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Your mean I'm mean. I'm a bit more flexiable with game time my rule is no Video or TV unless school related before "dark" if there is enough daylight I want her outside but then after that I'm okay with some screen time.. Computer and TV goes off at 8pm. SO this averages 1-2 hours of avaiable screen time per day WAY enough..
If mommy or daddy has to argue you loose all screen time privledges for the next day.
sure it can.. doesn't mean its still not best to step away for sometime.
what about giving him a weekly budget and letting him choose when during the week to use it? I know for me, sometimes an hour at a time is just enough to whet my appetite and get into the "good part" and having to quit right then would be torture. For activities I really love, an hour goes by fast! What if he were allowed 7 hours a week, and see how he does self regulating within those 7 hours? Maybe he'd do 2 hours, 20 minutes, 3 days a week. Then there'd be 4 days every week with no video games at all.
dd (9) ds (7), ds (4) & ds (1)
video games are designed specifically to keep you coming back.. to get you addicted. Everything from farmville to WoW. I am sure the game in the OP is no different. http://www.cracked.com/article_18461_5-creepy-ways-video-games-are-trying-to-get-you-addicted.html
I see nothing wrong with limited video games. I also limit how often kiddo gets McDonalds, no matter how much she enjoys the fries and toys.
We also didn't limit McD's really. Well, finances did that often enough without my help I suppose.
Some parents and families prefer to not have controlling or punitive rules, limits, or punishments in place. :)
Embrace the learning that is happening within the things that are actually happening!
We also didn't limit McD's really. Well, finances did that often enough without my help I suppose.
Some parents and families prefer to not have controlling or punitive rules, limits, or punishments in place. :)
I don't think setting limits equals being controlling. For my kid, he needs limits when it comes to video games. My younger son is much better at self-limiting. I think it's more about each individual child than who's right or wrong about video games. I really don't believe that allowing a child to play as much as they want teaches them anything other than that video games are fun and they can play however long they want. I think teaching them that other people may want to use a game system and that they have other responsibilities is much more beneficial.
But, that's just my opinion and what works for us. If something else works for you and your family, great. That doesn't mean those of us who do set limits are doing anything wrong.
I don't think you're alone in that. I tend to think it's best to involve/include the child's input and opinion in any limit setting that affects them.
I would totally agree that different kids will respond better or be more comfortable with approaches that respect their personality.
I couldn't disagree more. My children learned many things from having open access to a game system. Also, I want to be clear that just because we didn't limit time spent or censor for content with blanket rules, we did help them. The access was open, but they weren't feral children all alone in how to navigate using the thing or how to moderate in a way that was healthy to themselves and respectful to the family overall. They had involved parents all the way. We talked often of concerns over content, the concerns parents have about video games, we asked them what they thought, we shared the signs of being overwhelmed by media, shared our own stories of needing to step away from something for a time, modeled good practices to the best of our ability, and asked questions. Parenting this way isn't a "toss em over to the wolves and it'll be cool." thing. It's rethinking the so called "rules" and figuring out the why and how in our lives.
Oh yes, we had many conversations about sharing time and space and materials. And as soon as we were lucky enough we had two game systems so it was easier then. (Thanks Grandpa for the bday gift lol) The other responsibilities? Never an issue. Our family didn't have chores in the traditional sense, but we all worked it out and then reworked it out again when our needs changed. I can't recall a time when media was an issue in that arena.
So true! I hope no one has said such a thing. I think in many cases there is a quick jump to the defensive when the "we don't limit" crowd (me lol) shows up to the discussion. It's happened in this thread even. It's a free country blah blah blah. Makes for great discussion though, right? :)
Embrace the learning that is happening within the things that are actually happening!
We also didn't limit McD's really. Well, finances did that often enough without my help I suppose.
Some parents and families prefer to not have controlling or punitive rules, limits, or punishments in place. :)
I don't think setting limits makes a parent controlling or limiting and I also don't think it means they use punishment. I think it is ridiculous to paint the debate in such black and white terms when the world of parenting (and the emotions that come with living with family) is full of gray areas. You can have conversations and be there as a sounding board for your children while also setting limits the few times you recognize your child struggling in the face of something that they are not ready to take on. Kids are not little adults ready to handle everything and sometimes being a parent means talking them through the reasons why there needs to be a limit in place. There have been a few things that I have limited because my dd is not ready to handle them, she turns very angry and sullen when she is normally a happy and outgoing person, even with me there talking her through them. I do think that we need to be reflective and keep the lines of communication open even if we do encourage the limit, but I don't think that as parents our choices are limited to having a gentle limit free home or a punitive controlling home.
I think that you may be seeing a limit as something that involves no buy in from the child and I don't think that is necessarily the way they are set up. I can't imagine making a blanket statement about something without involving my dd in a conversation and getting her POV and buy in. I don't think a limit works if you don't have your child's buy in because you get resentment instead. I do think it is a limit though because I won't necessarily be making it sound like there is an upside to something that I see a need to limit because it influences her in such an intensely negative way (especially if the entire family is having to suffer through a negative environment when she has access to the thing that I would like her to accept limited access to and the stress of that and the arguments with the rest of the family is overwhelming me).
wow, op here i didn't realize this had fired back up! i appreciate the dissenting opinions, i really do. and sometimes i play devil's advocate with myself and ask what harm it is to just let him get it out of his system. so for a little experiment, i haven't limited him at all this weekend. and so i have stared at his back for about 8 hours each day, have had to pull him away to sleep and eat, he is up before everyone to play, this game honestly wakes him up! seriously, there is no end to this game - it is literally neverending. the way it's set up is that rooms/games are created by other users, by the minute, so there are constantly new rooms/games. there is no winning, final level, any of that.
i love to shop, i mean i could shop all day, but i am old enough to know that i just can't do that - kids would go hungry, laundry wouldn't get done, we would go broke, etc. maybe some kids would, but he doesn't have the maturity yet to understand that if he plays a video game all.day.long.every.day that the rest of his life would suffer. it really would - he wouldn't develop friendships, he wouldn't get his homework done (which would cause him great distress the next day when he realized it was unfinished), he literally wouldn't eat in order to play this game. it's just not healthy, and i can see that and he can't.
i like that article treeoflife, and the part about it being less fun and more like a rash that needs to be scratched is so true. he almost seems relieved when i shut it off for a day, because also like another poster said, an hour is just getting warmed up and it seems even meaner to limit it to an hour. i like the idea of giving him a certain reasonable number of hours per week and letting him decide when to use them, but i'm almost certain he would use them all up the first day and then beg and plead for a few more...
lucyem, i don't exactly know how to address to sneaking more minutes thing. when i have seen him doing it, i obviously tell him that's not ok, that we had an agreement and he's done. but it also makes me feel like the hour thing isn't working - that it's just torturing him.
i don't know, this has all affirmed to me that i need to set the limits and i appreciate the discussion. i'm just not sure what the best/most reasonable/fair way to limit it is.
What amount of time would YOU be comfortable having your child play video games every day? Make that your limit. Easy-peasy.
Invite discussion with the wee ones based on the concerns at hand. Be really specific if you need to, but casual and conversational. "So about the video games... I think some limits are in order for our family and home There are some things I am worried about with them, and I'd like to hear your thoughts on it too. We can all shape what this is going to be. So, how do we all go about this?"
Tweaked to your kids, their ages, the way you all talk, etc.
Embrace the learning that is happening within the things that are actually happening!
ITA that you should get his input. Sit down with him & explain that spending tons of time on the game is not healthy and explain why. ITA with the posters who likened it to junk food. See how he would like to approach it. Would he like certain days as game days? Probably doing an hour a day isn't working because he's just getting into it. So he could do it only on wknds or one day during the wk, something like that? Or the bank of hours/wk is another great idea. Just ask him. I think, especially in the long term, he'll be thankful for your understanding and your wanting to help him limit it & keep him healthy and interested and good at other things.
We also didn't limit McD's really. Well, finances did that often enough without my help I suppose.
Some parents and families prefer to not have controlling or punitive rules, limits, or punishments in place. :)
I am not controlling, I don't have punitive rules, and I don't dole out punishments for the sake of being the big person. However, yes. I do in fact have limits. Some children aren't going to be able to work within the context of how your family has. If my mom let me determine how often I could have McDonalds and only discussed with me the risks, shared her concerns, and modeled good practices... I would have had Mcdonalds as often as she could afford it. I'd be in a much worse position than I am now because as it stands, I suffer from food addiction/overeating. I can quite literally eat McDonalds every day without getting sick of it and even when I feel symptoms of eating crap every day.... I struggle to STOP myself from going back for more. So yes, my child has limits in place for unhealthy things. I won't watch her turn into me while I do nothing to help guide her into healthier practices.
Some people simply CAN'T step back and all the concerned words, shared stories, and trying to work together in the world won't stop them from continuing on with something that simply is not healthy. Addiction and long lasting unhealthy behavior doesn't happen because someone was bored one day and was too stupid to stop. Limitations for children don't have to be controlling or come with unnecessary punishments and your assumption that those of us who DO have limits must also be controlling and punitive and implying that limitations are bad is very narrow minded. Sometimes, parents DO know what is best for their children and what is best might mean being the mean parent who puts limits in place on things the kids would otherwise do/have way too much of with no ability to regulate.
OK, didn't read all the posts, sorry.
I don't think you are mean. We have a rule that if you wine and cry about something like a game, then you lose it for a day. DS got so bad that he would be playing gameboy while going to the bathroom, pee not poo. Well, poo too, but he couldn't put it down. I didn't regulate at that time and when it got to the point that he would rather miss meals than put it down, we took it from him. I explained that I couldn't allow him to become that addicted to a game so we had to put it up for a while. After about 6 months we brought it back out and he started the same behaviors, so we took it again, for another 6 months. Now, he regulates himself just fine.
I honestly believe that some children become addicted and obsessed with screen type activities and need time to mature, time to outgrow that obsession and then they can begin to self regulate. For DS maturity is what he needed before allowing him free access to any activity.
AND yes, I have had to take books away from him when he started refusing to come to dinner without the book in his hand. He refused to make his bed, or even take a shower because he was really INTO his book. I have had to take his bike away because he refused to come in when it was dark. Mind you, as he matured he learned to self regulate, but it took that maturity, until then I had to set limits on his activities. Usually those rules were not arbitrary, like 1 hour. But based on other things going on. You can't throw a fit about putting down your activity when it is time to do chores, go to school, do homework, eat meals, or take care of hygiene. If it interferes with any of those, the activity gets removed for a time (usually a day and if a tantrum insues, then a few days).
I guess I'm mean too.
This is very true. But this situation? This behavior you're describing here? I think it's very different than the situation where most parents are limiting. I think the situation you're talking about: where someone can't seem to stop to eat, sleep at all, drink, use the bathroom, misses work, misses a class, misses showering or changing clothes or brushing teeth, etc. is the exception. It's what is feared might happen, and it's what leads to the limiting. I also think it's pretty rare in this severity.
More often I think what we have are people that game a lot. A lot more than others even. People who prefer to play video games to going out, watching movies, or hiking (trying for random activity xyz here lol) The amount of time they spend playing the games makes other people uncomfortable because it isn't what they'd do. And when you add it to all the back and forth there has been in the news and etc about the addictive nature of games, how bad the content is and so on I think it's easy to get panicked. I mean I know people who knit for 10 hours a day, but it's rare people get all twitchy about that. kwim?
During many discussions over the years as soon as the conversation turns to parenting and people hear how we did or didn't do things I get a handful of questions each time. One of them is "So, you'd never step in and stop them from doing anything no matter what?! What if it was heroin? What if they were starving themselves?!" And so on. I sought and still seek to have a mindful relationship with my kids. Mindful means aware and honest, both about what is actually happening and responses to it. I don't believe that someone who is addicted to heroin is making decisions from a healthy, clear mind or heart and I would intervene because it would be the most mindful, kind thing to do. If my child wasn't ever eating or sleeping and was slipping into sickness due to gaming he couldn't control? I would intervene for the same reasons.
Sometimes I think we panic early. I include myself in that category too.
Embrace the learning that is happening within the things that are actually happening!
Without really getting into the debate, I did want to add my experience.
My oldest (it has become clear) is really susceptible to the addictive qualities of screen (all types). We've done a lot of different things, and I don't know that what we do now is perfect, but it's working for our situation right now.
We don't want to eliminate screen time entirely. It seems impractical to us in the modern world. He learns a lot from some of the games he plays and programming he watches. Both his parents do large portions of their work and play on-screen, someday he may have to. But he cannot (truly, CANNOT) self-regulate his screen usage. It interferes with every part of his life, and with every part of our family life if we don't place limits.
What we eventually did was reach clarity within ourselves about what we were willing to allow, and then had a family meeting (which we don't do often) to identify the problem and find solutions. Going in, I knew that I would be okay with up to 14 hours/wk of screen time TOTAL for him. We explored the problem from each persons' perspective, and brainstormed solutions. No solution could exceed 14 hours/wk. We ended up with 30 minutes of watching a cartoon (less problematical for him, more ritualized) before bed each night, plus 2 "screen days" per week (he can do whatever allowed screen he wants all day as long as he cooperates with eating, bathroom, etc. and does any other 'required' activities for the day like grocery shopping or whatever - usually this works out to about 5 hours/day). For him, spreading the allowed time out over the week doesn't work because then he gets mad at the limitations every day. This way, we have 2 'withdrawal' days each week, which still can suck. But he doesn't have unrealistic expectations about what we will allow or not allow, and we don't have unrealistic expectations that he will regulate something he can't. We're open to changing this arrangement if needed, but we're leaving it alone for right now due to some other issues that are more pressing.
Here as mama to W (2/04), R (5/06), D (7/09), and J (12/9/12!), co-parenting with my DH
I WOH part-time, am a doula & childbirth educator, home/unschool, and hope we are nearing the center of chaos
I completely disagree with the last few posts. I know many full grown adults that are outright addicted to video games. They play whenever the can, every day, for hours and hours to the detriment of their families, jobs, and health. Go to the Parents as Partners forum and search for the term "WOW Widow," for instance (World of Warcraft). If so may adults have a problem self regulating than how can we expect every child to pop out of the womb with the self control to regulate in a healthy way? Video gaming can be addictive for certain people, no question. Not for all, but for some. I think it is absolutely right to teach your son healthy limits if you sense that he is having a problem setting limits for himself.
I think that certain activities can be used to escape from reality in an unhealthy way, and it is my job as a parent to help guide my children through that. Example: when I was a kid I had a huge love of books. I read All. The. Time. It was great: books held my interest, taught me all sorts of things, and reading was a socially acceptable "good" thing to do. And I LOVED to read. I still do.
But when I look back I used my books as a HUGE crutch, and I let reading get in the way of my life in many ways. I spent so many hours a day reading as a way of avoiding real life. I was shy at school... I read a book instead of making friends. Felt nervous at a gathering of people... I didn't learn to socialize, I just read a book. Family reunions... I was off in a corner with a book instead of playing with my cousins whom I really love to be with. I needed 10 hours of sleep a night.... I was perpetually tired because I would sneak a flashlight in bed and read for three hours (probably disturbing my sister's sleep, too).
I was quite literally unable to self regulate my reading in a healthy way. My parents were glad I loved to read and didn't want to set limits on something I obviously enjoyed so much and that was so healthy (though they did ask me to quit reading at night. I just got better at smuggling in flashlights). I really, really, really wish they or another adult had helped me learn to set limits at a young age. (Though of course I do not blame them at all, they thought they were helping me the best way they could). I am in my 30's, and lord help me whenever I get in a crowd situation I STILL want to grab a book and run for a bedroom. I still put my reading before homework, housework, necessary projects. i've actually had to ask my husband to help me self regulate because I can't trust myself not to dive into a book and spend the entire day reading away my responsibilities! Pretty sad. But thanks to my husbands support (and a lot of wok on my part) I'm in a more balanced place.
I really wish I'd had help with limits when I was young. It probably would have made a lot of difference in my life.
Yes, this. Some child can self-regulate about some things; some can't. I was exactly the same way with reading and I still remember a meeting we had in elementary school with the school nurse, my teacher, and my mom. ---> No more reading on the playground. I was crushed but I did learn to play basketball. Actually, I spent a lot time writing nasty thoughts in my little notebook and then gave in.
Really helpful. Thanks all. We just got a Wii and DD threw a fit when I restricted her so she went without any Wii for 3 days. She was good about it and helped her younger brother without playing herself. DH enforces me not accepting any whining - easier for him than me.
My kids get screen time tickets. They get 7 each week that can be cashed in for a half hour of screen time. They can use them however they like. We have so much less conflict now than when it was specifically a half hour a day of screen time. They usually play an hour or hour and a half on the first day, then half an hour or an hour every day or two until they run out. They get to be in charge. We also watch a family movie once a week that doesn't cost tickets, and occasionally allow free educational computer time.
I think kids need limits.
I totally agree. My niece, a computer tech guru, happens to be a WOW widow at 24. My son, who is her cousin and knows NO moderation went to her house, her fiance let him use their XBox. Now, he has one of his own that he cut grass to purchase himself. Not like he's never played. He went to their house, started playing at 4pm and was still playing at 6am. They thought for certain he'd get tired and go to bed like his brother does. Nope, 14 hours straight and was still playing. They were finally able to understand why we force him to go outside because he has no limits! His brother, on the other hand, would put the Xbox away and choose to go outside. So we have to enforce 1hr screen time during the week. About once a month sometimes twice, we let them just go on as long as they like on a Saturday night.
I am enjoying learning everyone's approach and opinion on "Screen time." I just wanted to contribute: during one of my nursing rotations I facilitated parent-child counseling on diet and health for over-weight children, and we counseled on limiting screen time to 2 hours / day. I am not sure where this magic number came up, but as a mother of a 5.5 year old who loves computers, I see this as reasonable. I appreciate the comment that "addictions" can be crutches: we counseled a 9 year old to not read so much (right?) because he was using it to avoid recess and exercise. LOL! I also agree that teaching a child about self-regulation (limit-setting) is a golden rule; just how to do that, I am learning as I go, and would like to hear that discussion amongst parents too. Bests!
Wow, what a great discussion. I've got a 10-year-old stepson and a 39-year-old husband who BOTH have addiction issues with the screen. When I met my husband, five years ago, he had just started playing World of Warcraft. I didn't know much about it, didn't worry about it. He wanted me to play as well, so that we could share it...and I appreciated the fact that he wanted to do something he enjoyed with me, so I got involved. I just didn't feel the same draw to it, and would be SO over it after an hour (or less). Then, my stepson got involved in WoW, and the involvement, for both of them, just grew and grew. We tried limits, we tried all kinds of different schedules and things. They never worked. It had become a terrible issue in our marriage, and even though I have never believed in ultimatums, I was really, really close this past fall to saying something like, "Either WoW or me: choose." I wrote my husband a long letter about it one night (while he was, once again, avoiding coming to bed so he could finish his three-hour raid), and that night, after we fought again and he read my letter, he closed his account, deleted his characters, and he has not gone back. I know that was in November, sometime. I never did resort to an ultimatum, but he knew I was just a step away from it. Our lives improved immeasurably since he quit WoW. Even though we didn't make my stepson stop playing, now he hardly ever logs on, since his dad doesn't play anymore. I feel like I got my husband back.
I wish that was the end of the story -- at Christmas, we got an XBox 360 and now both boys (my husband and my stepson) are in love with this war game that drives me nuts. It is not as addictive as WoW, but I hate it when they play it and my baby girls (ages 2 and 1) are in the room. And my stepson would play for hours and hours on end if I put no limits on it.
I am still torn about how to limit it, though. My husband is no help, because he sees nothing wrong with losing oneself in such games -- so whatever limits are there are limits that I put there. Ah, the bad step-mother! How I love that role!
We don't have cable or satellite, and any *TV* we watch is from Netflix. I don't like commercials, so this works out pretty well. I used to read a lot of unschooling philosophy, some of which suggests that placing limits makes the limited item that much more desirable -- but I just don't buy it as it pertains to video games. I like what many posters here have said about that working for some personalities but not others. Some people self-regulate; some need more guidance in that area.
Once the weather improves, I fully intend to send my stepson and my daughters outside more often, which should provide a good alternative to screen time.
It's a serious issue. I have a nephew who is 19 and who has never been limited...he doesn't do anything but play games (world of warcraft), has no interest in getting a job or going to school, or moving out of his parents' house and he is surly and unsociable to everyone. That's what I was starting to see in my husband, and my stepson: when they weren't playing or couldn't play, they snapped at everyone and acted like they just wouldn't be content until they could bury themselves in the game again.
I just wanted to weigh in. My opinion: kids absolutely need limits. Husbands, too.
An hour a day is a LOT! Especially for a kid who goes to school. He should be thankful for a whole hour =)
My oldest also behaves like an electronics addict (video games or tv all day long at dad's house). I give her 15 minutes once or twice a week here. I shut off the computer when time is up.
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text:
Poisoned Union
People who hide sexual relationships from the rest of the world are emotional criminals, especially if they're married, shacked up or involved in a relationship with someone else. The only souls more repugnant are the poor, pitiful, weak-ass victims who tolerate these lies and deceptions.
On the other hand, we've all been there—if not to inhabit their world, then certainly to glimpse it in a sidelong glance, a lustful clutching.
Enter Abby and Ben, the two amazingly self-absorbed and intense characters at the center of Neil LaBute's amazingly self-absorbed and intense play, TheMercySeat,which opens Friday at the Hunger Artists Theater Co. LaBute, who toyed with emotionally devastating relationships in the gimmicky, if compelling, TheShapeofThings,delivers a more mature and powerful look at poisoned unions with this piece.
You can't mention TheMercySeatwithout referencing 9/11; this play wouldn't exist otherwise. It's the morning of Sept. 12, 2001. Ben, an early-30s family guy struggling to keep pace on the corporate hamster wheel, is at the home of Abby, a woman 10 years his senior. She's also his boss. And they fuck. Whether they love each other is debatable. But absolutely, they fuck. Have for three years, and always in the same position—just one of the topics covered in this terribly riveting and harrowing dissection of MARD (mutually assured relationship destruction).
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Ben was supposed to be in downtown Manhattan on the morning of Sept. 11, but he stopped at Abby's for a quick hummer, and his lepetitmortesaved him from a big one. Now Ben is considering using the catastrophe as a vehicle to disappear from his job, wife and children by skipping town with his lover.
So while firefighters and cops impose order on the chaos of rubble-strewn streets, Ben sees an excellent opportunity to chart a new life. Craven, selfish and pussy to be sure, but man, is it instantly recognizable—and a common theme to LaBute's other works (In theCompanyofMen,YourriendsandNeighbors).
That's the beauty of LaBute's script: these people suck—they lie, they cheat, they deceive. But even though they use this calamity to plan an escape route, as well as to flay one another's psychic flesh, you can't help feeling for them. You may hate their guts, but if you don't recognize some part of yourself in some part of them, you haven't lived.
Making these characters relatable falls to director Margaret O'Hora. Though no stranger to the theater (she's the Hunger Artists' managing director), this is her first stab at directing a full-length play. Most first-timers opt for something cute, nostalgic or wistful—words not associated with TheMercySeat.LaBute's characters (portrayed here by Chey Kennedy and Katherine Prenovost) get off on destroying one another, verbally and emotionally, sometimes physically. Yet O'Hora says they're not too out-of-synch with most of the people she knows.
"I think in most circles these days, it's not seen as cool to be positive or upbeat or joyful," she says. "And there is an impulse out there that the only way to get a real emotional response through art is to use pain or to be cynical. That's seen these days as smart."
However Mercyturns out, the choice to stage a play that puts 9/11 and all its flag-waving, jingoistic self-righteousness in a different perspective is brave. "Something the Hunger Artists really care about is telling the other side of the story," O'Hora says. "This play does that. With all the patriotism and everything that's happened after 9/11, I think there needed to be an alternative perspective."
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text:
Who am I?
I am mud
The quintessence of dust
Humble grit, non-descript
Yet within my grime lies
A ray of His pure Light
Colourless, raceless, non-finite
In spirit, I am unbound
By cliques, prejudice
Power, hierarchies
Unhardened and undefined
Soft and pure, love and light
Mercy, grace, truth personified
Earthly body, spirit divine
Transcending pettiness, selfishness
With compassion, liberal heart and mind
Until I descend into pretense
Rigidities, contempt, difference
Sham pride, divides, defines
What a fool am I!
Consumed by spite and exclusivity
Detaching and defaming , hating and blaming
Snuffing my humanity, soiling my dignity
Muck and filth personified
Dirt or divine, the choice is mine
Ignore the agony, injustice
A spiritless, clay marionette
Or with iron will, act, reject
Am I the flicker of active, burning love?
As the darkness spreads
Or merely cold cynicism, passive at best?
Caring only for myself and mine
While communities shatter, ignorance reigns
Deaf, dumb, blind
I am light extinguished
Dead earth, buried alive
Fatema Valji


text:
Baby Blankets by Sweet Jojo Designs
Snuggle up your little one in adorable baby blanket. Baby blankets are perfect for swaddling or snuggling and always make great baby shower gifts. It seems most children become attached to a certain blanket, so blankets often have great sentimental value. We love the soft and minky modern fabrics use in today's baby blanket. Choose from many adorable patterns.


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Seyfarth Shaw LLP has appointed Brian L. Michaelis, a partner at the firm's Boston office, as chair of the Intellectual Property Practice Group.
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Seyfarth Shaw LLP, Brian L. Michaelis


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Whole Bean 12oz bag
Whole Bean 12oz bag
For your morning kick start try this medium-light roast drip coffee blended from African and Central American beans. It delivers an awakening drink with sweet chocolate and floral flavors, punctuated by apple and pear notes. Klatch Coffee Breakfast Blend comes whole bean in 12oz bags.
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text: Ford: Pistons might not offer Carlos Boozer a contract Posted by Justin Rogers | MLive.com June 25, 2009 12:00PM "With a boatload of cap space, the expectation is that the Detroit Pistons will be big spenders in free agency. One of the players potentially available in this free agent class, Utah forward Carlos Boozer is expected by many to be at the top of Detroit's wish list. According to ESPN's Chad Ford, that may not be the case. June 25, KSL.com: Meanwhile, ESPN's Chad Ford reports Carlos Boozer may not get the fat contract and raise he's planning on (if he opts out of the final year of his Jazz contract). Detroit's been his supposed destination, but Ford says the Pistons may not even offer Boozer a contract. Of course all this could be just the beginning of negotiations with Boozer's camp. I can't find the original source of the original Ford quote on this one, so if anyone can pass it along it would be appreciated. Like the article suggests, this could simply to a move to lower the expectations Boozer might have for a contract, which is rarely a bad move. Especially when the Pistons hold most of the power in these negotiations. If the Pistons truly have no interest in Boozer, or are unable to reach a deal if the teams do enter into negotiations down the road, becomes what does the team to fill its massive holes in the frontcourt? There are two enticing options on the restricted free agent list in David Lee and Paul Milsap, but making an offer to either of those could be risky. By extending a contract to a restricted free agent the Pistons money would be tied up until the players' current chooses to match. If the team decides to retain the player and takes up the full ten days they have to make their decision, the Pistons would not only be out a player, the odds are the free agent market could be largely picked over. On the other hand, with approximately $19 million in free cap space after the Amir Johnson deal, maybe Joe Dumars is setting up an unusual situation where he can make a significant offer to a restricted free agent and still be a player on the market. That would be shrewd maneuvering by the Pistons' general manager. "


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4.0 4.0
5.0 5.0
4.0 4.0
Things I liked: The Russians knows how to build something simple, practical, build to last , at a good price. And this air gun is a good example of it. It surprise me the accuracy of this gun ( under $70) , really easy to cock, and I don't have any problem with the sight as I read on some reviews.
Things I would have changed: Would like to have some rail on the receiver to install my red dot sight.
What others should know: The gun I received is the same one showed in the picture on this site, but the instruction manual and the picture in the box show the same gun with different sights. Mine has the rear sight built in into the receiver and a fixed front sight, different than some other series with spring front sight and over the receiver rear sight. Not recommended for kids, no safety and the trigger is really sensitive.


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- ITV Report
- ITV Report
Hit and run: Three men bailed by police
Live updates
Police tell hit and run driver: 'Hand yourself in.'
Detective Superintendent Paul Taylor from West Yorkshire Police is leading the investigation into an alleged hit and run in Leeds that has left two children fighting for their lives. He's told Calendar they know what car was involved and it's only a matter of time until they find the driver.
Hit and run uncle: "Pray for my niece and nephew"
Aroon Rafique, the uncle of Raham and Sabam Saleem who were run over by a driver who failed to stop in Leeds, is asking people to help find the car involved, and to pray for his niece and nehphew.
Leeds hit and run victims named
Children involved in hit and run are named by police
More details have been released following a hit and run crash in Leeds. The two children have been named by police as 10-year-old Sabam Saleen. She is currently in a critical condition at Leeds General Infirmary.
Two-year-old Raham Saleen is also in hosptial. Both are suffering with head injuries. Police say they have launched a major investigation and are still trying to trace a silver or grey mark four Vauxhall Astra. CCTV of the collision has been obtained which is currently being analysed by officers.
- ITV Report
Update: Children 'critical' after hit and run in Leeds
A two-year-old boy and his 10-year-old sister are critically ill after being knocked down in a hit and run collision, police said.Read the full story ›
Police confirm two children are 'serious' after crash
West Yorkshire police have revealed more details to Calendar after a crash in Hyde Park, Leeds this evening. Officers have confirmed a road traffic collision is being investigated, involving two children.
Their ages have not been confirmed but is understood they are between eight and ten years old. Their condition is described as 'serious.'
- ITV Report
Two children in hospital after being hit by car
Two young children have been taken to hospital after they were hit by a car in the Hyde Park area of Leeds.Read the full story ›
Video: First pictures of crash scene in Hyde Park, Leeds
Two children hurt - hit by car in Leeds
Two children hit by car in Hyde Park, Leeds.
Two young children have been taken to hospital after they were hit by a car in the Hyde Park area of Leeds. Police have closed a number of roads in and around Thornville Road as they investigate the crash. Locals say the children are a boy and girl aged around eight and 10.
Witnesses say the children had just left a local corner shop when they were struck. A shopping bag with groceries could be seen lying in the road where the incident happened. The children's condition is unknown. The crash happened close to the Makkah Masjid Mosque at around 5pm on Saturday.


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The Civil Wars Call It Quits Permanently
The Civil Wars have officially split up ... for good.
The Civil Wars have officially split up ... for good.
The great mystery that sews intrigue at the root of 'The Civil Wars' is how two people who clearly don't get along can pretend with such conviction. The second album from this duo isn't tainted by disdain, contempt or ambivalence that hardens one's heart. In fact, it's more emotional than their Grammy-winning debut album. So clearly they're either brilliant actors, or they're in love.
The Civil Wars recently announced their forthcoming self-titled album. But unfortunately for fans of the two-person folk act, new music doesn't signal that Joy Williams and John Paul White have patched things up.
The Civil Wars have released a new single called 'The One That Got Away' and made it available to fans via videos on Vevo and YouTube. The gloomy ballad marks the return of Joy Williams and John Paul White after seemingly announcing their breakup last November.
Music fans all over the world were devastated when Grammy-winning folk duo the Civil Wars surprisingly suddenly canceled their tour last autumn. In fact, it seemed that the band was possibly over for good, although they hinted at new music in 2013. As of today, Joy Williams and John Paul White have made an exciting announcement about their upcoming summer album.
If you watched the Grammys this year, you saw Taylor Swift open the show as the leader of a crazy circus as she performed her hit "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together". What some people didn't realize was that Taylor was also a Grammy winner, but for a song you may not have heard.
While millions of Americans were distracted by the election and polling results, some major news hit the country music circuit. Popular folk duo the Civil Wars posted a message on Tuesday (Nov. 6) that leads fans to believe that they might be breaking up.
The Civil Wars singer Joy Williams must be superwoman. In addition to constantly wowing fans and critics with her gorgeous vocals, the 29-year-old singer called giving birth to her first baby boy "a breeze." In a recent interview with People, Williams opened up about her labor story and what it's like to be a new mom to baby Miles Alexander, who was born on June 30.
Congratulations are in order for the Civil Wars singer Joy Williams and her husband Nate Yetton, who welcomed a baby boy into the world over the weekend. Miles Alexander, the couple's first child together, was born on Saturday, June 30.
When you think of the folksy Americana duo the Civil Wars and the highly anticipated film 'The Hunger Games,' your mind likely jumps first to the Civil Wars' popular Taylor Swift collaboration 'Safe & Sound,' which was the lead single from the soundtrack. But the duo has another song on the compilation, and this time it's one they wrote on their own. You can preview the clip below.
While Adele stole the headlines during and after the 2012 Grammy Awards, a number of country artists are also enjoying the afterglow. Albums from Lady Antebellum and the Civil Wars enjoyed impressive sales boosts following the red carpet event of the year. The groups respectively earned the Best Country Album and Best Country Duo/Group Performance Grammys.
The Civil Wars had quite a week. After winning two Grammy Awards at last night's ceremony, one for Best Country Duo/Group Performance and one for Best Folk Album, the vintage duo also gave a stellar performance of their ever-popular tune, 'Barton Hollow.' Then, backstage after the performance, the female half of the duo, Joy Williams, spilled the beans that she and her husband/the band's manager Nate Yetton have a bun in the oven.


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Nick Drake was the quintessential fragile genius. His late-1960s and early-'70s albums combine pastoral, very British romanticism with a jazzy folk lilt that owes a debt to Tim Buckley and Tim Hardin. His hypnotic whisper of a voice and his virtuosic fingerpicking were the perfect emissaries for Drake's songs of quiet longing and displacement. Though he was virtually unknown during his too-short life, he would posthumously inspire a subsequent generation of artists.
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Reissue of the late British folk icon's 1969 debut album. Ten tracks. Island.
There's not a single dud in the trilogy of albums that singer/songwriter Nick Drake released during his all-too-short career. And 1968's Five Leaves Left--his first album--is certainly no exception. Drake's sensitive guitar work and sensitive vocals are backed by the baroque sounds of a chamber string group, and the platter's lyrics show maturity well beyond the age of their 20-year-old creator. Sparser than its follow-up, the jazzy Bryter Layter, but less tortured than Drake's dark final chapter, Pink Moon, Five Leaves Left is a classic British folk disc. Songs like "River Man," "The Thoughts of Mary Jane," and "Day Is Done" are among Drake's finest moments. Newcomers be forewarned: this music is as infectious as it is bleak, and a purchase of Drake's boxed set Fruit Tree might be a wise investment. --Jason Verlinde


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Super excited to find out that my blog placed 8th under the Tripbase Travel Blog Awards' Technical Category.
8th place you say?
Considering the fact that the 10 winners include major travel blogs – National Geographic Traveler's Intelligent Travel, Travel Channel's World Hum, Viator, and Gridskipper – needless to say, I feel pretty honored they even found my blog.
According to Tripbase:
This is the award for the best looking/most accessible travel blogs.
The award is handed out to the sector's stars; those who lead the way in terms of graphics, layout, accessibility and design.
It takes a creative touch to stand out from the crowd and only the leading inspirational travel bloggers will survive the rigorous selection process.
Going to go pour me some celebratory apple juice. My rugby drinking days are over 🙂


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In vitro fixator rod loading after transforaminal compared to anterior lumbar interbody fusion
Kettler, Annette, Niemeyer, Thomas, Issler, L., Merk, U., Mahalingam, M., Werner, Karin, Claes, Lutz, & Wilke, Hans-Joachim (2006) In vitro fixator rod loading after transforaminal compared to anterior lumbar interbody fusion. Clinical Biomechanics, 21(5), pp. 435-442.
Impact and interest:
Citation counts are sourced monthly from Scopus and Web of Science® citation databases.
These databases contain citations from different subsets of available publications and different time periods and thus the citation count from each is usually different. Some works are not in either database and no count is displayed. Scopus includes citations from articles published in 1996 onwards, and Web of Science® generally from 1980 onwards.
Citations counts from the Google Scholar™ indexing service can be viewed at the linked Google Scholar™ search.
|ID Code:
|Item Type:
|Journal Article
|Lumbar spine, Interbody fusion, Cage, Pedicle screw fixation, Strain, Biomechanics
|Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > ENGINEERING (090000) > BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING (090300)
Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES (110000) > HUMAN MOVEMENT AND SPORTS SCIENCE (110600)
|Deposited On:
|24 Aug 2011 22:17
|Last Modified:
|29 Feb 2012 14:25
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This is a discussion on Dirty Firing PIN?? within the General Firearm Discussion forums, part of the Related Topics category; I cleaned and lubed my gun today and after checking slide and dry firing a couple of times, i noticed some gold looking flakes or ...
I cleaned and lubed my gun today and after checking slide and dry firing a couple of times, i noticed some gold looking flakes or residue on my now totally clean inners. I cleaned again and realized inside the hole where my firing pin (taurus pt140 pro) is was dirty, so i added extra lube and held upside down and dry fired a few more times till no more flakes/ residue came out. is this o.k./ is this normal. Has anyone had this happen? If not, is something wrong. PLEASE give comments, as i've recently started carrying and am not that educated as to the firing pin thing.
thank you so much!!
I am going to say that if your question is about dry firing, then yes it is fine. As many here will tell you, dry firing pretty much any modern firearm with the possible exception of the Kel-Tec, is fine. If the question is about those brass flakes, then I would say that they are harmless, unless they accumulate in there. The REAL NO-NO that I noted was that you were lubing your firing pin cavity. Make sure you get all of that out or you are going to have some real problems. Keep lube off the firing pin at all times!


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Stand at the fulcrum of Western history
Craft a Trip ►
Israel has been a fulcrum of Western history almost as long as there has been such a thing as Western history. And as we know, its history has long, long been complex, glorious, troubled, and fascinating. We carefully design well-rounded, expertly guided visits to Israel and are happy to include enlightening and personal looks at the neighboring Palestinian Territories, which figure so prominently in Israel's—and the world's—history and in its current reality.
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Product description
Sizing and fit
- Aspheric lenses
- TR90 Frame
- Anti-scratch coating
- Spring-hinges
- Aspheric lenses
- TR90 Frame
- Anti-scratch coating
- Spring-hinges
This item is a final sale. It can be returned for an exchange, however, we cannot offer a monetary refund.
Everyone knows some of the joy of jet-setting loses its thrill due to packing. We aren't a luggage company so we can't help much with that, but we can help with compact and durable travel reading glasses. Introducing the Jet collection.
This collection is comprised of super light rimless reading glasses with flexible temples. These temples are made with TR-90, an extremely durable plastic. Designed with multiple temple and nose bridge color options, we are sure to have the one for you. Pick from a beaming red, a majestic emerald, a radiant blue, an icy grey, an eye-catching purple, a rich tortoise or the two-toned green nose bridge and purple temples combination. For extra travel protection, a plastic tube case is provided with each pair of readers. Jet will become your best traveling companion.
Recommended For
For both men and women with the following face shapes:
Find your fit with the Peepers Style Guide
Glasses Type: Readers
Frame Style: rimless
Frame Shape: oval
Gender: mens, womens
Frame Width: 127 mm (5 in)
Eye Size: 52 mm (2 in)
Temple Length: 142 mm (5.6 in)
Frame Height: 28 mm (1.1 in)
Nose Bridge: 14 mm (0.6 in)
California Customers - Prop 65
Dear California Customer of Peepers® Reading Glasses,
"Prop 65" is a California state environmental law requiring that a warning be provided by anyone who in the course of doing business in California exposes individuals to a chemical that California has placed on its regulated list. Bisphenol A (BpA) was recently added to this list.
Peepers by PeeperSpecs uses polycarbonate plastic in its products, and trace amounts of BpA exist in polycarbonate. While the risk of exposure to BpA due to contact with our polycarbonate products is extremely remote given the miniscule levels present in our products, Peepers by PeeperSpecs is electing to post the following state-approved warning for all of its products sold in California that contain BpA, effective immediately:
"WARNING: This product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm".
Please call our customer service team at 800-348-2508 with any questions.
Distortion Free Lenses
All of our readers offer aspheric lenses which are great for a couple reasons. Here's why you should care:
• First off, these are much flatter than your traditional curved lens which creates less distortion while reading. Less distortion equals less eye fatigue translating into happier eyes!
• They are also thin and light weight which means added comfort while wearing for long periods of time.
• Lastly, because they are thin they are more ascetically appealing, especially when you begin graduating into those higher strengths! No more coke bottles pretending to be lenses here!
Polycarbonate Frame
We use polycarbonate for the majority of our frames for its versatility and durability. This type of plastic allows us to use multiple types of color treatments creating the hundreds of different looks and frame shapes you'll find on our site. Being that it is also extremely light weight and high impact resistant gives our customers a long lasting, durable pair of glasses.
Dual Anti-Scratch Coating
All of our lenses have an anti-scratch hard coated treatment on both sides of the lens (hence why we say dual). They are dipped into the solution which ensures an equal amount is applied to both sides. One more way we ensure our lenses stand up to daily wear and tear.
Readers featuring our anti-glare coating helps to eliminate reflections of light from the front and back surface of the lenses. With fewer reflections, more light can pass through the lens creating more transparent, vivid images. These are also great for reducing eye fatigue trying to fight nasty glare from your computer screen.
Spring Hinges
We offer spring hinges for added comfort and durability. The hinge is actually spring loaded and helps reduce the amount of pressure applied to your head and the frame.
UV360 Protection
All of our lenses offer UV360 protection. This allows us to block the most harmful UV light from your eyes without any tint
at all!
Free Case
We include a free case with all of our peepers! One more way we help you take care of your glasses offering fashionable protection.


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Your Account
DotNetNuke is a powerful open source framework for creating and deploying web sites with dynamic and interactive content. Written by the creator of DotNetNuke and a team of DotNetNuke community experts and ASP.NET programmers, this book provides you with the tools and insight you need to install, configure, and develop web applications with DotNetNuke 5.
After Shaun Walker's introduction to DotNetNuke and the business aspects of creating and nurturing the DotNetNuke community, product, and a new DotNetNuke corporation, the authors demonstrate how to manage and administer a DotNetNuke portal. They then show you how the application works through the DotNetNuke application architecture and its major application programming interfaces (APIs), which provide DotNetNuke's power.
You'll discover how to extend the portal framework by developing and distributing modules that plug into a DotNetNuke portal, and you'll examine the flexible skinning capabilities of DotNetNuke. This helpful exploration of the history, structure, and foundation of the DotNetNuke application affirms its place as an extremely extensible application framework.
What you will learn from this book
The responsibilities of a host/administrator who is using DotNetNuke as a web portal, such as the uploading of skins and modules
The core modules that are included with DotNetNuke and how to use them
Ways to integrate DotNetNuke into an existing membership structure
Techniques for replacing hard-coded text with dynamic strings
The new unified model for packaging extensions for distribution
Who this book is for
This book is for nondevelopers who are interested in exploring the DotNetNuke framework as well as experienced ASP.NET developers who want to build dynamic ASP.NET sites or create add-ins to DotNetNuke.
Wrox Professional guides are planned and written by working programmers to meet the real-world needs of programmers, developers, and IT professionals. Focused and relevant, they address the issues technology professionals face every day. They provide examples, practical solutions, and expert education in new technologies, all designed to help programmers do a better job.
© 2016, O'Reilly Media, Inc.
(707) 827-7019(800) 889-8969
All trademarks and registered trademarks appearing on oreilly.com are the property of their respective owners.


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BrainLine Military
A Service of brainline.org
Turn off text only
Page Utilities
History, Not Repeating Itself
Lately, we have had more good days than bad. I am extremely thankful for that after enduring so many horrible years since the IED changed our lives. Bryan has been steadier with his feelings and emotions. He has also been very supportive through our infertility struggles. He has been social with friends, as much as he can. We have really been having a fun summer.
When you walk on eggshells for years you still resort to those feelings when something upsetting happens. I try to put the past behind us but when reminders of the previous events creep in, I rely on those past experiences to predict what is going to happen.
A couple of days ago Bryan had a stressful day at work. He called when he left and I could hear the exhaustion, frustration and maybe a little anger in his voice. My heart started pounding. I immediately thought I needed to talk him down and fix the problem. I heard his truck revving up as we were getting off the phone and I asked him to drive carefully.
The old feelings resurfaced. I was worried. When he got home how he would be? Would he talk to me? Would he know that I was concerned about how he was reacting to the stressor? Would he be angry?
When he did get home I approached him cautiously. I didn't want to set the post-traumatic stress off. He was still stressed out pretty bad. I finally just asked if he was OK. I told him that I felt that he was reacting the way that he had in the past.
But he put things in perspective.
"I am allowed to have a bad day once in a while," he said.
Everything clicked. I thought about all the bad days I have been having when I get bad news from my reproductive endocrinologist. He is allowed to have a bad day. Even if he isn't handling the situation the way I want him to, it's OK. His reaction didn't last a week like it did before.
Click here to see other blog posts from Cheryl Gansner.
From Cheryl Gansner's blog, Wife of a Wounded Soldier. Used with permission. www.wifeofawoundedsoldier.com.
Cheryl Gansner, Cheryl Gansner is the wife of a severely injured soldier. In 2006, Bryan Gansner was hit by an IED that ripped his legs apart and left him with a TBI and PTSD. He nearly died. He spent 20 months in rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The couple recently had their first child.
The contents of BrainLine Military (the "Web Site"), such as text, graphics, images, information obtained from the Web Site's licensors and/or consultants, and other material contained on the Web Site (collectively, the "Content") are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for medical, legal, or other professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Specifically, with regards to medical issues, always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the Web Site. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. The Web Site does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Web Site. Reliance on any information provided by the Web Site or by employees, volunteers or contractors or others associated with the Web Site and/or other visitors to the Web Site is solely at your own risk.
Comments [2]
And thank you for sharing with those of us who DO understand.... makes me feel a little less alone knowing there are others fighting to have their husbands back.....
Thank you for sharing your daily struggles & acomplishments with us who have no inkling what a high & horriffic price so many of our men & women, as well as their families have & are paying for the protection & freedoms this country has. THANK YOU ALL my prayers are with & for each of you daily.


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Cape Cod
The Cape Cod, with its boxy footprint, snug proportions, and shingled roof, embodies our notion of shelter. It's common on islands such as Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard and, of course, the Cape.
Shaped like a Monopoly house, the popular cottage design originated centuries ago in New England. Typical of most vernacular forms, it was determined by the region's weather and built to defy prevailing winds. The broad, squat form with a steep-pitched roof features a few informal rooms downstairs and a half-story loft, often with dormer windows. Two or more fireplaces cluster around a central chimney to warm the home. Exterior shutters, battened down during nor'easters, often punctuate the facade.
The Cape Cod cottage proliferated during the mid-20th century, thanks to a Colonial revival and a need for low-cost housing. It's still known for its compact size and lack of ornamentation. In warmer climates, the details may be strictly decorative or perfunctory, but the New England icon still feels like an honest house―ship-tight, cozy, even romantic.
Florida Cracker
The Florida Cracker predates electricity and air-conditioning. "It's a product of the environment," says Michigan-based architect Michael Poris. "People were trying to stay cool."
With wood either tacked on vertically―board-and-batten style―or horizontally, in wide-planked clapboards, the modest form rises on brick piers or wooden stilts to avoid floodwaters and termites. Pitched roofs reach skyward and often vent hot air through cupolas or clerestory windows.
Cracker houses cool inhabitants in other ways, as well. They usually feature lots of windows, with corner rooms or large, flowing interior spaces opening on two or more sides for cross-ventilation. Because the fiery Florida sun might also find its way in through those windows, deep eaves on roofs or wraparound porches shade the house. The porches provide cool spaces for rocking chairs and informal dining tables. Screened porches keep bugs away.
The Cracker style's simple layout allows a growing family to attach a new wing to the rear of the house, connecting to the main house by covered walkway. Whether alone or as part of a compound, the Cracker house captures the breezy informality that so many people look for in a coastal home.
Most coastal classics evolved from historical traditions. But contemporary-style homes, which date to the 1950s, grew out of a desire to shun architectural conventions. These homes also took advantage of technological advancements that allowed homeowners to sidestep long-established building techniques. "Postwar America was a new era with new materials," says architect Michael Poris.
Take windows, for example. Whether the double-hung sashes of a Cape Cod cottage or the casement windows of a Mediterranean home, most architectural traditions call for groupings of relatively small panes of glass divided by muntins. The advent of strong, safe plate glass gave postwar homeowners and architects license to experiment with large, unobstructed windows. "In coastal homes, the views are key. You choose a [site] because of the views, water, breeze―the whole experience of being there," says Michael. "In contemporary homes, that experience determines the form."
Other elements of contemporary homes, which helped shape the look of America's suburbs, are wide overhanging eaves, flat or low-pitched roofs, and exposed supporting elements (to emphasize honesty rather than ornamentation). Facades are asymmetrical, and while exterior siding materials can run the gamut, many coastal contemporary homes are made of naturally finished wood, such as redwood or cedar, which weathers nicely when scoured by sandy, salty breezes.
While English colonists battled harsh winters in their Cape Cod houses, Spanish colonists faced the other extreme―punishing heat and often humidity―in Florida and California and along the Gulf Coast. Spanish vernacular precedents, mixed with Italian, Moorish, and other more-recently imported influences, led to the popularity of another coastal favorite, the Mediterranean home.
Though the details vary, these homes might feature thick, stucco-coated masonry walls, low-pitched clay-tile roofs, casement windows, round arches, and heavy, carved doors. Inside, high ceilings lift the heat and ceramic tiles cool floors. Mediterranean houses integrate indoor and outdoor living, with single-story asymmetrical wings rambling around shady, fountain-cooled courtyards. Pools, patios, and lush garden rooms ring these homes.
Early 20th-century architects in Palm Beach, including Addison
Mizner and Maurice Fatio, receive recognition for the Mediterranean
craze in the United States. Their sprawling, ornate mansions
inspired others to build "villas" for smaller lots and tighter
budgets. Today, the Mediterranean still conveys the slightly exotic
experience of living by the sea.


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Groves, Barker victorious in London
The Matchroom Boxing debut of super middleweight George Groves (17-0, 13 KOs) was a success as he blew away overmatched Dario Balmaceda (11-7-2, 7 KOs) on Saturday night at Wembley Arena in London. Groves dropped Balmaceda in round two with body shot and finished him in round three with two body shots and a right to the head. Time was :58. Groves, rated WBO #2, WBA #2, WBC #5 and IBF #7, will next fight on the May 25 Froch-Kessler card.
Former middleweight title challenger Darren Barker (25-1, 15 KOs) was victorious when Simone Rotolo (35-4, 15 KOs) didn't come out after round four citing a hand injury. Barker, rated IBF #8 and WBO #10 at super middleweight, dropped Rotolo in round one and dominated the fight.
IBF #10 welterweight Lee Purdy (20-3-1, 13 KOs) scored a ninth round TKO over late sub Cosme Rivera (35-16-3, 24 KOs). Rivera was down in round one and the bout was eventually stopped in the ninth due to a cut suffered by Rivera. Time was :56.
Journeyman jr welterweight Danny Connor (8-5-1, 0 KOs) surprised Chris Evangelou (9-2, 1 KO) in a ten rounder, winning s 97-93 decision. Evangelou was down twice in the seventh.


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Colin Powell Honors Prince Harry For Service to Wounded Veterans
Posted on May 8, 2012Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell awarded Prince Henry of Wales the Atlantic Council's 2012 Award for Distinguished Humanitarian Leadership last night in Washington, D.C. He was given the award for his ongoing efforts to help wounded veterans and their families. In the introduction, Secretary Powell joked about Prince Harry's appeal to young women saying: "Apart from recognizing his contributions to the humanitarian projects, I would be remiss if I didn't note that his presence has altered the normal demographic make up of our audience. We have a record number of young, single women. You saw them outside. I also have to say the average age for an Atlantic Council dinner has dropped 25 years and for that we really, really thank you."
Prince Harry seemed truly touched by the award, which he accepted on behalf of his brother Prince William, their foundation, and the veterans themselves. Harry told the crowd, "The very least we owe them is to make sure that they and their brave families have everything they need through the darkest days – and, in time, regain the hope and confidence to flourish again...For these selfless people, it is after the guns have fallen silent, the din of battle quietened, that the real fight begins – a fight that may last for the rest of their lives." Take a look:
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I shot low and left with every Glock I owned until I bought a G34 with a stock, lighter trigger. IT's just the Glock trigger for me.
I have bought three 19's brand new in the last year. Each would shoot 6 inch to the left from 10 feet away. I love the size and feel and even let others shoot them to see if it was me. Out of 5 people four shot left and the other was right on. With the Glock 17 I have no problem hitting dead center.
Does any of this make any sense or has any of you found the 19 shooting a tad left. I even adjusted the sights with no luck. I have sold them and guess I will stick with the 17. It fits my Miami rig anyways. Just wanted to down size some.
The weird thing I shoot the compact 9mm XD better than the service 5inch XD.
I shot low and left with every Glock I owned until I bought a G34 with a stock, lighter trigger. IT's just the Glock trigger for me.
First thing I would think of is are you a righty or a lefty? When I am shooting off to the right as a left hander I know what I'm doing. Pulling my shots with my trigger finger. If I was to shoot off to the left as a lefty then I would conclude an equipment issue. Slightly obvious consideration I know but 3 examples of the same model and the same results but not with the larger G17 makes me think of this.
Sounds like the G17 suits and fits you better. Have you tried a G26 out before? Be interesting to hear how it performed for you. For me it is the opposite and the G19 is the sweet spot size. I can't explain the shooting smaller guns better than larger or longer barrel ones. Not supposed to happen but I do the same thing more often than not. Never had a Glock with a noticeable accuracy issue. Certainly possible though.
i was told by the range master at my range that this is typical for most glock shooters. when you put your finger on the trigger and commence to pull a cavity is formed in the palm of your hand causing the gun to pull to the left anyway i had $250 worth of work done to my glock 17L (had a magwell, palm swell, beaver tail, finger grooves, and heavy grit added by tactical solutions in houston) to try to shoot straighter. supposedly the palm swell was supposed to take care of the cavity created when pulling the trigger. now...the gun shoots closer to center but it's still to the left.
There are actually a number of things that could be causing it. I have no idea about your experience with handguns so I will go over a few I can think of off the top of my head.
Assuming you are a right hand shooter:
1. Too little trigger finger.
2. Poor grip. And this can be a couple things really. How exactly are you griping the frame of the pistol? Are you laying your thumbs side by side pointed straight at the target or using a thumbs crossed hold? The grip with thumbs crossed is not a bad grip but sometimes you can put too much pressure with one thumb down on the other which will pull your shots. You may also be applying too much pressure with the grip of your support hand.
3. Improper sight alignment.
4. Poor stance. Do you shoot a modified weaver stance or isosceles stance? Try adjusting your stance a bit or completely switching to a different stance.
Above all else I agree with the previous poster that you need to spend some time dry firing the weapon so you can focus on trigger control as well as the other possible issues I gave you. Personally I like to put a thumbtack or something in the wall or a piece of tape as an aimpoint when dry firing.
Do some tests and let us know what you find out.
thanks you all gave me a lot to think about. I was down looking at guns at the local shop and held the 17 which I shoot great and held the 19 and found myself wrapping my trigger finger a good 1/4 longer around the trigger. I think instead of trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong I should just get the 17. I had no problem with the g21.
I had a g30 45acp which I shot real well and bought the 21L thinking I would be the best glock shooter and found I could not hit a thing with it because I think the grip was to big.
I have owned a lot of glocks and I gave them all away to my family and they can't sell any of them until I die. I still like to take them to the range. The only ones I have not kept were the 19's. I think I'll try to find the G17 gen 4 since I still have the gen one.
Thanks again for all your help.
I'm sorryI've been biting my tongue to keep from writing this, but I can't stop myself any longer.
Glocks were designed in Austria.
Austria has a Socialist government.
Therefore, of course your Glock shoots to the left.
What did you expect when you bought it?
I shoot a 19 as well and have experienced the shooting to the left. The palm cavity was credited with the problem in my instance too. However, no receiver altering was necessary. Just one old, salty, wise man pointed out a fundamental than I forget about nearly every time I go to the range and fire off a whole box. He said, "you're gripping with the wrong hand. Your dominant (firing) hand should grip the gun like you're trying to hold a baby bird, nice and soft. Rather, squeeze and grip with your weak hand to control."...And I'll be darned if it doesn't work EVERY time (as long as I stop to think about it before shooting).
Funny thing: The last time at the range, I was actually a little better one-handed!
Easy fix, it takes about 10 minutes of good instruction and coaching.
Almost EVERYBODY shoots left or low/left when they start with GLOCKs, it's ubiquitous.
Shift your right hand grip around so you get about 1/8" more trigger on your finger (her in) and concentrate on a straight trigger press. The problem comes when the shot breaks. The sudden lack of pressure causes you to move the gun. Easy as pie to fix.
Btw--you WANT a cavity between your palm and the pistol. All grip should come from the middle pad on the two middle fingers (the trigger finger and the pinky are just there for the beer) and the heel of the thumb. Think of it like a crab claw. There should be no side pressure from palm or thumbs, ever.
The main force of your grip is with the left hand, in about a 60/40 proportion. Again, leave the pinky loose to avoid sympathetic tension with the trigger finger. The stance is irrelevent. You can shoot good groups standing on one foot leaning around cover, sideways, upside down, or on the move. Sight picture and trigger control is what you want to work on. Stance is for bullseye shooters with too much time on their hands. <g>
You are not going to get a boat load of approval hear. But what you said in your last paragraph is really true. It is one of my peat peeves. Thrity yard stance and shoot means nothing in the real world. The second shot being a bit to the left is a moot point. They all work well. Say you were shooting from the ground? Me? Point and shoot. Very fast. Nobody trains to do that, but that will be your best friend.
Point and shoot without ever looking at the sights. Very fast. It's not that hard. It's just a training thing. Handguns were only ever meant be be a 10' to 15' type of gun. I liked your comment where you can be standing on your head. That is so true.
However, it can be very misleading. The barrel of the gun will only ever point one way. If you train that way, it becomes very easy. Double tap, triple tap. It's not so much the sight, but the barrel. I don't know how to explain that, but it is true.
You're describing a Type One focus. Thats a target visual focus with the handgun aligned by body feel. There are five types of focus, and IMHO, we need to train in all of them to be effective combat shooters.
There will be times when a sighted shot is quicker than a point shot--true story. Been there, done that, have the tee shirt. So, we need to be efficient timewise, with the sights, and on the trigger. Confidence is everything.
Type II Focus--Visual focus on the target, sights "ghosted" and aligned roughly. Capable of great accuracy very quickly.
Type III Focus--acquisition of the target first, then flashing on the front sight as the shot is about to break. Probably 60% of the shots in IDPA/USPSA are this type.
Type IV focus--Visual focus on and remaining on the front sight. More typical bullseye shooting here.
Type V focus--visual focus on the front sight, but concentration is on the trigger. Picture a 100 yard shot on a clay pigeon on the berm.
I think we are becoming a bit off centered.
I thought we were talking about why a Glock may tend to twist to the left?
Isn't that all semi-autos? Isn't that how they they all work?


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Peggy Blairwrote a review of Sea To Summit Titanium Spork on August 30, 2012
Can't go wrong with a spork!
Titanium too!
Titanium too!
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How Purple is this purple?
yesmail question about the titanium spork! How is it?
What flavors are the best?
I've always wanted to try these. Do they help prevent blisters?
yesmail testing, is this a good product?


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Delta waterproofing membrane
Anyone have any experience using Delta MS waterproofing membrane to waterproof a concrete foundation wall? I'm considering how to waterproof the below grade foundation and was introduced to this product, but would like to hear from others who've used it....
we used similar products,,,
tho not this particular brand,,, our sys always incl a troweled-on mastic 1st, then 6mil sheeting, then dimple board,,, used to get this stuff from ferguson supply but sonneborn also has it along w/many others,,, suggest you also incorporate a toe drain leading to daylight for gravity drainage.
I have used it for years, dimple boards are great products but not the whole product, I would use a peel and stick on the ICF wall prior to dimple board. Peel and stick works on pretty much anything.
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is this your only hive?
author=yantabulla link=topic=43665.msg375671#msg375671 date=1392191769]Where are you in Australia Kalium?
do ya allhave a bee keeping club. universitythey might have a calender for when and what to expectincluding what plant are pollinating and what nectar is flowingjay down yonder not down under
Yes. I would check for AFB as well.
Kallum Click on this link and it will take you to a link which will draw 1, 2 & 3 km rings around where you have the apiaryRegardsKevin
Ok, I thought I better double check the brood pattern again. After my paranoia in AFB was renewed.I shook off all the bees of a couple of frames of brood and took a couple of quick snaps (god bless cameraphones these days).This is some empty comb I put in a couple of week ago, with a close up as well.http://www.flickr.com/photos/26831580@N03/12998859614/#http://www.flickr.com/photos/26831580@N03/12998583823/#This is some comb that has always had brood in it:http://www.flickr.com/photos/26831580@N03/12998572503/#in/photostream/http://www.flickr.com/photos/26831580@N03/12998429535/#in/photostream/I did notice a small pin hole in one or two cells, but they both failed the string test (just larvae).


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Rote, the son of an NFL star of the same name, graduated from Sewanee in 1972 and returned to his native Dallas to play for the NASL's Tornado. He was the 1973 NASL Rookie of the Year and the first American to lead the league in scoring.
He drew national attention as a three-time winner of ABC's Superstars Competition.
Rote now lives in Memphis, where he has worked as an agent for many years. His firm is one of the leading agencies representing NFL players and coaches.


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Hankinson was most recently the men's head coach at Division II power Ft. Lewis. He made a name for himself as head coach of Alabama A&M during its heyday as a D1 power and also coached at DePaul and Syracuse.
He worked in the USL and MLS's Project-40 program before coaching MLS's Tampa Bay Mutiny and Colorado Rapids. He also coached in the Icelandic Second Division.
"Tim Hankinson coming to India will enrich this country's footballing culture," agent Eddie Rock told indiafootball.com.
Located on India's west coast, Goa has a strong Portuguese influence and is noted for its beaches.
Salgaocar, one of six Goan teams in the I-League, has recently signed Brazilians Luciano Sabrosa and Alexandre D'Silva and Nigerian Chigbo Offor for the 2009-10 season.


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L.A. County Supervisors to Sue Calif. Lawmakers
Posted on Jul 21, 2009
Following the long-awaited agreement on closing the California budgetary gap, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to sue state lawmakers if they pursue their plans to use city highway and redevelopment taxes to cover the state deficit. The supervisors are also looking into the legality of some of the proposed cuts, which greatly affect those who need help the most.
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By Stepping Razor, July 24, 2009 at 7:16 am Link to this comment
"The large cities on the coast of California have always supported the rest of the state with revenue."
AND, The rest of Kalifornia supports the coast of Kalifornia with their foodstuffs and natural resources.
IMO, this attitude you express is a very big part of the problem. This ME generation crap is the fountainhead of the problem. You see it in the national health care debate/struggle. The sooner we drop the ME crap and bring back WE The People the better WE all will be.
Every nation of Europe was once just a bunch of city states ruled by feudal lords and all were selfish little backwaters where the libertarian ideals were practiced. It wasn't until one after another a person/group united those feudal city states into something greater did society advance. IMO, this nation is regressing into a bunch of selfish city states. We could review all the great nations of history and see this but a relatively recent nation, Germany shows what becomes of a nation when it unites and what the centuries of feudalism did to Germany's development. It lagged and was just a supplier of mercenaries and some arms to the great nations. Isn't that the direction we are headed?? Seems that way.
Right Skyscraper, Site Wide
Right Internal Skyscraper, Site wide


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How do you play Piedmont blues?
Playing Style
Blues guitarists used several different techniques to play. The older styles seem more typical of banjo fingerpicking style. Maybelle Carter picked out a melody on the bass strings with her thumb, while she used the index finger of the same hand to brush up and down across the higher strings, combining both chords and rhythm. Other guitarists use all of their other fingers on the upper strings. In the 1920s Piedmont musicians introduced the slide style, most commonly played with a bottleneck. This effect was also called "reels." Guitarists played these songs in two basic open chord tunings: "Spanish" and "Vasta pol." The chord details are below:
Open Chord G (D-G-D-G-B-D)
Open Chord A (E-A-E-A-C#-E)
Vasta Pol
Open Chord D (D-A-D-F#-A-D)
Open Chord E (E-B-E-Ab-B-E)
Some musicians, like John Henry Fortesque, otherwise known as Guitar Shorty, deviated from these chord patterns and made up their own. Instead of playing a song using one chord sequence, Fortesque would switch from one pattern to another whenever the change sounded right.
Willie Trice used a slide effect on a banjo rather than on a guitar.
Instruments for blues run the gamut from piano, saxophone, trumpet to guitar and harmonica. Piedmont blues musicians traditionally chose guitar as their main instrument, but other instruments often accompanied the guitar. Below are the instruments and their players that sometimes were the exception in the Piedmont blues style.
Harmonica: Sonny Terry,
Robert House (former chancellor of UNC-CH)
Autoharp: Thomas Burt, John D. Holeman
Fiddle: Thomas Burt
The Piedmont blues beat is most often a cross between ragtime and 1960s rock and roll. In fact, several rock musicians, such as Bob Dylan, picked up some of the Piedmont blues style, so it's possible that the older style influenced the 1960s artists. The regular, alternating thumb bass melody creates a highly syncopated rhythm reminiscent of country dance songs. In fact, since string bands were more popular in the southeast than in the Mississippi Delta and in Texas, the blues of the Southeast could have adopted the rhythm of string band dance tunes.
Piedmont blues has a "rock" sound and a heavy beat, unlike some of the more melancholy numbers of its Delta and Texas cousins. The tone tended to be more lighthearted, similar to bluegrass music; in fact, Piedmont blues may be an uncle to the contemporary, fingerpicked folk music.
Just as regions exhibited different personalities, so did Piedmont blues rhythms. Guitar Shorty fragmented the typical rhythm. Some guitarists fingerpicked most of their songs. Others, like Blind Boy Fuller, used a slide technique with some regularity.
Other Styles
What were some of the other early blues styles performed in the South?
Delta Blues: The first documented blues in the United States, Delta blues adopted a plaintive expression of pain, like the African slave descendants who labored as sharecroppers in Mississippi. Most of the performers could not read or write and were among the poorest blacks, even being rejected from jobs as house servants and by their own communities. The music inspired hope to people in similar straits and gave a meager allowance to its artists. In some way, it sustained a community until they began to experience a breakthrough in freedom during the civil rights era.
Musicians: Tommy Johnson,
Sonny Boy Williamson,
Bo Carter,
Robert Lockwood, Jr.


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Lyrics.com »
Search results for 'tennis racquet'
Yee yee! We've found 5 lyrics, 3 artists, and 4 albums matching tennis racquet.
Tennis (Chris Rea) · Oskar Tennis Champion (Momus) · Oskar Tennis Champion (Momus) · El Portava I Scarp del Tennis: Le Più Belle Canzoni (Enzo Jannacci)
hear You've grown up Greeted with cheers A lovely atmosphere He's grown up A born performer At the age of young Tennis racquet in hand you
lawn tennis racquet HAAAK AND SPIT pon ah gyal.. Chorus: The fus gyal wey fly up inna yu face Woulda be the fus gyal wey yu fuck up wid yu mace
The townies taking off their tavern jackets. Making guitars out of tennis racquets. It's been getting so the hardest part is trying to Talk some sense into
address book, A pair of socks, Four Masked Marvel comic books, A tennis racquet And four hundred n' ninety-seven n' a half feet o' rope." He says
The tennis pro with his racquet The loon in the straight jacket Babe, I'm on fire Babe, I'm on fire [Chorus] The butcher with his cleaver says it


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Watkins President Reaches Milestone
Watkins Manufacturing Corp., maker of Hot Spring Spas, Caldera Spas and Advanced Hydrotherapy Systems, honored its president, Steven Hammock, for his 30th anniversary with the company. The milestone was commemorated on Nov. 6 in the Watkins booth at the 2012 International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo in New Orleans.
Hammock has served as president since the company's remaining founder, Jeff Watkins, retired in 1997. He joined the firm as promotions manager in 1982, handling marketing and advertising for the then-5-year-old manufacturer of Hot Spring Spas. In the next five years, he was promoted to marketing manager, national sales manager and director of sales and marketing before being named general manager in 1987.
In 1999, Hammock oversaw the purchase of Caldera Spas as a complement to its flagship line, Hot Spring Spas. In 2012, Watkins acquired American Hydrotherapy Systems and its brands Freeflow Spas and Fantasy Spas.
Since their acquisitions, Caldera and AHS annual sales and dealership networks have grown significantly even in the face of a challenging economy. Watkins celebrated the production of its one millionth hot tub in 2011.
During Hammock's tenure, Watkins developed many innovations that are now hot tub industry standards, including fully insulated, energy-efficient spas; integration of 24-hour circulation; multiple jet pumps; moving jets; underwater lighting; titanium heaters; and locking spa covers, according to company officials. Other proprietary technological developments include a
100 percent no-bypass filtration system and ACE saltwater sanitizing system.
Yet Hammock doesn't measure success solely by sales. Instead, he sees employee, dealer and customer satisfaction as key.
"The hallmark of our business is relationships," Hammock said. "Sometimes I stand in a room full of people at one of our dealer events, hundreds of members of our Watkins family, and I am overwhelmed by the realization that we've really built something special here. It feels good."
Watkins Manufacturing is a division of Masco Corp., a Fortune 500 company. The company was founded in 1977, and has dealers in all 50 states, as well as more than 60 countries. n
APi Lends Support to Children's Charity
APi, a specialty chemical company based in Jupiter, Fla., has announced the sponsorship of its eighth child through ChildFund International, an organization that provides assistance such as health care, education and basic living utilities such as electricity and water to more than 13.5 million children in 31 countries worldwide. "This initiative has been important to the company since we began sponsoring children in 2007," said APi President Michael Moore. "Several APi employees have adopted a child to personally correspond with so that they can experience firsthand the difference the ChildFund International program makes." APi plans to continue to support ChildFund and add more children to the family in the years ahead.
Maker of AquaFinesse Opens U.S. Facility
Netherlands-based Special Water, LLC, maker of the AquaFinesse brand of water treatment products, has opened its first U.S. production facility in Statesville, N.C. Special Water USA's new offices and plant will house sales support staff, management and plant personnel serving the firm's retail customers and distributors. "We were lucky enough to get a facility in this value-priced market that is sized for at least five years of forecasted growth," said Steve Sweeney, U.S. national account manager.


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By Senator Mark Udall
An offensive anti-Islamic film has incited violent protests in the Middle East, including an attack that resulted in the tragic deaths of American diplomats in Libya. As abhorrent as the video may be, there are no excuses for this kind of violence. As we grapple with the senseless and indefensible attacks, Americans are left questioning what it means for our relationships in the region and our foreign policy more generally. Already we have seen partisan interests exploit these overseas protests and murders to drive their political agendas, but Americans deserve an honest assessment -- not empty talking points.
Like all Americans, I was outraged by the attacks on our embassies in North Africa and the Middle East. But some members of Congress who have long opposed foreign aid are now using the tragedies as an excuse to unravel our assistance in the region. As a member of the Senate Intelligence and Armed Services Committees, I know how critical this region is to national security. And while I understand the urge to cut off aid to countries where extremists are stirring protests against us, American engagement, assistance, and resolve are needed now more than ever.
Like it or not, we have vital national security interests in North Africa and the Middle East. The United States must remain engaged with these emerging democracies if we wish to retain influence and encourage forces of moderation to prevail. Those extremists who are inciting violence don't want moderate Islamist groups to have a voice -- so they are waging a battle within Islam, as well as against the West. We must remember that the people who committed these cowardly acts of violence do not represent the mainstream views of the people of Libya or Egypt, much like the anti-Islamic video does not reflect the views of Americans.
Equally as disturbing, we have also seen politicians here at home use the murders of our diplomats as an excuse to launch opportunistic political attacks. Gov. Romney's team has even speciously asserted that the protests and tragic violence would not have occurred if he were president. First and foremost, politics should end at the water's edge. Anyone aspiring to be America's commander in chief should know that we must send a unified message to the world in a time of crisis.
While not living up to that standard, Gov. Romney has also failed to offer any distinguishable policy alternatives, and the belief that he would have prevented the violent protests shows he doesn't understand the problem. The fact of the matter is that we are confronted with a tinderbox of anti-American, anti-Western, and anti-modernist sentiment that can be ignited with a single spark -- as we saw happen in this instance with a strange, poor quality video created by a fanatic. We cannot defeat extremism with poll-driven political one-upmanship.
Instead, Americans deserve to hear their leaders offer concrete proposals and tell the truth. The truth is that grievances in the Middle East long precede this administration -- consider September 11th and other terrorist attacks on Western interests in the decades before that. There are no easy solutions to these deep-rooted problems. But there is a course of action we should avoid: We should not fall prey to impulsive isolationist policies.
Given our vital interests in the region, we need to increase U.S. engagement and continue to try to shape events instead of allowing them to shape us. As leaders in Egypt, Libya and elsewhere try to balance the influence of competing interests, both domestic and foreign, we need to do our best to help these nascent governments understand why a stable relationship with the United States and the West is in their best interests -- just as we Americans understand how enduring relationships with these countries are essential to our own national security interests.
Mark Udall, who serves on the Senate Select Intelligence Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee, is a Democratic Senator from the state of Colorado.
Source: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2012/09/22/despite_turmoil_us_must_not_retreat_from_mideast.html


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Recent comments from Fiona1956
I had 3 IPL treatments for sun spots and broken capillaries on my face. After the last treatment I should say that IPL did nothing for me, it just didn't work. The pain was tolerable and my derm is a very famous doctor, but it didn't... READ COMMENT
Use a very glentle cleanser, do not scrub of pull your face and use sunscreen even if you don't go out. READ COMMENT


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As is to be expected, the Aurora m9700 is not exactly an affordable notebook computer, nor is it all that compact, it is however insanely fast. With all the optional extras the Aurora m9700 we received for review can be bought for around $3700. Because this model does feature two graphics cards and two hard drives, it also weighs roughly 5 kgs (or 11 pounds) which by laptop standards still puts it in an acceptable range among the desktop replacement models. The base configuration costs just $1800, though it is far less equipped than the version we have here today.
Read the complete review here.