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Summer is coming. That's what I'm told, I hardly believe them though. But with the warmer weather on the horizon (possibly as far away as Europe) I have again begun to think about lighter dishes. Fish seems to be a four-letter word, not for me, of course, I love the stuff. But some people in this household don't love it as much as I do, so selling it on the plate becomes a thing. I simply broiled this tilapia, seasoned with salt and pepper and wanted a little something tasty to dress it up and my Mango Salsa recipe was born. Like many savoury recipes on this blog, I urge you to make it your own, volumes are simply suggestions — you hate cucumber, omit it! Hate mango, try pineapple instead! It's pretty darn tasty and quite easy to prepare — I like my salsa cubed into even little cubes, but you may like yours another way…GO FOR IT!
Tilapia with Mango Salsa
Serves 2
- 1/2 cup ripe mango, cut into small cubes
- 1/2 cup cucumber, cut into small cubes
- 1/2 cup red pepper, cut into small cubes
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 200 g of cooked white fish (we used Tilapia but cod, halibut or monkfish would also work well)
- a few handfuls of massaged kale (my dear friend Kelly at Inspired Edibles shares a very compelling story about getting intimate with your food, 50 Shades of Green-style!)
- Combine the mango, cucumber, red pepper, cilantro and mix well. Pour the white balsamic into the mix and stir to combine, season to taste.
- Serve over broiled white fish on top of massaged kale leaves. Enjoy!
- This salsa would be lovely on BBQ chicken breast or even a steak if you're feeling like red meat.
- A mix of greens would be fine instead of the massaged kale but I love kale so I use it where I can.


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In recent news, a school-age boy in a Mississippi Child Care Center was left alone with some infant/toddlers. During the time that the 9-year old was left alone with the toddlers, he repeatedly hit and kicked the toddlers.
As I watched the video, I felt sick to my stomach. In fact, after watching the video, I became angry at the fact that this abuse happened in a childcare facility. Then I thought about the qualifications of the caregiver that was responsible for those infant/toddlers.
In my years of working with children, I have discovered that hiring qualified early childhood professionals assures that the children will receive high quality care and education.
In most states, the requirements for teachers are very minimal. For example, in the state of Missouri where my childcare center is located, the bureau of childcare only requires the following for childcare workers to work in a childcare center: (not including directors)
- 12 training hours a year
- Hepatitis A
- PPD Skin Test
- Back Ground Screening
- Physical
You may have already noticed that college education is not a requirement to work with children. However, in the public school system, the teachers must have a Bachelor's Degree along with continued professional development hours.
Studies have shown that the most crucial ages of brain development is between the ages of 0-5; however, our young children are in the hands of under educated professionals everyday.
When I started my home daycare in November 1998, it took me a little over a year to realize that I must go to school to be educated on how to effectively care for young children. In 2000, I enrolled in a Child Care field based program through a Local Community college, which paid for my early childhood education. After completing nine college credit hours in early childhood education, the quality of my program improved dramatically. Furthermore, after only completing 12 college credit hours in early childhood education, I was ready to move my preschool out of my home to provide quality care to more children.
I shared my story with you to say, that I believe that having formal early childhood education improves the quality of care that children receive.
If you own a childcare center, I want to challenge you to reflect on the educational requirements of the staff. If you are not happy with the quality of care that your staff provides; raise your educational standards.
Are you a home provider? If so, I challenge you to consider taking some early childhood classes or work toward receiving a CDA Credential. As you further your education, you will feel more like a Preschool teacher and the quality of care that you provide will begin to improve as you begin to implement the knowledge that you receive for a formal education.
If you are worried about the cost of a formal college education, I suggest that you check with your local Child Care Resource and referral agency for some financial assistance . **Be sure to inquire about a T.E.A.C.H Scholarship.
Also, the United States Government offers Pell Grants to help pay for college and you or your staff members just may qualify.
Finally, I want to leave you with this formula that I developed about 6-years ago and I strongly believe it is the key to quality care:
Educated+ Trained Early Childhood Professionals =Quality Child Care
I look forward to reading your thoughts about this blog post. Feel free to share your goals to improve the quality of care in your childcare business. Thanks for all that you do for young children!
Shiketa Morgan
Resources to Improve the Quality of Care
Quality Child Care Center eClub
7 Steps to High Quality Care eCourse (Free )
Family Home Child Care Empowerment eClub

subset: commoncrawl


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It was Thursday night, and the men were in the den drinking Irish beer from frosted mugs, and once again they were held hostage by the vociferous Wendell Chapel. This evening he held sway over a conversation about the latest generation of smartphones, yet another topic he was a self-proclaimed expert in.
The women were in the living room swapping Instant Pot recipes.
Elaine Pratt, hostess for the evening, was in the kitchen with her next-door neighbor Gail Seaver, They were in a conversation about Regina Wendell.
"Bless her heart," Elaine said, putting the last dinner plate into the dishwasher. "I can only imagine what she has to put up with at home."
"I wonder if Wendell ever shuts up," Gail poured herself another glass of Riesling. "He's such a loudmouth, know-it-all."
That night, at the Chapel home, Wendell was in fine voice, berating his wife for some nonspecific gaffe.
The following morning Regina and Elaine met at Cafe Bienville for fruit smoothies before their yoga class.
Regina was even more subdued than usual.
"Are you alright, dear?" Elaine moved her chair closer to Regina, lowering her voice. "He hasn't hurt you, has he? I mean, physically?"
Regina shook her head, avoiding eye contact.
"No," she said. "He can be so sweet… when he's not criticizing me."
"You have to get away from him," Elaine laid her hand on Regina's arm.
Regina shook her head.
"I would have no place to go, no job," Regina sounded small, like she was collapsing in on herself. "If he would only stop talking, even for a little while."
Elaine pushed her chair back abruptly and stood up.
"Come with me," she said. "I have an idea."
The next afternoon, the Chapels were once again at the Pratt home. This time for a barbecue. While the Elaine sat out the rest of the picnic fare, and Regina poured glasses of tea, the men talked by the grill. Wendell was explaining, at great length, the proper way to cook a steak.
"I hope you let these steaks get to room temp before you slapped them on the grill," Wendell said, peering over Phil Pratt's shoulder. "That's fresh cracked pepper you're putting on them, right?"
Wendell coughed into his fist, trying to clear a scratchy throat.
"Had this tickle all day," he said, taking a drink of beer. "Real charcoal would have made for a better char, not like that propane you're using."
Wendell doubled over, coughing until he was out of breath.
Phil patted him on the back.
"You all right there, Wendell?"
With one last loud bark, Wendell coughed up what looked like a small, smooth, white stone. Tiny drops of blood speckled the top from where Wendell bit his tongue.
"What the hell is that?" Phil forgot the steaks as Wendell, in a panic, realized he couldn't speak.
Elaine and Regina watched dispassionately from a distance. Regina allowed a small, relieved breath escape as they clinked tea glasses.
The curse of the old man they visited the day before played in Regina's head.
"And, his voice will drop like a stone from his mouth."


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Repugnant is Newt by Anti-Lentist
January 30, 2012
Newt is a brute,
a brute is Newt.
Newt you are moot,
so moot is Newt;
A bloated ego,
and vile to boot…
Newt Newt,
you're so NOT astute!
Is Your Candidate an Armageddonist?
January 1, 2012
Belief in the The Apocalypse of John
asserts peace is unattainable
until the "second coming" of Christ.
That until there is a worldwide conflagration;
until a Christ lead theocracy emerges –
peace is impossible.
How can an Armageddonist work for peace
without furthering
the self fulfilling


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Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi's cafe, Ottolenghi, serves a multitude of grain-based salads. Many are rice, barley, or couscous-based. This version in their recently re-released cookbook, however, stood out for its inclusion of mograbiah, a Middle Eastern semolina pasta much like Israeli couscous or Sardinian fregola. Its large grains add a pop of texture—just a little chewy, but mostly tender and soft. Mixed with sweet oven-dried tomatoes, soft caramelized onions, and bright goat-cheese labneh, the salad is far more memorable than its demure appearance may imply.
Why I picked this recipe: Oven-dried tomatoes are one of my weaknesses. Couscous is another.
What worked: While the blend of sweet and savory flavors here was delightful, the best part of this dish was the intricate mixture of texture: soft, slightly juicy tomatoes meet fluffy couscous, faintly chewy mograbiah, and crunchy seeds.
What didn't: My tomatoes were on the extra-large side of large, so they needed an extra 45 minutes in the oven to lose most of their moisture. Don't be afraid to salt aggressively here, either.
Suggested tweaks: If you can't find nigella seeds, you can substitute sesame seeds, cumin seeds, celery seeds, or a combination (I used the latter). Fregola and Israeli couscous both make good substitutes for the mograbiah; if you can't find either, you can double up on the couscous. And if you don't have the patience to drain the labneh (and can't find it in stores), fresh goat cheese would make a fine stand-in.
Reprinted with permission from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. Copyright 2013. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House. All rights reserved. Available wherever books are sold.
Recipe Details
Couscous and Mograbiah With Oven-Dried Tomatoes From 'Ottolenghi'
- 16 large, ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons muscovado sugar
- 2/3 cup (150ml) olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups (250g) mograbiah
- 1 2/3 cups (400ml) chicken or vegetable stock
- Pinch of saffron threads
- 1 1/2 cups (250g) couscous
- 1 tablespoon tarragon leaves
- 1 tablespoon nigella seeds
- 3 1/2 ounces (100g) Labneh
- Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 300°F / 150°C. Arrange the tomato halves, skin side down, on a baking sheet and sprinkle with the sugar, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, and some salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 2 hours, until the tomatoes have lost most of their moisture.
Meanwhile, put the onions in a large pan with 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and sauté over high heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are a dark golden color.
Throw the mograbiah into a large pan of boiling salted water (as for cooking pasta). Simmer for 15 minutes, until it is soft but still retains a bite; some varieties might take less time, so check the instructions on the packet. Drain well and rinse under cold water.
In a separate pot, bring the stock to a boil with the saffron and a little salt. Place the couscous in a large bowl and add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and the boiling stock. Cover with plastic wrap and leave for 10 minutes.
Once ready, mix the couscous with a fork or a whisk to get rid of any lumps and to fluff it up. Add the cooked mograbiah, the tomatoes and their juices, the onions and their oil, the tarragon, and half the nigella seeds. Taste and adjust the seasoning and oil. It is likely that it will need a fair amount of salt. Allow the dish to come to room temperature. To serve, arrange it gently on a serving plate, place the labneh on top (in balls or spoonfuls), drizzle with the remaining oil, and finish with the rest of the nigella seeds.


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These short heavy metal clips are suitable as a powerful and aggressive logo background, identity, changes in video / TV / broadcast, start or end level in videogames… They are also ideal for high power and energy sports trailers and transitions, audio branding purposes such as podcasts or presentations, logo animations, website intro, news themes and announcements or as opener or closer for your youtube videos.
You will find dozens of different ways to use this clips!They are part of my logo/stinger/ident collection: http://audiojungle.net/collections/2193601-logo-stinger-identity
The individual clips are these items:
Metal Logo Stinger 21 Length: 0:03 – in the preview from 0:00 to 0:04
Metal Logo Stinger 22 Length: 0:05 – in the preview from 0:04 to 0:10
Metal Logo Stinger 23 Length: 0:05 – in the preview from 0:10 to 0:16
Metal Logo Stinger 24 Length: 0:05 – in the preview from 0:16 to 0:22
Metal Logo Stinger 25Length: 0:06 – in the preview from 0:22 to 0:29
Metal Logo Stinger 26Length: 0:05 – in the preview from 0:29 to 0:350
Metal Logo Stinger 27Length: 0:05 – in the preview from 0:35 to 0:40
Metal Logo Stinger 28Length: 0:08 – in the preview from 0:40 to 0:49
Metal Logo Stinger 29Length: 0:04 – in the preview from 0:49 to 0:55
Metal Logo Stinger 30Length: 0:04 – in the preview from 0:55 to 1:00
Look at my youtube channel to listen to my music on the background of several videos made by authors on videohive
Check my "happy – uplifting" track: This is not an ukulele!
Find the song you are looking for:
Happy, uplifting, corporate, motivational (also with unusual instruments!)
Aggressive Metal Loops
Save money with the loop pack 1, the loop pack 2, and the loop pack 3
Audio logo, Stinger, Identity, Intro
Save money with the Metal Logo Pack 1, Metal Logo Pack 2 or Metal Logo Pack 3. Look at this video featuring my best seller Metal Logo Stinger 1 and this video featuring my Metal Logo Stinger 9
Trailer, broadcasting, action, sport
New age, background and meditative music
Ambient and soundscapes for thriller, suspense and horror
Save money with this ambient pack
Cinematic, Romance, Love, Hate, Passion – Look at this video featuring my music Romantic Piano Melody
Save money with the Romantic Piano Pack
Epic, heroic and fantasy music
Lullabies for baby sleep
Save money with This lullaby pack
Miscellaneous and uncategorized, SFX and weird stuff!


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Art, Artistic moment, Arty, Bunnies knitting, Caren's canvas and craft, Creative artist and crafter, Creative collages, Creative imaginative art, Creative patchwork, Creative patchwork and applique, Cute art pictures, Cute collages, Cute framed fabric art, Felt applique, Fun creations, Fun fabric art, Fun with fabric, Knitting hen, Knitting on toothpicks, My Etsy Shop, Novelty creations, Novelty fabric collage, Original, Original fun art, Patchwork pictures, Piggies knitting, Quirky, Sheep knitting, Unique, Unique handmade novelty items
Some of you may have seen my little creations of 'Sheep knitting' collages before, which include little knitted items on toothpicks, and, as they have proved quite popular, I thought I would down size my craft projects this week (but increase my table mess into the bargain!) to make some new ones, with a few new characters knitting as well! As mentioned above, Mrs. P's bunny was the inspiration for me to create a couple of inside knitting character scenes. As ever, the couple which I planned…turned into a dozen unique original final framed works of art! 🙂 which are now resting for a little while in my Etsy shop!
Below are a couple more examples 🙂


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At first it´s a classical intro and after we wish you a merry christmas in a jazz feeling. Played with acoustic guitars, brush drum set and bass
If you like this song you must listen also:
Check out how it looks in this example of VideoMagus!
- http://videohive.net/item/xmas-santa-loop/621924
Please take the time to check out my portfolio where you will find a broad selection of styles or take a look at my collections.


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23rd September 2018
As you may know I am a member of an organisation known as The International Network of Cholesterol Sceptics (THINCS). When I say this, people always laugh. I suppose it is better than people shouting and screaming and slapping you repeatedly. The man who set it up was Uffe Ravnskov – our glorious leader.
He has done far better than me. His first book The Cholesterol Myths, was burnt, live on air, in a television studio in Finland. I am very jealous. Having your critics become so enraged, that the only thing they can think to do is burn your book, is a very great 'sceptic' honour. Although one must be slightly fearful that the mob doesn't stop at burning your books.
Uffe has written many books and papers in this area, and from time to time I have been honoured to help him. Most recently we have battered away, trying to get a paper published on blood clotting factors in Familial Hypercholesterolaemia. Many rejections, and many years later. Hoorah.
The paper is called 'Inborn coagulation factors are more important cardiovascular risk factors than high LDL-cholesterol in familial hypercholesterolemia.' And you can see it here https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306987718304729.
We can provide fifty days free access to this paper, before the pay wall comes down. To make it free access forever would cost us thousands, and since none of us gets paid a bean for any of this work, this would be far too costly for a bunch of (in this area) independent researchers.
You need to be a major university, or a pharmaceutical company to make your papers free access. Although such are the costs that even these organisations are baulking. As Richard Smith– who edited the BMJ for many years – said 'The function of medical journals used to be to make research freely available to all. It is now to keep it hidden.' Or words to that effect.
Anyway, a quick summary of this paper would be that it is not the raised LDL that causes an increased risk of CVD in familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) – such as the risk may be, in some individuals. It is the fact that FH is also genetically linked to inborn areas of blood clotting abnormalities.
Which means that some of those with FH also have raised factor VIII and fibrinogen levels (there are also issues with the LDL receptor itself, which plays an important role in blood clotting – not covered in this paper). Our contention is that it is these factors that are important, not the LDL level. The data, as we analysed it, supports this contention.
Here is the abstract:
'High low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is routinely described as the main cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). However, numerous observations are in conflict with Bradford Hill's criteria for causality: a) degree of atherosclerosis is not associated with LDL-C; b) on average the life span of people with FH is about the same as for other people; c) LDL-C of people with FH without CVD is almost as high as in FH patients of the same age with CVD; and d) questionable benefit or none at all have been achieved in the controlled, randomized cholesterol-lowering trials that have included FH individuals only. Obviously, those individuals with FH who suffer from CVD may have inherited other and more important risk factors of CVD than high LDL-C. In accordance, several studies of FH individuals have shown that various coagulation factors may cause CVD. Equally, some non-FH members of an FH kindred with early CVD, have been found to suffer from early CVD as well. The cholesterol-lowering trials have only been successful by using apheresis, a technique that also removes many coagulation factors, or in an animal experiment by using probucol, which has anticoagulant effects as well. We conclude that systematic studies of all kinds of risk factors among FH individuals are urgently required, because today millions of people with FH are treated with statins, the benefit of which in FH is unproven, and which have many serious side effects. We predict that treatment of FH individuals with elevated coagulation factors with anticoagulative drugs is more effective than statin treatment alone.'
Of course, this paper also supports my hypothesis that increased tendency to blood clotting (hypercoagulability) is one of the key processes in both accelerated atherosclerotic plaque formation, and the development of the final, fatal, blood clot.


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(CNN) -- The man who led Mitt Romney's outreach to Hispanic voters said Sunday the candidate "made some mistakes" during his campaign that ultimately led to a precipitous drop in Latino support.
Carlos Gutierrez, the former secretary of commerce, blamed the Republican primary process, which he said forced Romney to harden his immigration stance in an appeal to the far-right wing of the Republican Party.
"Mitt Romney made some mistakes," Gutierrez told CNN senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash on "State of the Union." "I think he is an extraordinary man, and I think he made an extraordinary candidate. I think Mitt Romney's comments are a symptom. I think the disease is the fact that the far right of the party controls the primary process."
On immigration, Romney often sought to balance his positions in ways that appealed both to Hispanic voters and the base of the Republican Party.
In December, Romney vowed to veto the DREAM Act if he became president, saying instead he would support a path to residency -- not citizenship -- for undocumented immigrants who served in the military, but not other DREAM Act proposals.
Later, Romney gave a more detailed version of his stance, telling supporters at a fund-raiser in Florida that Republicans needed to offer their own version of the DREAM Act.
At a Republican presidential debate in January, Romney said he favored a system of "self-deportation," a policy that involves making economic conditions so difficult for undocumented workers that they choose to leave the country to find better opportunities. That stance was derided both by Democrats and his Republican rivals.
Speaking Sunday, Gutierrez said Latino voters were scared of a Republican Party they regarded as anti-immigrant and downright xenophobic.
"They were scared of the anti-immigration talk. They were scared of xenophobes. It's almost as if we're living in the past," Gutierrez added.
The proof, he said, was in the way Latinos voted: 27 percent cast ballots for Romney, compared to 31 percent who voted for Sen. John McCain in 2008 and 44 percent who supported George W. Bush in 2004.
"I would lay the blame squarely on the far-right wing of the Republican Party," Gutierrez said.
Evangelical leader Gary Bauer said Sunday that the opposite was true, pinning Romney's loss on a party too focused on appealing to moderate voters.
"I think it's due, at least in part, to folks in our party that seem intent on attacking the fact that we're the conservative party in the United States," Bauer said, pointing specifically to the issue of abortion, which he said should have played a larger role in the 2012 campaign.
"There's no yearning by the American people for a second pro-abortion party. I mean, we've already got one of those," he said.
™ & © 2012 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.


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Should we shut off our water heater until we need it?
By Rich Radil
Q: We live in a single-family home that is four years old. Our electric water heater is in the basement. I am very frugal with energy and wonder if I would save anything by turning on our water heater only when we need hot water. We take showers every other day, use the dishwasher every other day and use the washing machine once a week.
A: Water heaters maintain water temperature at about 120 degrees so that it is available when you need it. The water in the tank does use energy to maintain that temperature once it is achieved. If the water heater is shut off and used only every other day, then you will allow the water in the tank to reach room temperature. When you turn on the water heater, it will need to raise the temperature of the water from room temperature to 120 degrees. That could be a difference of 50–60 degrees, depending on the temperature in the basement. So in effect you will be using energy to raise the temperature of 40–50 gallons of water 60 degrees.
My recommendation would be to keep the water heater on at all times and make sure it is operating at peak efficiency. Install a water heater blanket to increase the insulation value of the tank. (If you feel warmth when you touch the tank, heat is escaping.) A water heater blanket will reduce the tank heat loss. Water heater blankets can be purchased at home improvement stores for about $20.
Install pipe insulation on the exposed hot water supply pipe in the basement and on the first 3 feet of the cold water supply pipe. Make sure the water temperature in the tank is set at 120 degrees or less. If the hot water coming out of your faucet is too hot to touch, then the water temperature setting on your heater is set too high.
The energy used to maintain the water at the desired temperature should be about equal to the energy you would use to heat the water in the tank if it were shut off every couple of days.
Hot water is a convenience and should be used efficiently. You also use hot water for such daily activities as cooking, hand washing and cleaning.
About the AuthorRich Radil, GreenCo Solutions, Raleigh
Energy on your schedule


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text:
Phelps acknowledges photo using pot pipe
Olympic great Michael Phelps acknowledged "regrettable" behavior and "bad judgment" after a photo in a British newspaper Sunday showed him inhaling from a marijuana pipe.
In a statement to The Associated Press, the swimmer who won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Games did not dispute the authenticity of the exclusive picture published Sunday by the tabloid News of the World.
"I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment," Phelps said in the statement released by one of his agents. "I'm 23 years old and despite the successes I've had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again."
News of the World said the picture was taken during a November house party while Phelps was visiting the University of South Carolina. During that trip, he attended one of the school's football games and received a big ovation when he was introduced to the crowd.
While the newspaper did not specifically allege that Phelps was smoking pot, it did say the pipe is generally used for that purpose and anonymously quoted a partygoer who said the Olympic champion was "out of control from the moment he got there."
The U.S. Olympic Committee said it was "disappointed in the behavior recently exhibited by Michael Phelps," who was selected the group's sportsman of the year. He also was honored as AP male athlete of the year, and his feat in Beijing — breaking Mark Spitz's 36-year-old record for most gold medals in an Olympics — was chosen as the top story of 2008.
"Michael is a role model, and he is well aware of the responsibilities and accountability that come with setting a positive example for others, particularly young people," the USOC said in a statement. "In this instance, regrettably, he failed to fulfill those responsibilities."
The party occurred nearly three months after the Olympics while Phelps was taking a long break from training, and this apparently would have no impact on the eight golds he won at Beijing. He has never tested positive for banned substances and even agreed to extra testing before the games.
Marijuana is viewed differently from performance-enhancing drugs, according to David Howman, executive director of the World Anti-Doping Agency. An athlete is subject to WADA sanctions only for a positive test that occurs during competition periods.
"We don't have any jurisdiction," Howman said. "It's not banned out of competition. It's only if you test positive in competition."
Phelps returned to the pool a couple of weeks ago to begin preparations for this summer's world championships in Rome. He plans to take part in his first post-Olympics meet in early March, a Grand Prix event in Austin, Texas.
Phelps was in Tampa, Fla., during Super Bowl week to make promotional appearances on behalf of a sponsor. But he left the city before Sunday's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals, abandoning his original plan to be at Raymond James Stadium.
This isn't the first embarrassing episode for Phelps after an Olympic triumph. In 2004, a few months removed from winning six gold and two bronze medals in Athens, the swimmer was arrested on a drunken driving charge at age 19. He pleaded guilty and apologized for the mistake.
In his book "No Limits: The Will to Succeed," Phelps recounted how his first phone call was to his agent, and not his mother or coach Bob Bowman, because he knew they would yell at him.
Later, he called Bowman, who was supportive but told him, "Michael, just because you want to blow off some steam doesn't mean you can be an idiot."
Debbie Phelps, his mother, cried at the news.
"That hurt worse, maybe, than anything," Phelps wrote. "I had never seen my mother that upset."
Bowman did not immediately respond to phone and e-mail messages Sunday.
Last year, News of the World posted video on its Web site showing Max Mosley, the president of motor racing's governing body, engaging in sex acts with five prostitutes. The video was filmed by one of the women, and Mosley admitted to being a part of the scenario but sued for breach of privacy and was awarded $120,000 in damages. Another news break involved Prince Harry in 2002, smoking marijuana and drinking before the legal age of 18.
Olympic teammate Dara Torres said Phelps has become such a prominent figure that everything he does is news.
However, she said: "This in no way, shape or form diminishes anything he's done."
"It's sort of a double-edged sword," Torres told the AP on Sunday. "When you're recognizable, you're looked up to as a role model. He is recognizable and everything you do gets looked at and picked apart. I guess that's the price of winning 14 Olympic medals."
Jason Lezak, whose remarkable anchor leg of the 400-meter freestyle relay helped Phelps stay on course to break Spitz's record, said he was "saddened" to hear of the report.
"While I don't condone his conduct, I am a teammate and fan," Lezak said in a text message to the AP. "Unlike many fair-weather people, I am sticking by him. If my wife and I can help him in any way, we will. I believe he will grow from this and be better person, role model and teammate."
The USOC noted that Phelps acknowledged his mistake and apologized.
"We are confident that, going forward, Michael will consistently set the type of example we all expect from a great Olympic champion," the governing body said.
AP Sports Writers Beth Harris in Los Angeles and Chris Lehourites in London contributed to this report.


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You recently joined me when I did the cover reveal a couple days ago. Now, you can read the book because it's AVAILABLE. I'll get right to the point and post the cover and blurb with a universal buy link to your favorite retailer and your country, and Amazon. com. Hooked by Sundown is available at Apple, Kobo, Amazon, and Nook, and at Walmart eBooks via Kobo. I've released this book at a discounted price for a limited time only.
Forgive me for reiterating the info here, but if you're new and didn't see the cover reveal post, here we go with Release News:
Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series #3
A Double Dutch Ranch Series Spin Off
Wade Emory falls fast for women, yet it's a well-known fact his relationships don't last. On a trip to the Pacific Coast to visit his ill brother, he slips into his bad habit when he meets a hotheaded mom with a son who spews four-letter words. However, after enjoying nearly a week with them, she and the boy leave early. Before she's gone forever, he convinces her to meet up again to pick up where they left off on the beach. Then, at home, an unexpected visitor pops in, and he learns the past harbors secrets and lies that don't always stay hidden. Life's lessons have taught him that people don't stick around, so how can he prevent a relationship with Sophie from becoming another failure?
Sophie Price-Daniels needs a change of scenery. The opportunity arises when she flies to California to bail her troublemaking brother out of jail. When he directs his anger at her and her boy, a stranger steps in, but a hero is the last thing she wants. She's alone and living in her self-appointed prison of grief, until…until she peers into his warm yet saddened eyes. As desires long forgotten force their way to the surface, she's faced with a dilemma—to give in to her needs and accept a new future is possible for her and her son—or back away and continue to believe she's betraying a man who is no longer with them.
Two lonely people need to trust each other—and themselves—to overcome their unfortunate pasts.
Check out the Series PAGE for info on all the books in this series.
Visit the page below for information about the series that led the way to this Spin Off:
Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight
I'm happy you took a moment to stop by today. Thank you. Enjoy your weekend!


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Joan Baez will be performing at the Newport Folk Festival this year. So will Pete Seger who is currently 90 years young.
Fans will remember that the Newport Folk Festival was where the Robert Zimmerman showed off his electric stuff, in1965, to the great chagrin of the audience.
A personal note here: Joan still looks pretty hot; don't you other 50+ year old men think?
Last year a band that will be performing this year was picking up garbage at the Festival last year, check out this link and see if you can figure out who that was…


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Editor's Corner: NYC Cover Shoot
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
Ever wish you had a backstage pass to a magazine cover shoot?
This week, I headed to NYC for the Women's Running Magazine September/October cover shoot. And I made sure to bring my camera along so I could share some behind the scenes pics! I can't reveal our mystery cover model just yet—to find out this famous runner's identity, you'll have to wait for the new issue. 🙂
I know that some people say being a model is "hard work," but to tell you the truth, I've never really bought it. Our half-day shoot was a blast!
We started the day by arranging the wardrobe testing and the lighting while we waited for our lovely subject to arrive. After she and her crew arrived on set, we chatted as she got her hair and makeup done, and picked out a look from the rack. "Nothing too revealing!" her young and sweet agent warned. Our subject laughed and teased, "Okay, Grandma."
A few dozen takes of running toward the camera, posing, pointing, dancing to the music—and it was a wrap!
We took a quick break for lunch, then sat down for the interview, where I got to learn all about her success as a marathon runner and a mom.
I can't wait to return to New York to shoot the winner of the SKECHERS Cover Model Contest in August. Want to help us decide who the lucky lady will be? Check womensrunning.com/covermodelcontest on July 1st to vote!
I want to know, who would you want to see on our cover? Let me know here to follow me on Twitter @JessieSebor.
Congratulations to Karen Ward, the winner of a free Women's Running subscription! Karen, please email email@example.com to claim your prize.


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A Military Family and their Hawaii Home
CPT Michelle Sukardi Kania with husband Rafal and daughter Liliana
I had the opportunity recently to chat with a military family about their home purchase this past February, and thought their story was worth sharing. I spoke with CPT Michelle Sukardi Kania about her decision to buy, and the motivating factors behind it.
Frances: What made you want to buy in Hawaii?
Michelle: We had always been against renting whenever possible, and hated the idea of paying someone else's mortgage. Things really got put in perspective when we broke down the numbers of what we would pay for a rental here in Hawaii. We needed a four-bedroom house for our family which includes my husband and I, a new baby and my parents as well as a 97-pound dog. We only found three houses that remotely fit our criteria, and these were in very poor condition. Doing some quick math on rentals, at $4000 a month for one of these houses, that would mean after three years of being stationed in Hawaii, we would have paid $144,000 to someone else's mortgage.
Frances: So at that point you decided, let's buy?
Michelle: Well it wasn't quite so simple, but, yes, we started seeing if purchasing was something we could swing in the expensive real-estate market in Hawaii. The military offers VA loans to veterans, active duty, guard and reserve, and to qualify for the loan, we have to live in the house for at least a year. We decided that, as I would be stationed here for three years, this was the time to use this opportunity. Most VA loans require no money down, but, as we qualified for a "jumbo loan" of $750,000, we had to put down $8,000, so barely 1 percent.
Frances: What factors did you take into consideration when deciding on where to purchase?
Michelle: For us, one of the deciding factors was resale or rental value after we move in three years. Where would most people want to live, what schools and neighborhoods are good sellers, that kind of thing.
Frances: Do you think you will rent or sell in three years?
Michelle: That really depends on the market, but as I've heard home prices are on the rise, we will likely sell if we move. Hopefully we will make a profit, but even if we just broke even with our purchase price, at least we didn't pay almost $150,000 in rent to live in a place we didn't like! That in and of itself makes this purchase worth it.
Frances: What advice do you have for other military families stationed on Oahu?
Michelle: It's definitely scary to buy! If you do decide to purchase, you have to be prepared that the military can move you at any time, and you will have to have enough money saved up to cover your mortgage for at least a few months. Buy in a neighborhood with a good school district, as that is what most families are looking for.


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Family law is a legal practice area which focuses on issues related to family issues and relationships. Most family law attorneys in Johnson County, Nebraska represent their clients in divorce and other issues related to divorce. However, family law is relatively broad and deals with issues related to:
Other types of family law include:
While some family law attorneys usually decide to specialize, others opt to enjoy the variety that the broader practice area provides.
Table of Contents
Family law attorneys are legal professionals who specialize in matters to do with family law and legal matters related to family. A lawyer who represents the state in local criminal cases is referred to as a Prosecuting, County, or District Attorney. However, the duty of a deputy district attorney is to help the district attorney to screen cases for criminal prosecution, ensure victims of criminal offenses receive the restitution or counseling they require, and prepare and enter criminal pleas arrangements. Family law attorneys act as mediators in cases where families are in disagreement and represent complainants in family conflicts which are presented in court. Some family law lawyers also deal with related practice areas such as, estate planning, immigration and naturalization law, and mediation and collaborative law. As implied, family lawyers deal with matters that impact on families, and they seek to obtain the best interests of the parties involved. Because family law problems affect people very deeply, having a trusted legal professional helps ensure that individuals are effectively represented and protected in a legal process.
These attorneys have many duties which include:
A family law attorney takes on more than divorce cases while a divorce attorney practices a subset of family law. As such, a divorce lawyer is a family lawyer who specializes in divorce. Most lawyers who practice family law deal with divorce cases, and divorce is a major area of work that a family law attorney deals with. Divorce often accompanies custody issues, with a client seeking sole custody of a child. Attorneys must therefore examine and effectively apply parental right laws to ensure the child is placed with a suitable parent. It is however important to note that there is no such thing as a "military divorce" or a "military divorce lawyer". The idea of a "military divorce" is simply used to describe a divorce in which one or both spouses are military personnel and as such, their divorce might present some unique military issues. The term "military divorce lawyer" is thus usually applied to family law layers who have specialized in military knowledge. Military divorces do not require special proceedings but instead take place in civilian rather than military courts and are handled by the same judges and magistrates who preside over civilian family law matters. It is not easy to hire an attorney for a military divorce because although an attorney might claim to know about the military, they might not be familiar with relevant and current military laws and how they apply to divorce. The best option in selecting the best attorney in such a case is through word of mouth and the testimonials of friends who loved their attorneys.
Whether an individual is looking for a divorce or wants to learn about how to enforce a child support order, it is in their best interests to look for the best family law attorney in Johnson County, Nebraska who will help them achieve their goals. The first step is to research and find a firm of lawyers who are committed to their clients and who seek their clients' best interests. The potential client should also ask themselves if they are comfortable telling their family law attorney personal information. This is because the more information the lawyer has, the more he will be able to make the right judgment for the way forward and avoid pitfalls or dangerous surprises that might harm the client's plea.
It is also important to determine if the lawyer seems interested in solving your problem. The ability to provide solutions is essential in family law practice. To some extent, lawyers are professional problem-solvers. Clients transfer their burdens to the attorneys, so the attorneys must focus on obtaining the best practical outcome. Therefore, when selecting an attorney, ensure that they can correctly identify what the issues and problems are and, most importantly, the solutions they offer.
A critical factor in the selection process is ensuring that the attorney's credentials are accurate. Ask questions or do research on the amount of time they have been in practice and if they have previously worked on cases similar to yours. Their knowledge on similar cases should give you the confidence that they will be able to make suitable references and comparisons to your case in order to obtain an optimal solution. Also, the lawyer's office should be conveniently located so that you can reach them at any time for consultations or questions when necessary.
The cost of a family law attorney will usually vary based on various factors, and it helps to understand them before you hire someone to represent you. The attorneys set their own prices for their services based on market forces and the type of clients they deal with. You will find that experienced lawyers such as Certified Family Law Specialists might charge a higher hourly fee, and the high cost provides added value because the lawyers spend considerable time and energy in staying current with family law and related practice areas. Attorneys will therefore charge based on the amount of time they spend on the case. A flat fee is an overall charge that is paid upfront and it will cover the entire representation process. In most cases, experienced family law attorneys will require a retainer from their clients before they start working on a case, and the retainer is usually based on the perceived complexity of the case. When calculating attorney fees, it is also important to remember that there are additional expenses such as:
Always discuss money matters with the attorney beforehand to ensure you are on the same page and will not be surprised when presented with the bill.
Family conflicts can be painful and taxing, so it is important for clients to hire qualified attorneys with experience in successful family law cases. Attorneys practicing family law must have the requisite credentials, mental, and emotional maturity to deal with the difficult family cases which they encounter. A client should be diligent in their search to ensure they hire someone with their best interests at heart and who will provide an optimal solution.


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(Paramount) Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer, Ralph Bellamy, Maurice Evans, Angela Dorian, Elisha Cook Jr., Patsy Kelly, Charles Grodin. Directed by Roman Polanski
The trouble with evil is that it is unpredictable. There are rarely situations in which you can point to something and say "that's evil" and avoid it; sometimes evil emerges from subtle and unassuming sources – even things that we would normally consider good.
Guy Woodhouse (Cassavetes) is a struggling actor living in New York. He and his wife Rosemary (Farrow) are looking for an apartment that is bigger than the one they live in because they are planning to have a family soon. They find the Bramford on Central Park, a tony address and find the perfect apartment with a gorgeous view that had just become available.
While many of the residents of the Bramford are elderly, Rosemary still has friends from her previous life, none closer than Hutch (Evans), a writer of children's books. While Rosemary paints and decorates her new apartment, she does meet one young lady, Terry (Dorian), an ex-drug addict who has been taken in as a ward by a couple that lives next door – Roman (Blackmer) and Minnie Castevet (Gordon).
Shortly after that, Terry commits suicide and the Castevets and Woodhouses meet for the first time. The Castevets invite their new neighbors over for dinner afterwards when Rosemary speaks kindly to Minnie about their recently deceased ward. Guy is reluctant at first – he's just lost out on a plum role to another actor – but he relents and he actually winds up enjoying the company of the much-travelled Roman and his busybody wife.
Despite Guy's career shortcomings, he and Rosemary decide it's the right time to get pregnant. Minnie brings over a chocolate mousse that seems tasty but winds up knocking Rosemary out. She has a strange dream afterward of being raped by a beast-like demon. Soon after that, she discovers that she's pregnant. Her obstetrician, Dr. Hill (Grodin) puts her on vitamins but Minnie won't hear of it. She's close with Dr. Abe Saperstein (Bellamy), one of the best-known obstetricians in New York if not the world. She arranges for Rosemary to be one of his patients.
Although Rosemary is suffering from a weird, constant pain, Dr. Saperstein tells her that it's normal and refuses to prescribe anything for it. In the meantime, the actor that had gotten the part Guy wanted had mysteriously gone blind and the part was now Guy's. It turns out to be precisely the break Guy was looking for.
Rosemary and Guy are deliriously happy, but all isn't as it seems, particularly those who seem the friendliest towards them. A monstrous conspiracy is afoot and Rosemary becomes paranoid, particularly when people she knows begin to die off mysteriously. Soon she realizes that she's alone against a powerful evil, one that wants her unborn baby – but for what purpose?
This is a classic of the horror genre, and in many ways it's not even a horror movie. Director Polanski, for whom this was his first American film, creates an atmosphere of growing menace that becomes so palpable even the viewer at home gets caught up in it. There isn't much gore (mostly seen in the death of Terry) and all the violence happens off-screen for the most part (even the rape is more suggested than seen) but still you're given a firm grasp of the evil surrounding Rosemary and find yourself immersed in her struggle to escape it.
The movie was based on a noted bestseller by Ira Levin which I've actually read – the movie follows it nearly word for word (legend has it that because Polanski had never adapted another work for the screen before, he didn't realize that he could make changes of his own). As the movie progresses, the outcome seems inevitable but still there's a twist at the end that back in 1968 when the movie was released took audiences completely by surprise – most modern audiences however are aware of the twist simply because it has been so widely associated with the movie since then. That's a shame because the movie works much better if you aren't aware how it ends.
Even so, the movie's main weapon is Farrow. Her performance as Rosemary is so ordinary, so naïve but so completely believable that she nails Polanski and Levin's vision of Rosemary as the Girl Next Door caught up in a horror greater than she can imagine. By the time she realizes what's going on, it's far too late.
Gordon and Blackmer also give fine supporting performances as the Castevets; they have the right attitude to be the consummate New York elderly busybody couple, Gordon's accent almost Yiddish in places. While the characters are certainly products of their time, they still manage to give off no menace other than in underlying ways that when you look back at the movie, you realize they were creepy all along and you just didn't realize it. It's amazing work by any standard.
While this movie is well over forty years old, it has held up well. I watched it again the other night while Da Queen lay sleeping (she finds horror movies too disturbing) and realized that if it had been released last Friday, it would still be just as effective today as it was back then. Horror movies rarely get any better than this one.
WHY RENT THIS: Polanski creates a mood so creepy and troubling that the viewer feels the whole time that something is completely wrong.
WHY RENT SOMETHING ELSE: There is little gore and only a few scenes of outright horror which may not meet the standards of modern horror fans.
FAMILY VALUES: While relatively tame by our standards, it does depict a rape and there is a good deal of talk about female pregnancy as well as a good deal of smoking and drinking. There is also some female nudity. While it received an R rating at the time of its release, I would think that it would be adequate viewing for most mature teenagers.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: The voice on the phone of the actor who had gone blind, clearing the way for Guy to get the part was an uncredited Tony Curtis. Farrow was unaware who she was talking to, although she recognized the voice she couldn't place the name. Also, the movie was filmed at the Dakota, the apartment complex on Central Park later made infamous by being the location where John Lennon was murdered.
NOTABLE DVD EXTRAS: The pickings are rather slim. There's an interesting retro interview with Polanski, producer Robert Evans and production designer Richard Sylbert. There is also an original making-of feature that is fascinating as a historical artifact.
BOX OFFICE PERFORMANCE: Not available.
TOMORROW: Secretariat


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BILLERICA, Mass., June 24, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via PRWEB - Orbograph, a premier supplier of electronic/paper automation solutions in healthcare revenue cycle management (RCM), as well as recognition solutions for the U.S. check processing market, announced today that the Company's Healthcare Payment Automation Center (HPAC) has been implemented at South Nassau Communities Hospital (SNCH).
SNCH is actively working toward electronification of its claim submissions and payment processing workflows. With 95% of claims submitted to private health plans and government payers via electronic data interchange (EDI 837), SNCH is now targeting straight-through processing levels of efficiency in posting remittance information and payments into its billing system. With an automated posting target of 95+%, significant efficiencies will be achieved within the billing department via HPAC capabilities including:
1. Data lifting and conversion of paper EOBs (explanation of benefits forms) into postable EDI 835 remittance files
2. Aggregation of all EDI 835 remittance data and EFT payment files from 50+ payers
3. EFT Reassociation with ERA (electronic remittance advices) files to automate reconciliation
4. HPAC Payment Portal for accurate tracking of healthcare receivables and streamlining denials management
5. Conversion of payer correspondences into postable EDI 835 files
6. Electronic content management and archival of payment and remittance files for immediate research requests
"The benefits we receive from HPAC to our revenue cycle management processes continues to grow everyday as our payment volumes have been converted onto the system," stated Abdool Razack, Senior Director of PFS at South Nassau Communities Hospital. "The vision to transform our billing department into a state-of-the-art operation helps us process claims and payments faster while providing improved services to our patients."
"We are pleased to support the objectives of SNCH," stated Barry Cohen, Co-President of Orbograph. "The working relationship has been excellent as we support their efforts toward healthcare payments transformation."
A client testimonial video highlighting the utilization of the HPAC system by South Nassau Communities Hospital is available on the Orbograph website at http://www.orbograph.com/south-nassau-communities-hospital-customer-testimonial.htm.
About South Nassau Communities Hospital
Designated a Magnet® hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), South Nassau® Communities Hospital is one of the region's largest hospitals, with 435 beds, more than 900 physicians and 3,000 employees. Located in Oceanside, NY, the hospital is an acute-care, not-for-profit teaching hospital that provides state-of-the-art care in cardiac, oncologic, orthopedic, bariatric, pain management, mental health and emergency services. It is the only hospital on Long Island with the Novalis Tx™ and Gamma Knife® radiosurgery technologies. The hospital has been awarded the Joint Commission's gold seal of approval as a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures, including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care; and disease-specific care for hip and joint replacement, wound care and end-stage renal disease. For more information, visit http://www.southnassau.org.
About Orbograph
Orbograph (http://www.orbograph.com), a subsidiary of Orbotech, is a premier supplier of electronic/paper automation solutions in healthcare revenue cycle management (RCM), recognition software for the U.S. check and lockbox processing markets. Orbograph technologies are in use in over 1,500 financial institutions, service bureaus and billers processing billions of checks and claims annually. Orbograph solutions are utilized by 20 of the top 30 U.S. financial institutions with in-house check processing. The Orbograph Healthcare Payments Automation Center (HPAC) is a cloud-based platform which enables payment transformation by converting paper-based correspondence and EOBs, normalizes ANSI X12 EDI 835 remittances and reconciles EFT/ACH payments to ERAs via reassociation. HPAC automates posting of receivables into practice management systems, achieving straight-through processing levels of efficiency.
NOTE: Actual performance may vary according to hardware used, configuration or other factors within your processing environment. Statistics cited in this release do not constitute guarantees of performance. For more information, visit us online at http://www.orbograph.com.
This article was originally distributed on PRWeb. For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/06/prweb11968361.htm


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Your Mom Just Passed Out
Your mom is lying on the living floor right now, overcome by some amazing lady news. Also today: We have our Bilbo Baggins! Steven Spielberg is directing a new movie about robots. Plus some more bad Mel Gibson news.
This is from yesterday, but in case you missed it. Martin Freeman, the original T/Jim on the original Office, has been tapped to play Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson's next film, the Gollum revenge fantasy Kickin' the Hobbit. No, just kidding. It's just called The Hobbit. So that's a big deal for him! Lucy Davis, meanwhile, is intently watching Studio 60 DVDs, trying to figure out where they went wrong. [Deadline]
Indie auteur Steven Spielberg has signed on to direct a small feature called Robopocalypse. Yeah. Robopocalypse. Terrific. A movie title dreamed up by three stoner college boys between farts and video games, and it gets made by Steven Spielbergo. No one ever said there was justice in the world, but come on. OK. Hey, Steven Spielberg! I wrote a movie called Space Tits. Wanna direct it? Or there's this screenplay I've got called Laser Explosion. I've got a ton of these lying around. Come make them, Spielberg. [THR]
In the wake of his... well, last decade or so, Mel Gibson's cameo has been dropped from The Hangover 2. Liam Neeson will replace him. When asked "How does it feel to not have The Hangover anymore?" Gibson responded, "The hell I don't have it anymore! My head feels like it's full of vipers." [Variety]
WHOAZERS 5000. Are you ready to have an old gay panic attack? You are going to poop your culottes over this is gigundo news. Michael Patrick King, the fairy monster behind Sex and the City, has written and will direct a movie that will star Meryl Streep, Sandra Bullock, and freaking Oprah. Meryl, Sandra, and Oprah, all together, directed by Hollywood's most in-demand lady-wrangler. That is unreal. That is, to quote a movie, too gay to function. It's set at a Home Shopping kinda network. We all just fell over the railing at Niagara Falls. That's what just happened. We're all free-falling and will soon be dead. This movie is going to exist. Saints preserve us. [Deadline]
This isn't really a Trades item, but whatever. Kirk Honeycutt says that Tyler Perry's adaptation of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf is a "train wreck." Yiiiikes. [THR]


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You guys, I think it's going to be a good day. I'm wearing my stare-at-me-you-SOOO-wish-you-could-pull-these-off boots:
And even better, Community is finally back on the air. It's definitely going to be a "six seasons and a movie" kind of day. [IMPORTANT: I have not watched last night's episode yet. Do NOT tell me what happens! You spoil my Community and I will SPOIL YOUR FACE.]
So Selfish is feelin' fine today. Not cheerful or sweet or generous, of course, but ever so slightly less vindictive than usual. One might even say that I am feeling fair. So I'll make you a deal. You help me out, and I will divulge valuable information that I have thus far been keeping to myself out of pure selfishness. K?
K. You help me first, obviously. There's an odd little boutique right near our apartment that seems to be open only by appointment (i.e. it's NEVER open), and always has the most magnificent Issa silk jersey dresses displayed in the window. They recently switched the featured dress to an absolutely drool-worthy candy striped confection with a cowl neckline. I snapped a pic last night with my phone, which doesn't do it justice:
As you may know, Selfish is fairly new to sewing drapey (i.e. non doubleknit) knits. But she wants her own version of this dress rather desperately. The stripes are throwing me though, as it's not obvious to me whether the stripe print runs vertically on the jersey, or diagonally, and what's cut on the bias versus the straight grain. If this were a woven, I feel fairly sure that the bodice front would have to be cut on the bias in order to achieve that drapey waterfall neckline. And yet as I poke around the internets, it seems like it is possible to achieve that neckline drape with a knit fabric cut on the straight grain. Yes? No?
If the stripe print is vertical, that means that the skirt is cut on the bias and everything else is cut on the grain. Wouldn't this make the skirt rather prone to growing in length over time?
If the stripe print is diagonal, then the bodice, sleeves, and waist wrappy things are cut on the bias, and the skirt is cut on the straight grain. Are bias cut sleeves even a thing with drapey knits? Has anyone done that?
Okay, collective human sewing brain- what gives with this? What's going on here? And even more importantly, where could I find a fabulous diagonal or vertically striped knit fabric? Silk jersey would be great, but I'd settle for ITY knit. NOW ANSWER ME.
Well, that's about it for today. Catch you later. Oh wait, what are you saying? I promised you some important secret sewing info? Sigh, fine. I'll hold up my end of the bargain. But only because I have that episode of Community to look forward to later and it's keeping me "amiable."
Remember the insane South Park silk chiffon I told you about the other day? Well, the only reason I even noticed that bizarro fabric is because it was in the same eBay store as another extremely covetable fabric of which I purchased 3 yards. That's right- I knew that the eBay store had a ridiculous fabric as well as one that you'd probably really really want if you knew about it, so naturally I told you only about the former and kept the latter a secret. Even though I knew there was plenty of it left for you. It's all part of my plan to keep myself gorgeously garbed while the rest of you traipse around wrapped in South Park and jealousy. Serious bitch move, and one that I'm proud of. But, since you're helping me out with the striped jersey issue, here you go:
Yep, it's Marc Jacobs silk crepe de chine, 45″/114 cm wide, in oh-so-trendy bird print, going for a pretty reasonable $14.99/yard. And I love that little teal blue bird with the purple cap. He's definitely my favorite. Here's what Mr. Jacobs did with the fabric:
This print made appearances in the Marc Jacobs 2010 resort collection. I haven't received my fabric yet so I can't say anything about it regarding quality, but I have high hopes and big plans.
So there you go. Feel free to express your undying gratitude below.
[UPDATE: Wow, you guys bought that up that Marc Jacobs fabric fast. Here's the link to a new listing for more of it.]
[UPDATE #2: Well, my greedy little monsters, looks like you have bought it all up and there's no more left! Good job!]
[UPDATE #3: And it's back! Get it while you can!]


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Have a Hoppy Day on the Hopalong Cassidy Trail
William Boyd began his life in 1895 in the small town of Hendrysburg at the edge of Belmont County. His parents moved to Cambridge when he was but a youngster.
Their home was on Steubenville Avenue and he walked to school at East Side School. William Boyd always referred to Cambridge as his "home".
The Boyd family attended the Second Presbyterian Church on West 8th Street in Cambridge. Today that church is the Southern Hills Baptist Fellowship.
As a teenager, the family moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma where his father worked as a day laborer. When his father died in 1913, William moved to California where he did everything from an orange picker to a surveyor and auto salesman.
Because of his stunning good looks, charm and charisma, he soon became an extra in Hollywood movies. Cecil B. DeMille, who became his lifelong friend, arranged for Boyd's first leading role in a silent film in 1918 at $25 per week.
His role as Hopalong Cassidy appeared in 1935 with the film "Hop-Along Cassidy" based on a character created by Clarence Mulford in a 1912 novel. Throughout the rest of his life, he was best known for his cowboy role as Hopalong Cassidy of Bar 20 ranch and called "Pride of the West". In his black cowboy hat riding on his white horse, Topper, William Boyd starred as Hopalong Cassidy in 66 movies.
For 25 years, Laura Bates, the best friend that Hoppy ever had, organized a Hoppy Festival each May to honor this hometown cowboy, who went on to be a movie and television star. She also displayed her vast collection of memorabilia at the Hopalong Cassidy Museum, which is no longer in existence.
Today some of that memorabilia is on display in a window at Country Bits in downtown Cambridge on the corner of Wheeling Avenue and 7th Street and in a couple of other stores downtown. Look carefully in store windows and on building walls to find memories of Hoppy.
As you enter Downtown Cambridge on Southgate Parkway, take a glance to the left to see a beautiful mural done by local artist, Sue Dodd. This depicts the life of William Boyd entitled "Hendrysburg to Hollywood" with accurate information and detailed pictures.
A great place to start your Hoppy Adventure would be the Guernsey County Senior Center where there is a bronze statue of Hopalong Cassidy. When the festival ended, Laura wanted to be sure his memory lived on in the area so with the help of many Hoppy friends, she raised funds to have a statue created.
Wanting only the best, she contacted Alan Cottrill of Zanesville, whose statues appear around the world. Funds were raised and dedication of the statue took place in June 2016. Fans stop by often and if you're lucky, you might find Laura Bates there to tell some Hoppy stories.
At the corner of Wheeling Avenue and Highland Avenue, there is a monument dedicated in 1992 at the site of the school William Boyd attended. In the early 1900s, it was called East Side School, which later became Park School. When a new school was built there in 1956, William Boyd donated money for playground equipment. He always kept in touch with his hometown.
When Grace Boyd, Hoppy's wife, came to the festival, she always made a stop at Park School. Children looked forward to her visit as the beautiful, charming lady had great stories to share. Her picture can still be found at the Guernsey County Senior Center.
If you look closely, you'll also see little bits of Hoppy's history in unexpected places. At the Christ Our Light Parish, there is an engraved brick on the patio in his memory. In Northwood Cemetery, there is a monument to his brother, Frances Marion Boyd, who was born in Cambridge June 13, 1906, and died December 29, 1906.
William Boyd didn't sing, dance, or play sports. He simply became Hopalong Cassidy, the Gentleman of the Bar 20, who smiled, waved and shook hands. Hoppy was everyone's Mr. Good Guy and his favorite drink was nonalcoholic sarsaparilla.
Thanks to Laura Bates and the Friends of Hoppy, the memory of William Boyd, best known as Hopalong Cassidy, will live on for generations in Cambridge.


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Fleur de Lolly: Enjoy some pimento cheese — the 'Pâté of the South'
Pimento cheese is the "Pâté of the South," and there are hundreds of variations.
From a ladies' luncheon to snacks on the deck, elegantly served in your grandmother's silver serving dish, or spread between two pieces of white bread and wrapped in waxed paper to be taken to your favorite fishing hole for your lunch, pimento cheese is a perennial favorite in this region. A few minutes of prep and you have the food of the gods
Please always grate your cheese. The purchased, pre-shredded type cheese has additives that keep it from sticking together in the package, which means it won't combine well with your ingredients. Shred the cheese first, THEN measure.
Here are several variations for pimento cheese. If you don't want to eat it with crackers, how about trying it as a topping for hamburgers or baked potatoes?
• 8 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 6 oz. softened cream cheese
• 4 oz. jar of diced pimentos drained
• 3/4 cup to 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• A few grinds of black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients using a wooden spoon. You'll need some elbow grease to get everything thoroughly mixed together. Keep refrigerated until about 20 minutes before serving to allow it to soften enough to be spreadable on crackers.
This version is great served with corn or tortilla chips. You can adjust the amount of cayenne and jalapeños to suit your taste.
• 8 oz. block of sharp cheddar cheese
• 8 oz. block chipotle white cheddar cheese
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 4 oz. diced pimentos, drained
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 small jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and finely minced
Using either a food processor or a box grater, grate both kinds of cheese and place in a large mixing bowl. Slowly stir in the mayonnaise. You can add either more or less to get the consistency you like. Fold in the pimentos, cayenne pepper and minced jalapeño, and make sure it's well combined.
Refrigerate until ready to serve. It's best if made a few hours before serving, so the flavors will have time to blend. Serve with corn or tortilla chips.
• 4 oz. diced pimentos, drained
• 4 oz. cream cheese softened and cut into small cubes
• 2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar
• 2 cups shredded mild cheddar
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoon minced water chestnuts
Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. If possible, make a day ahead and refrigerate. The flavors will have time to blend. Serve on crackers, as a sandwich filling or spread on celery sticks.
For an entirely different serving idea, how about a pimento cheese cheese ball covered in pecans?
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 16 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (don't use pre-shredded)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise (depending on how creamy you want)
• 1 large jar diced pimentos, drained
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except pecans. Shape into a ball. Spread chopped pecans onto a piece of foil or plastic wrap large enough to wrap around the cheese ball. Carefully roll the cheese ball in the chopped pecans until completely covered. Wrap the foil or plastic wrap securely around the cheese ball and refrigerate until ready to serve with your favorite crackers.
-- Laura Tolbert, also known as Fleur de Lolly, has been sharing recipes, table decor ideas and advice for fellow foodies and novices on her blog, fleurdelolly.blogspot.com for more than eight years. You can contact her at facebook.com/fleurde.lolly.5, on Instagram, and email@example.com.


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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — When James Shields broke into the big leagues with Tampa Bay, the Rays were no better than the Kansas City Royals.
They lost more than 100 games his first season, and fared little better the following year. But by his third season as a starter, the Rays had finally turned the corner, many of their prized prospects forming the nucleus of a team that upstaged AL East stalwarts Boston and the Yankees and advanced all the way to the World Series.
Now, after a blockbuster deal that sent Shields and fellow right-hander Wade Davis to the Royals late Sunday, the former All-Star pitcher believes everything is in place for Kansas City to replicate the Rays' success.
"The Royals are definitely on the right track," Shields said Monday. "They definitely remind me of our '07 season going into our '08 season in the Rays organization, and I think there's a good possibility we can step in that direction. I've been there when we've lost 100 games before. I've also won 96, 97 games before, and I think me and Wade bring a little of that to the table, knowing how to win and what it takes to win."
The Royals haven't known what that's like in years.
Despite the matriculation of their best prospects to the big league club, the Royals still struggled to a 72-90 record and a third-place finish in the weak AL Central last season. It was their ninth consecutive losing season, and extended to 27 the number of years it's been since the franchise last played in the postseason.
The biggest reason for the lousy finish was a dearth of starting pitching, and that's something that general manager Dayton Moore has been aggressively trying to resolve this offseason.
Along with acquiring Shields and Davis in arguably the biggest move his tenure, Moore also re-signed Jeremy Guthrie to a $25 million, three-year deal and acquired Ervin Santana and his $12 million salary from the Los Angeles Angels. That means Kansas City's top four starters next season weren't on their opening day roster this past year.
"Our goal is to add as much pitching depth as we can as every organization tends to do, especially this time of year," said Moore, adding that Bruce Chen, Luke Hochevar and Luis Mendoza could compete for the final job in spring training.
Danny Duffy and Felipe Paulino, who are both coming off Tommy John surgery this past summer, could also wrestle the job away when they return sometime during the middle of the season.
"It looks like a good mix of people, I think, with Shield and Santana — I've seen Guthrie pitch for a couple years with the Orioles," Davis said. "I'm not a 10-year veteran or a coach, but I think it's a good mix of people."
The Royals certainly mortgaged their future to put it together.
Tampa Bay's biggest prize in the six-player swap is undoubtedly outfielder Wil Myers, widely regarded as the top prospect in the minors. The 22-year-old hit .314 with 37 homers and 109 RBIs last season, and he starred during the All-Star Futures Game hosted by Kansas City, putting together a pair of hits and driving in three runs.
Moore said he tried to keep Myers out of the deal, but he also understood that "you have to give up something to get something," so he parted with one of the game's top prospects.
He also sent along right-hander Jake Odorizzi, the Royals' top pitching prospect, left-hander Mike Montgomery and third baseman Patrick Leonard to Tampa Bay. Kansas City also will receive another player or cash.
"When you get a chance to upgrade and get a pitcher the caliber of James Shields and Wade Davis, we felt it was the right thing for us to do for our team today and going forward," Moore said.
The Royals have made a significant financial commitment to winning this season.
Along with taking on Santana's hefty contract, the Royals will pay Shields $10.5 million this season while holding a club option of $12 million with a $1 million buyout for next season. Davis is due to make $2.8 million this season and $4.8 million in 2014, with the Royals holding options on the next three years.
Shields said he relishes the opportunity to return to the role of franchise ace.
It was the same role he had his first few years in Tampa Bay, before David Price and others blossomed, and a role in which he feels comfortable. He's logged at least 200 innings six consecutive seasons, has 14 complete games over the past two years, and his 3.89 ERA for his career makes him the most effective starter in the Royals' new-look rotation.
Kansas City starters combined for a 5.01 ERA last season, fifth-worst in the big leagues.
"Starting pitching, I think that's where it starts," Shields said. "What the Rays did the last couple years, it's been about starting pitching and defense. That's the key to success. Hopefully me and Wade can get the job done."


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Contract Manager
durch Ivero
Sharepoint based contract lifecycle management software
Contract Manager for Office 365 is available as a free, fully-featured 14-day trial (1xSite License with an unlimited number of end-users)
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• Email alerts - contract renewal notification
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• Allows groups of Managers the ability to perform administrative functions on selected contract types
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• If you need help with configuration, please watch video guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfNHg0w9W8Y
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If you have any questions, email us at: firstname.lastname@example.com
Version 126.96.36.199 released:
- Added support for static approval path (selected by admin under admin panel)


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Well y'all, we have had an incredible weekend in Lexington. We've eaten delicious food and watched spectacular horsewoman accomplish some amazing feats.
I'm just going to recap the highlights.
The food. This year we did it right by choosing some awesome restaurants.
On Thursday we ate at Pepe's. It wasn't special, just a Mexican restaurant, but it was yummy. The next night we hit Red State BBQ. It's a local little place with writing all over the walls. Our server, Stephan, was fantastic despite being incredibly busy. My pulled pork and sides and Judy's chicken were all delicious. The homemade sauces were so good that I'm bringing some home to my husband.
On Saturday we returned to the place we found in Georgetown last year: Fatkat's. Ohmygosh it was sooooo good! Cheesy garlic bread, caprese salad, and baked spaghetti. Mouth wateringly good.
Tonight we went to Pies and Pints in downtown Lexington after having a drink at an Irish pub. The KY basketball game was on, so the bars were sort of intense. Our server and the food were all great. We didn't realize until we got back to our hotel that we actually have this restaurant in Birmingham. Weird. But good news! I also found a beer I like (I HATE beer). It was Grand Mimosa by Ciderboys and I can't wait to find some when I get back to the Ham.
So clearly we ate well. Really well.
Today was the final day of Road to the Horse and it was everything I hoped it would be. On Friday I decided that my favorite rider was Vicki Wilson, the underdog from New Zealand. She's only really an underdog because she rides English (she's a jumper) and everyone else in this competition rides Western. A lot of Western riders don't believe English riders are as tough, but this chick has some freakin' grit, let me tell you.
On the first day in the round pen she fell from her colt while riding bareback. Unbeknownst to the crowds (especially since at the end of her round she through her obstacle barrels over the fence), she dislocated her shoulder. Amazingly, she got right back in the ring on Saturday. Not only did she get back in the ring, she got back on the dang horse. Her mandatory breaks were spent sitting and icing her shoulder.
Y'all, I can't express to you how awesome these ladies are! This competition–to reiterate–is the world championship of colt starting. They have 3 1/2 hours to work with previously unhandled three-year-old horses. And then on Sunday they go through a ridiculous obstacle course. (You can see some of the course in the picture above). If you ride, you know this could be tough on a seasoned horse, so imagine it on these young colts. Add in the crowd, the lights, the fact that they've had a bit in their mouth maybe twice, and a saddle and person on their back no more than maybe an hour.
Absolute craziness.
So today, Vicki worked her horse through every obstacle–every. single. one.–with her healing shoulder. The competitors have mics, so we can listen along the whole time. I loved getting to hear her talk her horse, who she named Kentucky, through the obstacles. She smooched him along, soothed him when he got freaked out, and encouraged him by leading him from the ground. When she had several minutes left at the end, she took her saddle off and freestyled bareback. She went through some of the obstacles again, jumped some barrels, and generally made the whole audience fall in love with her and her horse.
Okay, all that to say…SHE WON!!!!
Now I am not one to get emotionally involved in competitions and sports, but I SO wanted her to win. SO, so, so bad! And she did! It was fabulous.
AND! She is buying her horse and taking him home with her to New Zealand which is so awesome!
Talk about celebrating the cowgirl! Day-um!!!!
Whew, now we're relaxing in our room watching The Proposal and then heading home tomorrow.
I hope y'all have had a good weekend because mine was fan-freaking-tastic!


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It's official: Apple sent invitations for a much-buzzed about event in Cupertino on Sept. 10.
Hype has been building for weeks that the company would unveil new products the second week of September, but Apple (AAPL) made it official Tuesday.
The company has all but confirmed it will be launching a new iPhone, and the invitation does nothing to quell the rumors. The invite is bursting with bright pastel bubbles in the same color scheme that's used for the iOS 7 operating system on which its new iPhone will likely run.
Related: 5 rumors likely to come true
Along with a new iPhone, reports are split on whether a refreshed iPad is also on tap. There's a lot of speculation about what products Apple might come out with next, including a low-cost phone, an iWatch and its long-awaited TV.
The event comes at a crucial time for the company. While sales for the iPhone and iPad have mostly been rising, Google's (GOOG) Android is growing at a much faster clip. Thus far, Apple hasn't been able to pump the brakes on the trend.
Part of the problem is that Apple hasn't launched a new smartphone or tablet in about a year, while rivals are releasing new devices far more frequently.
Shares of the company were up about 1% in midday trading.
--CNNMoney's Julianne Pepitone contributed to this report.


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POLITICO, the Washington, DC daily journal, published a story on May 22nd by reporter Jessica Meyers on one of my favorite topics, marine highway development. I had hoped for more but then a partisan, as I am, is always hard to please.
It was the multiple titles sitting atop the various pages and editions of the piece that got to me. Like taunts from the headline writer. "Industry appears stalled on marine highways." "Federal marine highways project hard to launch." And one that elicited a quiet groan, "Marine highways projects often sink." All for a single article.
You'd think one title would suffice.
It's hard to argue with the conclusions of a writer whose research uncovers little evidence of successful services, hears sources say there is no market or that it is still being identified, and then calls it as she or he sees it.
Let's face it. The shelf isn't lined with gleaming trophies of winning marine highway projects.
Then there was this piece that appeared the next day in Lloyd's List entitled "Built in the USA." "Tobias Koenig's decision to withdraw financial support from American Feeder Lines…has opened a fresh debate on the US-build requirement of the 1920 law."
Whether the frustration of a European shipping investor ("we intend to profit from the opportunities, and to profit well") who had hoped to reinvent American coastal shipping and ship building has given us a fresh debate, or is just another log to grow the flames of the US-build debate, isn't so important.
The fact is the debate continues and the heat is being felt. Others–whether Hawaiian shippers or Connecticut-based Per Heidenreich–are among the more recent voices for change. The US-build requirement is typically the target.
The above articles point to the challenge facing marine highway service start-ups and the broader Jones Act container/trailer carrier community whose market is pretty much limited to the non-contiguous trade and whose fleet has far too many old fuel burners for the new Emissions Control Area (ECA) age we are about to enter.
Two weeks prior to those articles going to print The Maritime Executive folks convened a long planned "Revitalizing the Maritime Industry" forum. It was a Jones Act centric program and audience, although there might have been some outliers in the room.
The two-day program opened with a plainly stated concern about how the Jones Act industry today finds itself in the position of having to defend the cabotage principle instead of the onus being on challengers to explain why it would be in the nation's interest to allow the Jones Act walls to tumble.
John Graykowski, former Deputy Administrator of MARAD and Jones Act advocate, said at the opening of the forum that "the future isn't as clear or…as bright as any of us would like it to be." He noted "challenges" that don't seem to diminish and "an ever present growing threat" to the Jones Act. He pointed to fewer maritime industry advocates today in government, and to challenges to the cargo preference program and the protected non-contiguous trade.
In the background, as one easily took from the forum's title, was the fact that important elements of the Jones Act industry have been in decline for too long a time, a condition that the marine highway effort hopes to reverse.
Along the way there were unequivocal and unchallenged statements heard in the hall as to the importance of the domestic maritime sector to the nation, the competitiveness of American crews and the competitiveness of American shipyards. Also heard was the immutability of the Jones Act.
The problem isn't that it is broke, the message went. The problem is that aggressors are gathering at the gate and our defenders are fewer. This is a time for a collective "gut check." The walls must be defended. Whatever happens, the law ain't gonna change.
A few people with microphones suggested the need for some flexibility in the law. A short term reflagging of suitable, foreign built ships to enable a demonstration of marine highway service in the North Atlantic is an example that I suggested. (I argued that position on behalf of American Feeder Lines in its attempt earlier this year to win government approval of a limited waiver with the condition that US-built ships would be ordered to replace them.)
There were Jones Act defenders in the room who themselves are frustrated with the no-exceptions perspective. But it is a frustration that is not given expression in public, certainly not in a gathering such as this.
Cabotage is a principle important to the national economy and defense. However, as I suggested in a presentation at the forum, the present law is nearly 100 years old. "I don't think that living in the twentieth century today is necessarily how we get" to a revitalized American industry. The principle is sound but how we get to a revitalized industry, including a stronger shipbuilding sector, is the question. Once revitalized the industry can be more successful in defending both the principle and the gate.
MarEx Editor-in-Chief Tony Munoz, convener of the event, concluded the program by saying the forum and the attendees are the "tip of the spear" to "move this agenda forward."
But, I wonder, will preserving every jot and tittle of the status quo be the only element of that agenda? Pbea
An earlier version of this appeared in the "Deep Water Port notes" newsletter of the Connecticut Maritime Coalition.