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It's important for us to eat dinner together as a family as many times a week as we can. We turn the television off, maybe choose some music off of one of our iPods and all sit down to enjoy dinner together.

Now, as a busy family with two working parents and a child with after-school activities, that's very often easier said than done. Enter the slow cooker, which I think is one of the best tools for a busy family. It takes minimal time in the morning to prep all the ingredients and put them in the slow cooker, and when you come home at night, dinner is ready — or almost ready — to eat.

Here's one of my favorite recipes, one that can translate into several meals.

Slow cooker chicken and beans
4 chicken thighs
1 jar medium or hot salsa
1 can pinto or kidney beans, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn (use the no salt added kind)
1 green or red bell pepper, diced
1 packet taco seasoning

Put the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker, then sprinkle the taco seasoning on the top. Layer the beans, the corn (undrained), the bell pepper and then the salsa on top. Put the lid on your slow cooker and turn it on low, for 6-8 hours.

When you get home at the end of a busy day, your dinner is almost ready. Take two forks and shred the chicken, then mix the whole thing together.
The first night I make this, we eat it on flour tortillas as tacos, with the addition of sliced olives, cheddar cheese and avocado. But because it makes much more than our family can eat, I portion up the leftovers into three containers. Two go in the freezer, and one is used later in the week for taco salads.

To make a good homemade taco salad, just get yourself some of the burrito-sized flour tortillas. You can buy taco shell molds at any store with a cooking section, and just spray the mold down with cooking spray, press the tortilla in it, and bake in the oven at 375 degrees until crispy. Fill with your favorite salad toppings, starting with, of course, the leftover chicken and beans that you've heated up in the microwave.

You can use the leftover chicken and beans in a variety of other ways. By adding some low-sodium chicken broth to the mixture, you can make a quick and filling soup. If you've got a little more time, you can heat some corn tortillas in the microwave, roll the chicken and bean mixture up in them, put them in a baking dish, cover with cheese and your favorite enchilada sauce, and you've got chicken and bean enchiladas.

For a super quick dinner, heat the chicken and beans up and serve over rice. And for something a little different, make your own nachos by loading up tortilla chips with the chicken and beans, then cheddar cheese. Pop that in the microwave until the cheese melts, then add sour cream, salsa, sliced olives and jalapeños.

From that one day of using the slow cooker, while you are busy doing other things, it's possible to make at least five different meals. That gives you more time to spend around the dinner table, catching up with your family.

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The hottest new camcorders and digital video recorders (DVRs) for Christmas 2009 are now hitting the shelves all over North America. From Canon to Hewlett-Packard, Sony to JVC, all the big names in digital recording have new entries in the home movie-making industry. From as low as $89 to well over $2,500, the functions, clarity (Mega pixels), data storage methods and sizes, and the optical zoom amount available to the camcorders defines their price range. There are some camcorders that cost extra for being weather-proof or waterproof, so you can now make movies whilesnorkeling in Cuba.

The Canon XH A1 camcorder is the cream of the crop this year, with production values better than what Blair Witch was recorded on. Want to become an independent film producer? Look no further, but be prepared to dish out over $4500 for this cinematic wonder. On the lower ends, for under $150, the Flip is a cool little gadget. Straddling the $150 to $200 range, the Flip's newest endeavor, the Flip Ultra HD shoots 720p high-definition video. Using rechargeable AAA batteries, the Flip Ultra HD easily fits into your laptop's USB drive for easy downloading, but has limited data storage at 80GB, with no external memory or data cards.

Digital video recorders, or DVRs, are replacing VCRs with the television program taping crowds. TiVo took the world by storm, is still the most talked about of the DVRs, and since it's initial release, the use of VCRs to record television or music shows has plummeted. The new TiVo HD, with 160GB of data storage on board, can easily record up to 180 hours of high-definition television shows or movies, and much more if purely audio is being recorded. The disadvantage of TiVo is that it does not work with satellite television just yet, and the monthly fees. However, TiVo does allow you to record pretty much whatever is on, and multiple shows at once.

Philips has a decent entry into the DVR pool this year, with the R3537H model. This sub-$300 model has a single tuner and can pause live tv, but can not rewind or replay (you need a dual tuner DVR to replay live tv). The Philips has the ability to record over-the-air broadcasts, and can store data to either the 160GB hard drive, or onto supported DVDs. There are no monthly fees like the TiVo, but you can not program multiple shows, or have the DVR “learn” your television viewing habits, and record what you would most likely like to watch for you, like the TiVo does.

Whatever your passion, there is a camcorder to record life, and a DVR to record television. Picking the ones that are best for you depend upon what you are going to do with the video you capture, as well as the quality of your television. If you still have a CRT television, then buying an HD PVR may be a little overdoing it, unless that LCD television is on the Christmas wish list as well.

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Golem (in this context) isn’t the character from Lord of the Rings, but is a 6 piece band from Brooklyn, NY who is not only schooled in traditional Klezmer/Yiddish Muzak, but kick-ass live performers too. I had the chance to see them play at the Beachland in Cleveland, and I am really glad I went. It was by far one of the best shows I’ve seen in quite some time.

The musicianship amongst the members of the band is very tight and spot-on, and at the same time chaotic. Everyone was so animated and engaging, let alone talented. The tiny Annette Ezekiel (ringleader) is such an adorable little lady, and can play the fuck out of the accordion (FYI: I LOVE the accordion, and rarely ever see women playing it… which is one of the main reasons this band piqued my interest!) Aaron Diskin (the other ringleader) is fucking hilarious! He’s a great singer, but he’s got stage charisma… and when he and Annette duet… it’s larger than life! Alicia Jo Rabins is a virtuoso with her fiddle… her technique literally made me drool! When you see musicians that skilled with their craft, you respect and envy it at the same time… its beautiful, but it makes you want to kick yourself in the ass for not giving a musical instrument that kind of dedication! Curtis Hasselbring on the Trombone… what can I say… anyone who can play a trombone all night and not pass-out from oxygen deprivation is the bomb! Taylor Bergren-Chrisman the red-haired bassist (or as Annette stated that the Yiddish term for a redhead is a “Gingey” – which I might just adopt this as my new nickname since I share the same MC1R gene variant) just seemed to be in orbit whilst playing the upright contrabass… he made it look like a fun instrument! And Tim Monaghan on the drums… that guy just straight-up rocked! Between the drummer and the redhead, they were a great backbeat duo not to be contended with. The band as a whole, are perfect! Infact, they pretty much sound like the band I always wanted to form, but since I don’t know how to play the accordian, fiddle, brass, etc… and I am not multi-lingual… it just was never meant to be for me… but I am so very glad another band has made that beautiful sound their reality (and this is not the Slivovitz doing the talking… and if you are wondering what that is… let’s just say it was a complementary beverage served at the show that had the burn of rocket fuel and the taste of turpentine! It was HARDCORE, but a nice gesture!)

To give a bit more of a background on the group, I interviewed the lovely singer/accordionist/linguist/founder of the group, Annette Ezekiel:

JF: Who are all of the members of Golem, and how/when/where/why did Golem form? Do the members of Golem have previous discographies?

AE: Me… Annette Ezekiel (vocals, accordion, bandleader) - no previous discography. Aaron Diskin (vocals) - was in a rock band for ten years with Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and now has a rock band called Lycaon Pictus; Alicia Jo Rabins (violin) - has solo bluegrass and old time appalachian CD; Curtis Hasselbring (trombone) - has a huge amount of jazz recordings, avant garde jazz, etc.. his own group (he is the composer) is called New Mellow Edwards ; Taylor Bergren-Chrisman (contrabass) - jazz and traditional music, plays with Las Rubias del Norte (latin jazz); Tim Monaghan (drums) jazz and rock.. in a rock band called Jack.
I started Golem about 4 years ago.. my brainchild and dream! I went to high school with Aaron (the singer) and was lucky enough to find the others through word of mouth. Most of us live in Brooklyn.

JF: What does GOLEM mean?

AE: The Golem is a legendary Jewish Frankenstein-type monster from Prague. The story goes that a great rabbi in the 17th century formed a clay monster, a golem, and brought it to life in order to protect the Jewish community. The golem had a good heart but went a little crazy, so the rabbi had to put it back down to clay. I think our group is a kind of golem - we have a good heart and love and respect old Jewish music, but we play it like a big out-of-control monster, without being delicate and careful.

JF: How did Golem become what it is today? What led you to this path of crossover genres?

AE: I have always been interested in Eastern European folk music, since my early days as a Ukrainian folk dancer. I got into klezmer music and was fascinated by the crossover of Jewish and all kinds of Eastern European non-Jewish music (Ukrainian, Russian, and Gypsy, Balkan). As for mixing this traditional music with a rock and roll contemporary feel - I wanted to express the energy that the music has within it to the fullest - and I feel that that energy is a very contemporary one…

JF: How did Klezmer work itself in the equation, and for those who don’t know what Klezmer is, what is your definition of it?

AE: Klezmer is the name given to Jewish party and street music from Eastern Europe. The word “klezmer” actually refers to the musicians who played that kind of music - a klezmer. Klezmer musicians weren't considered very respectable - they wandered around from place to place, playing weddings and parties, and had a reputation for partying a lot themselves. The rockers of their time! When the huge Jewish immigration to America happened, klezmer music crossed the ocean too.. and the music continued to evolve in the States, mixing with jazz and the street music that was going on here, getting a new energy. We're taking it one step further.

JF: How long did it take to learn the accordion?

AE: I played classical piano from the age of 5 (my grandmother was a concert pianist), and I started accordion because I wanted something I could carry around (and also I was in love with the accordion sound from Ukrainian dance). It wasn't that hard because I already played piano. But I had to practice in front of the mirror for a while!

JF: Are the tunes of Golem traditional songs, traditional variations, or original creations (or all of the above)?

AE: Most of our songs are traditional, from the early 20th century or even earlier.. but we do our own crazy arrangements of them. One song on the album is an original: “Warsaw is Khelm” with guest vocalist Amanda Palmer from the Dresden Dolls. I was inspired to write the lyrics by an old Yiddish folktale.

JF: With bands out there like Golem, Gogol Bordello, Balkan Beat box, Shotnez, etc who are making Eastern European traditions accessible to a broader audience, do you think there are more bands up starting in this vein, or have they always been around, and now the music industry has finally taken notice?

AE: I think it's a new trend in the last few years - mainly which a greater audience has started to dig this kind of music and realize how cool, dark and exciting it is. People have been playing it for centuries, but suddenly, more mainstream America is into it…. partly a return to roots, partly a pure newfound appreciation of the Eastern European sound.

JF: You’re band is from NYC, is there an Eastern European music scene there? If so, is it scary to perform outside of your home base to audiences in other US cities that just don’t ‘get it’ so to speak? Do you find it difficult to present your music outside of your neighborhood so to speak?

AE: Yes, there's an Eastern European music scene here, but that's not really what we cater to. “Purists” tend to think we're too wild and take too many liberties, though many of them do appreciate what we're doing. But we tend to play for rock club crowds that are not necessarily familiar with it. Not scary at all - exciting!!!

JF: Has Golem performed in Europe, if so, how was it received?

AE: Not yet - looking forward to it.

JF: What should the audience expect from a Golem show?

AE: A wild, energetic, passionate performance with a lot of personality, humor, crazy energy, and a streak of darkness….
And of course, a beat you have to dance to!

JF: You have a new album coming out soon, would you care to talk about it? IE How long has it been in the making, etc… anything you want to say about it?

AE: The release date was Aug 22! We are so excited - it's called “Fresh Off Boat” - that's a name (F.O. B. for short) that immigrants call newer immigrants than themselves… This is our first album with amazing record label, Jdub Records -they put Mattisyahu on the map, and have been doing amazing stuff for us - they put out Jewish music with mainstream interest and they really understand what we're trying to do. They found us an amazing producer for this record - Emery Dobyns (Patti Smith, Antony and the Johnsons, the Battles) who did an incredible job with us. Also, we have 3 guest stars from the non-eastern euro rock world on the album: Amanda Palmer, Lenny Kaye (Patti Smith) and Mike Gordon (Phish).

JF: A typical question: what are some of your favorites musical acts? Do any contemporaries influence your work?

AE: The band has all kinds of influences, from reggae to punk to rap to everything in between. It all shines through in the mix of all our different personalities and musical backgrounds. I myself am stuck in the last century, listening mainly to old Yiddish, Russian and Gypsy folk music… however, I love the Pogues, Austrian folk/punk band Attwenger, and stuff like that.. great influences.

JF: Any last words???

AE: Check out Fresh Off Boat, and definitely come see us live!! And as they say in Yiddish: Be healthy and strong!

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Contact:- ajmeralam2000@gmail.com/ Cell:- 9906103001

*We have a doubt and distrust over the nationalist credentials of CM
*We strongly demand an open/voluntary Norco Analyses test for CM, cabinet colleague
*This is strange/humiliation that District Police has offered an employment of SPO equalent to a casual labourer to the brave heart Gujjar girl and by giving a cash prize of just Rs.5000.
*It is another slap on the mouth of Nationalistic approach of our tribe.

Two frontal organizations of Gujjars today asked UK born state Chief Minister Omar Abdullaha to voluntarily go for a Norco analysis test to just check himself that he (Omar) is having an Indian heart or not. In a joint statement the Jammu and Kashmir Gujjars United Front and J&K Gujjar Bakerwal Joint Forum alleged that not the state Chief Minister and non from his cabinet colleague even appreciated verbally the act of bravery of 20 year old Tribal Gujjar girl Rukhsana who, along with her sibling 18 year Aijaz and family killed top ranked Lashkar -e-Toiba Divisional Commander and injured the other and saved her family in a remote village Kalasian near Shahdara Sharief, in border district Rajouri on Sunday night.
State President of Gujjar Front Mohammad Anwar Chowdhary said here today that we have a doubt and distrust over the nationalist credentials of our State Chief Minister and we strongly demand an open and voluntary Norco Analyses test for Omar and his cabinet colleague as our tribe is keen to see that weather the hearts of our CM and other Ministers are Indian or otherwise. We the duo organizations are ready to bear the expenses required for these tests, Mr Anwar said.Anwar said that this is astonishing that the State Police Chief is also silent our the issue. Even IGP Jammu and Divisional Commission Jammu have not visited the house of tribal nomadic Muslim family who with their brave hearts overpowered one of the top terrorists, snatched his weapon and, without ever having handled a gun, shot him dead, whereupon the other terrorists ran away.
“The State Government is not ready to recognize this unmatched, rare and extraordinary courage and bravery of the fearless young Muslim Gujjar girl with sibling Aijaz and her family” alleged Anwar added that this act of bravery of Rukhsana against terror could be projected internationally as she is the Gem of the State but Omar lead government is not keen and is sleeping over this historic incident occurred on 27th of September.
Anwar said this is strange and humiliation for our tribe that the District Police has offered an employment of SPO equalent to a casual labourer to the brave heart Gujjar girl and by giving a cash prize of just Rs.5000/- to the family is another slap on the mouth of Nationalistic approach of our tribe.
Haji Shamsher Ali Boken State President of Joint Forum today said the state government has failed to recognize the role of Gujjars of J&K in crushing the militancy in the state during last two decades.They are just marginalizing us that's why we the Gujjars of J&K are demanding for a separate region for Gujjars.
Haji said we are being neglected in every field of life.Our major sacrifices for Nation since 1947 are overlooked and ignored .Our major institutions like J&K Gujjar Bakerwal State Advisory board are defunct .We are totally been ignored in employment, rehabilitations and developmental process.
We are ready to fight militancy in the region but State government is not supporting us, Haji alleged and said that we are been ignored in District level Police recruitments. No member of our community has been appointed in any of recruiting agency of State including PSC, SSRB and Police Recruitment board who will have to watch our interests.
The JK Gujjar Youth Organization and State Gujjar Bakerwal student Federation also supported the Gujjar Front and Joint Forum in this cause.

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The Perennial Gardener Design Primer by Stephanie Cohen and Nancy J. Ondra is a well-designed book filled with beautiful pictures. The way this book is organized makes it easy to use.

The book starts with a section on Perennial Design Demystified. This section talks about everything from thinking about what you want to planning hardscapes. Although the entire section is crammed with great information for beginning gardeners or more experienced gardeners who want to improve their gardens, I really liked several sidebars and ideas. This section has an excellent explanation of wind in the garden, a sidebar on using flower arrangements to try out blossom and foliage combinations, and a tip on using a gate without fences for a focal point.

Part two of the book, Putting Perennials to Work, is filled with plans and plant lists for sites with all types of growing conditions. This section is wonderful for anyone who doesn't like to create garden plans. These plans are really well done.

Part three, From Theory to Practice, is just plain fun. This section allows you to follow a garden bed from start to finish. The difference between a bed that is just planted and a mature bed is viewable in minutes in this section of the book. Since, it would take you three to five years to see the results in real life, this section is quite useful.

Finally, the book ends with a hardiness map, planning chart, and a poisonous plants list.

The Perennial Gardener's Design Primer is very well done and fun to read. It has joined my other favorite gardening books on my bookshelf. I give this book five out of five sunflowers.

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KD: You sure threw me for a curve! At first, I assumed that, because your management is based in Sweden, that you were European cat. Then your bio tells me you rep Jamaica, Queens?! How did this transatlantic connection come about?

Cee Rock: A lot of people from overseas thought I was from Sweden because I was making power moves over there and on my grind. My last name is ANDERSON so catz thought I was Swedish or something. 'Andersson' is a typical last name but mine is spelled with one “s”, not with two like the Swedenians do. I'm 100% Queens, New York bred but I am signed to a management company and a record label in Scandinavia.

KD:Where did your nickname “The Fury” come from?

Cee Rock: FURY came from one of my favorite Bruce Lee flicks called Fist of Fury. I was a big Bruce Lee fan, in fact, I still am. A looooooooong time ago, I was scribblin' on a piece of paper and the final result was an image on the paper that looked like a fiery letter “F” in the form of a dragon. Bruce popped up in my head for some reason and then his flick Fist of Fury popped up shortly afterwards. From that point, I incorporated that name into my persona.

KD: There have been two prolific artists who come from your backyard: Run-DMC and 50 Cent. You, in all honesty, are nothing like either of them. Was this a conscious decision?

Cee Rock: We have a various emcees breeding out of Queens. I grew up listen to a respectable group of rap legends. I needed my own direction because everybody had a trademarked style. I did not want to mimic other people styles and incorporate it as my own. I wrote material based on my style of upbringing and personality. My goal was set for my personality to stand out in a class by itself. That is not so impossible to achieve if you do not deliberately intend to mimic the ones that you look up to and try to make a career from it. Even though that is a form of flattery, to flagrantly jack someone style is a 'no-no' in my book. Run-DMC, however, gets the ultimate props for puttin' Queens on the map and making Hip-Hop into 'big business' and not just music. Rest in peace to my man Jam Master Jay. He was murdered right across the street from where I live.

KD: Who are some of your idols in the Hip-Hop game?

Cee Rock: Definitely Rakim, Public Enemy, Run-DMC, GangStarr, LL Cool J, Big Daddy Kane, Chubb Rock, KRS-One and catz like that. I was even feelin' Jay-Z back then when he was just getting put on by this emcee called Jaz. Catz may know him today as Jaz-O.

KD: Your style is very unique; at times you hit the “rhymes within rhymes” thing that MCs like Big Daddy Kane, Mase and Eminem perfect. Is that something you are trying to perfect, or is that just one weapon in your arsenal?

Cee Rock: Putting words that rhyme in the middle of a line instead of just at the end of each line makes the delivery more potent, fuller and vibrant. It shows that you've made an effort to display your delivery and wordplay by coming up with more than just that one word rhyming at the end. It is not done all of the time but when it does happen it can make a line or verse much more powerful to say and even a more powerful response to the listener.

KD: I noticed in listening to Bringin' Da' Yowzah!!!, as well as reading up on your bio, that you don't curse, nor do you hit us up with the guntalk/drugtalk that has been too prevalent in today's Rap scene. This is a path that many MC's don't normally go down, and is highly applauded. What made you choose this path for yourself?

Cee Rock: I've decided not to fall into that fouled-mouth category a long time ago. I come from a time where Hip-Hop wasn't all about killin' and bling-bling. Emcees weren't makin' money like that back then and catz was livin' to be much older than they are today. Gangs, drugs, ignorance and nonsense didn't reach a peak like it obviously is today. You had your gangsta exceptions such as Kool G Rap. He was, in my opinion the 'Original Gangsta' who blueprinted this gangsta-rap craze. But here's the kicker, Kool G Rap also had a ridiculous flow with a unique lisp that made him stand out in the game. Ice-T, of course, was the OG for the West Coast. It was all about the skillz, the voice, the substance and the delivery so that is what I continue to do to this very day and I hope to keep it that way. I don't curse because of my upbringin'. However, I wouldn't be surprised if the newspapers put me on the front page if they ever heard me curse. Television news would probably make it the exclusive coverage of the day. (LOL)

KD: In hearing you spit, especially over tracks like the intro to Bringin' Da' Yowzah!!!, “16 Bar Appetizer”, you seem to be a seasoned battler. Do you have any memorable moments in battles you have had in the past?

Cee Rock: Yeah, I had a few of those in my lifetime. Rap legend Mikey D and I went at it a couple of time when we had ciphers but it was all in fun. We respect each others' talents to the fullest. Chino-XL and I even went at it a bunch of times. He has gone to do great things in his career, including acting. Me and Chino-XL go back to the days when he started out in a group called Art of Origin which also included Kaoz '636'. Catz may now know Kaoz '623' today as Kerri Chandler (who is now one of the biggest producers and remixers of Club/House music). We also used to 'snap' (which is insulting humor) on each other with the 'Dirty Dozen'. Mikey D and I still go at it up to this very day. I was also part of a battlin' crew called Squadron Supreme. We used to go to junior high schools as well as high schools and take people out lyrically. We would sneak into the schools and go to the cafeterias and look for the emcees to battle. Someone would beat on the lunchroom table and it was on like popcorn! Those were the dayz, playa!

KD: From the tracks on Bringin' Da' Yowzah!!!, you have a serious connection to many artists! Everyone from Mikey D (from the classic group Main Source) to Looptroop, you are working with some serious figures. Is there anyone you HAVEN'T worked with that you want to work with?

Cee Rock: There are numerous people that I haven't worked with but I would like to someday. Here are just a few: Rakim, GangStarr, KRS-One, Nas, Large Professor (working on that one), M.O.P., Erick Sermon, Alchemist (we only toured together in Sweden and Norway), Mobb Deep (again, only toured together in Sweden and Norway), Common, Slick Rick, Mos Def, Kool G Rap, Busta Rhymes and A Tribe Called Quest (hope they get back together).

KD: The other noticeable thing about your tracks and style is that it's inherently old school, as well as underground. Are you trying to make a name or make some change? Do you see any pros/cons in your decision?

Cee Rock: I wouldn't say 'Old School'; I would say 'True School' or 'Pure School'. Hip-Hop was pure at that time and it had more punch to it. There will always be pros/cons in any decisions that you make. Some catz won't understand your direction of choice because they are used to seeing the obvious which is right in front of them. Some may not appreciate that I do not curse in my songs. While many may say it ain't 'gangsta' enough for them others are praising it because I proved to be a true lyricist without the use of unnecessary curse words. While some condemn me, others commend me. I expect that because life itself (not just Hip-Hop) is very fickle. I take the good with bad and keep it moving. As long as I am true to myself, that is all that really truly matters to me at the end of the day.

KD: Everyone in the game has their way of working. Kanye will listen to samples for weeks before producing a beat. Jay-Z writes a track in his head over about a half hour's time. Could you give us a glimpse as to what Cee-Rock does to create his thing?

Cee Rock: I usually write down things that pop up in my mind. A hot line or concept can pop up at anytime so I keep a pen and paper by my bed. Ideas pop up at the funniest times. You can be in the bathroom, at the water fountain, whatever. I accumulate my things and put my findings together like a puzzle. Once I've done that, I come up with a good song title to fit my findings. I have over 500 songs that I have written and I plan to keep going. My notebook is crazy!

KD: Do you think you've made the “perfect rhyme” yet?

Cee Rock: Every rhyme that I make is considered perfect until I write the next one and surpass it. If my previous was 'perfect' rhyme and I surpassed it then was the previous really perfect to begin with? It all depends, I guess. There are various ways of attempting perfection but I think you can always do better so maybe none of us will ever really ever reach perfection. Perfection is when you are at a point where there is no possible higher plateau to go but down. I know that I am not perfect and there is always room for me to grow.

KD: With Bringin' Da' Yowzah!!!, you have done something most MC's don't: you produced a large chunk of the CD. Would you consider yourself a better rhymer or producer? Is it easier for you to rhyme to a beat you made, or do you find yourself getting ideas for a beat while writing a rhyme?

Cee Rock: I have to correct you on that one, home-slice. I only did 3 songs for this album. Two of those songs were co-produced by the one and only DJ Erase. Actually, DJ Erase is the one who produced the majority of the album. Other guest producers who came through with their incredible production talents were Substance (from the UK), Juttla (also from the UK) and DJ Pharfar (from Denmark). Substance did 'The Perfect Storm' and 'Top Notchin''. DJ Pharfar did 'Time To Detonate' and 'Certified Partywrecker'. Juttla did the amazing production on 'International Spittin'' song. I, as a producer, did 'Anderson Iz Nice', 'Catchphrase' and the club banger 'Yowzah!!!'. However, I have produced a ton of material which has not officially been released yet but catz will soon get to know me on a production level as well. I also write to beats. Depending on the tempo and the vibe to the beat is how I put my words together. If music is 'water' then I am the 'man on the surfboard' ridin' it out.

KD: For the casual listener to Hip-Hop these days, the lyrics get dismissed for whatever reason. Do you think true lyricism is a thing of the past or the underground?

Cee Rock: Absolutely not! In fact, I think the majority of people are pissed off at certain artist who go multi-platinum and don't have a lyrical talent in their whole body. Half of them probably have ghostwriters who write that garbage for them. What really gets my goat is when I see and hear artists like these on the charts and livin' it up like they've really contributed to Hip-Hop and did something relevant. It makes me think that maybe I am not 'wack' enough to be on the charts! That may sound funny but it's really not. There is no replacement for true lyricism. Of course, you need true production to accompany that so you can have a well-rounded and successful song.

KD: What's going on for you in the near future? I noticed you have a lot of tour work you've done overseas; can stateside Hip-Hoppers catch you live?

Cee Rock: My tour dates are usually posted on the !Handzup! website. !Handzup! is the Hip-Hop label I am under. Headz can peep that at www.HandzupRecords.com. Also, check the Stellar Artist Management website which is the management company that I am under. That website is at www.StellarArtist.com. I just got a distribution deal with 'Crownn Recording Group' in Europe as well as a distribution deal with 'Guerrilla Warfare Entertainment' in Africa so expect to see more touring from me very shortly.

KD: I always like hearing what advice artists would like to give to up and comers in the game. Could you please hit the people up with some words of wisdom, keys to survival in this crazy scene?

Cee Rock: Be creatively true to yourself and don't be second to anybody! Success means nothing if you don't have a good feeling about it at the end of the day. If you happen to fail, just know that you gave it your all and commend yourself for remaining true to yourself and as real as you could possibly can, not only in music but in life itself. Everybody needs to learn to BRING DA' YOWZAH!!! And good things will soon come to be.

khal: Cee, thank you so much for letting us pick your brain. It's much appreciated, and we wish you much more success in the future!

Cee Rock: Thank you for this interview. I also want to thank you for having me. I want everyone to go cop the Bringin' Da' Yowzah!!! album and support Cee-Rock “The Fury”. It is truly for the Hip-Hop heads that craves and recognizes the real. Much love to everyone. One!

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In the affluent New England town of West Hartford, Connecticut, many people enjoy taking walking tours of the town center. Since the mid- 1990's, West Hartford Center has become a true destination- spot for not only local residents, but for people who live in far- reaching communities in Connecticut and beyond. A large number of restaurants, featuring a smorgasbord of cuisines, are located in West Hartford Center, as are a host of interesting specialty- shops and upscale retailers. Presented here, is a guide which offers tips for taking a walking tour of West Hartford Center, in the state of Connecticut.

Starting at the intersection of Farmington Avenue and South Main Street, which is basically the beginning of West Hartford Center, the first thing one notices is the somber and reflective Connecticut Veterans Memorial- West Hartford, located on the north side of Farmington Avenue. This attractively- constructed memorial to the nation's war veterans regularly draws many visitors, including anti- war demonstrators, who conduct regular demonstrations there.

Strolling down the north side of Farmington Ave, from the Veterans Memorial, one passes the attractive Farmington Savings Bank office, which frequently displays paintings by local artists. Next door to the bank is Max's Oyster Bar, a popular restaurant that features a busy bar and lounge section. Continuing westward along Farmington Ave, such notable businesses as The Wild Raspberry, which stocks gourmet foods and gift baskets, Bookworm, a very popular small, independent bookseller, Maggie Moo's ice cream shop and Pfau's Hardware, with its wooden floors regularly draw- in customers and browsers alike. Also located on the north side of Farmington Ave are a Mexican restaurant, a sandwich shop, a CVS Pharmacy and a trendy American- style restaurant, in addition to an assortment of other interesting shops and small businesses.

Cross the street at the intersection of LaSalle Road and head west for approximately one block and view an exceptional art gallery and framing shop, a music store, women's and girls clothing stores and Harry's and Luna Pizza, situated essentially next- door to each other. The commercial district ends at the People's Bank branch, just beyond the pizza restaurants. Turning around and heading back one block to LaSalle Road, then continuing down the west side of LaSalle, a hugely- popular Starbuck's Coffee outlet is the first of many notable spots along this trendy street. An upscale bakery, a Mediterranean restaurant and a Japanese restaurant are all located on the west side of LaSalle Road.

On the east side of LaSalle Road, starting at the intersection of Farmington Ave, view interesting businesses such as a long- time barber shop, filled with memorabilia and another long- term West Hartford Center business, The Artichoke Shop, an elegant women's clothing store, which regularly stocks the finest and latest in women's fashions. Several jewelry stores and arts and crafts- related businesses are also located on LaSalle Road, as is a leading area sporting goods store. Also located on the east side of LaSalle Road are an Afghani fine dining restaurant, a high- end Italian bistro and a trendy, American- style restaurant, located next- door to a United States Post Office.

Heading back to the intersection of LaSalle Road and Farmington Ave, turn onto Farmington Ave, heading eastward. The walking tourist will encounter such interesting spots as; a card and gift shop, which stocks many local mementos, several children's, teen's and women's clothing stores, a long- time West Hartford, Ct toy store, a delightful, upscale American restaurant, a doggie- treat bakery and Arugula Restaurant, a cozy, top- of- the- line Mediterranean restaurant. Just past Arugula Restaurant, back at the corner of Farmington Ave and South Main St, is Bruegger's Bagels, a popular local eatery. Heading south along South Main St, one passes an excellent ice cream shop, War and Pieces, a top- quality hobby shop, the local Masonic Temple and a Friendly's family restaurant.

Across the street, separated by the tree- lined town green, is the historic First Church Of Christ, Congregational, with its newly- renovated parking area and children's playscape. Also housed at the First Church Of Christ, Congregational, is the prestigious John P Webster Library, which regularly hosts art exhibits by local artists. Next door to the First Church Of Christ, Congregational is the main branch of the West Hartford Public Library and the West Hartford Town Hall is situated next to the West Hartford Public Library.

Another point of interest in a walking tour of West Hartford Center is the Blue Back Square shopping and residential area, located on Raymond Road, near the West Hartford Police Station. This yet- to- be- completed in 2007 shopping area is located one block east of the town green. Also located on Raymond Road, is Pizza West, an excellent West Hartford, Ct pizza restaurant and a new- in- 2005 Whole Foods Supermarket.

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Prepare ahead of time for power outages during the summer’s hottest days. Freeze gallons of water in big blocks of ice if you have a large freezer. Refilling plastic gallon water bottles with tap water and freezing them works. It also works to fill sturdy gallon size zip lock type freezer bags with water and freeze them flat. Smaller bottles such as liter coke bottles or quart size freezer bags if you have only a small freezer unit with your refrigerator. The larger the blocks of ice you have the longer they will take to melt when you need them so go for gallon size containers if you have the freezer space. These blocks of ice can be used to cool a fragile person by placing on a thick towel in a shallow pan and fanning the air with a hand held fan over the ice and over the persons head and neck area. They can also be used by wrapping them in a pillow case and placing them around the head, in the armpit area, and in the groin area. Be extremely cautious not to allow the ice to contact the skin. Place several layers of material between the skin and ice to prevent frostbite and check every few minutes to make sure you are not freezing the tissue.

Our dependence on electrically powered air conditioning has put us in real danger when the temperature soars and the electric grid gets overloaded. It is possible to keep cool during a heat wave, even when the power outage that is predicted becomes a reality. I know that in the United States around 4,000 people die from extremes of heat every year. In August of 2003 a heat wave that scorched Europe killed 35,000 people. There are several factors that contribute to the numbers of heat related deaths. One very important factor is the high concentration of paved streets and buildings in our cities that create local environments that absorb more heat than country settings. How do you keep cool when the country swimming hole is not available and the city pool is shut down because of electric blackouts? How do you keep a cool environment when the nearest tree is so far away you cannot access its shade?

Use an environment altering system of blocking the sun from your windows. Best solutions are to cover the window with aluminum foil and cover inside that with a thick layer of newspaper or hang a blanket to prevent the heat from getting into your apartment or house. Remember that inside deep caves or deep in a subbasement, the temperature will maintain at a pretty steady temperature if it is not altered by outside sources of heating or cooling. So make your house, or at least a part of your house, into an insulated cave. Try to prevent heating from occurring during the day and if the air outside cools off at night, let it in to cool down any accumulated heat, then close things back up before the sun comes up.

The body produces heat when we work, get stressed, or eat high calorie foods. Generally when we produce heat we transfer it to the environment through dilated capillaries in the skin by radiation and convection. Radiation works when the air is cooler than we are by transferring the heat directly to the cooler air. Convection works when air movement over the skin moves heat away from the skin. Both of these natural methods fail when the air temperature soars above 95 degrees F. Sweating is another way the body cools itself and this works because the evaporation of the sweat has a refrigerant effect. When the humidity rises sweat does not evaporate and so it too becomes ineffective.
Drink plenty of fluids, you may need as much as two liters every hour if you are working hard and sweating it all out. Replace a part of your fluids with electrolyte balanced sport drinks and part with plain water. Avoid drinks with sugar or caffeine because these ingredients increase metabolism and generate body heat. Avoid high carbohydrate foods and stick with fresh fruits and vegetables with a minimum of protein.

Avoid using cosmetics, face or body creams, or antiperspirants. Yes, yes I know, this is getting very serious, but remember that you need to let your body cool itself and sweating is the most effective way it can do that. If you are concerned about body odor just take those cool showers more often, or you can sponge your underarms and inner thighs frequently with tepid water and leave them damp to increase evaporation.

One way I have found to keep cool is to fill the bathtub with cool water and just relax there with a good book. Children and the elderly, who are generally more susceptible to thermal extremes, can take frequent cool dips or showers. Let the little ones bathe in their tee shirts and then run around the house in wet tee shirts. (Keep the kids in out of the sun, it’s easier to stay cool than it is to cool off once you are dangerously hot.) Dip your favorite head scarf in cool water and wrap it around your head wet. Keep it damp and, if you need extra cooling, tuck an ice cube or two into it. For elderly parents or neighbors, loose cotton boxer shorts and loose tee shirts that allow air circulation are the fashion statement of the day. Cool foot baths and cool packs over large veins in the groin, under the arms and on the neck help also. Sometimes all it takes to keep a person comfortable is a cool wet washcloth on the top of the head and a friendly hand to gently wave a fan over it.

You get the picture. In an old fashioned heat wave with an old fashioned lack of electrical appliances you need the good old standbys; water and air movement. If the humidity is high, add ice to the water because evaporation is not as effective.

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Associated Content is proud to announce the winners of July's Best New CP contest. All three winners have earned rave reviews for their submitted content by our staff, and have been selected from many nominations.

The three winners of July 2008's Best New CP award are:

Dr. Susan Biali

Thomas Griffin

Sarah Sullivan

Be sure to stop by the winners' CP pages and welcome them to the AC family!

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Cheap things to do in Denver

Denver is a beautiful, exciting area, with a never-ending list of things to do and visit.  When we moved out here 3 years ago, we got quite a few visitors who needed to be entertained and shown the sights.  We found that we were spending quite a bit of money trying to show our guests a good time, so we developed a list of tourist attractions that are either free or very inexpensive, and haven’t had any complaints yet!

Denver:

16th StreetMall—this is an outdoor shopping mall that all tourists should experience.  It’s located in the heart of Denver, and the mall is actually the street itself.  Several blocks of 16th Street are blocked off, and the only traffic is the free bus system that runs the length of the mall.  There are all kinds of interesting souvenir shops, as well as your standard shopping-mall type shops, several excellent restaurants, including the ESPN Zone, and a movie theatre.  There are street performers and horse-drawn carriages for extra entertainment.  Watch out for those buses, though—they go pretty fast and don’t like to stop for jaywalkers!  

Casa Bonita (www.casabonitadenver.com)—Although this is not free, the prices are reasonable for the entertainment that you get.  There’s a huge waterfall in the middle, with cliff divers that do stunts, and there are flame jugglers and all kinds of crazy skits that take place during your dinner.  The meals are all you can eat, and they’re not too bad.

Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre (www.redrocksonline.com)—About 15 miles west of Denver, Red Rocks is a beautiful park with lots of walking trails along huge red rocks that are easy and fun for kids to climb on.  There’s an amphitheatre built right into one of the rocks, which is supposed to provide excellent acoustics, but I’ve never been to a concert there.  A schedule of performers can be found on the Red Rocks website.  

Dinosaur Ridge (www.dinoridge.org)—Not too far from Red Rocks is an outdoor museum with a stretch of dinosaur evidence that little geologists might enjoy exploring.  When construction was underway for Alameda Pkwy, dinosaur footprints and other geological evidence was discovered, so they were protected and a Visitor’s Center was added to the construction plans.  You can purchase a map and guide there for around $2, which will enhance the experience.  This attraction involves a lot of walking right next to a busy road, so it might not be the best idea for toddlers.  It is possible to drive most of the way, and just get out to look at the displays, but not as much fun.

Golden:

Coors Brewery (www.coors.com)—The Coors Brewery is actually in Golden, which is a small town about 30 minutes west of Denver.  Everyone always loves going here, because they offer a free tour with free beer.  I’m not a big beer-drinker myself, but the Coors Light fresh from the tap on the tour is the best!  There’s a very nice lounge where you can sit and enjoy up to 4 free drinks after the tour—they have every beer made by Coors, not just the kind made at that particular brewery.  

Heritage Square (www.heritagesquare.info)—This is small amusement park, with several quaint little shops and snack vendors.  Entrance is free, but each ride has a small fee.  Our favorite ride is the Alpine Slide, which is a concrete slide on the side of the mountain that you ride a bobsled-like cart down.  For around $4 you get to take a ski lift to the top and go down the slide one time.  

Buffalo Bill’s Grave (www.buffalobill.org)—A little further away, maybe around 45 minutes west of Denver, is the resting place of the legendary Buffalo Bill.  A little museum will tell you all about him, and there’s also a gift shop.  The drive is beautiful, and the view is amazing.  It might not be most exciting thing for kids, but adults will appreciate it.

Colorado Springs:

AirForceAcademy(www.usafa.af.mil)—About—About an hour South of Denver is the city of Colorado Springs, which offers quite a few free attractions.  The Air Force Academy is right off the highway, and is open to visitors.  You can check out the chapel, which is gorgeous, and walk the grounds, and kids will get a kick out of the airplane out front. 

Pike’s Peak (www.pikes-peak.com) and Garden of the Gods (www.gardenofgods.com)—The entirePike’s Peak
area is full of fun things to do.  The Garden of the Gods is a huge park with beautiful trails and mountain views.  Pets are allowed, and be prepared for a lot of walking.  There are also caves to explore, and a little railroad for kids.  The website will provide more detailed information about all of the attractions in that area.

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