How to accomplish a Natsu Maki aka Summer Roll @ sushivids.com

The natsu maki aka the summer roll is refreshing for the sushi enthusiast. It also can be for the sushi beginner to transition into raw sushi. On the inside you have cucumber, avocado and crabstick, essentially a California roll. On top is salmon half seared and half raw. Topped with lemon juice and kewpie mayo. MMmm. Tasty. Eating this roll reminds me of a nice summer day.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8IrRbI69xw&hl=en

How Skateboarding Has Grown in Popularity

Over the past fifty to sixty years, there hasn't been a sporting or cultural revolution that's had the impact or success that skateboarding has had. From modest beginnings in California as an alternative to surfing to a counterculture all onto itself to a mainstream activity, skateboarding has exploded unlike anything before or since its inception. And when you actually take a moment to sit and think about it, the massive popularity that skateboards enjoy - and will continue to enjoy - really isn't that surprising at all.

For all the skill, balance and physical dexterity that's required to reach the level of skateboarding that professionals such as Tony Hawk enjoy, skateboarding as a recreation or as a hobby isn't that expensive or challenging to take up. All you really need is to purchase a skateboard, which, in terms of cost, is relatively inexpensive when held up against other activities. Additionally, you'll also need to purchase helmet and elbow pads. But, besides that, there really isn't anything else that's required to initially try skateboarding. Just a hearty attitude, patience and a willingness to get back up after you fall over and over again.

And while many people won't look at skateboarding in this way, riding on a skateboard is, in fact, a great way to get exercise and to stay in shape. That's because of all the balancing and shifting of body weight and position that's required to safely and properly operate and get around on a skateboard. While at first, you may not see the physical and health benefits of riding a skateboard, over a prolonged period of time as your boarding skills improve and grow, you'll quickly be able to see just how balanced and coordinated you and your body have actually become.

A great way to stand out and declare your independence, skateboarding - and skateboarders for that matter, seem to enjoy a carefree lifestyle. Being on a skateboard gives you access to locations and areas throughout any urban landscape which would otherwise be unreachable with other methods of transportation. And, if you practice and hone your skills to reach the highest levels of control and confidence, then you simply won't believe the places you'll go or the tricks that you can perform while riding on your skateboard.

Sushi! (Part One)

Maki is certainly the most familiar/user-friendly shape that sushi comes in. Herein you will learn to make California Rolls and Inside-out Spicy Tempeh Rolls. ^_^ Watch Part Two: www.youtube.com Music: "tadayou_kounenki" by higashi-tonden-street FACTORY www.jamendo.com Visit: www.tofuguru.net



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a638gM-8ywA&hl=en

President Signs New Housing Act to Help 400,000 Homeowners

The president has just signed the Federal Housing and recovery Act of 2008. Legislation that will overhaul the Depression-era FHA and provide mortgage relief for 400,000 homeowners struggling with foreclosure woes.

This bill is also designed to quiet the jitters on Wall Street by offering some financial relief and additional accountability for the troubled, government-sponsored mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

While the bill started with a battle between the White House and the Democrats in Congress, bi-partisan support eventually led the President to withdraw his veto threat. Below are some highlights of this far reaching legislation.

Homeowner Relief Measures (Hope for Homeowners Act of 2008)

The law creates a new program to back FHA-Insured mortgages for debt-laden homeowners. Up to $300 billion will be available through the voluntary program operated by a board consisting of the HUD and treasury secretaries, and a chairman of the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. (FDIC)

In exchange for new mortgages, homeowners will share future appreciation with the FHA. Borrowers must also meet a payment burden test to determine if they can afford a new mortgage.

Banks must agree to relinquish their claims for a payment equal to 85% of the current value of the home.

The homeowner relief program begins Oct. 1st 2008 and ends on Sept. 30th 2011.

New regulator for FHA

The law creates a new, independent regulator called the Federal Housing Finance Agency to govern GSE's (government sponsored enterprises). It will oversee Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks.

The Treasury Department has been granted temporary authority to purchase debt and equity of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac through 2009 to provide financial stability for the mortgage giants.

Modernization of FHA

The law increases the FHA loan limit to 115% of area median home price with a cap at $625,000.

Down payments of 3.5% will be required for any FHA loan

Seller assisted down payment programs (such as Nehemiah) will end October 1st

The FHA mortgage insurance premium will increase to 3%.

The FHA's program for reverse mortgages is expanded with higher mortgage limits.

Tax Credits

Provides new first-time home buyer tax credit which is equivalent to an interest free loan of 10% of the purchase price of the home (up to $7500) to be repaid over the course of 15 years. It will be available through July 2009 for taxpayers who meet adjusted gross income levels.

Rules relating to the Low Income Housing Tax Credit will be simplified and states will see increased housing tax credit in 2008 and 2009 depending upon the size of the state.

Allows a new standard deduction for homeowners who do not itemize on their tax returns.

Other Provisions

The bill lengthens the time a lender must wait before starting foreclosure after a sooldier returns from service (from 3 to 9 months) and also provides returning soldiers with one year of relief from increases in mortgage interest rates.

Enhances mortgage disclosures requirements to require lenders to inform borrowers of the maximum monthly payments possible under their loans.

Provides additional funding for housing counseling and legal services to distressed borrowers.

44 billion will be provided for emergency Community Development Block Grant money to purchase and clean up abandon homes in areas blighted by foreclosures.

Source http://www.banking.senate.gov/public

Fire Prevention at Home

Annually, there are hundreds of fire-related deaths throughout the nation. A big percentage of those that die in home fires are children, with the highest concentration of these tragic events occurring during the home heating months. One of the most distressing things about home fire deaths is that a great many are avoidable.

The best way to organize for a fire-related emergency is to take the needed steps to avoid a home fire. Important aspects of preparing to prevent fire in the first place consist of home maintenance, watchful use of items that have the capacity for causing a fire, instructing children about the dangers of fire and being vigilant in chaperoning or preventing their use of items or equipment that could start a fire.

Normal home repair can play a key role in preventing fires. Having heating systems cleaned and inspected yearly by professionals is a good idea, as is not procrastinating the repair of electrical problems. Making sure to keep areas around furnaces and stoves clear of flammable debris or risky household items will increase the potential of avoiding a fire. When it comes to such heat-producing items as space heaters and irons, make sure to use them with caution.

Space heaters are a frequent cause of house fires and should never be near enough to curtains or blankets to set them ablaze. Three or four feet away is a good minimum distance. The cord should be in good condition and conveniently placed, meaning not beneath a rug or in a walkway where you can trip over it. If possible, a space heater plug should have a separate outlet. You should regularly check it to see if it is getting hot.

Like space heaters, candles are another common source of fires at home. Do not burn unattended candles. Even the kind that are in glass are not recommended to leave alone, as the glass can fracture from the high temperature of an improperly centered wick and be the source of a fire. Use curling irons, clothing irons and other household items that can ignite a fire with care.

Children must understand that playing with fire can cause serious injury, even death, not just for themselves and their family, but also for people in neighboring homes. In addition to keeping matches and lighters out of their reach, supervise children in the kitchen and around the stove. Do not permit children to use the stove or oven without supervision until they are tall enough and responsible enough to do so correctly.

Occasionally, in spite of our best efforts, mistakes and mishaps do happen, and there is a fire. Having a dependable plan is the best preparation in the event of a home fire-related emergency. The foundation of the plan is the line of action that household members will take when the smoke detectors go off or a fire is evident.

Formulate an exit strategy and a gathering place. Practice an exit strategy for children so frequently that they retain the information. They should be aware of the basics-keep close to the floor for oxygen, feel a door for heat before opening, how to get out of a window if the door cannot be used, etc. Explain how windows can be broken on the occasion of an emergency and that laying a blanket on top of the broken glass can prevent injury. For second floor windows, a fire escape ladder is inexpensive to install. Stop, drop, and roll is also an essential concept to teach, in case clothing catches on fire while exiting the building.

Choose a meeting spot that is a secure distance away from your home. It is a good idea to have a second spot in mind, in case a fire spreads all over a city block, making the first spot unsafe. Train children to remain at the meeting spot until parents or officials arrive for them. As trying as it may be, children must be made to understand to leave pets for parents or fire crew to rescue. Keeping irreplaceable items, such as family photos, or difficult-to-replace personal papers in a fireproof box can help decrease the temptation for adults to linger too long or go back into a burning home.

While prevention is the best means of preparation, the fact remains that residential fires do occur. Preparing for such events can help lessen the chance of property loss being accompanied by something much more tragic-serious injury or death. Take steps today to ensure that you and your family are ready to deal with a home fire-related emergency.

Personal Resources - Your Own Unique "TEA Party"

There's a lot of talk about tea parties lately. Most of the excitement involves gatherings of U.S. citizens who declare they've been "Taxed Enough Already." To me, though, "TEA" has always been an acronym for Time, Energy, and Attention... the three "personal resources" you can bring to bear to make a contribution, improve your circumstances, and change your future.

If you were left with nothing but the shirt on your back, you'd also have these three personal resources to work with to bring yourself back to health, wealth, and an inspiring life and future. Others may, intentionally or unintentionally, conspire to rob you of these; but no one can really take them from you unless you let them. They're your bedrock assets, your core, your fundamental fallback position. How you use them, separately and in synergy to create other resources, will determine your success and overall well-being.

You don't have unlimited quantities of these resources available to you, but neither are they truly scarce. You have all you need to succeed - an abundance, really - if you are wise in the way you invest them.

Time.

How you spend your time is how you spend your life. Think about it. You have a limited resource of time on the planet. Does that mean you should stress-out about making sure you never waste a minute? No... when you look back, you'll probably note that some of the best times in your life were during "wasted" moments. Go ahead and waste some! It'll make life worth living. However, naturally, you want to be aware of how you prioritize the time you are trying to employ productively.

Years ago, I was working a stressful job that required long hours, a lot of running around and "firefighting," and I tended to roll up my sleeves, pull down my tie, and work up a sweat every day. One day I came across one of my team members who was clearly not as stressed out as everyone around her, including me. I gave her some tasks to do, and she cheerfully and calmly accepted. Before I left her desk, though, she asked me: "Michael, have you ever heard of a guy on his death bed saying his one wish was that he'd spent more time at work?" The comment got my attention (see below). From that day forward, I tried to minimize the firefighting by maximizing the thought I gave to priority.

There are a lot of resources on the subject of time management, but the basics never seem to change. Find a way to have "protected" time to get your work done - I used to partner-up with a peer who would block-out time to handle the "public" parts of my job, like questions from employees, while I churned through my to-dos (and I would later return the favor). Plan your work, then work your plan... you don't want to be caught just flailing around from one emergency to another. When faced with a list of equally-important chores, some people have good luck knocking out a couple of the "easy" ones first, to get momentum; I prefer the opposite, and have a personal rule to always do the hardest or least-fun thing first. Whatever the method, re-focus on your time management and find what works for you.

Energy.

When you consider your energy level, it's easy to see how these personal resources work together, and affect each other. How many times have you thought "I'd have used my time more productively today, if only I'd had more energy"...?

You can't add more time to your life, but you can seem to do so by managing the time you have more effectively, and by bringing more energy to your endeavors. Energy is a more elastic resource than time; you can actually change your personal reservoir of energy, investing a little on the front end to get back more on the back end. The key is to start with your physical vitality. How's your diet these days? Your fitness level? How much sleep are you getting?

I've worked for years with a premier global consulting firm, known for the world-class smarts of its consultants. As I coached them, one of the first things I noticed is that it was extremely easy for them to burn out, They brought seemingly-endless amounts of youthful energy to the job, but within a few months of sleepless nights, leftover pizza dinners in the team room, no exercise, no water, and poor overall care-and-maintenance, in many cases they were exhausted and even miserable. The happiest among them (and the most successful) were the ones who developed some basic practices around nutrition, exercise, supplements, sleep, and hydration. The same is true of all of us. Don't take energy for granted. Without it, your time will be unproductive (maybe even unpleasant) and you will have a hard time paying.

Attention.

You can have plenty of time for a project, and the energy you need, but lack focus. This is the most mercurial of your personal resources, and the one that can either compensate for slight deficiencies in the other areas or deplete abundances there. In fact, my consultant friends were able to compensate for their low energy and lack of time by leveraging, on average, superior ability to pay attention and focus on the task at hand.

You've heard stories, or seen movies, about pro athletes who have remarkable focus. The big-league ball player who seems to be able to ignore thousands of screaming fans as he winds up to pitch; the golfer who seems not to hear the click of the cameras or whispering in the gallery as he pulls back the putter. Excellent performers in all walks of life are able to bring great focus to their efforts. You can sometimes see the same laser-like attention on the part of a good salesperson focusing on his customer, or wielded by a great leader as she describes a vision to her team.

We've also all met the person who seems to have the attention span of a moth!

The key here is to practice, and a great place to start is at home. How much attention do you really pay to the people you love and live with? If you have a spouse, start right now, tonight, when you get home: set aside some time, suck up the energy, and devote yourself to paying attention to your beloved. Don't think about how you'll react to what she's saying, just think about what she's saying. Don't tell him what he should be interested in, ask him about what he is interested in. See if it doesn't make a good impression and, over time, if practicing doesn't make you more attentive in general, to everyone and everything important.

The Fourth Resource.

Most people, especially entrepreneurs, will tell you their TEAM of resources isn't complete without Money. Maybe. And you certainly should be thoughtful about how you invest money, and how you can improve your life by creating wealth. But I see money as a secondary resource. If you are great with your Time, Energy, and Attention, there's little you can't accomplish. Many people get into business for themselves precisely because they can have more freedom in investing these resources, and because doing so effectively brings them tenfold profits in all categories.

Sound like your cup of TEA? Welcome to the Party.

Maki-sushi with apricot and cucumber

Maki-sushi rolled with easy-sushi, the ultimate sushi roller



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzlV_0B32fQ&hl=en

Live at the Lounge

Live Performance of my song "365" at Live at the Lounge-Sept. 2008



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jqDgHdfG7E&hl=en

How to Make a Kappa Maki Roll

Watch this video for a demonstration of "How to Make a Kappa Maki Roll". Tocomplete the task, you will need: A cucumber A vegetable peeler A sharp knife Get started with the first step: Peel the cucumber, cut off the ends, and cut it in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scoop out the seeds, cut the halves into thin strips about an eighth of an inch wide, and set them aside. For the complete guide, go to www.howcast.com Also check out Howcast for other do it yourself videos from Koji and more videos in the Japanese Cooking category. How can you contribute? Create your own DIY guide at www.howcast.com or apply to the Howcast Emerging Filmmakers Program at www.howcast.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGF_5QR9LI8&hl=en

Start Your Day Off Right - With Breakfast!

Study after study has shown that eating breakfast is key for properly fueling our bodies and maintaining a healthy body. I hear the usual complaints of not being hungry or not having any time. Well, one reason for not being hungry may be from training our body and mind to not having food at this time. Another reason has to do with what happens the rest of the day. When we don't eat breakfast we put ourselves in a semi-starvation state, which can drive cravings and cause us to eat more later. If we don't eat enough in the earlier part of the day we are likely to overeat later in the evening. When this occurs, it raises the chances of us not being hungry in the morning. So break the cycle and eat breakfast!

Below I have some great options for a healthy breakfast. Some people get thrown off that I can recommend waffles or other breakfast favorites, thinking they are not the healthiest option. Well, let's face it, we are not likely to have fruit and yogurt every morning, or if we do, there is going to become a point where we are not totally enjoying it. The problem with waffles, pancakes, and French toast isn't the food itself, but what we add to is.

Power Breakfast
Take a whole grain waffle (can use frozen ones for those crazy mornings and homemade for weekends), top it with natural peanut butter (or any natural nut butter) and add slices of banana (or any other fruit of your choice).

Heart Healthy French Toast
Use a whole grain bread and dip it in an egg whites mix with soymilk or non-fat milk and sprinkle with cinnamon.

New Wave Pancakes
Choose the whole grain oat or buckwheat mixes to make the pancakes. Thaw out frozen fruit of your choice as a topping. The frozen fruit will create their own natural syrup.

Lea Crosetti is a Registered Dietitian and the founder of Food Coach For You. She received her Bachelors Degree in Dietetics from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and completed her internship at LAC + USC Hospital. She is currently working on her Masters Degrees in Exercise Physiology at California State University Northridge.

Breakfast Burrito Builder
Scramble egg whites with some fresh salsa and low fat cheese. You can add any vegetable you so choose (spinach, peppers, mushrooms...). Put into a whole grain tortilla and slice up some avocado to top it off. Roll it up and enjoy!

Popular Santa Cruz Surf Spots

I have had a lot of fun surfing Santa Cruz. There are many surf spots in and around Santa Cruz but these are a few of the most popular ones. Steamers Lane - very good, crowded, high performance wave, Cowells - near Steamers Lane but smaller with slow rollers for beginners, and Pleasure Point (and the series of breaks adjacent to it) - Good waves especially popular with longboarders.

Steamers Lane can be found near the Santa Cruz Surf Museum. You can walk over to the bluff and look down on the wave. It is a great place to surf if you can take the crowds. I haven't surfed there very much because when I used to frequently make the drive to Santa Cruz I had only a longboard and felt I was better off (skill and crowd wise) with other longboards at Pleasure Point and nearby breaks. The last time I was at Steamers Lane I took off on a wave but saw another guy coming out of curl - basically I dropped in...woops! I had room to pull off. But wait..somebody dropped in on me..and them somebody in front of him. I had nowhere to go, it was ridiculous. Multiple F bombs later I went to one of the "zones" closer in...not quites as crowded. As I said, surfing Santa Cruz can be a crowded experience, but still an excellent place to surf.

Just south of Santa Cruz in Capitola is Pleasure Point and the nearby breaks. Just follow 37th ave to the coast and look down on these spots all next to each other. Pleasure Point, 38th Ave, the Hook, Privates, Sharks...there all good. Back in my single longboarding days I used to frequently drive down before work (in San Francisco) hit these spots for a couple of hours, and roll in to work at my latest possible start time with blood shot eyes and screwy hair. Surfing Santa Cruz is nice because the area seems blessed with geography. Not only was there less wind and fog many days than what I would see in the SF Bay Area, the Kelp beds also help keep things glassy. Beautiful reddish sunsets and cute sea otters (don't see them around here) add to the effect. It was crowded then and more crowded now so I rarely go anymore since I can't hit it mid-week anymore.

Cowells is actually the most inside break of the several leading out to Steamers Lane. Just North of the Santa Cruz Pier the place is perfect for beginners surfing Santa Cruz. The waves are similar to those Waikiki slow rollers. After an aborted attempt trying to teach my wife to surf a local spot with not so ideal conditions, I took her to Cowells. She stood up and surfed the first day. This is the place where you can basically go straight in on really big softtop surfboard and start to learn to trim. Yup, crowded like the other popular spots but if your a beginner you'll see lots of other beginners and you can take a lesson and rent a board from the beach. Go at low tide.

The Benefits of Stability Ball Training

The stability ball is one of my favorite training tools because it's so versatile. It can be used by sedentary individuals to develop proprioception (body awareness). It can also be used by workers to rehab an injury. And most recently, top level athletes are using the ball to improve strength and balance in an unstable environment.

Why is the stability ball so beneficial?

1) The stability ball develops the deep segmental muscles that stabilize the spine. Many trainers and coaches use exercises like deadlifts and good mornings to strengthen the back. While these exercises are effective for strengthening the hips and spinal erectors (low back muscles), they don't develop the deep spinal stabilizers: the multifidus, rotatores, interspinales, etc. By exercising on the ball, you engage these segmental muscles. And developing them not only helps prevent injury, it also improves your posture and efficiency in movement.

2) The stability balls ability to roll in all directions makes it a great training stimulus for working in all three planes of motion (front-to-back, side-to-side, and rotational).

3) The unstable quality of the ball develops the neutralizers (muscles which counteract the actions of other muscles) and stabilizers (muscles that surround the joint and hold it relatively still) involved in the movement. For example, when you do a push up with your hands on the ball and your feet on the ground (as illustrated in the photo), the stabilization required recruits and develops the neutralizers and stabilizers of the shoulder girdle/joint. As a result, you become stronger in exercises that work the same muscles but don't require stabilization. In this example, you'd be stronger in chest exercises performed on a bench, such as the bench press.

Glossary Guide to Sushi

There are thousands of outstanding sushi restaurant in the United States serving millions of foodies each year. Yet many people remain intimidated by the sushi-dining process, and never allow themselves to enjoy one of the healthiest, more delicious cuisine styles on the planet.

To help beginning sushi lovers-to-be, we present the follow glossary of basic sushi terms and definitions. This information will help introduce to the world of sushi and provide the knowledge to enter any Japanese restaurant and order with confidence.

Basic Sushi Glossary

Aburage - Fried pouches made of tofu, cooked in water, sake and soy sauce.

Agari - A delicious type of green tea.

Aji - A type of mackerel (also known as "Spanish Mackerel).

Akami - The leanest part of the tuna, Akami is cut from the very back of the fish.

Anago - A conger eel found in salt water.

Anko-nabe - A popular variation of monkfish stew.

Baigai - Small water snails

Bara Sushi - A unique type of sushi in which sushi rice and seafood ingredients are all mixed together and served.

California Roll - One of the most popular sushi dishes in the United States. Includes crab meat, flying fish or smelt and avocado.

Chutoro-maki - A marbled tuna roll

Ebi - Boiled shrimp (plain and simple!).

Engawa - The delicious meat that surrounds the muscle of the scallop (can also refer to the muscle that controls a halibut's fin).

Fugu - One of the most infamous types of sushi, fugu is a blowfish that can be toxic if prepared incorrectly.

Futo-maki - A roll filled with cooked egg (sweetened), rice, pickled gourd and vegetables.

Ika - Squid

Inada - A young yellowtail fish

Iso-don - A bed of sushi rice served beneath fish, vegetables or a mixture of other items.

Kamaboko - This is a fish cake with pounded whitefish and a mixture of cornstarch.

Kani - Crab meat

Kanpachi - A young yellowtail fish.

Katsu - Not technically sushi, Katsu refers to foods fried using bread crumbs. The most popular type of Katsu is Chicken Katsu.

Koi. Saltwater carp

Kombu and Konbu - These terms refer to kelp or dried seaweed.

Kurodai - A dish using snapper.

Make Sushi - A sushi roll made using seaweed, rice and vegetables at the core of the roll.

Maki-mono - Rice and fish rolled together and wrapped in seaweed

Mochi - Sweet rice cakes

Mushimono - Refers to any steamed dish.

Philadelphia Roll - Another American favorite, a Philadelphia Roll is a roll made with salmon, cream cheese and vegetables.

Sake. A strong wine made from rice. An essential at most sushi restaurants around the world.

Sashimi - This popular dish includes chilled raw fish served without rice. (Fish is sliced)

Senbei - These thin rice crackers are usually served with soy sauce or a variety of other seasonings.

Shirumono - The Japanese term for soup

Shoyu - Soy sauce

Suimono - A clear, but flavorful soup

Tako - Octopus

Tekka-don - A selection of raw tuna served over rice.

Wasabi - A spicy Japanese horseradish. If you've never used Wasabi before, be careful your first time!

Yosenabe - A Japanese fish and vegetable stew.

Kikkoman Sushi Technique

Making sushi is easier than you think — just check out Kikkomans easy-to-follow sushi technique video, and get rolling! Well guide you through the steps for making a traditional norimaki with pickled vegetables, as well as the popular California Roll. Sushi is perfect for potlucks, or you can host your own sushi party, where everyone rolls their own with their favorite ingredients! For the entire recipe, please visit: www.kikkomanusa.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGG01tj9wi4&hl=en

California Vacation - Part 1 of a Day by Day Diary

We normally take our vacation on the east coast of the Florida peninsula, so we purchased one week of timeshare vacation on Ormond Beach. It was near the end of summer season in 2005, and we had already taken our vacation that year so we decided to space bank our week until later.

Later is 2007, and we combined our 2005 week with our 2007 week so could have a longer vacation in California. Usually it is difficult to get two weeks back-to-back when you swap through RCI, but low and behold they had availability in the Palm Springs area. We would have to swap from one condo resort to another after the first week, but it was only a few miles away so we took it and bought airline tickets online. Then, we settled down for a long winter's nap while waiting for our vacation date to roll around.

Finally, July 6th graced the calendar and we headed for the airport at 4:45 a.m. in a taxi. It had been a while since we had traveled via airplane. In fact, we had not been in an airport since before 9-11. We had heard that things had changed, but we didn't realize how much. Free curb-side baggage check was no longer free. Clerk-assisted baggage check-in is now self-check in using a computer that knows more than most humans. We had five bags we wanted to check, and three carry-ons. The limit was two bags of each kind per person. Looking at the bags, we didn't think any one of them would meet the carry-on size restrictions, but of course those limitations were not posted near the computer that was serving as our welcoming agent.

We paid the computer an extra $80 to check the fifth bag and then proceeded to the next early morning pre-boarding adventure. As we approached the person check, there was the sign we needed about 100 yards ago. We could have taken one of the bags on board. We were ordered to take off our shoes and put our carry on bags on the conveyor belt. All expect for the laptop and my purse; they had to be manhandled separately.

"You can't take a bottle of water on the plane," said the human void of personality.

We must have looked as dumbfounded as we felt. "It's just water. It hasn't been opened," I reported.

"No liquids over 3.5 ounces can be taken onboard. You can either drink it now, or throw it in the trash." She was serious.

I wasn't thirsty yet, so she pried the plastic containers from my hands and tossed both our brand new Aquafinas in the trash can behind her desk. Side note to terrorist: If you plan to bomb a plane, you must do it with less than 3.5 ounces of liquid, preferably not in a plastic water bottle.

Just inside the metal detector gate was a newsstand selling a wide variety of bottled water for two dollars each. Talk about seizing an opportunity.

Stay tuned for part two of a day-by-day diary of our 2-week California vacation.

Brands of Guitar Amplifiers

A wide range of instrument amplifiers is now available, some for general purposes and some designed for specific instruments and even for particular sounds. Traditional guitar amplifiers come up with a clean, warm sound, a sharp treble roll off at 5 kHz or less and bass roll off at 60 to100 Hz, often with built in reverb and tremolo units. Bass amplifiers have extended bass response and tone controls optimized for bass guitars (or more rarely, for upright bass).

Higher end bass amplifiers sometimes include compressor or limited features, which help to keep the amplifier from distorting at high volume levels. Keyboard amplifiers have a very low distortion and extended flat frequency response in both directions. Keyboard amplifiers often have a simple onboard mixer, so that keyboardists can control the tone and level of several keyboards. Acoustic amplifiers are designed specifically to produce a clean, transparent, acoustic sound when used with acoustic instruments with built in transducer pickups and microphones.

Some well known brands of guitar amplifiers

While there are almost innumerable manufacturers of guitar amplifiers, we will be discussing the most important brands that have created history in guitar amplification.

Carvin Corporation

The Carvin Corporation is a musical instrument and equipment manufacturer, located in San Diego, California, well known among guitar players for their guitars. Carvin was founded in 1946 by Lowell Kiesel, and originally manufactured guitar pickups. Carvin Corporation manufactures acoustic and electric guitars, bass guitars and accessories, amplifiers, live studio sound equipments, microphones and lighting gears.

Korg Corporation

Korg Corporation is a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures electronic musical instruments and guitar tuners. The company is one of the most widely used and respected names in the electronic music world. Founded in 1962 in Japan by Tsutomu Kato and Tadashi Osanai, Korg was originally known as Keio Electronic Laboratories because its fledgling offices were located near the Keio train line in Tokyo and Keio can be formed by combining the first letters of Kato and Osanai. Yamaha Corporation has always been a major partner of Korg, supplying them with circuitry and mechanical parts.

Marshall Amplification

Marshall Amplification is a British company which designs and manufactures electric guitar amplifiers. Marshall Amplifiers are well known and highly popular among guitarists. Marshall Amplifiers were originally built as direct copies of Fender amplifiers, but soon incorporated certain traits which made them more favorable to guitarists seeking a heavier sound. Like most professional level amplifiers, Marshall amplifiers still use valve preamp and power amplifier stages instead of solid state devices. Marshall also manufactures cheaper solid-state or hybrid devices.

Vox

Vox is a musical equipment manufacturer, which is most famous for making the AC30 guitar amplifier and the Vox electric organ. Founded in Great Britain, Vox is now owned by the Japanese electronics firm Korg. In 1959, with sales under pressure from the more powerful Fender Twin and from The Shadows, who requested amplifiers with more power, Vox produced what was essentially a double powered AC15 and named it the AC30.

Roland Corporation

Roland Corporation is a Japanese manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, electronic equipment and software. It was founded by Ikutaro Kakehashi in Osaka on April 18, 1972 with 33 million yen in capital. Some of the recent amplifiers from Roland Corporation are Roland SH 201, Roland Juno G, Roland MV 8800 and Roland V Synth GT.

What Happened to Innocent Until Proven Guilty?

What is justice? What is fairness? What is a jury of your peers? And What ever happened to the notion that someone is innocent until they are proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt? What is wrong with the justice system, and why are we trying so many cases in the court of public opinion first? Why is it that our regulatory bodies wait until the natives are restless and then go find a target to prosecute whether they are guilty or not? As soon as they file the case, they send out press releases claiming they are hot on the scene doing their job.

Only one problem with that, it's not justice, it's mob rule, appeasement of the masses. The other day I was discussing this with an acquaintance, and he asked; "So, what ever happened to innocent until proven guilty?" Well, I told him "the media took over the job I guess, and they are fully enjoying the power."

Too often, at least in business I see the use of examples and prosecuting of borderline cases or even creative writing projects with enforcement personnel. This may serve an end goal to keep everyone in line, but it isn't fair to those who've been wrongly made an example of. The system is flawed, but it sure beats other nations, at least in our country, you have the perception of fairness of the law.

Okay so, that's what's going on. Is that good enough for America, considering our strong ideals and moral fiber, are we to settle for this? After all, if you are a big corporate sponsor to various politicians, you can call up a regulatory body and ask them to look into the dealings of XYZ company, your competitor. Once the case is started, well, what do they say in Washington DC - "you are innocent until you are investigated," and that's how they roll.

Shouldn't we stand for more in our great nation than petty Chicago, or NY style politics, aren't we better than this? Is it just about rounding up the usual suspects so our enforcement bodies look good? If we continually lie to ourselves and accept this as the way it is done, business as usual, then we have no business at all crying about the games on Wall Street, because in that case our government is no better, it's all a charade, a giant façade. Even Wall Street corporate executives deserve a fair shake and their day in court.

Growing up I was told that America was a great nation, which I believe it is, but the more I look behind the scenes, it seems we still have some more work to do, if we are going to boast about our greatness. This isn't good enough, I am not impressed. I am deeply concerned. Please consider all this from a philosophical standpoint about what we are supposed to be standing for.

Fabian & Erik machen Sushi

Fabian & Erik machen Sushi die (fasst) perfekte Anleitung



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLchwfYCfzE&hl=en