National Guard Warrior Freebies

Image courtesy of National Guard WarriorA friend alerted me to a free music download at the National Guard Warrior. It is a song by Kid Rock and of course, if you are interested to download it, you would have to submit your particulars in the provided form. I guess the download link will be sent to your email address. Also, by submitting your details, you are actually signing up to their mailing list.National Guard Warrior is a movie that stars Kid Rock and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Frankly, I have no idea what this movie is all about or when it will be released here in Malaysia, if it ever will.However, if you are a fan of the movie, of Kid Rock or even Dale Earnhardt Jr., this is your chance to grab those freebies. Besides this free song by Kid Rock, you will also be able to download free National Guard Warrior desktop wallpapers and view photos and videos on this official website.

Flicker/Dim on one Headlight??

Looking for any advise - I have searched all the Posts I could and no one else seems to have had the same issue. About 2 months ago my passenger side headlight went out, well after reading posts here I swapped the bulbs and bam - "head light burnt" I replaced it. well all of the sudden on Wednesday I realized the drivers side head light was out - well not really it was flickering and very very dim.... So today I woke up swapped bulbs - still flickering then I swapped igniters - still flickering then I took off the bumper and swapped Ballasts - Still flickering then i tried a few different combinations of headlight , igniter and ballast - still flickering Just to add a little more info - Seems that when the LOW beams are on the left side flickers - but when i turn the high beams on the flickering goes away and there in NO high beam on the drivers side / on the passenger side the High beam goes on and the low beam stays on also. Well then I called the local Acura dealer in Salt Lake City - and the Part guy said I have no idea try service, I explained to the service writer everything I had done and she laughed and said i was ambitious, then she told me that just this week they had a 2002 TL come in with the same issue...... she went back into her history and found it. Apparently they changed the "Headlight Control Module" its under the dash they charged $285 for the part and $145 for labor and they fixed it. I have searched High and Low and no one has ever mentioned a Headlight Control Module. If any one out there can help I would be very very grateful. thanks in advance!!!:beerchug:

Audi announces introduction of stop/start technology

Audi stop/start technology - Click above for a high-res image gallery
Audi has just announced that it's rolling out a new stop/start system in Europe beginning in the second-quarter of 2009. The first cars to be equipped with the fuel-saving technology will be the A3 with the 1.4 TFSI engine and the A4 and A5 with Audi's 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine, though at first only when equipped with a manual transmission. According to the German automaker, numerous models are scheduled to follow later this year. Current estimates indicate that the addition of Audi's stop/start system will lower fuel consumption by about .2 liters per 100 kilometers driven and reduce carbon emissions by about 5 grams per kilometer.To go along with the new stop/start technology, Audi has also launched an on-board computer system that will feature something called the efficiency program. This computer will monitor the driver's habits and recommend new tactics to reduce fuel consumption. These two new systems join Audi's energy recovery system, which captures energy normally lost to braking and therefore reduces strain on the engine from the alternator. All told, Audi expects to improve overall vehicle efficiency some 20 percent by the year 2012.Gallery: Audi stop/start technology[Source: Audi]Continue reading Audi announces introduction of stop/start technologyFiled under: Emerging Technologies, AudiAudi announces introduction of stop/start technology originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 08 May 2009 15:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Daddy buy me a pony - fiction by stacy hardy

Blind Man’s Bluff
When I look in the mirror I wrinkle up my nose and squint my eyes into thin slits. I like how I look that way more than with my eyes wide open — through my slit eyes, my face appears blurry, a ghosted image with wavy dark patches instead of eyes or a mouth. “Expressionistic,” is how my painting teacher would describe the image, “a rejection of refined pictorial naturalism in favour of bold distortions of form and exaggerated imagery.” It’s the kind of face I’d like to have, a Munch Face rather than the round nose and soft chin I was born with.
One day Miles walks into the bathroom while I’m brushing my hair and catches me squinting into the mirror. “What’s wrong?” he asks.
I want to tell him about the Munch me, about the Expressionistic visage that lurks behind my plain features, about the vivid, jarring, violent me. But Miles is staring with a face that I know means he doesn’t approve, so instead I snap the brush through my hair and say, “I don’t know, I can’t see things this close unless I squint.”
The next day Miles takes me to the Eye Doctor. The offices are crisp and white with charts displaying dislocated letters hanging on the walls. I’m to look into the machine, not to blink at the tiny torch shining in my eyes, estimate the distance between two green dots, read the tiny print half way across the room.
The Eye Doctor tells me I have Macular Degeneration, a degenerative condition caused by the deterioration of the central portion of the retina, the inside back layer of the eye that records the images we see and sends them via the optic nerve from the eye to the brain. Symptoms can include: blurry or fuzzy vision, straight lines — such as sentences on a page, telephone poles, and sides of buildings — appearing wavy; an empty dark area that appears in the centre of vision.
The Eye Doctor tells me that there is no current cure for Macular Degeneration but that glasses or out-patient laser therapy may stabilise the condition.
Bobbing for Apples
I order an Iced Coffee and drink it all in one go, sucking up the flecks of cream through my straw and running my finger around the foamy rim. After that I dig around in my bag, light a cigarette and draw doodles on my note pad. I try to look busy, but everyone can see I’ve been stood up.
Hide and Seek
Finally home, I run to our room, shedding my jacket on the floor. I find Miles on our bed, the muscles in his face are still and beautiful. For a moment I think that he’s asleep & or dead? I throw my body down beside him. But he opens his eyes, grins, just joking. Then with a strength that jars my breath, he pulls me to him, nestling my head beneath his chin. It’s our little game — playing dead, pretending to be asleep. The thrill of getting caught in the act.
Spin the Bottle
Miles asks what everyone would like. Jesse and Ramon have popped in for a visit and we’re sitting in the lounge. Jesse says she wants Bourbon and Ramon says he would like some red wine. I say I want a gun because it’s the only thing I can think of that will hit hard enough, that might really blast through my awkwardness. We don’t have a gun, so Miles brings me a knife instead. It’s a big chopping knife with a stainless steel blade and a lifetime guarantee. He carries it in on the drink tray along with the Bourbon and red wine and everyone laughs. I spend the rest of the evening nursing the knife on my lap, wondering if I’d get more attention if I plunged it into my stomach or slit my throat. In the end I don’t need to do either because the way Miles and Jesse spend the evening staring at each other cuts deeper than any knife possibly could.
Kissing Catches
Miles says I have breasts like a fourteen year old, teenage breasts. He licks at each nipple, lapping until they stand hard and erect, then he puts my whole right breast in his mouth, his tongue still fingering the tip, sucking until it aches and I’m wet and dripping and dying to fuck. “Not a handful, a mouthful!” Miles says, “Teenage breasts!” He buys me teenage magazines that he gets from the kilo-shop down the road. He chooses ones with names like Bliss, Just17 and More that carry tips on dating and endless fashion shoots with thin limbed teenagers pouting their half-formed tits at the camera. We’re lying in bed together doing a quiz called “Love Him or Shove Him” that we find in Bliss. It’s meant to determine if you’re seeing the right guy or not.
1. Tick three words that best describe the boy you’re mad about:
Childish
Bossy
Shy
Quiet
Creative
Mature
Loud
Funny
2. Where is he most likely to spend his free time?
With his mates
Watching TV
In a bar
At home reading
3. What’s he most likely to say in the first few moments of a date?
“Sorry I’m late.”
“You look nice.”
“What shall we do?”
“Is it okay if one of my mates comes along?”
4. Tick the topic you and your boy usually find yourselves talking about:
Friends
The future
Your relationship
Problems
5. Tick three words your friends use to describe him:
Sweet
Childish
Funny
Selfish
Bossy
Laddy
According to Bliss my answers mean: “You may have thought everything was fine, but it’s time to question those feelings. It’s crucial that you don’t stay with him just because you want a boyfriend. After all you could be missing out on somebody loads better or having a great time with your mates.” The verdict worries me, but only for a few seconds, because Miles is already licking at my breasts, suckling and teasing until I moan.
Doctor, Doctor
Miles inspects my fingers, rolling each of them over in his hands. He holds them just above the first knuckle, tight, so the tip goes white and twists them to examine every angle. Normally he starts with the pinkie — moves on to the ring, middle, index and then thumb — but today he starts on my thumb. I’ve just made supper and my fingernails are strained with the black of mushrooms, tiny flecks of white cheese and blue ballpoint pen. It’s not the dirt that bothers Miles though; it’s the way I chew my nails.
At age ten, my mother had my habit diagnosed as a form of tension release/reduction. Our family doctor suggested she discourage the behaviour by having me wear cotton mittens or gloves. I liked the gloves, they made everything feel very far away, like there was a thin barrier between the world and me. Everything felt the same: smooth and soft like strong cotton.
Miles holds my thumb in his hands and shakes his head. The nail is chewed down to the quick and the skin around the sides has been bitten into. “I don’t mind the chewing on your nails, but why do you have to do it until you bleed? You’re hurting yourself. I just don’t want you to hurt yourself.” Miles is using his stern but sensitive voice.
While he gets up to look for a plaster I examine the damaged thumb. The nail itself isn’t so bad but I’ve ripped the skin to the right of it leaving the pink of exposed flesh and a smidgen of blood. It burns when I put it in my mouth. We’re out of Jungle Book plasters so Miles brings back the Elastoplast Dressing Strip and a pair of scissors. “I want you to stop doing this to yourself.”
I stare down at my bandaged thumb and then I slide my fingers across his lap, slipping them in the gap at the top of his pants: our making-up ritual. Through the thin strip of Elastoplast Dressing on my thumb his penis feels strange; half erect and smooth like strong cotton.
Pin the Tail on the Donkey
Miles says he wants to take some photographs of me, erotic photographs like Richard Kern’s. “You mean porn pictures?” I’m terrified, Miles sees me naked every night when we fuck, but the thought of posing for him terrifies me.
“Well, yes, but not like that.”
“Well, like what?”
“For starters, you have nice legs.”
The next day I go to the library and look at pictures by Richard Kern. I look at a series entitled “Submit to me, submit to me now” from 1996. In the photographs Kern has asked people to act out their fantasies for him while he acts as audience and provocateur. In one, a woman stands seductively under a shower, but something about her expression belies her total availability. In another a smirking brunette is tied with thongs to a home gym. All the girls in the photographs look tough yet beautiful; self assured and mildly amused. According to the book it is Kern’s personalised treatment of his female subjects that transcends the pornographic.
I’m posed in front of the mirror wearing the white lace panties Miles bought me for my birthday. I stare at my reflection, sliding one hand down the front elastic, my other hand resting against a cocked hip. Sexy yet blasé like the girls in the Kern shoot.
Miles tells me I look great but a little stiff. “Baby, you need to relax, stop thinking about it and just, you know, let it happen. You’re worrying too much about the camera, forget about it, just do something that turns you on, act out a fantasy or something.”
In my fantasies Miles has me tied to the bed. My hands are tied with cords to my right leg, which is folded in under me. My left leg is free, bent at the knee and my eyes are blindfolded. He has a knife in his hand, I can’t see it, but I can feel the cold of the metal against my skin, the blade just nicking the surface. In my fantasies Miles pushes my face down on the bed, his left hand slapping against my raised ass while he forces his right hand up my cunt. The heel of a boot strikes. Now both heels. In my fantasies Miles throws me against the wall, biting at my neck, spitting and chewing on bruised nipples, yanks me by the hair, shoving cheeks and lips up against his glistening cock, making me suck, suck all the while, suck, pounding on my skull with both fists, suck, while he pulls at my hair and slaps my pink, teary face.
“You ready?” says Miles.
“Sure,” I say and I smile and cock my hips, because actually I’m nowhere near to ready.
this shoprt fiction first appeared on litnet

Innovation and Skills

Changing the world with Larry Page, innovation with Brad Bird, intelligence analysis with the CIA, and the 75 skills for every man to master, all without any limits. Larry Page on how to change the world -- Breakthrough ideas are around the corner, says the Google co-founder. But most of us are failing to take a chance on them. Pixar's Brad Bird on fostering innovation -- This week The McKinsey Quarterly asks: what does stimulating the creativity of animators have in common with developing new product ideas or technology breakthroughs? Apparently, a lot. Never have a limit on your income -- If you sell pens for a living and someone orders a million pens, no problem! You just place an order with your manufacturer for a million pens, get them to the customer, and celebrate. Psychology of Intelligence Analysis -- A classic in my library, examining the influence of bias on accurate analysis, among other things. Must read. The 75 Skills Every Man Should Master -- A man can be expert in nothing, but he must be practiced in many things. Skills. You don't have to master them all at once. You simply have to collect and develop a certain number of skills as the years tick by. People count on you to come through. That's why you need these, to start. Have a successful week and make sure to measure your progress. Related Items Integrate Life, The Renaissance Way Free ebook Peer pressure, vanity and behavior, motivation tricks and hacks, success and pain, and how to excel, Celebrate Your Beauty.

Washington Nationals Team Report

INSIDE PITCH Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman isn't barely extending the longest hitting streak in the majors in two years. He is absolutely crushing the ball and is finally getting recognition around the country for it. With a 4-for-5, two-homer performance Monday night in San Francisco, Zimmerman's streak reached 29 games. It's the longest run in the majors since Moises Alou hit in 30 straight games in 2007, and it's closing in on the longest streak in Washington baseball history (33 games, by Heinie Manush in 1933). Zimmerman, batting .363, continues to shrug off his success and is trying not to buy into the hype. But his Nationals teammates and coaches are growing more and more impressed each day the streak is extended. "It's helping put him on the map and our organization in a positive note," manager Manny Acta said. "Hopefully he can continue to do it. But (it's) most important that he does it while he continues to help us win ballgames." GIANTS 11, NATIONALS 7: A complete meltdown by starter Daniel Cabrera highlighted Washington's second straight loss when scoring at least seven runs. Left fielder Josh Willingham's error on a routine flyball prolonged the fifth inning, but Cabrera added fuel to the fire by following the fielding mistake with four straight walks, two with the bases loaded. Logan Kensing then entered and issued a bases-loaded walk of his own to cap the five-run inning. Ryan Zimmerman went 4-for-5 with two homers and extended his hit streak to 29 games in the losing effort.NOTES, QUOTESOF Lastings Milledge broke his right ring finger trying to bunt a pitch at Class AAA Syracuse and will be placed on the disabled list. Milledge is scheduled to be examined by a hand specialist in Baltimore on Tuesday, with the diagnosis determining how much time he will miss. Either way, this is a tough blow to the 24-year-old outfielder, who was demoted to the minors only one week into the season and has been trying to work his way back. "At the early stage of his career, whenever you miss a chunk of at-bats, it retards your progress a little bit," acting GM Mike Rizzo said. "He had things to work on. He was just starting to come around swinging the bat a little bit."BY THE NUMBERS: 4 Homers hit by Adam Dunn over the weekend in Arizona, the most ever by a Nationals player in a single road series.QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's just one of those feelings like when you're going down really fast in an elevator and you feel your stomach go out from underneath you. It's like that feeling. I had no idea where this ball's going to go." Left-hander Mike Hinckley, on losing his grip on a pitch and throwing it to the backstop on the fly.ROSTER REPORT3B Ryan Zimmerman's hitting streak reached 29 games Monday night when the young third baseman lined a single to center off Giants LHP Randy Johnson in the top of the first inning and then went on a complete tear en route to a 4-for-5, two-homer night. Zimmerman had never faced Johnson before and looked foolish swinging at one of the "Big Unit's" trademark sliders. But he connected on the next pitch for a clean single up the middle to extend a hitting streak that is starting to gain some national attention. It's the longest in the majors since OF Moises Alou hit in 30 straight games in 2007. C Jesus Flores was out of the Nationals' lineup Monday for the second straight day. Flores is still feeling the effects of a foul tip that left him with a deep bruise on his right shoulder. The young catcher is hoping to return to play Tuesday against the Giants, but the club will watch him closely to determine whether he's ready or not. C Wil Nieves has started in his place behind the plate.RHP Daniel Cabrera's place in the Washington rotation could be tenuous. The struggling right-hander melted during a wretched outing Monday night in San Francisco, following up a costly error by OF Josh Willingham by issuing four straight walks (two with the bases loaded). Cabrera, signed to a $2.6 million contract last winter, is 0-4 with a 4.98 ERA, and the Nationals are 0-7 in games he's started. Manager Manny Acta insisted the 27-year-old remains in his rotation, but time could be running out for Cabrera to get back on track.RHP Logan Kensing continues to struggle out of the Washington bullpen. Kensing allowed two more runs Monday night against the Giants and walked the first batter he faced with the bases loaded to force in a run. The right-hander, claimed off waivers from Florida on April 29, has a 13.14 ERA in 12 games this season. MEDICAL WATCH: C Jesus Flores (bruised right shoulder) left the May 9 game, and he did not play May 10. He is day to day. 1B Dmitri Young (strained back and hip) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 1. He was expected to begin a 20-day rehab stint with Class AAA Syracuse in early May. RHP Terrell Young (inflamed right shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He started a throwing program at extended spring training in early April. OF Roger Bernadina (broken right ankle) went on the 15-day disabled list April 19, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 29. He had surgery April 18, and he will miss a minimum of two months before beginning a rehab assignment. LHP Matt Chico (Tommy John elbow surgery in July 2008) went on the 60-day disabled list March 28. He will miss at least the first half of the season. ROTATION: LHP John Lannan LHP Scott Olsen RHP Daniel Cabrera RHP Shairon Martis RHP Jordan Zimmermann BULLPEN: LHP Joe Beimel RHP Julian Tavarez RHP Kip Wells RHP Joel Hanrahan RHP Garrett Mock RHP Logan Kensing LHP Ron Villone CATCHERS: Jesus Flores Wil Nieves INFIELDERS: 1B Nick Johnson 2B Anderson Hernandez SS Cristian Guzman 3B Ryan Zimmerman INF Ronnie Belliard INF Alex Cintron OUTFIELDERS: LF Adam Dunn CF Elijah Dukes RF Austin Kearns OF Josh Willingham OF/2B Willie Harris

Call for day of mourning in Iran

More mass protests are expected in Tehran after the main presidential challenger urged supporters to observe a day of mourning.

everyone knows someone who spent a semester abroad in florence

It's the Kevin Bacon of Italian cities: Florence. I've never spent a semester living there, mind you, but I've been three times, each time even more obsessed with finding a proper hole-in-the-wall "where the locals go" foodie haven. That said, and because I'm going on vacation no time soon, I thought I might escape here, by escaping here on this blog. I figure I'll do a guide for a few cities (In Italy I've visited: Venice, Bologna, Cinque Terra, Florence, Siena, San Gimiano, Rome, Naples, Portofino, Positano, and Capri) so when I'm ready to plan an escape I can check back with these travel posts and see what suggestions people make in the discussion section. My friend Leigha, with whom I just stayed in West Hollywood, lived in Florence and recommends some of these. Others are from me, from my last trip to Florence, where I stayed at The Excelsior with Smelly. I'll need to ask my step-sister Amanda when I have the chance. She too did the whole semester abroad thing--where she learned to cook! But where I think she mostly just shopped at the Prada Outlet (But NEVER on a weekend--oh, the hell). The thing is, you need to know who you're asking. You don't want to ask someone where to eat in Italy who'll actually eat at the Olive Garden, anywhere.Trattoria Quattro Leoni: Across the Arno, this is a must-stop for the pear ravioli. If you have to wait for a table, wait. There's a scratch of a bar/corner store across the street. Have a glass, listen to the locals, and admire how well all their shit always seems to match, even when it doesn't. Via de'Vellutini, 1r - Piazza della Passera La Giostra: Cavernous and candlelit, La Giostra isn't much of a secret anymore, as there's always a wait, despite your much needed reservations. Just start with a glass of spumanti, then move through all the courses, and you'll be over it. This is the one place you'll hear people recommend repeatedly. I'm not saying to go for the hype. Go for the zucchini carpaccio, the brie ravioli, the sea bass and the wine service... as "They do the best tableside wine presentation I've ever seen!"Borgo Pinti 10r, Off Piazza Salvemini, Near Santa CroceAcqua Al 2: It sucks that tourists are brought in by the busload here. There's also now a location in... San Diego! I'd skip it, despite my sister raving about the port chicken. Trattoria Sostanza: This is it my friends. Sizzling thick golden chicken breasts, fried in butter, served in the skillet, as you dine at a long communal table practicing your Italian. Or, as I did, speaking English with an Italian accent. Or, there's always the international language of love: food. As I recall, you actually walk through a doorway strapped with hanging wooden beads. It felt like an Italian episode of Three's Company. Except there were no misunderstandings, no fumbling chefs, and no women that even slightly resembled Chrissy Snow. All the same, it's none the poorer for it. It makes for a toothsome visit, the kind you'll never forget. Closed in August. Via Porcellana 25r: Near Borgo Ognissanti, Santa Maria Novella.Slowly Cafe: Get your drink on. Creative cocktails. Artistic, let's get it on, vibe. Roberto Cavalli's Caffe Giacosa and Cavalli Club. I'm including this just to give people something to throw shit at. A YEAR AGO: No One Likes Fat Girls4 YEARS AGO: Shortcuts5 YEARS AGO: Relax, Just a Sliver, If I Fall

Kuznetsova Defeats Jankovic at Italian Open

Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated Jelena Jankovic 6-1, 7-6 (3) at the Italian Open Thursday (May 6). Kuznetsova is just coming off a win at the Porsche GP, which was her first title in almost 2 years. Kuznetsova was able to close the match against Jankovic and overpower Jankovic. Next opponent for Kuznetsova is Victoria Azarenka, who defeated Kaia Kanepi 7-6 (5), 6-3. The match is being called sloppy and not a good one for either player. "It was a pretty bad match from both of us. Im just happy I managed to stay calm in the second set and pull it off," said Azarenka. "Definitely I need to step it up and be tough tomorrow." In other women’s tennis news, Dinara Safina defeated Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 and Venus Williams easily won against Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-1, 6-2. Source: AP Image Credit: Newscom Share and Enjoy: Post from: EveryJoe Kuznetsova Defeats Jankovic at Italian Open

Brunswick Stew: Electric Boogaloo

The title is a lie -- this is actually my third time slow cooking a Brunswick stew.First off, it passes the spoon test quite handily (it's thick enough so that a spoon will stay standing up):Passing the spoon test.It's got some heat (due to the chili paste, some cayenne and Sriracha sauce), but it's not too hot -- just enough to overwhelm the taste of the stew, which unfortunately isn't very flavorful. It's also not as sweet or tangy as my last try, since I used less cider vinegar and Sriracha.Ingredients, this time around:* 4 chicken drumsticks* Some olive oil for the skillet* Cooking spray* Handful of garlic cloves, minced* 2 medium sized red potatoes* 2 onions* 1.5 cups frozen lima beans* 1.5 cups frozen sliced okra* 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes* 2 cans of corn (I used 1 can creamed, 1 can kernel. Just because)* 2-3 tablespoons of chili paste (in retrospect, a bit too much)* Couple of squirts of ketchup* Couple of squirts of Sriracha sauce* 2 splashes of cider vinegar* The rest of a mostly empty bottle of Worcestershire sauce* Half-cup or so of chicken stock (leveling out the ingredients)* 2 chicken bouillon cubes (for extra chicken and MSG)* Assorted powdered spices: salt, pepper, onion, cayenne, chili -- whatever's handy. Plus a bay leaf or two. Season to taste.Procedure:* Spray nonstick cooking spray into the crock pot.* Heat oil. Start browning the chicken in a saucepan.* Impatiently start chopping potato, garlic, onion.* Inefficiently dash back and forth between the cutting board and stove until the vegetables are chopped and the chicken is browned.* Add potato, garlic, onion. Place chicken on top.* Add rest of ingredients. Place slow cooker on high. Go to bed.* Wake up 6 hours later, to find that the stew has reduced, by bubbling all over the kitchen counter. On the plus side, the chicken has fallen off the bone, so strip the bones and shred the chicken.* [Optional: Level off with some more lima beans, corn and okra, steamed.]* Cook on high for 2 more hours.* Book it. Done.The taste is... nontraditional, mostly due to the chili sauce. I think I used too much. On the plus side, it's plenty thickTags: brunswick stew, slow cooker, recipe

A kind of feeling,can't say out

Animal News # 467927 - Stay Tuned for Club Animals

Looks like my plans for Thursday night have been worked out...From Nonsense NYC - "The petting zoo is coming to town tonight to all you city folk, so bring a quarter for some feed and reconnect with nature. Wander behind the chicken wire and interact with the critters docile enough to touch and feed. But wait, these are not the sheep and goats you might remember from your childhood because Club Animals are your people friends, thoughtfully dressed in animal mascot heads and clothes to match. Yes, you heard right. (Club Animals is a theater group dressed in animal costumes who perform interactive art prank theater). The bar Home Sweet Home will be transformed into a petting zoo complete with a bear, chicken, dolphin, dog, and a lot of hay. All the critters are cute, cuddly, and underfed, so extend a flat palm of feed and a nice pat on the head and rekindle that important human-animal bond that you may have forgotten long ago."Frankly I don't remember there being Dolphins at the petting zoo, but who am I to argue with genius. See ya there, bring the kids.

Day Eight in Vietnam: 20 May

Viet Tri Hanoi RoadTHANH THUY/HANOIHosted by MCC / Thanh Thuy Women’s Union; Back to Hanoi by bus in p.m. More meeting with local dignitaries, more speeches, and then one of the highlights of the trip so far: a visit to two primary schools in the area. We came prepared, with candy. As we handed each child a piece, they did not eat it, but put it on the desk in front of them (three pupils to a desk for most of them, on tiny chairs). Only after they had invited all to share in the food (a necessary ritual for the Vietnamese) were they given the ok to eat them. So very solemn!Both schools had at the front of the room, in position of honor, is a photo of Ho Chi Minh surrounded by children ("HCM loves the little children, all the children of the Nam...") The teachers proudly put a few star pupils through their paces, singing songs and giving short recitations (none of which I could understand, all of it being in Vietnamese) and we answered by singing a couple of songs. ("The Hoky Poky" was a big hit.) The we drove off, with all of the children waving enthusiastically at us.The next school was even smaller and more remote, and intensely hot. They turned on the fans for us (Evidently they did not need them). More candy, more songs, from them and us, and this time "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" was a winner. Our guide led it in Vietnamese. Here is a group photo of us with the children. The local dignitary is on the extreme right as you view the photo. Lunch was at a local restaurant where the big hit was a pet monkey. Michael and Joel became its BFF. The food was great and very authentic, including what is becoming one of my very favorite dishes, water spinach. The chicken we ate had had a rough life, being tough and lean, but the grilled pork was spicy and tasty. How they manage to turn out such fabulous dishes in the most rudimentary of kitchens is extraordinary. A cat and her kittens wandered the restaurant. Then we dropped off our honored guests and began the long, bumpy ride back to Hanoi. Tonight we will stay at the Van Xuan Hotel in the Old Quarter, where we had previously stashed our main luggage. (We have been living out of a small backpack for four days).

Day Eight in Vietnam: 20 May

Viet Tri Hanoi RoadTHANH THUY/HANOIHosted by MCC / Thanh Thuy Women’s Union; Back to Hanoi by bus in p.m. More meeting with local dignitaries, more speeches, and then one of the highlights of the trip so far: a visit to two primary schools in the area. We came prepared, with candy. As we handed each child a piece, they did not eat it, but put it on the desk in front of them (three pupils to a desk for most of them, on tiny chairs). Only after they had invited all to share in the food (a necessary ritual for the Vietnamese) were they given the ok to eat them. So very solemn!Both schools had at the front of the room, in position of honor, is a photo of Ho Chi Minh surrounded by children ("HCM loves the little children, all the children of the Nam...") The teachers proudly put a few star pupils through their paces, singing songs and giving short recitations (none of which I could understand, all of it being in Vietnamese) and we answered by singing a couple of songs. ("The Hoky Poky" was a big hit.) The we drove off, with all of the children waving enthusiastically at us.The next school was even smaller and more remote, and intensely hot. They turned on the fans for us (Evidently they did not need them). More candy, more songs, from them and us, and this time "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" was a winner. Our guide led it in Vietnamese. Here is a group photo of us with the children. The local dignitary is on the extreme right as you view the photo. Lunch was at a local restaurant where the big hit was a pet monkey. Michael and Joel became its BFF. The food was great and very authentic, including what is becoming one of my very favorite dishes, water spinach. The chicken we ate had had a rough life, being tough and lean, but the grilled pork was spicy and tasty. How they manage to turn out such fabulous dishes in the most rudimentary of kitchens is extraordinary. A cat and her kittens wandered the restaurant. Then we dropped off our honored guests and began the long, bumpy ride back to Hanoi. Tonight we will stay at the Van Xuan Hotel in the Old Quarter, where we had previously stashed our main luggage. (We have been living out of a small backpack for four days).

Lockup -- Eve

Lately I’ve been visiting Creative Writing classes in the L.A. juvenile jails as part of my teacher training. I wrote about my first visit here, and every minute I’ve spent in the jail since, I’ve learned something completely unexpected. Needless to say, this teaching position will undoubtedly be one of the most memorable experiences of my life. When I tell people about this new job, the most frequently asked question is:Aren’t you scared?All I can say is that I am way more afraid of the mountain lion that lurks in the hills behind my house, and the pit bull down the street than I am of these kids. To me, incarcerated kids are not scary. Here is what they are: They are appreciative. Thankful for the few things they have left, like family (if they have any), friends (if they have any), shelter, food, and outsiders who brave the halls of the pokey to mentor and listen to them. They are curious. They want to know what I drive, what kind of kid I was, about the books I write, what music I like, if I want to hear the song they wrote, if I like baseball, if my hair is real, why I dress the way I do, why I like the color pink so much, if I like their tatts, why I have no tatts. They are lovers of reading and writing.The other night, I sat in a cramped room with 12 alleged murderers; it was two of the most fascinating hours of my adult life. We didn’t talk about murder or gangs or “the outs.” We talked about…books! They crave books more than any other luxury item. More than candy or photos or soap or socks. For them, books are an escape, books are entertainment, books are education and wisdom. Even though many of them can hardly read fluently, they want books. Any books, all books, picture books, girly books, Dan Brown books. This surprised me…have to admit that my little closed mind assumed kid-thugs would find books boring. Boy, did they school me on that one! Writing is many things to them: therapeutic, entertaining, exciting, enlightening, hopeful, and anything but boring. Most importantly, they are hungry.Hungry for food. Hungry for shelter. Hungry for money. Hungry for attention. Hungry for respect. Hungry for compassion. Hungry for knowledge. Hungry for a new life. Hungry for guidance. Hungry for hope. They are hungry because their basic needs have never been met. While on “the outs” they lie, cheat, steal, assault and kill in an attempt to acquire these things. The only difference between them and me as a kid is that my basic needs were always met…I had the luxury of loving, nurturing parents, constant roof over my head, plenty of food, money, role models, and opportunities for success in sports, academics, arts, and social activities. Working in the juvenile jail is like watching a sick and twisted real-life version of SURVIVOR, where the contestants’ hunger for basic needs remains unmet, and the worst in them emerges. Ever notice how on Survivor there’s always a “losing” team that acts negative and defeated? They’re always out of food and skinny and sick and cold because their shelter leaks and they have no blankets. Then, as soon as that team wins a reward challenge, their demeanor and behavior completely changes. They become confident and happy and positive and physically stronger. Then, they’re less likely to steal food and fight and attack each other. I believe that you can take the most compassionate and level-headed person and turn him into a monster criminal by stripping his basic needs. And I cannot judge them for the things they’ve done because maybe I would have taken the same route if I’d grown up in their circumstances. I also believe that if we help them gain and sustain these human needs, their behavior will change and hope will prevail. - Eve

If there is a Will...

Hello,This is a wonderful story. It doesn't matter who you are or whether your human or Canine or Feline. We all should be accepted and be treated with respect and well no matter if we have a disability or not. Please read, think you will enjoy. And, below, tell me your reaction. Take care.You know the old adage. You'll find out today in Denise's storythat it took a lot of will to make things happen for Pawlee. But today she's thriving! Nice story!"WHERE THERE'S A WILL..."by Denise Koebel I'm a physical therapist assistant in an acute care hospital. Occasionally, you build up a very quick, but strong connectionwith a patient. I worked with the patient's daughter, a nurse, andhad met his wife of 60 years. During the final treatment, he threw apulmonary embolism and coded. He died within an hour. We were alldevastated. His name was Paul. A week later, my step-mother told me about a litter of Beaglepuppies that had been born next door. One was needing some help. So I came in to check them out, even though I already had threedogs at the time. She was very small, 2.6 pounds at 7-1/2 weeks, hada large domed head, like a Chihuahua, and was about 1/4 the size ofher litter mates. She was the runt of the litter, and when called,she ran smack into the side of the door frame of the doghouse. Shewas blind too. Of course, she came home with me. Her name is Pawlee. Yep,named in honor of Paul. She was taken to my vet in Etown, who diagnosed her withhydrocephaly (the large head) and blindness. The vet gave me plentyof hope, but also a reality check, suggesting the possibility ofseizures, major medical issues and possibly even death. All of which I refused to accept. She had made it this far and deserved every chance possible. At 5 months, she was strong enough and had gained enough weightto be scheduled for spaying, but it had to be postponed due to anewly discovered liver enzyme issue. She was put on Denosyl and milkthistle for almost a year (both help with building up the liver) andthe following July, at 1 year and 3 weeks old, she was finallyspayed. HALLELUJAH! Today she has the run of the house and is house trained to thepuppy pads, but will "go to the door" to go outside. She runs aroundthe fenced backyard with little problem, wrestles fiercely and oftenwith her "sisters," and she sits on command. She didn't make a soundfor the first 5 months, but now only bays when she is wrestling -- and VERY happy doing it! She does run into things occasionally, but her vision appears tobe greatly improved since her adoption. I also supplement her foodwith carrots, both raw and canned, so maybe that has helped. Pawleeis now 15 pounds and full of life. DEFINITELY A BEAGLE -- lots ofdigging, following a scent, baying. Being blind hasn't stopped her from being a dog. Pawlee deserved a chance at a normal life, and has proven she isa fighter. Just because a dog has a disability and is born with multiplechallenges, both medically and physically, doesn't mean they can'timprove and live a full life. And it doesn't mean they are stupidand can't learn. With love, patience, a great vet, special medications and food,and other family canine support, Pawlee is doing extremely well andis thriving. She will be 2 in June. I thank God daily for sending her into my life. She has provenwhere there is a will, there is a way. You just have to be willingto try and have faith. -- Denise Koebel Denise says, "I'm a physical therapist assistant in Elizabethtown,KY. I have three dogs, two guinea pigs, seven birds, an aquariumand feed outdoor cats. I'm also a HUGE promoter of Petfinder.com toall of my family, friends and co-workers. And I thank my vets, Dr.Will Flanagan and Dr. Jessica Ayers, for having faith and greatdetermination to help keep my little Squirt and the rest of myfamily, healthy and happy."

China need this emergency exit

Not Your Grandfather’s Intelligence Analysts

I recently picked up a copy of the new edition of Jerome Clausers An Introduction to Intelligence Research and Analysis, which was first published way back in 1976. As editor Jan Goldman points out in his introduction, the new edition is an abridged version of that book. What was removed? Lots of outdated stuff, thats what. Goldman again: The chapters that were removed dealt with how to collect basic information during the initial phase of research. The chapters describe in detail where to find and how to utilize a card catalogue in the library and how to develop specific punch-card procedures to help extract information from referenced work. Okay, fine, good. But, you see, theres a footnote after that passage, and the note reads: A card catalogue was the location where index cards were kept for each book in the librarys holdings and punch cards were perforated cards that would be turned into data when fed into a very large computer. Do college students and people in the intelligence community these days really not know what card catalogs and punch cards were? Okay, I guess I can understand the punch cards, but card catalogs? Other than the strange generational-gap thing there, so far its an extremely interesting book.

Getting into the housewife mood.

Fumbled across this interesting programme which allows you to upload your personal pics into any templates given in the web. And guess what? The moment I saw this (template below), I can't help but to insert our dearest hh's photo!! (hh is so gonna kill me for this)I mean, it's like how I've been influenced over the past yr from the hougang gang on how gals has been 'swooning' over hh....going heads over heels etc.... And this was indeed a perfect picture for the template!! woooooh....Thought this 2 kitties were really sweet for me and dear's pic....And yes!! I'm going to watch CATS next April at the Esplanade!! Thanks Kel for the super good deal tics! =)Anyway, I'm so into Cold Storage/Market Place lately... going through the shelves and shelves of bottled products...finding names & ingredients so familiar from the cook books. Time to put on my chef hat and whip a meal this wkend!

Samia Smith Announces First Pregnancy

Just days after her father Joseph died of cancer, Coronation Street star, Samia Smith has announced she is pregnant with her first child. Samia plays a downtrodden crimper, Maria Connor, in the Manchester (UK) soap, Coronation Street, and is 13 weeks pregnant. She is due in October and, despite mourning her beloved father who passed away last week, Samia is thrilled that she and her husband, Matt, had time to give her father the good news. Samia said, "I am so pleased that we were able to tell my dad about the baby before he died." Samia's character, Maria, is currently pregnant on the show and is due to give birth in July. Samia adds, "I have been pregnant on screen for the best part of the past two years and as soon as I get rid of the fake baby bump I will have a real one."Congratulations to Samia and Matt!Full Story: THE Sun

Beef noodle

Richard Anthony McTear Jr.

This fine, upstanding example of manliness is 21-year-old Richard Anthony McTear Jr. Richard has a problem with his relationships with the opposite sex. When disagreements pop up, as they always do, Richard isnt satisfied just arguing, or yelling, or even cussing and hurling nasty insults. Richard likes to hit, and punch, and kick. Richard McTear also has problems with the police. McTears criminal history includes dozens of arrests, several of which involved domestic violence, Tampa police spokeswoman Andrea Davis said. His first arrest on domestic violence charges came when he was 14, Davis said. Details on that case are unavailable because he was a juvenile. In 2007, McTear avoided prosecution on felony criminal domestic battery by strangulation charges when the victim waived prosecution. In that incident, police said, he beat his girlfriend up, stole her car with their 3-year-old child in the back seat, gave the child back and burned the car, Jasmine Marie Bedwell, 17, knows first hand how lousy a boyfriend Richard McTear Jr. can be. She started dating him about 10 months ago, when she was pregnant with the child of another man, a man in prison. From the beginning, McTear did not warm up to the boy, said the infants great aunt Roberta Thomas. Bedwell told Thomas she was frightened of McTear and feared for her boys safety. She was always scared of him, Thomas said. He didnt care for the child. Last month, Bedwell sought an restraining order against McTear for domestic violence. She didnt appear in court Monday, and the case was dropped. Bedwell claimed McTear had violent tendencies, was armed and dangerous and had a drug problem. They had broken up earlier that month, but he continued to harass and menace her and her son, 3-month-old Emanuel Wesley Murray. She should have gone to court. According to a Sheriffs report published on Tampa Bay Online: Sometime early this morning, Bedwell, who had been out, returned to her apartment with her baby, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office. There, she found McTear. He had broken in, said HCSO spokeswoman Debbie Carter. When Bedwell closed the door, McTear began to beat her with his fists. He choked her, leaving abrasions on her neck. He bit her on the right arm and shoulder. Then he threatened her and the baby. Im gonna kill the both of yall, he said. Emanuel was in a car seat. McTear picked it up and threw it across the apartment. He picked it up and threw it again. Emanuel fell out, onto the concrete floor. Bedwell then ran out of the apartment, leaving her baby behind, to call for help. Deputies received a call from her shortly after 3 a.m. When she left, McTear grabbed the child, put him in his Chevrolet Impala and drove off, eventually heading southbound on I275, where he tossed the baby out of the drivers side window onto the shoulder. Thats right folks. Richard McTear threw a 3-month-old Emanuel Murray out the window of a moving car doing at least 70 miles per hour. The son of a bitch. According to the Medical Examiners Office, the exact cause of death of the infant was blunt impact with skull fractures and brain lacerations. Investigators are still trying to determine whether Emanuel died in the apartment or later, said HCSO spokeswoman Debbie Carter. Investigators found McTears Impala about 5 a.m. at his home. Four hours later, Tampa police got a tip from a caller who had seen news coverage on the incident and said McTear might be hiding in the nearby apartment complex. Officers immediately rushed to the scene. McTear ran out a door, and the short chase began, Carter said. Police found McTear hiding in a backyard. McTear didnt resist when he was caught, Carter said, but he didnt say anything to them. As he was led from a patrol car at the sheriffs District 2 headquarters, a reporter asked the handcuffed Richard McTear why he threw a three-month-old baby out his car window. Its a dirty game, McTear said after cursing the media. Its a dirty game. Richard Anthony McTear Jr. was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, kidnapping, felony battery and burglary with battery. One last thing - As he was being led into a van that would take him to jail, McTear spoke again to the media. He said he loves Bedwell. And he swore he was innocent. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Brought to you by People Youll See In Hell. The best reason to get a background check that just about anyone can think of.

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120,000 PIX

Karton Chair from German Designer Florian Kallus

Furniture Fashion recently heard from Florian Kallus, a German Designer living in Münster, Germany. He wrote to share his latest work called "Karton". The design is inspired by the coziness of a carton, a creation that all of us in the world are familiar with. There is a lot of symbolism in a cardboard box in how we compartmentalize our lives and store away good and bad memories. This adoption into furniture is constructed of multiplex plate coated in white oil oak edge with Viskoseschaum black cowhide. More information: here. Post from Karton Chair from German Designer Florian Kallus