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Monday, May 07, 2007

Spurs Swipe Homecourt Advantage From Suns

The San Antonio Spurs' 111-106 game one victory left the Phoenix Suns battered and bloodied both literally and figuratively. Steve Nash missed several crucial possessions down the stretch because of uncontrollable bleeding from his nose, the result of an accidental head butt that he suffered when he collided with Tony Parker while going for a steal with 2:53 remaining and the Suns trailing 100-99. Parker remained on the ground longer than Nash and emerged with a nasty bump on his head but Nash looked like he, not Oscar de la Hoya, had just gone 12 rounds with Floyd Mayweather. The Suns were able to patch Nash up so that he could stay in the game initially and he made a three pointer and a tough driving layup to keep the Suns in contact but Nash had to leave the game with :54 left when the bleeding could not be stopped. The Suns trailed 106-104 at that point and they were behind 110-106 when he came back in the game with :09 remaining. Nash's injury will provide Suns' apologists with a welcome excuse but the bigger picture reality is that this is a devastating loss for Phoenix: the game was played at their pace, on their homecourt and they still lost despite Nash's 31 points and eight assists.

Nothing has changed: the Spurs are more versatile than the Suns and are a better defensive team. We all know that they can beat the Suns in a slow down game but they can also beat them in an uptempo game, even if that is not San Antonio's preference. Nash's scoring was a little better than usual and his 8/3 assist/turnover ratio was a little worse than usual but that is all part of San Antonio's defensive plan: the Spurs make sure that they get back on defense in order to deny easy lob passes to Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion. That puts the onus on Nash to either run the shot clock down farther than he wants or to take on a bigger role as a scorer. I've never understood why anyone double-teams Nash; it makes more sense to stay at home on the other four guys and do your best to slow Nash down one on one. That may result in a big scoring night for Nash, but that means 30-35 points, not 50-60, and the Suns cannot win with Nash scoring 30-35 while everyone else is held in check. Stoudemire shot just 6-19 from the field, though he certainly had some good moments as well en route to 20 points, 18 rebounds and five blocked shots. Nevertheless, Tim Duncan more than offset those numbers with 33 points, 16 rebounds and three blocked shots; Duncan shot 12-24 from the field. Meanwhile, Nash's counterpart Parker scored 32 points and had eight assists. Nash shot 11-18 (.611), which is very good, but Parker shot an even better 14-22 (.636). Yes, the game was close and either team could have won but that should be the rallying cry of the road team, not the home team; now the Suns must win game two, because heading to San Antonio for two games down 0-2 is a recipe for quick exit from the playoffs. Something else that may become a factor if the Suns are able to extend the series to six or seven games is the Spurs' superior depth: the Suns used just eight players, five of whom played at least 33 minutes, while the Spurs used 10 players, three of whom played at least 33 minutes. If the Suns make it to game six or game seven they will be a tired, worn down team by that time.

This series is interesting for two reasons: (1) the battle for Western Conference supremacy; (2) the eternal question of who is the NBA's best player. Nash is not a statistically dominant player: his numbers are comparable to those put up by his predecessors John Stockton, Kevin Johnson, Mark Price and others, none of whom got close to winning an MVP, and he is not ranked as the best player in the NBA by any of the most widely used formulas: Hollinger's PER, NBA EFF or the Roland Rating. There is no precedent for the league's best passer to be selected as the MVP unless that player also had a tremendous all around game (Magic Johnson--scorer, rebounder, passer deluxe) and/or was leading teams to championships (Magic Johnson again).

How does that relate to my oft repeated view that Kobe Bryant is both the best and the most valuable player? Bryant's claim to those titles is not based on the nebulous concept of "making one's teammates better" that Nash advocates use in lieu of individual statistics and/or championship success; all great players make their teammates better by drawing more defensive attention and then passing the ball when that extra coverage arrives, so Nash is no different than the other top five or 10 players in the league in that sense. Bryant is the best player because he is the most complete player, someone who scores, rebounds, passes and defends. From a scouting report standpoint, his game has no weaknesses. That does not mean that he is perfect or that he never makes mistakes or forces shots; that means that his game has no glaring holes. Nowitzki--well, let's not beat on a man while he is down; Nash is not a great one on one defender, so his impact is mainly felt on one end of the court; Duncan and LeBron James each have free throw line weaknesses.

As for value as it relates to winning, Bryant's value to his team can be demonstrated statistically by looking at the Lakers' performance when he is not on the court or aesthetically by simply watching a few Lakers games. Warning: the results are not pretty; Lakers Coach Phil Jackson had good reason to recently say that his players performed with the intelligence of slugs and earthworms. Bryant's status as the best/most valuable player should not hinge on whether or not his teammates convert the open shots that he provides. Bryant's impact is obvious and it is equally obvious that he is willing to distribute the ball or shoot as the situation warrants; he leads the team in assists but is also capable of averaging 40 ppg for a month if his coach says that is the only way to save the season.

Nash may yet lead the Suns past the Spurs and to an NBA title but the more likely scenario is that in a week to 10 days he will be on the same fishing boat with Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant. Then maybe someone can explain why Nash is better than Nowitzki or Bryant, each of whom has enjoyed greater success both statistically and from a team standpoint than Nash has so far. The statistical case to support Nash as the best player is simply not there and after three years we are still waiting to see Nash's "value toward winning" translate into even one NBA Finals appearance. An even better question is this: Duncan's Spurs won the championship during Nash's first MVP year (2005), so how will it look if they knock off the Suns and win the title this year, giving Duncan two championships in three years but no MVPs during that span? If Nash got two MVPs based solely on his contributions to team success, shouldn't he forward the trophies to a player who actually has led his team to ultimate success?

Nash is a great player, one of the five best in the NBA today in my opinion. What I don't understand is his ascension in the eyes of many to the number one spot despite a lack of statistical support or championship hardware to justify ranking him as the absolute best. The other thing that I don't get is why it is some kind of sacrilege to suggest that Nash might "merely" be a top five player and not the consensus number one. Nash fanatics regularly suggest that Bryant is not even a top ten player and that his defense is overrated, two claims that are so ludicrous on the surface that they barely deserve reply; suffice it to say that it would be hard to find many coaches or scouts who would agree with those sentiments (out of context statements by one or two people do not count as a consensus of opinion among coaches and scouts).

This is an interesting time for Nash-philes because if he leads the Suns to the title then he is simply living up to the outsized expectations that have been placed on him--but if the Suns again fail to even make it to the Finals then Nash's "supreme" contributions to winning deserve some scrutiny. Rather than awarding regular season MVPs based on what we think or expect a team's ultimate success will be why not simply determine who the best, most complete player is and give that player the award? Then we won't feel like we need a recount after each round of the playoffs.

posted by David Friedman @ 6:15 AM

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At Monday, May 07, 2007 4:58:00 PM, Blogger alternaviews said...

why are you writign about Kobe after Suns-Spurs, game 1?

Kobe has nothing to do with this game -- he is on handsomely paid vacation now.

give it a rest with the Kobe love

with nash on the ct, phx may well have won -- barbosa made an idiotic foul without nash there

Nash had 31 points on 18 shots, plus 8 assists ... those are ridiculous #s...

you can mock efficiency, but efficiency is what wins or loses a close game -- those 2 or 3 points wasted here and there, that's what decides close games... (here, Nash was hurt which may have decided it)

SanAn simply has a better OVERALL team --Duncan over Stoudemire, Bowen over Bell, (Marion over Finley but not by much and at different positions), Barbosa and Ginobli is a draw if you factor in experience (see above)... and Parker is phenomenal, playing even with Nash in this one particular game...

oh, and Horry by a country mile over your favorite Diaw -- BIg Shot Bob was the difference in that game, actaully

plus the bench depth of San An

but Nash played great -- clutch layup, 3, and FTs.

"Then maybe someone can explain why Nash is better than Nowitzki or Bryant, each of whom has enjoyed greater success both statistically and from a team standpoint than Nash has so far. "

the only team success is winning the title. Nash & Dirk are equals, except Nash might win it this year and Dirk can't possibly. end of story -- if you think Dirk has "team success" by last year's 4 straight losses to Miami and this year's loss to an 8th seed, then you can keep that type of "team success"

Nash was also more efficient than dirk, each of 2 seasons before this ... MVP voting was based on regular season

At Monday, May 07, 2007 9:58:00 PM, Blogger marcel said...

this aint about kobe or dirk there at home now if nash would of stayed in there last game they probably would of won kobe ran shaq out didnt want to play with shaq whatever way you want to put it he's a jordan fake and a arrogant person thats why people dont give him his due im not saying those are true but thats why people dont like him like they do nash nash is overated if you think he's as good as magic or stockton but thats a bad boy david he's incredible the way he passes and his style to me is great. kobe better all around player and scorer nash better passer shooter he's top 3 players kobe 1 lebron 2. nash 3 also as far as never winning a title dirk hasnt either and kobe was the second best player on that team shaq was the best davis so to act like he was wilt duncan or magic bird jordan leader of they team is a joke. you have to be batman not robin they count, not as much as the best player on a team. phoenix still got a good chance to win this series still just because you win one game doesnt mean youll win the sereies

At Tuesday, May 08, 2007 2:41:00 AM, Blogger David Friedman said...

I am writing about the best teams and best players in the NBA. The Spurs and Suns qualify as two of the former, while Kobe, Dirk and Nash are three of the latter. Dirk is the presumptive MVP, yet he won exactly one more playoff game than Kobe did, despite playing an inferior (at least on paper) opponent and having a lot more help than Kobe does. Will you no longer mention Nash in your comments after the Suns are eliminated within the next two weeks?

Barbosa's foul was of course a stupid play but I don't agree with analysts who say that the Suns unraveled without Nash. On the possessions that Nash sat out Amare got point blank shots at the rim that he missed; I don't see how they would have gotten higher percentage shots even with Nash on the court.

I don't mock efficiency; I question why you have emphasized that concept so often in your comments and yet you flatly refuse to acknowledge that none of the most prominent measurements of efficiency--Holliger's PER, NBA EFF and Roland Rating--rank Nash as the NBA's best player. In fact, those systems rate Nash lower than I do. I guess they are "haters" (what I really "hate" is the use of the term "hater" in place of actual solid basketball analysis).

Nash's numbers were great and I said so. Did you look at Parker's numbers? They were every bit as good. So the Suns did not win the battle at a position manned by a two-time MVP. This is not news; Parker regularly torches Nash and the Spurs have won something like 15 of their last 20 games against the Suns.

You rightly acknowledge that the MVP voting is based on the regular season, which kind of mitigates against your whole team success idea because team success is determined in the playoffs. I'm not sure what you mean by saying that Nash and Dirk are equals; they are equals in the sense that neither has won a title, while Duncan has three and Kobe has three.

Your idea to heavily base MVP voting on team success is flawed because, as you rightly note, the only true success is winning the championship--and the MVP is voted on and awarded long before the NBA Finals. You still have not answered my question about Dirk and Nash. If Dirk's first round performance disqualified him in your mind, then what happens if (when) Nash loses in the second round? What if Duncan leads the Spurs to a fourth ring and the second of the Nash/MVP era?

Rather than basing MVP voting on team success we should look at which players have the most complete games and what role these players play on their teams. Dallas would still be a solid team without Dirk. Phx would still be a good team without Nash (notwithstanding the Suns' record in a handful of games without Nash, don't tell me that a team with two All-Stars like Amare and Marion would not be a solid playoff team, particularly with Barbosa, Bell and the rest of the supporting cast). The Lakers without Kobe are a lottery team. Kobe is very valuable from the standpoint of winning. Not every team is a title contender but that does not mean that the team's best player has no value toward winning. Furthermore, we have seen Kobe perform well at the highest level in the NBA Finals. There were times during those title runs when he was the best player on the court for either team. If Kobe were the best player on a seventh seed but had never performed well on a great team then MAYBE you could say that he is just putting up stats but cannot contribute value on a contending team--but the reality is that we still have to question if Dirk or Nash will ever perform at a high level on a championship team. Kobe and Duncan have already done this three times.

Dirk's Mavs have been more successful than Nash's Suns since the two split ways. That's a fact. No one that I know of who calculates efficiency ranks Nash as the NBA's best player. His stats are most similar to previous point guards who never came close to winning MVPs. So I still don't get why he is a two-time MVP and why it has become a sacrilege to suggest that he may only be the third, fourth or (gasp) fifth best player in the NBA; the cold, hard numbers rate him lower than I do and he has no championship hardware to supplement his case.

San Antonio's team is better mainly because Duncan has more of an impact than Nash does and because Nash is in fact largely canceled out by Parker, not just in one game, but in most of the recent games between these teams. Parker is not on too many MVP ballots. Duncan controls the game at the defensive end of the court, shutting down the paint and enabling his teammates to stay at home on the outside shooters with the confidence that if they drive into the lane that Duncan will block their shots. Duncan also abuses Amare in the post; Amare blocks some shots with his athleticism but generally Duncan fakes him out and wears him down.

At Tuesday, May 08, 2007 3:11:00 AM, Blogger David Friedman said...

This Batman/Robin business makes no sense regarding great players on championship teams. “Batman” Michael Jordan won exactly one playoff game (one game, not one series) without “Robin” Scottie Pippen. No player wins a championship by himself, so to give Shaq all of the credit for the Lakers’ titles is not right; Kobe was the team’s assists leader and an All-NBA and All-Defensive Team selection. At times during those seasons and during those championship series he was the very best player on the court.

Rings “count” in terms of comparing the careers of great players if the player in question was at least an All-Star or All-NBA player when he played on a championship team. Magic’s rings are also Kareem’s rings and Moses Malone’s ring is also Julius Erving’s ring—and Dirk and Nash have no rings, no matter how you “count,” while Kobe and Duncan have won three apiece.

I would not necessarily count rings when evaluating MVP candidates because I simply look at a player’s overall skill set and value to his team; Kobe has a complete skill set and is clearly vital to the Lakers. However, those who think that a player must be a “winner” to be an MVP simply cannot ignore the fact that Kobe and Duncan have demonstrated that they can successfully compete at the NBA Finals level, while Dirk and Nash (and LeBron) have yet to do so. My MVP choice is not subject to a round by round referendum during the NBA playoffs because I am looking at a player’s overall skill level and contributions, not trying to figure out in April/May which team is the “best” so that I can simply nominate the “best” player from that team. We don’t know which team is the best until the Finals are over and the best player on that team (or at least the one who plays the best in the Finals) will get the Finals MVP.

As for this series, Phx has little chance to win unless Duncan gets hurt. The Spurs have dominated Phx for the past several years. Furthermore, the team that wins game one wins the series nearly 80% of the time. The Spurs bucked those odds in round one against the Nuggets but the Spurs were the clearly superior team in that matchup. That is certainly not the case here.

At Tuesday, May 08, 2007 12:54:00 PM, Blogger alternaviews said...

bottom line is that MVP talk is largely moot anyway. what does it mean, after all?

if i had certain rosters (in desperate need of scoring), i'd take kobe.. others (vast talent inside and running ability), Nash.

honestly, i'd probably take Lebron over either of them, for most NBA teams. He is more versatile and will overcome temporary FT woes

probably wouldnt consider any other current players besides those 3

At Tuesday, May 08, 2007 7:18:00 PM, Blogger marcel said...

altenative views is totally right lebron might be better than both that may be me thinking with my heart more than any real logic kobe just so good with makeing 40 points look like 20 for other great players.he can do it all on the court obvisouly nash is great and so is lebron mvp should be based on level of player winning and if you take that player off that team how good would they be.

At Tuesday, May 08, 2007 7:46:00 PM, Blogger alternaviews said...

"Nash fanatics regularly suggest that Bryant['s] . . . defense is overrated"

i didnt realize the LA TIMES is a Nash fanatic... (see my prior post on their quotes)

At Wednesday, May 09, 2007 7:03:00 AM, Blogger David Friedman said...

Just because the L.A. Times wrote something does not mean (1) that it is true or (2) that it is not something that is regularly said by Nash fans.

The L.A. Times, Nash fans, Awful Basket and anybody else can say what they want to about Kobe's defense but I am more inclined to believe the evaluation of the NBA's 30 head coaches.

LeBron is not a bad choice--and looking better every day. Last year, I had him in my top five "with a bullet." He seemed to regress slightly in the 2007 regular season but he is once again playing very well in the playoffs. I'd still take Kobe over him--better defense, championship level experience (though LeBron may get some of that soon), deeper shooting range, better free throw shooter: Kobe still has an edge in several tangibles and intangibles.

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Warlords of Draenor Release Date And Cinematic Trailer Coming on August 14

[Update] Warlords of Draenor release date is Nov 13, 2014

Yesterday, someone said Warlords of Draenor Cinematic Trailer today. But thing seems a little different. According to the WoW blog, Blizzard announced figureheads Mike Morhaime and Chris Metzen and WoW designers Ion Hazzikostas and Brian Holinka will host a live stream event at Ace Theatre in Los Angeles at August 14, 2014. At that time, Blizzard not only reveal the WoW 6.0: Warlords of Draenor release date, but also release the WoD cinematic trailer, called Lords of War. And Anyone who joins the event (Live or in L.A.) will also receive a beta key for Warlords of Draenor. Besides, there is speculation that EU players may also see the Warlords of Draenor Cinematic trailer premiere at Gamescom 2014, which will be hold at Cologne, Cermany during August 13 to 17.
A storm of iron is headed Azeroth’s way—be among the first to witness its fury at the world premiere of the Warlords of Draenor cinematic! Join Blizzard’s Mike Morhaime, Chris Metzen, and World of Warcraft designers Ion Hazzikostas and Brian Holinka for the grand unveiling, streamed live from the Ace Theatre in Los Angeles. But that’s not all—we’ll also host a live interview with the WoW developers, announce the Warlords of Draenor launch date, and debut the first episode of a new animated lore mini-series: Lords of War. You won’t want to miss it!
  • When: Thursday, August 14 at 9:30 a.m. PDT
  • Where: Join us on WorldofWarcraft.com to watch the live stream, or attend** the event live at the Theatre at Ace Hotel, located at 929 South Broadway in Los Angeles. (Doors open at 8:30 a.m.)
  • Live Attendee Bonus: Anyone who joins us live and in person in L.A. will also receive a beta key for Warlords of Draenor.*
*Doors open at 8:30 a.m. Seating is limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, so be sure to get there early! Beta keys will be given out to everyone who comes down for the live event.

**Please note: World of Warcraft is rated T for Teen; some content on display at the event may not be suitable for children ages of 12 or younger. Anyone 12 years of age or under must be accompanied by an adult.

Source: Battle.net
Related Article:
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Hands-on | Character Creation | Shadowmoon Valley | Horde starter | Character Creation (Alpha)

Features Revamped Character Model: New Model Collection | Female Human | Female Orc | Female Dwarf | Female Undead | Tauren | Female Draenei
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Screenshots: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
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News: 10 Amazing Items We Can't Get in WoW | Old World Dungeon Sets | Orgrimmar Changes - Clean Up After Siege!The Iron Horde Invades Blasted Lands | Tier 1 to 16 Sets | Nagrad Preview  | Shaman's New Ghost Wolf Preview |

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Friday Freebie: grow template

This month I have a new 12x12 template to share. I created it for my grow layout and it is free for personal use only. It features 12 layers including photo masks and the paper borders.

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Thursday, December 6, 2012

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Monday, March 21, 2011

Day 976: I'm one of 'those' girls now =)

Yesterday I officially crossed something off of my bucket list. . .I completed a half marathon. Yes, my __ lb body carried myself 13.1 miles through the streets of Atlanta.

It wasn't fast, it wasn't pretty and I'm sure at certain points during the half marathon someone would have looked at me and wondered if I was even moving =) But I DID IT!

Now this post will have very little to do with paleo. . .and more to do with how my mentality has changed as a result of CF and paleo, but it took a REALLY long time. . .so I'm hoping to share this in order to speed up the process for anyone else.

One thing you should know about me is that I'm extremely self-aware, which often leads to being self-critical. I know the things I'm good at and the things I'm not good at. I am surrounded by things that I am decent at in most parts of my day - school, writing and writing =) BUT when it comes to all things physical I know I'm not good at those things. I'm not an athlete, never have been and for the majority of my young adult life I didn't move.

That's right - I didn't move

. . .or if I moved I moved from couch to food. Which of course caused the ridiculous amount of weight I gained. Finally, when I started my weight loss journey I was so out of shape it was a struggle to do anything - mostly, because I was embarrassed. I remember being too embarrassed to use the machines at the gym and took group classes for about 6-8 months in order to not be seen. When I did use the machines and felt comfortable enough I started running - it seemed natural to me to run to lose weight. . .but my body could only take so much. I would run for 30 seconds at a time and walk 4 1/2 minutes. repeat. One of the trainers came up to me at the gym and told me that I didn't need to run and could hurt myself. All of those things obviously contributed to how I see my physicality. Basically, I've felt that I'm not one of those people. . .you know, those people who grew up playing sports, who ran in college just to run, etc.

Unfortunately, seeing myself that way created so much negative self dialogue in my head for a long time. I would estimate that the entire first year of my membership at cf was not fun for me because I was so concerned with the board, my time, how I compared to so and so, etc. . .And while I worked out I would tell myself these awful, awful things (yes I talk to myself while working out - who doesn't - right?).

The combination of spending two weeks in Europe (and recognizing that Americans [including myself] are some super scary high anxiety, Type A crazies) and my approaching half marathon forced me to reflect on what I was telling myself and to shift my focus.

Instead of allowing my thoughts to even get to the point where I started to worry about coming in last or how I was doing in comparison to so and so, I simply stopped. . .Instead I told myself (on repeat) all of these positive things

"Your body can do this"
"This is mental - your body will do it"
"It doesn't matter how long it takes you, you're doing it"

So I tried that approach at CF when I came back - and surprise surprise, it made working out more bearable =)
And yesterday, that's what I did for 13 miles. . .I only allowed myself to say positive things the entire time. The second a negative thought came in - I let it go, quickly. . .It was amazing what a difference it makes.

It was at the end of the race that I realized, sure there are other people who have more physicality, who have been life long athletes, but now I have something that they have to - a mentality that physically I'm as strong and able as I tell myself I am.

Is it really that simple I wonder - can you really just keep telling yourself you can do something, and than you can do it? I hope so. . .because now that I've crossed that off my bucket list I have to get to some other things.

PS - I would be remiss if I did not shout out my supporters. . .where do I begin. The folks who have supported me all along the way, new and old friends, life long friends, runners and non-runners. Your support is immeasurable. I recognize that this is not a journey I have gone through alone, and it is only possible because of friends that have become family, and family that loves me through it all.

  1. I need to read and re-read this every day. Thanks and congrats again!

  2. SO freaking proud of you!! On a daily basis you motivate and inspire the rest of us with the things you tell us....the hardest part is telling YOURSELF!

  3. Ditto what Lis said... Congrats- you're awesome

  4. LOVE you girls. . .thanks so much for supporting me and continuing to support me!

    And I'm glad this blog spoke to some of you!

    HUGS through the INTERWEBS ( I can't help myself) lol


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Darden Digest: The Many Layers of Sustainability

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Darden Digest: The Many Layers of Sustainability

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At @Darden_News, #sustainability extends into the supply chain w partners like @GillsOnions http://bit.ly/1av9V2v #DardenDigest

Multimedia from this Release

Tuesday, December 3, 2013 - 1:15pm

At Darden, our sustainability efforts extend beyond our restaurants to each step of our supply chain. For a closer look at Darden’s and our suppliers’ commitments to sustainability, Darden Digest will regularly feature one of our suppliers and their efforts toward more sustainable operations. This month we focus on Rio Farms & Gills Onions of California, which has significantly eliminated waste, while generating energy, through composting. Recently, we had the opportunity to speak with Rio Farms’ and Gills Onions’ Director of Sustainability Nikki Rodoni.

Continue reading at Darden Digest

Keywords: Responsible Production & Consumption | Darden Restaurants | Farms | Gills Onions | Onions | Responsible Production & Consumption | Rio Farms | darden | supply chain | sustainability


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Subject: Join CBSR Webinar - Dealing with Supply Chain Risks

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Subject: Join CBSR Webinar - Dealing with Supply Chain Risks

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Don't miss our upcoming webinar! December 8th, 1-2 PM (EST) - Dealing with Supply Chain Risks #CSR #sustainability
Wednesday, November 23, 2011 - 12:00pm

(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) November 23, 2011 - Don't miss CBSR's upcoming webinar:

Dealing with Supply Chain Risks
Thursday, December 8, 2011, 1:00 PM-2:00 PM (EST) / 10:00 AM-11:00 AM (PST)
Join CBSR and Sustainalytics for a webinar on environmental and social supply chain risks through a food commodities lens focusing on cocoa, palm oil, and coffee. This session will explore the risks that are becoming more prevalent for the retail and food industries, and emerging and leading practices among companies dealing with these commodities. The webinar will provide concrete examples of current initiatives that aim to reduce risks and gain opportunities for both suppliers and retail businesses.

This webinar will:

  • Review global sustainability challenges,

  • Explore specific social and environmental risks related to cocoa, palm oil and coffee commodities,

  • Provide investor expectations concerning environmental and social performance on harvesting and sourcing these commodities (Sustainalytics criteria and specific metrics),

  • Provide corporate examples of addressing these challenges,

  • Offer recommendations for all business/and a call to action.

Agnieszka Rum, CSR Advisor, CBSR
Gurneesh Bhandal, Analyst, Sustainalytics
This webinar is free for CBSR members. Non members may join for $75.

Keywords: #CSR | #sustainability | Events, Media & Communications | Canadian Business | cbsr | risks | supply chain


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Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Gearing Up for Kindergarten

Yesterday I took Goliath to register for kindergarten. We have been talking it up BIG at home, and even wrote a song together about the greatness that is kindergarten. We were fully armed with the wheelbarrow of paperwork that proves he is of age (although he looks like he could pass for 3rd grade) and that he lives within the magical boundary line. Upon arriving, I was handed a clipboard with another stack of papers that needed to be filled out. Goliath waited nervously while I wrote the names and numbers of our emergency contacts over and over again, obviously anticipating the tour of the school the PTA stranger had promised him. He kept trying to climb onto my lap, which makes it difficult to write, so I finally tried to calm him down. I pointed out the other children waiting with their parents and said, "See these other boys and girls? They are all going to be your friends when you go to kindergarten! Won't that be great?" To which he replied, "I think I just want to be friends with people I already know."
It could be a long summer.

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Apply now and submit the 5-min form to receive our lenders' quotations. It's free and you are under no obligation to accept any lenders' terms so check and compare personal loans easily.

Where To Borrow 250 Dollars With Bad Credit

Need 250 Dollar Loan Now

Are you in some sort of financial crisis and need to borrow 250 dollars by today or tomorrow? Or do you have bad credit and am wondering how to get a short term signature loan with no credit check? To answer both questions, one easy alternative to getting emergency cash is to apply for a 250 dollar payday loan with quick approval. Sometimes referred to as a guaranteed cash advance, unsecured payday loans with no collateral requirement are short-term loans that are intended to provide the borrower with easy financing in exchange for a promise to pay back the loan on your next payday. You can get up to $1000, depending on where you stay and most short term loan lenders welcome anyone who has poor or bad credit. In order to get approval for a $250 fast loan, it is important that you have a stable job with wages paid by direct deposit preferably. As such, these loans are not usually approved for folks who are self-employed or do not have any job although there are some private lenders that give unemployment loans for people who are on benefits.

Payday Loans With Monthly Payment Plan

If you want to get $250 or $800 through these loans, you will most likely be able to get the money in exchange for your postdated check that reflects the sum of the original loan plus interest. In most cases, the lender will cash the check on the day you receive your next paycheck unless other arrangements are made. An example would be when you need more time to pay back and have requested for a loan extension. For an extra fee and interest, some direct payday lenders will grant you with more time.

Although payday loans have its critics, usually denouncing them for the high APR and unfair debt collection practices, there are several good reasons why an individual may need to request payday loans. With them, unanticipated car or house repairs and medical bills can be paid for when there is little savings in the bank and you need emergency cash for unexpected expenses. It is not easy to survive from one paycheck to the next and therefore these high risk cash advance can be a savior when the banks are not lending. With bad credit, there are little options for people to find legitimate financing and worse off, some desperate people may even resort to loan sharks. One should strive to use a 500 payday loan responsibly, examples using them to help pay for groceries, gasoline, electricity or other utilities, insurance or pay down higher interest debt.

Cash Advance Lenders With Direct Deposit

To qualify for a 250 dollar cash advance, you need to provide certain information to the lender. All that is required is copies of past paychecks or stubs, proof of present employment, salary and the applicant’s length of employment. You also need to have a current account so that the lender can deposit the money direct into your bank account. As long as you can provide verifiable income, you should be able to borrow $250 by tomorrow.

When getting a bad credit loan, it is wise to borrow within your means and make sure that you can pay back them in full as soon as possible. Most short term payday cash advances are probably good for 14 days or at most 30 days so bear in mind of that. Otherwise, fees and added interest will continue to accrue until the balance due has increased significantly beyond the original loan total. If you need more time to return, you should consider weekly payday loans or a monthly installment loan with 3 months to payback.

Get in touch with us at Signature Loan Lenders to apply for online emergency loans.

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Thursday, May 12, 2016

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Extreme # CIRCUS #RBNE @RinglingBros Review and Giveaway

Oh my goodness!!  What a night. Daddy Mommy, Bobo, Sissy, me, Auntie Vicky (Deal Sharing Aunt), and Uncle Mike were given the chance of a lifetime.  First of all we were met and taken on a behind the scenes tour.

We got up close with camels,

Bobo and Sissy got to try on Vintage Ringmaster's beautiful jackets. Some of these weigh 16 pounds with all of the sequins and more.

This is one of the mermaid outfits that Sissy wanted to try but they are too beautiful to touch.

This is the cannon that one of the performers is shot out of. Bobo and Sissy loved it.

Here we are all around it.

It was amazing to hear how they travel around the country in RVs  a huge train and more. The children of the performers are all schooled together, they have teachers that come with them.  The animals are all beautiful and happy.

I have never seen such beautiful tigers.

The performers get their mail once or twice a week.

Mommy, Daddy, Bobo and Sissy got to get up on one of the floats.

The Camels had a beautiful show.

These are the high wire performers. They were really high up,

Boy these human towers were unbelievable.

This was the cannon we saw before the show, all ready to shoot the girl out.

We are giving away a coloring book from the show for a lucky reader.

Please enter here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

We want to thank the people Ringling Brothers Barnum and Baily Circus for providing us with something we will never forget. We were given a behind the scenes tour, tickets to the show and some souvenirs because we were the top posters for the Circus. These are all our opinions.

  1. What's the weather like where you live?

  2. What are you doing this summer a vacation? also I follow every way but one did not post my name gfc laurie nykaza


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Time Flies: Hello October!

I cannot believe it. We are just under twelve weeks until Christmas Eve. TWELVE WEEKS! Where has the time gone?

I have to say, though, I feel so much better and just hope allergies and any common cold will stay away just for a spell so I can pull things together. Just for a bit.

We’re heading into the final quarter of 2017. Three months from now we will be into 2018. 2018! Jeepers, I can’t believe that. And with autumn aon week two, I’m feeling happy. It’s no secret fall has always been my favorite season and we’ve already had some autumn showers.

So, let’s make these last three months in 2017 count. I will try my darnest to get it together.

Happy October!!


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Lace Scarf

3 Opinions:

Dragon Whispers said...

Hi Kelle

Your scarf is coming along beautifully. Is it your own design or a pattern. Looks very soft and delicate. What type of yarn are you using if I may ask.

Happy said...

So incredible!! I'm in awe.

etherknitter said...

I am also curious as to pattern. Very nice! What weight yarn?


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Sunday, April 11, 2010

My Genealogy Blog is Up and Running!

I wanted all of my blog friends to be the first to know that I have another blog!

Here is the link:

I wasn’t sure I was going to do this, I had to think about why I needed to do it. And it came down once more to a very easy reason. I want my ancestors to be known and remembered.

When my folks died, I was always so afraid that they would be forgotten by this world. So I have talked and shared a lot about them in the last 29 years. And I will continue to do so. Once I got to “know” the rest of my families generations it was also important that their stories be written down, and that is what I plan on doing with this new blog.

So please, even tho’ it is totally a different journey than 521 Lake Street please stop by and say hello once in a while!

The person who did this blog for me is Karen Valentine, it was a fun few days working together! If you need help with your blog or want to redo it please take a few minutes to see her sites.

Here are her links:

Julie Tucker-Wolek said...

wowwwwwwwwwwww! very cool! :):):):):):):):):):):):)

~~Carol~~ said...

I think that was a great idea to start a blog about your journey in finding out about your family! It's not easy, and it takes alot of time, but this is the best way to share all of your hard work!

AshTreeCottage said...

I think that new blog is a wonderful idea! I will head right over.

Susan and Bentley

Julie said...

Good for you, Sandy! Genealogy has been one of my greatest passions since I was only 12 years old...once it gets under your skin it stays there! I'm off to see your new blog--such a great idea! It's so very important to keep our ancestors in our hearts--I know we're in theirs! Hope your day is wonderful!

Gerry said...

Well, Sandy, just visited your brand new blog. I am a Follower now and have put your link in my sidebar.
Lots of luck on your new blog.
Hugs ♥♥♥

Patty said...

Cool a new blog, thanks for posting!

GardenofDaisies said...

Your blog to honor those who have passed in your family is wonderful. My mother has spent quite a bit of time over the past 10-12 years researching our family history. I am a lucky girl. I know where I came from. That does not answer all questions however, and some things we will never know.

Creative Breathing said...

How wonderful Sandy, you know I love stories about the past. I will enjoy learning about yours. I wanted to tell you to about a kitchen you will definitely enjoy I discovered in my comment section, "Sweep Under ..." post. Her name is craftyles, her blog is Brookhollow Lane. She has just begun to blog, but she has a kitchen and spare room that is right up your alley! Thank you also for the Sandpiper link. Very needed! Elizabeth

craftyles said...

Sandy, thank you for visiting my new blog-I have been following yours for a while. I absolutely love your colors-I think we are kindred spirits in color. Anyway thanks for commenting and I;ll be keeping in touch. Leslie

Lucy said...

I love it. I have been doing that for some time now. I've got the blog links on my main blog. Right now I'm finished up 1887 in diary form of my great grandfather. I love history and I am in awe of what they did for us. And that's what it comes down to. I clicked over from Jenny. Hope you don't mind if I stick around.

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Wednesday, November 30, 2011

I am on a roll now!!!!!

OK ….are you ready?????????

And look….extra space even!!!!!!!

I have thrown away 6 bags of outdated food, and just plain junk!  I have given to a food bank and a church 7 bags of goodies……this felt so good, I decide to take a whack at my 4 foot by 4 foot linen closet!

You thought I was kidding, didn’t you?????  Remember, modular home….enough said… obviously figure out the storage in these things!   LOL This spot will hold my Holiday Dishes…..much easier to get to…..

OK, real quick…..the kitchen table again…….

I have a lot of reproduction vintage linens, Moda loves me!!!!!!!

Beautiful hand made doilies…..

I went thru every one and I just wanted to show you a few that aren’t reproductions……

The needlework n these two just makes me smile……

I got this cute little item last year, just dropped it in the closet…..

Come to find out it is an adorable Christmas runner!!!!  It will be on my little yellow and red table in the kitchen!

And this is what it looks like folded and ready to go to it’s new area in their new spot, my parents vintage dresser! Lot and lots of room there, once I clean it out! LOL

I have way too many too many photos to share with you today, but I do have a pile that I am not keeping!!!!  They are going on Etsy, I will get Wayne to help me open them up and get really good photos…….

As an example……

Brand new, MODA repro tablecloth of the states of Oregon and Washington, The blue is kind of a grey-blue and you know me….not my color scheme!

Really cute already cute tablecloth out of oilcloth…….

Some others, are really nice vintage, almost perfect tablecloths, and a beautiful Easter green and white table runner, really nice and wide and long….again never used….so, I hope to get these on Etsy this week, so please keep your eyes open….I am pricing things to sell!

You noticed I didn’t show the top two doors open on the linen closet????  That is my candle storage……that’s next!   Then CHRISTMAS !!!!!!!!!

Have a great day!!!!!!

P.S. My Etsy shop is not open at this time, I will get it up and going this next week!  I took the button down as the shop was empty….thanks for all of the requests about it!

D said...

Oh!What cute Christmas goodies you have! So vintage.

Shirley Hatfield said...

LOL! I needed a good chuckle today. You are adorable!

GARAGE SALE GAL ~ Deb's Earthly Delights said...

LOOKING AWESOME!! You did good, girl :) You certainly have a very nice "stash" of linens and I will Keep My Eyes open for when you start selling on ETSY! I'm hoping to be a customer!
deb :)

Cass @ That Old House said...

Wow, Sandy -- you are an inspiration!
And I will check your Etsy shop -- that Easter cloth may have my name on it.

I do get such a kick out of the table linens I remember when I was a little girl being so popular (and reproduced!) today.

memories .. Cass

Nan said...

Is it me or don't you have a link to your Etsy shop on your blog?

Heidi Ann said...

All fabulous! I love the embroidered ones, too.
And you are inspiring me to really get busy and do some cleaning out, myself! Great job!

Neabear said...

Wow! You have been busy. Must feel so good to have your spaces more organized. I know it would make me feel so much better.

Good luck with the rest of it1

Tammy's in Love said...

I hope I can afford that Oregon/Washington tablecloth! We lived in Portland for two years and my son's first Air Force base was McChord in Tacoma! Let me know please. XXOO, Tammy

My Vintage Mending said...

Oh! I want to come and help you put those darling tablecloths away. Great job...smiles...Renee

Diane Mars said...

OMG what a lovely collection, you and I sure have the same taste in collections! I will have to keep an eye on your Shop for your Linens for sale! Hugs, Diane

Holly- Cutie Pie Cottage said...

Wow! I can tell you're feeling all better now, Sandy! Great job! ♥

Sarah ~ Magnolia's Attic said...

Wow! You have lots of fabulous linens! I love the embroidered dish towels. If you'd like, you can come to my house and organize me!!
Happy Rednesday on Thursday!

Cindy said...

Wow you have been busy!! Don't over do it.

Love all the fabric...I could just sit and drool...okay that sounded yuck...but you know what I mean!!

Hugs Cindy from Rick-Rack adn Gingham

Little Susie Home Maker said...

I am so happy to see your accomplishments. Now I should tackle these jobs! You have a beautiful pantry! Of course, the linen collection is going to go fast on Etsy. I will want some myself. They are so pretty. Thanks for sharing!

LANA said...

Doesn't it feel great after everything is organized! I love the red and white check shelf paper.

Lynn said...

I am so loving your home and all of the goodies that you are sharing with us! I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

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Over the holiday weekend I traveled to New Orleans to visit the World War II Museum and the Aquarium of the Americans, and they were well worth the trip!

I had to drop Shannon and her mother off at the airport for their trip, so I decided to remain in New Orleans for the day and planned a visit to the WWII Museum with a few friends (including my brother, his son and our dad).

I started the day at the "Soda Shop" with a delicious breakfast and coffee, and then it was on to the museum.  As soon as you walk in, you are greeted by eager volunteers who are very knowledgeable about the war (most of them were there!)

Your first sight, in the lobby, are these vehicles on static display:

When you turn the corner and look up, this baby is smiling down at you!!

Right next to the C-47 hangs a Dauntless.

The museum is loaded with artifacts from the war, many of which are accompanied by personal stories from the people who donated the items.  The museum is 'sectioned-off', with different sections featuring the European Theatre, the Pacific Theatre and the D-Day Invasion, among others.

After the WWII Museum visit, we drove into the Quarter to have lunch, at Clover Grill!!

After lunch, we sent the adults home and my nephew Elie and I stayed in to visit the Aquarium of the Americas.

Elie's favorite was the aquarium's tunnel

Followed closely by his encounter with a stingray.. he actually got to touch one!

Remember, any time you visit New Orleans, expect to do a lot of walking.  Elie was whooped by the time we got back on Highway 90 to come home, he was asleep within a half-hour!

For more information about the National WWII Museum or the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, just click the links for the websites.  I recommend visiting both, to help balance the 'historically educational' with the 'fun educational' aspects of the museums.

And might I recommend that if you are going to visit the museums during the holiday season, take Highway 90 from Lafayette all the way to the West Bank and then come across the Mississippi on the Crescent City Connections, there were NO delays (Baton Rouge traffic is crazy with all the construction).


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"A-Fib.com is a great web site for patients, that is unequaled by anything else out there."

Dr. Douglas L. Packer, MD, FHRS, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

"Jill and I put you and your work in our prayers every night. What you do to help people through this [A-Fib] process is really incredible."

Jill and Steve Douglas, East Troy, WI

“I really appreciate all the information on your website as it allows me to be a better informed patient and to know what questions to ask my EP.

Faye Spencer, Boise, ID, April 2017

“I think your site has helped a lot of patients.”

Dr. Hugh G. Calkins, MD  Johns Hopkins,
Baltimore, MD

Doctors & patients are saying about 'Beat Your A-Fib'...

"If I had [your book] 10 years ago, it would have saved me 8 years of hell.”

Roy Salmon, Patient, A-Fib Free,
Adelaide, Australia

"This book is incredibly complete and easy-to-understand for anybody. I certainly recommend it for patients who want to know more about atrial fibrillation than what they will learn from doctors...."

Pierre Jaïs, M.D. Professor of Cardiology, Haut-Lévêque Hospital, Bordeaux, France

"Dear Steve, I saw a patient this morning with your book [in hand] and highlights throughout. She loves it and finds it very useful to help her in dealing with atrial fibrillation."

Dr. Wilber Su,
Cavanaugh Heart Center,
Phoenix, AZ

"...masterful. You managed to combine an encyclopedic compilation of information with the simplicity of presentation that enhances the delivery of the information to the reader. This is not an easy thing to do, but you have been very, very successful at it."

Ira David Levin, heart patient,
Rome, Italy

"Within the pages of Beat Your A-Fib, Dr. Steve Ryan, PhD, provides a comprehensive guide for persons seeking to find a cure for their Atrial Fibrillation."

Walter Kerwin, MD, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA

 FAQs Natural Therapies: Acupuncture

Complementary & Natural Therapies

Complementary & Natural Therapies

“What’s the research on acupuncture and Atrial Fibrillation? I’m willing to try it if it will help ease or reduce my A-Fib episodes.”

Acupuncture is a technique in which practitioners stimulate specific points on the body—most often by inserting thin needles through the skin. It is one of the practices used in traditional Chinese medicine and is generally considered safe when performed by an experienced, well-trained practitioner using sterile needles.

Some conventional medical practitioners—including physicians and dentists—practice acupuncture.

Articles in peer-reviewed medical journals describe the successful use of acupuncture to deal with conditions as varied as cocaine dependency, hiccups, and pregnancy-related pelvic pain. Results from a number of studies suggest that acupuncture may help ease types of chronic pain and reduce the frequency of tension headaches and prevent migraine headaches.

But what about A-Fib patients? Will acupuncture help reduce Atrial Fibrillation episodes or ease symptoms? Should A-Fib patients consider acupuncture treatments?” Read on…

However, clinical practice guidelines are inconsistent in recommendations about acupuncture.

Acupuncture and Arrhythmias

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, stimulation of the Neiguan spot has been utilized to treat palpitations and symptoms related to different cardiovascular diseases.

A 2010 study found acupuncture prevents arrhythmic recurrence after cardioversion in patients with persistent A-Fib. And there’s ample evidence that acupuncture is effective in treating both hypertension and supraventricular tachycardia. The article identified three acupuncture points to be stimulated:

•  Neiguan (PC-6): used to counteract palpitations, and there’s evidence that it help restore autonomic nervous system balance.
•  Shenmen (HT-7): helps calm anxiety, heart palpitations and irregular heart beat.
•  Xinshu (BL-15): has a modulating effect on the autonomic nervous system.

They concluded: “Acupuncture treatment prevents arrhythmic recurrence after cardioversion in patients with persistent AF. This minimally invasive procedure was safe and well tolerated.”

In 2012, researchers in another study observed a similar antiarrhythmic effect in both persistent and paroxysmal A-Fib patients. Two small groups of AF patients received 10 acupuncture sessions once a week with puncturing of the Neiguan, Shenmen and Xinshu spots. (For comparison, a control group was also used as well as a “sham acupuncture” group.) Research findings, through preliminary, “strongly suggest that acupuncture may be an effective non-invasive and safe antiarrhythmic tool in the management of these patients”.

A systematic research review in 2011 looked at 10 randomised controlled trials of acupuncture treatment for cardiac arrhythmias. The researchers concluded that, despite encouraging results, there was not conclusive evidence in support of acupuncture treatment for cardiac arrhythmias.

Is Acupuncture Effective for A-Fib?

Articles in peer-reviewed medical journals describe the successful use of acupuncture to deal with a variety of medical conditions.

According to the British Acupuncture Council:

“In general, acupuncture is believed to stimulate the nervous system and cause the release of neurochemical messenger molecules. The resulting biochemical changes influence the body’s homeostatic mechanisms, thus promoting physical and emotional well-being.”

Do the same medical journals have conclusive evidence that acupuncture works for Atrial Fibrillation? No—not yet.

Are there early indications that acupuncture may have an anti-arrhythmic effect in patients with atrial fibrillation and warrant large-scale trials? Published studies say—Yes!

So you may want to talk with your health care providers about trying acupuncture as a non-invasive and safe treatment for your Atrial Fibrillation.

Credentials and Insurance Coverage

If you decide to visit an acupuncturist, check his or her credentials. Most states require a diploma from the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine for licensing.

Some insurance companies may cover the costs of acupuncture, while others may not. For more information, see NCCAM’s fact sheet Paying for Complementary Health Approaches.

References for this article

Last updated: Saturday, February 11, 2017

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Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Much nicer than a serial Killer

Have you been wondering what esp won on the April Fool's give-away? Looks like she received it in the mail and she claims that it is much nicer than a serial Killer.

Honeycomb Candles made by Becca at Rabbit Moon Farm (her esty shop can be found here)

Enjoy them esp!

In other news, my bruises have bruises. So many wonderful projects going on here. And this year we actually have the time.

Husband has bermed the entire north side of the house. I am patiently waiting for him to bury me alive. He so loves his new toy. And I seem to get a very long lap pool out of the ordeal (more like a lap pond)

I finished replanting strawberries. Replacing the patch that was decimated by the goats. I still haven't found a working solution for the rolly polly (pill bug) problem. I keep running into the same thing, "professionals" claiming that these bugs don't eat strawberries unless they are rotting. Too bad these "professionals" don't seem to realize that when a strawberry turns red, it is rotting. I have read a couple suggestions, and so far none have worked. I have to hand pick the bugs and feed them off to my chickens. Makes the hens happy.

The boys thought the pig looked bored, so they gave her a bowling ball to play with. She's now at least content enough that she has stopped throwing her water dish about.

We sold our old tractor. And have scrapped a good amount of items that we could not repurpose. Husband says he will be pickier about what people are allowed to drop off here. That makes me feel a lot better.

We are also having a fire weather warning. Have been for the past 4 days. We aren't on fire as bad as Texas is, but have had our share of prairie fires. And some of the people in my area seem not to understand that they can't burn trash during a burn ban. They seem to think it means that they can't burn brush or their fields, but trash is a-ok. Most of them are new to the country, as we have had a influx of city dwellers moving out here. But still not an excuse. I grew up in the suburbs and know better. I am tempted to call it in, but o far I have merely kept an eye on it, making sure it doesn't catch their fields, then mine on fire. I have already mentioned the burn ban to them, but they have yet to actually listen.

SkippyMom said...

A pig with a bowling ball.

I am pretty sure my whole day has just been made.

No, Phelan, it doesn't take much. giggle

Donna said...

If you have access to wood ashes, that might help. I know wood ashes will keep bugs off early green beans.

Rivenfae said...

I bet that pig loves that bowling ball, must be kinda cute!

HermitJim said...

The two images I'll have in my head all day is hubby trying to bury you with the new front loader...and the pig running back and forth in the pen, pushing the bowling ball in front of him!

You just made my day!

Tess said...

I'm having the same pill bug problem with my potato plants. I checked on the plants yesterday and found mounds and mounds of pill bugs pleasantly eating away at the green tops. If you find a solution, share it with us! I would love to know it.

Ruth @ Hope, Joy and Faith Farm said...

Going to have to try the bowling ball thing with our three piggies. We've been getting rid of a lot of "stuff" here too, but unfortunately I can't blame hubby for that.

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Sunday, November 30, 2014

Blue Blue Blue Christmas, challenge 29

AA Cards Game 29 Nov 30 - Dec 13

AAA Cards will run our challenges as 2 week games in November and December.
 I must admit we are quite pleased with this new schedule. We love you all and the fun you bring! There are more fabulous players able  to join in with the longer schedule. We are getting housework done and happily buzzing along with our Holiday celebration planning. Don't be too surprised if we retain the two week challenge after the Holidays.
Happy Holidays to Everyone!

Welcome to our 29th game! November 30th to December 13th. Our game this week: "Blue Christmas".
To be fair to everyone we'll include all the holidays of the season.

Last week our challenge was game #28 CAS THANKSgiving. We hope you all had fun with your artistic expressions! We certainly loved all your beautiful and thoughtful cards.

Our Winner is Lin from "Sending Hugs"

Our Top Three are:
Piali from "A Touch of Creation"
Hazel from "Hazel's Paper Designs
Cornelia from "Stempel Spass"

Ladies please click on the tab above and claim your winners buttons/badges.

Let's see what our team has created in BLUE.....

Vicki Dutcher

 We always ask you to step out of your normal routine and try something new and hot in card making circles. Don't forget about the Washi callout :) read the rules to check this out.
 So, Lets Play!  Add your link up below

Link up, mention us in your post with our address and display our challenge image in order to win please.
Enter up to 3 times, with different cards, play any other challenges as you like.
Visit at least 3 other blogs, be oh so nice and happy with comments.
Please join Followers and help us grow.

Your card needs to be CAS..................
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  1. Thank you! And congrats to Piali, Hazel and Cornelia!

  2. Congrats to winner and Top 3! I really do like the idea of a two week challenge and hope you'll keep that up in 2015. :-D

  3. yay Lin! congratulations! So well deserved!! Congrats too to Piali and Cornelia. 😄 Thank you ladies SO MUCH for my selection as a top 3. SOOO excited! Can't wait to try Blue Christmas!! You have made my day!

  4. Congratulations to the winners!! Thank you for another fun challenge!! Happy Holiday Hugs, Darnell

We love reading your comments. Thank you for taking the time.


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Dade Legal Aid Presents Alvarez Arrieta & Diaz-Silveira with Outstanding Law Firm Pro Bono Award

Alvarez Arrieta & Diaz-Silveira LLP (AADS), a Miami-based corporate boutique law firm specializing in international and domestic M&A, finance, real estate, immigration and private wealth services, is the recipient of Dade Legal Aid’s Outstanding Law Firm Pro Bono Award.

AADS was one of ten honorees acknowledged on May 6 at the Dade County Bar Association’s Twenty-Seventh Annual Recognition Luncheon. During the luncheon, Dade Legal Aid recognized AADS for its commitment to support the non-profit law firm by helping to staff the monthly LegalLine Clinic, handling various pro bono cases for clients, and providing other support to the agency, such as donating money to the organization in lieu of client holiday gifts this past year.

“We feel extremely honored to receive the Outstanding Law Firm Pro Bono Award. We are proud to be able to contribute to our community by offering our legal services to those in need through Dade Legal Aid’s programs,” said Colleen Grady, a partner at AADS who accepted the award on the firm’s behalf.

Grady, along with Kristofer Hernandez, an associate at the firm, worked tirelessly on five pro bono cases in the past year, assisting vulnerable members of the Miami-Dade community. Grady was also involved with staffing the monthly LegalLine Clinic, a hotline for free legal advice. The LegalLine Clinic is a 1(800) call-in program that is held on the first Wednesday night of each month. This clinic gives Miami-Dade citizens an accessible forum to talk to lawyers and receive referrals for their legal concerns.


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San Bernardino school resumes classes one week after deadly shooting

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Students at North Park Elementary School returned to school on Monday exactly one week after a special needs teacher and her student were shot to death in a classroom. (KABC)

Students at North Park Elementary School returned to campus on Monday exactly one week after a special needs teacher and her student were shot to death in a classroom.

The San Bernardino school had police patrols, tighter security and additional support staff.

Starting this week, visitors will only be allowed on campus once they're buzzed in through a new video-monitoring system at the secretary's desk, where staff can question the visitor to determine whether to grant access.

MORE: San Bernardino school shooting 911 audio released

In addition to the buzzer, North Park installed a system that will enable officials to take photos of visitors and then print out an ID badge.

"We will not allow the actions of one individual to interrupt our commitment and our resolve to our students, families, faculty and staff," said Dale Marsden, superintendent of the San Bernardino City Unified School District.

Students, parents and staff members were wearing red, the school color, to show strength and solidarity.

Many of the parents said their children were looking forward to come back to school.

"They're coping. The first couple of days were very hard, especially for my daughter, but my children now are very excited. They want to come back to school. They want to see their teachers," said Juan Rubalcava, a parent.

Though most of the students were excited to return to school and see their friends, emotions were still raw. Even within the community, the wounds will be slow to heal.

Area resident Jason McLeod brought teddy bears to campus for the children on their first day back in class.

"This is for the little guys in heaven. This is for the little guys that don't have nothing...it's just sad," McLeod said.

North Park has been closed since April 10, when Cedric Anderson walked into the classroom of his estranged wife Karen Smith and opened fire, killing her and 8-year-old student Jonathan Martinez.

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The family of slain 8-year-old Jonathan Martinez shared photos of the young student.

Anderson then fatally shot himself.

Nine-year-old student Nolan Brandy was also wounded in the shooting but survived. He was released from the hospital on Friday.

MORE: Wife left San Bernardino gunman after he showed 'other side'

Classroom B-1, where the shooting took place, has been sealed off. Many of the students from Smith's class will be moved to a new room, C-1, and they already know their new teacher.

As students walked up to the school's entrance, they were greeted by messages of encouragement written by students from another elementary school. Also, a bubble maker drove in from San Diego to help spread joy.

In addition to the teddy bears McLeod brought, students were also greeted by thousands of unexpected furry friends. A Cal State San Bernardino worker, Stacy Brooks, collected 3,000 teddy bears through a toy drive to help students heal.

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FTC Files Complaints Against Debt Collection Agencies

PHOTO: The logo of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission is seen in Washington, D.C., Aug. 4, 2010.PlayAndrew Harrer/Bloomberg/Getty Images
WATCH Stocks Skyrocket on European Debt Deal

The Federal Trade Commission filed complaints against seven debt collection companies in California for making fake threats to consumers who owed money that they had been sued or could be arrested if they did not pay, at times threatening their employers and family members.

The complaints are part of a crackdown on debt collectors, including one company that allegedly threatened one woman in Illinois who could not pay for her daughter's funeral to "dig her daughter up" and made threats to "eat" her dog.

Debt collectors generate more complaints to the FTC than any other industry, according to government agency. Last year, there were 144,159 filings against collection companies, the second largest category of complaints to the FTC. There were 250,854 identity theft related complaints last year, or 19 percent of all complaints.

Last month, the FTC filed a complaint against Rumson, Bolling & Associates, based in Van Nuys, Calif., for allegedly making abusive calls to debtors, including the Illinois woman who reportedly owed money after her daughter's funeral. The company also threatened to use "violence or other criminal means" to harm the alleged debtors, including calling them "deadbeat," "white trash," "piece of crap," "crackerhead," "scumbag," and "lowlife."

The Central district court in California granted a temporary restraining order which became a preliminary injunction against the business.

Christopher Pitet, an attorney for all but one of the defendants listed in the complaint, said when given the opportunity to provide court with evidence, they will show that they committed a "substantial amount of resources" to comply with the Federal Debt Collection Practices Act.

"If there are instances where employees did not comply with the Act and mistreated debtors or did the things alleged in the FTC's complaint, I will be the first to say to say those things never should have happened under any circumstance," Pitet said.

Regarding the incident in which a caller threatened the woman in Missouri, Pitet said, "if it happened it's certainly outrageous."

"My understanding is the individual who is alleged to have done that specific incident was terminated immediately," he said.

The filing states that during the calls to the woman, associates told her they were going to dig her daughter up and hang her from a tree, if she did not pay the debt. The filing also states they threatened to have her "dog arrested...shoot him up...and eat him."

They also allegedly said to her, "are you going to pay this bill right now...or am I going to have to kill you?"

The filing states the defendants attempted to collect money from a woman who fell behind on her debt to a funeral home after both her sons died within a week of each other, allegedly calling her a "deadbeat" and asking how she would feel if her son's body was dug up and dropped outside her door.

Pitet said a receiver has asked the court for permission to shut down the business, which the defendants have opposed. The defendants are awaiting a ruling from the court.

The most recent filing from Oct. 11 is against the seven companies and two individuals. The U.S. district court for the Central district of California granted the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) request for a temporary restraining order against the companies and two individuals.

Rincon Management Services, based in Corona, Calif., and six other companies together operated a collection scheme in which a "key element" was to "make the consumer believe that a lawsuit has been filed, or will soon be filed against him," according to the suit. When calling debtors, their family members, neighbors, friends or employers, a collector often posed as a process server, a lawyer, or an employee of a law office handling a lawsuit against the person. The companies instructed their collectors not to call the consumer directly, "but to call the consumer's current employer or a family member" to "apply pressure and create a sense of urgency."

The caller represented to victims that they could "settle" the case by making an immediate payment, though no lawsuit had been filed or would be filed against the person, according to the filing.

The company had written scripts, according to the FTC, which included rebuttal instructions if an employer who answered the phone refused to provide more information.

One script instructed the caller to say, "Look I am trying to help your company. This matter is serious and will cause problems at the job. Grab a pen and get this redirected to the employees [sic] home."

If the employer still refused, the caller was instructed to say, "What is your name and your position in the company? We will document for the record that you made the decision for the [debtor] to be served at his place of employment."

Some scripts were also written in Spanish, according to the filing.

If the debtors were driving cars at the time of the call, the caller was instructed to say, "I suggest you pull over. This is time sensitive and since you are not at the service location it will be noted as a failure to serve."

Attorneys for Rincon Management could not be immediately reached for comment.


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VIDEO: Could a Drug Taken During Pregnancy Prevent Child Obesity?
WATCH A Drug During Pregnancy Decreases Child Obesity?

How far will we go to prevent childhood obesity? U.K. researchers are bringing the battle against obesity to babies still in the womb.

In this novel approach, which will ultimately enlist 400 pregnant women in the U.K., obese pregnant women will be given the diabetes drug Metformin in hopes of reducing their infant's chance of developing heart disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes later in life.

The study, funded by the U.K. government, will be one of the most extensive tests to date of a concept known as fetal programming -- changing the environment of the womb to affect the health of the child.

Doctors already use "fetal programming" in less extreme ways by encouraging pregnant women to take prenatal supplements, make dietary changes, and avoid drug and alcohol use. This study promises to introduce a whole new level that might one day be commonplace: using medications that the mother otherwise wouldn't need in order to tweak the fetal environment.

Natural fetal programming "is a complex process that's evolved over millions of years to help a fetus adapt to the world it will ... encounter after birth," says Dr. Alison Stuebe, an assistant professor of maternal fetal medicine at UNC-Chapel Hill. "It is the way the mother 'tells' her baby what the world outside will be like."

Obese women tend to have higher blood sugar during pregnancy, and these high levels of blood sugar essentially "tell" the fetus that it needs to make a lot of insulin for itself. As a result, infants born to obese mothers tend to be heavier and produce more insulin. Research shows that these bigger babies grow up into children and adults who are at increased risk for obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

By giving obese mothers-to-be the diabetes drug Metformin -- even though they do not have diabetes -- researchers will be lowering their glucose levels, hopefully mitigating the negative effects of maternal obesity.

It will take years to determine if this intervention pays off. In the short term, however, how big these infants are at birth will serve as a preliminary marker of how well the Metformin is adjusting fetal environment.

Fetal Programming -- Tweaking the Womb for Healthier Babies?

Fetal programming was first discussed when U.K. epidemiologist David Barker noted that infants born to malnourished mothers who had lived through the WWII Dutch "hunger winter" had an increased risk of heart disease later in life.

Ironically, research has since confirmed that both overeating and undereating during pregnancy can increase an infant's risk of obesity and heart disease later in life, but for very different reasons. Instead of having too much blood sugar, babies born to underweight mothers are programmed to believe the world has little food and hence they must retain calories at all costs, says Dr. Hye Heo, a fetal programming expert at Montefiore Medical Center, who's currently working on the effects of feast and famine on infant outcomes in rats.

"At this stage in the research, we're still trying to understand what is being altered in the womb, why there is some kind of memory [in the fetus] that persists and results in alterations in the way we develop later on in life," Heo says.

Obesity and insulin levels have been the most popular topics in fetal programming research, but researchers are also looking at the effects of other hormones in flux during pregnancy.

Research presented at the Endocrine Society's annual meeting this June found that high levels of stress during pregnancy adversely affects not only the fetus, but the offspring of that fetus.

The study, done in rats, found that high levels of the stress hormone glucocorticoid late in the pregnancy increased the infants' likelihood of developing diabetes and heart disease in adulthood. Male rats born to stressed mothers, in turn, seemed to pass problems on, fathering infants who were more likely to suffer from growth problems in the womb.

Other research, currently underway at the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network (part of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development), looks at thyroid hormones in mothers and IQ in their children. Even borderline low thyroid levels during pregnancy have been tied to lower IQ scores in young children, so researchers are experimenting with supplementing thyroid hormone in deficient mothers, says Dr. Stuebe, of UNC-Chapel Hill.

The Ethics of Medicating Mommy

There's a reason much of the research in fetal programming has been done in rats -- giving pregnant women medication of any kind is a touchy topic. This is why the U.K. trial has met with some controversy, as doctors will be dosing mothers with drugs that they don't strictly need.

But the trial may not be as far a leap into the unknown as it seems, doctors point out:

"Metformin is not a new drug and has been given to pregnant women for years to control diabetes in pregnancy," says Dr. Alan Peaceman, chief of the division of maternal fetal medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

While diet and exercise would be the preferred intervention for obese mothers, "patients often find this difficult, especially during pregnancy. Thus, Metformin may provide an alternative option for these women with similar lifelong benefits to the fetus," adds Dr. Victoria Bae-Jump, assistant professor of gynecology oncology at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Doctors seem more concerned that this type of fetal programming intervention can only provide a partial answer to the problem of maternal obesity.

"Ultimately, it's unlikely that a single pill or nutrient is going to override all the effects of maternal obesity on infant development," says Stuebe. There are so many environmental factors in play -- poverty, abuse, stressful environments, she says, that "I'm skeptical of a magic pill to counteract all that."


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A 9-Year-Old Has No Remorse Stealing But Always Lets Himself Caught. What Should Parents Do?

Question: A 9-year-old has no remorse stealing but always gets caught. Why do you think he allows himself to get caught? How should a parent respond?

Answer: When a child is stealing, the first thing to think about is: What, why is the child stealing? Now some kids are actually materially deprived. They may not have enough food, they may not have enough clothing, and when they go to school they compare themselves to other kids and they steal. There are other children that actually have everything that they need and in these cases they're feelings are wanton depravation. In many cases it may be that they feel that their not getting enough attention, love, caring, nurturing by their parents. Sometimes this is true, for a longstanding reason, other times it's just a transient phenomenon due to stresses in the family.

But what we have to think about is why is this kid getting caught? Many kids are smart enough to get away with it. Kids get caught because they want parental involvement. They're asking for attention.

And you know, one of the first things kids learn when they're very, very young is that the most important sign of love is saying "No." So when the 2-year-old is putting a fork in the light socket or pulling the cat's tail, parents say "No," and then they sort of start walking around saying, "No, no, no, no." What does "no" mean? "No" means "We love you." "No" means we're setting limits. And it involves time and attention and loving. It also gives a child the opportunity to kiss and make up. I'm not recommending punishments around the clock; what I am saying is that the child is asking for something, and the parents need to respond. It's far better to use rewards for good behavior and incentives rather than punishments. But always think about what the child is asking for when there's stealing and getting caught.