Morning "Mad Men Meets The Clash" links

Barnhart points us to some very cool "Mad Men"-based art - including wallpapers. My favorite is the one at right, which combines Betty Draper with the "London Calling" album cover! Comedian Jeffrey Ross and his creepy facial hair were eliminated from "Dancing With The Stars" last night. Go Frau Blucher! I don't even know what to think about this: Lisa Kudrow will star in an Internet comedy series on the Lexus channel. What? Some good predictions for this season of "The Office," which starts on Thursday night with an hourlong episode. Allegedly Elisabeth Hasselbeck is considering leaving "The View" for Fox News. And we care because...? Hibberd gets some "Lost"-ies to give sorta spoilers on camera. And here's Ausiello's video spoilers from the same Emmys carpet.

oh hai!

Where have I been? I don't know! I've been present on the internet, but for some reason I've had a weird mental block that's kept me from blogging. I miss you guys. I've realized that I'm not an effective blogger when I'm not home and well, the last 5 months were spent away from my house. But as of late last night, I am back in Syracuse. I have so much to catch up on! Thinking about it too much would just paralyze me, so instead, I'll ease into things by filling out a survey that I found on the Raw Vegan Princess blog. I tag all of you to fill it out too, if you haven't already done!Memememe....1) LAST MOVIE YOU SAW IN A THEATRE? It's been a long time for me, since I've been out of the country until recently. I think the last movie I saw was I am Legend at the $1 theater.2) WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING? I just finished Secret Lives of Great Authors, and A Thousand Splendid Suns. Fun holiday reading. I'm also reading Surreal Lives, but I don't like talking about school work...3) FAVOURITE BOARD GAME? I love the Word Game, because it is really challenging. But I'm a huge fan of any board game, really. I'm nerdy like that. If you have any recommendations, I'd love to hear them!4) FAVOURITE MAGAZINE? Right now I'm in a design mood, having missed my house for the last few months, so anything about design is good. But sometimes the commercial-y consumer-y nature of magazines turns me off, and at those times nothing beats Adbusters.5) FAVOURITE SMELLS? Right now, rose, gardenia, anise, and musk.6) FAVOURITE SOUNDS? Sounds irritate me easily, so I'm going to have to say silence is my favorite sound.7) WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD? Helplessness, and also when you say or do something that you immediately wish you hadn't.8 ) WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE? Tea! Well, first, Feed The Cats! Then, tea!9) FAVOURITE FAST FOOD PLACE? I love Panera. On long road trips, that and Subway keep me alive. In regular life, I love the Italian Chef here in Syracuse.10) FUTURE CHILD’S NAME? Top Secret!11) FINISH THIS STATEMENT—IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I’D… endow a human rights and an animal rights chair at some school or another, donate to charities like there's no tomorrow, travel, give gifts to friends and family.12) DO YOU DRIVE FAST? No, I drive like a little old granny.13) DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL? Nope. My stuffed animals live in the guest room.14) STORMS–COOL OR SCARY? cool. especially if you're inside and protected. ooooh, especially summer storms here in the east.15) WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR? a hand-me-down 1988 Toyota Camry bought from my parents. I loved that old clunker.16) FAVOURITE DRINK? Tea (hot), mango juice (cold), sparking wine (alcoholic), lightly fizzy mineral water (water).17) FINISH THIS STATEMENT - IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD… overhaul this blog, and get to all the organizational projects around the house (files, photos, etc.)18 ) DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI? Yes, absolutely.19) IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY OTHER COLOUR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE? Something wild. Maybe multi-colored dreads- wouldn't that be cool?20) NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS U HAVE LIVED IN? Tehran (Iran), Esfehan (Iran), Los Angeles (CA), Santa Clara (CA), Cupertino (CA), New Hyde Park (NY), East Setauket (NY), New York City (Manhattan), New York City (Queens), Winter Park (FL), Irvine (CA), Syracuse (NY), Canterbury (England). Whew!21) FAVOURITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Football, but only during the World Cup.22) ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? She didn't send it to me, but Freedom is one of the most passionate and compassionate people I can think of. I love reading her blog and being inspired.23) WHATS UNDER YOUR BED? Nothing other than dust bunnies right now.24) WOULD U LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN? I'm sorry, I'm a bit of a nihilist, so I don't care if I would be born again or not. If I had to be, though, yeah myself would be cool.25) MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL? Morning person. Living with a night owl.26) OVER EASY OR SUNNY SIDE UP? No! NOOOOOOO!27) FAVOURITE PLACE TO RELAX? In the summer, in the hammock in the backyard, in the winter, under a cozy blanket anywhere.28 ) FAVOURITE PIE? Mince. England kicks America's ass in this category.29) FAVOURITE ICECREAM FLAVOUR? Coconut milk chocolate. So ridiculously luxurious.30) OF ALL THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE TAGGED, WHO IS THE MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST? I'm not tagging anyone, but I hope there are some readers out there left!

Ima waltson

Cut short

Use These Simple Guidelines to Choose the Best All Natural Dog Foods

Because dog foods are bought by people, dog food suppliers market to the ideas dog owners have about their dogs likes. This explains why dog foods come in different shapes and colors, with or without gravy, dry or moist, etc. Dogs do not need any of these things for the best all natural dog foods. Isn't it interesting that pet owners spend around $13 billion annually for pet food which the majority of these dog foods are not all natural dog foods that give your dog optimum health.Consumers Digest reported several years ago, "Few foods are so liberally laced with artificial flavors as pet foods" they also quoted sources that basically said that the only way they can get pets to eat the poor quality food is by adding phony flavors.Would you choose artificial, poor quality for ingredients in your dog foods or would you rather choose dog foods that are all natural dog foods for your dog?A carnivore's system is designed to eat raw meat, one animal at a time. Your dog should digest its meal and be eliminated before any putrefaction begins. A dog's digestive system is highly acidic, or at least it should be. Only raw meat stimulates a highly acidic system that is designed to kill unfriendly bacteria.Ingredients in the Best All Natural Dog FoodsYou will find the best all natural dog foods consist of approximately 75% organic, all natural raw meat. This can consist of beef, whole chicken or turkey wings, necks and backs as long as they are raw and fresh. When bones are old or cooked they become brittle and splinter.The best all natural dog foods are also around 25% vegetables. This does not mean give your dog a whole, raw carrot. In the wild your dog would get these vegetable requirements from the predigested vegetables in the animal's stomach and intestines. You can add organic vegetables to your all natural dog foods by grating them, chopping finely (like what you would find in a rabbit's stomach) or run through a blender, food chopper or food processor.In the wild a dog would get the water they needed from their prey, so the all natural dog foods you give your dog should be the consistency of a thick stew. The moisture content of dog foods also has an effect on maintaining healthy kidneys and bladder in your dog. Many pet owners report their dog cutting down on water consumption when being fed these types of all natural dog foods.Most of the minerals must come in the form of supplementation today. Calcium is very important in the best all natural dog foods. Bone meal is not an acceptable source of calcium for your all natural dog foods because bones store toxins and heavy metals like lead or even mad cow disease. The other reason is the calcium to phosphorous ratio. Pets need a 2:1 ratio between calcium and phosphorus. That is, for every 2 parts of calcium in the food, there should be 1 part phosphorus. As an example, if the food contains 2 grams of calcium, the food should contain 1 gram of phosphorus. Meat is naturally low in calcium and high in phosphorus. Bone meal is not only a source of calcium, but bone meal is also a source of phosphorus, so using bone meal reverses the 2:1 ratio so that perhaps your dog's body has a 1:3 ratio or 1 part calcium to 3 parts phosphorus. This imbalance could cause your dog health problems.Finely ground raw egg shells are the best choice for calcium supplementation in the best all natural dog foods. They contain virtually no phosphorus and are extremely high in calcium plus they are affordable and lightweight. The best all natural dog foods will use approximately 1 tsp. finely ground raw egg shells or about 8 large eggs for every pound of meat. Raw eggs are an excellent source of meat and affordable.Digestive enzyme supplementation are also a good ingredient in the best all natural dog foods. The four most commonly used enzymes in the best all natural dog foods are amylase that helps with the digestion of carbohydrates, protease which helps with the digestion of protein, lipase that helps with the digestion of fats and cellulase for the digestion of vegetables.Nutritive herbs provide a blend of vital nutrients that are essential in the best all natural dog foods. Alfalfa which is an Arabic word meaning "mother of all foods, dandelion leaf, nettle, and kelp are ingredients in the best all natural dog foods. These herbs can be found in various green food powder supplements from health food stores.The combination of these herbs in the best all natural dog foods provide such nutrients as biotin, bioflavanoids, calcium, magnesium, folic acid, iodine, iron, potassium, linolenic acid, niacin, potash, sulfur, zinc, vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C and E. These herbs also aid in the assimilation of protein, fats and carbohydrates plus are an excellent blood purifier. They also aid the body to help detoxify the liver, clean the colon and keep the thyroid working.Using these simple guidelines you can choose which are the best all natural dog foods to buy or how to make the best all natural dog foods available so your dog can enjoy optimum health.Sherrie Chastain Health and Beauty Consultant Best All Natural Dog Foods Helping People Find Health and Happiness in their Lives for 25 years

His Name is Al Harrington. He Sells Sneakers.

Driving around New York City on Sunday afternoon, passing by Madison Square Garden while the New York Knicks were north of the border getting beat by the Raptors, I saw an enormous banner that nearly caused a shock based accident. Here I am, minding my own business, listening to a youtube-produced blend of a Natasha Bedingfield and Notorious BIG song (sounds idiotic, but it's actually a banger), and there it is, hanging down the length of the Garden: a full length picture of Al Harrington, pimping his new shoes. Why even mention this here? Don't most athletes, especially basketball players, have their own shoe deals? Yes, of course they do, but this is quite different on several levels. First, and most obviously, he's Al Harrington. At 29 years of age, he's been in the league for 11 years, played for 4 teams, and has averaged an extremely pedestrian 13.5 points per game over the course of his career. Suffices to say, he has to be one of the more average, non-descript, uninteresting players to get his own shoe line in recent memory. But, beyond that, what's interesting is the shoe itself, and where it's being sold. No, not at Foot Locker, or Champs or Finish Line or any of those places. The Protege is available only at K Mart. More shocking than that--the price, at only $34.99. OK, where do I begin. Let's take a look at the shoe before we make any judgements. I'd say, not bad. It's offered in black, and in at least one other style. So, not bad. For 35 bucks, certainly doable. At least when you compare it to the Starburys... Similar colors, granted, but these are clown shoes. And, though it is hard to beat a 15 dollar pair of kicks, you get what you pay for. Many people I've talked to that got duped into purchasing the "NBA player's" sneakers tell me that they're uncomfortable. For 20 more dollars, you'd have to think Big Al's are a bit nicer on the feet. The other issue I have to bring up with Harrington's sneaker is how he got to be the face of the line. There's no way anyone at K Mart came to him and said, Al, we've been waiting for you to reach the level of mediocrity that you've sustained now for 11 years, and we're finally ready to reward you with your own sneaker line. On the other hand, did he go into them with the idea? Who knows. It is a great thing though. Recession or not, basketball sneakers costing 75, 100 dollars is absolutely insane. Who ever came up with the idea of having Al Harrington sponsor these sneakers, I say to you, strange choice, but great idea.

Bob Cut.

I (heart) Pilates

I (heart) Pilatesand Noble one day, and the words CLEARANCE caught my eye. Always up for a good deal, I walked over and picked up a book...or what should be known as THE book.ALl it said was "Pilates" with the picture of a girl doing the plank on the cover. I picked it up, looked at the price ($9.98 not counting my Barnes and Noble membership discount) and thought, "Why not?"And I am so, so happy that I did!It's what has gotten me to the gym (almost) every day, and I can already tell that it is making a difference. I can hold the plank, my ab work moves are getting better, and even my running has gotten stronger (I got back on track with a new training plan...but that is for another blog. I don't want to take any of the attention away from pilates!)I love pilates so much that I did it one time in the middle of a square in downtown Savannah after a long, hot run. It was just something I really wanted to do. Where I go, the book goes.And I'm not kidding when I say it has helped me get to the gym. It is such a nice way to start out any workout - cardio or strength - with the stretching and the ab work and the leg work...and these are some arm moves thrown in as well. There are three workouts that you progress through, and I am hanging steady in the first one. I have tried the second one a couple of times, but I am just not there yet. One of my goals for my next marathon is to make sure that I don't concentrate everything on running - to be really successful, you have to concentrate on every part of your body. And pilates, my new love, is one way that I am ensuring I am on the right track!

Extreme Tweaks

Learn by example When you realize that tattoos are only skin deep."Some people may look at this website, browse through the portfolios, and come to the conclusion that they want to become part of Steve's art. Some others may immediately decide that they don't like what they see. They may be offended or horrified by the subject matter, by the form that Steve's art takes, by the extreme individualism exhibited herein.So one person's idea of body modification is going to be a pierced ear lobe, and another person's idea of body modification is to look like the el Diablo himself. Just because you don't agree doesn't make it wrong."Steven HaworthHere's one of Steve's clients:"Stalking Cat"[Edited entry from 3/9/2006]See all Topics

Cranky Large Medium reading, 20 April

Go away. Why are you still here? What is it that holds you to the ground at my mountainside? Other than plain gravity, that is. What could possibly cause you to come here, to disturb my already disturbed nature? Oh, right. You want a reading. I am shocked -- shocked, I say. Ah, me. If I am to get rid of you, I suppose I will have to cede to your demands. So, here you are: You are as bullheaded as they come. If there were a prize for stubbornness, you'd have a full display case. You expect others to step aside, or be trampled on. You are easily influenced by praise and flattery, rather than by direct appeal or command. Surround yourself with brown-nosers, and you will be happy. Not that anybody else close to you will be. Are you happy, now? Of course not. Can't back down for a second. Hey, at least you can admit that what you have, here, in your life, beats the alternative. After all, you could be joining these people, all of whom, on this date in history, surrendered to the pressure of eternity: Zhengde, Pontiac, Karl Ferdinand Braun, Giuseppe Peano, Bernard Katz, Pope Clement V, Elizabeth Barton, Johannes Bugenhagen, Michael Fu Tieshan, Bram Stoker, Archibald MacLeish, Fumio Niwa, Joseph Wolf, Aldo Sigismondi aka Alan Dale, Andrew Hill, Don Siegel, Ruth Hale, Eddie Dyer, Richard Rood aka "Ravishing" Rick Rude, Christopher Robin Milne, Wenceslao Moreno aka Señor Wences and Steve Marriott.Say, is that your natural born hair? I thought not.Happy birthday, anyway.

Blogging taken to a new level: Come enjoy 1978 all over again

When I got into blogging and the writing field in general as a major passion and side hobby in my life, one of the major reasons was because I fully knew I'd have my thoughts documented in the future and the past. At any time I can see how I was feeling about the Yankees two years ago because it's saved in the archives. It's the main purpose of journals and other devices used every single day by people all over the world. It's a rarity when technology is available for things way into the past (at least from a technological standpoint). In this case, we have a rare treat on the internet. Remember 1978? (Yankees and Red Sox fans, I'm talking to you) If you do and you're a Yankees fan you probably remember fondly what happened throughout that season. It's something where you remember the highlights well, but wouldn't you like to know everything and relive the memories of what you were probably also feeling back then? What about if you're my age and that miracle year took place almost a decade before you were born? Wouldn't you be curious to know what it felt like to live each day game by game. Now everyone involved has a chance to relive what went on. Just follow this link, started by Author Paul Keck, who has published the first ever live-time book written by a baseball fan on a great season. The book is a comprehensive reflection in the present day of the greatest seasonal comeback within the rivalry and one of the greatest come backs of all time in sports history, and it includes other sports and their standings as well. Check it out while you search for new titles to add to your summer reading list! You can also buy it on Amazon right now.

Lessons from The Apprentice, Week 6 and a date for an after series party

What a cracking task. The teams headed to Chiswick Auctions in West London and were tasked with identifying the price of ten items ranging from bric a brac to antiques and collectables. The objective was to determine the price of each item and then sell for as big a profit as possible. Kate moved to Ignite led by Philip. Noorul joined Empire led by Philip. With encouragement from fellow Apprentice fans I’m thinking of getting the Twitter #apprentice gang and other fans together in a central London venue on 10 June to watch the last show and celebrate Kate’s expected win. Email me if you’d be interested in coming along. In the meantime here’s what we learnt from week 6. Business planning The Apprentice tasks all require good research and planning. It’s like real life really. Neither team excelled in this task because neither had a strategy. Sir Alan told the losing team exactly what the strategy should have been – identify the high value items, set a minimum price or reserve and then focus on selling the items as quickly as possible for as big a profit of possible. Research To be fair on the teams I don’t think the teams were given the tools to be able to quickly assess the value of the items. Access to the web would have helped. But perhaps that wasn’t the point and Sir Alan was looking for a back to basics approach. Desk research without the web is tough. It requires a military approach to hitting the phones to call round dealers. Sales Neither team had a sales strategy. Beyond the strategy that Sir Alan outlined in the boardroom. Noorul was shown the door because he failed to make sales while Ben survived because he was superb at closing sales. Delegation There were errors in management on both teams. Ben split the items between his two teams seven to three. Philip was dismissive of Lorraine’s insight. Again. Good leaders are prepared to get their hands dirty but delegate work equitably and they listen and gather opinion from their team before making decisions.

Campaigns to games

Jonathan Salem Baskin is the author of a book called Branding Only Works on Cattle. I havent read the book yet, but Ive checked the foreword and Jonathans blog, and Im particularly fascinated by what Jonathan says about games and branding. Games, and namely video games, are addictive. Just look at the Nintendo Wii craze, or Sony Playstation before that, and all successful video games, consoles and computer games since the 1970s. People give games lots and lots of their time over long stretches. They keep coming back to them, ignoring several other, more important influences in their lives. Marketers have known this for long, and you can find mainstream consumer products (and a certain presidential candidates campaign ads) placed in video games. Agencies are telling their corporate clients that brands need to do things with games. But Jonathan thinks that instead of brands doing things with games, games need to do things to brands. We shouldnt twist games to support our old ideas about brands, and have brands use game tactics. Instead, brand (and business) strategies should get configured like games, says Jonathan. Marketers mistakenly see games as a lowest-common-denominator channel, instead of realizing that games are not channels at all, but rather places, like social media, only with a purpose, he continues. Games are models of places where people live, worlds that have rules, roles, expected behaviors, and even dimensions of time. Perhaps most important, video games are places where people go to do things. Games are built upon creative ideas, but they’re experienced with behavior, says Jonathan. I cant think of any close examples of that yet. Cant say that Ive seen any brand designed like a game. But I find the idea really thrilling. And I noticed this upcoming webinar, organized by Rosenfeld Media and given by John Ferrara, on extending game design to business applications. Its not exactly the same as what Jonathan Salem Baskin writes about, but nevertheless Ill sign up for it. If anybody has examples of brands like games, please comment. I first thought of the old Nokia Game and other ARGs, but those are not quite the thing. Photo credit: David Farrant (Creative Commons)

Winners and Little Dogs

This Saturday will mark four weeks since I had my orientation training at Animal Rescue of Fresno. On the day I did my orientation, I found out that Lady was back at the shelter from foster care, and I spent the next week unable to get her out of my mind. I know that it isn't the right time for us to bring in a third dog, but it doesn't stop my heart from breaking a little bit every time I think about Lady Dog.Even though I couldn't bring Lady Dog home,I could do for her what knitters do - I could knit. On the way home from orientation, I stopped at Swatches, the LYS that is less than a mile from my house and I picked up two skeins of Cascade 220 Superwash plus the Fiber Trends "Dandy Dog Coat" pattern. May I present to you, Lady's Mock Cable Sweater, modeled by none other than Lady Dog herself:Please to note that my tiny old lady was very, very happy that the sun was out last Saturday.This is actually the second sweater I knit for her. The first was too big. It was an extra small, but with her teeny tiny birdy legs, she was able to step out of the sweater.I can't tell you how happy I am to be volunteering at ARF. Every Saturday morning I wake up, take the puppers for a walk and then go to ARF where I scoop dog poop, clean out kennels (while the puppers are frolicking in their yards), play with puppers, do dishes, do laundry, play fetch, give pets, and generally find another dog to fall madly in love with. I usually end up dirty, stinky, and happy beyond reason that I've just gotten a chance to hang out with such great dogs and great people. What a great way to start the new year!And I am also very excited to announce the winners (I couldn't pick just one) of my little end of the year contest - Claudia and Brenda! I'll be emailing you both shortly for your snail mail addresses so that I can send your prizes!Thank you to everyone who entered the contest - it was fitting to end one year and begin another by thinking about charity.

Dallas Mavericks Team Report

Dirk Nowitzki is doing everything he can to prolong the Dallas Mavericks' playoff lives. Already averaging 32 points in the second-round series against the Denver Nuggets, Nowitzki helped the Mavs stave off elimination and a sweep in Game 4 Monday night in Dallas with a game-high 44 points. It was the third-best playoff performance by a Maverick, trailing only Nowitzki's own marks of 50 (vs. Phoenix on June 1, 2006) and 46 (vs. Portland on April 19, 2003). Nowitzki, who also had 13 rebounds, scored 29 points in the second half and 19 in the fourth quarter as he refused to let Dallas' topsy-turvy season end. He had just 11 points in the previous three fourth quarters combined. "We didn't want to go home," Nowitzki said. "We talked about it, how we've got some pride on this team. We've showed it all season long. It's been a tough up-and-down year, but we're not done yet." The series shifts back to Denver for Game 5 on Wednesday night with the Nuggets leading three games to one. "We played for one more chance," Nowitzki said, "and we're going to go up to Denver and we're going to let it all hang out again."Nowitzki's sweet fade-away jumper made it 114-112, giving the Mavs their first lead in the game since 6-5. Dallas led in the game for just over three minutes. MAVERICKS 119, NUGGETS 117: A 34-point fourth quarter saved Dallas from elimination. Dirk Nowitzki had another huge game with 44 points and 13 rebounds. Josh Howard, playing on two bad ankles, contributed 21 points and 11 rebounds. Jason Kidd hit key buckets and finished with 13 points, six assists and 10 rebounds. Nowitzki's big night countered Carmelo Anthony's playoff career-high 41 points and 11 rebounds. Chauncey Billups had 24 points and J.R. Smith dropped 19, with several shots falling as the shot-clock expired. Denver led by 11 at the end of the first quarter and by 10 at halftime, but surrendered 66 points in the second half.NOTES, QUOTESThe Mavs finally broke through against the Nuggets this season with their first win in eight games and the first home victory in four games. Overall, the Mavs had lost eight in a row to Denver and last beat the Nuggets in January 2008.The Mavs were whistled for four technical fouls, including two in the fourth quarter, one each on Brandon Bass and Antoine Wright. Bench points played a key role for the Mavs, who got 10 points from spark plug guard J.J. Barea, his first significant contributions of the series and from forward Brandon Bass, who had 11 points, six rebounds and one big block on Carmelo Anthony in the final three minutes of the game.QUOTE TO NOTE: "I would probably use an uglier word than hostile, but I'm not going to do that right now... I've been in hostile buildings, but you can do it in a classy way." Nuggets coach George Karl, on several disturbances in the American Airlines Center stands in Game 4 stemming from the Mark Cuban-Kenyon Martin feud from Game 3. Extra security was deployed to protect the Nuggets' family members.ROSTER REPORT ROTATION: Starters Point guard Jason Kidd, Shooting guard Antoine Wright, Small forward Josh Howard, Power forward Dirk Nowitzki, Center Erick Dampier. Bench Guard Jason Terry, Guard J.J. Barea, Forward Brandon Bass, Forward James Singleton. PLAYER NOTES: F Josh Howard is clearly playing on two painful ankles and it shows every time he grimaces. He gutted out a big-time performance in Monday's Game 4 to keep the Mavericks alive in the series.Howard finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds in 34 minutes, his first playoff double-double since the first-round loss to Golden State in 2007. "Our main focus coming into (Game 4) is that we wanted to leave it all out on the court and we've been fighting and fighting this whole series and the win finally went our way," Howard said. "Guys really kept fighting (Monday night) and we didn't want the season to end this quick and we'll be ready for the game in Denver on Wednesday." The Mavs improved to 5-0 this season in the playoffs when Howard scores at least 17 points.G Jason Terry continued to struggle in the playoffs in Game 4, finishing with just 12 points, which did include a big free throw to put finally put the game away with 1.1 seconds to go. He put up just seven shots in 31 minutes and was 1-of-4 from beyond the arc. He picked up his fifth foul midway through the third quarter and scored just the one free throw the rest of the way. His teammates bailed him out of an awful mistake with 3.8 seconds left in the first half. With the Mavs down by just five points after trailing by as many as 14, Terry was called for a flagrant foul on a driving Linas Kleiza and followed it up by picking up a technical. Denver added three quick points at the free throw line and got the ball back. Carmelo Anthony tipped in a miss and the Nuggets scored five points on the possession to double their lead in 3.8 seconds.G Jason Kidd won't match Denver point guard Chauncey Billups point-for-point, but he's scoring enough to help his team. Kidd scored 13 points in Game 4 and he hit two of the Mavs' three three-pointers in the game. Kidd added six assists, giving him just 11 in the last two games, and also 10 rebounds for a much-needed double-double. During the regular season, Kidd averaged less than 10 points a game, but he's pumped up his average in the postseason to give the Mavs four players averaging in double-figures. Dallas spent all season as one of only three to four teams with only three players scoring in double-figures. Kidd's already scored in double-figures six times in nine playoff games. MEDICAL WATCH:G-F Jerry Stackhouse (right heel) is out for the season.G/F Devean George (right knee) is out for the season.

Huge savings on top selling EMS cigars

Dear Friends This week we have something very special for you, tremendous value English Market Selection Havana cigars at 25% off regular price. EMS cigars are widely recognised as the finest Havana cigars in the world, and at these prices now is the perfect opportunity for you to grab yourself a box and try them out These promotional stocks are very limited so order early to avoid disappointment. Quote "BB0805" when you order and we will reduce the price of your order at our end before we run the charge PARTAGAS SERIE P#2 TUBED - PACK OF 3WAS £51 - NOW JUST £38.25Rated 91/100 by Cigar Aficionado May 2009"This torpedo exhibits near perect combustion and comes on strong with a spicy, leathery, mineral laden smoke. Bold, beefy and impressive"Order your pack here and quote "BB0805" for the reduced price:http://www.whisky-cigars.co.uk/partagas-se...ack-p-2905.html PARTAGAS SHORTS - BOX OF 25WAS £192.1 - NOW JUST £150Rated 92/100 by Cigar Aficionado April 2009"A handsome petit corona with an expertly crafted three-seam cap. The leathery flavour core is framed by coffee bean, walnut notes and a fresh tobacco finish"Order your box here and quote "BB0805" for the reduced price:http://www.whisky-cigars.co.uk/partagas-shorts-p-260.html HOYO DE MONTERREY PETIT ROBUSTO - CABINET OF 25WAS £257 - NOW JUST £200 Rated 90/100 by Cigar Aficionado 2009"There's an array of flavours on this cigar ranging from coffee and leathers to stony notes. The finish has a bit of oak. The draw remains even throughout"Order your box here and quote "BB0805" for the reduced price:http://www.whisky-cigars.co.uk/hoyo-monter...stos-p-215.html The above promotional prices are valid for customers outside of the EU only. Shipping will be via airmail and customers should allow approx 7-10 working days for deliveryIf there is anything else you are looking for have a look at www.whisky-cigars.com I am always available for advice by e-mail on sales@whisky-cigars.com Kind regards Fraser GilchristRobert Graham Ltd 10-14 West Nile StreetGlasgow, G1 2PPTel +44 (0)141 248 7283 194a Rose Street,Edinburgh, EH2 4AZTel +44 (0)131 226 1874Fax +44 (0)131 220 4111 www.whisky-cigars.co.uk "A merchant set apart by time and tradition"

Autumn pictures

Our first home grown cabbage. Successful broccoli! Curly kale and marigolds. We've had fewer caterpillars on this kale and I've seen hoverflies on it. I wonder if the marigolds on this side and the phacelia on the other side helped.The old chook run garden last weekend. The edging at the foreground is thyme. Most of this garden, now the tomatoes are out, is kale, silverbeet, perpetual spinach, celery and bay trees, all for the coming winter. There are Maori potatoes and a chilli pepper plant in there as well. The draped shade cloth in the background is our temporary chook run for daytime use.

The Legacy of George W.

Note:The following is an excerpt from the article "Barack Obama: A Man for All Seasons". Given the latter's length, I felt that Mr. Bush at the very least deserves a separate post of his own. Last thing I remember, I wasRunning for the doorI had to find the passage backTo the place I was before"Relax," said the night man,We are programmed to receive.You can checkout any time you like,But you can never leave!The Eagles, Hotel CaliforniaThe Bush Years were marked by a spiraling descent into war, penury and global ridicule of U.S.A. This was an era (hopefully now ending) permeated by what might be called Osama-phobia after the chief cause- the sine qua non- of President Bush’s abject but admittedly involuntary reversal from his first campaign’s now somewhat archaic big-on-morals-and-small-on-government stance. Fear, or more precisely, the fear of Fear, fed into- and authored- every decision he took. (His Vice President, the much more vilified Dick Cheney, didn’t do anything to assuage these fears.)The two parameters of American Supremacy alluded to by Henry Kissinger in his monumental treatise on Diplomacy- military might and economic prowess- were both put to severe test by the quagmire of the Afghanistan-Iraq double-invasion; Iraq, and a widening and ultimately insurmountable Deficit- the typically American habit of spending more than they earn- that has brought about a global recession. 

In the memorable words of the Eagle’s song, Iraq, in effect, became Mr. Bush’s Hotel California: You can checkout any time you like, But you can never leave! Despite his rather premature “Mission Accomplished” glee, the war in Iraq procrastinated indefinitely. From the start, the Invasion of Iraq was doomed: his justification for the invasion- that Saddam Hussein, the then Tirkiti despot of Iraq, possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMD), which he hoped perhaps to use against America in league with Al Qaeda- turned out to be, to put it mildly, untrue; his method of conducting that invasion- against the express wishes of the international community- ended up alienating even America’s closest friends (with the notable exception of Britain’s Tony Blair, who inturn ended up losing his own chair); and his hope that the invasion would somehow usher in an era of democracy in the Middle East wasn’t quite realized to the extent that he had expected.

In the Case of Jefferson v Hamilton
But despite all this, Mr. Bush’s worst enemy wasn’t Osama bin Laden, the Taliban or even Saddam Hussein: it was the American People themselves. No wartime American President with the possible exception of Franklin Delano Roosevelt has for long enjoyed his fellow-citizens’- and the Congress’- unflinching support: despite their rather militaristic national anthem, Americans have never been comfortable with the sight of body-bags of slain soldiers wrapped in star-spangled banners arriving home. At heart, they remain Jeffersonians (after Thomas Jefferson), content to be an island (albeit a rather large one!) blissfully unaware of what’s happening beyond their shores and hoping that they wouldn’t need a government to govern them at all. Let us not forget that when Mr. Bush first emerged on the scene, he too was something of a Jeffersonian in the ideals he so passionately espoused. 

But he too, like most Americans, was confronted with a distinctly Hamiltonian reality (after Alexander Hamilton): the almost instinctual need of the American Establishment- Noam Chomsky’s military-industrial complex- to look for new enemies when old ones are gone, as epitomized in the ironically self-fulfilling prophecy of Samuel Huntington’s Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of the New World Order. In this sense atleast, Huntington gave a fresh, new lease of life to Hamilton. And what a lease that was! President Bush, the quintessential Jeffersonian, became a die-hard disciple of Hamilton in what was to be his life’s second epiphany (the first one took him from Booze to the Bible). Of course, it would be wrong to put all the blame on the Establishmentarian Inertia of Washington: Mr. Bin Laden, in all fairness, deserves much of the credit for Mr. Bush’s conversion. 

His attack on the Twin Towers (9/11) only amplified Mr. Bush’s innate sense of Christian morality: his world was suddenly divided into black & white, good & the axis of evil, and under the circumstances, Crusade was the logical outcome of Jihad. Morality breeds decisiveness; lack of it makes one indecisive. This is America’s lesson gleaned from its last two Presidents, Mr. Bush and Mr. Clinton. I’ve often wondered what Mr. Clinton would’ve done had he been President on 9/11. Sure, he wouldn’t have invaded Iraq, WMDs or no WMDs (remember his dilly-dallying on Kosovo, Congo and the rest); he would certainly have ruled out going it alone, without the backing of the world community (God knows, Mr. Hussein counted on that!); he might not even have considered an outright invasion of Afghanistan, toying first with Diplomacy or being content with the destruction of Mr. Bin Laden’s person. But the question that begs to be answered is this: would Al Qaeda be as thoroughly destroyed as it is now; and would 9/11 have been the last terrorist attack on American soil? 

With respect to the Bush Years, I offer the following two observations: one, that it was Mr. Bush’s pandering to his Jeffersonian instincts that ultimately led to his failure in Iraq. He wanted to invade Iraq, destroy Saddam and get out as quickly as possible with a minimum of force and cost; the idea that nations don’t just build themselves after being invaded and destroyed didn’t quite cross his Jeffersonian mind (apparently he forgot all about post-second world war Western Europe and Japan, both of which required prolonged infusions of American money, manpower and foresight to rebuild themselves).The success of the Surge in Iraq- today’s provincial elections have brought true democracy to the Middle East for the first time in history, and Mr. Bush should be given due credit for it- shows that the middle-of-the-road approach is at fault. Had Mr. Bush not been bullied by public opinion and his own mindset to limit the costs to America in the first instance, his country wouldn’t have ended up spending so much- in terms of blood, sweat, toil and money- in Iraq, and thousands of innocent lives might’ve been saved. In short, if he is to be blamed, it should be for doing too little; not too much.Secondly, I believe it is too premature to pronounce judgment on the Bush Legacy: History will have to wait for things to settle down in Iraq before arriving at any sort of decision; hopefully, it would look more kindly upon the Bush Years than our own generation.(To see what I mean, take a look at HBO's award-winning mini-series on John Adams, America's mostly-forgotten and much-misunderstood second President

Apparently there IS such thing as too much tan

The Rectorotor - Reaches the vital spot effectively. I summoned it with my mustache - The best answer to any question. The original Bugs Bunny - The Warner Bros. Bugs Bunny is just a cheap rip-off. You know he's hard - This guy is tough. Gangsta tough. Garfield bling - Classy crystal design. Tan addict - Apparently there IS such thing as too much tan. What? How? - Maybe it fell from the sky when the pole was up? The consequences of marriage - Driver carries no cash, he's married. In Russia - We decide when you smoke. Condometric - A real product: condom from Spain, with a measuring stick down the side. Soviet mobile nuclear power plant TES-3 - First TES-3 was made in 1961, it was using T-10 tank platform; total power output was about 8.8MW. Epiphany - When you have that sudden realization that you look like a total prick.

Cash-for-clunkers gallons-per-mile calculationsFelix Salmon

Ryan Avent and the MPG illusion both examine the “cash-for-clunkers” bill from the perspective of how much in the way of carbon emissions will actually be saved when someone takes advantage of it. But there are a few sums missing in these posts, so I thought it would be worth filling them out. Here's Ryan, for instance: For passenger cars, the incentive is reasonably ambitious: those moving from less than 18 mpg to better than 22 mpg qualify for $3,500 for a four mpg improvement and $4,500 for a 10 mpg improvement. But standards quickly decline as you move up in size. For SUVs and light trucks one qualifies simply by moving from below 18 mpg to above 18 mpg. A $3,500 voucher is available for an improvement of just two mpg, while a mere five mpg improvement gets you the full $4,500 available. The full table is here, but only in MPG form. In terms of gallons of fuel used per 100 miles, things look a bit different. Here's how things work out in useful gallons per mile, rather than silly miles per gallon. To get a $3,500 voucher by trading in a car, you need to move from 18mpg to 22mpg — which is an improvement of 1 gallon per 100 miles. To get a $3,500 voucher by trading in a small SUV/truck, you need to move from 16mpg to 18mpg — which is an improvement of 0.7 gallons per 100 miles. To get a $3,500 voucher by trading in a large SUV/truck, you need to move from 14mpg to 15mpg — which is an improvement of 0.5 gallons per 100 miles. To get a $4,500 voucher by trading in a car, you need to move from 12mpg to 22mpg — which is an improvement of a whopping 3.8 gallons per 100 miles. To get a $4,500 voucher by trading in a small SUV/truck, you need to move from 13mpg to 18mpg — which is an improvement of 2.1 gallons per 100 miles. To get a $4,500 voucher by trading in a large SUV/truck, you need to move from 13mpg to 15mpg — which is an improvement of 1 gallon per 100 miles. So Ryan's absolutely right: the criteria for SUVs are much weaker than the criteria for trucks. Why do you need to improve by 3.8 gallons per 100 miles in order to get the $4,500 voucher on a car, when you can improve by just 0.5 gallons per 100 miles in order to get a $3,500 voucher on a large truck? It doesn't make a lot of sense.

Is childhood lost?

Childhood now is quite different from what it used to be . My dad says that when he was a child, he had a lot of time to play, and still he had a lot of time left to study. Now-a-days children and even teenagers don’t get time for such activities. Most of their time is spent preparing for their exams. They are made to rush to jump on the so called development bandwagon as their parents expect them to outshine all others in their class. As a result they have lost their innocence. Their parents and the education system have deprived them of their childhood. They don’t know what they should and they know what they should not. A newborn infant transcend childhood and steps into youth with a wayward mindset.

Walking with the Dinosaurs - Key Arena Presented by the BBC

The BBC Presents WALKING WITH THE DINOSAURS at Key Arena from April 29 - May 3, 2009!The BBC's widely popular televsion series comes to life at Key Arena until May 3rd. Displaying 15 dinosaurs spanning 10 species and several million years, Walking with the Dinosaurs is a spectacular event for all ages, though especially for the kids! The large mechanical dinosaurs weigh in at about 1.6 tons each piece (about an average car) while some of the performers are operated by a suit-wearing puppeteers.The show was conceived in 1996 when a team from the BBC was inspired to create a television series on paleontology. However, their financial blockade was substantial. Being not long after the premier of Jurassic Park (which only contained about 9 total minutes of dinosaur footage) which cost the studio about nine million dollars, the finances looked shakey. However, when the teams came together, gathering footage of landscapes, creating models of the dinosaurs and other creatures as well as rendering digital models for the filming, everything fell into place. After the television series premiered in 1999 and was immediately acclaimed as a hit, it wasn't a far leap to put their dinos on stage!And now they're here for Seattle Audiences until SUNDAY! Buy your tickets now!posted by Andrew J. Perez in association with Nigel Andrews