text:
Excerpts from the OST
The Zatoichi films are what you could class as a cinematic phenomenon, a series that would sustain twenty six original movies, nearly one hundred episodes of a television show, and a modern re-imagining. The eponymous hero, played in all but the latest film by Shintaro Katsu, would become a national institution and would go on to inspire countless movies, television shows and videogames.
What I’m going to do in this post is talk about four of these films, three movies from the original series and finally Takeshi Kitano’s entry in the series. The films selected do not offer the best of the series, but instead showcase the different dynamics and talents involved in the continuing success of the series.
Just a quick note on images. My copies of the older films are by ArtsMagic, who are pretty much the worst DVD distributors in the world. As such my copies of Zatoichi at Large and Meets Yojimbo were so bad as to not allow me to screencap them. Thankfully somebody screencapped the much superior R1 version of Meets Yojimbo for me, but unfortunately I’ve had to use non related images for Zatoichi At Large.
Zatoichi at Large (1972)
Despite being one of the last entries in the original Zatoichi series and being in the middle chronologically of the five films I’m looking at, Zatoichi at Large is probably the best place to start this post. Despite being film number twenty three in the twenty six movie original production run, Zatoichi at Large represents a back to basics approach for the series. As such it is a pared down story and offers perhaps the best entry point for the series.
I’d assume the demographic for this blog will already be familiar with Zatoichi, seen as popular and iconic Takeshi Kitano’s 2003 re-imagining of the series was. For those unfamiliar with the character all you need to understand is that Zatoichi is a blind masseur with extraordinary fighting skills. Using his enhanced hearing he fights in a reactive and almost supernatural manner utilising a sword hidden in his cane to dispatch numerous foes with terrifying ease. Despite maintaining the appearance of a begrudging hero Zatoichi roams Japan moving from town to town rooting out injustice.
Zatoichi at Large starts with our man stumbling across a dying pregnant woman, offering his services as a midwife and helping in delivery of the soon to be dead woman’s baby. Zatoichi at Large was the second Zatoichi film I ever saw, my first foray being Kitano’s film, and this scene destroyed any preconceptions I had about the original series. I knew that the latest Zatoichi film was viewed as being almost a parody of the older films, and as such I was expecting something brooding and serious from the Katsu movies. What this opening scene does is detail the broad humour which is a constant undercurrent in the older films, a weird mixture of physical comedy and dry wit.
Katsu’s Zatoichi is a quite remarkable piece of characterisation, humble, world weary and scatterbrained whilst maintaining an air of lethality. With twenty two films to master the character it’s not surprising that Katsu fits so well into the role, but it is still impressive to see such a well honed performance in a series which is essentially the James Bond of East Asia. Katsu obviously has a lot of fondness for Zatoichi and he imbibes the character with a real humanity.
Zatoichi at Large also represents the film where Zatoichi is subjugated the most, his spectacular swordplay only coming into play after nearly an hour and fifteen minutes of being toyed with and tortured by his surprisingly low rent enemies. The villains of Zatoichi are an odd bunch, an unspectacular bunch of Yakuza who pale in comparison to the multitudes Zatoichi had slaughtered in previous movies. If the Zatoichi films are an analogue to James Bond then this is the Casino Royale of the series, with an emphasis shifted to the main character and the villains just used as context.
Even if the villains aren’t particularly impressive, the swordplay used to dispatch them holds up. Despite a dearth of actual combat, there are some truly great scenes of Zatoichi showcasing his particular talents. Of note is his disarming of two yakuza, forcing their swords into a mat before sending the mat into the air and slicing it in twain in one continuous movement. It is the kind of iconic moment the series is famous for, and it showcases the moral ethos that Zatoichi stands by. Unlike contemporary Japanese characters like Lady Snowblood’s Yuki or Lonewolf and Cub’s Ogami Itto, Zatoichi doesn’t seek to cause harm. He is more content to intimidate and generally only kills in defence or as a last option. Zatoichi At Large highlights this fact by having Zatoichi seriously hurt by the accusations of murder a small boy hounds him with.
Of course this squeamishness towards violence doesn’t last forever, with an extended torture sequence carried out on our hero ensuring that none of the villains are going to live past the final scene. The final battle, which encapsulates the last fifteen minutes of the film, is an odd affair, with an army apparently materialising out of thin air to give Zatoichi adequate cannon fodder for a fight which rips through the yakuza’s hideout, into the local forest and climaxes on a burning stage. The fights in Zatoichi at Large avoid the arterial spray and severed limbs of many samurai films, and instead operate on an almost expressionistic level. Zatoichi is a reactive fighter, and his strikes are often only registered by the sound of ripping on the soundtrack, his bested foe freezing in position before lurching to the ground dead.
There is an ethereal majesty to the fights which are never really replicated in other films, the aesthetic making even a small fracas seem epic and exciting.
Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo (1970)
From one of the leanest Zatoichi films to one of the most convoluted ones. Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo has our hero caught in the middle of a family feud, only this isn’t a family feud which leads to awkward silences at the dinner table, this is a family feud which leads to Samurai Warfare.
Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo also casts as our hero as a more intellectual figure, whereas his swordsmanship resolved his problems in Zatoichi At Large his intelligence allows him to take charge of the situation in this film. As such we only see him draw his sword once or twice in the films near two hour running time, his role more agent provocateur than anything else. The majority of the slice and dice action is left to the titular bodyguard of the piece played by the legendary Toshiro Mifune. Recalling his iconic role in Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo Mifune is outstandingly magnetic and proves to be a worthy equal to Katsu.
The film follows Zatoichi as he finds himself aggrieved by his current situation; a rain soaked opening forcing him to recall fond memories of a peaceful village he visited a few years back. Fatigued by his current lot in life he endeavours to travel back to this village where the smell of plums is in the air and brooks babble in a pleasing manner. Of course being a Zatoichi movie our titular hero is not allowed a relaxing holiday and even the path leading up to the village suggests that all is not well. In a bit of dark comedy Zatoichi slowly follows the path remarking on the sound of wind and babbling brooks with an air of joyous calm, unaware of the dead bodies all around him.
The central plot of the film is a variant on Kurosawa’s Yojimbo, with gang warfare splitting a village in two. Whilst the conflicting factions are more covert than their brutal counterparts in Yojimbo, the central thrust remains the same with both Zatoichi and the yojimbo, named Sasa, manipulating their respective factions for their own gain. As the plot expands to include government mints, a fortune in siphoned gold and psychotic secret agents the scope of the film increases. All of this is handled with consummate ease by director Kihachi Okamoto who happens to be one of my favourite Japanese directors. Okamoto is responsible for some truly great samurai films, obvious examples being the seminal Sword of Doom and Samurai Assassin.
Okamoto is probably one of the most proficient directors to work on the Zatoichi films and his talents as a filmmaker allow for a movie that is grander and more cinematic than anything that had come before. There is a scope and grace to the film that just marks it as a quality product, the only problem is that this cinematic mastery combined with Mifune’s dominating performance almost makes the film not seem like part of the Zatoichi series.
Zatoichi and Sasa share divergent story paths, and subsequently divide screen time between themselves. Zatoichi, in his trademark fashion, is rather oblique with his motivations, choosing to stay in the village for his own unknowable reasons. Sasa has been hired by the delinquent son of the merchant who now runs the village. Both men employ similar tactics, underplaying their skills by playing the part of a cripple and a wastrel. Sasa, much to the chagrin of his employer, is reluctant to act and quick to drink, lounging around and trading information to his employer for monetary gain. It is only when presented with people to kill and a proper incentive to do so that he shows his true colours, his sword work matching Zatoichi’s in its power and precision.
Hired to kill the blind Masseur, Sasa has an unusual relationship with Zatoichi, following an initial encounter in which Zatoichi channels a killing stab back into a scabbard the two squabble like children in a playground. Mifune’s an old hand at this kind of childish bravado and as such his character’s spats with Zatoichi are generally hilarious.
A problem that many will have with the film is its deliberate pacing, it is a good half hour longer than most Zatoichi films and Okamoto is renowned for his focused and determined pacing. At least ninety minutes of the film are just initial set up, with Zatoichi doing very little in action terms. Like all Okamoto films the focus is on characters and plotting and people wanting a visceral bloodbath are going to start getting a little antsy. Indeed despite excellent characters the film plots itself into a rut, which then requires a new catalyst to be introduced in the form of a pistol toting government agent.
The last twenty minutes of the film see the carefully set up plot reach its conclusion and offer us our glimpse of Zatoichi doing what he does, although even this is marginalised compared to the combat we see Sasa take part in.
The scale of the combat at the end is impressive as the duelling factions finally come to blows, but it all feels a little impersonal with Zatoichi mulching around on the sidelines. But Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo isn’t a film prided on combat, it is not an action film in a traditional sense, it is a samurai film first and foremost. As such it is concerned with character and nuance over stylised combat. It is a diversion from the usual Zatoichi staples, but it is a diversion which proves how adaptable the character is.
Shintaro Katsu would take the role of director for his 1989 return to the Zatoichi series. The twenty sixth film in the original series would be simply called Zatoichi and would come after a sixteen year hiatus following 1973’s Zatoichi at the Blood Fest. Not being a historian of Japanese cinema it is hard for me to speculate on exactly why the series had such an abrupt cinematic end, the films segueing into a long TV series starring Shintaro Katsu himself. It is hard to tell if this move into TV was due to flagging profits for the films or if there was demand for the show in new media. Certainly the fact the TV show lasted four seasons and had close onto a hundred episodes suggests that the reasons for the move to TV weren’t because of fatigue with the character.
It could also be that with the arrival of the Hanzo the Razor and Lone Wolf and Cub series (both produced by Katsu himself, with Lone Wolf and Cub having Katsu’s brother star as the titular anti-hero) the Zatoichi films found themselves outdated. The expressionistic combat and morality of the Zatoichi films would be displaced by the brutal violence, sexual pervasiveness and morally questionable anti heroes of these films, in short the Zatoichi films would suddenly seem very tame. Expanding on a previous analogy it is interesting to note that the James Bond films would find themselves in a similar situation towards the end of the 1980s, a new crop of American action cinema detoothing the series and forcing the series to adapt, unsuccessfully, to the new style.
Despite this ignominious end the James Bond series would be resurrected to great acclaim and success, its new run producing five major films and revitalizing interest in the series. The Zatoichi series would end on a high note, Blood Fest regarded as a pinnacle of the series, and yet its comeback would yield a single film. This single film would effectively kill the series, casting a critical eye on the preceding movies and giving tonal closure to the character. Katsu’s interpretation of Zatoichi may have been intended as homage to the older entries in the series, its set pieces a hodge podge of ideas and scenes from the other movies, but it came across as a creatively bankrupt pastiche. If the ‘best of’ elements of Zatoichi make the film seem like a last hurrah, Katsu’s portrayal of the titular character gives the movie the feel of a wake.
The film opens with Zatoichi incarcerated in a prison for political prisoners. Right from the opening scene there is an overriding bleakness to the film. We’ve seen Zatoichi humbled before, but there’s a melancholy to this opening scene which makes it quietly discomforting. This is not abuse that will lead to Zatoichi breaking free and extolling his wrath on his captors, this is institutionalised abuse that will never go punished. This is the reality of being a blind man in samurai era Japan. Zatoichi’s blindness is an important factor in this film. Whereas in previous films it was simply a means to an end, a disability to add context to his incredible skill, in this movie it is a defining part of the character. We hear Zatoichi talk about losing his sight, about the impact it has had on him and there is a true sense of tragedy.
This forlorn and sullen aspect of the character is a key element of the film, even on a physical level the Zatoichi of this film is a shell of his former self. Greying, old and bulbous the character is well past his prime and the focus on the implications of his blindness do lots to make us suddenly empathise with a character who was always superhuman. The other films never showed a Zatoichi that was this helpless, that was this fragile and it almost works to deconstruct the character. It is only when the trademark Zatoichi violence kicks in that we’re reminded of the intent of the film.
Zatoichi is probably the most violent film in the entire series, with at least half a dozen fights totting up close onto a hundred victims. Zatoichi is continually assaulted at the behest of his nemesis, a young and ambitious gangster, and as such is given plenty of opportunities to showcase his amazing skill. The fight scenes are all direct lifts from other films, lifting and enhancing previously used ideas in homage to the series. What is interesting is that Katsu injects some of the nastiness from the films he produced into the film and as such we’re treated to a Zatoichi film covered in blood, with decapitations, amputations, burnings, guttings and limb breaking all filmed in meticulous gory detail.
Katsu proves an able director, his use of composition and natural lighting creating images which are at times surprisingly beautiful. In fact his aesthetic seems to have influenced more modern Samurai films and it easier to equate this film with modern works like The Hidden Blade rather than the older movies which inspired it. Katsu has a keen sense of framing and a natural understanding of light and shadow and it creates a movie which looks legitimately lovely.
But exciting fights and beautiful cinematography aren’t everything and Zatoichi falters due to a storyline which is intricately set up and then never goes anywhere. Certainly the idea of Zatoichi having to deal with two ruthless and young and well equipped gangsters would create an enrapturing story, but Zatoichi never really interacts with his enemies in a meaningful manner. They simply want him dead due to his reputation, as such there is no real connection between the two parties and subsequently it feels like two movies running parallel rather than a linked product.
This disparity is apparent throughout the film, even the use of violence in the film varies greatly from initially being brutishly shocking to becoming standard visceral entertainment. Certainly it is hard to reconcile the innate nastiness of an initial wrestling match, Zatoichi breaking a man’s arm in horrifying and methodical detail, with the glorious and kinetic action set piece that rounds out the film.
Despite the fact that Zatoichi ends with the masseur continuing his wandering the film is effectively the end of the series. By this point we’ve been shown a Zatoichi who is old and tired and we’ve also seen the introduction of an element that would shape countless Samurai films. Guns play an important part in Zatoichi; whilst firearms aren’t used in any of the action set pieces there use in the plot marks the end of Zatoichi. The film ends with the beginning of the age of the gun, an age where Zatoichi’s prenatural skills will be of no use.
The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi (2003)
Takeshi Kitano was an odd choice for a reinterpretation for Zatoichi, largely because Kitano had cut his directorial teeth on esoteric gangster dramas. Sonatine, Boiling Point, and Hana-Bi were all fantastic films but didn’t showcase anything which would aid in the creation of a new Zatoichi film. In fact the closest Kitano had got to Zatoichi was a sketch on one of his comedy shows in which a Zatoichi type character fought off numerous attackers with various weapons including a babies nappy. The two facets of Kitano both seemed unsuitable for the project. His serious work was far too abstract and esoteric for a good fit with the material and his comedy work was far too broad for anything other than a slapdash parody. Yet somehow Takeshi Kitano made a film which appears to be a fitting tribute to the series.
Taking the role of director and star Kitano infuses his own style into the movie almost from the off. There is an odd dichotomy working within the movie, with the film acting as a pastiche and a springboard for Kitano’s own ideas. All the elements you’d expect from Zatoichi are there, yakuzas, swordplay, a silent end duel with a rival swordsman, even broad slapstick comedy, but they’re all infused with Kitano’s own style. The opening scene sets up as homage to the old Zatoichi films with a gang of Yakuza coming upon the blind masseur on a roadside. Paying a kid to steal his sword they promptly mock Zatoichi upon obtaining his weapon only to be cut down within seconds. It is a classic opening to a Zatoichi film, apart from the fact that when a second Yakuza draws his sword he slices his compatriots arm in two. It is a weird kind of playfulness, but it is playfulness all the same.
The key difference between this film and the movies which came before is the way in which the character of Zatoichi is utilised. Previous films would focus on Zatoichi as a central protagonist, in this film the plot focuses on peripheral characters with Zatoichi being used as almost a deus ex machina. The main thrust of Zatoichi’s narrative is focused on a pair of parallel storylines. The first concerns a pair of siblings posing as Geishas who are plotting to avenge their murdered family. The second story revolves around a disgraced ronin seeking employment with the local Yakuza. This is perhaps the more traditional of the stories, although it is given extra emphasis by the performance of the always fantastic Tadanobu Asano.
The story of the skilled ronin who is hired to deal with Zatoichi is a prevalent theme in the films and each of the movies in this list has at least an extrapolation on the idea. What The Blind Swordsman does is give extra depth to the character by giving him flashbacks and at certain points allowing an insight into his own POV, a technique used effectively during his confrontation with Zatoichi. His motivation and back story are such that he stops being a skilled cipher and actually becomes a fully fleshed character in his own right. What this does is set up the character as a rival for audience affection with Zatoichi, who is within the context of the movie a surprisingly distanced character.
In fact Zatoichi’s presence in the film, the way in which he isn’t involved with the stories until he has to stack up the bodies, is one of the more peculiar decisions in a film filled with peculiarities. The Blind Swordsman is perhaps the best directed of the entire series, filmed with a truly talented eye and staged with utmost precision and beauty but it is also a film that is intentionally quirky. Zatoichi’s entry into the village is a perfect example of this, his walk along the road scored against the electronica score. It is a mundane if anachronistic scene which introduces the main players, but it also introduces the stylistic tics of Kitano’s film. Towards the end of the scene we see villagers at work, their movements becoming part of the score in a nod to the didactic percussion of films like Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Delicatessen.
These moments appear infrequently throughout the films runtime and serve to maintain the heightened reality the movie exists in. Kitano’s Zatoichi exists in a world far divorced from the older Zatoichi films, everything from the soundtrack to the style of fighting conflicting with what we know about the series. The fight scenes are brutal affairs, the actions realistic and nasty but countered by blood splatter which has been made to look specifically artificial. The soundtrack, when not having villagers contribute to it, is utterly modern at all times using a variety of instruments and combining them with electronica to create a truly anachronistic score. Even Zatoichi, who despite his talents always had some failings, is somewhat supernatural in his capabilities. His ability to kill heightened to a point where tension is completely removed from the equation.
When in combat Zatoichi is more like a Hollywood monster than anything else, only chasing feudal gangsters instead of drunken teenagers. His final assault on the Yakuza is played almost for comedic effect. He is an unstoppable force of nature in the film, a demon equitable to the likes of Ogami Itto, and it is another way of shifting audience sympathies.
The Blind Swordsman ends with a huge festival, every good major character taking part in a huge tap dance number. The only good character to not appear is Zatoichi, with the show even allowing for the young and old versions of the geishas to make an appearance, and it gives a clue as to how Kitano feels about the character. There is a monstrosity to Zatoichi’s character, an unstoppable, unknowableness that resides at the core of the character. He is always on the outside looking in, his few interactions with people either involving small talk or bloodletting. In a way it is a natural extension of Katsu’s last portrayal of the character, a burnt out old man who had become increasingly vicious with old age.
But whereas Katsu gave us the raw hurt needed to understand where this sudden aggression had come from. Kitano’s calm and at times happy exterior makes his character seem almost like a sociopath. Less Robin Hood and more Patrick Bateman with a positive ethos. There is a certain devotion paid to the scenes of combat, a morbid fascination which sees kills presented with in loving detail. Whilst Katsu’s film would start to show the reality of violence, Kitano would take it a step further. Certainly watching Zatoichi run his sword down at a spear shaft and cut the unfortunate wielders fingers off is the kind of moment which is both horrifying and thrilling.
Kitano is too intelligent a filmmaker to accidentally make such a troubling protagonist and as such the only way to approach his interpretation is as a critique of Katsu’s creation.
The four films I’ve picked represent divergent views of the same character. Kazuo Mori would be a director who would help bring Zatoichi into the world, directing the second Zatoichi film in the series and creating a lot of Zatoichi’s iconography. His vision of Zatoichi would create the remissive Zatoichi At Large, a light hearted film which showcased Zatoichi as a humanist. Mori’s Zatoichi was a gentle soul deep down, desperate to help people but haunted by the reality of his deadly skills.
Kihachi Okamoto would take the character and pitch him into the middle of a far more epic and convoluted story. He would showcase a beleaguered Zatoichi, a character tired of killing and desperate for a break from it all. A character that utilises his cunning rather than his sword skill to achieve his goals.
Shintaro Katsu would bring the most experience to the character having played Zatoichi for fifteen years over twenty five films and four TV series. He would showcase a broken character, a crippled man who had been forced to become vicious to deal with an increasingly vicious world.
Takeshi Kitano would transform the character into something mythical and almost terrifying. A demon of death and destruction, unstoppable and unpredictable.
This divergent views are all the truth of the character and that is what allowed so much to be made from a simple concept. These fractured concepts would fuel twenty seven movies and would allow the character to enrapture both Eastern and Western audiences.

domain: entertainment


Automotive mechanics are qualified to maintain and repair motor vehicles and their mechanical parts. This may include specifying faults and ensuring the smooth transmissions, steering, suspension, and brakes process. According to the U.S. BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), the average salary for automotive mechanics was $46,760. To become an automotive mechanic, one must finish post-secondary education or training. Then they are required to complete an apprenticeship program to gain experience.
Learning how to become an automotive mechanic can enable you decide which career as an automotive mechanic is right for you. If you are serious about pursuing your career as a mechanic, you will require formal education and in-depth training to compete in the automotive area. These steps give an overview of what it takes.
Career auto mechanics have physically demanding jobs. Moreover, they must dedicate time to enhancing and continuously learning about modern technology. Before committing to the profession, here are a few ways to ensure you are ready. First of all, read popular car magazines and publications for automotive technicians. Next, find car service manuals and go over them cover to cover. See if these technical elements interest you and if you can remember the data.
Also, practice is essential for pursuing your career. If you grew up repairing cars, you have a head start. If not, practice on your car if you have one. Also, ask around at local repair automotive shops to see if they will let you do some jobs without education and certification. You might start with detailing work such as cleaning, vacuuming, and washing cars. It will allow you to experience the job environment and ask the pros questions.
Most employers want people with a high school diploma or equivalent. This credential indicates to them that you have the basic science, math, and reasoning knowledge you will require for the job. In addition, you can finish the GED tests in most states in a few months.
You have several choices when it comes to selecting an education training program. For example, trade and vocational schools. These vocational trade schools provide certificates and diplomas. In addition, some trade schools partner with high schools, so you can acquaint yourself with your career while obtaining your high school degree. Other options available are a community college and a car mechanic school.
The National Institute for ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) develops tests for automotive technicians to illustrate their expertise in various specialties. The Automotive Service Excellence entry-level certification comprises eight tests. It covers brakes, engine repair, electrical systems, steering, suspension, etc.
Moreover, you do not need the experience to attempt the entry-level test. So, attempt the test during or after your educational program whenever you think you are ready. You can also attempt practice tests and follow test preparation checklists on the Automotive Service Excellence’s website.
Some mechanic automotive complete apprenticeships, but not all do. An associate degree will probably need you to participate in an apprenticeship or other fieldwork for a semester. For example, let’s assume that a major car dealership hires you as an entry-level mechanic. In that case, you may have to work as an apprentice for a minimum of eight weeks or more before earning the automotive technician title.
According to the BLS, about a third of car mechanics take job at dealerships. Another third worked at automotive repair shops. In either setting, you will begin working on less diagnostic and more predictable projects, like changing lubricant and oil and assisting certified technicians. You will require one to two years of work experience as an auto repair mechanics before becoming eligible to take the Automotive Service Excellence certification exam.
You can take the Automotive Service Excellence test series to become a certified technician after two years of integrated experience and education. That is, you can complete a one-year degree or training or work for two years in automotive shops. The Automotive Service Excellence label signifies that you have significant experience and knowledge for work as an automotive technician.
Technology changes rapidly, particularly when it comes to cars. As an automotive mechanic, you must be updated with the latest developments. Then, you just have to continue learning throughout your career by attending automotive training programs and conferences, participating in industry events, and joining committees.


text:
My problem is near to throat on inner cheek. there is infection i think its not dental problem. please suggest me. i sufferring from three weeks.i took medicine andtriamcinolone acetonide oral paste. but i don't have relief.
Like the answers? Chat privately for 24 hours with the doctor of your choice
You need to use the practo app to find a good ENT Surgeon who will examine the lesion in your mouth and investigate and arrive at a diagnosis to manage it appropriately.
Flag this answer
Let others know if this answer was helpful
Was this answer helpful?

domain: medical


Hybrid Car Saves Fuel, Money
re an environmentally conscious driver, but you want a vehicle with some extra space. You never know when you'll need to transport a soccer team or small farm animal across town. Or perhaps you're a green consumer who secretly craves a sports car.
Automakers are eager to help. At this year's annual car show in Detroit, they unveiled snazzy new versions of energy-efficient vehicles. Their message: You don't have to sacrifice size and sex appeal to save on gas.
You can also save on taxes. But the federal tax break for so-called hybrid vehicles is getting smaller and will disappear after 2006 unless Congress extends it.
Hybrid vehicles combine an electric motor with a gasoline engine to deliver above-average gas mileage. Toyota and Honda sell hybrids now, and Ford and General Motors plan to introduce their own versions during the next three years.
|<< PREVIOUS||NEXT >>|
blog comments powered by Disqus


text:
In addition to digital design and graphics work, I can also provide a wide range of design services for print media. Whether you need simple business cards, brochures, booklets, or any other kind of printable, you’ll receive a professional press-ready design that’s dressed to impress.
Typical range: $350-$900+
From tri-fold brochures to odd sizes, I can provide press-ready brochure designs for your business. Guided not only by design experience, but also an extensive background in marketing, your brochure won’t just look good, it’ll perform.
Typical range: $120-$240+
First impressions are critical, especially if your card is among the flurry of cards the recipient will be receiving. Why not make it memorable? Let me help you create that magical moment when people commit your brand to memory.
POSTERS, FLYERS, & PROMO CARDS
Typical range: $180-$360+
Capture people’s attention with a beautiful professionally-designed full size poster, flyer, or postcard. When designing this media, I consider more than just the overall look and appeal. I also consider visual impact, messaging, and brand styling.
BOOKLETS, CATALOGS, & COVERS
Typical range: $300-$1200+
I’ve had the pleasure of designing booklets, catalogs, and ebooks for clients in a wide range of businesses. From real estate to stoneworks to fitness, I’m able to handle everything from concept to final design.
PRINT AD DESIGN
Typical range: $120-$600+
With hundreds of print ads designed for newspapers, magazines, and other publications, you’ll come to appreciate my ability to harness and deliver your message to the target audience. Pushing buttons, pulling triggers, and inspiring action…it’s a passion.

domain: design


Family constraints propel student to top position
04 March 2014, 11:27
Vihiga - The news of being position one in Western Kenya and position seven nationally came to Benson Mokogi almost as a surprise.
Mokogi said that his heart nearly stopped when he heard his name pronounced by Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi among top ten students nationally.
“I was in our shop doing business as usual and listening to the results on radio when I heard Kaimenyi calling out my name. Although I knew I was going to perform well, I didn’t expect to appear among the top ten nationally,” said Mokogi.
The former Chavakali High School student said that he had dedicated his life to study because he knew that only good performance would help him succeed in life.
“My family always motivated me. My single mother’s efforts to give me an education forced me to put up my best foot forward and perform well. I am glad that God helped me to perform well,” he said.
He said that his mother has struggled in paying school fees for him, and with all the challenges, nothing would have cheered her up better than good performance.
The 17-year-old, who scored an average of A (plain) and led in Western Kenya, said that he wanted to be a doctor in order to help his people in the society.
His teachers praised him for his dedication to studies and exemplary life even in times of trouble.
They said that they were not surprised by his good performance since they expected that of him.
“Mokogi was a hardworking, prayerful student who would go to the extremes of fasting so that he could perform well in his studies,” Jane Sahi, the class coordinator said.
Sahi said that Mokogi had been leading many times and loved Mathematics very much. She said that he could sometimes miss school due to sickness but always performed very well when he resumed,” she said.
Mokogi said that his teachers at Chavakali were of great help to him and thanked them for their support.
For the latest on national news, politics, sport, entertainment and more follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page!
Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyNews24 have been independently written by members of News24's community. The views of users published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24. News24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.


Singer Ed Sheeran has arrived at Manhattan Federal Court on Tuesday as a high-profile copyright trial began which alleges the pop star ripped off the classic Marvin Gaye tune “Let’s Get it On” with his hit song “Thinking Out Loud.”
Ben Crump, a lawyer representing the family of the co-writer for Gaye’s 1973 hit, claimed in his opening statement that the British singer played his ballad and Gaye’s song back-to-back in a medley during a concert, and called the moment a “smoking gun.”
The trial is the first of three the singer could face from lawsuits over similarities between the two songs.
Sheeran, according to the lawyer for Townsend’s heirs, “recognised the magic” of Gaye’s song and “decided to capture a bit of that magic for his own benefit.”
The lawyer added: “This case is simply about giving credit where credit is due.”
Crump said Sheeran effectively “confessed” to ripping off Gaye’s song when he performed it live as a medley with “Thinking Out Loud.”
On the other hand, Sheeran’s lawyer, Ilene Farkas, said the two songs are distinct and told jurors that the plaintiffs should not be allowed to “monopolize” a chord progression and melody that are used in countless songs, adding: “No one owns basic musical building blocks.”
The trial will enter a second phase to determine how much he and his labels owe in damages if the jury finds Sheeran liable for copyright infringement.


text:
2 Corinthians 1:9-10 – “Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.”
Psalm 85:6 – “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you...”
Psalm 71:19-21 – “Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you? You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again. You will increase my greatness and comfort me again.”
A few facts about the greatness of God.
- 1. God is exalted as king above all other kings – (vs. 1-2)
- 2. God is so great that His greatness goes beyond our understanding. (vs. 3-6)
- 3. God’s attributes tell us what kind of God He is and how He deals with people. (vs. 7-9)
- 4.God is over all because He made everything! (vs. 10-13)
Vs. 10-12 – your saints will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
John 3:27 – “a man can receive only what is given him from heaven.”
“He must become greater and I must become less.”
- 5.God is tender and locked into the needs of His people. (vs. 14-17)
- 6. God is near to all who call upon Him.
- 7.God watches over all who love Him.
Psalm 145:21 – “My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.”
Welcome back to groups for our spring semester! There is no better way to make great friends, become a true disciple, and to make a significant investment in our world than with your group! Have a great semester together!

domain: literature


text:
Many of you are aware that there is an Extraordinary Synod planned in Rome on the family. There is surely no hiding the fact that the family is in real crisis, at least in the modern Western World, if not throughout many other parts as well. We do well to ponder the reasons and roots of this crisis, and develop strategies to begin to address the many problems.
At the recent Bishops Conference Meeting here in America, Cardinal Sean O’Malley made some remarks that I would like to draw upon, even as I make some remarks of my own. Basing my reflections on the Cardinal’s remarks, it would seem that there are at least four fundamental factors that contribute to our current difficulties regarding marriage and family. Lets look at each of them in turn, even if briefly and also interweave the Cardinals remarks.
I. Family history – Two critical factors came together very difficult years of the late 1960s which together have had a very destructive effect on Holy Matrimony and the family.
The sexual revolution which began in the late 1950s picked up steam into the 60s and went boldly public in the year 1968, with the so-called “Summer of Love” in places like Haight Ashbury Park in San Francisco, and on many other college campuses and similar places. At that time there were many who boldly shed any pretense of shame or guilt regarding open sexual sin and unchastity. What people used to whisper about as something shocking, was now boldly celebrated by increasing numbers in the culture.
The following year, in 1969 the first no-fault divorce laws began to be passed. Divorce, which until that time had been a difficult and lengthy process in America, now become something that could be accomplished in a matter of weeks.
These two very crucial events began a process which rather dramatically and quickly eroded Matrimony and and the family, such that we are now into the second, and in some cases, third generation of younger people, who have never known a world is stable marriages, and two-parent families. Large numbers of young people have never experienced living with both their father and mother for the duration of their formative years. More and more of them have no real models of faithful, stable, traditional marriages to look to. Is very clear, that without these sorts of models, even young people who want to embrace traditional marriage, struggle to do so, lacking any experience how exactly is done.
For all the Church’s attempts at marriage preparation, and pre-Cana classes, without strong family models it is hard to apply whatever might be learned in such classes and formation.
Cardinal O’Malley says, Half of the children born to that demographic [working class families] are born out of wedlock,” a statistic that Cardinal O’Malley said would have been “inconceivable” a few decades ago.
Indeed, in the African American community which I have largely served, in 1961 (the year of my birth) 80% of Black children were raised in two-parent families, Today that number is 20%. The statistics in the wider culture, as noted, are not much better and continue to drop. The change is nothing short of astonishing.
All of this leads to a dynamic of family history and personal experience that are not promising for traditional Marriage or the family.
II. Fornication – In the current cultural setting, following the sexual revolution that came out in the open in 1968, premarital sex, and cohabitation, have become epidemic. This has had a number of deleterious effects on Holy Matrimony and the family.
In the first place it takes away one of the stronger incentives to marriage that existed in the past, namely the desire of sexual intimacy and pleasure. Marriage in the culture of that time provided a context in which sexual intimacy was not only considered legitimate, but also honored and esteemed. Now, with the explosion of promiscuity and with such behavior no longer shunned, Marriage looses one of its draws. Most young people can obtain the sex they desire without the once demanded admission requirements.
Secondly a whole host of social ills accompanies fornication, and cohabitation (once called “shacking up” or living in sin). And these social evils and ills negatively impact Holy Matrimony.
Abortion has exploded on the scene. And whereas in the past a child conceived before marriage would move the couple to the sacred altar, now recourse to abortion, and even more viciously the expectation by men that women should “rid” them of the problem by abortion is the prevailing attitude.
AIDS, and sexually transmitted diseases like herpes, also make people less desirable as marriage partners.
And of course teenage pregnancy, single motherhood, etc, make many women less desirable for or prone to marriage and further the expectation that men should be able to move about sexually without commitment or responsibility.
Cohabitation also “permits” couples to play house, and the unwritten rule is that they can come as go as they please with little social repercussion to them.
Cardinal O’Malley says, The whole notion of family is so undercut by the cohabitation mentality, and these social trends are having a tremendous impact on the working-class communities who were once the backbone of the Church…This shift away from the bearing of children within wedlock is the “biggest threat to marriage.
God lists fornication as among the sins that exclude one from the Kingdom of Heaven (e.g. Eph 5:3-9; 1 Cor. 6:9-11, inter al). Given the dreadful impact fornication has on Holy Matrimony and the Family, one can see why God takes sins of these sorts seriously. Of course the ones who pay the price for all this adult sexual misconduct, are children.
God links chastity to respect for Marriage, and promiscuity He regards as a dishonoring of Marriage: Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers (Heb 13:4).
III. Finances – In this matter Cardinal O’Malley says succinctly: Part of the problems are economic…Our educational system is so expensive, people graduate from college or graduate school facing huge debts. If you have a $150,000 debt when you graduate law school, are you going to marry a girl that has a $130,000 debt and start off your marriage with over a quarter-million dollars’ debt? So people are postponing marriage – are postponing a decision to go into the seminary or religious life – because they’re saddled under this tremendous debts which former generations didn’t have.
We have discussed and debated on this blog before the notion that college is overrated and obscenely expensive. And for all the talk from the social liberals who dominate faculties and administration in these colleges, they seldom lift a finger to cut the costs of their overrated product. Instead they scold us for not caring enough about the poor and their burdens, while they live quite well off the future income of their students who are increasingly too poor to marry or raise children.
Almost no one among those who lecture us about justice will talk about this.
Student debt is becoming a huge factor in postponing marriage and also vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
IV. Formation struggles – Cardinal O’Malley says the Church needs “better marriage preparation” and outreach to help young people recover an understanding of marriage. He says the Church needs to “catechize our young people and instill in them a sense of vocation, and also to help them understand what courtship is about.”
He adds that this becomes even more important for: In combination with the misunderstanding of marriage, lack of attendance at Mass, and the shortcomings in the catechesis of young people, the Church also faces many challenges posed by the secularization of the culture.
Indeed, the teachings of the Church on the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony have been poorly conveyed to God’s people. And for many people, what they do hear unintelligible. For example they may well hear: Marriage is forever, but if it doesn’t work out for you we will get you annulment, and remember, an annulment is NOT a divorce! Or again they may hear that even though Protestants can get married while skydiving with a Justice of the Peace, and it valid, if a Catholic gets married outside the Church, it is invalid. Etc…
People struggle to figure all this out. And while there ARE answers to these puzzlements, they remain difficult obstacles in speaking coherently to people who are poorly catechized and more influenced by the secular world than the Church in this regard.
A chief place for us to begin rebuilding the case for traditional Marriage is resetting the premise of the discussion. Marriage is not first and foremost about what is best and most pleasing to the adults in the equation. Marriage is about children and what is best for them. Marriage is not about the rights of adults per se, it is about what is justly due to children.
Marriage takes its structure and mission as an institution based on the fact that every child deserves and has a birthright to be raised by by a father and mother, who have committed themselves to a stable and loving union, so as to give their child a stable an loving upbringing under the formative influence of both a male and female, that is their own parents.
This, it seems is where we must begin. More on this here: Getting the Marriage Conversation Right. Other things are surely required, but here is a good place to start, right where the modern secular premise goes 180° wrong.
And thus, in these four fundamental factors a perfect storm begins to brew that has severely damaged the understanding of the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony and the Institution of Traditional Marriage. Other factors also influence, but as we prepare to the Extraordinary Synod, Cardinal O’Malley’s remarks help frame a discussion of the problem and a way forward.
Later we can also discuss some of the questions put forward in the working document of the Synod.

domain: sociology


AS ACCUSTOMED as I am to opinion sneaking into your so-called news stories, I found that the second sentence of last Sunday’s lead front-page story was a bit much, even for the Globe (“Mass. vies for Fla.’s spurned rail funds,’’ March 27). In the face of massive deficits, Florida’s governor rejects federal funds to build a project that, even if the funds pay for all the construction (unlikely), would run operational deficits forever, and you say he did it “for political reasons’’? Yet somehow the Obama administration’s insistence on spending money that we don’t have, on trains that will lose money every day they run, to create a “signature transportation initiative’’ for his administration is not political — especially when most of the money is being sent to battleground states?
This whole thing is an attempt by the administration to buy short-term support for the next election cycle, with no consideration for what it does to our economy in the future. Rather than being a political attack against the Obama administration, as your article implies, the rejection of these funds by Florida, Ohio, and Wisconsin represents a push back against the spending practices that have created so many of our current problems. We need more of that, not less, if we are ever going to climb out of the hole that we have dug.


text:
The Foundation said the databases provided a critical resource to lesser-known meat firms, which might not have the resources to meet Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) requirements.
The first database, created in partnership with the University of Wisconsin, will be used to describe interventions used to reduce microbiological risk in processed meat products.
The second database, developed in collaboration with Texas A&M University, presents scientific literature detailing various interventions and antimicrobials at a range of applicable concentrations on fresh beef, veal, pork, lamb and poultry products.
Interventions addressed in the databases included heat, pH control, chemical and clean-label inhibitors, high-pressure processing and irradiation, among others.
E. coli O157:H7, non-O157 shiga toxin-producing E. coli, salmonella, campylobacter and listeria monocytogenes are among the microbial pathogens covered in the databases.
The Foundation for Meat and Poultry Research and Education is a non-profit research, education and information organisation, established to study ways the meat and poultry industry can produce better, safer products and operate more efficiently.
“By using these databases, establishments will be equipped to meet HACCP requirements and can more easily identify the most optimal antimicrobial and other interventions to ensure product safety,” said Foundation president Susan Backus.
Both projects were funded partly by the Beef Checkoff, and future updates will be made to both databases to reflect new research findings.

domain: food


text:
“Stop smirking like that,” I told Hugh in a hushed tone. He looked down at me through his eyelashes as I stroked my brush across his cheek, splattering fake blood across his face. “Someone will notice if you don’t stop.” I took another chunk of makeup and applied it to his skin. His lips pressed into a line, and then he bit his bottom lip, the look in his eyes sending a rush of color to my cheeks. “Did you have a good weekend, Sam?” he asked, impenitent, with a James McAvoy-esque grin that made him look stupidly handsome. “It was wonderful,” I whispered, smiling but refusing to meet his eyes. He let out a low chuckle, and I didn’t have to look at his face to know what he looked like when he did that. I loved that he was so happy this morning, but there were at least fifteen people around us setting up for the next scene. Although his behavior was endearing in some ways, it was also irritating. I didn’t understand why he wasn’t trying to be more careful. He didn’t seem to care, but I did. It was hard enough to focus after the two days we’d had together, but he seemed to be determined to make me lose all my concentration. He made a face as I brought my brush to his cheek again. “Why is this blood so much darker than what I usually have all over me?” “This is dragon blood. We agreed that fake dragon blood should look different than fake human blood.” “I see. Why is it so much thicker? What did you put in there to make it like that?” “I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.” “Is it animal blood? I swear it smells.” “Please. Do you think we could afford to have PETA on our ass like that?” “I suppose not.” “We just added red and blue food coloring and cocoa powder to give it more texture.” “Hmmm.” He gave me another steely gaze, and I shook my head. There was a giant contraption shaped like a tower covered in the same material of green screens. During post-production, the automated boxy thing would become a dragon. There was a tube sticking out of it that was connected to a spray gun and a tank filled with twenty pounds of fake blood. At some point during the scene, it was supposed to spray blood all over Hugh. Slashing the belly of a dragon would have such consequences. He reached for the opening in my hoodie and squeezed one of my breasts. I waved his hand away, narrowing my eyes at him. I looked around and made sure it was safe to talk. “You’re being impossible today. How am I supposed to do my job?” “My hands are cold,” he said with a shrug and a smug grin. “My boobs are not hand warmers.” He laughed. “I disagree. They’re so…warm, and inviting. They make excellent pillows, too,” he said in a deep voice, clicking his tongue playfully.“If I weren’t attached to a multimillion-dollar project, I would totally make love to you in front of Edinburgh Castle, public indecency be damned.” *** “Yeah?” he whispered in my ear. “You hate me?” “I do,” I replied with a strangled moan. “Is that so? Then why are your knickers so wet?” *** “What is it about Scottish men, huh?” I teased. “What is it about fictional Scottish heroes?” she corrected.
“Samhain, I can be a patient man, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to fuck ye right now. Tell me what ye want, and I will give ye that.” “Is this one of your lines?” I joked. He laughed. “No, it isn’t. My character might be rubbing off on me a little, but I meant what I said. I’m willing to be patient, even though I am dying to have ye, right now.” Then have at it, I wanted to say. His words made me smile, because he was willing to take his time with me. Fortunately for him, that was not what I wanted.
“I have been wondering for weeks if you went commando or not.”He lifted one of my legs and placed it on his shoulder, and then he did the same with the other, spreading them wide, making sure I was hooked in place.
What was he doing? This was some Cirque du Soleil shit.
And then my ass was up in the air and my head bumped against the ceiling of the trailer.
“Ouch!” I mumbled, and I heard a muffled “sorry” come from between my legs.
Then I got ticklish, because the motherfucker was laughing right against my skin.
“Oh my gosh, stop laughing! You’re tickling me. I’m going to fall!”
“I’m not going to let you fall. I’m going to make you come.”[/caption]


text:
2011 Rewind: Backstreet Boy Nick Carter Talks About His Love For Country
[photogallerylink id=63108 align=right] When looking back at 2011, we had many memorable country artists stop by but probably one of the most memorable artist was not a country singer, Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys. He stopped by to talk to Cledus, Dave and Veronica about the NKOTBSB tour with the New Kids on the Block. The conversation got juicier and even better when women’s undergarments came up and then of course shared his love for country music.
[photogallerylink id=63594 align=left]

domain: celebrity


text:
The Commissioner of Police, Yekini Ayoku, has stated that in 2022, the police in Kaduna neutralised twenty-one (21) bandits and rescued 206 hostages.
He also mentioned that the police recovered around 1,446 animals stolen by bandits from various locations across the state.
At a year-end news conference in the state, the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police announced that 49 rifles and firearms had been recovered from criminals.
During the time period under consideration, he said, “780 suspects were apprehended in connection with various offences.”
Yekini Ayoku said that out of the number of people arrested for various crimes, 116 were found guilty.
According to the Commissioner, 17 functioning motorcycles belonging to the robbers were recovered along with 1,359 live ammo.
He added that 15 bags containing dried leaves, perhaps Indian hemp, were recovered from the suspects this year.

domain: law


text:
GymCoin has positioned itself to change the landscape of the fitness industry by offering a global platform that will allow users to pay gyms, dance studios, personal trainers, supplement stores, and health apps using digital currency. This one of kind Pre-ICO Sale offers investors the chance to get in before the GymCoin token hits the exchanges.
New York, NY – GymCoin made international headlines today with the announcement of their Pre-ICO Sale leading up to the launch of their ICO that is set to change the way gyms do business. GymCoin is poised to be one of the best ICO’s this year as the use of Digital Currencies rise and global gym memberships are on the incline, the environment is ripe for this type of Fitness ICO.
GymCoin is a peer to peer, decentralized digital currency designed entirely for the fitness industry. The GymCoin platform allows gym users to pay gyms, personal trainers and other fitness related businesses directly through their phones with GymCoin. This one of a kind platform is accessible at the press of a button on any phone and grants them access to over 20,000 gyms worldwide. The GymCoin mobile app is filled with features including the ability to send funds to anyone anywhere using the mobile wallet. Travelers will no longer have to worry about how to transfer funds while on vacation. This new and refreshing ICO will eliminate the problem faced by gym users who are traveling or on holiday by providing them with instant access to the gym of their choosing wherever they might be.
During a recent press conference, CEO of GymCoin Kishan Modha was quoted as saying, “GymCoin represents a new ecosystem for the fitness industry to allow our users to pay using their Digital Currency that is stored in the wallet attached to the user’s account. Anyone who cares for their health and travels on business or vacation wishes they could use their local gym membership abroad, and now they can.” He went on to say, “The attached wallet can also be used to send or receive funds, which can be useful while on the go.”
The Pre-ICO is set to launch on January 25th 2018 and the token sale is capped at 50,000,000 GYM tokens. Once the cap has been reached tokens will no longer be offered at the discounted Pre-Sale price. This is expected to be a highly sought after Fitness ICO and potential investors are urged to register for this ICO as soon as possible.
To learn more about this ICO and the GymCoin platform, visit their official website at http:/www.gymcoins.io or download their Whitepaper here: http://www.gymcoins.io/gymcoinwhitepaper.pdf
Readers should do their own due diligence before taking any actions related to the promoted company or any of its affiliates or services. Cryptokrats.com is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in the press release.

domain: news


Chromatin looping is needed for iPSC induction.
Somatic cells can be reset to pluripotent capability by ectopic expression of defined factors to form so-called “induced pluripotent stem cells” (iPSCs). Although it is now routine to reprogram somatic cells into iPSCs, the process is extremely inefficient, preventing the immediate translation of this promising technology into clinics. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation assay (ChIP), we found that defined factors, in spite of binding to their target promoters, failed to induce transcription from these genes, suggesting that the activation of endogenous pluripotency genes may represent a critical reprogramming block preventing iPSC induction. Using chromosome conformation capture (3C), we found that the formation of intrachromosomal looping in pluripotency-associated genes constituted a critical epigenetic barrier that must be overcome for activation of pluripotency-associated genes. Taken together, it is clear that the requirement for chromatin loops between the enhancers and promoters of certain pluripotency genes is a critical epigenetic barrier that must be overcome for a cell to be transformed to pluripotency. It will be important to identify endogenous or exogenous factors that organize chromatin loops in order to promote iPSC induction.


text:
Tell me I can’t eat something and you can bet your last Easter egg I’ll be eating it in copious amounts. Call me contrary, call it human nature, but there it is.
So you can imagine the mortal struggle I have on a daily basis as I’m not supposed to eat wheat, diary or yeast, especially as one of my all time faves is a really thick slice of bread, toasted to perfection, oozing with lashings of butter and smothered in Marmite (which is basically just yeast extract) generously spread over the top.
Imagine my utter delight, then, at being sent not one, not two, but THREE varieties of Organic Rye Bread by the very lovely people at The Village Bakery. Not only are they all wheat-free, the only yeasts within are those naturally occurring in the rye grain. Result!
(The three choices: Organic Rye, Organic Rye with Seeds and Organic Rye with Coriander).
Now, in the interest of my FitBod campaign, anything that promises to reduce bloating, possibly lose a few inches without having to crash diet or ban certain food groups from my diet ( I think we all know which ones!) and keep my energy levels high has got to be tried out.
So for two weeks, instead of my usual slice of toast with my egg for breakfast, I’ve been having a slice (or two – what? they are quite small!) of the different Rye Breads. And when the mid afternoon munchies have struck, I’ve been known to have a couple of slices with peanut butter or hummous. Yumm!
|Original Organic Rye Bread|
|With added coriander seeds|
|With added seeds|
In days gone by, I would have been paranoid that the carbs would make me lose weight, but as part of my 3-month Maxitone challenge, I’d promised the nutritionist that I’d eat carbs regularly. This bread completely fits the bill, as it contains 4 times the amount of fibre – bye-bye bloating! – and actually, 20% less calories than regular white sliced bread (although I never eat WHITE bread anyway).
Anyway, enough of the what. Here’s the why:
I’ve had other rye bread in the past, and all I can say about that is YUCK! It bore no relation to bread, was almost black in colour, as heavy as a brick in texture and density, and the utter lack of taste (think eating cardboard) was the ultimate insult over injury. I tried it once, and let me tell you, once was enough!
This, however, was a dream in comparison. I loved it neat, cut straight off the loaf, but it really came into its own when it was toasted. The crunchy texture, the full-bodied nutty taste and the amazing aroma was enough to get the rest of the family interested and I literally had to HIDE it away from everyone to make sure there was enough for me!
|With added seeds variety, sliced|
Of the three varieties, the Coriander flavoured one was probably the “acquired taste” option, but I have to say, I loved them all. With no wheat, no additives, no added baker’s yeast and no preservatives, I could even eat this if I was on a detox.
|With added seeds variety, sliced|
Since the three loaves sent to me have finished, I’ve purchased it at my local Waitrose at least three times, and now, it’s the only bread in my household. Mr H, who tends to stay away from bread in general, loves it, and asks for it all the time.
Best of all, it really has reduced the bloating.
Only problem with that is, I can no longer blame the wheat intolerance for the big tummy… It’s now plainly and painfully apparent it’s all down to the excess fat (ssshhh!).
Hey ho. You win some, you lose some. At least I now know exactly what I’m dealing with!
More FitBod to come – keep tuned!
Bread Image Copyright Information: Source: http://www.wheatintolerance.org/


| Stretch October 2021
It’s Never Too Late To Join The Corps de Ballet
In this workshop we take pride in ourselves dancing as a team, (and also shine as individuals, no doubt...) discovering the joy, blood, sweat and yes, probably some tears, as we undertake our task to create a world-class(?) Corp de Ballet in 90 minutes. N.B. If possible wear something white (underwear will do!)
Michael was born in London where he trained as a dancer at The Royal Ballet Schools. His dance credits include work with Northern Ballet Theatre, Scottish Ballet, The Lindsay Kemp Company, AMP and numerous others. Michael also works as a choreographer and makes visual art. He currently gives one-to-one bodywork sessions of Pilates, Gyrotonic®/Gyrokinesis®, Biodynamic craniosacral therapy and Thai Yoga Massage, as well as holding creative spaces as a choreographer and workshop leader.


text:
Pop Singer Wanted
12 ads found matching your search
I am a Guitarist/vocalist with 40+ years looking to join or form band into Beatles, Clapton, Allman Brothers, Dead, And most classic Bands. I am searching for a rhythm/lead guitarist, Bass Player, Drummer, and Keyboard. Must be seasoned musicians with.. read more »
Posted 7 months ago by William Avdoulos, 154 views.
Arctic One Productions presents 2017 Spring Radio CD Sampler. Submit 1 or 2 of your best songs for radio airplay worldwide. Have worked with the best in the music industry, such as Prince, Rush, Joey Welz(Bill Haley & The Comets), Alexander Oneal, The.. read more »
Posted 8 months ago by bluebiz, 158 views.
Band has a few things on the table: 1. Production deal 2. Major publishing deal 3. Management Ideal person will instantly connect and mesh with current members (looking for sparks to fly). What we're looking for: 1. Amazing vocals and top-.. read more »
Posted 9 months ago by SendSomethingGood, 173 views.
We are looking for a female vocalist to add to an already strong vocal group. There are 3 other strong singers with strong harmonies and strong work ethics. we perform all styles of music from 30s-40s Dinner music to whats new on the radio. Please feel.. read more »
Posted 9 months ago by Mofame4u, 111 views.
Seeking professional male singer to co-front established 5 piece wedding / event band with a female lead vocalist. Must have superior vocal talent, strong stage presence, and entertainer qualities. Band members are seasoned professionals and I am seeking.. read more »
Posted 10 months ago by Dave, 171 views.
Working Jersey band looking to expand into corporate, weddings, and private events. We are seeking a male lead singer to work alongside our female lead. Everyone in the band sings both lead as well as backup and are all top notch players. Any experience.. read more »
Posted 11 months ago by Dennis Mugica, 168 views.


FULLERTON – A Los Angeles sheriff’s deputy who lives in Anaheim pleaded not guilty Friday morning on charges that he repeatedly abused his then-girlfriend after she accused him on Dec. 25 of infidelity, officials said.
Mark Eric Hibner, 44, is charged with three felony counts of domestic battery with corporal injury and two felony counts of criminal threat.
Hibner, a deputy with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department for 22 years, is accused of beating, restraining and threatening to kill the woman for several days after she approached him Dec. 25 about a sexually suggestive voicemail on his cellphone, according to a statement from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
Authorities say that Hibner on Dec. 26 grabbed the woman’s hair, spit and threw a lit cigarette at her, and punched her in the chest.
Prosecutors say Hibner again grabbed the woman’s hair three days later, pulling it from side-to-side and straddling her. Hibner also pushed the woman onto a bed, pinning her with his knees against her shoulders and threatening to kill her, according to the District Attorney’s Office statement.
Prosecutors say Hibner woke up the next day, Dec. 30, and dragged the woman by her hair from a bed into a living room, where he threw her onto the floor and choked her with his forearm across her throat while straddling her. Authorities say the woman says she begged Hibner to stop and, while crying, banged on the floor in hopes of getting the neighbors’ attention.
Authorities say Hibner also threatened to kill a former lover, with whom he has children, if she attended a court hearing regarding a protective order.
The judge granted protective orders to both women that prosecutors say were Hibner’s victims, said Farrah Emami, a spokeswoman for the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
Pretrial hearings are scheduled in the North Justice Center for March 22 and April 16.
If convicted, Hibner faces a maximum sentence of seven years and four months in state prison. He currently is free on bail.
Contact the writer: 714-704-3764 or firstname.lastname@example.org


INR 17,500.00 - INR 14,999.00
(as of Dec 15,2018 11:13:52 UTC – Details)
The Samsung SSD 850 EVO elevates the everyday computing experience to a higher level of performance and endurance than was ever imagined. Powered by Samsung’s unmatched V-NAND technology, no wonder the 850 EVO is the best-selling* SSD for everyday computing. Designed for mainstream desktop PCs and laptops, the 850 EVO comes in a wide range of capacities and form factors.Powered by Samsung V-NAND Technology. The Most Evolved Form Factor With Optimized Performance for Everyday Computing Needs for Ultra-Thin Laptops.
Incredible Sequential Read/Write Performance : Up to 540MB/s and 500MB/s Respectively and Random Read/Write IOPS Performance : Up to 97K and 89K Respectively
Included Contents: SATA III (6Gb/s) M.2 (2280) SSD and User Manual (All Other Cables, Screws, Brackets Not Included)
Free download of Samsung Data Migration and Magician software available for easy installation and SSD management
Windows 10/8/7/Vista SP1 and above (32/64 bit), Widows Server 2008 (32/64 bit), Linux Compatible


text:
San Juan Islands, Washington, USA
A story of what place can mean in one's journey to finding acceptance and embracing vulnerability.
"We invite you to visit us and experience the magic of Doe Bay, an icon of the Pacific Northwest. Give yourself permission to relax, revive, and rejuvenate, in the beautiful San Juan Islands of Washington State." ~ Doe Bay
Filmmakers - Ben Cowan & Taliesin Black-Brown of Zephyr Visuals
Producer - Zack Robertson
Editors - Ben Cowan & Taliesin Black-Brown

domain: geography


text:
It is considered one of the best annual meteor showers.
Skygazers are in for a New Year 2021 treat. The Quadrantids meteor shower will peak on the night of January 3 until the dawn of January 4 in the UAE.
According to NASA, Quadrantids are “considered to be one of the best annual meteor showers”.
Unlike other meteor showers that tend to stay at their peak for about two days, the peak period of the Quadrantids only lasts a few hours.
During its peak, 60 to 120 meteors can be seen per hour “under perfect conditions”, NASA said.
The Geminid meteor shower had wowed UAE residents in December 2020.
Do you need a special equipment to see the show?
You don’t need any special equipment or a lot of skills to view a meteor shower. All you need is a clear sky, lots of patience and a handy interactive meteor shower sky map with a visibility conditions meter.
These tips can help maximise the shooting star viewing experience:
>> Find a secluded viewing spot, away from the city lights. Once at the venue, one’s eyes may take 15 to 20 minutes to get used to the dark.
>> Dress for the weather, especially if you plan to stay out long. Bring a blanket or a comfortable chair.
>> After identifying the viewing spot, lie down on the ground and look up in the direction of the radiant. Use the interactive meteor shower sky map to find the current direction of the radiant in the sky.
The Dubai Astronomy Group is organising a paid stargazing party at Wadi Shawka – Ras Al Khaimah to observe the Quadrantids meteor showers on January 3.
Adolphe Quetelet of Brussels Observatory discovered the shower in the 1830s and shortly afterward it was noted by several astronomers in Europe and America.
Thus, they were christened “Quadrantids”. Even though the constellation from which these meteors appear to radiate no longer exists, the shower’s original moniker continues to this day.


text:
If you mariannewells.com are actually a brand-new Doing yoga pupil as well as thinking about getting going with Yoga exercise, you might would like to deal with getting a Yoga School to help lead you with the onset of your yoga exercise method. There are actually a couple of Yoga exercise Schools in each urban area as well as some of them will possibly be actually advanced than others.
Just Doing yoga Schools, you will be actually helped by an expert Doing yoga teacher to establish a daily routine for your Yoga process as well as you will definitely additionally be taught on just how to practice meditation or even qualify for a future yoga exercise competition. Many Yoga exercise Schools does not have all these aspects – the teacher will certainly help you with that.
The price of the majority of Yoga College classes is greater than you’ll require to purchase at home so you may still make Doing yoga an aspect of your lifestyle without breaking the financial institution. A few of these colleges will give to host a Yoga exercise class in your house – this is an added cost you will want to make sure you may manage, but the advantages of having the ability to practice meditation in the house are actually effectively worth it.
Some of the initial thing you’ll find at a Yoga School is actually that you possess a great group of trainees who have the same objectives as you – to become a lot more familiar with themselves, to boost their health as well as to read more concerning Yoga exercise. This is one of the greatest methods to obtain comfy along with the environment you are actually finding out Doing yoga in and also you’ll soon be at ease with your coach and your fellow pupils.
Yoga exercise educators as well as Doing yoga trainers are well-respected in their area and that can easily offer you a sense of satisfaction and protection when you attend a Yoga exercise College. Many people are seeking a good Doing yoga instructor and also having a well-respected Yoga educator in your community is a wonderful method to stand out and begin to create your own self as a Yoga exercise instructor.
You may locate Yoga Schools near you but it is essential to realize that the Yoga College you choose might not be the most effective fit for you. There is actually several Yoga Schools found in your city and if you explore them all you could possibly wind up dropping concentrate on what issues very most to you – your yoga exercise technique.
When selecting your Yoga University, there are actually some elements you’ll really want to take in to factor to consider. Consider the site of the Doing yoga Institution – will definitely you feel comfy running out your home, the weather condition, if you have a car, as well as if you would certainly enjoy training at a Yoga Facility that possesses special plans for elders and also girls.
You must additionally think about whether the Yoga exercise University is actually providing exclusive systems for members. Courses like:
Some of the best functions of a Doing yoga Institution is actually that they may deliver you a selection of courses that will suit your lifestyle. Most doing yoga centers offer exclusive courses especially for special classes as well as elderly ladies developed to help you along with certain wellness concerns.
If you opt for a Yoga exercise Institution that supplies a range of lessons, but does not possess a monthly subscription charge, you can easily discover a harmony between convenience of get access to as well as high quality of guideline. The charm of these sorts of Yoga exercise Centers is that you may know Yoga from many different designs of Yoga exercise Teachers so you can easily end up being more relaxed with different types as well as pass up the practice of a design you don’t experience is right for you.
When considering which Yoga exercise College you participate in, you should additionally consider what you intend to do after you complete your Doing yoga Practical Training and also you might additionally consider what you would like to make with your lifestyle. Some Yoga exercise Schools is actually more positive and offer postures like:
Yoga is actually exciting and you’ll experience a lot more hooked up to your physical body with a Doing yoga University that is forward-thinking as well as artistic. Ensure to look at these various Yoga Schools before you opt for the excellent Yoga university for you.
Doing yoga school is something that is actually a should for all those that intend to go to the path of yoga and find the most ideal. Certainly not only will an university of yoga exercise help the trainee survive the challenging opportunity of engaging in as well as knowing, however they will certainly also manage to comply with people who are actually looking to possess the most ideal experience of their lifestyle.
Yoga exercise is actually a kind of physical exercise that can be performed through individuals of all ages. The only point that must be actually taken into consideration is actually the level of health and fitness. It would certainly be actually best to go to an university that is actually widely known as well as strongly qualified if you are fit.
You need to go for a yoga exercise college that has experienced teachers and also certified coaches. You must likewise have the ability to locate an institution that provides a wide array of doing yoga sessions to choose from.
The cost of the lesson times can likewise be actually incredibly expensive, specifically if it is actually a training class on a regular basis. There are actually additionally various other things that are to become considered such as the physical condition of the students. If you remain in good condition, after that it would be actually most ideal to opt for yoga institution that lies in a place that has a lot of natural deposits including direct sunlight and various other elements.
The yoga institution that you pick to go with must be in a location where you can have the advantage of going for the courses also after job. This is actually because a bunch of individuals that practice yoga possess a ton of job that they need to accomplish. They are actually the ones that will carry out the training class and do the research. It would be much better to look for an university that is open at various other opportunities if they are not capable to receive their classes during the course of the weekend breaks.
It will be most effectively to locate a school that delivers some sessions for the newbies of doing yoga. These sessions will assist the novice to learn the fundamental poses and also the other standard yoga exercise practices.

domain: health


text:
While Bachelor host Chris Harrison was not in attendance, as a result of a previous dedication, the franchise was effectively represented with producer Elan Gale officiating the ceremony, whereas company included Bristowe and her boyfriend, Jason Tartick, Evan Bass and his pregnant spouse, Carly Waddell, Chris Strandburg, Chris Randone and spouse Krystal Nielson and Becca Tilley, Amanda Stanton and Olivia Caridi.
Several of the acquainted faces have been in attendance for the couple’s pre-wedding celebrations, which included a boat ride on Friday, August 9, and a rehearsal dinner on Saturday, August 10, at OceanCliff Hotel in Newport.
The day kicked off with the bride, 31, greeting the morning in her lodge room to the soundtrack she mentioned she’s “imagined” waking as much as on her marriage ceremony day for the “past 12 years.”
In an Instagram video, she might be seen smiling under the covers singing along to the “It’s Your Wedding Day” track from Wedding Singer: The Musical.
Iaconetti and Haibon’s shut good friend Tanner Tolbert — who had been set to officiate the pair’s marriage ceremony however needed to bow out after his spouse, Jade Roper, had an emergency delivery at home with the couple’s second little one earlier this month — posted a candy message to the couple on Instagram.
“A love story for the ages… a romantic comedy straight from the 90’s… Jared marrying the one individual he loves greater than Tom Brady… Happy Wedding Day!” he captioned a photograph of each on Instagram. “Part of me can’t believe Ashley and Jared are actually getting married today… and part of me feels like they have been married for years. But one thing I know for certain is that they are perfect for each other. I can’t wait to see what life has in store for you guys – congrats on your big day @jaredhaibon and @ashley_iaconetti.”
Scroll right down to see pics from the couple’s marriage ceremony.


text:
Congressional Progressive Caucus to host series on foreign policy options WASHINGTON—Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Raúl Grijalva and Rep. Lynn Woolsey announced an ongoing series of forums that will engage members of Congress in discussions about foreign policy options that make sense in light of today’s global security challenges, called “Seeking Global Security.”
SAN FRANCISCO — The BART rapid transit system linked demonstrations throughout the Bay Area March 19 as peace activists marked the 6th anniversary of the Bush administration’s invasion of Iraq with a day of direct actions, memorial gatherings, leafleting and other creative activities.
While they see President Obama’s 18-month timetable to remove U.S. troops from Iraq as a necessary first step to change, veterans’ organizations say Iraq and Afghanistan urgently need diplomacy and development, not lingering deployments or troop surges.
“United States of America v. City of Arcata; City of Eureka.” So reads the heading to a lawsuit filed in December 2008 by the United States Department of Justice, acting on a complaint by the Department of Defense. The lawsuit seeks to invalidate the Youth Protection Act, a ballot initiative ordinance, passed by 73% of Arcata voters and 57% of Eureka voters, last November. Arcata and Eureka are neighboring, small cities on California’s north coast.


text:
March 6th, 2015
|frayed_11||05:57 pm - Vegetarian supper club in London!|
I hope nobody minds me posting this, please delete if inappropriate!
I run a popular vegetarian food blog called Amuse Your Bouche, which has been named as one of the UK's Top 10 food blogs. On 31st March I'm hosting my first ever supper club in London! I'm unbelievably excited. It's being held at a wonderful venue called Paradise by way of Kensal Green, and their amazing head chef is going to be serving up a three course dinner (all my own recipes), along with welcome cocktails, and there might just be a goody bag too ;)
The whole menu is vegetarian, and there are vegan and gluten free options too.
If anyone is in or near London and would like to come, you can find more details here: http://www.amuse-your-bouche.com/announcing-first-amuse-bouche-supper-club/
Thanks for letting me share! :)
January 20th, 2015
|simplesue||02:15 pm - Substitute Garbanzo Bean Flour for White Flour|
Bob's Red Mill (is the brand I use) Garbanzo Bean Flour is an excellent sub for white flour in cheese sauces, and as a thickener in cream soups!
August 30th, 2011
|trundle||11:23 pm - Cajun Fried Banana|
After my Red Rice and Beans tonight, I was really craving a fried plantain. Maybe it was the vaguely Carribean feel of the whole thing. Anyway, I had a banana, but I felt like when I've had fried plantains in the past, they were usually a little seasoned. I didn't know what spices to use and I didn't have a lot of time, so I took a guess. Later in the evening I googled recipes and it seems like I was probably wrong -- most of the fried plantain recipes I can find just use butter and plantains. In any case, mine turned out ZOMG DELICIOUS, so I figured I'd share my 'mistake' with the rest of you. =)
Cajun Fried Banana
1 banana*, cut lengthwise into flat strips (I didn't measure the width, but I got about 5 strips out of 1 banana)
1 tsp olive oil
Jamaican Allspice (I don't know if this is different than other Allspice)
Pinch of sugar
Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat while you slice the banana. Lay banana strips in pan, and dust the top side with chili powder. Cook for about 3 minutes and flip. Dust the other side with the allspice and sugar. Cook another 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let your tastebuds marvel at the phenomenal taste combinations.
*Since I'm in Hawai`i, I used an apple banana, which is both smaller and a little less sweet than the variety I usually see on the mainland. But I'm sure the recipe would work just as well with a full sized 'nanner, though you may want to leave out the sugar in that case (or not!).
Current Mood: satisfied
|trundle||11:09 pm - Veggie Slacking: Rice Cooker Edition|
I recently acquired a rice cooker, so I've been trying to put it to good use. I've found it to be really useful for cooking one pot meals; it makes cleanup fast and easy and I don't need to sit there and watch/stir it.
First, a quick and easy breakfast (that I've actually used it for more than rice so far):
Rice Cooker Oatmeal
3/4 cup rolled oats (I like the 5 minute stovetop kind, but any should work)
1 cup water
1/2 cup almond milk (optional; add another 1/2 cup water if you prefer)
1 spoonful brown sugar (I use the same spoon I'm going to eat it with -- it's probably about 1 tbsp)
Small handful frozen fruit (I like blue or blackberries)
Put everything in the rice cooker pot and stir it once. Turn on rice cooker (white rice mode, if you have options). Stir after 10 minutes to help reduce sticking. Let cook for another 10 minutes or until desired consistency. Transfer to a bowl, eat and enjoy.
The next one can be a little more involved, but it's still pretty slacker-ish:
Red Rice and Beans
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 clove garlic, finely diced (or pressed)
1 cup white rice
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (14.5oz) kidney beans, including fluid
Salt, pepper, chili powder to taste
My rice cooker has a 'Saute-then-Simmer' setting, so I do this all in the rice cooker pot, but it would work just the same if you do the first part in a separate pan (just one more dish to clean!). Heat olive oil (using 'saute' button or at medium heat on a stove) while you chop onion and pepper. Saute onion and pepper for about 2 minutes and then add garlic. When onion is translucent and bell pepper is tender, add the remaining ingredients and switch to white rice mode (or transfer the sauted ingredients to rice cooker pot if they were cooked separately). You shouldn't need to add any more water -- the fluid from the tomatoes and beans should be enough to cook the rice and adds a good flavor. Cook about 25 minutes (or until your rice cooker tells you it's done, if you have a sensor). It will feed 2 people with a bit leftover. I'd recommend going heavier on the spices than you might think, as my first couple batches came out pretty bland. I top it with Sriracha as well. I've also found using 2 Tofurkey Italian style sausages in the sauted section added a great flavor/texture (with the right amount of Sriracha it's like a veggie jambalaya). Though if you're counting calories or dollars, you'll probably want to use a lower fat/cost meat substitute like textured soy protein (or just skip it -- it's pretty tasty as is!).
Current Mood: satisfied
June 6th, 2011
|saitenyo||08:49 pm - Vegetarian jerky? Or other travel snacks?|
I have kind of an unusual specific issue. I have reactive hypoglycemia, which means I need to manage my diet very carefully to keep my blood sugar stable. Every few hours, I need something that contains complex carbs, fat, and protein. And doesn't contain sugar. And also something that doesn't have to be kept in the fridge so I can keep it in my purse for emergencies. Nuts are off the table because I always get ill from eating too much of any oily food. I've tried and they just do not work.
I've considered something like vegetarian jerky, but the commercial brands I've found so far contain some form of sweetener. Does anyone know of any good recipes for a type of vegetarian jerky? Or some other snack that meets the above requirements?
Current Mood: curious
March 29th, 2011
|abazoo||03:18 pm - Lentil Soup..|
Here's a slacker recipe I came up with for lentil soup, its quite yum :)
It was 1-2 cups lentils, veggie stock, half a chopped onion, a minced garlic clove, half a tomato-choped, 2oz spagitti sause, Veg-All canned veggies(not drained). Plus dried spices like parsley, oregano, basil, and salt+pepper. Spinach would be great choped in, too.
Started cooking the lentils at a boil and added onion/garlic/tomato then spagitti sause. Let simmer 20mins and then add can of veg-all and extra spices, let cook another 10-15mins until the lentils were soft :)
also, first post. I'm abazoo, not yet veggie but working on it.
March 22nd, 2011
|simplesue||08:20 pm - A healthier cheese sauce for veggies|
I wanted to share this with readers who eat cheese and like cheese sauce on vegetables.
Most cheese sauces require a base of:
white flour, butter and milk,
to make the cheese saucy and not stringy.
I've learned to replace them with:
Garbanzo bean flour, olive oil and skim milk.
(I use this brand found in grocery stores http://www.bobsredmill.com/garbanzo-bean-flour.html)
In my opinion these substitutions are not only better for you, I think they even taste better.
Something about the Garbanzo beans make it richer, but not weird tasting, it still tastes traditional.
February 23rd, 2011
|wyntur_snow||03:57 pm - Capers...wtf|
I have a bottle of capers that were used once by my roommates who have decided they don't like capers. SO. Wtf can I do with a bottle of capers? Any ideas guys?
The only thing I keep running into are 'garnish for meats' and...well we all know why that won't work.
x-posted to vegancooking and nice_vegetarians
Current Mood: curious
February 17th, 2011
|thesammichfox||08:56 pm - I'm stumped for ideas|
At the end of march I will be throwing my daughter a birthday party, now normally I wouldn't have an issue with things like this I have plenty of vegetarian recipes my family loves. But it has been discovered that my daughter has a milk allergy which we have gone from vegetarian to vegan as a house hold because of it. So now I need to plan a vegan birthday party for her and I am really drawing a blank mostly because I need stuff that is going to be friendly to non vegetarians.(aka no meat substitutes) And the only reason I am not bending on the meat and dairy this is I have jerk relatives that don't listen and will feed your kid when you are not looking with stuff they feel everyone should eat.
So far I have a pasta dish planned, the desserts, a veggie platter, a salad and a fruit platter. I need two or three more main dishes so there is plenty to eat and nothing for anyone to complain about. Well I am sure they are going to complain about something but hopefully not the food. Thanks in advance for any and all ideas you have.
February 12th, 2011


More Articles for Daniel Akerson
Following back-to-back announcements of two plants in North Carolina -- a new axle assembly plant in Winston-Salem and the expansion of its Sanford, North Carolina, compact equipment factory -- Cat will now build an excavator assembly plant in Victoria, Texas, ...
General Motors announced board member Daniel Akerson will replace Edward Whitacre Jr. as the company’s chief executive officer on Sept. 1. Whitacre is the second consecutive CEO to serve for less than a year. Akerson, a GM board member since July ...
- How to avoid highway work zone injuries and deaths740 Views
- Turn Around! FDOT seeking ways to alert wrong-way drivers602 Views
- Elderly woman destroys newly poured road527 Views
- VIDEO: Semi hauling an excavator plows through a guardhouse while pulling onto college campus397 Views
- Think you're a good driver? Try staying in these crooked lanes [VIDEO]359 Views


text:
god is for the people in northern Virginia and we are too!
family-friendly volunteer event
Each Sunday in January, we will be collecting non-perishable food and personal care items to prepare manna bags!
Our goal is to pack 1,000 bags for our community!
We will then gather on Sunday, February 2nd after the 11AM service to prepare the manna bags for our community!


text:
Before embarking on a writing career, Louise Wener was the lead singer in Britpop band Sleeper and became an instantly recognisable poster girl for the Cool Britannia movement of the mid-1990s. Though the band recorded a platinum-selling album, The It Girl, they split in 1998 – which is when Louise bought herself a second-hand typewriter. She has since published five novels, including Goodnight Steve McQueen and Worldwide Adventures in Love. Her memoir, Just for One Day recounts her awkward 1980s childhood and subsequent rise to the dizzying heights of fame playing to hundreds of thousands of fans and living the high life of glitter, cocaine, paranoia, comically petty squabbles and warped music industry logic. Louise now lives in Brighton with her husband and children.
‘Louise was so encouraging and generous with her free time, I felt lucky to have been selected for the course’ Roohi-Saba Rais, Six-Month Novel-Writing Course, Spring 2015


text:
Check our Featured products!
Read these awesome testimonials!
If you love making paper flowers as much as I do, then you’re going to love this Pretty n Easy Premium Flower Making Kit from Pretty n’ Easy. Complete with everything you need to make a whole bouquet of beautiful flowers, this kit is sure to help your creativity bloom. Melissa Conner FaveCrafts.com
These are very beautiful flowers which I never thought it could be handmade by paper. It’s like an artwork to me. From each flower, I could see their hard work and love they have put into finishing the piece of artwork. Satisfaction guaranteed! Definitely I will come back to check out the birthday party package for my daughters! Pretty N Easy you did a wonderful job! Megan C Aurora, Ontario
I loved the flower (navy blue wedding aisle flowers). they turned out great. thank you so much! Jamie Vice Tuscaloosa, AL


text:
The Cathedral of St. Elizabeth, also called Saint Elizabeth Cathedral, is a Gothic cathedral in Košice, Slovakia.
The Singing Fountain was built in 1986 and to this day remains an inspiration for others of its kind.
This almost 22 meters high Sightseeing Tower is a great place for a small trip and to take a look at the surrounding region.
Košice railway station serves the city of Košice, seat of the Košice Region, eastern Slovakia.
The Plague Column or Immaculata is a Baroque plague column in Košice, Slovakia.The column is situated in a small park and commemorates the…
The Košice Zoo is a zoo in Košice, Slovakia in the borough of Kavečany.
Košický Castle was probably built in the 14th century although due to many conflicts between the noble family that built it and the king,…
Tabačka is a cultural center offering concerts, film screenings, theatre and other types of cultural events.
Summer Bobsleigh, one of the first of its kind in Slovakia, is a stainless steel slide with a bobsleigh with a handbrake that you control…
The Košice Children's Heritage Railway is a 4.2 km long single-track heritage railway with a track gauge of 1,000 mm.
Railways of the Slovak Republic is the state-owned railway infrastructure company of Slovakia.

domain: travel