News for today's 2018

2012 Holiday Gift Books

5:00 AM Tukiyooo 0

As in the <a href="http://archidose.blogspot.com/search/label/holiday%20gift%20books">last seven years</a>, I'm presenting a list of gift books just in time for the holidays. This year the list includes 39 titles, sorted alphabetically by publisher. Mouse over the cover images to get more information and click to see the listing on Amazon. Below the cover list is a text list, keyed to the covers by number. Cover List: 1:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9064507961/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=9064507961&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=9064507961&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=9064507961" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 2:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1907896082/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1907896082&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1907896082&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1907896082" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 3:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0810997029/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0810997029&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0810997029&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0810997029" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />  4:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1851496696/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1851496696&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1851496696&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1851496696" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 5:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/8492861223/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=8492861223&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=8492861223&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=8492861223" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 6:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1934429740/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1934429740&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1934429740&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a>  7:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/303460811X/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=303460811X&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=303460811X&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=303460811X" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 8:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1907317392/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1907317392&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1907317392&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1907317392" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 9:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/303778279X/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=303778279X&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=303778279X&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=303778279X" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />  10:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1452113920/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1452113920&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1452113920&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1452113920" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 11:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/8488386729/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=8488386729&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=8488386729&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=8488386729" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> 12:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/4871406784/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=4871406784&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=4871406784&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=4871406784" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />  13:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/389955440X/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=389955440X&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=389955440X&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=389955440X" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 14:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/3775734600/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=3775734600&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=3775734600&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=3775734600" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 15:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1864704535/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1864704535&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1864704535&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1864704535" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />  16:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1610913647/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1610913647&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1610913647&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1610913647" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 17:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/3037782986/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=3037782986&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=3037782986&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=3037782986" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 18:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1780670052/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1780670052&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1780670052&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1780670052" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> 19:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1935202928/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1935202928&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1935202928&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1935202928" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 20:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0262017083/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0262017083&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0262017083&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0262017083" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 21:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580933408/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1580933408&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1580933408&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1580933408" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />  22:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9462080046/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=9462080046&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=9462080046&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=9462080046" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 23:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1935935321/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1935935321&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1935935321&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1935935321" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 24:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199898073/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0199898073&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0199898073&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0199898073" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />  25:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375424334/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0375424334&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0375424334&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0375424334" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 26:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0714857068/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0714857068&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0714857068&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0714857068" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 27:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/3791347314/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=3791347314&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=3791347314&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=3791347314" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />   28:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1616890681/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1616890681&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1616890681&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1616890681" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 29:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1861898649/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1861898649&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1861898649&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1861898649" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 30:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0847837971/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0847837971&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0847837971&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0847837971" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />  31:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415533546/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0415533546&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0415533546&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0415533546" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 32:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0847838056/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0847838056&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0847838056&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0847838056" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 33:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/3836542099/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=3836542099&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=3836542099&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=3836542099" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />  34:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0500516499/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0500516499&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0500516499&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0500516499" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=4887063288" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 35:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1844678571/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1844678571&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1844678571&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1844678571" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 36:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520274407/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0520274407&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0520274407&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0520274407" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />   37:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1118336410/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1118336410&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1118336410&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1118336410" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 38:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393733157/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0393733157&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0393733157&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0393733157" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> 39:<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0300172370/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0300172370&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0300172370&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aweeklydoseof-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=aweeklydoseof-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0300172370" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> Text List: <ol><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9064507961/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=9064507961&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Bricks and Balloons. Architecture in Sequential Art</a> by Melanie Van Der Hoorn, 010 Publishers</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1907896082/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1907896082&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">0-14: Projection and Reception</a> by Reiser + Umemoto, edited by Brett Steele; AA Publications</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0810997029/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0810997029&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Design Like You Give a Damn [2]: Building Change from the Ground Up</a> edited by Architecture for Humanity, Abrams</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1851496696/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1851496696&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">New York City Landmarks</a> by Jake Rajs, text by Francis Morrone; ACC Distribution</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/8492861223/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=8492861223&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">The Sniper's Log: An Architectural Perspective of Generation-X</a> by Alejandro Zaera-Polo, Actar</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1934429740/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1934429740&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Eames: Beautiful Details</a> by Eames Demetrios, et. al.; AMMO</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/303460811X/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=303460811X&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Wiel Arets: Autobiographical References</a> by Robert McCarter, Birkhäuser</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1907317392/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1907317392&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Atlas: Geography, Architecture and Change in an Interdependent World</a> edited by Renata Tyszczuk, Joe Smith, Nigel Clark, and Melissa Butcher; Black Dog Publishing</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/303778279X/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=303778279X&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Imperfect Health: The Medicalization of Architecture</a> edited by Giovanna Borasi and Mirko Zardini, CCA</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1452113920/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1452113920&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Sky High</a> by Germano Zullo, illustrated by Albertine; Chronicle Books</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/8488386729?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=8488386729&linkCode=xm2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">RCR Arquitectes 2007-2012. Poetic Abstraction</a>, El Croquis </li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/4871406784/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=4871406784&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Big: Recent Project</a>, Global Architecture</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/389955440X/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=389955440X&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Going Public: Public Architecture, Urbanism and Interventions</a> edited by R. Klanten, S. Ehmann, S. Borges, L. Feireiss, Gestalten</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/3775734600/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=3775734600&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Elemental</a> by Alejandro Aravena, Hatje Cantz</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1864704535/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1864704535&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Masterpiece: Iconic Houses by Great Contemporary Architects</a> by Beth Browne, Images Publishing</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1610913647/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1610913647&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Good Urbanism: Six Steps to Creating Prosperous Places</a> by Nan Ellin, Island Press</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/3037782986/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=3037782986&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Torre David: Informal Vertical Communities</a> edited by Alfredo Brillembourg and Hubert Klumoner, Lars Müller Publishers</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1780670052/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1780670052&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Architectural Inventions: Visionary Drawing of Buildings</a> by Matt Bua and Maximilian Goldfarb; Laurence King Publishers</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1935202928/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1935202928&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Thanks for the View, Mr. Mies: Lafayette Park, Detroit</a> edited by Danielle Aubert, Lana Cavar, Natasha Chandani; Metropolis Books</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0262017083/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0262017083&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Architecture School: Three Centuries of Educating Architects in North America</a> edited by Joan Ockman, MIT Press</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580933408/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1580933408&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Contemporary Follies</a> by Keith Moskow and Robert Linn, The Monacelli Press</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9462080046/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=9462080046&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Cycle Space: Architectural and Urban Design in the Age of the Bicycle</a> by Steven Fleming, nai010 Publishers</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1935935321/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1935935321&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Cities Without Ground: A Hong Kong Guidebook</a> by  Jonathan Solomon, Clara Wong, Adam Frampton; ORO Editions</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199898073/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0199898073&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">The Battle for the Life and Beauty of the Earth: A Struggle Between Two World-Systems</a> by Christopher Alexander with HansJoachim Neis and Maggie Moore Alexander, Oxford University Press</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375424334/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0375424334&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Building Stories</a> by Chris Ware, Pantheon</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0714857068/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0714857068&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">20th-Century World Architecture: The Phaidon Atlas</a> by the editors of Phaidon</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/3791347314/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=3791347314&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Ove Arup: Philosophy of Design</a> edited by Nigel Tonks, Prestel</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1616890681/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1616890681&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Le Corbusier Redrawn: The Houses</a> by Steven Park, Princeton Architectural Press</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1861898649/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1861898649&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Italy: Modern Architectures in History</a> by Diane Ghirardo, Reaktion Books </li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0847837971/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0847837971&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Architecture Concepts: Red is Not a Color</a> by Bernard Tschumi, Rizzoli</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415533546/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0415533546&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Future Practice: Conversations from the Edge of Architecture</a> by Rory Hyde, Routledge</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0847838056/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0847838056&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">The Architecture of the Barnes Foundation: Gallery in a Garden, Garden in a Gallery</a> by Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, Skira Rizzoli</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/3836542099/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=3836542099&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Christo and Jeanne Claude: The Mastaba, Project for Abu Dhabi</a> by Matthias Koddenberg, Taschen</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0500516499/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0500516499&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Joseph Cornell's Manual of Marvels: How Joseph Cornell reinvented a French agricultural manual to create an American masterpiece</a> edited by Dickran Tashjian and Analisa Leppanen-Guerra, Thames and Hudson</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1844678571/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1844678571&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">A New Kind of Bleak: Journeys through Urban Britain</a> by Owen Hatherley, Verso</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520274407/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0520274407&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">White Cube, Green Maze: New Art Landscapes</a> by Raymund Ryan, University of California Press</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1118336410/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1118336410&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Human Experience and Place: Sustaining Identity</a> edited by Paul Brislin, Wiley</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393733157/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0393733157&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Long Island Modernism 1930-1980</a> by Caroline Rob Zaleski, W. W. Norton</li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0300172370/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0300172370&linkCode=as2&tag=aweeklydoseof-20">Ezra Stoller, Photographer</a> by Nina Rappaport and Erica Stoller, Yale University Press</li></ol>

2012 Holiday Gift Books

As in the last seven years , I'm presenting a list of gift books just in time for the holidays. This year the list includes 39 titles, ...

Christmas Films

2:53 AM Tukiyooo 0

I know I blogged about watching "The Holiday" a few weeks ago but I thought I would let you know of another favourite Christmas film of mine.  It's "The Family Stone" starring Clare Danes, Luke Wilson & Sarah Jessica Parker. It's such a lovely film (and also a tear jerker - be warned!).  I find Sarah Jessica Parker's character Meredith to be highly annoying but I overlook this because the movie is so good.   Have you seen this film?  What did you think of it? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWhIobFffoU2-av0ORSQKlUNzowB72dqJ8Y3yYUj0sxZc1VhP5uYALQsthjQy-Ii2lMqWtOBHam6O7pSJI5M-6xxkJe_mdTRWAqtz_cWBc5msjM-N-pmeQ1HW5_rTBM1_6F7p60DABCc5Y/s1600/Family+Stone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWhIobFffoU2-av0ORSQKlUNzowB72dqJ8Y3yYUj0sxZc1VhP5uYALQsthjQy-Ii2lMqWtOBHam6O7pSJI5M-6xxkJe_mdTRWAqtz_cWBc5msjM-N-pmeQ1HW5_rTBM1_6F7p60DABCc5Y/s1600/Family+Stone.jpg" /></a></div>

Christmas Films

I know I blogged about watching "The Holiday" a few weeks ago but I thought I would let you know of another favourite Christmas fi...

Thanksgiving Fun Never Ends

9:00 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> Hola once again y’all! As our fun-filled week here in the sensible, yet wacky capital of the American Midwest comes to an end, I give you one last meme. Don’t worry about the numbering; it’s the questions and answers that are most important. I think. 2. Favorite Place to eat a romantic dinner? Western Sizzlin? 3. Last time you Puked from Drinking? I guess the night we had homebrew, whisky, tamales and fresh baked chocolate cookies. 4. When is the last time you got drunk and woke up in a strange place? Never, that I know of. 5. Name of your First Grade Teacher? Mrs. Langston. She wielded a mean yardstick too. 6. What do you really want to be doing right now? Travelling 7. What did you want to be when you were growing up? A lawyer. 8.How many colleges did you attend before you settled on the one you graduated from? One College, but I attended it twice (kinda)! 9. Why did you wear the shirt that you have on right now? It was clean. 10. Gas Prices! First Thought? Reagan eliminated most federal funding for researching alternative energy resources in the 80's. 11. If you could move anywhere and take someone with you where would you go and who would you take? Somewhere in Europe, maybe Amsterdam and I'd take anybody that wanted to come along. 12. First thought when the alarm went off this morning? No alarm, but when I woke up my first thought was, as usual, "I gotta pee". 13. Last thought before falling asleep last night? "Why do I have so much trouble falling asleep?" 14. Favorite style of underwear? Boxerbriefs unless I'm going commando! 15. Favorite style of underwear for the opposite sex? Any or none. Whatever you want is fine with me. 16. What errand/chore do you despise? Doing laundry. It's dangerous. 18. Sex or Sleep? Both, in that order. 19. Your Favorite Cartoon Character? The Tick “SPOOOOOOOOOOON!” 20. Favorite non sexual thing to do at night with a girl/boy? Play basketball? 22. What was your first car? '79 Cutlass, and it was a BEAST! 23. Your best your mama joke? "Yo momma so stupid, she sold her car for gas money" 24. Your favorite lunch meat? Smoked ham, I guess 26. Beach or Shore? What's the difference? Beach I guess 27. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual that was invented by people who died at 20? For some people, but for others it’s great. 28. Who do you stalk? There are a lot of people I WANT to stalk, but I would get caught immediately. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-xiwFb4yAGPe6Mo65QvDMQmyejpaFX6bTpwrp-uEdH7m_VpUZWLwXjtoxWjmVmBMGp3YG3y9qZRxCDAU59P5CREs2GpCMGX-n1RxNmDRmiG64T166luD_X21SaRGCPUzuoWoFXYReJA/s1600/Jennifer+Lawrence+Nude+Bikini+Hot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-xiwFb4yAGPe6Mo65QvDMQmyejpaFX6bTpwrp-uEdH7m_VpUZWLwXjtoxWjmVmBMGp3YG3y9qZRxCDAU59P5CREs2GpCMGX-n1RxNmDRmiG64T166luD_X21SaRGCPUzuoWoFXYReJA/s400/Jennifer+Lawrence+Nude+Bikini+Hot.jpg" width="201" /></a></div>29. Favorite guilty pleasure? Taco Bell? Celebrity gossip? Keeping up with Jennifer Lawrence? 30. Movie you watch whenever it’s on but wouldn't want anyone to find out about? Grease 2. 32. Cowboys or Indians? Indians 33. Cops or Robbers? Fuck da Police! 34. Do you cheer for the bad guys? In movies and on TV? We’re supposed to, right? 35. What Hollywood star do you think resembles you best? Oh, totally Brad Pitt hahahaha 37. What do you want when you are sick? To be left the fuck alone 38. Who from High School would you like to run into? I try to avoid all of them 39. What radio station is your car radio tuned to right now? Some heavy metal station. When I'm hope it's usually on ESPN Arkansas. 42. Norm or Cliff? Norm, Cliff is a bore 43. The Cosby Show or the Simpsons? Simpsons. 44. Worst relationship mistake that you wish you could take back? Me just being me usually ruins everything. 46. If you could get away with it who would you kill? Oh no, no no no no .... Do you guys with the NSA think I'm stupid or something? 47. What famous person would you like to have dinner with? Bill Clinton 49. Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose? Yes 51. Do you have a teddy bear? No, I AM a Teddy Bear .. 52. Strangest place you have ever had sex? umm ..... uhhh ..... well ... that'll have to remain a secret since family members read this blog. 53. Strangest Place you have ever wanted to have sex? see #52 54. How many times a day do you text? Very few. Okay, damn, that was fun, wasn’t it? Anyway, hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Also, listen to IWS Radio! <object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.adobe.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" height="270" id="143577" name="143577" width="210"><param name="movie" value="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf?file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2Fim-with-stupid%2Fplay_list.xml%3Fitemcount%3D5&autostart=true&bufferlength=5&volume=80&corner=rounded&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/flashplayercallback.aspx" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf" flashvars="file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2fim-with-stupid%2fplay_list.xml%3Fitemcount%3D5&autostart=true&shuffle=false&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/FlashPlayerCallback.aspx&width=210&height=270&volume=80&corner=rounded" width="210" height="270" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" quality="high" wmode="transparent" menu="false" name="143577" id="143577" allowScriptAccess="always"></embed></object> <div style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center; width: 220px;">Listen to <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/">internet radio</a> with <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/im-with-stupid">Im With Stupid</a> on Blog Talk Radio </div>Jayman <a href="mailto:Jayman3768@gmail.com">Jayman3768</a> <a href="mailto:Jayman3768@gmail.com">@gmail.com</a> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jayman_iws" target="_blank">@Jayman-IWS</a> </div>

Thanksgiving Fun Never Ends

Hola once again y’all! As our fun-filled week here in the sensible, yet wacky capital of the American Midwest comes to an end, I give you on...

Saints & Citizens

3:36 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="MsoNormal">In Healing the Heart of Democracy, Parker Palmer worries that American society is losing the virtues, the basic qualities of character, esential to living as a free society. The trainers at my community organizing training last week expressed the same concern. Palmer and they both saw the decline of “civic life” as the problem. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">By “civic life,” they mean the intermediate institutions that stand between the family and the massive power of the market and government. Take for example the influence of marketing and media on children and youth. Those are powerful rivals to the authority of parents. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">Since 1973, the influence of the market and government has grown by leaps and bounds while the influence of civic institutions has declined. Civic institutions include schools, service clubs, churches, and others – think of 4H, the Grange, VFW, etc. Civic institutions buffer the family from all sorts of destructive economic and social pressures. And they do something more: they are the context in which we learn and cultivate the virtues essential to life in a free society. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">This is not a new or novel idea. Benjamin Franklin wrote in his essay “On The Necessitie Of A Publique Religion” that a republic is possible only if churches instill virtues in people that insure that most of us will behave well most of the time without the watchful eye and heavy hand of a totalitarian state. From the founding fathers through sociologists like Robert Bellah and theologians like Stanley Hauerwas in our time, we have known that living together in freedom requires capacities for empathy, restraint, compromise, etc. We learn those virtues in civic institutions, most particularly, churches.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">The Epistles are first and foremost guides to how to be a community. They are full of teachings about the virtues we have to master in order to be the Body of Christ – which coincide with the qualities of character essential to life in a free society. If the church is to do its job of forming saints and citizens, we have to get intentional again about teaching people how to deal with each other.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">For example, as I write this article, Congress is looking for a way to steer the budget away from the fiscal cliff. Whether this needs doing is beyond debate. Whether it is important is beyond debate. The only argument is over whether failure to avoid the fiscal cliff will be a disaster or just really, really bad. The only way to save the economy from this mishap is compromise. But among the constituents of the Congress only 46% of one party and 53% of the other support any kind of compromise. A substantial percentage of our population is bullheaded to the extent of being self-destructive. We complain about Congress but they merely reflect the populace. We get the government we deserve.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">The business of the church is not to teach political or economic ideologies, but it is our job to teach wisdom, common sense, empathy, and forbearance that enable people of good faith to bridge their differences.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">I am particularly impressed by Parker Palmer’s Five Habits of the Heart (derived from Quaker Spirituality) that he says are necessary to democracy:                  1. An understanding that we are all in this together                  2. An appreciation of otherness                  3. An ability to hold tension in life-giving ways                  4. A sense of personal voice and agency                   5. A capacity to create community</div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">The practices of story-telling and identifying our deep self interests (things we want and need that go deeper than money, power, and prestige) and finding ways to meet those needs for both sides – all part and parcel of community organizing – are also crucial to being church and being a democracy. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">One of our priests just finished training in conflict resolution with the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center. I have not had this experience yet. but from what I have read and heard, it may be another rich source for helping us be the kind of community Paul urged us to be in all his letter, especially 1st Corinthians.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">Often church folks do not behave toward one another with the kind of wisdom, patience, and kindness one would expect of Christians. If we cannot behave virtuously in church, what can we expect of human behavior in the rough and tumble world of politics? I hope in the coming decade or so we will renew our efforts to teach and practice relational skills, that we will grow stronger in the capacities we need in order to be good citizens and good church people, and that we will cultivate the strengths we need if we are going to get on with God’mission.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div>

Saints & Citizens

In Healing the Heart of Democracy, Parker Palmer worries that American society is losing the virtues, the basic qualities of character...

Planning my menu

2:32 PM Tukiyooo 0

We have a group of friends coming over on Saturday night and  I am currently planning what food to serve.   <div> </div><div>I am going to have canapes and cocktails for our guests on arrival.  I will serve my usual taste explosions of blini's with smoked salmon, red peppar hummus in pastry tarts with sun dried tomatoes along with bruschetta and a selection of cheeses.</div><div> </div><div>Then for the main meal I am going to heat things up with a mild fish curry and a pot of both korma and tikka masala served with rice.  I decided on the above to keep things casual and informal.  </div><div> </div><div>I am going to offer two desserts one hot and one cold.  The cold dessert will be a deep dark chocolate mousse served with a shot of milk (!) and the warm dessert will be an apple strudel.</div><div> </div><div>I will probably make a jug of cosmopolitan and make caipiroska's to order along with a beer selection and wine.</div><div> </div><div>Luckily I am off work tomorrow so I can go to the shops to gather everything I will need.  </div><div> </div><div>Pictures of the completed food to follow shortly!</div>

Planning my menu

We have a group of friends coming over on Saturday night and I am currently planning what food to serve. I am going to have canapes and c...

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