- October 13, 2012 -

It's been a couple days, but I'm back! I know, you're just all aflutter to see me again. ;) Let's see ... where did we leave off? After my last post I cleaned the toilet, dusted my night stand & the misc. decor in the dining room, checked the smoke alarms, folded & put away the 3 loads of laundry from the day before, neatened the coffee table, mopped the closet, blew the dust out of my knitting machine, & hosed off the back porch. After that I checked eBay & then climbed into my massage chair for some serious de-stressing while playing 5 Card Slingo. Then it was time for a baked potato for lunch & the I worked on the next to last wide panel of the afghan I'm finishing up. Just as I

finished the panel & joined it, Pete & Josh got home. Then the usual dinner, TV, & bed. The next day was great! I woke up & there was NO ONE in the house. I'm alone! Sweet peace & quiet! I can do the naked romp through the house! (No, I didn't), I can blast my stereo! I can play Sims! I'm FREE! Yeah, I was a little excited. I loaded up Sims & worked on the hall, hall closet, & kitchen pantry. Then I loaded up one of my favorite houses. I didn't build it, but I

decorated it. It was a Fall Designer Showdown from a while back. I just love the wrap-around covered porch. I wish I knew how to do that. I'm not quite that skilled yet with roofing. It took me an HOUR to start playing this game. Maybe a little over an hour actually. I couldn't find the house! I was going to place it on Cornucopia Island, so I started a new game, loaded Cornucopia, then clicked on edit town. I went to my long list of lots &

scrolled through. No Fall Designer Showdown. What? I know it's here, I've played it before! I decorated it! I uploaded it! I searched & searched. I finally gave up & looked on my drive. Yep, there it is allright. So why isn't it showing up in my game? I searched again. Nope. I deleted the file off my drive & re-installed it. Still not there. I deleted it again & this time uninstalled it completely. I went online & re-downloaded it. STILL not there! WTH?! I

was really starting to get annoyed. At about the 1 hour mark of going nuts trying to find this lot to place in Cornucopia, I finally had a weird thought. Maybe it wasn't listed in the lots. Maybe it was listed in the households? Yep! There it was. Just sitting there. It was a picture of one of my 1st Sim replicas of myself. Elizabeth Christian. Just a Sim. In the corner though, it had a little tiny icon of a house. I clicked on my Sim's icon. Uh huh. There's the whole thing.

Apparently, I saved & uploaded this house WITH my Sim in it, changing it from a lot to a household. Sonofa ... well there went a hour. I placed the lot (household) in Cornucopia, evicted my sim, & saved the lot as a LOT with no Sim. I deleted my old upload from the exchange which had my Sim in it all this time, 69 downloads & 7 likes ... & re-uploaded it as JUST a lot. Sheesh! It's now got 20 downloads already & 1 like. Thank you everyone! :) Now that it was properly saved & uploaded as JUST a lot, I was able to start playing. I created a male Sim to play this house. His name is Chris. He's shy, insane, mean spirited, never nude, & a hopeless romantic. Yeah, he's going to be fun to work with. He chose the science career, likes Stu Surprise, custom music, & the color green. He did so well, that he earned the age freeze potion. He's now a fully mature adult who is immortal. He reached level 9 of the science career which fulfilled his lifetime wish, & then hit level 10 of the career. He's now a mad scientist pulling in a boatload of cash & performing experiments on all the objects in the house. He's reached level 10 in the gardening, fishing, & handiness skills. His beloved companion, Ferris, an Irish Terrier who started out with him has died of old age. Chris met & married Tawana Judd at work. They adopted a do Pennie to keep Ferris company. Poor Pennie ended up getting stuck in the back yard & we had to put her up for adoption before she died. Tawana, although working in the science field, had a dream of being an athlete. As soon as they were married, she quit her job & switched professions. Chris & Tawana had a child named Kira (2nd generation). Kira hates the outdoors, is a loner, a Libra, likes rockabilly, egg rolls, & the color spiceberry. She's also adventurous & decided to be an Illustrious Author. Perfect for someone who's a loner & hates the outdoors. She's also an artistic bookworm (added after she decided to be an Illustrious Author since those traits will significantly help. Ferris & Pennie had 3 puppies. We kept 1 & named her Kira Dog (2nd generation). She unfortunately was stuck with Pennie & had to be put up for adoption at the same time as Pennie before they both died. Kira has met Efren Johnston at school & they married after graduation. They now have a son, Harry Johnston (3rd generation). Harry is good, a couch potato, a Scorpio, likes pop, egg rolls, & the color black. When I left off, Chris was doing great & still immortal (that's not going to change), Tawana is an elder & going to literally die any moment now (she's on borrowed time), Kira has reached level 9 of both the painting & writing skills & is just 1 level away on each to fulfill her lifetime wish of Illustrious Author (she's already making great money selling books & paintings), Efren has a lifetime wish of Renaissance Sim, so he has to master 3 skills (any 3). He works part time at the cemetery, so there are no specific skills that he needs, & Harry was still just a baby. Meet the Candidates Monday at 6.

Al Gore wins Nobel Prize in the wake of An Inconvenient Truth (2007):

On this day in 2007, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to increase public knowledge about man-made climate change. In 2006, Gore had starred in the Academy Award-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth, which was credited with raising international awareness about the global warming crisis.

Gore, a former senator from Tennessee who served as President Bill Clinton’s vice president from 1993 to 2001, is considered one of the first politicians to recognize the dangers of carbon dioxide emissions, a cause of human-induced global warming. Gore became interested in the topic of global warming during a college course he took at Harvard University. As a congressman, he held hearings on climate change in the late 1970s, a time when most Americans had little or no knowledge of the issue. After losing the 2000 presidential election to George W. Bush, Gore embarked on a new campaign—the fight against man-made climate change—and gave slide-show presentations around the world in an effort to educate the public. An Inconvenient Truth chronicled Gore’s efforts to educate audiences with his “traveling global warming road show.” In the film, he details the facts and falsehoods surrounding this “planetary emergency” and describes the events in his own life that led him to become an environmental crusader.

An Inconvenient Truth debuted at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2006, and opened in limited release across the United States in May of that same year. Directed by Davis Guggenheim, the film went on to win numerous awards, including an Oscar for Best Documentary at the Academy Awards on February 25, 2007. Melissa Etheridge also received an Oscar for Best Original Song, for “I Need to Wake Up.”

One of the highest-grossing documentaries in U.S. history, An Inconvenient Truth played in theaters around the planet. It was credited with helping to spur the “green movement” that spread across the United States in 2007, as the media focused more attention on the problems associated with climate change. In Hollywood, actors such as Leonardo DiCaprio began driving hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius and generally promoting a more eco-friendly lifestyle, while various film companies pledged to become “carbon-neutral.”

Chilean miners are rescued after 69 days underground (2010):

On this day in 2010, the last of 33 miners trapped nearly half a mile underground for more than two months at a caved-in mine in northern Chile, are rescued. The miners survived longer than anyone else trapped underground in recorded history.

The miners’ ordeal began on August 5, 2010, when the San Jose gold and copper mine where they were working, some 500 miles north of the Chilean capital city of Santiago, collapsed. The 33 men moved to an underground emergency shelter area, where they discovered just several days’ worth of food rations. As their situation grew more desperate over the next 17 days, the miners, uncertain if anyone would find them, considered suicide and cannibalism. Then, on August 22, a drill sent by rescuers broke through to the area where the miners were located, and the men sent back up a note saying, “We are fine in the refuge, the 33.”
Food, water, letters, medicine and other supplies were soon delivered to the miners via a narrow bore hole. Video cameras were also sent down, making it possible for rescuers to see the men and the hot, humid space in which they were entombed. As engineering and mining experts from around the world collaborated on the long, complex process of devising a way to bring the 33 men up to the surface, the miners maintained a system of jobs and routines in order to keep up morale.

Rescuers eventually drilled and reinforced an escape shaft wide enough to extract the men, one by one. (Employees of a Pennsylvania-based drilling-tool company played a role in drilling the rescue shaft.) On October 12, the first of the miners was raised to the surface in a narrow, 13-foot-tall capsule painted white, blue and red, the colors of the Chilean flag. The approximately 2,000-foot ascent to the surface in the capsule took around 15 minutes for each man.

The miners were greeted by a cheering crowd that included Chile’s president, Sebastian Pinera; media from around the world; and friends and relatives, many of whom had been camped at the base of the mine in the Atacama Desert for months. Millions of people around the globe watched the rescue on live TV. Less than 24 hours after the operation began, all 33 of the miners, who ranged in age from 19 to 63, had been safely rescued. Almost all the men were in good health, and each of them sported dark glasses to protect their eyes after being in a dimly lit space for so long.

The rescued miners were later honored with trips to a variety of destinations, including England, Israel and Florida’s Walt Disney World, where a parade was held in their honor.

Comminute:

To reduce to minure particles : pulverize.

A mortar & pestle are used to comminute the herbs & roots before introducing them into the distilled alcohol.

What do "comminute," "pulverize," & "triturate" all have in common? All 3 words are derived from Latin & share the meaning "to reduce to small particles." "Comminute" can be traced back to the prefix com- & the verb minuere, meaning "to lessen." "Pulverize" descends from a combination of pulver- ("dust" or "powder") with the suffix -izare ("to cause to be"). "Triturate" is borrowed from the Latin triturare, which means "to thresh," & specifically refers to the use of rubbing or grinding to achieve pulverization.

Desk drawers quickly fill with clutter. Assign a category to each desk drawer & only store items within that category in the drawer. Use drawer dividers to keep categories separate if necessary.

Don't buy a home until you have your mess cleaned up. Be out of debt & have your emergency fund in place, which means you'll have done Baby Step 1, which is $1,000 in the bank. Baby Step 2 is debt-free except for the house using the debt snowball. Baby Step 3 is a completed emergency fund of 4½ months of expenses. Then you're ready to save for a house.

Finger Basketball:

Play basketball with your fingertip. Aim and shoot the basket, 3 minutes a round.
There are two ways to shoot out ball. One is by flip gesture, put finger on the ball and flip to the direction your want, the speed of ball is corresponding to the speed of flip. The second way is by tap, the nearer to ball's edge, the stronger throw. After put finger on ball, a crosshair will show current angle and speed, move finger on ball to adjust them and lift finger to shoot.
You can also preset a constant speed for easy control, the value can be adjusted at board on top-left corner.
Tips: Use wall to bounce ball, especially the wall at right side.

Hopefully they'll find a remedy for __________ before your __________ dooms us all to a lifetime of __________.

Hotel housekeeper makes the beds, changes the towels, cleans the room & bathroom, & sometimes turns down the sheets.

Tip: $2 per day in a moderate hotel, $4 per day in a deluxe hotel. Leaving a daily tip in the room rather than when you check out ensures that the tip will go to the specific person who cleaned your room that day.

How old was Christopher Columbus when he went to sea for the first time?

14.

If you go out on a 1st date & start asking, "What do you make?" or "How much debt do you have?" or "How's your debt snowball?" I'm thinking that's rude. Try using some manners!

I have invested a lot of time & love in animals over the years. But I have reaped such a great return on each investment. -Betty White

In what country did the Thuggee, a secret sect of roving robbers and murderers, prey on wealthy travelers?

In India, from the 13th to the 19th century. The sect’s name is the origin of our word thug.

Nosocomial:

Acquired or occurring in a hospital.

Mariah was told that she had developed a nosocomial infection that would need to be monitored by the hospital staff for at least another 24 hours.

"Nosocomial" usually occurs in formal medical contexts, specifically in reference to a hospital-acquired sickness. The term descends from the Late latin nosocomium, meaning "hospital." Nosocomium in turn traces to the Greek nosos, meaning "disease." That root has given English other words as well, including "zoonosis" ("a disease communicable from animals to humans under natural conditions") & "nosology" ("a classification or list of diseases" or "a branch of medical science that deals with classification of diseases").

Survival Guide:

Survival skills are techniques a person may use in a dangerous situation (e.g. natural disasters) to save themselves or others (see also bushcraft). Generally speaking, these techniques are meant to provide the basic necessities for human life: water, food, shelter, habitat, and the need to think straight, to signal for help, to navigate safely, to avoid unpleasant interactions with animals and plants, and for first aid. In addition, survival skills are often basic ideas and abilities that ancient humans had to use for thousands of years, so these skills are partially a reenactment of history. Many of these skills are the ways to enjoy extended periods of time in remote places, or a way to thrive in nature. Some people use these skills to better appreciate nature and for recreation, not just survival.
*** Survival Guide is completely based on the U.S. Military Survival Manual FM 21-76. ***
*** Featured in PRIME living's July/August issue 2012 ***
Features
********
- Both Portrait and Landscape modes are supported. Landscape mode is preferred for better reading experience.
- Zooming is supported in order to see the text/images better.
Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION
- Survival Actions
- Pattern for Survival
Chapter 2: PSYCHOLOGY OF SURVIVAL
- A Look at Stress
- Natural Reactions
- Preparing Yourself
Chapter 3: SURVIVAL PLANNING AND SURVIVAL KITS
- Importance of Planning
- Survival Kits
Chapter 4: BASIC SURVIVAL MEDICINE
- Requirements for Maintenance of Health
- Medical Emergencies
- Lifesaving Steps
- Bone and Joint Injury
- Bites and Stings
- Wounds
- Environmental Injuries
- Herbal Medicines
Chapter 5: SHELTERS
- Primary Shelter—Uniform
- Shelter Site Selection
- Types of Shelters
Chapter 6: WATER PROCUREMENT
- Water Sources
- Still Construction
- Water Purification
- Water Filtration Devices
Chapter 7: FIRECRAFT
- Basic Fire Principles
- Site Selection and Preparation
- Fire Material Selection
- How to Build a Fire
- How to Light a Fire
Chapter 8: FOOD PROCUREMENT
- Animals for Food
- Traps and Snares
- Killing Devices
- Fishing Devices
- Cooking and Storage of Fish and Game
Chapter 9: SURVIVAL USE OF PLANTS
- Edibility of Plants
- Plants for Medicine
- Miscellaneous Uses of Plants
Chapter 10: POISONOUS PLANTS
- How Plants Poison
- All About Plants
- Rules for Avoiding Poisonous Plants
- Contact Dermatitis
- Ingestion Poisoning
Chapter 11: DANGEROUS ANIMALS
- Insects and Arachnids
- Leeches
- Bats
- Venomous Snakes
- Snake-Free Areas
- Dangerous Lizards
- Dangers in Rivers
- Dangers in Bays and Estuaries
- Saltwater Dangers
- Other Dangerous Sea Creatures
Chapter 12: FIELD-EXPEDIENT WEAPONS, TOOLS, AND EQUIPMENT
- Staffs
- Clubs
- Edged Weapons
- Other Expedient Weapons
- Cordage and Lashing
- Rucksack Construction
- Clothing and Insulation
- Cooking and Eating Utensils
Chapter 13: DESERT SURVIVAL
- Terrain
- Environmental Factors
- Need for Water
- Heat Casualties
- Precautions
- Desert Hazards
Chapter 14: TROPICAL SURVIVAL
- Tropical Weather
- Jungle Types
- Travel Through Jungle Areas
- Immediate Considerations
- Water Procurement
- Food
- Poisonous Plants
Chapter 15: COLD WEATHER SURVIVAL
- Cold Regions and Locations
- Windchill
- Basic Principles of Cold Weather Survival
- Hygiene
- Medical Aspects
- Cold Injuries
- Shelters
- Fire
- Water
- Food
- Travel
- Weather Signs
Chapter 16: SEA SURVIVAL
- The Open Sea
- Seashores
Chapter 17: EXPEDIENT WATER CROSSINGS
- Rivers and Streams
- Rapids
- Rafts
- Flotation Devices
- Other Water Obstacles
- Vegetation Obstacles
Chapter 18: FIELD-EXPEDIENT DIRECTION FINDING
- Using the Sun and Shadows
- Using the Moon
- Using the Stars
- Making Improvised Compasses
- Other Means of Determining Direction
Chapter 19: SIGNALING TECHNIQUES
- Application
- Means for Signaling
- Codes and Signals
- Aircraft Vectoring Procedures
Includes also Appendix A to H

Take a mental break - focus on a photo of a loved one, a goal or a favorite place.

What kind of sports competition is a roleo?

What year was the United Nations established?

A. 1914

B. 1945

C. 1932

D. 1939

Answer: 1945

Which female singer was popular for her 1963 hit "It's My Party"?

A. Little Eva

B. Joni Mitchell

C. Diana Ross

D. Lesley Gore

Answer: D. Lesley Gore

Which food contains the most, 2nd most, & 3rd most fat?

A. Peanut Butter

B. Almonds

C. Avocados

BAC. Hailing from Peru, the Avocado got its name from the Spanish explorers who could not pronounce the Aztec word for the fruit, which translates as, er, testicle.

Which heavyweight boxer now markets his own grill?

A. Evander Holyfield

B. Mike Tyson

C. George Foreman

D. Muhammad Ali

Which TV show aired 1st, 2nd, & 3rd?

A. Cheers

B. Seinfeld

C. M.A.S.H.

CAB. The enormously popular M.A.S.H. series lasted 11 seasons, 4X longer than the war it depicted. The final episode was the most watched show in U.S. television history.

While organizing, if you create a pile of items to donate it's important that you schedule to donate these items right away. If they linger they'll turn into clutter once again. Load them into your car right away or call to arrange for a pickup.

Women guests & bridesmaids shouldn't wear black or white to a wedding.

In most cases, women may wear black or white to a wedding. If you choose white, don't wear anything even remotely bridal, so you don't compete with the bride's gown. With black, go for chic, not funeral. Black is more suited to a formal evening wedding than, for example, to an afternoon beach wedding.