The contents of this article from National Geographic will come as no surprise to those of us who study urban zoology and cryptozoology, but it is nice to see the country at large taking notice.
The Beast of Knob Noster?
Recently, while researching the origin of the word "bearcat", I came across an offhand reference to the phrase, "The Beast of Knob Noster". I'll have to admit that I have never heard of this beast before, nor have I been able to find any reference to this on the Internet or in any cryptozoological or folklore related text. I can only assume that it refers to the town of Knob Noster Missouri or the nearby Knob Noster State Park. Can anyone out there give me any information regarding this subject?
You may have heard stories of "lost mines" in the Ozarks, but it might surprise you how close some of them are to urban centers. I recently obtained clues to the location of the lost town of Melva, Missouri (destroyed by a tornado in 1920) and the nearby ruins of the Silver Moon Mine and realized that the mine was only about two miles from the Branson Airport!
After contacting area residents I was able to find a trail leading to a rugged ravine containing the rubble of the old sluice works. A short climb revealed the main mine shaft with a vertical drop of over 70 feet. As curious as I was as to what fauna might be residing in the tunnels, I refrained from doing any subterranean snooping.
Coincidentally, while I was visiting the site I heard mention of a creature referred to as a "wontchuck". Hopefully I'll be able to find more information on this rarely seen beast.
ALL FACTS VERIFIED TO BE AT LEAST 90% TRUE!
WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON HERE?
This all began as a game my daughter and I played together, to look for the odd anomalies in our urban and suburban environment. Whenever we found something strange or out of the ordinary, we would attribute it to the activities of the "Elusive Urban Skunk Ape" or some other creature we might invent. As she grew older, our game expanded to include real local places and events, combining existing local history, folklore, and news with our own tongue-in-cheek inventions. We invite you to join us in our search for these "Urban Cryptids".
"Debo a la conjuncion de un espejo y de una enciclopedia el descrubrimiento de Uqbar" . Simple theme. Powered by Blogger.


California cuties Ally Walsh and Casey Wojtalewicz are ideally matched. The two met through a mutual friend and quickly fell in love while sipping cups of joe around the City of Angels. Their shared passions for the beverage, for travel and for giving back to the people they encounter provided a natural bond from which their relationship grew. Eventually, the duo decided to make their personal relationship a professional one, forming Canyon Coffee in 2016.
Canyon Coffee sources organically grown beans from international farms, usually paying more than the fair trade price to farmers they work with. In coming months, the company plans to expand its importing to involve additional regions. We caught up with Ally and Casey to talk about coffee. Get their tips for brewing the perfect cup for the person you love, and watch the video of them around L.A. in some styles from Treasure & Bond (exclusively at Nordstrom).
Why did the two of you decide to start Canyon Coffee?
Coffee has been an integral part of our relationship from the beginning. We've always loved the community, making coffee at home for each other, going to see different coffee shops. When we started dating, we were both on the road for work quite often and spent a good amount of time apart. Finding local roasters and sending home bags of great coffee to each other became a favorite pastime and a way for us to stay connected. When we'd finally be home together, we really grew to cherish being able to make coffee for each other every morning.
Why is it important that you pay more than fair trade to the farmers with whom you work?
Fair trade value is 10¢ above the market average price for coffee. This means that if the market plummets, the fair trade value can plummet with it. We're more interested in buying our coffee at a price that's based on the quality and value of the coffee. We're more interested in seeing a real improvement in the lives of the people we get our coffee from than in being able to check a "fair trade" box.
Where are some places that you've sourced coffee? What can you tell us about your providers there?
We sourced our first two beans from Guatemala and Colombia. We narrowed down our selection to these two countries because of the chocolatey and caramelly coffees we had grown to love from there.
We bought our first bean from the Chochajau Collective in Guatemala. We wanted our first bean to come from Guatemala, because it's the country in Latin America that we most have a connection to: Casey lived there for five months several years ago. Chochajau is a small cooperative composed of 24 farmers who work about 80 acres of land, collectively. Their fields are nestled not far from the beautiful Lake Atitlán (which Alexander von Humboldt called "the most beautiful lake in the world").
In Colombia, we purchased beans from the Apia Farmers' Association. This cooperative began around 10 years ago when twenty-some farmers organized together to be competitive in the coffee market. Today, there are over 500 members in the association. Their farms surround the village of Apia, which is flanked by three natural parks. It's no coincidence that this region is the second most biodiverse region for birds in Colombia. Being fans of all wildlife, that was a special selling point for us when learning about this farm!
Where is the best cup of coffee you've had lately?
Well, we just had a cup of our new Ethiopian bean we're about to release, and we must say it is the best cup we have had in a while! We're very excited about it. Besides Canyon, we've been having some delicious cups of coffee at Maru here in Los Angeles lately.
You travel together a lot. Where is a place that you had a really memorable coffee?
The coffee and culture in Japan was such a joy for us to experience. All of the heart, passion, attention to detail and appreciation for subtlety that we saw in Japanese society comes out in full effect in the coffee scene over there. The people who start shops do such a wonderful job of establishing their own unique culture. For instance, one of our favorite shops in Tokyo, Shozo Coffee, only serves hot and cold drip, and baked goods. Their location in Aoyama is a tiny little hut made of natural-stained wood, large windows and a whitewashed wood interior. It's light, cozy and warm, and it's done so well.
Also, we didn't encounter batch-made drip at any shop we went to in Japan. Virtually any time we ordered a "filter" coffee, it was made by hand. That really goes to show how much care and attention is put into everything in Japan!
We drink it black! When you have great-quality beans, roasted well, there's nothing better.
Give us your tips on making the best cup of coffee possible.
Buy fresh-roasted beans and grind only as much as you need prior to brewing. Aim to clear through the bag within a few weeks. Anything that's a month or more past roast can still taste good (especially as cold brew), but you'll just need to grind it finer in order to extract the flavor. The reason for all this is that coffee gets a lot of its flavor from carbon dioxide gas trapped in the bean from the time it was growing. Once the bean is roasted, this gas starts to escape. The loss of gas is increased greatly once the bean is ground. That's why it's best to grind right before making it!
Regardless of the way you make coffee at home (there are so many ways!), consistency is key. Try using the same measuring spoon every morning to keep the amount of coffee you use consistent; use the same amount of water each day; and use the same grind setting. When everything's consistent, it's easier to keep track of what makes the coffee taste better when you change a variable.
Finally, the water. We never pour boiling water on coffee, as water that's too hot can make the coffee taste bitter. It's best to use just-boiled water to preheat your coffee-making vessel, and let it cool off for 30 seconds to a minute before pouring it over coffee. Whenever you're pouring water by hand to make coffee, we always suggest "blooming" the coffee. This basically involves using just enough water to get all the coffee grounds wet, and then letting it sit for about 30 seconds before continuing to pour.


Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is to travel to Liberia this week to receive the west African country's highest honour for his role in the development of the football career of president George Weah.
Another of Weah's coaches in his formative years, Claude Le Roy, is also to be awarded the country's highest honour, the government said on Monday.
"They will be honoured by the government of Liberia on August 24, National Flag Day for their role in President George Weah's footballing career," a spokesman said.
They will be honoured by the government of Liberia on August 24, National Flag Day for their role in President George Weah's footballing career.
It was Wenger who took Weah from Africa in 1988 to play for Ligue 1 side Monaco, where the Frenchman was manager at the time, after a tip off from his compatriot Le Roy who first saw Weah playing in Cameroon.
Weah went on to play for AC Milan, Paris St Germain and Chelsea. In 1995 he was named World Footballer of the Year and won the Ballon d'Or, still the only African to win either award.
Weah's popularity from his footballing career saw him win a landslide run-off victory last December in Liberia's presidential elections.


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BREAKING: Country Music LEGEND Merle Haggard's Family Just Got DEVASTATING News- They Need Our Prayers
Dean James AMERICA'S FREEDOM FIGHTERS–
Country music legend Merle Haggard, who was known for hits like "Okie From Muskogee" and "Mama Tried," has passed away on his 79th birthday.
Haggard was honored as BMI Icon in 1996, and recognized at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2010. He won a slew of ACM, CMA and Grammy awards, and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1977. Haggard was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994, Taste of Country reports.
Haggard was born Merle Ronald Haggard in 1937 just outside of Bakersfield, Calif., a town that he would help make famous with his revolutionary sound. His family struggled financially throughout his childhood, living in an old converted boxcar after their home burned down.
After Haggard's father died when he was 9, he turned rebellious, hopping a freight train to Fresno and getting picked up by the authorities when he was just 10, according to his official biography. He was in and out of reform schools and deemed "incorrigible," and ended up in and out of jail as a young adult, culminating in a stretch in prison when he was 20 years old.
Haggard began to take music seriously while in prison at San Quentin, where he was on hand for the Johnny Cash performance that was captured for the iconic live album At San Quentin.
R.I.P. Merle Haggard. You Are A Legend And Will Never Be Forgotten!
Posted by Nation In Distress on Wednesday, April 6, 2016
He began to make a name for himself in the club scene around Bakersfield after his release, developing a hard-charging approach to country music that prominently featured twangy electric guitars.
A masterful guitarist, fiddler and songwriter as well as singer, the Country Music Hall of Famer recorded for more than 40 years, releasing dozens of albums and No. 1 hits., Fox reports.
Haggard — along with fellow California country star Buck Owens — was a founder of the twangy Bakersfield Sound, a direct contrast to the smooth, string-laden country records popular in Nashville, Tenn., in the 1960s.
Haggard had lung surgery after a cancer diagnosis in 2008, and he said an early, but incorrect, diagnosis had him thinking he had only a short time to live.
The star said of the misdiagnosis, "It was sort of a disappointment. I was ready to go."
And so we say goodbye to another legend.
Rest in peace brother.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Meeting our partners where they are, while empowering our communities.
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11 This should be your ambition; to live a quiet life, minding your own business and doing your own work just as we told you before. 12 As a result, people who are not Christians will trust and respect you, and you will not need to depend on others for enough money to pay your bills.


text:
July 28, 2018 Jeremy Maynard Uncategorized
Despite the generally productive fishing for chinook salmon around BC's inner south coast this year, 2018 will go down in memory as one of the most challenging for the management of the recreational fishery there. The burning issue early last winter was the expectation that actions would be taken to provide more chinook for Southern Resident Killer Whales, only to be eclipsed in urgency by late winter when DFO announced that it would be creating a management regime for the 2018 season to significantly lower the exploitation rate (ER) on various chinook stocks of concern
The outcomes in both cases were more restrictive to the recreational fishery than logic would indicate with, firstly, a massive finfish closure in Juan de Fuca Strait eliminating hook and line fishing opportunity for all species and secondly, the reduction in the daily limit for chinook salmon from two to one fish per day around the Strait of Georgia (SoG). The reality of these restrictions is more detailed than this brief description allows but against that background, and hard as it may be to believe, DFO has recently taken a decision that in some respects is even more troubling, with ominous implications for the future management of the recreational fishery on Canada's Pacific coast.
Simply put, DFO has decided to keep in place the now customary restrictions in the north SoG intended to lower the ER on Cowichan River chinook salmon for the remainder of the 2018 season. There is a suite of time and area restricted zones (4 chinook non-retention and 1 finfish closure) in management Areas 13, 14 and 15 and which have been in place since 2006. Three of them are currently in effect (Lambert Channel and Algerine Passage chinook non-retention ending August 15 and the Cape Mudge finfish closure ending August 30) but there was some hope these restrictions would not be implemented at all or, having started, ended early. Apparently not, with DFO indicating that as part of the management planning process for the 2019 season it will "review and discuss removal of these management restrictions in more detail with all stakeholders and First Nations."
Cowichan River chinook are an important stock on southeast Vancouver Island, with indicator status under the Pacific Salmon Treaty. They typically don't roam far from home during their ocean lives and when conditions are favourable prefer to stay in the Strait of Georgia, especially the northern half. They are big contributors to the inside recreational chinook fishery and are important to the local First Nation's food fishery. Although there is some enhancement of this stock the current abundance is largely from natural production with a spawning escapement target of 6500 adults, defined as age-3 or older fish. For some reason this chinook stock also has an unusually large number of age-2 fish returning to spawn but as these are always smaller males they contribute relatively little to production.
After a period of earlier decline Cowichan chinook rebuilt strongly through the 1990's, with the return peaking at over 14,000 adult fish in 1999. Regrettably it was all downhill after that, with a return in 2009 of considerably less than a thousand adult fish. In response to this rapid decline management measures were put in place in an attempt to reverse the trend, with the implementation in 2006 of large terminal area closures adjacent to the Cowichan estuary and the five restricted zones in the north SoG mixed-stock fishery mentioned earlier. As well, starting in the early 2000's significant work was conducted in-river to upgrade the habitat and this is thought to have been a major contributor to the current rebuilding trend.
And what a rebuild! Since the low in 2009 the return each fall has steadily increased, meeting the escapement target in 2015 and going more than a thousand adult fish over in 2016. And the return in 2017 was bigger yet, now estimated at 14,698 adult fish or more than twice the spawning escapement target and the outlook for 2018 is similar. Cowichan chinook went from being south coast problem child to gold star status in remarkably short order.
This background is important when considering the decision by DFO this week to keep the remaining restricted zones in the north SoG in effect. There has always been considerable skepticism regarding the effectiveness of these, as anglers have simply learned to fish around them. Acknowledgement of this by DFO stock assessment staff is found in a recent briefing note reviewing sport fishery management for Cowichan chinook that states, "There appears to be no significant change in ER in the northern areas despite 5 spot closures. More analysis is required, but effort appears to have redistributed around the closures with little reduction of impact on stocks of concern."
The briefing note cites the expected return of Cowichan chinook in 2018 of somewhere between 10 and 15,000 adult fish (or about twice the spawning escapement target), with an additional 2 – 3,000 adult chinook expected as a result of the daily limit reduction for chinook in the Strait of Georgia recreational fishery, an action expected to reduce the exploitation rate on all chinook stocks encountered there by about 30%. The briefing note concludes by stating "The reduction in recreational catch limits is expected to be more effective in reducing the Cowichan exploitation rate than the spot closures" and "There is no evidence which would suggest the expected reduction in ER would change if the northern GST chinook closures were eliminated or adjusted."
Given all this, one has to question why senior management staff insists on keeping the five spot closures in place because the decision is poisoning the relationship between the recreational fishery and DFO. In light of the other decisions made this year regarding chinook management in the southern BC recreational fishery, which they themselves could easily have been different while achieving the same possible benefits, there is an urgent need for a win-win decision but instead DFO has managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Overshadowing any short-term disappointment at not being able to fish where there's no good reason not to do so, earlier I described the decision to keep the spot closures as having "ominous implications for the future management of the recreational fishery on Canada's Pacific coast" If the department can't bring itself to remove demonstrably ineffective seasonal restrictions far from the river of concern terminal zone, on a stock of salmon with a population trajectory and current abundance that is amongst the best of any in the Pacific region, what hope is there that Canadians can expect rational and objective management of any species in the recreational fishery in the future?
Being guiding season life has been busy for me and once again I regret the absence of timely commentary in this space. Several weeks ago I wrote another piece for the Island Fisherman magazine website, this time on the relative abundance of coho in the Strait of Georgia this summer and the link can be found here:
The State Of Coho 2018
About the only other comment I'll make about coho right now is in regard to the weather. This extended hot and dry spell amounts to a death sentence for small stream coho and rain can't arrive quick enough. If coho fishing in 2020 is slow just think back to the weather this summer.
Previous Post:Fraser Sockeye 2018


Marking "Munktiki Imports Design by Kevin Murray©" on bottom.
A mug shaped like a Tiki with two skulls on its headdress. Available in three glaze color ways: brown, red, or bad bone yellow red. This is the bad bone yellow red version which has a wipe glaze effect with a mostly yellowed bone color finish and some red wipe on the eye sockets, mouth, and other recessed areas.


Trevor (Ozboy) Brooks swapped a 1970 Triumph 500 for a 1969 Triumph 500. Out on the road together, the pair turned out to be non-identical twins.
When I sold my T100R Daytona a number of people were aghast. I then acquired a T100C, to many eyes as akin to the Daytona as two peas in a pod. Just whip off one of the carbs and the rev counter, then stick the pipes together up one side of the bike, and once again Bob is unquestionably your uncle. Right?
Despite the fact that I sold him the Daytona, my regular riding companion Lindsay still talks to me, and rides with me. So one morning we met at my tree-house on Sydney's northern peninsular, separated from CBD madness by a broad sweep of harbour. We chose a route of 45 miles or so circling clockwise through Ku-ring-gai National Park to the ocean.
Then a run back down the coast with a stop for coffee along the way.
The twin carb Daytona is a 1970 model, just before indicators and switchgear changes came in. The bike was semi-restored several years ago for use by a film company and was finished in the black and silver style of late 50s and early 60s Triumphs. To my eyes it's a cracker.
It has a slightly dodgy pattern rear guard but is otherwise pretty original. Its an import from the USA and carries western bars.
The single carb, high-piped T100C is also a Stateside import, a '69 model wearing a '67 grey-top seat. Other than that plus slightly lower bars and a pair of leather panniers, it was a completely original bike when I acquired it. Since then I've ditched the zener and rectifier and wired in a modern box from the lads at Sparx.
I've also fitted indicators in temporary positions till I work out other changes I may make.
Both bikes are physically small and very manageable. They hold the road well, the suspension firmly in control of their weight of around 350lbs. Both have the shuttle valve damped forks, stronger located swing arm and other improvements of the final 500cc models. The harder you work these chassis' the better they respond. The Daytona has a 19-inch TT100 on the front and an 18-inch Continental at the rear.
I'm running a pair of Pirellis on the 'C'.
Lindsay is an archetypical laconic Aussie, his dry humour tinged with witty cynicism. He's also a darned fast rider. We stayed fairly close together for the first few km of gently curving road which took us deeper into the bush, but as we hit the twistier stuff Lindsay pulled ahead. He's ridden across Australia and the USA and owned Goldies, Bonnies and other classics. He misses his Triton but now has a Yamaha TRX850 for when he's in a hurry.
He positions the bike on the road better than me, finds the right line sooner, and holds it. He is much smoother through the bends no matter which bike he's on.
Narrow roads carve through sandstone outcrops and dense bushland on the run across the National Park, rising along rocky ridges and falling away close to creek lines as they search for the ocean. Multiple series' of bends swing one way then the other in quick succession. These bikes are made for this sort of going, lively and responsive running at 55-60mph, about 4500 to 5000rpm. Both come on the cam in this part of the rev range, the Daytona with a more urgent rush of power.
Turning over at this rate there is plenty more go available at your right hand. The Daytona finds an extra couple of hundred revs at the top end and makes 41bhp, about 3 bhp more than the T100C. Lindsay thought maybe the 'C' had a bit more torque but I reminded him I've geared it up by one tooth at the gearbox which may have given him that impression.
I can understand the 'Baby Bonnie' tag often given to the Daytona, but reckon it's a bit off target. Anyone coming to these bikes from a bigger Triumph twin will need a shift in thinking. At first it's easy to back off the revs for fear of terminal over-exertion, but the opposite is called for. The late model 500s are reassuringly strong beneath the clatter. Both run a one-piece forged ball and roller crank.
The Daytona uses E3134 race profile cams for both inlet and exhaust with beefed up followers, while the 'C' uses an E3325 sport profile exhaust cam. The Daytona has more exotic valve guides, and racier rods too. An extra level of performance is waiting for you to embrace the busy-ness of the oversquare motor.
They don't so much vibrate as buzz more strongly the harder they work. Once on cam the bikes smooth out again till much further up the rev range, but they are not mile-munching cruisers. On a longer straight I invariably look for a fifth cog, even on the slightly geared-up 'C'.
Both bikes have good brakes, an 8-inch tls on the Daytona and a 7-inch version on the 'C'. They give plenty of feel and feedback so its easy to feather off a little speed for the bends, and both pull up really well when you need to. Is the extra inch better?
It's a close call but, particularly in harder use, there's a definite edge to the Daytona.
After our coffee stop both are ready starters and reliable idlers (the bikes). No twin carb Mr Grumpy here, no belts or Boyers either, and just a slight weep from the base of the rear pushrod tube on both bikes. The Daytona has the later upper primary breather, improved over the timed breather on the T100C.
Eagle-eyed observers may spot the change of handlebars on the 'C'. I was keen to try a slightly more forward set so we did the run again after I'd switched bars.
I've thrashed the 'C' around on tarmac and dirt for the last eighteen months. It feels looser than the Daytona which has led a less demanding life, and is in finer fettle anyway from its earlier refurbishment. But condition plays only a small part in their differences. Naturally, the two bikes have very similar performance and handling capabilities, but it ain't what you do it's the way that you do it.
Riding the bikes back to back, two distinct characters emerge. Just tootling along there's little between them. In traffic (traffic?) both are light and flickable, but give it some throttle and the Daytona's sweet motor has a sharper edge.
At higher revs and for roll-on acceleration it has a smooth surge of power that the 'C' can't quite match, though gearing may play a small part in that.
Both bikes offer performance with style. Both make great sounds. The Daytona shades the T100C in most performance areas, especially when pressing on, but not when the going gets rough, that's a different story.
The Daytona is smooth, frisky, eager, always pushing to be let loose, always letting you know its purpose in life is to go fast, then faster still. With its twin carbs, twin clocks and big brake it should wear clip-ons and rear sets, not high western bars. The T100C has an equally willing engine with good acceleration and a fine turn of speed.
It feels strong and ready for anything whenever you ask, and more accommodating of the whims and moods of its rider.
So, not quite Mr Smooth versus Action Man, but you get the picture. Anyway, classic motorcycling is as much in your head as in the metal. So, while one of these two is deservedly the cult bike, the other is the one I happen to prefer.


text:
I Scream, You Scream for Stories about Ice Cream
Posted in Rhymes and songs, Storytime themes, Ukulele	by worldsloudestlibrarian
The ice cream mixture: milk, vanilla and sugar
This week we read books about ice cream, and made ice cream in a bag, something I learned from my very first job as a Children's Librarian, at the North Regional Library in Raleigh, North Carolina. I was only there for a few months before my husband got a job that required us to move to the Bay Area, but I learned a lot from my coworkers there, and I'll always be grateful to them.
I was actually debating about making the ice cream in coffee cans instead of plastic bags, since it would be more environmental, but my kids and I tried it three times at home (yeah, they hated being guinea pigs for this one), and we just couldn't get it to work. The stuff in the middle would always be too slushy, and the stuff on the sides so frozen it was hard to scrape off. So I went back to the original plan. I did collect and wash all the plastic bags at the end. (Stores in our county no longer give out plastic bags, so I actually hoard them to dispose of my cat litter).
Here's what we read:
Ice Cream Larry by Daniel Pinkwater; illustrated by Jill Pinkwater (Amazon.com link)
I hadn't originally planned to read this one, because it's a longer picture book, but right when storytime started, there was only one 6 year-old and her mom, so I decided to share it with her. It's one of a series of books about Larry the polar bear, who lives at the Hotel Larry and serves as the lifeguard for the pool. In this book, Larry makes the news when he asks a local ice cream shop if he can cool down in their freezer, and then eats 1/8 of a ton of their ice cream. "I do not feel sick," he says. Soon, the owner of the Iceberg Ice Cream company shows up at the hotel to meet with Larry. He ends up making him the spokesbear for his new line of ice creams, and the company's new slogan, "I do not feel sick," becomes a national sensation. Very silly, but lots of fun to read, and a hit with the kids.
Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal; illustrated by Jen Corace (Amazon.com link)
Other families with younger kids had come in during the first book, so I went with this one next. It's not actually an ice cream book, but it tied in with my "Candy Corn for Dinner" song that I sang before I read it. It's one of my favorite picture books, about a little pea who dreads having to eat his nightly dinner of candy. This one always gets laughs from both kids and adults.
Should I Share My Ice Cream? by Mo Willems (Amazon.com link)
I had to to do this book, which is one of my favorite Elephant and Piggies. Gerald is just about to enjoy his ice cream cone, when he wonders if he should share it with Piggie instead. It is a terribly difficult decision, and one that takes him so long that his ice cream melts. Most of my regular storytime families are familiar with Gerald and Piggie, but there was one new family who had never heard of the series. I was happy to hear them laughing at the ending.
Frog and Toad All Year by Arnold Lobel (Amazon.com link)
Occasionally I like to share a chapter from an early reader book like this one, and I was reminded of the "Ice Cream" story in this book when my daughter was listening to the audiobook in the car. To my surprise, most of the kids had never heard of the Frog and Toad books, which I know are still asked for frequently at the library. In this story, Toad buys two ice cream cones for himself and Frog to enjoy. But on his way back to Frog, the ice cream melts, covering his face so he cannot see. Other animals run from him in alarm, and when he finally gets back to Frog, he looks like a scary monster with two pointy horns. This one got laughs too.
Nighttime Ninja by Barbara DaCosta; illustrated by Ed Young (Amazon.com link)
I should have asked ahead of time if the kids knew what a ninja was, because one of them raised the question. A ninja is stealthily creeping through a house, until he is discovered and unmasked for what he really is: a boy sneaking ice cream from the freezer. This is a short book that is fun to read aloud because you can build up the suspense in the early pages.
Candy Corn for Dinner
I wrote this song for the storytime, since I couldn't find many that fit the ice cream theme. It needs another verse, which I'll try to add sometime in the future, but the kids seemed to like it. I'm still too nervous to tell people at storytime when I perform an original song, but it's a fun challenge to write them. It's also not too hard if you know a few chords on the guitar or ukulele, which is all you need for most kids songs anyway. This one only has three chords: C G7 and F.
https://loudestlibrarian.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/candy-corn1.mp3
C G7 C
My mom and dad put me in charge of our dinner tonight.
They said I could make anything as long as we ate right.
I had to serve some vegetables, a salad, and a stew.
I thought a while and cooked a bit, and here is my menu.
F C
We're having candy corn for dinner
G7 C
With a side of chocolate stew.
A three jelly bean salad,
And an ice cream sandwich too.
I don't know why Mom and Dad say cooking's such a chore,
'Cause I had such a great time going to the grocery store.
My mom said we were out of milk, so I bought a big milkshake,
And since my dad likes cheese so much, I got him a cheesecake.
If All the Raindrops
This is an old standby that I use for toddler and baby storytimes too. (I used to sing it to my daughter at toothbrushing time, and it became kind of a game to brush her teeth while we sang the "Aaahs.") I asked the kids to suggest other things they would like the rain to be. One girl suggested chocolate marshmallows, and her mom suggested margaritas. Here are the traditional lyrics (click on the triangle for the tune):
Were lemondrops and gumdrops
Oh, what a rain that would be!
C G7 C G7
Standing outside, with my mouth open wide
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah!
If all the raindrops were lemondrops and gumdrops,
Oh, what a rain it would be!
If all the snowflakes
Were candy bars and milkshakes…
If all the sunbeams
Were bubblegum and ice cream…
CRAFT: Ice Cream in a Bag
Ice cream mixture sealed in a large bag of ice and rock salt
The finished product!
I printed out the directions on a half-page handout, in case anyone wanted to take it home. You can print your own here: ICE CREAM IN A BAG
Before we started, I went over each of the ingredients. We talked about the vanilla, and I let the kids smell the open bottle. I showed them the rock salt, and explained that it was important, because without it the ice cream wouldn't freeze. (The milk and sugar freeze at a lower temperature than water, but the salt lowers the freezing temperature of water. When you put it on ice, the ice melts, but it turns into a slushy mixture that is actually colder).
I gave each kid a quart-sized plastic zipper bag (for what it's worth, the bags I bought from Target claimed to be BPA-free, although I've read that the other chemicals plastic companies use aren't necessarily safer). I had them hold their bags open, and I poured the 1/2 of whole milk in for them, since it was a large, heavy gallon of milk. Then I held the bag open for each of them as they scooped in two tablespoons of sugar. I pour in the 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Then I told them to seal their bags tightly, and make sure they were closed (I once had volunteers mix up the ice cream mixture in the bags ahead of time, and they forgot to seal the bags shut. There were a lot of disappointed kids left holding bags of salty milk).
Once they had their ice cream mixture sealed in the small bags, I gave them each a gallon-sized bag to half-fill with ice. Then we poured the rock salt in on top of the ice (the recipe calls for 1/2 cup, but I just estimated). They sealed their ice cream mix into the big bag, and shook the bags while I played some songs on the ukulele. It takes about 5 minutes for the ice cream to freeze.
Once the ice cream was frozen, I gave out spoons and straws for the kids to each it straight out of the bag. Some froze more solidly than others, but it has a pretty good flavor that they all seemed to like.
OTHER BOOKS ABOUT ICE CREAM:
I Scream, Ice Cream! a Book of Wordles by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Serge Bloch (Amazon.com link)
This book's not actually about ice cream, but I was originally going to read it along with Little Pea, since it references that book at the end. It's actually a series of phrases that can mean two different things, depending on how you read them. For example: "I scream! Two bucks!" (with a picture of someone running away from two angry deer), sounds just like "Ice cream, two bucks!" The phrases get increasingly complicated, and it's fun to try and guess what the alternate meaning will be.
Ice Cream: the Full Scoop by Gail Gibbons (Amazon.com link)
Nice overview of the history of ice cream, and how it is made commercially. This one was a little long for my group, but would work well for a preschool or elementary school class.
Any other books about ice cream? I would love some more suggestions.
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For the Birds: Stories about our Fine, Feathered Friends
Goldfinch Feeder
Last night at Family Storytime we read stories about birds, and made a simple bird feeder for goldfinches.
I was happy because I got to open with one of my all-time favorite read-alouds:
The Baby Beebee Bird by Diane Redfield Massie; illustrated by Stephen Kellogg (Amazon.com link)
This book is perfect for storytime: it has large, colorful illustrations, lots of animal noises, and a funny, annoying repeated phrase the kids get to join in on. A quiet evening at the zoo is interrupted by the newly arrived baby beebee bird, who insists on singing, "Beebee Bobbi Bobbi!" over and over again all night long. The next morning, the other animals are exhausted, the zookeeper is worried, and the lion has a plan to get revenge. I've also seen this book performed as a reader's theater, where it works beautifully because there are so many different parts.
One of the kids spotted this Pigeon book in my stack and got really excited. I had actually brought two Pigeon books along, and I asked the kids to vote for the one they wanted to hear: they all asked me to read both. I think this one got the biggest laughs though. In this book, the Pigeon is about to enjoy the hot dog he found, until an adorable, curious (and deviously clever) duckling asks him what hot dogs are like.
Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late by Mo Willems (Amazon.com link)
This one is more like the original Pigeon book, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, where the kids get to respond to the Pigeon's wheedling demands by yelling, "No!" In this case, the Pigeon is angling to stay up past bedtime, by using the arguments and excuses that every parent has heard before.
Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman (Amazon.com link)
Fun, silly farm story about the Greenstalk family, whose chickens always swoop in to save the day. Wristwatch in the well? Chickens to the rescue! Too tired to make dinner? Chickens to the rescue! Dog ate your book report? Chickens to the rescue. This one is always a hit, and the kids love chiming in on the "Chickens to the Rescue!"
Edward the Emu by Sheena Knowles; illustrated by Rod Clement (Amazon.com link)
Edward the emu is sick of the zoo. When he hears someone say that the seals are his favorite animal, Edward hops the fence into the seal pool and tries being a seal instead. But then he overhears someone else saying the lions are best, and has to try that too, until another person raves about the snakes. Finally, someone says they like the emus best, but when Edward returns to his old enclosure, he finds a new emu in his place. The illustrations in this rhyming story, showing Edward emu-lating the other animals, are hilarious. The kids also enjoyed making animal noises along with Edward.
Two Little Blackbirds
One of my favorite songs/fingerplays. I usually sing it a cappella, so I can do the hand motions. Click on the triangle to hear how it goes:
https://loudestlibrarian.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/two-little-blackbirds.mp3
Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill, (Hold up both thumbs)
One named Jack, and the other named Jill.
Fly away, Jack! (Put one thumb behind your back)
Fly away, Jill! (Put the other thumb behind your back)
Come back, Jack! (Bring the first thumb out in front).
Come back, Jill! (Bring the second thumb out in the front).
Two little blackbirds sitting on a cloud,
One was quiet, and the other was loud (I make my voice as loud and obnoxious as possible each time I sing the word "Loud!")
Fly away, Quiet!
Fly away, Loud!
Come back, Quiet!
Come back, Loud!
Two little blackbirds sitting in the snow.
One flew fast!
And the other f-l-e-w s-l-o-w!…
Two little blackbirds sitting on a gate.
One was early,
And the other was…late!… (I like to drag the pauses out as long as possible before saying "Late!" until the kids are all yelling it out.)
Six Little Ducks
I've done this song for years, and it's a popular favorite at toddler and baby storytimes. Last night, I had several 6 year-olds in the group, so for an extra challenge, I asked if any of them could squat down and waddle like a duck (it's surprisingly tiring, but they had fun). Here are the lyrics, with the accompanying ukulele or guitar chords:
https://loudestlibrarian.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/six-little-ducks.mp3
Six little ducks that I once knew,
Fat ones, skinny ones, fair ones too.
But the one little duck with the feather on his back.
He led the others with his "Quack! Quack! Quack!"
"Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack!"
Down to the river they would go,
Wibble-wobble, wibble-wobble, to and fro.
But the one little duck with the feather on his back,
Home from the river they would come,
Wibble-wobble, wibble-wobble, ho hum hum.
I actually meant to do this song, but I forgot about it completely, and sang Brush Your Teeth instead (to go along with Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late). It's perfect for a bird theme though, since the kids can suggest different types of birds, so I'm including it here. I originally heard it performed by Elizabeth Mitchell on her album, You Are My Little Bird, which is one of my favorite kids' albums. Here's how it goes:
https://loudestlibrarian.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/little-bird.mp3
Little Bird, Little Bird,
Fly through my window.
Find molasses candy.
Fly through my window, my sugar lump!
Find molasses candy!
Jay bird, Jay bird, fly through my window…etc…
Repeat the verse and chorus, asking kids for the names of different birds (robin, parrot, etc.) to sing in place of "Little Bird" each time. You can also do this song as a dance, where a pair of kids put their hands together over their heads to make a "window" and the other kids "fly" through the window in a line.
CRAFT: Goldfinch Feeders
Goldfinch Feeder by Sarah
I found this easy goldfinch feeder on Do-It-Yourself N Save: http://diynsave.com/?p=337. I was really happy, because we get a lot of goldfinches here on the coast, and they are beautiful, and fun to watch. Also, I had originally thought of doing one of the typical kids bird feeder projects, where you put peanut butter on a pine cone and roll it in bird seed, but one of my regular storytime kids has a severe peanut allergy, so this was a much safer alternative.
It is super easy to make (although a bit messy, since the thistle seed tends to spill). After showing the kids a picture of a goldfinch, I gave each of them a knee-high stocking or the foot of a regular pair of stockings (one of my coworkers brought me some old ones from her mom, and I had also picked some up at Goodwill). I also had a variety of old jar lids, a chopstick, some yarn, and a bag of thistle (Nyger) seed. The kids each stuffed a lid into the bottom of their stocking, then filled the stocking with thistle seed (I gave them little plastic cups to scoop and pour). Then they tied them shut with the yarn, and stuck the chopstick through the stocking just above the lid. The chopstick makes a hole for the goldfinches to reach the seed, while also giving them a place to perch. One dad wisely waited on sticking the chopstick through the stocking until they got home, to keep the seed from spilling out all over the car (and the library!). All in all, it was easy and fun. I hung one on a tree in my backyard at home, and I'm eager to see if the goldfinches find it.
OTHER BOOKS ABOUT BIRDS:
There are so many great books about birds, especially once you factor in all the duck, penguin, and chicken books out there. Here are some others that I considered:
Penguin by Polly Dunbar (Amazon.com link)
This one is super-quirky, and a little dark, but I love it, and it's always been a hit at storytime. Ben is frustrated with his new penguin, who refuses to talk. He tries everything from tickling it, to trying to feed it to a passing lion, but the lion eats Ben instead. Luckily, Penguin saves the day, rescuing Ben, and finally speaking, in a language of his own.
One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo; illustrated by David Small (Amazon.com link)
When Eliot secretly brings a penguin home from the aquarium, his father seems oblivious to all of Eliot's attempts to make his new pet feel at home, until the surprise at the end. I've read this one to a wide range of ages, including a few second grade classes, and they loved it.
Owl Babies by Martin Waddell; illustrated by Patrick Benson (Amazon.com link)
This has always been one of my favorite books for toddler time. A sweet story about three baby owls whose mother has left them alone in their nest. As time passes, they grow increasingly worried, and wish their mother would come back, and of course, she does. The illustrations are beautiful. I have a personal copy of this book that I've read many, many times to my own kids. It is perfect for a snuggly bedtime story.
What are your favorite books about birds?
bird crafts, bird feeder craft for kids, bird storytime theme, Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman, Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late by Mo Willems, easy bird feeder, Edward the Emu by Sheena Knowles and Rod Clement, goldfinch feeder, kids songs about birds, library storytime, picture books about birds, preschool bird craft, preschool songs about birds, songs about birds, stories about birds, storytime ideas, The Baby Beebee Bird by Diane Redfield Massie and Stephen Kellogg, The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog by Mo Willems, thistle seed feeder, ukulele chords for Little Bird, ukulele chords for Six Little Ducks	2 Comments


text:
Annoncé, ook wel minivijfkamp, is een spelsoort (of eigenlijk combinatie van spelsoorten in één partij) in het carambolebiljart die vaak als ludieke afsluiting van het seizoen of jaar (in de kerstperiode) wordt gespeeld.

Een annoncé-partij wordt op één tafel gespeeld door twee of meer spelers die allemaal met dezelfde bal van acquit moeten gaan en daarmee verder spelen. De spelers moeten voor elke beurt van tevoren aangeven hoe ze de carambole willen maken. Ze hebben daarvoor meestal de keuze uit vier of vijf mogelijkheden: bijvoorbeeld een stoot zonder beperking, een librestoot, een directe stoot, een bandstoot, over rood, over wit, een losse bander, een tweebander, een driebander en een kikker (een directe stoot waarbij bal 2 en 3 de band ook niet mogen raken). Het gaat er daarbij vaak om welke speler als eerste een aantal (vaak vijf) van alle mogelijke caramboles heeft gemaakt.

Externe link
 Uitleg op website van Bijartvereniging Rijnegom

Biljartterminologie
Carambolebiljartspelsoort

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Oh Holy Spirit, You are the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. You are the Spirit of truth, love and holiness, proceeding from the Father and the Son, and equal to Them in all things. We adore You and love You with all our heart. Teach us to know and to seek God, by whom and for whom we were created. Fill our hearts with a holy fear and a great love for Him. Give us compunction (an active conscience) and patience, and do not let us fall into sin.
Increase faith, hope and charity in us.
Make us faithful followers of Jesus, obedient children of the Church and a help to our neighbour. Give us the grace to keep the commandments and to receive the sacraments worthily. Raise us to holiness and lead us to everlasting life. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
687 …Those who believe in Christ know the Spirit because He dwells with them.
The list in Isaiah is a bit tame compared with Paul's list.
I suppose we have to remember that the gifts or charisms are for a purpose.
Tongues which are a personal prayer language and give praise to God. It is a universal gift, potentially given to all.
That is to say that the more excellent way is love.
In the mass Father Eddy asks God the Father to send his Spirit to change the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, making Jesus present wherever mass is said.
Before we start here's a little message from the Monty Python team. In aknowledgment that over the past few weeks we seem to have stepped up a gear or three in our bible studies.
I hope your brain only hurts in a good way.
Read the overview and then we'll watch the DVD.
Romans 6: 8 – Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
Revelation 1: 18 – I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
Numbers 23: 19 – God is not a man that he should lie.
Oh Christ Jesus, Our Lord Our God, Our Holy Redeemer, Our Saviour.
Your forgiveness of sin, Your Crucifixion and Resurrection.
CCC 521 – Christ enabled us to live in Him, all that He Himself lived, and He lives it in us. "By His Incarnation, He, the Son of God, has in a certain way united himself with each man." We are called only to become one with Him, for He enables us as the members of his Body to share in what He lived for us in His flesh as our model.
Last week when we looked at the cross we saw all that Jesus had done for us. This week we are looking at the New Life which Jesus calls us to and makes possible for us. The question is how are we to live this life?
Here is a familiar verse from the Amplified Bible (which is a bit like a thesaurus bible).
John 3:16 – For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
I like the way the Amplified Bible expands the word "believe" into "trusts in, clings to, relies on" which reminds me of the image of Christ with the words "Jesus, I trust in You" given to St. Faustina.
This is a very good summary of how we are to live this life.
The Church is also our great help in this. The sacraments prepare us and sustain us for the journey. The sacrament of reconciliation calls us back to Christ and we receive Him in the Eucharist. The Holy Spirit is our constant companion.
Enough words, just: believe in, trust in, cling to and rely on Him.
As the DVD session on the cross puts it all so well, let's have another look at it before entering into our discussions.
When I was catching up on the Incarnation, after being on holiday, I came across this little snippet.
The patristic and medieval tradition, in contemplating this "Christology of the word" employed an evocative expression: the word was "abbreviated"… The Son himself is the word, the Logos: the eternal word became small – small enough to fit in a manger. He became a child, so that the word could be grasped by us. Now the word is not simply audible: not only does it have a voice, now the word has a face, one which we can see: that of Jesus of Nazareth.
All that God has for us, wants to show us, wants to do for us, is there in Christ – abbreviated.
When we contemplate the crucifixion we can see the suffering of Jesus on the cross and the magnitude of what he has done for us. We must not forget that it is also a triumph and that Jesus is raised up.
Isaiah 52: 13 See my servant will prosper, he shall be lifted up, exalted, rise up to great heights. All of chapter 53 is worth a read as well.
Psalm 22, which Jesus quotes from on the cross, also ends on a note of triumph.


text:
Q: Entity Framework - group multiple foreign keys into a single column New to EF here and having some difficulty.
I have about 24 tables I need to create with code-first.  Each one of these tables has around 2 - 10 many-to-one relationships that are simple and can be represented with 1 table.  Here are just a few of my classes to illustrate my structure...
namespace EMRS
{
    public class ERecord
    {
        [Key]
        public int PCRId { get; set; }
        public virtual List<EFirstClass> EFirstClass {get; set;}
        public virtual List<ESecondClass> ESecondClass { get; set; }
    }

    public class EFirstElement
    {
        [Key]
        public int ElementId { get; set; }
        public ElementCode stuff1 { get; set; } //eAirway.06
        public string stuff2 { get; set; }

        public int PCRId { get; set; }
        public virtual ERecord EReportId { get; set; }

        public virtual List<SubElement> Stuff4List { get; set; }
        public virtual List<SubElement> Stuff5List { get; set; }
        public virtual List<SubElement> Stuff6List { get; set; }
        public virtual List<SubElement> Stuff7List { get; set; }

}

    public class ESecondElement
    {
        [Key]
        public int ElementId { get; set; }

        public ElementCode Stuff9 { get; set; }
        public ElementCode Stuff10 { get; set; }

        public int PCRId { get; set; }
        public virtual ERecord EReportId { get; set; }

        public virtual List<SubElement> StuffList11 { get; set; }
        public virtual List<SubElement> StuffList12 { get; set; }
        public virtual List<SubElement> StuffList13 { get; set; }
        public virtual List<SubElement> StuffList14 { get; set; }
        public virtual List<SubElement> StuffList15 { get; set; }
        public virtual List<SubElement> StuffList16 { get; set; }
        public virtual List<SubElement> StuffList17 { get; set; }
}

    public class SubElement
    {
        public int SubElementId { get; set; }
        public string Value { get; set; }
        public dynamic Type { get; set; }
        public int ElementId { get; set; }
    }
}

If I were to create a class/table for each individual 1 to many relationship in the element classes, I would end up with many tables with exactly the same structure.  What I would like to do would be to have a foreign key in the SubElement class that references more than 1 class.
I tried having a parentelement abstract class and inheriting it in all of my element classes but EF created a table for that class(Parentelement) and placed all columns in all Element classes within that table.
Is there any way to do this with EF Code first?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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So much is happening in evangelization and a feeling of total gratitude fills my heart when I ponder all that God is doing. The first of three "Encounter retreats" occurred on February 1 st and was completely Spirit-led. Many on the retreat recalled having an authentic "encounter" with the Lord throughout the day that they had never had before and desired to "have more" going forward. Here is one testimony from one of our young adults about the retreat.
"First, thank you and to all the others who made the retreat happen this past weekend. This was my first retreat and I too felt blessed and honored to have been there. Each of the speakers was right on and I took away a little something important from each. I was also blessed in many other little interactions and conversations that day. Overall, I had a sense of peace throughout the day that I don't often feel in many settings. Moreover, spending all that time in the beautiful chapel with Jesus made for a very sweet day. Much needed."


text:
How far-reaching is the restaurant shutdown order in NE Ohio because of the coronavirus?
Updated: Mar. 15, 2020, 8:32 p.m. | Published: Mar. 15, 2020, 7:36 p.m.
Restaurants and bar closings around Cleveland
By Marc Bona, cleveland.com and Anne Nickoloff, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The order for Ohio's restaurants and bars to shut down at 9 p.m. Sunday has far-reaching tentacles affecting a multitude of businesses.
Eateries big and small, locally owned and corporate-run, breweries, wineries and tertiary businesses will all feel the impact of the order issued Sunday by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine.
Zack Bruell - who owns half a dozen restaurants all in Cleveland, including L'Albatros Brasserie in University Circle and Alley Cat Oyster Bar in the Flats East Bank - said just hours before the announcement of the mandatory shutdown he would have preferred his businesses to stay open. That's because he was hoping to maintain some sense of cash flow for his workers, but he understands the severity of the pandemic. In Ohio, 36 cases have been confirmed.
"There is no response. You're told 'That's what you have to do,' you do it. There are certain fixed costs you have that go on regardless … If I were independently wealthy I would take care of every one of my employees. If I had that type of money, no problem. But I don't."
That financial impact was not lost on DeWine, who announced the restaurants-shutdown decision Sunday "based on the best available scientific data we can get our hands on."
DeWine's decision came moments after he said concerned people all over Ohio - "from Mahoning Valley to Cleveland to southern Ohio" - had sent him pictures "of crowded bars in their area." DeWine then stressed the critical need for social distancing especially with one of the year's biggest bar days - St. Patrick's Day - coming up Tuesday, March 17.
The order - which will last "as long as it needs to" - does not extend to carryout, he said.
A representative for the Ohio Restaurant Association, citing 2018 figures, says there are 22,547 "eating and drinking place locations in Ohio." Many include carry-out options.
DeWine added: "I have some understanding of what this will do" and that it "will hurt greatly."
The governor was clear in the grave consequences that could come about. Delaying measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus, he said, "means more people will die."
Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton said the ultimate goal is to not overwhelm the healthcare system, to "slow the spread we know is coming." She likened the proactive response to seeing a hurricane on the horizon and that "you make these moves now."
"We should not be going to restaurants," Acton said bluntly.
Pat Tiberi, president and chief executive officer of the Ohio Business Roundtable, said in a statement the 28-year-old organization supports the temporary restaurant closure to fight the "unprecedented public health crisis."
"We recognize the magnitude and impact of this measure on one of Ohio's key industries, but believe it is necessary to slow the spread of the virus to our most vulnerable citizens. … As we have seen in other parts of the world, it is critical to take these actions before the virus can spread further."
The Ohio Restaurant Association, which last month held its annual two-day food expo in Columbus, is "exploring all possible federal, state and local relief and economic stimulus options, and plan to share those as quickly as possible," ORA President and Chief Executive Officer John Barker said in a release.
It's those employees - servers, hostesses, managers, bartenders, line cooks, dish washers and many others - whose financial livelihoods end tonight for the unforeseeable future.
"The hardest part is the employees. We have 600 employees, just about," Tommy Leneghan and Sean Fairbairn, owners of Barrio, said in a shared statement. "They'll be laid off until further notice. That's truly the hardest part for us right now. If you work at Barrio, everyone is a family. It's just sad."
A Barrio spokesman said the restaurant chain would explore possible takeout and delivery options during the coming week. Another possibility would be to operate from food trucks. But for now, the restaurants are completely closed.
Scott Kuhn of the Driftwood Restaurant Group, which had already shuttered its Playhouse Square locations prior to the governor's announcement, sees a multi-pronged effect.
"There's no timetable when this thing is going to be over," he said. "You look at the events world - catering is rocked just as hard as the restaurant business. Weddings are postponed. My heart is just broken for the servers, cooks, event-industry people, rental equipment (places). We're at a total standstill. The health of our employees is utmost important, but we have to live to see tomorrow. We've all taken pay cuts. We're going to do everything we can do to see this thing through."
Dante Boccuzzi is embracing delivery options for his Tremont restaurants 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily for a fee for as long as the shutdown order is in place, said Boccuzzi, whose restaurants have about 200 employees.
"A lot of people are panicking," he said. "A lot of livelihoods are based on this building. … I'm sure there will be places closing, and places that won't be able to sustain. I wish everyone the best, but we'll see what's going to happen."
Edwins Butcher Shop and Bakery in Cleveland's Buckeye neighborhood will be open for delivery and pickup, and owner Brandon Chrostowski said he will offer guidance and assistance to all his employees at Edwins Leadership and Restaurant Institute next week.
Beginning noon Tuesday, he said, "We'll keep people informed with information, help on how to apply for government assistance, and direct them to agencies in town."
Restaurateur Doug Katz, who had previously announced his flagship restaurant Fire Food and Drink in Shaker Square would shut down for the time being, said closures in the industry will result out of what he sees as a necessary measure the governor enacted.
"We really try to manage our businesses as best as we can, to be fiscally responsible," he said a couple of hours before the announcement. "We're lucky, because we're able to weather the storm more easily than some others. We did just open Zhug, so we do have a lot of construction costs and some things to manage at that restaurant, but we think coming out of this, that we will have strong businesses moving forward. It certainly will have a loss this year, no question, and hopefully next year we won't have a huge loss. Our margins in the restaurant business are so tight, and the labor cost that you spend to run restaurants, it's just so expensive.
"When you see them busy and see the hustle and bustle, you don't always think of the times when it's not so busy. I think the impact is huge. I think we definitely will see permanent closures in our market, but we will not be one of those. We will certainly weather the storm and hope to be stronger when all of this ends."
Effect on breweries and wineries
One industry that will see an unequal effect is breweries. An established business like Great Lakes Brewing Co. - which had announced hours before the shutdown announcement it was closing temporarily - will not be able to serve customers at its pub or gift shop but can still brew for its distribution accounts. But not every brewer has Great Lakes' distribution footprint.
Matt Vann of the Jolly Scholar - which has 78 employees - has limited distribution.
"It seems like Gov. DeWine is doing a good job proactively to try to get this thing out of here. It's nobody's fault," Vann said. "His model is the right one; financially, it's not great for a lot of us. But I think it is a model to keep everybody healthy. Put your dollars to the side for a second; that's easy for some people, not as easy for others."
The brewery is looking to purchase or rent a canning line, Vann said, which could lead to better distribution of its own as well as other local brewers' beers.
Destiny Burns, owner of CLE Urban Winery in Cleveland Heights, says it is her understanding that her business can still produce wine for distribution.
"We're trying to figure out if there is a responsible way to do that - curbside pickup," she said. "I can sell online; I have a license. I can ship to residential addresses."
Before DeWine's announcement, she said she had been talking to employees and working on "preemptive consideration" to deal with the effect of coronavirus on her business.
"Because I am a manufacturer and have a product to sell I assume there are still going to be avenues to sell. I have to figure out the most responsible way to do that. … I am cautiously optimistic we can find a responsible way."
Donniella Winchell, executive director of the Ohio Wine Producers Association, said it is her understanding there is no prohibition on manufacturing, just on the congregation (of customers)."
"This is a little bit of an inconvenience, but we're going to come through," Winchell said.
Bruell sees a potential bigger picture at play.
"Maybe there is a higher power trying to tell us something, that maybe we should clean up our house, stop all the violence, hatred and shooting. Maybe that's what's really going on here. May we should pay attention to that."
Eric Heisig and Andrew J. Tobias contributed to this story.
All Ohio bars, restaurants to close 9 p.m. Sunday due to coronavirus - Gov. Mike DeWine's Sunday briefing
Greater Cleveland restaurant and bar owners react to coronavirus


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Notes: Plenty of questions in Week 17
News and notes from Patriots practice and locker room interviews.
Erik Scalavino
Patriots.com Writer
Well, here we are again.
Just like last year, the Patriots enter Week 17 needing a win in Miami on Sunday to guarantee themselves the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. Of course, they could still secure it if the Oakland Raiders were to lose later that afternoon in Denver.
To many observers last season, New England's run-heavy game plan against the Dolphins appeared to be a play-it-safe approach. However, it sounds as if this year's Patriots have a greater sense of urgency about taking care of their own business and not relying on anyone else to do it for them.
"I think it's huge," safety/co-captain Devin McCourty declared. "As a football team, there is no on-and-off switch. You know, you can't just decide when you want to play. I think from the outside [looking] in, everyone talks about really how this week is not that important and how the playoffs are right there. I think for us, none of that really matters. We're going against a division team that knows us well, that has beaten us [in Miami] over the last three years. I think it's important for us to just know our blueprint, know what we've done week-in and week-out and stay to that."
Unlike last season, when Miami was out of the playoff picture, the 2016 Dolphins, who started the season 1-4, are already in the postseason and trying to get up to the fifth seed.
"You've got nothing but respect for a team that starts off like that," observed WR Julian Edelman, "and then they play unbelievable football… to play the best football they can going into these final weeks. So, it's going to be a good test there… we're going to see how good we are."
"A lot on the line," remarked DE Chris Long. "At the end of the day, we're playing a really good football team on the road, and that's a great challenge for our defense. They're the best running team we've faced so far. So, it'll be a great test and an opportunity to go on the road and try to come together even more as a team."
"They've had a really good season and really have turned things around since we played them last [in Week 2]," added McCourty, "so, we know it will be a hostile environment. Going in there and getting a win will be big for us."
If the Patriots are successful on New Year's Day, they'll improve to an impressive 8-0 in road games this season.
"Overall it will be a great accomplishment," McCourty acknowledged, "but this is a really tough test. We haven't won down there in three years, so, it's even bigger than just this year. It's just trying to go down there and play well."
"It's a tougher place to play. They play well at home," echoed Edelman. "With the new year comes a new opportunity. We're looking forward to this opportunity to have a good week of preparation and practice to play against a good football team on Sunday."
Who plays, who rests?
In at least one respect, Week 17 is like Week 4 of the preseason. In both cases, teams like New England and Miami need to balance trying to win with preserving the health of their key players. Which begs the obvious question of which players will see the field, and if so, how much they'll participate.
Normal week. Prepare as usual," maintained backup QB Jimmy Garoppolo, who could see significant snaps on Sunday. Garoppolo came on late in the third quarter last week against the Jets when that game got out of hand on the scoreboard.
"We do such a good job in practice that, whether it's practice snaps or game reps, you want to get as many as you can," Garoppolo continued. "You never know when you're going to be called upon, so, you've got to take advantage of it when you do."
In Wednesday's practice, Garoppolo got most, if not all, of the first-team snaps, it's safe to assume, because starter Tom Brady was among four players who didn't take part. Brady has been dealing periodically with a right thigh injury since the Seattle game in Week 10.
Meanwhile, Edelman sounds anxious to take the field Sunday not just for team reasons, but personal ones as well. If he suits up and plays in Miami, Edelman will have appeared in all 16 regular season games for the Patriots this season. Only one other time in his pro career (2013) has he been healthy enough to go wire-to-wire.
"That's a big goal," he admitted. "I haven't done that in a while. It'll be good to be able to go in there and play my 16th game. That's number one – the health of the team. Fortunately, I have good health right now."
On the other sideline, Miami knows it will be without its starting quarterback, Ryan Tannehill, who's dealing with a significant left knee injury. Dolphins backup Matt Moore has guided Miami to 34 points and victories in each of their last two games.
Long told reporters he's still trying to learn as much as he can about Moore, but that one aspect in particular stands out.
"Just his presence in the pocket. He moves around just enough to make plays. He's not necessarily going to get down and run on you. His style's a little different than Tannehill, but he's very capable of doing all the things that Ryan did."
"We played him a couple years ago when he was a starting quarterback for Miami," McCourty noted. "[He's] a guy that's not in a situation that is unknown to him. He's started and led that football team. I would imagine that that team has tremendous trust in him player-wise for his leadership and what he brings… an experienced guy that knows the offense. [He] obviously has a good grasp of it and is going to be ready to go."
Practice Report
Aside from Brady, the three other noteworthy absences from today's practice were running back Dion Lewis, wide receiver Danny Amendola, who continues to nurse a right ankle injury, and rookie wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell.
According to the Boston Herald, citing an unnamed source, Lewis was not held out for injury or disciplinary reasons. It's unclear why Mitchell, who was seen getting dressed in the locker room beforehand, was not on the field. However, on his final reception against the Jets, in the middle of the third quarter this past Sunday, Mitchell appeared to hop up off the ground and clutch his right knee for a moment. His situation bears monitoring.
The Patriots special teams took some lumps in 2022, but a trio of rookies helped reset the unit's future trajectory.
Bill O'Brien is reportedly set to return to Foxborough to take over as offensive coordinator.
The Patriots had two players honored by the Pro Football Writers Association for their stellar 2022 seasons.
Where do the Pats have the biggest holes on their roster heading into 2023?
2022 Breakout Patriots to build around
Here are five Patriots players that showed they can be important building blocks for the franchise moving forward.
Quick-Hit Thoughts on Every Player on the Patriots Roster During the 2022 Season
A note on all 68 players who played a snap for the Patriots this season.
Reports: Pats set to interview OC candidates
According to NFL Network, the Patriots will interview Nick Caley and have asked permission to speak to Minnesota's Keenan McCardell for their offensive coordinator position.
DeMarcus Covington to serve as a Senior Bowl defensive coordinator
The Patriots coaching staff will be busy early this offseason, with DeMarcus Covington named a defensive coordinator for the Senior Bowl.


Vincent Ho is an executive coach with Executive Development Associates, based in Singapore. Vincent has 20 years of experience in business and culture transformations, strategic and business planning, business process reviews, change management, organization design, coaching, business facilitation and training. He has led many business and service transformations and corporate structuring projects across diverse industries such as government services, healthcare, telecommunications and media, education, manufacturing services, financial services, property development and consultancy, distribution and retail. He is an expert facilitator and personally coaches both senior management and staff on areas such as strategic implementation, culture development, strategic planning, customer experience, leadership development, and change management. He has worked in Singapore, China, the US, Malaysia, and Indonesia. His consulting focus on business transformation, customer experience consulting, innovation management, change management, and culture development has helped his clients achieve and maintain leading positions in their respective industries.
Partnered clients in their review their business operations. He worked with the clients to define and implement their business strategies and operating models. These involved defining KPIs and desired culture to drive success, designing processes, roles and role expectations, job descriptions and competencies, and conducting training. Change management services were also provided to facilitate both the organisation and individual transitions.
Consulted many organisations across public and private sectors in defining and delivering desired customer experience. These include organization diagnostics through customer and employee research, culture development, senior management and staff engagement on defining and delivering desired customer experience, customer journey mapping and service blue-printing, enabling systems like HR and service analytics, feedback and recovery.
Led the strategy development work stream for a corporatization project involving a government statutory board in Singapore. He worked with the client to identify the core business lines of the proposed corporatized entity, the market and geographical segments and the go-to-market model. He also built the economic case to satisfy overall viability and sustainability of the businesses.
Led the development of an Innovation Management Framework for a major government ministry in Singapore. In this project, he reviewed and suggested recommendations to enhance innovation capabilities within the organization, improved "innovation" processes, defined organization structure, performance measures and incentive programs, and detailed a roadmap for effective roll-out.
Led e-Business strategy projects for a client in Indonesia. He engaged the client from e-model conceptualization to the final design of top level operating model (including process, organization structure and people competencies, key performance indicators, technology architecture etc.). A robust financial model was developed to assist the client in obtaining funding from VCs.
Consulted in the post-merger integration of two major insurance companies in Malaysia. Developed a go-to-market business model for a new business unit, including high level processes, technology, and organization design.


LynchyRightNow: Roy WIlliams, STOP CRYING!
Saturday afternoon my father, uncle, and I showed up at Conte Forum just minutes befor tip-off between #2 ranked North Carolina and unranked 13-14 Boston College. After watching the Eagles lose 12 of their last 15 games I was fully expecting to see the mighty Roy Williams and his Tar Heels blow out Boston College, somewhere in the neighborhood of a 20-30 point differential. This fortunately would be my first time getting to see the boys from tobacco road play up here, and I was in for quite a shock.
I used to be a fan of UNC, simply because I hate Duke and who do you cheer for when they play each other right? NOT ANYMORE. Here are the points of the game, Boston College ended up losing by 10 after they held an 18 point lead early in the second half, BC point guard Tyrese Rice lead all scorers with 46 (34 in the first half) and put on a shooting clinic that I've never witnessed before, and the ACC officials wanted nothing more than to see the heels win. Do I sound disgruntled yet? GOOD.
When I attend or watch basketball games I always witness a different style of officiating. In high school hoops, the refs are 40 to 50 pounds overweight, love their part-time job, and still are trying to be a main part of the game by completely overreacting when they call a charging call, which they do 7 or 8 times a game, its sad I feel for their wives. In collegiate athletics the refs LOVE the standard practice of "the make-up call" which is when they completely botch a play by calling a foul and then proceed to call the next hand check down the court in order to appease the fans who are on top of them ready to kill. The pros have their own set of rules, which most recently included gambling on the games they ref then determining the point spread by getting guys in foul trouble. Okay, so that last one is a little worse than it sounds, no?
Saturday afternoon however I have never been more pissed off after leaving a sporting event IN MY LIFE. The previously mentioned and ripped ACC officials called phantom call, after phantom call, to put UNC star forward Tyler Hansbrough at the charity stripe. It was disgusting. Now I know what your going to say, this guy is just sour grapes, but your wrong. Tyrese Rice who isn't an inch over 6 ft tall but listed as 6'1 dropped 8 of 12 three pointers on UNC and the rest of his points came from his standard drive to the basket where he would get hammered by a bigger, more physical team and laid out on the floor, he shot 11 free-throws. At nearly A FOOT taller and 250 pounds however, Tyler Hansbrough goes to the line to shoot 14-free throws. In six of his last eight games played, ALL ACC CONTESTS, Hansbrough has been awarded with at least 12 trips a game to the free throw line. That stretch includes the last four games where he went to the line 14 times twice, 12 times once, and 13 times another game, HOW is that possible? Jamie Luckie, Gary Maxwell, and Roger Ayers should be ashamed to associate with other zebras today, because that game was ridiculous and I'm disgusted. Yes, Boston College had their chances and missed some shots that would have put them in position to win, but there isn't a bit of doubt in my mind that Hansbrough would have gone to the free throw line 10 more times in the last four minutes had the game been closer.
BUT THAT ISN'T ALL I LEARNED, OH NO. Not only are officials biased toward North Carolina because of their mystique but fans are just as bad, up until yesterday I WAS ONE OF THEM. Friday night during the Celtics v. Bobcats game, UNC head coach, Roy Williams sat in the stands watching some of his former college players play in the pros, very proud he probably was. Ray Felton and Paul Pierce both standouts, both learned under his tutelage, I said to myself "self, what a good coach and quality guy Roy is." Today, I want to kick my own a** for saying and thinking those sentiments about Ole' Roy Williams. I don't care about his hundreds of wins, hall of fame status, or National Championship, Roy Williams is a grown man who acts like a child on the sideline, and should be ashamed of himself. As I mentioned, yesterday afternoon was the first time I'd seen Roy coach in person, yes he shook hands and congratulated Rice on a excellent game, that was respectable, but for the 40 minutes prior he jumped up and down on the sideline like a complete idiot. At times during the contest Roy would ride the refs the whole time the ball was down his end of the floor, he wouldn't even be watching the game just waiting for the ref to verbally assault him. I watched him all over the refs after his team just knocked down a shot on a perfectly ran offensive play because he wanted an "and one call" as if they weren't already getting all the calls. A BC player sprinted back on a fast break and stripped his player to force a jump ball and Williams ran from one end of the bench to the other and jumped up and down, literally, until the sideline ref reversed the call. How do you tell your players to cool down in a stressful situation if you react the way you do? How do you teach young boys to be men when you act like a little boy yourself on the sideline? Someone give Roy a towel for his tears, they are getting all over the court.


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CGIFeature Film
TRAILER: 'Okja,' A Netflix Original By Bong Joon-Ho, Premieres Friday At Cannes
By Amid Amidi | 05/19/2017 12:34 am | 2 Comments
Netflix has released a new trailer for Okja, an original film directed and co-written by Bong Joon-Ho (Snowpiecer, The Host).
The hybrid film combines live action with an animated star, the titular character Okja. Method Studios and South Korea's 4th Creative Party are the main vfx shops credited with bringing to life the lumpy and lovable cartoon creature.
The film's logline: "A gentle giant and the girl who raised her are caught in the crossfire between animal activism, corporate greed, and scientific ethics."
Besides its animated star, Okja features performances by Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, Lily Collins, Giancarlo Esposito, Steven Yeun, and Paul Dano.
Okja premieres Friday at the Cannes Film Festival, and will launch globally June 28 on Netflix.
Read More: 4th Creative Party Bong Joon-ho Method Studios Netflix Okja South Korea
Amid Amidi More Articles
Amid Amidi is Cartoon Brew's Publisher and Editor-at-large.
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Earned praised for my work working on Magic 8-Balls worldwide. Spent 2002-2007 promoting Vashikaran Pooja For Avoiding Divorce In Mumbai. Spent high school summers building UFOs in Washington, DC. Gifted in managing psoriasis in Deltona, FL. Spent several years getting my feet wet with tinker toys in Orlando, FL. Uniquely-equipped for licensing hugs in Phoenix, AZ.


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Sinfoni Melayu (or Sinfoni Malaya) is mentioned in the reference work Contemporary Composers as a symphony composed  by Anthony Burgess in 1956, when he was a teacher at Malay College Kuala Kangsar. In his book This Man and Music Burgess himself wrote:

 Sinfoni Melayu, a three-movement symphony which tried to combine the musical elements of the country into a synthetic language which called on native drums and xylophones as well as instruments of the full Western orchestra. The last movement ended with a noble professional theme, rather Elgarian, representing independence. Then, over a drum roll and before the final chord in C major, the audience was to rise and shout "Merdeka!"
In his Anthony Burgess Newsletter in 1999 Paul Phillips called "Sinfoni Malaya for orchestra and brass band" Burgess's second symphony, following Symphony No. 1, composed in 1935).

The score of the symphony appears to have been lost,  and there is no evidence that it was ever performed, so the only source for its existence is Burgess's own testimony.

References

1956 compositions
Burgess, Sinfoni Melayu
Lost musical works
Works by Anthony Burgess
Malaysian music


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AFRICA TOP 10
How a Nigerian School Boy Escaped his Captors
1 year ago 1 min read
A tree trunk, some quick thinking and crawling several miles through the forest helped a Nigerian schoolboy escape from kidnappers. The 17-year-old student (whose name we can't reveal) was abducted alongside more than 500 others from Government Science Secondary School in the north-western Katsina state on Friday night. "We were being pushed and beaten, we spent the night marching, sometimes walking on thorns. Thirty minutes before dawn we were told to sleep," he told BBC Hausa. Katsina State governor Aminu Bello Masari said 333 students were still missing but it is not clear how many of them are with their abductors, as many may have run away and not yet been found. He also said that the kidnappers had made contact and that negotiations were under way. The student who escaped said the armed men came to the school around 21:30 local time (20:30 GMT) on Friday and that many students jumped the school fence and fled when they heard gunshots. However they were tracked by the gunmen who had flashlights and who tricked them into believing that they were security personnel and asked them to return.
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Why the HiSET Exam
Scoring and Credentials
Test Administration▼
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Preparing to Administer the Exam
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Home > Test Center Staff and Adult Educators Home > About > Test Development
Development of the HiSET® Exam
Designed to meet the needs of adult learners
Adult learners may cover the same content as K–12 students, but they have different needs and greater urgency. They bring a wealth of real-world knowledge to enhance their previous education experiences, with a desire to complete their studies quickly. ETS took this into consideration when creating items for the HiSET® exam and made sure to use real-world situations that adult learners face every day and can easily relate to.
Aligned with current standards
The College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) for adult learners are designed to reinforce the need for critical knowledge and skills that are used on a regular basis in the workplace. It is crucial the exam leading to a high school equivalency credential supports their career objectives and demonstrates they are prepared to enter credit-bearing freshman level courses.
ETS, in partnership with state directors of assessment, understands this and made sure it was central to the HiSET development process. Content experts, test developers and measurement experts conducted a thorough review of the CCRS and the HiSET exam to ensure alignment. ETS consulted panel experts and conducted alignment studies.
The end result was an exam that:
is consistent with the emphasis found in high school curricula
meets the CCRS for adult education and the Office of Adult Education Standards
measures essential components of the CCRS
ETS's work didn't stop with the initial development of the exam. Existing items are reviewed yearly by expert analysts to assure that each item is still valid and accurate. New items are added annually. Additionally, the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE) College and Career Readiness (CCR) Standards for Adult Education are linked to HiSET scores and will continue to influence future test item development.
The Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing state that assessment validity is "the degree to which accumulated evidence and theory support specific interpretations and inferences of test scores entailed by proposed uses of an [assessment]." At ETS, the accumulation of validity evidence begins with an explicit statement of the proposed uses and inferences, which we make from assessment results. We then develop a sound argument to support the intended inferences and interpretation of results and their relevance and alignment to proposed uses. As states and territories prepare to identify test takers who are eligible to receive the equivalent of a high school diploma, we must first identify the knowledge and skills necessary and then deliberately design research to support these inferences.
The types of evidence and descriptions of research activities needed to confirm the validity of test-based inferences have shaped the development of the HiSET exam. We have developed a comprehensive research agenda that provides stakeholders with the necessary documentation needed to make sound judgments about the HiSET exam's quality.
HiSET Account for Test Center Staff
Use your secure account to print test day rosters, assist test takers and more.
Become a test center.
Contact Test Administrative Services
Assistance for Test Center Staff with ordering test materials, account information, e-learning, general questions regarding procedures and test site scheduling.
Email: hisettas@ets.org
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"The Statute of the International Court of Justice describes customary international law as a general practice accepted as law. It is widely agreed that the existence of a rule of customary international law requires the presence of two elements, namely State practice (usus) and a belief that such practice is required, prohibited or allowed, depending on the nature of the rule, as a matter of law (opinio juris sive necessitatis).
"We have consistently used the term customary international law as a synonym for the term the law of nations. The term customary international law echoes the earlier phrase sometimes used to describe the law of nations, the customary law of nations ... non-treaty-based law of nations as the the customary law of nations.
"(C)ustomary international law is composed only of those rules that States universally abide by, or accede to, out of a sense of legal obligation and mutual concern.
"First, in order for a principle to become part of customary international law, States must universally abide by it.... Customary international law includes only well-established, universally recognized norms of international law.... Of course, States need not be universally successful in implementing the principle in order for a rule of customary international law to arise. If that were the case, there would be no need for customary international law. But the principle must be more than merely professed or aspirational.
"Furthermore, a principle is only incorporated into customary international law if States accede to it out of a sense of legal obligation. Customary international law results from a general and consistent practice of states followed by them from a sense of legal obligation.
"Practices adopted for moral or political reasons, but not out of a sense of legal obligation, do not give rise to rules of customary international law.... Customary international law does not include those practices that States have adopted for moral or political reasons (as opposed to any sense of legal obligation). Not only must the acts concerned amount to a settled practice, but they must also be carried out in such a way as to be evidence of a belief that this practice is rendered obligatory by the existence of a rule of law requiring it.
"Even if certain conduct is universally proscribed by States in their domestic law, that fact is not necessarily significant or relevant for purposes of customary international law.... The mere fact that every nation's municipal [i.e., domestic] law may prohibit theft does not incorporate the Eighth Commandment, Thou Shalt Not Steal into the law of nations. It is only where the nations of the world have demonstrated that the wrong is of mutual, and not merely several, concern, by means of express international accords, that a wrong generally recognized becomes an international law violation within the meaning of the statute."
Duhaime, Lloyd, International Law - A Primer.


I'm done with the ladies. I'm all yours now, alcohol.
Life's complicated. It doesn't matter which path you choose.
My snowman is cooler than yours as he's doing a handstand. Take that!
All is calm, all is bright and sometimes that in itself is a miracle. Unless your pets are the ones that get in trouble when no one is looking. Then it's quiet, too quiet.
Happy make your kids into greedy little materialistic consumption addicts day.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah, Feliz Navidad and so much more!
Does social media make the holidays better or worse?


U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich, a Democrat from New Mexico, joined in introducing legislation to combat the epidemic of murdered and missing Native women and girls.
The co-sponsors include U.S. Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Al Franken (D-Minn.).
Native women are murdered at 10 times the national average, and 84 percent of Native women have experienced violence in their lifetime, according to information released on the legislation. The bill, Savanna's Act, is named in honor of Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, who was killed in August.
Heinrich cosponsored the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which was signed into law in 2013. Since its inception, VAWA has significantly reduced domestic violence by funding programs that protect women and children from abuse, the release stated. The bipartisan 2013 reauthorization extends protections to LGBT and immigrant communities, and helps combat domestic violence in Indian Country.
Require an annual report to Congress with data. The report would include statistics on missing and murdered Native women, because little data exists on the problem and there isn't a central location for keeping that information. The report would also include recommendations on how to improve data collection.