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A driver who managed to survive a scary fall into a ravine knows he only has himself to blame for what happened — he even texted as much before the accident.
"I need to quit texting, because I could die in a car accident," Texas college student Chance Bothe says he texted a friend just before distractedly driving his truck off a cliff six months ago.
He broke multiple bones, his face, his skull, and suffered traumatic brain injuries.
"They just need to understand, don't do it. Don't do it. It's not worth losing your life," he told KHOU. "I went to my grandmother's funeral not long ago, and I kept thinking, it kept jumping into my head, I'm surprised that's not me up in that casket. I came very close to that, to being gone forever."
[H/T: Mashable, screengrab via KHOU]


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Madhav Khandekar Talks Climate Change on the Progressive Radio Network
On April 29, renowned climate scientist, Heartland Institute policy advisor, and external reviewer of the IPCC Madhav Khandekar appeared on "The Infectious Myth" show on the Progressive Radio Network. "The infectious Myth" focuses on addressing medical and scientific issues for which "the simple story we are told" is in fact untrue. Dr. Khandekar seeks to do just that for the issue of man-made climate change.

subset: commoncrawl


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Get down and dirty in the garden
By Susan Hoysagk
gardening, gardening with disabilities, horticultural therapy, mental health, mental disabilities, physical disabilities, Susan Hoysagk
Susan Hoysagk is a seasoned nurse who, when not busy "nursing it up," can be found gardening, experimental cooking with fresh organic herbs and veggies from her garden, reading, writing and rearranging her yarn stash.
Half the interest of a garden is the constant exercise of the imagination. ~Mrs. C.W. Earle, "Pot-Pourri from a Surrey Garden: The Classic Diary of a Victorian Lady," 1897
Born Maria Theresa Villiers, Mrs. Earle's book is a delightful month-by-month account of her "wish to talk to you on paper about several subjects as they occur to me throughout one year" (p. 1). She includes seasonal gardening, health, cooking, making coffee, decorating, and many other interests laid out diary-like but chatty. She was blogging! (You can download a pdf file of this delightful book via Google books for free!)
Mrs. Earle has it right—at least in part. Gardening is a constant exercise of the imagination. But it is so much more and has been recognized as such even by medical professionals. Dr. Benjamin Rush (a physician not only considered as the "Father of American Psychiatry" but also one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence) was one of the first to recognize gardening as therapeutic. Horticultural therapy—using nature as therapy—is now a profession similar to occupational therapy. It actually dates back to Rush's time, around 1812, and has continued to grow over the many decades. The American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA), a nonprofit organization formed in 1973, is a "champion of barrier-free, therapeutic gardens that enable everyone to work, learn and relax in the garden." Some of their techniques to help people with physical and mental disabilities include those I have blogged about—wheelchair accessible paths, raised gardens, container gardening, gardening indoors—and add adaptive tools for turning disability into ability as well as creating special sensory gardens using fragrance, texture and color.
Salads are for more than just eating. Textures are wonderful for the visually impaired gardener. Photo By Er.We/Courtesy Flickr.
Gardening is not just for the physically disabled; it has been shown through many studies to help with mental health disabilities. Green-care farming (or farming for health, social farming and ecotherapy) is being used in the United States and Europe. This initiative uses farming activities (including animals, plants and the landscape) as therapy to improve mental and physical health and social wellbeing. They are used for the mentally challenged, children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, children with learning disabilities and older people with dementia or Alzheimer's, among others. Some of these care farms use organic and sustainable practices, which encourage a connection with nature and foster concern for our world while providing physical and social activities. Win-win-win!
Gardens are also for sitting, relaxing, meditating, or just looking at the light hitting the leaves. Photo By Wonderlane/Courtesy Flickr.
Besides the act of gardening itself, being outside, being in a natural landscape, is also healing by providing beauty, peace, tranquility, solace and even a place for meditation. Look at all the public gardens in the world! Is it even possible to go to one of these places of beauty and not feel better? Having a space at home is just as important no matter how big or small. Fragrance and texture are especially important for those with visual or hearing impairments. More on that later…
Horitcultural Therapy snippets:
1879: Friends Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, builds its first greenhouse "to enhance a long tradition of horticultural therapy." It is believed to be the first greenhouse built in this country to be used only for the ill.
Horticultural therapy programs were used to treat veterans returning from World War II and are currently used at some of the Veterans Administration Hospitals.
American Horticultural Therapy Association
Farming for Health
Friends Hospital
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Loose Libor Chitchat Shows Disregard for Standards
The Swiss and British regulators in their reports on UBS AG's submissions for the London interbank offered rate and other benchmark rates said as many as 40 traders and submitters were involved in requests aimed at improving proprietary trading positions.
More than 1,100 trader change requests are documented, mostly by online chat, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority, or Finma said.
The U.K.'s Financial Services Authority in its probe found that approximately 40 individuals were directly involved in internal requests, while Finma documented 26.
The nature of the relationship and total disregard for proper standards by these traders and brokers is clear from the documented communications in which particular individuals referred to each other in congratulatory and exhortatory terms such as "the three muscateers [sic]", "SUPERMAN", "BE A HERO TODAY" and "captain caos [sic]", the FSA said.
A trader-change request usually consisted of a trader asking the submitter in charge to move UBS's submission to the interest-reference rate in question either up or down, depending on the trader's proprietary trading position. In most cases, such requests were explicitly or implicitly agreed to by the submitter, while only in rare cases were they refused.
Read more at WSJ's The Source.


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After an interesting free software licensing event in Helsinki, I got thinking about licence complexity. At the conference, people had two types of questions (a) Why didn't GPLv3 additionally solve X problem? and (b) Why is it so long?
In my presentation, predictably, I gave GPLv3 two thumbs up:
This was followed by a speaker who advocated using one of Microsoft's licences which he said was better because it's simpler. This reminds me of a mistake that Joel Spolsky wrote an essay about:
[...]Old code has been used. It has been tested. Lots of bugs have been found, and they've been fixed. There's nothing wrong with it. It doesn't acquire bugs just by sitting around on your hard drive. Au contraire, baby! Is software supposed to be like an old Dodge Dart, that rusts just sitting in the garage? Is software like a teddy bear that's kind of gross if it's not made out of all new material ?.
Back to that two page function. Yes, I know, it's just a simple function to display a window, but it has grown little hairs and stuff on it and nobody knows why. Well, I'll tell you why: those are bug fixes.[...].
I think this applies equally to licences. GPLv2 fixed a lot of social problems caused by how software was could be distributed. GPLv3 fixes more. Microsoft can write a short, copyleft free software licence because (a) No one's ever going to use it anyway, and (b) They don't care if it does the job properly or not. (Note: I don't know if their licence even is a free software licence. Maybe it is, I just haven't looked into it much.)
The GPL, as far as I know, is the only free software licence that has been tested in court, and it's used by more software projects than all other free software licences combined. This gives it's writers a lot of information with which to do bug fixing, and it gives the GPL a massive responsibility to work solidly.
So, for the question: Why didn't GPLv3 additionally solve X problem? There are three possible answers:
- The drafters had to avoid adding requirements only for fixing potential problems. Requirements can backfire, so adding them has to be done carefully. This is the reason that there is no patent retaliation clause in GPLv3: what if it some day prevented a free software developer from using his patents against someone who was harming the free software community?
- Solving problems almost always requires extra words. Everyone wants the GPL to be as short as possible, so the drafters had to stick to only solving the problems that were real, or problems that were simple.
- Some problems can't be solved in copyright licences. The general danger of software patents is one example of a problem that can't be solved by making a change to our licences. The grey areas of what constitutes a derivative work is another example. (Although, the grey areas aren't as big as some people think anyway.) GPLv3 has reduced the grey areas, and it has made sure that the remaining grey areas should be more similar accross country borders than they were in v2, but no free software licence can make the grey areas go away.
As for the other question: Why is it so long?
One answer is that those extra lines are bug fixes.
Another answer is that clarity requires explicit language. GPLv2's concept of "distribution" is defined in GPLv3. For one thing, it's been renamed to "convey", to avoid clashes with existing terminology in law and court precedents around the world. For another, its definition has been made explicit, to avoid relying on existing meanings in law and court precedents, which vary around the world. This bug fix required extra words, but it actually makes the licence simpler to understand reliably. The definition is in the licence, so you should have less need to consult a lawyer in each country.
(If you like this article, Vote on FSDaily.com )
Analogy is a little flawed...
While I'd be the first to agree that a free software license from the FSF is a lot more trustworthy than one written by Microsoft (understatement!), the analogy with software is a little bit flawed.
Legal documents do resemble software in their precise and formal use of language, but legal documents are interpreted by Human beings, not by computers.
This throws two monkey-wrenches into the "more complex"="better quality" argument:
The first is the assumption that more words will necessarily improve the fidelity of the interpretation. Regrettably, human beings are not as predictable as computers, and can get confused or apply their own biases to the interpretation of the text -- even in a formal court setting. Writing too much can cause extra confusion or cause a reader to skim over text, missing important parts.
The second is that, as the length of the license increases, the burden on licensors, licensees, and legal practitioners to understand and apply the license terms is quickly increased.
Compute cycles are cheap and even "interpreters" don't really interpret the original source files directly, so we don't worry so much about this with programs nowadays. Not with the size of binaries, and certainly not with the size of source code.
But Human time is expensive, and that's what a long license text burns up. So brevity, clarity, and ease of understanding have to be goals for a good license.
(Or if you like, "Humans are poor interpreters of code").
I too approve of the GPL 3.0. It's a big improvement over GPL 2, but it does come at a fairly high cost in understandability and especially brevity.
I still think that the GPL v2 is a beautiful document, and partly because of its brevity. It stands almost as a "constitution" for the Free Software movement -- while the GPL 3.0 reads as a rather mind-numbingly long and detailed piece of legislation.
Which we need when it comes to legal battles. But the GPL v2 is still the document I'd give as assigned reading to people who want to understand what Free Software is.
Change one variable at a time
While I appreciate that the GPLv3 resolved some issues that some developers had with GPLv2 (like Tivoization), it simultaneously made itself less desirable to some developers who didn't agree that those things were problems.
It would be nice to have a GPLv2.1 that just fixed a few of the ambiguities and problems in GPLv2 to bring it in line with experience, rather than also adding a bunch of new issues. I understand the FSF owns the license and wants to express its philosophy in the license, so it's not surprising that they didn't go that way. However, I wish someone would take on writing such a license (perhaps somewhere in the Linux community, which has a somewhat different philosophy that I find more congenial).
I also wasn't very impressed with the public comments process. As far as one could tell from the outside, there was no real evidence that the public comments, as opposed to those gathered in the committees, had any impact. In particular, there were a couple of wording issues identified in the brief final review that seemed to be real issues but were unresolved. It would have been much preferable to have SOME kind of feedback to the public commenters, rather than just silently accepting whatever they said (and, for all we knew, dropping them on the floor).
Reuse can be a problem, too
While Spolsky's note about reusing old code has a lot of useful observations, it's important to consider the other side. The code fixes that represent real experience also make it harder to read the code and, more important, harder to guess whether any particular change for new functionality will work right (because of potential interactions with those hard-to-understand bug fixes). I think those issues would apply equally to licenses, where lawyers are absolutely certain to haggle over any inconsistencies between parts of the license.
There is some literature on the subject of reusing versus rewriting. While the numbers vary, the put a relatively low threshold (like 10-20%) on the point where it is cheaper overall (over the entire lifecycle of the change) to modify or rewrite.
Actually, though, I'm not sure why Ciaran included the point at all, since GPLv3 is essentially a rewrite, rather than modification, of GPLv2...


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Simon Cowell is dating Carmen Electra.
Apparently some brains, money and a lot of bluster can go a long way.
After much speculation, Simon Cowell finally confirmed to Ryan Seacrest on Wednesday that he's dating Carmen Electra, according to MSN.com. But they're not exclusive.
"She's not my girlfriend," Cowell, 53, explained when he called in to the "On-Air with Ryan Seacrest" radio show. "We're people who date."
I don't know. It sounds like he may ask her to the prom.
"She's adorable, isn't she?" he asked Seacrest of the 40-year-old actress/model.
She sure is -- once you get past the fact that she was once married to Dennis Rodman.
She apparently likes Cowell, too.
She talked about their relationship on "Access Hollywood Live." "He's so cute. He is adorable. He's actually a sweetheart," the former "Baywatch" star explained. "The thing is, we worked together on 'Britain's Got Talent.' I was a guest judge, and I had so much fun. I really liked him. I think he's really cool."
Electra ended her four-year engagement with metal musician Rob Patterson earlier this year. She was also once married to rocker Dave Navarro.
Cowell ended his engagement earlier this year to make up artist Mezhgan Hussainy.
Contact Tony Hicks at firstname.lastname@example.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BayAreaNewsGroup.TonyHicks.


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Fire department honors retiree Francis, promotes Ward
Published: Saturday, July 19, 2014 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, July 18, 2014 at 9:36 p.m.
A new city policy has allowed a Hendersonville Fire Department employee the chance to retire early. Engineer Tripp Francis officially retired on July 1, after 29 years of service with the Hendersonville Fire Department.
Firefighter/EMT Jon Ward was promoted to fill the vacant engineer position on July 1.
Francis began his fire service career as a junior with the Etowah Horse Shoe Volunteer Fire Department in 1977 and also became a volunteer with the Hendersonville Fire Department in 1978. He became a full-time firefighter for HFD in 1985 and was promoted to the position of engineer in 1992.
In recent years, Francis helped the department by lending his expertise in communication equipment and maintenance.
"His experience and talent will be missed," the department said in a news release Thursday.
Several personnel from within HFD applied for his position, and Ward was promoted to engineer on July 1. Ward brings a lifelong love of firefighting and training to his new position. He has an Associate of Applied Science in Forestry Management Technology and began his fire service career as a junior with the Green River Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department.
Over the years, Ward has held several positions, including his most recent role as second captain, with the Green River department. He worked for the Dana Fire & Rescue Department for four years and held the rank of lieutenant before coming to the Hendersonville Fire Department as a firefighter/EMT in January 2013. He also continues to work part-time for the N.C. Forestry Service as a firefighter.
"Ward credits his father, Eddie Ward, for his love of the fire service," the release says. "As a child growing up in Green River, engineer Ward recalls his father talking about house fires, wrecks and incidents where the fire department helped those in need and he wanted to be a part of that and help the community. We congratulate Engineer Ward on his new position with the Hendersonville Fire Department."
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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The Skin I'm In
by Sharon G. Flake
Maleeka Madison is a strong student who has had enough of being teased about her "too black" skin and handmade clothes. So when she starts seventh grade, she decides to adopt a sassier attitude and a tougher circle of friends. The last thing she expects is to get "messed up" with another "freak," but that's exactly what happens.
After a new teacher, whose face is disfigured from a skin disease, enters her life, will Maleeka be able to learn to love the skin she's in?
Winner of the 1999 Coretta Scott King John Steptoe Award for new authors.
- Ages
- 14, 15, 16, 17, 18
- Interest Level
- Grades 9 - 12
- Grade Level Equivalent
- 4.2
- Lexile Measure
- 60
- Guided Reading
- Publisher
- Tandem Library
- Genre
- Realistic Fiction
About the Author
Sharon G. Flake Sharon G. Flake exploded onto the literary scene with her novel The Skin I'm In, in 1998, and was named a Publishers Weekly Flying Start. Since then she has become a multiple Coretta Scott King Author Honor Award winner and has been hailed as the voice of middle-grade youth and a Rising Star by The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books.
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text:
- Vitamin Guide
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- Food Guide
- Recipes
Extremely popular worldwide, this richly flavored red offers a range of styles depending on where it is grown. Originally from France's Rhone Valley region, it now plays an important role in many countries, most notably Australia.
Zesty full-flavored dishes such as barbequed ribs, steak, burgers, and Mexican casseroles.
Barbequed ribs, steak, burgers, braised pork, and stuffed peppers.
Hearty lamb and beef dishes, rabbit with mustard sauce, spicy Moroccan tomato and chickpea stew.
Copyright © 2015 Aisle7. All rights reserved. Aisle7.com
Drink Responsibly. Drive Responsibly.
Learn more about Aisle7, the company.
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The information presented here is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires June 2016.


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It's autotext, Jim, but not as we know it!
TypeIt4Me expands your abbreviations as you type.
YES, it's like autotext, BUT TypeIt4Me works in ALL applications, not just one.
Anytime you enter text in your Mac by typing it at the keyboard, TypeIt4Me can help you do it faster and more accurately.
First you define a number of abbreviations and the full text entries that they represent, then you watch the Mac expand them on the fly even as you continue typing!
Required OS: 10.5
Tags: utility , productivity , text , expansion , textexpansion , textexpander
5 Opinions
I notice that all opinions here for TypeIt4Me are old (6 years or more). There is a recent version, 5.5.2 which I am currently evaluating as an alternative to TextExpander (don't like the new 'rental' version) also looking at Typinator; favouring TypeIt4Me right now, it seems more compatible with my Macintosh Computer. Comments?
version needs correcting.. says 18.0 its actually 5.0
Finally.... shortly after my post they have updated the page.... thanks!
Two or three times I have given notice to "iusethis" that there is a new, better version 4 with a lot of improvements (such as spell checking in every application through AppleSpell). I don't know why they don`t change the information... However, check the TypeIt4Me homepage (with a comparison of TypeIt4Me, Typinator and Textexpander) and you will fnd several reasons why this is simply the best...
This is the one add-on I can't live without. It's the first thing I install after the OS. Typing its abbreviations is so automatic now that I've almost forgotten how to type some things (like my name). It's simple and it it just works.


text: I saw a great indie film recently called "The Corridor" (here's my review). I was so interested in the script and subject matter that I ended up contacting the film's writer, Josh MacDonald to see if he had any other genre projects up his sleeve I should know about. Turns out, he does! Here's a trailer for his new short film, titled "GAME". I've had a chance to see it myself, and as someone who isn't usually a fan of the format, I have to say this short is definitely worth your time.


text:
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15 Freebies & Discounts for National Iced Tea Day
Join Kendal Perez and other money-saving gurus as they explore the many ways to spend less, save more and have fun doing it! From top holiday deals to frugal craft ideas to the latest consumer news, you'll learn everything you need to know about saving money and shopping smart.
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Benevento/Russo Duo,
Thursday, 04/06/2006
Higher Ground, South Burlington, VT
Set 1: Best Reason To Buy The Sun, Echo Park, Welcome Red, Becky, Sunny's Song, Mephisto, Soba, Something For Rockets, The Three Question Marks[1], 9 x 9, What Is and What Should Never Be, Walking Running Viking, Hate Frame, Memphis, Play Pause Stop
Encore: Mike's Song[2], Jam[3]
[1] With Fish.
[2] With Mike, Fish and Brad Barr.
[3] With Mike, Fish, Brad Barr, Jamie Masefield and Mike Mavridoglou.
Notes: Fish joined the Duo for "The Three Question Marks," prompting Marco to remark, "We've succsesfully played with all four of them now." "Mike's Song" featured Mike, Fish and Brad Barr and contained "Wilson" and "Third Stone From the Sun" teases. Jamie Masefield and Mike Mavridoglou joined for the ensuing jam, which also featured "Weekapaug" and "L.A. Woman" teases. Earlier in the show, Brad Barr sat in on "Sunny's Song," "Mephisto" and "What Is and What Should Never Be."
Musicians: Marco Benevento, Joe Russo, Jon Fishman (Guest), Mike Gordon (Guest), Jamie Masefield (Guest), Brad Barr (Guest)


text: Ah, please post as much as you want. I am currently in something of a fallow period and also dead busy as I am leaving the country in 24 hours. Expect much navel gazing, talk of alienation and poems titled Doesn't Anybody Here Speak English (I Thought We Won the War, Dammit!)? once I arrive in Japan I've done a lot of things I'm not proud of and what I am proud of is disgusting - Moe Syzlak


text:
AUSTIN (November 11, 2012)--Political consultants like to say that redistricting is destiny, and that was certainly true in Texas' 2012 election results.
Every 10 years lawmakers in the Texas Legislature redraw the political maps and get to choose their voters rather than the other way around, but this year three judges in San Antonio drew the maps after determining the Legislature's maps were unfair to minorities.
Consultants found that under the court's maps, 95 Texas House districts held a majority of Republicans, while 55 contained a majority of Democrats.
Once the dust from the election settled early Wednesday morning, unsurprisingly, the results in the Texas House were 95 Republicans to 55 Democrats.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to let Texas draw its own maps in the future.


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Training runs...taking different routes, finding new places to run and determining what workout to run....
I have recently be running longer and soon will be approaching a run that is longer than I ever have run before. I am really excited about going the distance. So far I will be running a 5K at the end of this month in Batavia, IL called the Fox Trot 5K and I am also thinking about running a Half-Marathon in Chicago in September. This along with my training should hopefully prepare me to run the Marathon at Disney in January.
I am attempting to post some html code that will show my running progress, but am not sure that it will work on this blog....so if it is unviewable and you understand how to make it work, please reply to my blog and I will fix it.
Thank you for everyones support and I wish everyone a blessed Easter weekend!!
!http://www.dailymile.com/images/badges/dailymile_badge_180x60_orange.gif|style=border: 0;|alt=Running Training Log|src=http://www.dailymile.com/images/badges/dailymile_badge_180x60_orange.gif!
Work: the amount of energy transferred by a force
Life:a condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms
Balance:a desirable point between two or more opposite forces.
Taking these three points into consideration, they are bound to surface at some point in anyones training. Having a full family, including a lovely wife who works very hard full time, 3 children attending school from Kindergarten to 7th grade (YIKES!, almost a teenager), a part time job and a full time career search, it can become busy at times. That goes without mentioning all the daily/weekly normal functions of life such as grocery shopping, maintaining house and home, taking care of elderly parents, trying to stay somewhat connected to the not-so-immediate family and everything else that could possibly pop up at any given time. Whew! Sounds like we have already run our marathon in life before we even think of training for an additional event that takes an enormous commitment, time, training, motivation, and determination.
Training schedules are very important, and can make a big difference if you happen to skip a workout or take an extra couple days off which can set you back a step in your training.
Being an "Active Dad" I really find it difficult at time to work my running around all the "events" of life, yet I understand the overall benefits of the running, the aerobic conditioning, the increased endurance and health that it adds to my life. That new health is for my family, and hopefully will translate into a great number of enjoyable years down the road someday that I will be able to spend that I wouldn't have if I wasn't taking care of my body.
So, I will continue to put "Work" into everything I do. Be it my actual job, family life, cleaning, working out, running, whatever the task I will "Work" to the best of my ability and give 100% to reach my goal. Some think that you can't always give 100%. I think that it is all in the mind. If you say you can't, you won't. If you say you can, you have made a commitment and you should try to make that commitment to the best of your ability. Take a stand and join the "I CAN" group and see how your life changes. Make a commitment and stick to it. Start small, it doesn't have to be a marathon, it could even be to clean out your car. But say it, and then go do it. You MAKE it happen. It's as simple as turning on a light switch. Don't let your mind take you the other direction and slow your progress. Meet your commitment and move on with another one. Not only will you feel better about yourself, you will have reached your goal and also gained the respect of the doubters and those who look at the glass half empty rather than half full.
I will continue to "Live" or be one of the living creatures. Putting WORK into everything I hope to benefit my life by living it to the best of my ability. To gain a satisfaction that I have done the BEST I can do and not accepted anything less than what I had set as an expectation for myself. I have set a goal to run a marathon and that is what I am going to do. Yes it will take WORK, and yes, it will increase and hopefully prolong my LIFE.
I have also made a commitment to promote BALANCE in my LIFE and WORK hard to achieve that BALANCE. This in itself is a difficult goal, since as the training time increases, more time is needed away from the family. However, is it possible to run early, run late, run at times when others are in school or work? I hope to motivate others to follow a path of their own. Hopefully create their own goals and commit to them. Do the WORK that is necessary and be positive that it is making a dramatic impact on their LIFE.
Some people will probably read this and think I am off the wall. Some will understand it. Some have already set a goal for themselves and are working to achieve it at this very second. Some are thinking of setting a goal and maybe are just not sure what they can achieve. Make it reachable, but make it a stretch, make it involve WORK, make it rewarding, make it yours, and make others look at you and see a CHANGE!
Know in your heart, your soul, your innermost being what you want to achieve and go for it. You will find yourself getting closer to that goal one step at a time. If you have read this and have set a goal for yourself, be it running, your work, your life, your family, whatever the goal is please reply to this blog and write it down. Post it where you see it everyday and say it out loud before you leave on your run or for the day. Make it a consistent process and I can guarantee you one thing. You will be determined to reach that goal, you will be happy you have set a goal, and you will be happy that you have taken a step toward reaching that goal.
Now, what is YOUR goal?
Reading up on running injuries I have come across a couple different viewpoints. For certain injuries it will talk about reducing your mileage or possibly even taking an extra rest day or two then slowly proceed with your workout. Other viewpoints say to rest for a week or longer and then slowly start back into the running routine.
Why have I decided to talk about this in my blog this time?
Well, after my training run of 4.5 miles on Friday, I am having some pain in my right knee. I really didn't notice it until after the run, but it progressively got worse that evening and I could feel it all through Saturday as well. Saturday was supposed to be my long run, which turned into a one mile, slow jog and return to home. I decided that I would take Sunday off as planned and then head out again on Monday very cautiously and after spending a little extra time stretching out the knee and legs.
I don't want a knee injury to sideline me and set me back in my training before I can really even get into longer runs. I do think by taking 10lbs off my body would cause less stress to my knee and hope that I can continue to stick with moderate training runs to keep my base endurance level or even build it some while still taking care of the knee.
I have been looking at getting a new pair of properly fit running shoes and also special stretching for the knee area that I can work on. During previous runs I probably wasn't spending enough time stretching out since I would usually use my first 5 minutes as a walk to warm up anyway.
Today I really wanted to get out there again but instead took one of the dogs on a mile walk to see how the knee would feel after just walking a bit. It felt fine. However when it is in the fully straight locked position it is still a little sore.
Tomorrow I will go out for my normal 4 mile course and it may turn into a walk/run session depending on how the knee feels.
Regarding shoes, I have worn New Balance since I started running and have been happy with them. However, I have been reading up on shoes for my stride and weight and think that Nike may have some that I may give a try. Asics also has some that come with high recommendations. Time to take a trip to Roadrunner Sports and see what the best option is and to get a proper fit. Although, it may have to wait since payday is still a few days away.
That's about all for today, next post will be after the next attempt at a run and hopefully it will go well with no injuries to report.
Run day today...yippee!! Yep, still excited about the training and running days. Could be that I am actually taking a liking to this running thing again. Today it was just a cool 50 degrees and very windy. Fortunately, I took off for my run today with a sweatshirt on which definitely was needed. The wind was at my face on the way out and I was hoping it would be at my back on the way back home since I was running sort of a loop, I wasn't exactly sure if it would be or not. It was, and it made the last 2 miles seem a little easier for me.
The issue I had today was my Nike Plus transmitter that goes in my shoe wasn't working properly. First of all I wear New Balance shoes and not the specially made Nike+ shoes that have the cut out in the sole for the little bugger to go. But, I have purchased a nice specially made silicone holder that attaches to my laces and I have a previously purchased (older) velcro pouch for my other running shoes. Well, today I wanted to use my other NB shoes since it was my second 4+ mile run and they provide a little more cushioning than my NB Zips. I placed the little transmitter in the velcro pouch, attached it to my laces and off I went on my run. Lucky for me I checked my pace at about .25 miles and it said 0.00. It was not receiving the data. I messed with it, tightened it, moved it around and it worked. Well, for about 2 seconds. Needless to say I trucked back home switched to the other pair of shoes with the silicone holder and started up again and it worked fine. My other thought was that the battery was dead since it is a 3 year old transmitter. I think my next purchase will be another transmitter and another silicone holder for my second pair of running shoes. Then, a new pair of running shoes to get me through training.
Ok, so the kicker.....after I was back at home and uploaded my data, I realized something. I just crossed the point of training where my mileage per run is more than what I used to run on a regular basis 2 years and prior. I always used to run 3.5 miles 3 to 4 times a week. Today I ran 4.25 miles, probably 4.50 if you count the equipment issue in the beginning. I also ran 4.5 miles on Monday which means I have logged two runs in a row over 4 miles. I am very excited that I have reached this level and look forward to bumping it up another notch on Saturday with my long run, then next weeks runs at 4.5 each run, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
So, now for a couple little things that are popping up and one other thought I pondered on my way up the final hill to my home.
First the one other thought as I approached the last turn and could see my house.....
1. When I reach the ability to run a marathon, I will be able to successfully run todays route 6 times...HOLY ?&*!, crap, !#%!, !@$", ...ok, a half would be 3 times, let's just focus on that for a bit...that is a much more foreseeable goal at this point. Whew....I just about yacked when I thought about that at first. But then, slow gains each week will bring up my endurance level and in a few weeks, the half may be reached and then the full 6 times will look as the half does today...ya, that's it, that's the ticket, see no biggie..........yack!bleh. Damn, that still is a long way to get to Marathon. What was Pheidippides thinking on his way to Marathon, and why did everyone think they should repeat it again????
and, the other things......
2. I never understood why runners always said they have black toes. Today I think I might realize why. As I was nearing the end of my run, my two middle toes on my right foot began to rub against each other or thats at least what it felt like. In fact they still hurt a little bit now. Now wouldn't this be because your feet flatten as you run spreading your foot and if the toe box of your shoes don't have enough space they get crammed in there? That is basically what it felt like. I think for my next pair of shoes I will have them fitted properly so I know that other issues won't creep up on me like this one. I can't imagine how that would feel after 26.2 miles, let alone hurting at the 4 mile mark.
3. The other minor issue is the outside of my right knee. It is just slightly below the kneecap but only on the right side. I did make some changes from concrete to pavement to grass a few times today and was wondering if I may have twisted it. I didn't notice it while running and for now am hoping that tomorrow being a rest day will allow it to start feeling better. Any suggestions on this or the toe issue would be appreciated.
So, for this afternoon and evening....the wife and I went on a lunch date to a Chicago style pizza place and had a chopped salad and deep dish pizza loaded with veggies. YUM! We shared a game of scrabble on my iphone while waiting the 30 minutes for the pizza to cook to perfection in the pizza oven and had a very nice time together while the kids were in school. It is nice to be able to take a few minutes just for yourselves when you can and we have tried to make that a priority recently. It is very enjoyable, thanks for the date dear, I love you!
On the way home we stopped at a store that was advertising openings so I could inquire about a Management position and picked up an application after talking to the HR rep. I took it home and filled it out and returned in an hour with my resume, professional biography and application in hand. They are supposedly reviewing applications this Friday when the Store Manager returns and are to get back to me early next week...This particular employer makes me feel good and actually took the time to talk for a bit which is nice. Since so many people are out looking for work, it has been tough getting a phone call let alone the ability to talk to the H.R. employee. Well, I am hoping for the best and making the most out of each day in regards to a position. Be it talking to past business contacts, applying online for positions and through word of mouth. The biggest piece of this is to never lose hope and stay positive in the search and that is what I intend to do.....LIVESTRONG!
Until next time...
Today mental preparation was needed before my run. After all, I was going out to surpass my comfort zone of years past weekly runs. I had made it past the every other day runs of 3-3.5 miles and was planned to run 4.5 miles today, Wednesday and Friday this week. With the way training has progressed so far, I was prepared to complete the 4.5 and had the route mapped out already. Slipped on my running attire, shoes and new dual layer running socks from that trip to the running store and out the door I went.
Yesterday, I had remembered a training tool that I used to use and wondered if it was still out there. I used to listed to Steve Runner's Podcasts on iTunes and sure enough he is still created them. I eagerly downloaded the last five or so episodes of the podcasts and looked forward to listening to them on my next set of runs. I remembered that they are usually around an hour in length and were made of of Steve telling stories about training, his running of races and marathons, everyday life and basically a mixture of things including some music intertwined. The majority of the podcasts are completed while he is actually running. You can hear his pace and his breathing as well as his voice change during the parts where he is running.
The episode that I listened to today was randomly picked and what was it? It was on him preparing himself for the Boston Marathon in only 5 weeks. He talked about the standard safety training plans of a gradual increase in mileage of around 10% per week, but something was drawing him to run this marathon that was only 5 weeks away. He was quick to point out that he had been running through the Winter doing maintenance runs of approximately 20 miles per week. So he cautioned that even though this 5 week training was an accelerated program, he did have a base to work off of. This would not be recommended for someone who just decided 5 weeks out to run a marathon with no prior running experience or base to fall back on. Even the trainer, who he invited to talk on the podcast warned to "do not try this at home" and that because Steve Runner had run 19 other marathons and this would be his 20th, plus he had a solid base of mileage that they would be basically ramping up his mileage over the next three weeks and today was a 16 mile run for him while he was creating this podcast.
I find his podcasts motivating since not only does he run while talking and thinking intellectually, he is very entertaining and he holds your interest. He keeps your brain on its own journey as the miles go by. On todays run, I found that I was able to be completely absorbed into the podcast between miles 3-4 and really felt my stride smooth out. I was almost on cruise control and letting my body control its own pace while my brain was involved deeply in this training program that steve was working on. This could once again be my answer to completing my training. I felt really good during my run today. Yes I still took a couple short walk breaks, but I can see how I can shorten my walk breaks and slowly turn my whole run into a run and not a run/walk.
If you have an ipod or use iTunes, I highly suggest downloading the podcasts by Steve Runner and giving them a shot. Not only can you learn while you run, but be entertained at the same time. Great to listen to and a change from the constant beats of music. I recommend the podcasts and will be listening to them for my next several runs. Thank you Steve for your inspiration, your thoughts, training tips and the ability to grasp my mind and just let me run! Good luck at Boston by the way!!!
Spring Break. Did you or do you have kids on Spring Break over the past couple or next couple of weeks? We did. Ours were off last week and my wife, who teaches in a neighboring school district is off this week. That means our kids are going back to school tomorrow and my wife is off for the week.
All of us at one time or another experienced a Spring Break, be it time off from high school, college, or a spring vacation from work. We may have worked during our Spring Break in college to pay the rent or pay for the party, but at least we looked forward and probably counted down the seconds till Spring Break occurred. Maybe we had a trip to a warm beach with tons of other young adults our age or maybe it was a vacation to a family destination. Or, maybe it was just some much anticipated time off. Any way around it, we looked forward to it and couldn't wait for the day to arrive.
I was thinking today that I am very excited for my marathon and talking about it so much this far out from the event. I sort of paused and reflected on it for awhile and wondered why that might be the case. Then it hit me. The reason that I am so excited and determined to train and go through the long process is because I actually set the goal. I have a plan. I have set the plan in place and taken action on it. I have a daily list of what I need to do and it is not a just go out and run, "it is good for you" attitude that drives me anymore. It is a 26.2 mile course through the most magical place on earth. (ok, well it sounds good right). As mentioned before I am very much a person that likes to have a plan and be able to accomplish what is on that list. A "Bucket List" so to speak. (One of my favorite movies of all time, check it out) Although I never thought that running a marathon would be on my list of things to do in my life, I can't think of a better thing to accomplish at this point in my life.
Setting a goal, making a plan to reach it, and then taking action on that goal is a big achievement in itself. Even before all the excitement of the ending, the actual planning and steps you take to reach your goal are really the learning experience aren't they? Just like when you anticipated your Spring Break or vacation and took all that time to plan it out, where you were going to stay, how you would get there, who and what you would see, and what you would do was all just a plan at that point until you took action on that plan. To me the excitement is just as much in the planning and training portion of the goal as the final completion. After all once you have gone through all the planning and are completing the event, soon it will be over. Yes you will have a sense of accomplishment. However, the real accomplishment is getting there and taking on the challenge of putting together just the right plan.
This being my first marathon, I can only make my best attempt at "the best plan" for my personal race. I can read books, share thoughts and ideas with fellow runners, communicate on blogs and bulletin boards, but really only time will tell if I can stick with the training schedule, run the miles without injury and finally run the marathon to the best of my ability.
Right now, I am happy...happy I set the goal....know the time of the event....know where it is....how I am going to get there....understand and started my training program...and most of all TAKEN ACTION. I think that is the biggest step to maintaining your strength, reducing your stress in life, and providing you a sense of happiness and well being. I am excited because I have a plan with a goal. A plan I am executing and a goal that I will achieve.
Have a plan? Tell me about it...leave it right here as a reply to my blog.
Friday!!!! I remember the days while working full-time that you couldn't wait for Friday. I'm sure many of you reading this may be filling the same way. Since I do work p/t on Friday's I am happy about that and I look forward to going to my p/t job each and every day. I will eventually tell you more about that and how that position is also helping people and of all things their pets. (whole other story).
Anyway, right now I still look forward to Friday's. Why? I look forward to this day for several reasons.
1. It means that I will be able to spend the time with my whole family over the weekend.
2. It means that I will be able to run today and also that tomorrow is my long run! I can't wait.
3. It means that I will complete another step in the training towards my goal.
4. It means that I didn't quit and I am still on the track to success.
5. It means that I feel better about myself, my health, my life, and my progress to this point.
6. It means that I have most likely made connections with others who have the same interests..I have.
7. It means that I have taken steps towards obtaining another full time job.
I could probably go on and on, but you probably see the point. I have accomplished things this week that normally some people wouldn't recognize as accomplishments. Each step of my process is another step towards reaching the long term goal. Little steps get you to where you are going and that is my plan. My plan is to reduce the chance of failure. Actually to eliminate it. Also to reduce the chance of injury and of any delays to my program by following my training and if necessary repeating a week to make sure that I am at the level to complete the next step in the process.
So, I have been really looking forward to today. After work I plan to run my 2.5 miles and then rest up spending time with family this evening and preparing for my long run tomorrow.
I wish all of you luck in your training programs and hope that you will take a look at my donation page. I recently updated the information and am now donating 75% of all donations to the Lance Armstrong foundation. Who will be the first to donate and help us stomp out cancer? Who will join me on this quest to improve our health? Maybe its your first run, your first mile, your first 5K, 10K, Half, or Marathon.
Up to my quest my longest run was 7.5 miles. I WILL pass that in about 2 to 3 weeks during my long run and that to me is going to be a milestone worth celebrating. Find something each day to celebrate. Each run should be a celebration of health, improvement and SUCCESS!
Good luck and lets LIVESTRONG!!
Finished. That is the goal isn't it?
I love the sense of being finished. Finished with a task, finished with a project, or finished with a workout. It provides me with a sense of well-being and accomplishment. Today I finished or completed my assigned task of a 2.5 mile run in my marathon training. And it feels good....what will it feel like to cross that line after 26.2?
Running the workout today was reminding me of the days I used to run regularly a few years ago. Afterall, I am still living in the same home, running on the same roads and pulled out the almost brand new running shoes that I had bought right before calling it quits for the Winter. It brings back memories of the senses and what you see, hear and feel during your workout.
Until mile 2, I had forgotten about one of the feelings I used to get when I worked out. The "Stitch". I do remember now that I always had to run when my stomach was empty or after eating light or I would get that unforgivable cramp in my side. Now of course I remember and will make that change to my routine. Until now, I have run my workouts with a little less in my stomach and it really has made a difference. Noted.....
Either way, I completed my workout for the day and am looking forward already to Fridays run. Tomorrow is an off day for me from running, but not from work. After all I have to be consistent and wake up, feed the dogs and cat, make sure the kids are on the bus and get the little one to Grandma's and head to my p/t job. During this time, I think about the next time out running, planning my route, and how to fit it into the family dynamic and without jolting the family's routine schedule.
Staying consistently motivated...until next time.....
"Early to bed, early to rise, makes one healthy, wealthy and wise"....or so it went years ago. Now I think we must add a few other requirements to this short little quote that my parents used to say as I protested going to bed at 8 pm as a child. Don't take this wrong, if you can get to bed early, good for you. Rest is an extremely important component to our overall health and well being. However, if you are anything like me or my family getting the proper "rest" is sometimes the most difficult thing to accomplish.
As I have learned since having our first child in 1996, you really don't sleep like you did before you had kids. I mean from day one your new baby is training you as a mom and dad to wake up every so often to feed, change, and put back to sleep the new addition to the family. Now with a family filled with 3 children who seem to have endless energy at the ages of 6, 7, and 12, 2 dogs and a cat, I have learned that consistency is the key to keeping everyone sane and under less stress. Consistent scheduling is as important for the life of your kids as it is for your dogs, your job, your meals, your running, your life.
Back in July of 2008 I was let go from a full time job that wasn't so consistent. We had a new owner the year before (July 2007) that had everyone on edge. An outside management "Integration" team was in the offices and seemed to be watching over everyones backs, and all the talk was about what changes were going to be made as this new corporate owner started to run things there way. Jobs started to be lost, friends let go and after a year went by, I was also let go. CHANGE....Change to your life, your income, your family, and the way things have been done.
How we deal with and manage this change is of course very important for our personal stress level and our families. After all, change is something we all deal with everyday and dealing with change or change management is in many Business Management course books. How should we deal with changes that can affect our life in such a dramatic way? Well, I don't have the perfect answer but I do have a plan to deal with it. Although I have learned to live with this change in my life I will always be pursuing a new full time career until I find another full time job. How should I use this new time to better my life, the life of my family and obtain my new goal of finding a job when jobless claims are at all time highs and applications go unanswered? I have found that by being positive or as Lance Armstrong states it to "Livestrong" in your search, no matter what your goal is...is the best approach. For me being positive, living strong has a deeper meaning than just being optimistic. It means seek what you really want in life and go for it with a passion. Show others all that you can be and manage through the time of change just as you did before. Minimizing the change that my family would have was now my goal. Showing my family and others that I can be strong and handle change without change managing me. I know that the less changes and the more consistency I can provide to them, the better off we all will be and the less stress it will be on the family to get through the change. This is why I have decided to run a marathon. I am setting a goal for myself and going for it with a passion. Showing life as well as myself and my family that I am in control and will not fail and will have the consistent training to get me through my period of change.
I am going out there with this same strategy for my marathon training. Consistency will be a key. Going out to run when the weather is good is just as important as running when the weather is horrible. Finding a way to get the training done when obstacle after obstacle pop up. Just like in the work force or in school you find others that are in your similar situation for support and guidance, I am doing the same in my training. Finding others who are also training for a marathon and finding a way through change is important. They can be a huge support helping your reach your goal. They are a very important part of my training and support. Without your "team" on your side it takes double the motivation and triple the determination to reach our goals. Could a CEO lead a successful company without a good team on his side to support his actions? Most likely he wouldn't last a week. Nor would the company. Unfortunately that has been happening a lot lately on the news with large corporate CEO's making thier personal gain more important than the success of the company. That strategy does not work.
In order for you to be successful, your team must also be successful and you must be a leader and learner at the same time. Be consistent, and show consistency to your team. Be open to learn new things from others at your level as well as those below and above your level. Be determined to reach your goal and make it happen no matter what the weather is outside or no matter what obstacle gets in your way. Do not step on others to get to your goal, instead bring others with you and help them reach their goals. Set a plan and stick to it, get up everyday with those dogs and feed them, give them their food and water. Wake up each day with your kids even if you want to sleep in. Show them what it means to be consistent and be a good leader for your family. Help them be successful and reach their goals to be all that they can be. Show them and your family that you can and will reach each goal you set and that it is important to not quit, not let the little things get in the way, but that you can manage around them. Be a success. Be positive. Be yourself. Be thankful, for all the support along the way, and be an example. Livestrong!
After all, getting out there, meeting new people with common goals and networking with others can lead to new directions in life, new opportunities, and potentially,,,,,new careers.
Now after writing this today a 2.5 mile run seems like a walk in the park. I will run today. I will complete the 2.5 miles...and I will have fun doing it. It is my goal for the day, anyone coming along?
Today is going to be brief. I have an off day scheduled on my running program. That is actually working out well since it is supposed to rain and I have to young kids with fevers this morning. I have thought about adding in some cross training and for some reason the kids Wii Fit comes into mind. Has anyone ever tried the workout programs on the Wii? There is Yoga, Strength Workouts, and more. It actually is pretty amazing all the variety of workouts you can do with a small balance board. Even aerobic exercises such as boxing and stepping. I just might have to give it a try later after work today. Besides, I think it makes the kids laugh a little watching dad try to beat there fitness tests... I think the Wii system really is the first of its kind to get you up off the couch and involved in the game/workout with all the additional accessories and software that you can add on to it....besides who can resist a game of bowling with the family.
Tomorrow is a planned 3 mile run and I already can't wait to get out there again. Yesterday was very smooth and I feel good today. Of course with a virus running through my family I will be stocking up on Vitamin C and sanitizing gel for the hands.
Off to take on the day!
In my workout today I was fortunate enough to be able to run with a friend of mine. Matt Brown is a cancer survivor and a person who is very driven and motivated to reach the goals he sets for himself. Matt is running the Chicago Marathon this Fall and is currently training with a group of runners that are all involved with cancer in some way. Many of them are survivors of the horrible disease. We ran today on one of the paths here around my home and down around the Fox River. It felt really good to run with someone else for a change and be able to talk about our accomplishments. I did realize that I tend to want to talk too much I think and running forces you to talk in strides or in short sentences. Of course, if you do try to talk while out of breath, as I did a few times today, probably every other word comes out and Matt probably was wondering what the heck I was saying....LOL. Anyway, we shared methods of tracking our runs, and talked about where we are in our training and basic jibber jabber about running. We ended with a handshake and a commitment to run again in another two weeks on a Monday. Matt is heading down to Georgia with his wife for a short break and then back the following week.
On a side note, I also have a neighbor that I plan to train with but he recently strained his calf muscle and is off of running for awhile while it heals. He thinks he may be able to get back in line to run a 5K with me in May. We will see......
As of today I have been in training for two weeks. I used to run a few years ago and then every year when winter comes, I tend to stop running at some point. Yes, I have the winter equipment and a treadmill in the basement, but I think I use it as a crutch and just stop. Last year I didn't really start up again in the Spring and probably got in about 10 runs total for the year 2008. From 2003 to 2007 I started with the couch to 5K program and built myself up to running my long run of 7.5 miles in 2007. I always ran with a plan, but never ran in races in less you include a 3 mile heart walk in which I ran the complete 3 miles.
This year I have been motivated. Not only because I was released in July 2008 from my full-time employer and am looking for a full time job, but also because of a friend. My friend Matt, a cancer survivor, has entered to run the 2009 Chicago marathon this Fall. In fact he is running with me today for the first time. He unknowingly has been a major factor of getting me back on my feet and now I want to do this for myself. A sort of proof to myself that no matter how tough things get human determination and motivation can get you very far. I really am excited about the marathon and to prep myself during my training I have registered for a 5K in May and I am thinking about another 5K in April, next month. I ran 5K yesterday as a run/walk and this should fit perfectly into my training. I was also thinking about a 10K or a Half Marathon late in the Fall.
Todays weather, 37 degrees, with a high of 58. Perfect for running. Of course it is supposed to rain a little, but that should be fine. More to come later....
This blog is to track my daily thoughts about running. I will list my personal private feelings for the day, maybe talk about the weather and local events and simply the motivational factors on my way to training for the Marathon at Walt Disney.
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Saturday March 28th, 2009 Training Continues-Running Store Visit
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Wednesday March 25th, 2009 Training for Disney 2010-Living Strong, Change Management
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Oracle Java 6 Update 35
VLC 2.0.2 @ C:\Program Files\VideoLAN
either the #Web Folder isn´t shown in my XMB on the PS3, so i couldn´t stream any Web-based Programs.
I had googled many sites and on most Sides User had the same Problem (no #Web Folder in XMB) but no solutions.
(pls note that my engl. is not very fine, only school based knowledge)


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France, 2006, 103 Minute Running Time
Language: French English Sub-Titles
7pm Wed October 16
Followed by a wine reception
In Cooperation with the Alliance Francaise
CLICK HERE for the J'adore Cine Club Season Pass: the next six presentations for one low price!
An Italian woman intent on tracking down the Romany musician who impregnated her becomes lost in a world of Gypsies in director Tony Gatlif's meditative road drama. Convinced that her one-time lover Milan has been deported by French authorities and determined to let him know about his unborn child, Zingarina, travels to Romania in the company of her motherly friend Marie in hopes of seeking out the elusive musician. Though Zingarina does eventually track Milan to a remote village festival, the rejection she is faced with soon drives the troubled mother-to-be to ditch her friend Marie during the trip back to France. Now wandering the Romanian countryside as her future grows ever more bleak, Zingarina enters into a tentative romance with itinerant trader Tchangalo, whose gruff exterior masks a sensual inner beauty.
DIRECTOR: Tony Gatlif
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- Our favorite Vice
- Currently Unavailable
The Vice X head brings a mid-pinch to the sidewall that pinches the pocket and channels the ball through the center of the pocket on release.
This improves accuracy and power on shots and passes.
Shorter throat design lets your hands get as close to the head as possible for more control when cradling.
Legal for play at all levels.


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Nekoosa attractions are listed below. Find things to do in or near Nekoosa, WI for your upcoming individual or group travel for Nekoosa visitors. We also offer the great discounts on Nekoosa Wisconsin hotel and motel rooms.
Enter your stay dates and any discounts you qualify for to see Nekoosa, WI rates found only on HotelPlanner!


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- Jan 14:
- 49ers ready for road to Seattle, NFC Championship game
- 49ers notebook: San Francisco 49ers close to full health for showdown with Seattle Seahawks
- Injured 49ers Carlos Rogers, Will Tukuafu hope to play Sunday
- Superstitious Jim Harbaugh doesn't tweak 49ers' travel schedule
- Thompson: Kaepernick needs chip on shoulder
- 49ers' Fangio has all the right moves
SANTA CLARA -- Jim Harbaugh's wife Sarah called into 99.7 FM's "Fernando & Greg" to discuss her husband's fashion attire.
"I will not take the blame for his outfits," Sarah said on an impromptu call-in to the show.
Since taking over as 49ers coach in 2011, Jim Harbaugh's sideline and practice attire has consisted of a black sweatshirt, black cap and khaki pants whose pleats don't have his wife's endorsement.
"I've thrown them away many of times," Sarah said. "I've asked him: 'Please, pleats are gone. Wear the flat front.' He has a flattering body."
He's apparently so attached to those khakis that he found reinforcements while at the scouting combine in Indianapolis.
Said Sarah: "I threw them out and when he went to the combine, he found a Walmart. They were $8. $8!"
She's come to terms that he can't change his outfit at this point, that he won't even get a new car or change other routines. But her husband apparently told her that next year's he'll make a change if she wants him to so bad.
"I said next year would you please let me dress you or let someone else. He agreed to that."
For more on the 49ers, see Cam Inman's Hot Read blog at blogs.mercurynews.com/49ers. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/CamInman.


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"Revolution" Ends, "TMNT/Batman:TAS" Begins in IDW's November 2016 Solicitations
Comic Books
Showing results 219-258 of 406
Occupational hazard: Everything you see and do relates to comics. This week, Augie saw "Wicked" on Broadway and a lot of it seemed familiar, as a comic fan.
Augie shows off his sketchbook, conveniently located in a new app on his iPad. Plus, a heartbreaking tale of a man and his dog, and some newsbits from Seattle.
How can you mess up fly boys and a war with robots? Augie read "Rust" and figured it out. Also, Guillem March's art book is here, and what's wrong with the "Monkeyman and O'Brien" logo?
New iPad in hand, Augie takes it for a test comics-reading spin and finds much to be excited about with the best digital comics reading experience he's ever had.
Augie chimes in on the techno-babble behind Marvel's new announcement, poor paper stock quality at Vertigo, a feminist reading of The Smurfs and the fun of "Astonishing Spider-Man and Wolverine."
Augie sits with the second collection of Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca's "The Invincible Iron Man," has an advance look at Jimmy Palmiotti's "Queen Crab" and revisits Arthur Adams' "Monkeyman and O'Brien."
Augie has a crazy guess about Brian Michael Bendis' post-Avengers gig, a tip for scanning original art, a look back at Image Comics' tenth anniversary, a possible future for conventions and lots more!
Augie surveys the state of con sketches today and has a hard time recommending artists remain complacent, saying it's not Chicken Little; it's good business practice. Plus, coloring and lettering tips!
IDW re-discovered Chuck Jones' lost comic strip and made a book. Augie likes the book, even if the strip isn't so good. Also, is "Comic Book Men' any worse than "Big Bang Theory?"
This week's Pipeline begins with a look at "Joe the Barbarian," a 200-page low-blood sugar attack. Plus, an alternate vision for the comics industry, and what can the Wiggles teach comic creators?
Augie opens up the new "John Romita's The Amazing Spider-Man" and talks of is newfound appreciation for the art at large size. Also, Alan Moore did a funny "Spawn" spin-off once that's worth a second look
Augie's review of the recently-collected 'Wolverine and Jubilee' miniseries quickly turns into an appreciation of Tom Orzechowski's lettering.
"Modern Masters: Ron Garney" leads to a lot of talk about inking while Image Comics' "Screamland: Death of the Party" proves to be an enjoyable murder mystery.
Augie explains why 2012 will be the year of the creator with Image Comics set to be the publisher of the year. Also, "Rocketeer Adventures" is a great compilation of short stories by top comics talent.
Augie looks at some pretty French comics, explains why no comics publisher will defend the internet against SOPA and has a new business model for digital comics to consider.
Basking in the post-Christmas glow, Augie raves about "A Tale of Sand," the new graphic novel from Archaia based on Jim Henson's lost screenplay as adapted by cartoonist Ramon Perez.
Augie looks at some of the hardcover titles recently solicited for March 2012, with special mention of the last Todd McFarlane "Spider-Man" collection and the first of Erik Larsen's new "Savage Dragon" hardcovers.
Augie has an idea that would keep comic prices down, promote regular creative teams and save publishing companies money. Also, a look back at Rob Liefeld's first issues of "New Mutants."
Tis the season, so Augie's looking back at "The Last Christmas" and some Santa Claus trading cards. Also this week, one company stops short of innovating digital comics while one creator takes a stance against digital.
Augie takes an early look at "Cow Boy," a funny new book from Nate Cosby and Chris Eliopoulos about a ten year old bounty hunter. Also, some thinking out loud over digital comics and this week's lack of new releases.
Augie recommends "Reed Gunther," a comic book about a bear-riding cowboy. Also, how to completely misread a press event, why Augie waits for the trade and more digital thoughts.
Augie offers up a couple of business ideas to Diamond Distributors to keep up with the times. Plus, Norm Breyfogle returns to Batman, and a word of consolation for Frank Miller fans.
Augie wants to see the 99 cent digital comic grain a greater foothold. This week, he offers three ideas to help push that along, including new websites, apps and subscriptions.
Alan Davis draws pretty Avengers, Erik Larsen hits issue #175 of 'Savage Dragon and Augie wonders if Marvel pulled a bit of a bait-and-switch with regard to Marc Silvestri's run on "Incredible Hulk."
The true star of "Batman Hush Unwrapped" is the artist whose work isn't included in the book: inker Scott Williams. Take a look at some sample panels with Augie and see how much an inker adds to the final comic product.
Augie's not so worried about sexy heroes in comics today, finding inspiration for this attitude from an unlikely place. Also, early reviews of "Heart," "The Walking Dead" and more!
Joe Kubert's career is analyzed in a beautiful coffee table art book. Then, Fantagraphics begins reprinting the life's work of Carl Barks, including a story that hasn't appeared unedited in North America in 60 years.
The last thing you want to read is a boring comic, and Augie finds "Holy Terror" anything to be anything but. Also, which books were worth reading from the final week of DC Comics' New 52 launch?
DC Comics has created the internet's new comic book water cooler. Augie explains what he means by that while looking at seven more of those first issues after a preview of next week's "Holy Terror" review..
Augie delves into the second week of DC Comics' New 52 line-up and catches a lot of torture and thin art. On the bright side, there are some good comics in there, too.
Augie runs down 10 of last week's New 52 and asks questions about the necessity of a relaunch, the fussiness of costumes while backgrounds are lacking and the importance of a good last page reveal.
Augie takes a turn looking at "Justice League" #1 and likes it for many of the reasons others didn't. Plus, "Green Lantern" sports a new copy protection format, a college football uniform controversy and more
With the DC's New 52 upon us, Augie looks at the list of new series starting in the next month to see which ones he's looking forward to, and how that list has changed since their first announcement.
Augie catches up on two overlooked Image trade paperbacks, with "Halcyon" and "Sam and Twitch: The Writer." If that's not your speed, he also has The Smurfs.
Augie looks at Image Comics' "Malinky Robot" collection and muses on art-driven comics. Plus, a look at "Tellos" #1 as a great example of what a first issue should be.
Augie has some unanswered questions about the new Ultimate Spider-Man, shares his thoughts on two new movie promo images, considers a comics purge (again), and looks at Marvel collections for October
Augie dives into a stack of recent Image Comics, including Kirkman/Liefeld's "The Infinite," "Avengelyne" and "The Marksman" along with new issues of old favorites like "Invincible" and "Savage Dragon."
Another CCI has come and gone and Augie finds new respect for Dan DiDio, doesn't expect much from Marc Silvestri's Hulk, takes a guess at "MacGyver's" bad guy and begs for a McFarlane Artist's Edition.
It's the annual Pipeline preview for Comic-Con International in San Diego. What plans you should make now, what panels are a waste of time, and all the latest madness. Also, an update on last year's CCI column!
Augie takes a look at DC Comics' October Bat-titles, wonders how much pro tweeting he's missing, ponders missing "Absolute" editions and looks at Comic-Con International's 2011 programming.
Archives: All | Comic Books | TV/Film | Video Games | Web Comics


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Add this to the list of reasons women love Beyoncé. In addition to being talented, strong, and independent, one of the most beautiful women in the world lets us see her with no makeup.
Often, the star appears barefaced during rehearsals and in front of flashing cameras. Lately, she and other famous beauties such as Jennifer Love Hewitt and AnnaLynne McCord -- celebs we usually see caked in foundation, bronzer, layers of eyeliner and false eyelashes -- have posted close-ups of themselves on Twitter wearing nothing but a knowing look that says, "Yes, this is what I look like." Magazines and beauty bloggers go gaga over these photos.
Why the fuss? It's complicated.
The focus on concealer, foundation and other skin-perfecting products in today's makeup world implies that the bare female face is somehow inadequate or in need of correction, explains author Phoebe Baker Hyde. So to see one bare, especially when it belongs to a celebrated beauty, is a big deal.
Hyde experienced this firsthand after moving to Hong Kong in 2007. After realizing she was using beauty to mask her fears as a lonely foreigner, first-time parent and frustrated woman trailing behind her husband's more successful career, Hyde, a former San Franciscan with a background in cultural anthropology, swore off makeup for a year and wrote about the experience in "The Beauty Experiment" (Da Capo Lifelong Books; 2012).
She says the beauty cleanse ignited her quest "to outgrow the fantasy of feminine perfection."
"In the past there was an acceptable June Cleaver ideal of beauty, like putting lipstick on before your husband came home," says Hyde, who now lives in Boston. "But now we're living in an era where gender is just one in a range of identity points. Being identified as a man or woman is perhaps less important than being identified as a caregiver, breadwinner or intellectual."
But, Hyde isn't anti-makeup. "I embrace the goddess in all women," she says. "If you want to go out with the girls and wear some red lipstick, go for it. I'm just happy women know they have options."
According to Hyde's research, the average woman spends $12,000 to $15,000 a year on makeup, which doesn't tell us much, because brands vary so much in price. To get a better idea of women's feelings toward makeup, Hyde conducted an online survey of 500 women and found that 36 percent wish they could throw away and never use their foundation or concealer again. She believes it is the concealing and perfecting element of makeup that women don't like, as opposed to the enhancement.
"These skin-perfecting products imply either that the bare face is inadequate, untrustworthy and in need of correction, or that the female face is less an organ of communication, showing emotion, health status, or sensory attention, than a canvas to be primed for the expression of the stylized artifice that is femininity," she says. "Artistry is wonderful and femaleness is a delight, but for some women, the suggestion that they be art projects all the time is not.
"It really depends on the woman," she continues. "I think makeup is empowering for some women, occasional good fun for others, and a downer for others. It depends on a person's professional, cultural and economic situation. Makeup can be a cherished leisure-time bonding ritual among sisters, or, in a professional situation, it can be a survival measure we've grown fond of, like drinking two cups of coffee in the morning. It's when our actions chafe against our sense of what feels healthy and necessary that we start changing things up, examining and experimenting."
That's why she says what female celebrities are doing on Twitter is so great. "I think they're helping all of us train that inner bitch that's very judgmental of her looks," she says. "And by taking ownership of that real face instead of letting some tabloid get rich off it, they're saying, 'Yes I'm a goddess, and I'm also a real person. We as women have been reconciling the two for a long time."
Janna Lipman Weiss has many reasons for going au naturel. Apart from not wanting to spend the time to apply makeup and not liking the feeling of having "stuff" perpetually on her skin, the reason Janna Lipman Weiss of Walnut Creek doesn't wear makeup on a daily basis is because she wants the expectation of how she looks to be what she actually looks like, she says. For special occasions, she may wear lip gloss or coat her lashes with mascara.
"I feel like women should have emotional permission to be who they are, and I've met a lot of women in my life who feel they have no choice," says Lipman Weiss, a 41-year-old mother and former biologist. "I'm not judging anyone else. I just want to be able to look like me."
But, some women feel "me" could use a little help when life takes a toll on the face.
"I can't imagine going to work with dark circles under my eyes from lack of sleep or zits on my chin from a breakout," says student Mandy Stogin, 25, of Santa Cruz. "I have to at least use concealer and face powder. And a little blush. Otherwise, I think I look tired and even kind of sickly."
Stogin says she appreciates the message celebrities are sending by baring their pores on Twitter. But, with their bottomless Botox budgets and on-call personal aestheticians, their complexions are not the average woman's.
"I'd post my face on a billboard if I looked that good without makeup on," she says.
Genetics plays a role, too. Julie Archibald of Berkeley says it's the natural glow from her bare skin that boosts her confidence. She may dab eye shadow on her lids or smudge eyeliner above her lashes, but the 39-year-old retail associate says she has always skipped powder and foundation, and, that in her Elmwood neighborhood, where biking, organic food and a laid-back lifestyle are the norm, she is hardly the only one.
"It seems to make me feel too covered up," she says. "I feel I have nice skin, good genes, really, and spend my money on creams and cleansers so I don't need to wear a lot of makeup."
Archibald says women feel pressured by Western culture to wear makeup or have the appearance of "perfect" skin. "To be healthy and beautiful in our society is to have fresh, youthful skin," she says. "Many women don't have that, so makeup and expensive skin care routines become the standard."
discreet makeup
As women invest in good skin care and treatments, they don't need to wear foundation, and that is often the end goal, says Kate Sandoval, beauty editor for Self magazine. In the February issue, Sandoval also researched "What Guys Love (& Hate) About Your Look" and found that men don't like makeup to look obvious. Read more from Sandoval at www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-living. Here are her tips for looking makeup-free:
Apply a tinted moisturizer or BB cream. They are hydrating, so they give you radiance tinted to match your skin tone, and lightweight, so you don't look like you are wearing a heavy mask of makeup.
Reach for mascara. It curls your lashes up, makes them look darker and slightly more dramatic, and that makes you look more awake.
The final essential. Blush is what makes you look alive. Dabbing peachy-pink cream blush on the apples of the cheeks looks good on almost everyone.
-- Jessica Yadegaran


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Solar Chacara Hostel
We are a new hostel designed to provide the best comfort to our guests. You will find our hostel to be clean, safe, and functional. The hostel is just a few steps away from a breathtaking beach, the main shopping centers, bars, restaurants, and nightclubs.
We provide low-priced rooms with air conditioner and the facilities you need, all in a nice and cozy environment where you can relax at the lounge or have a drink in our bar.
We offer a private swimming pool, a delicious breakfast that is already included in our prices.
Our staff is here to give all the tips and information to make you feel like a local in Rio. Come and enjoy a friendly, fun and relaxing atmosphere for travelers!
Availability & RatesTo view availability and prices please select dates and click 'Update Dates'
Hostel Facilities & Policies
- 24 Hour Reception
- 24 Hour Security
- Age Restriction
- Air Conditioning
- Bicycle hire
- Bicycle parking
- Free Breakfast
- Cable TV
- Common Room
- Credit Cards Accepted
- Free WiFi
- Hot Showers
- Internet Access
- Self-Catering Facilities
- Laundry Facilities
- Linen Included
- Security Lockers
- Luggage Storage
- Meeting Rooms
- No Curfew
- Non Smoking
- Outdoor Terrace
- Parking
- Shuttle Bus
- Steam Room
- Taxes included
- Towels For Hire
- Washing Machine
Cancellation PolicyThis property has a 2 day cancellation policy. Failure to cancel within this time will result in a cancellation charge equal to the first night of your stay.
Must-Read Hostel InfoThis property has specific Terms & Conditions.
in order to confirm your booking we may ask you to provide your CVV code.
DirectionsShow MapHide Map
Shuttle Bus (Real Company - 13BRL):
From Tom Jobim Airport (GIG) and Santos Dumont Airport (SDU)
Take the BLUE bus outside the arrival floor and get off at the first bus stop on Av. Niemeyer (Tell the driver: Primeiro ponto na Niemeyer).Take the stairs right next to the bus stop. Once you get to the top (about 45 steps) you are on our street (Estrada do Vidigal), turn to your right and walk about 30m until the last house, thats us! You can also ask the driver to drop you off at Sheraton Hotel (second bus stop), take the stairs up (about 30 steps), turn to your right on Estrada do Vidigal Street and walk about 150m.
Yellow Taxi:
From Tom Jobim Airport (GIG), Santos Dumont Airport (SDU) and Novo Rio bus station:
Tell the taxi driver: Av. Niemeyer (Chcara do Cu) - Sentido Leblon - Barra, entre a direita na primeira rua contornando a praa da esquina, novamente a direita e siga at o final da rua. Ultima casa na Estrada do Vidigal
Located Near
Solar Chacara Hostel is located In Vidigal, opposite the Sheraton Hotel, in the coolest neighborhood in Rio. We are 8 minutes walk from Leblon Beach and 15 minutes to Ipanema Beach.
Our transport connections mean that all of Rio's attractions are easily accessible. These attractions include Christ Redeemer, Sugar Loaf, Downtown, Museums, Lapa Steps, Maracana, etc.
Also if you would like to hike, we are few steps away from 'Dois Irmaos' Peak where you have a stunning view from the city.


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Welcome to Yardley - Community Provision at Fox Hollies Forum
Community Group Information
Pre-school (for children 2 years 6 months to 4 years)
Monday to Friday
Morning sessions 9.15am - 11.45am
Afternoon sessions 12.15pm - 2.45pm.
Stay and Play
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday mornings 9.30am -11.30am
Tea Dance
Mondays 1.00pm - 3.30pm
Activities for over 50's
10.30am -12.00 noon Line Dancing
1.00pm - 3.00pm Social Club. Weekly meetings - activities include entertainment, trips, visits and holidays away.
Fox Green Social Club
Alternate Fridays 6.30pm - 9.00pm for adults with learning difficulties
Saturday Skills Club
10.30am -12.00 noon
Playcentre - see article attached
Monday to Friday 3.30pm - 6.00pm
Term time out of school activities for children aged 4 -11 years.
Fox Hollies Toy Library
Tuesdays and Thursdays 11.00am -1.00pm Term time only
Toys and equipment for parents/carers and Early Years organisations to borrow. Toys are specially selected for their appeal to young children, and their play value.
Fox Hollies Environmental Centre
A wide range of animals, both farm and domestic, for children to see and have a "hands on" experience.
Open 2.00pm - 4.00pm from 1 April to 31 October. Saturdays 10.00am - 3.30pm. Winter times by appointment.
Open for organised visits from schools, nurseries, playschemes etc.
NCMA Childminders Team
Supporting and Developing childminders in the Fox Hollies and Acocks Green area.
Contact: 0121 708 1519
Youth Work
Monday to Thursday 7.00pm - 9.00pm
A wide range of activities and projects for young people over 11 years of age.
Rooms are available for hire for community activities/meetings.
Facilities for people with disabilities.
The Centre address is:
Fox Hollies Forum,
Greenwood Avenue,
Acocks Green,
Telephone: 0121 706 0652.
Related links


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- Jul 9:
- Roadshow: Bay Bridge delay gets mixed reviews
- Jul 8:
- Bay Bridge's steel bolt failures reveal inadequate metallurgy expertise, experts say
- Bay Bridge: Opening of new span to be delayed for weeks or months
- Jun 12:
- Bay Bridge: Open new span with or without bolt repairs, experts say
- Jun 2:
- Daniel Borenstein: Bay Bridge officials don't walk the transparency talk
- May 29:
- Bay Bridge bike path bolt repairs completed months ago
- May 28:
- Bay Bridge suspense continues
- Contra Costa Times editorial: Bay Bridge executives failing to produce basic written reports
- May 24:
- Roadshow: I-580's extra lanes leave no median for BART to Livermore
- May 23:
- Bay Bridge bolt maker says report 'exonerates' it from blame
- May 22:
- Details emerge on who picked steel for Bay Bridge that later broke
- May 21:
- Gov. Jerry Brown: Bay Bridge 'not going to open unless it's ready'
- May 8:
- Live coverage: Bay Bridge bolt fix to cost $ 5 million to $10 million
- May 7:
- Bay Bridge: Caltrans to reveal how it will fix bolt problems on span
- California Gov. Jerry Brown breaks silence on cracked Bay Bridge bolts
- Bay Bridge technicians 'listen' for cracking in the steel anchor rods
OAKLAND -- A decision on whether the new Bay Bridge will open Labor Day weekend will not be made until July 10, and failure to meet the holiday date could mean the bridge debut will be delayed several months, transportation officials said Wednesday.
The announcement, made by Metropolitan Transportation Commission Executive Director Steve Heminger at a special meeting about the bridge repairs Wednesday was not unexpected.
"There isn't any way to sugar coat it, we're going to need a little more time (before we decide)," Heminger told the Bay Area Toll Authority commissioners, meeting for the fifth briefing since steel anchor rods snapped on the $6.4 billion span two months ago.
Last week construction workers began prepping the trouble spot -- where 32 out of 96 high-strength bolts became brittle and broke -- to prepare for a steel saddle which was selected as the method to retrofit the seismic stabilizers.
The delay in the opening can be tied to the slower-than-anticipated testing of the 2,306 bridge fasteners to ensure they will not fracture, as well as an unfinished Federal Highway Administration review of repairs and testing protocols.
Transportation officials faced questions about the testing, peer review and timelines by the commissioners at Wednesday's meeting in Oakland.
The three agencies overseeing construction -- Caltrans, California Transportation Commission and the Bay Area Toll Authority -- originally selected the Labor Day weekend opening because they needed four days to connect traffic lanes in the new span. But Heminger and Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty said safety will drive the decision whether to open on schedule. Labor Day is ideal not only for the long weekend, but also for good weather conditions. Caltrans would have to find another long weekend with good weather to schedule the opening, and that could mean a months-long delay.
Heminger told the commission that three things had to be resolved by July 10 in order for the bridge team to announce that it could meet the scheduled opening. The failure to achieve any one of them could doom the date.
In an effort to fully inform the commision of all the challenges and issues faced by the bridge team -- rather than reading about them first in the media -- bridge engineer Brian Maroney also spent considerable time talking about the problems the team has overcome, including problem welds on roadway boxes in China, broken bolts on the bikeway railing, and possible corrosion in skyway tendons, among other things.
As far as issues on the bike path rails, some small bolts snapped when a contractor mistakenly welded decorative caps directly onto deck plates rather than the tops of the bolts, which are threaded through oval grooves that allow the path to move but keep the railing in place, said bridge spokesman Andrew Gordon. As the structure heated and cooled, the bolts' movements were restricted and sheared under the unintended load.
Inspectors discovered the glitch last year and the contractor subsequently replaced all the bolts. Maroney said that the decorative caps were eliminated from the design.
Elected officials and bridge experts voiced concerns over waning public confidence in the bridge.
Dollene Jones, 49, a retired AC Transit bus driver, was driving a full busload of passengers on the C-line to Piedmont when the Loma Prieta earthquake struck. She was just on the bridge just east of the section of roadway that collapsed when cars all around her started weaving. She urged the commission to prepare a safety plan that has an evacuation plan and includes all transit agencies that use the bridge, not just the those located in the immediate Bay Area.
"They just need to lay it out for the people and don't make anything up," she said.
In the wake of all the issues that surfaced with the bridge, State Sen. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord, has sponsored two bills; one that establishes criteria for a state peer review panel to investigate public works projects, and another that creates an Office of Legal Compliance and Ethics that will provide greater oversight of Caltrans and concentrate on preventing and discovering breaches of policy and abuse. Both bills passed the senate with unanimous votes.
Meanwhile, two contractors who produced the steel and the anchor rods recently spoke publicly for the first time since the controversy started in March and washed their hands of any blame, saying they followed Caltrans specifications.
Contact Matthias Gafni at 925-952-5026. Follow him at Twitter.com/mgafni.