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Jonathan Jay thinks it's going to be another good year for coaching - and as a 34-year-old millionaire, it has all been pretty good so far. In 1999, Jay spent his last £145 advertising a seminar on how to be a coach. Now here he is, director of the Coaching Academy, the UK's biggest coaching school, living in a panoramic Putney penthouse, all leather, suede and views of the Thames (if you can see past the plasma TV). Then there's his new book, Sack Your Boss!, and his TV commitments - Now I'm the Boss! (for Living TV) and helping families emigrate (for the BBC's Get a New Life). And let's not forget the coaching for businesses, for a day rate of £10,000. 'I think we need to reconcile helping people with getting paid for it,' he twinkles.
If the typical image of a life coach is a bit new age and touchy-feely, Jay comes as a surprise. Slick and charming, he looks and sounds every inch the entrepreneur - he printed his first business card at 11, and says, 'Me personally?' when asked a question, before delivering the smoothest reply. And he is at the forefront of UK coaching. Until his seminars in 1999, wannabe life coaches had to train in the US. Now it's impossible to count the number of courses available in Britain, some offering seminars, some online learning, some in FE colleges and others stamping certificates on their kitchen tables.
'In 2006, we intend to take coaching into all the nooks and crannies of British life,' says Jay. 'We're taking it to Edinburgh, Birmingham, Bristol, Brighton. We want to take it into the NHS, local government and local schools. I reckon we could have more impact on the state of education through coaching than Tony Blair could ever have.'
For Jay, coaching is the all-powerful panacea. 'You meet someone on the street who doesn't know what to do with his life and you know that if you had one hour with that person, he'd walk away knowing exactly what he wants and believing he can do it,' he purrs. 'There's nothing weird about it, nothing voodoo - it's very simple psychology. It doesn't take a genius to do it. Anyone can be a coach. And whatever critics say, coaching works. If it didn't, it would be an American fad that disappeared in six months.'
A lot of people agree with him. In 1999, life coaching was practically unknown in the UK. Now, a Google of 'UK life coach' throws up 4.5m sites. You'll find wardrobe coaches who'll do a mini-Trinny and Susannah for £200 a day. There are parent coaches to tell you how to get your two-year-old to eat peas. There are cancer coaches to help you through treatment, crisis coaches, career coaches ... the list goes on.
On top of this are the self-help books, one of publishing's fastest-growing genres. Each week sees at least one new title knocked out by a life coach elbow its place among the bestsellers. Then there's TV's saturation by self-improvement programmes. You can watch people being coached out of debt or obesity, a failed fashion sense, sloppy parenting or a dating drought.
According to the UK's Association for Coaching, an estimated 100,000 British people used a coach last year and the industry has been valued at £50m. This month, it enters the mainstream with the finalisation of its National Occupational Standards as set by ENTO, the national network of training organisations. For the first time, there will be official standards of good practice and training for British coaches.
Pam Richardson, leading life coach, author of The Life Coach and principal of the UK College of Life Coaching, is just as excited about the future as Jay: 'I can see coaching for newly qualified teachers, doctors, lawyers - newly qualified anythings. Now that the government are auditing stress, I can see a lot of coaching on work-life balance. We're living longer and have a responsibility to stay well, which means coaching on exercise and diet. Let's not expect the doctors to fix us! Parent coaching? Absolutely. I can't think of an area of the community that wouldn't benefit from it.'
Frank Furedi, professor of sociology at the University of Kent and author of (among others) Therapy Culture (Routledge) and Paranoid Parenting (Allen Lane), is one man who disagrees. According to Furedi, while we pour scorn on institutions and mock our politicians, the monarchy and the church, we are developing a slavish, unthinking devotion to a 'new priesthood of gurus' who have stepped in to fill the void. Life coaching is, he believes, at best a waste of money and at worst dangerous.
'There's a growing idea that ordinary human beings lack the competence and resources to cope with everyday life,' he says. 'More and more areas are being complicated and professionalised. Some of this is trivial - I find it idiotic that thinking adults would pay someone to go shopping with them - but some of it is intrusive.'
Take parent coaching. 'As parents, we learn through experience, through listening to our children and making mistakes,' Furedi argues. 'You wake up in the night and think, "Why did I say that?" You screw things up and change your behaviour. When a coach is telling you what to do, the relationship between you and your child is short-circuited; the coach is coming between you. You no longer trust your instincts or what your child is showing you.'
Fiona Campbell, a journalist and photographer, found this to be true. As a single mother of a one-year-old son, Campbell opted for life coaching to ease the parenting load. Her coach supported her through the 'sleep training/controlled crying' period. 'She didn't judge me, but supported me, which gave me the confidence to follow it through,' says Campbell. But other aspects weren't so successful. 'I wasn't happy about sending him to a nursery and was angsting over whether I should or not. I don't blame the coach, but she said it could be life-enhancing for little ones. Maybe it was just wrong for my son, who already had a very complicated life, with me, with his father, at his granny's. His father's family were very much against nursery at that age. Anyway, I sent him and it was the wrong decision - it was far too soon for him and he was completely traumatised.'
For Furedi, this highlights the most worrying aspect of life coaching - its disregard of friends, family and community, the people in our lives. Advice is only heeded when it's paid for: 'We don't trust each other as we used to. Life coaching stops us relying on traditional support networks.'
Top life coaches do display a depressingly cynical view of the people who love us. 'With friends and family,' says Pam Richardson, 'there's a trench mentality: "We may be wet and miserable, but we're all in it together." So if someone sticks his head up, everyone may grab on to his legs - because if he goes, they'd all have to go.'
Curly Martin echoes this opinion. Martin joined the personal-development path after being diagnosed with breast cancer, aged 39. She lived in London and worked as a business trainer, flying all over Europe. After her diagnosis, she gave up meat and sugar, moved to Bournemouth, where she could run on the beach, and started Achievement Specialists, which provides coaching and trains coaches. Last year, her book, The Life Coaching Handbook, was a number-one bestseller in the UK and US.
'Everybody has a hidden agenda,' she explains. 'If you become very successful, a family member may not like that because you're not going to be there on a Friday night for her. A friend may feel you're going to meet other people. There'll be some kind of sabotage stuff going on. A life coach is like a cheerleader on the sidelines of your life, to cheer you on for the good times and support you during your challenges.'
An alternative view would be that a life coach will never judge you. While friends may challenge and argue back, and see your life with all its history and habits, promises and peculiarities, the coach will just 'cheer you on'. 'In this respect,' says Furedi, 'it's no different to when a prostitute smiles at a client and tells him how good-looking he is.'
What if you didn't like a client? Martin blinks blankly. 'With telephone coaching you don't meet them, so there's no judgment.'
However, not all life coaches are quite so impartial. Fiona Harrold, described by the press as 'a guru who has got inside our minds', 'the queen bee of British coaching' and 'the most positive person alive', is known for challenging her clients and telling them what she thinks (she calls this 'feedback'). Harrold, author of bestsellers with titles like Be Your Own Life Coach: How to Take Control of Your Life and Achieve Your Wildest Dreams, first learnt self-help from her father, the most successful washing-machine salesman in Northern Ireland, who read his daughter How to Win Friends and Influence People at bedtime. She now has 25 coaches on her team and 20,000 subscribers to her website.
As an advert for coaching, Harrold's own life appears a model of efficiency. She lives in Fulham with the teenage son she raised alone, describes herself as 'fabulously, happily single', but has scheduled marriage for the near future. Though she doesn't know who to. ('I haven't got that person in mind right now, but definitely over the next two years.') Her home is as you'd expect - pristine, spacious, candles and cushions - her clothes look new age but expensive, and her speech is Ab Fab luvviness ('Darling', 'Wow. I mean? Really?' ) mixed with a lurking Belfast twang. According to Harrold, her life is devoid of drama and chaos. 'I don't have people in my life I don't want,' she explains, simply. 'The people in my inner circle are carefully chosen - I don't have a problem letting go of people.' Including her clients, if they don't make the grade.
'People come to me because they want to get things moving, they want me to give suggestions and point out what I see.' For example, there was the management consultant who wanted to be a guitarist. When that was sorted (he went freelance and took up guitar lessons), he wanted help around women, so Harrold found him a fitness coach ('He was a bit scrawny, then he bulked up and looked great...') and a style coach ('He dressed a bit nerdy so we handled that too!').
Sue Loveluck, who lives in Berkshire with her 14-year-old daughter, is a recent client of Harrold and can only marvel at all she has achieved as a result. 'I contacted her because I'd read one of her books and sent an email complimenting her,' says Loveluck, a headhunter. 'At that stage, I wanted to get my business to the next level. I was successful, but 90 per cent of my business came from one client and I wasn't developing, I was in a comfort zone.'
Harrold made practical suggestions to simplify Loveluck's life as a single, working mother. 'She helped eliminate the problems that held me back. I was driving my daughter to her private school, which took three hours a day, and when I told Harrold, she said, "Honey, just stop it!" She told me to talk to the bursar, which I did that week and they arranged transport.
'I also had a little dog that was always barking. I worked from home and it was like having a baby in the house. Fiona told me to solve that problem and in one week I found a dog minder. They are little problems, that you accept as part of your life - Fiona freed me up. She looked at what was holding me back and didn't let me come up with excuses. She made me believe I could do it.'
In the past nine months, with Harrold cheering her on, Loveluck has flown to America to meet venture capitalists, expanded her income by 30 per cent and is now setting up another company. 'Fiona helped me to start acting like a CEO. She advised me to stop reading those trashy celebrity magazines and to cut them out of my life - which I did.' She also turned her attention to Loveluck's appearance. 'She'd say, "You're too suburban, honey!" and "Go to Liberty, darling, the sale's starting!" As I came to see her, I started changing my image from black suits to Ted Baker and Joseph. Although she was critical, it never felt negative because I knew she was on my side.'
However, not all of Harrold's clients are so obedient. Those who consistently fail to carry out the agreed weekly tasks, she 'lets go'. 'They're mostly people who've done a lot of therapy and acquired the habit of talking without doing anything,' sighs Harrold. 'It's a disastrous habit and people don't need to use me for that when they could get a counsellor for a fraction of the price. And I find it boring. I don't need that nonsense. I've got plenty of fabulous people who want to crack on with their lives and don't want to look at their navel endlessly.'
All coaches are very particular about this counselling/coaching distinction - and with good reason, since coaches can charge a lot more. The idea is that counselling will go over your past, your feelings, your unconscious mind, while coaching will find out what you want for the future and help you take the steps to get there.
But while the cost of counselling varies and is often free, coaching usually starts at £50 for 45 minutes - and that's cheap. One session with Curly Martin costs £250. Four sessions with Harrold - plus email and emergency calls - costs between £700 and £1,500.
Professor Stephen Palmer has thought about the high price of coaching, and one of his concerns is that it reflects neither training nor experience. Coaches who set up last week after a few months of online learning - or not even that - start high. One of the most distinguished faces of British coaching, Palmer is president of the Coaching Association, and also a professor of psychology and founder director of the Centre for Coaching and Centre for Stress Management. He also coaches online, by phone, even by text.
'I think the whole culture of counselling is that it's a voluntary activity - you see it a lot in the voluntary sector,' he says. 'Coaching has never been voluntary so people expect to pay for it.' Research by Palmer and his students has shown that British people also tend to view coaching in a more positive light than counselling. 'It's the stiff upper lip,' he says. 'People are far less prepared to say, "I'm going to see my counsellor" because it may suggest there's something wrong, they're not coping. There's embarrassment around it. But life coaching is seen almost like a sports-coaching model. It's a positive thing to make your performance better, to help you achieve your life goals.'
Not surprisingly, UK counsellors don't agree. Philip Hodson, fellow of the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) believes TV lies at the root of the coaching explosion. 'There are so many coaching programmes because it's much easier to accommodate on television than counselling,' he says. 'It's a quick fix. It's skimming the surface, shunning one of the most important developments of the 20th century - the unconscious mind. Counselling is tough on the attention span.'
It's unarguable that watching coaches turn toddlers into little angels and knock 10 years off frumpy, menopausal women is enough to send thousands of viewers in search of a similar service. But Palmer believes this isn't the primary reason we want coaching. 'It's been a gradual change, but we've become less and less stoical as a nation,' he says. 'There have been huge changes in the way we've raised our children, and now, from a very early age, we've learnt that whingeing and throwing a tantrum will get us what we want. We're impatient. We believe we can have what we want. That's why we have road rage, air rage, trolley rage. We have higher expectations and get stressed very easily. So when we're thwarted by life, the universe and everything, we don't accept it. We're more likely to go to a coach.'
But while Palmer thinks his duty is to bring his clients back down to earth and help them develop 'realistic goals', most coaches seem to see their jobs as cheering on their clients whatever they're after. For example, says Palmer, 'If a client told me he wanted to go to the moon, I'd ask him if he had a million pounds, then try to come up with something more realistic.' This is the opposite of Pam Richardson's approach. 'If someone says, "I want to fly to the moon," I won't say, "Get real!",' she says. 'I'll say, "Have you booked your place? Are you fit enough? How are you going to make it happen?"'
Life coaching is starting out, it's in its infancy, but there's no doubt it's here to stay. At present, there are so many training schools and accreditation systems, and so little regulation, that each coach has a different definition of what they do and the proper way to do it. Some believe they are there to direct you, others just to cheer you on. Some wish to make your wildest dreams come true, others want to wake you up to reality. But in all cases, a coach is someone you pay so that, for 45 minutes a week, they are as interested in your life, your kids, your career, your clothes, your cancer as you are. 'Once this would have been seen as the height of alienation,' says Furedi. 'Now, we celebrate it.'
Fiona Campbell came to the end of her life-coaching course with many of the same problems she had at the beginning - but considerably less money. 'It is shockingly expensive,' she says. 'My coach was a lovely person, but at the end of three months I still had a career that was a bit of a mess and I was still a single mother. Life is tough. Nothing's going to change that and you have to deal with your own life. Life coaching is lovely and life-enhancing and it focuses solely on you. But it's probably best for people who don't have problems.'
What to expect when you visit a life coach
Coaches can be 'non-directive' (where you support clients but would never dream of telling them what to do) or 'directive' (where you certainly would). Fiona Harrold is one of the most 'directive' coaches currently working in Britain. Coaching with Harrold would work something like this ...
1 The first session could be by telephone or face-to-face and would take 90 minutes. 'I'd want to establish what they want from me and why they are here,' says Harrold. The questions she might ask would include the following: 'Assume I can help triple your confidence and self-belief. What would you attempt then? How might that change your life and what you would attempt?' 'What does your ideal life look like? Imagine you've won the lottery. After the shopping, what would you do?' 'List 10 goals you want to accomplish in the next year. Write your goals as though a year has already passed and they are now a reality. Use the first person and the present tense, so it's immediately accepted by your subconscious mind. For example, "I earn £X per year", or "I weigh X pounds."
Select the one goal that, if you achieved it, would have the most positive impact on your life.'
By the end of the session, Harrold would have major goals for you to have reached in three months' time and would help you set homework assignments to be completed by the following week to bring you closer to them.
2 Future sessions would last for 60 minutes and would be weekly. At your second session, Harrold would want to hear what you've done and what worked, and together you would review your progress. Harrold would then set more tasks for the following week.
3 The idea is that the job would be complete within three months - though that's rarely the case. 'We've achieved what the client wanted originally, but people get a taste for it,' she says.
'They see what it's like to live their lives with that level of motivation and consistency.'
Harrold is happy to carry on, but only as long as the client has specific goals she can help them work towards. 'But I'm not a talking shop,' she warns. 'I'm here to get things done, not to talk about your wicked stepmother or what life was like when you were four.'
Top 10 life coaches
Fiona Harrold The force behind various MPs, TV presenters and business moguls, Harrold often has a bestseller on the go and coaches four clients a day; her team of 25 tend the rest.
Background Raised in Belfast, Harrold waitressed in London, sang in a band and trained as a massage therapist - her teacher was also a 'self-esteem consultant' and Harrold became her apprentice.
Speciality A mixture. 'Sometimes it's a money issue, sometimes a quality-of-life issue.'
Fee Between £700 and £1,500 a month
Carole Caplin Hit the big time when she advised Cherie Blair on fitness, then fashion, nutrition, lipstick ... even Tony's underpants.
Background Once a glamour model and in pop group Shock, she moved into fitness and helping people 'make the most of themselves'.
Speciality Her company, LifeSmart, specialises in health and fitness, but advises on all areas.
Fee Varies, but a News of the World journalist got her for £100 an hour for two hours a week
Jonathan Jay Opened the Coaching Academy in 1999.
Background Dropped out of university to become a stage hypnotist, but by 1999 had switched to personal development and noticed that no one was training coaches in the UK. The Coaching Academy is now the number one training programme in Britain.
Speciality Has coached in many areas, but wants to take coaching into as many public arenas as possible, like the NHS and schools.
Fee Day rate of up to £10,000
Carole Gaskell Founded the Lifecoaching Company in 1997 and Full Potential Group in 1999. Has published two bestsellers: Transform Your Life and Your Pocket Life Coach.
Background A former marketing director in publishing, she came across coaching when promoting Riverdance in America in the Nineties and signed up on a training course.
Speciality Career change and fast-tracking careers without losing sight of personal lives.
Fee £2,250 per day
Gladeana McMahon Counsellor, psychologist and author of self-help books. GMTV's life coach, she makes numerous other TV appearances (Britain's Worst Parent/ Britain's Worst Neighbours) and is now filming Ease the Load, about coaching in schools.
Background The move into coaching came by accident: 'I spent years in mental-health services and work-related issues. In 1990, an HR manager rang and said, "I've got a personality clash here. Come and sort them out - but don't call yourself a 'counsellor', call yourself a 'coach'." It got me thinking.'
Speciality Coaches in all areas, from business to personal development.
Fee £100 an hour
Duncan Coppock Author of The Self Factor: The Power of Being You and one of six UK trainers for Coach U, the American training school. Runs life-coaching retreats in Scotland and offers telephone coaching.
Background Initially a maths teacher, Coppock joined a travelling theatre, then realised his calling lay in self-development. Has run Self-Factor Coaching for seven years.
Speciality 'For many people, there seems to be a trade-off between being successful and being yourself. I work with people to help them explore who they are.'
Fee £250 for three sessions
Eileen Mulligan Lives in Cornwall to improve her work-life balance, and clients come by word of mouth only. Many are MPs and 'an awful lot are celebrities'. Author of bestselling Life Coaching: Change Your Life in 7 Days.
Background Ran a company providing non-surgical face-lifts (clients included Diana and Cliff Richard). When the business ended she coached herself to a healthier work-life balance and devised her own programme.
Speciality Work-life balance.
Fee £100 an hour
Professor Stephen Palmer Founder director of the Centre for Coaching and Centre for Stress Management. Has written 30 books.
Background Discovered coaching while a practising psychologist. 'I realised a coaching approach was more suitable for certain people, in particular people without clinical problems. Coaching can be preventative.'
Speciality Stress and performance.
Fee Between £150 and £500 an hour
Curly Martin Runs Achievement Specialists, and author of The Life Coaching Handbook.
Background Many years in business training until diagnosed with breast and lymphatic cancer and given nine months to live. Martin changed her diet, her life and her job.
Speciality Clients currently include a mother juggling work and children and a woman setting up her own business in Croatia.
Fee £250 for 45 minutes
Background Was a spiritual advisor for the Church of England but wanted to work for himself when he read an article about life coaching in 1997. Inspired, he trained with Coach U and set up his own business.
Mark Forster Frequent media appearances and author of bestseller Get Everything Done and Still Have Time to Play. His third book, Do it Tomorrow, is due out this year.
Speciality Time management and personal organisation.
Fee £300 per month for three phone sessions


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I Hate My Kids: Collateral Breakdancing
on February 29, 2012 at 12:01 am
Story: I Hate My Kids
It's the bloodiest IHMK to date!
It's the bloodiest IHMK to date!
At least the TV still seems to work. But maybe the glass was the expensive part?
Did you ever try to get blood out of an entertainment system? It never really goes away.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Tweets from @TBHomeTeam/writers
MORE from our HomeTeam writers.
Tue. December 1, 2009 | Izzy Gould | Email
As principal Steve Van Gorden announced last week, Zephyrhills has posted its football head coaching position on the Florida High School Athletic Association job board.
What was unclear at the time was if the position would simply be a supplement, or if a teaching position would also be available. Now we know. The advertisement states the head coaching job will be tied in with a teaching job.
In recent years, many coaching vacancies have been offered without teaching positions. That's been a caveat on both sides - administrators want coaches on campus to monitor student-athletes throughout the day; coaches want to work where they coach so they can interact with student-athletes on a regular basis.
Here is a copy and paste of the ad:
Zephyrhills High School in Zephyrhills is seeking to hire a Varsity Football Head Coach. There will be a teaching position with this job.
Must be a certified teacher. Send resume to Steve VanGorden principal email@example.com or Bruce Cimorelli athletic director


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The Prompt:
Write a story or post with an open ending, and let your readers invent the conclusion.
It was a sunny afternoon, the sun was hot, the grass was dry and the clouds were thin. Balloons were hung from all the trees and bushes and streamers hung where ever balloons did not. There was a table for all of the brightly coloured presents and there was a table for all the food and party favours. We all ran around, playing tag and hide and seek, and ring around the rosie, until my mother called us over to the table where there was a spot at the end of the table for me. I stumbled into my chair clumsily, I remember my aunt holding the chair steady so I wouldn't fall out! Everything was ordinary. An average birthday party! My mother walked out with the birthday cake. It had pink and gold bows on it just like I had asked for. I always thought I was such a princess!
All of my friends and family sang to me. It was so hard not to sing along, but my grandmother once told me that I wasn't suppose to sing along! When everyone was done everyone cheered for me to make a wish and blow out my candles! I don't remember what I wished for.
I counted to three and blew out the 10 candles all with one dramatic breath. But the flames on the candles did not go out! They did not turn into smoke and fade away. The light on the candles began to float away. Slow at first but it seemed like they caught some wind and moved towards the forest faster. I don't remember if anyone else saw it or if anyone else even remembers it happening, but all I know is that I chased those little orbs. I ran fast like the wind and caught up with the little lights! They were too high to reach though. I tried to climb trees and logs to get to them but nothing sufficed. I just never stopped chasing them. That is all that I remember.
And now all that I can put together is that I have been away since that day. I don't know where I disappeared too, or how old I am now, but I'm here and I hope you can help me figure out who I am supposed to be.


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J.V. Fesko, Galatians
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J. V. Fesko, Galatians (Tolle Lege Press, 2012), xxvii + 180 pp.In the last few decades, there has been a revival of lectio continua preaching, which is beginning to produce a harvest of expository commentaries. This can only have the... continue


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June 29, 2009
Iceland, Day 7: Last Bits of Iceland, Penguins, and Boiled Sheep's Head
It was time to say goodbye to Iceland...starting with the leftovers in our fridge. Some of it was donated by Melkorka a few nights before, but the neglected bottle of orange juice was completely our doing. Oops.
We left behind or threw out everything except for this container of Gunnars mayonnaise. I felt that it was much too charmingly cute and quaint to be destined for the landfill. So now it's sitting on my shelf. Without the mayonnaise, of course. (It's the loveliest container of mayonnaise I've ever seen; if you ever find a nicer one I want you to show it to me, and then we can have a DUEL.)
This was the cafe/coffee shop that we went to just about every day for Greg's morning cup of coffee, but I never got anything from there. I did, however, become well acquainted with its Bible-themed wares.
GOD, WHAT IS UP WITH THESE AWESOME MURALS? One moment you're just dawdling about and then something like this shoots into your view. The poem reads:
Just look at how the mountains
so very mighty be
shart as razors at the top they span the land + sea
but don't forget that though majestic spires capped with snow
From each and every single grain of sand is where they grow
I'm quite fond of the fuzzy orange mound with stick legs and nobbly horns. Besides the shimmering mountaintop.
We quickly stopped into Sandholt (previously visited on day 5) where I picked up a danish for the road and a scoop of their Earl Grey ice cream with little crunchy chocolate bits. The texture was very smooth, creamy, and not airy, although it tasted (deceptively) light. Overall, it was excellent—think of the sort of ice cream you might get at a upscale restaurant, but conveniently made at the same place that also churns out shelves of irresistible pastries.
And then, one of the best parts of our trip happened during out last moments in Reykjavik. Aside from seeing some of the First Day of Summer celebrations, we also came upon Dead Week, the period before high school students take their final exams for graduation. How do they celebrate?
By dressing up in costumes and taking to the streets while shouting the names of their favorite football players (among other things that we couldn't understand) and wielding cans of beer (keep in mind this was happening before noon). Most of the costumes we saw were Cookie Monsters and penguins, but there were some other ones dabbled in there. Not many others though; there were just a few main groups, which made us wonder where the hell they got all these costumes. Does the school provide them? How many costume suppliers are there in Iceland anyway?
It would've been fun to join in the festivities, but we had all left our full-body penguin suits at home. Oops. If you visit Reykjavik around the First Day of Summer, be sure to pack your own costume.
I got my photos with some rowdy penguin-men.
As did Diana. :)
We got our tax refunds at the tourist center in Reykjavik. It's all good as long as you put it in the right box at the airport (or you could just do it all at the airport, but we wanted to get it done ahead of time).
For lunch, we drove to the bus station to eat at their cafeteria, Fljótt og Gott, for the sole purpose of getting...
Sheep's head. But without the hat. Or the eyes. Or the grin. And not 2-D.
Ah...you see where this is going?
Yup, that's more like it. For 1400 kroner (about $11) the bisected singed and boiled sheep's head ("svid" in Icelandic) comes with scoops of mashed potato and mashed turnip.
Here's another photo featuring Greg. Because we love him.
While having a nice chat with one of the employees, he told us how to eat the head: you've got the cheek meat, and the tongue, and...the...um, yeah. There's not much between the skin and the bone. Anything aside from the cheek meat and tongue is just flavorless skin (it's not seasoned). Icelanders don't eat the brain, as far as I know. It only takes about a minute to eat the parts worth eating.
The best part was easily the tongue. Unfortunately, by this point I forget what it tasted like. Tender and meaty? Yeah! Duh. I also like beef tongue; there's nothing odd about it. But I hate duck tongue; it taste like the globby bits of chicken fat that make me gag, made even worse by a core of bone. So it's a hard, inedible chip covered in vomitous meat. Eff. That. Eddie Lin knows what I'm talking about.
The sheep's head wasn't bad. Nothing particularly great or offensive. It's just the way it's served that's atypical. Aforementioned employee told us that back when Iceland was dirt poor kids would repurpose the bones as toys. Those were some creative kids.
There's plenty of other stuff to choose from if you don't want to stick your fork into a sheep's skull. Diana went for the buffet/salad bar-type thing, which also came with soup.
And there are cold salad things. (The photo was taken in a mirror. In case that looks confusing.)
The last place we wanted to check out before going to the airport was Hagkaup, a hypermarket chain that's something like Target if Target were designed by Icelanders and and thus looked way cooler.
Here's part of the food section, for example. So spacious and clean.
And a wall of skyr. Beautiful skyr.
And Icelandic chocolate treats.
And candy!
And a few random things I felt were worthy of taking a photo of...
Pylsusinnep, aka Icelandic hot dog mustard! How awesome is that running hot dog dude? I bought a bottle that I have yet to use. Maybe I'll get to break it out for the Independence Day weekend.
CRONIONS! I love these things for two reasons: They're delicious fried-to-a-crisp bits of onion, and they're called CRONIONS. This is what contributed to the awesomeness of Icelandic hot dogs. I brought a pack back home and sprinkled it on pretty much anything I cooked, which mostly entailed "rice" and "vegetables." It made everything taste 500% better—maybe even 550%. Thankfully, my local Whole Foods sells it (not under the name Cronions though; it's a Danish brand) so now I will NEVER BE WITHOUT MY CRONIONY GOODNESS.
Is it ketchup? I didn't try it.
On the way to the airport we passed the Gunnar's mayonnaise factory! Holy shizz! My excitement was so great that Greg whipped the car around into the factory's parking lot so I could get a closer look.
And there it is. I'd hang that in my room.
I was relieved when, after making a wrong turn into the residential area of Keflavik and refilling our gas tank, we finally got to Keflavik Airport. Mostly because I really had to pee.
So I did. And all was good with the world.
Greg wasn't allowed to take his container of skyr past the security checkpoint, but he was allowed to eat it before leaving the checkpoint. Here he is enjoying his last taste of skyr on Icelandic soil.
Diana plopped our tax refund envelopes into the little tax refund box. This could be you!
While we were waiting on the jet bridge to board the plane, we realized, "SHIT WE DON'T HAVE A PHOTO OF THE THREE OF US." So we took this final self-portrait. Although we look happy, we're actually dying on the inside because we don't want to go home. Writhing. Pain. We mask it well.
When I was subjected to buying a sandwich (BBQ pork with cheese) on the airplane, I really, really wished I had bough a sandwich from Hlölla Bátar. Let that be a lesson to the rest of you: pack a sandwich on your carry-on!
And that's the end of this hopefully educational / entertaining / Icelandic tourism-generating journey. We made it. It only took two freakin' months.
Posted by roboppy at 3:09 AM
lol, those penguin men are awesome-cool.
I think I'd be a bit disappointed with so little meat on such a large chunk of skull.
I'd say it was coincidental that you should pass the mayo factory from your beloved packaging, but I guess Iceland is small-ish. Pretty cool nonetheless.
The Ding and the Pong look really pretty. I bet they taste of pretty too. And dammit, I want to try earl grey ice cream!
Posted by: SuperChomp at June 29, 2009 8:35 AM [#]
OMG the head! A little heads up (geddit?)would've been nice, Boppy.
The Ding and Pong made me giggle. Are those the sounds that they make when you eat them, what? Maybe there's a third kind that makes another sound... Like WHACK or ZOOM.
Posted by: Mikey at June 29, 2009 9:41 AM [#]
I still grimace when I see that photo of Greg with the sheep's tongue. :\
Other than that, I'm not that sensitive with bizarre cuisine!
Look at all those Skyr.
Lovely self portrait of us all departing... now that this is the last post I am just as sad inside now.
Posted by: eatyourheartout at June 29, 2009 10:10 AM [#]
Marvo: I like ruining other people's sleep because I don't get enough myself. SUFFERRR!!
Su-Lin: I loved em too! ;_; I hope whatever I write next is just as compelling..haha NAH IT WON'T BE AT ALL, crap.
Olivia: I would like to recreate Dead Week here. Just need lots of penguin costumes. And no open container law.
kim: I wonder how many people they stop from bringing skyr outside the country. Awww.
SuperChomp: It was definitely a...not very fun surprise to have a plate of mostly bone. But I guess we should've known!
When you've only god a handful of major roads in your country, you're bound to pass major attractions like MAYO FACTORY.
Mikey: Ahh I figured you guys could handle the head. Maybe. :)
I hope there are more onomatopoeic popsicles out there.
D: Noo, no sad, think of the... thee...um...nevermind, I've got nothing. Continue being sad.
Diana: I don't find the head on the plate much freakier than head not on a plate. But it is....less typical.
Jen: Yup, if you spend over a certain amount you can get tax back. I don't really mind pumping a little bit more money into their economy though!
Eddie: GO GO, do it now, while the dollar is still strong.. ;_;
Alas, I don't know what they did with the brains!
Sheep's head, you ate! hmmmm....I'm not as adventurous but you go girl.
Posted by: reeseboston at June 30, 2009 10:18 PM [#]
Sheep's head at a bus station cafeteria! That's amazing. And it looks like the little sheepy had a tartar problem. He should have brushed more. ;)
Posted by: bionicgrrrl at July 1, 2009 1:00 AM [#]
I've really enjoyed all your Iceland posts! the sheep head was funny, though it's strange to actually see the head of what you're eating. Not strange enough to not eat, of course. And the mashed turnips and potatoes looks insanely perfect, almost like sorbet.
True, I'm gonna miss the Iceland posts too - I had a dream about the waterfalls in that post. The terrain just looked so surreal out there.
Posted by: jgirl at July 6, 2009 5:03 AM [#]
Oh man, I really enjoyed your Iceland posts. I was there for a short while last year and I pretty much lived off Skyr. I guess Iceland isn't such a foodie place (I think Bourdain pretty much covered that) but there was definitely some fun to be had!
Posted by: M. A. Salha at July 13, 2009 11:56 AM [#]
jgirl: I miss it too. It's surreal, but for some reason the awesomeness didn't really sink in until I was back in the hotel the night after all that waterfall-hopping. Just like "Whoa, I saw a lot of cool stuff today. ...zzzz." :)
Janice: Holy crap, I'm looking at your posts now: EPIC EATING! You did better than me! Hehe. I'm glad I could provide some inspiration though! I'll have to spend more time reading your blog...relive the magiiic...
M. A. Salha: Yeah, not a food destination, but one of those places that's worth visiting...even without food as a focal point. :D
I just really wanted to let you know there is a enourmous Gunnars mayonese container used as an advertise in Iceland. It's up west in Borgarfjörður.
Posted by: IcelandGirl at July 16, 2009 6:11 PM [#]
omg! my hagkaup! (it's near where i live and it has the best candy ever <3 ). but no, the pizza sauce tastes nothing like ketchup :) i also wanted to ask you (yes, i'm aware that it's been a long time since you wrote this, i just found this while looking for a picture of skyr), did you try the icelandic liquorice? because it tastes nothing like liquorice from other countries. :)
Posted by: Ásdís at January 31, 2010 9:23 PM [#]


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Dr. Alistair Brown, President of Northern Seminary, Lombard, IL
Dr. Alistair Brown
Saturday evening sermon during the Call Retreat May 19
Dr. Alistair Brown is an ordained Baptist pastor from the UK who has been serving as President of Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in the Greater Chicago area since 2008.
His early career was in journalism with 'The Scotsman', but he committed his life to Christ at age 18 and soon felt called to a life of Christian service. Most of his twenties were spent in study, gaining BA, BD and PhD degrees from the University of Edinburgh.
He was ordained in 1981 and pastored two churches in Scotland. One was a new church plant and the other a 100-year-old city center church. Both saw extensive growth during those years. In 1996, Alistair was appointed General Director of the Baptist Missionary Society, founded in 1792 by William Carey, and he moved to its base in Oxfordshire, England. These were fruitful years, with major reorganizations and travel overseas which took his number of countries visited to over forty. During that time Dr. Brown also gained an MBA degree from the Open University.
Moving to the Presidency of Northern Seminary has been a change of role and change of country. It has proved to be a strategic time for his leadership gifts, and the seminary has experienced new life and growth.
Alistair is married to Alison, and they have four adult children and two grandchildren. In his free time, Alistair enjoys playing golf, nature walks, and making suggestions to Alison for their garden.


text:
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Petersburg (Mercer County, KY)
The community, named for Peter Board, was an African American community located near Fort Harrod in what is known today as Nevada, KY. Petersburg was established by Sally and Peter Board, former slaves who were able to purchase their freedom but not their children's freedom. The land for the community came from Sally's father and owner, Phillip Board. In 1878, all of the residents left Petersburg and moved to Kansas, participating in the Exoduster Movement. For more see "Exoduster" Sally Board, an American Heritage: from Kentucky Slavery to a Kansas Homestead, 1805-1892, by R. O. Pleasant & J. P. Neill.
Subjects: Communities, Freedom, Migration West, Exodusters [African Americans migrating West around Reconstruction Era]
Geographic Region: Petersburg / Nevada, Old Fort Harrod State Park, Mercer County, Kentucky / Kansas


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Have you ever purchased from PartSelect.com before?
Thank you for helping make our site better.
PartSelect Number PS11723171
This refrigerator defrost timer kit is designed to fix issues with your refrigerator temperature as well as symptoms such as the defrost cycle not working, build up of ice in the freezer, and unfamiliar noises from the timer. This device acts like a clock by continually switching between the cooling cycle and defrost heater, depending on the temperature of the refrigerator. If this part is not working, it can lead to temperature fluctuations in your refrigerator. Search for your model number to ensure the correct part is ordered. The tools used for this replacement is a 1/4 inch nut driver and Phillips head screwdriver.
This part works with the following brands: Kenmore, Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Roper, Amana, Estate, Crosley, Inglis, Caloric, Magic Chef, Maytag.
This part works with the following products: Refrigerator, Freezer.
This part fixes the following symptoms:
I took the cover off the control settings and found the timer. Removed two screws and replaced the defective one with the new one. Had to pay attention to directions since the timer is used in different ways and to make sure the loose wire was installed correctly (not the same way as the original ground was connected).
Help other customers find the most helpful instructions.
Were these instructions helpful?
On a whim I looked into what it would take to fix my garage older 2nd fridge. I was thinking I needed a new seal, but when I checked the website there was a great troubleshooter. I would have never guessed that the defrost timer was what would cause it not to ever get cold. After a fairly simple repair the freezer is colder than ever and I actually had to turn it down. The only complication was the fridge was stuck in a defrost cycle so I had to reset the timer to get the refrigerator running. Thanks so much for a super helpful site for a do-it-yourselfer like me.
Unplugged the refrigerator and then removed the knobs and face plate inside, by removing the screws. I then removed the screws holding the thermostat and unplugged the Thermostat assembly, and replaced it with the new one, then removed the defrost timer and replaced with the new one. I then replaced the screws and the face plate, then the knobs. I plugged the refrigerator and it kicked on right away. Within a half hour we had it running and at the right temperature. It was so easy I think my wife could have done it!
Went on line ,ordered part on Friday afternoon ,Fedex was at my house Saturday Morning,,THIS SERVICE IS GREAT ,,THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING SO FAST
Removed the old timer from the housing. The replacement came with good instructions. I followed the instructions corresponding to the color wires in my unit. The first time it was installed, the fridge did not come on and the temperature rose after a couple hours. Looked at the part and realized the defrost cycle must have kicked in. Needed to slightly turn the gray slotted part to initiate the timer so it would stop the defrost and start the fridge. That did it! It must have advanced the timer so it could accumulate run time. Whole repair saved us $3000 in a new fridge.
First, I removed the two thermostat knobs, then the snap-on plastic cover. Then, I removed the 4 screws holding the housing for the timer, thermostats, etc., and dropped it down enough to remove the timer and the wiring harness going into it. Installing the new one was the same process, in reverse. Quite simple!
First defrosted it to makes sure all Air flow was opened. Tested the Defroster heater with omh meter, it was OK. Found the location of the defrost timer on the online diagrams. Used nut driver to remove cover.Replaced timer. The hardest part was decieding how to wire it up, tis was a universal kit and depending on how it was wired as to how often the defrost ran. The firt choice was every 8 hours. Since this was going to be opened often, I picked that one. Plugged it with in 24 hrs freezer wall mesured -5 and the fridge was at 30, so had to warm it up a bit. Now all complaints gone, Ice making has been doing better also.
First I turned off the refrigerator and allowed it to defrost. I had to use a blow dryer to save time since it iced up so bad. Removed all the racks, ice maker, and back panel in the freezer. Found the bimetal defrost thermostat, cut it loose from wiring harness and attached new one by matching the wires and reconnecting with two butt connectors. I then ran the hot blow dryer on the drain in the rear until the ice melted and it was open again since it was frozen up causing the water in the bottom of the refrigerator. Reassembled freezer compartment. Then I replaced the defrost timer by removing two screws, lowering the refridgerator control box. Removed old timer and installed the new one. I broke both studs used to hold it tight trying to pry them off but there was enough left to drop the timer in place without fasteners, you can not easily use the screws provided due to the location of the timer. Reconnected the wires as shown in the installion instruction and the wiring schematic found in the control box. Reassembled the control box and plugged in refrigerator. Waited about 15 minutes for it to recycle and problem was solved. Inially I thought something was wrong because it did not come on instantly but after 15-20 minutes it cut on and got cold. I replaced both components that typically cause the problem but you can determine exactly which one or both using an ohm meter. I did the entire job myself for just parts which is less than $75. 00 For a service call. Thanks, you folks are the greatest.
I replaced the defrost relay folling instructions I read on the internet--and it still didn't work--So I replaced the compressor start relay which was easier than the defrost relay--it worked and the fridg is working good.
After the front panel was removed, disconnected the timer and installed new in reverse order. The provided instructions could be more straight forward, I spent more time reading it than the installation itself.
Followed instructions from ideoo
Reviewed Youtube video as a reference. Unplugged refrigerator. Removed old defrost timer. Matched the color of the wiring harness to the diagram that came with the part. Attach new part to wiring harness.
The Defrost Timer is located in Refrigerator section (not the freezer) where your temperture guages are. Move panel and replace the non working Defrost Timer with the new one. It took my husband about 30-40 mins to fix. This was about 2 weeks ago and my Freezer and Refrigerator are working like new. I bought this Kenmore Reftigerator brand new in 1996 and I lost the manuel to it. Thanks to my daughter who found the Defrost Timer on the Internet, I thought I was going to have to buy a new one. This was real easy to fix. The instructions that came with the part was easy to understand and very self explanatory. It also had very good diagrams to follow.
After searching online to diagnose the issue with my refrigerator being warm and the freezer being cold and not shutting off to defrost I decided to get the defrost timer kit. The kit arrived within 2 day. With the directions included, after unplugging the appliance for safety, I installed it relatively quickly with only a screwdriver . I then plugged it back in and it immediately went to defrost. I thought, wow I have it fixed. Well unbeknownst to me it still didn't cool in the fridge area. After doing more internet research I found a suggestion to unplug the fridge for 24 hours to unthaw ice that may be lodged between the freezer and fridge that is blocking the distribution of cold air into the fridge. After doing this, it now works like a charm.
When we got the part, we read the instructions, which were easy and very clear step by step. Taking the old part off took most of the time, it was attached a little differently than was described in the video and the instructions for the part. Once we detached that, the replacement part went in very easily and quickly. It took a short while for the cycle to start, we were actually a little worried that it wasn't going to work. Then it started cycling. After the first day the freezer had started icing up, we took a blow dryer and melted it and waited. It hasn't started freezing up again. The refrigerator is keeping the proper temperature and the freezer is also working properly, it's been a week. We seem to be obsessed with going out and checking to see if it's working but I think it's a success. Doing this ourselves only cost $26.00. A huge savings if we had hired someone else to repair it for us. We will definitely choose this option with any other appliance that needs repair. It was easy and simple to find the correct part thanks to the website. And the video tutorial was very informative and helpful.
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text:
It Costs $400 To Stand Next To Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne recently played a show in Brazil where she held a meet and greet afterwards.
This wasn't your typical meet and greet though, where you get to shake hands, exchange words, maybe even hug the artist or get an autographed photo of them. Nope, this was a meet and greet that came at a cost of $400 per person (!!!) and you didn't get any of those things I mentioned above!
Fans of Avril Lavigne wanting to meet her, could only do so if they forked over $400, which by the way, did NOT include the cost of the ticket…this was in addition to the ticket. They also were not allowed to touch her or hug her, and were instructed by her "people" to stand an arm's length away. All for $400 dollars!
There's an example of the awkwardness that ensued when these photos were taken, and you can see it for yourself at gawker.com.
I don't know about you, but I wouldn't pay $400 to meet anyone, and if I did, you bet your behind I'm at least getting a hug or a handshake! Geez!


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13th April 2004, 01:57 AM
I asked this because my gas milage has never been better :D My car used to only do 21.9 mpg at an average during the winter. A few weeks ago it gradually improved to 23.6 and currently it's doing 26.8 mpg. I'm sure there's nothing wrong with SID or the gauge as I manually calculated it and my calculation only had less than a mile difference than what the DTE read. No changes in driving habits, road conditions are the same and I have used the same route to and from work for 2 years now. What would cause this drastic change?


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Not a fiduciary
Privilege applies
Trust us, says U.S.,
Long-time thief of Indian lands,
But don't verify.
Note that "Indian" is pronounced "Ind-in" for the purpose of qualifying this haiku.
I'm just sayin' . . . .
Trust Congress and go
Get a statute. The Supreme
Court can't be trusted.


text:
Today's Devotional
Shameless Persistence in PrayerWhat prayer of yours has seemed to be unanswered for a while?
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Hi, my name is Savanna and I am a happily married girl with a wonderful husband named Chris. We also have a Siberian Huskey who is part of the family named Max. My husband and I are Christians who have lost our way and are happy to have found the light again. We are set on bettering our relationship with God number one and ourselves, family, and friends number two. We know we have a short time on Earth, which we want to shine during, but even better: an amazing eternal life awaiting for us beyond this world with our Father where all of our sorrows and struggles will be gone!


text:
adidas Black 'Barracks Star' trainers
Item No.2830102646
Item No.2830102646
These Adidas 'Barracks Star' trainers come in classic black, with white laces and logos and bright blue trims and linings. Fully padded for comfort and support, these stylish trainers have breathable mesh uppers and a sturdy gripper sole.
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The map displayed on this site is a visualisation of criminal activity in the German capital. The data used to create it was taken from the Berlin Atlas of Crime, a report biennially published by the police of the Federal State of Berlin, the last report to date taken in August 2012.
This most recent report covers the criminal activity for the years 2010 and 2011 for every district and locality in the city of Berlin.
The data available on this site is an excerpt from the official dataset. It shows the amount of criminal activity for specific types of crime for the year 2011. Population data was taken from the official population statistics in the office of statistics Berlin/Brandenburg for the 4th quarter of 2011.
The heatmap for selected types of crime displays either the absolute amount of criminal activity or an adjusted value, which takes the local population into account. In the latter case the values are computed by the following formula: (crime rate * 100.000) / localites population
The visualisation of the Berlin Atlas of crime was created by Tobias Burri and Lars Bullmann.


text:
Canada wealth managers struggle to entice Gen Y advisers
By Andrea Hopkins
TORONTO (Reuters) - Tammy Oribine was a financial planner for just a couple of months when she realized it was not the job for her. She did not like sales, did not feel confident enough about the products and hated the face-to-face contact that is a staple of the business.
"A lot of it has to do with personality -- I don't find I'm the most personable person, and I'm bad at small talk," Oribine, 29, said with a laugh.
But there were other reasons the job did not appeal. The salary was based in part on sales, and thus unstable. She was afraid clients would not trust her because she was young.
So she took her Certified Financial Planner designation and became an assistant to a top adviser in London, Ontario - a role that would not require her to sell anything.
Oribine's desire for a steady paycheck is a hallmark of Generation Y, the so-called "Millennial" generation born after 1980 and coveted by marketers and employers alike.
That is one of the issues that Canada's wealth management industry faces as it grapples with the challenge of attracting Gen Y's as both advisers and clients in an age when chronically poor returns have taken the shine off investing and financial services.
"The reality is our industry is going to struggle if we don't embrace this generation both from growing our client base and servicing our businesses with new advisers," said Mike Cunneen, senior vice-president at Freedom 55, a unit of Great-West Lifeco, Canada's second-largest life insurer.
Greg Pollock, president and chief executive of Advocis, the Financial Advisors Association of Canada, says the industry needs tech-savvy new blood to replace the baby-boomers - born mostly in the 1950's. Big banks, insurers and storefront wealth managers also need to attract the next generation of clients. Continued...


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- 808-464-6250
- 808-464-6252
- 808-464-6249
- 808-464-6248
Tires and Auto Repair Services from Lex Brodie's Tires
Full Service Package
Receive Expert Tire Mounting and New Valve Stems
Tire Repair
Flat tires are very inconvenient. While there is little you can do to prevent a flat tire, you can help minimize the hassle and damage to your tire by being prepared.
Tire Rotation
Rotating your tires is essential for keeping your tires lasting longer. Rotating your tires means moving them from one side of the vehicle to the other, moving them from front to back or a combination of both.
Tire Installation
Tires should be selected by the correct size for the vehicle, and should be purchased in sets of four, or at least matching sets of two on each axle.
Tire Balancing
Balancing your tires is important. If overlooked, unbalanced tires can lead to uneven wear, vibration and potentially unsafe driving conditions.
Wheel Alignment
Wheel alignment is the position of your wheels relative to your vehicle. When properly aligned, your wheels will point in the same direction as the vehicle.
Brakes are one of the most important components on your vehicle. You need the confidence of knowing that when you press your foot to the brake, your vehicle is going to stop. That's why it's important to keep these tips in mind to help keep your brakes functioning properly.
Your batteries are rechargeable, and it's always a good idea to carry jumper cables in your vehicle in case of emergencies. You never know when you may need to jump start your vehicle, or even help out another driver in need.
Belts and Hoses
Belts and hoses are extremely important to your vehicle. They are one of the most common reasons for vehicle break down. To help prevent this, make sure your belts and hoses are checked at regular intervals
Drive Lines
If you have experienced vibration of your vehicle while driving, chances are it could be due to driveline vibration, or the disruption in the operating angles of your driveline.
Electrical Systems
Your vehicle's electrical system is made up of a complex network of circuits that create, store and distribute energy where it's needed. Much of your electrical system maintenance can be done through us.
Engine Diagnostics
Today's vehicles are equipped with highly sophisticated electronic engine control systems. The computer receives information from a network of sensors and switches that tells your ignition, fuel and emission control systems what to do.
Every vehicle needs several automotive fluids in order to run properly. Some of the most important fluids include engine oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, antifreeze and power steering fluid.
Oil, Lube, Filters
Your vehicle relies on oil, lubrication and an oil filter to keep it running smoothly. Every three months or 3,000 miles, your vehicle should be ready for an oil change. Check your owner's manual for specific recommendations for your vehicle.
Preventative Maintenance
Bringing your vehicle to us for regular service is the best way for you to save money on automotive costs and save time on easily avoidable mechanical problems.
Steering and Suspension
The steering and suspension systems bear the weight of your vehicle, keep the tires on the road and help you experience a smooth, controlled ride.
Drive Lines
If you have experienced vibration of your vehicle while driving, chances are it could be due to driveline vibration, or the disruption in the operating angles of your driveline.
A tune-up is essential to vehicle maintenance. It helps prevent problems, while identifying and replacing worn parts. Maintaining a regular tune-up schedule will help your vehicle last longer, as well as get better gas mileage and performance.
Wiper Blades
Driving conditions are always more hazardous in rainy or snowy weather, lowering both visibility and traction considerably. Having a clear windshield is key for being able to drive safely, and windshield wipers are essential for keeping your vision clear.


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Home > Spill Control > Spill Kits
Size H x W x D (cm): 80 x 56.5 x 37.5Absorbency: 77 LContents: 50 pads 20cm x 50cm, 3 socks 8cm x 1.2m, 2 socks 8cm x 3m, 2 medium cushions, 1 large cushion, PPE, 3 disposal bags & tiesWeight (kg): 21
Polyethylene cabinet with rubber seal and polycarbonate windows. Left or right hinged mounting. Comes with either plastic toggles and lynch pins, OR plastic locks and key compartment with break glass facility. Supplied with 2 keys and 2 clear plates.
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Students thank donors for their help in affording McDaniel
"Our mission to keep McDaniel accessible and affordable to all deserving students has always depended on the generosity of our donors," said President Joan Develin Coley. "Today, your gifts – and the gifts of other alumni and friends – are even more vital as we strive to help our students overcome economic challenges."
Click an image to view it larger.
Photography courtesy of Dave Sinclair.
Several students shared personal stories on receiving scholarship assistance including Aaron Slaughter, captain of the football team and student volunteer for the VITA program.
"Coming from a single-parent household, going to college was something that I could only dream about, but the selfless people in this room make dreams come true for students like me everyday," Slaughter said. "It is very important for me to pay homage to all those who made it possible for me to be here. I do this so that one day I, too, can sit in these very seats, and give some deserving kid a fighting chance."
During the past academic year, $1.8 million from endowed scholarship funds contributed to the $23.7 million in academic scholarships and need-based aid that helped support the education of 90 percent of McDaniel's students.


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May 1, 2010
Box Score | Notes | Photo Gallery
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Wilpon Baseball Complex)
Score: Ohio State 3, Michigan 2 (10 innings)
Records: U-M (26-15, 8-6 Big Ten), Ohio State (24-14, 8-6 Big Ten)
Attendance: 2,263
Next U-M Event: Sunday, May 1 -- vs. Ohio State (Wilpon Baseball Complex), 1:05 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- On the day the University of Michigan baseball program retired former Wolverine great Barry Larkin's No. 16, the team gave fans an extra gift -- free baseball -- but fell 3-2 in 10 innings to Ohio State on Saturday night (May 1) at the Wilpon Baseball Complex, home of historic Ray Fisher Stadium. It was only the second extra-inning game of the season for U-M, which defeated Indiana, 16-10, on April 2.
Riding the arm of junior reliever Tyler Burgoon (Defiance, Ohio/Defiance), who struck out seven of the first nine batters faced after coming into the game in the seventh, the Wolverines knotted the game at 2-2 in the eighth inning on a run-scoring single from junior Ryan LaMarre (Jackson, Mich./Lumen Christi) and sent the game into extra innings. U-M was unable to manufacture a run in the ninth or 10th innings as the Buckeyes finally caught up to Burgoon in the 10th. Burgoon gave up his second and third hits of the game, a double and a run-scoring single to take his first loss in relief this season.
Senior Alan Oaks (White Lake, Mich./Divine Child) went 6.1 solid innings in the start, striking out six and giving up just five hits before leaving the game.
Sophomore third baseman John Lorenz (Frankfurt, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) pushed Michigan's other run across the plate in the second, driving a ball up the middle to score senior catcher Chris Berset (Vienna, Va./Heights School) from second to make it 1-0 Wolverines. Berset and sophomore Coley Crank (Pinole, Calif./Pinole Valley) each finished the day 2-for-4.
Michigan's defense helped protect the pitchers' stat sheets in the fifth and sixth innings when freshman centerfielder Patrick Biondi (Woodhaven, Mich./Divine Child) made a full-speed running catch to rob OSU first baseman Matt Streng of extra bases to lead off the fifth and senior/junior second baseman Anthony Toth (Lorain, Ohio/St. Ignatius) started a slick 4-6-3 double play in the sixth to end the inning.
The Wolverines will look for a win in the rubber match of the three-game series with the Buckeyes on Sunday (May 2) at 1:05 p.m. Following the conclusion of the game, the entire Michigan baseball team will sign autographs for fans.
Contact: Ryan Sosin (734) 763-4423
Sign up for Michigan Insider to be the first to learn about 2018 Michigan baseball ticket opportunities.


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Espresso and Coffee Grinders
Every dynamite cup of espresso or coffee starts with a dynamite grind. Consistency, texture, size - it all matters. Whether you are new to the world of espresso or have been making the perfect cup of coffee for as long as you can remember, fresh coffee grounds are the first step.
Take your pick from our curated collection that includes everything from entry-level coffee grinders to precision-designed espresso grinders. With video tips and reviews of each grinder, you too can master the daily grind!
Learn More about Coffee Grinders
Rancilio Rocky Coffee GrinderRancilio. It's the most recognized name in commercial quality espresso machines and grinders. And now, the company has packaged all the professional features and functionality that they're famous for into its latest line of Rocky grinders. The Rocky Coffee Grinder is ideal for the coffee enthusiast looking for better control over grinding. Featuring 50mm burr grinding plates crafted of the finest tempered steel, the Rocky is designed to deliver 55 different types of quality grounds at the press of a button, all without imparting additional heat during the process. Learn More$355.00
Baratza Sette 270 GrinderQuick and consistent, the Baratza Sette 270 offers the newest in grinder technology thanks to its unique transverse-mounted motor and drop through feed design. The Sette's 40mm conical steel burrs are mounted directly below the bean hopper, offering increased grind speed and low retention, while also direct-dosing into your espresso machine's portafilter or your coffee maker's brew basket. The Sette also sports three programmable timed dose controls and a dual stepped macro and stepless micro-adjustment dial for easily repeatable grind doses for your favorite brew method. Learn More$379.00


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Hugh E. Williams has had a career in three parts as an entrepreneur, professor, and technical executive. He is an expert in search engines and matching technologies, web services, mobile technologies, and data science.
He's currently a Vice President at Google. In the latter part of his career, he has also worked at eBay, Microsoft, Tinder, and Pivotal. Prior to that, he spent 10+ years researching and developing search technologies, and 5 years running his own startup and consultancy.
He has published around 120 works, mostly in the field of Information Retrieval, and including two books: "Web Database Applications with PHP and MySQL" and "Learning Mysql" for O'Reilly Media Inc. He holds more than twenty-five US patents and over forty pending. He has a PhD from RMIT University in Australia.
If you're interested in Hugh's background, visit his linkedin profile.


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The front page of the June 27 Indiana Gazette featured two women in front of the Indiana County Court House draping the Jimmy Stewart statue in a rainbow flag to represent the LGBT community. This occurred in the wake of the Supreme Court's June 26 ruling regarding the Defense of Marriage Act.
Because I am in the midst of reading the book "Jimmy Stewart: Bomber Pilot" by Starr Smith as well as doing some supplemental online research about Stewart, the photo struck me as ironic.
For those who don't know, Indiana's hometown hero was a lifelong conservative Republican, who actively campaigned for Ronald Reagan, not to mention contributed large amounts of money to his campaign fund. (Reagan did not believe in government endorsements of homosexuality.)
Moreover, Stewart was a Christian who was active in the Presbyterian Church from his childhood through to the time of his death. (Christian belief, in general, views the practice of homosexuality as a sin, based on Scripture. Currently, though liberal in some aspects pertaining to homosexuality, the Presbyterian Church, USA will not perform same-sex marriage ceremonies.)
Stewart himself was married to only one woman for 45 years; the marriage ended at the time of his wife's death. This is only conjecture, but Stewart's political, religious and personal profile therefore seems to dictate that if he were alive today, he might be an opponent rather than a proponent of the Supreme Court's June 26 ruling.
Perhaps in the future, the garb that this community chooses to drape over Jimmy's statue should be more representative of Jimmy: Christian, conservative, war hero, husband and father in a traditional family.
Here are a couple of suggestions: the Presbyterian Church, USA flag on National Prayer Day or a U.S. Air Force flag or the American Flag on Veterans Day.
Marianne Pumford


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Thank you to Hope King for the cutie patootie graphic!
Click on the picture above to go to my store.
Wishing you a Happy, Healthy New Year!
|Cute graphic courtesy of Miss Amy Lemons!
|Cute image is from none other than Amy Lemons... Love it!
Thank you Hope from 2nd Grade Shenanigans for hosting today's Linky and Giveaway!


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|of respondants would recommend this to a friend.
|By Candygirl
From Clinton, NC
On February 26, 2012
Pros: Great Colors, Figure Flattering, Stylish
I bought this shirt for my 6 yr. old daughter who is mixed. There are plenty of mixed children at her school but it's almost like you have to chose a race where we live. She proudly wore her shirt to school and within 2 days I had 4 parents calling me wanting to know where I purchased the shirt! My children are MIXED and PROUD! Thanks for making your products...we loooove them! She would love a black one in her size...7/8 You should offer more colors!!BOTTOM LINE: LOOOOVE IT!
|By aziza
From michigan
On November 20, 2011
About Me: Casual, Career, Bargain ShopperPros: Figure Flattering, Soft, Great Colors
| Bought Two For My Albanian/Black Nieces!
Bought one for my daughter in high school (she LOVES IT). Just bought two for my nieces who are proudly Alabanian & Black. I LOVE these products!! My friend let me use her shampoo / conditioner & leave in!! Great product - better than Wen!!BOTTOM LINE: Bought Two For My Albanian/Black Nieces!
|By North London Maven
From London U.K.
On December 17, 2010
About Me: Bargain Shopper, CareerPros: Great Colors
| Proud to wear it
My daughter, who is mixed race was excited to get this Mixed Chicks shirt. After she started wearing it (we are in the U.K.), another couple kids, who although they had straight hair, have blended families (English, Spanish) and (English, Indian) orderd some. They are all very proudly claiming both sides of their families.BOTTOM LINE: Proud to wear it
MixedChicks.net responds: We get a lot of stories about kids who improve their self-esteem after finding products for "us".


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Rabbi Rebekah Goldman Mag
Rabbi Bekah comes to FVJC-ES from Boston's Hebrew College where she obtained her Rabbinic Ordination and Master's Degree in Jewish Education in June of 2016. Rabbi Bekah has extensive experience working with children and teens in religious schools in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Louisiana, as well as URJ camps across the country in Texas, Mississippi, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. While in rabbinical school, she served as the sole rabbi of two congregations in New England, leading Shabbat services, providing pastoral care, and officiating at lifecycle events.
Rabbi Bekah grew up in Lake Charles, Louisiana, attended Louisiana State University for her undergraduate work, and went on to serve as the Children's Director at the Goldring Woldenberg JCC in Metairie, Louisiana. She is passionate about fostering Jewish life in small towns and encouraging participation in Jewish camping, as her love of Judaism blossomed from her extensive time spent at Henry S. Jacobs Camp in Utica, Mississippi.
While Rabbi Bekah is new to the congregation, her family is not. Rabbi Bekah's husband, Saul Mag, son of Kathi and Eliot Mag, became Bar Mitzvah on our bima with Rabbi Herman. We are delighted to welcome Rabbi Bekah, Saul, and their daughter Isabela to the FVJC-ES family.
"Saul and I are so excited to raise our family and build our home in FVJC's warm, welcoming, holy community. I look forward to working with the fantastic team of leadership at FVJC and in partnership with all area clergy to help strengthen our religious communities together."
Email: email@example.com Phone: (860) 651-8576
Cantorial Soloist/ Education Director, Marian Kleinman
Our Cantorial Soloist Religious School Principal Marian Gorewitz Kleinman grew up in West Nyack, NY. She is a cantorial student at The Academy for Jewish Religion in Yonkers, NY (AJR) and holds a Masters in Jewish Studies from Gratz College as well as an MA in Creative Writing from The City College of NY. While at Gratz, she earned a graduate prize for her academic achievement in the field of Liturgy.
Marian was the Principal for seven years at Beth Am Temple in Pearl River, NY and concurrently was the Cantorial Soloist at Congregation Agudas Achim in Livingston Manor, NY. Her background also includes being the religious school principal, choir and music director at Temple of Israel (Wilmington, North Carolina); NY State teaching certification in English and Social Studies; and part-time free-lance journalism. She's taught at several online colleges and community colleges as well as at public school. She's written a screenplay and memoir about her mother's experiences as a member of the Belgian Resistance during the Shoah; she's earned several awards and fellowships including the 1989 Louis Ginsberg Memorial Fellowship.
Marian is delighted to be at FVJC where she combines her two loves (Jewish education and cantorial music) in one position. She plays guitar and enjoys reading, yoga, baking, music, dance, and art, activities with her family, and gardening. She grew up in Rockland County, NY, where her parents were founding members of Temple Beth Sholom in New City and her mother continues to be active in the Jewish community and in the local Hadassah. Marian lives with her husband Mark and their daughter Rosa in Simsbury.
"Come here, I will show you a new way to the Creator - not through speech, but through song! Let us sing and Heaven will understand us." - Rebbe Nachman of Breslov
Email: email@example.com Phone: (860) 651-4218
Rabbi Emeritus Howard Herman
Rabbi Howard Herman retired after his 36th year of service at the Temple and now holds the title of Rabbi Emeritus. He was ordained at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1978 at their New York campus. Rabbi Herman is the host of "Reflections", his program on WTIC-AM 1080 radio on Sunday mornings.
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com Website: www.rabbiherman.com
Cantor Susan Levine, Emerita
Cantor Levine holds a special place in our Temple; as our first Cantor Emerita, she has seen generations of our families through life cycle events, educated our children, inspired us with Jewish music, and counseled us.
During her 32 years with our congregation, Cantor Levine co-led services with Rabbi Herman, conducted our choir, developed and directed our B'nai Mitzvah program, taught music in our Religious School, and brought creative and innovative programming to our congregation in the areas of women's spirituality, Jewish music, and post-B'nai Mitzvah mentoring and education. She has been a very active representative of FVJC-ES in the Greater Hartford area in the areas of community learning, interfaith activities and programming, and cantorial concerts. She also served as the first woman chair of the Simsbury Clergy Association. In 1999, Cantor Levine was a recipient of the Woman of Valor Award, presented by the Women's Branch of the Greater Hartford Federation. In 2011, Cantor Levine became a member of the Executive Board of the American Conference of Cantors. She also formed a Retired Cantors Network for the American Conference of Cantors.
Cantor Levine is a graduate of the Hartt School of Music with degrees in Vocal Performance and Music Education. She received her Cantorial Certification from Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion, School of Sacred Music. She has a Masters Degree in Pastoral Counseling from St. Joseph College and is a Connecticut Licensed Professional Counselor. Cantor Levine was in private practice with Bethany Pastoral Counseling Services for 15 years. She also spent some time facilitating the JACS (Jewish Alcoholics, Chemically Dependent Persons and Significant Others) group at Jewish Family Services in West Hartford.
Cantor Levine has begun a counselling practice in Simsbury and facilitates an employment transitions support group for Jewish Family Services.
Email: email@example.com
Website: www.womenreshapinglives.com


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Nicolla Hewitt
Saudi Gazette
The Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission [SACM] outside of Washington D.C., is the nucleus for the nearly 100,000 Saudi students pursuing studies in the United States. Located in the leafy suburb of Fairfax, Virginia, SACM supports students academically, financially and socially. One aspect of the social programs that are offered is encouraging students from the Kingdom to do something that is almost second nature to Americans: volunteering.
Much of the volunteer work the Saudi students engage in is at a grass roots level in the towns or cities they are studying in. Volunteering can include something as simple as helping feed poor people in a food bank, or sometimes helping promote Saudi culture, traditions and heritage. One Saudi student club studying in Ohio even took sweets to a police station to thank the precinct for looking after them.
Given the huge number of students from the Kingdom studying all across the United States, it should come as no surprise that there are nearly 300 clubs for Saudi students to be part of. The tradition started more than 50 years ago, when the scholarship aboard program began, and activities were limited to social networking at dinners, or farewell to gradates. But the objectives of the clubs have all changed today, with them becoming a 'must see' for many high ranking officials from Saudi Arabia when they visit the United States. Since their inception 50 years ago, the clubs missions now include active community engagement with Americans, many of whom may not have met someone from Saudi Arabia. These clubs have evolved with close collaboration not just with the SACM, but also with cultural attaches in cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston. It has been important to ensure the safety of students, while at the same time complying with university regulations.
One such club is the organization "Us to US," which is an affiliate of SACM. "Us to US," works daily at finding projects or people which need help in the cities or town where the universities are located.
Since it was founded over 3 years ago, students from the Kingdom have volunteered in every single of the 50 states.
"Us to US," was the perfect place for Saleh Alsodmi of Jeddah to lend his time to, as he told the Saudi Gazette. "I first heard about volunteering when I was 10. My teacher told me about it and I never forgot about it. I gave food to the poor, and I cleaned the mosque. I loved to volunteer and I have never stopped no matter where I lived."
As an organization "Us to US," looks for positive change through embracing an effective and positive personality. The all run student-based organization is dedicated to empowering students by achieving a positive social impact in their local societies in the United States. It has had a huge appeal for Saleh.
Currently studying financial management at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, Saleh just spent the past three years as president of the Saudi student club at his campus. This year he is advising 100 other Saudi club presidents about successfully engaging in local communities.
Meeting Americans they are helping has been exceptionally interesting for Saleh. It has also helped achieve the goals of educating people more about the history and culture of Saudi Arabia.
Many of the Americans are very keen to learn more about the Kingdom. In his interview with the Saudi Gazette, Saleh recalled, "They wanted to know about Makkah. Some wanted to know why we are different religion from them. I told them Islam is about giving back, and we give back to everyone. Not just to Muslims."
Saleh also cooked traditional food from Saudi Arabia for the Americans in his community to try. More used to eating a burger and fries, many of the people he hass met in Oklahoma, are now familiar with dishes like Kapsa and chicken with rice. Saleh is happy as, "Now they want to learn more about our food and our culture."
While his volunteer work has had Saleh interact with average Americans, he is also very grateful that having a free education from King Abdullah Scholarship Program has enabled him to meet people from other countries too.
Saying that volunteering "is in my blood," Saleh is grateful that he has also seen how organized and diverse volunteering is in the United States. Now he is looking ahead to improve the current volunteering structure in Saudi Arabia. "I want to make it a more community based or fixed system. I hope to tighten the volunteer work from east to west and north to south, so they work together in one system. We really need to work on the development of a culture of volunteerism."
Given there are over 100,000 students from the Kingdom studying in US, and volunteering becoming such an important part of their curriculum there, it would seem it won't be long before Saudi Arabia will be benefiting from lots of goodwill and talented people who want nothing more than to help and donate their time once they return home too.


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Blasting Away at Product PlacementBurt Helm and Tom Lowry
Nothing infuriates Corie Wright more than when a TV network and advertiser try to sneak a product pitch past viewers. Case in point: Elisa and Jack of 30 Rock fame discussing whether McDonald's (MCD) McFlurry is the best dessert in the world. "It's egregious and deceptive," says Wright, a lawyer and policy adviser for Free Press, a nonprofit activist group. "Product placements don't allow us to have the usual veil of skepticism we have when we watch a standard commercial."
Free Press is among a coalition of 50 groups waging war on product placements. The critics, who range from consumer advocates to pediatricians seeking to protect kids from sugary cereal, are calling on the Federal Communications Commission to implement tougher disclosure rules for what many activists consider stealth advertising.
Product placements are nearly as old as TV itself, but they have become ubiquitous in recent years—especially as recession-hit advertisers scramble for a cost-effective way to reach consumers. In the first half of this year, product placements in prime time rose 8% from the same period in 2008, says ratings tracker Nielsen. Fox's (NWS) American Idol alone had 580 product placements.
Other than rules that restrict how much advertising networks can put in kids' programming in a given hour, the FCC has few regs for product placements. Last year the commission, under pressure from Congress, asked for comments from the public on how it might regulate placements, but little has been done since. A spokeswoman for FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski says his first priority is implementing a national broadband policy and that product placement is on the "back burner for now."
RED LIGHTS ON SCREENS?That is not deterring protesters, who are meticulously tracking product placements as the fall TV season gets under way. They are troubled not just by products that appear in shows but also by so-called integrations, when products are actually written into plotlines. On CBS's (CBS) The Big Bang Theory, for example, Sheldon informs Penny that he needs access to the Cheesecake Factory's (CAKE) walk-in freezer.
Critics want the FCC to require networks to disclose placements. Their proposals range from forcing programmers to run text along the bottom of the screen when a product appears in a given scene to a flashing red light on the screen alerting viewers that an advertiser is pushing something. None of this sits well with TV programmers. "Seriously, what viewer is going to stand for that?" says a network executive, who, like many of his peers, was loath to speak on the record.
Advertisers aren't thrilled, either. Tony Pace, Subway's chief marketing officer, opposes disclosures, except at the end of a program. In shows such as Chuck and The Biggest Loser, Subway staffers collaborate with the producers to work the brand into the plot. In one Biggest Loser episode, the dieting contestants hiked from one Subway to another to get a meal as part of the contest rules. "We'd rather seem like a natural part of the show," says Pace, "rather than punch the viewer in the nose with a message like, 'Hey, this is paid for.'"
Clearly, the FCC's Genachowski faces a delicate balancing act: protecting the public on the one hand without undermining the already precarious economics of television.