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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
Photo/story by Michael J. Owen
U.S. Navy Journalist (Ret.) and Parrot Head
If your mind wanders off at times to a tropical fantasy of drifting in a sailboat just off a Caribbean island covered in white sand beaches, coconut palm trees, a beautiful sunset and the music of Jimmy Buffett and steel drums coming from a thatched-roof tiki bar on the shore, you might be a Parrot Head.
While Jimmy Buffet's "Margaritaville" is simply a "state of mind," it's also become a "state of being" around the world, including here with the Western New York Parrot Head Club. Most Parrot Heads are drawn in by this mindset and the love of island-inspired music, the laidback feeling of a Caribbean lifestyle, bright colorful tropical clothing and, for some members, some really outrageous parrot head apparel at Buffett's concerts. However, the organization also encourages community support through local and national charities. Its motto is "Party with a Purpose," and this is achieved through volunteering and fundraising.
Last month, the Western New York club held its premier fundraiser called "Chillin' in the Caribbean" at the Pvt. Leonard Post Jr. VFW Post No. 6251 in Cheektowaga. Members raised $15,000 for the Make-A-Wish kids.
"Even though we focus all year long on charitable, environmental and other projects, which give back to the community, 'Chillin' in the Caribbean' remains our premier fundraiser and best example of 'Partying with a Purpose' through volunteering in our community," said Dave Cohen, the club's founder and president. "Along with fun, it takes the hard work of our members - especially the club's board of directors - to achieve success."
The idea for the "Chillin' " event came from Bob Schiele, the club's vice president.
"We were just looking for a midwinter blues event to help get us into the mood for the upcoming summer and concert season and. thanks to Bob, the idea of 'Chillin' ' was born," Cohen said.
He explained what started as a small party of about 80 people several years ago eventually overflowed every location where the event was held. The fun-filled event with Caribbean-themed entertainment, fantastic food and beverages, auctions and raffles hosted 325 strong this year. Special thanks also go to coordinators Annie Gross, Gary Heigl and many more for getting all the great prizes.
"Without their constant pounding of the pavement and taking many vacation days, we wouldn't have had the more than 200 great prizes for the event," Cohen said.
Through the years, the events have raised more than $40,000 for charity.
"Contributing to Make-A-Wish and helping to put a smile on a child's face every year makes us very proud of our annual 'Chillin' in the Caribbean' event," Cohen continued. He also expressed thanks to Make-A-Wish Foundation for its help and support of the event over the years, and to the all the club members who helped with setup, cleanup, and running the event. Get more information on joining the club at http://www.wnyparrotheads.com.
According to Kate McGowan of Make-A-Wish, the organization's mission is to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions, and to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.
"There's no waiting list for a wish, and all medically eligible children will have their most heartfelt wish granted," she said. "Wishes are as unique and creative as the children and teens who dream them. They can be anything from 'I wish to go,' 'I wish to be,' 'I wish to meet,' and 'I wish to have.' "
Each year in Western New York, Make-A-Wish grants about 150 wishes and reasons to smile.
"Many of our popular wishes are going to Disney World/Land, travel internationally, meet a celebrity or sports hero, a bedroom makeover or shopping spree," McGowan said.
The average cost of a wish is $7,500, so Make-A-Wish relies on donations, sponsors and fundraisers. "We do not receive state or federal funding," she emphasized.
"We are always looking for volunteers who want to make a difference in the lives of 'wish children' and their families," McGowan said. "Volunteers can get involved in various ways, including becoming a wish granter, wish story writer, volunteering on our speakers bureau, helping out with our numerous events and fundraisers, or even becoming an office volunteer."
Contact the Buffalo office at 716-810-9474 or on the Web at www.wny.wish.org for more info.
"Our many volunteers say they have been changed by the strength, courage and power of our wish kids," McGowan said.
Tracy Gray, Buffalo's regional director of Make-A-Wish, added, "It is humbling to see individuals like those involved in this event collectively strive to make a positive impact. Kudos to the entire group for their tireless efforts. Having an event like this one is truly priceless to our organization, and we are very fortunate to be the beneficiary of such an extraordinary event."
The foundation's development manager, Mary Moore-Hazel, also added, "It is truly an honor every year to work with the Western New York Parrot Head Club on this event. They are a fun-loving and an inspiring group of individuals that work hard to make sure we can keep granting wishes locally. Their dedication to our mission is clear, and we are thankful to them for being champions for our cause, and the special children that we serve."


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by Hugh Hunter
Old Academy Players in East Falls last weekend opened its 90th season with Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew," an uproariously funny comedy written in 1590 but which still has something to say to audiences 422 years later.
Shakespeare productions have become a target for all sorts of politically correct intrusions, but under the direction of Carla Childs, this show is largely respectful; she captures the humor and allows themes to emerge unburdened by contemporary editorial comments.
Some story background: Set in Renaissance Padua, wealthy patriarch Baptista refuses to allow suitors to woo his favorite daughter, Bianca, until he can find a match for his oldest daughter, Kate. But Kate is a renowned shrew whom all suitors avoid.
Julia Wise is phenomenally good as Kate who delivers her lines with force and nuance. Enter "hero" Petruchio, who offers to fix the problem. Played by Timothy Kirk with unwavering audacity, Petruchio's only goal in life is "to wive wealthily," and he proceeds to "woo" Kate with brute force, wit and cunning.
The ensuing battle is one of the great triumphs of comic theater. While characters like Grumio (Ken Wilson) and Biondello (Caitlyn Shaffstall) are comic relief figures, the show brings out the humor that lurks inside the play's many subplots.
You chuckle over the hapless doddering of Baptista (John Cannon) and Gremio (Joseph Carney), the preciousness of Bianca (Skye Pagon) and the haughty romanticism of her swain Lucentio (Caleb Wimble), the whining of suitor Hortensio (Isaiah Price) and the delight Tranio (Juan Caceres) takes in being a rascal.
It is a lot of play to handle, and director Childs pushes it along at a good pace. The scene changes between Petruchio's home in Verona and the Baptista household in Padua are swiftly managed with a few simple changes to props and lighting.
While Kate deeply resents her socially imposed role as maiden-in-waiting, she has lots of company. High-born men masquerade as tutors; servants become lords, and everyone seems to be in comical, unspoken rebellion against roles they are forced to take on.
But in the final scene those clothes come off, and everyone accepts their duties. Except for Kate! She transforms the imposed role of obedient wife into a new way of taking over, as she clearly shows in her deliciously ironic "submission" speech.
"Now there's a wench," cries out Petruchio, and by the end Kate and Petruchio are joined at the hip in a tacit devil's bargain. You know their marriage will endure. You just hope and pray they don't move in next door.
Old Academy Players is located at 3540-44 Indian Queen Lane. "The Taming of the Shrew" will run through Sept. 30. Reservations at 215-843-1109.

subset: commoncrawl


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Vince McMahon has been quoted several times over the years proudly proclaiming that unlike the major professional sport leagues, professional wrestling has no "off-season" -- but is that a healthy thing?
In the past couple months both Randy Orton and Rey Mysterio violated the WWE Wellness Policy for a second time. The unconfirmed rumour swirling around is that when Orton was told about his suspension he wasn't particularly upset which infuriated WWE officials. If this is true then the real question has to be asked -- how much of a cause is the constant working and travelling in the WWE that led to the violation? Was Orton's reaction due in large part to the aforementioned schedule?
Prior to the 1980s when the WWE and WCW became large national and international wrestling promotions, the wrestling business was made up of smaller territorial promotions. The territorial promotions' wrestling season primarily ran from the fall to the following spring with the summertime as the off-season because it had been found that the number of fans attending shows during that time of year declined because most people were away on vacation. Whatever shows that ran in the summer were often "events", perhaps at the ballpark or, as in the case for Stampede Wrestling, tied into the massive Calgary Stampede every July.
This meant that the wrestlers could spend the summertime with their family and friends, recharge their batteries for the year ahead and heal their injuries incurred from performing in the ring. (Or they could get booked in summer-only territories, like the Canadian Maritimes or Northern Ontario, or find a territory that ran year-round.)
The territorial promotion also arguably led to less travel into various different time zones since the majority of the work was within the local territory. Consequently wrestlers could establish a home they could live in with their families near the headquarters of the territorial promotion. The benefit of this was that it enabled the wrestler to have a greater degree of continuity with their daily routine and the fatigue of travelling was less.
Now compare that to the situation which exists today with a company like the WWE. There is no off-season and wrestlers are constantly travelling all around the world. In some cases they have to perform in multiple time zones within a given week (or even a given day). The travel is constant and often involves lengthy flights between countries and continents. At best they get to see their friends and families only a couple of days a week. Due to the constant work schedule the time for healing from nagging injuries is negligible at best. It would only be once a major injury was incurred, that required surgery, that they are given time off.
Likely leading that kind of life for a couple of years would lead someone to feel isolated and cut off from the life they knew growing up, a good deal of loneliness, and burn out. It would probably put a strain on relationships with their significant others and their children. Some wrestlers would undoubtedly be able to deal with that sort of working environment better than others. Yet, those who perhaps from a personality point-of-view are more vulnerable, or who had greater trouble dealing with the physical pain their bodies suffered from performing in the ring, would be sorely tempted to turn to things such as drugs and alcohol in order to cope. The lack of being able to sleep in your own bed and instead having to check into a strange hotel room would mean having to accept that you didn't have a place of your own where you could lick your wounds and feel safe.
How many wrestlers from the 1980s, 1990s and now the 2000s have we heard about passing away? The list at times seems endless. Why is it that the list of wrestlers from the 1970s and earlier who have passed away a young age seems so much smaller? The only conclusion I can reach is that wrestling under the territorial promotions in many ways may have been healthier in comparison to an international promotion such as the WWE, and there were certainly more wrestlers making a full-time living at the sport. It may not be the only one, but that change has to have been a factor in the seeming increase in the death toll of wrestlers from the last 30 years.
An off-season would likely not solve all the problems a wrestler faced. Still, it would help. Giving a wrestler more time to spend with their support network would lead them to not feel as isolated, which in turn would lead them to feeling less tempted to find other ways to cope with their loneliness.
And there is the inherent benefit in the wrestler being away for a while and the fans missing them, and marking out for the surprise return.
If the WWE is serious about its Wellness Program the best thing it could do is establish an off-season for their wrestlers. The end result would likely prolong several wrestlers' careers and give the creative writers of the WWE the time to properly formulate long-term storylines. As for television programming, in the WWE's case, it has a ton of footage in its libraries from not only the WWE, but WCW, ECW, and countless others which could be used during an off-season.
Matthew Byer is a Senior Project Manager who lives in Victoria, BC. He hopes that the idea of an off-season for professional wrestling is given serious consideration for the welfare of everyone involved in the industry.


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Diagnostic and Evaluation ProceduresDiagnostic And Evaluation Procedures - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment
Procedures used to screen for prostate cancer and evaluate possible prostate problems:
In addition to regular physical examinations that include blood, urine, and possibly other laboratory tests, many groups such as the American Cancer Society suggest talking with your doctor to learn more about the pros and cons of screening for prostate cancer to help you decide if it is right for you. The tests used for screening include:
DRE (digital rectal examinations)
DRE may be conducted annually for men over the age of 50 who choose to be screened. Men in high-risk groups, such as African Americans, or those with a strong family history of prostate cancer should consult their physician about being tested at a younger age.
PSA (prostate-specific antigen)
PSA is a blood test that measures the level of prostate specific antigen. PSA is a substance produced by the prostate gland, which may be found in higher amounts in men who have prostate cancer. The PSA test may be done annually for men over the age of 50 who choose to be screened. Men in high-risk groups, such as African Americans, or those with a strong family history of prostate cancer, should consult their physician about being tested at a younger age or more often.
What are some other prostate cancer evaluation procedures?
If the DRE or PSA is unusual, your physician may repeat the tests or request an ultrasound and other procedures. These evaluation tools may include:
prostate biopsy - a test in which the doctor inserts thin, hollow needles into the prostate to get samples for examination under a microscope to determine if cancer cells are present.
transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) - a test using sound wave echoes to create an image of the prostate gland to visually inspect for abnormal conditions such as gland enlargement, nodules, penetration of tumor through capsule of the gland, and/or invasion of seminal vesicles; may also be used for guidance of needle biopsies of the prostate gland and/or guiding the nitrogen probes in cryosurgery.
computed tomography scan (also called a CT or CAT scan) - a diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a combination of X-rays and computer technology to produce cross-sectional images (often called slices), both horizontally and vertically, of the body. A CT scan shows detailed images of any part of the body, including the bones, muscles, fat, and organs. CT scans are more detailed than general X-rays.
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - a diagnostic procedure that uses a combination of large magnets, radiofrequencies, and a computer to produce detailed images of organs and structures within the body.
radionuclide bone scan - a nuclear imaging method that helps to show whether the cancer has spread from the prostate gland to the bones. The procedure involves an injection of radioactive material that helps to locate diseased bone cells throughout the entire body, suggesting possible metastatic cancer.
lymph node biopsy - a procedure in which tissue samples are removed (with a needle or during surgery) from the lymph nodes for examination under a microscope; to determine if cancer or other abnormal cells are present.
The diagnosis of cancer is confirmed only by a biopsy.


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|2012-07-31, 05:00
|Link #641
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Age: 33
Yui was a program designed to help with player's emotions or something in times of turmoil or crisis, but when SAO started she was strictly forbidden from interacting with players. The Morning Dew Girl side story explains it all in detail. While you could technically classify her as a non-player character when Kirito and Asuna first meet her, she is not a regular NPC and is one of the programs helping the Cardinal system. It would be more appropriate to call her a highly intelligent quasi-sentient program. Later on she basically attains full sentience once Kirito builds the machine or whatever that brings her into the real world. At that point she ceased to be artificial and became something closer to Data or those medical holodrams from Star Trek.
Spoiler for Morning Dew Girl Ch 1:
Spoiler for Morning Dew Girl MAJOR spoilers:
Not to mention that she learns from her experiences and develops over time, gaining personality, desires, dreams, and other very human emotions. She even gets confessed to in-game (ALO) and goes to look for the guy IRL and finds out it was an old guy who had just died, his daughter talks about him with Yui for a while (apparently Yui reminded the old guy of his late wife when she was young) and she is brought to tears while thinking to herself that this sense of loss is what it truly means "to love".
Last paragraph happened in ME3 Ceramic Heart, although I am not positive if it is truly canon or not. Regardless, it is hardly NPC behavior.
The last page of ME3 Yui also says several verbose phrases one after another that reminded me of Kuroneko from OreImo who also says grandiose things like that in a way very similar:
Lost possibilities; A branch universe beyond reach; Along with obtaining something, losing that something is naturally inevitable; the very moment we meet someone was the time we started towards our farewells. Sure it was a sad but I got a good laugh out of it since I could totally hear Kuroneko/Kana Hanazawa saying it
Last edited by styr; 2012-07-31 at 05:26.
|2012-07-31, 05:08
|Link #642
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Tokyo, Japan
|2012-07-31, 05:30
|Link #643
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Age: 33
|2012-07-31, 06:53
|Link #646
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
sry was stuck in a business meeting... geez...
You call her "not a regular NPC" that means she is a NPC... just not a regular one.
Like Pinoccio he was a puppet... just not a regular one.
There is just not such a thing like "AI Player". You can be a Player or a NPC. Thats about it...
I am saying that she is an AI - but AI has to be - and ever will be a NPC
Just like in the "Three Laws of Robotics". The robots learnd (like Yui) and begann to act not like they should (like Yui) and then they had a free will (like Yui). After all they learnd and decided on their own - are they no robots now?
|2012-07-31, 07:20
|Link #647
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Tokyo, Japan
You know DOTA? Of course you do(most people if not all know it). In DOTA, there are enemies settings for the opposition force(if you're playing solo or just have a free spot you can add those called "Computers") that is an AI. On the other hand, the item seller, recipe seller, and such are NPCs. The AIs can attack or use skill on its own call. While Item seller and such can't do that. They only do the scripted thing on their program such as: they can't attack or use skill. AIs have a free will to decide their course of action which doesn't exist in NPCs
|2012-07-31, 07:24
|Link #648
Join Date: Feb 2008
Do you call Siri (iphone) a NPC? do you call automated phone systems NPCs? do you call the Roomba vacuums NPCs? You have a serious misunderstanding/application of the term NPC here.
|2012-07-31, 07:34
|Link #649
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
DOTA "Computer" enemys are NPC's... Non-Player Characters. Thats exactly my point. If they are enemy's or even monster doesn't change the fact that those are NPC. We call them "Mobs" or whatever but they are all just NPC's.
btw. the dota ai doesn't learn at all... so it is nothing like Yui. I thought your point is "she is beyond anything... the script... the rules - thats why she is no NPC"
But your point is NPC are stupid and have no AI... which they have... a really simple one - but they have.
edit: Awww I see your point AI != NPC... of course. But an AI who plays a game = NPC.
|2012-07-31, 07:40
|Link #650
Join Date: Feb 2008
You realize that outside of that one short story(where she's more of a part of the Cardinal System than anything else), her entire existence in the SAO universe is that of a stand-alone AI on Kirito's computer?
|2012-07-31, 07:47
|Link #651
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Age: 33
You stick to absolutes like "Player" and "NPC" but both of those terms are only truly applicable in today's settings, and not so much in the SAO-verse. AI players are impossible now in 2012 but in the future it may very well happen, which is one of the things SAO touches upon. How far would an independent AI need to go before you would acknowledge their existence as a player?
You keep bringing up Pinocchio, but I don't think you truly understand the message behind that story. Pinocchio is a story about lies, exaggeration and fabricating stories. Pinocchio never truly broke free of the chains holding him down, as the technology was never there to begin with. He was set up from the beginning to fail, to prove an aesop. Unlike Pinocchio, Yui has transcended her original programming and became something new - an AI player, moving on her own whims, inclination, impulses, etc.
Last edited by Daniel E.; 2012-07-31 at 15:52. Reason: Pointless bit removed!
|2012-07-31, 07:49
|Link #652
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Tokyo, Japan
@XaXa you really have a serious kind of misunderstanding....
AIs have the ability to Make judgement on their own while NPCs only limited to Actions given by the creator. AIs have a Learning Capability while NPCs only Stick to their script
|2012-07-31, 07:55
|Link #653
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
NPC follow their script... if the script allows the NPC to learn - he follows the script. Thats all she did. She learnd from other players - thats why she acts like one.
I used Pinocchio to point out that it doesn't matter how much the puppet acted like a human - he still was a puppet. He had emotions and a free will, but still he was not a human. Thats why an AI never can be a "player". You need to be a human to be a Player.
If the fairytale is not all right you can use the "Three Laws of Robotics". Did the robots at any point stop being a robot?
|2012-07-31, 08:08
|Link #655
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Well hope this help, in my opinion
NPC = Non Playable Character
That's mean as long as no player(human/user) play it then it is NPC apart being it has AI(Learning AI or not) or not
PC = Playable Character
That's mean a character that player can control directly as his/her wish, obeying the game rule.
|2012-07-31, 08:10
|Link #656
Join Date: Feb 2008
|2012-07-31, 08:11
|Link #657
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Well their judgment is...
If unit1 in sight use skill 2 or 4 or 6 then...
if HP below 30 go to 23.56 ...
iGod (iGod | Artificial Intelligence Chat with God)
Is he more than a chat bot? you know chat bots... like in the irc if anybody says "hi" the bot answer "hi". Just a tiny script... looking if anybody writes hi - if so he replays with "hi".
iGod is a bot that can learn. So he will copy the humans who talk to him. Now when you chat with him it's like you would write with a normal human beeing. (Most of the time... he is not perfect) Does that makes him more than a bot?
|2012-07-31, 08:14
|Link #658
Join Date: Feb 2008
Last edited by Daniel E.; 2012-07-31 at 15:54.
|2012-07-31, 08:22
|Link #660
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
|Thread Tools


text:
30 Day Ride Out Guarantee With this Surfboard - Don't like it? swap it
Firewire Helium Evo surfboard 5ft 11 FCS II - White
Product Details
The latest board from Tomo pushes surfboard design again. Having it under your arm puts a huge smile on your face, the anticipation of surfing it is almost too much! We had a chance to have a quick surf on a 5' 5" and although smaller than you'd choose here's what happened: even at this small length it paddled really easily, even in choppy conditions the nose didn't catch. The sheer width of the thing meant it paddled in nice and easy and felt fast, popping up the board feels super stable but very lively. It flows from rail to rail so easily its unreal, Tomo says it feels like its levitating, he's not wrong! Its super smooth and turns easily, an instant smile guaranteed. The smooth and curvy outline really works, it still feels like it'll hold in bigger stuff but for anything knee to head-high its going to be the surfboard of choice. The deep channels give it its drive, presumably what Tomo refers to as the 'double inside single concave into split quad concave planing hull' means the channels. Even Slater said it felt faster than a standard shortboard after that short interlude at the Gold Coast comp.
Firewire's Helium tech is all about making an already amazing set of construction options even better. Its lighter, more durable than regular PU boards and thus far is proving a little more robust than Firewire's LFT construction. High Density Aerospace Composite Deck Skins and a new Paulownia/Balsa mix on the rails gives a faster flex response. Having surfed the tech in a couple of different models it does feel light but the speed through a stiffer feel and responsiveness is exceptional, Helium is here to stay.
Boardshop is stoked to be a key partner for Firewire surfboards across Europe and beyond, we've been with them since the very start. Firewire surfboards are more durable than other surfboard manufacturing processes, and for 90% of surfers they will improve your surfing. Firewire is pushing the limits of applying new technology and innovation to surfboard design and always has an eye on the environmental impact of what they do, they truly are different to the other board companies out there. Firewire have come a long way since the early boards and the range of shapes and tech just gets better and better. A big chunk of the boards in the range are perfectly suited to the waves that 90% of us surf on a regular basis so if you haven't already give them a try. The staff here have surfed pretty much every board in the Firewire range at some time or another and we speak to surfers from all over the world and get their feedback on how the boards perform in all sorts of conditions so we're well placed to talk about all aspects of Firewire surfboards.
We're happy to consider trading in your old board against a new Firewire, so If you have any questions about this we'd be delighted to answer them and advise on any potential board choices or enquiries you might have, just drop us an email to firstname.lastname@example.com or call us on 0044 (0) 1243 674250.
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Overall Customer Rating
Jack (reviewed 19/01/2019)
Felix (reviewed 19/11/2018)
I'd say 5 star customer service and a 4 star board if bought at the correct size. Possibly a 5 star board if you surf clean conditions most of the time.
Sold the board and am looking forward to buy my next groveler from Boardshop, thanks guys :)
Mark Thomas (reviewed 09/11/2018)
Just some feedback on the board as I've had quite a number of sessions over the last two months. The board is quick, responsive and a joy to surf in all sizes. Really pleased with it and it's taken off a few years whilst upping performance. Thanks for the advice and you'll be pleased to know that it's created a lot of interest so I'm sure you'll get plenty of orders.
Enjoy the winter, Mark
Ben howell (reviewed 20/09/2018)
Ju (reviewed 05/09/2018)
Will (reviewed 09/07/2018)
Harley Jepson (reviewed 20/06/2018)
Super super light but feels tough in your hands.
Really good delivery and packed very well.
Jeroen (reviewed 06/06/2018)
Joao (reviewed 23/05/2018)
john daly (reviewed 09/05/2018)
Beanmachine (reviewed 20/04/2018)
Mike (reviewed 12/04/2018)
The Evo is awesome. Took me a while to settle on fins, for me the stiffer the better on this board, using the JW PG fins. Quad set up is insane for speed, it feels like your levitating, while thruster blew me away with the direction change and turns it could do. I was initially concerned it was too much foam/too wide a tail comparing it to the omni but it absolutely does not limit performance. The drive off the bottom and feeling on rail is amazing, it just holds.
I've ridden it in knee high waves with a quad. My puddle jumper is collecting dust. I still use the omni if it's heavy, but I've used the Evo in overhead surf and if holds fine.
Helium is great, amazing durability. The flex is not as springy as carbon wrap and nothing on my old futureflex hypto but is much stronger, and definitely flexy enough.
It took me three years to buy one, having not been convinced by the looks... but honestly it's so easy to surf, and unlike most easy boards to surf it turns on a dime. Get one. I'm sticking to Tomo's from now on!
As usual the guys at boardshop are so helpful. It doesn't feel like your dealing with an online team.
Alain (reviewed 23/02/2018)
She is lighter with more flex. I weigh 70 kg for 1.70m (advance level). I use this 5.6 for small conditions and not to take longboard.
If I had to use this board for better conditions I would have to go to 5.4 or 5.3. Very nice board to paddle and take off.
Fast delivery (for France) and in great condition because very well protected. Very good commercial service.
Victor (reviewed 19/02/2018)
The Evo in helium has more buoyancy than you can imagine on a 29 liter surfboard.
I've the 5'4 and it's a little bit too big for my 65 kg, 1,69m (level : 6years surfing, once a week, low intermediate)
If I can I will change it for a 5'3
Hendrik (reviewed 13/02/2018)
I surfed the board five times and the surf here in Lisbon is quite heavy right now. Normally I would have chosen another board, but I will fully commit to this plank for the next few month so I stuck to it.
From the first impression the board works best in cleaner conditions. it is super maneuverable and easy to surf. I would suggest straight forward fins to compliment all the bottom concaves or it has some bubbly feeling.
I love the board already and look forward to surf it in some smaller, cleaner waves. The versatility of the board and the construction makes it a great travel board as well, I reckon.
Boardshop, as always, working hard to deliver the best customer experience possible. cheers!
Tom Hales (reviewed 04/02/2018)
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text: 4-1-3 Related By ollieharding| 2017-05-10T21:37:31+00:00 May 10th, 2017|0 Comments Share This Story, Choose Your Platform! FacebookTwitterLinkedinRedditTumblrGoogle+PinterestVkEmail About the Author: ollieharding Paddler, coach and freelance photographer. Love paddling and photography. Paddled 2,500k on the Danube in 2016. Won the DW at age 55 after coming second four times over a forty year period.


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Preparing for another grab at the brass ring, John Kerry seeks to engage the claims of the Swift Boat veterans. In today's New York Times, the "magic hat" — the hat that Kerry claims was tossed to him by the "special forces" (apparently Navy SEALS) he dropped off on his journey to Cambodia (formerly dated to Christmas Eve 1968, now to February 1969) — magically reappears. The story by Kate Zernike is "Kerry pressing Swift Boat case long after loss."
The "magic hat" made its last appearance in Laura Blumenfeld's June 2003 Washington Post profile of Kerry. In Blumenfeld's piece, Kerry stated it was his "good luck hat" and that it had been given to him by "a CIA guy as we went in for a special mission to Cambodia." Does Kerry save it to impress the lady reporters? I'd like to see him pull it on Tom Lipscomb.
The Times article is accompanied by a graphic on "Kerry's new evidence" (below).
Zernike doesn't say it, but the new evidence on the mission to Cambodia almost gets Kerry there! No mention of being shot at by the Khmer Rouge, but what the heck. Over at the Democracy Project, Bruce Kesler takes an initial whack: "New York Times is full of Kerry." Readers wanting to refresh their memory of the Christmas in Cambodia story and related contortions may usefully consult Joshua Muravchik's "Kerry's Cambodia whopper."


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I really wish I could praise William Irvine's A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy without qualification, but instead I'll just suggest that the book's repetitive passages and occasional bursts of condescension*, while regrettable, are outweighed by the fact that Irvine has written a pretty good primer on Stoic thought with some handy tips for how to practice Stoicism in modern, everyday life. At the very least, Irvine's book might be a half-decent gateway drug to the wisdom and compassion of Seneca and the other classic Stoics. That alone makes it well worth reading.
I would especially recommend the book to folks in my own age bracket (eighteen-to-twentysomething), which might sound a little counterintuitive, given that it's a book about an ancient school of philosophy written by a late-middle-aged academic philosopher. But just as Irvine argues that Stoicism is still relevant and valuable today, I'd argue that it's especially relevant and valuable to those of us who are starting our adult lives in post-financial crisis America.
Because here's the thing: most of us young'uns in the 99% are going to make less money than our parents did. Nearly all of us are going to have less stuff than we'd like. And that's just talking to those of you who come from relatively comfortable upbringings. The overall trend in living standards is bad news for us, but it's terrible news for the people who aren't as lucky as us.
I say this not because I want to depress the hell out of you, but because it's self-evidently true, and we should probably all start getting used to it. The vast majority of us are going to have to downsize our lives at best, and fight like crazy to get by at worst. If your idea of happiness is a fat wallet and a life of conspicuous consumption, then you're going to be significantly less happy than you were promised pre-recession.
So that leaves us with two options: we can live lives filled with bitterness and resentment at the shit deal the Boomers left us with, or we can consciously strive to find our joy in something else.
Stoicism is a strategy for doing the latter. As a philosophy of life, it melds theory and practice in a manner that has more in common with Zen Buddhism than modern Western philosophy. The key difference, I think, is that whereas the practice of Zen is intended to temporarily obliterate most conscious thought processes, Stoicism is a method for ordering conscious thought in a manner that will promote happiness and tranquility. Because one of the keys to tranquility is stability, most of the strategies Stoics use in daily practice are designed to insulate their tranquility from uncontrollable external conditions such as the state of one's material possessions, social standing, and so on.
But that's not to say Stoicism is a selfish or anti-social philosophy. One of Irvine's most interesting claims is that the Stoicism, properly understood, not only allows for but necessitates some level of civic virtue (as evidence, he points to the fact that many of the most famous Stoics — Seneca, Cato, and, of course, Emperor Marcus Aurelius — were deeply involved in Roman politics). That message, given the grassroots mobilizations currently happening all over the country, seems particularly timely.
*PRO TIP: Skip every paragraph that includes any variation on the phrase, "political correctness."


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Dessert Roll – Featured is Glace' by 3 Sisters
applique's or other embellishments
Fold and iron your strip lengthwise.
Fold and iron your strip once more lengthwise.
Stitch on either side of the strip as close the the edge as you can without going over.
Fold your strip in half matching the two short ends together. Make a crease in the center of strap. This will help find the center of the strap when attaching the eyelets.
Determine which side you want facing out when wearing and starting on the back side, weave your 1/4″ ribbon in and out through your eyelets on the strap. Your ribbon should end up on the same side but on the opposite end when finished. Make sure the ribbon is pulled tight and lays flat against the strap on both sides.
Step Eight:
Keeping the ribbon flat against the strap, stitch the ribbon down to the strap on either end to hold in place.
At this point I like to wrap the strap around the back side of my neck and then cross the ends in front of me to make sure everything is lined up properly. The strap ends will cross one another with both right sides facing up so when wearing your lanyard it lays nice and flat against you and won't twist around.
Step Ten:
With the back sides of your strap facing up, weave the sewn ends through the Suspender Clip towards the back side of the clip.
Stitch the ends down in two places. I like to stitch over my original stitch for the one closest to the clip and then stitch again towards the end of the straps for extra reinforcement. Please sew slowly as your are sewing through several layers of fabric at this point.
Apply the letter you wish to have on your lanyard to one of the metal sliders with the ribbon holes facing east and west so that when you tie on your letter with your ribbon your letter will be facing in the right direction.
Using the leftover 1/4″ ribbon weave the ribbon through your Alpha Slider so that it is in the center of your ribbon. Holding the slider in place on the front side of the strap, wrap the ends of the ribbon around the strap a few times ending up at the top of the Alpha Slider. Tie a tight knot in the ribbon securing the Alpha Slider and ribbon in place. Trim off the ends of the ribbon as desired.
Clip your strap to your ID Badge and you are now styling a new look with your lanyard. Make one for your friends and one in all colors to coordinate with your wardrobe!
Step One:
Clip corners before turning.
Turn handle wrap Right sides out and iron flat. Stitch a 1/8″ seam around all four sides closing the opening at the same time.
You now have a very stylish handle wrap and your bags will no longer be mistaken for someone elses at the airport.
Step One:
Cut a piece of 1/4″ ribbon – 12″ long and fold in half.
Place the folded end of the ribbon in the top opening of the luggage tag about a 1/2″ inside with the ends of the ribbon sticking outside of the opening. Stitch across the top of the luggage tag backstitching a couple times over the ribbon to secure in place.
Place the cut piece of plastic on the back side {blank side} of the luggage tag. If your plastic hangs over the edges, then trim down to fit the luggage tag. Stitch around the three sides that meet up with the fabric with about 1/8″ seam.


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Michael Duck - Crunchable
Crunchable is an online literary magazine started in 2001 by alumni Chris Kilmas. Its name derives from Kilmas's humor at putting -able at the end of any word, which you can see on the site's snackable and archivable pages. Today is it run by Duck who calls the online magazine a "soft place to land" when young writers first graduate and lose the ability to submit their work to the student publications.
What is your favorite memory from your time at Washington College?
The first one that leaps to mind is the experience of my weekly "Elm Night." The newspaper was published every Friday, and that meant I had to have an actual physical disk (remember those?) ready to be delivered to the printer at dawn every Thursday. So every Wednesday night for the year and a half I was The Elm's editor in chief, I didn't sleep – I shepherded the whole darn paper into print, coordinating all the editors' work with the writing, page layout, and photographs while usually also writing an editorial at the last minute. Around 3 or 4 a.m., I'd sit down with the final version and read every word that was about to be published. The final step was to leave the disk at an agreed-upon drop spot and then shamble into the dining hall for breakfast. (It was the only weekday I was ever awake when breakfast was served.)
Even at the time I knew that schedule was insane, but it fueled my sense of purpose and helped define who I was – and who I still am, in a lot of ways. My only regret was the one semester when I had a fascinating history class with T. Clayton Black – at 8:30 a.m. every Thursday, right after my weekly all-nighter and when I was, shall we say, not at my customary levels of alertness.
Dr. Black, if you're reading this: I'm sorry!
And, though you asked for a single favorite memory, the two others I simply must mention here are: (1) The time my Queen Anne's House friends and I threw a nearly spontaneous gathering in formal wear, which we called the "informal formal" and which was nearly broken up by Public Safety, and (2) the time I was with legendary Washington Post journalist Richard Harwood as he committed the act of public urination on campus.
What were some of your favorite events or milestones?
Whenever I get back to campus, I always make a point of stopping by that little garden with the simple fountain beside the Larrabee Art Center. I wrote about that garden's dedication in my first real story for The Elm, within a few weeks of my arrival on campus as a freshman.
That turned out to be the start of a much longer story. I stuck with the paper and worked my way up to editor in chief by my sophomore year. And now I've been a professional journalist for nearly a decade.
What was the first book you read and loved?
I loved a lot of books as a very young reader (Dr. Seuss and the Berenstains were in heavy rotation in my library), but the ones I remember loving best were from a few years later – from around age eight, when I discovered a "Choose-Your-Own-Adventure"-style series of books called "Star Challenge." As the protagonist of each book, you were a young operative for the Network Of Worlds tasked with saving the galaxy, with a little help from your small robot companion. I spun that fictional universe in hundreds of different directions, inventing my own ships and villains and alien races and sidekicks and gear, most of which I built using plastic construction toys or cardboard. It was the most elaborate narrative I have ever created.
The other huge influence was the humor columnist and author Dave Barry. I devoured his weekly syndicated columns in middle school, right up through the day that something funny happened to me in science class and I decided to do what Dave Barry would: I'd write about it and show the story to everyone who'd read it. The response was overwhelming – the first time I could recall doing anything my peers actually enjoyed and respected.
In other words: For my student newspaper years, my whole journalism career, and all my work with Crunchable, I blame Dave Barry.
What is your favorite word?
At the moment, it's "widdershins" – a word I learned just this month from Annie Woodall '01, one of Crunchable's assistant editors. It means to do something in a backwards, counterclockwise, or otherwise contrary direction.
In fact, we liked the word so much that it's going to be the theme for a Crunchable issue in the next year. I'm very eager to see what writers will do with it.
What is it like to be the editor of Crunchable?
Heh. That depends on what part of the production cycle we're in, and whether I'm short or flush with essays to publish.
I volunteered to run this site in 2005 – four years after it got started and three years after my Washington College graduation. It was partly because I knew I needed something like this to keep me writing creatively. It was partly because it was a chance to be an editor,
which is all I've always wanted to be, and because I knew it would help me stay better in touch with my college friends. I was also terrified that the great writing they'd done on Crunchable since 2001 might otherwise wink out of existence, if nobody were here to look after it.
But Crunchable was also an opportunity to learn how all this Web stuff works from the inside out. That fluency with Web design has turned out to be critical to my career, and today I help run the website of the newspaper where I've worked since 2003. In a very real sense, I owe my job to Crunchable.
So, what does all that feel like? Well, it's maddening and stressful a lot of the time. But it feels tremendously important to be the caretaker for all these words, and it's great to have my own sandbox on the Web where I can play with such a great community of friends and writers.
For more about Crunchable Colloquium visit this link.


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Daipy Jokes
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Author Notes: This pizza is flammkuchen with a bit of a twist. It's what I'm hoping will materialize in front of me as I drink cold coffee and procrastinate writing an essay that badly needs to be written today, not tomorrow, but today. You can use whatever pizza dough you like; I usually buy mine from the local pizza parlor. Feel free to play around with the cheese, lemon zest, and red pepper flake quantities, according to your personal tastes. —Cristina Sciarra
Makes: 2 "personal" sized pizzas, or 1 large
1/3 pound of bacon
2 medium leeks
sea salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 cups finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon lemon zest
pizza dough
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1-3 eggs
In This Recipe
- Heat the oven to 500F. If you have a pizza stone, move it to the oven a full hour before cooking, to heat up. If you are using a baking sheet, move it to the oven 30 minutes before cooking. Either way, you want to cook the pizza at the base of the oven.
- Stack up your bacon, and cut it into lardons (or little matchsticks). Heat a wide pan (cast iron, if you've got one) over medium heat. When it's warm, add the bacon. Cook the lardons until they are half-way to crispy, about 5 minutes. (The bacon will cook more in the oven, so don't overdo it on the stovetop.) Move the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Quarter and clean the leeks. Slice the white/light green parts thinly. Once the bacon is out of the pan, you can add the leeks to it; the bacon fat will serve as a lovely lubricant. Cook the leeks until translucent, 5-10 minutes. Stir in a pinch of salt, and the lemon juice.
- Finely grate the cheese, and zest the lemon.
- It's time to build the pizza: spread on the crème fraîche. Next, evenly scatter the lardons and leeks over the face of the pizza. Distribute the grated cheese, the lemon zest, and the red pepper flakes.
- Just before moving the pizza to the oven, crack on the egg(s). (1 egg per personal pizza, or up to 3 eggs on a large.)
- Cook the pizza for 3-5 minutes, or until it's bubbling and the crust is just past golden brown. Remove it from the oven, and serve right away, very hot.
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Leeks
More Great Recipes:
Pizza|Bacon|Leek|Lemon|Lemon Juice|Serves a Crowd|Cast Iron|Winter|Spring|Breakfast


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Fueled by robust investments in global plant breeding programs, Dow AgroSciences, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW), has captured a greater share of the North and South American corn seed market. This is the fourth consecutive year of corn share gains in the Americas for Dow AgroSciences. "Our considerable investments in corn research and development are delivering strong germplasm and trait innovations that corn growers demand," says Antonio Galindez, president and CEO, Dow AgroSciences. He says farmers are taking notice of the powerful performance and yield-enhancing technology provided by Dow AgroSciences corn hybrids. "Dow AgroSciences seems to be one of the front runners in the technology scene and helping you get better yields," says Steve Carroll of Pontiac, Ill., who farms 1,600 acres in the heart of the Corn Belt. Current-year yield results reinforce the vigor of the company's comprehensive corn breeding program. Dow AgroSciences hybrids with SmartStax ® trait technology outyielded competitor hybrids by nearly four bushels per acre in U.S. trials which, at today's grain prices, translates to a significant boost in potential income for farmers. This was the third season for SmartStax, a corn trait combination developed by Dow AgroSciences that brings growers broad-spectrum insect protection and high-yielding genetics. "What we're after at the end of the day is yield. Improved genetics, insect control and reduced refuge – all of those things are components of high yield that SmartStax brings to us," says Mark Guy, a 3,000-acre farmer from Iowa Falls, Iowa, who planted more than half his acres to Dow AgroSciences hybrids this year. Water utilization also is top of mind with many growers, particularly after the record-setting drought in the central United States last summer. Dow AgroSciences continues to invest in both native and genetic drought tolerance research, with the goal of building corn hybrids with more consistent yield under moisture stress. Corn hybrids from Dow AgroSciences either matched or exceeded yields of competitive drought-tolerant products in 2012 U.S. trials.
"Our corn research and development efforts continue to pay dividends, as we work together to bring solutions that maximize yield potential and return on investment for growers throughout the Americas and the world," Galindez says.Galindez points out that Dow AgroSciences' market share growth in North and South America is particularly meaningful, given the regions' prominence in corn production. The Americas represented approximately 70 percent of the growth in the world corn seed market from 2010 to 2011. Corn seed sales in the two continents during 2011 totaled $10.5 billion – nearly two-thirds of the $16 billion total global sales figure. "The Americas are significant players in the global corn market and are of strategic importance to our business. We will continue to invest resources to sustain our growth in these regions, not only in seeds and traits but also in crop protection products that help our customers provide food, fuel and fiber to a growing population," Galindez says. Dow AgroSciences markets seed under the Mycogen ®, Pfister Seeds ™, Dairyland Seed ™, Renze Seeds ™, Brodbeck Seeds ™, Prairie Brand Seed ® and Triumph ™ brands in the United States; and under the Mycogen and Hyland Seeds ™ brands in Canada. In South America, the company's offering is sold under the Dow Seeds ™ and Morgan ® brands. About Dow AgroSciences Dow AgroSciences, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, develops leading-edge crop protection and plant biotechnology solutions to meet the challenges of the growing world. Dow AgroSciences is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company and had annual global sales of $5.7 billion in 2011. Learn more at www.dowagro.com. Follow Dow AgroSciences on Facebook and YouTube or subscribe to our News Release RSS Feed. SmartStax ® multi-event technology developed by Dow AgroSciences and Monsanto. ®™Brodbeck Seeds, Dairyland Seed, DOW Diamond, Hyland Seeds, Mycogen, Pfister Seeds, Prairie Brand Seed, Renze Seeds and Triumph Seed are trademarks of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow. ®SmartStax is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC. Always follow IRM, grain marketing and all other stewardship practices and pesticide label directions. B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your seed representative for the registration status in your state. About Dow Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines the power of science and technology to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company connects chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help address many of the world's most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow's diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high growth sectors such as electronics, water, energy, coatings and agriculture. In 2011, Dow had annual sales of $60 billion and employed approximately 52,000 people worldwide. The Company's more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 197 sites in 36 countries across the globe. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.


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Mikael2 avait besoin d'un nouveau design de logo et a lancé un concours sur 99designs.
Un gagnant a été sélectionné de 392 designs proposés par 111 designers freelance.
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Savoir comment fonctionne un concours de design ou en savoir plus sur nos services de design de logo.


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In replying to FrMichael below, I realized my response was heading to essay-length. In addition, I want to make clear some basic parameters from which I work. I don't believe that adoption should be invoked to drum up opposition to same-sex unions. It is a losing strategy, if not a false one.
Adoption has its own challenges in our culture and our legal system. For an orphan to be adopted by a gay man, a lesbian, or a same-sex pair is not the worst thing that could happen. Being abused by loved ones is the worst. Languishing in an institution or living in a series of foster homes is certainly much worse compared to having a single parent. In too many situations, children lack permanence. They may be separated from siblings. They certainly lack that one-on-one connection with a mother or a father, let alone one of each. The sad truth is that 130,000 boys and girls have lost their parents to death, severe disability, addiction, abuse, or neglect. That is a legal reality here and in many countries: parents unfit for raising children are separated from those whom they have harmed.
The law also provides ample opportunity (I might say too much) for parents to get their act together. My daughter lived in four foster homes in less than five years because every legal opportunity available to her birth family was being applied. In the end, addiction, a debilitating injury, and physical abuse trumped the parental rights. Her birth family was unable and unwilling to make their family work. And so the young miss came to live with us as her permanent family. Her two older siblings were adopted by another couple. Sad and tragic for all five people, but not quite as catastrophic as what would have happened if the family had stayed together to endure neglect, beatings, and continued substance abuse. Being adopted by a single gay parent or by a same-sex couple would have been a mercy. A God-given mercy.
FrMichael posted below:
I'm in agreement with you with respect to promotion and support of adoption at the diocesan and parochial levels. Nonetheless, that still doesn't obscure the reality that we are slowly being squeezed from that apostolate by threat of hostile legal forces.
I don't think the Church is being squeezed at all. Adoption is a legal event, not an ecclesiastical one. It has always been so. For the Church to complain about legal hostility is an outright fabrication–kids have far more to complain about. Beatings. Neglect. Starvation. Rape. Abandonment. Alcohol and drug-derived birth defects. And that doesn't even begin to address the positive influences parents should be: cuddling, comforting, reading, playing, stimulating, talking, listening … loving.
I've been through the adoption system as a parent, so I'm well aware there are many aspects within the law, the culture, and the system that are directly or indirectly harmful to children. That life is not fair is not a surprise to me.
I've also been told that for state agencies, the priority has been and always will be, a close birth relative if possible, a mom and dad next, and single or same-sex parents after. Social workers are looking for optimal placement for the kids in their care, and they will always look for the best situation for placement.
They do not employ a merit or quota system for parents. In fact, we were told very bluntly that the state was not advocating for us. They are advocates for the needy children. We were told to be our own advocates: take more classes, get more certification, accept foster children as "practice," meet other social workers, attend adoption events, produce a video tour of our home.
That said, I'm very aware that wealthy people are able to manufacture opportunities or connections to adopt infants or even to acquire a birth child through artificial means. Lamentable, perhaps, for the older kids who are waiting for adoption. But it's the reality. It's also a reality that SSA people, singly or as a couple, are able to adopt in this way. They have the resources. They have the connections. It's going to happen whether same-sex unions are made legal or not, and there's not a darn thing any bishop can do about it. Except maybe look like an idiot if he missteps politically.
My problem with Bishop Cordileone, Archbishop Dolan, and others is their shocking naivete (at best) or their willingness (at worst) to throw orphans under the bus to get at same sex unions.
The biggest need in the US–not to mention the world–is for more prospective parents. That's my soapbox: more parents. Regarding the very few infants in their hands, if dioceses can't or won't work within legal parameters with SSA people, the very least they can do is retool their Catholic Charities offices. That no diocese currently has instituted a program to develop adoptive and foster parents reveals an abject emptiness to the whining about adoption.
It would border on the corrupt and the immoral … if I didn't realize the bishops are simply ignorant when it comes to adoption.
From what I see, the bishops are more concerned with not doing wrong than performing a direct good. That shows a shocking immaturity about morality, and a total lack of pragmatism. LGBTQ people and their allies must surely be salivating at the prospect of bishops throwing their weight against same-sex unions. And bringing up the child card. The bishops are as earnest as a bunch of high school athletes. The sad continuation of that metaphor is that they are playing against pros. Bishop Cordileone is a sixteen-year-old batting against Roy Halliday with a plastic bat. Archbishop Dolan is a seventeen-year-old on the offensive line with both legs in a sack assigned to block DeMarcus Ware. If the Church is serious on this issue, get these guys off the field. Please.
What the bishops should be doing is slowly, quietly, and surely, building back up their credibility. They could start by gathering financial and personnel resources to scout for good parents. We need tens of thousands of willing Catholic parents stepping forward to adopt. Some of them could and maybe should have kids already. Adoption is not a cure for childlessness.
Let me repeat that: Adoption is not a cure for childlessness.
Adoption is rescuing boys and girls from lives without love, without connections, and without even one permanent adult to rear, to guide, and to love them back.
Until I start seeing dioceses and parishes working with state social workers, hosting adoption fairs, promoting home studies, organizing workshops, I will never, ever believe a bishop whining about those nasty gays stealing babies. And you shouldn't believe the lies either.
If the Church is truly being squeezed, then it's time for action. Not ignorant mewlings from the ivory tower. We really, really don't need Bishop Cordileone's war of words. Talk is cheap. What is needed is an active witness that is moral, compassionate, sensitive, opportunistic, and has as its aim the relief of authentic suffering.
Tough words? Yes, certainly. But I haven't given up on the bishops just yet. I think they are capable of reform and renewal. Their real challenge remains for people who have been so embarrassed, shocked, and flabbergasted by the episcopacy that they don't even pay attention any more. It's not that hard to get in touch with me. If a bishop wants to field a practical idea or two, drop me a call. And if they don't believe me, they could sit down with a state social worker and get educated about what the real adoption issues are.


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MIDDLEBURY — After wrapping up the regular season with a pair of home wins over Montpelier this past Saturday and a loss on the road in Essex, the Addison County American Legion baseball team on Thursday will begin play in the Legion State Championship tournament as the No. 2 seed for the North Division.
AC will face the Lake Region team, the South Division's No. 3 seed, on Thursday at 11 a.m. at Castleton State College to kick off the tournament. The two teams have not faced off yet this season.
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MIDDLEBURY — The Addison County American Legion team won three out of five games late last week and over the weekend to remain in the driver's seat for a Northern Division playoff berth.
As of Monday, AC stood in second place in the division at 12-6. The local nine is 12-7 overall, including a non-league loss to Southern Division leader Rutland.
VERGENNES — Civic organizations make a big impact in the Little City, where five secular nonprofit clubs collectively have an annual membership of more than 1,300 and make annual charitable donations of almost $150,000.
According to Vergennes Mayor Michael Daniels, the Addison County Eagles, American Legion Post 14, the Vergennes Lions Club, the city's Masonic Lodge, and the Vergennes Rotary club do more than donate money to charity. Daniels said they are integral parts of the city's fabric.
ADDISON COUNTY — The 2011 Addison County Legion baseball team has a new look this year — and is no doubt one of the younger entries in the Northern Division.
Only six members of 14 members of Coach Mike Estey's roster have Legion experience, and only two — former Vergennes Union High School standouts Logan Williams and Jackson Alexander — are in their last years of eligibility.
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19 comments:
Hi- Thanks for the helpful info! I had heard a lot people say that DHC Cleansing Oil was good, but now I know exactly why it's good. I'm going to try it.
- December 30, 2007 at 4:14 PM
- Beauty Anonymous said...
Hello, Janey,
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
DHC Cleansing Oil is really quite a gentle product. The big advantages are it removes the makeup very easily and leaves my face nice and supple. I love it!
I hope it will work great with you too!
- December 31, 2007 at 9:48 AM
I recently started using the DHC Cleansing Oil after reading all the rave reviews. I must say that it seems to work pretty well. I am 37 years old and still struggle with very oily skin and breakouts. The Cleansing Oil actually adds moisture and softness to my skin whereas other cleansers end up stripping my skin which causes the production of even more oil. With such a dry winter in the Southeast, the Cleansing Oil has been a godsend
- February 13, 2008 at 8:26 PM
- Beauty Anonymous said...
Hi there,
Thanks a lot for stopping by!
I am really glad to hear that DHC Cleansing Oil works great with you. It is worth noting that you mentioned the DHC Cleansing Oil adds moisture to your skin without causing too much production of oil. That is a good point!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with DHC Cleansing Oil!
- February 14, 2008 at 11:33 PM
Hi dear,
Thanks for sharing, may i know where can i purchase this product?
- February 29, 2008 at 2:20 AM
- Beauty Anonymous said...
Hi there,
As far as I know, DHC is available online in the US, UK, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Korea.
Here are the related links about where DHC is available.
I am not sure if you are from these countries where DHC is available at this point. May I know where you live currently?
Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.
Best regards,
- February 29, 2008 at 1:33 PM
I have VERY dry skin in my T zone. I have had red blotches for years and psorisis like flakes. Last month I received a free sample of this cleaning oil. My skin felt so wonderful for 3 days after I used it. So I ordered a bottle from DHC(along with the velvet skin cream). Now all my blotches are gone, my skin is moist and supple. I feel like a princess. My skin is more beautiful than my 15 year old daughters. I may have to share my secret with her.
- February 29, 2008 at 8:26 PM
- Miss O. said...
ooooh! nice review!
i love the Shu Uemura oils, but they are quite costly.
maybe i will try this when my current bottle runs out ;)
Beauty 365
Beauty Every Day
- February 29, 2008 at 10:33 PM
- Beauty Anonymous said...
Hi there,
I am really happy to hear that DHC works great with your dry skin in T zone. I am glad that you found DHC (along with the velvet skin cream)has solved the blotch problem. That is wonderful!
Let me know how your 15 year old daughter feels about this DHC Cleansing Oil. :)
Thank you for posting your comment!
- March 1, 2008 at 9:58 PM
- Beauty Anonymous said...
Hi Miss.O,
Thank you for stopping by!
I have used all the formulations of Shu Uemura Cleansing Oils except the latest CLEANSING BEAUTY OIL PREMIUM. They are still very good makeup removals. They really work great with me.
Like you said, a bottle of Shu Uemura cleansing oil is kind of costly. I found DHC Cleansing Oil provides with me the same result, and the price is much more affordable. I hope you will like it too. Let me know what you think if you try it out.
Thanks a lot for commenting!
- March 1, 2008 at 10:11 PM
Hi, I'm from singapore. I don think singapore selling this product :(
- March 4, 2008 at 2:02 AM
- Beauty Anonymous said...
Hi there,
I am not sure if you are interested to buy DHC products at online beauty stores. If you want,I kind of know there is an online beauty store that deals with overseas shipping.
Here is the URL: http://www.bgo.com.tw
BGO is a Taiwan-based online beauty store. I have purchased with BGO for a couple of times. Their service is friendly, and shipping is prompt. You can find DHC products at BGO.
BGO website is in Chinese. Let me know if you need help browsing the website.
Thanks a lot for stopping by!
- March 4, 2008 at 6:19 PM
DHC's Cleansing Oil is one of those products that seem to be universally appreciated. While I don't use it every night, I find it extremely effective as an exfoliant. I use prescription Tazorac nightly which, while being very helpful in keeping my skin clear and smooth, also causes occasional flakiness. The oil is wonderful at sloughing off all of the dead skin cells, making the Tazorac that much more effective. Everyone who has used DHC's oil has said they love it and usually end up buying a bottle for themselves. This is definitely a product that I will continue to keep on hand.
- March 14, 2008 at 5:18 PM
- Beauty Anonymous said...
Hi there,
Thank you for posting you comment! DHC Deep Cleansing Oil has quite a big fan base across countries. I am glad you like it too!
You have brought up a point that the oil helps slough off the dead skin on your face efficiently. I haven't been able to find if the oil is effective as an exfoliant for my skin. I will pay more attention on this part.
Thanks a lot for sharing!
- March 15, 2008 at 4:04 PM
- Naturally Beautiful said...
There are a number of causes for female skin problems and deep cleansing oil is a great solution for it.
- January 28, 2010 at 3:18 AM
- Emon said...
I'm so happy to find your blog about the this DHC.My questions is Do you use this product on clean face in the morning (without make up at all)??
I read every article about this product it says this product is makeup remover.I usually use Estee Lauder...first thing I have to use "make up remover " then followed by regular cleanser...and the next morning when my face is clean without make up..I have to use regular cleanser only.
Please let me know
Note:sorry about my english.english is not my 1st languange.
thank you
- March 29, 2010 at 12:00 AM
- Beauty Anonymous said...
Hi Emon,
Thank you very much for stopping by my blog.
DHC Deep Cleansing Oil is an oil-based cleanser designed to dissolve makeup, and remove dirt, excess oil and makeup effectively. I only use DHC Deep cleansing Oil as a makeup remover, followed by a regular cleanser. In the morning when my face has no makeup, I prefer to use a foam or creamy facial cleanser to wash my face.
Let me know if you have any other questions about it. :)
- March 31, 2010 at 9:31 AM
Hi ladies,
Im selling off a full sized unopened bottle of DHC cleansing oil at just RM70. Got this free and I don't use it so don't worry its not a faulty product or anything. Email me at email@example.com for pictures and further info.
- February 27, 2012 at 2:52 AM
- beauty salon said...
Perfect make-up remover plus skin softener. Good Quality at affordable price.
- December 26, 2012 at 2:40 AM


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Mount Rainier National Park will host its first naturalization ceremony on Monday, July 21, at Paradise, the park announced in a statement released Friday morning.
The ceremony for people becoming United State citizens starts at 3 p.m. at the patio area adjacent to the Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center. The ceremony includes 16 people from nine countries and is one of several being held in National Park Service areas this summer. The ceremony is open to the public.
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Ingestion Of Creation Lyrics
Motivated by a false sense of direction.
Pushing forward for a false sense of reality.
A complete lack of reasoning.
We must open our eyes.
To the mind-numbing shit we a forced
To absorb from birth.
Is this because we are so vain?
For all of its almighty power & knowledge,
Why must thousands die each day?
These prophets have not
Answered our beckoning calls.
Why must our planet rot away?
Our faith is mere ignorance.
The abortion of procreation,
We are the afterbirth.
We have given way to complete self-indulgence.
This is the era of debauchery.
We have become numb to the ideas of
Compassion and tolerance.
Feeding like parasites,
This is the ingestion of false ideals & morals.


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With the first series of the Ultimate Braai Master, celebrity bush cook Justin Bonello (pictured above) inducted the first batch of South Africans into the world of reality TV cooking shows. Fifteen teams of two contestants covered 8 000km and 13 locations around Southern Africa in a 52-day outdoor cooking roadshow that involved "extreme cuisine" and gruelling challenges. Auditions for a second season are now underway.
The first series excelled at showing off, TV fashion, the beauty of South Africa, with colours boosted in post-production and tumid Carmina Burana-style music. The format of an escalating tournament with elimination rounds had the suspense, judging and rewards of shows such as Master Chef.
There were elements of Survivor, as when in the fourth episode Bonello told contestants that it was very likely they could be bitten by a snoek, which has anti-coagulant mucus; in the event of that happening, they would have to burst one of its eyeballs and rub it on the wound. Some challenges, such as dishing out huge, whole catfish for braaing, evoked Iron Chef.
But, even for an arch sceptic of reality television, there was something more honest about Ultimate Braai Master compared with most reality TV shows, which are notorious for their misleading editing and hidden scripting. In a departure from the norm, Braai Master had a sense of generosity and bonhomie among the competitors; the finalists even made a pact to share a portion of the prize money.
Bonello, the man behind the series, is similarly down to earth, despite his meteoric career — a dozen books and TV series and more in the pipeline. He is sporty, slightly rugged, loquacious but also discerning, alert and cultivated — more metro-oke than metrosexual.
He insists he is a cook, not a chef. "I've never said I'm anything else." A chef "is trained to give you an experience. I can just give you an experience". When he was growing up, he was "lucky" in that his family went away a lot, and he was the one who went diving for abalone, harvesting mussels and fishing. His grandmother taught him to make pancakes at the age of six.
I ask Bonello what he looks for in participants. "I've discovered that five-tenths of the protagonists we use in content will develop ego, and ego is the killer for me … If they can retain the humility, then I'll use them again."
And in the contestants? "Obviously they have to be able to cook but, then again, it's television and there has to be the entertainment element."
Aspirant braai masters have to be screened and must answer an on-line questionnaire. For the first series, one question was: How would you cook a warthog? "Venison is notoriously difficult to cook but the minute I saw the third red wine and pineapple recipe, I knew it was cutting and pasting from the internet, and there is no skill set involved in that.
"I boiled it down to one point — generally, the contestants were the one within their circle of friends who was the braai master … the gregarious one, the life and soul of the party."
After a few days, the contestants forget about the camera.
Now that people have seen series one, won't things be different, I ask.
"I think people were scared by the calibre of what was produced [in series one]." But, says Bonello, people shouldn't be discouraged; those contestants improved enormously during the filming from having to cook every day and going through the challenges under pressure. They developed their expertise in leaps and bounds.
Getting it right
I say that there must have been an enormous temptation to manipulate the show, especially in the South African context, to get the demographics right for the TV audience. Series one ended with three pairs of whites. "Yes, you can skew things in reality television but, if you blow your integrity …" He shakes his head. "We have an obligation with the contestants to tell the truth … Only you can make yourself look bad … We don't construct.
"We really wanted Nqobani and Mbuso [Mlagisi] to go through but there was nothing I could do … at the end of the day it's who did the best."
Looking ahead, I wonder what is left to braai in the second series. Bonello laughs. He says almost anything can be done on the braai. "We've been cooking in the outdoors from time immemorial … There's an alchemy behind food … You can do an Eggs Benedict on the braai!"
Indeed, before electricity and gas, fire was the stove. And the fire, like Bonello's own flair, gives it something unique.
This aticle first appeared in the Mail & Guardian.


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Vermont Films Feature Newport Natives
NEWPORT, VT - Two North Country Union High School graduates who are making names for themselves in the film world are hosting a double feature at the Waterfront Cinemas in Newport on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. The award winning films being shown are "Soul Keeper" and "Tin Can."The two producers and actors are Tim Kavanagh (1984), the son of James and Judy Kavanagh of Newport, and Steve Maas (1996), the son of Dr. James and Billie Maas of Derby. They will be joined at the showing by prominent Vermont author Joseph Citro of Burlington and other members of the cast and crew."I'm excited to be able to bring both of these films that I am a part of back to my hometown," Kavanagh said. "Many folks in the area watched my show Late Night Saturday when it was on Channel 3, and as I bump into folks from the Northeast Kingdom, they ask me what I have been up to. These films represent independent film making and are a great stepping stone for my career. Made completely in Vermont, both films display the ingenuity and passion that we have as film producers and the ending of Tin Can has a view that many folks from the Newport area will recognize."Soul Keeper is a film adaptation of Vermont oddity and supernatural author Joseph A. Citro's short story by the same name. Set in the Northeast Kingdom, Soul Keeper tells the story of Carl Congdon escaping his wife's obsession with religion and landing in the captive hands of a mysterious and fanatical Old Man who appears to be something more than merely mortal. Carl must decide if the Old Man is just a crazy recluse with a six-shooter or an administer of a lost soul's final test to determine its fate.Directed and Edited by Middlebury resident Tim Joy and produced by Burlington residents Andy Butterfield and Tim Kavanagh (Samson Productions, LLC), Soul Keeper was primarily shot in the Coach House Barn at Shelburne Farms, but also includes aerial footage of Addison county and a truck crash in Lincoln, VT. The film features local celebrity Tim Kavanagh, Paul Schnabel and Andy Butterfield.The film Tin Can is set in the near future. It tells the story of three astronauts in a tiny space capsule on a journey to Mars. As their trip wears on, they are forced to confront increasingly difficult and painful challenges, both technological and psychological. The mission's commander becomes trapped inside a cramped compartment and encounters both the angels and demons of his past, while his companions meanwhile wrestle with their own existential truths. Ultimately, the journey ends, but in a way that no one expected.Tin Can, directed by Logan Howe, was primarily shot in a one-car garage in Vermont. Over a period of ten months, the filmmakers constructed an intricate set within this miniscule space, designed to be immersive and convincing for the actors as well as for the audience. Other locations for this film include scenes from Kavanagh's childhood home on the Bluff Road.Kavanagh and Maas were invited back to their childhood stomping grounds to show these two movies by fellow North Country graduate, Scott Wheeler of Derby. Wheeler, publisher of Vermont's Northland Journal and host of the radio show The Vermont Voice, graduated with Kavanagh in 1984. "I'm proud of what these two men with local roots are doing with their careers," Wheeler said. "They are making their mark on the film world. We should be proud of them. I'm glad they accepted my invitation. I hope we can fill the theater."People with questions can contact Tim Kavanagh at (802)-373-9024 or email him at firstname.lastname@example.com. Or contact Scott Wheeler at (802) 334-5920 or email him at email@example.com.


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Media Room
Contact Us
Global Spa Summit Contact:Beth McGroarty
Media Relations
+1 (213) 300-0107
Precor and Thermarium Announced as Platinum Sponsors of 2011 Global Spa Summit
New York, NY - The Global Spa Summit (GSS) announced today that Precor, a leading designer and manufacturer of premium fitness equipment, and Thermarium, an international spa design, manufacturing and services company, will each be a Platinum Sponsor of the 2011 conference being held in Bali, Indonesia from May 15-18. Both companies have committed to the highest level of Summit sponsorship for multiple years, and both were Platinum-level supporters of last year's Summit in Istanbul, Turkey. They join the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Republic of Indonesia at the premier 2011 sponsorship level.
"Each year we find that companies providing support for the Summit are at the very top of the league in their industries. And their support is a testament to their high-level and high-minded commitment to the growth of our wider, global industry," said Peter Ellis, Chairman of the Board of the GSS. "Every year the most seasoned industry executives from around the world gather to learn from, teach and network with each other, and they deeply appreciate this generous, ongoing support from Precor and Thermarium."
Precor: Founded in 1980, U.S.-based Precor is a subsidiary of Amer Sports Corp., the world's largest sports equipment company, and the preferred brand for fitness-minded travelers and guests of the world's finest hotels, resorts and spas. The company is recognized worldwide for its high-quality, durable cardio, strength and entertainment equipment, and for pioneering equipment that delivers a fluid, natural motion. In 2010, Precor built upon its innovation track record, introducing two new bikes ideal for the hospitality industry: the RBK 815 Recumbent and UBK 815 Upright Bikes, with superior ergonomic design providing comfort and ease-of-use, making them an excellent fit for any fitness center.
"Our sponsorship of the 2011 Global Spa Summit is something we're thrilled to continue," said Jeff Kohl, Precor Director of Global Hospitality Sales. "Our strongest desire is to share with the global spa community our passion for delivering the kinds of products and services that help people achieve their fitness goals."
Thermarium: Founded in 1997, Austria-based Thermarium was one of the first, trend-setting companies to specialize in the design and manufacturing of spa areas, and has since expanded to offer a uniquely comprehensive spa service portfolio, providing everything from consulting, design, engineering and custom-made spa equipment (thermal rooms, water experiences and treatment room equipment, etc.). New products coming in 2011: the first real "snow shower" (launching 9.2011) and a relaxation/therapy room called "Salonge" featuring a special micro-salt climate. The company has worked with hundreds of hospitality brands, including Armani Hotel & Resorts, Banyan Tree, Intercontinental, Mandarin Oriental, Peninsula, Shangri-La, and Swissotel.
"The Global Spa Summit is an utterly special industry event and resource, and it's given us a powerful opportunity to connect with the top decision-makers," noted Elmar Nagele, CEO of Thermarium. "We firmly believe in the Summit's mission to grow, together, our worldwide spa and wellness industries – and in turn, it's provided us a great platform to grow our own business across the world."
About Global Spa Summit: The Global Spa Summit is an annual event that attracts top-level executives and leaders from around the world with an interest in the spa and wellness industries. Delegates from diverse sectors including hospitality, tourism, finance, medicine, real estate, manufacturing, technology, consulting, products and other related industries attend this intimate, high-level gathering focused on advancing the spa and wellness sectors. The Summit has been responsible for some of the most important recent spa industry research, including the landmark Global Spa Economy Report and Spas and the Global Wellness Market: Synergies and Opportunities (both conducted by SRI International). The Summit was honored as the "Spa Event of the Year" for both 2009 and 2010 by AsiaSpa magazine's awards program. The 2010 conference in Istanbul, Turkey, attracted a record number of delegates (40 different countries, from all continents).


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American Cocker Spaniel - Great gifts for private use or as decoration on your property to show off your love for your American Cocker
Do you want something out of the ordinary? Both our goldsmith and our outdoor gadgets manufacturer are capable and willing to make items to your requirements. Contact us here for a free quote.
© Copyright 2019 All Breeds Charms


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Essential Math Skills for Life
- Written by Maren Schmidt, M.Ed.
As I watch in the stores, our children have few opportunities to see or use money, and to develop the math skills that dealing with money creates. I've worked with many savvy six year olds who did not know the difference between a nickel, dime and quarter. To them it was just money. These children had no concrete experience in counting, saving or making purchases with cash, since checks, debit and credit cards handled most family purchases. For many children under the age of nine, $37.62 is an abstract idea with no concrete, hands-on experience.
Fourth grade seems to be the point where lack of math concepts becomes a stumbling block. Having tutored math through college algebra, I can share a few fundamental concepts that struggling students of all ages have lacked. Understanding place value, the decimal system, the four basic math operations, fractions, along with telling time, are common missing math skills.
Place value and the decimal system are concepts that can be easily shown and understood before the age of six. A lot of math frustration can be prevented with the knowledge that our number system is built on groups of 10 items. We count in units, whether the units are pennies, dollars, minutes or eggs. The unit is the building block of any number system. Calling units "ones" can create confusion for some people trying to understand the difference between numerals and how numbers work in place value.
Our number system, the decimal system, is based on groups of 10 starting with the unit. When we have 10 units, we can exchange them for a new group containing ten units called "10s." Ten units make a10. Ten 10s make a hundred. Ten hundreds make a thousand. When we write a 10, it represents an amount that has one group of 10s in the 10s' place and no units in the unit's place. 100 represents one hundred, no 10s, and no units. Pennies, dimes and dollars are examples of units, tens and hundreds. Using money with children can help develop a firm understanding of place value. Ten pennies can be exchanged for a dime. Ten dimes make a dollar. Ten dollars make a 10-dollar bill. Using money as a manipulative, children at the ages of five, six and seven, can easily add, subtract, multiply and divide three and four digit numbers, such as $17.59 + $5.97.
Understanding how to use the four basic math operations in story problems and real life circumstances is another math obstacle. Knowing there are only four basic math operations--addition, subtraction, multiplication and division (yes, even in algebra)—ends much confusion. Again, using money for a hands-on teaching tool helps children see how the math operations work.
Fractions can be a challenge. Measuring with a ruler, tape measure, and cooking with measuring cups help give fractions real life meaning. Basic math operations with fractions come easily when the decimal system and place value are understood first by using money.
Telling time on an analog clock (with hands) is an overlooked skill that is important to geometry, the study of angles, and finding direction. A private pilot friend told me the hardest part of learning to fly was getting a quick picture in his mind when the instructor said "Plane at your two o'clock."
Use money to help your preschooler become proficient in the important math concepts of the decimal system and place value. (Please note: Use pennies, dimes and dollars first. Introduce nickels, quarters, half dollars and five dollars later.) Make up money story problems using three and four digit numbers and the four math operations. Use measuring cups, rulers, and measuring tapes. Have a clock with hands in your kitchen. Make math real and hands-on for your child and number work will be fun for life.


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K-Edge Gravity Cap Computer Mount for Garmin
The K-Edge Gravity Cap is ideal for downhill and enduro mountain bikes. It easily and cleanly places your Garmin computer on your stem cap for a clear view, no matter how short or steep the stem angle.
- Ideal position for Downhill and Enduro racing / riding
- Replaces top cap of steerer tube with computer mount
- Positions Garmin in front of your nose on steep terrain
- Bolt provided for steerer tube compression. This bolt mounts under Garmin interface insert.
- Compatibility: All Garmin Edge Computers including the 1000, 810, 800, 510, 500, and 200. Also supports the Touring, Touring Plus, Forerunner 310XT, and 910XT. (Larger EDGE computers such as 800, 810, 1000 may interfere with very steep, upright, stem angles.)
- CNC Machined 6061-T6 Aluminum Platform
- Injection Molded Garmin Specific Co-Polymer Interface
- Weight: 18 grams


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By Steve Taylor, CFCA sponsor
Previous blog posts have provided great suggestions (try 18 small gift ideas to send in your Christmas card), and I wanted to add a couple more.
1) Hello USA book series
We wanted a way to describe our home state of Virginia.
I was lucky enough to find the perfect book: Virginia, Hello USA. It is written at a level that anyone would enjoy. The books are for young children ages 2 and older.
Even for sponsored friends who don't speak English, there are enough scenic pictures and maps to highlight our respective states.
The Hello USA series has books for most every state. The paperback sells for approximately $6.95 and fits in a 9 by 12 envelope, the recommended size for any gifts sent to sponsored children.
I found the book at a local store, and I'm sure you can find it at local bookstores or online. Check it out.
2) USA map
Being retired military, the first thing that came to mind was a United States map highlighting the various locations where we have lived.
It also provided a resource for our sponsored friends to refer to when we mention other locations.


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Barnyard wrote:I don't know if what I found on that page are the rtight ones. I just thought it would be good to share the number with others who may want to do this in the future.
I am finally on a computer instead of the smartphone!
The part numbers are right, however, I was only charged $7.67 for the pack of 25. Not sure why...but I surely dont mind!