Funeral Casket Flowers – How To Create Simple & Solemn Beauty

Funerals are a time to reflect and remember the good things in a person’s life. Family and friends gathered around, honoring the deceased. Gentle music and a muted atmosphere to enhance the serenity and peace. Having nice funeral casket flowers and arrangements adds to that peace and serenity as well.

When it comes to creating the scene with flowers, from the casket spray, standing sprays, wreaths and bouquets, there are some very nice choices available that shows how much the deceased was cared for and adds to the atmosphere of the funeral. Making arrangements for the funeral is always hard on the family, so anything that makes it easier is always a good thing. That’s where placing an order for funeral casket flowers online can really help.

Going onto the internet and finding an online florist is a breeze. Once you’ve found a florist, taking a look at all the great offerings they have available will be the most time consuming part of the process. After making your selection, whether it’s a beautiful casket spray, a wreath or a wonderful arrangement, all that’s required is the delivery address of the funeral home and the funeral information and completing the checkout procedure.

Since funerals generally run on a fairly short time frame, it’s nice to know that even if flowers have to be delivered the same day, as long as the florist has a couple of hours notice, they can be. And being able to connect with an online florist which is a part of the national network of florists, being able to make arrangements from anywhere, even across the country is possible. And if you’re ordering flowers for a loved one but will be unable to attend, being able to send funeral casket flowers online ensures the family knows you care.

Phone calls and condolence cards are good, but being able to reach out and touch with funeral casket flowers adds a level of care that goes above and beyond. Being able to share the beauty of a wonderful casket spray or even sending the family a gift basket is a great way to enhance the sharing and caring that a funeral evokes. Go online and take a look at the great flowers and arrangements available for funeral casket flowers. You’ll be comforted by how beautiful they are and being able to place the order online relieves at least one responsibility of having to make arrangements for a funeral or to honor the deceased with a gift of flowers.

Source by Rickey Pearce

The Importance of a Battery Backup Sump Pump System

Basements can quickly fill with water and ruin carpet, furniture, drywall and everything else so it is extremely important to me to have a good backup sump pump system in place. Most Basement battery sump pump batteries are shipped dry without acid so that they will remain fresh until you activate them. Filling the battery can be done easily. Many companies have developed an even more impressive system called the Ultrasump. This system is actually a second sump that piggie-backs on top of your original system.

A will often come with an alarm. If the water rises too high, the alarm will sound while the backup sump pump continues to run. A battery backup system is essential if the basement is finished, especially with carpeting or hardwood floors. A controller automatically switches from electricity to the battery in the event of a power outage so there is no needs to worry while your home, away, at work or vacation. The peace of mind that a battery powered back up system offers is priceless.

Electricity is not 100% reliable as many storms can cause power failures. You can feel safer with a backup protection device in place that runs without electric power? Most major plumbing or larger national size home centers carry a large selection of electric generator accessories perfect for all types of electric generators. If you finish off your basement a backup sump should be on the top of your list.

Sump pumps are usually hardwired into a home’s electrical system, and may have a battery backup. Some even use the home’s pressurized water supply to power the pump, eliminating the need for electricity. Sumps are installed in the lowest section of the basement and will pump out any water that has entered the basement before it starts flooding the basement floor. As groundwater makes its way into the basement, it is diverted into the sump pit or sump basin. The pumps normally work in combination with a sump pit. The sump pit is simply a hole dug into the ground, generally in the basement of a house, which allows water to collect into it. This sump basket is made of a high strength plastic and installed by the plumber during the rough plumbing phase of construction.

A sump pump, in general, is a category that encompasses a number of styles of pumps that are used to pump out collected fluid. This classification includes bilge and ballast pumps, centrifugal pumps, cantilever pumps, sewage pump pumps, submersible sump pumps and utility pumps, among others. Sump pumps are rated in gallons per minute (GPM). They also are rated by motor capacity. Sump pumps may also have a battery backup installed to ensure continuous operation.

Submersible pumps are quieter and tend to have a longer life because their sealed, oil-cooled motors are protected from moisture and dust. For the typical 1/3 HP pump, the average lift ability is 25 feet and flow capacity is about 25 GPM. Submersible pumps are designed to be submerged in water and sit on the bottom of the sump. The on/off switch, which is attached to the pump, can be a ball float connected to an internal pressure switch or a sealed, adjustable mercury-activated float switch. Submersible pumps are entirely mounted inside the pit, and they have a specially seal to prevent electrical short circuits.

The usual life span of a sump pump depends directly on how often the sump tank fills up, the depth of the properties water table, if any debris has made their way into the basket and even the quality of the pump that was installed. The pump is definitely something not to take lightly and to have the piece of mind that the basement you just spent a lot of money on will not get ruined during the next big rain or power outage.

Source by Chris DiCicco

Give a Full Body Massage

Massage is inherently sexual, and you can make it more or less sexual depending on how each of you feels when you are giving the massage. Unless you so relax her that she is more asleep than awake, there is a good chance your efforts will arouse her because of the intimacy, and because the massage will release a great deal of oxytocin into her body (more on oxytocin here). If she is open to it, massage can be a great form of foreplay, first relaxing her, and then arousing her. If you get it just right, you won’t be allowed to finish the massage!

To start, have her take a bath or shower. To make it even nicer give her a bubble bath (prepare it for her and help her wash) or get in the shower with her and do the washing for her. When she is dry (do that for her too) have her lay face down on a beach towel on the floor (better than the bed, you need a firm surface). Have a small pillow for her head, and another to put under her legs just above the feet – a hand towel over the pillows will protect them from the massage oil. Use a good massage oil (see below), and apply the oil to your hands, not directly to her skin.

Start at her feet, and work up, slowly! Feet can be ticklish, so be careful – firm pressure will reduce tickling. Your strokes should be towards her heart, or firm moving towards her heart and soft on the return stroke. Spend a bit of extra time on her rear end, as it’s a sensual area. You can use your full hands and a good deal of pressure on her rear. Avoid her spine as you move up her back. Learn where she carries tension, and pay special attention to those areas; the shoulders and neck are common tension spots.

When you reach her head, turn her over, and work back down towards the feet. The face is a sensuous area for a woman, so spend a bit of time there. Use light finger tip massage tracing her features.

Work down the front of her arms and do her hands before you move to her breasts. Don’t just grab on, tease her. Move over her breast gently, and then move around to the outside edge and around back to the top. Cup as you rub, with one or two hands depending on what best covers her. Give some special attention to the nipples, but only after you have spent plenty of time on the rest of the breast. Don’t squeeze the nipple too firmly.

Work on down now, but don’t be in a hurry to get to her genitals. Move over and around her tummy, and then run your hands down the outside of her legs. Roll your hands in and come back up the inside of the legs. Follow the line where her leg and groin meet, just barely caressing the edge of her vulva as you go by. Do this a few times before you focus on her genitals. You want her legs apart now – lift and bend at the knee, then rotate the leg outward to give the best access to her vulva. Vary soft strokes with firm ones, and finger tips with the whole palm. Upward strokes are likely to be more stimulating, but be careful not to over stimulate. A small amount of oil in the vagina is not usually a problem, but don’t get anything scented in there, and be aware that oil could interfere with condoms and spermicides.

From here you’re on your own – play it by ear and either finish the massage back down to her feet, massage her genitals till she orgasms, or move to some other sex act.

Oil:Always test any massage oil to make sure there is no allergic reaction – apply a small amount to a sensitive area like the inside of the upper arm or the breast and wait a day. With plant oils there will be no allergic reaction unless you or your spouse is allergic to the plant. If you are allergic to peanuts, don’t use peanut oil, etc. Store bought oils are likely to have additives and preservatives, so they may be more prone to cause a rash. Sunflower oil is said to be almost allergy proof, so try that if you are unsure or have a problem.

Most of what you can buy isn’t very good; so you might want to make your own. I like 40% walnut oil and 60% safflower oil as a base, but any edible oil will work. You could use straight cooking oil just fine, but a nice blend feels better for both giver and receiver, and the scent adds a nice touch. You can play with the mix; some oils have more “drag” than others. I’ve seen sweet almond, grape seed, sesame, soy, and sunflower oil mentioned by those who give massages. An almond and sesame mix seems to be fairly popular with masseuses – its light, glides easy, and washed off easily. You can use vitamin E oil to thicken the mixture, it won’t take much, or olive oil, it will take more than the E.

If you are going to be touching her genitals at all with the oil, you want to be careful about adding scents. Any kind of mint can produce a burning sensation if it’s too strong, so I’d avoid them unless you know you will not be hitting her most sensitive places.

For scented oil, add a small amount of scented oil – you want essential oil, not extract. The essential oil goes a long way since you will use 1 to 3 parts essential oil to 100 parts of base. Peppermint, which has a cooling feeling and tends to make one more alert, is exceptionally strong, so use just 1% with peppermint. Sandalwood is great for calming someone, and can be mixed more strongly as it’s fairly subtle. A variety of essential oils are now available in many drug stores and grocery stores. Always test the mixed oil to make sure there is no allergic reaction. Store oil in the fridge, and float a small squeeze bottle of it in hot water to warm it for use.

Back rubs and shoulder massages are enjoyable, but for complete relaxation, it is hard to beat a full body massage. A full body massage involves the kneading and working of all the body’s muscle groups in a therapeutic manner. The goal of this type of massage is to ease muscle pain and bring relaxation to the mind and body. You do not have to be a trained professional to give a full body massage to someone you love.

Find wonderful Xmas Cooking Recipes Christmas Recipes

Preparations

Before giving your massage, prepare the room or area you will be working in. You want the recipient to leave feeling relaxed, so work on creating a serene environment. Keep the noise level down. Turn off cell and house phones, televisions and noisy equipment. You may want to play an instrumental CD or maybe a track of ocean sounds. Check your lighting too. Turn off white fluorescent lights and more controlled lighting like lamps instead. Aromatic candles in therapeutic scents like vanilla can help set a calm mood. Test the surface of your massage area before your guest arrives. You want it to be comfortable and easy to work around. Cover the area with fresh linens. Have your towels and oils in a handy basket, ready for the massage.

During

During the massage you might be tempted to talk. If you are not a professional, you might be a little nervous. You should ask occasionally about pressure pain. It is not a good massage if you hurt someone. Start at the scalp area and work your way down the body. Alternate between the kneading and raking techniques. Kneading is similar to the action you use to knead bread dough. Raking is spreading your fingers wide and raking your finger tips over the surface of the skin. When giving your massage, do not push on the spine. Work around the spine instead.

After

When the massage is finished, let your guest or loved one remain still and enjoy some quiet, relaxing moments. You might use a fresh hand towel to blot any excess oil from the skin. Use a light touch and do not disturb your guest too much. Keep in mind that a full body massage can cause a person’s muscles to contract. Give your guests plenty of fresh water to stave off any leg cramps or body cramps that might occur after the massage is through.

Great Side Dish For Lobster Recipe

If you love lobster, then you know it is the star of the show on your plate. So, what do you serve with this main star? What side dishes for lobster are the best?

To keep the lobster as the main event, you need to have very simple side dishes. Very colorful vegetables in the yellow, reds and greens work very well with Lobster dishes.

Here is one example:

Cucumber and tomato salad. This makes a great side dish for lobster. It is simple to make and very colorful.

Here is what you will need:

cucumbers (as many as you think you will need for your guests, you will have to gauge this yourself)

nice red ripe tomatoes

Greek style bottled dressing

Peel your cucumber and then slice in 1/2 lengthwise, and then again, and then slice the wedges about 1/2 inch think.

Wash and cut the tomatoes into pieces a similar size to the cucumber chunks.

Put these in a bowl, and then pour some dressing (I found the Kraft Greek style dressing with feta worked the best for me)

Then let it sit for about 15 minutes before you serve it, to absorb the Greek dressing. Then sprinkle with the crumbled feta cheese.

Put on the table with a large spoon, and let your guests help themselves to this delicious side dish for the lobster.

Add a basket of crusty rolls, and lots of whipped butter, and you will have a fine lobster lunch or dinner.

You don’t need to spend too long on the side dishes for lobster, they should be simple, colorful and delicious. Your guests will be more interested in the lobster than anything else really anyways. Potato dishes may be a bit heavy a side dish for lobster, so stick to lighter fare, such as fresh vegetables and fresh bread or rolls.

Don’t forget the napkins or maybe bibs!

Source by Diane Palmer

Watermelon Carving

Fruit carving is amongst the oldest traditions followed from the Oriental nations, China, Japan, Thailand and some Asian nations specifically. This inventive custom frequently centers on some festivities wherever the beautiful sculptures draw the attention in the people. In reality carving of fruits is definitely an exquisite work of artwork. In China, watermelon carving is considered the most well-liked. Fruit carving can be completed on like fruits as carrots, papaya, pumpkins together with other more compact fruits for carving personal items. But watermelon carvings show up to be really captivating on account of its varied hues and size. The contrasting hues of melons lend a striking influence to the finished solution, creating all of them the more desirable.

Just before the execution of the carving ability, it is important to generate the many correct arrangements. A great carving knife with a simple sharp pointed blade is a must- have in cases like this. Carving on a watermelon is finished inside a relief format; it may be only a very simple lower out or have an complex engraving. This Chinese creative sculpture is of historical origin that has been passed down in the generations. In present day times, this wonderful custom has discovered excellent recognition and recognition through the entire earth. The various tones and colours of watermelons (pink, white, green) function wonders to offer a contrasting effect into the sculptures.

Watermelon sculptures can flip out for being the cynosure for virtually any situation or global function. This artwork is often exhibited at any cultural platform to showcase some amazing abilities. The carvings done within the watermelons are endless, ranging from teapots to flower vases, to minor animals or simply trophies. These incredible models are carved out applying carving tools and melon ballers. The carving resource is employed to cut out intricate styles while the melon baller scoops out greater sections. The melon baller is particularly beneficial in carving out huge exceptional shapes such as a fish, basket or fruit holder. The watermelon rind is extremely straightforward to lower into and amateurs can start with cutting the rind to generate big models.

Watermelon carving could be a great fun with all the kids as well. The fact is, becoming a very good source of vitamins in addition to a tasty fruit, children might have a good time learning this artwork and absorbing the advantages of this fruit. This exceptional artwork sculpture should be encouraged amid the children not just to propagate and continue to keep alive the historical tradition but also to give technique to the creation of masterpieces with the potential.

Source by wmallare

How to Create Organizational Wellbeing At Your Workplace

Being happy at work is important

A Culture of Workplace Wellbeing Is Important

Employee wellbeing, engagement and a culture of wellbeing links to important company strengths such as productivity, health and employee retention, a study by Gallup revealed. Experience shows these factors complement affect one another in ways that CEOs, team leaders and managers can influence.

Yet, creating employee wellbeing and engagement in the workplace remains an elusive goal for many employers. A report by BlessingWhite research, “Employee Engagement Report 2011,” indicated that only 31 percent employees in the study were engaged, while 17 percent were actively disengaged (employees who aren’t happy at work and care little for their jobs and employer). The recent global GFC may have negatively influenced the result of the study. However, this study found that more employees considered looking for new jobs than surveys from 2007 through 2009.

Three Types of Employees

  • Engaged – These are employees that work with passion, drive and feel a connection to their company. They promote innovation and drive the organization forward.
  • Not-Engaged – Employees who are ‘checked out’. They sleepwalk through the workday. They might put time in, but not passion into their tasks.
  • Actively Disengaged – These are a minority but they are employees who just aren’t happy with work. They actively act out this unhappiness. They undermine what their accomplished engaged coworker do.

Jim Harter, Ph.D is Gallup’s chief scientist of workplace management and wellbeing. He believes individual wellbeing has an effect on future employee engagement and changes to employee engagement. “If people had higher wellbeing in year one, they would tend to have higher engagement in year two and a more positive change in engagement in year two,” Harter says. “People that have high individual wellbeing are more likely to see their workplace as positive, productive, and engaging. Conversely, if they are struggling or suffering, it rubs off on the workplace and the team.”

Engaged Employees Are Happy Employees

Employee wellbeing has important implications for productivity and work relationships. Satisfied, passionate and happy employees are more likely to trust their leaders, comply with tasks given, and company rules, provide suggestions to improve the organisation, help co-workers, and work as a team to achieve goals. Such behaviour contributes to a high-performing organisation that is productive and innovative. Therefore, it is not surprising that research has shown that employee wellbeing is associated positively with customer satisfaction.

In a 2012 Gallup survey of 70,000 people around the world, one of the largest contributors to daily experiences of negative emotions was not feeling respected. As a manager, how can you promote wellbeing and employee engagement at your company? It is important to be aware of your employee’s engagement and wellbeing because there is a strong connection between the two. “Small decreases in wellbeing may not seem like much,” says Harter. “But poor wellbeing is strongly related to absenteeism and ‘presenteeism,’ or when people show up to work but aren’t active, effective, and productive.”

If one employee rates her wellbeing as 75 on the wellbeing scale and another worker rates his as 70, the worker with lower wellbeing will have 18.6% higher risk of sleep disorders, 15% higher risk of anxiety or depression 6.3% higher risk of obesity and 0.6 unhealthy days in the past 30 days.

Be aware of your employee’s engagement and wellbeing

As the research showed above, there’s a strong connection between wellbeing and engagement, and that applies to managers as well. Employees may not be aware of all the wellbeing opportunities a company offers. But a manager can encourage employees to get involved in wellbeing activities such as yoga, improved training, motivational rewards and personal development opportunities. This reflects a powerful cascade effect from managers to employees, Harter says, “When managers care about their wellbeing, their team members take a greater interest in their own wellbeing.” This helps to minimise staff turnover and improving employee motivation.

Give employees a platform

A lot of studies are showing that change happens because of our social environment,” Harter says. “Norms are shared in a way that’s contagious, and companies and managers can help set those norms. But the team will carry them forward.”Employees who are engaged and thriving also have greater agility and resilience. “When people are engaged and have thriving wellbeing, their life situations don’t weigh them down and keep them from performing,” Harter says. “They see changes as opportunities, not problems.” Managers who encourage wellbeing and engagement will help their companies reap the benefits in times to come.

Stay Informed

The old saying, ‘leave your personal life at home, not at work’, is not entirely realistic. A Gallup analysis shows that your wellbeing has an impact on the people you work with and on the people who work for you. Work/life balances are important in order for your employees to balance their work and personal lives, which makes them happier and more productive. By creating a positive culture of organizational wellbeing for your company, you are encouraging your employees to take pride in their job, and respect their peers.

Streamline Workflow

It is important in today’s workplaces that a company runs smoothly. Do you want to streamline workflow and improve business operations? To run your company successfully your staff should be priority. By promoting wellbeing at your workplace you increases employee work satisfaction, which in turn reduces stress and save times because there is less pressure and high workloads are often a cause of stress.

Provide a Positive Environment

As a manager or leader it is important to provide an environment for your employees to learn. Paul Monsted, managing Director says it’s wise to get them out of the office. “Take your employees to seminars, workshops, somewhere that is an enriching environment. No hard core training.”

Mr Monsted also mentions introducing fringe benefits to your staff such as trips away, gift baskets to aid a positive environment. “They will see the value,” he says.

To view the original article, click here and learn more about creating a happy workplace culture.

Source by Kellie Riek

Stainless Steel Teapots – Keep Your Tea Hot

Make your tea a real treat with gorgeous teapots. A teapot is a vessel used for steeping tea leaves and serving them in cups. Teapots come in various shapes, sizes colors and outlooks. They may be of the designer types, the ceramic ones and most commonly the Stainless Steel Teapots. Stainless steel teapots are hardwearing, durable and usually long lasting by nature. They are impeccably maintained with matt steel and a brilliant steel finish. The brilliant steel however appears more shining than the matt steel products. The stainless steel teapots tend to have a better durability and they also resist rust.
Another important positive aspect of stainless steel teapots are that, they are often easy to clean and also look hygienic. Many stainless steel teapots also bear the composition of glass and plastic along with stainless steel. They serve a very few but very essential purposes of handling and mixing loose tea. The removable stainless steel infuser basket and a brushed stainless steel surface doesn’t show fin. You can serve well with a drip-free spout and a handle designed to stay cool when pouring tea. They are sturdy and totally dishwasher safe. Their highly polished surfaces also add to the functional actualities to resemble chrome for a decorative finish. This is because unlike ordinary steel stainless steel teapots have the capability to resist rust completely.

Commonly used stainless steel teapots known as Bodum Kenya stainless steel teapots bear a complete cross between the modern and the traditional types in glamour. They have glass, stainless steel and plastic fibres that offer the best materials to make a perfect cup of tea. These stainless steel framed borosilicate glass teapots serve the full fancies and etiquettes of the host in front of the guests.

Source by Tom Watson

UFOs: If 19 Out Of 20, Therefore 20 Out Of 20

The fact is, as most UFO sceptics readily acknowledge, between 5 and 10 percent of all reported UFO incidents remain unidentified after investigation by those qualified to do so. This fact apparently excites the scientific, astrobiology, and SETI communities not one jot. Now I would maintain that a 5 to 10% level of hardcore UFO unknowns, over six decades on, worldwide, is a major scientific anomaly. It amounts to at least several thousand unexplained UFO incidents. I was under the impression that it was the role and duty of scientists to research the unknown, but apparently not when it comes to this subject.

On the 26th and 27th of December 1969, the American Association for the Advancement of Science held a symposium on UFOs. The papers were edited by Carl Sagan and Thorton Page and published by Cornell University Press. One of the contributors was the late James E. McDonald*, an atmospheric physicist at the University of Arizona. McDonald’s basic theme was to send a rocket up the proverbial butts of the overall scientific community for their near neglect of what he (and many laypeople) consider to be one of the top scientific anomalies of the 20th Century (and now of the 21st as well) – Unidentified Flying Objects.

Unfortunately, Dr. McDonald must surely be turning over in his grave because nothing has really changed since he presented that paper. Scientists and UFOs tend to party together in much the same way as oil and water mix.

Now any scientist with an open mind, albeit even a skeptical mind, has to acknowledge that between five and ten percent of all UFO reports remain bona fide UFO reports after investigation and analysis by those qualified to do so. Let’s make life simple and say the bona fide UFO unknown rate is 5% (or 19 out of 20). Let’s call these the hardcore UFOs – the residue that has been sifted out from the larger picture. Now is the hardcore UFO glass 95% empty and evaporating (if 19 out of 20 of UFOs are explainable, then 20 out of 20 are) or is the hardcore UFO glass 5% full (if 19 out of 20 are explainable, then it’s just 19 out of 20 that’s been explained, full stop)?

One of the main scientific arguments against UFOs being of any scientific interest is that if the substantial majority of UFO reports can be adequately explained (95%) then surely all could be if there was only sufficient information. Well, the USAF (as a typical government agency that was responsible for solving UFO sightings) had a category for ‘insufficient information’, as well as ‘possible’ this or ‘probable’ that. They also had a separate and apart category for ‘unknowns’. That is to say, they had sufficient information regarding a UFO sighting but hadn’t a clue as to what the object(s) were. That’s why they were tagged as ‘unknowns’. And that amounted to roughly five percent of all UFO sightings.

Okay, 19 out of 20 UFO reports prove to have prosaic explanations. Therefore the twentieth one has one as well. Sorry, the logic just isn’t there. The first and most obvious argument is that the 20th UFO sighting has been singled out as being different because it is different. It’s like having one green apple in a basket of 19 red apples. If all you see on the surface are red apples, that don’t mean there’s not a green apple buried below, yet that’s what those who should know better conclude. Yet in reality you can’t conclude anything about the color of the apples out of sight in the apple basket until such time as you investigate and examine the color of all the apples present.

Other examples where 19 out of 20 don’t equate of necessity to 20 out of 20: If you recover from the flu nineteen times in a row, that doesn’t mean you’ll recover the twentieth time. If the N.Y. Yankees will nineteen baseball games in a row, that doesn’t mean they’ll win number twenty. If you toss a coin and it lands heads nineteen times in a row, that’s no reason to believe the twentieth toss will be heads. Taking an example from real science, if 193 species of primates have fur, surely the 194th will have fur too. Alas, we’re the 194th – “The Naked Ape”.

Here’s a bit of an experiment that helps demonstrate that the 20th case can be the odd one out. Say you want to find out if relatively nonporous solid objects sink in fresh water. So you have a large bucket of fresh water, and into that bucket you toss an ordinary coin; a lump of glass; a lump of coal; a rock; a plastic comb; a brick; a lump of gold; a diamond; a china plate; a ball bearing; some copper wire; a piece of bone; a bit of cloth; a bowling ball; a CD; some lead shot; an aluminum ingot; a large salt crystal and a clam shell. That’s 19 items – they all sink, therefore you conclude that the next solid item you toss in will also sink – an ice cube. Oops; it’s back to the drawing board.

Of course the reluctance of scientists to come to terms with the bona fide UFO hardcore is really an issue central to the sociology of science. In particular, the negative findings of the University of Colorado (Condon Committee) report (1968) have been cited as a decisive factor in the generally low level of interest in UFO activity among academics since that time. That’s despite the fact that that report couldn’t adequately explain 30% of the UFO cases it investigated. Despite that historical anomaly, UFOs for better or worse acquaint to aliens and the ETH (extraterrestrial hypothesis). There’s something about aliens that translates into little green (or gray) men, fodder for the tabloids that has an overall aura as a ‘silly season’ filler when there’s no real news around. That’s not the sort of fodder scientists like to feed on.

But these UFO unknowns don’t have to be of necessity something that equates to alien intelligence therefore the UFO ETH.

Okay, maybe the hardcore UFOs are time travellers from our future – that’s one alternative. But then hardcore UFO unknowns aren’t clustered around significant historical events that would be must sees – the bread-and-butter of that time travel industry – to tourists and historians from our future.

An early UFO ETH theory was that UFOs were actual living but non-intelligent organisms that lived in outer space but now and again would dip into our atmosphere. No biologist could actually explain how such creatures could survive, far less thrive, in the harsh conditions of outer space. So, fluffy critters from outer space without benefit of a spaceship aren’t a likely option.

Some suggest that the hardcore represent some sort of totally new natural phenomena, except there’s no even theoretical underpinning for new natural phenomena, and after six decades, well that’s a total failure to come to terms with an easy way out of the hardcore mess. However, natural phenomena wouldn’t exhibit intelligent behaviour in any event, which the hardcore UFOs do. That’s why they often tend to be the hardcore. Yet, still there’s this observation about one UFO case studied by the University of Colorado under government contract to the USAF, headed by Dr. Edward Condon. The Condon Report, as it became known had this to say: “…this unusual sighting should therefore be assigned to the category of some almost certainly natural phenomenon, which is so rare that it apparently has never been reported before or since.” You’d think that would whet the appetite of any scientist eager to make a major discovery that leads to the road to Stockholm (and a Nobel Prize). Apparently that’s just not the case. Hardcore UFO sightings, even as an apparent natural phenomenon are taboo.

Regardless, ET, space critters, time travellers, unknown natural phenomena, whatever, scientists cannot claim the hardcore UFO issue settled while those unknowns remain. They are derelict in their duty by ignoring them, hoping they’ll just ‘go away’. It’s not good enough for scientists to say ‘if 19 out of 20, therefore 20 out of 20, and go on their merry way washing their hands of the otherwise reality that that logic is faulty. They need to prove that assertion, not ignore it. Translated, they’ve got to put up or shut up. 

Some might claim that it’s the alleged nature of the unknowns as claimed by the believers that puts the onus on them to prove their case. That would be so if they claimed the hardcore UFO unknowns were proof that UFOs were piloted by ET. However, while a few sprout that line (and if they do they should put up or shut up), a majority of pro-UFO people, believers if you will, just point to the unknowns as evidence (not proof – evidence and proof are two different things) that supports the UFO ETH. Unfortunately, if the UFO ETH is really true, proof of that tends to be out of the hands of the believers since if ET doesn’t want to be caught out, he/she/it won’t be – that’s the advantage of having advanced intelligence. You outsmart lesser intelligence. So the lesser intelligence needs the cooperation (or an unintended slipup – Roswell?) of the greater alien intelligence, and we’re not getting it. Of course if there is really no ET associated with the hardcore UFO residue, then that explains that. 

But nearly all UFO believers just really believe that there’s a case to be answered for that lone 20th hardcore UFO event, regardless of what the explanation turns out to be. And the best people to find out that explanation(s) are scientists, yet scientists ignore the challenge as they did in Dr. McDonald’s day; as they continue to do well into the 21st Century.  

*McDonald, James E.; Science in default: twenty-two years of inadequate UFO investigations; (in) Page, Thornton & Sagan, Carl (Editors); UFO’s: A Scientific Debate; Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York; 1972; pages 52-122.

Source by John Prytz

What Does It Mean To Be Gluten Free

We have some friends who are gluten free.  At first I thought this was kind of weird.  It just sounds strange.  Gluten Free. It wasn’t the first time I had heard of it but to know an entire family that is gluten free is a rarity.  So they invited us over to dinner. I was a little nervous because I wondered if they would be eating rice flour and some strange unheard of foods. I warned the kids to have good manners no matter what they served.  I was so excited to be their guest but wondered what this term would look like in real life?

What I found was they made fresh, healthy, and delicious food. It even had a Mexican theme to it and that is my most favorite type of food.  There was amazing salsa, chips galore that were organic and gluten free and we had steak and fresh veggies.  The kids loved it and didn’t even know it was gluten free.  It really got me thinking.  As I learned more about why they made this choice it really was a necessity.  My friend had food allergies and had been ill and the change in food had made a dramatic difference in how she felt inside and out.  It had also helped her twin daughters.

I learned so much that night about food and how it can affect you.  For dessert they served us cookies.  I didn’t think you could eat cookies being gluten free.  I went on to ask them to clarify just what was gluten.  I learned it is when there is no wheat, rye, barley, or oat gluten present. And yet they still made these amazing cookies.

It was a learning experience.  Later that year I learned my daughter’s friend also was gluten free.  She had lost her grandpa and we wanted to do something special for them. So we made a gluten free gift basket.  What did we put in the gluten free gift basket?  We put those amazing cookies wrapped with love and pretty bows. It was so much fun knowing we were helping someone else and being sensitive to their needs.  I was learning so much.

Later, they told us how much the gluten free gift basket meant.  Not many people know what gluten free is.  I am only beginning to understand.  I do know this; food allergies affect almost 18% of kids.  That is huge.  And so I look forward to learning more……………..in the mean time here is that recipie for those amazing cookies they made that night.  Gluten free or not you will absolutely love them. You can see the recipie here or go to About.com as well.

A classic gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe with a refreshing mint flavor. If you love classic Nestle Toll House cookies (and who doesn’t?!) and you like the flavor of chocolate mint, you’ll love these cookies.

Make this a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe by omitting the peppermint extract and adding one teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 11 minutes

Total Time: 26 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/8 cup light buckwheat flour (see note)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon natural peppermint extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup (6 ounces) gluten-free chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375° F / 190° C

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly oil

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. In a large mixing bowl, combine egg and sugar and beat with an electric mixer on high until light and fluffy. Add butter and beat on high until combined. Add extract and beat briefly. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (optional).

For 1 dozen large cookies use a 2 tablespoon (1/8 cup) ice cream scoop or drop heaping tablespoons of dough on prepared baking sheets. 

For 2 dozen small cookies use a 1 tablespoon ice cream scoop or a rounded tablespoon.

Bake in preheated oven for 9-11 minutes or until cookies are crisp on edges and slightly soft in the middle. Cool on baking sheet.

Try it. You will love them and they may make you feel healthier and better too. I know we did.

Source by Gretchen Bell

Strategies For Egg Gathering In Wow’s Noblegarden

If you like Easter time, you’ll love the WOW Noblegarden at that time.  The Noblegarden festival is usually held on Easter Sunday and the city Barker and Guest Giver direct players to the celebration.

The egg hunt actually goes on for a week, with eggs hidden in the starting zones of the Alliance, Horde, and Neutral areas.

Eggs painted to look like wildflowers and containing treasures, coins and candy are hidden by the Nobels and Lords from each race.  Then everyone in the city looks for them. Every egg contains a piece of Noblegarden chocolate. Hint: Eat your first 100 eggs to obtain the Chocoholic achievement.

Eggs can also contain buffs which turn players into a rabbit for an hour.

You actually need to find 355 eggs so you can purchase event items from various venders using your Noblegarden chocolate! If you want to go for some of the more expensive items, save up your eggs until you figure out how much all of your eggs are worth.  Mage’s will need an additional 100 if they want the [Tome of Polymorph: Rabbit].

Some of the items that can be purchased include:

Spring Flowers

Robes

Tuxedo shirts

Tuxedo pants

Elegant dresses

Prices range from 5 – 100 pieces of chocolate.

The quests that are available for Noblegarden are: Spring Collectors and Gatherers, The Great Egg Hunt, and A Tisket, a Tasket, A Noblegarden Basket!

Here are a two different ways to collect eggs fast.  1) Give yourself the ability to run faster by attaching your basket to a key or button. This keeps the buff out of the way, 2) Locate yourself in a spot with a lot of spawn points so you DON’T have to run around so much.

And remember, if possible, eat your first 100 eggs to obtain the Chocoholic achievement award.

Source by Alex R. Cooper