Ethel The Frog

Yes . . . it is possible to completely eliminate your electricity bill.

For example, on the shores of Lake Arenal and in the valley of the Cano Negro river in Costa Rica, the Rancho Margot resort is completely “off the grid” and self-sufficient.

Even if you don’t completely eliminate your electricity bill, there are plenty of things you can do to dramatically reduce it.  Read about them HERE.

When you see signs like this outside the public restrooms, you know you’re in Canada:

According to Palluxo:

Michael Jackson died from AIDS at the age of 50.  He was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman.  He has been infected with HIV since 1996.  He also suffered from vitiligo – a chronic relatively common dermatologic disorder that causes depigmentation in patches of skin.

Jackson had been rushed by ambulance to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after suffering from cardiac arrest due to collapse of immune system. The singer was scheduled for a come-back with a string of 50 concerts scheduled to start in London on July 13.

Jackson is perhaps best known for his controversial statements. He repeatedly that he loved children and would never harm them but he was often forced to defend his views on sharing his bed with children. “Children love me. I love children … They want to be with me. But anybody can come in my bed. A child can come in my bed if they want,” he said in a 1996 U.S. television interview.

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• Reports: Michael Jackson has died (cnn.com)
• Michael Jackson (1958-2009), Dies At Los Angeles Hospital After Suffering Cardiac Arrest (laughingsquid.com)
• Jackson death linked to possible drug concoction (idiomag.com)

I’ve had a few health problems over the years and I have developed a huge respect for nurses. They are the unsung heroes of the healthcare system . . . and there is always a need for more good nurses.

Therefore, I have launched a new Web site, Ethel The Nurse, which provides information concerning nursing as a career and also provides you with the ability to search for nursing jobs.

If you are a nurse, or interested in pursuing a career in nursing, visit my new site.

I had no idea that the sport of paintball was so sophisticated!

I found an article on the Tippman forum which is one of the most detailed introductions to the sport of paintball and paintball equipment that I have ever seen.

(A few notes, before you read the article:

1. Although much of this article refers specially to Tippmann equipment, the basic concepts and theories are, for the most part, universal.
2. As I said, this is a very “detailed” introduction to paintball – so  detailed, indeed, that it may tend to be intimidating to those interested in getting started in the sport.
3. Don’t be intimidated . . . much of the information and “theory” presented in this article is far more than you need to know to just go out and have fun with the sport.  (Do not, however, disregard the safety information and warnings).
4. The referenced Tippman gear (and other quality paintball equipment) is available at EGF Paintball).

You can read the article HERE.

From Celebrity Dirty Laundry:

Following their testing time on the reailty show “I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here”, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt were able to fit in some five star luxury at the Four Seasons resort in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

The day before returning to Los Angeles (June 12), the “Hills” co-star couple strolled along the sand, with Heidi stopping to pick up some sea shells on the shoreline.

After getting a little rest and making out on a sun lounger, the recently married reality couple did a little kayaking and frolicked by an inflatable water trampoline.

The beach outing comes just after it was announced that Miss Montag stripped down for an upcoming issue of Playboy magazine.

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This is the cake I would make:

Frog Baby Shower Cake

This cake’s creator, Lauren, comments as follows:

Neutral Yellow and Green Frog Baby Cake:  I stumbled across the idea of baby diaper cakes while looking for a creative way to support a new mom in the baby process…

I purchased all size 2 diapers, I’m not sure how many I ended up using, because I made a few diaper cakes with a bulk box.

For the center of my diaper cake, I used a bath towel wrap for a baby, this one in particular had a frog design on the part that wrapped around the baby’s head… It served as a GREAT center that kept all the layers connected (I have made many diaper cakes at this point and used various things as the center, but the towel worked the best for me).

Because this cake was for a neutral baby shower, I chose frogs as my accessorizing topic, and kept everything in yellows and greens! I garnished the cake with small stuffed animals, bath toys, teething rings, receiving blankets, wash cloths, bottles, and my personal favorite, a Bring your own bottle door hanger!!

You can buy great baby gifts, without breaking the bank, at EGF Baby Store.

Because this cake was for a neutral baby shower, I chose frogs as my accessorizing topic, and kept everything in yellows and greens! I garnished the cake with small stuffed animals, bath toys, teething rings, receiving blankets, wash cloths, bottles, and my personal favorite, a Bring your own bottle door hanger!!

I found this article on the Hoyt Web site:

Get off the couch and continue your bowhunting season this summer!

Most of us diehard bowhunters are looking for an excuse to get our bows out and fling a few arrows. During the summer, many of us regularly shoot into targets, but don’t actually hunt anything. If you want more realistic practice, pick up a bow and bowfish. In the summer there aren’t many animals we can hunt on dry land, but if we head to the local lake or marsh, the possibilities are endless. Bowfishing is a sport almost anyone can participate in; it doesn’t require a lot of muscle like backpacking to the top of a mountain to chase elk. And it doesn’t take a lot of patience like sitting in a treestand for hours waiting for a whitetail, because bowfishing action is usually non-stop. Men, women, and children of all ages can participate.

GETTING STARTED

You can bowfish with a recurve or compound bow, and Hoyt offers excellent options for both. The Hoyt Riptide is Hoyt’s first-ever bowfishing compound, and it’s designed for all types of freshwater and saltwater bowfishing, including carp, gators, gar and other game fish. The Riptide comes complete with a custom AMS bowfishing package that includes a spool, line, reel, rest, arrow and hard-hitting barbed point – everything you need to turn the off-season blues into unforgettable adventure and valuable shooting practice. Hoyt recurves – such as the Dorado and Gamemaster II – also make great bowfishing rigs. See your local Hoyt dealer for more information.

STICK A FEW CARP

Carp are usually the easiest fish to target because they’re plentiful and simple targets. As the water warms up in the marshes and lakes, it’s not uncommon to see dozens of carp in the shallows splashing as they spawn. Getting a shot at them is extremely easy. Most bowfishermen wear hip boots and walk along the shore or in knee-deep water and shoot at the fish as they spawn. If you are a good shot, filling up a boat with fish might only take a few hours. Otherwise, it might take all day.  But it doesn’t really matter; unlike big game hunting, shooting carp isn’t a rare opportunity. If you miss, you can continue to shoot until you hit a fish. There are several opportunities in a day to connect with a fish.

The beauty of the sport is that it’s fun and it helps you judge distances and hone your archery skills. Plus, in many parts of the country, Asian carp are causing lots of problems. Almost every tributary in the Mississippi River is full of Asian carp; they’re referred to as “flying carp”. When a boat goes over the top of them, the vibration in the water causes the fish to jump in the air. There’s no better way to hone your archery skills than to shoot at a flying object. It’s almost like sporting clays!

BOWFISHING FROM A BOAT AT NIGHT

Serious bowfishermen eventually graduate from bowfishing from the shore to bowfishing at night from a boat. Bowfishing at night will test your archery skills and your patience. Most bowfishing is done by shooting instinctively. At night, carp are often a few feet below the surface. The reflection on the water can make hitting them difficult. Hunters who haven’t bowfished at night should plan to shoot a lot before they actually hit a fish. The rule of thumb is to aim low, but it isn’t always that easy. Fish are often swimming by very quickly and you need to shoot fast as they swim by in order to hit them. You also need to be an accurate, instinctive shooter in order to hit anything. It will take a lot of practice before a beginner starts regularly hitting fish at night.

When bowfishing at night, most bowfishermen use a fishing boat with a platform built in the front. They usually have large floodlights on the front of the boat to see the fish as they swim by. Serious bowfishermen have thousands of dollars wrapped up in their bow and gear, but that isn’t necessary if you are just starting out. My dad used a 12-foot fishing boat equipped with a wooden platform and trolling motor. I steered the boat and held an inexpensive spot light on the water as he shot.  No generators or high dollar flood lights were used.

BOWFISHING BIG GAME

Most diehard bowfishermen eventually start traveling to other states to stick large critters, including alligators, alligator gar, sharks and sting rays. Robin Parks of Aim Low Productions has done his share of traveling to bowfish. Parks and his TV crew recently headed to Chesapeake Bay and shot a sting ray. “The beauty of fishing in the Bay is that you are on open water so you don’t have to worry about bumping into downed trees when you shoot a ray. They take the line and make a run for it,” Parks said.  A large ray weighs well over 50 pounds and once they get stuck with an arrow, they usually pull the entire boat as they take the line from the reel. To avoid losing the ray and his arrow, Parks has a float on the end of his line. If the ray takes all the line, he simply finds the float and brings the fish in. His goal is to hold on and not let the ray take out all the line. “When bowfishing for rays, as soon as a ray takes off after the shot we grab the line and fight the fish. We always wear gloves so we don’t cut our hands. Fighting with a big ray is a lot of fun,” Parks added.

Parks also enjoys bowfishing for alligator gars, which are huge fish that resemble some prehistoric creature from Jurassic Park. They also can give a bowfisherman a run for his money. “When going after gars, we usually shoot them, let them lay, and slowly approach them. After we get over the top of them in the boat, we pull them in. If you hit one and start fighting with it, it will take your line and run. Fighting with them in swamps full of timber and muck can be difficult. It’s best to let them sit for awhile after the shot,” Parks said.

Whether you’re bowfishing for big fish or chasing carp in your local river, one thing is for sure: Bowfishing is the ideal year-round bowhunting pursuit. It’s the perfect cure for cabin fever. It’s also very inexpensive, which is perfect for bowhunters who have a little spare time in the summer but not a lot of extra cash. If you enjoy competing, there are bowfishing tournaments held across the country. There’s probably one in your neck of the woods this summer. Whether you want to bowfish for fun or for competition, get ready to say good-bye to the couch and hello to a whole new world of bowhunting fun!

You can now shop for tennis equipment, accessories, etc. at the EGF Tennis Store.

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