tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43706305149799431332024-03-05T03:06:36.133-08:00mobias~ A conundrum of my random thoughts, hobbies, and interests in no particular order. ~mobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921488046987828877noreply@blogger.comBlogger179125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4370630514979943133.post-33201280331777195762014-11-24T17:32:00.003-08:002014-11-24T17:33:36.510-08:00Here comes Black Friday 2014!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Well happy Thanksgiving week of Pre-Pre Black Friday Sales everyone! That's right, it's my 7th annual Black Friday Post! <br />
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This year, like every year, money is tight. Yeah I didn't plan on my clutch finally failing in my beloved Honda last week, but I should have expected it. After all, it does have 185k miles on it. I'd say I was lucky it lasted that long. But with that all fixed up, we now turn to figuring out this annual shopping debacle, and maybe even sitting down to have some ham and turkey on Thursday!<br />
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While my wife and I have decided that we will not encourage business's being open on Thanksgiving day, by running out and buying anything, we hope that you all out there do the same. As a country, we already rank pretty low on the 'day's off for family' scale among developed countries, so is giving away yet another holiday, one of our very few days off, really something we should encourage...for 25% off some socks and a crappy T.V.?<br />
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I've already witnessed one poor soul colliding with a vehicle this week, I hope that everyone out there remains aware of their surroundings and drives SLOW in parking lots. Public Safety Notice 101.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC98FhdqnOxOhRJByYidY4LXQ2ZAwRyzSV1dwUwza0FzKj8VEPGdTnckUpz0bBesTXBCvsBcsXUfFuODw8Q3ohaiQgFGO4_IB3sG2hKfdpujR4nhQO7i8MkzR6LaM__6DTPDMLx2eRvjNz/s1600-h/car2.bmp"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC98FhdqnOxOhRJByYidY4LXQ2ZAwRyzSV1dwUwza0FzKj8VEPGdTnckUpz0bBesTXBCvsBcsXUfFuODw8Q3ohaiQgFGO4_IB3sG2hKfdpujR4nhQO7i8MkzR6LaM__6DTPDMLx2eRvjNz/s320/car2.bmp" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273302445690147026" style="cursor: hand; height: 93px; width: 124px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 85%;">"i said that was <b><i>MY</i></b> spot!"</span></div>
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So do your homework, hopefully the list below will get you in the right direction. Keep an eye out for those lightning deals and utilize those smartphone apps that allow you to monitor those, as well as scan items to get an instant internet price check! Amazon has one, Google shopping has one, they work great and will save you some money. I hear Amazon price matches the local stores now, so keep an eye out for your spendy-er items going on sale at local stores, but have sold out! <br />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEsW1hPn3XrMs5c3B0Ujkgw19Xj0Q-PjVUMB54889GNk4EQIPiSLPgci_APVamjcTbl7WM25EfB7saUQykHnAtWU-SAiPYRhcaD0yD7E7GE1BjSdIuUaMgr9QPY5zfj8eAJ-7AFrWdMMa/s320/holiday-shopping.bmp" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273297862392456850" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 137px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 208px;" /><br />
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Did I mention yet that I luv the holidays? <b><span style="font-size: large;">;/</span></b></div>
<img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5nkg68Fb_26zpu0OU5ABE6pns7XdumwwNAVMdxG3iAUV0JhIEEr_bFYi4hjlYxbJ71-aURYvc6A2A6znPh28SyQXEHbDLCTispZ0Zf0zeYbH1dQxravrQ2-8RQRLL0XFl_hCme2Klb3SL/s320/headache.bmp" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273297859183981490" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 160px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 107px;" /><br />
-And just so I didn't <i>completely</i> waste your time reading excerpts from my personal life, here's a few links to get you on your way. I'm sure they will be happy I led you there.</div>
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#1 sites: <a href="http://bfads.net/" target="_blank">Black Friday Ads.net</a> and <a href="http://blackfriday.com/">http://blackfriday.com</a>/ and <a href="http://www.theblackfriday.com/">http://www.theblackfriday.com/</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.bestbuy.com/">http://www.bestbuy.com/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/">http://www.amazon.com/</a> (my personal fav)<br />
<a href="http://www.newegg.com/" target="_blank">http://www.newegg.com/</a> (for your favorite lovable nerd) <br />
<a href="http://www.google.com/shopping?hl=en&tab=wf" target="_blank">Google Shopping</a> (a good all-around search for prices online and from local stores!)</div>
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<a href="http://www.target.com/">http://www.target.com/</a> (my fav local store)</div>
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<a href="http://www.frys.com/">http://www.frys.com/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.fredmeyer.com/">http://www.fredmeyer.com/</a> (for you Oregonian/Washingtonians) </div>
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<a href="http://www.walmart.com/">http://www.walmart.com/</a> (if u really have to..ugh)</div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.toysrus.com/">http://www.toysrus.com/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.babiesrus.com/">http://www.babiesrus.com/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.sears.com/">http://www.sears.com/</a> (for that angle-grinding,circular sawing,super-sanding, Makita-drilling, Tim Allen-worshiping dude on your list)<br />
<a href="http://www.oldnavy.com/">http://www.oldnavy.com/</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kohls.com/">http://www.kohls.com/</a> (You can find great deals on Kids toys at Kohl's!) </div>
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-and last but not least! </div>
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<a href="http://www.tylenol.com/">http://www.tylenol.com/</a> (the most important one for this holiday season methinks)</div>
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HAVE 'FUN'! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9YHvoM0s4MPtOtj3PxG4_e5qnJWywG0YsGbWjlEdZP6KdoF0BkP71r1nkeJjCyVcrzNcmu3-JVn092L2vlgCCBNPBzhJKnDZGtXlyzL5_XCTcrLT-4F6WlcZLPcS5pA6Fu8YJ3sNl8nnx/s1600/black-friday-black-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9YHvoM0s4MPtOtj3PxG4_e5qnJWywG0YsGbWjlEdZP6KdoF0BkP71r1nkeJjCyVcrzNcmu3-JVn092L2vlgCCBNPBzhJKnDZGtXlyzL5_XCTcrLT-4F6WlcZLPcS5pA6Fu8YJ3sNl8nnx/s1600/black-friday-black-.jpg" height="318" width="400" /></a></div>
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</script></div>mobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921488046987828877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4370630514979943133.post-20142608615955304672014-08-10T00:24:00.000-07:002014-08-10T00:26:31.880-07:002015 Military Pay Chart - For my fellow military peoples.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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On <b>May 23, 2014</b>, the Senate Armed Services Committee
released their mark-up of the National Defense Authorization Act, 2015,
and in it contains a recommendation for a 1% military basic pay raise
which is in-line with the President's proposal (with pay freeze for pay
grades O-7 though O-10). The bill will be debated in the full Senate
where the 1% is expected to carry, and the difference with the House's
version of 1.8% will have to be worked out in conference.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pcNqnLpQwJ3ySd2XHKarV6a0SCy9IWUrsH7HbdgfA6QzREdQReNIgFXnF23JS2y_ubCGotj3sPjJjX20vtvW3tt1U-bYgvX-_wGvwhnUFlyS7ItQ2Seqj-Su3GVONxuYoLEQ6Fb6KK2Y/s1600/air_459a_002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pcNqnLpQwJ3ySd2XHKarV6a0SCy9IWUrsH7HbdgfA6QzREdQReNIgFXnF23JS2y_ubCGotj3sPjJjX20vtvW3tt1U-bYgvX-_wGvwhnUFlyS7ItQ2Seqj-Su3GVONxuYoLEQ6Fb6KK2Y/s1600/air_459a_002.jpg" height="225" width="400" /> </a></div>
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The United States military pay scales below would become effective on
January 1, 2015 if approved. It is the basic pay amounts for the active
components of the Navy, Marines, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard.<br />
<br />
Full chart (and credit goes to navycs.com) <a href="http://www.navycs.com/charts/2015-military-pay-chart.html#enlisted-paycharts" target="_blank">HERE</a>:<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Helpful Link for MYPAY<span style="color: #888888;"> <a href="https://mypay.dfas.mil/mypay.aspx">HERE</a>.</span></span></span><br />
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A small excerpt for the enlisted:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8t0dtSdajMhD7gN7Zxn4dRCswE8NBKeWZBuq4SUY0iGUbLED2pndfUr53QmT_oV3VPtv5_8SkOBGQLeav0OrYLae2ADhZaeKcQvPkHmlKQsFQHvhzEYIEqCv-a1eU1XAF8xvAi8-JwqT/s1600/2015+pay.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8t0dtSdajMhD7gN7Zxn4dRCswE8NBKeWZBuq4SUY0iGUbLED2pndfUr53QmT_oV3VPtv5_8SkOBGQLeav0OrYLae2ADhZaeKcQvPkHmlKQsFQHvhzEYIEqCv-a1eU1XAF8xvAi8-JwqT/s1600/2015+pay.jpg" height="212" width="640" /></a></div>
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Well happy turkey day everyone! That's right, it's my 6th annual Black Friday Post! -wow time is flying by.</div>
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This year, I only have the day after Thanksgiving off of work, so we will have to plan accordingly. We also are on a fairly tight budget this year, as times have been kind of hard as of late! This year we did the Chinese Buffet option aka ‘A Christmas Story’, and all went well, and then it was back to work for me. I’m already getting primed up snagging a few items off of Amazon’s awesome lightning deals!</div>
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We aren't any strangers to shopping on black Friday, so we are going to arm ourselves accordingly. We have high-tech strollers for Liam, which will be equipped with an ample supply of snacks, diapers, toys, to (hopefully) curtail the inevitable tantrum throughout the business. We have a list of the family members and a rough idea of a budget to work with. I have my best gel-inlaid sneakers and probably will strap on a powerful set of elbow and knee pads. Hey! It's a JUNGLE out there!</div>
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<b>I will take no prisoners.</b></div>
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I fear for the worst, and expect that it will be bumper to bumper roads, and near-misses in the parking lots that day. Good thing we have decent insurance!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjARJ2bvyJ1XrFbNq1RNJTN1TH3RdDjuHhPmUZCVNLftgymsgipK1SgwsYFlSgtpU12cH15BHSLnmGxHxCigMMycthQrzcu0WmKPrZ2vjQC-zzJZ5zG9QtNrINuBIyXdsLtp-QmMGLKuxhH/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_743332="null" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjARJ2bvyJ1XrFbNq1RNJTN1TH3RdDjuHhPmUZCVNLftgymsgipK1SgwsYFlSgtpU12cH15BHSLnmGxHxCigMMycthQrzcu0WmKPrZ2vjQC-zzJZ5zG9QtNrINuBIyXdsLtp-QmMGLKuxhH/s1600/4.jpg" dua="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I said it was MY spot!</td></tr>
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Well it certainly has been an eventful year, to be sure. Hopefully now that we got that turkey business out of the way, it will be time to jump start this economy a little bit. We're certainly going to be doing our part! These kids’ toys aren't cheap. That's a whole other topic, but really? –Why does the Legos Corporation insist that little plastic blocks, arranged in a simple pattern, should cost over $80-$130?? </div>
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One of the things I’m wanting for my boys is a Estes Rocketry starter kit, which immediately brought back many great memories of building my own when I was a wee lad. It’s astonishing that the engines now cost as much if not more than the whole kit! [if you get both started and higher flying ones]. And unless you get the higher difficulty kits, they’re pretty much pre-built…that’s right you young engineers of America, you won’t have to stress your little minds and dexterity with anything such as manual labor on these babies. Just click, snap and launch…and hope they go straight.</div>
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Things just aren't made like they used to be, and yet they want 4 times as much money for them.</div>
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So do your homework, hopefully the list below will get you in the right direction. Keep an eye out for those lightning deals and utilize those smartphone apps that allow you to monitor those, as well as scan items to get an instant internet price check! Amazon has one, google shopping has one, Red Laser is another, they work great and will save you some money.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGh94HdBmxT42iskdF6-LVUSSBRW8bMIEpBRVb9Kwkqc8Y39LbCl-x4tvfxOk6G7UAgawBxQDms0XjyAFucZwzd2viTS5mI5Ma1KnLwQZ926gXxVRj7ZRCdRBnAW6BsrBHo2q2nXr4TkfE/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_lm_91964="null" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGh94HdBmxT42iskdF6-LVUSSBRW8bMIEpBRVb9Kwkqc8Y39LbCl-x4tvfxOk6G7UAgawBxQDms0XjyAFucZwzd2viTS5mI5Ma1KnLwQZ926gXxVRj7ZRCdRBnAW6BsrBHo2q2nXr4TkfE/s1600/2.jpg" dua="true" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidt8mPLUKky0IEqA-l7SNhXvRk-CUYge9MquBLAKaDJ6HBxdcqSusfo4zTbJna5Zm3pJxSTYCqYEThygBwKM1OWUkNwnuaozMCeNG5rFjRCJSm85MtVdqRlwA94J7Ng1roRlK6XQM7iDDj/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_lm_91964="null" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidt8mPLUKky0IEqA-l7SNhXvRk-CUYge9MquBLAKaDJ6HBxdcqSusfo4zTbJna5Zm3pJxSTYCqYEThygBwKM1OWUkNwnuaozMCeNG5rFjRCJSm85MtVdqRlwA94J7Ng1roRlK6XQM7iDDj/s1600/1.jpg" dua="true" /></a>What do you all think?? Does anyone have any ideas?</div>
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I will leave it at that for now, did I mention yet that I luv the holidays? ;/</div>
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-And just so I didn't completely waste your time reading excerpts from my personal life, here's a few links to get you on your way. I'm sure they will be happy I led you there.<br />
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#1 sites: Black Friday Ads.net and <a href="http://blackfriday.com/">http://blackfriday.com</a>/ and http://<a href="http://www.theblackfriday.com/">www.theblackfriday.com</a>/</div>
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<a href="http://www.bestbuy.com/">http://www.bestbuy.com/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/">http://www.amazon.com/</a> (my personal fav)<br />
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<a href="http://www.newegg.com/">http://www.newegg.com</a>/ (for your favorite lovable nerd) <br />
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Google Shopping (a good all-around search for prices online and from local stores!)<br />
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<a href="http://www.target.com/">http://www.target.com</a>/ (my fav local store)<br />
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<a href="http://www.frys.com/">http://www.frys.com/</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.fredmeyer.com/">http://www.fredmeyer.com/</a> (for you Oregonian/Washingtonians)<br />
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<a href="http://www.walmart.com/">http://www.walmart.com/</a> (if u really have to..ugh)<br />
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.toysrus.com/">http://www.toysrus.com/</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.babiesrus.com/">http://www.babiesrus.com/</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.sears.com/">http://www.sears.com/</a> (for that angle-grinding,circular sawing,super-sanding, Makita-drilling, Tim Allen-worshiping dude on your list)</div>
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<a href="http://www.oldnavy.com/" target="_blank">http://www.oldnavy.com/ </a></div>
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-and last but not least! <br />
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<a href="http://www.tylenol.com/">http://www.tylenol.com/</a> (the most important one for this holiday season methinks)</div>
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HAVE FUN! </div>
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...Eastre (Ishtar, Astarte), whatever...it's still the pagan Goddess of Spring after whom your holiday was named.<br />
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With my penchant for anything zombie related- today seems like an interesting religious tie-in for discussion!<br />
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Today the Christian’s celebrate the death and subsequent undeath (so-called resurrection) of Jesus. From our modern vantage point we now know that there are only a handful of ways that the dead can walk the Earth. There are vampires, zombies, and of course folks like Keith Richards, Michael Douglas, and Leonard Cohen. Since Jesus was seen walking in broad daylight we can assume that he was not a vampire or a music industry celebrity, so he must have been a zombie.</div>
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The case for Great Zombie Jesus is strengthened when we look at the rituals of his followers, the Great Zombie Army. Great Zombie Jesus had his followers eat of his flesh and drink of his blood. This is how the zombie pathogens are transferred from generation to generation in an attempt to maintain the Great Zombie Army. Through the miracle of transubstantiation, consubstantiation, and even the sacramental union (all popular definitions of the Eucharist Infestation) people are eating the flesh of the Great Zombie Jesus and drinking his blood in an effort to be more Christ like, ergo, zombies.</div>
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Many a Sunday I spent in the presence of the Great Zombie Army as they feasted on the flesh and blood of Great Zombie Jesus while chanting and groaning in off pitch monotones. How I managed to escape infection I may never know. Perhaps I had a natural immunity to the pathogens. The liturgy was quite clear. Great Zombie Jesus will come again. He will judge the living and the dead. His kingdom will have no end because it is made up of zombies that can’t die, eternal life.</div>
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So this Easter remember, aim for the head and torch the bodies. If they have no teeth and their greyish undead mobile carcasses have all of the body and blood of Great Zombie Jesus burned from them, they can’t infect you.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYO-n1udE0BPMdETj3MEXiZVRwnMYYc8DSrWCfLEs2hYCigYeWRxZ-VBO_E4TPm92A3pUOYalRkbhbN_f8IkSF7k0CIut0l9xwYB1KOhckbh7czI7Gcpdf38Bb_lc5-tQWRLjAO2l-5z-/s1600/Cw2DP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290px" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYO-n1udE0BPMdETj3MEXiZVRwnMYYc8DSrWCfLEs2hYCigYeWRxZ-VBO_E4TPm92A3pUOYalRkbhbN_f8IkSF7k0CIut0l9xwYB1KOhckbh7czI7Gcpdf38Bb_lc5-tQWRLjAO2l-5z-/s400/Cw2DP.jpg" width="400px" /></a></div>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
Must read--> challenge your christian friends with this Easter quiz---very interesting indeed, take a look--> <a href="http://ffrf.org/legacy/books/lfif/stone.php">http://ffrf.org/legacy/books/lfif/stone.php</a></div>
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source:http://repeatedexpletives.blogspot.com/</div>
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Really love the style of this promo teaser for the epically crafted, anxiously awaited PC game '<b>Bioshock: Infinite</b>'. Reminds me of bygone days sitting in front of the ol' analog TV as a 6 year old watching Saturday morning cartoons...<br />
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Check it out!<br />
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</xml><![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">From the Website <a href="http://www.hgtv.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">HGTV</span></a>:</span><br />
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<![endif]--><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“</span><span style="font-size: small;">Enter twice online per
day — once on HGTV.com and once on <a href="http://www.frontdoor.com/buy/dream-home-2013-sweeps-enter/56094" target="_blank">FrontDoor.com</a> — for your chance to win the luxuriously
furnished <a href="http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv-dream-home-2013-giveaway-enter/package/index.html" target="_blank">HGTV Dream Home 2013</a>, a low country Zen coastal cottage located on
Kiawah Island in South Carolina, plus a new GMC® Acadia® Denali® and $500,000!</span></i>”<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYT1xl60tk4oA3xToeZVK49D10KFEiaLHLARxytG90ujlg8Xs6iJPb5M1f6ytrJg-M6zltQxAFtBIvSEQ2sBG5dp5HDn72r0jzNaRZ4JMsFt4WZ-OMByLDqzyiPsDzG8mCBk6wTXRqcg8/s1600/DH2013_Deck-27-Evening-EPP0914-Exterior-Ladder_s4x3_lead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYT1xl60tk4oA3xToeZVK49D10KFEiaLHLARxytG90ujlg8Xs6iJPb5M1f6ytrJg-M6zltQxAFtBIvSEQ2sBG5dp5HDn72r0jzNaRZ4JMsFt4WZ-OMByLDqzyiPsDzG8mCBk6wTXRqcg8/s1600/DH2013_Deck-27-Evening-EPP0914-Exterior-Ladder_s4x3_lead.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ooooh...peaceful.....</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>It<span style="font-size: large;">'s built on an island people! wow.</span></i></span> </div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAXIiobMkybEPqLhiFYvyIbqHQpz0HmpidwdA99H95tA32ZlJfpQtXLqbZMwbGRWoo3Ti054iyp8Sx8Hhh5LM1xK9glCXmxn6LrHDkYwEf0QeVWSU9upnGGkq2jEXk8E89MCaK4E1wjo5/s1600/2013-before-and-after-pictu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAXIiobMkybEPqLhiFYvyIbqHQpz0HmpidwdA99H95tA32ZlJfpQtXLqbZMwbGRWoo3Ti054iyp8Sx8Hhh5LM1xK9glCXmxn6LrHDkYwEf0QeVWSU9upnGGkq2jEXk8E89MCaK4E1wjo5/s1600/2013-before-and-after-pictu.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lots of light to view the natural scenery!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Lv-M7wcQgNmXqGcesNhdbgXbVolyLi2gJFmJA6vvh2xZdSaPa1GhoEB_l6e-nfQdF4jJX06qsj7NC03AqDM0mkrs5SbOcPr9bh2-FiA-Han9Jb8wl3_FjU8sNnEgydag7F5-goHA6Baz/s1600/DH2013_Front-Yard-04-Major-Front-Exterior-with-GMC_s4x3_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Lv-M7wcQgNmXqGcesNhdbgXbVolyLi2gJFmJA6vvh2xZdSaPa1GhoEB_l6e-nfQdF4jJX06qsj7NC03AqDM0mkrs5SbOcPr9bh2-FiA-Han9Jb8wl3_FjU8sNnEgydag7F5-goHA6Baz/s1600/DH2013_Front-Yard-04-Major-Front-Exterior-with-GMC_s4x3_lg.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Looks like lots of privacy...except maybe 'gaters...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhprb0GQaYRUTbXSAlCxGTQLL5FbZpw7uIcWfSkKJxc_GgNmd2WAWirtV3W5Jm1HuYI1RcrD3P5hfrwIC6YKp-pDJVoktEnNRvAJdq9aZHAlKi9LNzqzCVMoKjM9k7PRy-oxdBEod4vdrZQ/s1600/DH2013_Front-Porch-06-Sunrise-EPP8042_s4x3_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhprb0GQaYRUTbXSAlCxGTQLL5FbZpw7uIcWfSkKJxc_GgNmd2WAWirtV3W5Jm1HuYI1RcrD3P5hfrwIC6YKp-pDJVoktEnNRvAJdq9aZHAlKi9LNzqzCVMoKjM9k7PRy-oxdBEod4vdrZQ/s1600/DH2013_Front-Porch-06-Sunrise-EPP8042_s4x3_lg.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I could see myself kickin' back with a beer and a good book right here!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This year's home looks like it has a Zen theme going, simplicity, calmness and merging into the local unique coastal environment seems the goal. Last
year, the dream home was valued at $1,500,000! While the final numbers haven’t
been posted as of yet for next year’s model, I can tell you, from the looks of
the last couple year’s homes, the amount of customization and care that goes
into it makes it a very special house!</span></span>
<br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUyov3rv4ZHRW-FK91BlQ6B22NLf6cElu2EVk_VMHiqNns7NbnZXDQhvgeJ7LJv6yJEaeWat2EuV5LjJlq-bB0sOOJ9NBIxBKwc18YMp9bMtDbh6l2LOPKP919Ym_bSj4Xv3XdXMF5On5D/s1600/DH2013_Garage-03-Wide-GMC-Bikes-Kayaks-EPP8079_s4x3_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUyov3rv4ZHRW-FK91BlQ6B22NLf6cElu2EVk_VMHiqNns7NbnZXDQhvgeJ7LJv6yJEaeWat2EuV5LjJlq-bB0sOOJ9NBIxBKwc18YMp9bMtDbh6l2LOPKP919Ym_bSj4Xv3XdXMF5On5D/s1600/DH2013_Garage-03-Wide-GMC-Bikes-Kayaks-EPP8079_s4x3_lg.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">I will <span style="font-size: small;">definitely</span> take this garage...and the SUV.</span></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I did this competition last year,
tried faithfully to enter every single day, but probably had more of a 75%
ratio when all was said and done. But nonetheless, it was fun…and nice to dream
a bit for a month or so…”What IF we won it!?” … “What if YOU won it???”</span></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Remember, you can <a href="http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv-dream-home-2013-giveaway/package/index.html" target="_blank">enter </a>through February 15, 2013, at 5p.m. ET for a chance to live the dream.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As I write this, there are 21 days, 3 hours and roughly 11 minutes until the winner is selected!<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Let the fun begin!</span></span></div>
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Another shooting incident occurred a couple houses down in my 'nice' neighborhood just tonight! Watch how conservative-Murdoch owned, NRA influenced FOX12 news makes this story all but disappear within minutes..!!<br />
<br />
I live a few houses over from a home that just contained a quick and violent exchange of gunfire this evening, and my wife and I are understandably pretty alarmed by all this- within what we thought was a pretty safe/sane neighborhood! Police apparently first arrived at 834pm. My wife reported hearing [what she said sounded like] automatic gunfire around 9:50pm...this must have been a very tense situation going on right in our backyard...very thankful and relieved this gunfire didn't enter into my home! <br />
<br />
An apparent domestic dispute, leading to a armed standoff between police and the suspect whom was previously my neighbor, sent them both to the hospital. As far as I gather the officer wasn’t seriously harmed in the exchange of fire, thank god. <br />
<br />
But despite the adrenaline of my family being placed in potential danger from gunfire getting me worked up…what really got me fired up here was when I attempted to get an update as to what was going on. Since I was at work downtown during my grave shift, I noticed with disgust how FOX12 news had a 20 second blurb about this on TV, then dropped the story after showing their regular fluff news...while KOIN6 had a reporter on scene, far out of the metro area, and was following the incident with further televised reports. [Kudos to them for actually reporting!] However:<br />
<br />
FUNNY, how a Right-Wing puppeted/NRA money infused 'media' reports regarding gun crimes and shootings (Like this one), on FOX were QUICKLY dropped like the black plague on their 'network'! Never before have I witnessed directly such a clear example of how obvious and controlled the programming [or lack thereof] on this network was! Political agenda much? Noooo waayyy…not FOX!<br />
<br />
Regardless of which side of the battle for gun rights you find yourself in, in the wake of recent shooting tragedies…our response to these events, and how our media reports them, should also be held under great scrutiny and with equal passion! The fact is, 90% of the talking heads most people listen to on TV are NOT news reporters, but left or right leaning entertainment opinion pieces that mask themselves, and thus look very much like NEWS broadcasting! This in turn, creates very strong feelings and opinions in viewers that don’t understand what they are really watching…regardless of any factual information presented. <br />
<br />
We the people need to take back dishonest media, made to look like news, act like factual reports, but really are thinly disguised propaganda and partisan-influenced dogma loaded with agendas from the boys upstairs! It’s not a conspiracy, it’s a widely known FACT, and it needs to stop! Yes we have freedom of speech, yes of the press as well…but when the line between the two is purposely muddled by devious intent, that is unethical at best, criminal misconduct at worst!<br />
<br />
[Some] American media is getting more blatantly corrupted and disgusting every year....<br />
<br />
Are we happy with this? What do you watch at night? Is it non-partisan? Truly non-biased? Is it really…as FOX news hilariously proclaims…”Fair…and BALANCED!”?<br />
<br />
I’m betting its not.<br />
<br />
A link to the very brief news story in Oregonlive regarding the event in my neighborhood:<br />
<a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/forest-grove/index.ssf/2013/01/police_officer_shot_during_sta.html" target="_blank">http://www.oregonlive.com/forest-grove/index.ssf/2013/01/police_officer_shot_during_sta.html</a></div>
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<br />
Merry Christmas everyone!<br />
It's that time of year again, to track Santa using our friendly neighborhood NORAD unit!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJeScgfA_qYE84UOR4lUSv59REn9uf3dC-v5sKP-qm8CykZZFM4bL59OWeBVWsPZpfyWsBiaJUOYKEb4mlgH8Uv2Y3LkqYHC6ZKdH8FazaDNV7wgHMb8wNahp6eRYlxJbsznna4l2C0xBV/s1600/santatracker2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJeScgfA_qYE84UOR4lUSv59REn9uf3dC-v5sKP-qm8CykZZFM4bL59OWeBVWsPZpfyWsBiaJUOYKEb4mlgH8Uv2Y3LkqYHC6ZKdH8FazaDNV7wgHMb8wNahp6eRYlxJbsznna4l2C0xBV/s400/santatracker2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmg_A6RPtdqSL_TZUgrQrUcBGxPwW29bm9gOoT7-mWmspqHRLQwAMaJJ4-oiWGoCy_yaPNokUnsBle-yitElUKcDl01TN8Lh9ZgQLoI8IEPQKhlyZTHbD8sqR06MZC70Yhy8SaUFMKSXv/s1600/norad-santa-tracker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmg_A6RPtdqSL_TZUgrQrUcBGxPwW29bm9gOoT7-mWmspqHRLQwAMaJJ4-oiWGoCy_yaPNokUnsBle-yitElUKcDl01TN8Lh9ZgQLoI8IEPQKhlyZTHbD8sqR06MZC70Yhy8SaUFMKSXv/s320/norad-santa-tracker.jpg" width="320" /></a>That's right kiddies, Santa Tracker is up and running now that Santa is out delivering his presents. You can download the Santa Tracker file for Google Earth while at <a href="http://www.noradsanta.org/">NORAD’s Santa Tracker website</a> and track him on your own. You'll definitely want to go to the page on Christmas Eve and follow his progress as he moves throughout the world, but check back often, he moves fast! You wouldn't want your young one up while he has 'visited' your town! HA<br />
<br />
This is a fun site that I first discovered back in the 08' year, there are many options to play with, as I mentioned-like viewing Santa’s journey using Google Earth.<br />
So, without further ado...-enjoy!</div>
</div>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jb0gj_sIBdg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Well happy night-before-turkey day everyone! That's right, it's my 5th annual Black Friday Post! -wow time is flying by.<br />
<br />
This year, I only have Thanksgiving off of work, so we will have to plan accordingly. We also are on a fairly tight budget this year, as times have been kind of hard as of late!<br />
<br />
But alas, I'm sure we may brave the shopping madness and hopefully score some sweet deals.<br />
<div align="center">
<br /></div>
<div>
I am looking forward to celebrating our second year in our home, (we made it!) drinking some nice wine, having some Turkey, ham, and sweet 'tater pie with the kiddos! ....mmmmmmm....pie....</div>
<br />
<div>
We aren't any strangers to shopping on black Friday, so we are going to arm ourselves accordingly. We have high-tech strollers for Liam, which will be equipped with an ample supply of snacks, diapers, toys, to (hopefully) curtail the inevitable tantrum throughout the business. We have a list of the family members and a rough idea of a budget to work with. I have my best gel-inlaid sneakers and probably will strap on a powerful set of elbow and knee pads. Hey! It's a JUNGLE out there!</div>
<br />
<div>
<b>I will take no prisoners.</b></div>
<div>
<br />
I fear for the worst, and expect that it will be bumper to bumper roads, and near-misses in the parking lots that day. Good thing we have decent insurance!</div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC98FhdqnOxOhRJByYidY4LXQ2ZAwRyzSV1dwUwza0FzKj8VEPGdTnckUpz0bBesTXBCvsBcsXUfFuODw8Q3ohaiQgFGO4_IB3sG2hKfdpujR4nhQO7i8MkzR6LaM__6DTPDMLx2eRvjNz/s1600-h/car2.bmp"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273302445690147026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC98FhdqnOxOhRJByYidY4LXQ2ZAwRyzSV1dwUwza0FzKj8VEPGdTnckUpz0bBesTXBCvsBcsXUfFuODw8Q3ohaiQgFGO4_IB3sG2hKfdpujR4nhQO7i8MkzR6LaM__6DTPDMLx2eRvjNz/s320/car2.bmp" style="cursor: hand; height: 93px; width: 124px;" /></a><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-size: 85%;">"i said that was <b><i>MY</i></b> spot!"</span></div>
<br />
Well it certainly has been an eventful year, to be sure. Hopefully now that we got that election business out of the way, it will jump start this economy a little bit. We're certainly going to be doing our part! These kids toys aren't cheap anymore! That's a whole other topic, but really? -A plastic doll house for $87 dollars?? And when did the value of little colored plastic blocks become akin to the scarcity of Gold? [looking at you LEGO'S]. Things just aren't made like they used to be, and yet they want 4 times as much money for them.<br />
So do your homework, hopefully the list below will get you in the right direction. Keep an eye out for those lightning deals and utilize those smartphone apps that allow you to monitor those, as well as scan items to get an instant internet price check! Amazon has one, google shopping has one, Red Laser is another, they work great and will save you some money.<br />
<br />
<div>
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273297862392456850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEsW1hPn3XrMs5c3B0Ujkgw19Xj0Q-PjVUMB54889GNk4EQIPiSLPgci_APVamjcTbl7WM25EfB7saUQykHnAtWU-SAiPYRhcaD0yD7E7GE1BjSdIuUaMgr9QPY5zfj8eAJ-7AFrWdMMa/s320/holiday-shopping.bmp" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 137px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 208px;" />What do you you all think?? Does anyone have any ideas?<br />
<br />
<div>
I will leave it at that for now, did I mention yet that I luv the holidays? <b><span style="font-size: large;">;/</span></b><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273297859183981490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5nkg68Fb_26zpu0OU5ABE6pns7XdumwwNAVMdxG3iAUV0JhIEEr_bFYi4hjlYxbJ71-aURYvc6A2A6znPh28SyQXEHbDLCTispZ0Zf0zeYbH1dQxravrQ2-8RQRLL0XFl_hCme2Klb3SL/s320/headache.bmp" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 160px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 107px;" /><br />
-And just so I didn't <i>completely</i> waste your time reading excerpts from my personal life, here's a few links to get you on your way. I'm sure they will be happy I led you there.</div>
<div>
#1 sites: <a href="http://bfads.net/" target="_blank">Black Friday Ads.net</a> and <a href="http://blackfriday.com/">http://blackfriday.com</a>/ and <a href="http://www.theblackfriday.com/">http://www.theblackfriday.com/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bestbuy.com/">http://www.bestbuy.com/</a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/">http://www.amazon.com/</a> (my personal fav)<br />
<a href="http://www.newegg.com/" target="_blank">http://www.newegg.com/</a> (for your favorite lovable nerd) <br />
<a href="http://www.google.com/shopping?hl=en&tab=wf" target="_blank">Google Shopping</a> (a good all-around search for prices online and from local stores!)</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.target.com/">http://www.target.com/</a> (my fav local store)</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.frys.com/">http://www.frys.com/</a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.fredmeyer.com/">http://www.fredmeyer.com/</a> (for you Oregonian/Washingtonians)</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.walmart.com/">http://www.walmart.com/</a> (if u really have to..ugh)</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/</a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.toysrus.com/">http://www.toysrus.com/</a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.babiesrus.com/">http://www.babiesrus.com/</a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.sears.com/">http://www.sears.com/</a> (for that angle-grinding,circular sawing,super-sanding, Makita-drilling, Tim Allen-worshiping dude on your list)<br />
<a href="http://www.oldnavy.com/">http://www.oldnavy.com/</a> </div>
<br />
<div>
-and last but not least! </div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.tylenol.com/">http://www.tylenol.com/</a> (the most important one for this holiday season methinks)</div>
<br />
<div>
HAVE FUN! <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273297866354764354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkKODorOj1egtyoJujZuVnCOCxOqwoX_0mAWMH6uSmyD5lApWaX2BleZaKzmWaV3nko5ENEI6TI_0WM_DryyM-zuN7x05JERxnogFPzfPdEgd2kImhUpI_5E7gZZrJtz27Xaz62Aba6Wd/s320/tired+shopper.bmp" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 137px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 210px;" /></div>
</div>
</div>
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Well did you all see the first Presidential Debates the other night? There were some highlights, to be sure. There was an attack on Big Bird, there was a overpowered and irritatingly ineffective Moderator (Jim Lehrer), there were awkward silences and a stone cold audiance [as directed], and there was lots of spotty make-up jobs.<br />
<br />
Mostly, it was a snoozer, unless you were the Republicans, whom seem invigorated by their candidate's apparent "victoire triomphale". It just goes to show you, in my humble opinion, in our American society, it is often the ends that justify the means. Apparently such minor quibbles as 'accurate statements', half-truths and outright lies are just the tools of the trade for Mr. Businessman. Now that we've all had a chance to sit and analyze every statement, every fact of the parties statements...a cooling off of heads is sure to be the result. <br />
<br />
The first thing that sticks out to me, was how 'slick' Romney was. The Blue guys rallied, quick to point out this as a mark of a strong showing...a demonstration of a man in charge, a real leader! I could see him giving speeches exactly like this in a boardroom, as he sets the gameplan for the fate of their recently acquired failing business. During some moments, when he glared at Obama, It almost looked to me as if he were explaining to his teenage daughter why she couldn't go to the prom with that 'colored' fella she likes so much. (sic)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbj6TMC1FvLSPKcerXX_GSR5EBCF0fQcCWc5l4nfbi0Wn3zFjNmWGe3_sshRqlP2bMpOKV_LC_iXZpzjABN6iyRWND2zusxIY5NGGJu8G9cJlHF___WEdHMN4Yly4t7YgE4RnBHHA54sH/s1600/BB1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbj6TMC1FvLSPKcerXX_GSR5EBCF0fQcCWc5l4nfbi0Wn3zFjNmWGe3_sshRqlP2bMpOKV_LC_iXZpzjABN6iyRWND2zusxIY5NGGJu8G9cJlHF___WEdHMN4Yly4t7YgE4RnBHHA54sH/s1600/BB1.jpg" /></a></div>
I saw a comment that basically iterated well my thoughts, so i'll spare you more of my limited intellect and show you what he observed, more eloquently than I could:<br />
<br />
Demtpajoe-<br />
<br />
A center-left democrat's opinion:<br />
<br />
Romney: He held it together, spoke like a leader, stayed more on the offense, provided a little more clarity into his plans, and showed a faith in what he believes in. He did show some testiness, appeared to have pity in his face when looking at Obama, and I'd swear sometimes he looked like he was about to cry (kinda like Boehner looks).<br />
<br />
Obama seemed confident, stayed more on the defense but defended his record well and showed a true concern for the unfortunate. He had a number of struggling pauses in his speech, trying too hard to say the right thing, showed some arrogance, and he sometimes appeared frustrated.<br />
<br />
Romney's tone and rhythm outshined Obama's. Obama had a number of chances to channel his debating mentors and step it up a couple of notches, but he didn't. He almost seemed a little nervous and was definitely on the defense.<br />
<br />
Both candidates were courteous, with the exception of time-grabbing, which Obama did more of.<br />
<br />
Both candidates had missed opportunities, but I understand the pressure they're in when on stage and under the lights and microscope.<br />
<br />
Romney's best moment to me, explaining how he can support Romneycare, but not Obamacare - because he believes healthcare should be left up to the states.<br />
<br />
Obama's best moment to me, owning Obamacare, providing clarity and anecdotes in support of it, and owning his belief in the federal government handling and nationalizing social programs.<br />
<br />
Although the debate as a whole was fairly dry, I do think Romney came out on top in this one.<br />
<br />
FYI this doesn't change my vote. Overall, and I mean overall, accounting for all important issues, I still trust that by the end of a second Obama term, we'd be better off than having a fiscal and social conservative run our country. I believe Romney would do wonders for the private business sector, but I do not trust that the private business sector will in turn trickle those wonders down to us. Using a metaphor, I believe Romney is the type to cut off the arms and legs in order to save a terminal Cancer patient, while Obama is the type to take the chance and hit the spreading Cancer with a clinical trial chemotherapy in order to try to save the whole patient. If the recession is the Cancer, then I support Obama's methods.<br />
<br />
And on social issues, which are certainly important to many people, no matter how some try to chant "economy, jobs, economy, jobs", I fully support Obama's policies. I do not feel comfortable with a Romney presidency, where the big social issues are left to the states. We are the United States, and I believe there are some social issues that belong to our identity as a country as a whole, and not as a collection of states with varying and opposing social issue laws. Only the federal government can bring all states together. <br />
<br />
"One nation"...so why can we not behave like one?<br />
<br />
________________________________________________________________________________<br />
<br />
I'm anxiously awaiting the next debates. Especially October 16th, in NewYork, where undecided voters will fire off questions to the candidates in a Town Hall style format. The following will be October 22nd, in Florida. <br />
<br />
Like most of us, my vote is still safely locked in my head, but I still like to see what we're gonna get, and whom I'm glad we won't! Until then, Policionado’s!<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
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On May 24, 2012, the Senate Committee on Armed Services completed its mark-up of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013; previously, the full House of Representatives, on May 18th, passed the Defense Authorization Act for FY-2013 by a vote of 299 to 120. The Act includes the 1.7% pay raise proposal made by President Obama on February 13th.<br />
<br />
On February 13, 2012, President Obama released his fiscal year 2013 budget proposal for the Department of Defense. The budget proposal included the expected 1.7% raise for military basic pay, which when approved should become effective January 1, 2013.<br />
<br />
On October 28, 2011, the United States Employment Cost Index (ECI) was released. The following pay charts are based on the private industry worker's wage and salary series of the Employment Cost Index's increase of 1.7 percent for the 12 month period ending September 2011, and it is expected to be part of President Obama's budget input for the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2013. <br />
<br />
Without further ado, here is your Military Pay Chart 2013 (Proposed 1.7%)<br />
<br />
Full chart (and credit goes to navycs.com) <a href="http://www.navycs.com/2013-military-pay-chart.html#enlisted-paycharts" target="_blank">HERE</a>:<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 8pt;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Helpful Link for MYPAY<span style="color: #888888;"> <a href="https://mypay.dfas.mil/mypay.aspx">HERE</a>.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
A small excerpt for the enlisted:<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0Tf15t2E4pJrIOHKT8mnLPNbUtlQEYiebsaSi4sUPmkyeqUj2UltuA0yyREm_9vRgyyxMcUIWZU30MUwDL3V3UU7bD19IA6bOmtjQl-uWPkUe1c4VB0WRrUjkPcZs21pSlJwvciwZW_-/s1600/2013_pay.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0Tf15t2E4pJrIOHKT8mnLPNbUtlQEYiebsaSi4sUPmkyeqUj2UltuA0yyREm_9vRgyyxMcUIWZU30MUwDL3V3UU7bD19IA6bOmtjQl-uWPkUe1c4VB0WRrUjkPcZs21pSlJwvciwZW_-/s1600/2013_pay.jpg" /></a></div>
</div>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaj1y4KWulaDpsMeexxUfx8GEQ6brfs6myRlK17NO_ZROq0gfPidG3J2ry6Y-jljAK1C4D3O177OED2088d39NRevYQ2dguS_bghD3we0qpZ8Z-wriP5w7KJQqyNylJXqFQX3cQk-Gpj7c/s1600/titanic-last+picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaj1y4KWulaDpsMeexxUfx8GEQ6brfs6myRlK17NO_ZROq0gfPidG3J2ry6Y-jljAK1C4D3O177OED2088d39NRevYQ2dguS_bghD3we0qpZ8Z-wriP5w7KJQqyNylJXqFQX3cQk-Gpj7c/s1600/titanic-last+picture.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last known picture of Titanic taken as she heads out....</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
A great video with a different look at the story of a Navy Commander whom discovered Titanic, and his bittersweet return 20 years later. Lots of interesting stuff about the ship...<br />
<br />
There are a few more worth-watching videos on the National Geographic site <a href="http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/national-geographic-channel/full-episodes/titanic-100-years-1">HERE</a><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/S-Y6HrFTu60?fs=1" width="480"></iframe><br />
<br />
For decades the wreck of the liner RMS Titanic had eluded those seeking to locate her grave site. Many failed until Dr. Robert Ballard turned a dream into reality in 1985 when he found her remains over 12000' beneath the North Atlantic Ocean. Dr. Ballard tells how his missions to two lost submarines from the Cold War helped him find the debris trail of the Titanic that she left across the sea bed. Interspersed with this intriguing once-Top Secret mission is the story of Ballard's 2004 trip back to Titanic to document the ensuing effects of visitors and salvagers since his last trip in 1986. Understanding that the Titanic and her remains belong to everyone, Dr. Ballard returns with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to help make his vision of a museum - a museum available to all - become a reality.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
If you think you can win this week’s mega lottery, think again ... you have a better chance of being killed by flesh-eating bacteria than rolling in lottery gold. <br />
The Mega Millions jackpot is at $640 Million (and rising), with odds of winning at roughly 1 in 176 Million ... but get this ... 1 in 3 people think winning the lottery is the ONLY way to be financially secure in life (eeek!).<br />
<br />
So we looked into the odds and found a bunch of crap that is more likely to happen to you ...<br />
<br />
<br />
-- Death by lightning: 1 in 2,650,000<br />
<br />
-- Death by flesh-eating bacteria: 1 in 1,000,000 <br />
<br />
-- Getting eaten by a shark: 1 in 11,000,000<br />
<br />
-- Death by fireworks: 1 in 1,000,000<br />
<br />
<br />
That said… anyone care to join me in an office pool?<br />
<br />
To find out if you ....er..won...tonight, at 11pm, check out the homepage <a href="http://www.megamillions.com/numbers/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
UPDATE: Here are the numbers....and...I <hold breath="" your="">didn't win...I know, shocking.<br />
<br />
</hold><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-SJB4DKDtVpH-xggC_F0n7name360h4nhZpJB4UCXPVtB17R_FO0L-hz50aqvDCLvKnWTHPSpMspRapXIPbar-rXKkFSmbrBTRynRCTMp91-fmYOrnt75f2jOTq41eVUd_6qS2iDKFVgh/s1600/lotto.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="369px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-SJB4DKDtVpH-xggC_F0n7name360h4nhZpJB4UCXPVtB17R_FO0L-hz50aqvDCLvKnWTHPSpMspRapXIPbar-rXKkFSmbrBTRynRCTMp91-fmYOrnt75f2jOTq41eVUd_6qS2iDKFVgh/s640/lotto.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-noTUCso1oAM5GQ2x6OurpaetroXk8GVg0WEJlVc85vF0GCzoEdZfWUcwirL64M8WiQBAkEeSR3DwUBaxQ8MwcHGu1L32DZHtnysL9Hrv6pMnJvn0N7SxAT5OWNLqsvC7qOnHvUGTGza/s1600/winning.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-noTUCso1oAM5GQ2x6OurpaetroXk8GVg0WEJlVc85vF0GCzoEdZfWUcwirL64M8WiQBAkEeSR3DwUBaxQ8MwcHGu1L32DZHtnysL9Hrv6pMnJvn0N7SxAT5OWNLqsvC7qOnHvUGTGza/s1600/winning.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winning! !</td></tr>
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Sometimes in life, there are important questions we have. Some go unanswered, some are forever a mystery<img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mobias-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001ED0QQU" height="1px" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px! important; padding-left: 0px! important; padding-right: 0px! important; padding-top: 0px! important;" width="1px" />. After much investigation, hope and faith...I came upon some of the great questions of our world.<br />
<br />
<h2 style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
How Much Does Adriana Lima Weigh?</h2>
She weighs about 120 pounds or 55.5kg<br />
<h2>
How Tall Is Adriana Lima?</h2>
5’10″ or 178cm<br />
<h2>
What Are Adriana Lima's Measurements?</h2>
<i>34C-24-35 (<i>86-61-89)</i></i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><i>need I say more?? </i></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><i><br />
</i></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvsfxa-GHANDRZzdkeBPWxEmO7qGh0JzWXBoeNStff6R_8J36GWzWu2tBke1XWDCFXEr66HzV8Bh10nnQ54Cin-slq8zL92RRXHV0GY_Ox0mBNcvYbURJtYMKnDlQT4vkVg4QGVHKq9Vq/s1600/adriana-lima.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvsfxa-GHANDRZzdkeBPWxEmO7qGh0JzWXBoeNStff6R_8J36GWzWu2tBke1XWDCFXEr66HzV8Bh10nnQ54Cin-slq8zL92RRXHV0GY_Ox0mBNcvYbURJtYMKnDlQT4vkVg4QGVHKq9Vq/s640/adriana-lima.jpg" width="640px" /> </a></div>
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<b>Birth Place</b>: Salvador, Bahia, Brazil<u><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit; position: static;"><span class="kLink" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 1px solid blue; font-family: inherit; position: static;"></span></span></u></div>
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<b>Date of Birth</b>: June 12, 1981 </div>
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<b>Heritage</b>: Brazilian </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue is my favorite color...</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=Victoria%27s%20Secret&tag=mobias-20&index=apparel&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325" target="_blank">Victoria's Secret</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mobias-20&l=ur2&o=1" height="1px" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px;" width="1px" /></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LOVE the pig-tails!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">whoa....</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OMG......</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the beach....</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Personal Favorite.</td></tr>
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<b>Adriana Francesca Lima</b> (born June 12, 1981, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil) is a Brazilian model, best known as a Victoria's Secret Angel since 2000, and as a spokesmodel for Maybelline cosmetics from 2003 to 2009. At the age of 15, Lima finished first in Ford's "Supermodel of Brazil" competition, and took second place the following year in the Ford "Supermodel of the World" competition before signing with Elite Model Management in New York City. Since 2005, Lima has ranked in the top five of Forbes' lists of the 20 highest-earning models in the world, and in 2006 ranked No.99 on the Forbes Celebrity 100. She is married to Serbian basketball player Marko Jarić.<br />
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<b>Personal life </b><br />
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Lima is a devout Roman Catholic who attends church every Sunday.<br />
On St. Valentine's Day 2009, Lima married Serbian basketball player Marko Jarić (Марко Јарић) in a small private civil ceremony in Jackson, Wyoming. In May 2009, it was reported that Lima applied for Serbian citizenship. The couple's daughter, Valentina Lima Jarić (Serbian Cyrillic: Валентина Лима Јарић), was born on November 15, 2009. Valentina was born at 34 weeks gestation, weighing just 4.4 lb (2.0 kg), due to Lima's suffering from preeclampsia In March 2012, Lima confirmed that she and her husband are expecting their second child.<br />
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<b>Charity</b><br />
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Lima does charitable work helping with an orphanage, "Caminhos da Luz" (Ways of Light), located in Salvador. She helps with construction to expand the orphanage, and buys clothes for poor children in Salvador, Bahia. She appeared on Var mısın? Yok musun?, the Turkish version of Deal or No Deal, where her prize money went to a hospital in Istanbul for children fighting leukemia.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">How can you NOT love this woman?!</span></b></div>
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
<br />
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<br />
A big congratulations to Vicki Naggy from Acme, Pennsylvania. She is the proud winner of the HGTV Dream Home 2012 Giveaway! I can't say I'm not jealous as all get-out...as I also submitted at LEAST 4 times a day for, well, at least HALF the total days of the sweepstakes! Fully legal, of course, I listed my wife's information as well as my own, on both sites, with the required two seperate email addresses. Hey, it's a tough world out their folks...gotta use your resources.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcMxlqKWsaxPT5xihEghehJ4KARJko2ZfyhUgPle_kqicuuPKo0dHLtgTyVrR0iLO78CFNVNELdFJ1pXquwYHcu6uirGUPFFXptey5dFmWM9UuFTGh_LYlZ80nGtEsZ5e5B2pzVJpMWFg/s1600/dh12_ambush-2_s4x3_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img aea="true" border="0" height="298px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcMxlqKWsaxPT5xihEghehJ4KARJko2ZfyhUgPle_kqicuuPKo0dHLtgTyVrR0iLO78CFNVNELdFJ1pXquwYHcu6uirGUPFFXptey5dFmWM9UuFTGh_LYlZ80nGtEsZ5e5B2pzVJpMWFg/s400/dh12_ambush-2_s4x3_lg.jpg" width="400px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lucky @#$!...er...Winner, Vicki!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> Vicki, a beauty salon manager, is the youngest of 11 siblings, a devoted wife, mother and grandmother and the proud owner of five dogs (clairvoyant, it seems — they began to howl as soon as Monica Pedersen was one-half block away from our winner’s home).<br />
<br />
Vicki has entered the <a href="http://www.hgtv.com/dream-home/index.html" target="_blank">HGTV Dream Home Giveaway</a> in past years and entered this year every day — twice per day. She had a funny feeling that she might win and attributes her stroke of luck to her guardian angel, Donna, a family friend who passed away last year.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMcB2aZccY4tSwMmyow3eS6G9OYImtFqk71NoxYjzm8PeUM5GXddXW6h9HDU9JRDT9W6yd5tRwmZSitUIE0QOGEpFifDoqVVqDguce90jt8PRyCO4sGirOzCGZsx10w6TPF7cuHJ57tcx/s1600/Enter-to-Win-the-HGTV-Dream-Home-2012-Park-City.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img aea="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMcB2aZccY4tSwMmyow3eS6G9OYImtFqk71NoxYjzm8PeUM5GXddXW6h9HDU9JRDT9W6yd5tRwmZSitUIE0QOGEpFifDoqVVqDguce90jt8PRyCO4sGirOzCGZsx10w6TPF7cuHJ57tcx/s1600/Enter-to-Win-the-HGTV-Dream-Home-2012-Park-City.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sigh...i'm gonna miss imagination-living in that house!...<sniff></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Vicki and her hubby are big fans of HGTV and admit that they often fall asleep in front of the tube, watching their favorite home decorating shows (Property Brothers is a personal fave). The lucky winner says she’s never been to Utah, but can’t wait to visit the beautiful state and step inside her new modern rustic ranch home. “I don’t believe this,” says Vicki. “I’ve never won anything. This is going to change my whole life.”<br />
<br />
So the dreaming is over folks...until NEXT year HGTV...next year!! <br />
<br />
~source-HGTV</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #cccccc; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEkvR1cKUfJtMIijZWR1eNfaannoqus7v7FWnLTjtNZN8-PkY6mxW00cts0UrtVpOBgfVhUHAO7GgxWjd11ZZ8Dyi3CRN3pvUu8H_C2xjZoxsaJGBUK06hYze-PspKrLDhknaDD0l8fZ5q/s1600/skyrim-graphics.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEkvR1cKUfJtMIijZWR1eNfaannoqus7v7FWnLTjtNZN8-PkY6mxW00cts0UrtVpOBgfVhUHAO7GgxWjd11ZZ8Dyi3CRN3pvUu8H_C2xjZoxsaJGBUK06hYze-PspKrLDhknaDD0l8fZ5q/s400/skyrim-graphics.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Machinima, for those unfamiliar, is a movie genre that uses game technology instead of traditional film technology. By recording in-game footage (usually heavily </span><a href="http://j-u-i-c-e.hubpages.com/_2ld6f4u0c40jc/hub/Modding-Video-Games" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">modded</a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">) and applying voice overs, music tracks, and post-processing effects, indie artists can create some pretty impressive short films. </span></span></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: #cccccc; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jRX8sK38nnrBqi6otzAYNpmXpz6OSTFiRMJDt0aVBiFFGfkYUSqy76Sf-BrzpxfGt73rUc5r_0BlP7IKTn1X93sh-VZOm_kSgRK0Qw2NZdrVultoJSgXZ6qvXo-oNVO91m0Gkdq2mYpf/s1600/girl+skyrim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jRX8sK38nnrBqi6otzAYNpmXpz6OSTFiRMJDt0aVBiFFGfkYUSqy76Sf-BrzpxfGt73rUc5r_0BlP7IKTn1X93sh-VZOm_kSgRK0Qw2NZdrVultoJSgXZ6qvXo-oNVO91m0Gkdq2mYpf/s1600/girl+skyrim.jpg" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sup...how YOU doin'?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Anyways, It simply amazes me that people have the talent AND time to accomplish such awesome videos. I've already seen '<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Yg8SquaDmiU" target="_blank">The Beauty of Skyrim'</a> via a Facebook friends post, and was amazed at the detail/atmosphere of this game I haven't yet purchased. It must be no small feat in the game's editing suite, video editors etc. to make this magic happen. Consider me sufficiently inspired to go check out some of these guys other videos! Skyrim is turning out to be a landmark game, on a multitude of levels, lucky for me, the one that stands out most is the art design, the graphics, the sound and music, which all collide to create a very immersive and atmospheric experience.</span></span></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #cccccc; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicuLg0sGXID4aJGIp60lbrSRkL_nUqkLri1mEesE3DEAWFgd4OaQ706QppxIQYwaDVPTxPQr2YxSLD-vmmWqGwnqgTVnFTTRnwe5g5vkDlJfcDU25GrsUdha-UiGkp9PkEtHbprMfPYun2/s1600/skyrim-mods.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicuLg0sGXID4aJGIp60lbrSRkL_nUqkLri1mEesE3DEAWFgd4OaQ706QppxIQYwaDVPTxPQr2YxSLD-vmmWqGwnqgTVnFTTRnwe5g5vkDlJfcDU25GrsUdha-UiGkp9PkEtHbprMfPYun2/s640/skyrim-mods.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Check out this sample, one of the most amazing i've seen so far, entitled simply, 'The Battle of Skyrim', to see what I mean.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"> The Great Battle of Skyrim boasts "500 Draugr, 200 skeletons, 500 Dwarven Warriors", a couple of epic battle mages and one very hungry-looking dragon. Watch the whole thing, as halfway through it gets pretty bad-ass.</span><br />
<div class="txtd" id="txtd_18191216"><span style="font-size: small;">The Great Battle does a pretty good job showing off what the Skyrim engine is capable of if you have a killer video card and OC'd rig.</span><br />
<br />
</div></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><object height="360" width="640"><param name="movie"
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<div style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dovahkiin</span></div><div style="color: #999999;"><br />
</div><div class="module moduleText color0" id="mod_18191247" style="color: #999999;"><div class="txtd" id="txtd_18191247"><span style="font-size: small;">Dovahkiin is more of a music video than a film but I really enjoyed the mood created by this one. This example does a really good job showing off Skyrim's visual capabilities. (Something that can be further enhanced through mods.) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/aA-6rXmWeT4" width="560"></iframe></span></div></div></div><br />
There are many more fine examples out there, just surf through the links within YouTube and you will begin discovering the beauty and artistry that is MACHINIMA in SKYRIM!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVfWeDpS7si_6vpaEdki9VdjiEyUvafsw2lxUlUI2Xwmeft9ihc2iQKKuS7Q6bwundSPbqR1vBLYW9vL_3w0CbDYE0E6LhjVQ8-zEBzBaSfVwQnsH8VNOqxDeu15gVS7jySJri00V0riqS/s1600/blizzard-diablo-iii-opening-cinematic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVfWeDpS7si_6vpaEdki9VdjiEyUvafsw2lxUlUI2Xwmeft9ihc2iQKKuS7Q6bwundSPbqR1vBLYW9vL_3w0CbDYE0E6LhjVQ8-zEBzBaSfVwQnsH8VNOqxDeu15gVS7jySJri00V0riqS/s1600/blizzard-diablo-iii-opening-cinematic.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Blizzard fans have long known that their games aren't released until they feel they are good and ready. Now, the how's and why's of exactly when that happens I will leave to the conspiracy theorists and naysayers but usually this ensures a great game when its finally released. What this means for you is the game will be polished to a fine sheen, and will ensure hours of left-clicking mayhem right out of the box. Of course there will be bug fixes, and balance tweaks for the approximately 15 years I'm guessing we will be playing this game, if Diablo 2 is any indication! <br />
<br />
My wife is excited! Both her and her Dad played the hell outta this game. I also have fond memories of playing both versions. With the hauntingly beautiful acoustic music soundtrack and sounds, the addictiveness of making the best weapon/armor load-out, the challenge of those final boss battles. It seems like only yesterday that I fired up my first burned game, Diablo, into my first PC and left-clicked into the late late hours in those Air Force dorms, with red candles lit (for Atmosphere!) and beer sweating on it's cardboard coaster, while the northern California winter drizzled out my window. Ahh memories!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTmVdVNuVeBkponwEqT2bhCe4t-dNOP4f2DwOezIgo7Fy68DJn950YwEERBVQqVVvMv7UhCRKU4wywwFITGYJyKRPVHnt9MaN8XcnB74tTpsOYa73RCsir1SW0NYTYAms6v224SLAqAt1U/s1600/diablo-3-characters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img aea="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTmVdVNuVeBkponwEqT2bhCe4t-dNOP4f2DwOezIgo7Fy68DJn950YwEERBVQqVVvMv7UhCRKU4wywwFITGYJyKRPVHnt9MaN8XcnB74tTpsOYa73RCsir1SW0NYTYAms6v224SLAqAt1U/s1600/diablo-3-characters.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Choose your class wisely: Wizard, Witch Doctor, Demon Hunter, Barbarian, Monk </td></tr>
</tbody></table>It looks to be a similarly addictive, and potential profiting game this time around, as we now have an in-game Auction house, similar to what Wow users already enjoy...but with one crucial diffference. This time, you can buy and sell with real-life money. This significantly raises the stakes a bit. Does it make it more fun to seek out rare items? What sort of emergent behaviors will we see in this new frontier of adventure gaming? To be sure, Paypal, and it's parent company Ebay are certainly smiling all the way to the bank. [Paypal is the in-game payment processor]<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglSPmKs9yZC7kw-3KyfIqYkfAtCoWMJSyoUkvD96EULmhEe8vYAG-SgGyC-aYPC9gb-VOCD_a9NdikdGuYPvc5va8SaHc9A_ixEaUQkMo35rFTCMxVqCN1311vW-UhfaHtIQfGaCelU0n2/s1600/untitled.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img aea="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglSPmKs9yZC7kw-3KyfIqYkfAtCoWMJSyoUkvD96EULmhEe8vYAG-SgGyC-aYPC9gb-VOCD_a9NdikdGuYPvc5va8SaHc9A_ixEaUQkMo35rFTCMxVqCN1311vW-UhfaHtIQfGaCelU0n2/s1600/untitled.bmp" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hmm, I wonder what the epic green horny-toad boots of velvet doom are going for today?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>For all you console cretons', you won't be left out so no cryin'. You didn't think Blizzard would just let an extra couple million dollars pass by would you? Nope, the rumors all point to them developing a PS3/Xbox version of Diablo 3...so you all will be able to slide your credit cards into the online Auction house the same as the rest of us. <br />
<br />
For more info at the official Blizzard site go <a href="http://us.battle.net/d3/en/blog/4612389/Diablo_III_Launching_May_15_%E2%80%93_Digital_Pre-Sales_NOW_OPEN-3_15_2012#blog" target="_blank">HERE</a>. You may want to pre-order a copy now, as I've seen it a hundred times, hot titles like this will be hard to come by for at least a month after release day!<br />
<br />
<object style="height: 390px; width: 640px;"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Y9mUe5vHYzs?version=3&feature=player_detailpage"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Y9mUe5vHYzs?version=3&feature=player_detailpage" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="360"></object><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Let the fun begin next month!</span></strong></div></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=400606&fc1=9CB9BB&lc1=85E591&t=mobias-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B00178630A" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
There weren't any tectonic technology shifts introduced by the new iPad 3 (or iPad HD or iPad 2S or whatever it's called). The new model has a sharper, high-definition display and 4G wireless speeds (LTE, for the acronym aware). The new iPad also sports better cameras.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3N-G_W1PaFBQO7dNbtvvPZSXS627pAV1QZPVA8pKAMoM94CSjR9wqIMxAwcT9_wO_dHDzsk4YSzwveOgKIhGr6IvUegW9F2YI0n20nC9ZGlDYzn36jaRbhPU_SwR74eQwLl1HC4T1cfX/s1600/apple_new-ipad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3N-G_W1PaFBQO7dNbtvvPZSXS627pAV1QZPVA8pKAMoM94CSjR9wqIMxAwcT9_wO_dHDzsk4YSzwveOgKIhGr6IvUegW9F2YI0n20nC9ZGlDYzn36jaRbhPU_SwR74eQwLl1HC4T1cfX/s400/apple_new-ipad.jpg" width="400px" yda="true" /></a></div>In addition to the roar of excitement, the activist watchdog group, “SumOfUs” called on Apple to release employees’ time card data from the last four months to see if workers in China were forced into grueling and illegal overtime schedules.<br />
<br />
SumOfUs Executive Director Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman spoke with Mashable on Wednesday morning. She cited the New York Times’ story from January that <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/business/apple-america-and-a-squeezed-middle-class.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all" target="_blank">reported employees at an Apple factory in China</a> were awoken from slumber to work overnight shifts in order to make last-minute changes to the iPad 2. That article was the catalyst for this particular petition, she said, but <a href="http://sumofus.org/campaigns/ethical-iphone/" target="_blank">SumOfUs </a>has targeted Apple and its working conditions in China since the organization launched in late November 2011.<br />
<br />
She says Apple’s hiring of the Fair Labor Association is a public relations move, or “whitewashing” as she called it.<br />
<br />
“It is a PR exercise, not an actual investigation,” she said. “The head of the FLA was giving interviews one day after he arrived — he didn’t interview any workers. It’s clear anything they release will be calculated.”<br />
<br />
This response doesn’t fix the problem, “but it’s cheap,” she said. Apple will have to spend money or change their practices in order to actually make a difference. — “Apple’s going to have to allow it’s suppliers to have a slightly bigger profit margin,” she added.<br />
<br />
Last year, Apple’s profit margin was more than 30 percent, while Foxconn (Apple’s most notorious factory) had a 1.5 percent profit margin, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-04/apple-profit-margins-rise-at-foxconn-s-expense.html" target="_blank">Bloomberg reported</a>. Stinebrickner-Kauffman said Foxconn’s profit margin is actually more profitable than a lot of factories in Asia, but still not enough for suppliers to follow Apple’s and the FLA’s code of conduct.<br />
<br />
“The other thing they’ll (Apple) have to realize is they can’t make last minute changes and expect their suppliers to hold to their timeline,” she said.<br />
<br />
Stinebrickner-Kauffman said she’s an iOS device-user herself and like many folks with Apple devices, doesn’t want to be complacent while accusations of unfair working conditions persist about Apple’s factories in China.<br />
<br />
The FLA said the conditions at Foxconn are <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/15/us-china-apple-idUSTRE81E1FQ20120215" target="_blank">better than other Chinese factories</a>. It’s also been said that the suicide rate in China is higher than at the Foxconn factories. However, Stinebrickner-Kauffman points out that the suicides we hear about at Foxconn are just the reported ones.<br />
<br />
The petition has not yet been emailed to supporters and has already garnered more than 130,000 signatures. Stinebrickner-Kauffman said she thinks Apple will hear the message loud-and-clear, even if they don’t acknowledge it.<br />
<br />
“Apple doesn’t like to admit it,” she said. “But there have been successful NGO campaigns against Apple.”<br />
<br />
Green My Apple, a campaign by <a href="http://members.greenpeace.org/sites/greenmyapple/about.php" target="_blank">Greenpeace</a> was one of them, she said. It spurred Apple to change its recycling practices and <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20116690-54/how-apple-and-greenpeace-made-peace/" target="_blank">restrict or ban certain toxic chemicals</a>. Apple called the program, “A Greener Apple.”<br />
<br />
SumOfUs was launched in late November with the goal of help organize consumers to push companies to be more sustainable and responsible.<br />
<br />
Are you going to buy the new iPad or will you wait until Apple hands over employees’ time cards? Are you going to sign the petition? Have you stopped purchasing Apple products because you don’t want to support its overseas labor practices? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.<br />
<br />
My two cents?: No mass-produced product in the past few centuries was made ethically. If ipads were assembled in the US, the cost would easily be 8X higher. The fact is that almost everything electronic is made in China these days in similar factories. Arguably, FoxConn’s conditions are better than most. What do you think?</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
One of the most powerful solar storms in the last five years was unleashed yesterday after a massive solar flare erupted from the sun. Space weather scientists are closely watching the sun’s activity as the storm could interfere with satellite communication and power grids.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzgxO-SXlqAwRvC0xU7uJBFokCiKD2tNoNRGRFVqR42H932Jr5N1yVqAKmI9UtQQ7vy72EXjxc_lZ8YXhzxiRfQkSPGN0A-iDfbD2zJweSPPoHhGqDT9usfgKaa_d0Q2C9JXQVaER4OgP/s1600/solar-flare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="353px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzgxO-SXlqAwRvC0xU7uJBFokCiKD2tNoNRGRFVqR42H932Jr5N1yVqAKmI9UtQQ7vy72EXjxc_lZ8YXhzxiRfQkSPGN0A-iDfbD2zJweSPPoHhGqDT9usfgKaa_d0Q2C9JXQVaER4OgP/s400/solar-flare.jpg" width="400px" yda="true" /></a></div>Joseph Kunches, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), said:<br />
“Space weather has gotten very interesting over the last 24 hours… When the shock arrives, the expectation is for heightened geomagnetic storm activity and the potential for heightened solar radiation… There is the potential for induced currents in power grids… Power grid operators have all been alerted. It could start to cause some unwanted induced currents.”<br />
<br />
NASA captured a video of the solar flare (below) as it erupted and hurled a “big blob of magnetized material” toward the earth. The AR1429 sunspot region shout off a solar flare on Sunday and two more yesterday. The AR1429 region is currently pointing almost directly at earth which means that the coronal mass ejection could have a big impact on earth.<br />
<br />
Harlan Spence, an astrophysicist at the University of New Hampshire, told SPACE.com:<br />
<br />
“The sun is waking up at a time in the month when Earth is coming into harm’s way. Think of these CMEs somewhat like a bullet that is shot from the sun in more or less a straight line. When the sunspot is right in the middle of the sun, something launched from there is more or less directed right at Earth. It’s kind of like how getting sideswiped by a car is different than a head-on collision. Even still, being sideswiped by a big CME can be quite dramatic.”<br />
<br />
The New York Times reports that the coronal mass ejection will hit earth at about 1:30 a.m on Thursday morning.<br />
<br />
Here’s a video about the 2012 solar flare from NASA.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="292" id="flashObj" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=1494148761001&linkBaseURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2Fvideo&playerID=1403109806001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAFR6xVM~,85KKOZyvPf6qwFANvqEzo9EFltY58YnJ&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=1494148761001&linkBaseURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2Fvideo&playerID=1403109806001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAFR6xVM~,85KKOZyvPf6qwFANvqEzo9EFltY58YnJ&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="400" height="292" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" swLiveConnect="true" allowScriptAccess="always" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object></div>The giant active sunspot AR1429 has given space weather scientists plenty to monitor recently and the solar activity isn’t expected to slow down anytime soon. The sun’s activity is expected to increase until it peaks next year.<br />
<br />
“We’ve got a whole series of things going off, and they take different times to arrive, so they’re all piling on top of each other. It complicates the forecasting and predicting because there are always inherent uncertainties with any single event. Now, with multiple events piling on top of one another, that uncertainty grows.”<br />
<br />
Alex Young, a solar physicist at NASA Goddard, said that it isn’t inevitable that the solar storm tonight will interrupt satellite communication. Young says that the solar storm may just put on a great light show, saying that auroras will be visible as far south as Illinois.<br />
<br />
So folks, make sure you put on your tin-foil hats before going to bed tonight!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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</script></div>mobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921488046987828877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4370630514979943133.post-14305825972516195182012-02-03T03:21:00.000-08:002012-02-06T19:28:14.107-08:00My Total War: Shogun 2 Impressions: Epically Beautiful, Japanese, Awesomeness!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">With gaming, I’m kind of behind the curve. I am still working through Morrowind, I haven’t finished the original Bioshock, I still haven’t been through all the campaigns in Left 4 Dead 2…and I can’t imagine how many more miles of African savannah I have yet to drive in the beautiful but limited Far Cry 2…so it is with this foreword that I give my late, very late review of the amazing Total War: Shogun 2. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyT_nWhAdRNTFud3peVoP1qvLMvlKYrq81zsoa6ax-XMTrpIlvnlqFJrFnDvbUSyNDjXdn1iE-HMYyVzNmfHk0as8yhFltCHJQyqSu83r3ZnavYKgfn0CFPd_QL5o3yWRKjEJpUbwMWZeH/s1600/Shogun2-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyT_nWhAdRNTFud3peVoP1qvLMvlKYrq81zsoa6ax-XMTrpIlvnlqFJrFnDvbUSyNDjXdn1iE-HMYyVzNmfHk0as8yhFltCHJQyqSu83r3ZnavYKgfn0CFPd_QL5o3yWRKjEJpUbwMWZeH/s1600/Shogun2-3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ooohh..ahhhh...</td></tr>
</tbody></table> Not that I’m not aware of what I’m missing, mind you. I keep up daily with all the latest releases, the current favorite ‘it’ games, and the industry ups and downs. I’ve watched in awe at the newest Bioshock: Infinite that will no doubt be their next work of art, and keep a hopeful eye on the newest XCOM game to come out in many years…also [Someday, I WILL enjoy Skyrim…I will...] But being such a busy parent, and working and generally being tired at any of the 20 hours of the day I’m not ‘sleeping’ has kept me from finishing anything in my ever growing PC game library. It doesn’t help that the holiday season on STEAM for gamers on a budget is similar to what crack is to Whitney Houston….er…yeah. <br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So I took advantage and picked up the latest Total War game I had my eye on for months, as it was on sale for some crazy 50% off. I also took advantage of all the add-on clans that were fairly cheap at the time. After all, assuming someday I would get to play it, I’d have all the little toys to play with, all the factions in the deck. It’s the completionist in me that keeps the money flowing to Creative Assembly.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgPwEAEUiJ1XxrccYErSTDviY8m9cNnzPxeakfzUpeXcvWGI2tEjTwqhfNGmMC0kD8OH2NgF6V2-3pLW6sEdmxzlD4IqbYATBMHW3htismLBrgqtNThPmRaayDTLytSBsFJScV5Om83rTI/s1600/shogun1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360px" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgPwEAEUiJ1XxrccYErSTDviY8m9cNnzPxeakfzUpeXcvWGI2tEjTwqhfNGmMC0kD8OH2NgF6V2-3pLW6sEdmxzlD4IqbYATBMHW3htismLBrgqtNThPmRaayDTLytSBsFJScV5Om83rTI/s640/shogun1.jpg" width="640px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I was hooked on Rome, with its massive real-time armies engaged in epic battle, AND it’s Risk/Civilization-style campaign map intrigue. Many, many nights I had to work though ‘just one more turn’. I gasped at the beauty of ‘Empire’ with its authentic looking [but hard to micro-manage] boat warfare and revamped graphics on the battlefield. I merely tasted victory with the introductory revolutionary campaign before getting my ass handed to me in a feathered hat by the Prussians as I attempted a Germanic faction campaign. And again, as I tried to expand westward to the trading fields of America in my lowly, underpowered boats by the Brits AND Spanish Armada’s. Perhaps I’ll get back to this one.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_E7nnNTSRTVScJlXgSn4id0UL7QD4XyTleXXIeRi0r57EKS1ULbmn1k2P18O7ZXCPxKY4UbL-lNFxaifu_dEACs8OFGUFpkm0sPw6q_fe3nbH1kwBSr7ktgOg1OXDMrGx2ZqG1X5guSAy/s1600/shogun-2-boats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358px" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_E7nnNTSRTVScJlXgSn4id0UL7QD4XyTleXXIeRi0r57EKS1ULbmn1k2P18O7ZXCPxKY4UbL-lNFxaifu_dEACs8OFGUFpkm0sPw6q_fe3nbH1kwBSr7ktgOg1OXDMrGx2ZqG1X5guSAy/s640/shogun-2-boats.jpg" width="640px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The many unique war-boats of Shogun 2, engaged in high-seas battle!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>So it is with great anxiousness and trepidation that I attempt the newest, most beautiful and far-east arena of the Japanese conflicts. After all, this is the setting I know least about, having taken much more European history classes than Asian. My first encounter, after the menu screen pops up, oooh, pretty. This game is beautiful, and polished. It is obvious that real thought went into the design of each and every bit of menu/interface. And the music is peaceful, and everything you expect of epic Japanese traditional music. Quiet and Zen-like on the campaign map, and swelling and ambitious when engaged in battle. With either surround sound or quality headphones, all this sounds pure, raw, and uniquely recorded just for the game. Then, the intro campaign. Even though it’s mostly annoying to be retold the same basic advice I’ve mastered since ‘Rome’, I keep the tutorial chatter flowing in hopes to glean some new and unique feature of the game, or strategy that this version has that the previous did not. <br />
<br />
There is a lot to appreciate in this, newest iteration. Perhaps this is Creative Assembly’s crowning achievement. They have perfected the formula, improved the A.I. [for the most part] of not only the naval warfare, but also of the enemy land battle movements, and the graphics are simply stunning. I am a sucker for great graphics, more than other important features sometimes, and there are endless moments when I simply pan around at the sky, what looks like a painting of the Japanese red sun setting over smoky mountains and rolling hills. I track like Francis Coppola himself, alongside a formation of Katana Samurai units, marching not quite in unison, from the side, looking down the ranks as if I were marching alongside next to them…admiring the power and majesty of their intent, as well as their amazingly detailed and colorful uniforms.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVtLLKV8jqdBjiq9M6TeA8HD4QuFoH2Dom_4JFXugKmRfJuVjs0cuFo0oJfCH5Inbb4tNgdRrrYl8noI8se9mxhUAPNbWzCiacVr8GgdKvlDYArUo6XwhKJmPrwomTUcwVUwdvOK7rFXq7/s1600/breach-590x331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVtLLKV8jqdBjiq9M6TeA8HD4QuFoH2Dom_4JFXugKmRfJuVjs0cuFo0oJfCH5Inbb4tNgdRrrYl8noI8se9mxhUAPNbWzCiacVr8GgdKvlDYArUo6XwhKJmPrwomTUcwVUwdvOK7rFXq7/s1600/breach-590x331.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We've come for Dragon Warrior IX, Shogun! Give it up!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">To top it all off, we have the pre-battle ‘pep rally’s’ that were missing for a few of the games. This was one of those great features of ‘Rome’. No matter how many times I’ve heard the various configurations of speech parts, strung together…they still served a small but important role to let you know the conditions of the battle as it may play out. Hey, every little clue is important when the numbers are stacked against you! Are there reinforcements falling in behind? Does the enemy have to march to me? Or do I need to make the first moves as fast as possible. It’s all very stirring, providing a little emotional involvement in the battle, your General and men’s survival, and gives a lot of character to game. I’ve read that there are over 100,000 possible speeches based on the character, their location, and their relationship to the enemy, etc. Wow. It’s all here, though spoken in the native Japanese, of course, so read along with the captions to glorious battle!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg48CNVSwDYaAhJdgtIj7Rj87_MKjwbJ9Ac2Ds3X2XA_3ZXv-jC3eGQhCKqVm6uRAos37Tc3YEwh6OQYVo5X_iIvxuVK_OF8wR6jcQoy3Wnr_-Hb2vJQz0qEyBmeLgUnWu1MqnSIylOJcTC/s1600/total-war-shogun-2-top-games-2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358px" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg48CNVSwDYaAhJdgtIj7Rj87_MKjwbJ9Ac2Ds3X2XA_3ZXv-jC3eGQhCKqVm6uRAos37Tc3YEwh6OQYVo5X_iIvxuVK_OF8wR6jcQoy3Wnr_-Hb2vJQz0qEyBmeLgUnWu1MqnSIylOJcTC/s640/total-war-shogun-2-top-games-2011.jpg" width="640px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back off spearmen! My horse spits upon your helmuts!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Though the formula is roughly unchanged, there are still plenty of new units to master, such as the Metsuke, who act like the town sheriff while also repelling most monk and ninja attacks. I also love the new ‘hero’ units that each town may possess. Think of them as your go-to ass-kickers that may single-handedly turn the tide of battle, if called upon. Hopefully, these are balanced enough that they aren’t TOO ridiculously powerful, but this seems to be a controversial subject already. There is also an upgrade path for generals in your armies. These units gain extra buff’s and war abilities as they win and survive each battle. It’s like another mini tech-tree, bidding you to take great care in not losing your generals.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWIPHoTQ51Br74aNz2rYVAN90MhznKmOeeqY2RBLuW42pWB2SKsTtFUqf8Iu9Wbr8BM-LlvDQfaF4P0yWd4Welh_4h4mt9b5v8NiBV9WTCGcIJ2z6Krksa2NpvgyD6kVLHfAXeqp2-7bD/s1600/turkey_shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360px" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWIPHoTQ51Br74aNz2rYVAN90MhznKmOeeqY2RBLuW42pWB2SKsTtFUqf8Iu9Wbr8BM-LlvDQfaF4P0yWd4Welh_4h4mt9b5v8NiBV9WTCGcIJ2z6Krksa2NpvgyD6kVLHfAXeqp2-7bD/s640/turkey_shoot.jpg" width="640px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Epic Seige battles await! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>There is a much more robust multiplayer element here, which you may find yourself playing more than the single player campaign! Shogun 2 features multiplayer battles with up to 8 players as well as multiplayer campaigns involving competitive or cooperative play with 2 players. In a multiplayer campaign, players can be grouped into different clans, so that for each clan, one player assumes the role of clan leader and others take command of armies. The clan leader has the ability to direct other players and assign rewards based on loyalty and performance, introducing clan politics into multiplayer. As a player's army invades an enemy territory or is attacked by enemy armies, the online matchmaker finds a suitable opponent and initiates a multiplayer battle. When a player defeats enemy armies and conquers territories, the player will gain points and other bonuses for the clan. In addition to all this, an achievement system is designed to provide adhering players with unique abilities and cosmetic upgrades. <br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My favorite new feature? The Avatar conquest mode, of course! Avatar Conquest is a brand new addition to the Total War franchise. It allows you, the player, to create your own Avatar by customizing its uniform, color scheme, clan banner and more. You are then dropped onto the map of Japan, where you move your avatar around the map into different territories and engage in live land and sea battles via matchmaking. Before engaging in battle, it is wise to create and customize your army and navy via the army management button. You'll have a choice between small, medium, large and huge ’funds’ battles. Warning- large and huge battles are better suited for those with more powerful computers. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5B7XrR0W7CAc_79R9jw_AK6jodVfO3HPjz8evIvcvTGmPiHDlYevZGGO5eJ-8AKtEH-bEIWnrxh-3o9qn_5-DCzB-Qkw63Jmj-_nU83Jr3wxCMHKFYDcwJSlN5HRnp3hArE3ChjXcN-9v/s1600/avatar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5B7XrR0W7CAc_79R9jw_AK6jodVfO3HPjz8evIvcvTGmPiHDlYevZGGO5eJ-8AKtEH-bEIWnrxh-3o9qn_5-DCzB-Qkw63Jmj-_nU83Jr3wxCMHKFYDcwJSlN5HRnp3hArE3ChjXcN-9v/s1600/avatar.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">That's right...I'm a baaaad mutha "shut yer mouth!"...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Once your Avatar has been customized to your liking, and you've put together an army and navy, you can then drop into the battle map and attempt to smash your opponent. Depending on whether you won or lost, you'll receive skill points, which you can use to upgrade both your Avatar and units stats. Some units will gain veterancy if you use them enough in battle. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A major part of Avatar Conquest is also the Clan system. The Clan system features various user-created Steam Groups battling it out to control parts of Japan. The clan with the most victories in a particular territory will control it. There are many territories for clans to battle it out over and various tier's for clans of varying sizes to fight in. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I’m also impressed by a simple, yet genius ‘drop-in’ feature that allows you to let a real human drop into your campaign battle to fight against you, in real-time. Great idea! Though, I’m weary about the possibility of being spanked by every single ‘pro’ player out there invading my game, I’ll have to experiment with this. I don’t like the idea of losing every battle if i’m only an armchair general. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyr_ZZaLqgE_S6vlf1Y6DorCVuiEv3NBGJGHCNJ4Z6KxkEFhq27I25PO7jwjhVKeBBNKjxxK7LeBZrMjvkKD_lHqIxxkB-IGe_X9VAMrPDcbzKxOhpqZ36uVAA_jNMmn7NgzkDSPBl-Sp/s1600/TotalWarShogun2wallpaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyr_ZZaLqgE_S6vlf1Y6DorCVuiEv3NBGJGHCNJ4Z6KxkEFhq27I25PO7jwjhVKeBBNKjxxK7LeBZrMjvkKD_lHqIxxkB-IGe_X9VAMrPDcbzKxOhpqZ36uVAA_jNMmn7NgzkDSPBl-Sp/s1600/TotalWarShogun2wallpaper.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The campaign map is as gorgeous as ever, introducing a 360 degree rotation view option!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Overwhelmed yet? A beginner to the Total War series just might be, but there are helpful tips abound, and if you crave more there is plenty of online help via fan forums and the like at your fingertips. Don’t be afraid to read up on tactics and strategy, there is always much to learn when attempting to master the Art of War. Here is one excellent and extremely well-made guide to get you on your way. <a href="http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?137395-Frogbeastegg-s-Guide-to-Total-War-Shogun-II" target="_blank">HERE</a> <br />
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All in all, this is easily the most polished, graphically beautiful, accessible, and involving of all Total War games, and certainly one of the best PC games you can get, period. For anyone interested in history, strategy and empire building, it’s a must-have. Will you be the next Shogun sitting in Kyoto? Go ahead…give it your best shot!<br />
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</script></div>mobiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04921488046987828877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4370630514979943133.post-40115963542427425432012-01-13T05:15:00.001-08:002012-02-04T07:00:56.717-08:00LEGO introduces LADYFIGS playsets aimed at girls - to Controversial Response!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">This is an interesting debate, more about the merits and follies of marketing than anything else. But its implications reach much further than one might suspect! <br />
<br />
When I was a young lad, my brother and I, like many thousands of boy's in the eighties, played with Lego's off and on throughout the years. We didn't have a lot of money, so we didn't have the gigantic medieval castle sets, and I never got the Airport playset that I wanted for ages...sniff. Ok..<sniffle>...moving on!<br />
But we did cherish and make the most out of the sets that we did have. And we did so because of one crucial quality that LEGO's have that a lot of toys these days don't...the ability to be merely tools for our own imaginations.<br />
<br />
To me, LEGO's are a perfect balance between unsophisticated design, and complex building potential. You didn't have to be an engineering marvel to have a lot of fun, making your lopsided apartment complex, with plants growing out of the roof and horses galloping in the living room. You didn't have to be an aerospace engineer extraordinaire- with your triple-decker space jet with wings that wouldn't lift a hummingbird and so many jet engines sticking out the back that, had it been made in real-life, instantaneous self-combustion would have been the more likely outcome.<br />
</sniffle><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVUxYCbkst6_N0jMfSq9WiJCIyNlYzC1Absoa52-H0JXTl5r2X53r_1kU4UxRZvTKrk6w1int0d8BefgAmtRa7V4zAT9b5VyFdfAKPCrONzjNTxA5MSQ4VFQSDEpRZ-2CcTufWZ83BoMg/s1600/103108A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300px" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVUxYCbkst6_N0jMfSq9WiJCIyNlYzC1Absoa52-H0JXTl5r2X53r_1kU4UxRZvTKrk6w1int0d8BefgAmtRa7V4zAT9b5VyFdfAKPCrONzjNTxA5MSQ4VFQSDEpRZ-2CcTufWZ83BoMg/s320/103108A.jpg" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warning-not real me- Image contains simulated representation of my younger self~</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAj4xv7rIT0lTJvUp9hHKBT4xVoSVBKhDiwQjsFkfb3eH3fwoJqG9HWBLaGCJPOgYvdGYDIEbED-ZgxN8_By35UkXkgw7F-yJ00ZnTDLb-hj-abEAnutgZvNEZ9SNAkTPm0PmpkQMFv7df/s1600/Lego9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206px" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAj4xv7rIT0lTJvUp9hHKBT4xVoSVBKhDiwQjsFkfb3eH3fwoJqG9HWBLaGCJPOgYvdGYDIEbED-ZgxN8_By35UkXkgw7F-yJ00ZnTDLb-hj-abEAnutgZvNEZ9SNAkTPm0PmpkQMFv7df/s320/Lego9.jpg" width="320px" /></a>The results of our handy-work, were like an extension of our own unique personalities. Literally, we built 3-dimensional representations of our individual personalities, motivations and strengths...all in the palm of our hands. I always strove to create the coolest, sleekest looking spaceships...as I was always a StarWars fan. </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My brother, however, created wonderfully tough looking tank-like vehicles, with enormous guns, engines, and big wheels.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-G0ytxGkhpD525sOHlC1Fi6P6y11ef4bmhKz_TIUi2pQ1OPNksrzMj5XDzJ3pAy0HLoBVB3y_uhmk4Fxw_o8_CxQqTpxt98V0L3rnjnxGTLXQAmd69tscOwjaBZsmQQniO0hIAJMby4l/s1600/l634108698979358965.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-G0ytxGkhpD525sOHlC1Fi6P6y11ef4bmhKz_TIUi2pQ1OPNksrzMj5XDzJ3pAy0HLoBVB3y_uhmk4Fxw_o8_CxQqTpxt98V0L3rnjnxGTLXQAmd69tscOwjaBZsmQQniO0hIAJMby4l/s320/l634108698979358965.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
Interesting, and of note...I ended up joining the Air Force after high school, with a career fixing cargo and fighter aircraft...and my brother [a ridiculously over-powered gun-nut] became a GM certified mechanic, a Harley bike expert, a Honda crotch-rocket guru, and is now planning on joining the Army Reserves this year! HA... I can just hear Yoda: "SymBOLic...your LEGO building...will become, Hmm?!"</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So it is with a skeptical eye indeed that I read about the newest product line from the LEGO corporation, entitled deceptively 'LEGO Friends', it consists of obviously girl-orientated figurines or LADYFIGS as they seem to be called, and likewise stereotypical playsets befitting what the Martha Stewarts of the world would call 'girl-orientated'. Examples include: a salon, a horse academy, a veterinary clinic, and a café. See where this is going? Did I mention the 'Ladyfigs', the newer, ever-so-slightly taller girl figurines, have boobs and curves, whereas the previous minifigs of the existing product line, were fairly neutral in shape, with only textures and designs indicating their sex. Behold, Katy Perry got her own LEGO's!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2SC5tFbCycYIZc_jambAAXmZOQEL74Hqf1nH4oLnlVrxoKMDpvrLOWTSggzs-8EEnByEH0TKb_DXJboAzQUY-rqG5fcWbkhuqcak3lvaNk7aKVBqWFaSTrqd8Wna9ipJKLKu5kdYfOrHu/s1600/lego-ladyfigs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2SC5tFbCycYIZc_jambAAXmZOQEL74Hqf1nH4oLnlVrxoKMDpvrLOWTSggzs-8EEnByEH0TKb_DXJboAzQUY-rqG5fcWbkhuqcak3lvaNk7aKVBqWFaSTrqd8Wna9ipJKLKu5kdYfOrHu/s320/lego-ladyfigs.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I tend to agree with the crowd that is yelling...'girls are interested in pink and purple and apron-strings...ONLY because that's what the marketing agencies of the last 100 years has told them they are supposed to want!' When in reality, girls start out in life as blank a slate as boys, with their environment dictating their future strengths, interests and accomplishments. Just read up on the studies yo! Girls don't need shallow-minded, profit-driven Ad agencies nor toy companies in the 21rst century reprehensively placing them into a pink and purple boxes, just to sell toys! <gasp>Girls were already playing with Lego's, they perhaps just needed more girl figurines, and perhaps a commercial or two with, you know...girls in them!</gasp></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-not more sexism.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8qquLkhXvTP4OM7tokgUft6l-jNfyn1AnTzufVYcLHIrcozM16CDDr4qOF25teipA0HPiy_7S1ljm2EO6nwR1403h__TT8Iz755cTO0Xc8K91rcDVu_MkzOI7diqzp-xr5j6REmFTseXG/s1600/2011-12-16-Olivia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8qquLkhXvTP4OM7tokgUft6l-jNfyn1AnTzufVYcLHIrcozM16CDDr4qOF25teipA0HPiy_7S1ljm2EO6nwR1403h__TT8Iz755cTO0Xc8K91rcDVu_MkzOI7diqzp-xr5j6REmFTseXG/s320/2011-12-16-Olivia.jpg" width="240px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Here is a link to a more in-depth article <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.themarysue.com/lego-introduces-new-girl-sets/" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">HERE</span></a> </span>at themarysue.com.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This is an article about the director of <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://sparkmovement.org/" target="_blank">SPARK Movement</a></span>, Dana Edell, and the problems the people at SPARK and others have with these Ladyfigs. You’ll notice there’s a poll at the side there. As I write this, it is 75% in favor of the new gendered playsets.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">You can also <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-lego-to-stop-selling-out-girls-liberatelegos" target="_blank">sign the petition</a></span> and read <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.sparksummit.com/2011/12/20/what-the-minifig-legos-build-the-wrong-message-for-girls/" target="_blank">the blogs</a></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.sparksummit.com/2011/12/21/3675/" target="_blank">that started</a> </span>the whole thing.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLhiF5ohphB4Er0nwV_i_PUBMXR3iFlH_yLyBM_ASLwWV-A768-lU9x_mrivsNT9RpHyvUOMUplIpVo5k5SKfimvfZIP7gKbOZ0W0NT_MgIraWP4BSGYkqdyu_8URkykjm9S_HH6mbJzSE/s1600/02404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLhiF5ohphB4Er0nwV_i_PUBMXR3iFlH_yLyBM_ASLwWV-A768-lU9x_mrivsNT9RpHyvUOMUplIpVo5k5SKfimvfZIP7gKbOZ0W0NT_MgIraWP4BSGYkqdyu_8URkykjm9S_HH6mbJzSE/s200/02404.jpg" width="133px" /></a></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<br />
...She goes by the name of 'Meytal' Cohen... <br />
<br />
This girl RAWKS! I don't know whether to laugh or cry! She makes it look too easy! It's almost as if she's playing the carnival game 'whack-a-mole' or something, her movements just seem so unrefined...but that really is her banging away! Unbelievable.<br />
<br />
She covers all my favorites, if you view her other stuff. Perfect Circle, Led Zepplin, Rush, Tool of course, System of a Down....the list goes on. She even has a huge fan page on facebook. Check her out! <br />
<br />
<object style="height: 390px; width: 640px;"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/67rslfF-QQU?version=3&feature=player_profilepage"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/67rslfF-QQU?version=3&feature=player_profilepage" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="360"></object><br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Last year, the dream home was valued at $1,500,000! While the final numbers haven’t been posted as of yet for next year’s model, I can tell you, from the looks of the last couple year’s homes, the amount of customization and care that goes into it makes it a very special house!</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5838uicU6S9Z-w1lPZJSD3BGiJwJa05kxTbEzLT1njGQKduQXyt76ATGZU_NYlAWoiQBOz8G2qsJuWze_mwvswP1vNpT_1pqafuQ6_8wicYaYhJkeY_px32Uub_ghDOtsoE0VyYu4QRe_/s1600/dh12_Front-with-GMC_s4x3_lead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5838uicU6S9Z-w1lPZJSD3BGiJwJa05kxTbEzLT1njGQKduQXyt76ATGZU_NYlAWoiQBOz8G2qsJuWze_mwvswP1vNpT_1pqafuQ6_8wicYaYhJkeY_px32Uub_ghDOtsoE0VyYu4QRe_/s1600/dh12_Front-with-GMC_s4x3_lead.jpg" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2012 HGTV Dream Home! Wow...</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I did this competition last year, tried faithfully to enter every single day, but probably had more of a 75% ratio when all was said and done. But nonetheless, it was fun…and nice to dream a bit for a month or so…”What IF we won it!?” … “What if YOU won it???”</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4M89wzG_fCrioEzJMcgzipMkNZeFgMUFP1x83XJ81SD0wmgug3i8yoRg2nwb6eOe0-h2GAZJY8rvGXnqoik-4ruIXtjO-DonQTmFltev4tuHKrc8oDPVZ0MLMQqSqHedDT0V0IAvCKEwO/s1600/01-DH2012_Great-Room_s4x3_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4M89wzG_fCrioEzJMcgzipMkNZeFgMUFP1x83XJ81SD0wmgug3i8yoRg2nwb6eOe0-h2GAZJY8rvGXnqoik-4ruIXtjO-DonQTmFltev4tuHKrc8oDPVZ0MLMQqSqHedDT0V0IAvCKEwO/s1600/01-DH2012_Great-Room_s4x3_lg.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 9.5pt;">What I could do with a place like that! Medieval games night anyone!?</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>As I write this, there are 15 days, 5 hours and roughly 8 minutes until contest green light. <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Let the fun begin!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,124,0" height="455" width="576"><param name="movie" value="http://common.scrippsnetworks.com/common/snap/snap-3.2.2-embed.swf?channelurl=http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/channel/xml/0,,88315-VIDEO,00.xml&channel=88315"/> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"/> <param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"/> <embed src="http://common.scrippsnetworks.com/common/snap/snap-3.2.2-embed.swf?channelurl=http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/channel/xml/0,,88315-VIDEO,00.xml&channel=88315" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" width="576" height="455"/></object></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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Merry Christmas Eve everyone!<br />
It's that time of year again, to track Santa using our friendly neighborhood NORAD unit!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJeScgfA_qYE84UOR4lUSv59REn9uf3dC-v5sKP-qm8CykZZFM4bL59OWeBVWsPZpfyWsBiaJUOYKEb4mlgH8Uv2Y3LkqYHC6ZKdH8FazaDNV7wgHMb8wNahp6eRYlxJbsznna4l2C0xBV/s1600/santatracker2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJeScgfA_qYE84UOR4lUSv59REn9uf3dC-v5sKP-qm8CykZZFM4bL59OWeBVWsPZpfyWsBiaJUOYKEb4mlgH8Uv2Y3LkqYHC6ZKdH8FazaDNV7wgHMb8wNahp6eRYlxJbsznna4l2C0xBV/s400/santatracker2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmg_A6RPtdqSL_TZUgrQrUcBGxPwW29bm9gOoT7-mWmspqHRLQwAMaJJ4-oiWGoCy_yaPNokUnsBle-yitElUKcDl01TN8Lh9ZgQLoI8IEPQKhlyZTHbD8sqR06MZC70Yhy8SaUFMKSXv/s1600/norad-santa-tracker.jpg" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmg_A6RPtdqSL_TZUgrQrUcBGxPwW29bm9gOoT7-mWmspqHRLQwAMaJJ4-oiWGoCy_yaPNokUnsBle-yitElUKcDl01TN8Lh9ZgQLoI8IEPQKhlyZTHbD8sqR06MZC70Yhy8SaUFMKSXv/s320/norad-santa-tracker.jpg" width="320" /></a>That's
right kiddies, Santa Tracker is up and running now that Santa is out
delivering his presents. You can download the Santa Tracker file for
Google Earth while at <a href="http://www.noradsanta.org/">NORAD’s Santa Tracker website</a> and track him on your own. There is now even a smart phone app that you can download to view Santa!</div>
This
is a fun site that I first discovered back in the 08' year, there are
many options to play with, as I mentioned-like viewing Santa’s journey
using Google Earth.<br />
<br />
So, without further ado...-enjoy!<br />
<a href="http://www.noradsanta.org/en/track3d.html">http://www.noradsanta.org/en/track3d.html</a> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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