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Back in space once again the intrepid crew of the Spaceball Eagle One needed to get their plans in order, but were plagued with questions: Why did Czerka destroy the GSI corporate space station back in the first episode? Who is this Jana Kara? And why did we let Miandin have a flame thrower?
While the ship's fire suppression systems worked overtime to put out the cargo bay, the crew decided on where to go next. Czerka of course seemed like the best place to start to find out about Jana Kara. But how to keep our inquires secret. A quick search on the holonet revealed that the closest Czerka Corp. outpost was located on the Wookie home world of Kashyyyk.
The SBE1 came in for a landing over the densely forested planet of Kashyyyk, to settle on a platform high in the canopy. The crew learned from their holonet search that almost all inhabitants of Kashyyyk live in the canopy of the trees. The indigenous beasts of Kashyyyk become evermore dangerous the lower you go, with the most dangerous living in the shadowlands of the forest floor.
The crew discovered that the landing platform was operated by Czerka and that there was a near by station. Mohntu quickly saw an opportunity for disguise and deceit. After a quick visit to a local costume shop he donned a ragged cloak and pretended to be a beggar near the entrance of the station. However as he was the only vagrant on the platform he was run off almost immediately by the guards.
Alema and Nibbs decided on a much more direct route and applied for jobs at the Czerka station. She and Nibbs were separated during the interview process but both were hired on, although Alema did not see Nibbs for the rest of her first shift.
Joey decided that the rest of the crew were going at this the wrong way and decided to call 1-800-Czerka and ask for Jana Kara's information directly….which worked.
With the knowledge that Jana Kara was the head of biotech at Czerka and that her office was on Coruscant the crew could be on their way agian…but wait! Where is Nibbs!?!
Never having returned from the Czerka Station the crew got worried…mildly concerned….well they at least went after him. Alema went into work the next day as per usual. Joey, Mohntu, and Miandin posed as exterminators and talked their way in through the front door. Luckily (or unluckily) the Czerka outpost was flooded by giant spiders. The crew fought their way through web and worry as they searched for Nibbs.
They finally found Nibbs in a medical looking facility with several Wookie younglings. Getting an academy award for the line, "It's time for some catch and release", Mohntu and the rest sprung the captives and smuggled them out of the station in a trash dumpster. Miandin stayed behind to get the money from the extermination job..
Miandin rejoined the group several minutes later as smoke started curling from the outpost.
The younglings asked to be taken back to their home; a climb down into shadowlands. They had moved out of the canopy as Czerka corp had been capturing the Wookies for manual labor and experiments. Mohntu took Nibbs (who seemed very ill) back to the SBE1 to recover.
The young Wookies lead the rest of the crew down into the trees of Kashyyyk. The climb was tough and treacherous. Joey annoyed everyone by flying around as they climbed. Mohntu attempted to catch up to the group by moving quickly. Apparently fish don't climb trees very well though. Thankfully the DM didn't know how to calculate falling damage and he was able to join the group once they reached the Wookie town on the forest floor.
The Wookie elders rewarded the crew for rescuing the youglings and asked if they would rescue the Wookies being held at a near by labor camp. The crew, drunk on being praised for the first time in their adventure, took up the new quest with gusto.
After dealing with the labor camp guards the crew was able to slice into the restraining collars they all wore, and thanks to a critical role they were able to release, not only the Wookies at this labor camp but all the Wookies across Kashyyyk.
The Elders were so happy with this result they granted Mohntu a special reward. One of their tribal healing staffs. Mohntu hoped he would be able to heal Nibbs with such a great and powerful (stick) medical device.


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Karting in Eau Rouge
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[URL=https://www.racedepartment.com/media/photos/a-little-car-in-a-big-mans-world.7189/]A little car in a big man's world[/URL] by [URL=https://www.racedepartment.com/media/authors/ricoow.29228/]Ricoow[/URL] on RaceDepartment

subset: commoncrawl


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The new Tire Pressure Monitoring System by Fobo will help you say goodbye to the old days of guessing how much air you have left in that tire and whether it has enough in it to get you to the car service center. This device can be paired up with iOS and Android devices; it uses Bluetooth 4.0 and individual tire sensors to monitor tire pressure and provide real-time data to users' smartphones at all times of the day.
The developers of the Fobo Tire Pressure Monitoring System have successfully run an Indiegogo campaign to fund production of the device. However there's still time to get in a pledge of $90 which will hook you up with four tire sensors, the in-car unit and the free app, with deliveries likely to begin in November.
Convenient Car Gadget Mounts
Retro Car Gadget Cases
F1-Style Lawn Mower
Cyclist Air Monitors
Wireless In-Car Gadget Chargers


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Order by phone0845 543 0469
Product informationGreeting the morning with golden toast is one of life's most enjoyable simple pleasures. Late at night, a melting savoury cheese sandwich can be an indulgent moment of sustenance. The Artisan Toaster truly offers the ultimate toasting experience: the Auto Sensor automatically lowers and lifts all types of toast before browning according to seven grades of golden, counted down by an LED timer. Like a thoughtful friend, if you're called away the Artisan Toaster will also keep your toast warm. It also features a sandwich rack to prepare delicious, no-drip toasted sandwiches and a bagel function for perfect bagels and buns. If the kitchen is the heart of the home, the Artisan Toaster will be the heart of your kitchen. Included in the box: Sandwich Rack.
Product dimensionsH22.5cm x W18cm x D33cm.
The Details
The delivery charge for this item is £5.95. Spend over £50 and get FREE courier delivery! See our delivery info page for full details.
For furniture orders of £501 and above Barclays Partner Finance can offer interest free finance over a period of up to 36 months. The example below is based on a typical finance purchase:
|Item value (cash price)
|Total amount of credit
|Duration of agreement
|12 months
|Representative APR
|Rate of interest
|0% p.a.
|12 monthly payments of
|Total amount payable
Credit is subject to application and status. Finance is only provided for purchases up to the value of £50,000. Sterling Furniture Group Ltd acts as a credit broker and not the lender.
and either;
Sterling Furniture Group Ltd, 76 Moss Road, Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire, FK13 6NS, (registered company number: 054090), acts as a credit broker and not the lender and only offers products from Barclays Partner Finance. Barclays Partner Finance is a trading name of Clydesdale Financial Services Limited a wholly owned subsidiary of Barclays Bank PLC. Clydesdale Financial Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Financial Services Register number 311753) registered in England registered No 2901725 Registered office 1 Churchill Place.
We know how important delivery is to our customers and so we aim to provide the highest quality service across the whole of the UK mainland. We take the time to evaluate each and every one of our products so that we can identify the fastest, safest and most efficient delivery option for you. Unlike many other retailers we feel it's important to offer standard delivery charges across the whole of the UK mainland. So, whether you're in Scotland, England or Wales, the same delivery charges apply and we think that's only fair.
We have a number of payment options available so you can pay for your items in the way that suits you best.
*Representative 0% APR: Cash price £600, pay £50 per month for 12 months, 0% APR representative, total amount payable £600.
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Once you have built your product, select "Add to basket".
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Give us a call to get our secret deals 1-800-293-2602
Property Location
With a stay at Comfort Inn Lexington in Lexington, you'll be a 5-minute walk from Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles and within a 5-minute drive of Dawson County Raceway. This hotel is 2 mi (3.2 km) from Arbor Park and 9.2 mi (14.8 km) from Lakeside Country Club.
Make yourself at home in one of the 49 air-conditioned rooms featuring refrigerators and flat-screen televisions. Complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and cable programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms with shower/tub combinations feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers. Conveniences include desks and microwaves, and housekeeping is provided daily.
Be sure to enjoy recreational amenities including an indoor pool and a spa tub.
A complimentary buffet breakfast is included.
Business, Other Amenities
Featured amenities include complimentary wired Internet access, a business center, and complimentary newspapers in the lobby. Free self parking is available onsite.


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Hey, I'm staying at Base in Sydney, apart from my hostel does anyone know anywhere that would show the final at 3am???
Lynz x
Hey, I'm staying at Base in Sydney, apart from my hostel does anyone know anywhere that would show the final at 3am???
Lynz x
Scruffy Murphys off george St by the Town Hall is.
I thought it was at 5AM, broadcast starting at 4:30 ?
But yeah, I imagine many pubs will be showing it.
I only remember James' recommendation in a previous thread about Champions League football in Sydney:
Try the One World Sport bar in Darling Harbour.
Shop 1, 1-25 Harbour Street
Hope it helps. Should be a good match
Im a gooner and im going to watch it in a bar called 'CHEERS'.
Thats on George Street. Its full of "oz arsenal" fans. Should be a good atmosphere. The 'One World Sports Bar' in Darling Harbour is rubbish. They dont even open at that time of the morning. In fact I believe they've closed for refurbishment or just shut completely.
Anyway come on the mighty arsenal. Its got to be out year this year.
Might come and join there as I'm only 2 mins walk away from Cheers (was there last night for a quick beer) and it seems a cool bar. Is it 5am kick off Aus time?
Well guys, I went to scruffys, felt very at home with my fellow gooners. Although we were are mortally gutted at the end, I think we all felt a sense of pride of the battling power of arsenal.
You can always rely on Lehman to f*** things up.
A stream of arsenal shirts walking down George street was quite emotional,
Bye for now
Lynz xxxx
i felt a little sorry for you gooners loosing but laughed when a i watched a few of you get turned away in the moring trying to drown your sorrows!!!


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Almost 5 years ago I've started working on DRD - a.k.a. Drupal Remote Dashboard. The idea behind this module which is published on drupal.org has been and still is to provide a central place in a web browser for Drupal shops and system administrators or DevOps to get all the essential data and statuses about any number of Drupal installations. Whether each Drupal installation hosts a single site or a number of domains (multi-site installations) shouldn't matter and even other platforms like Aegir should be supported. All of that ideally with no or at most minimal configuration being required.
As of writing this blog post in June 2014 there are around 100 shops and/or admins according to Drupal's usage statistics using DRD. If each of them by average monitors a few dozen Drupal sites, DRD is most likely already monitoring a few thousand websites. Not bad for a module that originally had been developed for my own requirements only. Thanks to other Drupalistas in the community DRD got pushed to a more wide-spread usage and grew up recently to the mature, stable and powerful platform that it is with the latest 2.4 release hosted on Drupal 7 for now.
DRD's benefits and how DRD compares to other monitoring platforms
First of all, getting started with DRD is simple and straight forward. Configuration is minimal and DRD catches almost any Drupal installation and platform that we can think of. If it didn't, just file a support request in the issue queue. We got all the specifics covered so far and if we come across a new one, we'll get that sorted too.
Next, DRD has been designed from ground up with security and privacy in mind. The communication between the dashboard and all the remote Drupal sites is protected even if the remote site doesn't support SSL/TLS. DRD encrypts all requests and responses by the AES algorithm and only you as the admin know the keys - you don't have to share them with anyone. Remote Drupal sites will only accept DRD requests from dashboards that you have authorized beforehand.
Features and benefits of DRD are almost endless. In essence you get a simple dashboard where you get all the details about all your Drupal sites in one place. Once you get used to DRD you probably won't login to your individual sites anymore as you get all you need from DRD. People have reported that this is a huge time safer and they never want to miss it anymore.
Finally, the most important distinctive feature compared to other (Drupal specific) monitoring solutions is that there is no third party required to use it. You own your Drupal sites (and those of your clients) and you also own your Drupal Remote Dashboard DRD. Install it on just one Drupal 7 site and you're ready to go. You neither have to share with others (i.e. service providers) which Drupal sites you're working on. Nor does anyone else get in touch with operational data of your Drupal sites and servers. This is all yours and I believe this is very important to most of us.
DRD and Drush mutually benefit
Although DRD is feature reach there have always been use cases where it wasn't sufficiently equipped or it took too long to get the data one was looking for. For most of DRD's users Drush has been a complementary tool to DRD and I have had the idea of integrating the two for a very long time. This has finally come true and the two are now walking hand in hand. What that means is all this blog series is going to talk about.
In short, the integration of DRD and Drush works both ways:
- All DRD actions are made available as Drush commands: From the command line of the main DRD server you can execute everything that so far was only possible within the DRD UI. This means you can write shell scripts or execute regular DRD tasks as cron jobs.
- All Drush commands on all remote Drupal sites are available in the DRD UI: This makes Drush much more accessible to a wider audience and as DRD supports multi-threading, Drush commands can now also be executed in parallel rather than one after the other.
You see, there is a lot to talk about and we'll break that down into 3 more parts to describe all the details on how to make all those beautiful tools work for you like a charm. Of course we're very keen to also get your feedback. Please feel free to comment below or use the DRD issue queue for support requests or bug reports.
Other parts
Part 2: Performing DRD actions with Drush at the command line
Part 3: Performing Drush commands from DRD's UI (coming soon)
Part 4: Use-cases and how to enhance DRD and Drush (coming soon)


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After working on my NaNoWriMo outline for a solid two weeks, I found it daunting to actually sit down and write the novel I was originally so excited to get started on. The first of November was looming and for some reason I felt like I was too afraid to even put my ideas to paper. I think I had a few fears that many writers tend to encounter when just sitting down to write a novel.
1. I was afraid of people I know reading it.
I have never really been afraid of success like I have heard many other people claim. The idea of my relatives or friends reading a risque part of my book after it gained critical and financial success seemed pleasing to me. If other people think your book is great, than how can they judge you for writing something provocative. That's just a part of art isn't it? Rather I feared that once I published my eBook, I would spread it to friends and family, they would be displeased at some of the wording or scenes and then it would not sell any copies.
2. How can I acquire enough time to write a novel without neglecting my friends and family?
I have written freelance articles for quite some time now and I already get some grief from my girlfriend, guy friends and my parents for not being around enough. They don't really understand that when I say I'm writing, it is my job (or I'm trying to make it my job) and it's not just some random hobby I occasionally dive into for an hour or two each week. In order to become a full time writer you must write everyday and stress to the loved ones in your life that, yes writing is a passion or yours, but you would also like to become successful at it.
It seems a little strange to me that the largest fears I had about sitting down and writing my NaNoWriMo novel was upsetting friends and family, but I guess this comes with the territory. But the weekend before November, I went on a camping trip with three of my longtime friends from middle school to Devil's Lake State Park in Wisconsin. We canoed (one of the canoes tipped over into the ice cold water), sat by the fire, threw the football around and drank some cheap beers. It seemed so simple but this short trip helped me overcome both my fears about writing a novel and allowed me to relax, unlike many other rituals I have tried. First of all, I realized that your friends and family should not be considered burdens when writing. They deserve just as much time as your writing does, and honestly if I were to choose one it would be friends and family. But in order to become a successful writer we need to minimize distractions. So what better way to do that then right before you embark on a writing binge, let your loved ones know that they are always first in your life. Bring your spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend out to a nice dinner and a movie, visit your parents for a weekend or spend a weekend camping trip with your buddies (or whatever you like to do).
While at Devil's Lake I also realized that these are my best friends and regardless of my financial success or the way I write my novel, they will be around to support me no matter what happens. Finding a support group for your writing is important, and your friends and relatives are the easiest way to assemble that group.
Finally this trip made me relax and find the inspiration to actually sit down and start writing. I live in the city of Chicago and all those people and constant noise and movement can be exhausting. Getting away from the iron and concrete was just what I needed to get back in the chair. Not to mention, most great writers are the ones who travel and see the world. How else can you really describe the sights, sounds and smells of the world without seeing it for yourself?
See ya next time.


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CBCAC'S voter engagement efforts for the March 20 gubernatorial primary include phone banking, door knocking, poll watching, and recruiting election judges. Find out how you can get involved!
CBCAC surveyed the streets in Chinatown to see how safe and accessible the built environment is. Read our report here!
CBCAC is advocating for community development projects like walkable streets, accessible bus transportation, and anti-displacement.
ORIGIN is our youth-led political advocacy and community empowerment group. Join today!
Help CBCAC register and educate Chinese community members to vote in the March 20 primaries! Volunteer here.
Projects of community development and political advocacy are all implementations of our Chinatown Community Vision Plan, a comprehensive strategic plan on how to shape the future of Chinatown.
Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community- CBCAC


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No matter where I looked when researching South Africa's cuisine I came across Bobotie. Basically it's a curry meat pie. Hmmm, beef, curry.... what's not to like! Some recipes call for apples and raisins in the beef mixture but I don't typically have those items on hand so I left them out. Add them if you like, it will give the recipe a sweetness and extra nutrients.
South Africa - Bobotie
Serves 6 - 8
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 slices of bread (preferably stale) soaked in milk, drained and torn up into small bits
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- Heat oven to 325
- Grease a 9 X 13 inch loaf pan
- In a large bowl mix the onion through to the lemon juice together.
- Place the mixture in the loaf pan and bake for 40 minutes
- Mix the 2 remaining eggs and the 1/2 cup of milk together well
- Place over the cooked beef loaf and bake for an additional 15 minutes


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Hi, I just wanted to share my good news. I found out last week that I've put in the Support Group without a medical. I was soo relieved I can't tell you, especially because I'd heard bad things about fibro. It isn't my only condition so it could have been the other things that helped too. I used the guides from Benefits&Work as well as the ones on MyLegal. They are definitely worth using. My GP also wrote a good supporting letter. I hope this is encouragement to others. I have heard of more people getting into the Support Group lately compared with last year.
Best of luck to all going through all this.


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Yes, we are all one family in the eyes of the Lord. And this is especially felt at Christmas as we give love to each other. Pope John XXIII said this so nicely.
The photo is a Camillian Sister hugging children. I used Photoshop to create this "small world" effect.


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I have this feeling that today is gonna be one of those days...
I got up a little late this morning, and my roommate has a friend sleeping on the couch so I had to be really quiet going to the bathroom to shower. In so doing, I forgot my shaver (I use an electric which was charging in my room, bathroom has no outlet). So, I decide to shave with my Mach 3 in the shower. Which is fine, but my stubble was like 6 days long, so it hurt like hell and took a while. No problem, get out of the shower, it's 8:50. I get dressed, check the weather, and see that it's fucking pouring rain. I grab my ipod and my bag and start walking down the stairs. I put my ipod on, hit play, and 15 seconds in to the song, it craps out. Battery dead. Forgot to charge it. I get to the bottom of the stairs and see that it's raining so hard that an umbrella would be useless. So I wait 5 minutes and it lets up and I put up my umbrella and make my way to the subway. I get to the subway, and the platform is crowded from edge to wall. 10 minutes later, the 1st train comes, and goes right by without stopping. Then the next train comes. It stops. It's completely packed. About 5 people are able to get on. Then the next train comes, it's slightly less packed, a few more people get on. Finally, the 7th train comes, and I am able to get on because there is finally room / the platform has emptied enough. Now, the train, however, is stuck behind 6 other trains, and is running unbelievably slowly, so I switch for a different train and finish my commute fairly peacefully. I go to leave the subway station at union square and there are hordes of people standing by the bottom of the stairs refusing to go up because it is once again fucking pouring. No problem, trusty umbrella in hand I follow the small line of people braving the rain. I hit the button on my umbrella to open it as I'm starting my way up the stairs and...it opens about halfway and then stops, completely broken. How is it completely broken from the time I got on to the subway until the time I got off? I have no idea, I'm not a scientist. But the fact remains that it is completely broken. So now I'm getting drenched for the 2 blocks to work. I get to work soaked, and of course my office is colder today than it's been all week. And all of that in the first two hours of my day. And that's fucked.
Oh, and of course, that steam pipe that blew up? Killed subway service so it took me an hour and a half to get home.
I work in the Union Square area. I take the subway to Union Square every morning, and take it home from Union Square every evening. Union Square Park is a lovely place to eat lunch and I enjoy sitting there and relaxing.
Ah, lunch. Yes. That's what I'm going to be talking about today.
That's right. You have not misread. I hate it. I despise it. Lunch could not possibly make me more miserable. Every single day, I am forced to go to one of the same 7 or 8 places and get subpar food. It is very draining. I frequently converse with friends and ask them what I should get for lunch because I don't have the willpower or care to think about all the shitty food around here and choose one.
And, normally, I eat a late lunch. Around 3pm. And I understand that at 3pm, certain places don't offer their full menu. Some of the delis don't serve breakfast stuff. Some of them even turn off their grill. And that's fine. At 3pm, I don't have the expectation that I'll be getting my pick.
At 1:45, however, the time that I went out for lunch today, I expect all lunch options to be available. After painstakingly deciding on what I'd like to eat, I made my way to Food Works on 19th street. "Today," I thought, "I will have a Philly cheese steak for lunch. Delicious, greasy, cheesy goodness." And so I picked up my drink, and walked over to the sandwich counter to order my lunch. It was maybe 1:55 at the latest. "I'd like a Philly cheese steak with American cheese please."
"Oh, I'm sorry, the grill's closed."
"Excuse me?"
"The grill is closed for the day."
"It's not even 2 o'clock yet, are you kidding?"
But he had already walked away.
When I go for lunch at or after 3, I don't expect the grill to be open and so I don't go to Food Works to get a Philly cheese steak. It's not even worth the trip. But at 1:45, I expect you to make my fucking sandwich. At 1:45 I expect you to slap a piece of generic beef-like product on the grill with some onions and peppers til the meat turns brown. Then I expect you to throw a couple slices of American cheese on top, let it melt just a tiny bit, and flip that whole fuckin brown, cheese covered mess on to a small hero roll.
For once I had actually picked what I wanted to eat. And you're denying me? Are you fucking serious? That's completely fucked. What kind of service industry can get away with telling someone "No, we won't make you what you asked for" at a normal time to ask for that thing.
So I put my drink back, and walked out. Disgusted. Now I had to think of a new place to go, and so I figured I'd just get a slice of pizza and end the search. Get to the pizza place, and it's the one day that they have burned the shit out of the plain pizza and are out of pepperoni. What are the chances? About 100%. The pizza had decided that I was to suffer for not choosing it first. So, fuck you pizza place, off to a different deli where I picked up a lackluster sandwich which is now sitting in front of me.
I hate lunch because shit like this happens to me all the time. Because the "gourmet delis" on and around 5th avenue in this area all serve the same crappy food that is in no way "gourmet." I die a little every day trying to decide what horrible crap I'm going to shove down my throat because there is literally nothing good to eat.
In fact, the reason that I eat at 3 o'clock is that I'm so depressed at the prospect of having to wade through the shit that some people call lunch options, that I lose all motivation to go get food until it's late enough when the choices are more limited.
I don't know if this monotony is just to be expected from having worked in the same area for over 3 years, but it seems that many people are quite capable of working in one location and finding something to eat for lunch on a daily basis, so I think it must be specific to this area. And that sucks for me. Because I work here. And I'm hungry.
I had to skip last week because I was on vacation, but I'm back with another Subway Etiquette Lesson. This week, it's time to talk about the rules (and there aren't many) between people who are seated.
These rules are similar to the rules for people who are standing, except that, obviously, you're seated.
You are sitting on the subway, following last week's rules about taking up only one seat and a person sits down next to you. For this example, you are not seated at the end of a row of seats, but rather in the middle. And we'll say you're on a bench seat, rather than the individual seats, so that it's not as clear what's your space and what isn't. So you're sitting, maybe with someone already next to you on one side, and this person sits down on your other side, and they're a bit on top of you. They are trying to subtly push you over so that they have more room. And, if there is not very much room, they are in the right. But, let's assume that there is plenty of room, and they're just an asshole.
So you've got someone sitting on top of you. What can you do? The first step in removing someone from on top of you is to move further towards them. Like when standing up and someone's leaning in to you, you lean back in to them, the same holds true for sitting. You have to lean in to them to try to express to them that they need to get the fuck off of you. [Tip #1: If someone sits down next to you and is encroaching on the little space you have, you are allowed to encroach on their space in hopes of forcing them to move over]
There is a lot more of a grey area with these rules, though. Some people seem to think that they are entitled to as much space as they can take while seated. And that is incorrect. Everyone has seen a person sitting on the subway with their legs as wide apart as possible, trying to prevent other from sitting next to them. Unfortunately, sometimes these people do not push their legs together when someone does take the space next to them.
Yesterday I got on the 6 train to go home. It was about 90º out, which means that it was probably about 150º on the subway platform. I was also carrying an extremely heavy bag with me, and so I beelined for a seat next to this two fuck faces wearing suits. A woman sat down on my other side as I sat down. These two suited douches both had their legs apart and refused to budge. I sat down, put my bag between my feet, and found, shockingly, that my foot had ended up mostly on top of the foot of the guy next to me. He pushed his foot slightly towards me, in hopes of removing my foot from him. And, that is a fair thing to do if someone's foot is on top of yours. However, in this case, the woman sitting next to me was flush against the middle pole, and I was pressed against her. there was nowhere for me to move. Additionally, the heavy bag between my feet kept my foot from moving anywhere. He pushed against me, was unable to move, and eventually very slightly adjusted himself so that I wasn't totally on top of him. These fuckers got off the train, and two women took their places, and all four of us now had plenty of room, because the women sat with their knees together. [Tip #2: Don't take up more space than you need to be comfortable. You will make yourself and those next to you uncomfortable if you try to take more space than you need, but if you take just enough, you should have a little extra space on either side of you to make you even more comfortable]
As I've said before, the seated rules are similar to the standing rules. And the name of the game is don't inconvenience other people. Take only as much space as you need, and not more than that. You're riding the fucking subway, not sitting in a limo, so there is no reason for you to stretch out or feel entitled to extra space. Everyone pays the same fare to take the same subway cars (yes, yes, senior citizens pay half-price, and a pay-per-ride ride costs different from an unlimited-ride ride depending on how many times an unlimited card has been used and if the pay-per-ride rider got their free 6th ride per $10 or not), but the fact remains, there is no designated seating, there is no luxury section, there is no first class. No person on the subway has any right to be more comfortable than any other person on the subway. If you think that you deserve more space than anyone else, that's fucked.
I'm not going to recap these rules because there are only two of them, but seriously, it's hot out, it's hotter on the platforms, don't be a fucking douchebag on the subway cars right now. Be happy that you're in a fairly well air-conditioned enclosed space that takes you where you're going and leave it at that.
Every Thursday night I drink at the same bar. The bar plays the same songs, serves me the same cheap beer and shots, and generally raises my mood no matter how I am feeling.
But as is often the case with places that you consider your own personal haven, these wonderful times don't always last. And so my Thursday night dive bar is slowly and surely becoming more and more crowded every week with douchebags: frat boys, i-bankers, hipsters, et. al.
So this past Thursday I'm sitting at the bar waiting for some friends (who, as it turned out, never showed up. Fuckers), but I'm sitting at the bar, drinking my beer, and these frat boys surround my general location because there was space on either side of me on the bar.
I'm mildly claustrophobic, but more than that I just don't really like people that much. In particular, I don't like fucking idiots who continually slam in to me. And this frat pack was doing just that. And, more importantly, they were deliberately doing it to try to get me to move so that they could have more space.
Interestingly, I respect that. I have no problem with making someone uncomfortable to try to get more space for yourself. I mean, yes, I was there first by a lot, so it's poorly played, but still, read my Subway Etiquette Lessons and you'll see similar things to that.
Now, and here's the thing, not only were these guys twatwaffles extraordinaire, but they also came in to a bar in New York City wearing St. Louis Cardinals jersies. Thankfully, there was no particular animosity against the Cards that night because the Mets/Cards game had been rained out. There was, however, lots and lots of general animosity because I love the mother fuckin Amazin's and last fall is not far enough away to be forgotten.
So, they tried to move me, and I did not budge. And unfortunately for them, and as it turns out, for me, I was not going to move under any circumstance. So, they eventually stopped trying to pummel me and got to the drinking.
And now, finally, we get to this week's Douchebag of the Weak. There are 4 of these jackasses, and they order shots of Jim Beam. One of them, this week's distinguished recipient, pussies out on the Beam and asks for Cuervo instead. He's wearing his grey Cardinals jersey and generally sucking at life directly behind me, while one of his friends is to my left hitting on this chick and his other two friends are to my right, one behind me, and one next to me. So, they pass this fucker his Cuervo and what does he promptly do while his friends are readying their Beams? He spills most of it on my back.
And, that, in and of itself, is not so bad. What was bad was that he then made no attempt or effort to apologize. Not even a pretense of being sorry about it. His friend to my left also took my Beam shot that I had been waiting on, and his friend to my right, seeing an extra shot of the ones he bought offers me my own Beam shot as an apology. And that's fucked.
And I said to him, "I don't need another shot, I'm already wearing one. Thanks though."
And he says back to me, "You don't have to be a dick about it, man." As if it was possible for me to be a dick about getting a shot of tequila spilled on MY FUCKING BACK.
Oh, but the dude to my left did then buy my next $2 beer on him and apologized for his friends. Also, he wasn't wearing a St. Louis jersey. So he was ok.
Two weeks ago, I talked about standing in the aisle area. Last week, I talked about the area around the doors. Today I will continue my series of posts on rush hour etiquette by discussing seats, and in particular, the rules relating to interactions between people who are seated and people who are standing. I will have another shorter post about the rules between people seated next to eachother.
The most coveted spots on the subway are the door spots (where you get to lean against the doors; preferably the off-door, meaning the door that does not open to the platform) and, of course, the holy grail of rush hour: seats.
Let's stop right here so I can say what pisses me off the most on the subway. More than any other single thing.
[Tip #1: If you are lucky enough to get a seat during rush hour, do not try to look put out or inconvenienced if the people standing around you are closer to you than you would like.]
Ok, got that out of the way. Now, on to seat etiquette in general. The rules regarding seats are much more straightforward than the rules regarding standing/moving about the car. The rules can be broken in to 2 categories: subway cars in which there are individual seats for people to sit (like the 1, 3, and 7 trains, the A train, etc) and subway cars in which there is bench seating (new 2 trains, new 5 trains, new 6 trains).
Rules are very easy for the cars with individual seats. [Tip #2: During rush hour, take up one seat.]
Rules for the cars with bench seating are much more complex... [Tip #3: During rush hour, take up the equivalent of one seat.]
See? What'd I tell you? Much more complex.
Right now, I hope you're saying to yourself "I get that he's joking" or "That doesn't seem much more complex, what gives?"
It is in no way more complex. It is unbelievably easy. Unfortunately, it is completely unheeded, intentionally.
I get on the 6 train every day to go home from work. [Side note: I hate the fucking 6 train passionately.] The newer cars, with the bench seats, have their seating arrayed in such a way that there are either 3 or 4 seats, then a vertical bar for the people standing in the middle of the aisle area, and then either 4 or 3 seats. Always 7 seats total. The problems on these cars, and I see it every single day, arises on the side with 4 seats. What happens is one person will set against the side railing. One person will sit by the vertical bar in the aisle. And one person will seat between them and put their legs as wide as possible so as to deter anyone else from trying to sit next to them.
On the old trains, that person would be sitting on the divider between two seats, and wouldn't be there for long, because that's not very comfortable. But on the new trains, these savages run rampant taking up one and a half to two seats. Don't fucking do that during rush hour when there are 50 people standing cramped around you and you're taking two seats. Don't be that person. Because that person is a fucking douchebag. And taking up multiple seats while there are tons of tired people standing around you is fucked. There is no extra rule here, though. It's simple. Always take up one seat. You might add a corollary that during rush hour, not only should you not take more than one seat, but you should not make the seats around you unwelcoming to others. But that is not a rule. It is not required.
Here's something that is required. At least for a segment of the population. [Tip #4: If a very clearly pregnant woman gets on to your subway car, and you are male and between the ages of 11 and 60, you get the fuck up and offer her your seat. If you are female between those same ages, and not pregnant, you are encouraged to, but are not required to, give up your seat.] Essentially, and this goes beyond pregnant women, [Tip #5: If you are not particularly tired, and you see someone who clearly needs to be sitting down, give up your seat. This is never required, but it is a nice thing to do and the right thing to do.] Examples for Tip #5 might include an elderly man or woman who is having difficulty keeping his or her balance while standing; a young child; a person who is carrying an inordinately large number of bags and appears to be struggling. Any of these people would love to have a seat, so if you really don't need it, offer it up.
[Tip #6: DO NOT PUT YOUR BAG OR BAGS ON THE SEAT(S) NEXT TO YOU.] There are more rules related to bags that I will get in to next week.
I'm standing on the train, surrounded by tired-looking people, and a businessman, maybe in his 50's, has his 10" wide briefcase sitting next to him, against the side railing by the doors. Then he has his legs pushed out towards the middle vertical bar. The end result is that this man and his huge, box-like briefcase are taking up 2 seats. I'm standing in front of this man, completely astounded. Everyone else on the car looks miserable standing. Finally, I pipe up "Excuse me sir, maybe if you moved your bag and slid over, other people might be able to sit down?" He responded, "Oh, oh, I'm terribly sorry, of course, absolutely." He picked up his briefcase, put it on his lap, and moved over. I offered the seat to several of the women around me who all declined, and eventually took it for myself.
The man, fortunately, was not a total douchebag. There are people on the subway who know when they are violating the rules and feel bad about it. And there are people on the subway who don't give a shit about the rules so long as they are comfortable. This guy was the former. He knew that he had violated a rule, and as soon as he was called out on it, he was genuinely apologetic. He was not put out by having to move his bag or himself and seemed more embarrassed at having been caught than anything else. Unfortunately, that's not always the case.
[Tip #7: Never hesitate to ask someone to move over if you want to sit down.]
Once again, your 7 subway etiquette tips are:
There are more tips to come. Sitting next to someone who's leaning on you a bit too much? Standing behind someone with a backpack? There are rules for everything and they will come in due time. Stay tuned for more tips next week and each week until I run out of shit to say or start recycling ideas. Oh, and move the fuck over so I can sit down, asswad.
Last week, Colombia, a country best-known in the US for being a major supplier of cocaine, gave equal rights to gay couples. Or, I should say, equal to straight couples in common-law marriages.
Now, this makes me incredibly angry, because it is so thoroughly pathetic, disappointing, and embarrassing to the United States. A country that we spend millions of dollars supporting so that they can "fight the drug trade," a country that we have troops in to help fight the drug trade, a country that many might consider "third world," a predominantly Roman Catholic country has passed a law granting gay couples rights while we up here can't get our act together and treat everyone the same. And yet we call them a "third world" country. And I'm embarrassed because of it.
It is saddening and upsetting that a major world power like the United States, a country founded on the principle that all men are created equal, would be unable to extend that equality to gay men (and women). It took our country over 100 years to grant rights to African Americans. Another 50 years after that to give women rights. And another 50 years after that to actually start treating African Americans vaguely equally. And yet we don't learn from our fucking mistakes and we treat these men and women like 2nd and 3rd class citizens because of who they like to fuck? That's totally fucked. It's embarrassing to everything that the founding fathers of our country stood for.
And, yes, our country was colonized by Puritans, so maybe it is not so shocking that sexuality in this country is a hard topic to bring up, but it's the 21st century and it's time for a change. It's time that people stopped fearing sex and love and fucking and touching and each other. It's time that people started to treat everyone else as a person, no matter the color of their skin, their sexual preference/orientation, their gender, their religion, their political affiliations, their height, their weight (although America could stand to lose a few pounds), or any other statistic that can be used to divide people in to categories. There is nothing more pathetic than hating someone for no reason, and by "no reason" I mean just because they differ from you across any of the lines above or any other line that can be arbitrarily drawn.
Nothing makes me angrier than someone hating on someone else for such stupidity. I mean, seriously, what's the point? We're all alive for such a short time relative to the age of the universe, why should we make this little time we have so fuckin difficult for ourselves and everyone else around us? Why can't we all just sit back, relax, and not hate on everyone for everything under the sun.
I'm getting off-topic. America, land of the free and home of the brave, is not granting that freedom to some of the most brave Americans. Because I can not imagine how brave you must be in this day and age to admit that you are homosexual. And that makes me angry, that it should be something that does require bravery. That it isn't just a second thought "by the way, I'm a dude who fucks dudes." That it's such a big deal, and requires such bravery, is ass-fucking-backwards. And Colombia, no offense to any Colombian readers here (haha), Colombia has given gay couples rights that they deserve. Colombia is one of many countries to now offer gay couples their standard human rights.
And I'm so fucking embarrassed for the good old US of A that it makes me sick and angry. Get your fucking shit together, fuckers. Pressure your congressmen and congresswomen to push for human rights for everyone. If your religion has a problem with gay couples getting married, then at least let them have the ability to be married-in-law, if not in God's eyes. Let them have divorce and the ability to visit their partner in the hospital or in prison; let them execute the Last Will and Testament of their loved ones; let them live in this country and be an equal part of it. If you hate homosexuals because they are so vocal politically, then give them what they want, equality, and I bet they won't be in your face anymore. All they want is to be treated fairly and equally. And that shouldn't be as much to ask for as it is.
When a gay person can say "I'd be treated better in Colombia," what the fuck does that say about the US?
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Piers Morgan's monkey impression live on Good Morning Britain has viewers howling
The TV host was taking on a spokeswoman from PETA when he decided to do an impression of the monkey thanking them for their work
PIERS Morgan's monkey impression has delighted Good Morning Britain viewers.
The TV host was taking on a spokeswoman from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals about their decision to sue the British photographer whose camera was used by a monkey to take a selfie.
Complete with arm movements, Piers' impression had viewers thrilled with them flocking to social media.
One tweeted: "Piers Morgan is hilarious GMB, really monkey selfie."
Another added: "Piers Morgan annihilating PETA monkey selfie row representative @GMB laugh out loud funny."
But others were unimpressed with one writing: "Impressed that the PETA woman didn't punch Piers Morgan after he pretended to be a monkey mocking her."
The activist group and the photographer announced yesterday that they had settled the long-running lawsuit.
David Slater agreed to donate 25 per cent of his future earnings from the image to protecting Naruto, the Indonesian macaque who took it, activist group PETA said.
The settlement is confidential so it is not clear who will pay the estimated £200,000 legal costs that left Mr Slater, a freelancer, so broke he was considering becoming a dog walker.
PETA said in a statement that Naruto "undeniably" took the picture and that the case showed the "need to extend fundamental rights to animals".
Both sides said in a joint statement that the case raised "important, cutting-edge issues about expanding legal rights for non-human animals".
Mr Slater had been sued in a US court by PETA which claimed that the copyright for the selfie taken by Naruto rests with the monkey and he should get any profits from its sales.
Lawyers for Mr Slater, from Chepstow in Monmouthshire, argued at the 9th Circuit in San Francisco that he could not be sued because his accuser was a monkey - and may not even be the right one.
Angela Dunning, said the case was "absurd" because Naruto "can't benefit financially from his work he is a monkey".
PETA claimed that Naruto should have the same rights as a human and that it was a test case for broader animal rights.
The group sued in September 2015 and the case rumbled on for two years until the settlement.
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In our first episode of Daily ReHash's Behind the Vine, we got to know the King of Vine, King Bach. This time around, we invited KC James to sit down with Eric and discuss what it's like to be the man Behind the Vine.
KC talks about getting a plunger to the face, being threatened to have the police called and his deeply emotional issues with Vine glitches.
Check out some of KC James's famous Vines.
Related articles
- Vine-obsession (lucieloublog.wordpress.com)
- Has Vine changed the Viral world? (crosala.wordpress.com)
- The Microcelebrities of Vine (csmt13.wordpress.com)
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ora Media, LLC, its affiliates, or its employees.
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My Truck and Me
When we still lived in Minnesota some years back I wrote this story about my truck and me. Since being in SoCal I've graduated to a white truck and it's now a GMC… but otherwise, I'm still on the journey.
I drive around in an old gray truck. It's a Ford... but that's beside the point. Sometimes I feel very good about the old thing. In spite of it being a 1980 model, it's pretty sound. Its steering is nice and tight, its exhaust system is quiet, the engine doesn't use much oil, it has plenty of power, the acceleration is good (sometimes too good), the brakes respond well, and the body is really in pretty decent condition, too. All in all, it gets me from Point A to Point B quite dependably and even sometimes to Point C. What's more, it's paid for! And that's worth a lot.
At other times, however, I seem to notice my truck's every mutter. It creaks and groans its way along--sometimes stopping at inopportune intersections and in untimely ways. One day it sputtered to a halt way out in the country and I had to impose upon an understanding friend to tow me off the road. And it uses gas galore! It takes a lot just to keep the needle off "E." And, oh yes, the paint is bubbling a bit and I see some rust here and there. Sometimes I have a hard time looking past all these faults.
But then I need to remember that in spite of its problems, the old truck is fine. It was manufactured by a good company, and whenever it does need new parts and corrections, there are many good mechanics around to apply the new parts to the old problems. So, as long as it doesn't give up on me, I won't give up on my old gray truck.
Then one time as I was bouncing along within these gray confines, I thought about how much my truck is like me. Not that I'm old and gray, but that I too have my strengths and my not-so-strengths. Sometimes my faults seem glaring and I wonder if I'll ever get over them. I lose patience with myself and my lack of progress. I long to consistently function according to my Manufacturer's design. But I don't. I lose patience when I should be longsuffering. I get angry when I should be calm. I worry when I should be trusting. And I work when I should pray.
But then I remember my Manufacturer, and I remember how much thought and attention He gave both to my creation in the first place, and to my re-creation in the second place. Even before my birth He designed my specific characteristics in perfect accordance to His plan for my life. My failures, of course, are not His fault, but my fixing is. He took upon Himself my sin so that I might take upon myself His righteousness.
There is hope, not only for the distant future, but for the very present as well! Because of His creative work, my old ways can give in to His new ways. I can be more longsuffering, I can be more calm, I can worry less, and I can pray more. So while there remain many more parts in me that need correction, I am encouraged by my Manufacturer's ability to apply His parts to my problems. And I know that as long as I don't give up on Him, He will not give up on me.
It's the same for you. Whenever you feel discouraged and the truck of your life seems old and gray, just remember that Jesus Christ is the Manufacturer. He has made you perfectly, but sin has made you otherwise. His recall on your truck is unique. He'll take you back at any time for any problem, and He'll do it because it's your fault! Why not give Him a call today?
--Ernest Witmer
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Typhoons usually occur in Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines and Mainland China. The United States, Australia and India also see typhoons, but they are called hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, and cyclonic storms in the Indian Ocean.
In the Atlantic, hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Most hurricane activity takes place August through October. Typhoons and cyclones have seasons that follow their own patterns. In the Northeast Pacific, the season runs May 15 to Nov. 30. In the Northwest Pacific, typhoons are more common from late June to December. In the North Indian Ocean, cyclones can form from April to December, with peak formation happening in May and November. Most of the activity in the South Indian Ocean and Southwest Pacific happens from November to May.
No matter their names, these are some of the strongest atmospheric occurrences on the planet. They gather their energy from water vapor when over the warm waters. These storms can bring gale force winds and heavy rains. Hurricane-force winds may extend 50 miles (80 km) or more from the center of the storm. While wind can cause extensive damage, much of the damage caused by these storm is the result of coastal flooding and storm surge.


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Kasia Lynch: Spirit Trumpet - Art Collector
|Kasia Lynch, Spirit Trumpet, multimedia installation, 2015. Courtesy: the artist and MARS Gallery, Windsor
|Kasia Lynch is an interdisciplinary artist who works in Melbourne, Australia producing fetishised and spiritualised sculpture, photography and experiential spatial works. Her work often combines found objects and built forms with methodical craft based processes such as beading, hand sewing and upholstering. Through art making Kasia seeks out instances in which, bodies, objects and space can reconfigure, exchange and transform energy.
|Opens: 6-8pm Thursday 18 June 2015
|Exhibition closes: 12 July 2015
|Location: Mars Gallery, 7 James Street, Windsor VIC 3181
|Contact: 03 9521 7517
|Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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BarackTV – Brought to you by…
by Cordeiro
Adolph Hitler
Fake Name
Not A. Realperson
Finance Violation
Fraudulent Charge
Over Donation Limit
Daffy Duck
OJ Simpson
Bart Simpson
Family Guy
And…King Kong
Yes, dear reader. Pay no attention to Team Obama's willful solicitation of illegal campaign contributions. Their excuse for accepting contributions from the above rogue's gallery is the lack of safeguards on credit card transactions. Never mind the fact Team Obama turned said safeguards off – purposefully. Even the simplest of fraud detection measures might have put a crimp in Obama's campaign style – and we simply can't have that. The fate of the free world is at stake. What's a few hundred million dollars among friends anyway?
No longer will people like Algore have to show up at a Buddhist temple to collect grocery sacks full of thousand dollar checks from impoverished monks. Obama doesn't even have to bother with that thinly veiled stunt. Forget the checks. MasterCard, Visa, Discover, or AmEx will do nicely. And names? Get real. Or on second thought, make one up. Names are so 20th century. Whatever you feel like calling your self today will do just fine. Addresses? Zip Codes? Employer? Fugettaboutit.
In even an imperfect political world the free and independent constitutionally protected press would be all over this story in an effort to find and expose the illegal money behind a potential president. Don't hold your breath for this to happen during this election cycle. Why? Two reasons, really.
First, the donations in question didn't end up in Republican coffers.
Second, and probably more important, Stiletto Sarah's wardrobe expenses make for better headlines.
*Hat Tip to Ace of Spades (warning - gratuitous profanity. Tis the nature of Ace) and Ken Timmerman for Team Obama's contributor highlights.
McCain's Spit Veer Strategery
by Cordeiro
Coach Yoast: Coach, that's a pretty small playbook
Coach Boone: I run six plays. Split veer. It's like Novocain. Give it time. It always works.
The more enlightened among you will recognize this exchange from one of the single greatest films ever made on the subject of high school football – Remember the Titans. If you haven't seen the movie, it's well worth putting in your Netflix queue. If you haven't seen the movie because you just don't like football, then I'm calling into question your patriotism.
The way I see it, John McCain has utilized a "split veer" strategy throughout his campaign. On the football field, the split veer (in all its iterations) isn't a very exciting offensive scheme. Most of the time the offensive play ends up with, as an offensive coordinator once told me, "three yards and a cloud of dust". The ball doesn't get moved very far, but it does go far enough to move the chains. It's not flashy. The crowd gets very bored and doesn't cheer much even when their team scores.
The Anointed Obamessiah, on the other hand, is all about flashy. Team Obama moves the ball seemingly at ease, but only between the 20 yard lines. When it comes down to the red zone, Barry and Company can't punch it through – more often than not due to self inflicted wounds like SlowJoe Biden's guaranteed fumbles and Obama tripping over Joe the Plumber and getting sacked by past ruminations praising the idea of "redistributive change".
The obvious weakness in the split veer strategy is the time it takes to be effective. Team Obama is currently fielding its version of the much maligned "prevent defense". In other words, they believe they've got a big enough lead they can just run out the clock whilst hoping their standard bearer doesn't fall out of his chariot and McCain doesn't get enough momentum in states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Colorado to tip the scales to the red balance.
So, for those of you who are looking for a reason to back away from the ledge the MSM would happily fling you from, here's some internal polling data which hasn't been put through the CNN filter.
It's not over until the last chad falls.
Godspeed, Dean Barnett
by Cordeiro
It is with a deep sadness that I link to the news of Dean Barnett's passing this afternoon after a long and valiant struggle with Cystic Fibrosis. He was 41 years old.
Dean was one of the early rising stars amongst the conservative side of the blogosphere. His writing was crisp, intelligent, irreverent, and most of all insightful. If there was an important topic about which he found himself uninformed, he went to great lengths to educate himself from the best sources available and pass that knowledge on to his readers in a way which made us all a bit smarter than we would have otherwise been.
I will miss his wit, his wisdom, and yes even his self-described "haddock cutting" Boston accent. The world in general, and the blogosphere specifically, will be a smaller place without him in it.
Breathe easy now, Dean. Godspeed.
A point of personal privilege
by Cordeiro
Normally I would take this space to applaud John McCain's performance in last night's final presidential debate. I may, or most likely may not get around to writing that post today.
Right now, however, I feel the need to write about someone else.
If you've been around the blogosphere long enough, you may have read something by Dean Barnett. If you've been trolling the 'sphere as long as I have, you might remember back to when he wrote his SoxBlog under the pseudonym James Frederick Dwight. If so, then you've been fortunate enough to witness one of the truly remarkable writers rise from a normal everyday blogger to the status he now enjoys as regular contributor to the Weekly Standard and occasional on-air pinch hitter for Blogfather Hugh.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who holds on to the delusions of grandeur that someday somebody important will read my stuff and offer me that kind of gig. Don't worry, I'm not holding my breath.
But I digress. Not really, though. Breathing is very important.
Recently, Dean Barnett celebrated his 40th birthday. To some people this is a milestone they'd just as soon forget. Dean isn't most people. You see, Dean suffers from Cystic Fibrosis. Casual research into this disease will tell you that most people diagnosed with CF don't make it to 40. Dean has, and in my opinion the world is a better place because of it.
Today, Dean finds himself in the Intensive Care Unit of a Boston area hospital fighting for his life. He contracted a respiratory infection, which would be a nuisance to most anybody else, but to him is life threatening. At last report he remains in very critical condition on a respirator.
I've spent my fair share of time in an ICU. The beds are lumpy, the pillows are thin, the food is lousy, and every four hours some lab tech comes by and stabs you in the arm for more blood. Tubes go where you didn't think tubes would go (yes, I'm talking about down there) and the experience is not one I would wish on anybody.
So, if you have a spare moment today, send a prayer along with Dean's name on it. I'm sure he'd appreciate it and besides that he still owes me a Diet Coke because he lost the bet that W would dump Big Time Cheney from the '04 ticket.
The "debate" that wasn't
by Cordeiro
It has taken me this long to rouse myself from the stupor inflicted upon me by last night's sorry excuse for a presidential debate. I've seen dreadful television in my time and last night was about as entertaining as one of those late night infomercials extolling the virtues of the Clapper.
So exceptionally mind numbing were most of the exchanges by the two candidates that the makers of Ambien CR saw a 36.5% drop in sales overnight. Evidently people figured out they could watch ten minutes of Obama opining on the state of the economy and get the same effect as popping a pill. Ever the fundraiser, Team Obama is now trying to figure out how to monitize the debate video.
Something very eventful did in fact take place last night. The argument can now be made that this particular debate transcript along with its accompanying video footage has now usurped Vogon poetry as the third most hazardous verbal communication known in the universe.
Vogon poetry is of course, the third worst in the universe. The second worst is that of the Azgoths of Kria. During a recitation by their poet master Grunthos the Flatulent of his poem "Ode to a Small Lump of Green Putty I Found in My Armpit One Midsummer Morning" four of his audience died of internal haemorrhaging and the president of the Mid-Galactic Arts Nobbling Council survived by gnawing one of his own legs off. Grunthos was reported to have been "disappointed" by the poem's reception, and was about to embark on a reading of his 12-book epic entitled "My Favourite Bathtime Gurgles" when his own major intestine, in a desperate attempt to save humanity, leapt straight up through his neck and throttled his brain. The very worst poetry of all perished along with its creator, Paul Neil Milne Johnstone of Redbridge, in the destruction of the planet Earth. Vogon poetry is mild by comparison.I'm pretty impressed with myself. I can quote meaningless and made up stuff nearly as well as SlowJoe Biden.
Speaking of SlowJoe, you might not have noticed it but he and the entire state of Delaware got thrown under the Team Obama bus as Barry was "taking it" to the greedy capitalists of Corporate America. In case your own major intestine was trying to throttle your brain, here's what you missed:
And the reason that it's a problem to go shopping state by state, you know what insurance companies will do? They will find a state — maybe Arizona, maybe another state — where there are no requirements for you to get cancer screenings, where there are no requirements for you to have to get pre-existing conditions, and they will all set up shop there.
That's how in banking it works. Everybody goes to Delaware, because they've got very — pretty loose laws when it comes to things like credit cards.
Hear that all you greedy capitalistic Delawareans? Your laws are "very - pretty loose" over there. Too loose for Barry's liking. Don't you go hoping having SlowJoe on the ticket will spare you from Barry's ire. Remember, all his campaign statements have an expiration date. All of them.
There is a very good explanation why a majority of US corporations are actually Delaware corporations. I could go into it, but just re-reading that single quote of Obama pontificating about that which he knows not has caused my major intestine to warn me of a possible brain throttling.
I'm sure a good solid episode of The Simpsons will reestablish my equilibrium.
SlowJoe's Virtual Memory
by Cordeiro
I'm not going to even attempt to be fair and balanced in my assessment of last night's St. Louis Smackdown featuring Stiletto Sarah Palin and SlowJoe Biden. In my opinion, it wasn't even close. Stiletto Sarah out shone, out classed, and thoroughly out debated SlowJoe.
My bias may have something to do with the fact that Sarah kept winking at me all night.
But I digress.
The MSM is trumpeting SlowJoe's "victory" on points in that they claim he had a far better command of the issues than did Stiletto Sarah. That might be true if you take SlowJoe's word on every fact he claimed credit for knowing. I'm willing to cut him some slack on getting his Constitutional Articles mixed up and not knowing the exact range of a Pakistani nuclear armed missile. These things happen.
Over at NRO's Campaign Spot, Jim Geraghty has begun to document SlowJoe's "Error/Lie/Hallucination" list. Thus far he's at number 22. One of them jumped out at me and I came to the conclusion that SlowJoe might be suffering from Virtual Memory Syndrome.
See for yourself:
Now referencing a restaurant that had been around up until a year – maybe two – ago? That I can understand. 25-30 years though? That's a stretch, even for a virtual memory.
RESTAURANT: "Look, all you have to do is go down Union Street with me in Wilmington or go to Katie's Restaurant or walk into Home Depot with me where I spend a lot of time and you ask anybody in there whether or not the economic and foreign policy of this administration has made them better off in the last eight years."
According to this Delaware site, Katie's Restaurant is no longer in business; locals remember it on Union Street 25 to 30 years ago.
Had McCain made such a reference, there would be wall-to-wall MSM coverage of McCain's descent into dementia. SlowJoe? This guy can't tell anti-aircraft fire from a heavy snowstorm and has recent memories eating at a place that hasn't existed for 30 years. Of course, SlowJoe gets a pass.
Dusty Harry Torpedoes Insurance Industry
by Cordeiro
If I had the time and inclination of a Day Trader I'd have short-sold every major insurance company in the industry this morning. Why? Well, Senate Majority Leader Dusty Harry (D-Circus Circus) went before the microphone bank on Capitol Hill last night and boldly declared the following to prove the importance of passing the Rescue Bill as soon as possible:
We don't have a lot of leeway on time. One of the individuals in the caucus today talked about a major insurance company -- a major insurance company -- one with a name that everyone knows that's on the verge of going bankrupt. That's what this is all about.
Take a moment to re-read that statement, dear reader. In the wake of the AIG collapse, the Senate Majority leader warns of a "major insurance company" – "one with a name that just about everyone knows" is about to go belly up. What's worse is Dusty Harry didn't name a specific "major insurance company" by name. Therefore the entire industry has taken it in its collective shorts during today's trading.
Well, as of this writing any "major insurance company" that wasn't close to bankruptcy just got a lot closer. Here's a sampling:
Prudential: Down 4.21%
MetLife: Down 14%
Travelers: Down 4.2%
AFLAC: Down 6%
And those are just the major ones I know off the top of my head.
Couple Dusty Harry's loose lips with those of UpChuck Schumer which (directly or indirectly) led to a run on IndyMac Bank and the Senate Jackass Caucus has cost the American economy nearly five billion dollars in the past two months.
Dusty Harry did not find his way back to the microphone bank to apologize for his loose lipped torpedoing of the insurance industry. He sent out a spear catching spokesman to issue this weak statement:
Senator Reid is not personally aware of any particular company being on the verge of bankruptcy. Rather, his comments were meant to refer to the conditions in the financial sector generally. He regrets any confusion his comments may have caused.
Debate Preview
by Cordeiro
Well, it looks like some of Gwen Ifill's debate prep has been leaked to the internet. Here's some of the questions you can expect in tonight's Stiletto Sara and SlowJoe Show Down in St. Louis:
Now perhaps Jim Treacher just made all that stuff up. Maybe he's just illustrating absurdity by being absurd.Mayor Palin, Barack Obama is a handsome, charismatic demigod. How many boxes of Kleenex will you need after your crushing loss?
Senator Biden, what is your favorite color? And if you have time for a follow-up question: Why?
Mayor, you talk funny and you own a tanning bed. Why haven't you released Trig's birth certificate?
Senator, have you seen those pictures of Obama in his swim trunks? If not, I have them right here.
Mayor, what are the names, ages, and blood types of all 71 members of the Belgian Senate? And why are you unwilling to admit that your inability to instantly produce any and every fact I demand makes you unfit to stand in the way of history?
Senator, you've spoken at length. Could you please continue?
Mayor, which is your preferred method of stifling dissent, banning books or burning them? Since it's both, please explain how you can deny the accusation that you're a fascist, which I am making now.
Senator, could you please sign my book?
Double Team Debate
by Cordeiro
I wish I could say I'm surprised by today's Drudge headline "VP Debate Moderator Releasing 'Age of Obama' Book On Inauguration Day". I wish I could say I'm stunned by the obvious conflict of interest this presets for someone who claims to be an unbiased "moderator" to have such an obvious inclination toward a particular candidate.
But I'm not. This is, after all, the Age of the ObamaMedia. For them – with very few exceptions – the vote on November 4 is just a formality. The outcome is a forgone conclusion. Hope and Change are coming – personified by the Obamessiah and SlowJoe Biden.
The illusion of an unbiased Press has become so thin its as if the MSM doesn't even bother to hide the fact they believe using every asset at their disposal to put Obama in the Oval Office is their duty as world citizens. No praise of Obama is too great, and no shot at McCain is too cheap as to not be used in this effort.
I have participated in contests where it was obvious as to whom the moderator/referee favored. Victory is still possible in those situations although it is made all the more difficult by having to beat not one but two opponents at the same time.
Having said that, I fully expect Stiletto Sarah Palin to clean the floor with SlowJoe Biden tomorrow night. SlowJoe hasn't had an original thought in nearly three decades and his tendency to insert his foot to his mouth and chew on the kneecap is well documented. So I guess if with the SlowJoe handicap aided by obviously biased moderator it makes the odds even for Team Obama.
And before my left leaning readers start feigning outrage at my bluntness about "their" moderator, I'd like to ask one simple question: When was the last time you saw a Presidential Debate moderated by an unapologetic conservative moderator? Three points if you can name one moderated by a journalist who was set to release "Age of Reagan/Bush 41/Bush 43" before the debate even started.
Good luck.
Here endeth the lesson.


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Supplies: Stamps: Gina K flowers, Amuse sentiment Paper: Gina K white Ink: Memento tuxedo black Accessories: Spellbinders die cuts to make the frame, swiss dots embossing folder, purple ribbon, copic markers
I used to participate in challenges on Stamp TV, and then I took a break from stamping. Today I got an email from Stamp TV about a weekly challenge and thought I would give it a try. The challenge is to use your favorite Gina K flower stamp on a card as we are welcoming spring. I thought of this iris stamp, because I have so many perennials coming up including my dark purple irises. I used my copic markers to color in the irises. I made an embossed frame to define the flowers as my focal image. I added some purple ribbon, (it isn't that dark in real life.) Lastly I added a sentiment to complete the card.
Thanks so much for stopping by!


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All-You-Can Watch Movies and TV is Here
Don't miss out. Here's how to make the most of this new technology.
Interested in ditching cable television for an online service but don't know where to start? Tired of the lengthy contracts that lock you in to an eternity of ever-increasing fees?
I've used the major online entertainment-on-demand services, and have news for you: they're not the same. Learn the differences and make the choice that's right for you.
Whether you're a seasoned pro who's chomping at the bit for Google Fiber Internet Service or a noob on these here interwebs, there's a digital entertainment package that's right for you. Read on to learn what's best, and what to avoid in this new age of entertainment.
Amazon Prime
Not the newest comer to the game
Amazon has been one of the fastest-growing websites in the entire world, and was recently ranked as the #5 most-visited website in the United States and #10 worldwide[1].
Credit: amazon.comMaker of the Kindle Fire tablet powered by Android, Amazon has been a strong competitor in the entertainment market, competing against giants such as Barnes & Noble's Nook e-reader and Apple's dominant iPad, and has grown its market share since the Fire was released in November of 2011.
Amazon launched their video on demand service, then called "Amazon Unbox", in September of 2006. The service was renamed "Amazon Video on Demand" in September of 2008, and in September of 2012 a deal with pay-TV channel Epix was signed, apparently in direct competition to chief rival Netflix. Now running under the moniker "Amazon Instant Video" on amazon.com, the feature boasts about as much content as you could ever want to watch in a thousand lifetimes[2].
Using the service is as easy as logging into your account. Once logged in, you simply navigate to Unlimited Instant Videos, and choose from the available content. If you buy a movie, it stays available for you to watch anytime, for ever. If you decide only to rent a movie, you have 30 days to begin watching the movie, and once begun, most movies have a 24-hour window to watch before expiring. Like other online services, with Amazon's Instant Video you can watch them on any internet-enabled device. Credit: Amazon, Inc.
The best way to go, however, is Amazon Prime. For only $79 a year, you get free two-day shipping on thousands of items (look for prime-eligible when shopping this Halloween), and that's not all. You also gain the ability to the Kindle Owner's Lending Library, where you can loan and borrow kindle books from your friends for up to two weeks, absolutely free. And what's best, you gain access to Prime Instant Video, where you can instantly download thousand of movies and TV shows including Glee and Lost, among others, at no extra cost.
The service can be a little buggy, though, so make sure your internet connection is secure and controlled. If you have others using your internet connection without your knowledge, not only can your entire computer network be at risk, but your buffering could be delayed too, ruining your movie experience. The best way to make sure your network is secure is to:
- 1) disable your network's SSID from being broadcast,
- 2) put a password on your router (a long one... the longer, the better),
- 3) put a password on your network.
It's really that easy. This will keep unauthorized web surfers off your network, and vastly improve your online experience. Of course, as it goes with any online service, it really depends a lot on the number of users accessing the service at a given time, and overall network activity. You can guess that Friday nights are a LOT busier for the internet than Tuesday mornings, at least in regards to online movie watching goes. :)
Hulu and Hulu Plus
TV watching couldn't get any easier
Hulu, the free cousin of Hulu Plus, provides the days' most popular TV shows, and many hits from the past. Movies are unavailable except for trailers, and that's the major difference.
Hulu uses an algorithm that promotes the most popular and most searched for TV episodes and sitcoms, based on search results both inside and outside the service itself. Content on the site's home page changes daily, but past highlights and episodes are constantly being added to the library, so the value here keeps getting better. The major drawback? Only the most recent episodes are available for free. However, if you're the type of television viewer that stays up to date on all the major shows, then Hulu will be great for you.
Credit: Amazon, Inc.For a nominal fee, users can upgrade to Hulu Plus, a service like Netflix. For $7.99 a month users have access to over 1500 television programs (and their respective dozens of episodes each) and nearly twice that many movies. The movies section is filled with documentaries, foreign language films, amateur films, and lots of sexually charged titles. If you have children that you'll be giving access to your online film archives, I hesitate against placing Hulu Plus within their reach.
The pioneer is still a great value
Netflix was the early harbinger of doom for movie-store rental chains like Blockbuster with its mail-in service for a monthly subscription. In a bold follow-up move, Netflix enabled instant download and video streaming to its repertoire, further simplifying the movie and television series rental process that for so long had consisted of hard-to-watch DVDs and VHS cassettes (remember those?) requisite membership cards, wasteful trips to the video store, and hefty late fees.
The service Netflix provided actually began with many of the same features as traditional stores: membership, per-rental fees, late fees and even handling fees when the service launched in April, 1998. By September 1999, Netflix changed to a flat rate model, and dropped the handling and late fees, and dropped altogether the per-rental model in early 2000.
Internet streaming through Netflix accounts for nearly 25% of all web traffic, according to web traffic monitor Sandvine, so it's obviously very popular.
For a small fee, now $7.99 per month, users can watch unlimited video (TV and movies) with no lengthy contract commitment, and the ability to cancel at anytime. When my wife and I decided to become debt-free, this (although the price is low) is one of the services we cut out, simply because our efforts had become so intensely concentrated on paying off all our debts that we decided every bit mattered. The service is available for viewing on all Mac and PC products, as well as many game consoles and tablets. Support is not provided for Linux devices at this time.
New users to the service will enjoy Netflix's "Cinematch", an algorithm that spawned a $1,000,000 prize by the company's founders for anyone who could create a better recommendations matching system for its users. It automatically creates recommendations to the user based on previous ratings made on other titles, and has been proven accurate to within 10% of customers' actual preferences. If you're just starting out with Netflix, I recommend browsing for the latest title, and popping a fresh bowl of popcorn in your own living room. Spread out the heavy blankets on the floor, prop your feet up, and crank up your entertainment system.
No matter which of these three services you choose, it pays to keep in mind the following:
Depending on the day of the week and the time of day, web traffic can cause annoying interruptions and buffering delays when watching streaming movies over the internet. Pausing your movie for a few minutes at the beginning will allow for a more substantial buffer if this is a common occurrence.
Shut down all other internet devices in your home while watching the movie; many modern devices have processes that run in the background that consume enormous amounts of bandwidth when added together.
Movie theaters still get the earliest releases of new movies, because that's where the majority of money is made for the movie industry. As such, patience is required with the title releases; although typically these dates are the same dates as the DVDs become available for purchase. If ownership of content is not your primary concern, these are a great and inexpensive way to entertain your family.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you find a service that works best for your family.Credit: Amazon, Inc.


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Friday, January 6, 2012
Catching up!
Posted by Kristin at 11:51 AM
With all the hullabaloo of the holidays, this blog took a back seat (in a bad way). But good news! I got an awesome camera for Christmas and I've been taking pictures like crazy, so over the next few days, I hope to feature all of the kids and what we've been doing lately.
1 comments:
- Star-Brite Learning Program on March 31, 2015 at 2:11 PM said...
What a great shaving cream activity! If you ever need more activity ideas/preschool advice check out the Star-Brite Learning Program blog. :) www.star-brite.com/blog
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Richie Buxo / Splash News
Carey Mulligan is back to brunette mode.
The 28-year-old Great Gatsby star stepped on the carpet of the premiere of Inside Llewyn Davis Saturday ditching her blonde locks for a new brunette hair hue.
Mulligan, who had been rocking short blond locks as of late, attended the screening with her Mumford and Sons hubby Marcus Mumford, wearing a chic, bejeweled black halter dress that showed off her midriff.
The actress stars in the Coen brothers film, which centers on a week in the life of a young singer Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) as he navigates through the Greenwich folk scene in 1961.


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Welcome to Worcester RFC Under 7's. Our ethos is to provide our players with a safe, fun and cost effective rugby experience, we aim to recruit and retain as many players as possible.
All new players are welcome to join at any time in the season regardless of ability or experience.
There is no need to pre-register and there is no waiting list - just turn up on a Sunday morning when we are at home.
We train and play home games on Weston's Fields each Sunday from 10:30 until 12:00.
This year we are playing on the pitch 2, opposite our brand new clubhouse on Weston's Fields.
--Age Qualifications--
Players must be under seven years of age on 31st August 2018. This equates to children in school year 1 or 2.
--Training and Matches--
We train and play home games each Sunday from 10:30 until 12:00, please aim to arrive at 10:25 so that we can start on time. Afterwards players and parents are encouraged to socialise in the clubhouse. After matches hotdogs are provided by the club for all players. There is always hot food or hot drinks available before and after training and games.
We do play matches away from home and parents are encouraged to car share where possible to keep costs down. Away games do vary in distance from Droitwich to Luctonians near Ledbury.
The season runs from the first Sunday in September to the last Sunday in April with breaks at Christmas and Easter. If you know that you will not be able to attend then please let the age group manager or head coach know as early as possible.
All players will need boots. For the first four weeks (and training in general) the players will just need shorts and rugby style top. They may also want training tops, base layers and joggers in case of bad weather.
The full kit of shirt, shorts and socks costs in the region of £50. Tags, balls and any other kit will be provided by the club.
--Annual Subs--
The annual subs for under 7 and under 8 is £50, this rises to £60 when the players start contact rugby at under 9.
With over 30 sessions per year and a subsidised tour at the end of the season this is offers fantastic value when compared to other sports or clubs.
--Parental Involvement--
To be successful age group and club we need the support and involvement of parents. The club and age group is run by volunteer parents, there are no salaried positions at all within the club and we are not part of Worcester Warriors.
Each year we aim to take the players on tour. At under 7s this is a one night trip to the Southwest, playing rugby and hopefully getting on the beach weather permitting.
Please drop us an email at email@example.com if you have any further questions or comments.


text: John Baird claims that it's not just a technicality that's killing Toronto's plan to upgrade it's outdated and inadequate street car fleet with a fleet of new light rail streetcars. Baird claims that the only projects eligible for funding are those that create local jobs over the next two years. The fact that the project with Bombardier would create 5,700 manufacturing jobs in Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba. If it doesn't meet some narrow criteria (that is to create construction jobs) then it isn't worthwhile. This is beyond stupidity and confirms people's perception of government as inflexible and incompetent. Investing in modern transit technology is exactly the type of thing the government should be doing to reinvigorate a manufacturing sector that has been devastated by the meltdown of GM and Chrysler.


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More and more customers are enquiring about Chambrelan's Slam Lock Draw Front, the sales of which have been growing since we launched the slam lock over a year ago.
The latest option, which boasts a quick lock instant release mechanism with both a lock in and lock out option, is now being used across vehicle builders in the commercial sector and the emergency services.
Made from high strength, Grade 'A' plastics for better endurance and performance, the LILO slam lock has been designed to take the punishment dished out on a daily basis by front line fire crews, engineers and those working with defence applications. Because of this the slam lock is incredibly robust with fewer working parts that can't jam or snarl up due to regular use. The Slam lock uses a stainless steel bar and stainless steel fasteners for added strength when locked in place and an black polyamid handle.
Available on stock, these easy to fit easy to maintain handles are currently being used by national and international vehicle builders and manufacturers.
Slam locks handles are available in different options accordng to required use:
- Single Handle: to allow easy and comfortable handling of the sliding device;
- Slam lock handle: the drawer is locked in the folded position and you have to press the center red button to allow its extension;
- Slam lock handle open and closed: the drawer is locked in the folded position and you have to press the center red button to extend the drawer; once extended, it locks up and must again press the center button to close the tray (that will lock automatically at the end of the race);
- Slam lock handle lock for double extension drawer: the drawer is locked in the center position and each side of the drawer has a handle with release button. By pressing the center red button, you can extend the drawer on one side or the other;
- Indexing slam lock handle: the drawer will be opened step by step according to the defined positions.
For further information on these or any of our slides please visit www.chambrelan.ca or alternatively us on +1 (514) 932 29 92.


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In Thursday's paper, we looked at how Silicon Valley is reacting to the news that Jeff Bezos has acquired the Washington Post.
As the news industry has floundered, Silicon Valley has taken note. It's been interesting in recent years to see how various companies and personalities have turned their attention to the woes of the news business.
Last year, Bill Campbell, chair of Intuit and a director at Apple, played a key role in establishing the joint news innovation program between Stanford and Columbia universities. Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes not only purchased the New Republic, he's also an investor in Upworthy, an innovative news aggregation site.
A few years ago, the prestigious John. S. Knight Journalism Fellowships program at Stanford University rebooted its mission to focus on entreprenerial journalism projects. And more recently, the Mozilla Foundation, which makes the Firefox browser, teamed up the Knight Foundation to launch the Knight-Mozilla OpenNews fellowships.