August Reading List

Camouflage - Joe Haldeman
The Slaying of the Shrew - Simon Hawke
Romantic poets: William Blake to Edgar Allan Poe. (Actually, I returned this one to the library after reading about 10 pages. It's much easier to read poetry for pleasure when you can take your time.)
Hyperion - Dan Simmons
Poems of Byron, Keats and Shelley (this one got returned too)
Beginning PHP5, Apache, and MySQL Web development - Naramore
PHP & MySQL for dummies (I actually didn't have time to read this one and someone else had it on hold at the library)
Icewind Dale: Collector's Edition (this one is making into September, and a friend convinced me to get the game. Generally I avoid RPG's ... we'll see if I had a valid reason).

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August Vocab list

Words that I have come across and couldn't call to mind their immediate definition:

sybaritic: ADJECTIVE: 1. Devoted to or marked by pleasure and luxury. 2. Sybaritic Of or relating to Sybaris or its people.

ephemeris: NOUN: A table giving the coordinates of a celestial body at a number of specific times during a given period.

hagiography: 1. Biography of saints. 2. A worshipful or idealizing biography.

syncretized: TRANSITIVE VERB: To reconcile and unite (differing religious beliefs, for example), especially with partial success or a heterogeneous result.
INTRANSITIVE VERB: To combine differing elements or beliefs, especially with partial success or a heterogeneous result.

ostler: Variant of hostler: NOUN: 1. One who is employed to tend horses, especially at an inn. 2. One who services a large vehicle or engine, such as a locomotive.

All definitions provided by The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language


I had a few more from Simon Hawke's The Slaying of the Shrew but returned the book to the library before copying them. Oops :(

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My dear, sweet, funny husband ...[x-post]

is such a smart-aleck!!! My laptop is on the fritz again (known issue, Fujitsu is fixing it for free. I'm ready for my Centrino now...) Oh there I go getting distracted again ...

My laptop is on the fritz again and I am in the process of backing it up and bemoaning the horrible ordeal to my DH. Here are his replies. Which are all activites i enjoy when I can drag myself away from my addiction.

[Monday;01:00 PM] Tymbrwulf: whatever am i going to do without my computer for a week?
[Monday;01:03 PM] WhslngDeth: Build puzzles?
[Monday;01:03 PM] WhslngDeth: Be entertained by your husband?
[Monday;01:03 PM] WhslngDeth: Read?
[Monday;01:03 PM] WhslngDeth: De-clutter?
[Monday;01:03 PM] WhslngDeth: Watch movies?
[Monday;01:03 PM] WhslngDeth: :)
[Monday;01:04 PM] Tymbrwulf: oh! have a life! :)

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THE REAL HISTORY OF MIDKEMIA: How a fantasy writer found his world -? by Raymond E. Feist

I was reminiscing with a friend about books and remembered Midkemia and Feist. And even cooler trivia, he went to UCSD!!! I wish I had known that when I attended.
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"Midkemia is a virtual world created by a bunch of UC San Diego grad school buddies 23 years ago. We did it for fun, as a pastime. This was around the time that Dungeons & Dragons was all the rage. But D & D was underdeveloped for our tastes; we decided to draw on our knowledge of medieval history and our love of fantasy to build a fully realized gameworld: Midkemia. We made up characters, countries, political alliances and disputes, a system of magic, a pantheon of gods -- a wonderful, magical place that didn't exist anywhere except in our heads. We brought it to life when we got together on a regular basis (every Thursday night for a while, then Friday nights), mastering games or playing characters. Game players understand this sort of world-building, but for a lot of people it may seem like a weird thing to do. And maybe it is -- but in my opinion it's no more weird than driving buckets of golfballs in the rain, collecting every pressing of every LP the Beatles ever made, or buying every stamp issued by the U.S. Postal Service. Later, my friend Steve Abrams suggested that I tell the story of how Greater Path Magic (Don't know what that is? Read the books!) came to Midkemia; from that came my first novel Magician, published in 1982. In order not to conflict with the gameworld we'd created, I set Magician, the first of my Riftwar novels, 500 years before our game. I write the history to the Midkemia the Friday Nighters created. "

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Google Talk

"They say talk is cheap. Google thinks it should be free. Google Talk enables you to call or send instant messages to your friends for free -- anytime, anywhere in the world. Google Talk offers you:....

Google Talk is in beta and requires a Gmail username and password.
Don't have Gmail? Get an account using your mobile phone (US only)."
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Ok, I did it at the request of a friend. I downloaded and installed Google Talk. It's neat how all your gmail contacts are automatically imported. I have 50 gmail account invitations left. email me and I'll give you one if you promise not to spam me :)

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Wiki - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Wiki

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other uses, see Wiki (disambiguation).
A wiki is a web application that allows users to add content, as on an Internet forum, but also allows anyone to edit the content. The term Wiki also refers to the collaborative software used to create such a website (see Wiki software).
Wiki (with an upper case W) and WikiWikiWeb are both used to refer specifically to the first wiki ever created (March 25, 1995).

The WikiWikiWeb is part of the Portland Pattern Repository, a section of a Portland, Oregon, web site operated by the company Cunningham & Cunningham. Wiki proponents often spell 'wiki' with a lower case 'w'. The name is based on the Hawaiian term wiki wiki, meaning 'quick' or 'informal'. Sometimes wikiwiki (or Wikiwiki) is used instead of wiki."

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Hallelujah!!!

I can breathe through my nose again! and it only took 3 minutes in the shower, not 10. I should have used a steam humidifier at the beginning of this instead of just last night. Who knows how much faster I would have been over this. Now, if the snot will just go back to a nice clear instead of neon green, everything will be peachy. I'm just so happy I can breathe through my nose again!

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Share the Wealth - Buy.com coupon

Enjoy this new coupon, and feel free to share it with your friends.

$10 OFF $75 Coupon*


*Orders must be placed on or before 8/31/2005 11:59:00 PM PT. Some
Restrictions apply. See site for details.
_____________________________________________________




"Buy.com" is a trademark of BUY.COM Inc. BUY.COM Inc.
2005. Buy.com, Inc, 85 Enterprise #100, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656.
All rights reserved.

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Well, I either have the virus that's hitting the kids this summer, or some sort of yucky bacterial infection. I called my doctor's advice nurse this morning and I am so stuffed up that she could barely understand me. If I want to come in, I can call back for an appointment, there are two available for me today. My new doctor doesn't see patients after 4PM though, so that makes it kinda hard. I *can* pay the extra $10 and go to Urgent Care for after hours care. Since I don't have/haven't had a fever, and no sinus pain/pressure (I know exactly what sinusitis feels like!!!) there's probably no need for me to be seen for a bacterial infection. If I continue to feel worse, by all means, make an appointment.

If it is a virus, I have 3-7 more days of misery (since the virus lasts for 10-14). Oh joy. I don't want to pay just to be told that there's nothing for me. I have had chills, but no bona fide fever. Darn. I joked with Tim that it would be a kick in the butt if I have been walking around with Strep for the last week. I don't think he liked that joke. I haven't had a sore throat, at least nothing that can't be attributed to mucus drainage.


So, the nurse tells me home treatment: Sudafed for the nasal congestion and either Tylenol or Advil for the body aches. Stop taking Dayquil since you don't need the cough medicine. Lots of clear fluids and lots of steam to loosen up all that mucus. I wish I could just sit in my shower......

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Homeless woman returns lost purse, $800

I just saw this today, though the dateline is the 19th....
New York Times News Service
Aug. 19, 2005 04:30 PM

LAKELAND, Fla. - When Polk County Sheriff's Deputy Sandy Scherer lost a bag containing her personal organizer, $800 in cash and two paychecks on Monday, she didn't have a lot of hope.

After 16 years in law enforcement, she'd become a little cynical.

But just in case, she rushed back to the parking lot in front of the Polk Government Center in Lakeland. She had parked there earlier, and accidentally left her bag on the hood of her car.

She was surprised to find someone turned it in at the front desk of Polk Works. Not a cent was missing.

But when she managed to get in contact with 24-year-old Canesha Blackman, the woman who turned in the bag, and asked to meet her so she could thank her personally, she was even more surprised.

Blackman was staying at the Salvation Army shelter with her five children.

"It was really inspiring to me," Scherer said. "It restored my faith in humanity."

Finish reading the article here.

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CNN.com - Google joins instant message party - Aug 24, 2005

"Google Inc. is offering its own instant message and Web-based phone calling system, joining a crowded field of established rivals in a nearly decade-old computer communications craze."

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Like i don't have enough Google products on my computer, or use Google enough .... they are taking over the Internet. Isn't it enough to be a verb AND a noun in today's language?

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OK, sometimes it pays to buy namebrand. I have been taking the store-brand of Dayquil and Sudafed and they were doing NOTHING against this cold that I have had for more than a week. Last night, my wonderful, loving hubby went out and bought the good stuff. I took some about 2 hours ago and I can FINALLY think somewhat clearly and the snot is starting to slow down. That's been the most annoying part of this cold. I can't believe how much mucus my body has been producing. And it's not allergies. It's a blessing that neither Tim, nor any of the kids I take care of have gotten sick either.

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Joy can draw now!!!!!!!

I let her play on my Palm and she likes to draw on the notepad part. She drew a kitty cat, called it a kitty cat, then drew 4 legs and it's recognizable!!! (well, almost heart shaped face, eyes, nose, ears) and then 4 legs under it. On my palm! but it's NOT a scribble! -- which up until this morning is all she really "draws".

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Geek Fantasies

"Welcome to Geek Fantasies - created by geeks for geeks. We've scoured the web looking for the hottest, tech-savvy girl geeks the world has to offer. We know what you want and we know how you like it."
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No, I didn't preview it, so I don't know if the content is funny or offensive. But I love the concept.

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Commentaries: The Horrors! - Christianity Today Movies

"The Horrors!
Can Christians and horror movies co-exist in the same cineplex? Better yet, is the horror genre even redeemable? The author thinks so--but only if certain conditions are met.
by W. David O. Taylor | posted 04/05/2005


I believe in demons.
I believe in angels. I believe in witchdoctors, voices, and the Canaanite god Moloch. I believe in the Scientific Method. I believe in Satan. I believe in total depravity. I believe in common sense and the power of prayer. I believe this because I am a Christian. I believe this because as a child raised in the shadows of volcanoes tilting over Guatemala City, in a culture that syncretized Catholic saints with Mayan gods, I had no reason to believe otherwise.
I believe in supernatural horror as much as I believe in the reliability of my Merrell shoes.
But what I believe is not the same thing as what I like or do not like." ----

click on the link to read the rest of the article.

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Interviews: Ralph Winter - Christianity Today Movies - quote 2

And this is what I kepp trying to knock into my son's head!!!!
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"But there are a lot of films with gratuitous ugliness and misbehavior on the screen. How do you distinguish between responsible and irresponsible portrayals of evil?

Winter: It's about the integrity of the story. What is it that is necessary in order for the story to be told? I don't know how to make a PG version of Braveheart. Mel Gibson took a risk with The Passion--and made the R-rated movie that it probably was in real life. We can argue about 'Where's that line?' But crucifixion is a gruesome thing. How do you tell a mafia story without the language? How do you tell Braveheart without that kind of violence? Not everyone has to go see it, but that's the story.

On the other hand, maybe the story doesn't deserve to be told. Maybe people are telling stories they don't need to tell. I don't think we need to see every movie. A movie has become a product?something we consume without even thinking about it. It takes a lot for movies to stand out for us, to rise above the noise level. People don't pursue it from that artistic standpoint. They pursue it from a commercial standpoint. That's the danger of being sucked in. We become part of the culture, making stuff that has no redeeming value. Only our great storytellers can [nourish] us."

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Interviews: Ralph Winter - Christianity Today Movies

"Some of these are R-rated films, due to language, violence, and sexuality. What do you say to Christians who object to the whole idea of R-rated material?

Winter: Don't read the Bible! It's R-rated too! That's more of a cultural problem, though. How we separate our cultural religion in America from true faith in Christ is always going to be a struggle, I think --politically and in the arts. Nobody wants to admit that we live in an R-rated world."
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[empasis mine in the above quote] I never thought of it this way. I've always thought in terms of garbage in-garbage out. And there certainly is enough garbage in the world today.

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Blogger Buzz - Word Up

We've got this new thing. It's a free plug-in for Microsoft Word that works with Blogger. We call it Blogger for Word. Catchy? Maybe. Useful? You bet. With this little number, you can work in Word like you normally do and then save your document as a post to your Blogger blog. Once you install the plug-in and restart Word, some buttons will appear. These buttons allow you to publish, edit, and save as draft from within Word."

NOW they come up with this. And I've been using w.bloggar for at least two years....

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you know you're sick when...

you spend the first ten minutes of your shower blowing your nose and hocking up lugies. And this is AFTER taking Nyquil so you can sleep and hopefully breathe through the night. Instead, I woke up stuffy, sore, and feeling miserable. At least I only have two kids to watch today.

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Thunderbirds Grounded After Chicago Airshow Mishap - August 22, 2005

August 22, 2005 6:59 a.m. EST


Hector Duarte Jr. - All Headline News Staff Reporter
Chicago, IL (AHN) - Chicago's Air and Water Show ended a few minutes early and did not feature a much-awaited crowd favorite: the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

The unit's performance was cut short Saturday after two F-16 Fighting Falcons touched wingtips during a fly-by over North Atlantic Beach, prompting the squadron to cancel their grand finale and halt the rest of their summer tour until Air Force investigators can pinpoint exactly what went wrong.

The collision took place as the fighter jets were in diamond formation, traveling at approximately 350 mph. The right wing and slot planes touched, sending a four-foot section of missile rail into Lake Michigan. In combat, the missile rail would hold ammunition. The rail landed in a 'safety box,' away from boaters and people on shore.
Following the incident, both planes safely returned to Gary/Chicago International Airport. As of Sunday, the extent of the damage and cause of collision were unclear.

This was the first accident involving two Thunderbirds since 1999, when two F-16's, also in diamond formation, collided during an air show in Florida.

It is yet unclear if future Thunderbirds shows will be canceled."
=====================================================
I love airshows and was kinda looking forward to the Hillsboro one, even though the Blue Angels aren't featured.

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Researchers Fuse Skin and Stem Cells

Aug 22, 4:20 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Harvard scientists announced they've discovered a way to fuse adult skin cells with embryonic stem cells, a promising and dramatic breakthrough that could lead to the creation of useful stem cells without first having to create and destroy human embryos.

Members of the research team were to discuss their findings Monday. Preliminary results of the potentially groundbreaking research were disclosed Sunday on the Science magazine web site.

The scientists said they were able to show in their early research that the fused cell "was reprogrammed to its embryonic state."

"If future experiments indicate that this reprogrammed state is retained after removing the embryonic stem cell DNA - currently a formidable technical hurdle - the hybrid cells could theoretically be used to produce embryonic stem cells lines that are tailored to individual patients without the need to create and destroy human embryos," said a summary of the research reported on the Science site.

That could lead to creation of stem cells without having to use human eggs or make new human embryos in the process, thereby sidestepping much of the controversy over stem cell research.

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SubEthaEdit

Damn, this seems like a really cool and useful tool. And wouldn't you know it, it's for the Mac. Anyone want to buy me an iBook?

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Bravo Magnet High School

HOLY COW! Talk about a makeover. It's been over a year since I last visited my HS homepage, and over a decade since I attended ... but this is looking pretty good.

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mylifeonline.net

I came across this blog while trying to find a friend. I don't think it's her, but read the August 2004 archives. My god, I think I have found a kindred spirit :)

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epiphany

Most of my friends know that I am addicted to chat. I use Trillian, but even before that, I had an account on every chat medium out there, with ICQ being my favorite. Now, I thought I was just being accommodating to my friends who happened to have only one account .... and it's better than being logged into IRC all the time, right? (I used to have mIRC, too).

Now, I think, I am just addicted to talking with interesting, intelligent people. I have my favorites, and then I go looking for new people to talk with. Some become great friends, others are more like the nice person you talk to in line at the grocery store. I wish more of them fell into the friends category. It's nice to have a variety of experiences and points of view to draw advice from.


Time to focus on kidlets. More later.

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For all you Muppets Fans

Watch cranky Muppet critics Statler and Waldorf and their pals riff on all the upcoming movies in their new online video show! http://movies.go.com/muppets/index

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Word for last month

sybaritic

SYLLABICATION:syb?a?rit?ic
PRONUNCIATION: sb-rtk
ADJECTIVE:1. Devoted to or marked by pleasure and luxury. 2. Sybaritic Of or relating to Sybaris or its people.
OTHER FORMS:Syba?riti?cal?ly ?ADVERB"
-- I picked this one up throughout McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga

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Cinetopia

I wanna go.... This sounds like a great place to visit on a regular basis AND to take visiting friends. and it's only about 45 minutes away. From the website:

Cinetopia is a locally owned, luxury 8-screen movie theater and entertainment complex, which is conveniently located near the intersection at Mill Plain Boulevard and I-205 in Vancouver Washington. Cinetopia exceeds all current movie going standards and amenities offered in the Northwest by providing a variety of high-end entertainment options under one roof. The theaters have superior seating and state-of-the-art projection and audio equipment. A separate area houses a restaurant and wine bar with indoor and tropical garden seating. The wine bar has a fully automated tasting system where patrons sample from over 100 different wines from around the world. The restaurant, wine bar, and the Living Room Theaters feature live music. An art gallery spans the entire complex and offers displayed art for sale. In addition, the complex offers a state-of-the-art business conferencing and meeting facility that can also be reserved for private parties and affairs. We're sure you'll enjoy spending time at Cinetopia.

Review from the Oregonian

You're reclining in a leather chair, eating slices of grilled Kobe-Wagyu beef, and watching "Star Wars: Episode III" in stunning high-definition digital projection with one of the most advanced sound systems in the world.

You're sipping a sublime glass of vintage wine in an even more comfortable leather chair and watching the quirky English film "Ladies in Lavender."

No, you have not won the lottery and turned your home into a paradise of fine food, wine and cinema.

Rather, you have discovered movie heaven.

And it's in Vancouver, USA.

Cinetopia, a combination film multiplex, gourmet restaurant, wine bar and art gallery, opened just off Southeast Mill Plain Boulevard and Interstate 205 in late July, and it is instantly the most luxurious, technologically advanced and, frankly, astounding theater in the area, the region, maybe even the country.

The complex consists of eight theaters and a restaurant, Vinotopia. In one place, you can see some of the best films playing in the market, eat some ambitious and accomplished food, sample more than 100 bottles of wine -- including the rarest of vintages -- by the glass, peruse (and perhaps buy) original works of art that hang where other theaters slap movie posters, and generally walk around slack-jawed and pinching yourself to remember that you're at the movies.

This fantasia of food, wine, art and cinema is the dream-come-true of Rudyard Coltman, a Portland attorney who has previously operated traditional movie theaters in Burns and Baker City. The 37-year-old Coltman is a film aficionado who speaks with equal zeal and knowledge about the films of Ingmar Bergman and the "Star Wars" saga, and he has long fantasized presenting the finest movies in the finest setting.

"I've grown up with a lifetime of subpar presentations," he explains. "People who appreciate film should be able to see it in the best condition. Most movie complexes have a sterile, uninspiring atmosphere. I knew there could be more."

A nearly $10 million investment

Coltman spent several years determining what it would cost to acquire land and build the theaters and restaurant to his exacting specifications. He selected Vancouver because it was underserved in both high-end dining and access to specialty films. And he demanded that his architects and equipment vendors go beyond the norm to create ideal viewing spaces.

Even though movie attendance nationwide is declining, Coltman poured nearly $10 million into the project because he sensed he could lure audiences that had given up on going to the theater.

"So many people have stopped coming to the movies, partly because the experience has become more unpleasant," he says. "We want those people to come back to the movies."

Cinetopia is a heck of a lure. The complex consists of eight auditoriums -- one of just under 300 seats, four others closer to 100 in capacity, and three "Living Room Theaters" that hold about 65 viewers each. All of them sport oversized, fully reclining leather chairs. The rise from one level to another is higher than in other multiplexes. The space between rows -- the distance that the guy behind you needs to reach to kick your seat -- is much greater, enhancing your sense of physical isolation and connection to the screen.

Only one auditorium sports a high-definition projector, but all of Cinetopia's theaters have pricey Klipsch sound systems, and the one in the big theater is, according to the company's Web site, the most sophisticated theatrical sound system on sale anywhere. In all theaters, little touches contribute to the experience: exit signs are unobtrusively placed beyond the line of sight, and the walls are doubly thick to prevent people watching the hushed "March of the Penguins" from overhearing the climactic battle of "Star Wars" just next door.

It's all swell, but the Living Rooms truly dazzle. Coltman could have stuck twice as many seats in these theaters, but he has instead spread the cozy chairs and ottomans around in such a way that you feel as if you and your companions are watching the film from a private skybox like those at the Rose Garden.

The Living Rooms aren't meant for kids: after 4 p.m., admission is restricted to those 21 and older, and tickets cost $10 during the day and $13.50 in the evening. (Ticket prices in the other theaters are $7 and $9.50.) But for the quality of presentation you get -- and, more importantly, for what you don't get (blotchy images, scratchy sound, noise, kids. . . .) -- it's a fair price.

Coltman is determined to find films that are worthy of the display cases he's created: As of press time, Cinetopia is showing a number of the best small films in release (including "Hustle and Flow," "March of the Penguins," and "Howl's Moving Castle"), plus "Star Wars" to show off the high-definition technology and advanced sound system. He makes clear that "we don't want to be pigeonholed as an art house," and he's willing to stand up to the region's movie powerhouse, Regal Cinemas of Knoxville, Tenn., to get prints of the best films, no matter how big or small they may be.

More than a movie

Equally important to the film experience at Cinetopia is the food. At the concession stand, along with the expected Goobers and Red Vines, Cinetopia offers gourmet pizzas made in-house, popcorn with homemade flavored butters (garlic, almond, four-cheese), and a rotating selection of hot dishes: lasagna, chili, sweet-and-sour pork and so on. All of this food can be taken into any of the auditoriums on specially designed trays that snap into the cup holders in the oversized arm rests.

In the restaurant, which is as posh and professional as anything in downtown Portland, chef Alan Lake serves a menu of small plates with high quality ingredients and great variety: sashimi, short ribs, a lamb burger, wild mushroom strudel, carpaccio, Dungeness crab, traditional tapas. Again, you can order this food to eat in the theaters, or you can dine indoors -- on an outdoor patio, around a fireplace or in a private room.

If for nothing else, Cinetopia would be worth visiting just for the wines. Coltman has invested in an Italian Enomatic serving system that makes it possible for more than 100 bottles to be opened and remain fresh for up to three months, allowing customers to order in single-ounce increments. Want to try that legendary Opus One, Leonetti or Mondavi Reserve? An ounce may run as much as $16.50, but you can have a taste from that $200 bottle that might otherwise elude you. For less-expensive wines, a full glass can cost as little as $6.

This sounds like a press release, I know: perfect theaters, wonderful food, a dizzying selection of wines, art on the walls. But there is nothing like this anywhere in the Portland area or, as far as I know, the world.

I have been in executive screening rooms on every back lot in Hollywood. I have seen movies at George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch and in the poshest multiplexes in New York, London, Paris, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

And I am here to tell you this: Cinetopia is the most amazing movie theater I have ever seen. Shawn Levy: (503) 221-8332; shawnlevy@news.oregonian.com

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Your Inner European

Your Inner European is Spanish!

Energetic and lively. You bring the party with you!

Who's Your Inner European?

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SongTouch

SongTouch | Christian Music Downloads for Gospel Music and Christian Church Music

[Listening to: God Will Lift Up Your Head - Jars of Clay - Redemption Songs (04:23)]

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I'm ready to be babied now. I feel miserable. My throat is sore and feels like it's closing up, my daughter is giving me a headache by being herself, i'm achy all over, this is not a normal cold .....

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Plane Crash in Venezuela Leaves 160 Dead - Yahoo! News

"MACHIQUES, Venezuela - A chartered jet filled with tourists returning home to the French Caribbean island of Martinique crashed Tuesday in western Venezuela, killing all 160 people on board. The pilot had been attempting an emergency landing after both engines failed, officials said. "

What's with all the plane crashes this week? Are they just getting more coverage, or are we actually having more?

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Aslan rocks!

I can't wait to see the Chronicles of Narnia this winter. It's one of my all-time fave books. I don't generally re-read books, but I have read the Chronicles many many times since I was ... about 6 or 7. That's when my dad introduced them to me. And I have loved C.S. Lewis since, even his adult stuff :)

I really really hope that Walden Media does a good job on this. The BBC has done it before.

More at Narnia.com

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why am i in this biz?

One parent knowingly brought her child sick. I should have followed my policy and sent her home till he was better. My daughter kisses this sick child (infant really), gets sick. Kisses me and her brother, I am now getting quite sick despite lots of Airborne, zinc, Hall's, and anything else I can think of. With all the sneezing, I thought maybe it might be allergies, but now my throat is hurting, my head is stuffy, and I'm getting quite cranky. I HATE HATE HATE being sick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Birthday aftermath

He got me jewelry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OK, so I do love my tech toys and gadgets, and chocolate. Josh got me a chocolate bar and a pretty funny card, not to mention being soliticious and helpful. And Tim got me jewelry!!! The prettiest white gold (I thought it was silver at first, which suits me fine, I like silver) and sapphire set. A ring, a pair of earrings, and a necklace. And they sparkle so prettily. :) I could gush and gush some more, but I think I've gushed enough :) And the most touching card. My DH has a real knack for picking cards that just melt my heart. I'd really show him my gratitude and how appreciative I am, but I am catching whatever the daycare kids and Joy have been passing around, and well, both of us don't need to be sick at the same time.

Time to go to the store, the daycare needs more storage

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Jars on MySpace

Ok, so I really really like Jars of Clay

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horoscope

LEO (Jul 23 - Aug 22): Your brain is not firing at regular speed today and an extra cup of coffee or tea won't necessarily change anything. The astrological culprit is mental Mercury, who is coming to a halt in Leo as he gets ready to move forward again. If you faced increased problems with details and logistical issues over the past weeks, one more day shouldn't send you over the edge. Don't be hard on yourself now. Start pushing forward again tomorrow.
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Someone posted this on my yub tidbit section. It would explain a lot about the last few days. And here I thought I was just getting a head cold.

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Happy Birthday to me!

Yup, another year older, another year closer to 30. It's almost time for me to grow up. Part of me was dreading my birthday ... You know, I'm really getting too old to celebrate any but the milestone ones, but, 29 is a milestone. I remember my grandmother every year saying she was 29 whenever her birthday came around. By the time I was old enough to do double digit addition and subtraction I wondered how that was possible. It took me a little longer to get the joke :) and to realize that all important rule: NEVER ask a woman about her age.

So now, if I choose, I can be 29 forever :) and I can probably pass for it too for a few more years, so long as my kids keep their mouths shut :)

(and why do self-portaits always come out so crappy?)

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wake-up call

i love being awoken to fear and worry. There is a true story circulating about a new form of huffing. Now, my DS is old enough to spend lots of unsupervised play time at his friends' homes. Well, hanging out in the neighborhood and in friends garages .. you know, open view to any passing adult. However, how many adults in this neighborhood would intervene if they saw kids doing something foolish or dangerous? It's not like when I was a kid, or when my parents were kids and someone would tell your parents every little thing you did. Most adults in the neighborhood seem to know my son, though they don't know me, I guess I should get out there more.... But back to fear and worry:

"THIS IS VERY UNSETTLING PLEASE READ--Especially if you have kids or grandkids!

You can also verify the story at
http://www.snopes.com/toxins/dustoff.asp

First I'm going to tell you a little about me and my family. My name is Jeff. I am a Police Officer for a city which is known nationwide for its crime rate. We have a lot of gangs and drugs. At one point we were # 2 in the nation in homicides per capita. I also have a police K-9 named Thor. He was certified in drugs and general duty. He retired at 3 years old because he was shot in the line of duty. He lives with us now and I still train with him because he likes it. I always liked the fact that there was no way to bring drugs into my house. Thor wouldn't allow it. He would tell on you. The reason I say this is so you understand that I know about drugs. I have taught in schools about drugs. My wife asks all our kids at least once a week if they used any drugs. Makes them promise they wont.

I like building computers occasionally and started building a new one in February 2005. I also was working on some of my older computers. They were full of dust so on one of my trips to the computer store I bought a 3 pack of DUST OFF. Dust Off is a can of compressed air to blow dust off a computer. A few weeks later when I went to use them they were all used. I talked to my kids and my 2 sons both said they had used them on their computer and messing around with them. I yelled at them for wasting the 10 dollars I paid for them. On February 28 I went back to the computer store. They didn't have the 3 pack which I had bought on sale so I bought a single jumbo can of Dust Off. I went home and set it down beside my computer.

On March 1st I left for work at 10 PM. At 11 PM my wife went down and kissed Kyle goodnight. At 530 am the next morning Kathy went downstairs to wake Kyle up for school, before she left for work. He was sitting up in bed with his legs crossed and his head leaning over. She called to him a few times to get up. He didn't move. He would sometimes tease her like this and pretend he fell back asleep. He was never easy to get up. She went in and shook his arm. He fell over. He was pale white and had the straw from the Dust Off can coming out of his mouth. He had the new can of Dust Off in his hands. Kyle was dead.

I am a police officer and I had never heard of this. My wife is a nurse and she had never heard of this. We later found out from the coroner, after the autopsy, that only the propellant from the can of Dust off was in his system. No other drugs. Kyle had died between midnight and 1 Am.

I found out that using Dust Off is being done mostly by kids ages 9 through 15. They even have a name for it. It's called dusting. A take off from the Dust Off name. It gives them a slight high for about 10 seconds. It makes them dizzy. A boy who lives down the street from us showed Kyle how to do this about a month before. Kyle showed his best friend. Told him it was cool and it couldn't hurt you. Its just compressed air. It cant hurt you. His best friend said no.

Kyle's death

Kyle was wrong. It's not just compressed air. It also contains a propellant. I think its R2. Its a refrigerant like what is used in your refrigerator. It is a heavy gas. Heavier than air. When you inhale it, it fills your lungs and keeps the good air, with oxygen, out. That's why you feel dizzy, buzzed. It decreases the oxygen to your brain, to your heart. Kyle was right. It cant hurt you. IT KILLS YOU. The horrible part about this is there is no warning. There is no level that kills you. It's not cumulative or an overdose; it can just go randomly, terribly wrong. Roll the dice and if your number comes up you die. ITS NOT AN OVERDOSE. Its Russian roulette. You don't die later. Or not feel good and say I've had too much. You usually die as your breathing it in. If not you die within 2 seconds of finishing "the hit." That's why the straw was still in Kyle's mouth when he died. Why his eye's were still open.

The experts want to call this huffing. The kids don't believe its huffing. As adults we tend to lump many things together. But it doesn't fit here. And that's why its more accepted. There is no chemical reaction. no strong odor. It doesn't follow the huffing signals. Kyle complained a few days before he died of his tongue hurting. It probably did. The propellant causes frostbite. If I had only known.

Its easy to say hay, its my life and I'll do what I want. But it isn't. Others are always effected. This has forever changed our family's life. I have a hole in my heart and soul that can never be fixed. The pain is so immense I cant describe it. There's nowhere to run from it. I cry all the time and I don't ever cry. I do what I'm supposed to do but I don't really care. My kids are messed up. One wont talk about it. The other will only sleep in our room at night. And my wife, I cant even describe how bad she is taking this. I thought we were safe because of Thor. I thought we were safe because we knew about drugs and talked to our kids about them.

After Kyle died another story came out. A Probation Officer went to the school system next to ours to speak with a student. While there he found a student using Dust Off in the bathroom. This student told him about another student who also had some in his locker. This is a rather affluent school system. They will tell you they don't have a drug problem there. They don't even have a dare or plus program there. So rather than tell everyone about this "new" way of getting high they found, they hid it. The probation officer told the media after Kyle's death and they, the school, then admitted to it. I know that if they would have told the media and I had heard, it wouldn't have been in my house.

We need to get this out of our homes and school computer labs.

Using Dust Off isn't new and some "professionals" do know about. It just isn't talked about much, except by the kids. They know about it.

April 2nd was 1 month since Kyle died. April 5th would have been his 15th birthday. And every weekday I catch myself sitting on the living room couch at 2:30 in the afternoon and waiting to see him get off the bus. I know Kyle is in heaven but I cant help but wonder If I died and went to Hell.

This Officer is asking for everyone who receives this email to forward it to everyone in their address book, even Law Enforcement Officers.

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Harry Potter's World of Magic Theme Park School Houses

an excerpt from a site that also has a Sorting Hat. This explains the philosphy....
The Philosophy of Four
The historical significance of the number four
. One School = Four Houses. But why only four? There is one house for each of the founders of Hogwarts, but there is more to it than that.
Four has long been considered an auspicious and magical number signifying stability, harmony, and balance.
A year has four seasons. A square has four sides and four right angles. A measure in common time has four beats. A deck of cards has four suits.
Four has been used in philosophy and religion for centuries. Ancient Greek philosophers and medieval alchemists adopted Empedocles' four elements: fire, water, earth, and air. Native Americans oriented themselves according to the four directions: north, south, east, and west.

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I'm a Hufflepuff!

I think I might try this one again or use the sorting hat site my cousin gave me.

Hufflepuff! The Sorting Hat has spoken! You've got 68 House Points!

Head of House: Professor Sprout House Colors: Yellow and Black House Animal: The Badger Hufflepuff chose the students everyone else didnt want. Or those who didn't fit too easily into any category. Those who were cunning, but not ambitious. Those who were hardworking, though perhaps not TOO brave. Good people none the less. You are most likely the friend everyone would like to have, loyal, trustworthy, hardworking. Love sports too! You are cool in my book. The majority of people will wind up right here with you, so chances are, you will make some great friends! Some students of Hufflepuff include... Susan Bones, Justin Flinch-Fletchley, and Cedric Diggory.

My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 53% on House Points

Link: The Hogwarts Sorting Hat Test written by Demeratus on OkCupid Free Online Dating

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Missionary (I think this one is wrong about me)

You scored 11% kinky and 88% passionate!

Awww, when is the wedding date? You are Missionary. This is the original and most romantic position because you can gaze into your lover's eyes. You are passionate and prefer making love rather than banging. Unlike your opposite Doggie Style you want to stare at your lover while saying "You like that?" My test tracked 2 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 3% on kinky. You scored higher than 89% on passionate
Link: The what sex position are you Test written by Niki4unu on Ok Cupid

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Hot Tamale

You have an intellectual sexiness factor of 74!

You're hot! You've read a lot. You've done a lot, and there's a lot you'd like to try in the future. You've got a sharp, sexy mind, and few inhibitions to restrain you from exploring all the pleasure you can get. You have few hang-ups, and there's not much you don't know about sex. You're open-minded and able to enjoy things that would make a lesser person squeamish. You're an exceptional treat as a lover, appreciated greatly by those who know the differnce. You were probably bored with a few of the people you've been with in your past, feeling like you had to drag them along with you in the sexual adventures you want to have, and probably dumping them for the same reason. It takes a lot to stimulate you; you realize it's not just about bumping uglies. In the end there's gotta be a lot more to it. Still, there is always room for improvement. Before you can graduate into a true sexual genius, there are a few things you've got to learn, to explore, to think through, talk through, and fuck through. A good place to start is in taking a look at the few things you're still a little hesitant to try. Break down you're last few barriers and discover the outer sexual frontiers, and you'll become a master.
My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 57% on sexiness
Link: The Intellectual Sexiness Test written by dr_eros on OkCupid Free Online Dating

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Zathura - Adventure is waiting

Just saw the preview on the Hitch DVD. I love Jumanji (Chris Van Allsburg is a pretty cool artist and writer), so I think I will like this one too.

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Wild and Crazy Day

It's been one of those days, and it's not even done yet! I feel exhausted! Though that could have something to do with getting up at 6:30. For some reason I thought my early girls were going to be here, well, early. Their parents work schedules keep changing, and though they try to keep me up-to-date, I've gotten a little confused. At least both babies are asleep at the same time. That *rarely* happens.

I can't wait till everyone goes home. TGIF!!!! Unfortunately, all but one parent has to work late tonight *sigh*

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