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Review: FXpansion Etch Filtering Device
Running on Fxpansion's cutting edge DCAM circuit modeled technology, Etch is an affordable, feature rich filter plug-in that is ready to help modulate your productions to the next level.
Boasting duel filters with four distinct filtering models, ranging from emulated circuits all over the world. Etch is aimed with high hopes at replacing the standard filter duties present in most Digital Audio Workstations.
Not stopping with just your basic filter types, Fxpansion has also added distortion and compression as well to help make your signals fatter and warmer than ever before.
Boasting the trans-mod system technology, which is designed to evolve the plug-in's circuit emulations over a desired time frame and oversampling to stop aliasing artifacts. Etch is looking to be quite the little modulating monster.
FXpansion Etch – The Filter Section
Starting from the top of the plugins window, we see the distortion and filter sections. What I really liked about Etch, is not only has FXpansion offered cutting-edge analog modeled filters here, they're also including distortion and compression modules to really help fatten up the signal.
Common uses for filters are not only for cutting unwanted frequencies, but they're also used to boost and fatten things as well. The ability to add various levels and types of distortion into the chain further adds to what you're feeding into its dual filter section.
Etch comes with a total of 7 distortion modes, each with varying wave forms displaying exactly how they will be subtly, or drastically mangling your audio signals. This distortion section can also be put before the signal or at the end of it.
The filter section is equally as feature packed. Being the star of the show, it offers 4 different circuit emulations, each with varying filter modes. The dual filter sections can be run in parallel mode or serial mode, not only boasting separate input and output controls. It also offers one of the coolest features I've personally ever seen on a filter plug-in. Which is individual panning on each of the filter bands.
What's really cool about this feature is that it allows you to modulate and shape the left and right speakers independently, altering the state of the stereo field. Thus allowing for amazing sound shaping possibilities.
FXpansion Etch – The Envelopes & LFO Section
In the lower left section, you will find Etch's envelope and LFO sections. These parameters mostly rely on the TransMod system, offering a wider array of sonic evolution across your productions.
The first Envelope module is triggered via MIDI to generate an AHD envelope for modulating Etch's parameters via the TransMod modulation system.
The two LFO's onboard can either be controlled by the Hz setting or the tempo of the Digital Audio Workstation. This is great for creating those dubstep wobble baselines or electro house filter sweep movements to get the crowd going crazy.
Etch also offers 5 different varying LFO frequency shapes to help morph your modulations and movements that much more. Each LFO section ends with a nicely added gain stage setting to help feed your signal properly into the next part of your signal chain.
Next in the chain, Etch's envelope follower modulates based on the signal it's receiving to its inputs. Lastly is Etch's Sample + Hold module. With it's function is to spit out random LFO values derived from noise signals to help keep your sounds even more interesting.
One of the coolest features of Etch is that literally everything can be modulated using the "TransMod" system. Even the output mix controls can get time-based treatment. This sets the stage for amazing sound design possibilities, allowing you to have sounds evolve over as much time as you need.
This allows for creating fast pulsing artifacts all the way down to soothing cinematic sound beds. They are all possible with Etch.
FXpansion Etch – Compression & Controllers
At the end of the Etch signal chain, we find it's single knob compressor. Offering hard or soft knee characteristics. The soft knee mode adds a nice little attack spike into the signal helping create harder pumping beats and pulsing filter sweeps.
We also felt that this compressor was actually quite smooth and worked very well when used at the end of the signal chain.
It would also have been cool to be able to add this compressor to the beginning like the distortion module.
The mix controls are great for further fine tuning your signal coming out of Etch or; if you're looking to add some split type effects to help thicken or fatten up your source material.
There is also an XY controller section great for on-the-fly or live modulation type controls. You can even map it to a touch pad for finger control if you prefer that to joystick style knobs. "Learn modes" are also available to help getting Etch mapped to your favorite controller in seconds.
FXpansion Etch Filtering Device In Use
While we were testing the Etch plugin, we found it to be quite responsive and experienced no crashes. Running through a selection of presets showed us what the plug was capable of. This was quite entertaining to watch everything move and modulate.
We tested Etch on all of our individual tracks, on the buses and the master fader as well. Below you will find sound examples showcasing some of the presets, as well as some general filter movements that we used over our production material. All of the sound examples were done with high quality "oversampling" enabled.
FXpansion Etch Filter Plugin Multi Channel (In Use)
One of the first things I noticed with adding Etch into my signal chain is that the source material instantly got a bit warmer and darker sounding without changing a single knob or slider.
I loved how the tempo sync worked so well while still maintaining an organic feel. Sometimes LFO's and synced modulation can take on a robotic vibe. Etch had a looser feel almost as if someone was turning it by hand at times.
In our first example, I had placed an instance of Etch on every channel (except the drums), altering the settings to taste, to match that particular tracks source material. The first pass is all of the plugins bypassed, followed by various settings on each pass after.
Finding modulation that carries a track can be tricky at times, but I felt using Etch was fun and intuitive. The filters sounded warm and the modulation felt very natural.
FXpansion Etch On Every Track Of A Production / Switched Every 8 Bars:
FXpansion Etch Filter Plugin Master Fader (In Use)
Adding Etch to my master fader was a lot of fun and sounded great.
Thinking about all the ways I could use it to create buildup and breakdowns start flowing though my head.
Using the compressor at the end of the chain help beef up the signal while adding attack.
As with the previous example, the first 8 bars is the dry track, then switching through various settings every 8 bars afterward.
Notice how Etch is able to keep a natural feel during it's modulation patterns without sounding to quantized. It is also able to breath new life into the arrangement, transforming it into something quite different at faster LFO speeds.
FXpansion Etch On The Master Track Of A Production / Switched Every 8 Bars:
I feel Etch would also work well on the master fader in live situations. Part of the appeal to master track breakdowns is playing off of the crowd and keeping it building based on the situation and the crowds reactions.
FXpansion Etch Filtering Device Conclusion
I was really impressed with the quality of FXpansions Etch filter plug-in. It sounded very warm and rich to my ears and had an extremely natural modulation feel to it. I love how they added distortion and compression as additional modules into the signal chain. I also love the ability to pan the filters independently and thought this was a great feature in helping shape its sound.
Under the hood Etch is running on FXpansions DCAM circuit modeling technology. This definitely adds a great character to this plug-in. For anyone looking for a super powered filter to help modulate their tracks and productions on and off the dance floor, Etch is definitely our current favorite pick.
(FXpansion Etch Filtering Devicer Review) | |
Usability | |
I found Etch fun to work with and turned great sounding results very quickly. I experienced no crashes or unwanted glitches. | |
Features | |
At its core Etch is a very solid filter plug-in with a few bonus features added in for taste. I also liked the compressor. | |
Sound | |
Etch had a very rich and warm sound and the LFO's and modulation parameters had tons of natural character. |
Overall | |
Etch does one thing extremely well and if filters and modulation are your game you will love playing with it. |
Pricing & Information
FXpansion Etch Analogue-Modelled Filtering Device: Native $99 + Tax.
FXpansion (USA). www.fxpansion.com


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Well...weather looks great for the week-end, BUBBA's chilli is cooling off in the garage, all is packed! Flying to Atlin first thing in the morning and will be welcoming you guys on wheels & floats with some nice goodies from our great sponsors!
Float flyers, when you get within 10 miles, switch to aerodrome frequency for Atlin (123.2) and we will let you know where to park on floats. If you do not reach us, use normal airfield/water procedures for uncontrolled aerodrome. We will try our best to provide field advisory and to marshall you to your parking!
I will be reachable by e-mail or at the phone number provided above 250-651-2226, leave a message.
Have a great & safe flight
Cheers, BCT

subset: commoncrawl


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AuthorsDen.com Join (free) | Login
SIGNED BOOKS AUTHORS eBOOKS new! BOOKS STORIES ARTICLES POETRY BLOGS NEWS EVENTS VIDEOS GOLD SUCCESS TESTIMONIALS
Featured Authors: Lawrance Lux, iDr Carl Helvie, irc heydn, iRon Dondiego, iWilliam Lowenkamp, iAnn Streetman, iClaire Power Murphy, HonDL, i
· Become a Fan · Contact me · Books · Articles · Poetry · Stories · 362 Titles · 2,713 Reviews · Save to My Library · Share with a friend · Member Since: Nov, 2009 Richard Lee King, click here to update your pages on AuthorsDen.
Super Bowl - Great game.... Lousy half time show. Christina A gag U ???? Wouldn't you think anyone who was going to sing the National Anthem, at any event, but especially the Super Bowl, would take the time to memorize the words? If I had paid several million dollars to advertise on that fiasco, I'd be seeking a refund.
Last night I watched the half time show
for the two thousand eleven SUPER BOWL
Not much about that type of music do I know,
but those BLACK EYED PEAS have got to go.
I'm not an expert, I'm not even close,
but I've heard better music from my dogs throat.
When a big named band the likes of those,
is as awful at that, I become verbose.
I missed the golf match to watch that crap
and now you can't get me to shut my trap.
If they worked for me, they'd each get a slap,
or I'd send them off someplace, without a map.
….. I'm just sayin….
Maybe lip syncing these half time shows, ain't that bad after all, but if that was lip synced, I'm even more shocked. It was, by far, the worst half time show I've never watched, (actually I was only listening, cause I was on Author's Den) but like I said, I'm not a fan of that kind of music. Just listening though, I couldn't believe that it was professionals. The singing was just terrible.
I waited to post this because I wasn't sure they were as bad as I thought they were, but when I read my two morning papers, they hardly received a mention. And the brief mention that they got was not complimentary. I just might be on the right track after all.....
© Copyright 2011 Richard Lee King
Author of: A Pursuit of Life & The Price of Freedom
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text: T.H.R.E.A.D.S. ECO FASHION SHOW AT GREENFESTIVAL Javits Center NYC April 21, 2012 The Aveda Team led by Anthony Maslo Great Job Team!! A celebraton of fashion , evolutionary consciousness and style. A showcase of creative talent, and the innovators who are pioneering the eco-fashion movement with sustainable fabrics, fair trade humanitarian practices and cutting-edge design. Designers A,D.O., Allison Parris, Artists and Revolutionaries, Heart, Vaute Couture, Cri De Coeur |


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Accident backs up traffic on I-20/59 | News
Title (Max 100 Characters)
Accident backs up traffic on I-20/59
A traffic accident near exit 79 in the northbound lane of Interstate 59 in Tuscaloosa County has caused traffic to reach a near-standstill Friday morning. The accident occurred at 7:59 a.m. and involved two cars and one commercial vehicle that was carry scrap metal. The wreck caused the scrap metal to spill into both northbound lanes, leading state troopers to shut both lanes down.
Traffic has been backed up for miles since the accident happened. Troopers are diverting traffic onto Highway 11 at exit 76, three miles away from the wreck.
One injury has been reported, but no fatalities, according to state troopers.
Top Tuscaloosa County Stories
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Courtesy of: KLASSEY REALTY


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what seems to be a simple quarter winds up being a link between several different people; each none the wiser of his or her place in the circle of life
date posted: 2010-07-14 | views: 30 | type: Movie
I. M. Goode, a physical manifestation of Karma goes around peeking into the lives of three individuals.
date posted: 2010-07-14 | views: 38 | type: Movie
A couple discusses what if things happened differently the day they met. Would they still be together?
date posted: 2010-07-14 | views: 186 | type: Movie
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Full Name: | Cornett Lewers |
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hello dear teachers !
i am teaching English for adults at intermediate level , i want to plan a skill based lesson that integrates grammar.
my lesson plan involves telling the students a story about an adventure i had in a particular country when i was traveling with a group of friends. in that story i should insert examples of the intended structure which i decided too be
too+adjective+ to-infinitive such as in "it is too cold to go swimming"
the bottom line is that i need your help to compose such a story. therefore if you can refer me to such a story or help me compose it, I'll be grateful. thanks in advance


text:
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PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Post Foods has announced that as of January 2011, the company's Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles cereal will have a lower sugar content — 9 g per serving — in an effort to address the rise in nutritional concerns among Americans, the company noted last week.
The rice-based cereal brands also will be certified as gluten free — a relatively unique distinction in the cereal category, according to Post Foods.
"Post Foods is dedicated to providing both nutritious and delicious cereals for people of all ages, and we're pleased to announce improvements to the Pebbles brand that will assist in our ongoing efforts to improve kids' nutrition," said Post Foods' Bart Adlam. "By lowering our sugar content and providing gluten free certification, we hope moms feel confident serving a cereal that combines the fun and heritage of Bedrock with great taste that kids love."
Additionally, the company noted that it is part of the Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative, a program launched by the Council of Better Business Bureaus to help tackle childhood obesity by changing the mix of ad messages directed to children under the age of 12 years old to include healthier food choices.
"We commend Post Foods for its commitment to making and advertising healthier choices for kids," said Elaine Kolish, VP and director of the CFBAI. "This is one more great example of how the commitment to self regulation and responding to consumer needs is making a difference in children's advertising."


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David has held the position of Chief Executive Officer, Director and Responsible Officer with Professional Investment Advisory Services since February 2010, after being brought in to align and grow the Singapore business as well as drive the Asian region potential for PIAS, which has operated in Singapore since 2001.
In 2009, David consulted into UK, Europe and Asia in the wealth management, insurance and asset management spaces. Prior to this, from 2006 to 2009 he was CEO for ING Financial Planning in Hong Kong, where he also sat on numerous strategic regional and leadership committees and executive boards. Previously David held leadership positions within ING Australia and commenced his career in financial services as a financial planner in the 1990s, where he successfully owned and ran a leading financial advisory practice in Sydney, Australia.
David holds a Masters of Business Administration, a Bachelor of Applied Science, numerous financial services diploma and is currently writing his thesis towards his Doctorate in international management on western financial services organisations operating in Asia.


text:
Miller's has taken part in designing weddings all over Chicagoland, Northern Illinois, Southern Illinois, and Indiana. We have become a preferred vendor for some of the largest hotel chains in Chicago.
We do not have a minimum required amount to design your wedding, and the size of your wedding is never a problem. A single bridal bouquet can make your entire ceremony, and we take pride in that. We also understand the burden of travel, especially today, which is why we have no problem bringing our consultation and services to you.
There are many florists that offer packages, but we believe that the best way to create your vision is to let you design the bouquets and centerpieces yourself, with the flowers of your choice. We will not limit you to certain flowers. Our bridal bouquets start at $50.00 and will never exceed $100.00. To view some of our previous designs, please take a look at the pieces in our gallery. If you are interested in seeing even more of our designs, we would love to send you a free CD please visit our Contact Us page for more information. This page also has all of the information to contact us if you are interested in a free, no strings attached consultation.
Once we set up a consultation and meet, we can get a better understanding of what you have in mind and prepare a preliminary design idea and estimate. Four to six weeks before your wedding we will meet again for a final consultation. I will bring a sample of your boutonniere and a custom miniature of your bouquet at no cost to you.
Dreams are created here at Miller's Florist and Travel, and they happen without adding all of those extra "special event" charges. It is our goal to create the wedding of your dreams, designed to your wishes with the highest quality flowers.
Miller's Florist & Expedia Cruise Ship Center
4318 W. Davis St., Matteson, IL 60443


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I have never had any interest in joining facebook, but recently I've been thinking it really might be a nice way of staying more in touch with friends. What are your thoughts? Have you been on facebook and then regretted ever having had an account for whatever reason (too time consuming, too much garbage,....?)? Or do you really think it's a good harmless way of keeping in touch?
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Last edited: 4/4/13your thoughts on facebook
post #2 of 115/17/13 at 6:03am- The4OfUs
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post #3 of 115/17/13 at 7:17amI don't play games so that's not a time suck for me and I don't really get caught up in debates. If someone starts posting a lot of nonsense I find upsetting, I hide them from my feed (I'm not going to unfriend my 87 year old cranky great aunt and start a family war, but I don't have to read her crazy rants all day either). I enjoy seeing everyone's pictures and some of my friends are much funnier than I realized. It's a great way to keep up with and feel more involved with far-flung family and friends. You can easily avoid or weed out things that aren't fun and just keep the fun parts. I don't see how people get so caught up in FACEBOOK IS TEH EEEEVILZZZZ! just don't read what you don't like!
It's also really great for things like PTA/PTO, school and weather alerts (so helpful in hurricane season), room parent info or activities your kid is in, keeping up with what's going on at the library or local stuff, etc. I have friended all the local parks, state and national parks, school board, libraries, news stations, etc. It's nice to get reminders about festivals, stuff going on in town, or school closings.
post #4 of 115/17/13 at 11:26am- Hoopin' Mama
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I like it but I've learned a few things over the years on it and I'm now very mindful of what I'm posting. I stick to the rule of not posting anything I wouldn't want my employer/colleague/grandma to see. I pay close attention to my privacy settings. I have it set so that if someone tags me in a picture, I have to approve it before it shows up on my timeline. I don't post pictures of other peoples' kids without permission and I generally don't tag people without permission.
It's a fabulous way to keep up with friends and watch their kids grow.
I've learned to stay out of debates about politics, religion, and gun control. To me, it's not worth it. Other people enjoy the art of debate, that's not how I want to spend my time.
I "like" business pages as well as non-profit organizations and musicians. I learn about a lot of cool events and good deals that way.
It is a time suck, and i don't even play games. It's become an annoying habit - oh I have a moment of free time, what's going on on facebook....
I think it's a good thing, but if you are a private person sometimes it can feel like a bit much.
post #5 of 115/17/13 at 12:11pm- erinmattsmom88
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I was on facebook initially for 4 years. Last summer I got sick of it, something made me mad and I deleted my account vowing never to return. Well, I rejoined a few months ago. I missed keeping in touch with friends and family who are all on it... who live far away. We moved 1100 miles from them last year. I missed the business and local "likes". Facebook has its good points and bad. I keep my friend list to close friends and family, neighbors, and to people who I would stop and say hello to if I saw them at Target... kwim? I only have a few pictures on my profile of my kids. I don't post much. I also don't take part in religious/political/parenting debates. I did with my old account and shouldn't have. Lost a few facebook friends in the process. It's hard for me to bite my tongue, but I learned my lesson last time. Really, my main reason to be on it overall is to learn about what is going on locally, being part of local homeschool groups, etc. My news feed is mainly that kind of stuff.
Oh, and also ditto everything Hoopin' Mama wrote.
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Your replies were encouraging so I did join Facebook, and am learning how to use it, so far so good. My new issue is what to do with friend requests from people who have both me and XH as friends. Clicking on 'no' seems harsh, so for now I'm just ignoring the friend requests, and of I see these people in person I'll explain that I want to keep my world and his world very separate.
post #7 of 115/20/13 at 4:00pm- Hoopin' Mama
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Quote:Originally Posted by anon_abroadYour replies were encouraging so I did join Facebook, and am learning how to use it, so far so good. My new issue is what to do with friend requests from people who have both me and XH as friends. Clicking on 'no' seems harsh, so for now I'm just ignoring the friend requests, and of I see these people in person I'll explain that I want to keep my world and his world very separate.
I think ignoring them is a fine idea. I have a friend who just politely tells people that she limits her interactions on facebook. Another thing to keep in mind though is that you can control who sees what. So if you end up with a "friend" that you don't want to see some details, you can block them from seeing pictures or updates. I do this with certain family members.
post #8 of 115/20/13 at 5:43pm- The4OfUs
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Quote:Yep - and you can block their stuff from your wall by "hiding" them. It's really quite easy to avoid people when you really want to. LOL
post #9 of 115/21/13 at 1:35am- MadameXCupcake
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post #11 of 115/23/13 at 7:17amQuote:Hmm, I tried to do this (my mom has my evil ex-step-father as a facebook friend... hasn't caused any problems so far, but it creeps me out), but I couldn't find the option.
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Blemish News - August 2011
August 9, 2011
On Thursday 15th September Ms Robyn Archer AO, Centenary of Canberra Creative Director, will launch Fall On Me - Blemish Books' first novella release by Nigel Featherstone.
Nigel Featherstone is the author of over 40 published short stories with work appearing in 17 Australian literary journals, including Meanjin, Island and Overland. Since 2007, he has been a monthly cultural-comment writer for Panorama, the arts magazine of the Canberra Times. He has had two collections of short fiction published – Homelife (1999) and Joy (2000). His novel, Remnants, appeared in 2005 and was a critical success.
Miles Franklin Award winner and author of When Colts Ran, Roger McDonald, describes Fall On Me:
'Fall On Me is a finely written, warm and tense unfolding of a close family drama, where the family in question – father, teenage son, and possible third person – create their closeness, indeed the very idea of the family itself, out of the elements that threaten to destroy them.'
Set in Launceston, much of Fall On Me was written in 2010 when Featherstone took part in the Artist in Residence Program at the historic Kings Bridge Cottage at Launceston's Cataract Gorge Reserve. "Though I found my month in the caretaker's cottage at the Gorge challenging, I now realise it was a very important time in my writing life," he says.
Fall on Me tells the story of Lou Bard, a single father and Launceston café owner whose world is turned upside down when his intelligent and provocative teenage son, Luke, decides to exhibit his body in an art installation. Suddenly Lou is forced to revisit the dark secrets of his past, question what it means to be a good father, and discover that there's more love in his life than he could ever have imagined.
Fall On Me will be launched at Electric Shadows Bookshop (Shop 2, 40 Mort Street, Braddon ACT 2612) at 5:30pm on 15 September 2011.
Copies of the book will retail for $24.95 and will be available through the Blemish Books website and leading independent bookstores.
Enquiries can be directed to info[at]blemishbooks[dot]com[dot]au.


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50 experts and 171 advocates oppose the HHS/IOM Contract to re-define ME/CFS.
Check out our IOM Contract Forum for the latest news and to join the campaign.
Demonstrations in San Francisco Dec 9th and Washington D.C. Dec 10th
Do you ever read a Phoenix Rising article and think, 'I could write something like that'? Or do you fancy helping articles through the publication process, onto the front page and beyond?
Discuss the article on the Forums.
The CAA: Defense for the Sake of Defense
Discussion in 'Action Alerts and Advocacy' started by mojoey, Oct 10, 2010.
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Posted by - Garrett on February 20, 2007 at 4:42 am:
Right I was going to chicken out of doing this but I'm going to try and remember. When I was on holidays I was thinking "right I have to say this and I have to remember that to write on the forum" but now it nearly is a blank, a dream that never happened. Before I start I want to apologize if this is boring or my holiday is not suited to your holiday, you have to remember this is my holiday and these are my thoughts so no haters please. Also I hate re-reading my writing so there will be mistakes so apologies.
Where do I start well I suppose I should do an introduction. Wish me luck.
My name is Garrett Vaughan and my girlfriends name is Deirdre. We are in our late twenties and live in Dublin. This is my fourth time in Thailand and is Dee's third. When we first started going out I brought her and she fell in love with Thailand. Now we have been going every year. We love it, the people, the smell, the food, the scenery, the hotels, the shopping, the landmarks and tours, the weather (well most of the time) and last but not least the bars of all types.
We can't get enough of the place and I would love to go and sample other countries but it is hard not to go back because you know it is so much fun and the people you meet are great.
We have been saving for a long time so we can get nice hotels, upgrade rooms and so we can dine out in nicer places. Were not rich or pompous we just really wanted to do what ever we wanted really look forward to our holiday.
Off to Bangkok:
We booked through Trailfinders for our flights and received ok prices I think around 750 euros, it might sound expensive but this was the cheapest I could get and I looked through all options because doing the ground work of looking through the internet is half the fun of going away for me. So we flew with Gulf Air.lso booked the hotels online as well.
On the 21st Jan Dee and I left Dublin with Gulf air to Bahrain at 8.55 in the morning. We were so excited. The plane was a new plane with good seat pitch and it had TVs in the seat rest so that was good. They had some good films on but I was tired so I slept a bit on the flight. The flight attendants were attentive and friendly. The food was not bad I think I enjoyed it and they also came around with snacks like hula hoops or chocolate bars, result! We arrived into Bahrain at 18.55 and had 4 hours to kill. I didn't mind the stopover coz it gives you a little break and because when you're off to your destination you don't really care its coming back that it becomes a nuisance.
When we left for Bangkok the second plane was an old plane. It didn't have TVs in front of you but the big one for the whole plane. This was a bit of a nightmare but what can you do, so I slept to kill some of the time. They were not as attentive as the first flight and when they gave you the food they disappeared for the rest of the flight.
We arrived at 09.10 into the new airport. There is a lot of trouble and problems with this new airport but when we arrived there was no problems. Went straight threw immigration and picked up our bags and I think we were out of there in 1 hour.
The first time I was ever in Thailand back in 1999 Myself and my friend Dave left the airport with two big rucksacks and walked to the taxi rank and the taxi driver had this hugh smile for us and Dave and I thought these people are so friendly, what we didn't know is he probley charged us a weeks wage. So if you do get a road taxi don't haggle, make sure he uses his meter he may get a bit grumpy but he will do it.
You learn from these things so instead of going outside and trying to haggle we just went to one on the taxi desks in the airport and got a nice comfortable car with aircon .I think it was 500bht. I know it was a lot more than a taxi but it was nicer and safer (last year I had the taxi from hell, I will explain later).
So our first hotel was the Four Seasons. This was one of the more expensive hotels; I really wanted to look forward to a nice hotel so we booked this. I booked on line with the site Asiarooms. I have read in forums that it is a dodgy site but I used it and there were no problems, they were the cheapest as well. In Dublin the Four Seasons is 400 euros a night and very expensive, in Bangkok it worked out at 140 per room per night. I really wanted to stay in one so I said to hell with it lets do it and so we did. The only problem was it didn't come with breakfast, how cares we can get a fry any where in Bangkok, Gar you fool no you cant, you live and learn.
So we arrived a bit tired so we orded room service and had a power nap. The weather was not good and rained quite a bit. When we woke we went out to have a bit of crack in Bangkok. The good thing about the FS is it's next to Siam Paragon so we were a walk from the fun. The first stop was the first of many stops to Starbucks for a kick start. Then on to the Siam Paragon (http://www.siamparagon.co.th/2007/) for a look around the shops and especially to the Ferrari and Lamborghini shops so there are shops for all.
We went for a bite to eat in the Outback restaurant beside the shopping centre. The food there not bad not the best and the price moderate. Had a couple of beers there and then we were in the mood for more booze, tuk tuks and fun.
So it straight for the nearest tuk tuk. "No I don't want a ping pong show or gems or suit, I been here before I've had two beers now drive as fast and as dangerous as you can to the Banyan Tree hotel"
We went to Banyan Tree Vertigo Bar (http://www.banyantree./bangkok/dining_vertigo.htm) up to the 61st floor for a couple of drinks. We ordered a cosmo and a mai tai. The view was amazing and drinks were good also but I paid for the drinks and my change never seemed to come back to me and the waitress that was meant to bring back my change seemed to stay away fro us. This kind of peed me off and tainted my experience. But when I told the manager we were waiting on my change the bill with my change appeared very fast.
So after a photo and a drink (and my change) we left for another tuk tuk. "We've had more drink so faster please sir" and off we went to khao San road for some people watching.
In all my time I have never for some reason being here so we were looking forward to it. The first thing I noticed was there was barriers there and the first presence of the army. There is some army there since the bombs from New Years Eve and this is the first I saw. It was meant to be for our protection but it made me feel a bit uncomfortable. When we got on the road there was this preacher dude in a white shirt sweating buckets shouting as loudly as he could about Jesus is going to save us and another guy drunk shouting things back at him to wind him up I thought "I going to like it here".
We went to two bars here and I can't remember the name, we got seats beside the street so we could see the goings on and check out the khao san.
After the two bars and a good look around the place we went to the top and took a left and found this really nice bar with funky seats rivers going through it and other crazy stuff so stayed there for one and then decided to get tuk tuk to Patpong.
No matter how far you are away the tuk tuk get your there fast enough. There great fun but a white knuckle ride, magic mountain is nothing because its safe now a tuk tuk ride is scary, the weave in and out of traffic and race other tuk tuk and if they see you smile which I did it encourages them to do more crazy stuff, I can laugh about it now but some times I was quite scared.
Now Patpong, what a place, we were here last year with friends and decided to go to a ping pong show to show our friends what its all about and we got ripped off bad when the charged us some crazy amount for four beers, unfortually we paid and got out of there straight away coz when we argued the Thais started giving us bad stares so we split, and I swore I would never go to Patpong again but some of the other bars are great fun just stay away from the ping pong its quite repulsive actually. The bar we went to by the way is called Super Pu**ys with a name like that what do we expect but we were dragged in by a guy in the street. Anyway we went to a bar beside there and it's a go go bar. These bars are great fun and because we are a couple the girls don't go near us at all, I get no attention and the girls talk to Dee and are really nice so I recommend these for good fun. This bar had great music and a good buzz. One of the bar girls was doing card tricks for us and was good fun. When I went to the toilet I got my neck and back messaged, fingers and ears crack and hot towels (by the way these were Thai guys) so they wipe your hands with a hot towel. I wish you got this in Dublin toilets. By the way there are lots of other couples there as well. While we were there Dee reconsied a girl from across the bar but couldn't place it. So this was really annoying her so I told her to go over and ask her, so when Dee was going to the toilet she asked her where she might of recognize her face and wasn't she in the finals of Australians next top model. She was really nice and she came over and we had a good laugh how Dee knew her face.
So we went to the bar next to that and then to the Kangaroo bar which wasn't the nicest of places it was up stairs. If you can see the bar from the street and it looks good go for it, if the bar is upstairs or you can't see it don't go this is if you're looking for good clean fun.
Another thing we always do when in Patpong at the end of the night we have a Burger King. There is something about here and MacyDees in Thailand there so much nicer then Dublin. Then it was off to bed for some shut eye.
Well that's the first one done don't worry the rest will be shorter. Better go now my eyes hurt and Lost is on in 20 mins.


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Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is a public health emergency devastating its victims and their families physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Sexual violence is a horrific act that the perpetrator forgets, but the survivor does not, with the consequences continuing – from the posttraumatic stress, to compromised health to the lower survival rates of her children. And these crimes are not just occurring in areas of war and civil unrest. Rather, they are a part of deeply ingrained behavior in all levels society the entire world over. This year, the World Health Organization reported that 1 in 3 women globally will experience SGBV in her lifetime. Studies in the United States produced similar findings.
Rape is a war crime and can be an act of genocide. Yet we often do not respond adequately to it as a global society. For example, in my country, women impregnated by rape may pass HIV to their babies. Children born from rape may also suffer community rejection because of the atrocities of their conception. SGBV programs must take this dynamic into account.
SGBV requires a holistic response that does not forget the indirect victims of rape, the spouses and children of the victims and the community at large. We must remember that rape tears at the social fabric of communities because victims and their families often "lose" themselves. This is why the faith community is so important to this effort.
The faith community is a powerful agent of social change and possesses a founding principle of love and spirituality as well as the power and influence to lead individuals and communities to respond appropriately and effectively to SGBV. Faith leaders and their communities have immense power to reach all levels of society as well as a proven track record of leadership on such issues as poverty alleviation, HIV/AIDS and malaria.
Yet despite sexual violence's being endemic the world over, leaving massive destruction in its wake, the faith community has remained virtually silent on this issue and sometimes has even perpetuated the stigma and discrimination of SGBV survivors.
In the United States, more than 1 in 3 women (and 1 in 4 men) havereportedly experienced sexual assault, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime.
These are not numbers that disappears when you walk in to a church. Christian women are subject to sexual and gender-based violence, too – but when is the last time you heard about this issue in a church?
Talking about the pain and fear of intimate partner abuse can seem daunting, but there are resources to help faith communities get started. On Sunday, Nov. 24, faith communities have an opportunity to speak out against sexual and gender-based violence in the aptly named Speak Out Sunday.
ST. LOUIS — Kristen Leslie began her 2003 book, When Violence Is No Stranger, with a verse from Psalms, a nod to her training as a theologian.
"It is not enemies who taunt me — I could bear that; it is not adversaries who deal insolently with me — I could hide from them. But it is you, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend…"
The book's subject was acquaintance rape, and it got the attention of a chaplain at the Air Force Academy. The school was then reeling from a Pentagon report indicating that 7 percent of its cadets reported being the victims of rape or attempted rape. Nearly 90 percent of the perpetrators were their own classmates.
Leslie, now a professor of pastoral theology and care at Eden Theological Seminary in Webster Groves, Mo., was invited to Colorado to consult with academy leaders on how to train Air Force chaplains to deal with sexualized violence on campus.
Now, a decade later, the U.S. Navy has come knocking.
The Christian mission field "is a magnet" for sex abusers, Boz Tchividjian, a Liberty University law professor who investigates abuse said Thursday to a room of journalists.
While comparing evangelicals to Catholics on abuse response, "I think we are worse," he said at the Religion Newswriters Association conference. But it's harder to track.
"Protestants can be very arrogant when pointing to Catholics," said Tchividjian, a grandson of evangelist Billy Graham and executive director of Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE), which has investigated sex abuse allegations.
More than 1,200 people have signed an online petition decrying the "silence" and "inattention" of evangelical leaders to sexual abuse in their churches.
The statement was prompted by recent child abuse allegations against Sovereign Grace Ministries, an umbrella group of 80 Reformed evangelical churches based in Louisville, Ky.
"Recent allegations of sexual abuse and cover-up within a well known international ministry and subsequent public statements by several evangelical leaders have angered and distressed many, both inside and outside of the Church," reads the three-page statement spearheaded by GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment).
"These events expose the troubling reality that, far too often, the Church's instincts are no different than from those of many other institutions, responding to such allegations by moving to protect her structures rather than her children."
Unfortunately, sexual violence on college campuses is a widespread reality. As many as 20-25 percent of women will face attempted or completed assault over the course of their college tenure. Contrary to popular myths about "stranger-danger," 9-in-10 of those victims will know their attacker.
For Christian college administrators, who take seriously the formation not just of mind but of spirit, the reality of campus-based sexual violence is challenging for many to admit. Yet it has serious implications for how students learn, understand, and develop self-respect and love for their neighbor.
In speaking with students, former students, and staff at Christian schools across the country, what's revealed is that education about the realities and effects of sexual violence among college students remains anemic at best. There's much to suggest that students are finding their way, but many — particularly at more sexually orthodox campuses — face frightening barriers to knowledge. When it comes to educating mind and spirit on sexual violence, Christian institutes of higher education still have far to go.
Editor's Note: As we continue reporting on the important topic of sexual abuse and violence, Sojourners has opened up the Sexual Violence and the Church blog series for submissions. This piece is one such submission. If you are interested in submitting a post for the series, please email the Web Editor HERE.
"From the beginning …" began my pastor, rising slowly from his armchair. With his next words, he broke my world apart. From the beginning, he had been attracted to me as a woman. From the beginning, his interest in me had been personal. He told me the reasons why, and then he said these words: "If we were both single, and if I weren't your pastor, we'd be going out to dinner." He paused a long beat. "And we'd see where it went from there."
Were my pastor's words an act of sexual violence?
When we hear the words "sexual violence," we may envision a forcible rape or a sexual act with a person incapable of consent. Many of us would consider unwanted groping or uninvited embraces to be acts of sexual violence. Some of us would include "consensual" sex between persons of different rank, because we understand that power disparity makes meaningful consent impossible. But what about the manipulative behavior that gives rise to the delusion of consent? Was my pastor's not-quite-a-proposition an act of sexual violence? Could a lingering handshake, a compliment on spiritual gifts, or an offer of pastoral support be acts of sexual violence? Most of us would say no. And most of us would be missing the boat.
A movement of lay advocates speaking out against sexual violence is gaining steam in the faith communities. But are similar efforts happening inside church doors?
When it comes to leading denominational conversations on sexual violence, clergy across traditions express twin reactions: encouragement over the protocols already in place and the efforts of fellow advocates; and frustration with a culture of silence around sexual violence in the church. Despite strikingly different experiences across denominations — and church by church — the clergy, church staff, and seminarians who spoke with Sojourners are in agreement that addressing this issue in one's own house is complicated at every level.
The result: a loss of potential by the American church to be a leading and vibrant institution of radical vulnerability and transformative healing.
We have learned from the crisis at Penn State University and other incidents that have gained national attention that it is not only religious authorities that turn a blind eye to abuses of power. The educational, legal, social service, and policing systems are broken when it comes to protecting children, and others who are vulnerable, from abuse.
Lest we forget our history and think that this is a uniquely 20th and 21st century problem, we need only turn to the Bible. In II Samuel, we are reminded that abuses of power, lust, and rage have always been part of the human experience.
An incident described II Samuel happens not in a religious or educational institution but in a family. It is not an isolated incident; it does not develop out of thin air. It is a case of "like father, like son." Amnon's father is King David, who in II Samuel 11, sees Bathsheba bathing and uses his power to have her brought to him so that he may "lay" with her.
It is only two chapters later that we read that Amnon, David's son, is tormented by the beauty of his half-sister, Tamar. Amnon does not have the authority that his father David has, so he must use trickery instead of sheer power to get what he wants. After Amnon violently "lays" with Tamar, he is filled with hatred for her and forces her to leave his sight. In doing this, he shames her even further.
The scandal is not just that Amnon violates Tamar and the law of Israel, but when Tamar cries and ritually mourns her pain and disgrace she is told to be quiet. Her brother Absalom tells her to stop brooding over the episode. And while Absalom and their father, King David, are angry with Amnon for what he has done to Tamar, neither David nor Absalom even talks to Amnon about it. David does not punish his beloved firstborn son.
Perhaps one positive thing we can say about this story is that Tamar has a name; she is not anonymous like so many other powerless women in biblical stories. Tamar is named and remembered.
Though the church remains stuck in a culture of silence on sexual abuse, advocates are steadily building the platforms for individual voices to change the narrative. The depth of reconciliation that plays out upon these platforms can be profound.
Rachel Halder, founder of Our Stories Untold — a blog that hosts stories from survivors of sexualized violence within the Mennonite church — has witnessed such moments happen in real time.
One of Halder's first contributors was a woman who was prompted to break her silence after Todd Akin's comments qualifying "legitimate rape." By happenstance, the woman's former dorm-mate, who decades ago witnessed the immediate aftermath of this assault, recognized herself in the survivor's story.
Halder sat in disbelief as this dorm-mate came clean with her own years of shame and regret, expressing sorrow over lessons learned too late.
"I just saw this play out on my site, this overwhelming moment of reconciliation and restoration," Halder said, who later helped the two women reconnect by email. "It was completely unanticipated ... they hadn't seen each other in 20, 30 years. The healing process in these kinds of stories is really magical."


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The Functional Significance of Low Body Mass Index (IDECG, 1992, 203 p.) |
Body mass index: its relationship with food consumption and socioeconomic variables in Brazil |
Allen: Is there a difference in BMI between blacks and whites?
Vasconcellos: Yes, generally black people are poorer, so it is an effect of income, not colour. Naidu: The North has a population with a low BMI. If you look within the same occupational and economic group, are there any racial differences?
Vasconcellos: The data do not allow this analysis. The North is more rural and mainly agricultural. In the South we have more industry and service people. Socio-professional stratification and income shows a high correlation with urban and rural areas, so we would not compare this variable. In trying to look at income levels there is also a problem that the same amount of money does not buy the same amount of food in different regions of Brazil.


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Butler SWCD has many publications on soil and water issues, some of which we have created and others we have linked to.
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Mar 27, 2013
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At a fundamental level, the issue is how to generate healthy returns in the medium to long term. Policy holders can see their fund go down over the course of a week or a month, but what we really should be looking at is returns over 20 or 30 years.
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5 Sep
the kids are alright …
One of the primary reasons God sent His Son to earth was to bring tender salve and relief to those whose hearts were broken.
~ Beth MooreThe Lord is close to the brokenhearted,
and he saves those whose spirits have been crushed.
Psalm 34:18 {NCV}
As I watched the girls take off on their scooters last week, I couldn't help but smile at how resilient and {God} protected they've been.
It goes without saying they've been through some difficult circumstances over the last few years. And I'm not sure why, but I'm amazed time and again at how joyful their little spirits have remained through it all.
We've had some new changes in our lives recently, and as I watched them go, I marveled at how they seem to take it all in stride.
Truly, it can only be explained by the tender salve and relief {brought by our God} to those whose hearts were broken.
Thank you Lord.
As they crossed the street and disappeared into the park across the street, I went inside the house to finish up some chores. I was busy upstairs when Wynter came flying into the house shouting, "THE ICE CREAM TRUCK!! Can we have some money for ice cream?!"
I came flying down the stairs shouting, "GRAB MY PURSE!!"
We found some money and off she went running with me high-tailing it close behind her.
I LOVED the ice cream truck as a kid! In fact it's probably one of my favorite memories! I used to get the ice cream that had a bubble gum at the bottom … kind of a two-fer-one deal!
I stood watching my born & raised country-mice experience the ice cream truck for the very first time. My heart full. Moments earlier I was smiling in wonder at their resilience. And as I watched them make their decisions carefully, I thanked the Lord once again.
It's in these small memorable moments they're wrapped in His tender salve and relief. And I'm thankful.
Posted in family thoughts, girls, life
21 Apr
nothing is wasted …
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 {NIV}
My firstborn turns 18 years old today. I know it'd be very cliche to ask where the time went … yet, as I look at this photo and reflect over the years we traveled together, I can't help but think … where did the time go?!
The other day, Taylor was riding a different horse at the barn — for reasons I won't go into as it'd be a whole different post — but right now she's riding a couple different lesson horses to just have some fun and get her own riding back on track.
As she poked around the arena on a verrryyyy slowwww guy, her mood was light, she had a smile on her face {few and far between these days}, and commented, "He feels just like Clover."
I was immediately struck by the thought, "Sometimes to start fresh, you have to start at the beginning."
You see, Taylor basically found her riding passion on that trusty ol' mount. Even today, Clover holds a irreplaceable and special place in our hearts.
Clover was Taylor's beginning.
Lately, she's had some crazy trouble with her horse and needs a fresh start in riding. She needs to have fun again.
Taylor's been struggling … with a whole lotta stuff going on in her life, she's been struggling. And right now, as she's turning eighteen, she feels like she needs a fresh start.
Hold on … I'm not planning on going into a "whoa-is-Taylor-she's-had-it-so-rough" thing. Truth is, I've been chastised for not "letting her get over it." Along that line and as a side note, I would like to share something about my parenting …
When my children are walking through a valley in life, I don't stand outside of that valley and shout down to them, "Put your big girl panties on and get over it already!"
No. That wouldn't do us any good.
Instead, I walk down into that valley with them. I take them, I guide them, I encourage them, and we put their big girl panties on together.
Meaning … I don't sit in their valley with them. I don't allow them to sit in their own valleys. But in order to get them out of the valley, I need to meet them where they're at, take them by the heart, and walk them through it.
How can a child — or anyone for that matter — "get over something" when they don't have a guide out?
That said, I've been walking Taylor through quite a few valley's as of late and she's desperately searching for a fresh start in her life.
Eighteen years old. A milestone birthday. Adulthood? Gaaaa … this momma isn't too sure about that one! Talking with a friend the other day, we agreed adulthood should be changed to twenty-one or thirty-five!
Tay … my sweet Tay … I want you to know I hear you. I see you. I feel you. I pray for you. And as much as this mommy loves you with all of her heart … your Father in heaven loves you THAT much more. I can only imagine how proud He must be of you Taylor.
He's allowed almost every trial imaginable. And you've persevered. Yes, it's been through tears and anguish you've persevered, but you've also done it with unimaginable grace.
Baby, I heard this song the other day and you immediately came to mind. Sweet girl, please let your heart be wide open as you listen to each word and let God speak into your life. Listen to His promises for you …
What if every tear you cry, seeds the ground where joy will grow? Fields … acres and acres of fields of joy are what He has in store for you. I believe it Taylor.
You can lean on me and I'll believe for you … and in time you will believe it too.
Happy birthday love. There's no way I could be more proud of you …
Nothing Is Wasted
:: Jason Gray ::
The hurt that broke your heart
And left you trembling in the dark
Feeling lost and alone
Will tell you hope's a lie
But what if every tear you cry
Will seed the ground where joy will grow
Nothing is wasted
Nothing is wasted
In the hands of our Redeemer
Nothing is wasted
It's from the deepest wounds
That beauty finds a place to bloom
And you will see before the end
That every broken piece is
Gathered in the heart of Jesus
And what's lost will be found again
When hope is more than you can bear
And it's too hard to believe it could be true
And your strength fails you half way there
You can lean on me & I'll believe for you
And in time you will believe it too
Sometimes we are waiting
In the sorrow we have tasted
But joy will replace it
Nothing is wasted
In the hands of our redeemer
Nothing is wasted
Posted in birthday, family thoughts, music, parenting, taylor
27 Jun
an abandoned checker board
WARNING: Long, rambling post to follow.
Nothing like an abandoned checker board to grab my attention, put my emotions in check, and quiet my spirit.
My life is nothing short of crazy. Truly. I really should don a red helmet and carry a hose on my back because it seems all I do is move from fire to fire.
Humor me as a share a sampling and then circle back to my thoughts?
Monday night I was on my way to a painting class/party at a friend's house. I was pretty excited and looking forward to it. I had my Texas caviar and watermelon margaritas all ready to go!
First hitch, Taylor … my sitter for the night, was late. And. I couldn't reach her anywhere. For over thirty minutes. Morbid thoughts started assailing me when I finally got a text from her.
With 20 minutes to spare, she finally made it home and packed up the girls to take them to dinner. The girls had friends over and Taylor had a friend, which made 7 in total so they needed to take my car. Which was fine because it gave me the opportunity to hop in my never-used sports car, and I couldn't wait to drive with the top down and wind in my hair!
I pile everything into my car, watch Taylor back out the drive, and turn on my car raring to go. I push the button to take the roof down and nothing happens. Well … actually … I did get a "click." But I didn't get any roof-coming-down action. So I tried it again. "Click." And again. "Click."
And then. Liquid started pouring through the roof of the car onto the console. Not dripping. But pouring. A green, greasy-like fluid. It started pooling in the interior light fixtures and continued to pour onto the console.
For some reason Taylor pulled back into the drive. Now what was the reason again? Thinking … thinking … oh yeah! Money. Humpf.
But good thing, cuz I needed the keys to her car.
While she was getting me the keys, and I was getting a bucket in place to catch the unwanted, green, greasy-like matter pouring into my car … a boy comes into the driveway on his bike. Selling raffle tickets.
And since I've got my wallet out handing cash over to the teen, I figured I'd get a raffle ticket too.
It's currently 6:55 and the party starts at 7:00.
As I'm filling out my raffle tickets, the boy's dad pulls in on his bicycle. He sees our Wisconsin plates, tells me he's from Chicago, and proceeds to tell me his life story.
They leave and I'm finally on my way.
Let's see. Then there's yesterday morning. Well … first, let's quickly back up a month to some extremely extensive and painful dental work that left me with a temporary crown. Given mine and the dentist's travel schedule, it was about four weeks out 'til I could get the permanent crown put in place. That probably would've been just fine. But let's say hypothetically a milk dud might've pulled it out about three weeks too early. And the derned thing kept coming off, leaving me in quite a bit o' pain!
I was thankful to finally have the permanent one put on. Yesterday morning.
When he took the temporary one off and left my nerves exposed to the air and cool squirting water that seemed so important to get in there, I just about jumped outta my chair! It seemed fruitless to get a novocaine shot for 10 minutes of work {I really do hate those shots}, so instead I sat there in excruciating, yes excruciating pain as he fiddled and futzed and made it just right.
There may have been a tear or two, or five hundred.
Meanwhile, I get a call from home. And a voicemail.
During a break {dentist, not me}, with cotton in my mouth, and tears on my cheeks, I listen to the voicemail. It's from Wynter and it goes like this:
"Hi mom. It's Wynter. I threw up and have throw up in my hair and I'm wondering if I should take a shower. That's all. I love you. Bye."
And a few more tears may have fallen {me, not Wynter}.
Anyway. Torture dentist done and I'm on my way home.
And the Invisible Fence {dog training} guy calls and says he's on his way to the house for training {dog, not me}. "Okay, I'm on my way there and will see you soon," I say.
And then a call from the plumber. He'll also be at the house shortly. See, the day before a water meter guy rings the bell and explains to me that I'm using some 77 thousand gallons of water in the last few weeks, and my meter is running out of control which indicates there's a leak in the house somewhere.
I get home and am literally bombarded as I walk in the door. Oh! and did I mention, there's already a guy in the basement wallpapering a bathroom that had previously been torn apart due to mold in the walls?
And that I needed to get Taylor out the door to a doctor's appointment for a pretty banged up arm {go-carting accident}?
Anyway. The crazy continued and I could go on, but after 800 words, I'm thinking you get the gist.
In the middle of all the above, I found myself standing at the kitchen table where an abandoned checker board sat. It was all set up and ready to play. Sadly, I recalled the prior evening.
In the middle of preparing Texas caviar and margaritas, Hunter asked if I'd play checkers with her. I told her I would and to set it up on the table so I could play between my prep. She took her turn and told me it was mine. I said I'd be there in a minute so she asked if she should play my turn. I told her that was a good idea.
And that's all I remembered. And now it sat there. Abandoned.
I was up to my eyeballs in the crazy of the morning, but felt a peace overcome me as I knew what I needed to do. I found Hunter and asked if she wanted to finish that checker game.
I may be getting misty as I'm recalling the sheer delight on her face as she excitedly answered, "yes!" and ran off to find the game.
I don't know. No big epiphany, metaphor, or analogy from me today. Just a message to say that sometimes in the middle of crazy, all it takes is a simple reminder of what's really important in life. The crazy'll always be there. My prayer is that my eyes are always open to what matters most.
Posted in encouragement, family thoughts, life, parenting
9 May
no matter what …
Hunter had surgery last week. She needed her adenoids and tonsils removed, and had her third set of ear tubes inserted. This was the fourth surgery this kid has undergone in her little six years of life. Anyway.
My girl was so brave. I don't think she had any idea what was about to hit her. But more of that goodness in a bit …
The primary focus of this writing is … motherhood. In light of my recent post on "quitting" … an experience I had in the hospital with Hunter kinda struck me to the core.
After surgery, I was brought into the recovery room where she was still completely out of it. An oxygen mask on her face, hooked up to monitors, an IV … the works. I stood next to her holding her limp and fragile hand. She would mumble in and out of her "anesthesia coma" and each time the nurse would assure her, "Your mommy's right here. She's right here." And on cue, I'd get my face real close to hers, whisper her name and tell her mommy loves her.
Think about these words … "mommy's right here."
The world is as it should be because mommy is right here.
I haven't hidden the fact that I've been struggling a bit. In life and in my parenting. My patience is at an all time low. And that's putting it mildly. It seems every little thing sets me off. I'm at my limit and being tested constantly. I blow up. And immediately regret it. Welcome to parenting, huh? :)
But no matter how difficult I've been with these girls … and I'm the first to admit, I. have. been. difficult. They still love me. Unconditionally.
Sometimes I'm so worried I'm going to screw these kids up. I'm not spending enough time with them. I'm not loving enough. Caring enough. I don't listen enough. I don't put my phone down when I should {and pay attention to them}. I'm not disciplining correctly … or enough. I'm yelling too much. I'm impatient. All these things and self-doubt has really crept up on me lately.
But right there, in the hospital, it struck me … all they really want to know, now and forever, is that "mommy is right here."
And girls … I promise you I am. I promise you I will be "right here" for you as long as I have breath. Thank you for your grace and thank you for loving me unconditionally … no matter what.
Whew. Okay! Anyone ready for some Huntie goodness?
Oh wait! First … do you Instagram? It's kinda my new obsession. If you'd like to follow me, I'm tmstier. I also found this site … haven't really played with it yet, but you can find me there! :)
So … sorry 'bout the photo dump here … but like I said, I'm a little obsessed with Instagram and I happen to be a little obsessed with my babygirl too!
So this is Hunter in the waiting room {at 6:00 am} before surgery.
She's been admitted and given her "happy juice."
The nurses brought her to a closet full of lovies … she picked a hedgehog.
Babygirl after surgery, trying to wake up.
Woken, and brought into her own room.
Green popsicle. "nuff said.
A setback. She wasn't getting enough fluids and got
nauseous when they sat her up. They decided to keep
her a couple extra hours and pump a bag of fluids
into her.
Within an hour she was better and we made our way home.
After sleeping/resting/whining in my bed for a while,
we decided to get some fresh air with a walk.
Babygirl loves an opportunity to hop in the stroller.
After our walk, I got caught up in looking through the mail
while Hunter went outside. This is where I found her.
On the back patio …
Watching her sisters swim. Yeah, it kinda broke my heart too.
I was told her recovery would take a week. A week off of school.
She may not want to eat for a few days. She may be in pain.
When we got home from the hospital, this girl was ravenous
and craving goldfish and pretzels like a madwoman!
The morning after, she woke up raring to go! I seriously
contemplated sending her back to school in a few days.
And then …
My precious princess was secretly replaced with
Princess Cranky-Pants.
And it was not fun. At all.
We saw a ray of sunshine when she got some
notes from her friends at school!
This one might be a little naughty of me … but I couldn't help it!
She would. not. give in to sleep! She was crankier than
crank and wouldn't lay down. I got into bed and she
came and laid with me, but rolling around and 'round.
She climbed on top of me and fell asleep and
this is what I've been listening to for the last week …
When I was sure she was sleeping good, I rolled
her off me and let her snooze!
Finally yesterday afternoon she was feeling "a little good"
{her reply when you ask her how she's feeling}
and so I took her into school for a half-day.
She was a bit wiped when she got home, but
I think it was good to get her back into
her routine a bit. We'll see what today brings!
I love this little monkey! She's tested me this past week … oh
how she's tested me! But we also had quite a bit of fun
together … I love my babygirl and can't wait for a
strep-free, ear infection-free summer! Woot!
Posted in family thoughts, hunter, parenting
16 Apr
the voice of truth
Yesterday, I'm standing at my favorite gas station … the one that declares it's faith boldly by pumping Christian music to each island. As I was filling my tank with gas, my eyes started filling with tears as the words of the song playing washed over me. It's one of my favorites, Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns.
I could dissect each line of this song. Each time I hear it, a different truth is spoken to me. Yesterday I hear:
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
And the voice of truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I would choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
But backing up further to when I got out of bed yesterday morning, this is the truth I was repeating to myself:
Don't be afraid, for I am with you.
Don't be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand
Isaiah 41:10 NLT
And to drive the point home further to me … at church during worship we sang this truth:
And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me
Matt Redman, You Never Let Go
In full disclosure … I'm afraid. I was afraid to land at the airport. I spent this past weekend afraid to open my front door. I'm afraid of this coming week. And I'm afraid of what the next few weeks might hold for my family's future.
Fear is also creeping in about what the "world" thinks of me.
Yes. I'm afraid. Terrified really.
But that's my voice of truth. It's loud. And it's screaming inside of me and beginning to drown out the real Voice of Truth.
I'm preparing for the battle of my life … of my family's life … and I can't do it on my own. I need to put on all of the armor God's made available to me {Ephesians 6:12-19}.
Theologically, I know the promises of His Word. I know I have nothing to fear. I know He is with me.
But my spirit? My spirit is weak … and full of fear.
Have you ever found yourself feeling this way? You know, and believe what God tells us. But sometimes … sometimes the outside noise gets so loud, you can't hear the real Truth?
That's where I'm at. I need to shut off the noise around me and close myself in with the Truth.
I need to quiet myself, my spirit, my surroundings as Psalm 46:10 sweetly reminds me … "be still and know that I am God."
I'll be spending this week and possibly the next few, arming myself for the battle of my life.
Posted in encouragement, family thoughts


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David Zoll, Section Chair (2012-13); 2013 Eldon G. Kaul Distinguished Service Award Recipient, Allen Mitchell; and Eldon G. Kaul
Photo by Eldon Kaul
Eldon is the first recipient of the Section's newly named Eldon G. Kaul Distinguished Service Award, in recognition of his 35 years of service in the Minnesota Attorney General's office. Eldon joined the AG's office in 1970 as a staff attorney in the State Solicitor General's office. In 1972, he became MPCA's chief counsel. In 1976, he was promoted to Managing Attorney for the Attorney General's Environmental Protection Division, a position he held until his retirement in 2004. Among his many career milestones, he represented MPCA in the Reserve Mining Company litigation involving the company's taconite plant in Silver Bay, Minnesota. The Reserve Mining litigation eventually resulted in the seminal Minnesota Supreme Court opinion on judicial review of administrative decisions, Reserve Mining Co. v. Herbst, 256 N.W.2d 808 (Minn. 1977). Eldon also represented MPCA and MDNR in a series of cases involving forest management policy, which culminated in a favorable decision for the state in Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy v. Minn. Pollution Control Agency, 644 N.W.2d 457 (Minn. 2002).
DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr was one of five speakers at the 2013 Agency Update
2013 Agency Update speakers also included: Agriculture Commissioner David Frederickson, MPCA Commissioner John Stine, Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman and EQB Executive Director William Seuffert
On October 15, 2013, the section hosted a one-hour CLE program on sustainability reporting. The goal of the CLE was to provide an overview of sustainability reporting from the perspective of two local companies, Hormel Foods and Tennant Company. Following the CLE, the Section hosted a well-attended law student reception.
The MSBA Environmental, Natural Resources & Energy Section presented its annual Agency Update on November 6, 2013. Leonard Street & Deinard hosted the event, at which top state agency officials provided their perspectives on current and upcoming environmental, natural resource and energy issues in Minnesota. Over seventy attorneys attend to hear from … Click here for more information.
Recap of ENRE Law Student & New Lawyer Pizza Reception Many students and lawyers attended this October 15th event, which provided Minnesota law students with an opportunity to connect with local environmental, natural resources and energy lawyers. The section extends its thanks to Dorsey & Whitney for hosting the event and to section liaison Tram Nguyen for coordinating it. As noted at the event, the ENRE Section encourages students to join us as section members, attend our upcoming CLEs, and act as contributing writers for our website. Please click here for more information.
- Last Updated 11/20/13 -
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Market psychology meltdown
Our research strongly suggest that volatility in market psychology correlate to market crashes. In our last post we noted a dramatic jump in SentiTrade's volatility index (V-SQ). The calculation shows how frequent the market news swing from positive to negative, and back again. Since our last post the DAX lost more than 400 points… in the same period, the V-SQ continued to make significant gains (see illustration below).
As opposed to the VDAX (the volatility calculation of the DAX itself), which uses an implicit approach, SentiTrade measures historical volatility. A simplified way of explaining the difference, is to say that the implicit calculation accounts for the expected volatility which occurs when future contracts are about to expire. SentiTrade on the other hand, compares the historical range of positive vs. negative financial news stories, to the current situation. Market psychology is then assessed directly at the source, namely in financial news stories. Currently, there are signs that the correction will continue and that we're approaching a market psychology meltdown:
TheV-SQ now stands at 95%, normal levels move between 50% and 70%. The last time SentiTrade measured levels in this area was August last year. Our all time high level of 108% dates back to August of 2008, one month ahead of Lehman.
Sign up for SentiTrade's FREE newsletter to learn more about how we anticipate market trends! To receive additional info on the V-SQ and how it relates to market psychology, drop us a line in the contact form. Also, with NinjaTrader, you can sign up for 14 day trial of SentiTrade right now!


text:
(Source: thepacificatlantic)
(Source: badmap, via undergothamwestand)
i know he was baiting me to message him. But i did it anyway.
"if you'd actually watched my video instead of blindly trolling it, you would see that my atheism has nothing to do with carl sagan or richard dawkins or the big bang or any scientific anything. period. I merely label myself as an "atheist" because i don't fear the implications of being one without the church, one without God. Since people keep saying "oh, atheism is such a bad word, let's call us something better sounding, like 'brights' or 'humanist' ". Fuck that. The word means what it means. Everyone knows what it means. It means I do not follow an established religion. I do not believe in a God or gods. I do not tithe. I do not pray. I do not read and blindly follow the instructions of any book, holy or otherwise. There are no miracles. There are no demi-gods. There are no super powers. There is no before-life. There is no after-life.
None of these things involve needing to believe and/or pretending to know what happened before recorded history or what will happen after.
You can come up with whatever definition of atheism you want. You can repeat it to yourself all you want, that won't make it true. Atheism is about free-thinking. It's about choosing to make your own decision about what you believe to be true. And yes. It comes down to belief. It comes down to faith. So if your problem is that i have faith in my senses and my own logic and thoughts, well. I don't know what you expect me to think about how you function.. you're telling me you've read and understand everything there is to possibly know about physics and biology? Every theory anyone has ever had about the origin of the universe and you've come to the conclusion that everyone is completely wrong? Where are your theories? Where is the math to back it up? It sure is easy to say "you're wrong". It's a lot fucking harder to explain why you're right.
Oh and posting other people's videos about why other people are wrong is pathetic. You are pathetic. You make me proud to call myself an atheist."
are there any attractive girls in the LoL/HoN/Dota scene? I feel like i need a celeb gamer crush.. but she can't be better than me at sc..
(Source: iloveaguywholovescarrots, via soothingsympathy)
no one says "zerg rush"… It's "ling rush".
So annoying..
(Source: unpopularbydemand, via the-terminator)
Why you should never ask favours from graphic designers
and this is why i never piss off any of my Graphic Designer friends, they are the biggest trolls ever :')
Welcome to my life.
(Source: tastefullyoffensive, via evelynhollow)
(Source: nerdyjokes)
mrsnowmiser asked: Are you a one of a kind unknown species?
Cause you might be the same species as Yoda. Then he could say he was the same species as someone else, and then he wouldn't be so alone in the universe.
...I came here to make a joke and ended up typing that and now I'm sad.
Each shirt is hand painted by myself. The shirt is washed after being painted and is machine washable thereafter. Since the shirts are hand painted they are still fairly delicate. Wash sparingly and air dry if possible so the design will last. The shirts I use to paint on run fairly small, so if you are on the line with size I would suggest sizing up. Please be patient. I am unsure about the amount of orders I will receive but they are carefully painted individually. So don't expect them right away. Contact me if a special size is needed. Also I am not sure if i will be able to ship outside of the United States just yet, so contact me if you wish to order outside of the US and i will see if i can work something out.


text:
A call for a different kind of activism.
March 2011
Given the overwhelming success (bah!) of our 'activist' organizations in representing our interests recently, there seems to be a lot of chatter about transfolk divorcing themselves from the rest of the LGB movement, and going it alone.
There's some merit in that, sure; no one can tell our legislative bodies our needs better than us. We are the experts at our stories, not someone who's paid to tell the gay story. But I've said it many times–laws do not create real equality, people do.
We need laws; we need a way to smack down people who would discriminate against us in our daily lives, merely for being who we are. Employment protections, housing protections, public accommodations protections, credit protections, insurance parity…yep, we need those things, and we need them badly. But even if we passed every one of those laws at the federal level today, we would not have real equality.
Don't believe me? Ask any African-American you know; we have fifty years of 'equality' laws on the books, but does the AA community in America have real equality? Not even close, nor will they, probably at least for another two or three generations.
But why is that? Isn't a cultural affirmation of what we think is important–as enacted by laws–tantamount to equality and acceptance? Well, no. It's a disincentive to inequality. If a potential employer were to tell an African-American person that he didn't hire people who looked like that, he would face a rather spectacular lawsuit….but they can do that to me with nearly-complete impunity. As one of the librarians I was training this week said, 'That's just not fair!' No, Wilma, it's not.
But the threat of a spectacular lawsuit doesn't prevent such discrimination, it just makes it sneakier, less obvious. Because equality comes from the hearts and minds of the people around you…and the only way you'll ever get that, long term, is by using a new form of activism. Beating them over the head with a judge will never change their hearts and minds.
So what is this marvelous new form of activism? Simply this:
Be awesome.
We as transpeople, regardless of race, regardless of where along the trans spectrum we are, regardless of our education level or current job or home status, need to step up to the plate and be the best we can be, every time someone else is looking.
Sometimes, the best you can be might not be much–but strive to be even more. Never, ever stop. And tell your story, to anyone who will sit still long enough. Don't be shy about it–for some, this was 'change or die,' for others, it may be something else–but (despite the late-night TV ads) there really aren't many–if any–people who are psychic: they won't know your story, until you tell them. If you've faced discrimination, say so. Call it out for what it is, and tell folks you've been treated unfairly and why. Don't take a handout unless you must–get the help you need to haul yourself up and get moving forward. And be proud. You have nothing whatever to be ashamed about, for being trans, and you do no one any good by hiding in the shadows.
You will find ways to apply this new form of activism to your own life, but here's a few things I've used:
- 'Yeah, this Maryland HB235 is nice; we need that stuff. But did you know that even if it passes, it'll still be legal to throw me out of a restaurant for being dressed the way I am.'
- 'In many states, it's totally legal to refuse to hire me, no matter how well-qualified, just because of this.'
- 'Yeah, I'm totally uninsurable–and since the health care reform, I can't get kids-only policies, so my kids are uninsurable, too.'
The almost-unanimous response I hear to these is 'gosh, that just doesn't seem fair.' …and when you hear that, you're 2/3 of the way to a new ally. Now don't quit–show them that you're awesome. Then when the topic comes up in their legislature, or in other venues, they'll be able to say, 'no, that's not right…I know one, and (he/she/sie/ze/whatever) is really an awesome person.'
And then you'll have equality, from the only place it really counts, in the heart of another human being.
posted by Ruth
Filed under: Activism, LibraryGeekGirl 1.0, Transgender


text:
recipe reviews for:
"A pre-baked Italian bread shell is coated with Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup and topped with stir-fried veggies, chicken strips and Cheddar cheese for a deliciously different pizza. "
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This one-pot Mexican classic is easy and packed with flavor.
This dish is delicious, and so easy with Campbell's® Cream of Mushroom Soup.
Chicken broth and stock are heavy hitters for your holiday feast.


text:
- March 4, 2011
- 3:41 p.m.
- Suggest removal
- Reply to this post
midtowngrl writes:
Sounds like Whalum is just trying to get some media coverage for his anti-merger rally.
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text:
Top 10 Things You Didn't Know About San Francisco's Cable Cars
Ever since they became a part of the city's transit system, they have been iconic mainstays of its cityscape
- By Jeff Greenwald
- Smithsonian.com, January 04, 2013
The crowds gathered on the day 100 years ago when the cable cars and the streetcars were unified as the MUNI system (Courtesy of the SFMTA Photo Archive/©2011 SFMTA)
When San Francisco launched its municipal railway system (Muni) in December 1912, the trade journals of the day called it an "experiment in Socialism." In a way, it was: a government agency was taking over an industry previously dominated by private companies.
Since 1900, one of the provisions of San Francisco's city charter had been the eventual ownership of all the city's utilities– not only its cable cars, but its streetcars and trolleys as well. The city raised funds and issued bonds to make this possible. But the Great Earthquake of 1906 scuttled these plans. The money went instead (and appropriately) to rebuilding the city's streets. New funding and legislation was adopted in 1909. The Geary Street Municipal Railway was built in 1912, opening to great fanfare on December 28—becoming the first metropolitan street railway to be owned and operated by the people of an American city. The cable cars became part of Muni in two phases, 1944 (Powell lines) and 1952 (California line).
Comments (2) |
Here's a great film taken from a San Francisco streetcar in 1906, just before the earthquake: http://www.flixxy.com/san-francisco-1905-historical-footage.htm
Posted by Don on January 8,2013 | 05:42 PM
I really enjoyed reading about the history of the cable cars, and the sound tracks of the bells added to the fun !! What a great touch !!!
Posted by roslyn miller on January 5,2013 | 09:28 PM


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shop tapestries can we help? | Photo Blankets With Black & White Photo's? Heck yes!Get the old black & white snapshots out of the back of those dresser drawers and bring them into today's home decor! These old black & whites are a great way to show off the great memories when woven into a 100% cotton throw blanket. They look fabulous and are fun personalized photo gifts. 2 Fabulous sizes, all machine washable, tumble dry on low. 54w x 70h Large ~ On Sale! $89.95. 54w x 80h Extra Large. Any size picture will work! Artwork comes out incredible, too. All throws are woven with 100% cotton yarn in sizes from 54w x 70h to 54w x 80h. Vertical or horizontal, no worries. We check each photo and size it just right for the loom. We will contact you if there are any problems before your beautiful throw blanket is woven. Send your photo's to us via an email attachment or by regular mail. You MUST identify your photo, so we can match it to your order. Please use your name and email used to place your order. Send Photo by Email As An Attachment email@example.com Or By US Mail MainStreet Unlimited 3820 Greenleaf Circle, Suite #108 Kalamazoo, MI 49008 ATTN: Liz - Custom Wall Tapestries We cannot guarantee your pictures will be returned with your order, however we make every effort to enclose your snapshots when your throw is shipped. Photo throws ship in 3 days to 1 week after receipt of order placement along with receipt of picture. Note: The throws turn out best with a photo that has good contrast. Also, watch for dark shadows across face in some of the old snapshots, as the shadow will be woven into the throw blanket and sometimes it's not what you were hoping for. Simply place your order here and then send us your photo. We will get to work on your personalized tapestry throw blanket as soon as we receive your black & white snapshot(s). You May Also Like |
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M83 – Steve McQueen (Official video)
M83 released the visuals for their single, "Steve McQueen," off of this year's Hurry Up, We're Dreaming. Directed by Balthazar Auxietre & Sylvain Derosne, the video is a winner from a competition run in conjunction with Genero TV.
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ArtWalk Happens Saturday in Tyler
This weekend we've got a chance to experience something we don't get to see every ole Saturday.
It could make a romantic date night, or a fun family night out. The downtown Tyler ArtWalk is from 4pm to 9pm on Saturday, and I'm thinking it will be a good way to keep the kids busy. I'm always looking for that! Wear 'em out, and get them away from the TV.