Maybe my mother knew about Jarvis, who spent her inheritance and older years fighting against what the celebration had become. Jarvis was even arrested in 1923 for staging a protest.

Jarvis saw the purchasing of greeting cards as a sign of being too lazy to pen a personal note.

My mother was totally against cards, presents or flowers, and I suspect she even would have balked at a hand-written note.

Bernice Smiley said the only satisfactory tribute her children could provide was to follow her teachings every day of every year.

In short, my mother wanted something the department stores, candy shops and florists didn’t have on their shelves.

I wasn’t the kind of kid to question social norms and I certainly didn’t know anything about commercialization. I simply wanted to be like every other kid. So my mother was the culprit. my mother was the weirdo.

All the other kids got to talk about what they were getting their mom for the big day, and I simply took to making up stuff. What kid on the block is going to talk about giving the gift of obedience and living a life according to some something dumb called a family value system?

History, as is said, has a way of repeating itself.

“What kind of flowers are you giving?” my older daughter’s friend, Marie, asked my daughter Pamela.

Marie didn’t take Pamela’s word that I didn’t want flowers, to go out to dinner or any of the other commercial rewards that Jarvis, founder of our day, had protested.

When Marie arrived at our house with a beautiful orchid and an oversized card, she found me in ragged work clothes, digging holes and pulling weeds.

Published: April 20th, 2012

About 55,260 Irwin 10-inch circular saw blades sold exclusively at Lowe’s have been recalled after reports suggest that they may fall out of the packaging and cut consumers. 

The Lowe’s saw blade recall was announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on April 19, after the manufacturer, Irwin Industrial Tool Company, of Huntersville, North Carolina, received at least three reports of the blades falling out of the bottom of the plastic packaging.

The CPSC has determined that the blades pose a laceration hazard, although there have been no injuries reported in connection with the recalled saw blades.

The recall affects the Irwin Classic Series 10-inch Circular Saw Blade Limited Promotion 3-packs. they are sold in packs including a 10-inch trim and finish saw blade with 60 teeth and two 10-inch general purpose saw blades with 40 teeth. The saw blades are encased in blue and yellow packaging with the words “Irwin” and “Classic Series” in the top front left corner and “3 Circular Saw Blades” on the lower front left corner. The blades have a model number of ICSLD3PK, which is located on the front top right corner.

The recalled circular saw blades were sold exclusively at Lowe’s stores nationwide for $40 from October 2011 through November 2011.

The CPSC recommends that any consumers who have the recalled blades should immediately contact the firm to receive a free storage container. any saw blades still in the package should remain undisturbed and stored in a safe and secure location until the new container arrives. they should then be transferred to the new storage container. Consumers with additional questions can contact Irwin at (800) 464-7946 or visit the company’s website at irwinrecall.com.

You may already know that Dane Cook is in the midst of a very large national arena tour, which he has dubbed the Isolated Incident Global Thermo Comedy Tour. What you may not know is that Punchline Magazine is giving away two pairs of tickets to see his stop at the Staples Center in LA on Saturday, May 30. So we’ve just broken the good news to you. You’re welcome.

But we’re going to have a little fun first. To become a candidate to win: Shoot a video no longer than two minutes explaining why you deserve to win a pair of tickets to the show. be creative!

The video must be in one of the following formats: .flv, .wmv, .mov, .mpg, .mpeg, .mp4 and under 100MB! please email your video via yousendit.com (it’s free) to with subject DANE and include your full name and mailing address. we will choose the best two videos. The videos will be posted on Punchline Magazine and you’ll get a pair of tickets to the show.

Finally, please know that we’re providing tickets only. Transportation, lodging and anything else is totally up to the winners. So make sure you live in the LA area or are willing to travel on your own to LA. Deadline for submission is Friday, May 22.

It looks like every single day there is a new article in newspapers or things on the TV news reports, reminding us all we should be eating more fruit and veggies in our meal plans. It’s very challenging to make the move to a diet including more fruits and vegetables – even though we all, as adults, see the necessity of this. just imagine just how much harder it is for children to form the right decisions, their fast-food choices and also stress from their school friends causes it to be difficult for them to make right health selections. A home smoothie maker is a simple solution to create delicious and nutritious smoothies that your children will enjoy.

If, perhaps your children are like my own, they arrive after their school day like they really are famished! all they really want is a snack to fill them up again before they are setting off to attend after school clubs or to play with friends. Given an option, fruit isn’t the very first thing on the list, they might rather have a few biscuits or cake. Picking a healthy choice is not the first thing in their thoughts by any means yet by creating a good smoothie in a smoothie maker provides them so many great nutrients in a single glass!

Almost all children love a glass of juice. If you have a juicer at home, you’ll know that you’re providing them with a drink packed full of nutritional vitamins out of freshly squeezed fruit. nevertheless, even though juice is excellent and far healthier compared to any fizzy drink, juice lacks the amazing benefits of the whole fruit because all of the pulp filled with dietary fibre, anti-oxidants as well as other nutrients stays inside the juicer.

Insoluble dietary fibre is important and consuming insufficient within our daily diets could have serious outcomes for our overall health. In the beginning this may just be the problem with bowel irregularity and perhaps the pain of creating piles (haemorrhoids). In the long term, we may be heading for much more serious difficulties for ourselves simply by getting more vulnerable to grave ailments for example cancer of the colon or bowel.

Disolveable dietary fibre is important too. this is a great asset if you’re attempting to eat more healthily and perhaps shed weight too because it really helps to regulate the sugar levels in our blood. In the event that you suffer ‘lows’ in your sugar levels when you need to consume sweet things, insoluble dietary fibre will assist you to smooth out these ‘lows’. An excellent bonus is it also has a beneficial impact on our levels of cholesterol.

To conclude making it easy for our own children to form healthy diet decisions, from when they are really young is going to help save them from getting many, unpleasant and perhaps harmful health conditions as they get older. A good smoothie maker could be a valuable resource in this approach, helping children to enjoy a healthy drink and also to be involved in selecting and producing their own recipes.

To get help in choosing the best smoothie blender under $50 which is the best type for your household and your requirements, please go to our site today using the weblink supplied here. You might need meal replacement shakes or possibly a personal smoothie maker or one that will make large quantities of smoothie mix – whatever you want, you’ll discover information and advice on this web site!

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Filed under: Food and Drink

Bonnie Javor’s backyard is like a haven for people with green thumbs.

Javor, a Welland Horticultural Society member, is one of many volunteers with the group that has a stockpile of plants — annuals, perennials, rose bushes and more — waiting to find a home in someone’s garden come Saturday.

“We have mostly perennials,” Javor said. “Vermeer’s (Garden Centre) donated some annuals to us. We received perennials from Rice Road Greenhouses and we planted them, dug them up and we will be selling them on Saturday. There’s a real good mix.”

On Saturday at the Niagara Regional Exhibition grounds between 9 a.m. and noon, the horticultural society will be hosting its 17th annual plant sale, which acts as a major fundraiser for the organization.

Money will help offset costs for events featuring guest speakers, garden tours and day trips. Funds raised this year will also go towards an educational grant presented to Niagara College as well as festivities to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Cook’s Mills, the last battle fought on Canadian soil during the War of 1812.

Niagara Regional Exhibition grounds are located at 1100 Niagara St.

SAN DIEGO, May 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Legend3D, inc., a leading digital media technology/visual effects company and innovator in 3D storytelling, today introduced Stereo Works™, a new business division dedicated to collaborating with entertainment studios to create seamless stereo images for feature films. Stereo Works supports Legend3D‘s high-quality 3D conversion portfolio by leveraging the company’s propriety technologies to address a variety of stereoscopic issues faced by today’s studios. By adapting Legend3D‘s existing asset control platform and efficient workflow systems, Stereo Works offers film studios and VFX teams an experienced partner to provide precise post-production stereo imaging services.

(Logo: photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111129/LA14096LOGO)

(Logo: photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120514/LA06217LOGO)

“Legend3D has a deep understanding of all types of stereo and, with extensive R&D, we’ve developed tools that lead the industry in quality and efficiency. Stereo Works is a natural extension of our conversion services and enables us to better serve studios in managing native 3D post-production projects,” said Dr. Barry Sandrew, founder, chief creative officer and chief technology officer at Legend3D.

Stereo Works provides a wealth of stereoscopic services, such as native stereo repair to address camera anomalies, lens refractions and reflection issues. it also supports stereoscopic rotoscoping, color matching, compositing of graphic elements and 2D plate corrections for flawless finished products that convey the director’s vision and help enhance the audience’s experience. The team, led by Jared Sandrew, Stereo Works’ head of creative and Legend3D‘s stereoscopic visual effects supervisor, is comprised of Legend3D senior team members, ensuring the utmost level of quality is delivered on each project.  The division is wrapping up its first major studio assignment for 3D release early this summer.

“Legend3D is an established 2D-to-3D conversion partner for Hollywood studios and with the creation of Stereo Works, we’re building upon our successful technology platforms to enhance offerings and fill the need for high-quality post-production stereoscopic visual effects,” said Tom Sinnott, Stereo Works’ head of operations and Legend3D‘s chief operating officer. “This extended arm enables us to expand our work with studios to cost-effectively support high-end VFX projects and overcome common stereo hurdles, both as a part of and in addition to 2D-to-3D conversion.”

The establishment of Stereo Works marks another growth milestone for Legend3D, as the studio recently relocated its Los Angeles office to Hollywood Center Studios to be closer to its entertainment client base. last November, the company secured venture capital financing, including a $19 million Series E Preferred Stock offering, which is helping fund Stereo Works’ R&D efforts to create original VFX algorithms that will continue advancing industry technology and initiate more efficient post-production workflows.

Stereo Works is based in Legend3D‘s San Diego office. to learn more about Legend3D, please visit Legend3D.com. for press inquiries, contact Robin Dwyer at 619-234-0345 or .

About Legend3D

As the largest U.S.-based 3D conversion studio in the film industry, Legend3D, inc. is a dynamic digital media and visual effects company. Founded in 2001 by Dr. Barry Sandrew, Legend3D utilizes patented 2D-to-3D image conversion technologies to enhance filmmakers’ storytelling by creating the highest-quality three dimensional conversions. Legend3D is the most experienced 3D conversion company in the industry and has completed 3D conversions for major motion pictures such as Hugo, Transformers: dark of the Moon, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Green Lantern and The Smurfs. Legend3D‘s clients include Bay Films, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Sony Pictures Imageworks, Walt Disney Studios, DreamWorks Animation, Lionsgate and Screen Gems. Legend3D‘s conversion artists are rapidly setting the industry standard for 2D-to-3D conversion and continue to help filmmakers connect with audiences worldwide. for more information, visit Legend3D.com.

SOURCE Legend3D, inc.

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RELATED LINKS Legend3D.com

“It was smokey, and the transmission was hot,” he said.

In 2011, the Hahn became a source of concern and a focal point for ARCFD’s reorganization. in the past year the community has rebuilt the board, which has since restored firefighters to the department and purchased a new pumper. With each progressing meeting the new board has upgraded and reformed the department. at the Monday, may 7, meeting the board approved to auction off the dysfunctional pumper, the last visible piece of the former department.

Recently, the organization also scrapped a 1965 Ford pumper truck for $954. Originally, members had anticipated roughly $2,000 worth of scrap, but the department donated the pump to Marshall fire Department to use for training.

“They’ve been very helpful to us,” said board member Gary Goldhammar, noting that MFD personnel frequently assists ARCFD with training and vehicle maintenance.

At a previous meeting, Bertani announced ARCFD firefighters would install a tank on the department’s brush truck. However, this installment was postponed, until the firefighters could complete some mechanical work on the vehicle.

Board member Ralph Borgman questioned whether firefighters’ mechanical responsibilities took time away from their training. Assistant fire Chief Mike Dickey assured the board the fire personnel took deep pride in maintaining the department’s trucks.

“The crew is very protective of their vehicles,” Dickey said. “If there’s a breakdown in the field, they know what to do.”

Bertani reported the new recruits’ pagers and radios had frequency issues and needed to be returned.

As Bertani gave the report, the board questioned if they’d approved that purchase. After briefly flipping through receipts and previous meetings’ minutes, members determined they’d never approved new radios for the firefighter recruits.

Bertani said he thought he could purchase equipment as long as he stayed within a set budget. However board member Randy Morton and several others thought spending $2,588 on supplies exceeded the fire chief’s authority.

“I’d like to know before we spend” that much money, Morton said.

Gessling said the new recruits needed the equipment, even if Bertani had gone outside purchasing protocol. the board unanimously approved the pagers and radios, and agreed to discuss procedures for buying equipment in closed session.

Secretary-Treasurer Ken Osborn reported the organization’s 501(c)3 status came through last week. Under this classification the department will have a better chance at obtaining grant money for fire protection gear.

“I’m so glad our 501 came in quicker than expected,” Gessling said.

The board also inquired whether Slater Assistant City Administrator Gene Griffith could help the department with grant writing. Slater Mayor Stephen Allegri offered his blessing and said Griffith’s grant work would not be a conflict of interest.

Osborn also noted this year’s significant increase in funding and subscribers. the department has collected $24,483 in dues, which is roughly $13,000 more than it collected in 2011.

Since Osborn began contacting the community through mailers, the organization has gained 43 new subscribers. he estimates he sent out 500 mailers.

The next board meeting is Monday, June 4, at 6:30 p.m. at Hardeman R-10 School. these meetings are open to the public, but the board requests that concerns are presented in writing prior to the meeting.

Contact Maggie Menderski at

Often a beginning professional photographer must do with a single large space to set up a new portrait studio. it must contain a reception and display area, a dressing room, an office, and of course, a camera room.

The camera room must be able to accommodate large families, various groups and the typical wedding party with bride and groom. these demands require a background wall of at least sixteen feet wide for a group portrait without wall shadows. the background wall can be covered with floor to ceiling drapes of a solid color in a muted shade. Colors that have worked well in the past are gray/green, light gray, blue/gray and wine red. the drapes should part in the middle to expose most of the back wall which will be artistically painted in tones of brown, gray, and beige with accents of apple green and rose red. the drapes should extend six feet along the left and right walls for extremely large groups. a curved bracket will eliminate the corner. if a rear exit exists in the back wall, a false wall can be built with a door to the extreme side for rear access. This door will be hidden by the drapes and the area behind the wall can be utilized for frames, ready orders and back up equipment.

Since the camera lens sweeps a triangular area, the dead spot to the left can be utilized for an office and the area to the right, a dressing room. Props can be stored on shelves along the wall and hung from the ceiling. the floor should be kept free as possible for lights and equipment. Walls should be painted in a bone white for use as a reflective surface with bounce lighting. the posing area may be carpeted with a loop type rug in a neutral solid color. the area used by the camera stand should be covered in cushioned tile or linoleum for easy rolling. Ideally, pulleys can be installed on the ceiling for raising and lowering muslin type backgrounds. it takes but a few minutes to attach two corners of a muslin and raise it to the ceiling and stretching it out to the edge of the rug. several muslins can be stored in bags for easy access.

The reception and display area can utilize low couches and a cocktail table for showing albums. one area can be reserved for a computer terminal for displaying poses and another desk for taking orders and making reservations. Only sixteen by twenty and larger portraits should be displayed on the walls. Smaller sizes for selling purposes can be displayed on the desks.

The dressing room should incorporate a lighted mirror and dressing table with bench, hooks and hangers for clothing and a small lavatory. the office can double as a room for computer work, ordering supplies and customer calling. Your new efficient studio will be a pleasure to work in making for a happy photographer and satisfied customers.

     Dodge City marks National Train Day with a number of activities at the Santa Fe Depot on Saturday.      the day begins with a come-and-go reception at the Amtrak station from 9 to 11 a.m. Tours of the historic building will be offered from 10 to 11:30 a.m. the reception and tours are open to the public.      At lunchtime, the Depot Theater Company will recreate the experience of traveling on a train while you enjoy a delicious meal and entertainment provided by musician Don Ferguson of Waynoka, Okla.      the Fred Harvey Dining Car Luncheon will feature a menu put together by Depot chef, Kim Smith.      "I researched dining car menus from the Santa Fe and other rail lines," Smith said in a phone interview Tuesday.      as they would on a train, luncheon guests will choose from several dining options and mark their choices on a menu card.      "They'll have two soup options, three entree options, two bread choices and two dessert choices, plus beverages," Smith said.      Diners will have the option of keeping their menu card when lunch is over. the card has a Super Chief post card on the reverse.      other elements of the event will be orchestrated to the dining car theme: all-male waiters will serve in formal style — no visiting with the patrons, the four-top tables will be set adjacent to the windows in the dining room, table service will be linen and china, and Smith is even providing a train soundscape thanks to a 1950s LP of train sounds.

Train songs      Entertainment at the luncheon will be provided by Don Ferguson. Ferguson is a lifelong resident of Waynoka, Oklahoma.  He realized his love for music at a young age, singing with a quartet in high school, then began playing guitar in high school and bought his first instrument in 1956. He still has and plays that Gibson guitar.      Ferguson's love for playing the guitar did not leave him as he entered the Army in 1959.  While stationed in Hawaii, he played in the officer's club.  He also played in clubs throughout the islands.      "I didn't make much money, but I got out of a lot of duty," Ferguson said in a recent press release. Ferguson plays music for community events, such as Chamber of Commerce, Historical Society,  Waynoka Nursing Center and Senior Citizens. He also plays with friends for fund raisers in Long Dale, Woodward, Alva and other communities in Oklahoma.  He has done guest appearances at the Thomas Oklahoma Opery, WSMSS Showcase, Amarillo, TX, Bob Wills Days, Turkey Texas, and Oklahoma Fiddlers Association, Jam and Dance in Elk City, Oklahoma. Ferguson is a charter member of the Western Swing Society of the Southwest.      Tickets for the luncheon are $25 and advance reservations are required. Reservations may be made by calling the Depot Theater Company at 225-1001.      following the luncheon, the general public is invited to a screening of the movie "the Harvey Girls," which will be shown in the theater.      "the Harvey Girls" premiered in 1946 starring Judy Garland and Angela Lansbury. the story takes place in a fictional western town and Garland plays a Harvey Girl, one of the young, unmarried women recruited by Fred Harvey to serve as waitresses in the dining rooms he built along the Santa Fe route to the west coast.      Also in honor of National Train Day, the Dodge City Train Club will have model railroad layouts on display in the lobby of the Depot from may 9 through may 23.      For more information about National Train Day or to make reservations for the luncheon, call the Depot Theater Company at 225-1001.

     Dodge City marks National Train Day with a number of activities at the Santa Fe Depot on Saturday.      the day begins with a come-and-go reception at the Amtrak station from 9 to 11 a.m. Tours of the historic building will be offered from 10 to 11:30 a.m. the reception and tours are open to the public.      At lunchtime, the Depot Theater Company will recreate the experience of traveling on a train while you enjoy a delicious meal and entertainment provided by musician Don Ferguson of Waynoka, Okla.      the Fred Harvey Dining Car Luncheon will feature a menu put together by Depot chef, Kim Smith.      "I researched dining car menus from the Santa Fe and other rail lines," Smith said in a phone interview Tuesday.      as they would on a train, luncheon guests will choose from several dining options and mark their choices on a menu card.      "They'll have two soup options, three entree options, two bread choices and two dessert choices, plus beverages," Smith said.      Diners will have the option of keeping their menu card when lunch is over. the card has a Super Chief post card on the reverse.      other elements of the event will be orchestrated to the dining car theme: all-male waiters will serve in formal style — no visiting with the patrons, the four-top tables will be set adjacent to the windows in the dining room, table service will be linen and china, and Smith is even providing a train soundscape thanks to a 1950s LP of train sounds. Train songs      Entertainment at the luncheon will be provided by Don Ferguson. Ferguson is a lifelong resident of Waynoka, Oklahoma.  He realized his love for music at a young age, singing with a quartet in high school, then began playing guitar in high school and bought his first instrument in 1956. He still has and plays that Gibson guitar.      Ferguson's love for playing the guitar did not leave him as he entered the Army in 1959.  While stationed in Hawaii, he played in the officer's club.  He also played in clubs throughout the islands.      "I didn't make much money, but I got out of a lot of duty," Ferguson said in a recent press release. Ferguson plays music for community events, such as Chamber of Commerce, Historical Society,  Waynoka Nursing Center and Senior Citizens. He also plays with friends for fund raisers in Long Dale, Woodward, Alva and other communities in Oklahoma.  He has done guest appearances at the Thomas Oklahoma Opery, WSMSS Showcase, Amarillo, TX, Bob Wills Days, Turkey Texas, and Oklahoma Fiddlers Association, Jam and Dance in Elk City, Oklahoma. Ferguson is a charter member of the Western Swing Society of the Southwest.      Tickets for the luncheon are $25 and advance reservations are required. Reservations may be made by calling the Depot Theater Company at 225-1001.      following the luncheon, the general public is invited to a screening of the movie "the Harvey Girls," which will be shown in the theater.      "the Harvey Girls" premiered in 1946 starring Judy Garland and Angela Lansbury. the story takes place in a fictional western town and Garland plays a Harvey Girl, one of the young, unmarried women recruited by Fred Harvey to serve as waitresses in the dining rooms he built along the Santa Fe route to the west coast.      Also in honor of National Train Day, the Dodge City Train Club will have model railroad layouts on display in the lobby of the Depot from may 9 through may 23.      For more information about National Train Day or to make reservations for the luncheon, call the Depot Theater Company at 225-1001.