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I mentioned "home staging" to a single dad who asked about selling his home this spring. The rest of the men in the group looked at me as if I were from Mars.
"That's great for the high rollers — the white wine and brie set," one of them said. "But what about people who serve hamburgers and beer, and not watercress sandwiches?"
Home staging is not reserved for the rich — or for creative women. In fact, cleaning and clearing clutters are the two primary items on Pam Christensen's Inexpensive Staging Tips list for any market. And, guys, it doesn't take a genius woman to help you through the other tips on the list.
Christensen, founder and owner of Staging for Charisma LLC, said guys often forget that they are selling their space, not their stuff.
"There are some staging tips that apply no matter where you live," said Christensen, a licensed real estate instructor and certified staging trainer. "Some tips apply more if you are living on the East Coast than on the West Coast."
Guys, if you're thinking of selling your house or condo this spring, now is the time to prepare your home for sale. Why now? Well, it's the traditional selling season, which means that in most communities, recorded residence transfers are at a peak during June and July. Most of those sales are actually made 30 to 60 days earlier, and it takes time to complete the transaction. Think about the academic year. Many deals are made when the kids are in school, and moves are made when they get out.
What's the best way to make a deal happen? A fresh coat of paint, inside and outside, will do wonders to make your residence show its best and make buyers want to purchase it. If your home looks tired, prospective buyers either won't make a purchase offer or they will highly discount it to allow for the fix-up costs, especially painting. Most buyers want to purchase a residence in model-home condition, so all they have to do is turn the key in the front door and move in.
"White is out, designer neutrals are in," Christensen said. "So what the heck is a designer neutral? Beige, but if you're not careful, that beautiful beige that looked so fabulous on the brochure could look pink on your wall. Warm beiges like Sherwin Williams Practical Beige and Kilim Beige are some of my favorites."
Christensen's other cheap staging tips:
Curb appeal is not dead: OK, nine times out of 10, the first impression of the home is the Internet, but that doesn't mean that curb appeal is out of vogue. The contrast between the chocolate brown bark and the bright green grass makes a striking first impression.
How to get rid of it: It's time to give away the purple cookie jar that you got from Aunt Mary for your 18th birthday, and anything else that you have been saving just in case you might need it someday. Divide everything into three stacks: The purple cookie jar and other things that you never use go directly to the garage sale or Goodwill. The second stack is the things you use but rarely, or they are seasonal and you won't need them while you are on the market. These are packed and stored. What's left can go back into the closets. Will people really look in the closets? Only if they want to buy the home.
Counter patrol: Small appliances like toasters can go into a cupboard. If you have an espresso machine and a coffee pot, choose which one you use the most and tuck the other away.
Bathroom essentials: For toiletries, buy a plastic tote that can come out in the morning and evening and be easily tucked under the sink during the day. Keep no more than one shampoo, one conditioner and one liquid soap in the tub or shower.
And what about that shower curtain? Open or closed? If you have just invested in a new tile tub surround, leave the shower curtain open to show it off.
Say welcome home: Buy a new, tasteful welcome mat for the front entry. It's best if it says "welcome." Adding a pot of blooming annuals by the front door if there's space also creates a friendly atmosphere.
Mirror, mirror on the wall: Place one in the entry or in one of the main living rooms. Mirrors help buyers see themselves in the home. They also help to make the room look larger and lighter. Check the reflection. Make sure you aren't reflecting a view that is less than attractive.
Less is more: You've heard it before, but it is really true. When staging a room in a home for sale, a few well-placed pieces of furniture are all that's needed to show the room at its best.


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Building construction permits over $10,000 in value that were approved in Boulder between Jan. 14 and Jan. 20, 2013. Listed below are: the case number; address; total project valuation; owner name; contractor (if applicable); and description.
PMT2011-05363; 4190 Baseline Road; $106,897; Peter McCumber; B.W. Construction; Full remodel of 1,912 square feet on a single-family dwelling ranch structure with 30 square feet in additions for bay windows. Installation of 123-square-foot deck, and relocate laundry.
PMT2012-05774; 4760 Walnut St.; $105,500; Tierra Buildings; Duggan Construction LLC; Interior, non-structural demolition and remodel of existing tenant space. Scope of demolition work includes approximately 300 square feet of existing walls, and associated plumbing fixtures. Scope of remodel work includes 1,021 square feet of reconstructed walls and associated plumbing, electrical, and mechanical. Restriping and resign of ADA parking spaces associated with scope as well.
PMT2012-05859; 3076 Sixth St.; $23,380; German Nunez; Paramount Construction Inc.; Construction of a new 587-square-foot garage. This case is associated with PMT2012-05403. ISP can be found in this packet.
PMT2012-05950; 1335 Broadway; $82,633; 1335 Broadway; Foothills Commercial Builders; Tenant remodel of 1,360 square feet to create a frozen yogurt shop with a seating area with 19 tables and 38 seats. Install two wall pack cooling units to chill yogurt machinery, includes associated electrical and plumbing.
PMT2012-06054; 512 Marine St.; $22,000; Carolyn Geer; Morningstar Homes; Renovation of 260 square feet of existing, single-story accessory building. (Please reference HIS2012-00240.) Scope of work will include associated electrical, plumbing and mechanical and will create new habitable space.
PMT2012-06089; 933 Alpine Ave.; $224,422; Alpine Orthopedic; Golden Triangle Construction Inc.; Tenant remodel for Boulder Orthopedics including removal and installation of non-bearing walls, replace front entry door for accessibility, associated finishes, electrical, mechanical and plumbing.
PMT2012-06118; 5555 Airport Blvd.; $185,000; Yew Tree; CRB Builders LLC; Tenant remodel of 984 square feet of an existing hazardous storage room to meet current requirements. Includes associated MEP.
PMT2013-00049; 2425 Canyon Blvd.; $20,000; Waterstreet Plaza; A&B Builders Inc.; Tenant remodel of Suite 175 for Scottrade. Remodel to include installation of non-bearing office walls, accessible bath with sink, toilet and floor sink. Scope of work includes associated electrical, plumbing and mechanical.
PMT2013-00167; 2990 Jefferson St.; $73,469; Zachary and Gloria Mitchell; Melton Construction Inc.; Basement finish in residence including installation of bedroom, three-quarter bath, family room and storage areas.
PMT2013-00210; 440 Terrace Ave.; $22,880; Deanna Hoover; Non-structural basement finish in townhouse. Scope of work includes associated plumbing (new half-bath), electrical (rewiring) and mechanical (bathroom fan).
PMT2013-00217; 2460 University Heights Ave.; $40,000; Jacques Devaud; Peter Young Construction Inc.; Kitchen remodel to include removal of a portion of a wall, installation of two beams and associated support columns, relocation of appliances, sink to remain in same location. Revised electrical and lighting — to include under-cabinet lights — and relocated outlets and switches. No exterior changes proposed or authorized under the scope of this permit.
PMT2013-00222; 4446 St. Johns Ave.; $52,705; Patricia and Douglas Meneley; B.W. Construction; Basement finish of 995 square feet to add one bedroom, three-quarter bath, living area and storage room. Includes MEP.
PMT2012-04841; 943 10th St.; $40,000; Paul and Tamara Miller; Brant Point Design LLC; 403-square-foot addition on SWC of the main floor to create a new master suite. Includes associated mechanical, electrical and plumbing. Detached garage on same set of plans by separate permit.
PMT2012-04058; 3080 Center Green Drive; $282,537; University Corporation; Sun Construction & Design Service Inc.; Remove and replace storefront areas to access and repair concrete building footer. No modifications to storefront. Revised Jan. 11, 2013, to include expansion joint, modified door locations for ADA compliance and fire-safing the perimeter.

subset: commoncrawl


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KABUL, Afghanistan – Seven American troops and four Afghans died in a Black Hawk helicopter crash on Thursday in southern Afghanistan, the NATO military coalition said. The Taliban claimed their fighters shot down the aircraft.
NATO said it is investigating the cause of the crash. The coalition had no immediate comment on the insurgents' claim that they shot down the helicopter.
Officials in Kandahar province said the helicopter went down in the north of the province. Kandahar is a traditional Taliban stronghold and the spiritual birthplace of the hardline Islamist movement that ruled Afghanistan before being ousted in 2001 by the U.S.-led alliance for sheltering al-Qaida's terrorist leaders.
Among the dead were seven American service members, three members of Afghan security forces and one Afghan civilian interpreter, said Jamie Graybeal, a spokesman for the coalition.
He said the aircraft was a UH-60 Black Hawk but declined to give any details of the aircraft's mission
Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi said insurgent fighters shot down the helicopter in Kandahar province on Thursday morning.
"Nobody survived this," Ahmadi told The Associated Press by phone.
The helicopter went down in Kandahar's Shah Wali Kot district, which lies in the northern part of the province, a spokesman for the provincial government said.
"We don't know if it was shot down by the Taliban, or if it had mechanical problems," said the spokesman, Ahmad Jawed Faisal.
Thursday's crash is the deadliest since a Turkish helicopter crashed into a house near the Afghan capital, Kabul, on March 16, killing 12 Turkish soldiers on board and four Afghan civilians on the ground, officials said.
In August last year, insurgents shot down a Chinook helicopter, killing 30 American troops, mostly elite Navy SEALs, in Afghanistan's central Wardak province.
At least 221 American service members have been killed in Afghanistan so far this year.
Associated Press writers Mirwais Khan in Kandahar, Afghanistan, and Amir Shah and Deb Riechmann in Kabul contributed to this report.


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September 24, 2010 - Australian rock bands Wolfmother and The Vines have come under fire for agreeing to play a Jakarta music festival sponsored by a major Indonesian tobacco company. Both bands announced this week they would perform at next month's Java Rockin'Land festival, set to be one of the biggest music events of the year in the Indonesian capital. But anti-smoking campaigners say if the bands do perform they will effectively be promoting its major sponsor, Indonesian cigarette maker Gudang Garam (Indonesian for "salt warehouse") a major Indonesian kretek (clove cigarette) manufacturer.
Sydney Medical School's director of research Simon Chapman has urged the bands to reconsider. "If the artists put their foot down, the event organisers will get rid of the tobacco sponsorship," Chapman told AAP on Thursday, September 23rd.
Wolfmother To Play Indonesia23 September 2010
Wolfmother will be playing at Java Rockin'land Festival on October 10th. This one is for the fans in Indonesia who have parted with their very own cold hard cash to see Wolfmother. We realize their are sponsors and we neither support or condemn the sponsors affiliated with the festival. We are very much looking forward to what we hope will be the first of many shows to come in Indonesia.
Australian alternative rock band noted for producing a musical hybrid of '60s rock and '90s alternative music, THE VINES, are confirmed to perform at Gudang Garam InterMusic Java Rockin'land 2010.
THE VINES will be performing on Sunday, 10 October 2010.
Indonesia has extremely lax tobacco laws and is one of only a handful of countries that refuse to sign up to the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Local and transnational tobacco companies often sponsor concerts and sporting events, where they hand out free samples. Cigarette advertising campaigns are often aimed squarely at teenagers. (Indonesia - paradise for smokers and paradise for tobacco companies..)
American singer Kelly Clarkson dropped tobacco sponsorship for her Jakarta concert in April after anti-smoking groups argued she was effectively encouraging her young fans to smoke. Alicia Keys did the same thing in 2008.
American bands Smashing Pumpkins and Dashboard Confessional are also on the festival line-up.
The Smashing Pumpkins Tour Dates
Oct 08 Jakarta Java Rockin Land Festival/Carnaval Ancol
Dashboard Confessional
CT 92010 10/9/2010 Pantai Carnaval Jakarta, IDN
United States is also not a party to the FCTC international public health treaty.
Reference: Wolfmother, Vines urged to ditch concert, Adam Gartrell, Indonesia Correspondent - Australian Associated Press (AAP), The Sydney Morning Herald, 9/23/2010.


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Health and well-being of young people
Outline of the Community (European Union) legislation about Health and well-being of young people
These categories group together and put in context the legislative and non-legislative initiatives which deal with the same topic.
Education training youth sport > Youth
Health and well-being of young people
Document or Iniciative
Resolution of the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of 20 November on the health and well-being of young people [Official Journal C 319 of 13.12.2008].
Even though the health of Europe's young people is considered to be in general rather satisfactory, concerns remain regarding nutrition, physical activity, alcohol abuse, as well as sexual and mental health. In this context, it is essential to promote a healthy lifestyle, to adopt preventive measures and to take gender issues into consideration.
Several aspects related to living conditions pose a risk to young people's health and well-being. To ensure the healthy development of young people, their physical and social environments should be wholesome. This aim is best achieved by giving further support to parents.
The extent of social inclusion and level of education of young people is closely related to their health and well-being. Hence, it is important that young people are kept well informed of the advantages of a healthy lifestyle and that they are encouraged to become more responsible and autonomous with regard to their own health.
In order to ensure that youth health policy is efficient, the state of play should be assessed to provide better tailored strategies that take into consideration the needs of and differences among young people. The strategies should be based on a comprehensive and cross-sectoral approach. Youth health policy should involve the local, regional, national and European levels and be developed in close partnership with a wide range of stakeholders.
Consequently, the Council is inviting Member States to:
- mainstream the "youth" dimension into all initiatives that are related to health issues and implement appropriate measures for youth health policy;
- allow all relevant stakeholders, including young people themselves, to participate in developing and implementing the initiatives related to health issues;
- support young people's access to both cultural and physical leisure-time activities;
- consider youth health issues in information and the media programmes and policies;
- promote youth workers' and organisations' training on health issues and prevention measures.
The Commission is also invited to ensure the mainstreaming of the "youth" dimension in all initiatives related to health issues, as well as to include all stakeholders and the young people themselves at all stages of development of the initiatives on youth health policy.
Finally, the Council is inviting Member States and the Commission to collaborate, in order to:
- expand knowledge of youth health issues by increasing research into and regular reporting on the topic;
- include data on youth health and well-being into the Commission's triennial report on young people's situation in Europe;
- inform the public about issues that affect the health of young people;
- promote exchanges at the local, regional, national and European levels on best practice related to youth health;
- promote the use of existing European Union (EU) instruments in the development of youth health-related projects;
- encourage stronger collaboration on youth health issues among young people, youth organisations and other relevant stakeholders as well as civil society.
The White Paper on youth of 21 November 2001 recognised the importance of health in empowering young people, fostering their social inclusion and developing their active citizenship. The European Youth Pact, adopted in March 2005, further emphasised the need to mainstream the "youth" dimension, in particular issues related youth health, to other relevant European policies.


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Kenseth hopes history repeats
DARLINGTON, S.C. - Matt Kenseth hopes to get his season going and lock up a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at Darlington Raceway.
Kenseth came to the Southern 500 last May one of Sprint Cup's hottest drivers, winning twice in his first season driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. This time, Kenseth comes in winless through seven races under the new NASCAR format where a victory pretty much ensures a driver a spot in the 16-team playoffs.
"I've never been at a race I didn't want to win," Kenseth said. "We show up every week with our best stuff trying to figure out how to sit on the pole and win the race. That's never really changed since I started racing."
Kenseth and his JGR team got it done a season ago, taking the Southern 500 and enhancing the driver's fast start with his new program. Kenseth hopes that past success gives him a leg up for Saturday night's race - and gets him locked into the playoffs.
Kenseth's not the only regular winner without a trip to Victory Lane this year. Six-time series champion Jimmie Johnson hasn't won. Neither has current points leader Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle or Tony Stewart with 19 races remaining before the playoffs begin.
Kenseth said he and his team aren't panicking with plenty of time remaining to claim a victory or get in on points - still a possibility in Kenseth's mind despite no multiple winners so far this season.
But Kenseth doesn't spend any more or less time considering his placing after each race. That might change, he says, if he gets to late summer without a victory and trying to qualify for the playoffs on points.
"History suggests that there are going to be a few guys added by points who didn't win," he said. "Certainly, if that's the case, the point standings are very important."
Kenseth has long handled the vagaries of NASCAR's old point systems that sometimes put more importance on consistency than victories. In 2002, Kenseth won five races but was well behind series champion Stewart in the final standings. The next season, Kenseth took a steadier approach, built a large points lead by the summer and held on for his NASCAR championship.
But Kenseth's not sure how all this will shake out the next five months.
"Are we going to have 10 winners? Are we going to have 20 winners?" he said. "There's no telling how important points are going to be."
Kenseth overtook the dominant car of Gibbs' teammate, Kyle Busch, when Busch's tire had a slow leak and he dropped out of the lead with 13 laps to go. Busch had led 265 laps, but settled for sixth - his fifth top-10 finish in nine career starts at Darlington.
Busch earned his playoff spot with a win last month in the Auto Club 400 at Fontana, Calif. He's not sure how important it was to win so early, only that it gave his team some relief about where they'll be come September.
"It certainly takes a load off your shoulders and just kind of relieves a little bit, puts another breath in your sails," Busch said. "There are going to be guys who get in, I believe without wins. It sort of guarantees your spot, so now it gives you more opportunity to experiment."
Penske racer Joey Logano won that right with victory at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this week as the series heads into Darlington.
Busch expects another strong outing from he and his teammates Kenseth and Denny Hamlin this week.
"I feel like all the JGR drivers obviously are really, really good," Busch said. "Of course our equipment is good, too, and we can run fast there, run well there, and if you can keep air in the tires, you might win."
And maybe earn a playoff spot at the "Lady in Black."


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Steve Hanke: Syria's Annual Inflation Hits 200%
In an attempt to beat Western sanctions and halt the fall in the Syrian pound, the Assad regime – with the help of Iran, Russia, and China – has begun conducting all of its business in rials, roubles, and renminbi. This decision supplements other existing arrangements between Syria and its allies that are keeping the Syrian economy on life-support. These include transfers of USD 500 million per month in oil and an unlimited credit line with Tehran for food and oil-product imports.
According to Kadri Jamil, Syria's prime minister for the economy, this life support is necessary because Syria's devastated economy is the target of an elaborate plot, hatched by the U.S. and Britain, to "sink the Syrian pound."
So, what about the sinking pound? As the accompanying chart shows, the Syrian pound has lost 66.2% of its value in the last twelve months.
The rout of the Syrian pound has been widely reported in the press. But, Syria's inflation problems that have accompanied the collapse of the pound have gone largely unreported. That's because, beyond the occasional bits of anecdotal evidence, there has been nothing to report by way of reliable economic data.
To fill that void, I employ standard techniques to estimate Syrian's current inflation. Currently, Syria is experiencing an annual inflation rate of 200% (see the accompanying chart).
Indeed, Syria is experiencing a monthly inflation rate of 34%. To facilitate the monitoring of the quickly deteriorating situation in Syria, I am creating a resource which will allow readers to view up-to-date data on the Syrian pound and the country's inflation problems. Soon, black-market exchange-rate data and ¬inflation estimates for countries with troubled currencies like Syria will be made available via the "Troubled Currencies Project" – a joint Cato Institute-Johns Hopkins collaboration under my direction. In consequence, the days of Syria's plunging pound and raging inflation being covered in a shroud of secrecy are soon coming to an end.
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By professionals for professionals
Commercial lifts are key to successful service.
Elevators are part of the team. In businesses, they ensure reliability even in the most hectic situations. The team at LUTZ Elevators is conversant with our customers' most varied requirements and can offer tailor-made solutions for commerce, trade and service industries.
Creating added value, shaping the future. Being able to reliably transport people and goods every day of the year is essential for ensuring economic success. We are a part of that.
Heavy duty made easy
Creating added value, shaping the future. Being able to reliably transport people and goods every day of the year is essential for ensuring economic success. We are a part of that.
Robust and durable in daily operations
Elevators in companies and businesses ensure reliability even in hectic situations. The team at LUTZ Elevators is conversant with its customers' most varied requirements and offers customised solutions for commerce, trade and service industries. Apart from design and construction, our portfolio also includes regular maintenance to guarantee the trouble-free operation and long service life of your lift installation.
Lift installations in hospitals and nursing facilities have to fulfil widely differing requirements. Our range of offers includes hospital bed lifts and disabled-friendly and barrier-free solutions as well as elevators that connect individual wards with the kitchen and lifts designed specifically for visitors and staff. All of our solutions boast fail-safe technology and distinguish themselves through their robust workmanship and long service life. In addition, they also feature intelligent details. Our hospital bed lifts, for example, are equipped with indirect ceiling lighting so as to avoid dazzling recumbent patients during transport. We not only ensure the trouble-free operation of our lift installations but also the smooth running of your facility. Service appointments are scheduled flexibly with our customers to avoid disrupting their day-to-day internal operations.The hotel and restaurant industry runs on a tight schedule, making it reliant on operational technology that functions smoothly, particularly at peak times, and is able to cope with a variety of challenges. Our product range includes dumb waiters, service and goods elevators, staff lifts as well as elevators to transport guests. The lift design and the materials used in construction can be individually adapted to suit the high comfort level of the individual building. Furthermore, we also offer a range of optional extras to make the guests' ride in the elevator more enjoyable, from background music to digital info screens. Elevator installations are among the most important tools in the industrial and logistics sectors as they are crucial to the flow of materials in production and the storage of goods within a building or facility. Boasting a robust design, our solutions are ideally suited to withstand the rigours occurring in daily operations. Furthermore, we aim to optimise every lift installation to its individual area of application and the goods to be transported so as to ensure that all of your processes run smoothly.


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Thursday, December 23, 2010
Christmas Light Fruit Cake
Until 1 months plus ago, I told him officially that I am going to bake him a fruit cake to return his flavour - he helped me brought back some baking books from Taiwan :P. However this has been delayed again due to our schedule, when I am available to bake for him, he was not in town. When he was in town, it was my turn to fly. This year is going to be over, I do not wanna drag it any longer so even I have tight schedule recently, I still squeeze out time to bake this fruit cake for him.
The cake looks nicer with dusting of snow sugar right?
I am submitting this entry to the Christmas Giveaway hosted by Swee San of The Sweet Spot.
I am also sending this to Aspiring Bakers #2 Christmas (Dec 2010) hosted by Jane of Passionate About Baking.
I used the recipe from Aunty Yochana that I had baked before and recieved good comments. I baked a 6" cake for him and balance in cupcakes for dear husband as fruit cake is also his favourite.
Ingredients: (for 6" round cake pan and 6 cupcakes)
400 gm currants/sultanas/Raisins/glaced cherries/mixed peel
3 Tbsp rum
230 gm Butter
190 gm sugar
finely grated rind of 1 orange
finely grated rind of 1 lemon
4 eggs
50 gm chopped almonds
50 gm ground almonds
230 gm plain flour
1. Soak currants, sultanas, raisins, cherries and mixed peel with rum. (I soaked for months)
2. Prepare an 8" round cake tin and lined the side and base with double layer of greaseproof paper.
3. Cream butter and sugar till creamy. Add in orange zest and lemon zest and continue to beat till light and fluffy.
4. Add in eggs one at a time till thoroughly mixed before adding in the next egg.
5. Mix 2 Tbsp of flour into the soaked fruits.
6. Fold in soaked fruits. Fold in sifted flour to make a soft dropping consistency.
7. Pour batter into prepared cake tin and bake at 160C for about 1.5 hour or until centre is firm to touch until skewer comes out clean. For cupcakes, I baked for about 25 mins.
8. Let the cake cool in the tin for 20 mins. then remove it onto a wire rack and leave it to cool completely.
9. Leave the greaseproof paper intact and remove it only when you want to serve so as to keep the cake moist while stored.
10. Drizzle some rum onto cake once a while to keep cake moist.
Wishing all my friends and readers a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
47 comments:
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you and your family too! I baked a batch of fruitcakes as X'mas present for my colleagues who love it too!ReplyDelete
wow jess your cake looks very tall! must be very yummy! hehe~ReplyDelete
I just posted a fruit cake today as well, LOL.ReplyDelete
I love the "snow" on the cake.
wow what a great work colleague you are this looks amazingReplyDelete
merry christmas again
Nice fruit cake :)ReplyDelete
Happy Holidays!
Merry Christmas Jess! I love fruit cake too! I would always eat up that piece of fruit cake they used to serve after wedding dinners, lol! Somehow they don't have it nowadays. :P yours turned out nice....how come no verdict this time?ReplyDelete
I like fruitcake with nuts.
Urs look good. I hope to ake one also but I guess it's too late for X'mas, maybe for CNY will be in time.
Wishing you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I never make a fruit cake before, i must try this one day. Wishing a blessed Christmas and Happy New Year to you and all at home.ReplyDelete
Nice nice neh...ReplyDelete
I also saw the receipe from Aunty Yochana blog, at first thought of baking it, in d end, too lazy to bake...
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!
Lovely fruit cake.. always love this kind of cake during festive season!ReplyDelete
Love the cute little cup cakes alongside the big daddy Christmas cake.ReplyDelete
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
So nice la you! Here's another fruit cake! HAHA!ReplyDelete
Yup, nice to share your food with those whom you care and who care about you. That's the spirit of the festivities! But then, like what I'd told Wendy many a time, I'm never a fan of Western fruit cake. Too heavy for me!
Merry X'mas! Happy 2011 to you and family!
Your fruitcakes look so yummy!
Can I replace rum with blackcurrent fruit juice?
- AnonymousDecember 24, 2010 at 10:13 AM
Lovely recipe. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you and your family!ReplyDelete
Merry Christmas to you and family, Jess!ReplyDelete
The fruit cakes looked very nice. I'm still contemplating to bake it. Maybe I should just buy and eat it! :P
Happy Christmas to you Jess! I didn't manage to make any fruit cake this year. Looking at yours really wish to eat them. You've a wonderful Christmas and happy new year!ReplyDelete
I also wanted to try and bake fruit cake too ^_^ReplyDelete
that's a great looking cake!btw, i dont really know what is a light fruit cake..sounds so silly..is it in terms of texture or taste??ReplyDelete
hey Jess,ReplyDelete
I love fruit cakes and yours look nice. Haha I feel like taking a bite into them.
Merry xmas and have a great weekend!
Merry Xmas to you!!!ReplyDelete
Your fruit cake nicely baked.ReplyDelete
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you and your family, Jess!
They are so beautiful and festive looking! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! ♥ReplyDelete
Hai Jess!ReplyDelete
Wishing u the most wonderful Christmas and happy New Year! Enjoy your day!
merry xmas jess and your family! have a fabulous xmas!ReplyDelete
Merry Christmas, Jess!!! I look forward to following your blog in 2011.ReplyDelete
Baking fruit cakes will boost up festive mood at home. Lovely!ReplyDelete
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Jess, these fruit cakes are perfect for Swee San's event! Merry Christmas and here's wishing you many more delicious treats to come bin the new year!ReplyDelete
Thank you for visiting my blog, Jess. Shen dan jie kuai le!ReplyDelete
Merry Christmas!!!ReplyDelete
I loved fruit cake! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you!ReplyDelete
Merry Christmas!ReplyDelete
Beautiful and festive fruit cakes!ReplyDelete
I wish you and yours a merriest holiday season!
I think my comment went missing! Yesterday, the site traffic was terrible. However, wishing you & your family a very Merry Christmas. Hope you're all having a terrific time & enjoy the day. God bless you all.ReplyDelete
Best wishes, Kristy
Merry Christmas and a happy new year Jess ! :)))ReplyDelete
Thanks everyone for the season greetings and nice words!ReplyDelete
Bee, no verdict cos I have not tried this cake yet. I am not fan of fruit cake but I remember I like this cake previously when I baked it and since recd lots of gd comments so I used it again :).
Esther,you can substitute the rum with any fruit juice or even artificial rum flavoring.
Lena, from my understanding, light fruit cake is made with light-colored ingredients such as granulated sugar, light corn syrup, almond, mix peels, golden raisins and also lower content of fruits. For dark fruit cake uses darker ingredients are used such as molasses, brown sugar, and darker-colored fruits like raisins, prunes, dates, cherries, pecans and walnuts and contains a higher content of dried fruits and they are often include rum.
Wishing you a merry Xmas and a happy new year!
That's a great looking fruit cake Jess...looks yum! Merry Christmas & a great new 2011.ReplyDelete
merry christmas and happy new year! have a safe and sound holiday :)ReplyDelete
Hey Jess, Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousDecember 26, 2010 at 2:24 AM
I love those cute little fruit cakes, very nice for a wrapped gift for Christmas! Merry Christmas.ReplyDelete
Hi Jess, I must say that your fruit cake looks really moist.ReplyDelete
Wishing you and your family happy holidays.
These look amazingly good! I might make something similar to hand out as New Year's gifts (since I was a slacker and didn't have time before Christmas.ReplyDelete
I have never made this cake b4, but truly love them especially with rum. Thanks for sharing!ReplyDelete
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
How thoughtful of you to squeeze time to bake this fruit cake for your colleague! It looks gorgeous! Have a wonderful holiday!ReplyDelete
Belated Merry Christmas and Happy new year to you ! :)ReplyDelete
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This article forms part of Wired.co.uk's Creative Commons Week, which sees a range of articles published on the topics of CC licensing, as well as the past, present and future of the Creative Commons movement.
Creative Commons is like a social network, claims Joi Ito, the organisation's former CEO and current chairman of the board, "once enough people start to use it, it will start to spread" and spread exponentially.
The adoption curve for the licensing model shows use has doubled every 18 months or so, and this, says Ito, has been steady for the last five years. Creative Commons is now at "critical mass," he claims, but argues that the average person still doesn't know what it is. Success will be marked by Creative Commons content appearing at the top of search results provided by the likes of Google and Yahoo, because that will happen when people know exactly what it is—and want to find it. "We're not there yet but we should be soon," he says.
We caught Ito in between flights. He is now Director of MIT's Media Lab, and sits on the boards of the Mozilla Foundation, WITNESS, and Global Voices. This is alongside being an early investor in Last.fm, Kickstarter, Twitter and Flickr—the latter, which is now a huge repository for Creative Commons imagery. It is with his MIT hat on that he chooses what he believes will be a big growth area for Creative Commons—academic publications. He also has a personal interest in open hardware. "I think what's happening in this area is really similar to what opened with open source. It could really lower the innovation cost of hardware and allow startups to create hardware when, right now, it tends to be dominated by the big companies," he says.
However, even in areas where there has been huge Creative Commons uptake, there are still detractors, he admits. Among photographers, specifically amateur photographers, there is now massive support for the CC licensing model. It is now starting to filter upwards with image library Getty Images starting to look at Creative Commons licenses for non-commercial images. Says Ito: "This seems to be a license that allows photographers to benefit commercially while still using the internet to promote their work. I think the savvier amongst photographers are figuring out that that makes sense."
Some professionals remain skeptical. Ito acknowledges: "More and more photographers are starting to understand the value but there will always be those who believe that for every free photograph that somebody shares, there's one that they're not selling. Photographers who are very pro-Creative Commons tend to be those who are publishing books and tools."
He argues that the model has simply become a scapegoat with photographers blaming it for falling magazine commissions. "There is also a lot of irrational mythology what the real cause of the present copyright difficulties are. I know that the media business, for example, is tough these days and that budgets are getting cut, and it's not just because of Creative Commons licensing. A lot of this is just being caused by the economics of the Internet," he states. And he is confident that education will bring more to Creative Commons across genres.
Some of the organizations that traditionally seemed pitted against Creative Commons are now happy to sit at the table. The Motion Picture Association and Recording Industry Association of America "have become much more moderate," says Ito. "In the recent hearings at the National Academy in the US, both organizations were supportive of the idea that artists should have choice, which is a departure from their original, much more extreme mantra."
But he states that the debate over intellectual copyright can still feel "like the Arab Israeli conflict at some level." He points to two US bills—SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and the Protect IP Act—as forms of "copyright extremism" and claim that their backers are the people coming up with the "somewhat irrational" arguments against Creative Commons.
Although perhaps slightly war-scarred and wary, Ito remains confident and optimistic. "The rational people seem to be at the same table as us and we then work on the extremists on both sides. We're moving forward but every once in a while, there are a few steps back," he concludes.
Listing image by Photograph by Wired.cu.uk


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© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and Infection Control Today. All rights reserved.
Bacteria that normally reside on the skin of healthy people can cause serious infections in premature babies. A group of researchers at Karolinska Institutet have now found an explanation for why a certain kind of staphylococcus can attach itself to the skin and quickly develop dynamic ecosystems: the bacteria are like tufted, self-adhesive hairballs.
Staphylococcus establishes itself on the child's skin and mucous membranes directly after birth. In healthy adults and children, these bacteria normally live in harmony with the host organism. However, in sick adults or premature babies, they can cause blood poisoning.
The scientists believe that the hair-like protrusions on the surface of the bacteria that have now been identified serve to adhere the bacteria to the host's cells, whereupon they cause infection. They also found that the antimicrobial substance LL37, which is found on the skin (amongst other places) can inhibit the growth of the bacteria, and probably plays an important part in keeping the bacteria flora stable and inhibiting their uncontrolled proliferation.
"We wanted to conduct this research not only to learn more about the pathogenic potential of the bacteria, but also to understand how the child can protect itself from attack by, for instance, enhancing the body's own defences," says Giovanna Marchini, associate professor at Karolinska Institutet and senior physician at the Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital neonatal section.
Marchini stresses that humans have evolved effective forms of co-existence with certain microbes; for example, the most common intestinal bacteria produces Vitamin K, which we need every day and which is important for the blood's coagulative properties. Bacteria are also necessary for the development of an effective immune defence system. In recent years, these 'beneficial' bacteria have been the object of increasingly intensive study, and are behind the development of the 'hygiene theory'.
"It's thought that the past decades' hunt for disease-causing bacteria means that we now live too cleanly, which has contributed to the sharp rise in allergies and other 'luxury diseases,'" continues Marchini. "Other than wanting to prevent infection in babies, we also think it's an exciting challenge to understand the conceivable health aspects of these tiny, round and tufted skin dwellers."


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The Associated Press
Steven Wine
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross says he's confident the NFL will play in 2020, with or without spectators.
I think there definitely will be a football season this year," Ross said Tuesday during an interview on CNBC. "The real question is will there be fans in the stadiums?"
The NFL has said it expects to play a full schedule beginning Sept. 10, but is preparing contingency plans in case the coronavirus pandemic makes venue changes or games without fans necessary.
"Right now, today, we're planning on having some fans in the stadiums," Ross said. "But I think the NFL is very flexible so that we will be able to start on time and bring that entertainment that is really so needed to all of us in this country."
The league has kept to its off-season schedule of conducting free agency, the draft and the release of the schedule. Some teams reopened training complexes on a limited basis last week.
The NBA, NHL and MLB have been idled by the pandemic.
"One thing we miss is our sports," Ross said. "I don't think a lot of people realize it until they no longer have it. Certainly the NFL, I think, will be ready to go. I know we're all looking forward to it. I know I am."
Earlier this month, the Dolphins said their stadium committed to becoming the first to receive accreditation from a cleaning industry association for infectious disease prevention efforts. CEO Tom Garfinkel said the team is considering social distancing proposals for games, and perhaps limiting crowds to 15,000.
"We've done a lot of things down in Miami," Ross said. "We're prepared either way, and hopefully there will be fans in the stadiums."
Ross, a New York real estate developer and chairman of Related Companies, said the hotel and retail industries are being hit hardest by the pandemic.
"You are going to have such a flood of cases going to the bankruptcy court," Ross said.


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Mid- to late summer is prime time for gardeners – a last chance to grow a second batch of fresh vegetables before the plant-killing frosts arrive. Add a few protective enclosures, such as cold frames, overhead sheets and hoops, and the harvest can be extended until Thanksgiving and beyond.
'The goal is to have fully grown, ready-to-pick plants that basically store themselves in the garden throughout the fall, so you can pick them as you need them over a long, sustained garden season,' said Renee Shepherd, founder of Renee's Garden Seeds in Felton, Calif.
You can plant many of the cool-weather crops from seed if you time it properly, she said. That means choosing fast-maturing varieties that can develop ahead of the average date for the first hard frost.
'Row covers for plant protection can always help extend the season when cold weather comes early, but if you plan and plant at the proper time, your fall harvests still will be abundant,' Shepherd said.
Think ahead though, because many neighborhood nurseries close or have picked-over inventories after the rush for spring supplies has ended.
'Some of the specialty garden centers and nurseries bring in extra plants for the fall, but you may have to purchase from another source and that takes some planning,' said David Hillock, an extension consumer horticulturist with Oklahoma State University.
Before planting a second crop, turn the soil and refresh it. Fertilize to restore nutrients lost to the spring varieties.
And be sure to water. The ground is hot in August, and new plants must get plenty of water, especially while getting started.
'Anything you can do to help conserve soil moisture should be done,' said Rosie Lerner, a consumer horticulturist with Purdue University Cooperative Extension. 'Organic mulches cool the soil and decrease the need for moisture, a big plus when starting over in the summertime.'
There may be some overlap between spring and fall gardens. 'Some beans and tomatoes might remain, perhaps – things that will ripen in cooler weather,' Hillock said. 'But the typical fall garden crops tend to be more frost-tolerant.'
Tender plants that usually stop growing or die after being nipped by frost include celery, eggplant, lima beans, cucumbers and summer squash.
Second-season crops capable of shrugging off several fall frosts – especially if covered by inexpensive plastic 'tents' and warmed with light bulbs – include broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, kale, spinach and turnips.
'Here in Oklahoma, we have people harvesting tomatoes well into December if they have them covered,' Hillock said.
And don't forget herbs. Thyme is the hardiest, along with sage, parsley and oregano.
There are other advantages to gardening in autumn: 'Fewer pests and insects are around,' Hillock said. 'Temperatures are cooler with the fall rains. Disease isn't as frequent as it is with the springtime plants but you do have to keep an eye out.'
Online: For more about second-season or fall gardening, see this University of Minnesota fact sheet:


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NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Suicide bombers in Niger detonated two car bombs simultaneously, one inside a military camp in the city of Agadez and another in the remote town of Arlit at a French-operated uranium mine, killing 26 people and injuring 30, according to officials in Niger and France. A surviving attacker took a group of soldiers hostage, and authorities were attempting to negotiate their release.
The attack in Arlit was claimed by Moktar Belmoktar, the extremist who led the attack on a natural gas plant in Ain Amenas in Algeria in January, according to a communique posted on jihadist forums.
Both attacks were claimed by a spinoff of al-Qaida, the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, or MUJAO, which earlier vowed to avenge the four-month-old French-led military intervention which ousted them from neighboring Mali's north.
The timing of the attacks, which occurred at the same moment more than 160 kilometers (100 miles) apart, and the fact that the bombers were able to penetrate both a well-guarded military installation and a sensitive, foreign-operated uranium mine, highlight the growing reach and sophistication of the Islamic extremists based in Mali.
The bomb blasts are the most damaging attacks by the jihadists to date.
Of the two attacks, the higher death toll was in the desert city of Agadez, located almost 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) northeast of the capital, where the attackers punched their explosive-laden car past the defenses at a military garrison and detonated inside the base, killing 20 soldiers and injuring 16, said Niger's Minister of Defense Mahamadou Karidjo at a press conference in Niamey. Three suicide bombers died, but a fourth escaped and grabbed a group of military cadets, said Interior Minister Abdou Labo.
Draped in an explosive belt, the attacker was threatening to blow himself up along with his hostages, said Labo, who could not confirm how many cadets were being held. The military was negotiating with the suicide bomber for their release.
At the same time the Agadez attack occurred, a different group of suicide bombers slipped past a truck entering a uranium mine in Arlit operated by French nuclear giant Areva. Once inside the campus, the car exploded, injuring 14 employees, one of whom died later, according to a statement by the French corporation and witnesses. Two suicide bombers were also killed, said Niger's ministry of defense.
"We saw a car enter the factory and immediately it exploded," said Agoumou Idi, a worker inside the factory who was reached by telephone. "The terrorists, probably from MUJAO, took advantage of the fact that the entrance gate was open in order to let in a truck carrying the next shift of workers. They used that opening to enter the heart of our factory and explode their vehicle."
In January, when France scrambled war planes over Mali and sent in thousands of ground troops to try to take back the country's al-Qaida-held north, the extremists vowed to hit back not just at French interests, but also at the African governments that helped them.
Niger sent 650 troops to Mali to help France combat the Islamists.
Hitting Arlit is especially symbolic. Niger produces up to 40 percent of France's uranium imports — a considerable amount as the European country derives 80 percent of its energy from nuclear power, according to an analysis released Thursday by global intelligence unit, Stratfor.
French President Francois Hollande told reporters during a visit to Germany that he will take every measure to protect French assets. "We will also protect our interests, because Arlit is an interest of a large French company: Areva. May everyone understand it well — that we will not let anything happen, and will support the Nigeriens' efforts to halt this hostage-taking and destroy the group behind these attacks."
Up until Thursday's twin attacks, some security analysts had doubted the strength of groups like MUJAO, which has carried out repeated suicide attacks in Mali since January with varying degrees of success. Several of the kamikaze operations killed only the bomber.
Residents in the two towns remarked on how closely coordinated the attacks appear to have been, taking place just moments apart at 5:30 a.m., a time when many in the majority-Muslim nation are laying their carpets toward Mecca in the first of the day's five prayers.
Alhousseiny Moussa, a resident of Agadez, was walking to the mosque when he heard the boom. "I heard the explosion and immediately after, I heard a volley of gunfire. The area where it happened was inside the military camp, and it's now been roped off so we cannot go in," he said.
Al-Qaida's affiliate in Africa and groups allied with it seized the northern half of Mali in April of last year. They pushed into major towns, setting up their own administration and alarming western nations who saw it as precursor to a new Afghanistan. In fact, for nearly a decade before that they had already made themselves at home in Mali, using its remote and lawless northern reaches to train fighters and hold the European hostages they kidnapped — including many from Niger.
In 2008, they grabbed two Canadians on the outskirts of Niger's capital, including United Nations special envoy Robert Fowler, who was held for 130 days before a ransom was negotiated. Two years later, al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb infiltrated Arlit, grabbing seven employees of Areva and one of its contractors, SATOM.
Four of them — all French nationals — are still being held by the terror cell more than two years later. The group has repeatedly threatened to execute them in retaliation for the French-led intervention in Mali
Late Thursday, SITE Intelligence released a partial transcript of a communique signed by Moktar Belmoktar, claiming to have taken part in the attack on Arlit alongside MUJAO. The attack is the first by Belmoktar's brigade, which calls itself "Those Who Sign In Blood," since the catastrophic assault on a BP-operated gas plant in Algeria in January. In a four-day standoff, 37 foreign hostages, including American, British, Irish, Norwegian and Japanese nationals, were killed.


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More foreclosure help needed in rural areas
ST. PAUL -- Minnesota's soaring home foreclosure rate, a top issue a year ago, has eased a bit in the Twin Cities, but not so much in other parts of the state.
ST. PAUL -- Minnesota's soaring home foreclosure rate, a top issue a year ago, has eased a bit in the Twin Cities, but not so much in other parts of the state.
And as the foreclosure situation swells, especially in rural Minnesota, options are scarce.
Ed Nelson of the Minnesota Home Ownership Center said that those outside the Twin Cities are more likely to find fewer options to get out of foreclosure because, ironically, they often did everything right when picking their mortgages.
The housing crisis began with sub-prime mortgages that were issued without enough collateral. Other problems with what Nelson calls exotic mortgages include payments that ballooned beyond the reach of the home buyers.
Home buyers with exotic mortgages were the first hit by the foreclosure crisis, which affected 26,265 Minnesota families last year and another 5,157 in the first three months of 2009. Many, but by no means all, of those with exotic mortgages are Twin Cities residents.
Now, however, the international recession is taking its toll on many outside the state's largest metropolitan area, even those who had safe, traditional mortgages. Those home buyers are in trouble because more and more are losing their jobs.
"They may be prime borrowers with good, affordable mortgages, but whose income is causing them to fall behind." Nelson said.
When those good loans become a problem to pay, foreclosure counselors can find fewer options for those borrowers than they can for those who took out exotic mortgages. Nelson said it is easier to work with lenders to find a way to keep mortgages active when the buyer continues to have a steady income.
The new wave of foreclosures is hitting those who lose their jobs.
The Home Ownership Center offers a gateway to people who are -- or may -- face foreclosure. The center puts home buyers in touch with counselors from non-profit agencies -- often Lutheran Social Services in rural Minnesota -- that provide free help.
While the center connects home buyers with free help, for-profit counselors often charge $3,000 to $11,000 for people looking to avoid foreclosure.
Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson has taken a dozen of those for-profit foreclosure counseling companies to court, claiming they improperly demanded money before providing any service.
The 2009 Legislature tightened state law in an attempt to ban up-front payments to companies that promise to help negotiate or modify terms of a home mortgage.
The bill was the only one of three major mortgage-related measures to get signed into law this year.
"In these difficult economic times, we must protect homeowners from scam artists who seek to take advantage of a bad situation," Sen. Lisa Fobbe, DFL-Zimmerman, said.
One of two mortgage bills that Gov. Tim Pawlenty vetoed would have required lenders to offer mediation to home buyers before they could foreclose on a house. Pawlenty gave several reasons to veto the bill, although he said he supports mediation as an option.
The man who wrote a 2004 bill protecting Minnesotans from unscrupulous foreclosure counselors said the state bills are good, but they take a back seat to federal legislation.
"The ground has shifted to the federal level and the Obama mortgage assistance plan," said Professor Prentiss Cox of the University of Minnesota Law School.
Still, Cox said, the Obama administration continues to work on its mortgage plan with Congress and states need to wait to see what is left for them to do once a federal measure passes.
Minnesota's new foreclosure counselor regulation came after Swanson's staff noticed for for-profit counselors "just keep popping up," Swanson spokesman Ben Wogsland said.
Swanson's office does some work with homeowners, but much of that is reserved for non-profit groups that work with the Home Ownership Center.
"Consumers can be misled by the for-profit entities," Nelson said.
Those in business and the non-profits use the same terms, and to a home buyer sound much the same, Nelson added.
Counselors working with the center look at each home buyer's situation and "match homeowners to the help that is available," Nelson said. At times, that includes financial help from state or private organizations.
Non-profit groups never charge for counseling, Nelson said.
Three counties report a greater than 700 percent increase in requests for the center's counselors from 2007 to 2008 -- Washington in the eastern Twin Cities area and Stevens and Wilkin in west central Minnesota. Just a handful of counties statewide reported fewer counselor requests last year.
For more information or to contact a foreclosure counselor, call The Minnesota Home Ownership Center at (866) 462-6466 or go to www.hocmn.org


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Gasoline Prices Slashed
Gasoline futures dropped nearly 25 cents (-7.7 percent) per gallon this week, falling to the lowest level since late January. Prices are sliding as refinery operations are increasing, with US refineries running at 86.3 percent of capacity, the highest level since early January. More and more refineries are coming on line as producers stockpile gasoline ahead of the summer driving season, which is usually defined as the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Expectations for rising supplies in the coming weeks caused the price of May gasoline futures to drop as low as $2.87 on Friday. Futures prices are typically much lower than pump prices because they represent wholesale prices for fuel, without taxes or other expenses included.
As summer approaches, expectations for consumer driving demand will begin to affect prices as well, but for now, drivers may simply enjoy a lower bill the next time they fill up.
Corn Crumbling
The corn market continued its decline that started last Friday after a USDA report showed higher-than-expected corn stockpiles. Inventories are high due to a lack of demand from the cattle industry, which has culled its herds over the last year.
Since the report, prices have fallen by more than $1.00 per bushel (-13.8 percent), slammed lower as farmers and investors rushed to sell their holdings of last year's crop. By the end of the week, corn had fallen as low as $6.27 per bushel, the lowest price in over nine months.
This spring, farmers are expecting to plant the most corn acres since 1936, providing further pressure to the corn market, as the prospect for a record-breaking harvest this fall looms ahead.
Despite all of the negative factors lined up against the corn market, increases in demand from livestock feeders, ethanol producers or foreign countries could cause prices to rebound. Furthermore, this year's crop is barely beginning to be planted, and many dangers lurk between now and harvest this fall that could damage the crop and make prices rise.
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Thinking Back On Bubba Smith
Bubba Smith, who died last week, was a teammate of mine. I can see him giving me a stern, put-on sneer in response to that claim, and in truth, no, Bubba and I were not football teammates. Rather, we acted in an ensemble as Lite Beer All-Stars back when Miller used a lot of washed-up old athletes — and one overwhelmed sportswriter — to hustle what was then a popular new product: a low-calorie beer.
Remember? "Tastes great!" "Less filling!"
The wonderful thing about the campaign was that it thrived on stereotypes: the nearsighted umpire, the dumb blond bombshell, and big, stupid jocks, ideally football players.
Enter Bubba Smith. In his first commercial appearance he ripped off the beer top, saying, guilelessly, "I also love the easy-opening can." He was a natural, and he didn't mind making fun of himself.
I must say, though, that it surprised me some when he went on to a comic acting career — best known in Police Academy — because on the all-star roster, Bubba had the most trouble of all of us with lines. One time, the line he forgot was his own name. Really. We all went bananas.
At Michigan State and then with the Baltimore Colts, the fans would scream, "Kill, Bubba, kill," and while he was a ruthless defensive end, away from the field — like so many huge athletes — Bubba was gentle and fun.
He played in two Super Bowls with the Baltimore Colts — after being the first player selected in the NFL draft — but surely his most important appearance was in 1966 when he was a senior at Michigan State, and the Spartans tied Notre Dame in one of those periodic "Games of the Century." There was, you see, also a cultural significance to that game, because the star for Michigan State was Charles Aaron Smith of Beaumont, Texas. Yes, Bubba was in that last generation of Southern African-Americans who had to go north to find a college team.
Alabama finished undefeated and untied that season, but the pollsters put them behind Notre Dame and Michigan State because they recognized that Alabama was only unbeaten against white people. It would soon change, precisely because of stars like Bubba Smith who forced the Southern schools to take in the black players who were born and bred right there in their own backyards.
Alas, Bubba's greatness ended during a preseason game in the summer of '72, when he ran into a sideline first-down marker. It ripped up his knee horribly. Those chain-gang poles were all hard metal then, but — in some significant measure because of Bubba's accident — they now have more the consistency of cotton candy. Still, I never see a player crash harmlessly into them that I don't think of Bubba. In a way that's his visible legacy, but that's only the less filling part. He was a gentleman of great taste — and great talent.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text: It doesn't subject where you live, either. The landlord appears to be omnipresent. If you're looking for used home appliances, you can find them from Birmingham, Alabama to Yellowknife, Canada. If you happen to live in Yellowknife, you need to scroll as a result of the end from the page, but that's less difficult than… Continue reading Used Appliance Store


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CONNEXIS Safety+ GTX low/grey-yellow
CONNEXIS Safety+ GTX low/grey-yellow
Swing into action! The CONNEXIS Safety+ will boost your performance levels whilst also offering more safety and comfort.
Prices incl. VAT, excl. shipping costs.
- Stimulates your fascia
- Durably waterproof
- Easy adaptation to the foot
- Relieving damping
- Metal-free
- Made in Europe
Antistatic thanks to ESD
With the Connexis Safety+ GTX low, you'll feel pleasantly safe even when working with electronic components, because the Connexis Safety+ GTX low is electrostatically dissipative. This is ensured by ESD in accordance with DIN-EN 61340-5.
Shockproof thanks to Nano-Carbon toe cap
The integrity of your feet is essential, but so is keeping them comfortable. The Connexis Safety+ GTX low is therefore equipped with the wide Nano-Carbon toe cap. This protective cap is anatomically shaped, ultra-light, absolutely safe and also offers plenty of space for the toes.
Maximum safety due to safety class S3
Your health is important. The Connexis Safety+ GTX low offers all-round protection for your foot, as it is puncture-resistant, waterproof, slip-resistant and shock-resistant. This is ensured by the high demands of the highest safety class S3.
Secure hold thanks to anti-slip
The Connexis Safety+ GTX low gives you stability in every position. To protect you against skidding, the sole of the Connexis Safety+ GTX low with its special rubber compound and innovative tread construction offers extremely high slip resistance and grip on a wide variety of surfaces.
Fatigue reduction with CONNEXIS
The Connexis Safety+ GTX low gives you more endurance in your activities because its built-in CONNEXIS fascia tape stimulates your foot muscles. The result: wearing comfort that makes your whole body feel invigorated.
Waterproof thanks to GORE-TEX®
Your feet stay dry and you stay healthy because the Connexis Safety+ GTX low is permanently waterproof and extremely breathable. This is ensured by the three-layer GORE-TEX® membrane throughout the lining of the Connexis Safety+ GTX low.
Quickly laced up with a robust strap – the Smart Lacing System
The Connexis Safety+ GTX low can be put on and taken off in no time at all, and its robust lacing system can withstand the hectic pace of everyday life. The Smart Lacing system is smooth and allows a pressure-free adjustment of the shoe to your foot.
Precise fit thanks to special lasts
The right shoe for your feet. Thanks to specially designed lasts, your Connexis Safety+ GTX low fits perfectly and provides ultimate wearing comfort, the whole day long.
Firstly, the fascia tape incorporated in the Connexis Safety+ GTX low is an important feature. This stimulates the fasciae in the foot and thus prevents fatigue. Secondly, the new orthopaedic design follows the natural shape of the foot, making it even more comfortable to wear.
A performance shoe for high demands.
Fascia is basically a packaging tissue that sits beneath the skin. It is a fascinating network of connective tissue which essentially ties everything together. Fasciae give our body a shape and act as a binding mechanism.
Without fascia, our muscles would not be able to tense. They would resemble a semi-liquid jelly.
A tape runs through the shoe, enveloping the tarsus. When you put the tape on, it puts pressure on the fascia in the bottom of your foot. The trigger points in the insole provide additional impulses. Basically, this is similar to training with a fascia roller:
Tight fasciae are loosened and the musculature is stimulated.
Thanks to the robust upper material and the innovative sole design, the CONNEXIS Safety+ models are also suitable for outdoor use. The CONNEXIS Safety series, on the other hand, is only suitable for work that is carried out indoors.
The CONNEXIS Safety+ is suitable for everyone who wants to benefit the new fascia technology when working outside.
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By the way: "Made in Europe" is not only a promise of quality for us, but also stands for good working conditions, equal opportunities, sustainability and corporate responsibility.


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Search for Missing Plane Expands, as Do Questions
It has been more than a day and a half since Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 vanished on its way to Beijing, and the fate of the more than 200 people on board is still unknown. A massive search and rescue is under way in waters off the coast of Malaysia and Vietnam where the plane presumably crashed. VOA's Bill Ide reports from Beijing that as the hours pass, there are more questions than answers about what happened.


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NSX fanboys, rejoice. Today Acura showed off the latest evolution of its supercar concept, and it is hot. Really, really hot.
The car still remains similar to the first version shown off at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. On the exterior, the design is influenced by a new "alluring modern edge" philosophy. It sounds like standard design-speak babble to us, but it's hard to disagree with how the car looks in person. For the first time, Acura opened the doors of the NSX to show off the interior, which was designed to be "a human connected space." Put aside the design-speak again— the red and black leather interior is unquestionably sharp. But don't too attached to the cabin: Acura says this is just one direction the styling could go. So perhaps we'll see a different take next year. With production only two years out, the next version of the NSX we see should be pretty close to the real thing. We can't wait.


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This article was written on an older version of FileFront / GameFront
Formatting may be lacking as a result. If this article is un-readable please report it so that we may fix it.
Published by FFxSTALKERx 14 years ago , last updated 5 years ago
The guys at GSC have sent us the February Calendar!! Grab it below!
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Expressing Decimal Numbers as Percents
You'll practice expressing decimal numbers as percents.
Order of Operations
You'll learn to follow the order of operation rules for solving problems.
Least Common Multiple
You'll practice finding the Least Common Multiple of a set of numbers.
Measurement: What Is Precision?
You'll be able to identify the precision of an approximate number in measurement.
Rounding to a Specific Number of Significant Digits
You'll round approximate numbers to a specific number of significant digits.
Finding Reference Angles
You'll find the reference angle for a given standard position angle.
Sine and Cosine Values on the Unit Circle (Angles in Degrees)
You'll memorize the sine and cosine values associated with reference angles of 0, 30, 45, 60, and 90 degrees.
Sine and Cosine Values on the Unit Circle (Angles in Radians)
You'll memorize the sine and cosine of the special angles of a unit circle written in radians.
Identifying the Sides of a Right Triangle
You'll learn to identify the sides of a right triangle.
Rounding Decimal Numbers - 2 Choices (Set 1)
You'll determine which of two options is the correct choice for rounding a given number to the nearest tenth, hundredth, or thousandth.


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Need to talk to an expert? Call us on 08 8391 3467View Store


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It was reported yesterday that the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) fined Google $25,000 for not cooperating with an investigation over Google's massive invasion of privacy involving its Street View service.
The FCC said that Google "deliberately impeded and delayed" its investigation. Google made it very difficult for investigators to gain access to employees and hid important evidence. Google did not answer emails and the company even tried to hide the identities of the employees involved in the privacy violations from two years ago.
In 2010, Google's Street View cars collected very private information from unencrypted home computers. When Google was caught doing this it apologized and said that it didn't deliberately try to capture private data. Soon after the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigated and sided with Google's explanation that it was a mistake. Although the US didn't take the massive privacy violation seriously, European countries were more concerned.
Now the FCC has come out and exposed Google's refusal to cooperate with the investigation. This is really embarrassing for a company that claims it's so transparent about everything it does and is cooperative with regulators. This is not the first regulators have complained about Google's secrecy, arrogance, and unwillingness to cooperate with investigations. The French data protection agency currently investigating Google's new privacy policy said that Google neglected to contact them before implementing their controversial and intrusive privacy policy.
The $25,000 Google is now forced to pay will do nothing to the company's bottom line. Google raked in about $40 billion last year. Over 90% of Google's revenues come from advertising – this means that Google makes money by selling your personal data to advertisers. This is the reason Google consolidated their privacy policies into a singular policy – it makes it easier for the company to figure you out and it's more profitable. A Google spokesman said that the company is on a mission to combat against "the faceless Web".
Google paying a $25,000 fine is like an average person paying a one cent fine – but don't get too hung up on the amount of that fine. The biggest hit Google received from this new report by the FCC is its reputation. Most people think way too highly of this company and if more reports like this come out to expose Google's dirt then the better it will be for the general public.
I love what Christina DesMarais, PCWorld, wrote in her article:
"…if Google's uncooperative behavior is true as the FCC maintains, the obvious question is, 'What is Google hiding?' Consumers and advocacy groups have often criticized Google's seemingly insatiable appetite for personal information, such as its recent consolidation of its privacy policies so as to have a better view into user behaviors and preferences. Because of the amount of attention those privacy concerns have garnered, you'd think a policy of transparency on Google's part would bode well with those who have doubts about whether or not the company can be trusted with increasing amounts of personal data."
Things that make you go hmmm…
For more information:
The New York Times, "Google Is Faulted for Impeding U.S. Inquiry on Data Collection" – click here
PCWorld, "Google Hit With $25K Fine, But FCC Finds Street View Data Collection Not Illegal" – click here
CNET, "FCC nails Google with $25K fine for dragging heels in StreetView probe" – click here


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A man armed with a rifle allegedly shot and killed three people, wounded two more and opened fire on a police officer before ultimately surrendering Saturday afternoon.
The 4:20 p.m. shooting in the 1700 block of North Summit Avenue was believed to have stemmed from a dispute between a landlord and tenant, though the details were not yet clear, Pasadena Police Chief Phillip Sanchez said.
The shooter was identified as 35-year-old John Izeal Smith of Pasadena.
Luis Fernando Aguiar of Pasadena was killed and is the father of Maria Teresa Aguiar, 59, who was also fatally shot Saturday, according to Capt. John Kades of the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner.
A third victim has not been identified.
Pasadena Police are having a press conference on the shooting at 11 a.m. Monday.
Having trouble viewing our live feed? Try this link: Pasadena Triple Homicide Press Conference.


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Thu 14 Apr 2011
Slides on multi-density/multi-platform UI talk from 360FlexPosted by Narciso Jaramillo under Flex
3 Comments
Thanks to all of you who attended my 360|Flex talk on building adaptive mobile UIs that work well across different device densities, form factors, and platforms. My slides are now available in two forms:
- multiscreen-dev-with-flex-360flex-2011.pptx, if you have PowerPoint
- multiscreen-dev-with-flex-360flex-2011.pptx.pdf, if you don't
I actually recommend looking at the PDF (which has annotations for most non-textual slides describing what I talked about on each slide) first, because the PPT uses an Adobe corporate font that you might not have, so the text might not look right. However, a couple of the diagrammatic slides make more sense if you actually go through the animation builds in the PPT.
Also, since I suck at this whole "social media" thing, I forgot to mention that I'm @rictus on Twitter–feel free to follow me there; I don't post a lot, but do pop up there occasionally.
I'm still working on cleaning up the sample app from the top and fixing a few bugs–once it's ready (hopefully within the next week) I'll post a link to the source here as well.
digg this | del.icio.us | 3 Comments


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Story by
Emil Protalinski
Emil was a reporter for The Next Web between 2012 and 2014. Over the years, he has covered the tech industry for multiple publications, incl Emil was a reporter for The Next Web between 2012 and 2014. Over the years, he has covered the tech industry for multiple publications, including Ars Technica, Neowin, TechSpot, ZDNet, and CNET. Stay in touch via Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
Earlier on Thursday we reported that Christmas Day 2012 saw record Android and iOS device activations, which of course led to a surge in app downloads. Now more supporting data is flooding in: daily download figures in the Apple App Store increased by 87 percent on Christmas Day 2012 compared to the December 2012 average, and revenues showed a slightly lower increase of 70 percent.
The first set of data came from Flurry Analytics, while these Apple-specific figures come from Distimo. Both support the common idea that developers should make a point to take advantage of the holiday season by updating and tweaking their apps in the weeks leading up to the 25th of December:
Distimo's figures suggest the iPad was a very popular gift, with app downloads and revenues rising more than its iOS counterparts. Specifically, iPad apps saw an increase in downloads of 140 percent and a revenue jump of 83 percent. This seems to follow what we've seen recently from other surveys.
Flurry said Christmas Day 2012 was a record download day, beating every other previous day in history. Interestingly, Distimo noted that last year it reported downloads tripling on Christmas Day compared to the December 2011 average, while this year the jumps didn't even double. It's possible that Android app download made up for this difference, and apps for Google's mobile operating system took off.
Distimo also listed the top 10 iOS apps, excluding those made by Apple, on a worldwide level (top 40 countries) in terms of downloads. These were as follows: YouTube, Google Maps, ElfYourself by OfficeMax, Where's My Holiday?, Skype for iPad, Subway Surfers, Flow Free, Furby, Instagram, and Emoji & Unicode Icons – Special Symbols For Messages & Email.
See also – Just got a new iPhone, iPad or iPod touch? Download these apps first and The 12 most beautiful iOS apps of 2012
Image credit: John Nyberg
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Ellsbury's return iffy as Red Sox look ahead
Red Sox have many decisions to make
Jacoby Ellsbury waved to the crowd lining the shore. The next time he sees those same fans he might get a much different reaction.
The center fielder and his teammates celebrated Boston's World Series title in a "rolling rally" of amphibious vehicles Saturday. It began at Fenway Park, went through city streets and continued into the Charles River before returning to the field where the Red Sox won the championship on Wednesday night.
Ellsbury leads the team's group of potential free agents and, after a strong season, likely could get a better offer elsewhere. The Red Sox are leery of giving long-term contracts, and Ellsbury's agent, Scott Boras, is expected to ask for a nine-figure deal.
Red Sox president Larry Lucchino refused to discuss what Boston might offer Ellsbury.
"Every baseball season is different," he said before the rally. "It's impossible, or nearly impossible, to have an identical roster year after year. I predict we will not."
General manager Ben Cherington and other team officials also must decide what to offer first baseman Mike Napoli, catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and shortstop Stephen Drew. All three were key contributors to the championship and are eligible for free agency.
"It's up to Ben and the baseball operations people and all of us to insure that we make the best effort we can to keep the guys that we want," Lucchino said, "but, inevitably, there'll have to be some new faces next year."
Before their championship season, the Red Sox signed mid-level free agents to relatively short-term contracts — Napoli, Drew, outfielders Shane Victorino and Jonny Gomes, reliever Koji Uehara, right-hander Ryan Dempster and catcher David Ross.
The Red Sox signaled their intent to avoid long-term deals when they traded Adrian Gonzalez, whom they had signed for eight years, and Carl Crawford, under contract for seven years, to the Los Angeles Dodgers in August 2012.
Manager John Farrell knows he'll lose some members of his close-knit team that spent most of the season in first place.
The prospect of their departure put "a damper" on the rally, Farrell said before it began. "Unfortunately, the group that we shared so much with might not ever be together again."
But his players were still focusing on the season that ended with a 6-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 6.
"I'd like to stay here," Napoli said. "We're going to enjoy this first."
Saltalamacchia, who hit a career-high .273 with 40 doubles, wasn't in a rush either.
"I haven't heard from Ben yet," he said. "I've always said this is a great place to play."
If Saltalamacchia leaves, the Red Sox would need a starting catcher since Ross, an outstanding defender, is a weak hitter. If Napoli signs elsewhere, they could move third baseman Will Middlebrooks to first base or sign a free agent. Despite Drew's poor postseason, the Red Sox might keep him since prize rookie Xander Bogaerts hasn't proven he can play shortstop at the major league level.
Victorino, who played right field but has been an outstanding center fielder, was signed with an eye toward Ellsbury's possible departure.
"That's the business side of this," Middlebrooks said. "That's the part we don't like, but we're not thinking about that right now. We're going to enjoy the team here while we're all together now."
The Red Sox have a surplus of veteran pitchers with Jon Lester, John Lackey, Clay Buchholz, Jake Peavy, Felix Doubront and Ryan Dempster all signed. Some of those could be gone since the Red Sox have youngsters, including rookie Brandon Workman, who might be ready for the rotation.
But the veterans did their part in getting the Red Sox to the World Series, where Lester went 2-0 and Lackey won the deciding Game 6.
"I knew early that this was a championship-caliber team," Gomes said, "but, being a realist, I know that this team possibly could not be together next year.
"It just won't be this group that we built leaving spring (training). The time is now. So we've got to get this done now."
They did.
When the rally was over, reporters asked Ellsbury if he wanted to talk. He said he would return shortly and went into the dugout.
He never came out.


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Computing evidence
The book Random effects and latent variable model selection, edited by David Dunson in 2008 as a Springer Lecture Note. contains several chapters dealing with evidence approximation in mixed effect models. (Incidentally, I would be interested in the story behind the Lecture Note as I found no explanation in the backcover or in the preface. Some chapters but not all refer to a SAMSI workshop on model uncertainty…) The final chapter written by Joyee Ghosh and David Dunson (similar to a corresponding paper in JCGS) contains in particular the interesting identity that the Bayes factor opposing model h to model h-1 can be unbiasedly approximated by (the average of the terms)
- is the model index,
- the 's are simulated from the posterior under model h,
- the model only considers the h-1 first components of ,
- the prior under model h-1 is the projection of the prior under model h. (Note that this marginalisation is not the projection used in Bayesian Core.)
I was first surprised when reading about this identity and wondered whether or not it was suffering either of the Savage-Dickey difficulty or of the harmonic mean instability, but this does not seem to be the case. The ratio is correctly defined thanks to the projection property and the ratio has no particular reason to suffer from infinite variance.
To check the practical performances of the method in another setting than the factor model studied in the paper, I tried it on a simple linear model with known variance
comparing the model including the (normal+log-trend) simulated regressor with the model without the regressor. I used a g-prior
on the full model and its (marginal) projection
which (rather counter-intuitively) involves the regressor values. This modelling should give a Bayes factor equal to
but the difference between the simulated Bayes factor and the actual value is quite large in my simulations, both under the full
[1] 1.769114e-10
[1] 0.004805112
and the restricted
[1] 0.6218985
[1] 2.516249
models. Here is the R code:
n=155 x=.2*rnorm(n)+log(1:n) y=2+.8*x+rnorm(n) #posterior parameter under G-prior with G=n pom={n/{n+1}}*lm(y~x)$coefficients pov={n/{n+1}}*summary(lm(y~x))$cov.unscaled #sample from posterior library(mvtnorm) posim=rmvnorm(10^5,mean=pom,sigma=pov) #Bayes F. approximation BF=dnorm(y[1],mean=posim[,1],log=TRUE)- dnorm(y[1]-posim[,1]-posim[,2]*x[1],log=TRUE) for (i in 2:n) BF=BF+dnorm(y[i],mean=posim[,1],log=TRUE)- dnorm(y[i]-posim[,1]-posim[,2]*x[i],log=TRUE) DD=mean(exp(BF)) #exact Bayes factor prig={n+1}*pov[1,1] B01=exp(dmvnorm(y,sigma=diag(n)+prig*matrix(1,n,n),log=TRUE)- dmvnorm(y,sigma=diag(n)+n*cbind(rep(1,n),x)%*% summary(lm(y~x))$cov.unscaled%*%rbind(rep(1,n),x),log=TRUE))
I think one explanation for the discrepancy is that the a's derived from the full model posterior are quite different from a's that would be generated from the restricted model posterior. The more I think about the above approximation, the less convinced I am that it can apply in full generality because of this drawback that the projected posterior has little in common with the posterior associated with the projected prior. (Since, formally, the same unbiasedness result applies when comparing a full model with k variables with a submodel with none but the constant, it is clear that the approximation may be poor in non-orthogonal situations.)
2 Responses to "Computing evidence"
[…] alternative, and the computational aspects of the resulting Bayesian procedures, including evidence, the Savage-Dickey paradox, nested sampling, harmonic mean estimators, and […]
[…] the continuation of my earlier post on computing evidence, I read a very interesting paper by Merlise Clyde, Joyee Ghosh and Michael Littman, to appear in […]


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"Chapter Two," Neil Simon's 1977 play about a recently widowed man's bumpy road to romantic happiness, is an interesting hybrid. It's full of the rat-a-tat jokes and formulaic exit lines that characterize his early work. Simon started out as a TV gag writer, and signs of that pedigree are everywhere here.
But it's also the first time that Simon dared to explore drama, and he went to a brave source for inspiration: his own life.
Simon's first wife had died of cancer in 1973, and his relationship with actress Marsha Mason, who would quickly become wife number two, is the well-known inspiration for this script. The character of George, a spy novelist who yearns for his more literary work to take off, is an obvious doppelganger for the playwright at the midpoint of his career. Jennie, an attractive, vivacious woman and successful actress, is clearly the stand-in for Mason.
At the Laguna Playhouse, director Andrew Barnicle and his cast are at their best when things get serious. The play's most famous scene is a high-stakes showdown in which George, still haunted by the memory of his dead wife, tries to alienate his new spouse Jennie with abusive behavior. She pushes back, with a fury.
"I'm wonderful! I'm nuts about me! And if you're stupid enough to throw someone sensational like me aside, then you don't deserve as good as you've got!"
Jennie goes on to tell George what she wants: home, family, career, goldfish. "I want everything!" she declares. She knows that's impossible, but the important thing is to try.
It's a galvanizing moment – it saves their new marriage, which George, out of tortured self-pity, has tried hard to destroy even before it has begun. But it serves as a calling card for a new Neil Simon, too: A writer ready to delve to deeper, more painful places and flesh out characters that aren't middle-aged and male.
Jennie's outburst also betrays the play's vintage. Her dreams read like a wish list of 1970s feminism, and they remind us that "Chapter Two" was written in a time when women were making a strident case for equality in all things.
It was also an era when outmoded fashions and belief systems still held sway. George's brother Leo, who introduces him to Jennie, has eyes for Jennie's friend Faye, and she feels the same way about him. But neither will leave their disastrous marriages, even though they'd be far happier with each other, or simply single.
Such details can make "Chapter Two" seem like a period play, and they're reinforced by Bruce Goodrich's sets and costumes, which vividly bring back the excessive '70s in all its bad-taste glory: harvest yellow kitchen appliances, wide lapels, belt buckles the size of dinner plates, a sea of polyester.
These minutiae, in the hands of a lesser director, could easily turn "Chapter Two" into something light and even slightly campy. But Barnicle never lets us forget that the stakes are high and tragedy dwells just under the surface.
You can see it in the performances of the leads.
Geoffrey Lower captures George's underlying grief in body language. George is blithely funny, as are all Simon characters of this period, but the humor of his words is belied by his downcast eyes, slumped shoulders and the obsessive tasks he fusses over, such as opening the mail.
Caroline Kinsolving shows us that Jennie, too, harbors profound damage under her can-do surface. Kinsolving gives her character the gift of stillness. Jennie can hold a pose or gaze unflinchingly when she's making a point or the going gets rough. This is a woman who's determined not to commit a second mistake with romance, and she's concentrating every fiber on making things work.
Barnicle's production flags a bit in some comic moments. Leo and Faye's shenanigans in Jennie's apartment, where they meet to consummate their attraction, should crackle with the energy of farce. Actors Kevin Ashworth and Leslie Stevens never quite get there.
The timing of comic dialogue isn't pitch-perfect. Some early-play repartee between characters seems a bit slow and tentative. At other times, though, this production gets it just right. A scene in which George contacts Jennie by mistake, resulting in a series of increasingly flirtatious follow-up phone calls, is charming and hilarious – a deft staging of one of the best meet-cute scenes in American theater.
It's been a while since a Simon play has been seen at the Laguna Playhouse. Perhaps the moratorium should end, at least with his later plays. The place was full, the audience was entertained, and the warmth of the story momentarily banished thoughts of the punishingly cold night outside. And at the beginning of the year, who doesn't enjoy a story about starting over?
Contact the writer: 714-796-7979 or firstname.lastname@example.com


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Today's News: Our Take - Breaking Bad's Dean Norris Joins Under the Dome
Dean Norris has been tapped to play the lead role in CBS' Under the Dome, based on the bestselling Steven King novel, TVGuide.com has learned.
The Breaking Bad star will play Big Jim, the successful owner of a used car dealership who also serves as a town council member.
The show is about a small New England town that becomes sealed off from the world by an oversized transparent dome, and will follow the citizens' struggle to survive as they try to learn more about the dome and how to get rid of it. It will be produced by Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment.
Secret Circle's Britt Robertson cast in CBS' Under the Dome
Other previously announced cast members include Mike Vogel, Britt Robertson, Natalie Martinez, Aisha Hinds, Alex Koch, Colin Ford, Nicholas Strong and Jolene Purdy.
In November, CBS granted a straight-to-series order of 13 episodes of the sci-fi series. Niels Arden Oplev, who directed the Swedish version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, will helm the first episode. It will be executive produced by King, Neal Baer, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Stacey Snider and Lost's Brian K. Vaughan, who wrote the adaptation, as executive producers.
View original Breaking Bad's Dean Norris Joins Under the Dome at TVGuide.com
Other Links From TVGuide.com


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...except appear on Sesame Street. The singer and August 2009 Cosmo cover girl recently shot a video with Elmo, but producers of the children's show have decided not to air it on TV. The reason? It's too suggestive. We hate to hate on Sesame Street (after all, many staffers grew up with the show), but there's no doubt about it—we're on Team Katy.
The clip features Katy singing a parodied version of her song "Hot 'N Cold" to Elmo. She's wearing a yellow dress that shows some cleavage, but it's definitely not the slightest bit slutty. Nevertheless, parents freaked when they saw the clip—and the cleav—on YouTube. And that's when producers decided Sesame Street would never be brought to you by Katy's letters D and D.
We just don't see a problem with her outfit. And as one YouTube commenter put it, what three-year-old even knows to look at boobs? We'd also like to remind producers of a certain muppet who got a lot of screen time while wearing low-cut, high hemline outfits...
More From Cosmopolitan
Following the controversy, Elmo appeared (naked, we might add) on Good Morning America to comment. Go to minute mark 3:21 to hear what he had to say.
Did parents and producers overreact? Should they air the clip? What do you think of Katy's dress?
Videos courtesy of Sesame Street and Good Morning America