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Daily Archives: 16 Jan 2012
When You Have to Go All the Way Back to Troeltsch For Your Philosophical Underpinning…
Your argument has issues. And so, for that reason, does Kenneth Atkinson's new piece in Bible and Interpretation. In it, towards the end, Atkinson opines
SBL as an academic society must adopt a thoroughly historical-critical perspective and not accept Scripture as the infallible word of God nor the word of God as mediated by mortals, but as a humanistic document analogous to the rich worldwide body of ancient historical and religious writings. Confessional or faith-based scholarship has no role at SBL and belongs elsewhere. What this may mean for SBL's future is uncertain, but it will likely create a great loss in numbers and a dwindling of its financial revenues.
He apparently hasn't heard – but here's the thing: the 'historical-critical' method is dying and in most academic biblical study it's dead. Why would we, why should we want to return to the cul-de-sac of historical criticism with its circular reasoning and fruitlessness when we can instead invest our time in more promising 'Reception-Historical' studies and 'Cultural-Memory' studies? Why would we want to, like a dog, return to the vomit that we (well most of us) left by the wayside years ago?
The issue isn't the irreligiousness which Hendel (evidently) desires or Avalos or Atkinson; the issue is to apply the best methodologies at hand in order to bring to light what lies hidden (and not all that hidden). It has nothing to do with faith or unbelief, it has to do with intention and purpose.
Historical-criticism got us no where except trapped in a bubble from which we have just now escaped. Atkinson can re-enter it if he wishes (under the pretense of wanting to avoid those dreadful faith people) – but I prefer the fresh air. Besides, who wants to listen to the advice of a syphilitic like Troeltsch? The only thing he can tell you is where to pick up the rankest disorders.
The Imposition of Government
Rick Santorum: The Billion Dollar Hypocrite
Santorum keeps hobbling around the country talking about smaller government and less intrusion and lower taxes. Meanwhile, while the hypocrite was in Congress he managed to siphon off billions for his district from the rest of the Country's taxpayers.
In Rick Santorum's days in the Senate, lawmakers didn't have to disclose their earmarks—but a New York Times analysis shows that Santorum had a lot of them, and that they were often followed by large campaign contributions from the companies they benefited. In one defense bill, for example, Santorum helped secure $124 million in earmarks. In the ensuing election cycle, the beneficiaries donated more than $200,000 to his campaign and PAC. The watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense estimates that Santorum secured more than $1 billion in earmarks from 1995 to 2006, and though the murky disclosures of the time make it hard to compare that directly to his contemporaries, budget analysts say it's safe to call him a "vigorous practitioner."
Santorum wants smaller government so he can take a big chunk of what the government does get for his own little hovel. The more religious-sounding these politicians, the less trustworthy they are. He doesn't care about the Country- he cares about his job.
Related articles
Excerpts From 'An Open Letter to Christian Zionists'
Here's the salient part-
This letter, though, is not about religious Jewish Zionism and its destructive effects on Israeli policy. It is about the Christian version of the same belief. This Christian version of Zionism matters deeply, not just because theology intrinsically matters, but because it is overwhelmingly clear that American evangelical-fundamentalist Christian Zionism affects US policy toward Israel and the Palestinians in distressing ways. It is one reason why the United States stands almost alone in the world community in supporting Israeli policies which our international friends generally find intolerable if not immoral and illegal.
Not to put too fine a point on it, we wish to claim here that the prevailing version of American Christian Zionism—that is, your belief system—underwrites theft of Palestinian land and oppression of Palestinian people, helps create the conditions for an explosion of violence, and pushes US policy in a destructive direction that violates our nation's commitment to universal human rights. In all of these, American Christian Zionism as it currently stands is sinful and produces sin. We write as evangelical Christians committed lifelong to Israel's security, and we are seriously worried about your support for policies that violate biblical warnings about injustice and may lead to the outcome you most fear—serious harm to or even destruction of Israel.
You can, and should, read the rest here. It's the truth. I've highlighted the core of it and the very reason I find Christian Zionism so utterly unacceptable, so utterly un-Christian.
Related articles
- How Zionism in General and Christian Zionism in Particular Are Destroying America, and Israel (zwingliusredivivus.wordpress.com)
- 'With God on Our Side' (zwingliusredivivus.wordpress.com)
The Common English Bible's Translation of 1 Corinthians 6:9ff
Don't you know that people who are unjust won't inherit God's kingdom? Don't be deceived. Those who are sexually immoral, those who worship false gods, adulterers, both participants in same-sex intercourse, thieves, the greedy, drunks, abusive people, and swindlers won't inherit God's kingdom. That is what some of you used to be! But you were washed clean, you were made holy to God, and you were made right with God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
It's actually quite a brilliant thing they've done translating οὔτε μαλακοὶ οὔτε ἀρσενοκοῖται with 'both participants in same-sex intercourse'. That is, the passive and the active partners in said intercourse are both, together, called to account.
The reason that the rendering of the CEB is so important is because 1) it's faithful (in the extreme) to both the underlying Greek and the receptor language, English; and 2) far too many people think that only the passive partner is liable to divine displeasure. Indeed, that argument is regularly made.
Here, however, thanks to the good work of the translators of the CEB, that misprision, or perhaps even simple misrepresentation, is undercut and denuded of any persuasive power.
People may claim what they wish and believe what they like; but they are not free to say that Paul (or other writers) held their views when those views are clean contrary to what they themselves have written in clear and precise language. Paul here clearly declares that
… both participants in same-sex intercourse, thieves, the greedy, drunks, abusive people, and swindlers won't inherit God's kingdom. That is what some of you used to be! But you were washed clean, you were made holy to God, and you were made right with God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
Governor Perry Thinks US Marines Urinating on Dead People is OK
Which just shows what sort of person he is and what sort of human being he aspires to.
Republican presidential hopeful Rick Perry said on Sunday it would be "over the top" to file criminal charges against four US Marineswho urinated on dead militants in Afghanistan. The incident, captured in a video posted online that depicts American troops desecrating the bloodstained corpses of fighters, has appalled Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai and embarrassed the Pentagon. "These kids made a mistake, there's not any doubt about it," Perry, the governor of Texas who is trailing most of his rivals in the battle for the Republican nomination for the November election, told CNN. "But the idea that this administration would go after these young people for a criminal act is, again, over the top."
Governor not only should they be prosecuted, they should be dishonorably discharged and imprisoned for the violation of a corpse, at the very least. They've disgraced us all. Your suggestion, Governor, is itself disgraceful. True patriots don't turn a blind eye or deaf ear to evil and injustice, they denounce them in the strongest possible terms so that this country CAN be the kind of country we all want it to be.
Those who wink at evil are themselves evil.
Related articles
- Rick Perry Defends 'Kids' Who Urinated on Taliban (newser.com)
- Perry defends 'mistaken' marines (smh.com.au)
- Rick Perry Defends Marines Urinating On Taliban Corpses: 'Kids Make Stupid Mistakes' (mediaite.com)
Targum Lamentations for eSword
Christian writes
A reader has kindly made an eSword version of Targum Lamentations available. I do not use this tool myself, but Jonathan's directions were these:
I'm sorry it has taken me so long to get this to you. I have attached the E-Sword file for you of your Targum. The file just needs to be copied into the E-sword program folder (c:\program files (x86)\E-Sword in most cases). When E-sword is started it will be included in the Topic files. For the Newest version of E-sword it will be in Resource Library. I would have put it as a Bible, but due to time and the fact that we are only dealing with a single book I thought this format would be easier. Let me know if you have any questions or if you would like any changes made.
ESword is great! It's a fantastic resource third only to BibleWorks 9 and Logos 4. Fantastic stuff and the fact that the Lamentations Targum is available for it is excellent.
You can find the file via this link (right-click or cntl-click and choose "save as").
Where in the World is Chris Tilling Now?
This one's sad. It's just another piece of evidence that drinking makes you do stupid things.
A Chicago man was charged with drunk driving, among a number of other charges, after he crashed into a police squad car — all while wearing little clothing.
Arsenio GarciaChris Tilling, 24, 87, of the 4000 block of West Potomac Avenue, was stopped by police just after 11 a.m. Sunday in the 2900 block of North Kilbourn Avenue after a concerned citizen alerted police to a likely drunk driver, the Chicago Tribune reports. After police tracked down GarciaTilling, he drove the wrong way down a one-way street and crashed into a squad car. After the collision, GarciaTilling "opened up the door and just fell out of the car" while clad only in underwear and socks, a police spokesman told the Chicago Sun-Times.
That must have been a horrific sight. I know from SBL how terrifying… *shiver*. I think it might be time for an intervention.
BBC's 'Big Questions' = Big Disappointment
I've watched the episode from yesterday morning (with thanks to the cool program called Expat Shield which lets folk outside Britain watch British tv) and I have two words- big disappointment.
That disappointment isn't aimed at the atheist side of the panel, but the Chrisitan. Surely the BBC could have assembled a brighter panel of experts. They needed a systematic theologian, a Christian philosopher, and a Biblical scholar who holds to the Christian faith. Instead they had a panel that they seemed to pick up off the streets of Manchester after the pubs closed on Saturday night.
Francesca did a good job. I could have done a good job on the other side. So could Christian Brady or Robert Cargill, or any of a couple of hundred biblical scholars I can think of. The next time the BBC has one of these things they should ask someone who actually knows the subject. Otherwise, it just looks like the deck is stacked.
Related articles
- Francesca Stavrakopoulou on BBC's 'Big Questions' (zwingliusredivivus.wordpress.com)
- Big Questions… Stacked Decks… Predetermined Answers (zwingliusredivivus.wordpress.com)
I Love You Spam, You're So Tasty…
Look, Let's Face it, The People who Believe Jesus Never Existed Are Lunatics
Which is why it's so nice to see their crackpottery rebuked. Read James' post and when a project (not by James, just to be clear, but by someone else) that is in process comes to fruition in which the nutbaggery of the mythicists is thoroughly exposed, read it.
[That last sentence is a tease- much, much more on the project later on].
Francesca Stavrakopoulou on BBC's 'Big Questions'
Thanks to the folk at the T&T Clark blog for this-
Newly minted professor (and T&T Clark author) Francesca Stavrakopoulou was on the BBC's 'The Big Questions', broadcast yesterday. Iplayer link here for those in the UK. The programme debated the existence of God. I haven't watched all of it, because my internet is a bit slow for such things at work (and, errr, because I'm at work). But the bit I did watch disappointed me a little because the theist arguments I heard seemed very simple, and to come from a wholly uneducated perspective.
I'll be interviewing Francesca later this week about such things as this, and more. Stay tuned.
Related articles
- Big Questions… Stacked Decks… Predetermined Answers (zwingliusredivivus.wordpress.com)
- James Crossley Isn't the Only One To Congratulate this Week! (zwingliusredivivus.wordpress.com)
More Political Dirtbaggery: Ron Paul, Mr. First Class on the Taxpayer's Dime
Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has been spending large amounts on airfare as a congressman, flying first class on dozens of taxpayer-funded flights to his home state. The practice conflicts with the image that Paul portrays as the only presidential candidate serious about cutting federal spending.
Paul flew first class on at least 31 round-trip flights and 12 one-way flights since May 2009 when he was traveling between Washingtonand his district in Texas, according to a review by The Associated Press of his congressional office expenses. Four other round-trip tickets and two other one-way tickets purchased during the period were eligible for upgrades to first-class after they were bought, but those upgrades would not be documented in the expense records.
Paul, whose distrust of big government is the centerpiece of his presidential campaign, trusts the more expensive government ratefor Continental Airlines when buying his tickets. Paul chose not to buy the cheaper economy tickets at a fraction of the price because they aren't refundable or as flexible for scheduling, his congressional staff said.
In short, he places himself above the people he represents. Naturally. After all, he is a politician and therefore a hypocritical dirtbag. So much for his claim that he's against government spending. He's only against government spending when it isn't spent on him.
Related articles
- Ron Paul Defends First Class Flights (huffingtonpost.com)
- Paul fights Washington spending, flies first class (mysanantonio.com)
- 'Cost-Cutter' Ron Paul Spends Big on First Class (newser.com)
The Tomb of the Egyptian Singer
Fascinating stuff here:
Archaeologists working in Egypt have discovered the tomb of a female singer in the Valley of the Kings. The tomb was found by a team from the University of Basel in Switzerland who came across it by chance. The woman, Nehmes Bastet, was a temple singer during Egypt's 22nd Dynasty (approximately 945 – 712BC), according to an inscription in the tomb. Previous tombs found in the valley were for members of ancient Egypt's royal families. Mansour Boraiq, an official at the Antiquities' Ministry in Luxor, told AP that the coffin was remarkably intact and would be opened this week. Archaeologists expected to find a mummy with a burial mask molded to her face, he said. Basel University's Elina Paulin-Grothe said that the tomb was not built for the female singer, but was re-used for her 400 years after the original burial, according to AP. The woman in the coffin – who lived almost 3,000 years ago – was the daughter of the high priest of Amon, Egypt's Antiquities Minister Mohammed Ibrahim told AFP.
Related articles
- Rare tomb of woman found in Egypt (news.smh.com.au)
- New Tomb Found In Valley Of Kings (lezgetreal.com)
- Female singer's 1,100-year-old tomb unearthed in Egypt's Valley of the Kings (mirror.co.uk)
More Political Dirtbaggery
A Georgia Republican who wants all welfare reciepients subject to drug tests failed one himself after he ran a red light on Friday morning. The Atlanta Journal Constiution has the story on State Rep. Kip Smith (R). Smith is a sponsor of Georgia House Bill 464, which would "require random drug testing" for citizens on public assistance. In response to Smith's legislation, State Rep. Scott Holcomb introduced a bill last month that would require all state lawmakers to be subject to random drug testing.
Another politician who behaves badly while insisting that others behave well or they can't get public money. I think politicians who are arrested for anything shouldn't get taxpayer money either.


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Gonzalo Garcia Calvo Creates The Most Unique Origami
So much detail
Gonzalo Garcia Calvo is an artist based in Madrid, Spain, he creates the most unique origami, paying attention to every small detail. Some of his creations include Yoda, animals, musical instruments and fictional characters. Origami is a hard enough hobby to master as it is, Gonzalo makes creating these unique characters look like they've just come straight from a 3D printer.
If you like Gonzalo's work give him a follow on Flickr.

subset: commoncrawl


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Jagmeet Singh rewarded for staying with NDP at Queen's Park
Mon Apr 20 2015
Sometimes it pays to dance with the one that brung ya.
Spurning New Democratic Leader Tom Mulcair's overtures to run federally this year, NDP MPP Jagmeet Singh is sticking around Queen's Park.
For his gesture, provincial NDP Leader Andrea Horwath rewarded the four-year Bramalea-Gore-Malton MPP with the largely symbolic title of deputy leader of her 20-member caucus.


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Featured Wellness Ambassador - Dr. Elizabeth Tamminga
I became a Maximized Living doctor because I have a huge passion to help people achieve true health and happiness. I came across Maximized Living while in Chiropractic school. They held a workshop on the five essentials, and I knew right away that it was right I needed to be. It's what I like to call "the nudge". You know, when God places that weight on your chest that you need to move forward? Well luckily I followed that nudge. Fast forward five years and here I am today! I practice with my fiancé, and we teach those five essentials of health which are: Maximized Mindset, Nerve supply, Nutrition, Oxygen and Lean Muscle, and Minimizing Toxins. Through the five essentials we are able to see such amazing healing occur. I feel blessed to be trusted with the tools and knowledge to be able to deliver this care.
I love Rainbow Blossom for so many reasons! First off, everyone I have met who works there has been great; always in a good mood and willing to help. I also love how Rainbow Blossom is involved in the community, and that they source their products local whenever possible. There is so much information available to anyone who is looking to change their lifestyle or broaden their borders. I believe that through the workshops and educational courses, the CSA, the farmers market, and more, that everyone can find something that interests them- all towards the greater purpose of getting healthier. And that is really what it's about right! I mean, without our health, how well can we achieve everything that is important to us? What I mean is, how well can we care for our children is we're sick, how well can we serve God if we're sick? Or function at work? So health is always the number one priority!
I'm so glad that through Rainbow Blossom we have the products and information necessary to get back to health without damaging our body long term! And it doesn't hurt that the Middletown location is just a few doors over, and I can send patients there knowing they are in good hands. ;-) Thank you Rainbow Blossom for being so great!
Learn more about Maximized Living and Dr. Liz at www.mllouisville.com and www.facebook.com/middletownfamilychiropractic


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Enjoy autumn with a half term holiday cottage. October half term is the perfect time to enjoy a holiday: with the leaves turning deep ochre and the landscape bathed in golden low sun there's no better time to enjoy woodland walks, coastal views, city breaks and gorgeous towns and villages. Inside your half term holiday cottage you will also find plenty of ways to pass the time, from open fires and heated pools to home cinema systems and games rooms.
With cottages in some of the UK and Ireland's most scenic and spectacular locations, you will find a wealth of beauty in the surrounding area – along with a host of activities for all the family. And with holiday properties in France and Italy also available, there's a wealth of choice to ensure your October half term break is one that the whole family will enjoy. Take a look at our handpicked selection of October half term holiday cottages.
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Dream Job Profile: lululemon Store Manager, Annie Tasker/
Annie Tasker - my full name is Annelise, which no one except my parents and Kim, one of my favorite bartenders at F Street Station, call me.
Anchorage, AK
Store Manager at lululemon Anchorage 5th Ave Mall
What are some of your key responsibilities as Lululemon Store Manager:
I'm responsible for growing our business in Alaska, making key relationships within the community, and supporting our local ambassadors in their endeavors. My biggest responsibility is supporting my team in their goals, personal and career-related.
What drew you to become apart of the Lululemon community and when did you get started?:
I was hired to work in the lululemon showroom by local superstar and badass mom, Julia Von Imhof. We had been friends for a few years and ran into each other after a yoga class. We grabbed a coffee, caught up and discussed what I had been up to (business classes at UAA to complement my bachelor's degree and leadership concentration) Julia wasted no time and coffee quickly turned into a job interview to work in the showroom! It was amazing timing, I had been waitressing for a few years and needed something that was aligned with my personal values and somewhere I could grow into a leadership position. I started as a part-time Educator and moved into a Key Leader position when we opened the first lululemon store in Alaska in 2015. I was promoted to Assistant Store Manager in March 2016 and then Store Manager in this past January.
Has fitness always been apart of your life?
My family is very athletic, so the majority of my childhood fitness was sports. My dad played professional football and my mom is a lifelong runner. I grew up watching my mom prioritize her health through fitness, so that's always been a priority for me as well. I definitely love to mix it up, I'll go on a yoga kick for a few months, I love Vanessa's class at Orange Theory! Since living in Alaska the past 8 years, trail running has become a huge part of my summers. My current obsession is Anchorage Cycle. I LOVE the vibe there, and how every instructor really brings the entire class together. Fav instructors: David Westlake, Courtney, Jen Evanson and Penny!
Describe a typical day in the work life of Annie:
Most days, I'm usually one of the first people at the store. I almost always start my day looking over our numbers, reading my leadership team's notes and just getting an overall picture of where we're at for the week, month, and quarter. I was never a number's person before this job but now I rely heavily on using my tools to assess how my biz is doing! I often have a conference call or meeting in my morning. Being in a remote market makes conference calls interesting, we utilize Zoom meetings at lululemon which has really helped me get to know my leaders, and peers in a more personal way than just over the phone. After meetings, I spend quite a bit of time writing my team's schedule. I don't take scheduling lightly, I try to make sure my employees work a schedule that supports their life outside of work. This really allows them to show up powerfully, increases my team's engagement and just overall allows them to be happy with their work/life balance. I always schedule myself at least a few hours every day, working on the floor at the store and checking in with my people. I absolutely love my team and this is usually the highlight of my working day.
How do you stay inspired/choose the flow of your store?
I get most of my inspiration from the people around me, especially at work. Right now, my team at the store is a pretty diverse group of women. I rely heavily on my work family to keep me present, objective, and to keep me living in possibility. I work with quite a few women who are younger than me, and it's been an amazing experience watching their drive and ambition create the lives and careers they dream of. Watching the mom's on my team balance their schedules, support their families and make sure they take time for themselves…is a daily source of inspiration. Whenever I get bogged down with my to-do list, and get stressed about finding time to exercise, walk my dog, spend time with my boyfriend, grocery shop, cook, manage our store's hours and budget, schedule performance evaluations, and a million other tasks, I look to the mothers in my life who manage to do all those things while taking care of 2 kids and a spouse. What I've learned from them is that perfection is not the goal. If I worked an 80 hour work week, there would still be tasks to accomplish so I prioritize what is urgent and important and make sure to leave time to invest in my people. That's where I see the biggest return on investment.
What is essential in your workspace? Ie: mood, music, tea- how do you get into your workflow routine?
I won't lie, coffee is essential. Like…essssssential. I either make my coffee at home (almond milk creamer is crucial) or pick it up from Starbs on my way to the store. I always take time to get clear before starting any task or meeting. Actually, this is something my entire team does before every single shift. Taking a moment to acknowledge what is happening in your life that is keeping you from being present is a game-changer in our ability to perform at work.
One fun thing that is new to my workspace is a Japanese Maneki Neko cat. My Asst. Store Manager brought it back from Tokyo and it now lives above our office computer. Maneki Neko cats are supposed to bring good fortune to businesses, it's a quirky little addition but I'll never turn down a little help towards success!
How have your surroundings helped develop you as a leader?
I feel very fortunate to have grown and worked in a progressive corporation that is mostly lead by women. Our culture is really empowering, we've created an environment where speaking up and being an entrepreneur is not only encouraged, it's required. Previous to working at lululemon, I had never been in a work environment where giving (and receiving) feedback was such an integral part of the everyday. I've learned over the last 3 years that by sharing with a teammate when you see a way they could improve, isn't being mean or cruel, it's giving them the opportunity to improve and ultimately perform to their potential. It took me a long time to learn that as long as the constructive criticism comes from a place of love, you're being a stand for greatness. One of my managers once told me "Annie, if you don't share that feedback, you are holding your peer back and not allowing the chance to get better and to have the knowledge of where they can improve."
We train our entire team, from the moment they get hired, to share what they're noticing, to communicate in a powerful way and to stand for greatness. I take a lot of pride in our store in AK, I really think we do a great job at being genuine, inclusive, and brightening our guests day.
What do you look forward to most when leading a team?
I love being witness to people who are in the work of bettering themselves as human beings. Watching my team go through our vision and goals workshop and get clarity around their personal core values, set goals to get them to where they want to be and ultimately become more empathic people is my favorite part of being a leader at lululemon.
lululemon is so community and lifestyle driven - what are some events + partnerships you have coming up that you are looking forward to:
Well, first of, we're really excited about hosting Tess and Beautycounter in-store for the 2nd time this summer. I've been testing out a few of Beautycounter's products over the last week, and I'm super impressed. I've always said, when I find a chemical free, more natural product that works BETTER than what I've been using, I'll make the switch. I'm REALLY in love with the tinted moisturizer and their face mask!
We're also highlighting local athletes every week on our facebook page, lululemon Anchorage. This has been a fun new way to bring attention to some member of our community who is up to some really cool things.
I have to share a bit about our store's ambassadors, they really are the embodiment of what we stand for at lululemon.
Megan Piersma is the owner of Deha Yoga, in south Anchorage. Megan is probably one of the coolest human beings on the planet, she is my favorite yoga instructor and I leave her studio feeling my best. Megan has created a warm, welcoming environment at Deha.
David Westlake is a yoga instructor and Motivator at Anchorage Cycle. He recently started Turiya Alaska, which is a non-profit that brings yoga to the downtown Anchorage Jail. He recently took my team through a meditation workshop, designed to help my employees battle the holiday stress. He really met my team where they were at and gave us some simple useful techniques to help us chill out.
Ryder Spadafore is the owner of Anchorage Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He's just an overall bad-ass. His honestly and genuine attitude inspires the loyalty of his students. My team has been frequenting this gym and hitting up the kickboxing classes at ABJJ….these are not your mom's kickboxing classes. You feel super empowered and strong (also sweaty and tired!) after these classes. Stay tuned for a ABJJ and lululemon Women's Self Defense Workshop in the near future!
David Norris is our ski racing ambassador. He's currently somewhere in Europe on the ski racing circuit. He's from Fairbanks and has the most humble, down to earth personality. He frequents the mountains and trails outside of Anchorage and loves working with young, aspiring skiers.
What is some advice you would give to someone starting out that you wish someone gave to you?
Your instincts are usually correct, so trust them. Have facts that support you and, humbly, stand your ground. Being the loudest isn't the best way to win people over.
What are your favorite lululemon essential items you think everyone should check out?
Where to start????
-Wunder Under High Rise Tights in Luxtreme – AMAZING for cycle, everyday wear and doesn't attract dog hair.
-Fast and Free 7/8 Tight – These are a must for anyone who works out no matter what you're doing. #nakedsensation for the win!
-On The Fly Pants – my travel pants! These have an athletic, jogger look that makes me feel comfortable but polished on the plane.
-Energy Bra – perfect for high-intensity workouts but still has the strappy cute look I want!
-Free to Be Zen Bra – my every day/yoga bra, I haven't worn a real bra in years. Seriously.
-All Tied Up Tank in Pima Cotton – my go-to summer top, perfect for jeans, yoga pants, shorts
In my opinion, lululemon crushes jackets and bags. I'm loving all of this seasons backpacks and our bomber jackets in springy colors like porcelain pink and teal shadow.
How can people sign up for fit session at your location?
Email me! email@example.com. My entire team thrives off getting our guests in their best fit, so I can connect you to an expert educator who with HOOK IT UP!
What is your mantra?!
Hmmm I'm not sure I have a mantra but 2 quotes I'm bringing to 2018 are:
People won't remember what you said/did, they remember how you made them feel.
"I am expanding in love, success, and abundance and encouraging others to do the same."
-Elena Brower (super cool NYC yogi, check out her IG)


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HIP88402 is the reference name for the star in the Hipparcos Star Catalogue.
MS Arae has alternative name(s) :- MS Ara, MS Ara.
More details on objects' alternative names can be found at Star Names .
The location of the variable star in the night sky is determined by the Right Ascension (R.A.) and Declination (Dec.), these are equivalent to the Longitude and Latitude on the Earth. The Right Ascension is how far expressed in time (hh:mm:ss) the star is along the celestial equator. If the R.A. is positive then its eastwards. The Declination is how far north or south the object is compared to the celestial equator and is expressed in degrees. For MS Arae, the location is 18h 03m 04.30 and -52° 43` 20.3 .
All stars like planets orbit round a central spot, in the case of planets, its the central star such as the Sun. In the case of a star, its the galactic centre. The constellations that we see today will be different than they were 50,000 years ago or 50,000 years from now. Proper Motion details the movements of these stars and are measured in milliarcseconds. The star is moving -37.18 ± 2.36 milliarcseconds/year towards the north and -2.10 ± 3.90 milliarcseconds/year east if we saw them in the horizon.
The Radial Velocity, that is the speed at which the star is moving away/towards the Sun is 101.00000 km/s with an error of about 14.00 km/s . When the value is negative then the star and the Sun are getting closer to one another, likewise, a positive number means that two stars are moving away. Its nothing to fear as the stars are so far apart, they won't collide in our life-time, if ever.
The source of the information if it has a Hip I.D. is from Simbad, the Hipparcos data library based at the University at Strasbourg, France. Hipparcos was a E.S.A. satellite operation launched in 1989 for four years. The items in red are values that I've calculated so they could well be wrong. Information regarding Metallicity and/or Mass is from the E.U. Exoplanets. The information was obtained as of 12th Feb 2017.
|Primary / Proper / Traditional Name
|MS Arae
|Alternative Names
|MS Ara, HIP 88402, MS Ara
|Constellation's Main Star
|Multiple Star System
|No / Unknown
|Star Type
|Variable Star
|Milky Way
|Absolute Magnitude
|7.17 / 7.64
|Visual / Apparent Magnitude
|Naked Eye Visible
|Requires a 4.5 - 6 Inch Telescope - Magnitudes
|Right Ascension (R.A.)
|18h 03m 04.30
|Declination (Dec.)
|-52° 43` 20.3
|Galactic Latitude
|-14.47240461 degrees
|Galactic Longitude
|340.64082436 degrees
|1997 Distance from Earth
|10.00000 Parallax (milliarcseconds)
|326.16 Light Years
|100 Parsecs
|2007 Distance from Earth
|12.43000 Parallax (milliarcseconds)
|262.40 Light Years
|80.45 Parsecs
|16,593,888.03 Astronomical Units
|Proper Motion Dec.
|-37.18000 ± 2.36000 milliarcseconds/year
|Proper Motion RA.
|-2.10000 ± 3.90000 milliarcseconds/year
|B-V Index
|Radial Velocity
|101.00000 ± 14.00 km/s
|Iron Abundance
|-1.4400 ± 9.99 Fe/H
|Exoplanet Count
|Variable Star Class
|Variable Star Type
|RR Lyrae type with a
|Mean Variability Period in Days
|Variable Magnitude Range (Brighter - Dimmer)
|11.689 - 12.565
|SIMBAD Source
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Thank you for your interest in the graduate opportunities available at SUNY Oneonta. We offer 17 programs leading to a Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Science in teaching, Master of Science in Education, Advanced Graduate Certificate, Certificate of Advanced Study or Post Baccalaureate Certificate.
Whether you're planning to attend full time or part time, our staff is available to assist you from the beginning of the application process through graduation day. Please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at 607-436-2523 to schedule a visit or with any questions you may have.
We are now accepting graduate applications for Spring 2020, Summer 2020 and Fall 2020.


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Activist condemns Ugandan bill on gays
The federal government must immediately challenge Uganda's bid to jail all homosexuals for life, a gay activist says.
A proposed bill set to come before the Ugandan parliament says anyone convicted of a homosexual act - which includes touching someone of the same sex with the intent of committing a homosexual act - would face life imprisonment.
"Australia as a nation must not sit on its "cross stitching" and do nothing because it will be seen by the rest of the Commonwealth as condoning Uganda's archaic and insidious laws," Gary Burns told AAP.
In the past Mr Burns has used the courts to highlight prejudice against homosexual people.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has moved to quash a provision in the draft laws that would have allowed the death penalty for homosexuals with HIV and in cases of same-sex rape.
Mr Burns said the Commonwealth should be seriously considering banning Uganda from the upcoming Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
"Any country who calls for the death penalty and jailing of homosexuals has no place under the Commonwealth Games banner and should be expelled from participating in the Commonwealth Games later this year.
"Being good sports should be a message of inclusiveness for all humanity instead of the one of intolerance and hate shown by Uganda."
Comment has been sought from The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Australian Greens sexuality spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young backed Mr Burns' call on Friday.
"During the last sitting period, I moved that the Senate condemn the criminalisation of homosexuality through the Ugandan government's anti-homosexuality bill," she told AAP in a statement.
"But the government argued that it could not support my motion as it dealt with a 'complex foreign affairs matter'.
"Australia opposes the criminalisation of homosexuality and Australia opposes the death penalty so how is this a complex foreign affairs matter?"
Senator Hanson-Young said Australia was now a bona fide member of the G20 and "should be playing a leadership role in the global campaign for human rights".


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New Patient Forms
We know you've got a lot going on in your life – and you don't want to miss a thing because of a lengthy doctor's appointment.
As such, we encourage you to print and complete our new patient forms prior to your first meeting with our office, so we can expedite your visit and get you the care you need as quickly as possible.
Schedule a consultation
Don't let joint damage, sports injuries and musculoskeletal ailments slow you down indefinitely. Schedule a consultation at the Orthohealing Center today, and let our team of world-class specialists heal your injury, deliver profound pain relief and get you back to your full and active lifestyle.
Call us today (310) 896-4117 or Schedule Online »


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Iggy Azalea angry that Papa John's delivery driver shared her phone number
Iggy Azalea isn't as "Fancy" as you think she is. She orders Papa John's pizza just like the rest of us. But now she's angry that one of the company's delivery dudes apparently shared her phone number with folks.
She told the story in a series of tweets posted on Sunday before the Grammy awards. She first posted a screenshot of a text sent to her by someone claiming to be the delivery driver's brother.
This is the message she received: "My brother delivered something from Papa John's to u and he gave me the number on Friday night i am ur number one fan call me back please."
She tweeted: "I ordered a cheese pizza but instead I got tons of calls and messages like this one."
She must have filed an official complaint because the Papa John's manager responded with this tweet:
"We should have known better. Customer and employee privacy is important to us. Please don't #bounce us!"
Unfortunately, the reference to her music didn't make Iggy feel any better.
"I don't think data breach is funny. I expect you to contact me to explain how you are going to rectify your breach," she responded.
Then she warned her fans: "@PapaJohns was my favorite pizza but the drivers they use give out your personal phone number to their family members."
Late Sunday night, frozen-pizza maker DiGiorno jumped into the back-and-forth fray, tweeting: "@IGGYAZALEA delivery. smh."
Sigh. Next time, Iggy, just order Chinese.


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Grill a Complete Meal
Class is $75.00/person
Grilling has never been so much fun! Chef Mark will demonstrate great grilling techniques with a menu that includes,
Grilled Caesar Salad with Grilled Shrimp,
Grilled Heirloom tomatoes with Pesto and Fresh Mozzarella over grilled bread
Grilled NY Sirloin with Grilled Mushrooms, Onions and Grilled Potatoes with Roasted Garlic
Grilled Spice Pineapple with Vanilla Ice Cream for dessert.
Recipes Included!
We require a $25.00/person deposit upon registering for class. The remainder of the payment is due on the day of the class.


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About Early's Bar
Early's Bar has been in the Early family for more than four decades and it is the oldest licensed public house on Arranmore Island with records dating back to at least the 1830's.
Like the island itself, the bar is steeped in history and has a strong connection with the legendary treasure The O'Donnell Pearls. The pearls were said to be originally given to the O'Donnell family by a Spanish sailor who survived the storm which foundered many of the ships of the Spanish Armada fleet of 1588. That branch of the O'Donnell family went on to become the landlords and owners of what is now Early's Bar, bringing with them the precious treasure.
The pearls remained on the island until the 1950's when a wealthy Englishman who was married to an Arranmore lady visited the island and realised their worth. They were put in safe keeping in an English vault in the 1960's and later brought back to Ireland to be put on display in the Dublin Museum. The pearls later "vanished" and their whereabouts are currently unknown!
1960s onwards
In 1966 the Early family bought the pub from Matt O'Donnell and the new owners, Andrew and Mary Early set about making huge renovations to the premises. As the years went on the Earlys brought many of the big country acts of the '70's and '80's to the island to play in their bar and they are also credited with giving the world famous Daniel O'Donnell his first big break in 1983. Despite his huge stardom Daniel returns to play in Early's Bar once a year as a token of his appreciation for the support the Early family gave him at the begining of his career.
In 1990, Andrew and Mary retired from running the bar when Andrew's son Jerry returned home from America with his wife Pat to continue on what Andrew and Mary established. Jerry and Pat quickly put their own stamp on the premises by carrying out more renovations to cater for a larger clientele ranging from the youngest to oldest. Today, as well as visiting bands entertaining the customers and discos in the lounge, Jerry and his good friend Robert Pfeiffer from Holland form an entertaining two piece act playing music to suit all ages.
Early's Bar continues to evolve as Jerry and Pat's children, Kayla, Aisling and Paul are now essential to the running of the bar. Over the years many of our full and part time staff have been connected to our family and added to the friendly atmosphere, as well as working hard!
The bar is continually changing, most recently in Spring 2015 when the whole bar was redecorated and adapted to embrace our local sea and fishing heritage.
It is not uncommon to see the biggest and best Donegal bands grace the stage in Early's Bar, not least when local band Mojo Gogo established and ran a two day rock festival in conjunction with Jerry Early and Early's Bar. AranMojo ran for 3 years and provided a lot of artists the space to showcase the best of the local original talent. Some of the bands who will be gracing the stage this year are Donegal's finest e.g. In Their Thousands, Our Native State, The Humble Earthworms to name but a few.
We look forward to 2016 when we will be celebrating 50 years in business. All the Early family wish to thank you for your continued support.


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Latest News
The Katrina Tour
Travel the 75-mile length of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and inland into South Mississippi's pineywoods communities and you will understand why great minds like Ben Franklin, Mother Theresa, Winston Churchill and others tell us repeatedly that out of adversity comes opportunity and strength.
Hurricane Katrina is a huge reminder of that.
The Biloxi Lighthouse shines, a defiant symbol among defiant symbols of Katrina recovery. Repairs on the 1848 cast- iron tower, now a proud image on all Mississippi license tags, will be completed this year.
Meanwhile, the lighthouse is stabilized and is one of the many post-Katrina wonders that causes the national media and tourism gurus to take note. That comeback spirit is everywhere, in every town, for every visitor to see.
Not to be overlooked is the Friendship Oak of Long Beach. Its 500-year-old limbs stood strong although the buildings of the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast surrounding it were washed through.
Part of what you will see in an exploratory drive of this post-Katrina region is the future, and that's what surrounds this historic ancient Live oak. USM will restore the vintage 1920s buildings and has brought to this beachfront campus a new emphasis on film and art.
Renewal also comes to "The Old VA," a veteran's hospital donated to Gulfport after the storm. This pristine beachfront property will become a resort for visitors and locals. When you drive by the sadly battered historic Spanish Mission buildings, it helps to know that.
>strong>Awakening the future
Interpreting what you see is no easy task for locals, who lost treasured landmarks, so imagine what it is like for those unfamiliar with the architecture and heritage of a region finding itself in fast-forward mode. For a community carving opportunity out of adversity, the future is also now.
On that note, eagles nest at the newly opened Audubon Nature Center in Moss Point. Children play again at the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center in Gulfport. Pass Christian, which miraculously still boasts gorgeous homes on the east end of Scenic Drive, will raise a pole at West Beach Boulevard and Barkley Drive to show Katrina's high water mark at 34.9 feet.
Construction of the innovative Frank Gehry-designed museum to American art potter George E. Ohr continues, and the picturesque Old Biloxi Cemetery also in that city looks as it did before Katrina toppled historic monuments. On Biloxi Town Green, a Katrina memorial is the first to be completed in the region.
The downtowns of Ocean Springs and Bay St. Louis hum with an artsy quaintness that marked them before the storm. Monies are set aside to restore Waveland's oldest remaining public building, a 1927 school that, once renovated, will be a civic center.
A "Replant South Mississippi" project promises coveted oaks for future generations, and some of the oaks that Katrina killed are now wooden sculpture along Beach Boulevard.
Our food goes with everything Sample the food for which this region is famous. Homespun restaurants, many specializing in seafood or ethnic fare, are serving again across the Coast. An amazing number of favorite eateries are reopened elsewhere.
Seek out a po-boy shop and bring your sandwich to one of the many parks improved since the storm. Watch pelicans and marsh life at Fountain Pier Marine Education Park in D'Iberville, or sit among the ancient oaks of Pascagoula's Beach Park. There, the city has built a Katrina memorial, marking the height of the standing water and waves. It includes the inscription: "May the winds of destruction and the waves of sorrow forever remind us of the opportunity and hope we have found,"
You can perch on a plank at a restored public pier or harbor to study sea birds and sunsets, or buy an inexpensive crab net.
More such public structures will be built back, better and stronger, as are the two bridges now open over Biloxi Bay and the Bay of St. Louis.
Their design-as-you-go construction is amazing and allowed for quicker openings of these essential water corridors. Join the locals in the new phenomenon of walking or riding a bike in the special "people lane" of each bridge. The view is unbelievable.
Signs of change and defiance Newer chapters of our history are obvious, even to the visitor.
High-rise casino resorts and condominiums, some built since the storm, dot the coastal skyline and the gaming industry is doing better than ever as it helps buoy the recovery economy.
Vacant lots tell their stories through cement slabs or steps to nowhere, but as you drive through downtowns and neighborhoods in hard-hit areas, note the renovations and temporary structures, including trailers for government offices and temporary Katrina cottages, courtesy of Uncle Sam until homes are rebuilt.
Signs tell of defiance, such as the one at the now-tent Catholic church, St. Clare in Waveland: "Katrina was big, but God was bigger." In each community, look for similar words of defiance.
Revival, slow but sure, includes new houses now on stilts or chain walls — a rarity before the storm. If you see a sign that has the letters "MDAH," you are looking at a restoration project partly paid by a $26 million government historic preservation grant to save Mississippi's older architecture, be it a house, business or public building.
Cherishing what remains
"It doesn't take a bureaucrat from Washington to tell the people of Mississippi the importance of place to one's cultural identity," Bruce Cole, chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities observed when he toured.
The preservation story that wins national attention is of Beauvoir, the 1850s antebellum estate where former U.S. statesman and Confederate president Jefferson Davis spent his retirement. Katrina ripped away Beauvoir's distinctive high porches, even 8-foot support piers. The restored museum house has reopened, but few would guess at the $3.9 million in damage repaired by government preservation funds, for Beauvoir looks as it did in Davis' time.
Such magic cannot be worked on the entire coastline, of course. What you will see as you explore is an eclectic mix of the salvaged and the ruined, the old and the new. It is a sight worth seeing and revisiting as we rebound from the nation's worst cultural disaster.


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Lois Weiner
Lois Weiner is Director of the Urban Education and Teacher Unionism Policy Project at New Jersey City University. She was a classroom teacher for 15 years before becoming a college professor, researcher, and teacher educator. She writes widely on education and labor, specializing in teacher unionism, and is a member of the New Politics editorial board.


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From Goodreads: Fledging guardian angel and yoga teacher Serena St. Clair dares enter Devil's Paradise nightclub on a mission—to retrieve the wayward Hollywood "It Boy" she's assigned to protect. But she's ambushed by the club's owner, arch demon Julian Ascher. The most powerful demonic entity in Los Angeles, Julian is handsome as sin, a master of temptation who loves nothing more than corrupting pleasure–seeking humans. He won't release the lost soul Serena is supposed to guard. Unless she accepts his dangerous wager…
After the disastrous way his human life ended, Julian vowed that no woman would get the better of him again. Yet this sexy–sweet angel, smelling of fresh ocean air and happiness, triggers centuries–old feelings. Now, their high–stakes game of seduction, where angels fall from grace and where demons fear to tread, will lead them either to an eternity in hell.or a deliciously hot heaven.
Requested on NetGalley by Me
Overall Rating 4.25
Story Rating 4.50
Character Rating 4.00
Buy Your Own Copy
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Note: I can't tell if Where Demons Fear to Tread is a beginning of a new series or not. I truly hope that it is because I enjoyed the unique Angels and Demons world building that Stephanie Chong created!
What I Loved: In Where Demons Fear to Tread, we are introduced to a world of Guardian Angels and Arch Demons. I really enjoyed reading as the two forces battle for human souls and power. Though they both fight from different places within themselves (evil vs good), it was amazing what they would do to reach their ultimate goal. The fact that Stephanie Chong explained how, in her world, a person can become an Angel or Demon was both interesting and well done. I hope this is a series because I would like the world explored further.
What I Liked: Serena and Julian were great lead characters that you wanted to see together despite their opposite beginnings. They needed each other to become the best "them" that they could be.I have to admit that I am more looking forward to learning more about Arielle, Luciana, Nick and even Meredith. The secondary characters really rocked!
Complaints: None
Why I gave it a 4.25: This was a great read that I hope turns into a series. I would recommend it to anybody looking for a great world building PNR.
Felicia S
During her non-reading time you can find her hanging with her rescue furr children named after book characters: Lizzie a beautiful cattle dog mix (Pound Pup), Cinder a beautiful Shep/Pitt mix (Pound Pup), and Minerva a beautiful Shep/Pitt mix (Foster Fail). Gathering with friends and family, attending conventions, watching movies/tv shows, rooting for the 49rs, and crocheting.
If you want to follow her DIY, Health, and Life adventures check out Mess to Best
My Google Profile
Latest posts by Felicia S (see all)
- #Promo #RomanceforRaices: A Soldier's Christmas Wish by Vivien Arend /Narrated by Tatiana Sokolov - November 11, 2019
- #30DaysofThanks Day 10: #SultryListeners Winner Aaron Shedlock - November 11, 2019
- #30DaysofThanks Day 9: #SultryListeners Winner Teri Schnaubelt - November 10, 2019


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Primarily business notes this week... We would like to thank Franklin-Alan for a speedy and perfect renovation to our store on South Lamar. They added a new pickup window to help speed up our service (including fulfilling your online orders... no more waiting in line) during our lunch rush AND a new kiddie table to increase the comfort level of our smaller patrons AND another big people table (currently pre-cut and stacked in my garage, soon to be assembled). Oh, AND we just got a beer and wine license so we will launch a new fun little menu of fresh fruit mixed drinks for the warm season. Exciting changes all! Do you want a Juicebox & Soup Peddler in your neighborhood? Find us a spot!
I want to start announcing and preparing you for a fairly significant disturbance in your Soup Peddler experience. We will be migrating to a new website in late February. There will likely be a short (24 hour) outage on a Saturday while we make the final changes and switch over (I will announce that date very clearly in future emails). There may be some other inconveniences, like the requirement to create a new password and possibly re-enter your billing/shipping addresses.
But it's not all bad... in fact, it's quite good. We are working on some streamlining that should help make ordering a bit smoother. Plus the website is going to be super-cute and will finally integrate my blog entries, my Twitter feed (which is just an occasional chirp-chirp), product reviews, and a few other neat new features.
You may now lecture me on how it's important to lead with the good news. I could have always have gone back and switched those paragraphs around. In fact, as of the time of the writing of this sentence, I still can. But I won't, because something inside me wants to get the bad news out first. Then, when the good news comes to save the day, it turns into a tale of redemption. The underdog wins. The forces of evil are left cursing and shaking their fists at the heavens.


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At the point when calfskin winds up wet from sweat, rain, wet grass, or venturing into water further than the boot top, it ought not to be disregarded. As quickly as time permits, the Motorcycleboot ought to be evacuated and gradually dried. Power drying, particularly with warmth, will make cowhide solidify and contract. In a couple of cycles, the boots are destroyed.
Air-dry the things
Drying ought to be finished with next to zero warmth and enough air flow to dry them totally from absorbed 2 days. In the event that the boots are just half drenched, it ought to be OK to dry them in one day. Clearly, somebody who drenches a couple each day must turn a few sets of boots. This is basic for your feet just as for the boots. In virus atmospheres where cold feet can be perilous, it is critical to dodge drenched boots at whatever point conceivable. Regardless of whether boots contain Gore-Tex® Liners, they should be kept dry or your feet will feel wet and cold.
Waterproof the things
There are a few sorts of items to make boots or packs water repellent and a not many that guarantee to make them waterproof. A few boots have waterproof liners and manufacturing plant medicines, yet even these require support. Think about a few kinds of water-proofers however frequently the decision is restricted by similarity with what the production line has connected. Silicone treated calfskin effectively acknowledges more silicone, and so on. The majority of these are liquid at room temperature. You apply them to the external surface however they before long absorb. You should much of the time reapply them to keep up the waterproof quality. After a couple of uses, the fluid has drenched through the cowhide. Presently it fills every one of the spaces through the whole thickness of the cowhide and starts to appear on your socks. The calfskin gets delicate and soft and can never again assimilate sweat to keep your feet agreeable. Check here.
Before waterproofing or water repellent is connected, the boot ought to be spotless and dry. Overwhelming earth ought to be scoured off with a wet brush. Light stores can be cleaned away with a material saturated in water or dissolvable. Dissolvable has the upside of dissipating rapidly so you don't need to hold up before applying to waterproof. The most seasoned approach to secure and save calfskin is by applying something incongruent with water to fill the pores, filaments, and spaces in the cowhide. The old Egyptians utilized Beeswax in the event that they could get it, and even today, it is a superior item. Other fill materials are Goose Grease, Bear Grease, Mink Oil, Neatsfoot Oil (from bubbling hooves), Lanolin, Petrolatum (oil jam), silicone oil, mineral oil, or pitch and pine tar. They basically plan to involve all space in the outside of the calfskin with the goal that water can't enter.
There are some hybrid items that utilization advancements, for example, watery wax or wax invigorated with the polymer. A portion of these can be connected to wet cowhide. This sounds luring when you have neglected to set up your boots in advance and they are presently splashing wet. Be that as it may, despite everything you should dry them after application before they are prepared to keep you warm and dry. For more information visit:


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History of Stonegate Sugarhouse
My first venture into the world of a sugarmaker came at the age of twelve. My operation was as basic as you could get. I think I had something in the order of six taps. Somewhere I had seen how to make spouts from sumac. The core of a sumac stick is very soft and can be easily cored out to act as a spout. For buckets I used pails that came from a bakery. They had contained pie fillings. In an effort to be somewhat authentic, I fashioned a yoke to go over my shoulders to more easily carry full buckets back to my evaporator (I use that term rather loosely). My evaporator was a sheet metal stove in the back yard with an old pot donated by my mother. My brother and I boiled and boiled after school for what seemed like an eternity until we had a pot full of dark brown liquid interlaced with ashes from the stovepipe. While it was pretty awful by today's standards, we thought it was good stuff the Saturday morning we poured it on our pancakes. The following year we moved and that ended the sugarmaking.
Fast forward to the year 2000. My wife Kathy and I purchased a farm in Conway, Massachusetts that came with an abundance of sugar maples. The first few years I sugared with my neighbor John Wholey. We tapped some of our trees, as well as John's, that we could readily get to because we were exclusively using buckets. John is a dairy farmer and I was working long hours at my dealership. We both had time constraints. A couple of years later we put my trees on a gravity pipeline making life much easier. During this time period I was planning my own sugarhouse.
In 2007 we contracted with Bear River Timber Frame to build a sugarhouse. They designed and constructed a beautiful and functional building. We had the basics, an evaporator and a filter press. A big change came in 2008 with the addition of a reverse osmosis machine. It would remove about 80% of the water from our sap greatly reducing boiling time.
2011 brought about another big improvement with the addition of vacuum in the sugarbush and a steamaway for the evaporator. Adding vacuum to the pipeline system increased sap production by 50%. The steamaway increased the efficiency of the evaporator by about 80%. All of these improvements increased the production of our relative small evaporator (30" x 6') from 1 gallon of syrup an hour to 15.
Our processes include the best and latest technology to produce an outstanding product while using the least amount of energy and creating the smallest carbon footprint.
Going Forward
We currently have 950 taps on our land and that of a neighbor. We buy sap from neighbors whenever we can. Currently we produce over 500 gallons of syrup a year. There are several sugarhouses around us that have been in operation for generations and have established a presence in the local markets. We needed to find new markets, and thus the creation of this web site. In another year we plan to expand our pipeline to the upper portion of the farm to add another 1,500 taps. There is a ready wholesale market for our product, but given the high quality of our syrup we would prefer to sell it ourselves.


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Hi everyone....hope you are all well :)
I'm quickly popping in late on a Sunday night to squeeze in a layout to share, using the very versatile Simple Stories - The Story of Us for All About Scrapbooks.
I have been really surprised at the variety of layouts I've been able to create with this wedding themed collection of papers....and I've thoroughly enjoyed every creative moment working with it :)
This one is mainly made up of scrap strips....including the cut off strip at the bottom of most papers.
With a few diecut pieces added in & some stamping.
Here's a few close ups.....
There's 2 different Memory Box dies that I've used - Contempo Circle Border, which is the small circles one that looks a bit like punchinella. And the other one is Loopy Rings, which is the larger circles that are interlocked with each other - I absolutely LOVE them & they are my new fav dies!!!
They are both available at All About Scrapbooks HERE and are great value as they can & WILL be used over and over :D :D
A few little Silhouette chipboard hearts from 2Crafty :)
For more details on the products & techniques used pop on over to the AAS blog HERE
Thanks so much for dropping by....and have a great week! xx


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World champion sire Bettor's Delight's progeny were the star attractions on Ontario Sires Stakes night at Woodbine in Canada. Ace 3yo filly LA Delight was a winner of the 3yo fillies' sires final in 1.50.3. Continuing on from her Juggette success, she now has over $1.35 million on her card and has twenty career victories.
North America's best 3yo Betting Line made it fourteen consecutive wins with a 1.49.3 victory in the 3yo colts & geldings division. The champion 3yo has now made more than $2.2 million in career earnings of which $1.7 million has been made this 3yo season.
Closer to home plenty of winners for the leviathan stallion including Tennyson Inlet at Manawatu, Aliante took out the Holmes DG at Auckland, The Fixer won on debut at Addington and Gina Grace scorched around Menangle in 1.51.8.
American Ideal's progeny continued on their winning way in Australia with Takara Truffle a very impressive debut winner at Bankstown, Ideal Tyson was a winner at Pinjarra, Young American lead all the way at Albion Park, Ideal Romance was another Queensland winner at Redcliffe and Our Pepperjack was a winner in the Riverina at Wagga Wagga.


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Simple Dog Walkingô Techniques That Really Work
To teach your dog some very basic commands, you really don't need to be a professional. But it doesn't hurt to hire a professional dog walker in Santa Monica. ô Working with your dog is actually very simple to do. Just take the time to interact with them, teach them some tricks and essential skills, and they will end up just fine. You can walkô your dog very easily. Follow the tips in this article to get the most out of dog training sessions with these proven techniques.
When you have a puppy, it's important to teach him early on not to bite. What happens with most full-grown dogs is that they were not taught to stop biting when they were a puppy. A loud yelp is typically what occurs when a puppy bites another one. This is something you can mimic; you don't have to bark, but you can yell "no" or "stop," and then turn away from the puppy. By doing this over and over, it will learn that this behavior is inappropriate. If you're using crate training, you can also put the puppy in his crate when he bites. If you start early enough, the puppy will be okay either time it is older. A dog training session should not be lengthy, as this won't help you accomplish any more. Puppies in particular can only concentrate for so long, so it's best to have brief walkingô sessions. It's also important that you remain calm and patient, and this will be easier if the sessions aren't very long. Ten or fifteen minutes is a good amount of time to devote to any single session. Sometimes you'll have to call it quits even though you didn't accomplish as much as you'd hoped. Frequent, short training sessions are the best approach.
If your dog is a family pet, he should be responsive to everyone in the household. Very often, the person who trains a dog is the only person who the dog comes to respect. Dogs are very status oriented, and if he only perceives one person as above him in the pack, others may not be able to control him. One easy and fun technique is to bring the dog somewhere with the family and make a game out of calling him. To reinforce the behavior, the person who called him should reward him with a treat when he obeys. This also helps a new dog in the family learn his name. You can vary this by throwing a ball or stick and having the dog bring it to all the people in your household. A dog should be obedient to everyone in the family, even if walkingô is mainly handled by one person.
Although there is a great deal to learn about dog walking, anyone can master the basics. Sit, stay, and rollover are things that you can teach your dog to do. It is essential that your dog understand these basic commands. From that point, you can then teach other more advanced tricks to your heart's desire.


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Life.SREDA, a leading Singapore based Venture Capital fund would like to invite Asia based startups specialising in Fintech to join us at the holy grail of Fintech events, Money 20/20. (more…)
October, 2015
By Igor Pesin, Partner at Life.SREDA
Mobile point of sale venture Softpay gets $1m Series A from fintech VC Life.SREDA
DealStreetAsia: Southeast Asian mobile point of sale (MPOS) venture SoftPay Mobile International, which is incorporated in Singapore but operates in Vietnam, has secured a $1-million Series A investment round led by Singapore-based fintech VC firm Life.SREDA, via their InspirAsia Accelerator. (more…)
15 Most Funded Fintech Startups in Southeast Asia
TechInAsia: Fintech is one of the darlings of the startup world right now. VCs and investors are tripping over themselves to back startups with new and innovative ideas in the financial technology space. Investment in fintech startups in Asia reached US$797 million in 2014. This puts the continent in second place after the US, with US$3.9 billion, according to a report by Singapore-based venture capital firm Life.Sreda (PDF link). (more…)
Life.SREDA, AT Capital lead Series B investment in Lenddo
DealStreetAsia: Singapore-based fintech VC firms Life.SREDA and AT Capital have led a Series B round in Lenddo, a provider of data for credit scoring and online verification. The financial terms of the investment are undisclosed. The company will use the funds for business expansion. Other investors participating in this Series B round were Omidyar Network, Blumberg Capital and Golden Gate Ventures. (more…)
The Most Innovative Banks of 2015
Financial Services Club Blog by Chris Skinner: I just attended the Global Banking Innovation Awards at the BAI Retail Delivery Show, an annual event that has gained traction and represents banks from all regions of the world. Interestingly, Poland, Spain and Turkey regularly appear, which reflects my view that these are the most innovative Euorpean countries for finance, although France got a shout out thanks to Hello Bank! as did Germany thanks to Fidor. (more…)
WhatsWeFaceTelKaLiVibeSnap Pay: comparison of messengers' payment functions
Eighteen months ago, Mark Zuckerberg announced an unofficial messengers' race for better and faster monetization of a customer base by integrating remittances and payments. How have the players succeeded so far?
Mobikon Raises Funding from Life.SREDA, Qualgro
E27.CO: Mobikon, a customer engagement and marketing platform for restaurants with operations in various countries across Asia, has secured an undisclosed amount in funding from Life.SREDA, a Singapore-based fintech VC firm. Qualgro Investment Fund, an ASEAN VC firm focussed on technology, education, healthcare and logistics, also co-invested in the round. (more…)


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Photoshop Smart Object Updating in Adobe CS5 Dreamweaver
If you've added original Photoshop (PSD) files in your Adobe Creative Suite 5 (Adobe CS5) Dreamweaver page, you can update the original file. Dreamweaver creates a Smart Object, an image that maintains a connection to the original Photoshop file from which it was created.
Select the image and locate the Original text field in the Property inspector, this field displays the location of the original Photoshop file. To edit the image, you can simply click the Edit in Photoshop button on the right side of the Property inspector to open the source file in Photoshop.
If you make changes to the original Photoshop file, the image you placed in the page displays a red-and-green arrow icon to let you know that it isn't up-to-date.
To update a Smart Object when you see its indicator, select the image and click the Update from Original button on the Property inspector to apply the new changes to the image places in your page.
Moving the original PSD file connected to a page image displays an alert icon on the image and disables the link between the two. Keep original PSD files in a set location and be sure to revise the location of your source file by selecting the image and updating the original in the Property inspector.


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It's been six months since I've started these monthly favourites, so I'm pretty sure you know the drill.. So here are my top June Favourites:
#1 Hair Accessory
I bought these adorable hair bubbles few weeks ago whilst charity shopping. I think they are a great little summer accessory. They came in a set of 2 for £1.99!
Product: Hair bubble
Shop: British Heart Foundation
Price: £1.99
#2 White Bralette
I'm not sure when this obsession grew, but over the years I have bought too many bralets! Whenever I see a beautiful design, I just have to buy it. This one is from Essentials for Zula. I have been following them on Instagram for a while, and have resisted buying their stunning products, because I always thought the prices were much. But then I saw their new summer bralets collection and I completely fell in love with this one.
Product: APOLLO Bralette
Shop: Essentials for Zula
Price: €26.40 (+€2.55 delivery)
#3 Wax warmer
I was so determined to only buy the essentials during my trip in Cornwall this month, but then I found this cute elephant wax warmer whilst wondering around in St Ives. I love elephants, and I cannot wait to use this!
Product: Elephant Wax Warmer
Shop: N/A
Price: £2.99
#4 Headphones
After 5 years, it was time to say goodbye to my favourite headphones and invest in a new pair. This was a very last minute purchase, as my old headphones broke few days before my trip to Russia. But I am very happy with Happy Plugs, the sounds is very clear and blocks out any noise. They also have some some beautiful designs, such as rose gold, and marble.
You can purchase these in shops such as: Amazon (£24.99), Miss Selfridges (£29.99), Happy Plugs (£29.99).
Product: Happy Plugs In-Ear Headphones with Mic/Remote, White
Shop: John Lewis
Price: £24.95
#5 Headphone splitter
Every time I travel I always say to myself that I need to invest in headphone splitters, but its always the last thing on my mind when I'm planning my travels and usually forget. But this month I travelled to Russia and I knew there was going to be a lot of travelling with my family, so I decided this was the best time to purchase these headphone splitters, so we can share one device to watch films, play music etc.
I did a lot of research beforehand, and I'm really happy that I bought these from John Lewis, because I knew that I could order them in the evening and be able to collect them from the local store by the next day.
These can also be bought in Amazon (£9.85), Belkin (£17.99) and John Lewis (£9.95).
Product: Belkin RockStar 5-Way Headphone Splitter (Black)
Shop: John Lewis
Price: £9.95
#6 Hand Bag
I really have gone a little crazy this month with bags. Bought two Michael Kors bags, the Fjallraven Kanken bagpack and this cute little blue bag which is by far my favourite! I am finally starting to like wearing brighter colours and I am so happy with this purchase.
Unfortunately, these are only sold in Russia, and I received it as a gift so I can't even give a link to where these can be bought
#7 Naked Pallet
I don't usually go all out with make-up, but I have been very intrigued about these Naked pallets for ages, so I finally decided to buy one. And I can truly say that I am absolutely in love with this one! I don't like glittery make up, that's why I didn't got for the original Naked palettes, but this one is perfect! It has very natural colours which is exactly what I wanted.
This Naked pallet is now sold pretty much in most high street shops which sell beauty products such as Debenhams (£23.00), Selfridges (£23.00) and John Lewis (£23.00), as well as many online shops such as Urban Decay (£23.00), Feel Unique (£23.00), Amazon (£29.99).
Product: Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette
Shop: House of Fraser
Price: £23.00
#8 Backpack
I think it was time I bought a backpack for my weekend travels. My friend recommend Fjallraven Kanken, so I did some research to see whether these backpacks are worth the money. I only recently bought mine, so I haven't tried it out yet, however I have been told by many that they are very comfortable and practical.
Fjallraven Kanken is a Swedish company, which is now known worldwide. They sell various outdoor products, but their most popular products are their colourful backpacks which can be bought in: Fjall Raven (£80.00), I Love My Kanken (£56.00) and Amazon (£55.34).
Product: Fjallraven Kanken Classic Lake Blue Backpack
Shop: Urban Outfitters
Price: £67.00 (+ 10% student discount with MyUniDays)
Another item I bought whilst in Russia, and I am so so in love with this skirt. It's perfect for the summer (not that we get summer in the UK).
Product: La Raine Blanche
Shop: Снежная королева
Price: 3490 ru (Equlivant to £52.00)


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A Whale's Tale Notecard
A Whale's Tale Notecard
This sweet little whale illustration makes its first appearance as just the tale waving hello to your recipient on the back of the envelope. The full whale is found as a salutation on this adorable little boy's social stationery.
The optional liner features waves that gently flow across the inside of your envelope. Upgrade to the 2ply card for an extra thick card that really makes a statement in the mail.
Color: Shown in Pastel Color
Quantity: Set of 20 Cards & Envelopes (You can increase your quantity by increments of 10 for a reduced price per card!)
Size: A2 Card and Euro Flap Envelope (5.5 x 4.25)
Orientation: Card can be flat (as shown) or folded (the design will be large on the front)
Stock: 120# Mohawk Natural White Paper Stock
Production: You will be sent a digital proof within 3 business days of your order to approve before your order is printed. Production time is 7-10 business days.
Revisions: Your pricing includes TWO free rounds of proofing of your ENTIRE order. Every additional change to your proof after two rounds will incur a $50 fee, billed separately.
Address: Add your return address to each envelope for $0.50 per envelope
Ply: Upgrade to a 2ply card (240# Mohawk paper stock) for $0.75 per card
Liner: Have a liner installed in each envelope for $1.50 per envelope
Letterpress: This card is available for one-color letterpress printing. The envelope will not have the whale tale. The flap for the envelope will be a classic baronial flap. Email us for pricing.
Quantity: If you are interested in more than 150 of any custom design, send us an email! We'd love to work with you to bring your larger order to life.
Ordering: Choose the quantity and upgrades below. Upon adding this item to your cart, a form will appear for you to complete with all the details pertaining to color, style, and content. This form will be delivered to us with your order so we can customize your suite for you! Please be sure to double check all information given to us. It is important this form is accurate when placing your order.


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The track for Speed Sprint 0'13 at Chandigarh will be a mix of old and new track. We are using the "film city" area that has been used for earlier events too.
However the entry and start/stop gate have been shifted to a new location. The entry to the event would be from second road – after the Botanical Garden gate rather than the first road.
The tarmac straight will beget more speed than in earlier event. Also the really rough patch of loose tarmac is being taken out in interest of faster track.


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Are You Needing Barb Wire Fence Installation in Chandler Texs?
Let Tyler Fencing Help With Your Fence Problems!
Call (903) 251-2122 Today!
Privacy is extremely important to you as a homeowner. This is why most owners typically fence their properties. Nothing beats a reliable fencing structure with regards to keeping the residence clear of unwanted visitors. Listed here are the reasons why you should hire Tyler Fencing when fencing your property:
1. Professionalism
Most people wants to be served by an expert. Tyler Fencing has the required skills, information and skills necessary for Barb Wire Fence Installation.
2. Saves you time
You may not have all time to fence your property or your flowerbed. You will need to hire Tyler Fencing so that they can do the job for you. You could carry on with your daily routine while your home or garden is being fenced.
3. Prevent trespassers out
When you have fences around your house, you may feel comfortable knowing that trespassers won't have the chance of getting into your property during the night.
4. Enjoy more personal space
With a border between you and the world outside, you could enjoy the surroundings in the backyard without being looked at by people passing by the neighborhood.
No matter if you want Barb Wire Fence Installation or a small fix, call Tyler Fencing for Barb Wire Fence Installation in Chandler Texs!


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Quick! Don't miss out on new season local garlic.
Welcome to February and our first market for 2017! The growing season has been a strange one – tomatoes delayed in their growth phases, early strawberries and then a break (they're back now), capers and caperberries all over the place with their harvest. We've had heat – both dry and humid, we've had cold (snow on our surrounding mountains only days ago) and everything in between. Who knows what these weather patterns are going to do to local and regional food production?
We've been raiding our blueberry bush at home – and we're excited that Blueberry Haven Blueberries will be with us on Saturday!
Our February market brings all of your favourite stallholders back – with a few extra "seasonal specials" thrown in.
The team at Long Lane Capers won't be with us this month, but Rowie says that they will be trying their very best to be back again in March. The season hasn't done the harvest any favours – but that's ok because we'll have capers when they're good and ready!
We're excited by news from Howes Creek Farm – their long awaited Farm Gate shop is nearly ready to open. Jacqui and Matt have been planning this one since they started farming a few years ago. Join them on Saturday 4th March from 8.30am (official opening at 10am) to have a look, taste some of their delicious goodies, wander around the farm and also see some other familiar market faces who are going to be there to support them. The Farm Gate will then be open every week Thursday – Sunday. Catch up for a chat at the market (and some breakfast) this weekend.
February Stallholders (correct as at 21/02/2017)
- Aintree Almonds
- Blueberry Haven
- Boonderoo Farm – Bread & pies
- Delatite Special Occasions
- Gary's veggies
- Greg's Seedlings
- Greta Valley Free Range Eggs
- Howes Creek Farm – terrines / pate / sausages AND breakfast stall
- Jedda's Garden
- Jillicious – cakes and preserves
- KNM Berries
- Locheilan Cheese – last market! Bruce and Sue are retiring 🙂
Long Lane Capers– back in March
- Mansfield Ice-cream
- Maindample Imperial Fudge
- Mojo Muesli
- Ninn's Pantry (including King Valley Dairy)
- Northern Slopes Plantation
- Pasta Adele
Plaster painting– back in March
- Red Elk
RenMar Chocolates– too hot!
- Ros Ritchie Wines
Ross Tomatoes– back in March
- Rushnot Garlic
- Social Bandit Brewing
- The Produce Store – coffee
- Tolmie Gold Saffron
- Tolmie plants
- Tolpuddle Cheese
- Turkish Star Bread
Farm Gate opening Saturday 4th March


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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Looks as if Indiana's offense is just fine.
Freshman Cody Zeller scored a season-high 26 points to help the No. 16 Hoosiers defeat Iowa 103-89 on Sunday night.
Indiana was held to a season-low 50 points in a loss at Wisconsin on Thursday night, but had that many by halftime against Iowa. The Hoosiers finished with 20 assists after having four against Wisconsin. Indiana scored more than 100 points in a conference game for the first time since defeating Iowa 110-79 on March 12, 1995.
"The bottom line was that the ball moved, and when the ball moves on offense and when you're active on defense, and we kept understanding the pace of the game, it worked out well for us," Indiana coach Tom Crean said.
Zeller made 11 of 12 shots and had four assists and three steals for Indiana.
"I want to go back and look at the dunk highlight show that he had," Crean said.
Christian Watford scored 15 points, Verdell Jones III had 14 points and nine assists and Victor Oladipo had 12 points and six rebounds for the Hoosiers (17-5, 5-5 Big Ten), who had lost four of five.
Zeller consistently found openings against Iowa's zone defense.
"I had a pretty easy job, just catching it and dunking it," he said. "Our guards did a really nice job of finding me in the alley a couple times. Verdell did a very nice job of passing tonight. I thought it was a good team effort."
Jones, a senior, matched a career high for assists.
"I think he continues to improve," Crean said. "I think he's a senior who wants to make a mark. I think he has improved in all areas. Verdell's playing very well."
Josh Oglesby scored a season-high 24 points and Matt Gatens added 20 for Iowa (11-11, 3-6). The Hawkeyes shot 63 percent from the field, but committed 17 turnovers.
"The number one focus for us from the very beginning with Iowa was their transition offense, and it was even better than we'd seen on film," Crean said. "They really did a great job of getting out and running and getting some easy baskets, but our guys continued to respond."
Since defeating Michigan, the Hawkeyes have lost at Purdue, at home to Nebraska and at Indiana. Iowa and Indiana will meet again in Iowa City on Feb. 19, and some things might be different by then.
"I don't know if radical changes are going to do anything," guard Stephen McCarty said. "We've got to be tougher, more physical, a little more work away from the ball."
On the rare occasion in which Indiana missed a shot against the Hawkeyes, the Hoosiers often got the rebound. Indiana scored 23 second-chance points on 20 offensive boards.
"It's always one of our keys, to get on the offensive glass, get second-chance points, hustle plays, offensive rebounds or defensive deflections," Zeller said. "We just had to win the hustle game."
Indiana's Derek Elston hit three straight shots, including two 3-pointers, in a run that gave the Hoosiers a 26-18 lead with 11:37 left in the first half. Iowa cut the lead to one point on a basket by Aaron White, but the Hoosiers quickly regrouped. Tom Pritchard scored baskets 16 seconds apart in a run that gave Indiana a 44-36 lead.
The Hoosiers led 54-37 at halftime, their second-highest point total in a half this season. Indiana shot 54 percent and grabbed 11 offensive rebounds. Iowa shot 50 percent but committed 10 turnovers in the first half and was outrebounded 24-11.
A powerful one-handed dunk by Zeller gave the Hoosiers a 65-48 lead.
Iowa rallied and cut the deficit to 67-55 on a dunk by Nelsahn Basabe. Zeller took a break with Indiana leading 72-57. A two-handed putback dunk by Pritchard helped the Hoosiers maintain their lead, and Indiana led 81-64 when Zeller returned. His breakaway dunk increased the lead to 85-64.
The Hoosiers scored their 100th point on a free throw by Oladipo with 2:30 remaining.
Iowa shot 79 percent in the second half and outscored Indiana 52-49.
"It was embarrassing," Iowa guard Bryce Cartwright said. "To shoot 80 percent and lose like that -- it's disheartening."
Crean wasn't concerned about the defense, at least in the minutes following the game.
"I'll worry about that later," he said. "I'm glad we got the win."


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I have at this late stage of the game discovered Charles Dickens.
"Martin [Chuzzlewit] knew nothing about America, or he would have known perfectly well that if its individual citizens, to a man, are to be believed, it always IS depressed, and always IS stagnated, and always IS at an alarming crisis, and never was otherwise; though as a body they are ready to make oath upon the Evangelists at any hour of the day or night, that it is the most thriving and prosperous of all countries on the habitable globe." (published 1843-44).
I was going to post that on FB but since "America" also lacks all sense of humor about itself I realized people would miss the satire and devolve into some vitriolic boring political argument. Instead of checking out Charles Dickens, if they haven't already, and losing themselves in one of his genius, complex, entertaining, instructive, tragicomic moral tales.
I am reading The Pain of Christ by Gerald Vann, O.P. Then Volume II of Martin Chuzzlewit. Then, if I have the strength, Bleak House.
I watched In the Heat of the Night this week. Wonderful Rod Steiger and Sidney Poitier. Steiger despaired near the end of his life, thinking he had no talent. Rod Steiger! I thanked him this morning as I was watering my parched garden. (I save my water from the shower so that helps at least a bit). (And I think of the army of gardeners who care for LA's lawns and yards, the men and women who are out in this inferno eight, ten, twelve hours a day).
Southern California has been baking, shattering heat records right and left, for weeks on end. Apparently this is what we're to expect, and worse, from hereon in.
We have now, in our blindness, rapacity and greed wrecked the planet so badly that is is rearing up in protest and I don't blame it one bit.
God will not be mocked.
God is also beyond merciful, and the earth still showers one and all with blessings.
Sunday I read in the paper of a property that is for sale in Beverly Hills for a billion dollars. Not even a house, just a gigantic lot that is bigger than Disneyland and some other humongous place combined. It overlooks the city and maybe you can even see the ocean.
I thought, Whoever buys that place could not possibly enjoy the view more than I enjoy the view from my bedroom window.
When the rattan blind is down, there is maybe a foot-high sliver through which, while reclining on my cozy single bed, I can see the orange tree beyond and in spring camellias and at different parts of the day, different qualities of light. I often lie there, simply pulsing with the mystery and weirdness and beauty and profound sorrow of life.
O God, you are my God, for you I long;
for you my soul is thirsting.
My body pines for you
like a dry, weary land without water.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
to see your strength and your glory.
For your love is better than life,
my lips will speak your praise.
So I will bless you all my life,
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
my mouth shall praise you with joy.
On my bed I remember you.
On you I muse through the night
for you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand holds me fast.
--Psalm 63


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Axl Rose has lifted the lid on the moves which began last year regarding the reunion of himself with Slash and Duff McKagan in Guns N' Roses.
Admitting even those within his inner circle thought he was joking when he initally asked for Slash's telephone number while the Guns N' Roses mainman also suggested Coachella organiser and Goldenvoice CEO Paul Tollett as the catalyst for the reunion.
Speaking to Brazil's Golbal TV Axl and Duff spoke at length, frankly and candidly, about the moves to bring the band back together.
"I had called [Slash] and he was on tour or something, and then we set up when we were gonna see each other, and I think something happened to both of our plans and that didn't happen," Rose says.
"And then eventually in October, we got together and we had a dinner at my house. And then Duff and I went and hung out right after that."
McKagan chimes in: "Getting into rehearsals, it was really just kind of one day at a time. I don't know that I thought too much about how far ahead. It was just really cool to play some of the music with the guys that I was playing it with."
While Duff, Slash and Axl have combined their mighty musical forces once again in the band and Steven Adler has made a handful of guest cameos on drums - the one conspicious absence from the classic line-up is rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin.
"I don't really know what to say about Izzy," says Rose.
"It's like you could have a conversation and think it's one way and the next day it's another way. And I'm not trying to take any shots at Izzy. It's just his thing is kind of his thing, whatever that is."
In addition to their classic tunes, the new line-up have also continued to play tracks from 2008's Chinese Democracy live - despite neither Duff or Slash having had any part in the album.
"I really got to discover, in the best of ways, the album Chinese Democracy that [Axl] made, and it was these songs he had worked on," McKagan insists. "And I had listened to the record, but when you start to play the songs as a player, you really discover all the layers in the songs."