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In Which We Monogram Absolutely Everything
An Invitation
by LILIBET SNELLINGS
Most every surface in my parents' Georgia home is monogrammed — the bath towels, the coasters, the seashell-shaped soaps. Give a waspy Southern woman a millimeter of material and she'll figure out a way to put someone's initials on it. During the holidays, the monogrammed cocktail napkins are replaced by a stack of green ones that say, in gold letters, "Holidays with the family are always a trip. A trip to the liquor store." I think these napkins were created with my family in mind. Or, as my grandmother once said, elbow-deep in a Scotch-and-soda, "Jews don't recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Protestants don't recognize the Pope as the head of the church. Baptists don't recognize each other at the liquor store." We're not Baptists – but based on my family's idolatrous worship of alcohol – we might as well be.
While most children spend the week before Christmas shopping and wrapping, I prepare by resting, hydrating and stretching. You have to understand, these people are animals. And by animals, I mean my two grandmothers, ages 86 and 91, my grandfather, age 88, and the biggest booze-bag of them all, my great-aunt, age 89. If these folks don't have a drink in their hand by 4 o'clock, they rattle their canes in protest. And they only drink the hard stuff, or "meaningful drinks," as my dad calls them: bourbon-and-water, scotch-and-soda, gin-and-tonic, vodka on the rocks, Bloody Marys, (but only if it's before noon), and wine (but only if it's with dinner). If there is one thing dignified, upstanding, Southern wasps like to do to celebrate the birth of Christ it is get hammered.
At the helm of this holiday operation is my mom, a perky perfectionist who was once crowned "The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi" at The University of Georgia, and the "Miss Augusta" runner-up. Christmas gives her an excuse to be as peppy as she already is — being in a great mood at 7 a.m., showering people with presents, decorating and re- decorating, drinking in the afternoon. So hopped up on the holidays, she didn't even notice one year when I wrapped a cashmere sweater I had borrowed from her two years prior. "Oh I just love this," she said, swirling a celery stalk into her Bloody Mary. "And it's just my color."
My mom desperately wants us to share her zeal for the holidays. One Easter, she so wanted her "children" – ages 29 and 26 at the time – to participate in an egg hunt that she stuffed the plastic pastel eggs full of money. Sitting on the patio, hungover, sweating, hands shaking, her "children" were barely breathing let alone showing any interest in skipping around the yard for eggs. Finally, she yelled, "Damnnit y'all, there's money in them!" Some eggs had singles, some fives, others tens and twenties. My brother and I tore towards the lawn. After several slide tackles and a yellow-card's worth of elbowing each other in the ribs, our knees skinned and covered in grass stains, my mom got just what she wanted: joyful holiday togetherness.
My mom never turns down an invitation and certainly not at Christmas. Every year on Christmas Eve she insists we go to this god-awful caroling and Yule log-lighting party and literally drags the entire geriatric wing of the family along, all of their various contraptions – a walker, two canes – clunking beside. But they don't seem to mind. After all, these bloodhounds can smell eggnog from a mile away.
My least favorite of our holiday traditions is the dreaded staging of The Christmas Card Picture. While this was a perfectly acceptable tradition when my brother and I were kids, now that we are adults, it is just plain embarrassing. At least for me. My brother now has a wife and two children so in our Christmas card picture it's very obvious that there is 1) an older couple in their sixties 2) a cute young married couple in their thirties with two darling little boys and 3) shoved somewhere on the periphery: me.
I am sure the 400-plus recipients of the annual card must wonder:
"Is she still single?"
"She must be a lesbian."
"Betty with a lesbian daughter, no."
"But she does live in California."
"And I think worked for the Obama campaign."
"Oh, the horror."
A couple of years ago after the cards were delivered, my mom got an e-mail from a friend in Texas: "Just wanted to say I'm so happy to see that Lilibet is expecting!" My mom called me, immediately, horrified. I ripped the thing off my fridge. "Oh my god," I said, "I do look pregnant." Something had gone horribly wrong with the lighting, the angle, something. We discussed this, in disbelief, for the next hour. "She was the only one to say something," my mom said. "I wonder how many people thought it but didn't say anything? I mean, my Lord, do these people actually think I'd put you in the picture pregnant with no husband?"
At the other end of the jolliness spectrum – the very other end – is my dad. He sees the holidays as nothing but one giant MasterCard bill. Bahumbug doesn't even do it justice. Perhaps ba-hum-to hell with these damn Christmas lights, why don't we have any vermouth, damnnit Betty if I have to listen to that damn Rod Stuart Christmas CD one more time–bug.
My dad absolutely hates getting presents and typically responds with, "How much did this cost me?" instead of "Thank you." That is, unless he really wants something, then he buys it for himself, wraps it, and signs the card, "To Bill, Love Kiki." Kiki is his imaginary girlfriend and he thinks this is hilarious. Throughout the years Kiki has given him every club in his golf bag.
The only presents my dad does like are ones that did not cost any money. When I ran track at the University of Colorado and my brother played golf at the University of North Carolina my dad received every possible university-logoed item: socks, hats, shoes, t-shirts, golf balls, women's-sized shoes – he did not care – as long as it was free. At my first job after college I raided the office's supply room for gifts. That year he got boxes of pens, staples, paper clips, a bundle of highlighters. I've never seen him so proud.
While my brother is more willing to spend money on presents, he never purchases any of them until the day before. "I'm just headed out to get a coffee," he'll say, meaning: "I'm going to the shopping center down the street to buy all of your presents." Fortunately, there is a bookstore, but aside from books, his presents are, for the most part, entirely useless. Over the years he has given me a George Foreman grill (how was I going to get it back to California?) a Slap Chop ("As seen on TV!"), foot cream, and a pair of men's socks. His last-minute wrapping jobs are a vision as well: always an abstract experiment in torn paper and Scotch tape. (I don't think he's ever used scissors.) Selfishly, I like it when he lacks creativity and just gives me money. This, however, is never your standard affair either. One year he wrapped up a crumpled handful of bills – some ones, some twenties — just whatever was on top of his dresser I am sure. It totaled 68 dollars. The card read, "Dear Lilibet, I hope this helps get you back above the poverty line."
One year, a friend asked my dad if we had any Christmas Day traditions. My dad thought for a minute, and then replied: "No, we generally just sit around, drink Bloody Marys and insult each other."
Being funny is something to be with this group. Everyone is always trying to outwit one another with the notes on their gift tags, the more absurd the present, the better. The worst wrapping job wins.
Gathered around the dining room table for "supper" on Christmas afternoons, my dad will say, "Cheers," clinking a dessert spoon against his wine glass, "To your mother. Who managed to only burn three of the five casseroles this year." I'll look around the table. Yet again, my mom has found a way to put a pecan in every single dish. Somehow, every year, she manages to forget that her daughter is deathly, gone-to-the-emergency-room-four-times allergic to nuts. My grandmother refuses to believe I'm allergic to nuts. "That is just the wildest thing I've ever heard," she'll say, heaping a giant piece of pecan pie on my plate. Picking at the crust, I'll decide the only way to avoid anaphylactic shock is to drink my dinner. So I'll dive nose first into a glass of Cabernet so large a small bird could bathe in it.
An hour later, after everyone has gone back for many helpings, and me for many refills, my teeth will be stained purple. I will get up to go to the bathroom and, while zigzagging back to the table like a shark swims, I will think: As crazy as they are, I love these people. I'll plop down in my chair and put my elbows on the table. "All I have to say," I say, with a slight slur, "is that we are not taking a goddamn Christmas card picture this year."
My mom, still in monogrammed apron, will say, "For goodness' sake, Lilibet, don't say that word, it's Christmas." She'll shake the ice in her fifth vodka-cran. "Now be a lady and fix your grandfather another drink."
Lilibet Snellings is the senior contributor to This Recording. She is a writer living in Los Angeles. You can find her website here, and she tumbls here. She twitters here. She last wrote in these pages about the auditions.
"Rustin Man" - Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man (mp3)
"Sand River" - Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man (mp3)


text:
Kate Hagan, Cuckfield
It has been a year since my last allergic eye reaction to dust and dust mites, and today I have just finished moving my parents out of the house that they have lived in for 36 years. You can imagine the dust I have encountered! I have had NO, and I mean NO, ill effects whatsoever. I still struggle to understand exactly what you did during the NAET treatments but your expertise has totally changed my life. If I still had a dust allergy I would have been unable to help my parents move. I would like to thank you for solving this hideous, debilitating allergy and giving me a normal life."
Chris Whitley-Jones, PRB Accountants
I have visited Mary-Jane on several occasions for a number of ailments and have been very happy with the results. I would have no hesitation in recommending her to friends and colleagues."
MP, Cuckfield
I have found myself using homeopathy as a result of meeting Mary-Jane who was recommended to me . She ran a workshop that was basic enough to help me find remedies for my family in my everyday life and gave me the confidence to use homeopathy. Now Mary-Jane looks after my family of 2 young children , my husband, friends and clients …. I would recommend her to anyone , particularly if it's their first time with homeopathy."
Mrs LB, Hurstpierpoint
I recently visited Mary-Jane with my 2 year old daughter Holly as she was constantly waking in the night (up to 10 times a night!) for no real apparent reason. I have been amazed with the results ; not only is she now sleeping throughout the night she is a lot more settled and happy. I can't thank Mary-Jane enough for giving me back my sanity!"
Eva Smagacz, Haywards Heath
What a difference to be seen and treated as a whole, body and soul, person –by a knowledgeable, patient and sensitive professional."
Sara, Ditchling
Mary-Jane gave me an homeopathic remedy to treat my recurrent "thrush" problem. After taking the remedy for a couple of months, and just adjusting my diet a little, the painful condition has now cleared up completely. She is so easy to talk to and kind and caring. I was able to email her with any concerns between appointments. My treatment for insomnia is also going very well. So well in fact, that two other family members have sought help from Mary-Jane."
S. Wilkinson, Hospitality Management, Mid Sussex
The ability to review my health in a holistic manner with Mary-Jane has provided a greater insight in to how to self manage a number of ailments, the majority of which I now find with her guidance have vastly improved, providing me with a better quality of health."
Mrs JP, Brighton
I had no particular view on homeopathy prior to seeing Mary-Jane, other than I hoped to find a less medical way of addressing some of my ongoing physical health issues. I found the experience of tailored sessions surprisingly therapeutic, which I hadn't anticipated. I also believe that these sessions are essential in ensuring I take the right remedies – buying off the shelf in Boots seems like a shot in the dark now I have seen the complex and individualised prescribing Mary-Jane does. I was honestly amazed how effective the first treatment I had was, for pre-menstrual tension – over a couple of months, I went from rage and tears to calm and peace. My husband was very grateful!
Beyond that, my husband found the homeopathic remedy from Mary-Jane a non-deadening cure for his extreme hay fever, which has transformed summer for him.
What has impressed me most is that – despite my preconceptions – homeopathy with Mary Jane has not seemed to me to be in any way vague or dreamy. She is interested not in 'seeing if I think I might feel a bit different', but in making me better. Properly. It is such a positive, holistic and fearless alternative to the medical route, one without side effects or anxieties about contraindications.
I don't recommend homeopathy per se. I recommend Mary-Jane."
A-J H, Burgess Hill
I have had many life changing moments and the homeopathy treatments have always helped and supported whatever has been going on! Mary-Jane has always been there for emergency advice and was amazing when I lost my Dad earlier this year, her support kept me going!"
Christine, Teacher, Burgess Hill
Homeopathic treatment healed my 4 year old son's sore, red legs. Homeopathy helped my 3 year old son's cough ease."

subset: commoncrawl


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AKRON, OH (WOIO) - Former Akron Police Captain Doug Prade will have an appeal of his murder conviction heard in The Ohio Supreme Court in Columbus today.
Prade's wife, Dr. Margo Prade was murdered in 1997 and he now wants the lab coat she was wearing during the murder to be tested with current DNA equipment. Prade hopes the new DNA tests will prove his innocence in his wife's murder.
Doug Prade is currently serving a 20-year to life sentence and prosecutors say the testing they used twelve years ago was current at the time and that they have a mountain of other evidence against him.
The recently created "Innocence Project" will argue Prade's case. It was formed to help wrongly convicted criminals prove their innocence using current DNA testing.
©2009 WOIO. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


text: Previous Episode Next Episode Ep 4: Pretty Ugly Season 9 | AIRED: May 5 9/8c Tamra and Heather are invited to a holiday party where fashion takes a back seat to charity and the girls meet Lizzie, a former beauty queen. As Vicki focuses on business and the pursuit of happiness, Tamra and Eddie have a heart-to-heart discussion about the possibility of a baby. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email More


text:
The latest brand to add to the ranks of KITH's ever growing brand list is SeaVees, a heritage California footwear company. Established in 1964 with its first ever footwear model, the Legend, SeaVees perpetuates a coastal lifestyle. Three new iterations of the Legend Sneaker arrive at KITH, two are composed of veg-tan leather, while the third is made from a lightweight poplin. All three versions are available now at KITH Manhattan and online at KithNYC.com.
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- Parent Category: News
Iroquois County opera "Grapes of Wrath" a month away
It's Iroquois County's quiet little secret. And – it's offered again in another month.
The Sugar Creek Opera brings the 'Grapes of Wrath' to the stage at Central High School in Clifton. It's a month and a day away for the July 16th presentation. And the local flavor is Watseka native Helen Todd.
Tickets are available thru the Sugar Creek Opera Box office at 815-432-3830. Info is also online at sugarcreekopera.com
The Early Bird discount on tickets is still available thru today (Wed), according to Dr. Dennis Hopkins.
"There's two ways to purchase tickets...online at www.sugarcreekopera.com or call the ticket office at 815-432-3830," Hopkins told WGFA radio listeners. "Check the seating chart and put in your request."
The American Opera "The Grapes of Wrath" was part of our high school reading assignments. If you need a refresher about this opera, get your tickets and this opera will be sung in English. And Dr. Hopkins says there's the connection to rural America.
"It's all about a Midwest tenant farm family that comes across hard times and ventures to find a new life."


text:
Fitting neatly onto your desktop, the LW-900P takes care of all your labelling requirements, from filing to asset tagging, making it ideal for signage, facilities and goods-in departments. With a resolution of 360dpi and a print speed of up to 25mm/s, you'll get high-quality labels at high speed.
Design labels easily
Creating labels is easy using the included software with intuitive menus. Choose from pre-loaded label templates, or design your own and store them on your computer. A special toolbar enables you to add pre-defined frames, symbols, barcodes and text enhancements, or import images. In just a few steps, your label is ready to print.
Import and print data
Using the software, you can import data in csv, txt and xls(x) formats, create a layout corresponding to the column headings, and then print labels for each line of data. You can also print a series of labels with incremental dates or figures.
Producing labels is a hassle-free process from start to finish, as the LW-900P automatically detects the tape width, and automatically cuts or half-cuts the labels once printed. Its convenient integrated trimmer can round label edges, and a dedicated window displays how much tape remains.
Flexible tape options
Epson's wide selection of labels in 6, 9, 12, 18, 24 and 36mm sizes cover virtually every labelling need, with transparent labels, cable wraps, writable matte paper labels and more, plus a choice of adhesive strengths and colour combinations. All Epson labels are very durable, resisting water and withstanding hot and cold conditions.
The LW-900P minimises label margins, meaning you get more labels per tape, and Epson's 9-metre label tape offers economical refills. Two four-metre label tapes are included to get you started.
What's in the box 2 x 4m Trial Tapes, AC Adaptor, Main unit, Power cable, Setup guide, Software (CD), Supplies Catalogue, USB cable, User manual, Warranty Documents
Printing technology Thermal transfer Tape width 6 mm, 9 mm, 12 mm, 18 mm, 24 mm, 36 mm Printing resolution 360 DPI Printable Dot Numbers 384 dot numbers Print height 27 mm Print speed 25 mm/sec Number of printable lines Custom Maximum text length Custom Multi-block Custom
Auto increment Alphabetic, Numerical, Date, Time Mirror printing Yes Vertical printing Yes Barcodes Code 128, Code 39, Data Matrix, EAN-128, EAN-13, EAN-8, GS1-128, GS1-DataBar, ITF, MaxiCode, PDF417, QR Code, UPC-A, UPC-E Wire wrap Yes Flag Yes Margin setting - Label Editor 1mm, Manual Fixed Length No Setting Area Custom
Fonts Depending on user's PC Font Size Custom Frames 1 Frames Tables 1 Tables Style Depending on user's PC Layout Alignment Left, Right, Center, Manual, Justified Character spacing Custom Character width Custom
Memory alphanumeric Depending on user's PC Memory accent Depending on user's PC Accent learning n/a Symbols 457 Memory file (saved labels) Depending on user's PC / 466 templates available Last label View history, Browse
Cutter Auto, Half, Trim Detection Cover open, Tape width Strap hole Yes Power lamp Yes Half cut lamp Yes Feed button Yes
Auto power off No Unit switch mm/inch Clock Yes
Energy Use 13.63 Watt (printing), 0.7 Watt (ready), 0.27 Watt (Power off) Energy Star Yes AC-Adapter Yes Product dimensions 182 x 85 x 146 mm (Width x Depth x Height) Product weight 900 g, without tape & batteries Colour Green, Pale Grey
Interfaces USB 1.1 Type B Compatible Operating Systems Mac OS 10.2+, Windows 7, Windows 7 x64, Windows Vista, Windows Vista x64, Windows XP, Windows XP x64 System requirements Approx. 100 MB HDD space PC Display requirements XGA (1024 x 768) or Higher Included Software Epson Label Editor: Wizard, Pre-set labels (format), View history, Import data (.xls, .xslx, .txt, .csv), Background patterns, PC/Mac compatible
Epson LW 900 Label Printer can be used in Health care Industry Epson LW 900 Label Printer can be used on Retail Stores Epson LW 900 Label Printer Mostly used in Logistics Industry for Asset Managemnet and Tracking Manufacturing Industry uses Epson LW 900 Label Printer Epson LW 900 Label Printer used in various Government Sectors Epson LW 900 Label Printer for Travel & Leisure Epson LW 900 Label Printer for Special Materials


text:
Katie Chudy (Barszcz) had been creating recipes in her Small Boston Kitchen since 2009 when she realized that in the kitchen was where she was happiest. In January 2011, she gave up the glitz and glamor of corporate HR for a chef's knife and coat. After graduating from The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts, she has been working as a personal chef, culinary instructor and caterer throughout the Greater Boston area. She is also a food writer and photographer. Most recently, Katie wrote and photographed her first cookbook, Superfood Sandwiches, which was released in June 2015 from Fair Winds Pres. In her spare time she enjoys making cheese at home, watching food related TV (the good, the bad and the real bad) and spending time traveling throughout New England and beyond with her burger-loving husband, Richard. She loves Dijon mustard, the color blue and can't live without coffee. She prefers cheese to chocolate, any time, any day.
Other Places You Can Find Me:
- Eater Boston - Contributing writer/contributing photographer
- Food Republic - Contributing photographer
- Boston Magazine - Contributing photographer
- The Skinny Beet Dinner Party Podcast - Co-hostess
- Boston Center of Adult Education - Culinary Instructor
- Brookline Center of Adult Education - Culinary Instructor
A Sample of My Work:
- NESN Dining Playbook: Superfood Burger
- Mise Magazine - Photos and More Photos
- NECN - Does It Work?
- The Boston Globe - Recipe Feature, Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
- Boston.com - Recipe Feature - Healthy Dinners for Broke and Lazy College Students
- Exhale Lifestyle - Interview, Katie Barszcz brings the best of her "wicked small" kitchen to yours
- how2heros - Cooking Video, Sweet Cinnamon Glazed Carrots
- PBS Food - Contributing Post, Spring Cleaning, Tips to tidy your spice cabinet
- The Huffington Post - Recipe, Guinness Braised Lamb Poutine
- Daily Candy - Fall Wedding Guide
- The Cooking Channel - Commercial, Cooking Channel Truck Tour


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If you're not the handiest tool in the shed but want to make your home and lifestyle more energy efficient, you've come to the right place. GIY: Green It Yourself gives you simple step-by-step videos on how to make your home more energy efficient, your energy bills lower and your lifestyle a bit green around the edges.
June 2018: It's time to draught-proof. The lowest hanging fruit (and one you can do in your PJ's before breakfast) are hinge doors. There's a few tricks and traps. Here's how to do it.
GIY is developed and presented by Lish Fejer, Australia's Queen of Green. Here's some more about why she set up GIY.


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Hey I started another game last night but when I typed in the url it redirected me to a google search. It also refused to even render that on the iphone 4s. Not sure whats happening.
It works great. The problem with mcp.rocks only occured when using the stock browser on the android phone, you can resolve that by using http://mcp.rocks
The client site needs some modification though, make it more responsive so we don't have to zoom
Hey I started another game last night but when I typed in the url it redirected me to a google search. It also refused to even render that on the iphone 4s. Not sure whats happening.
It would not be the end of the world if the first result from google was the website, but at least for me at the moment the first result is "checkargos.com/mcp", which is actually my website aswell, I was using it to test before I got the mcp.rocks domian set up.
I need to improve the SEO of the mcp.rocks webpage so that google sees it as the number one page, hopefully that will be enough!
Its unusual that it didn't work on the 4s, I have definitely used it on a 4s in the past, will see if I can get my hands on one and check again.
Thanks for the feedback guys!
That...was hilarious!
DrnkPnk says, "Obey The Beard!"
I helped create a mini-game in Explosive Dinosaurs. Otakupunk played it, and now you can too!
Follow my weirdness - > Instagram
I am going to put the game on Steam greenlight and one of the requirements is to have a video to advertise the game, most would be trailers showing in game footage... which I cant really do so we need to think outside the box a little!
A friend of mine sent this on to me yesterday and I thought it was too good not to share!
Might get some friends together and record the drunken endeavor if that is more what you're looking for.
That would be hilarious
I pushed a change to mcp.rocks today to just tidy up the webpage a bit, hopefully will also help with the google rank issue (it appears to be the top result for me though)
If anyone is trying it out could they let me know what they think? (no need to update the app)
Looks good. Didn't have problems moving to different questions. Still nothing from the Iphone 4s.
Those domain extensions are defined in the browsers, so I gues it's not an all Google issue. You might add the site in the Google Webmaster Tools, that adds.your site to Google.


text:
From: Frank Fandrick [firstname.lastname@example.com]
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2003 11:04 AM
To: email@example.com: S7-10-03
You are the government body that is supposed to protect shareholders, so please
consider increasing shareholders ability to select their own representatives to
the BOD. I am an IBM shareholder and IBM retiree. I am struggling to survive on
my IBM pension, which is being reduced greatly by the increase in what IBM forces
me to pay for medical coverage (which was supposed to be free). There has
been one 2 1/2% cost if living increase in 14 years. Yet the BOD has permitted
former IBM CEO Lou Gerstner to walk away with over a half a billion dollars in
stock option profits alone. Please allow us to select the people who will be the
watchdogs over greedy corporate executives.
Thank You
Francis M. Fandrick
Richardson, TX


text:
let's start with the fact that the hipster "movement" is supposed a sort of social movement centered around similar ideologies. social movements are great, i'm all for em but in my professional shit talking opinion, the hipster movement is more about aesthetics. and that is also fine and dandy (i mean where would we be without the pillow-pet movement? that's the same right?), until things that i like to add to my wannabe stylish wardrobe are robbed from me by hipsterdom! and other everyday things we all know and enjoy. you know what i'm talking about...mason jars, pbr, effing red wine. you may also recognize these items that i have listed as SOME OF THE MOST COMMON THINGS EVER. you can't just take things that everyone likes to enjoy and make them yours, hipsters. it ain't cool.
i go to a school that is crawling with hipsters. whether that be people who actually believe they are hipsters or people who dress as though, they are everywhere, much like in most of the pacific northwest (i blame you, portland). and honestly, ninety-five percent of hipsters don't bother me because most can laugh about the seriousness in which many hipsters feel towards common hipster things. am i saying hipster too much?
but my main issue, is clothing related things. today i had an early lab and i thought to myself, i just want to be comfortable and warm. after five minutes of grabbing items from my closet, i had assembled the outfit you see below. and when i looked in the mirror, i was all too aware of how i looked. like a freaking hipster. and then i thought to myself (like i do with most things of this nature) no, i am not going to let hipsters take the pairing of these clothing items from me. no i am not going to let hipsters take wearing plastic framed glasses from me. no i am not going to let hipsters take retro sweatshirts from my childhood from me. so i flaunted the outfit confidently, however all i could think about when i walked into class was, is everyone thinking i'm a hipster? so when i say "confidently" i guess that's the wrong word to use.
and then i get home and my roommate says, "lookin' like a hipster today i see!" balls. such. a. bummer.
but then i launched into a rant like i tend to do and explained myself. so if you are in for some more longwindedness listen up, people! below is the list of clothing items that i wore today and explanation for why i should be allowed to wear each one as part of my overall outfit.
1. a beanie. otherwise known as a hat. you know, to keep your head warm?
2. a tribal print scarf that is part of my everyday uniform. this pattern pops up everywhere but especially on hipsters. they usually prefer it in wool though.
3. a jean jacket. you know, those things that everyone likes to wear? whether you're a cowboy, a preppy girl, my great grandmother, tupac, jean jackets are a fairly universal item.
4. puffy vest. popular among everyone. because they are comfortable and warm. this one is just pure logistical.
5. first, levi's. i did an oral report on levi's in fifth grade (i also did one on krispy kremes. i was the kreme de la kreme of oral reports, i tell ya. ha. see what i did there?) and as most of us know them, they are america's blue jeans. levi strauss pioneered the denim pants movement and now here we are today. with all americans still wearing them, but hipsters trying to make it part of their image. to continue on, black denim for that matter. it's a universal classic. there.
6. and finally converse all stars, the original sneaker. you all remember in rocky when he is running with chucks on? converse are an american staple. and you don't get to have them hipsters, even if you only want white and black.
all i'm saying is i just want to be able to wear something here in this hipster town without the searing judgement/questioning. the last thing i need people thinking is that i browse music sites to find bands that no one else has heard of but are really good and write all original music and only use the banjo. no. that's not me. yet, this outfit may label me as so. so i guess this all comes back to don't judge a book by it's cover? except this whole post is judgmental on my part so that doesn't work, huh? take it as you will, people. but now you have been rightfully informed.
signing off....
my work here is done....


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Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Review: The Thing About December
I loved Ryan's other novel, The Spinning Heart, winner of the Irish Book Awards Book of the Year last year. This one was actually written earlier but just published in December 2014. I can't even begin to say which is better. I certainly will be reading anything Donal Ryan writes.
The Thing About December features one of the most loveable characters I've come across in a long time. Johnsey Cunliffe is a grown boy who would probably be labeled today as "developmentally disadvantaged". He has a job, he has a good home with loving parents on a run-down farm, but he is often bullied by other punks in town who sense the weakness in him. Johnsey has a difficult time talking, forming words to express his thoughts, and when both his parents die in a short time span, he finds himself alone in his house, beset by many who want to get their hands on the land his parents have left him. When, after a mugging by neighborhood thugs, he lands in the hospital, temporarily blinded. There he meets Nurse "Lovely Voice"and his life changes.
This is a bittersweet, lovely, heartwarming and heartbreaking story of a year in the life of a gentle man who simply wants a friend, wants to be understood, wants to be sure his parents would be proud of him. He just wants to let others know how he feels and do the right thing.
An author to be read, and a story to be relished. Another 5 star stunner.
Posted by Tina at 12:30 AM
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text:
Purpose built gym let to Fitness First, Solihull, comes to market for £1.7 million
30 January 2018
International real estate advisor Savills, on behalf of a private individual, has brought to market a purpose built fitness centre, fully let to Fitness First. Located in Solihull the unit has a guide price of £1.7 million.
The property in Ulleries Road was built in 2001 and provides 13,181 sq ft (1,224 sq m) of ground floor space, with a mezzanine providing a further 8,292 sq ft (770 sq m) added by the tenant. Fully let to Fitness First on a lease with 8.5 years unexpired the property generates an annual income of £123,500 per annum.
Located two miles from Solihull town centre the property benefits from a wide residential catchment area and is close to a neighbourhood scheme which includes Solihull Ice Rink, a retail parade including a Tesco Express and community facilities.
Ian Simpson, director in the leisure and trade related team at Savills, comments: "We are delighted to bring to market this fantastic opportunity to acquire a leisure property currently occupied by an experienced operator that benefits from a large residential catchment area."


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I am very pleased to say that Emily has nominated me for a Thinking Blogger award. I have seen this accolade on many sites I read and often thought 'maybe if I wrote something interesting and posted less pictures of crap, I might get one!'. Well, I am happy to think that someone has enjoyed reading my blog and that I am able on occasion to make people think.
Maybe one day, I will have the courage to share what happened to inspire me to write a poem about a lost friendship, or how my family has been coping with a brush with alcoholism, or what makes me afraid to think about the future, or what it is like to seem like the most confident person in the room and yet feel so insecure, or what I fantasise about to help me fall asleep. Maybe when I start to let you all in a bit more, I will really get you thinking.
According to the rules, now it is my turn to pass the baton to five blogs that make me think. As I have seen this around a bit, I am going to try to nominate people who have not been nominated before. In no particular:


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Along with scrumptious multi-layered pakhlava (baklava) and tender nut-filled shekerbura, spice-infused flaky bread shorgoghal (alternative spelling: shor goghali) is another irresistable edible attribute of Novruz. In fact, the three are a must on a festive goodie-filled tray, khoncha, a centerpiece of the Novruz table. For its shape, the golden crust and the yellowish spice filling it encases, shorgoghal is regarded as the symbol of the sun. There can be as many as 9-12 layers of thinly opened dough in the shorghogal. This recipe yields 9 layers, but you can go as high as 12 if you roll your dough into smaller circles. A common wisdom holds that the more layers in the dough, the flakier the baked breads will be. Usually, shorgoghal is enjoyed with sweetened black tea, the authentic Azerbaijani way.
Happy Spring, Happy Novruz to all of you!
Shorgoghal, or Spice-Filled Flaky Breads
Makes 16 to 18 breads
Note: I like to make my shorgoghal smaller than the usual large size (see pics above). Cut the layered dough into shorter strips to make smaller breads.
For the Dough:
1 package (¼ ounce /2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
6 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup milk, at room temperature
1 egg
7 ounces unsalted butter, melted and cooled
For the Spice Filling:
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
2 tablespoons anise seeds
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
For the Butter Spread:
17 ounces unsalted butter
½ teaspoon salt
For the Top:
2 egg yolks, to glaze
About 1 teaspoon Nigella sativa seeds (can substitute poppy seeds)
First, prepare the dough. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and mix well. Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture, milk, egg and butter. Stir with your hands to incorporate the ingredients. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, and not tight, about 10 minutes. If the dough is still sticky, add more flour and knead but do not overdo with the flour. Put the dough back in the large mixing bowl, cover with a kitchen towel or a plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot, until it doubles in bulk, about 1 ½ hours. The dough will be puffy and soft when poked with a finger.
Meanwhile, prepare the spice filling. Roast the fennel seeds and anise seeds on a hot skillet for about 2 minutes, until their aroma rises. (Roasting will raise their aroma and enhance their flavor, but it is optional. You can also use them as is).
Grind the spices in a spice grinder or using a mortar and pestle. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the filling except the butter. Stir to mix. Gradually add the melted butter and rub with your fingers, until you obtain fine crumbs. Set aside.
When the dough has risen, prepare the butter spread. Melt the butter. Season with salt and set aside.
Have 2 large baking sheets ready.
You will need a large working area divided into two, to roll and assemble the layers. Shape the risen dough into a log and divide the log into 9 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball. Work with one ball at a time, and cover the rest with a kitchen towel.
Sprinkle some flour onto your working area. Using a thin rolling pin, roll out one ball, into a 20-inch circle, 1/16 inches thick. When you roll the dough, from time to time, sprinkle it with flour and spread all over the circle, to prevent the dough from sticking to the rolling pin and for easier rolling. Wrap the rolled out circle around the rolling pin and unwrap on another side of the working area.
Drizzle 4 tablespoons of the butter spread onto the circle and spread over the circle with your hand. Continue rolling up the remaining dough balls in the same fashion, placing them on top of each other and brushing with butter, except for the last circle, which should not be buttered (You can roll out the subsequent dough ball into smaller circles and place on top of the previous, then stretch in all directions to fit the larger circle). Now, gently pull the sides of the layered circle to stretch, until it is about 24 inches in diameter or as far as it can go (this will thin the rolled out layers yielding flakier breads).
Next, using a sharp knife, cut the circle into 2-inch wide strips, and cut the strips into rectangles, about 12 inches long, leaving the short sides of the circle as is, not cutting them. Beginning from one narrow side of one rectangle, gently roll it into a tight roll-up. Next, proceed with either methods (method 2 yields a flakier pastry) below to stuff the pastry:
Method 1: Take the roll-up in your hand with one end down and with your fingers press in the middle of the other end to hollow it up, all the way to the middle, until you obtain a hollowed cone. Fill the cone as directed in the next step.
Method 2: (for a flakier pastry): Take the roll-up in your hand and holding both ends of it, twist it three times. Press the twisted log between your hand to flatten it slightly. Now, using your fingers push the middle of the disk to the sides to hollow it out (it should look like a mushroom cap). Fill the cone as directed in the next step.
Fill the hole with 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of the filling, packing it gently. Bring the edges of the open end of the pastry together and seal to close.
Place the pastry just-filled-side down (the other side will be layered and should be on top), on a flat surface and press gently with your hand to flatten it into a 4-inch disk, about 3/8-inches thick.
Continue with the remaining roll-ups in the same manner and place them on the baking sheets, spacing them at least 1 inch apart.
Place the pastry onto the baking sheets.
Preheat the oven to 360ºF.
The next step is optional: With your index finger, gently press in the center of the pastry to make a shallow indentation. Place a pinch of the spice filling in the indentation.
Now, brush the tops of the pastries with the eggs yolks and sprinkle with Nigella seeds. Bake for 40 minutes, or until golden on top, rotating the pans half way through. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool completely before serving. Keep the pastries in a large saucepan covered with lid, or in any other covered container.


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Commissioner Gordon
From LEGO Batman Wiki
|Commissioner Gordon
|Real name:
|James Gordon
|No information
|Voiced by:
|Keith Ferguson (LEGO Batman: The Video Game)
Townsend Coleman (LEGO Batman: The Movie)
Commissioner James "Jim" Gordon is one of Batman's allies. He is the Commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department and one of the few honest cops in Gotham City. Barbara Gordon aka Batgirl is his niece/adopted daughter.
In LEGO Batman: The Videogame[edit]
When all criminals broke out of Arkham Asylum and was roaming free, he alerted Batman of this in the intro. In The Joker's Return, he was captured by the Joker after he and his police force tried to stop him. As Joker held him hostage and taunted Batman by giving him demostrations of how he will brutally murder Gordon if Batman doesn't stop him. In the end, Batman defeated the Joker, freed Gordon,and everything went back to normal.
Equipment and Abilities[edit]
As a cop, he is trained in hand-to-hand combat and wields a pistol. He also has control of a large police force.


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Rhiannon Giddens: Artist of the Year in Photographs
While Jason Isbell's Something More Than Free may have taken the top spot in both the ND readers and critics polls, Rhiannon Giddens dominated the past year just as thoroughly as Isbell did in 2013.
She was everywhere -- touring North America as well as Europe, performing at the White House, yet also doing workshops off the beaten path, such as the Augusta Heritage Festival in Elkins, West Virginia. Her excellent album, Tomorrow Is My Turn, was selected as the runner-up by ND critics and tied for sixth by the readers. Giddens already won a Grammy with the Carolina Chocolate Drops, and this abum also been nominated for a Grammy. So I know I am not alone in my unabashed appreciation.
Few other artists would, or could, record Dolly Parton, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Jean Ritchie, Nina Simone, Odetta, and Patsy Cline on the same album and make it a cohesive whole, as if they belonged together all along, as if it were inevitable.
Nothing happens overnight, though. Giddens began in opera, graduating from Oberlin Conservatory with a degree in vocal performance. She then turned to traditional folk and roots music, which led to rebirthing the African-American stringband, a Grammy Award, working on T Bone Burnett's Another Day, Another Time and The New Basement Tapes. Then came her follow-up EP Factory Girl, as if to drive home the point.
While her two excellent records from 2015 draw from many sources, when you experience Giddens live, she becomes a musical force like few others.
Save for the Metropolitan Opera's new production of Berg's Lulu, my musical highlight of the year was Giddens' multi-song set with the Kronos Quartet at the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville in March. The centerpiece of that set was the album's title song, written by Marcell Stellman and Charles Aznavour, both Europeans. Nina Simone's original recording of the tune could have been a James Bond theme song, but she later made it a racial declaration. During that set with Kronos, Giddens took the song yet another step further, one for all humanity while retaining Simone's essence.
Like a good number of others, I first saw Giddens at MerleFest in 2007 as part of the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Formed just two years prior, they were easily the most talked-about artists that year. Wherever I went, people were asking one another whether they had seen them. I caught their every set that weekend.
During the past year, I was fortunate to see Giddens on six occassions, and each successive time I saw something just a bit different, or was I experiencing something new in myself? More likely, I was continually catching up with her.
The real turning point I witnessed may have come on September 29, 2013, at New York's Town Hall during the Another Day, Another Time concert celebrating the music of Inside Llewyn Davis. It was apparent that a significant number of audience members were unfamiliar with her, but she brought down the house with a stunning two-song set. She shared the stage with Joan Baez, Jack White, Gillian Welch, Patti Smith, Marcus Mumford, and the Avett Brothers, but she stole the show, much like Gillian Welch stole the Down From the Mountain concert, which celebrated the first Coen Brothers and T Bone collaboration, at the Ryman years before.
As our editor, Kim Ruehl, surmised in her year-end assessment, 2015 was the year Rhiannon Giddens came into her own. Those of us who were fortunate enough to have seen her are witnesses to that. Nor are we alone. The national press is finally catching up. Nate Chinen of The New York Times selected her Nov. 13 performance in New York as one of the best shows of the year -- the only Americana artist to be included by that publication's four music critics. And just two days ago she was profiled on CBS Sunday Morning.
Here, then, is an appreciation of Rhiannon Giddens' musical and personal talents as expressed in photographs.
January 12, 2016 - 6:31 am
Tomorrow Is My Turn is a sublime record. Saw her live early last fall, one of my favorite shows in recent years. She is a stunning, compelling singer. Not sure who named her Artist of the Year, but hell yes!
Dave Crotts
January 12, 2016 - 5:05 pm
I was fortunate to see Rhiannon with the Chocolate Drops at a roots concert in 2012 and then with another acclaimed singer and her good friend Laurelyn Dossett (Polecast Creek). One of the most impressive all around musicians I have seen in over 4 decades of listening to roots music. We have been fortunate in my home state of North Carolina of having a lot of noted homegrown talent ranging from Doc Watson and Earl Scruggs to Thelonius Monk. Rhiannon ranks right up there. I'm elated at her success and recognition.
Ron Myhr
January 15, 2016 - 4:44 pm
I'd seen Giddens with CCD, when she was pregnant with her second child and complained about wind problems. It was a wonderful concert, with a great deal of conversation about the history of the music and of her experience -- anecdotes about her time as a competitor in gaelic song competitions, about the black gaelic community that actually existed in the Carolinas, about the interplay of African and Irish/Scottish music. And so on.
So, I was listening to the new CD Factory Girl and had the thought "She should be on a Transatlantic Sessions show". That's the BBC series featuring Scot Aly Bain and American Jerry Douglas, and a host of performers from the folk traditions on both sides of the Atlantic. Which led me to google Transatlantic Sessions to see what was up with them.
And what should I see but Rhiannon Giddens getting rave reviews for live performances as part of the Transatlantic Sessions crew throughout the UK. With luck, this might mean a new series is being recorded that might become available to the rest of us.
I have all six series, many many hours of fine music, on DVD and would kill for a seventh with Giddens.
Dave Crotts
January 16, 2016 - 4:47 am
Wow, Ron. Thanks for digging those connections out. Rhiannon is so well versed in so many genres already. Now we can add gaelic. I was totally intrigued reading in other places the rediscovery of african american connections to string band music through CCD, their mentor Joe Thompson, and the acclaimed blues artist Otis Taylor (Rediscovering The Banjo CD). Sort of related is the experience I had a few years ago at Merlefest with the Afro-Celt Sound System, described as "a musical group which fuses modern electronic dance rhythms with traditional Irish and West African music". It just goes to show the universal nature of good music and the results of creative artists who are willing to follow their muse.
Ron Myhr
January 16, 2016 - 8:18 am
The Gaelic repertoire may actually have come first, or at least first after opera. I think it was the Gaelic language song she did at the Llewyn Davis Concert (Another Day Another Time) that really brought her into focus. She did two songs, Waterboy first, then that one, mostly acapella, brought the house to its feet, a triumph. Only standing ovation at the concert, and considering the performers (Gillian Welch/Dave Rawlings, Jack White, Marcus Mumford, the Avetts, the Punch Brothers, Joan Baez, etc), that's saying something. The concert was produced by T Bone Burnett, who subsequently took her into the studio to record her big album.
Steve Ford
April 4, 2016 - 7:47 pm
I just had the opportunity to see Rhiannon Giddens perform four times in eight days at two festivals. As much as I like Tomorrow is My Turn, it doesn't prepare you for how damn good she is live. Just awesome.
Jim Hunter
April 5, 2016 - 7:11 am
Can't add much to the commentary here...she sort of leaves genre identifying and pigeon-holing in the dust...it is just great music, and more or less defies categorization.. amazing singer, musician, musicologist, historian...


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Wednesday, March 3, 2010
ModCloth. They have the best assortment of unique-looking pieces. My current obsession is their wealth of adorable tights just in time for spring. Check out these High Frequency Tights. You could wear them with just about anything: rock them with a short, black number, or give your sweet flowery dress a little edge.
Posted by Cake at 9:04 AM
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According to legend there are several ways by which a person can be transformed into this nasty feline monster.
Some believed that only the people who had led a bad life and only asked for forgiveness as they were dying would transform into this tiger-like monster.
In Malaysia, people were said to be able to choose to become one of these beasts.
Some did it to get revenge and others simply because they craved the power, strength and violence.
[Click here to read full article]


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I really like the colors. Find them here (and still in my size) from PiperLime.
|image credit Piperlime
I really like the colors. Find them here (and still in my size) from PiperLime.
|image credit Piperlime
Oh smelly good things and sewing, together in one project, perfect! I love the smell of lavender, its woodsy, fresh and subtle all at the same time. I went out onto the great web in search of a lavender sachet "recipe". I came across this lavender spice mix here at SF Herb Company. Its a delightful mix of lavender, cinnamon, rosemary and a few other subtle fragrances. I also ordered my ingredients from the same place (I ordered herb from California). They took about a week to get here, I made a half batch in a gallon ziplock bag, let it soak for a week or so, then filled some sachets I made out of a few scraps I had. Now my undies drawer smells amazing.
We have the stupidest smart squirrels ever! I think they can find their way into almost anything. The search for a squirrel proof bird feeder has been difficult. I had one that would close shut but those little tree rats hung off of it and chewed a hole in the side. So then when they would jump on it, the sides would come down and all the seed would just pour right onto the ground. They figured out how to get the lid off the suet feeder, hope it gave them the poops. We even trained the terrier to terrorize the rodents on command. They showed no fear of the chihuahua, I guess they thought he was one of them. They are picky little things too, wont eat stale bread they want to good bird seed. I think we finally have a solution. Here comes the infomercial: The squirrel buster mini works! It closes up and there isn't any plastic exposed for them to chew a hole in, genius! It has them so stumped they don't even try anymore. Either that or they are tunneling into my house with plans of raiding the refrigerator. Mental note, pad lock refrigerator. *runs to back yard, shakes fist, yells* "Your plan has been foiled! How ya like me now!"
Hot pink, 5qt stand mixer from the one and only Kitchen Aid. Love the new clear mixing bowl.
|Image credit KitcehAid
Reusable (Unpaper) Paper Towel Tutorial.
UPDATE 15Sep2016, Sadly I am no longer selling these in my Etsy shop.
These have gotten quite a bit of love on facebook and pinterest so I thought I would make a quick tutorial. I'm always looking for practical gifts and projects. This is a great sewing project to pass a little time, letting you play in your fabric stash all while making something practical and useful.
Not only is it pretty a frilly, its made from reclaimed metals. So feel feminine and savvy. Anthropologie!
|Image source, Anthro
This whole Pinterest thing seems to be catching on. I created an account, pinned two things and promptly forgot about it. So I've started adding items here and there as not to disappoint my followers, cause you know thats the whole point. The belong to yet another social media clique and be the most popular. *gets off soap box* So all that to say HERE is my first board that seems to actually have some substance…green. It was an easy theme to follow. Enjoy, or dont, no one is going to judge. Except for all those Pinterest junkies.
Its getting warm out, time for summer and these hot shoes by Naughty Monkey!
|image provided by Zappos
|image provided by zappos


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With the state election fast approaching, Labor has put forward its plans for public transport. These are packaged under the term Metronet. This involves the construction of several heavy rail lines.
The Northern Circle Line (NCL) will run over a new railway along Reid and Tonkin Hwys, as well as employing existing tracks along the Joondalup (to Stirling) and Midland (to Bayswater) lines to form a loop. New stations will be at Balcatta (Erindale Rd presumably), Wanneroo Rd, Mirrabooka Av, Alexander Dr, Noranda (Benara Rd presumably) and Walter Rd.
A line will also be constructed to Ellenbrook, which will branch off the NCL after Noranda, with stops at Bennett Springs (probably the intersection of Reid Hwy and Beechboro Rd), Whiteman Park and Ellenbrook.
The map also shows a line to Wanneroo, but this is not mentioned in text. I don't know of any good rail corridor to Wanneroo, and money for a tunnel would better be spent in more inner areas.
The Southern Circle Line (SCL)will incorporate an airport line previously proposed by the Liberals (from Bayswater to Forrestfield), as well as electrification and amplification of a freight line for passenger service from Forrestfield to Fremantle. New station will be at Airport West (near the current domestic terminal site, with domestic to be consolidated at the international terminal and the site redeveloped as a business park, AFAIK), Perth Airport, Forrestfield, Wattle Grove, Kenwick Junction (interchange with Armadale Line), Thornlie, Nicholson Rd, Ranford Rd, South Lake (interchange with Mandurah Line), Yangebup and Coogee, then looping back using the existing Fremantle Line tracks, through the city to the Midland Line, to Bayswater.
A dedicated airport line will also be built paralleling the SCL between Forrestfield and Shenton Park, perhaps with specialised rolling stock.
The Joondalup Line will be extended from Clarkson to Yanchep, and the Armadale Line to Byford (although the map shows a line all the way to Pinjarra!)
This plan focuses on delivering more cross-suburban rail, an very good idea. According to the Public Transport for Perth in 2031 plan, the inner city (CBD, West Perth, East Perth, Northbridge) only accounts for 18% of jobs in the metropolitan area (see page 12). This is only set to increase, as congestion in the CBD and plans such as the Stirling City Centre and Murdoch Mix draw more employers into secondary CBDs. Metronet will add Kewdale (the 2nd largest employment area), Canning Vale (7th largest), Malaga (10th), Balcatta (11th), This is more efficient, as instead of having full trains heading into the city in the morning, but near-empty trains heading out, those empty trains will have more passengers on them, which is better for the environment and for the cost recovery of public transport.
Rail will be delivered to neglected corners of suburbia, affording better access to amenities in the CBD and along existing railway lines (eg. shopping, universities, employment), and perhaps spawning new amenities to these places, drawn by rail access. This will help combat issues such as youth unemployment and unrest.
As the plan consists of surface heavy rail, it is much cheaper than tunnelled alternatives, while still offering the speed and capacity of heavy rail. Greater accessibility, as alluded to above, would bring greater investment, as a result of higher land value, and increase access to high paying jobs, which are concentrated in the CBD.
However, there is a disturbing number of lines converging on the Midland Line (five, six if you count the phantom Wanneroo line;). With regular 20 tph signalling, the maximum frequency for each line during peak hour is 4 tph, or every 15 minutes, what is being run in the off-peak. An upgrade to 30tph signalling could see 6tph, but this is what the overcrowded Midland Line receives during peak hour currently, leaving little room for growth other than traffic from Perth to before Bayswater being put onto the other lines, platform extension or running other lines at 4tph. This is not to mention that punctuality will be compromised, as each train will have to arrive at Bayswater at the exact scheduled time, or else trains after that one will be delayed.trains running even 45 seconds late may result in delays and reduction in capacity. The Midland Line will have to be quadruplicated up to Bayswater.
You could run the NCL right through to the SCL, instead of running to the city on the Midland Line. This would remove 2 lines from the Perth to Bayswater pinch point, cutting the number of lines there to 3. Each may run every 9 minutes (6 2/3 tph)on current signalling, or every 6 minutes (10 tph) with an upgrade, or double the figure with quadruplication. A new interchange station where the Midland Line intersects Tonkin Hwy would have to be built though, and airport trains would bypass this stop. SCL passengers will be able to have a zero walking distance transfer by changing to the airport line at an airport station, where both the SCL and Airport Line will call into the same platforms. There may be an extra charge on airport trains though, like in Sydney and Brisbane, which may be only be checked at entrances or enforced on board airport trains too. In addtion, reducing the number of lines does not change the fact that a large number of passengers will converge on the Midland Line between Perth and Bayswater.
Also an issue is the location of the NCL and SCL; the former in a highway median, the latter in primarily industrial lands.
We've yet to develop a good TOD at any of our existing freeway stations (Cockburn Central is alright, but cut off from the main commercial area (Gateway SC) by heavy traffic and car-oriented development along Beeliar Dr, as it is used to access the Kwinana Fwy), and for good reason - car traffic and pollution do not make good real estate marketing points, and the extensive park n' rides that follow car dependence do not make for quick and pleasant walks to the station. While there may be creative solutions, it is much simpler to build TODs outside of freeways. In some cases, non-highway TODs could harness suburb names that are already better than many highway-side suburbs (without naming anywhere).
As for industrial areas on the SCL, this is better, as there is no big, hulking highway to separate suburbs from their eponymous stations, but suburbs will still have to be radically different from what they are now. While it is good to serve industrial areas and their large employee numbers (as mentioned before, Kewdale is the area with the largest number of jobs out side of the inner city), industrial areas are typically large-scale and car/truck-dependent, and this must be changed if train lines serving such areas are to be well used. To kick out industry for residential and commercial development in response to this problem is also an issue; industrial areas cannot be simply pushed further and further out. The continued need for freight rail without delays to passenger trains will require wide rail corridors, without corresponding two-tier operation, frequency or existing urbanity.
The costing of Metronet has been quite a contentious issue. First there was the Labour costing of $3.8 billion, then the $6.4 Liberal costing, and the Treasury costing sits in between at $4.335 billion ($5.2 billion by the time the project is finished). Let's see for ourselves what the plan might cost, in my mini - costing.
To be generous, I've thrown in a few extras, such as the aforementioned quadruplication to Bayswaters, and 4 km of tunnel for the airport section (the lack of this attacked by the Liberals in radio ads)
NCL - 17 km of surface rail
SCL - 42 km of surface rail (mostly amplified over the existing freight line, but new infrastructure is needed for passenger trains), 5 km of underground rail
Ellenbrook - 11km of surface rail
Butler to Yanchep (Clarkson to Butler is already under construction) - 13 km of surface rail
Armadale to Byford - 8 km of surface rail
Perth to Bayswater - 8 km of amplified surface track
Total - 91 km of surface rail, 5 km of underground rail, 8 km of amplified track
Approximate costs (using statistics from Martin 2010)
Surface rail - $20 million per km
Underground rail - $221.5 million per km
Track Quadruplication - $27.25 million per km
To try to account for inflation (I don't know how to do it properly), and also be conservative, I will add to these figures.
Surface rail - $25 million per km
Underground rail - $250 million per km
Track quadruplication - $30 million per km
The cost of Metronet should therefore come to -
$25 x 92 + $250 x 5 + 30 x 8 (mil)
= $2275 + $1250 + $240 (mil)
= $3769 (mil)
= $3.769 billion
Let's round that up to $3.8 billion
So even with a couple extras of my own, we come up with a costing less than anyone else's, but close to Labor's (which does not include quadding) Perhaps this is accounted for by the extra promises, such as the 17 000 extra parking spaces, the Circle Freeway or 144 new trains. Even so, the quoted costs did not include my extras, which were quite expensive. We really need public transport, so we need to make sure that money spent on it yields the greatest gains possible, by controlling our cost. What happened to our experience with the Mandurah Line, which despite its complexity, was one of the cheapest heavy rail projects in Australia of its time.
UPDATE: In line with my Liberals post, I've added an extra kilometre of tunnel, and taken that corresponding section from the surface rail part of the equation. My costing has been changed to reflect this.
A blog focused on public transport (PT) issues, particulary that in Perth (formerly A Transport Geek in Middle School)
Friday, 8 March 2013
Labor Metronet review
6 comments:
- Anonymous7 April 2016 at 12:00
Great planReplyDelete
Realy great plan. Especially the southern circle routeReplyDelete
Realy great plan. Especially the southern circle routeReplyDelete
Realy great plan. Especially the southern circle routeReplyDelete
- Anonymous16 June 2017 at 20:05
Does anyone know what the "broken" segments of the lines represents (between Pinjarra and Serpentine, Rockingham and Atwell) ?ReplyDelete
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A Jersey Village detention basin that blends natural flood control with recreation is serving as a model for sustainable development across the county.
The Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD), in partnership with Harris County Precinct 4 and the City of Jersey Village, completed the Jersey Meadows Stormwater Detention Basin in 2014 with a goal of reducing flood risk to residents along White Oak Bayou in northwest Harris County.
In December, the West Houston Association, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing innovative ideas to the Houston area, awarded the project the Sustainability Stars award in the following three categories:
• Investigation Star - Recognizes project sponsors who study or evaluate the use of sustainability elements in their project prior to any project implementation activities.
• Investment Star - Recognizes project sponsors who include sustainability elements in the design of their project.
• Integration Star - Recognizes project sponsors who include sustainability elements in a constructed project.
While most flood control basins in Harris County do not retain water, the Jersey Village project features a permanent wet-bottom basin with wetlands that naturally filter stormwater and provide natural habitat to wildlife.
The project also involved restoring all unprotected wetlands impacted by basin construction. These wetlands remain separate from the stormwater quality treatment wetlands.
To complete the project, HCFCD reforested the site with native trees and shrubs that will reduce long-term maintenance costs associated with mowing and removing undesirable or invasive species.
An inter-local agreement with the City of Jersey Village allowed for construction of a trail around the perimeter of the basin. Trail users can now access the site for multi-use objectives, providing an opportunity for recreation in addition to flood damage reduction and water quality improvement goals.
E-mail Commissioner Cagle
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Submit a service/maintenance request
Commissioners' Court Agenda
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Harris County Transit
Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management
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Harris County Precinct 4
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Houston, Texas 77002
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Pull Out The Candy - text
Musíš se nejprve přihlásit. Pokud nemáš účet, tak se zaregistruj
[Hook x2: Big T]
Pull out the candy, cause it's time to shine
Turn up the Screw, because it's going down
Down South, we just balling mayn
Steady sliding on chrome, in the turning lane
That Ike got me sprayed, cause I'm always playa made
Don't even have to drive, to get parked in valet
I'm leaving candy dropping, when I'm tipping tipping wet
Elbows and dot the mirrors popped, and I got that beam set
Bout to park, where I can peep out my scene
Sitting on grown men, and every heiress has a screen
After this shit beaming, cause I'm ready for the weather
Dropping ashes on my buck, y'all original version of leather
I swang from the North to the South, like a monster
Enegland hard, cause it's still my name Yungstar
I'm crystal clear no tint, I want these boys to see
I'm on your local radio station, and your cable T.V.
I hear em saying Yung they stealing your style, they stealing your flow
What's happening you still rapping, when your shit hit the sto'
I tell em I'm still on my grind, I'm still on my note
And plus I got my own label, so I'm fin to get mo'
[Hook x2]
Here I come here I come, I know you hear me coming
Driving my bumper on Antoine, pick it up wait on Fondren
I be money laundering from here to London, way to Thailand
Boys and all the while on island, why I'm always smiling
Stop that I always frown, let the top down
Nigga like me I come down, I'm known to tech nine
Check your crew wreck the blue, wreck the red
I drop the top pull up, now I'm on the 'Stead
Moving grooving, stretch nation wide
Sipping satin, with them steering steady skating now
Why I'm stop and go, nigga got a lot of golds
A lot of shows, use to party at the Papa Deauxxx
A lot of mo' wanna get me, catch me slipping
All the trips and trade, cause the trades can be tricky
Marble seven fifty, you can't miss me
And just to sew it up, I got fo's going for fifty
[Hook x2]
I might jump out in flip-flops, and pajamas and a Clover flag
Of that California love and purple stuff, every moment is a Kodak
It's a known fact, when a shoulder break the wrist I could pull up
I'ma throw black and you stroll back, and take a look at my footage
What's that I'ma keep my crooked and X's, Screwston in cooking
And jamming Screw in they decks, cause down South Houston we got em shooken
You can catch me at IHOP or Frank's, can sit with twenty guns
To seeming love cash for later, have no less than twenty ones
I make em say man, when the candy dance through your city
Extra inches on our toys, separating the boys from the men
Vada-ving vada-voom, fresh out to loon and detail
Before you see me hear me riding, blowing big on Davin wheels
Turning MLK to a one-way lane, Fondren and Main fondling grain
Jump in the lane in something strange, with a bunch of bang ain't nothing changed
You love to swang, go on fire it up you know what to do
Pop and drop the top body rock, as I show love for Screw and let's
[Hook x4]
Nezařazené v albu
- Badass
- Got's 2 Be Everything
- I'm Still A Baller
- Keep It Real
- Knockin' Pictures Off Da ..
- Lane 2 Lane
- Pull Out The Candy
- Screens 'r' Fallin
- The Return Of The Yung Do..
- Zoom (feat. J 2 Da B)
Yungstar texty
- 1. The Return Of The Yung Do..
- 2. Badass
- 3. Pull Out The Candy
- 4. I'm Still A Baller
- 5. Screens 'r' Fallin
- 6. Got's 2 Be Everything
- 7. Keep It Real
- 8. Lane 2 Lane
- 9. Zoom (feat. J 2 Da B)
- 10. Knockin' Pictures Off Da ..


text: I just rooted and for some reason it doesnt want to make a back up of stock rom. It boots into recovery and starts the process but then starts to say it cant find sd files? it trys for about 20 seconds then reboots and nothing. Anyone have any ideas ? Im using the rom manager to make the back up..


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Demi Lovato: Fox Upfront Presentation with Simon Cowell!
Demi Lovato keeps it chic while attending the 2013 Fox Upfront Presentation with X Factor judge Simon Cowell held at Woolman Rink on Monday (May 13) in New York City.
"Yes! [Simon] has! I'll like text him and be like 'I have a crazy idea!' And he's like 'Who? Talk to me!' And I'll like call him or whatever and we'll talk," the 20-year-entertainer shared at the presentation about possible judges. "I'm not letting you know any of them. You'll find out soon enough. We have to make a decision soon."
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Demi Lovato
Later in the day, Demi was seen rocking a fierce leather skirt while attending a Topshop event in the Big Apple.
10+ pictures inside of Demi Lovato attending the Fox Upfront Presentation…


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BW&BK scribe Mitch Lafon recently caught up with KISS drummer Eric Singer, discussing a variety of subjects in anticipation of the band's July 24th appearance at Heavy MTL.
Singer: "KISS has always been somewhat of a unifying and polarizing band. Just like buying a car buying a car or eating at a restaurant – you go by participation. If I don't like something I don't buy it. I don't support it. You vote with your wallet, but KISS is about the show and about having a good time. Being in KISS is a lot of hard work. It's not easy like everybody thinks. I've been in a lot of bands and nothing takes the amount of energy, effort and work as it does to play in KISS. I've seen Paul almost yawning before he goes on stage, but when the lights go down – BAM. He's running around, jumping…What's important is when you are on that stage. That's when you have to give 100%.."
-- On the KISS audience: "We've seen how the audience has changed over the past few years. It's now more of an all-ages show. I liken KISS to Disneyworld or Universal Studios – it's one of these spectacle things that you've got to go see."
-- On Heavy MTL: "We love Montreal. It's a beautiful city. I'm glad that we're going back there to play the Heavy MTL festival. And we have a day off there, which is very cool."
Read the rest at BraveWords:ERIC SINGER


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About Linda Grant DePauw
Life Coaching and EFT Training Programs
Healing the Children of the Gulf
Feasting With The Faeries
The Magic Book
Magical Stitchcraft
Hearing the Faeries Sing
Silver Swans
Pot of Gold
The White Rabbit
The Magic Book
"Words are the most powerful drug used by mankind."
Rudyard Kipling
All books are magic and all people engaged in nurturing their dreams need to create a book for themselves. The good witches of ancient times called their personal books grimoires or books of shadows. Today we call them journals.
This page will soon hold some of my personal work in progress entitled
The Magic Book: an inquiry into the practice of journaling as a tool for personal transformation, psychic development, private amusement, pleasure, power, and pure fun with remarks on cooking, calligraphy, computers, and color together with myriad other topics and illustrated with examples from scribblers and scriveners ancient and modern gleaned from divers sources.
"Within its deep infinity I saw ingathered and bound by love in one volume, the scattered leaves of all the universe."
Dante Alighieri
"As anyone knows who's 'done' scholarship, it is one of the ultimate drugs. Every intriguing article has an equally intriguing bibliography, and every lead branches into six more, and there hovers over you all the time this delicious feeling that any minute you'll have explained Everything."
Carol L. Flinders
"All would be well could we but give us wholly to the dreams and get into their world that to the sense is shadow, and not linger wretchedly among substantial things; for it is dreams that lift us to the flowing, changing world that the heart longs for."
William Butler Yeats
website design by
ursa minor


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This picture makes it look more stunning than it's in real life (I think)... it was a lot darker in the room and impossible to take any good photos of your own.
That might be because we went at 11PM for a night visit.... how nice is that? have a fabulous dinner and then go out and see late night art.
Like magic, suddenly about 20 people from a choir started to gather in the middle of the room and began singing songs from all over the world... one Hebrew, one Russian and an Italian.


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Boldly go where no nerd has gone before.
If you own a Nokia N900 and you'd like to give the MeeGo OS a try, now is the time. MeeGo's blog has just been updated with a post announcing that the new OS now has 3G audio call functionality. Interested hackers can now get MeeGo running on their Nokia N900 if they are willing to take the risks.
The MeeGo folks warn you to use only the latest repository or the next weekly image (new ones come up every Monday). Over the last few weeks the MeeGo team has been hard at work nailing down some persistent bugs. The most difficult work came while trying to get the fennec browser ready.
The PR 1.3 update for Maemo is also very close, and its launch will allow dual-booting Maemo and MeeGo on an N900. MeeGo itself is in the last stage of 1.1 finalization. Basically, a few minor bugs and UI tweaks are all that stands between it, and release.


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'Great to be part of India's first motion capture film'
Young actor Aadhi has an impressive line up of films like Mirugam, Eeram and the recent Aravaan.
He won a lot of acclaim for his role as Varupili in Vasantha Balan's Aravaan.
In this interview, he talks about his experience of working in Soundarya's Kochadiayaan alongside a megastar like Rajnikanth
What was your initial reaction when you were offered Kochadaiyaan?
Three or four months ago I got a call from Soundarya's office. I was first confused and then shocked. I wondered what kind of character they were going to offer me.
Once I listened to the script, I knew what I was going to do in the film. It is an interesting role. Though my screen time will be less, the impact will be good.
I have an introduction and I will be there at the end of the film. I have combination scenes with Jackie Shroff, Rajnikanth, Deepika Padukone, Nasser and most of the cast of the film.
The most interesting aspect of working in Kochadaiyaan was working with some of these senior actors.
Image: Movie poster of Kochadaiyaan
'I was totally clueless about what motion capture technology was'
Were you not supposed to go to London with the rest of the crew?
Yes, I was to go to London. I was in Tirupur on a film promotion when I was called for the visa interview which was the next morning. There was no way I could reach Chennai the next morning.
Though they got my visa interview postponed, I couldn't go to London as I got my visa a little late. By then, the studio dates in London were over.
So, I joined the crew in Trivandrum later.
Your father Ravi Raja Pinisetty, had directed Rajnikanth in a film. Had you met him then?
My father had directed him in the Telugu film Pedarayaudu which was a blockbuster. I had not gone on the sets or seen him at that time as I had my exams.
So the first time I met Rajni Sir in person was on the sets of Kochadaiyaan. I think God has been kind to give me an opportunity to work with him.
The first thing Rajni Sir asked me when we met in Trivandrum was, 'How is your father?'
How was the experience of shooting a film in motion capture technology (system of digitising actors to create characters in films)?
It was a totally different experience. First thing I had to do was get into my body suit; it was a scuba diving suit. When I came down from my caravan in the suit, I saw Saroj Khan choreographing Deepika Padukone and many others in one corner of the studio.
I was totally clueless about what motion capture technology was. I went straight from the shoot of my bi-lingual Maranthein Mannippein to Trivandrum. I had no time to read up on motion capture technology.
Before I did my first shot, they marked tracking points on my suit from head to toe. Then, I had to be in the place where the motion capture was done.
As I couldn't go to London, I had to match what they had done there. There were sequences of me and Rajni Sir walking side by side, and then Rajni Sir, Jackie Shroff and me walking.
As they had done the shots there, I had to match their steps. For example, Rajni Sir asks me a question for which I have to give an answer. The question was already there and I have to give the answer at the right time and match the person who did that in London in my place.
So, for every shot, I had to see how they did it and match that in my performance. Similarly, I had to walk at the speed at which Rajni Sir walked in that frame.
Everything was a little complicated but I got the hang of it fast.
Image: Aadhi
'Soundarya never acted like she was Rajni sir's daughter'
How did the first shot go?
It went well. Generally it takes some time to get adjusted to the motion capture technology. First, we have to 'key in' for the camera to capture what we do. After the performance, we have to 'key out'.
Another thing is, you have to imagine everything that is around you. For example, if the shot is of me standing on top of a hill, I have to imagine that I am standing there and act.
When you see the film, whatever I had imagined will be there for real! But as an actor, I have to visualise all that in my mind and act it out while the ambience is created later.
In one scene I am galloping on a horse. What I got was a plank. I sat on it and showed the galloping motions as if I was going on a horse!
It is a very complicated thing for a new person. I think I got adjusted pretty fast. |
What made it easy for me was Soundarya's input. She worked like a very experienced director and put me at ease. I must say she never acted like Rajni Sir's daughter!
It was a fantastic crew also. We had lots of interactions and everybody pitched in with their ideas.
The scariest part of Kochadaiyaan was the flowery language I had to speak. The dialogues were very dramatic and like you hear in period dramas. I have not spoken in such a language in my entire life. So, to do that was an effort in the beginning.
Was Rajnikanth there when you shot?
Yes, Rajni sir was sitting on a couch watching me do it. After the shot, he called me and asked me to sit next to him on the couch. He looked at me and asked, 'What is your height?'
I said, 'Six feet two inches, Sir.'
He smiled and said, 'Very good, very good.'
He then asked me whether I was comfortable.
Later, for some of the shots, I had to even put my hands on his shoulder.
Image: Movie poster of Kochadaiyaan
'Rajni sir was very considerate to me'
Were you nervous then?
Very nervous. Working with the superstar is not a small thing; it was a great thing for me. But in no time at all, I forgot that I was working with Rajni Sir and I became the character.
How many days did you shoot for Kochadaiyaan?
I shot for two-and-a-half days. I have a couple of more days of work.
I wish I could do more motion capture films as it is less strenuous. Imagine Aravaan in motion capture -- I would not have to go jump from trees and climb hills!
I am happy that I am part of the first motion capture film that is made in India.
Did you meet Rajnikanth before leaving?
I went to meet him in his caravan. He had lots of questions about the film, technology, etc. I wanted to take a picture with him but didn't have the courage to ask him. As if he had read my mind, he said, 'Don't you want to take a picture with me?'
I said, 'I would love to but I didn't know how to say it'.
Immediately he called a photographer, and asked him to take a photo of the two of us together. He also asked him to take a picture on my mobile!
What struck me was that he was so considerate even to a small guy like me, a newcomer. This is what makes him a super star and a great human being.
Image: Aadhi


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Thank you Kesenya from Alice Jeans for bestowing upon me my first blog award! Your blog is such a delight to read. Congratulations on also receiving this award!
A few posts ago I shared with you that OC Family took notice of my little blog and invited me to be part of their OC bloggers. I am so grateful and excited as this is opening up new opportunities and creating tons of new friendships. You can check out my posts here and make sure you check out the other blogs from more OC mama bloggers!


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Monday, February 28, 2011
First Born Broken Trinity
The only thing I know about First Born Broken Trinity is that it's a big stinky book that kind of looks like the Witchblade books. I apologize for not being more helpful on this topic.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Cute, Little Comic
Ash is excited because he got a small reprint of old comics this week. It's Blue Ribbon Digest #24: Legion of Super-Heroes and it was published in 1982. When he got his loot unpacked from the shipping box, he was excited to show me his "cute, little comic." On the plus side, it's a small comic, so it won't take up too much space, even though it's 100 pages. Ash said this completes his 1970-80s collection. I know I don't need to say it, but that man has too many comics.
The Blue Ribbon Digests are reprints of old comics that contain an original comic at the beginning. The original story was written by Paul Levitz, and the rest of the book contains reprints from the 1960s. Ash said, "The cool thing is that it has a 'meet the Legion' chapter that has pictures and biographies of the Legion of Super-Heroes." The only thing that's missing is a scratch-n-sniff section where rabid Legion fans can smell Lightning Lad's leotard.
Ash told me that this was only way that new Legion fans could read old comics at the time, and since Ash wants the 1980s fanboy experience he had to locate it at a nerdy comic website. Apparently this book was in high demand and it took him awhile to get his own copy.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Creepy is an Understatement
Ash has a comic called Creepy, which is aptly named. Any comic that is about stripper-Hitler is certainly "creepy!"
Friday, February 18, 2011
Teen Titans and the Old Professor
Ash is in the midst of reading a Teen Titans omnibus, and I hear him giggling in the other room every now and then. The story he read most recently was about Donna Troy, who is Wonder Girl. She is dating Terry Long, a college history professor with goofy red hair and a beard. First of all, it's a little creepy that a teenager is dating a professor. Even if Terry Long just got hired as a professor, he is significantly older than a teenager. Ash thinks Wonder Girl might be over 19, even though she's a Teen Titan, but there's still a big age gap.
In New Teen Titans #13, Wonder Girl beats up some bad guys, and then she finds her old boyfriend. She asks him, "It doesn't bother that you that I'm so strong, does it?" Old Professor Long then explains that he had a lot of older sisters, so he's used to getting beaten up. He then proceeds to tell her that he thinks it's kind of "kinky." The next panel shows him apologizing. Ash knows that Terry Long dies pretty soon in the story, and he can see why.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Comic Book Shop Shenanigans
Ash had a request for my entry for today. He wanted me write about how I love and support him, and how anyone would be lucky to be as cool as Ash. Instead, I'm going to make fun of Ash's recent trip to the comic book store.
Ash usually orders his comics online because he gets a good discount and can buy a lot more books than any man truly needs. However, this week Ash heard there was going to be a sale at the local comic book store on back issues. In preparation for the comic sale festivities, he made a big list of all the comics his little fanboy heart desired. He was so proud that he only spent $62 for a cubic foot of comics. I am proud that he got all of his comics put away before the weekend was over.
Friday, February 11, 2011
DC Comics for $2.99 Poster
DC Comics is dropping the price of comics to $2.99, which is appealing to fanboys. Ash has known about this for quite awhile, but his most recent comic shipment included a poster advertising this fact. Did they think that Ash will hang up the ad and all of his friends will come over and see the poster and think, "Gee, I should stock up on DC Comics! They're only three bucks!" Then, Ash and all of his fanboyfriends will frolic to the local comic book shop and buy as many DC titles as they can carry. However, this marketing idea is a flop. Ash, like many other fanboys, does not have scores of friends who come to visit. Somehow, having a metric ton of Legion comics and all of the Green Lantern rings does not make him extremely popular.
Then again, DCBS could have had a whole bunch of extra posters and decided to put them in all outgoing shipments.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Fantastic Four Minus One
Ash has been anticipating the big change when the Fantastic Four offs one of its members and becomes the Thantastic Three. Unfortunately, Ash is torn between reading the comic and preserving the issue in its original packaging. It's a true fanboy dilemma! I even offered to find out who gets killed by doing a basic internet search so he wouldn't have to open the black bag, but he refused.
The comic arrived on the first this month, and he's been trying to figure out the best way to open the bag without wrecking it. Obviously, he wasn't pleased with my suggestion to try using the paper shredder.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Evil Dead the Musical
Ash and I recently journeyed across state lines to see Evil Dead the Musical. Even though remakes are usually disappointing and neither of us care for musicals, we thought it would be fun to see. Overall, it was an enjoyable show and my complaints mostly have to do with that particular production. The play is a combination of Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, and Army of Darkness. There wasn't too much taken from Army of Darkness except the jokes about S-Mart, so the bulk of the show was from the first two movies. If I was a 19-year-old college student who had only seen the Evil Dead movies once or twice, I probably would have enjoyed the show immensely.
The musical began with five college students heading to an abandoned cabin for spring break. The students are Ash, Ash's sister Cheryl, Ash's girlfriend Linda, Ash's friend Scott, and Scott's slutty girlfriend Shelly. After the kids settle into the cabin, Cheryl gets possessed and starts biting everyone. The first act features great songs, such as "Look Who's Evil Now, and "What the **** was That?" Even though Ash ends up killing everyone in the cabin, this production was surprisingly un-bloody. It seems that their director was okay with all of the swearing and sex, but fake blood and sound effects crossed the line! This particular production chose to use glitter instead of fake blood, and it wasn't very effective. I didn't even notice the glitter until a few gun shots into the show because they didn't use very much and it wasn't easy to see.The second act further developed the characters of the Professor's daughter Annie, who had some new Necronomicon pages, her boyfriend Ed, and the hillbilly Jake. The audience learns more about Annie when she sings, "All the Men in my Life Keep getting Killed by Candarian Demons," and Ed and Jake turn into Deadites. All of the zombies keep attacking Ash and Annie, whilst Annie's clothes keep disappearing. Eventually, Ash saves the day. The show concludes with Ash telling his story in S-Mart, but no one believes him until a Deadite attacks and he saves the day one last time. The show concludes with the best song, "Blew that ***** away," and they all lived happily ever after!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
The Triumphal Return of Fanboy Wife
As I promised, I'm returning to my blog for February. This coincides with my husband's new box of comics. I'm going to just update on Mondays at Fridays at first. If readership picks back up, I'll probably resume to writing more frequently. Thanks for taking the break with me!
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Thursday, June 25, 2009
B.o.B. vs Bobby Ray mixtape release party Re-Cap and Photos
Bobby Ray left B.o.B in Decatur and performed at Striver's Row (Jason Geter's new store/clothing line) off of North Highland yesterday at his B.o.B vs Bobby Ray mixtape release party. Quite a few people came out to show support...
Grand Hustle producers Nard & B
Pill & Playboy Tre (yes, a collab was discussed)
Sean Falyon, Sebastian (Motion Family), Pill and Diwang Valdez (Motion Family)
Cory Mo, GLC, TJ Chapman and Big Kuntry King
Overall the night was pretty much what you've come to expect of Atlanta in the summer, hot and muggy. The free Remy, Corona and Heineken did help though. The place got packed quick and fortunately we weren't left waiting for too long as Bobby Ray got up there and started his set quickly.
Everyone including B.o.B and his folks (B.Rich & TJ) know I haven't been the biggest fan of "Bobby Ray." While I'm still partial to B.o.B I can say that I don't mind Bobby Ray as much anymore. My problem with B.o.B singing was that it was sounding like he was doing a Andre 3000 impersonation and that I really enjoyed B.o.B the rapper and felt kinda cheated as a fan that dude was switching up before we even got to know him well. But nowadays it really sounds like he is developing that side and starting to sound like "him." Plus, it sounds good live. Can't front on that. The tunes also attracted random people off the street and into the store as well.
But yeah, it was all about Bobby Ray last night, no B.o.B in sight. I'm assuming that B.o.B is going to be making an appearance at Vice this Saturday for the other mixtape release party.
B.o.B will be shooting a video in Atlanta this weekend. I don't have exact locations yet, but the Motion Family will be shooting it, and you already know how those guys get down. Should be dope.
Posted by southpeezy at 5:30 PM
Labels: b.o.b, Music, Playboy Tre, Sean Falyon, Where I'm From
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W. Augustus Low and Virgil A. Clift, eds., Encyclopedia of Black America (New York, Da Capo Press Inc., 1981); http://www.huarchivesnet.howard.edu/0005huarnet/harris1.htm; http://www.greatwomen.org/component/fabrik/details/2/199.
Entry Categories:
BlackPast.org is an independent non-profit corporation 501(c)(3). It has no affiliation with the University of Washington. BlackPast.org is supported in part by a grant from Humanities Washington, a state-wide non-profit organization supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the state of Washington, and contributions from individuals and foundations.


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Secret Service is a budget-title first-person tactical shooter computer game released in 2001. The title's disclaimer states that it is in no way affiliated with or approved by the United States Secret Service.
The player is an American Secret Service agent who must complete 16 single player missions. You start out as a rookie protecting government officials. As you gain experience from completing the operations, you will be assigned higher profile missions. The final mission is protecting the President of the United States.
Source: Wikipedia, "Secret Service (video game)", available under the CC-BY-SA License.


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Ah, not so fast! I checked out a few of our books here at the Mississippi Library Commission and found a few interesting nuggets. In The University of Mississippi: A Sesquicentennial History, David G. Sansing writes:
In 1897, the Greek societies established a college yearbook, which they titled Ole Miss, a name suggested by Elma Meek, a student from Oxford. The term "Ole Miss" was a title domestic slaves in the Old South used to distinguish the mistress of the plantation house from the young misses of the family. The first volume of the yearbook was dedicated to the University Greys, and within two years students and alumni were referring to the University of Mississippi as Ole Miss.It seems that The University of Mississippi viewed itself as the college in the state. By the way, this book is available at Eudora Welty Library (part of the Jackson/Hinds Library System) and the Mississippi Library Commission.


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What appears to be a rough edit of a teaser video of the upcoming T-Mobile LG G-Slate has hit YouTube, just a week after T-Mobile dropped more details, showing off the basic features of the 8.9-inch Android tablet and giving us one of the better looks at the hardware thus far.
First and foremost, there's the 3D recording capability. We still have no clue how practical this will be, but there it is. You also get a good walkthrough on ports and buttons. Now all we need is some launch and pricing info. Check it out after the break. [Youtube via Engadget]