental Theatre, 11.30am, tickets priced at Rs100 and Rs200); and the festival finale "Tagore Redux", a multi-disclipinary performance jointly conceptualised by writer and film producer Pritish Nandy, Hindi film director Sujoy Ghosh and painter Paresh Maity that will feature contemporary reworkings of Tagore's music, verses and art by filmmaker and poet Gulzar, singers Rekha Bhardwaj and Shaan, and theatre director Salim Arif (Tata Theatre, 7.30pm, tickets priced at Rs200, Rs300 and Rs600). See the full schedule here.


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With a view to further its electric car production plans, German automaker Daimler AG Tuesday announced its acquisition of a nearly 10 percent stake in California-based electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc. As an inclusive part of the stake deal, Herbert Kohler - Daimler's VP - will take a seat on Tesla's board of directors.
Though the financial aspects of the deal were not disclosed, Thomas Weber - the R&D head at Daimler's Mercedes-Benz Cars unit - has said that it was a "double-digit-million-dollar" transaction! Daimler intends using Tesla's battery lithium-ion packs in its two-seater Electric Smart EV scheduled for a `late this year' release - both Daimler and Tesla are already working in conjunction on Tesla's battery packs and charging electronics in the Daimler car.
In the opinion of Weber, Daimler's stake in Tesla will facilitate the working together of both companies, towards the common objective of developing superior battery and electric drive systems for consumer-market vehicles.
Commenting on the deal, Weber said at a press conference: "We are about to combine the best of the old and new school. We are both deeply convinced that electric powertrains will play a major role in sustainability mobility."
Tesla CEO Elon Musk opines that the affiliation would speed up the production of Tesla Model S car, and "ensure that it is a superlative vehicle on all levels."
Product Launch
- Samsung signs deal with Amazon.in to sell Galaxy K Zoom handset in India
- GE unveils smart LED light bulb – 'Link'
- Report: iPhone 6 likely to be launched one month earlier than expected
- Huawei officially unveils its new high-end Ascend P7 smartphone
- Samsung launches its 'Galaxy K zoom' camera specialized-smartphone


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CEBU CITY, Philippines - For Senior Police Officer 1 Julius Ompad, the seventh time is the charm in passing the bar exams.
Ompad, investigator of the Waterfront Police Station, passed the exam on his seventh try.
Ompad, 40, of Barangay (village) Pasil, Cebu City said that he first took the bar in 1995, when his eldest son was still two years old.
Now, his son is already 14 years old.
Despite flunking the bar exams six times, Ompad said he was never discouraged. It, however, made him more determined to take it for the seventh time ? his last chance to become a lawyer.
He succeeded on his latest try.
Ompad said he wrote the Supreme Court in 2005, asking that he be allowed to take another bar examination.
The Supreme Court (SC) granted Ompad's request provided that he take a one-year refresher course and a bar review.
Last year's bar exams could have been the last for Ompad if he failed because Bar Matter 1161 promulgated on June 8, 2004 provides that bar applicants are only allowed to take the bar exams five times.
When the resolution of the reform of bar examinations was implemented in 2004, previous examinees who flunked the bar five times or more were allowed to take one more bar exam provided that they would complete a one-year refresher course.
In 2004, Ompad flunked the bar for the sixth time.
He said he decided to take a last shot at the bar exams even if his wife advised him not to take it anymore.
But his wife's advice only made him more determined to take the exams.
?My wife told me to forget my dream of becoming a lawyer. She told me that the profession of being a lawyer is not for me,? he told Cebu Daily News.
He said he nearly passed the exams in 2002 and 2004.
?This is what pushed me to take the exams last year,? he added.
Ompad said he did not mind flunking the exams several times because the money he spent for the exams came from his own pocket or from his income as a police officer.
He said he supported himself through school because his parents only earned enough for the family.
Ompad's father is a taxi driver, while his mother is a housemaker.
When he settled down in 1992, he was on his third year of law school.
Ompad said that there was a time when his mother advised him to quit being a policeman and look for a better paying job because she noticed that he had so many debts.
?Pero wala lang sila kahibawo nga akong sweldo ako nang gi-prenda kay akong gipalit og libro (But they did not know that my salary was already on loan so that I can buy books),? said Ompad.
He said it was not easy juggling studies, work and family time.
He recalled a time when he woke up at about 2 a.m. and alternated between studying and singing to lull his son to sleep.
Ompad said he would have taken the bar exams in 2006 but due to financial constraint he decided to drop out of the bar review.
In 2007, he took another a six-month leave of absence from work, went through the rigors of another bar review and took last year's Bar exams and passed it.
?Now, I reaped the fruit of my sacrifices. I can say that poverty is not a hindrance to success,? he said.


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In a new interview in Elle, amid tales of gassy babies and Dolly Parton, Gwyneth Paltrow reveals she was once asked to hit the casting couch in order to get a role. Whoa! Says Paltrow, "When I was just starting out, someone suggested that we finish a meeting in the bedroom. I left. I was pretty shocked. I could see how someone who didn't know better might worry, 'My career will be ruined if I don't give this guy a blow job!" Ewww! Do you think it was an audition for Hook? Oh wait no, Gwyneth was actually in Hook. Hmmm… Seriously though, if Gwyneth, daughter of actress Blythe Danner and director Bruce Paltrow, was threatened with a blow job, Urbandictionary.com probably doesn't have a name yet for what actresses who aren't rich and connected have to do.
When asked about roles currently available for women, the GOOP queen says she feels "Kind of dejected. There's a lot that's okay, but there's little that's really good, especially for someone my age. Sometimes you find out that something you really liked is going to someone 10 years younger. I find it heartening that Meryl Streep and Sandra Bullock have been able to find and create amazing projects." Has she seen Mamma Mia or All About Steve? We're sad to say, Gwyn, they can't all be winners. [Photo: Getty Images]


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As he did last season, Master Matchmaker and VH1 Tough Love commander Steve Ward will weigh in with his thoughts on each episode of his show. Below, Steve talks about episode 3: Sally's sex appeal, Rocky's restraint and Taylor's 'tude.
Any outstanding thoughts on the photo shoot?
Yeah, here's something outstanding for you: Sally. Blew my mind. I was shocked. Here was something that also shocked me: Did you hear that sound bite that she gave when we started talking about sex? "I usually sleep with guys before the first date." That's a pretty big deal. There's a phenomenon taking place today: guys want to hang out with a girl before they date her. Before spending money and going out of their way, they want to get to know them that way. What Sally's doing is hanging out with the guys and having sex with them before they can ever take her out. The guys aren't showing her the respect of taking her out on a date or going out of their way. There's no challenge in it. It's not as much of a prize. She's giving it away. I wrote about that in my book: when it comes to sex, a woman should treat herself like she's a luxury car dealership. A lot of people may walk by and take a look at the show room, but if she wanted to give someone the opportunity to take her out for a spin, she first needs to make sure he's a qualified buyer. Even after that, you have to be under the impression that he's motivated to buy it, that he's serious about moving forward. I think what Sally's doing is giving someone the full experience before checking his qualifications. I think that at the photo shoot, she showed a part of how this works, by showing how sexy she is.
The photo shoot also led to an argument with you and Taylor…
This was so recent after my last argument with her. It was just constant castigation from me to her and it's exhausting. I couldn't deal with it. Watch the bonus clip of her talking s*** to me in the hot seat. It's like Taylor, "Don't you get it? Just do what I ask, even if it means just going through the motions. You'll get what you want."
So what's her deal? Does she just figure that you and her have a combative dynamic?
No. Taylor wants to be the boss. Taylor needs to be in control. She needs to feel like everybody's eating out of her hand, even if she doesn't have the upper hand. She's feeding the pony.
Why would she even sign up for not having the upper hand another time, and return to this show, then?
She wants to be showcased. She wants to be the center of attention. Wait till you see how that becomes a problem for her. It's her ultimate demise. The Greeks had a word for it: hubris.
Dr. Drew and I have talked about how such a need for attention can be helpful in a case like Celebrity Rehab: people want to be on TV, so they sign up and then once they're in there, he can do the work with them. Could a similar thing be happening here?
Exactly, yes. She thought she was fixed from Season 1 and she just wanted me to tell her if she found the right man. It doesn't work like that. Taylor has a lot of work left to do if she wants too be in a reciprocal relationship. "Reciprocal" is the operative word. If she wants a guy to put her on a pedestal and idolize her, she can find that already. But that's not going to be healthy for her.
What did you think of the Rocky/Taylor fight?
Rocky showed her maturity by not going after her. Rocky showed a lot of poise. Very impressive. Rocky gets it: I said to her on Day 1 that she's got to be a role model for her little girl at home. The way that she carried herself at the masquerade ball shows that she has dignity and is capable of grace. When it came to Taylor, she was in her room, on her bed, speaking her mind, and Taylor should have left. When Taylor poured the beer on Rocky…that's like the ultimate insult. It's just higher than spitting on somebody, in my opinion.
Any thoughts on the dancing challenge?
Sally did great, Kanisha did great. She was disappointed she didn't win. She's very competitive. She took the challenge very seriously. A lot of them did, and their insecurities rose right to the surface. Jenna was scared of getting sweaty and how her body looked. Tina went right back to conservative, right back to her comfort zone. Taylor, when she shows up and she's sleeping in the middle of a competition, I don't know how that's possible when there are nine cameras on you. I can't speculate. Maybe she's narcoleptic, but there's no excuse for that, in my opinion. It's not like she was exhausted from practicing all day.
What do you think is the deal with Tina's fashion regression?
I think that she feels like being conservative makes her seem very refined or sophisticated. I think it's a matter of self-confidence. Like, come on, put yourself out there. Stop being so afraid of the world.
You tell Jenna she's crippling herself.
She is, and it's sad. She's literally shooting herself in the foot with all the s*** she pulls. I see a lot of hope for her, but everyday it's something new. What do you do when you see someone who's beautiful and smart and has everything going for her, but just hates herself? How sad is that?
VH1 and Shecky's have teamed up for a contest, in which the grand prize includes a trip to New York and a consultation with Steve and JoAnn Ward. Click below for details!
Related content
VH1 Tough Love 2 show page
VH1 Tough Love 2 videos and extras
Master Matchmakers


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By Rich Pope, Department of Plant Pathology
A near-perfect week! Sept.13 - 20 provided seasonally normal temperatures, bright sunshine and some light rain at week's end; all of which are favorable to Iowa's maturing crop. As of Sept. 21, the mid-range forecast is calling for night temperatures that should NOT approach killing temperatures. If this bears out, it will mean no early frost in 2009.
Late-season foliar diseases, especially northern corn leaf blight of corn, flourished on susceptible hybrids, and has likely reduced yields some in spots. Soybean aphids were still found in some fields close to senescing, and winged aphids and nymphs were eary to find in central Iowa on it's overwintering host, buckthorn.
Rich Pope is a program specialist with responsibilities with Integrated Pest Management. Pope can be contacted at email@example.com or by calling (515) 294-5899.
This article was published originally on 9/22/2009 The information contained within the article may or may not be up to date depending on when you are accessing the information.
Links to this material are strongly encouraged. This article may be republished without further permission if it is published as written and includes credit to the author, Integrated Crop Management News and Iowa State University Extension. Prior permission from the author is required if this article is republished in any other manner.
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I graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Masters degree in Computer and Electrical engineering; and a Graduate certificate in Information Assurance.
I'm responsible for maintaining/administering database servers (SQL 2000 and SQL 2005), various library websites, Webreserves, Book Order System, CONTENdm, Google Mini, Mail server and more stuff...
Apart from my regular work stuff, I like to spend time with friends.
Travelling, running and playing golf are my favorite pastime.
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Falmouth archer wins national title
FALMOUTH—Gabrielle Cyr's overstuffed trophy case has another impressive addition.
Late last month, Cyr, an elite compound archer from Falmouth, won the USA Indoor Junior Archery National Championship in Sturbridge, Mass.
Making the victory even more impressive was the fact that Cyr, 15, was competing in the junior division, which is for ages 17-20.
"I didn't think I'd win," said Cyr. "There have been other (competitions) where I was confident, but this one, I just hoped to do well."
Cyr posted a score of 1165, which was one point off the national record. That score was high enough to place Cyr second had she been competing in the adult women's division.
"I knew I was shooting hot," Cyr said. "I shot my personal best."
Cyr is only a sophomore at Falmouth High, but has been enjoying archery success for a decade, following in the footsteps of her older brother, Levi, who also excelled on the national level.
"My biggest drive was to beat (Levi)," said Cyr. "I think I've done just as well as he has."
Cyr's resume glitters with triumph in state, regional and national titles in USA Archery, National Field Archery Association and International Bowhunting Organization events dating back to 2004. She won the NFAA Indoor Nationals in 2011, the Junior Olympic Archery Development national championship last July in Ohio and was runner-up in both the JOAD indoor championships in 2011 and the 2012 NFAA Indoor Nationals.
Cyr hones her skills on a range at her house. She's been a member of USA Archery (Cadet Compound Women division) since 2011.
She's gearing up for tournaments in Arizona and Texas this spring and the Outdoor Nationals in Ohio in June.
Cyr doesn't have any intention of slowing down or stopping her dominance anytime soon.
"I'd like to shoot in college and go to collegiate worlds," Cyr said. "I want to be the best in the country."


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Opportunity is knocking loud and clear and you must allow yourself to hear it. This is one of the best times of the year for furthering your ambitions, so get up, get out there and get great things done.
or email email@example.com
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Paar House Takes National Green Award
This home by North Carolina-based Chandler Design-Build was named Project of the Year in the Small Volume Single Family category of the 2012 National Green Building Awards. Certified to both Energy Star and the National Green Building Standard, Paar Residence was built with a panelized, double-stud wall system and "serves as a showcase for a cutting-edge, air-to-water heat pump combined with a radiant heat and water heater application," according to the NAHB. Plus, it's a good example of "mainstream green," said NAHB, with a traditional look that's widely appealing.


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Favorite Halloween Candy, Then and Now
What were your favorite Halloween candies when you were trick or treating? What are your favorite Halloween treats nowadays?
Talk is closed, but that doesn't mean the conversations have to stop!
Check out this post for a more thorough explanation, and jump onto our Facebook page or our Twitter feed to keep the conversations going!


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You can indicate the ring size, special gift wrapping or any other request to the designer at checkout.
Ships with
DHL Express: 2 - 5 days from dispatch.
real shell
thick silver layer
metal chains
diameter of about 2cm
length 4,5cm
please let me know if you require a different length - no problem
There is a very cheese story about this necklaces ;-), but a true one. I found this kind of big shell) different shape on the beach where my husband asked me to marry him, so I took it. I was thinking what can I do to this shell that I can actually wear it. I wanted to give the shell a different style, a ''cool'' look NOT only for summer holidays ;-) Here they are - the ''rockstar - shells''
This shell is a real shell, covered in a very thick layer of silver and the oxidized and its a one of a kind piece as every shell looks different.
The one I m selling here is the one on the model picture 2 & 3
The shell in is hanging on a long metal chain decorated by finer metal chains.
The shell will become even more interesting with time as the black wears off a bit on the higher parts and the silver shines through - I will add a picture of the effect on the shell I m wearing almost everyday.
The last picture with the different shell shows you the effect of the black and silver after a long time wearing.
All my items are shipped in a hand printed / embossed carton box. -----------------------------------------------------
Is this item a gift? You can mention the person's name during checkout, and I will address the manual to them, instead of you!
All images are property of Linda Friedrich Jewelry
Ships with
DHL Express: 2 - 5 days from dispatch.


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DocLanding API
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