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|Ian's wife began labor in the middle of the Scottish night, and the doctor was called. He tasked Ian: "Hold this lantern high so I can see." Shortly Ian's son was born. "Whoa, there, Ian!" said the doctor. "Keep the lantern up!" Soon a little lass made her appearance. Ian stooped to look. "No, no, keep the lantern up, lad! There's more!" cried the doctor. Ian scratched his head and asked, "Do ye think it's the light that's attractin' em?"
That story reminds me of Jesus' statement in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world." That's quite a statement when you think about it. The light? Of the whole world? What's that about?
Jesus explains, "Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness." Darkness, of course, represents sin. Jesus is saying, "Follow me, and you won't have to walk in sin."
Light's main attribute is to reveal the true nature of things. It reveals dangers of which we would otherwise be unaware; it also reveals solutions. As the light of the world, Jesus does both.
Morally, light is the equivalent of truth. It reveals reality. The light of Jesus' life reveals our sinful condition and need of salvation. The light of His death reveals the gift of grace, the one and only answer to moral brokenness. So simple yet, not so simple.
Light creates a problem for many. Jesus describes the problem in John 3:19, "And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil."
In Jesus' day people fled the light, unwilling to acknowledge their moral delinquency. Today, we still fear the light. But rather than flee it, we deny that it even exists. There is no light to be had.
College campuses are rife with the teaching that there is no absolute truth -- no real light. All is relative. If what you believe helps you, great. But my truth is as valid as your truth. The latest surveys suggest that 2/3 of us do not believe there is such a thing as absolute truth.
In Dan Brown's wildly popular book, The Da Vinci Code, Sophie says, "You told me the New Testament is based on fabrication." Langdon, the book's hero, says, "Sophie every faith in the world is based on fabrication." Translation: there is no absolute truth.
But, of course, the statement "there is no absolute truth", is itself a statement of absolute truth! It fails by its own definition.
Furthermore, no one actually lives like there are are no absolutes. Someone asks Henry's mother, "Where's Henry?" "I'm not sure," she replies. "If the ice is as thick as he thinks, he's skating. If it's as thin as I think it is, he's swimming." The point is, both can't be true.
There is not Henry's truth and Mom's truth -- there is absolute truth to which both must ultimately concede. Henry is either skating or swimming -- but not both.
When someone says, "Stop, a car is coming," we stop. It's not just his truth or my truth. It's absolute truth. And we know exactly what will happen if we don't stop -- regardless of how hard we believe to the contrary.
To our relative age, Jesus still says, "I am still the light of the world." He still shows us reality -- the reality of our sin and brokenness, and the reality of His grace and healing. He shows us the truth.
Jesus said, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32). Let His light draw you and find the freedom of cleansing from sin.
Dave McNeff is pastor of the First Congregational Church of Eaton and Ault
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And so continues my "Single Dad" posts…
Last night was much less boring than the previous nights. While I was making dinner, Luke was getting into absolutely everything! He just seemed to have a lot of energy.
After a brief dinner, probably caused by his grandmother feeding him dinner also (which pisses me off incredibly), he messed his pants (horribly!), and then we had a little rough-housing session to help burn off some of that extra energy.
He had a bottle and again went to bed at 8:00. He cried briefly, but it wasn't a worrisome, "I hate you, get me out of here" crying.
I proceeded to do some work and fold up my laundry. Around 11:30, he started crying. This was the "I'm awake, and I want out of here" cry. I let him cry for about 20 minutes hoping that it would stop. It didn't.
I went and got him out of his crib and gave him a small bottle. After he finished the bottle, he seemed to be resting peacefully beside me. I figured he was going to sleep, so I shut my light off and snuggled up with him. That's when the fidgeting began.
I fidgeted around. He tossed and turned. It was a little annoying, so I decided it was time to go back to his crib. When I walked into his room, it was as if somebody poked him with a stick. I felt him get suddenly tense, and he wrapped his pudgy, little legs around my waist. I tried to put him in his crib, but he started crying and held onto me with bodybuilder strength! I caved and took him back to bed with me thinking maybe he'll be okay.
I was wrong. Same thing. Fidgeting, tossing, turning… He was even doing this thing where he kept scooting closer to the edge of the bed away from me. I couldn't take it anymore. It was almost 1:00 in the morning, and I needed sleep. I took him back to his room where he had essentially the same reaction as the previous attempt. This time I was NOT sympathetic, and left him in his crib to cry and scream It lasted for about 20 minutes, then he went to sleep, as did I.
I haven't set my alarm clock all week. I've been living off of baby/toddler time. This morning though, I woke up at 7:00 all by myself. I heard Luke cough, so I knew he was fine, just sleeping late and maybe has a little cold. I showered, got my stuff together, fed the cats, loaded the car, talked to Sarah, and he still hadn't woken up. I had to get him out of bed at almost 8:00 to put his sweatshirt and slippers on to drop him off at his grandparents' house.
Tonight, Sarah comes home. I'm looking forward to a little break, and a little adult conversation. Ducka ducka and dooga followed by ear-piercing screams are great baby/toddler conversations, but I'd like to be able to have some adault conversation now.

subset: commoncrawl


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Diamond TA Pop Armchair
By Toou Design
DescriptionThe Diamond TA POP Armchair is a top-seed: comfortable and ergonomic, its design is evocative, out of the ordinary, and certainly doesn't go unnoticed, perfect for someone wanting a touch of contemporaneity and sophisticated originality. Its design is inspired by the style of the 50's but with a touch of absolute contemporaneity, that of honest and democratic design, made possible by an advanced but relatively simple construction technique. Offered in Fenice wool or eco-leather upholstery options with chrome, black, white, gold or bronze finish steel bases.
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Can be shipped within the EU Countries
- CATAS certified for contract use
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- Fabric Composition: 75% Wool, 25% Polyammide
- Leather Composition: 76% PVC, 22% PES, 2% PU
- Cover is easily removable and washable
- Chrome, White, Black, Gold or Copper finish steel legs
- Warranty: Three year warranty against manufacturer defects
- Warranty (upholstery): Five year warranty against manufacturer defects
- Suitable for: Dining / Cafe / Restaurant / Meeting rooms / Conference
Download Additional Images
- Seat height: 18"
- Arm height: 27"
DesignerSimone Viola
Born in Switzerland in 1985, Simone Viola got his industrial design training in Milan and went on to gain experience in his native country and abroad. Once founding his design studio in 2011, he focused on furniture and accessory design projects. Through his own unique design philosophy, he creates furniture pieces with soft, natural elegant shapes and a keen attention to detail. His JOI and TA seating collections are made by Italian brand TOOU.
See Simone Viola Collection
See more: chair


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This is Anna's mom and I snore. Loudly. As in roof rattling, clear the room, wake the dead loudly. Or so I've been told. I happened to mention this to my family practice doctor during my recent physical and the next thing I knew, I was scheduled for a sleep study. Based on this experience, I am now convinced sleep studies are mostly a scam designed to put everyone on earth on a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) ventilation machine, and thusly, line the pockets of the doctors who obviously receive kick-backs for prescribing them. I shared this with Anna who asked me to write a "Guest Blog" about what happened. Here goes.
I proceeded to the initial consult with an open mind. Well, fairly open anyway. I was pretty sure a CPAP would not be in my future regardless of the outcome of the study. I can't sleep with any noise or lights and I'm claustrophobic when it comes to having my movement (or escape route) restricted; so I am convinced I would never sleep another night if I had to wear an elephant mask. People say you get used to them. I honestly don't see how.
I was given a questionnaire to answer about my health background and my sleep habits which I answered honestly. One set of questions was to rate from 0 to 3, with 0 being never and 3 being probable, how likely I was to fall asleep in certain situations.
- Watching TV = 1 (I admit I may fall asleep watching TV IF it is in the evening after getting up at 5:30 a.m. and working all day. I think most people would.)
- Reading a book = 1 (Same reason and circumstance as watching TV.)
- Laying down on the couch = 2 (If I lay down on the couch, I'm doing so with the express intent of taking a nap, so…)
- In class or a meeting = 0 (Not saying I've never wished I was somewhere else, but I've never fallen asleep in class or during a meeting – though I may have put people to sleep.)
- Stopped at a traffic light = 0 (Never!!!)
I was then interviewed by a Nurse Practitioner who went over my answers and who looked in my throat and declared I had a very narrow airway and it was probable I had sleep apnea as a result. I explained my trepidation about coming in to do an overnight study and she responded I could do the "at home" test. I was happy there was an alternative. Turns out I was WRONG!
An appointment was made for me to return to pick up the home monitor and to be taught how to use it. I dutifully returned on the appointed day and met with a Dr. Z (Ph.D) who then proceeded to explain how the home monitor would only check for four types of hypopnea and oximetric measurements, but that the sleep center tests would check for 20. I was okay with this. However, he went on to say if the home test showed I had any hypopnea and/or oximetric episodes, I would need to come in for the more involved (read "more expensive") sleep center study. I asked what would happen if it came back with none of these. He replied that I would still have to come in for the sleep center study, because the home test only tested for four types.
Okay, so why am I paying $145 for this home test? If I have to come in to the sleep center regardless of the results, isn't this home test pretty pointless and a waste of time and money?
Obviously disappointed with this new bit of information (and starting to feel more skeptical), I asked that question and never got a satisfactory answer. So I asked what percentage of patients who do the sleep study are not diagnosed with sleep apnea. Response – less than 1%. Why is the number so low? He said it is because patients wouldn't have been referred for the study if they did not already have all the symptoms of sleep apnea. What are all the symptoms? All I told my doctor is that I snore – that's just one symptom. This is where it gets interesting.
He pulls out my chart and says, "well you answered yes to this health question."
I looked and said, "no, I didn't."
Clearly my "no" had been scratched out and changed to a "yes." He goes on and says, "well you scored a 10 on the risk questions related to your likelihood of falling asleep in certain situations."
I looked at my chart and saw all of my "0s" had been changed to "3s." Who changed these answers and why? Now I'm more than skeptical, I'm starting to believe there could be some fraud going on. Dr. Z says, "well I think you need to discuss that with Dr. K when the results of the home test are provided."
Okay, I will.
Now to make this story a little shorter, I'm going to summarize the next evolution. I took home the sleep monitor, set it all up according to instructions (checked it twice), went to sleep, returned the monitor to the office the next day. Dr. Z downloads the data and says, "Wow – the oximeter wasn't working and there is no data, but you had zero hypopneas and breathed regularly throughout the night. The oximeter must be faulty. I will talk to Dr. K about this and the issue with your records and get back to you on the next steps."
One week later, still no word. I finally call the office to follow-up and the next day I get a call from the elusive Dr. K asking to see me right away.
My meeting with Dr. K went well, but did nothing to assuage my skepticisim. Summary of what I was told:
- Record change was an inadvertent charting error on the part of the Nurse and an accurate copy was sent to the insurance company. (I accepted this, though I didn't really believe it.)
- He is sorry the home monitor did not work and will refund my $145 for the test. (Okay, thanks – I like getting money back.)
- No need to do another home study, but I should do a sleep center study. (Why if I showed no hypopnea on the home test?)
- Studies show most people have sleep apnea and doctors are encouraged to diagnose it to the maximum extent possible much like advocating for getting flu shots because apnea leads to stroke, heart attack, diabetes, weight gain, and I think hang-nails. (Yes, he really said that! – well I added in the hang-nail part.) Also, don't get me wrong – I truly understand the seriousness of these conditions and don't dispute that sleep apnea, along with a lot of other risk factors such as diet, obesity, smoking, etc., increases the chances of experiencing or developing these health issues.
- If the first sleep study shows no sleep apnea, it will need to be repeated so that we can take measures to ensure you sleep on your back the whole night. "Why is that important?" "Because people are most likely to have sleep apnea when sleeping on their backs." Well of course they do! It's gravity. When your tongue relaxes when you fall asleep, in what position are you most likely to have it fall back and obstruct your breathing? On your back. "Well, what if I never sleep on my back?" "You usually don't know when you are sleeping on your back." What I am translating this conversation to mean is – we are going to keep testing you until we prove you have sleep apnea and can force you into a CPAP, a mouth guard (which I am told doesn't work for individuals who already have a narrow airway), or surgery.
I finally had enough and told Dr. K I would like to discuss it with my family practice doctor before proceeding with any further testing and I would like my refund now, thank you.
I'm not sure I'll go back for the overnight study. I'm just too skeptical at this point and knowing my records were changed (inadvertently or not) just makes me too suspicious. Plus, I cannot think of one single individual I know who has had a sleep study and been told they do not have sleep apnea and do not need a CPAP. (Well I do know one, but she is pretty much a nut-bucket anyway and probably didn't need the sleep study in the first place!)
I know there are folks out there who swear they've never felt better since they have their CPAP to keep them company at night. Good for you – I'm happy that works for you. As for me, I'm still leaning towards SCAM.


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Lucky Witch
If you're looking for plenty of thrills mixed with a heavy helping of chills, Microgaming's Lucky Witch is definitely the slot for you. Join the scantily clad enchantress and her minions of magic as you spin for the chance to win fabulous prizes that will leave you covered from head to toe in goosebumps.
Lucky Witch
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UK Compliant: ✔
Why You Should Play Lucky Witch
This five-reel, 15-payline slot delivers a real hair-raising experience as you attempt to match as many symbols as possible. Allow the potion Scatters and fabled familiars to aid you in your pursuit of exciting prizes, while a creepy collection of bonuses will leave you utterly spellbound. As if that wasn't enough, excellent graphics, animated symbols and a spine-tingling soundtrack make this a truly standout slot.
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"White Privilege" is the concept that the economic, social and political institutions in liberal democracies benefit whites while disadvantaging racial minorities. However, the evidence doesn't back up its existence, no matter how often it's claimed. Watch as I provide the facts that reveal the bad logic behind the "White Privilege" concept. (Language Warning Attached)
I find this man is both highly intelligent and color blind. You truly should give a listen.
As to the "language warning attached"; I do not know who attached it, for the only term he used, and used only once was "bullshit". To me, the warning attachment seems rather frivolous given most individuals have no understanding of the etymology of the term "bullshit" and when it is most appropriately employed. Could you possibly be full of Politically Correct Bull Shit if you succumb to such cultural semantics, eh?
As to the term it was long ago employed by T.S. Elliot. I quote you but the first stanza.
The Triumph of Bullshit – T.S. Eliot
Ladies, on whom my attentions have waited
If you consider my merits are small
Etiolated, alembicated,
Orotund, tasteless, fantastical,
Monotonous, crotchety, constipated,
Impotent galamatias
Affected, possibly imitated,
For Christ's sake stick it up your ass.
Jay Fayza understands fully the language he employs, the effects it will have and logically debunks the common misconceptions surrounding White Economic Privileges in North America.


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- Description
Buy Cheap Toshiba M50 Gaming Laptop
Condition : Toshiba Reconditioned to A+ Standards With Toshiba Quality Seal. 1 Year Warranty. First 3 Months Free Collect & Return Direct with Toshiba followed by 9 Months Return To Base / Store Warranty with Laptop Outlet. (See Terms / Warranty / FAQ section for More Details. )
Toshiba M50 is an ideal combination of stylish design and powerful performance. Weighing only 2.1kg and with 21.3mm thickness, it is among some most portable laptops. Featuring high quality audio and HD display it gives you an incredible gaming experience. This practical yet beautiful laptop gives you amazing performance in mobile computing.
Stylish Design
Toshiba M50 is a perfect laptop with stylish feel and look. Its silver-brushed aluminum chassis with hair line finish gives it an elegant look, while the textured pattern underneath adds in its durability. Work efficiently on its 39.6cm (15.6") display and backlit keyboard that lets you work comfortably even in dim lights.
High Quality Audio with DTS Sound
The integrated stereo speakers of Toshiba M50 are fixed below the screen to give you an optimum listening experience. Combined with DTS sound audio enhancement suite these speakers delivers immersive audio with increased definition. Enjoy your favourite movies and songs on high volume with more bass and more dialogue clarity. By delivering high frequency audio it ensures a natural listening experience through headphones and speakers both.
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1 x Satellite M50-A-11N
Power adaptor
Quick start guide
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SKU RCN-M50-A-11N-8GB Model M50-A-11N Warranty 1 Year Warranty. HDMI 1 × HDMI-out supporting 1080p signal format Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.0 + LE Card Reader 1 × Multi-Card Reader (supports SD Card up to 2 GB, miniSD/microSD Card with adapter up to 2 GB, SDHC Card up to 32 GB, MPN PSKPJE-01001CN5 Speakers built-in stereo speakers, enhanced by DTS Studio Sound Network Card Gigabit Ethernet LAN
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In this option we will deliver your product free of charge but it will take 3 to 5 working days for the product to be delivered.
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If you want your desired product to be delivered next working day you will have to place your order before 3pm. The delivery charge is £6.95 at the time of placing order. This option does not include delivery on Saturday or Sunday.
- Reviews


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Hung Over and Out
Hola Bitcholas,
A bit hung over today, and by a "bit" I mean 'severely'. To be fair, I woke up still drunk, so the hangover didn't get here until later than usual...right around the time we went on the air. As the show went on, my need to go to the bathroom increased to the point of intense discomfort. All I thought I needed to do was pee. I went to the bathroom and let loose. About halfway through my pee I discovered that peeing wasn't the ONLY thing I needed to.
I don't know what the muscle is that we squeeze or relax when we go to the bathroom, but as I was relaxing it to pee, I realized that I was about to poop myself. It's a weird moment. I had to kill the stream of pee to avoid sh*tting in my own pants. So I dashed into a stall and let loose. I wouldn't care so much but someone else was in the bathroom and I'm sure my actions seemed kinda strange. Not cool.
OK, I'm outta here, bitches.
Until tomorrow, do what you do best and STAY BEAUTIFUL!


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Another mid-week and another in my mini-series for faking that pregnancy glow.
As with before I won't bore you with the detail but I would suggest you go back and read my first 2 posts here and here.
Now you've popped back and read my previous posts, you will know this is a collaboration with Beauty Base and I'm sharing some of my favourite highlighting products in order to fake that perfect pregnancy glow.
Today's post features the W7 Glow for Glory Illuminating palette which currently is retailing on the website for £4.25*. I absolutely love this palette as it not only features 2 metallic highlighters, but also 4 shades of eyeshadow which are perfect for illuminating the eyes as well. The product does exactly what it says on the tin. You can faintly see on the picture below; the different shades on my hand which look even better when applied over a little bit of concealer or foundation.
The above photos are the two different highlighting shades on each cheek. I absolutely love both shades and thankfully they both give a warm glow to the face as well which is perfect as we head into this autumnal season. As a pasty Northerner (I'm Scottish and Yorkshire – so blue blooded); any sort of colour is good in small quantities and these are easy to apply to the face without overdoing the look.
Overall, I am in love with this palette and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a glow or a new highlighter.
See you next time for the last in my series of faking that "pregnancy glow"
Laura x


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Lead Supervisor & Therapist
Jena completed her Masters in Counseling Psychology from Bethel University and her Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy from Bethel Seminary. She has been licensed through the state of Minnesota as a marriage and family therapist since 2008. Jena enjoys working with individuals, couples, and families. She has extensive experience in working with individuals and families that are affected by trauma. She utilizes a holistic approach to therapy, incorporating mind, body, and soul care.
Special areas of interest:
Licensure, Certifications, Affiliations & Evidence Based Specialties:


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Episode Number: 551
Episode Guest: Graham Hancock
Original Airdate: September 18, 2014
Episode Sponsors: DraftKings, MeUndies, Ting, Onnit
Guest Bio: Graham Hancock is an English author and journalist, well known for books such as Fingerprints of the Gods, Entangled: The Eater of Souls, and also a new fiction book called War God: Return of the Plumed Serpent.
Topics Discussed: Isolation tanks; floating; drugs in the tank; paranoia and fear while floating high; negative thoughts; panic in stressful situations; snorkeling; being overconfident; being afraid; managing stress; Rickson Gracie Choke documentary; Aikido; how martial arts benefits daily life; lack of battles or warriors in daily life; King Richard III's bones; collapse of society; Duck Dynasty; apocalypse; Iraq; Somalia; dictatorships; ISIS; lying politicians; Julian Assange; surprise sex; transparency; democracy; social media; Facebook; haters; benefits of criticism; being on the wrong side of history; religious fundimentalism; ISIS beheadings; drones; collateral damage; gods and demons; religion and drugs; ancient translations; ancient drugs; acid; Sturgill Simpson; drug influenced art; TED Talks; drugs and evolution; DMT; Terence McKenna; weed in America; pharmacology; commercials; depression; placebo; (Graham smokes weed for the first time in three years); Lebanon trip; monolithic stones; Armenian stones; astrology; pyramids; the Sphinx; Göbekli Tepe; ancient Indonesian pyramid; Stonehenge; Chichen Itza; supernatural elements; ayahuasca; dimensions of reality; anti-vaxers; the ocean; nanodiamonds from comet impacts.
My Thoughts: Whew. This one really jumped all over the place and, of course, drifted to the topic of drugs quite frequently. I didn't care too much for all the talk on isolation tanks and politics, but rather history and ancient structures. Unfortunately they didn't start turning the conversation that way until the end of the podcast.
Podcast Video:
Below is a video of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast episode #551 available for streaming via YouTube.
Podcast Audio:
Audio for this episode of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast is available through iTunes, Stitcher, or you can download the MP3 directly to add it to the audio player of your choice.


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The Rescue Rooms Nottingham 25.11.15
Still knackered from HRH, I thought what better way to celebrate the weekend, than to go to another gig! Not complaining though, as this was promised to be a great show. I usually avoid the Rescue Rooms as the lighting is generally poor, but on this occasion, I made an exception and I'm glad I did as the venue have recruited a new sound and lighting engineer, Phil from the Intake in Mansfield, no less!
Supporting Uncle Acid and The Deadbeats tonight, were the Swedish band, Spiders, whom we had the pleasure of seeing perform at HRH8 last year. Thankfully, we didn't have to conduct an interview on this occasion, as the last time we tried to have a chat, I fear there was a language barrier! Thankfully, the language of music is universal and easy to communicate and these guys and girl do it with some style!
Before Spiders took to the stage, I was stood around watching the room slowly, but surely fill up which was great to see, well done Nottingham – you didn't let yourselves down tonight and I'm pleased to say, us Midlander's get it! As time passed, I became ever aware of the type of music that was playing and started to feel as though I was in a bond film, which made me smile to myself, sad, but true.
At approximately 19.30, Spiders took to the stage and performed an out of their skins set! Until tonight though, I wasn't actually aware of how multi talented the bands female vocalist, Ann-Sofie really is but she sure showed both myself and the rest of the Nottingham crowd tonight, as their set went on!
Not only does she have an exceptional voice (and look) she can also play the Harmonica, the guitar and the tambourine and other assorted shake-able instruments! The last two I could probably use, but I wouldn't look half as good as she did tonight, all with a massive smile on her face!
As for the rest of the band, both the drummer and bass player looked less happy but then if I was wearing a sequinned shirt like they were, I'd feel pretty unhappy too! Generally though, both the bass player and the guitar player seemed to be enjoying themselves on stage.
Tonight's set consisted of tracks from both their previous two albums, "Flash Point" and "Shake Electric" as well as a new track, off the new EP "Why Don't You". I thoroughly enjoyed the Spiders set tonight, as did the rest of the crowd present at the Rescue Rooms, so much so, at the end, the band left the stage to rapturous applause and they loved us too, they said so!
Our headlining band Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, are from Cambridgeshire, from a place aptly named Hell and they play Psycho music! Hypothetically speaking, if John Lennon and Geezer Butler had a lovechild, it wouldn't be called Paranoid Pepper, oh no, Uncle Acid would be it's name, and The Deabeats would be his mates, which is exactly what this band reminded me of – an amalgamation of both these legendary British bands! Mr. Uncle Acid also dedicated a track to John, and I assumed that he meant John Lennon, as his onstage persona also reminded me of the great man, himself – that is what I could just make out of him, through the smoke and the darkness! Black Sabbath obviously saw themselves in this band also, hence why they invited them along to support the band recently, which in my opinion, is a great honour indeed.
Sadly, Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, virtually played their entire set in darkness, which made my job of photographing them that much harder and for me, does nothing to make the actual review of the band more visually interesting.
Between tracks, someone from the crowd shouted "You Guys Rule" and we agree, they do rule, as they produce some of the best guitar music around today! We love them, we hope you do too?
Certainly check out their new album "The Night Creeper" but our personal favourite is the album "Blood Lust" which got released in 2011! These guys now head off to Australia, so good luck with that and please play some UK summer festivals next year.
Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats set list consisted of; 1. Waiting For Blood 2. Mind Crawler 3. Murder Nights 4. Deaths Door 5. Poison Apple 6. 13 Candles 7. Pusher Man 8. I'll Cut You Down 9. Crystal Spiders 10. Inside 11. Vampire Circles 12. Melody Lane 13. Desert Ceremony 14. Withered Wand of Evil
Until next time music fans!
Review and Photography by Jay Hawkins (JJ Photography UK)


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[Remember, keep sending in your questions to email@example.com with the subject line "W.A.W. Mailbox" and I will answer each Friday. I will use your first name ONLY unless you tell me explicitly that you'd like me to use your full name or you would prefer to remain anonymous. My comment policy also may mean one of your comments ends up in the mailbox. And I will even reply to replies of replies--that's how cool I am.]
All of today's questions are either emails or comment replies to previous mailboxes.
I totally answered the threesome question...more than once! Even though it's not about writing, it's not actually anyone's business (other than a very select few), and I don't need people who know me in real life trying to "reverse engineer" the details in a way that compromises the privacy of people in my life who don't want to be blogged about, I told you anyway. I am straight up awesome like that.
Super heroes have a lot of sex--even "behind enemy lines." The comic books don't even do it justice--not even the ones you have to be eighteen to buy. It's the seedy underbelly of the crime fighting world, and not a lot of people talk about it, but it's just one of those things that happens when you're dealing with ridiculously athletic bodies, spandex, outfits that reveal way too much cleavage, people who work out like twelve hours a day, and the occasional morally questionable super with the ability to control minds, kick out pheromones, or possess people.
Throw some Everclear in there and we pretty much drop our skivvies through the floor at the slightest provocation--and in Beefcake and The Ripatron's case, that's literally through the floor.
It squicks the norms to think about all that boning going on, so we don't exactly advertise it, but it's kind of the cost of doing business. So when you ask me if I've been in a threesome, I gotta tell you that except for some sweet Sarah McLaughlin love with a norm (who ended up being literally thrown under a bus by an invisible techno ninja--very sad) I don't have a lot of sex that isn't kinky group stuff.
Just how we roll when life is short, 90% of us are double jointed, and most of our powers have some sort of way in which they could apply to our tongues.
I guess I should just set my world in some SF/F world so that I don't have to do so much research.
Be careful. If you think your the sf/f fandom will go easy on you, think again. There is evil there that never sleeps. Think of those nerds asking the question about the ship design in Galaxy Quest or the Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons. These are the guys who point out that the Klingon translation for "attack" was different in Star Trek III from the Season 3 finale of The Next Generation (or whatever). These are some very, very picky peeps. If you have the slightest hiccup in internal consistency or plausible world building, you will be torn asunder. Not that this particular brand of nit picking is constructive criticism or difficult to ignore, but if you're worried about history wanks getting all up in your grill about inaccuracies, understand that these guys will be worse.
So you are always bragging about your Summa Cum Laude thing from SFSU. Which I looked up--you would need a 3.85. But I know you transfered [sic] from a community college and G.P.A. would include your community college grades. I don't mean to be insulting, but why didn't you go to a better school, like UC Berkeley or something?
Actually, I got a 3.93 or a 3.94--I'm actually not sure what it got up to with my last round of straight A's factored in.
Now THAT'S me bragging.
You're right though. I transferred out of Diablo Valley College (where I now teach) with a 3.8. I could have gone to UC if I wanted to.
I picked State because the ratio of students was better, the classes were taught by faculty instead of grad students (except for a few survey courses), and because they had a creative writing program at the undergrad level. (Berkeley does not.)
I very much wanted an education, and I didn't much care about getting a degree or how "prestigious" it was. State schools are less rigorous (I certainly wouldn't be Summa Cum Laude in UC Berkeley) which I knew meant they would be less regarded in the professional world, but they have a better reputation for teacher interaction, class sizes, and a flexible pedagogy. Plus, I wanted to take a Creative Writing undergrad program, and Berkeley didn't have one. UCs are more interested in whether their faculty are publishing and staying on the cutting edge of their respective fields and far less about how well they teach.
Since I wasn't trying to get into a cutting edge discipline, it wasn't really a tough choice.
I've been trying to establish a routine for writing for years now. Words per day. Hours at the page. I use a computer without wireless. I've taken all the games off of it. I even have my boyfriend take the remote controls with him to work so I can't turn on the TV. It doesn't matter. Nothing seems to work--I always end up distracted.
I assume you've rounded up all the usual suspects like writing at a time that is good for you, and writing at the same time every day. I can't stress enough how much these simple things can help.
First of all, you should probably ask yourself--honestly and pointedly--if you enjoy writing or if you enjoy the thought of being a writer. I hate to be the blunt splash of cold water on the face of your soul, but it kind of sounds like you might not really like writing that much, and if you would rather scrub the gunk out of the sink drain than write, maybe it's time to make some tough choices. We tend to do things we'd rather be doing first and postpone things we'd rather not be doing. Are you SURE you love writing? Really sure?
Because on my BEST days, I have to remind myself that other things exist besides writing and books. My eyes will be burning and my fingers aching and I will think, Okay, Chris. That's enough. Time for some Skyrim. Or put on Psych in the background and do the dishes.
However, if you really know that you really do actually like writing--or you're just not ready to let go yet--I have a couple of suggestions. You seem to have a couple of good steps in getting yourself physically away from distraction. Those are important. Maybe I can fill in a few other things that might help.
1) Here's what I do when distraction is really being a brat. I tell myself that I'm going to sit down and write one sentence. Just ONE sentence. And hey, if I want to go back to whatever it was after one sentence, that's fine, but I'm at least going to write that one. And when I'm done with that, I tell myself "how about the paragraph." I'll take a nice long break after the paragraph if I really want to, but why not just fire that out.
Usually I can squeeze out enough from this to get the ball rolling.
2) Go ahead and let yourself be distracted--but only in measured, staggered breaks. "In order to earn the right to watch Agents of SHIELD, I have to write one page." Breaks are actually very important--especially if you're in that place where you're not on a roll yet. (Once you're on a roll, fuck the breaks. Let loose the juice!)
Go ahead and give yourself a lot of breaks--one every fifteen minutes or so. Don't feel guilty about them. Take them with zest.
3) This one might seem counter-intuitive, but you have to relax. You can't let the stress from the fact that you're not working enough wind you up. Eat right. Eat BREAKFAST! Get a good night's sleep. Learn to unwind properly. (You might even START with your break and intersperse the writing between break times until you learn to do it the other way around.) Relax.... Stress puts our bodies in survival mode. If you are in survival mode, it is very hard to concentrate, and that goes doubly for trying to be creative.
4) Set a goal before you sit down. Know what you want to accomplish. The more specific the better. "Writing" is very vague. But "writing five pages" gives you something tangible.
5) Break your big goal down. (Maybe this should be 4b.) One mammoth goal is too hard. You will find a million things to do before "Write a novel" but "Write the first paragraph of my novel" is completely reasonable.
6) And this isn't exactly USDA approved, but almost every artist I know swears by it: caffeine. Don't treat your body like a bilge dump, but you can use it to your advantage if you're having trouble focusing. (I generally do not need it, but on my worst days, it helps.) Unless you have a specific neurological construction that is fairly rare among artists, you probably will concentrate better after a couple of cups of coffee. Might be worth a shot if everything else is failing. It won't take you long to learn exactly how much you need--for me it's two Starbucks Refreshers or a pot of tea. Once I drink that much caffeine Starship Concentration will be leaving space dock no matter how scatterbrained I was prior.
These should do the trick, and if they don't...tough question time.
Do you ever take breaks from your writing? I don't mean like little ten minute breaks, but like weeks off or something?
Sort of. I take time off from the OBLIGATION of writing. For example, I've taken a week or two off from the blog since I started it eighteen months ago. If I am working hard on some kind of fiction, I may give myself a day or two off of that.
But I don't really take time off from writing. I usually writing SOMETHING every day. It might just be a half hour into a personal journal, but I rarely skip a day completely. Writing is how I process and how I cope with a lot of stuff, so if I were to go more than a couple of days without , I would start to feel very ill at ease. I've actually dropped into severe depressions back when I was in school and too busy to write or before I established the habit of daily writing. Now I know better.
Oh my god! You were married?
You should do a selfie--complete with "ironic" duck lips. Do IT!!!!
I'm going to hate myself in the morning....


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West Nile Virus's Effects on Grouse and Woodcock in the Lake States
By Steve Smith
Question: What's black and yellow. Goes, "Bang!" and you sleep on it? Answer: A school bus, a firecracker, and a bed.
When something bad happens, the chances are that there is more than one cause. And so it is with the last season's lower-than-expected ruffed grouse numbers. Unfortunately, many are laying the blame on one cause: The West Nile virus, and ignoring the poor hatching conditions that existed across much of grouse range.
I think we can all agree that when it comes to hunting ruffed grouse, the Lake States of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan are the real leaders. The bird populations, the number of resident and visiting hunters, the hours spent in the covers – all those are accurate measurements of the interest for this great bird in a great part of the country.
But, there is a shadow over the area right now in the form of that West Nile virus, a malady carried by mosquitoes. And while the bird populations didn't rise to the level that some states' drumming counts would have predicted, it was a wet and often cold nesting season, the weather turning bad about the time chicks were being hatched. Heavy rains, especially across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, did no favors to the young cohort that should have been in the coverts for us hunters come fall.
But, the greatest concern among many hunters is WNV, especially in light of the problems it is reportedly causing in Pennsylvania. So, to find out more about its effects on grouse, grouse dogs, and grouse hunters, we looked at information compiled by the DNRs of these Lake States. A caveat: right now, it's safe to say that way more is unknown than is known about the disease's effects. What follows is a press release put out by the three states in the spring.
Great Lakes states to collaborate on West Nile virus monitoring in ruffed grouse
A region-wide effort to better understand West Nile virus in ruffed grouse is getting underway in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
"In the Great Lakes Region, West Nile virus has been found in a small number of grouse with no known population-level effects at this point," said Charlotte Roy, grouse project leader with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. "Still, we want to let hunters know we're in the first steps of monitoring the virus, and we're planning to do some limited testing of birds this fall."
In 2017, West Nile virus was identified in more ruffed grouse in the Great Lakes states than in the past. The virus has been present in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin for about 17 years.
West Nile virus has been documented in more than 250 species of birds; however, not all birds develop clinical disease from the virus. Corvids (including blue jays and crows) are very prone to illness and death from the virus, while other species may be less so or may not develop symptoms at all.
Last year, Michigan had 12 positive cases of West Nile virus in ruffed grouse. Prior to 2017, only one positive ruffed grouse had been found in Michigan, and that was in 2002. The virus was confirmed in one ruffed grouse in the early 2000s in Minnesota, and is yet to have been detected in a Wisconsin ruffed grouse.
West Nile virus in ruffed grouse has become a topic of concern because of a recent study in Pennsylvania reporting that the virus may have contributed to population declines in areas of lower-quality habitat or where habitat was scarce.
Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin are in the early stages of planning to test samples from grouse this fall but at this point, there is no evidence that the virus is having a population-level impact in the Great Lakes region.
"By monitoring birds at a regional level, we will be able to gain a better understanding of this disease in ruffed grouse," said Kelly Straka, State Wildlife Veterinarian with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Ruffed grouse are hunted annually by around 300,000 hunters across the three states. Preliminary reports from 2017 hunters were mixed across the Great Lakes region. While the virus could impact brood survival of grouse, other factors such as cold, wet springs during nesting and hatching; drought conditions; or habitat decline can also affect birds seen and harvested.
Biologists in the region are optimistic that the great habitat for ruffed grouse in the Great Lakes states will help populations thrive despite the virus.
"We are looking to hunters and outdoor enthusiasts to help us in this endeavor," said Mark Witecha, upland wildlife ecologist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. "This is an excellent example of agencies and organizations taking a proactive approach and working together to expand our knowledge about WNV and ruffed grouse."
Recently, the Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Health Committee held their annual meeting in Traverse City, Michigan. WNV was one of the topics for state wildlife health leaders. Over 25 wildlife health professionals from 13 midwestern states and Canada were in attendance.
Individual agencies are currently reviewing ways they will be monitoring their grouse populations for WNV, and additional information will be shared when more details are determined.
Like humans, wild animals can be exposed to WNV and survive the exposure. Currently, there is no evidence of humans becoming infected by consuming properly cooked birds or by handling birds. Research has shown dogs can be infected but are very resistant to developing clinical signs of the disease and are considered an end host.
Michigan is the number one destination state for ruffed grouse and woodcock hunters, annually hosting thousands of non-resident hunters thanks to more than 10 million acres of public land and a 19-and-counting collection of GEMS, areas managed specifically for ruffed grouse and woodcock and open accessible only by foot.
According to Al Stewart, Wildlife Biologist and Upland Game Bird Specialist and Program Leader with the state's DNR, setter man, and avid grouse and woodcock hunter, in North America, West Nile virus has been detected in over 300 species of dead birds. Michigan has diagnosed the disease in 60 species of birds and six species of mammals.
"In 2017, Michigan detected the highest number of West Nile virus positive birds and from the greatest number of counties since the virus entered the state in 2001. In 2002 a ruffed grouse was diagnosed with WNV, but we didn't see another case of the disease until 2017. It is possible that West Nile virus could have contributed to the poor hunting season of 2017, but there were other factors, such as severe weather and the resultant loss of nests and chicks that likely had a greater impact on the population."
When asked about the effects on woodcock, Stewart responded: "We diagnosed West Nile virus in a single woodcock from the Upper Peninsula in 2017. Since 2002, this is the only woodcock that we have received that was tested for the disease.
As far as a "cure?" Stewart said: "From the West Nile virus/mosquito standpoint, there is little that realistically can be done to prevent WNV in avian species. It is possible to spray to kill the mosquito vector [carrier] or drain areas to alter the breeding habitat of the mosquito, but on a large scale these practices are not possible."
Now, some general Q & A of special interest to those of us who stumble our way through the autumn clearcuts.
I sent some questions of interest to wingshooters to Tom Cooley, Wildlife Pathologist, and Dr. Kelly Straka, Wildlife Veterinarian of the Michigan DNR.
Can dogs become infected with West Nile virus?
Research has shown that dogs can be infected with the West Nile virus, but they are very resistant to developing clinical signs of the disease. There are no studies that we know of that have shown that infection can occur via a mosquito bite or by consuming an infected bird. Even if they were infected via one of these routes, because dogs are resistant to the virus, they will not display clinical signs. Dogs are considered to be a dead-end host as they do not appear to be a source of further infection.
Is there any protection available for dogs against WNV?
There is not a West Nile virus vaccine that has been licensed for use in dogs. Because dogs are very resistant to the virus, a vaccination would not be warranted regardless.
What about humans?
The most likely route of a human exposure/infection would be via the bite of an infected mosquito. Transmission can also occur via blood transfusion, organ transplant, and from a mother to a child during pregnancy, delivery, and breast feeding. Most human infections are asymptomatic (80 percent), although one in five individuals may develop moderate symptoms such as a fever, headache, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, and 1 in 150 may develop serious symptoms such as an encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the membrane surrounding the brain and the spinal cord).
Even though West Nile virus cannot be spread by handling a dead infected grouse, it is recommended to wear rubber gloves when cleaning any harvested game. Infection with West Nile virus cannot occur by [eating] a grouse that may have West Nile virus; but as a precaution, proper food safety guidelines indicate that avian species should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. If a grouse is suspected of being sick, the recommendation would be to not consume it.
How can you tell if a grouse is infected?
Visually you may not be able to determine a West Nile virus positive bird. In Michigan, the ruffed grouse confirmed to be West Nile virus positive in 2017 varied in their physical condition from poor to very good. Grouse that were examined [in Michigan] had been found dead or were observed acting or flying in an abnormal manner at the time they were harvested.
How does WND affect grouse chick survival?
It would be assumed that a young bird would be more susceptible to a disease entity than an adult bird. There have been some research projects that have found that grouse chicks are very susceptible to the virus and can result in death. Research projects in grouse in this area of study have been limited.
What to Look For
Symptoms of WNV in Dogs
The chances of a dog becoming infected with WND are extremely rare, certainly more rare than a dog's getting sick from a tick bite, and likely about as rare as getting nailed by a rattlesnake.
But some signs to look for should you suspect a problem: An infected dog will demonstrate overall weakness and muscle ache as though experiencing lameness; he can run a fever; and glands – lymph nodes — in the neck area can become swollen. The dog may develop a rash, which can be hard to see on dogs that have a heavy coat.
There is a danger – again, exceedingly rare — especially in older animals or those whose immune system has been weakened, that the virus can cause encephalitis, which is an inflammation of the brain and can be fatal unless treated. WNV is diagnosed by a blood test.
Symptoms of WNV in Humans
About 80 percent of humans infected with WNV have no symptoms; but if symptoms present, they do so as body aches, headache, joint pains, possibly a rash, vomiting, and diarrhea. However, symptoms can get worse and may result in disorientation, high fever, loss of vision, numbness in extremities, and stiffness in the neck region.
Though fewer than one percent of humans infected experience such symptoms, those over 60 years old are at the greatest risk, as are those with underlying afflictions such as cancer or diabetes. The best suggestion: If mosquitoes are present where you are hunting, wear clothing that covers exposed skin, and lather on the bug repellant.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, from 2004 to 2016, there were more than 640,000 cases of vector-borne diseases, the 2016 incidence being triple that of 2004. Seventy-seven percent of that increase is attributed to bites from mosquitoes and ticks.


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er.. not sure what to talk about..
forget it I have some interesting facts that you might not wanna know hah
Iran people do not participate in "Marathons" - > TRUE
Birds cough - > TRUE
Juliet is Romeo's first love!! - > FALSE (remember Rosaline?)
A earthworm has one heart - > FALSE
ar.. not interesting
Clauses & Parts of Speech
Discuss noun clauses, adjective clauses, & adverb clauses. See how and when nouns, adjectives, & adverbs are used.
Moderator: Soon Mi
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Why is it that Iranians don't participate in marathons? Is it a religious reason? It's been awhile since I read Romeo and Juliet or saw it performed in a theater. Could you tell us who Rosaline was? I don't recall that character at all. Finally, I'll bite. How many hearts does an earthworm have? Where did you find your interesting facts?
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Hi, I just happened to read this post this morning...I too don't know who Rosaline is? Perhaps, you could tell us! I wonder if you are thinking of Roxanne, from Cyrano de Bergerace I think...Jason??
And, I didn't know about earthworms or Iranians and Marathons!!
And, I didn't know about earthworms or Iranians and Marathons!!
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Once bitten twice shy. This is what led India to have an eye in the sky. The Kargil misadventure by Pakistan convinced India that Islamabad could no longer be left unwatched. And, now Pakistan complains that India is keeping an eye on it, this time from the heavens.
Pakistan media is worried that India is taking rapid strides in space technology with robust investment. Responding to a query about what Pakistani media described as India's increasing space "surveillance capabilities", Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal, in his weekly address yesterday said that "such pursuits" should not be "directed towards a buildup or destabilizing military capabilities."
This can "negatively impact the regional strategic stability", he said while acknowledging that "all space technologies, including earth observation satellites, are inherently dual use and can be employed for both civilian and military purposes."
But, then, India is already keeping a watch on Pakistan for few years. This is believed to have prevented a recurrence of Kargil like situation along the borders.
Soon after partition, Pakistan Army mapped a plan to capture Kashmir. A war began and halted without pushing the Pakistan Army back to its territories. Another war happened in 1965 followed by one more six years later.
During the 1971 war, India came to know about the importance of space technology in devising military plans. The US had recalled its seventh naval fleet mid-way after realising that the USSR had sent its submarines in support of India. But Indian space programme was in nascent phase at that time.
Kargil incursion by Pakistan took India by agonizing surprise. India had no clue that Pakistani Army had come well inside its territories and stood there for months. This served as the final reminder and warning to India that Pakistan must be watched over.
In a few years' time, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched a series of satellites with capabilities that could be of significant use to the armed forces. CARTOSAT and RISAT came up to give India the capability to keep an eye on Pakistan's activities along the borders.
When India launched RISAT-1 in 2012, the American space technology experts said that this remote sensing satellite had radar reconnaissance imaging capability that was comparable to that of the most modern versions of the high-flying U-2 spy plane operated by the US Air Force.
With the launch of Cartosat 2E+ in June last year, India considerably enhanced its remote sensing capabilities in space. Cartosat 2E+ was dubbed by many as India's "eye in the sky".
The ISRO today launched its 100th satellite as the PSLV C40 placed 31 satellites from seven countries – including three Indian – across two orbits. The main payload of the PSLV C40 today was the fourth satellite of Cartosat 2 series.
With this, the total number of ISRO satellites that can be used for military purposes has gone up to 14. These satellites have surveillance and mapping capabilities and can be used to keep an eye on enemies along the land and sea borders. And, this is exactly why Pakistan feels uncomfortable with the ISRO's latest stride in space