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Sermon July 9, 2017 – Luke 19:36-46
I had never really thought of myself as much of a protester, though in hindsight I can see some of the indicators. I remember in early high school wearing one of the chrome bracelets of a MIA or POW soldier during the Vietnam war. Its presence on my wrist was not just a call to remember those in the war, but a silent protest of the war in general.
I recall my sophomore year in high school I decided to speak on those who had gone north to Canada or south to Mexico to avoid the draft. I interviewed persons in our small western Kansas town regarding how they felt about those who had fled rather than serve. I was glad my dad insisted on accompanying me on these interviews. That was an eye-opening experience for a 15 year old.
I recall my trip to Washington D.C. and NYC my junior year of high school, and my dismay at how our own Kansas Senator responded to our questions. Writing letters to our reps both state and federal came as I grew older and even more interested in how our country worked and frustrated with the political status quo.
So, all this to say, there has been a little protester in my blood for some time. As I pondered this week's message I reflected on the protester in our world, in our country, and in our churches. Our country was really begun in protest, protesting an oppressive rule, though we brought our own oppression to those who were here before us. Our country began protesting a state mandated religion, though it can seem we have forgotten and/or denied that fact. These United States were born in and by protest. The right to assemble and speak our mind is guaranteed in our founding documents…there are those who would rather not have that right guaranteed.
Our own faith tradition was born out of protest, it is where we get our name, protest-ant. One might even say there was a little protest built into the beginnings of John Wesley's Methodist movement, as in protest against an Anglican Church, who suggested he should not be preaching in the fields but rather keep it in the church, protesting the Anglican church, and it is important to not it was a church he never left. Not to mention the Christian faith itself, born a bit out of the struggle to be free from restrictions and burdensome laws as well as an oppressive empire.
As I think about all the examples and illustrations we might use, it seems to me there is a bit of a protester in the very genes of who we are as a people of faith. I look at our history in the world, in our nation, in our churches, in our United Methodist Church, and Lord have mercy, there is a lot to be protested. There is injustice and oppression and hatred, too much to go around. There is much to push back against, there is much to stand and speak against, it can seem overwhelming.
And so as I continue to ponder the idea of protester and how it fits into who we are as Christians, as United Methodists, as people of faith, I asked Jesus what he thought of the whole idea. I should learn, every time I invite Jesus to be a conversation partner, even though I can control what I think he should say, I am always the one who ends up uncomfortable.
So, I asked him what he thought about the protester, and this is where he started, "Love your enemies." I said… "Seriously?" He said, "Yes!" He said, "Kent, it is really important, no, it is crucial you know why you are protesting. Are you directing your words, your march, your stand, your passion, your anger at a person, or at the unjust practices being put forth?"
So, my thoughts and reflections on Jesus' life and ministry went to practice…
As I think about my protesting…
Is it about hate or is it about compassion?
It is about a person or is it about policy?
Is it about the one who embodies the powers that be, or is it about the institution promoting injustice?
What am I practicing when I protest?
Love and Change? Or a Hate and Exclusion of my own?
Think about the passage from Luke we read today. It is a story we have dealt with before. It is a story we read at least once a year, this year twice. The story of Jesus entry into Jerusalem. If you have been here for Palm Sunday you have heard me speak on it before. Sometimes I think the church gets caught up in the "king" part of the story, that this story is about the kingship, the head of the church, the messiah, the deliverer identity of Jesus and if we don't know the whole story we miss an important part.
Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan in their book, "The Last Week" tell the story of what has become known as the Triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Jesus sends his disciples in to obtain a colt for him to ride. It harkens back to the prophets words about one who will ride humbly into the city and will lead them to victory. As they ride in people lay their coats and palm branches on the road ahead of him, something done for royalty. What we are not told in this story is this day there are two processions into the city.
This is what is happening on the other end of town. In contrast to a rabbi, teacher, peasant, riding into town on a donkey, there are soldiers, armor, mighty horses, shields, swords. On this side of town there is a show of power, military prowess, this is empire at its finest, this is the way of the future, fear and control. Jesus march into the city is an opposing force, but not one of power and military prowess, not one of empire and fear, but the force of humility, vulnerability, and peace.
It is a classic confrontation, the struggle between peace and conflict, conflict between humility and arrogance, between prowess and vulnerability. It has been going on since the beginning and we are slow learners. In our tradition, it has been going on since Cain first knocked Abel in the head with a rock.
This demonstration, this procession, this march into the city by Jesus isn't just an impromptu triumphal entry into the city by a prophet of peace. I believe Jesus knew exactly what he was doing.
This was a protest march against the powers that be.
This was a protest march against the oppressive rule of empire.
This was a protest march against the collusion of religion and empire.
This was a protest march against the collaboration of religion and politic.
Jesus was protesting injustice and oppression! And at least for a moment, we are told, had they silenced the crowd, it would seem, that even creation, the stones would carry on the protest.
In Luke's telling, not only does this protest march seem to take on a life of its own, it even turns a little violent in the end. Jesus gets to the temple and sees the greed and the taking advantage of the poor and well, he loses it. Now, granted in Luke's telling he doesn't lose it as much as in other gospel telling where he makes a whip out of cords, drives the money changers from the temple, turns over the tables, runs the folks out of the courtyard, but he is highly critical of the scene, "My house," he says, "shall be a house of prayer; but you have turned it into a house of robbers!"
Now, don't get me wrong here, I am not promoting property damage. I am just pointing out in the story, that even for Jesus, turning a few table over and critiquing the church, protesting the collusion between church and state were also in his toolbox. Anyone who says Jesus, the church wasn't, shouldn't be, political, in terms of critiquing the powers that be and its policies need to take a close look at this story, There are no words recorded from the disciples saying anything like, "Jesus, can we stop talking politics now and just share the word?" The "Word" is a natural protestant. The "Word" should be a natural and constant push back against the injustices of our world when injustice and evil raises its ugly head.
So, I asked Jesus again… "What do you think about this whole idea of protesting, and where does it fit in the life of we people of faith? And, well, considering your march on the city, considering your action in the temple, where does that fit into 'Loving my Enemies?" "Good Questions," I imagined he said, and then here is what he told me, so to speak.
"The way you love your enemies is through resistance to the oppressive unjust policies* they promote. Whether it is the government, i.e. Empire or the church. Please, don't hate the person promoting the injustice. I know, that is hard to hear. But if we really believe in the premise of loving our enemies, if we really believe in loving one another, every single other, we can't love just some of the others."
We love our enemies, and we resist.
We love our enemies, not some feely, emotional doormat kind of love* but one that challenges that which we believe make them an enemy. Resistance is the way we stand, march, speak, the truth and make it known to those who would speak, act, and practice injustice, be it in our government or in our churches. Resistance is the way we say, "We love you, and you are wrong!"
Hate for Hate.
Oppression for Oppression.
Exclusion for Exclusion.
Bigotry for Bigotry.
Injustice for Injustice.
Violence for Violence.
Will only make our world, our churches, more deeply divided and blind to what would heal us. And so we love by resisting oppression and evil in whatever form it presents itself. We march, we stand, we raise our hands, and we say, "No, this is not the Way." I was reminded of other words attributed to Jesus in our scriptures, "They will know you are my disciples by the way you love one another."
So, I believe, discipleship, being followers of the way of Jesus includes protesting. Protesting injustice and oppression. Resist the evil that would promote bigotry and ignoring the least of these, in the church and in society and culture. And while there are a multitude of ways to resist, whether you march, or write, or speak, or support, or call, whatever your method and practice of resistance, make sure it is grounded in love and not hate.
Because we are reminded, as we heard last week, we the church, should never be the tool of the state, or even the tool of unjust powers that be in the church. But we have the tool, and the tool is, is always love. It is so!
*Preaching in the Era of Trump, O. Wesley Allen Jr.


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Photo by Shutterstock
The owners of Bangladesh's garment factories are threatening the Accord on Fire and Building Safety with legal action after claiming that closures for safety checks and repair work are costing them money. With some overhauls expected to take months, factory owners say they cannot shoulder the expense of both workers' salaries and major repairs while their facilities are suspended from production. Forged in the wake of April 2013's Rana Plaza disaster, and backed by over 170 international brands, retailers, and trade unions, the accord has committed inspecting the South Asian country's 3,500-plus garment factories for fire, electrical, and structural safety at a rate of roughly 250 per month. Although inspection reports have yet to uncover problems as severe as those behind the Rana Plaza building's collapse, almost every inspected factory so far has presented issues, including inadequate fire-suppression equipment, locked or absent fire exits, poor electrical wiring, and weak foundations.
Photo by Shutterstock
The Guardian reports that the owner of Softex Cotton, based in Dhaka, has demanded $100 million in compensation after his factory was shut down due to structural problems.
"There is no such thing as temporary closure," one factory owner told the Guardian.
"There is no such thing as temporary closure," one factory owner told the Guardian.
Another owner said that once a factory closed its doors, even briefly, it would lose orders and shutter permanently. "There is no such thing as temporary closure," he told the Guardian, adding that the accord has "pussy-footed" around the issue of who pays for factory closures as a way to get as many brands as possible to sign up.
But Jenny Holdcroft, policy director for IndustriAll Global Union, a labor group that helped set up the accord, said that the agreement safeguarded factories from losing orders during closures because its brand signatories made a commitment to maintain orders with their suppliers for two years. Although 12 factories have been identified by the accord as requiring significant work, Holdcroft said that many of those only needed partial closure to lighten the stress on the building while production continued on other floors.
RELATED | Bangladesh Building Collapse: Shoddy Materials, Bad Choices to Blame
The accord also legally binds brands to ensure that workers are paid during factory suspensions, Holdcroft added, although details on who makes these payments have been left open to ensure that factory owners who could afford to would make the necessary contributions.
"This was always going to be a topic of negotiation," she told the newspaper. "Brands don't want to commit to paying so that rich factory owners who have just pocketed the profits and not been spending on their factories for years continue to do so. There was obviously going to be disruption, if there was no disruption there would be not change."
RELATED | Did Climate Change Play a Role in the Rana Plaza Building Disaster?
The issue has been compounded, however, by the $5 million set aside by the rival Alliance for Bangladesh Safety, formed by a group of mostly North American apparel retailers, including Gap and Walmart, to help reimburse workers for up to two months of unemployment while repairs are carried out on certain buildings.
"The Alliance [for Bangladesh Safety] is sharing the workers salary along with entrepreneurs so now there is a big confusion," said Shaidullah Azim, a director of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association."We had a big meeting with the accord to make them understand they have to come forward or how will we help our workers?
[Via the Guardian]

subset: commoncrawl


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by Aletha Tippett MD
Sometimes when we think back on the things that have we have done for a patient it gives us a feeling of great satisfaction. Sometimes, however, these past reflections give us feelings of sadness and futility.
I was recently reflecting on a past patient that I was treating for toe wounds on his right foot, trying to avoid amputation. His toes kept getting necrotic, to the point he went for a transmetatarsal amputation (TMA) by a fine surgeon. The surgery was very successful and there was a beautiful flap covering the amputation site of his TMA. Unfortunately, within a day, this flap started turning blue and was showing signs of failure. Once the flap failed, he had a large open wound on his right forefoot. We followed the wound and had it nearly closed after several months, using even bone grafts for the exposed bones.
The thing that is remarkable about this case is that I had just recently begun using leeches and this case would have been the perfect one for using leeches—salvaging flaps is the main use of leeches in the U.S. I regret so much that I didn't think of this or I would have used leeches to salvage this patient's flap. Perhaps the flap would have been saved by intervening with leech therapy [8] and we would not have had the wound to work with. Would it have worked? We will never know of course, but it probably would have worked in salvaging this particular patient's flap. Leeches have the amazing ability to secrete substances to heal the injured tissue and salvage a dying flap. I am just sorry that I didn't think of using leeches and witnessing the success. Now, that I have had much success using leeches, I would hope it would be the first thing I would think of in the case of failure, but when I was at the beginning, it just didn't occur to me.
I think the lesson here is always be aware of and think about all of the wound treatment options available. Don't discard one just because you don't know that much about it or haven't used it before on a patient. Had I thought about it and researched it, I would have found that leech therapy was a very popular way of preserving flaps. It is embarrassing for me to realize that I, as a strong advocate of biotherapy, did not use it in a most effective situation. But that just serves as a reminder to us to explore all of the options.
About The Author
Aletha Tippett MD is a family medicine and wound care expert, founder and president of the Hope of Healing Foundation®, family physician, and international speaker on wound care.
The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the author, and do not represent the views of WoundSource, Kestrel Health Information, Inc., its affiliates, or subsidiary companies.
[1] https://www.woundsource.com/users/aletha-tippett-md
[2] https://www.woundsource.com/tags/aletha-tippett
[3] https://www.woundsource.com/tags/biotherapy
[4] https://www.woundsource.com/tags/medical-leeches
[5] https://www.woundsource.com/tags/skin-flaps
[6] https://www.woundsource.com/blog-category/wound-treatments
[7] https://www.woundsource.com/sites/default/files/blogs/leech_therapy_1.jpg
[8] http://www.woundsource.com/blog/benefits-leech-therapy-in-wound-care
[9] https://www.woundsource.com/patientcondition/skin-grafts


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|Box Record at Wellington Port
|Thursday, 30 June 2011 16:14
CentrePort Wellington achieved a significant milestone this week, for the first time handling 100,000 TEU's (twenty foot equivalent) containers within a year.
The record container, carrying JNL wood product bound for Asia, was loaded onto the Maersk Aberdeen yesterday which is part of the Southern Star Express Service.
CentrePort Chief Executive Blair O'Keeffe said that the 100,000 per annum milestone was important and was indicative of the continued growth of the port.
"Our container business represents a substantial proportion of CentrePort's $2 billion GDP contribution to the Wellington region and this milestone represents our on-going commitment to this regions growth" he said.
CentrePort has invested in two new post-panamax container cranes, twin lift capable straddle carriers and voice direction technology over the past 6 years and currently has one of the highest crane productivity rates in Australasia. "It is pleasing to see the continuing growth in both volume and productivity in the container terminal, which forms a vital part of CentrePort's business," O'Keeffe said.
Blair O'Keeffe
495 3800


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Home Scriptures to help your marriage Articles Helpful Links Salvation Message
Contact Sarah's Daughters Search Free Lessons Tell A Friend About Us!
Ephesians 5:21-22 "Submit to one
another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your husbands as to
the Lord."
By Cynthia Bailey-Rug
I will be the first to admit, I don't like verse 22. I never have, and probably never will. I think the main reason for my feelings is because so many in the church have preached it to death. And, so many preach only on the importance of being a submissive wife, but neglect to mention verse 21 which says we are to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
It is important to know the meaning of submission. It has been taught that being a submissive wife means allowing your husband to treat you as a doormat. Anything he says goes in your marriage. But, that is not the case! Submit to your husbands as fitting with your faith. If your husband wants you to begin participating in watching pornographic movies, for example, God doesn't expect you to submit to that! It is immoral and goes against God's own word. He doesn't expect anyone to put another person above God in their priorities.
Being submissive also doesn't mean you aren't allowed to have feelings, needs and wants of your own. God gave them to you—they are good, and shouldn't be sacrificed for your husband. Dreams may need to be postponed temporarily, but don't give them up. And, allow your feelings to be what they are. Sometimes, men, being the less emotional creatures than we are, will say things like, "Honey, now don't you cry. Everything is going to be fine." You don't have to submit to that "order". Just cry and let it out! Holding emotions inside can be detrimental to your health. I'm not saying it is right to live life by your feelings either. There needs to be a balance. I'm simply saying that it is perfectly okay to feel the way you feel, and to need an outlet for them, whether it's through tears, journaling, or even beating up on a pillow when you're angry.
Submission is, however, giving your mate honor by not telling his secrets or laughing at his mistakes. When he asks you to do a favor for him, you do it whenever possible, even if that means rearranging some things in your schedule to accomplish it. It means, when your husband says money is tight, you don't go to the mall and buy a new wardrobe—you clip coupons and look for sales more than before. It means giving his own dreams and desires a place of priority in your life. It means praising him to others. It means loving and honoring him as the man God gave you to spend your life with, whether you feel he deserves that honor or not, because it is what God wants you to do.
Living submissively isn't easy. But, when you focus on the Father, it is possible. He can help you live this way, and when you do, it will be a joy to your husband!
Copyright © 2010 Sarah's Daughters


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Session outline
|Plenary session PL06, Friday, September 1 2006, 16:00-17:45
|Chair(s): Marcel Tanner, Swiss Tropical Institute, Switzerland
|An Agenda for Sustainable Development in Health
|Hassan Mshinda, Ifakara Health Research & Development Centre, Tanzania
|Partnerships to Promote Global Public Health Security
|David L. Heymann, Representative of the Director-General for Polio Eradication, World Health Organization, Switzerland
Access: Opportunities and Challenges
|Ruth Dreifuss, Switzerland
|Is Health a Commodity?
|Mr. Alok N. Mukhopadhyay, Voluntary Health Association of India
|Role and Responsibility of Academic Institutions
|Bruno Grijseel, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
|Conclusion to the 2006 Edition of the Geneva Health Forum
|Marcel Tanner, Swiss Tropical Institute, Switzerland
|Closing Remarks
|Claude Lecoultre and Louis Loutan, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Switzerland
Session Report
The final plenary session of the "Geneva Forum: Towards Global Access to Health" was dedicated to summarizing the key issues which emerged during the three days of discussion and exchange and to formulate suggestions on how to develop these issues in the future. The final plenary was also a moment to thank all the contributors of the Forum for their effort and participation.
The first speaker, Dr. Hassan Mshinda, Head of the Ifakara Health Research & Development Centre in Tanzania, stressed that previous health initiatives have concentrated on aspects such as equity, participation, and multi-sector and comprehensive healthcare. However, Dr. Mshinda urged that as an increasing number of actors are becoming involved, and a greater pressure is put on immediate results.
According to Dr. Mshinda, there is a clear need for an agenda in order to achieve sustainable development of health. The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness set out the principles for doing a better job in delivering and managing aid. Global Health Initiatives have their merits, but it remains indispensable that countries strengthen their national health systems, because this is the key to improving access to health care, said Dr. Mshinda. In any case, such initiatives will eventually have to be absorbed by governments' health systems.
National governments have a key role to play and it is their responsibility to have a long term strategy for sustainable development of health care systems. Long term commitments from partners, as well as monitoring and audit tools could certainly enhance this process. Dr. Mshinda said that the challenge of Global Health Initiatives is to realize their integration at the global, national and regional levels. To create the necessary interaction between those different levels, there is a need to establish even more contractual partnerships.
Dr. David Heymann, Executive Director, Communicable Diseases, of the World Health Organization (WHO), spoke about the role of partnerships in promoting health security, emphasizing the global character of health problems and, more specifically, the security issues related to infectious diseases. He said that while new infectious diseases are appearing, more worrying is that infections such as cholera and yellow fever, which were thought to have been eradicated, are re-emerging. Analysis shows that increased international travel has stimulated the worldwide spread of some diseases, such as SARS and malaria. While malaria is not contagious, it does get transported through mosquitoes to areas where it normally does not occur. As a result, these diseases occur far from their original source.
The spread of numerous infectious diseases is closely linked to animals and insects. The movement of animals to market is a key factor in spreading infectious diseases to other locations, especially when cattle is not vaccinated. Other diseases can be transmitted through international trade in agricultural products as in the case of Creutzfeltd-Jacob disease. Dr. Heymann reminded the audience that there is always a risk of existing viruses mutating and creating new pandemics.
Will non-immunized humans serve as an intermediate host in the transmission of diseases? The framework for International Health Regulations has been improved and updated on an ongoing basis since 1947, said Dr. Heymann. The WHO receives inputs from 110 different networks around the world, whose task it is to collect data and to continuously monitor the development of diseases in their region. The WHO reacts to information gathered through the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN).
Distribution of information and education related to infectious diseases still rests on weak ground in developing countries, claimed Dr. Heymann. In this context, it is not surprising that the three diseases with the highest death toll, TB, malaria and HIV/AIDS continue their expansion in sub-Saharan countries. He highlighted the staggering negative economic impact of those diseases by giving one example: GDP in sub-Saharan Africa would have been 100 billion USD higher in 2000 if malaria had been eradicated 35 years ago.
Only systematic partnerships between developed and developing countries will enable significant changes to present trends, stated Dr. Heymann. Those partnerships should focus on four areas: research and development, access to vaccines, prevention, and monitoring. The WHO clearly places health at the centre of development, because it is essential for sustainable economic growth. Although the WHO has a role to play and global partnerships have been expanding, the rolling back of infectious diseases is primarily a matter of high level political commitment in developing countries themselves. The declines in HIV/AIDS in Uganda and of TB in Peru are examples of such commitment.
Ms. Ruth Dreifuss, former President of Switzerland, drew attention to the underlying political issues of the topics discussed during this Forum. These include the interdependence between the North and the South, the search for new medicines, the outcome of the World Trade Organization (WTO) summit at Doha, pandemics, and so on. In this context, she underscored the important role of NGOs in raising public awareness and the necessity of forming partnerships between the public and private sectors, while it should remain the responsibility of governments to provide the engine for the process.
Ms. Dreifuss further stressed the importance of the recommendations and conclusions of the Commission on Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation and Public Health, which she had chaired at the World Health Assembly (WHA) and the report of which has recently been completed. Three concepts surfaced in connection with vaccines and medicines in general: availability, acceptability and accessibility. The commission's major conclusions were that present efforts are not sufficient to assure the continuity of existing programmes; the generosity of the private sector should not be a substitute for the public sector spending; and a global action plan is essential for meeting the public's health needs. In order to stop the current stagnation, the speaker proposed four levels of intervention. First, structuring health care to avoid competition between private and public sectors. Secondly, training health workers and seeking to prevent their exodus to rich countries. Thirdly, focusing on vulnerable and marginalized groups such as children and women. And finally, to seek innovation in the pharmaceutical sector and promote the use of generic drugs.
The next speaker, Mr. Alok N. Mukhopadhyay, C.E.O. of the Voluntary Health Association of India, stressed the interdependence of economy and public health. "Health is not an expense but an investment for governments", he continued. All people want to live healthily and have a basic right to claim the conditions to create and maintain their health. A vital question for the speaker was whether health had to be offered as a commodity in the marketplace. He pointed out that more spirituality was needed. In this context, Mr. Mukhopadhyay quoted Mahatma Gandhi's view that "the world has enough for everyone's needs but not for everyone's greed". He concluded by stressing the lack of dialogue between the different medical and health care systems and the difficulties in attracting workers and experts to public health care.
The final speaker, Professor Bruno Grijseels from the Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, highlighted the role and responsibility of academic institutions. Academics and scientists could learn from taking a holistic approach to global health problems instead of focusing on isolated research problems. Access to quality healthcare is a real challenge which can only be won by establishing partnerships, he said. Scientists have the responsibility not to lose sight of reality and to develop systems which can be implemented for the benefit of the public.
In her closing remarks, Professor Le Coultre, Membre of the Forum Organizing Committee and Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Medecine of the University of Geneva, commended the quality of interaction and idea-sharing at the Geneva Forum. She mentioned that this Forum had been a starting point, called for feedback from the participants and promised additional efforts to bring more people from the developing world to the next Global Health Forum.
Dr. Louis Loutan, President of the Forum Organizing Committee and the Geneva University Hospitals, thanked the organizing team, the advisory board, the Forum participants, the sponsors and the volunteers --there were over 60 involved in the conference-- for their contribution to this first edition of the event. He closed the Forum by inviting participants to use the conference web site's feedback form to share their impressions in view of a next edition of the event.


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The sobingo brand is owned by Daub Alderney Limited, with an address at Inchalla, Le Val, Alderney Channel Islands, GY9 3U (the "Brand Owner" as defined in the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy). The Brand Owner specializes in marketing online gaming services and the company number is 1726.


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3 Phase Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Protocol
The HCG diet.
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin is an FDA approved hormone shown to promote rapid weight loss by suppressing hunger as well as the desire to eat. A versatile hormone HCG has also been used to support fertility in both men and women. Body builders like it for its body contouring ability and professional athletes sometimes use it—illegally—for performance…read more…
How does HCG support your ability to lose weight?
Our bodies contain several different forms of fat: subcutaneous fat, visceral fat, white and brown fat. Some fats are actually good. Some are not. Brown fat is good fat. It is remarkably similar to muscle and actually burns fat. Thin people have more brown fat than heavier people. White fat can be good or bad depending on how much of it you have—and where?. If it accumulates in your thighs and you don't want it there, well then it's bad.…read more…
So, you ask yourself, "Why do I have to take HCG? Anyone could lose weight eating only 500 calories per day?" Because, HCG tells your body to aggressively plum your fat reserves for energy which exponentially depletes them. And, without HCG you would be miserable you would not stick to the diet. You would be hungry, and weak, and frustrated and angry and generally impossible to be around.
How does HCG mitigate hunger?
Our body is a modular system. It uses several different mechanisms to achieve a singular goal. Though hunger begins long before the stomach, (check; eyes, nose, habits . . . ) human chorionic gonadotropin is deeply rooted in our "satiety" triggers. It allows us to feel not just full but robust enough to not want to eat…read more…read more →
What is the hCG Diet Plan & Why YOU Should Try it!
What differentiates HBC's HCG with RNA/DNA-HGH from other HCG formulations?
There are many sublingual HCG formulations available today. Our formulation is FDA registered and is manufactured in Los Angeles, CA in a licensed FDA approved facility. It is a homeopathic remedy made with individual care. Read More..


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Did you know? The heat in the upper six miles of the earth's crust contains 50,000 times much as energy as found in all the world's oil and gas reserves combined. Despite this abundance, only 10,500 megawatts of geothermal generating capacity have been harnessed worldwide. For more information view the text and data in Chapter 5 of Plan B 4.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization.
Lester Brown's new book, Plan B 4.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization, will be released on September 30, 2009. Behind the scenes supporting the book's text are hundreds of datasets, studies, and reports. Today Earth Policy Institute is offering a sneak peak at some of the data for Chapter 6: Designing Cities for People.
What you can glean from these charts and graphs:
There are now more than 6.7 billion people living on the planet.
For the first time in 2008 the world's city dwellers outnumbered those in the countryside. The share of urbanites is projected to continue increasing, so that by 2030 some 60 percent of the world's population will live in cities.
In 1950 the world had only two "mega-cities" with over 10 million inhabitants: Tokyo and New York. These two are still the world's largest, with 36 million and 19 million people in their respective metropolitan areas. Since 1950, 17 others have joined the "mega-city" list; notably Mexico City, Mumbai (Bombay), São Paulo, Delhi, and Shanghai each are home to more than 15 million people. Dhaka, Bangladesh, had one of the fastest growth spurts, its population ballooning more than 40-fold since 1950.
In the 1950s the world produced almost as many cars as it did bicycles—close to 10 million units each. Since then, automobile production has increased 6-fold while bicycle production has grown 12-fold.
Vehicle sales in Japan peaked in 1990 at 7.8 million units. Since then sales have fallen almost every year, with 2009 sales projected at 4.9 million units. Support for public transportation and bicycling is high.
In an attempt to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution and to improve overall mobility, London instituted a charge on vehicles entering the city center in early 2003. By 2007, trips into the city by personal automobile dropped 36 percent while those by bus increased 31 percent and those by bicycle increased 66 percent.
These are just some of the information tidbits you can find in the Plan B 4.0 datasets. Stay tuned for more at Earth Policy Institute's freshly redesigned website, www.earth-policy.org!


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Cait's used to being an outsider. The odd girl out, the one with the alcoholic mother. The one whose sister and father died. The one who might just have telepathy. These things she could manage, could hide just enough to get by. Now a werewolf's bite forces her outside the whole human race.
Two men—the one night hook-up who shows up at her hospital bed, and the rescuer worker who may be following her—seem to know more about her condition than she does…and about this strange world of magic she's pulled into. As Cait plunges into this darker reality, painful secrets of her past are churned up and she's forced to confront her new identity.
Torn between the between the sweet and too-hot-to-be-true Eli and possessive, darkly sensual Wes, Cait must decide whom to trust and which side to choose…before it's too late.
"You shouldn't have gone. You should have stayed where I could see you." She was twisting the hem of her cardigan in her hands. The buttons hadn't been done up right. Her eyes were wide, staring.
"Mom," I said, approaching her like I approached a kid crying at drop-off time—hands out, and with a soft smile. "I'm sorry you were scared, but I just went for a run, and then I went into town to check in with Sarah, and make sure everything was okay."
"You could have disappeared. Just like them. Vanished, no trace, and everyone thinking you're dead."
I stared at her for a long minute, then reached out a hand and put it on her arm. She jerked it away, and the pictures rattled on the wall again. "Mom. Dad and Sophie are dead. They died when Dad drove his car into the lake."
She gave me a look of pure and total disgust. "Their bodies were never found."
"Because our lake is silty and impossible to search. When you swim, you can't even see your feet at the end of your legs. The coroner said that there was no sign that anyone got out of that car alive, Mom. They died. A long time ago." I put my hands on her, and she shrugged them off, harder.
"That's because someone stole them from us, Caitlyn. I thought you knew that. No wonder you've hated me all this time. You thought I drove them away, but they were stolen. Stolen from us." She was smiling now, earnest and lit up from the inside. My stomach, however, was in knots.


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There's nothing more boring than using your ice cube tray exclusively for making ice. Talk about #basic. These freezer trays are far more versatile than we give them credit for. With a dash of inventiveness and a handful of healthy ingredients, you can give your ice cube tray a whole new life.
Check ou these recips and be prepared to have a new favorite freezer inhabitant.
Move over PSL, these super-concentrated cubes will spice up any latté. Follow the steps to make homemade chai tea, complete with anise, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, black peppercorns, and loose-leaf black tea. (Bonus: Your home will smell heavenly!) Let the tea cool, and then pour it into an ice cube tray. To serve, add a couple cubes to warm or cold milk and sip on the spicy goodness.
No matter the temperature outside, we love our cold brew. And coffee purists know nothing messes with your brew like too much ice. Keep water from hijacking your java by making coffee cubes. Just pour a pot into your ice cube tray and freeze.
We love starting our mornings with fruit smoothies, but there have been too many times when we reach for the carton of blueberries or raspberries only to find out they've already gone bad. Avoid this a.m. snafu by puréeing your fruit of choice when it's ripe and freezing it in an ice cube tray. Plus, with frozen fruit, you don't have to add ice and water down your favorite smoothie.
Green smoothie junkies, rejoice! Kale cubes make your morning routine so much easier. Purée kale, spinach, and a little water in your blender and pour into an ice cube tray. Next time you want to whip up a smoothie, just toss in a few cubes for an extra green boost.
Have a sip of summer no matter the season with frozen watermelon cubes at the ready. Blend slices of watermelon, mold using a silicone ice cube tray, and freeze. Then add a couple cubes to your favorite summer drink—lemonade is our go-to. The more the watermelon cubes melt, the sweeter your drink will be.
Sure, bartenders talk about the importance of finding the right type of . But what if the ice added some bold flavor to your drink? Enter cocktail cubes, ranging from minty mojito to piña colada. And since these cubes don't contain any alcohol, they're perfect for mocktails too!
If you ever find yourself with leftover wine (as if), pour the rest of the bottle into an ice cube tray. Freezing wine keeps it from spoiling in the fridge. And in the summer, these cubes will keep your vino chilled but not watered down.
Need the perfect DIY gift heading into the holiday season? It doesn't get any sweeter than hot chocolate cubes. Fill your ice cube tray with melted chocolate, top with marshmallows, and let harden. To serve, slip a cube into a mug of warm milk. To give, wrap each cube in wax paper, tie up with kitchen string, and voilà, you'll instantly become the favorite friend.
Fresh herbs are not only super healthy, they make any recipe feel instantly fancier. (Why yes, there is fresh thyme in the chicken dish!) To keep fresh herbs from going to waste, chop them up and toss into an ice cube tray with a little olive oil. Next time you're making a Top Chef-worthy dish, pop one of these cubes into the skillet for some extra flavor.
Who says ice cube trays are just for the freezer? They also can be used as a genius sushi hack. Instead of messing with a mat, simply stuff your rice, veggies, and fishy fillings into the tray. Before long, square sushi will be your specialty.
When you master a difficult cooking skill, like caramelizing the perfect onion, you want to savor it as long as possible. Rather than go through the process each time you want to whip up a dish, make a big batch and freeze individual portions in your ice cube tray. The next time you want to kill it in the kitchen, add a caramelized cube to the pan.
Once you experience homemade pesto, there really is no going back to the store-bought variety. But whipping some up every time you have a craving for Italian food can be a pain, so make a big batch of pesto and freeze it into single servings in your ice cube tray. When you're ready to use it, melt the cube in some olive oil and use it to top pasta or spread on artisanal bread.
Take your silicone tray out of the freezer and introduce it to the oven—it's heatproof, after all. Pack each cube with shredded potatoes mixed with a little olive oil and sea salt. Bake for 40 minutes and ta-da, it's tot time.
We love the decadence of chocolate-covered strawberries but hate the difficult process of making them—unless, of course, a chocolate fountain is involved. Simply melt your chocolate in the microwave, pour it into the ice cube mold, and pop a strawberry (or other similarly sized fruit) into every square. Let harden and indulge.
Sometimes you just need a little something—or let's be honest, a lot of something—sweet in your day. Skip processed peanut butter cups and make your own in your ice tray. Swap in dark chocolate and almond butter for a healthier twist.
What's a surefire way to stop yourself from eating an entire batch of homemade cookies? Only bake one at a time. Thanks to your trusty ice cube tray, you can whip up a batch of cookie dough and freeze it into individual servings. When you're ready for a sweet treat, pop a cookie cube (or two) into the oven and enjoy.
If you're jonesing for fro-yo and a trip to Pinkberry is out of the question, make your own. Fill an ice cube tray with your favorite Greek yogurt—whipped varieties work best—and let freeze. Pro tip: Toss the fro-yo cubes into the blender for a few pulses to get that soft serve texture.


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PM Modi, Amit Shah wish LK Advani on his 88th birthday
| Updated On: 8 Nov 2016 5:15 AM GMT | Location :
The PM also wished him birthday early morning on microblogging website Twitter and prayed for his long and healthy life
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah on Tuesday reached senior BJP leader LK Advani's residence to extend birthday greetings to him.
The PM also wished him birthday early morning on microblogging website Twitter and prayed for his long and healthy life.
"Wishing our inspiration, one of India's tallest leaders who has served India tirelessly & diligently, Shri LK Advani ji on his birthday. I pray to God that Advani ji is blessed with a long and healthy life," the Prime Minister tweeted.
Union Minister Smriti Irani and Minister of State Jitendra Singh also wished Advani on his birthday.
"On his birthday, I extend my heartiest wishes to our guiding light Shri L K Advani ji. Prayers for his good health & long life," Smriti wrote on Twitter.
Advani, who served as the Home Minister during NDA regime under Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1998-2004, turned 88 on Tuesday.
The former deputy Prime Minister was allegedly sidelined by the Modi government after coming to power in 2014 and was not given significant role in key decision-making bodies of the party.
The senior leader was included in the Marg Darshak Mandal and served as a mentor to BJP along with Murli Manohar Joshi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.


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Capitalism's excesses belong in the dustbin of history. What's next is up to us
Watch US House minority leader, Nancy Pelosi answer college student Trevor Hill in a New York televised town hall meeting. He asked if the Democratic Party would move left given a Harvard University study showing 51% of Americans 18 to 29 years old no longer support capitalism. This Martin Kirk Guardian article claims that it's not only about young voters, citing UK, German and US data. No doubt young people in many countries are moving left. What does this mean for the ALP and centre left parties? And will the disaffected move left or right?


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Heating Contractors in MaineBrowse Heating Contractors in all states
Contractors by City: Standish, Yarmouth
Contractors, are you considering buying leads? Contact Us.
Heating contractors (also known as HVAC contractors) are important in states where the weather is as cold as it is in Maine. Maine is a New England state where residents see temperatures ranging anywhere from an average high of 79° in July to an average low of 12° in January.
Having a Problem with your Heating Contractor?
Although some heating contractors may be thankful for not having to meet licensing requirements, this leaves residents of the state with one less safeguard. (In fact, the Maine Attorney General's website ranks home contractors as one of the top 3 complaints received by their Mediation Program each year.) The good news is that those who have a problem with an HVAC contractor that they have hired can work with the Attorney General's office to try to resolve the problem. They can also contact the Better Business Bureau of Maine.
HVAC Licensing Requirements in Maine
Many states require their building contractors, such as HVAC contractors, to be licensed. This allows the state to ensure that these contractors are doing a good job and abiding by licensing requirements. Maine does not require general building contractors, including heating contractors, to be licensed. Some contractors do need a license in Maine, including those that deal with asbestos and plumbing. Make sure to contact your town's code officials as well -- sometimes towns have more stringent requirements than the state.


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This is a pencil sketch of a feeling everyone feels, some say it is the best feeling there is out there: Butterflies in your stomach. It's a feeling that happens when your getting into something good and new. A new part in your life? A new person you like? New Justin Bieber tickets..? ..eh.. whatever floats your boat I guess. In my experience it mostly happens when you talk (or txt) to the person you like.
My new plans for the New Year:
Do more of my own art on the side. Working on a movie is great, but it's not MY MOVIE, not my ideas, not the choices I would make, and not the freedom of expression that an artist is used to when working on his own work. I love collaborating and working with others, but that urge to create something that is yours is always eating at you.
So I will let you in on a little secret, a little grassroots movement some of the guys and me are doing are doing over at Pixar. A group of us thought it was a good idea to work on our own work on the side. (To keep our skills sharp and also our minds fresh) Every Month we will get together and agree on a concept. At the end of the month it MUST be finished. Simple as that. This is to happen every month. Our first month doing this will be January.
-we are not collaborating on a short film. Each animator is to do his OWN piece and as long as it is relatable to the concept that was agreed upon, then it's cool. (a concept can be: zombies, goodbyes, explosions, elephants, Eric's mom... you get the point?)
- Any body can choose the medium they want to work in (2D, 3D, stop motion, etc)
- 5 to 20 seconds long (so that we won't try to do something epic and not finish)
- the sky is the limit, as long as you can relate it some how to the concept
So that's that. if you want to join our little grassroots thingy, our concept for January is 'Versus'. I'll post our animations here at the end of the month. stay tuned.
Apart from that, my goals is just to continue to develop and grow. to never stop. :) and to enjoy life in the process. To make a blend of the two, my art and life, we'll see. It's pretty vague.
So send me some animations at the end of the month and or just do your own thing and let that be that.
Happy New Years,
-Daniel Gonzales


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President Donald Trump told Fox News on Friday that Michael Flynn was "already approved by the Obama administration at the highest level" when he was hired to serve as national security adviser in January.
Flynn, who headed the Defense Intelligence Agency from 2012 to 2014, came under renewed scrutiny earlier this week when the House Oversight Committee revealed that he did not disclose his payments from Russia's state-owned news agency, Russia Today, when he was renewing his security clearance in January 2016.
Flynn also lobbied on behalf of a Turkish businessman with ties to the country's government between August and November of 2016, but he did not register as a foreign agent with the Justice Department until earlier this year.
The White House has said that what Flynn did as a private citizen, after he retired from the DIA and before he was hired by the Trump administration, was not its concern. But Trump has faced questions about why Flynn, who was forced to step down as national security adviser after only 24 days, was not more thoroughly vetted for potential conflicts of interest before he was brought into the White House.
"When he left, when he resigned, you said that he was treated horribly and that you felt badly about that," Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum asked Trump in an interview Friday, according to excerpts released by the network. "Given what we are now seeing, on the payments from Turkey and Russia, would you stand by that comment?"
Trump replied that while he does feel badly, Flynn "was approved by the Obama administration at the highest level."
"And when they say we didn't vet, well Obama I guess didn't vet, because he was approved at the highest level of security by the Obama administration," Trump said. "So when he came into our administration, for a short period of time, he came in, he was already approved by the Obama administration and he had years left on that approval."
Trump appeared to be doubling down on a talking point about Flynn's controversies that was first articulated on Thursday by White House press secretary Sean Spicer.
"When General Flynn came into the White House, he had an active security clearance that was issued during the Obama administration with all the information that's being discussed that occurred in 2015," Spicer told reporters. "Why would you rerun a background check on someone who was the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency that had and did maintain a high-level security clearance?"
Flynn's security clearance was reauthorized in January 2016 — presumably due to his role managing Flynn Intel Group — which means he wouldn't have had to renew it until at least 2021.
Still, many national security and intelligence experts argue that, in light of Flynn's lobbying work throughout 2016 and the fact that he was pushed out by the Obama administration in 2014, he should have been subject to more scrutiny before he was elevated to such a high-level national-security position at the White House.
"Flynn would have had to submit updated forms covering the period of time since his last [security clearance] investigation," said Susan Hennessey, a fellow at the Brookings Institution and former attorney at the National Security Agency. "There is always a re-investigation after being out of access."
Rep. Elijah Cummings, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said earlier this week that while Flynn's negligence on his security-clearance forms could be punished by up to five years in prison, that decision was not up to the committee. Cummings called on the Defense Department in early February to investigate whether Flynn had violated the Emoluments Clause by accepting the $33,000 payment from RT.
Cummings said in a statement on Thursday that the documents "raise grave questions about why General Flynn concealed the payments he received from foreign sources after he was warned explicitly by the Pentagon."
"Our next step is to get the documents we are seeking from the White House so we can complete our investigation," he added.


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87 Results
HBR's 10 Must Reads 2019: The Definitive Management Ideas of the Year from Harvard Business Review (Paperback + Ebook)Leadership & Managing People Special Offer34.95A year's worth of management wisdom, all in one place. We've reviewed the ideas, insights, and best practices from the past year of Harvard Business Review...
The Costs of India's Annual Budget Guessing GameGlobal Business Digital ArticleThe circus makes it hard to set long-term strategy.
Don't Let Outdated Management Structures Kill Your CompanyStrategy & Execution Digital ArticleIt's time to ditch hub-and-spoke.
Prevent Spreadsheets from Strangling Your StartupEntrepreneurship Digital ArticleAsk these four questions instead.
Leadership Forum: The Architecture of ManagementLeadership & Managing People Case Study8.95Two of the world's leading management thinkers and two global CEOs discuss the changing nature of leadership in this excerpt from the 6th annual Global...
Managing 3 Types of Bad BossesLeadership & Managing People Digital ArticleStrategies for dealing with their weaknesses.
3 Traps That Block Corporate TransformationOrganizational Development Digital ArticleGetting past them requires a new kind of leadership.
A Shared Purpose Drives CollaborationLeadership & Managing People Digital ArticleAsk your team: What are we trying to solve together?
Increase the Odds of Your Start-Up's SuccessEntrepreneurship Digital ArticleFive tips to make profitability more likely.
Three Differences Between Managers and LeadersLeadership transitions Digital ArticleStop thinking about your tasks and start talking about your vision.
Listening to Your Inner Voice Makes You a Better ManagerLeadership Digital ArticleIn today's world, you may want to learn to trust your gut.


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Elegant Corick House Wedding
How elegant is this beautiful Corick House Wedding? How could it not be elegant with Grace in charge! She may be small like me but this girl knows what she wants! Simple, elegant and timeless are the three words I think best describe this wedding.
Ten things I love about this wedding:
1. Dress to Impress
Graces Custom Suzanne Neville Wedding Gown from Serendipity Bridal in Fivemiletown. Grace didn't feel like she needed to travel the country to find her dream gown. Quite often you will be able to find exactly what you are looking for close to home. It's much easier for dress fittings too!
2. Something Old
Grace wore her grandmothers vintage gold and pearl necklace as her something 'old'. Obviously Grace has inherited her grandmothers amazing sense of style as it complimented her wedding style perfectly. A beautiful acknowledgement to the past.
3. Nostalgia
The tree lined avenue just outside Grace's family home where she used to play as a child provided the most perfect backdrop for some gorgeous, personal, meaningful portraits of the bride and groom.
4. Get Beautiful
Makeup & Hair was done for my arrival. Melissa at The Beauty Boutique had Grace's make up done for my arrival and her hair by The Hair Lounge was just being finished. I can highly recommend these girls and they worked great as a team. This enabled me to get some gorgeous shots of Grace before she left the house with her bridesmaids and mum and dad. It also ensured that Grace was cool, calm and collected leaving the house.
5. Cute Cars
These little cars just oozed personality and were a treat to photograph! In fact Grace's dad's first car was also a Ford Anglia. They were sourced from a family friend. Grace was daring adding in the blue colour but I honestly think it worked a treat and added a little quirk to the elegant mix! Go with your gut instinct.
6. Keep it Local
Corick House. I love the feel as soon as I walk into Corick House. It's very elegant with country hospitality and is very down to earth just like these two! It was also very close to Grace's home. Sometimes it's nice not to have to travel too far on your wedding day. If there was an award for best hotel wedding garden Corick House would definitely win an award! These gardens are in the grounds of the hotel but private enough for the bride and groom to take some time out for some personal photographs. The gardens change with the season and there is always something new. Thumbs up from me!
7. Fab Flowers
The flowers were a big part of this wedding and were definitely going to feature in my top ten! This guy is good. So good infact that I can't find him anywhere on the web! He obviously doesn't need to advertise! His name is Alan Beattie from the Clogher Valley, that's all I know but if I was getting married I'd be tracking him down!! I loved the colour of the flowers, the scale and the fact that they were allowed to go wild and free in the bouquet. Gone are the days or tight round bouquets. It's all about personality ladies!
8. Get your Priorities right
Different brides have different priorities. A Sarah Fyffe Photography bride is generally into looking good in her photographs and realises that memories matter. Don't get me wrong, I work very fast but it's always nice when someone, like Grace, gives me the time and space I need to be creative. Just saying.
9. Putting it in print
This is a beautiful love story and I'm delighted that Grace and Garry are investing in one of our Award Winning Fine Art Wedding Albums.
10. Enjoy Yourself
Its very important to me and always in the back of my mind that you enjoy your wedding day. Your photographs are part of this experience. I know that Grace and Garry both totally enjoyed everything about their wedding day. It shows in their photographs! Trust your suppliers and enjoy your day.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]


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Book An In-Person Appointment
If you would like to see a broker in-person, in either our Winnipeg or Calgary offices, we ask that you book an appointment so we can make sure there is a broker available to help you right away.
You can call us at 1-800-661-3098 to book an appointment. Or if you don't want to wait on the line, you can use the handy form on the right side of this page. A booking agent will call you to schedule your appointment, and provide directions to our offices.


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Adorable English Bulldog Puppies Walk For the First Time (VIDEO)
A young one's first steps can be incredibly sweet. It's why so many videos preserve a baby's first steps for posterity. But what about English Bulldog puppies?
In this video, we see what happens when English Bulldog puppies try to walk for the first time. It's exactly as cute as you'd think it would be, as these little ones struggle to remain upright, and generally just crawl across the floor like a little wind up toy. Except these aren't toys or stuffed animals at all. These adorable little guys are the real deal, and they're downright precious. The brown one seems to have no trouble walking, but the all-white puppy basically drags himself across the floor, showing a certain level of grit and determination. No wonder the owner wanted to get this on camera. Watch the super cute video below:
If you liked this video, meet an adorable English Bulldog puppy who will only answer to the sound of the doorbell!


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Hall of Fame cements pair of greats' place
CANTON, Ohio — Larry Allen shocked the NFL when he bench pressed 700 pounds. On Saturday night, he stunned the league again with another impressive number.
Fighting back tears and nerves at the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony, the former Dallas Cowboys' guard put together a surprisingly touching and frequently humorous 16-minute speech highlighted by his memories of lessons from his parents that helped carry him through 14 seasons.
An 11-time Pro Bowler who started at every position along the offensive line except center while playing for Dallas from 1994-2005, the shy Allen rarely spoke to the media and gave just a 13-second acceptance speech when inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor. Those facts led many to predict his speech wouldn't last even 10 minutes.
But Allen, wearing sunglasses to hide his tears and often either nervously rubbing his hands together or pinching his nose, easily topped that mark.
"My goal was simple, to earn a seven-letter word called respect ... today my mission is complete," Allen said.
The Class of 2013 also includes Cris Carter, Curley Culp, Bill Parcells, Jonathan Ogden, Dave Robinson and Warren Sapp.
Culp played part of his career with the Houston Oilers. Parcells, who led the New York Giants to two Super Bowl wins, capped his coaching career with four seasons in Dallas.
"I'd like (my bust) to be somewhere near Lawrence Taylor, so I can keep an eye on that sucker," joked Parcells, who used the adjective "great" to describe Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
Presented by Jones, who he called "a father figure," Allen grew up in a tough section of Los Angeles, where his late mother, Vera, helped steer him away from gang life.
"Growing up in Compton ... it's rough out there," Allen said. "I was protecting my little brother (from this) guy who was a little older than me. He ended up stabbing me. Three months later, my mother said, 'I'm not raising any punks,' so she made me fight this guy. She said, 'You will fight him until you win.'
"First day, I lost. Second day, I lost. The third day, I finally won. That was one of the most valuable lessons I learned in my life: Never back down from anybody. I carried that lesson through my whole career. I just knew I had to win every play, and that's the reason I'm here today."
Allen also learned a valuable lesson from his father, Larry Sr.
"He taught me to never get mad, but to get even, to control my temper," Allen said. "I also used that in the game of football. I knew if I lost a play, I had 45 seconds to get even."
Allen drew laughter recalling his first date with his wife, Janelle.
"She cooked me two chickens, French fries and baked me a cake and gave me a 40 ounce (beer)," Allen said. "I knew then that was my wife right there."
More laughs came, when Allen remembered his reaction to the Cowboys drafting him in the second round out of Division II Sonoma State in 1994.
"Ran out of my apartment and jumped into the swimming pool with all my clothes on," he said.
In helping pave the way for Emmitt Smith to become the NFL rushing king, Allen often blasted defenders yards off the line of scrimmage.
But it wasn't always that way. He said being dominated by the Eagles' Reggie White convinced him he had to get stronger.
"I got in that weight room and became the strongest man in the NFL — I did it naturally," Allen said, laughing. "What's funny is once I benched 700 pounds, they tested me twice a week for the rest of my career."


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The Early (And Plugged-In) Bird Gets These Chairs (And Couch)November 11, 2009
Once again we can't vouch for the inventory or prices, but we can pass along the sale scoop: local staging company KAGdesigns is holding a warehouse sale this Saturday (11/14) from 11am to 2pm at 1777 Yosemite (cross of 3rd).
Recent Articles
Comments from "Plugged-In" Readers
I assume the sale will be CYOP?
chop your own pillows?


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AS Monaco faces taxing football issues
For years France has been considered the weakest of the so-called Big Five football leagues in Europe - a quintet which also includes England, Germany, Spain and Italy.
However, the past couple of seasons have seen exciting developments with clubs Paris Saint-Germain and AS Monaco being bought by wealthy overseas owners.
Both the Qatar Investment Authority in Paris and Dmitry Rybolovlev at Monaco have international ambitions for their clubs, and their big-name international signings have raised the profile and glamour stakes of the domestic Ligue 1.
Despite this, a huge row is now brewing in French football over the tax advantages enjoyed by newly-wealthy AS Monaco.
Being based in the tax haven of Monte Carlo, they are able to offer overseas stars - such as Colombian striker Falcao, a £51m summer signing from Atletico Madrid - massive tax-free salaries, something their 19 French-based league rivals are unable to do.
'Huge wealth'
"The advantage is huge in being able to convince huge players like Falcao to move to the club," says French journalist Cyrille Haddouche of Le Figaro newspaper, who has been watching events closely.
He points out that while these tax rules have always been in place, what is different now is that their effects are being multiplied by "the huge wealth of the Russian owner".
It means rival clubs - historical and successful names such as Lyon, Lille, Marseille and Saint-Etienne - are unable to financially compete with AS Monaco, either with billionaire Mr Rybolovlev's deep pockets, or their tax advantages.
"So the tax advantage that Monaco has is considered as unfair [by the clubs], especially in a period of economic difficulties for all clubs except Paris Saint-Germain," says Mr Haddouche.
"For example, former winners of the league, Lyon and Lille, must now sell players in order to reach break even."
The resentment felt by other clubs comes against the backdrop of the prospect of the introduction of a 75% tax rate on individual annual incomes in France exceeding 1m euros (£860,000), including those of footballers.
The proposal was a central part of President Francois Hollande's election campaign, and although initially scuppered by the courts, the policy may be reintroduced in a different form.
The president of the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), Frederic Thiriez, has been fighting the 75% proposal, but has also said that something needs to be done about AS Monaco's tax advantage.
He said unless the rules changed then the newly-promoted club would have a 50m euros (£43m) a season advantage over other clubs.
Legal hearing
To end this state of affairs, the French league has told AS Monaco they must relocate their headquarters, and hence tax base, to France by June 2014.
If not, they face possible suspension from the league. However, unsurprisingly, AS Monaco is not happy with this development, and has taken the matter to the French courts.
The matter has gone to France's highest court for administrative law, with a decision expected by the turn of the year,
"We are expecting the opportunity to plead the case before the Conseil d'etat, probably in October or November, with a decision some time in December," says AS Monaco's legal representative Patricia Moyersoen.
"It is very clear it will be much more expensive if they have to move all their staff, including players, to France - it means they will all have to pay French taxes," adds Ms Moyersoen, who is also president of the International Association of Football Lawyers (AIAF).
"It is clear the club does not want to move - they consider they have been a member of the French federation for a long time and it is not fair or legal to ask them to move [their headquarters] now."
A convention between France and the principality does mean that French players employed by the football club do have to pay their taxes in France.
And Ms Moyersoen says that this fact might be one way around the tax issue, by looking at the number of French players employed by the club, with some sort of player quota requirement being a possible solution.
As well as the legal battle, a French sports marketing expert believes the country's football authorities are taking a short-term rather than long-term view and that a successful Monaco would be an asset for the Ligue 1 brand.
"France, and Spain, have not realised the importance of having a strong league brand, as opposed to strong club brands," says Frank Pons, a marketing professor at Laval University in Canada and Kedge Business School in France.
"If they create a strong league brand then in two or three years' time you could see people around the world wearing PSG or Monaco shirts."
Title challengers
Meanwhile, AS Monaco got off to a winning start on their return to the top tier as Ligue 1 kicked off again last weekend, with big signing Falcao scoring in a 2-0 win over Bordeaux.
The Colombian has been joined at the club over the summer by compatriot James Rodriguez and Portuguese star Joao Moutinho, who both signed from Porto for a combined fee of £60m.
And already there are early signs that financial advantage might be turned into silverware this season.
"Last year [champions] Paris Saint-Germain were alone," says Mr Haddouche. "Monaco has... a very good team able to compete with Paris Saint-Germain.
"Considering the fact the club will not play in European competition, Monaco has the quality to win the French league."


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In this last post with the Equiline Fall-Winter 14/15 collection I bring to you the horse and dog collection, it is wonderful: some of the gear has Prince of Wales details and lots of sparkle while other is simply Equiline classic!
Almost all the products are available in other colors!
With no further delay:
- Rupert
Saddle pad with Prince of Wales details, made on anti-allergic cotton with a very soft 100% cotton lining.
- Richie
Saddle pad made on anti-allergic cotton with a very soft 100% cotton lining.
- Roger
Ear Net with Prince of Wales details and synthetic black leather piping details.
- Roy
Fleece rug with trimming and big logo on Prince of Wales fabric. Piping in black synthetic leather.
- Beta
Saddle pad with nylon logo, made on anti-allergic cotton with a very soft 100% cotton lining.
- Buffy
Ear Net with a colourful logo.
- Barney
Fleece rug with a colourful nylon logo.
- Larry
Saddle pad with laser embroidery and strass details, made on anti-allergic cotton with a very soft 100% cotton lining.
- Lorenz
Ear net with Equiline laser embroidery and strass details.
- Luca
Fleece rug with silver cord and Equiline customization with rhinestone details.
- Calgary (400 gr.) & Savannah (200 gr.)
Stable rug made of tear-proof polyester. Breathable, antibacterial and anti-allergic thermal wadding with cotton and polyester lining.
- Thunder (400 gr.) & Oklahoma (200 gr.)
- Detroit (400 gr.) & Quebec (200 gr.)
- Tibet (400 gr.) & Katmandu (200 gr.)
- Stonehaven
Under rug made of a very robust cotton with thermal, breathable, antibacterial and anti-allergic wadding.
- Preston
Basic fleece rug.
- Kingston
Basic fleece rug for shows.
- Orlando
Walking machine exercise rug made of tear-proof, waterproof and breathable polyester. Fleece lining in order to guarantee the best sweat-absorbing effect and the maximum comfort to the horse during the work.
Dog Collection
- Wolf
Dog Winter Parka.
- Giotto
Dog Winter bomber.
- Brian
Dog Winter trench.
- Pluto
Dog pillow with removable cover.
Sharing with you this Equiline collection was wonderful and being able to share it with you when we still have one year until the next Fall/Winter is great!
I hope that you have enjoyed these posts and that you can find the perfect gear for your next cold season! :)


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Angelic looking ferns
Angelic looking ferns, originally uploaded by seyDoggy.
This time of year these small, delicate looking ferns take of quite a bit of floor space in some of the darker, wetter areas in the Huron Natural area. I don't normally bother with them but the way this one was dappled in sunlight kind of struck me as beautiful.


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September is mental health awareness and suicide prevention month.
Suicidal depression and suicide itself come with a stigma that we haven't found a way to overcome. I don't talk to my friends and family about my continuing struggles with depression because they wouldn't understand. Very few people I know – including two of my spiritual leaders – know the truth about my demons. I have PTSD from the severe bullying and abuse I took as a kid and the further targeting I lived with as an adult; all I want is a sense of purpose. To be able to do something decent with my life, something that means more than just making money. There are many times when I've asked myself if I'm really only in public safety so I don't feel like I'm completely worthless.
When you spend your entire youth listening to everyone around you tell you that you're not enough, it's impossible to believe you have any worth.
It doesn't help when you hit adulthood and things don't get any better. The guys who write for the Rhino Den have been writing a series of articles about suicide among veterans. Peter Nealen talked about needing a sense of purpose, and despite the fact that I've never deployed, I know that need. Many vets just don't know how to live outside of the structure of the military. Some thrive on the belief that they're doing something good, serving a higher purpose. I feel that in public safety. Many of the men and women I work with feel it as well. Four of my friends have committed suicide in the past five years. Three of them were from police and fire departments that I work closely with.
Even when not suicidal, depression is a deep, dark hole that crushes you. All you can think of is what's going to go wrong. You don't want to get out of bed much of the time. You don't want to go out and do anything or see anybody; you don't want to even attempt to be social. Sometimes you force yourself to just to know that you're still human. People who know will tell you to "just snap out of it", as if it's that simple. As if you're making a conscious choice to live in pain. For me, at least, it's as if people are pushing and shoving me while I fight to stay on my feet, teetering on the edge of a cliff – and it sometimes gets to the point that the bottom of that cliff looks more appealing than the fight to avoid falling.
I am alive because I fear having to answer to G-d more than I fear my worthlessness. It doesn't dull the pain in the least. There are days when all I can think of are the many moments where my social ineptitude has been painfully obvious. There are days when I'm afraid that I'll never be given a chance to prove myself. As angry as I get at my friends who have ended their own lives, I have to say that I also understand where they were when they left so abruptly.
There are people who like to make a scene by saying that they're suicidal. They actually enjoy the emergency response they get when they tell someone they want to die. I don't write this to say that I am suicidal…I write it to bring attention to an issue that far too many people fear because they don't understand it. It's not just gay youth who are depressed and suicidal. Veterans and public safety workers are often at the highest risk for depression and suicide.
Telling someone to "get over it" or "snap out of it" is the worst thing you can say. Educate yourself. Those who need that sense of belonging, worth, and purpose are often the last ones you'd expect to find standing on the edge.


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Have you ever participated in the Feast of the Seven Fishes? This Southern Italian feast featuring at least seven different seafood dishes is traditionally celebrated on Christmas Eve. Some of the most frequently served items include dried salt cod, eel, and sardines or anchovies. But like all American versions of ethnic traditions, it has frequently been adapted to reflect local flavors and family preferences.
At the Jolly Tomato household, we decided to host a Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner, but we wanted to make it kid-friendly too. (Let's face it, even though we have some pretty open-minded seafood eaters, we were not expecting much luck with the salt cod.) So we put together a menu that was not too intimidating for our kid guests – and that the the adults could enjoy as well.
Feast of the Seven Fishes Menu:
Goldfish crackers
Shrimp cocktail
Mini crab cakes
Grilled salmon with lemon and rosemary
Greek-style cod
Crispy minced fish sticks
Fish cookies
Yes, I know you're saying, "Goldfish crackers?!? Really?" But this was a quick leave-out appetizer that kept the kids entertained. We had two little guests who weren't quite sure how they felt about fish, so this was an easy way to get them into the spirit right away.
Traditionally the Feast of the Seven Fishes includes quite a bit of shellfish, so shrimp seemed like the easiest way to incorporate that. It's funny with kids and shrimp – they either tend to love it or hate it. We had a few shrimp-lovers in the crowd, along with a few shrimp-avoiders, so those of us who enjoy shrimp were happy to say – "More for us!" Note: The cocktail sauce is a simple mix of 1/2 cup ketchup and 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish.
Our third appetizer was mini crabcakes, which represent another easy way to get non-seafood-eating kids involved. In little cake form, they're not quite so scary-looking as a whole crab; and the breading and seasonings make them a little more neutral-tasting for even the most picky palates. We had a small plate sitting on our appetizer table, and we noticed more than a few small hands reaching out for them; in fact, we even had one non-crab-loving adult try one.
On to the main meal: Our next fish was a Greek-style cod. This is a simple recipe that you can make with just about any sturdy whitefish: In a large pan, heat together over medium heat 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 tablespoon of grated lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the butter is melted, saute thin slices of 1/2 red bell pepper, 1/2 yellow bell pepper, and 1/2 onion. When the vegetables are tender and translucent, add 1/2 cup sliced kalamata olives and stir for one additional minute. Next, carefully place four four-ounce steaks of cod (or other sturdy white fish) over the vegetables. Cover the pan and let simmer over low heat for five minutes, or until fish is fully steamed through and flaky.
Next we served a grilled salmon, which is just about the easiest and tastiest main-course fish meal you can make. We took a large (1 1/2-pound) salmon fillet, laid it out on a large piece of foil, drizzled it with fresh lemon juice and garnished with fresh rosemary, and then grilled it (open-face, on the foil) over medium heat for about 10 minutes until it was tender and flaky.
The next fish course was the subject of some debate. Should we stick to "real" fish to make it more authentic? Or should we dumb it down for the kids? The latter argument won out, as we decided to offer some fish sticks for the kids with the least adventurous palates. We offered some crispy fish sticks made with cod, and then some of Dr. Praeger's Potato Crusted Fishies, which also happen to be gluten free. These little fish creatures are pretty yummy, but the overwhelming taste is of potatoes. So if you have a very reluctant fish eater like we had, these might be a good "starter" fish.
Last but not least, we finished up with some fish cookies. We just used a simple butter cookie recipe and had the kids decorate to their heart's content. We tried to keep the artificial colors to a minimum with plain white frosting and with just a few sprinkles. (Also scattered on the plate are some Swedish fish).
Oh, and there was one more fish "course," if you want to call it that. Our present to our young attendees was this little sushi Christmas ornament. So every time they look at the Christmas tree, they'll remember the night we ate fish…after fish…after fish.


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Average Rating
User Reviews
3 out of 8 people found this review helpful:White Album: Episode 1Having only seen the first episode of the series when it was released earlier this year, I can't say that I wasn't intrigued by the premise of the show. As a huge fan of period films, television, and anime, this was a huge winner in my heart. I was born in 1988, so, the decades before my birth intrigued me. Needless to say, if you are a fan of such entertainment, you will find this show very ...Read more
4 out of 8 people found this review helpful:Nothing too amazing. Doesnt really do it for me...I don't feel like this anime really stood out to me. There were some impressions made in the first episode I didn't feel it lived up to. I was able to sit through the first 3 episodes, but after that I promptly lost interest. It feels more like something I can watch when I have a full pack of cigarettes and a lot of time to kill while waiting for episodes of other animes to come out, or before I ...Read more
3 out of 15 people found this review helpful:Drama like no harem seen todayDrama, most people these days don't know the meaning of it. When i click the tag Drama, it just show lots of animation that doesn't even comes close. A sudden over feeling of emotion just take over as an event that occured, now a days anime is nothing more than Comedy, prolong event, and pride less work of art. This contain no Comedy, Action, S-F, or any other piece of stuff that Majority of ...Read more
11 out of 14 people found this review helpful:White Album - One to kill time withMy first (accidental) foray into harem anime, White Album kept me watching until the 26th episode, but I'm still not entirely sure why.Read more
The plot at first seems like it might be complex but ultimately is about a string of relationships that the main character Touya Fuji has with a variety of women in his life whom he calls his 'goddesses'. The backdrop being that his childhood sweetheart is an ...
0 out of 3 people found this review helpful:Worth watching if you like RL dramaThis Anime is based on a 1998 visual novel so even though it was released 2008-2009 there are a few things that can be annoyingly dated. ie: no cellphones or texting.Read more
Nevertheless, if you like showbiz anime that is more realistic in drama, it might really appeal.
I also enjoyed the beautiful watercolor images and the singing especially in the later episodes is great. It seems to be a notch ...
2 out of 5 people found this review helpful:Very well done production and real life charactersI have watched all 26 episodes and have very few complaints. The storyline, voice acting and music production provide a very careful stage, one in which you begin to care and wonder how it is going to end. The conditions and atmosphere are believable and there is both a male and female aspect intermixed; There is very little plastic or cut-out characterizations to complain about.Read more
White Album ...
16 out of 20 people found this review helpful:Captivating, yet...brief. It certainly does not fail to impress or disdain at times, which is really for the best.To date, I don't think I've watched a series that has pulled me in as much with the first episode as White Album (W.A.) did. I greatly enjoy that such a title was so wonderfully produced, and I stand stunned at the deep context that can be found in between the so-called "love-polygon" which it seems to convey. Deep down, every person has a weakness, and Touya Fuji's was never truly realizing just ...Read more
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful:Good, But I Wouldn't Say GreatI found the animation style nice to view, but the story went slowly along, offering only a brief glance at the surface of some of the lightest and more seedy aspects of characters in the world of "pop-idol" music industry that might be found.Read more
The story does lead one along well, making one wonder how these characters and their stories really fit together to make a cohesive web of plotline to ...
8 out of 10 people found this review helpful:Interesting but flawedThis is a very strange harem anime.
It´s very serious, the art style is awesome and the soundtrack is incredible.
The main character tough is absolutely enerving and the "main girl" Yuki is boring and lifeless.
The pace is slow and the resolutions are not convincing.
Watch only if you´re really in the mood of something slow and vague.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful:Slow burn and a MC you can't help but want to kick!The pacing is extremely slow, and at times the story wonders leaving the viewer confused. Likely this is intentional (I am not aware if this is based on any other source media and I will not check) in order to tell this story over the full 26 episodes. In a way this story was to large for 13 and too small for 26. For the last 3-4 episodes the story drags on with no real development.Read more
As for ...


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Site Specifics: The Hippodrome, Bo'Ness
- Paul Dale
- 16 April 2009
What is it? Opened in 1912, the Hippodrome was Scotland's first purpose-built cinema. This beautiful pre-art deco picture palace was designed by local architect Matthew Steele for Louis Dickson, a cinematographic pioneer, who used it to show his own movies alongside popular films of the day. After 60 years the cinema fell into disrepair. It showed its last film in 1975 and closed shortly after. It was briefly resurrected as a bingo hall and then locked up and left to rot despite receiving B and A category protected building status from Historic Scotland.
Great, another old derelict cinema, sounds like a fantastic day out But wait, the Hippodrome has risen. Following Falkirk council's £2.1m restoration project, the Hippodrome is back and looking better than ever. On Monday 6 April the cinema was relaunched with a swanky red carpet do and a screening of Mamma Mia! and is now open to the public again.
Mamma Mia! Are they showing any decent films? They certainly are. In the next few months they will be showing Monsters v Aliens, State of Play, Let the Right One In and a load of golden oldies including Forbidden Planet and Whisky Galore!
Anything else going on? Plenty. Keeping true to the cinema's roots, the programmers are hosting a series of special events for adults and children based on archival film footage, much of it from the Falkirk area.
Bet the tickets are pricey? Wrong again. Adults £5, family tickets from £13.80 plus all manner of offers.
What about refreshments? There's a café with popcorn, ice cream, sweets and drinks. For adults there's a fully licensed bar.
I'm sold, how do I get there? By car from Glasgow exit the M9 at J5 onto A905 then take A904 into Bo'Ness. From Edinburgh, exit M9 at J3 onto A803 then on to A904.
By train the nearest station is Linlithgow. Visit falkirk.gov.uk/cultural


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You all know the story: a beautiful woman seduced by a secret agent into revealing secrets and helping him on his mission...but what happens to them once the agent is gone? Find out in issue three, as Velvet tracks Agent X-14's most recent asset down very dark paths.
James Bond: Blackbox TP


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This Chinese Offshore Yuan and Pakistan Rupee convertor is up to date with exchange rates from May 22, 2019.
Enter the amount to be converted in the box to the left of Chinese Offshore Yuan. Use "Swap currencies" to make Pakistan Rupee the default currency. Click on Pakistani Rupees or Chinese Offshore Yuan to convert between that currency and all other currencies.
The Chinese Offshore Yuan is the currency in China (CN, CHN), and Hong Kong (HK, HKG). The Pakistan Rupee is the currency in Pakistan (PK, PAK). The symbol for CNH can be written Y. The symbol for PKR can be written Rs. The Chinese Offshore Yuan is divided into 10 jiao or 100 fen. The Pakistan Rupee is divided into 100 paisa. The exchange rate for the Chinese Offshore Yuan was last updated on August 24, 2018 from Bloomberg. The exchange rate for the Pakistan Rupee was last updated on January 31, 2019 from The International Monetary Fund. The CNH conversion factor has 4 significant digits. The PKR conversion factor has 6 significant digits.
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A couple of days ago, I blogged about choosing a dress for another blogger's Valentine's Day. I had Sabrina from A Little Obsessed as my blogging buddy and chose her a lovely pink dress. Yesterday, I wore my lovely Valentine's dress, chosen for me by a mystery blogger (with amazing taste). I described my style as minimal, feminine and often a little vintage and this is the dress I was given
I was sent the Slash Neck Sleeveless Drop Hem Dress which is £39.50 and very beautiful - floaty and romantic - perfect for my Valentine's Day where I went from a day of meetings and supervisions at work, to dinner at Jamie's Italian in Portsmouth. It's made from 2 layers of sheer material with a gathered waist and a small pocket on the chest.
I styled it with a gold belt from Accessorize and a leopard print cardigan from Warehouse and loafers from TReds.
The meal was lovely - I had honeycomb canneloni and a chocolate brownie, although I obviously made my boyfriend swap meals halfway through so I could eat some of his wild rabbit pasta and lemon meringue pie! I also indulged in a bellini and cocktail and was spoilt with a huge bunch of flowers!
Thank you to the mystery blogger who chose my dress - you made my night!


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Friday, November 30, 2012
"I like listening to RICK ROSS on the way to my minimum wage job. It provides me with the motivation necessary to chase that paper; to swallow my pride for another day and suffer the thinly veiled condescension of the leisure class sucklin pon da fat o' the land."
That's what some phag said to me the other day. I nodded my head in assent, but really I was thinkin, "Dawg, you take shit way too seriously!" I be listening to RICK ROSS in the same way I like watching a fucking STEVEN SEGAL movie or some shit. It's the kind of overwrought fantasy that momentarily allows us to escape the hideous boredom of the quotidian grind. And fo sho we laughin at ROZAY just as much as we clownin on SEGAL fo his bufoonery!
But yo, errytime a new RICKY album comes out I be thinkin, "Damn he done come out with another classic! ROSS got that MICHAEL BAY swag! Lush cinematics! Rap game SIDNEY LUMET!" But the euphoria of a new installment in neon candy-dipped ROZAY land - a land of opulent freeway overpasses, strip clubs sticky with spilled champagne, and many many XXXL Hanes white tees - is as temporary and fleeting as the high from ROZAY'S favorite subject matter (cocaine [btw]). Hits hard and quick. And is there anything wrong with that? I dunno. I be snorting mad lines of yayo, so I says yes.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Damn doggie, it been a minute ain't it? I'm not gonna lie. To paraphrase Stephen A. Smith, "Quite frankly, I knocked a girl up." But it's all good now - let's not talk about it anymore. It's in the past.
Yo, I know this a rap blog and all, but I'm also a journalist, and I be holdin' da media to standards of practice and shit. I always be seeing mistakes and shit in so-called reputable publications, and when I see dat, I be like, "That's the shit I don't like."
Some of you flowerpot heads might have seent in the news that ANDREW W.K. was tapped as a cultural ambassador to Bahrain (dunno where that is, but I bet it is a shitty place). Then like the fuckboys they is, the US State Department rescinded da invitation! Wack shit, son. But even wacker was the NY TIMES referring to AWK as "Andrew W.K., a rapper and party-anthem rocker," whom the fuckboy State Dept rejected "after they reviewed his work." Sounds like you ain't reviewed his work yoself, homebwoy!
Like da irate media watchdawg I is, I immediately Googled tha author of this misinformation, JAMES C. MCKINLEY JR. A lil background: homie went to Cornell University, Mizzou Journo School and got some blemishes on his record (no homo). I wanted to hate tha dude, but then I saw this nutso Anti-Islamic blog that took Mr. McKinley to task. Y'all can read up on that bullshit on they website, but the crux of the matter is this: when a nutjob punk emailed McKinley a stangry response for "failing" to identify a mass-murderer as a jihadist, McKinley responded with a terse "Fuck you" - no period even! Gangsta shit! And fo that, he earnded my respect. Carry on, Mr. McKinley!
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Nike does have a few Android apps available, however that doesn't seem to be any indication that FuelBand support will ever arrive. In fact, the Nike+ FuelBand SE was announced earlier this morning and while it will have a companion app available, said app will only be found in the iOS App Store. Basically, Nike has once again looked past Android for their fitness bracelet.
This new model FuelBand brings some updated features. The band is now water resistant, which should help ease the minds of those being caught out in a heavy downpour. Not to mention, those who sweat heavily while using the band for the intended purpose — working out. In addition, Nike has also improved things making it a bit harder to cheat and has added several new activities.
The FuelBand SE connects to the iPhone using Bluetooth 4.0 LE (Low-Energy) which should also go to help the battery life of both the bracelet and your smartphone. Anyway, the release of the FuelBand SE without Android support is not really any surprise. Nike had made things official way back in February when they announced they were "not working on an Android app" by way of the official @NikeSupport Twitter account.
Without getting into specifics in terms of numbers, Android makes up for a rather large portion of the smartphones being sold today. Not to mention, tablets. That being said, support for fitness bracelets is not all that great on Android as a whole. Arguably, one of the bigger is Fitbit and they only support a handful of Samsung devices.
Bottom line here, while we had previously heard Nike was not working on an Android app, the FuelBand SE being announced without Android support should be enough to put any remaining hope to rest. Anyway, Nike has FuelBand SE pre-orders open today with an expected shipping date of November 6.


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Frugal Homeschooling Book of the Week
Ruth Beechick's You Can Teach Your Child Successfully gives practical, nitty-gritty advice for homeschooling students in grades 4-8. It's one of the few books that I find myself going back to, year after year. I don't always end up following her methods, but she gives me plenty to think about. Look for this time-honored classic at your local library --- or even better, buy a copy for yourself at a bargain price.
Highlights from the Carnival of Homeschooling
This week's Carnival of Homeschooling celebrates Independence Day with wit and wisdom from homeschool teachers across the blogosphere, and plenty of facts about fireworks. (Did you know there are schools to train fireworks shooters?) Here are a few posts that caught my eye. Check them out!
Hands-on science fun:
- Building the water bottle launcher
Cool! Looks like a fantastic weekend project.
- Suburban Taxidermy… Part I
Sounds like a "let Dad do it" venture to me. (Actually, my dh and Chickenfoot have done this sort of thing with 'possums, and they found it quite a challenge not to tear the skin. I can't imagine trying it with something as delicate as a chipmunk.)
- The Book Arts Bash - A Summer Writing Program
A wonderful opportunity for budding writers and artists. There are 20 categories to enter, with 5 age groups (including adults!), so everybody can find something fun to try.
- Publishing Opportunities For Children
More outlets for your children's talents: A list of links to magazine publishers that consider work written by children.
- The Ultimate Guide to Special Needs Teaching: 100+ Resources and Links
Wow! What a resource! I will definitely be going back to explore this website.
- 10 Things I Have Learned about Homeschooling
These are things I need to be reminded of over and over, as I get caught up in the daily busy-ness of doing stuff.
Don't want to miss a single tip? Subscribe to the Frugal Homeschooling RSS Feed!
Related Posts:
- Blog Carnivals: Your Weekly Support Group
- Homeschool Freebie of the Day or Week
- DonnaYoung.org Printables and Resources