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Playnery, a San Jose, CA- ans Seoul, Korea-based based development studio for high-end quality games and cross-platform game engine technology, closed its $2.8m Series B round of financing.
The round was led by JAFCO Asia.
The company, which had already raised $3.8m in Series A funding from Softbank Ventures, Qualcomm Ventures and Stonebridge Capital, intends to use the funds to accelerate its game development and to publish its first title – Mother of Myth – in 2014.
Established in October 2011 by Henry Park, chief executive officer, Playnery is currently focused on developing high-end 3D mobile games. Its first title – Mother of Myth – is an action role-playing game developed for smartphones, tablets, and web browsers.
The company has recently partnered with an online gaming corporation to publish the game on mobile platforms in Korea, Japan, Taiwan and China.


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If you don't know how to clean your garbage disposal, this could happen to you…
The other day I noticed a funky smell in the kitchen. At first, I thought it was the trash… but the closer to the sink I got, the worse the smell got. Then I realized — it was the garbage disposal!
I've heard people say "you shouldn't need to clean your garbage disposal because it's self-cleaning."
Just because it's supposed to chop everything you put in there into tiny shards and wash it away like magic doesn't mean it actually does that. Tiny particles get left behind, causing things to get a little gunky — and smelly.
So here's how you clean your garbage disposal.
Clean Your Garbage Disposal
First, run hot water down the disposal for about 30 seconds. This will help loosen all the slimy bits. While the water runs, run the disposal for about 15 seconds, then turn off both the disposal and water.
If you've been reading my blog for long enough, you know how much I love our homemade citrus vinegar cleaner! Any time we have citrus fruit that is about to go bad, we cut it up and steep it in vinegar. This particular batch of grapefruit vinegar was ready to be poured off at the right time. I removed the rubber drain cover, and…
EW. Just ew. I sprayed it with cleaner and scrubbed it up good.
Next, I put in the grapefruit chunks. Laden with vinegar, they'll act as scrubbers when you clean your garbage disposal. Replace the drain cover, turn on the cold water, and pulse the disposal a few times to help break the chunks up without putting too much constant stress on the disposal. After 6-8 pulses, turn the disposal on and let it eat the rest of the chunks of grapefruit (or whatever citrus fruit you may be using).
Lastly, remove the drain cover again, put a handful of ice in the disposal, and sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Replace the drain cover, turn on the cold water and let 'er rip! The ice will remove little bits of leftover citrus while the baking soda reacts with any vinegar residue to finish the cleaning and help deodorize the disposal.
Some sites will tell you to follow up with bleach, but I don't think bleach is meant for kitchen drains. Use it at your own risk.
Maintain Your Garbage Disposal
- Never put anything into your garbage disposal that isn't biodegradable.
- Never put fibrous materials into your disposal (like onion skins, corn husks, or celery stalks). Likewise, never put peelings in the disposal (potato, carrot, etc). They may tangle and bind the blades.
- Never put any kind of oil, grease or fat in the disposal. They can accumulate, slow down the motor, and cause the drain to clog.
- Eggshells, small fish & chicken bones are good for the disposal – they help scrape loose any stuck-on gunk.
- Run your disposal 15 seconds longer after the grinding stops, and run the water an additional 30 seconds. This will ensure everything has been ground down and washed away as much as possible.
- Once a week, flush your disposal. Plug the disposal side of the sink with a stopper, fill half way with warm water and add some dish soap. Turn on the water, unplug the drain and turn on the disposal to let the warm soapy water flush the disposal of loose particles of food. (This will help keep down the gunk and smell, too.)

subset: commoncrawl


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Intellect vs Emotion
I was in Google Reader recently, scanning down older posts on a blog I recently added there. I came across Genre Don't Want No Respect at the DeepGenre blog. I think there are some valid points in there, and I'm going ignore the somewhat condescending tone of the way she refers to the rise of "sex fantasy" (assuming she means the rise of paranormal erotic romance). That isn't what got me. It was the following paragraph.
But instead of actively seeking out such readers, it sometimes seems that genre publishing is taking the opposite direction. I see a significant increase recently in romantic fantasy, in kinky sex fantasy, the kind of stuff clearly intended to engage the limbic system rather than the brain's critical and analytical faculties. And in so-called science fiction, there is the sort of military SF that is meant to engage the reader's primitive hindbrain in identifying with the good guys and vicariously pounding the shit out of the bad guys/evil aliens. It is not that I believe every work has to be serious or difficult to read. I, too, will often read for escape and mere entertainment. But when readers' preference for the mindless stuff overwhelms their appreciation for more serious genre works, when the serious stuff doesn't sell while the mindless stuff gets snatched up off the shelf, the consequence is the dumbing-down of the genre, creating a marketplace in which books for serious readers can not survive.
When she talks about fiction that appeals to "critical and analytical faculties" vs. the stuff that engages the "primitive hind brain"/"limbic system", she's setting up a Brainy/Brainless divide. Serious vs Mindless. While that's one way to split them up, I think it shows bias and privileges the intellectual in a way that shows a lack of appreciation/understanding for why people read the stuff she calls "mindless."
I don't think it's Mind/Mindless. I think that if you're going to split it up, Mind/Emotion is a more accurate way to go. Granted, I'm speaking as a romance fan, and as someone who doesn't tend to turn to fiction for intellectual stimulation at this point in my life. Right now, when I pick up a book, it's more important to me that it engage my emotions. I think there are extremes at both ends (dry, emotionless, brain bending exercises in high, literary technique and drippy, brainless melodramatic fluff). All emotion and all intellect...well, there are certainly people who prefer both.
And, sadly for people who prefer the former, the latter is always going to sell better because frankly yes, a lot of people don't want intellectual stimulation, period, let alone from their reading material. And the number of people who will take their emotion without brains will always outnumber the reverse. And when you're in the hands of a capable craftsman, reading a story designed to appeal primarily to emotion (whether that's horror, lust, love, sadness, violence or what have you) then yeah, you can afford to disengage your brain somewhat as long as your emotions are engaged, because that's what you came there to do.
Since the emotionally driven market is bigger...well, publishers are going to publish more of what people buy more of, which means a marketplace crammed full of lusty, romantic, brooding vampires and the spunky heroines who fall for them and have lots and lots of sex.
And when the volume of something goes up, the percentage of quality stuff in that category doesn't necessarily increase. And if there aren't enough writers out there who can write GOOD lusty, romantic vampire novels, I don't think most publishers are going to let that stop them. They're going to snap up all the mediocre ones as well. And since the primary goal of those books is going to be to appeal to the emotions of the readers...whether or not they've got "intelligent" and/or "critical faculty engaging" plot lines or prose that makes you work for it a little...the literary quality isn't a top priority. Lusty and romantic and (above all) emotionally compelling is.
I don't think this is an excuse for publishing crap. The excuse for publishing crap is money, obviously, but I think that utter crap is published on both sides of this (artificial) fence. I agree with someone in the blogosphere who's name escapes me at the moment (feel free to let me know in comments who originated this idea) that it's not "literary" vs "genre". "Literary" is a genre, one with its own set of customs just like Science Fiction and Mystery and (yes) Romance.
And while I understand that it's frustrating to have other Authors dis your genre and say, "I don't want to be with *sniff* those books," it's also frustrating to hear someone refer to a genre you enjoy.. hell, a whole way of reading you enjoy and dismiss it as stupid.
Because I don't think that reading for intellectual stimulation is any more noble or worthy or good than reading for emotional stimulation. And neither exists in a vacuum. Any book, even the most melodramatic, crappily written, cliche piece of category dreck has to engage your intellect a little. There are words and sentences and chapters involved. Reading forces you to think, even if it's just a little, to turn the letters on the page into images that engage that dirty, dirty lizard brain. And (while I have less experience with crappy literary fiction) I assume there's usually a little emotion involved in the most dry, cerebral literary exercises (even if that's just ennui or faint disappointment at man's inhumanity to man).
But only hardcore fans of either side (intellect/emotion) are going to enjoy the emotionless brain-benders and brainless heartstring-tuggers. Most writers, I think, are going for some combination of both. Mystery writers and SF writers might privilege a really good workout for the brain and Romance and Thriller writers might privilege a roller coaster of emotions, but I don't think that makes Mystery fans heartless or Romance readers stupid. I think Mystery readers may be more tolerant of books that don't bother much with the emotional component but really made them think hard, and Romance fans are going to be more forgiving of a book that didn't make them think hard, but that perfectly and intensely evoked the feeling of that intense, heart-pounding, indescribable emotion of falling madly in love.
I'm not saying there aren't a lot of crappily written romances out there, I've got plenty of them on my bookshelf. I'm not saying that intellectually lazy, cliche-ridden writing is to be preferred either. I would LOVE to read more smart, daring writing that ALSO engages my genre buttons, but at this point in my life, when I pick up a book, I want (besides a basic level of competence in writing) to have my emotions skillfully engaged and manipulated. I want my writing to make me feel, so, all else being equal, skillful genre-button pushing is going to get my genre $.
I'd also like it to make me think, sure. But that's not the primary reason I'm buying books at the moment. Frankly, I think enough at my job. It's not that I want to turn brain off, though sometimes, that is what I'm looking for. I don't think there's anything wrong with that, and it sure as heck doesn't make me stupid or intellectually lazy. It does mean that sometimes, it's not my brain that needs a work out, it's my emotions.
And while (maybe, just maybe) it takes a lower level of writerly skill to adequately engage a reader's emotions, than it does to, say, adequately engage a reader's intellect (just go with me for a moment), skillfully running me through the emotional ringer is hella hard to do, and I don't think it's as easy as some people on the "literature rocks, genre is crap" side of the fence would make it out to be. Granted, they also might say it's a less worthy pursuit.
Erotica, Erotic Romance, weepy Women's Fiction, what have you...and yeah, okay, sometimes they engage my lizard brain more actively than my cerebral cortex. But you know what? I'm both. I'm a smart girl. I'm also, sometimes, a horny girl. I'm a romantic girl. I have a mind and a heart, I have a synapses and adrenaline. And sometimes, it's the latter I'm interested delivering that vicarious experience to.
Because that's what fiction does, it lets me think and feel things without having to experience them myself. It lets me think and feel things I never could experience myself. It expands my mental and emotional horizons. Genre fiction, particularly the one I'm most into at the moment (erotic romance) does tend to hold emotion as more important than intellect. Not to its exclusion, not nearly as much as the smarty-pants romance detractors who think it's all bodice ripping and goo would have you think, but the fact is, erotic romance's primary purpose isn't to engage your brain. A smart, intricately plotted but emotionally dry and unarousing erotic romance is a failure as an erotic romance.
And maybe it might make a great Science Fiction novel. But without really working the reader's emotions - the romantic and erotic ones she or he bought that particular genre (erotic romance) to feel - the intellectually rigorous erotic romance will fail as an erotic romance. And, stay with me here, if the numbers that romance novels and thrillers and tearjerkers and all emotion-based genres do is any indication, there are simply more readers out there buying to fulfill emotional needs than there are readers looking to fulfill intellectual needs.
Not that most people are going to actively think about that at the counter but...money talks. Numbers talk.
I think American Idol is the dumbest fucking show I've ever seen. I'm sorry. It grates on my nerves. But, no one who knows a lick about television will deny that it is a ratings juggernaut. My theory as to why? It shamelessly and skillfully manipulates a certain set of emotions that a large number of Americans seem to like. I? Don't give a crap about Tami Lou's dreams of stardom and heartwarming tale of overcoming adversity. It's really, really, really dumb. But. I will not for a second deny that it's very, very good at what it does. And what it does sells. Because with what it's selling, it's not about smart. It's about feeling.
I'm sure there are some people who watch AI ironically, but I think that most fans generally like it. And they don't watch it because it's dumb. They don't go, "All my other options are too hard, my brain can't take it, I must turn my brain off now, thank god AI is so stupid." They watch it because it's really, really good at the emotional stuff, so good that they don't care about how smart it is.
You look at other ratings powerhouses, 24, Grey's Anatomy. Both really make you feel. 24 happens to be smart too. Grey's Anatomy, which I enjoy, is kind of dumb sometimes. It shamelessly uses current emo-pop to slather emotion onto emotional scenes. Sometimes, stuff that's really emotionally compelling can be really smart too. But the sad fact is, it doesn't have to be.
The sad fact is, there are more people who buy to please their hearts/limbic systems first than there are people who buy to satisfy their need for intellectual stimulation. Horror, Action, Romance. Death, violence, love. Sprinkle a little sex in and hello lizard brain, hello $100 million dollar opening weekend. Same goes for books, if the Romance share of the market is any indication. If the success of Chicken Soup for the Soul is indication. (I'm sorry, this is in the same category as AI for me, since it stimulates a type of emotion I find...annoying). Some people point to this fact and say it's the a sign of the end times, creatively and it'll be WWF and Soap Operas as far as the eye can see in a few years.
And some people might look at this and see it as a march from intelligence. I don't see it that way. It's prioritizing emotion. It's saying as a fan, "Look, this is my thing. You can make it smart or dumb, but if you make it really, really heartwarming/hot/scary/hair-raising, I'm there. I will give you my money. I will preorder your books. I will watch Titanic sixteen freaking times with my girlfriend! *squeal*."
So what do you do if you're a more serious writer? If what you do is more about making the mind do some work? Ms. Tilton suggests
More serious readers, that's what I think genre fiction needs: readers who don't mind doing some work, readers who can appreciate the stuff that a writer puts into her work below the surface story, the stuff like symbol and metaphor and allusions, complex sentence structure, or techniques like Priest's unreliable narrator.
Those readers are out there. There are readers who care more about "the serious stuff below the surface story" and prioritize that over the emotional impact. There are readers who enjoy that exclusively and don't want emotion all over their literary allusions and complex sentence structure. But I'm sorry, there are WHOLE lot more who read for thrills or arousal or romance or horror first, and literary merit second.
There are always going to be more readers who read for emotion, and I think most of don't mind symbol and metaphor and complex sentence structure. But their number one priority is emotional impact. And when she says "readers' preference for the mindless stuff overwhelms their appreciation for more serious genre works, when the serious stuff doesn't sell while the mindless stuff gets snatched up off the shelf, the consequence is the dumbing-down of the genre, creating a marketplace in which books for serious readers can not survive." she's starting from a flawed premise, I think. I don't think hoards prefer stupid, I think they prefer emotion. And if "serious genre works" in question are serious with their attention to intellectual and literary rigor yet lack the emotional impact that the reader-at-large goes to the bookstore to find, then no. They're not going to get a share of the "emotion-first" buyers.
But you can't say, "Forget about the reason you came here, forget about whether or not it makes you feel, you should care about the skill with which I crafted my multi-layered literary allusions." Not if you're writing in a genre with those emotional requirements, not if you want find that audience and get them to open their wallets for you.
I think if you want to get that audience, you can't say, "Forget about your mindless escapist drivel, stop being stupid and come appreciate my finely crafted metaphor." You have to bring the what they want into that finely crafted metaphor. Writing that best selling genre trash that stinks so bad it scares the "good" writers off your genre isn't a question of turning off your intelligence, it's a question of developing the ability to skillfully play with their emotions, which is harder than it looks. Successfully hitting a genre's emotional buttons is a different skill set than complex sentence structure and multi-layered allusions and writing at a college level. Not an opposite skill set, just a different one.
You want a bigger audience for your book? There are plenty of factors, but there are whole herds of readers out there in the genre pens, just itching for a book that's just SO hot/heartwarming/horrific/thrilling. And they don't care if it's good or bad, they just want it really, really thrilling. They'll read smart, complex and multilayered, but it has to be thrilling.
If emotions aren't your thing, if you prefer the intellectual over the emotional in the fiction you read or write, that doesn't make you a heartless robot. And chances are, some of the really incredibly groundbreaking, prize-winning, "good" writing out there - the kind the readers mentioned in the first quote get a literary boner for - some of that intelligent, "quality" fiction is also super-emotionally compelling. But some of it isn't. That's not what it's going for, that's not the goal. And that's fine, and it can still be very, very smart and very good. And people who know what they're talking about will talk highly of it.
But it's never, ever going to sell as well as stuff that's smart AND emotionally compelling. And, sadly, it's probably going to drown in a sea of the stuff that is brain-hurtingly stupid and mind-numbingly formulaic but emotionally compelling.
You want to write smart stories? Cool. You will automatically appeal to the (unfortunately) smaller herd that reads for smart/literary/quality/complex allusion kinda stuff.
You want them to find a larger audience? You want them to be read widely? You want access to the genre herd? The herd wants emotion. The herd is a bunch of sappy, horny, schmaltzy, bored, angry, frustrated, romantic, thrill-seeking, guys and girls who will pick up a book, any book, that pushes their particular genre button well. They'll happily tolerate dumb, but I'm pretty sure they'll also tolerate smart if it comes along with a skillful push of their emotional button.
Asking the herd to be smarter, or be more appreciative of literary quality or whatever...is pointless. People like what they like. People buy what they like, and good portion of the ones who still bother to read fiction these days are reading for emotion. Bring them that, and I think they'll eat the intellectual stuff right along with it. Maybe even learn to appreciate it.
But as one of that herd, as someone who'll pick a decent, hot, fun romance novel for my ride on the commute over a more intellectually challenging "literary" novel every time, I'm slightly insulted by the implication that I pick the hot, entertaining romance because it's dumb and easy to read. I'd love to read a hot, entertaining romance that also has all that stuff for "serious" readers she mentioned in the first quote.
But. When I go into a bookstore, into my preferred genre aisle and spend my genre-herd dollar, I need you to fulfill the genre/emotional/limbic system needs I came here to fill. You will not change the nature of the genre herd beast. And you will not get the beast's dollar unless you tickle my lizard brain too. You don't have to make it dumb! You don't have to make it bad. You don't have to make it the opposite of literary quality. You have to also skillfully push whatever that emotionally-driven genre's button happens to be. And it can be harder than it looks. And it has nothing at all to do with complex sentence structure.
And as a member of the genre herd, as a fan of the genre, I'm always vaguely insulted by the implication that if only I'd reengage my brain and set aside my childish things, my mindless entertainment, I'd be able to appreciate the big girl books with the big girl words and the big girl themes. And the implication that those who prefer the average escapist entertainment to the average Booker Prize winner are somehow dumber. You know what? I am capable of appreciating literary merit. I've got the B.A.. I think it's tacky to play dueling standardized test scores, but I usually end up winning. I'm a smart girl. I don't prefer dumb entertainment, and I don't think my genre-herd buddies do either. Not most of them, not even the dumb ones.
What we prefer is emotion. We're not asking you to prefer it or to make your book any less literary, I think. But to appeal to us (and there are more of us than there are of you), to get our almighty dollar you must appeal to our emotions and you must do it skillfully, intensely, and within the boundaries of our genre. You need to have a romance central to the plot and happy ending in Romance. Do that effectively and evoke our emotions intensely and you are more than welcome to our 40% share of the paperback market. And feel free to be as smart as you want as long as as you give my emotions a vigorous workout in the meantime.
We really, really do want more smart people, more smart writing, more daring writing here in romance, but when we're buying as romance readers (or whatever genre) you have to come to us. You need to stop thinking of us as mindless-consumers and start thinking of us as emotionally-driven consumers, I think. When we're in this mode and spending a whole lot of money on a whole lot of disappointing crap looking to satisfy this particular emotional need, we're not looking for dumb. We're just not looking for smart. There's a subtle but distinct difference.
Value that need as highly as we do, or at least satisfy it real good, and we can take just about all the smart you can muster. But there will always, always, always be more emotion-driven purchases than there are intellectually-driven ones.
I don't think you need to sell out or dumb down your product to appeal to this base; I don't believe this is a zero-sum game. And I do think there's a place for intellectually compelling fiction that isn't also emotionally compelling. And I'm sure really good examples of dry, intellectually-compelling prose makes someone money. It's got its place.
I just think that if the "intellectual literary purist-peanut butter" fans could come to appreciate and incorporate the "emotional genre herd beast-chocolate" - rather than bemoaning its non-peanut-butterness and how it's nothing but nutrition-less empty calorie sugar that's not nearly as full of vitamins and protein and natural goodness as their more worthy, nutritious peanut butter - that they'd discover that chocolate and peanut butter can work well together. That a whole lot of chocolate fans might really like some peanut butter in their chocolate. And that by virtue of the fact that people are willing to spend a whole lot more $ on chocolate, if they add a healthy dollop of it to their peanut butter, they'll sell a whole lot more peanut butter.
Both can be enjoyed separately, sure. But say "screw that candy bullshit, why can't more of you stupid candy lovers stop rotting your teeth and come enjoy my all natural organic peanut butter?" They're likely to respond by saying, "Screw you, this is my dessert, I'm eating my M+Ms." You're welcome to sell your organic peanut butter at the health food store. But if you put it inside a thin shell of high quality chocolate, the dessert crowd will eat it by the truckload and say, "WOW, that was a really awesome chocolate and check out that peanut butter," and you can laugh your organic peanut grinding ass all the the way to the bank.
But the trick is, you've got to learn how to make some really good chocolate, and believe it or not, that's harder than it looks. You're free to dismiss the genre-herd as brainless thrill seekers, but the best selling crap you line your birdcage with is probably satisfying some need, even if that isn't a need for high quality, literary prose. If you come to us, if you find a way to satisfy that particular emotional need with your "more intelligent writing", we genre fans will be SO happy to welcome you with our $. I will, anyway. I don't mind if my chocolate is nutritious, it just has to be good chocolate.
I'm not saying smart prose is always dry prose. That would be as silly as saying exciting prose is always stupid prose. I'm saying, smart isn't the end all and be all of fiction. And I'm saying that it's the emotion that's selling with the so-called crappy escapist genre fiction that the beast consumes by the truckload, not the stupidity.


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Translating from Romaine to English -- 2
Budget $30-250 USD
I need a translator from Moldovain to English,
On site for two day in Moldova ,
Technical project ( Purchase of a machine)
3 freelancers are bidding on average $185 for this job
Hello. do you need something translated from Romanian to English? Or a translator to join you while you travell to Moldavia?
$222 USD in 1 day
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Life is like licking honey off a thorn... God promises a safe landing - but not necessarily a calm passage...
Thursday, June 29, 2006
What I Envy About Others....
No wonder blogs can bring negative impact to others and some can even cause depression. I'm quite jealous with other ppl's life. AL gets to go out with her friends practically everyday, spinning in her new car. Me leh... busy working and trying to hit my target. It makes me wonder why am I so motivated by money. As if money can buy everything! But then life goes on...
Janice is so lucky to be able to work yet hang out with friends. I'm quite disappointed that I didn't get to hang out more often with Janice and Karen. Scared of losing both of them as best friends if I continue not to make time to hang out with them. Then again, it makes me think... if anything happens to me, will my friends be by my side or I'll be left all alone?
Charng has the opportunity to splurge on her hair... RM500++ just for hairdo? I can't even afford a RM8 hair cut. Not to say can't afford but I'm stingy coz I earn every single sen through sweat and bruises. It's really hard earn cold cash. To spend away like that is a sin. I'm back to myself again and I'm not planning to go shopping anymore. I've never enjoy shopping but don't know what got to me a few months back to shop like nobody's business.
So many of them go clubbing like HC and Lin. Am I cut out to be that kinda person. I don't think so. And I rate myself as not being sociable at all.... *Sigh*. Clubbing is not my choice of activity to carry out. Drink away my hard earned money? I can't find myself doing that... so why am I complaining?
Abi, Irene, Pao, Li Yuin and so many of them get to study overseas and in the mean time tour in neighbouring countries... I'm wondering when can I do that. Tour the whole world and not to worry about money.... not to worry whether my business will survive the number of days I chose to close. I really envy their abilities to be able to study overseas and to travel.
Some friends said that I'm lucky coz' I don't have to work for people. And I am my own boss. Actually working for myself is very hard. Better work in offices where you get paid at the end of the month by hook or by crook. Don't have to care whether the overhead is too much to bear or whether business is good or bad. Just work 8 hours and go home. I work morning, cook in the afternoon... now want to cook also can't find the time. Extra time is used for sales... early evening got classes usually from 4pm I'll be busy straight up till 10pm. If there's anymore appointment it'll from 11pm until 1am.
This is not human work! More to a robot. I'm constantly reminding myself not to complain. But just need to vent out my frustrations. Shouldn't have jumped into working life so early. Looks like I'm stuck to it. Nowhere to run! Can't imagine myself working for people. I can't take orders from people... don't like to work for people.
I'm crapping a lot o'er here. Quite frustrated with life. Sometimes feel like dying earlier. Like exchanging life with another person who finds a reason to live yet couldn't make it due to health problems.
What Pissed Me Off!
The thing is I'm not even selling anything! Fucking idiot! If can't keep to appointments then don't make appointments... like being forced to make it. AARRGGHHH!!! I HATE THEM! Either keep to appointments or can just rudely say, "Go away! I don't have the time to meet the ikan bilis! I only deal with big shots!"
AARRRGHHH!! Even my upline can't keep to his appointment. I wonder whether these people go to school last time and learn about the value of being truthful and keeping to their on words. So far, right until this very moment, the ratio of truthful people to untruthful people is 50:1. Damn all of you who are like that!
Or should I correct myself by saying that, "This is life! Nobody will keep to their words, so what's the big deal?"
Maybe I the one left who really try to be punctual all the time and keep to my words! Stupid me! Vulgarities are at the binge of my lips! I feel like breaking people's necks right now! Burn their tongue for talking for the sake of talking only. Big shots feel that they are too big and too busy to meet anybody. Why not try to flash back to their own life a decade or two ago? I believe that mostly started from a humble beginning. Many started from scratch to build their empires. But why after being successful, this is how they treat people. Maybe that's the treatment they got last time.
Okay.. I'm not that angry anymore. So look at a more positive angle. I get to learn about people's behaviour and I don't have to study that in university. I get first hand training on how to deal with people. I can gladly announce that I'm a graduate from University of Hard Knocks in finance management, business management, mass communication and human behaviour.
Eh, nobody attends my convocation. Ooppss! Haven't finish studying.. Ish!! Have to study until I decided to stop! I just hope that I won't turn out to be like them when I consider myself successful....
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Happy Mother's Day - 14th May 2006
Jurin is situated next to Siriwan Restaurant. My sis wanted to go to Siriwan but she warned me that she had ate until she cried because the food was just too spicy. I told myself if she ate until she cried, I think my whole body will blow up like a volcano. Therefore, the last decision was to go to the Japanese Restaurant. I got to make the decision because I'm paying for the food. Hehehe! Sis said she doesn't really fancy Japanese food but in the end she ordered a really exquisite and expensive dish.
The salmon sushi. Raw salmon. Not cooked. Mom's face turned green. She was forced to eat the first piece then she willingly took the second piece, the third and it went on and on. Mom wanted to ask for more but we ordered a few more dishes too. The taste of this sushi was just too luscious (I'm not talking about sexually attractive women). Luscious means having a pleasing rich, sweet taste; its delectable, mouth-watering, scrumptious, scrummy and YUMMY! I have used all the adjectives to describe how delicious the dish was.
Some people cannot stand the smell of raw salmon so this dish comes with that green stuff you can see at the corner of the serving box. But my crazy sis asked for more and she finished up the whole plate of that green chlorophyll....
Oh!! It's not chlorophyll, not cream for cake's topping but wasabi. From the Oxford Dictionary, wasabi is a Japanese plant with a thick green root which tastes like strong horseradish and is used in cookery. Ugh! The gas ran right up the nose and I can't find words to describe the experience of having to taste wasabi. I wonder how my sis can coat her sushi in this green stuff. She even licked her chopsticks with wasabi dipping. ARGH!
The dish on the left was solely made of patotoes which were flown in from Japan. In fact all the meat, seafood and ingredients were specially flown in from Japan. That deep-fried patotoes had very fine texture which melted in your mouth once combined with amylase enzyme. Very filling. I was half full when the third dish was served. It was soft-shelled crabs. Well, the third dish wasn't that mouth-watering coz' it was just too salty. I don't really like food with too much salt used in the cooking.
The fourth dish was the best to me... (drum rolls) TA - DA!
Bean curd with soy sauce!
I must admit that lately I've fallen in love with bean curd. I just don't know why. I used to hate bean curd... tau kua.... tau hu.... I hate all of them but now I'm just so crazy over them. I can't help but order a dish of bean curd whenever I eat out.... and obviously I must have squid or prawns. Used to love chicken meat but don't find the kick anymore.
We were all too full to move but still have to get up and walked to the car. Bill please, waitress! Aaaahhhh!! All of practically screamed out loud when another dish came. None of us remembered that mom ordered something else just to try out. That dish was just too big for us to consume....
That bowl of noodles tasted horrible, disgusting and YUCKY! The broad noodles tasted like flour and flour and so much rice flour. The soup.... ish! Tepuk dahi! I also know how to prepare. I can even teach all of you how to prepare. Buy a packet of Maggi Mi, take the packet containing the chicken flavour for the soup and then YES!(#*)&)(@#$^*@ You got that that right. It tasted exactly like the Maggi Chicken Flavoured Noodle.
In conclusion, all of us had a hearty meal and I'm rushing off to Mobile Money meeting. Have to go home! Can move or cannot move also must lift up that heavy butt of mine.
Friday, June 02, 2006
Crazy over Japanese Food
First impression is very important. The restaurant is very clean and everything is well arranged.
Very unique pair of chopsticks and also icy cold towels.... It's the first time I stepped my foot into a Japanese restaurant... when I opened the menu my eyes nearly popped out! The price for teppanyaki is just too high.... that's to my opinion but looks like time is changing fast.... nowadays nobody will complain eventhough a bowl of noodle costs RM5... what not teppanyaki with a few slices of fish, squid and prawn which cost at least RM45... everybody is enjoying themselves with the delicious dishes served..
I don't know how you call this dish... a welcoming dish or to warm up your mouth while waiting for the main dish to come. That was a wonderful small dish of radish which tasted both sweet and salty, covering the bitterness... very well done!
That platter of fried squid with the Japanese brewed soy sauce was just superb. I have never tasted anything so mouth-watering before. Dip with butter or was that mayonnaise.. Damn! I can't remember. I just wanted to have more of the squid but cholesterol very high. The strips of cabbage tasted wonderful as well with that special sauce. I will not complain about the price if they charged me RM100 for that squid I'll keep my mouth shut and pay them.
WooooHHHOOOOOooo!!!! A whole plate of deep-fried seafood. There were huge prawns, fish fillet, crab meat sticks and even slices of deep-fried cucumbers... eh! Since when cucumbers are classified under seafood... Never mind as long as I have big prawns to eat, add a few slices of cucumbers should be okay. OoohhhH! That bowl of soy sauce tasted so delicious. It's not too salty and I can even drink it until it's dry. Jakun! I really salute the Japanese, they can have such small plates of everything yet they can be full. If really Japanese in Japan have such small servings I think I won't be working instead I'll be eating my hearts out or even better I might even eat until my pockets are empty... then wash dishes for the restaurant. Hahaha! Soba Yoshi, you're in my list of great dishes and I'm recommending it to every Japanese food lover!
Nasi Kandar
Pelita Nasi Kandar. Not at all my favourite spot but it just so happen that I was in Tesco and I'm meeting my upline for World Wellness Network and also my downline in Mobile Money. Usually I prefer to go to Original Kayu Nasi Kandar next to Vistana Hotel. The honey chicken tastes superb o'er there. So, I just had this for dinner...
"Murtabak ayam satu!" Mahalnya... RM3 satu keping... banyak bawang, tulang ayam pun dimasukkan sekali... nasib baik tidak tercekik.... Kuah pun kurang sedap.... keras pula tu! Ish! Ish! Ish! Yang menghairankan ialah kebanyakan restoran nasi kandar dikunjungi oleh kaum Cina..... Orang Cina pandai makan, ya.....


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Registration for Brussels Design September 2018.
You have a nice project to propose for this year's Design Festival ?
Register your event or exhibition here before 01.05.2018 and we will contact you if your project has been selected.
Please take a look at the price and the conditions to participate


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Aboriginal Story
More than 25,000 years ago I lived near Tower Hill in a hut made out of reeds,
sticks and volcanic rocks. My bed was made out of sticks to keep it off the ground and it was covered in reeds to make in comfy. My blanket that my mother made was weaved out of reeds and animal skins.
My dad was the hunter and always brought back dinner for my mum, Pig, my brother and me. We mainly had kangaroo, possum, wombat, fish, goanna, snake and other
animals to eat.
I am thirteen, turning fourteen. I have been hunting possum since I was six. Now I
am starting to hunt kangaroo's and other animals with my dad and Pig. Pig has
just turned twelve and has been hunting possum's.
When dad and I were sneaking up to a kangaroo in the bush the ground stated to shake. Dark clouds took over the sky and red lava came flying out of Tower Hill. Lava was
spilling over the top flowing through the bush. We were running back to the hut
and on the way the lava had stopped coming out.
When we had got back no one was there. They had gone to the open plan with a big gulley where the lava had flown through the last time. So they know that the lava
would flow around them.


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Submitted by admin on Sun, 07/18/2010 - 09:30
At Talmadge Canyon Park you'll enjoy the combined advantages of convenience yet seclusion. Nestled in a pristine canyon on Fairmount Avenue, with lush landscaping, sparkling pool-spa area, and laundry facilities, we offer a haven for our residents. Yet we're just minutes from San Diego State University, major freeways, Qualcomm Stadium and Mission Valley. Our large living units have been designed for the active life-style. College students and young professionals alike will find the ultimate style, comfort and convenience right here in the center of San Diego.


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Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6.
In a blender, combine eggs, flour, salt, pepper, and herbs, milk, and cheese. Blend on medium speed.
Spray a mini-muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling each cup 3/4 full. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove popovers from muffin tin and cool on a wire rack.


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Hotels in Sao Paulo with a Spa
Here are the top 3 spa hotels in Sao Paulo based on bookings from the last hour:
There are many benefits to having a spa retreat. Escaping your busy life for a few days will allow you to re-energize and reduce your anxieties. Massages can help relieve tension, improve blood flow, and research has shown that massage therapy can help alleviate common ailments.
So relax, rejuvenate, and recharge by booking a spa hotel in Sao Paulo. After a morning of pampering, explore the sights that Sao Paulo has to offer. Chat with locals to find unique dining options or a cool new bar to grab a cocktail. Book a spa hotel in Sao Paulo and wake up to a better you.
Before you book, check out user reviews. There are currently We show reviews from Expedia and TripAdvisor so you know that you are reading genuine, reliable reviews. Be sure to download the Hotels.com app so you can book your reservations on the go, view amenities, and save the hotels you want to view and compare later.
Sao Paulo travel guides
Sao Paulo – where to stay in the city
Accommodation in this diverse and multicultural city is as varied and as different as the people that...
A Sao Paulo shopping guide – where to shop in the city
In Sao Paulo, huge western shopping malls are known as 'shoppings' to the locals and the rest of Brazil....
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There are many interesting articles on the Menu of Existential Café!
Adam of Arda: L'Étranger by Gurur Yıldız
While Tom Bombadil is not particularly interested in taking sides in the conflict against Sauron, he does help rescue Frodo and his friends from immediate danger twice, once from Old Man Willow and a second time from the Barrow-wights of the Barrow-downs. On 26 September, T.A. 3018, he encountered four hobbits while he was searching for water-lilies for his wife. Two of those Hobbits, Merry and Pippin, had been captured by Old Man Willow. Tom, who was the master of the Old Forest, rescued them and took all four of them to his house.
to access the full article click here
Escape from Universe 25: Mars One by Gurur Yıldız
Is there any chance of explaining clearly that what is the 'situation' for sapiens of hominids? Is it the relation between other sapiens? Physics rules of our universe? The man we love? The woman we want to kiss? Maybe just everything that our perception let us… OR the exact opposite version of our perception: the mystery. If we really 'desire' to understand things that much, our perception should interfere with the mysteries, shouldn't it? That means we are converting mysteries into realities and that's because one century's mysteries becoming next one's reality.
to access the full article click here
Abjection by Dicle Rojda Tasman
The door opened. As soon as "the girl" came out, her big brown eyes dazzled by the burning sun. She used her arm as a shield against it. Then she turned back to home, came back with the sunglasses covering her eyes and walked through the bus station. For 8 minutes, she kept looking repeatedly to her watch and the road. It was almost musical, rhythmic. Watch. Road. Watch Road… Watch. The bus came and she jumped to it.
to access the full article click here
"I or Me" Seeks by Utku Baserdem
Rick and Morty is one of the most successful animation sequences that has emerged in recent times. At first, it looks like a simple story: Einstein-like grandfather and a grandson who looks very ordinary, a parody of Back to the Future… However, the unexpected side of the series is discovering that these series are actually debating about existential issues, and you can only realize it by watching all these episodes that emphasize the person more than science. One of the most interesting characters of the series is Mr. Meeseeks, who is confronted in the episode named Meeseeks and Destroy.
to access the full article click here
Tea Before the Train Hits by E. Öykü Us
We run alongside an unending tunnel; with innocence in our eyes, with spring in our step, we are exposed to knowledge that has been left behind by those who have passed a long time ago. It is dark, but we are not afraid, for we have passed such paths under the sun. Surely, wise individuals such as ourselves would know if something dangerous would come to pass.
to access the full article click here
Stuck in a Portrait by E. Sercan Akhanli
People are bad. There are a good people too. There is an interesting connection between dark and white. It will not be bad if it is not good, it will not be good if it is not bad. I am little sad. Coward! I try to change it. Failure! Boring, boring, and boring… Come to home, rest, eat, sleep. Get up! I have to do things to do. There is something to say. I could not speak. The people who I lost, the people who I gained. Do you get it? Life is tired, I am desperate. Cars are moving fast, time is passing. I do not move. I am getting old. The time follows me. Suicide. A remote possibility. But I thought. Not serious. But deep and deep… to access the full article click here.
The Misguided Quest for Happiness by Selda Koydemir
Human living is a Sisyphean task, Camus (1975) wrote and explained the resemblance of our lives with that of the mythological king Sisyphus who was given, by the Gods, the eternal punishment of rolling a large stone up a hill. Every time Sisyphus reaches the top, the stone rolls back down; it becomes a never-ending, repetitive task. This Sisyphean task became synonymous with what people have to do every day – senseless work. For Camus, rolling the stone up the hill and seeing it come down again is actually what challenges us, it's what helps us grow and flourish. Sisyphus has nothing but to accept the absurdity to overcome it. It's not definitely a comfortable state, or a state full of pleasure, but a state which teaches us how to live fully. It shows that a good life is possible even with the struggles as long as one has the inner strength used against the absurd. In The Myth of Sisyphus, Camus says, "There is no sun without shadow, and it is essential to know the night"; but concludes on an optimistic note: "One must imagine Sisyphus happy." … to access the full article click here.
Just Before the Dawn by Öykü Us
It hurts. How it hurts, depends on the experience. Experiencing life, however, is only possible with pain. Without that pain, life is not real. Without it, life has no meaning, and even if it has a "meaning", it is not truly connected to you. Everything in life begins and ends with suffering. When I laugh, my stomach tightens and I struggle to breathe, thus I stop laughing. Better yet, I sometimes choose to continue, and similar to an orgasm, the pain reaches to an unbearable height until finally, it blossoms into a flower of unfathomable colors. … to access the full article click here.


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Terra Rosa Gear is currently stocked in these fine shops and webshops.
Pedal Cyclery
Address: 410 Gilbert Rd, Preston VIC 3072
Phone:(03) 8060 9043
The one stop shop for all of the TRG bike bags including the basket bag for the Wald baskets. Saddle bags and other custom items go through Pedal Cyclery all the time.
Address: 880 Nepean Hwy, Hampton East VIC 3188
Phone:(03) 9555 7811
Vast currently keeps a good range of the TRG tarps as well as other bits. Be in touch with them to see what they have availble
Garage Grown Gear is my only supplier in the United States and I am very proud of that. GGG merged with Big Outdoors and it has become an incredible website with so much awesome gear.
GGG currently has a few of the most popular 3x3 metre Prospecting Tarps in Silnylon and SilPoly


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**Don't forget that the linky party for Christmas in July opens tomorrow and stays open through Friday! It will be up by 9 am EST at the latest.
My sister and boyfriend and I get together every Tuesday night and have dinner while we watch Franklin and Bash. The weekly watching of the show started out as a joke, but we've really come to love the weekly get-together. This week was tacos and strawberry daiquiris!
Look! It's my project! Hanging in a real store! Yay!
The Babylock that is in The Sewing Studio classroom. My class starts on Thursday, so I went in to familiarize myself and panicked in front of this fancy machine. It has about 80 stitches more than my machine and is all computerized and stuff. I hope nobody has any questions about how to make it work...
Because midnight snacks don't always have to be bad for you :)
My Hoover vacuum [on the left] has been only halfheartedly sucking stuff up from the floor, so I got this new compact Bissell vacuum and I LOVE it. That's when you know your life is dull...you get super excited about a vacuum cleaner ha!


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With All Your Senses
Choose one or experience all five. These tours are suitable for groups of friends, communities or even newlywed couples.
We had such a lovely time with you in Modiin. Thank you for the time and wealth of information that you shared with us.
Best wishes to you and your family for a K'tiva V'Chatima Tova!
Gideon & Bonnie NY
Thank you margalit. I was thinking of you Erev Shabbat when I transferred some of the honey you adviced me to buy into a nice dish for Rosh hashana.
Thank you for making our trip more meaningful and enjoyable.
Rona Rubin
Dear Margalit,
I cannot thank you enough for the wonderful memories you have helped give us this past summer. Every day since our return to NY, I scroll through my photo collection and long for the day when we can return to Eretz Yisrael for another amazing vacation.
In a separate link from Shutterfly, I will send you a copy of the photo album I put together.
Thanks again!
Lisa, Bruce, and Blima Kiel
Amazingly special ,baruch hashem.
Toda raba for an incredible experience, as always.
All the best,
Sharon (Shoshana) Berger
Hi Margalit,
Thanks again for the time and effort you put into making an amazing experience for my family on our trip to Israel. Eric gave it a 9.5 out of 10
Thanks again!
Dear Margolit,
I wanted to thank you profusely for making our trip to Israel most memorable and meaningful. The choice of sites to visit and your explanations of ancient events with biblical sources and modern sites helped us learn and understand more about life in Israel today as well as in the past. Most importantly, Sheindel learned a lot and had a spectacular time.
Todah rabbah and lehitraot,
Diane, Jerry and Sheindel
Dear Margalit,
Before the week is over, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your participation in our mission this week. It was wonderful meeting you and getting to know you, and I heard from participants how much they enjoyed the fact that you were with us on the bus. You were flexible, easygoing, and so accommodating to all of the various participants with their different needs, and that was really an added element on our trip.
Warm regards,
Chavi Becker
Choose one or experience all five. These tours are suitable for groups of friends, communities or even newlywed couples.
From toddlers to grandparents, siblings or extended families, it is wonderful and special to travel together. Israel offers something for every age and is very child friendly.
There is no better place to celebrate a Jewish coming of age than Israel. I will help you build a meaningful and memorable trip for your child and guests.
Combine a visit to the holy-land with a unique twist.
This is the crown of Margalitours. It is a religious and historical journey through the land which is suitable for various backgrounds ranging from novices and children to history professors and Rabbis.


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Ironclaw: Lord of the Endless Void
Main Page
The Calabrian Codex
Σ≫>–Back to Front Page➤
Calabrians, being of a land of anthropomorphic sentient creatures, do not infer themselves by the human definition of animals nor does in the common Calabrian language exist such a word that differentiates the two sentient beings. They refer to each other by species and generally treat those of feral society, as they would a third-world society. Though the word 'animal' is still utilized, the human understanding of 'animals' are but uncivilized shadows of what Calabrians once were; some them intelligent enough to understand the new language founded by their successors and others keeping to their old ways through stubbornness. However, the common phrase 'every creature' is used normally opposed to 'every critter,' in which refers to all beings of life—including feral—versus all feral forms of life.
For ease of understanding, the term 'animals' in this Wiki will refer to the feral, uncivilized creatures that exist in the world of Ironclaw.
Search Tag Reference –
Each page has one of these at the bottom for your convenience. What these contain are a compilation in categorization of tags to be found on a for a specific page within a section of the Wiki so that it is easier to filter and find what you are looking for. Cool, so how does one use it?
For example, let's say you're trying to find what a Maxilleon is within the Animals section of the Wiki but have no idea what its name is nor what classification it is. You scroll down to the bottom and find the "Search Tag Reference: …" for the page where it lists the possible tags within the Animals page to find what you are searching for. Let's say you still can't find the page because you are unable to remember the specific tag name to search. You can click on Search Tag Reference for the all the tags made in that section and search for the exact tags you require to find your page.


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The owner explained everything to me really well. He took the time to tell me how the whole process would work and what to expect. I would recommend your company to anyone.
Zella H.
Thank you for another job well done. Justin was super. They got right to work after Justin explained what they were going to do. We are very pleased.
Jim Y.
I would definitely recommend your company.
Janice M.
Des Moines
"Great job, Great Roof" referring to the new Metro Stone Coated steel roof recently installed.
F. Bonish
The crew was very kind and considerate. The roof looks great.
Jennie K.
Pleasant Hill
Your shingle crew did a wonderful job! Clean up was great, have not found any debris on the ground.
Michael & Shelly D.
The crew kept the area picked up and neat at all times. Project looks great!
Jerry V.


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I think this is so pretty. I love that they have used different knobs. Rosezeeta
Thanks so much for the feature!
Love your idea with knobs for necklace. Very nice.Happy new year.Tina Hoffbeckhttp://www.mariahoffbeck.blogspot.com
Thanks for leaving a comment. I always like to know what you think of the projects I highlight!


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Buy Famvir Without Prescription, By Bill Gates and Chad Holliday
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This is why we have joined other concerned business leaders -- including Norm Augustine, former chairman of Lockheed Martin; Ursula Burns, chief executive of Xerox; John Doerr, partner at Kleiner Perkins; Jeff Immelt, chief executive of GE; and Tim Solso, chairman of Cummins -- to create the American Energy Innovation Council.
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The core force of innovation -- vision, experimentation and wise investments -- has led to thousands of breakthroughs that benefit us all, Buy Famvir Without Prescription. A serious commitment to innovation can be transformative, as we saw with the effort to replace chlorofluorocarbons two decades ago. We need the same serious commitment in the energy sector to developing the original American energy supply: innovation.
Bill Gates is chairman of Microsoft Corp. Chad Holliday was chairman and chief executive of DuPont from 1998 to 2009.
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text: Boeing unveiled its new version of the 747 jumbo jet this weekend, the 747-8 Intercontinental. The lengthened plane is now the longest passenger jet in the world. I was able to visit the production line last week for USA Today story. Below are some of the images from the factory floor. -Rob


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Kino Lorber Picks Up German-Israeli Doc 'Farewell, Herr Schwarz'
Yael Reuveny's film traces the fate of two Holocaust survivors, one who emigrated to Israel, the other who stayed in communist East Germany
Kino Lorber has picked up North American rights to Farewell, Herr Schwarz, a German/Israeli documentary from director Yael Reuveny.
The film, which won the best documentary honor at the Haifa International Film Festival in 2013 and was named outstanding documentary at non-fiction festival Dok Leipzig, will have its New York premiere on Jan. 9.
Video Full Uncensored Documentary Roundtable
Farewell, Herr Schwarz is Reuveny's very personal look at her grandmother, Michla Schwarz, who, together with her brother Feiv'ke, were German Jewish survivors of the Holocaust. After WWII, Michla emigrated to Israel, while Feiv'ke stayed behind in the country that became communist East Germany.
Kino Lorber picked up the film from Cologne-based Rushlake Media.


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Planning the Perfect Escape: Ojai's Insiders Share Their Local Knowledge
From Audrey Hepburn's room at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa to Judy Ovitz's favorite place to eat.
This story first appeared in the Jan. 10, 2013 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.
The white-stucco Ojai Valley Inn & Spa (905 Country Club Road) celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2013. The 308-room resort (rates from $260) has lured everyone from Audrey Hepburn and Clark Gable to Kate Walsh for her 2007 wedding and offers sweeping mountain views, five restaurants, a kids camp,tennis courts and four pools. Its 10,000-square-foot Tuscan estate, Casa Elar, includes two master suites with limestone fireplaces and its own pool(from $5,500 a night).
Owned by L.A. shoe designer Calleen Cordero, the Calliote Canyon vacation home (calliotecanyon.com) is set in a private canyon on five acres and includes a main house, two cottages and a yurt for yoga or screening movies ($1,400, main house;$1,850, entire property).
Near downtown,the redone 18-room Ojai Rancho Inn (rooms from $120, 615 W. Ojai Ave.) is a rustic take on the hip Ace Hotel style with such furnishings as hand-made bed side lamps by L.A. ceramicist Heather Levine. Mary Steenburgen recommends the "charming" The Lavender Inn B&B (rooms from $140, 210 E. Matilija St.),which was built in 1874 as Ojai's first schoolhouse.
PHOTOS: 6 Chic Winter Getaways From L.A.
In addition to the Ojai Valley Inn's upscale, organically driven Maravilla, locals recommend a few mainstays. TV writer Ajay Sahgal (who penned the 2010 Fox telefilm Nevermind Nirvana) enjoys tamales on the patio at The Farmer and the Cook (339 W. El Roblar Drive). Steenburgen praises the homecooked Mexican food and tequila bar at Las Caporales (307 E. Ojai Ave.). And Judy Ovitz heads to Osteria Monte Grappa (205N. Signal St.) for pasta, fish, Italian and California wines and "the nice patio in the central courtyard."
The grande dame of cuisine is Suzanne's (502 W. Ojai Ave.),with a wide-ranging menu that includes salad nicoise and bouillabaisse. "The best place to eat is near the bar," says John Langley. "Suzanne is a local legend, and the restaurant is warm and friendly!" Nancy Seltzer suggests Knead Baking Co. (469 E.Ojai Ave.) for cakes such as the chocolate peppermint holiday special, pastries and sandwiches: "It's run by a mom and her three kids, and it's excellent."
STORY: Hollywood's Getaway: How Rob Pattinson Could Hide in Ojai
Two olive oil ranches offer tastings. Head to Regalo (283 Carne Road) on Saturdays; Ojai Olive Oil (1811 Ladera Road), with a stand of 130-year-old trees, is open Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.
The area is host every August to the Ojai Playwrights Conference, known for developing such plays as Jon Robin Baitz's Other Desert Cities, which went to Broadway in 2011. The classically oriented Ojai Music Festival will take place in June in the newly built Libbey Bowl (210 S. Signal St.), with choreographer Mark Morris as music director. And the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts (8560 Ojai-Santa Paula Road) showcases the late potter's bohemian life and gorgeously glazed pottery.
To enjoy the great outdoors,stop in at The Mob Shop (110W. Ojai Ave.) for bike tours and rentals. Hiking guidebook Roam has the scoop on such routes as Sahgal's favorite, the Palomar Trail, with great views of the entire valley.
Planning a wedding? In November, Gangster Squad director Ruben Fleischer and 42West publicist Holly Shakoor got married (by her client Emma Stone) at a for-rental Spanish Revival residence called Twin Peaks Ranch (Thacher Road).


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B.S. Pharmacy has always been challenging for me. I was always on the brink of not passing a major subject but God has always given me His grace. This April was the most difficult one for me. Our finals, modulary and mockboard exams were all happening at the same time. And during this month, my Lola was suffering from stomach cancer, my brother was fighting his anal fistula and my grades were nowhere near enough. I know I was not the only one who was broken during this whole experience but I really felt crushed and depressed.
But then God reminded me this verse: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." -Psalm 51:17. I know that what I was going through was part of His plan for me.
My Lola passed away and is now in God's loving arms. My brother had his, and this I declare, final surgery to fix his fistula. And during our very last exams, my professor had us all lined up and when it was my turn to hear the verdict, he told me that I passed. I am graduating. I cried at that moment. And all I could say was, "God is good. He is good," and He really is.
This is my testimony: that God is good and He never fails. His love endures forever. His ways are higher than our ways. And in His arms and in His heart, we can find comfort and strength.
This is for my family, for my parents who gave me everything I needed and loved me unconditionally, for my brother who has always been so strong, for my Lola who never failed to extend her love to us, for my titos and titas, for my cousins and relatives, for my friends who has always been there, for my professors who always gave us a chance, and for all those who prayed for me and my family. Lastly, this is for God, my Savior, my Redeemer, my Comfort, my Rock, my Sheperd, my Teacher, my Father. Thank you to all of you. Glory to God!
– Graduating on May 26, 2015 at the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas –


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Happy TrailsI finally got that job offer. It wasn't as high as I was hoping for, but it was only about 5,000 less than my target. I accepted, and with that we went to work on the final stages of the hiring process. The first of which - was to talk to my current boss. I was not looking forward to this part. I still needed to sit down and talk to the guy myself. He was completely in the dark about what had been transpiring. It was Friday afternoon, and perhaps late on a Friday would be as good a time as any to break the news to him. But alas, he would be in meetings all afternoon, right up until 6:00PM when I was leaving what would be my last 7:30AM to 6:00PM shift (don't ask).
Monday morning I waited for the boss to come in and get settled in. Moments later, I attacked. I walked in, and shut the door. "You know it's important when I shut your door", I said. He was all ears. I gave it to him in one sitting. "I have been made an offer ... one that I don't think I can refuse". I went on to tell him a little about the position, and why I was taking it. "How much did they offer you?". I told him it was roughly 10,000 more than I make now. He nodded, and that was about it. No counter offers, no trying to talk me out of it. He was all right with my leaving. I told him "I don't want you to think I am leaving out of here because of you all, I'm just doing whats right for my family ... and my career". That wasn't entirely true. I have about had my fill with the boss on a couple issues, one of which is how he deals with our complaints about after hours support (for which we are not compensated), our suggestions on new business, and process in general. He just ignores us.
I will not miss my work, or my boss. But I will surely miss the guys I work with. I worry that they will be under-staffed for a long time coming. Even when they get someone hired, they will have to spend weeks training that person to bring them up to speed (like they did me). But I didn't have a start date yet. Perhaps I could give them some fair warning. In the mean time, I had some work to do to get hired.
On my first of two required visits to the hospital, I met with a nurse. She put on a pair of thick glasses, and pulled out a clipboard. It was a questionnaire of sorts that started with "when was your last tetanus shot"? Uh oh. I wasn't really sure. Wrong answer. "Have you ever been tested for TB"? I had, but it was at least 5 years ago. Wrong answer. "Have you ever been vaccinated against Hepatitis B"? I didn't even know there was a vaccination for that. I'm not very fond of needles, but I could see that I would be getting quite a few of them shoved into me in the very near future. Sure enough, I was given a video to watch while the nurse went off the get my shots ready. I got to learn about how to deal with spilled body fluids, and how to properly wear a respirator mask. When she returned, there was a tray of needles. We got right to work. Ouch.
When I was done there I was sent to the lab for some "blood work". This is the part I really hate, having a needle pushed into my arm and held there while I am bled out. I guess it's a phobia. I have always feared having needles put into my skin. But I tried to calm myself, I didn't look, and it was over pretty quickly. Two days later, I was back. This time I was given a true physical. I had to stand in awkward places, have a doctor punch me in the kidneys, and do the old "turn your head and cough" thing. And then I was given the golden ticket, a "right to hire" signed by the staff. With this I was able to go to human resources and get my paperwork together. And following that activity, I was sent to the IT director to get my start date established.
She was rather quick with me, as I could see she was pretty busy that day. "When would you like to start? Do you have to give notice?". Technically, I don't. My contract is a "work at will" deal, where I can quit (or they can fire me) any old time. "I would like to give two weeks, but I'm not really required to". "One week", she says, "you will start on the 5th, yes?". I agreed. And that was that.
I took the news back to "the men", and I could see that they were both happy for me and disappointed all at the same time. They are far too kind to give me crap for leaving. They know why I'm leaving, and they want to see me succeed somewhere else. It makes it that much harder to depart. They will be missed.
Tomorrow I will start what will be my last week with the old crew. I have about 30 service tickets that I need to have cleaned up and completed by Friday, or I will have to hand them off to someone else. Throughout the week I will need to take down my pictures, ditch some old paperwork, and just wrap things up. Next week, I will get to start a new job. New faces, new challenges, greater opportunities.
Pa Passes OnLast week I had been talking to my mother about my grandpa. He was in lousy shape, and she wanted me to know that he may be on his way out. He's had Alzheimer's for several years now, and his condition went from mediocre to just plain awful in a short period of weeks. She told me that she thought I should be prepared for bad news, but that I probably wouldn't be interested in any final visits. Partly because his mental state was pretty bad, and also because he wouldn't know who I was. A few days ago I got the call from her. Pa had passed away.
I didn't spend a lot of time with my grandpa. I barely knew the guy. For that matter, I have never known any of my grandparents all that well. But I had a strange bond with my grandfather. People were always telling me that I looked like him. Namely my mother. She brought me a photo one time of him when he was young, and had just enlisted in the Navy and it was frighteningly like my high school senior pictures. It was clear that I had been practically cloned from his DNA. We had many common traits. Pa was a gentle, caring guy. Never one to start fights, or create static. He loved carpentry, and would spend countless hours in his shop building various things. For many years he built clipper holders from plexi-glass for barber shops around the United States. This was a process he had perfected over the years using an assortment of hand crafted templates, heating devices, and glues.
It was a shame to hear that he had passed. I knew this would be hard on my mother. Yet, it was relieving for the family. Pa had simply gone to sleep one night, and didn't wake up. It was a quiet and peaceful ending to what could have been a bitter battle with life.
Saturday was his funeral. We were asked not to dress us, although I couldn't resist wearing a suit. It was a respect thing. Pa had asked that he buried in a collared shirt, no tie and with a sweater if it was cold. It was a Catholic service. Those are always awkward for me, not being a Catholic myself. There are all sorts of readings and scriptures which are supposed to illicit a crowd reaction such as "and God be with you". I just tried to keep my head down, and nod when appropriate. I wasn't the only non-Catholic in the house. A good part of my family is atheist, and Pa had some good Jewish friends too (one of which stepped up and read scripture at the service).
They had some pictures of of my grandfather from various stages of life. Everyone kept looking at the photos of him in his thirties and then looking back at me as if they had just seen a ghost. When the service was over, I came over to hug my mother. She said that she will always remember her father when she looks at me. She told me that Pa gave me some of his best traits. For that I am greatful.
I wish I could have known the man better. Perhaps everyone felt the same way. At his funeral, they kept referring to his life as a "mystery" which was a little weird. I hope when I die, they won't consider my life a mystery. But then, they will have years of obscure Blog posts to refer back to.
Historic Comments
Grats about the new job, and sorry to hear about your 'pa
apex81 | Homepage | 02.26.07 - 5:15 pm | #
Hey hey dude,
Long time no read! Still up to no good I see!
Im living in the UK now, so I just wanted to let you know that when you eventually post that T-Shirt you should send it to Bristol not Johannesburg hehe.
Hows things? Im sure the last time we spoke you had been making babies?
Mike "Rattor" H | 09.30.07 - 7:33 am | #
Where'd he go?
eco | 12.30.07 - 8:55 pm | #


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BRIDGEPORT, Conn - The Sacred Heart Women's hockey team let up three third period goals Friday night, falling to the Franklin Pierce Ravens, 4-1, at the Wonderland of Ice Friday night. Sacred Heart falls to 6-14-5 on the season, while FPU improves to 18-3-1.
Senior goaltender Alexius Schutt (Elk River, MN) turned away 40 saves in the loss, keeping the Pioneers in the game until the third period. With the help of Schutt, the Pioneers were able to kill off five Franklin Pierce power plays.
Karsyn Baker got the scoring started in the first period, wristing a shot past Schutt from the left wing to put the Ravens up 1-0. Franklin Pierce dominated the first period, outshooting the Pioneers 16-3.
It was more of the same in the second period, but Schutt made a few clutch saves to keep the Pioneers within one goal going into the third period.
The Pioneers tied the game up early in the third period with sophomore Hanna Skelley (Wolfeboro, NH) finding the back of the net off a rebound. Alanna Woodford and Casey Stathopoulos (Waltham, MA) notched assists on the power play goal.
It didn't take long for Franklin Pierce to respond as 18 seconds later Nina Danforth lit the lamp for what would be the game-winning goal. Lanie Matsumoto and Marisa Ketterman registered assists on the play.
The Ravens added two more insurance goals to put away the Pioneers for good. Jamie Wiley put one past Schutt at 8:15 of the third, while Marissa Ketterman scored FPU's fourth goal of the game at 17:11.
Franklin Pierce doubled the Pioneers in shots, 44-22. The Ravens have won three straight against Sacred Heart.
Sacred Heart and Franklin Pierce are back at it tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 pm., The Pioneers will honor nine departing seniors prior to the face-off as part of "Senior Day".


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- Services
- We strive to provide complete care for our patients. Learn more about all the services we provide.
Treating Dry Eyes in Las Vegas
Complications with your vision and eyes stem from multiple factors. When you have dry eye, it interferes with your lifestyle by causing discomfort and pain. At Brimhall Eye, we understand the underlying causes of dry eye and we offer solutions to help address your concerns.
"The key to helping patients become free from dry eyes in Las Vegas is treating the root of the problem. If you struggle with the symptoms of dry eye, we can help. I invite you to come and see how we successfully diagnose and treat some of the toughest cases in Las Vegas. We also have the most comprehensive treatments available. I am confident you'll be glad you came." Says Dr. Brimhall.
Causes of Dry Eye
The underlying causes of dry eye depend on several factors, including your current age and health. A doctor evaluates your needs and then recommends treatment based on the reasons for the discomfort.
Common causes of the condition include:
- Natural aging
- Taking a medication
- Certain medical conditions
- Laser eye surgery
- Problems with your eyelids
- Rarely blinking
- Hot weather
A doctor of ophthalmology evaluates the underlying reasons for the discomfort before recommending a treatment plan. At Brimhall Eye, we use appropriate treatments based on your specific needs and situation.
Symptoms of Dry Eye
The signs of dry eye allow you to determine when to seek treatment and assistance in Las Vegas. Common symptoms of the condition include:
- Burning or itching sensations in your eyes
- Feeling that you have an object in your eye, even when you do not
- Redness
- Sensitivity, particularly to light
- Blurry vision
- Eye fatigue or a feeling of eye strain
At our clinic, we focus on identifying your specific needs before recommending a treatment plan. We use different tools to help address the symptoms after identifying the reasons for your discomfort and the underlying factors contributing to the change in your tears.
Treatment from Our Las Vegas Ophthalmologist
Generally, a treatment plan for dry eyes depends on the situation. We may recommend simple treatments, like using eye drops to add moisture when the discomfort stems from dry weather conditions, or we may recommend more complex treatments. Our ophthalmologist evaluates the situation before recommending a solution to limit the risks and keep your eyes healthy.
The treatments we may recommend start with the simplest options. We usually use eye drops for additional moisture. Some eye drops may also contain medication if your eyes require certain medications. Alternatively, we recommend oral medications or treatments. Since it may also stem from problems with your eyelids, we may provide treatment for eyelid mites or offer surgery for your eyes or eyelids in certain situations.
Treating a problem with your eyes may depend on several factors. At our clinic, we provide the tools you need to start improving the health of your eyes by addressing the discomfort. To learn more about our procedures or to set up an appointment with our Las Vegas ophthalmologist, contact us today at (702) 263-2020.


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While everybody else was having a lovely time, Daniel Glass watched the 2016 Music Week Awards with what he calls a mixture of "inspiration and frustration".
Glass, you see, is an old school record guy. Founder of the independent entertainment group that (almost) bears his name, after many years in both major label and indie systems, he's the sort of executive who revels in the mechanics of a hit – the radio plays, the streaming services playlists, the perfectly executed ...
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29th ASIS New York City Security Conference and Expo
May 15- 16, 2019
Javits Center, New York, NY
Attendee registration opens January 2019!
Exhibitor Booths on sale now!
May 15- 16, 2019
Javits Center, New York, NY
Attendee registration opens January 2019!
Exhibitor Booths on sale now!
We realize that many ASIS Young Professionals would love to attend the GSX Convention in Las Vegas on September 23 -27, 2018 but don't have the spare money to cover the costs. Well here is your chance to go! ASIS International is selecting a few members of the Young Professionals for an all expense trip… Continue Reading
Friday February 16th was a huge success at Facebook's NYC campus! Facebook CAO, Nick Lovrien presented to 100 or so industry leaders on how they protect their vast, global infrastructure as well as it's people and brand. After the presentation members had a private tour of their multi floor campus. Pictured is Brian Reich, NYC… Continue Reading
"George Anderson, Director of World Trade Center Security for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, delivered a presentation regarding the Port Authority's layered approach to security. Multiple layers create a system that precludes a single point of failure, providing the best security at our airports, bridges, terminals, and at the WTC. George… Continue Reading
The NYC Chapter of ASIS International held their holiday luncheon on December 15, 2017 at Rosie's O'Grady's. The room was full with over 130 members and their guests enjoying great company, holiday cocktails and a delicious buffet lunch. True to form the NYC meetings offer a great opportunity to connect with industry colleagues and learn… Continue Reading
Get your company's message in front of professionals at the east coast's largest annual Security Show by advertising in Security Director, the official magazine of the 29th ASIS NYC Security Conference & Expo to be held May 15-16 2019 at the Javits Center in New York City. Security Director is the official magazine of the 29th ASIS NYC… Continue Reading
The first NYC Chapter evening event was well attended with over seventy members and their guests enjoying networking and the great food at the NY Athletic club. Our Chairman surprised us with fine cigars to enjoy on the terrace adjoining the meeting room. The food was delicious including a carving station and many additional plates… Continue Reading
Lynn Brown, Chairman of the New York City Chapter of ASIS International is pleased to announce that the Chapter donated $3,000 to Samaritan's Purse, an international relief organization currently providing assistance to victims of Hurricane Harvey. For additional information see samaritanspurse.org. About the ASIS NYC Chapter The New York City Chapter of ASIS International, a… Continue Reading
The 2017 ASIS NYC Chapter Annual Golf Outing was held on Monday, June 12th, at the Village Club of Sands Point. It was a beautiful day and our new format, beginning with breakfast and a 10 AM start time with lunch on the course followed by drinks and dinner from 5-6:30 PM, was a huge… Continue Reading


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Recently in Aeon magazine there was an article entitled "Unified Theory of Evolution" by biologist Michael Skinner. The article starts out by pointing some problems in Neo-Darwinism, the idea that natural selection and random mutations explain changes in species or the origin of species. The article says this:
As interesting as these examples are, they are merely the tip of the iceberg if you are talking about cases in which biological functionality arises or appears too quickly to be accounted for by assuming random mutations. The main case of such a thing is the Cambrian Explosion, where we see a sudden explosion of fossils in the fossil record about 550 million years ago, with a large fraction of the existing phyla suddenly appearing. Instead of seeing some slow gradual progression in which we very gradually see more complex things appearing over a span of hundreds of millions of years, we see in the fossil record many dramatic new types of animals suddenly appearing.
The other main case of functionality appearing too quickly to be accounted for by random mutations is the relatively sudden appearance of the human intellect. The human population about 1 million years years ago was very small. This article tells us that 1.2 million years ago there were less than 30,000 in the population. The predicted number of mutations is inversely proportional to the population size, which means the smaller the population, the lower the number of mutations in the population. So when you have a very small population size, the predicted mutation rate is very low. But suddenly humanity about 100,000 or 200,000 years ago seems to have got some dramatic increase in brain power and intellectual functionality. Such a thing is hard to plausibly explain by mutations, given the very low number of mutations that should have occurred in such a small population.
But Skinner tries to suggest there is something that might help fix this "too-slow mutations" problem in Neo-Darwinism. The thing he suggests is epigenetics. But this suggestion is mainly misguided. Epigenetics cannot do the job, because it is merely a kind of "thumbs up or thumbs down" type of system relating to existing functionality, not something for originating new functionality.
Skinner defines epigenetics as "the molecular factors that regulate how DNA functions and what genes are turned on or off, independent of the DNA sequence itself." One of the things he mentions is DNA methylation, "in which molecular components called methyl groups (made of methane) attach to DNA, turning genes on or off, and regulating the level of gene expression." Gene expression means whether or not a particular gene is used in the body.
The problem, however, with epigenetics is that it does not consist of detailed instructions or even structural information. Epigenetics is basically just a bunch of "on/off" switches relating to information in DNA.
Here is an analogy. Imagine there is a shelf of library books at a public library. A librarian might use colored stickers to encourage readers to read some books, and avoid other books. So she might put a little "green check" sticker on the spines of some books, and a little "red X" sticker on the spines of other books. The "green check" sticker would recommend a particular book, while the "red X" sticker would recommend that you avoid it.
Perhaps such stickers would have a great effect on which books were taken out by library patrons. Such stickers are similar to what is going on with epigenetics. Just as the "red X" sticker would instruct a reader to avoid a particular book, an epigenetic molecule or molecules may act like a flag telling the body not to use a particular gene.
But these little "green check" and "red X" markers would not explain any sudden burst of information that seemed to appear in too-short a time. For example, suppose there was a big earthquake at 10:00 AM, and then at 11:00 AM there appeared a book on the library shelf telling all about this earthquake, describing every detail of it and its effects. We could not at all explain this "information too fast" paradox by giving any type of explanation involving these little "green check" and "red X" stickers.
Similarly, epigenetics may explain why functionality that appeared too fast is or is not used by a species, but does nothing to explain how that functionality appeared too fast. Epigenetics is making some valuable and interesting additions to our biological knowledge, but it does nothing to solve the problem of biological information appearing way too quickly to be accounted for by assuming random mutations.
Another analogy we can use for epigenetics is what programmers call "commenting out code." Given some software system such as a smartphone app, it is often easy for a programmer to turn off particular features. You can do what programmers call "commenting out" to turn off particular parts of the software. So the following is a quite plausible conversation between a manager and a programmer:
Manager: Wow, the app looks much different now. Some of the buttons that used to be there are no longer there, and two of the tabs have disappeared. How did you do that so quickly?
Programmer: It was easy. I just "commented out" some of the code.
Such "commenting out" of features is similar to gene expression modification produced by epigenetics, in which there's a "let's not use this gene" type of thing going on. But the following is a conversation that would never happen.
Manager: Wow, the app looks much different now. I see there's now some buttons that lead you to new pages the app never had before, which do stuff that the app could never do before. How did you do that so fast?
Programmer: It was easy. I just "commented out" some of the code.
The programmer would be lying if he said this, because you cannot produce new functionality by commenting out code. Similarly, some new biological functionality cannot be explained merely by postulating some epigenetic switch that causes some existing gene not to be expressed. That's like commenting out code, which subtracts functionality rather than adding it.
I can give Skinner credit for raising some interesting questions, but he does little to answer them. The problem remains that biological information has appeared way too rapidly for us to plausibly explain it by random mutations.
For every case in which random mutations produce a beneficial effect, there are many cases in which they produce a harmful effect. Long experiments on exposing fruit flies to high levels of mutation-causing radiation have not produced any new species or viable structural benefits, but produce only harm. We have so far zero cases of species that have been proven to have arisen from random mutations, and we also have zero cases of major biological systems or appendages that have been proven to have arisen from random mutations. So why do our scientists keep telling us that 1001 wonderful biological innovations were produced by random mutations?
It's rather like this. Imagine Rob Jones and his family get wonderful surprise gifts on their doorstep every Christmas, left by an anonymous giver. Now suppose there is someone on their street named Mr. Random. Mr. Random behaves like this: (1) if you invite him into your home, he makes random keystrokes on whatever computer document you were writing; (2) if you eat at his house, he'll give you probably-harmful soup made from random stuff he got from random spots in his house and backyard, including his bathroom and garage; (3) if you knock on his door, and ask Mr. Random for a cup of sugar, he'll give you some random white substance, maybe sugar or maybe plaster powder or rat poison. Now imagine how silly it would be if Rob Jones were to look on those fine Christmas gifts on his doorstep, and say to himself: Let me guess who left these – it must have been Mr. Random!


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Nstar (Comparative Multiple Analysis)
Improve your investment analysis with by seeing the Nstar's Discounted Cash Flow analysis, Nstar's Warren Buffet analysis, and Nstar's Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) Analysis.
Notes on the Comparative Multiple Analysis of Nstar
WikiWealth compares Nstar's revenue, EBITDA, and EBIT multiples to their peers in order to determine the appropriate fair valuation. Click in the top right corner to experiment with Nstar's comparative analysis.
Notes from the analysis:
1. WikiWealth uses quantitative measures to determine the multiple range for Nstar.
Helpful Information for Nstar's Analysis
How does this work? The Comparative Investment Analysis determines the value of Nstar by comparing Nstar financial ratios, prices, growth rates, margins, etc. to those of relevant peer groups.
Value Investing Importance? This method is widely used by investment professionals to determine the correct price of investments, especially initial public offerings (IPOs). It is one element of WikiWealth's three Wall Street approaches used to determine the correct fair value of Nstar.
See the Nstar cash flow (DCF) analysis for a completely different approach that's popular on Wall Street for determining the value of an investment in Nstar.
Also, see the Nstar's buffett intrinsic valuation analysis for WikiWealth's attempt to replicate the investing formula's used by Warren Buffett and Nstar's valuation conclusion for a quick summary.


text: Hey, I've a few questions about AppleCare for iPod. 1) Can I still buy it? I bought the iPod (5g) when it came out. (This is around october/november) 2) I remember being offered AppleCare over the phone when I had my 4g iPod. I declined saying I was planning on buying a new one when it comes out. The person said that I would be able to replace the iPod with a newer model when it came out. -- Is this true?