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So why do I Really wear this? What is it that compels me to cast my eyes across the many models I could choose from, only to succumb to the subconscious needs to wear what I believe to be the holy grail of watches? MY Holy Grail! I questioned whether it was the subconscious strength It offers me, or the empowerment it affords me the instant it hits my wrist.
That sense of power it transfers to me, offering such irresistible desire that you just have to take a sneak look at the timepiece when you think nobody's watching? The hidden comfort it affords, the metamorphosis of cold steel to skin temperature the instant it's put on. There's so much I could say about it, so many reasons to give to justify wearing what I openly concede to be MY holy grail of watches.
The finest of nuances are what does it, the 60 clicking sounds of the bezel so finely crafted, the hypnotic power of the second hand as it moves effortlessly in it's attempt to put me into metronomic trance. Yes, that's it; it's my Spirit Guide, my guardian, and my keeper of time. Time we all know rests so precious upon one's hand.
It is… The 1969 Citizen "Chrono Master 500m Diver", of which there is nothing to compare!
It is a piece of such importance to me I can safely say it's the one! The Grail, one that none other will ever beat! Truthfully, the realist in me accepts that one can never give a closed title to any watch, there will always be another to come and steal your heart, your soul, your very being.
Why did I not choose the predictable, the Rolex Submariner, or some other grandiose watch? Because nothing else could give me the story a watch should give. (Read about the Citizen 500m Diver HERE ) I'll tell you why? I simply couldn't. Even with all it entails, the Rolex to me can never capture the sense of spirit that is held in the above. You see buying a watch isn't always about money. Anyone with money can buy a 'Rolex', but can they buy the passion of the story behind it? In my case it can't.
Yes, it's true you have to posses some level of wealth to obtain the Citizen 500, but that isn't always enough. You have to possess fortune, luck, a blessing, call it what you will. I call it fate. This was destined to become mine, my keeper of time.
Having that knowledge I'm in possession of my guardian angel I no longer fret or worry about when, if, how am I ever going to get my hands on such a treasure. I already have, and that's the strength behind my loyalty to this particular model. Waiting patiently sometimes not so, I knew my time would come, and come it did. My waiting paid off, and many a lesson learnt in the process of my waiting.
I was taught the concept of perseverance, the will to fight, to never give up on any given cause. The watch is more than just a watch; it's my journey. A journey that saw several watches passes through my grasp. But my perseverance paid off; for despite those few for sale over the time; with only two of these being 100% original, (needless to say I bought them both…) That is why I award my Citizen 500 the title I bestowed upon it.
There will never be another watch, or brand that will replicate the feelings I endured during my quest to own the Citizen 500, the thrill of the chase, the disappointments, the ultimate euphoria I felt when I eventually took possession of my cherished goal. It is what encompasses the very self of me, my spirit, my determination, my very soul. My spirit went into the chase for my Mecca of watches, the reason I now call it 'my Spirit watch'. It holds the very essence of me which when I look at it on a daily basis I'm constantly reminded of.
This watch will be carried with me through the rest of my journeys. It will experience the thrills I'll no doubt encounter when looking for another prey in the ever-growing desire to build the best Citizen Vintage Collection possible. It will never have a price tag on it, never be for sale, it is mine. It is my Spirit Watch.
Citizen Guy
(special thanks to my friend Kevin, who polished my words and gave the article the final, actual form)


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Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Wandering Around Inside a Volcano: Exploring Pinnacles National Monument
The park was established in 1908 for the unique scenery, but in the 1970s an extraordinary discovery was made: half the volcano was missing, and the missing half was on the other side of the San Andreas fault...195 miles away in Southern California! Pinnacles turned out to be an important piercing point of the fault and is critical in understanding the nature of the San Andreas fault system. I discussed this in an earlier post that included a map showing the offset (click here to see it).
Posted by Garry Hayes at 5:01 PM
2 comments:
- Gaelyn said...
A place I've missed.
The first image looks like an arch with the sunset showing through.
- November 22, 2011 at 8:25 PM
Four miles in an hour and a half, with stops for taking pictures... That's not bad at all!
- November 23, 2011 at 1:29 PM
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Chocolate cookies get a spark from crystallized ginger
The sudden change in weather, from sunny and warm to cool, wet and dreary, put me in the mood to start "cleaning out." You know, cleaning out my clothes closet, cleaning out the refrigerator and cleaning out the kitchen pantry.
The sudden change in weather, from sunny and warm to cool, wet and dreary, put me in the mood to start "cleaning out." You know, cleaning out my clothes closet, cleaning out the refrigerator and cleaning out the kitchen pantry.
I uncovered all kinds of things I had forgotten about. A flat plastic box of crystallized ginger was hidden way in the back of a pull-out shelf in my pantry, buried under a bag of aebleskiver mix and some semolina flour. A friend had given me the spicy-sweet dried slices of ginger late last winter. She bought them at a little market in Phoenix during a winter vacation. When she got home with the box that held almost a pound of crystallized ginger, she discovered she didn't like it one bit. I like it a lot. And that's how it wound up in my pantry.
There were a few pieces that had disappeared as I grabbed a slice now and then to eat like candy or to drop into a cup of tea. But, due to its vanishing act, there was still plenty remaining.
Ginger comes in several forms. Fresh ginger is an edible root, full of gingery juice. You'll find it in the produce department of your grocery store.
Crystallizing ginger is a traditional method used for preserving the fresh root. Fresh ginger is boiled in sugar syrup, tossed in sugar and dried. It can be used in all sorts of ways, from adding welcome zing to granola or a bowl of hot oatmeal, to mixing unexpected brightness into quick breads, scones and cookies, as well as adding depth of flavor to savory sauces, chutneys and curries. Crystallized ginger is often found in the aisle with baking products or in the candy or natural foods section.
I put a call out to my food-loving Facebook friends asking for their favorite ways to use crystallized ginger. I collected several interesting ideas: create ginger-infused cognac or vodka, add to gingerbread, ginger cookies and oatmeal cookies, add it to homemade chocolate bark, cheesecake, chocolate cake, oh my. In other words, crystallized ginger is versatile.
It was the mention of chocolate that got me thinking of cookies. I had visions of melt-in-the-mouth fudgy cookies bursting with chunks of macadamia nuts and a little bit of spicy honey-sweet ginger.
I pulled out my favorite chocolate cookie recipe that has survived the test of time. I was ready to give it a few tweaks.
Chocolate Marvels get a double-whammy of chocolate with cocoa and semi-sweet chocolate morsels. I accidentally discovered a nut mix with roasted and salted macadamia nuts, cashews and almonds in the snack aisle of the grocery store as I was searching for macadamias. As it turned out, it was just the right combination to coarsely chop and add to the cookie batter. Melting the butter and bringing it to golden brown adds to the rich, nutty flavor of the cookies. A couple of tablespoons of minced crystallized ginger added just enough vibrant flavor without overpowering the chocolate. At first bite, you may think Chocolate Marvels have a bit of peppermint flavor. The faint heat of ginger is similar to that of mint.
It's a good thing crystallized ginger has a long shelf life when it is stored in a tightly sealed container. I'll be making these Chocolate Marvels for months. And, who knows what the next pantry find may turn into. There are still a couple more shelves to "clean out."
Chocolate Marvel Cookies
1 cup butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 cup nuts, chopped
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels
In a sauté pan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Bring butter to golden brown by allowing it to bubble for 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar. Scrape butter mixture into a pie plate and let stand in refrigerator for 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.
Scrape chilled butter mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add granulated sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla and ginger. Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed to blend. Add nuts and semi-sweet chocolate morsels and stir to combine.
Roll dough into balls, using about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough for each ball. Place on lightly greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
Bake in preheated 325-degree oven for about 15 minutes. Remove cookies from oven when they are still soft in the middle, but brown on the bottom. Allow to cool a few minutes on baking sheet, then transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Yields 4 to 4 1/2 dozen.
Tips from the cook
--Use any nuts that suit your fancy when you mix up these cookies. I found a can of roasted and salted macadamias, cashews and almonds. The mix of textures and flavors added to the lusciousness of the cookies.
--Chop the crystallized ginger as tiny as you can get it. Pretend you are mincing garlic.


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This year has been a banner one in terms of books I have read. I have always been a voracious reader- my aunt was a 7th grade teacher who started giving me her favorite books when I was in 2nd/3rd grade. I still remember the day she handed me "Speak" (Laurie Halse Anderson) in 6th grade and the effect it had on me. I never really left MG and YA literature behind. As Little Willow stated so perfectly, I still hear the bell. 🙂 I did read less in college, thanks to my abundance of reading of English canon in my English major. Since beginning this blog and joining the kidlitosphere, I feel like I have been reading amazing books. I have read books that I never would have heard of it not for the recommendations from my fellow bloggers. Thanks to them, the quality of books I am reading (and consequently bringing into my classroom) has risen exponentially. When I sat down to write up my "Best of 2007" list, I was struck by just how many great books I have read. Choosing only a few to highlight was nearly impossible! However, I somehow managed to do it….
My Favorite Middle Grade Books of 2007
Emma Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree: Wow. What a stunning debut novel from Lauren Tarshis. I fell in love with Emma and Colleen, and Tarshis' accurate portrayal of middle school archetypes. This was one of my read-alouds this year, and both classes really enjoyed it. This is my favorite book of the year.
Cracker: Cynthia Kadohata's novel about war dogs and young men in the Vietnam War left me in tears. A beautiful book.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: As a huge Harry Potter fan, it was inevitable that this book would be on any list I made for 2007. I fantastic ending to one of the best fantasy series of all time.
The Wednesday Wars: A wonderful historical fiction novel, with a great male protagonist. A definite Newbery contender!
Into the Wild: Sarah Beth Durst's novel was one of the first blog-recommended books I read this year. A funny, fractured fairy tale of a book that had me laughing out loud in many parts. I am definitely looking forward to the sequel!
Best YA Books of 2007
*note- I read a lot of YA in 2007, but most of it was published pre-2007*
The Book Thief: Life-changing. This novel should be on every high school's required reading list.
Elsewhere: Gabrielle Zevin's novel was thought-provoking and fun- what a great combination!
A Great and Terrible Beauty: Libba Bray's first novel about Gemma Doyle sat on my pile of books for months until I recently read it from cover to cover. Did I mention that I read it in about a day? An amazing book, and I am flying through the second book, "Rebel Angels" as we speak. I love Bray's writing style, her characterization, and the paranormal historical fiction that she so beautifully combines.
Looking for Alaska: John Green's Printz Award-winning novel was one of the best books I have ever read. One of the few books I have put down halfway through because I couldn't bear to find out what happened to the characters. Sadly, I didn't review this, as I read it before I started TheReadingZone. But WOW.
Well, well well! What an eclectic list! Let me tell you, this was no easy task. And as I type, I am looking over at my very, very large pile of books to be read. Thanks to kidlitosphere recommendations, I know there are a number of potential award-winners in that bunch. I need to get reading!
Filed under: awards, books, harry potter, kidlitosphere | Tagged: 2007, best books of 2007, best of lists, books | 3 Comments »


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Last week we said we were sad that Kill la Kill was ending, but that didn't mean we thought it shouldn't end. Far from experiencing pangs of withdrawal in the aftermath, we feel perfectly satisfied and a little relieved; almost as if we've been through a mutual breakup. A weight is gone, but there are no regrets. The show came to its natural conclusion…which is to say it went completely nuts; one last hurrah before purging itself form our systems.
Victory ultimately goes to Ryuko, Satsuki, and all mankind, but it isn't easily achieved. Sanageyama's initial raid on Honnouji results in a scene suffused with fairly overt reproductive symbolism: he's leading a charge of thousands of his underlings—lets call it a school of sperm—but Ragyo's transmitter is protected by what amounts to a giant condom, which is ultimately busted open by…err…Gamagoori's face cannon thing.
That would only be the…er…tip of the complication-berg, as Ragyo throws anything and everything at Ryuko & Co., including ordering Nui to cast her body into the revived original life fiber, creating an even more ultimate garment that Ragyo dons, allowing her to rocket into orbit to transmit the message for all the world's Covers to start feeding. Ryuko in turn borrows the fibers from everyone elses' uniforms to create her own ultimate rocket suit, thus leaving the entire cast buck naked.
The orbital battle between Ryuko and Ragyo becomes just as much one of words than of blows exchanged (Ryuko is slashed to pieces multiple times, but quickly regenerates). In effect, Ryuko yells a lot about how she and Senketsu are neither clothing nor human, and yet both clothing and human, Ragyo calls out their lofty, highly abstract BS, but it doesn't matter, because they use that BS to absorb her power and render her Covers around the globe inert.
Rather than return to earth and reconcile, she tears out her own heart. With his role as a check against Ragyo's plans completed, Senketsu burns up in the atmosphere, shielding Ryuko during re-entry. Ryuko is distraught, but once she comes down to earth, and her landing cushioned by the bosom of her sister (and virtually everyone else, all of them still naked), she immediately feels a lot better. As Senketsu eloquently puts it in his parting words, a sailor fuku such as himself is meant to be grown out of, not worn forever like a second skin.
Now the threat has passed (at least until the next Life Fiber arrives on Earth), and she is free to wear what she wants, live life with her real and adoptive sisters (Satsuki and Mako, respectively). Kill la Kill took the guilty pleasure to dizzying new heights, ones we won't likely return to for quite a while. But like the placid epilogue we see during the credits, coming back down to earth and to a state of relative normalcy isn't so bad either.
Rating: 9 (Superior)
Average Rating: 9.417 (episodes 13-24), 8.958 (total)
MyAnimeList Score: 8.51


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September 19th, 2013
New interview shows why the pope is so beloved
Opinion by the Rev. James Martin, Special to CNN
(CNN) - Here at America magazine, we've been anticipating the exclusive interview with Pope Francis for Jesuit journals worldwide for weeks.
We've lived with the 12,000-word article we've titled "A Big Heart Open to God," and, in a sense, with the pope over these last several days.
So let me suggest what I feel to be the most important parts of this remarkable interview. To focus, I'll highlight a few quotes and unpack them.
1. "My authoritarian and quick manner of making decisions led me to have serious problems and to be accused of being ultraconservative."
Pope Francis is speaking of his time as a Jesuit leader in Argentina in the 1970s, a difficult time for him, for the Argentine people and Argentine Jesuits. The pope is frank about what he sees as his own failings as Jorge Mario Bergoglio during that controversy-filled period.
He says that he made rash and hasty decisions. Later in the interview he returns to that theme, saying bluntly that he has realized that for him the first decision he arrives at "is usually the wrong thing." Without delving into the choices that he made during his time as a Jesuit provincial (at the extremely young age of 36, which he calls "crazy"), what strikes me about this self-examination is its brutal, almost embarrassing, candor.
MORE ON CNN: Pope says church can't 'interfere' with gays
The former Jesuit provincial does not say, "Mistakes were made." Or, "Things could have been done better." Rather, he offers a blunt assessment of himself as an imperfect human being who "created problems." Part of the Christian spiritual tradition is an "examination of conscience," an examination of one's moral activity.
The church is in very good hands with someone able to examine his conscience not only honestly but in a radically open manner in a worldwide interview.
2. "A person once asked me, in a provocative manner, if I approved of homosexuality. I replied with another question: 'Tell me, when God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person, or reject and condemn this person? We must always consider the person."
During his in-flight media conference from World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro this summer, Pope Francis made headlines when he uttered his now-famous words, "Who am I to judge?" when asked a question about gay priests in the church.
At the time, several commentators opined that the pope's words were not only uninteresting (since the pope did not change any church teaching), they were also limited, applying only, they said, to gay priests. But in our interview, Francis speaks about gay persons in general, and he notes that his comments during the in-flight conference referred to gay persons, not simply gay priests.
The new interview continues his more open, pastoral stance toward gays and lesbians. While none of this changes church teaching, the pope's words have changed the way the church speaks to and about gay persons. And that is new. There is a reason why many LGBT Catholics have told me that they feel more welcome in the church these days.
3. "The dogmatic and moral teachings of the church are not all equivalent."
This comment illuminates a part of Catholic doctrine often forgotten today by some Catholics.
Theologians call this the "hierarchy of truths," a kind of ladder of beliefs in order of importance. The simplest example is that agreeing with what your local pastor says about a Sunday Gospel reading is not on par with believing in the Resurrection. The latter is essential for belief and communion in the church; the former much less so. But when you talk about the "hierarchy of truths," some Catholics grow uneasy, suspecting that you are watering down the church's teaching. But the pope makes it clear that he understands this tradition.
Francis also says that church teaching is not to be a "disjointed multitude of doctrines to be imposed insistently." While belief is essential, the transmission of beliefs is not to be forced upon people. Christianity is primarily a religion of invitation, and not simply an invitation to adhere to certain beliefs, but, more importantly, an invitation to encounter a person: Jesus Christ.
4. "If the Christian is a restorationist, a legalist, if he wants everything clear and safe, then he will find nothing."
Pope Francis is comfortable with gray. In the America interview, he speaks out against what he calls a "doctrinal security" and offers a critique of those who "stubbornly try to recover a past that no longer exists."
Francis asks Catholics to move away from a church that has "locked itself up in small things, in small-minded rules." He invites Catholics into the world of uncertainty, which is where most of us live anyway.
But there is one thing that the pope is sure of. In the best Jesuit tradition, which asks us to "find God in all things," the pope speaks of his commitment to finding God in every human being. For me, this was the most moving part of the interview: "I have a dogmatic certainty: God is in every person's life. God is in everyone's life… Even if the life of a person has been a disaster, even if it is destroyed by vices, drugs or anything else — God is in this person's life. You can, you must try to seek God in every human life."
What may strike people is not only what Francis says in this new interview, but how he says it. Its tone is open, gentle, conversational, thoughtful and above all friendly.
At the beginning of the interview, in answer to the question, "Who is Jorge Mario Bergoglio?" he answers "I am a sinner." The pope doesn't use the traditional Jesuit way of expressing this idea. Normally, a Jesuit would say that he is a "loved sinner" or a "sinner redeemed by Christ."
No, the pope is blunt. No sugarcoating here. Of course Francis knows that he is redeemed by God, and he knows he is loved by God. But he feels in his bones that he is a sinner: imperfect, flawed and struggling. As are we all.
Maybe that's what makes him so loved, and so eager to love.
The Rev. James Martin is editor at large at America magazine and author of "The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything."
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of James Martin.
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About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.


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Hello And Welcome to The Summer Wrap-Up Read-a-Thon!! At this stop I will be hosting the Cover Love Challenge ♥ The challenge is simple just show me the covers of one or more books released during the summer that you love!
To get your thoughts flowing here are some of my favorite Summer Covers:


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Word Routes
Exploring the pathways of our lexicon
How "Baloney" Got Phony
An Inside Higher Ed article recently quoted Duke University physics professor Steffen Bass as describing the foolish stance of some of his colleagues as "bologna." As Mark Liberman pointed out on Language Log, Prof. Bass surely said "baloney." Bologna is pronounced "bo-LO-nya" and can only refer to the sausage (or the Italian city that gave the sausage its name). Baloney is a spelling that represents an Americanized pronunciation of bologna, and it also came to mean "nonsense" in the 1920s.
There are many conjectures about how baloney came by its nonsensical meaning (the Language Log post sketches out the major theories), so it's worth going back to the early citations for baloney (or boloney) to see how its meaning shifted over the years. In the nineteenth century, baloney was already emerging as an American pronunciation spelling referring to the sausage. The earliest I've seen is in some dialect humor from 1857: "baloney sassage" is included in a burlesque sermon written by William H. Levison using the pen name Julius Caesar Hannibal. There was also an old vaudeville song called "I Ate the Baloney" (or "Boloney"), evidently dating back to the 1870s.
Starting around 1920, baloney began developing a number of interlocking humorous meanings. With the spelling boloney, it was used on several occasions by Harry Charles Witwer in his serialized story about the boxing world, "The Leather Pushers," first published in Collier's in 1920 and 1921. Instead of chapters, Witwer labeled his installments "rounds," and in "Round Two" (appearing in the June 5, 1920 issue of Collier's) he used boloney three times to refer to an oafish boxer who is easy to knock out. (Palooka would be used similarly in the '20s.) Witwer would continue to use boloney in the 1921 book based on the "Leather Pushers" serial, as well his 1923 followup for Collier's, "Fighting Blood."
Soon baloney/boloney was applied to big, clumsy galoots outside of boxing, as it entered the "flapper" slang of the early '20s. Two examples from 1922 newspaper articles:
"Co-Eds Can't Be in Chorus with No Place to Wear Pins," Kansas City Star, Feb. 10, 1922
The way to address a stage manager is: "Say, you big baloney —" or "How do you get so Ritz, you poor fish?"
"Gen and Gert Find New Name On State's Office Building; Princeton Boy Sets 'Em Straight," Trenton (NJ) Evening Times, May 11, 1922
"I gotta date t'night with a boloney. Tuh go t' the movies!"
Perhaps the oafs were thought to have bologna sausage for brains, or perhaps their lumbering stature recalled a sausage shape. In any case, the jocular potential for baloney spread in another direction that year, thanks in part to Jack "Con" Conway, an editor at Variety who specialized in writing slang-filled articles fashioned as letters to his friend "Chick." In the June 30, 1922 issue of Variety, Con says of two baseball players, "The local papers are full of baloney about the pennant bein' in as soon as this pair get out of their uniform."
Jack "Con" Conway uses baloney to mean "nonsense," Variety, June 30, 1922
Conway gets the credit in Jonathan Lighter's Historical Dictionary of American Slang for the first known use of baloney in its modern sense (perhaps influenced by blarney), but an article from earlier that year in the New York Evening World suggests the new meaning was already known. Under the headline, "Promising Oasis Yields Only a 'Lot of Boloney'" (Jan. 23, 1922), the article tells the Prohibition-era tale of a man mistaking a delicatessen for a speakeasy. He sees a customer receiving a package and assumes it's illicit booze, but the proprietor tells him it was only "half a pound of bologna." The man doesn't believe it: "Finally, his face a picture of melancholy and his head bent low, he shuffled out, muttering something about 'a lot of boloney.'" That implies baloney/boloney already could be understood as a double entendre, at least among in-the-know New Yorkers.
Regardless of whether Conway was the originator of the new sense (he's also been credited with scram, bimbo, payoff, pushover, and, yes, palooka), it took a couple of cartoonists to popularize baloney as an incredulous interjection, handily euphemizing more forceful words for nonsense beginning with "B." In 1924, boloney appeared as an exclamation in two comic strip series created by Harry J. Tuthill: "Home, Sweet Home" and "The Bungle Family."
Panels from H.J. Tuthill's "Home, Sweet Home," Sept. 27 and Sept. 30, 1924
Panel from H.J. Tuthill's "The Bungle Family," Oct. 19, 1924
And in 1925, the great Rube Goldberg used boloney in his strip, "Life's Little Jokes."
From then on,
baloney outpaced
boloney, as it quickly circulated in its now-familiar meaning. (See, for instance, Barry Popik's
website, which dates the saying "No matter how thin you slice it, it's still baloney" to 1926.) Much as we saw with
malarkey, we can thank sportswriters and cartoonists of the '20s for enriching our language with an evocative word for phony, insincere talk. Just don't spell it
Panels from Rube Goldberg's "Life's Little Jokes," Feb. 28 and May 23, 1925


text: Flowers Foods' diverse work force of talented, dedicated employees is one of the company's most valuable assets. Flowers Foods provides excellent career opportunities and training in production, management, sales, and other areas. We provide competitive salaries and benefits and a pleasant working environment. Each Flowers bakery and sales company is an independent subsidiary and handles its own hiring through its human resources department. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disability.


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Acrylic Sheets
Black Opaque Acrylic Sheet
These solid black acrylic sheets will block light from passing through. Objects can't be seen through them and the sheet won't glow when backlit. Great for photography and many other creative projects. Like all acrylics, this sheet can be easily cut, formed and fabricated.
Choose from full sheet sizes or specially priced pre-cut sizes. Cut-to-size sheets are also available at an extra cost. Looking for a custom quote? Contact us via our order form here.
|Surface Finish
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|Thickness Tolerance
|+/- 10%
|Acrylic Type
|Cast (1/16" available in Cast and Extruded)
Pre-cut sizes are nominal and subject to a +/- 1/8" cutting tolerance. Custom cut-to-size sheets are subject to a +/- 1/32" tolerance. Light transmission is a function of thickness; the given number is measured at 1/8" thick. Color and light transmission values may differ slightly due to manufacturer variations.


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At the focal point of this movement, and of this film, are the farmers and chefs who are creating a truly sustainable food system. Their collaborative work has resulted in great tasting food and an explosion of consumer awareness about the benefits of eating local.
Attention being paid to the local food movement comes at a time when the failings of our current industrialized food system are becoming all too clear. For the first time in history, our children's generation is expected to have a shorter lifespan than our own. The quality, taste and nutritional value of the food we eat has dropped sharply over the last fifty years. Shipped from ever-greater distances, we have literally lost sight of where our food comes from and in the process we've lost a vital connection to our local community and to our health.
A feature-length documentary, INGREDIENTS illustrates how people around the country are working to revitalize that connection. Narrated by Bebe Neuwirth, the film takes us across the U.S. from the diversified farms of the Hudson River and Willamette Valleys to the urban food deserts of Harlem and to the kitchens of celebrated chefs Alice Waters, Peter Hoffman and Greg Higgins. INGREDIENTS is a journey that reveals the people behind the movement to bring good food back to the table and health back to our communities.
Source: http://www.ingredientsfilm.com/the_story.php


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Riverbeds VI - Iceland
A deep green fusion of water and minerals, shot by Jin-Woo, leaning out of a small Supercup airplane flown by Icelandic top photographer Ragnar Axelsson from around 700 feet, over the untouched riverbeds of the highlands of Iceland, shot on a Phase one IQ3 100MP
View the full collection by Jin-Woo Prensena here:
Jin-Woo Prensena is a fine art photographer specializing in large-scale fine art and aerial photography. His focus on simplicity in large-scale displays is designed to trigger emotion and provide escape from the viewer's daily routine. Prensena, who was raised in Germany and is of South Korean descent, has been living and working in Los Angeles for the last 20 years. In a previous guise as a top Hollywood handler, Jin-Woo began taking pictures while on location and quickly amassed a clientele among Hollywood celebrities and studio elites. His passion for shooting under challenging conditions has resulted in unique images such as breath-taking helicopter shots of icy riverbeds in the Icelandic highlands, glimpses into underwater shark cages located several days' journey into the Pacific Ocean, and hidden moments deep in the deserts of Southern California.


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Remember that Britney Spears video where she and Madonna are dancing on opposite sides of a wall? I have no idea what that one meant. But there's Madonna on one side—arms cut from glass, legs of titanium, writhing and contorting, hoisting herself backward over metal bars, doing push-ups with her feet against the wall—and there's Britney on the other, bouncing around with her dancer fleet, looking practically pointless (and it washer that
song!). This was years ago, when Madge was busy deeming yoga-Pilates-kabbalah the most important triumvirate since the Three Wise Men. Now, clearly, no one could bend like a pipe cleaner without some serious stretching practice over the years. But are we really naive enough to believe that those women in possession of the most famously sculpted, toned, and strong physiques—the ones doing military-grade push-ups in music videos—wake up each day to chirping bluebirds, and ohm and chant their way to a six-pack and guns of steel? Seriously, folks: Do Hollywood bodies come from Pilates? Is your yoga mat gonna give you ?
Even if most of us could afford the intensive regimens starlets are claiming—say, five $100-an-hour Pilates sessions per week, plus equally pricey private yoga instruction—we could still never expect to bibbity-bobbity-boo into what you see on-screen. And that's because even the lean, mean Jennifer Anistons of the world aren't practicing only what they're preaching: They're also weight training. While the backlash against faddish disciplines like yoga and Pilates has begun (especially as we reassess what's worth what), any cult merits some investigation: A 2004 Mayo Clinic study tested Pilates' most common claims, including improved flexibility and leaner muscles, on a group of 47 participants over six months and found that while flexibility improved, body composition (the percentage of fat, bone, and muscle) did not. "But you wouldn't really expect it to," says Neil Segal, MD, a University of Iowa physician in the department of orthopedics and rehabilitation, who conducted the study. "If you want to increase the bulk of a muscle, then you need to load that muscle."
Loading up muscles with heavy weights is about as old-school as it gets. But it's lasted for a reason: Weight resistance, both a high enough amount and a progressive, consistent increase of it, burns fat and builds muscle. Though that may sound primitive, the science speaks for itself, while Gyrotonic-this or power-vinyasa-that have had to rely on flashier forms of advertising, such as Hollywood devotees, who may, incidentally, be full of it (pardon my French). "Some of these trends in fitness are related to marketing, which is unfortunate," says William Ebben, PhD, assistant professor of exercise science at Marquette University in Milwaukee. "If you're interested in toning or getting strength, you need overload: That means resistance training with loads, and loads that are challenging. And you're not going to get overload very well from Pilates and yoga."
More From ELLE
Women lifting any heavy weight besides a screaming toddler was unheard of before Bernarr Macfadden, a self-professed holistic health guru whose poor, underfed childhood in Missouri led to a fascination with maximizing the body's endurance. In the first half of the twentieth century, he became wildly famous for his physique, erratic temperament, and revolutionary health ideals, many of which (raw food diets, organics, detox cleanses) wouldn't reach fad status for several decades, including those that were deemed outright absurd—like strength training for women.
"The idea was completely off the scale," says Mark Adams, who authored Macfadden's recent biography, Mr. America: How Muscular Millionaire Bernarr Macfadden Transformed the Nation Through Sex, Salad, and the Ultimate Starvation Diet (Harper). These days, we know why women should lift weights. For one, our connective tissue strengthens through resistance, upping our odds of avoiding injury. Whatever bone adaptations, like improved mineral density, that young women achieve through weight training will remain in later life, helping prevent osteoporosis. Plus, the neuromuscular system—the body's response to the brain's movement signals—sharpens, and don't forget about increased balance, strength, and endurance. And muscle mass is about 15 times more metabolically active than fat, which roughly translates to the two magic words: calories burned.
But that's now. In 1912, Macfadden must have seemed downright meatheaded when he published a 3,000-page encyclopedia of "physical culture," which "essentially stated over and over again that there's no reason why, pound for pound, a woman should not be as strong as a man," Adams says. "This was 1912; women couldn't compete in the Olympics if they weren't wearing a skirt. He was way, way, way ahead of the curve." But by then, he'd already been at it for years. Macfadden gave America its first co-ed bodybuilding competition in 1903, held at Madison Square Garden. "The women's winner had big shoulders, a tiny waist, and legs like an NFL fullback, and this was Macfadden's idea of perfect beauty," Adams says. "He wanted strong, strong women. There was nothing more va-va-voom than a woman with a set of swimmer's shoulders."
Macfadden may have idealized a slightly more WWF-ish look than we do today, but when we think of bodies worth coveting—abs like Madonna's, arms like Mobama's, curves like the Jessicas' (Alba, Biel, Rabbit)—it's pointless to deny that these are also strong, strong women and more pointless to ponder whether these ladies have done a biceps curl (or thousand). Less substantiated but most alluring are rumblings that, pre–photo shoot or red carpet event, some celebs suck down vinegar shots to dehydrate muscles and enhance definition; others slather themselves with testosterone cream to encourage bulk. Sounds gross—and is dangerously dumb!—but these are the same pre-competition tricks employed by pro bodybuilders, who, just like movie stars, will often do whatever it takes.
Ramona Braganza, an L.A.-based trainer whose clients have included the aforementioned Jessicas (except Rabbit—she's just drawn that way), Halle Berry, and Anne Hathaway, admits to being "from the school of nuts and bolts. Fancy stuff is great, but there's nothing like free weights." Two weeks before this year's Oscars, Hathaway (who, when she wasn't dancing onstage with host Hugh Jackman, sat front-row center) asked Braganza for some last-minute fine-tuning for her shoulders and arms. No surprise here: "I didn't recommend that she go to Pilates for eight days," Braganza says. "I said, `We need to hit the weights!' Yoga is great for the stretching aspect, and core work is really important, so Pilates is great for that, but it doesn't give you enough bulk to look defined. You still need to go back to the old way of building and shaping a body."
Take the standard squat: According to Ebben, this exercise primarily engages your quads and glutes, but your hamstrings are working to stabilize the knee and your torso muscles are active, training your core with every rep. Add a pair of dumbbells (so long, recession-unfriendly machines) and "you're balancing and controlling that mass in all three planes of movement, resulting in increased balance." Better balance and a stronger core? Sounds like you could ditch the yoga and Pilates classes, do some squats (or other free-weight routine), and get a lot more bang for a lot less buck. "Yes, absolutely," Ebben says. "That's a very sophisticated understanding you have."
Why, thank you, Doctor. I think I'm ready for my workout.
Renowned muscle factory Gold's Gym was "the grandfather of institutions back in the '70s and '80s, [known] for building great bodies," Braganza says. "It's where it all started for me and for a lot of people." I show up at Gold's (about half the price of other bare-bones Manhattan gyms) for my first session with Joy, a seasoned weight trainer currently prepping for her first bikini-required fitness competition. Standing at the training desk, fidgeting like a schmo, I try to remember the last time I was in a gym. Oh, yeah: I worked at one! Years ago. I never left the front desk. Joy ushers me past the shiny, happy ellipticals and over to the clink-clink-meets-bad-techno of the free-weight room. I get more than a few sidelong glances from the testosteroney pit-stained set—and yeah, it's intimidating. But here's something I didn't expect: They look a little anxious too. As if I might run back to the slumber party and spill who grunts the loudest. Joy starts me out with basic squats and lunges. The tricks are proper form, remembering to squeeze the glutes and abs, concurrent breathing. Staring at myself in the mirror, hands on hips, lunging up and down, I'm suddenly reminded that I've done this before, but instead of a mirror, I'd faced a Cindy Crawford VHS workout tape. Back then, I'd bound down the stairs wearing bike shorts and a sports bra, rearrange the living room furniture, and raid the pantry for makeshift weights while my mom lovingly rolled her eyes.
"Do you ever do these?" I ask Joy.
"Yes, but...I do them with weights."
For now, I'm thinking my body is enough weight to lift. I'm really feeling this, in all sorts of muscles that have long since given up on me, and Joy won't let me stop. I miss Cindy.
Joy could probably out-lift most of the guys I know. But according to Linda Baltes, a military officer with a background in biochemistry, women who exercise like men are working out for the wrong body. Baltes is partnering with George Snyder, the creator of the early-'80s Miss Olympia female fitness competitions, for this summer's launch of an exercise program (unnamed at press time) that claims you can swap out the treadmill for her and Snyder's "lunge cycle" routine, which, Baltes explains, is both aerobic and anaerobic, meaning it gets your heart rate going and builds muscle at the same time. "These lunges aren't your traditional, I'm-gonna-stand-in-front-of-the-mirror-and-do- lunges," Baltes says. "I see these women who never get off the treadmill or the elliptical—I call them `cardio queens'—and they never, ever change their bodies. Cardio is for your heart, it's not for your muscles. Yes, it's good if you need to burn calories; that's why people are drawn to it." But the lunge cycles, she says, burn an equal amount of calories and tone the thighs, butt, and hips—areas that men don't typically focus on. "So if you could get that same result, get your heart rate up, and end up with stronger muscles," she says, "why would you spin your wheels on a treadmill when you're not reshaping your body?"
It's a compelling thought—who wouldn't want to tell cardio to take a hike and still reap the rewards of that very hike? But even if it sounds too good, lunges aren't going anywhere. And neither are good-old-fashioned, just-try-to-deny-'em, can't-barely-lift-'em, when-can-I-drop-'em free weights.
I've been back at Gold's a few more times, enough to discover that personal trainers actually use the phrase, "Feel the burn!" even if they're kidding. Joy has been dutifully counting my chest presses, shoulder presses, leg curls, rear delt flys, cable flys, biceps curls, crunches, reverse crunches, push-ups, and pull-ups while kindly reminding me to breathe. At our last session, I'm doing lateral raises and focusing so intensely on squeezing my abs, keeping my back straight, knees bent, and remembering to both inhale and exhale that I'm oblivious not only to the guys around me (and the contorted faces I hope I'm incapable of making), but also to how much it hurts. By the time I'm done, I feel—dare I say it?—empowered. And a little like Jell-O. By now, Joy's caught on to my pathetic trick of asking questions (so, what color bikini?!) after every other rep, so she's upped the weights and totally stopped listening. I'll thank her later.


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Kickstart Your Relationship NOW! Move On or Move Out! by Dr. Margot Ellen BrownThis practical guide helps you find your way through a disconnected marriage or a volatile partnership or helps those who have been to counseling and did not see results.
Your Relationship NOW!
Move On or Move Out!
— This easy-to-use book provides step-by-step exercises to help couples improve their relationship by communicating more effectively.


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Trackback etc Tid 2011-06-24 12:17
Trackbacks & Pigbacks: A trackback is an acknowledgment. This acknowledgment is sent via a network signal ( ping ) from the originating site to the receiving site. The receptor often
Learning about Liferay - any answers? Tid 2011-06-24 11:37
I am having fun messing around with Liferay but to be honest I don't find it very user friendly, so here are some Qn to date. I am posting them here because others may find the answers useful also.
Is this my wall? Tid 2011-06-23 17:55
I'm not sure how much I'm going to use this. The layout is not that user friendly, and I am not sure what I should put here - just UMN specific stuff I guess? There is talk og having your own Wall
Tech Takies Tid 2011-04-28 12:49
I floted a question in Answer.com but till date still to hear from anyone. My question was : What limits digital camera from supporting SD card of higher storage capacity where as one can
Welcome to the Intranet Portal of United Mission To Nepal ! Tid 2011-04-20 12:12
Dear All, Welcome to the Intranet Portal of United Mission To Nepal based on Liferay a leading collaboration and knowledge management platform. Liferay is used by organisations acrossRSS (Öppnar nytt fönster)
Visar 6-10 av 13 resultat.


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TRENTON – Friday night was a wild and deadly one in Trenton, as a bevy of shootings and a stabbing left two dead.
The first homicide occurred just before 11 p.m. at the 300 block of Pennington Avenue, by the Super Food grocery store.
Police confirmed the homicide, but released no further information. A silver vehicle was seen up on the sidewalk and crashed into a fence.
A witness in the area said he saw an elderly woman being taken away by paramedics at the scene. She appeared to be conscious and talking.
The second homicide occurred around 11:45 p.m. on Kent and Division Streets. Police who were guarding the scene of the earlier homicide rushed to the scene of the second.
A man was stabbed in the street near the hood of a parked vehicle. A resident in the area said he had heard some commotion that sounded like the victim was running from his attacker. The man was taken to the Capital Health Regional Medical Center, but did not survive.
Follow our complete coverage at Homicide Watch Trenton.


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Skip to product information
Action Girlz Racing puts you in the driving seat in a completely new and wonderful way! For the first time ever you can pick your favorite Action Girl and take to the roads to race around fairy-tale castles, holiday resorts and even through school corridors while the teachers aren't looking! Best of all are the Action Girlz themselves. Meet Kat, an action girl with no fear - she will take anything on! Latisha is so cool you have to check her for a pulse - nothing riles this girl! Bianca is all about being a professional - she has it all! The 'Action Girlz' are here, so grab your lipstick, start your engines and get ready to race!


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I have shared with you my love of a good biscuit- they are just such a treat. I know that they have huge comfort-food value, and they are a great compromise when you're trying to put together a healthy meal (like soup & salad or a 'healthy' veggie casserole) and you need to make your table look a wee bit more fun. If there is a steaming basket of fresh-from-the-oven biscuits on the table next to the broccoli & mushroom casserole, Mr. Fish is less hesitant to dig in.
That being said, the true baking powder biscuit- light and fluffy being the key words- is a tough thing to make without animal products. I have tried various recipes, and while I'm still not 100% convinced that this is as good as it gets, I have to admit that the recipe for baking powder biscuits in Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Vegan With A Vengeance is really yummy (as are all the other recipes I've ever made from that book!).
The biscuits I made were delicious, but a wee bit salty, so I think next time I'll back down on the salt using only a 1/4 or a half a teaspoon of salt rather than the teaspoon of salt called for in the recipe. The other difference was that the recipe calls for non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening, and well, that just could not be found! I know state-side it is easier to get ahold of, but I only had the choices of using either hydrogenated veggie or animal shortening, and so opted for doubling up on the non-hydrogenated margarine. They seemed to hold up really well, so I'm not sure that was a problem. Really, the only complaint I had was the salt factor- even Mr. Fish who sadly had a tendency to drown his food in salt (sometimes even before tasting), commented on how salty they tasted.


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Glaser, Milton
Glaser, Milton, 1929–2020, widely considered America's preeminent graphic designer of the last half of the 20th cent., b. New York City. After graduating (1951) from New York's Cooper Union Art School, he studied in Italy. In 1954 Glaser and three partners founded a groundbreaking New York design firm, the Push Pin Studio. From that point on, Glaser's ever-changing design work, which drew widely on art history, had enormous international influence. He left Push Pin in 1974, opened his own design firm, and later (1984) became a partner in another New York studio. He was art director of New York magazine (1968–76) and the Village Voice newspaper (1975–77) and was responsible for the design of many other publications. Over the course of his long career, his creations tended to change from hard-edged Pop and psychedelic designs to a softer, more expressionistic or naturalistic style. Glaser's work includes the creation of many posters, notably the iconic Bob Dylan silhouette (1966); book and record covers; book illustrations; type; corporate logos; interiors; and architectural projects. One of his most famous designs is the 1976
♥New York
See his The Milton Glaser Poster Book (1977), Milton Glaser: Graphic Design (rev. ed. 1998), and Art Is Work: Graphic Design, Interiors, Objects, and Illustrations (2000); S. Bass, Six Chapters in Design (1997) and P. B. Meggs, A History of Graphic Design (1997).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: American and Canadian Art: Biographies


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Harris, Townsend
Harris, Townsend, 1804–78, American merchant and diplomat, b. Sandy Hill, N.Y. A merchant in New York City for many years, he became (1846) a member of the board of education, served as its president (1846–48), and helped obtain the legislation chartering the present College of the City of New York. Appointed (1855) consul general to Japan, he arrived at Shimoda in 1856, the first U.S. diplomat in Japan after that country had been opened up by Commodore Matthew C. Perry. In 1859, Harris was raised to be minister. Having previously negotiated a commercial treaty with Siam, he won the confidence of the Japanese and obtained a commercial treaty (1858) that, in contrast to the demands of other Western powers, was notably moderate. He returned to the United States in 1861.
See M. E. Cosenza, ed., The Complete Journal of Townsend Harris (1930, 2d ed. 1959); C. Crow, He Opened the Door of Japan (1939).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. History: Biographies


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2014 Suzuki GSX-R750, CALL 256-650-1177 TO SAVE $$$ 2014 Suzuki GSX-R750 Suzuki has remained true to the GSX-R s original concept with continued evolution the GSX-R750. The GSX-R750 remains the best choice for riders who appreciate a state-of-the-art 750cc engine combined with the compactness of a GSX-R600cc Supersport. When you ride a GSX-R750 you experience the breathtaking combination of outstanding race winning heritage, engine performance, crisp handling, compact size and light weight. It's a winning combination that allows any rider to experience the exhilarating rush any time, any place, anywhere. Features May Include: A 750cc, four-cylinder engine with a race-proven oversquare bore/stroke ratio provides exceptionally potent, high-revving performance. Engine utilizes forged pistons, shot-peened conrods, chrome-nitride-coated upper compression and oil control rings, and pentagonal ventilation holes for outstanding engine performance. Lightweight titanium-alloy valves are controlled by single valve spring to reduce mechanical losses. Class leading Suzuki Dual Throttle Valve (SDTV) fuel injection system includes fine-spray 8-hole injectors, providing improved fuel atomization contributing to more complete combustion in the cylinder. Advanced, MotoGP-developed transistorized ignition control circuit helps maintain more precise ignition timing across the range of engine temperatures. A six-speed close-ratio transmission features vertically staggered shafts to reduce overall engine length. Race-proven back-torque-limiting clutch contributes to smoother downshifting and corner entry. Race-developed, lightweight 41mm Showa Big Piston front-Fork (BPF) delivers superb feedback and consistent performance. A lightweight and compact twin-spar aluminum cradle frame is made of five cast sections and features a cast swingarm. An electronically controlled steering damper provides lighter steering at lower speeds and more damping force at racetrack and highway speeds. Front brakes feature fully floating 310mm discs and radial-mounted, four-piston Brembo monoblock calipers. A single Showa rear shock features externally adjustable rebound and compression damping, along with adjustable ride height. 3-way adjustable footpegs, adjustable shift lever, and short fuel tank help compose a comfortable riding position. Compact, lightweight instrument cluster with a built-in lap timer/stopwatch and programmable engine rpm indicators. Analog tachometer. LCD readouts include speedometer, odometer, dual trip meter, reserve trip meter, clock, coolant temperature/oil pressure indicator, S-DMS and gear position indicators. A 4-into-1 stainless-steel exhaust system features a titanium muffler, which carries a Suzuki Exhaust Tuning (SET) valve. The system ma
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SharkBite Elbow Drop Ear 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch - U249LF
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Sharkbite Fittings are made of DZR (dezincification resistant) brass which provides a strong, durable fitting that is corrosion resistant. The SharkBite is designed and certified to ANSI/NSF-61 and ASSE 1061 product standard for use in potable water and hydronic heating water distribution and are lead free.
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CANTON, OH—According to eyewitnesses at the scene, an unkempt and thoroughly disheveled Mitt Romney gave an impassioned campaign speech Monday to a group of bewildered shoppers inside a local Safeway.
Sources confirmed the filth-covered former presidential candidate walked into the store unannounced early yesterday evening, went to the store's cereal aisle, and started to play Kid Rock's "Born Free" on a portable boom box, enthusiastically waving and pointing to no one in particular.
As customers began to recognize the 2012 GOP nominee through his scraggly beard and uncombed hair, Romney reportedly picked up a can of Pringles from a nearby shelf, held it near his mouth, and began loudly addressing the growing crowd of confused onlookers.
"How are we feeling out there, friends?" said Romney, who paused briefly as though waiting for applause from the baffled and completely silent supermarket shoppers. "First and foremost, thank you so much for coming out here today and for your continued support throughout the campaign. We're making our voices heard across the country—that's for sure!"
"Together, we're going to bring some real change to Washington!" added Romney, who staggered slightly as he spoke but maintained his balance.
Witnesses told reporters that Romney walked around the store barefoot as he gave his speech, wearing only a pair of dirt-caked jeans and a wrinkled dress shirt covered in food stains.
Safeway patrons also said the former Massachusetts governor gave off an incredibly strong odor and appeared to have gone "days, possibly weeks" without bathing.
"President Obama is trying to distract everyone from his record, because he knows his policies have done nothing to rebuild our economy," said Romney, eating from a large box of croutons he had taken from the salad dressing aisle. "My five-point plan will scale back the job-killing policies of the current administration, promote small business, cut tax burdens, and put Americans back to work again."
Sources said a weeping Ann Romney at one point attempted to pull her husband out of the store by his arm but was angrily rebuffed, with the 65-year-old retired businessman yelling that he was "trying to do [his] job here."
Romney then reportedly climbed atop a checkout counter, rolled up the torn sleeves of his shirt, and started calling on different customers for questions about his tax policy.
"And now, I'd like to welcome on stage the best decision I ever made aside from marrying Ann—the next vice president of the United States, Paul Ryan!" Romney exclaimed as he grabbed the hand of a nearby cashier and attempted to pull her onto the counter to stand alongside him. "From the moment we take office, Paul and I are going to fight for each and every one of you and restore the promise of this great nation."
According to reports, Safeway employees finally called local authorities when Romney attempted to grab an infant from the arms of her mother "for a quick photo op."
After three police officers managed, with some effort, to subdue Romney in the produce section, he could be heard shrieking incoherently at the top of his lungs for several moments before he finally trailed off, muttering about a plan to "create 12 million jobs by the end of [his] first term."
"We're going all the way to the White House!" Romney loudly proclaimed in the parking lot as he was gently guided into the back of a police car. "Thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America!"


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A novelty TV roundup just wouldn't be complete without a screen from those Danish purveyors of all things stylish, unusual and expensive, Bang & Olufsen. A high-end brand with the huge price tags to match, B&O doesn't launch a new TV that often, but when it does, it likes to do something a little different.
With its latest offering, the BeoVision 7, the company has included two novelty items - a motorised stand and a built-in DVD player. Then there's the massive speaker, which is almost bigger than the TV itself, and that fact that it looks simply gorgeous. 32in LCD screens may be the most common flat TV flavour around at the moment, but this certainly isn't a run-of-the-mill model.
Standing proud?
While the motorised stand is a nice touch, it's really more of a gimmick than a serious home cinema add-on. In terms of added value (and we want all we can get at this price!) we're more interested in that DVD player. But where is it, we here you ask? Well, a flick of the eject command on the remote control sets off a silent chain reaction that sees an invisible door lift to allow a DVD tray to fold out from one side.
What's more, turning on the BeoVision 7 is like being at the cinema, with digital 'curtains' opening to reveal the TV picture. Another cool touch is the fact that the volume level is displayed in red text that slides between levels (when adjusted from the remote control). But, as we've said before, we're not swayed by mere swanky design touches. We want to know if this screen is a case of style over substance.
Connections curfuffle
The connections don't inspire confidence. While there are both component and digital DVI inputs, they were deactivated on our sample. Component video inputs would obviously be of limited use to most because of the built-in DVD player, but personally we'd like the option to hook-up a top-end player. And the DVI input is at present is only configured for high-def from a PC, and not for Sky's planned HD services. A free upgrade from B&O will apparently activate the component inputs, while a hardware upgrade will be available in September (cost unconfirmed) to make the DVI HDCPcompliant. Small consolation, if you ask us.
Once the curtains opened on our test disc, The Big Lebowski, however, we were mostly very pleased with what were saw. First up, picture noise is incredibly thin on the ground, leaving the crazy antics of our bowling-fanatic heroes looking clean and detailed. What's more, movement - so often LCD's downfall - is very well handled, with even the comical fight scenes between the bowlers and the anarchists looking smooth and flicker-free. Colours, meanwhile, look a little muted, but were never unnatural.
In fact, our only cause for concern is that there isn't a great deal of detail apparent in dark scenes - indicating a slightly under par contrast performance.
The lack of component video meant that we couldn't run our test HD material through the BeoVision 7. Still, while there's no integrated tuner, analogue pictures looked stable and vibrant, while with Freeview things were even better.
The three-way active loudspeakers, meanwhile, are our favourite novelty feature. They pump out bass-laden soundtracks in such a cohesive manner that for once we'd be tempted to not bother with separate surround sound speakers at all. For those who can't resist, however, the speaker can also act as a centre channel.
Dodgy connections aside, the BeoVision 7 is a tempting luxury option, combining very good DVD images with seriously great audio. One for those after a touch of class.


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David Davidar, the former magazine journalist who rose to become publisher of such stellar Indian literary names as Arundhati Roy, Vikram Seth, Salman Rushdie, Khushwant Singh and Shobha De, has been sacked from Penguin Canada following charges of sexual harassment.
Davidar, 52, part of the team at the now defunct monthly, Gentleman launched by Minhaz Merchant, has been "asked to leave" the firm after a former rights and contracts director at the company, Lisa Rundle, "brought an action" against him, Penguin Canada said in Toronto on Friday.
The new statement was in marked contrast to an earlier release on June 8 that suggested Davidar had left the company on his own to return to India to pursue his writing projects and other endeavours. Davidar is the author of two novels, The House of Blue Mangoes and The Emperor of Solitudes.
"I just felt I wanted to see if I could do something other than managing a company," Davidar, had said in a boiler-plate exit interview. He said he and his wife were planning to return to India to live.
In a new interview, Davidar confirms he had a "friendship with my colleague" that went on for three years but says he is "dismayed Penguin Canada chose to respond to the charges by directing me to leave Penguin":
"Earlier this week it was announced that I would be leaving Penguin Canada. At Penguin's request, I agreed to publicly state that my departure was voluntary. The truth is that a former colleague accused me of sexual harassment and Penguin terminated my employment."
Saturday's Globe and Mail has further details of the scale of the alleged harassment as detailed by Lisa Rundle in her complaint before the Ontario superior court of justice on June 9. It suggests that Rundle was sexually harassed repeatedly over three years culminating in "outright assault" at the Frankfurt book fair last fall.
The accusations are accompanied by quotations from several e-mail messages Davidar allegedly sent to Rundle, whom he described as "utterly gorgeous," "a vision in pink sipping a champagne cocktail."
The court statement says:
"At the Frankfurt book fair last October Davidar appeared at Rundle's hotel room door, 'wearing excessive cologne, with buttons on his shirt undone down his waist'.
"Lisa stood in her hotel room into which Davidar had bullied his way, with her arms crossed, still near the door, and asked what he needed to discuss. He told her to relax and just let him come in. She refused and said she wanted to go to sleep.
"Rundle claims she climbed on a windowsill to avoid her boss and again asked him to leave. 'He forcibly pulled her off the ledge and grabbed her by the wrists, forcing his tongue into her mouth'."
David Davidar, who launched the Indian imprint of Penguin for the Anand Bazaar Patrika (ABP) group, moved to Canada in 2003 as head of Penguin Canada. August 15 is to be his last day at work.
Photograph: courtesy The Globe and Mail, Toronto
Toronto Globe & Mail: Davidar forced out
The Star: Davidar was forced to leave Penguin
The National Post: Davidar was asked to leave


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- Once 99% of the dry ingredients are incorporated, go ahead and pull the dough out of your pot (I put mine onto a cutting board) and let cool for 10 minutes. Give it a few kneads before adding the glitter...
Partying Here:
very cool. my boys would love this. i wonder if they make glow in the dark glitter? because that would rock.
jess @
Very Cool!
& I like Jessica's glow in the dark idea too.
Just emailed this to a friend of mine who has a preschooler - he'll love it!
Ann @
That is a great idea for a party favour! I love it. I might even borrow your idea... I'll make it pink though... the wheels are turning Kristi. Great blog!ReplyDelete
This looks so fun! I love the glitter!
We're just starting a link up party and love it if you'd share there (if you are interested): http://www.waywardgirlscrafts.com/2012/03/wayward-weekend-week-6.html
My nephews are coming this month and I think this just might help keep them busy! I'm so glad you shared it!ReplyDelete
This is so creative. And really who doesn't love playdough?? I bet those kids could hardly wait to get to play with it. Thanks for linking up over at SweetTalkin' Sunday!ReplyDelete
I love this! Thanks for giving me the courage to use black food color! I made some galactic play dough for goodie bags for my son's Star Wars party. So fun & a big hit! :DReplyDelete
Where did u get cookie cutter?ReplyDelete
Where did you find the cookie cutter?ReplyDelete


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STEMMER IMAGING AG publishes nine-month figures for 2017/2018: greater growth momentum in the third quarter leads to increase in forecast
Puchheim, 23rd May 2018 | In the first nine months of the 2017/2018 financial year (1st July 2017 to 31st March 2018), STEMMER IMAGING AG (ISIN DE000A2G9MZ9/WKN A2G9MZ) generated adjusted EBITDA of EUR 8.25 million and thus exceeded the previous year's figure (EUR 6.11 million) by 35.0 per cent. Consolidated revenue increased from EUR 64.4 million to EUR 74.5 million in the same period. With revenue growth of 15.7 per cent in the first nine months of 2017/2018 and of 21.5 per cent in the third quarter, STEMMER IMAGING was again well above the market average. Incoming orders rose by 18.3 per cent to EUR 81.3 million in the reporting period.
The high growth in the market environment for machine vision gave the business a persistent boost and made a crucial contribution to this increase. While the overall market's annual growth rate was around 10 per cent, STEMMER IMAGING AG again gained market share with revenue growth of 15.7 per cent in the reporting period. The outperformance is also demonstrated by the repeated increase in incoming orders, which rose by 18.3 per cent or EUR 12.6 million to EUR 81.3 million in the first nine months of the current financial year 2017/2018. In the third quarter of 2017/2018, the Group again increased its revenue growth with a rise of 21.5 per cent compared to the first half of 2017/2018 (up 12.6 per cent). Data Vision, which was acquired in the third quarter of 2017/2018 and consolidated from 1st February 2018, contributed EUR 1.1 million to revenue and EUR 0.14 million to adjusted EBITDA. On an adjusted basis, the EBITDA margin rose to 11.1 per cent in the first nine months of the 2017/2018 financial year (previous year: 9.5 per cent). EBITDA was adjusted for non-recurring costs totalling EUR 3.67 million in the reporting period, which primarily comprise costs of the IPO. Adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) were EUR 6.86 million in the reporting period, considerably higher than the previous year's figure of EUR 4.85 million. Including income tax expenses of EUR 0.95 million (previous year: EUR 1.47 million), the reporting period ended with adjusted consolidated net income of EUR 5.90 million compared to EUR 3.09 million.
"Optoelectronic components and machine vision solutions are on the rise as key technologies for Industry 4.0 and smart factories. The increasing digitalisation in the global industrial landscape and the trend toward greater automation in nearly every area of production therefore underscores the significant growth potential of STEMMER IMAGING AG's business model. This development is reflected in the latest business figures and validates our strategy of further accelerating our growth while increasing profitability," says Lars Böhrnsen, CFO of STEMMER IMAGING AG.
As of 31st March 2018, the equity ratio increased to 84.5 per cent due to the capital increase carried out in connection with the IPO (balance sheet date 2016/2017: 75.7 per cent). Total assets amounted to EUR 80.25 million at the end of the third quarter of 2017/2018 after EUR 28.71 million as of 30th June 2017. Financially, the Group is in a good position with a strong equity ratio and cash and cash equivalents of EUR 49.79 million.
On the basis of the better-than-expected earnings development and the very good order situation at the end of the third quarter of 2017/2018, the Management Board of STEMMER IMAGING AG is increasing its forecast for the 2017/2018 financial year and now expects consolidated revenue of around EUR 99 million to EUR 101 million (previously EUR 97 million to EUR 100 million) with adjusted EBITDA of EUR 10.8 million to EUR 11.3 million.
STEMMER IMAGING is one of Europe's leading machine vision technology providers for science and industry. With a perfect combination of innovative products, its own software, expert advice and comprehensive service, STEMMER IMAGING helps clients solve their machine vision tasks securely with speed and ease. Experienced specialists can be contacted easily and are available to provide advice locally in 19 European countries.
Clients of STEMMER IMAGING benefit from the combination of an exceptionally wide variety of products from the world's leading manufacturers (e.g. cameras, lenses, illumination products, machine vision systems, software) with solutions know-how gathered over many years. As well as offering the optimal, most cost-effective combination of components for specific tasks, the company attaches particular importance to the provision of solution-oriented client service, including feasibility studies, training and customer-focused support.


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Mammut Tusk 9.8
I like many things to be kinky, but my climbing rope isn't one of them.
www.mammut.com | $199.95 | 4 Stars
I like many things to be kinky, but my climbing rope isn't one of them. The twists, twirls, snags and snafus of a kinky cord are maddening skeins in my ability to give a good belay and not hose my partner when he or she calls for slack.
The Mammut rope factory in Switzerland has invested in a new rope-packaging machine that coils ropes in a butterfly coil, so that climbers need not bother to undo the dreaded—and until now, standard—"manufacturer's coil." This new technology may seem like a conciliatory and perhaps superfluous gesture, but in fact it appears to have solved a long-standing problem with most ropes, and one of my biggest gripes (and arguably a safety issue): the kink factor. I've seen belayers lose control of ropes while lowering their partners when errant kinks cause their brake hands' grip to fumble.
We're supposed to flake the manufacturer's coil "in a hand-over-hand motion"—a vague instruction at best. For example, I've uncoiled some cords in this manner that have been fine and kink-free. Other times, my ropes have remained stubbornly frozen in a state of kinkiness—and in these instances, I've never been clear whether I had done something wrong, or the manufacturer had simply produced a bad cord.
I received a 70-meter Mammut Tusk (9.8 mm) in the mail one sunny afternoon, and was so excited that I started humping the box before the eyes of my disgusted co-workers; then I cradled the rope in one arm like a football, and moonwalked out the door, hopped in my car, and got myself to the nearest crag to try my new baby out.
I opened the package, threw the rope down on a tarp, and flaked it out of habit. As I relished the waxy texture of a brand new rope gliding through my hands, I was pleasantly surprised to encounter not a single kink—a welcome attribute that hasn't changed to this day, months later. In fact, I can safely say that this is the least kinky cord I've used.
The Tusk has been a consistent and steady performer. Its 9.8 mm diameter is about as thin as I'm comfortable with for all of my falling and hang-dogging. The rope's medium rigidity makes it just average at clipping to carabiners; yet also seems to yield a fluffy-soft catch.
- Lap Coiling rope-packaging machine means no factory kinks in cord.
- SuperDry treatment: A coating to both sheath and core, this gives a smooth feed and added protection. A bit slippery at first.
- Comes in two colors: yellow and lime green. The yellow one, which I tested, seems to pick up a lot of dirt and now looks black.
- 9.8 mm. A good combination of lightness (63 g/m) and durability (6-7 UIAA falls). The speed that the sheath has frayed from normal wear has been just average.
- Recommended uses: sport climbing, trad climbing, alpine rock climbing.
Read Maxim Chalkline 10.8mm climbing rope review
Read Edelweiss Laser 9.6mm climbing rope review
Read Sterling Nitro 9.8mm climbing rope review
Read Sterling Ion 9.5mm climbing rope review


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Celebrities are considered role models for the general public. They are gazed upon in adoration, and people take great notice of the things they do. Many people look up to those who are famous, and try to emulate the things they do in hopes of being like them. So, when celebrities do something that is not entirely positive, sadly, there will be those who follow suit and get on the bandwagon.
Such is the case when it comes to alternative cigarettes. There have always been a huge number of famous people who smoke. Perhaps its something about the limelight that inspires them to crave the calming effects of nicotine. So, in the past year, celebrities have really gotten smart and started using electronic cigarettes, and many once notorious tobacco smokers, are publically bragging about their awesome e-cigarettes! We highly applaud their efforts because theyre setting such a great example of themselves for choosing so responsibly, a product that is so much better for their health as well as the environment. In addition, we think its awesome that theyre spreading the word about smokeless cigarettes, and how great they are. Sadly, however, there are still those in the spotlight who havent gotten the smoke-free memo. Here are the top five celebs who need to can the tobacco and grab a stylish e-cig:
#5: Salma Hayak
#4: Kristin Dunst
#3: Kristin Stewart
#2: Jessica Alba
#1: President Barack Obama
So, the Hollywood starlet probably come as no surprise, but as beautiful young women whose careers are stationed upon their beauty, they should understand that tobacco smoke ages the skin with its carcinogenic agents, as well as destroys internal organs by encouraging cancer! Neither of which are sexy, or cool. The number one on the list of celebs who need to switch to smokeless would have to be President Barack Obama. Is there anyone more looked up to than our president? Imagine how popular e-cigarettes would be if he were spotted with one of the fabulous electronic cigarette starter kits?


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This post is another personal development experience, detailing a healing session I had yesterday with a local practitioner in my area, Eileen O'Hare. If you'd prefer to just read about technology and the future of the web, wait for my next post. If you've never participated in an energy healing session and are curious what it's like, read on!
today i went to eileen for a healing session. a lot of things have been cropping up, and it felt time to let go of some things that were no longer serving me. we started with about an hour and a half long conversation, centered around the topic of aloneness and isolation.
she asked me how i felt about being alone.
i said that i enjoy my isolation, that i need that time to think and reflect, that it makes me a better person for others when i have time to myself. though i spend much of my time behind a computer, it is not done aimlessly browsing the web. i am actively engaged in conversations all day – either on twitter, google chat, or in video discussions on skype. though i am alone in physical space, i am not lonely.
she asked if i feel alone.
i said that i have always felt different, since i can remember. not fitting in. always looking at things differently than other people, and being punished for it. often feeling misunderstood, which led to frustration, anger, loneliness, and despair. feeling that i must conform if i am to be accepted. feeling that i must apologize for who i am, or just hide that person altogether.
i said that i have found myself, reconnected. i want to be authentic all the time, be real, to live in accordance with my fundamental values, and never apologize for it. i said i am tired of feeling not worthy, tired of this lack of self-respect. i am surrounded by people who cherish my existence and the things we are able to share, and i see the highest good in all of them, but not in myself. i can't do this Work and call for an open, globally cooperative society, and talk about the values that are necessary in that system, if i can't embrace them myself. and it does start with the self. within. acknowledging the expansiveness and beauty of who we are, but also doing so without ego – having a love of self that is almost objective, humble, respectful, and timeless.
and once that recognition is made, and we see ourselves, we are able to see others too. others who are always around us, but we have been blind to. i see now what it means when they say you can't love others until you love yourself. the love is not a self-indulgent arrogance, it's a healthy respect, awe, wonder, and gratitude for our capacity to be.
she said she felt this self-isolation was strong within my lineage, on both sides. she asked what the relationship between my parents was like growing up.
i said i saw that my parents lived their lives in parallel, but were clearly on separate paths. perhaps out of fear they chose to stay together, but neither seemed happy with the other. my mother was a reiki master and practiced meditation and holistic medicine and wanted to be healthy and grow and expand. my father liked to drink after work every night, and smoked a pack of cigarettes a day, and stayed out late b.s.ing with friends, and was overweight. both loved their lifestyles immensely and neither apologized for it….. but they were not able to share their ideals and values with each other. it was like they spoke two different languages. neither inherently a bad person, and neither lifestyle inherently "wrong," but simply not harmonious or in resonance with each other.
i said that i observed these things, and they seemed quite clear to me, though maybe my parents were deluding themselves about it. each was isolated from the other, yet still essentially carrying out the lifestyle they truly wanted. but doing so alone. by choice. i said that i did not want to repeat that pattern, that it was not enough to live a life of passion, that i wanted a partner who i could share these things with. some people say your partner doesn't have to be on a similar path as you, and it's not fair for you to force them to. i agree. at the same time, it is our choice if that type of relationship is acceptable to us. is it 'good enough'? is it desirable? preferable? ideal?
deconstructing things already built seems like it would be excruciatingly painful and cruel. and without patience, communication, and an open heart, i'm sure it would be. but i saw their unhappiness, and it caused me pain. i asked them to get a divorce, so they could each be happy in the life they chose to live. they were afraid. it never changed.
maybe this pattern has gone back for generations, each child watching this behavior in their home, and repeating it themselves into adulthood. i don't want that. i want to break that chain. i want to be free to live in my truth, and for it to be transparent, not hidden. for it to be celebrated and shared. to not be ashamed of who i am and what i believe in, though my thoughts may be "fringe."
creativity exists on the edge of chaos. i accept that. i live there. my way of thinking and living frightens those who choose a more conventional lifestyle. i understand that. i don't want to push my "ideologies" on others. i just want to live in accordance with the values i have identified as fundamental to my well-being without compromise. if people are unable to handle this, then i will respectfully choose not to engage. but no more hiding.
she said we were ready for the healing to begin. i had identified my issue. a repeated pattern of self-imposed isolation, of feeling alone and misunderstood, even when surrounded by those that care. i could break the chain now.
I AM worthy.
she took me through a guided visualization process. she asked me to imagine myself on a deserted island, and to let her know when i had the image. i saw myself sitting on the beach, toes dug into the sand, arms wrapped around drawn up knees, looking out to sea. i said i had the image. she said she felt arms wrapped around knees drawn up – did that resonate? i said yes, exactly how i pictured it.
she said it was time to reconnect with those aspects of self that i have suppressed, to find them and welcome them back. she said to imagine diving into the water, diving deep to the bottom, where those pieces of myself were laying, waiting to be rediscovered. she said to see if there was a girl there, and what she looked like, and how old. i saw a girl around 5. tanned from the sun, barefoot, with dirt on her body and feathers in her hair. i took her hand and pulled her to the surface. we looked at each other, and she smiled, delighted. she was filled with wonder, curiosity, and mischief. a wild child. running, pointing, exploring, discovering. i got down on one knee, and we hugged. i had her back. i can embrace my childlike fascination with the world without fear or apology.
eileen told me to dive down to the bottom again, and this time look for a woman. i saw her. fierce, like an amazonian warrior. (my legs actually started to shake as i visualized it). i was in awe, terrified, enthralled. i was afraid to touch her, but finally reached my hand out and pulled her to the surface. she was beautiful, proud, hard, self-sufficient, seemingly invincible. her body was covered in symbols, her hair wild and unkempt, a knife strapped to her leg, a quiver of arrows on her back, her eyes clear and firm but kind. i put my hand on my heart and bowed to her. she did the same.
eileen asked if this woman was trying to please her mother to show her worth. i thought, yes, this was the case. she was so strong and frighteningly beautiful, but still had a hidden insecurity, that even in all of her strength and accomplishment, it was somehow still not enough in her mind. maybe this mythological me really existed at some point in time, and this pattern has repeated. but i understood what i was showing myself – that i carry an inner being that is beyond comprehension, and it does not need external approval in order to be real or worthy. we already have what we need to carve our path in life, and it is our ability to acknowledge that we are creators and manifestors. we don't have to be afraid of this if we don't want to be. we can embrace it and run with it. we can choose to be the change we want to see in the world. and so i reclaimed that woman, who was strong, determined, and wise.
and finally, eileen said she saw a skeleton in the water, and that i should pull it up and see what it said. (i felt myself energetically recoil at first, but i forced myself to continue). i pulled the skeleton out, and it stood before me. she asked me if it had anything to say. i just imagined it with it's hand on its hip in a casual posture, almost comical, as if to say, "why do you fear death? that is so silly!" i laughed out loud, because suddenly, it did seem silly. it was just another version of myself, one that this body will be one day. it's inevitable, why fight it?
she asked if there was anything else it wanted to communicate. i pictured it pointing out at the landscape, and when i looked, suddenly there were many beings there. it felt like it was saying that there are others here, waiting, watching, and it is safe to receive their wisdom, if i choose to. it indicated that perhaps i was ready to become multidimensional.
eileen asked, but how will you protect yourself when interacting on these levels? and i thought, good question! and then i saw myself in a capsule of light, emanating from the crown of my head, and showering down around me and enclosing me. she asked what color it was. at first i said white, but then i said rainbow, because it looked like the colors that are projected on a wall when sunlight hits a prism. she said 'good.' so i know how to make myself safe when going to these places.
it was time to integrate. i stood in a circle with my two other selves, the curious child and the fierce tribal warrior, all holding hands and making a circle. then i looked at the girl and opened my heart, and she became a wisp of smoke and entered in through my heart chakra. then i did the same with the woman. and i felt very complete. i reembraced those aspects of myself, while leaving behind the notion of not being worthy and not having self-respect. i noticed that the sense of isolation is only an illusion, one that we can choose to destroy once we are able to see it. all of my ideas are based around an interdependent society…. if that is something i *truly* believe in, then i must become interdependent. i am not alone. none of us are. we then went through an exercise to visualize that.
we returned to the original scene of me on a deserted island. she asked me to envision all the people who were kindred souls, fellow travelers on this path, and to connect with them. i thought of people i know 'in real life,' as well as the amazing people around the world i've met through my blog and the web. i imagined standing there with arms open and head tipped back, and that rainbow light extending out from my head and heart out around the world, touching all those people dear to me. (it was such a nice moment, and even if it only happened in my imagination, my heart ached with the joy of it). i felt very connected to what i've been referring to as my "trust network" – beacons of light around the planet.
the last part of the session was the letting go of the perceived isolation that we've carried for generations. she asked me to imagine myself lifted off the island and floating high above it. what did i see? it was just water in every direction, as far as the eye could see, with beautiful patterns and reflections bouncing off the ripples. she said to imagine all those people dear to me, as if they were floating there with me. then we watched as the island slowing sink beneath the surface of the water until it was as if it never existed. it meant that being alone is fine and healthy, but does not require loneliness and isolation, or a disconnection from the rest of humanity. those negative feelings are just a mental projection that do nothing to serve our highest good. then we sent the rainbow light to the water itself, the expansive waters of our consciousness, and sent it love and gratitude for providing the space for this self healing.
the session wound down from there, and i returned to the room and my body. (of course, there were many other aspects that weren't mentioned here, but this is just a snapshot of the flavor of the experience.) it was my first time really allowing myself to be creative in such a session, and playing with my imagination as i was guided through the experience. i left feeling both grounded and elated, and felt that a great healing had taken place. and though i am so grateful to know a person like eileen, who is able to perform the work she does with such love and compassion, the real work happens with the individual. this type of "therapy" is not mainstream by any means, and can seem confusing or strange. (it did to me at first). but when i chose to let go, and just *try* to welcome a new experience, i found that i already had many of the answers i was looking for, and i was just waiting to tell myself about them.
this blog is starting to reflect different pieces of myself and these ideas, and i only share these intimacies because of the value they have provided me in contextualizing my life experience and understanding who i was, who i am, and who i aspire to be. i think we all carry a lot of pain and hurt inside of us – even if not something overtly violent or traumatic, it does seem that much of what we believe about ourselves and the world are based in reaction instead of creation. there is much healing to be done inside before we can extend ourselves out to each other and offer support. perhaps a shamanic healing ceremony is not for you, but there are many many different kinds of practitioners these days. it may be worth exploring which works for you. i've found for myself that it is wonderful to have friends who will lend an ear and let me talk things out that trouble me, but that healing takes place at a deeper level when i'm able to interact with someone with a higher level of intelligence and clarity of mind than myself, who can guide me to my answers by knowing how to frame the questions.
i think there is a lot of trickery in the rational mind, and the mythologies and stories we weave for ourselves don't always make sense for our hearts. i am a big believer in the need for us to tap into that emotional/intuitive aspect of ourselves, and reconnect with a wisdom that is already there and always has been. and what does any of this have to do with technology and the web? well, i think the web is this amazing communication tool, and i'd like to see how we can use it with more intention and purpose. there is a lot of work to be done around the world, in our minds and hearts, if we are to redefine what is truly important and then lead our lives from those values. this process doesn't have to happen alone anymore, or even laying on a couch in a sterile office. we are capable of extending ourselves out to one another via the web, connect with people who share our desire for authenticity, and help each other learn and unfold.
i think it's a very exciting time in history, and i'm glad i can share my process with you, and i'm grateful to all of you who have chosen to engage with me too.
Eileen O'Hare bio: Eileen O'Hare is a shamanic practitioner and teacher in the Andean Tradition; a legacy carrier in the Peruvian medicine way. Eileen is a Chakaruna – a bridge person. She helps herself and others heal by accessing wisdom, power, guidance, healing, light and love from etheric realms. She is committed to helping herself and others reach ever higher states of consciousness and is grateful to have sat with many teachers in the US and Peru. She is in the lineages of Don Manuel Quispe and Don Benito Quoriwaman. She works out of her home, The Healing House, in Beacon, NY with a private practice in NYC. Eileen travels and teaches at private homes, yoga centers and Wellness Centers. She taught families at Omega last summer. She's recorded a CD, Love and Gratitude to the Water which she gives away in love and service. She leads sacred chanting every Sunday night. Holds meditation circles every Thursday night. And a Women's Manifestation Group every Monday night. Her next shamanic intensive class starts this Sept. She offers QT classes as well. 845-831-5790. http://www.medicinespiral.com. email@example.com
image from here