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Hollywood: Is It A Surprise To Hear About How Immoral Hollywood Is?
If someone has paid attention to the news recently, they might be aware of the fact that a certain film producer has been accused of sexually harassing, assaulting, or raping a number of women. Then again, this could be something that they are not ever aware of.
This could show that they have just missed this story, or perhaps the news station/publication that they pay attention to hasn't given this story a lot of exposure. Due to the nature of what has taken place, it can be hard to understand why certain channel or publication, for instance, wouldn't give this story a lot of coverage.
However, if one was to take deeper look into this, they may come to see that this simply a continuation of how things have been for a very long time. It has been said that at least one publication had known for a number of years about what was going on.
The truth has then been hidden for many, many years and this is something that is still going on to this very day. It doesn't end there, though, as a number of actors have also said that they were aware of what this producer was like.
A Lot of Power
One way of looking at this would be to say that this shows how much power this guy had. He was able to behave however he wanted to behave and very little, if anything, actually happened to him.
And now that this guy has finally come crashing down, it has give people the ability to speak out. There are the people who knew what he was like and then there are the women who were harmed by him.
One Outlook
After someone has stepped forward and spoken about what happened to them, there are likely to be people who see them as brave, even empowered. And there is no doubt that speaking out against something like this does take courage.
At the same time, one also has to wonder why they didn't say anything before. Now, it could be said that the reason why they didn't say anything is because they didn't feel safe enough to do so.
Another Outlook
This could be the case, yet there is also the chance that it is not this black and white. The reason why someone now has the 'courage' to speak out could come down to the fact that they no longer have anything to lose.
If they had spoken out before it may have ruined their career, so it wouldn't have been an option. This would then have been a time when they were more interested in getting ahead than they were with putting an end to this guy's destructive behaviour.
The Main Priority
Now that this person no longer has any use to them, it is going to be a lot easier for them to speak out. They were happy to overlook this guy's behaviour before, but now they no longer need to.
When this is the case, I wouldn't be right to call someone like this brave or even courageous. They are, of course, looking out for themselves, and if they can look good by doing this it will be even better for their own ego.
A Role
It has been said that it is not uncommon for an actor/actress to be in position where they don't know who they are. Someone like this is then not just putting on an act when they are working; they are always putting on an act.
With this in mind, it is not going to be a challenge for an actor/actress to act moral when they need to. And thanks to social media, it is relatively easy for someone to define how other people see them.
Two Extremes
What is also interesting about all this is that Hollywood is full of people who love to lecture people. These people make out that they are holier than thou, which is then why the average person needs to heed their advice.
It is as if there are a plenty of people in Hollywood who say one thing and do another. Another way of looking at this would be to say that these people are more concerned with looking good than doing good.
A Big Cover Up
So, perhaps the reason why so many actors and actresses need to elevate themselves so high is because they feel so. Their need to look good is then more about avoiding their true feelings than it is about making a difference in the world.
The reason they feel so bad about themselves could be the result of what took place when they were younger. Also, who knows that they have had to do to get to where they are today.
A Common Occurrence
When someone doesn't want to face something within them, they can end up disconnecting from it. But while this can allow them to feel better about themselves, it won't change what is taking place at a deeper level.
Therefore, if an actor or an actress, for instance, has disconnected from their own guilt and shame, they could end up trying to make everyone else feel guilty and ashamed. Not only will this allow them to distance themselves from their own issues, it will also allow them to take the moral high ground in the process.
If these people had an inner world that was as healthy as their bank balance, they probably wouldn't need to elevate themselves so high or to tell people how they should live their life. We are in an age that is often seen as 'the age of revealing', and perhaps this is partly why Hollywood's true colours are being revealed.
Ultimately, the people in Hollywood who are often seen as gods and goddesses are no different to anyone else on this planet – they are imperfect human beings. And, as we have seen, this is somewhere where deeply flawed human beings are to be found.
If you feel this has been of value, please leave a comment, like or get in touch. And feel free to share this article, as many others have.


WATCH: Ed Sheeran had the highest grossing tour in 2018. Who are the others?
Whether you prefer rock and roll, hip hop, Top 40, or even Swedish death metal, it's undeniable that 2018 had a lot to offer in terms of live music.
From Paul McCartney to Lady Gaga, or Metallica to Justin Bieber, these artists have competed for the top spot on the most successful tour of the year — and they've all made the list numerous times.
Promises of an elaborate production and stage show ultimately help sell their expensive concert tickets, whether that includes a seamlessly choreographed two-hour performance or a show packed with enough lights and pyrotechnics to make you sweat — here's looking at you, Mötley Crüe.
Pollstar released its annual list of highest-grossing concert tours on Monday morning, detailing the top 100 artists of 2018 and how much they made.
Mötley Crüe perform onstage during its final tour, 'All Good Things Must Come To An End' at Barclays Center of Brooklyn on Aug. 12, 2015, in New York City.
As long as the music was quality, fans attended the shows without hesitation.
But thanks to their next-level efforts and enticing live shows, these musicians are the ones who make fans stay.
Ed Sheeran performs during the 'Divide' tour on Mar. 23, 2017, at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany.
That's right, British pop sensation, Ed Sheeran, took the lead in 2018, after grossing more than US$432.4 million. The Divide tour commenced in March 2017, as a promotion for his chart-topping album of the same name. The tour will carry through to August 2019.
In this year alone, the 27-year-old played to more than 4.86 million fans in countless sold-out arenas across four different continents. Sheeran earned himself the No. 8 position on Pollstar's 2017 list.
As of this writing, Sheeran has sold more than 38-million albums worldwide since his breakthrough in 2011.
Taylor Swift performs at Tokyo Dome on Nov. 21, 2018, in Tokyo, Japan.
With a mere 53 shows between May and November, Taylor Swift made more than $345.1 million in 2018. More than 2.88-million tickets were sold.
The Reputation tour was a huge success for the Wildest Dreams singer. She is known for a high level of quality in her themed production tours.
The 29-year-old even brought an all-female support lineup on tour with her, including Camila Cabello and Charlie XCX.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z perform together holding hands onstage during the 'On the Run II' Tour at Hampden Park on June 9, 2018, in Glasgow, Scotland.
After a highly successful debut tour in 2014, the celebrity couple decided to up the ante with another. The On the Run II tour took Beyoncé and Jay-Z from the U.K. to eastern Europe and the states — they made a stop for a sole Canadian performance in Vancouver.
The power couple grossed more than $254.1 million after playing 48 shows in front of more than 2.16-million fans.
Pink performs at Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Aug. 14, 2018, in Brisbane, Australia.
As of this writing, the Beautiful Trauma tour is only half complete. Pink (born Alecia Moore), is still scheduled for an entire year of touring in 2019, bringing her show back to the U.S., Canada and then over to Europe for a grand finale.
The 39-year-old earned herself more than $169.2 million with her extravagant stage show. The Beautiful Trauma (2017) album, drew in more than 1.28-million fans to see Pink in concert.
Bruno Mars performs onstage during the 24K Magic world tour at Madison Square Garden on Sept. 22, 2017, in New York City.
From No. 4 in 2017 to No. 5 this year, Bruno Mars isn't doing too bad for himself. The 24K Magic album came out in 2016 and is still hot in-demand across the globe. After two full years of touring, the 33-year-old will play the last show of the tour on New Year's Eve in Las Vegas.
Last year's $200 million is followed up by a worthy $167.6 million after playing to more than 1.29-million Mars fanatics.
(L-R) Vince Gill, Timothy B. Schmit, Don Henley, Deacon Frey and Joe Walsh of The Eagles at The Forum on Sept. 14, 2018, in Inglewood, Calif.
An Evening with the Eagles took a handful of the original members of The Eagles — Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy Schmit — along with a group of touring musicians on the road for an extensive run in 2018.
The band grossed more than $166 million in revenue, playing to more than 964,000 classic rock lovers across North America.
Justin Timberlake performs onstage during 'The Man of the Woods' tour at Scotiabank Arena on Oct. 9, 2018, in Toronto.
The ongoing Man of the Woods tour saw a return to form for the former NSYNC star. Another break from Hollywood films and TV cameos launched Justin Timberlake, 37, into his sixth worldwide concert tour which promotes the Man of the Woods (2018) album.
A full year of touring will see Timberlake tackle four individual legs of the tour — two in North America. Already, the pop sensation has played to more than 1.2-million fans, earning revenue of more than $151 million.
Roger Waters performs onstage at Mediolanum Forum of Assago on April 17, 2018, in Milan, Italy during the Us + Them 2018 tour.
More than five decades of music making and the Pink Floyd co-founder still remains relevant. Roger Waters, 75, took the Us + Them tour across the globe for 157 total shows, in which he preached his own anti-Trump opinions while playing a healthy dosage of Dark Side of the Moon (1973) tunes.
Waters grossed more than $131.3 million in 2018 and played in front of 1.45-million fans. He still holds the No. 4 spot for highest-grossing tour of all time too. The Wall Live tour earned him more than $459 million between 2010 and 2013.
Bono and The Edge perform during the U2 Experience and Innocence tour at SSE Arena Belfast on Oct. 27, 2018, in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
No. 9 in 2018 and No. 1 in 2017. The Irish rockers earned more than $126.2 million with the Experience + Innocence tour in 2018, and played to just over 927,000 dedicated fans.
Not only that, but U2 are still the record-holding champions as of this writing.
2009 kicked off the U2 360° tour, which became not only the highest-grossing concert tour of all time, but the most attended by 2011. It earned the group almost three-quarters of $1 billion in revenue.
(L-R) Ronnie Wood, Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones perform at the Principality Stadium on June 15, 2018, in Cardiff, Wales.
The No Filter tour saw a resurgence in popularity for The Rolling Stones — not that it ever left. Only two months of shows in Europe made the Sympathy for the Devil rockers more than $116.6 million. They played to three-quarters of a million fans and went home for a rest in the summer.
A Bigger Bang tour cemented the Stones as the No. 2 group on the overall list. Between 2005 and 2007, they earned more than $500 million.
The Stones are even slated to make their return with the No Filter tour in 2019, but this time in North America. The veterans show no signs of slowing down.
(L-R) Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones at the Mercedes Benz-Arena in Berlin, Germany.
Having the all-out production, radio airplay, album sales and a loyally dedicated fanbase is ultimately what secures a place on this list. Look out for 2019!
Who do you think will make the list next year? Let us know in the comment section below.


Zack thought he had a strange job before, but personal assistant to a sidhe prince is downright bizarre.
Zack thought he had a strange job before. Working as a Marine medic in a secret government installation was odd, but working as a human liaison to the fae and as the personal assistant to a sidhe prince is downright bizarre. Throw in the fact that he's pretty damn sure he's fallen in love with his boss, and things are close to unmanageable.
Of course, around the fae, one never says 'things can't possibly get any worse'. Unexplained events plague the human world. Strange sightings, spontaneous magical explosions, and odd bends in reality crop up. When Finn falls ill and a monstrous creature attacks Zack, things quickly slide into disaster. Lycanthropy, loose-cannon mages, and Lugh conspire to make a hellish mess of things—but the real peril begins when Diego loses an important piece of his mind.
Publisher's Note: This book is part of a series and is best read in order. This book was previously released elsewhere. It has been revised and reedited for rerelease with Pride Publishing.
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Decorating Little Pumpkins
It's still a little early to start getting real pumpkins for Halloween, so we were very excited to get these polystyrene pumpkins from Baker Ross to decorate for the house.
First we decided to paint our pumpkins with some orange paint. This was the most obvious choice and something that both of the children enjoy doing. So Ethan and Ivy each had their own little pumpkin to paint, and they were both really focused on covering the whole pumpkin with paint.
Next we used some watered down PVA glue and orange tissue paper to decorate our pumpkins. We started by painting the pumpkins with the glue mixture, then carefully stuck on some small squares of tissue paper. Ethan was really good at carefully covering his pumpkin with the tissue paper, but Ivy just did the top of hers!
And for our last two pumpkins we decided to do something very different, and decorate them with red lentils (which actually look quite orange!) Again we painted our pumpkins with glue and then picked up the lentils to sprinkle on (as a sort of alternative to glitter) little did I know that this would be much trickier than I thought as the lentils were sticking to everyone's fingers more than the pumpkins! We decided that if we used a little pot to pour the lentils on, or if we rolled the pumpkins around in the lentils it worked a lot better.
I'm really impressed with how lovely and different all of our little pumpkins turned out, they're going to look fantastic in the window for Halloween!
* This is a review post, we were sent the polystyrene pumpkins from Baker Ross to use in a craft and write a post about.*
For more Halloween fun, take a look at our Pinterest board:
Follow Play & Learn Everyday's board Halloween Fun for Kids on Pinterest.
Halloween Lanterns
We love Halloween and we're already thinking about how to decorate the house! We got these great Halloween Stained Glass Lantern Kits from Baker Ross and we just had to make them straight away!
We love the kits from Baker Ross for days that we just want an easy craft that doesn't need a lot of supplies, and these lanterns didn't disappoint. All that we needed was to use our own glue, everything else was supplied for us. We started by putting some glue around each of the four pictures on the lantern.
Then Ethan took a piece of tissue paper and placed it over each of the pictures. He was very careful and made sure that the picture was covered entirely with the tissue.
Then I helped Ethan to stick the sides of the lantern together and to tie a string through the top to attach the pole, and that was it, our lantern was finished!
* This is a review post, we were sent the lantern kits from Baker Ross to make and to write our opinions about.*
19 months old
Miffy's Adventures
We love Miffy, and so we're very excited that she's getting her very own TV show on Tiny Pop starting this Friday 2nd October. It's called Miffy's Adventures Big and Small and we can't wait to watch it on Friday evening. We've even got a Miffy toy to giveaway (details below).
The show couldn't come at a better time, with Miffy's 60th Birthday celebrations this year (we made her a cake!) And it just looks like it's going to be fantastic! (See the sneak peek video below.) Miffy's Adventures Big and Small will be short episodes of just 7 minutes each, perfect for little ones to just have a nice quiet show before bedtime. The show features Miffy and her friends going on adventures together and learning about the world around them.
If you're too excited about the show to wait, you can join in on a Twitter party on Friday afternoon at 1pm. Just follow @Miffy_UK for more details. There are prizes to be won and a chance to find out more about the show, I'll be taking part too, so be sure to follow me @PlayLearnToday.
And because I just want to spread some Miffy love, I get to give away this adorable Miffy Sensory Toy! So head over to my Instagram page @playandlearneveryday and find the photo of Miffy for more details.
* This is a collaborative post, Miffy have provided me with this sensory toy to giveaway so that I could write the post.*
Cardboard Box Rocket Ship
We love playing with cardboard boxes, they are definitely the best things at keeping the kids busy for ages! We recently moved to a new house and were using our wardrobe boxes for a good couple of months before actually getting around to buying wardrobes. So Ethan was very excited when he saw four massive boxes come down to the garden for him to play with, and right away he said 'let's make a rocket ship!'
It's so simple to get him started but just opening up the box for him, putting him inside and giving him some crayons and markers to start creating. He wanted to draw controls for the rocket ship, buttons and a steering wheel so that he could drive it. I wrote the numbers from 10 to 1 for him so that we could point at the numbers as we did a countdown. Ivy joined in and scribbled around the rocket as well. Ethan asked me to cut a window into the rocket so that they could see the moon.
They both climbed inside and pretended to take off and fly into space together. They closed up the door so I couldn't even see them, but I could hear them playing and having fun together.
We didn't end up with something that looked like a rocket ship to anyone else, I could have got out the silver paint and spent the whole day making the box look like a rocket, but instead they just got to play in it all day long. We put the boxes away and Ethan continued to ask to have them out to play in every day. It really doesn't take much to create a fun place to play and learn.
Back to School with Ellie and Eddie
As the colder weather sets in it's time for us to deal with eczema and dry skin again. It's also time for the third book in Aveeno's Ellie and Eddie series to come out.
This time Ellie and Eddie are handling their dry skin in the autumn when they're back at school in The Dry-ventures of Ellie and Eddie - Dry Skin Lessons. It's a great little story showing how Ellie takes her cream to school with her, how she keeps track of when to put it on and just how many children need to use cream for their dry skin. Ethan was really interested in it and asked lots of questions about Ellie's school in relation to his preschool. It's definitely a good reminder for him that he's not the only one that needs to put cream on during the day to keep his skin feeling nice.
This is the third book in the series of books that Aveeno has put out to help children with dry skin to understand why they have to use their cream and how much it helps them by relating to the characters in the stories, which can all be downloaded from their website. We've reviewed the previous two books Bye Bye Dry Skin and Happy Skin Holiday and have found them really helpful.
* This is a review post, we were sent a copy of the book and a sample Aveeno product to try out and to write our honest review.*
Making our own Memory Game
Today we made our very own memory game! We found this great DIY Memory Game set at Tiger and at first I thought that the kids were too young to be able to draw all of those matching pictures, but we found a way to make it work.
You don't need to have a set to use, you could just some heavy card or even cardboard cut into equal sized squares. For Ivy I drew some simple shapes and let her use her markers to colour them in. We've been learning shapes, so it was good for her to use the words to identify them but also to have the freedom to colour them however she liked.
For Ethan I explained that we wanted to have 2 cards that were exactly the same. I only gave him 2 cards at a time and made sure that we talked about what he was going to draw and what colours he was going to use first. It was definitely a challenge for him to draw 2 identical pictures, he kept wanting to draw different pictures on each card, but with reminders and encouragement that he would get to play the game at the end he was convinced to follow instructions.
Once the kids had each drawn and coloured in 5 pairs I wrote each of their names on two cards so that we had a full set of 24 cards to play with, and Ethan shuffled them all around ready for us to play our memory game.
Ivy is new to playing games like this so my main focus for her is to teach her how turn taking games work and to follow instructions. She kept wanting to turn over all of the cards at once, so we kept saying 'wait' and then counting own cards to turn over '1, 2' then turning them back over. She didn't make any matches, but she did start to wait a little bit longer between turns at least!
Ethan didn't mind that at all, as he was able to match all of the pairs on his turns and end up winning the game! He was quite good at remembering that he had seen certain cards already, but sometimes forgot where he had seen them and needed a few tries to find them. He was so excited to make matches and stack them all up in front of him!
We had so much fun making our own memory cards and playing with them, we'll definitely be adding to our cards and playing again soon.
Autumn Leaves Wreath
Autumn is here and we love to decorate the house to suit the season, so we've made these cute autumn leaf wreaths today. As a Canadian (but living in the UK) I also celebrate Thanksgiving, so these will look great for then as well.
shiny card
leaf foam stickers
I started by cutting the shiny card into a large circle shape and then cutting the middle out of the card. You could also use a paper plate that you paint and decorate first, but I've been wanting to use this shimmering card for something, so I was excited to show it off on our wreaths (the kids love it too!)
Next I let the children each take a handful of leaf foam stickers from the packet and get started on decorating their wreaths. Ethan was able to peel the backings off the stickers by himself, which is great for his fine motor skills. For Ivy I got them started, and let her finish peeling the rest off herself and stick them on how she liked.
I love how each of the children have their own style and made their wreath in their own style. Ivy likes to stack stickers on top of each other and Ethan sorted them by colour and lined them all up along the edge of the wreath. I think that they both look fantastic!
* This is a review post, Baker Ross sent us a pack of autumn crafts including these leaf stickers to use in a craft and write a post about. It also contains affiliate links.*
Nature Collection Bottles
If there is one thing that my kids absolutely love it's collecting things from outside. Whenever we go on walks or even just play in the back garden they are always picking up anything and everything. We're always looking for ways to use these treasures in our crafts and our play, but sometimes the fun is just in collecting!
I always love it when the kids come up with their own activities as well, and this was one of those days! We had come back from preschool and Ethan had pockets full of rocks that I asked him to empty out in the garden, and on the way out he picked up an empty water bottle and asked if he could put them in there instead.
So we all went out into the garden with empty water bottles and filled them up with the rocks that Ethan had collected. Some of them were a bit challenging to put into the small opening of the bottle, but it was a great exercise for Ethan's fine motor development and problem solving skills to get them in there.
Ivy went off on her own and started collecting some flowers that had fallen off some of our plants and putting them into her bottle. She quickly discovered that she had to put them in a certain way so that they would go into the bottle smoothly and not come apart.
After Ethan finished putting all of the rocks that would fit into the bottle, he joined Ivy with the flowers and found some leaves and small sticks to add to his bottle as well. It was such a simple activity but kept the kids busy for ages collecting things and finding ways to make them fit in the bottles, and Ethan was so proud of his bottle when he finished too!
Back to School Yoga Challenge
We were challenged by Actimel to do a few yoga poses before school each day to help Ethan to relax and focus to prepare him for the day ahead. They sent us a fun goody bag full of school supplies and some Actimel for Kids (in the fun new glow in the dark bottles!) for us to have before school as well.
Ethan doing tree pose
They advised that we try to do at least three of the suggested yoga poses before school each day. I won't lie to you, we found this very tricky! Mornings are so hectic on preschool days, it's a struggle just to get Ethan dressed on time. So we manage to fit in a morning Actimel, but the yoga has to wait until later in the day.
Ethan doing cow pose
I have been meaning to start doing yoga with the kids for a while now, we do it once in a while but have never started a regular practice. I hope that this has kick started us to make it a regular part of our routine.
Ethan doing cobra pose
Yoga is known to be a very calming and beneficial practice for children of all ages, so it's definitely something that we want to start doing as much as we possibly can to help both Ethan and Ivy to focus their attention on the things that they're learning every day.
Ethan doing giraffe pose
We also love those Actimel bottles and did a bit of bowling with them, we just couldn't resist! I'm saving lots of them for another project as well, they're just too cute to throw away and could be fantastic for so many different crafts!
* This is a collaborative post, Actimel sent us a bag of goodies and challenged us to do some yoga poses before school every day in order to write this post.*
creative development
Top Ten Halloween Games and Activities
We love Halloween! We start to plan at least a month in advance of what costumes the kids will have and how we'll decorate the house, and we get so into the spirit of things that we just want to play Halloween games and learn with Halloween props every day. So I've rounded up our top ten Halloween games and activities to share with you!
We love this really easy Halloween activity using some cute pumpkin buckets, the Halloween ball toss is such a fun way to play with things that you've already got in the house for Halloween.
This Halloween match up from Happy Hooligans is so cute and I could definitely see it keeping the kids busy for ages, and even suggesting new Halloween images that you could make for them to match up.
My kids are going to absolutely love this water squirt Halloween game from Mommas Fun World. Playing with water, counting, stacking and with a pumpkin theme, what more could they possibly want?
We love bowling games, so of course I'm very excited to try out this ghost bottle bowling game from No Time for Flashcards! The bowling pins and the ball are Halloween themed and the kids even get to help to make the pins, I love it!
Last year we made a witches brew, Ethan absolutely loved this simple way to play outside in costume and mix up something fun!
Clearly I do love a good throwing game as I've also added Pumpkin Chuckin' from B-Inspired Mama to my list, as she geniously uses rolls of toilet paper to make the cutest little pumpkins to throw. And this Ghost Toss from Mess for Less which uses balloons in a rather clever way and has a fantastic ghost shaped target!
We're very into Lego in our house, so I think that this Halloween Lego game from Teach Mama is right up our street. I can't wait to get creative with our Lego building for Halloween!
If you're looking for a bit of pretend play to prepare little ones for Halloween, we loved doing this trick or treat imaginary play to get Ethan excited and ready for his first proper Halloween.
And for a bit of sensory play we're definitely going to be trying these Halloween jelly hands from Adventures of Adam. Ethan and Ivy are going to love making a mess to get the treasures of the jelly hand, and I'll definitely be following the tips for making the jelly set better.
This post is part of a blog hop with bloggers from around the world sharing their top ten ideas for all sorts of different pumpkin and Halloween ideas!
Top 10 No Carve Pumpkin Decorating Ideas from Sunny Day Family
Top 10 Pumpkin Fine Motor Activities from Craftulate
Top Ten Halloween STEM Activities from Crafty Kids at Home
Top 10 Halloween Dinner Ideas from Our Good Life
Top 10 Unusual Ways To Play With A Pumpkin from Adventures of Adam
Top 10 Easiest Halloween Crafts from P is for Preschooler
Top 10 Book-based Halloween Activities from Artsy Momma
Top 10 Unusual Party Ideas for a Terrific Halloween from Peakle Pie
Top 10 Pumpkin Art and Craft Ideas from Witty Hoots
Top 10 DIY Halloween Lanterns from Rhythms of Play
Top 10 Pumpkin Crafts made with Handprints from Fun Handprint Art
Top 10 Cool Halloween Slime Activities from Little Bins for Little Hands
Top 10 Pumpkin Science Activities from The Pleasantest Thing
Top 10 Halloween Games and Activities from Play & Learn Everyday
Top 10 Pumpkin Recipes from Nemcsok Farms
For even more Halloween ideas take a look at our Pinterest board:
Painting Hedgehogs
Today we painted these adorable hedgehog ceramic tealight holders from Baker Ross. We used these porcelain paints on them and they really turned out so well.
I was a little bit nervous letting Ivy use these paints so I dipped her brush for her, but she was actually really good with it and carefully painted her hedgehog with as many different colours as she could possibly use!
Ethan made up his mind straight away that he just wanted his hedgehog to be blue and green, so he used one colour at a time to carefully paint his hedgehog and to cover the whole area.
Once the children were finished painting we left the hedgehogs to dry for a few hours and then to set the porcelain paint into the hedgehogs I heated them in the oven (following the directions on the paint) and they came out so beautiful and shiny!
These hedgehogs are going to look great all lit up on dark autumn evenings, we absolutely love them!
* This is a review post, we were sent the hedgehog tealight holders and paints from Baker Ross to use and write about.*
Rugby Skills
The Rugby World Cup starts today! So we've been busy doing a few rugby crafts and decorating the house with rugby bunting as well as reading rugby books. Now we're finally getting around to playing rugby and working on our rugby skills!
The first thing that we needed was a good rugby ball to play with, and I found this cute mini ball for the Rugby World Cup so that's what we used. It was a bit easier for the kids to carry around as it was smaller and lighter.
So we tried throwing the ball back and forth to each other and focusing on looking at the other person's hands to pass the ball directly to them. We want our teammates to catch the ball because we're working together, so it's important to aim for their hands and follow the ball through for them to receive it.
We worked on holding our arms open to be ready to catch the ball when it comes towards you and pulling the ball towards your body so that it doesn't just bounce off of your hands. We played a game of passing the ball between the three of us and taking turns throwing and catching and cheering each other on.
We also worked on our kicking skills, setting up an area to be the posts and trying to do one big kick to get the ball to go through.
Then it was time to put the ball under their arm and work on running as fast as they could to the other side of the garden before anyone else could catch them. They both found it absolutely hilarious chasing each other around and giggling!
Then when they had run to the other end of the garden they would put the ball down on the grass and score a try for their team!
We didn't work on tacking today, I'm sure they'll see enough of that in the games on tv and be asking to try it next time!
For more fun rugby ideas take a look at our Pinterest board:
Follow Play & Learn Everyday's board Rugby Fun for Kids on Pinterest.
Counting with Acorns
Rugby Coasters
Rugby Ball Bunting
Planting Daffodils
Fun Rugby Books for Kids
Going on a Pirate Treasure Hunt
Pirate Treasure Chest
Family Travel Show Ticket Giveaway
Firefighters Dramatic Play
Autumn Spiced Play Dough
Learning the Alphabet with a Puzzle
Preparing for Preschool

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


When you take the Fresno Area Express (FAX), a would-be 20-minute car ride can easily turn into a 2 ½ journey depending on the bus route you take. Riders can wait up to an hour along certain routes, and the frequent stops all add up. Turns out, there's nothing "Express" about it.
It makes sense why some people just drive where they need to go, or pay the extra few dollars for an Uber or Lyft. But not everyone can afford it. The dollars pile up fast when you need to get to work every day. It's just simple, brutal logic that those folks who rely on the bus are just the ones who can least afford to pay extra to shorten their commute. That means fewer hours in the day to spend with loved ones, to rest, to get ready for the next day. We all know how precious those hours are.
So what do you do if you have to spend those extra hours on a bus? Get some work done, do some homework, catch up on emails, check your Facebook or Instagram. Unfortunately, FAX — unlike other county bus systems — doesn't have WiFi. So there's that.
Luckily, these are problems that can be fixed. Routes can be revised, more buses can be put on the routes with the highest ridership, WiFi can be installed. And right now, FAX is developing their budget for the next year. It's the perfect time to do it.
The truth is that it has been an uphill battle. The Fresno Boys & Men of Color (BMoC) have been advocating for these common sense changes since last September when, on one pivotal day, a member of the group decided to take the bus to the weekly meeting. He walked into the meeting late, hot, exhausted. He doesn't take the bus often, but knows people who do. And it just didn't seem fair. Thus, the #WhatTheFax bus campaign was born (you can read the full account of how it was launched here).
Since then, BMoC youth have been riding the buses — to school, to work, to meetings — and recording their experiences. They have met with City Council members and reached out to FAX representatives. They have researched other county bus systems, distributed surveys to better understand community needs, and, in partnership with Womxn Empowered and Fresno Building Healthy Communities, hosted live twitter meetings to raise local awareness of the issues.
Their work has been crucial. FAX has been running its own surveys and public meetings. But they have often failed to direct their outreach efforts at actual bus riders. That's right. They have been spending money to get critical feedback on how the buses should run from people who do not ride the bus. It's true, the folks who ride the bus have less time to show up to these kinds of meetings (just maybe because they spend so much time on the bus?). But, what the FAX?
In June, the City of Fresno began their budget hearings in all departments. This basically means that they will be setting budgets on all projects that will be implemented in the next year. On June 12th, they showed up to the meeting to offer public comment. Youth leaders Efrain Botello and Marco Sanchez shared findings from their survey and made their requests for increased bus frequency along routes with high ridership and WiFi.
FAX seemed to be on board with increasing bus frequency, but hadn't even looked into WiFi — it hadn't come up on their surveys. They argued that youth would use up all the data checking their social media accounts.
Here is where BMoC's many months of work, multiple meetings, data collection,and emailing paid off: the Council members spoke up in defense of WiFi. They wanted to know how much would it cost (FAX didn't have the answer). Drawing on BMoC's research, they pointed out that other counties had such systems. And, if it gets youth on the bus, they asked, isn't that the point? The whole idea is to increase ridership, and increasing numbers of young people are using Uber and Lyft because they are more convenient.
With pressure building from the community and from City Council, BMoC is not about to let up. This coming Thursday, June 28th, FAX will be hosting a public workshop in which they will present their updated plan with revised routes to City Council. BMoC youth are planning to show up en force to show that they are watching FAX's every move…and that they won't give up until their voices are heard!


This accessory is as simple as it is elegant and beautifully executed.
The single piece gun barrel features a flared muzzle and perfectly machined cooling slots. The tiny rows of holes are amazing, and are best appreciated under a magnifying glass!
Installation should be very straightforward, and the barrel is ready to use as soon as it is released from the sticky tape securing it to its backing sheet.
This gun barrel will be a luxurious finishing touch for any of these modern German vehicles.


text:
photo byblumenbiene/flickr
Black Tea could Defend against Ricin
07/24/2012 -Add opossums and black tea to the list ofsurprising biological weapon countermeasures.
Scientists from Cardiff University's School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences found that one of the main components of black tea is effective at deactivating the poisonous properties ofricin.
Ricin is a highly toxic byproduct of processing castor beans that can be made into a powder, pellets, or aerosolized. It is lethal in the smallest of doses (In 1978, an amount of ricin "the size of a pin head" was used to kill a Bulgarian journalist).
Professor Les Baillie of the pharmacy school says researchers already knew that tea waseffective at inhibiting anthrax just as long as it was black tea with no milk. The new findings suggest that "if the security services want to counter the threat of ricin, they may find the answer in their morning cup of tea."
The key ingredient is Epigallocatechin gallate, a polyphenol and the principal property of tea. In lab tests,Epigallocatechin gallate deactivated ricin. Baillie said it was too early to know how it could be definitely applied as a countermeasure.
Cardiff researchers are finding that tea works in a number of unexpected ways.
William McCully, a PhD student, recently won a competition for research into using tea to combat the bacteria Clostridium difficile--which is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. Initial research indicated that tea could kill the bacteria. McCully is working with the National Botanic Garden of Wales to grow a "super tea" rich in polyphenols that will be clinically effective against the bacteria.
Tea was also effective at deactivating the botulinum toxin, the most poisonous substance known to science.
In other news, atoxin study, more than a decade old, is making news now after being rediscovered by the Internet. Yahoo News reports, "Opossums may somedayprovide an antidote to nearly all forms of poison, including everything from snakebites to ricin."


The property is situated in Radhima in Vlora, few minute drive from Pasha Limani lagoon. Guests at Hotel Edva can enjoy a private beach area, a seasonal outdoor pool, an on-site restaurant and free Wi-Fi. There is also a 24-hour front desk, laundry facilities and a playground. All rooms have a balcony with sea views. They also include a TV with cable channels, air-conditioning, a safe, refrigerator and a bathroom with a bath, hairdryer and a shower.


The Antarctic Cudweed (Gamochaeta antarctica) is a species of concern belonging in the species group "plants" and found in the following area(s): Falkland Islands (Malvinas).
Glenn, C. R. 2006. "Earth's Endangered Creatures - Antarctic Cudweed Facts" (Online). Accessed 4/19/2019 at http://earthsendangered.com/profile.asp?sp=5494&ID=11.
Need more Antarctic Cudweed facts?


text:
Q: Docker compose keeps running healthcheck I am running a couple of services with docker compose.
The data-loader service has to wait for the translator, but once the data-loader is running, the healthcheck does not stop executing, even after exiting.
translator:
build: ./translator
container_name: translator
command: uvicorn app.main:app --reload --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8000
healthcheck:
  test: curl -f translator:8000/healthcheck || exit 1
  interval: 5s
  timeout: 5s
  retries: 5
env_file:
  - ./translator/.env
networks:
  - fds-network
ports:
  - 8000:8000
restart: always
depends_on:
  - redis
volumes:
  - ./translator:/app/

data-loader:
build:
  context: ./data-loader
  dockerfile: Dockerfile
container_name: data-loader
command: python3 app/main.py
environment:
  - "DOCKER=true"
  - "BASE_LANG=es"
  - "LOAD_DISEASES=false"
depends_on:
  cassandra-load-keyspace:
    condition: service_completed_successfully
  translator:
    condition: service_healthy
env_file:
  - ./data-loader/.env
networks:
  - fds-network

The endpoint for the healthcheck:
@app.get("/healthcheck")
async def healthcheck():
    return {"status": "ok"}

And this is the console output:
cassandra-load-keyspace exited with code 0
data-loader              | Dataloader connected to Cassandra
data-loader              | Dataloader started
data-loader              | load diseases False
data-loader              | Skipping disease loading
translator               | INFO:     172.18.0.4:46638 - "GET /healthcheck HTTP/1.1" 200 OK
data-loader exited with code 0
translator               | INFO:     172.18.0.4:56822 - "GET /healthcheck HTTP/1.1" 200 OK
translator               | INFO:     172.18.0.4:56836 - "GET /healthcheck HTTP/1.1" 200 OK
translator               | INFO:     172.18.0.4:40618 - "GET /healthcheck HTTP/1.1" 200 OK
translator               | INFO:     172.18.0.4:40624 - "GET /healthcheck HTTP/1.1" 200 OK
translator               | INFO:     172.18.0.4:51620 - "GET /healthcheck HTTP/1.1" 200 OK
translator               | INFO:     172.18.0.4:51630 - "GET /healthcheck HTTP/1.1" 200 OK

and so on.
If the data-loader service is running it is because the healthcheck was OK, and the number of calls to the endpoint is greater to the number of tries in the condition for the healthcheck, and no more services nor functions call that endpoint, so it must be the healthechk at the compose.
What is wrong here?

A:
so it must be the healthechk at the compose.

Yes, translator health check is run by docker, which will keep running the health check every 5 seconds interval: 5s, whether there are any dependent services running or not.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


This labor of love took a house which sat vacant for years and restored it to a classic Eastport Cape Cod. Richard Hammond Builders performed the demo, framing, roofing, windows, exterior trim, and siding while the homeowner finished the interior. The house was stripped down to its bare framing and RHBLLC sistered every remaining stud and floor joist to straighten the walls and add support to the floors. Now the house is virtually brand new while retaining its original charm.


Welcome to Double "R" Border Collies!
Are you interested in a Double "R" Dog? Here are some things you should know.
Border Collies are a highly intelligent and talented breed. It is important that you have the knowledge to provide for your new dog's needs. Border collies are a working dog that originated in the borderlands of Scotland and England, hence the name. They are bred to have the stamina and strength to spend the entire day working with the shepherd in the mountains in the adverse weather that is typical to the region. Today, border collies excel at many activities including herding, agility, flyball, search & rescue, tracking, tricks and obedience, frisbee and much more. They are considered a high energy breed and require a minimum of 1 hour of intense exercise per day. If your dog is adequately exercised they will be happy to relax with you when you aren't out and about, but if they are not exercised properly they will make up their own entertainment. They thrive on being mentally simulated and welcome challenges that involve problem solving. Learning new things is a joy for border collies. There are individuals that have been known to recognize and understand over 1000 words and commands.
If you believe that a border collie is right for you then feel free to explore the rest of this website, visit the puppy page and contact Roy to arrange a visit to the farm.


text:
WisconsinWatch.org (https://www.wisconsinwatch.org/2016/01/despite-state-efforts-arsenic-continues-to-poison-many-private-wells-in-wisconsin/)
Despite state efforts, arsenic continues to poison many private wells in Wisconsin
Special regulations to reduce exposure to the ancient poison have helped, but high-capacity wells can exacerbate the problem
By Silke Schmidt | January 24, 2016
More on Failure at the Faucet
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Bridgit Bowden/Wisconsin Public Radio
Arsenic is an ancient poison and also a growing threat to drinking water in Wisconsin. Based on statewide sampling, as many as 22,560 homes may be consuming unacceptable levels of arsenic from private water wells.
Safeguarding your drinking water: What you can do
Dee J. Hall, the Center's managing editor, discusses the problem of arsenic in drinking water in Wisconsin on Milwaukee Public Radio.
This Series
Failure at the Faucet is a series exploring risks to drinking water across Wisconsin. Read more.
Having trouble with the quality of your water? Send us an email at tips@wisconsinwatch.org.
By the time Bradley Burmeister met his high school science teacher more than a decade ago, concerns had already surfaced about an ancient poison that was appearing in drinking water around their Fox River Valley community. Burmeister never suspected, though, that his family's well would provide some of the scariest data.
High levels of arsenic, a substance used as a poison since the Middle Ages, had been detected in 1989 in several counties in the Fox Valley region of northeastern Wisconsin. In 2003, Seymour High School science teacher Dennis Rohr and his students began a study of private well water samples from the area that would continue for the next five years.
The arsenic level the students detected in the Burmeister family's well was off the charts: 1,650 parts per billion (ppb), or 165 times the federal health standard of 10 ppb. Burmeister — whose experience in the study sparked an interest in science that culminated in medical school — recalls it being the highest level found in the study.
"My parents weren't too surprised, they just said, 'That's probably our luck,' " Burmeister said. "We started drinking bottled water all the time and also used that for cooking."
Clear River Photography
Michigan State University student Bradley Burmeister reacts to receiving word in 2014 that he will serve his medical residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Burmeister was motivated to study science and go to medical school after participating in a project at Seymour High School to test local drinking water. It showed many residents in and around the Outagamie County community, including his family, had dangerously high levels of arsenic in their water.
To this day, Burmeister's parents regularly buy a case of gallon-sized water jugs at the grocery store. Despite the inconvenience, Burmeister said his parents feel it is a more affordable way to address their arsenic problem than drilling a new well or purchasing a water treatment system.
The Burmeisters are not the only family having to find alternatives to turning on the tap; arsenic is a major concern in Outagamie and Winnebago counties. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources designated an arsenic advisory area in these counties in 1993 and implemented stricter regulations for testing and well construction in 2004 and 2014.
But arsenic problems are not confined to northeastern Wisconsin. Levels above the federal standard have been detected in 51 of Wisconsin's 72 counties, according to a 2006 Wisconsin Groundwater Coordinating Council report.
The most serious health effects from arsenic exposure include a variety of cancers, nerve damage, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Chronic low-level exposure during childhood has also been linked to decreased intelligence.
In a 2014 study, researchers studying schoolchildren in Maine found regular consumption of drinking water containing 5 ppb of arsenic or more was associated with a significant IQ reduction in students in grades three to five.
"The magnitude of the association … raises the possibility that levels (of arsenic in drinking water) that are not uncommon in the United States pose a threat to child development," the researchers found.
A 2015 study of infants led by Dartmouth University researchers found that arsenic in a mother's urine, likely due to her consumption of contaminated well water during pregnancy, "was associated with a higher risk of infection during (an infant's) first year of life … and with diarrhea and respiratory symptoms."
Human activity can mobilize arsenic
In 2001, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lowered the federal health standard, or maximum contaminant level, for arsenic in public drinking water from 50 to 10 ppb. This step reflected the increasing scientific evidence for the dangers of arsenic exposure to human health and matched the World Health Organization's global drinking water standard.
The highest level ever detected in the state was found in a private well in northeastern Wisconsin. The well tested at 15,000 ppb — 1,500 times the new federal threshold.
"We have an arsenic hot spot in Wisconsin," said John Luczaj, a geoscience associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
UW-Green Bay
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay associate professor John Luczaj has documented numerous contaminants in Wisconsin's groundwater, including arsenic. The ancient poison can be found in drinking water around the state, but especially in Outagamie and Winnebago counties in northeastern Wisconsin.
Madeline Gotkowitz, a hydrogeologist at the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey, agreed. "Arsenic is a big problem in Wisconsin, and I don't think many realize that," she said.
The dangerous chemical can end up in groundwater through multiple mechanisms. In Wisconsin, arsenic is typically released when naturally occurring sulfide minerals in certain types of bedrock aquifers break down by coming into contact with oxygen.
In 1987, the DNR discovered that the St. Peter Sandstone aquifer in northeastern Wisconsin contains a high concentration of these sulfide minerals. Knowing that it was the water source of more than 20,000 private wells, agency officials knew this might spell trouble.
"Seymour High School rests directly above the St. Peter Sandstone formation," science teacher Rohr said. "So arsenic was the main focus (of our water study) as it impacted our local community the most."
The oxygen that sets off the breakdown of sulfide minerals can be introduced by well drilling and disinfection methods, or when the water table — the level below which the ground is saturated with water — is drawn down. This may occur during periods of drought, or be triggered by human use, such as the operation of high-capacity wells.
Because of this interplay between geology and human activity, Luczaj said, private wells whose water previously tested fine for arsenic may lose their integrity.
Patrick Laughrin is all too familiar with the effect of high-capacity wells in his part of the state. He lives in Hilbert in Calumet County, just east of Winnebago County.
Ed Byrne / The Brillion News
Pat Laughrin, a member of the Calumet County Board, says water at his home used to have elevated levels of arsenic caused by a drop in the water table after installation of nearby high-capacity wells. But water levels have returned to normal after a neighboring farm owner reduced pumping, he said, and the most recent tests show no arsenic. Certain activities, such as drawdown, can increase the presence of the natural contaminant, scientists say.
"The arsenic in our well showed up for the first time when the high-capacity wells came in and dropped the water table," Laughrin said. "It makes sense. If you drop the water table, you get more oxygen and that releases more arsenic into your water."
State steps up regulation
In 2004, the DNR introduced tougher arsenic laws in Winnebago and Outagamie counties. With 20 percent of the private well samples there analyzed in 1992-93 exceeding the EPA's new health standard of 10 ppb, this area was thought to pose the greatest exposure threat to the largest number of residents. The new regulation required all drilling and disinfection methods to minimize the exposure of sulfide rocks to oxygen.
For Luczaj, this was a step in the right direction, but he said it may not go far enough.
"The geology doesn't stop at political boundaries," Luczaj said. "The area definitely extends into the neighboring counties. It's pretty likely that we'll see increasing problems as aquifers get drawn down."
Debra Sisk / UW-Stevens Point
Former University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student Jessica Peterson prepares water samples to test for metals and arsenic at the school's Center for Watershed Science and Education. Some parts of Wisconsin have unsafe levels of arsenic in the drinking water.
A 2013 study of 3,868 private wells from across the state found 2.4 percent of them exceeded arsenic levels of 10 ppb. If that proportion was applied to all of the estimated 940,000 households on private wells in Wisconsin — a calculation endorsed by the study's lead author — residents of 22,560 homes may be consuming unsafe levels of the chemical.
Testing, grants rarely used
The DNR has a well compensation grant program that makes residents whose well water exceeds 50 ppb of arsenic — five times the federal standard — eligible for up to $9,000 to drill a new well. The program can be used to address other types of contamination as well.
Seymour School District
Seymour High School teacher Dennis Rohr's class study starting in 2003 of arsenic in nearby private drinking water wells led to greater understanding of the problem — and sparked a lifelong interest in science in his student, Bradley Burmeister, who is now a physician.
However, during the past five years, only 10 or fewer grants were awarded per year. Households whose water contains up to 49 ppb — almost 10 times the amount of arsenic shown to impact a child's intellectual development — have to cover the cost of a new well on their own, or pay for other options that will make their water safe to drink.
To reduce arsenic exposure, people must be aware of its presence in their drinking water in the first place. But with a mere 16 percent of private well owners in Wisconsin estimated to test their water annually, the number of residents who are unaware is large.
Raising that awareness was part of Rohr's goals when he began his water study in 2003. In 2014 — 11 years after Rohr's study — the DNR revised its arsenic regulation yet again, recognizing the persistent nature of Wisconsin's arsenic problem.
This time, the new state law required that arsenic, in addition to coliform bacteria and nitrate, be tested at the time of a property transfer, but only if the buyer requests a well inspection. The same three contaminants also have to be tested after the completion of certain well repair work, such as fixing a broken water pump.
Laughrin said the new law helps address one of his long-held concerns with people only testing their water for bacteria and nitrate: when those results are within safe ranges, they assume everything else is fine as well. And yet their water may be contaminated with arsenic or other substances for which the water has never been tested.
Given the potential for negative health effects from regular consumption of unsafe drinking water, Laughrin suggested another group of stakeholders who could play a large role in raising people's awareness: family physicians.
"When my wife and I went to our doctor's office four or five years ago, they did not even ask if we had a private or municipal well," he said. "They're starting to do it more often now. But there's a lot to go on this yet."
Bad wells replaced by city water
Some communities in Wisconsin have addressed their arsenic problem by offering citizens a switch from private to municipal water. The Stilson family in Oshkosh took advantage of this opportunity in 2000, following several years of having bottled water delivered to their home after the level of arsenic in their well rose to 999 ppb, or nearly 100 times the health standard.
"We said, 'Let's just get city water and get it over with,' " Lynn Stilson said. "Some people kept their well so they could use the water for their lawn, but ours was capped, we just got it all done at once. I think at this point everybody here has city water."
Dee J. Hall / Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
Some residents of northeastern Wisconsin drink bottled water because of high arsenic levels in their private water wells. Based on statewide testing, residents in an estimated 22,560 Wisconsin homes may be drinking unsafe levels of arsenic.
In 2013, the city of Algoma water utility in Kewaunee County offered discounted arsenic testing to private well owners to gauge their interest in connecting additional homes to public water.
They found that 9 percent of the 330 homeowners who participated had levels above 10 ppb, with a maximum of 1,000 ppb. In 2014, the utility built water main extensions in neighborhoods with at least 70 percent of residents indicating an interest in switching to municipal water.
City water is required by law to be tested regularly for arsenic, which takes the burden of monitoring water quality off the homeowners' shoulders. And public wells have another advantage over private wells: they tend to be drilled deeper.
"The private wells are generally shallower and more likely to draw water from near the water table," Luczaj said. "In general, municipal wells are also constructed at higher quality than private wells."
Wisconsin's public water systems have only rarely exceeded the federal arsenic standard, although municipal well operators in some places, including the village of Suring in Oconto County, continue to struggle with arsenic problems that first emerged six years ago.
When drilling a new well is too expensive, a switch to city water not possible, or purchasing bottled water too big a hassle, another remediation option is to install an in-home water treatment system. The most cost-effective method is called a reverse osmosis system, which removes 95 percent of arsenic, as well as other contaminants.
Luczaj said vigilance is the key to avoiding arsenic, since human activity can increase the amount of the naturally occurring contaminant in well water. "A one-time test for arsenic is not at all sufficient,"he said.
Added Kevin Masarik, groundwater education specialist at the UW-Stevens Point: "A lot of people only test their water because they perceive a problem based on a color or odor issue. But they are largely ignorant of important tests to consider (for contaminants) that they may not be able to taste, see or smell."
Gabrielle Menard and Elise Bayer, students in the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication, contributed to this story. This report was produced as part of journalism classes participating in The Confluence, a collaborative project involving the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism and UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The nonprofit Center (www.WisconsinWatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Television, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.
Reducing the risk of lead poisoning from drinking water
According to water quality experts, there are several steps consumers can take to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. These actions are particularly important for pregnant women, formula-fed infants and children under the age of 6.


There's a lot to discover in Dutchess County, even packed in with the strip malls of Route 9. One example is Wappingers Falls, which is a scrappy village of 5,500 people in a square mile of real estate between Poughkeepsie and Fishkill.
We'd been planning on visiting as part of our series of "Most-Instagrammed Places" blog posts when a recent Main Street fire devastated multiple buildings, businesses and displaced over 30 residents. We were moved by afar by seeing how the Wappingers community not only banded together to help those affected, but did so in a way that showed what makes it unique.
This is truly a tattoo enthusiast's tattoo shop. Tucked into an unassuming space on Route 9, they have a staff of powerhouse artists with strong local followings and also attract tattoo tourists from far away on social media. In the last year, they've been the site of some of the most-seen photos taken in Wappingers; shoutouts from tattoo influencers like TattooSnob and BlackClaw, and Travie McCoy from Gym Class Heroes also took a video and photos that got liked thousands of times.
They give back, too: on June 10, they were one of several local businesses that came together at West Main Kitchen & Bar to raise $8,000 for the victims of the fire. In 2015, they gave a huge contribution of $7,000 plus art supplies to the Mill Street Loft to support local art outreach programs.
As Travie McCoy put it: "The parlor has such a sweet atmosphere, as you can see your boy was super cozy, make sure you go give them a visit if your in the area looking for some quality work but hurry cause these fools STAY BOOKED UP..."
Opened in 1984 as the Rolling Rock Cafe and reinvented in 2005 by serial Hudson Valley restaurateur Gus Serroukas, the Double O Grill is a beloved mainstay and major draw of the Wappingers Falls culinary scene. You may recognize the Serroukas family from such other restaurants like the Eveready Diner, Brasserie 292 and the Coyote Grill in Poughkeepsie.
Their website's frontpage manifesto admirably talks about their dedication to being local in every way.
Between the cozy decor, the beautifully-plated food, and the 24/7 brunch vibe, it's no wonder people like taking pictures here. A big part of it is their longtime bartender and social media director Amanda Desiderio, also known as @acozyhome, who regularly posts her insights on decor and mixology with over 2,000 followers. Here's a recent post she did on Double O's new Make Your Own Bloody Mary bar.
Graceland Tattoo is the other half of what makes Wappingers a tattoo destination. Since 2003, they've been an anchor of Wappingers' Main Street, and much like Hudson Valley Tattoo Company, their talented artists cater to both a local crowd and tattoo tourists. Their space is beautiful and approachable, filled with their artwork, and it's a big part of why they're the reigning two-time "Best of Hudson Valley" winner for tattooing.
On the day we were in town, they were running an extremely generous neighborhood benefit that raised over $10,000 for the victims of the fire; people were lined up out the door to get small tattoos from them. They also solicited contributions from other businesses for a raffle that they held in conjunction with their sister business, County Fare (see #5).
Wappingers Falls' historic Main Street is the way it is because of its location; it was built up in the 1800s due to its proximity to the Wappinger Creek, which connects to both Lake Wappinger and the Hudson River. A major cotton mill was built, along with a row of Civil War-era buildings and houses in the surrounding streets for the workers. According to Wikipedia, the mill remained in action until around 1931.
In 1984, a 90-acre area emanating from the main drag was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Since then, a few historic buildings have gone down; Goring Hall, which was opened in 1872 as a drug store for mill workers and later became a beloved coffee shop, was demolished in 2012; the Mulhern House, a workers' residence, was destroyed in 1994; and the Sweet Orr Factory, which manufactured overalls and jeans sold across the country, burned down in the 1990s.
An added consequence to the fire is that more historic buildings may be lost forever. However, Wappingers Falls Mayor Matt Alexander recently said that it's possible all four buildings affected could be saved at a cost of $1M each.
We wrote about County Fare in our 2016's Hudson Valley Breakout Brands article. It was opened last year by Graceland Tattoo owner Adam and co-owner Brandon McAlpine right next door to the shop, and shares the same sensibilities: locally sourced, artisinal, in a space that's both beautiful and comfortable at the same time.
Planet Fitness is a national chain of gyms known for being a "Judgement Free Zone," and for providing free pizza to its members once a month. There is a location on Route 9 in Wappingers Falls, and it's one of the most-Instagrammed places in town on the strength of gym selfies. Keep doing you, gym people; show off those gainz.
That view. Di'Vine took over a space that had been a hair salon for over 25 years last May. The inside (which has two levels) is cozy and intimate, and the outside patio has an incredible view of the falls. It looks like the perfect place to grab a drink before and/or after dinner, or to hang out outside on a nice day.
This weekend (June 16-18), they're doing a three-night music event; the $20 cover will be donated directly to victims and families of the fire in Wappingers.
80s and 90s Hudson Valley kids remember HoeBowl Family Recreation Centers, a local chain of bowling alleys that included locations in Hyde Park, Poughkeepsie, Wappingers, Walden, Kingston and Catskill. In 2016, a hospitality and entertainment company called Diamond Hospitality Group spent about $6 million to extensively renovate the Poughkeepsie and Wappingers Falls locations and added them to their chain of upscale Spins Bowl locations. In addition to shiny, high-tech bowling lanes and decor, they have a really nice arcade.
We wrote about DC Sports in our article on the most-Googled new brands of 2016. Equal parts sports bar, golf simulator, arcade, sand volleyball court and mini-golf course. They have the Simpsons arcade game!
Back in 1741, a couple of millers bought 750 acres of land in Wappingers Falls and built a small stone frame house. Later, they added a mill, and one of them was killed by lightning and was possibly the first man to be buried behind what is now the Zion Episcopal Church.
In 1891, a descendent of Mesier sold part of the property to Wappingers Falls for $2500, and fast-forwarding to 1996, the property became recognized as a Historic Place. Guided tours of the house are available on the second Sunday of every month from 1 to 4 p.m.
Another example of a local Hudson Valley chain, Alto Music has grown from one store in Rockland County to four locations that employ upwards of 90 people, as chronicled in this excellent American Express blog post. Just don't drop that $2,000 vintage Fender Jazzmaster while you're taking a selfie; they have a strict you break it, you buy it policy.
We also looked up what the most-liked photos were in Wappingers Falls; one of them was from an account called Eddie the Lilac Lion, who is a "deaf toothless earless cross-eyed half-blind senior lilac Siamese" kitty from Beacon. In November of last year, his account posted a post-op photo of him from Full Circle Veterinary Hospital in Wappingers Falls after he had surgery to officially become a member of the #earlesscatsclub. We wanted to give an Internet boop to Eddie, and we're glad to hear that he's fully recovered and still bringing joy to his 50,000 fans.
Have lived in Wappingers Falls for over 50 years. Don't plan on leaving any time soon.
I'm surprised that County Players Falls Theater was not listed.its probably the biggest draw in the community.


By the time they reached home, it had stopped raining. The sky was an unnaturally bright blue, the air heavy and hot. They got to work instantly. She got out the ironing board and started ironing his clothes. He pulled out his suitcases from the closet. They were musty from an 8-month long sabbatical. All his travel clothes were soon stacked up in little piles all around the room. He picked a set, discarded another, fussed over a third. Matching shoes, socks, handkerchiefs, underwear… the works. She ironed a couple of shirts, a few pairs of trousers and a pair of cotton shorts and packed it for him. The two pairs of shoes didn't fit in the suitcase until she advised him to wear one of the pairs instead of packing it. All the items finally fit in and the suitcase was locked. He showered and changed. She reminded him to pack his belts and ear-buds. Soon after, he gave a final survey to his luggage, kissed her good-bye and drove away.
She looked around the dirty apartment and sighed in dismay. The sink was full of greasy dishes, there were dirty clothes strewn all around along with the freshly washed ones, the carpet was a display of brown shoe-prints. She soon got to work, picking this, cleaning that… She folded all the washed clothes neatly and placed them in the cupboard. Picking up the dirty clothes, she filled them into the laundry bags. The dishes were piled into the dishwasher. She got the vacuum cleaner out and ran it all over the tiny apartment. Her knees were killing her but she couldn't find the courage to stop, take a breather.
After an hour of scrubbing, washing and cleaning, she finally straightened her aching back and looked around. There was nothing remaining to be done. She went into the bathroom and took a quick shower. The clock struck 9:00 pm. She turned the TV on. She surfed listlessly but found nothing interesting. Well, I have to sleep, she tiredly thought. She turned the light off the instant she entered the room so that she wouldn't have to see the empty bed. Quietly she crept into the once-warm bed and pulled the comforter over her head. The instant her fingers touched the empty pillow next to hers, her reserve broke. She sobbed uncontrollably, like a child.
Ummm…..When is Pinchu coming back?
Oh! I thought the post was about you.
By any chance did you add that disclaimer later?
I should have put it up earlier itself.
Yeah.. I should have put the disclaimer rightaway.
I have a tendency to *read* drama, passion, intensity in every-day, mundane situations – and blog about it. The above was an example of that trait.
Not much we can do about fools…..


text:
Q: How to remove nodes from an XML file I want to remove some elements from an XML file using groovy, however this does not seem to work.
Any ideas how to solve this?
def DeploymentDescriptors = new XmlSlurper().parse("pathToMyXMLFile")
DeploymentDescriptors.NameValuePairs.NameValuePair.each {
if(it.name == 'B')
   it.replaceNode{}
}

XML File
<DeploymentDescriptors>
    <NameValuePairs>
        <NameValuePair>
            <name>A</name>
            <value>Value A</value>
        </NameValuePair>
        <NameValuePair>
            <name>B</name>
            <value>Value B</value>
        </NameValuePair>
        <NameValuePair>
            <name>C</name>
            <value>Value C</value>
        </NameValuePair>
    </NameValuePairs>
</DeploymentDescriptors>

A: XmlSlurper doesn't change the processed XML until there's a need. If You serialize it You'll see the effect.
Here's working example:
import groovy.xml.StreamingMarkupBuilder
import groovy.xml.XmlUtil
def xml = """
<DeploymentDescriptors>
    <NameValuePairs>
        <NameValuePair>
            <name>A</name>
            <value>Value A</value>
        </NameValuePair>
        <NameValuePair>
            <name>B</name>
            <value>Value B</value>
        </NameValuePair>
        <NameValuePair>
            <name>C</name>
            <value>Value C</value>
        </NameValuePair>
    </NameValuePairs>
</DeploymentDescriptors>"""

def parsed = new XmlSlurper().parseText(xml)
parsed.NameValuePairs.NameValuePair.findAll { it.name.text() == 'B' }*.replaceNode{}
println XmlUtil.serialize(new StreamingMarkupBuilder().bind {
  mkp.yield parsed
} )


text:
grapefruit soda
Joia: Grapefruit, Chamomile & Cardamom
History: Like many fans of craft soda, Bob Safford doesn't drink. Unlike many fans of craft soda, Bob Safford had the money to turn his ideas into liquid for the masses. The irony is that Safford hammered home his ideas by drinking (just a sip) of an alcoholic beverage at a fancy cocktail bar. "It just kind of hit me, why couldn't you do this with soda?" he says over the phone. A veteran of the marketing industry, Safford was no soda expert. So he assembled a team ranging from a veteran beverage entrepreneur to a Minneapolis mixologist. In an interview with CircleUp, Safford explains how they immediately got to work. "We studied cocktail menus from around the United States to see what fruit, herbal/floral and spice flavors were appearing in cocktails with the greatest frequency." If he was going to make soda, he wanted it to be more artisinal and, frankly, more healthy than the majority of options available. To many of you, I know that's an oxymoron. It's kind of like saying "I ate five cream-filled donuts today, but they were made with skim milk!" as you squeeze the life force out your body to fit into those yoga pants. But healthier options in soda can be created. Typically, they're fruit-based, which is where Safford took the direction of his team's creations. In 2011, the group made it official, founding Joia All-Natural Soda in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The name is pronounced "Joy-a," as an ode to the passion and joy the company feels for its products. Safford believes Joia sodas can function both on their own as more refreshing alternatives to mass-produced soda, and as mixers with alcohol. The company produces four flavors, all using natural fruit juices, spices, and herbs. We've previously reviewed their Pineapple, Coconut, and Nutmeg, but no flavor is more popular than the widely available Grapefruit, Chamomile, and Cardamom. The latter was picked up nationally in August of 2015 by Panera restaurants. So now you can have a Joia soda with your low-fat sour cream and onion bagel and soup. Their grapefruit flavor accounts for about 40% of the company's soda sales, according to Safford. When it came to the creation of their grapefruit soda, Safford says they wanted it to be fruity with an herbal flavor. Interestingly, they focused on aroma first. "Who thinks of soda as having an aroma?" he asks. They wanted to create something that not only smelled authentic, but tasted fresh. "We wanted something that was grapefruit-y but didn't have that typical tartness of the grapefruit." So essentially the company tried to take all of grapefruit's greatest attributes and combine them with the complimentary smoothness of chamomile and the mild savoriness of cardamom. It's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see if it pays off.
Where to get: Joia's Grapefruit, Chamomile, & Cardamom is sold nationally at Panera restaurants. You can also purchase it from a number of online retailers, including Amazon, Soda Emporium (single bottles), and Jackeez. To find the physical retailer nearest you, use the company's online product locator.
Nose: Fresh-cut grapefruit with some additional citrus. This smacks you in the face with authentic grapefruit scents. It couldn't be closer to the real thing – super impressive.
Taste: Grapefruit juice; bitter spice; smooth. The grapefruit flavor is just as lush as the scent leads you to believe. It's immediate and upfront, and it caries the soda's flavor profile throughout. So if you don't like grapefruit, you won't like this. Unlike some grapefruit sodas, this one doesn't try to hide the fruit's bitterness. You taste real, sweet pink grapefruit upfront, but are then quickly greeted with a tart, bitterness. Some of that comes from the grapefruit itself and some comes from the cardamom. Cardamom is an interesting spice when describing its taste. It's usually just a complimentary flavor, but in this soda, it has more of an impact and amplifies the grapefruit's acidity and bitter notes. The chamomile comes through mostly in the aftertaste, but its main accomplishment in this beverage is helping smooth out the soda's bitterness as it tails off. Strong grapefruit flavor that's sweet upfront, then sour, and quietly trailing off before the next sip.
Finish: Tart pink grapefruit that transforms into more of an aromatic spiced flavor. The cardamom and chamomile work in tandem on the finish; they give the soda a slightly different flavor as the sip fades. More spiced and smooth with less grapefruit flavor. The chamomile does most of the work here, giving the bittersweet soda a soft, floral ending.
Rating: This is probably the best grapefruit soda we've tried thus far. Not just for the website, but life in general. It articulates its main flavor of grapefruit perfectly without hiding its true identity. Grapefruit isn't a completely sweet fruit. If you ever try a grapefruit beverage that tastes like a trip to the candy factory, the company wasn't being authentic in its interpretation of the flavor. Joia embraces grapefruit's bittersweet nature and adds two other flavors that both amplify and assist it. Most of the sugar you taste comes from the fruit itself, but there's definitely enough of it there to make you feel like you're drinking soda and not juice. From the very first sniff of the bottle, Grapefruit, Chamomile, and Cardamom gives off the impression that it was made with real ingredients. It is. From the opening sip, the grapefruit's sweetness is lush and flavorful, before the cardamom intensifies its bitter notes. The chamomile works as a softening agent near the finish, making this soda an extremely smooth one with mild floral notes. For a grapefruit soda, that's damn impressive. That's like taking a fat dude and somehow fitting him into 30×30 jeans. All praise aside, this is grapefruit through and through so if you don't like the fruit itself, stay away from this one. For the rest of you wanting to try something excellent regardless of your fruit prejudices, Joia makes arguably the best grapefruit soda on the market. Put it in your mouth.
Posted in Five Stars, Fruit Soda and tagged all natural soda, craft, five star soda, fivestarsoda.com, flavor, grapefruit chamomile an cardamom, grapefruit soda, joia, review, soda, taste on June 22, 2016 by Bobby Hearn. 1 Comment
Bundaberg: Pink Grapefruit
History: Perched along the northeastern coast of Queensland, Australia sits the city of Bundaberg. The name itself is hard not to say in an Aussie accent. It's ok, we'll pause so you can do it. You good now? Right, then. But you might know the name from arguably its greatest export, Bunderberg Brewed Drinks. The company, founded in 1960 and named after the city, is most famous for its ginger beer. Today, the company brews around 12 different flavors at a time with new ideas for sodas always being kicked around. Bundaberg ships its sodas across 46 different counties. Most of their flavors can be found around the world, though Australia and New Zealand are probably the only places you can be guaranteed to find the entire collection. For example, you won't find Creaming Soda or Pineapple and Coconut in America. And let me tell you, we were given some of the latter just to sample and not review… and it is delightful. I may not have a girlfriend, but I do get sent rare sodas from time to time. I digress. I also mentioned that Bundaberg "brews" its sodas. This word is very important because it really is the best way to describe how their beverages are produced. Ashleigh Gray, Bundaberg's Brand Manager, says "We pour our heart and soul into every brewed drink." And I know that warms your heart, but the most important ingredients are actually yeast and fruit. Using yeast to ferment the fruit allows Bundaberg "to extract real flavor," giving the sodas their signature, authentic fruity taste. According to Gray, the process can take "up to seven days." Trust me, for a soda, that is intense. The company branched out from ginger beer in 2010, introducing its sparkling line that included pink grapefruit, guava, and blood orange. Even though it can be a divisive fruit, we've always felt like grapefruit could really translate to soda if the bottler could actually pull out the real essence of the fruit. Bundaberg's Peach Soda does exactly that, so it was time to see how they tackled something a little more challenging to a wider audience's palate. When we asked how the company designed the soda's flavor profile, we were given an encouraging answer. Gray told us that "the grapefruit juice and the locally sourced sugarcane used in our beverages means that we don't need to design the taste of our beverages, the taste comes through the use of real, quality ingredients." We're more than convinced our audience deserves to know more about Bundaberg's Pink Grapefruit soda. Yet, as with any grapefruit soda or new relationship, we're guarded.
Where to get: Bundaberg is the largest nonalcoholic craft beverage distributor in Australia and their sodas can be found all over the world. To find your nearest retailer, enter your info in their online product locator. You can also buy it online from Soda Emporium in single bottles or on Amazon in 12-packs.
Nose: Smells exactly like a fresh-sliced pink grapefruit. You can't get a more authentic grapefruit scent.
Taste: Grapefruit; mild sweetness; mild acidity. For as lush as this smells, the grapefruit taste is more pulled back than I'd expect. Pink grapefruit is definitely the dominating flavor here; it's just not as bold as your nose leads you to believes. It's a mild, but authentic grapefruit taste with reasonable sweetness and a slight, slight tartness. Solid grapefruit flavor, but doesn't have the same punch or acidity that a real grapefruit slice contains. Refreshing and easy to drink. A summer soda, no doubt.
Finish: Medium tartness that flows outward on the tongue with the same grapefruit flavor from the body of the soda. The only difference on the finish is that the acidity is a little more noticeable.
Rating: Bundaberg is one of the best mass-produced craft soda brands at taking a fruit and transforming it into a sugary carbonated beverage while maintaining its authentic flavor. Their take on pink grapefruit is no different. It actually does taste like real grapefruit, just more mild in every way. Bundaberg Pink Grapefruit Soda takes everything about the fruit – namely the flavor and the acidity – and dials it back. Even the sugar levels aren't as high as in other craft sodas. All of this, I assume, is intentional since grapefruit's flavor is pretty divisive to the general population. Unlike drinking fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice, this is much more approachable. This is a grapefruit soda that's light and refreshing while still tasting like the real thing. It's like the opposite of when my sister makes meatloaf – I'm not really sure what's in there, and God knows it's better if I don't ask. Bundaberg seems to have made a grapefruit soda for both fans and non-fans of grapefruit. Even if the fruit itself makes you a little hesitant, I'd still suggest trying the soda. My only qualm is the fact that it's so approachable. For me, I'd enjoy a little more punch from the flavor. Bolder grapefruit and more of a bite. Admittedly, I'm probably in the minority, but I just need a little more oomph. I think Bundaberg's Pink Grapefruit Soda would be best enjoyed on a hot day, perhaps by the pool or on a boat, maybe with some rum or vodka. Just make sure you're not the driver. Grapefruit sodas are quietly becoming more popular in craft soda and many of today's bottlers could learn a lesson from Bundaberg's take on the category.
Posted in Four Stars, Fruit Soda and tagged australia, bundaberg, bundaberg pink grapefruit, craft, five star soda, fivestarsoda.com, flavor, grapefruit soda, review, soda, taste on May 18, 2016 by Bobby Hearn. Leave a comment
Gazosa La Fiorenzana: Pompelmo
History: Hailing from the Alps of Switzlerand comes a soda that's been brewed the same way since 1921, a hidden gem tucked away in the little village of Grono located in the Grisons canton. It's been traveling over 4,900 miles and longer than 14.5 hours to reach America, and now it's here… for the first time ever. That's right, Five Star Soda is the first American media outlet to get its hands on Gazosa La Fiorenzana. Francesco Tonna started Gazosa with four original flavors: Pompelmo (grapegruit), Limone (lemon), Mandarino (mandarin orange), and Lampone (raspberry). Today there are a total of eight. It was in 2002 when ex-footballer (soccer) and Polpenzisch founder Stephan Keller descended from the Netherlands to a bar in Zurich during his time playing for FC Zurich. It was there he sampled Gazosa for the first time. He and his immaculate beard realized immediately he couldn't let this tasting be his last and decided to begin importing the Swiss soda to the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Meanwhile, I didn't put pants on until noon today. His description of Gazosa paints the company as the epitome of little mom and pop productions. He jokes, "Swiss small is different to U.S. small." First of all, the business has stayed in the Ponzio-Tonna family and is currently in its fourth generation. According to the Keller, the soda's label remains unchanged. The company still uses refillable swing-top bottles, a reason, Keller adds, that Gazosa will probably never be available in America. People in America definitely probably don't have the patience for refillable bottles. The company also has no marketing budget and relies soley on word-of-mouth. But what we all care about is taste. To that, Keller added, "Our flavors are pure and old fashioned, please don't expect any mixes or addition of vanilla or anything." Like many soda bottlers outside of America, a majority (six) of Gazosa's flavors are citrus, including all four original flavors. There's a simple reason for this. You ready? Keller explains the secret, saying, "Francesco Tonna just used what he had available, experimented and tested the flavors amongst his loyal drinkers." Mind blowing, right? What we're getting at is this little, independent Swiss family business has been making soda the old fashioned way with real ingredients for a long time. They might just be one of the soda universe's best kept secrets.
We wanted our first Gazosa review to remain true to the original four flavors, but also to be a little adventurous. We went with Pompelmo. We figured if you can make a divisive flavor like grapefruit taste good in soda form, then you probably know what you're doing. Turns out Pompelmo was the second flavor Tonna cooked up and Keller notes it's actually the original Limone with real grapefruit added to the recipe for some added bitterness. You can actually see bits of pulp in the bottle. If you're curious (even if you're not), Pompelmo means "grapefruit" in Italian. As with all Gazosa citrus flavors, the fruit comes "from Italian traders to the south of Switzerland," says Keller. The flavor is the company's international best-seller.
Where to get: Gazosa La Fiorenzana is available at many fine Swiss restaurants and cafes. It's currently distributed only in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.
Nose: Grapefruit. Real grapefruit. It's like cutting open a grapefruit and holding the peel up to your nose. It's actually pretty remarkable. There's also some lemon on the nose as well.
Taste: Sweet lemon; tartness; grapefruit; bitter carbonation. There's a bittersweet element to this soda that authentically ties the whole drink together. The lemon is more prominent in the flavor profile than the nose, but the bitterness of real lemon shines through in combination with the tart sweetness of a grapefruit. The carbonation is a rush of intensity at the beginning of each sip that amplifies the bitter lemon notes. This gradually fades into a sweeter lemon-grapefruit hybrid. The lemon at this point becomes more candied akin to a traditional lemon-lime soda, but the grapefruit really does taste like real grapefruit juice. It's bitter, then it's sweet and ends with a mild tartness. An authentic citrus soda.
Finish: Tart grapefruit with a light dusting of sugar that gradually fades. The linger on this is perfect.
Rating: The best grapefruit soda in the world may very well hail from Switzerland. Gazosa has taken one of America's most divisive fruits and presented it in a soda with juice to taste fresh, enough tartness to remain true to the lemon and grapefruit, and enough sweetness to keep soda purists happy. It's very rich in citrus. The juices are very prominent. The grapefruit juice really holds its flavor. If you don't like grapefruit, you wouldn't like this. But why would you be drinking grapefruit soda to begin with, you weirdo? The lemon goes through more of a transformation, at one point bitter, and at another much sweeter. Americans aren't used to sodas that garner a large portion of their sweetness from the natural sugars in the juices. Compared to American soda, even some of the artisinal fruit ones, this probably tastes more like a carbonated juice than soda if I had to choose. But then there's that distinctive soda fizz and sugar rush on some sips. It's a nice mixture. The Swiss have beautiful women and make beautiful soda. That's already two reasons for me to find a new girlfriend in Switzerland. This is a rare treat for us at Five Star to review something from so far away. The only sad thing is that unless you're heading to Switzerland, this will be out of your reach. The one that got away. Maybe you should go chase after it. Just maybe. Fünf sterne.
Posted in Citrus, Five Stars, Fruit Soda and tagged craft, five star soda, fivestarsoda.com, flavor, gazosa, grapefruit soda, lemon, pompelmo, review, soda, swiss, switzerland, taste on August 15, 2015 by Bobby Hearn. 2 Comments


What we know about CMU shooting suspect James Eric Davis, Jr.
James Eric Davis Jr. is the suspect in the shooting deaths of two people on Central Michigan University's campus.
The university has identified the victims as Davis' parents, James Eric Davis Sr., a part-time police officer in Bellwood, Illinois,since 1999 and Diva Jeneen Davis.
James Eric Davis, Jr., who is listed as a sophomore in CMU's student directory, was arrested early Saturday morning.
"The suspect was seen and reported by an individual on a train passing through the north end of campus shortly after midnight. Law enforcement personnel responded and arrested the suspect without incident," CMU in a statement released a statement on its website about 1 a.m.
Central Michigan University police "had contact" with Davis Thursday night, and he was taken to the MidMichigan Medical Center in Mount Pleasant and released Friday morning, according to Lt. Larry Klaus of the CMU Police Department. He was seen headed north from the dorm, running along the railroad tracks, said Mount Pleasant information officer Jeff Browne.
Kendall Gilder met Davis in the fourth grade at Charles Reed Elementary School in Joliet, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.
"We clicked immediately," he said. Even their teacher noticed. "He said 'I can see that you guys are going to have a long friendship.'"
His first thought when he heard that Davis was a suspect in the killings was "how we were like brothers and how we were always together, messing around, goofing around."
"James has always been a good kid," Gilder said. "This was not something that was ever to be expected and, even at this moment, I can't bring myself to believe it."
Deantre DeYoung met Davis during their freshman year at Plainfield South High School, which Davis attended for three years before switching to Plainfield Central High School, where he graduated in 2016.
Davis "wasn't a bad kid," DeYoung said. "He's a smart kid. He went to school for academics. He wasn't there to mess around."
Davis' parents "were loving and caring about him, and they were always on top of what he did school-wise," he added. "Whatever situation went down between them, it has to be more than him being a bad person because, as a family, they loved each other. I know that for certain."
Steve Lamberti, the humanities division chair at Plainfield Central and the former coach of the boy's basketball team, said he coached Davis Jr. during his senior year.
Lamberti described Davis Jr. as a polite and quiet kid. He said Davis Jr. didn't have a lot of playing time, but always showed up on time.
Davis Jr.'s Twitter account is full of sports videos and retweets from celebrities like Zendaya and Chance the Rapper. He's tweeted about his class schedule, planning to dye his hair and Alabama football.
Jordan Murphy and James Eric Davis, Sr. worked together for several years as recruiters in the Illinois Army National Guard.
In a Facebook post, Murphy described the Davises as "loving, ever present parents, who doted on their children."
Diva Davis, he said, had beaten stage 4 breast cancer "overcoming all odds to beat the disease."
And James Davis, Jr. "was a very respectful man, raised by upstanding parents, who would do anything to protect him and his siblings."
"This is so incredibly out of character," Murphy wrote, "something went wrong somewhere."
For everyone who really knows James we know this isn't adding up. It doesn't make sense.
Me & this dude literally hooped together, just talked to him on the phone the other day. That just goes to show you really never know what people are going through on the inside. This really hit home.


text:
2Night — Night 2
Posted by Sean L. McCarthy | Nov 6, 1998 | 0 |
Let me introduce a couple of my friends.
Joe Vespaziani. A man among men. Who else among us in the competition can say they've had a bum kidney, endured the pain of a catheter, and then written a hilarious bit about it? Who, I ask you? Who? Joe lives in Lynnwood. But don't hold that against him. Few people taking the stage today can write a joke as well as Joe can. And so far this week, Joe is enjoying the proverbial fruits of his labor. He has finished in the top two each of the first two nights, including his win on Wednesday.
"I've never had that happen before," Joe said before tonight's show.
He said he has always worried about what jokes to tell in the competition. And though he has placed in the top five a couple of nights in past years, he hasn't gotten his due. So this year he decided to throw out his typical set and give audiences what amounts to a greatest-hits package. It also helps, I should note, that he has gotten to follow me onstage both times. Actually, I owe Joe a lot in terms of my own comedic growth. For it was Joe who allowed Dancing Boy to see his day (or night) in the spotlight.
At the other end of the competition's spectrum is Scott Meyer. Meyer — even his wife calls him that (go figure) — is a 27-year-old from Edmonds who is a veteran of five Seattle competitions. Meyer, like Joe, writes darn good jokes. He makes a decent living at it, too. But somehow, someway, the competition does not shine brightly on my friend Meyer. So this is his last go-round, he says. And he plans to make it memorable. On night one, he finished last, portraying "The Intellectual," a smoking jacket-wearing, martini-sipping guy who tells the lowest of lowbrow jokes. "So far, I'm right on track with the Meyer plan with dead first or dead last," he said tonight. "Tonight's set is designed to put me under the top. I've given up with even being pleased with my score. I was pleased with my performance."
He certainly enjoyed himself tonight as he demonstrated the miracle of life by giving birth onstage. But he did not finish first or last. Last place arrived on the doorstep of yours truly, thanks to a mind-numbing six minutes that included a pause where I forgot what joke I wanted to tell next, and two bits that I never intended to do outside of an open mike. Let's just say me mind was on other things, shall we? Needless to say, I did not get the encore point tonight.
Your unofficial top five tonight:
1. Andy Andrist
2. Joe Vespaziani
3. Kevin Foxx
4. Damonde Tschritter
5. Stan Chen
The encore point is a tricky and entirely subjective bonus that makes or breaks your chances of placing in the top five. When you're done telling your jokey jokes, the host (Arnold Mukai for our week) comes back onstage and announces your name. The audience then gives its approval with applause and appropriate hoots and hollers. If the applause is "tremendously obvious" to the host, he/she will award you an encore point. That gives the host some say in the matter, you might think. But tonight, the judges decided that at least one comic, Curtis Lee, had been robbed of his encore point. It didn't help Curtis make the top five. But it kept his score in the running. And when you've still got four nights to go, every point matters.
Next stop: A homecoming of sorts for me at The Cloverleaf in Bremerton. A word of warning — I have drawn the dreaded pole position. That's right. I will be going first. I am going to throw down the gauntlet. Let them try to follow my heat. Just let them try.
PreviousNotes from Underground – Day 1
NextHome is where the joke is — Night 3