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* Company has talked internally about share buyback
* President says no need seen to replace Wii console
(Adds analyst's comments)
LOS ANGELES, June 16 (Reuters) - Nintendo Co Ltd 7974.OS, confident that its Wii will stand up against rivals Microsoft Corp MSFT.O and Sony Corp 6758.T, says it feels no pressure to reinvent the pioneering motion-sensing games platform.
President Satoru Iwata said that despite decelerating sales growth, there is life yet in the Wii and that updates of popular games like Metroid, Donkey Kong and Wii Party will keep it moving off store shelves.
But Nintendo keenly understands the importance of getting third-party game developers on board early, much like the participation enjoyed by the 3DS -- the 3D-capable mobile gaming device announced on Tuesday.
"I do not think that there is an immediate need to replace the Wii console. But of course, at some point in the future, the need will arise," Iwata said through a translator on the sidelines of the E3 video game conference in Los Angeles.
"We currently do not have an answer as to what point in the future that need will come."
TAKE A LOOK-GAMESHOW-E3 showcases latest gaming gadgets
Graph on U.S. video game makers vs. the Nasdaq:
The Wii -- which employs a stick-like controller that doubles as everything from a tennis racket to a baseball bat in games -- popularized motion gaming and has brought casual users into the gaming population in past years.
But that success was hard-won, Iwata said.
"When we first launched the DS and the Wii, very few people thought that we would have the success that we have had so far. Because of that, Nintendo had no choice but to try to create that market for those two platforms ourselves," he said.
"So when that time comes (for us to release a new platform) and we are able to garner third-party support coupled with our own properties, we will be able to create a very healthy environment for that platform."
Nintendo on Tuesday took the wraps off a new version of its DS handheld device that can play games and show movies in 3D without glasses, as the hardware wars with Microsoft and Sony Corp heat up.
On Monday, Microsoft said it will begin selling its "Kinect" motion-sensing game system on Nov. 4. [ID:nN14149623]
On Tuesday, Sony announced that its Move motion-sensing platform -- which will compete with the Wii and Kinect -- will begin selling on Sept. 15. [ID:nN15104800]
The Japanese company rode strong demand for the Wii and DS handheld game player to three straight years of record profits through March 2009, but growth slowed last year after Sony and Microsoft cut console prices and beefed up their software offerings.
Microsoft's foray into motion sensing is, like the Wii, targeted at casual gamers, and is aimed at bringing more of the household into the gaming population, broadening the market beyond the traditional core of young males.
But some, like Signal Hill analyst Todd Greenwald, argue that blockbuster sales of games like Ubisoft's UBIP.PA "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction" or Take Two Interactive's TTWO.O "Red Dead Redemption" prove the sustained momentum in sales lies more with hard-core players.
That's particularly true as the economy makes casual gamers think twice about buying a console, Greenwald said.
"The reason to buy a Wii has changed dramatically over the past six months or so," he said. "The people who are still buying games are the hardcore-type gamer, and that hard-core gamer is going to buy a 360 or PS3."
"I would say that Microsoft and Sony should get a pretty big boost over the next six months or so versus the Wii."
Nintendo last month forecast a second straight year of smaller profits. [ID:nTOE64505P]
To cheer shareholders, Nintendo has considered a share buyback, but only if a specific need arises.
"(A buyback) is something that we do take into consideration and may do as the need arises," Iwata said.
But the company would not discuss its plans in public.
According to consultants NPD, six of the top 10 games sold last year in the United States were for the Wii, and all were developed by Nintendo, which further boosts its coffers. The top Nintendo Wii game was "New Super Mario Bros Wii."
In response to a question about growing sales of Sony's PlayStation 3, Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America President, said: "It is easy to talk about growth when you are working off of a very low base."
"The fact is that when you look at the absolute number for units sold, it is clear that the pace is dramatically better than either of our competitors," he said. "The absolute level of sales has been widening in our favor."
Nintendo said new games for the Wii in coming months include updates to its own franchise hits such as "Legend of Zelda" and "Donkey Kong," as well as "Just Dance 2" from Ubisoft, and a new James Bond game from Activision's "GoldenEye" series.
Reporting by Franklin Paul; editing by Phil Berlowitz
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


text: Hello everyone! My name is Tyler, I am brand new to photography and have just bought my first camera the Canon 70D! (woke up early this morning to go out and take pictuers :P) I also run a youtube channel which is partially why I purchased this camera as to replace the 1080p webcam I have been using! I can't wait to get a few more shutter clicks under my belt and upload some of my photos to share with you all! The video below is the unboxing and I have included the first few pictures i took with the camera. I hope you all enjoy and thanks for reading and watching! Also any feedback and tips on the pictures to help me progress would be VERY appreciated.

subset: commoncrawl


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Emotional & Binge Eating Group Therapy: Adults
Emotional and Binge Eating Group Therapy: TheHealthyWeighOut Alumni Group
We recognize that overcoming emotional eating and binge eating disorder is a process that is progressive, and oftentimes needs additional support as you journey toward complete freedom from food! Therefore, we've created this helpful, weekly interpersonal process therapy group for our alumni who have completed all 3 workshops of TheHealthyWeighOut program.
In a safe, supportive atmosphere we gently work to identify and explore the many factors that have contributed to your emotional and binge eating behavior. Utilizing an interpersonal group model within an emotionally safe and cohesive group setting, participants are able to address and resolve their struggles with: allowing vs avoiding emotions; allowing new experiences of healthy interpersonal trust; the development of healthy communication; resolving feelings of shame; and the development of safe emotional intimacy with others.
This is a powerful, transformative group that brings our alumni through the next healthy stages of emotional and binge eating recovery, allowing new emotional and behavioral skills to be developed so that food is no longer (mis)used as a primary means to cope with the difficulties of life.
This group is open to adult men and women who have successfully completed all 3 workshops through TheHealthyWeighOut. Weekly attendance for all group members is requested to help create a therapeutic atmosphere of continuity, trust and cohesion.
Although I was terrified, Dr. Anné made me feel comfortable and cared for.
— BT, Former Group Member
Dr. Julie T. Anné is this group's dynamic facilitator. Known for her LOVE of creating transformative, healing group experiences within a deeply moving and cohesive interpersonal setting, Dr. Julie would be honored to have you as our group's next new member; whose life will be changed, as well as be a vehicle for change to others, within this soulful group experience.
Day: Tuesdays
Time: 5:30-7:00pm
Cost: $65. per group session
Facilitator: Dr. Julie T. Anné


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Off The Eaten Path: Yarl Hotel, Colombo
I love walking down some dingy alley and stumbling into a hole in the wall like Yarl Hotel. This is the real deal folks, not something you'll find in a guidebook. You won't find Foodies here either, but real people looking for real food to fill them up for a day of hard work. … Continue reading Off The Eaten Path: Yarl Hotel, Colombo


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Very Cute Plush Santa and Snowman spring Christmas Decorations
These very attractive christmas decorations of a Santa and a snowman are designed to hang off your christmas tree, they are perfect for the little one to get involved without having to have there finger sin all you fragile or glass decorations.
Made out of fabric with there middles made with a spring making there bodies bounce and spring all over the place.
Available in two designs Santa and Snowman keeping it very traditional, would look great on your christmas tree as a single decoration or as a pair, Sold individually.
We specialise in sourcing some of the most interesting and novelty Christmas decorations and gifts available in the UK and bring them to you all under one roof. Our collection and items available are changing daily. We stock items from Christmas decorations, Christmas lights, stocking fillers and gifts for all ages.


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Time is the best Judge...
In the world of today the artist no longer creates for his own country. The writer no longer writes within his own language and his own culture, merely hoping to be – one day – read and understood by a wider audience. He writes for the world. And yet we must face it: as far as one can judge at such short sight, the number of contemporary texts in the entire world destined to become tomorrow's classics is remarkably small.
Hence our decision to target works of contemporary literature and thought likely to make a substantial contribution to the world's future, and to publish them alongside the greatest classics of all times.
We wish to restore the prestige of the great texts of classical Russian literature and present in a new light works that contemporary authors themselves recognize as being a universal source of inspiration. We shall present to the public literary, philosophical and documentary works of universal significance, classical and contemporary, first from Russia, then from Europe and the world.
You can purchase our books directly from our web Site directement sur ce Site.
At the moment zero-cost delivery in European Union!


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3 Hearty Slow-Cooked Vegan Meals
- Tips & How To's
- 03/26/17
- Share
Whether you choose to eat a diet of plant-based, fibrous foods or simply prefer a vegan meal every now and then, you're likely faced with the complexity of assembling all of the ingredients and making these dishes. However, when you slow cook vegan recipes, it becomes easier than ever. Once you have your list of vegan-approved food items, most of these recipes require minimal preparation.
All you have to do is combine the ingredients with minimal prep time and then add them to your Crock-Pot® 6-Quart Slow Cooker with Stovetop-Safe Cooking Pot. These meals are so easy and so delicious, they may become your new weekly staple.
Sweet Potato Soup
Naturally sweet and flavorful, these orange potatoes make for a tasty soup that's filling and nutritious. Topping your bowl of soup with sliced almonds adds the perfect crunch.
- 5 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 cup plant milk (such as coconut or rice milk)
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 6 to 8 tablespoons sliced almonds
- Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Combine vegetable broth, sweet potatoes, onion, celery and garlic in your slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 5 hours, until potatoes are tender.
- Add milk, tarragon and all-purpose seasoning.
- Cup by cup, use an immersion blender to combine soup.
- Bring blended soup back to slow cooker.
- Stir in spinach, cover and let sit for 20 minutes on off.
- Spoon soup into bowls and top with sliced almonds, sea salt and pepper.
White Bean Cassoulet
If you've seen this French dish before, you may be wondering how it could possibly be vegan. Typically filled with fatty meats and lots of cheese and breadcrumbs, this French cassoulet can be transformed into a vegan-friendly, white bean-filled dinner.
- 3 leeks, white parts, sliced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 large carrots, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 2 (15 ounce) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
Bread Crumb Topping Ingredients:
- 1 cup good quality coarse bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced (or garlic powder)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- Heat about 1/3 cup of water or vegetable broth in the stovetop-safe cooking pot of your slow cooker over medium-high heat.
- Add leeks and celery, cooking until soft.
- Add carrots and cook until browned.
- Add garlic and continue heating for 1 minute.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer cooking pot back to slow cooker.
- Add diced tomatoes, vegetable stock, bay leaf, Italian seasoning and white beans.
- Cover and cook on LOW heat for 4 to 6 hours, until vegetables are tender.
- To make topping, toss bread crumbs with olive oil and garlic.
- Lay on baking sheet in thin layer and bake on 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.
- Allow topping to cool.
- Mix bread crumbs with parsley and lemon zest.
- Top cassoulet with bread crumbs and enjoy.
Indian Spiced Lentils
Filled with a variety of rich and piquant spices, this protein-packed, Indian-inspired meal will fill you up and light up your taste buds.
- 2 1/2 cups lentils, cooked
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and finely diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely diced
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 2/3 cup organic vegetable broth
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Combine all ingredients and spices in your slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours, or until sweet potatoes are tender.
- Serve with brown rice or naan bread.


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Dennis Schaff was born June 8, 1947 in Mandan, ND to Peter and Rose Schaff. He grew up at Mandan and attended Mandan High School. On February 1, 1967 he joined the US Marine Corp, serving during the Vietnam War and was honorably discharged October 8, 1972. He was a resident of the Lake Andes Health Care Center since July 2008.
He is survived by three sisters: Geraldine (Oscar) Jochim and Pauline Enyart, Mandan; Sharon (William) Richords, Denver; two brothers: Kenneth (Cathy) Schaff, Mandan and John (Beverly) Schaff, Denver.
He was preceded in death by two brothers: Clarence and Donald and one sister, Leona Fowler and his parents.


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Friday Blogroll: bLaugh
This Friday I want to present the bLaugh blog, also known as the (Un)Official Comic of the Blogosphere! I have been subscribed to their RSS feed for a couple of weeks now, and those cartoons are really funny.
Authored by Brad Fitzpatric and Chris Pirillo, here is how they define the blog:
We love to laugh – so now we're preparing the world to bLaugh! This is the (un)Official comic of the blogosphere – colorful, satirical, and comical. Expect parodies of "A-List" bloggers all the way down to the meme of the day – no holds barred.
They also have a big archive where you can find comics about almost any topic that appeared on the blogosphere. Check it out.
Browse all articles on the General category
5 Responses to "Friday Blogroll: bLaugh"
I was not familiar with that one Mark, thanks!
Mark Alves
Another good comic that's (usually) about the blogosphere is
I finally cleaned out my RSS feeds (I started unsubscribing like mad to the ones I didn't read).
Now I just "read all" and hit "J". If I want to save something to read later I put it on my shared items.
RSS utopia!
Comments are closed.


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You'll Never Walk Alone
from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel.
When you walk through a storm,
Hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark.
At the end of the storm
Is a golden sky
And the sweet, silver song of a lark.
Walk on through the wind,
Walk on through the rain,
Though your dreams be tossed and blown.
Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart,
And you'll never walk alone!
You'll never walk alone.
In the musical, in the second act, Nettie Fowler, the cousin of the female protagonist Julie Jordan, sings the song to comfort and encourage Julie when her husband, Billy Bigelow, the male lead, kills himself to avoid capture during a failed robbery. It is reprised in the final scene to encourage a graduation class of which Louise (Billy and Julie's daughter) is a member.
Here are two performances, first a classical one by Frank Sinatra:
…and this one from the 1956 movie version (skip to 3:05 to get to the song):


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A crackling fire, delicious artisan cocktails and a warm and inviting space are what most people LOVE after a long day on the snow.
Where can you find this in Jindabyne? A little hidden gem of a cocktail bar upstairs at Cocina Mexican Grill & Cantina.
Looking for a place for your next private function?
Get in contact with us for work parties, birthdays, hens dos and more!
Capacity: 40 people
Plus - Versatile seating configuration, removable furniture, open layout


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The online pitch goes something like this: Invest in our paid autosurf program and earn a 125-150 percent return for every dollar invested. All the investor has to do is surf a few Web sites each day. At least that's what Thomas A. Bowdoin and his AdSurfDaily.com site claims.
Sound too good to be true? That's exactly what the U.S. Secret Service thinks, and on Aug. 1 the agency seized approximately $53 million in funds and two homes as part of an investigation into what federal authorities claim is a "massive Internet-based wire fraud scheme."
According to a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the scheme involves ASD (AdSurfDaily.com) generating advertising revenue by automatically rotating advertised Web sites into its investors' Internet browsers.
Since ASD creates no significant new wealth by selling advertising to purchasers outside of its investor-members, authorities claim ASD is a classic Ponzi scheme, using money from new investors to pay off earlier investors before the whole thing collapses.
Further reading
Federal prosecutors and the Secret Service raided ASD's Quincy, Fla., headquarters Aug. 1, seizing the $53 million. In court documents filed Aug. 4, the Secret Service claims that the money and Bowdoin's homes in Quincy and Myrtle Beach, S.C., are forfeitable to the United States government.
Neither Bowdoin nor anyone else connected to ASD has been criminally charged in the investigation, although the seizure of Bowdoin's funds makes it difficult for ASD to do business for the time being.
The court complaint says ASD masked its Ponzi scheme ambitions by calling its investors "advertisers," their investments "ad purchases" and the ASD payments to investors "rebates." However, according to the complaint, ASD did not operate as a seller of advertising services and there was no legitimate product being sold to support the profits ASD promised to pay its investors for relinquishing their funds.
While the Secret Service was mum on the investigation, bloggers were not.
"I truly believe Andy set this company up to be legal. He is a proven ethical businessman," wrote Ginger from Tennessee on Tallahassee's WCTV Web site. Quincy is located just outside Tallahassee, and the station covered the raids on Bowdoin's home and office.
Another post to the site claimed, "Just because the feds take civil action against someone does not mean the allegations are true, and this is one ... such case. This company had only the best intentions, shared the wealth with all involved, and were working with their legal team to ensure government compliance on all laws."
But the Internet & Affiliate Marketing News blog carried this post: "First of all, they are a classic Ponzi scheme because money is being paid out from new members investing to the old members who already earned their credits and are ready to cash out. This scam is growing fast and there are more and more people cashing out, so they need more new members to cover all the payouts."


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On Air Now
Early Breakfast with Gary King 4am - 6am
This image appears in the gallery:
Greatest Reunions Ever
The Specials hail from Coventry, peddling a unique blend of ska rock that found its culmination in seminal 1981 single Ghost Town. But the band was splintered by founding member Jerry Dammers in 1984. Over twenty musicians were in the band over their seven year existence and in 2008 six of them got together for a 30th anniversary reunion tour. The Specials are still touring now!


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USLaw Blog Tracking Service
The Blog Tracking Service enables bloggers to better promote their work and empowers readers to find current and historical blog posts of interest.
- What does the Blog Tracking Service do?
Users of the Blog Tracking Service receive a daily email alert whenever blogs they are tracking are updated.
- What does the alert contain?
You will receive a single email each day whenever any of the blogs you track are updated. The email will contain the title of the new blog posts along with a brief sumary and link to the post.
- How easy is it?
Very simple! Just register for a USLaw account and select the blogs you wish to track by clicking the 'subscribe' checkbox found next to the name of each blog in the USLaw Blog Directory Main Directory, Category Listings, or Blog Focus page.
- Can I change the blogs I track?
You can add or delete blogs you track at anytime by visiting your profile page.
- Can I track blogs by keyword or subject?
Yes, you will soon be able to receive alerts whenever ANY blog posts on a subject you wish to track. With this feature, you will be able to discover blogs that you may not have previously aware of and you will more easily be able to discover postings relevant to your interest without having to browse dozens of blogs each day.
- Does the Blog Tracking Service substitute for my Blogroll?
No, you are encouraged to list all the blogs you read regularly and/or respect in your own blog. In fact, you will soon be able to automatically create a linkable blogroll containing all the blogs you are subscribed to. The USLaw Blog Tracking Service is very friendly to both Bloggers and Blog Readers.
- What other benefits does the Tracking Service provide?
You will soon be able to keep a record of all the blog posts you read and bookmark your favorite for future reference. You will also be able to share comments about your favorite authors and blogs.
- Can I track blogs without having to receive daily emails?
Your daily summaries will appear at the top of this page (the one you are currently reading) once you have registered and seleced at least one blog to track.
- Can I track blogs without registering?
You will have to register to track specific blogs or keywords you select, but anyone can review daily blog summaries by category without registering by visiting Daily USLaw Blog Summaries.
- What else can I do by registering?
We have lots of neat, new features planned to make blogging and blog reading more effective and more fun. Emails us your suggestions.
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Ashton Woods Homes
For over 20 years, Ashton Woods Homes has been known for designing versatile, energy-efficient homes close to jobs, shopping, and transportation corridors. Ashton Woods Homes effectively balances healthy-home features with energy efficiency in their Power House Green homes – which can save homeowners as much as 45% per year on utility bills
Cardel Homes
A family run business since 1973, now building over 1,500 homes a year in North America. An in-house design team creates original designs tailored to clients needs and dedicated to innovative construction techniques. "Built for Real Life" homes don't just exceed standards, they set benchmarks. From hand-selected trades and design visionaries to knowledgeable sales people, Cardel Homes provides exceptional value while being community stewards and preserving the neighborhoods they build in.
David Weekley Homes
David Weekley Homes offer hundreds of award-winning floorplans, each a product of their exclusive LifeDesignSM ensuring that every home will live as well as it looks. Their Custom Choices provide customers with thousands of options and upgrades. Their highly regarded Personal Builder program allows customers to work face-to-face with the person who's actually building their home.
DR Horton Homes
Waterset is a 1,300 acre, master-planned community located in Apollo Beach, FL. Situated just 17 miles south of Tampa, the location offers easy access to beautiful Tampa Bay as well as key employment centers of Bradenton and Hillsborough County. With a focus on family, friends, and fun, Waterset provides the perfect atmosphere for families of all kinds to come together and live in a true community.
At the landing, the heart of the community, you'll find a community pool with wading deck and lap lanes, fully equipped fitness center, lounge space with TVs for relaxing or socializing with neighbors, a pier overlooking the lake, and the café, where food and drinks are served until 6pm daily. Plenty of community events are held at the landing, giving you the perfect opportunity to spend time with your friends and make new ones.
Homes by WestBay
Homes by WestBay delivers an extraordinary homebuilding experience through every step of the process – from choice of home site and floor plan to financing and construction, design and personalization, providing customers with energy-efficient homes of exceptional value and enduring quality. Owned and operated by long-time Tampa Bay residents, Roger Gatewood and Willy Nunn, Homes by WestBay is focused on community livability. Homes by WestBay's many honors include Professional Builder Design Awards and Aurora awards for the best residential home and design within their categories presented by SEBC (South East Builders Conference) in association with NAHB (National Association of Home Builders
Ryland Homes
Ryland Homes takes pride in more than 45 years of building new homes for customers around the country. We offer truly livable home designs in vibrant communities with distinguished schools and amenities that complement your new home. With longstanding national strength, Ryland Homes is recognized as a leading homebuilder in energy efficiency and known for providing outstanding quality. Our dedicated team of local professionals is ready to build the new home of your dreams.
Neal Communities
What makes Neal Communities different and unique? We think it's our commitment to creating communities of distinction where it is evident within 30 seconds that you are somewhere special. We deliver homes with innovative and affordable design, built around the way you live, and personalized to your specific needs. We integrate the home peacefully with the environment, always striving to preserve natural habitats. We deliver a home buying experience with unmatched integrity, and personalized service. The Neal team is dedicated to helping you design, build, and move into the home of your dreams with the peace of mind of our long-standing reputation for quality and financial stability. So if you're ready for a home buying experience like no other, then get ready to experience Neal Communities.
Waterset, Spec Homes, Luxury Homes, Quick Delivery Homes, New Homes, Apollo Beach Florida 33572


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This should say it all because we have an expertise of years and we are associated with the biggest brands in the industry who makes risk free products for attaching and cleaning the system. Just great hair replacement!
The most important part of hair replacement is... well, the hair! We put a ton of research and technology into our systems so they will consistently provide the most natural and undetectable appearance possible.
It's no secret. Custom hair replacement systems are not that expensive to make! So why must they cost so much? Our systems are priced between Rs.10000 onwards and we don't charge you for consultations.
Our attention is on you. We know that if we take care of you, you'll always be a loyal customer. That's what we strive for. That is why we have a full-time staff of highly-qualified hair techs waiting to assist you.
team members
years in business
Hair Replacements
In a university clinical trial, 86% of men treated with Advanced Laser Therapy experienced hair regrowth within 4 months using a combination of Advanced Laser Therapy, an FDA™ Approved hair regrowth pharmaceutical and a proven scalp and follicle hair loss treatment program.See More
The appearance of a full head of hair can be achieved and maintained for life, this is our commitment in helping you tackle female hair loss.See More
Within the first few seconds of meeting, most people create a first impression. And hair is definitely something that grabs one's attention. This is where hair loss can work against you, making you look much older than you really are.See More
To request a proposal or free consultation, please take a quick moment to complete this form.


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- Property Type: House
- Bedrooms: 4
- Bathrooms: 2
- Carspaces: 2
- Date Available: 25th October 2011
BEAUTIFUL LAKE VIEWSThis beautiful two storey home is situated in the very much sought after "Highland Reserve Estate" in Upper Coomera.
**** Talk to us about the bonus offer on this property!****
With a downstairs rumpus/ lounge/ granny flat area completely away from the upstairs area, the options are many!
* 4 Bedrooms
* 2 Bathrooms
* 2 Tiled Living areas (one downstairs - 1 upstairs)
* Air - conditioned + fans
* Solar system
* Beautiful views over the Highland Reserve Lake
* Fully fenced yard
* Water tank
* Large front covered deck with views of Lake and rear timber entertaining deck
Just a short walk to the very sought after Highland Reserve School and recreational parks including tennis courts, childrens playground, dog park, lake and bar-b-q areas this property has it all.
Talk to us about the "bonus offer" on this property!
Please phone our office for appointment today!
- Non Smoking


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text:
€50,000 crossing plan in Stradbally
County hall has received cash to study how pedestrian crossings on one of the busiest road in Laois can be improved but with no guarantee of money to install new crossings.
The National Roads Authority has given Laois County Council €50,000 to examine how pedestrian crossings can be improved in Stradbally, which has the busy N80 as its Main Street.
Cllr James Deegan welcomed the money, announced at the recent Emo area council meeting by Senior Engineer Orla Barrett. He was particularly concerned about the crossing at Market Square, which he says is a threat to motorists and pedestrians.
"It deserves to be moved down further, down the town not up. On the point of the hill lorries find it hard to stop," he said.
Cllr Tom Mulhall suggested "raised table" crossings to further slow the traffic.
"Traffic goes fairly fast through Stradbally, there has been a few accidents. There are three pedestrian crossings, people are depending on motorists to obey the lights, it is an issue," he said.
More money is needed once a design report is complete, to pay for the cost of recommended works, according to the council engineer.


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It can be a scary proposition, but one you'll need to undertake sooner rather than later: Clipping your baby's itty-bitty nails. Just like the rest of her, they've been growing since before she was born so she may well be ready for a manicure in her first week of life (and every two or three days during the first three weeks until the nails harden and stop growing so fast!).
Wielding a scissors anywhere near your darling's tiny fingers can be daunting, but it's an important task. Those overgrown nails may be softer and more pliable than yours, but they can also be sharp enough for your baby to scratch herself, especially around the face.
And while Grandma may suggest you peel or nibble off the tips of baby's nails, it's probably not the best idea. Peeling may accidentally take off too much of the nail, while nibbling may transfer your germs to her skin.
So brace yourself and get trimming. Use special baby scissors with rounded tips (so you don't accidentally poke her if she startles while you're working) or a clipper designed for the purpose — some even have built-in magnifying glasses to help you get a good view. Still squeamish? Try a baby-sized emery board instead.
When clipping, hold your baby's finger, pressing the fingertip pad down and away from the nail. Gently snip following the natural curve of the fingernail, taking care that you don't go too low and nip the quick. When tending her tiny toes, cut nails straight across. Keep in mind that toenails grow more slowly and therefore require less maintenance.
Many parents find it's easiest to pare nails when baby is sleeping. Keep a clipper in your diaper bag so you can seize scissoring opportunities whenever they arise — in the stroller, in the car (when someone else is driving!), or at Grandma's house. Or do the job when you have a helper available — one of you can hold the baby's hands still (and distract her with a song) while the other clips.


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Growth Trends for Related Jobs
Flight attendants are employed by airlines to carry out a range of duties such as pre-flight safety demonstrations, conducting safety checks, attending to the needs of customers and enforcing safety regulations. Although the job of a flight attendant is often portrayed as glamorous occupation, there are both pros and cons to the job. Unsociable hours, plenty of travel and no set routine make it a dream job for some and unsuitable for others. Undertake a little research before submitting a job application to ensure it is the right career for you.
One of the biggest attractions for a life as a flight attendant is the opportunity to travel. This varies between different airlines depending upon the destinations they fly to and size of the airline. Flight attendants who work for large airlines such as American or Delta could expect to fly internationally with the chance to stop-over in foreign countries, with free time to explore. Smaller regional airlines such as Comair or ASA provide fewer opportunities to do so because of the destinations they cover. However, beginning work at a smaller airline initially may provide the skills and experience that larger airlines seek, improving your chances of securing work with an airline of choice in the future.
Unsociable Hours
There is no standard working day in the life of a flight attendant. Flight attendants can start late at night or very early in the morning to reflect flight times. Part of the job also involves being "on call" or "standby," where you may be called into work at any time over the course of a day or night. For those who like to spend several days away from home and then have several work-free days, the job of a flight attendant may be for you. It is not a suitable job for those who prefer a set routine with confirmed working hours.
Work Environment
Flight attendants are required to work in many varied working environments. With the role also comes a degree of responsibility and pressure. Flight attendants are the first point of call in an emergency, which could be anything from an extremely anxious passenger, a security issue on board the aircraft or a first aid scenario. Those who enjoy working under pressure and like no two days to be the same will revel in the job role.
Flight Benefits
There are rewards that come with working as a flight attendant, although these vary between airlines. Free air travel on standby flights or heavily subsidized airfare is commonplace at many airlines. In addition, discounts for family and friends, paid vacation days and health benefits often form part of an employee's terms of employment.


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Automorphisms of Pairwise Combinatorial Designs
Ó Catháin, Padraig
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In this thesis, we investigate group actions on certain families of pairwise combinatorial designs, in particular Hadamard matrices and symmetric 2-(4t-1, 2t-1, t-1) designs. A Hadamard matrix H is called cocyclic if a certain quotient of the automorphism group contains a subgroup acting regularly on the rows and columns of H. Cocyclic Hadamard matrices (CHMs) were first investigated by de Launey and Horadam in the early 1990s. We develop an algorithm for constructing all CHMs of order 4t based on a known relation between CHMs and relative difference sets. This method is then used to produce a classification of all CHMs of order less than 40. This is an extension and completion of work of de Launey and Ito. Non-affine groups acting doubly transitively on a Hadamard matrix have been classified by Ito. Implicit in this work is a list of Hadamard matrices with non-affine doubly transitive automorphism group. We give this list explicitly, in the process settling an old research problem of Ito and Leon. We then use our classification to show that the only cocyclic Hadamard matrices with non-affine automorphism group are those that arise from the Paley Hadamard matrices. As a corollary of this result, we show that twin prime power difference sets and Hall sextic residue difference sets each give rise to a unique CHM. If H is a CHM developed from a difference set then the automorphism group of H is doubly transitive. We classify all difference sets which give rise to Hadamard matrices with non-affine doubly transitive automorphism group. A key component of this is a complete list of difference sets corresponding to the Paley Hadamard matrices. As part of our classification we uncover a new triply infinite family of skew- Hadamard difference sets. To our knowledge, these are the first skew-Hadamard difference sets to be discovered in non-abelian p-groups with no exponent restriction.
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This section contains 1,800 words
(approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page)
SOURCE: Duncan-Jones, Katherine. "Swinging It by Golden Twilight." Times Literary Supplement, no. 5101 (5 January 2001): 16.
In the following review of Michael Boyd's 2001 Royal Shakespeare Company staging of Henry VI, Parts 1, 2, and 3, Duncan-Jones admires the overall production, but finds fault with the lagging pace and confusing complications of Part 2.
In a programme note to the RSC's Henry VI trilogy, Lisa Jardine connects the plays with Elizabeth I's "twilight years … the late 1590s". The evidence is, however, that they belong to the first eighteen months of the 1590s. These were not twilight but golden years, both for Queen Elizabeth and for a high-flying "upstart crow" from the West Midlands. In a blaze of post-Armada triumphalism, the Queen's own players were touring up and down the country with such swashbuckling and xenophobic history plays as The Troublesome Reign of King John and The Famous Victories of Henry V. Meanwhile in London, or rather...
This section contains 1,800 words
(approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page)


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Annoying Fly
Description: Buzz around as long as you can! How long can you survive as an annoying fly?
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At the end of WWII the world entered an era when the two superpowers, the USA and the USSR, were fiercely competing for supremacy. Part of that technological arms race was the driving urge to produce ever more sophisticated aircraft. Here are 10 amazing examples of Cold War designs that never did make the grade.
10. Northrop XB-35 Flying Wing
The opening image of this story features the strangest of designs. The US Army Air Force had asked aircraft manufacturer Northrop, as early on as in 1941, for a flying wing that could manage 8,000 miles at a time, with a service ceiling of 40,000 feet, able to carry 10,000 pounds weight of bombs at a minimum 250mph. The first XB-35 flight took place on June 25, 1946, and lasted 45 minutes. In 1947, Northrop completed two all-jet prototypes, but after unsatisfactory testing in August of 1949, the programme was scrapped and the YB-35 never made it into service.
9. The Convair XFY-1 Fighter
This manic airplane, called the Pogo, was a VTOL experiment with delta wings and three-bladed contra-rotating propellers. Meant to be a high-performance fighter capable of operating from small warships, it was hard to land as the pilot had to look over his shoulder while carefully working the throttle. Later, longer flights revealed flaws in the design. Due to the lack of weight, spoilers and air brakes, the XFY-1 could not slow down or stop efficiently. It became evident that technical problems could not be overcome, and the XFY Project was put on hiatus permanently.
8. Convair F-2Y Sea Dart
Only a prototype model was ever made for the Convair F2Y Sea Dart and though incredibly short-lived as a project, this aircraft holds a unique record, as it is the only seaplane ever to have exceeded the speed of sound in sea trials. The design was a result of a 1948 competition by the US Navy for a supersonic interceptor aircraft. In November 1954, the prototype disintegrated in mid-air during a Navy demonstration for the media, killing its test pilot. The Sea Dart never got any further, because newer technology took over for the launching of carrier-based aircraft.
7. The Vought V-173 Flying Pancake
The really crazy shape of the Vought V-173 "Flying Pancake" was designed by Zimmerman and built as an experimental test aircraft as part of the WWII "Flying Flapjack" fighter aircraft programme. Two were made, and both featured the weird "all-wing" design, being flat and flying-saucer shaped, the shape acting as the lifting surface. Two piston engines buried in the body drove propellers located on the leading edge at the wingtips. The idea was shelved in 1947, unsurprisingly, because nobody could get it to fly properly.
6. Convair XF-92
The Convair company tested this plane hard before handing it to USAAF on 26 August 1949. Chuck Yeager, a famous test pilot of the time, was the first to fly the XF-92A, reaching Mach 1.05 for a brief time. Like other pilots, he was very critical of the design. Another test pilot named Crossfield put it into proper perspective when he stated: "Nobody wanted to fly the XF-92. There was no line-up of pilots for that airplane. It was a miserable flying beast. Everyone complained it was underpowered". Small wonder this was another scrapper.
5. Convair YB-60 Bomber.
Making its maiden flight on 18th April 1952, piloted by Beryl Erickson, this plane arrived only days before the famous B-52 bomber was unveiled. The YB-60 was, unfortunately for Convair, 100mph slower and had severe handling problems. Though it could carry a greater bomb load, it had too many faults. The flight test programme was abandoned on 20th January 1953 with a total of only 66 flying hours accumulated. The second prototype never completed. Both YB-60 planes were formally accepted by the Air Force in 1954, but the operational aircraft never flew again.
4. The Ryan X13A-RY Vertijet
This unusual looking airplane was an experimental US VTOL aircraft in the 1950s. The project aimed to show that a pure jet could not only take off vertically, but also hover before transition to horizontal forward flight, before vertically landing again. The first prototype then had the landing gear replaced with a tail-mounted framework that held it in a vertical attitude on the ground. On April 11, 1957, the second prototype made a vertical take-off from the trailer, successfully transitioned to horizontal flight and back again, but the Air Force chose not to continue development as operational requirements of the time did not call for it.
3. Douglas X-3 Fighter Plane
The beautifully shaped X-3 Stiletto was an experimental jet aircraft by the Douglas Aircraft Company in the USA during the 1950s. The initial ambition was to design an aircraft that could manage prolonged supersonic flight, and was the first design to use titanium amongst its components. Despite the good looks, however, this plane was far too underpowered for its purpose, not even getting beyond Mach 1 in level flight. The research aircraft was a major disappointment, and the designers went back to the drawing board.
2. The Goodyear Infloplane
This most bizarre of Cold War ideas was awesome in its idiocy. The Goodyear Inflatoplane was an experimental aircraft made by the Goodyear Aircraft Company in 1956. Although a capable enough aircraft, the Inflatoplane project was discontinued after the army was unable to find a valid military use and remarked, unkindly perhaps, that it "could be brought down by a well-aimed bow and arrow."
1. The XF103-F2 Thunderwarrior Fighter
With such a stirring name, you would think this one must have been a winner. The Thunderwarrior, developed at the beginning of the Cold War, was designed as a high speed interceptor. It never passed the mock-up stage, however, because the prototype was plagued by engine problems. The whole nose of the aircraft housed a massive radar set for very long ranges of detection. Its missiles were carried in bays on the side of the fuselage but the dreams of the designers never came into being. The project was finally cancelled in 1957, so this striking airplane never got off the ground.
There were many curious and sometimes downright odd ideas for aircraft in those times, but this hasn't gone away in the modern age. A stroll through the history of some that never really made it, only goes to prove that inventiveness is a continuing affliction. Long may it remain so.


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Another Cuban has washed ashore, dreaming of American capitalism and getting seriously laid in Miami. The Cardinals signed shortstop, Aledmys Diaz. Let's give you a comparison that may or may not do it for you. Diaz hit 12 homers and stole 11 bases with a.315 average in his last year in Cuban ball. Recent raftee by the Dodgers, Alexander Guerrero hit 21 homers, stole 2 bases and hit .290. Right now, Guerrero might be losing the starting job to Dee Gordon who can't hit his weight, and he weighs 143 pounds. It's nice that another Cuban gets to realize his dreams like Yasiel Puig and Tony Montana, but I'm not even sure if Diaz will make an impact this year, or ever. Despite his name resembling "All Days," he's being projected as a bench player. Oh, and I just had a great idea. I'm not sure who can make this happen, but we should get Fidel Castro on the podcast to talk about baseball. Speaking of which, we're recording the first podcast of the year today and it should be on-site tomorrow. You can hardly wait. No, you! Anyway, here's what else I've seen in Spring Training for 2014 fantasy baseball:
Kris Medlen – Forearm strain, which is often a precursor for more serious ailments. Dr. James Andrews said, "I'll be the judge of that," then laughed evilly for six minutes. I've moved Medlen in my top 400 to around that of Eliot Spitzer's political career, and updated his projections there and in the top 100 starters. My guess is he'll try to return in a few weeks then things will get drastically worse. Don't draft him anywhere. The good news is this will mean more Freddy Garcia in the Braves rotation. Well, good news for opposing hitters.
Oscar Taveras – Got into his first spring training action. Fantasy baseballers swoon! But is now sidelined with hamstring tightness. Fantasy baseballers opposite swoon!
Jaime Garcia – Said he's very excited with how his arm feels right now. He tore his ACL saying that.
Carlos Martinez – Just drafted him in my NFBC 15-team league and he's now within spitting distance of a rotation spot, assuming Roberto Alomar were the one spitting. I.e., Joe Kelly is failing. Fail, Joe Kelly, fail!
Ervin Santana – I will be so happy when I don't have to hear anymore signing rumors. I haven't heard this many Ervin rumors since 1991 when most of the rumors involved Isiah Thomas and Ervin and how they would kiss at half court. Don't pretend you didn't hear them too. Santana heard he was rumored to go to the Orioles, and he fired his agent. In related news, the O's pretend their Christmas presents are in the trunk of the car, park their car three blocks away from home and call in a fake stolen car report, then shop for Christmas presents on December 26th.
Cole Hamels – Tried to throw the other day, but just couldn't. Said that he threw about 35 pitches and "to my body it felt like a thousand." Don't like what this is sounding like at all. I have him around pick 125 overall right now, and I'd give serious pause before drafting him there. You do not want a pitcher who is struggling with a shoulder issue in March. He'll probably only miss April, but he's one more setback away from being out until June.
Dayan Viciedo – White Sox have had discussions to get their 4th outfielder out of town. Yay! The Mariners are the ones they're discussing it with. No! They already have like five outfielders. Give Michael Saunders room to breath.
Archie Bradley – He's putting together a terrific spring. That's nice. I still don't see him breaking camp with the club, so my Archie Bradley fantasy from October still stands. Damn, October Grey doing work!
Mat Latos – Aiming to make his first start April 6th. Seems like that's a quick timetable but if you follow Latos's wife on Twitter, you'd wanna get back on the road too.
Alex Rios – Mild oblique strain and will miss ten to fourteen days. I had moon eyes for Rios before this news. Was happy to take him in the 3rd round. Now, I'd still take him in the 3rd round, but would be less happy about it. You have hurt my enthusiasm! Opposite swoon! Rios should be fine for the start of the year. Hopefully this thing doesn't linger like The Cranberries.
Ivan Nova – Nothing happened to him thus far in the spring, but as I start drafting and seeing later options, I realize I should've ranked Nova. He's a hella a lot better than some starters in the mid-200's. So, to fix that, I did rank him. Here's what I said in the top 80 starters post, "A Yankee pitcher? That's good? That's not an overpriced free agent acquisition? Okay, that's just weird, but weird said like Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. Nova's K-rate dipped last year, which I didn't love, but when looking deeper at him (or deeper in his eyes), I saw a guy that is pretty comparable to a guy like Patrick Corbin, who's ranked way above this point. The AL East and his short track record of success concerns me, but not enough to not at least take a flyer on. 2014 Projections: 13-7/3.88/1.28/170" And that's me mea culpa'ing me!
Bobby Parnell – Reports say he went an inning in a "B" game. I cannot confirm or deny if everyone was dressed in bumblebee costumes.
Brad Miller – Mariners manager, McClendon said on Saturday that the competition between Nick Franklin and Brad Miller is wide open. Well, ain't that a tube of toothpaste in the bullocks? I'm still confident that Miller wins the job and provides great sleeper value. Only I'm slightly less confident now. Maybe 92% confidence level.
Marcus Stroman – Could get the 5th slot in the Blue Jays rotation out of camp. I'd probably put his chances at around 20%. Prospect Scott likes Stroman a lot, saying, "The 22-year-old made 20 Double-A starts on the season, posting a 3.30 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and K/9 at 10.4. Those of you who read my posts throughout the regular season know that I'm intrigued by Stroman — he brings a fastball/slider combo that's as good as any in the minors, and that skill set makes for some exciting performances (he whiffed 11+ batters in four of his 20 starts). Stroman was probably ready for a big league look this past September, but the Jays opted to send him to the Arizona Fall League instead. Big time whiff potential will make him a coveted piece in the fantasy game as soon as he surfaces. Unlike Grey and his 'dur' faces." Hey, what's that mean? Rookie pitchers are odd ducks — quack, quack. You could get anywhere from a 2.75 ERA to a 4.75 ERA. Stroman should provide solid K ability, think in the high 8 K/9 range. For that alone, he's worth gambling on in deep leagues.
Cameron Maybin – Could only miss 6 weeks. That's obviously until the next injury.
Marco Scutaro – Began hitting soft-toss. I can't wait for the matchup between him and a fifth grader.
Omar Infante – Scratched due to a sore shoulder. Like clockwork he'll still get his 10 homers, 5 steals this year. Also, like clockwork, he'll be boring like doing work on clocks.
Matt Harrison – Expected to begin the year on the DL. Jeremy broke down the Rangers rotation in his AL West preview. It's one of the biggest clusterfudges (the rotation, not the post). Yu, Perez, Ogando and…Nadir Bupkis? I don't know. My guess is Colby Lewis and Joe Saunders, but Tommy Hanson is there too. When Harrison returns, the least effective starter (prolly Saunders) will be bumped, then Derek Holland returns and another guy is bumped, which means out goes Colby Lewis? Ogando? Perez? Harrison? Outside of Yu, I'd be wary of drafting any of them.
Brad Penny – Released by the Royals. Make way for Yordano Ventura! (Probably not out of camp, but I can dream. I mean dream about something else besides having sex with Kate Upton.)
Oliver Perez – Signed with the Diamondbacks. Probably will be used as a LOOGY, which depending on his control, could leave the Diamondbacks front rows dressed like they're at a Gallagher concert.
Chad Billingsley – Aiming to return to Dodgers in May as he makes his way back from Tommy John surgery. Barring injuries, he'll eventually share the fifth rotation spot with Josh Beckett and Paul Maholm as the Dodger's Frankenpitcher, Paush Bilkett.
Taijuan Walker – Threw the other day and felt fine. He had an inflamed bursa in his shoulder but he told his shoulder, "I hate to bursa your bubble, but I'm pitching!"
Ryan Cook – Threw his first bullpen session and should be ready for the start of the season. Definitely a guy I'd look at in deep or Holds leagues. Cook does with gas when he's right.
Jhoulys Chacin – Played catch the other day. No word if it was with his dad, Yorent, or his uncle, Yomortage, but it's heartwarming either way.
Dane De La Rosa – Forearm strain. De La thinks he'll be ready for Opening Day as long as he avoids potholes in the lawn.
Doug Fister – Scratched due to inflammation in his pitching elbow. MRI came back clean and the Nats are saying all the right things: he'll be fine for Opening Day, he just needs to rest, his burps smell of rosewater. Whether Mr. Fister does have broken wings only time will tell. As of right now, I'm not moving him in my top 400, but that could change at a moment's notice.
Carlos Santana – Being reported he looks stiff and uncomfortable at 3B. "Try Sweatpants!" says the Council of Outfitting Men For Our Relaxation and Temerity. The President of COMFORT also didn't draft Carlos Santana to be his third baseman, but rather his catcher, so there's that.
Jose Iglesias – His shins are feeling better, but the Tigers aren't sure if he can be ready for Opening Day. Iglesias said, "When I ran without the padding, it was really uncomfortable, but as soon as I changed orthotics and put on the one the doctor made for me, there was a big difference." In related news, Iglesias signed an offseason sponsorship deal with Dr. Scholl's.
Nate Jones – Made his debut on Saturday and pitched great. Why do we care? Because we love him and his SAGNOFy, strikeouty self.
Bronson Arroyo – Diagnosed with a bulging disk. He said he should be ready to go for the start of the season, then proceeded to say, "Enough about bulging disks, let's talk about my upcoming compact disc, 'Slow Balls, Fast Tracks.'"


text: Debt limit chaos awaits Paul Ryan as he seeks House speakership Townhall.com Staff | Posted: Oct 26, 2015 12:31 PM Share Tweet Read more at FOX News WSJ Columnist Pieces Together the Whole Corrupt China Scheme Hunter and Joe Biden Cooked Up Matt Vespa Biden Says He Will Eliminate the Oil Industry Bronson Stocking Given Its History, Did CBS News Really Say This to Trump During 60 Minutes Interview? Matt Vespa Biden Tries to Rewrite History on 'Child Separation' Border Policy Reagan McCarthy Finally, There's Some Good News from California Regarding Second Amendment Rights Matt Vespa Trump Demolishes Joe Biden in Final Debate SHOW COMMENTS CARTOONS | Henry Payne View Cartoon Most Popular President Trump and Joe Biden Face Off in Last 2020 Presidential Debate Given Its History, Did CBS News Really Say This to Trump During 60 Minutes Interview? 'Here are the Facts': Bobulinski Brings Trove of Receipts on Biden Family Foreign Deals


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Representatives of the AARP Pennsylvania chapter are looking at the silver lining in Attorney General Kathleen Kane's decision to reject the privatization contract for the Pennsylvania Lottery.
They say lottery profits hit a record-high last year to fund programs for senior citizens and is on track to surpass this year. So, increasing funding next year for senior programs should not be a problem.
Another group representing Area Agencies on Aging sees dark clouds forming now that the assurance of long-term revenue growth from hiring United Kingdom-based Camelot Global Services PA, LLC to run the lottery may have evaporated.
Yet, another, the Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans, sees sunny days ahead and offered kudos to Kane for "standing up for our seniors."
The reaction to Kane's decision from advocates for the population to benefits most from the Pennsylvania Lottery were that extreme.
In her decision, Kane said Corbett overstepped his executive authority in attempting to privatize the lottery's management without legislative approval, among her other reasons for rejecting the contract.
Her nearly five-minute statement which concluded without taking questions from the media at today's news conference at her Strawberry Square offices, didn't end with her decision.
She went on to send a message to the public and to the Corbett administration, which upped the pressure on her to sign the contract this week by emphasizing a $50 million proposed increase for senior programs in Corbett's 2013-14 budget proposal was contingent on the Camelot contract's execution.
Kane said, "A message to the public: Be wary of politicians that attempt to blame the lawyers who review the contract for the loss of any monies to seniors. …
"It is disingenuous to put the cart before the horse by promising money to people who are in need based upon a contract before making sure that contract was legal and then blaming the messenger when it is deemed illegal".
Crystal Lowe, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of the Area Agencies on Aging, said she doesn't blame Kane for the legal decision she made but is worried about its repercussions on the future funding for the agencies she represents.
The funding they receive is insufficient to meet the demand that exists now, let alone the emerging demand that will come as more people hit age 60 and become eligible for services.
Lowe's organization saw Camelot's bid that pledged annual increases in the profits for each of the next 20 years as a way to help with that problem.
"We just lament, if you will, the fact that there was a little hope for some additional revenue coming into the system and now that is gone unless there are some other proposals out there," Lowe said.
AARP Pennsylvania took a neutral stance on the lottery management privatization, but Jean Friday, president of the Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans, was against it.
Her group that claims a membership of 300,000 had joined with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 13, which represented lottery workers, in protesting the privatization contract.
In a statement from Friday's group, she said keeping the lottery under public management and expanding it in the ways Camelot had proposed (keno and online access to lottery games) would be a way for all of the profits to aid seniors, rather than having some of the money end up in Camelot's pocket.
"We knew the governor's idea was bad policy. Now we know our suspicions are confirmed that it is illegal as well," Friday said.
She urged Corbett, who can challenge Kane's decision in Commonwealth Court, to not go down that path.
"Instead of a prolonged legal fight, we urge the governor to abandon privatization of the lottery. If his goal was truly to raise revenue for seniors, he will set his sights on doing just that with our current system," Friday said.


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I have gotten lots of questions about Emma's week with Momma G. Most people want to know what all she did. My answer? "What didn't she do?!?!"
Let me start by telling you how excited she was to spend a week in Mississippi all by herself with Momma G. To prepare her, I had told her in advance she was going to get to go. I started to regret that! Between the time that I first told her and her actual trip, she asked me more than a hundred times (it felt like 1,000) "When am I going to Momma G's?" While I would have been fine answering that question a few less times, I was glad she was so excited about her trip.
When I was Emma's age, all I cared about were American Girl dolls. When we were there over Mother's Day weekend, Momma G had gotten all of my American Girl dolls out of storage, and Emma fell in love! In fact, those dolls have been all she has been able to focus on! When she would talk about going to Momma G's, she talked about playing with those dolls.
I even went so far as to ask if we should pack her babies for Momma G's house because they go everywhere with us. She actually said no! I was super shocked, but she told me she only wanted to play with the dolls at Momma G's house.
When she got to Momma G's house, my mom had cleaned up my old Playmobil Doll House that I received from Santa one year around Emma's age. She had it sitting on her kitchen island when she and Emma walked in the door, and Emma went right to it! Mom told me that Emma climbed on the bar stool and didn't move for hours! She even ate dinner in front of it! That whole first night, she didn't go to a different room or play with any other toys besides that one doll house.
And the next morning, Emma went straight to the doll house again. (I guess it's a good thing I just ordered a bunch of new Playmobil toys for the store -- including their great line of doll houses! They've been updated, but it is still the same great quality.)
Let me tell you a little something: my mom is a night owl. And when Emma is with Momma G, she is a bit of one, too. She definitely stays up wayyyyyyyyyyy past her 7 o'clock bed time.
In addition to playing with the doll house and keeping some rather late hours, Emma also went to see Finding Dory with Momma G. This was especially exciting for Emma because I had taken her and Baby Sage to see it the day it opened in Decatur. Unfortunately, we only got to see the first 20 minutes of the movie (from what I saw, it was a great movie!), before someone (cough -- Baby Sage -- cough) decided to throw a pack of gummies at people three rows in front of us and I decided it was time to leave. You can imagine all the tears Emma shed when we had to leave the movie early! So, I was very glad to hear that not only had she and Momma G gone to see it, but that she loved the whole movie!
Momma G loves to cook, so after Emma had her fill of the doll house, they moved that out of the kitchen to do more traditional kitchen things -- like baking and decorating cookies! Emma had a blast, and I have to say that the cookies she brought home for me to try were delicious and gorgeous.
To round out a fun weekend, Emma also decided to torture my Mom's cat, Moe, by chasing him around. Moe may be been glad to see Emma leave, but I know she is already excited for her next big girl trip to Momma G. And to play with those dolls again.


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Editor's Note: We are pleased to have Karen Adamedes, the author of the book Hot Tips for Career Chicks and the blog Career Tips To Go and owner of strategic business advisory Abney Hall. She is a speaker at business events and as a career expert across many types of media including television. Karen already supported WomanBizLife (now Eunoia Women) in 2012 with her inspiring articles. Here, she shares her tips on effective business presentation. We hope you enjoy her posts!
There's a great quote from the famous American writer Mark Twain, "It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech". This really sums up just how important the preparation is for any presentation. You may not have quite as much time as Mark Twain to prepare a speech but the desire to present well is a widely held ambition.
There are many times when you will be called on to present – and many others when you should take, or make, the opportunity for yourself. These can range from small team meetings to large formal presentations. They may be presentations to people within your organization or to customers, suppliers, or people within your industry. No matter who you present to, how big the audience or the venue, all presentations require you to apply your effort and skills to show you in the best possible light.
Whether your presentation is to sell or tell you are, on some level, selling the importance of your message. And you are certainly selling yourself and your capability. Presentations can be very formal or relaxed and casual, but either way you are still trying to achieve these objectives. Regardless, the basic rules of a high-quality presentation are the same. Whatever the occasion or style, a presentation is an opportunity to showcase your capabilities and influence the perceptions of others in your favor.
Presentations can make or break careers and reputations. No wonder people are so terrified when the consequences are so enormous! It can seem much easier to curl up in a corner than to have to slink around the office because you made a bad presentation. The alternative is to develop your skills so you can use presentations to positively influence your career prospects.
The place to start is with preparation. In my view this is 80% of the work of a presentation. When you get this right you are setting yourself up for the delivery to be as smooth as possible. Because you won't have left anything to chance.
You will know the needs of the audience, your key messages, the room, the technology and how and what you are going to present. Here are some of my top tips to prepare for presentations:
Determine the purpose – Before you even begin to prepare you need to understand the business objective of a presentation. Is it to provide information or to ask for something such as funding, time or resourcing for your project? Or are you asking a client for their business? Knowing your objective before you start will help you develop your presentation so that you achieve that goal.
Understand your audience – who will be there and what do they want from the presentation?
Ensure your content – is well researched, accurate and meets both the objective of the presentation and needs of the audience.
Determine the structure and style of presentation – decide how you will structure a presentation so that you're content is logical, relevant and easily understood. The "3 Ts'" structure is always a good one. Tell them what you are going to tell them. Tell them. Then tell them what you've told them.
Rehearse – there are more than 5 tips just on rehearsing a presentation (that is a topic for another blog!). For today, just remember that rehearsing will help with nerves, increase your confidence and be reassuring (or not!) that you have the right messages being delivered in the right way. If you don't – it's a lot better to find out in the rehearsal stage than half-way through an actual presentation!
Presentation skills are essential for career success (and survival!) – don't be scared…Prepare!


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Noted music journalist returns to Beatles at the Ridge
Walnut Ridge, Arkansas -- After a one-year hiatus from Beatles at The Ridge, music expert and author, Dr. Kit O'Toole is "back where she belongs."
Kit will be leading the noon "Lunch and Learn" for Beatles at The Ridge's "Authors and Artists Symposium" on Saturday, September 16 in The Studio in Walnut Ridge. Since the festival's theme this year is "1967: The Summer of Love," Dr. O'Toole will talk to Beatles fans about the album that clearly defined that magical summer, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
"I'm calling my presentation 'A Journey Through the Musical World of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,'" O'Toole said, "because that's exactly what we'll be doing. I'm going to lead a guided tour through the writing and recording of The Beatles' most important album. I'm also sharing outtakes and remixes the audience may have never heard before."
And O'Toole promises new insights, a fresh look at the record that people "think they know."
"Lunch and Learn" guests are invited to bring in sack lunches or lunches from the various vendors at the Ridge festival. Water bottles and coffee will be furnished, but Kit hints that she'll be bringing a delicious "dessert" from Chicago.
"I can't say what the treat is, but it's a delicacy!" Kit smiled.
Beatles at The Ridge attendees can also enter to win a limited edition poster of the Songs We Were Singing cover, signed by O'Toole and cover artist, Enoch Doyle Jeter.
O'Toole is known for her surprises. In 2015, she surprised everyone by writing TWO books: Songs We Were Singing: Guided Tours Through The Beatles Lesser-Known Tracks and Michael Jackson FAQ: All That's Left to Know About The King Of Pop.
She also continues to serve as a contributing editor for Beatlefan magazine, the author of the popular "Deep Beatles" column for Something Else Reviews and as the "DeepSoul" columnist for Blinded By Sound, while working on a new book to be released shortly entitled Soul Searching: Buried Treasures of R&B, Soul, Dance, and Hip Hop.
O'Toole, who is a frequent panelist and presenter at The Chicago Fest for Beatles Fans,and who was part of The GRAMMY Museum of Mississippi Beatles Symposium in 2016, has been a mainstay of Beatles at the Ridge. And the Beatles at the Ridge crowd is thrilled to have her "home" again.
"We missed Kit last year," Chairperson Jude Southerland Kessler stated. "Our guests have loved her famous Ten Sounds talks, and I know this one on Sgt. Pepper will be just as engaging and eye-opening!"
More information:
• Kit O'Toole Website• Kit O'Toole on Facebook• Beatles at the Ridge Symposium Schedule
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Published September 11, 2017
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This higher end jacket is one of our best sellers in our school spirit wear line, so we decided to add a some "Blackhawk's Bling" to it. The photos and digital mock ups do not do this spangle design justice! You will not be disappointed in this piece, as it is so sparkly!! There are over 15,000 (yes, 15,000) multi colored spangles on the back of this jacket alone. We have a black and red Blackhawk on the left, front chest of the jacket, full back and the Tomahawks are on each shoulder area. All three designs make this jacket time consuming to create. Hockey happens to be my favorite sport, so I wear this jacket all of the time.. No matter where I go, so many people stop me to inquire where I bought it and the compliments are endless.
The fit is slightly contoured, but not tight fitting, so it is very comfortable to wear. Wicks moisture away from the body. I think it runs true to size, but be sure and use the sizing chart, because once your order is processed, there are no returns or exchanges. The red trim makes this jacket! If you are interested in a Pro Sparkle item for a different team, please email us and I am certain we can create a custom piece just for you.


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Lemon, Honey & Thyme Sorbet
By Penny Parker on June 29, 2016
I'm in love with lemons! Lemonade, lemon cookies, lemon pound cake, lemon bars, lemon in my iced tea….and the list goes on. And when I see a great lemon recipe, I'll print it off and look forward to whipping up a batch of lemony-goodness in some form. Recently, I came across another food blog all the […]
Posted in Baking Tips, Blog, Recipes, Seasonal
What? No more Downton Abbey?
By Penny Parker on March 6, 2016
For the last six years, the Crawley family and their household have been part of my Sunday evening ritual. And, for six or seven weeks of each year, I'm devoted to all things English…especially aristocratic pursuits. Certainly, you'll not find me chasing a hound, or dining with the ton in Covent Gardens, but you may find […]
Posted in Recipes
'Joe Froggers!' Fall cookies with great tradition!
By Penny Parker on September 29, 2015
This "Fall Cookies" blog post first appeared in November 2013 About 10 years ago, a great pastry chef, Nancy Baggett came into my life. She was on a book tour and was demonstrating 'cookie baking' with recipes from her book , The All American Cookie Book. And, my cookie obsession began. Happily, I'm laying my […]
Posted in Blog, Cookie Stories, Recipes
WOW! A Pumpkin Brownie
By Penny Parker on September 30, 2013
Fall is a most beautiful time of year in Northeast Ohio. This year, we've already had our first frost, and pumpkin patches are everywhere!


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PLEASE NOTE: Since English is not my native language, there might be some spelling or grammar errors in texts. I'm making sure to correct as much of the errors as I can. Thank you. .Monday. Me and Andy were lying in bed in our boxers and watching TV. My parents came back. "Aky, are you home ??" My mom yelled from the door.
"Oh shit. " I said and jumped out of bed and grabbed my shorts and quickly put them on. "Yeah. I'm here with Andy." I yelled back. He put on his shorts and went out.
"Oh, hi Andy!" My mom said from the hall. "Hello. " Andy replied and smiled. "Did you get to Italy safely?" I asked my dad. "No, we had to crash land on the nearest airport because we lost an engine." He replied. "Oh my god. " Me and Andy said at the same time. "It's OK.
We landed well. " My mom cheered me. "All right." I said. Andy went back to my room and I was just about to go back when my dad stopped me.
"Hey, Aky. Just one question. " My dad said. "Is there any reason why you two are just in shorts or." He added. "Dad, don't you fell how hot it is outside.
And by the way we were swimming in the pool and we just got out. That's why." I replied. "Oh, OK than." He said. "Oh, and, dad. The TV arrived yesterday." "Nice." He said and went to their room to unpack their stuff. I went back to my room and Andy and I continued to play games. Little later he said: "You know. I should go home now." "Oh, Andy. Come on. It's 2pm.
It's so hot now. You'll get a heat stroke.
Stay a little longer. At least until it cools down a little." "OK. I guess you're right." He said and sat back on the bed. "What do you want to do now ?" He added. "I don't know. Do you want to go for a swim in the pool ?" I asked him "I can't." He said with a sad voice.
"Why not. You're the best swimmer in school. I told him. "It's not that. I didn't bring my underwear." He said. "That. Hah. I've got a spare pair of my swimming shorts. They'll fit you." "All right then." He said. I pulled out my swimming shorts and gave them to him. He put them on and when he turned around he looked fabulous.
The shorts were a tight fit and you could see a curve of his cute butt. ^_^ I put on mine swimming shorts. And we went to the pool in my backyard. "You look fabulous. " I told him. "Thanks. You look good too. " He said. "Thanks. " I replied.
And we jumped in the pool. "You know. I've been thinking. If we did that yesterday, does that make us gay ?" He asked "Uh, I don't know. I don't feel like it." I said. "Yeah, but you started it first. " He laughed and pushed me lightly. "Mhm. You first got a boner when you saw my crotch. " I replied. "I've always wanted to see your junk at P.E., but all I got to see was your butt and it's a nice looking one.
" He giggled. "Well, you got to see it yesterday. " I said. "And I got to feel it too." He added. "Yeah. But it was nice. " I said now with a boner in my shorts. "Ye. It was." He said and ground his crotch against mine which made me even harder.
"You're hard again ?" He asked. "Maybe. " "I'll have to get a better view." He said. And he went underwater. I felt tugging on my shorts and he pulled my crotch out. He got back to surface. "Yup. Definitely, it's hard." He told me and started slowly jerking me off. I did the same thing to him.
It felt nice. The water and all that. He got down and sucked me. I came in his mouth. Then I sucked him off. We got out of water and dried off. Than we got back to my room and changed. "I've got to go now. " He said. "Awwwhhh. Really ??" I said. "Yeah. " He told me and packed up. We went downstairs and on the door there was Ben. "Hi." Andy said with a shy voice.
"Hey, Andy. How are you ?" Ben asked happily. "Good. You ?" "I'm great !" He replied. "See you. " He added and ran upstairs. "See you." I said.
"Bye." He replied, turned around and left. "Now, for you, sweetie." I said quietly thinking about Ben. I got into our room and I saw him putting my bottle of lube on the table. "You were playing, huh ?" He said. "Yeah, I was about to start that. I'm sorry." I said shamefully. "Don't be." He told me. "But, I cheated on you. " I screamed. "Ye. So did I." He said. "W-what ?! " I muttered. "Yeah. I did it with Ryan too. " He told me putting his stuff back. "Oh. So, you're not angry. ?" I asked.
"Why would I be angry ??" He happily said. "After all, we've got to experiment." He added. "Mhm. I suppose." I replied and sat on the bed next to him. "Oh, come here, bro !!" Ben happily said and hugged me. I hugged him too. "I missed you. " He said. "Me too.
" I replied. We started kissing and then my dad bashed in our room. We broke the kiss as fast as we could so that he wouldn't see us. "Um, come down. We put the TV. Come and see." He said. "Let's go !!" We said and ran down. "Cool." Ben said in awe. "It is. " I added. Then, when the nighttime came, we went to our room and get ready to go to sleep.
As we were lying down, we started talking about our experiences with other boys.
"Hey." He said. "What?" I replied. "Did it feel good with Andy?" He asked me. "Ye. It was nice. What about you?" I asked. "Yeah. It was good, but not as good as when I'm with you." He said and we cuddled and fell asleep.
Thanks for reading part 6 of the story.
Part 7 is coming out tomorrow.


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The burger is a quintessentially American culinary experience, and we wouldn't be surprised if it ranks among the top ten things that foreigners think of when asked about the States. Many restaurants that aren't even especially affiliated with meats and buns will whip you up a burger if you ask for one, and some make it their absolute specialty.
They can't all recreate a Burger King experience, but many can come darn close – and some have unique-enough alternatives that might even replace the original. It is with this in mind that we list the top 5 most popular burger eateries of all time.
1. Wendy's Restaurant and the Quarter-Pounder
Although Wendy's hamburger came on the heels of Burger King and McDonald's, it definitely changed the game with the way the meat was never frozen and cooked to order on the grill in back. Even today, Dave's Single – as it is now called – is a full one-fourth of grass-fed North American ground beef. The bun is fresh, and grilled cheese oozes delectably out from underneath fresh water lettuce, tomatoes, onions and other premium toppings.
There have been additions to this extremely successful burger, in the form of the Dave's Double, Dave's Triple, the Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger line and the Baconator. The latter is less than a decade old and looks to have the staying power of the original beef burger.
2. Five Guys Burger
We first heard of Five Guys out in the Pittsburgh area – basically, it was an East Coast thing. Then, one day, the rave reviews of their delicious assortments of beef, bun, fries, and shakes made the trip across the States to the West Coast, and now you can find them everywhere. A bit pricier than other burgers; but well worth it. The fries are an absolute MUST. They've also got veggie sandwiches and hot dogs of all kinds – which explains why it's grown to be America's biggest burger chain in just over three decades.
3. Burger King
The harbinger of most of the other burgers, Burger King's Whopper is an absolute classic and is still delicious in all of its flame-broiled glory. It's the perfect compromise between price and customizability. Although the company fell on rough times in recent years, the past couple have been quite resurgent – their sales gains have been remarkable.
4. In-and-Out
Just like Five Guys used to be an exclusively East Coast chain, In-and-Out is still a West Coast thing. Their Double-Double Cheeseburger is a mouthful, and the taste simply pops with the addition of the special house sauce – which is reminiscent of muted mayonnaise and ketchup, with melted cheese super-charging the combination.
5. Fatburger
Several more could've made this list as a result of popularity alone, but Fatburger's recent expansion onto the international scene is what pushed it over the edge. Although the burger brand, itself, has been on the scene as one of the more generous and delicious American classics for over half a century, it's really seemed to come into its own in the past few years – which explains the expansion. The patties come in all sizes, are made to order using fresh beef, and are often advertised as a full meal in and of itself.
Some honorable mentions are Steak 'N Shake's burger, and of course McDonald's – the latter for its unmatched influence in the world of burgers and fast food in general.


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By Susan Wilson
Guest Columnist
Oak Bluffs, MA, USA
We lost our old dog last summer. "Lost" being, of course, a euphemism for death. It was, without doubt the hardest thing I have ever had to do, and hers wasn't the first orchestrated ending I have ever experienced. The first time was a beloved cat and making the decision that it was time to let her go was the moment I felt like I'd become an adult. But this one was different. Bonnie had been the boon companion of my revitalized writing career.
You see, in my work,
the focus is on the relationship between humans and dogs; the bond, the
affection, the need, the service, the companionship. The love. Every single day
she and I walked the town's unofficial dog park, a massive field surrounded by
pitch pine and oak bordering the private golf club, and I watched inter-dog
behaviors, the play bow, the stiff tail suggesting a less amenable approach. I
absorbed the rules of dog interaction and exercised not only my legs, but my
vocabulary as I learned how to describe canine body language in the language of
humans. Being surrounded every day by a cast of canine characters informed my
work and gave me much meat to work with. Without that, I'm not sure I could
have pulled off getting into the mind and heart of the dogs who have peopled,
pun intended, my books.
|Bonnie with Susan Wilson
So, when the years began to wear on Bonnie, I (and my husband) essentially went into denial. How could my muse ever be anything other than a lively, somewhat tyrannical, trickster? I never wrote about her directly, my fictional dogs always of specific breeds or breed types, always, for some reason, male, but her essence infiltrated much of their behavior. Paws dancing on the hardwood floor in anticipation of a treat. The poke of a cold nose against a bare elbow to say it's time to walk.
I've written about how certain dogs come to us at certain times of our lives. The childhood dog, the practice baby, the family dog. Bonnie was classic empty nester dog, although my youngest, technically, wasn't out of the nest that cold January day when I got the brown and white terrier mix puppy. A puppy that should have maxed out at the size of a Westie or a Parson Jack Russell. Instead she grew into what we called either a giant Jack Russell or a miniature wolfhound, having the physical attributes of both, e.g. the coloration of a terrier and the narrow frame of a hound. Now I'm convinced that she was a "lurcher," a cross between a sight hound (perhaps whippet) and a terrier. We had her for just shy of fifteen years and spent hours in pleasurable contemplation of our dog's genetic makeup, and, no, we never did the DNA test. Somehow we never wanted confirmation. It would have deprived us of our favorite game.
We have now been without a dog for close to a year. In that time we have gone from: Never Again! Our hearts cannot take the grief …to…Maybe we should think about it …to…What do you think we should get? Purebred or rescue dog? Purebred rescue? Puppy—never again!—to senior citizen looking for a last home? So many questions, so many choices. I have collected animal welfare Facebook pages like some people collect shoes. Merrill Markoe put it best: Nose Down, Eyes Up. Who can pass by those sad eyes without feeling that this might be The One? The trick with being able to bypass these adorable and/or needy faces is that most of these rescue places are far far away, many down South or the mid-West. Not that we're lacking any animal rescue organizations more nearby. In fact, my next door neighbor is active in bringing to our community the homeless puppies from the Caribbean and, during last fall's horrific series of hurricanes, puppies and youngsters from Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and Houston. There are at least two of these adoptees residing on my road and I see folks everywhere accompanied by these smooth-coated black-and-white or brown-and-white dogs. Another friend of mine is a volunteer at yet another shelter nearby. This one, too, brings dogs to our community as, apparently, we produce no puppies of our own. These, however, are often dogs removed from kill shelters, last chance dogs. Harder to say no to that, but they get adopted out so quickly, there is little to no time for debating the pros and cons. Finally, there is the actual, official animal shelter, more than thirty years old, and, because of aforesaid lack of dogs born here, they rarely have dogs, but, oh boy, if you want a kitty, that's your place and we've adopted several cats from there. I applaud all these doers of good.
In all of our married life, and let's just say it's over decades, we have never been without a house pet. From Milo, the cat who was our pet even before we moved in together, to Bonnie, we had a long history with animals. Cats, there were five. Birds, we had one parakeet and raised a flock of pigeons called rollers and tumblers. Fish, oh yes, including a Betta fish given to my teacher husband for a Christmas gift by a student that lasted far longer than Betta are supposed to. One iguana, briefly, thank God. There were the inevitable guinea pigs, but no other rodents. And dogs. Angus, our practice baby; Callie, who raised our daughters; and, finally, Bonnie. With her passing we are, for the first time not just in our married life together, but in our entire lives, without a house pet. (As an aside, we aren't completely pet-less as I do have a horse. However, as much as I love her, she's not a house pet. And, to be honest, horses are pretty self-absorbed. She does not come running when I arrive.)
It was weird at first, not having another living breathing creature in the house with me when I was alone. The silence was different. The noises were different. But now I have become attuned to the sound of the songbirds. I have become even more devoted to sitting on the deck and watching the interaction between birds vying for space on the bird feeder. The titmice and chickadees, house finch and cardinals have become my de facto pets. And have I mentioned the squirrels? One of the unexpected side effects of being dogless is having too many too bold squirrels. Little buggers even sit on my deck and stare at me. Fearless! I guess it is just part of my nature, this affinity for creatures. I sometimes wonder if I'd be like that prisoner who made a pet out of a fly, or the Birdman of Alcatraz was I to be utterly stripped of normal pets.
So, in a novel, something like this would happen: Middle-aged married couple lose their beloved, albeit spoiled, dog. Go through the stages of grief, then begin to enjoy the side effects of being without a dog—no worries about dog friendly accommodations or booking the dog sitter. Someone says, Let's go and they do. But there is a hole in their lives. In a novel, some raggedy lost dog would arrive on their doorstep, and work its way into their hearts, teaching them that the freedom is but illusory, the companionship priceless. Because I make stuff up like this for a living, I have gone through this dogless year half expecting something like that to occur. It seems antithetical to actually go out and look for a dog. I keep expecting to be found by one because that's how my stories usually go. So far, nothing. Why do I imagine that being deliberate about getting a dog is less worthy than having one find us? Is there anything wrong with this kind of magical thinking? After all, it's happened to me twice before, both times in childhood. Can't magic happen in adulthood too, or are we inoculated against it by age and experience? I'm open to letting this magical thinking continue on for a bit longer. Then, well, stay tuned. Perhaps the right dog is yet to be born and is just waiting for us wherever dog souls wait for birth. Or, just around the corner waiting to be found.
Susan Wilson
Susan Wilson
Susan Wilson is a New York Times bestselling author. Her newest novel, Two Good Dogs, was published in March 2017.


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Hiking Inn to Inn
Hike inn to inn - Savor the journey and the destination. Leave the car behind, explore the wild and sleep in a comfortable inn each night.
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We invite you to read and share stories about inn to inn vacations, in California and around the world.
With a light daypack and a few reservations you can travel for days on California's breathtaking coastline or in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, each night recovering your energy with a delicious meal, a comfortable bed, and maybe even a hot tub. Hiking inn to inn is an age old tradition. Enjoy and share stories, pictures and resources about human-powered travel from around the world.
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The American River starts high in the peaks of the Sierra Nevada. It winds and crashes through deep canyons down to the foothills where it eventually is tamed to form Folsom Lake. Released again, it flows wide and powerful to meet the Sacramento River. This moderate 66-mile, four-day walkabout starts in the foothill town of…Continue
Posted by Tom Courtney on April 12, 2019 at 1:59pm
A small herd of tule elk bounded out of the trees and into the marsh. All males with impressive racks, they splashed through the shallows startling egrets and sending a flock of ducks aloft as they raced to an open field and disappeared.
Grizzly Island, 8,800 acres of marshland is a…Continue
Posted by Tom Courtney on February 13, 2019 at 11:30am
There is a surge of popularity for hiking from inn-to-inn in Europe, and the same is true in California. Adventurers hike trails connecting coastal villages along the wild Pacific. They trek through the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains, along the serene beaches of Southern California, and through the parklands around the San…Continue
Posted by Tom Courtney on January 22, 2019 at 10:55am
Hike the spine of the High Sierra along the Pacific Crest Trail on this 3-day, 30 mile walkabout. This is a challenging hike, but you'll be rewarded with stopovers at mountain resorts in spectacular settings and with the solitude and pristine beauty of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Start your journey…Continue
Posted by Tom Courtney on October 11, 2018 at 12:30pm
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By Rebecca Moore
About a week ago, I found myself grumbling at Facebook. Yet another ice cream ad had popped up and I just did not need that.
After a decision to join the Air Force,I've been on a very strict diet to help get in shape before I leave for training. Ask anyone around me, I'm very bitter about this. I miss my junk food. So here we are: a Rebecca living off protein powder instead of pizza, and broccoli instead of Ben and Jerry's.
But enter the Halo Top ice cream ad. "What It's Like to Eat Nothing but This Magical, Healthy Ice Cream for 10 Days." Wait. What? Healthy? Magical? Sure, buddy. But... I read what the GQ guy had to say, and apparently he did his job well, because next thing I know I'm emailing Halo Top Creamery, telling them I'd like to try this supposedly amazing ice cream. They sent me a voucher for two free pints, and I was off to my nearest Whole Foods.
I got home, popped off the gold top, and dug into the Lemon Cake.
It was so creamy. It was so fresh. I thought I was floating. The yellow ice cream certainly had to be frozen sunshine. I got to where I knew ½ cup (the standard serving size for ice cream) was, and then just kept eating.
There are few feelings more satisfying than eating an entire pint of ice cream, but the reality is, guilt usually follows the pleasure. Even if you are a magical unicorn of a person who has no emotions tied to eating, you will probably feel sluggish after eating a whole one. But not Halo Top. Halo Top is indeed the food of God, because the whole thing is only 240 calories. And it's not empty calories either. Almost half of its calories come from protein. Essentially, nutrient wise, you're eating a protein shake. It's sweetened with Stevia, so there's hardly any sugar in it. It's also low fat. One serving of Ben and Jerry's "The Tonight Dough" (my fave) has double the fat and 10 g more sugar than an entire container of Halo Top.
Have a side by side comparison.
This stuff is SO good; I've now bought five containers of it. Cons: my patience level has gone up, as you have to let it thaw for a few minutes before eating, since it freezes slightly different than regular ice cream. But patience is a virtue, right? I'm even willing to fight for street parking at the Whole Foods in downtown D.C., instead of the one by my house in Arlington, just because they carry more flavors. IT IS AMAZING.
So go to their website, find out what stores near you sell it. Try every flavor from Mint Chip to Birthday Cake. Send in requests to your supermarket to start carrying this majestic dessert. And live, happily knowing Halo Top is now forever your diet guardian angel.
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Photos used under Creative Commons from Me in ME, benjaflynn, Denis Bocquet