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Your Average NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn Preview & Predictions

NXT’s latest live special is kicking off what should be a hell of a weekend for the WWE. TakeOver leads into Summerslam which leads into Monday’s Raw, with all three of the events taking place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. TakeOver is SOLD OUT, which is so great and shows you the mainstream appeal NXT is generating. I’m not sure which matches will be on the live special and which matches will be for the TV tapings, so I’m just going to preview every match listed on the poster tweeted by HHH. The main card is headlined by two titles matches, both of which may actually blow the roof off the arena. Let’s get the preview and predictions!

Apollo Crews vs. ‘Perfect 10’ Tye Dillinger

Apollo Crews (former Uhaa Nation) will be making his televised NXT debut at TakeOver against an unnamed opponent. Crews is as gifted an athlete as NXT has ever seen, and if you have any doubts about his ability, check out that video I linked above. He’s a physical freak who has a ton of Indy experience, and much like Owens, Zayn, Itami, Balor etc. before him, he’s ready to take the next step. Tye Dillinger’s perfect 10 gimmick is really great, and it’s going to be fun to see Crews slap him around a little bit.

Prediction: Apollo Crews.

Bull Dempsey vs. Elias Sampson

Bull Dempsey is going through a character resurgence, and they’re finally giving him some personality. This is what they should do with Corbin, minus the funny workout routines because the guy is already in pretty phenomenal shape. But I’m glad some of these guys are getting to show their personalities. He’s listed s 6’2, 300 pounds, which is not the body type of an unstoppable monster, but it could be the body type of a solid grappler with an occasional mean streak.

Prediction: Bull Dempsey. No Bull-Fit.

Eva Marie vs. Carmella

I could pretty much copy and paste what I wrote about Bull Dempsey here and just sub in Eva Marie’s name. She’s a gorgeous woman with a ton of potential who WWE clearly has big plans for, and as long as she continues to try and improve her in ring skills then I’m ok with the push. The only thing WWE has to be wary of is giving her all this physical/wrestling move training and not having her worry about the psychology of the matches. I know that’s not the Divas forte, but if you’re starting Eva Marie from scratch why not have her break the mold? She already has the unteachable attribute of making people hate her by just walking out from behind the curtain. Add some depth and legit wrestling skills and you have a solid Divas heel.

Prediction: Eva Marie. At least Carmella will get her entrance during the 8 man tag.

Enzo Amore, Big Cass, Zack Ryder and Mojo Rawley vs. Jason Jordan, Chad Gable, Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson

When the initial TakeOver card was announced, the most glaring omission was Enzo and Big Cass. They’re not in the tag team title picture anymore, but not seeing their entrance in Brooklyn would have been an enormous missed opportunity. Well HHH changed his mind and put pretty much the entire roster on this card, and that includes Enzo and Big Cass. As far as the actual match, it’s a toss up. Enzo’s team should win in Brooklyn, but Jordan and Gable are the new hot team. Honestly, once I see the entrance, I’ll be content with either outcome.

Prediction: Ready, willing & Gable.

Charlotte vs. Emma vs. Becky Lynch vs. Dana Brooke

Charlotte and Becky are main roster mainstays now, but if you’re having the biggest show in NXT history, you can’t leave out two of the most important women. Dana Brooke is getting pegged as the next big thing, and I can see her being Bayley’s first challenger, which means she should probably win here. It’s nice to have NXT as a safe place where you can have three women’s matches and you know they’ll all be great. This won’t be able to match the story telling of Sasha/Bayley, but it still should be a fun match.

Prediction: Dana Brooke.

Samoa Joe vs. Baron Corbin

I can honestly say the only wrestler on the NXT roster that I’m not sold on is Baron Corbin. His debut was fine, as was the counting during his match, but he literally has not evolved in what seems like forever. He’s still wrestling squash matches, and he’s still just moseying on down to the ring with what I’m assuming is supposed to be an intense look, but it comes off as indifference. Samoa Joe is different from the other Indy guys NXT has brought in, as his run in TNA gave him more mainstream exposure than anyone else. I still think he’ll be in the main event scene in NXT, so perhaps he beats Corbin here and forces him to switch up his gimmick. All I know if is Corbin keeps winning and doesn’t  change things up, it won’t be long before the crowd turns on him for good.

Prediction: Samoa Joe, which hopefully forces Corbin to changes things up and become something more interesting.

Jushin ‘Thunder’ Liger vs. Tyler Breeze

This should be Tyler Breeze’s coming out party. He’s easily the most improved guy on the NXT roster, but has continually had to take a backseat to new guys coming in. Now he has a chance for a live special win against a hall of fame name, and this has to be his time. Liger is wrestling his first match for the WWE/NXT after a hall of fame career all around the world, and I think putting over Breeze here would be awesome. Nothing is ever 100% in pro wrestling, but this is obviously a one and done for Liger, so hopefully he’s able to put on a good match and they give Breeze the win. Prince Pretty is too talented to not make the next step, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to do so.

Prediction: Beauty Shot. 1,2,3. Selfie Stick. Tyler Breeze for the win.

NXT Tag Team Title Match: The Vaudevillians vs. Blake & Murphy (C)

The X factor here is Alexa Bliss, and how the Vaudevillians can counteract her knack for interfering in matches. Blake & Murphy are insanely athletic, and adding Bliss not only gives a talented woman TV time, but it added much needed personality to their act. I sincerely hope they give this match a good chunk of time, because both of these teams can GO in the ring. I’d be lying if I said wouldn’t be sad if Vaudevillians lost, because they’re awesome, but the key is going to be how do you neutralize the outside interference. Do the Vaudevillians compromise their moral code and accidentally ‘bump’ Bliss if she gets involved, or do they have a trick up their sleeves with an X factor of their own?

Prediction: Heart > Mind. Vaudevillians and manly posing for the win.

NXT Women’s Title Match: Bayley vs. Sasha Banks (C)

I don’t know if Vince and the WWE writers watch NXT, but if they want to know how they can kick start the Diva’s Revolution, they should watch this match. The progression of Bayley (and Sasha Banks) is what wrestling should be all about. They have great matches, sure, but they’re all real characters, people who have had ups and downs, wins and losses, and are now at a breaking point. Sasha went through it when she finally beat Charlotte for the NXT Women’s title, and now Bayley is going through the same thing. She was always the sidekick, and had to watch as Sasha, Charlotte and Becky Lynch tore through NXT and debuted on the main roster. Now it’s her turn to prove she belongs, and she’s already gone through Charlotte and Becky Lynch just to get to Saturday night. This is going to be the most emotional match of the night, and I’m pulling for Bayley more than anyone else on the show. Should be a classic.

Prediction: hugs for everyone. Bayley is the champ.

Ladder Match For The NXT Title: Kevin Owens vs. Finn Balor (C)

Few wrestlers are on more a downward spiral than Kevin Owens. Between losing to Cena and losing to Balor, Owens can’t really catch a break no matter where he shows up. He’s also losing to the two top dogs, so it’s not irreversible damage, but eventually he needs to get thrown a bone. I don’t think it happens Saturday night, and I hope it doesn’t happen Sunday against Cesaro, but I’ll get to that in the Summerslam preview. Balor is the rightful champion, and he’s a good one at that. He also can summon ‘the demon’ for big time matches, which is like a real life video game cheat code. It remains to be seen if Balor brings out ‘the demon’ Saturday night, but making this a ladder match is a nice little wrinkle to throw in. Balor doesn’t have to get pinned or submit to lose his title, and ladder matches or any kind of gimmick match usually favors the challenger. I can see Owens cheating to win, or losing again and finally snapping (spoiler reports from the NXT tapings show him with the NXT title, although he’s never announced as champion, which leads me to believe he could steal it). All I know is this is the main event for NXT’s biggest show EVER, and if you don’t think Finn Balor and Kevin Owens are going to blow your socks then you’re an idiot.

Prediction: Finn Balor.

The NXT Title Match At Takeover Is Now A Ladder Match

As if NXT Takeover wasn’t already going to be amazing, the NXT title match main event is now going to be a ladder match. The Brooklyn crowd is going to be insane all night, and why wouldn’t it be? In addition to the NXT title match, you have Sasha Banks vs. Bayley for the NXT Women’s title, The Vaudevillians vs. Blake & Murphy for the NXT Tag titles, Samoa Joe vs. Baron Corbin, Tyler Breeze vs. Jushin ‘Thunder’ Liger and probably at least one or two more matches. According to HHH, the Women’s title match will be the co main event, which means the Brooklyn crowd is in for the best 45 minutes-1 hour of wrestling that they’ve ever seen in their life. I’m infinitely more hyped for Takeover than I am for Summerslam, and that’s not a slight on the WWE main roster. NXT has just built pretty much the perfect show.

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Avrum's blog

Here you will find Meaning4theMasses

Holocaust Education: We’ve Lost our Way (Avrum Rosensweig, CJN, July 21, 2015)

I’m nervous for our people.

This is because so many Jews have begun to stagnate as activists and protectors of ourselves and others. We are quiet about the world’s suffering, whereas we used to be louder, and we have misused Holocaust education so that it has become a form of entertainment.

Why is it that we continue to build one Holocaust memorial after another, frequently forgetting or minimizing the suffering of others? Why do so many of us keep on visiting these edifices of gloom, over and over, walking through them and sighing desperately about being persecuted but never lifting a finger to help others? Why is that the response is so frequently a passive one?

Why don’t we instead imagine the impoverished in Israel, particularly Holocaust survivors, and ask ourselves how we can leap to their assistance? Why, upon leaving another Holocaust memorial, do we not consider helping the millions of HIV orphans in sub-Saharan Africa, or visiting the poor shut-ins in our own cities?

Why do we continue to make another trip to Poland and visit Auschwitz and the other death camps? How does such a trip change things within our community, amongst our people? And what are we accomplishing for the world that we all share? Is it enough to cry as we walk along the tracks never bombed by the Allies? Do we simply return home and tell those who will listen that we are aghast at the piles of shoes we saw, shoes that once fit snugly on Jewish feet?

Why are we not telling ourselves and others, “I saw the remnants of the death camps and I will therefore not allow the Aboriginal people suffering in 2015 to die. I will not allow the millions of slaves in the world today to be abused, to be thrown about like a ripped and ugly rag.”

And why do we think that remembering is enough, that it actually accomplishes something? How does remembering help the Jewish People, the State of Israel, the world in which we live or the people who cry out for our help?

Remembering is easy. It takes no effort. It has become self-indulgent. I remember that little boy who so bravely climbed over the walls of the Warsaw Ghetto to find food for his dying family. So you remember him! Why are you not emulating his actions? Why do you not watch that film, or read that book on the Holocaust, and say, “It is our turn, living in the safest country ever, perhaps the best time in history for the Jewish People. We should now climb over that metaphoric wall ourselves and feed those who are dying today from malnutrition, Jew and non-Jews.”

How does remembering help anyone?

Holocaust education has lost its way and, I’m afraid, so have we. I’m worried about you and I worry about me and my son. I’m concerned that we’ve turned Holocaust education into entertainment and have no intention of really learning from it, but rather enjoy, in a crooked way, the sorrow it brings us. I’m worried that so many of us are painfully quiet and not at all concerned about the world in which we live – a position entirely anathema to the essence of Judaism.

It is time we asked ourselves some very challenging questions: what are we learning at this point from Holocaust education? What is our goal in spending millions of dollars on one more memorial? Why aren’t we activists anymore? What did we mean when we said “never again”?

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This entry was posted on July 22, 2015 by in Uncategorized.
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Swiss Cheese Manuscript

Well my NaNoWriMo manuscript looks like swiss cheese right now with all of the holes in it. No, not plot holes – literal holes in the… plot.

(Okay, ‘plot holes’ is misleading. I’m talking about holes in the linear A-Z structure of getting from beginning to end. Holes in the… what else would you call it? GAH)

Whatever, the point is, the manuscript isn’t finished. There’s a decent chunk in the middle and the ending stretch is riddled with them — and I haven’t actually written the ending either.

Pfff – did you think it would be done, at only 50k words? No way, that’s like, half done in my world.

*cough* Anyway…

I started with 6610 words and ended up writing 62k. Sooo… the book is almost 79k words right now. I’ll probably add 10k more. (I’m repeating myself from my last blog post — moving on)

really don’t want to work on this manuscript anymore. What is wrong with me? I’m right at the finish line — the exciting part, it’s all coming together — and instead I’m daydreaming about other stuff. And, my main character for my INITIUM series is throwing images of naked men into my consciousness she’s so annoyed I’ve been ignoring her.

(Don’t ask… because I don’t even really know what she’s talking about yet)

Which is actually pretty awesome, because I’d been feeling a little drained from writing that series. This has been a great break. I think I scared my characters into talking to me again.

Now, I have one last thing I need to finish, a fun short story project that needs to be done mid-December… then it’ll be back to torturing Fairian and Daimyn. I’ve been mulling over this book three problem, and I’ve got some devious ideas…

But back to the point of this blog post. My November project needs some work before it’s even a real draft yet. I think I know what’s bugging me — I’m not used to writing in third person, and my main character isn’t compelling enough — but I’m going to let it sit for a little while. I need to do some research and devise a better game plan. This manuscript is definitely a lot more craft and less… intuitiveness. It’s good practice for me, but not something I’m quite used to.

NaNoWriMo is great for getting the words out — but they’re not always the best of words.

I hope you all had a great create NaNoWriMo 2016. And if you didn’t get to 50k — whatever. You still wrote, you got a little farther in your novel. That’s an accomplishment. We’re all proud of you.

About R. K. Brainerd

I've been writing since my pre-teens, mostly in the realm of fantasy and sci-fi. My characters are pretty much always clamoring for attention, and if I don't listen, they plague me with insane dreams and nightmares until I start writing. I also raise dairy goats, the evidence of which can be found on my Instagram. My debut novel -- an alternate-history fantasy -- it set to come out in 2018, probably Fall time. Welcome to the adventure. View all posts by R. K. Brainerd

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Belly mapping

Over the weekend the topic of baby position came up. I know quite a few people who had breech babies and it got me thinking about how Monkey is positioned, especially as we are not in the third trimester and have three months to go until her arrival.

Thus, my obsession with baby mapping was born. I have been researching the heck out of how you determine where your baby is lying and which position they are presenting.

At this point it’s pretty much guessing based on certain clues that she’s giving me; I am looking forward to seeing how close I am when we got to the doctor on Friday.

My guess right now it that she is head down. I get the strongest movements up near my ribs on my right hand side and some by my navel, but not as strong – These I’m guessing are her legs and knees. I have also started feeling her hiccups low in my pelvis and get light fluttery feelings lower down and deeper in my belly (not so much on her the surface) – which I guess are arms and hands.

Also when I feel her rolling over movement they are up by my navel. To be honest she hasn’t given me much in this department since I learned what to look for. So I’m going to keep an eye out for those. The hard lump you get when this happens is normally the little butt.

I’m also trying to figure out if I can feel her back at all – it should feel like a long hard object and should optimally be on my left side. That said I haven’t felt it yet, so I think she’s got her back along my back. FYI, the optimal birth position is head down with her back along my front.

As I said I’m really looking forward to seeing the doctor on Friday and seeing how close I am. I think she’s turned quite recently because I was feeling strong movements on both my sides for a few days then her movements got very subtle again – like they were when I first started feeling her. This scared the crap out of me. But I’ve been kick counting and there is plenty of movement, it’s just further inside, which is what leads me to believe that she’s turned.

Has anyone out there done belly mapping or baby positioning with any degree of accuracy?

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Adventures in Adult Braces: August

So after a long break between appointments, I finally got to see the orthodontist this week.

I’m not going to lie. I was really nervous about this appointment. The last time I saw him was in June and progress has been so slow this month. I wasn’t sure what he was going to say and I stressed about it for a while.

That said I have had days when my teeth would hurt. I have also noticed that my bite feels different which gave me the impression that there was movement happening. Finally, I have noticed that I am getting sore spots again from where the braces are rubbing the inside of my mouth, which I have heard happens when the teeth move and rub on a spot that hasn’t toughened up yet.

The appointment actually went very smoothly. He did the quick check to see how everything was going and access which adjustments to make. He then told me that the progress was excellent and that my oral hygiene and health is excellent. Both very good things.

He confirmed that yes, my teeth had moved fractionally. The biggest concern was making the gap her created last time bigger. I mentioned that they put a spring in and it has done it’s job. The gap is now ‘a crater’ which apparently was the goal. I’ll take it.

Now out mission is to move the teeth one my one into that gap so that my midline is put back where it belongs. I have very strong elastics which I am currently wearing day and night.

They also put a larger gauge wire on my bottom teeth. I’m not going to lie, this hurts like a son of a bitch. Holy crap! It also makes my mouth feel weird. I’m getting over it now, so it’s taken two full days to adjust. I’m just glad we’ve downgraded from full on pain to mild discomfort.

Anywho, I go back on September 6. Hopefully, then we will have an indication of when the palatal arch can be removed! Straight teeth are just around the corner.

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Kingfish Name Pallissard GM, Promote Marks

Kenosha Kingfish LogoPRESS RELEASE – Zac Pallissard has been promoted to serve as General Manager of the Kenosha Kingfish. Pallissard, who is entering his fourth season with the Kingfish, will assume the responsibilities immediately.

“I am very excited for my new role with the Kingfish,” said Pallissard. “To be given an opportunity like this, in a city that I am proud to call my home is an honor. This is a goal I’ve been working towards since I started here and I look forward to working with our talented staff to make this our best year ever.”

“One of our main goals is to provide opportunities and challenges for young people in the sports business, this move is consistent with that mission,” Kingfish owners Steve Schmitt, Vern Stenman and Conor Caloia said in a joint statement. “Zac has continued to grow within the organization and has built strong community relationships. We are confident that he will continue to build upon the fun atmosphere that has been established at Simmons Field.”

Pallissard is a native of Bourbonnais, IL. He is a 2015 graduate of Carthage College where he earned a degree in Public Relations. While attending Carthage, Zac began his tenure with the Kingfish in 2014 as an Operations Intern. He was then promoted to Operations Manager and most recently served as Corporate Accounts Manager.

Rich Marks, who most recently served as the GM of Operations for the Kingfish, has been promoted to Director of Operations for Big Top Baseball. Big Top Baseball owns and operates the Kenosha Kingfish, Madison Mallards, Green Bay Bullfrogs and Wisconsin Rapids Rafters of the Northwoods League. Marks will remain based in Kenosha for the 2017 season.

Tickets and merchandise for the Kenosha Kingfish are on sale now. For more information on Meijer 7-game packs, season or group tickets, please visit or call 262.653.0900. The Kingfish Ticket Office powered by Platinum Systems is open from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday at Simmons Field, 7817 Sheridan Rd. in Kenosha.

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December 13, 2017
Penobscot Latest News | Poll Questions | Closings, Cancellations and Delays | Roy Moore | Susan Collins

Lincoln drilling explosion hurts 1

By Julia Bayly, BDN Staff

LINCOLN, Maine — An equipment operator working on drilling rock in preparation for setting high-power transmission lines has been transferred to Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital after his eye was injured in an explosion late last week.

According to Bill Purington, president and chief executive officer of Maine Drilling and Blasting, employee Mike Norton, 31, of the Gardiner area was operating the drilling machine when it exploded.

“There was some serious injuries to his arm and an eye,” Purington said Monday afternoon.

Norton was taken by LifeFlight of Maine to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor where Purington said he was kept overnight before being transferred to the Boston hospital. A spokesperson was unable to provide information on his condition Monday evening.

Purington said several other employees were standing around the equipment when it exploded late Friday afternoon, but no other injuries were reported.

Maine Drilling and Blasting has an excellent safety record, which exceeds most industry standards, Purington said.

“We take these kinds of situations very seriously anytime anyone gets hurt,” he said. “All of our employees are very important to us.”

Purington said he is conducting an investigation to determine what caused the explosion.

The company is working on several projects in Maine, including the Stetson Mountain windmill project, according to its Web site.

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December 13, 2017
Lewiston-Auburn Latest News | Poll Questions | Closings, Cancellations and Delays | Roy Moore | Susan Collins

Lewiston woman pleads guilty to embezzling $120,000 from job

The Associated Press

AUGUSTA, Maine — A former bookkeeper at an Augusta dental office has pleaded guilty to embezzling about $120,000 in cash from the practice.

Prosecutors said 47-year-old Celine Davis of Lewiston was sentenced Tuesday to five years in jail.

If she pays back the money, all but six months of the sentence will be suspended. If not, she faces the entire five years behind bars.

Attorneys told a judge in Kennebec County Superior Court that Davis is arranging to repay $70,000 from her retirement funds.

Prosecutors say Davis was a trusted 16-year employee of Augusta Orthodontics responsible for taking payments from customers and entering payments into the computer.

The Kennebec Journal reports that the scheme was uncovered when a customer complained about an erroneous bill.

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December 13, 2017
Nation Latest News | Poll Questions | Closings, Cancellations and Delays | Roy Moore | Susan Collins

Study shows aerosol bombs don’t deter bedbugs

By Alyssa A. Botelho, The Washington Post

A new study brings bad news for people fighting bedbug infestations and companies that sell over-the-counter insecticides.

Ohio State University entomologists Susan Jones and Joshua Bryant found that “bug bombs” and “foggers” — cheap, insecticide-spraying aerosols that have been marketed for decades as do-it-yourself alternatives to exterminators — were ineffective against even the most vulnerable of bedbugs.

In the study, published last month in the Journal of Economic Entomology, the researchers tested three popular commercial foggers against five wild strains of bedbugs found in Ohio homes and one laboratory strain that had not been exposed to insecticides.

They found that after spraying the bugs with a typical two-hour fog, only the laboratory bugs had died; nearly all of the wild bedbugs, though placed in completely exposed containers, had survived. When the scientists covered the containers with paper to simulate the bedding that the insects often nest in, nearly all the bedbugs from every strain survived — even the laboratory strain.

The scientists concluded not only that most wild bedbugs are resistant to pyrethroids, the active ingredients in fogger aerosols, but also that the fogging process itself is fundamentally flawed.

“The spray can’t penetrate through a thin paper sheet, much less into cracks and crevices where bedbugs hide in real life. On top of that, we’re dealing with bugs resistant to pyrethroids in the first place” said Jones. “It’s a death knell for this type of product.”

Jones, who had initially designed the study to test whether foggers caused surviving bedbugs to scatter and inhabit previously uninfested areas, said the results were so unexpectedly poor that she had to backtrack and ask whether these products worked at all.

“After we ran the first spraying experiments, we saw that the bugs were crawling around as if nothing had happened,'” she said.

The study tested two general-use products, Spectracide Bug Stop Indoor Fogger and Eliminator Indoor Fogger, and one marketed specifically for bedbugs, called the Hot Shot Bedbug and Flea Fogger. All three were developed by Spectrum Brands.

Missy Henriksen, a spokeswoman at the National Pest Management Association, said that Jones and Bryant’s results “could be new for consumers but weren’t a surprise to the professional pest-management industry.”

University of Kentucky entomologist Kenneth Haynes, who wasn’t involved in the study, said that academics have not held stock in foggers for years.

“I don’t view bedbugs as a do-it-yourself project, and I’d call an exterminator if I had them — even though I know quite a lot about the bugs,” Haynes said.

Asked for comment, Spectrum provided an email statement saying that the Hot Shot fogger “has been thoroughly tested and is proven to be effective against the bedbugs they contact.”

Bedbug infestations have been on the rise since the ban of DDT in 1972, due in part to increased international travel and the evolution of bedbug resistance to weaker insecticides. The bugs can be dragged into homes and offices on clothing, luggage, used furniture and pets — especially after trips to summer camps or foreign countries.

Once they arrive, adult bedbugs can survive for more than half a year without feeding on blood from a human or other warm-blooded animal.

“That’s bedbug biology. They have evolved to be very good at hiding and waiting to home in on the next blood meal,” Henriksen said.

Haynes said that foggers, in addition to fueling increased bedbug resistance to insecticides, can pose dangers to people.

In 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 466 cases of acute, pesticide-related illness or injury associated with exposure to foggers between 2001 and 2006 in eight states. The study noted that harm often occurs when users leave fogged rooms too late, re-enter too early, don’t wipe down sprayed surfaces or use flame nearby. (Pyrethroids are extremely flammable.)

Jones said she hoped the Environmental Protection Agency would review manufacturers’ efficacy data about these products and investigate which bedbug strains were used to test their products.

For consumers, she said that a sharp eye around the house and a habit of running linens in the high heat dryer cycle are far more effective at keeping the unwelcome critters at bay than foggers are.

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Trump, Dictatorship and Competing with an Illiberal Left

A number of editorials have appeared in center-right outlets accusing Trump supporters of wanting a dictator.

Well obviously.

Politics is a competition. Everyone wants to win the game based on the rules of the game. And the current rules of the game are not Constitutional. The left wanted a dictator. Obama gave them one. He implemented laws, started wars and took on powers which were not only beyond his authority, but which were opposed by the majority of Americans and elected legislators in Congress.

And he won. He got away with it. And that made his way of doing things the new game.

The media and some Republicans sputter that Trump’s proposals couldn’t be carried out. Well of course they could be. If Trump were to run things the way that Obama has.

There are two responses to this.

The left deems this unacceptable because it has a double standard. There’s always some reason why its rulebreaking is okay, but why the rules must be applied to the right. Mocking the kids of presidential candidates is off limits… unless they’re Republicans. Ruling by Executive Order is tyranny… unless a progressive does it. Starting wars based on lies is wrong unless… etc.

Now that kind of hypocrisy is only to be expected from politicians. The trouble is that the left encompasses the media, much of the legal system, academia and a raft of other key network institutions that make it impossible to have any kind of honest discourse about the rule of law.

That means the game is rigged. There are two sets of rules. So why play by them?

The conservative establishment has all sorts of replies, but none of them amount to much. Yes, the rule of law is important. But when the other side is breaking the law to destroy the law, the contention that it should be allowed to destroy the Constitution rather than violate the Constitution becomes idealistic absurdity. And it’s not as if the conservative establishment is comfortable even doing what it can within the existing rules. It talks a good game and then explains why it can’t do anything.

It’s not hard to see why this state of affairs is intensely frustrating to activists and voters.

The support for Trump without regard to his qualifications, statements, integrity, credibility, knowledge, consistency, etc is the end result of this state of affairs. The claims that Trump is a Republican Obama are not completely wrong. Obama has shown that his way of doing things works. Not in the sense that he has fixed any problems. Instead he has made them worse. But he has delivered major policy wins for his base of supporters by flagrantly violating the law.

The Republican establishment understands the problem which is why their responses to Trump and his supporters are so much sputtering. Trump is running on his ability to get things done. This ability and his actual commitment to doing anything are dubious. But that doesn’t matter when his opponents have no credibility at all when it comes to achieving any actual policy goals.

Worse still, in the Obama era, the idea that they will get anything done has little credibility.

Congressional Republicans laboriously explain their limitations. And then they pass a spending bill that offers all sorts of goodies to special interest groups while having no ideological victories to show their base. They’re not completely incompetent. Instead they appear quite capable of self-seeking. It’s just when it comes to delivering something for conservatives, they have come up completely empty after six years.

Is Trump’s rise really supposed to be a surprise? Sure he has little credibility. But conservatives have been sold three bags of goods, they have spent a whole lot of money, and seen it go into the pockets of political consultants and their allied direct marketing firms. They’re not in the mood for an idealistic speech from Marco Rubio about achievement. The base is bitter and burned out.

This isn’t just the situation in the United States. It’s also going on in the UK, in France and Israel, to name a few examples. It’s the larger problem of competing with an illiberal left.

How do you uphold a liberal open system while fighting an illiberal left for control of it?

There are no easy answers. And most of the easy ones come down to messaging. But simply making a better argument isn’t enough when the left flagrantly abuses power.

It’s not simply a question of getting a Republican in the White House. Reagan and Bush II were both in the White House. How much did they really get done? Bush II had a Republican congress. But the left simply shifts power and legitimacy to whatever institutions it controls, elected or unelected, and then governs from there.

If the Republicans control the White House, the left proclaims that Congress is the true voice of the people and must be heeded while the guy in the White House is the next Hitler. If Democrats control the White House and Republicans control Congress, then we must all support “our president” and Congress is a bunch of obstructionist bigots fighting to bring back the Middle Ages.

If Democrats lose both, then the Supreme Court suddenly becomes the most legitimate institution. If they lose all three, then it’s the heroic regulators, watchdogs and activist non-profits who matter.

The Senate was the House of the Lords, when it lacked a Democratic majority, but when Democrats held the Senate, but lost the House, suddenly the Senate was the voice of reason.

All of this amounts to the illiberal idea that an institution controlled by the left should be able to wield absolute power while institutions controlled by conservatives should not be allowed to wield any power at all. This illiberal contention is echoed by the entire opinion-shaping network of the left in the media and academia. And it is a shape-shifting tyranny in which the left is always in power.

Can you defeat that by winning elections and better messaging? Maybe. But so far Republicans haven’t done it. They rarely even name the problem directly. And so it’s unsurprising that they have lost the confidence of much of their own base. Or that confronting illiberalism with illiberalism is increasingly appealing to conservatives tired of empty promises and no results.

The GOP has failed to confront this basic problem and so it has no ability to fight off Trump.

Feeble efforts such as “Jeb can fix it” or claiming that Rubio killed ObamaCare don’t impress anyone. Outsider candidates are thriving because they have more credibility when it comes to confronting that Gordian Knot even if, like Trump, they have no real idea that it exists or understand the left’s threat.

The fundamental question of this race is, “How do you plan to defeat an illiberal leftist opposition?”

Few candidates in this race can answer it. Trump probably couldn’t, but he doesn’t need to. He answers it implicitly with his attitude. He’s running on absolute confidence. No one else is.

This leaves the GOP with a major problem. It has lost to the left. Now it’s losing to its own base.

Cameron faced that problem in the UK from UKIP. He managed to consolidate his position. In Israel, Netanyahu and Bennett, facing a similar revolt from a base that has heard some great speeches, but seen too many surrenders to the left, have backed the left’s purge of the right, beginning with Yinon Magal and moving on the Duma hoax to smear the right as extremists and terrorists.

It’s the same cynical gambit, albeit bloodier, that the GOP is running against Trump, Cruz and their supporters.

If you can’t beat the left, you can always ally with the left to beat your own base. This preserves the status quo. A status quo in which an illiberal left is always in power and a right that plays by the rules always lets them win, in or out of office. Conservatives win elections, but lose policies.

The conservative establishment reinvents itself as the centrists standing between right-wing extremists and the left. In their deluded minds it’s win-win, when it’s really lose-lose.

Eventually the contention that anyone to the right of a mild-mannered establishment that talks tough during elections and surrenders between them is a fascist, an extremist, a Nazi or even worse leads to  the real thing. The actual extremists, the ones who want to smash everything and impose some sort of glorious totalitarian state, start getting a hearing and picking up members. Their goal is to splinter the right. That’s also the goal of the establishment which would like nothing better than to be the only conservative alternative to actual crazies and so they feed off each other. And the left wins again.

The Tea Party revolt was launched to fight an illiberal left by restoring the Constitution. The trouble lay in the details. It still does.

Restoring the Constitution is going to mean prying an illiberal left from power across a wide network of institutions. There are plenty of activists, but few politicians, with the stomach for that fight.

And that fight will be tremendously ugly. Trump, by sheer force of personality, appears to offer a convenient shortcut. He’ll Make America Great Again and hopeful activists read all sorts of implications into that slogan. The biggest one is that he’ll fix everything so that they won’t have to.

It’s not dictatorship. It’s anti-dictatorship. It’s Cincinnatus temporarily becoming a dictator to stop a populist plot by a radical to seize absolute power by handing out free stuff to the masses, killing him, semi-legally at best, in a ruthless fashion. How America was Cincinnatus? Aside from Cincinnati, the Society of the Cincinnati was presided over by George Washington, who was often compared to the old Roman, along with two dozen signers of the Declaration of Independence, and quite a few officers. (The Society’s message to Aaron Burr and fellow radicals was quite explicit.)

Trump isn’t Washington. And Burr and his fellow radicals were eventually put down by Jefferson and cooler heads. The Republic survived Burr’s various treasons and conspiracies. We did not go the way of the French Revolution. But the question of how to defeat an illiberal left remains.

If the Republican establishment really wants to defeat Trump, it needs to find a credible answer to this question. Instead of thinking about how to defeat Trump, it really needs to answer how it will defeat Obama and the forces that gave rise to him. If it can’t figure out how to defeat illiberalism, it will be defeated by it.

First published at Sultanknish Blog

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Music, whimsy, and the Merry Wives of Windsor

A.D. Rowe

Wives singing
THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, 2016 Bard on the Beach; Photo: David Blue

What sets the productions of Bard on the Beach in Vancouver, BC apart from other Shakespeare performances is their style.

To be honest, the average person going to work unclogging a drain, filing papers, ceaselessly one-upping a coworker just to keep on top of the pedantic pyramid, doesn’t have time for Shakespeare.  (Hmmm, it’s actually quite ironic Shakespeare writes many of these seemingly mundane human behaviours into his plays so really, we should be constantly reading and watching Shakespeare so as to be aware of the ruts we are in.  But that’s a discussion for another time.)  What Bard on the Beach does so well is to appeal to the people while staying true to Shakespeare.  Sure, I see a few people nodding off during a long-winded soliloquy, however, I rarely find a person come away from a production regretting they had gone.

Bard of the Beach in their 2016 slate has again produced a magical musical version of The Merry Wives of Windsor set in Windsor, Ontario in the late 1960s that holds both the comedic Shakespeare in tact with the bar style kitsch Canadiana of Windsor.

The lifeless eyes of the stuffed moose head looks down on the Garter in where the wives Mrs. Ford and Page take the stage to kick off with These Boots are Made for Walkin’ while young Slender and Dr. Caius pine for Miss Page and the fat Falstaff looks to swindle the lot.

Photo 2Much of the play’s success rides on Falstaff as Shakespeare’s popular buffoon (whom it is rumoured the Queen really liked) holds much of the energy between the various parties.  He pursues the wives while Mr. Ford in disguise plies him for information about his schemes and all the while, Mrs Ford and Page are playing Falstaff for the fool he is.  Ashely Wright plays the bombastic Falstaff and does an excellent job of capturing the sleazy businessman who thinks himself the true ladies man while being totally clueless at the same time.

While the entire cast from Bard on the Beach is exceptional, a few others stood out that night.  Andrew Chown was spectacular as Dr. Caius in ridiculous valour suits and a French accent while Ben Elliott channeled his Jim Carrey (you know. When he was funny) to play a gangly Slender who unenthusiastically pursues the mistress Page.  And the two wives of Windsor, Amber Lewis and Katey Wright (not this Katie Wright), were outstanding as they ran the stage both in verse and in song twisting Sir Falstaff every which was and into the laundry bin.

The joy of the show came from the musical that worked it’s way through script as characters would come from the wings to take up instruments and play and the bar keep and host of the Garter Inn, played by Anton Lipovetsky, did a great job with his guitar keeping it all together.  The cast used the music of the late 60s to enhance the story and give the actors a chance to express their character through song which worked well with keeping the audience engaged.  You could tell by scanning around the room and seeing the smiling faces that this production was a hit and one that is a must see this summer down in English Bay in Vancouver, BC.

Photo 1
David Marr, Ben Elliott & Andrew McNee THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, 2016 Bard on the Beach; Photo: David Blue

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Lemony Risotto with Asparagus and Shrimp

shrimp risotto

For a risotto this was easy to make (of course I say that because Mike made it 🙂 ). The first day we ate this the lemon just lingered in the background and gave a kiss of citrus. The next day it was much more pronounced. This was the first risotto I’ve had that was better the following day. Not at all clumpy or dry and the flavors matured. Good stuff!

Recipe link

One Response

  1. looks absolutely delicious .. Laila ..

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Not much going on

Well, there’s not much to say today. I probably wouldn’t post if it weren’t for NaBloPoMo, which I have miraculously managed to stick with for 22 days now. I’m feeling great, except for a constant case of mild heartburn (which I’ve never experienced in my life). It seems that that’s becoming fairly normal for me nowadays. The baby’s moving around a lot now. It’s no longer just a little kick; now I can feel baby parts move in slow little arcs across my tummy. But no, I can’t see them yet. I can just see creepy little flutters where the movement is. It’s really quite weird and fascinating to me. I’ve been told by a few experienced mothers that it’s a part of pregnancy that I will miss once the baby’s born.

I’ve also noticed that I have no ab muscles anymore. To go from lying on my back, or even from a reclining position, to a seated position requires very unladylike grunts and a clumsy flailing of the legs. I always wondered why pregnant women look so ridiculously pathetic trying to sit up or stand, and now I’m beginning to understand. It actually cracks me up to have to ask for a boost or to have to roll over to push myself up.

Another benefit to this pregnancy is the amazing sleep I’m getting. I don’t necessarily wake up feeling refreshed and energetic, but I sleep like a log! It’s absolutely wonderful, and I don’t know what I’m going to do come February when it becomes a thing of the past.

So, anyways, I’m sorry for the boring post about nothing, but there’s really not much going on. Tomorrow night, though, we start our childbirth preparation classes, so that should be exciting.

Wait a second! I forgot. Today IS an important day. According to my calculations, today is the first day of my third trimester! I can’t believe we’re already this far along. Holy mackerel…28 weeks!

2 thoughts on “Not much going on

  1. Not only will you miss that movement once you have the baby, but then you’ll be having random gas pains and you’ll be like, ‘I felt the-! Oh wait. That was just gas.’

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Family Photographer | Musto Family

Usually I would say, “Meet the Mustos!!” but since you all already know them ; ) Lets just say, Welcome Back to the Blog!! Last weekend we got together to shoot the Christmas card photo and although we got some awesome shots of the family I still think the recycling bin photos should make the card (oh yes, you heard right RECYCLING BIN) ! What do you guys think??

Meet Betty and Wilma  (Danny jumped in for a few shots! )

3 responses to “Family Photographer | Musto Family

  1. They recycle children now?? Sweet! haha, these are terrific. Love the colors and the Mustos are gorgeous as always. I especially like the one of Ro and I at our spot on the fence!

  2. Thanks Gina! i love them… as usual!

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Simple is Elegant – AppLock Theme ‘Elegant’ Series

1- Chinastyle

2- Balloonride

3- Chalkdoodle

4- Ink

5- Classic

6- White

To use those beautiful themes you need download AppLock:

More themes is on the road, you can’t miss it.

We also provide best customer service here for you, most of your question about AppLock will be answered within 24 hours. (working days)

Good Times, Good Memories- AppLock Theme ‘Festival’ Series

ppFestivals are always best time- spent the whole day with families, close friends, lover. By the Christmas eve we hung the sock with hope, decorated the Christmas tree with little stars, red－berries. While Halloween, seems is special for kids- they will ask for candy from house to house in crowds and groups. Among all of those different festivals, one thing is same- happiness. this is also what AppLock want to share you with.

1: Halloween

2: Thanksgiving Day

3: Christmas

4: New Year

5: Snow man

Wanna try those pretty themes? Download AppLock at first:

We will push more themes about festivals in the future, kindly wait for it!

Find Beauty in Nature (Part 2)- AppLock Theme ‘Nature’ Series

Here is some more themes about lovely nature.

6- Metal: Strong and cool, this theme is special for you

7- Space: It’s your private space to breath the air of freedom.

8- Raindrop: Raindrops keep falling in your head, but I want you remember that there is rainbow after the storm.

9- Flame: Don’t be a weeper, be a fighter. Fight like the fire!

10- Sky: Release your soul in the endless blue

11- SilentNight :  Wish you sweet dreams in the deep night.

Later we will introduce you the Zodiac Theme Series, Basic Theme Series, Season and Festival Series and so on. 🙂

Find Beauty in Nature (Part 1)- AppLock Theme ‘Nature’ Series

Nature always wears the colors of the spirit. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The earth we lived is a pretty planet. With the seasons changed, nature lifted her veil to us: She is the new, fresh leaf in the early spring, she is the mountain silenced in the cool deep winter; She may be a beam of light in the north pole, she may be the brightest star in the starry night. You love nature, just like you love the color of your own soul. AppLock always know that, here we prepared some themes about eternal nature.

1- Galaxy

2- Hill

3- Aurora

4- Dawn

5- Beam

6- Butterfly

Choose the one you like in the Google Play Store now. 🙂 We’ll introduce you more themes in the next days. You can also share us your idea:

Not have AppLock yet? Why not have a try? Do remember, AppLock is your best privacy guard.

Words from Greatest Minds in History

Zwei Dinge erfüllen das Gemüt mit immer neuer und zunehmender Bewunderung und Ehrfurcht, je öfter und anhaltender sich das Nachdenken damit beschäftigt: Der bestirnte Himmel über mir, und das moralische Gesetz in mir.’’- Immanuel Kant

Those sentence is epitaph of Kant the famous philosopher. English translation has different version, here is some for your reference.

Two things fill me with wonder — — the starry sky above, the moral law within.

Two things fill me with constantly increasing admiration and awe, the longer and more earnestly I reflect on them: the starry heavens without and the moral law within.

P.s.The picture is from AppLock Theme ‘Galaxy’. AppLock is an app that help people with their privacy with abundant options. one can lock his apps, hide the photos and videos, secure the system applications as well as system settings. 3.28MB only, it’s small and easy to use, free on Google Play Store:

Then just download this theme:

Best Things in Life-from Quora

0805weekendWake up before sunrise.
Eat a fruit.
Read. A lot.
Spend time with your parents and grandparents.
Go 1 hr without technology i.e phone, ipad, etc.
Smile at strangers.
Do atleast one random act of kindness.
Think twice before spending money.
Have proper sleep.
Keep yourself away from negative ideas and people if you love your subconscious mind and believe in its power.


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Best Law Firms Rankings

Cleary Shahi & Aicher, P.C.

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A few links for Friday, updated

Have a good weekend.

  • Kendra’s Law: Five more years? Spit, bristle and fury — (Forced treatment law) Kendra’s law is in place solely to allow the forced treatment of people deemed mentally ill using fear of violence, however unfounded, as its leverage. It enables the state to strip people of their rights based on a diagnosis. Last I knew, the constitution (at least on paper) applied to all of us and not just those the state deems mentally qualified to share in the rights it’s meant to guarantee. That is a very scary path to be on and make no mistake — we are on it. UPDATED
  • ~
  • How Important Is Physical Contact with Your Infant?: Scientific American — Many children who have not had ample physical and emotional attention are at higher risk for behavioral, emotional and social problems as they grow up. — These trends point to the lasting effects of early infancy environments and the changes that the brain undergoes during that period. Below the surface, some children from deprived surroundings such as orphanages, have vastly different hormone levels than their parent-raised peers even beyond the baby years.

About Admin2

Author/Editor Beyond Meds: Everything Matters


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These two girls, Sophia Grace and her cousin Rosie, are Nicki Minaj’s cuttest fans. They became “famous” after their parents uploaded a video on youtube of them singing Super Bass from Nicki Minaj ( Sophie does the rapping and Grace the miming, both dancing around! It’s just adorable!!)

So Ellen ( DeGeneres) got them into her show and gave them the surprise of their lives ( well, at least for Grace, her cousin Rosie wasn’t so convinced)!! The biggest surpsise was to meet Nicki Minaj her-self and then sing along words they (thankfully) don’t understand!! Now, they’re a regular feature of the show and met more pop stars like Rihanna, Katy Perry, JLS, One Direction, bla bla bla……..! Sophia Grace has her own Youtube channel with more than a million views and nearly 35 million total upload videos, since the page was created in September 2011.

Ok! So if you liked that, you’re gona love this next one. Is a bit long, but is totally worth it!!

And this is the original video that shot them to fame!

Posted on December 13, 2011, in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.

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Archive for September, 2012

Don’t Pay the Refs!

Going into the NFL season I had one theory. The scab refs were going to be really awful = lots of points. For example the Refs in the Patriots game have pocketed their whistle on two plays in the end zone when they could have easily flagged the Pats defense for pass interference. I think it has to do with the speed of the game, inexperience and that they don’t want to make the game about them, unlike most refers n pro sports. What does this mean for betting these games? Well, if they are not going to call a lot of penalties and just let players play, I predict there will be tons of totals that go OVER. My 4pm lock

4:25pm Carolina @ Tampa Bay O/U 45 – If Jacksonville and Minnesota can put up 35 pints then the Bucs and Panthers line should 72. They combine for 131 points in the two games they played. Bet the OVER of 45.

Good luck,

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Can you believe it’s been 217 days since Super Bowel 46? 2012 marks the 11th anniversary of me betting on Football (I forgot to celebrate my 10th anniversary last year). I guess celebrating my 10 year would have been nostalgic, unfortunately it’s a bittersweet memory. Remember the story of my first college bookie, Julian, who stiffed me $981 during my Umass winter break? Here’s the post if you need a refresher. So this year is all about celebrating my Undecennial betting season.

Betting football is a funny thing. When I think about 11 years of NFL betting, I start to think if I found another hobby 11 years ago such as writing, playing tennis, computer programming, reading, cooking, playing the guitar, biking, hiking, woodworking, running, sailing or maybe geocaching. I met my maker when I was introduced to Julian and got that infamous 413 phone number. My fate was sealed that first NFL September weekend in Amherst when I won my first NFL bet. I remember that day like my first day of Kindergarten. The windows open at my North Pleasant Street digs on a breezy, sunny Sunday afternoon. I was probably betting the Peyton Manning led Colts who rolled Vinny Testarverde and the Jets 45-24, while I enjoyed a cold, leftover Buffer Zone from D.P. Dough.

It’s remarkable thing that during this time it’s still a challenge to beat the man. You would think that if you spent the 11 years working on a hobby, you’d become an expert, or at the very least better than average.  Maybe I should have spent the last 11 years learning to sail around the world or becoming a world-class cook. I’d have a lot more money, far fewer depressing Sunday nights and ten toes still. There is one thing that we all know. No sailer has ever felt the rush you get when you hit a back door cover with no time on the clock. No Foodie has ever felt the adrenaline pump through your body when a Dollar AR hits on the Sunday Night Football game to get to back to even on the week. And NO Google Code writer has experienced the thrill you get when you high-five your Bros after you all hit the OVER of the Monday NIght Football game.

I love football.

For your reading pleasure my Week 1 picks as you enjoy your coffee and Pizzelle on this glorious September Boston morning.

1pm Buffalo @ NY Jets -2.5 – You can thank ESPN for this line dropping from 7 to 2.5. The story all offseason has been what will Rex Ryan do with Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow and how the Jets can’t put the ball in the end zone. The fact of the matter is that Mark Sanchez is the starting QB and Tim Tebow will step on the field for the pre-game warmups, when he runs off during halftime and at the end of the game for the post game prayer/celebration. Like many of you I hate betting on Mark Sanchez, but would you rather put money on Ryan Fitzpatrick on the road who is 1-5 against the Jets? I feel a lot more confident betting on a really good Jets D against a shaky Fitzpatrick. Bet the Jets -2.5

1pm Miami @ Houston -12.5 – Don’t fear the big line, embrace it. This should be the biggest thumping in Week 1. Miami has a Rookie QB, new coach and no weapons. I’ll take side action that Matt Moore replaces Ryan Tannehill by the 4th quater. Why I love this. Even with Mario Williams leaving, Houston still has top ranked defense. Plus, Matt Schaub, Arian Foster, J.J. Watt, Andrew Johnson all have a chip on their shoulder after last year when they were in perfect position to make it to the SB before Schaub was injured. The Texans were still able to make it to the 2nd round in the playoffs behind TJ Yates. I don’t usually predict scores, but here is one Texans 38 – Miami 6.

1pm Rams +9 @ Detroit – The Public loves betting the team that puts up the big numbers, but watch out here for a possible upset.  For me Sam Bradford is on a short  betting leash, if he’s going to do well it’s today, the Lions just made their starting Safety and CB inactive.  They Rams will also be better coached with Jeff Fisher and one thing to note, Fisher is one of the best NFL coaches ATS . Take the points

Seth’s Free Money Three Team Tease Bears -1, Eagles -1 & Texans/ Dolphins Total 32.5

I’ll be back for the 4pms, which kickoff this year at 4:25pm. Good luck and as always be sure to pace yourselves my degenerate friends.

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Bird as Shaman

I meant to mention Charlie Parker’s birthday yesterday but was just too busy with this and that.

I’ve been listening a lot to Bird recently. I’ve been listening to Bird as long as I’ve been listening to jazz. But I’ve never been in love with his music. I’ve always admired his music, and I’ve been variously more and less fascinated by it. But I’ve never felt about him as I have about Louis, Ben Webster, Pres, Sidney Bechet, Duke, Don Byas, Coltrane, Bean, Brownie, and Thelonious. Conventional opinion, which is right at an irritating frequency, says that Louis and Bird are the two great jazz soloists. I’ve really come to feel the truth of that recently as I’ve listened more and more to Bird and come as close as ever to loving some of what he does.

On the one hand, I’ve come to see how rooted he is in Kansas City swing, in the impeccable Basie rhythm. On the other hand, I’ve come to feel more than ever what I’ll call the despair out of which he seems to be playing. It’s the despair of not having a place in the world, or of not having even the hope of a place that will fit you, of always having to squeeze your way in and then awkwardly compensating. The historical analysis of Bird would say that he was dealing with the shock of WWII, the rise of atomic weapons, and the increasing commercialization of American life. The psychological analysis would say that he had unique mental problems which led to drug addiction, which caused him to feel at sea. My hunch is that he had what in more primitive times would have been called a shamanistic personality. He registered in his nervous system what was happening all around him and had to do all he could to compensate for his despair.

But out that despair he created incredibly ingenious improvisations which somehow kept open the space of jazz and humanity. There are times when his playing is off – as is true of all jazz musicians. But he never played in bad taste, except as a way of mocking or satirizing (and even his satire is strangely loving). The velocity at which he improvises is misleading. If you focus deeply on the playing, it’s almost never showy. There’s something in most every phrase, a whole story compressed into each fit of melody. Louis Armstrong is even greater at this, at least in his early recordings. But conventional wisdom is right that there are few others who are so powerfully inventive. The only artist that I can think to compare him to is another shamanistic-personality: T.S. Eliot, of whom Czeslaw Milosz once said, “This is an almost unbelievable undertaking; he built out of impossibility, absence, ruins. If, however, he achieved his aim to some extent, it would mean that people in the twentieth century need not be too pessimistic about their own potency.”

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Posts Tagged ‘banking’

Bitcoin: Better than Gold

May 9, 2012 Leave a comment

Many proponents of bitcoin come to the technology with the belief that the ultimate currency is gold, or some other commodity with intrinsic value.  This is usually because they correctly realize that the centralized control of the supply of money is too dangerous a power to bestow on anyone.

However, currencies which are based upon an item of intrinsic value have an inherent problem. This problem stems from the same feature that gives it the benefits that they seek. Items or rather commodities, with an intrinsic value cannot be transmitted over distances easily. Whether gold, or silver, or gemstones, or cigarettes or wheat, these must be first converted into a form suitable for transmission over distances if one wants to efficiently do so.

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The Incident in McKinney: Black Women Aren’t Guaranteed the Same Protection White women have

Images of Officer Eric Casebolt slamming an African American fifteen year old Dejerria Becton to the ground and laying the weight of his body on her back in a pool party in McKinney, Texas went viral on the internet. This incident was all over the news and was even a video about the incident on Youtube as well. Seeing these images, hearing and reading about what happened at the pool party really disturbed me and made me realized how the perception of Black children being wild and unruly played out in the way Officer Casebolt treated these children especially Dejerria Becton. However what truly disturbed me was seeing images of Officer Casebolt grabbed the young girl, pulled her hair and slammed her to the ground and put the weight of his body on her back splashed on websites across the web. Deep down, I knew that Officer Casebolt would never slam a young, Caucasian girl on the ground like that because if that had ever happened, all hell will break loose. Hence the protection that White and non Black women take for granted, Black women aren’t guaranteed that same type of protection.

For centuries, White women were held up as the standard of beauty, purity and femininity. White women were seen as delicate and docile and worthy of love and protection from the harsher realities of the outside world and from the so called Black brute ie Black male(That is subject that will be discussed another time). White women were protected by their men and communities from being mistreated and exploited from outsiders and onlookers. However White women’s pedestal was and is still fostered by the anti Black racial and gender politics that devalues and dehumanizes Black women. Black women, on the other hand, were shipped to the New World as slaves, stripped of their language, culture, heritage, weren’t considered beautiful or even human beings. Black female slaves had to toll the fields picking cotton in the Southern United States and sugarcane and Indigo in Caribbean countries such as Jamaica(where my family hails from), Haiti etc and Latin American countries. And they also took care of the Master’s children as well as cooked, cleaned and took care of their own children as well. Worst of all, many Black female slaves found themselves sexually assaulted and raped by Black male slaves and by White slave masters. The sexual exploitation of Black women’s bodies carried on from slavery, into Reconstruction, Jim Crow eras and even to this very day. Stereotypes such as Mammy, overweight caretaker of Master’s children, Sapphire, domineering and controlling Black woman who seeks to emasculate any man she comes in contact with and Jezebel, hyper sexualized Black woman were used to justify why Black women weren’t worthy of protection or respect. All the while, White women are and still are on their pedestal, looking down while Black women continue to be put down and stereotyped.

What does this have to do with the pool party in McKinney, Texas?

Nineteen year old, Tatyana Rhodes invited some of her friends to a pool party in the Craig Ranch North Community Pool  over social media. She planned the party to be on June 6 and between the hours of 4:30 P.M.-10:00 P.M. According to the flier on social media, a group called Dimepiece XX Twinzz Promotions were going to host the party. Her friends arrived at the party however two White women and several White onlookers used racial slurs at the kids and told them to, ”go back to section eight housing where your from because you don’t belong in our neighborhood”. Tatyana Rhodes and these two White women got into an altercation as things started to get out of control. The police was called and young people were running around the place as the police came. Officer Casebolt put Black boys and teenagers of Mexican and other minority groups on the grass while he walked around wondering what happened to trigger the incident. Then Officer Casebolt pulled Dejerria Becton, who was one of the Dimepiece XX Twinzz, by her hair, put her on the ground and put his knees on her back after Dejerria mouthed off to him and wanted to go get her things and call her aunt. Two Black boys who came over and tried to stop Officer Casebolt from assaulting the young woman like that but Officer Casebolt got out his gun and scared them away. Then Officer Casebolt walked away from the girl and angrily questioned the young, Black males on the grass. Watching the video on this incident on Youtube, which was filmed by a fifteen year old, White male, Brandon Brooks and reading information about the incident, disguise and anger filled through my mind. Hence my belief that Black children aren’t guaranteed the protection and innocence that White children experience nor are Black women guaranteed the same protection as White women.

As for the White women who initiated the whole incident?

These women were safely guarded to their cars by the police yet Dejerria was pushed to the ground for no reason other than mouthing off to a police officer.

I don’t condone rowdy behavior from children and I know things were getting out of control however I don’t believe that Officer Casebolt should have used as much force as he did on the young girl. Nor should he have pulled out guns on the young, Black males either. Fortunately, in the midst of controversy and two death threats, Officer Casebolt resigned from his job. Using excessive force against teenagers isn’t the way to go.

Deep down, I knew that Officer Casebolt wouldn’t have slammed Dejerria’s body to the ground if she were a White girl. And if she were a White girl, all hell will break loose and it would be national news. We would have everyone in the country rushing to defend the girl against the police and file charges against him. Since Dejerria Becton is a young, Black teenage girl, her body, sexuality and race are seen as targets used to assassinate her character and justify Officer Casebolt slamming her body to the ground. Thus Black women aren’t and still aren’t guaranteed the same protection that White and other races of women take for granted.

Links to where I got information from:

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Rainbow Space Invaders Leggings

Out of stock

Some Japanese releases of Space Invaders like the 1978 T.T. Space Invaders used multi-coloured cellophane to make it look like your aliens were rainbow. Destroying aliens in pretty colours is just more fun!

Iconic and unforgettable, Space Invaders was the game that defined the industry. Excuse me while I nerd out for a second here: Entirely aside from the fact that the Space Invaders alien is basically the universal symbol for 'video-game' (can't get much more iconic than that), it was the first game where your enemies shot back at you, and it was the first game to use music and sound effects together throughout the game. Space Invaders influenced virtually every single other game that came after it.

Oh, and the Japanese Parents' and Teachers Association tried to ban the game for causing truancy. Space Invaders was like the cool friend your parents warned you about, who grew up to take over the world.

Now you can wear actual pop culture history on your bod.

Composition: 83% Polyester, 17% Elastane
Washing: Machine wash cold, gentle cycle with like colours
Made in: Australia

Australia (Domestic)
Express Post - Orders up to $100.00AUD $5.00AUD
Express Post - Orders of $100.00AUD and over FREE
All other countries (International)
Express Courier - Orders up to $400.00AUD $18.00AUD
Express Courier – Orders $400.00AUD and over FREE
Standard Post – Orders up to $120.00AUD (Not Avail. in All Countries) $10.00AUD
Standard Post - Orders $120.00AUD and over (Not Avail. in All Countries) FREE
Please note: Customers outside Australia may also be liable for any customs and import duty, quotas, permits, product restrictions and other local requirements.

Pricing is based on 1-10 garments, larger orders require a custom quote.

AU / NZ / UK 6 8 10 12 14 16
USA / CA 2 4 6 8 10 12
EU 34 36 38 40 42 44
Waist 61 - 65 65 - 68 68 - 74 74 - 80 80 - 86 86 - 92
Hip 86 - 90 90 - 93 93 - 99 99 - 105 105 - 111 111 - 117
In Leg (Pants Only) 84 84 84 85 85 85

We love these looks! Hashtag #bmrainbowspaceinvaderslegs for a chance to be featured.


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Posts Tagged ‘JAWS’

November 25, 2009

I have now been helped by my colleague to add links to my blog.Many thanks.

I have put a link in to the home page of the producers of JAWS. this is the programme I am training on at the moment, as I have blogged about below. I aim to try out as many solutions as I can find for accessing computers and this link does not imply it is a “best”  or carry any recommendation other than comments I have already made.

Impairments can vary so much that I would hesitate to perform such a service for anyone else. My only reservation to date about JAWS is its cost.

I recomment that you get sighted help to download the free trial and get them to help you with set up and getting started. if you think it is right for you, then I strongly recommend finding out how to get on a training course. Hull College’s course is free. Proper training will lessen frustration and increase your chances of making good use of the tool.

WordPress for the blind

November 19, 2009

It seems I am up and running now.

I am registered blind, but should say that I can still use a computer with the help of magnifiers and text readers. I am not yet totally reliant on audio feedback to contril my computer, however long sessions tend to tireand degrade vision. I think it is important to say all this as thre are so many different levelsand types of sight loss and I find myself constantly needing to explain what my limits are.

I am involved in projects aiming to improve the quality of access to information for the blind. For my own sake  I have recently signed up at Hull College to learn how to use JAWS – more on that in a different article – and have been asked to learn how to use a blog to record my progress. Learning how to blog with visual impairment has also become part of the exercise.

so, here goes on my initial thoughts on WordPress –

I was advised that WordPress was one of the more accessible blogging tools. As I am now here, that proves it can be done without sighted assistance, which is great.

I was initially confused by WordPress the programme that IT people use and the blogging site that can be used by us regular folk. I am lucky that I was already reasonably literate on a computer before losing my sight 9 years ago, but blogs weren’t around then. If you don’t know how to use a computer blogging is a non starter. I know that is obvious, but this is one example of how blind people are denied something the sighted can have if they want it.

I will be writing other articles on training the blind to use computers to enable them to communicate their own views if they wish to.

The layout of WordPress when you sign up for a blog is really straightforward and uncluttered. Big tick there.

There is a huge helpguide, which probably contains everything I need to know. However, I think a quickstart guide just for bloggers would be good as the main guide is full of computer jargon that is not essential for beginners. Fighting through some of the jargon and techical specs nearly put me off completely. this would be the same for sighted or unsighted bloggers.

when you get into the posting page there are problemswhen you try to magnify certaina areas. Blocks or areas start to overlaap at certain levels of magnification. Most areas worked well with my text/screenreader – anonother big tick.

Overall, I am pleased that it has only taken me a few hours to get to this stage. it would be quicker for the sighted, but I think there could be some benefit to both sections receiving or having access to tutorials. I guess it is not an essential tool, but I hope to make my blog a signpost for all things useful for the visually impaired. It is helping me feel useful and reduces bordom levels.

I now need to learn how to ensure other people with similar interests or needs can easily find my blog.

Let me try again!

November 19, 2009

I thought I had posted my first message yesterday – clearly not.

I am starting this blog as a visually impaired person with a keen interest in accessibility for the blind and the use of technology in particular.

This blog will start by recording my experiences of learning to blog using WordPress and my experiences of going to my local college to learn how to use JAWS – software that enables the blind to use a computer.

If this initial statement gets published I know I am at least over the starting line.

I hope followers of this blog will be encouraged to use technology to improve their quality of life and promote the cause of accessibility for the blind inall walks of life.


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Listen to free music played by hpseaton

Sign Up for Blip.fm

Blip.fm is internet radio made social. It's easy to search for, play, and discover free music recommended by real people. Join today to create your own free station and start listening to @hpseaton.

over 1000 listeners

United States United States. DJ since Mar 21, 2010
Page 3
hpseaton I want to be pretty like drugs
hpseaton Show me all the things I shouldn't know
hpseaton @RockSugar glad you liked. I'm a big Indigo Girls fan
hpseaton Now that was just damn good @Feminomaly: "#Love for inanimate objects." (reblip)

The Dresden Dolls 'Coin-Operated Boy' music video

| play
hpseaton Why thank you! Hope you have a good V-day! @KM74: "Happy Valentines Day my Friend~ <3 @hpseaton ( my fave MS tune 4u)" (reblip)
hpseaton Nice! @obz: "darker my #love" (reblip)

Voodoo Church- Darker my Love

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hpseaton As a rule I avoid ménage à trois...but if Brody and Josh Homme asked I'd make an exception
hpseaton @obz, who am I kidding? I'm holding out for Brody! Morning to you, good sir

Drain The Blood

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hpseaton This is one of my favorite #love songs. Thanks @Tarinnz for all the great tunes (reblip)
hpseaton I want to marry this song, but I just don't know if it feels the same... @obz: "Disco Biscuit #Love" (reblip)

The Jezabels "Disco Biscuit Love"

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hpseaton Wait...twin sisters covering a song by other twins? Doesn't this disrupt the time/space continuum? Shit, where's Dr. Who when you need him?

Courage My Love- Hop A Plane (Tegan & Sara)

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hpseaton Cool Canadian band with twin sisters....no they aren't Tegan and Sara
hpseaton Now @Schoork and @Crazy_lil_Stef if we're pulling out some Sebastian I've got to have this one!
hpseaton Thanks @RockSugar for the great tune. I always have to listen to this one right after. Yep, I'm strange like that.

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hpseaton So true @Pantagruella: "For @Ineluctable who played tracks. 2065. It's not love that shapes the world. It's the war pigs. They don't hear your cries." (reblip)

Black Sabbath War Pigs

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Listen to free music played by OKnightmare

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Blip.fm is internet radio made social. It's easy to search for, play, and discover free music recommended by real people. Join today to create your own free station and start listening to @OKnightmare.

msmish gave props on Jul 29 at 7:31 pm
keskenja gave props on Jul 29 at 5:47 pm

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On-the-range detection technology could corral bovine TB

bovine tuberculosis, on-site test results, Biomarker-based assay, bovine TB, On-the-range detection technology,
(© Flickr Creative Commons Laboratorio diagnostica ancona IZSUM)

Biomarker-based assay offers ranchers immediate, on-site test results

Biomarker-based assay offers ranchers immediate, on-site test results

LOS ALAMOS, N.M., April 12, 2017–A research breakthrough allowing the first direct, empirical, blood-based, cow-side test for diagnosing bovine tuberculosis (TB) could spare ranchers and the agriculture industry from costly quarantines and the mass slaughter of animals infected with this easily spread disease.

“We have adapted an assay originally developed for human TB to bovine TB, a particular challenge because the bovine disease is caused by a different species of the pathogen,” said Harshini Mukundan, leader of the Chemistry for Biomedical Applications team at Los Alamos National Laboratory that developed the assay and corresponding author on the study, published this week in the journal Analytical Sciences.

“We have validated the assay in cows that were positive controls of a vaccination study done at the US Department of Agriculture, tested at different time points during the course of infection. This work supports the global One Health strategy — developing diagnostics that are not host limited,” Mukundan said.

TB is one of the oldest known diseases, and it infects both animals and humans. In cattle, Mycobacterium bovis causes the disease, which easily spreads among large herds, periodically resulting in the quarantine and destruction of thousands of cattle in the United States, Canada and abroad and restricting international shipments. It also infects wild deer and elk, which can pass it on to domestic cattle with which they graze. A skin test to detect exposure or infection is used in cattle, but due to various colors of cows’ skin and hide, environmental exposures, previous testing for M. bovis and other factors, the visual assessment can be inconclusive. Further, Mukundan notes, gathering a herd once for testing and then again 48 hours later for reading the skin results can be a challenge in itself.

The idea for the bovine application evolved from discussions between Laboratory researchers and scientists at the New Mexico health laboratory, who recognized the need for rapid detection by ranchers seeking to ship their herds. “It’s one of these things that took on a life of its own,” Mukundan said. The conversations eventually included a request from the New Mexico Livestock Board’s state veterinarian at the time, David Fly, who reached out to the New Mexico Small Business Assistance program (which involves Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories). Mukundan’s team responded, collaborating with a number of interested ranchers in the state.

Infection of humans with M. tuberculosis can be recognized in blood by a biomarker called lipoaribinomannan (LAM), but it has been difficult to detect because LAM is a lipid, a greasy molecule that doesn’t blend with the watery blood and so eludes regular testing techniques. Targeting the body’s fat transport system, the lipoproteins (such as HDL and LDL measured for cholesterol analysis) allowed the researchers to measure LAM in blood.

To detect it, the Los Alamos team has developed a novel assay – lipoprotein capture – which exploits the interaction of LAM with host lipoproteins and can thereby detect it in blood. Combined with a highly sensitive waveguide-based optical biosensor for the rapid, sensitive and specific detection of pathogenic biomarkers, the team has effectively identified greasy biomarkers associated with diseases like tuberculosis, food poisoning, leprosy and others.

In cattle, the TB infection M. bovis secretes a similar biomarker called lipomannan (LM). The team adapted the human assay to target LM, thereby suggesting the possibility of a molecular cow-side test for bovine TB.

Key outcomes from the research include the following:

  • The team can directly measure pathogen biomarkers in bovine blood, which allows medical specialists to discriminate between simple exposure and actual infection.
  • This is the first profile of the LM biomarker in bovine blood over a full one-year time period.
  • The same assays applied to humans can thus be transitioned to assessing cattle, elephants and other species, supporting a global One Health strategy for diagnosis.

Research such as the TB detection project aligns with the Laboratory’s national security science mission in providing innovative tools for improving responses to emerging threats to health. In addition to Mukundan, the team includes Dung Vu of Los Alamos, Rama Sakamuri (a post-doctoral fellow who has since left Los Alamos) and Basil Swanson and Ray Waters from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

What’s next? “We are hoping to work with the New Mexico Livestock Board and the USDA to evaluate infected animals in the real world,” Mukundan said.

“It will be wonderful if the assay can be adapted to a rapid cow-side test that can be used by ranchers and farmers to effectively diagnose bovine TB. I am especially interested in providing something concrete to farmers and veterinarians in our state, the New Mexico Livestock Board and the USDA, all of whom require such a test,” she said.

The paper: “Detection of Lipomannan in Cattle Infected with Bovine Tuberculosis,” Dung M. Vu*, Rama M. Sakamuri*, W. Ray Waters**, Basil I. Swanson*, and Harshini Mukundan*

* Chemistry Division, MS J567, Los Alamos National Laboratory,

**National Animal Disease Center, Agriculture Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA

Videos about Dr. Mukundan’s work:

TEDx Los Alamos talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BxTbjtI8qo

and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stTukjqyVOY (video courtesy of New Mexico Tech Council).

Funding: This work was supported by funding from the New Mexico Small Business Assistance (NMSBA) program (http://www.nmsbaprogram.org/), the US Department of Agriculture and the Los Alamos Research and Development (LDRD), Directed Research Program. Ranchers and veterinarians in the state of New Mexico supported this work via NMSBA. The Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) supported the effort by providing required antibodies for the detection.

About the CDC’s One Health program: https://www.cdc.gov/onehealth/global-activities/index.html

About Bovine TB, from USDA: http://bit.ly/2o2HZCL

About Los Alamos National Laboratory

Los Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC, a team composed of Bechtel National, the University of California, BWX Technologies, Inc. and URS Corporation for the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.

Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health and global security concerns.

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August 11, 2014 AT 5:00 am

Adafruit Learn System: Firewalker Shoes – What You Made!

bramuno shared a Firewalker Shoes project in the Adafruit Forums:

i finally got my shoes working and wanted to post my working assembly. hats off to to the original designer of this project. I had fun with this project and it’s got me thinking of lots more future projects.

I wrote up a a quick blog post to comment on all the little things I learned in the process that might save others some time. I sure hope this is the right place to post this cuz I couldn’t find any better area. (Read more.)

And from the customer’s project build notes:

This post is intended to provide clarity to the same problems I ran into while attempting to building the “firewalker” shoes found on the Adafruit tutorial page. I am in no way affiliated with Adafruit and this page is intended for educational purposes only so I am not responsible for anything you do. On that note, my hat is off to the original designer(s) of this project. it’s pretty darn cool… (read more)

Featured Adafruit Learning System Guide

Adafruit Learning System

Firewalker LED Sneakers: Light up your stride! Mod a pair of high-tops with NeoPixel strip and FLORA, Adafruit’s wearable electronics platform. These sneakers use a velostat step sensor in the heel to trigger firey animations as you walk! (read more)

Check out all the Circuit Playground Episodes! Our new kid’s show and subscribe!

Have an amazing project to share? Join the SHOW-AND-TELL every Wednesday night at 7:30pm ET on Google+ Hangouts.

Join us every Wednesday night at 8pm ET for Ask an Engineer!

Learn resistor values with Mho’s Resistance or get the best electronics calculator for engineers “Circuit Playground”Adafruit’s Apps!

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5 Ways To Get Your Kids To Brush Their Teeth

, , , , ,

Getting your kids to brush can be like pulling teeth (see what I did there?). A friend of mine with 3 kids, all under the age of 8 told me she has to use “white lies” to encourage them to brush. These white lies range from telling one child that moss will grow on their teeth, to telling another that, “teeth trolls with hammers will break up your teeth if you don’t brush them out of there.”

So, besides telling white lies to get kids to brush, here are 5 other ways to help get those kids brushing and help you avoid pulling teeth… figuratively and literally.dad-and-son-brushing

1. Brush your teeth at the same time

You are your child’s greatest teacher. Watching you brush your teeth with them will help set them up for a lifetime of good oral habits.

  1. Make brushing a game

There are tons of games online as well as apps for your mobile devices that make brushing fun for kids. You can find a bunch of games by clicking here.

3. Let your kids watch a video

Use two-minute videos to help encourage you kids to brush for the proper amount of time. You want them to brush twice a day for two minutes each time. You can find two-minute videos for kids here.

4. Let your kids choose their toothpaste

There are many different kids of toothpaste made for little ones. They range in flavor from bubble gum to strawberry smash and feature characters like Disney Princesses, Transformers and Dora the Explorer. Getting kid excited about what toothpaste they use will make the nighttime chore all the more easier.

5. Let your kids choose their toothbrush

Now you still want to have them use an ADA approved toothbrush but still, there are tons of color and characters to choose from that will make brushing fun for youngsters.

Whichever way you use to get your kids to brush remember to encourage them to use the correct technique, which is a circular motion (not up and down) for two minutes each time. Do that twice a day and visit your dentist twice a year and your kids smile will be beaming bright.

Portrait of family enjoying piggyback ride

Which comes first, the floss or the brush?

floss brush

Should I brush first or floss first?” This question is asked everyday in every dental practice. If you are asking this, congratulations! You’ve already won. Because more than likely, you are doing both, which is what really counts. But what is the optimal sequence to get the best out of your daily smile chores – Brushing first or flossing first?

The arguments:

Brush First

Brushing first breaks up plaque on the teeth. Flossing afterwards will help remove this plaque while getting residual fluoride, left over from brushing, into the spaces between the teeth that brushing alone can’t reach.

Floss First

Flossing first will break up food particles in your teeth that can then be brush away. Fluoride can then reach the areas of your teeth that were previously blocked. Plus, flossing first gets it out of the way. Most people have been raised with the “Brush your teeth, then go to bed” mentality. Meaning, brushing your teeth is the last thing you do before you go to sleep. Flossing before brushing will keep you from skipping this important procedure.

It’s a bit of a “chicken or the egg” conundrum. Most dentists agree: it really doesn’t matter which comes first. So see what best fits you and your lifestyle. Try flossing first for one week, then try brushing first for one week. See what feels best for you, your schedule and your teeth. As long as you are doing both, you’ll get good results. Mix in a couple of visits to your dentist each year and your smile will thank you!

Five Tips To Getting Over Your Fear Of The Dentist

, , , ,

Is there any profession that brings out peoples fear more than the dentist? There is a reason “Little Shop of Horrors” casts a dentist as the main villain (Steve Martin is excellent in the movie, btw).

Steve Martin LSH Dentist

These fears can be brought on by different issues ranging from childhood experiences, to a lack of control while sitting in the dentists chair. Whatever the issue might be, here are some tips to help you overcome your fears and help your smile become the brightest it can be.

  1. Find a dentist you trust

Overcoming a fear of the dentist all starts with trust. Ask friends and family if they have a dentist they like. If you can’t find a recommendation from someone, try DentistUSA.com. Once you find your dentist…

  1. Explain your fears

This information will help your dentist determine the best course of action to help you manage your fears, will build a trusting relationship and help you feel more in-control when in the dentist’s chair.

  1. Deep breathing

There are many breathing exercises that can help relax you. If those don’t help, you might ask you dentist about…

  1. Additional medication to help relax

Many dentists recommend nitrous oxide, sedation or anti-anxiety medication for nervous patients. Talk to your dentist about these options to see if it might help.

  1. Visit your dentist regularly

The more you go, the more you’ll get used to the sites and sounds. Just regular check ups and cleanings will also help prevent issues that might lead to other, more painful procedures, which could cause more anxiety.