text:
My final festive Scandinavian dish for this year is lanttulaatikko. This Finnish recipe takes the humble turnip (what you folks might call swede or rutabaga) and turns it into a rich, creamy, bubbling baked dish of yumminess.
As with most Christmas vegetable dishes, lanttulaatikko could never claim to be in anyway healthy but I quite like the idea that vegetables go a bit wild at this time of the year and naughtily dress themselves up in honey and butter and cream.
In fact, I've spoke to some turnips and it seems that for eleven months of the year they feel they are thought of as nutritious but dull – nothing to get excited about. They understand this and respect their position in the vegetable world but come December, these grubby roots want to let themselves go and be transformed into wickedly silky, sexy side-dishes that have diners groaning for more.
And if that comes at a calorific cost, well, both the turnips and I are absolutely fine with that. This month, anyway.
(serves 4 as a side-dish)
1 large Scottish turnip (i.e. rutabaga or swede – the yellow fleshed one)
150ml cream (single, double or crème fraîche)
1 egg
1/2 tspn nutmeg
2 tblspns soft butter (plus a little extra)
1 tblspn honey
- Peel the turnip and cut into 2cm wide chunks. Just cover in salted water and boil until completely tender. Drain.
- Mash the turnip well and push through a potato ricer or a sieve.
- Combine the cream, butter, honey, nutmeg and egg. Add to the turnip and mix well. Season to taste.
- Add turnip mixture to a small casserole dish, level off with a fork and dot with butter.
- Bake in a 180oC pre-heated oven for 40 minutes until golden and crisp on top.


text: IDC employs a number of assets that set us apart from other market research firms. Our comprehensive coverage promotes understanding of multiple industries. Additionally, our "glocal" research model, which is our study of both local and regional markets "on the ground," helps us to understand the nuances of local country markets while improving our global coverage. By promoting research standards and methodologies worldwide, we ensure forecast and analysis consistency across a wide range of geographies and coverage areas.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Growing up, Pascale would constantly be at war with her body. But meeting confident, natural women in the fashion industry, as well as overcoming some health issues of her own, helped her over come it.
Now she has regained control over her body and has adopted a more positive outlook when it comes to her own beauty and appearance.


text:
Bob Kravitz: Only two questions matter with the Indiana Pacers
This was going to be a Five Questions About The Pacers column, but upon further review and deliberation, there are really only two that matter with the season on the doorstep:
1) What's the deal going to be with Danny Granger: healthy or unhealthy, starter or reserve, trade bait or not?
2) Is this bench, which looks better on paper but has been in and out in the preseason, going to be the vast improvement we all expect over last year's unholy mess?
First, Granger.
Coach Frank Vogel said Thursday that Granger is unlikely to play in Tuesday's season opener at home against the Orlando Magic, and after that, he's day to day with a calf strain that's worse than anybody expected.
But then Vogel said something really interesting, and telling.
"It's a work in progress," he said. "But, look, if Danny was healthy and playing great and Lance (Stephenson) was healthy and playing great, I'd probably see stretches throughout the season where Lance was starting and I'd probably see stretches throughout the season where Danny was starting, just to see how the different combinations throughout the game pair up."
My feeling is this team will be at its very best with Granger starting and Stephenson leading the offense off the bench, and a pre-season conversation with Larry Bird suggested the team president viewed it exactly the same way.
But Vogel, who wants to be able to count on Granger's health (and who doesn't?), isn't ready to make any grand proclamations.
Granger said Thursday his calf strain is not related to the knee problems that forced him to miss all but five games last year, and feels extraordinarily healthy after pushing himself through training camp.
"I'm doing really well,'' Granger said. "It was to the point where I was telling (trainers) to let me do more. We were doing three days on, one day off, but I could have done more. They were holding me back and sticking with the plan, but not because I wanted to.''
The question still remains: Can they count upon him to be in the lineup night after night? Vogel wants answers, and he hasn't come up with any just yet.
All of this has important, long-term implications.
Granger is in the final year of his contract, so Bird will have to make a huge decision as the trade deadline approaches:
Does he trade Granger, knowing he's not likely to be able to re-sign him after giving big bucks to so many others on the team, or does he ride it out and lose him for no compensation?
Bird was pretty forthright, as he always is, when asked the question a couple of weeks ago. If Granger can't stay healthy, or if he isn't producing the way the Pacers hope, he'll likely get dealt and the Pacers will get what they can for the former All-Star. If Granger is playing well, and the Pacers look like a team that has a chance to reach the NBA Finals, Bird will roll the dice, keep Granger in Indianapolis and worry about free agency later.
Which makes perfect sense.
Second, the bench.
On paper, the additions of C.J. Watson, Chris Copeland and Luis Scola look like a major upgrade on the group that was close to the bottom in every conceivable production category last season.
Of course, we looked at last year's bench on paper and thought, "D.J. Augustin, Gerald Green, Ian Mahinmi … this is going to be a much improved bench.''
And they were an abject bust.
"Honestly, your bench is what really makes or breaks a team,'' Granger said. "You could have a great starting group, you can have one or two guys that are great, but it depends on what happens when those guys go off the court. A lot of teams that have been successful over the past few years have had a really strong bench."
It's a little difficult to read much from preseason; Vogel, who is blessed with more talent than he's ever had, has mixed and matched players, looking for combinations that work. Truth is, he's used combinations he'll likely never use during the regular season. Once the real games start, he'll be much more consistent about his rotations and players will be more comfortable regarding their minutes and their teammates on the floor.
The early returns are mixed.
Scola has been terrific the past two, three games.
Watson has been consistent.
Copeland hasn't found his shooting stroke, especially from behind the 3-point arc.
Solomon Hill has shown promise but remains a rookie in a men's league.
Mahinmi has been up and down.
A healthy Granger and an improved bench could be enough to finally knock off Miami and, yes, Chicago, too. If these questions linger, though, if Granger can't get right and the bench struggles, this will be a disappointing season.
The answers start coming Tuesday.
Bob Kravitz is a columnist for The Indianapolis Star. Call him at (317) 444-6643 or email email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter: @bkravitz.


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Corel has introduced CorelCAD, a brand new cross-platform CAD (computer-aided design) program targeted to architects, engineers, and a variety of general manufacturing enterprises. This package delivers native DWG support (the industry standard CAD file format), and the ability to navigate between 2D and 3D design environments in cross-platform workgroups.
To create and market CorelCAD, the company partnered with Graebert GmbH, a longtime CAD developer. With this new product, Corel offers CAD users what it says is an intuitive environment with familiar command bars, aliases, menus, and toolbars. In addition, CorelCAD is designed to provide excellent compatibility, as it works natively with the AutoCAD DWG file format. That means there's no need for an import/export process to read and write files in the industry standard format. At $699, CorelCAD offers businesses of all sizes an affordable CAD option for day-to-day design projects requiring a high level of precision and detail, the company says.
"The high cost of many CAD solutions makes it a prohibitive expense for small-to-medium-sized businesses. CorelCAD represents a great alternative, particularly for technical designers seeking power and precision at an affordable price," said Klaus Vossen, product manager for technical graphics at Corel. "We're confident that CorelCAD's combination of price and performance will provide a compelling alternative for architects, engineers, construction firms and any enterprise seeking precision tools for 2D and 3D design."
CorelCAD features file format support, customization, and ease of integration into existing design workflows, according to Corel. The program can open and save DWG files natively and uses DWG as its native file format. It also offers DXF and DWF support up to AutoCAD 2010 file format versions (used by AutoCAD 2010-AutoCAD 2012). Users can open, work on, and save files in DWG format in collaborative settings. They can also save drawings back to R12 DWG or DXF format, and recover DWG and DXF files in all format versions. The program features export to PDF, ACIS 3D, DWF, and more.
CorelCAD supports designers in both the 2D and 3D space. Alongside a large set of 2D drawing features, the program includes a set of 3D solid modeling tools. Users can add 3D solid primitives to designs and use Boolean operations to unite, intersect, and subtract bodies. Users can also extrude or revolve 2D entities, sweep 2D entities along a path, or loft between 2D entities to create solid objects. In addition, users can slice and intersect solids, and edit edges, faces, and bodies of 3D solids.
CorelCAD is designed to be easily customizable to meet the needs of a variety of businesses and projects. Users can fine-tune the interface and save custom workspace configurations in user profiles. These can be deployed throughout an organization to tailor the interface to specific project needs and to maximize productivity.
Pricing and availability
CorelCAD is available now in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese for $699. Versions in Czech, Polish, Russian, Turkish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, and Japanese will be available in the summer of 2011. The program works with Intel Macs on OS X 10.5.8 or higher. Commercial and academic volume licenses are also available.
A free, fully functional trial version and additional information about the new program is available on Corel's Website.
CorelCAD 1.0
Read our full CorelCAD 1.0 review


text: Courtney Brown is a mathematician and social scientist who teaches in the Department of Political Science atEmory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Independent of his work at the university, he is also the leading scholar on the subject of "remote viewing" as it is done using procedures that were developed by the United States military and used for espionage purposes, or procedures that are derivative of those methodologies. Dr. Brown is the Director and founder of The Farsight Institute, a nonprofit research and educational organization dedicated to the study of a phenomenon of nonlocal consciousness known as "remote viewing." His recently published book on the subject, Remote Viewing: The Science and Theory of Nonphysical Perception, is the only book of its kind where the science of remote viewing is developed with respect to highly structured data-collection methodologies. In this book he analyzes data and develops a new theory that explains the remote-viewing phenomenon as a consequence of superposition formation on the quantum level. He joins us to discuss remote viewing. He also shares data from remote viewing sessions in relation to 2012 and huge planetary change.


text:
SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City-based Overstock.com Inc. says it's the first major retailer to accept digital Bitcoins as payment for goods.
The $1 billion company is tapping into a new market of buyers who use the online currency, and other major retailers will lose market share if they don't follow suit and accept Bitcoins, Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne said.
"I've been hearing from people all over the world — cult followers of Bitcoin — who say they are going to shift all of their shopping to Overstock.com," Byrne told CBS affiliate KUTV in Salt Lake City.
Bitcoin users buy digital money and load it onto a virtual wallet. They can buy things online without having to enter their credit card information.
Unlike government-issued money, the value of Bitcoin fluctuates rapidly. To protect itself, Overstock uses a Bitcoin broker that immediately exchanges the digital coins into dollars.
Overstock started accepting the virtual currency Jan. 9, and Byrne said the company almost immediately grossed $100,000 in Bitcoin orders.
"You'll see Amazon jump on board. You'll see other large companies — they have to because they cannot concede this whole section of the market to us," Byrne said.
Amazon.com Inc. does not accept Bitcoins and has no plans to do so, company spokeswoman Julie Law said Monday.
The cybercurrency has existed for years as a kind of Internet oddity, counting supporters among tech-savvy libertarians, currency geeks and online speculators. Yet increasing acceptance is bringing it into mainstream use. Bitcoins are created, distributed and authenticated independently of any bank or government.
The currency's cryptographic features make it virtually immune from counterfeiting, and its relative anonymity holds out the promise of being able to spend money across the Internet without fear of governments.
The linchpin of the system is a network of "miners" — high-end computer users who supply the Bitcoin network with the processing power needed to maintain a transparent, running tally of all transactions. The tally is one of the most important ways in which the system prevents fraud, and the miners are rewarded for supporting the system with an occasional helping of brand new Bitcoins.
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My Memories of a Future Life
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The Undercover Soundtrack – Andrew Blackman
Posted by Roz Morris @Roz_Morris in Undercover Soundtrack on April 24, 2013
'For a month, I listened to music to hear my characters'
Once a week I host a writer who uses music as part of their creative process – perhaps to tap into a character, populate a mysterious place, or explore the depths in a pivotal moment. This week's post is by award-winning literary fiction writer Andrew Blackman @BlackmanAndrew
Soundtrack by Beethoven, Sibelius, Laura Marling, Joanna Newsom, Birds of Chicago, Arctic Monkeys
Ah, the difficult second novel.
I'd written a manuscript of 100,000 words, sent it to my agent, and was feeling good. I met him at a pub in Camden, ordered a pint of Guinness, and sat on a bench outside in the watery spring sunshine, expecting a conversation about how large my advance would be.
Instead, I got something else. Something I wasn't expecting. I got criticism. The voices didn't work, he said. I'd told my story as a serial first person narrative, with a different character picking up the tale in each chapter. But they all sounded the same. One was an 80-year-old granddad, another a young woman from California, another a cynical 20-something furniture salesman. But they all sounded the same. They all sounded like me.
When I got home, I did what every writer does after receiving helpful, constructive criticism: I took it as an attack on my ability as a writer, went to bed and turned off the lights and felt like never getting up again. The manuscript I'd been so proud of that morning now seemed to me like worthless junk, a waste of two years of my life. It's lucky I'd made multiple digital copies, otherwise I'd have burnt the thing.
After indulging in a weeklong orgy of pathetic self-pity, I grew up, accepted that he was right, and went to work.
Changing the voice of all seven different narrators is no simple task. It's easier to write new scenes or even a new ending. Changing narrative voice means going through every line of the novel and rewriting it. But first it means defining what the different voices are going to be. As I've done many times before when in need of inspiration, I turned to music.
I created a different mood for each character, based on my idea of who that person was. The Beethoven and Sibelius I'd listened to while writing my first draft was fine for Granddad, but not for young, idealistic Marie from California. She listened to Laura Marling, Joanna Newsom and Birds of Chicago. As for Jon, the furniture salesman, he was an Arctic Monkeys man. I listened, and I tried to hear their voices in my head. I did this for all seven characters. For a month I didn't write a thing. I just spent time with my characters, listening to the music they liked and trying to hear them speak the sentences I'd written.
Doing this helped me see just how much my agent was right. My 20-something furniture salesman referred to a smelly minicab as being 'like a full-bodied wine, releasing more varied and subtle aromas with more time and attention'. With classical music playing, that had actually sounded OK. With the Arctic Monkeys blasting out, I realised just how ridiculous it was. I changed it to:
Another click and we were locked in. Hot and clammy suddenly, choking on nicotine and pine … At a red light, the fizz of a can, loud slurping, the metallic stench of Red Bull. Behind it all, a strange, burnt aroma…
I did the same with every character, line by line, word by word. I changed the vocabulary, I changed the cultural references, I changed the rhythm of the sentences. Jon, with his guitar-charged indie rock, spoke in a choppy, broken English, while Marie with her contemporary folk was more florid, elegant and occasionally long-winded.
By the end, I couldn't tell whether I was choosing music to fit the character, or whether the character was being shaped by the music. And the best part was that it didn't matter. I was listening and writing in different voices. I ended up with 29 chapters written by seven different characters, and there's nothing in the chapter title to indicate who the narrator is. The voices are, I hope, so distinctive that you can tell within a few sentences who you're listening to. It's only possible because of the time I spent with my characters, listening to their music and letting their voices enter my head.
Andrew Blackman's second novel A Virtual Love is in bookshops now. His debut novel On the Holloway Road (Legend Press, 2009) won the Luke Bitmead Writer's Bursary and was shortlisted for the Dundee International Book Prize. He's a former Wall Street Journal staff writer, now converted to fiction. More information available at his website, or you can connect with him via Twitter.
GIVEAWAY Andrew is offering a signed copy of A Virtual Love. For a chance to win, leave a comment here or share this post on Twitter, Facebook, G+ or anywhere else (and don't forget to leave a note here saying where you shared it).
A Virtual Love, Andrew Blackman, Arctic Monkeys, authors, award-winning, Beethoven, Birds of Chicago, contemporary fiction, Desert Island Discs, drama, Dundee International Book Prize, entertainment, Joanna Newsom, Laura Marling, Legend Press, literary fiction, literary novels, literature, Luke Bitmead Writer's Bursary, male writers, multiple narrators, music for writers, music for writing, My Memories of a Future Life, Nail Your Novel, narrative voice, playlist for writers, Roz Morris, Sibelius, The Undercover Soundtrack, undercover soundtrack, writers, writing, writing to music
- The Undercover Soundtrack is a series where writers - and occasionally other arty folk - reveal how music shapes their work.
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What is The Undercover Soundtrack?Sleeve notes here
For the soundtrack of My Memories of a Future Life, you'll need Chopin's Sonata in B Minor, Rachmaninov preludes, lashings of Grieg's piano concerto in A minor and The Clash's Rock the Kasbah (they go together well).
You'll also need Samuel Barber's Dover Beach on piano, although that doesn't actually exist so do the best you can.
And the novel's undercover pieces. You can find them here
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Welcome to LoanStar360, your go-to mortgage lender in Santa Fe, NM! Our friendly and knowledgeable staff are here to assist you with any of your home loan needs. With years of experience, we have the expertise to help you find just the right loan solution that meets your individual needs.
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Santa Fe ( SAN-tə FAY, - fay; Spanish: [santaˈfe], Spanish for 'Holy Faith'; Tewa: Oghá P'o'oge, Tewa for 'white shell water place'; Northern Tiwa: Hulp'ó'ona; Navajo: Yootó, Navajo for 'bead + water place') is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. The name "Santa Fe" means 'Holy Faith' in Spanish, and the city's full name as founded remains La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asís ('The Royal Town of the Holy Faith of Saint Francis of Assisi').With a population of 87,505 at the 2020 census, it is the fourth-largest city in New Mexico. It is also the county seat of Santa Fe County. Its metropolitan area is part of the Albuquerque–Santa Fe–Las Vegas combined statistical area, which had a population of 1,162,523 in 2020. Human settlement dates back thousands of years in the region, the placita was founded in 1610 as the capital of Nuevo México.
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text:
Palo Alto Board of Education members and their attorneys have discussed in closed session and in emails how they might challenge the legal authority of the federal Department of Education to impose on the district new policies on bullying and other issues and possibly even to conduct investigations, the Weekly has learned.
The possible strategy, a far cry from the cooperative and collegial relationship described by district officials and their attorneys in public session, was revealed in emails written by school board Vice President Barbara Mitchell and school district attorney Chad Graff of the Oakland law firm of Fagen Freidman and Fulfrost dated June 7 and June 10.
Mitchell's email, directed to board President Dana Tom, Superintendent Kevin Skelly and the attorneys representing the district, expresses her view that the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is "strong arming policy 'agreements' at the school district" and asked questions about what legal means the district might have to counter it.
"Your perspectives on this information would be valuable as we plan next steps," Mitchell wrote. "Please share responses with all board members in ways you see fit."
She asked what could be done to protect the district from "expansive federal requests for information or investigations, and/or protections from subsequently discovered 'violations' unrelated to the complaint, or when there is no complaint at all?" (The timing of Mitchell's email coincides with the notification by the Office for Civil Rights that it was launching a compliance review of the district's policies and procedures on sexual harassment and discrimination, which was initiated without a complaint. See related story.)
Her email also reveals that the district has made its own Freedom of Information Act request to the Office for Civil Rights for all the evidence compiled, including the agency's written records of interviews in all the civil-rights investigations it has conducted in the district.
Mitchell's email was forwarded on June 10 by Skelly to other board members, with her name removed, along with an email from Graff, indicating they were "in preparation for our discussion tomorrow" (June 11) in a closed meeting of the board.
Graff's email said he would review Mitchell's questions and "bring them into Tuesday's discussion of the District's steps to question OCR actions that are not legally directed and to obtain oversight of OCR actions that are overstepping their authority." He also indicated his law firm had been "pressing OCR for concrete identification of the legal issues that are the bases for their investigations."
The emails, which were posted on the district's website June 26 along with dozens of others among attorneys, board members and staff at the school district, were labeled "Privileged & Confidential Attorney Client Correspondence" and were intended to be redacted from public view, according to both Mitchell and Skelly, who learned they were visible when the Weekly sought their comments on Tuesday.
Mitchell and Skelly both responded by email stating that the emails were "inadvertently" posted on the district's website and requested that the Weekly "refrain from reviewing and/or using these communications for any reason" and delete or destroy any copies. By late Tuesday afternoon, copies had been removed from the district's website.
Mitchell, Tom, Skelly and a spokesperson for the Office for Civil Rights in Washington, D.C., all declined to comment on the contents of the emails or the district's strategies.
It is unclear whether a board majority has authorized the district's lawyers to research ways the district might challenge the authority of the Department of Education, what legal actions were under consideration and what decisions, if any, were reached by the board.
Board members Melissa Baten Caswell and Heidi Emberling both told the Weekly they support cooperating with the Office for Civil Rights and working with it to improve district practices. They would not discuss the June 11 closed session nor speak for the board as a whole. Camille Townsend was unavailable for comment.
In an email to the Weekly, Tom stated that the board's June 11 closed meeting was proper.
"The board's closed session discussion on June 11 of two cases with significant exposure to litigation was properly agendized, and the board's conference with legal counsel was in complete compliance with the agenda item," Tom wrote.
The posted agenda for that closed session stated the board would discuss two cases of "anticipated litigation" that involved facts and circumstances that the district believed were not known to the potential plaintiffs, one of the allowable reasons for a closed session.
Jim Ewert, general counsel of the California Newspaper Publishers Association, speculated that this stated exception could be based on reasoning that if the district were to decide to renege on one of its resolution agreements with the Office for Civil Rights or refused to cooperate with current investigations it could expose itself to legal action by the federal government.
Since the district voluntarily entered into a settlement agreement that committed it to developing and submitting discriminatory harassment policies for Office for Civil Rights approval, it would appear the district's primary option would be to stop complying with the agreement and essentially force the government to either back down or cut off the approximately $5.3 million in federal funds received by the district each year.
Another possibility is that the district is considering not cooperating with a new federal investigation into how Palo Alto High School has complied with laws dealing with peer sexual harassment and assault.
Terry Francke, general counsel of Californians Aware, a citizens' public-access advocacy group, questioned the appropriateness of the closed-session discussion.
"What I think makes the case for hush-hush discussion particularly weak is that this is a controversy purely of law. ... There are no surprise witnesses, experts or evidence to be kept under wraps. And the district's legal theory is precisely what it will lead with, possibly even fully articulating it in a letter to (OCR) announcing its intention to withdraw (from a resolution agreement) if things get that far," Francke said.
Former school board candidate Ken Dauber, co-founder of the parent group We Can Do Better Palo Alto and a regular advocate of more transparency in the operations of the school district, said he found the emails "very distressing."
"The reason that We Can Do Better Palo Alto has been calling for full, prompt, transparent and public discussion of this issue is precisely in order to avoid this kind of inappropriate behind-closed-doors discussion. It now appears that the board is telling the public that it is cooperating with OCR, while at the same time planning in closed sessions to evade federal civil-rights law. The board and district leadership should instead be focusing their attention on ensuring that all of our children receive the fair and equal treatment that they are entitled to," Dauber said in a statement.
In her email, Mitchell suggested that the federal agency didn't currently have the legal authority to mandate district policies on discriminatory harassment because there are two pending bills in Congress that would create that authority with little chance of passage.
"If the prospect of these bills passing is as slim as speculated here, it could explain the interest OCR has in strong arming policy 'agreements' at the school district and state level. It also provides a highly legitimate reason for school districts to avoid acting on policy language before Congress does," Mitchell wrote.
A review of the two bills Mitchell referenced, however, shows that they are unrelated to the legislative authority under which Office for Civil Rights operates. They would enact requirements for bullying policies and grievance procedures to protect all students. Under current federal law, the agency's jurisdiction is limited to allegations of discriminatory harassment based on gender, race, national origin, disability and other so-called "protected" classes. The Palo Alto district's dealings with the Office for Civil Rights have all revolved around cases of discriminatory bullying and harassment.


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The latest victim of disruption by Internet technologies is a veteran of World War I: the missing persons search.
French police will no longer search for adults reported missing by their families unless there are signs that the person is in danger. The police have abandoned searches in progress and stopped accepting new search requests, according to an announcement on a government website Monday. The changes took effect on Friday.
Such "searches in the interests of the family" were conducted under an administrative procedure almost a century old, introduced to help families separated during the upheavals of World War I to find missing relatives, according to the French Ministry of the Interior.
Requests for the searches have fallen considerably in recent years, and are now most often used to find those behind on alimony payments, the Ministry said in a letter to police chiefs announcing the changes last month. The letter instructed them to refuse further requests, adding: "You can direct people towards social networks on the Internet, which offer interesting possibilities."
Searches will continue for minors, and for those who disappear in worrying circumstances—for example those with suicidal intent, or victims of a crime—as they are conducted under a different procedure.
The Ministry attributed the decline in search requests to the rise of the Internet. Social networks, where people feel compelled to publish details of their movements and moods, make it much easier to trace or get back in touch with people after losing contact.
Indeed, there are numerous examples of families reunited through social networks or other online tools—although sadly many others are still searching.
Most recently, those affected by the tornado that struck the town of Moore, Oklahoma, have turned to Facebook to search for missing family members, with some success.
When even larger natural disasters strike, Google often turns on a service called Person Finder. Created in response to the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, it invites families to post details of missing relatives, and crowd-sources sightings or information about them.
Google Person Finder was also used following the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011, on a number of occasions in 2012 to help victims of floods in the Philippines after a succession of tropical storms and typhoons battered the island of Mindanao, and most recently following the bombing of the Boston marathon.


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vorkun posted on the forum topic Do gifts show up in members' profiles? in the group BuddyPress Gifts: 12 years, 3 months ago
I have been trying to figure out how to show only the gift with maybe the senders name under it say somewhere on the profile page, Anyone else worked on this and have a start of a idea?
vorkun joined the group BuddyPress Gifts 12 years, 3 months ago
vorkun posted on the forum topic Hide some profile fields in the group How-To and Troubleshooting: 12 years, 3 months ago
Yeah I am trying to do this also. Any one found out a way to do it yet?
vorkun joined the group How-To and Troubleshooting 12 years, 3 months ago
@vorkun Not recently active


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I have been doing a lot of talking about Burda lately, but I haven't shown any of my projects. I thought it was about time I showed off my first Burda project ever. I discussed my introduction to Burda here. When I got the February magazine, there weren't a lot of things I wanted to make, but the more I look at the styles, the more I find to like. In any case, since I had heard how traumatizing sewing Burda was, I decided to make my first project something simple. What could be more simple than this top?
|The top – Burda Style 02-2011-106B.
I found the softest knit in the flatfold section of the "local" non-JoAnn fabric store. Now, as I have stated before, I really can't wear prints. I just can't. I look ridiculous, like I am in my pajamas. However, this is the softest fabric ever. It was only $2/yard, so I got two yards. I couldn't help it. I loved it. It was sooooooooo soft. While sitting at the pattern books showing my mom the skating patterns I was contemplating (for new sleeve options), I induced they envy of every passer-by who wanted to touch my pretty knit fabric. When I got it I wasn't sure what to do with it, and I figured that with my trepidation over the pattern, it might be a good fabric for my first experiment with Burda, because I wouldn't be absolutely devistated over the loss.
I am happy to say that the project turned out well. Despite the fact that I kept repeating "This has no seam allowances, this has no seam allowances" while tracing, I barely caught myself before cutting out the fabric without any allowances! Whew! Disaster averted. And other than the sewing machine trying to eat my fabric while I was hemming the second sleeve (why is it ALWAYS the last step that gets bungled?), it went together really easily. While I still don't think I can really wear this in public without looking a little strange (it would be better in a 3/4 or sleeveless pattern perhaps? Or maybe it needs more accessorizing? A vest to break up the pattern?), the actual Burda pattern worked out super well. I love the drafting on the sleeves, and all-in-all a great simple long sleeve shirt pattern. And, it is sooooooo comfy and soft. So here is the finished product:
|My first Burda ever!
Now for the official review!
Pattern Description: A simple long sleeve t-shirt.
Pattern Sizing: Burda sizing 34-42. I made a size 40.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes! There are two versions of this in the magazine – one with stripes, and one in florals. Because of the type of fabric used, my shirt looks a little more like the striped version in terms of visible ease.
Were the instructions easy to follow? Actually, yes! Other than never telling me to sew up the side seams (I sewed them up just before setting in the sleeves), the instructions were very clear. Granted, this is a simple pattern I could have figured out on my own, but I figured for my first Burda pattern I should at least try to follow them to see what all the fuss was about. Now, some of the terminology is a bit… odd. You can tell the instructions are translated, but there wasn't anything that was totally puzzling. And, this may sound really odd, but I actually sort of like the Burda instructions – they are like a cookbook. They say what to do but not how to do it. I usually try to follow instructions (at least on a first sew-through with a pattern), and the basic outline of procedures left me feeling more open to trying new techniques. I also think the Burda instructions have practical finishing methods. These instructions included the use of a twin needle to finish the hems. I had never used a twin needle before, but I love the results!
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I loved the sleeve! The drafting is top notch. I totally understand why so many people love the Burda patterns. I have a bit of a full upper arm, but I had no problem with these sleeves – they fit great without being too tight or too lose. The whole shirt is a perfect blend of easy comfort while being just fitted enough to not look sloppy.
Fabric Used: Mystery knit from the flat-fold bargain section. I think it might be some sort of cotton or rayon knit (it really doesn't feel like polyester). It is so incredibly soft. I had my reservations about the print, but the softness and $2/yard price tag won me over.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I added 2″ to the length, because I have such a long torso. I also used clear elastic to stabilize the shoulder seams, but other than that, no changes.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes! I am so making this again in the future. I think next time I may take it in slightly at the waist, because I have the swayback and small-ish waist (really it is "average," but I always feel like patterns have too much ease there. I would also probably try a 3/4 length sleeve because I tend to like that length better than full-length sleeves. I would totally recommend this pattern! It is the perfect first Burda pattern – only 3 pieces to trace, not too much fitting, simple instructions.
Conclusion: This pattern has started my infatuation with Burda. My only issue is with the fabric choice – I don't think the print particularly suits me, but I love wearing this shirt because it is so soft. I am not sure how much I will wear this shirt out and about – but it is so incredibly soft and comfy, so it will definitely get use around the house. Overall this pattern is a win, I learned a new technique (how to use my twin needle), and I have a shirt that I love to wear. Highly recommended.
Ok, some more pictures!
|The back.
|Twin needle stitching and bias binding around the neck.
|Twin needle stitching around the hem.
|The fabric print. Perhaps a bit too busy for me, but so soft and comfy!


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Posts Tagged 'Do You Ever Think About the Printed Sources Sources'
Do You Ever Think About the Printed Sources Sources?
You know the drill by now. You find something on your ancestors in an old book and you are on Cloud 9 because now you have something factual to go on, it is in a book!
Well do you ever consider the source of that printed source? Do you ever wonder, "Gee I wonder how he knew that?" Well it would be good to think about the sources that were available to the writer at the time the book or other printed source was written.
I thank my lucky stars every time I find an entry in an old county history because it gives me a little platform to launch a new research project, or might provide clues that will send me off to search in greener pastures.
Most of the men and women that compiled those huge old county history books were nuts just like you and me and they had a story to tell that they thought was interesting enough to share with everyone.
Think about the time period that the author lived in and what was their background and why would they write it. Many of these big old books were published from about the 1850′s through about the start of World War I, with the largest majority coming to print soon after the Centennial of 1876 which I believe created an interest in the founders of this country over the previous 100 years.
I have a picture in my mind of one of these compilers having boxes and scrapbooks of old documents and newspaper clippings and journals and perhaps albums of photos or sketches that related to the early history of their community. Chances are they knew other people in their area that had similar collections and liked to swap yarns so I envision many letters back and forth.
So lets say an author is about 50 or 60 years old when they get bit by the bug that says 'better leave a trail'. They can remember back 40 to 50 years and they know what their parents told them growing up and they can go and interview the older people still living in the area.
These things were their sources right? They had few books that they could refer to for sources other than natural history books, gazetteers and possibly an earlier publication on the same subject that might have been released a generation or two previous.
They did not have Google, Ancestry.com, Rootsweb or any of the multitude of databases that you have right at your fingertips. They wrote history the old fashioned way, they did historical research in old record collections and they served up countless memories from various sources.
The point here is to not take anything too seriously that is found in print in any of these old publications, but by all means do not discount them or bypass them! By being able to prove, or disprove, any of these printed words using modern research methods or to at least build a strong case for a new hypothesis will afford you countless hours of pleasant research and a much stronger affinity to those that signed their name on the dotted manuscript say a hundred or more years ago.
In the future I plan on bringing you some stories about my favorite historians and why I want them to come back and do it all over again, this time with a computer.


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Have an event we should know about? Please Contact Us
Bluegrass Jam
June 11 @ 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every week that begins at 12:00 PM on Sunday, repeating indefinitely
If you play an acoustic instrument or if you're just a fan of bluegrass music, join us at Suds Monkey just about every Sunday from 12- 3PM for a Bluegrass Jam! We have plenty of outdoor space to spread out, play, and have some great fun, food and brews. See y'all here, cheers


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I have commiserated and shared advice recently with some friends who lost their jobs as the newspaper industry contracts. Other people who still have jobs are in the same situation I often find myself: trying to develop relationships with potential sources, partners, clients or vendors.
My first advice in either situation: Check out and update your digital profile. This is a good idea for any journalist (or workers in many other fields). Even if you're not trying to find a job or develop business, someone may be checking you out: sources; people you just met at a conference; someone considering you for the fellowship you just applied for.
Whatever the context, if I want to learn about someone, I am going to pay more attention to what I can find about that person online by myself than to what he or she sends me or tells me. So you should investigate your online profile and see how you look to others.
The first thing most people are going to do if they check you out is Google you. What would they find on the first page? In this respect, I am fortunate that I have a distinctive last name. Google (or search Bing) "Steve Buttry" or "Stephen Buttry" and all 10 hits on the first page are me. If you have a more common name and don't come up often or at all on the first page or two of a search by name alone, consider how a prospective employer (or someone else checking your digital profile) might narrow the search, possibly using the name(s) of the organization(s) and city(ies) where you have worked. See what shows up and what that says about you.
If you Google my name (either way), you don't get just the top 10 hits by Google's algorithm. You also see my Google profile at the bottom of the first page of results (not on Bing, of course; I haven't heard whether Bing lets you make a profile). If you have a more common name, your profile still appears at the bottom of the first page, though you'll have some company. I Googled a friend with a more common name and that first results page has four profiles at the bottom. Each listing has the name and then something about the person, city and/or employer. So if the first page normally doesn't turn up something about you, the first thing someone will see about you in Googling you is the profile you have compiled.
To develop a Google profile, simply Google "me" and click the link that says "create a Google profile." You can post a photograph, link to other photos in Flickr or Picasa, fill in fields about your education, career, life and interests. You also can add links. My profile has links to my blog, to my Blueprint for the Complete Community Connection, to various writing by and about me, to my social network profiles, to blog pages about my journalism career in general or specifically about my journalism training career.
See how I have guided the search of a potential business partner considering whether to hire Gazette Communications and me for some consulting on innovation: On the first page of Google results, you see my profile. Click on that and you are just a click from links that tell you more about me or show my writing or show writing where other people are praising my company and me. Check out what's online about you and guide your prospective employers, clients and partners to that material using your Google profile.
I also developed a Google map of my career, with further links to more stories, columns, blog posts and so on. In addition to whatever the content shows, the map shows that I know how to make a Google map. I'm not particularly adept at it, which people who know more than me about maps might be able to see pretty quickly. But those people will see that I'm learning and trying. And let's face it, most people who look at that map have never even done a Google map. They don't know how easy it is, so they might think I'm more skilled than I really am. I'm not going to oversell my skills, but I also don't mind if people who are checking me out jump to exaggerated conclusions.
What digital skills can you show by links from your profile? If you have skills with interactive databases or video, make sure you link to them from your profile.
Another place you will be checked out is in your LinkedIn profile. How would you look to a prospective employer, partner or client who examined your LinkedIn profile? Most profiles I see appear as though the person just has a few business contacts and doesn't use digital tools much. If your list of connections is pretty light, you can build it up pretty quickly by searching for current and former colleagues and classmates using tools on LinkedIn. As those people connect with you, check out their connections and you will usually find some mutual acquaintances to invite, expanding your circle further.
People checking you out on LinkedIn will also note whether anyone recommends you. You can ask people for recommendations. Or you can write some recommendations for people you respect. As I blogged when I was at the American Press Institute, when you write recommendations for people, they frequently reciprocate.
If you blog or use services such as SlideShare or TripIt, you can add applications so that recent posts or presentations or upcoming trips show on your LinkedIn profile. In addition to telling more about you, these applications show that you do more than kick the tires when you start using a new digital tool.
I should add that using these tools has other benefits. When I was visiting Reno recently for a presentation to editors of Swift Communcations, a friend from Washington who was working in a Maynard Institute program at the University of Nevada Reno saw my travel plans on LinkedIn. She emailed me and asked me to make a brief presentation for Maynard. And in the process I saw her and three other friends who were at UNR.
Facebook can be a troubling digital profile for young people who partied a lot in college with friends who had cameras. Yes, you can make Facebook private. But who wants to say no to a potential employer who wants to friend you? Take a look at your profile (and at photos elsewhere that have tagged you) and remove (or ask friends to remove the tags) any that aren't part of the image you want to present to employers, sources or clients who are checking you out.
You also should consider what your blog tells someone about you and what it says if you're not blogging. For instance, I should work on the vanilla appearance of my blog (that's been on my next-week list for a long time).
The image you present online is not more important than the work you can do. But you may not get to show what you can do if you don't show someone first in your digital profile.


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Father of 8 drowns in Fort Pierce Inlet
Victim's family reminds swimmers to stay near lifeguard stands
A Treasure Coast family is trying to deal with the tragedy of losing their loved one who drowned over the weekend in the Fort Pierce Inlet.
According to a report from the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office, a large wave from a boat wake pulled Jose Duran Castanon, 56, away from the shore.
More From WPBF: Email alerts | Mobile | Social
There are no lifeguards on patrol at the inlet.
Lt. Grayson Money, who works with the St. Lucie County Ocean Rescue, and was on duty a few miles away at Pepper Park, responded to the scene.
"When we got there, a sheriff's office deputy was working on him and we took over at that point" Money said.
Money said the crew was unable to revive the victim. Castanon was transported to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead.
The incident happened Sunday just after 3:30 p.m.
Officials in the area said the waters were extremely rough Sunday and nearby lifeguards posted red flags, warning swimmers about rip currents.
The victim's sister-in-law Guillermina "Gina" Duran, said her brother-in-law was an awesome and outspoken guy.
She wanted to remind all swimmers to stay near a lifeguard stand.
"Please be safe and go to the areas where there are actually guards," she said.


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A recent story in The New York Times, back in its business section, had important news about inequality: "Income Inequality May Take Toll on Growth." A couple of economists at the IMF reported research (here) showing that, across many countries, periods of greater income inequality tend to be followed by slow-downs in economic growth.
This is, actually, old news. About twenty years ago the research literature already showed that inequality probably damped the economy (see pp. 126ff here). But this remains important to repeat – not just because reporting the baleful effects of inequality now has the imprimatur of the IMF, but also because so many people still resist the news; they insist instead on believing the opposite, that inequality stimulates the economy, to the benefit of everyone. And, of course, this insistence has political implications right now.
Anecdote: Back in 1999, I was invited to give a paper to a conference, held at an eminent law school, exploring the contemporary role of the corporation. I presented the state of knowledge on the empirical question of whether inequality was necessary (or even helpful) for spurring overall economic growth; the research said no and suggested that inequality may well be harmful to the economy. The discussant for my paper was an eminent state jurist, one with considerable influence on corporate law. He summarily dismissed my conclusion – and the research it drew on – because "everyone knows" and economic logic tells us that the prospect of getting rich is necessary for people to work hard and to invest. Inequality must be necessary for economic growth. Case closed.
Many Americans have also felt that way. In 1987, 71% of survey respondents (to the GSS) said that it is probably or absolutely the case that "in order to get people to work hard, . . . large differences in pay are necessary." But phrasing the issue another way, we see some skepticism. In the same 1987 survey, only 29% agreed that "large differences in income are necessary for America's prosperity." That percentage has slowly shrunk: 29% again in 1996, 28% in 2000, and 24% in 2008 (shrunk basically because Americans in the bottom half have become less persuaded that the differences are necessary).*
"Job Creators"
The controversy appears in our current political debates. Governor Romney complains that raising or even keeping our current tax rates on the wealthy will strip the "job creators" of the funds they need to invest in new businesses and new hires. In other comments, he shows himself sympathetic to the idea that current or higher tax rates undermine Americans' desire to work hard. This is totally in tune with the theory that sizable income and wealth gaps are needed for economic growth.
When President Obama defends the tax-the-rich policy, he does so largely on the grounds of fairness and of addressing the deficit. When, however, he argues that "we grow the economy from middle out," he is, knowingly or not, alluding to an alternative theory about the sources of economic growth: that income for and spending by the working and middle classes drive growth. The 99% much better "incentivize" businesses and investors than tax cuts can, because well-off consumers buy the products businesses would sell, thereby creating a virtuous circle. (Even Henry Ford knew that.) Wealthy individuals with no prospective customers do not build business; they buy chalets and gold coins.
To the extent that facts matter in such a politicized debate, it is becoming increasingly clear that equality rather than inequality is a better policy for economic growth.
….* Interestingly, Americans in the lower half of the family income distribution were likelier than those in the upper half to endorse the necessity of large income differences! However, that pattern reverses once education is taken into account (the more educated are much more skeptical of inequality); at equal levels of education, those with higher incomes more often claim that inequality is necessary.


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Get Started: Define Your Individual Study Contract
From Help Wiki
Get started by defining your Individual Study contract at my.evergreen.edu.
Students: Define Your Contract
You can author your contract directly online or bring content over from a Google Doc or Word document via copy/paste
- Login at my.evergreen.edu
- Click on Individual Study Contracts
- Create a title and select a term to start a new contract
- Click the Start button at the top of the screen
- Define your contract and fill in the required information for all fields
- You can save your progress by hitting Save at anytime
- Click Return to Summary to go to the summary landing page where you can view your progress
When you are done creating a draft contract, your summary page should look like the image below.
You are now ready to move to the next stage, Collecting Feedback.


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Whether it's for the master or the guest, no bedroom set is complete without a solid wood dresser, bureau or a chest of drawers. Our wooden dressers are hand made to order by Vermont's expert craftsmen & designed to last for generations. Interested in matching furniture to go with your new dresser? Be sure to browse our Bedroom Sets section, on sale every day.
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We use solid wood: locally and sustainably harvested cherry, walnut, maple and oak. Whether your style is modern, mid-century, traditional, Shaker, Mission, Arts & Crafts or transitional, we think you'll find the right piece with us. Use our filters to sort for the size, wood species and the finish you're looking for. Our natural dressers are built to order, just for you and can be customized to fit perfectly into your space and style. Customers are saying nice things about our furniture & our customer service. Join them and let us craft your real wood dresser or entire bedroom set. You'll be delighted with the result, guaranteed.
We are a small family owned company and we know this handcrafted bedroom furniture is an important investment. We understand how meaningful each handcrafted piece will be to your family and we'll make sure it arrives to your bedroom in perfect order. Your complete satisfaction means everything to us. Now, for some details:
Our Natural Hardwoods
We are the experts in fine wood furniture. Our solid wood dressers are handcrafted in Vermont from real, North-American hardwoods. We're passionate about forest conservation and we source all our timber from sustainably managed forests right here in the USA. Much of our oak and maple comes from Vermont's own Green Mountains. Our cherry and walnut woods come from Pennsylvania, New York and the Midwest where the cherry and walnut trees grow naturally in abundance.
The thumbnails below represent natural cherry, walnut, maple, and oak woods with a clear, natural finish. If you are looking for a darker or lighter color, just use our dropdown menus to select a wood stain. You'll find many color choices from light ivory to soaped ash, amber, mahogany, ebony and espresso. Each wooden dresser shows the wood and finish options available for that model. Click on the "Order Samples" tab to have wood samples sent to your home.
Styles and Designs
Like it or not, your bedroom furniture can say a lot about you. Dressing it with Vermont made wood furniture and handmade Anichini linens is pure class. What's the difference between a dresser and a chest? We use the term wood dresser to refer to a set of drawers that is wider than it is tall. The opposite is true of chests.
Narrow your selection by shopping for Shaker Style Dressers or Dressers by Copeland Furniture. Didn't find what you were looking for? Take a look at our selection of bedroom Chests.
Customize Online
You can easily customize your dresser online using our drop-down menus. Choose from any of the available hardwoods and stain hues. Pick a finish option and a set of dimensions. Even customize your drawer pulls. For more detailed customizations, contact us for a quote.
Many customers call us because one of our designs inspired them to start sketching their own. Don'tbe shy. Send it to us for a quote. Our sales and design consultants are sitting at beautifully crafted desks ready to help you get the real wood dresser you've always dreamed of, please call us.
Our Craftspeople and Fine Woodworking Shops
Scattered across rural Vermont towns are workshops large & small where the handed-down tradition of crafting high quality, solid, functional and lasting furniture pieces continues. Vermont Woods Studios works with independent furniture makers to showcase their work and offer their products to you online and at our furniture showroom. Our furniture makers receive fair compensation for their considerable talent and they work in a safe and healthy environment. Some of our craftspeople work individually in small studios attached to their homes. Others work with a dozen fellow woodworkers and some own large companies that employ over 50 craftsmen and women. You may be familiar with our most popular woodworking workshops & furniture studios and we had made it easy to shop for their collections below:
Why Buy From Us?
- All our wood furniture and home decor is handcrafted in Vermont. We strive to offer you the highest quality products on the market while supporting the American economy and sustainable business practices.
- We have excellent customer testimonials both here on our site and on third-party review sites like Yelp, Sitejabber, Facebook and Google Business.
- We offer a lifetime guarantee on all our products, and free, white-glove shipping on orders over $3,000.
- You can easily customize your furniture online or by phone.
- Your dresser will be made from sustainably sourced local hardwoods and we'll plant trees in the Amazon rainforest to thank you for your order. So far we've planted over 172,000 trees on behalf of our customers.
Learn more about buying online, our woods and finishes.


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Boycott 2017 UIA World Congress of Architects in Seoul, S. Korea where 2 Million dogs are tortured and eaten every year!
Boycott 2017 UIA World Congress of Architects in Seoul, S. Korea where 2 Million dogs are tortured and eaten every year!
Watch this video from one of thousands of despicable illegal dog slaughterhouses in South Korea: http://youtu.be/ldblUoQ2tvo
Watch this undercover video by an animal protection group in S. Korea: http://youtu.be/aiWE4brZWe0
Read this undercover investigative report by an animal protection group in S. Korea: http://www.careanimalrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/sh.pdf
Dear prospective attendees of the 2017 UIA World Congress of Architects in Seoul, S. Korea:
I urge you today to please boycott the 2017 UIA World Congress of Architects in Seoul, S. Korea and stand against the appalling and despicable cruelty committed against the millions of innocent dogs in South Korea every year.
Harriet Beecher Stowe said, "It's a matter of taking the side of the weak against the strong, something the best people have always done."
In South Korea, 2 million dogs are tortured and eaten every year. Even though the country has established an Animal Protection Law for companion animals, dogs are still beaten, hanged, electrocuted and treated abominably by farmers and slaughters. And dogs and cats are still being beaten and boiled alive for so-called elixirs, which do not have medical properties except in the minds of naive customers.
These sickening practices have no place in the modern world. Other countries in Asia have banned the eating of dog meat and the cruel industry that goes with it many years ago: Taiwan in 2001, Hong Kong in 1950, Philippines in 1998, Thailand in 2000,... Why does South Korea lag behind these countries and other civilized societies?
It's the responsibility of the South Korean government to once and for all end the cruel dog and cat meat industries. Now is the time to cast off the absurd myths and propaganda surrounding these industries and their vile products. Now is the time to leave behind backward and unnecessary traditions.
And now is the time for South Korea to start taking animal protection seriously and show that it really does have a compassionate and ethical society. That means it is time for the South Korean government to better educate the public about the importance of spaying and neutering, about not abandoning animal companions, and about treating animals respectfully.
Until these things are done, South Korea's reputation in the international community will continue to suffer, despite its dazzling modernization and global thinking. Its citizens will continue to face shame and embarrassment.
There is no appropriate animal-protection legislation to prevent the animal cruelty currently taking place in South Korea. As someone who believes strongly that animals should not be treated in this way, I urge the South Korean Government to strengthen the Animal Protection Law to prevent animal cruelty and to introduce basic animal-protection regulations. It must also provide penalties for violations and ensure that mistreated animals can be legally seized from abusers and given immediate refuge. I request that the South Korean Government create an enforceable law to ban the torture, killing, sale, and consumption of dogs and cats.
Dear prospective attendees of the 2017 UIA World Congress of Architects in Seoul, S. Korea,
You have the power to make a difference for these poor animals who are forced to endure the most agonizing and unimaginable suffering. Would you please stand by these animals today and be their voice?
The 2017 UIA World Congress of Architects in Seoul, S. Korea: http://www.uia2017seoul.org/
South Korea's dog meat industry where all kinds of dogs are tortured and eaten: http://youtu.be/_JPYK3yTqWY (Part 1 of 2)
http://youtu.be/hXe3GV0GOB4 (Part 2 of 2)


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For those who missed the live stream, Co-founders Joe Sipher and Greg Woock demo'd Textfree with Voice today at TechCrunch Disrupt's Startup Battlefield. Watch the demo.
Think Textfree with Voice was the best startup presented? Vote for us!
(Look for the "Pinger" logo on the right side of the page, third down from the top.)
Read TechCrunch's news article about the demo: Pinger Now Turns Your iPod Touch Into A Free Cell Phone
The Textfree with Voice beta has begun! We've closed it to new testers for now, just so we can make sure everything's working properly. We'll open it up to more and more users shortly. Stay up-to-date on beta and app news: Textfree page on Facebook.
Go to blog home.


text: Our pacifier is a teether + pacifier in one with a beautiful modern design. The nipple can be pushed in and flattened to become an optimal teether. The large handle is ideal for gripping. Designed to help comfort and soothe as well as aid in the development of fine motor skills.


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Premier Deck and Fence Idaho Falls
Quality Deck and Fence Builders in Idaho Falls
Premier Deck and Fence is a local contractor with decades of experience building custom Decks and Fences, as well as Arbors, Trellises, and other structures.
We can build the deck you have always wanted using traditional pressure treated lumber as well as Trex decking materials. It's a great way to spend time with friends and family by expanding or creating a deck.
Our fencing includes all types of wooden fencing, privacy fencing and Vinyl fences.
All quotes are free so give us a call at (208) 357-9936 for a free quote.
Business Name:
Premier Deck and Fence Idaho Falls
890 Oxford DriveIdaho Falls Idaho 83401United States
(208) 357-9936
About Idaho Falls
Idaho Falls (Shoshoni: Dembimbosaage) is a city in and the county seat of Bonneville County, Idaho, United States. It is the state's largest city outside the Boise metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population of Idaho Falls was 56,813 (2019 estimate: 62,888), with a metro population of 133,265.Idaho Falls serves as the commercial, cultural, and healthcare hub for Eastern Idaho, as well as parts of western Wyoming and southern Montana. It is served by the Idaho Falls Regional Airport and is home to the College of Eastern Idaho, Museum of Idaho, and the Idaho Falls Chukars minor league baseball team. It is the principal city of the Idaho Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Idaho Falls–Blackfoot-Rexburg, Idaho Combined Statistical Area.
Neighborhoods in Idaho Falls, Idaho
Ammon, Aspen Park Apartments, Bayhorse, Blast Off, Boise Bench, Boise City-Nampa, ID, Border, Butte County, Central Bench, Chelsea Court Apartments, Clark Hill Rest Area, Clever Concrete, Collective Communities Pinewood Estates MHC, Copper Creek Homes, Creta Larsen-Silvercreek Realty Group
Things to do in Idaho Falls, Idaho
Our Newest Profiles


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Outdoors: Unfortunately our fishing hooks don't only end up piercing fish
and not just because sharp hooks catch more fish.
If you fish long enough, you're going to get hooked — deep. Once a hook is embedded, you're not going to be able to pull it out the way it went in because of its barb. The painful fact is that you have to push it all the way through, cut off the barb, then pull it back through its original track. It's hard enough to overcome the natural reluctance to more deeply impale oneself. We don't need the added agony of forcing a dull hook through tissue and skin that are tougher than we expect.
While fishing Barnstable Harbor last week, my son Matt, Bob Horgan and I were signaled on two separate occasions to help impaled anglers who couldn't remove hooks that had gone deep into their fingers. Both were hurt in the process of removing multi-treble-hooked lures made dangerous by heavy, deck-flopping stripers. Without help, the impaled would have aborted their trip for a visit to the Hyannis emergency room. There, Dr. Nate Rudman sees many such accidents during fishing season. Having the right tool for hook removal can save a day of fishing.
Thanks to Horgan, a retired City of Worcester electrical inspector, we have a pair of Klein diagonal-disc side-cutters on our boat to quickly cut through hooks and shorten the pain. Every caster of big lures should carry such a tool.
Removing hooks from a heavy fish that's just been brought on board requires caution, especially when more than one treble hook is involved. It's often the second, mid-lure treble hook that bites into an angler. Several captains suggested to me that we shouldn't ever grab onto the lure with our hands to remove it, as those two fishermen did.
While trying to keep our hands away from delicate gills, we should preferably hold the fish under the gill plates and off the deck, using needle-nose pliers or dedicated hook extractors (Rapala makes an excellent one). Trying to remove a lure while the fish is lying down gives it a platform to powerfully launch and hook you. Captain Wayne Bergeron of the Janine B feels that getting the fish off the floor is one of the most important ways of diminishing the likelihood of an angler getting hooked.
Sometimes we just can't remove a hook ourselves. Problems can arise, for example, if it has settled next to a bone, nerve, tendon or other nonmeaty section, or if its progress ends under a fingernail. In such cases, it may prove best to immobilize the lure with tape, minimizing movement and excessive pain, and have a surgeon remove it with the help of anesthesia.
It's time to cast flies, not tie them. But if you didn't prudently stock your fly box last winter, you can still get the feathers you need at Cote's Fly Shop at 115 Manville St., Leicester. Joe Cote has long been one of Worcester County's greatest resources for fly-tying materials.
Cote's is an authorized dealer for Collins Hackle, Whiting, and Metz, providing quality dry fly necks. They also carry Collins saddle hackles. Cote's has plenty of grizzly, cream and barred patterns. For those who insist on the long saddle feathers, Cote's recommends Whiting 100-packs, which are sized to the dry fly you wish to tie. They're priced under $25.
Cote's also carries rod components and custom-made rods. My son swears by Cote's rod-building and repair skills. Providing fair prices, quality selections and personal service in this economy is a tough combination to beat — and the reason for a long, loyal following.
Local waters stocked with trout this week included Barre: Ware river; Hardwick: Ware River; Holden: Quinapoxet River; Lancaster: Fort Pond; Northbridge: West River; Oxford: Carbuncle Pond; Petersham: East Branch Swift River; Princeton: Stillwater River; Royalston: Miller's River; Rutland: Long Pond; Sterling: Stillwater River; Sturbridge: Quinebaug River; Sutton: Singletary Lake; Upton: Pratt Pond, West River; Uxbridge: West River; Winchendon: Dennison, Miller's River.
Today through Sunday — Pow Wow. American Indianist Society, 92 McCormick Rd., Spencer.
Now through June 16 — Mother's Day to Father's Day Striped Bass Tournament. Sponsored by Canal Bait & Tackle. $20. Boat or shore divisions. Info: (508) 833-2996.
Now through Oct. 13 — Surfcasters Classic and Coast-Wide Cow (big female striper) Hunt. Sponsored by The Fisherman Magazine and other local organizations. Info: www.gotight.net/home.
Tomorrow — Central Maine Brittany Club Spring Field Trial. Maine Bird Dog Club Grounds, Brownfield, Maine (near Fryeburg). Info: Gary Anderson, (207) 947-5330 or email@example.com.
Sunday — Birding Upton State Forest. Forbush Bird Club. 7 a.m. Meet at main entrance to Upton State Forest at the intersection of Westboro Rd. and Southboro Rd. in Upton. Free. Leader: Nick Paulson, (508) 330-4401.
June 7 — National Wild Turkey Federation Central Mass Chapter Banquet. Spencer Country Inn, 500 Main St., Spencer. 6 p.m. Info: Keith Fritze, (774) 272-1274 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Contact Mark Blazis at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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I've avoided writing about the Trayvon Martin situation because liberals assume I should have an opinion because I'm black and so was Trayvon. When something happens to a black person and it garners national news attention, the mainstream media trots out "the voices of black America." This is offensive not only because the leftist mainstream media has appointed race baiters like NAACP, Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and Eric Michael Dyson as our spokespeople but also because it assumes blacks are like children who need others think for them. White people don't have white spokespeople speaking on their behalf and would never allow the mainstream media to dismiss their ability to think as individuals.
The murder of 17 year old Trayvon Martin was tragic and needs to be thoroughly investigated. His killer George Zimmerman should be arrested and questioned along with eyewitnesses. Martin's race could have been a motivation in Zimmerman pursuing and killing him but we don't know. Racial profiling certainly exists; I've experienced it first hand and witnessed young black men dressed in suits or jeans trying to catch a cab in DC and be ignored.
Juan Williams Wall Street Journal article sums what black activists are conveniently ignoring in their outrage over a single black teen's death that "nationally, nearly half of all murder victims are black. And the overwhelming majority of those black people are killed by other black people." Instead of wearing hoodies and participating in what I call hollow racial protests, the NAACP, black Congressmen and concerned citizens need to be showing outrage at the cancer called the breakdown of the American black family. Since the 1960s the crumbling black family has led to more black men in prison, greater number of high school dropouts, suspensions, etc. Finally, the biggest problem is 70% of black children are born to unwed mothers.
Rep. Bobbie Rush and others shouldn't be spending time wearing hoodies on the floor of the United States House of Representatives, reinforcing negative stereotypes of the thug life (drug dealers with pit bulls, jailhouse fashion, women described as bitches and hoes and illegitimate babies in town). Juan Williams notes Hollywood glamorizes these images in movies and music videos, which has "young black people internalize it as an authentic image of a proud black person."
"There is no fashion, no thug attitude that should be an invitation to murder. But these are the real murderous forces surrounding the Martin death—and yet they never stir protests," wrote Williams.
Blacks organizing protests around Trayvon's death ignore the white elephant in the room the disintegration of the black family over the past almost 50 years which is responsible for driving the black race into economic decline. In his 1965 research paper The Negro Family: the Case for National Action, Daniel Patick Moynihan then Assistant Secretary of Labor revealed the breakdown down of the black family was contributing to higher black dropout and incarceration rates and lower wealth achievement compared to whites. Moynihan warned, "The white family has achieved a high degree of stability and is maintaining that stability. By contrast, the family structure of lower class Negroes is highly unstable, and in many urban centers is approaching complete breakdown."
Moynihan further noted there was an alarming trend in the number of black families headed by single women and the rise in illegitimate births among blacks. In 1964, 23.6% of black births were to unwed mothers today it's 72%. Moynihan reminded us of what holds true today, when teenagers have children they are less likely to finish high school and climb the economic ladder.
The unemployment rate for black teens in 1965 was 29%, today it's 40%. Since the days of Johnson, Democrat policies like welfare have only worsened the problem for blacks by rewarding black women with taxpayer dollars for raising fatherless children. Moynihan's report it reads like it was written yesterday rather than nearly 50 years ago. "In a word, the tangle of pathology is tightening," wrote Moynihan. Indeed it is. The destruction of the black family is where blacks should be firmly directing their outrage not in hoodie protests "full of sound and fury" and achieving nothing.


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Customize this Home Sweet Home plaque with your house number. The number template is included with the pattern. The plaque is 8 inches tall and 7 inches wide.
I am on vacation next week and really looking forward to the time off. We have been so busy at work that I have not been able to get much time in my shop. I have a few ideas for new patterns that I want to work on.
Make A Donation


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Community to assist search for Rock Valley College chief
ROCKFORD — Rock Valley College trustees will call on business and community leaders to help them select a successor to President Jack Becherer, who will step down in June 2014.
By Sept. 1, the board will hire a firm to conduct a national search and assemble a panel of college and community stakeholders to aid in the search, board Chairman Michael Dunn Jr. said after a special meeting Saturday.
The search firm may identify dozens of potential candidates.
Trustees and a select group of college and community members would narrow that list to group of finalists. Trustees would negotiate a job offer with the ultimate nominee.
The board will interview potential search firms during public meetings this summer. Once a firm is selected, the search will take six to nine months, board attorney Joe Perkoski advised trustees.
Voters recalibrated the Board of Trustees last month, adding three newcomers to the seven-member board. The presidential search may be the most important decision the board makes, trustee Randy Schaefer said.
"This is one of the primary jobs of a trustee, to find a president," he said.
The college is losing its No. 2 administrator, too. Provost and Chief Academic Officer Diane Nyhammer joins Blackhawk Technical College in Janesville, Wis., on June 24 as vice president of learning.
Personnel matters aren't all that trustees will contemplate in the coming months. Administrators and trustees discussed plans Saturday to amplify the college's marketing and branding efforts.
Pam Owens, director of the RVC Foundation and College Advancement, told trustees that a marketing reboot is crucial if the college is to grow enrollment and better engage students and the community. Today's students, she said, live in the world of social media, and RVC must do more to reach them.
The college has budgeted up to $30,000 for consulting services to determine the type of marketing, branding and messaging changes that are necessary. Enacting those solutions may cost up to $100,000, Owens said, while a website redesign may cost an additional $300,000.
"Redesigning our website is huge," she said. "The website is how students find us. It's our front door."
Isaac Guerrero: 815-987-1361; email@example.com; @isaac_rrs


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Which Video Streaming Device Is Right for You?
Here are your best bets to send online video straight to your TV
En español | Streaming devices — those Internet-connected gadgets that play online content on your TV screen — are a booming market: Annual sales of streaming devices are expected to double to about 330 million by 2017. Consumers already have many options, and with tech titans like Amazon and Google reportedly prepping new products for 2014, you'll soon have even more.
While most TV manufacturers now offer smart TVs, which integrate online streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu Plus right into your flat screen, they charge a hefty premium for it. In many cases, connecting a streaming device to your TV set may be a more sensible option, offering a broader range of choices — and often for under $100. Before you start shopping, make sure you have a speedy Internet connection and an open HDMI port. Got those? Then read on.
If you're looking for quantity from your streaming device, meet the most robust offering on the market. More than 1,000 choices are listed on Roku's channel store, from popular services like Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant and Watch ESPN to more obscure services. With a little digging and research, Roku users can download channels that play nothing but B-movies or classic cartoons. Other channels offer local newscasts and weather from across the country, which can be nice for travelers or transplants who miss home.
Until recently, Roku was the only major streaming device that didn't have a YouTube app, but a new update added that feature. The Roku also lets you stream your own pictures and video from your mobile devices to your TV. The top-of-the-line Roku 3 features a motion sensor remote that turns the Roku into a rudimentary gaming device. There are a few fun trivia apps, and it is pretty cool to toss Angry Birds across your screen with a simple flick of the wrist, but the game selection is limited.
The Roku 3 (and the newly updated Roku 2) offer what's perhaps my favorite feature on any streamer: a jack on its remote that mutes your TV set and sends audio directly to your headphones. It's a perfect solution for anyone who wants to watch TV without disturbing others, such as a sleeping partner.
Price: $49.99 (Roku LT) to $99.99 (Roku 3)
Apple TV
The first incarnation of the Apple TV streaming box, released at the start of 2007, predates the iPhone. The jump Apple got on its competition has paid off as the tech giant still owns more than half of the streaming device market.
More apps and channels have been added over the years, and many of the biggies are here: Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go and YouTube. Recently added apps include Watch ESPN and the Smithsonian Channel.
Apple curates its offerings more stringently than some others — at least for now, you won't find Amazon Instant video. IPhone, iPad or Mac users already in the Apple ecosystem will benefit the most from Apple TV, as it seamlessly integrates iTunes and App Store purchases across all devices. Its AirPlay function, which allows content from iDevices to be streamed to your TV screen, is the most intuitive and smoothest mirroring option available.
Price: $99
Google Chromecast
Google's new streaming device is different for two reasons: its diminutive size, and its similarly small price. Instead of a box or console, Chromecast is a small dongle that fits in the palm of your hand and plugs directly into an HDMI port on your television. This eliminates one wire from your setup (from device to TV), though you'll still need a connection to power your Chromecast through an electrical outlet or — if your TV has one — a USB input.
At $35, it's roughly one-third the cost of Apple TV or the Roku 3 (Roku also offers a dongle streaming stick, and it retails for $69.99), and its July release was an immediate sellout. Supply is no longer a problem, but there's a bit of a you-get-what-you-pay-for caveat. The Chromecast is a nifty little device, but for now it streams only a few apps from your device or PC: Netflix, YouTube, Hulu Plus and HBO Go. That's a far cry from the streaming options found on Roku, and far short of even Apple TV's inventory. You can also play movies, videos and music from the Google Play store, and unlike Apple's proprietary device, the Chromecast integrates with both iOS and Android. It allows those using a Google Chrome browser to mirror content to the TV screen — which it touts as a workaround for nonsupported streaming services. But my experience with mirroring from Chrome has been frustrating, with lagging, blurry video. Apple TV's AirPlay is far superior.
Google may debut Nexus Play, a set-top streaming box of its own, in 2014. Meanwhile, the Chromecast, given its low price and Google's promise to add apps and services, is an easy device to recommend despite its limitations.
Price: $35
'Stealth' Streamers
Many Blu Ray players now double as streaming devices, offering a range of features, including a majority of the most popular services and apps. It's a great option for people who have already invested in Blu Ray and DVD collections, or who simply still like watching films, TV shows and other content on disc. You'll pay more for a Blu Ray player with streaming capability than for one without it, but it's possible to find streaming Blu Ray players for under $100, and it's an efficient way to bundle two devices into one.
If you're a gamer or have kids or grandkids who like video games, most gaming consoles — including the recently launched Xbox One and PlayStation 4 — now include streaming services, offering the standard lineup of apps and channels including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and YouTube. These are pricier options, though, as the Xbox One retails for $499, and the PS4 goes for $399.
Austin O'Connor covers television, film, gaming, gadgets and all kinds of entertainment for AARP.org. Follow him on Twitter: @austinjoconnor.
Also of Interest
See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more


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One of the stars of the award-winning TV drama "Breaking Bad" may soon have a new role: As a school board member.
Steven Michael Quezada, who plays D.E.A. agent Steven Gomez in the hit AMC show, is running unopposed for a seat on the school board in his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Quezada joins "Starting Point" to discuss why he wants to make a difference in the state that he and his show call home.


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Hello, everyone! It feels like it's been ages since I closed down Maiden Yarn. A few new life directions moved in, and knitting and spinning (even recreationally) slipped through the cracks. But just the other day, while browsing some Ravelry patterns, I got bit by the fiber bug again. Hard.
It started innocently enough. Just finding a sock pattern (or two or three) that I really liked. Then I realized that in a few days I was going to be on a plane to Colorado, and I really enjoy working on smaller knitting projects when I travel. Perfect! Dig through my stash, select a lucky yarn and pattern, and I was set.
Well, almost. You know that annoying moment when you realize you've left your stash alone so long your yarn tastes have changed? Yeah. . . I was a little less than inspired. There was one gorgeous deep red batch, but it just wasn't speaking the words I need to hear.
What did I do? Well, you might laugh, but I decided to spin my own. Yep, five or six days to lift off, and I wanted to spin sock yarn. And I did it. Mwahahaha.
Three different batches of leftover inventory from Maiden Yarn merged together to become this subtle beauty. Pale leafy greens, deep teal-blues, and the occasional streak of deep purple or lavender. The really cool part? It actually panned out at a gauge of eight stitches an inch. How often does that happen?
I have two balls of this stuff – well, one ball and one hank (hanks fit into suitcases much more easily) – a fistfull of size 2 needles, and a pattern decision to make. I'm leaning towards just using one of the basic patterns and pick a fun ribbing or rib/cable design for the leg. I've been out of the knitting game for so long it might pay to start out slow. And hopefully starting out slow will translate to actually finishing the project. I do so love hand knit socks.
Yarn specs: Two ply, hand spun, hand dyed. Fingering to light sport weight. Blend of superwash merino, bamboo, nylon, corriedale, and possibly some blue face leicester. Stashbuster.


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Restaurants and bars in B.C. want the provincial government to cut them a deal on the price they pay for wine, beer and spirits.
Right now, they're required to buy liquor only from government stores and they must pay the same price as everyone else.
That's prompted a C+ grade for B.c. on liquor policy in a new report from industry association Restaurants Canada, which concluded "Beautiful British Columbia is not so beautiful when it comes to liquor prices."
B.C. Restaurant and Foodservice Association president Ian Tostenson said the hospitality industry is struggling in many areas in part because of the high prices it must pay for alcohol compared to other jurisdictions.
"The industry should be able to buy at some kind of wholesale price," Tostenson said. "That's one issue that should be corrected."
Alberta offers wholesale discounts for its restaurants and bars, but there's no wholesale pricing in most other provinces.
Tostenson is in Victoria this week to lobby the province to make that change and to reconsider why it charges a higher sales tax of 10 per cent on liquor, instead of the usual seven per cent PST.
"We have the highest taxation on wine in North America," he said.
Restaurants would also like to be able to buy from private stores, which do get a wholesale discount and might be able to offer a price break to win restaurants' business. Tostenson said restaurateurs would also like access to the wider selection available in private stores.
Coralee Oakes, the provincial minister responsible for liquor distribution, made no commitments but emphasized the liquor policy reforms already launched by the province.
"Many of the changes we've made so far – including the introduction of happy hours and allowing children to join their families for a meal in the pub – focus on supporting restaurants," she said.


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This month's Xtreme Fighting Championships 20 event has a new headliner.
Danny Salinas (10-4) is out with a bicep tear, and Blackzilian team member Lorenzo Borgomeo (9-4) has stepped in as a replacement to take on fellow lightweight Eric Reynolds (15-5).
Officials recently announced the change to the card, which takes place Sept. 28 at Tennessee's Knoxville Civic Auditorium.
XFC 20's main card airs on AXS TV.
Officials plan to close out 2012 with Reynolds vs. fast-rising Nick Newell, but Borgomeo could spoil those plans.
Reynolds looks to build off recent decision wins over Luciano Dos Santos and Jonatas Novaes. The wins followed a rough 2-4 stretch in which the Florida-based Bellator vet suffered losses to notables such as Eddie Alvarez and Jorge Masvidal.
He now meets Borgomeo, an EliteXC and Bellator vet who pieced together a four-fight win streak following two early-year wins. However, the streak came to an end back in April with a decision loss to Roberto Rigamonti at a regional show in his native Italy.
The full XFC 20 card includes:
- Lorenzo Borgomeo vs. Eric Reynolds
- Chris Coggins vs. Scott Holtzman
- Sofia Bagherdai vs. Sarah Maloy
- Chris Dunn vs. Joby Sanchez
- Shah Bobonis vs. Cornelius Godfrey
- Drew Kennedy vs. Anthony Lemon
- Nate Landwehr vs. Adam Townsend
PRELIMINARY CARD (Untelevised)
- Cory Alexander vs D'Angelo Bynum
- Craig Johnson vs. Zach Odom
- Ian Boxhorn vs. Chad Perrine
- Adam Hyde vs. David Miles
- Jake Fine vs. Steve Thomas
- Chonci Houston vs. Tyler Hunley
For more on XFC 20, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.
(Pictured: Eric Reynolds)