#Awesome: Power of Light

Holy cow!

How awesome is this?!

I'm looking for the creator as we speak!

Art. Fxch Yea!

#Yumm: 2012 Fads In Cookie Form

I love a good end of the year wrap up!

And cookies?!

This combo is dynamite. 

   Instagram

Mason Jars

Moustaches

Colorful Sneakers

   Justin Bieber

   Pinterest (My favorite!)

These caught my eye, but there are more below.. Take a gander!

See the full list of goodies here

#LOL: The Life Of Lines

Don't you just hate this?!!

Always best to just stay where you started!

The Life Of Lines

#TheQuench: All You Need To Know About Wine For This Holiday!

The art of getting drunk...

...or not...

The awesome people over at WineFolly.com put together a simple and entertaining infographic that will help you choose the appropriate wine for any occasion. If Riesling or Moscato is your automatic wine of choice, this post is for you! ;-)

Five Main Styles of Wine

All wines can be organized into five fundamental groups. Within each group there are hundreds of different grape varieties and also different winemaking styles.

Red Wine

Still wine made with black grapes. These can range from light to dark and bone-dry to sweet.

White Wine

A still wine produced from green and sometimes black grapes. Flavors span from rich and creamy to light and zesty.

Rosé Wine

Still wine from black grapes produced by removing the skins before they deeply color the wine. Also formed by blending red and white wine together. Both dry and sweet styles of rosé are common.

Sparkling Wine

A style of winemaking involving a secondary fermetation causing bubbles! Sparkling wine can be red, white or rosé and can range from minerally to rich and sweet.

Fortified Wine

A style of winemaking involving fortifying wine with spirits. Typically a dessert wine, but many dry-style fortified wines exist such as dry Sherry.

Now, go forth my wine sipping friends and drink responsibly!

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#TheQuench: TIME 2012 Person of the Year: President Barack Obama

Why so serious?

I'm not a big fan of this dark and dreary picture, but I am excited that the President made the cover.

Check out the article in TIME magazine on newstands everywhere.

#InCaseYouWereWondering: Getting a Gun in Japan

Did you know:

"In 2008, the U.S. had 12,000 gun-related murders. Japan had 11. More than double that number were killed in the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut."

CNN's Amanpour looks into what it takes to buy a gun in Japan:

• First, you have to take a class and a written exam.
• Then there's a skill test at a shooting range
• Next is a drug test
• Then a mental evaluation.
• Assuming you pass all those tests, you file with the police, who then run a background check.

 

WOW!

So Japan had less murders in an entire year than a single, isolated event here in the States?

 Pretty drastic.

The more you know....

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Newtown Connecticut Massacre

Rest In Peace.

On Friday, December 14th in Newtown, Connecticut, the world lost 26 angels. 20 baby angels were called up for reasons unknown. The country is still rattled by this horrific event, mainly, because it invoved the assasination of innocent children and their teachers. My heart goes out to the families who experienced loss and all those involved.

My questions are:

• Will our country take these violent hints for what they are and revisit gun control laws?
• Does it even matter that a popular chain decided to remove special firearms from the shelves of all its Newtown locations, after the fact?
• Why do we opt out of preventative measures? To now take a long hard look at gun reform is bittersweet.
• How do we protect our children when society has weaned out and stomped on the simplest forms of decency?

So many questions rummage my mind as I attempt to watch news coverage of the events. Too many to write down here. My suggestion would be to use this time to talk to your kids. Reach out to estranged family members or friends. Close as many open wounds as you can.

 Time is precious!

Laziest Neighbors Ever

Just lazy.

Ha!

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#TheQuench: Study Shows Women Can Tell a Cheating Man Just By Looking At Them

Who Runnit!?



Someone is not walking out of this room.

A new study reveals that women can tell with some accuracy the differnce between a faithful and unfaithful man. Particpants were given 189 picures of adult faces from the opposite sex and asked to rate them for faithfulness.

The study shows that women tended to make their judgement based on how masucline the man looked. The more masculine, the more prone he is to infidelity:

"Women's ratings of unfaithfulness showed small-moderate, significant correlations with measures of actual infidelity," wrote the team, led by Gillian Rhodes at the ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders at the University of Western Australia in Perth.

Men, on the other hand, seemed to have no clue. They tended to perceive attractive, feminine women to be unfaithful, when there was no evidence that they were, the scientists noted.

LOL. Who's surprised? I mean really. Women have always had a deeper connection with our internal (gut) feelings. It's just that many of us are foolish and tend to ignore that first thought for what ever reason.

Now, if we can only get men to admit that women are smarter....

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#SayitAintSo: Obesity Is Now a Bigger Crisis Than Hunger

Now this is just ridiculous.

The parents of this child ought to be slapped.

Hard.

Now, that is my first thought. However, with the rise in Obesity rates, its becoming increasingly more difficult to pinpoint exactly who is to blame in this oversized epidemic. ::puts baby powder down::

According to the British medical journal, The Lancet, obesity has grown into the world's largest health crisis, and is now the leading cause of disabilities around the world.

Soo, there's been a shift in mortality. (deaths) Children aren't dying from infectious diseases anymore thanks to updated immunizaions. Now, the world is affected by obesity!

Whaaaaaaat?! You're probably thinking, "There are more fat people than starving kids?" Not exactly:

The report revealed that every country, with the exception of those in sub-Saharan Africa, faces alarming obesity rates -- an increase of 82% globally in the past two decades. Middle Eastern countries are more obese than ever, seeing a 100% increase since 1990.

Ohhh ok.

"The so-called 'Western lifestyle' is being adapted all around the world, and the impacts are all the same," Mokdad said.

Sounds a little like 'Let's all blame the fat Americans' to me....

Anywho, this is surprising to say the least. There aren't as many charity commericals for the starving kids in [insert third world country here] anymore, but I would have never in a million years guessed this is why.

What are your thoughts on this development? Do you believe the results? Leave your comments below!




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#TheQuench: New Law Says Commercial Volume Must Be Turned Down

About Damn Time.

3 cheers for whoever made this law possible.

 I'm positive I'm not the only person who's fell asleep with the TV on only to awake to an uber obnoxious commercial blasting at my membrane 10x louder than the volume of normal.

I've come too close to throwing a heavy object at my TV as a result of this.

Thankfully, an angel has come down and answered my prayers:

CALM stands for Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation. The act is designed to prevent TV commercials from blaring at louder volumes than the program content they accompany. The rules govern broadcasters as well as cable and satellite operators.

 The rules are meant to protect viewers from excessively loud commercials.

Apparently, this became law years ago, but the FCC wanted to give the industry some time to ease in.

Well, times up.

Turn that mess down!!

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New Music Bundle: Big Boi | Snoop Lion | The Game ft. Lil Wayne , Jeremih & Faboluous

Good Tunes Ahead.

  Usually, artists hold out until the summer to release their musical heat. Luckily, this winter is warming up quickly with the release of multiple great tracks every day. Here are my top 3 releases of the week!

Take a listen below.

  Big Boi ft. Litle Dragon (Original)-  Mama Told Me

Snoop Lion ft. Angela Hunte - Here Comes The King

The Game ft Lil Wayne, Big Sean, & Fabolous - All That

  

Ten Cities With the Lowest Unemployment Rates

Yawn City.

Wow.

 I'll just say this: None of these cities will have you rushing to pack your bags. No offense. But what else are you going to do but work? Key contributing factors: (1) Universities or colleges, which allow for built in positions on campus and around the schools. (2) Rising oil prices. Apparently, there are big bucks in fracking, which is the process of drilling and releasing fluid into the ground in order to collect oil.

 Not to say these destinations aren't indeed awesome places to live. 

Just...different. 

Well, you be the judge: 

1. Bismarck, N.D.• Oct. 2012 unemployment rate: 2.2%• Total population: 110,879• Median household income: $58,781 

2. Fargo, N.D.• Oct. 2012 unemployment rate: 2.8%• Total population: 211,729• Median household income: $52,393

3.Grand Forks, N.D.• Oct. 2012 unemployment rate: 3.1%• Total population: 98,512• Median household income: $46,718 

4. Lincoln, Neb.• Oct. 2012 unemployment rate: 3.2%• Total population: 307,165• Median household income:$49,315 

5. Midland, Texas• Oct. 2012 unemployment rate: 3.3% (tied for 6th)• Total population:140,308• Median household income: $54,330

Oh, still reading huh? Well take a look at the complete list available here.

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Frank Ocean, Jay-Z, & Kanye West Lead With Six Grammy Nominations

The envelope please!!

The 55th Grammy Awards take place February 10 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA

 The complete list is available below. 

Here are my standouts:

Frank Ocean ties for 1st with 6 nominations.

Elle Varner scores 1 nomination

Kanye West & Jay-Z
6 nominations between these 2! 4 as a team. 2 solo!

6 nominations here!

Estelle. 1 nomination for this Brit.

New group, fun., scored 6 noms!

R&B crooner, Miguel, pulled in 4 nominations, including "Song of the Year"

R&B Veterans, SWV, received a single nomination!

View full list of the 2013 Grammy nominations here!

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Notorious B.I.G's Autopsy Report Released After 15 Years

Better late than never , I guess....

15 years after the murder of New York rapper, Notorious B.I.G, officials have decided to release the autopsy report.

15 years.

Although the details of the report don't give any insight to the actual shooter, we do learn a little more about the shooting itself:

The fatal bullet entered his right hip and ripped through several organs, including his liver, heart and lung. The other bullets struck Wallace in his left forearm, his back and his left thigh. 

He was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he arrived in full cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead shortly after 1 a.m. 

At the time of his death, he had no drugs or alcohol in his system. Wallace was 6 feet, 2 inches tall, weighed 395 pounds and had a tattoo on his right forearm that read: "The Lord is My Light and my Salvation ..."

I'm wondering what / who decided such an untimely release of this information. And for what purpose? Surely, not to comfort those affected the most by Biggie's passing. Not 15 years later...


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#ThriftyJuice: 50% Off Dominoes Pizza This Week

You're Welcome.

ASliceofJuice.com does not endorse Dominoes or any pizza place, just really good deals. :)

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New Music: DMX Sings Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

WHAT!?

Only DMX can remix a holiday classic into Hip Hop gold. Not much to say about this video other than its FREAKING AWESOME.

Watch.





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#LOL: Whisky Restores Eyesight of Man Blinded by Vodka

Step away from the bottle.

A New Zealand man lost his eyesight after mixing vodka with his diabetes medicine. (Scary, no?) The deadly mix turned into methanol poisoning and causes formaldehyde to build up in his system, leading to loss of sight.

To prevent the methanol from further metabolizing into formaldehyde, doctors administered ethanol through Duthie's gastro-intestinal tract, but there was only so much in stock.

After the supply ran dry, a staff member was sent to a nearby liquor store to purchase a bottle of top-shelf whisky: Johnnie Walker Black.

"I thought it was pretty bloody good," Duthie told the Herald, referring to the doctors' unconventional cure. "I'm alive. The hospital was absolutely awesome. Couldn't have been better."

LOL at his response. I bet!


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Newark Mayor To Live On Food Stamps For Week

My kinda guy.

Don Emmert /AFP/Getty Images

Today, New Jersey Mayor, Cory Booker, is putting his money where his mouth is. This week, he will attempt to live off $30 for food, the average weekly  amount allotted to New Jersey families.

That boils down to $4 a day.

He says,

"My goals for the #SNAPChallenge are to raise awareness and understanding of food insecurity; reduce the stigma of SNAP participation; elevate innovative local and national food justice initiatives and food policy; and, amplify compassion for individuals and communities in need of assistance. Over the next seven days, I plan to highlight the voices of people involved in local food policy, the SNAP program, and other related initiatives. ... Throughout this week, I will document my #SNAPChallenge experiences and reflections on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and through video on#waywire."

I would love to see more politicians take a step into the shoes of the people they affect with their policies. We elect individuals who haven't the slightest clue of our (we the voters) day to day issues. Beyond this being an empathetic step to take, it shows character and will definitely influence his remaining days in office.

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#TheQuench | New Music: Gilles - "Commencement"

Pronounced Jeelz.

Yep, I did that.

Nothing like some good ole originality to kick off the day. 

And lawyer turned rapper, Gilles, is all of that and then some. After graduating from the esteemed Emory University, (my alma mater) he was unsure exactly how to break in the rap game, so he did the most obvious choice: Law school! 

Indeed, all of that education has done him some good. His voice resonates with the young, educated and working class. This music is smart and infused with a perspective that's predominately missing from hip hop. Imagine listening to a rap song that isn't dumbed down and yet, remains catchy AND memorable. Kind of mind blowing isn't it?

Pretty refreshing.

Soooo, with great pleasure, I present to you, "Commencement," the first single from the upcoming EP, "Successfully Lost."

Watch.

What do you think of "Commencement?"

www.SuperGilles.com

#TheQuench: WTF is a Fiscal Cliff?

My brain hurts.

Where does is start? Where does it end? What happens if we go over? So many questions about this ominous topic. I'm not completely 100% on it, but here's my take of the basics:

WHAT:

Soon and very soon, tax cuts that George W. Bush put into place will officially expire and automated (severe) spending cuts and tax hikes will go into affect. Spending cuts in public programs like:

Energy research (Have you seen the polar ice caps?) 

Water toxic waste (Remember the BP oil spill?)

Clean water programs (Speaks for itself)

Among many others!

Uhm...those seem pretty important to me!

WHEN:

January 2 is the official deadline date.

WHY:

Because last year, President Obama and Congress could not come to an agreement on a budget. The President wants to increase taxes on those earning more than $250,000 a year. Republicans want to cut spending but really don't want taxes to go up. Both sides are being really stingy and holding up progress. 

Ridiculous!

Anywho, whenever you have a few minutes  take a look at the video below for a more detailed explanation.

BONUS: It has drawings! I  don't know about you, I'm a visual learner. The more pictures the better.





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#InCaseYouWereWondering: The Powerball Has Winners

I'm hating.

Let's get this over with.

So there were 2 winning tickets for the $587.5 million dollar lottery this past week. One ticket in Arizona (the owner has not come forward yet.) The other, a nice family in Missouri. See picture above. ::rolls eyes and walks away:::

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#TheQuench: Dr. Dre is Forbes List 2012 Highest Paid Musician

Cha-Ching!

Thanks to "Beats By Dre" headphones, Dr. Dre has pulled in over $100 million dollars this year leading Forbes' list of highest paid musicians. 

Ooowee. 

Other notables, Taylor Swift beats out Justin Beiber by a mili, sitting pretty at number 8 with $57 million. Lady Gaga and Diddy are number 13 and 15, respectively. And Rihanna tops both Beyonce and Jaz-Z Carter with a comfy $53 million dollars.

P.S. Who the heck is Roger Waters you say? I wondered the same damn thing. He's a one of the founding members of the rock band, Pink Floyd and clearly a BAWSE.

Here's the list in its entirety:

Forbes’ Highest-Paid Musicians 2012

1. Dr. Dre – $110 million
2. Roger Waters – $88 million
3. Elton John – $80 million
4. U2 – $78 million
5. Take That – $69 million
6. Bon Jovi – $60 million
7. Britney Spears – $58 million
8. Paul McCartney – $57 million (tie)
8. Taylor Swift – $57 million (tie)
10. Justin Bieber – $55 million (tie)
10. Toby Keith – $55 million
12. Rihanna – $53 million
13. Lady Gaga – $52 million
14. Foo Fighters – $47 million
15. Diddy – $45 million (tie)
15. Katy Perry – $45 million (tie)
17. Kenny Chesney – $44 million
18. Beyoncé – $40 million
19. Red Hot Chili Peppers – $39 million
20. Jay-Z – $38 million
21. Coldplay – $37 million
22. Adele – $35 million (tie)
22. Kanye West – $35 million (tie)
24. Michael Bublé – $34 million
25. Sade – $33 million

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Congress Thinking About Stopping $1 Bill

Why is this up for discussion?

Ok. Before I judge, let's quickly (and briefly) take a look at why this could possibly be a good idea: 

1. Save money

-Did you know that paper bills have to be replaced every four to five years as opposed to coins which last for thirty years or so? 

-The Mint has discovered several new and less expensive metal combinations for coins that could potentially save the government nearly 200 million dollars a year. 

2. Get Current

-Apparently, the U.S. is the only Western economy without a $1 bill.  There must be something we're missing!

Methinks, it would be annoying to walk around with a pocket full of coins. And as a good friend of mine pointed out, its about to get real hard out here for these strippers!

Indeed.

Are you for or against the paper to coin switch? Let me know in the comments below.

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Singer, Ashanti, Joins Cast of Lifetime's Hit Drama, "Army Wives"

Ashanti is making her little screen debut and in a big way:

Singer-songwriter-producer-actress Ashanti, whose credits include Resident Evil: Extinction, John Tucker Must Die and Coach Carter, will make her series regular debut as Latasha Durant, an optimistic mother of three: 11-year-old Quincy Jr. (known as Deuce), daughter Nyah, 8, and Gabe, 6, who suffers from Cystic Fibrosis. Latasha is described as a survivor with no self-pity who is determined to wrench all the joy out of life that she can. She's a sexy, fun woman who knows how to keep a husband -- and keep him in line. 

I was very impressed with Ashanti's performance on Keyshia Cole's latest album, proving her vocal growth.  Hopefully, the she took the same steps in the acting department. As always, I shall be standing by.


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New Music: T.I. ft Andre 3000 - "Sorry"

Strike a match. He's back.

Thank you, T.I. for bringing Andre 3000 up for air! 

 I really enjoy when an artist clearly declares their personal thoughts and experiences and I must say these two have certainly laid out their grievances and then some. 

"Sorry" sounds like an open letter describing the unexpected reality of having to leave some behind in the balance while obtaining personal success. Basically, another message to his haters.

Shock Alert: 3 Stacks sort of apologizes to Big Boi, revealing his discomfort with touring and the pressures that came along with being OutKast. Talk about insight.

Overall, I'm digging it! 

Take a listen below!

What do you think of "Sorry?" Leave your comments below!

#NotHappeningInTheStates: Girl Scares People By Standing In Elevator

So rude!

A Brazilian TV show scored one of the funniest/evil pranks I've ever seen. It's brilliant, yet, I'm not sure recreating it here in the U.S. would be such a great idea. I would hate for a little girl to get KO'ed over a joke. Just saying....

Anywho, it's a funny video and worth a peek!

Am I right? Comment below!

New Music: 50 Cent ft. Eminem + Adam Levine - "My Life"

It's Fifty!

Curtis Jackson has returned and this time he brought some buddies along! 

"My Life" is a mid term, contemplative track in which the successful entrepreneur offers insight into his journey in life thus far. The chorus boasts Maroon 5 crooner, Adam Levine, who is singing his heart out  about the trial and tribulations of his life. Eminem lends support with an equally emo(tional) verse. Put all these elements together and it sounds like one big whine fest if you ask me.

Methinks, die-hard 50 fans will 'get it', and probably love it. In that case, this is for you!

Check out "My Life" below:

What do you think of the song? Leave your comments below!

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#InCaseYouWereWondering: Christmas Tree Alternatives For Small Spaces

Big idea, small space?

                                     JULMYS from IKEA 39" high, cardboard tree and 40 ornament stickers. $14.99

The Cardboard Christmas Tree 36" high, made in the USA of recycled cardboard. $19.95

The People's Tree from Festive Tree 54" high, handcrafted in the USA of poplar wood. $350

Nothing like the smell of a fresh Christmas tree to bring out the season's joy!

Well, for those of us living in spaces with limited square footage, a full size tree (real or otherwise) may not be the most feasible idea for your home. If your limited living conditions are cramping your holiday style, fret not! 

There are tons of ways to maximize your holiday decor without breaking the bank or losing valuable indoor space. The good folks over at Apartment Therapy thought of some awesome ways to update your tree and keep your breathing space.



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#TheQuench: Beyonce To Direct HBO Documentary On Herself + Shares New Blue Ivy Pic

She's back....

Beyonce' will headline the 2013 Super Bowl Half-Time Show

Yea right, like she'll ever really leave us. 

Music Heroine, Beyonce', has confirmed involvement in an HBO Special documentary on...well...herself! According to Urban Entertainment Report, Mrs. Carter will reveal footage shot on her laptop, as well as, personal home video clips of her tight knit circle. The documentary will air in 2013.

Oh joy!

Bey has made strides in letting up on that kung pao grip she's had on her image for so long. Much of the new information has been lackluster, except for the limited sightings of Baby Blue Ivy! (See below) but nonetheless, it is refreshing to see a different side of the international diva.

New mom, Beyonce and baby Blue Ivy

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#Creepy: Google Maps Now For Indoors

Big Brother is Watching You!

Well, not really. But Google Maps has introduced over 10,000 indoor floor plans for malls, museums, airports, stores and casinos (Is that smart?)

ANYONE can donate their floor plans to be included in the search. I can absolutely see how this would come in handy, but I sure hope it stops here. I mean, what will happen to all the directories?

Do you think this is a good idea? Leave your comments below!
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#TheQuench: Lil Wayne Says 'Tha Carter V' Is Last Album

Lil Wayne is tired of rapping.

Well, he didn't actually say that. But he did recently sit down with MTV correspondent, Sway Calloway, to discuss his upcoming album, "I Am Not A Human Being II," and why his rap career halts with "Tha Carter V":

"When I love to do something, I'm fully focused on it and it only. And music sometimes is not that 'it'. " 

"I signed my contract at 11, I went platinum at 14. I'm 30 now. Thank God I haven't put out an album that hasn't went platinum," he said. "To just keep it goin' like that, I think not only am I being greedy, I'm fooling myself to think that it will continue to be that great."

Pretty good reasons.

No fear, Wayne has his hands in other ventures like his clothing company, TrukFit, and obvious love for skateboarding. Plus, there is no expected date for 'Tha Carter V,' so who knows how much more Tunechi we get to hear.

"I Am Not A Human Being II" is in stores on February 19.

Check out the lead single "No Worries" ft. Detail below:

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Yellow Light Set To Trap Motorists During Holiday Weekend

Watch out!

Tis the season for the government to get paid! As you're out and about running errands and such, be careful when approaching intersections. Word is, many cities have shortened the yellow lights in an attempt catch unsuspecting motorists in a ticket trap. According to National Journal, 21 cities in New Jersey were ordered by their transportation departments to suspend use of the red-light cameras because the timing was below the state law minimum.

How fresh!

Furthermore,

“Cities and for-profit camera companies maximize revenue by setting yellow-light times that are too short,” said National Motorists Association President Gary Biller. “It is a violation of the public trust, and it jeopardizes motorist, cyclist, and pedestrian safety.”

Shady McShadykens please take a bow.

 And get this, Biller also states that a single SECOND has been proven to decrease the chances of a collision at an intersection by 40%. A single second.

Bottom line: Exercise increased caution this holiday season. Not only for the sake of your life, but now, your pockets too.

Take a look at the article in its entirety below. Definetely worth a read.


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10 Quick & Creative Ideas for Thanksgiving Leftovers

Get in my bellay!

Turkey Cobb

Turkey Nested Eggs

Thanksgiving Pizza

Yummy in my tummy!

Looking for uber creative ways to recycle food from your Thanksgiving feast? Check out these deelish and super easy recipes to keep your taste buds jumping days after Turkey day!

10 Quick & Creative Ideas for Thanksgiving Leftovers