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Personal Tech
Thursday, May 29, 2008; 2:00 PM
The Washington Post's Rob Pegoraro was online Thursday, May 29 at 2 p.m. ET to discuss his recent reviews and blog posts.
Read transcripts of Rob's past tech discussions here.
A transcript follows.
Rob Pegoraro: Good afternoon! How are you ... wait, did you say something? Sorry, the connection's fading out... what?... I've only got one bar, that's why... huh? Oh, hell, I'm going to have to call you back.
Yes, it's that time of the year when I spend too many hours poring over wireless price plans and "terms and conditions" documents. The results of that labor appeared in this morning's paper and online, but you're also seeing them right here.
So ask away--about wireless service or any other tech topics you've got in mind this fine afternoon.
Carrboro, N.C.: Regarding mobile phone pricing--your dismissal of price as a factor in service choice assumes that users are at the level where the comparable $100/unlimited plans offer the best deal. As someone who still has a land line and uses relatively few mobile minutes (and VERY few daytime minutes) I note there are still price differences at the low-minutes end of the scale.
Checking my local plans and prices, I see that Sprint's minimum plan is about $35 for 200 minutes, while Verizon and AT&T have minimum plans at about $45 for 450 minutes. So if you're in the low-usage category, Sprint is noticeably the cheapest option (as it has been for years).
From where I sit--having not had a cell phone bill over $40 in years--the $100/unlimited plans are not particularly useful.
Rob Pegoraro: That's a good point. Everytime I do this story--which is probably (ulp) every year for the last decade--I have to think about how much readers are likely to use their cell phones.
On one hand, I never want to tell people to buy too few minutes a month; the overage charges will destroy you in that case. On the other hand, who wants to pad out a wireless carrier's profit margin?
Usually, I assume something like 300 or 350 minutes of use, based largely on statistics about Americans' wireless use (for instance, the numbers gathered by CTIA, the cell-phone industry's trade association).
Here's a somewhat disturbing fact from their research: last year, Americans spent 2.1 trillion minutes on cell phones.
New York, N.Y.: A friend of mine is selling her iPhone and I would like to buy it. What do you think the procedure is for getting a used iPhone activated, if I would like to port my number from Verizon?
Rob Pegoraro: Apparently, the trick is to use iTunes to restore the phone to its factory settings, then activate it as if it's new. See this thread on Apple's tech-support site:
BTW, in case anybody is wondering: No, I don't know when the 3G iPhone will be arriving in stores.
Washington, D.C.: Hi Rob! Perfectly timed question for today's cell-carrier comparison. I have a $50 credit towards a new Verizon cell (provided I renew the 2yr contract, of course...). I was considering their Motorola z6c World, as I'm in the midst of a job search that might put me abroad for an extended period of time in the somewhat-near future, so a GSM-capable phone's making sense. Your article mentions the US GSM carriers unlocking their phones at request, but do you know about the other way around? Would Verizon unlock my phone so that I could just replace the smart chip with a European carrier's plan, if I end up abroad? What about if it involved me cancelling the Verizon 2yr contract and paying the penalty?
Rob Pegoraro: Good question! I'd ask Verizon, but if they say no you might also be able to pay somebody else to unlock it--this is a service various outside vendors can provide for you at extra cost. (Can anybody recommend a nearby shop that will do the job?)
Your other option would be to rent a phone when you are overseas, or to buy the cheapest GSM phone you can find and get a prepaid SIM for that. It all depends on whether you need to be reachable by your U.S. number, or if you just need a cell phone, period, overseas.
Capitol Hill: Rob, I'm starting grad school this fall and the school has a contract with Lenovo. I've only ever had Dell laptops (do not want another) and don't know a lot about this brand. I was thinking about going the Mac route, but this huge public research university literally has only 10 Macs on campus.
Rob Pegoraro: Non-phone questions are fair game here also!
Lenovo is a Chinese company that bought IBM's personal-computer business. From what I've heard, they've continued to do a good job with ThinkPad laptops; Lenovo has also begun to branch out into the consumer market--something IBM never seemed to get the hang of--with a new IdeaPad line of laptops.
I'd give them serious consideration.
I wouldn't let the lack of Macs scare you away from buying a Mac if that's what you want, BTW. The only thing that ought to throw up a stop sign would be the school requiring you to use some Windows-only software (though even then you could run it inside Parallels or VMWare Fusion).
Kemosabe: A footnote to today's column re: D.C. Metrorail cell service. Metro's board is looking into ending Verizon's exclusive contract and allowing other carriers to provide platform and tunnel service. They're also talking about making WiFi available down there, too. Of course, this is all going to happen at the same time flat panel displays are installed on platforms and real-time bus schedules will be appear. In other words, it could be a very long time coming.
Rob Pegoraro: Indeed! I remember how long it took Verizon to upgrade from analog to digital service underground--it was something like six months for the signal to make its way down the Orange Line from McPherson Square to Court House.
The basic problem is that you've got maybe two hours a night in which you can string cables and transmitters through the tunnels without getting pancaked by a train. So, yeah, could be a while.
Here's the story we did on this in March:
Brookline, Mass.: Yesterday, two months after I signed up for an Internet/Phone/TV bundle from RCN, they encrypted essentially all their digital programming (HD and SD), including local channels. Customers were given no notice, and will have to rent a box for each TV to receive any service (at $12.95/month each).
As far as I can tell, there are no alternatives to renting a box - CableCard TVs are no longer made, and the cheap external decoders promised by the FCC remain a myth.
Do you know of any device (other than Tivo) currently available that will prevent my Samsung HDTV from becoming a paperweight, or any legislation to require Clear QAM for non-premium channels? I know about tru2way", but I predict the cable companies will sabotage that, just as they did CableCard.
Rob Pegoraro: I hadn't heard about this--it's kind of disturbing, if you've been following this issue. You don't have a whole lot of options here.
If you only have that one TV, your best option might be to buy a TiVo HD, which does have CableCard slots--by paying for a year or two of TiVo service in advance, you'll bring its monthly cost well below that extortionate $12.95 (!) fee.
(Seriously, if you're not getting a DVR for that kind of monthly fee, you should write out a complaint to the state A.G.)
You could also dump RCN for Comcast or Fios or satellite.
Falls Church, Va.: So the rumor is that Apple will announce a new 3G iphone next month. I am interested, but I am concerned about battery life, both between charges and the amount of time it will last before it needs to be replaced. How much does 3G shorten battery life?
Will Apple come out with better batteries or self replacable batteries?
Rob Pegoraro: Apple said that it left 3G out of the first iPhone precisely because of its effect on battery life. But in the year that's passed since then, there have been some improvements in 3G hardware; I'm pretty sure that Apple is not going to ship a new iPhone with worse battery life than the old one--just about every new iPod runs for longer on a charge than its predecessor.
Washington, D.C.: Hi Rob. Why does the AVG Free say that it program will no longer be available after May 31st? Is it a ploy for me to upgrade to a pay version? If so, do you recommend any other similar (free) anti-virus programs? Thanks.
Rob Pegoraro: No, AVG will still be free. I've already put AVG 8 Free on one or two PCs, and you can download a copy yourself at http:/
In case anybody doing PR for the company reads this, please note: I had to write a Help File item a year ago when AVG had a bunch of users thinking that it was going to stop making its anti-virus scanner free for personal use. If I have do that again, I will send that company a bill--and they should be aware that my "correct your dumb advertising" service does not come cheap.
Re: No, I don't know when the 3G iPhone will be arriving in stores.: But it's soon enough to wait, right?
Rob Pegoraro: I would say that. But you're talking to somebody with a long history of postponing technology upgrades because something better is "not far away." That's why I'm banging out these notes on a TRS-80!
Old Bethpage, N.Y.: I just downloaded AVG 8.0 internet edition. After downloading it, I was unable to print items from my laptop and another networked computer in my home. When I disabled the AVG firewall, then I could print. How can I have a firewall and continue to be able to print from a networked printer?
Rob Pegoraro: Use the firewall built into Windows. It provides the exact same level of protection against inbound threats, but it's a lot smarter about not stepping all over legitimate network activity.
Arlington, Va.: What can you tell me about DVD recorders? I have checked what Consumer Reports recommends but then when I look at the models online they all get bad reviews.
Rob Pegoraro: I just looked on Amazon, and just about all the DVD recorders listed there get 3.5 or 4-star reviews.
FWIW, I tested LG and Panasonic DVD recorders last spring, and both worked fine. They were a little clumsy about editing and titling recordings, and both could have used an electronic program guide--but for the basic job of recording digital TV, I didn't have any real complaints.
Can any DVD-recorder owners in the room share their own experiences?
Arlington, Va.: To your prepaid plan discussion I would also add TracFone. I have used their service for several years now. Costs about $100 for 1 year. The minutes that you don't use carry over without expiration. I have something like 1500 minutes sitting on mine because I use it so infrequently. They have lots of double minute bonus offers and other special deals. True the phones aren't the newest technology but who cares if you only use it once in a while?
Rob Pegoraro: Thanks for the suggestion!
Comcast Phone: No fan of the Philly Behemoth am I, but I just got off the phone after deciding to add phone service to my cable and internet (it's actually going to be a lot less than having a land line, which we thought about dropping altogether).
Please just tell me we didn't make a huge error in choosing to feed the beast even more.
Rob Pegoraro: In general, I have to think it's a mistake to give more money to any company you regard as a "beast" or a "behemoth."
In this case, you could drop landline phone service altogether, or you could cut your Verizon landline plan down to a "metered-rate" calling plan that only provides a set number of calls. They've got one plan that offers 40 or 50 outbound calls a month (10 cents/each afterwards) that's only $20 with taxes included.
Baltimore: I'm sure you've answered this before, but when my VCR becomes useless, is there a DVR that doesn't require a monthly subscription fee? I just want to record the occasional TV show when I'm not home.
Rob Pegoraro: That's why you'll want a DVD recorder--*with* a digital tuner. (I'm glad to see that Amazon labels those without tuners in the clearest manner possible: "tunerless." Some stores classify them as "line-in input," which is a lot sneakier.)
Washington, D.C.: My PowerBook G4 was stolen a few weeks ago and I've just now received the insurance check to buy a replacement. I'm leaning toward a MacBook Pro but have held off from purchasing it because I have heard rumors that a new design will be out this summer. Something about a new keyboard and/or screen similar to that on the Air. Have you heard anything in that regard? If need be, I could wait until July or August to make the purchase.
Rob Pegoraro: Sorry to hear about your loss. People who steal computers hate America!
I'd go ahead and buy an MBP now--it was last updated only three months or so ago.
Chicago: Hi, Rob.
Question about the Vista backup utility in Home Premium. It doesn't seem to understand that I want to have -two- sets of backups on two different external hard drives, each of which gets an incremental backup every other week. Am I missing something? After creating the two backup sets (call them A and B), if I try to do an incremental of A (having last used the utility to create B), Vista looks for B and gives up when it can't find it. Seems like a major oversight by MS, IMHO.
Rob Pegoraro: Well, yeah--and so is the fact that this backup program doesn't let you do any kind of custom backup. It's only useful for the most basic type of use.
What beginner-friendly, cheap-or-free third-party backup software do we like in Vista these days?
Bonifay, Fla.: The thought of Windows 7 scares me. While I'm sure a 3GB computer will accomodate both 7 and some programs - Notepad and possibly Wordpad, what is the chance of any of these happening (1) Office for the MAC to include ACCESS, (2) a MAC rdb equivalent to and somewhat compatable with ACCESS (perhaps through at least comma and quote delimited files), or (3) a new series of PCs whose registeres will accomodate larger addreesses, allowing use of 8 or more GB of RAM (4 for Windows 7, 4 for my applications.)
Rob Pegoraro:1) Very poor.
2) I don't know squat about databases, but have you looked at FileMaker Pro?
3) 64-bit processors are supposed to do that--although in Windows, 64-bit support comes at a huge price in software and hardware-driver compatibility.
Chantilly, Va.: I thought about buying a TRS-80, but decided to wait. That's why I do my computing on an Altair 8800.
Type your reply slowly so I have time to translate the text from the blinking lights.
Rob Pegoraro: [insert punchcard joke here]
Arlington, Va.: With regard to the low usage of phone minutes that was brought up. For those of us who don't use our cell phones much at all (I don't make/receive calls more than a couple of times a week and generally use 10-20 minutes per week), a pre-paid phone is the best deal I could find. After buying a phone from T-Mobile and loading it with $100 (this gives you 1000 minutes) in September, I've still got 200 minutes. The average cost per month is good. Awful deal if you're a chatterbox though.
Rob Pegoraro: Thanks!
Carrboro, N.C.: Basic question here: what would a "3G" iPhone do that the current one doesn't? Thanks!
Rob Pegoraro: Download Web pages and e-mail much faster than the current model--easily 2 or 3x the speed. The 3G broadband connection would, however, still be slower than the iPhone's WiFi.
Apple is also rolling out a major software update with a lot of new features, plus support for third-party programs, but this 2.0 upgrade will be free to all iPhones.
Rockville, Md.: My 3 year old Sony DVD recorder does it job fine in a WYSIWYG way. Just like using the VCR. The only negatives are that you can't change the default menu it creates and that giving titles a name are a pain with just a remote.
Rob Pegoraro: I didn't like "typing" with a remote either on the LG and Panasonic models. Ugh.
London: I will be travelling to the U.S. soon. I know my mobile/plan work there, as I've phoned other people on past trips, but I was wondering: since we don't have to pay to receive mobile calls over here (the U.K.) and you do over there (the U.S.), while I'm in the U.S., who pays for the calls I receive?
Rob Pegoraro: I do. And I'm getting tired of subsidizing you like this, damnit!
Uh, I don't know. There is no "calling party pays" standard here. I'd guess that your carrier eats that cost, or that it's covered by roaming fees.
Washington, D.C.: Personally, I think the monthly fee plans for wireless are over-rated. I have used a pay-as-you-go plan for more than 2 years, and I am definitely ahead of the game. Yes, the phones don't have many features, but you get exactly what you pay for. And it does help you stay off the phone for completely useless calls.
Rob Pegoraro: OK, every time I do a chat about wireless phone service I get quite a few posts along this line. Thing is, there are far fewer prepaid than "postpaid" users (for instance, only a quarter of T-Mobile's customers use pre-pay, and Sprint has 39.7 post-paid and 4.4 million prepaid). So why does nobody seem to want to say "you know, postpaid works for me." Is it because prepaid gives you a feeling of being in control, while postpaid is just another bill? I'm thinking this may be more psychology than economics.
Washington DC: Hi, Rob,
Your suggestions, please: I clumsily spilled a cup of room-temperature tea on top of my closed iBook (G4) while it was in sleep mode and even though I removed the battery and waited a week for everything to dry, I'm getting no response at all when I re-insert the battery and plug -- No whirring sound of the motor coming on, much less any screen activity.
Some folks say I need to let it dry for another week. Does that sound right to you?
Immediately after the accident, it seemed ok, with the desktop files visible. But after I powered it down to clean it and then tried to reboot it, I got only a tiny, center-screen file icon with a question mark on it that alternated with a tiny, blank file icon. And when I rebooted again, all I got was jagged stripes across the whole screen. At which point I finally realized I should shut it off and take out the battery.
I love this computer. Do you think it's worth however many hundreds it might cost to fix my more-than-6-year-old G4 iBook, if it can be fixed? (It wasn't eligible for
Applecare insurance at its age.) Or to buy the same model used from Craigslist, if that's even safe? Or is it a better investment to pay hundreds more to move to a G5, a Powerbook, whatever? I can't afford $1600-2,000-plus for a new machine, and have some qualms about buying from Craigslist, where prices are much below those of the refurbished machines sold by Apple.
I'm hooked on Mac (mostly 'cause I got so many viruses on PCs but also 'cause it's just so much nicer) and on laptop convenience but suppose you could convince me to be more practical.
What do you suggest? Thanks!
Rob Pegoraro: If the laptop is six years old, it's not worth repairing; for one thing, a new MacBook will cost $1,100, not $1,600.
I write that even though I have a hard time imagining that spilled tea would kill the thing outright, and that I hate giving up on old hardware myself. It seems like it ought to be a fixable issue, no?
So what I'd do would be to take it to a local Mac repair shop (years ago, I had good results with MacUpgrades in Bethesda) and see if they can fix it cheaply, or at least extract the hard drive and copy your data off that--which you'll want to do before getting a new machine anyway.
ARRRGHHH!!!!: Can you please post a notice:
If you're talking about the computer, it's Mac (short for Macintosh, although when was the last time they wrote the whole name out? 1993?)
If you're talking about the hardware network identifier, it's MAC.
Every Mac might have a MAC, but not every MAC is found on a Mac.
Rob Pegoraro: Thank you. This is one of my pet peeves.
VCR graveyard?: I hadn't heard before that my VCR will stop working once TVs convert to hidef. Is that only for recording new tapes? Or will I also be unable to watch old tapes?
Rob Pegoraro: Yeah, the FCC is going to power up the VCR death ray it's built at its secret lunar base and use that to reduce every VCR in the land to a pile of dust. What, you didn't get the letter about that?
Kidding! No, the only part of a VCR that will stop working as of 2/17/09 is its analog TV tuner. Every other item on it will work as it did before.
The Boonies: Are there any options for internet service on the horizon for those of us who live beyond the reach of cable/DLL? Wild Blue satellite is providing more reliable service than Hughes did, but has a bandwidth limit that we seem to keep exceeding...
Rob Pegoraro: You're a victim of physics and geography. The bandwidth and latency of satellite Internet isn't going to get better anytime soon--the latency never will, since you're bound by the speed of light--and it will take major upgrades in wireless capability for other forms of broadband to reach you.
The WiMax service Sprint is working on might do the trick, but don't get your hopes up too high. Remember, it was supposed to be commercially available in D.C. now--and it seems we're going to have to wait another year for that to happen.
Honolulu, Hawaii: Hi Rob,
I have been using Eudora email for years now. Eudora 7.1.09 pro(paid mode)is on my computer. As you are aware, Qualcomm no longer provides updates.
My question: Is Eudora secure and can I continue to use it? Or should I use another email program and what's your suggestion?
Thanks for all your good advice in the past...
Rob Pegoraro: It's secure--secure in its obsolescence, certainly, but I'm also not aware of any attacks being made against it.
Your best upgrade option is called Eudora, but it's not the program you know--Qualcomm has turned the Eudora code base and developers over to the people working on the Mozilla Thunderbird mail program. But what's available right now is basically a FrankenProgram--bits of Eudora and Tbird stitched together, and not quite ready to replace either application: http:/
Annandale, Va: Rob,
A warning about SP3 for Windows XP, from recent personal experience. I was about to install some new software on my three-year-old HP desktop, so I created a restore point and checked the Microsoft site to be sure I was current with updates, even though my system is set to get them automatically. I just reinstalled Windows in February - not by choice - and I've been extra cautious since then. The site recommended I download and install Service Pack 3, so I did.
What a mistake.
On the restart, the computer never finished booting but restarted itself, giving me the safe mode/last known good configuration/etc screen. No problem, I thought, I'll go back to the restore point I just made. Nope - the system cannot be restored to that date. I tried going going back to restore points days, weeks, and finally months old. No luck. Thanks to Microsoft, I get to spend the weekend recreating my computer for the second time in four months.
So everyone, when Rob tells you to back up your data, he means it. My backup drive is the only thing keeping me sane, but how I wish I had Apple's Time Machine. My next computer will be an Apple, no question.
Rob Pegoraro: Sorry to hear of your story. FWIW, Service Pack 3 has been fine in my experience. But that's the problem with Windows--success on one computer does not seem to guarantee anything on a second person's machine. The entire OS can just seem fundamentally ungovernable in cases like this.
Who rebooted you?: You seem particularly feisty & sarcastic today, Rob! Just giddy to have that wireless plan roundup article behind you?
Rob Pegoraro: Wait until it's a month to go before the analog-TV shutoff and I'm answering DTV questions for the 2 millionth time :)
Pre- vs Post-paid Cell: Just my personal experience with the Prepaid Debate... When I lived in France my junior year of college, I adored my prepaid cell. It was more widespread there, and it suited my needs of a ten-month solution for varying use. However, when I got back to the States, prepaid plans were just starting to become available. But without having a landline, my cell is my primary phone - and the prepaid rates tend to favor minimal usage.
Rob Pegoraro: True enough...
Madison, Wisc.: Hi Rob, what's your take on this agreement between the major cable companies and Sony? Do you think this will really hasten the end of the set top cable box? My take is I'll believe it when I see it, and I don't think it's likely I will.
Rob Pegoraro: I am skeptical as well. For one thing, Panasonic trumpeted a deal much like this several years ago; last I checked, owners of Panny HDTVs still had to put up with cable boxes like everybody else. For another, this agreement is confined to one company; any other firms will have to negotiate their own deals.
I just don't get this. Oh cable companies, why do you think anybody likes their cable boxes? We don't. Please get this through your heads at long last: YOU ARE IN THE SERVICE BUSINESS, NOT THE HARDWARE BUSINESS. Leave the hardware to people who are actually good at it, mmkay?
Syosset, N.Y.:
Rob... Love the chats (and the TRS-80 conversation - I had a Model I!)
My wife, son and I all have a Verizon family plan with varying end dates to our service plan. My wife and I each covet the iPhone.
Do we wait the years until IPhone is not exclusive to ATT, or... do we bite the bullet and pay off the cancellation penalties?
Rob Pegoraro: I would sit tight. Paying multiple cancellation penalties--that's gonna hurt. OTOH, you will be waiting a long time for a non-AT&T iPhone to appear; I'm pretty sure that company has a five-year exclusive on the thing.
You may instead want to wait for phones running Google's Android software, which aren't exclusive to any one carrier. They're supposed to arrive by the end of this year.
Columbia Heights, D.C.: Do you know of any good quality earbuds that have a retractable cord? I HATE winding up the cord in between use of my MP3. I bought one that lasted 2 months before the sound went out in one of the earbuds.
Rob Pegoraro: Can't think of any. Can any of y'all?
Tampa, Fla.: Re databases: OpenOffice Base is a free data base program. I haven't tried it, but if works as well as the rest of the Open Office suite, it should be a good program.
Rob Pegoraro: Forgot about that--thanks, Tampa!
Franconia, Va.: Anything important for buying a new HDTV aside from LCD versus plasma?
Rob Pegoraro: LCD and plasma is the most important decision, but there are also issues like screen size (well, duh :), resolution, response time and connectivity. Here's the story I did on HDTV shopping (among other tech topics) last winter:
One thing I'd add to that--a lot of LCD sets now offer "120 Hz," which is a fancy way of saying they redraw the image on the screen twice as fast as normal to reduce blurring effects. It's becoming a standard feature on mid-level TVs a lot faster than I though it would six months ago.
Arlington: Hi, I'm a pretty devoted Mac user and currently have a T-mobile phone. Would love, love an iPhone but enjoy the T-mobile service. Do you know if/when Apple will share the iPhone with other cell providers? Thanks!
Rob Pegoraro: You could buy an unlocked phone or "jailbreak" it yourself--but you're on your own in that case, with no warranty and no recourse if the phone dies.
So I think you've gotta dump T-Mobile if you want the iPhone badly enough.
RE: Every Mac might have a MAC, but not every MAC is found on a Mac.: This is good to know. Are there more common techno-malapropisms I can intentionally use to drive my IT guy nuts?
Rob Pegoraro: Hmmm... I'll see if I can think of any. Maybe you could keep calling the Internet "AOL." That oughta drive them bonkers!
Alexandria: Re the conversion of TV broadcasting to all-digital: we are among the frugal who get our HD TV over the air, by antenna. Love it. I also dearly love my Panasonic DVR, which we use constantly to record one program while we watch another. So as I understand it, we won't need a converter box for the TV, since it's already "digital ready." But what about the recorder? Will that still work? Do we have to get a converter box for it? Or will we have to buy a new recorder? We paid about $600 for the recorder we have now, so hope we can still use it. And I note that the new Panasonic digital DVD recorders will record the program you're watching, which seems pointless to me - I want to record the one I'm NOT watching, so I can watch it later. Help!
Rob Pegoraro: If your DVR has an ATSC tuner, you're set. If not, you're hosed, in basically the manner you describe. (Although with a DVD recorder and an HDTV, each with a DTV tuner, you could record one program on the recorder and use the TV's tuner to watch another.)
New York: Hi Rob, any recommendations for a personal camcorder to shoot video for a blog? I'm looking for something under $500 with a good amount of zoom. Thanks!
Rob Pegoraro: Use the video feature on your digital camera--that should offer more than enough resolution for blog posting. (I shot all the video you saw from my CES trip in January on my own, year-old cheap digicam.)
Washington, D.C.: Hi Rob--
If you tell my boss I'm sending this, I'll deny it, but the security settings on my work PC are driving me crazy. They just installed a new version of McAfee VirusScan Enterprise on my computer, and it seems to think that every cookie on every website is a security threat. I get a pop-up window every time a website tries to put a cookie on my computer--I never realized how often that happens. Do you know how I can adjust this without opening up my computer to every virus out there? I asked our IT people about it and they couldn't figure it out. Their solution was to wait until a new version gets released--very helpful.
Rob Pegoraro: You could download a copy of Portable Firefox, put that on a USB keychain and run that copy... well, assuming McAfee only policies cookies in IE. If it does that in Firefox as well, I would imagine that it would control a USB copy of the browser as well as one installed on the C: drive.
In which case you might have to do actual work at work. That's just awful...
Annapolis, Md.: Any suggestions on networking computers to a printer?
My parents use Verizon Fios (finally....). Both are using land-line links to the central router. Dad's machine (basement) has an attached printer. Mom's (2nd floor) does not. Any suggestions on a way to network Mom's PC in with Dad's to use the printer? I know the printer allows it, but I'm wondering if I'd need an extra router/hub on the inside of the Verizon unit to accomplish it? Or would I just need to connect the router to the Verizon unit to make it addressable to all?
Rob Pegoraro: You should have enough hardware on hand for this; you'd need to enable file and printer sharing on your dad's computer, then leave that machine on full-time to keep the printer accessible.
Some routers have USB ports that let you share a printer off them--for instance, Apple's AirPort routers--but I don't know that the standard Fios model does.
You could also buy a printer that has WiFi included, but those are still pretty rare in the market.
Rob asks "Oh cable companies, why do you think anybody likes their cable boxes?":$11 a month rental per box, that's why. That deal won't mean anything until that revenue can be replaced.
Rob Pegoraro: Sad but true.
Leopard Upgrade: I have a Intel Core2Duo MacBook, now that Leopard has a couple of point updates under it's belt, is it worth the upgrade? Will I see a performance hit? I'm used to every Windows OS upgrade slowing my computer significantly? Does Mac have the same issue?
Rob Pegoraro: No, Apple's new OS X releases typically run a little faster, as the company finds ways to optimize more of what is still a relatively young operating system.
I would go ahead with the upgrade. When I sit down in front of a Mac that's not running Leopard, I find it almost obnoxious that I can't, for instance, view any document with Quick Look, make a Dashboard Web clip of any Web page right in Safari, or add an iCal appointment from within Mail.
Farragut North/West, D.C.: Do tri-mode cell phones still have any tech value? I still have one because...well, it still seems to work fine. But there's that huge discount for renewing a contract, and many new all-digital phones are really cool, and there's that gadget-loving element of the Y chromosome...
Rob Pegoraro: If by "tri-mode" you mean phones with analog capability, they have *zero* value--analog service is being shut off pretty quickly around the country. Carriers stopped being required to offer analog back in February, so any analog transmitter in a cell phone is now just about worthless.
Minneapolis, Minn.: I'm so glad you're doing a chat today because I have a question that I'm dying to know the answer to, and that will help me decide where I spend my economic stimulus rebate.
I have a 42" 1080P LCD TV that I use to watch HD that comes from over the air (no cable or dish). From what I understand, this means there is no compression, and therefore Zero data loss in the transmission, therefore the best possible picture as of now. (Whether the compression used by cable/dish results in a picture worse than OTA, I don't know, don't care.)
Now, when ABC plays a movie like Harry Potter in HD, and I watch it in the setup described above, is that basically the same as watching it on Bluray? I have an upconverting (to 1080P) DVD player and I have to say that I can't see the difference in picture quality between that and the movies that are shown on broadcast television in HD.
I was told by one person that the difference between DVD and Bluray is even more stunning than the difference between VHS and DVD. I just have a hard time believing that. If watching OTA HD is about the same as watching Bluray, then I'm just tickled pink to stick with DVD and upconvert it. It's hard to get a side-by-side comparison in any of the stores (Best Buy etc) to really see the difference, hence my comparison to HD transmissions. What do you think?
Rob Pegoraro: Yes, over-the-air DTV is as good as HD can get. So if you find that you can't see a big difference between an OTA high-def movie and an upconverted DVD, you should save your money and skip a Blu-ray purchase.
BTW, was the person who told you that "the difference between DVD and Bluray is even more stunning than the difference between VHS and DVD" under the influence of any hallucinogenic substances? Because not even the PR types flacking Blu-ray have tried to make that argument to me.
Bethesda, Md.: If I wanted to use a generic internet address i.e. one that is portable and not dependent on the the ISP provider being used, which one would you recommend? Isn't gmail still in beta testing? How about yahoo or hotmail?
Rob Pegoraro: I'd go with Gmail, as long as you don't mind the ads on the side. Hotmail and Yahoo don't let you download your messages to any other mail program unless you pay extra for the privilege.
Here's a digital converter question: I must buy a digital converter box for my TV tonight -- the government coupon expires today! Give me a name of the digital converter I should buy. Please?
Rob Pegoraro: This is why I told people not to rush out and order those coupons back in February :)
All I can tell you is that I've only tried two of the things, a Magnavox and a Zenith, and that the Zenith was better but not by a huge margin.
Arlington, Va.: Have you had a chance to check out Canon's new SD SDcard camcorders? They are tiny and very lightweight since it's all solid state. Battery life should be pretty good too since there's no motor to drive. I have my eye on the FS100 but no one seems to really have them in stock. I saw one at Penn Camera and they didn't even have it on display. The guy behind the counter had to track it down hidden in their cabinet. These models were supposed to be out in March, then April, then May, and here we are at June and they seem to be very hard to find.
Rob Pegoraro: Thanks for the suggestion--I'll have to look into this. FWIW, I think SD memory-card storage is the future for camcorders in general, when you see how its capacity keeps going up while its costs keep going down.
Arlington, Va.: After constant clamoring from the grandparents for more pics of their grandson (my son), my husband and I got the idea to buy each family a webcam and software to allow for videoteleconferences. I know of Skype but have never used it - would you recommend that or another service? Any recs on the cameras themselves? Our parents are older and not very tech-savvy, so I'm looking for the simplest solution out-of-box (otherwise they'll wait to set it up until we visit, defeating the purpose.)
Rob Pegoraro: Go with Skype. The software's pretty simple to set up, and you also get dirt-cheap international calling in the bargain.
Summerville, S.C.: Rob - Most of the SP3 problems seem to be centered on HP machines with AMD processors. Seems HP used an install script that references a dll that only applies to Intel processors. It runs ok on initial installs because they left out the actually dll! When SP3 installs it sees the reference to the Intel dll and installs it on the machine. AMD processor tries to run Intel dll, now HP machine no workie. See details here: http:/
Rob Pegoraro: Interesting--gotta check that out.
Almost done here; just a few other questions that I want to get to (in case my producer is wondering when she can take a break already!)
Madison, Wisc.: Rob, on 4/17, you had this exchange:
Los Angeles: If most XP users don't bother with a limited-user account and it's an enormous pain why is your collegue Brian Krebbs so hooked and adament about it?
Rob Pegoraro: I agree with Brian about a lot of things, but I think in this respect he underestimates the amount of time most home users will put into that kind of task. My general rule in those cases is not to give advice that a large chunk of readers will either ignore or quickly give up on.
Put it this way, I have enough trouble convincing people to stop using IE 6, and there you only need to install one program to fix your problem!
Here's what I tell the folks I help; I think most users can follow this. Use the limited account for internet and the administrator account for stuff done locally. Internet means web browser, email and IM. Local includes installing applications, games and office applications other than email.
I also install Firefox and tell users not to use IE. I suppose IE should be used for Windows Update, but most can just have auto updates do that for them.
The driveby download, email and IM pathways for dropping malware on Windows machines have become much too common. I'm sick of cleaning malware off machines, so at least for those I help, internet under limited user is absolutely necessary.
Rob Pegoraro: Thanks for this. The approach you suggest works because you're there to set it up. What I struggle with is giving advice that people can follow when you or I aren't there to help out.
i see this far too often:"Are there more common techno-malapropisms I can intentionally use to drive my IT guy nuts?"
Just say, "It's not working" without providing any details about what "it" is.
Rob Pegoraro: Yes, that's a classic!
Rob Pegoraro: And on that note--I need to get back to the day job, starting with writing up something for Help File. Thanks for all the questions! I'll talk to you again in a couple of weeks.
Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.


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Meet Us In St. Louis In 2017!
Danny Meyer to Bring Shake Shack to His Hometown of St. Louis, Missouri
Feb 12, 2016, 09:03 ET from Shake Shack
NEW YORK, Feb. 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --Game on! St. Louis is in the cards. Danny Meyer and Shake Shack® (NYSE: SHAK) are proud to announce that in 2017 they will open the first-ever St. Louis Shack located in the heart of the Central West End on the southeast corner of Euclid Avenue and West Pine Boulevard at 32 North Euclid Avenue.
Shake Shack's arrival in the Gateway to the West marks a special moment for the burger stand and its founder Danny Meyer, a St. Louis native. Meyer drew inspiration from his birthplace when he created Shake Shack and its original menu, which includes freshly-spun frozen custard, concretes and griddled flat-top dogs. Situated in a vibrant cultural district and just steps away from the historic Forest Park, the St. Louis location will harken back to Shake Shack's heritage as a neighborhood park kiosk in New York City's Madison Square Park.
"I learned the meaning of hospitality while growing up in St. Louis, a lesson that has shaped my life and career," said Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer. "When I jotted down the first Shake Shack menu, it was my favorite childhood food memories that most inspired me, and I'm thrilled that Shake Shack has at last found a home in my hometown."
Shake Shack is a critically acclaimed, modern day "roadside" burger stand known for its 100% all-natural, antibiotic-free Angus beef burgers (no hormones added ever), griddled flat-top dogs, fresh-made frozen custard, crispy crinkle cut fries and more. A fun and lively community gathering place with widespread appeal, Shake Shack has earned a cult-like following around the world.
Originally founded by Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group ("USHG"), which owns and operates some of New York City's most celebrated restaurants such as Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern and more—Shake Shack's fine-dining heritage and commitment to sourcing premium, sustainable ingredients have helped to pioneer the creation of a new "fine casual" category in restaurants.
As part of Shake Shack's mission to Stand For Something Good, the menu will feature all the Shack classics, as well as select frozen custard concretes featuring local purveyors. Like all locations, the St. Louis Shack will be constructed with recycled and sustainable materials and feature energy-efficient kitchen equipment and LED lighting. Booths will be made from lumber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, and tabletops will be made from reclaimed bowling alley lanes from New York-based CounterEvolution.
Learn more at: shakeshack.com | facebook.com/shakeshack | @shakeshack | @shakeshack
About Shake Shack Shake Shack is a modern day "roadside" burger stand known for its 100% all-natural, antibiotic-free Angus beef burgers (no hormones added ever), hot dogs, frozen custard, crinkle cut fries, beer and wine (available at select locations), and more. With its fresh, simple, high-quality food at a great value, Shake Shack is a fun and lively community-gathering place with widespread appeal. From its premium ingredients and caring hiring practices to its environmentally responsible designs and deep community investment, Shake Shack's mission is to Stand For Something Good. Since the original Shack opened in 2004 in NYC's Madison Square Park, the company has opened multiple locations in 12 states and the District of Columbia, as well as international locations including in London, Istanbul, Dubai, Tokyo, Moscow and more.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160211/332593
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160211/332592
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160211/332591
SOURCE Shake Shack

subset: commoncrawl


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Hi all,
My sister is looking for a Toronto restaurant for my niece's 16th birthday party but has been having trouble finding an appropriate venue. The criteria:
- Informal
- Approx. $25/person max
- Must be able to take reservations for a 6 pm seating
- Close to the subway line and in a safe neighbourhood (latter because of some of the teen girls will be going on their own)
- Can hold at least 25 people
I'm giving my sister the URL for this thread so she can keep an eye on it.
Thank you SO MUCH for any/all suggestions!


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It seems former Nintendo PR employee Alison Rapp was a prostitute
Nintendo was right for trying to dodge this bullet
Well, this is awkward…Alison Rapp, whom many had lambasted Nintendo for firing, seems to have been a high profile escort in the Seattle area, going by the name Maria Mint. Needless to say, it's not the sort of thing a PR rep for Nintendo should be doing.
Regardless of how you feel about the sources, the evidence is pretty damning.
This is a huge development. Who knows what could come of this, or how it will be spun? One can already hear the rumors and accusations: Is this how Rapp got her job, despite having a twitter history that should have made her unemployable by any company trying to be "family friendly" in America? Did she have any clients in the gaming/media business? Zoe Quinn 2.0! Etc.
Those of you that follow my articles know I'll have a response to this coming soon...


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Bates Motel | Norma | ° ѕ є χ o n f ι я є °
Description:Tribute about new serie Bates Motel! (prequel Psycho)!!i love this serie!
Videos focusing on the relationship between Norma/Norman/Zack/Dylan
p.s vera flaminga she so hot! xD
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Song: Kings of Leon sex on fire
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Visiting London's The O2 arena this Christmas
See your favourite Disney tales and characters brought to life before your eyes by talented ice skaters. Featuring familiar songs and costumes, the gangs all here, including much-loved childhood characters such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Peter Pan, the Little Mermaid, and many more. The perfect treat for kids and big kids alike, dreams really do come true with Disney on Ice tickets from lastminute.com.
Whether it's Christmas, a birthday, or other special occasion, treat the Disney fan in your life to an evening of magical entertainment, full of the sights and sounds of their favourite films. Let It Go with the Frozen cast, featuring Anna, Elsa, mountain man Kristoff, and Olaf the Snowman, explore the African Pride Lands with Simba and friends from The Lion King, fly from London to Neverland with Peter Pan and Wendy to meet up with Tinker Bell, and voyage to Ariel's underwater kingdom. Disney On Ice presents Passport to Adventure promises all this and more.
From Disney on Ice Birmingham to Disney on Ice London, there are a number of venues across the UK where you can see this attraction. Wish upon a star with Disney on Ice tour tickets from lastminute.com. Upbeat music, lovable characters and unforgettable moments make Disney On Ice presents Passport to Adventure an experience your family will cherish forever.
Ticket delivery
If you have not received your tickets five days before the event date or need to amend your delivery details, please visit us at frequently asked questions


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Two recurring doctrines in legal malpractice tend to cull out complicated claims on a regular basis. They are both seen in Rubin v Duncan, Fish & Vogel, L.L.P. 2017 NY Slip Op 01646 Decided on March 7, 2017 Appellate Division, First Department.
Failure to schedule legal malpractice claims in either a Chapter 7 or 11 filing will divest the petitioner of those claims. This happens over and over in legal malpractice cases. Secondly, the successor attorney principle holds that when a second attorney comes into the picture with time to fix a problem, generally the first attorney is out of the picture.
"The failure of the individual plaintiffs to schedule the instant claims as assets in their Chapter 11 bankruptcies bars their pursuit of those claims (Dynamics Corp. of Am. v Marine Midland Bank-N.Y., 69 NY2d 191 [1987]). It is immaterial that the bankruptcy court had actual knowledge of the existence of the claims (see Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Sec. Corp. v Mathiasen, 207 AD2d 280, 282 [1st Dept 1994]).
However, because the Marital Trust never filed for bankruptcy, it did not lose its claims. Further, contrary to defendants' contention, cognizable damages are pleaded by the Marital Trust's allegations that it incurred legal fees and that it lost any source of repayment for its loans to the other plaintiffs by virtue of defendants' malpractice. Thus, the Marital Trust alone has standing to assert the claims in this action."
"The complaint fails to state a cause of action for malpractice based on the "recap" of accounts and balances provided in the Utah action. While defendants arguably should have found the error in the recap, the error did not cause plaintiffs any harm. It was irrelevant to the Utah proceeding. In the judgment enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, in which the transaction was expressly litigated, plaintiffs were represented by new counsel, and neither they nor counsel corrected the error.
The complaint states a cause of action for malpractice based on the deposition advice given to Margery Rubin. The doctrine of judicial estoppel does not preclude plaintiffs from arguing against counsel that counsel's alleged advice as to giving perjurious testimony caused injury (see D & L Holdings v Goldman Co., 287 AD2d 65, 71 [1st Dept 2001], lv denied 97 NY2d 611 [2002]). Margery Rubin did not prevail in the Utah action by virtue of her testimony. Moreover, the District Court for the Southern District of New York expressly relied on that testimony in finding certain transfers void and entering the turnover order."


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Protect the area of your vehicle that takes the most abuse with the Covercraft Front End Mini-Mask Vehicle Bra! The mini mask's custom patterns fit most cars, trucks, and vans, and is easy to install with no tools or hardware required. The mask utilizes reinforced air foils to prevent flapping and lift, and can be used in any weather, including sun, snow, and rain. Your vehicle's hood will still be able to open with the mask on, allowing easy access to your engine when neccesary. Plus, as an added convenience, the mask can be stored away in your trunk or under a seat while not in use!
Protects leading edge of hood
Custom patterned for cars,
vans and pickups
Easy to store when not in use
Easy to install and remove
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"Fine experience. Will shop with them again." (3/1/17)-
"Been looking for this paint everywhere glad to see you have it!" (2/24/17)-


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1223 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY 40204Request info Add to list
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Paul C. P.
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1223 Bardstown Road is aretail property for lease in Louisville, KY.
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HM 18 specifies the procedures for proving turbine meters in road or rail loading gantry installations. The procedures are based on those employed for proving positive displacement meters, but make allowance for the special requirements of turbine meters. Many of the problems associated with the use of turbine meters in the limited space available and with the variations of pipework in gantry installations, have been appreciated for some time. The magnitude of the effects and the actions that may be taken to mitigate them are less well understood.
Industry has generated a significant amount of data on the performance of turbine meters, both through special test programmes and through routine proving. This HM document (formerly PMP No 9) presents data derived from this work (made available by the oil companies involved) and from research programmes sponsored by the IP, to provide the basis for the proving recommendations.
Summaries of the results are presented and discussed below under three separate headings:
Are you an EI Member? If yes, register/log in now to ensure you receive free access or discounts to EI publications. How to do this:
1. Sign up/register with this site.
2. Log in
3. Link your membership details to your profile, on your profile page.
If you are not a Member, why not join today and receive all of the benefits of EI Membership? EI Members are entitled to a 25% discount on most EI publications.


text:
Quick Details
- Place of Origin: Guangdong, China (Mainland)
- Brand Name: YCF
- Model Number: CDZ-424
- Type: CD Case
- Material: tinplate
- material: tinplate
- size: 150*150*30mm
- feature: this cd tin box can storage 24 dics
- design: highly welcome OEM design
- printing: 4C off-set printing
- color: colorful
- Sample time: 7-10 days
Packaging & Delivery
|Packaging Details
|1pc/opp bag,12 pcs/inner ctn,96 pcs/export ctn, exp.ctn size:42*34.4*69.8 cm
|Delivery Time
|within 25-30 days after order confirmed
Promotional Manufacture Tin CD Case With Zipper
|Product Description
|Item no.
|150*150*30mm (different sizes are available)
|0.21-0.23mm tinplate
|Round shape (zipper puller can be designed into other shape)
|Loading port
|4C off-set process,custom's design and logo are wolcome
|Each pc in opp bag,several pcs in inner ctn.,several inner ctn.in exp ctn.
|Can be used for lunch box,gift box,piggy box
|Different sizes are available, this wholesale tin lunch box with zipper,zipper colours can be choosen and the box is with handle
|Delivery time
|Within 25-30 days after order comfirmed
|Existing mould,high quality with competitive price,factory directly
|If making customer's own designs,MOQ is 2400 pcs per design
NOTES: About Mould , If we have not the existing mould, it will be take about 25 days to open an new mould.
|Product Display
|Packaging & Shipping
Packing: 1pc in opp bag,several pcs in inner ctn,several inner ctn in exp ctn.
|Our Services
Making Procedure
1. Customer's conception and requirement understood.
2. Shape and size of tin confirmation.
3. Design artwork completion.
4. Artwork printing for sample.
5. Printed sample confirmation
6. Production arrangement
Quality control
We have a professional product quality control team,execute company production policy and pay
more attentions on product details according to the customers' request to ensure the high quality
|Company Information
1.Our factory was established in 2005, but we have been in this field for more than 15 years.
2.We are specialized in the manufacture of printed tinplate products, especially tin product w/zipper series, such as zipper tin pencil boxes & cases, CD holders, coin banks, etc.
|Production Flow
Q1: When can I get the price?
A1: We usually quote within 24 hours after we get your inquiry.
Q2: Can we get free samples?
A2: Yes,if we have existing samples,it is ok.
Q3: What about the payment?
A3: Usually 30% deposit after confirmation of the order,the 70% balance upon B/L copy.
Q4: When about the lead time for mass production?
A4: Honestly,it depends on the order quantity and the season you place the order.Generally,our delivery time about 25~30 days.


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Starting Times
Saturday, March 24, 2018
6:00 a.m. - Race Day Registration opens at Chumash Park
7:00 a.m. - L.A. Sports & Fitness Expo opens
7:00 a.m. - Chesebro Half Marathon
7:28 a.m. - Old Agoura 10K Wave 1 (Qualifying Time < 54:00)
7:29 a.m. - Old Agoura 10K Wave 2 (No Qualifying Time)
7:30 a.m. - Pacific Half Marathon (Starts at Paramount Ranch)
9:05 a.m. - Deena Kastor 5K Wave 1
9:06 a.m. - Deena Kastor 5K Wave 2
10:25 a.m. - Kids 1 Mile (6-12 year olds only)
10:45 a.m. - Camp Kinneret Family Fun Run (all ages)
All races finish in Chumash Park, Agoura Hills (map). Click here for directions and important parking information. Chumash Park is site of the finish, the race day Sports and Fitness Expo and Post-Race Party.
3 Different Start Locations:
1. Chesebro Half Marathon, Old Agoura 10K and Deena Kastor 5K start on Carell Avenue (map). The start is at the top of the hill. Allow plenty of time to walk up the hill.
2. Pacific Half Marathon starts at Paramount Ranch (map). (This start is 3.5 miles away from Chumash Park). Parking for the Pacific Half Marathon is at Paramount Ranch. Race day pick up for the Pacific Half Marathon is at Paramount Ranch from 6 a.m. - 7 a.m.
3. Kids 1 Mile and Family Fun Run start on Argos Street at Chumash Park. All 1 Mile and Fun Run participants shall gather at the playground area in Chumash Park prior to moving to the start corral on Argos St.
Race day registration (as available) and race day pick up for the Chesebro Half Marathon, 10K, 5K and 1 mile are at Chumash Park.


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Set on a clifftop overlooking the Gulf of Oman, this chic, waterside hotel is 3 km from the Royal Opera House Muscat and 15 km from the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque.
Bright, modern rooms feature free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs; some offer water views and/or balconies. Upgraded rooms add access to a sleek lounge, and suites feature sitting and dining areas. Room service is available 24/7.
The 4 dining options include a Persian restaurant and an Italian eatery with sea views. There's also an English-style pub and a bar overlooking the heated, outdoor pool. Other amenities include a sundeck, a gym and a sauna, plus a private beach and free parking.
3 kms from Muscat city.
Swimming, golf, tours of Muscat and surrounding area, watersports, sailing, snorkelling, whale and dolphin watching.
Comfortable, beach hotel with good access to Muscat.
Katie Benden
+44(0) 1285 651
Read more
Charlotte Lawton
+44 (0) 1285 651 010
expert led group tour
Oman - From ancient Magan to the Frankincense lands
11 days from £4,750pp
View holiday
Al Bustan Palace by Ritz Carlton
View property
The Chedi Muscat
Six Senses Zighy Bay
Grand Hyatt, Muscat
Can't find what you're looking for?
Steppes Travel, 51 Castle St, Cirencester, GL7 1QD, United Kingdom


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"With the additions of Mackowiak and Harris, I feel we will have one of the deepest and most balanced benches in the National League," said Bowden.
Mackowiak is a career .262 hitter with 63 home runs and 282 RBI in 818 games with Pittsburgh (2001-05), Chicago White Sox (2006-07) and San Diego (2007). He has played all three outfield positions, as well as first base, second base and third base. The 31 year-old has logged 81 career starts in left field, 137 starts in center field, 150 starts in right field, three starts at first base, 48 starts at second base and 142 starts at third base.
Mackowiak hit .278 with six homers and 36 RBI in 85 games with Chicago (AL) and San Diego last season. He hit .283 (13-for-46) against left-handed pitching at the two stops.
The Illinois native's best season came in 2004, when he posted career highs with 22 doubles, 17 homers and 75 RBI in 155 games with Pittsburgh. He was originally selected by the Pirates in the 53rd round of the 1996 First-Year Player Draft out of South Suburban (IL) Junior College.
Harris appeared in 117 games with Atlanta in 2007 and batted .270 with 20 doubles, eight triples, two homers, 32 RBI and 17 stolen bases. Defensively, the 29-year-old made 69 starts in left field and nine in centerfield for Bobby Cox.
Harris is a career .247 hitter with 47 doubles, seven home runs, 85 RBI and 72 stolen bases in 486 games spanning seven big league seasons with Baltimore (2001), Chicago White Sox (2002-05), Boston (2006) and Atlanta (2007). Harris, who was originally drafted by the Orioles in 1999, earned a World Series ring with the White Sox in 2005.
Experienced at every defensive position except first base, catcher and pitcher, Harris has 147 career starts at second base, 75 in centerfield, 71 in left field, two at shortstop and one in right field. He also appeared twice defensively at third base for Atlanta in 2007.


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Believing in something entirely based on faith isn't necessarily a problem, but it does tend to create two significant problems. One problem is it creates absolutists and missionaries. Absolutists can't believe in anything else and missionaries have to have everyone else believe what they believe. The result is intolerance and hatred. If everyone in the world had some ridiculously crazy religion but was completely accepting of everyone else's crazy religion and lived in peace and harmony than I'd be fine with that. That of course doesn't happen.
The other problem is when it leads to ignoring realities. Climate Change is a good example. Belief in mythologies which require disbelief in reality is a serious problem.
Of course it doesn't take religion to have absolutists and missionaries. Nationalism, for instance, is an ideology which borders on religious conviction and is often entirely based on fictional realities. Same thing with Capitalism.
Without religion (and other dogmas) I think we would be more rational, more grounded in the realities of our world, and more empathetic to our fellow beings. I guess I basically just summarized the enlightenment. We seem to be going backwards in that regard these days. Makes sense I suppose. Thinking requires some degree of serenity and we have built a world of chaos, where the resulting desperation tends towards the simple answers of mythology.
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It would be a world without humans, I think.
My hypothesis - and bear in mind that my understanding of neuropsychology consists of listening to a bunch of interviews with Oliver Sacks on Radiolab - is that evolution hard-wired us for belief. The same hypersensitive agency detection device that kept our ancestors outside of lions in the Rift Valley also enabled us to accomplish other feats of abstract reasoning - that stones could be sharpened into spear tips, that the hard bits of fruits could be buried and grow into more fruits, and that some berries made you sick and others didn't. These were very useful by-products of our abstract reasoning ability. It was also important to the development of culture, allowing us to create narrative and art and music.
However, our abstract reasoning also got us thinking that invisible super-people were responsible for the Sun and Moon and rains. Combine this with the fact that we are small-group primates, and our reasoning skill becomes a force for tribal cohesion against rival tribes. The rains didn't come this year because those other humans on the other side of the mountain didn't make an offering to the rain god, for example. Fast-forward ten millennia or so and you have entrenched organized religions uniting and dividing huge swaths of the planet.
As I said, it's just a hypothesis. But I think religion is in our genes. We cannot escape it. Even if all world religions were to disappear tonight, we'd find other belief systems and other ways to faction ourselves. We're human. That's what we do.
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I think a world without religion would be a better place--but a world without faith/spirituality would be a much worse place.
Let me clarify. Religion is not the belief in God; religion is the structured rules, regulations, punishments, and hierarchies that MAN has created in the name of God. Religion is judgmental, discriminating, and a way to maintain power/control over the masses.
Faith/Spirituality is the belief in a higher power. The name of your God, is irrelevant, it is just the recognition that something greater is connecting all of us and is watching over us.
I think the world would be better off without religion because most of what we fight about is somehow tied to religion and what our religion tells us is right and which religion is best. If there was no religion, we'd eliminate all of these truly petty differences.
I think the world would be worse without faith/spirituality because to me, they are the essence of unconditional love. When you have faith/spirituality in your life you are more likely to extend love, kindness, forgiveness, and grace to others. It is easier to get through difficult times and situations because you believe you are loved and never alone. People with a strong spiritual background tend to be a lot happier and content with life than those who do not.
It's no surprise that faith/spirituality is heavily linked with the crown chakra; wisdom and divinity.
So for me; religion booo, faith/spirituality yay!
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I assume you mean the organization of people of a particular belief. This concept of religion is man made. That is cool. But the song "imagine" is wise. We too often just meld the concept of Belief in a higher power with religion. The reggae song "Love is my religion" seems to be an invitation into combining faith with love and abolishing organizations all together.
Would anarchy among all believers of higher powers be better than being organized? I really like the idea of Utopia but I do not see it happening soon.
And just to be clear. My religion has some real funk to it, but I like it and even love it. So do not take mine away.
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A world without religion would be very boring. Personally, I have not chosen a religion that I feel is right for me, BUT I do think that religion has produced many great arts: paintings, music, stories, myths, etc.
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Peugeot has revealed the Urban Crossover Concept at the Beijing car show. The automaker's latest global crossover concept has been designed by its design studios in Paris, Sao Paulo and Shanghai. The vehicle is styled to cater to the future mobility needs of megacities. The Peugeot Urban Crossover Concept is 4140 mm in length and 1740 mm in width.
The concept has design hints from the HR1 concept first viewed in 2010 at the Paris car show. The automaker maintains that it combines the "cheekiness and mischievousness" of an SUV and the "elegance and refinement" of a saloon. The styling features at the front end builds on the appearance of the new 208.
A low roof and raked windscreen add to the sleek profile. Adding to the wide, low stance of the concept are the sculpted wings and flared arches. According to Peugeot, the spoiler and the double-bubble roof design take inspiration from the RCZ coupé. The lights at the back and front have Peugeot's 'claw' design.
With regard to the positioning of the concept, Peugeot disclosed that it is the " synthesis" of its knowledge in developing a small automobile with compactness, agility, confident styling and multi-role ability for young city dwellers that "like the city, live the city, creating the city, while still loving to escape it."
Peugeot has a solid reliability among compact cars (15 million units built in the 200 series) and a recent legitimacy, but it has already been outstanding in crossovers, with the 3008 success (368,000 units sold to date worldwide). With the SXC concept debut at the Shanghai Motor Show in 2011, Peugeot wanted to develop and combine these two ranges of excellence.
The Peugeot Urban Crossover Concept attempts to synthesise Peugeot's ability in creating a small vehicle with dexterity, solidity, multiple skills, and poised style for young urbanites that like to live in the city, but still love to escape as well.
A unique style of stylishness with sturdiness
Peugeot Urban Crossover Concept unsurprisingly exemplifies Peugeot's new styling ethos. With its sporty and classical lines, it enforces its daring bearing, shaking up and reinventing standards of large vehicles for the small vehicle range.
Urban Crossover Concept has features that are diverse and distinct: a modern SUV's height and strength, while being light and aerodynamic; new Peugeot saloon's subtlety, stylishness, and vitality; but also, a large vehicle's multiple role capability while remaining compact.
Its front end is both refined and powerful. Sensuous models with a highly sculptured bonnet or front wings convey a supportive feeling of safety and strength. The always floating smiling grille gives a large metal outline, related to the cultured duality of Peugeot's new badge.


text: Hey everyone, I'm now realizing the importance of having unique readable content on my tier1. I'm wondering though, how do you get your content and make it stick? Automated spinning tools usually spit unreadable rubbish that will not pass a manual review. I guess that leaves us with 2 options really: 1) Do manual spinning (huge time consuming and is very expensive) 2) Create unique piece of content for every link we build (can get very pricey if we need a lot of links) For my PBN I just buy unique articles, but for my web 2.0s I need something more scalable and cheap. I imagine that all those web 2.0s you've created needs to be updated regularly, right? so what do you do? I know that many people are using scraped mashed content, which is basically mashing sentences from many articles to make the article unique, but is this tactic is good future wise? On the other hand spinning an article properly on 3 levels (paragraph, sentence & word/phrase) is very time consuming and expensive, it costs me about $60 for just 1×500 word article if I hire someone to do it. Another option is to buy a pre-made Ultra Spun Article for $6 at The Leading Articles, but those can be massively abused by other people, plus there's no word/phrase spinning there. So how do you guys handle this problem? Do you even bother with this issue or you just let scrapers like Kontent Machine do all the work? Plz chime in and let's discuss this.


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We are committed to evidence-based learning which promotes excellence in nursing and maximum development of student potential within an environment of caring.
The Nursing division offers certificate and associate degree programs which prepare students for jobs in the nursing field. These programs and certificates can help you seek advancement or promotion in your current or future career.
Completion of the Practical Nursing Program enables you to take the National Licensure Exam for Practical Nursing (NCLEX-PN) to earn a license to work as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN).
By completing the Registered Nursing Program, you will earn an Associate of Science in Nursing. This degree enables you to take the National Licensure Exam for Registered Nursing (NCLEX-RN) to earn a Registered Nurse license.
The Associate of Science Registered Nurse and the Practical Nurse programs are approved by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. The A.S. (R.N.) Nursing Program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. (ACEN). Read more on our accreditation page.
To accomplish its mission, the Nursing Division offers:
While completing the programs of the Division, you will study traditional as well as alternative delivery methods through laboratory experiences on and off campus. Through these experiences, you will:


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China: Catholic charities collect aid for victims of snowstorms
The Chinese Catholic community is in the frontline in the battle against the ice and snow, helping victims of the natural disasters, in the spirit of Pope's Message for Lent 2008. Included among them is Jinde Charities (Beifang Jinde Catholic Social Service Centre). The Chinese Catholic charitable association that coordinates all the Catholic aid groups has made a universal appeal for help on behalf of the victims of the snowstorms. The text of the appeal reads: "In recent years, with the cooperation and support of you yourself and the faithful in your area, and of both the domestic and overseas Church communities and organisations as well, Jinde Charities, adhering to the principle of "Practicing Charity and Witnessing Faith," helped many disaster victims in the name of Jesus and the Catholic Church everywhere in China, establishing the new image of the Catholic Church. "This Lunar New Year happens to be the beginning of the Lenten Season In his message for Lent 2008, Pope Benedict XVI invites all the clergy and faithful all over the world to be 'armed with prayer, fasting and the practice of almsgiving, so as to arrive at the celebration of the Easter Feasts, renewed in spirit.' Let us follow the Pope's teaching, offering the gifts that we have received, those which we want to give to others, to the people who are suffering from cold, from hunger Let us offer our fasting for them. The resources from only one parish, or only one diocese are limited, but when we unite the resources of all the priests and faithful, problems can be solved, at least for a certain specific area." Concluding his message, the priest heading up the campaign told Chinese Catholics: "Let us do as the Pope has asked!" Source: Fides


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Available ebook formats: epub mobi pdf rtf lrf pdb txt html
Having survived countless vexations, adventures, self-induced hardships, and brushes with a harsh destiny, Walt Long currently resides in Colorado with his family in relative bliss. All of the astounding incidents portrayed in his two novels are based upon fact…first-hand, indelible experiences.
Review by:
Julie R Butler
on Oct. 05, 2010 :
Once I started reading The Travelers, I couldn't stop. It is a riveting story about a topic that is even more pressing today than it was twenty years ago, when the events depicted in this novel take place. This tale uncovers the many underlying currents of the issue of illegal immigration, and Walt does a beautiful job of humanizing all of the diverse factions that are involved – from the hopeful immigrants, to the group of smugglers that comprised a mixed bag of opportunists and Good Samaritans, to the community in southern New Mexico whose citizens are inextricably entangled with it all.
Unfolding a deliciously full-bodied portrayal of one of those perceptive individuals who instinctively knows how to take advantage of the holes in any given system, the depiction of this main character's inter-relationships within his community reveals how burred the line is between the "good" guys and the "bad." Henry "Mickey" McAllister's often cynical reading of human nature has served him well, as long as he remains aloof in his simplified bachelor's reality. Yet, despite his mastery in navigating those blurred boundaries upon which society seeks to define itself, always self-confidant and fearless in the face of uncertainty, Mickey finds himself treading into what are, for him, murky waters, acting uncharacteristically, doing things that he never thought himself capable of, such as actually CARING.
The title of the book is indicative of the carefully neutral tone that the narration takes as it reveals the lives and perspectives of a bountiful cast of characters. The people who are so often referred to as "wetbacks" are, in the context of this story, travelers on arduous journeys from places where they were linked to the United States in ways that are difficult for us to come to terms with. Many of their stories make clear that their coming to this country is connected to the history of the United States' hand in helping to create the harsh social situations they are escaping, and the people who are involved in aiding them in their travels are just as surprised as the reader might be to discover that a large portion of the travelers come from even farther away than our beleaguered neighbor just south of the border – that is, from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. Yet the narrator makes no judgments, giving equally careful attention to the concerns of individuals who are fearful of the consequences of allowing an unmitigated flow of undocumented people into the United States. It is left to the characters to pose their own questions about what factors may be motivating the anti-immigration movements, where legitimate fears converge with racism and xenephobia, and what the government's role should be.
In The Travelers, Walt artfully weaves together the lives of many individuals, speaking with an easy-going lilt, including vivid details that make the story very real, crafting a tale that is moving, suspenseful, keenly sensitive, and always engaging. Such a complex issue as illegal immigration deserves just the kind of in-depth literary treatment that Walt Long offers from this uniquely intimate perspective.
(reviewed 2 days after purchase)


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Yoga is a Vizsla who has been the pride and joy of her family since she was rescued. Used to being the center of attention, she wasn't quite ready to give it up. Nor did she even really know that she was going to have to give it up! She was used to getting all of her parent's kisses, and that is not something she is quite ready to share.
Recently, her parents had a baby! (Congratulations, parents!) And Yoga hasn't been sure of what's going on. The time that they used to spend walking, playing, and spending time with Yoga has now gone to the new baby, and Yoga, while taking it somewhat in stride, is still struggling with sharing all of the attention with the new "thing" in the house.
Yoga knew that something was going to be different, because her mother's stomach kept growing and growing, and they set up an entirely new room for some bizarre reason, but being the dog that she is, she had no idea that they were going to soon be bringing a sibling into the house. And a screaming, attention seeking one at that!
When Yoga's dad goes to give the new baby kisses, she can't help but try and steal them! She leans in to remind her dad that she's still there, and she still wants his kisses too! But she quickly sits back up with him after he's kissed the baby! This goes on for multiple kisses, and thankfully her dad is understanding and Yoga is very gentle around the new small human!
Watch the incredible video below!


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(EL CAJON, Calif.) — Protests of a police shooting in El Cajon, California turned violent late Thursday night, with groups of people throwing bottles and other objects at police and smashing car windows.
Thursday marked the third consecutive night of protests in the city of about 100,000 in San Diego County.
The unrest first began on Tuesday, when police fatally shot an unarmed black man who they say ignored officers' commands and assumed a "shooting stance," after being confronted in the parking lot of a restaurant.
A group of between 50 and 75 protesters occupied an intersection on Thursday night, police said. Some of the protesters stopped passing vehicles and smashed car windows.
"At one point, an assault took place between the protesters and a motorcyclist who was knocked off of his motorcycle," the El Cajon Police Department said in a statement.
Police said they arrived at the scene and ordered the demonstrators to disperse after they received numerous 911 calls about a disturbance.
People in the group began hurling glass bottles at officers, and the police responded with pepper balls, according to the police statement.
Police said they arrested two males, a 19-year-old and a 28-year-old, both from El Cajon.
In an interview with ABC News, El Cajon's mayor, Bill Wells, defended the city's police department but said he understands the frustrations people are expressing after Tuesday's shooting.
"We have a great police department," Wells told ABC News.
"There are a lot of people who don't feel heard in this debate," he added. "They feel the system is stacked against them, they feel that justice is not being done. I understand why people don't accept that. We need a dialogue about this more and more. People are pretty upset … and I get it."
Copyright © 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
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John Hancock Rosemont
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Candi Dez in Chicago, Qatar
98 months ago
A pathetic and desperate place- not only because I was verbally abused by management.
Your 1st day you will walk into a dim cubicle with no pencils, post-its, no computers. You're told to furnish your workspace after thinking you'll have an 'office' when hired.
You don't turn around because you have just paid $500 for your licenses to transfer. You now pay postage, e&o insurance, rent for your slab of a desk in an island of drooling kids and degenerates, and you will then be charged for the brochure that you are told to give away at every meeting. On top of that, you will only receive 25% of your commissions per paycheck. I walked away from many thousands of dollars that I will never get back, but for which I worked SO hard.
After this clicks in, a grease ball sales manager will tell you that you are fed leads. These leads are precisely why the entire operation is going under- legally and fiscally. When I left there were vultures digging through my personal files and trying to call my clients to churn & replace policies.
The entire operation is based on replacing old policies, putting people through painfully slow underwriting, and in the process virtually wiping away all the money they've accrued in their old life insurance policies without telling them.
They hire 'sales managers' who have sometimes NEVER sold life insurance! They hire a multitude of mentally unstable recent grads who can't pass their tests. Half the office still depends on mom and dad for support. The people who are doing well are usually the most degenerative. They even hired a girl in a miniskirt and no nylons who looks like a dirty stripper. She was hired without licenses too!
There were 85% decent people when I began- they ALL left (most of the agency!) at one time to go to another agency they started. Ever since they left the agency has been a slimy, dishonest pit of vultures who can't get a job anywhere else and so they stay there. You have no future there.
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An arrowhead is the word amateur archaeologists and collectors used to describe the sharp pointed objects of stone, bone, metal, or other material found in cultivated farm fields or stream beds, as well as on archaeological sites and in museums all over the world. Because arrowheads are found everywhere, they are the easily the most recognized piece of the past, known to nearly every child who has gone off exploring her own backyard or nearby field.

However, arrowhead is a misnomer, and professional archaeologists prefer to use the word "projectile point" instead of arrowhead. Objects which are identified as arrowheads by the general public were in fact not all used on the tips of arrows, but on the tips of darts or spears or even used without a haft at all. Archaeologists use "arrow point" to refer to the projectile points that were used with the bow and arrow.

Arrowhead Sizes

The confusion occurs because by and large true arrow points are quite small. Projectile points come in a wide variety of sizes from very large to quite tiny. True arrow points are sometimes referred to in the collector community as "bird points"; in fact, experimental archaeology has shown that the tiniest points can be successfully used to hunt deer or similarly sized mammals.

Other sizes of projectile points recognized by archaeologists are dart points, which were affixed to short darts and flung at targets using the technology known as the atlatl. A spear point is a projectile point that was fastened to the end of a long pole; the pole was then thrust or hurled at a large bodied mammal.

Technological Advances

The ancient stone tool technology which allowed people to make such tools involves embedding a knapped stone tool into a handle with the use of cordage or sinews to bind the stone to the wood, and gum or mastic to glue it in place. That is a much more technologically complex action compared to single component tools; and there is undoubtedly an additional complexity of determining the best size and shape for an object intended for assisted flight.

Opinions regarding the invention of the bow and arrow and dart and spear thrower technologies vary because finding unambiguous evidence is difficult at best. The earliest known projectile points found attached to wooden shafts so far is from Sibudu cave in South Africa, within a Middle Stone Age Howiesons Poort level dated between 61,000 and 64,000 years ago. Some scholars are inclined to believe the technology is older than that--at least hundred thousand years old.

Arrowheads and Science

Scholarly investigations of arrow points and other projectile points have involved distributions of specific point types such as Clovis; locations of raw source material and how that material is traded or transported and how far; dating of objects by stylistic changes; and specific flint-knapping techniques.

Arrowheads have also been used to provide evidence of the progress of a battle, such as the 13th century A.D. Crusader castle of Arsur in what is today Israel; as well as minor parts of weapons used at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in the mid-19th century Montana, and Towton, in 15th century England.

Sources and More Information

See the Top Myths and Facts about Arrowheads for more information about what scientists have discovered and what they have so far failed to communicate to the public about arrowheads.

This glossary entry is part of the Guide to Stone Tools and the Dictionary of Archaeology.

Ashkenazi D, Golan O, and Tal O. 2013. An archaeometallurgical study of 13th-century arrowheads and bolts from the Crusader Castle of Arsuf/Arsur. Archaeometry 55(2):235-257.

Connor MA, Scott DD, Harmon D, and Fox RA. 2013. Archaeological Perspectives on the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.

Lombard M, and Haidle MN. 2012. Thinking a Bow-and-arrow Set: Cognitive Implications of Middle Stone Age Bow and Stone-tipped Arrow Technology. Cambridge Archaeological Journal 22(02):237-264.

Rosen SA. 2013. Arrowheads, Axes, Ad Hoc, and Sickles: An Introduction to Aspects of Lithic Variability across the Near East in the Bronze and Iron Ages. Lithic Technology 38(3):141-149.

Scott DD, Fox RAJ, Connor MA, and Harmon D. 1989. Archaeological Perspectives on the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.

Shea JJ. 2006. The origins of lithic projectile point technology: evidence from Africa, the Levant, and Europe. Journal of Archaeological Science 33:823-846.

Sisk ML, and Shea JJ. 2009. Experimental use and quantitative performance analysis of triangular flakes (Levallois points) used as arrowheads. Journal of Archaeological Science 36(9):2039-2047.

Sutherland T. 2012. Conflicts and Allies: Historic Battlefields as Multidisciplinary Hubs — A Case Study from Towton AD 1461. Arms & Armour 9(1):40-53.


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View your grades and Instructor feedback
To learn how to view your grades in a course, click on the video link above. Check with your instructor to see if they are using the Blackboard grade book.
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Buy the bulk garden roses online to decorate your event like no one has ever done! Visit http://www.wholeblossoms.com/ and check out the flowers you can get!
Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author.While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server.
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Wholeblossoms.com is a one stop for wholesale flowers for weddings and events. Visit us online to shop wholesale wedding flowers or call 1-877-WOW-BLOOMS.


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Today marks 2 1/2 months on my journey "Embracing the Alchemy of my Body". As I mentioned in my last post "Nutrition..." I'm back to share more of what I'm learning along the way. I started my journey on April 12th and incorporated 4 components which I believe lead to a healthier lifestyle. They are Nutrition, Exercise, Stress Management and Essential oils.
My commitment for stress management...
was to engage my tools of...Meditate, Yoga, Breath Work, and Barefoot Breathing. Also to get adequate sleep, do self body Massages, using Essential Oils both topical and diffused and the Hot Tub, as well as to communicate my needs more. I felt all these would help me with reducing stress.
How has that showed up in my life so far?
Well...I'm still striving for small steps leading to bigger ones. Since I know when I follow my tendency of all or nothing...I'm not as successful. So far, I found working up to it, has helped me integrate changes so that they become permanent healthier life choices. At least that how it's been with my nutrition. Though it's been 2 1/2 months now...it still doesn't feel like I've totally embraced the healthy habits of reducing stress. I mean I have my moments, mostly the stress level is low, but there are some days, mostly it's around finances when I struggle. As most of you know, I no longer have my "day job", I've stepped fulling into my business, as well as our small family owned business. While that is a great thing...the steady income isn't there and as a whole the family is feeling it. Thus, I put pressure on myself and that translates into stress affecting my sleep, cravings etc.
The good thing is...when I use the tools...they work...
that should be a no brainer right?...but still I'm not as consistent as I would like. Well, I take that back...I have actually been consistent with meditating daily...which is a huge accomplishment for me! Though I did miss a few days this past weekend when we were out on the road. I like to meditate in the morning but the show had us wiped out and I couldn't muster my morning meditation before heading back out to the show. On that note, I just reminded myself of the very clear commitment I made at the start of my journey...to give myself permission to mess up, to not come down hard on myself when I stumbled or screwed up...be it nutrition, practices or what have you. Everyday is a new day and everyday I get to choose again. The reality of it is I'm striving for a healthier lifestyle, that takes practice. We got back last Sunday and I've returned to my daily morning mediation practice.
Now, in regards to meditating...here's what I've learned...
I tend to have what they call Monkey Brain...so I found that doing guided meditations is the ticket for me. I finished reading Deepak's book "What are you Hungry For"...which I loved and still refer to...it launched my daily mediation practice. After a few weeks of working up from 5 mins to 15 then 20 mins of meditation...I went to Youtube and found a wonderful collection of meditations both by him and by his teachers in the Chopra Center.
During my Meditation search I also came across a few Apps I now use. Conscious Health by Deepak, though it's FREE there are some in App purchases. I like how in Deepak's meditations he has a lesson to teach, a centering thought and a chant.
The Insight Timer App is great for when I want to try silent meditation or breath work...when I'm barefoot breathing or just outside sitting in nature.
I absolutely love Relaxed Melodies Sleep Zen Sounds...because its a collection of various sounds from waves, rivers, rains, to birds, crickets, frogs to winds, chimes and thunder storms...to sooo much more. And you get to choose, combine and mix the sounds you want as well as set the timer for how long you want the background music to play while meditating.
The other practice I've incorporated is Self Massages...
I created a blend that will help tone and tighten my skin as I loose weight. I know it's inevitable that I will be left with loose skin, given the amount of weight I'll be losing and my age. So every evening I give myself a self massage from head to toe...hubby helps me with my back, a perk I say. I found that this practice also helps me get in tune with my body...helping me accept it for what it is, instead of wishing it was something else. On a side note...using the oils every night...has strengthen my nails and is making them grow much faster!
The other tools I'm incorporating are...
spending more time in the Hot Tub...especially before bed, as I found it helps me relax and fall asleep faster and deeper. Communicating my needs...still one I'm working on but I'm blessed to have a super supportive and understanding husband. Lastly, my Yoga practice...which also falls into my exercise, but it as well as my exercise is a work in progress, but I'll share more of that on my next update.
Another fun thing I've been doing is taking screenshots of the times that I see number sequences, I call them Sacred Numbers, on my phone...which is often...then I go to my Angel Numbers App by Doreen Virtue and find their meanings...the majority of the time they are reminders that thoughts become things, that we are manifesting with each thought, positive or negative. And that I AM supported...even when I'm struggling.
Oh, I almost forgot! You're probably wondering how the weight loss is going...we'll at 2 1/2 months I've lost 18 lbs so far. It's shedding slowly but I'm good with that, mostly cos' the slower you loose the more chance you give your skin to tighten and I feel the slower I loose the more permanent it will be. My ultimate goal is to lower my BMI...body mass index which measures body fat. None the less it feels great to fit comfortably into my cloths even after a meal. And as far as my nutrition goes, as I mentioned before all in moderation...I'm not depriving myself cause I refuse to do any more diets. I'm still being creative and eating as close to Earth as possible and being aware of what I'm truly hunger for!


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"This is slowly becoming my new FAVORITE recipe for shrimp cocktail. I do love my Alton Brown brinning recipe for shrimp, but if you are a bit pressed for time, this is a somewhat faster version, that still gives the shrimp great flavor. The shrimp have been perfectly cooked EVERY time I've made this. I adapted this recipe from my "Irish Cooking" cookbook. Feel free to add any spice to the boiling liquid that suits your taste."
Spicy Ale Shrimp
0 recipe photos
READY IN:13mins
YIELD:15-20 shrimp
Ingredients Nutrition
- 3 (12 ounce) bottles pilsner beer, divided
- 1 tablespoon seafood boil, blend (I use OLD BAY!)
- 1 teaspoon white peppercorns or 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 lemon, sliced into quarters
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- seafood cocktail sauce, for serving
- Place 2 bottles of beer, Old Bay, peppercorns or mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, bay leaves in a large stockpot.
- Squeeze lemon juice into pot and add lemon quarters.
- Stir well.
- Bring mixture to a simmer over medium high heat.
- In the meantime, pour the remaining bottle of beer into a large bowl filled with ice, and set aside.
- Once the beer mixture on the stove comes to a simmer, add shrimp.
- Give pot a shake to make sure all shrimp get covered in the beer and spices, cover, and remove from the heat.
- Let pot sit for 3 minutes to cook shrimp.
- Drain liquid and transfer shrimp to the bowl of beer and ice in order to stop the cooking.
- Shrimp can be placed in the fridge in the ice mixture until ready to serve.
- When cool, remove shrimp from the bowl, arrange on a platter, and serve with your favorite cocktail sauce.
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Amber LassooijREALTOR®
A Better Way to Buy and Sell Real Estate
This is a one-stop real estate website for all your home buying and selling needs in the Cowichan Valley, or Langford, north. Contact me if you'd like more information on finding your dream farm or home or preparing to sell your home.
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Welcome to Amber's premier real estate website
serving Langford north through the Cowican Valley.
Are you thinking of buying a home in the Cowichan Valley or South?
Finding the right home can be a difficult process but no matter what you are looking for as an experienced rural and residential real estate specialist, I can provide you with the resources you need to make the home buying process simpler,I am here to help you through the home buying process.
Thinking about selling real estate in the Langford north through the Cowichan Valley?
No matter which market you're in, you can use the marketing programs and experience of a qualified rural and residential real estate agent like me to help sell your home quickly and at the right price. Learn more about my service, or contact me to get started today!
Thank you for visiting islandfarmsandhomes.com! This is a one-stop real estate website for all your home buying and selling needs in Southern Vancouver Island. I'm a professional real estate agent who will help make your search for a new home or the sale of your current home an enjoyable experience.
I encourage you to check out my website for mortgage information, interactive maps, listings of properties of homes for sale, plus many more features.
Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions about the Cowichan Valley or south real estate market, or buying or selling a home in Cowichan.
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19 Watts Road Denistone East 2112 NSW
3 1 1
Handy Location
Spacious brick home offering three bedrooms, combined lounge dining. Level yard . Siuated close to Shops, schools and transport.
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Raine & Horne West Ryde
1087 Victoria Road
West Ryde NSW, 2114
West Ryde NSW, 2114
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