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Ice storms and freezing temperatures have left scores of flights grounded, many vehicles piled up in icy crashes and millions of people stranded in their homes and along roadways in the Midwest. Winter storm Dion is being blamed for the bad weather that is blanketing a large portion of the country. As of Monday morning, over 2,000 flights were canceled nationwide with another 6,000 being delayed due to ice.
In Chicago, temperatures on Monday are going to hover around 16 degrees and with winds of between 12 and 24 miles per hour, the wind chill will drop below zero, making it dangerous to be outside for long. Emergency officials in the Windy City are urging people planning to go the Bears vs Cowboys game at Solider Field this evening to take extra care to bundle up well. The Chicago area received a few inches of snow Sunday night, prompting snowplows to head out early before rush hour to clear snow and ice from city streets and area roadways.
Very cold temperatures and dangerous wind chills are gripping a large part of the West and Midwest. Winter Storm Dion is being forecast to produce sleet, freezing rain and snow in parts of the East on Monday. Dion is the fourth named winter storm of the 2013-14 season. The system dumped more snow and ice on some of the same areas affected by Winter Storm Cleon last week. This latest system is going to cause wintery weather in the Great Lakes area as well as the Northeast Monday. Dion first made an impact in Washington, California and Nevada over the weekend where it caused hundreds of delays and left thousands without power as it dumped snow, rain and sleet.
The National Weather Service reported that large accumulations of ice could occur Monday in portions of Virginia, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. The NWS also said that unsafe road conditions could cause many accidents and traffic tie-ups in that area as well as in portions of the Midwest.
The arctic blast of cold air that brought with it snow and ice this weekend wreaked havoc on NFL fields and caused highway pileups Monday morning to disrupt commuters trying to make it to work. The wicked winter weather also knocked power out to thousands of homes and caused countless school closings and delays due to icy conditions. Even some federal agencies in the Washington DC area delayed opening times by two hours Monday due to the inclement weather.
Don Marks is the head of marketing and communications for Jarvis Property Restoration a leading disaster recovery contractor working in Michigan and helping customers with flood damage cleanup in Sterling Heights, winter weather related frozen pipes and ice dams that require water damage restoration and repair services. You can learn more online by visiting his Google+ page.


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I came here with a medium sized group and we shared everything family style… Tito Rad's Grill & Restaurant is perfect for that!
The appetizers we started off with were the lumpiang shanghai (lumpia) which is my all time favorite Filipino food and ukoy (bean sprout fritters). The lumpia had a mixture of pork, shrimp and mixed vegetable and was a perfect blend inside the extremely wonderful crispy shell. The bean sprout fritters were something new for me… The bean sprouts are fried in a batter, along with shrimp and vegetables. It was quite good as well with a nice bold flavor.
We also had quite a few main courses, such as pork adobo, a departure from the usual chicken adobo dish. It was really good, marinated in soy sauce, peppercorn and spices, cooked with onions. The pork was perfectly tender and well seasoned.
I also liked the BBQ pork chop and we even ordered another serving of that because we enjoyed it so much! The meat was juicy and very tasty. The accompanying sauce was worked really well with the pork chop.
Then there was the grilled tuna belly, which was great as well. The skin was grilled just right and tasted wonderful with the meat.
We chose 2 noodle dishes: Pancit and crispy noodles. The one I liked better was the pancit – sautéed egg noodles cooked with chicken, shrimp, chinese sausage, carrots, lettuce, other greens. It was a great medley of ingredients and each one tasted fresh and full of flavor. The other one had carrots, green beans, broccoli, chicken on top of a bed of crispy noodles. I liked the crunch of the noodles but it wasn't quite as flavorful as the pancit.
My least favorite dish was called Laing – taro leaves cooked with green peppers and apparently some sort of meat but I couldn't taste any of that. It looked like a mess of green and I didn't find it to be that good. It was lacking in flavor and I wasn't a fan of the consistency and texture.
After all that, we had to try some dessert. I was sold on the Halo Halo, which is shaved ice with ice cream, condensed milk, sweet beans, jello, taro cake, fruits! One of my table mates declared that it was good for one person, so I ordered that and it came in a HUGE cup. There was so much in there and it was delightful, although difficult to finish because the shaved ice was really cold (pointing out the obvious here, I know)! The ice cream was French Vanilla with strawberry jelly swirl on top and though I don't normally enjoy vanilla ice cream by itself, this ice cream was incredibly delicious: Creamy, sweet, milky and most of all, intense and fresh vanilla flavor! All the other ingredients were also quite good and the condensed milk tinged everything and gave it an extra level of sweet yumminess!
The service was pretty good and there was a lovely lady who came by several times to make sure we were doing okay and we got everything we ordered. She was a very gracious host.
All in all, a wonderful evening filled with quality Filippino food and great company!
Tito Rad's Grill
49-10 Queens Blvd
Queens, NY

subset: commoncrawl


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Story by
Robin Wauters
Robin Wauters is the European Editor of The Next Web. He describes himself as a hopeless cyberflâneur, a lover of startups, his family a Robin Wauters is the European Editor of The Next Web. He describes himself as a hopeless cyberflâneur, a lover of startups, his family and Belgian beer. If you'd like to know more about Robin, head on over to robinwauters.com or follow him on Twitter.
Whether it will be able to withstand the intense rivalry of the likes of Instagram, Viddy and SocialCam – plus a plethora of other media sharing apps – remains to be seen, but photo and video sharing platform startup Mobli has picked up $22 million in fresh funding to give it a shot.
Mobli, which hit 2 million users in April this year, had earlier secured $4 million in financing. Among its investors and advisors, we find celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Serena Williams and Lance Armstrong.
Today, the Israeli startup is announcing that it has landed $20 million from Kenges Rakishev, a well-known business leader from Kazakhstan. Prior backers also chipped in with a further $2 million.
Mobli basically lets users follow and engage with other individuals, as well as subject-based channels they find interesting, and posts different kinds of media to a wide variety of topical channels. Its iPhone app looks like this:
The company says it will use the money it has raised, or at least the part of the $28 million it still has left in the bank, to enhance development of its platform and grow its user base. Gil Eyal, SVP at Mobli, clarifies how the fresh capital will be spent:
"We're going to be spending the money in three ways:
1) R&D to enhance our current app and implement features focused on strengthening our value proposition.
2) content creation and curation.
3) marketing and partnerships."
For the record: the Mobli app is free of charge and available for iOS, Android and the Web.
Rakishev comments on the funding round thusly:
"Mobli has tremendous potential because it enables people to do something very powerful – to see the world through other people's eyes – in a simple, easy to use, and highly engaging format. Mobli leverages social media to meet a very real human need to visually share experiences, thoughts and ideas with other people in real-time."
Rakishev will also join the company's board of directors.
(Image Credit: ALI AL-SAADI for AFP / Getty Images)
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A couple of weeks ago, I was fudging around on YouTube and came across this two part series on using coconut milk as a hair treatment. I was immediately intrigued for two reasons. First, I love me some coconut oil! DON'T NOBODY better say nothin' bad about COCONUT OIL. 'Cuz that's when Bonita goes OFF!! *teehee* Second, the YouTuber's hair is RIDIC!! I mean, long as all get out and so healthy looking without a broken strand visible to the naked eye (whereas I have a ton from a rough, dry winter :()!! Now, I know her hair is not curly, kinky, or coily. However, I have always believed that we can learn things from a variety of sources and different textures/ethnicities as so many of the practices that promote healthy hair are the same, regardless of race/texture/hair type (i.e. moisture, protein, protection). And, given the benefits of coconut oil (did you see this recent article on CurlyNikki about the amazing penetrating capabilities of coconut oil?!?!?) and how great it works for me, I figured coconut milk (which has coconut oil in it) might be just as awesome.
via BeautyKLove
Part I: Extracting Coconut Milk
Part II: Applying Coconut Milk
Now, though I love the IDEA of using fresh coconut milk, #aintnobodygottimeforthat. *LOL* So, I broke out a can of coconut milk that I had in the cabinet. I had picked up a couple of cans a long time ago for a post-wash avocado/coconut milk/honey DC that didn't work out too well (made my hair hard). But, I was ready to give this new use of it a go! However, first, I decided to research a little more to see if I could find naturals who had used coconut milk with success. And, I just so happened to come across these posts by my virtual curlfriend, Petra/Emily CottonTop: Coconut Milk Deep Condition and Results – Coconut Milk Pre-Poo. In these posts, Petra shares a pre-poo recipe:
The recipe
Coconut Milk – 4 tablespoons
Honey -2 tablespoon
3 of Your Favorite oils – 1 tablespoon each
… and her awesome results. I was sold!
So, I whipped up a batch of coconut-milk with Vatika Oil and EVOO, using only two tablespoons of oil instead of three. I heated the mix and applied to my dry dirty hair. Then I donned a plastic cap and my thermal heat turban for about an hour. I will say that the application process was messy and a bit sticky. But, my wash process went very smoothly and my hair felt stronger, moisturized and my twists were so plump, juicy and shiny!
So, this past weekend, I made a coconut milk pre-poo again with the leftovers from the prior week. This time, I added some Aubrey Honeysuckle Rose conditioner (I was hoping that it would thicken the mix, but it didn't really) and applied and massaged plain, warmed coconut milk into my scalp too. Though the application process was still a little messy (I think I'll use a small dye applicator bottle in the future), I had great results again. So, I'm really thinking this will become a staple in my regimen!! I will keep an eye on my hair to make certain that the coconut milk doesn't begin to make it feel hard or brittle (due to the protein content). If it does, I will reduce the frequency of the treatment.
Finally, I don't use much coconut milk for the treatment and it only keeps in the fridge for about two weeks it seems. So, I was worried about spoilage and wasting it. Fortunately for me, I discovered that it can be frozen into ice cubes to form convenient "serving sizes" for future use!!!
So yeah, all engines are a go!! Coconut milk pre-poo treatments are my new boo!! Time will tell if it results in strands as long, seemingly perfectly uniform in length, and unbroken as that YouTuber!! One can only hope ;)!!
Do you use coconut milk in your regimen? If so, what's your recipe and process? How often do you use it? What benefits to you see from using it?


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Guess What Today Is?
At work everyone was talking about how it is a Friday the 13th, and a full moon.
I know that freaks some people out.
So I thought I would bring you something to put you at ease:
(Don't Fear) The Reaper by Blue Öyster Cult
This song was written by the lead guitarist Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser and is about accepting the fact that we are mortal and eventually our time will end. In the song he tries to talk about how we shouldn't be afraid, after all:
And that when our time eventually ends the love we have with others will carry on until we can meet again on the other side.
"And then he [the third brother] greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly." J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
I love this song, not just for the message, but the guitar:
And the cowbell! I just LOVE it. It is just perfect.
And of course this song has been on countless films and TV shows, including Halloween (original and remake)
And Supernatural.
It is a fantastic song.
For more on Friday the 13th, go to Who Ya Gonna Call?
For more of my musical choices, go to No Mere Mortal Can Resist the Evil of the Thriller: Thriller (1983)
For more on Jean Froissart, go to It's A Hard World: Backfire (1950)
For more Harry Potter, go to What Separates the Real Fans from the Fakes
So you guys know what Friday the 13th means to me. My annual tradition:
Time to Ghostbuster up in uniform or shirts:
Bring out the pizza!
And horror films:
Or TV shows:


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A quiet veteran: That is what I would call my husband.
George is humble about his service to his country. He is not one to tell war stories. Getting information about that time is not only difficult, it leaves me feeling intrusive.
We have often joked that had we met in the '60s, we would not have given each other the time of day. He was a captain in the Air Force, flying combat missions in Vietnam, while I was peacefully protesting that same war in New York City.
Nothing unruly, but not exactly quiet. A little march up Fifth Avenue. The Central Park Love-In. Letters to the editor of The New York Times. A few anti-war poems read in church basements in Greenwich Village.
I just didn't believe in that war. Although I didn't have ill feelings about our soldiers who fought in Vietnam, I absolutely didn't think they should be there.
But here's what I didn't know then that I have learned from my quiet veteran: The men and women who fought were in fact defending my right to protest; to disagree publicly as well as privately. And they were proud to do it. Yes, at some level I always knew this. But only after the last 27 years with George has it finally sunk in.
In my black-and-white world of war, one was either for it or against it. But then, I never had to fight in one. Rather than the hawk to my dove, my husband was simply a man of honor. Called to serve, he did so honorably. It was his job. More importantly, it was his country. His personal opinion about the validity of the war, though I believe was different from mine, did not come into play.
I have not altered my opinion that the Vietnam War should not have been waged. But I have gained a new respect for warriors.
Having arrived at this place of better understanding, I wish to say, as quietly as possible:
To my husband and to the many others like him who served with serenity, in that war and others, "Happy Veterans Day."
You are our heroes.
Send Patricia Bunin email at email@example.com.


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Kennedy assasination sent 'wave of grief' around the world
There is a quiet and somber feel to this small piece of America on an English hillside, near where the Magna Carta was signed eight centuries ago.
Only a trickle of visitors come to the John F. Kennedy Memorial, located on about an acre of land given to the people of the United States by Queen Elizabeth II in an unprecedented act of British affection for the fallen president.
Here, near the Thames River meadow where the founding charter of civil liberties was signed in 1215, the queen came in 1965 to dedicate the austere monument.
Accompanied by Kennedy's widow, his two children and two surviving brothers, the queen spoke of "the unprecedented intensity of that wave of grief, mixed with something akin to despair, which swept over our people at the news of President Kennedy's assassination."
She spoke for the multitudes. Much of the world learned of Kennedy's death within minutes, and 50 years later it still feels the loss.
Across six continents, in sports grounds, statues, scholarships, streets, hospitals, bridges, parks and schools, the name of John F. Kennedy is preserved in perpetuity, nowhere more keenly than in the hearts and minds of the Irish.
There he is widely recognized as the nation's most famous son, whose great-grandfather Patrick emigrated to Boston in 1848 from a 14-hectare (35-acre) farm near the River Barrow in Dunganstown, County Wexford.
That farm in Ireland's southeast corner has become a focal point for tens of thousands of JFK pilgrims annually since June 1963, when Kennedy visited his ancestral homeland. His four-day tour inspired unparalleled excitement in a then-impoverished land that had never before seen an American president.
In the nearby town of New Ross, a bronze podium bearing microphones and the presidential seal marks the riverside spot where Kennedy spoke. A flame taken from his burial plot in Arlington Cemetery burns at the center of a globe-shaped sculpture dedicated to Ireland's emigrants.
Carmel Delaney, a New Ross native, was 11, singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" with a crowd of Catholic schoolgirls when JFK's helicopter landed.
"We wouldn't have seen a helicopter before. That was something fabulous altogether," she said. "We knew he was somebody extremely important. We knew he was a god."
The day after Kennedy's funeral, Ireland observed a national day of mourning. Tens of thousands queued to sign the U.S. Embassy's condolence book, and businesses closed so employees could attend Masses in JFK's memory.
Jacqueline Kennedy gave the president's Irish relatives the rosary he had in his jacket when he died. It is on display at the Kennedy Homestead.
At the homestead, JFK's closest living relative in Ireland, fourth cousin Patrick Grennan, says the family is planning no special occasion for the 50th anniversary.
"We Kennedys choose to commemorate life, not death," Grennan, 38, said while showing a visitor around the homestead. "We celebrate the triumph of his visit to Ireland, his inspirational words. We try not to dwell on the horror of what happened later."
"I put on the radio, and just at that moment there was a chilling report informing us that the president had been assassinated in Dallas," Fidel Castro wrote in a recent newspaper column. The usually voluble former president of Cuba recalled being struck dumb. "For all intents and purposes there was nothing that we could talk about."
In Cuba, Kennedy was reviled for authorizing the Bay of Pigs invasion and perceived as bellicose during the missile crisis that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.
"Every Cuban felt like that president was attacking us. You couldn't have the slightest good will for him," said Manuel Rodriguez, a 74-year-old former bank employee and militia member who was mobilized during the Bay of Pigs attack and the missile crisis.
He remembers that Kennedy's assassination shocked Cuba and provoked fears that new tensions would roil the island. Once again he was called up for military duty.
His view of Kennedy has softened somewhat over the years; today Rodriguez believes the hostile U.S. policy toward Cuba was set by Kennedy's predecessor, Dwight Eisenhower, and that Kennedy had to "keep up the pace."
In Bogota, Colombia, Maria Cristina Reyes remembers exactly what she was doing when Kennedy was shot.
He had touched her life.
Reyes was 16 and newly married when JFK pulled up in a black limousine with his wife and Colombia's president on Dec. 17, 1961. She and her husband were among people building simple one-story red brick houses financed by Kennedy's "Alliance for Progress" initiative.
One of the homes would be the Reyes family's, in a district which would be named Barrio Kennedy.
"We felt great joy to see someone who was not from our country come and give something to people who were really in need," said Reyes.
Neighbor Martha Garay, now 77, remembers Kennedy's impact: "He was dashing, attractive, impeccable, and so was his wife."
JFK lingered, visiting a lot of the houses, "and spoke some Spanish though it wasn't anything that was very understandable," Garay said, chuckling.
Reyes said she was housecleaning when word of the assassination reached her. "We turned on the radio when they announced the terrible news."
Today, having lived through Bogota's violent decades, she sounds fatalistic when she thinks back to Kennedy's murder.
"When a person like President Kennedy comes around and tries to help, they always cut him down," she said.
The day after the assassination, the performance of Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya" ran as scheduled in London's Old Vic theater. When the play ended, Sir Laurence Olivier stepped forward, raised his hands, and said that instead of applause the actors would rather stand with the audience for two minutes of remembrance. The great actor and director arranged for the silence to be broken by the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner."
Since his death, the legacy of JFK has touched lives the world over. David Miliband, a Briton, is typical. He studied in the U.S. on a scholarship from the Kennedy Memorial Trust, and went on to serve as his country's foreign secretary.
"Today Kennedy remains a repository of hope not because he was assassinated but because the things he said and did created hope," Miliband says. "There is a huge sense of promise unfulfilled. His vision was utterly inspiring."
At Runnymede, carved on a rock, is a sentence from JFK's 1961 inauguration address that still resonates around the globe: "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty."
John Fitzgerald Kennedy Munene is a 32-year-old Kenyan. His mother chose that name when she gave birth to him in the U.S. while on a student exchange program. He has studied the American president more than the average Kenyan, including reading Kennedy's "Profiles in Courage."
He has also studied a program made possible by JFK through the family trust when he was a senator that took dozens of African students to the U.S. to further their education. One person in the program was Barack Obama Sr., the current president's father.
Munene, who works in information technology, likes to play soccer, wearing a jersey with "JFK" emblazoned on it. When they see it "people say, 'Are you going to be Kenya's president?' ... It's quite a fun name."
It was early afternoon on June 26, 1963, when Christian Sack first saw John F. Kennedy. His West Berlin high school had given its students the day off for the U.S. president's visit to the city, which had become a front line of the Cold War. Twenty-two months earlier the East German communist regime had rammed a wall through Berlin.
Sack was one of an estimated 1 million Berliners who lined the streets that day.
As a teenager, he recalled, he was "more interested in music and girls than politics," but Kennedy captured his attention when he proclaimed his solidarity with the isolated city, in a speech that ended with the famous line "as a free man, I take pride in the words, 'Ich bin ein Berliner'" — "I am a Berliner."
"The atmosphere was explosive — explosive with excitement," Sack said. "You have to imagine the wall had only stood for two years and the politicians in West Germany just wanted quiet and never said much about it, so it was naturally almost a feeling of liberation that a politician would take it up and put it on the agenda."
Five months later, Sack was on the Kurfuerstendamm, the city's liveliest boulevard. "People just stopped and started talking — Kennedy had been killed," he said. "There was a huge disbelief, and sadness."
Some 60,000 people, many in tears and carrying torches, gathered at the place where Kennedy gave his famous speech.
After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Berliners remembered "I am a Berliner." Many of those who gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in sympathy carried signs that said: "We are all New Yorkers."
More JFK stories, photos, videos, links and reader recollections


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If you love embroidery but don't have the time, skills, or inclination to do it by hand, an embroidery machine will be your new best friend. Simply set it up, pick your design, and the machine will do all the difficult work for you.
Our No. 1 pick is the Brother PE770 Embroidery Machine. It's an excellent choice without going into professional territory with its steep price tag. We love the decently sized embroidery field and range of available designs.
The vast majority of home embroidery machines are single-needle models, which create designs using just one sewing needle. These machines are compact and reasonably priced, but it does mean you need to change the thread several times if you want multicolored designs. Multi-needle embroidery machines can hold threads of several different colors, so they can use four to eight hues in their designs without you needing to change thread colors. Sure, this is convenient, but multi-needle models tend to cost several thousand dollars.
Embroidery machines are only able to embroider designs in a limited area — this is sometimes called the embroidery field. The dimensions of this area can range from about 3 x 3 inches to more than 8 x 10 inches. Think about the size of the designs you'd like to embroider before buying.
This is the amount of built-in embroidery designs your machine comes with. You can find machines that store anywhere between 25 and 200 designs, plus anywhere between four and 15 fonts. The good news is you can download additional fonts and designs and add them to your machine either wirelessly or using a USB drive or cable.
The more stitches per minute your embroidery machine can achieve, the faster the design will be finished. Slower machines can reach about 300 to 600 spm, whereas high-speed home machines manage 650 to 1,000 spm.
You need embroidery hoops to keep the area of fabric you'll be embroidering taut. Some machines include several different-sized hoops. If not, you'll need to buy them separately.
Embroidery machines have LCD display screens built into them, so you can view the design before you start. Some machines also allow you to make some simple edits on-screen such as adjusting color choices, flipping or rotating designs, and editing text. Large color display screens are preferable to small black and white screens.
You can find some basic home embroidery machines that range from as little as $200 to $300, but on the other end of the spectrum professional multi-thread models can cost more than $4,000. A high-end home model will cost between $800 and $1,500.
A. Your embroidery machine will have some built-in designs, but with a computer you can download more and transfer them to your machine for use, which gives you far more choices. Plus, you can buy computer software that allows you to design your own embroidery patterns if you want to be even more creative.
A. Some models are dedicated embroidery machines, but it's common to find options that double as sewing machines, particularly at the lower end of the price spectrum. It's worth noting that multi-purpose machines are often only moderately adequate at both sewing and embroidery, rather than being excellent at just one.
Brother PE770 Embroidery Machine
Our take: This reliable embroidery machine is easy to use and gives excellent results. At 650 stitches per minute, it works quickly, too.
What we like: Includes 136 built-in designs and six fonts, plus a USB port to easily add additional designs. The 5 x 7-inch embroidery areas are sufficient for most users. Clear LCD screen.
What we dislike: Can be tricky for beginners to use.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Brother PE800 Embroidery Machine
Our take: Along with being highly affordable, this machine has some excellent features, such as a color screen.
What we like: Features 11 fonts and 138 embroidery designs with the capacity to add more from a USB drive. Easy to edit designs on the LCD touchscreen display screen. Automatic needle threader saves time.
What we dislike: Small embroidery field.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Our take: This embroidery machine has 197 built-in embroidery designs, and has electric foot control.
What we like: There are 7 different presser feet and a maximum speed of 850 spm.
What we dislike: Much simpler than other models on the market.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.


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Making a good thing out of a bad situation, Mike Potter has a new post on the RIApedia blog today detailing issues he's had at this year's php|tek conference surrounding his machine.
I was all set to present at the PHP|Tek show here in Chicago yesterday when I encountered a very (very very) ugly hard drive failure, 3 slides into my deck. [...] If you're looking for similar slides, these ones from a previous presentation in New York are close [pdf], though not exactly the same.
So, in lieu of the slides, he's shared lots of great links for the things he was going to talk about in his presentation including:
- Picnik
- the Flex Showcase
- Cal Evans' Flex and PHP tutorial
- the JSON library and AMFPHP combination


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Jimmy Fallon is enjoying the picture book business.
The talk-show host is working on his second illustrated story, "Everything is Mama," Macmillan Children's Publishing Group announced Wednesday. The book is scheduled for Oct. 10 and is being billed by Macmillan as a "hilarious ode" to motherhood, told from the baby's point of view. Fallon's "Your Baby's First Word Will Be Dada" was a best-seller published in 2015. Miguel Ordonez is the illustrator for both releases.
Fallon, 42, is the father of two girls, Winnie Rose and Frances Cole.
Copyright AP - Associated Press


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$ 35
Copywriter Chelsea Adams, Writing & Content
Chelsea Adams
United States, New Orleans
Joined May 21, 2020
About Chelsea
About freelancer
With more than 20 years' experience as a professional writer, I've become something of a chameleon. I can easily adapt my writing style to fit my client's brand voice. I've written for a wide spectrum of businesses in various industries. Healthcare, travel and home improvement are where I excel. I am an expert at distilling complicated information into easy-to-read content. See my writing samples at www.chelseaadamswriting.com or feel free to contact me for examples from a specific industry.
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It's Valentine's Day as I write this. What better time to check your loved one for skin cancer? One in five Americans will get some form of skin cancer in their lifetime, and this is probably true for many other countries, as well. Even more Australians will get skin cancer than in the U.S. Although lighter-skinned people are more at risk, people with dark skin also get skin cancer and should also take precautions and check themselves and others.
In recent years, several of my family members have gotten skin cancer, including basal cell, squamous cell and melanoma.
Although there is a genetic component, overexposure to the sun and repeated sunburns greatly add to the risk. Even in winter, avoid overexposure to the sun and wear sunblock. Stay away from tanning beds.
From Wikipedia: There are a variety of different skin cancer symptoms. These include changes in the skin that do not heal, ulcering in the skin, discolored skin, and changes in existing moles, such as jagged edges to the mole and enlargement of the mole.
- Basal cell carcinoma usually looks like a raised, smooth, pearly bump on the sun-exposed skin of the head, neck or shoulders. Sometimes small blood vessels can be seen within the tumor. Crusting and bleeding in the center of the tumor frequently develops. It is often mistaken for a sore that does not heal. This form of skin cancer is the least deadly and with proper treatment can be completely eliminated, often without scarring.
- Squamous cell carcinoma is commonly a red, scaling, thickened patch on sun-exposed skin. Ulceration and bleeding may occur. When SCC is not treated, it may develop into a large mass. Squamous cell is the second most common skin cancer. It is dangerous, but not nearly as dangerous as a melanoma.
- Most melanomas are brown to black looking lesions. Warning signs that might indicate a malignant melanoma include change in size, shape, color or elevation of a mole. Other signs are the appearance of a new mole during adulthood or new pain, itching, ulceration or bleeding.
- Merkel cell carcinomas are most often rapidly growing, non-tender red, purple or skin colored bumps that are not painful or itchy. They may be mistaken for a cyst or other type of cancer. About skin cancer.
A related post I wrote after I was diagnosed with basal cell cancer. Vitamin D — The Sunshine Vitamin.
Two important websites:
National Cancer Institute Information on Skin Cancer.
Here's a blog post by my friend Jan describing our spring break trip in college to Padre Island, where we got horribly sunburned within hours of our arrival! Done With The Sun.


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It is critical that physicians carefully explore what ACO opportunities may mean to their practice and career, including malpractice, liability and disability insurance.
Well, 2013 is well underway and what an interesting (to say the least) year it promises to be.
Physicians will face more challenges, and be making more high-impact decisions this year than perhaps at any time in recent memory.
As I talk to physicians nationwide, many are asking about accountable care organizations (ACOs) and what they mean to their current or future insurance programs and needs.
It's a good question - new ACO pilot projects seem to be popping up almost daily. And, even if the opportunity you may be considering is not a textbook ACO, there is a good chance that your practice will be involved in some type of vertically integrated health plan where hospitals, physicians, and ancillary providers and resources work closely together in a community or regional basis.
While I certainly hope we find ways to maintain and protect independent physicians and small groups, there is value to such emerging models and it is understandable why some physicians have joined or are considering the option.
However, as with any change, what you don't know could hurt you. Therefore, it's critical that physicians carefully explore what prospective opportunities may mean to every facet of their practice and professional life, including malpractice, liability and disability insurance and related risks, exposures, and costs.
For example, the spirit of an ACO is that physicians should run or be "accountable" for quality patient care. But in reality, most physicians will have little control in the daily operations of the ACO. It is often hospital systems, very large groups or other private healthcare firms that own and develop the model, and retain most management and decision-making responsibility.
Here's where it can get tricky: Because ACOs are still so new, insurers still don't know exactly where the new types of claims may occur. However, there are many things we do know. For example, there needs to be clear assignment of risk responsibilities and all parties need to know what is and isn't covered. This type of information is only obtained by asking a lot of questions and paying special attention to the following critical areas:
1. Who is running the ACO and what type of coverage do they have? Is it run by a hospital group or a physician group? That's perhaps the most critical area to examine. You don't want to find out after a claim that you as a physician had new responsibilities you did not understand and are not covered. Similarly, you don't want to learn that the entity managing the ACO entity did not have the right coverage.
2. Who is responsible for selecting providers - your new peers and colleagues? If the ACO management is responsible for selecting and vetting providers and if there is a subsequent claim involving improper screening or hiring, whichever party is responsible for this ACO function will be the target.
3. Who will handle contract negotiations? The ACO management will likely be charged with negotiating contracts with Medicare and Medicaid. If there is a claim citing that poor incentives led to improper care, again, the party responsible for this ACO function will likely be held liable.
4. What happens in the case of a claim involving EHRs and patient privacy? There will be considerable data sharing within an ACO among other physicians, providers, and hospitals. Steps must be taken along every step of that process to ensure medical record security. In the event of a breach, depending on circumstances, the ACO would likely be responsible. Groups should not only address security, but also ensure that resources are in place to properly respond to a breach.
One area that may be challenging for groups and physicians relates directly to patient care. ACOs are charged with providing high quality and cost effective care. They will often provide clinical guidelines and pathways for physicians to follow. As we've found out from claims related to health management organizations (HMOs) in the 90s, this can lead to problems. Did the physician use independent professional judgment or guidelines and mandates?
Carriers, physicians, and ACO managers are discussing how to handle this and other situations as the model evolves. At this stage, established carriers and brokers are conducting analysis and making assumptions based on trends and examples from similar models, such as HMO programs.
Meanwhile, it is vital to ask the right questions, read contracts carefully, and have a knowledgeable insurance broker by your side to serve as a resource, answer questions, and advocate on behalf of the medical group and its physicians.
Are you considering joining or starting an ACO? Have you thought about insurance issues yet or are you more focused on some of the bigger picture issues?
For more on liability issues regarding ACOs, listen to Jeffrey Brunken's podcast interview with Physicians Practice Associate Editor Aubrey Westgate.


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Christmas isn't even here yet, but I'm already worrying about leftovers. I justify this to myself by saying that I like to plan ahead, but maybe I should be enjoying the moment.
In any case, I ALWAYS have leftover mashed potatoes after holiday meals, so I was thrilled to find a hundred-year-old recipe for Potato Croquettes that calls for mashed potatoes. The Potato Croquettes had a crispy crust filled with a delightful spicy mashed potato mixture flavored with paprika, cayenne pepper, celery salt, parsley, and onion.
And, here's the recipe updated for modern cooks:
Potato Croquettes
2 cups hot mashed potatoes (If they are cold, they can be reheated in the microwave.)
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (red) pepper
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup fine bread crumbs
approximately 1/2 cup shortening
Mix together the potatoes, butter, salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, celery salt, parsley, egg yolks, and minced onion. Shape into 1-inch balls; then roll in flour, dip in beaten egg, and finally roll in bread crumbs. (If the potato mixture is sticky – and not very firm, skip dipping in the egg.)
Place the shortening into a frying pan, and heat until hot. (There should be about 1/2 inch of melted shortening. Add more if needed.) Drop balls into the hot shortening, then gently roll the balls with a fork until all sides are a light brown. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.
When I made the recipe I used 1/2 teaspoon of salt rather than the 1 teaspoon called for in the original recipe. I also used chopped onion rather than onion juice. The recipe turned out fine with these substitutions.


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Good day, listeners,
Does a place make a man, or in this case a Mann? If today's questioneer decides to move his young family to Stanmore, will he find himself raising his own curly-haired cat-obsessed musicals lover? Or will he just benefit from convenient Jubilee Line access and a nice Lebanese restaurant? We consider the benefits of the burb that birthed Olly in Answer Me This! Episode 251:
Today we ponder upon:
morning sickness
poisonous plaster
the Wiki Wiki Shuttle
wiki wiki Ward Cunningham
phone sex vs. sex
carpenter-style jeans
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen
human chorionic gonadotropin
the only non-singing, non-dancing part in West Side Story
the sanitary iPad.
Plus: Olly needs to learn to speak Bloke; morning sickness won't put Helen off having a baby, but everything else will; and Martin the Sound Man is a big hairy flowerpot, and no returns.
In this week's Bit of Crap on the App (available for iDevices and Android) we continue our discussion about equine actors; it moves on to child actors, then somehow to Olly having sex with a Battenburg cake. Which is the inevitable end of any discussion if you continue it long enough.
Next week will be a Special Guest Episode, and if you haven't listened to the episode yet to find out who it will be, here's your SPECIAL GUEST SPOILER:
That's right, Dobby from Peep Show/Esther from Shameless/Isy Suttie from Isy Suttie's comedy shows will be joining us to answer your QUESTIONS. So send them to us: leave voicemails on the Question Line by calling 0208 123 5877 or Skype ID answermethis; or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
See you next week!
Helen & Olly


text: The History and Heritage Collections includes material about Florida's historical and cultural heritage. Included is the Florida History and Heritage Collection which documents Florida arts, culture, history, and society. The general United States History Collection is comprised of miscellaneous materials on U.S. History. Materials relating to Florida's role in the Civil War is held in the Florida and the Civil War Collection.


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So the other day this weird but not totally surprising thing happened. There I was at Checkers standing in front of the poultry section trying to find the least sorry-looking chicken breasts to grill in a dry, unappetising way for supper because #fatgirl and also #fatbastard and this woman comes up to me and says, 'Excuse me… I'm sorry to interrupt, but are you Kendall Jenner?' And it's remarkable because even though I'm not actually Kendall Jenner I find that lately the similarity between us is becoming uncanny and something one can't deny unless one is seriously impaired.
There are just so many things we have in common, Kendall and I. We both drive a black car and also she spends much of her time sadly picking at bits of lettuce in plastic containers and complaining about things like how busy she is and how much the paparazzi is hounding her. Which, if you'll ask my husband, is very much like the way I spend most of my days except for the paparazzi part. Definitely I will concede that she is possibly more famous than me even though just this morning at the meeting to discuss outfits for the Grade 7 fashion show one of the moms said, 'maybe you can write about it on your blog ha ha' indicating to me that she knows of the blog and also that I write it. I know that Kendall gets comments like this all the time. It's exhausting for famous and semi-famous people.
The actual truth of me is that I pay the DSTV people nearly R800 a month just so that I can watch the Kardashians being on holiday in Maui laughing and having the best time ever until ones pushes the other one overboard on a yacht causing her to lose a ginormous diamond earring the size of a ham hock and yet she manages to be sad for only one episode. They are very zen, those girls, and I admire that about them. If it was me, even though mine are cubic zirconias, I can guarantee that whomever pushed me like that and made one of my favourite earrings fall out would hear about it every day for the rest of their natural life. So it is literally the only show I watch since the cooking shows make me hungry and I can't follow the news and all those words.
And I watch the show because it inspires me. If Khloe can get that thin in revenge against Lamar Odom (we all know the sorry details of what happened, no need to repeat it here) who am I to whine about having one boiled egg for breakfast? No-one. I am no-one. She is my inspiration, Khloe Kardashian. And their teeth… I think I find their teeth the most inspiring thing of all. With teeth so white and perfect how can you have one bad day in your life? The second I got a summons in the post saying chances are fair to middling that I'll be going to jail for unpaid parking fines I would just whip out my compact and look long and hard at my teeth. Jail, schmail. Bring it.
Also, and this is incidental but I'll mention it in passing, Kendall Jenner and I have the same watch. Just look at the pictures closely and you'll see it's true. Identical. She was also (like me) asked to wear it and in very laissez faire fashion kept her shirt unbuttoned to her navel. Because whyfor must she waste her time with buttons? She has black cars to drive and salads to eat. So next time you see me purchasing a package of Country Pride and wonder to yourself, is that her? Is that really her? wonder no more.
(If you also want to be mistaken for a celeb at Checkers have a look here. If you choose to purchase one of their seriously gorgeous watches online and put in the code DISCOPANTS (which is me, not Kendall) the Daniel Wellington people will give you a 15% discount up until December. Kendall and I love ours).


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McCrory adds voice to coastal governors who want offshore drilling
Gov. Pat McCrory, on the heels of headlining a panel in Texas this week on offshore drilling, said opening up the Atlantic Ocean could "create thousands of jobs, produce much-needed revenue and move us closer to energy independence."
But local officials are keeping a watchful eye on the possibility of drilling off North Carolina's coast – even though it may be years out if likely at all.
Harry Simmons, mayor or Caswell Beach and executive director of the North Carolina Beach Inlet and Waterway Association, said, "We're all watching carefully" to see what's being considered and proposed. But it's too early to form an opinion, he said.
"It has been essentially something that won't be allowed for so long I don't think most of us have given it a lot of thought," he said.
The reason it's not likely to happen for a long time is because President Barack Obama's five-year plan – from 2012 to 2017 – developed by the Department of Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management does not include the Atlantic or eastern Gulf of Mexico for offshore drilling or exploration. Plans had been discussed to include the regions but were halted following the summer 2010 Deepwater Horizon-BP oil spill that claimed 11 lives, spewed oil for 87 days, and wreaked havoc on the Gulf Coast – particularly the states of Mississippi and Louisiana.
Though perhaps futuristic, there's still activity ongoing in preparation of potential drilling three miles off North Carolina's coastline, where federal waters begin. And McCrory is among governors pushing to open up the Outer Continental Shelf to potential drilling and exploration.
"I'm pleased to join other coastal state governors in calling on the Obama administration to allow for responsible development of our offshore oil, natural gas and renewable energy sources," McCrory said in a statement.
In addition to McCrory, the governors who met Monday for the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston were those from Alaska, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and South Carolina.
According to a release from McCrory's office, the governors "underscored their support for federal legislation mandating revenue sharing from development of oil, gas and renewable energy resources in the Outer Continental Shelf." They also called for efficient and consistent regulatory approval for offshore development.
Nicolette Nye, spokeswoman for the National Ocean Industries Association, which represents offshore drilling interests, said North Carolina is in a position similar to other coastal states where oil and gas development has been denied by the federal government for the past 30 years.
"Should there be significant resources, the jobs and economic benefit could be tremendous throughout the state," she said in a statement.
Andy Radford, senior policy adviser for the American Petroleum Institute, said an environmental impact study is ongoing in the Atlantic – stretching from New Jersey to Florida – to determine the impacts of seismic surveys. Seismic surveys, commissioned by big oil companies, are used in oil and gas exploration to identify potential prospects for leasing and drilling.
But Matthew Huelsenbeck, marine scientist on the climate and energy team with Oceana, an advocacy group that works to protect the world's oceans, said that seismic testing alone could cause years of environmental damage.
Seismic testing could begin off the shore of North Carolina as soon as next year, Radford said. A seismic survey involves a boat that tows streamers with microphones behind it. Those streamers hear sound and an air gun is shot off every eight to 10 seconds. The streamers contain sensors that pick up reflected sound waves that are used to create a picture of the subsurface structures that may contain oil and gas.
But seismic testing has its risks, opponents argue.
"A deaf whale is a dead whale," Huelsenbeck said. "Air gun blasts are incredibly harmful for marine life, especially whales and dolphins that can endure permanent hearing loss. "There's a lot at risk of doing the seismic testing alone in the state of North Carolina."
His organization supports offshore wind energy as an alternative.
"In North Carolina for instance you could supply 100 percent of the state's energy from offshore wind. You could completely replace coal and other dirty sources if you wanted to," he said.
Metro desk: 343-2389
On Twitter: @StarNewsMolly


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With Doha's fascinating variety of museums, markets and much more, you can be assured that you will bask in an unforgettable voyage. Dive into an endless array of activities that you do not want to miss, as you explore this city.
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Discover historical artworks, relish a taste of Arabian culture or unearth picturesque natural phenomena in Doha and beyond.
Meander through the Museum of Islamic Art, where some of the Muslim world's most treasured artefacts are displayed, or visit the National Museum of Qatar to uncover the unique creations of artistic masterminds. You can also wander along the aisles of Qatar National Library, housing over one million books.
Another gem in Doha is Katara Cultural Village, which beautifully captures the essence of Qatar. This vibrant locale brings the past to life, celebrates the present, and stirs excitement about the future, through an enticing blend of theatres, concert halls and galleries.
If you yearn for an outdoor affair, journey to the Inland Sea or "Khor Al Udaid", one of only three places on the planet where the desert and ocean merge. This environmental spectacle sports striking features including rugged ridges, heightened plateaus and salt hillocks.
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Take a stroll along the Corniche to behold West Bay's skyscrapers gleaming in the sunlight, or hop onto a wooden dhow to enjoy a ride along tranquil blue waters. To savour an adrenaline rush, try kneeboarding, jet skiing or parasailing at Katara Beach.
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Carolyn's Shade Gardens is a retail nursery located in Bryn Mawr, PA, specializing in showy, colorful, and unusual plants for shade. The only plants that we ship are snowdrops and miniature hostas. For catalogues and announcements of events, please send your full name, location, and phone number (for back up use only) to email@example.com. Click here to get to the home page of our website for catalogues and information about our nursery and to subscribe to our blog.
This photo is one of my favorite shots of my native woodland which has huge swathes of some of the native plants that are particularly good spreaders, including Virginia bluebells, Mertensia virginica, and Celandine poppy, Stylophorum diphyllum. For more photos of my woods and information on the natives I grow there click here.
This weekend Carolyn's Shade Gardens is holding its second annual Native Wildflower Weekend on Friday from 10 am to 4 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm. This event is my seventh annual native plant event and is timed to coincide with my native woodland coming into bloom. However, this is the coldest spring that I have experienced since starting Carolyn's Shade Gardens 21 years ago. The timetable for my events is the same but the plants in the ground and in the pots are on a totally different schedule—they didn't get the memo, they think it's early March.
Another shot of what my woods should look like with dwarf Jacob's ladder, Polemonium reptans, in the foreground and native wild-ginger, Asarum canadense, in the background. The Jacob's ladder is visible right now, but the ginger has not even emerged from the mulch of ground leaves.
Normally I write a blog post around this time featuring native plants. That process usually involves heading out to the garden to take a lot of photos of my native plants to use in the article. However, the only plants blooming right now are hellebores, pulmonarias, and many beautiful non-native bulbs—all my winter-blooming shade plants. So I thought I would use some of my existing photos to show you what spring usually looks like and to highlight some native favorites.
The woodland with golden groundsel, Senecio aureus, and Virginia bluebells. Golden grounsel is a wonderful native plant with fragrant yellow flowers and wintergreen leaves. It spreads aggressively to form an impermeable groundcover and should only be planted in places where its habit can be accommodated. It is a wonderful replacement for pachysandra, vinca, or ivy.
'Home Fires' creeping phlox, P. stolonifera, is actually blooming in the pots for sale at my nursery. You have to admire its courage!
'Sherwood Purple' creeping phlox is the best spreader for use in a shady woodland. Creeping phlox should not be confused with moss phlox, P. subulata, which is also native but prefers part shade.
Lemon coral bells, Heuchera villosa 'Citronelle', keep their color all winter as do all the coral bells native to our area. They are also tough as nails compared to the coral bells derived from western natives that don't work here.
'Green Spice' coral bells have beautifully patterned leaves all winter.
Indian pink, Spigelia marilandica, is a very flashy native that blooms in May and June and attracts hummingbirds. It is dormant in the garden and in the pots right now.
The lovely fragrant flowers of 'Blue Moon' wild sweet William, Phlox divaricata, are a great spreading addition to the woodland edge.
'May Breeze' wild sweet William is a steely white.
One of my all time favorite native plants, cardinal flower, Lobelia cardinalis, blooms in the fall and is a hummingbird magnet.
No garden should be without bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis.
Dwarf Jacob's ladder and Celandine poppy are equally vigorous and combine well.
The elegant leaf pattern of our native mayapple, Podophyllum peltatum, is under-appreciated.
Another hummingbird attractor, wild columbine, Aquilegia canadensis, needs very good drainage.
If you like the shiny leaf of European ginger, the native long-tailed ginger, Asarum caudatum, from the west coast is a nice alternative. It grows faster and is less picky about siting.
'Purple Beauty' moss phlox, P. subulata, is one of seven different colors that I will be selling this season. Moss phlox is often seen in quite a bit of sun but it also thrives in part shade locations. It likes to be well-drained.
A treasured native, twin-leaf, Jeffersonia diphylla, has not even started to emerge yet.
Another native of western US, 'Caerulea' camassia, C. leichtlinii, grows in the full shade of my woodland and in the sunny areas beside my lawn.
'Pagoda' dogtooth violets, Erythronium 'Pagoda', are so happy in my woods that they have self-sowed all over.
My favorite time of year for the purple-leafed native geranium 'Espresso', G. maculatum, is when it first emerges in the spring.
Foamflowers, Tiarella cordifolia, are a wonderful Pennsylvania native. This is the spreading form 'Brandywine'.
In well-drained locations, blue dwarf crested iris, I. cristata, spreads to make large colonies.
Every photo in this post was taken in my garden. If you live in the area, I hope you can visit when the plants are in bloom. Meanwhile, if you want them in your garden, this weekend is your chance to acquire them.
Carolyn's Shade Gardens is a retail nursery located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, US, zone 6b. The only plants that we mail order are snowdrops and miniature hostas and only within the US.
If you are within visiting distance and would like to receive catalogues and information about customer events, please send your full name and phone number to firstname.lastname@example.com. Subscribing to my blog does not sign you up to receive this information.
Nursery Happenings: Our Native Wildflower Weekend takes place this Friday, April 5, from 10 am to 4 pm, and Saturday, April 6, from 10 am to 2 pm. If you are a customer, you should have gotten an email with all the details. If you can't come to an event, just email to schedule an appointment to shop. If you wish to order shrubs, I will be doing a second order within the next week for customers who missed the deadline.
Facebook: Carolyn's Shade Gardens has a Facebook Page where I post single photos, garden tips, and other information that doesn't fit into a blog post. You can look at my Facebook page here or click the Like button on my right sidebar here.
Notes: Every word that appears in orange on my blog is a link that you can click for more information. If you want to return to my blog's homepage to access the sidebar information (catalogues, previous articles, etc.) or to subscribe to my blog, just click here.


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Best Hotels in Western U.S.
See the best hotels in Western U.S. from National Geographic Traveler's annual Stay List.
The most authentic and unique hotels in the western U.S., chosen by National Geographic Traveler editors for the 2011 Stay List
Historic Anchorage Hotel, Anchorage, Alas.
Sole historic hotel in city's vibrant center. Rooms a balanced mix of past and present: steam heaters and flat-screens. Largest gift shop in state: birch tree syrup, Ulu knives, Eskimo yo-yos. Weekend Anchorage Market and Festival just one block away (300 vendors). 26 rooms; from $89.
Winterlake Lodge, Anchorage, Alas.
A remote luxury lodge along Iditarod National Historic Trail, reached by float- or ski-plane. Rugged country, sure, but comfort level high: fine cuisine from Cordon Bleu-trained chef-owner, wine tastings, complimentary massage, yoga, hot tub. Artisan log beds, cast-iron fireplaces. Hike into the mountains for alpine flower bloom. Grizzly viewing, Mount McKinley (Denali) fly-bys, glacier-trekking. Upcoming: a new cabin with wood-heated sauna. 9 rooms; $798 per person, all-inclusive.
The Lodge at Black Rapids, Fairbanks, Alas.
One of the state's newest lodges, overlooking Black Rapids glacier, in the heart of the Alaska Range. Built as homage to Yosemite's Ahwahnee Hotel: copper shingles, spruce timbers, black cladding. Four of the rooms share baths; all have French doors opening to balconies. While there, look for Dall sheep and grazing bison. Spiral staircase to Belvedere lookout for winter Northern Lights viewing. 10 rooms; from $190.
McCarthy Lodge & the Ma Johnson's Hotel, McCarthy, Alas.
A 1920s-frontier false-front hotel in a restored Alaskan ghost town, surrounded by enormous Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Home-off-the-range rooms: fabric-covered walls, handmade quilts, pedestal sinks. Saloon is a popular local hangout, with "open mike" evenings. Greenhouse supplies fresh produce; salmon caught wild. Playtime: Fly-in glacier trekking, alpine hiking, rafting. 20 rooms; from $129.
The Inn at 410 Bed & Breakfast, Flagstaff, Ariz.
A turn-of-the-century craftsman bungalow on Flagstaff's Nob Hill, two blocks up from resurrected historic downtown. Antique wicker rockers in some rooms, two-person jetted tubs, walk-in rain showers in others. Before tackling Grand Canyon, bulk up on a hearty seasonal breakfast in the dining room or summertime garden terrace; hot apple cider and homemade cookies await your return. 10 rooms; from $150, incl. breakfast and snacks.
The View Hotel, Monument Valley, Ariz.
Only hotel in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. Melds into the red bluffs; backdrop to countless Western movies. All balconies face dramatic Mittens formation. All-natural landscaping, dimmed exterior lights for stargazing. Navajo owned and operated for a purpose: job creation means cultural preservation. Hike nearby Wildcat and Mesa Rim trails. (All other trails require Navajo guide.) 95 rooms; from $95.
Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa, Phoenix, Ariz.
Opened its doors in 1929. Built of geometric precast blocks of desert sand. The original "designer" resort; Frank Lloyd Wright was consulting architect. Form-meets-function now encompasses eight pools, 92-foot waterslide, spa greened with vegan products, and a pet-friendly policy. Must-do traditions: high tea in lobby and "high'tini" in lobby lounge. 739 rooms; from $279.
Price Canyon Ranch, Price Canyon, Ariz.
A veritable 1879 Texas longhorn cattle ranch in a box canyon of Chiricahua Mountains. Forget nose-to-tail trail rides; guests ride in the open. Cattle drive first of every month. Hearty ranch grub, comfy rooms with exposed-brick walls, cowskin rugs. Hot tub, pool, world-class bird-watching. Cowboy boots mandatory. 10 rooms; from $220, incl. meals and horse riding.
La Posada Hotel & Gardens, Winslow, Ariz.
A 1929 railway hotel originally designed as a centuries-old fantasy Spanish hacienda. Saved from demolition by historic preservationist owner in 1997: hand-painted glass windows, tin chandeliers, some original six-foot-long cast-iron tubs. Planting of original garden based on sustainable desert plants now underway. You can still come here by train: Amtrak stops twice a day. 37 rooms; from $109.
Rancho De La Osa, Sasabe, Ariz.
An adobe guest ranch with Spanish land-grant heritage in high Sonoran desert. Pool with 100-year-old saguaro. Mission bell rings when cantina (1725) opens. Lots of bird song (350 species). Everything recycled: horseshoes become wall hooks, saddles turned into furniture. Secret ingredient? Prickly pear syrup in lemonade and sauces. 20 rooms; from $290.
Mar Vista Cottages at Anchor Bay, Anchor Bay, Calif.
Back-to-nature kitchen cottages in a seaside setting with organic gardens, hens, bunnies, and goats. Essence of simplicity: rooms with Shaker peg rail on walls, cotton slipcovers on furnishings, rag rugs atop wood floors, and compost bin. Guests harvest their own meals from garden, two greenhouses, hen house. Stargaze (no outdoor lighting), explore tidepools, kayak Gualala River. 12 cottages; from $110.
Treebones Resort, Big Sur, Calif.
Off-the-grid ridge-top complex of yurts and stilted communal buildings on Cape San Martin. Views: 180 degrees of ocean, 180 degrees of wilderness. Contemporary Big Sur folk art in yurts: patchwork quilts, hand-hooked rag rugs. Oceanview pool and hot tub. Family and staff all live on-site. Beachcombing, ocean kayaking with sea lions and whales. 17 rooms; from $155, incl. breakfast.
Sequoia High Sierra Camp, Giant Sequoia National Monument, Calif.
Think scallop carpaccio instead of gorp because that's the sort of food you'll get at this off-the-grid tent camp on 40 hillside acres reached by one-mile hike (no cars allowed). Concrete floors, wood-shutter windows, Pendleton wool blankets—and maid service. Open-air dining pavilion for five-course dinners. Trails thread among giant sequoias and into King's Canyon. Crowning achievement: three-mile (one-way) hike to 10,365-foot Mitchell Peak. 36 tents; from $300 per person, including all meals.
Historic Requa Inn, Klamath, Calif.
No-nonsense eco-conscious lodgings overlooking Klamath River estuary, one mile from Pacific Ocean. Simply built of redwood in arts and crafts style. Interior hews to 1914 heritage: claw-foot tubs, original sinks. Buys carbon credits to offset hotel's energy usage. Do your part by hiking the Coastal Trail or adjoining Redwood National Park. 10 rooms; from $99.
The Carneros Inn, Napa, Calif.
Upscale board-and-batten base camp in Pinot Noir country. In and out of each room: deep soaking tub, alfresco shower, private garden. Eco-tech galore, including membrane bioreactor for wastewater (recycled for gardens and vineyards), geothermal paint for insulation, and Adirondack chairs made of recycled milk cartons. Indulge in crushed grapeseed scrub in spa, early-morning balloon flights, complimentary bikes for sip 'n' cycle winery tours. 86 rooms; from $530.
Rendezvous Bed & Breakfast, Palm Springs, Calif.
This is the main-drag motel you stayed in as a kid, a 1950s overnighter built around a small pool. Revamped in retro-mid-century style: blue astroturf pool deck, martinis in the vinyl bar. Each room a 1950s theme: Crooners, TV Shows, Pretty in Pink (Marilyn Monroe actually stayed in this very room). 10 rooms; from $160, incl. breakfast, evening martinis, and appetizers.
Best Western Hotel Tomo, San Francisco, Calif.
Refurbished in youthful homage to J-pop (Japanese pop culture), in center of Japantown. What starts in lobby—Godzilla movies playing under anime ceiling murals—continues in guest rooms: bean bag chairs, glow-in-the-dark desk blotters. Nightly sake tasting. 125 rooms; from $119.
The Ambrose, Santa Monica, Calif.
A residential retreat in sync with this hyper-green coastal city. In-room recycling, nontoxic housekeeping, preferred parking for hybrid cars. Stickley-style furnishings, natural limestone countertops. Even hotel's London taxi runs on biodiesel. Guests carpool to attractions, like Santa Monica Pier. 77 rooms; from $239.
Cavallo Point Lodge, Sausalito, Calif.
The new Bay Area place-to-be enclave with a green heart and a red neighbor: Golden Gate Bridge. Landscape restored with native plants. Rooms (choose historic or contemporary) cozy with organic sheets and towels; recycling bins and ceiling fans. Free yoga and guided weekend hikes. 142 rooms; from $250.
Authentic Aspen character enshrined in 1889 Main Street Victorian. Roomy digs with feather pillows, down comforters, contempo-Victorian decor. Beyond skiing: rafting, cattle drives, walks with naturalist. Score a discount by spending a morning clearing trails for National Park Service. 93 rooms; from $185.
Beaver Creek Lodge, Beaver Creek, Colo.
Rocky Mountain High resort anchoring a pedestrian village at base of ski area in White River National Forest. Mountain-man chic: leather sofas and headboards, faux fur throws. Menu defines the region: Colorado elk, venison, produce from local farmers market. Soaring atrium lounge, ski bridge to the slopes. Consider this Vail's less crowded cousin. 72 rooms; from $179.
The Historic Strater Hotel, Durango, Colo.
Honky-tonk hotel on Main Street, spilling beer since 1887. Now on the National Trust's Historic Hotels of America list, this place stays in character: servers in costume, live performances in the Henry Strater Theatre, ragtime piano in the summer. Victorian but not stuffy: walnut antiques, authentic wallpapers. Louis L'Amour's favorite room: 222, directly above the saloon. 93 rooms; from $109, incl. breakfast.
Kona Village Resort, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Hawaii unplugged: ancient lava fields, palmy beach set the stage for this frond-thatched Polynesian village free of TVs, phones, radios, air-conditioning. Families can reconnect through all sorts of activities: snorkeling, whale-watching, petroglyph hunting, lei-making, star-gazing, craft classes. Twice-weekly luaus the real deal. 125 bungalows; from $660, all-inclusive except for guided tours.
Hale Ohia Cottages, Volcano, Hawaii
Four homey cottages, four suites in 1930s Queen Anne-style house in midst of lush fern forest. Natural resources: fireplaces built of lava rock, rainwater collected from metal roofs. Botanical garden setting. Explore Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, one mile away: lava tubes, active flows, 200 miles of trails. 8 rooms; from $109.
Four Seasons Resort Lanai, The Lodge at Koele, Lanai, Hawaii
An upcountry manor preserving Hawaiian heritage on misty central highlands 1,600 feet above sea level. There's a reason some rooms come with in-room wood-burning fireplaces. Wraparound verandas, two-poster beds with hand-carved pineapple motif. Hike the five-mile Koloiki ridge, or go on half-day surfing safari with a legendary surfer. 102 rooms; from $345.
Napili Kai Beach Resort, Maui, Hawaii
Old-school resort with contagious Kahuna spirit. No building higher than a palm tree, private lanais with blue-water panoramas, reefs off crescent sand beach aswirl with polychromatic fish. Daily cultural presentations, including weekly slack-key-guitar concerts. Runs foundation to perpetuate Hawaiiana among local keiki (kids), who stage weekly programs for guests. 163 rooms; from $230.
Mama's Fish House Restaurant & Inn, Maui, Hawaii
Nostalgic plantation-style cottages on island's more authentic, less peopled North Shore. Retro-Hawaiian-decor cottages face pretty curve of beach, where locals still fish off rocks at night. Menu changes twice daily, depending on the catch; time dinner to watch the sunset. 12 rooms; from $175.
El Western Cabins & Lodges, Ennis, Mont.
Hand-peeled log cabins preserve Wild West heritage in Madison River Valley, an hour's drive from Old Faithful. Yippee-ai-ay decor: ranch oak furnishings, leather chairs, wagon-wheel lamps. What you might see: deer, weasels, muskrats, beavers, bears, and moose. What you won't: a restaurant, but they'll point you in the right direction. Activities also outsourced to local community: fly-fishing, bird-watching, rafting, hiking. 29 cabins; from $70.
The Resort at Paws Up, Greenough, Mont.
Luxury lodging on 37,000 acres in Lewis and Clark country. Four-bedroom 1908 house, two-story pine cabins; "glamping" in safari-style tents with feather beds and personal butlers. Weekly themes (Native American, equestrian, history, etc.) with appropriate speakers. Summer barbecues. Montana-inspired cuisine. Bike, fish the Blackfoot River, or head on horseback into the "Bob" (the 1.5-million-acre Bob Marshall Wilderness). 28 homes and 12 tents; from $465, incl. meals.
Rancho De San Juan, Española, N. Mex.
Hacienda on 225 acres of pinyon and juniper. Who needs TV when you've got Chaco Canyon-style fireplaces or a kiva, whirlpool tubs, and private terraces? Gourmet fare served on hand-starched table linens. Hiking trails take in ancient petroglyphs, high desert wildlife, and sandstone shrine used for meditation and concerts. Visit Ghost Ranch (about 35 miles away), where O'Keeffe spent her days painting similar landscapes. 13 rooms; from $285.
The Stephanie Inn, Cannon Beach, Oreg.
Storm-watchers' hotel of choice, with private balconies that provide salty view of surf splaying off Haystack Rock. Soak in double whirlpool tubs. Wine gatherings in chart-room lounge. Northwest cuisine: mushrooms from local foragers, Tillamook cheese, fish from straight offshore. And if you plan on hitting the summertime surf, buy a hotel beach towel; money goes to support local children's center. 41 rooms; from $359.
Hotel Monaco Portland, Portland, Oreg.
A 1912 ten-story structure given a post-mod makeover. Hip left-coast vibe. Whimsical colors and zany style dress up soaring ceilings and tall windows. Rooms with a conscience: recycling bins and complimentary shade-grown coffee. At nightly wine receptions, you're encouraged to create a masterpiece with supplied canvas, easels, brushes, and paint. 221 rooms; from $159.
- Nat Geo Expeditions
Cinematic-theme working ranch. Big skies, red rock, and a river (Colorado) runs through it. Main lodge built of local ponderosa pine, riverfront terrace for radiant sunsets bouncing off surrealistic Fisher Towers rock formations. Vineyards and winery, self-guided movie museum tour, horseback riding. Nearby Arches and Canyonlands national parks continue the splendor. 110 rooms; from $100.
Goulding's Lodge, Monument Valley, Utah
Trading post-cum-motel in Navajo's iconic Red Rock Canyon. Native American spirituality hovers over sandstone monoliths, backdrop to countless Hollywood westerns. Balconies catch sunrise views over Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. Earth Spirit slide shows, daily rug-weaving demos, full-moon tours with local guides. Your museum donations go to much-needed scholarships. 83 rooms; from $73.
Turtleback Farm Inn, Eastsound, Wash.
A step-back-in-time on bucolic working farm on Orcas Island. Looks the part: late-1880s clapboard farmhouse with newer Shaker-style barn. Claw-foot tubs, stoves for heat, wool comforters courtesy of sheep grazing just out your door. Farm-fresh breakfasts. Island pursuits include kayaking, whale watching, biking. Nearby trailleads to the new 1,575-acre Turtleback Mountain Preserve, which hotel supports. 11 rooms; from $100.
The Inn at Langley, Langley, Wash.
Craftsman-style architecture blends with Zen aesthetics. Binocular-mandatory rooms with 180-degree views of Saratoga Passage: spouting whales, stalking herons. Duvets, wood-burning fireplaces, whirlpool tubs instill nesting instinct. Open-kitchen dining features local treats: Penn Cove mussels, fresh salmon, foraged mushrooms. Farmers markets and gardens abound. 28 rooms; from $195, incl. breakfast.
Arctic Club Hotel, Seattle, Wash.
Modern remake of exclusive clubhouse for lucky Alaska gold-rush veterans. Chic vintage rooms: high ceilings, Klondike-era artifacts, Edward Curtis prints (he was a member). Leather chairs, library lamps, antique atlases in polar-themed bar. Organic, sustainably sourced cuisine. Those ivory tusks on 27 walrus heads decorating building's exterior? Replaced by plastic years ago. 120 rooms; from $159.
High-tech hotel raises Emerald City's geek quotient to new high. Multitasking VoIP phones, infrared occupancy sensors, tubs that fill from the ceiling, a virtual golf driving range. Up-to-the-nanosecond Pacific Rim styling to match: rich cherrywood, leather-wrapped walls. Food served is authentic Northwest, with fresh fish and produce trotted up from Pike Place Market four blocks away. 120 rooms; from $225.
The Davenport Hotel and Tower, Spokane, Wash.
Spokane's 1914 grande dame, spreading across three blocks in city's heart. Opulent classic design a point of civic pride: stunning atrium, original skylights. Civic-minded as well: restaurant leftovers feed homeless, kitchen grease recycled for biodiesel. Ask the concierge for History Detective scavenger hunt handout and unlock hotel's secrets. Stroll Riverfront Park (site of 1974 World's Fair); ten wineries a short drive away. 611 rooms; from $199.
The Historic Occidental Hotel & Saloon, Buffalo, Wyo.
Main-street hotel at the foot of Big Horn Mountains whose 1997 renovation revealed an 1880s time capsule: tin-stamp ceilings, original wainscoting, embossed walls. Everything's for real, including bullet holes in saloon. Rooms named after famous guests: Hoover, Roosevelt, General Sheridan, Owen Wister. (This is where Wister's Virginian finally got his man.) Even the ghosts boogie at Thursday-night bluegrass jams. 14 rooms; from $50.
Family-owned historic art nouveau inn half a block off main drag, near museum and galleries. Library and parlor brimming with local history books. Organic linens, fresh flowers, flat-screen TVs. Room 18: Ernest Hemingway stayed here in 1932 while fishing nearby Clark's Fork River. Yellowstone an hour's drive west. 22 rooms; from $115.
The Historic Elk Mountain Hotel, Elk Mountain, Wyo.
A high-prairie folk Victorian across Medicine Bow River from town (pop. 197). A way station on the Overland Trail; rooms themed to historical figures. Cedar-lap siding, wooden sidewalks, embossed tin ceilings. Strategic base for visiting Wyoming Territorial Prison, Laramie Plains Museum, ghost town of Carbon. 12 rooms; from $119, incl. breakfast.
It's a wind-powered working ranch right in the midst of Grand Teton National Park, with an inspiring view of snaggle-toothed mountains. Since 1924: four generations of family operation. Multibedroom log cabins. Meals served family style in sun porch dining room. Your choice: ranching (wrangling and haying), pack trips, or river runs. 20 cabins; from $1,575 per person per week, all-inclusive.
Old West cabins enveloped by a forest glade backed by the sawtoothed Tetons. Close to three glacial lakes. Get about on cruiser bike, horse, or with walking stick while keeping an eye open for elk, moose, bison, and deer. Strictly monitored green policies, from sustainable cuisine and xeriscaping to interpretive programs and recycling. Gift shop for local art and recycled lariat rope baskets. Ask for the free historical book on the lodge. 31 cabins and 6 suites; from $500, incl. breakfast and dinner.


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Some background on the Massey Lectures. This year's series marks the half century of the lectures whose purpose is to "enable distinguished authorities to communicate the results of original study on important subjects of contemporary interest", so Coupland is a reasonable choice. He joins an illustrious group — the early lecturers included Northrop Frye (1962), John Kenneth Galbraith (1965), Martin Luther King, Jr. (1967) and Jane Jacobs (1979); recent luminaries include Michael Ignatieff (2000), Alberto Manguel (2007) and Margaret Atwood (2008). The program involves five public lectures in cities across Canada; they are recorded and broadcast on CBC Radio's Ideas program — for those with accesss to CBC, Coupland's will air nightly from Nov. 8-14 (more details can be found here).
I confess that I would not have picked up Player One had it not made the longlist. I tried his seminal work, Generation X (1991), and it just wasn't for me — I have glanced at a couple since and they confirmed that view. While I finished Player One, described as "a novel in five hours" since each lecture is an hour long, I have to admit the experience only reinforced my impression. That conclusion comes with a caveat, however — Coupland has legions of fans internationally and I am simply not one of them. Dystopian futurists are not my cup of tea at all (from George Orwell through Nevil Shute to Margaret Atwood's recent work, I just avoid them) and this is very much a futuristic dystopian work, even if it is set in the present.
The action takes place in the cocktail lounge at a Toronto airport hotel and, as the subtitle suggests, chronicles what happens over five hours. Each hour features the view from four characters who have wandered into the lounge and become trapped there (the sense of "nowhere" that surrounds airports is one of the book's better touches); the fifth point of view comes from an avatar (the Player One of the title) who at the end of each chapter sums up that hour and offers a guide to the next one.
The characters:
— Karen, a divorced Winnipeg housewife who works as a receptionist at a psychiatrists' clinic, has flown in for an internet-arranged date with someone she first met on the Peak Oil Apocalypse chat room.
— Rick, a recovering alcoholic, is the bartender — he had a gardening business until all his equipment was stolen and is awaiting the arrival of a positive-thinking charlatan to present $8,500 in cash for his photo-op enrolment into the Power Dynamics Seminar System which will start him on his new life.
— Luke was a pastor in Nippissing until this morning when he stole $20,000 from the church renovation fund and headed off into his version of new life.
— Rachel is a beautiful young woman who suffers from a collection of neural disorders (she can't recognize faces or music or metaphor, among other things), and who has decided to have a child to see if that would make her human. She is searching for a sperm source.
Let me offer an extended sample of Coupland's oration/prose, part of his introduction of Rachel:
Rachel has never fit into the world. She remembers as a child being handed large wooden numbers covered in sandpaper to help her learn numbers and mathematics. Other children weren't given tactile sandpaper number blocks, but she was, and she knows that she has always been a barely tolerated sore point among her neurotypical classmates. Rachel also remembers many times starving herself for days because the food that arrived at the table was the wrong temperature or colour, or was placed on the plate incorrectly: it just wasn't right. And she remembers discovering single-player video games and for the first time seeing a two-dimensional, non-judgemental, crisply defined realm in which she could be free from off-temperature food and sick colour schemes and bullies. Entering her screen's portal into that other realm is where her avatar, Player One, can fully come to life. Unlike Rachel, Player One has a complete overview both of the world and of time. Player One's life is more like a painting than it is a story. Player One can see everything with a glance and can change tenses at will. Player One has ultimate freedom, the ultimate software on the ultimate hardware. That realm is also the one place where Player One feels, for lack of a better word, normal.
The disaster that drives the action involves a sudden global surge in the price of oil, accompanied by a series of apparently random explosions, trapping the four in the lounge. I am not going to try to describe the action — my fellow Shadow Giller juror, Trevor, has explored it at some length in his review here if you find Coupland's premise of interest.
All of that left me cold, but as I said earlier none of those things are to my taste. Coupland uses this framework to explore concepts ranging from the notion of time and how humans experience it differently than other creatures; the powers of belief and the traps that they represent; what represents "reality" or at least what we think it is; and perhaps most importantly a notion of hope that the future will be better that we all carry.
He concludes all this with 31 pages of glossary called "Future Legend", a catalogue of invented terms and descriptions, which offer depth to the ideas in the lectures/book. I'll offer one as an example, since I think it does apply to me:
Anorthodoxical Isms
The isms that pose the greatest threat to inflexible religious orthodoxies:
Cultural Relativism
Moral Relativism
Perhaps part of my problem is that I put religious orthodoxy and dystopian futurism into the same bucket — both are a load of bollocks as far as I am concerned. While I can appreciate the thought that Coupland puts into his constructs (and others obviously respond to it positively), the result for me is a volume of annoying self-indulgence.
Then again, I didn't think much of Howard Jacobson's Booker Prize winning The Finkler Question either (ironically, the two novels actually have quite a few comparisons). So take my distaste with a grain of salt.


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