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Concrete Countertops
Benefits of Concrete Countertops
Homeowners have a tough time deciding if they should purchase granite countertops or concrete countertops. A countertop is not just a place to chop vegetables. Most homeowners choose granite because of its style. Concrete countertops, however, are worth considering too.
Granite is very pricey, and it is tough to damage, but it may not be the best countertop material. Concrete is purchased by homeowners because it is luxurious. Most consumers think that concrete countertops are used for industrial purposes. However, a sidewalk slab has little in common with a concrete countertop.
Granite and concrete countertops generally are offered at the same price. A concrete countertop contains an aggregate and cement. The aggregate may be crushed limestone or sand. The aggregate is added to the cement to increase the strength, color, or texture. There are various aggregates used when designing a concrete countertop, so homeowners can customizes their countertops in ways that suit their needs.
Granite does not have the customization benefits like concrete countertops. However, granite has deep hues. Deciding what countertop to use when designing a kitchen can be challenging. Most homeowners choose granite and concrete countertops because they are very popular.
Concrete countertops are available in many styles. When designers mix a blue pigment with broken glass, the concrete has a luminescent look. River stones and neutral pigments are used to design a counter that has a sleek style. When irregular pigments are used, a concrete countertop mimics a granite countertop. Because concrete is poured in each concrete countertop and molded, a concrete countertop can be designed in various shapes. A concrete countertop can have many curves and various embedded objects, such as sinks, drain boards, trivets, knife slots, and water features.
Granite, however, has advantages as well. It doesn't offer the malleability of concrete countertops. Homeowners choose granite because it is available in many colors.
Concrete countertops and granite countertops are strong enough for general culinary projects. Concrete countertops are porous, so it will stain more. There are sealers for concrete countertops, but they are not very efficient. Because of this, resealing a concrete countertop is needed often.
Concrete countertops also have weight issues. Most consumers think that concrete is heavier than granite. However, granite and concrete countertops are nearly equal. A concrete countertop measures is 1.5 inches thick, and a granite countertop is about 20 pounds for square foot.
When homeowners choose a countertop, health concerns must be considered. Both materials have slight issues. Granite emits unhealthy levels of radon, and concrete has metal in some pigments. Granite and concrete countertops don't benefit the environment in efficient ways. Concrete and granite must be dug from the ground, and both materials produce polluting particles in the water and air during the grinding and sealing procedures. When cement for concrete is produced, various gasses are emitted. Also, when cement travels to various locations, gases are also produced. However, both options are recommended for general use. No matter what material is used, the cost won't be cheap. Granite and concrete countertops prices vary. The prices increase when custom options are used.
Overall, concrete countertops are recommended; concrete countertops increase the value of most homes.
Concrete Countertops


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We are working on constructing a modern deck. The image below shows our alternative to lattice work. This is in the form of a fence that extends beyond the deck in order to hide the generator, oil tank and air conditioning unit.
The deck itself is 5/4 ipe with grooves for hidden fasteners. This means that once it is in place it looks nicely spaced with no visible fastening. The combination of these two elements makes a great comfortable deck with a modern aesthetic.

subset: commoncrawl


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Latest News
Chad Pennington: Miami Dolphins game against New York Jets could be turning point
Chad Pennington has been charged up about Sunday all week. It's a benchmark road trip, a chance to see how his side matches up against stiff competition.
"We're excited," Pennington said Thursday night, phoning South Florida from his adopted hometown of Lexington, Ky.
Dolphins-Jets? Not exactly. Pennington was talking about his eldest son Cole's flag football tournament in Cincinnati.
Yes, retirement fits Pennington just fine.
For a decade, the earnest, charismatic quarterback loomed larger than any other player in the acrimonious AFC East rivalry, which resumes Sunday in New Jersey for its 95th incarnation. But it has been two years since Pennington took his last NFL snap, and — as hard as it might seem to believe — four since he was on the field for a Jets-Dolphins game.
And he will be hundreds of miles away from the next one. Instead, the Penningtons will spend Sunday at the Bengals' training complex for the NFL Flag Football Regional Tournament. Cole is only 8, but he is good enough to play in a league of 9-to-11-year olds.
So when Pennington needs an update on how his friends on both sides are doing (and he still has many), he will have to get it by phone. But the significance of Sunday's game isn't lost on anyone, least of all the most accurate passer in NFL history.
"This game, to me, could really be a turning point for either team," said Pennington, who should know — his side has won eight of the 10 games he started in this rivalry. "For the Jets to be able to sweep one of your divisional opponents is crucial. For the Dolphins, it's about getting over .500."
Pennington is spot on.
Sunday's game at Met Life Stadium is a true crossroads affair. Miami enters at 3-3 after a week off; New York is 3-4 and sinking fast. The winner will have a clear leg up in the wide-open AFC playoff race. For the loser, the path to the postseason gets awfully narrow.
"It's a huge game for both teams, without question," Jets coach Rex Ryan told Miami reporters Wednesday, in typically understated fashion. "If it's said otherwise, it's not true because nobody believes it. Everybody knows how huge this game is."
Maybe that's why the trash talk was a bit louder — and personal — than normal this week. All eyes, including the league's, will be on whether the Jets intentionally try to injure Reggie Bush after New York linebacker Aaron Maybin's now-infamous threat.
Under the best of circumstances, neither side does a good job hiding its contempt for the other, and the fan bases are even worse.
"I've heard Fireman Ed's there and he'll be [getting] the 'J-E-T-S' chants going," said Ryan Tannehill, the rookie quarterback who's making his first trip to the Meadowlands.
"I'm excited for it. It's a tough place to play from what I've heard. Great fans for them obviously, but it'll be a good test for us."
Although only in his first season, there's a case to be made that Tannehill has played better than his seasoned Jets counterpart, Mark Sanchez.
Despite a fraction of the national attention, Tannehill leads Sanchez in passer rating (76.5 to 74.6), completion percentage (59.6 to 53.2) and yards per pass (7.3 to 6.7).
From afar, Pennington has taken notice.
"I've been impressed with how Tannehill has played; I see his progression in winning football games," said Pennington, who then delivered the highest praise possible for the current crop of Dolphins.
"Their team to me is similar to our 2008 team, as far as the recipe to winning. Play great defense, take care of the ball, run the ball and make a play at the end."
Pennington, always one of the most popular Dolphins — inside the locker room and out — still sounds like a player.
But these days, he's a coach, a cheerleader, and, mostly, a dad. When Pennington is not immersed in learning the horse business — he owns 63 acres of land and helps provide riding lessons to kids with chronic and life-threatening illnesses — he's teaching his boys the family trade (football, of course).
By all appearances, he seems content. But is he?
"I miss being in the huddle, having the opportunity to take hold of the situation, grab the bull by the horns," Pennington said.
"That's what you miss the most. At the end of the day, it's a players' game. That's what I always miss. I controlled it. No one else affected the game but me as a quarterback. That's something you always miss."


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High Quality uPVC Window Accessories By Buckinghamshire Located uPVC Windows Buckinghamshire
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If you are facing a problem during the search or the selection of specific parts you can visit or call our uPVC windows Buckinghamshire uPVC window accessory office to have a discussion with one of our experts. You also have the option of logging in to our website to have a chat with us or make things even better by sending us a photograph of your property. The friendly and professional employees at uPVC Windows Buckinghamshire uPVC window accessory will promptly process all of your requests.
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We know over time door handles can lose their colour, rust from the weather conditions or even get damaged and broken and knowing how to measure this ensures the replacement of them to be easier. If you are doing door handles replacement it is crucial to have the exact measurements of the PZ- that is the dimension of the distance from the centre of the key to the centre of the spindle.
Believe or not, many door handles are now obsolete; however, uPVC Windows Buckinghamshire is capable of offering you the best alternatives In uPVC Windows Buckinghamshire we know a new PZ can match most of the old handles, covering any loose screw hole and improving your safety.
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text: Country Grey Home / Painted / Country Grey Country Grey 140cms Extending Dining Table Country Grey 140cms Extending Dining Table £769.00 WAS: £869.00 Reasons to purchase from UniqueChic Free & Fast Delivery Mainland England Current Delivery Time 10-15 working days Furniture, Marble Products 14-18 working days , Accessories 5 working days Free Delivery with two men and into room of choice on heavy items, Marble is delivered to the ground floor only Quality products with 1 year guarantee Expert help from our team on 0115 9869222 Paypal Finance options available on orders over £99, Apply online Trading since 2008 ~ Showroom In Nottingham Information 140cms Dining Table Our simple but stylish Country Grey furniture is a collection of bedroom, living and dining furniture. With soft painted grey bases complimented with warm oak tops and trims and finished off with Silver knobs. Suited to both contemporary and country interiors, this range offers fabulous value for money for beautiful ready assembled furniture. Easy Assembly Required Height 79CMS Width 140CMSExtending to180CMS Depth 90CMS


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Employee Self-Service Portal: View detailed benefit info
All detailed benefit plan information, including TIAA-CREF, is now available on our Employee Self-Service portal.
All active employees have access through portal.adp.com and selecting "Health & Welfare" from the drop down under the Benefits list (referenced as "1" in the above image.) Once your information opens up, look for "My Links" on the right side of your screen and click on "Document Library" ("2.") This will open up a window with a list of each benefit area and the corresponding documentation, such as forms, plan documents, and regulatory notices related to each benefit.
If you have any questions regarding how to access this information, or about the information in Document Library, contact email@example.com.
Category: Employee News


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Sra. Heather Grisales
Education Background:
Originally from Muskegon as a Reeths-Puffer High School graduate, I began my university studies at Western Michigan University where I graduated with a B.S. in Elementary Education and Spanish. Part of my undergraduate experience included a six-month study abroad program at a public university in Querétaro, México. I also earned an M.A. in Educational Leadership: Organizational Analysis from WMU.
Teaching Experience:
I taught English Kindergarten and Spanish and English 4th grade for a total of seven years at Lincoln International Studies School's Dual Language Immersion Program in Kalamazoo. Later, I taught 2nd grade for two years at El Sol Elementary, also in Kalamazoo, on the Spanish side of the Dual Language Immersion Program.
For two years I served as principal of Pullman Elementary which is part of Bloomingdale Public Schools and I served as principal of El Sol Elementary: A Dual Language Immersion Program in the Kalamazoo Public Schools for the past four years.
During my time as a teacher I was blessed to have been able to do professional travel and learn from various countries and their cultures in Latin America including Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, México and Colombia. I am extremely thankful to be able to teach in a Christian school so that I can integrate my faith into every aspect of what I teach and learn with the students. That changes everything as it gives life a new purpose!
Personal Biography:
It is by God's grace and mercy that I am able to enjoy the beauty of West Michigan once again where I live with my husband, Carlos, and our two daughters. In our free time, we enjoy serving in our community and church community with family and friends, international travel to Colombia to see the "abuelos" and "tíos" from my husband's side of the family, spending time outdoors, biking, painting, cooking, and reading.
One of my favorite bible verses is Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the LORD with all of your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." In all that we do, no matter how big or small the task, we must do it in a manner that glorifies God. We must confidently trust that our Father is in full control, even when we don't understand why or how.
Integration of Faith in the Classroom:
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11. God is the ultimate planner and He is in complete control! As GHC begins the Spanish Immersion Program, I see myself as a tool that God is using to help guide children on their educational path in a second language, Spanish. Though at the beginning we may not see fruits, just as the farmer waits for his harvest, we must trust in God's plans through the process. He has a plan for the future of each individual student.
Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." I am looking forward to teaching and encouraging all of my students to trust in the Lord with all of their hearts and that they can accomplish anything in the classroom or in life, no matter how challenging, when Jesus is by their side.
Fun Fact:
I absolutely LOVE Latin music and dance! Although salsa dancing is my favorite, my husband and I have been dancing together for six years and we have even competed in small Latin dance competitions including bachata and merengue!


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9:38am PT by Michael O'Connell
TV Ratings: 'Celebrity Family Feud' Bounces Back Big
Celebrity Family Feud, which has by no means been a ratings slacker since its June 21 debut, climbed on Sunday night. The ABC show jumped 31 percent, averaging a 2.1 rating among adults 18-49.
A steady episode of Battle Bots (1.3 adults) followed, securing an ABC demo win for the night.
Big Brother (1.9 adults) rose two-tenths of a point on CBS, while Golan the Insatiable (0.5 adults) continued its very steady run on Fox.
Michael firstname.lastname@example.com mikeylikestv


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Victory for the South African miners!
A programme to win the struggle against the ANC/SACP/COSATU government
Statement by the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT), 18.9.2012
The miners struggle is at a decisive point. The unholy alliance of the ANC/SACP/COSATU government and the big mines corporations like Lonmin and Anglo American bosses are determined to break up the strike with its police forces. They do everything in their power to disarm the miners, to arrest their leaders and to wear them out. Nevertheless, the miners' are heroically continuing their strike since more than six weeks!
We fully support socialist activists in South Africa in their calls to spread the strike to all mines and to the whole country. The RCIT proposes a programme to win the struggle against the ANC/SACP/COSATU government around the following slogans:
* R12.500 living wage for all miners!
* No arrests, no charges against any miner! No sacking of strike activists!
* Build strike committees in all mines! For a nation-wide coordination of these committees! Unity of all miners independent of the union-affiliation!
* For solidarity committees with the miners' strike everywhere!
* For committees of the women in the miners communities in order to support the strike and to strengthen the independent role of women in the struggle!
* For a national strike in all mines! For the occupation of the mines to increase the pressure!
* For the formation of armed self-defense committees to drive out the police forces from the miners' communities!
* Prepare for a nation-wide general strike for a living wage for all workers in South Africa!
* For the nationalization of the mines without compensation and under workers control!
* For an international solidarity campaign with the South African miners' strike!
* Throw out the existing leadership of COSATU! Force COSATU to break with the Tripartite Alliance and the ANC government! SACP members, demand from the party leadership to break with the government!
* Down with the Popular Front ANC government! For a workers government, based on workers councils and militias, with a program to expropriate the capitalist class and to smash the bourgeois state apparatus!
* For a new mass working class party based on militant workers committees, trade unions and socialist activists! Such a worker's party should be based on a revolutionary action program! Forward to a new world party of socialist revolution – the Fifth International!
The RCIT calls on militants in South Africa and world-wide to work join forces in order to achieve this goal!
Workers of world and oppressed, unite!


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Tucson: GROOMERS
Below is a sample search of our GROOMERS located nearest to Tucson.
This is a FREE search tool! Use the form at the top to get complete listings for Groomers ,dog boarding and dog kennels in your area!
Paws & Claws Boutique and Pet Grooming
1800 E Fort Lowell Rd
Tucson, AZ 85719
Tel: (520) 795-7297
It's A Dog's World Pet Grmng
915 E Fort Lowell Road
Tucson, AZ 85719
Tel: (520) 624-7675
Dirty Dawgs
2510 N Campbell Ave
Tucson, AZ 85719
Tel: (520) 777-6045
Creature Comforts Pet Resorts
2104 E 13th Street
Tucson, AZ 85719
Tel: (520) 792-4500
Paws The Ultimate Dog House
2590 N 1st Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85719
Tel: (520) 344-8529
Sit Stay Play
2003 E 14th Street
Tucson, AZ 85719
Tel: (520) 882-7529
Fin and Feather Grooming
3128 N 1st Ave
Tucson, AZ 85719
Tel: (520) 740-0107
1175 W Irvington Rd
Tucson, AZ 85714
Tel: (520) 573-6652
Diamond in the Ruff
198 S Tucson Blvd
Tucson, AZ 85716
Tel: (520) 628-4531
Transformation Pet Health Center
3158 E Grant Road
Tucson, AZ 85716
Tel: (520) 795-5743
Bay's Bath
2712 E Fort Lowell Rd
Tucson, AZ 85716
Tel: (520) 304-3935
4374 N Oracle Rd
Tucson, AZ 85705
Tel: (520) 407-0146
Kennel Comfort Pet Motel LLC
2509 W Zinnia Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85705
Tel: (520) 887-7131
4625 N Oracle Road
Tucson, AZ 85705
Tel: (520) 887-0111
R P'S Grooming Post
4064 N Flowing Wells Rd
Tucson, AZ 85705
Tel: (520) 624-0061
Artistic Animal Grooming Privacy of the Home
4425 N Flowing Wells Rd
Tucson, AZ 85705
Tel: (520) 888-6870
Happy Tails Pet Service
1955 W Grant Road # 125
Tucson, AZ 85745
Tel: (520) 615-9800
Tailwaggin Grooming
5943 E 22nd St
Tucson, AZ 85711
Tel: (520) 747-2725
Canine Territory
5067 E 5th St
Tucson, AZ 85711
Tel: (520) 323-1290
5405 E Broadway Boulevard
Tucson, AZ 85711
Tel: (520) 571-1772
My Pet Counts
1839 W Ajo Way
Tucson, AZ 85713
Tel: (520) 573-9967
A Puppy Bath Pet Grooming Salon & Mobile Grooming
3059 S Kinney Rd
Tucson, AZ 85713
Tel: (520) 578-2201
Spike's Dog Wash LLC
4632 E Grant Rd
Tucson, AZ 85712
Tel: (520) 795-1569
D-Vine Pet Design
1402 N Alvernon Way
Tucson, AZ 85712
Tel: (520) 305-3583
4740 E Grant Rd
Tucson, AZ 85712
Tel: (520) 322-5080
Northwin Grooming
5511 E Pima St
Tucson, AZ 85712
Tel: (520) 721-0641
Pet Designs
2411 N Columbus Blvd
Tucson, AZ 85712
Tel: (520) 323-9599
Town & Country Pet Grooming
2100 N Wilmot Road # 108
Tucson, AZ 85712
Tel: (520) 886-8253
Dog Gone Good Pet Grooming
5555 E Grant Rd
Tucson, AZ 85712
Tel: (520) 298-4090
Spike & Chester's Scrub Tub SELF SERVE DOG WASH
4632 East Grant Road
Tucson, AZ 85712
Tel: (520) 795-1569
Important: doggies.com has not screened the listed groomers and accepts no responsibility for their reputation or quality. It is your responsibility to investigate.
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HEALTH The same techniques that physiotherapists use to treat a variety of injuries and conditions in humans have been adapted to suit animals with great success. Family pets, show dogs, and working dogs can all benefit greatly from physiotherapy. Dogs whose activities involve a lot of agility are especially susceptible to the types of problems that physiotherapy can address.
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Concrete frames
Landscape Furnishings is the only manufacturer of concrete frames for indoor and outdoor applications. These unique sculptural concrete frames can be used as mirrors, living walls, art frames, signage, blackboards and more. They are manufactured with ductal UHPC concrete, ductal is widely regarded as the strongest concrete in the world.
Landscape Furnishings manufactures and designs modern site furnishings for public and private spaces. Our products include: concrete frames, concrete pots, metal pots, fire bowls, fire features, landscape furniture and living walls.
502 Craigflower Road | Victoria , BC, Canada


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Automatically Upgrade the ConfigMgr Client
With Configuration Manager moving to the "As a Service" model, we will be seeing newer client versions more frequently. Luckily there is a way to automate this process and ease the administration overhead of the Configuration Manager Administrator.
In the example I am running Configuration Manager 2012 R2 with the 1602 update. I want to be sure that my clients that report into Configuration Manager are updated within 7 days. From the Administration node, click on Hierarchy Settings.
The Hierarchy Settings window will open. Click on the Client Upgrade tab. You will see the Production client version. In this case I am running 5.00.8355.1000 which is the 1602 update version. Select upgrade all clients in the hierarchy using production client. Then select the number of days you need to have your clients up to date.
Note: the clients will not update all at one and should be staggered so there is not increased activity.


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Book of Face: Ch. 11, Verses 87-92
Thoughts on the life I live…
I have moments when I look at myself, my life, my accomplishments with a sense of denigration.
I see all my failings; my fears, my apparent lack of direction, my financial woes, my need for the help of others…
I compare myself to those around me, I look to their success, and see where I am lacking.
I focus on all the negatives, all the ways in which I think I could be a better man.
In times such as these I am bereft of hope.
The mountain to climb is too high.
The river to cross is too wide.
The distance too far.
The road too long.
I slip silently into depression…
But then a moment comes, what triggers it may be inconsequential; it may be an off-hand word from a friend, a random thought from the back of my mind, a ray of sunlight in a darkened room…
It's simply a change of perspective.
I change my way of thinking, I look at my life from a new angle, and suddenly the entire view is changed.
My life is not to be compared to others, my path is my own, my battles are mine own, my success are only in contrast to my own struggles.
And in this moment I see my life as the beautiful adventure that it is.
I see the roads I have travelled, the hardships overcome, the mountains already climbed, the rivers already crossed…
I can then see my own strengths, the strength I believed I did not possess. I see the joys I have felt, and the joys I have shared with others. I see that the love I give has value, and the love I receive is real and genuine.
And in this moment I am grateful.
I am overcome with a sense of utter gratitude for all that I have.
I realize how fortunate I truly am, how fortunate we all are.
For we are alive.
We exist in this world of senses and sensory.
We have the gift of life.
And we are sharing this experience of the universe.
We feel the sun on our faces, the rain on our skin.
We feel hot. We feel cold.
We feel happy and we feel sad.
We feel…
We are…
And that is truly beautiful.
and may you always remember haw amazing your life truly is.


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Learn. Share. Plan.
Sharing a Collection of Memories
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Stamps, fishing lures, silver spoons, teddy bears - it's an interesting human trait, this desire to collect objects - and it seems there are as many kinds of collections as there are personalities to cherish them. Whether it's a serious pursuit of a rare find, or a casual compiling of everyday things with personal meaning, we come to identify these objects with the individual. A collection is a testament to the passing of time, its acquisitions like little milestones in a unique life.
When we lose a loved one who found joy in building their collection of crystal or coins or comic books, the moment will come when a decision has to be made. What will become of that collection, when the collector is no longer with us?
Of course, it's important to first establish if the collection is of monetary value or was bequeathed in a legal Will. In most cases, the greater value lies in sentiment and significance, and families can choose to share the collection in some creative ways to help keep precious memories alive.
Here's a perfect example: Lisa S. of Toronto recently relayed the ingenious way her family commemorated her father by hiring a photographer to shoot a lovely still life portrait of his collection of pipes. Each family member received a beautifully framed copy and a single pipe of their choosing. This way, everyone had a comforting keepsake and no single person had to take on the responsibility of the entire collection.
Sets of china were commonly collected in years gone by and are now being passed down to generations with lifestyles that may not include formal dinnerware. Inherited dishes can be divided or donated, perhaps saving a single plate for each family member as a commemorative decoration for a wall or mantle. Pieces of broken china can even be used to create mosaic picture frames, ideal for family photos.
In the hands of a decent jeweler or metalsmith, silver forks and spoons become beautiful rings, bracelets and key fobs. It's a wearable, space-conscious solution for dispersing inherited cutlery that loved ones can keep forever
Now, how about you?
When you're preparing to downsize, or you're completing a Will or final arrangements, it's an ideal time to consider the future of your own collection. After all, without your direction, it could become a difficult emotional decision for those you leave behind.
If your collection is an important part of your legacy, consider giving certain items to your family now. Select a specifically meaningful piece or let them choose one they like, and then chat about its origins and what it has meant to you. This act in itself, can create happy memories.
You might even decide to sell the remainder of your collectibles and use the money for a professional photo shoot. What a special picture that would make -- a smiling you, surrounded by loving family members each holding their piece from your collection!


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The Murders on the Rue Morgue - Negative Burn #13, July 1994
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Jun. 11th, 2012 | 09:00 pm
Text by Alan Moore, illustrated by Neil Gaiman
[This entry is cross-posted here on premorpheus, my Neil Gaiman Out-of-Print and Ephemera LiveJournal.]
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from: gwydion_writes
date: Jun. 12th, 2012 01:02 am (UTC)
Excellent! I can't believe Neil did these illustration- they are really phenomenally strange and interesting.


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Your Life Can Be Boring or Dramatic/
Hey, my name is Nat and I've been a fan of The Loveumentary since early 2013. Mostly I sit where you sit -- reading, listening and being inspired by Nate's genius and moved by the stories of people who love courageously and live compassionately.
Without taking any or much credit for it, I've helped Nate out over the years too. I've stuffed boxes for Unbox Love, worked through plans for Love School, edited blog posts and emails, pushed the Kickstarter campaign out to a few more people, advised Nate on tricky business decisions, and introduced him to mentors who have helped shape what the Loveumentary is today.
We've become great friends.
So to come 'round to the other side of Nate's business where you can see me and read what I think … well, it's daunting to give you content.
I so respect the Loveumentary community and the commitment Nate has to deliver quality content that makes you a better lover and lifts the quality of relationships everywhere. I feel underqualified to serve that mission, and I have no idea if what I have to say will make you a better lover. But it's a solid insight. It's given me a way to combine all the hours of podcasts and all the pages of emails now in my head because of Nate.
Your Life Can Be Boring or Dramatic
Doesn't it seem that way? Like, you're either dramatic and exciting and alive, or you're boring and lame and lifeless?
Here's the thing: everyone loves a compelling story.
If you need evidence, just look at a movie theater.
Is anyone selling a boring story?
(Well. Some stories are boring. But they don't sell many tickets to those shows...)
So if you can't make a good movie from a boring story, you gotta make one from dramatic one, right?
If you're someone who's holding out for living anything more than a life of pure banality and lameness, you probably said yes.
This is why you have so much drama in your life. Which you hate. But you also love.
If you think being boring is the worst thing in the world, then the way to not live a boring life is to live a dramatic one.
A lame life is the worst. Better to live with excitement even if it's nuts.
Being forgotten is awful. Better to be remembered even if it means being a bitch.
Going unnoticed is unfathomable. Better get attention, even if it takes causing a scene.
Feeling nothing is death. I'd rather feel something than nothing, even if it's horrible.
What we love about drama is that it makes us feel something.
And because we want to feel something, we look up… or stir up… drama.
It's not hard.
We witness drama all the time, take your pick: Cheating. Lying. Deceiving. Complaining. Bullying. Aggression. Judgment. Mockery. Exclusion. Sadness. Depression. Angst. Upset. Pleasure. Gluttony. Greed. Seduction.
Look it up, any of the above: In movies. In magazines. On daytime TV. On Netflix TV. In gossip. On Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
As it turns out, it's not hard to invent drama.
Which is why I think so many of our stories are dramatic.
And that's a problem.
Our culture tells so many dramatic stories, we think they are the only kind that make us feel.
Have you heard Nate say why he started The Loveumentary?
He started it and you're reading this post because he got tired of the same two dramatic stories being told over and over:
- Unrealistic Fairy Tales. These are the glossed over, positively dramatic stories of cloud 9 romance, 20 karat rings, Prince Charmings, glittering vampires, sleeping beauties, and happily ever afters.
- Disaster & Destruction: These are the TMI, abhorrently dramatic stories of spouses unfaithful, scandalous, forever-nagging and deserving of tabloid spreads, abuse, selfishness, and sadness.
And then there's the story no one talks about … the story of boring.
"The fairy tale doesn't last, and I don't want disaster and destruction… so I guess I'd better be happy just being boring…"
But there's a third option. There's more than just boring or dramatic.
There's another story that makes us feel: The story of TRIUMPH!
Triumph is exciting. And it makes for a great story.
It's challenging. It's hard. There's struggle. There's high and there's lows.
It's full of drama... but this drama is different.
Stories of triumph have something at stake, so the drama has purpose.
When you take on a challenge, you're living a story of triumph.
When you attempt mastery of a new skill, you're living a story of triumph.
When you explore territory uncharted, you're living a story of triumph.
When you forgive a deed long past, you're living a story of triumph.
When you let go of excuses long held to avoid growth, you're living a story of triumph.
When you face a fear head on, you're living a story of triumph.
When you serve someone who's taken more than they've given, you're living a story of triumph.
When you chase a new record, you're living a story of triumph.
When you pursue consistency where you've never had habit, you're living a story of triumph.
When you create what's never before existed, you're living a story of triumph.
When you embrace risk, you're living a story of triumph.
And when you fall down, bruise your knees, get upset, fall behind, lose, fall to injury, have your heart broken, miss a shot or a deadline and are rejected … all while pursuing any of these things … that's all drama that's worth it.
Drama for the sole sake of feeling something, is empty. It's cheap. You get the feeling and then there you are, right where you started.
This drama runs at the expense of human emotion with no return on the other side.
While instantly gratifying it's ultimately unsatisfying.
When you first pursue triumph and drama ensues, there is meaning in it.
It's FOR something and part of a bigger journey. Triumph-drama is an investment. It comes with feeling, and as it passes you move forward and others upward.
It too runs the expense (and the expanse) of human emotion, and ends with a return at the finale.
While initially agonizing it's ultimately glorifying.
* * *
I think we'll always have a desire to feel something deep in our bones. And that desire will push us to look up, and stir up drama.
Those who choose drama, will live dramatically and experience very little growth.
Some will choose boring, and will live with banality.
And now I see we have a third choice: The story of Triumph.
Triumph. A life of progress. A life of improvement. A life of extraordinary.
Want to live a life of Triumph? Come to LoveCon. What's that? Oh, just another one of those things I've been helping Nate with. 3 days of awesome: anything and everything you need to be an amazing lover and live stories of triumph in all your relationships. November 20-22 in the Salt Lake City area. Early bird tickets aren't even available yet, but CLICK HERE and you'll be the first to know when they are.


text:
A recently-released PS3 promo video offers a glimpse of what could be the next iteration of the PS Store, packing a search feature and video content.
At one point in the ad, screens of the PS Store whoosh past, revealing a search feature along the bottom panel of the Store that isn't in the current version.
In another fly-by shot, it also shows a video download page donning the logos of TV networks NBC, HBO, Cartoon Network (yes!) and MTV, among others. Could this be the first glimpse of what Sony has in store for PS3 video downloads?
You can check out grabbed images from the adright here.
Although no announcement has been made, Sony is expected to reveal plans for a video-on-demand system for PS3 for launch this year.
May 13, 2008


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It was a family scene that probably not even the best of fiction writers or poets could have composed with any more grace.
There was John Hodgen in his house in Shrewsbury packing for a family trip to Portugal. His daughter, Christie Hodgen, had just come in from her home in Jonesboro, Ark., the day before. She had brought along her lively 3-year-old daughter, Grace Taylor Patenaude. Grace was running around in the pleasant August sun-splashed backyard of the house while her grandmother, Doreen Hodgen, watched and played with her.
A few hours later the four would be flying off to Portugal to visit John and Doreen Hodgen�s other daughter, Janice Lucena. Lucena, an artist, is based in Portugal, so it would be a true family reunion, and likely a wonderful holiday.
There were at least a couple of other things to celebrate as well.
Christie Hodgen�s first novel, �Hello, I Must be Going� (W.W. Norton, $23.95), was published in June. Meanwhile, John Hodgen�s new book of poetry, �Grace� (University of Pittsburgh Press, $14 paper), is scheduled to hit the bookstores next month.
�It�s a wonderful moment. It�s kind of fun to see that achievement for your daughter,� John Hodgen said as he sat with Christie in the living room of his house during a recent interview.
This may be the first time that a father and daughter have both been winners of prestigious awards from the Association of Writers and Writing Programs. Christie Hodgen won the AWP�s 2001 award for short fiction, which led to the publication of her first book, a collection of short stories titled �A Jeweler�s Eye for Flaw.� John Hodgen is the winner of the 2005 Donald Hall Prize in Poetry of the AWP, and the reward is the pending publication of �Grace.�
Grace. It is a subject many writers (not to mention theologians) have written about.
Christie Hodgen was just four months into her pregnancy when Grace, her daughter and only child, was born prematurely. The prognosis was grim (doctors said the baby would die), and there would be months of hospitalization. �It�s not just a miracle that she�s alive, it was a succession of miracles,� Christie Hodgen said.
�We didn�t give up. It worked out wonderfully,� added her father.
So when the award-winning poet began a new collection of poetry, a title for it was not something he had to seek inspiration for. He had it already.
�There was never any other consideration,� he said.
Did Christie Hodgen know that her father�s latest book would be named after and dedicated to her daughter?
�I should have known. Mom said, �Guess what the book is called?� It�s tremendous. It�s a gift. It really is a gift to me.�
John and Christie Hodgen, and the rest of the family when they make an appearance, are great company. John Hodgen, 59, explains matters with an engaging detail that reflects his lifetime spent teaching. Born in Hubbardston, he graduated from Narragansett Regional High School and Worcester State College and received a master�s degree from Assumption College. He taught English at Shrewsbury High School for more than 30 years and now is visiting assistant professor at Assumption and also teaches at Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner.
While a fine conversationalist, his inclination in this interview was to deflect attention from his own prize winning and to emphasize and praise his daughter�s accomplishments.
Christie Hodgen is equally friendly but quieter. However, she speaks with a keen insight and wit that her father clearly appreciates. While a student at Shrewsbury High School, she had her father as an English teacher. She recalled typing papers for English class in the house at 3 in the morning, knowing that the sound would be reverberating in more than one sense. �It was embarrassing,� she said.
After Shrewsbury High she graduated from the University of Virginia, received an MFA from Indiana University, and a doctorate from the University of Missouri. Her husband is Bart Patenaude.
A photographer from the newspaper arrived and it was time to go outside and take a picture. The sun shone brightly ...
But as virtually every fiction writer and poet knows, clouds can hover over even the happiest of families. Ghosts can echo from the past.
John Hodgen has candidly revealed that as a high school sophomore he had an argument with his father, a Congregationalist minister, which ended with him telling his dad to �go to hell.� He never saw his father again. His father died unexpectedly a short time later. John Hodgen has been haunted by the memory ever since. His first volume of poetry was �In My Father�s House.�
Christie Hodgen�s �Hello, I Must be Going� focuses on a teenage girl growing up after her father�s suicide.
Are echoes, as the poet Tennyson might have put it, rolling from soul to soul or generation to generation?
�It�s very hard really to hear my father read his poems. My grandfather, this wonderful mysterious grandfather in my life,� Christie Hodgen said. �That�s something I�ve paid attention to and that grief that�s obvious is hard to miss.�
On the other hand, �Hello, I Must Be Going� is a work of fiction, and her own father is alive and well. Still, since the novel came out �I get a lot of questions � �Did your father kill himself?� � Her attitudinal response: �You can be observant and get a sense of what grief is like.�
�Christie is one of the most observant people I know,� her father said.
The poet about to visit Portugal for the first time reflected that the Portuguese have a word that evokes �the sorrow that�s in all things �
�I think there is some of that sorrow in me. I can�t hide that from her. She sees it.�
The subject returned to Grace, Christie Hodgen�s daughter.
�The loss of my father, the struggle with that � with the birth of this daughter � I saw it as a form of grace. A way of being brought back to believing. It�s been a real blessing,� John Hodgen said.
�Just when you thought you were cursed,� said Christie Hodgen about the days that doctors told her Grace was very unlikely to live.
�It�s been wonderful to write about the quality of grace,� John Hodgen said.
Does he have religious belief?
�My grandfather was a Congregational minister. It�s been kind of a rough-hewn spirituality,� he said.
�Very personal,� added his daughter.
�After my father died, I found myself looking � I guess I was looking for words that were better than what I said to him.�
A teacher at Narragansett High introduced him to the works of poet Robert Frost. One poem in particular, �The Birches,� burned a nerve of recognition.
�I saw that one could write about life in that metaphor.�
Poetry could be a saving grace.
John Hodgen would go on to win many awards for his poems. Besides �In My Father�s House� and �Grace,� his other collection of poetry is �Bread Without Sorrow� (2001).
�I think a geneticist would make a case its something you�re born with,� Christie Hodgen said concerning whether writing is in the genes. �That�s half of it, I guess.�
Nevertheless, she did not really start writing fiction until college, when a competition was announced with a prize of $250. �I thought, �I could use $250.� � She won.
She has shown her father some drafts of her writing in progress.
�He�s still got that red pen,� she said.
�A gentle red pen,� John Hodgen insisted. �It�s more that electricity, the anticipation of the places she�s interested in. It�s when she makes me cry. That�s the acid test. It�s reading it with the heart.�
�A Jeweler�s Eye for Flaw� won virtually spotlessly good reviews. �Hello, I Must Be Going� has won widespread praise, too, except for the matter of a dark cloud in the form of a New York Times review.
A friend had gotten her hands on the review in advance of it being published. Hodgen called the friend and made her read it to her. �Her voice got smaller and smaller,� she joked.
Etelka Lehoczky�s review-in-brief (one of five books she was critiquing) began in general terms about the story and the main character, the teenage girl Frankie. Then the piece concluded, �Every happy interlude turns into a crisis, the characters act out their neuroses with clockwork regularity, and Frankie�s tone remains one of wan resignation throughout. The result is less diverting than depressing.�
Happily, �some good things have happened to the book, too,� Christie Hodgen said. For example, the Barnes & Noble book chain is promoting �Hello, I Must Be Going� as part of its �Discover Great New Writers� series.
John Hodgen read the New York Times review and definitely begged to differ. �I realized this woman had written five reviews on one page. It was formulaic � It made me think she may not be that gifted a reviewer.�
Christie Hodgen knew she had an ally.
�I just got kicked in the teeth by The New York Times and he (my father) is the only one who could understand me.�
Has John Hodgen ever received a bad review?
�Never,� said Christie.
�Poetry never gets that kind of exposure,� he countered.
�I�ll get some. I�ll call you up and show you,� he told his daughter.
But according to one advance review, �Grace� is a work where the poet �finds hope in an often dark and violent world.�
Contact Richard Duckett by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Everything posted by neerajd
vitara to india?
neerajd replied to sreeraj's topic in Indian CarsIt absolutely makes sense to get this car here. But MSIL should price it sensibly. The Vitara will be a sensible product now if offered between 11-17 lacs OTR. If they try to portray this as a premium offering beyond the Creta, this is going to be a stillborn product. I wish they still bring back the Kizashi as a premium offering yet again. The earlier Vitara was also a very competitive offering but the time was not ripe for a product of that class. The SX4 was the car that was able to break the barriers of the Indian audience accepting a 10 lac Maruti and the Ciaz did it well too.
Top 5 aftermarket car accessories
neerajd replied to anshul1's topic in Accessories & In-Car EntertainmentI agree, Sachtech. Dashcams have become a need more than a fancy gadget to make road trip movies later. They help in event of an accident, altercation with traffic police or even during the overnight parking. For me, the must have accessories on the car include the following in no particular order: Reverse assist - I prefer the audio audio aid rather than the camera. Camera tends to get dirty/scratchy and you have to change your rear view mirror too to a HUGE one/ungainly design. Floor Lamination - I got this done to help keep the interiors clean. It is easy to clean and also makes it spill-proof if you have a kid. Good quality leatherette seat covers (if your car comes with fabric seats) - not the typical cushion covers types. These are snug fit to the seat contours and last the life of the vehicle. Come a bit expensive.. but totally worth it. Good speakers - not everyone is an audiophile. But sometimes, the music system you get is crap. May want to look at changing speakers. We feel it does not matter at first, but listening to good music on long drives or even on office commutes is so relaxing. Add better coaxial and component speakers if not amplifiers and bass tubes. And they don't cost a bomb either. 5-6k should get you decent components from JBL/Sony/Pioneers/Rock etc. Good 3D floor mats - seems like an expense, but they help keep the interiors very clean. The tray type design also help keep the dust/mud/pebbles in place while you pull it out for a wash. Scuff Plates & 3M PPF wraps around the scuff areas - it does help have a scuff plate to avoid the heel brushes while getting in an out. A white/silver color won't show that much but a darker color would. Better Lights - In this age where LEDs and HIDs have gone cheap, our car manufacturers still provide us halogens. While it might be okay for occasional night driving, better lighting helps reduce stress when driving in the night. Switch to the Philips Xtreme vision or the Osram Nightbreakers at least. It makes whole lot of a difference. You may have noticed, none of the above accessories add a bling to your car. But these are more towards your safety and your car's safety. The speakers are to keep us entertained in our journey
Headlights underpowered , Needed advice
neerajd replied to sham's topic in Accessories & In-Car EntertainmentI had tried using the relay on my Swift. Used it for 8 full years and had to change the 100/90 Philips bulbs only once in those 8 years. But, I had a problem with the relay once and had to change that due to a stupid car wash guy who blasted the engine bay with a spray. It might have shorted something. But, my experience using Rally spec bulbs was satisfactory. With average night usage, the reflectors were showing signs of burning out. With my Fiesta and i10, I've switched to the Philips Xtreme vision and Osram Nightbreaker Laser respectively. The Osram is better compared to the Xtremevision and they do a decent job on the highways. For these set of cars, I decided not to introduce any new wiring harnesses and direct currents from the battery and avoided the relays totally. If you have a double barrel headlamp, just change all bulbs to Osram or Philips higher ends and you should be satisfied.
Jeep plans in India
neerajd replied to VET5's topic in Indian CarsFor one, I hope at least one manufacturer stays away from the sub-4 meter SUV segment. Jeep is a heritage line-up and the design and length should not be altered for any India specific law. Hyundai was doing a good job so far keeping out but seems the money that manufacturers make by selling a sub-4 meter car in India far outclasses the profits made on higher segments, partly because of the numbers it sells too. The Renegade should come in the same size and engine options sold internationally. Anything apart from the Renegade and Compass is far too pricey. It just gets into the elite 3 and Volvo category.
Hyundai i20 Asta (o) vs Honda Amaze VX [Petrol]
neerajd replied to ksgulyani's topic in Indian CarsMy vote would go for the i20 here. Amaze is a pretentious sedan and ideally should have no place in the market. But crazy Indian laws and greedy manufacturers... Anyway. The i20 top variant has 6 airbags, looks much better than the Amaze and also has the best interiors. Trust me, that touch control AC is more of a tedious task when trying to use it while driving. Engine is refined too and you won't feel sad or cheated if you choose to pass on the Amaze. I'd say, do a comparison between the i20 and the Jazz. That would be healthy.
Ownership Review: Ford Classic 2014 - Moondust Silver
neerajd posted a topic in Members Car ownership reviewsHello All, I had asked fellow members on the AAA forum when I decided to buy a new car. I had already narrowed down to the Ford Classic, but wanted to understand the views of others on this decision. Had TD'd Linea too and to be honest, these were the only 2 cars I had shortlisted. After a month long turmoil, I finally decided to go for the Ford Classic owing to too many factors. I would like to thank the numerous friends who joined the discussion to help me with my decision. RSSH, Kdar90, Monoclonal, Dr Nishu, LeoRahi and SachinS.. I hope I listed all.. Cost of ownership - 8.58 lacs for the top trim. Safety features it comes with Compact dimensions - not too bulgy like the Linea - I want to be able to take this out daily Fun to drive Frugal maintenance More Kms to the liter. I test drove the Ford like 4 times before finalizing it. Once just in the city at ambling speeds, once with my wife, once just to make sure this is the car I wanted and once for my dad - he wanted to see the comfort on the rear seat. Booked one on May 2, Akshay Tritiya - a Moondust (whatever) Silver. Booking Amount - 10,000/- Down Payment - 2,00,000/- (incl the booking amount) Loan Amount - 6,58,000/- (from SBI @ 10.95% - no prepayment penalty) On Road Price Pune - 8,84,000/- (incl. 3rd yr extended warranty, Zero Dep Ins and RTO taxes) Discount offered - Corporate Discount - 16,500/- Cash Discount - 10,000/- Final On Road Price - 8.58,000/- Got the VIN today and turns out I get a April 2014 manufactured car!! Not bad at all... I read through the "want to know when your car was made" section to find that out. Quite a helpful thread there... The loan will be sanctioned in a couple of days but it turns out that I will have to visit the SBI branch to complete a few formalities there... ridiculous to me since the other banks do it right there at the dealership. Nevertheless, its SBI.. plus, i get a lower rate of interest there with no prepayment penalty. Hope to have the car home some time next week... More updates to follow...
Ownership Review: Ford Classic 2014 - Moondust Silver
neerajd replied to neerajd's topic in Members Car ownership reviewsI totally stand by it. The sub-4 meter sedans are all pretentious (wannabe) 3 box cars. Their B2 segment counterparts are far more superior to them. Case in point Xcent to i20, Amaze to Jazz. The Dzire outclasses the Baleno in almost all aspects. But I still do not give in to the sub-4 meter sedan here. My only next upgrade would have been the Jetta/Octavia or given that I do end up scraping the car with a load full, a crossover or maybe the Jeep Compass kind of a vehicle. I'll still stick to a 5 seater. The Japanese/Koreans are no match to the solid builds and ageless designs. The Jetta still does not feel outdated, neither does the Vento or even the Rapid (newer one). The Honda City has become one tin can.. the build quality and sheet metal being no better than the Ciaz's. Jeep Compass and any car that I actually liked are all beyond 20 lacs and that's a huge sum to pledge for a car, at least at this point for me. I see a lateral upgrade to be they way ahead.. trying to find a used one would be difficult but will give me a chance to get more for a C2 sedan's money.
Ownership Review: Ford Classic 2014 - Moondust Silver
neerajd replied to neerajd's topic in Members Car ownership reviewsReviving this thread. Realized that I haven't updated this since the last 2 years. The Fiesta is doing just great. Update around this ^^ - It were the tires and not the brake pads. Got them changed at 36000 kms on the odo. The Goodyear GT3 are told to be notorious and go out of shape pretty soon. There was no warranty left on it by the time I realized they were bad. Have changed to Michelin XM2+ and the ride has changed drastically.. for the better. The vibrations are gone. It's like a new ride again. The car is so cost effective to maintain!! ~4.5k at max a year, this is cheaper than almost any new car. The launch of the Jeep Compass had me thinking but then I've decided to hold back on this for the life of the car. Another 3 years for sure. BTW, Year 2017, I did a road trip to Mysuru, Ooty and back to Pune. A total of 2400 kms in 9 days. I'll start writing a nice travelogue on that soon. The car was filled to the brim. Me, my wife, 2 ½ year old son, my sister and her husband & luggage for all of us. The Honda Amaze may have 420 ltr of boot space - similar to that of my car here. But it sure does not swallow that much amount of luggage that could fit in the Fiesta. On money spent other than maintenance, my Fiesta had a repainted front bumper recently. genuinely my fault. I halted at the parking at a mall when I had been to test drive the Jeep Compass. Talking on the phone with my wife who wasn't really happy with me at the Jeep showroom, I pulled the handbrake and let go of the clutch. Then BANG!!! The car was in first and as I let go the clutch, it jilted forward. I managed to brake it but it had touched the rough wall of the parking ahead of me. Most of the brunt was taken by the number plate. But the bumper also had a few dimples. No snaps of that actually. So I got it repainted. But apart from that, there have been no additional expenses other than regular oil and oil filter change. Such a lovely, no nonsense car really. It makes me wonder why the new age cars really run bills upwards 12-15k for regular yearly servicing. Average has been steady at 17-18 kmpl and the car has done mostly city runs so far. This is with 0 luggage and 2-3 on board. A tank-full generally runs for 750-800 kms and refills ~45 liters of diesel. A couple of recent Mahabaleshwar runs gave me ~20 kmpl because of the long open stretches. This figure with minimum 3 on board with their luggage.
Got a broken Plastic belly Pan (?) .. Help!
neerajd replied to LeoRahi's topic in AAA - Ask Autocar AnythingWhat car is this? This part is usually an engine protection cover. You shouldn't be really worried about it. Just ensure there aren't any leaks around the broken area. Get it replaced at a dealer only.
Ownership Review: Ford Classic 2014 - Moondust Silver
neerajd replied to neerajd's topic in Members Car ownership reviewsAnother update. I almost forgot to add this. A couple of months ago, I put in the RaceDynamics chip on this car. Gives me 2 performance modes along with Stock and Economy ones. Have never driven on Stock ever since Regular driving is in P1 mode which gives me a turbo boost right from around 1400 RPM. Makes the car much more driveable and fun too. P2 is just awesome on spirited expressway runs. This box cost me just Rs. 20,000. Installation was a bit tricky but the end result is far too satisfactory. Whoever has a Fiesta diesel should go for this tuning box. Did not face any issue during my service either as I put that into stock mode when I gave it there. Have a year of warranty left on the car.. so far so good.
Ownership Review: Ford Classic 2014 - Moondust Silver
neerajd replied to neerajd's topic in Members Car ownership reviewsAgain a long time no ownership update from me. I had decided to keep this as up-to-date as possible so sometime at a later stage, I can peek into this thread to see how the car gave me company A bit late, but here I am with another update... Like I mentioned, due to a job change a year and a half ago, my daily runs were just about 25 kms to-fro. Wasn't really doing justice to my decision of buying a diesel (Oh! the 1.6 petrol would have been so much fun to toss around!!!) But twist in the story here - my previous company offered me a better role and I'll be again looking at some gruesome traffic and a total of 50 kms to-fro. Considering the traffic, the diesel wins here. The new job starts July. So here's to "no-regrets-buying-a-diesel" Cheers! My 3rd service came in the month of Dec 2015 - cost me around Rs. 4200. Basic stuff - oil and oil filter change, diesel filter, air filter, AC filter, brakes bleeding and brake oil change etc. The oil takes the most ~2800 there. But okay considering its semi-synthetic. 4th service was just done a couple days ago. Although the car has clocked only 23000 kms, the service due was for 40,000 kms. The mandatory things to be done and my insistence on the brakes being weak took the bill to Rs. 5300 including the inspection charges of Rs. 800 for the brakes Too much money for just inspection and cleaning of drums etc. The result wasn't satisfactory at all. But I know the problem lies in the front disc pads. Ford has made their OE very hard to last longer and it grips too less as it starts getting worn out. Will change it to Bosch pads soon. Team-BHP is full of such information.. I so love it. Planning a trip to Goa next weekend. So the wiper blades are going to be new too. Already bought them off from Amazon at a steal deal of Rs. 320. The new disc pads should inspire on the long drive too. All in all, no mechanical issues raised by the car yet - touch wood. Although the AFSS team mentions to change the AC filter once in a year, I've found that changing it every 6 months is way better. You may attribute it to the fact that our surroundings are too dusty and that I always drive with AC on. The low kms that I did for the past 1 year have returned me an average of about 16-17 kmpl in the city. This should improve now since my daily runs are going to increase. Looking at the same 18-20 kmpl range I used to get a year and a half earlier. For now, looking forward to the Goa trip more than anything else. It should be lovely to drive there in rains. Happy motoring guys!! Drive safe.
Wagon R AMT or Celerio AMT?
neerajd posted a topic in AAA - Ask Autocar AnythingHi Friends, Been a long time this topic was doing rounds in my mind and I finally thought of sharing it here and looking for a larger opinion. My Swift is almost going to be 8 years old now. It hasn't really started showing any age but that's the car my wife primarily uses. Now with the growing traffic in Pune and especially in Hinjewadi and city areas, driving a manual really is a painful thing. I test drove the Wagon R AMT a couple days ago and came out really impressed how an auto transmission can help keep your nerve in traffic. I'm a manual fan by heart any day but the convenience factor made me think hard on this option. I have a Fiesta to enjoy the drive anyway and going away with the Swift, which I seldom use, will not hurt me a lot. Now the confusion here is between the similarly sized and priced cars from Maruti stable - Wagon R and Celerio. Here is my comparison. This is the max amount I want to shell at this time. Otherwise the Polo TSI would have been booked by now. Main factors for choosing these 2 cars: Dimensions - need a compact sized car - my wife finds the Swift a little fat to manoeuvre in dense traffic. Auto gears - must (Alto isn't on this list because it would be a complete step down from the Swift) Decent space. Wagon R VXi - Rs. 5,67,609 OTR (discounts available) Advantages: Tall body - elders can get in/out fairly easily, good view of the road. Adjustable head restraints - Safety feature most are unaware of - I feel this is a must. VXi variant comes with a rear defogger and wash-wipe too. Disadvantages: Very boring looking center console Not enough space to even park your cell phone. Oddly placed 12V power socket. No Bluetooth No Steering mounted controls (the Stingray will get it but only as an option - still no bluetooth) Thin tires Celerio ZXi - Rs. 5,92,789 OTR (discounts available) Advantages: Passenger airbag as standard Well countoured rear seats Neat looking dash design Lock-unlock switch like the Swift (I don't know, but I feel it's convenient) Bluetooth pairing Steering mounted controls for audio as well as phone Rides on comparatively better tires Disadvantages: Very thin seats - integrated head restraints Hatch lock design is a complete eyesore Overall, the WagonR option pack will give me Airbags and ABS and cost a little over the Celerio ZXi AMT spec. Both cars are very closely priced and discounts offered are pretty similar too. I spoke to a few friends who recently bought a WagonR and they vouched for it. The confusing factor is mainly the dash design that I kinda liked on the Celerio but the seats are a complete disaster. There can't be best of two elsewhere, can it? I'm looking to get this deal done as soon as possible. All suggestions welcome
Agree. but sometimes you don't buy the car because you need it. It is for pure pleasure and only because you can afford it. Ask me if i need this car - the answer is NO. Am I buying it for the heck of it - YES. It's mainly because this is the age I would buy such kind of car. I CAN buy it. The only time in the next few years I buy such a car would be for my son. I know this is going to cost me about 20k a month (EMI, Fuel & Servicing etc.) to keep this car. Which is a considerable amount of money. But it would give me a sense of satisfaction to have such a car to drive. Somewhere adds to your happiness quotient.
@Hari, thats for the manual. The TSI comes with an automatic gear. So slotting into R/D is very easy. The car averages about 9-11 kmpl in city and could go well beyond 15 kmpl on highways. City average can go upto 13 if driven sedately. Coming to monthly spends, I wouldn't mind that amount since this is not the primary car. My daily ride is a Fiesta diesel. Gives me good average. The TSI will be mostly used over weekends or fun drives. I loved the dynamics of the car. It handles triple digits with easy. The pick-up and performance was just thrilling. I had decided to shift my focus to the Baleno and Jazz automatic. Baleno has a 28 week waiting! That's more than 7 months!.. does not make sense at all. Jazz goes terribly close to the Polo category and isn't fun to drive at all. Even with those paddle shifters. So in all, it boils down to the TSI again. Paying 10.35 lacs for a hot-hatch is a little undigested. It is a lot of money for the car you are getting. Now, not all know that the heart is different and about the super-slick gearbox. I think I might just bite the bullet and buy this car. I had booked one at 9.85 lacs and cancelled it. The price has now gone up by about 50k. But there are additional features like rain sensing wipers, auto-dimming IRVM and touch screen audio that I would get. Lets see. Too much confusion and the guilt feeling of a typical middle class mind creeps in with what-if questions like I could really use that money to clear off my house loan or I can really save up that amount and have great vacations each year etc. Will update as I fight this thought battle.
Saw this on the roads a few times and it definitely is a head turner. You don't mistake this for some other car easily. "Cute" or "Nice" are the words you say unknowingly. It's dimensions are definitely around Celerio but it has much better road presence. I would like to test drive it to know how it really works. What is weird though that they have made a new revotron 3 cyl 1.2 engine when they had a 4 cyl one in the Bolt. Team BHP reviews are very average for the petrol unit but okay-good for the diesel.
Skoda Rapid Facelift - The Game Changer for Skoda India
neerajd replied to tejasmehta990's topic in Indian CarsA bit of a sad news here. The new Skoda Rapid in India is not going to look anywhere close to the snaps here. These snaps are from the European facelift. The Indian model only gets subtle changes. A few spy shots on this link from Team BHP can give an idea. http://www.team-bhp.com/news/skoda-rapid-facelift-spotted-again The rear remains mostly unchanged with only a new cluster tail lamp. The head lamps may get some additional chrome treatment. Sheet metal mostly remains unchanged.
Tata has to get everything right with this car. Their design and production team have delivered a good car. Now up to the sales and marketing team to sell it well and the after sales team to keep up with the changed image. Very less seems to be happening around the after sales issues. Car not being looked after well, shoddy job of changing oil and filters, customer issues not being addressed are very common comments I hear from friends who have Tata cars. Most have shifted to known local mechanics to get the job done. Tata should try to target this area as an immediate improvement area and ensure that there is an image uplift here. Tiago definitely seems to be a good car. But it is the after sales that can script the story for good or worse now.
Skoda Rapid Facelift - The Game Changer for Skoda India
neerajd replied to tejasmehta990's topic in Indian CarsThis would be the same DSG in VWs correct? I was actually planning to save up for the Polo TSI. Although I haven't come across articles where problems specific to DSG are discussed, I know it is overall a very difficult brand to maintain. Both Skoda and VW. I test drove the Polo TSI and was absolutely in love with the car. The way it drove, gathered speed, braked and esp. how it behaved in the S mode. Any insights? It may help me make a firm decision.
Acessories for S Cross 1.3 Sigma
neerajd replied to anirudh's topic in AAA - Ask Autocar Anything@anirudh Just ensure that you do not accelerate or decelerate suddenly and try keeping the speed below 80 kmph. A new diesel engine would make the turbo even more fun but try avoiding that. Upshift around 2000 RPM (of course consider the terrain) and that should be okay for your car to get safely to Sagar.
Skoda Rapid Facelift - The Game Changer for Skoda India
neerajd replied to tejasmehta990's topic in Indian CarsCompletely agree with Durango here. When I was in the market for a second dlesel sedan, there was an edition of Rapid retailing for 8.99 with all features I was looking for. ABS, Airbags and a fuel efficient diesel engine. Did I go for it - NO. The only reason being the scary after sales service and exorbitant costs of maintenance. One of my relatives sold his Skoda Octavia about 4 yrs ago (it was only about 3-4 yrs old then) only because of the service experiences. They were becoming a very costly affair with numerous problems cropping up every now and then. And mind you, this is for a well kept, serviced within the intervals car. He switched to a Honda City and is very happy with the purchase now.
Hi Monoclonal, sorry for the disappointment. I test drive the Figo a few days ago and I found it to be extremely pathetic (I may be exaggerating a bit here) for what you get for a good 8.58 lacs on road. I would absolutely not put my money for a car that steeply priced and the kind of plastic and build quality you get. Ford's cost cutting measures are pretty evident. To start with, the door panels get sucked in as you close the window... and pump out a bit when you roll the window down.. this does not even happen on my Swift. No soft cushions on the doorpads, the stalks are definitely of cheap quality. In fact, my Fiesta Classic is a way better built car that way! The aesthetics are sure better than my Fiesta, I agree. But overall, the drive was not that engaging. There was quite a bit of delay to change gears in the D mode and it was quite sluggish. For a car that had only 243 kms on the odo, it felt an absolute let down. Doors did not close with that solid thunk that we know of Fords. I felt pretty sad actually after experiencing what that car drove like and I was able to give a solid answer on my consideration towards the car. A solid NO. There is no other car that comes as close to the TSI in terms of the smoothness of the ride and gears. A lot expensive than any on offer, but I think its absolutely worth it. I will also consider the Jazz now since that's the only car otherwise I would say I would consider. But reading a lot of first reviews and people experiences here and on T-BHP in terms of the flimsy build quality and thin steels etc., I don't know if I would be able to give it an unbiased look.
Yes Sachin. If I go for a VW, I will be going in for the extended warranty for sure. Will be test driving the Figo automatic today. Would be a couple lacs cheaper and their guarantee of 10 yrs on their gear box makes things interesting. It is also a couple lacs cheaper than the VW. Wouldn't mind looking at it if there are discounts running which might make it a sweeter deal. TSI is more for the heart. Figo may be a sensible one to look at. Lets see.
I will Sachin, Monoclonal. But I don't completely agree with regards to uncertainty of the brand altogether. I agree, they don't have the best of AFSS; but I've known people with good testaments. Of course, the service costs are going to be a bit higher than what we are used to, but I don't see why one should not try a good product. The engine and the gearbox are a gem together. Not sure if I can get a similar thing out of a Maruti or a Honda. Jazz has become flimsy.. probably even matching Maruti's build quality lately. Ironically, Marutis squeak a lot less than they originally used to.. Unless, the Baleno comes with the 1.0 turbo petrol with an autobox. Unlikely, me thinks.
Thanks for all your inputs friends. I took the test drive of the Polo TSI and was absolutely smitten by the car. Only thing is, the budget does not permit me to commit to this car at this time. Also, I took a long look at the Swift standing in my garage. There is no other car than the Polo TSI which can take its place. The WagonR and Celerio will be a complete step down from what I have right now. And I feel if I'm to change cars it should only be an upgrade. So, putting off the thought to buy a new car at this point. Will wait for a while to build up a little corpus to buy the TSI. Or maybe any other car worthy to be considered during the time I enter the market again.
I wouldn't mind giving it a look, Sachin. But I'm not sure why these companies decide to equip either the diesel or petrol models with AMT and not both. Typical case with the Swift Dzire to give AMT only on the ZDi variant. Now come on, your Alto, Celerio and WagonR have the same AMT actuators!! Similar case with the Zest. They have an AMT on the diesel but not on Petrol.. and moreover no AMT on the Bolt. I would have seriously had another car to consider here if the Bolt was equipped with one. Anyway, I'm really not happy with either the WagonR or the Celerio in terms of what they offer for the money. Might just have to consider increasing my budget to get a better car, it seems.


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By David Jackson – SEO Pro 1. Search Engine Optimization will put you on the first page of Google. This is without question the biggest SEO myth floating around the Internet today. Here's the truth: SEO is a tool – nothing more. And any tool is only as good as the person using it. That's
10 Content Myths
10 Content Myths Debunked By Julia Spence-McCoy in Business Featured Writing/Content Unicorns, dragons and fairies are categorized as myths that you only find in storybooks. Although I think of those stories fondly, partially as a result of my wonderful memories of the Never-Ending Story and one of my all-time favorite book series, Narnia. Well, today
Why GEO Domains
One of the best ideas in our opinion is using your geographic location and your type of business in a domain name. Example: DenverPlumber.com or DenverPlumbers.com When you are looking for a plumber in the city of Denver, I believe that 99% of people are putting the terms, Denver plumber, Denver plumbers, Denver plumbing, plumber in


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Coming this summer…. Creative Deed 365 Minneapolis!
This summer, the national art therapy conference will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota July 8-12. I'll be attending and also presenting, as well as keeping up with my creative daily practice of leaving creative deeds for others to find while away. I thought it would be fun to see if other art therapists and art therapy students also planning to attend this year's conference would be interested in leaving their own creative deeds and creative goodness throughout the event during these five days. Wanna join in?
If you're going to the conference this year, it's easy to participate either as a Creative Deeder or Creative Deed Finder:
- Creative Deeder: If you are interested in making and leaving Creative Deed Art, just make one for everyday of the conference and leave one each day in a random place onsite at the conference for another attendee or hotel visitor to discover. Creative Deed Art includes inspiring and encouraging handmade pieces of creative expression, infused with messages of kindness, hope, and positivity left behind for unsuspecting others. Throughout this year in the Creative Deed Facebook Group, members often create artist trading card or index card size art, but there's really no particular form or size. I've been making my daily pieces of art with half size index cards, playing cards, and handmade paper cut to 3 x 2.5 inches to keep my practice manageable, both in the making and releasing. I also include a simple label on the back of each card that explains the intention of the project and what was just found.
- Creative Deed Finder: If you find a creative deed while in attendance at the conference, use social media to let everyone participating in the project about your creative find using the hashtags #found #creativedeed365 #minneapolis. Let's keep the energy going virtually!
- You can also RSVP on this FB event page to be alerted of updates, ask questions, or get more information related to this fun adventure as it gets closer and happens onsite!
I hope you'll make plans to join in on this creative fun this summer- as a Creative Deeder, Finder, or maybe both! Imagine the creative goodness and energy that could be made, shared, and received during this week! 🙂
If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me at email@example.com.


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Type: Process
Sources: Martin Langlands (UK), Rolf Goetz (Gemany)
While modelling use cases, have you ever thought 'I have modelled something very similar before.'? Here's a solution to re-occuring modelling tasks. Martin Langlands has developed a bundle of patterns for the content of use cases. He developed these with an extensive backround in banking and insurance systems. After reading it I found myself in a very different field but still the patterns were applicable. I think they are ready to use in most areas of concern.
The Use Case Content Patterns are presented here courtesy of Martin Langlands.
Note: I proudly contributed the idea of another pattern to Martin's, the DESTRUCTOR pattern ;-)
Entry Conditions
E1: You have at least basic knowledge on the structure of a use case, either the Jacobson or Cockburn flavor.
Steps and Notes
S1: See if the problem you want to describe using a UseCase form is similar to one or more entries of this list:
- An object has to be created.
- An object has to be viewed or updated.
- One or more objects have to selected for some action.
- Objects have to be searched for.
- An object has do be deleted.
S2: If yes, read the attached article and use the presented patterns for writing correct and consistent use cases!
Exit Conditions
"Use-case modelling is much more than drawing stick-men for Actors, ovals vor Use-cases and a few «include» and «extend» dependencies." - Martin Langlands
Related Pages
- Improve Reusability of Use Cases
- Finding the Right Size for a Use Case
- Prioritizing Use Cases
- Describing Alternative Courses of Action in Use Cases
- good advice on writing use cases (external)
If you want to know more about a topic, simply tag the article with a 'morePlease' or 'examplesPlease' tag!


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NTIMES 6MARCH: Manipur Elections 2012: Congress wins by thumping majority
Imphal: In perhaps the only solace to the Congress government in the state Assembly elections 2012, the Manipur electorate gave a thumping majority to the party, helping it win 42 seats out of 60. The party scored a hat-trick and returned to power in the northeastern state, helped by a fragmented opposition.
The Trinamool Congress, part of an 11-party Peoples Democratic Alliance, made an impressive debut winning seven seats, followed by the Naga Peoples' Font (NPF) that bagged four seats. The TMC had a sole member in the outgoing House. Other partners of the alliance together with the Trinamool Congress were able to secure only 16 seats.
The People's Democratic Party (PDF), meanwhile, secured one seat, while others notched six seats.
There was jubilation in Congress camps across the state after Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh retained his Thoubal seat, defeating his rival from the BJP Indira Oinam by a huge margin of over 15,000 votes.
Following suit, Ibobi Singh's wife Landhoni Devi also won the Khangabok seat by defeating rival Jatra Singh of Manipur People's Party (MPP) by a huge margin of over 9,000 votes. Khangabok was the constituency of the chief minister earlier.
Opposition parties received a severe jolt after three leaders, Radhabinod Koijam of the NCP, O Joy Singh and Th Chaoba Singh of MPP, lost to their rivals. Koijam, who is the leader of the Opposition in the outgoing Manipur Assembly, is a former chief minister. Koijam was instrumental for bringing the 11 non-congress parties under one anti-Congress alliance – Peoples' Democratic Alliance (PDA).
The BJP which contested 19 seats drew a blank. The CPI, which was a former coalition partner of the Congress in the erstwhile Secular Democratic Front failed to win a single seat. CPI candidate and Agriculture minister, Ph Parijat Singh, who had won from Lamlai four times was defeated by the Congress' K Biren Singh. The CPI had contested 24 seats.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and Forest minister Th Debendra Singh won from Jiribam. Among two Congress ministers who lost were Minority minister Alauddin Khan from Keirao and Education minister DD Thaisi in Karong.
Okram Ibobi Singh will be the second chief minister in the northeast to make it to the top seat for the third consecutive time in recent times after Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.
While Gogoi brought the party to power in Assam in 2001, 2006 and 2011, Ibobi Singh had single-handedly brought the Congress to power in Manipur in 2002 and in 2007.
Congress spokesman in Manipur N Biren Singh, who has won from the Heingang constituency, said the Congress party is going to form the next government in the state. "We are going to win not less than 35 seats this time," he said.
In Manipur, the Congress had a tough battle this time as at least 11 non-Congress parties have formed an alliance to stop the Congress from coming to power. The non-Congress parties included the NCP, Manipur People's Party (MPP), CPI, CPI-M, JD-U, National People's Party (NPP), Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP), Trinamool Congress, Lok Jana Shakti Party, BJP and the Naga People's Front (NPF).
What had made it worse for the Congress is the fact that at least seven militant outfits had imposed a ban on the party. The militants also attacked several Congress candidates and supporters ahead of the January 28 polls.CNN-IBN (With additional inputs from IANS and PTI)


text: News Volleyball 07/07/2018 Boyer stars as France hold off magnificent US fightback to make final Stephen Boyer tips the ball over the USA block as he leads France to the grand final of the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League in France. Lille, France, July 7, 2018 - Stephen Boyer's superb 31-point haul sent France into the final of the inaugural FIVB men's Nations League after they withheld a brilliant United States comeback to win in five sets 3-2 (25-18, 25-17, 23-25, 24-26, 15-13) in a gripping semi-final at Lille's Stade Pierre-Mauroy. This was another high quality contest between two sides who have lit up a wonderful Nations League, but it was France who showed the greater verve and variety in attack with Boyer and Earvin Ngapeth displaying their trademark firepower as the US struggled to cope early on. The visitors were outplayed in the opening two sets but produced an incredible comeback to take the next two, but their hopes of reaching a first world-level final since the 2014 World League were finally ended. France, on the other hand, are now guaranteed a first podium finish in a major other than the World League for the first time since 2002. The French came into this one on the back of a thumping 3-0 win over Serbia on Friday and can boast an astonishing attacking arsenal with the Final Six top scorer Ngapeth - who had 40 prior to this match - and Boyer the main threats. It was Boyer this time who outscored France's main star Ngapeth, who chipped in with 12 points, although the French blockers can take enormous credit for their victory. Kevin Le Roux won 4 block points while Nicolas Le Goff (9 points) was at his sturdy, menacing best at the net and Thibault Rossard (9 points) served impeccably. United States are one of four nations (Brazil, Italy and Russia the others) to have won at least four of the previous five volleyball majors, but they came into this one on the back of three defeats in five VNL matches having lost 3-0 to Russia on Friday. Despite top scorer Matthew Anderson (23 points) and Taylor Sander (20 points) providing plenty of threat out wide, their middle was completely shut down in the first two sets with Maxwell Holt and David Smith struggling to find any gaps. They responded magnificently with Anderson and substitute Aaron Russell outstanding, but they were ultimately put away with their service game not up to their usual standards.Les Bleus won in five sets when these sides met in the preliminary round but they were in no mood to endure such a tough encounter this time. They tore into the Americans from the off and led 8-6 at the first technical timeout. Rossard's wonderful ace made it 10-7 before the likes of Boyer and Ngapeth took over. Le Goff's mesmeric block stretched the gap to 6 points (17-11) and another unsung hero in this fluid French team, Kevin Le Roux, wrapped up the set 25-18. The US, who led France 20-13 in the sides' head-to-head record prior to this semi-final, started the second set much better, but they were soon on the backfoot with Boyer's ace serve making it 8-6 at the first technical timeout. The French serves were proving far too potent for John Speraw's out-of-sorts American side with Rossard firing down another, and the likes of Le Goff and Le Roux continued to shut the door on the visitors with some well-timed blocks. France were a class apart and a trademark Boyer spike clinched the set 25-17 and left the US with a mountain to climb. The Americans had taken at least one set off France in their last 22 matches - a run stretching all the way back to 1990 - and Speraw threw on Aaron Russell for the ineffective Benjamin Patch which ensured that that impressive run continued. Russell was outstanding in the third set, while Anderson also started to find his range with some powerful spikes. A wonderful Anderson block made it 20-16 to the US and they saw out the set 25-23 to give themselves hope of a famous comeback. The fourth set was a tense affair with the Americans scrapping hard to try and force a decider, with Anderson epitomising their fighting spirit. Sander's explosive spike had them 12-10 in front, but a controversial point for the French, when Kevin Tillie could have easily been penalised for a foot fault, edged them 14-13 ahead. France built up a 19-14 lead but Anderson was on a mission for the US and they produced a stirring comeback, saving two match points before Micah Christenson's ace serve gave them set point. And the US managed to take it 26-24 to send this incredible match into a decider.France raced into a 5-1 lead in the 5th but the US were not prepared to let this match go and Sander came up with some huge points to make it 7-7. But a couple of timely points from Le Goff edged France in front again and they just about held off the American charge as Boyer sent down a spike to seal the set 15-13 and send France into tomorrow's final. The 2015 World Cup winners pushed them hard, but Les Bleus held on to make it four wins in five against the US. Print this Page News {{item.LocalShortDate}} {{item.Title}} All the News


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the worst update ever!
i'm back. this blog was MIA for about 24 hours. i decided to update the WordPress backend last night. what was suppose to be a 5 easy step update, turned into the nightmare of nightmares of updates. step 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 and… nothing. no blog, no backend, nothing. couldn't even log in. stayed up till 5am freaking out, talking to @codesketch and @codykeith on twitter (awesome guys), tinkering with the limited knowledge of mySQL databases, and finally fell asleep annoyed and frustrated. i think i uninstalled and reinstalled WordPress 7 or 8 times. in the end i installed a brand new blog, made a brand new database, and started to test each old database separately. one by one testing and checking to see what would happen. two of the databases were hooped, which is why no one could see my blog and why i couldn't get into my blog.
it's all back up and running again. i've learnt a bit more about mySQL databases, and the retarded ins and outs of WordPress. fingures crossed that the next update only takes 5 steps.


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PC or MAC? Internet Explorer or Mozilla?
Whichever operating system or browser you use - PC or MAC, RedKings poker and casino games can be played without any problems. The software works with Mac OS X 10.2.8 or later, together with Safari 1.0.2 or later, or Mozilla 1.5 or later.