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May 11, 2004
Texas Tuesdays
Kuffner & Friends have their second Texas Tuesday up with an interview and a guest post from Morris Meyer, hoping to knock off Toxic Texan Joe Barton. From the interview: How concerned are the voters in your district about pollution and clean-air regulations? Joe Barton's negatives in two recent polls taken among likely Republican women voters are running in excess of 70%. The Dallas Morning News and Fort Worth Star-Telegram have written extensively about Barton's decades-long stance catering to …Read More »
May 11, 2004
Senator Mark Dayton
Sign the petition. Transcript: SEN. DAYTON: My time is up, but I'm just going to complete here by just referring to one individual that said he was taken from a barber shop where he was getting a shave and he was beaten with pipes, starting at his legs and back and moving to his head. He was bleeding from his mouth and ears. He fainted. When he woke up, he was in a dog's cage at a local military …Read More »
May 11, 2004
Taguba testified this morning, and it was really just unbelievable, I did not anticipate in the least that anybody would be brazen enough to say something like this: SEN. INHOFE: First of all, I regret I wasn't here on Friday. I was unable to be here. But maybe it's better that I wasn't because as I watch this outrage that everyone seems to have about the treatment of these prisoners I have to say and I'm probably not the …Read More »
May 11, 2004
Pulling Back the Curtains
A lot of people have asked us to "pull back the curtains" on Congress. What's going on back there? Answer: Not much, and you can thank Tom DeLay: The week of April 26 was eventful and troubling for the nation, yet curiously brief and serene for the House of Representatives. Thirty-five U.S. servicemen were killed in Iraq. CBS aired shocking photos of Americans abusing prisoners near Baghdad. The federal debt reached an all-time high, more than $7.13 trillion. In …Read More »
May 10, 2004
Beneath Novak's Hackery…
Sometimes people tell him things that are true: While the White House officially vowed Rumsfeld's retention, there was no reinforcement in his natural political constituency. Last week, I talked to Republican members of Congress, GOP fund-raisers and contributors, defense consultants and even one senior official of a coalition partner. The clear consensus was that Rumsfeld had to go. ''There must be a neck cut,'' said the foreign official, ''and there is only one neck of choice.'' Rumsfeld is paying …Read More »
May 10, 2004
Quid Pro Quo
Hiding in plain sight: A few weeks after the Bush administration named Medco to be one of the first Medicare drug card providers, a company executive helped throw a $100,000 fund-raiser for the president that was headlined by Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson. The role of Medco Specialty Pharmacy Services president Alan Lotvin, a co-chairman of the mid-April event in New Jersey, is just one of the ways prescription drug card providers have reached out to Washington …Read More »
May 10, 2004
Army Times: Failure of Leadership
Army Times Editorial: A Failure of Leadership at the Highest Levels Around the halls of the Pentagon, a term of caustic derision has emerged for the enlisted soldiers at the heart of the furor over the Abu Ghraib prison scandal: the six morons who lost the war. Indeed, the damage done to the U.S. military and the nation as a whole by the horrifying photographs of U.S. soldiers abusing Iraqi detainees at the notorious prison is incalculable. But the …Read More »
May 10, 2004
Wa Po on the Red Cross
The Post connects the dots on the Red Cross report: Abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers was broad and "not individual acts" as President Bush has argued, according to a Red Cross report disclosed today. Bush has said the abuses were the result of the "wrongdoing of a few." However, the report says "the use of ill-treatment against (Iraqi) persons deprived of their liberty went beyond exceptional cases and might be considered a practice tolerated by" coalition forces. …Read More »
May 10, 2004
Katherine Harris: What a Joke
It turns out Katherine Harris is incompetent with her own vote as well: Rep. Katherine Harris, the former Florida secretary of state who oversaw the disputed 2000 presidential election, admits she's responsible for a vote going uncounted - her own. Harris forgot to sign her absentee ballot when she voted in Longboat Key's local election March 9. "I feel terrible," the Republican said Friday. "It's a mistake. I regret it." If anybody is still a bit confused about her …Read More »
May 10, 2004
Hard Sell Monday
Last week we started a new tradition of trying to give you one solid reason to throw $25 or so our way as an exceptional use of your resources every Monday - thereby alleviating ourselves of doing it the rest of the week. Today we have this from the Houston Chronicle, which puts much of today's news in a proper context: ...One reason for Congress' restrained watch over the war is that the legislative branch of government and the …Read More »
May 09, 2004
"This administration needs to undertake a total overhaul of its Iraq policy; otherwise, it is courting a total disaster for us all. "That overhaul needs to begin with President Bush firing Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld—today, not tomorrow or next month, today." Those words were from Tom Friedman, a firm supporter of the war in Iraq, and the furthest thing from a partisan hack. Early last year the IHT reported on rising anti-Americanism in South Korea, partly as a …Read More »
May 08, 2004
Sign the petition. From the Washington Post today: There were no rules, by her account, and there was little training. But the mission was clear. Spec. Sabrina D. Harman, a military police officer who has been charged with abusing detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, said she was assigned to break down prisoners for interrogation. [...] Harman, a 26-year-old Army reservist from Alexandria, said members of her military police unit took direction from Army military intelligence officers, …Read More »
May 07, 2004
Hoyer's Response
"Today's Hearing Was a First Step, Not the End of the Road" WASHINGTON - House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today regarding the House Armed Services Committee hearing today on the abuses of Iraqi prisoners: "Democrats unquestionably want to succeed in Iraq and win the war on terrorism, and for that reason we want to see a full investigation into the abuses of Iraqi prisoners and full accountability for all those responsible up and down …Read More »
May 07, 2004
"That's Possible"
Transcript: BAYH: Your resignation has been called for; that's a pretty serious thing for any of us. And you answered that if you ever concluded that you could not be effective in discharging your duties, you would step down. But that you would not do so as part of a political witch-hunt, so to speak. There's another aspect of this, though, I'd like to ask your opinion about, and that is whether, in your opinion—and I know it is …Read More »
May 07, 2004
House Committee Hearing
Petition to Dismiss Secretary Rumsfeld. "I would not resign simply because people try to make a political issue out of it." - Secretary Rumsfeld, today House Committee Hearing ongoing right now, watch here. Red Cross: "The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has said it had repeatedly urged the United States to take 'corrective action' at a Baghdad jail at the centre of a scandal over abuse of Iraqi prisoners." Powell: "'It's something Powell has raised repeatedly—to release …Read More »


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Catching The Sun by Tony Parsons
HarperCollins $34.99
All across the Pacific, Southeast Asia and, in fact, anywhere warm, cheap and exotic to Europeans, there are men - and sometimes families - who have washed up in places which once beckoned as an escape from their previous lives.
But those palm-lined, white sand beaches, vibrant marketplaces, cheap drinks and lazy days enjoyed on a holiday can take on darker hues when roots are put down, businesses are attempted and the golden glow fades.
Arcane local customs, corruption, the mysteries of the greater culture and relationships - or sanity - cracking under the strain are often hallmarks of middle-class dreams going sour under the sun of a former paradise.
Parsons - author of the best-selling Man And Boy and other popular novels - sets his compass to this world as the Finn family move from suburban England to Phuket, fleeing Britain after father/narrator Tom's building business folds. He takes on a cab-driving job and is labelled a vigilante when he returns home one night to find his wife and children cowering while a couple of thugs rob their home.
Overpowering these archetypal over-grown boys, trussing them up and dumping them in the boot to deliver them to the police station, he incurs tabloid headlines and looks for a way out. A cab customer full of suspiciously big promises, bluff and property schemes is his parachute into Phuket with the family where he acts as a driver for the illegal company ... and inevitably things go very wrong after a promising start.
Parsons has the makings of an interesting narrative arc - Britain in financial and moral decline, escape, reinvention, the unravelling of dreams - but the path is ponderously obvious and riddled with unlikely coincidences. The author is at pains to show his familiarity with Thailand through the accretion of tangential detail ("Mrs Botan's pad thai, the steaming noodles wrapped in a wafer-thin omelet"), expository paragraphs ("foreigners think that all Thais are Buddhist, but our part of the island, that old Phuket, the northern tip, was almost as Muslim as it was Buddhist") and frequent references to, for example, "casuarina trees". It tries very hard.
Worse, the symbolism can be overbearingly simplistic: the fox in their English garden; the gibbon held captive in a Patpong bar; the young English guy learning muay thai (Thai boxing, cue a visit ringside), the young sea gypsy boy who morphs from slightly menacing to being quickly adopted by the Finns.
Equally clumsy is the dark prophecy from a palm reader - "an inch ahead is darkness" - which spooks Tom in a way that seems unlikely, given the kind of man Parsons has shown him to be.
Such changes in tone are throughout this readable but annoying book. The son Rory appears to possess precocious intelligence at times and at others is a normal child. And after the Boxing Day tsunami hits - at the exact midpoint of the book - husband and wife engage in an unlikely dialogue about "not running away again" amidst the chaos.
Parsons clearly loves Thailand where he has spent considerable time, but despite him attempting to give a more rounded view of the people and place, they frequently become little more than cliched ciphers for some polar opposite of a Britain in decline. That this very sentimental story, ostensibly about family but perhaps aiming for something more, has a happy ending freighted home with more crude symbolism should come as little surprise.
A novel to be read in a beach-hut, as it feels most of it was written in one.
Graham Reid is an Auckland writer.

subset: commoncrawl


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Nervous System Support!
L-Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid that can be readily converted into the amino acid tyrosine. Because tyrosine is necessary for the synthesis of proteins and the production of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine' phenylalanine is an extremely important nutrient that must be obtained through the diet or supplementation.
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Serving Size: 1 Veg Capsule
Amount Per Serving / % DV
L-Phenylalanine (Free-Form) 500mg / *
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Other Ingredients: Cellulose (capsule).
Not manufactured with wheat' gluten' soy' milk' egg' fish' shellfish or tree nut ingredients. Produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens.
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Take 1 capsule 1 to 3 times daily as needed' preferably between meals.
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Modern times call for modern toys, and your lil one's books are making the jump into the tech age. From classic tales like Peter Rabbit and Pat the Bunny to more recent additions on the bookshelf, tots' favorite tales are transitioning from the traditional book to mama's phone and iPad. Check out which of our favorite stories have successfully moved into the digital age.
Classic Kids' Books iPad Apps
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would CPIII want to come to NYC?
just curious.
NFL Championships : 1927 1934 1938 1956 Super Bowl Champions: XXI XXV XLII XLVI
I like where this team is going..
If we can beat OKC in their house, look out everyone.
Mood: WOOF!
50, 40,. and 41 and 11game win streak! Wow!
boston lost to the cavs at home haaaa cavs came in losing 10 straight.
pacers lost too so we're 2 games up on them for the 2 seed.
melo & JR are ballin


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Four Rosy Bourkes hatch date 3/10/17$75
Baby Sun Conures $300 each text me for inf 2253373874$300
i have a beautiful bonded pair of yellow front amazon. if interested pls text me for more info.No Price Listed
i have a pair of Quaker very sweet and tame. Would make great companion will come with cage. Asking $500 obo pls txt me for more info.$500
i have a few male green cheek conure about 2 yrs old and two young cinnamon babies born feb 2017. text me for more info.$200
Getting out of breeding parrotlets! 3 pairs of breeders with cage, nest box, toy, food and water bowls (whole setup). $200 each setup. 2 pairs are blue…$200
Just weaned, sweet hand fed Pineapple Green Cheek Conure ready for a loving home. 225-456-0762$275
Taking a deposit on this baby Rose Breasted Cockatoo. Should be ready at the end of May. DNA results are pending. $500 deposit applies to the total…$1,500
All Sun Conures are sold. We have a few baby whitebellied caiques available. Super sweet babies ($700) As always health and satisfaction are guaranteed…$200
I currently have three Green Opaline split DEY Quaker babies. (2 males 1 female), 1 Dark eyed yellow, and a Turquoise split DEY (female) ready to be a…$400


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struct aItem { string itemName; int damage; bool operator==(aItem other) { if (itemName == other.itemName) return true; else return false; } }; int main() { int selection = 0; aItem healingPotion; healingPotion.itemName = "Healing Potion"; healingPotion.damage= 6; aItem fireballPotion; fireballPotion.itemName = "Potion of Fiery Balls"; fireballPotion.damage = -2; aItem testPotion; testPotion.itemName = "I R NOT HERE"; testPotion.damage = 9001; int choice = 0; vector<aItem> inventory; inventory.push_back(healingPotion); inventory.push_back(healingPotion); inventory.push_back(healingPotion); inventory.push_back(fireballPotion); cout << "This is a test game to use inventory items. Woo!" << endl; cout << "You're an injured fighter in a fight- real original, I know." << endl; cout << "1) Use an Item. 2) ...USE AN ITEM." << endl; cin >> selection; switch (selection) { case 1: cout << "Which item would you like to use?" << endl; int a = 1; for( vector<aItem>::size_type index = 0; index < inventory.size(); index++ ) { cout << "Item " << a << ": " << inventory[index].itemName << endl; a+= 1; } cout << "MAKE YOUR CHOICE." << endl << "Choice: "; cin >> choice;
^^^^ Everything above this line, works. I assume that my problem is the if statement, but I cannot figure out where I am going wrong in my syntax, or if there is a better way to do what I am doing.
if (find(inventory.begin(), inventory.at(choice), healingPotion.itemName) != inventory.end()) cout << "You used a healing potion!"; else cout << "FIERY BALLS OF JOY!"; break; case 2: cout << "Such a jerk, you are." << endl; break; }
I need for the player's choice to affect the message displayed. Here's a sample output of the 1st snippet:
Item 1: Healing Potion Item 2: Healing Potion Item 3: Healing Potion Item 4: Potion of Fiery Balls MAKE YOUR CHOICE. Choice:
From there, the player can type 1-4, and what I would like is for the number (minus 1, to reflect the vector starting at zero) to be passed to the find, which would then determine (in this small example) if the item at inventory[choice - 1] is a healing potion. If so, display "You used a healing potion!" and if it is not, to display "Fiery balls of joy". Obviously, to turn this into a "real" inventory system, it'll need much more tweaking- this excercise is to help me learn how to search vectors... next will be removing the item once it is used (really looking forward to that, too... )
Any advice you can offer would be awesome. Thanks for slogging through all this!
Edited by VladimirMarenus, 13 November 2012 - 07:32 AM.


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Entourage - Season 6 Episodes
Entourage - Season 6
After hitting a few speed bumps the past couple of years, Vincent Chase's career has kicked into high gear after his role in the latest Martin Scorsese film. But now that Vince is back on top, is it finally time for Eric, Drama and Turtle to step out of his shadow? Hit the gas for another electrifying season of 'Entourage,' HBO's hit series about a hot young actor and the three buddies he's brought with him from their hometown in Queens, NY.
On the eve of the 'Gatbsy' premiere, Eric's been on a hot streak, Vince is about to take his driving test (in preparation for playing Enzo Ferrari), Turtle's going strong with Jamie-Lynn and Drama's still hanging around Vince's mansion in spite of having his own place.
"Amongst Friends"
The gang helps Eric move into his new place and E invites Sloan to accompany him to the 'Gatsby' premiere that night, insisting it's just as "buddies." When Ashley drops by later with a housewarming gift, Eric brushes off her queries about his plans for the evening, telling the guys he doesn't want her to get ideas about being his girlfriend — he wants to be single right now. Ari pushes Mrs. Ari to take Andrew Klein's wife Marlo on a mani-pedi date wanting their wives to be friends. In spite of Andrew's doubts, the two women hit it off. At Miller-Gold, Andrew pulls Ari into a meeting set up by agent Lizzie Grant with two showrunners — Ari picks up on Andrew's flirtation with the junior agent and warns him to stay away. At the premiere, Ashley surprises Eric by showing up. Eric confesses his real feelings for Sloan but she tells him she can't just jump back in and he counters that he can't just be friends. Ari confronts Andrew and Ari orders him to end his fling with Lizzie. Back at Vince's mansion, Eric gets a call from Ashley and decides to console himself with her, leaving Vince, Drama, Turtle and their dates to continue the party.
"One Car, Two Car, Red Car, Blue Car"
Nervous about the test-screening for his client Charlie's new sit-com, Eric is upset when he learns that Ashley doesn't find Charlie likeable. Meanwhile, it's Turtle's 30th birthday and the day begins with a phone call from his mother who chews him out for looking like a loser in People magazine — wearing sneakers to the premiere with Jamie-Lynn. Vince tries to cheer him up by taking the gang driving on a local racetrack and then giving Turtle the keys to a new Ferrari. Vince realizes he should have "coagulated" with Jamie when she shows up with her own gift: a Porsche. Lloyd continues his 100 days of hazing — memorizing Ari's clients' favorites drinks. E comes by to talk to Ari about Vince's latest film offers and gets the scores from the test pilot while he's there — they want to replace Charlie. Later, Turtle shows up asking Ari for career advice in the form of potential investors for a business he wants to start. But Ari gives him a speech about the hard work needed to be a self-made man. E avoids Charlie's calls and holes up with Ashley to figure out what's wrong with the pilot. He finally realizes that Charlie sucks — but that Eric needs to sell his client anyway. After getting advice from Ari on how to lie, E storms into Amy Miller's office but fails miserably. At his birthday dinner, Turtle and Jamie announce Turtle is going back to school at UCLA extension for business management.
"Running On E"
Eric watches the late-night box office returns for 'Gatsby' and Ari calls to revel in Vince's success — and to report that Vince's next film is being pushed several months. As soon as he hangs up, Ari and Mrs. Ari get another call on the home line from Marlo Klein, looking for Andrew. Ari covers for Andrew but later at work he warns him things better be over with junior agent Lizzie Grant. Andrew assures him they are and he's all about the work, but when David Schwimmer shows up for a meeting, it's Lizzie who piques the actor's interest and Andrew's jealousy rears its head. Vince debates what to do now that he has a hiatus and is disappointed that all of the guys are too busy with their own lives to travel with him. He consoles himself with a waitress, and Facebook. As they kill time, Eric complains to Ashley about how bored he is with Vince being his only successful client and she challenges him about what he really wants. Meanwhile, when the casting session for the role of Drama's girlfriend on 'Five Towns' is a bust, Drama begs Turtle to ask Jamie-Lynn to do it; Turtle refuses but later has a change of heart. Lloyd alerts Ari that Andrew is weeping in his car. Ari intervenes in Andrew's meltdown and orders him to think of his family — but later learns that Andrew interpreted his advice to mean he should leave Marlo. Mrs. Ari is furious with Ari when she hears from Marlo. Surprising the guys, Eric announces he's shutting down the Murphy Group.
Eric and Ashley's dinner is interrupted by a call from Sloan, who gives E a heads up that she's co-chairing the charity golf event he's attending with Vince and the guys the next day — Eric withholds that news from Ashley. At the golf tournament, Vince and Drama are paired with Mark Wahlberg and Tom Brady, and Sloan informs Eric that uber-manager Murray Berenson requested him. Ari tortures Lloyd by making him caddy for his team, which includes Jeffrey Tambor, who cheats to impress his two sons. Drama makes a fool of himself trying to win his wager to outplay his teammates. Turtle, being a loyal Giants fan, psyches himself up to tell Tom Brady off, but when Tom suggests Turtle and Jamie-Lynn should join him and Gisele for dinner, he melts. Mrs. Ari calls her husband, wanting to know why he's trying to buy her off with a new Maserati rather than just say he's sorry, but Ari insists it wasn't his place to confide about Andrew's affair. Murray tries to get E to come work for him, but when Eric discovers Sloan was the one who recommended him, he has doubts. Later that night, mulling over the job offer with Ashley, Eric mistakenly calls her "Sloan."
"Murphy's Lie"
Turtle and Vince watch as Jamie shoots her 'Five Towns' love scene with Drama. E shows up late, having had a rough night after calling Ashley "Sloan." Ari finally convinces Mrs. Ari to accept his apology, but his problems aren't over: At Miller Gold, Marlo Klein tears through the offices in search of Andrew's "whore." Ari gets rid of her and has Lloyd track down Andrew and Lizzie, intending to fire them both but Lizzie insists it's over. Ari orders Andrew to go back home to Marlo. E goes to Ashley's to apologize, but as he's showering after their make-up sex, Ashley listens to a voice message he gets from Sloan. Realizing Sloan was responsible for his new job offer, Ashley storms out. Eric meets with Maury Berenson and accepts the job with his management company. Studio exec Dan Coakley shows up on set to meet Jamie-Lynn and invites her to lunch to discuss future projects. Drama gets protective and follows them to spy. While Turtle is at his first day of school, Vince kills time with co-eds and gets updates from Drama about Jamie-Lynn's lunch date. Back on set, when Jamie-Lynn hasn't returned, Drama works himself into a frenzy, storms Coakleys' office and tries to choke him. Coakley threatens to have him killed — by the writers. When E shows up at Ashley's that night she accuses him of still having feelings for Sloan and he admits he does.
"No More Drama"
Vince's mansion is broken into in the middle of the night. While the cops see no sign of an intruder, the maid discovers all of the guys' underwear has been stolen so Ari urges Vince to call his security guy. Lloyd informs Drama that he's not needed on set that day and the guys tell Drama to suck it up and apologize to Dan Coakley. Eric starts his new job and immediately bumps up against fellow manager Scott when he mentions he knows Bob Saget (who Murray is eager to sign). When Saget will only talk to E, and demands to have sex in Murray's office as a stipulation for signing, Scott makes E take the offer to Murray who ultimately agrees. After several failed attempts at apologizing, Drama finally grovels in person and Coakley tells him he's not firing him — he's going to torture him instead. Meanwhile, Vince and Turtle go gun shopping thinking they can handle security themselves, but are dismayed by the 10-day waiting period. When Drama brings some guns home and one goes off, Vince decides it's time to call in the pros.
"The Sorkin Notes"
Eric cuts short a call from Sloan, who wants to make sure E's not angry with her. He runs off to meet with Vince and the Israeli security team. Vince and the guys wonder if the Fort Knox treatment is really necessary. At Miller Gold Ari finds Andrew passed out on his office couch because Marlo kicked him out and blocked his credit cards. Barbara Miller wants Andrew fired if he doesn't sign Aaron Sorkin by the end of the day. Sloan invites Eric for a friendly drink and even though she admits she's seeing someone, he agrees. When Marlo won't let Andrew back in the house to get his Sorkin notes — and then torches them — Andrew drives through the front window and ends up in jail. Eric gets a call from Ashley just as he's meeting Sloan and ditches on drinks with her, telling Sloan he doesn't want to mess things up with a girl he kind of likes when Sloan is sending such missed signals. Ari makes Andrew pitch Sorkin from jail and when Andrew breaks down, Sorkin takes pity on him and agrees to sign, much to Ari's surprise. E makes up with Ashley. Meanwhile, the security team finds a driver's license in Vince's couch cushions — has his stalker been found?
"Security Briefs"
Vince and Turtle are upset about the security team's takeover of the mansion, but when the driver's license found in the couch leads to a guy with a dubious past, Vince decides the security is worth the hassle. Turtle and Drama call E to meet Vince at his fitting for the Frank Darabont film and Ashley grows suspicious of his cryptic replies. Ari steals Zac Efron away from Adam Davies, and Adam retaliates by offering Lloyd a job as an agent. Lloyd rejects the offer, but reconsiders when Ari more than doubles his hazing period. Lloyd finally quits in a rage, abandoning Ari's smashed-up car in Beverly Hills. When Drama learns that the alleged stalker works at The Pleasure Chest, a store he used to frequent, he takes matters into his own hands. Just before he's about to go Rambo on the guy, he gets a call from Vince: Turtle has discovered that Vince's stalker is actually a bunch of sorority girls who were ordered to steal "Jamie-Lynn Sigler's boyfriend's underwear." Ashley meets Eric's assistant and the green monster rears her head, again.
"Berried Alive"
Turtle frets over his unclean thoughts about the sorority girl, given his devotion to Jamie-Lynn. When Drama runs into the producer of 'Melrose,' (who canned him) and he suggests there's a part in 'Melrose 2009' that Johnny would be perfect for, Drama contacts Lloyd to see if he can get out of his 'Five Towns' contract — and discovers Lloyd has jumped ship. When Ari learns that Lloyd's gone to Adam Davies, he goes ballistic, and Drama benefits from the tug of war between Lloyd and Ari. Ari gets Drama off 'Five Towns,' but Lloyd makes an impassioned plea to remain his agent. Drama grills Ari about whether he believes in his talent — and Ari lets him go. Eric goes to Ashley's and learns she's suspicious about the identity of "Rupert Pupkin" (the name she saw on his cell phone). She insists she's not normally jealous and suggests she be able to read his emails to re-establish trust. Eric agrees, but has second thoughts and ends up breaking up with Ashley. Meanwhile, Jamie-Lynn gets a new series...shooting in New Zealand.
"Scared Straight"
Eric is distressed to learn he and Drama shared a conquest...and even more upset when he finds out she's "slutty" and he didn't wear a condom. He gets tested for an STD. Ari continues to go through Lloyd replacements and is surprised by a visit from Terrance McQuewick, who gives him 24 hours to consider buying his agency, TMA. As Jamie packs for her New Zealand gig, she wonders how she and Turtle can make a long-distance relationship work, especially after she gets jealous of his new co-ed Facebook friend. Turtle is stunned when she breaks it off with him at the airport, insisting she doesn't want him to resent not being able to see other people. Drama has a meltdown at the new 'Melrose' audition and ends up in the hospital. Even though Lloyd gets him a do-over audition, Drama passes, insisting he needs to re-evaluate his choices after this scare. Ari tries to get dirt on Terrance from his trophy wife, Melinda, who reveals that they're divorcing — information that allows Ari to drive Terrance's price down to $75 million. Eric gets a clean bill of health and announces he wants Sloan back.
"Give a Little Bit"
With Vince leaving for Italy the next day, Drama's the only one free to go with him. At couples counseling, Mrs. Ari objects to Ari using $12 million of her money to buy out TMA, suspecting it's more about revenge than good business. Ari gives an impassioned speech, winning her over. Matt Damon, Bono and LeBron James guilt Vince into giving a substantial donation to Damon's charity for kids. At the contract signing, Terrance springs the news of an addendum — that the new firm must retain the name of TMA — and Ari walks out. Drama reconsiders his "no" to the Melrose audition and kills it, but still gets turned down for being too old. Instead, he gets a holding deal from the network, so they can develop a series for him to star in. Eric whisks Sloan away to lunch to profess his love — and she gets furious. She accuses him of not being able to commit, but he insists this time he's in for real, producing an engagement ring. When Turtle realizes that even the hot co-ed can't distract him from his feelings for Jamie, he decides to go after her. On the plane to New Zealand though, he gets a call from her, insisting he not come. As the plane takes off, he buckles up for a long flight. Meanwhile, Terrance and Ari make peace and the deal goes through...then Ari goes postal at TMA, paintballing all of the agents he's firing — and giving Lloyd a reprieve. When Lloyd goes to tell Ari off, Ari offers an apology and an agent position, with an office. E and Sloan show up at the airport to see Vince and Drama off — and announce their engagement.


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Did the title get me a red card on my first post?
Hi All, Ade here, live on the edge of Twyford in Berkshire, have been thinking about bee keeping for some time now, and have decided before I try and make my dream a reality, I should really speak with the experts!!
So, will have a look around the forum and see if I can find some useful threads.
Anyone near me please say hi!!


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2012 Cross Country — Placed 106th at NCAA Midwest Regional...finished 33rd as fourth team runner at MVC Championship...claimed 61st place in the Black flight of the NCAA Pre-National Meet in Louisville...placed 67th at Roy Griak Invitational...9th at the Oz Memorial...led team and placed third at Bulldog Classic.
2012 Outdoor — Qualified for the NCAA DI West Preliminary round in the 1500...placed second in 1500 and sixth in 800 at the State Farm MVC Outdoor Championship...seventh in Arkansas Twilight 1500 in personal best 3:46.79...finished third in 1500 at the Drake Relays and the Musco Invite...third in 800 at Jim Duncan Invitational...2011 Cross Country — Placed 27th to contribute to Drake's team title at Bradley Classic...11th place finish at Walt Disney Classic helped lead team to meet title...fifth on team at Roy Griak Invitational running 26:29 for 8,000 meters...second on team and third overall at Bulldog Classic.
2011 Outdoor — Finished fifth in 1500 in personal best 3:53.84 at MVC Outdoor Championship...also 13th in 800 at MVC's...ran personal best in 800 at Arkansas Twilight (1:53.28) to place 12th...eighth in 800 at Drake Relays and ran on 10th place DMR relay...sixth in 800 at Jim Duncan Invite...2011 Indoor — Placed fifth in 800 final at MVC Indoor Championshp...third at Iowa Invitational and fifth at Iowa State Classic in the 800...11th in mile in personal best 4:22.79 at Husker Invite...2010 Cross Country — Fifth team runner at Bradley Classic placing 66th...finished in top quarter of field of 528 runners at Loyola Lakefront Invitational...ran 33rd at Oz Memorial...11th at Bulldog Classic...letterwinner.
2010 Outdoor — Fifth in the 1500 (3:55.96) and eighth in 800 at the MVC Outdoor Championship...ran personal best in 800 MVC prelims in 1:53.69...placed seventh in 800 at Iowa Invitational...fifth in 1500 at Jim Duncan Invitational...eighth in 1500 and 11th in 800 at Tom Botts Invitational...2010 Indoor — Placed sixth in 800 at MVC Indoor Championships...ran to personal best 1:54.97 in 800 at Iowa State Classic...placed 10th in 800 at Husker Invitational...fourth in 800 at Jayhawk Invitational...fourth in mile at Iowa State Holiday Classic.
2008 Cross Country and 2009 Track — Redshirted.
Prep — Placed sixth in 800 at 2008 Minnesota Class AA state meet in school record time of 1:53.13...two-time all-state selection at Armstrong High...five-time All Classic Lake Conference performer, winning 800 as senior...prep teammate of current Drake runner Brandon Lewis...also three-year letterwinner in skiing.
Personal — Currently in graduate school to complete his MPA...graduated in 2012 with a degree in economics...recipient of Drake Presidential Scholarship...honored with 2011-12 MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award...named to 2010-11 MVC Academic Honor Roll...son of John and Pamela Lapham...born in June, 1990 in Golden Valley, Minn.
Personal Bests


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Pequot Lakes-Breezy Point Business Connect discusses customer service
All Pequot Lakes and Breezy Point business leaders are invited to attend the next meeting of the Pequot Lakes-Breezy Point Business Connect Committee, which will be at 8 a.m. Wednesday, April 3, at the Cole Memorial Building in Pequot Lakes.
This committee is a networking group that focuses on education and happenings in the two business communities. During its April meeting, the committee will discuss the ever-changing world of customer service. Professionals will share insight, techniques and ideas to help grow your business.
To learn more about this group, call Jenna Crawford at 218-568-8911 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.


text: Hello all... I just joined this forum. It looks like a great place to get help with truck problems. I have a 2001 Chevy Silverado with a 4.8, 2wd. I have added a K&N cold air induction kit to it. I haven't had a lot of trouble with it other than lately it seems to have lost some power. I am going to have the filter changed on my tranny along with what ever oil they can get out of it by removing the pan. My truck has 130k on it now.


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Political parties on the left and right must reach agreement on how a four-year electoral term would be implemented before the issue goes to the public for discussion, otherwise the proposal will fail once again, says New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters.
Mr Peters and Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei yesterday agreed with Prime Minister John Key and Labour leader David Shearer that the country would benefit from a four-year parliamentary term but the change needed to be supported by the public via a referendum.
The proposal failed when it was put to voters in the 1967 and 1990 elections, almost 70 per cent favouring the three-year term over four years.
Mr Peters said his caucus had discussed the idea some time ago and while it had merit, the key question was whether or not a referendum on the issue was ever likely to succeed.
"The chinless wonders on each end of the political spectrum, feeling their opponents might win, inevitably go for the three-year term so you're almost beaten before you start on the referendum."
Mr Peters said the only way a referendum could succeed was if Opposition parties agreed with the Government on how and when a four-year term would be introduced. "That way [the public debate] will be without self-interest ... . The public needs to know everyone is considering the issue in terms of its merits not because of political bias."
Mr Shearer said a political consensus was needed to move forward on the issue. "It has to be depoliticised. It can't be seen to favour one party over another so you'd have to consider when it was going to be implemented to remove that bias."
Mr Key said yesterday while a four-year term was likely to deliver better government and reduce the negative impact on the economy that occurred during elections, it would be "a bit arrogant" for a Government to change the term "through the stroke of a pen".
Ms Turei said while the Green Party didn't have a policy stance on the issue, there were good policy reasons to go to a four-year term. "There's potential for more stability and less radical swings from one government to another and that's a major issue for the community and business in particular."
United Future leader Peter Dunne said moving to a four-year parliamentary term and a fixed election date, as also suggested by Mr Key this week, were both long-standing policies for his party.
Act leader John Banks didn't believe New Zealanders would vote for "more job security for politicians" by supporting a four-year term.
The Maori Party said it had no stance on the issue as it hadn't been discussed by its caucus.


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Four cases of E. coli infection have prompted a recall of frozen hamburgers across the country.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Loblaw Companies Ltd. are warning the public to avoid certain Butcher's Choice Garlic Peppercorn Beef Burgers because of possible contamination.
The affected product is sold frozen in 1.13 kilogram packages with a best-before date of March 3.
Public Health officials notified the CFIA on Dec. 5 that the E.coli cases could possibly be linked to a food source, which prompted the investigation into the meat.
It's not yet known, however, whether the E. coli strain responsible for the illnesses is the same as the one found in the meat.
Officials said they are also inspecting Cardinal Meat Specialist Ltd., the facility where the burgers were produced.
Loblaw Companies Ltd. of Brampton, Ont., is voluntarily recalling the affected product and the CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.
"An initial review of inspection reports and company documentation has not identified any issues with the facility's E. coli O157 control measures and the company currently has no outstanding corrective action requests," said Garfield Balsom, a food safety recall specialist with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
There is a possibility that additional products could be identified and the recall could expand.
"There is good evidence these four cases are linked to some kind of common source, (but) we don't yet know what that common source is," said Dr. Frank Plummer, chief science officer at the Public Health Agency of Canada's national microbiology laboratory.
"Possibly the hamburgers, but we're not sure at this point. "
E. coli O157:H7 is potentially deadly. Health officials say it can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and, in the most severe cases, kidney failure.
The cases identified in this investigation do not share the same genetic fingerprint as those from an outbreak earlier this year that led to a massive international beef recall, said Dr. Gregory Taylor with the Public Health Agency of Canada.
"To put it clearly, this means that these cases are not linked to the XL Foods investigation," he said.
In September, Canadian authorities were notified by their U.S. counterparts that beef from the XL Foods plant in Alberta was testing positive for E. coli.
It took the CFIA nearly two weeks after that to begin notifying the public about the products and more than eight recalls were eventually issued covering over 200 products.
The plant's license was also temporarily suspended for failing to comply with food safety measures.
The company resumed operations in late October but was only allowed to resume exports to the United States earlier this month.Report Typo/Error


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Making Waves on Charleston Harbor
Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina • Mount Pleasant, SC
Escape Kit
- A Two-Night Stay for Two in a Deluxe Inland Room, Sundays through Wednesdays ($276)
- Or, a Two-Night Stay for Two in a Traditional Inland Room, Thursdays through Saturdays ($335)
- Two Welcome Drinks and One Bottle of Wine
- Daily Breakfast for Two
- Resort Fee Included
Sail away with this Escape to Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina. Its Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, location is just a hop, skipper, and a jump from all the charms of Charleston.
You and your first mate are headed for a two-night stay in a Deluxe Inland Room, Sundays through Wednesdays ($276). Or, stay for two nights in a Traditional Inland Room, Thursdays through Saturdays ($335). Both packages include daily breakfast for two, two welcome drinks, one bottle of wine, and all resort fees.
Set on the relaxing shores of the Charleston Harbor, this resort's easy access to leisurely water activities and city fun has been lauded by USA Today, Resorts & Great Hotels, and Condé Nast Johansens. The property features a private beach, a poolside bar, and a free shuttle service to downtown Charleston.
Buoys and gulls alike are invited to sip a welcome cocktail on the house at The Reel Bar. Make waves at the bar, which is made from the wood of an old sunken ship, and order the Harbor Swizzle with rum and grenadine. Then, head to your nautically themed retreat to watch DVDs on your flat-screen television, saving the views from your balcony or terrace for sunset.
When you awaken the next day, drop anchor at the Indigo Grille, where Executive Chef Josh Woodruff goes overboard to serve up fresh, locally produced ingredients for your included morning meals.
Get all hands on deck for a sailing lesson out on the water, or rent a bike to explore Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Either way, you'll want to set adrift for Charleston by way of water taxi.
"Charleston is a city for strolling, for admiring antebellum architecture, for long dinners on the veranda, for stopping to smell the blooming jasmine," says Lonely Planet. Walk hand-in-hand through White Point Park & Gardens and stroll by the nearby multi-colored homes of the famed Rainbow Row. Set off on an aqueous adventure at the South Carolina Aquarium before touring Fort Sumter.
Bland plans, avast! With this retreat, pay for an inch, and this maritime marvel will go the extra (nautical) mile.
"Mount Pleasant's finest hotel sits on Charleston Harbor, so you can gaze at the city's skyline, yet a water taxi from the marina will get you across the harbor in 10 minutes. Sailing events are held here, and the bar scene is fun."-- Read Fodor's Review of Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina
escapes 30-day promise
LivingSocial gives you up to 30 days to return your unused voucher for a full refund. Once you've made a reservation, you are subject to the merchant's cancellation and refund policy. If you want to secure your preferred dates of travel, we strongly recommend that you complete reservation with the merchant within 30 days of your purchase—after that, LivingSocial will not issue any refunds.
the fine print
- Limit 1 voucher per reservation; vouchers cannot be combined to extend stay
- Vouchers may be combined to extend stay
- Reservations required; subject to availability
- Not valid on group or existing reservations
- Merchant cancellation/re-scheduling policy of 48 hours in advance of scheduled arrival; voucher subject to forfeiture
- Based upon double occupancy
- Blackout date(s): December 8, 2012; December 31, 2012; February 15-16, 2013; March 22-24, 2013; March 29-31, 2013
- Voucher cannot be combined with any other discounts, vouchers, or gift certificates
- Sales tax and resort fees not included and will be collected at redemption
- Nights must be used consecutively
- All deal components must be redeemed during one stay
- Other conditions apply • PAID AND PROMOTIONAL VALUES EXPIRES ON March 31, 2013 • PAID VALUE DOES NOT EXPIRE • PAID VALUE EXPIRES ON March 31, 2018 • PROMOTIONAL VALUE EXPIRES ON March 31, 2013 • Enjoy By March 31, 2013
Other conditions apply
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i know a lot of people who like the "world class" tasco line.
i would not listen to the "experts" anyway as they are likely trying to sell you something.
if the scope has clear optics and holds zero why not use it?
the closest thing i have is an old old gibson 4x scope made in japan in the 70s which is still a pretty good scope.


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Nisswa council continues discussions about building chamber office
The Nisswa City Council continues to debate whether a new Nisswa Chamber of Commerce office should be part of a public restroom facility the city plans to build on Main Street downtown.
"We will go as slow as needed to get the right information," mayor Brian Lehman said at the end of a two-plus hour meeting Wednesday, Dec. 12.
After much discussion, the council agreed 4-1 to proceed with a restroom building concept that includes a chamber office, with engineering firm Widseth, Smith, Nolting providing a design proposal.
Council member Lenny Hodgson was opposed because of a potential burden on taxpayers.
The council reiterated that the decision to proceed with a building design that would include a chamber office does not mean it has decided on that option. Council members took this step as a way to obtain firmer, more detailed cost estimates.
The discussion about a chamber office is part of a larger project. The council is considering a 10- or 15-year, $500,000 abatement bond in 2013 to pay for improvements at Nisswa City Park and the Nisswa Community Center, as well as to build a new public restroom facility at the site of the current facility on the Paul Bunyan Trail downtown.
Adding a chamber office could increase the bond amount to $700,000. The council will fine-tune the amount and what the bond would pay for, and a public hearing will be held before the city issues any abatement bond that will lock in projects.
The city has budgeted $57,000 toward a bond payment in 2013, and plans to budget yearly to pay the abatement bond. The council is acting proactively to take advantage of current low-interest rates for future projects, Lehman said.
The chamber previously leased the building along the trail from the city, but the building closed and the chamber temporarily moved to a spot in Nisswa Square in 2011 because the chamber needed more space and an improved building.
The building option the council seeks more information for is proposed to include 1,000 square feet for public restrooms and 1,196 square feet for chamber office space, for a 2,196 total square-foot facility.
Cost is $417,000 (which includes a 10 percent architecture fee), or $495,000, which includes a 10 percent contingency.
Community center improvements are estimated at $109,000, park improvements are estimated at $124,000, and the initial plan for public restrooms had estimates at $260,000, for a total of $493,000.
After considering the need to add chamber office space to the restroom facility, costs escalated, which worried council members. They agree the chamber belongs back downtown by the trail, but don't like the price tag.
The chamber board sent a memo to council members saying it would commit to a 20-year lease paying $800 to $900 per month for rent.
Over 20 years, that would cover $170,000 to $200,000 depending on the interest rate, Lehman said, noting the city would get its money back.
However, the council prefers a 10-year, or possibly a 15-year, abatement bond, and though the city presumably would get back its investment from the chamber in those 20 years, Hodgson said taxpayers funding the chamber's share those first 10 years likely wouldn't see their money back personally.
Plus, the city would take a risk of not having a tenant in the office space if something ever happened to the chamber in the future.
Shawn Hansen, chamber executive director, told the council the chamber wants to be back downtown by the trail, is committed to a lease and is strong and sound.
"It was always our hope that at some point the welcome center would be back along the trail and in the center of the community," Hansen said.


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Confronting Your Clutter Conundrums
Clear pile-up by understanding why you have it and learning how to get rid of it
Pam, a mother of two teenage boys, ages 14 and 17, lives in a clean, organized house in Austin, Texas. And no, she's not going to tell you her last name, because her house used to be a mess.
"Have you ever seen Citizen Kane?" she jokes. While raising her sons, Pam found herself "just surrounded by things." She knew it was getting bad when visitors began commenting. "People would say, 'Wow, you have a lot of stuff.' I think I let it go for so long because the house was never dirty—just very full," she says. Full of outgrown toys, kitchen appliances, end tables from two houses ago—items that were potentially useful, but never used. "My biggest mistake? Not having a plan to get rid of things," she says.
Millions of us are just like Pam, and the consequences of holding on to everything are huge. Numerous studies show that people whose lives are oriented around material possessions—which is what happens when every surface is cluttered— are less happy. A 2006 study found that participants who made changes to their life circumstances (such as buying a new TV) felt their self-reported happiness subside after a mere 12 weeks.
"Our environment is a physical manifestation of how we feel," says Darcy Smith, PhD, a New York City psychotherapist. "Clutter creates chaos in our brain, which undermines our ability to function. With less distraction, our brains function better, our anxiety decreases, our self-esteem increases and we feel more competent. We also are more likely to invite others over and be social."
Pam was nudged into cleanup mode when her sister handed her the phone number of a local professional organizer. One day she finally called Barry Izsak, an Austin-based certified professional organizer, and over the next four months, with his help, she spent one day a week clearing the clutter, room by room. "It wasn't like an episode of Clean House, where they do it all in a weekend," she says. "I needed time to decide what to do with what we didn't want."
The result: "When I come into my home now, I just stare in happy disbelief," says Pam. And she's learned a lot. "I never realized how much energy I was putting into finding things." We talked to psychologists and organizational experts to figure out why so many of us feel the need to surround ourselves with stuff, and how we can clear it out, just like Pam finally did.
Why So Much Stuff?
Chalk up your pack-rat habits to evolution. "Humans seem to be wired to acquire belongings," says Tim Kasser, PhD, psychology chair at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois. Think about it: Humans don't run particularly fast, nor do we see and hear all that well. What do we excel at? Stockpiling items around us for survival and comfort. Whether that's a spear or a La-Z-Boy, we gather.
Dr. Kasser compares our tendency to gather to the obesity epidemic. "Humans need to eat fatty foods to survive—but now there's a vending machine down every hallway and a convenience store on the corner. Similarly, we still have our innate desire to acquire belongings, but now there are stores on every block, our houses are large and we live in an economic system that depends on people consuming, which amplifies that feeling that consumption is good."
And then there's the psychology behind that urge to own. It's called "retail therapy" for a reason: Shopping is fun, temporarily showering the brain in happy hormones. "Shopping distracts people," says Dr. Kasser—especially from work and family stress. The trouble, of course, is that retail therapy never solves the underlying insecurity. "Buying those heels doesn't in any way address your worries," says Dr. Kasser. "Thus, you remain stuck, but with dozens of pairs of shoes."
Randy Frost, PhD, the coauthor of Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things and a professor of psychology at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, has developed a treatment program for hoarding, but the lessons can be applied to decluttering, too. The first step: Stop bringing extra items into the house. Controlling the urge to acquire is pivotal to long-term decluttering.
Prevent Clutter Before It Starts
The next time you're standing in the store aisle, and you suddenly must own that dress/ utensil/gadget, try this:
1. Remind yourself of all the reasons you don't want the item. Say aloud: I don't have room for it. I already have something similar. It's not a smart use of my finances. Repeat. The goal is to build immunity to our urge to buy.
2. Divert yourself by doing good. Put down the fancy blender and do something that is internally satisfying, like calling a far-flung friend who has been having a tough time. Forcing yourself to do an activity that makes you feel good on the inside will not only successfully distract you, but also help you understand that you're actually happier with the internal reward.
3. Enjoy it—and then leave. Remind yourself that you can enjoy the item without owning it. "This shift in thinking has really helped me," says Paige Hodges, the blogger behind Redefining the Meaning of Wealth, which chronicles her 10-year journey to declutter and live simply. "I now realize that I don't need to own every dress that looks good on me in the store. I can admire it, and then go back to my clean house."
4. Put it down, especially if it's free. Touching items is the first step to owning them, so look, then walk away.
Why is Decluttering So Difficult?
Just thinking about cleaning out your decades of belongings can stir up all sorts of emotions, says Dr. Frost. More than likely, your home is filled with two categories of junk: Easy Stuff, which is all the forgotten stuff you don't particularly care about (old tools, old toiletries) and is easy to discard; and Weak Spots, the items that you care about (Grandma's plates, your school notebooks, shoes). The key to successfully tossing a Weak Spot is to understand your emotions, so you can handle them head-on. "People develop emotional attachments to their things," says Dr. Frost. "That plate is not just a plate, but represents an emotion. So our aim is to change the nature of the attachment." Dr. Frost says there are five main reasons for not tossing items, and that understanding them can get you over the clutter hump:
"But Aunt B gave me that!"
Examples: Grandma's vase that you never use; the fancy dresser you inherited that doesn't fit in your home
Saying this is a clear indicator that you're probably not actually using the item, which means it needs to go. "Many people are living with homes filled to the brim with inherited things, just paralyzed with stuff," says Donna Smallin, author of The One-Minute Organizer. She suggests reminding yourself that Aunt B would want you to keep the items you get use out of. If you're feeling particularly guilty over more expensive inherited items, she suggests selling the item and donating the proceeds to a charity in Aunt B's name.
"But it's irreplaceable!"
Examples: Kids' art, handmade items
Pam went through this. "I have learned that none of my kids' artwork is special when there's too much of it," she says. "So I just save the special ones." And you can take digital pictures, so you can always look back.
" But that's from the time when…!"
Examples: Your prom or wedding dress, programs from events
"A ticket from a favorite concert or your wedding dress may seem meaningful, so throwing it out or getting rid of it feels like you're losing a piece of yourself," says Dr. Frost. The solution is to realize that the object is not a part of your personal history. In reality, it's just an object, taking up space. Its meaning is in your mind, and that can continue; it's the memory that's important, not the item itself. If you want to keep a record of that ticket or dress, take a digital photograph, so you'll always be able to see it.
"But I might need it!"
Examples: The juicer or pasta maker you never use, old clothes
Every time you hear yourself saying the word might, stop yourself. That's code for "I will never use this." Books and periodicals are particularly problematic. "People keep books and newspapers because they contain things they might eventually want to remember," says Dr. Frost. To help yourself part with it, play through the worst-case scenario: What would you do if a year from now, you needed the item and didn't have it? Chances are, you'd borrow a friend's or visit the magazine's website to find the article.
" But it's so gorgeous/pretty/attractive!"
Examples: Figurines and knickknacks, the beautiful angora sweater that you're allergic to
"We call this aesthetic fascination," says Dr. Frost. That knickknack or sweater may be spellbinding, but just because it's pretty doesn't mean you need to hold on to it. General rule of thumb: Those items only get to stay in your house if you use them once a month or more, or you use them consistently year after year, such as holiday decorations. Remind yourself that the world is full of beautiful objects, but they cannot all live in your drawers. Do yourself (and someone else) a favor: Share the beauty with Goodwill.
Toss-Your-Stuff Strategies
Make a schedule. Decluttering is kind of like dieting—it takes a little while to see results. Plan to spend 12 weeks cleaning out your home, says Wanda Urbanska, author of The Heart of Simple Living. That's a good pace of one room per week, with each room taking 4 hours if your house isn't overflowing with stuff; basements, attics and garages can take 8+ hours. If you've got a ton of clutter, much more time may be required. Sit down with your planner and schedule in two to four 2-hour appointments with yourself each week for the next 12 weeks.
Prepare yourself. "Decluttering stirs up our emotional baggage," says Dr. Smith. Prepare yourself by having a little internal conversation similar to how you might handle another formal goodbye ceremony, like a graduation or funeral. One trick: Until the moment you start decluttering, don't spend time thinking about the specific items you'll be parting with. "Particularly for people who have trouble making decisions, I wouldn't recommend thinking about things too much," says Dr. Smith. If you're feeling emotionally overwhelmed, call a friend. Her advice will help you through.
Set the clock. You want to keep moving, and a good way to do that is to set a timer for 2 hours and force yourself to sort until the timer dings. The idea here is to focus on time, rather than on all of your precious possessions. "Remember, progress is the goal," says Dr. Smith. "Not perfection. Ever." If you've moved through your belongings for 2 hours, you've done a great job. If you've sorted for an hour and need to take a break, set the timer for 10 minutes, then be back when it buzzes.
Get three bags. Contractor-grade garbage bags from The Home Depot or Lowe's are the most durable. You'll need three bags at all times: one for stuff you're going to toss, one for items to donate and one for items you're not sure about. As bags fill up, take them out of the room—you'll have more space, and feel like you're accomplishing something.
Create umbrella rules. Rather than considering each item in depth, give yourself 5 seconds to make a decision for each item, says Smallin, especially for the Easy Stuff. "If you haven't used it recently, it gets tossed or donated. If you do use it regularly, it gets returned to its place, in a group of like items." "That's when you'll realize that you have 15 pairs of black shoes," says Izsak, "and you can decide which to discard." No delaying the decision— you're moving quickly, saying yes or no. If you're really not sure, store your Not Sure bag in your garage, where it will live for six months before getting donated. Keep it small: It should hold no more than 5 percent of the items you're sorting.
Illustrations: Jenny Bowers


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I don't know of any links to live stream, I'm using icenetwork, but most videos get uploaded to youtube almost immediately. You just have to search the skater you are looking for and then look at the most recent videos or search worlds 2011. I know it's not the best but better than nothing.
Jorick is bringing it! Lots of flow and all clean, but his jumps are small. He is thrilled
Hendrickx was excellent.
Kevin REYNOLDS is up next, Jorik in 1st
Hope Kevin brings it
ETA: aww fall on the 1st two quads
Last edited by alexeifan; 04-28-2011 at 04:40 AM.
Nice Worlds debut by Korick Hendrickx of Belgium. I like him.
Kevin Reynolds is up now.
can somebody shave off Kevin's hair, I'm sure it would help him rotate his jumps!
oh no he is falling all over the place
nice 3loop, and 3loop combo tho
Blah, I feel so sorry for him. He did manage to pull stuff together at the end, but the quads and the 3A were horrible.
that was not good, the worst so far in this competition, jumps were so off and I don't care for the program
I guess Canada will be down to two spots next year, unless Joey Russell has the skate of his life. Even if he does, I think jumping from 21 to 12 might be too difficult.
brave to hold on in the second half after the splash in the first part...


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Town Square
Problems at Allied Arts Guild
Original post made by Allied Arts Member, Menlo Park: Allied Arts/Stanford Park, on Mar 14, 2007
I'm concerned about the future of the Allied Arts property. As a longtime member of the Woodside-Atherton Auxiliary, I believe that our leadership has done an excellent job of restoring our wonderful buildings and beautiful gardens, and in the process lost Allied Arts' soul. Since reopening, we have been unable to retain retail tenants which attract traffic to our site, we have closed our popular gift shop, and have just thrown out the strongest draw our facility has ever had, the Palo Alto Auxiliary volunteer-staffed restaurant.
I know our donations to the Children's Hospital from Allied Arts operations are down, and that our Tally Ho revenues are also below par, but does our leadership really think that hosting meetings, conferences and other events will bring in any significant money? Will businesses come to this neighborhood site? Will the neighbors stand for it?
We've tried without success to attract business customers since we re-opened. What's changed? I understand the Palo Alto Auxiliary restaurant contributed nearly $100,000 a year to Children's Hospital. We have essentially destroyed that business. Our new "for profit" caterers won't make any donations, especially when they have labor costs to pay, and just how long will any restaurant or retailer survive at Allied Arts with a steadily diminishing flow of visitors and the usage limitations imposed by Menlo Park?
I think it is time to recognize that our Woodside Atherton leadership is not pursuing a winning strategy. Our rank-and-file member opinions have no apparent affect on business decisions, and revenues and contributions to the hospital continue to fall. Why did we accept millions in donations to renovate Allied Arts, when it appears the money would have been better spent going directly to the hospital? We now have an empty, unused, attractive facility. How sad.
How will the neighbors feel when we are forced to sell the property for who knows what use. How will the hospital feel as it loses yet another source of financial support. And how will we feel, knowing we let it all slip through our fingers.
Over the years I've happily worked on the Tally Ho and in our Traditional Shop, but now I'm a very discouraged volunteer. What do other people think?
a resident of another community
on Mar 15, 2007 at 11:52 am
I felt really discouraged, too, when I visited Allied Arts on a beautiful day a couple of weeks ago and found that there were hardly any other people there, aside from the shopkeepers. It's hard to believe that such an exquisite place to visit attracts so few. But if the restaurant's patrons had also been dwindling, I'm not sure what good it would have done to keep it open, especially if the number of volunteers to run it was also dropping. Wasn't that the case? Or was that the auxiliary leadership's spin?
I can understand why Discouraged is so distressed, but is there any solution? How can the auxiliary attract more people to this enchanting spot?
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on Mar 15, 2007 at 2:50 pm
I too feel very sad at what has happened to Allied Arts and Tally Ho. I remember when Allied Arts was a destination because of the beautiful gardens, the lunches made and served in the Tea Room by the wonderful women of the Palo Alto Aux, and the never to disappoint Traditional Shop, always filled with beautiful seasonal floral arrangements and all the little things you never knew you needed until you saw them there.
I remember when Tally Ho was a wonderful event known for it's fabulous cocktail hour/fashion show, set before spectacular yearly themed backdrops made by the husbands, sons, and friends of the members that left us in awe every year. I remember how after dinner, some people danced, while other guests made the trek in all their finery, cocktails in hand to watch the beautiful evening horseshow.
I remember the friendships that developed between members as we all watched our event come together. Then one year the powers that be decided that the event needed to be updated. The event began to morph into every other charity event in the area...we stopped being unique. The women that had poured hundreds of volunteer hours, not to mention their hearts and souls not just into Tally Ho, but the Traditional Shop stopped having fun because of the change in leadership. This new group of women established what Tally Ho seems to have become today...a party for the dwindling membership, not the surrounding community and Peninsula the way it used to be.
I wish someone could wave a magic wand and bring back the simple days of the Allied Arts Guild and Tally Ho. I'll bet you'd be hard pressed to find a single person that worked on, or attended the event back in it's hey day that doesn't have at least one fond memory of Allied Arts, or Tally Ho.
How about readers posting some of their favorite memories of Allied Arts and Tally Ho...I doubt it will change the minds of the powers that be, but it will be a nice trip down memory lane!
a resident of Menlo Park: Downtown
on Mar 15, 2007 at 2:50 pm
Well, I'm glad someone has finally spoken up! I should have, and didn't. Shame on me. Our wonderful Allied Arts complex, as noted by "Discouraged," is on the verge of disaster. The roses will soon be in full bloom, and there will be no one to see them. The shops are empty, the restaurant gone, and few visitors are to be seen on the grounds.
As a result of these conditions (and others), many of our Woodside Atherton membership question the direction our president, on her own, seems to be taking us. It's almost as if the opinions of the rest of the members of the auxiliary don't count, so we're neither asked nor informed. Art galleries, meetings, conferences, a return to our "roots," all have been identified as our future, but what good is it to pursue plans and strategies that didn't work in the past? Nothing new has been proposed for the site, and some of us feel there must be something else she has in mind. What is it? Selling the property? It's an inevitable result if we can't make money and pay our bills, let alone contribute to Children's Hospital.
We need some answers, Ms. President. Where are we going? Why? Don't give us vague platitudes. It's time to be candid with your fellow members.
a resident of Menlo Park: Sharon Heights
on Mar 16, 2007 at 1:41 pm
I'm not with either Woodside-Atherton or the Palo Alto Auxiliaries to Children's Hospital at Stanford, but I do volunteer with another Hospital auxiliary group and I have friends in both organizations. My question or concern is: Where was the Association of Auxiliaries or the Hospital Liaison to the auxiliaries when all the changes at Allied Arts occurred?
I thought the actions of one auxiliary weren't supposed to affect another, or if that possibility existed, cooperative efforts would minimize any impact. My friends in both Woodside and Palo Alto tell me it didn't happen there! It was more like, "Be gone in 60 days! Sorry!" Why wasn't Palo Alto given more than the minimum time to close their restaurant if Woodside knew months before that it didn't want them there anymore. Give them a chance to find a new location!
The Association and Liaison must have known earlier. Why didn't they tell Palo Alto so they could consider other alternatives? Who let the $100,000 or more annual contribution from Palo Alto's restaurant be stopped dead at the end of February? I think that someone didn't do their job, or that some unidentified political factors played a decisive role in this fiasco. Someone should find out how and why this all happened, so it never happens again. If we can't trust the hospital Liaison or our own Association to look out for the interests of all the auxiliaries, who can we trust?
a resident of Menlo Park: University Heights
on Mar 16, 2007 at 7:40 pm
While I am not familiar to the inner workings or costs, it seems if you provide below market rents to artists filling the guild should not be an issue. If a portion of the profit from sales was set aside for charitable works, things should turn around. It may be neccessary to keep interim costs lower while business re-establishes.
Rebuilding will take time.
a resident of Menlo Park: Allied Arts/Stanford Park
on Mar 24, 2007 at 3:52 pm
In response to Debbie's comment, I am an artist constantly in search of a better studio space so I can do my brush painting, and perhaps make an occasional sale. I contacted the real estate agent in charge of leasing at the Guild and when they heard what I was going to use the space for they were less than enthusiastic, even though:
1. I live 2 blocks from the Guild.
2. I am a member of PAA.
3. I have been renting a studio elsewhere for 2 years and I have been an artist for 10.
4. I am willing to provide financial proof of my credit.
I have no idea what is behind most of these decisions made, but financial does not seem to be the concern here. I can only come to a conclusion that it is more politics than anything.
My mother-in-law introduced me to the Guild a few years ago. She told me that back in the days when she was in college, she and her friends often went to the Guild to enjoyed Tea and many other events. Because of that trip to the Traditional Shop and the garden, my husband and I fell in love with Menlo Park and eventually moved here. It is unfortunate that what used to be the "it" place is now slowly fading away. In time it will fall prey to the hands of those with an unquenchable thirst for monster homes where owners retreat to their bunker basement focusing inwardly to themselves rather than reaching out to ones neighbors, learning the town's history and sharing a community spirit through a place like the Guild.
a resident of Menlo Park: Allied Arts/Stanford Park
on Mar 25, 2007 at 10:46 am
I have not been to Allied Arts and have no plans to go. I don't much care for what's on display there, but I think I understand how important it is to people who do value it and I think I have a sense of what would be lost if it goes under.
The Allied Arts' slow demise is not happening in a vaccum, is it?
How does a flower garden, fountains, charming architecture and an opportunity for reflection and hours of unhurried conversation compete with blogs, the web, movies at home, phone calls received anywhere and everywhere, scheduled lives and personal priorities that don't suffer gladly the messiness of real friendship?
What is happening to us, to our culture, and what if anything can we do about it?
a resident of another community
on May 15, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Something is definitely rotten in Allied Arts! The new website says nothing about "corporate retreats," which was the reason given for not renewing the Palo Alto Auxiliary's lease to run the restaurant. Did the PAA worry about filling the volunteer demands of the restaurant? Yes, AND volunteers were beginning to come forward. After being closed for 2 years, people found different ways of expressing volunteerism. It takes time to recruit for a renewed enterprise. One must suspect Woodside Atherton of nefarious doings. They've changed their name, now the Allied Arts Auxiliary. They've engaged a restauranteur of note to serve lunches from 10 to 5 M-Saturday. How did they manage that with only a month's notice? The new website even revises history, leading people to believe that the restaurant begun 75 years ago is now the Cafe! What can be done? Write to the Packard Auxiliary Board and register your complaint. Should you patronize the cafe, insist that your tip go directly to the Packard Children's Hospital as was the custom for 75 years. Patronize one of the other enterprises run by Ms. Cool and express your dismay that she is being used by Woodside Atherton Auxiliary for their own dubious purposes. Hold Woodside Atherton Auxiliary accountable to the Menlo Park City Council for "baiting & switching" their use permit. Purchase Tastes, Tales & Traditions, the Palo Alto Auxiliary award winning cookbook. Finally, make a donation to Packard Children's Hospital in honor of the 75 years of exquisite service from the Palo Alto Auxiliary.


text:
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text:
forum: Food & Drink
#1031 Tue 18 Dec 12 8:34pm
- Forum champ Occupation Shop worker/KP/ Commis chef
- From UK/Germany
- Member since Wed 28 Oct 09
Re: Soup's on!!
I had a an amuse bouche , in Gordon Ramsay , a while back Squash/truffle velout� , with morel and bacon. I have had some good ones, this was the best. Seriously the whoopiest yup yup food in the whole of the Galaxy. Clare Smyth, my taste buds will love you forever,amazing!
#1032 Tue 05 Mar 13 11:05pm
- Forum champ Occupation Retired youngster but keeping busy!!
- From Scotland
- Member since Sun 14 Dec 08
Re: Soup's on!!
oliviascotland wrote:
My favourite soup at the moment is a spinach and coconut soup - very easy to make, too! Melt a knob of butter in a deep pan, add a chopped onion, a couple of cloves of chopped garlic, and cook for 5 minutes, then add 500g spinach, a pint of chicken stock, salt, and pepper, and simmer for 2 - 3 minutes. Add a can of coconut milk (full fat one is best), bring back to the boil whilst stirring, then remove from the heat and blitz until smooth. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve
Olivia - must sound tat one - seems easy and sounds delicious
#1033 Wed 06 Mar 13 2:37am
- Forum super champ
- From Newcastle, Australia
- Member since Sat 10 Mar 07
Re: Soup's on!!
That sounds delicious, Olivia.
#1034 Tue 18 Jun 13 12:09pm
- Member
- Member since Sat 04 Oct 08
Re: Soup's on!!
How about this supper healthy soup recipe I wrote for Lighter Life Magazine
Smoked Haddock Chowder
Serves 4
Prep time 5mins
Cooking times 25mins
What you need
3 sticks of celery diced
400g potatoes cut into cubes
1L vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
2 leeks cut into disks
200ml skimmed milk
125g Sweetcorn, tinned or frozen
600g Smoked Haddock, skinned and cut into bite sized chunks
Small bunch of Parsley
What you do
In large saucepan heat 2 tsp of water then add the celery, put the lid on a sweat for 5 mins. Add the stock to the pan along with the potato and bay leaves and simmer for 10 mins until the potatoes are tender.
Add the leeks, sweetcorn, milk and haddock and a good grind of black pepper. Bring back to a simmer and cook for a further 5mins until the fish is cooked through.
Check the seasoning then divide between 4 bowls and top with the parsley leaves.
For a change use half smoked haddock and half prawns.
hope you like it
See my food writing and styling portfolio at http://alisonskitchen.com
Last edited by alisonskitchen (Tue 18 Jun 13 12:10pm)
#1035 Wed 31 Jul 13 9:26am
- Member
- Member since Mon 22 Jul 13
Re: Soup's on!!
Basic homemade vegetable soup recipe:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 cups mixed chopped vegetables (try cauliflower, zucchini, green beans)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
1 bay leaf
8 cups water and 3 cubes of vegetable bouillon OR 8 cups vegetable broth
1 14 ounce can tomatoes
Heat oil in a large soup or stock pot. Add onion, carrots and celery. Heat, stirring, for 3-4 minutes, until onions are soft. Add the rest of the vegetables and heat for just another minute or two.
Add salt, thyme and oregano, stirring to coat the vegetables well.
Add bay leaf, water or vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. If using bouillon cubes, add and stir to make sure they dissolve.
Add tomatoes, stir, and allow soup to simmer until all the vegetables are cooked.
Adjust seasonings to taste.
Remove the bay leaf and serve your homemade vegetable soup with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and some crusty bread or crackers.
I tried it in my home and it's really YUMMMYYYYYYYYYYY..
#1036 Mon 12 Aug 13 8:05am
- Member
- Member since Fri 09 Aug 13
Re: Soup's on!!
A chicken soup recipe is also a great way to turn leftover chicken into a second meal. Try one of these easy chicken soup recipes or chicken stew recipes the next time you're craving a classic comfort food. Chicken noodle soup is undeniably comfort food for many people (especially when they're not feeling well) and this version gets a healthful update. Whole-wheat egg noodles add fiber and nutrients and reduced-sodium chicken broth cuts the sodium. By all means use homemade chicken broth if you have it.
#1037 Wed 02 Oct 13 6:33am
- Member
- Member since Fri 27 Sep 13
Re: Soup's on!!
Thanks Montana for your Onion soup recipe. It's soo easy to make, and healthy too. Thanks again.
#1038 Fri 13 Dec 13 12:10am
- Forum champ Occupation Shop worker/KP/ Commis chef
- From UK/Germany
- Member since Wed 28 Oct 09
Re: Soup's on!!
Jerusalem Artichoke Soup.
So seasonal so nice. Carrot,onion,artichoke, chicken stock, salt and pepper. That's it, don't peel them the flavour is on the outside. Scrub them if they are muddy. Pass the finished blitzed soup through a sieve.
#1039 Sat 08 Feb 14 1:18am
- Member
- Member since Sat 08 Feb 14
Re: Soup's on!!
I've started making soup quite often now as it seems like the easiest way to pack loads of veg into a meal, and it's becoming a bit of a hobby. The best one I've made yet though was a Jamie Oliver recipe chorizo and chickpea soup that I made today. Doesn't particularly look the best, but then what soup does? Tasted incredible, an well worth all the chopping
#1040 Sat 08 Feb 14 1:22am
- Forum super champ
- From Newcastle, Australia
- Member since Sat 10 Mar 07
Re: Soup's on!!
ArmandOne wrote:
I've started making soup quite often now as it seems like the easiest way to pack loads of veg into a meal, and it's becoming a bit of a hobby. The best one I've made yet though was a Jamie Oliver recipe chorizo and chickpea soup that I made today. Doesn't particularly look the best, but then what soup does? Tasted incredible, an well worth all the chopping
I make a chorizo and chickpea soup, too. Can be fleshed out with some chicken thighs. Not pretty but yummy.
After sautéing off the onions and browning off the chorizo, I deglaze the pan with brandy (meant to be sherry but I don't keep it the house normally).


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Another piece regarding PS4 and its rumored specs and controller has gone up on Kotaku, which has culled information on Orbis from a 90-page PDF document included with development kits.
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text:
U.S. assessment of Crimea: This isn't an invasion, it's an … "uncontested arrival"
posted at 5:58 pm on February 28, 2014 by Allahpundit
My mistake. I thought the White House might try to make all of this go away by accepting Putin's phony pretense that it's a domestic uprising among ethnic Russians in Crimea, not an invasion by Russia. In fact, says the White House, there is a foreign element to the new troop presence — but it's all good so far because Crimea isn't resisting.
In other words, to save face over the fact that there's nothing much we can do to stop this, the official U.S. line is that this can't be an invasion if the Russians are being … greeted as liberators.
CNN JUST IN — U.S. assessment is the arrival of Russian military forces was uncontested by population of Crimea –@BarbaraStarrCNN
— Vaughn Sterling (@vplus) February 28, 2014
Admin officials tell CNN's Barbara Starr this is an "uncontested arrival" not necessarily "an invasion" and that this distinction is "key."
— Stephen Hayes (@stephenfhayes) February 28, 2014
Popehat's right: "Uncontested arrival" is the best Orwellian euphemism for war since "kinetic military action." Laying aside the fact that we're now lending rhetorical support to aggressive irredentism (the Tatars in Crimea are going to "contest" this "arrival," I'm pretty sure), explain to me why he went out there an hour ago and blathered about his "deep concern" for violations of Ukraine's sovereignty if we're adopting the position that maybe Ukraine's not the rightful sovereign in Crimea after all. I took his statement to be a condemnation of Russian action today, but maybe I have it wrong. Maybe all he meant was that a broader invasion of Ukraine would threaten the country's sovereignty — although your guess is as good as mine as to how broad it'd have to be to trigger U.S. disapproval. A Russian incursion into the rest of eastern Ukraine might also go uncontested. At this point, if you're Putin, hearing this reaction from the White House (and crickets from the EU, do note), why not give it a go?
By the way, while Moscow's digesting the green light it just got from the U.S. to consolidate its gains, Obama's at DNC headquarters kicking off happy hour for Democrats. I'm not kidding.
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text: I have been doing crush and strain for some time, but have recently upgraded to using wax foundation. Would like to go with an extractor to preserve the wax for the bees themselves. I only have 5-8 hives at any point, but am in South Florida and we harvest continuously about every four months or sooner. Any suggestions one what extractors are duds and which one's are of good value?