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A handmade savoury pie with your choice of message using up to 30 characters.
Great for
- Birthdays
- Anniversaries
- Thank You's
A handmade savoury pie with your choice of message using up to 30 characters.
Great for
Our Celebration Pies are made using the same high quality fillings and pastry as our other pies. Each pie is personalised with your message using individual pastry letters and numbers.
A fantastic and unique personalised gift idea.
This large pie weighs approximately 1.7Kg and is 9in/23cm in diameter.
We have 4 flavours to choose from:
Succulent and lean British chuck steak is first marinated in Old Speckled Hen ale for 24 hours to enhance it's flavour, then slow cooked with fresh mushrooms and onions in a rich gravy.
Tender chunks of fresh British chicken breast cooked with fresh field and button mushrooms in a rich creamy sauce. This classic pie is enhanced with just a touch of tarragon and mustard.
100% fresh British minced beef in a delicious well seasoned gravy encased in the Goddard's pastry. This is the 'pie n mash' pie we are so well known for.
Taw Valley mature cheddar cheese, potatoes and freshly chopped onions in a smooth creamy sauce. This pie is just bursting with handcrafted flavour! Suitable for vegetarians
This pie will be personalised with pastry letters and numbers, baked to order and delivered in an insulated box with ice packs to keep fresh.
Steak & Ale – Gluten from wheat & barley, soya
Mel (verified owner) –
The pie was perfect and the pastry lettering was spot on. We order regularly from pie shop and just can't beat the pies!
Susan Glendinning (verified owner) –
My husband was delighted with the pie everything was perfect from the message to the taste and the generous amount of filling just a great gift will be recommending to our friends
All payments including cards are securely processed online.
You may either use your PayPal account or use a debit or credit card.


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What Should I Consider When Planning an Alice in Wonderland Party?
Since the book Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll was first published in the 19th century, it has delighted readers with its curious main character Alice and the host of strange creatures she meets within the pages of the story. Bring a bit of the book to life by throwing an Alice in Wonderland party for a child. The games and activities are simple to do and allow kids to become a part of the adventure.
It's possible to organize a variety of games and activities that will get kids excited about the story and maybe make them want to read the original book someday. First, plan the invitations for the Alice in Wonderland party. Invitations can be made to look like playing cards. Readers of the book will remember that playing cards serve as the Queen of Hearts' soldiers.
The invitations can be made from white card stock cut into the shape of a rectangle the size of an adult's hand. Artistic parents can design a playing card on each invitation. In the middle of the card, write important party details. Remember to include the date, time, and location of the Alice in Wonderlandparty. If desired, request that guests dress up as their favorite Alice in Wonderland characters.
After the invitations are created, begin to plan the party games and activities. One fun idea is to plan a croquet game for the Alice in Wonderland party. Go to the store and find a handful of pink tube socks. If it's difficult to find long socks in that color, use some plain white tube socks and dye them pink. Stuff the socks with newspaper and tie them so the newspaper remains inside.
To make wickets, stick pipe cleaners or wire inside large Styrofoam™ cubes. Tennis balls can serve as the croquet balls. Children can whack the balls through the wickets using the pink "flamingo" mallets.
Another potential Alice in Wonderland party activity is to plan a relay race outside. Go to the local discount store and purchase several bunches of fake roses. Buy both white and red ones. Make sure to purchase two wicker baskets as well. Then take the flowers home and separate the flowers from each other.
On the day of the party, form the guests into two equal, vertical lines and hand each one a red rose. Place a wicket basket several feet ahead of each line. Fill the wicker baskets with white roses. A member of each team must race toward the basket in order to exchange her red rose for a white one. The team who switches its flowers first wins the game.
Kids love to make crafts at parties, so consider having a craft station at the Alice in Wonderland party. Gather a variety of craft materials so party guests can design their own Mad Hatter hat. They can use construction paper, felt, craft foam, buttons, feathers, and any other items to fashion their own one-of-a-kind creation. If desired, the adults can give a prize to the person who creates the zaniest hat.
Another potential game can be The Queen of Hearts Says, a game identical to Simon Says. One child is chosen to be the Queen or King. The Queen tells the subjects what to do, and they must perform the action. Of course, each command must begin with "The Queen of Hearts says." Anyone who follows the directions without waiting for the important phrase is out of the game.
After the entertainment, guests can sit down to a tea party. Instead of tea, serve children cups of lemonade. They can eat tiny sandwiches, cookies, and other simple fare. The cake can be a shaped like a heart in honor of the Queen of Hearts character. To end the party, let the kids watch one of the many versions of Alice in Wonderland on DVD.
Readers Also Love
Discussion Comments
I'm going to use these great ideas to shape my young niece's birthday party next month. She's wanted an Alice in Wonderland tea party since she read the book, so I know it's going to be a memorable day.
I'm planning on making some giant keyholes and rigging up a massively oversized chair to add to the decor.
@anon82050 - Sure, an Alice costume would be a lot of fun. I don't think you have to rule out an Alice in Wonderland party theme altogether though. Most adults love to dress up, so if the games and activities were adapted it would work.
The biggest issue I've ever come across with costume parties is finding the outfits. If you decide to go ahead you may want to check out local or online resources that stock them, and include that information in the invites.
What I would give to go to a party like that, but i think I'm too old. Perhaps an Alice Halloween costume would be a good investment instead?

subset: commoncrawl


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Webinar Series: Effectively Managing Psychological Health Issues as a Career Coach – February 20, March 20, April 17, 2018 with Dr Joti Samra and the Ontario Association of Career Management
Presenter: Dr. Joti Samra
Date and Time:
- Tuesday, February 20, 2018, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm ET
- Tuesday, March 20, 2018, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm ET
- Tuesday, April 17, 2018, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm ET
- Full Series OACM Member: $119 ($CAD)
- Full Series Non-Member: $159 ($CAD)
In addition to access to the live webinars, all registered participants will receive a password-protected video recording of each session, available for one month from its live broadcast date in case you miss one.
Today, individuals are increasingly being exposed to a number of psychosocial hazards in the workplace. In turn, career professionals are faced with more and more clients with mental health issues of some kind. Being that career practitioners, most often, are not mental health professionals, a lack of adequate training and knowledge can make it uneasy to broach these topics with clients. It is important that the career professional of today have the necessary skills and tools to help clients navigate the career and job search process amid these psychosocial stresses, while also helping clients to succeed in their chosen career paths.
In this three-part series, Dr Joti Samra will provide you with a range of evidence-based, effective strategies to assist you to better manage working with clients who have a range of presenting psychological health issues. Gain tools to better understand mental health challenges and their impact on work function; learn about the adaptive function even negative emotions can serve; learn strategies for effective conversations if you suspect a client has a psychological health issue and/or discloses to you; understand your role as a career coach; and learn how to incorporate values-based approaches into your coaching.
Webinar #1: Psychological Health 101
Tuesday, February 20, 2018 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm ET
As a career professional what should you know? In this first webinar, Dr Samra lays the context and background knowledge for career professionals. You can expect coverage of the following:
- An introduction to psychological health issues encountered by career professionals; what they are and how they manifest
- A review of the most common mental health issues seen in a vocational setting (depression, anxiety, hazardous drinking)
- Learn how adaptive functioning of negative emotions can provide you with important information that can help you guide your clients through important decisions
Objective: At the end of this webinar, the goal is that you understand what your role is as a coach, what are appropriate lines of questioning/discussion, and what are effective ways to address psychological health issues when they impact the working relationship between career coach/client
Webinar #2: Self-Assessment with Useful Tools
Tuesday, March 20, 2018 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm ET
Self-assessment is the key first step in navigating the path with your clients. The tools and resources used are valuable in helping your clients reflect and articulate interests. In this next dynamic webinar in the series, Dr Samra will cover the following;
- Understand the 4 domains of emotional intelligence: self-awareness; self-regulation; social awareness; relationship management. Understanding where your strengths lie and how to determine areas for improvement
- Learn about existing evidence-based resources and tools you can utilize with your clients (i.e., leadership with emotional intelligence assessments). Attention will be paid to effective, evidence-based online resources that can help individuals with a range of presenting psychological health issues
- Discuss strategies for approaching common issues and barriers that arise in the job search and interview process (e.g., lack of focus, lack of supports, assertiveness skills deficiencies)
Objective: At the end of this webinar you will be able understand how to enhance your emotional intelligence when interacting with clients in addition to what tools, strategies and resources are available to you to successfully approach common issues and barriers that may arise with your clients.
Webinar #3: Incorporating a Values-Based Approach to Coaching
Tuesday, April 17, 2018 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm ET
Building on theoretical learning done in webinar one and two, Dr Samra will now shift the focus by expanding on how this new knowledge, these tools and resources can be applied in a vocational setting.
- Review and discuss resources mentioned in the earlier webinars. This time focusing on the practical applications when working with your clients (i.e., with respect to goal setting, values-based living, assertiveness, psychological health issues)
- Attendees will be asked to submit in advance of the final webinar difficult/challenging client scenarios. These will be reviewed by Dr Samra and be discussed from a solutions-focused perspective
- Finally, we will look ahead to the next frontier with workplace mental health-related attitudes, research and practices, as well as the gaps that continue to exist
Objective: As the series wraps up our goal is for participants to leave with new knowledge, tools and resources that can be added to their proverbial toolkit. In addition, to take away the practical know- how on how to successfully apply this learning in their work with clients.
Dr Joti Samra is a national thought leader on issues relating to mental health. She is Program Lead for the online Centre for Psychological Health Sciences at the University of Fredericton, and a member of the Global Expert Panel for WellteQ. She is an innovator in the area of psychological health and safety in the workplace, and has been the lead on a number of pivotal national workplace projects that have contributed to policy change in Canada. She also has a thriving clinical and consulting practice in Vancouver, BC.
Dr Samra is a founding member of the committee that developed Canada's National Standard for Psychological Health & Safety in the Workplace – the first of its kind in the world. She also led an extensive research investigation on the evolution of Canadian workplace mental health strategies and initiatives from 2007-2017. Dr Samra has created a breadth of evidence-based resources for individuals and organizations in the areas of mood disorders, suicidality, chronic health conditions, emotional intelligence, and workplace psychological health and safety. A dynamic and engaging speaker, she is regularly called upon by media to comment on issues relating to human behaviour.
Cancellation Policy
Requests for cancellation(s) must be made by emailing your request to email@example.com. Cancellation requests must be received before 5:00 pm ET 2 business days prior to the webinar date. NO REFUNDS are granted after this point. An administrative fee of 10% will be deducted from any paid webinar registration.
Refunds will be issued within two weeks after receipt of the written notice.
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Heavy bike Riders!!! Here is chance for you to step up to test your driving skills and prove that you are the most fast, intense and competitive motorbike rider. Be the most intense and quickest bike rider by driving the fastest motorbike in 3D fast racing action. Drive your heavy bike as fast as you can maximum speed by acquiring maximum coins. Avoid crashing your heavy bike with other traffic vehicles. Endless speed motorbike racing with two different beautiful scenes of highway traffic, city traffic and sea road traffic. Crazy fun driving with speed booster and magnets which make easy for collecting many coins. Highway Speed Motorbike Racing is the best choice for the bike riders to set up a challenging high records.
* Best 3D adventurous speed motorbike racing game.
* Realistic surrounding environments with cool graphics.
* Highway and city traffic scenes.
* Different supper heavy bikes with different models.
* Collect more coins to unlock other heavy bikes.
* Endless crazy heavy motor bike race.
* Extremely addictive game play.
* Tilt your phone to control heavy bike direction.
* Easy controls for accelerate and brake of heavy motorbike.


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The Idaho Common Core Standards focus on developing students' critical thinking, problem solving, and writing skills – real-world skills that students need to be successful in college and in life.
The new standards are more rigorous than Idaho's previous standards and are on a par with what is taught in leading countries around the world. These new standards ensure that students here and across the country are taught to a higher standard than before.
View More Information about the Idaho Common Core Standards from this Infographic:


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Shrigley's work has always juxtaposed his unique draughtsmanship style with the bizarre and provocative pieces such as Ostrich (a headless, taxidermied bird) and The Dead and the Dying, a collection of glazed ceramic sculptures possibly showing the aftermath of the rapture.
The Dead and The Dying (2010)
It's pieces like this that have earned Shrigley his reputation for morbidity, but at no point in the exhibition is the visitor allowed to forget the tongue-in-cheek humour that pervades most of Shrigley's work. Whether it's a giant worm encased in a false wall, a supremely mundane shopping list etched on a gravestone, or two stick figures caught in a compromising position on a car bonnet. When questioned about his use of humour Shrigley is pensive, but unequivocal – "My work is humourous," he concedes, "but I'm not a comedian."
New Friends (2010)
Although Shrigley is aware that his work is seen by many as principally amusing, he doesn't go out of his way to provoke laughter. Indeed his style seems to be motivated by little more than a desire to please himself. He's diplomatic on the subject of his studies, acknowledging that he wasn't the best student ("I left art school with a 2:2, which is what you get for turning up"), but quick to affirm that his tutors have been a great source of help over the years. It may come as a surprise to many to learn that Shrigley studied Fine Art, as his drawing and painting styles seem so unschooled, but as is the case with most of his work, there's more than meets the eye to these pieces, just as you sense that there's more than meets the eye to Shrigley.
Antidepressants (2002)
He says himself that he's "not making art to prove anybody wrong, I'm making it because I love doing it" and you can see this in his sheer prolificacy. Shrigley reckons that over his career he's produced over 7,000 drawings – and that's not counting the ones that he's thrown away. "Because I make so much and keep so little I'm not precious about anything," he says, "I keep the good [drawings] and throw the bad ones away." As it is, there are 117 drawings on display as part of Brain Activity that have never been shown in the UK before.
David Shrlgley at the Hayward Gallery.
The exhibition, in Shrigley's own words, revolves around his own exploration of "economies of narrative", works that say a great deal while appearing relatively simple. There's Very Large Cup of Tea, a seemingly straightforward work which is exactly what it sounds like, except then when one pauses to consider it becomes immediately apparent that to achieve the exact colour of the tea in the cup Shrigley has put in hours of painstaking work. Asked about the enormous mix of media in the exhibition Shrigley says "My attitude towards making artwork is to fill a space, and certain things [sculpture, animation] seem appropriate for certain spaces." He continues, "I'm showing at the Hayward, which is a massive privilege, but I'd be producing work if I was still working as a gallery attendant."
Bell (2007)
We're lucky that Shrigley is the internationally recognised artist that he is, for this is a brilliant exhibition – fun, thought-provoking, dark and silly. Brain Activity is the first major UK exhibition of Shrigley's work; it won't be his last.
David Shrigley: Brain Activity is at the Hayward Gallery until 12th May. For tickets click here. To see more of Shrigley's artwork visit his website.
To celebrate David Shrigley's new exhibition at the Hayward gallery, we're giving away three flat copies of the Everything is Good poster that he did for our packs back in 2007. See more info here.
Don't Panic attempt to credit photographers and content owners wherever possible, however due to the sheer size and nature of the internet this is sometimes impractical or impossible. If you see any images on our site which you believe belong to yourself or another and we have incorrectly used it please let us know at email@example.com and we will respond asap.


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Weeks ago Cramer missed a call on Google, telling investors to steer clear of the stock. He based his decision on data from ComScore, the web's version of the Nielsen ratings, which showed the search-giant's performance to be flat.
Well, turns out there was a problem with that data. ComScore only showed Google's U.S. numbers, leaving out a booming international advertising business. As ComScore Chairman Gian Fulgoni pointed out to Cramer Friday, his company hasn't finished development of its overseas measurement tool.
Fulgoni attributed Cramer's mistake, one that was also made by analysts, to the fact that Google doesn't offer guidance. Wall Street is desperate to find any metric it can to get an idea of how Google's business is doing. In the scramble, some details, such as that ComScore's data is domestic only right now, are overlooked.
The good news is that Google's main moneymaker, advertising, is "on fire," Fulgoni said. Last year's fourth quarter for the entire online ad industry was up 30% over the same period in 2006, and annual revenues have climbed north of $20 billion.
Google wins out because advertisers cut costs by shifting to the internet, Fulgoni said, where they also "can get more bang for the buck, in terms of a sales impact."
And while most of the market suffers during a tight economy, that actually has the potential to push more advertisers to the web, Fulgoni said, which is even better for Google.
Questions for Cramer?
Questions, comments, suggestions for the Mad Money website? email@example.com


text: A relaxing escape can be as close as your back yard. Every gazebo is made by hand, one at a time, by experienced builders who don't take short cuts. When artisans do their jobs that way, it shows in the final product. Style include vinyl, deluxe, and value in sizes from 8 X 8 to 10 X 16. Shapes include octagon, oblong, and rectangular. Choose your roof style in classic, or double, available in shingle, metal, or cedar shake. Options include swings, benches, tables, gliders, screens, and more.


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All facials include organic products infused with Oxygen. Oxygen is vital for healthy and youthful looking skin. Our special process places the oxygen against the skin, temporarily forbidding it from evaporating. Oxygenating the surface of the skin is an activating treatment with a phenomenal visual result. We use only Dermal Vitality Natural Skin Care Products on all facial services.
Extractions may be added to any facial for $24 (20 additional minutes)
30 minutes | This petite spa splurge will give you the services you crave in a snap. Designed especially for those on-the-go or those just wanting to try our services. (No extractions)
55 Minutes | A customized deep cleansing treatment that targets your specific concern. Includes highly personalized products designed specifically for you. Also includes a relaxing neck and face massage.
55 minutes | This age defying, Vitamin C facial reduces the signs of aging by refining skin texture, smoothing fine lines & wrinkles while it strengthens collagen fibers.
55 minutes | This treatment dramatically increases elasticity and firmness while smoothing fine lines and wrinkles. A luxurious blend of botanicals nurture the skin while a superior blend of proteins, antioxidants and collagen is infused into the skin using highly advanced technology to wipe away future deterioration.
55 minutes | This clarifying, enzymatic facial utilizes deep cleansing and natural products to dramatically reduce acne blemishes, breakouts, and inflammation. It improves skin clarity, soothes redness, and reduces irritation. We manually remove pore-clogging blockages of excess oil and cellular debris. By extracting these impactions, the pores are cleared and new blemishes are less likely to form.
This potent treatment incorporates a deep cleansing, Honey Bunz™ exfoliation, customized serums and ultrasound technology to infuse hydration into the skin with a blend of vitamins, minerals, Vitamin C and antioxidants. Followed by a relaxing lymphatic facial massage as well as a generous application of potent re-hydrating Honey Bunz™ antioxidants.
This ultra relaxing treatment begins with a deep cleansing of the back to remove excess oil and skin debris. A nourishing blend of botanicals and essential oils is used to exfoliate the back and polish away dullness. We finish with warm therapy to deeply infuse serums and fully hydrate the skin.
60 minutes | This deep-cleansing pore treatment is designed specifically for masculine skin to smooth and balance the pH. Includes a relaxing massage of the face, neck, shoulders, and scalp.
60 minutes | Different athletes have different skin care concerns, whether you're a swimmer, outdoor athlete, cyclist, or body builder. Whatever your concern, we customize a facial geared to help you maintain proper skincare for your active lifestyle.
For ages 10 and under.
We are Western New York's only organic day spa with an organic microderm machine. Gently exfoliate your skin without harsh crystals or diamonds. This non-invasive proprietary process will immediately leave your complexion soft and smooth. No down time!
Our microdermabrasion dramatically reduces fine lines and wrinkles, acne, rosacea, hyperpigmentation and pore size. You leave feeling refreshed and super hydrated. You have never had a microderm quite like this before!
Single session | $100
Package of 6 sessions | $600
Add-on: Décolleté | 6 sessions | $72
Add-on: hands + forearms | 6 sessions | $75
Spot Treatment: Décolleté Only | 1 session | $60
Spot Treatment: hands + forearms Only | 1 session | $60
PDT is a visible red, blue, and green non-UV light therapy that has been found to be highly effective as a "natural" treatment to restore cellular activity and promote skin regeneration. Think scar healing too! This NASA technology emits the exact wavelength needed, and there is no risk of skin damage. Great for fine lines, wrinkles, aging skin, acne and brown spots from over exposure to the sun. Improvement often can be seen after the first treatment.
Benefits of Red light - green light - blue light therapy:
Red light increases collagen and promotes skin tightening.
Green light improves skin tone while reducing sun damage.
Blue light destroys bacteria.
Masks may be added to any facial.
A unique blend of hydrating serums and a paraffin mask effectively penetrates the dermis for a more intense application.
Enhance your service with this decadent décolletage to soften, smooth and reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
Marine Collagen, Mountain Lily and Vitamin E combine with the whitening power of Arbutin and Licorice Root to help hydrate, lighten, replace collagen, and reduce fine lines and wrinkles in the skin around the neck.
A concentration of chamomile and lavender to soothe tired and inflamed eyes.
This soothing eye mask is blended with vitamins, extracts, and binding ingredients to restore the skin's natural moisture and give firmness to the delicate muscles around the eye area. Helps suppress fine lines, dark circles, and puffiness while promoting radiant skin.
This soothing collagen mask features Coenzyme Q10, papaya enzyme, and lactic acid to nourish, tone, and revitalize the skin. Kojic acid, bearberry extract, and arbutin reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation. Royal jelly with hyaluronic acid restores moisture.
Honey Bunz™ Favorite!
Provides a rich source of vitamins plus Marine DNA, a key element to vital skin cell regeneration. Formulated with Collagen, Quince Extract for hydrating, and CoQ10 to boost skin repair and reduce free radical damage. Alatonin promotes cell proliferation and smoothness.
100% natural, 100% vegan, and gluten-free. Seaweed and algae detox facial pores and purge out toxins, while soothing inflamed skin with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Best used in conjunction with our Organic Acne Facial.
Infused with Collagen, this specialized mask helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles of the nasolabial ("laugh lines") area.
Moor mud is a naturally organic substance of organic herbs, flowers, and gasses. Moor mud has the ability to heal, nourish, and detoxify the skin. Helps with hormonal imbalance and clears the skin of stubborn impurities.
Collagen Fiber Mask is made of freeze-dried, pure collagen fiber. The outstanding hydration properties of this mask are especially beneficial for dry, sensitive, irritation-prone, and aging skin.
For fresher, healthier-looking skin.
Salicylic acid is a natural acid found in plants and from the bark of a Willow Tree. Salicylic Acid is an incredibly effective for acneic skin. It gently removes the outermost layer of skin, producing a smoother texture and evening out pigmentation and scarring.
Lactic acid is a natural by-product of exertion of our muscles. Lactic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). AHAs are safe to apply to our skin. In skin care, Lactic Acid encourages the skin to slough off its old, dead skin cells, revealing the glow of healthy skin cells hidden underneath. It helps reduce the appearance of acne scars, age-related spots and pigmentation. It also helps firm up sagging skin, fine lines, and wrinkles by promoting collagen growth in the deeper layers of your skin. By gently removing the outermost layer of skin, it produces a smoother texture and evens out pigmentation and scarring.
A specialized natural treatment that reduces the appearance of fine lines, giving skin a healthier glow and smoother appearance. Six alpha-hydroxy acids are formulated to dissolve the top layer of skin cells without irritation for vital, healthy-looking skin.
Ear Candling
Also known as Ear Coning.
An ancient art that clears the ear canals from wax buildup, dirt, debris, dust, and small insects. A completely safe heat process helps detoxify the sinus cavity, lymph congestion, sore throat, ear ache, swimmer's ear, chronic headaches, and allergies. Includes sinus massage.


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Last night, we upgraded Liam's room to 2.0:Big Boy. He has a twin mate's bed(apparently captains beds have additional storage at foot), a proper dresser and we've moved out the crib and change table. The transformation isn't complete(ok, we'll call it 2.0 beta) as there's some decoration still needed, but functionally, it's upgraded.
And he slept in the bed last night with no wake ups. I think this is because some time ago we removed one side of his crib and replaced it with the bed guard, and kept that bed guard on the new bed, so he's used to it. While he went to bed a little later than usual last night, there wasn't much of a fight with the new bed(he's been a little difficult to put down lately).
I have to admit that it's now a little odd to go in there. For over two years it was the baby room, where we rocked him to sleep, changed diapers, fed him, and now it's a little space for him to play and sleep in. We might move the train table up there, but we're still on the fence as it's an easy thing for him to play with on the main level, and it doesn't take up too much space.
The next thing to do is arrange the basement as a play/work out area for all of us. We want to partially finish the basement and make a little zone for his kitchen and other toys so that he can hang out with Mom and Dad as they exercise. Or just hang out and have fun.
So while I miss the babies room, I'm looking forward to hanging out in the little boys room.


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Uber Luxe Safaris is a boutique luxury Safari company based in Rwanda, which specializes in providing the ultimate authentic safari experience in East...
© Reed Exhibitions Ltd.
REED EXHIBITIONS LIMITED is a private limited company, having its registered and principal office at Gateway House, 28 The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1ON, registered in England and Wales with Company No. 678540.
Business activity: Activities of exhibition and fair organisers
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Just finished reading the recently released Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report examining the financial costs of biofuels and their efficacy as a carbon mitigation tool. The report, entitled "Using Biofuel Tax Credits to Achieve Energy and Environmental Policy Goals," presents a number of striking conclusions that have resulted in a frenzied dance of political posturing and maneuvering from the corn ethanol industry.
Before jumping into the conclusions of the report, some context is needed. The corn ethanol industry is supported with myriad subsidies that have resulted in domestic production increasing from one billion gallons in 2001 to more than 12 billion gallons of ethanol produced this year (see True Cost of Corn Ethanol). The most commonly known subsidy is the $0.45/gal Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (aka the "Blenders' Credit") that is provided for each gallon of ethanol that is combined with gasoline and sold. The U.S. also has "Renewable Fuels Standards" that require escalating amounts of corn ethanol (and other biofuels like cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel, and "advanced biofuels") to be blended into the nation's fuel supply through 2022. The third most important subsidy is indirect; the U.S. slaps a $0.54/gal import tariff on Brazilian sugarcane ethanol to essentially insulate U.S. ethanol producers from international competition.
The blenders' credit and import tariff expire at the end of 2010, and Big Ethanol lobbyist groups like the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and Growth Energy have been furiously trying to convince Congress to pass extensions to these subsidies. In an almost unprecedented development, Congress has balked at writing the corn ethanol industry a blank check and has asked the CBO for a comprehensive analysis of the corn ethanol industry's economic and environmental impact.
According to the CBO report, the U.S. taxpayer will spend $7.6B subsidizing the corn ethanol industry in 2010 with a cumulative taxpayer cost of more than $41B since 1980. In 2010, the U.S. will use more than 30% of its corn crop to produce 12 billion gallons of ethanol. Given that a gallon of ethanol has two-thirds the energy of a gallon of gasoline, 12 billion gallons of ethanol equates to 8 billion gallons of gasoline -- or 5.7% of the domestic U.S. gasoline market (assuming 140 billion gallons of consumption in 2010).
Although the report has a long list of conclusions, these are the ones that I found most interesting:
- "Although the [blenders'] credit is provided to blenders, most of it ultimately flows to producers of ethanol and to the farmers who grow the corn -- in the form of higher prices received for their products."
- "In fiscal year 2009, the biofuel tax credits reduced federal excise tax collections by about $6 billion below what they would have been if the credits had not been in effect."
- "Because the production of ethanol draws so much energy from coal and natural gas, it can be thought of as a method for converting natural gas or coal to a liquid fuel that can be used for transportation."
- The costs to taxpayers of reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the biofuel tax credits vary by fuel: about $750 per metric ton of CO2e (that is, per metric ton of greenhouse gases measured in terms of an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide) for ethanol. This $750/MTC02e does not reflect any emissions of carbon dioxide that occur when the production of biofuels causes forests or grasslands to be converted to farmland for growing the fuels' feedstocks (i.e., indirect land-use changes).
At $750/MTC02e, corn ethanol has to be the most expensive carbon mitigation strategy ever considered. To put it into context, the Canadian company Carbon Offsetters charges between $20 to $40 to offset a metric ton of carbon dioxide.
Although these conclusions are not surprising to anyone following this debate, they fly in the face of what the propaganda arms of Growth Energy, the Renewable Fuels Association, and the other members of the Agricultural Industrial Complex Mafia espouse. For example, in response to an article I wrote in June (see Will the BP Tragedy Spur Faster Adoption of Biofuels?) proposing that corn ethanol should lose all its subsidies and federal policy should be shifted towards drop-in fuels that could actually displace significant volumes of petroleum without utilizing scarce cropland and freshwater, a spokeswoman for Growth Energy wrote, "the ethanol tax credit (which goes to the refiner, not the producer) pays for itself in federal tax revenue. Corn ethanol contributes over $92 billion to our Gross Domestic Product every year... It is 59% cleaner than gas refined from oil." Hmmm, I wonder whose numbers are more reliable: Congressional Budget Office or Growth Energy?
The Senate Energy Committee chairman Jeff Bingaman, traditionally an ally to the corn ethanol industry, was quoted by the Associated Press as saying, "This report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office provides further evidence that our nation's biofuels tax incentives might not be appropriately calibrated... According to the Congressional Research Service, the VEETC will cost the American taxpayer $7.6 billion this year alone. That high price tag makes the VEETC by far our Tax Code's largest subsidy for renewable energy."
This is where things get interesting.
The corn ethanol industry had been asking for a five-year extension of the blenders' credit, at an estimated cost of $30B. Yet, in light of the fallout from the CBO report, Growth Energy has taken a 180-degree reversal and called for a gradual phase-out of the blender's credit. Instead, Growth Energy proposes that the tax credit be transformed into a subsidy that installs 200,000 E85 pumps, loan guarantees for the construction of dedicated ethanol pipelines, and the requirement that all automobiles sold in the United States be flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs).
For proponents of corn ethanol, the investment in such infrastructure is a necessity. The U.S. is quickly moving up against its "blend wall." Ethanol is only approved in blends up to 10% in unmodified gasoline engines. According to the Renewable Fuels Association, corn ethanol production capacity is currently 13 billion gallons with another 1.4 billion gallons under construction; if/when all the production capacity comes online, it will exceed 10% of the 140 billion gallon gasoline market.
The EPA is conducting a series of tests to determine whether higher blends are safe in unmodified engines and is expected to make its decision whether to increase the blend wall shortly.
Growth Energy's "Fueling Freedom" claims that it is creating a "level playing field," "an open market for automotive fuel," and a "genuinely free market."
It takes a great deal of chutzpah for an organization whose constituents have been the recipients of $41B in corporate welfare -- often at the expense of other alternative fuels -- to claim that its policies are creating a "genuine free market." My guess is what they mean by "free market" is that among biofuel options, people will have a choice between ethanol and ... ethanol.
As discussed in previous blogs and chronicled in our recently published Third and Fourth Generation Biofuels: Technologies, Markets, and Economics Through 2015, there are myriad advanced feedstocks and technologies that produce "drop-in" fuel with similar molecular characteristics as petroleum.
With drop-in fuels, you do not need to invest in biofuel-specific pipelines or modify engines. There are several hundred companies pursuing algae, pyrolysis, gasification, upgrading, metabolic manipulation, solar-to-fuel, and a plethora of other bio-chemical and thermo-chemical methods. Many of these processes do not require food-based feedstocks, cropland, or freshwater. Most, if not all, of these technologies are currently more expensive than petroleum, though with added investment and scale, costs are expected to decline substantially.
Which brings us to a crossroads. As the recent Gulf oil debacle reminds us, society must wean itself off oil -- and quickly. And while corn ethanol has paved the way for advanced biofuels industry, it is time that we become more realistic about the limitations of ethanol and pursue a national biofuels policy based on principle, not principal.


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Shaving your face gives a well-groomed appearance. After shaving your face, razor bumps or a rash may occur. You can remove the razor bumps by applying rubbing alcohol on your face. The rubbing alcohol also acts as an antiseptic for your skin. It cleans any small cuts and prevents ingrown hairs from forming. Rubbing alcohol can be used as an alternative to aftershave, especially for people with sensitive skin.
Rinse your face with cool water.
Pat your skin dry with a clean towel.
Blot a damp washcloth over razor bumps and the areas where you shaved. Stinging may occur if you have small cuts on your face.
Pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball. Dab on the affected areas on your face.
Pat the skin dry again to remove any excess rubbing alcohol.
Shave with a sharp razor to prevent small cuts on your skin.
Women can also use this method of applying rubbing alcohol to prevent razor bumps and ingrown hairs.
Avoid getting the rubbing alcohol close to your eyes to prevent irritation.


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- Rated 2.0 stars
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- modafinilunion.com
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Hulu Offers Every 'Good Wife' Episode Before Season 5 Premiere
All four seasons of CBS drama The Good Wife, which snagged five Emmy nominations this year, will soon be available to binge-watch on Hulu Plus. Ninety episodes will be added to Hulu's subscription service on Sept. 1 ahead of the show's Sept. 29 season 5 premiere.
The Good Wife stars ER's Julianna Margulies as a politician's wife and mother whose husband, Sex and the City's Chris Noth, is jailed amid an all-to-familiar sex scandal. The show is nominated for an Outstanding Casting For a Drama Series Emmy, alongside Game of Thrones, Homeland, House of Cards and Downton Abbey.
The legal and political drama will arrive on Hulu Plus as part of a licensing agreement with CBS announced in November. The deal brought thousands of episodes, which typically stream only on CBS.com, to Hulu and Hulu Plus in January.
How To Tell Your Favorite TV Show Is Taking Over Your Life
Homepage images: CBS/Hulu


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An SQ flight was travelling from ADL to KUL when the pilots received an alert that the smoke alarms in the cargo hold had been activated. The plane made an emergency landing in DPS, but when the aircraft was inspected, no fire or smoke was discovered.
However, there were 2,186 goats travelling on that flight…2,186 very flatulent goats.
According to Aviation Herald, the gas produced by those aromatic farm animals was enough to trigger the smoke alarms on the Boeing 747 freighter plane.
It may have been smelly, but it wasn't actually perceived as dangerous, so the flight was able to take off after almost three hours on the ground, later landing in KL without any other gas-or-goat related incident.
Although an SQ spokesperson confirmed to TODAYOnline that Flight 7108 was carrying a shipment of goats, it declined to validate the claim that the goats' gaseous emissions caused the alert.
"That is an assumption being made by media, which we are unable to confirm," the spokesperson said.
Goats, like cows, deer, giraffes and sheep are in a class of mammals called ruminants. Most of them have four compartments in their stomachs, and digesting food is a multi-step process that involves regurgitating whatever they've eaten before swallowing it again.
Their stomachs can contain hundreds of microbes that aid in the digestion process, but also produce methane gas. The methane gas is then expelled, which can have a significant effect on the environment.
According to The Telegraph, ruminants are responsible for 2% of the methane produced in the United States, 25% of the methane produced in Great Britain and a jaw-dropping 90% of methane emissions in New Zealand.


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Home > Trout Fly Fishing > Trout Flies > Nymphs > All Nymph Patterns
(Details shown apply to the default selection)
In Stock
Our Part Number: BS-2016-10Bar Code: 886741000383Brand: The Essential Fly
Patrick's Olive Duck Fly is a new interpretation of the Irish duck fly patterns that are seen to regularly take big bags of trout from the Irish Loughs. Tied with the classic slim body profile and updated with the new "Semperfli Straggle String" as a thorax. Completed with hot spot thorax cheeks and a sparse hackle. These new duck flies perfect for fishing on any stillwater.
Well made flies, the PODF is a favourite of the local fish
Patricks Black Duck Fly£1.00
Available in Fly Size(s)12, 14 & 16.
Patricks Lime Duck Fly£1.00
Patricks Orange Duck Fly£1.00
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Welcome to our 'Jailbreaking Tutorials Section'. In this Section you will find detailed Guides for each Jailbreaking Tool such as Absinthe, Redsn0w, Sn0wbreeze, Ac1dSn0w b2, PwnageTool, GreenPois0n, and more!
Note #1: The list will be updated as new jailbreaking tools are released. The latest version available is always the first on the list.
Note #2: If you see a broken link please let us know by posting a message here.
You can follow iPhoneFirmware.com on Twitter or join our Facebook fan page to keep updated on the latest jailbreak and unlock news.


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Republican legislation to cut off federal funding for Planned Parenthood failed to gather enough support in the U.S. Senate on Monday, halting at least for now moves to punish the women's health group for its role in gathering fetal tissue from abortions for medical research.
Senate Democrats succeeded in stopping the bill on a procedural vote. Sixty votes were needed to advance it in the 100-person chamber. It received 53 votes, with 46 senators opposing it.
Planned Parenthood, which provides healthcare services to millions of women at hundreds of centers nationwide, has come under attack with the online posting of hidden-camera videos produced by an anti-abortion group, Center for Medical Progress.
The group has said the videos show Planned Parenthood officials negotiating prices for fetal tissue from abortions it performs. Planned Parenthood has denied any wrongdoing and has said it does not profit from fetal tissue donation.
Under U.S. law, donated human fetal tissue may be used for research, but profiting from its sale is prohibited.
Republicans are likely to try again in September to stop Planned Parenthood from getting federal funds, which currently amount to more than $500 million a year.
After a congressional recess in August, conservative Republicans could try to attach their defunding measure to a bill to fund the government, raising the prospect of a possible government shutdown over the issue.
The Republicans' efforts have intensified America's long-running debate about abortion just as the 2016 presidential campaign is getting under way. This has angered many Democrats.
The legislation was "just one more piece of a deliberate, methodical, orchestrated right-wing attack on women's rights. And I'm sick and tired of it," Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren said. "Women everywhere are sick and tired of it. The American people are sick and tired of it."
"I want to say to my Republican colleagues, the year is 2015, not 1955 and not 1895," Warren added.
Two Democrats, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Joe Donnelly of Indiana, broke ranks and supported the defunding effort. "I do not believe that taxpayer money should be used to fund this organization; instead those funds should be sent to other healthcare providers," Manchin in a statement.
The legislation's main sponsor was freshman Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa.
"The question before us today is clear: Who do we want to be as a nation? It is hard for anyone to defend these morally reprehensible videos, as Planned Parenthood callously harvested the organs of unborn babies, to be sold at a price," Ernst said.
Just one Senate Republican, Mark Kirk of Illinois, who faces a tough re-election race next year, voted against advancing the bill.
Planned Parenthood gets up to $500 million per year in Medicaid contributions, and up to $60 million in federal funds for family planning services. U.S. law tightly restricts applying federal funds to abortions.
Millions of women, many young and single, rely on Planned Parenthood for healthcare beyond abortions and family planning, including breast and cervical cancer screenings.
Young, single women are a key demographic for Hillary Clinton, the front-runner to represent the Democratic Party in the November 2016 presidential election.
Clinton has called the online videos "disturbing," while also saying it was "regrettable" that Republicans, allied with anti-abortionists, were trying to cut off funding.
In the videos, anti-abortion activists posed as researchers trying to obtain fetal tissue and, using hidden cameras, interviewed Planned Parenthood officials about potential costs.
In Louisiana, Governor Bobby Jindal, one of many seeking the Republican presidential nomination, said on Monday his state was terminating its Medicaid contract with Planned Parenthood.
Three Republican senators seeking the nomination, Texas' Ted Cruz, Kentucky's Rand Paul and Florida's Marco Rubio, voted on Monday in favor of advancing the bill to defund Planned Parenthood, but a fourth, South Carolina's Lindsey Graham, was absent.


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Home » Teachers » Student Texts » Commercially-Available Products Powered by TExT » Zip Zoom Critical-Word Readers
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For more information on Zip Zoom Critical-Word Readers please visit Scholastic's website.


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All bookings are considered binding on receipt of booking form.
This is a prepaid event
If you cannot attend you must cancel your registration in writing no later than
one month before the first day of the event to receive a refund minus a 10%
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Cricket: Wagner relishing Cook reunion
PUBLISHED: 07:00 21 March 2018
©TGS Photo tgsphoto.co.uk +44 1376 553468
Alastair Cook's friendly reunion with Essex team-mate Neil Wagner will have to be put on hold when the serious business of England's first Test with New Zealand starts in Auckland.
England's national record run-scorer has already had a few convivial chats with Wagner about county championship-winning days together at Chelmsford et al.
But feisty left-armer Wagner has a job to do against his old chum at Eden Park, so the good humour will resume for the start of the new season when both will be lending a hand again as Essex set out to defend their Specsavers Division One title.
"It will be quite an interesting battle – then afterwards we can sit down, have a laugh and talk about it," said Wagner, who has a high regard for Cook on and off the pitch.
"He's a great lad - I loved spending time with him in the Essex changing-room.
"He's a top man. There has been some funny banter between (us) even before this series got close, so I look forward to playing against him."
England's chances of arresting their miserable away form in Test cricket, and trying to banish memories of this winter's 4-0 Ashes defeat, have been bolstered by Ben Stokes' apparent return to full fitness.
Stokes was able to bowl as well as bat in the nets on Tuesday, without discomfort from his stiff back, and his return to Test cricket as England's fully-fledged go-to all-rounder is on track again.
His presence will be a significant moment individually and for a team bereft of Stokes' services for so much of the winter as he waited until the new year to hear he would be charged with affray after an alleged altercation outside a Bristol nightclub last September.
Craig Overton nonetheless remains on stand-by, as the extra seamer required if Stokes were only able to play as a specialist batsman after all.
As such, like Stokes, the Somerset bowler was preparing in the Auckland nets as if he will be involved in New Zealand's inaugural day-night Test on Thursday.
"That's always the aim," said Overton. "You don't know till the day before what the side is, so you've just got to prepare as if you're going to play and hope you get the nod when it comes."
The 23-year-old is back in contention after a cracked rib interrupted an encouraging start to his international career, in the second and third Ashes Tests.
"Obviously, it was frustrating after the injury in Perth, but you've got to bounce back from that," said Overton.
After his debut in the day-night Test at Adelaide, he predicts exaggerated movement from the pink ball may again accelerate the contest here.
"You want to be bowling in that twilight period and at night with the new ball.
"You've seen in games already where captains have declared seven and eight down, and had a go to try to get three or four wickets that night.
"It's going to happen at some point, and you've got to be prepared for that."
Wagner disagrees. "There's been a lot of talk about it, but I've not seen it do anything too much different," he said, dispelling too any suggestion Joe Root's tourists may be easy pickings after their Ashes humbling.
"Definitely not - if anything it could motivate them to come back stronger.
"England is a proud nation and (has) a quality cricket team, so I wouldn't expect anything less than this being a really tough series."
If you value what this story gives you, please consider supporting the Ilford Recorder. Click the link in the orange box above for details.


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Status: Open
Know more about this business than we do? Cool! Please submit any corrections or missing details you may have.Help us make it right
Be the first PennLive.com user to add photos or videos of Ocean Seafood
This is not a restaurant per se. It is a take out fish place where you prepare the fish at home. They will make and prepare an individual platter up for you if you ask.
Ocean Seafood can be found at W 15th St 1235. The following is offered: Retail Seafood. The entry is present with us since Sep 8, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 12, 2013. In Hazleton there are 2 other Retail Seafood. An overview can be found here.
Ocean Seafood is located at 1235 W 15th St, Hazleton, PA. This business specializes in Seafood Restaurants.


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MacAppsters wants to hear from you
Welcome to MacAppsters's support center. This is the home of all support for MacAppster's products.
For customers who having problems with IDocs app, please download updated version at https://www.dropbox.com/s/r0ezovg4kpe16wo/iDocs.zip?dl=0 this version has fixed Unsupported browser issues and going to update to App Store
You can search our knowledge base articles, browse public discussions, or create a new discussion if you're having trouble.
If you take the time to create an account, you'll be able to post private discussions (that only yourself and our support team can see) and track your existing discussions. However, if you don't want to create an account, you can still create a public discussion in our discussion area.
If you not be able to post a discussions, please contact us email@example.com .


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Several years ago, I used to follow a blog that posted a new movie screenshot quiz every Sunday morning. I thought it was so much fun that I'd barely slow down to make coffee before checking out the new pics each week. Since I'm always grabbing screenshots of my favorite scenes anyway, I thought I'd give it a try myself. And what better theme to choose than the holidays? These movies are all over the map otherwise, so keep in mind that they are not necessarily Christmas movies.
Click on the images to enlarge. Share your guesses in the comments!
It's The Holiday Screenshot Quiz!
Posted by KC on Dec 14, 2013
Labels: Screenshot Quiz
3 comments:
- Caftan Woman said...
#3: White Christmas
#5: The Thin Man
- December 15, 2013 at 8:52 AM
- loveless said...
#1: It's a Wonderful Life
#2: Auntie Mame
- December 17, 2013 at 7:27 PM
- KC said...
Thanks for participating guys!
The answers:
1. They Live By Night (1948)
2. Mame (1974)
3. White Christmas (1954)
4. The Devil-Doll (1936)
5. The Thin Man (1934)
- December 26, 2013 at 10:05 PM


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The Cable
Inside the White House-State Department rift on Egypt
The White House and the State Department have been sending out different messages over the past few days regarding the U.S. position on Egypt. The seeming disparity between the focus and tone of remarks by officials from each part of the government has the Washington community wondering if there's a rift between Pennsylvania Avenue and ...
The White House and the State Department have been sending out different messages over the past few days regarding the U.S. position on Egypt. The seeming disparity between the focus and tone of remarks by officials from each part of the government has the Washington community wondering if there's a rift between Pennsylvania Avenue and Foggy Bottom and who's really in charge.
Internal disagreements on how closely to align the United States with Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman and his self-interested reform process emerged into public view last weekend, when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told the Munich Security Conference that the U.S. is calling on the international community to support the process initiated by Suleiman. Clinton also had to distance herself from the comments of the State Department's chosen "envoy" Frank Wisner, who called for Mubarak to stay in power when he spoke at the conference in Munich.
Then, three days later, Vice President Joseph Biden spoke with Suleiman and gave him a list of further steps the U.S. wants him to take to open up the process, clearly expressing the official administration position that Suleiman's process is not acceptable in its current form.
On a conference call with reporters Wednesday, the NSC's Ben Rhodes said that the White House and the State Department have been "very closely aligned" and said that the difference between what Clinton said in Munich and what Biden told Suleiman three days later was a reflection of the changing circumstances on the ground.
"[Clinton] was just stating [in Munich] the matter of fact that Vice President Suleiman is the person conducting these negotiations for the government… Our response on Monday and Tuesday was in reaction to [Suleiman's] statements and it was to say that those statements alone were insufficient because they didn't constitute concrete action," Rhodes said. "I think it's entirely consistent to again state support for a process of negotiation… but to then hold the government accountable in terms of identifying the kinds of steps that we believe need to take place and that the Egyptian people are calling for."
Clinton's deputy chief of staff and new director for policy planning, Jake Sullivan, argued that the White House and the State Department have been aligned on the three core principles the U.S. government has been advocating for throughout the crisis: non-violence, respect for universal rights, and the need for political change.
"The theory of the case has remained consistent…and it's something on which the Secretary, the president and all of the other national security team members have been aligned on. And that's been true in the true public messaging. It's been true in the private messaging as well, " Sullivan said. "The situation is changing day by day even as we maintain the same basic core to our approach."
Experts close to the administration agreed with that to some degree, but said that mixed messaging from State and the White House was muddying communication of those core principles. The biases are based in institutional cultures, they said, and the gaps between the two camps are real.
"You had a similar dynamic in the later years of the Bush administration. There was President Bush and [NSC senior director] Elliott Abrams at the White House still trying to push the freedom agenda and Condoleezza Rice at the State Department very much trying to play it down," said Michelle Dunne of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "The messages out of the administration have been extremely confusing and I think they realize that."
Abrams told The Cable that there are probably divisions in both places. "Where the State Department came out of its internal debate is in one place, where the White House has come out is in a different place," he said. "In the end it's about winning the hearts and minds, not of the Egyptian people, but of Obama, Biden, Clinton and Gates."
Deeper down in the administration, several official are playing influential roles in how the policy is being formed on each side. On the White House side, NSC Director Dan Shapiro, NSC Senior Director Samantha Power, and Rhodes have been leading the White House's outreach with the foreign policy expert community and held their latest meeting with experts on Tuesday.
Attendees reportedly included Dunne, Abrams, WINEP's Scott Carpenter, New America's Steve Clemons, CSIS's Jon Alterman, USIP's Dan Brumberg, Johns Hopkins' Fouad Ajami, and Human Rights Watch's Tom Malinowski.
Inside the State Department, Clinton is being advised on Egypt by several officials who have deep experience with Egypt, including Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Bill Burns, who had suggested Wisner be sent to Cairo to deal with Mubarak, and Jeffrey Feltman, the assistant secretary of state for Near East Affairs, among others.
"The people whispering in her ears are people like Bill Burns, who is preoccupied with most often trying to save us from ourselves," Carpenter told The Cable. "Burns is legitimately concerned with how this all unfolds, but his interest is in preserving as much of the status quo with the current government of Egypt as possible. Meanwhile, the White House is saying that it's in our interest to build a new relationship because if we don't it's going to lead to something worse when the next government comes. So that leads them to conclude that they have to save State from themselves."
Feltman, a former ambassador to Lebanon, is increasingly seen as someone who understands the wider risks to U.S. foreign policy of being tougher on Suleiman and President Hosni Mubarak but is nevertheless looking for creative ways to square that circle.
"Some people on the inside say 'Thank God for Feltman,'" because he's trying to prepare State for a changed relationship with Egypt after Mubarak leaves and trying to look over the horizon, Carpenter said.
On the specific policy toward Egypt, the difference between the current thinking at the White House as opposed to at the State Department surrounds exactly how much leeway Suleiman should have in setting up the committees that will negotiate and then oversee the political reform process leading up the elections.
On his blog the Washington Note, Clemons wrote that a senior White House official told him they want to see the emerging transitional process look like a "potluck dinner," where everyone brings their own ideas and has real power off the bat, rather than a hosted "dinner party" where Suleiman decides the guest list, the agenda, and thereby the results.
"The State Department is advocating a hosted dinner, where the power still resides with the incumbents," Clemons told The Cable. "That's not good enough for the White House."


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Huawei P10 Plus full review
The Black Friday sales season is coming! Our product recommendations are based on average retail prices, but the prices above show the best deals currently available from trustworthy online stores.
Huawei was one of the main attractions at MWC and its new flagship P10 phones for 2017 are solid options for a new handset. Once again, the phones feature dual-Leica cameras but there're only a handful of reasons to but the P10 Plus over the regular model and there's tough competition from the likes of LG, Samsung and Honor. Here's our full in-depth review. Read next: Best smartphones of 2017.
Price and where to buy
The Huawei P10 Plus release date is set for 31 March and you'll be able to get it from all major UK phone networks. This is a big win for the Chinese company and its mission to conquer the smartphone market. Read our Huawei P10 review.
As usual contract prices vary but seem to be around £40 with a free handset at launch. We're more interested in the SIM-free price in terms of placing it in the market and comparing to rivals. Well Carphone Warehouse has it for £679 which is not the most expensive around but is a lot for most to stump up.
For comparison, the iPhone 7 Plus starts at £719, the LG G6 is £649 and the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus is £779.
Considering the Huawei P10 Plus is pretty pricey, it's worth bearing in mind that the regular P10 is pretty similar and costs £569 and the impressive OnePlus 3T is just £399. There's also a spanner in the works as the Honor 8 Pro is largely the same phone and costs under £500.
Design and build
Despite a screen size jump of 0.4in, the P10 Plus is barely any bigger than the regular P10. It's still 7mm thick, only a few millimetres wider and taller and just 20g heavier (165g). Overall, this is quite impressive for a 5.5in phone with a front-mounted fingerprint scanner. It's a very similar size and weight to the P9 Plus.
Both the P10 and P10 Plus have essentially the same design are gorgeous, desirable smartphones. It's hard to do something new when it comes to smartphone design and as such, the P10 Plus reminds us of various other handsets including the iPhone 7, HTC One A9 and the OnePlus 3T.
The phone has a similar build to the P9 but with a smoother and rounder shape. It feels nice in the hand, although slightly slippery. Almost entirely aluminium, the body is only interrupted by a small glass section at the top which houses the cameras as flash.
One of the key changes in design is having the fingerprint sensor on the front rather than the back. We'll talk more about this later.
Despite almost every rivalling moving to waterproofing, the P10 Plus cannot be freely dunked in water without fear of damage. You'll need to look elsewhere if this is a high priority for you because it's only IPX3 rated which is basic splashproof level. The regular P10 doesn't have this rating, mind.
Huawei spent a decent chunk of the P10 announcement at MWC talking about colour. There are eight different options for the P10 Plus:
• Graphite Black
• Dazzling Blue
• Greenery
• Dazzling Gold
• Rose Gold
• White Ceramic
• Mystic Silver
• Prestige Gold
A lot of people will be interested in the new blue and green options with the former our favourite, but it's unclear which retailers and networks will have them. So far, it's the black, gold and silver options that are available.
Hardware and Specs
Huawei might not have pushed the boat out when it comes to the hardware on offer here but the P10 Plus is still has a solid and attractive spec sheet.
As you would expect, the P10 Plus offers a larger screen compared to the regular model at 5.5in instead of 5.1in. That's pretty standard although suddenly seems a bit small with the announcement of the huge 6.2in Galaxy S8 – which isn't actually that big due to tiny bezels.
The P10 Plus doesn't have fancy rounded corners on the screen or curved edges at the sides. However, it does offer a higher resolution than the P10 – Quad HD rather than Full HD so the pixel density is a decent chunk greater at 540ppi.
It's worth noting, with new rivals like the LG G6 and Samsung Galaxy S8, that that P10 Plus doesn't offer things like rounded corners on the display or curved edges.
While the screen is perfectly adequate, we're not completely impressed by it. When you compare the LCD technology to phones with AMOLED you can notice how the white isn't up to scratch and viewing angles aren't as good.
It's also a shame that no oleophobic coating means the screen is magnet for marks and smudges.
There's no new processor here but the Kirin 960, as found in the Huawei Mate 9, is something of a beast. It's a 2.4- and 1.8GHz (four cores of each speed) octa-core processor backed up by a Mali-G71 GPU.
The phone is lightning fast and certainly an improvement on the already impressive P9 Plus. As you can see in the benchmark figures below, the P10 Plus got some of the best results we've ever seen – partly thanks to the huge amount of RAM (see below). Note that the screen resolution is the reason behind lower framerates.
Memory and storage
One of the things keeping the P10 Plus so speedy is the whopping 6GB RAM inside which is paired with 128GB of storage. There's also a Micro-SD card slot for adding even more – up to 256GB.
Not even phones like the G6 and S8 have 6GB of RAM so this is impressive and joins a very limited club with devices such as the OnePlus 3T and Honor 8 Pro.
There's another model of the P10 Plus with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage - the L09 - but as far as we know, it's not destined for the UK market.
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Monogram 36 Inch Smart Gas Cooktop - Stainless Steel - 193000
Monogram 36 Inch Smart Gas Cooktop - Stainless Steel
Professional installation available for additional fee. Contact store for details.
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With a professional design, sturdy construction and features built to get the job done, this 36 Inch Monogram Recessed Gas Cooktop from RC Willey is the perfect addition to the kitchen of any home cook.Bring it home today and enjoy the power and control that gas gives in the kitchen. With embedded sapphire glass that illuminates each knob, it's never been easier to view and select heat settings. These burners feature Dual-Flame Stacked burners that complete 140F simmer-to-rapid-boil flexibility on all burners; the burners are sealed to the cooktop for easy cleaning.
Brass burners accents
For the ultimate in elegant styling
Electronic kitchen timer
Built in to the cooktop for meal preparation
Tri-ring burner
Versatile burner creates 20,000 BTUs of intense heat, perfect for searing, frying and sautéing
High-output cooking
Delivered by a 20,000 BTU tri-ring burner, total of 62,000 BTUs
Remote connectivity via WiFi
Allows you to wirelessly control gas cooktop functions from your smartphone
Bluetooth connectivity
Bluetooth technology pairs your Monogram gas cooktop and hood for proper cooking ventilation
- Monogram 36" deep-recessed Gas Cooktop
- 5-burners Including 1-20k Btu Tri Ring Burner
- Dual-flame Stacked Burners/Simmer & Rapid Boil
- Continuous Cast-iron Grates
- Glass Touch Controls/Knobs w/Burner Indicator
- Wifi Enabled & Chef Connect
- Special Order Customization Available
|36"W x 21"D x 3.25"H
|Shipping Weight
|59 lbs.
|Stainless Steel


text: ...yeah yeah, I know...I've made a mush thread or two in my time. But...but..sometimes I just get so happy, and I want EVERYONE ELSE TO BE THIS HAPPY TOOO!!!!! What makes me happy is realizing all of the great things I have in my life. Sometimes you tend to get lost in the day to day, and forget about how great you really have it....then something happens to wake you up and make you remember, and suddenly it once again seems that all is right with the world. So...sit a while...think...what are the greatest things about your life??? Here's my list for now: 1) My friends. I've heard people say that you are a very lucky person if you have more than 2 or 3 true, close friends. Well, not only do I have a LOT of great friends...they are THE BEST PEOPLE to have ever graced this earth. And I want my friends to know...I will NEVER take my friendships with you for granted. 2) My job. I grew up not having a great childhood...even way back then, I knew I wanted to help other children in my situation lead better lives. And for five years now I've worked at a domestic violence shelter as a children's advocate, running a childrens group once a week. And over the past five years, it has never mattered what is going on in my life, or how sad, upset, or depressed I am at the time...during that 4 hours every Thursday night, it all disappears. I've never once been able to remain sad after seeing the beautiful faces of my group kids. How can my life ever be bad, as long as they are in it? That'll be it for now. I want to hear what makes YOUR lives good.


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Brian Koonz: ESPN burns its base with late tipoff
Recommended Video:
DALLAS — Carol Stiff remembers the old days, when the UConn women's basketball team started its games at the bottom of a TV screen.
"It was a first-round game and UConn was playing like Iowa, but we had Old Dominion going into overtime," said Stiff, vice president of women's sports programming at ESPN.
"It wasn't when we had all the games, so we told UConn, 'Go ahead and start. We'll get to you as soon as we can — as soon as the overtime is over.'"
As the first few UConn baskets hit the scroll, the ESPN phones started ringing. A lot.
Every call was the same, Stiff recalled Thursday at the American Airlines Center: "Why aren't you showing me my UConn game?"
"I was like, 'This other game is in overtime. What do you want us to do?' " Stiff shrugged. "Someone actually called ESPN and said, 'Shame on you. I live in Connecticut. I'm going to throw all my trash on the front lawn of ESPN.' "
Although UConn fans never dumped their garbage in Bristol, ESPN sure dumped them.
Husky fans would do well to burn up the ESPN phone lines again Friday when No. 1 seed UConn plays No. 2 seed Mississippi State in the national semifinals at 10 p.m.
This game didn't have to start this late on the East Coast. It didn't even have to be the second game of the doubleheader with No. 2 seed Stanford, a West Coast team, playing No. 1 seed South Carolina in the first game at 7:30 p.m.
Stiff couldn't disagree more.
"With any night, as you go later on, you get more eyeballs nationally," she countered. "First and foremost, we're serving a national audience. We're not serving Connecticut.
"Everyone wants to see this team. Everyone wants to know what's so special about this team. And, are they going to lose?"
The only losers here are the Connecticut fans who will have to dance with midnight Friday if they want to see a final score from Dallas.
On Thursday, UConn coach Geno Auriemma repeated his refrain from the Bridgeport Regional about the fierce loyalty and the basketball acumen of Husky fans.
"Our attendance in Bridgeport was higher than almost three regions combined," he said. "There's no secret why the crowd is the way it is in Bridgeport. One, they love basketball. Two, they think we're going to be in it."
So rather than reward this fan base, ESPN chose to treat UConn fans to a 10 p.m. game.
"This is one-and-done basketball. It's a Friday night. Stay up," Stiff said.
"They're a national draw, no doubt about it. That's why they're late at night."
Auriemma, even after he collected his ninth AP National Coach of the Year trophy Thursday, is still the brash kid from Philadelphia.
He doesn't duck neighborhood challenges and he doesn't duck hard work. The same thread of UConn DNA runs just as deeply through his players.
In fact, it's the thread that has stitched 11 national championship banners, with a 12th within reach this weekend.
"Look, I don't care where we play. I don't care what time we play," Auriemma said Thursday. "I don't care if we play in a parking lot with the lights on at midnight."
As far as Stiff is concerned, UConn is getting the coverage it always wanted, the kind of exposure that most other programs can only dream up on whiteboards.
"We do a preview show a half-hour leading up (to the first game), so 7:30 is when we're tipping the first game," she said. "Heck, the way the games are running, the average length of a game is 1:49 right now — one hour and 49 minutes."
So there's that, UConn fans. Maybe you'll be able to click off the lights before midnight, after all.
In every way, ESPN's programming decisions Friday are like those introductory offers and promotional packages. Get them hooked and then blow them off.
UConn fans deserve better. ESPN deserves some more phone calls.
firstname.lastname@example.com; @briankoonz


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Buford City Schools will offer a free of charge acceptable education (FAPE) to all students residing in the City of Buford in between the ages of 3 and 21, inclusive, including young children with disabilities who have been suspended or expelled from college. The Workplace of Unique Education seeks to improve the efficiency of students with disabilities and assist in narrowing the achievement gap by making sure equal access to the curriculum and differentiated instruction in the least restrictive atmosphere (LRE). Moreover, the California schools are expected to pay for computers, airfare, automobile rental, hotel stays, meals, new clothing and tailoring for the youngsters, cell telephone calls, stamps, gas and tolls, and future round-trip visits from time of enrollment until the kids graduate from high college.
For Instance: Training for Para specialist will contain 18 hours of autism conferences (Introduction to Autism Education eight hours and Introduction to Positive Behavioral Supports and Plans 8 hours) held by our states Parent Instruction and Info Center (PTIC). In all, the California schools are paying billions of dollars every single year for private placements and auxiliary charges. Degree applications in specific education on each the bachelor's and master's levels are abundant and presented by both public and private colleges and universities each offline and on-line.
The Year 7-10 syllabus has been created to be inclusive of all students, and most students with particular education requirements participate in the normal learning activities and assessment tasks with further help if necessary, such as the adjustment of assessment tasks. The LRE is generally the setting that is most related to these attended by common education students.
A big part of getting a unique education teacher is designing and managing learning plans for each and every student. Those marked with an asterisk () have certain sequence of courses that can lead to licensure by the Massachusetts Division of Education. Reduce functioning students also get a high quality education in Schools in San Jose because there is a classroom made for their requirements. Blue Valley's early childhood unique education plan offers a range of solutions characterized by a trandisciplinary, play-primarily based approach. Start with teachers, speak to Year Head, go to Principal if necessary and never overlook the Particular Education Wants Organiser (SENO).
Private schools are typically willing to provide certain accommodations like extra time on tests and the use of assistive technology A private school could also permit your kid to be tutored at the school, for the duration of the class day, by a private tutor that you spend for. It would be yet another twenty years before this idea was applied to kids with handicaps, especially learning disabilities, trying to acquire an education. If a child is unwell and can not go to college, then teachers from regional overall health schools can teach them.


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My Gresham service requests anytime, anywhere. Fix a pothole, remove graffiti, report a broken streetlight and more.
Gresham's development-ready commercial centers are connected by new infrastructure, amenities and opportunity.
Use the City's services directory to easily find the information you need.
A homelessness support program providing employment while keeping parks and open spaces clean.
Take in panoramic views of Mts. Hood, St. Helens, Adams, Rainier, the Gorge and Gresham.
ALERT - City services are
being provided online and by phone; City Hall building closed. See our COVID-19 page for more info.
David Widmark was elected to Council Position 5 in November 2016. He previously served multiple terms beginning with Position 6 from 1996 to 1998. In July 2005, he was appointed to Council Position 4 when it became vacant after the resignation of another Councilor and again in 2007, he was appointed to fill the remainder of a term vacated mid-term. Widmark was then elected to Council Position 1 in November 2008 and served as Council President in 2010. Councilor Widmark briefly retired from Council at the end of his term in 2012 but was appointed to fill Position 5 in July 2014 when it fell vacant mid-term.
Professionally, Widmark worked for 36 years with the U.S. Forest Service, then served as general manager and public relations director for Cramer Fish Sciences until 2008. Over the past 20 years, he's volunteered on a variety of committees, including the Planning Commission for six years and the Finance Committee. He advocated for the creation of the City's Design Commission. He also helped form Gresham's first neighborhood association in 1989 and served as its president.
Councilor Widmark's primary committee assignments include: Urban Forestry Subcommittee, Historic Resources Subcommittee, Council Employee Subcommittee and the Home Forward board of commissioners. His alternate committee assignments include the Planning and Design Commissions and the Gresham Redevelopment Advisory Committee.


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Benefits of Having a Spiritual Master
About the benefits of having a Spiritual Master
As we need teachers for our outer knowledge – to illumine our outer being – so also we need a spiritual Master to help and guide us in our inner life, especially in the beginning. Otherwise, our progress will be very slow and uncertain, and we may become terribly confused. We will get high, elevating experiences, but we will not give them adequate significance. Doubt may eclipse our mind and we will say, "I am just an ordinary person, so how can I have this kind of experience? Perhaps I am deluding myself." Or we will tell our friends, and they will say, "It is all mental hallucination. Forget about the spiritual life." But if there is someone who knows what the Reality is, he will say, "Don't act like a fool. The experiences which you have had are absolutely real." The Master will encourage and inspire the seeker and give him the proper explanations of his experiences. Again, if the seeker is doing something wrong in his meditation, the Master will be in a position to correct him.
Why does one go to the university when one can study at home? It is because he feels that he will get expert instruction from people who know the subject well. Now you know that there have been a few – very, very few – real men of knowledge who did not go to any university. Yes, there are exceptions. Every rule admits of exceptions. God is in everybody, and if a seeker feels that he does not need human help, he is most welcome to try his capacity alone. But if someone is wise and wants to run toward his Goal, instead of stumbling or merely walking, then certainly the help of a Guru can be considerable.
Let us say that I am in London. I know that New York exists and that I have to go back there. What do I need to get me there? An airplane and a pilot. In spite of the fact that I know that New York exists, I cannot get there alone. Similarly, you know that God exists. You want to reach God, but someone has to take you there. As the airplane takes me to New York, someone has to carry you to the Consciousness of God which is deep within you. Someone has to show you how to enter into your own divinity, which is God.
- Back to The Master and the Disciple -
- Home -
First-hand experiences of meditation and spirituality.
A New WorldApaga Renner Graz, Austria
Reflections on meditationJanaka Spence Edinburgh, United Kingdom
The inner voiceLunthita Duthely Hialeah, United States
Praying for God's Grace to DescendSweta Pradhan Kathmandu, Nepal
My love of spiritual poetryManatita Hutchinson London, United Kingdom
Listen to the inner voiceVidura Groulx Montreal, Canada
A Quest for HappinessAbhinabha Tangerman Amsterdam, Netherlands
Suggested videos
interviews with Sri Chinmoy's students


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Whenever I hear about sex robots, I immediately conjure an image of the intensely charming Jude Law from the compelling and philosophical Spielberg movie, A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Beyond that likeable yet disturbing character, the phrase sex robot is an oxymoron to me. Sex is warm, wet, slippery and can be deeply emotional… whereas 'robotics' makes me think of computers; inanimate lumps of rigid cold metal and confusing tangles of wires.
For the past year I've been hearing more and more about sex robots and how, excuse the pun, they're on the rise. They're not coming for you, they're coming with you. These highly technological, pre-programmed sex devices are a far cry from the porn parody Daleks you might be imagining ("exsperminate… exsperminate…") – they resemble real people, are made with supple, flesh-like material and aim to respond to your touch and increase your pleasure in an interactive way.
It looks as though the evolution of sex robots has almost reached its peak. From the early days of fairly horrific-looking blow-up dolls, progressing to realistic, heavy-weight sex dolls and now, finally, supple sex robots with customisable programming to ensure every sex session with them is fully satisfying for the user.
So, how do I feel about sex robots? I've given this question some deep thought recently, especially after watching the recent BBC Three documentary about sex robots. It's an incredibly interesting watch and only half an hour long, so please take a look if you can.
The Future of Sex? Sex Robots And Us
cw: contains a scene showing & the discussion of a childlike sex robot / sex doll
Sex Robots: The Positives
On one hand, I view sex robots merely as another type of sex toy. A techy sex doll. It might seem more responsive, you might even like to imagine that it has a personality, and that it is responding to you personally – but where we're at now with sex tech, I don't feel this is truly the case. Sex robots as they are now, in 2018, don't have life, personality, humanity or autonomy.
They're physically responsive masturbation machines, every response created and pre-programmed by a human developer.
There are various advantages to sex robots and the use of them, in my opinion. For a start, they offer the owner/user the opportunity to experience the most luxurious and possibly interactive-seeming masturbation session yet, whenever they feel like it. As long as a person has the budget –these things aren't cheap- they can 'have sex with' their purchased sex robot at any time of the day or night, as many times as they wish.
Sex robots could conceivably help with a difference in sex drives, for those in a relationship. You may have mismatched libidos. Perhaps you're in a long distance relationship, don't want to be unfaithful but still have 'in-person' sexual needs. A sex robot could tide you over if you need to be physically apart for a long period of time, such as for work contracts. Or if one person is 'out of bedroom action' for a while because of illness, after surgery or other, sex robots could quite literally 'plug the gap'.
For couples who are physically as well as emotionally together, sex robots could offer a safe introduction to a third person in the bedroom. A trial run for a threesome or a move towards polyamory. Maybe you or they just want the experience the thrill of having sex with another person, a stranger – but neither you nor they want to consider bringing in another actual person, or having an affair.
Potential issues with the above uses for sex robots include the fact that it would all need to be done openly and honestly, rather than kept a secret from a relationship partner. Even though a sex robot isn't a real person, there's still the possibility your partner would feel lied to, deceived, even cheated on, if you don't discuss it with them first and get their blessing.
The same goes for using sex robots while in a long-distance relationship, or to fulfil desires and needs when one partner is unable to have sex. There's the added risk of reducing intimacy between partners, due to simply sating sexual appetites using the sex robot rather than finding other sensual and romantic alternatives together.
Why Sex Robots Make Me Uncomfortable
To clarify, the sex robots themselves don't make me feel uncomfortable. Sure, they're a bit glassy-eyed and that 'realistic-yet-clearly-not-human-at-ALL' look can be a bit creepy. I'm pretty used to that now from all the sex dolls at adult industry trade events. No, the discomfort I feel with sex robots is always down to the use, and users, of them.
It seems to me that many owners and users of sex robots are specifically looking for a person-type product –very definitely NOT a sex toy or masturbation device- which doesn't need to consent. In fact, the majority of my discomfort about sex dolls is a consent issue. This may seem odd on the surface -I know, sex robots and dolls don't/can't consent – but it's the attitudes of some users which disturbs me.
Some sex robot owners seem to treat sex robots as people on the one hand, but then don't balance that with a typically human need for that sex partner to consent, which is wrong and shows a basic lack of respect. There's a continual lack of emotion and/or intimacy in these sexual liaisons, where sex is simply peg-in-hole, using this person-type device, scoring with them whenever and as often as they like. It raises concerns about how that person views actual people who are able to consent, and how their views may change towards real people who can consent in the future.
Now, I'm not saying that sex robot users are all rampant sex addicts, and that they would otherwise or may one day go out and commit sexual crimes against real people. Although that's always a possibility with any single person out there, sex robot user or not. What I'm saying is that it worries me that getting consent seems to be such a turn-off, such a chore, that erasing that hurdle by purchasing a human-style sex robot is preferable. That getting sex at any cost – ie. without the need for consent – is the constant overriding priority.
Are we just creating sex robots for (mainly) men who can't/won't get active consent to sex from women, or who can't be bothered to go to all that trouble and just want the easy route: 24/7 access to consent-free sex?
My discomfort surrounding these consent and attitude issues is magnified by the culture we live in, where sexual assaults (particularly) on women are commonplace. It's such a part of everyday life that we have national crisis lines set up for rape survivors, yet it barely ever makes the news unless the criminal and/or survivor are famous.
Can you imagine how it feels to live in a world where I can feel threatened walking down the street in broad daylight (and don't dare walk alone by night) and know that in the event an assault occurred, it would not only be viewed as 'yet another' rape, the onus would be on me to report it, then to heal myself through therapy/other? Groping is simply part of a night out. I should be flattered by wolf-whistles and catcalls. PUAs openly discuss the merits of 'negging', and 'stealthing' is something to be proud of.
Girls have long been taught how best to behave and dress to 'try' and avoid getting raped, but it's only recently education (in some areas) has stepped up to teach boys how to treat and respect women. My friend feels 'lucky' she's never been raped, as if rape is a rite of passage most women simply have to get through.
Seeing users of sex robots give such little consideration to consent is worrying to me, for the above reasons. Like with guns, it's not the item itself which is wrong or evil, it's how it's used and the intentions of the one with their finger on the trigger. Unlike guns, it's not really possible to regulate sex robot purchases. It would be impossible to issue a sex robot licence only to people that some enforcement agency deemed had a thorough understanding and respect for consent!
Childlike Robots: Just Don't
What alarms me the most is the creation and existence and market for underage looking sex dolls and sex robots. While I have issues with the attitudes of some users of adult looking sex robots, I don't disagree with their existence. I can see benefits. I don't agree that childlike sex robots should have ever been made or should exist at all. Like the presenter in the documentary above, their existence deeply upsets me. I was in tears with him at that point on the clip.
I've heard the argument that they're a harmless way for those with an attraction to underage people (children) to fulfil this desire without actually hurting anyone else. Ok, so maybe while using a childlike doll or robot they wouldn't be with a real child. But their existence, to me, is like accepting that these desires and these fantasies have a part in society. I'd say 'civilised', but it's clearly not. Worryingly, they could help people who have the sparks of those traits and desires to feel more able to be open about them, to develop them, fixate on them. In other situations, these types might hopefully do their best to get medical help, to entirely quash them in favour of moral and legally acceptable options.
Underage looking sex robots and sex dolls are not acceptable to me at all.
In general, I believe that using sex robots isn't unethical or wrong. It's entirely possible to be a decent, law-abiding, respectful human being who simply likes the idea of sex with a robot, wants to experience it, has a high sex drive and seeks more than a standard Fleshlight can provide.
Feelings of concern never arise in me due to the (adult-like) sex robots themselves or their existence, only through how specific users may interact with them and what this means for real people in the world around them. Distasteful attitudes might help further develop worrying tendencies surrounding the issue of consent.
Are sex robots objects, humanoids, or people? The way the field of sex tech discusses sex robots now, they don't seem to be merely objects, but they're not yet people. They exist in a grey area between the two, and therefore related ethics are similarly murky. We're all focusing on their development and how pleasurable they are to use, but whether sex robots require greater respect from the user than a textured TPE tube is, as yet, unchartered territory.
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