Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s comments on Tuesday — signalling UPA-appointed Governors to quit because of the change in regime — doesn’t square with what his party elders A B Vaypayee and L K Advani had said when the UPA sacked Governors appointed by the NDA in 2004.
The sacking of Governors Vishnu Kant Shashtri (Uttar Pradesh), Babu Parmananda (Haryana), Kidar Nath Sahani (Goa) and Kailashpati Mishra (Gujarat) — on the ground that they espoused different political ideology during the course of their active political career than the political ideology of the party in power — was termed as a “big blow to democracy” by former PM Vajpayee while Advani dubbed it a “dangerous” practice.
As the Leader of Opposition, Advani had forced a discussion in the Lok Sabha under Rule 193 over sacking of the NDA-appointed Governors. Citing arguments by B R Ambedkar, K T Shah during Constituent Assembly debates, he had said that Governors need not be changed because of the change of government at the Centre.
“When V P Singh was the Prime Minister, all Governors were removed. At that time, the Home Minister was Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed’s statement simply was: ‘With the change of government at the Centre, there should also be a change of Governors,” Advani had said, initiating the discussion on July 12, 2004.
“While Shri Mufti’s doctrine was fallacious, (Home Minister) Shivraj Patil’s doctrine is dangerous. I regard it as ominous. Today, we have, in the country, parties governing major states whose ideologies we do not agree with. But that does not mean that that can be the justification for invoking Article 356. Can it be?” he had said, objecting to the removal of the four Governors appointed by the previous NDA regime. “Are ideologies to be the touchstones for matters of this constitutional nature?”
“What has been done now in the case of these four Governors has, I believe, weakened the federal structure of the country. I regard the doctrine, which has been propounded, or the rationale, which has been given, that they have an ideology which is different from ours and that will create problems as an outrageous assault on the concept of multi-party democracy enshrined in the Indian Constitution,” Advani had said, appealing Home Minister Patil to reconsider the sacking of the four Governors.
Advani had likened the move of having Governors with ideologies similar to that of the party in power at Centre as that with the practice of “committed judiciary” adopted by Indira …continued »


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Today I'm here with Jan's Digi Stamp Shop for our mid-month posting. Be sure to visit Jan's Blog Challenge to see all the Design Team inspirational cards and to enter your cards in the challenge.
I selected one of Jan's new sets, A Boy and His Dog for my card today. I seriously love this sentiment.
Here's my completed card, then a little about it.
After sizing the image to fit an A2 card base, I printed it on Neenah 110# card stock and used Copic markers for coloring. I think using E34 for the final skin color adds a rich caramel color for Afro American skin.
For my die cut, I selected My Favorite Things, Elegant Rectangle Stax and used that for the image, sentiment and both mats. A simple thread tied bow completes my card.
Thank you for stopping by today. I enjoy sharing my work with you and invite you to “Follow” my blog and to visit my site ~ “Not JustScraps” on Facebook ~ where you can purchase my cards and other crafting items.
I’ll be entering this card in the following challenges:
Serving a Risen Savior,
Dog: E21, E23, E25, YG63; Jeans: B95, B97, Shirt, R05, R14, R27, Hair: N1, N3, N6, Water: B01, B24, B63

domain: artistic


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XRP and Stellar [XLM] price valuations have witnessed a sideways movement after the recent price hike as both tokens rallied to keep their prices consistent through the sudden market pump. XRP, the third largest cryptocurrency, recorded a market capitalization of $13.5 billion and was priced at $0.32. The decline rate over a 24-hour period was around 0.32 percent, however, the fall of valuation over the past seven days was a massive 8.73 percent.
Stellar’s XLM recorded a trading volume of around $234 million in the market and the token was priced at $0.11. XLM followed XRP’s cue and suffered a higher decline rate of 11.34 percent over the past seven days.
XRP one-day chart:
The long term one-day chart of XRP showcased a long-term resistance at $0.387, which was not breached during the surge. The prices kept moving between the resistance at $0.362 and the support at $0.292. The uptrend extended the valuation from $0.323 to $0.365.
The Bollinger Bands or BB indicators exhibited convergence on the chart, indicating a less volatile period for the token.
The Relative Strenght Index or RSI remained neutral as the selling and buying pressures cancelled each other out.
The Awesome Oscillator or AO indicated a bearish momentum that was losing dominance, at press time.
XLM one-day chart:
The XLM chart experienced an uptrend during the price surge, which propelled the valuation from $0.088 to $0.133. The support line for the token before the surge remained at $0.074 and the resistance line after the hike was placed at $0.135.
The Parabolic SAR markers hovered over the candlesticks in the chart, indicating a bearish trend for the virtual asset.
The Chaikin Money Flow of CMF line was above the zero-line and pointed towards the fact that the capital coming into the market was more than the capital leaving the market.

domain: finance


I keep writing my Music Spotlight column because of the stories. And while we all appreciate the music that these singer/songwriters bring to us, it is the stories of these tireless individuals that keep me coming back to my computer to share what I have learned with my readers.Read More
NASHVILLE, Tennessee – A lot of people, myself included, are trying to wrap their heads around Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and exactly how they work. When I got asked to interview a country artist, Sammy Arriaga, who was successfully using NFTs in promoting his music, I was interested.
Sammy Arriaga is a Miami-born Cuban American. While his father occasionally sang and played guitar, he discovered his love for music on his own. He has been writing lyrics and downloading instrumentals from the internet since his early teens. He taught himself how to play guitar by watching YouTube videos.Read More
Adam Warner hails from the farm country of southern Illinois, quite near to where my mother and her family lived. This area is so consumed by farming, specifically corn and soybeans, that you really do feel as if you are in the middle of nowhere.
Just like my mother and aunts, both of Warner’s grandmothers played piano and sang at church. His mother was involved in theater and singing as well. He was certainly not the only one in the family who did music but would be the only one who chose it as a career path.Read More
When I heard “Growing Old With You” by Restless Road on the radio, I was not familiar with the group, but their song really resonated with me. When I was given the chance to feature them in my column, I jumped at it.
Restless Road is comprised of Zach Beeken, Garrett Nichols, and Colton Pack who did not grow up together and are actually from three different states. Beeken is from Iowa, Nichols is from Alabama and Pack is from West Virginia. Almost nine years ago, Pack and Beeken were on a show called The X Factor. (The third member, Andrew Scholz, would eventually be replaced with Nichols.) They started the band on that TV show. They met Kane Brown on that show as well.Read More
Growing up with the name O’Bannon I was vaguely aware that there was a famous person named Presley O’Bannon who was important in American History. When I got married 37 years ago to a Marine Corp veteran who has a degree in history, I was informed that not only was Presley O’Bannon an important figure in history, he was especially important to the Marines. The United States Marine Corps hymn opens with “From the halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli, we fight our country’s battles on the land and on the sea.” Presley O’Bannon was the man who led battles on the shores of Tripoli from whence the song lyrics came.Read More
NASHVILLE, Tennessee- Ainsley Costello comes from a musical background. When her dad, James Costello, was young, he moved to Los Angeles to “do the whole music thing” in much the same way that Costello has moved to Nashville. At one point he was in a touring band and toured the world. And even though he now has a day job, he was always in revolving bands, playing shows and playing music in the house.Read More
When I heard that the Canadian Country Music multi-award winner, Brett Kissel was releasing a song with 98°, I was excited and curious at the same time. The group’s song, “Ain’t the Same” isn’t exactly country, pop, or R & B, but it is fantastic. Once I heard it, it went straight to my Beach playlist.Read More
Dustin Collins had been around music his whole life. His dad and uncle were musicians. They were in and out of the recording studios in Kentucky and Nashville when Collins was a child.
He recalls, “I just kind of grew up around it and learned how to sing and play guitar when I was, 10 and 11 years old. It’s always been something that I love to do. I kind of fell into this job when I started writing songs and I met some other songwriters in Nashville.”Read More
The Tennessee Motorcycles and Music Revival (TMMR) is a unique, four-day event held in central Tennessee that’s all about motorcycles, music, comradery, and the outdoors. It will be held at the majestic 3,500-acre Loretta Lynn’s ranch and campground just an hour west of Nashville on held May 19 – 22 and will be the first big event to take place at Loretta Lynn’s ranch since the catastrophic floods from last August. TMMR is presented by Harley-Davidson® and produced in partnership by the Loretta Lynn family and R&R Promotions, a specialty agency with decades of motorcycle event promotions and deep ties in the national motorcycle family.Read More
Five years in the making, the Red Clay Strays’ debut album, ‘Moment of Truth,’ is a crowdfunded masterpiece that is not to be missed. This innovative, southern rock band will have you jumping all over the pews in the Rockabilly Church of the Delta Blues.Read More
From Maple Valley, Washington, 29-year-old singer/songwriter Dakota Poorman is a breath of fresh air in the stale pop-country atmosphere.
As a child he recalls, “I really loved music. I was bathed in a very eclectic taste in music. I listened to Bob Seger, John Fogerty, Pink Floyd, The Doors, the Eagles, and even Patsy Cline and Muddy Waters. I was exposed to a ton of great music back when music was music and had meaning.”Read More
Out today, Gavin Lee’s latest single, “All You Gotta Do is Dance” is a throwback to signature 90s country tunes that brought folks to their feet on the dance floor to step into the most popular line dances.Read More
NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The first time I recall seeing Michael Rix was when he played banjo in the Bank of America marketing campaign commercial for Ken Burns’ PBS documentary Country Music. Even though the banjo originated in Africa, seeing a black, banjo-playing country musician in the 21st century is/was not very common.Read More
With Tyler Braden’s newest hits, “Try Losing One,” and “Seventeen”, he has proven that his star is on the rise. You will be hearing a lot more from this singer/songwriter in the future.Read More
NASHVILLE, Tennessee- Even though I am not much of a whiskey drinker, I am always drawn to a good whiskey song. Something about the solace of sipping the stuff leads to a deeper examination of one’s true self.
Karissa Ella’s newest single “Whiskey Whispers Your Name” is all that and more. They led me to further delve into this rising singer/songwriter and find out what drives her.Read More
Music City Walk of Fame inductees Dierks Bentley, Keb’ Mo’, Bobby Bare, and Connie Smith represent the diversity of Music City in the first ceremony since the pandemic.Read More
Ian Flanigan hails from Hudson Valley’s Catskill Mountains in upstate New York, not far from the site of the famed Woodstock festival.
But where you might remember him is from Season 19 of NBC’s The Voice.
I wanted to find out how he got from there to The Voice and now living just outside of Nashville.Read More
NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Wade Bowen grew up in Waco, Texas with three sisters who always had music on and took him to concerts. Growing up, Bowen played sports and knew he always wanted to do music but didn’t know how to go about doing it.Read More
Houston Bernard draws upon his family’s rich country and rockabilly musical roots by bringing upbeat and relatable music with powerhouse vocals. His newest single, “Hangover,” is not to be missed.Read More
Meghan Linsey’s latest single, “If You Need Me, Don’t” takes her fans back to her soulful New Orleans roots with her evocative, powerhouse vocals.Read More
Michael Ray grew up in a family compound off a dirt road in the small town of Eustis, Florida, just a few miles from a tiny old country church where Sunday service would be held, where communion often carried over to tall tales of his grandparents’ days running moonshine up the East Coast.
And even though he did not write the song, when he first heard “Holy Water” it took him right back to being a boy in that church, sitting in a wooden pew listening to some of the greatest truths that he holds onto to this day.Read More
NASHVILLE, Tennessee -The first time I heard of Alyssa Bonagura was when she played with Ruby Stewart as part of The Sisterhood band when Ruby’s dad, Rod Stewart, played Bridgestone Arena in August of 2018. The two performed their tune “Half Way” with Stewart’s band before dad returned to sing “Forever Young” with them. They also sang with Cyndi Lauper on her iconic hit “Girls Just Want To Have Fun.”Read More
Inspired by the traditional as well as the unconventional, The Wooks have established a distinctive sound through original songwriting, exceptional musicianship, and outside influences ranging from jam bands to Southern rock.Read More
Jenny Tolman releases her sophomore album Married in a Honky Tonk, where she not only expands on her tales about the fictional town of Jennyville, she offers a new depth and range that signals her growing maturity as an artist.Read More
Country Radio Seminar is one of the most significant events in Nashville, as it brings country radio and music industry professionals together to educate each other, enhance skills, facilitate business, and promote the growth of the industry.Read More
Hippies and Cowboys bring a fresh vintage flair in their new single, taking you back to the days of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin, CCR, and Aerosmith. Recorded at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, the band’s debut single, “20 to Life” is not to be missed.Read More
One thing that most native Nashvillians will tell you is to avoid the party buses. They are often full of young, drunk tourists and are to be avoided at all costs.
However, when a publicist/friend told me about the Music City Rollin’ Jamboree, she advised, “It’s different.”Read More
Country-rocker Jacob Bryant earns a standing ovation at Grand Ole Opry debut.Read More
After previously being featured in a Music Spotlight column, Australian singer/songwriter Jasmin Bade released her new single, “Rent,” and its accompanying lyric video today with The Tennessee Star. “Rent” provides a bittersweet twist on the struggle to move on from a past relationship. Bade co-wrote the song with Emily Kroll, who penned the No. 1 hit “Just About Over You” by Priscilla Block, and Brian McKenna, son of Nashville songwriting legend Lori McKenna.Read More
NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The favorite retro-rock duo, Hemp & Denim has released a new single, “Stay” for Valentine’s Day. The song is about genuine love and love is what everyone needs right now in this world. The accompanying lyric video for “Stay” is debuting today exclusively to The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. The lyrics illustrate the hardships and triumphs that come with any loving relationship.Read More
American Idol alum and CMT’s Next Women of Country member Laci Kaye Booth combines soulful, smooth vocals with honest, heartfelt lyrics that make the country crooner stand out in the crowded pool of aspiring artists.Read More
NASHVILLE, Tennesee- Before you ask, yes, Bobby Cyrus is related to Billy Ray Cyrus. Bobby Cyrus is Billy Ray Cyrus’ younger cousin. They both hail from the same region around Louisa, Kentucky where bluegrass music was a prominent part of their heritage. Their grandfather was a Pentecostal preacher and church music was an integral part of their upbringing.Read More
Even though Noah Guthrie played Roderick on Season 6 of Glee in 2015, making music has always been his aspiration. As a very young child, the South Carolina native grew up going to recording studios with his dad and step-mom who were both background singers.Read More
I attended RomaDrama Live! last year initially because several of the artists I had featured in my column were part of the entertainment. And of course, it was fun to see and meet the popular actors of favorite romance dramas and Hallmark movies. But what I wasn’t expecting was for one of the actors to be a genuinely talented country music singer/songwriter.Read More
Prolific urban-country singer/songwriter Julia Cole delivers something for everyone with her innate ability to relate to her audience via her original music.Read More
One of the first questions I ask an artist is if they come from a musical family. Since Anthony Nix was a foster kid who got adopted at age seven, his answer to that question was “I don’t know.”Read More
NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Lucas Hoge has released a new Christmas album, 12.25 that is not to be missed. He along with some help from friends, Jamie O’Neal and the Swon Brothers played a (mostly) Christmas show featuring new and traditional music at the renowned Listening Room.Read More
American Standard Time Records Releases ‘The Holiday Rambler’ which is an eclectic group of mostly original Christmas songs that is sure to please those looking for something new and different this holiday season.Read More
NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Fred Mollin is an award-winning American and Canadian record producer, musician, film and TV composer, music director, music supervisor, and songwriter whose discography spans 35 years. He has produced records for Jimmy Webb, Johnny Mathis, Billy Ray Cyrus, Lamont Dozier, and America, and has composed music for Beverly Hills, 90210, Friday the 13th (movies and television), Forever Knight, Hard Copy, and many more. Mollin rose to prominence early in his career by co-producing (with Matthew McCauley) Dan Hill’s international hit record, “Sometimes When We Touch”, in 1977.Read More
NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Dennis Quaid concluded his fall musical tour on November 15th when he played the Nashville City Winery to a sold-out crowd.Read More
NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Belmont student and former NBC’s The Voice contestant Gracee Shriver hails from Owasso, Oklahoma.
Shriver started singing lessons at age nine to give herself something to do. About a year after starting lessons, she got her first guitar and began writing songs.Read More
Ryan Weaver is a high-energy, all-American, rockin’ country music artist who proudly served as an active-duty Black Hawk Aviator, Chief Warrant Officer 3 in the United States Army.
Although he had a short history of playing the violin as a child/teen, everyone in his family was in the military so that is the path he initially chose for his career. (Weaver’s grandfather was in WWII and his dad was a Marine along with two brothers and a sister who also served.)Read More
CreatiVets is one of the most important non-profits I have come across. It shows first-hand how music and art can help to heal our wounded veterans.Read More
NASHVILLE, Tennessee – When I saw Abby Anderson open for Radio Romance and Midland in 2017, I immediately knew that I wanted to interview her even though I had recently started writing my column.
Fast forward 4 years when I got an email stating that Anderson was releasing a powerful new anthem, and finally I got the privilege to interview the effervescent songstress.Read More
NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Even though Juna and Joey Defeo are just 16 and 19 years old, they have been singing together for quite a while. They got their affinity for music from their grandparents. Their paternal grandfather was an opera singer in Italy and their maternal grandfather was in a country band who played “pretty much anything with strings.”Read More
NASHVILLE, Tennessee – In the more than two years since our first interview, so much has happened in Parker McKay’s life. When I saw that she was trying out for NBC’s The Voice, I knew it was time to catch up.Read More
Jacob Bryant readies the forthcoming album Bar Stool Preachers with his latest release “Devil & An Old Six String.”Read More
If Bonnie and Clyde had been musicians instead of bank robbers, they would have been the vocal duo, A Tale Of Two. Combining the best of Americana and Blues melodies with timeless “Southern Gothic” storytelling, Nashville-based A Tale Of Two is an undeniable rising duo in today’s Roots Music scene. Meeting in the local Nashville Jazz venues, Award-Winning vocalist Stephanie Adlington and guitarist Aaron Lessard began performing and writing together, recognizing their artistic chemistry.
A Tale of Two’s inspiration comes from an earlier time and place. In the 1930s, Adlington affirms that “the culture of the time was a lot more interesting than it is now. But of course, we romanticize it. We weren’t there.”Read More
Nashville, Tennessee – Multi-Grammy®, CMA, and ACM Award-winning performer Steve Wariner has released a new Christmas album, Feels Like Christmas Time, today, October 15. The album features newly imagined arrangements of Christmas classics including “Silent Night,” “The First Noel” and “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” as well as six original holiday tunes, all written by Wariner.Read More
Nashville, Tennessee – The Woods comprised of Raquel Cole, Dan O’Rourke, Leland Rooney are all incredible musicians, songwriters, and singers in their own right – and when they come together the sound is truly magical – think Little Big Town meets Midland. After hearing them play together at the Analog Room in the Hutton Hotel, I wanted to find out how this eclectic and diverse trio discovered each other.Read More


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Morning my dears! It’s not often I publish an engagement shoot from across-the-pond but today I felt utterly compelled. Breath-takingly beautiful and simply styled today’s offering from Helena & Laurent Photography would easily translate within our own beautiful shores…Kew Gardens, The Lost Gardens of Heligan and any of our National Trust Gardens to mention but a few ideas…
Set against the backdrop of the incredible The Conservatory of Flowers and Sutro Baths, California on a grey and misty day Melissa and Ben’s engagement shoot is pure magic!
Too. Die. For.


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divaTunes: 'Blow (Remix)' Kesha ft. B.o.B
Some call her a human garbage bag, but she has the magic touch. Still riding high off of “Til the World Ends,” the hit she penned for Britney Spears, Kesha teams up with Atlanta emcee for a remix to her hit “Blow.” Kesha is building a rapper database of her own. Andre 3000 already contributed a verse to “Sleazy.” Can’t knock the hustle.
Listen to Bobby Ray’s rhymes over the Dr. Luke production:


Unearthing talents through The Cypher
The second edition of The Cypher, an online platform which aims at unearthing raw talents starts on Tuesday, June 6. The Cypher is designed to give six up and coming artistes the opportunity to showcase their talents to a wide range of music lovers and audience every month.
Musicians who will be featured this year are Amerado, Mununkum, Shaimi, Mr One, Rogad Emcee and Sugar Mole.
Last year, the maiden edition featured over 30 artistes including Medikal, Flowking Stone, Ayat, Obibini, Koo Ntakra, Torgbe and Agbeko.
According to Samcilla Baakojr, Content Creator of The Cypher, any artiste selected can also share their music through streaming platforms like Bjrlive FM and Loud Sound Gh.
Mr Baakojr said The Cypher would appreciate support from external organisations that can come on board as sponsors and partners to help shape the music sector especially if consideration is given to the unheard music from these great hidden talents.
The Cypher is supported by creative Graphic Designer Edwin Pencil Gyamfi and will once again be hosted by award winning DJ Bibini.


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Olivia Culpo just upped her bikini game – and she absolutely killed it. The “Sports Illustrated” model might have modeling itsy-bitsy swimwear as her day job, but it looks like this 27-year-old was more than happy to strip down to a two-piece on her own clock on Wednesday.
Olivia’s update was sun-drenched, designer-filled, and pretty much ticking every box around. The photo also placed the model in sunny Miami – possibly for the upcoming Super Bowl early next month.
Check out Olivia’s stunning look below, plus the fan response.
The photo showed Olivia flaunting her goddess body as she posed seated on an oversized couch. Culpo was outdoors, appearing partly shaded by a ledge above her head. Blue skies behind the model gave a nod to the Miami location, with a geo-tag and a caption also confirming it.
“Hello, Miami!!!” she wrote.
Olivia was looking sensational. She’d chosen a super-tiny and halterneck bikini from luxury Italian brand Fendi – the monogram was all over the two-piece. Olivia also rocked dark shades and hoop earrings.
A caption didn’t mention the Nicki Minaj lyric that’s become iconic, but the photo basically took care of that – minus the Bentley.
Olivia’s sizzling snap definitely showcased her killer body, but it likewise flew the flag for the class that Olivia is known for harnessing.
Be it for the brand, the body, or the Miami location, fans were loving it.
“SheeeEeeee,” one fan wrote.
“That’s lounging in style right there! What an amazing shot! What a week to be in Miami, great weather and the Super Bowl!” another said.
“Beautiful! I thought you were Bella Hadid for a second” one fan told the model.
“Love the bikini and background” was another comment.
Olivia might be blessed from above, but the model puts in a lot of effort into staying bikini-ready. Just recently, Olivia spoke to Hollywood Life.
“It’s so hard. I feel like in the winter it’s really important to work out even more because you are so cold and you’re so dry and you really need the circulation. Your body actually craves working out more than I think we even know,” she said.
“I really do like SoulCycle. I just feel like it’s an easy meditative way to work out. I can really zone out during that workout. And then I like to run. It’s a little harder in the winter because it’s chilly. I also like Pilates,” Culpo added.
Olivia further revealed what lands on her plate.
“I try really hard. I really try to cut out carbs when I’m not working. When I’m preparing for something and being good, I cut out carbs,” she said before adding that a “good day” would be “egg whites, avocado, turkey bacon for breakfast.”
“Then, for lunch, I would have a salad with protein, and for dinner, I would have veggies with protein. Does that happen regularly? No,” she joked.

domain: celebrity


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Inheritance of seedling reaction to stem rust race 15B was studied in the F, and F, generations of two crosses, Frontana × Mida-Kenya 117A and Kenya 58-Newthatch × Frontana, in the greenhouse at high temperatures (85° F.). Seedling reaction of the same F4 bulked lines to stem rust races 11, 17, 36, 38, and 56 and leaf rust races 5 and 15 were also studied. Stem and leaf rust reaction in the field to a collection of races was studied in the F3 generation.
Seedling resistance to stem rust race 15B was conditioned by three independent genes in both the crosses. Seedling reaction to each of the other races of stem and leaf rust appeared to be simply inherited.

domain: agronomy


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Monday, May 29, 2006
your blog is a book
You a blogger? Then you're writing a book, though it remains for time to tell whether it's any good or not.
What's the difference between a blog and a book? Not much. The disciplines are similar.
I'm not saying you should convert your blog into a print version with hard covers and dust jackets. Some bloggers do.
I try to make each post I publish as perfect as possible. Then, if I someday turn Vaspers The Grate into a book, containing my best, most popular posts, there won't be a lot of editing or revising required.
Your daily posts are like journal entries, and each post could also be considered a chapter. In the spirit of postmodernity, that old fashioned fad that died in NYC in 1983, we can say that there is disorder rampant in the mess.
I mean: if you print out your entire blog, like I do (printing each post as I publish it), you might decide to staple the posts together in a different order than they were originally published.
Post Secret is perhaps the most famous example of a blog being a book, becoming a book, that blogged its way into becoming a print version sold in bookstores.
We must honor and study this marvel of blog work. The sheer genius, the unequaled zeal and ease of the project, the uncanny lack of, er, anything, beyond just setting up the blog, and laying out a few rules and legal notices, I suppose.
Here's a blog that had little to no writing by the blogger, and its one of the most successful blogs in history. You know next to nothing about the blogger.
This super successful blogger does NOT express himself.
He stands back and lets others express themselves.
He's gained fame by letting others be famous, though anonymous. Post Secret's blogger is not an author, nor a designer (since the contributors make their own art to accompany their secret written on a post card they send to the blogger of Post Secret).
Think of your blog not as [always functioning as] YOUR platform to express every niche and cranny of your private musing, your dreary surroundings, your uneventful mundane life. Unless you can, through hilarious or eccentric writing style, make even trivial, normal matters sound funny, like Seinfeld.
Rather, try to see your blog as YOUR READERS' platform to interact with, by posting comments at, your series of daily proclamations, whether personal or business oriented. See your posts as mere talking points, ice breakers, forks in the road.
Your life itself is like a book, with each day being a new chapter. Your thoughts, important as they are, are like footnotes. The real action is what you do, what others do for or against you, and how you react, retaliating or making amends.
Your blog is a textual/graphic mirror of you: your life, or your company, or your product, or your cause.
As such, your blog functions as an ongoing record of what transpires: in your private environment, in your industry, in your progress as a firm, in your advancement as a consultant, etc.
A coherent sequence of events, embodied in language, typed into the digital effluvium of the blogosphere, is, for all intents and purposes, a book. Even if you never print out your blog, even if you never publish any of it in a print version as a book, your blog is still very book-like.
You may have thought you could never in a million years "write a book". But look at you now. You write a chapter every day, in your perpetual work-in-progress, your blog. A blogger and an author share much in common: you both discipline yourselves to write something every day. You, for blog euphoria. The author, for publisher's deadline.
It probably wouldn't hurt to start thinking of your blog as a book. And who knows? maybe someday, you really will take some posts and re-organize, reformat, revise, expand upon them, or merge them, into a book that will be a best seller.
My main point is: your blog may come back to haunt you, in a good way!
What chapter are you adding to your blog/book today?
Will it merely record a random reverie, or will it contain real value (comedic, instructional, spiritual, economic, artistic) that can benefit or inspire your readers?
Posted by steven edward streight at 5/29/2006 11:35:00 AM

domain: literature


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457 megabytes currently online of information on alchemy in all its facets. Divided into over 2500 sections and providing tens of thousands of pages of text, over 3000 images, over 300 complete alchemical texts, extensive bibliographical material on the printed books and manuscripts, numerous articles, introductory and general reference material on alchemy.
This site is organised by Adam McLean, the well known authority on alchemical texts and symbolism, author and publisher of over 80 books on alchemical and Hermetic ideas.
via The Alchemy Web Site.
- 10 “Spiritual” Things People Do That Are Total Bullsh** | High Existence - November 4, 2017
- Connecting to Deity Supplement: A Sampling of Universal Perspectives - October 11, 2017
- Basic Meditation and Preparatory Breathing - August 30, 2017

domain: library


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A shared objective is an unquestionable necessity for a band to make it.
Very much like in playing soccer, it is such a ton more straightforward for a band when there is an objective to hold back nothing. There are many motivations to be in a band and many can be accomplished simultaneously so in the event that a couple of individuals have various goes for the gold is fine however there must be basically an understanding about the overall course and all out holds back nothing. The symbolic line that most groups will say is that they need to be rich and well known however that can be accomplished in numerous ways. Is selling out a choice? Does it matter what style the band has or what fans they have as long as they sell a ton of records?
Beginning a band is fun and very little beats the energy of playing your most ot just https://www.feelings-band.nl/ memorable gig and getting the buzz that goes with it. For some individuals that level is sufficient, having the option to play before a couple of individuals and having the group cheering their name can give a ton of energy however for other people, everything really revolves around more. Contingent upon your conditions, being in a band might be a pleasant side interest for a couple of years during school or in something important to take a break however for other people, it could be the greatest thing they will at any point do and will envelop as long as they can remember.
Longing for making it immense is no terrible thing except for it takes a ton of difficult work and exertion and each individual from a band needs to place this in for it to be a triumph. On the off chance that somebody in the band is glad to see what happens while the remainder of the gathering will do their absolute best to be a triumph, it must be addressed assuming that one individual is ideal for the gathering. They might be an incredible individual and maybe they have been your companion for a really long time yet if every other person has any desire to make a vocation and a day to day existence out of rock n roll, it tends to be extremely severe with the individual who simply needs some good times.
Getting some margin to make a rundown of what you need from the band might be an effective method for guaranteeing that everybody is singing from a similar page and could save a great deal of terrible inclination later on. Not every person needs to be a colossal wild star, certain individuals simply need to have a great time yet it is ideal to ensure you are in the band that is pointing as high as you need to.
Pamela Doyle is a Kick Butt Entertainer’s Self-improvement Mentor.

domain: hobby


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Short Description: Accidental pnctr & lac of skin, subcu during a procedure
Long Description: Accidental puncture and laceration of skin and subcutaneous tissue during a procedure
This is the 2018 version of the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code L76.1
Not Valid for Submission
The code L76.1 is a "header" and not valid for submission for HIPAA-covered transactions.
Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00–L99)
Intraoperative and postprocedural complications of skin and subcutaneous tissue (L76)
- Intraop and postprocedural complications of skin, subcu (L76)


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Golden Pears Posters
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Type: Art Print
Dimension: 12 x 12 inch
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domain: design


It’s an embarrassment of riches to have two well-qualified and viable candidates in a statewide general election race.
The Democrat and the Republican running for the Texas Railroad Commission are both accomplished and dynamic. Republican Ryan Sitton has the edge with his industry expertise and science-based approach to regulation.
“Industry expertise” might sound like a dirty word to Texans who feel the Railroad Commission favors oil and gas producers over the concerns of the citizenry. But Sitton’s technical exposure equips him with an understanding of industry best practices and standards that is sorely needed in an agency often viewed only as a path to higher office.
In fact, Sitton, 39, would be the first engineer to sit on the commission in decades.
His approach to regulation is measured. He supports further review of the research around disposal wells and their possible link to seismic activity, and he is open to suspending wells or denying additional permits in affected areas if science confirms the worst.
Improving communication and transparency at the commission are also on his agenda.
Green Party candidate Martina Salinas, a construction inspector and Fort Worth resident, and Libertarian Mark Miller, a petroleum engineer, are also on the ballot.
Democrat Steve Brown, 39, a two-time Democratic Party chairman in Fort Bend, has been campaigning as a reformer.
In August, he introduced a plan to end use of fresh water in the fracking process by 2020.
He would also create an Office of Public Advocacy to better serve the members of the community. Brown has said he believes that his consumer-advocate approach would provide much-needed balance to the commission.
Brown’s policy ideas are thoughtful, but he lacks Sitton’s technical knowledge.
Sitton is sensitive to potential conflicts of interest stemming from his work as a private energy consultant. He told the Star-Telegram Editorial Board that if elected, he would step down as CEO of his company and recuse himself from cases involving former clients. If elected, we would encourage him to release those company names.
The Star-Telegram Editorial Board recommends Republican Ryan Sitton for Railroad Commissioner.


Known for her popular song “Only You’ worship artist Ada has released “No One Like You,” a beautiful worship song featuring renowned worship leader and trumpeter Nathaniel Bassey.
“No One Like You” is the first track on the new “ADA’s EP (Vol. 1),” an intro to the expected Ada’s EP series to be released this year.
Listen & Download Below;
Stream / Download on iTunes | Get on Boomplay!


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Media Release — MAD Event Management and Long Beach Comic & Horror Con are proud to announce that they have added several fabulous guests to their growing list for the October 29th & 30th show at the Long Beach Convention Center, including Darwyn Cooke, Jimmy Palmiotti, Mark Waid, Amanda Conner, Marsha Cooke and Stephanie Buscema.
Co-promoters of Long Beach Comic Con Phil Lawrence and Martha Donato are both thrilled to announce the guest list additions, with Lawrence saying, “We’re proud to announce several of our very favorite creators will be attending the show this October. Jimmy, Amanda and Mark have been with us since the beginning and we’re so pleased to welcome them back. Darwyn, Marsha and Stephanie are joining us for the first time and we couldn’t be happier about that. We’re also looking forward to enjoying a unique schedule of programming which will include Master Classes with top talent in the business.”
Mark Waid added, “I’m a huge fan of this convention–it’s absolutely one of my favorites, and not just because it’s so diverse and well-run. I also love it because it’s a terrific venue for fans and pros to co-mingle and learn from each other. Can’t wait to be back!”
For a complete list of events, guests, activities, ticket prices and times, visit www.longbeachcomiccon.com. Tickets for Long Beach Comic & Horror Con are on sale now through the website and will also be available at many Southern California comic book and hobby shops.


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St. Jacobs Country PlayhouseMary's Wedding
October 26 to November 12, 2023
September 18, 2023
Canadian author and actor Stephen Massicotte, writer of the classic drama, Mary's Wedding.
His classic romantic wartime drama marches onto the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse’s stage from October 26 to November 12.
Born in 1969 in Trenton, Ontario, Massicotte was a “military brat” who grew up on Canadian Forces Bases in Canada and Europe, and his father, grandfathers, and uncles were all in the service. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Cadets in Thunder Bay when he was 13 and, as an adult, he was an instructor at Air Cadet camps for six summers. Massicotte retired from the military as a lieutenant at the age of 23.
Massicotte earned a Diploma in Graphic Design and Advertising from Cambrian College in Sudbury, followed by a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama from the University of Calgary. Post-graduation, he remained in Calgary to work as an actor, where he was a founding member of Ground Zero Theatre and The Shakespeare Company.
He enjoyed early writing success in 1997 with The Boy’s Own Jedi Handbook, a one-act coming-of-age story based on his own childhood experiences both as a Star Wars fan and as an actor playing Charlie Brown in the school play. The play explores the impact of Star Wars on a pair of young friends for whom “The Force” becomes a a way of life.
One of Massicotte’s first full-length works, Mary’s Wedding, was the winner of the 2000 Alberta Playwriting Competition and received its world premiere at Alberta Theatre Projects in 2002. It won the Betty Mitchell Award for Outstanding New Play in 2002, and the 2003 Alberta Book Award for Drama. The play quickly went on to become a Canadian theatre favourite which has currently had more than 120 productions at home, as well as the USA, France, Scotland, New Zealand, and Germany.
The play uses a combination of memory and dream as a theatrical device to shift through time and place, whisking the audience back and forth from the bucolic pre-war Canadian countryside and the nightmarish First World War trenches of France.
In the program for the Alberta Theatre Projects premiere, Massicotte revealed the script's origins.
"So this was going to be a war play. However, I was in love when I wrote it and I thought it was more of a love to end all loves. This is not that love story but the more I loved her, the more Mary and Charlie loved each other. The more I longed to return to her, the more they longed to return to each other. So the war play became a love story. I wrote it to forget her and to get her back and to remember her and to let her go."
Poignantly, Massicotte added that the play was also influenced by two stories of women who lost loved ones in the First World War. Their grief was so overwhelming that they never married.
Although he’s unsympathetic towards war itself, Massicotte’s work honours those who served in the First World War, especially the 66,000 Canadian soldiers who were killed. The poignant Romeo-and-Juliet romance of the main characters, Charlie and Mary, breathes life into the vast historical backdrop.
For the sake of financial expediency, the play was originally intended as a two-hander for Massicotte and a friend to perform on the Canadian fringe festival circuit, which is why the same actor who plays Mary is also cast as Charlie’s sergeant and friend - the historical Gordon M. Flowerdew. In the dream it all makes perfect intuitive sense.
This is what theatre is about. A brilliantly written piece reflecting true to heart relationships and what is needed to be done to work through obstacles to reach the one you love.From the Chicago Stage Standard review of Mary's Wedding
After several professional theatre companies showed an interest in producing the play, Massicotte became a prolific full-time writer. He was in his early-30s and working three jobs while writing Mary’s Wedding – in an art movie theatre, a café, and a video store. The latter inspired his black comedy Pervert, which was staged at Calgary's Pumphouse Theatre by Ground Zero Theatre, in 2004, based on his experiences with the customers he served.
Also in 2004, he wroteThe Emperor of Atlantis, which was produced by the Edmonton Opera Company. The play portrayed the writing, composing, and staging of the operetta Der Kaiser Von Atlantis by prisoners in Theresienstadt, a Nazi concentration camp. The operetta’s composer, Viktor Ullmann, and librettist, Peter Kien, both perished in the Auschwitz gas chambers in 1944.
After traveling to Oxford to research the life of T.E. Lawrence - the renowned British archaeologist, army officer, diplomat, and writer - Massicotte wrote The Oxford Roof Climber’s Rebellion, an anti-war play that was commissioned by the National Arts Centre. It premiered at Ottawa’s Great Canadian Theatre Company and at the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto in 2006, and it went on to become an off-Broadway hit in 2007. The play received the Canadian Author’s Association Carol Bolt Award and the Gwen Paris Ringwood Award.
Expanding on one of the themes in Mary’s Wedding, Massicotte’s 2009 mystery play The Clockmaker continued the exploration of memory and what we choose to forget, this time through the eyes of a clockmaker called Heinrich, who is accused of planning a crime. The Clockmaker premiered at the playRites theatre festival in Calgary, and it won the 2009 Betty Mitchell Award for Outstanding New Play, and was named Best Canadian Play of the 2010-11 Theatre Season by the Toronto Theatre Critics Association.
It is a lovely story. At times funny, at times romantic, sometimes dramatic, a little sad, but always with that easy charming undertow that pulls the audience along with it.From the Applause! Meter, Calgary review of Mary's Wedding
In 2011, Mary’s Wedding was adapted into an opera, with music by Andrew P. MacDonald and a libretto by Massicotte himself.
In 2021 the Citadel Theatre staged a special production of the play, with Massicotte and Alberta Métis-Cree-Haudenosaunee playwright and actor Tai Amy Grauman making changes and additions to the text to portray Mary and Charlie as young Métis Albertans. In this light, the play took on new significances as the young lovers now had to face additional challenges - language and cultural frictions stemming from colonialism. This Charlie heads off to war to fight for a country that he doesn’t belong to.
Massicotte’s latest play, Stars on Her Shoulders, was previewed as part of the Springboards New Play Festival at Workshop West Theatre in Calgary in the spring of 2023. The story features five nurses who are based in a Canadian Field Hospital, and it explores the very different responses to their role in the First World War.
His unique life experience and keen interest in history is present in much of Massicotte’s work, along with lyrical reflections on the social, personal, and spiritual values of everyday people who face life-altering choices due to global circumstances over which they have no control. Mary’s Wedding is perhaps his finest example of that.
September 27, 2023Alex Mustakas returns to the stage as Teyve in Fiddler on the Roof
After a five-year break from the stage, Alex Mustakas is making a triumphant return in one of musical theatre’s most iconic roles.
September 26, 2023Dreaming of love during the nightmare of war
In the romantic wartime drama Mary’s Wedding, a Canadian soldier and a British woman form a deep connection during a time of historic turmoil.
Although this moving tale is fictional, true stories of wartime love that crossed an ocean were fairly common, just like real-life couple Percy and Hilda Bodaly.
September 19, 2023Setting the Stage for Mary's Wedding
Get a look behind the scenes at Set Designer Douglas Paraschuk's beautiful design for this touching story that pulls in the colours of the prairies and marries them with farm building accents.
September 19, 2023Theatre trips are a family affair for August’s 50/50 winner, Ayr’s Melba White
Melba White and her family have loved musical theatre since her now-adult children were kids. August's 50/50 winner is looking forward to this fall's panto extraganza.
September 15, 2023How the original Bittergirls turned heartache into a hilarious hit musical - and 25 years of friendship
Bittergirl - The Musical director and co-creator Mary Francis Moore shares the importance of friendships, relationship advice for border guards, and why she's grateful for the man who dumped her.
September 6, 2023From Fiddler on the Loose to Fiddler on the Roof!
In an un-traditional twist, Drayton Entertainment’s production of the beloved family musical Fiddler on the Roof will showcase the exceptional talents of award-winning fiddler Jesse Grandmont.
September 5, 2023A Brief History of Bittergirl - The Musical
Take three women who are suffering post-break-up despair, add some girl group harmonies from the 60s and 70s, mix with a healthy dash of tears, laughter and sisterhood, and you have the comical cocktail of hilarity, Bittergirl – The Musical. To whet your appetite, here are some fun facts about the history of the hysterical comedy.
August 28, 2023Longtime live theatre fan Ken Cook wins July's 50/50 draw
"I was kind of in awe. I never thought I would ever win this big," says August's winner, Ken Cook from Shakespeare.


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This commute was something of a blur. I can tell you how I went, but I can't really tell you how it went. Fine, I guess. A Street SE ---> 15th Street SE ---> East Capitol----> Massachusetts Avenue NE ----> Columbus Circle NE ---->First Street NE ----> Florida Avenue NE ---->Florida Avenue NW ----> R Street NW ----> Massachusetts Avenue NW ----> Ward Circle NW. The ride was about 8 miles long. I arrived at work at 8:39 AM.
The Assembly is holding its kickoff rally this evening. Come for the light refreshments, stay for the bicycle advocacy. I'll be there.

domain: geography


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A video promoting “Boy with Luv” begins with the singer-songwriter working in a ticket booth, before walking outside to reveal the 7-member boy band sitting on a couch. Halsey gives them a look and walks away as a few seconds of the new song play.
The clip ups the anticipation for the new BTS LP Map of the Soul: Persona. It will be released this Friday, a day before the band performs on Saturday Night Live.
Sounds like the perfect occasion to bring a date to. In a previous interview, BTS members told RADIO.COM what they look for in a companion.


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BEFORE NIXON MET MAO, HE MET ELVIS
"Elvis & Nixon"
Now Playing at the State Theatre
Enjoy Kevin Spacey and Michael Shannon in this breezy, free-wheeling, and wickedly funny interpretation of the one of the great confounding moments in American pop culture and political history. The photo of Elvis Presley meeting President Richard Nixon in the Oval Office is the most requested photograph in the US National Archives, and it's that real moment that inspired this whimsical and quirky comedy that Spacey says is "just this side of 'Dr. Strangelove.'" This surreal slice of history is "a reminder not just of simpler times, but of all the other wild untold stories we may never know, just because no camera was there to capture them." (Entertainment Weekly). Rated R, 86 min.
"Captain America: Civil War"
Now Playing at the Bijou by the Bay in 2D and 3D!
Friday, May 13 at 11:00 pm -- This Week's FNF, always at the State
Ryan Reynolds stars as the lesser-known Marvel superhero Deadpool, a foul-mouthed, genetically altered mutant hell-bent on revenge. This is the first R-rated Marvel movie and whoo boy, do they ever earn that "R." It's a raunchy action comedy with a lot of heart and is certainly a harbinger of superhero movies to come. And we're being totally honest. Rated R, 108 min.
LIVE THEATER FOR KIDS AT THE STATE
"Lift Every Voice: The Black Experience in the Heartland" - Free Live Event!
Saturday, May 14 at 10:00 am -- This Week's Kids Matinee, always at the State
Instead of our usual family-friendly film this Saturday, have we got a special treat for you! To celebrate the National Park Service's Centennial and Black Americans who made a difference in the American Midwest, Bright Star Touring Theatre presents a special presentation of "Lift Every Voice." Watch the pages of history come to life with interactive scenes, inspiring songs, and meet famous leaders and heroes in this engaging and educational performance. Don't miss it! All Ages, 60 min.
Released just a few months after the untimely death of James Dean, Nicholas Ray's stunning milestone film is remembered not only for Dean's haunting and iconic performance that has become the archetype for nearly every cinematic teenager since, but also for its honest depiction of teenage angst, generational differences, and the very human search for meaning and connection. Not Rated, 111 min.

domain: entertainment


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Health insurance in America is not easy on your pockets. The Affordable Healthcare Act will fine you if you’re not insured the entirety of the year. The fines for this is 2.5% of your income or up to $695 per person. These fines come out of any refund you would get at the end of the year. It is not worth it to not have health insurance.
Being an inmate there are a lot of freedoms and fines taken away from you when you get out of being incarcerated. Although you didn’t have the option of getting private health care when you were inside, you can definitely get insurance when you’ve come out of jail.
Healthcare During Incarceration
If you were incarcerated and tried to apply for medical insurance coverage while you were on the inside, you would be denied coverage. This is because when you’re incarcerated your healthcare is provided by the state and you don’t have the options you would on the outside of the fence for your healthcare providers.
If you use the healthcare facilities while you’re incarcerated you will often be charged a copay. This fee usually comes out of your commissary (which is money given to you from your family or friends) and can vary from a few dollars to up to 100 dollars. If you take the copay into consideration, it does not seem fair that you have to pay a copay fee for a medical plan that you can not choose yourself.
Healthcare for inmates is typically minimalistic and doesn’t cover little ailments or aches that are not life-threatening. Although you may seem fine when you get out, you should see a doctor. You don’t know what you’ve been exposed to from the living conditions of your cell. You could be at risk for heart attacks and cancer and not even know it. Once you’ve been released get health insurance right away and get a full physical exam.
The Cost of Health Insurance
If you’re wondering about how much insurance will cost you, it all depends on your income. If you’re over the age of 65 you’re eligible for Medicare as long as you’ve paid taxes to Medicare over the last ten years. If you’ve made very little income or have no income you’re still eligible for healthcare, you can get Medicaid.
Medicaid will often charge no fees or a nominal fee based on your income for your care if you’re working for low wages. If you don’t qualify for Medicaid you can get private insurance or Obamacare. The cost of private insurance depends on the state you live in, your age and your current health conditions. The cost of Obamacare is typically overpriced for the care you receive.
Where Can You Get Insurance?
You can get insurance from a broker or the healthcare marketplace if you’re looking to buy a plan. If you’re eligible for Medicare you should look into getting a Medicare insurance quote. Easy Medicare is a website for people to quickly and easily get quotes for Medicare insurance. If you’re not working and are not eligible for Medicare, you should look into your state health insurance plans like Medicaid.
Remember, your insurance provider won’t search criminal records on GoLookUp when they’re intending to give you a health care plan. Don’t be afraid to reach out and apply for assistance, especially if you’ve got a family. You could be missing out on your tax return money for a plan that costs $0. Reach out and find out what types of healthcare plans are affordable for your income.

domain: medical


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Franklin Resources Inc. executives plan to continue pursuing bolt-on acquisitions, but they are open to "transformational" deals if the right one emerges, management said.
The asset manager, which operates as Franklin Templeton Investments, has held a steady deal profile over the last several years, including two acquisitions that closed in the first half of 2018.
But the money management space has been under pressure with investors' flows continuing to centralize over the last several years. As a result, Franklin executives said they may be open to eventually striking a larger deal.
"If it's an area that we think we need to be in, and we've got an opportunity to bring in a quality organization, we're going to pay up for that," Franklin Resources Chairman and CEO Gregory Johnson said July 27 during an earnings conference call.
Franklin, with its approximate $3 billion in excess capital, could be interested in pursuing a deal in the exchange-traded fund or private equity markets if the right opportunity arises.
The company, which operates a relatively new ETF business, would be open to expanding it through a large "transformative" ETF-focused acquisition, but CFO Kenneth Lewis said "there's not any out there."
Franklin has had a private equity business geared toward the U.S. for a number of years. But the company has started to work to scale that business out, especially with the increasing presence of private capital in today's markets, Johnson said. Franklin currently has a $50 million fund with "significant outside investors," he said.
Franklin would prefer to build out the business organically, but Johnson said the company would entertain a larger deal "if the right situation came up."
"They're harder to do," Johnson said. "Of course, we are open to that. But I think combining with a company of this size — [it] is very challenging to maintain who we are as an organization."

domain: news


Working Nights May Lead to Weight Gain
The classic 9 to 5 grind is one of the most often cited reasons as to why obesity is such a problem in the United States. Every morning tens of millions of Americans wake up and leave the house, only to find a seat in their office and to stay sedentary for eight to ten hours when they go home, exhausted, and eventually go to bed. This lifestyle is not conducive to weight loss as it doesn’t provide enough time in the day for physical activity.
But this daily routine may actually be better for your health and weight loss goals than some of the alternatives. Researchers have found that working the night shift is particularly damaging to your weight loss goals, and that people who regularly work nights instead of the more traditional day shifts are more likely to be overweight or even obese.
Working Towards Weight Loss
A recent meta-analysis looking at the data of almost 300,000 individuals found that people who work night shifts are 23 percent more likely to be obese than are those who work standard day shifts. And this is just on average. When narrowed down to consider only those who work the night shift exclusively and long-term, the increased risk of obesity skyrocketed up to just under 50 percent. This means that there is a significant increase in likelihood that if you are being asked to work nights, you may find yourself putting on weight.
Researchers were quick to point out that the study merely highlighted a correlation between working night shifts and being overweight, and were not confident in saying that starting to work night shifts would cause an individual to gain weight. The association, however, is worth looking into further.
Working nights is hard on the body. It causes your sleeping patterns to be irregular, increases your consumption of fast-food for major meals like breakfast and dinner, and may reduce the amount of time spent exercising as you attempt to catch-up on sleep during the day. These factors could play a big role in increasing the risk of obesity. The longer you are coping with these daily struggles, the more likely you are to struggle with excess weight.
For some people, working a night shift isn’t an option—it is a requirement. Working the night shift doesn’t mean that you have to deal with obesity, it just means that you may need to take your weight loss and health efforts a bit more seriously as you are exposed to increased risk for weight gain. Weight loss surgery can provide you with the additional support you need to make the healthy choices necessary to help you lose weight and keep it off.


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Sport Sydney McLaughlin ends season with another historic 400m hurdles time
Nevada court fights raise caution flags on green energy push
RENO, Nev. (AP) — Opposition from friends, not foes, is creating potential roadblocks to President Joe Biden’s green energy agenda on federal lands in the blue-leaning, Western swing state of Nevada. Two lithium mines and a geothermal power plant in the works in the biggest U.S. gold-mining state are under attack from conservationists, tribes and others who otherwise generally support Biden's efforts to expedite the transition from fossil fuels to renewables. The conflicts put a spotlight on an emerging reality as the Biden administration tries to meet its goal of having the U.S. power grid run on clean energy by 2035.
Sydney McLaughlin ran the sixth-fastest 400m hurdles time in history in what she said beforehand was her last race of the season.
McLaughlin, who lowered her world record at June’s USATF Outdoor Championships (51.41) and July’s world championships (50.68), ran 51.68 at a Continental Tour meet in Hungary on Monday.
McLaughlin, who turned 23 on Sunday, extended her win streak to seven meets since her last defeat at the 2019 World Championships. Her time on Monday would have been a world record up until the Tokyo Olympics, where she lowered it from 51.90 to 51.46.
Next season is another world championships year. McLaughlin has a bye into next August’s worlds in Budapest in the 400m hurdles as reigning champion but has said she could add or change events, perhaps to the flat 400m, as the 2024 Paris Olympics approach.
Australian leader wants legislated carbon reduction target
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s Parliament sat on Tuesday for the first time since May elections with the new prime minister determined to have a greenhouse gas reduction target enshrined in law. Legislation that would force Australia to reduce its emissions by 43% below 2005 levels by the end of the decade will be introduced Wednesday into the House of Representatives. While Prime Minster Anthony Albanese’s center-left Labor Party holds a narrow majority in the House, it will need the support of senators from outside government ranks to get the bill through the upper chamber.
Also Monday, Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won the 100m in 10.67 seconds, giving her the world’s six best times this year.
Fraser-Pryce, 35, has broken 10.70 a total of seven times in her career, all in the last two years after returning from 2019 childbirth, including five times in the last three months. No other woman has broken 10.70 more than four times in a career.
World champion Grant Holloway was upset by Jamaican Rasheed Broadbell in the 110m hurdles. Both ran 13.12, with Broadbell chasing down Holloway, who had a big early lead.
World bronze medalist Erriyon Knighton won the 200m in 19.88 seconds, while world silver medalist Kenny Bednarek pulled up grabbing the back of his upper left leg.
The track and field season continues with a Diamond League meet in Monaco on Wednesday, featuring a 200m showdown among Noah Lyles, Michael Norman, Knighton and, if he’s OK to run, Bednarek..
Sydney Sweeney said she doesn't make enough money to take a break from acting. An entertainment consultant said that's true for many actors in Hollywood.
"They don't pay actors like they used to," Sweeney said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.The show's season-four finale was watched by 9.3 million viewers on January 2 — the biggest cable telecast since 2017. It's also up substantially from the 5.2 million viewers who tuned in for the season-three finale the day it aired.
OlympicTalk is on. Favorite us!
10.67 meeting record forin the women's 100m!
Watch thelive now ⬇
— Continental Tour Gold (@ContiTourGold)
originally appeared on
Is there a link between white supremacy and Tucker Carlson? .
Is there a link between white supremacy and Tucker Carlson?

domain: politics


''This is an unprecedented, $5.5 million investment in public safety. We're updating the entire radio system and committing to other very important projects,'' Mayor John Callahan said. ''This, in conjunction with additional personnel, will continue to make Bethlehem the safest city in the state'' with a population over 30,000.
In addition, the city will set aside $100,000 of the debt to perform a facilities plan, determining whether the city is using its space efficiently or whether the city needs to acquire more property. Part of the plan will address whether the city should buy the adjacent Van Bittner Hall, the headquarters of the once-mighty steelworkers union, at 53 E. Lehigh St. In the five-year plan, the city proposed $1.3 million for property acquisition next year should the city decide to buy Van Bittner.


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Do you guys know any good, budget-friendly ($15-25 ish) restaurants for dinner?Doesn't matter what type of cuisine, cozy atmosphere for chatting would be good.
Also, any cafes with decent baked goods around this area?
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domain: food


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Hints from Heloise: To train a puppy, put it in the yard first, then house
Published 6:30 am, Saturday, January 3, 2004
When you carry a puppy into the house after the ride home, of course, it's afraid. And the puppy has to go. So, as soon as you put the puppy down on the floor inside, it goes.
-- Sylvia Alexander, Scranton, Pa.
And here's a hint from Gloria in Colorado: "We got a new puppy, and I am busy trying to house-train her. When I'm gone, I put her in an old children's playpen with plenty of newspaper. This way, she doesn't have any carpet accidents, and cleanup is a breeze."
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Dear Heloise: I have two guinea pigs that live in a big cage. I found it hard to pick it up to clean out all the litter. My mom gave me the idea to use a dustpan to scoop out the litter. Also, an added bonus is that you can leave your animal in the cage when you clean. It's easy to clean out cages now.
-- Amanda, Springfield, Va.
Dear Heloise: We have two large dogs. Trying to get their food out of the big bags was hard, and then trying to get the bags closed again was also a chore. Then my husband said we should buy a large trash can to store the food in. Well, we did, and it works perfectly. Every time we buy a new bag, I have my husband dump it into the can. Now I can easily scoop out the amount of food I need.
-- Elaine and Ed in Florida
We do the same thing. Remember, though, that varmints can get into the food. We chose a metal can (not plastic, which they can chew through) to keep them out, since we store the food on our outside patio.
Send pet tips or questions to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279.

domain: pet


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Thunderbolt Biomass, Inc., a manufacturer of wood pellets from sawmill residuals, is launching new processing operations in Allendale County, according to news releases. The company is planning to invest $6 million in the project, creating 35 new jobs.
“Companies come to our state and invest in our people because of all our state has to offer, and we’re excited to see what the future holds for Thunderbolt Biomass in Allendale County,” Gov. Henry McMaster said.
At the new facility, Thunderbolt Biomass will produce industrial renewable fuel from biomass sourced from the area adjacent to the plant. Additionally, the plant will produce a variety of raw materials, such as sawmill residuals, forestry residuals, thinnings and in-woods chip operations. The facility will also produce horse and animal beddings, domestic fuel and more.
“Thunderbolt Biomass is very pleased to announce its plans for a new pellet mill in Allendale, S.C.,” said company president Knox Grant. “We are very happy to be building this plant in an area of abundant forestry resources, infrastructure and with the active support of the S.C. Department of Commerce and the SouthernCarolina Economic Alliance, whose personnel and expertise were critical in bringing this project to Allendale. We intend to be good partners in developing our business here, to hire locally as much as we can and look forward to many profitable years in this community.”
Located on an eight-acre site at 1624 Bluff Road in Allendale, S.C., the company’s Allendale County operations will be housed in a 14,550-square-foot metal building. A wood pellet mill, with a capacity of 60,000 tons per annum, will also be installed on the site. Adjacent to the building will be raw material reception equipment, a dryer, storage silos, sieves, hammermills and environmental equipment.
“Thunderbolt’s investment reflects its confidence in our state’s abundant forest resource and the many landowners who sustainably manage their woodlands.,” said South Carolina State Forester Gene Kodama. “This facility will join the hundreds of other mills in South Carolina that contribute to forestry’s rank one of the leading manufacturing sectors in terms of jobs and labor income.”
Hiring for the new positions is projected to begin in the second quarter of 2017, and interested applicants should apply through SC Works.
“Thunderbolt Biomass will be an outstanding addition to our region’s forest products industry sector, and we look forward to having this green industry locating in our region,” said outhernCarolina Alliance Chairman Buddy Phillips. “SouthernCarolina Alliance will continue to work with Thunderbolt Biomass to create the best conditions possible for a profitable bottom line, providing job creation in our communities.”
Local officials support effort
The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved job development credits related to this project. Allendale County was also awarded a $100,000 Rural Infrastructure Fund grant to assist with costs related to this project.
Allendale County officials praised the investment in the area.
“Allendale County welcomes Thunderbolt Biomass to our industrial community,” said Allendale County Council Chairman Bill Robinson. “The company will be providing 35 jobs with good salaries, and every one of those jobs represents a family whose future will be improved by a good job with a nice income. That’s how we will improve the quality of life for the people of our area.”
Added Allendale Aeronautics and Economic Development Commission Chairwoman Barbara Lewis: “The people of Allendale County are proud that Thunderbolt Biomass has selected Allendale County for their biomass pellet manufacturing operation. We believe it speaks to the quality of our workforce and the strength of our resources in wood products. We are grateful for their $6 million investment and the creation of 35 high-paying jobs.”


The kit consists of incredibly strong carbon fiber plates and held together by the aluminum posts. With the combination of aluminum and carbon fiber materials will form the most rigid block and far superior than the stock plastic. This results in maximum stability and long-term durability.
The propellers do not come with it. They are Xtreme Productions Carbon Fiber propellers + Small Parts CNC Aluminum Caps
350QX, 350QX2, 350QX3.
http://www.horizonhobby.com/350-size-multirotor-frame-kit–aluminum-carbon-fiber-p-mhe35qx005qk & Coupon code XTRA10 = ~$114
Delrin Washers (for the battery roof):
Parts & Accessories (extra stuff, canopies):
Giant Power 3300mah LiPo Battery (17 grams lighter than stock):
Post time: 11-30-2017


A body, believed to be that of an elderly blind man, has been found in Melbourne's east.
Arthur Payne, 95, was last seen in a nursing home dining room on Sunday morning.
Victoria Police say the man's body was found on Sunday afternoon in a reserve in Kilsyth.
Police say the death is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
© AAP 2018


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If you’ve ever found yourself in a position where you need to defrost some chicken thighs ASAP, you’ve probably wondered which thawing method is best and also quickest. Well, you’re in luck—because that’s exactly what we’re about to tell you.
But before we get to thawing, you should know some of the best practices to freeze food. If it’s not frozen right in the first place, the thawing process will be inconsistent and there’s a higher chance of developing bacteria. The Kitchn claims to have a foolproof method that keeps frozen meats good for three months:
When packaging meats for the freezer, the most important thing is to protect them from exposure to air. Wrap meats very tightly in either plastic wrap or freezer paper, pressing the wrapping right up against the surface of the meat. Next, wrap another layer of aluminum foil around the meat or seal it inside a zip-top freezer bag. Packaged like this, meat can be kept frozen for at least three months.
Now that you have your meat, you need to know how to thaw it correctly for the best taste. Let’s go.
Avoid room temperature
The first rule of thaw club is that we don’t talk about room temperature. Just keeping your frozen food out on the countertop for a long time is asking for trouble.
Remember, the “danger zone” for bacterial growth in food is between 40°F and 140°F (5°C and 60°C), and sitting right in the middle of that is “room temperature,” around 68°-70°F (20°-22°C). A couple of hours at room temperature will certainly make sure that the meat is thawed, but it’s a field day for bacterial growth as well, especially as the deeper parts of your cut begin to come up to temp while the outsides have been room temperature for hours.
If you are going to thoroughly cook it later, there’s a good chance that bacteria like E. Coli will get destroyed in the process. But as a general safety practice, it’s better to avoid thawing at room temperature. So what are your alternatives?
Pop it into the fridge
Works with: Meat, fruits, some vegetables, frozen foods
The most common thawing technique, and one of the safest, is to take your frozen food out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator. This takes longer than any other process, but you are assured that since it is confined to the cold environment of your fridge, it won’t develop bacteria.
The other benefit is that a fridge’s temperature is controlled, so your thawing process is more even. You do need to make sure that the temperature is 40°F or below. Of course, the closer you are to 40 Fahrenheit, the faster the meat will thaw, but 35-40 is the best zone. Additionally, there isn’t a rapid cool-down from the freezing temperature so again, you get some uniformity. The USDA adds that the freezer-to-fridge process also keeps thawed food safer for longer and retains the ability to refreeze:
After thawing in the refrigerator, items such as ground meat, stew meat, poultry, seafood, should remain safe and good quality for an additional day or two before cooking; red meat cuts (such as beef, pork or lamb roasts, chops and steaks) 3 to 5 days. Food thawed in the refrigerator can be refrozen without cooking, although there may be some loss of quality.
But the freezer-to-fridge method takes time. Depending on the size of your food, you might have to leave it in the fridge anywhere from 8-24 hours. Not everyone plans their meals that much in advance.
Use a cold water bath
Works with: Meat, fruits
If you plan on cooking the food immediately and need to thaw it quickly, a cold water bath is a good option. It does take attention, however, so it’s not going to be as simple as the fridge technique, according to the USDA.
You will need to wrap your food in a sealed plastic bag, making sure there are no leaks. If your frozen food already came in a plastic bag, just to be safe, throw it into a Ziploc bag. Since we are going to submerge this in water, you’re better to be safe than sorry.
Grab a bowl in which your frozen food can fit and fill it with cold tap water. Submerge your sealed food into this water. You will need to change the water whenever it comes to room temperature—on average, this is about 30 minutes, but it could vary depending on your climate, so pay attention.
If that seems like too much trouble, The Kitchn says that you can also keep it running under a rapidly dripping faucet as long as the water is cool to the touch. But that’ll use up a lot more water.
Depending on the size and nature of your food, it will defrost in an hour or less, but larger frozen foods (like a whole turkey) can take up to three hours. In those situations, it’ll take about 30 minutes per pound.
The USDA is adamant about one point: you need to cook the food after a cold water bath. It can’t be refrozen.
Last-minute for thin cuts: use a hot water bath
Works with: Meat, fruits
When you need your meat thawed as quickly as possible, your best bet is probably a hot water bath. But you will need water that is at 140 degrees Fahrenheit, ideally. Two studies back this up: The USDA tested the method with beef steaks, while the Utah State University used chicken breasts.
The hot water bath is meant for thin cuts only, so your large roasts and whole turkeys are still left best in the fridge. But for a quick steak, it’s a great last-minute solution.
In the tests, the beef thawed in 11 minutes at 102 degrees, while the chicken thawed in 8.5 minutes at 140 degrees. Both studies found that not only did a hot water bath speed up the process over refrigeration, but tasters could not tell the difference between fridge-thawed and hot-water-thawed meats later.
But as The New York Times warns, your results will vary and this method isn’t for everyone:
Quick-thawing is easy to adopt in the home kitchen. But don’t expect your thaw times to match the lab times I’ve quoted unless you have an immersion circulator or another method to keep the water in motion and at a constant temperature. If the water is still, a cold zone develops around the food and insulates it from the remaining warm water. And without infusions of hot water or heat from a burner, the icy food cools the water bath.
To avoid the still water, it’s best to stir it occasionally, or run a steady drip of hot water in the bath. And yeah, like the cold water bath, you need to cook this after thawing; there’s no refreezing.
Immediate cooking: Microwave it
Works with: Meat, fruits, some vegetables, frozen foods
This isn’t a method you should use unless you want to cook immediately. Chances are, you need to prep other things so the half hour needed for the cold water bath is a reliable option in most cases. But just in case you need your fix right now, then turn to the microwave and its defrost setting.
There are a few things to keep in mind here. Of course, for the microwave process, you need to remove all plastics and keep the meat in a microwave-safe bowl or plate. The biggest problem with thawing in the microwave is that they have hot spots which heat your food unevenly and can even start cooking your food, which you definitely don’t want. So you need to be ready to cook as soon as thawing is done, says the USDA:
Holding partially cooked food is not recommended because any bacteria present wouldn’t have been destroyed and, indeed, the food may have reached optimal temperatures for bacteria to grow.
Like with the hot water bath method, this is best left for thinner slices than large meats. If you do need to microwave larger meats, then follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the back.
Speed it up: pour some vinegar on it It Up:
Works with: Meat
To fire it up if you can’t get enough, you may want to pour some vinegar on it. This is a two-in-one trick since it speeds up the process while also tenderizing the meat. The vinegar lowers the freezing temperature while its acid deliciously breaks down connective tissues. And it can be rinsed off later if necessary.
Boil it: don’t thaw veggies, cook them
Works with: All vegetables
Contrary to what you may have heard, most frozen vegetables don’t need to be thawed. You are better off putting them directly in boiling water. Vegetables are usually flash-frozen directly after picking, which means they retain most of their nutrients. The thawing process can release these nutrients. The National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) notes a few exceptions that should be partially thawed, including corn on the cob:
Most frozen vegetables should be cooked without thawing first. Corn on the cob should be partially thawed before cooking in order for the cob to be heated through by the time the corn is cooked. Letting the corn sit after thawing or cooking causes sogginess. Leafy greens, such as turnip greens and spinach, cook more evenly if partially thawed before cooking.
The cooking process is up to you. The NCHFP recommends putting them directly in boiling water, with a ratio of a half cup of water to a pint package. The Kitchn finds that boiling frozen veggies makes them icky, so they recommend steaming them into the microwave with the water going one-third of the way up the side of the vegetables.
With either method, you want to remember one thing: frozen vegetables will release water rapidly, so take that into account when adding your own water. You don’t want to end up with a mushy mess.
When can you refreeze thawed food?
This is a simple rule to follow: Unless you have opted for the refrigeration method of thawing, you should never refreeze thawed food as-is. You can cook the food and freeze it again, though.
Sometimes, you may be halfway through the thawing process when you decide you don’t need the frozen food and want to pop it back in. How do you tell if the food has completely thawed or not? The best way is to use an appliance thermometer and check if it has hit 40°F. If it’s still below that, you can safely pop it back into the freezer. Above 40°F, you will need to cook it.
Not everyone has an appliance thermometer though, in which case, Foodsafety.gov has prepared a handy chart that will let you know what you can eat and what you need to toss out.
This story was originally published on 4/28/14 and was updated on 7/19/19 to provide more thorough and current information.


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Delivering Vaccines to Developing Countries With Drones
Using drones to deliver vaccines in low- and middle-income countries may save money and improve vaccination rates, according to new research from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center.
The cost savings would come from drones being able to deliver vaccines more quickly and cheaply than land-based methods limited by road conditions and the need for costly fuel and maintenance, the researchers note in their study, published in the journal Vaccine.
“You make all these vaccines but they’re of no value if we don’t get them to the people who need them,” said senior author Bruce Y. Lee, MD, MBA, an associate professor at the Bloomberg School. “So there is an urgent need to find new, cost-effective ways to do this.”
In low- and middle-income countries, there are many challenges faced by immunization programs, which provide childhood vaccines such as hepatitis B, tetanus, measles, and rotavirus, and will be utilized in the future as vaccines for dengue, malaria, and Zika are developed and brought to market. After entering a country, vaccine vials typically travel by road through two to four storage locations before arriving at clinics where health workers administer doses to patients. Most vaccines need to remain refrigerated until they are used or they will spoil. Non-vaccine costs of routine immunizations are expected to rise by 80 percent between 2010 and 2020, with more than one-third of costs attributable to supply chain logistics. Supply chain inefficiencies can mean that many vaccines don’t even reach the people who need them.
Meanwhile, unmanned drones have proliferated in recent years because they can traverse difficult terrain, reduce labor costs and replace fleets of vehicles. They have been used for surveillance and in humanitarian aid delivery and are now being developed to transport medical samples and supplies, though previously little has been known whether this is a cost-effective use of the new technology.
For their study, Lee and his colleagues created a HERMES computer model to simulate a traditional land-based transportation system—a combination of trucks, motorbikes, and public transit—and compared it with an unmanned drone system for delivering vaccines as part of an immunization program. They varied characteristics such as geography, population, road conditions and vaccine schedule in order to assess which conditions would most contribute to drones offering the biggest cost savings.
They found that using drones to get vaccines to vaccination locations could slightly improve vaccine availability while producing significant savings: eight cents for every dose administered, a 20 percent savings. The researchers noted that many countries currently cover fewer than 60 percent of the population using land-based approaches.
“In many locations, vehicles that transport vaccines aren’t always available or reliable,” Lee said. “Assuming that drones are reliable, are capable of making the necessary trips, and have properly trained operators, they could be a less expensive means of transporting vaccines, especially in remote areas.”
Real-world testing must still be done to make certain that drones are a viable way to transport vaccines. And many obstacles may exist. Regulatory issues could limit their ability, maintaining and operating the equipment would require specialized tools and skills, and greater coordination would be needed between those shipping and those receiving the vaccines.
Drones are currently being tested for medical supply deliveries in rural Virginia, Bhutan and Papua New Guinea. UNICEF is testing the feasibility of using them to transport lab samples in Malawi. In Tanzania, there are efforts afoot to transport blood and essential medications.

domain: economics


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Sunday, August 13, 2006
Newark Half Marathon!
Today I sucessfully completed the Newark Half Marathon. Before I get onto that I'll just mention this weeks training.
I took Tuesday/Thursday off and only ran on Wednesday this week. I ran an intervals session 1 minute fast / 1 minute jog for about 3.5 miles. On Friday I did my normal gym session, but a little lighter on the weights.
So, the Half Marathon. Going into today I was slightly apprehensive wondering what pace I could sustain for the whole run. My practice half marathon I had done in a few seconds under 1:58:00, not far off 9 minute miles. I had not eaten that day, ran out of water, and hit the wall, so I had problems. I really was hoping to beat that today. The course is very flat for the first 9 miles. It's not quite as flat as the picture makes out, with a few long gradients, but certainly pretty flat. After 9.5 miles there is one climb, followed by a 1 or so gradient up to 12 miles. Then a downhill, a short flat and a short climb to the finish.
I arrived in Newark a little less than 20 minutes from the start. Slightly later than I intended, but sufficient to get a short warm up in. It was raining fairly hard and the heavans opened seconds before the start. The heavy rain persisted for most of the race, with the odd 10 minute change to light drizzle. At least it wasn't scorching hot!
There were race numbers up to about 950, but I don't know how many actually started. The gun went and I started off at an steady pace. Because I was uncertain how I would perform I settled on around the 08:50 minute mile pace. Lots of people came streaming past me, and I probably ended up in the back 1/3 of the race in a short space of time. I reined in the urge to go faster, and stuck to my race plan. I told myself if I felt good later in the race i'd push a little.
The first 4 miles of the race wound through the outskirts of Newark up and down streets in housing estates. Because of the weather hardly a soul was out to cheer us on though! The race was well marshalled but there were a few problems with impatient drivers tearing up the road beside us. Annoying, but nothing the marshals could do to stop them. I saw Anna and Alex a couple of times, although I spotted them before they spotted me. I have got to wear red in future apparently, it stands out more than the grey T-Shirt I had on.
The feeding stations started at 3.5 miles. There was one at 4.5, 5.5, 6.8, 8.5. 10.5, 11.5, 12. One dissapointment that they only served water and sponges, no electrolyte on any of them. However, I had a good breakfast of porridge oats and was well hydrated anyway. I took the small plastic cups of water, slowed my pace a touch and took a few mouthfulls before discarding the rest. Such frequent feeding stations meant I didn't have to take much in. Only at 8.5 did I take two cups, knowing there was a longer drag to the next water station. The miles went by pretty quicky, and at 7 miles I realised I was feeling pretty good. I had already come past a people who had blown up too early and were walking (after 2 miles in some cases!!) or had faded badly. I picked up the pace, edging the minute mile pace down into 08:49. This gradually came down and down over the next few miles until I was on 08:40 at 11 miles.
I passed a quite a lot of people on the hill section. Even though the hills were nothing compared to the ones I train on, they killed off the pace of some competitors. At 11.5 miles I picked up the pace a little more, and really strided out at the 12 mile downhill. I didn't look at my watch again, and continued to go past people right until the end, even managing a sprint finish to see-off someone who I had already passed, who fancied getting the place back!
I stopped my watch at the finish:
01:52:35 Total Time
08:34 Average Pace
I was really really happy with that. I'd not only cracked 2 hours, which I had more or less assumed I would, I had brought the average pace down to practically 8.5 minute miles. This bodes really well for New York, as it means with a bit more work I can try and run at around 09:00 minute miles for the whole 26 miles. It is going to mean some serious effort and some hard interval sessions, but today has given me a confidence boost and I'm sure I can do it.
I know I could have gone a little faster, earlier on now, but I'm glad I played safe and stuck to exactly my plan for the race. I'll know for next time.
Great finishing time, great average pace. Well hydrated and plenty of energy. I had carb-loaded with pasta for 2 days previous. My 3/3 breathing rythym worked well. I sounded very composed next to the hard breathing, spluttering people I passed. Slipped into 2/2 for the last couple of miles for a quicker pace. GPS timing was invaluable.
No electrolyte given out at the feeding stations. Arrived at the event a little later than intended, sothings felt a little rushed.
How to improve:
Confirm that electrolyte is supplied at NY feeding stations. I'm sure it has to be for that distance, but I want to be sure. Allow even more time in the mornings to get ready, and to travel to avoid being rushed. GPS is a must for NY, invaluable tool.
Three months more training to the NY marathon, I now enter training month 7 feeling happy and confident.


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CBP officers in Memphis seize meth destined for Texas
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (KWTX) - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Memphis seized more than five kilograms of Methamphetamine hidden in a shipment en route to Austin, Texas.
The CBP officers at an express consignment hub selected for examination a package with contents described in paperwork as plastic decorative figures.
An X-ray examination revealed anomalies within the bundle of coffee bags, bottles of liquid and other items. Further examination revealed white crystal substances inside the packages of coffee.
The substances were taken to the onsite lab and tested positive for Methamphetamine. The shipment from Mexico was bound for a residential address in Austin, Texas.
This seizure took place within the Area Port of Memphis, which covers ports of entry throughout the state of Tennessee and falls under CBP’s New Orleans Field Office. \
COPYRIGHT 2022. KWTX TV. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


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NewsdaySo how did the 69th Academy Awards, in 1997, shape up? Most of the movies in contention remain instantly identifiable today. The best picture category included one of the Coen brothers’ best-known films, “Fargo,” alongside one of Cameron Crowe’s … …read more From:: Academy Awards News By Google News
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NFL City Population Diversity: Oakland Is More Diverse Than Las Vegas Says 2015 U.S Census - NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recently told ESPN’s Tre Wingo that Las Vegas was “more diverse” than Oakland. The remark set off the anger of many football...
1 hour ago


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Best Door Rangoli Designs With Colours - Front Door Ideas
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Collection of isolated wooden doors. Brown wood old door in an old building. Wooden doors isolated on white. Interior design or marketing concept. Getting the right wooden door for your home may not be an easy task. Given below are a few great wooden door designs to help you.
Homemade door design is or your luxury houses, you can choose fancy entrance doors prepared with glass grills or different framing. The most common doors in a house are wooden, since in addition to providing protection and security, they give a good appearance to the front of the house.