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This episode features no Rick Grimes leading his troops. No Carl getting in trouble and annoying hapless pregnant mom Lori. No T-Dog or Carol or Maggie or Glenn.
They get the week off.
This week, it's all about Woodbury, the "alternative" safe haven from the prison.
And on the surface, it sure looks purrty. (Thank you, Senoia!)
Michonne and a very ill Andrea stumble upon a helicopter wreck. But so do the men of Woodbury. Michonne's two armless, jawless pets start getting noisy so she ruthlessly cut their heads up to quiet them. But it's too late. They were found. And guess who finds them hiding behind a tree?
Yes, Daryl's nasty, racist brother from season one, last seen alive handcuffed on the rooftop of a roasting hot Atlanta skyscraper rooftop. Merle had cut off his hand before the walkers got to him and somehow escaped.
Everyone in the Grimes crew probably assumed he was marked for dead. (We only saw him once as an apparition in Daryl's mind season two.) Instead, he's got a sharp knife to replace his amputated right hand and is part of the Woodbury fight crew. "How 'bout a big hug for your old pal Merle?" he asks Andrea. And the very weak Andrea does what people in bad farces do: she faints.
When Andrea and Michonne awake at Woodbury, Merle arrives again, noting the coincidence: "The world gets a little smaller toward the end. Ain't so many of us to share the air."
He explains that Woodbury's folks found him after he had almost bled out, starved, ready to die.
Andrea gives Merle the skinny on his brother Daryl stepping up as a leader, how they ended up on Hershel's farm but were run off by a zombie herd. She was separated and has no idea if Daryl & Co. are still alive or not. The Governor arrives. They get antsy and demand they get their weapons back.
Andrea asks why the men killed a couple of the helicopter military guys despite the fact they were not bitten. The Governor, who comes off as reasonable and benign, explains that everyone turns after they die so they had to do that. "We put them out of their misery," he says. They did find one survivor and brought him back to Woodbury, along with the two women.
The ladies still want out but the Governor offers them food, fresh ammo and a place to stay for the night. (Opening the gate after dusk is too risky.) He even says they can have a vehicle. "No hard feelings,'" he adds.
It's a walled-in city. The pair watch Governor's men pick off three walkers outside the walls. He says the dead walkers will be cleaned up because the odor will bug the survivors in the city.
The next morning, they meet some of the survivors. There are 73 total. One woman explains that the wall has not been breached in a month and there had been no deaths in several months. There's even a baby on the way. There's a strict curfew and people have to stay quiet at night.
The surviving helicopter man said his camp was doing well. They were fenced off, too, and had supplies and food. But once one person was bit, chaos broke out and the place was a wreck within hours. About 10 of them escaped. A few of them flew the copter to see what was going on, then crashed. The Governor promises to find the remaining military men and bring them back.
A dorky-looking guy who has some sort of scientific background is checking out Michonne's now-headless pets. He figures she kept them around as camouflage and since they lacked arms and jaws, they lost interest in eating and became "docile."
Woodbury residents call the walkers "biters." "Walk with the biters, they think you're a biter," the Governor muses. I presume he might find this nugget of information useful in a later episode.
Later, Andrea and Michonne have dinner with the "scientist" and the Governor. They listen to the leader warily. Michonne says nothing.
So far, the Governor seems awfully benevolent. "People here have hope," he says. "Medical care. Kids go to school. Adults have jobs to do. We have purpose. We're a community."
"We will rise again," he adds, "except we won't be eating each other."
Michonne does not trust him.
And for good reason. The Governor and his men find the helicopter guy's surviving soldiers and acts at first like he's going to bring them back. Instead, he and his crew kill them for their trucks and supplies. Cold blood. No mercy.
The Governor returns to Woodbury and tells everyone a big whopper, that the men he had just killed were dead already, that they should "honor" them and thank them for the supplies they bestowed upon the town. Andrea seems to buy the hokum, as does the rest of the townsfolk.
Later, you see he had a family in a photo. Then he goes into a private, locked room. There's a reason it's locked. He has fish tanks packed with dead heads. Former walkers? Friends? Family? We don't know. We don't even know why he's doing this. Perhaps it's a way to keep their memory alive? This doesn't appear to relax him in any way but he just sits there, pondering morosely.
This is the man who's going to face off against Rick in a future episode. Be wary. Very wary.
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October 29th, 2012
7:51 am
Good recap, Rodney!
I'm just grateful the string Sandy winds didn't knock out our power.
Spoiler alert – if that is necessary in this recap – but last head-in- fish tank we saw, wasn't that the 'copter pilot's?
October 29th, 2012
8:42 am
The Governor is about that LIFE.
October 29th, 2012
8:43 am
awesome show
October 29th, 2012
8:45 am
Yes, that was the pilots head. I love this show but honestly, last night was so boring caompared to the first ones this season. It just seems like if Rick and the gang aren't on the screen there isn't much reason to watch. i hope all future episodes include Rich and his group.
October 29th, 2012
9:02 am
Not to be rude but this is actually Episode 3. Other than that, great article/blog!
October 29th, 2012
9:11 am
The Governor is Idi Amin, just a charming, super-intelligent man who is very charismatic and at the same time a sociopath. He is crazy beyond belief! Things are going to get good when the two groups meet up because Rick is not going to put up with the grandiose plans of the Governor to rule the world. I was sick when he killed those soldiers. How could those other men go along with it? The only thing you can do with a despot is kill him in his sleep.
October 29th, 2012
9:12 am
And Michonne needs more lines or something. The angry looks can only go for so long, and then you need to do some real acting. I am anxious to see what happens next week. I wonder who is messing with Rick's group in the prison? A new character? Merle? Who could it be?
October 29th, 2012
9:21 am
Michonne's two walker heads were in the tank too.
October 29th, 2012
9:25 am
Although there was no gratuitous Maggie cleavage in last night's episode, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
When you realize how much "The Governor" has with our current real-life "The President," particularly after killing those guard troops and taking what doesn't belong to him ("spreading the wealth around" to himself, perhaps?), it certainly gives one pause on how no sane person would want either one as a leader.
By the end of the season, Rick will hopefully put one of them out of power. It is up to Rick's viewers to get rid of the other.
Michonne sure is attractive, in perhaps a dominatrix-style of way, but I wouldn't want to meet her in a dark alley with her silverware while her "Aunt Flo" is visiting for the month.
October 29th, 2012
9:28 am
How is everybody faring in the storm?
Sunny and windy in Atlanta.
October 29th, 2012
9:49 am
Wow.. You all missed the subtle camera pan in the governors dinning room.
Did you see the collection of weapons in the china cabinet?
One was Michonne's personal sword laying lengthwise on the shelf. She looks up from the table and sees it with wide eyes, so tell me…WHAT is that message ??? I think these are trophies from other (dead) groups. I don't think they'll be able to leave to easy…
The writers are Awesome with all of the subtle clues. I always seem to find new things when I watch it a second time. Have fun ya all.
October 29th, 2012
9:51 am
The heads in tanks made me think the governor was a huge fan of Futurama.
October 29th, 2012
10:10 am
Awesome seeing good ole downtown Senioia transformed into Woodbury
October 29th, 2012
10:11 am
Really want to see that baby be born..Maybe it will be a walker or biter. I hope they link up the two soon I did like the story about the pets..
October 29th, 2012
10:18 am
The Stepford baby about to be born could have playdates with Lori's baby.
October 29th, 2012
10:26 am
Next week you will likely meet the Governors daughter..
October 29th, 2012
10:27 am
Did Shane father the Stepford baby, too?
October 29th, 2012
10:29 am
Does anybody read the comics? any ideas on who is messing with Rick's group at the prison?
October 29th, 2012
10:40 am
[...] Also, Manganiello's "Ten" co-star Josh Holloway and "Walking Dead" cast members Chandler Riggs, who plays Carl, and Scott Wilson, who plays Herschel. By the way here's my colleague Rodney Ho's latest "Walking Dead" recap. [...]
October 29th, 2012
10:45 am
Hard to say nypeach… I've read the comics and they differ a little with the TV series… Th TV is a "sanitized" version of the comics, those are very sick and disturbing, but very good…
For sure Rick and the Governor will encounter, and won't be an easy encounter, but again, both differ a little…
October 29th, 2012
10:58 am
I found the governor from TV to be very different from the comics. The comics Governor was more cruel and stupid. He had no manners or as much diplomacy skills compared to the TV version. The guy who messed up with the group in the prison in the comics is not in the TV series. His name was Thomas Richards and he was a nerdy psycho predator.
October 29th, 2012
11:03 am
Notice how the Governor kept saying Andrea and Michonne could leave, but never really let them and kept their weapons. None of his business if they put themselves in danger, if Andrea was sick, etc. Everyone is an adult, aware of the dangers and able to make their own decisions. Michonne was right to be wary – you should always be wary of people who PUSH kindness and hospitality on you. It's offered, not shoved down your throat. I think Andrea is just feeling vulnerable, she was very sick and isn't thinking clearly. The Governor got rid of those military guys, who could have been useful, yet he is making Andrea and Michonne "guests." And I figured that "public relations" chick talking to Andrea about Woodbury was also "in" with the Governor. There is a reason he wants them there.
October 29th, 2012
11:08 am
Last night's episode was wow with the Governor, I don't like him!!! And, I am still not a fan of Michonne.
October 29th, 2012
11:16 am
That "public relations" chick talking to Andrea about Woodbury was the naked lady lying in The Governor's bed just prior to the aquarium scene at the end.
The Governor had just finished giving her "THE INSIDE SCOOP."
October 29th, 2012
11:16 am
What about all that focus on TEA? Gov drinks the techy guys "special" tea. Tea was offered to Andrea and Mischonne at breakfast but only Andrea drank it…. the camera panned on the tea a few times….any ideas?
October 29th, 2012
11:18 am
I think Andrea is need to repopulate the new Earth that the Gov is building…..
October 29th, 2012
11:44 am
I've got a friend that lives in Silver Spring MD… and he's getting hammered right now. Says it's "very scary."
For him to say its "very scary" means it's VERY scary.
October 29th, 2012
11:55 am
I look week after week at the Walking Dead, and then must return to the stupidity of network sitcoms, comedys and reality programming. The networks need to look at the Walking Dead and seriously revamp their efforts and certainly get better actors. The Walking dead makes you think, causes you pain, excites you, and generates a few bad dreams. Network television puts me to sleep!
October 29th, 2012
12:28 pm
Did anyone else notice the Governor's family pic before he contemplates in front of the fish tanks? The wife/mom looks A LOT like Andrea!
October 29th, 2012
12:31 pm
Governor theories
He's a Randall Flagg like character (Stephen King's The Stand), Satan himself claiming what's left of this World, or,
He's on a mission to bring back the Confederacy. Clues Michonne instant hatred of him. He says, "We will rises again," an allusion to, "The South will rise again." His snide references to the Feds, after massacring the soldiers.
I sure it's neither of these but it's fun speculate.
October 29th, 2012
1:27 pm
it kinda sucks when the walking dead goes on a break we have to watch those dumb stupid show sitcoms I wish there was shows like the walking dead on all year teen wolf is o.k but Im a dude and some stuff is gay on there
October 29th, 2012
1:28 pm
@Jimmy H o wow we saying the same thing
October 29th, 2012
1:40 pm
Yes, that tea seems mysterious. Opium extract? Town folks seem docile.
October 29th, 2012
1:44 pm
good catch, Dane. I think the governor is just a power hungry sociopath who can't wait to control the world. NOt sure how racist he is. I think he will use anybody that he can. ON another note, did the governor's group shoot down the helicopter? Looks like the helicopter was hit a couple of times before it went down.
October 29th, 2012
3:01 pm
Gotta wonder what's really in that tea that keeps coming up, wonder about that pilots head, he's the only one that was not a zombie in those tanks, why keep it? Has he moved on from zombies to humans, being a creepy dude? Would like to see what Michonne can really do, need more action for her.
October 29th, 2012
4:23 pm
I wonder if PR Chick laying in the Governor's bed knew what was in the next room. He is all kinds of nutty. If I were Michonne and Andrea I would make a break for it. No gun, no sword, just bust loose and take my chances with the Walkers.
October 29th, 2012
5:21 pm
Great stuff, Rodney.We've got some theories about The Governor, Merle, Michonne and Woodbury at our MLive Walking Dead Blog too. Also, I'm surprised the direction one of our polls is moving toward. Here's a link if you want to join the discussion there too: http://www.mlive.com/tv/index.ssf/2012/10/the_walking_dead_blog_walk_wit.html
October 29th, 2012
5:31 pm
At least THE GOVERNOR doesn't need a teleprompter in order to tell lies to his gullible constituents.
October 29th, 2012
6:42 pm
I completely agree Rodney . Why can't we just talk about the show, instead of having to read crap about your political likes/dislikes. If you want to talk politics, go to a political website.
October 29th, 2012
7:28 pm
If you have a character on the show named after a prominent political office (literally), how can one reasonably NOT expect any political references whatsoever when discussing??? Get real, people.
As "birth control" is now in short supply, and Maggie & Glen only had that box of 12 Trojans they looted from that drug store, how long before Maggie finds one in the oven as well?
October 29th, 2012
7:35 pm
Not to worry, Head, Maggie's dad is a vet.
October 29th, 2012
7:48 pm
Hey, Mercedes S.
Yes, I concur.
Perhaps Hershel should start insisting everyone call him The Surgeon General.
Obviously, Rick is The Sheriff.
October 29th, 2012
7:51 pm
Perhaps Lori could be Monica Lewinsky of the Zombie Apocalypse world.
Of course, she probably wouldn't be preggers if that were an accurate analogy.
October 29th, 2012
7:56 pm
("POTENTIAL" being the key word here!)
A fan of the original graphic novel predicted to me that the series would eventually end with Rick waking up from his coma back in the hospital and having the whole zombie takeover, which aren't real creatures in the first place, be just a medicinal-induced dream, Bobby-Ewing-in-the-shower-style.
If the creators did that to the audience, that would really [urinate] me off something fierce!
October 29th, 2012
9:32 pm
[...] Also, Manganiello's "Ten" co-star Josh Holloway and "Walking Dead" cast members Chandler Riggs, who plays Carl, and Scott Wilson, who plays Hershel. By the way here's my colleague Rodney Ho's latest "Walking Dead" recap. [...]
October 30th, 2012
1:51 pm
I bet the fish tank water is used to make the tea. Drink enough of it and walkers think your one of them. Just a wild guess.
October 31st, 2012
8:36 am
Question…are some of those heads in the aquariums "alive"? I thought I saw a couple of eyes moving.
Love this show. My son just sent me a great meme with a picture of the outer prison yard….If this is the zombie apocalypse, who the f*** is mowing all the grass????


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About Josiah Motley
How Giving Away Fable III Made Microsoft MoneyJune 26, 2013 | Josiah Motley
Every now and then a game company does something nice. The most current example of that is happening on the Xbox 360 right now, where Gold Members will be privy to two free games a month until the release of … Read More
Don't Feed the HypebeastMay 9, 2013 | Josiah Motley
So, by this point we've pretty much determined that marketing and advertising can dramatically supercharge a game's sales figures but is the reverse also true? Does over the top marketing budgets and campaigns actually hurt the sales of other titles … Read More
Return of the Sequels: The Safe Bet Strikes BackApril 25, 2013 | Josiah Motley
"I wish Activision would come out with something new!"
"Oh look, another sequel. How original."
Have you ever heard a friend say that? What about yourself? Ever catch yourself mumbling those words?
Why do developers … Read More
Superheroes Among UsApril 23, 2013 | Josiah Motley
su·per·he·ro /ˈso͞opərˌhi(ə)rō/ Noun: A benevolent fictional character with superhuman powers, such as Superman.
When we think of the term "superhero", what comes to mind? Superman, Batman, Green Lantern? That would most likely be most people's first thought, but superheros have … Read More
Injustice: Gods Among Us App ReviewApril 16, 2013 | Josiah Motley
In preparation for the major release of Injustice: Gods Among Us, Warner Bros. and NetherRealm Studios gives us an app of the same name. How does this freemium fighting game stack up?
Characters are detailed, colors are … Read More
Is Marketing More Important Than Gameplay?April 11, 2013 | Josiah Motley
Coming from a marketing background, I sometimes forget to enjoy the little things in life. I don't see the new iPad Mini, I see the marketing ploy behind it. I can't appreciate MOGA giving out controllers at PAX because I'm … Read More
The Indie MEGAbooth RecapMarch 28, 2013 | Josiah Motley
In its second year at PAX East, the Indie MEGAbooth has really found its place amongst the triple A studios of the show.
Instead of indie game developers trying to make their presence known on their own, Indie MEGAbooth has … Read More
The Future of Call of DutyMarch 21, 2013 | Josiah Motley
Players cannot argue the fact that the Call of Duty franchise is one of, if not the most, successful video game series of all time. Currently in it's ninth iteration with Call of Duty: Black Ops II, sales have continued … Read More

subset: commoncrawl


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I apologize for the absence of posts. Been catching up with other things but ready to start filling your screens with chocolate covered chocolates! Stay tuned!
"The first step in the acquisition of wisdom is silence, the second listening, the third memory, the fourth practice, the fifth teaching others."
— Solomon Ibn Gabriol
"To unpathed waters, undreamed shores."
William Shakepeare
"Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal."
Pamela Vaull Starr
"Indeed, the role I give the computer is that of a carrier of cultural 'germs' or 'seeds' whose intellectual products will not need technological support once they take root in an actively growing mind."
— Seymour Papert
"We shape our tools and afterwards our tools shape us."
— Marshall McLuhan (1964)


text: Craig James Talks About Politics & Mike Leach on KFYO by Rex Andrew February 1, 2012 (dmagazine.com) "I'm concerned about the direction of our country and where it's heading." Read More Filed Under: adam james, craig james, mike leach, texas senate race, texas tech Category: Texas Politics Send to a friend! Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin it! Reddit This! Share on Tumblr!


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Young Readers Choice Awards: Junior Category
As promised, here's the next installment in the Young Readers Choice Awards.
We're asking you to read at least two books from one of the categories, then choose your favourite. For more info on the YRCA and how to cast your ballot, please look at my previous blog, which also talked about the Intermediate books.
This time we're looking at the Junior Category Nominees, those geared for about Gr. 4-6.
fatty legs, by Christy Jordan-Feton: Margaret is a young Inuit girl who desperately wants to go to school, like her older sister, so she can learn how to read. This means leaving her family to go to residential school. When she finally gets her wish, however, it's not exactly what she had dreamed… This book is autobiographical, and there is a sequel, called A Stranger At Home. A shortened version of fatty legs has been made into a picture book, called When I Was Eight. A great introduction for a younger audience.
The Strange Case of the Origami Yoda, by Tom Angleberger: This book is written in the form of a 'case file' by Tommy and his friends in middle school. Dwight, the biggest nerd of them all (which is saying a lot) creates an Origami Yoda finger puppet which appears to be amazingly wise and prescient - unlike Dwight! Very funny. If you like the 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' series, you'll like this too. There is also a sequel, called Darth Paper Strikes Back - worth reading if only for the title.
Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer, by John Grisham: Do you see that? JOHN GRISHAM! The king of adult crime novels has crossed over into the Kid Zone with this story about a 13-year-old boy who knows everything there is to know about the justice system, but can't keep himself out of trouble when a grisly murder needs to be solved. Read it to see if Grisham can handle the critical readers in the shallow end of the pool...
Big Nate: In a Class By Himself, by Lincoln Peirce: The only graphic novel candidate in this bunch. Big Nate has been seen before, in a comic strip, as the less-than-straight-A middle school kid who wisecracks his way into a lot of detentions. A great alternative if you've read all of the 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' books, or want to get into graphics with something new!
The Mysterious Howling, by Maryrose Wood: This is the first in the series: The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place. 15-year-old Penelope becomes a governess at a children's school, only to discover that the mysterious howling she has been hearing is being made by two children who were found in the forest and have obviously been raised by wolves. She must teach them not only Latin and Algebra but how to act like humans instead of wolves. 'Howlingly' funny (hee hee).
13 Treasures, by Michelle Harrison: The main character is Tanya, and Tanya is 'trouble'. Tanya sees fairies, but if she talks about this, people think she's crazy! Blamed for all of the things the fairies get into, she is shipped off to her grandmother's ancient old house - which happens to be infested with, you guessed it, fairies. Then children in the area go missing, and Tanya wants to find out what's going on. If you like the Spiderwick Chronicles, you'll love this book.
The Lost Hero, by Rick Riordan: Really sad that the Percy Jackson series ended? Well, don't be! This new spin-off series has appearances by all your favourite characters, while introducing Jason, Piper, and Leo as the offspring of some new gods - this time in their Roman persona's. Another rollicking ride through Camp Half-Blood, with a satyr masquerading as a bus, Medusa working in a chic New York department store, and a race against the clock to keep the world from terrible danger.
Lone Wolf, by Kathryn Lasky: This is the beginning of Lasky's new series The Wolves of Beyond, which takes place in the same world as her 'Guardians of Ga'hoole' books. In this one, a young wolf pup is born, despite many problems for his mother, with a twisted leg and a strange mark on his paw, marking him as.. well, either deformed, or special. He survives against all odds, is raised by a mother bear, and eventually makes his way to 'the Beyond', a place on the edge of this world where the socially outcast wolves reside... and back again to some new surprises!
Okay, that's it for the Junior YRCA nominees. Look for the next and final posting, about the Senior choices, coming soon.. and don't forget to read & vote!
It's Young Reader's Choice Awards time again! The time when the books that YOU select as being the most awesome will get to put those stickers on their jackets saying, 'I'm the BEST and everyone should read me!'
This award is given out by the Pacific Northwest Library Association, which is not only bi-national - including Canada's western provinces AND America's western states - but also the oldest children's choice award in both countries.
Get ready to cast a ballot by reading at least two books from one of the categories, Junior (Gr. 4-6), Intermediate (Gr. 7-9), or Senior (Gr. 10-12). Then, fill out a ballot at your neighbourhood library branch between March 15 - April 15. (For details on the whole voting process, go here.) I'll give a quick teaser of each book, then leave it up to you!
As Easy As Falling Off the Face of the Earth, by Lynne Rae Perkins: Ry, on his way to summer camp in Oregon, manages to miss the train when it stops in the middle of nowhere - and then suddenly takes off again - when he briefly nips out to find cell phone service. He sets off on his own with a dying cell phone and little else, meeting interesting people who help him find his way back home. This is a very funny book, with simple but hilarious sketch drawings showing certain .. important.. moments in Ry's 'adventure', as well as what's going on with his two dogs... hmmmm....
The Card Turner, by Louis Sachar: So this is a book about a 17-year-old boy and how he learns bridge. But wait! Before you skip on to the next title, remember this is Louis Sachar, who also wrote 'Holes' and other award-winning stories. In this book, Alton is forced to read and play the cards for his super-rich but very blind and sick uncle, who is an ace at duplicate bridge tournaments, but might also be connected with the mob... If you would love to learn how to play bridge, detailed explanations are provided for every card game. BUT, if you couldn't care less, the author has helpfully put these parts between asterisks, so you can skip over them and get on with the plot!
Heist Society, by Ally Carter: Katarina tries to leave the family business - thieving - but is lured back when her father becomes the only suspect in the theft of a mobster's art collection, and the only solution is to find the paintings and steal them back.
Smile, by Raina Telgemeier: This autobiography tells the story of a girl whose front teeth get knocked out accidentally, forcing her to learn how to take the teasing and abuse and throw it back in a goodhearted fashion. This is a graphic novel, which aside from adding visual appeal, makes it a quick read.
The Second Trial, by Rosemarie Boll: 13-year-old Danny starts to fall apart after his mother goes to court against his father, charging him with domestic abuse, and they need to go into Witness Protection. Confused about his dad and hostile towards his mother, Danny starts to act out at school and home. Published by Second Story press, it's an accessible story for anyone looking for an easier read, but be warned, it's a pretty 'gritty' scenario, no sweetness and light in this one.
Sorta Like A Rock Star, by Matthew Quick: Amber, known as the 'Princess of Hope', has a pretty sucky life, living with her man-huntin' mom in a school bus. But Amber always manages to keep that hope alive, until one day tragedy occurs. Good for teens who can handle the rough side of life. And sometimes really funny!
Halo, by Alexandra Adornetto: In this book, Bethany, an angel new to the trade, is sent down to earth with two more experienced compatriots, including the Archangel Gabriel, to fight the forces of darkness. While here, she meets and falls in love with a human, and learns that good and evil are not always easy to identify.
The Red Pyramid, by Rick Riordan: The first in another series by the author of the Percy Jackson books, focused this time on ancient Egypt. Carter and Sadie Kane watch as their father accidentally releases five ancient Egyptian gods from the Rosetta Stone and is then sucked into the 'Duat'. While trying to rescue their father, they must also stop the evil god Set from building his pyramid of power and destroying the world. Along the way they discover much about themselves, their family, and the hidden world of ancient Egyptian magic. Tons of action, and, hey, you might learn something too... like what the 'Duat' is!
Okay, gotta wrap it up here. Look for 'sister' blogs about the Junior and Senior categories in the same spot, coming soon....
Freedom to Read week starts today! Check out the Freedom To Read Website for ideas on how you can revel between February 24th & March 2nd.
Join us this Thursday the 28th at 7pm at Shelf Life Books for our Youth Award Celebration to honour our A World Without Choices contest winners. We received many great submissions in words, images and video that answered the following question: "What would your world look like without the freedom to read?" Check out some of the awesomeness submitted on our TeensCreate page!
AND, drum roll please... the winners are:
Ethan G. for his great essay, "Silenced Voices"
Alexa I. for her wonderful FTR essay, and
the amazing video duo Julia C. & Danika V. - check out their video Here!
In addition, the Freedom to Read Committee has awarded the 2013 Freedom of Expression Award, sponsored by FFWD Weekly, to the Calgary Idle No More Movement. Chantal Chagnon is accepting the award as a representative of the movement. Committee member Darlene Montgomery has provided the following statement to support the Award:
The Freedom of Expression Award is presented annually during Freedom to Read Week. The Award is presented to a person or group in the Calgary area who best demonstrates leadership in promoting freedom of expression, an important cornerstone of democracy. The Award is sponsored by FFWD Weekly. This year the Freedom of Expression Award will be presented to the Calgary Idle No More Movement. The Calgary INM Movement has demonstrated a commitment to freedom of expression by taking a public stand to raise awareness of the rich cultural heritage and history of our First Nations people; the social, educational and economic issues affecting their lives; and the obligation of governments to respect the treaty rights of First Nations people. Chantal Chagnon, a local organizer and spokesperson for the Calgary Idle No More Movement will accept the Award on behalf of the Movement at our annual celebration on February 28.
Chantal, the teen winners, family members and supporters will all be on hand for the annual celebration.
Today (February 25th) the Freedom To Read Committee at CPL made their Book Selection presentation to City Council. This year, the selected book is Shine, by Lauren Myracle. Myracle has been touted as "This Generation's Judy Blume". Betsy Fraser, ardent teen-lit enthusiast and CPL Selector, submitted the following nomination:
My suggestion for this year's Freedom to Read week book would be Lauren Myracle's Shine. Lauren has been a fantastic example through the years of an author whose books have been targeted as "unsuitable" for their target audience on the one hand, while being lauded by reviewers and those very teens on the other as speaking to and for them… In the past year, Lauren was catapulted into the media when her book was erroneously mentioned as a short-listed title for the National Book Award. Instead of being bitter, she used the ensuing media storm to garner support and attention for gay rights, 'shining a light', if you will, on the downtrodden, bullied and abused. Ms. Myracle is a wonderful speaker, and while a hate crime is a dark subject, I ask the committee to consider Shine as its title for 2013 Freedom of Expression Award.
The author's long history of challenges, coupled with her courage in tackling a very difficult subject, led the committee to choose this moving novel. While it begins with a hate crime, it is ultimately a story about hope, and about letting your inner light shine through when darkness surrounds you.
Join us! Thursday February 28, 2013 7 p.m. at Shelf Life Books, 100, 1302 - 4th Street S.W.
And Read on! ;0)
by Adrienne, with many thanks to Allison Thomson (Chair, Calgary Freedom to Read Week Committee) and Carrie, our awesome Teen Cybrarian.
Do you like helping others? Do you want to gain some volunteering hours to add to your resume or portfolio? Volunteering is a great way to gain some experience for work and a great way to show off the things you have done when applying for post secondary education. I don't know about you, but I also find volunteering to be a rewarding experience. It feels great to know that I'm helping someone to learn something new or improve on skills that they already have.
If you are in grades 7 to 12 the Calgary Public Library has several volunteer opportunities that you can be a part of. Check out all the volunteer possibilities that we have for you: Computer Buddies, Cyber Seniors, ESL Teen Talk, Peer to Peer Study Group, Reading Buddies, and Library Mascot "Curious" Are you interested in volunteering at a specific branch? Check out the current opportunities at each branch. If you are interested in volunteering in one of these programs, fill out this application form either online or pick one up at your closest library.
I admit that when I first saw Jane it was the cover that initially caught my attention, and that this was the first "Jane Eyre" book I ever read. Not that my friends had not been recommending the book ever since, oh — Grade 9! They did, I just... never got around to it. So when this beautiful moody cover caught my eye, I decided to make a go of it. This retelling by April Lindner, is set in NY with an art school dropout who becomes a nanny and falls for... a famous rock star. I was not disappointed. The book is great! Emma the BookAngel has even made a soundtrack for the book! Hot on its heels, I was putting holds on Catherine, Lindner's remake of Wuthering Heights. Also set in modern NY, this time with the daughter of the owner of a very famous night club as 'Catherine'!
Then, it just so happened that the graphic novel remake of Jane Eyre landed in my lap. So I read that next, super curious to compare Jane to its original without delay. From my experiences with Manga Shakespeare I knew that reading the graphic novel is a great way to introduce oneself to a classic right away. No fuss, no problem, no big time commitment and no trouble understanding what's going on. I highly recommend it for all your Shakespeare assignments — plus any other classics you are asked to read for English class. Not because the originals aren't great, but rather because they ARE. It's great to have something on hand that can clarify what is going on, allowing you to focus on appreciating the book rather than struggling through it.
So finally yes, I actually read Jane Eyre after all these years. First off, for all the fashionistas out there I want to mention that the version that I read was a Couture edition by Penguin Classics — with cover and images designed by fashion designer Ruben Toledo = perfectly moody graphics!
Classics are classics for a reason and are generally good ground for expounding upon; they become a post-modernist's delightful playground (think Mash-Ups). I admit however that some classics are so stuffy that it's almost impossible to penetrate through their dense or obscure language and receive their enlightening rays of nectar and fruits of insight. Jane Eyre is, refreshingly, not, especially if read with a poetic eye and a philosopher's heart. There were words I was unfamiliar with but I found this antipathetically refreshing — welcome nectar to a vocabulary that has been thirsting for expansion. One learns to write by reading. One gleans semi-archaic vocabulary by reading semi-archaic tomes. (ha,ha).
Jane Eyre is moody and romantic. It arouses a passion of spirit, a storminess of temperament which, like the novel itself, is quite satisfying in its quietude. Jane herself is like that calm before the storm... Mr. Rochester the storm... Jane again, like the rain that pours down quenching your thirst with the ether of sweet negative electricity that bathes the air after lightning.
Jane Eyre contains phrases such as, "Her soul sat on her lips and language flowed", and thoughts such as "Then, my sole relief was to walk along the corridor of the third storey, backwards, and forwards, safe in the silence and solitude of the spot, and allow my mind's eye to dwell on whatever bright visions rose before it... to open my inward ear to a tale that never ended — a tale my imagination created, and narrated continuously; quickened with all of incident, life, fire, feeling, that I desired and had not in my actual existence."
Jane is a formidable character. At the end of the book I found myself wishing I had read it when I was in Grade 9! Through tumultuous and harrowing experiences she has such a sense of her own self worth, and is so grounded; it would have been welcome food back then. I'll warn you though, that the book is a bit preachy in the last few pages. That said, the rest of the books is so fabulous that's it's worth that little bit at the end. I encourage you to read and enjoy!
Other Eyre remakes to check out include Jane Airhead, A Breath of Eyre, and Wish you Were Eyre. For more advanced adult books, check out Mrs. Rochester, Death of a Schoolgirl, Jane Slayre, and Adele : Jane Eyre's hidden story — a highly interesting remake of Jane Eyre told from Mr. Rochester's ward's perspective.
If you want to find out more about the life of the author (Charlotte Bronte), I recommend the following books as well: Becoming Jane Eyre, Jane Eyre: Portrait of a Life, & Governess: The lives and Times of The Real Jane Eyres. There are also a bunch of renditions of Jane Eyre on DVD to check out. (I've heard the 1986 version is great.) Comments and feedback on your favourite are welcome!
Grad will be here before you know it - will you be ready? It's your chance to make a splash and really show off your unique style. But - what can you do if you just can't find the right dress? Or maybe you found it, but the price tag had a few too many zeroes...
The answer, of course, is Prom Dress Extravaganza! It's a free program where you can find the pre-loved dress of your dreams and get great tips from our volunteer designers so you can make it your very own. If you already own a great dress that just needs a resize or an update, we can help with that too! Imagine strutting your stuff on the dance floor in a one-of-a-kind designer creation.
You do have to register but all you need is a library card to take part in one of these sweet events:
Saturday, March 2nd at Bowness Library OR Saturday, March 9th at Forest Lawn Library
photo by Katlin Lewis http://www.flickr.com/photos/chingchong/313118785/
What would your world look like without the freedom to read?
I just read (and loved) Ally Condie's Matched, which could be a post all on its own, but one thing in particular struck me about the story. In Cassia's world, the powers that be decided that their culture was just too cluttered, so they chose 100 of everything and got rid of the rest - can you imagine? 100 poems, 100 books, 100 movies, 100 songs - to last you the rest of your life. Everything else is forbidden.
That's one vision of a world without the freedom of expression - what's yours? Tell us in words, images or video and you could win a great CPL prize pack and get published in next year's Freedom to Read Week kit. But hurry - the deadline is February 15th!
You can enter in one of three ways:
All content must be your own work, except for short, cited quotations. Contest is open to Calgary students in grades 7 to 9. Include your name, school, grade and telephone number with your entry.
To enter:Send your project by e-mail to email@example.com OR submit a hardcopy to any Calgary Public Library location.
One entry per person.Deadline for submissions is Friday, February 15, 2013
Frustrated with how the semester ended? Ok, so in September you were really ambitious to start the school year off with a bang and keep it up for the entire school year. Yet things haven't worked out as you had planned, right? Does everything your teacher tell you sound foreign to you? No worries, Central library has the solution for you!! From Monday, February 4 to Monday, April 29 (with the exception of February 18), we have a gathering place on the second floor for teens to meet with teen volunteers to get help with their homework, from 4:30 to 6:30. You are more than welcome to stick around until 8 pm to finish anything that you have already started. Check out these previous blogs, OMG, it's due tomorrow and Kick Next Semesters @$$ for some great homework help databases. Don't forget to check out all the other awesome programs that we have for you to check out.
Feeling the graduation stress? Still need volunteer hours? Looking for something to pad out that resume? We can help you with that!
The Reading Buddies program is looking for volunteers! Come hang out with kids in grades 1-3, take part in awesome crafts, and help your little buddy practice their reading in a fun-filled environment.
If you're in grades 7-12, we would love to have you take part in this program! We still have openings at the following locations:
Alexander Calhoun: Thursdays, January 24 – March 21 from 4:30-5:45
Forest Lawn: Tuesdays, January 22 – March 19 from 4:00-5:15
Glenmore Square: Tuesdays, January 22 – March 19 from 4:30-5:45
Shaganappi: Tuesdays, January 22 – March 19 from 4:30-5:45
To register, please contact Brin Bugo (403-260-2709 or email@example.com) or Jody Watson (403-221-2062 or firstname.lastname@example.com)! We're looking forward to having you join our awesome team of teen volunteers!
By Brin
The Teen Zone is an oasis for teens. It has everything new and exciting in terms of Young Adult novels and graphix, and gives teens a chance to have their own space in the library. And currently at the Nose Hill library, the Teen Zone has an art display up: art for teens by teens. Our art show Expressions features colourful and abstract work by students from Simon Fraser Junior High. The show features twelve original works by grade 8 and 9 students, and will be up in our Teen Zone until February. Come check it out!


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The "geek mind" is concerned with more than just the latest iPhone rumors, or which company will win the gaming console wars. I4U is concerned with more than just the latest photo shoot or other celebrity gossip.
The "geek mind" is concerned with life, in all its different forms and facets. The geek mind wants to know about societal and financial issues, both abroad and at home. If a Fortune 500 decides to raise their minimum wage, or any high priority news, the geek mind wants to know. The geek mind wants to know the top teams in the National Football League, or who's likely to win the NBA Finals this coming year. The geek mind wants to know who the hottest new models are, or whether the newest blockbuster movie is worth seeing. The geek mind wants to know. The geek mind wants—needs—knowledge.
Read more about The Geek Mind.
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Keren Elazari:
Hackers: the Internet's immune system
The beauty of hackers, says cybersecurity expert Keren Elazari, is that they force us to evolve and improve. Yes, some hackers are bad guys, but many are working to fight government corruption and advocate for our rights. By exposing vulnerabilities, they push the Internet to become stronger and healthier, wielding their power to create a better world.
pin This talk was presented at an official TED conference, and was featured by our editors on the home page.
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Turkey's struggle for online freedom
In the same week that Keren Elazari spoke at TED2014, Turkish authorities shut down Twitter in the lead-up to a hotly contested election. Elazari weighs in.
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|UM SPH Home > Faculty & Research > Environmental Health Sciences Faculty Profiles > Sung Kyun Park
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Vitamin B12, Folate, and Cardiovascular Disease:
Scientists have long understood that air pollution contributes to cardiovascular disease, but they haven't been able to pinpoint exactly how the damage happens. Sung Kyun Park suspects a key pathway may be homocysteine— an amino acid in the blood that's been linked to cardiovascular disease and some neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's. Read more in Findings magazine.


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Survey: How Much Do You Spend on Food?
Published on - June 23rd, 2006 (by J.D. Roth)
What does the average four-person family spend on food in a month? In a year? How much does a two-person household spend on food? How much does your family spend? How much of this is for groceries? How much for dining out? Do you make an effort to control food spending, or do you simply buy what you feel like? Do you use coupons? Do you grow your own food? I'm not so much looking for advice, but gathering anecdotes. I'm curious about general habits.
This article is about Administration, Food
My two-person household used to spend $250/month on groceries and $100/month dining out.
My wife is now pregnant and our monthly groceries have increased to about $350/month.
We're frugal in some ways (comparing prices, buying store brands, looking for good sale prices, cooking most of our food from scratch); but we don't coupon-clip and we do buy a fair amount of organic produce. We don't entertain much. We live in Seattle, and do almost all of our shopping at one store.
My boyfriend and I have been living together over a year now, and I buy all the groceries while he pays for dinners out more often. It used to be the case that I'd buy a ton of food, maybe even expensive organic stuff, and we'd never eat it. We'd eat out probably 7x a week, which of course was very expensive. Now I'm making an effort to learn to cook more, and even when I don't cook we find stuff around the house to fix for ourselves. I haven't run the exact numbers yet, but I'm pretty sure we're saving money on the whole, especially since I pack both our lunches all workweek. I'm focusing on buying more practical items that I know we'll eat. I'm also making an effort to use coupons and store "value cards" and such, though we don't get any real food coupons at this point because we don't get the paper. I'm trying to figure out if it would be worth buying the paper just to be able to clip and use coupons… not sure about the math there.
In our family of 4 (daughter-2, son-4, me-preggers, and husband), we spend $310 on food a month. That's our budget, and it includes all toiletries. On top of that, we budget $70 a month for "entertainment" which includes eating out, movies, etc. I'd love to spend more on eating out, but there's not much wiggle room in our finances.
Nevertheless, this budget allows for a lot of variety at the grocery store, because I can't stand eating the same things over and over. We have fresh fish, good meats, and especially fresh veggies. No one's complaining. I mostly buy what I feel like, but I try to watch sales here and there–not always. I don't use coupons, and there are a few things I buy at the warehouse stores, such as cheese, diapers, soap, etc. These are still factored into the grocery budget.
To make my response a little more complete:
-We don't grow any of our food
-We rarely use coupons
-We entertain about four times per year
-We purchase generics whenever possible, with a few exceptions (cola, dishwasher detergent, paper towels).
Family of five, one income. We spend around $350 US / month for groceries.
I probably spend $30 to $40 CND a week, but this can vary since I don't buy groceries every week. I buy what I need and always bring a list. I don't really use coupons but I do check the flyers, mostly just looking for inspiration. I always shop at the same store though, so it's not like I need to shop around for the best deals (I don't have a car and I walk to the store closest to me, but I also visit the local farmers market on Saturdays sometimes). I am single and live alone and I only eat fish, so not buying meat helps. I rarely buy pre-packaged or pre-cooked food. I generally don't buy in bulk or buy something just because it's on sale, because I don't have a lot of storage room. I have no problem buying store brand, but I will spend the extra dollar or two on something brandname if I really like it.
I cook a lot, but I do find it hard living alone to buy vegetables, since a lot of them come in large bunches and I find it hard to use them all up. So I don't eat a lot of fresh vegetables, but I do try and eat a lot of fruit. I also do not buy junk food on a regular basis.
As for eating out, I just say no most of the time, and I almost always bring my own lunch to work. Sometimes at work I'll go buy a snack if I forgot to bring something, but that's rare. I bring my own tea bags, or make my own coffee from home most of the time as well.
For two of us (plus nursing baby) I can't tell exactly how much we spend on food, but I know it's no more than $120/week. (Even before we moved in with the inlaws.)
We designate $120 cash/week, but $20 each is to keep and personally use however we want, guilt free – so that leaves $80 specifically *meant* for groceries or eating out.
$80/week = $320/month = $4160/yr
We don't pay any special attention to eating out, buying spendy (usually local and organic) etc. We simply pay attention to how much cash is left. We also grow A LOT of food (and will hopefully have our own small farm one day).
Living with the inlaws means way less of our money goes toward food – so we're cutting back the weekly cash to $100, and get an extra $20 savings each month.
Oh yeah, we use coupons probably 1% of the time.
We eat out about once every two weeks. (I love it, my husband could generally care less.)
We also often have extra cash left over, which is either divvied up between us for free spending, or put into a shared pot for fun money, and sometimes thrown into savings if we're feeling especially conservative.
On average, I spend about 160 a month on food, I never go out to eat, and pack all my meals for work.
I spend too much, that's for sure. It's just me, I'm not good at grocery shopping and then using things before they go bad. I tend to eat out for 2 out of 3 meals in a given day, so I'm paying too much (~$7 per meal) and eating unhealthy to boot. It's definitely my biggest money sink that needs to be addressed.
I believe I'm in the $4-$500 range per month, just to feed me.
I highly recommend checking out the Consumer Expenditure Survey, which breaks down expenses by category and income for average US citizens. I was looking for average food expenditure numbers recently while modifying my own budget and found it a useful starting point.
I'm a single guy in my late-20s in a relatively expensive urban area. (My experience has been that location matters more than anything else in determining a reasonable food budget.) I budget $10 per day for food, including groceries and eating out, and find that a pretty comfortable level. I have a quick light breakfast at home in the mornings (Muesli + Soy Milk = .68/bowl), cook a simple meal with fresh ingredients for lunch or dinner ($2-$4), and cook again or eat out for the other meal ($2-$8). The days that I eat at home all day or skip a meal tend to save enough money to cancel out the times I eat out more, or more expensively.
Cooking at home is not always a great deal for me, because most things go bad before I can use all of them. Where I live, daytime temps this time of year reach 110F regularly, and I don't cool the house for the 9-12 hours a day I'm at work, so non-fridge items don't keep well either during the summer.
Given time and space constraints, growing my own food isn't practical, and I've found that the time I spend finding, clipping, organizing, and using coupons generally outweighs the amount of money they save. I tend to select items based on ingredients and nutrition first, taste/asthetics second, and price last. This is all limited by whatever amount I have in the budget for shopping — if there's $60 available for groceries one week, I try to get the best nutrition I can afford for $60, even though that means less quantity.
It seems like it would be easier to eat for significantly less per person if there were two people in a household, where one had the time/energy to focus on more elaborate cooking than I can manage by myself.
We (fiance and myself, late 20′s) used to go to the local grocery store at least 4-6 times a week. Then, a few years ago, we got a Sam's card and immediately noticed a huge savings. I think we spend about $250 a month in groceries now, and that's for two people and buying in bulk (replenishing things on a rotation as they run out, such as the bucket of laundry soap or the bag of frozen chicken breasts). My parents used to spend about $400 a month (Sam's also) when I was a kid (4 person family), so I don't think we're doing too terrible.
We only eat out when we work washing cars for cash at the Infiniti dealership on Saturdays, just as a treat. It's very rare that we go out otherwise to eat.
Congrats on the Wall Street Journal story!
I track my expenses in all categories each month and spend an average of $120 per MONTH for one late 50′s woman. I bake own bread, each lots of fresh produce, beans, low fat dairy. VERY little junk food. Make own hot chocolate from scratch, bake own brownies.
Not only is the food bill low, I've lost 27 pounds slowly over 4 years and keep my blood pressure low enough to avoid meds.
Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin were my starter examples, amplified by Amy Dacyzycn.
From 1/17 to 3/27, I spent exactly $707.74 on restaurant food and $240 on groceries. Or roughly $5k on food… wow. Since then has been a *lot* better. $500 total on groceries and $500 on restaurant food – over 3 months.
Single person, no coupons at all. Started visiting the farmers' market since it restarted, that has helped some.
We just finally put a budget together, and discovered that our family of four spends about $7-800/mo on food, not including eating out, which varies so wildly as to be untrackable.
I never thought I would be on the high end. Family of three; we cook five nights a week, I eat free two nights while my husband eats frozen dinners, I never pack a lunch, My husband always packs a lunch, and breakfast consists of cereal.
My Grocery bill (food & toiletries), not including eating out, can range from $120-160 per week! That's more than $500 per month. How Bob eats on $160 a month is beyond me.
We are a family of 3 with one more due in January; we strive to spend no more than $100 a week on groceries. Some weeks we do well, others not so well, but it usually balances out to $400 a month.
We cut coupons but use them irregularly, and we do bulk warehouses for diapers, meat, pasta, and other things we use a lot. I find I spend more than necessary when I go there so I try and go rarely!
We almost never eat out, my husband packs a lunch every day, and I do all our cooking. We grow some of our own food but since we just moved to a new area, my garden isn't quite established … even then it's mostly just tomatoes, fruit, some peppers.
I found this website trying to determine a reasonable amount to spend each month feeding a family of 4 (two growing boys, my husband and myself). Our 1st month of recording all our spending on our budget spreadsheet has been a huge eye opener. This month on groceries and dining out we spent well over $800 w/ a good bulk of that on groceries. I don't clip coupons (not yet), but I think I'm going to start. I hope to budget around $300 – 350 on groceries and around $200 on dining out per month – starting next month. We'll see how that goes. I have to STOP the dropping in the supermarket more than once a week – it's blowing the budget BIG TIME!
YTD expense for family of six in Northeast metro:
Groceries: $10,741 = $1342/mo
Dining Out: $2,932 = $366/mo
We don't use coupons, and these totals do not include approximately $2,500 in dining from a family vacation in January.
We spend about $550 per month on groceries and about $125 on dining out (we both work from home and/or pack lunch and rarely eat out except for the occasional pizza with the family.
We are a family of 4 living in Hawai'i where the grocery prices are VERY high as everything non-perishable is flown in. We try to use coupons but don't use most prepackaged coupon items except for a few toiletries and detergent, use farmer's markets, grow some of our own and shop into multiple stores for the best deals of the week.
Correction: that should be everything perishable is flown in-non perishables are shipped but Matson keeps raising shipping rates for their barges as well so costs keep increasing.
I tend to be a penny pincher for everything EXCEPT food. My wife and I both love food, we both can/have cooked quite often in the past at home, however with our current (last 2 years) work patterns we have tended to eat out an awful lot. My wife does in-house appointments and tends to find herself out-and-about most of the day form 9am->7pm. I work in downtown and leave around 7 and get home around 7. We both hate getting home, having to cook a meal, and then clean up after it … so we tend to eat out. A lot.
On the average we have spent roughly $51.71/day on eating out or around $1577.29/mo. Because we have eaten out so much, our overall grocery bill is around 185.50/mo. When we end up going to the grocery store I won't necessarily clip coupons, however I do look for sale items. Still, if it's something I have a craving for … it'll end up in the cart.
Now, having said that, we have recently cut back on our expenses again in order to start saving some money. We are down to roughly $10.57/day ($322.43/mo) on eating out. First thing to go were those daily lattes, snacks, and nightly dinners. We didn't cut the budget down to zero (yet), because we are both fairly honest with ourselves and realize that sometimes it's still just easier for us to stop someplace and pick up a quick lunch if we are in a hurry. Still, it's an improvement. Our grocery expenses went up, but not to much considering – around $368.50/mo or so.
Our current 2 person out-of-pocket expenses are now averaging around $690.93/mo or so. Expect in the next month or two after we have gotten a little more use to it again, we'll be back down around $450/mo or so. Bad habits are hard to break, but once you start looking at the cost of things … you can see a quick return.
To be honest we don't track our grocery/eating out bills. We need too b/c it is a huge amount(>$1k/mo family of 6). My wife is the queen of fast food with the kids. She has her own parking space and is greeted by name at McDonald's/Wendy's/Burger King/etc.
I work at a bulk Warehouse so I am always picking up the milk/cheese/meat which is usually less expensive on my way home.
I cut coupons out of the newspaper for items we already use (i.e. Campbells cream of chicken soup) but usually forget to use them by the time I get to the checkout.
I also believe that the region of the USA where you live greatly affects your grocery bill. The cost of 1 gallon 1% milk here is $1.79 and is a staple in our diet. It might be $2.50 in Seattle…?
In Hawaii our price for a 1/2 gallon of organic milk is $5.99
i have a family of five and shop at a commisary so i have the benefit of tax free food and many times the food is greatly reduced in cost. After reading these responses i am wondering how so many of you budget so well. I spend an average of 150 a week on groceries. that includes toiletries, pet food, cleaning supplies and occasional non prescription medicines. I wonder how the lower spending families do it. i know i do buy about 25 dollars each pay day worth of unneccesary items but that is still bringing me to 500 a month.
I don't have a clue yet (just about to try to reconstruct it by looking at reciepts) what we spend on food but I'm sure it's way more than I want to, not even counting eating out.
I would not be surprised if the two of us are spending over 1500 per month on food, not counting eating out. Part of that is because we eat mostly organic, but that's not enough to account for the big bill.
My wife does the shopping and rarely looks at prices. The concept I can't get across is "sure we have to eat food but we don't NEED to eat $11/pound smoked salmon, shitake mushrooms…
… you get the point.
We're being killed by what someone called "the latte factor" — that "how can you make a fuss about a little luxury now and then and anyone this one item doesn't cost that much."
Well i think my moms spend about $500-$600 on food. There is 6 people that live in my house. Then there are 2 dogs and 1 cat. To me thats not a lot for 8 people!
This is a difficult one to answer, for myself at least. I have a family of five {and 40 animals} What we spend on food various from season. on the average we spend $200 every two weeks split between the grocery store, eating out, the farmers market and "pick your own" farms. We raise fruits and vegetables, poultry and eggs. The big ticket items are beef and milk, which we hope to remedy that soon buy purchasing 2 milking cows. I spend at least ½ our food total on butter, milk, meat and cheese. I do not use coupons, and rarely eat out.
Spending only for myself, I buy roughly $100-120 of food each month, add another $30-50 or so for dinners and lunches out. This is a very basic diet of sandwiches, fruits & veggies, and I can't go without cereal! I try to find food for 15 cents/oz or less, and only rarely use coupons.
I am married and have three kids and tend to spend between $ 800-1000 per month on groceries, toiletries, and cleaning supplies. I buy a lot of fresh veggies and fruit but I also buy too many packaged and/or prepared dinners, including a lot of bottled water and canned soft drinks. Steaks, chicken, and salmon don't even cost as much as the prepared food sometimes can. I know I need to cut back but I never feel like I have enough time to prepare every breakfast,lunch and dinner. I also spend about $ 200 monthly on take out/dining out.
My husband probably spends an additional $ 200 monthly on groceries and dining.
These are some interesting figures from people, fun to read.
I took a glace at my spending, and lately I have been averaging $250 a month for food, and that includes eating out. Bringing my own lunch to work has saved at least $100 a month. And being single has saved on eating out. : )
Two 22 year old college grad students living in CO and we spend ~$800-900/mon on food. That includes EVERYTHING (coffee, dining out, groceries, etc.) We eat out for lunch only when we don't have time to pack one (once per week). We eat light a breakfast every morning such as cereal or bread (go out for breakfast once per week). Cook dinner at home 5 nights a week (the other two we usually get something quick like sandwiches, Chipotle, Noodles, pizza). So, this is a very honest answer. We never snack, sometimes we have dessert and don't ever buy junk food. We hardly ever have something in the house that can be eaten without cooking it or making it.
I have a really hard time believing other people can spend so little. What am I doing wrong??? We are hungry and definitely don't eat too much. And none of our food ever goes to waste so it is all consumed. I am pretty good at figuring out new meals that include ingredients that are on sale too.
My expenditures on food vary greatly throughout the year, depending on my teaching and travel situation. From September through May may monthly expenses probably average $250-$350, with very little of that for restaurants. However, I spend a bit more during breaks in Dec.-Jan. and mid-March (due to restaurants), and a bit less in Sept.-Dec., Feb., Apr., and May (my "frugal" times). I also have an interest in fine wine, and the expenses above reflect that.
My spending on food tends to spike upward in the summer, as I travel a lot, usually for work. My food expenditures for last June, when I was working in Spain, were around $900! (However, I received a food per diem for the job… whew!)
In general, I'm fairly frugal most of the year, and since I've been drinking less wine lately (I have lots of project deadlines), I expect expenses to hover around $200/mo. or so during the teaching season.
I should note that I save close to 25% of my middle-class income in tax-deferred savings, and my only debt is a fairly low mortgage. (I bought less house than I could afford.) I also save another 5-10% of my income for stock purchases or other savings. I don't have television/cable, cell phones, and other such media expenses. (My internet service is free through work.) I take a commuter bus to work, and I don't buy non-food items or services unless I really have to. In other words, except for food and some travel expenses, I am a cheapskate. I love to cook, so food is a form of entertainment for me, and good food is essential when I travel. During my teaching months, I shop frugally and buy in bulk, but I also treat myself to more expensive things such as protein powder, cheese, fresh berries, etc.
I don't use coupons, but I do comparison shop. And when I buy in bulk, sometimes I hoard. I have lots of paper towels, dish liquid, and cereal in storage, for example.
Household : 2 people
Dining out : $105/month avg (on credit card, cash dining is not tracked)
Groceries : $525/month avg
This is from the past 12 months per quicken tracking. We don't track cash purchases (we both get a 'cash allowance' at the beginning of the month to spend on whatever we want).
[...] How much do families spend on food? How much has the average person saved for retirement? Do others balance their checkbooks every month? Every week? Every day? When shopping for homes, how much time do people take? [...]
My fiance and I have a budget of $400 a month for all food and household goods. We both love to cook and make almost everything we eat from scratch. I make my own bread and pizza doughs, cakes, muffins, sometimes ground meats, preserve our own salsa and pasta sauces in bulk during times when ingredents are in season and we buy locally from the organic farms. During the summer we typically dont have much of a surplus due to buying lots of fresh fruit.
However, most other months we have about $50 left in our budget so every few months we will take a trip to a warehouse club and buy in bulk (especially for household goods).
If I see a deal for whole chicken at $0.89/lbs, I'll buy 5 or 6 chickens, debone and fillet a few of them and freeze everything, including bones for soups and stocks, although I dont do any coupon clipping and generally dont compare prices between stores.
Because I eat mostly organic and I am gluten-intolerant and have other food allergies, my grocery bills are higher than they would be otherwise. However, I am cooking from scratch and eating at home more than I used to. I'd guess that I pay about $400 per month for food, which includes eating out. For reference, I am single, and I live in one of the most expensive areas in the country.
My husband and I have 8 kids, 4 of whom are teens, and we spend $600-700 per month on groceries, including pet food. We eat out rarely, probably spending $50 a month total… We have a huge garden and I can a lot of produce so that helps a lot.
Mary, mom to 8
This is one area that continues to annoy, confuse and interest me.
Family of four (myself, husband, two kids under 5) and we shop at the commissary like another commenter (tax free, food at a lower price, and admitedly the fresh stuff sometimes doesn't last but a week) and we spend easily $600 a month on food – with eating out once a month, maybe. I'd like us to spend around $400 and the months when we do, we end up spending even more the next month.
I'd like to use coupons, but I don't. We decided to not eat out at all for a few months and see where that takes us. We are very good about buying on sale and also on stocking up when there is a sale. We don't mind cooking and use the crockpot a lot.
Right now our pantry, fridge and two freezers are stocked full and we may be able to go a month until needing to really shop (not talking about milk or bread) again.
Oh and when we do eat out it ends up costing us anywhere from $50-80. We went to meal planning and for the past few days it's been going well. LOL
This has been very interesting. I've been married 15 years and have 4 kids ages 14, 12, 9 and 6. I've always wondered what the average family spends on groceries per month and how we compared. I've tried all kinds of things over the years to save money and don't feel like any of it has been very sucessful. I've always felt guilty about what I spend on groceries.
Currently we live in the mid-west. I'm a busy stay at home mom. I make most everything from scratch. We rarely buy soda, we don't drink coffee or alchohol. We eat out or get take out/fast food mostly when our schedule is really hectic. We've tried a garden, but the bugs took it over this year and we didn't get much out of it. I do clip coupons about 1/2 the time. I mostly shop at Wal-Mart with a monthly visit to Sams Club, and Aldi because they are further from my house.
We track our spending pretty carefully, and my most recent spread sheet for this calendar year shows us spending an average of $927 per month on groceries including all household cleaning, paper, and personal hygiene items. Our average eating out per month is $246 and that includes one month long vacation visiting family and 2 or 3 weekend family trips to visit friends.
I would like to spend less, but don't want to become a miser. We like to invite people to dinner, and contribute food items generously to school and church functions.
It's my wife, myself and my 9 month old and we probably spend about $250-$300/month on food. We probably eat out twice a month or so, and we don't eat much ready-made food. We get bulk food that doesn't spoil quickly (flour, noodles, frozen meat etc.) from Costco, and do weekly or every-other weekly trips to the grocery store for produce, bread, milk and whatever else we don't want 50 Lb. packages of.
We did garden this year, but it wasn't very productive (we forgot to weed most of the time). The fruit trees and neighbors gardens surplus did get bottled or dried.
We don't use coupons much, but we do try to buy a lot when things are on sale
I pack a lunch to school and work every day.
For the 9 month old, we buy flaked cereals and formula, but cook and/or blend our own potatoes, yams, peas, bananas, pears, apples, and whatever else we think Ryan will like. Baby food is crazy expensive.
Wow, how does everyone manage to spend so little? I'm a single guy in my late 20′s living and working in SF. I am very conscience of what I eat(No fast food, No processed food, No frying food, no trans fat food). I like to stick to buying real food. I spend about $115 a month on groceries (this includes my breakfast, dinner, snacks, misc household items). I usually go out for lunch which adds up to $120 a month. So a total of $235 but this does not include protein shakes, vitamens, and supplements. Which are over $100. I find it hard to believe that some single people are living off $100 a month. They must be eating off of the $1 McDonald Menu everyday. I'm just thankful that I am not a coffee/soda drinker.
Wow! I am absolutley amazed at how little people can spend on food! I have to say that Stuart and Heather sound the most reasonable. I was wondering how much I should be spending on food each month. There is me, my husband, our four kids, ages 6,8,10,12, a handful of cats and a couple of dogs. We don't use coupons as I think they are a pain. We take the entire family out to eat a couple times a month and it is usually close to $100 a time. My husband and I try to go just the two of us now and then and we usually spend about the same on just the two of us. Then, we eat pizza almost once to twice a week. We rarely eat fast food, though. My husband and I like our occasional alcoholic beverages. And none of us are very overweight. I am the only one, in fact, by about ten pounds. We try to not buy too much junk food, and only drink diet sodas, with no calories. I am not even sure how much we spend on groceries, but I bet I've got you all topped. This may sound weird, but thank you for sharing your information. This will be a good starting point for me in devising a family budget. I am trying to figure out how much we should spend and on what. Food is one of the obvious areas that I think a lot of us spend way too much on. I know I certainly do. I hope I can find a good compromise between saving money and not sacrificing too much creature comfort.
Another set of 22 yr old grad students, but we live in NY state. I track groceries really well, since I pay for them, but I don't know how much we spend eating out, since my finace pays for that, among other things. (We go out maybe twice a month and don't order in delivery, and maybe 3-4 days a week get lunch on campus.)
Groceries for two people:
Aug: $401.95
Sep: $286.63
Oct: $286.81
Nov: $241.41 (as of the 26th)
August is a little higher since that's when we moved here and needed to stock up on essentials. But I'm not sure how to get the budget any lower. I buy the store brand of nearly everything, and buy extra of things that go on sale if I know we'll use them. I'm actually now going through our receipts to see what little extras have been adding up. We don't buy sodas or snack foods for the most part, and while we're both in decent shape we don't get any specialty health foods, either.
So far, the best thing by far that we've done for the food budget is sign up for the 'value cards' at the local grocery stores. By using them, it's like getting a week's worth of groceries free every ten weeks. (Or, conversely, it would be throwing away $80 every ten weeks without using the cards.)


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Who is the BIGGEST Queen fan you know? Fill out the form below and tell us who and why; you could win them tickets to see WE WILL ROCK YOU, Tuesday, October 29th at the Benedum Center.
We Will Rock You runs October 29th to November 3rd at the Benedum Center. Tickets are on sale now via Trustarts.org, the Theater Square Box Office or by phone at (412) 456-6666
WE WILL ROCK YOU features the greatest hits of the legendary British rock group, Queen. Now in its 11th year in London and seen by a staggering 15 million people worldwide, this hilarious, multi-award-winning and record-breaking phenomenon is written by celebrated British comedian Ben Elton and boasts a fantastic score of killer Queen tunes that you just can't resist singing along to, such as "Another One Bites The Dust," "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," "We Are The Champions," "Bohemian Rhapsody" and, of course, "We Will Rock You." It's the world champion of musicals and the show that rocks harder than any other, so don't miss the party – book your tickets now!


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Martina McBride visits CMT Most Wanted Live Saturday (Sept. 27) at 6:30 p.m. ET/PT. Her new album, Martina, arrives in stores Tuesday (Sept. 30).
On a warm May afternoon in 1994, publicists for RCA Records ushered a handful
of entertainment reporters into a small projection room on Music Row, assuring them that they were going to see something
special. It was Martina McBride's new music video --her sixth one -- and it carried a strong message, they warned. Maybe too
Filmed in grainy black and white, the video opened serenely. A mother and daughter frolicked around a tree
in their yard as off-camera voices sweetly sang a verse from "Amazing Grace." Suddenly and with a throbbing musical intro,
the viewers were plunged into nightmarish scenes of spousal abuse. They culminated with the desperate wife burning down the
house with herself and her abusive husband inside while their daughter looked on in wordless horror. "I ain't saying it's
right or it's wrong," sang the bleak-faced McBride, "but maybe it's the only way."
The video was, of course, "Independence
Day," and it did more to propel McBride toward country music stardom than anything else she had done to date. That fall, the
Country Music Association gave "Independence Day" its video of the year award. It was the first time that honor had gone to
a video by a female artist.
Counting performance clips, McBride has starred in 26 music videos and played cameo roles
in at least three others. She made her debut in early 1992 with "The Time Has Come," the first of three she would film that
year. Her third clip of 1992 was the heart-wrenching "Cheap Whiskey." It marked the singer's initial foray into videos about
domestic violence. Also in black and white, it tells the story of a heavy drinker who inadvertently kills his wife in a car
crash before he finally comes to his senses.
Over the next 11 years, McBride would continue to revisit this disturbing
theme, although she varied it regularly with videos about strong and contented women who find a love that works for them,
such as "Safe in the Arms of Love" (1995) and the rapturous "Blessed" (2001). There were others about love affairs that end
badly, including "Where I Used to Have a Heart" (1995) and "Cry on the Shoulder of the Road" (1997). Threaded through this
serious fare were outbursts of pure whimsy and joy, notably "My Baby Loves Me" (1993), "Wild Angels" (1995), "I Love You"
(1999) and "When God-Fearin' Women Get the Blues" (2001).
At first glance, "Broken Wing" (1997) seems like a pale imitation
of "Independence Day." Again, there's a beaten-down wife and a humorless, domineering husband. But here the abuse is emotional,
not physical. Instead of hitting his wife, the man constantly scorns and disparages her. Rather than being reduced to despair,
however, the wife escapes her tormentor not by violence but by leaving him.
Even more disturbing than "Independence
Day" is McBride's 2002 video, "Concrete Angel," in which a mother beats her school-age daughter to death. The neighbors hear
the shouts and blows. The teacher sees bruises. But no one comes to the little girl's aid, except for the young boy who befriends
her but is impotent to help. Not content simply to point out social problems with her videos, McBride sometimes had them tagged
with statistics, advice and the names of agencies offering relief.
"This One's for the Girls," McBride's current video,
has the subtlety of a group hug. But who cares? It's fun. It's uplifting. And it saves "girls" of all ages the cost of a self-help
magazine. Not bad for a four-minute romp.
Because McBride's alarm-sounding videos are so unsettling and dramatic, one
tends to remember them more vividly than her bubbly, love-inspired efforts. The one possible exception is "Blessed." Part
Garden of Eden myth and part fairy tale, "Blessed" shows a perfectly contented woman in a perfect world, attended by healthy,
happy children and a doting Prince Charming husband. It is such an open and innocent expression of the ideal that it works,
even as it veers toward burlesque. But who can resist Martina in a swing?
some of Martina McBride's most popular videos.


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Eight inches of thick, uncut cock is a damn respectable party size slab of fun no matter what its attached too but since our 22 year old, lean, muscled Brazilian hottie this week towers in at bite-sized 5'7�, it looked like the tree trunk was hanging off the branch then the other way around and seeing what he does and how much has to do it with, believe me, we're not complaining. Felipe doesn't speak much English and the interview section more like a game of charades but it was that ear to ear grin that never left his face and that bulge that seemed to house a whole of jumping beans that did all the talking for him. Those doe eyes look almost sad as he need to breed has definitely not been met as often as he needs to and while he kept his hat on the whole time, he couldn't get his clothes fast enough to show off that huge tattoo, a portrait of his first girlfriend, and while he pinched his nips and crunched his abs, he set forth that cock into the air with such force, it made you wonder just how much would actually fit in the mouth the oozing precum covered head so desperately was hungering for. The band of pale skin around his middle seemed to make that sculpted set of ass cheeks glow and draw attention to that bull sized, bloated ball sack that seemed to start somewhere about mid-thigh on his flexed, hard frame and are so full of sperm, they still hang low even as looks down and smiles, staring directly into that head of that brown cock until he frosts those coiled abs with a thick heavy load from a dick that instead of going down, is still twitching as he waves good bye.
- released : 12-17-2005 |


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Was £149.00
Now £74.00
Now £49.00
67% Off
Save a total of £100.00
Pink animal and floral print Sabine maxi dress
Item No.62076_151981018
This beautiful soft chiffon maxi dress in an exclusive animal and floral print. Featuring a feminine v neckline, pretty angel sleeves and contrasting detailing to create the perfect silhouette. The ultimate summer party dress.
- 100% Polyester
- Centre Back 137.5cm
- Dry clean only
Debenhams is happy to exchange or refund your purchase within 28 days providing the goods are in a fully resaleable condition (including tags) and not within the exclusion policy*. This policy does not affect your statutory rights. You can return unwanted items either by visiting your local store (the fastest way to get a refund), by arranging a courier collection or returning by post. Exclusions apply to selected products. For instructions on how to return products and information on Debenhams refund policy visit the returns and refunds section of the website.


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Arizona State guard Brandon Dunson has asked for his scholarship release, his father said Tuesday.
Dunson, the first junior-college recruit under ASU coach Herb Sendek, played in 18 games last season for the Sun Devils, averaging 2.1 points and 0.5 assists in 8.3 minutes. He played key roles in two victories, scoring six points in the final four minutes of a 78-75 win over Nevada and scoring 14 points in a 60-55 triumph at Oregon.
Teammates and coaches praised Dunson's attitude throughout the season, even as the guard played a minimal role.
Dunson likely will transfer to an NAIA school, where he can play immediately.
Over the past two seasons, five players have left ASU. Last year, Demetrius Walker, Taylor Rohde, Victor Rudd and Brandon Thompson transferred to other schools.
Follow me at Twitter.com/DougHaller.


text:
We kissed by accident:
[] continue kissing
[] smile
[] awkward
[] walk away
[] be like wtf
[] kiss you back
If you hugged me:
[] hug you back
[] let you
[] hug you heaps more
[] push you away
Would I date you?
[] yes
[] no
[] maybe
[] probably
[] already have
[] we currently are
You should:
[] text me
[] get in my bed now
[] come to bed with me
[] talk to me more
[] come see me
[] leave me alone!
♥ relationship status
♦ something I love
♣ something I hate
♠ dream job(s)
♪ post a picture of yourself
♫ favourite musician(s)
! favourite subject
@ something that makes me happy
# something that makes me sad
$ my current mood
& (include a random question you want to ask me)
13. I remember going to amusement parks with my dad when I was a kid. Those were great memories.
16. My favorite food is macaroni and cheese.
19. I think the most scandalous thing I've ever done was rubbed a guy's balls.
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
Uhm this is weird haha but ok:
Fuck: http://thatgirlnamedbacon.tumblr.com/
Marry: Can't say :x
Kiss: http://thatgirlnamedbacon.tumblr.com/
Wan Chu, my adoring husband,
has returned from another trip
selling trinkets in the provinces.
He pulls off his lavender shirt
as I lie naked in our bed,
waiting for him. He tells me
I am the only woman he'll ever love.
He may wander from one side of China
to the other, but his heart
will always stay with me.
His face glows in the lamplight
with the sincerity of a boy
when I lower the satin sheet
to let him see my breasts.
Outside, it begins to rain
on the cherry trees
he planted with our son,
and when he enters me with a sigh,
the storm begins in earnest,
shaking our little house.
Afterwards, I stroke his back
until he falls asleep.
I'd love to stay awake all night
listening to the rain,
but I should sleep, too.
Tomorrow Wan Chu will be
a hundred miles away
and I will be awake all night
in the arms of Wang Chen,
the tailor from Ming Pao,
the tiny village down the river.
1. I like to listen to music, watch movies, and write stuff in my spare time.
4. My favorite book is The Little Prince, my favorite movie is A Clockwork Orange, and my favorite tv show is The Twilight Zone.
11. The strangest things in my room are 2 fetuses.
16. I'd go on tour and travel with Parliament/Funkadelic for the drug trips and awesomeness of George Clinton and Bootsy Collins.
25. I'd lather Henry Rollins in nutella ;)
3. 3 Fears:
27. My url is a quote from my favorite book The Little Prince. "One sees clearly only with the heart. What is essential is invisible to the eye."
40. I get good morning texts from Sara sometimes but not that much anymore.


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07-12-13 *USDA / FSA-CO News* Emergency Haying and Grazing of CRP in Washington County in Colorado…
Posted by Brian Allmer on July 12, 2013
Washington County has received authorization from the Colorado State FSA Committee to hay or graze CRP acreage in 2013 using Emergency Provisions. Both authorizations begin July 16, 2013. Haying authorization ends August 31, 2013 and grazing authorization ends September 30, 2013. A 25% payment reduction will be applied against the acres hayed or grazed.
Before beginning to hay or graze, application must be made with FSA, a haying or grazing plan obtained from NRCS, and approval received from FSA. Failure to follow these necessary steps may result in the assessment of penalties and/or contract termination.
If grazing, participants must either leave at least 25% of each field or contiguous field ungrazed or reduce the determined stocking rate by at least 25 percent. If haying, at least 50% of each field or contiguous field must be left unhayed. The same acreage cannot be hayed and grazed.
Hay obtained utilizing emergency provisions cannot be sold. However, the privilege to hay or graze may be leased by the CRP participant to an eligible livestock producer for their own use.
Although acreages utilized last year are technically eligible, conditions have prohibited normal growth. The haying or grazing plan will reflect the total amount of forage available with the long term effect of the cover being considered. Any acreage that has been utilized in the past may be determined ineligible if the cover has not recovered or the plan will likely reflect a stocking rate or haying plan that is reduced from previous years.
To apply or obtain more information, contact the Washington County Farm Service Agency Office at 970-345-2364 Ext. 2.


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Deluxe Shaped Thermoplastic Viola Case
Item Number: #
The ABS Thermoplastic Viola Case has been the choice of school music programs for decades because of it's strength and durability. This viola case has a traditional shape that is constructed of a thermoplastic shell with an aluminum valance for added strength. The ABS thermoplastic case is held closed with two metal latches, a side carrying handle and two D-rings for shoulder strap carrying option. Shoulder strap may be purchased separately, SW Strings item #SS.
Sizes: 16-16 1/2, 15-15 1/2. Weight 5 lbs..
The ABS thermoplastic viola case has a plush black interior with two accessory pockets, one at the scroll and one under the neck.
Brand: Deluxe
Model: Shaped Thermoplastic
This item is available. This item is backordered.
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David Musgrove Jnr Ulysses or Bust, E5 6b, Curbar
© Nic Sellars, Sep 2010
Route: Ulysses or Bust
Camera used: Olympus u820,S820