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foreward. we fall in love with each other, with others, then we hate each other and worry and drink about it while dancing. sometimes we run in the rain smiling, and sometimes we cry because it's ruining our days and our clothes. there are smiling serafina pasta dinners and sad ones. too much champagne at pauls and not enough at up&down. we made it through though, and summer's over.

the degradation of summer

COVER

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THE DEGRADATION OF SUMMER,

a whatever you want it to be. shot by morgan young

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Water heater installation austin tx

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2014 NBA Preview: The Portland Trailblazers

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Did anyone expect the Trailblazers to have the season they had last year? Well... I actually predicted them to make the playoffs going into last season as my sleeper team, but I didn't think it would happen like it did. The Blazers looked great under head coach Terry Stotts, and this year it'll be interesting to see how Portland performs now that people expect them to be good.

LaMarcus Aldridge showed us all last season why he should be considered one of the best big men in the entire league. He averaged 23 points and eleven rebounds per game to spring this Blazers team into relevancy. His back to the basket game along with his ability to knock down the mid-randge jumper is what makes Aldridge so skilled and dangerous. He causes matchup problems for teams becasue he can get away from the basket and really stretch the floor. I think Aldridge will build on the year he had last season and average even more points. He's actually one of my favorite players to watch in all of the NBA despite being a Longhorn.

Aldridge will have the help of his point guard Damian Lillard to help lead this Blazers team on a long playoff run. Lillard averaged 20 points and six assists per game last year in his breakout season in which he made his first all-star game. Lillard is a playmaker, willing his team to more than win last year. He's very athletic for a point guard and can knock down the three-ball efficiently. Last season he knocked the Rockets out of the playoffs on an incredible buzzer beating shot. The swag this dude has is truly through the roof, and If I were a Blazer fan I'd be thrilled to have Lillard running the show.

The wing players on this Blazer team will be the ultimate difference maker on this season. Both Wesley Matthews and Nicolas Batum have proven they're great pro players, and both fit into the system Stotts is running in Portland. Matthews averaged 16 points per game last season while Batum averaged 13. They are both better than average defenders who can cause mismatches due to their long length (especially Batum). They'll both be asked to knock down open shots more than ever now that Lillard and Aldridge are two of the league's elite, so I think the success of the team will depend on how role players such as Matthews and Batum perform. Both CJ McCollum and Dorell Wright will also have some responsibility in that category as well, but to a lesser extent since they'll be coming off of the bench.

Robin Lopez will once again be the starting center for the Trailblazers after averaging eleven points and 8.5 rebounds last season. Robin isn't as good as his brother Brook, but he's definitely a starting center in this league. The Blazers also brought in Chris Kaman in the offseason to bring depth to the position. Kaman has never been known to stuff a stat sheet, but he's a respectable NBA veteran who will be useful if Lopez goes down with an injury. Both Meyers Leonard and Thomas Robinson should get playing time at the post as well.

I have the Blazers finishing in fourth place in the Western Conference, giving them home court for the first round of the playoffs. The bench for this team looks to be a little suspect, but I ultimately think they have one of the better starting lineups in all of basketball. I think that strength alone will take them a long way barring any type of serious injury.

#6 Portland Trailblazers

Potential Starters

PG: Damian Lillard

SG: Wesley Matthews

SF: Nicolas Batum

PF: Lamarcus Aldridge

C: Robin Lopez

Check back tomorrow to see who I ranked fifth in the "Hoopsaholic NBA Preview"

HarborWare 2014 Catalog

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READ CATALOG HERE

http://issuu.com/harborware/docs/2014_catalog_web

http://www.harborware.com/

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Demo post

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5) Bulb Wreath

Another way to make a unique wreath is to make it out of various Christmas tree bulbs. Mix and match bulbs using different colors, textures, and patterns. Remove the hooks from all of the bulbs then proceed by taking all of the caps off. Use a small bit of hot glue and glue the caps back on to the bulbs. This helps guarantee that the bulbs will stay on during the constructing of the wreath and during the wear and tear it will face outside. Then bend a metal coat hanger into a circle making sure to leave the hook bent, so you will be able to hang your wreath. Slide your bulbs on to the coat hanger by untwisting the metal piece of the hanger that is twisted around the hook. Once it is an open circle, string the bulbs into the circle using this opening and the hole in the cap. Once your wreath is full, you can twist the hanger back together at the hook and string some ribbon through the bulbs at the top and make a voluminous bow with long curled ends. Using ribbon with metal edges will give your bow more support and will be helpful in keeping its shape ("Como Fazer Uma Guirlanda Com Cabide De Metal E Bolas De Natal - Fácil E Barato").

6) Snow Globes

Seeing the snowfall is a very precious sight and now you can capture it in a mason jar! Start by filling the jar with water, at least one tablespoon of glycerin, and lots of glitter. Choose the objects you want in your snow globe and hot glue them to the flat lid. Once the objects are dried and stable, glue the lid to the jar and then glue the screw on lid to the jar as well. Flip it over and you have a beautiful sparkling snowfall ("{DIY} Holiday + Winter Wedding Decor DIYs - Oh Lovely Day").

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2) Bow Wreath

Add some dimension to your wreath this year by making it out of bows. Get a straw wreath and leave its plastic wrap on. Continue by peeling the backing off of the bows and sticking them onto the wreath making sure to get all the edges to give your wreath more volume. If you want your bows to have a stronger hold, you can place a dab of hot glue on the bow’s backing before putting it on the straw wreath ("Bow Wreath").

3) Crafty Wrapping

Wrapping paper gets to be just another expense to add to your list during holiday shopping. A wise economical and environmental choice is to reuse paper grocery bags. Rip open a bag by its seams and face the non-printed side upward when wrapping. After your gift is wrapped, decorate the plain brown paper with patterns and colors by using different stickers and bows ("40 Brown Paper Gift Wrapping Ideas | My Paradissi").

4) Refurbishing Wine Bottles

Make your old boring wine glasses into beautiful texturized vases in a few simple steps. First, paint an old wine bottle white with painting primer. After it dries, spray craft bond adhesive on it and then roll it in Epson salt. After you have gathered a sufficient amount of salt and it dries to the bottle, start decorating by placing pinecones or bulbs at the base and branches or dried flowers inside the bottle ("Winter Centerpiece").

Child Studies Mag Cover

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You & Your Child

Halloween Edition.

We talk;

The Importance of Tradition.

Creative Costume Crafting!

Feature 2

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How to Make Your Kitchen Pop!

Update your smartphone, car, clothes and furniture, but what about your kitchen? Never thought of it before? Well, now is the perfect time to organize, update or remodel! Before the holiday season kicks in people might want to get their kitchen together for all of that holiday cooking and baking. Many people feel their kitchen is too small and cluttered. I’ve been in that boat before and trust me, it’ll just keep sinking. When a kitchen seems too small, things become unorganized. The last thing a person wants when the in laws come over for supper is a kitchen that is messy and disorganized.

Bringing a kitchen up to date does not have to be expensive. You can change the looks with some organization by simply moving items around. The nice thing about it is that it doesn’t cost any money! First, get rid of any garbage or odds and ends lying around. Nobody needs a house full of empty wrappers. Now, step back and take a look at the countertops. Is there anything sitting on them that hasn’t been used in weeks? If there is, try finding a different spot for it so it’s not taking up valuable counter space and making the kitchen look smaller. Next, go through utensils. If there is an item that you always have to run to get from the pantry or cupboard, try to place it closer to where it’s used. Pots, pans, and hot pads should be close to the stove. Dishes will do best by the sink or dish washer because it will be easier to put away. Basically, put the items wherever it will be easiest to access. Finding utensils and dishes should not make cooking stressful.

After the kitchen is clean and organized, there are many ways looks can be changed. Unfortunately, this will cost some money. Plan a budget to try to avoid being “credit card happy”. Warning: The salesmen may try to sell the top of the line appliances. Sometimes it is necessary to update but plan ahead of time. A stainless steel, French door refrigerator may be tempting but is it necessary for a family of two in a kitchen that’s the dimensions of a small bathroom? Probably not.

In fact, when it comes to stainless steel, don’t overdo it (The Biggest Kitchen Design Mistakes). A few accents of it here and there will suffice. Kitchen designer Matthew Quinn suggests to, “Be especially careful with those stainless-steel coffins — giant stainless refrigerators. They can quickly overpower a kitchen design if it's not balanced correctly." However, if your heart is set on a stainless French door fridge you can always cover it up with cupboards (The Biggest Kitchen Design Mistakes).

Speaking of cupboards, white is back! The new trend of 2014 seems to be white cupboards (Top Ten Kitchen Trends). Everyone has their own preference when it comes to cupboards but white ones scream modern and hip. More importantly than color, make sure they are good quality cabinets (The Biggest Kitchen Design Mistakes). They are going to be opened and shut every day so it is crucial to have ones that will last. Have wooden cupboards? No need to replace anything, simply buy a couple gallons of paint and DIY. Maybe even add an accent cupboard, as seen in Lowe’s Easy Kitchen Updates. (See Appendix A) A new coat of paint can work wonders when renovating a kitchen. It will give it a fresh new look!

Along with cupboards, change the hardware around the kitchen. Most likely there’s that drawer that the knob is coming unscrewed on. Here is the perfect place to incorporate that stainless, shiny look. Replace all handles with new ones. It’s an easy, inexpensive thing to do that can add character to cupboards and drawers.

Also, update major appliances like faucets, sinks, countertops, stoves, fridges, and dishwashers. Maybe you’ve never had a dishwasher. Why not live in luxury? If money is not much of an issue, there should be nothing in the way. Farm sinks are definitely in this season (Top Ten Kitchen Trends).They are multi-purpose and stylish. If money is tight, try splurging on one item and saving on others, so that at least one item can be displayed and felt accomplished about. Work stations have become popular too. A work station is an area that made to get a specific job done. For example, a little office nook, an area to make pizza, or a coffee bar. The coffee bar idea is one of Tasty Bytes’ favorites from Beautiful Homes and Gardens. Having that coffee bar at home will save hundreds of dollars on morning espresso. Plus, you won’t have to worry about where the nearest Starbucks is.

With all of that, the kitchen should look modern, sleek and up-to-date. Just a minute though, there is one element that is often forgotten… technology! We live in a fast-paced society where technology is always advancing. So why not add some to the kitchen? Instead of eating on the couch, in front of the T.V., in the living room, make the kitchen a place to entertain. Add a wall mount T.V. in a place that is easily seen from sitting and cooking areas (Top Ten Kitchen Trends). That way it can be enjoyed while cooking and dinner party guests will be impressed when they come over. Try to incorporate a computer. They can be super helpful to look up a recipe, update a Facebook status, or checking work emails (Top Ten Kitchen Trends). There are endless things that can be done, the sky’s the limit. However, this season’s hottest remodels are a modern style with a touch of the 21st century. Now it’s your turn, we guarantee it will definitely make your kitchen pop!

Works Cited

Lowe's. "Budget Friendly Kitchen Makeovers From Lowe's." Online video clip. Youtube.

Youtube, 21 Feb 2014.

The Biggest Kitchen Design Mistakes. n.d. 24 10 2014.

Top Ten Kitchen Trends. n.d. 24 10 2014.

2014 NBA Preview: The Golden State Warriors

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#7 Golden State Warriors

After an offseason of change and Kevin Love trade rumors, the Golden State Warriors go into the 2014 season with a lot of optimism as they try to take the next step as a franchise. The Warriors were bounced out the playoffs by the Clippers last season in the first round which resulted in the firing of Mark Jackson and the hiring of Steve Kerr. Now with a roster LOADED with talent, Kerr will need to figure out a way to get this Warriors team to the NBA Finals.

Steph Curry is one of the best shooters in NBA history, and will be asked to lead this Warriors team from the point guard position. Last year, Curry was voted a starter for the West in the all-star game after averaging 24 points, 8.5 assists and four rebounds to go along with his 42% three-point percentage. He's proven every season that he's more than just a one-dimensional player like many thought he'd be coming out of Davidson. I don't think he's the best point guard in the Western conference, but I do believe he's a top-5 talent. I expect him to give opposing teams nightmares once again and lead the league in three-point makes.

Curry's "Splash Brother", Klay Thompson is also one of the best shooters in the league, which gives the Warriors one of the best guard duos in all of the league. Thompson averaged 18 points last season while shooting 41.7% from behind the arc. There were rumors that Thompson would get packaged up in a deal for Kevin Love over the summer, but ultimately the Warriors decided Thompson was too valuable of a piece to give up. Last season Mark Jackson believed Thompson was not only a great shooter, but the best wing-defender on the team as well. If he continue his lights-out shooting touch and great defense, then Thompson could end up with a spot in his first all-star game.

The Warriors want to see a lot more out of Andre Iguodala this season after a mediocre first year in Golden State. Iguodala averaged nine points to go along with five rebounds and four assists per game, but he really struggled to fit into this offensive juggernaut. I think with a new coach in Kerr, the Warriors will find a way to best utilize the athleticism of Iguodala. He's also considered one of the best wing defenders in the NBA, so the duo of Iguodala and Thompson will be a tough matchup for opposing teams.

If both David Lee and Andrew Bogut can stay healthy this season, the Warriors will have dominant big-men to go along with their potent shooters. Lee averaged 18 points and nine rebounds last year while battling through various injuries. He's always been known as a double-double guy, but he will need to step up his defense, a part of Lee's game that's always been criticized. Where Lee lacks on the defensive side of the ball, Bogut makes up for it. Bogut's one of the better rim protectors in the league and averaged seven points and ten rebounds last season. This duo will clog the lane and bolster the already stout Warriors defense that finished fourth in the league last year in defensive efficiency.

Along with a stellar starting five, the Warriors will have a fairly deep bench. Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes and Shaun Livingston should all contribute heavily to the teams success while Green and Barnes might find opportunities to start if Lee and Iguodala get off to a slow start. Ultimately I have the Warriors finishing fifth in the West. That ranking may seem pretty low, but with so many great teams making up the conference I don't see the Warriors finishing much higher.

Potential Starters

PG: Steph Curry

SG: Klay Thompson

SF: Andre Iguodala

PF: David Lee

C: Andrew Bogut

Check back later to see who I ranked sixth in the "HOOPSAHOLIC NBA Preview"

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CYBERBULLYING

We live in a world our mothers probably never dreamed of when they were kids. Could anyone have ever imagined there would be something like the Internet or cell phones? Facebook or Twitter? We can be in touch with one another almost anytime we want. We can store our pictures, our videos, and our memories so that they can never get lost or damaged. Our parents feel comfortable giving us more freedom because with a cell phone we’re never farther than a phone call or a text message away. All this technology connects us and gives us the opportunity to stay in touch, to reach out, and to be closer to our friends and family than any generation before us. All these wonderful inventions, from e-mail to smartphones, have the potential to build us up.

Unless they tear us down first.

It’s called cyberbullying-using electronic technology to harass another person. Some studies show that 20 percent of all people will experience cyberbullying by the time they are eighteen years old. And girls are more likely to be cyberbullied than boys. All these new technologies and social networks have the potential to make the problem much, much, worse. How many of you have ever texted something mean about somebody? Left a rude comment on someone’s Facebook wall? Forwarded somebody an e-mail that wasn’t meant for them to read? Guess what-that all falls under the definition of cyberbullying. In some forms it’s just a pesky irritation. But there are times when cyberbullying can harm a person, creating enormous personal pain or even an emotional breakdown.

It’s so easy to start a rumor on the Internet. Push a few buttons, and there it is. It basically spreads by itself. Once something is out there, it’s really hard for anybody to know where it came from or whether it’s true. A rumor takes on a life of it’s own, whether you mean it to or not. And who really cares? You don’t even have to put your real name. Nobody will even know it was you, so it’s not your problem, is it? A little harmless gossip isn’t cyberbullying, right?

Wrong. Very, very wrong.

When you text or post on Facebook about someone or you send around a stupid picture or an e-mail that wasn’t meant for other people’s eyes, it’s out there forever. You might delete it or try to take it back or take it off your wall. But chances are somebody will have already seen it, and if they didn’t see it, they will talk to someone who did. In other words, it’s getting much easier for us to cause embarrassment, or actual hurt, for one another. Now more than ever, we have to be careful about what we say and how we say it. The technology is always changing, and we have to start changing with it.

As many as two-thirds of all students our age go online every day to connect with one another or do schoolwork. That’s a huge explosion in the online population, and the increase in cyberbullying attacks has come right along with it. Because it’s hard to trace the source, and because the use of words or pictures to bully is sometimes seen as less “serious” than physical violence, schools, parents, and even the police aren’t in agreement over when and how to take measures to stop it. The burden is going to fall on us to educate ourselves and develop a sense of responsibility about this issue.

My suggestion for one way to do this is simple: Never text or post anything you wouldn’t say or do in person. Respect the power of the written word. Don’t say something you might never be able to take back. And remember that something that might seem like a little harmless pranking to you might be devastating to someone else.

It’s an amazing time to be in the world. We can communicate over any distance practically through thin air. Let’s just make sure that in the process, we never lose sight of one another.

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4 girls

Bixby Middle School

We’ve got issues at Bixby Middle School, just like kids at any school do. One of the most talked about issues this month is our new softball team and their need for the same kind of funding and attention the other sports teams get.

We may be a small town, but our girls’ soccer and basketball teams are some of the best in the county. Last year, ten talented athletes banded together to form Bixby Middle School’s first ever girls’ softball team. That same year, a boys’ lacrosse team was organized. Those lacrosse players all have new sticks and pads and uniforms this year, but the girls have had to make their own T-shirts and are using their own mitts and old bats and balls. The girls deserve better. That is our opinion.

It is also the law. Did you know that there was legislation passed by Congress in 1972 requiring equal opportunities in school for everyone, including athletic programs? The law is called Title IX, and it still applies today. We’ve made a lot of progress since 1972, but we still have a ways to go.

Times are tough for schools. We keep hearing there are fewer funds available for our clubs and our field trips and our non academic programs. Now more than ever, we have to stay involved and fight to keep the programs we need and love.

Because of the Curriculum Education Project, girls are getting a chance to do something. You all know by now that a group called Pitch In was organized to apply for the CEP money. We’ve heard their arguments, we’ve visited their website, and we’ve learned about everything that their CEP group has to offer. Four of us organized a group, too, to write and publish the magazine you are now reading. In the last few weeks, we’ve learned a lot about the reality of competition when girls go up against girls. We’ve also learned a lot about ourselves. And some of what we’ve learned surprised us. In the end, we had to remind one another that the most important thing to remember is everybody deserves to be heard, because we’re all in this together.

Check out Pitch In yourself this week. We think it’s important you hear what they have to say.

We’ve come a long way. And one thing is for certain: We are all in this together. And you know what? We’re glad to have the company.

PITCHING IN FOR PITCH IN

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One thing that we know all girls hate about the winter is you can’t take out the bikinis anymore! So you tan in a tanning bed and increase the risk of getting skin cancer. Most of us will do anything to look good, right? There’s a better way to keep your skin tan! It’s a 5 step process. “From Pippa's perma-bronzed look to Kate's wedding-day glow, the Middleton sisters are all about this tawny tone” (cosmopolitan.com). In the picture you can tell that it worked out pretty well, so I’ll give you the steps to a successful looking you!

Tanning

Fashion Diva

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