Pop Tug

An undead warrior, resplendent in his full Cata, reined his horse in beside a mailbox. He withdrew a dozen stacks of 100g, and a couple of others for 350g. His arm grew weary as he withdrew dozens of smaller piles. He entered the queue for a battleground, and then set out on his flying mount,…

County funds are running out for beach restoration projects along Florida’s Treasure Coast according to Sebastian River News. FEMA money is not in the consideration of rebuilding the coastline due to tight federal funds and emergency qualifications. Ostentatious five million dollar homes are under construction despite the drastic erosion a mere hundred yards from the…

It used to be that teams would sit rookie QB’s in their first year to learn behind a veteran. But now as we’ve seen with Robert Griffin III, rookie QB’s are being named the starter virtually right after they are drafted. Last season Cam Newton and Andy Dalton both had outstanding rookie seasons. But as…

Meet Tyra Banks, supermodel, actress, author, talk show host and app developer. App developer? Yes, capitalizing on the term “smize,” which she coined on “America’s Next Top Model”, Banks has released an exciting new app and I was able to get a demonstration and talk to Tyra herself via Skype about the launch of Smize…

Do you have some time to spare this summer? If so, a great thing to do in your free time that is both fun and educational is to take any one of the available online education courses. There are thousands of courses available in all sorts of subjects – from health, to e-commerce, to business….

Medical negligence happens every day. If you are like me, you feel that (for the most part) doctors are honest people, and generally try to help out as much as they can. (There are a few bad apples can definitely spoil the bunch.) Well, what would you do if medical malpractice or negligence happened to…

If I were to ever borrow money from a bank under one of the SBA programs (which, by the way, is unlikely after all the carnage I’ve seen), I would never borrow from a community bank or a credit union. In many cases, obtaining a loan through your local community bank or credit union may…

You might have never heard of Sandy Pyonin, but you definitely have heard of the players he has coached. If you are a fan of the NBA or college basketball; names like Kyrie Irving, Randy Foye, and Al Harrington are ones you know. Sandy has coached over 30 players that have played or who are…

The male child is ejected from the bliss of the womb. Lights, noise, nurses, doctors, and parents immediately set upon him. Fingers and appliances are put down his throat, he is held upside down and assaulted. Shortly thereafter a portion of his penis is cut off in accordance to a century old barbaric custom. From…

Heading into the 2012 college football season, Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas has plenty of questions to answer. Still, if he can play well and continue to hone his skills, the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft could definitely be within reach. Here’s a look at what makes him such a promising young talent….

Diners in Fort Lauderdale are in for a surprise treat if they have not ventured to Isabella’s, tucked away in a little parking lot on Federal Highway just after the 17th street causeway. With fresh seafood, unbeatable pizzas and home-spun Italian favorites, Isabella’s is a must-top for tourists and Floridians alike. At Isabella’s, the first…

Recently a few of the ladies from the natural hair group I belong to started joking about things we do and say now that we have gone au naturale with our hair. One of the things I kept noticing were references to grocery shopping. For us, grocery shopping is not always for food to nourish…

Is there anything better than Thanksgiving Day? Family, food and football. It doesn’t get much better than that. In Minnesota the turkey day talk will certainly hover around the Vikings. Will they make the playoffs? What do you think of Christian Ponder? What did you think of that John Carlson signing? While many of us…

America has a long and extensive maritime tradition. From the Atlantic to the Great Lakes to the Pacific, ships and boats have played a vital role in the making of the United States, with all manner of vessels traversing our waterways. In many respects, American history is inextricably bound to the sea. This seafaring history…

When you’re not playing video games, you can supplement your fandom with magazines, video game TV shows or browse dozens of video game based Tumblr blogs online. Instead of browsing through dead blogs or blogs that just stole URLs, check out the following five blogs that capture the best of video games through humor, images…

Life is a Position, Long or Short, Covered or Naked, Swing or whatever it may be. Nonetheless, your plate of reference, a pivotal anchor, your compass. Free your life from this entanglement, live it without the heavy weight of perceived truth. Live it with an open question, a mind unsettled, un-colonized, and unpredictable. Live it…

Consumer watchdogs and financial counselors have told us for years that we need to take out a loan to acquire and improve a credit rating. In 2012, however, more and more companies are reporting to consumer credit bureaus to give customers extra “motivation” to pay their bills on time. While new sources of credit history…

When you think of most NFL stars, you think of big name colleges. However, some of the league’s best players never got a chance at that early stardom. In this post, I discuss who I think are the best players in the AFC who did not graduate from BCS Championship winning teams. These players did…

As summer shifts to fall, Saturdays become college football days. Nothing says college football like the larger-than-life personas that patrol the sidelines on those Saturdays. While the coaches, players, bands, cheerleaders, and occasional celebrities are great, that’s not what I am referring to. Rather, I am talking about mascots. Some are alive, some are cartoonish,…

The Criterion Collection is not just a collection of the most critically acclaimed movies ever made. Criterion also prides itself on uncovering cult classics, movies that brought something new to cinema and proved to be groundbreaking or curious for their time. These include some very interesting and fun monster movies, which eclipse the stigma normally…

Rating: RLength: 95 minutesRelease Date: September 7, 2012Directed by: Todd LouisoGenre: Comedy/Drama/Romance Stars: 2 out of 5 “Hello I Must Be Going” is an R-rated film starring Melanie Lynskey, Christopher Abbott, and Blyth Danner. The independent film was written by Sarah Koskoff, who has also acted in TV series such as “Malcolm & Eddie” and…

Film Education… At A Price When I first started blogging many, many moons ago, I had one goal in mind: I wanted to share the information I learned during my inaugural filmmaking journey because my predecessors weren’t willing to share. I wasn’t trying to create a movement, I didn’t intend for people to feel like…

Gay rights have become the subject of intense debate this year. North Carolina recently passed a law banning gay marriage, and it is now one of a whopping 29 states to have such a restriction. Personally, I am disgusted. I want to take this time to combat a few of the main reasons that “validate”…

August is National Golf Month. And you know what that means, right? Forgetting all about the horrific heat that comes during the Dog Days of summer and sitting in front of the widescreen to enjoy golf movies. Second hand golf is almost better than trodding across the links when the temperature outside you is actually…

Losing a cat or any other pet is a very difficult for all concerned. Pets are family members, and they are dearly loved and mourned when lost. When a cat is truly lost, it can be devastating, especially to children. Not knowing what happened creates more anguish than ever. Not knowing for certain what happened…

Brenda Mae Tarpley was born in Atlanta, Georgia on December 11, 1944. Coming from a poor family, Brenda and her two siblings moved with their parents a lot, between Atlanta and Augusta, looking for work. A musical prodigy, Brenda began singing professionally at the age of six after winning a local singing contest. The first…

Dog walking can be fun and exhilarating. But it can also be a lot of hard work if you are hired to care for a particularly aggressive or anti-social dog. How can you remain positive as a dog walker? Maintain a Positive View of Dogs in Your Care No one is cheerful all the time….

Recently, scientists and engineers have turned back to nature for inspiration and help in solving some of science’s, the military’s, and the public’s problems; this method, called biomimicry, has been quite successful thus far. In the question of creating light-weight body armor that successfully protects soldiers and officers of the law from ballistics and shrapnel,…

Working as a paralegal in a law office was an interesting experience. It was challenging, fascinating work with a wide variety of people coming in and out of my life on a daily basis. I worked in a single attorney practice. The practice was not limited to one part of the law. We handled all…

The Seattle Mariners won 75 games in 2012 with one of the weakest offenses in the major leagues. With the offseason acquisitions of Michael Morse, Kendrys Morales and Raul Ibanez, this writer believes the 2013 Mariners have the power necessary to win 90 and contend for their first playoff appearance since 2001. Writing for The…

After playing some videos on the Internet one day, I was surprised to hear audio ads coming from my speakers. I closed a few Firefox tabs, but the audio wouldn’t quit. Eventually, I closed Firefox entirely and the audio stopped, but as soon as I restarted the program, it started again. If your browser keeps…

The day I graduated with a B.A., I said to myself, “that’s it…no more school for me.” I convinced myself that I was done with school; that I didn’t need to further my education…I had a degree, I was set. Well, after a few years of working jobs that had nothing to do with my…

My family has a pretty strong grasp on its genealogy. There is a fair amount of documentation, and many of us are rather proud to trace the bloodline back to Mary Queen of Scots and on from there. Even in the most well documented family tree there’s bound to be a little confusion, particularly where…

Jet Li is one of the most famous action stars in the world. While he is a martial artist, he’s still recognized as one of the best action stars in all those movies with kick butt characters. Li’s latest film to hit U.S. theaters is “The Sorcerer and the White Snake.” The U.S. has plenty…

This article is dedicated to my friend Shara, who is facing two years of treatment for lymphoma. She is eleven years old. Cancer is especially heartbreaking when it happens to a child. Only about 14 of 100,000 children are diagnosed with cancer, but if it happens to a child you know, that’s one too many….

COMMENTARY | “Back to basics” has been a catch phrase for many industries, organizations, and individuals in the over-processed, ultra-digitized, fast-paced, 4G world we inhabit. Alicia Silverstone has taken the concept of back-to-basics one step further — and it’s a pretty big and unhygienic one. The author of the best-selling book “The Kind Diet,” Silverstone…

Begging dog training is something that could make a lot of households less chaotic – at least at dinner time. One of the most troublesome aspects of owning a dog and for visitors of people who have dogs as pets is the aspect of dogs being under toe when people are eating. It is possible…

Knowing your husband is cheating on you is simple. First of all, your instinct tells you. If you have a feeling in the pit of your stomach that something isn’t right, it probably isn’t. Go with it. You won’t need to smell his underwear or check his pockets. There are other ways. Here are some…

Browsing through recipes on my favorite healthy food website I noticed more than half of them called for what I thought was just another health food trend: Greek yogurt. In every health magazine, website and TV show everyone is raging about Greek yogurt. So what is this Greek yogurt hype about? Is it really worth…

Eating cheap isn’t a problem when you’re residing in the United States. Meals that cost no more than three dollars at a time can leave your stomach full and your heart satisfied. But all that taste and mouthwatering goodness is just a ticket for a trip to the inevitable fat land. Menu items that you…

1948 Due to its international status as aggressors of World War II, Germany and Japan were excluded from the London Olympic Games. 1956 International boycotts in the Melbourne Summer Olympics.While Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon withdrew to protest the Israeli-led invasion of the Suez Canal, three European nations —Holland, Liechtenstein, Spain,and Switzerland— also boycotted the Games…

Kids are no different than adults: they can’t pass a mirror without checking themselves out. For that reason – and because I love making gifts for kids — when the opportunity arises, I design and craft mirrors to match a child’s room decor, hobby or interest. The project never costs more than $5 to complete…

I love computers. When the technological revolution started I jumped in with both feet. I’d rather have a new computer than new clothes. I prefer an engagement computer to a ring. But just because I have more computers than is probably healthy for one person, doesn’t mean I’m willing to overspend on them. After all,…

COMMENTARY | Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney saw his numbers tank when a secret video was made about his comments that he doesn’t care about 47 percent of all Americans. Since then, he and President Obama have repeatedly insisted that they care about 100 percent of all Americans. But talk is cheap. In reality, both…

The equation of the “rule of law” must be equal to “justice”. Justice, on the other hand, is a two-pronged rule of law: one that has been served but least likely expected, and the other one was that has been served as what has been expected. In the case of the Chief Justice (CJ) impeachment,…

Today’s economy is sluggish, to say the least. To quote Vice President Biden, the so-called middle class has been “buried over the past four years” in debt and decreased income. Jobless rates remain stubbornly high. And yet… There are those whose dream is to retire entirely from the work force: no more commuting, no more…

Amid all the negative headlines surrounding Black Fridays kick off to the Holiday season we were wondering if Santa really does have a naughty and nice list, is the nice list shrinking. The most prevalent headlines on Black Friday would seem to indicate that is just what is happening. “Man punched in face pulls gun…

I had a huge case of the jitters prior the game between the Chicago Bears and the Houston Texans at Solder Field on November 11. As good as the Bears are record wise, the last time they faced a quality team was back in Week 2, when they fell to the Green Bay Packers 23-10….

As a recent college graduate who has spent the past eight years weight-lifting on a consistent basis, I’m here to share my successes and failures to help prevent you from making many of the same mistakes I did. Many of the articles online today have been written by professional bodybuilders and are not tailored to…

So you’ve seen the ads and thought how nice it would be to get free merchandise and paid to shop. It sounds great, something for nothing. As the old saying goes nothing is for free. Mystery shopping is work. Below are few things to keep in mind if you’re considering becoming a mystery shopper. First,…

After emptying the Warsaw Ghetto, the Nazis had offered the warmth of the then vacant apartments there to the Romany — the “Gypsy” people — for the winter. Those who accepted their seemingly generous offer over the Romany’s usual winter quarters of the wilds of the forests were never heard from again — gone on…

Brugmansia, commonly called angel’s trumpet, is a beautiful flowering plant that stole my heart many years ago. At one time, I had 12 varieties in 4 species in my yard. Some of them died over the years from various causes, but I still have three: B. versicolor “Charles Grimaldi,” a natural versicolor hybrid “Ecuador Pink”…

Note: This is my first venture into the science fiction genre. I wrote this based on a contest prompt asking us to write a story based on artwork. The artwork showed a planet with a red river, a huge moon, and a bunch of structures that looked akin to a space station, with satellite dishes…

Long, long ago, in the ancient lands of Egypt, it is said that dragons ruled this world. The dragons were a peaceful group of creatures. They could fly, they were very nice, and they could speak as well. One day while wandering the desert, a young dragon, Beaucefilous, found an egg. It looked just like…

This year is the centennial Cherry Blossom Festival and Parade in the nation’s capital, and peak blooms are expected early, just in time for the festival to start. Although the festivities nominally kick off Tuesday, the opening ceremony on March 25 comes two days after peak bloom – the time when 70 percent of the…

Reading the Bible can open our eyes to many wise things and it can also teach us that it takes wisdom to know good judgment, to learn, and to obtain knowledge to live by the laws of the land. Proverbs 30 & 31 (Verses 25 through 31) – In the Holy Bible, King James Version,…

This is the recorded history of God’s descendants. From the Old Testament to the birth of Jesus Christ, names are made not only for remembrance but stays as proofs for our God’s existence. Considering the steps of history in our life, we do admit that we fail to remember names of persons that passed our…

When I was a boy I was told that anybody could become President; I’m beginning to believe it. Clarence Darrow[i] And last but not least is Obama, aka Barry Soetoro, a Kenyan born, Illinois Democrat who by far is the worst president in the history of the United States of America. I say Kenyan born…

I’m a girly girl who loves playing piano, haute couture, reading William Faulkner and drinking fine wine. I was about as far from being a gamer as a girl could be. And then I met World of Warcraft. I loathed video games with everything that I had in me. Every guy I’d ever been with…

Intestinal gas is a natural part of a dog’s digestive system, and when it comes to passing that natural gas, dogs don’t try to hold it nor hide it. Owners of small dogs may find the occasional gassy emissions relatively insignificant, but owners of large breed dogs find the gas odors very significant and would…

Vertical dance fitness is all about the pole. In order to be able to perform the moves and get a good workout, it is essential to have a firm, confident grip. One of the most common problems facing both beginning and advanced dancers is a slippery pole. Uncontrolled slipping is frustrating and can be dangerous….

Good gyms can be hard to find. It can be complicated to find a facility that is large, clean, well-run, and with good hours. And what if you have kids? Many gyms don’t have childcare facilities. Last year, when my then-fiance relocated to my hometown of Midland, Texas to live with me, I quit my…

I was getting ready to start a couple of audiobooks that were time consumers (any audiobook over 10 hours falls under that label for me). Not only were they long but they were both going to be espionage/government cover-up type stories and those require a huge commitment, especially since I was going to start them…

The word ‘moral’ and ‘morale’ mean different things but actually come from the same root. They come from the Latin word ‘moralis’, which refers to ‘good character’ or ‘good behavior’. The French soldiers of the 1500’s were required to show these qualities in public, and the word ‘morale’ emerged; and then its meaning evolved so…

Some kids just seem to take forever to finish their dinner. They may simply be slow eaters, or they may not like what you served. In some cases, a child may sit at a dinner table for an hour or longer if not encouraged to eat or permitted to leave the table before he or…

I had undergone several rounds of auditions and callbacks. I knew in my heart that I had the role. Not only would this role make my resume look fantastic, but it would be a much-needed boost to my bank account. With confidence ushering me forward, my agent called and said that the director wanted to…

The First-Person Shooter genre tends to take itself too seriously. Games like Call of Duty, Battlefield, Halo, and Crysis all have a realistic or serious tone to them. It gets exhausting. People want innovation within the FPS genre but I think part of that is diversifying the genre through simple additions like humor. A game…

It’s easier to get regular exercise when you choose an activity that is more like fun, and less like work. If you’re struggling to find a fitness activity you enjoy, or you don’t like exercising in general, explore these options to make exercising an event you’ll look forward to:1. Set Goals Whether your fitness goal…

Developing leadership and professional skills at all levels of a company ensures that as senior executives and other workers retire, less experienced managers and employees are ready to take over for them. Using free resources, such as the MindTools website, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology OpenCourseWare website or the Small Business Administration Training Network, a…

When you have oily or combination/oily skin, liquid foundations sound like a no-no. However, there are some looks that can be achieved with liquid foundation that cannot be achieved with using powder foundation. Thankfully, there are liquid foundations that are safe to use even if you have oily skin.The 5 Best Liquid Foundations for Oily…

Children learn by example, so we are teaching them every day. Have you ever found yourself acting like one of your parents? If so, it is probably a learned behavior. There are two trains of thought when it comes to teaching children; they are “monkey see, monkey do” and “do as I say, not as…

In the United States, Adolphe Adam is probably best known as the composer of “O Holy Night.” As Wikipedia informs us, the original lyrics of this Christmas carol were written in French by a man named Placide Cappeau. The English lyrics generally heard in the United States were written by John Sullivan Dwight. My interest…

The auditorium was filled with anticipated audiences waiting for the next star to blossom from the competition. It was overwhelmed with excitement and screeching from rabid fans supporting their idol. I felt no pressure, partly because I knew I had no one in the audience to back me up, and the second reason was because…

As you wake up this morning, you take a look around, and decide it is time your home to have a makeover. Here are some useful tips to make sure your room makeover doesn’t only achieve the best results, but also the best bang for your buck. 1. Preparation can be time consuming, but…. Ok,…

Showcasing the emotions and true motivating factors that inspire soldiers to make the difficult choices needed in order to survive the challenging demands of their jobs is rarely included in military films. But in the new thriller ‘Allegiance,’ which marks the feature film writing and directorial debut of Michael Connors, an American veteran, bravely focused…

Daniel Craig appears for the third time as James Bond in “Skyfall,” which is currently in theaters. The most ferociously debated topic involving the franchise will always be which of these men best filed the role of the world’s most famous spy. Below is the definitive answer, until someone else writes a better one. 6….

Each day during the BB&T Atlanta Open and at various other times throughout the Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series, I’ll be featuring a tennis player competing in the series talking about the gadgets and technology they own and travel the world with. In the world of technology, users who rely on technology for everything they…

Nowadays, it seems that many people are looking for more to life than the proverbial nine to five grind. These people are fed up with materialism, government control, lack of good options and the toxic stress levels created by life in the ‘civilized’ world. As the world faces a looming financial crisis as seen recently…

COMMENTARY | Josh Carrier swore to uphold the law, but instead broke it in the most horrific way. Carrier was a police officer in the city of Colorado Springs until he was charged with molesting 22 school-age boys. This is not the way an officer is supposed to uphold the law. Carrier has been put…

Picnic Point Park ranks as my favorite Puget Sound beach. It’s not the most scenic. The horizon from the beach is flat without a picturesque Olympic mountain backdrop. But if you are looking for a shot of tranquility and a big dose of nature, Picnic Point is the spot. Picnic Point – the Basics Located…

Birthdays are big deals to women, even if they seem not to be interested in birthdays. Many women get a raw deal out of life and a birthday celebration becomes one of a very few things they can rely on to occur. Some women are not into birthday parties but are still heavily into birthday…

My earliest World Series memory was 1980, watching Tug McGraw pitch the winning out against the Kansas City Royals as the Philadelphia Phillies won their very first World Championship. There was incredible intensity and excitement as this was the first championship for the Phillies, in their almost-100 year history at that point. A lot of…

Parents, don’t get too involved in your kids’ play-time activities. It’s good for them to play independently. It helps them learn. You might be tempted to rush in or join them in their fun. That’s OK, if you ask first. In all my years as a parent and grand-parent, I always did. That way my…

Dietary fiber is an important part of a healthy diet at any age, and it can be especially beneficial for your baby as you add solid foods to her diet. Not only do many vegetables just so happen to have fiber, but their varied textures and tastes will keep your baby interested in these healthy…

Nothing since 9/11 has affected so many Americans with so much grief and heartache. The horrific mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut reaches most of us — Democrats and Republicans — deep down and on a personal level; we can only imagine what the families of the victims are going through. Our hearts go out to…

Planning a trip to Camden County, Georgia, this summer? If so, you may want to check out my picks for the best five campgrounds in the area. Here they are: 1. Cumberland Island National Seashore The Cumberland Island National Seashore is a superlative place to camp while you are in Camden County, Georgia. There is…

The steroid scandals that have marred the reputation of professional sports in the United States are not in short supply. Every season it seems a new scandal dominates the sports news. Major League baseball has been hit especially hard by these scandals, with numerous reputable players taking part. Even those not particularly fond of baseball…

Turtle harvesting is a booming business in the United States. A recent story in the Mobile Press Register revealed how large scale commercial harvesting may pose a risk to the turtle populations in this country. Turtle harvesting is largely unregulated and difficult to monitor. But the turtles may not be the only thing at risk….

Hole In Two At 5-5, 145 pounds, Gene Sarazen was the smallest of golf’s eminent champions. But he was solidly built and possessed a competitive heart. During his illustrious career, Sarazen accomplished golf’s rare career grand slam by winning the U.S. Open in 1922 at age 20, capturing the PGA the same year, going on…

Morgan McMichaels starred on season 2 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Though Morgan didn’t win, she gained fans all around the world. Morgan McMichaels has a very compassionate side. With the same fierceness she shows as an entertainer, Morgan looks out for those in need. This interview includes questions sent in from Morgan’s fans or “Morgasms”…