text:
Geez, Muno, gets exhausting having to explain .
There were emails found during the Weiner investigation that led back to Hillary, which required them to go back and open the investigation, now that there is new information. And obviously SOMEONE in the FBI saw SOMETHING that belonged to Hillary, which then prompted all of this. Of course Comey would have been uodated on exactly what those were and the decision to proceed into it. Questions?
This is my position. I've been saying for years, "We have term limits. They're called 'elections.'" If people are unhappy with their representatives, they are free and able to not re-elect them. If they are satisfied with the representatives they have previously elected, why should they not be able to continue having those individuals represent them, just because they have served for some arbitrary amount of time?
And political office has become a skilled occupation. Connections and experience that is formed over time matters a great deal. It takes a long time to become an effective member of Congress. To me, it's no different than saying physicians or lawyers should only be able to work for some specific number of years, and then we have to start over again with neophyte physicians or lawyers. Or what about nurses? How much sense would it make to say that, because some nurses become jaded and complacent over time and that doesn't serve the public interest, you can only be licensed as an RN for six, or twelve, years and then you automatically lose your license and have to find some other occupation?
Then save yourself the time and effort, and don't bother.
If you actually read the real reporting, instead of the right-wing paranoia websites you apparently prefer to frequent, you would know that nobody at the FBI had seen anything that "belonged to Hillary" in the material found on Weiner's computer, since the FBI had to get a warrant to look at those emails and that had not been done when Comey made his announcement. All they knew were that there were emails belonging to Ms. Abedin on the computer.
And, "it's against the law for the FBI to interfere in a political campaign"? Really?? I guess that settles it, then. 'Cause nobody ever breaks the law, or misunderstands or mistakenly violates the law. I guess that means Clinton hasn't done any of the horrible things the Right is accusing her of, because they are accusing her of breaking the law and, well, it's against the law for her to do that.
Why do you suppose so many prominent Democrats and Republicans are making public their concerns that Comey has done exactly that, violate the Hatch Act? Making irresponsible and unprofessional personal comments about his personal opinions about Clinton, in violation of FBI and Justice Department policy, while working to keep quiet the damaging information about Trump and his connections to Russia that the FBI has uncovered? Of course, I'm sure you have some smooth and illogical explanation for that in which he's not acting as a partisan hack.
And, no, I don't "read WikiLeaks." They are unsubstantiated, unverified information of unknown origin being promulgated by an organization run by an individual who has made no secret over the years of his personal dislike for Clinton and desire to damage her. Of course you believe they're gospel because they reinforce what you already believe. But not everyone here is so gullible.
Speaking of interesting investigations:
Donald Trump's Companies Destroyed Emails in Defiance of Court Orders
Over the course of decades, Donald Trump's companies have systematically destroyed or hidden thousands of emails, digital records and paper documents demanded in official proceedings, often in defiance of court orders. These tactics—exposed by a Newsweek review of thousands of pages of court filings, judicial orders and affidavits from an array of court cases—have enraged judges, prosecutors, opposing lawyers and the many ordinary citizens entangled in litigation with Trump. In each instance, Trump and entities he controlled also erected numerous hurdles that made lawsuits drag on for years, forcing courtroom opponents to spend huge sums of money in legal fees as they struggled—sometimes in vain—to obtain records.
...Trump's use of deception and untruthful affidavits, as well as the hiding or improper destruction of documents, dates back to at least 1973, when the Republican nominee, his father and their real estate company battled the federal government over civil charges that they refused to rent apartments to African-Americans. The Trump strategy was simple: deny, impede and delay, while destroying documents the court had ordered them to hand over.
Then there is the highly suggestive question of whether one of Trump's servers has been in regular communication with a Russian bank:
A computer scientist tracking malware and going by the name 'Tea Leaves" claims to have discovered a pattern of conversation that appears to tie a server registered to the Donald Trump organization to two Russian servers registered to "Alfa Bank."
According to a new report from Slate, computer scientists began looking into GOP presidential nominee's servers in the wake of the hack into the Democratic National Committee (DNC) that U.S. intelligence has blamed on Russian actors.
'We wanted to help defend both campaigns, because we wanted to preserve the integrity of the election," one of the unnamed academics involved said.
Tea Leaves discovered a bank in Moscow that continually contacted a server registered to the Trump Organization. Further research of the pattern of conversations revealed they would occur during office hours in both New York and Moscow, Slate reported.
Report connects Trump organization server to Russian bank | TheHill
The original report:
Was a server registered to the Trump Organization communicating with Russia's Alfa Bank?
The arrogant, hectoring approach can work quite well when one has the facts 100% correct. When one hasn't correctly interpreted what has actually transpired and still use that approach, it falls flat.
If you look at Director Comey's own statement you'll see that investigators hadn't reviewed the emails at the time the statement was made and no one at the FBI had yet had a chance to determine if they were significant in any way, shape or form.
I think that Muno has a pretty good grasp of the situation so please don't feel like you have to waste any time or energy on educational efforts.
Part of Director Comey's statement:
The full text of FBI letter announcing new Clinton email probe
In connection with an unrelated case, the FBI has learned of the existence of emails that appear to be pertinent to the investigation. I am writing to inform you that the investigative team briefed me on this yesterday, and I agreed that the FBI should take appropriate investigative steps designed to allow investigators to review these emails to determine whether they contain classified information, as well as to assess their importance to our investigation.
Although the FBI cannot yet assess whether or not this material may be significant, and I cannot predict how long it will take us to complete this additional work, I believe it is important to update your Committees about our efforts in light of my previous testimony.
(my bold)
Given the lack of any solid, new and relevant information available to the FBI at the time Mr Comey shared the information, I can only draw the conclusion that it was extremely premature. Premature, yet released very close to the election knowing full well that the investigation such as it is, will likely not be concluded before the election. It raised many more questions than it answered. All they've said is we have mail. At this time we don't know what, if anything, it means.
Speaking of FBI investigations:
A Veteran Spy Has Given the FBI Information Alleging a Russian Operation to Cultivate Donald Trump | Mother Jones
On Friday, FBI Director James Comey set off a political blast when he informed congressional leaders that the bureau had stumbled across emails that might be pertinent to its completed inquiry into Hillary Clinton's handling of emails when she was secretary of state. The Clinton campaign and others criticized Comey for intervening in a presidential campaign by breaking with Justice Department tradition and revealing information about an investigation—information that was vague and perhaps ultimately irrelevant—so close to Election Day. On Sunday, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid upped the ante. He sent Comey a fiery letter saying the FBI chief may have broken the law and pointed to a potentially greater controversy: "In my communications with you and other top officials in the national security community, it has become clear that you possess explosive information about close ties and coordination between Donald Trump, his top advisors, and the Russian government…The public has a right to know this information."
Reid's missive set off a burst of speculation on Twitter and elsewhere. What was he referring to regarding the Republican presidential nominee? At the end of August, Reid had written to Comey and demanded an investigation of the "connections between the Russian government and Donald Trump's presidential campaign," and in that letter he indirectly referred to Carter Page, an American businessman cited by Trump as one of his foreign policy advisers, who had financial ties to Russia and had recently visited Moscow. Last month, Yahoo News reported that US intelligence officials were probing the links between Page and senior Russian officials. (Page has called accusations against him "garbage.") On Monday, NBC News reported that the FBI has mounted a preliminary inquiry into the foreign business ties of Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign chief. But Reid's recent note hinted at more than the Page or Manafort affairs. And a former senior intelligence officer for a Western country who specialized in Russian counterintelligence tells Mother Jones that in recent months he provided the bureau with memos, based on his recent interactions with Russian sources, contending the Russian government has for years tried to co-opt and assist Trump—and that the FBI requested more information from him.
Does this mean the FBI is investigating whether Russian intelligence has attempted to develop a secret relationship with Trump or cultivate him as an asset? Was the former intelligence officer and his material deemed credible or not? An FBI spokeswoman says, "Normally, we don't talk about whether we are investigating anything." But a senior US government official not involved in this case but familiar with the former spy tells Mother Jones that he has been a credible source with a proven record of providing reliable, sensitive, and important information to the US government.
FBI examining fake documents targeting Clinton campaign: sources
| Reuters
The FBI and U.S. intelligence agencies are examining faked documents aimed at discrediting the Hillary Clinton campaign as part of a broader investigation into what U.S. officials believe has been an attempt by Russia to disrupt the presidential election, people with knowledge of the matter said.
U.S. Senator Tom Carper, a Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security Committee, has referred one of the documents to the FBI for investigation on the grounds that his name and stationery were forged to appear authentic, some of the sources who had knowledge of that discussion said.
In the letter identified as fake, Carper is quoted as writing to Clinton, 'We will not let you lose this election," a person who saw the document told Reuters.
The fake Carper letter, which was described to Reuters, is one of several documents presented to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Justice for review in recent weeks, the sources said.
... As part of an investigation into suspected Russian hacking, FBI investigators have also asked Democratic Party officials to provide copies of other suspected faked documents that have been circulating along with emails and other legitimate documents taken in the hack, people involved in those conversations said.
... In addition to the Carper letter, the FBI has also reviewed a seven-page electronic document that carries the logos of Democratic pollster Joel Benenson's firm, the Benenson Strategy Group, and the Clinton Foundation, a person with knowledge of the matter said.
The document, identified as a fake by the Clinton campaign, claims poll ratings had plunged for Clinton and called for 'severe strategy changes for November" that could include 'staged civil unrest" and 'radiological attack" with dirty bombs to disrupt the vote.
Kurt Eichenwald has written a review of the Trump-Russia connection. It's a bit of a long read, but it widens the context and connects some of the provocative dots that I've been seeing since the beginning of Trump's campaign. The piece focuses mainly on the foreign policy concerns around Trump's candidacy and includes a description of the disinformation network run by Russia worldwide.
... Trump has been surrounded by advisers and associates with economic and familial links to Russia. The publicized connections and contacts between former campaign manager Paul Manafort with Ukraine have raised concerns. Former Trump adviser Carter Page is being probed by American and European intelligence on allegations that he engaged in back-channel discussions with Russian government officials over the summer. Page did travel to Moscow, but he denies any inappropriate contact with Russian officials. The allies are also uneasy about retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, a Trump adviser who was reportedly considered a possible running mate for the GOP nominee. Last December, Flynn attended a dinner at the Metropol Hotel in honor of the 10th anniversary of RT, a Russian news agency that has been publicly identified by American intelligence as a primary outlet for Moscow's disinformation campaigns. Flynn, who was two seats away from Russian President Vladimir Putin at the dinner, has frequently appeared on RT, despite public warnings by American intelligence that the news agency is used for Russian propaganda.
Western intelligence has also obtained reports that a Trump associate met with a pro-Putin member of Russian parliament at a building in Eastern Europe maintained by Rossotrudnichestvo, an agency under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that is charged with administering language, education and support programs for civilians. While the purpose of that meeting is unclear, and there is no evidence that Trump was aware it took place, it has become another fact that has alarmed officials from at least one NATO ally.
Finally, Trump's repeated glowing statements about Putin throughout the campaign—and his shocking comment that the Russians were not in Crimea—have perplexed some foreign officials, who fear that under a Trump presidency, the United States would no longer stand with Western Europe in regard to Moscow.
Trump and his campaign have also spread propaganda created as part of the Kremlin's effort, relying on bogus information generated through traditional Russian disinformation techniques. In one instance, a manipulated document was put out onto the internet anonymously by propagandists working with Russia; within hours, Trump was reciting that false information at a campaign rally. The Trump campaign has also spread claims from Sputnik, another news outlet identified by American intelligence as part of the Russian disinformation campaign. For example, almost immediately after the posting of an article by Sputnik attacking this Newsweek reporter, the Trump campaign emailed a link to the piece to American reporters, urging them to pursue the same story.
Really? Re-opened case today. Unprecedented. None of us, obviously, know what the FBI will divulge and there are plenty of talking heads giving their opinions.
Does anyone think Comey would go through reopening his investigation if what he and his team HAD found was nothing?
It is a reopening of the case. We shall see what happens.
Now we know.
No criminality in Clinton emails - FBI - BBC News
The FBI has found no evidence of criminality in the new batch of Hillary Clinton emails.
"Based on our review, we have not changed our conclusions that we expressed in July with respect to Secretary Clinton," said Mr Comey in Sunday's letter to Congress.
FBI: Review of new emails doesn't change conclusion on Clinton - CNNPolitics.com
FBI Director James Comey told lawmakers Sunday the agency hasn't changed its opinion that Hillary Clinton should not face criminal charges after a review of new emails.
This shows why it's important to not jump to conclusions prematurely. At the time of Director Comey's first letter the FBI had not yet even read the new emails. Now that they have reviewed them they've drawn the conclusion that the emails didn't contain anything that warrants criminal charges.
Nov 7, 2016 by herring_RN, ASN, BSN
QUOTE=macawake;9242732]Now we know.
Edited Nov 7, 2016 by herring_RN
the quote didn't work. Edited for clarity regarding who posted what.
It doesn't matter. Mission accomplished, damage done. People believe the FBI is wrong, is covering up for Mrs. Clinton and that she's the most dreadful criminal since Manson and that when Trump is elected she will go to prison. I read somewhere too that Obama is also going to prison.
Nov 7, 2016 by StNeotser


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text:
Queen Elizabeth removed Prince Andrew's titles after discussions with Charles, William
Entertainment,Latest News
British Queen Elizabeth's eldest son Prince Charles, who is also heir to the throne, had planned to remove brother Prince Andrew's military titles and HRH status over the Christmas.
According to a report by the Sun, Prince Charles discussed and consulted his son Prince William over the matter.
The report, citing a source, claimed that Prince Charles and his son Prince William then informed the Queen about their opinion.
"Ultimately, it was the Queen's final decision but she told them she shared their view. The Queen and Andrew had the final conversations on the matter on Thursday."
According to AFP, the Queen, whose public appearances are increasingly rare, is said to have made her decision after discussions with Charles, heir to the crown, and her grandson Prince William, second in line to the throne, British media said.
Andrew, was reportedly summoned to Windsor Castle and drove there with his lawyer.
He lives three miles (4.8 kilometres) from the castle at Royal Lodge, the former home of the Queen´s mother.
after,Andrew's titles,discussions,Elizabeth,Prince,Queen,removed,William,with Charles
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I finished this one this morning. I'm thinking of calling it "Channeling Vincent" as it has a very Van Gogh type feel to it. The last two have turned out amazing. I'm still having issues with the paints in this heat, they don't want to move around as much. I can't wait until I can stay home and "play" with paint all day.
I finished the obligatory grapes for the Prosser Art Walk and Wine Gala, they turned out amazing. I was invited to participate in Yakima Uncorked this weekend but it has not been advertised as an art event so I think I'll skip it.
The obligatory grapes will not be ready for this weekend but the obligatory birch will be there. Stop by and say hi. You can see the finished grapes at Prosser July 16th but there will be 3 new paontongs at Leavenworth.


Stella don carry style cut am to two; recession dey for Weird facts?
fact@2...fear of jezebel! Beautiful women seek to control in order to feel secure.
That town should be renamed SweJapan.
The bang theory, one of my favourite tv shows. I like how raj can be both manly and effeminate. Lol.


In order to effectively treat a person with an abusive personality, it is important to understand that almost everything you learned in school does not apply. A valuable basic premise to hold on to is that "people do that which they want to do because they get a reward for doing it."
When you feel like life is crumbling around you and your resources are shrinking, do you find yourself wishing to be strong, but don't believe you have the capability to be so? Are you in an abusive relationship, knowing that it's unhealthy, but you can't bring yourself to break the cycle, leave, or even stand up for yourself?
It may have come to your attention by now that the narcissist or other type of manipulator in your life defines the terms. This is because he/she has two essential motives – to get his/her way, and to look good doing it. Ordinary people do not bode well with these narcissistic types because they tend to play by a different set of rules – fair ones; ones that involve cooperation, collaboration, equality.
Perfectionism affects many people in our society, for many reasons. Some have been raised to believe that the way to win approval from others is to "succeed" by doing everything perfectly; this is a "performance based" view of relationships. Others have placed perfection upon themselves in order to avoid feelings such as inadequacy, shame, and fear.
Perfectionism leads to two common problems: anxiety and procrastination.
Thinness, just as fatness, is a lifestyle. In order to develop a thin lifestyle, it helps to develop thin habits. This involves doing what thin people do and thinking like thin people think. If this is something you haven't done before than it might be challenging, but not impossible. Old habits can be broken and new habits can be formed.
Do you have someone in your life who frequently manages to cause you to feel guilty? When with this person, is he/she constantly implying that you are uncaring, thoughtless, and selfish? Be aware that there are some people who are master manipulators and can take the biggest empath and cause him/her to feel like the greatest villain on earth.
One thing you must realize when you love a narcissist is that your experience is one-sided, as he is incapable of either giving or receiving love. This concept may be hard to grasp at first, but if you have ever been in a relationship with a narcissist than this theory definitely explains a lot.
When involved with an abuser it it very common to get caught up in his or her "game" where you end up constantly responding and reacting to the madness, and you find yourself doing it automatically, without even thinking. Before you know it, you realize you are on the end of someone else's psychological yo-yo, going up and down with his or her moods.


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ARCHIVES: This is legacy content from before Sustainable Cities Collective was relaunched as Smart Cities Dive in early 2017. Some information, such as publication dates or images, may not have migrated over. For the latest in smart city news, check out the new Smart Cities Dive site or sign up for our daily newsletter.
Public Transit and the Benefits of High-Speed Rail
Audrey Henderson @InTheKn0w
America's Love Affair — with Its Cars
It's a well known fact that Americans love their cars. However, with continued fluctuation in gasoline prices and increasingly congested highways, many Americans are becoming more receptive to giving up their cars – or at least trading the daily commute to and from work – for a trip where someone else does the driving. One possible solution that addresses both high gas prices and clogged roadways is high-speed rail.
America's love affair with the automobile routinely results in clogged highway traffic, making the term "rush hour" an ironic misnomer. Photo credit: Audrey F. Henderson, all rights reserved.
In Europe and Asia, where high-speed rail is well established, countries and individual riders alike have enjoyed far ranging benefits as a result – economic, social, environmental and in added convenience. High-speed rail has also begun to gain traction in the United States. The Obama administration has been especially enthusiastic about high-speed rail, allocating millions of dollars to its expansion.
High-Speed Rail Defined
The definition for high-speed rail in the United States differs from the definition used in the rest of the world, where high-speed rail is faster. For instance, the definition of high-speed rail in the European Union covers trains that travel up to 250 km/h (or 156 mph) on newly constructed lines. The EU defines high-speed rail on converted or upgraded lines as trains that travel up to 220 km/h (or 136 mph). At this writing, only one rail line in the United States meets the EU standard for high-speed rail: the Acela Express, an Amtrak train that runs Between Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. The Acela Express averages 68 mph (or 109 km/h) for its entire distance, but reaches 150 mph (or 240 km/h) for brief stretches of its run.
By contrast, the United States has designated three categories of high-speed rail: Emerging, Regional and Express. Emerging high-speed rail covers corridors ranging from 100 to 500 miles in distance (or 160 to 800 kilometers) long that have potential for supporting future high-speed rail development for trains traveling between 90 to 110 mph (or 145 to 177 km/h) on shared track. Regional high-speed rail is defined as service between population centers located between 100 and 500 miles apart (or 160 to 800 kilometers), and trains with top speeds ranging from 110 to 150 mph (or 177 to 240 km/h) with some dedicated track and some shared track. Express high-speed rail is used to define frequent service between major population centers located from 200 to 600 miles apart (or 320 to 965 kilometers) on trains that travel on dedicated tracks at speeds of at least 150 mph (or 240 km/h).
Although high-speed rail cars generally burn fossil fuels, they are still more environmentally friendly than private cars, for two reasons. First, trains produce less carbon dioxide than would be produced by the number of private automobiles required to transport the same number of people over a given distance. Second, because rail traffic is a form of public transportation, more rail traffic translates to less automobile traffic, and by extension, less highway and city street traffic congestion. In addition, less congestion means less wear and tear on the roadways, which means that they require fewer repairs.
Convenience Benefits
Airline travel used to be a luxury, with passengers treated to full hot meals as well as free checked baggage, comfortable seats and leisurely boarding procedures. Those days are long gone. Airlines routinely charge fees for everything from checked bags to early boarding privileges along with stringent restrictions imposed on carry on luggage.
With high-speed rail, travel times for distances of 400 miles or less could compare favorably to travel time by air — with much less hassle. Train travel has far fewer restrictions on luggage than air travel, along with a somewhat more relaxed boarding process. In addition, many passenger trains feature amenities such as electric outlets for laptops and roomy seats, along with the opportunity to sit back and relax while chatting with fellow passengers or just watching the scenery go by.
High-speed rail has proven to be an engine of economic development, resulting in immediate job creation not only from the construction of the rails and related infrastructure and stations. High-speed rail also stimulates long term economic benefits generally and job growth specifically from commercial, residential and industrial developments that spring up along rail lines. In addition, the addition of high-speed rail can be a boon to tourism. While many airports, by necessity, are located far from the city center, it's possible for high-speed rail to run right into the heart of a city's downtown, with stations located near cultural amenities, restaurants, hotels and shopping.
Many passenger railway stations, such as Union Station in Chicago, are conveniently located near downtown jobs, shopping and cultural attractions. Photo credit: Audrey F. Henderson, all rights reserved.
High-speed rail can promote a sense of social cohesion among residents, by bringing distant populated areas closer together. Sprawl is a reality of modern American urban life. The metropolitan areas for cities like Chicago spread far beyond the borders of the city. In addition to sprawl, a large country like the United States often has vast distances between populated areas. High-speed rail reduces the travelling distance between far flung suburbs and center cities.
High-speed rail can also help to ease congestion of urban areas with mega-large populations. By virtue of its speed, high-speed rail allows individuals and commercial enterprises to be located further away from the city center while still being able to readily access its amenities and resources. As a result, urban residents may enjoy a vastly enhanced quality of life.
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Negative Ice Presents The Wellness Hour A Doctor-Led Discussion at SHOWFIELDS Miami
Guests will have the opportunity to listen to a discussion of leading doctors discuss nutrition, gut health, the difference between prebiotics and probiotics, vitamins and other health and wellness topics. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions after the panel. Guests will also have the opportunity to enjoy the world's first and only negative calorie replacement snack, naturally formulated with prebiotics and immune boosting ingredients.
"We're looking forward to an educational and interactive discussion," said Dr. Brian Weiner, MD, MS, FACP, AGAF, Clinical Associate Professor, Florida Atlantic University Schmidt College of Medicine, former Director of Nutrition, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston.
MIAMI (PRWEB) November 15, 2022
Negative Ice, by the makers of FrutaPOP announced today they will be hosting The Wellness Hour, a doctor-led discussion that will take place at Showfields Miami on November 17th from 5pm – 7pm.
Guests will have the opportunity to listen to a discussion of leading doctors discuss nutrition, gut health, the difference between prebiotics and probiotics, vitamins and other health and wellness topics. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions after the panel.
Guests will also have the opportunity to enjoy the world's first and only negative calorie replacement snack, naturally formulated with prebiotics and immune boosting ingredients.
Negative Ice is the first of its kind, a negative calorie replacement snack, -15- calorie ice pop, made with natural ingredients and colors - without any added sugars, syrups or dyes. Each ice pop is backed by science and contains healthy ingredients while also helping you to lose weight. Negative Ice is available in two flavors: Lemon Lime and Mango. Forevery Negative Ice POP consumed, 15 calories are subtracted from your daily caloric intake. Negative Ice helps to burn more calories than are consumed.
Negative Ice will be available for purchase at SHOWFIELDS Miami starting November 17th. For more information, please visit http://www.frutapop.com and follow along on social media @negativeicepop #negativityhasnogain
SHOWFIELDS Miami is located at 530 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, FL.
Attendance is free and open to the public. Attendees will also receive a gift bag. To RSVP, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-wellness-hour-tickets-460041014057
About NEGATIVE ICE
Negative Ice is the first of its kind, a negative calorie snack replacement, launching with a -15-calorie ice pop, made with natural ingredients and colors - without any added sugars, syrups or dyes. With prebiotics and immune boosting ingredients, each ice pop is backed by science and contains healthy ingredients while also helping you to lose weight. For every Negative Ice POP consumed, 15 calories are subtracted from your daily caloric intake. Negative Ice helps to burn more calories than are consumed.
ABOUT FRUTAPOP
FrutaPOP, the makers of the world's finest gourmet, alcohol-infused ice pop is reinventing the ice pop – a product that hasn't seen an innovation in the last 70 years. FrutaPOP is the first of its kind to contain healthy, natural ingredients without any added sugars, syrups or dyes. FrutaPOP created an entirely new product category in the food and beverage industry by offering consumers gourmet, alcohol-infused ice pops, under 5% ABV (alcohol by volume).
Tracy Memoli
FrutaPOP


People always tell me, "It must be so much fun to do what you do!" And they're right, it is. They also say, "Your kids are so cute." Sure, I guess that's true. But it's when they say "You must have so much fun working with them" that cracks me up. Imagine what would happen if you tried to put your kid in your office and get stuff done. A lawyer's office would be filled with bean bags, a money manager would have Fetty Wap playing on repeat and an accountant's waiting room would be a sea of Cool Ranch Doritos and Silly String. This a perhaps a more accurate version of my workplace.


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Taunton School is a co-educational independent school in the county town of Taunton in Somerset in South West England. It serves boarding and day-school pupils from the ages of 13 to 18.

The current headmaster is Lee Glaser, appointed in the autumn of 2014.

The school campus also includes Taunton School International for overseas students; Taunton Preparatory School, serving boarding and day-school pupils aged 7 to 13; Taunton Pre-Prep School, serving day-school pupils aged 4 to 7, and Taunton Nursery, serving pupils aged 0 to 4.

History
Taunton School was founded in 1847 as Independent College, a boys-only school for dissenters - those who were not members of the Church of England.

In the 1870s, the school's governors purchased a site at the northern end of Taunton, on Staplegrove Road. They had built, by Joseph James, a gothic-influenced building, in the prevailing style of the period. The school is constructed in a C-plan, with a  high tower. Grey stone came from Somerset's Mendip Hills. This large building still dominates the school's  campus today. It is a Grade II listed building.

The school was a founding member of the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships and has hosted the tournament numerous times.

A chapel was built in 1907 in contrasting style to the rest of the school. Its sponsor was the wealthy William Wills, 1st Baron Winterstoke. Wills was a director of Bristol-based tobacco firm, W.D. & H.O. Wills. Two features in the chapel were especially of note: the organ and the mosaics. In 2007 on the centenary of the founding of the chapel the original pipe organ was broken up, it being replaced by a new digital organ which was funded in part, by donations from Old Tauntonians.

In September 1971, Taunton School began the merger with Weirfield School, an independent boarding and day school for girls, which was also situated on Staplegrove Road, by admitting girls into the Sixth Form. Then in 1976 Taunton School completed this merger with the rest of the senior section of Weirfield School.  This became one of the earliest fully co-educational independent schools in England. Additional buildings were erected on the original Taunton School campus, and Weirfield continued as a girls-only junior school.

In 1990, in order to create closer links between the two junior schools and Taunton School, Taunton Junior School (originally known as Thone) and Weirfield were renamed Taunton Junior Boys School and Taunton Junior Girls School, respectively. As both Junior Schools needed modernisation, building began in 1993 on the boys' site (Thone) to create a new joint boys and girls school, which was partly financed by the sale of the Weirfield site. In 1994 both schools were located at the Thone site and they were renamed Taunton Preparatory School. A classroom block in the Preparatory School is called Weirfield, as is the main senior girls' Boarding house.

Notable Old Tauntonians
Former pupils of Taunton School are known as Old Tauntonians.

Academic results
A-Level:
Percentage of A level students achieving at least 3 A levels at A*-E:
2015 - 84%

International Baccalaureate:
The first cohort of students sat the IB Diploma in 2009. Their result ranked the school as the highest IB newcomer in the UK by the Financial Times.  In 2010, one student achieved the highest possible mark of 45 points.

GCSE:
Percentage of pupils who gained at 5 grades A* - C
2015 - 83%

University progression:
Over the past years, some students have gone on to universities including Oxford and Cambridge. Approximately 96% of all Sixth Form leavers take up University or College places.

References

External links
Official website
Taunton School International
Taunton School Notable Alumni

Boarding schools in Somerset
Educational institutions established in 1847
Private schools in Somerset
Member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
International Baccalaureate schools in England

1847 establishments in England
Schools in Taunton

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Jakob Emanuel Handmann (1718-1781) foi um pintor nascido em Basileia especializado em autorretratos.

Pintores da Suíça


Every time you decide to paint you boat, you will face the laborious task of stripping the hull before you start with the paint. This can turn into the ultimate nightmare – or the most expensive part of your little painting endeavor. Therefore, it is well worth reading a bit into the possibilities and different techniques to strip your boat efficiently. That's what I wrote this article for.
What excites a real sailor more than a decent strip? Sorry, chauvinist joke of the article, from now on decently…and actually, stripping can be a real pain or – if you decide to outsource it, very expensive causing as much as 75 percent of the final cost of re-painting or varnishing a boat. In brief: Stripping is not only laborious, it is also dull and everybody involved with boat repair dislikes it. Or at least I do.
Why stripping at all? These days there are plenty of modern, highly-adhesive paints available, and so some of you might wonder if it is necessary at all to strip a yacht before re-painting it. The answer is simple: Many smaller boats, especially modern ones of fiberglass, actually do not require frequent stripping. Once every couple of years you will probably need to fix minor damages in the paint, but generally speaking, painting efforts are decreasing for years now with better materials being on the market.
However, essentially every boat needs to be stripped at some point to keep the paint thoroughly on attached to the surface of the hull; at latest once there are several layers of paint on the boat. A common estimate when this is the case are 20 years, assuming that small or medium-sized patches get partly stripped and then painted over about once every five years. This is more or less educated guessing and it really depends mostly on where your boat lives, how heavily you use it and what the quality of the finishing and painting work is.
If you need to fix only small patches, a bit of dry scraping should do the job – get rid of every bit of paint that doesn't adhere perfectly and paint over the open wood, fiberglass or metal. This is the easy bit and you will probably have to do that once every couple of years (for example in the South or in California) or even annually (Great Lakes, New England). But this bit of work is bearable and shouldn't worry us any longer.
Back to the point: You realize some day that your yacht looks bad and that paint is peeling off on several ends. A drastic re-paining of the boat is required and before you do that, you need to strip the hull off several layers that tell the exciting past life not only of you boat, but also of you life as a proud sailor.
1.) Burners and Flame Guns: This ancient technique does not only offer exciting toys, it is also very efficient in terms of time and cost. Burners work by lightly melting the paint and then peeling it off manually. This can be achieved by flame guns, electric heaters or hand-held burners.
The disadvantage of this method is the heat – it can damage the hull itself or the interiors of the boat; it is therefore limited to solid timber boats. Otherwise, many yacht owners prefer this quick method, as it also works as an anti-fouling agent and kills barnacles and other unwanted visitors.
If you decide to strip a boat with burning techniques, take great care not to get injured. Keep some buckets of water at reach; use a fire-proof screen to protect yourself against the wind; and work from left to right if you are right-handed (burning-device in the right hand, scraper in the left).
2.) Stripping by chemical means: Much more state-of-the-art, but not necessarily superior, this method is commonly used in industrial applications. Less popular with private boat-owners, chemical stripping normally involved soda solutions or acidic gels that dissolve paint. These chemicals are generally not restricted to timber boats, although many are material-specific.
The disadvantage of chemical stripping are mostly based on the toxic effects of the substances: they can harm you; they can harm the environment; and they can harm parts of the boat that are not supposed to be stripped.
With many chemical stripping agents, you will have to apply solutions several times. Most manufacturers give guidelines on how many layers of paint a single application will remove; this is moderately reliable. The best thing is to ask people with experience on how they do it, since the effectiveness of chemical solvents depends on the type of paint you have used.
After applying the stripping agent, make sure to get rid of all the chemicals by applying the recommended neutralizer. If the procedure requires a final rinse with water, make sure that the hull is dry before you start painting it again.
If you apply chemical stripping agents, make sure to have sufficient amounts of neutralizer handy – this equals the buckets of water with the burning technique. Mask all parts of the boat that are exposed, not supposed to get stripped and potentially sensitive to corrosion. Work in a well-ventilated environment and wear a breathing-mask if necessary.
3.) Coarse sanding: The 21st-century answer to burning, coarse sanding is the favored technique to strip large vessels these days. Sanding works quickly, efficiently and helps to generate a roughened surface with good adhesive properties.
The disadvantage is that is requires heavy tools and a workshop, since sanding generates a lot of dust. This technique is only moderately suitable for private boat-owners. You will need a suitable disc and paper that won't scratch the underlying surface. There are too many sanders available these days to give even an outline; the best thing is probably to ask for advice in a specialist store and in you local yacht club or marina.
The most suitable tool will also have to match with the paint that you have used before and with the structure and material of you boat. Generally speaking, sanders generate dust of paint, antifouling remains, varnish and other healthy bits – wear a mask when sanding; gloves and an overall work suit also help to decrease the health risk.
After stripping: No matter which technique you decide to apply to your boat – there are a couple of things that you should keep in mind. Always work in a suitable environment such as a workshop; get a first-aid-kit and read the instructions of your tools or chemical agents; and make use of experienced sailors around you.
Once you boat is stripped and exposed in all its natural beauty, take good care of optimal adhesion before you paint the boat. Keep the surface perfectly dry and free of dust. Remove all rust, first manually by scraping it off, then chemically – for example with acids. The adhesive properties of fiberglass, resins and other modern materials can be improved with special chemicals based on hydrochloric acid.
4.) Dry scraping: The ultimate nightmare. Not only a great way of damaging your boat, but also exhausting, slow and painful. I generally recommend this technique only for small dinghies and people with a lot of time and too much energy. The advantage of this technique is that it requires neither fancy equipment, nor anything seriously dangerous or unhealthy.
If you are masochistic enough to strip your boat by dry scraping it, make sure that you are using quality tools. There are several scrapers available specially made for boat-stripping applications and you shouldn't even think about dry-scraping unless you have proper tools. Most sailors use dry-scraping is a somewhat supplemental technique in combination with one of the others – mostly for narrow parts that you could hardly access with burners or sanding tools.


text:
The cryptic path from epitope to clot: a story of two domains?
Mark Adrian Vickers, Michael Greaves
Applied Medicine
School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition
Our understanding of the pathogenesis of antiphospholipid syndrome is incomplete but in this issue, 2 papers, by Kuwana and colleagues and de Laat and colleagues, give significant new insights into the mechanisms underlying the generation of antiphospholipid antibodies as well as their heterogeneity and the significance of this in relation to thrombotic disease.
https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2004-11-4556
ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODIES
FETAL LOSS
10.1182/blood-2004-11-4556
Vickers, M. A., & Greaves, M. (2005). The cryptic path from epitope to clot: a story of two domains? Blood, 105, 1371-1372. https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2004-11-4556
The cryptic path from epitope to clot: a story of two domains? / Vickers, Mark Adrian; Greaves, Michael.
In: Blood, Vol. 105, 2005, p. 1371-1372.
Vickers, MA & Greaves, M 2005, 'The cryptic path from epitope to clot: a story of two domains?', Blood, vol. 105, pp. 1371-1372. https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2004-11-4556
Vickers MA, Greaves M. The cryptic path from epitope to clot: a story of two domains? Blood. 2005;105:1371-1372. https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2004-11-4556
Vickers, Mark Adrian ; Greaves, Michael. / The cryptic path from epitope to clot: a story of two domains?. In: Blood. 2005 ; Vol. 105. pp. 1371-1372.
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title = "The cryptic path from epitope to clot: a story of two domains?",
abstract = "Our understanding of the pathogenesis of antiphospholipid syndrome is incomplete but in this issue, 2 papers, by Kuwana and colleagues and de Laat and colleagues, give significant new insights into the mechanisms underlying the generation of antiphospholipid antibodies as well as their heterogeneity and the significance of this in relation to thrombotic disease.",
keywords = "ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODIES, FETAL LOSS, MODEL",
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T1 - The cryptic path from epitope to clot: a story of two domains?
AU - Vickers, Mark Adrian
AU - Greaves, Michael
N2 - Our understanding of the pathogenesis of antiphospholipid syndrome is incomplete but in this issue, 2 papers, by Kuwana and colleagues and de Laat and colleagues, give significant new insights into the mechanisms underlying the generation of antiphospholipid antibodies as well as their heterogeneity and the significance of this in relation to thrombotic disease.
AB - Our understanding of the pathogenesis of antiphospholipid syndrome is incomplete but in this issue, 2 papers, by Kuwana and colleagues and de Laat and colleagues, give significant new insights into the mechanisms underlying the generation of antiphospholipid antibodies as well as their heterogeneity and the significance of this in relation to thrombotic disease.
KW - ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODIES
KW - FETAL LOSS
KW - MODEL
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Identical in the characters of the thallus phyllocladia with var. vesuvianum (described elsewhere) but differing in stalks (pseudopodetia) which are not congested, the upper parts smooth and bare and terminating in an apple-shaped soralium. It occurs along with var. vesuvianum and other members of the genus at former mine sites or on spoil tips. North and west Ireland, also the Wicklow Mountains.
Hard acid rocks and mine spoil.
Simms, M. J., (2016). Stereocaulon vesuvianum var. nodulosum (Wallr.) I.M.Lamb. [In] LichenIreland.


Act as project lead for a cross-functional team focused on designing and developing technology for new and existing respiratory products. Collaborate with and manage input from marketing, industrial design, engineering, quality and regulatory affairs and manufacturing during the product development/ improvement process. Utilize expertise of existing respiratory and obstructive sleep disorder therapies to work with the Vice President of Research & Development and legal counsel to develop intellectual property strategies for new products. Draft and submit patent filings. Implement mathematical models of linear and non-linear mechanical and pneumatic systems prior to physical prototype builds. Develop in-house prototype builds utilizing 3-D rapid prototyping technologies and manufacturing high fidelity silicone components. Drive the system integration of sensors and brushless direct current motors in the pneumatic architecture of respiratory products. Transition prototype level designs to final product designs suitable for high volume and low cost manufacturing. Guide the selection and documentation of bio-compatible materials suitable for ventilation of human patients. Collaborate with Clinical and Quality Assurance to execute Proof-of-Concept Studies, Feasibilities Studies and validation testing. Develop documentation for submissions to regulatory agencies such as the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Support product sustaining activities post-launch. Research and develop core technologies to sustain and improve the Company's competitive position in the market. Identify and implement tools, methods, processes and equipment to maintain and/or improve the quality and productivity of the department.


My fiancé planned a "date day" for the last Sunday in August 2017, and ensured me that the day would be full of great surprises ... he even hinted that we were going to see Bruno Mars!! Gullible as ever, I went with the plan! We left our house around 930am; went to a local Botanical Garden for a walk - he knows I LOVE flowers; drove back to lakeshore where we rented bikes near the lake; and rode to a surprise lunch date at the Drake Hotel, where we first met. There we reminisced about the last two and a half years together and after lunch, we got back onto our bikes to a local park.
We walked through the park, hand in hand and every so often, my then boyfriend (now fiancé) would look at me and tell me how beautiful I looked, especially for today. I still didn't clue in for what was waiting for me moments later at the top of hill.
At the top of the hill, a beautiful spread of flowers on a fuzzy blanket and champagne awaited us. I immediately got giddy and you can say that we definitely had a 'moment' where the whole world stopped, and it was just us two. After we toasted to another great summer together and the love that we shared, he told me to close my eyes. He returned back with a red picnic basket and told me to open it up.
Inside the picnic basket, I pulled out the most adorable little puppy. My fiancé and I talked about getting a dog later in life as our other beloved golden retriever passed four long months ago and our little family felt incomplete. He named her Penny as we discussed previously and had the cutest personalized collar made for her. I was so mesmerized and smitten by Penny, I failed to realize that there was another surprise in the basket.


In vitro studies of garlic have identified certain sulfur-containing agents in garlic that appear to affect the inflammation markers of cardiovascular disease as well as blood cholesterol.
Ask Dr. Gourmet: Will eating garlic counteract large amounts of Vitamin K?
...I've made a huge batch of pesto, since my mother's garden exploded with basil and parsley. I've been eating it fairly regularly since I made it (it's impossible to resist!). I've only been eating a few tablespoons at a time, but since I know it's high in vitamin K I have been trying to counteract the effect a bit with three or four cloves of garlic, boiled and eaten whole, which is also delicious.
I just couldn't resist the headline (sorry folks), but a study in an upcoming issue of the journal Appetite suggests that eating garlic may make men more attractive to women - at least, if the measure is whether they smell better (2016;97:8-15).
While garlic may not appreciably affect cholesterol levels, we do know garlic is high in Vitamin C, an antioxidant, and as swuch may help prevent certain cancers. But as you probably know, eating garlic gives you garlic breath, and for some people that's just not a turn-on.
The authors noted that when breastfeeding mothers eat garlic, their babies seem to feed more vigorously and for longer than when they had not eaten garlic, and that the odor of garlic has also been known to appear in amniotic fluid. Would the odor-causing elements in garlic also appear in sweat - specifically, in axillary (armpit) odor?
In a series of three small studies (ranging from 10-16 men and 14-40 women), the authors asked women to rate the scent of male body odor samples in terms of pleasantness, attractiveness, masculinity, and intensity. The samples were all gathered in the same way for all three studies: the male participants consumed a specific amount and form of garlic, wore small cotton pads in their armpits for 12 hours thereafter, and then returned the pads. On another occasion they consumed a placebo but again wore the cotton pads for 12 hours and returned them. The women then smelled the cotton pads and rated the odors of each male participant, comparing the pads worn after consuming garlic with those worn after not consuming garlic.
Contrary to the authors' expectations, the women rated the garlic-consumption pads as smelling "significantly" more pleasant, masculine, and attractive while being less intense than the non-garlic-consumption pads.
The researchers note that although breath odor is certainly important to interpersonal relations, body odor "plays an important role in intimate relationships" and thus the positive effects of garlic on body odor may signal a better diet, thereby improving the individual's chance for mating. Your take-home here? I will resist the urge to suggest that eating Italian food might be considered a seduction technique and say only that garlic tastes great, is good for you, and is a fantastic flavor addition to lots of foods, so by all means, eat more garlic!


text:
Ambassadors and events
inside tudor
TUDOR is proud to present its newest additions to the collection. Four new models are being introduced in the Heritage family, a line dedicated to seeing some of the most important references in the history of the brand reworked into contemporary timepieces. In addition to these, the original Black Bay, first introduced in 2012, has been updated this year with a TUDOR Manufacture Calibre, along with changes to its steel bracelet and fabric straps. For the TUDOR Style line, TUDOR is adding a range of new aesthetic features: a fluted bezel and coloured dials now enhance this classic retro-chic collection. Discover the new TUDOR watches, unveiled at Baselworld 2016.
TUDORblack bay
The Black Bay family is growing with the arrival of the new Black Bay Bronze, a 43 mm divers' watch inspired by the brand's history and fitted with a TUDOR Manufacture Calibre.
A new addition to the Black Bay family, this diver's watch in matt black steel draws its characteristic elements from TUDOR's history. It inherits the general lines, as well as the domed dial and crystal from the first TUDOR diving watches. Its particularly prominent winding crown, aka the "Big Crown", was inspired by the famous 7924 reference of 1958, while its characteristic angular hands, also known as "snowflake", were borrowed from TUDOR watches used by the French National Navy in the 1970s. The indication of guaranteed water depth engraved in red on the dial and the red triangle on the rotatable bezel are also key design features inspired by history.
First introduced in 2012, the Black Bay is one of the brand's truly iconic models, celebrating 60 years of TUDOR diving watches. Waterproof to a depth of 200 m (660 ft), it is available in three versions, each with its own personality. The model has been updated for 2016 with a TUDOR Manufacture Calibre.
TUDOR expresses the aesthetic codes of its iconic Black Bay in this new 36 mm model. The Black Bay 36 retains the general lines of the Black Bay family of watches while reducing its proportions. It acts both as an introduction to the Black Bay aesthetic for slimmer wrists and as a more formal option, while remaining both fashionable and sporty.
TUDOR style
The Style line provides a contemporary take on the classic and elegant wristwatch, a form of expression which TUDOR has continued to tap into throughout its history, with models bearing evocative names such as Prince or Tuxedo. Drawing on the aesthetic codes born of the 50s, 60s and 70s, this newest addition in steel or a combination or steel and gold illustrates the careful attention to detail paid by TUDOR to all its creations.
The Heritage Advisor is a reinterpretation of the famous TUDOR alarm watch from 1957. An up-to-date version of a classic, the watch retains the original shape and proportions of its case, lugs, and glass, its dauphine hands and bevelled markers, as well as the design and colour of its red alarm hand. Made from titanium for optimum sound quality of the alarm, the case has been increased from 34 mm to 42 mm in keeping with modern tastes. This year the model features a new combination of cognac-coloured dial and strap.
our new
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TUDOR NEW 2019 MODELS
BLACK BAY 32 / 36 / 41 S&G
Black Bay collection
BLACK BAY 32 / 36 / 41
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text:
Nebraska, The Cornhusker State
by 4mygypsysoul
Are you sick of me talking about the heat? The day we arrived in Council Bluffs, Iowa, the thermometer in our car registered 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius)! – of course, that was in a parking lot, after the car had sat for a bit (the store, Camping World, let us bring the puppies into the store with us), but that's HOT!!! We were tired. We were sick of the heat. We were on our way home and wishing we were already there. (Now, as I wri te this, it's winter, and it's cold & snowing, and I can't remember what I was complaining about in the summer…no…I remember … I love summer, but I'm like Goldilocks – "too hot, too cold, just right".)
Last time we were in Nebraska, we were on a one way road trip from Calgary to Halifax (mentioned in my Jolly Green Giant blog, Oct. 17, 2012). We went into Nebraska just to say we were there, and I bought a postcard IN Nebraska that says on the back: "There's a reason it's called a plain state. Road-weary pioneers just gave up and stayed."
But, despite the intriguing sales pitch, I read somewhere that there was, in fact, a "Big Ball of String" reason to go to Nebraska – Chimney Rock.
We stayed at the West Omaha KOA (http://koa.com/campgrounds/west-omaha/), and I got caught up on laundry. (I have had interesting visits with other travellers in the laundry rooms at the KOA's. The people in this one were reading a murder mystery romance book out loud, to pass the time. I was torn between leaving the laundry room (which was like a sauna) and staying and listening to the story!! I did leave, though, because, for one thing, I realized that I wouldn't get to hear the end anyway…and the other compelling reason is that we were having pizza delivered.)
Yes! Made-to-order pizza and delivery is actually something that THAT particular KOA offered/offers! It was great! (Technically, I was right beside the kitchen when I was doing laundry, and could've picked it up, but didn't want to miss out on the experience of having the pizza delivered to the Airstream!
That night, a miracle happened. The temperature dropped to a tolerable mid-90's range. It was aMAZing!!! Who could've guessed that one of the biggest highlights of a 8000+ km road trip was going to be the temperature cooling down!!
That morning, we headed west – t owards Chimney Rock. First things first, though – with "cooler" temperatures, we celebrated by finding the closest Starbucks, which happened to be in Lincoln, Nebraska. The one we chose had no parking, but we didn't care – Peter circled the block while I picked up our coffee. Mmmmmmmmm. (I had a venti white mocha with a shot of raspberry.)
I had no expectations of the drive across Nebraska, and to tell the truth, we had planned to go through South Dakota and decided to go across Nebraska as sort of a whim, when we saw "Chimney Rock" in a brochure I picked up at a gas station, so I hadn't researched it properly.
I was very excited to discover that somewhere around Kearney, NE, we were on the Pony Express Route! (Which is also the Oregon Trail, the Mormon Trail, and the California Trail!!) http://www.ponyexpressdoc.com/pages/the-pony-express
The first interesting place that we passed was the Great Platte River Road Archway, somewhere near Kearney. The Archway pays tribute to the pioneers who travelled along that route from 1843 to 1869, highlighting their perseverance and determination. (We didn't stop, and I had to Google it, to find out what it is…but a piece of history I hadn't expected to see out there! http://www.archway.org/)
The next place we came across was an original Pony Express Station, in Gothenburg. In its hay-day, it was actually at another area in Gothenburg, but was moved to a new location (Ehman Park) in 1931. It is now a museum and a post office, so OF COURSE, I had to mail myself a Pony Express postcard from the Station! (They have a leather mail bag hanging on the wall beside the door, into which you just drop your mail.)
For those of you who don't know all about the Pony Express, the link above is pretty informative, but if you don't have time to look it up, here's a few details in summary:
The Pony Express was a relay system of horses and their riders, who carried mail from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California (and back again), from April 1860 through October 1861. It was the fastest way to deliver mail at that time, taking an average of 10 days from one end to the other (almost 2000 miles), but the fastest time recorded was 7 days, 13 hours, and carried Abraham Lincoln's first inaugural address. Riders typically rode 75-100 miles before another rider took over, and horses usually were changed out every 10-15 miles.
There were between 100-200 Pony Express Stations enroute (I've read "over 100", "approximately 165" and "184 stations" – so, I don't really know) ~ this is one of them!
After that, and back out on the highway, we passed a sign for Buffalo Bill Ranch…
Technically, I "know" about Buffalo Bill (who's real name is William F. Cody), but not really. Apparently, he's mostly famous because of his acting troupe "Buffalo Bill's Wild West" (which is portrayed in the movie Hidalgo http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317648/), which performed all over the US and Europe.
A few other things for which he is known:
He got his nickname because he killed over 4,000 buffalo within 18 months (so says reports), apparently for food for the Kansas Pacific Railroad workers (1867-1868)
He was a Pony Express rider when he was around 14 years old, in 1860
He was an advocate for Women's Rights, including the right to vote. In 1898, he's quoted as saying: "Set [it] down in big black type that Buffalo Bill favors woman's suffrage.…Mind you, I believe in marriage and children and home, but I'm not one of the kind that think that God made women to do nothing but sit at home in the ashes and tend to babies…If a woman can do the same work that a man can do and do it just as well she should have the same pay."
Although he was involved in the Indian Wars, he had a high regard for the Indian tribes around him and credited them with fighting to protect their families and ways of life. He was close friends with many – in fact, when Sitting Bull was introduced to the US people, Buffalo Bill was always beside him. Chief Red Fox is quoted as saying after Buffalo Bill had died: "In my imagination, I can see his noble spirit winging over the lofty peak, and I bow my head in memory of one who always impressed me with kindness and compassion, and enriched me with the deeply entrenched integrity of his character."
Guest starring on his show "Buffalo Bill's Wild West" (and/or personal friends of his) include the likes of: Sitting Bull, Annie Oakley, Wild Bill Hickok (who was shot & killed in Deadwood – the subject of a future blog, since we did visit his grave site on the previously mentioned 1-way roadtrip of 2005), and Gustave Eiffel (who designed the Eiffel Tower!!!)
There are thousands of articles about him, and I just read probably…30, but here's a couple… http://www.biography.com/people/buffalo-bill-cody-9252268 and http://www.buffalobill.org/
After all of that…I know you'll be shocked to know that we didn't even stop at the Buffalo Bill Ranch. Another regret, but I didn't know what we were missing. We'll have to go back. Hopefully, we'll just be passing that way – I don't think I want to make a special trip to Nebraska. (That being said, this was my 3rd time in the State, and thought I'd only be there once, for 2 minutes, just to say "I've been there".)
I feel that I've talked enough today. I really thought we'd make it all the way to Chimney Rock, but I didn't realize I'd have so much to talk about!
So, Sunday! We'll start with Chimney Rock!
"The Biggest Ball of String" Road Trip adventures Nebraska The ACTUAL Biggest Ball of String Roadtrip
Kansas City Public Library and other sights
We left the Giant Eyeball and drove to Kansas City. We had a nice, easy, straight drive, directly West. Somehow, I have no pictures of that trip, so there was either nothing to see or I fell asleep…
I was really looking forward to going to Kansas City, though. Someone had, at some point, posted a picture on Facebook of a building that looked like giant books, and so I Google searched it, and found that it was the Kansas City Public Library parking garage! What an amazing idea! What an inspiring piece of art!! How encouraging! In fact, I instantly wanted to read (most) of the books that were represented (or re-read the books represented that I had already read!)
First, though, I had to convince Peter that we had to go off the beaten path, pulling a trailer, though the core of Kansas City to take pictures of a building. Which, he agreed to do. Once again, GPS did NOT help!! I typed in Kansas City Public Library and it guided us through narrow streets, the wrong way down a one-way (a big giant truck was coming the other way, but stopped to wait for us to make it through- probably had some choice words about "tourists"), through construction (in which we actually had to run over those orange cones… we finally arrived, and THIS is what we saw:
A beautiful building, A Kansas City Public Library, but not THE Kansas City Public Library… (Apparently this is the Central library – if someone knows otherwise, please let me know!)
Somehow, I convinced Peter that, even though we were driving around and around for…way too long…we had to try to find the other one! At that point, really, it was too hot (again, with the "too hot") to do anything else anyway, so we drove around Kansas City. We did find THE Library – I forget how. Maybe we broke down and turned on the roaming on our cell phones, so we could Google…
It's a good size city (approximately 460,000 people) and has ALOT to offer/see. For starters, and the most advertised, their sports teams – starting with: Kansas City Chiefs (National Football League)! (Also, Kansas Speedway for Nascar races, of which they host 3 times a year; Kansas City Royals (Major League Baseball); and Sporting Kansas City (Formerly, the Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer).
One of the best things about the Visit Kansas City website is that under "things to do" they include a category of "quirky attractions". 😀
(http://www.visitkc.com/things-to-do/suggested-itineraries/quirky-attractions/index.aspx)
When I look back about each of the places we've been, and not just on this trip, but all of them, and I review the things we miss, I remember that each trip is like a "sample platter". Tasty little bits of a few different things ~ see what we like, and come back for those next time, and add a few other tidbits, too!
A couple of the things we missed (as per roadsideamerica.com and other websites):
The world's largest concrete soccer ball (5801 NE 76th St)
The world's largest shuttlecocks (sculpture at 4525 Oak St)
Fritz's Railroad Restaurant (diner style, food delivered by model train (east side of Grand Blvd at E. 25th St.)
The house in which Jesse James was shot is an hour north, in St. Joseph, and you can visit the house (they've left the hole in the wall, apparently, but it's grown over the years as people continue to take pieces of the wall…)
(http://www.ci.st-joseph.mo.us/history/jameshome.cfm)
Also listed is The Kansas City Public Library parking garage. Here's the problem: we were pulling a trailer and there was no parking, so Peter just slowed down so I could take pictures out of the window, and they are… not good…in that trees blocked most of the view!! Still, good enough for me, but Google it, to see the full spectrum of the building! It's a great building! http://www.strangebuildings.com/kansas-city-public-library-parking-garage-kansas-city-usa/
Kansas City has alot of beautiful and/or buildings, and I don't really know what most of them were, so anyone who sees my pictures and happens to know what the building are, please tell me!!
The one that LOOKS like an Opera House IS the Opera House (Muriel Kauffman Theatre), but the rest I don't know…
Many people think that Kansas City is in Kansas and are surprised to find out that it is, in fact, in Missouri. That's why I was surprised to find out that Kansas city is also in Kansas. Technically, they are separate cities, but we drove from one to the other and didn't notice. There was probably a sign, but we didn't see it.
We drove through the Northeast corner of Kansas, so we could cross it off our list of "states and provinces we still need to visit", and then turned North towards Nebraska. (More on Nebraska on Wednesday.)
However, I have another trip planned for Kansas – but I want to go to Liberal, which is, of course, where Dorothy Gale lived, from Wizard of Oz. You know, the Dorothy who said, "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas any more."
We almost made it there a few years ago, when were just South, in Oklahoma, but we couldn't go. I do have my ruby red slippers, though, all ready for that trip!
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2815
"The Biggest Ball of String" Road Trip adventures Missouri The ACTUAL Biggest Ball of String Roadtrip
St. Louis Arch and the Giant Eyeball, in Missouri
We arrived in St. Louis late, as we hoped – hoping it to be cool enough to set up camp. It wasn't. We didn't even unhook the trailer! We just plugged in the power so we could have air conditioning for the night!
(There were, tragically, reports of heat related deaths, from power failures or air conditioning malfunctions… 😦 very scary. I've heard of that before, but never been so near. Poor people. We decided if the power went out during the night, we'd have to just get in the truck and keep driving.)
We planned to get up early the next morning and go up the St. Louis Arch. (http://www.stlouisarch.com) I've heard that it's best to go to the Arch early, anyway, before the school kids get there (the sight seeing windows are still relatively finger print and nose print free early in the morning!!)
I was also told to be aware that the elevator lurches and creaks as it goes up, at an angle, to the top of the Arch. I guess that makes sense, and I'm glad for the warning, because I imagined the elevator moving more like the glass elevator in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367594/) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4bydZrQzYA)
Again, with the heat! Because we were pulling a trailer, we had to park about 1/4 of a mile away, which might have been ok (although the temperature by 8am was already around 104 degrees), but we had the two little puppies and they would've had to sit in the trailer, with no air conditioning on, during the time we walked to the Arch, took the elevator to the top, looked around & took pictures, and walked back… so, we had to skip it.
We did drive around and around the Arch, though – partly because we wanted to, partly because some of the roads were closed due to the Fourth of July celebrations, and partly because we ended up lost when we detoured.
In fact, we crossed the Mississippi river… 5 times!
Later, in Wyoming, we met a man who lived in St. Louis, and he told us if we wanted moderate weather, the best time to go visit is between November and February…
Wish we could've done more there, but I'm happy with the sights we saw!
Just outside of St. Louis a couple of miles, at Laumeier Sculpture Park (still considered part of St. Louis) on 12580 Rott Rd (another find on roadsideamerica.com), is a sculpture of a Giant Eyeball. (There are many sculptures there, but that one was the reason we went out of our way.)
Once upon a time, when Evan was maybe 7 years old (see previous posts about Evan), he was mad at all of the adults (us, and his parents). I forget what the problem was, but whatever it was was causing him to be sassy, and he wasn't getting away with it. Or something like that. Bottom line is: he was making me giggle, which made him more mad.
He finally said in his angry little 7 year old voice: "STOP IT! OR I'M GOING TO HIT YOU WITH MY EYEBALL!! uhhhh I mean ELBOW!!" So so funny! That was it – hysterical laughter. (He didn't think it was funny at all, until finally, after he saw this picture, he appreciated it – of course, as I found out in the last blog – he's 10 now, so that probably helps.)
We went out of our way to take THIS picture for Evan! That being said, it's pretty impressive, if you ask me! It was really worth the trip!
Sunday's post will be about Kansas City, Missouri.
Springfield, Illinois, Abraham Lincoln's nose, and Mr. Accordian
Our original plan was to leave Jellystone and stay the night in Springfield, IL. That would give us a chance to do all the things I wanted to do and see all the things I wanted to see… But, as is becoming a common thread in all of my blogs, it was way too hot!
In fact, the headline that ran in the State Journal-Register was "Springfield sweats through hottest day in more than 40 years"… The last time the temperature was that hot (104 degrees Farenheit/40 degrees Celsius) was July 13, 1966!! (http://www.sj-r.com/archive/x537696878/For-Springfield-could-be-hottest-day-in-more-than-50-years)
We arrived around 4:30pm, I think, and it was so hot, there was no way we could even set up camp, so we decided to stop and see one or two of the sights I felt I would regret not seeing, and then head off to St. Louis (hoping to arrive there after the weather had cooled down a little.)
I chose the Tomb of Abraham Lincoln.
Lincoln (who was born in Kentucky in 1809) moved to Springfield in 1837, where he worked as a lawyer for Illinois State Legislature. He and Mary Todd got engaged in 1842. (Mary was born in Kentucky but had moved to Springfield in 1839 and lived with her sister.)
They lived in Springfield, until 1861, when Lincoln was elected President (actual election date of Nov. 6, 1960), and they moved to Washington DC….which, as we know, is where he lived until his assassination, April 1865.
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, and lived through a very important part in history. I could never say everything that had to be said about him in one tiny little blog, so if you didn't study all about him in school, you should look him up! Fascinating history! (Also, there's a movie just released this year called "Lincoln" starring Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham and Sally Field as Mary, and directed by Steven Spielberg! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443272/ I haven't seen it yet, but I assume it'll be factual enough to get the basics of this part of history in a 120 minutes.)
Since Springfield's biggest claim-to-fame is (or should be) Abraham Lincoln, I THOUGHT finding his tomb would be easy. (We couldn't find it on GPS and we had our phones turned off because we didn't want to pay international roaming charges.) So, we made an "educated" guess, that we would find his tomb at the National Cemetery (Camp Butler National Cemetery, to be precise). There were signs for the National Cemetery for miles, so THAT was easy to find!!
We arrived at the cemetery and, although it was interesting, and under different circumstances, I would've liked to have walked through, but I was trying to find the Tomb. Again, you'd think it'd be easy, but I saw nothing but row after row of white headstones.
I went to the information center, but, of course, it was closed. There was a computer index, so technically, you could type in the name of the person's grave you wanted to visit, BUT it was out of service…
However, they still had a pre-technology book with actual worn pages! Someone else was examining it, so I waited..and waited… Finally, I just went to ask if they happened to know where Lincoln's tomb was and they did! Well, they had a general idea, anyway. And it wasn't at the National Cemetery. It's at the Oak Ridge Cemetery….(I don't think I could've guessed that.)
Anyway, it was too complicated for them to explain, so despite the fact that they were at the National Cemetery for a reason, they offered to leave and drive to the Tomb, so that we could follow them! We (eventually) accepted their offer, and it's a good thing that we did, because the route was a labyrinth of streets. We would never find our way without their help.
Can you imagine such nice people? After we arrived at the Tomb, they were worried we didn't have a good enough map to navigate without GPS (we had GPS, it just didn't find "Lincoln's Tomb"), so insisted we take their roadmap! (Also, a cold compress… it was so hot and they were kind of used to it.) They were so insistent, that we started to feel ungrateful, so accepted!
Oak Ridge Cemetery is a beautiful cemetery! (http://www.oakridgecemetery.org/) There are small markers and beautiful old carved monuments, an abbey, a chapel, gardens… apparently, it's the second most visited cemetery in the United States (the first being Arlington National Cemetery.)
My focus was Lincoln's Tomb, but I think you could probably spend a whole day there.
A plaque outside the Tomb tells us that this structure marks the graves of Abraham, Mary, and three of their four sons (the oldest son is buried in Arlington). The site was chosen by the Lincoln family in May 1865.
Down the hill (on the north side, is the old receiving vault. (The vault held remains that awaited burial, either during the winter while the ground was frozen, or while burial plans were being made. It also briefly held the remains of Abraham and one of his sons.)
If you arrive at the right time of day, you can actually take tours and go inside the Tomb. Of course, we didn't. It was closed by the time we arrived. If ever we are in the vicinity again, though, I will go back.
(www.illinoishistory.gov/hs/lincoln_tomb.htm and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Tomb)
Also, at the entrance of the Oak Ridge Cemetery, is the tomb of a man named Roy Bertelli (1910-2003), also known as Mr. Accordian. In the background, you can see Lincoln's Tomb.
Apparently, the story goes something like: Roy Bertelli was an entertainer and really wanted to be buried in the Oak Ridge Cemetery. However, the cemetery was for "posh" clientele, and he didn't qualify. He decided to go inquire anyway, and found out that there was actually a burial plot available, near the entrance. He bought it!
Shortly after his purchase, the people in charge realized who had purchased the plot and wrote him that a mistake had been made, and he couldn't, after all, be buried there. They were rude about it, so he absolutely refused to give up his spot. Not only that, but he built this above ground crypt, so it'd be impossible to ignore it, when coming into the cemetery.
In the end, he kept his crypt, but it's empty. He requested to be buried in a different cemetery, outside of town.
His tomb is listed under RoadsideAmerica as "The Defiant Tomb of Mr. Accordian".
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/19409
Wednesday – St. Louis, Missouri.
"The Biggest Ball of String" Road Trip adventures Illinois The ACTUAL Biggest Ball of String Roadtrip
The Shanty (Diners Drive ins and Dives)
Well, it finally came to our last morning with Richard, Shannan, and the boys.. 😦 We wanted to just spend the time visiting, but instead, of course, we had to pack up the trailers, get everything organized, get the puppies and kids settled in their respectable vehicles…
Oh, AND, we had to clean up after a pesky raccoon from the night before! (Which, I kinda was excited about, having never been a victim of a raccoon's mischief before, and Daisy & Coco (the puppies, if you are reading for the first time) were REALLY excited about it!!) (We thought we'd taken care of all of the food items, but apparently we'd missed a plate…)
By the time we had time to sit around and visit…we had nothing to sit on…
But, Shannan and Richard had one final surprise for us. We were instructed to follow them down the highway, towards Chicago – no questions asked.
Well! It was a GREAT surprise (PLUS, it lengthened our visit by another hour or so) – you probably have guessed what it was, based on my blog title…
They found a restaurant featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, from the Food Network – The Shanty, in Wadsworth, Illinois.
We arrived just before lunchtime, and were seated right away. There were a few other people there, but it certainly wasn't crowded. And, we had the personal attention of the servers…which is good, because we felt like visiting with them.
First, of course, we ordered. I don't remember exactly what I had for an entree, but it was a yummy burger of some sort. I think maybe we all had burgers, actually.
I DO know exactly what we had for appetizers, though! I had the Whiskey Shrimp (the menu describes: "Four fresh jumbo shrimp flamed in our signature Jack Daniels cream sauce served over garlic toast points with sautéed vegetables"). MMmmmmmmm.. We also had Alligator Tail, which I'm sure was yummy, too, but the shrimp was really my favorite! We must've gotten a few orders, too, because I don't remember sharing.
While we waited for our food, we had a nice talk with the server – about:
the impact of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the business and the design of the building – (Since The Shanty episode aired on The Food Network, the Shanty had to double the size of their eating area, and change their kitchen around – I think they had to expand the kitchen and add more cooking area, but I don't exactly remember those details…)
the wood covering the walls – (in the main eating area, the wood is all "reclaimed" wood, so weathered and multi colored – reclaimed barnwood from local farms – I love that look!)
Olive Oil – (the owners of The Shanty,
the Kallianis family, have their own olive oil, imported from their own grove in Sparta, Greece. It's called "The Lonely Olive Tree", so named because in 1910, the grove was destroyed by frost – all except the one lonely tree… Parts of that tree were used to replant the grove.) (There's a nice article about that at
http://newssun.suntimes.com/photos/galleries/12866741-417/olive-oil-brand-next-project-for-shanty-owners.html).
Of course, we had to take home a bottle of this very special olive oil!
Unfortunately, we did eventually have to leave, and after a tearful "see-you-soon" in the parking lot, we were back on the highway, heading towards St. Louis, Missouri.
Sunday – Springfield, Illinois and the tomb of Abraham Lincoln.
"The Biggest Ball of String" Road Trip adventures The ACTUAL Biggest Ball of String Roadtrip Wisconsin
"If life gives you limes, make margaritas" ~ Jimmy Buffett (Off to the Jelly Belly Factory)
Still at Jellystone, one of the days, Shannan and I decided to take a mini day-road-trip. The ultimate destination? Well! Keep in mind, we were travelling with 2 little boys. We didn't tell anyone, but we headed out for the Jelly Belly Factory, which includes a train ride through the factory (warehouse).
It was around 105 degrees Farenheit, and we needed air conditioning – the kids were up to a road trip, so we headed south, with Lake Michigan to our East.
We went right through Racine, Wisconsin, to Kenosha. Does Racine sound familiar? You can watch "A League of Their Own" and see why that matters! (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104694/, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racine_Belles). It was kind of ironic, because we'd been around so many baseball movies sites and themes, this was just an extra bonus! (No pictures – just happy thought that we were there!)
On our way, we saw from afar a sign that said "Warning! Killer Margaritas!" Well! mix together extreme heat and vacation mode, and no particular destination (well, particular destination with no deadline – as long as we got there before it closed) with "margarita" equals "pulling over for lunch!" (extr eme heat+vacation+no deadline=killer margarita)
Not ONLY did La Fogata have DELICIOUS Mexican food (which, by the way, is sadly lacking in Calgary*, and generally abundant in the States, and is an off-and-on topic throughout this particular trip), which was ALSO very picturesque (Mexican food rarely looks as delicious in pictures as it tastes in real life), BUT they also have "Killer-ritas"! (THIS, according to the menu, is a 22 oz margarita, with a Corona or Dos Equis inverted and inserted). GREAT STOP! (http://www.eatatlafogata.com/)
MUCH later, we continued along to…drum roll… the Jelly Belly Factory! (http://www.jellybelly.com/).
Oh, were the boys (ALL of them) EVER excited!! The adult boys were trying to be all "cool" about it, but they were pretty excited to get into their factory hats! (OK, me too!)
Because it's a factory, you have to wear a hat, and because they are constantly creating fascinating and delicious new tastes, there's no pictures allowed once the tour starts… but, I did find the tour very interesting!
Did you know that Ronald Reagan was a lover of Jelly Bellys? not only were there Blueberry Jelly Belly's created for his presidential inauguration in 1981, BUT during his presidency, Jelly Bellys were served in the Oval Office AND (this is my favorite part), on Air Force One, there's a special Jelly Belly holder that was designed so that the Jelly Bellys wouldn't spill! He's quoted as saying ""You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by the way he eats jelly beans." I bet that's true – one at a time, by the handful… I just don't know how to translate the message…
(Apparently, there's a portrait of Ronald, in the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, made of 10,000 Jelly Bellys…)
(OH! LOOK WHAT I FOUND!
YOUR OWN PICTURES IN JELLY BELLYS!!! http://www.jellybelly.com/fun_stuff/bean_art_maker.aspx !!! )
After the highly informative train tour, we were greeted with a sample bag of Jelly Bellys, which I LOVE! and dropped off at the gift shop.
There is a sample bar in there of every flavor they've ever invented. They have everything!! and there are some yummy flavors! YUMMY! My all-time favorite is Buttered Popcorn, and then there's the classics (cinnamon, very cherry, and watermelon), there's the "icky" flavors.. (They can be found (on line) in the "BeanBoozled" section.) They include: Canned Dog Food, Pencil Shavings, Barf, Vomit, Baby Wipes, Booger, and the list goes on…
Now, on the tour, they specifically tell us that they spend aLOT of time making certain that their flavors are accurate… and I canNOT even imagine how they test those things with the icky flavors, but… I believed them when they said they prided themselves on accurate taste matches…
SO! When we got to go for samples… Peter decided to try – yeah – uh huh DOG FOOD!! FIVE HOURS LATER, he was still complaining about the taste of dog food!!! Nobody else could tease him tho – Shannan tried "Baby Wipes"!! I'm serious!!
I, on the other had, believed the tour guide when they explained that their flavor names matched their actual tastes – and chose (and here's where the theme of the blog comes in) MARGARITA!!! WHY would I choose "Vomit" when I could have "Margarita" and "Kiwi"!!
YAY ME! Everyone else had icky flavors stuck in their palates, and I got Margarita! woooooo hoooooo!
However, my experience was far less funny than theirs. The 10 year old boy, after trying "Booger" flavor, confessed to his mother that he had to "spit it out" cuz he "thought it would taste better than it did!" (SO FUNNY, and SO GROSS all at once!!) Oh goodness – makes me laugh even still.
The rest of the day was spent back at Jellystone Park… Wednesday, we are heading off towards St. Louis, and Rich & Shannan and crew go back towards Michigan…
*(I did just hear, today, of a Mexican restaurant in Calgary, called Paloma, that is getting great reviews! I'm excited! Will be trying that out as soon as possible.)
Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park (Caledonia, Wisconsin – Milwaukee area)
Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park was the midpoint of our trip – our turn around point, but for the little boys, it was the highlight! and for them, the grand climax, since they went home to Michigan after.
The heat was UNbearable – crazy hot! Heat advisories in effect – apparently, this particular road trip was through a record-breaking heatwave. Yay, us.
Thanks to that, we didn't get to do some of the things I wanted to do in Milwaukee – first and foremost – skipping down Knapp Street, chanting "one two three four five six seven eight! Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!'"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRmKzxhMzwo
I had convinced Shannan to dress up as Laverne (as if she needed "convincing") but Peter and Richard absolutely refused to dress up like Lenny and Squiggy.
(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074016/) In the end, it didn't matter, since temperatures were between 102 and 103 degrees Fahrenheit (38.9 and 39.4 degrees Celsius)!
Good thing we had a few days at Jellystone Park – which had Cindy's Ice cream Shoppe, Yogi Bear's Water Zone, mini golf and outdoor movie theater. (Also, we had air conditioning in our Airstream AND a mist-er outside.)
The Park is great – at check-in, you receive a security pass and the gate is locked so nobody else can come in. This is really good, considering there are children EVERYWHERE! Everywhere! But with enough activities, by the time they get to the "residential" area, they are exhausted, quiet, and ready for their naps!
And, it's a campground that adults can find things to do – Peter even spent an evening fishing at Boo Boo's pond.
Besides,
who doesn't
Yogi Bear and Boo Boo?
Next, we are going on a tour around the area to some of the local (and air conditioned) sites.
Chocolate, Cheese and Trucks in Trees
Remember when I mentioned the little Swiss Miss lady in the field? (last blog – October 31). Well! the reason that wasn't odd (apparently) is because we were in Swiss Colony territory.
AND, as you know, the Swiss are famous for (in amongst other important things like…the Alps…and… being a neutral country) CHEESE AND CHOCOLATE!!! Mmmmm yep!!
"Kid in a Candy Shop" on the Food Network, in his episode "Bake, Batter, and Roll" encouraged a trip to the Swiss Colony Market in Monroe, WI. Not that we needed alot of convincing – Cheese & Chocolate! And, how perfect was it, then, that we were driving right passed!
http://goo.gl/maps/rwyGR
The adult boys weren't that excited about it (we didn't even tell the children), but had to stop anyway to … I forget what… refuel, I think… and right there, from the gas station, Shannan and I spotted the Swiss Colony Market and went "window shopping". http://www.swisscolony.com/
Yes, we were just like kids in a candy shop. I wished I had've made a list of everything we got, but I remember we did get a variety of cheeses, a variety of meats (like pepperoni type), honey (I've been saving the honey), some special mustard… and, of course, chocolates!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LkJ9uDB24o
OH! and petit fours! Mmmmmm Petit Fours! Shannan bought a bag (which she shared-thank you, Shannan! If any of you have ever had them, you'll understand what a wonderful thing that was – such a great friend!) and they were so delicious, I can still taste them….you can order on-line…maybe I'll have to do that. (We also bought some smaller beautiful little gift boxes of Petit Fours, to give out when we got home-and most of them even made it…)
Eventually, we noticed that the boys were all parked outside in the parking lot, waiting "patiently", so we finalized our shopping choices, took one last look around the store, just to make sure, and (unwillingly) left the store.
Back on the road, about 45 miles east of Monroe, on Hwy 81, is a Truck in a Tree, near Clinton WI. (http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/9349). Yes. A Truck in a Tree. Alice in Wonderland said it best when she said: "Curiouser and curiouser!"
Very interesting. A must-see "roadside attraction" that needs to be on "the biggest ball of string" road trip. The owner of the truck and tree has a site, so you can read about his inspiration! http://truckinthetree.com/
Wednesday, we're visiting Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park.
Geocaching!!!
Big Island's June27 Lava Flow and Hurricane Iselle
LakeShore Haven, our cottage on Lake Michigan
A Slingshot Trip
Lu'aus, Kalua Pua'a, and icky Poi
tatesADventures
LakeShore Haven
crazy quotes
coolio adventures
Dowedoff's inThailand? Seriously?
In an Irish Home
Author Sarah Angleton
MowryJournal.com
The Road Trip Hound
The Silk Road Spice Merchant
off the beaten track in spain
Creating my Journey
One Dusty Track
Self Reliant Network
Our Cottage (yes, it's a vacation rental!), steps to a white sandy beach on Lake Michigan
Our road trip adventures, quirky roadside attractions, generally in the United States or Canada (and with occasional travel off the mainland into Hawaii, Alaska, Caribbean and Europe - so far)
What Life is Really Like Behind the Hall Door
Life's Passions
"One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things." – Henry Miller
The latest spice news from the Silk Road