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My Top TV Moments (Part 2)
Posted on November 30, 2019 by Steve Higgins
As I was away last week enjoying the delights of Southport I was a little rushed when it came to putting together a new post for this week. A couple of weeks back I wrote about my Top TV moments and looking back at my notes I see I had a few 'moments' left over so rather than consign them to the waste paper bin I think it's time to welcome you to my Top TV Moments, Part 2!
24 was an action/espionage series which was shot in 'real' time, the 24 hour long episodes of each series covering a full 24 hour day. Kiefer Sutherland stars as special agent Jack Bauer of the CTU, Counter Terrorist Unit. Jack and his colleagues have to deal with various terrorist threats including in the opening season, plans to assassinate presidential candidate David Palmer. The show is full of twists and turns and other plots and villains emerge and unfold. Events are shown in real time and to emphasise this a digital clock is frequently shown with split screens depicting the various elements happening in the same time scale.
Bauer is a tough hombre who stands no messing and is perhaps similar to the Bruce Willis Die Hard character. A meme I saw on the Internet went like this 'Jack Bauer threw a grenade and killed 50 terrorists. Then the grenade went off . . .'
Carrie Matheson, a CIA agent who also suffers from a bipolar disorder has information that Al-Quaeda are planning a strike against the US using one of their own people. When Nicholas Brody, an army officer who has until recently been a captive in Iraq is rescued and returned to the US, Carrie believes this may be the man in question and he could have been programmed or brainwashed to act against his own country. The series builds the tension quietly and is a psychological drama rather than an action series like 24. Claire Danes as Carrie produces an outstanding performance as does Mandy Patinkin as Saul Berenson, Carrie's mentor in the agency.
A few years ago Liz and I spent part of the winter months in sunny and warm Lanzarote and to keep us occupied on those winter nights we took along the box set of Happy Valley. I have to say I wasn't that interested at first. Sarah Lancashire who has long since moved on from the scatty part of Raquel in TV soap Coronation Street, plays Catherine Cawood a police sergeant in a small West Yorkshire town. She is divorced from her husband and the two of them are scarred by the suicide of their daughter Becky 8 years earlier. Becky had been raped and gave birth to a son Ryan who lives with Catherine and her sister, a recovering alcoholic and heroin addict. Plenty of drama in that set up alone but a kidnapping occurs and it turns out that Tommy Lee Royce, the man who raped Becky is involved. All in all, an outstanding production.
Not the comic book superhero Avengers but the 1960's TV show about secret agents John Steed and Mrs Emma Peel. Steed was played throughout all the various incarnations of the Avengers by Patrick MacNee and Mrs Peel was portrayed by Diana Rigg. Mrs Peel was the leather jumpsuit wearing judo expert and together she and the charming bowler hatted Steed foiled various villains. The series was not in the same action packed mould as 24 or Homeland but had a slightly camp and comic edge to it. Mrs Peel drove a Lotus Elan as I remember while Steed preferred a vintage Bentley. When Mr Peel returned from being lost in the jungle Mrs Peel left the series to join him, handing over to Tara King, Steed's new assistant. The two passed on the stairs to Steed's apartment with Mrs Peel advising Tara to always stir Steed's tea anti clockwise!
Department S was about an Interpol department that tries to solve cases that are particularly baffling. In the very first episode the team investigate an aircraft that lands at Heathrow having been missing for 6 days, although the passengers and crew have no recollection of what has happened. Department S consisted of three investigators, Stuart Sullivan, novelist Jason King and computer expert Annabelle Hurst. Jason King played by the flamboyant Peter Wyngarde was the real star and his stylish clothes preempted the fashion trends of the early 70's. Wyngarde loved the part and I read somewhere that he even invented Mark Caine the hero of Jason King's novels. Wyngarde later starred in a spin off series Jason King.
Across the Lake
Across the Lake was a BBC film made in 1988. It starred Anthony Hopkins as speed king Donald Campbell in the final days of his life as he tried to raise the water speed record to over 300 miles per hour. Hopkins gives a lovely performance as Donald Campbell, a man who believed himself to be living in the shadow of his father, record breaker Sir Malcolm Campbell. He decided to take his old Bluebird boat, update her and try to break the 300 mph mark on Coniston water in the lake district. The jet boat flipped over and Campbell was killed. His body was not found until 2001.
The film shows the unglamorous side to record-breaking. Waiting in poor weather, the endless delays, the mechanical issues, the press waiting for something to happen. Something drove Campbell onwards in his pursuit of records. He was short of money and had sold all sorts of rights to his name, his films of record-breaking and so on. This was all before the days of big time sponsorship in the speed and motor racing industry and Hopkins shows us a Donald Campbell undefeated, perhaps even a little desperate but still with considerable style.
The record-breaking team disperse for Christmas and then return after the holidays. They begin their preparations again until a fine January morning appeared. Campbell powered up his speedboat and did a run of 297 mph but lost his life on his second run.
Vivian Nicholson was a british woman who became famous after telling the press she was going to spend spend spend when her husband won £152,000 on the pools in 1961. Lavish spending depleted their fortune quickly and after her husband was killed in a car crash Viv was declared bankrupt. Nicholson wrote her life story with author Stephen Smith and a copy of the book was given to TV writer Jack Rosenthal who dramatised the work for the BBC's Play for Today. The episode was broadcast in March of 1977 and stars Susan Littler as pools winner Viv Nicholson. The film tells the story of a hard working class life in Yorkshire that is transformed when she and husband Keith, played by John Duttine, win the huge amount. Three years later Keith was killed in a car accident and Viv was declared bankrupt. The film tells the story of their early life together and their inability to deal with their huge fortune.
The Magic Boomerang
There are a series of TV adverts on at the moment for 'Quick Quid', a loan company which invites you to apply for a quick loan (as long as you don't mind paying their incredible interest rates that is!) There are various versions of the ad but they all go a similar way; the boiler has conked out or the car has broken down and some hapless member of the public has no money to pay to get it sorted. Suddenly that's the clue for time to freeze while the person calls up 'Quick Quid' and arranges a loan. In the Magic Boomerang, a 1960's black and white show from Australia, a young lad comes across a magic boomerang and finds that time freezes for everyone except him, just like those aforementioned adverts, while the boomerang is in the air. I remember running home from school years ago just to watch it.
Whatever Happened to The Likely Lads
The Likely lads was a TV sitcom from the 1960's about two young Geordie lads. The follow up colour version, Whatever Happened to The Likely Lads, aired in the 1970's and followed the antics of those same two lads. Rodney Bewes played Bob who is now happily married to Thelma and James Bolam played Terry, still footloose and fancy free. Each is jealous of the other in their own way and together they comment on the changing nature of life from pubs closing down to high rise flats but in particular their working class roots. Bob is constantly tormented by Terry as he is keen to become part of the middle class; he has a white collar job and a new house on a brand new housing estate. Terry however constantly laments the changing attitudes of the 1970's.
Writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais had planned a new series meeting up with the pair in their later years but James Bolam declined to be involved. The two actors apparently fell out after making the feature film version in 1976. After the death of Rodney Bewes in 2017 James Bolam denied rumours of a rift between him and Bewes saying "I think that Rodney wanted to do some more Likely Lads and I never did . ." Such a pity, I would have loved to see the pair together in later life.
After the success of the Monty Python series and before the appearance of the Python films, the various members of the Python team set about various other personal projects. John Cleese began writing the sitcom Fawlty Towers based on his experiences staying in a small hotel, actually the Gleneagles Hotel in Torquay, where he stayed while filming for Monty Python. He co-wrote the sitcom with his then wife Connie Booth although they had divorced by the time of the second series. The series is about hotel owner Basil Fawlty played by Cleese and his wife Sybil played by Prunella Scales. Other characters are the waitress played by Connie Booth and Manuel, a spanish waiter played by Andrew Sachs.
Only two series of six episodes each were made and the initial reception was only lukewarm but as the series gained popularity, critical acclaim began to follow. The show has won many plaudits including being ranked first on the BFI's list of the top 100 British television Programmes and was named the greatest ever sitcom by a panel of comedy experts for the Radio Times magazine.
Floating in Space is a novel by Steve Higgins set in Manchester, 1977. Click the links at the top of the page to buy or for more information.
Posted in television	| Tagged comedy, drama, Television, TV, TV Reviews, TV shows | 2 Comments
Posted on September 16, 2017 by Steve Higgins
Relax, sit down, time for some TV. Switch on, flip through the channels. What's this? Undercover Boss? Let's take a look . .
ANNOUNCER: this week on Undercover Boss, Steve Higgins, CEO of Stevehigginslive.com goes undercover to find out what life is like at Stevehigginslive.com!
Cut to Steve Higgins. CU
STEVE: I'm a Manchester man, originally from Wythenshawe, a council estate to the south of the city and since creating Stevehigginslive.com I've never looked back. Yes, I'm looking forward to doing this.
ANNOUNCER: For this 'sting' Steve will be disguised by our team of top stylists so he will be completely unrecognisable.
DAY 1: INTERIOR: STEVE HIGGINS TOWER.
STEVE:: Hi, I'm Ste -I mean Joe. I'm meant to be meeting Gaynor. I'll be working with her today.
MIKE: She's probably running late. She usually is. Why don't you make a brew while you are waiting?
STEVE: OK
TEN MINUTES LATER:
GAYNOR: Oh my God, I'm so late. I can't believe it. Traffic was so bad today and parking is a nightmare. Some companies provide free parking but not this one. Hey what's with the TV cameras?
STEVE: It's a documentary about social media. Just ignore them. I'm the new guy, Joe. So what are we doing today?
GAYNOR: Well, I work in the blog titling and numbering department. Mr Higgins writes his blog posts and he probably thinks that's that! But anyway, here in Blog Titling we have to give it a title and a number.
STEVE: Yes, Mike was telling me about the incident the other week when one of the blogs was numbered incorrectly.
GAYNOR: Oh he did, did he? Well blog titling isn't so easy, as Mike will find out if he ever gets a promotion and gets the chance to work in this department!
STEVE: What was the problem with that post? Don't you just give it a number?
GAYNOR: Sounds so easy doesn't it? Well what with the old software we use its hard work believe me! Not only that, we've got Thoughts from a Sun Lounger, we've got Sun Lounger Thoughts and we've got Sun Lounger French Thoughts and so answer me this: You get another Sun Lounger Thoughts post, is that Sun Lounger 4, or 5, or is it Thoughts from a Sun Lounger 3? Is it Thoughts from a French Sun Lounger? Are they different or are they the same? How do we know how many sun loungers have gone before?
STEVE: Can't you just check WordPress?
GAYNOR: Check WordPress he says! So easy. What if you have been locked out and haven't got a password?
STEVE: Don't you just press the I forgot my password button and they send you a re-set link to your e-mail?
GAYNOR: You're so smart Joe but what if you've been locked out of your emails? Answer me that Joe? Anyway, don't bother. It's time for a tea break.
STEVE: But haven't we just got started?
GAYNOR Listen Joe, you need to chill a little. Here at Stevehigginslive.com it's a high pressure environment. A girl needs a break!
STEVE: Yes but . .
GAYNOR: Don't 'yes but' me dude! Did you have to get up early, drop the kids off at school, drop off the eldest at university, check that your elderly mama is OK then get here to work? All in a knackered old Ford Fiesta and God only knows how I'm going to pay those uni fees for my boy!
STEVE: Wow, that must be hard.
GAYNOR: Don't get me wrong, I love this job. Being part of Stevehigginslive is great but I have to look out for my family, especially as my husband left me last year for a younger version!
Steve: Hey that's terrible. Can I give you a hug. I'm really empathising with you now.
ROGER: Hi, I'm Roger.
STEVE: Hi I'm Ste- I mean Joe.
ROGER: Welcome to the team.
STEVE: OK, what are we doing today?
ROGER: OK, we work in the imaging and visual department. The blogs come down to us direct from Mr Higgins and he says Roger, get some images pasted into that blog. 'Get some Images!' Can you believe that? Like it's so easy?
STEVE: So, it's not easy?
ROGER: Its hard work man! First of all, Steve, Mr Higgins, wants us to use all his own pictures. Well that's OK up to a point but sometimes I've got to be creative.
STEVE How do you mean?
ROGER: OK, take the other week. There was a video about Manchester and in the narration, Steve says something about beautiful women and we're supposed to find a picture to go with it.
STEVE: Right . .
ROGER: So what I did was this. A few weeks back we had a post about these Russian women who send out e-mails wanting love and relationships and all that. They're actually scammers but they try to entice men into their scam by sending pictures of sexy women, supposedly themselves. So I had to use one of those. What else could I have done?
STEVE: You could have used a photo stock company something like Shutterstock or Unsplash.
ROGER: Maybe, maybe. What would be good here at Steve Higgins Tower is to have a whole photography studio with cameras, lighting and so on and Steve could call up and say 'Roger my man' -he calls me that sometimes- 'Roger, sort out some top models and do me a photo session with some gorgeous girls.' Now wouldn't that be easier?
STEVE: I still think maybe a photo stock website would be easier.
ROGER: Just imagine this, a full studio set up. Steve wants some pictures of naked girls-
STEVE: Naked girls? Would he ask for naked girls?
ROGER: Well, he could do. He might do, not perhaps totally naked but you know, lingerie shots, that sort of thing . .
STEVE: I don't think he would want that. It's not that sort of blog, just stuff about books and it's generally funny, humorous stuff.
ROGER: Hey, there are some serious issues in Steve's blogs you know, like the naked Russian girls.
STEVE: Naked Russian girls? You know, I read that post and it wasn't about naked Russian girls.
ROGER: Joe, you are never going to get on here. Know why? cause you've got no imagination!
DAY 3: STEVE FINALLY REVEALS HIS REAL IDENTITY.
ANNOUNCER: CEO Steve Higgins is about to reveal to two employees who have no idea who he is, his real identity as their boss.
GAYNOR: Hi
STEVE: Recognise me, Gaynor?
Gaynor: I'm not sure. You voice sounds familiar, are you Joe? Oh No. My God! It's Steve Higgins!
STEVE: That's right it's me. So tell me, how did Joe do?
GAYNOR: Well, he was OK, I mean you were OK. I just don't think he, I mean you, have any idea of how hard we work here. Creating blog titles and numbers is hard work and the equipment, well the software just isn't up to it!
STEVE: Gaynor, I could see that and from now on I'm going to get you a WordPress password and make sure your e-mail system is unlocked and not only that . .
GAYNOR: What?
STEVE: I can't have you doing that journey every morning dropping off the kids and your eldest in that old banger car of yours. I'm going to get you a new Mitsubishi 4×4 to make that journey easier!
GAYNOR; Oh my God!
STEVE: Not only that, I'm going to pay for all your son's university fees and give you £5,000 to take your family on holiday!
GAYNOR: Oh my God! I can't believe it! I'm so happy. I can't wait to tell my children! Are you serious?
STEVE: Actually, I'm joking. Being serious though, Gaynor, I think you needed to raise your game a little if you want to stay with Stevehigginslive.com!
CUT TO ROGER.
STEVE: Any idea who I am?
ROGER: Steve Higgins?
STEVE: You guessed?
ROGER: No, I just heard Gaynor screeching on her way out. You really had me fooled man.
STEVE: Roger, I really appreciate all the work you do for me so I'm getting you a brand new digital camera to help with some imaging and I'm going to get you unlimited access to adobe Photoshop.
ROGER: OK . .
STEVE: How do you feel about that?
ROGER: Well a studio and some beautiful girls would be nice . .
STEVE: What if got you access to a stock photo company?
ROGER: Steve, just think what we could do with a studio and some beautiful naked girls. We wouldn't need a stock photo company!
STEVE: Did you say naked girls?
ROGER: Well, not necessarily naked, well not fully naked.
STEVE: Roger, I just don't think you get the overall profile of Stevehigginslive.com, it's books, films, humour, not naked women.
ROGER: Right, look Steve, I've seen Undercover Boss and the boss usually gives the employees £5000 and a new car or a free holiday to Barbados. Now, you're offering me Photoshop access? Is that fair to you Steve? Tell you what, stuff your job, I quit and guess what?
ROGER: Your blog stinks!
ANNOUNCER: Well Steve. How did things go for you? Was working for SteveHigginslive.com all you though it would be?
STEVE: Well, you know I'm not sure it was. I'm starting to wonder, maybe I could add the pictures myself, and add the blog titles and stuff. I think I need to go back to basics. Get rid of this whole corporate thing, the Tower, the big cars, the Ferraris. Get rid of the whole lot, get my Renault Megane back and go back to sitting in the spare room at home and doing it all myself on my laptop.
ANNOUNCER: What are we talking then Steve? Full closure? Redundancy packages?
STEVE: Yes, of course! Actually, no. I'm just closing the place down!
GAYNOR: What about my Mitsubishi?
STEVE: Forget it! You couldn't even add a title to Sun Lounger Thoughts part 5? How hard was that!
GAYNOR: Bastard!
Floating in Space is a novel set in 1970's Manchester. Buy the book today by clicking here!
Posted in humour	| Tagged comedy, humor, humour, satire, TV, tv spoof | Leave a comment
National (Customer) Service!
Posted on April 23, 2016 by Steve Higgins
Bad manners, foul language and general bad behaviour are some of the criticisms pointed at the youth of today. Some people blame poor schooling, some blame bad parenting as the source of the problem. Of course the thing is what to do about it?
The first thing my dad would say, and perhaps many others of his generation too, would be 'bring back National Service!' Ok but I say let's go one better: Let's have National Customer Service! Yes, the youth of today should have to commit to a minimum of two years customer service before they embark on life. Two years given to the mother nation in the name of customer service. That would do the job!
THE SCENE: MANCHESTER BUSES CUSTOMER ENQUIRY OFFICE ON A QUIET SATURDAY MORNING.
THE TIME 08:12 HRS.
IN LEVENSHULME THE 190 SERVICE INTO MANCHESTER ALBERT SQUARE HAS PASSED THE MIDWAY PUB FOUR MINUTES EARLY.
AN IRATE WOULD BE PASSENGER HAS IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE ENQUIRY OFFICE.
OPERATOR 1
Morning ,bus enquiries.
IRATE CUSTOMER
Where's my f***ing bus!
Sorry, I am not paid enough money to listen to that sort of language!
OPERATOR 1 CANCELS THE CALL.
Morning, bus enquiries.
Where's my f***ing bus you bast***s!
You lousy bas****s! Where's my f***ing bus?
OPERATOR 3 CANCELS THE CALL
Eventually the call reaches operator 8. Now operator 8 is my friend Jiffrey. That's right, we tend to call him Jiffrey, rather than Geoffrey, his actual name. He used to be known rather humourously, we thought, as 'Jiff Lemon', as he is a bit of a, well, a lemon. Having said that the way he dealt with our irate customer should qualify him to be an instructor in the new National Customer Service.
JIFFREY
IRATE CUSTOMER.
Your fu**ing company and your drivers are a shower of bas**ds!
I see, how can I help though?
Your fu**ing bus has gone past 4 minutes early! I'm going to be late for f***ing work!
JIFFREY.
Dear me. Shall I call the local zoo and tell them the monkey cage is going to be short this morning?
Don't mind me, just my little joke. Sorry about the bus this morning. I'll send a report to the inspector straight away.
And another thing. One of your people just called me a bastard! Tell him he's a cheeky c**t!
I'll pass that message on straight away.
So what can I do now?
Well there's another bus at 08:38. That'll take you to Albert Square or if you want Piccadilly there's a 192 every six minutes.
OK I'll have to wait for that one then but I'm not f***ing happy about that. I'm going to be late.
Well, sorry about that. Anyway, It's been a pleasure and a privilege speaking with you. Have a nice day.
(Lost for words.) OK.
Jiffrey was, as you can see, a master of customer service. He had skills that are so lacking in today's society but a National Customer Service would remedy that issue. The benefits are enormous:
1: No more foreign call centres.
2: Foreign people from eastern Europe could be sent to the centre too, vastly improving their English language skills.
(Not long ago I went for a pint in Manchester with my brother. The lady behind the bar was a Polish lady. I greeted her with 'Hi. Can we have two pints of lager please love.'
She replied with 'Vot did you say?'
I repeated, 'Two pints of lager!'
She looked at me as if I had used similar language to the irate man in the text above, went into a back room and returned with the landlord . He said 'yes?'
I replied, 'two pints of lager please mate'
He looked at the girl and said 'two pints of lager.'
She looked again at him questioningly and he pointed to the lager pumps and gave her two fingers. I assume for the number of pints.
Eventually we were served but then another man came in and said, 'pint o' bitter love please!'
She answered with, 'vot did you say?')
3: Improved manners and behaviour in young people.
4: Vastly improved people skills nationally.
5: Unemployment figures vastly improved.
Lobby your MP today for National Customer Service!
If you liked this post why not try my book, Floating In Space? Click the links at the top of the page for more information or better still, click the icon below to go straight to my Amazon page.
Posted in humour	| Tagged bad manners, blog, bus, comedy, customer service, humor, humour, Manchester England, manners, service, swearing | 2 Comments
MASH and the Emotional Leap Indicator
Posted on January 9, 2016 by Steve Higgins
MASH has always been one of my very favourite TV comedy programmes. You may have read in another post about how I used to record the programme back in the early seventies with my cassette tape recorder. Later when video tape recorders appeared I used to tape many episodes of the show and now, here in the DVD age I have a number of box sets of the series. One of the things I have always loved about the show was how they could take zany and surreal humour, not unlike that of the Monty Python guys, and set it down in a real place; Korea in the 1950s. Some of the lines that came from the mouths of the characters were not only zany and funny but also very witty and clever. Apart from that, the characters themselves, Hawkeye, Trapper John, Frank Burns, Hotlips, Colonel Blake and Radar were interesting and likeable and I, like most viewers, began a strong emotional attachment with the cast.
Now, you might be wondering about that other part of this post's title, the bit about the emotional indicator. Yes, I thought you might. It's not so easy to explain but here goes. Most TV shows and movies have a sort of standard emotional indicator that stays pretty constant throughout the show. Take a look at the graph over to the left and let's put some numbers up. Say a baseline of zero for a standard, calm emotional level. Now, when the show gets funny that level goes up to something like 15 for instance and I'd even say that in a movie like Police Academy that 15 or higher would be a constant throughout the film, well for me certainly. The original Police Academy movie is one of my favourites and I tend to start laughing round about the start of the film with the scene in the parking lot where Steve Guttenberg says the parking lot is full and then the guy comes in and says 'park the car dirt bag!' I usually stop laughing round about the end credits but on a normal film there's a constant up and down: up when the film gets funny and down to nil when we get back to normal.
Now in MASH, where surreal humour is combined with drama, it's a different ball game. Many times not only does the viewer hit a 20 or higher and then drop down to zero, he also drops down further, perhaps down to a -10 or lower in the really sad moments. In the graph you can see a really funny moment that comes before a really sad moment. Here's a prime example from my favourite ever MASH episode, it was called 'Sometimes you Hear the Bullet.'
Hawkeye's friend Tommy comes to visit the 4077th MASH. He's a journalist who wants to write the story of the Korean War from the point of view of the soldier, not the journalist. So he's not a correspondent, he's a fully signed up member of a platoon. He stops in and visits with Hawkeye for a while and the usual zany humour ensues. Tommy then has to return to the war. A side story is one where a wounded young lad (played by future film director Ron Howard) admits he is under age but joined up to prove to his girl that he was a man. In one scene he tells Hawkeye that he is out to get him some 'gooks' and Hawkeye replies calmly that another word for gooks is people.
Hawkeye and Trapper plan to steal Major Frank Burns' Purple Heart- he had an accident and because it happened in a war zone he is eligible for the award -and pass it on to the young lad so he can impress his girl back home. Anyway, later in the episode, Tommy the journalist returns to the MASH, only this time he is seriously wounded. He was planning on writing a book called 'They Never Hear the Bullet' but this time he heard the bullet. 'Never mind' says Hawkeye, 'just change the name. Sometimes you hear the bullet, it's a better title anyway.' Tommy is anaesthetised and Hawkeye gets to work. Sadly, Tommy dies on the operating table. Colonel Blake has to remind Hawkeye about the queue of wounded and Hawkeye, tragedy etched on his face (an outstanding performance by Alan Alda) has to carry on with his next patient. Every time I watch that episode I sob my heart out, just as I did years ago when I first saw that episode on my Mum and Dad's old black and white TV. Now I know why; because it wasn't a case of just dropping down from 0 to minus 36 on the emotional scale, I was already up there on +45 so I had to drop way, way down. That's why I love MASH: Humour, drama, and tragedy, all mixed into one.
Mash ran for 11 seasons and an incredible 256 episodes. Trapper, played by Wayne Rogers, was my favourite character after Hawkeye and he left the series after season three to be replaced by Mike Farrell playing new doctor B J Hunnicut. Colonel Blake (McLean Stevenson) also left at the end of season three. His character was discharged but right at the very end of the episode news came through to the MASH that the Colonel's aircraft had crashed with no survivors. This episode prompted an outpouring of grief and resentment from fans at the death of the character. I could understand perhaps Colonel Blake dying part way through the episode and the second part showing the sadness and grief of the rest of the characters but it seemed to me that Colonel Blake's death was almost an afterthought, just tagged on to the end of the episode. As time went on many of the other series regulars left including Gary Burghof (Radar) and Larry Linville (Frank Burns) and for me personally, the series was never the same.
The last ever episode was aired in 1983 and became the most watched TV episode ever in the USA at the time.
Keep an eye out for Sometimes You Hear The Bullet. It's well worth watching!
Hope you enjoyed this post. If you want to read more of my work, why not try Floating In Space? Click the links at the top of the page for more information.
Posted in television	| Tagged comedy, humor, humour, MASH, new writers, new writing, nostalgia, observation, people, Steve Higgins, TV, TV comedy, writers, writing | 5 Comments
12 Chart Hits from a Decade when Pop Music was Fun!
Posted on November 7, 2015 by Steve Higgins
Bored by the latest music chart? Remember when the music charts were fun? Well, maybe you don't but back in the 1970's, the decade covered in my book 'Floating In Space', the music charts were a whole different ball game. Every taste of music was covered from soul to rock and back again. TV theme tunes made it into the charts, as did comedy and novelty records. Here's a quick selection of ten of the most memorable. Can you think of any others?
Toast by Street Band (1978. Can you spot a young Paul Young?)
King of the Cops (1975)
Mr Jaws by Dickie Goodman. (1975)
Renta Santa by Chris Hill (A sort of British Mr Jaws using the same idea of music clips. 1975.)
Theme from Van Der Valk by the Simon Park Orchestra (a number 1 hit in 1973!)
Ernie, the Fastest Milkman in the West (Benny Hill reached the Christmas number 1 slot in 1971)
The Monster Mash (Bobby Boris Picket and the Crypt-Kickers! originally from 1962 but re-released in 1970.)
The Wombles (1974)
Convoy: C W McCall (1975)
Convoy GB By Laurie Lingo and the Dipsticks (1976)
Ugly duckling Mike Reid (Number 10 in 1975!)
Car 67 by Driver 67 (My favourite oddball hit of all time from 1978!)
Floating in Space is a novel by Steve Higgins set in Manchester, 1977. Click the links at the top of the page to buy or for more information!
Posted in music	| Tagged chart music, comedy, compilation, humor, humour, music, music charts, music video, pop music, video | 8 Comments
Sunday Lunch with My Arch Enemy.
Posted on October 24, 2015 by Steve Higgins
I published this post some time ago but sadly, my arch enemy passed away a few days ago on the 22nd October. He wasn't really my arch enemy just a lovely old man who liked to engage in some cheerful banter. Sunday lunch will sadly never be the same again. RIP Harry.
Sunday afternoon and my arch enemy is about to arrive. Zoe, Liz's daughter has picked him up and I can hear them at the front door. I've lit the coal fire and done a quick tidy up and Zoe is showing him through. In the hallway he asks "Is the Mad Monk in?"
That's me by the way, the Mad Monk.
"Bloody hell Zoe," I say. "I had that door locked to keep the riff raff out!"
"Stephen," he says using my Sunday name as he comes into the lounge. "We don't mind slumming it with the riff-raff. Anyway, how lovely to see you!"
"Always a pleasure to see you, Harry," I reply.
Harry is just approaching ninety years of age and all his faculties are in order although his memory is perhaps not as good as it used to be.
"Take a seat Harry," I say. "What can I get you? A glass of water? Lemonade? A cup of tea perhaps?"
Harry turns to Zoe, a fake look of disdain on his face.
"Pillock!" he murmurs.
Liz brings him a glass of French sherry..
"That's more like it," he says.
The women go off into the kitchen to sort the dinner and Harry and I chat about various things. Once Liz and Zoe come back though, we resume battle.
"Harry went for a brain operation the other day," I announce, matter of factly. "It was free but they charged him £2000 search fees."
"Dear me, I wish you'd try some new jokes Stephen," comments Harry. "If you had a brain you'd be dangerous,"
Over seventy five years ago when war broke out Harry decided the army wasn't for him so he went on a wireless operators course in Preston then signed up in the merchant navy as a 'sparks'.
His first voyage took him down through the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf and Iraq. One day while his ship was being refuelled he went for a walk and he heard a voice call his name. He turned to find one of his old schoolmates hailing him. Frank and Harry went to school together, both went to sea and bumped into each other in Basra, along the Shatt-Al-Arab river, a place Harry called the 'arsehole of the world.'
Harry had no money on him but his friend Frank treated him to a meal and a few beers and they didn't see each other again until Harry's fiftieth birthday, many years later.
"That doesn't surprise me Harry," I say. "That poor fella, having to pay for everything. No wonder he didn't want to see you again."
"Stephen. What you don't realise is how hurtful insinuations like that are to a sensitive man like me."
"I've not noticed your sensitive side Harry."
"Well, you will in a minute if you don't top my wine up, garcon!"
The wine is topped up and Liz calls for a 'skivvy' to help in the kitchen.
"That's a good word for you Stephen, skivvy. Off you go and if you do a good job there might be a tip in it for you!"
Atlantic convoys during World War 2 were a lifeline for the UK. Bringing in food and supplies and munitions as we fought alone against the Nazis after the fall of France. U boats were a deadly menace to our ships and Harry told me once how he lay on his bunk shivering with fear during an attack. If a ship went down there was no one to help. Other ships couldn't stop for survivors as they too might be torpedoed. After a while though Harry told me you just got used to the threat and got on with your job. He told me of trips to the Middle East taking tanks and equipment for the Middle Eastern campaigns. A trip from Argentina to the UK with a cargo of rice. A visit to Rio and a trip to New York.
We eat our Sunday dinner with little let up in the banter. Later when it's time to go Harry turns to Liz and says, "Lovely meal darling." Then with a wink he says, "pity about the company though."
So, let me finish Harry with the toast that you so often give to me,
"May your shadow never grow less."
Posted in The story of my life!	| Tagged anecdote, author, comedy, Father in law, humor, humour, life, nostalgia, observation, old age, Sunday, Sunday lunch | 1 Comment
Laughter and Some Random Thoughts on Movie Comedians
Posted on April 4, 2015 by Steve Higgins
Chaplin with Jackie Coogan in 'The Kid' (1921)
Charlie Chaplin is one of my personal heroes and one of the greats of the silver screen, perhaps the very first movie genius ever, but here's a flash; he never ever made me laugh. Smile, yes, but laugh, no. I look at his movies and recognise his story telling power, his movie making magic and much more but no, Charlie never really made me laugh. Laurel and Hardy on the other hand, two movie comedians who are not perhaps as lauded the world over as geniuses, but who are perhaps more universally loved, well, now they do make me laugh. Whenever some catastrophe befell Oliver Hardy, whenever he stood and looked straight at the camera after a cabinet landed on his head or a car accident befell him and he stood up straight amid the shambles of a house exploding around him and Stanley would go into his helpless 'it wasn't my fault' act, that my friend, would not only crack me totally up but would leave me helpless with tears of laughter running down my face.
My Dad liked Laurel and Hardy and my Dad was the master of the silent laugh. I remember once, convulsing with merriment at the aforementioned duo and wondering why my Dad didn't think it was so funny, then turning to see him also creased up with laughter, only this was a completely silent laughter, his shoulders shook and his face contorted with mirth but no sound would ever pass his lips.
One of the reasons that the above few lines came to me was because, through the power of e-bay and the internet, I came into the possession of a DVD starring another of my Dad's favourite stars, WC Fields. Fields starred with Mae West in a movie called 'My Little Chicadee' and it's good to think that this movie, produced some 75 years ago still has the power to bring laughter to people like me. I love the ending of the movie when the two stars use each other's catchphrases, Fields saying to Mae West, 'Why don't you come up and see me some time?' and West replying 'I might do that, my little chickadee!'
Another favourite comedian of mine who only made a few movies was Tony Hancock. Hancock was a successful radio and TV comedian and his TV show was so popular in the late fifties and early sixties that pub landlords complained they were losing revenue because people stayed at home to watch Hancock. Tony Hancock was a troubled and insecure man though. He dropped Sid James from his show as he felt James was becoming too popular, and at times of stress had trouble learning his lines. If you take a close look at the classic 'blood donor' sketch it's clear Hancock was reading his lines from cue cards. He ventured into movies only a few times but did make the wonderful movie 'The Rebel' written by his BBC TV writers Galton and Simpson. In later years Hancock and his writers had a parting of the ways and Hancock sadly committed suicide in Australia in 1968.
Peter Sellars was a master of impersonation and the funny voice and it was his voices and the inspired madness of writer Spike Milligan that made the Goon show such a hit. Sellars went on to make many a memorable comedy movies, including the Inspector Clouseau series but for his last movie, 'Being There', Sellars based his character, Chancey Gardner on Stan Laurel, whom he made friends with and spent time with when he lived in Hollywood. Sellars was a strange character and if you ever catch that wonderful TV documentary made by the BBC Arena team you can see Sellars as he saw himself through his own amateur film footage. Sellars seemed to think he had no personality of his own and cloned himself from the many characters he played. During the movie 'Casino Royale', a spoof version of the James Bond film, Peter had a disagreement with the director and vanished for three weeks. If you watch the finished film, which has its great moments as well as its bad ones, Sellars' character seems to disappear from the movie towards the end; clearly that's why.
Being a great comedy star is a difficult job and perhaps that's why so many comics and comedians are difficult people. Today's comedy stars really do nothing for me at all and 'observational' comedy which is at the centre of contemporary stand-up comedy leaves me cold.
Still, if I ever need cheering up I can always just reach for the DVD cabinet and take out some classic Laurel and Hardy!
If you liked my blog, why not read my book!
Posted in motion pictures	| Tagged blog, blogger, Charlie Chaplin, comedy, comedy movies, humor, humour, Laurel and Hardy, Mae West, movie, My Little Chickadee, Oliver Hardy, Tony Hancock, WC Fields | Leave a comment
The Trials and Tribulations of a Coach driver
Posted on February 28, 2015 by Steve Higgins
Quite a few times travelling on the motorway I've seen some really nice looking futuristic coaches. Back in the early eighties I had a short spell as a coach driver working for National Travel but the coaches we drove were not quite so exotic.
picture courtesy wikipedia
Today's coaches are limited to seventy mph but back then our coaches could do eighty or even ninety miles per hour. The job for us drivers on the Manchester to London route was all about getting down to Victoria Coach Station as quickly as possible, parking up at Battersea coach park then getting down to the pub. One of the problems of running at high speeds, especially in the summer, was that engine temperatures soared and we had to slow down. One day when, once again, I was the last to arrive in London and consequently got the worst hotel room, the one that nobody wanted, one of my fellow drivers asked me if I had used the heaters.
"The heaters? What, in this heat?"
"Yes," said my colleague. "When your temperature goes up slap the heaters on and you'll see that temperature dial drop right down."
Well, anything's worth a try I thought so the next time I was on the London route I was hurtling along, way ahead of everyone and the temperature dial rose up into the red. Instead of slowing down I popped on the heaters and like magic the temperature gauge dropped down from the red into the black.
When I finally pulled up into the coach station in London I looked up into the mirror and there were my assembled passengers looking as though they had spent the trip in a steam room.
Hey, at least I got the pick of the hotel rooms though!
My fellow drivers and I were booked in at a hotel not far from Battersea coach park and in the evening we would assemble in a pub called the Drum for drinks. Some of the guys had told me about a group of ladies there who used to favour the coach drivers. They were known as 'the heavy gang' and for some reason I got the impression of them as being movie starlets, or fashion models. Big mistake! When I was first introduced to one of these ladies with, I might add, the whispered comment 'she's a right goer' I was, well, let's say disappointed. The epithet 'heavy gang' was clearly a reference to the ladies weight rather than their passionate nature as I had mistakenly believed. The Drum was not for me and from then on I rarely frequented its portals.
On one particular London trip I fell into the age old trick of thinking I had begun to actually know London. We were diverted down a different route because of road works and just as I thought we were back on the normal road I looked about and realised to my horror that I didn't recognise any of the roads. Just then a young girl came down to the front and told me I was going the wrong way and I would have to turn back somewhere. I turned off the main road into a housing estate and just after completing a difficult three point turn (it was a 57 seater coach after all!) the same girl came back and asked if she could get off. I said sorry, no, I could only stop at authorised stops. She looked at me and pointed to the door of a house only yards away, "but that's where I live!" She gave me that sad imploring look she must have used on many a coach driver so I opened the doors and let her off. Perhaps she wasn't used to kindly northern coach drivers but whatever the reason she planted a huge kiss on my astonished lips, told me I was wonderful, and nipped off the coach. As I was finishing the three point turn and straightening the coach up she went into her front door and waved back with a huge smile. The rest of the passengers, subjected to this untimely diversion were not so happy.
After meeting the 'heavy gang' I tended to drink in the pub next door to the Drum. They had a pool table and I used to put a marker down and have a game. On this particular night a driver called Freddie came in (not his real name!) He was a really over the top friendly guy and seemed to be very concerned that I was on my own playing pool. He brought a few of the other National Travel drivers in and we all had a chat and a nice evening. Later on he asked me if I fancied going on to a club. Great stuff I thought. Here I am, a northern lad, clubbing down in London. I even imagined mydelf bumping into the girl I had dropped off earlier!
One of the other guys said to me quietly "Are you going to this club?"
"Yes," I replied. "You fellas up for it too?"
"Well, not really, "they said. "Do you know what sort of a club it is?"
"What sort of a club? Well, I assume it's a nightclub."
"Yes, it is. But it's a gay club."
If you don't believe it they said, ask Freddie.
Well, I asked Freddie and it was a gay club and Freddie turned out to be the resident gay driver at National Express. He was a really nice guy but I was unable to return his affections. It's nice to be wanted of course, especially when you are the new guy but it was hard work making Freddie understand that gay clubs weren't my scene.
The next day when I arrived back in Manchester the Boss called me over. Apparently he had been inundated with complaints about my conduct on the trip down to London.
"What?" I asked, incredulously, "me?"
"Yes," he said. "What's all this about you going off route and dropping your girlfriend off at her front door in London?"
That one took some explaining!
If you liked this blog, why not try my book, Floating in Space? Click the links at the top of the page to buy for more information!
Posted in The story of my life!	| Tagged coach driver, comedy, driver, driving, humor, humour, Manchester England, National Express, new writers, writing | Leave a comment
The funny things kids say!
Posted on December 13, 2014 by Steve Higgins
I've not been lucky enough to have kids but many years ago I remember watching TV with my girlfriend's daughter, Wendy. I can't remember the film we were watching but the star was Christopher Reeve, most famous perhaps for playing the part of Superman. Wendy was wondering why he wasn't ducking into a phone booth to change into Superman and streaking up into the air at the drop of a hat. Well, I thought, it's time for a serious talk with Wendy about the movie world.
I explained, pretty thoughtfully I thought, about how movies were made, about cameras, shooting, screenplays and actors. Wendy seemed to take it all in but after a while she looked at me, looked back at Christopher Reeve and asked;
"Right, so he's lost his powers then?"
Here's another one. One day Tania, Liz's daughter was asking for a drink of juice. She was very young at the time, just learning to talk so Liz filled her cup with juice and handed Tania the drink. She was expecting a word of thanks but when it wasn't forthcoming Liz held onto the cup. Tania tugged harder, Liz waited for a thank you. Eventually she said; "Tania, what's the magic word?"
Tania thought for a moment and replied "Abra cadabra!"
Kids. What funny things have your kids said?
Posted in anecdote, humour	| Tagged anecdote, author, blog, blogger, children, comedy, funny, humor, humour, life, observation, people, Steve Higgins, UK, writers, writing | Leave a comment
Posted on December 6, 2014 by Steve Higgins
Harry turns to Zoe, a fake look of disdain on his face
Harry had no money on him but his friend Frank treated him to a meal and a few beers and they didn't see each other until again until Harry's fiftieth birthday, many years later.
We eat our Sunday dinner with little let up in the banter. Later when it's time to go Harry turns to Liz and says "Lovely meal darling." Then with a wink he says, "pity about the company though."
So, let me wish you a super ninetieth birthday Harry, and let me give you the toast that you so often give to me,
Posted in anecdote, humour	| Tagged anecdote, author, blog, blogger, comedy, Dad, dinner, England, essay, father, Father in law, humor, humour, life, new writers, new writing, nostalgia, observation, people, red wine, Sunday, Sunday lunch, UK, wine, writers, writing | Leave a comment
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Previously on Steve's Blog:
F1 Season Review 2019 January 18, 2020
A Kind of 70's Music sort of Blog Post January 11, 2020
If that was 2019, You've had it! January 4, 2020
Codes, Films, Christmas and John Wayne December 28, 2019
Khrushchev, Gorbachev and the Power of Pizza December 21, 2019
19 Outstanding Instrumental tracks December 14, 2019
YouTube and The Final Cut December 7, 2019
My Top TV Moments (Part 2) November 30, 2019
Yet Another slice of my Life November 23, 2019
My top 10 TV Moments November 16, 2019
Sun Lounger Thoughts
The Life of a Writer
The story of my life!


Netflix presents the trailer for You vs. Wild, a new live-action interactive series from the streaming service which will premiere on April 10. The eight-episode series will put viewers on various adventures around the world alongside survival expert Bear Grylls, who is most known for his work on the reality adventure series Man vs. Wild and Running Wild.
Each episode of You vs. Wild will feature interactive experiences with multiple choices, as Netflix will continue its experimentation with interactive entertainment, such as the highly-successful Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and several children's programs.
Directed by Ben Simms, the series is executive produced by Bear Grylls, Chris Grant, Drew Buckley, Ben Silverman, Howard Owens, Rob Buchta, and Delbert Shoopman. It's also produced through studio platforms Electus and Bear Grylls Ventures.
As shown in the preview of You vs. Wild, Bear Grylls' adventure is up to you. Enjoy the sneak peek and watch it on Netflix beginning April 10.
For a deeper dive into the topic of wellness, check out our most recent episode of The Dropcast.


With the astronomical increase in fuel prices, the Legislature should consider legalizing gambling in certain areas of Hawaii, i.e., casino-type gambling on Molokai or Lanai. Slot machines could be installed in the lobbies of hotels. To protect against the ill effects of the gambling environment that the opposition will most likely bring up, hire more security personnel with the increased revenue to enforce any illegal activities this may bring. Good bye, Las Vegas, until fuel prices get back to normal.
I have worked with Dean Okimoto and the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation on many events to promote Hawaii's agricultural industry. I am impressed with their passion and vigilance in being involved in so many issues facing our farmers and ranchers.
As I have worked toward including many local products into my menu, I have learned about the many challenges that face our local farmers.
While land and water are the two key ingredients in agriculture, we also need other ingredients to make our farmers viable. We need a menu of tools that the farmers can choose from to help them be competitive in this global economy. This menu is called incentives for Important Agricultural Lands. These incentives need to be bold enough to make a positive impact in the agricultural industry.
I urge the governor to support this legislation to establish incentives for preserving important agricultural lands. We must have strong policies and actions to ensure the success of our farmers.
It is becoming increasingly clear that the Earth cannot sustain our continuous overindulgence in its resources. We have grown to be a culture that figures out how much we can get away with instead of how little we can get by with. From eating super-sized meals, to driving gas-guzzling cars, to living in big homes and using lots of water and electricity, we tend to overdo it. By and large, we are relatively unaware how much we have and use.
While living in Africa serving in the Peace Corps, I saw how little most people survive on and what ingenious use they made of "trash." For example, they cut up metal cans to collect rain water from their roofs and fashioned sandals from discarded tires.
I greatly appreciate our comforts and abundance but am dismayed at how much we waste. I wish we could load up Matson liners with all the extra stuff we accumulate for garage sales and donate it to needy countries.
If each of us does our part to cut down our consumption, donate to others and share our resources in the spirit of aloha, the whole world would be more sustainable. Let's do more by using less.
I was watching a TV newscast the other day about the concern over uninsured vehicles. Since it is a requirement that drivers have a current insurance policy and vehicles have a safety inspection, it seems to me that if the police would be more observant of expired safety stickers some of this problem could be resolved. As I go on my daily walks I count at least three vehicles with expired stickers. Over the course of a year that would be approximately 780 vehicles.
Is it childish squabble or diplomatic incident?
I have a daughter who attends an all-girls' school. She tells me that when the girls do not like another classmate, they stop talking to the girl and start rumors about them. This is the "mean girls" syndrome.
When I hear that Barack Obama is somehow naive for wanting to talk to hostile countries, it puzzles me. Are we talking about little girls or leaders of countries and large organizations?
If Obama talks to a hostile country, the hostile country will scold Obama and Obama, being weak, will follow the dictations of the other side? Do people who routinely behead other people they do not agree with feel offended or hurt that we do not talk to them?
I cannot tell if this is international diplomacy or grade school behavior. It amazes me the amount of spin a person can get away with.


text:
Q: Can we set in-memory Mongodb set as primary and WiredTiger as a non-voting replica? I need to do fast querying over collections with frequent changes. Fortunately, the size of these collections won't get too big. Also, I can afford to lose some data, and the architecture does not need to be fault tolerant. The biggest requirement is to increase transaction throughput to the maximum. I have 2 servers, one with a goodProcessor server and the other one smallProcessor server.
I am exploring setting:

*

*the master db as in-memory storage on goodProcessor server

*the replica of the master db as WiredTiger storage on smallProcessor server

Is this replication setting possible?

A: WiredTiger is the engine used in MongoDB for managing documents in RAM and you will have WiredTiger in every node in your Replica Set.
More information here: Replication
You can try with Write concern 0 ({w:0}) and that will speed things up at a cost (consistency).Write concerns
You need at least 3 nodes in your Replica Set, if you're not interested in having replication, then you can have a single node.
If you want to improve performance, use indexes, those are loaded into memory.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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ISLAMABAD, Oct 25 (APP):Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar visited World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office here Wednesday for condolence of the demise of Regional Director WHO Dr Mahmoud Fikri, who died on October 17.
Recording her impression in the condolence book, the minister said the sudden demise of Regional Director of the World Health Organization Dr Mahmoud Fikri is a huge loss for global health community. Dr Fikri was a great friend of Pakistan and visited the country twice during his short tenure of eight months.
She said most recently he was in Pakistan to join me in leading one of the most successful Regional Committee meetings. His services to global health will always be remembered.
She said "I pray that Allah Almighty rest his soul in eternal peace and grant courage to his family, friends and colleagues to bear the irreparable loss.


text:
Tag Archives: John Ashbery
Episode 172. Ned Rorem In Memoriam
November 25, 2022 African American Singers, Art Song, Great Baritones, In Memoriam, Mezzo Madness, Music for a World in Crisis Series, Needle Drop, NYCO Divas, Queer Pride, Singers of Color, Twentieth Century MusicAdolph Green, Anita Darian, Ann Schein, Betty Comden, Beverly Wolff, David Triestram, Dolores Ziegler, Donal Nold, Donald Gramm, Donald Sulzen, Eugene Istomin, Frank O'Hara, Howard Moss, John Ashbery, John Stewart, Joseph Rabbai, Kurt Ollmann, Laura Aikin, Leonard Bernstein, Marie-Laure de Noailles, Martina Arroyo, Monique McDonald, Ned Rorem, Paul Goodman, Paul Monette, Phyllis Bryn-Julson, Phyllis Curtin, Regina Sarfaty, Robert Louis Stevenson, Roberta Alexander, Rufus Müller, Ryan Edwards, Sandra Walker, Steven Blier, Sylvia Plath, Theodore Roethke, Walt Whitman, William Penncountermelody
https://media.blubrry.com/countermelody/content.blubrry.com/countermelody/Episode_172-Ned_Rorem_In_Memoriam-FINAL.mp3
Greetings to all from my former home of Manhattan! Upon landing here a week ago, I was greeted by the news of the death of Ned Rorem, the man previously known as "America's Greatest Living Composer," who just last month had celebrated his 99th birthday. Though he won the Pulitzer Prize in Music in 1976 for his orchestral work Air Music, Rorem was most celebrated for his vocal music, in particular his art songs. In this episode, I will delve into that aspect of his output, from his earliest published work to his extraordinary late masterpiece Evidence of Things Not Seen. The episode features singers who collaborated closely with the composer, including Phyllis Curtin, Donald Gramm, Beverly Wolff, Regina Sarfaty, Phyllis Bryn-Julson, Kurt Ollmann, and others. Many other singers were also drawn to Rorem's songs, including Leontyne Price, Jan DeGaetani, Martina Arroyo, and Laura Aikin, all of whom are represented here. As celebrated as a frank and forthright diarist and essayist as he was as a composer, Rorem (like his British counterpart Benjamin Britten) had extraordinary taste in the poetry and texts he chose to set. In this episode alone, we hear compositions set to words of Sylvia Plath, Paul Goodman, Walt Whitman, Paul Monette, Theodore Roethke, Frank O'Hara, and others. The episode concludes with a tribute to another musician who died earlier the same day, the American collaborative pianist David Triestram, who accompanies his dear colleague and friend Roberta Alexander in Leonard Bernstein's poignant and timely song "Some Other Time."
Countermelody is a podcast devoted to the glory and the power of the human voice raised in song. Singer and vocal aficionado Daniel Gundlach explores great singers of the past and present focusing in particular on those who are less well-remembered today than they should be. Daniel's lifetime in music as a professional countertenor, pianist, vocal coach, voice teacher, and journalist yields an exciting array of anecdotes, impressions, and "inside stories." At Countermelody's core is the celebration of great singers of all stripes, their instruments, and the connection they make to the words they sing. By clicking on the following link (https://linktr.ee/CountermelodyPodcast) you can find the dedicated Countermelody website which contains additional content including artist photos and episode setlists. The link will also take you to Countermelody's Patreon page, where you can pledge your monthly support at whatever level you can afford. Bonus episodes available exclusively to Patreon supporters are currently available and further bonus content including interviews and livestreams is planned for the upcoming season.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This was my first investing book. Not a good starting point at all, but an essential read once you understand all the basics and terminology. By all means read the book for the investment philosophy by a very articulate man, but realize that the practicalities have changed a lot since Graham's days. I suspect A Random Walk Down Wall Street or Security Analysis is a better first read.
So close to wiping that whole team! 😥 shouldnt have gone for that thirst!
Dont forget to go to my bio and click the link to see me live stream on Twitch!
2X Merits is now live in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Blackout mode! It ends April 22 at 10AM PT!
Blackout is free to play till April 30!
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Did my biggest stick n poke ever yesterday on @delicateopal Here's what the stencil looked like. I'll be posting pics once it's healed up!
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Let's get your friends together for a "black out" dinner! Everyone can wear black and try on different styles & looks while eating at your favorite restaurant!
Contact me to get your "black out" dinner setup!
Video uploaded, link in bio!
Momento BLACK OUT, capitava a tutti prima o poi, e meno male perché voleva dire staccare il cervello dalle troppe informazioni. Ora siamo in BLACK OUT perenne perché le troppe informazione non riescono ad essere metabolizzate, entrano ed escono come un tubo dell'acqua rotto.
#yeezy #kicks #nike #xxxtentacion #macmiller #stanlee #marvel #shitpost #cursed #cursedmemes #memes #dankmemes #sports #mlb #soccer #mls #nba #nfl #memes #pewdiepie #dccomics #fortnite #blackops4 #blackout #savetheworld.


DeMarcus Cousins HISTORIC Triple-Double 2018.01.22 vs Bulls - 44 Pts, 24 Rebs, 10 Assists!
DeMarcus Cousins QUAD TEAR | Doctor's ULTIMATE Guide!
Inside the NBA reacts to Demarcus Cousins Injury! OUT won't return.
How does DeMarcus Cousins' injury affect the Warriors' chances of 3-peating? | Get Up!


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Some women manage to carry their baby to full term, while some women are not able to. Miscarriage occurs more often than we think and yet it is not talked about as much as other aspects of pregnancy. For those who have suffered a miscarriage, their grief is often swept under the rug and they are often expected to function normally as soon as possible. Due to this, we have dedicated a section to miscarriage. Learn more about miscarriage, the facts and the myths surrounding it, and how to cope with it.
Baby Loss Awareness Week: All You Need To Know About Stillbirth And Miscarriages
Pregnancy after D&C (Dilation and Curettage): Is it possible?
Is It Necessary To Practice Confinement After Having A Miscarriage?
What You Don't Know Yet About Incompetent Cervix And Miscarriage
Rainbow Sextuplets Birth: Photographer Captures Birth Of Six Babies
Early signs of miscarriage pregnant women should know
The choice that caused a mum and her newborn to die
Losing a Baby
Can this common vitamin really prevent miscarriages and birth defects?
The cold, hard and ugly truth about announcing your pregnancy on social media
'Scoliosis won't let me get into the birthing position': Katelyn Treichel
Parents use hyperrealistic dolls to cope with a miscarriage
Conceiving after a miscarriage more likely to result in successful pregnancy, says research
Photographer pays tribute to rainbow babies with gorgeous photo shoot
What Causes Multiple Miscarriages: Tests, Risk Factors And Treatment
What is a blighted ovum: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
What Is A Chemical Pregnancy: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
What Is A Molar Pregnancy: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment


Only two teams were in action this weekend. It was an all Korean affair as Anyang Halla made the trip not too far up the road to Incheon to faceoff against the Daemyung Killer Whales.
Having not played in the second game in Nikko during the previous midweek games there was some concern about the fitness of Halla goaltender Matt Dalton. These fears were confirmed as Hyun Ho Hwang was named on the teamsheet to start between the pipes, with Jong Hun Chun as his backup. This was also the first chance for a lot of the Halla fans to see Masahito Suzuki in action, this being his first game for Halla in Korea since his groin injury after the first game of the season. Halla always seems to play better when they are in Korea but Daemyung were not expected to be a walkover given some of their impressive performances in the league this season.
Neither team gave up much in the opening exchanges, with Halla just shading it in terms of clear-cut chances but they were the first to get on the score sheet from a powerplay in the 15th minute of the first period. Eric Regan finding Min Ho Cho on the left side of the offensive area, who was able to place a shot through the 5-hole of Tyler Weiman. A nice shot but you would have felt Weiman could have done better. Daemyung finished the period strongly, getting a number of shots on Hwang's net just before intermission, but unable to get themselves on the board.
The second period saw Woo Sang Park double Halla's lead with less than two minutes gone on the clock. Some excellent interplay between Scott Barney and Ruslan Bernikov on the left side allowed Bernikov to slide a beautifully weighted pass to the right wing into the path of Woo Sang who had plenty of time and space to one touch the puck past Weiman's left pad. Daemyung once again went in search of a goal before Doo Hyun Hwang, following his shot on goal, lost his balance and crashed head first into the boards at full speed. Doo Hyun appeared to be hurt pretty badly and needed to be assisted off the ice. From the restart, Halla picked up the puck through Ki Sung Kim and headed down the ice. After some work behind the net by Sang Wook Kim, he got the puck back to Ki Sung in front of the net who could hit the twine for Halla's third of the day. Just over halfway through the period, Woo Sang Park was once again on the scoresheet, this time a shorthanded effort. Woo Sang started and finished the move as he was able to dig out the puck from his own defensive area and get it to Kuk Hwan Mun who raced forward forcing a two on one in the offensive zone. Kuk Hwan only needed a simple pass to set up Woo Sang to smash a shot into the roof of Weiman's net for his second of the game and Halla's fourth.Clearly not happy with Weiman's contribution so far, Daemyung coach, Kevin Constantine, switched Weiman out for backup goalie Chang Min Lee after 31:40. Just under two minutes later Don Ku Lee got to hit the showers early after catching Yae Hun Hwang high with a challenge on the center line. Don Ku subsequently received a 5 min Checking to the Head penalty and a Game Misconduct for his troubles.
Almost three minutes into the third-period goal number five came for Halla. A very fortunate backhand pass from Woo Sang, which was fresh aired by one Daemyung player before going through the legs of another, found it's way to the stick of Scott Barney who only had to slide the puck across net to Ruslan Bernikov for the easiest of tap-ins. Both teams traded shots on goal with both Chang Min and Hyun Ho making some good saves before Scott Barney and Bernikov combined well again going forward to get Bernikov his second of the night with 4:20 left on the clock. Then with just under 5 seconds remaining in the game, Ruslan Bernikov's nonchalant backhand on net was inadvertently deflected past Chang Min off the stick of Ho Sung Lee to give Bernikov his hattrick on the day and 100th Asia League goal.
Following the blowout in game 1, we expected to see some kind of retaliation on the scoreboard from Daemyung. Matt Dalton was still out injured so Hyun Ho kept his spot after picking up a shutout in the previous game.Doo Hyun Hwang was also out for the Killer Whales after his heavy collision into the boards the day before. After a fairly even opening exchange, Daemyung were first off the mark today. Following an initial save by Hyun Ho in the Halla net, Bong Jin Lee picked up the loose puck behind the net to set up Yae Hun Hwang for a one-timer past Hyun Ho into the back of the net, although it may have taken a slight deflection off the skate of Min Ho Cho.
Following some good saves from Hyun Ho again to keep the score at 1:0, Halla were able to tie up the game five minutes into the second period. Some great work by Min Ho Cho all around the net allowed him to get the puck to the onrushing Sang Woo Shin who was able to find his way past a couple of defensemen before squeezing a shot through the five-hole of Tyler Weiman. Both teams went on to make a few more chances each but nothing good enough to break the deadlock.
The third period started off quickly with Tyler Weiman having to pull off a fantastic string of saves to deny Brock Radunske and keep the score tied. With just over 7 minutes gone in the period, Daemyung were back in the ascendency. Young Jun Lee was able to come out of a battle with Alex Plante with possession of the puck, he got the puck to Bum Jin Kim who's shot on goal was blocked by Hyun Ho's pad but went straight to the waiting Brett Parnham for his 9th goal of the season.
Then with just over 90 seconds left in the game one of the strangest calls in a hockey game I've seen to date occurred. The referee in the Daemyung defensive zone had moved away from the boards towards the net as to not obstruct the puck in play. Although not in the way of the puck it seemed as though he was going to be in the way of some of the players. After Sang Won Yoon narrowly missed the ref, Ryan Caldwell, turning back towards the net in pursuit of the puck and unaware of the ref's position, bumped into the referee. Caldwell got on with his job as a defenseman, got around the ref and got his stick down ready to block any shots. As he got his stick down and in position, it appeared to make light contact with the ankle of the referee. The ref blew the whistle and a Match Penalty was issued to Caldwell.
The end of the game saw some unsavory scenes develop as Daemyung skated straight off the ice and refused to shake hands with any of the Halla players. Some lewd gestures and strong words were given out by some of the Daemyung players as well as their coaching staff which ruined what had been an exciting game of hockey to watch for the neutrals. No doubt frustration boiled over for some of the players and staff, especially in regards to the Caldwell decision, but starting scenes usually only found in junior hockey leagues is not something a team of professional players should be doing.
Halla looked to have found their scoring shoes again on Saturday but on Sunday they were back to the story of their season so far, not putting away chances and getting caught on the break or with loose pucks. They definitely need to cut down on wasted opportunities if they want to guarantee a playoff spot and try to make it deep into the postseason.
Daemyung in the Sunday game once again showed the improvements they have made since last season, toe to toe they can hang with most of the teams in the league, albeit they were fired up from the previous game which may have helped. If they want to make the playoffs they need to get more consistent and grind out wins especially against the teams in the bottom half of the table. It's always going to be hard to beat Halla, Sakhalin and the Freeblades, as they have been the top 3 teams over the last number of seasons, but they are more than capable of beating any of the other teams in the league. They need to pinpoint these games as 6 pointers, 3 points gained for you and 3 points dropped for them, and go all out to win them. If they can get a few more wins off these teams then they definitely have a chance of picking up a top 5 spot and their first-ever playoff berth.
Coming into the final stretch of the season Sakhalin, Freeblades, Halla and , to an extent, the Icebucks seem to be opening a little bit of a gap at the top of the table. At this moment in time, I would say the current top 3 are the favorites to make the playoffs. The Icebucks are up in 4th place but the next two teams, the Eagles and Cranes, are only 5 points behind with 4 games in hand on the Bucks. The Bucks main problem, as it has been for the last couple of seasons, has been holding onto leads when they have them. If they can kill games off they have a good chance of making the postseason. The bottom 4 teams are all extremely tight. The difference between 5th and 8th place is 2 points so I can see this turning into a dogfight for the next month and a half. Sakhalin have looked dominant but not unbeatable this season, similarly, Daemyung and High1, in 7th and 8th place respectively, have shown they can beat anyone on any given day so this should make for some interesting games.


We all have the power to illustrate plans and wishes for the life we want to have and be remembered for even in our last days and moments, we just have to start a conversation.
I was drawn to hospice following the experience with my grandmother, who suffered from stage 4 cancer and declined quickly. My grandparents always discussed their concerns and wishes but never provided written documents on how to carry out those wishes. My grandmother was a strong woman and never wanted much attention. My grandfather was tasked with carrying out my grandmother's wishes, as he thought she would want them, while tending to the concerns from family members. I was able to visit with my grandmother the weekend that she passed. With the help of hospice, she was able to be pass peacefully in her sleep. It brought me, my grandfather and family comfort to know she was no longer in pain and that she was able to pass in her sleep, just as she wanted, listening to the tune of her gospel music. I thank hospice for that and it is why I continue to do the work that I do as a hospice social worker. I am able to support and help families and their loved ones on hospice care. As a Quality Life Care Navigator, I educate patients and support them with their life planning, while helping to ease those important end of life conversations. We all have the power to illustrate plans and wishes for the life we want to have and be remembered for even in our last days and moments, we just have to start a conversation.
LaShay, a medical social worker for Hospice of the West, was born in Indiana and raised in Arizona. She earned her Bachelors degree in psychology from Arizona State University and her Masters in Social Work from California State University, East Bay. She is passionate of care and supporting the needs for those in her community. In her 10 years as a psychology and social work professional, she has served in group homes, high school, adult mental health outpatient agency, housing for former foster youth and counseling, for domestic violence and anger-management. She is eager and enthusiastic in being equipped with the skills as a navigator in her community.


So i've been driving my SVR for a few months now (since mid January), and i'm not too impressed by its exhaust note. Under load, it sounds very nice, but its rev's are very poor, and it doesn't pop as much as the 17' gen. Quicksilver is still in the makes of a new exhaust for this generation SVR, and i'm also not so sure I wanna spend the money on a full exhaust system. Someone mentioned I do a full res delete, with an x-pipe, but I had some friends say otherwise. What are you thoughts on what I should do?
There's a chap over on RRsportforum that is taking his centre silencer out today so will be good to see what improvements it makes, I'm finding the 2019 far too quiet too, is much quieter than my 2018 model!
I saw the video and it sounds good. I'm worried about drone, which I don't love. But it's supposed to be bolt on and bolt off, if needed. I might try it.
I did notice a big difference between 2017 to 2018.
You're saying there's a difference between 2018 and 2019?
Yes there is a massive difference, bet the 2019 is 50% quieter than the 2018 model which is very annoying!
Do you think you could link me to that post? I'd love to hear what that sounds like. Thanks!
I have a 2019 SVR and it sounds plenty loud but I ordered it July 2018. Are you referring to the '19.5 model? I just can't imagine the 2018 can be that much louder than mine.
Can someone link me to the thread of the SVR without the 'silencer' please. Also, I though the 2018 and 2019 were relatively the same? Did they really make it quieter?
At my dealer yesterday someone inferred that there will be no 2020 SVR but instead a SVAutobiography model (like the Velar) will take its place. Perhaps recent toning down of the exhaust is part of that transition process.
They put a GPF in the latest SVR so this is what has made it so quiet, the exhaust tips stay bright silver as hardly any carbon comes out of the exhaust due to this either.


Last year, we discussed the major differences between the 2018 Accord Touring and Mercedes C 300. This year, with the introduction of a new Accord, we thought we'd get both cars back in the ring for a rematch. Does the 2019 Accord Touring 2.0T have what it takes to KO the luxury C-Class sedan again?
Honda is to reliable as Mercedes is to luxury—this is a truth we've been force-fed for years. It's just common knowledge that the Mercedes-Benz insignia means unsurpassed quality, right? Not so fast. Take a peek at the 2019 Honda Accord Touring 2.0T, and you may very well question everything you've been told about luxury cars. The Accord Touring is cheaper than the base C-Class C 300, includes more standard features, and has that je ne sais quoi factor we all want in a luxury sedan.
A fully dressed Accord Touring looks the part of a luxury car, but you'd be surprised at how much more affordable it is. Compared to the base Mercedes C 300's $41,400 MSRP, the all-new Accord Touring 2.0T is nearly $5,500 more affordable. With comparable trappings added to the Benz, the Accord offers 850,000 pennies' – or $8,500 – worth of flat-out savings.
When the time comes to upgrade to a new ride, the Accord Touring will put more cash in your pocket, as well. Five-year resale values for all Honda models, including the Accord, are far above the national average; luxury cars like the Mercedes C-Class, on the other hand, depreciate considerably more over the same period.
Because the 2019 Mercedes C-Class C 300 is only a refreshed model, its cargo volume (12.6 cubic feet) passenger volume (88.2 cubic feet) remain the same as last model's. #sadface.
The longer and wider Accord Touring also carries over last year's splendid space specs. Passenger volume levels out at 102.7 cubes, max cargo volume is a class-leading 16.7 cubic feet, and there's a great deal more headroom and legroom than what's offered in the C 300. Don't fix what ain't broken.
Front and Rear Electronic Parking Aid with Ultrasonic Sensors – Never hit a mailbox or shopping cart again!
Navigation with Real-time Traffic and Voice Activation – You'd have to upgrade your C 300 to add a comparable GPS system (COMAND Navigation with TomTom).
Satellite Radio – The Accord and C 300 have Bluetooth and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration. However, the Accord Touring is the only car to include standard satellite radio.
Wireless Phone Charger – A 2019 luxury sedan should include a Qi wireless charging station, but the Mercedes C-Class doesn't come standard with one.
Heated Front Leather Seats – The entry C-Class sedan doesn't come with heated front seats, leather or otherwise.
Head-Up Display (HUD) – Like the 2018 models, it's the new Accord that comes standard with a HUD to keep your sightline free of distractions.
Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot – Always be connected in the Accord Touring with Wi-Fi provided by your AT&T data plan.
Blind Spot Monitoring – Blind Spot Assist is optional on the Mercedes C 300, while Honda's Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Monitor is on every Accord Touring.
In fact, the 2019 Mercedes C-Class 300 is void of many vital safety systems and features. Where's the standard lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control? Automatic high-beam headlights? Traffic sign recognition? The 2019 Accord Touring 2.0T comes with the entire Honda Sensing suite, which includes all those important safety features. You'd have to spend thousands to comparably equip a C 300.
Just because that grille has a Mercedes-Benz crest doesn't necessarily mean it's a better purchase. Don't settle for the status quo. Be your own you by choosing the Accord Touring over the Mercedes C 300.
To get behind the wheel of a fully equipped 2019 Accord Touring, simply locate a Honda dealer near you. If you happen to reside near the sunny beaches in Miami or Fort Lauderdale, see your way to one of our South Florida Honda dealerships. With various locations in the area, we guarantee you'll have no trouble finding your perfect new Accord in South Florida. So, request a quote online, browse our current Honda Accord lease offers, and let's buck this "luxury car" trend.


Beautiful, complete renovation provides open/spacious floor plan perfect for entertaining! New flooring and fresh paint thought the unit, new appliances/fixtures, it's like a brand new home! This fifth floor corner unit allows for privacy, cool breezes, minimal noise and lot of storage within. Queen Emma Gardens is a great, safe, well maintained property, must visit to appreciate!


What time is it? Time to grab a delicious bakery treat at Wonder Hostess Bakery Outlet in Bloomington.
If you prefer to drive to the bakery, go right ahead. Parking is abundant in the area.
You're definitely in for a real treat whenever you come into Wonder Hostess Bakery Outlet's A+ bakery.
Groupon has verified that the customer actually visited Wonder Bread Hostess.


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NAESP Resources Show & Tell: Ramona Dunn
Show & Tell: Ramona Dunn
Kansas City principal builds relationships to achieve transformation.
November 1, 2020 | By NAESP Staff
Topics: Principal Leadership
Principal, November/December 2020, Volume 100, Issue 2
Ramona Dunn, principal of New Mark Middle School, Kansas City, Missouri.
By building relationships with students, parents, and staff throughout her career, Ramona Dunn has earned recognition for her leadership.
In 2019, Dunn took on the principalship of New Mark Middle School, which has an enrollment of approximately 985 seventh- and eighth-graders. There, she focuses even more on relationships, concentrating on the social-emotional aspects of learning for students and staff alike, aware that everyone needs a little bit of reassurance to build their resilience against the pandemic's shakeups.
While it's harder to learn every student's name and personality in a fast-paced middle school environment, Dunn says she works on it every day. "My proudest moment is watching my students unleash their greatness," Dunn says. "Every single one of them has a gift, and I burst with pride watching them share that gift."
What were some of your goals for your first year at New Mark Middle School?
Moving between districts and grade levels, it was important for me to listen and learn. It was important to me to build strong, trusting relationships with my staff. I met with each staff member individually at a local coffee shop prior to school starting. I wanted to work alongside the staff to create a culture of family and support for staff and students. I wanted to get back to our "why"—the reasons we do what we do—and focus.
Did moving from the elementary to the middle grades present challenges?
Getting a grasp on the schedule was a challenge—so many moving parts! I think the hardest part was not having the opportunity to get to know each and every student; [it is a] challenge with the middle school format. Kids are kids—it doesn't matter if they are 6 or 14. They want to be valued, loved, and heard. I put focus there, and it helped build relationships quickly.
Why did you participate in a Lifetouch Memory Mission, and what did you take away from it?
One of Audrey Hepburn's famous quotes is, "As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands: one for helping yourself, the other for helping others." I was raised to give back. It didn't matter how much or how little we had, we always had something to give. The opportunity to help build a future—literally and figuratively—for so many kiddos was a dream come true. My main takeaway from the experience is that I am intentional about finding the good and enjoying the little things every single day.
How has your involvement with NAESP paid off in your career?
We have so many wonderful leaders across the country, and NAESP has given us a platform to connect and learn and support each other. I have gained lifelong friends. Being principal is an amazing gig, but it can be lonely at times; having a network of leaders who are in your corner is a huge comfort.
What do you do for fun outside school hours?
I spend time with my beautiful daughter. Watching her play softball is one of my greatest joys.
ShowTell_ND20.pdf970 KB
Literacy Leaders
2/1/23 in NAESP Principal Podcast, Podcasts
Communicator, January 2023, Volume 45, Issue 5
3 Principals Receive 2023 Ann Henley Conference Scholarship


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We did a little taste comparison of US Mini Eggs (Hershey under license from Cadbury) to Canadian Mini Eggs (Cadbury Chocolate, Toronto) and I found the result surprising.
The Candian Mini Eggs were darker in color, smaller, were a little pointier and were a smoother egg shape.
The US eggs were larger and lumpier and were more prone to those hairline fractures in the shell.
I expected them to be very much the same, but the difference in flavor were very apparent. The Candian eggs were much better, more chocolate flavor. In fact, after a Canadian egg and US egg tasted more like a creamy sweet thing than chocolate.
I also got some dark chocolate Mini Eggs (Royal Dark) in the US. The shell is darker and has a dusted appearance. The chocolate is smooth on the tongue but I have to admit I was a bit disappointed. When I eat these I mostly taste chocolate chips. There is a little bit of a nice warm finish to the chocolate flavor, but I have to wonder if there are dark chocolate Mini Eggs in Canada, and how much better the chocolate in those might be.
See also the tasting notes for Mini Eggs and Royal Dark Mini Eggs at Candyblog. Next I might have to seek out some Hershey Eggs, which she rates Supreme.
I borrowed The Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques from the library, but I think I'll have to get my own copy. I got the book to see if I could learn some stretchier cast on and bind off techniques for making the Calorimetry. This book goes though a bunch of ways, details the advantages and draw backs of each technique, then clearly describes how to do them. The book also covers increases, decreases, selvages, seams, borders, buttonholes, and joining and weaving yarn ends. I can find all the techniques in this book online in various places, but I find having them all laid out with clear comparisons to be tremendously helpful for my scattered mind.
The Pink Grapefruit Mentos were found last night at a Bartell Drugs (a local Seattle chain) in University Village mall while picking up our buffet for the dining room. My pot rack also arrived yesterday. By tonight I will be happy in only the way that having: taxes done, a place to store my mixer and hang my pots, a great lip balm and good candy all in once place could make me. I plan to make Simple Thai Chicken and Rice to celebrate.
There were a bunch of other flavors at Bartell, so many that I assume all the Mentos flavors will be appearing all over the US. I remember sour apple, strawberry, grape and cinnamon. Ooh, I hope we get the licorice flavor. Thanks to Bonney for pointing to the Mentos store, where you can buy pink grapefruit Mentos by the box (20 rolls). I wasn't quite that committed.
While I was in Vancouver I sought out some Labello lip balm since it was overwhelmingly recommended. I found the regular balm kind (see this one at Chaptastic) and was pleased to discover I already own some – a friend (thanks Laura!) sent me a Nivea lip balm from the UK and it's the same. So I grabbed a little squeezy tube of Labello CareGloss & Shine instead and found the sort of lip gloss I'd given up looking for, this makes me so happy.
I had spent some time looking for lip gloss to wear during the day and I was disappointed by nearly everything as it was either too sparkly or flavored with such an overwhelming amount of some chemical approximating "sweet" that I couldn't stand it. Other kinds make my throat scratchy or were just too darn expensive to wear unless there was somebody around to see it. The Labello stuff is transparent, it does have a bit of pinkish mica in it but they are the type that make your lips look shiny, not sparkly. The scent is so light I do not notice it. And it has staying power. There is no SPF, but it does layer well.
I liked it so much I made sure I got some more before we headed home. You cannot buy this in US shops, but it certainly isn't hard to find online (be aware there are a few tinted versions as well, the one shown here is called transparent). Note to Canadians, according to my receipts it's much less expensive at London Drugs than Shoppers.
Now that I found something I want to buy again it's likely to be immediately discontinued. You've been warned.
Curtains by Nienke, via Apartment Therapy.
Seattlest makes honeycomb candy and gives up a recipe. See also: homemade Violet Crumble at Baking Sheet.
Dramatic cowl at Thrifty Knitter, via Craft.
A commenter has reported her Chefmate cast iron pot went from a fire engine red to dark burgundy color after she baked the no knead bread. Did this happen to anybody else? I haven't used my pot for the bread yet, and now I'm sort of afraid!
And Scott surprised me with a String of Pearls plant, so cool!
Thanks to everybody for voting in the silly little poll, it went way better than I expected. I'm so pleased you all were willing to play along, it was a sweet Valentines week gift! The matchups continue but I think I'll leave it alone, contests make me nervous. I hope you got to know John Moe a bit better, for he is amazing. Also, buy his book.
The winners for the Craft Recycle Your Heart Valentine's Day Card contest have been announced, and they are inspiring, the cleverness level of all the things created are amazing. You can see all the entries here.


Who controls the purse strings in your household?
Who Controls the Purse Strings in Your Household?. Can you and your partner agree if asked who wears the pants in your relationship when it comes to financial decision making?
Can you and your partner agree if asked who wears the pants in your relationship when it comes to financial decision making?
A new survey, commissioned by comparison site RateCity, has found that 84 percent of men think they control the household purse and only 21 percent women would grant their male partners control the financial matters, News.com.au reported. But mere 7 percent of men said that their partners controlled the money even though 61 percent of women think they do.
The findings also showed that men are slightly more open about their finances than women when it comes to debt, savings and how much they earn.


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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The GSAC held it's fall sports awards banquet on the campus of Salem College this evening to celebrate the 2014 Women's Soccer All-Conference award winners. Salem's Tarryn Johnson swept the Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year awards while her coach, Jay Callahan was named Coach of the Year.
Taryn Johnson (pictured at right), a freshman forward from Sacramento, Calif., took the league by storm in 2014 to win both Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors. She led the conference in both goals and points, racking up 13 goals and 6 assists for a season total of 32 points. Johnson tallied half her points in contests versus GSAC foes with 5 goals and 6 assists in those league battles. The first-year also showed a flair for the dramatic en route to capturing the major awards by leading the conference in game winning goals with four on the campaign.
Jay Callahan guided Salem to their third consecutive regular season title and a 16-4 overall record in 2014. In his eighth year as the head coach of the Spirits soccer program, Callahan has led his squad to 5 straight seasons with at least 10 wins, and 6 of the last 7 seasons. He was selected as the Great South Coach of the Year in 2012 and 2013 and was named the 2008 NCAA Association of Division III Independents (AD3I) Coach of the Year. This marks Callahan's third consecutive GSAC Coach of the Year honor.