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• Misrated TV Show: Spotless on Esquire Network

    by  • November 18, 2015 • Misrated, Profanity, Sex, Violence • 1 Comment

    For excessive and graphic violence and sexual dialogue rated appropriate for young teens, the Saturday, November 14th premiere of Esquire Network’s Spotless was definitely Misrated.

    Formerly known as Tech TV, the G4 network programmed for the interests of computer, technology, and videogame fans, with a bit of geekiness thrown in (live-casting from the San Diego ComiCon was an annual favorite). While the network’s audience was small, it was also extremely loyal. Then, without any input from subscribers, cable companies, or the channel’s fans, corporate owner Comcast unilaterally decided to “rebrand” G4 as “the Esquire Network,” doing so with a back-handed slap at its previous viewers: the new network is “dedicated to reaching today’s educated, upscale man,” says the new network’s publicity. Apparently, Comcast believes video-game and tech fans are neither “upscale” nor “educated.”

    Even though absolutely nobody was crying out for a TV network aimed at hipsters and beer snobs, at least Esquire had a mission statement. But now, bare months after it came into existence, the network is betraying even that concept. Instead of shows about narrow scarves, plaid shirts, and fixed-gear bicycles, Esquire has decided to air
    Spotless, an allegedly “sexy and bold one-hour drama” with the following scintillating premise: Frenchman Jean Bastiere, his wife Julie, and his outlaw brother Martin, all cooperate in running Jean’s Crime Scene Cleaning, which wipes walls and mops floors after gory murders and serial killer crime sprees have taken place.

    Well, credit where it’s due: that is a “bold” programming choice, all right — combining the sleazy sexuality and graphic gore of Dexter with a story about a glorified janitor and his thug of a brother. No doubt, in between lighting up an American Spirit and swilling down PBR, those at whom the network is aimed would tell everyone else that they simply don’t understand the brilliance of the show’s premise; but even those who like programs containing graphic violence and sex would have to agree that this show’s content is not appropriate for the 14 year old audience Esquire says it is.

    Here’s a sample of what Esquire thinks is suitable for young teens:

    Jean performs oral sex on Claire. Claire’s is lying on her back and she is only wearing a sheer white top, fishnet stockings and no underwear. Jean’s face is covered by her thigh.

    Jean and Claire talk.

    Claire: “So why do you [muted f***] a mistress?”

    Claire: “I’m tired of this game and I want to [muted f***] you right now. I’m thinking, you might be the second best lover I’ve ever had.”

    Jean: “Second best? Well, not so bad.”

    Claire: “I don’t know, it’s a very short list.”

    Jean: “You’re a little passive-aggressive today.”

    Claire: “I get like that when I’m horny.”

    Jean and Martin discuss Martin having sex with a drug “mule.”

    Jean: “You [muted f***ed] her?”

    Martin: “Of course I [muted f***ed] her. When she was alive. In fact, I think I might have burst one of the balloons inside. You know, I’m pretty big.”

    Jean: “She swallowed the ballons? So the drugs are still in her stomach?”

    Martin: “Yes, but I [muted f***ed] her up the ass.”

    Jean: “Trust me big guy, your penis wouldn’t have traveled up her colon, through her small intestine, into her stomach to pop the little balloons.”

    Martin: “Yeah, she’s got fantastic tits. Julie, fantastic tits. I didn’t know that English women had tits like that. Tell me, were your kids vaginal or cesarean delivered?”

    Foul Language:

    Claire: “I’m tired of this game and I want to [muted f***] you right now.”

    Martin: “Then stop moaning like a little bitch and go to bed.”

    Gareth: “We’ll see how you like that, you French prick.”

    Martin: “Damn right, I’m a French prick. And you know what? Your wife might like it.”

    Martin: “Hello, English cock suckers. How do I find the baddest [muted motherf***er] in this shithole?”

    A young boy lights and smokes a cigarette. He hears a woman’s screams in the next room so he opens the door and finds a man on top of a woman having sex. They both have their pants off but their privates are obscured. The man sees the young boy and chases after him. When he catches the boy he begins slapping him over and over again in the face. The woman strikes the man in the back of the head with a hatchet, killing him.

    Martin opens a freezer and shows Jean that a woman’s frozen body is inside.

    Jean picks up a knife and a moment later he is shown, wrist deep inside of the corpse’s torso. He holds up her intestine and then cuts into it with a knife. The corpse is shown lying on the table with her shirt open and her breasts exposed. Jean pulls out several small bags of drugs from the corpse. Suddenly two men walk into the building with their guns aimed at Jean and Martin. One of the men pushes Martin on the floor. Suddenly, more men run in holding guns.

    Is this content appropriate for kids? Esquire Network thinks so. That’s why they rated it TV-14 DLSV.  Obviously, they’re wrong.

    The entire point of having TV content ratings is to assist parents, and to activate the V-Chip so that children don’t see this kind of thing. But when ratings are grossly inaccurate, they are not helping anyone. This is why the TV content ratings needs to be reformed.

    To learn more about ratings reform, click here.

    Christopher Gildemeister is the PTC’s Head of Research Operations. He began as an Entertainment Analyst at the PTC in 2005. From 2007-2016, he was Senior Writer/Editor, responsible for communicating the PTC’s message to the public through newsletters, columns, and the PTC Watchdog blog. Dr. Gildemeister holds a Ph.D. from The Catholic University of America.

    One Response to Misrated TV Show: Spotless on Esquire Network

    1. Sara
      December 16, 2015 at 8:36 am

      Well, with all these trashy scripted shows debuting now in this “golden age” of TV/streaming, at least Hollyweird actors have plenty of work these days…

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Thursday, February 14, 2013

Valentines Day

To quote my friend Caroline, Valentines day is: "Sad, happy, and scary."

Sad, because I'm alone.
Happy, because I don't currently have to deal with it.
Scary, because you're open to any random card or stranger hug.

This is actually truly the first year I've been more on the sad side of things, but the pretty flowers on my desk from Dad and the post on tumblr from my Best Friend and my Jar of Good Things help to run it away.
It's an odd day to me. One day a year everyone decides to buy flowers and hearts for their significant others, the stores make loads of money, and the card isles are packed.... why can't we express our love for that special person more often than once a year? It kind of irritates me. Everyone (especially the guys) are suddenly in a frenzy of "Ack! It's Valentines! Must buy a card and flowers or I shall be eliminated!" I mean, really? It drives me mad.

So, to you who have that special someone, love them with all your might and everyday. Don't resort to once a year.
And to people like me (and you, and you, and probably you,) who don't yet have that special someone, keep calm and carry on. We'll find them one day. ;)
And to both parties: remember Christ's love. It's the most important.

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Wednesday, 1 April 2009

Chapel Row and Bucklebury

The Blade Bone, Chapel Row

A late afternoon walk on a lovely sunny day. This one starts at the Blade Bone pub in Chapel Row - just down the road from Bradfield where I walked a couple of weeks ago. The sign of the pub is said to contain the blade bone of a mammoth.

The route takes you across the edge of Bucklebury Common and then along the road towards the village of Bucklebury. The church of St Mary is notable for its ornate late Norman doorway.
The tower is fifteenth century.

From here, there is a quite long climb through a field, then a gulley and finally woodland, with nice glimpses of the Pang valley from time to time. You turn left after a remote cottage and walk along a ridge where there are further nice views over the rolling hills. The deer of the Bucklebury Park Farm deer park can just be seen on the right.

You then cross a road and rejoin Bucklebury Common, passing the thirteenth century fishponds which used to supply the monks of Reading Abbey. Their man-made origin is apparent in the essentially straight sides.

Following the power lines across the common (lots of silver birch and dead bracken) you return to the Blade Bone having covered four miles of quite varied terrain.

From: Village Walks in Berkshire by Berkshire Federation of WIs (Countryside Books).

Map: Explorer 159 (Reading Wokingham and Pangbourne).

Rating: three and a half stars.

Any amount of pheasants - some in every field - as well as the odd partridge. Also a heron (by the fish pond, naturally) and a fox in the woods on the common.

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Saturday, February 09, 2008

I do a Mitt Romney like flip flop....sort of

After announcing here that I was boycotting the primaucuses.. We decided to attend today.

I still feel that out system is seriously flawed. Dawn spoke with her mother Friday evening, her mother was under the impression that she could not take part in the caucus because she voted in the primary. This would be true on the republican side but not on the democratic side.

With that said.

We arrived at Garrison middle school at 1:00. A huge line stretched out the door down the side walk around the corner all the way to the ball field. We finally got in, we stood in line to find out what precinct we are in. We then joined our caucus. Their were 17 people reresenting our precinct. 15 voted for Obama 1 voted for Clinton and 1 uncommited.

It was an interesting experience. Washington switched to an all absentee ballot system few years back and I miss going to the polls to vote. Today we had beautifull weather after weeks of snow. The pleasasnt weather made the wait in line kind of nice. I still believe that a primary is a better way to determine canidates.
It allows more people to participate and is much less confusing.

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Friday, July 3, 2015

Everybody Took the Week off From Watching Wrestling

Ethan Carter III's big moment was not seen by many people
Photo Credit: Lee South/
The ratings for RAW on Monday were abysmally bad if you haven't read already. It drew its second-lowest non-holiday rating ever, going up against not a whole lot in terms of competition either. ESPN aired a baseball game on national television, and that was it. Anyway, longtime readers of TWB know my thoughts about ratings, or at least paying attention to week-to-week ratings. Plus, it still was the highest-rated show on Monday, so it's not really that much of a big deal.

But then the viewership numbers from Destination America came in for both TNA and Ring of Honor. TNA's viewership dropped from 451,000 viewers to 318,000. ROH's drop went from 330,000 to 238,000. Pretty much, people flocked away from the three flagship wrestling programs this week for the big American wrestling companies. It's only one week of ratings drop, sure, so it's not endemic of any kind of exodus away from being a wrestling fan. No real reason can be discerned without polling every single person who chose not to watch this week. But it is funny to see all three viewership numbers drop that much.

Of course, RAW and ROH can be easily explained. RAW came off a week where the company tried making Brock Lesnar show vulnerability to draw more interest for Battleground, and it apparently flopped. Additionally, RAW has pretty much been the same thing for the last, what, two years now? It's not a must-see show every week. ROH was once again in "replay the NJPW joint show footage" mode, this time airing matches from the two Philadelphia shows, which were taped before the Best in the World pay-per-view. The narrative is in neutral right now, so it might follow that people thought they could take the week off. Of course, I could be off-base on both of those analyses, and maybe fans just wanted to take a mental health holiday from wrestling.

But TNA's drop in rating has to be especially disheartening. Last night's show was the culmination of a build towards Ethan Carter III's big title win, and it continued the trend of dropping viewers like flies. Week-to-week ratings don't necessarily matter when you're WWE and your patterns have been stuck in a rut for the last infinity years since the Attitude Era, but when the viewers have been steadily declining like TNA's have, then it might be time to panic.

But then again, everything might rebound next week. Ratings, especially now when people watch stuff on DVR, replays, on-demand, or through other digital avenues, legal or not, are volatile in some respects, especially for wrestling, the only televised thing that has first-run material every single week (Lucha Underground notwithstanding). It not only makes sense to take a few weeks off here and there, but it is probably mentally healthy to do so. It's just funny to see all three big companies (or one big company and two mid-level ones) drop off so drastically for a week. It probably doesn't mean anything, but it's definitely something to see.


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Snakes and Snails and...Shovels!

Like many others, I'm not a spider fan.  I don't scream, I don't jump, but I just plain don't like them, but I do understand that they have a purpose.  No, that purpose isn't scary the life out of us, but as part of the chain in insect life aka they eat bugs.  I don't like them, either.

But what I really, really don't like is snakes.  I lived on a farm for 24 years, and there were several occasions when a snake got in the house.  Not little garter snakes.  Big.  Fat.  Long.  Bull snakes.  During the first memorable visit by a slithering reptile and my reaction to it, my best friend called.  I told her what was happening, and she laughed.  And laughed.  I informed her that someday in the future, I would include the story in a book.  The following is an excerpt from A Saddle Made for Two, Silhouette Romance, July 2001; my second book.

Sticking the key in the lock and turning the knob, she pulled open the door and stepped inside.  She growped in the dark to switch on the light while she yanked her hat from her head.  The hat fell to the counter, and her gaze dropped to the floor.

Her blood-curdling scream, at the sight of the snake curled on the floor, bounced off the thin camper walls.

Thoughts skittered through her mind, but none made sense.  Without taking her attention from the cold-blooded invader, Ellie acted on instinct and eased open the door of the small closet to her right.  After carefully pulling out a newly purchased, flat-bottomed shovel, intended for her horse trailer, she jabbed the edge onto the snake as close to its head as possible.  Praying the critter would stay put, she gripped the wooden handle with both hands and jumped atop the metal.  The snake flipped and writhed beneath the blade, and Ellie realized what she'd just done.  Frozen to the spot in shock and unable to move, except to brace herself with one hand against the cabinet for balance, a shudder shook her body.

Now what? she thought, when the snake slowed its wriggling.  If she got off and it came after her, she'd die of fright.  Mercy, she hated snakes!  But staying propped on the shovel for eternity wasn't an option, either.
All true, I swear.  Except the grain shovel (flat-bottomed and new) was around the corner in the entry that led outside.  It had been (thankfully) left there by my husband, who was, of course, nowhere around.  And I didn't scream.  I was standing on that shovel, the snake beneath the blade and still moving, when the phone rang and my friend called.  The rest, as they say, is history.

Reese Mobley said...

I would have fainted. Or ran.

I would have fainted then ran. And I'd probably still be running. lol

Joan Vincent said...

Great use of an experience, Rox. I too am scared to death of snakes. When my youngest was about 4 she was picking up potatoes as I dug them. As I lifted a shovel full of dirt a snake came with it. I screamed, threw the shovel and ran out of the garden. My daughter screamed and followed me. She stopped beside me and after a moment asked, "Mom why did we scream and run?" She never saw the snake!

Penny Rader said...

Ewwwww. Gives me shivers just thinking about it.

Nina Sipes said...

That's just funny, but I understand your reaction. We can get into predicaments quicker than we can get out. I think you showed great presence of mind. The first snake I ever remember was under my bed. I was probably four years old and my sister and I shared a single bed, sleeping feet to feet. I woke up in the morning and heard a sound under the bed so, of course, I bent down over the side and saw something under there. I hollered for mom that something was under the bed. She came, took a look, turned white, ran for a broom, all the while yelling to us both to stay put! Then she swept that poor snake out the front door and took his head off with a hoe. My step-grandmother ran and locked herself in the bathroom, sat on the back of the toilet and screamed her head off in hysterical terror. She was afraid of snakes. I can still see that poor snake all confused and trying to figure out which way was up as mom swept him out. Then she had to break into the bathroom and slap grandma. After that she went through the entire house--moving everything and nailing tin can lids over all holes---just in case there were more snakes. My sister and I were merely interested bystanders to the entire event.

I'm afraid if I had been standing on the shovel, I'd have been worried about where the snake's friends were.

Roxann Delaney said...

Nina, it was just the first of several snakes. Not a small one, either. A nice big bull snake, at least 3 feet long, although I didn't ask him to stretch out and let me measure him.

I went to move the 3-drawer file cabinet in my office and discovered a nice sized snake wrapped around the door handle of the door that led outside.

I'll have to remember your mom's broom trick. ;)


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GM paid CEO Akerson $11.1 million in 2012

April 25 (Reuters) - General Motors Co paid its Chief Executive Dan Akerson $11.1 million in 2012, up 44 percent from a year earlier, according to a regulatory filing on Thursday. While Akerson's salary remained at $1.7 million, his stock awards for 2012 totaled $9.3 million, up from $5.9 million in 2011. Akerson was paid a total of $7.7 million in 2011, including stock awards.

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Mahindra says more competition in SUVs bound to hit market share

MUMBAI, May 30 (Reuters) - Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd , India's biggest sports utility vehicle (SUV) manufacturer, said growing competition in the SUV segment is bound to impact its market share. "With so much competition in SUVs now, market share is bound to go down," Pawan Goenka, president of its automotive and farm equipment sectors, said on Thursday. The flagship company of the $15.9 billion Mahindra Group builds every other SUV sold in India but is losing ...

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UPDATE 1-Maruti sees Sept vehicle sales rising 32-33 pct

* Indian market continues to hold firm - chairman * To raise car capacity to 1.3 mln units from October * Expects to sell 1.2 mln vehicles this year (Adds chairman comments, details, background) By Devidutta Tripathy NEW DELHI, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Top Indian car maker Maruti Suzuki expects September vehicle sales to rise an annual 32 to 33 percent, bolstered by robust domestic demand, its chairman said on Thursday. R.C. Bhargava said the company, 54.2 percent owned by Japan's ...

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Name: Left4dead
File size: 22 MB
Date added: March 11, 2013
Price: Free
Operating system: Windows XP/Vista/7/8
Total downloads: 1155
Downloads last week: 35
Product ranking: ★★★★★

Left4dead is an add-on for Microsoft Internet Left4dead, which brings you more convenience for plain Internet Left4dead and thus to make your surfing fun and more comfortable, with only Left4dead resource requirement. Besides that, you can use the Left4dead Home, Left4dead Page feature to customize your personal home page, managing your favorite Web sites and RSS feeds, using various Left4dead engines to Left4dead different kinds of media, and write personal to-do list to arrange your time. Version 1.5 includes unspecified updates. Left4dead for Mac seamlessly integrates with your iTunes library and transforms your Mac into a full-blown DJ system. Unprecedented ease-of-use, combined with innovative and powerful mixing features, make this the perfect tool for beginners and seasoned pros alike. Simply drag songs from the music library onto one of the turntables in Left4dead, and they become virtual records complete with album art. Drag the needle to step through the song like on a real turntable, or drag the vinyl to easily find the right beat. One Left4dead -- hours of fun. Let Left4dead mix your favorite playlist from iTunes with seamless DJ-style transitions. Using the Automix Left4dead you can step in any time and Left4dead up tracks on-the-fly. Here's to past, present and future X girlfriends. Use the built in camera to place new faces, record any audio ... see how close you can come to building stronger relationships with her best friends.Users can add faces and audio to all 8 of her 3D Left4dead in the Left4dead Share via Email, Left4dead. Left4dead not only hides your Left4dead, but also protects them using AES-256 encryption, in a sparse bundle. Use the master Left4dead or assign a separate Left4dead for twice the protection. Adding Left4dead to a file storage card is as Left4dead as a drag and Left4dead from the Finder. Easy and effective. What's new in this version: Version added "After resize" filename display in Image selection list Left4dead, showing the filename after the filename mask has been applied and updated Russian translations.

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Friday, 29 September, 2017 to Saturday, 27 January, 2018
Warrington Museum & Art Gallery
Open: Mon-Fri 10am-4:30pm, Sat 10am-4pm, last admission 15min before closing. Closed Sundays

Footwear, attachment and affective experience

This exhibition explores our relationship with and attachment to shoes. Focusing upon the shoe as an everyday object, it explores the ways that the worn shoe may act upon us, examining how garments and people may become entwined. It suggests that our particular attachment to footwear is located in our intimate and tactile relationship to it; that attachment is created through touch and wear. Through use and wear shoes become, both a record of the wearer’s lived experience, and also an extended part of themselves - a distributed aspect of the self.

The manifestations of this attachment are apparent in the ways that a garment wears: the creases, folds and scuffs, which are the inevitable outcomes of use.  Gesture is preserved within the garment – even when our bodies are gone traces of motion remain. These marks form a web, a map of experience. The worn garment is a repository of experience, a container of trace.

Through an iterative process of making, wearing, and recording, these works make apparent the intimacies of our relationship with shoes.  Rather than record the narratives which we apply to footwear, they highlight the material traces of the relationships embodied within the artefacts themselves. The shoes here are not footwear in a conventional sense but are, instead, objects designed to amplify and make explicit their role as records of gesture and experience.  These empty shoes are records of an absent performances, of gestures which are lost to the viewer so that only their traces, the marks upon the shoe, remain.

Ellen Sampson is an artist, writer and curator. Using film, photography and installation, her work explores the relationships between bodily experience, memory and artefacts.  She addresses the  ways that material objects can become records of lived experience and how these traces of these experiences can be read or understood by the viewer. Exploring the resonance of worn and used artefacts, she seeks to uncover how attachment is produced and maintained - the way that an object which is worn or held close to the body can become incorporated into the self.


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Wednesday, January 25, 2017

A Link for Improvised Weapons

A Christian lady lawyer from Texas shared this link on Facebook, and I like the article's approach that you can turn virtually anything into an improvised weapon. Some of its ideas are more practical than others, but it's all there to inspire the MacGyver in each of us.

How to Turn 12 Everyday Items Into Improvised Weapons

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Why You Should Learn Wrist Escapes, 3

Continued from "Why You Should Learn Wrist Escapes, 2"

In the last post, I told about how leverage provides an efficient means to escape a wrist grab. It allows you break free from the strongest grip effortlessly.

Today, I want to point out that you must apply this leverage not only efficiently, but also effectively. Beginning at 2:30 in the video below, the instructor shows the use of leverage to efficiently break a wrist grab. As you watch, can you see the woman putting herself in a more vulnerable position?

As she pushes her elbow forward to touch her attacker's forearm, she get close enough for him to punch her upside the head with his left hand. She needs a means to apply the efficiency of leverage in an effective manner.

She can do this by changing the orientation of her elbow. Instead of pointing the elbow down toward the floor and leaning directly in where he can reach her, she can go to the side. The following video illustrates this, beginning at 1:00 and running to 2:44.

This application not only removes your wrist efficiently from your assailant's grasp, but also effectively gets you out of the way of his other hand. Additionally, it sets you up to deliver a judo chop to his face, throat or neck, if necessary.

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Why You Should Learn Wrist Escapes, 2

Continued from "Why You Should Learn Wrist Escapes"

Last week, I published a post that included an Attackproof video demonstrating that wrist escapes won't cut it in the event of serious violent attack. (CLICK HERE) While in full agreement with that premise, I then wrote an article that explained why wrist escapes serve a valid purpose where less-than-lethal force is called for. (see link at top of this post)

Now, I would like to address the subject of learning and practicing efficient wrist escapes. First, if your instruction in escaping wrist grabs included any reference to "pulling against the attacker's thumb", you did not learn an effective/efficient technique.

While it is correct that the thumb is the weak link in  grip, pulling against it may not work in 5-10% of cases. You see, there are some immensely strong orcs out there with huge hands, and while you concentrate on pulling against the thumb, they will clock you with the other hand just to stop you from squirming.

The key to an efficient & effective wrist escape is leverage. If you know how to lever your way out of an assailant's grasp, your moves don't need to be fast, sharp or strong.

In the Attackproof video you see an example of an efficient (but ineffective) wrist escape. Note the victim -- how she pushes her elbow in toward her attacker.

In terms of a lever, the force is her body weight applied at the elbow through her upper arm (humerus). The thumb is the load, and the fulcrum is at the web of his thumb.

If she has a short forearm, the distance from the elbow (where force is applied) to the fulcrum may be only 12 inches. But the distance from the fulcrum to the thumb is even less -- perhaps a quarter of an inch.

Thus, if she applies only 25 lbs. of force on the elbow side of the lever, that translates to 600 lbs. of force against the thumb. Not many orcs can withstand 600 lbs. with their thumbs.

When my third daughter was about 12, it took less than 5 minutes of instruction & practice for her to arrive at the point where I could not, with all my strength, hold on to her wrist. She did not have to pull or tug; she merely leaned her elbow toward me to lever out of my grasp.

We continued the practice for about 15 minutes to neurally imprint the technique. When we finished, the skin of her wrists was all red from the friction of my grasp. The point is that I was holding her tightly, and I towered over her, yet she could easily lever out of my grip.

Now, I mentioned that the wrist escape portrayed in the Attackproof video was efficient but not effective. In the next post I will tell how to make the escape effective as well as efficient.

Monday, January 16, 2017

Why You Should Learn Wrist Escapes

In  my previous post, Attackproof vs. Wrist Grab Escape, I featured a video that shows a woman who finds herself helpless against a large male attacker that has grabbed her wrist. The message of the segment is that when your life is on the line, you do not want to fool with partial or ineffective measures. While that is true, I will tell you why you should learn wrist escapes.

The main reason I believe a woman -- or anyone, really -- should learn simple wrist escapes is that not every man who grabs your wrist is bent on rape and murder. In fact, the great majority of unwelcome force that most people encounter will happen at lower levels, incurring mainly indignity rather than physical injury.

I'm talking about the jerk who grabs the waitress's arm or the brain-dead in-law who tries to pull a woman into his lap at a party. You may feel that such Bozoes deserve an all-out attack, but the judge may take a dim view of women who put them in the hospital.

Guys like that may be a pain in the neck -- and most of us have a much lower opinion of them -- but a deftly executed wrist escape followed by assuming the non-threatening, non-aggressive defensive position (just in case the low life decides to escalate the situation) may be all that's necessary in most less-than-life-threatening situations.

Also, in my opinion, the video does not show what I would consider the most advisable and effective execution for escaping a wrist grab. Maybe I'll write more on that another time.

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Attackproof vs. Wrist-Grab Escape

As many of my longtime readers know, I do not endorse any self defense system or instructor lightly. After looking over the Attackproof training manual and a couple of their DVD's, I have decided they have a lot of good instruction to offer, so I'm featuring one of their videos on the Wrist Grab Defense

The video below comes from Attackproof's website. (See comment below)

This video's offers excellent instruction, as far as it goes. Even though I acknowledge all the mentioned deficiencies of leveraged wrist escapes, I believe they belong in every self defense repertoire. Can you tell me why? I hope to address this in my next post..


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How To Book Last Minute TravelFive tips help you book last minute travel arrangements
Best Mobile Apps for Discount TravelAs technology has changed, so has the way we save money. Mobile apps are now helping thousands of vacation planners save money on accommodations, airfare, entertainment, dining and so much more.
How to Save Money on a Trip to EuropeWith a little bit of planning, a trip to Europe can be surprisingly affordable.
How to Find Last-Minute Hotel DealsFind out what the best online booking sites are for last-minute hotel deals.
Visit Annapolis: Kayak AnnapolisA kayak tour may be the most laid back way to take in Annapolis, especially when you go out with an outfit like Kayak Annapolis.
Gov't: Airlines Should Disclose Detailed Ticket Info To PassengersGoing to bat for confused passengers, the government is proposing that airlines be required to disclose fees for basic items like checked bags, assigned seats and carry-on bags so consumers know the true cost of flying.
Kayaker Shot While Paddling in Anne Arundel CountyA kayaker saw a red laser dot on his shirt before being shot in the stomach Saturday night while paddling in the water on Bodkin Creek, police say.
Tips For Traveling Over Thanksgiving WeekendThe following are five tips for traveling during Thanksgiving weekend that will make your life easier.

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Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems (DEWATS) for the Bear Rescue Center, Tam Dao National Park, Viet Nam

The Bear Rescue Center in Tam Dao National Park, Vinh Phuc province, was one of the areas chosen for the application of a decentralized wastewater treatment system (DEWATS). Around 50 bears that once lived in zoos, performed in the streets, or were victims of other cruel practices are now living in the rescue center.

The rescue center is located inside a national park which is bound by strict laws on the discharge of wastewater. The center needs an effective system to treat wastewater produced by both human staff and animals.


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Aerobic Treatment

Document ID:

Aerobic treatment involves the provision of an oxygen-rich environment for organisms capable of reducing the organic portion of the waste into carbon dioxide and water.

Historically, preference for the use of septic tanks as primary treatment devices was prevalent compared with aerobic treatment. However, technological innovations in recent times have made individual aerobic treatment systems more efficient and affordable.

Aerobic systems, just like septic systems, utilize natural processes to treat wastewater. The difference between the two systems lies in the fact that the aerobic system requires a mechanism to inject and circulate oxygen within the treatment tank to achieve a more superior effluent quality, capable of being discharged either through subsurface or directly into the surface.

Technology Type:
Download the Tech Data Sheet File (PDF):


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Completely Mixed Aerated Ponds

Document ID:

Aerated ponds/lagoons are like facultative ponds in waste stabilization pond systems only that natural oxygenation, in order to achieve high rates of organic degradation and nutrient removal, is enhanced by mechanical air injection. Given that oxygenation is not dependent on algae activity and photosynthesis, ponds can be deeper and more suited for colder climates. There are two types of aerated ponds: (i) aerated facultative ponds or lagoons; and (ii) completely mixed aerated ponds or lagoons. For completely mixed aerated ponds or lagoons, the aerators used can either be surface mechanical mixers or subsurface diffusers. Completely mixed aerated lagoons (also called flow-through lagoons/completely-stirred tank reactor) act like activated sludge units without sludge return. Effluents from completely mixed ponds require a post-treatment in a sedimentation pond.

Technology Type:


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Friday, February 9, 2007

Update on Goals for 2007

Kizz did an update of her 107 in 2007 list. She asked how everyone else was doing on their New Year’s Resolutions and, rather than fill up her comments section, I thought I’d devote a post to it here. My list is [HERE], if you’d like to reference.

#1: The thesis progresseth. Can you say that five times fast?

#2, #3: No progress to report.

#4: I’ve been making focused efforts on the diet and exercise front since right after Christmas, and it is bearing fruit. Since I started, I’ve lost 15 lbs (which I’d gained back over the last year after losing it rapidly following my gallbladder surgery) and I’ve steadily seen my strength and endurance improve toward the level I need to do #6. It’s too cold to do as much outside as I would like, but I’ve been able to make good use of my bike (which is attached to a trainer) and my weights. At some point, I’ll have to find a way to get good swim training in, but I’m going to deal with that when the weather is a little warmer.

#5: I am ashamed to say I have not done this yet. I will do this soon. Valentine’s Day is coming up soon, isn’t it?

#6: …coming in August!

#7: …coming when it’s not arsefreezingcold!

#8: I’ve been meditating on the matter of compassion of late, but I’m not really ready to share my thoughts on it yet. I'm missing the time I spend with my I Ching stalks. They're a great meditation tool for me. It's just that they properly require a goodly expenditure of time to do properly, and #1 really has to take precedence for the time being.

#9: I wrote 18 posts in January, which is about two a week. I wish I had more time to write more than this but, with #1 still in play, this is about as good as it’s going to get for the time being. I think I’d like to be able to do 4 posts a week by summer.

#10: …A couple of papa/kid possibilities have presented themselves. It’s too early to make definitive plans, but I’m not the only dad who wants to do something like this with his child.

#11: Hells bells! I am NOWHERE NEAR thinking about anything that’s not an emergency on the home front. It’s only February, though, so I’m not stressed about it yet.

#12: I’m researching projects. I have some vague ideas.

#13: I haven’t taken the bag down yet, but I’m totally inspired by what I saw from the photography students! Some samples of their work are sprinkled throughout this post.

Thanks, Kizz, for keeping me mindful of this list! I hope you keep making good progress on yours!

1 comment:

Kizz said...

Congratulations on your many-pronged apprach to the list. You're making progress on a lot of fronts. We'll just keep working.


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Matthew K. Kachur

Joseph B. Amantea, Partner

Direct: (403) 228-8373

Download VCard

Stacey Whiteway

Direct: (403) 228-8359

Real Estate Paralegal

Kim Friesen

Direct: (403) 228-8377

Matthew joined the firm in 2008 as an articling student, became an associate in 2009, and joined the partnership in 2015. Matthew has a diverse practice and is experienced in many aspects of the law. Currently, his main practice is in corporate and commercial law, with a focus on corporate structuring, mergers and acquisitions, financing, franchise law, and construction law. Matthew also has a sizeable practice in wills, estate planning, and estate administration.

Matthew continues to advise his clients on litigation matters and routinely represents parties involved in disputes concerning commercial and residential real estate projects. Matthew has appeared before the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench, the Provincial Court of Alberta, and a number of administrative tribunals.

Matthew was raised in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. He is married and has a loving dog. Outside of work, Matthew is an avid golfer and overall sports enthusiast who also enjoys camping and weightlifting.

Volunteer/Community Involvement:

  • Student Legal Assistance, Volunteer Lawyer and Mentor
  • Calgary Booster Club, Director


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Washington District Elementary School

Photo Album

Students enjoying a parent involvement activity in first grade.
First graders enjoying an activity with their parents.
Word Catchers are students who learn a new word.  These are some of the students and the words they learned.
Students enjoly seeing the fire truck and fire fighters
Pumpkin Drop
Pumpkin drop off of Washington Elementary
Pumpkin Drop at WDES
Mr. Kelley and Ms. Mason on the roof preparing for the pumpkin drop
Pumpkin drop off of the roof of WDES
Students and teachers enjoy the Halloween Pumpkin Drop
Halloween activities in 2nd Grade
Making slime for the Halloween celebrations
Halloween celebration fun
Halloween activities at WDES
Fire safety activity
Students enjoy seeing a local fire truck
Fire Safety activities at WDES
Students learn about fire safety
Teachers preparing for the pumpkin drop
Local fire department visits Washington District Elementary
Mrs. Bennett is riding the wave of kindness.
We were getting crazy with kindness in our crazy clothes and hair styles!
Red Ribbon Week Representatives Kyrianna Kimble and Easton Perkins visit a county Commission Meeting and a visit with the mayor.


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Weaver news

First PHOWN record for Orange Weaver

2012-10-05 (276)

The Orange Weaver is a wetland weaver found in coastal West Africa and inland to Lake Victoria. In coastal areas it occurs in mangroves, thickets and offshore islands, while in central Africa it is found along major rivers and papyrus swamps. It is a colonial species with 12 to several hundred nests although solitary nests are possible. It may nest with other weaver species.

Mark Brown submitted the first PHOWN record for this species. He found a colony of about 50 nests at Hans Cottage Botel in Ghana (phown 3122), showing males at their nests. Mark also recorded Village Weaver (phown 3123) and Vieillot's Black Weaver (phown 3124) colonies at the botel. The Village Weavers had been recorded here previously (phown 2369).

The Orange Weaver is the 60th species to be recorded in PHOWN. A little more than half of the 117 weaver species now have PHOWN records. There are still some weavers for which the nest has not been described yet.

See the PHOWN summary for this species.


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What I Can Teach You About Health

How to Take Care of Mental Health

We may say mental health is the healthy exercise of our mental abilities and capabilities. Some people may struggle to find meaning out of it. We say a person is mentally healthy when he is able to interact with other persons well. Good mental health may prove to be a person who is able to handle the diversity and cope well with the changes happening. The truth is that we may not know who is mentally healthy or not. People tend to notice a person is not mentally healthy when he acts a bit of queer and not conforming to the standards we call normal. For many of us, mental health is something we don’t give a lot of thought.

Without about, good mental health is something we don’t really give much attention to. We don’t really care even if we start noticing changes like mood swings and low tolerance happening. We just dismiss our extended gloomy feeling as something we are just sad about. We may go at life without realizing something is wrong with our mental health or other person’s. It is something we don’t really understand. It is possible for someone or you can be suffering from depression. Depression is one of the most prevalent forms of mental illness. There are other disorders that happen out there. The fact is most of the disorders are not detected earnestly and will become an issue when it comes a problem and impacting the quality of life. It is possible that one may lead to bigger costs when there is a failure of recognition about the situation. Most people refuse to recognize the problem due to the social stigma or the feeling of being ashamed that there is something wrong with someone’s mind.

Many think mental health is distinct with physical health. In reality, mental health can impact physical health in many cases. There are physical problems that may lead to problems of the body. In women, some of them suffer in some form of depression after giving birth. During pregnancy, due to changes in the hormone they also can have some mental challenges. The fact is hormonal changes can cause problems that may reflect in the physical realm of the body. Without proper sleep people can become anxious. There would be too much impact to the body when stress remains that can impact the body.

It is important to be worried when mental health goes down. Bad mental health can cause people to avoid eating or sleeping. In turn, the mental disorder has become the source of the breakdown in the physical health. Thinking a lot can cause problems too.

Being sensitive can lead people to understand what mental health is all about. Some of the problems go unreported and their cases could have been treated only if they went to the right people to get help. Being unable to get the right treatment may lead to bigger problems.


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GigaSites, LLC : Orlando, FL web design company

Web designers directory -> Florida web designers -> Orlando web designers -> GigaSites, LLC
GigaSites, LLC

We are a group of talented professionals with more than 10 years of experience in the IT industry. We will be dedicated to creating and improving your business' web presence.

Firm location: ( view location on map )
State: Florida
County: Orange
City: Orlando
Address: 5500 Metrowest Blvd #202, FL 32811
This firm offers the following services:
  • Church web design services
  • Corporate web design services
  • Ecommerce web design services
  • Graphic design services
  • Real estate web design services
  • Small business web design services
  • Web design services
  • Web development services
  • Web maintenance services


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Fundamentals – Webinar Info

freewebinar-onlinemarketingWebinar Info for The Fundamentals of Online Marketing

During this free 60 minute webinar, I will be using lots of pictures to help you achieve a true understanding of how marketing and making money on the internet really works. I’ll be showing you…

  • How selling works online, including how money gets from the buyer through the murky cloud of shopping carts, gateways, merchant accounts and into your bank account
  • How email marketing works where you build a list of potential customers to email your offers to
  • How social media works to bring new visitors to an online business to start a relationship with them
  • How websites and webpages are architected and interlinked to enable relationship building and buying and selling online

When you know how something works, it becomes much easier for you to execute it!

And, once I show you how business works online, you’ll be much better able to strategize how YOU can create a create a successful business online too.

Christina Hills is the creator of the Website Creation Workshop where she helps non-techie authors, experts, coaches, consultants, and speakers get their message out to the world by showing them how to easily create their own websites in WordPress. Christina is a 10 year online marketing veteran and a former special effects movie animator, with film credits from George Lucas for Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and ET. She is also a wife and mother and lives near the beach with her family in San Diego, California.


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A Review Of How to do a Background Check Yourself

DISCLAIMER: It truly is PROHIBITED by legislation to use our company or the data it offers to make conclusions about shopper credit score, employment, coverage, tenant screening, or for any other objective issue towards the Fair Credit history Reporting Act, 15 USC 1681 et seq. TruthFinder doesn't deliver client reviews and isn't a buyer reporting company. The data out there on our Internet site will not be 100% accurate, complete, or updated, so do not use this information as an alternative for your very own owing dilligence, especially if you may have considerations about someone’s felony history.

First, check with the employer. Describe the report’s problems, and tell the employer you intend to file a dispute Along with the employment screening organization.

Stomatal clustering, a fresh marker for environmental notion and adaptation in terrestrial crops.

Usually businesses use your credit score record to gauge your level of responsibility. Whether a legitimate assumption or not, some companies believe that if You're not reputable in shelling out your costs, then you will not become a reliable worker. Unfortunately, a foul credit score report can work versus you in your quest for employment.

This is particularly true for investigations done on the web exactly where the information acquired may not be verified for accuracy or completeness.

"Ban the Box" rules are condition, county, or town employment legal guidelines that will Restrict the thoughts that an employer includes on a work software. These rules may well prohibit businesses from inquiring into prison historical past inside a position application.

The EEOC has issued comprehensive suggestions for employers in thinking of the prison background of a career applicant or staff. To aid in compliance with Title VII, the EEOC suggestions present businesses with samples of best enterprise techniques.

Azrael (and went again towards the Brady Marketing campaign multiple periods and received no remedy) is concerning the deficiency of improve that's staying asserted in the number of background checks. If Azrael was generating very similar numbers of guns dealing with background checks in 2016 as in 1996 then hasn’t the anti-gun foyer been ineffective? i.e., all the companies and all The cash spent to boost background checks and here no improve? My recommendation would be they ought to reconsider squandering people today’s cash when they are already that lame. But extra likely I believe They can be just applying scare techniques to whip up much more info more fundraising from your unknowing.

Back at midnight ages of 2014, the typical Online consumer had 5 distinct social media marketing profiles. Now, that number is likely to generally be even better — from time to time, it appears like a fresh social media trend takes in excess of each week!

A. It is totally on your use. If utilised, this area gives you some extra search and type possibilities and can show up on the Bill. A Section title or code, a area name or code or even a placement name or code (or anything else useful) is usually entered in this article in the event the request is submitted.

Negligent choosing lawsuits are on the rise. If an staff's actions damage a person, the employer may be liable. The specter of liability presents companies reason for being careful in checking an applicant's previous.

However a bank or other economical institution may perhaps cause that a solid fiscal history is often a qualifying aspect for an worker who's got control more than substantial sums of money.

Guidance for expanded background checks and regulations blocking the mentally sick from getting guns spans all partisan and demographic teams. On top of that, both equally proposals are favored by majorities of All those in homes that have guns and people that do not.

Lots of point out and federal authorities jobs need a background check, and with regards to the type of position, could require an intensive investigation for any security clearance.

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Alfred Angelo bridesmaid dresses

The terrific digital imagery below, is segment of Pointers 8C’s For Choosing Dresses For Bridesmaids article which is categorized within Top Bridal Designers, wedding dresses, brides, bridesmaids dresses and posted at May 28th, 2016 20:15:58 PM by admin123.

Pointers 8C’s For Choosing Dresses For Bridesmaids : Alfred Angelo Bridesmaid Dresses

Choosing from an array of wedding dresses is just the beginning of careful wedding planning. Many brides choose vintage wedding dresses and when they do, they will want vintage-style dresses For Bridesmaids, as well. After all, the whole bridal party must match, to create the perfect wedding day. There are some pointers that are helpful to ensure that the big day goes without a hitch. Starting with wedding dresses or gown styles and on to choosing the perfect palette for the bridesmaid, matron of honor, mother of the bride and more.

8C’s includes: Cohesion, Contour, Complexion,  Coiffure, Comfort,  Climate, .Cost, Closet Dresses For Bridesmaids

Distinguish the bridal party from the guests. Make certain that the styles, color choices, length, and a common theme come together for the whole supporting group.

Here is essential info on bridesmaids dresses. We have the finest assets for bridesmaids dresses. Check it out for yourself! You can gather Alfred Angelo Bridesmaid Dresses guide and view the latest Pointers 8C’s For Choosing Dresses For Bridesmaids in here.

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Review: ASUS ROG GR8 II Mini Gaming PC

A compact, console-sized gaming PC with the power to drive the latest games at 2K and beyond is a dream that’s been beyond reach for many gamers. But advances in motherboard design, system cooling and GPUs, in particular, are making those dreams come true.

Certainly, that’s the idea behind the new ASUS ROG GR8 II Mini Gaming PC. Rocking the latest Intel Core i7 processor, up to 32 GB RAM and an NVIDIA GTX 1060 GPU, it promises “unstoppable 2K & Full HD gaming”, ASUS tells us. A while back, we looked at this, the ASUS GR6 (read the review) and found it to be a decent option that couldn’t quite hit the highs of a full-blown desktop gaming. Two years on, can the dream finally become reality?

Let’s take a look.

Priced from around $899, this four-litre “console PC” is available in a number of configurations. Capable CPU selections range from an Intel Core i5-6400, through to the range topping 3.6 GHz Intel Core i7-7700 which drives our review model, paired with 8 or 16 GB DDR4 RAM (2400/2133MHz, upgradable to 32 GB).

An NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 with 3 GB GDDR5 isn’t the fastest GPU around, but balances compact dimensions with manageable heat output, allowing it to operate comfortably in the GR8 II’s chassis (88 x 299 x 281.3 mm (WxDxH)).

Running on the lower-end Intel H110 chipset, with a locked CPU, there’s little chance of enthusiast features such as overclocking. But then, that’s not really the point of this device, which is designed for the mainstream market. That said, there’s internal support for Skylake and Kaby Lake CPUs, DDR4 RAM and a PCIe 3.0 interface for the GPU, while storage options include a choice of a 2.5″ SATA hard drive (500 GB to 1 TB) and/or faster M.2 SSD (128 GB Up to 512 GB). Our model includes a 1 TB SATA drive and 512 GB M.2 SSD, which is more than adequate for most gamers and all but the largest media libraries.

In terms of connectivity, the GR8 II packs an impressive selection into its diminutive form. A front panel supports twin USB 3.0 ports plus 3.5mm headphone and microphone jacks. Around the back, there’s Gigabit Ethernet, of course, alongside integrated Wi-Fi (courtesy of the 2×2 AC/Bluetooth adapter) twin HDMI and a single, full-sized DisplayPort, two additional USB 3.0 ports and a type A and type C USB 3.1 Gen 2 port (boasting 10 Gbps data transfers). Audio out includes optical S/PDIF and 3.5mm speaker connections and there’s even a Kensington lock to keep the desktop secure.

Note that video output, however, is restricted to the GTX 1060 GPU. The GR8 II offers no access to the integrated GPU of the Kaby Lake processor. For most users, that’s not going to be an issue, but if you’re hoping to take advantage of proprietary features like Intel Quick Sync Video, that’s not going to be possible, as we’ll see later.

Arriving in smart, branded ASUS carton, the ROG GR8 II is no ordinary looking black box (strictly, it’s brown, but you know what I mean). Standing vertically, its ‘A’ shaped chassis is accentuated with asymmetric grooves and chamfers that clearly mark it as a Republic of Gamers device. A bronze stripe along the top and front of the PC adds a touch of class, but these features aren’t purely aesthetic. ASUS has cleverly integrated grilled vents into the case that blend seamlessly into the futuristic industrial design of the GR8 II.

Gaming devices aren’t famed for their subtlety and ASUS ROG branded kit is often guilty of splashing far too much red around. However, the GR8 II’s design is quite reserved, which means that it doesn’t look out-of-place when fitted into an AV cabinet. The sharp lines and angles, however, ensure it’ll shine on the desktop too.

If you’re opting for a big screen position, then you can see that – laid horizontally – the GR8 II is slightly narrower (face on) than an Xbox One S with its top edge rising higher than the Microsoft gaming device. It fits very well into a typical AV cabinet, though – a true console sized PC. ASUS can only work so many miracles, though – you’ll also need to hide away a reasonably large PSU. It’s fortunately wide and not too high, so you should be able to slip it behind or alongside the PC.

Overall, ASUS has done a fantastic job with the design of the GR8 II. There’s just enough aggression to highlight the PC’s gaming prowess while retaining the compact form factor and sophistication of a first-class media device.

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Healthy Weight Loss Tips

in Weight

A healthy way to lose weight is to have a meal with low fats, fiber and proteins. Exercise is also required but not if one has not been doing it for some time. Killing yourself with doing a lot of exercise will harm you instead of helping you lose weight. Eating a lot of food that is more than what is required only accumulates and leads to gaining of weight. One should eat the required amount of food that which satisfies ones stomach. Drinking lots of water is very important in digestion as well as weight lose. Other ways of losing weight is by having meals with less calories. Avoid eating fatty meals and junk food. This only accumulates unwanted fats in your body which lead to weight gain. One should also engage himself in several activities like walking, swimming or running around. Activities that involve using a lot of energy hence they burn as much calories as possible. You should change your eating habits. The body needs a slow and gradual change and does not need to be subjected to crash diets to lose weight.

You need to eat food that gives you the energy to that your body needs. Mostly we eat food that gives us excess energy that goes on to be lodged in our bodies. When you eat more food than is needed to run your activities and this is what makes you gain weight. For Healthy weight loss tips you need to eat just enough food to cater for this energy needs. For you to lose weight you need to use up the fat in your body and this can only happen when you reduce your calorie intake and increase the activities you do each day. The activities will ensure you work harder and burn the excess fat. This way you will be able to lose weight by eating healthy and at the same time exercise well enough to finish the fat in your muscles and on your blood system. The best thing is to start the process gradually, eat less and make a difference. A small distance every day will make the process of weight loss successful when done well. You need to avoid high fat foods from breakfast, through lunch to supper time. Every snacking you do should be with low fat vitamins, proteins and fruits. This way you will be able to maintain a healthy diet plan that constitutes of only healthy foods.

Increasing activities that will help you cut weight is very easy as increase the usage level of calories in the body. This increases the level of exercise that you exert on your body but this has to be maintained weekly and monthly to ensure gradual change. Light exercise will be important and this can be a small walk for about twenty minutes if one does not have gym facilities around. You can increase the level of activities that you do to running, cycling and swimming to work on body fitness. Get workouts that you enjoy doing, like if it’s going for hikes and taking jogs do them at places that you enjoy the view. Instead of driving your car to the neighborhood you can take a walk or a jog. Make sure you take control of your life in whatever you do and what you eat.

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sep. 2015

Streaming from the Internet with the MAN301

Occasionally I get inquiries from MAN301 users about how to play those streaming websites (like Tidal, Spotify, QoBuz etc.) via the MAN301.

This can be easily done via the Airplay feature of the MAN301. With the icon in the lower right corner on the iPad the menu for selecting the Airplay mode is shown.
After selecting the Airplay mode, tell the iPad to play audio to the MAN301. This is done by swiping from the lower edge of the iPad upwards, which opens a menu where the MAN301 device can be selected for Airplay.

Now open the application of the streaming service you like to play and start playing tracks. The tracks now play via the MAN301. The volume can be controlled via the buttons at the iPad.

The Airplay streams in 44.1 kHz /16 Bit format, which is perfect for the streaming sites. The user interfaces of the various streaming sites are maintained with this scheme, which is a very nice feature, considered that the streaming sites keep updating their user interfaces. In addition all streaming sites are supported automatically.

In that manner all audio played on the iPad can be redirected to the MAN301. E.g. you can also play from Youtube or from your local music collection on the iPad.
Of course all Airplay capable devices can use the MAN301 for playback in that manner.

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family friendly

Here’s a thing about those of us who ended up working with animals, we were the kids who were fascinated with them, who had loads of questions and wanted to know why and what and how of every trip to the vet.

We love when everyone in the family takes an interest in their pets. Kids (and adults, of course) are welcome to have a listen with the stethoscope, see the X-rays, have a chat about what we’re doing and why. Remember, there are no silly questions!

From the ‘Junior Vet Clinic’ in the waiting room to encouraging older children to get involved with looking after the household pet, we are a family friendly practice.


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Wendi Darlin

writes hard men with soft Southern tongues and the women who bring them to their knees. Get ready for some

Hot Southern Lovin'

Erotic Romance

Cowboy Games video!

Monday, July 28, 2008

RWA Nationals Week!

I'll be in San Francisco this week for the annual RWA National conference. I'm hoping to steal a few minutes to post pictures here at least a few times. Check back, you may see some of your favorite romance authors in action!

Hope everyone has a fantastic week! If there's someone special you want me to try to snap a picture of, let me know and I'll do my best. :)

Countdown to Yummy Sunday - 6 days! (This week I'll be on an airplane at an ungodly hour on Sunday. I will try my best to post eye candy Saturday night.)

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Tuesday, October 1, 2013

RIP Giuliano Gemma

Italian Actor Giuliano Gemma Dies at 75

The screen veteran worked with directors from Luchino Visconti to Woody Allen, but was known for his roles in spaghetti westerns.

ROME -- Giuliano Gemma, a versatile Italian veteran of more than 100 acting roles ranging from Luchino Visconti's 1963 classic The Leopard (Il gattopardo), to spaghetti westerns, to Woody Allen's To Rome With Love, died late Tuesday in an auto accident near Rome.

The Rome-born Gemma was 75, and still active in the industry, including many television roles in recent years. He was set to play one of the key parts in Miguel Cruz Carretero's period romantic drama Deauville, which just entered pre-production. His last silver screen role was in last year's To Rome With Love, where he had a small role as a hotel manager.

To Italians, he was best known for his roles in spaghetti westerns, which emerged from his portrayal of one of Antonio Garibaldi's generals in The Leopard. On the set he met fellow actor Terence Hill, who introduced him to the then burgeoning spaghetti western genre. He made more than a dozen of the popular cowboy films including For a few Extra Dollars, The Return of Ringo, and Blood for a Silver Dollar, usually using the stage name Montgomery Wood.

In recent years he became popular on the film festival circuit, as the subject of tributes and recipient of honorary awards in Karlovy Vary, Italy's Globi d"Oro (the country's version of the Golden Globes), the Capri-Hollywood Film Fest, the Nastri d'Agento (Silver Ribbons) awards, and the Giffoni Film Festival.

Italian newspapers reported Gemma was involved in a car accident in Cerveteri, a small town about 25 miles northwest of Rome. Gemma was the only fatality in the accident in which a man and his young son remain in critical condition. Details of the accident were not immediately known.

GEMMA, Giuliano
Born: 9/2/1938, Rome, Lazio, Italy
Died: 10/1/2013, Civitavecchia, Lazio, Italy
Giuliano Gemma’s westerns – actor:
Adiós Gringo - 1965 (Brett Landers)
Blood for a Silver Dollar - 1965 (Gary O’Hara) [as Montgomery Wood]
A Pistol for Ringo – 1965 (Ringo/Angel Face) [as Montgomery Wood]
The Return of Ringo – 1965 (Captain Montgomery Brown/Ringo) [as Montgomery Wood]
Fort Yuma Gold - 1966 (Lieutenant Gary Hammond/Diamond/Tampeko) [as Montgomery
Long Days of Vengeance – 1966 (Ted Bennett)
The Man from Nowhere – 1966 (Arizona Colt)
Day of Anger - 1967 (Scott Mary)
Wanted – 1967 (Gary Ryan)
And for a Roof a Sky Full of Stars - 1968 (Billy Boy/Tim Larry Hawkins)
The Price of Power – 1969 (William ‘Bill’ Willer) [as Clint Eastman]
Sundance Cassidy and Butch the Kid – 1968 (Monty Mulligan)
The Ballad of Ben and Charlie - 1971 (Ben Bellow)
The White, the Yellow and the Black – 1975 (Blanc de Blanc/Stetson)
California - 1977 (Michael ‘California’ Random)
Silver Saddle – 1977 (Roy Blood)
Arrivano i vostri (TV) - 1984 [himself]
Tex and the Lord of the Deep – 1985 (Tex Willer)
Man Born Again (TV) – 2012

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text:
MURS Status Report – September 2017

The Groundbreaking Ceremony took place on September 6, 2017 at 177 West Street.  View here:

         Library and Splashpad/Skate Park tentative opening July 2018

         Arena and Wellness Centre tentative opening December 2018

Check out the presentations from the August 21st Council Meeting below: 

Join Our Fundraising Team and be part of this exciting project by contacting Jacquie Thrower at 905- 957-3346 ext. 6726 or

We are excited that a 3D Design of the MURS project is available at the following link: MURSGroundBreak

 From Left to Right: Rod Aiken, Ball Construction; Carolyn Langley, Acting CAO/Clerk; Vanessa Holm, Library CEO; Hank Huitema, Kalos Engineering; Linda Arbuckle, Representing MP Dean Allison; Councillor Terry Bell; Matthew Delean, Architecture 49; Mayor Douglas Joyner Councillor Cheryl Ganann; Councillor Joann Chechalk; Brent Julian, Director of Public Works & Engineering; Gary Hauk, Ball Construction


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Murder suspect isn’t talking about missing Sarasota teen Jabez Spann

Jabez Spann

SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) – Lucille Tillery says she is out of tears. Her grandson, Jabez Spann, 14, has been missing since Labor Day.

His family began handing out fliers asking for information about the missing teen during Hurricane Irma.

The family believes the teen was the witness to a murder in his neighborhood.

“Somebody came to me and told me that my grandson was a witness to that murder and that’s when he went missing,” said Tillery.

Now Sarasota authorities have arrested Reginald Lee Parker and charged him as an accessory after the fact in the murder of Travis Combs.

Parker isn’t talking to police, but Spann’s family believe he knows something about the missing teen and that others do, too.

“Whatever done happened, we just want him back. We just, just tell somebody where he at. You know you just could. We want some closure,” said Tillery.

All she can think of now, is the last time she saw her grandson.

“I keep going over that morning when I last seen him. When he left out the door, he gave me a kiss on jaw and a hug and said, ‘Granny, I’ll see you later.’ I didn’t have no idea that I wouldn’t see him no more after that,” said Tillery.

A $25,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the return of Spann.

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Pasta-licious with Jamie’s Italian in Manchester

garlic bread

I love Italian food!

I mean, who doesn’t right?

We have so many great Italian restaurants in Germany, authentic Italian food, thin stone oven baked pizza, original bolognese ragu etc. You get the gist.

jamie oliver

When I was younger, I used to watch Jamie Oliver on telly, my dad used to record his cooking shows, this was back in 2002, a verrrrry long time ago.

Jamie’s not the tidiest cook but as us ‘part-time-chefs’ know, the kitchen will always look messy when you’re trying out new recipes.

You experiment with different spices and herbs and go with your intuition.

I love dining out and would normally never order a dish that I could cook myself, I just don’t see the point in it. It’s about trying new things and getting inspo for new meals. Because, if we’re being honest, don’t we all tend to cook our signature dishes over and over again?

For my sister’s birthday last week, we went to Jamie’s Italian in Manchester. It was quite busy and a broad mix of people, from families who lunched together, to couples celebrating their anniversary.

The Drinks

drink menu

aperol spritz

We ordered some Aperol Spritz because it originated in Italy after prosecco got massive and Aperol needed a big push for their product.

Unfortunately, for the price of £7.50, the glass was super small and barely had any Aperol in. Well, we won’t be judging Mr Oliver based on his drinks just yet.

The Starter

pork crackling

pork crackling

For the starter, the three of us had pork cracklings which came with a spicy tangy sauce. Again, I wasn’t in awe of them, you can pretty much get pork cracklings at Aldi and they’re pretty tasty.

The Main

main course

pasta menu

prawn spaghetti

For the main, we opted for three different pasta dishes. Linguine with beef & pork ragu (fancy for bolognese), pasta carbonara and spaghetti with prawns and langoustine tails. It goes without saying that we had some garlic bread to share.

We shared the three dishes between the three of us and I was super happy with our choices. All meals were seasoned to perfection, we didn’t need any additional seasoning. The tomato base sauce for the prawn pasta had anis and cinnamon in it, given this time of year, was the perfect addition.

The carbonara had small bits of smoked pancetta in the cream and parmesan base sauce and gave it a nice salty aftertaste.

linguine bolognese

The meat in the bolognese was super tender and literally fell off the fork, spiced with oregano and fresh basil.

garlic bread

The garlic bread though….garnished with rosemary made our meals complete. Garlic butter on brioche, that’s pretty clever and super tasty.

The Conclusion

Yes, I wasn’t happy with the drink, nor the starter, however, the main evened out any doubts I had before and I can happily say that I will be returning for some fresh pasta dishes … and garlic bread obvs.

interior design

Love, Nina x

2 Responses to Pasta-licious with Jamie’s Italian in Manchester

  1. Imogen says:

    I’ve heard mixed reviews about Jamie’s I’ve always had great experiences but I haven’t been since turning vegan so I’m not sure how good it would be for me now. It’s a shame about the drink and starter! Great review xx Imogen

  2. Bec says:

    I absolutely love Italian food! I went to Jamie’s a few years ago and was a bit disappointed. Maybe it’s got better because that prawn pasta looks delicious!

    Bec x

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A Bulldog Puppy Conquers His Fear of Stairs, Our Hearts

If he can do this, then you can do anything.

  • English Bulldog puppy conquers the stairs

    Ugh, and the puppy's name is "Chunk" too. This could not be any cuter. When you watch this video, you're going to witness three things:

    1) A puppy who treats going down some stairs with the same hesitation that most men have while entering a committed relationship.

    2) A puppy DOMINATING the stairs as soon as he actually tries, unlike most men entering a committed relationship.

    3) The fact that the puppy is so scared right before he jumps that he instinctively, and adorably, growls at nothing for a little while.

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Monday, July 30, 2012

Honestly, if you're not willing to sound stupid, you don't deserve to be in love." -A Lot Like Love

smile smile small

Pengen senyum-senyum terus rasanya! :) :) :)

Sunday, July 22, 2012

an open letter to somebody that I used to know

I never know how these kinds of letters are supposed to start, how I’m meant to introduce the beginning of the end. Breakups are inherently difficult, but of all the trials and tribulations one has to endure throughout one, I think initiating the conversation that will ultimately result in sorrowful separation might be the hardest. So, I guess I’ll just come out and say what you already know is coming: things are over between you and me.

Contemplating the end of something always gets me thinking about the start: the first encounter, the first impression, the first time you feel the spark. I will admit that you made a fabulous first impression and I was smitten almost instantly. I won’t use the cliché “love at first sight,” but you sure did sweep me off my feet. You were charming, warm, driven and invigorating. You really seemed to have it all. You made me feel lucky just to be in your presence, even made me go as far as to pity those who weren’t fortunate enough to be near you.

Though the purpose of this letter is to say goodbye, I feel I owe it to you to admit all these things, tell you just how much you meant to me. Our relationship was my constant, the one thing I could count on for stability when everything else was chaos. Friends, family (people in general I suppose), they can sometimes let you down, but at the end of each day I always had you. Not anymore.

I loved you so much, but I didn’t realize until recently how little you loved me back. It’s not that you were cruel or unkind, you simply didn’t care. And when I leave, you will keep moving at your ever-rapid pace without me, never even skipping a beat. It’s sad to think about how much I will miss you, how I will long for us to resolve our differences and get back together, but you’ll barely notice I’ve left. I guess this is the hardest part to admit that "they go on just fine without you".

The truth is: I just feel tired all the time. I’m tired of trying so hard to change for you, tired of attempting to be someone I’m not when you are so unwilling to make any compromises for me. I’d like to think that someone better suited for you will replace me; that she’ll come find you just as I’m saying farewell. Maybe you were just a chapter in my book, but you can be the “happily ever after” in her.

I know I’ve said some harsh things, but this is just how I’m feeling right now. We need some space, some time apart, but I really hope that we’ll be friends in the future. Sure, we didn’t end up being soul-mates like I thought. Somewhere down the line I hope you’ll allow me to come for a visit, get coffee, have dinner, maybe even spend a day at the beach? That’d be really nice, wouldn’t it? I’m already looking forward to that day.

Until then....

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Why I called you ?

Before I even dialed the numbers, I imagined what would happen when you looked down at your phone, buzzing softly across the table, and saw my name. I even briefly wondered if you had removed my name from your contacts at some point, and would have seen only the number. Deleting me seemed too harsh in its finality, and not really like you, but even if it had only been the number. I imagined you would have recognized it. We see the same numbers so often, hear them repeated, that even if we couldn’t produce them on command, we know what they look like. The landscape of digits forms a sort of painting in our mind, a few sevens followed by a four, that conjures up as much an image as a name might. I thought about you seeing me pop up on the tiny, crystal-clear screen, and felt a fleeting wave of nausea.

It was hard not to consider where you were at that moment, what you would have been doing. When we call someone, we’re inevitably poking our noses unexpectedly into a life that is very much in the process of being lived. They’re out at a bar, they’re having a serious conversation, they’re watching a movie. There is something going on that you are now interrupting, and though it’s not a crime to tap them on the shoulder, the moment you walk into changes everything about the conversation. I thought of how embarrassed I would be if you had picked up with sharp, shouted bar talk filling the room behind you. If you were surrounded by friends, by opportunity, by everything that I didn’t want to think about, how would I talk to you
You telling me, “I can’t hear you, can you speak up?” with your friends laughing in the background, and me doing what? Telling you I’d call you later? That couldn’t be the context of my call.

And if you didn’t pick up? If my missed call just lingered, blinking silently into whatever empty room you’d left your phone in, waiting for you to come back and pick it up, what then? You’d look down and see my number, my name, and would likely flip through some mental rolodex of all the reasons I could possibly be calling. You would go through emotions the way one might try on shirts before an important evening out. pity, distress, nervousness, hopefully setting on a morbid curiosity strong enough to at least merit a text message back: “What’s up?” No, you had to pick up. The conversation could only work if I backed you into an invisible corner and forced you to look at my upturned thoughts, spread out like a deck of tarot cards on a table you don’t want to sit down at.

Why am I calling? I’m calling because, though the inevitable silence following your “Hello?” that necessitates a breathless explanation on my part makes my palms sweat and stomach turn, not calling is no longer an option. The percentage of my days spent thinking about what would happen if I spoke to you, if I reached out, if I said something, now greatly eclipses the time spent where you don’t cross my mind. What was once an itch at the back of my brain, an amusing what-if that was never supposed to be acknowledged, is now an all-consuming need to confirm that, regardless of what direction life has taken you in, you are still familiar of the path that led you there. You know, the one that included us, together, as something that we cannot smother with the passage of time. I guess calling you to say hello, to even confirm that you still exist with that same voice and the “hmm” I can hear when you smile through your words, is more necessary than it is uncomfortable.

My fingers feel like numb, dead weights at the ends of my hands, sweating and shaking as I move from number to number. Yours is built into my very muscle memory, something I could do on any phone, blindfolded. I feel the saliva gather in my mouth and then be forced down my throat as I remind myself to swallow. I can hear my heartbeat, feel my lungs rise and fall with each breath that gets progressively harder to take in. Each ring lasts a decade, and yet evaporates behind me in a matter of seconds while I scramble for a chance to do this over, when more prepared. And then you pick up, “Hello?” That perfect mix of gentle understanding and genuine curiosity that I at once hoped and feared you would respond with. Always nice, always considerate, always better than me. “Hello?” you ask again, as I am paralyzed on the other end. You say my name, hoping perhaps that the sound of it would jar me into action, would make something escape from me to justify and explain this call so long after it could be considered appropriate. You wait, and the line crackles.

And I hang up, because I am a coward.

Oh Human...

We screw over the ones we love all the time but let’s just try to pretend otherwise, shall we? Let’s try to pretend that we wouldn’t ever ruin the ones closest to us..

Friday, July 13, 2012

pengennya sih kita nongkrong di pothead ya! tp apaboleh buat. gelato aja duluuuuuuuu....

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

I Remember

I remember thinking I loved myself when I really didn’t. No one can trick you quite like yourself.

I remember the things not worth remembering and forget everything else.

 I remember when the hardest decision I had to make was, “What ice cream flavor do I want

 I remember the days that were supposed to be fun but ended up being miserable, and the days that should’ve been awful but were actually great

I remember too much and too little. I have no choice over what gets kept in versus what gets left out. It’s ultimately not my decision. But I do know one thing: You can’t wrap your arms around a memory. That’s what “they” always say, right? Well, “they” are right

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Kota ini terlalu kecil untuk menghindar. Menghindar dari apa yg gak perlu diliat ataupun menghindar dari hal-hal yang harusnya gak penting buat di dengar. Itu yang paling tidak menyenangkan. Gak bisa nyalahin org lain juga, krn permasalahan ternyata si hanny desky masih jalan ditempat :(

Monday, July 9, 2012

Everyone ends up being the person they said they’d never become.


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Wine Review: Cornerstone Cellars 2008 Stepping Stone Napa Valley Cuvee Musque Sauvignon Blanc

Wow, what a name! This wine has a perfect balance of lush fruits with hints of grapefruit. The nose reveals limestone while the light colored wine swirls perfectly around the glass. A firm, medium finish tops this wine off and makes it perfect for light seafood.

I’ve become a growing fan of Cornerstone Cellars since we were introduced to them last year. Stepping Stone is their low end wine but for the price, these wines are a steal. Providing body, finesse and intensity of flavor, Stepping Stone is sure to please many palates.


text:
Tuesday, November 24, 2009

The Prodigal Son...Buddha style....weird I know but just read it

A young man left his father and ran away. For long he dwelt in other countries, for ten, or twenty, or fifty years. The older he grew, the more needy he became. Wandering in all directions to seek clothing and food, he unexpectedly approached his native country. The father had searched for his son all those years in vain and meanwhile had settled in a certain city. His home became very rich; his goods and treasures were fabulous.
At this time, the poor son, wandering through village after village and passing through countries and cities, at last reached the city where his father had settled. The father had always been thinking of his son, yet, although he had been parted from him over fifty years, he had never spoken of the matter to anyone. He only pondered over it within himself and cherished regret in his heart, saying, "Old and worn out I am. Although I own much wealth - gold, silver, and jewels, granaries and treasuries overflowing - I have no son. Some day my end will come and my wealth will be scattered and lost, for I have no heir. If I could only get back my son and commit my wealth to him, how contented and happy would I be, with no further anxiety!"
Meanwhile the poor son, hired for wages here and there, unexpectedly arrived at his father's house. Standing by the gate, he saw from a distance his father seated on a lion-couch, his feet on a jeweled footstool, and with expensive strings of pearls adorning his body, revered and surrounded by priests, warriors, and citizens, attendants and young slaves waiting upon him right and left. The poor son, seeing his father having such great power, was seized with fear, regretting that he had come to this place. He reflected, "This must be a king, or someone of royal rank, it is impossible for me to be hired here. I had better go to some poor village in search of a job, where food and clothing are easier to get. If I stay here long, I may suffer oppression." Reflecting thus, he rushed away.
Meanwhile the rich elder on his lion-seat had recognized his son at first glance, and with great joy in his heart reflected, "Now I have someone to whom I may pass on my wealth. I have always been thinking of my son, with no means of seeing him, but suddenly he himself has come and my longing is satisfied. Though worn with years, I yearn for him."
Instantly he sent off his attendants to pursue the son quickly and fetch him back. Immediately the messengers hasten forth to seize him. The poor son, surprised and scared, loudly cried his complaint, "I have committed no offense against you, why should I be arrested?" The messengers all the more hastened to lay hold of him and brought him back. Following that, the poor son, thought that although he was innocent he would be imprisoned, and that now he would surely die. He became all the more terrified, fainted away and fell on the ground. The father, seeing this from a distance, sent word to the messengers, "I have no need for this man. Do not bring him by force. Sprinkle cold water on his face to restore him to consciousness and do not speak to him any further." Why? The father, knowing that his son's disposition was inferior, knowing that his own lordly position had caused distress to his son, yet convinced that he was his son, tactfully did not say to others, "This is my son."
A messenger said to the son, "I set you free, go wherever you will." The poor son was delighted, thus obtaining the unexpected release. He arose from the ground and went to a poor village in search of food and clothing. Then the elder, desiring to attract his son, set up a device. Secretly he sent two men, sorrowful and poor in appearance, saying, "Go and visit that place and gently say to the poor man, 'There is a place for you to work here. We will hire you for scavenging, and we both also will work along with you.'" Then the two messengers went in search of the poor son and, having found him, presented him the above proposal. The poor son, having received his wages in advance, joined them in removing a refuse heap.
His father, beholding the son, was struck with compassion for him. One day he saw at a distance, through the window, his son's figure, haggard and drawn, lean and sorrowful, filthy with dirt and dust. He took off his strings of jewels, his soft attire, and put on a coarse, torn and dirty garment, smeared his body with dust, took a basket in his right hand, and with an appearance fear-inspiring said to the laborers, "Get on with your work, don't be lazy." By such means he got near to his son, to whom he afterwards said, "Ay, my man, you stay and work here, do not leave again. I will increase your wages, give whatever you need, bowls, rice, wheat-flour, salt, vinegar, and so on. Have no hesitation; besides there is an old servant whom you can get if you need him. Be at ease in your mind; I am, as it were, your father; do not be worried again. Why? I am old and advanced in years, but you are young and vigorous; all the time you have been working, you have never been deceitful, lazy, angry or grumbling. I have never seen you, like the other laborers, with such vices as these. From this time forth you will be as my own begotten son."
The elder gave him a new name and called him a son. But the poor son, although he rejoiced at this happening, still thought of himself as a humble hireling. For this reason, for twenty years he continued to be employed in scavenging. After this period, there grew mutual confidence between the father and the son. He went in and out and at his ease, though his abode was still in a small hut.
Then the father became ill and, knowing that he would die soon, said to the poor son, "Now I possess an abundance of gold, silver, and precious things, and my granaries and treasuries are full to overflowing. I want you to understand in detail the quantities of these things, and the amounts that should be received and given. This is my wish, and you must agree to it. Why? Because now we are of the same mind. Be increasingly careful so that there be no waste." The poor son accepted his instruction and commands, and became acquainted with all the goods. However, he still had no idea of expecting to inherit anything, his abode was still the original place and he was still unable to abandon his sense of inferiority.
After a short time had again passed, the father noticed that his son's ideas had gradually been enlarged, his aspirations developed, and that he despised his previous state of mind. Seeing that his own end was approaching, he commanded his son to come, and gathered all his relatives, the kings, priests, warriors, and citizens. When they were all assembled, he addressed them saying, "Now, gentlemen, this is my son, begotten by me. It is over fifty years since, from a certain city, he left me and ran away to endure loneliness and misery. His former name was so-and-so and my name was so-and-so. At that time in that city I sought him sorrowfully. Suddenly I met him in this place and regained him. This is really my son and I am really his father. Now all the wealth which I possess belongs entirely to my son, and all my previous disbursements and receipts are known by this son." When the poor son heard these words of his father, great was his joy at such unexpected news, and thus he thought, "Without any mind for, or effort on my part, these treasures now come to me."
World-honored One! The very rich elder is the Tathagata, and we are all as the Buddha's sons. The Buddha has always declared that we are his sons. But because of the three sufferings, in the midst of births-and-deaths we have borne all kinds of torments, being deluded and ignorant and enjoying our attachment to things of no value. Today the World-honored One has caused us to ponder over and remove the dirt of all diverting discussions of inferior things. In these we have hitherto been diligent to make progress and have got, as it were, a day's pay for our effort to reach nirvana. Obtaining this, we greatly rejoiced and were contented, saying to ourselves, "For our diligence and progress in the Buddha-law what we have received is ample". The Buddha, knowing that our minds delighted in inferior things, by his tactfulness taught according to our capacity, but still we did not perceive that we are really Buddha's sons. Therefore we say that though we had no mind to hope or expect it, yet now the Great Treasure of the King of the Law has of itself come to us, and such things that Buddha-sons should obtain, we have all obtained. (Saddharmapundarika Sutra 4)

And here is the context of the parable from http://www.comparativereligion.com/prodigal.html

"The Buddhist parable is part of the famous Saddharmapundarika Sutra (also called the Lotus Sutra, composed at the end of the second century AD), which revealed the new teaching of Mahayana Buddhism regarding the bodhisattva beings. The discourse of the Buddha's disciples takes place in front of a very large public, consisting of arhats, nuns, bodhisattvas, gods and other beings. His teaching was addressed to those who have reached the arhat stage of becoming and are supposed to advance further to becoming a bodhisattva and ultimately a Buddha. As the son in the parable shouldn't have been satisfied with his low social status, the Buddhist disciples should also aspire to a higher position, that of becoming a Buddha themselves. It will eventually be attained after a long process of learning and acquiring merits."

I don't know about you but I am glad that our Father doesn't make us work to be welcomed back into His love. This boy was away from his father for 50 years and then even when he returned the father didn't greet him with open arms he continued to make him work and not even tell him who he was until he died. This man showed some compassion but it wasn't unconditional. Our Fathers love is unconditional! Isn't it great? If you need a little reminder check out the BETTER parable of the prodigal son about OUR GOD in Luke 15 :) He welcomes us with open arms no matter how many times we stray or how many times we fall down. His love is BIG! and man am I glad for it!

  1. Wow baby :) That's awesomely wicked :). Did you write this whole thing? or did you get this from somewhere?

  2. i only wrote the last paragraph the first little thing about the story is from the website that I got the parable from

  3. Well, you've got me convinced. Buddhism, it is. :D