Spirited Heart, fantasy life simulation game released

Author: jack1974 Subject: Spirited Heart, fantasy life simulation game released Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 6:16 pm (GMT 0) Topic Replies: 3 More info and download links here: http://www.winterwolves.com/spiritedheart.htm Spirited Heart is a fantasy life simulation game available for Pc/Mac/Linux. Create your fantasy alter ego choosing between an apparently normal human, a cute elf and a wicked demoness. Every character has different starting attributes that will greatly influence the gameplay. They also behave differently in the various dialogue choices you'll encounter during the game. Once the game start you'll be able to run your life in a virtual fantasy world: choose a job from the 20 different ones available, but carefully check the minimum requirements. _________________pc and mac game downloads - computer games - free photos and wallpapers

Hollywood Post Alliance Announces Fourth Annual HPA Awards Call for Entries

Hollywood, CA. (May 8, 2009) - The Hollywood Post Alliance has announced the Call for Entries for the Fourth Annual HPA Awards. The popular award show will take place November 12, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Launched in 2006, the HPA Awards have become a standard by which creative and technical excellence in the art, science and craft of post production is measured. The HPA Awards invite entries in the following categories: Outstanding Color Grading using a digital intermediate process-Feature Film Outstanding Color Grading-Television Outstanding Color Grading-Commercial Outstanding Editing-Feature Film Outstanding Editing-Television Outstanding Editing-Commercial Outstanding Audio Post-Feature Film Outstanding Audio Post-Television Outstanding Audio Post-Commercial Outstanding Compositing-Feature Film Outstanding Compositing-Television Outstanding Compositing-Commercial Entries are also being accepted for the HPA Judges Award for Creativity and Innovation in Post Production, a new category that made its debut during the 2008 Awards. The Innovation Award recognizes companies and individuals who have demonstrated excellence in the application of innovation in a post production process or to the post production industry through the use of new approaches, tools, workflows and ideas that help enhance the post production process from a technical, creative or efficiency perspective. The period of eligibility is September 4, 2008 to September 7, 2009 and eligible work may have debuted domestically or internationally during this period. Entrants need not be members of the Hollywood Post Alliance to submit work for consideration. In addition to the creative award categories, the HPA Awards recognize outstanding achievements in post-production by individuals, companies and in engineering. The revered Engineering Excellence Award is bestowed upon an individual, company or process that advances post production technology. The Charles S. Swartz Award for Outstanding Contribution in the Field of Post Production is awarded to a person, group, company or technology that has made a significant artistic, technological, business or educational impact on Post Production and the Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a post production professional for his or her service and commitment to the field of Post Production. Nominees and winners are selected by judging panels that are drawn from professionals in production and post-production. Entries for the Engineering Excellence Award will be invited to present to engineering award judges at a special HPA event that will be open to the post community. Complete rules, guidelines and entry information are available at: www.hpaawards.net. Submissions for the creative categories and for the HPA Judges Creativity Award will be accepted May 1, 2009 through July 31, 2009. Submissions for the Engineering Excellence Award will be accepted May 1, 2009 through July 1, 2009. Early Bird Entry (reduced fee) applies until July 3rd, 2009. The HPA Awards were launched in 2006 to highlight the contributions of the talented men and women of the post production industry who are a pivotal part of the creative process and of hit shows, spots and movies. Last year’s winners included Steven J. Scott for the DI color grading of “Iron Man,” the audio team from “Wall-E,” Outstanding Feature Film Editor went to Lee Smith, A.C.E. for “The Dark Knight,” and commercial spots for Jaguar, “XF Hush,” and Audi RS6, “Gymnast” were recognized. Engineering Awards went to Quantel, Panasonic and FastSoft. The first Judges Award for Creativity and Innovation were awarded to LaserPacific Media Corporation for the accurateIMAGE system; Sony Pictures Imageworks for the “Beowulf 3D” stereoscopic post production pipeline; and jointly to Digital Film Tree and CBS/Paramount for the development of a data-centric post network and workflow for “Everybody Hates Chris.” Long time Hollywood post production executive Ronald Burdett was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for Contribution to Post Production and Dean Elizabeth M. Daley, of the USC school of Cinema was last year’s recipient of the Charles S. Swartz Award. For a complete list of last year’s winners and nominees, visit www.hpaawards.net. A Call for Judges will be announced soon for late summer judging sessions. Nominees will be announced in the fall. For more information about the HPA Awards, visit www.hpaawards.net or call 213.614.0860. About the HPA Hollywood Post Alliance (HPA) serves the professional community of businesses and individuals who provide expertise, support, tools and the infrastructure for the creation and finishing of motion pictures, television, commercials, digital media and other dynamic media content. About the HPA Awards The HPA Awards were created to foster awareness of post production, promote creative and technical excellence, recognize the achievements of post production talent, and build involvement in the Hollywood Post Alliance. The HPA Awards will be presented with generous support from Gold Sponsor: Autodesk; Silver Sponsors: Deluxe, Panasonic, and Thomson Grass Valley; and Bronze Sponsors: Avid Technology, Cine-tal, da Vinci, Digital Vision, Quantel, Sony, and Texas Instruments DLP Cinema.

The 5 simple rules to being happy! Is it REALLY this simple you think?

I received an email a few days ago that was quite detailed, but one part of it stood out and I wished to share it. They were the 5 rules for being happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

Cream of Greens Soup: Dandelions, Spinach, and Arugula

When I think of Earth Day, I think more about how I was raised instead of an event marked on a calendar that occurs once a year. I guess my mother was green before her time simply because she needed to be frugal with her earnings. But thats not all. Her common sense was what was really at work. If youre a single mother who works split shifts and have three children under the age of six, you put all of them in the tub at the same time and teach them that the water cannot rise above their belly buttons. Absolutely no showers, ever. You rinse your two girls very long hair with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar mixed with water they wished was warm instead of shockingly cold. You nag your children incessantly until they understand that lights are turned off when not in use and that electricity costs money  which sadly does not grow on trees. You make your childrens clothes, and as much as your younger daughter may not love the idea, pass the older daughters clothes down once outgrown. You make shorts from cut off pants, either outgrown, or made possible by knees that have worn through. You purchase less of everything and teach them how to take care of what they have, because if they dont, theyre not getting anything new. You make popsicles from koolaid poured into ice cube trays and dole them out over a few days like they were gold nuggets. You remind them to bring home from school each day, not only the brown bag their lunch was in, but the baggies their chips and sandwiches were stuffed in to. You teach them to clean their plates at meals, and never, ever to waste food. Ever. Or else. And you teach them how to eat their vegetables  especially the green ones. In celebration of Earth Day and smart, frugal moms everywhere who were green long before it was the cool thing to do, this soup is for you. Its healthy, and made with a bit of this, and a bit of that from my vegetable drawer. Cream of Dandelion & Greens Soup 6 oz. dandelion greens, thick stems trimmed, then chopped 3 oz. baby spinach 3 oz. baby arugula 1 T extra virgin olive oil 2 c. good vegetable broth 1 lg. leek, white and light green parts only, cleaned, sliced 1 carrot, peeled and chopped 1-1/4 c. low fat milk 1-1/2 tsp. grainy Dijon salt & pepper to taste chives for garnish Coarsely chop the dandelion greens and toss with the other greens. In a large wide-bottomed pot over medium, heat the olive oil and add the carrots and leeks, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the greens all at once and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes more. Heat the vegetable broth to a simmer while the vegetables are cooking, then add it to the pot. Stir and bring to a simmer, allowing to cook about 15 minutes. Turn the heat to low and add the milk, stirring occasionally, and simmering until well-heated. Puree in small batches using a blender or food processor, or puree in the pot with a hand-held blender. Stir in the Dijon, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle a few chopped chives over each bowl when serving. Notes: I made this soup and the Cream of Asparagus soup on the same day. Id picked up the dandelion greens at Specialty Produce the day before and had quite a few left after the salad I made for myself. Since Id enjoyed the salad, I wanted to try a soup, but didnt have quite enough dandelions left, so true to form, had additional greens in my veggie drawer. Voila! Soup. My husband and son liked the asparagus soup more than this, but the flavors are so different, it was difficult for me to compare them. Although the Dijon can be optional, it added something special to this soup. The greens provide a little bite, so its a match made in heaven. The soup is fairly thick, so when it comes time to add the milk, you can add as little or as much as youd like. Its just as delicious the next day  just keep tightly lidded after cooled down and chill. Im not a chilled soup kind of person, but this is nice at room temperature  perfect for lunch even on a warm day sitting in the shade out back, enjoying all the greenery and blossoms that Spring Time brings each year. This soup was adapted from Melissa Breyer at care2 who has lots of other yummy things to do with dandelion greens. Go see! If youd enjoy a reminder about just how healthy dandelions and other greens are for your entire body, then check my notes out here. If you still havent been able to get something made and sent to Chris of Melecotte for the Cooking to Combat Cancer III blogging event, then you still have time! And if youre interested in general information about Earth Day, then check out these links. Earth Day.gov Earth Day Network Earth Day 2009 EnviroLink Check out epicurious and their Green Kitchen Tips while youre at it. Related posts:Cream of Asparagus Soup Ive had greens on my mind quite a bit...Spring Salad with Dandelion Greens, Asparagus and Fresh Peas If there was ever a salad season, Spring would...Creamy Spinach and Avocado Soup My husband and I were recently in Las Vegas wasting... Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Who is he?

FDA moves against swine flu fraud

From The Associated Press: The Food and Drug Administration has found at least 20 Web sites that may be fraudulently marketing products with claims that they guard against or cure swine flu, an agency official said Monday. The FDA publicly rebuked one such site Monday — http://rebuildermedical.com — for offering a $199 SilverCure Swine Flu Protection Pack that includes shampoo, lotion, conditioner and soap that supposedly deposit traces of silver. Everything you need to protect yourself and family, the Web site says. But the FDA says no silver-based products have been approved for swine flu treatment or prevention, so its illegal to claim such benefits. Alyson Saben, who heads a new FDA swine flu consumer fraud team, told The Associated Press in an interview that ReBuilderMedical Technologies Inc. will have 48 hours to take corrective action or face criminal or regulatory action from the FDA. A phone message and e-mail to the company were not immediately returned. Officials on the new swine fraud team working over the weekend found at least 20 other sites peddling products for swine flu accompanied by potentially fraudulent claims, Saben said. She declined to identify the other sites until the agency investigates their claims and makes a decision about their accuracy. But she said they were things like antiviral medications being sold without a doctors prescription, dietary supplements with exaggerated claims, and flu diagnostic and protection kits. Unfortunately we see that these deceptive products are being offered, and by purveyors of products that take advantage of the publics concerns about the virus, Saben said. FDA will consider whatever means are necessary and available to us to immediately stop the marketing of unapproved, uncleared or unauthorized products. The FDA is asking members of the public to notify the agency when they encounter potentially fraudulent products. Tips can be submitted at: http://www.fda.gov/oci/flucontact.html Forms of silver like ionic silver or colloidal silver — none of them approved for swine flu — are nonetheless easy to find online accompanied by claims that they fight or prevent the new flu. A Web site called http://www.swineflugone.com is selling a 2 oz. spritzer bottle with a concoction of ionic silver, echinecea, eucalyptus and spearmint and claiming it will Stop Swine Flu in Its Tracks. Another site, http://www.flu-watch.org, claims to disclose What the CDC wont tell you that just may save your life. Colloidal silver is offered as a lifesaving cure. Other sites are selling the antiviral Tamiflu apparently without requiring a doctors prescriptions, or expensive kits of surgical masks, gloves, and anti-bacterial wipes and gels. Surgical masks and gloves are medical devices and must have FDA approval. But even if the items themselves being sold are FDA-approved, the claims being made about them may not be accurate, Saben said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend widespread use of face masks, saying only that they may be useful — along with other measures — for people who may be in close contact with people may have flu. Surgical gloves are only recommended for people like first responders having direct contact with ill people. FDA swine flu fraud page

Comment on Dissent and Narcissism by Mercurius

Wow, Derrida wasnt kidding with that stuff about authors having no control over how a text is read. Getting j_p_z out of retirement was just one among dozens of unintended consequences. The next few extracts summarise exactly what I was trying to say: TimT: It was dumb when left-wingers claimed to be dissenters (witness Janeane Garofoleano claim that she was being silenced by George Bush and co - on national television!) And it’s equally dumb when right-wingers do it. It’s a variant on a standard victim pose. Lefty E: My point is simply the “bold dissenter” trope is indeed part of a neo-con playbook: and they will play it whether it appropriate, inappropriate, or straight-up ridiculous. Berlusconi is a clear example of the latter. Helen: spend a while reading the US blogosphere with reference to David Horowitz, Chris Muir and other RWDBs. They totally think they are now downtrodden heroes, fighting against the new totalitarianism of TEH ONE. Klaus: I take Mercurius’ ethical imperative as the only legitimate one that can be avowed: nobody ought to get to bestow the title ‘dissenter’ on themselves. Helen, again: I think what Mercurius is talking about is middle class Repubs and similar who try to buy into the narrative of persecution - David Horowitz, Jonah Goldberg, the organisers of teabagging (heh!) protests, those people. They’re really an elite but they try to pretend they’re downtrodden. Adrien To pose as a dissenter is different from being a dissenter. To properly dissent one has to actively publicly object to something for which there is powerful support. Usually at great risk. Yeah, thats pretty much all I was getting at. *And add to Helens list of elite dissenters in Australia David Flint, Alan Jones, Andrew Bolt, Ian Plimer etc. Liam: Your last sentence is the classic argument delegitimising any struggle of any kind—that because someone is worse off, one has no grounds for complaint. I reject that utterly. Nup, I dont think thats what the last sentence was saying at all. Freidrich: Interesting this tactic of painting dissenters as spoilt rich kid brats. I seem to recall there was a lot of that when the coalition were in power. Youve got it the wrong way round. The point I was making is that there are a lot of spoilt rich kid brats who are painting themselves as dissenters. thewetmale: To suppose that dissent is only legitimate if someone suffers is a bit off. I agree, which is why I dont suppose that. But there are an awful lot of well-publicised and widely published self-styled dissenters out there who are getting a lot of prime-time interviews and fat royalty cheques as punishment for their dissent. j_p_z So in the interests of more advanced accuracy, we all owe a debt of gratitude to Mercurius, as usual, for so gamely modelling what a blind and deaf fool looks like. Cheers. Good to know you can dish out way more than you can take, as usual. How Victorian; how WASP. Am I a Victorian WASP now? Thats a nice promotion from White Austrian-Irish Jew. (WAIJ?) Myrtle: Do you really think you should have posted this, given it is pretty obvious you have no education in the sciences? Thats rather elitist of you, isnt it Myrtle? Do you impose the same lofty standard of qualification on anybody who wants to venture an opinion about climate change, or can any bastard with a Wordpress install have a go? Id say that facing prosecution by the Vatican for his scientific papers is a pretty solid example of courageous dissent on the part of Galileo, but then without my scientific training, who am I to say? Its been a nice day for you Myrtle, but its over now. Youve insulted nearly every contributor on every thread, and your time is up. Good-byeeee!

The Sunny West Hampstead (South Hampstead, Price: £120pw)

This newly decorated two bedroom non smoking(ish) flat is located in the heart of West Hampstead on the first floor of a safe well maintained small mansion block. The room Newly decorated carpeted and has a big comfy single bed wardrobe chest of draws and a mirror. Living room Has large bay windows very big and bright two huge comfy couches tv cable wireless internet and dvd etc. The kitchen Modern wooden floors fully fitted with a washing machine and all plates cups and utensils etc. The bathroom Clean Bath toilet and a power shower that never runs out of hot water Location Flat is located just 2 mins (max from West Hamp tube (jubilee line) the Thames link and Silver link trains and the 24 hr night bus. Finchley road (Metropolitan line) 5 mins away. It is also a 5 minute walk to the O2 Centre Sainsbury s cinema shops and restaurants The area has lots of cool shops pubs restaurants and cafes right around the corner. Great for lazy summer evenings West Hampstead is also renowned for being very safe Flat mates and myself have never experienced any problems in the area at any time of the day or night in the last 8 years Myself I am an easygoing English male in my 30s working in education. Enjoy going out socialising with friends lots of tennis love music films and cooking tasty food You Im looking for someone that is sensible (house trained chilled out clean flat mate preferably fluent in English who enjoys life works and plays hard relaxed and have a god sense of humour Bills Internet cable tv phone line tv license come to £30 per month each. Utility bills (gas elec water) are around £20 per month each. Conclusion This flat is actually in South Hampstead which is located just behind West Hampstead tube station. The icon on the map is slightly wrong it is above the icon as a pose to below if that makes any sense. Many adverts say they are in West Hampstead but most of them will not have a more perfect location than this flat. It is a lovely picturesque road and big bright modern apartment but its also cosy and comfortable Guaranteed you will love it There is no place better to spend the summer The room will be available from the 15 May Viewings can be most evenings and some afternoons. Please email us with some basic details about yourself and we will arrange a time to view the place. Cheers Archie.

FOX

Victorious Ecuador leader recommits to radical agenda

By Naomi MapstoneFinancial Times, April 28 2009Rafael Correa, Ecuador's newly re-elected leftwing populist president, promised to sustain his radical agenda in his pursuit of 21st century socialist revolution amid the euphoria of his victory.The first Ecuadorean leader in three decades to win two successive terms in office has had a tense relationship with the US, foreign investors and multilateral lenders since he first came to power in 2006.A close ally of Hugo Chávez, president of Venezuela, Mr Correa is popular with voters for his refusal to pay foreign debt he deems illegitimate, his threats to expel foreign companies such as Repsol of Spain and America Movil of Mexico if they do not agree to new terms, and for his decision to shut down a base used by the US for anti-drug flights.Like other leftist leaders in the region, including Mr Chávez and Evo Morales of Bolivia, Mr Correa has also introduced a new constitution that extends his term limits, potentially to 2017.A buoyant Mr Correa yesterday said he would continue with his social revolution to "eradicate misery and create a more just and dignified country" in spite of the global financial crisis, depressed oil prices and dwindling remittances and tax revenues."The outlook is very good for the country, the worst is over. But, of course, there is still great uncertainty and anything could happen."Mr Correa's Alianza Pais party is close to securing a majority in the 124-member national assembly, which should allow him to pass bills to cement the new constitution and advance his control over the oil and mining industries, the central bank and the media.But Mr Correa's public expenditure programme, which saw spending more than double in two years to more than $21bn (£14bn) in 2008, was largely predicated on oil wealth. Many economists question Mr Correa's ability to maintain the rate of spending."He is going to have less money, so the challenge for Correa is how to deal with the global financial crisis and at the same time maintain the social policies and reforms he has promised," says Adrián Bonilla, a Quito-based political scientist.The Opec nation relies on oil to fund 40 per cent of its budget, and its reserves have fallen by a third to $3bn (£2bn) since it defaulted on its Global 2012 and 2030 bonds. Ramiro Crespo of Analytica Securities says the government will be able to "muddle through" as long as the oil price holds at about $40-$45.Mr Correa may yet succeed in a buyback of foreign debt in which he is seeking to repay holders of Ecuador's defaulted bonds as little as 30 cents on the dollar. It was unclear whether bondholders would take up the offer, however, as Ecuador had defaulted out of an unwillingness to pay rather than an inability.Jaime Carrera, a Quito-based economist, predicts negative growth of -2 or -3 per cent for the year, and says the growing number of unemployed, and those who work for as little as a dollar a day, is likely to cause growing social unrest."There is a very high level of poor people who know little of economics . . . they hate the bankers, they don't want them. They hate investors, they don't want them, they hate businessmen, they hate politicians, this is the populist rhetoric," he says. "Correa is a great manipulator of the feelings of the poor."Mr Carrera predicts Mr Correa will abandon dollarisation, although he acknow-ledges that "the dollar is more popular than Correa".But Mr Bonilla says Mr Correa will retain the dollar. "The dollar is not only a system of exchange in Ecuador, it's a symbol of economic stability," he says."You cannot exit the dollar without causing suffering to the most vulnerable people, which would have dramatic political consequences." Fander Falconi, foreign minister, told the Financial Times the government was unwaveringly committed to maintaining the dollar, although it exacerbated pressure on the balance of payments.

Nokia E71x with AT&T in stores across the U.S. today

Text it, don't say it - survey reveals growing trend in messaging White Plains, NY, USA - Nokia announced that the slimmest smartphone on the market, the Nokia E71x, will be available in AT&T retail stores and online beginning today. Priced at just USD 99.99*, this much-anticipated full QWERTY smartphone arrives at a time when one in two people surveyed** say they would prefer to communicate via text message or email over phone calls. "The trend for messaging, whether email, IM, texting or social networking, is stronger than ever - we are seeing a real shift in the way people prefer to communicate," says David Petts, Vice President and General Manager, AT&T Account, Nokia. "The E71x is one of the most stylish and sophisticated QWERTY smartphones on the market, and it's the ideal companion for people who enjoy easy messaging and connecting with their friends. We are thrilled to now bring this sleek smartphone to people across the United States with AT&T." In a recent survey conducted with 500 American adults aged 18 and above, 52 percent said they would prefer to use texting or emailing if they had to use only one communication method for two weeks. The option of only making voice calls for two weeks trailed behind at 40 percent, according to the people surveyed. The survey, commissioned by Nokia, looked at the way people use messaging and social networking on their mobile devices. The results revealed that both texting and social networking from the mobile device are playing a part in the romantic side of life. More than one in four, or 26 percent, have made plans for seeing a special someone via social networking on their mobile, and 64 percent have made plans for a date via text messaging. Additionally, 32 percent of those surveyed have responded to a text message during a romantic dinner, and more than one in ten, or 11 percent, have actually interrupted a romantic engagement or dinner to respond to a social networking message. The same percentage of people say they have ended a romantic relationship via text, and seven percent have ended a relationship via social networking from their mobile. Nearly three in four people, or 69 percent, said they send text messages at least once a day. What they use it for is revealing - nearly one in three, or 29 percent, say it is acceptable to tell friends/family they just got laid off via text message and one in ten would "call" in sick to work via text messaging. In fact, actual behavior trumps intended behavior - 13 percent have called in sick to work via text. An additional 12 percent of respondents say they actually have spread news of their lay off to friends/family via texting. According to the survey, people are also using messaging and social networking to stay ahead in a tough economy. Eleven percent said they have secured a business deal via text and 6 percent have successfully used social networking to nab new business. "Cutting-edge smartphones like the E71x are a huge hit with our customers

Sales Tax Deduction for New Car Purchases

A reader name Patrick just wrote in to point out a recent IRS press release about a special tax break for new car purchases in 2009. From the release: The Internal Revenue Service announced today that taxpayers who buy a new passenger vehicle this year may be entitled to deduct state and local sales and excise taxes paid on the purchase on their 2009 tax returns next year. While youve been able to deduct sales taxes for quite some time now, this deduction was previously limited to those that itemize their deductions, and you also had to make a choice between deducting your state income tax and your sales tax. Details of the New Car Sales Tax Deduction The deduction is limited to state local sales and excise taxes on up to $49,500 of the purchase price of a qualified new car, light truck, motor home, or motorcycle. In order to qualify, the vehicle must have been purchased between February 16, 2009 and January 1, 2010. The deduction phases out for individual filers with modified adjusted gross income of $125k-$135k and joint filers in the $250k-$260k range. As noted above, you can claim this deduction even if you dont itemize your deductions. Follow me on Twitter! ---Related Articles at fivecentnickel.com:» Dont Miss These Tax Breaks, Part 1» Optional Sales Tax Tables are Still Available» Dont Miss These Tax Deductions» Home Sales UP in February» Mall Jewelry Store Sales» How to Decide if Travelling to a Sales Tax Holiday is Worthwhile» Gas Prices Drop, American Car Buyers Forego Economy» The Home Office Tax Deduction

Do you like to have many brothers and sisters or you like to be only one?

How many brothers and sister do you have? Are you in good relations with they? You are elder brother? Will you help your brothers and sisters if they need? Or they help you if you need? Or you just don t like to be in good relation with they, and everybody must to be with his family? hus/wife and your kids i mean?

More Egomaniac Tyrants Revealed…

MPs expenses: Sinn Fein claimed £500,000 for second homes The scandal of how absent Sinn Fein MPs have milked the Parliamentary second-home expenses system for nearly £500,000 can be revealed. By Andrew Alderson, David Barrett and Alastair Jamieson 09 May 2009 The five MPs, who represent the political wing of the IRA, have not even taken up their Parliamentary seats and yet they have rented three London properties from the same family at rates well above the market norm. The partys two best-known figures, Gerry Adams, the party leader, and Martin McGuinness, Northern Irelands deputy first minister, jointly claimed expenses of £3,600 a month to rent a shared two-bedroom flat in north London. A local estate agent, who knows the properties, said a fair monthly rent for the flat would be £1,400. The three other Sinn Fein MPs together claimed £5,400 a month to rent a shared, modern town house, which the estate agent said would rent on the open market for around £1,800 a month. At other times some of the MPs have stayed in a third property, another two-bedroom flat. The Telegraph has made a series of explosive revelations about MPs expenses that have rocked Westminster, including more disclosures today about senior Labour and Conservative politicians. More details will be published over the coming days. The five Sinn Fein MPs have claimed more than £310,000 in five years from the public purse by submitting receipts from one man, an Irish landlord living in London, and his family. Immediate neighbours of the three north London properties, which are all part of the same development, could not recall seeing any of the five MPs when shown photographs of them. The five MPs denied acting improperly last night. They insisted the money had been legitimately claimed and that they did regularly travel to London for work, when they used their rented properties. The MPs say their rent includes parking, housekeeping and utility bills. However, there were calls last night for an investigation into our disclosures. Owen Paterson, the shadow Northern Ireland secretary, said: This needs to be looked at by the House [of Commons'] authorities. Any possible breach of rules should be investigated by either the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner or the Fees Office [responsible for finance and administration]. All MPs have to operate within the rules, or the spirit of the rules. Mr Paterson said the rules need to be changed, and would be reformed under a Tory Government. It is absolutely inconceivable that a Tory-dominated House of Commons is going to vote for allowances for MPs who dont turn up. This papers investigation revealed that some of Sinn Feins MPs have rotated between the three properties, in some cases moving from one property to another then back to the first for no obvious reason. The MPs have submitted rudimentary rent receipts to the Commons authorities to support their expenses claims. Neighbours of the three-storey town house where three MPs - Michelle Gildernew, Pat Doherty and Conor Murphy - claimed expenses last year, could not recognise the politicians in photographs shown to them by The Sunday Telegraph. One resident, who did not want to be named, said that the yellow-brick house was a rental property where young professionals appeared to come and go. One resident, who helps run the development, said of the MPs: They do not live here. I have never seen them, although I do recognise from the photos that they are something to do with Sinn Fein. The Sinn Fein MPs also have identical televisions and stereo systems. Receipts submitted to the Commons authorities show that in 2004, two of the flats, each rented at the time by two of the MPs, were equipped with Samson 28-inch widescreen televisions, each costing £329, and DVD Sony cinema surround systems, each costing £230. The invoices were made out in the same handwriting, with one of the flats also charging for a three-seat settee, costing £795, and Venetian blinds, costing £485. The three properties have been rented from three members of one family, which this newspaper is not naming. The landlord and his family own at least 12 properties in the area. He and his wife live in a town house close to the rented properties. When contacted yesterday, the landlords wife confirmed that the family owned all three properties. She said that the Sinn Fein MPs were currently renting two of the three properties, but they had also been renting the third. They alternate [between the properties], she said. She refused to answer any detailed questions about the rental arrangements between the family and the Sinn Fein MPs. My husbands business affairs are his affairs, she said. Since MPs second-home expenses figures were first published in 2004 for the period covering 2001/2, the five MPs have claimed £437,405 under the Additional Costs Allowance (ACA) system, which helps MPs to meet the cost of running a second home, and which was last year worth up to £24,000 per MP. The five each claimed £21,000 of ACA in the last financial year, just short of the maximum permitted. Earlier this year, it emerged that Sinn Feins MPs claimed a total of £662,660 of taxpayer-funded allowances in 2007/8, including travel costs, offices and staff salaries. The Sinn Fein MPs have never taken up their seats at Westminster because it would involve swearing an oath of allegiance to the Queen. However, in 2001, as part of the Northern Irish Peace Process, they were given permission by the Government to start claiming Parliamentary expenses, prompting cries of treason and shame in the Commons when the decision was announced. A Sinn Fein spokesman in Belfast responded to questions from The Sunday Telegraph on behalf of all five of the partys MPs. He said: It is widely known that Sinn Fein MPs travel regularly to London on Parliamentary business and utilise the accommodation that we rent when there. We do not purchase properties at public expense and therefore do not profit from the expenses claimed as of right. The rent we pay on these properties are all inclusive of parking, utilities, housekeeping etc and therefore you are not comparing like with like. Each MP said that he, or she, only ever claimed for one property each year: I feel no duty to repay anything that I have legitimately claimed and to which I am entitled under the same rules as all other MPs. If the rules are changed then I will abide by the new rules. Sinn Fein is unique in that we are the only political party that voluntarily publishes our financial accounts annually in the interest of openness and transparency. If only other parties would do likewise then the public might have more confidence in their public representatives.

The Williams Kiddos

Just wanted to share some favorites from a session we just finished editing.Love this image of her skipping along the rocks...It was tough to get a serious face......when really they actually were such hams!Our faves are always the images showing love and interaction like the next few images.Isn't this weather just delightful? I heard that tomorrow is going to be quite a contrast, but it sure is a sweet taste of Spring to have such nice weather.It's funny how the warm weather prompts everyone that it's time for portraits this time of the year. We got from zero calls average per day to about a dozen or more. =) Honestly, if we got more than that, we'd probably have to hire an administrative assistant.Food for thought... How long has it been since you had professional portraits done? Time flies! I was thinking recently that photography is, in one sense, a luxury item because it's easy to put off or buy cheaply. In reality, though, I think photography and photographs are among the most valuable things in our lives, when you remember that they top the list of things you would most likely think to save in a house fire.Hope you all had a great St. Patrick's day! Holly and I did date night with Ted's Cafe Escondido's fajita chicken enchiladas and a full pint each of their queso and salsa. We have yet to finish the enchiladas. =)... All Photos © Christian Sangree, Prints Charming Photography

Wildlife Gardening Group Lesson Plan

I will be doing the following lesson plan with my girl scout troop this week. We aren't going to be earning a specific brownie try-it but I am going to look for some sort of fun patch to go along with the theme of Wildlife Gardening. Please note: all information is from National Wildlife foundation's Garden for Wildlife Page.Introduction to Topic:Read: The Missing Sunflowers by Maggie SternAsk:What things in Simon's garden attracted wildlife? (Answer: Sunflowers)Why did the squirrel want the sunflowers? (Answer: For food.)Food is just one of the things that animals need to survive. What are some of the other things animals need? (Answer: Shelter, space, water)Explain: Today we are going to talk about what things we can do in our own yards to attract wildlife. That means we will be looking at what we can do to offer different types of animals food, water, shelter and space in our own back yard.Activity 1:Ask: Where would an animal find food in our backyards? (Answers: Seeds from a plant • Berries • Nectar • Foliage/Twigs • Nuts • Fruits • Sap • Pollen • Suet • Bird Feeder • Squirrel Feeder • Hummingbird Feeder • Butterfly Feeder) Explain: Everyone needs to eat! Planting native plants or hanging feeders in safe places are two easy ways to offer food in your habitat.Make a bird feeder. We will make the bagel bird feeder and the strung cheerios feeder.Activity 2:Ask: What are sources of water for animals? (Answer: Lake • Stream • Seasonal Pool • Ocean • Water Garden/Pond • River • Butterfly Puddling Area • Rain Garden • Spring )Explain: Wildlife need water for drinking and bathing. The easiest water source to install in your garden is a bird bath. Be sure to change the water 2-3 times per week during warm weather when mosquitoes are breeding, so that any eggs laid in the water don't have time to hatch.Make clay pot birdbaths.Activity 3:Explain: Wildlife need places to hide to feel safe from people, predators, and bad weather. Ask: Where are some areas that animals find shelter? (Answer: Wooded Area • Bramble Patch • Ground Cover • Rock Pile or Wall • Cave • Roosting Box • Dense Shrubs or Thicket • Evergreens • Brush or Log Pile • Dead Trees or Hollow Logs • Burrow • Bird, Bat or Bee house • High Grass Areas like a Meadow or Prairie • Water Garden or PondActivity: Hang Mason Bee House in the backyard.Activity 4:Explain: Space is the amount of room an animal needs. The amount of space an animal needs depends on what type of animal it is. A bear needs a square mile or more, while a meadow mouse needs only a fraction of an acre. They need this space to be able to have enough food and water and to have a place to bear and raise their young. If there are too many of one type of animal in a certain area, the animals will have to compete for food. Many habitat features that serve as shelters are also an animal's space. For butterflies to live, they need to have a space to lay their eggs where the eggs can hatch into caterpillars and the caterpillars can survive. Then they also need plants nearby where butterflies can get nectar once the caterpillars go through their metamorphosis. Plant host plants for caterpillars and butterflies. (We will plant sunflower seeds and cosmos seeds as they are favorite plants and flowers for the American Painted Lady, one of the most wide-spread butterflies in the world and a common butterfly in NC, in the larvae and adult stages.)Concluding Activity:Hike-While on a hike we will look for areas that would make good habitats. We will look for sources of water, food, and shelter.

Mexican Street Tacos

Because Ive been dreaming of the street tacos I had while in Mexico, I decided to put that bag of masa Ive had in my cupboard since the last time we attempted making our own tortillas to good use. Its been a while because lets face it  San Diego is a hop-skip-and-a-jump from the border and there are plenty of places to get authentic tacos here. I just never order them. Im more of a carnitas person so cant tell you much about how good the tacos are at our favorite Los Dos across from Albertsons on Turquoise in Pacific Beach. Its on my agenda to find out, though. In the meantime, I treated myself to a tortilla press to the tune of $17. It makes me smile about this cooking hobby I have, because that sum could purchase quite a few packages of perfectly fresh corn tortillas if you know when the delivery guys stock the best ones at the market. But the woman in Puerto Vallarta made it look so easy: Make a ball, put it on the lower plastic covered plate, press, and peel. Voila! Yes, well, lets just say that after watching me try a few with less than completely desirable results, my husband was gnashing at the bit to step in and finish the rest with no trouble at all. Go figure. Perhaps its a math thing. And the taste? Would they compare favorably with the El Cisne taco cart in Puerto Vallarta? I say definitely. Mexican Street Tacos My Way For the tortillas& 2 c. masa de harina 1-1/3 c. water 1 big pinch kosher salt In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients until a soft dough begins to clump and you can make a ball that is smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. While the dough is resting, prepare the filling ingredients. To prepare the tortillas, make a ball a bit smaller than a golf ball. Place between sheets of plastic wrap on the press and mash. Peel from the plastic and place on a medium hot griddle or cast iron skillet about one minute per side. They dont need to brown. Remove to serve as you make them, or stack on a warm plate and keep covered. Makes 18-20 tortillas. For the filling& 2 c. shredded chicken 1 c. shredded cabbage sliced radishes sliced cucumbers chopped green onions chopped cilantro quartered limes salsa verde 1 avocado, mashed with the juice of 1/2 lemon, salt, and pepper Optional: fresh roasted corn Mix and match the fillings to your preference. Bare bones is meat, a sprinkle of beans (which I forgot!) and cabbage. Notes: Masa de harina is corn flower or powdered corn meal. La Pina is a popular brand sold in the baking section of your market, but its also available in bulk in specialty stores. I used left over chicken we ate the night before. To do your own, roast a young chicken at 350 degrees F for 1 hour. Fill the cavity with quartered lemons, whole cloves of garlic, and sprigs of thyme. Rub the exterior with olive oil and sprinkle with a Southwest or Mexican spice blend of your choice. Mine has salt, garlic, chili powder, and cumin in it. Cabbage? Absolutely. Its crunchy and flavorful  much more flavorful than iceberg lettuce which youd never see in one of these tacos. The salsa verde we like is made by Embasa and comes in small cans. Its a tomatillo based salsa. You can make your own as I have often in the past  and it doesnt take more than 20 minutes  but this is supposed to be easy, right? I squeeze 1/2 lemon over the radishes and cucumbers and sprinkle on some salt. The extra flavor is nice. If you dont want to put this in the tacos, then its a garnish thats great for cooling down the heat if you use spicy salsa. Guacamole isnt what I was going for here. In fact, the sauce used at El Cisne was much more thin, most likely mixed with Mexican table cream. Its pourable. But I love a nice avocado with a squirt of lemon eaten right out of the shell, so why mess with it? The corn isnt something Ive seen on tacos, but were addicted to it right now. Its perfect for a meal like this whether you put it in the tacos, or eat it as a side. The flavor is amazing. Scrape it off a fresh cob into a clean medium hot cast iron skillet. Allow it to caramelize a bit by letting it sit. It will stick, but not much. Salt and a squirt of fresh lime juice if you want makes it perfect. Other bits and pieces& Zoe of Zoe Bakes, the awesomely talented chef and co-author of Artisan Bread in 5-Minutes a Day tagged me some time ago for Dancing Deer Baking Companys Sweet Home Initiative and Ive been waiting for the perfect opportunity to pass it along. If you havent heard, theres a give away connected to it from Le Creuset! Dancing Deer Baking Company’s “Sweet Home” initiative: Dancing Deer’s Sweet Home Initiative raises money for scholarships to help educate homeless women and end family homelessness. As a part of this initiative, our CEO, Trish Karter, will be riding her bike 1,500 miles from Atlanta to Boston, visiting family shelters in each city to raise awareness about this issue. She’ll also be recording stories from the women she meets along the way, asking them about their experiences. One question she’ll ask them are what foods remind them of home. (See more here.) Tacos remind me of home just like so many of the other recipes Ive written about from my childhood. It was one of those treat meals we didnt have as often as others but always looked forward to. Weve always fried our store-bought tortillas in oil first, but not until crispy. No, ours were soft and filled with ground beef, shredded cheddar, chopped tomatoes, and yes, iceberg lettuce. To this day, thats pretty much how we make them, although my husband tried to get me to use a taco seasoning mix in the beef for years and finally gave up. Ive added avocado, vary the cheese from time to time, have to include cilantro and salsa now. Finding out my mother was making tacos for dinner was even better than looking forward to pizza. Maybe it was the informality of spooning whatever we wanted into the tortillas, or trying to see who could eat the most. We were all skinny waifs with seemingly bottomless pits for stomachs, so my brother and I could eat six. I wince thinking of it. Ive probably left you little or no time, but Im passing this tag on to Judy of No Fear Entertaining, Haley of Appoggiatura, and Ben of Whats Cooking? What droolworthy recipes remind you of home? Thanks to Kristin of Dine & Dish, I have recently matched with a new blogger, Maia of Dessert-o-licious in the Adopt a Blogger event. And just for the sake of comparison, dont my tacos look just as yummy as theirs? Well? Okay, so my plates a bit messy, but still. And sure, theirs are carne asada. Ill work on it, okay? Mine Theirs Related posts:Mexican Bread Pudding with Berries: Baylesss Mexican Kitchen Ive given Rick Bayless a thorough work over and...Mexican&Erm&Welsh Rarebit When it comes to cheese, I guess I tend to...Mama Mia! Greek Night In Theres a Greek bistro not too far from where... Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

An exclusive first look at J.Crew's new Men's Shop

If J.Crew is gunning to become an old boys' club, it's on the right track. The brand is set to open its second NYC men's-only outpost, The Men's Shop, this week, just a stone's throw from its existing Liquor Store shop and with a similar retro, sepia-toned style. The space, formerly a newsstand, doesn't have the broken-in aesthetic of the Liquor Storeyet. The reclaimed knotty-pine fixtures are untreated, encouraging them to weather quickly; in the meantime, the mood is set with vintage decor, from magazines and books (for sale) to pencil sharpeners and staplers (not so much). But atmosphere aside, the clothes are the highlight. The front of the Men's Shop will stock what menswear director Frank Muytjens calls "the always list." In practice? A mix of the Crew menswear, third-party apparel, and exclusive merch from trad-friendly lines. Think outerwear from Mackintosh and Barracuta; footwear from Red Wing, Sperry, Alden, and Colchester, a revived brand of deadstock canvas sneakers. The back is devoted to J.Crew's first-ever Suit Shop. All of the suiting optionsmany of them previously catalogue-onlyare here, with a new, high-end Italian fabric line set to debut later this year. While there won't be a tailor on the premises, we were assured that one would be on callnot on one of the red phones ubiquitous in all of J.Crew's other stores, but, in keeping with the theme, on an antique rotary. The Men's Shop, 484 Broadway, NYC, 212-343-1227, jcrew.com Click for a slideshow > JOSH PESKOWITZ Photo: Steven Torres

Anthony Zuiker's 'Level 26' marks origin of the 'digi-novel'

Anthony Zuiker, creator of the hit TV series CSI and its two spinoffs, says his new multimedia "digi-novel" will launch a "revolution in publishing for the YouTube generation."Level 26: Dark Origins, to be published by Dutton Sept. 8, is the first in a series in which each book will be supplemented with 20 videos, or "cyber-bridges," featuring actors playing characters from the novel.The series, written with Duane Swierczynski, features a rogue investigator who hunts serial killers.The title refers to 25 levels used by law enforcement to classify serial killers. Zuiker vows to introduce readers and viewers to level 26.After every 20 pages or so, readers will be able to go online to watch a three-minute video. The videos are designed, Zuiker says, "to embellish the novel and drive readers to the next book."Dutton's Brian Tart, who signed Zuiker to a seven-figure, three-book deal, calls the idea "unprecedented mainly because of the quality" of the videos Zuiker is directing, which star Daniel Buran (CSI) and Bill Duke (Cold Case).Two of the videos, recently previewed for the media, were as slickly produced as any network TV episode.Publishers are using websites and low-budget videos, but mostly to promote books, not as part of the book itself.Zuiker coined the term "digi-novel" (for digital) but isn't the first to combine text and video.Scholastic, the children's publisher, uses a website to add to clues in its best-selling series The 39 Clues and has a multimedia ghost-story series.Patrick Carman's Skeleton Creek, released in February, is split into two parts told by two characters: one through the text and the other via videos on a website.Zuiker, 40, brings TV experience to what he calls "a triple platform": books, videos and an interactive fan website, designed by the creators of lonelygirl15, the popular teenage blogger who turned out to be fiction.He says that he lacks patience to read a 400-page book, but that his 384-page debut, "in the style of James Patterson," will be more than "just a book on the shelf. You can watch the story on film and log in to unlock deeper levels of the experience."Tart says Zuiker's novels "have to stand on their own as books, and they do. But publishers need to experiment with new ways of engaging readers. Books were a primary form of entertainment when there were only a couple of TV channels and no Internet."

Blues Britannia on BBC4

BBC4 continues its love-in with all things British and musical with a new theme - Blues Britannia.Kicking off on Friday 1st May, the mini season offers up a new documentary called Blues Britannia – Can Blue Men Sing The Whites?, which looks at the British love affair with blues from the 50s to the 1970s. Contributors include Keith Richards and Bill Wyman (Rolling Stones); Paul Jones and Tom McGuinness (Manfred Mann); Chris Dreja (The Yardbirds); Phil May (The Pretty Things); John Mayall (The Bluesbreakers); Jack Bruce (Cream); Mick Fleetwood and Bob Brunning (Fleetwood Mac); Ian Anderson and Mick Abrahams (Jethro Tull); Dick Taylor (The Pretty Things); and jazz trombonist Chris Barber. The doc is in three parts - Born Under A Bad Sign focuses on the arrival of American blues in Britain in the late Fifties and the first performances here of such legends as Muddy Waters and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. Sittin' On Top Of The World charts the birth of the first British blues boom in the early Sixties, with groups like The Stones, The Yardbirds, Manfred Mann, The Animals and The Pretty Things, while Crossroads looks at the second blues boom of the mid-to-late Sixties. That's followed by a weekend of documentaries and concerts including Blues At The BBC, Blues On Later...With Jools Holland, and new films on Peter Green and Bobby Bland. The first of those looks the most interesting and follows directly after the documentary, with footage from The Beat Room and A Whole Scene Going from the Sixties, The Old Grey Whistle Test in the Seventies and The Late Show in the Nineties.Check out the BBC website for timings - them set that recorder.BBC Four website