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When Gov. George W. Bush came to visit Thursday night, David Letterman proved himself to be twice as tough as many of the journalists who've covered Bush this year.
It didn't make for many laughs (neither did the horrendous Top Ten list, by the way), but Letterman asked Bush repeatedly about the death penalty, Texas' abysmal environmental record and foreign affairs. The questions weren't always the most sophisticated, but they were tough and honest and Letterman was persistent yet friendly.
The show began typically enough. James Brown sat in with the band. Letterman gave an OK monologue and hosted a current events quiz. He said that Bush was "nervous" when Vice President Al Gore approached him in the third debate, getting in his space. "He thought Al was gonna kiss him," Letterman said. He showed a video clip of the sign outside the theater that he said the staff had altered to make Bush feel more at home: "The Late Show With David W. Letterman."
The host revealed that he and Bush had made a deal before the show: "I won't bring up his record in Texas as long as he doesn't bring up my record at the Academy Awards."
Introduced to the sounds of "Deep in the Heart of Texas," Bush strode out smiling. Letterman thanked him for coming on, Bush jokingly tapped the microphone, a reference to the time a microphone caught him calling a New York Times reporter "a major league asshole."
Letterman began with a confession. "I don't know if you've known this about me, I don't know if people have told you this, but almost from the beginning, I've been very hard on you."
"Really?" Bush asked, joking.
Letterman said that he had. "I've told jokes about you, I've said unpleasant things, I've just been shooting my mouth off left and right ... Does it bother you that I'm always, you know, yakking about stuff?"
"No, I'm glad you're saying my name," Bush said, smiling and unflappable, as he generally was throughout the interview. The audience applauded for him so hard that at one point Bush joked that "it sounds like you have a lot of my family here."
"Well, anyway, I'm doubly glad that you're here under the circumstances," Letterman said.
The first segment was jokey and pleasant. They talked about the campaign, and Gore, and who they were rooting for in the Mets vs. Yankees Subway Series. (Letterman likes the Yankees; Bush joked that "I like that New York club, I do.")
The segment started edging out a tad -- though everyone was still laughing -- when Letterman said that "the only honest moment of the campaign [was] when you called that guy an asshole. Did you ever feel the need to apologize to him for saying that?"
"Not really," Bush said, to many laughs. "It was inappropriate that people heard me say that," he added.
"He picked on my friend, Dick Cheney," Bush said when asked for an explanation. "He said something about my friend I didn't like. Obviously I didn't know the mike was open."
"I feel good," James Brown sang as they broke to the first commercial.
Bush was humble and pleasant seeming all night. Asked about his performance during the debates, he said, "Well, a lot of folks don't think I can string a sentence together. And so when I was able to do so ... Expectations were so low, all I had to do was say, 'Hi, I'm George W. Bush.'"
Letterman soon switched to a discussion of capital punishment and Bush's record-breaking tenure in the world's most execution-happy state.
"Is there a circumstance you can imagine that might change your view of capital punishment?" The studio grew silent.
"Well, obviously, if the system was unfair," Bush said. "It's a serious business."
"Nothing you can imagine could cause a change of heart here?" Perhaps if the guy was proven not guilty?
Bush said that there were numerous lawyers reviewing the cases, and everyone put to death, he was sure, was guilty of the crime. "In Texas, you can't be put to death unless you committed two capital offenses. And there was a man who committed a murder and a rape and there's a question about rape, and there's some DNA evidence that could have exonerated him. I put the 30-day stay on it so they could analyze the evidence; it turned out he was guilty of both."
"Are the numbers of executions in Texas so far greater than any other state using the death penalty now?" Letterman asked.
"Ahhh, I think that's probably true," Bush said.
"Now is there a reason for that?" Letterman asked.
Bush said that Texas is a death penalty state, while not all states are. "Our prosecutors seek the death penalty and they, there, they seek the death penalty. That's why they have it."
"Now, do you know more about this than I do?" Letterman asked to chuckles. "Because people are certainly opposed to this. The notion of this whole topic just makes me very uncomfortable, very squeamish."
Nonetheless, they kept talking about it. Asked by Bush if he opposed the death penalty, Letterman said no, not necessarily. Bush said it was the law of his state and "my job is to uphold the law, and I do."
Letterman asked if the death penalty had ever been proven to deter crime.
"I think that that's a hard statistic to prove," Bush said. "If I could be convinced it didn't deter crime, you know, I may change my opinion about the death penalty.
"Let's go on to a more pleasant subject, perhaps," Bush suggested.
So Letterman then asked Bush about the terrorist murder of 17 U.S. sailors in Yemen. Seriously.
"If I find out who it was, they'd pay a serious price," Bush said of the bombing. "I mean a serious price."
"Now, what does that mean?" Letterman asked, a follow-up Bush doesn't often get when he's asked about such bravado.
"That means they're not going to like what happened to them," Bush said, and the crowd went wild.
"Now are you talking about retaliation or due process of law?" Letterman asked.
"Heh-heh," Bush said. "I'm talking about gettin' the facts and lettin' them know we don't appreciate it and there's a serious consequence ... And I'll decide what that consequence is."
Break to commercial; James Brown sang "Get On Up."
The Middle East. Bosnia. Rwanda. The environment. Letterman kept asking serious questions; Bush handled himself fairly well. Sometimes the questions were silly -- comparing ancient ethnic hatreds in the Middle East to Mets fans vs. Yankees fans, for instance, or naive questions about why hate exists. But I swear, Letterman asked tougher questions of Bush than I've seen anyone ask him in a while. And since it was his show, he got to ask follow-ups, and often he did.
"I heard something a couple weeks ago coming out of your campaign and I just thought, 'Well, this is not true, he's not really going to do that,'" Letterman said. "Talking about wilderness lands up in Alaska or the Arctic Circle -- you're going to take trucks up there and drill for oil. And I said, 'Oh, that's a joke! He's not going to do that!'"
"Yeah, well, then you're not going to have any natural gas if we don't do that," Bush said.
"Don't you have bad air pollution down in Texas?" Letterman asked.
"We got a lot of cars," Bush said.
"Is it the worst city in the country for air pollution, is that true?" Letterman asked.
"Well, we're the best in reducing toxic pollutions," Bush said.
"But it's a problem -- isn't it a problem?"
"Well, it's a big city!" Bush whined. "It's a big city!"
"It's not as big as New York! It's not as big as Los Angeles!"
"We're making progress," Bush said.
"But listen to me, governor, here's my point," Letterman said.
"I am listening to you," Bush said, "I don't have any choice but to listen to ya!"
Letterman asked Bush about the time Gore was on the show and pledged to lead the country in efforts to save the planet. "Do you believe him when he said that?" Letterman asked.
"Not really," Bush said. And the crowd went wild.
After a Letterman shtick on the need for alternative energy sources, he brought the segment to a close. "Sooner or later, we're going to have to make a significant change."
"I think we can do that," Bush said.
"Not just lip service, not just an item on a campaign," Letterman said. "The polar ice cap is melting, that's all I know."
By point of contrast, on CNBC earlier in the day, Bush was allowed to yet again make misleading comments about his role in securing the Texas Patients' Bill of Rights, legislation that, among other provisions, allows patients to sue their HMOs or insurance companies.
What happened in Texas on a patient's right to sue is pretty simple. Bush vetoed a patients bill of rights, one offered by a conservative Republican, primarily because it contained a right-to-sue provision. Bush did instruct his insurance commissioner to enact by regulation other, less controversial, provisions of the bill, such as allowing a woman to use her OB-GYN as her primary care physician. But when the right to sue came up once again in 1997, Bush had one of his aides do everything he could to sabotage the bill. Two Republican state senators complained about it on the floor of the state Senate. Then, when the bill passed regardless with what looked to be veto-proof support, Bush let the bill become law without his signature -- as something of a protest.
Thus the report today that had President Clinton saying that he "almost gagged" when he heard Bush claim to have supported the effort in the third and final presidential debate.
"I'm going to use an indelicate quote here, because it was just given to me," CNBC's Ron Insana said to Bush. "I did not hear the president say this myself, but earlier in the day, it was suggested that President Clinton said he 'gagged' on your support for the patients bill of rights, and suggested that you vetoed one in Texas, and can't understand your position."
Bush allowed that he had vetoed "a bill, because it was a lousy piece of legislation. I got my insurance commissioner to write a series of rules and regulations that then became the law -- because of leadership. And I signed it into law. We're one of the first states in the Union to allow a patient to sue an insurance company after there's an internal review process. Now, we've got a good piece of legislation, and so the president needs to take a look at the facts."
Did you catch that? He rightly said that he had signed a "series of rules and regulations" into law. Then he said that "we're one of the first states in the Union to allow a patient to sue an insurance company," without mentioning the fact that he did everything he could to prevent patients from doing that.
Insana let Bush get away with that, immediately changing the subject. Letterman proved way tougher.


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Hotel Dorint An den Thermen - Freiburg
The Hotel Dorint An den Thermen Freiburg is located in one of the most charming cities in Germany. The capital city of the Black Forest region with its winding alleyways and streamlets is the ideal destination for a short break or wellness vacation at any time of year.

subset: commoncrawl


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Hip-hop goddess Lil' Kim was unrecognizable, fans say, at a recent Hot 97 show — but the former flame of the late Notorious BIG and Lighters Up rapper has been on the receiving end of plastic surgery rumors for years.
While Lil' Kim's unrecognizable appearance always seems to turn heads, the star may not have had any work done recently.
Kim has been largely out of the spotlight in recent years aside from a high-profile beef with upstart Nicki Minaj (who, let's face it, basically ripped off Kim's whole style and look like no one remembers the late 90s) so her appearance isn't necessarily splashed all over the place — but the star's alleged new look was a big shock to many fans.
(To which we say 1995 was nearly 25 years ago! Cut Kim a break!)
Lil' Kim's reps addressed the rumors back in March, saying when plastic surgery rumors first kicked up again:
"We would like to inform fans, the media, and the general public that this is nothing more than a blog site doing its best to conjure up much needed publicity … What better way to do so, than to take an American music icon and create a fictitious platform in which to disrespect and humiliate."
The statement added:
"We at Team Lil' Kim are not taking this lying down and are taking this very seriously."
Twitter users said:
Lil' Kim out here looking like Hello Kitty. I really don't understand. twitter.com/KINGBeysus/sta… — intellexual (@KINGBeysus) June 5, 2013
WTF Lil Kim twitter.com/DeMarko_Gage/s… — DeMarko Gage 🙂 (@DeMarko_Gage) June 3, 2013
undefined – If you're wondering what former badass female rapper Lil' Kim looks like these days, we're… tmblr.co/Zr0tEtmcuqE- — ReginaldDj (@ReginaldDj) June 5, 2013
Slaying QB!! You looked flawless last night @lilkim twitter.com/Nick8fo/status…
— Nick Koura (@Nick8fo) June 4, 2013
We're Team Queen Bee all the way, but what do you think of Lil' Kim's look at the Hot 97 show?


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Miranda, Graubunden, Tarasp – Walk Down The Brahmaputra 5/20/10 Sun, May 23, 2010, 11:48 PM Dear Purnima, I have long since ceased to be surprised about any of the actions of the US government in the area of constitutional rights. Since 9/11 and Bush's declaration of war on terrorism, the Homeland Security Department has run roughContinue reading "Geneva Diaries #22*"
Tag Archives: Graubunden
Geneva Diaries #21*
Of Beasts and Men, The Jabberwocky and Laal Kaan, Traditional Knowledge and The Tale of The Ice Mommy, Who…Got "baked" in Sonoma? 2/09/10 Dear Roger, Guess what…we are off to Graubunden tomorrow for the long weekend, and I am VERY excited, not only am I returning after a span of 13 years (and many lifetimes)Continue reading "Geneva Diaries #21*"
Geneva Diaries #22
Miranda, Graubunden, Tarasp – Walk Down The Brahmaputra 5/20/10 Dear Roger, What's going on??? From my bunker in the hills I hear stories about things considered sacred in America, a household name: the Miranda Rights, protection against coerced confessions made by persons in police custody being mutilated (apparently the AG is asking congress to enact legislationContinue reading "Geneva Diaries #22"


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Nebach Over There Dressed Like a Polak
Can I just have ONE Shabbos or Yom Tov when I'm not embarrassed to be a frum Jew? Moshiach MUST be coming soon.
This morning at shul they were doing misheberach for acheirim and this guy who blows in from out of town twice a year and treats my husband like garbage was asked who he'd like to bless. So he said…. (and pointed to my husband)….
That Nebach Over There Dressed Like a Polak.


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My Heart Knows Thursday update 16 March 2022 Zee world: The Episode starts with Kalyani asking Atul to understand that Moksh needs her. She hears Moksh crying and tells Atul that he gets silent only in her lap. Atul stops her. Anupriya says when Kalyani is happy with her marriage then what we can do. Atul scolds her and tells that I have come to make my daughter's life better. Kalyani says neither you nor Malhar have the right to take decision of me. She is about to go out and sees Aao Saheb standing infront of her. Aao Saheb tells her that Atul is right and now Sampada will take care of Moksh. Kalyani says malhar ji…and Sampada not to touch her son. Aao Saheb tells that that malhar is getting arrested for Rao Saheb's death. Kalyani runs out and tells Police that Malhar is innocent. Inspector tells that they got orders from high authorities. Aao Saheb says she will not let him come out. Sarthak says you can't arrest him without the orders. Malhar says I don't need anyone and asks Kalyani to take Moksh. He then realizes. Aparna takes Moksh. Sampada tells that Moksh shall get habitual to live without Kalyani and Moksh. Kalyani shouts at her, and tells that Malhar is innocent and tells that he didn't force him to commit suicide. Inspector says Rao Saheb didn't leave any suicide note. Kalyani says she saw notice note in the room and runs to room. She asks Anupriya to search in the room. Sampada asks Inspector to take the criminal with him. Kalyani searches for the letter. Aao Saheb says she will not not let Kalyani make fun of Rao Saheb's death. Kalyani gets the letter. Aao Saheb tries to snatch it. Kalyani gets it back and gives to Inspector. Vivek tells that Appa's body is taken for last rites. Aao Saheb asks inspector not to open the letter until his last rites is done. Kalyani thinks now Malhar don't have to go to jail.
Appa's last rites is done. Malhar cries and tells Sarthak that he didn't want this to happen. Aao Saheb asks Inspector, can I read the letter. She reads the letter that Malhar threatened to beat him until he die, and that's why he is giving himself easy death. Kalyani says Malhar ji didn't do anything, I was there. Atul slaps Kalyani and says it is proved. He tells that he doesn't want to listen to her. He blames Malhar for Appa's death. He takes the firewood and tells that he will not leave Malhar. Sarthak says I was there, and Malhar was innocent. Anupriya says Malhar never threatened to kill Appa. Aao Saheb asks her not to insult the dead person and asks what do you mean that the dead person lied.
Kalyani reads the letter and is shocked. She says same thing is written. Aao Saheb thanks Kalyani and says I will get justice now. She thanks Aao Saheb to proving Malhar's crime. Kalyani says this suicide note is fake and tells that she is always on Malhar's side. Inspector takes the suicide note. Malhar tells Kalyani that he had a doubt that she will take revenge from him some day, but didn't know that she will do this way. Sarthak tries to talk. Malhar says I am talking to my wife. Atul calls him as criminal and holds his collar. Malhar looks angrily at him. Kalyani says how can you think that I will take revenge. Malhar says everyone knows that the content in the letter is fake and says if I am proved guilty today is just because of you. He says I was fool to trust you, and asks why did she do this. He asks if she did this as her family members matter to her a lot or if because he separated her from Moksh. Anupriya says why Kalyani will do this? Malhar says you both have broken my trust once and now again. Kalyani says I will not say anything, he thinks I am a betrayal and tells that he will not believe me if I say anything. Malhar says I left you and freed you from Moksh and my responsibilities, and says when this relation didn't mean anything then why it is there. He holds her hand and tells that he will break their marriage.
Anupriya tries to stop Malhar. Atul holds her hand. Malhar takes reverse round with Kalyani around the pyre fire. Pandit ji says you can't do any marriage rituals around the pyre and asks Aao Saheb to stop him. Malhar leaves Kalyani and goes with Inspector. Kalyani sits in shock. Anupriya hugs her. Kalyani cries.


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A tutorial for the truly desperate Norwegian-American. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Norway
Northern Moss
My brief solo vacation back to Norway. Continue reading
Name Day
It's my name's special day. Let's get thirty Marens together and have a party! Continue reading
44.015337 -73.167340
Ut på ski
It may be mud season here in the valley, but up on the mountain there's some right good skiing going on. Continue reading


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Reese's Magic Blondie Bars
|Prep time
|15 minutes
|Cook time
|35 minutes
|Total time
|50 minutes
|Meal type
|Child Friendly, Freezable, Gourmet, Pre-preparable
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup mini Reese's Pieces
- 1 cup mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (the tiny unwrapped kind)
- 1/2 cup peanut butter chips
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 14oz sweetened condensed milk
|Step 1
|Preheat oven to 350
In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
|Step 2
|Add the salt, vanilla, and eggs and mix well.
|Step 3
|Add baking powder and flour, mixing until incorporated.
Spread evenly into greased 9x13" pan and bake 15 minutes.
|Step 4
|Immediately sprinkle blondies with all the toppings, and drizzle evenly with condensed milk. Bake 15-20 minutes or until edges start to brown and center is set.
Cool completely before cutting into bars.
Store tightly covered.
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. There is no added cost to you. Thank you for helping support us so we can continue providing you with free recipes!
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Spread Some Love
It is more important now than ever that we, as a business, maintain the high standards that we have in place. At our dojo, we believe in being community minded. We believe in supporting other local businesses. We believe in a zero tolerance for bullying and being unkind. We believe in inclusion and diversity.
This is why we want to take a moment to ensure our families and any new student or family that joins our dojo now, understands that we WILL continue to adhere to those standards even if our dojo is not open.
We have seen multiple posts across social media where community members and business owners are spending time shaming others. You will never see this from us at Shodan Academy. We implore everyone to use this time to seek ways to support each other, be kind, and use discretion. Please do not judge your neighbor for having cars in the drive. You do not know why they are there. Please do not judge those out walking with a group. You do not know how many children they might have. Please do not judge someone for "looking ill" and going to the store to get medication. You do not know if they are ill or what they might be dealing with regarding their own health. Placing blame and judgment on others never helped anyone or any situation. And, others will see your character in doing so.
The only thing anyone can control is how they behave and how they react to the world around them. It is your choice, now and always, to do what is best for you and your family. This is definitely not the time to spread hate and treat others with disdain, regardless of who it is. Let's lift each other up and spread some LOVE right now!


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The Story Behind the Book
The Story Behind THE GOLDEN HOUR by Margaret Wurtele
I can trace my novel back to a June day in 2004. My husband and I had rented a vacation place in Tuscany with some California friends. One day we went with them to a villa near Lucca to visit the farmer who sold our friends their olive trees. Marcello, wiry with bright dark eyes, gave us a tour and served us a beautiful vitello tonnato at a long table under a spreading and fragrant linden tree. As we were scraping the last of the peach melba from our dessert bowls, he began to tell us how – during the last years of World War II – the German command took over this very villa and forced his mother's family to live in some small rooms at the back. After the war, the family gave a party with the Allies to celebrate their liberation, and Marcello's mother, then 17, fell in love with their translator, a much older Jewish man. In spite of all the family had just suffered under Nazi occupation, her father mirrored their attitudes and objected to the match because the translator was Jewish. This little snippet of a story lodged in my mind, and I came home burning to fictionalize it.
I had published two memoirs at that point, but I had never written any long fiction. I immediately began researching World War II in Italy. I read the memoirs of Iris Origo in the Val d'Orcia in Eastern Tuscany, another of an American man, trapped during the war as a child with his family near Lucca; I read countless books and articles about the German occupation of Northern Italy, the Partisan resistance, and the persecution of Italian Jews.
I was born in November of 1945 – just a few weeks after VJ Day, so I am one of the first Baby Boomers. World War II was over before I was born, but it had always loomed large in my consciousness. My own father was 4-F, but the years of the war defined much of my parents' high school and college experience, their courtship and early marriage. I read greedily, finally getting in touch with some of my own heritage.
As I threw myself into the writing, my heroine, 17-year-old Giovanna, took on a life of her own, and the story changed. It was no longer Marcello's story but mine, and it took some very different turns from the original inspiration.
It fascinates me how much of the story is not from my experience: I'm not Italian, nor have I ever wanted to marry a man against my father's wishes. I have a sister, not a brother, and of course, I've never lived in the midst of war.
But still, much of the book is a particular expression of aspects of my own life. My first memoir Taking Root chronicled my spiritual evolution. I grew up in a secular household and, in my forties, began to explore Christian spiritual history. I was eventually baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal Church. Giovanna's friendship with and support from the nuns recalls some of the valuable guidance I received from my own spiritual mentors.
My husband and I own vineyards and a winery in the Napa Valley, so I am steeped in the life and landscape of a grower – of grapes and olive trees – on acreage that closely resembles the Tuscan countryside. The language of winemaking, of harvest and blending, is one I hear every day.
Finally, my only son was killed in a mountain climbing accident when he was 22. I reflected on his death and my own grieving process in a second memoir, Touching the Edge, but I do not think I will ever exhaust the need to explore deep loss in my writing. THE GOLDEN HOUR gave me the chance to revisit that territory, as well as my father's recent death.
Must we all confront and face down our fathers at some point, either in life or in the imagination? Maybe Giovanna's stand was my way of carving out a definitive independence for myself. Would I have had the courage to hang on to a relationship forbidden by my family? I am not much of a political activist, but had I been confronted with the holocaust in my back yard, would I have acted with the same courage and determination that Giovanna showed? The book allowed me to explore these questions.


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My friend Siamack lives in London and writes regularly for Iranian.com
In his new article, he wrote:
"What I find freaky about women is how they can produce milk without eating grass!"
Click here to read more.
Today I came across the Haale's web site. She is a Bronx-born Iranian singer/songwriter who alternates between strumming her setar and plucking her guitar, singing both in Persian and English. You can listen to some of her music here.
In Munich the SPD and Greens who have a city council majority decided to migrate 14,000 city-owned Microsoft Windows NT workstations to the SuSE Linux operating system. In spite of substantial rebates offered on a Microsoft solution, Munich now becomes the largest German city to migrate its entire client PCs to Linux. I think we all should follow suit!
We went for the first time to Isabella Plantation, a woodland garden in the heart of Richmond Park. The garden provides the best show of camellias, magnolias, rhododendrons, and azaleas in London. It is truly a beautiful place to visit this time of year.
Isabella Plantation, Richmond Park
It was a very busy day. After a demanding day working on various projects, I went with Max to my Mum's, then fetched Barbara from her Thursday yoga class; went to see Nadia and set up her computer and connected it to the Internet. Now that she has Internet access, I hope that she will start writing her journal on this site shortly.
Max - September 2002
Here is the online version of my interview with InternetWorks magazine.
Yesterday I met a group of Iranian bloggers in London. It was very interesting to meet young Iranians who grew up in Iran after the revolution. They are an intelligent and inquisitive bunch. Over the past few months there has been a big increase in the number of Persian weblogs, which are providing an insight into the Iranian society.
Yesterday was the FA cup final between Arsenal and Southampton. The local people were wearing red and white Arsenal shirts and most cars were displaying Arsenal's flag. While I was driving down Holloway Road a red and white Woolworths' plastic bag blown by the wind got stuck to my car's radio antenna. So for a few minutes I blended in with the crowds and I couldn't stop laughing!
By the way, Arsenal won so congratulations to Mehrnoosh and Camran!
On Wednesday 14th of May Mojtaba Akhtari, a talented Iranian doctor who lives and works in London, wrote this in his site about Aref-Adib.com:
Did you know that Nora Jones's father is Ravi Shankar?
DAY IS DONE featuring NORAH JONES.
Click here for more streaming audios
Liebe Karin,
Alles Gute zum Geburtstag, halt die Ohren steif!
Geburtstagsgr?sse vom uns drei.
Last night we went to see a modern dance performance at The Place. We took Max with us for his first time. It was interesting to see his reaction. The music was sometimes too loud for him but as a whole it was a success!
EDge 2003 - The Place
"Is it your birthday today?" Max asked me.
"Yes!" I replied.
"Why?" he asked.
"I was born on a day like this." I said.
"Why?" he asked again.
"Well, that needs a long explanation. Do you know how old I am?" I continued.
"No!" he said.
"You are 3 … 1,2,3.
I am 39…1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39."
"Bloody hell that is a lot of numbers!" I thought.
I played with Barbara, Rosie and Massoud a game of Boules. This was my first time playing this French game. The object of the game is to throw your balls, usually with somewhat of an arched back spin so that they land closer to the small object ball (cochonnet) than those of your opponent. You can also strike and drive the object ball toward your other balls and away from your opponent's. It is a very simple game. Massoud wanted to know the rules of the game:
Today I went to see Nadia. She is doing fine and showed me her new wig. She looks good with it. I tried it on and looked like Elton John. Well, I have the round face and glasses.
Max went to his usual Saturday German class in the morning. He is getting better at German.
Later in the afternoon we went with friends, Alan and Christine to Southbank. We saw at Royal Festival Hall the "World Press Photo Exhibition" of press images covering the main news events of 2002. It was very depressing.
World Press Photo of the Year 2002 is a black & white picture of an earthquake in Qazvin. In the photograph a young boy clings on to his dead father's trousers as he squats by the grave where his father is about to be buried. The picture was taken in June 2002, after the earthquake struck Qazvin in northwest Iran, killing more than 500 people in some 12 villages. Here is the picture:
Serving guests... Iranian style!
On Sunday we went to Kenwood Park to see the azaleas and rhododendrons! We met Jamie and Ruth who took this picture of Max with their daughter Polly.
Today is David (Davood)'s birthday; I wish him a very happy birthday in Thailand.
It is also Uncle Ahmad's birthday. He and Inge are in Iran after over 20 years. I wish them a great time.
To Whom It May Concern:
Mark Brown, my assistant programmer, can always be found
hard at work in the office. He works independently, without
wasting company time talking to colleagues. He never
thinks twice about assisting fellow employees, and he always
finishes given assignments on time. Often he takes extended
measures to complete his work, sometimes skipping coffee
breaks. Mark is a dedicated individual who has absolutely no
vanity, in spite of his high accomplishments and profound
knowledge in his field. I firmly believe that he can be
classed as a high-calibre employee, the type which cannot be
dispensed with. Consequently, I duly recommend that Mark be
promoted to executive management, and a proposal will be
executed as soon as possible.
Received a short time later:
Re: Letter Of Reference
To Whom It May Concern:
That idiot was standing over my shoulder while I wrote the letter
I sent to you earlier today. Kindly re-read only every other line.


text:
Kawaii Axolotl Leggings
Axolotls are the cutest amphibians! These leggings with a fun kawaii style are hand cut and sewn in house for a soft comfortable feel. They make wonderful workout leggings and are great for everyday wear!
Item Speculations:
• Available in Capri Length, Full Length, and High Waist versions
• Fabric: 82% polyester, 18% spandex
• Four-way stretch, which means fabric stretches and recovers both on the cross and lengthwise grains
• Made of a microfiber yarn, which is smooth and comfortable
• Elastic waistband
• Colors are printed on white leggings so when stretched white can show through but will not be see through.
*Item will be ready to ship in 2-10 days
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Obituary of L. Yvonne Gottschalk
Lila "Yvonne" Gottschalk, 81, of Lindsborg passed away Sunday April 22, at Salina Regional Health Center. She was born April 28, 1936 in Bonnsville Township, McPherson County to the late Freddie M. and Elvire (Gillberg) Gottschalk.
Yvonne was a lifelong Lindsborg resident. She was a dietary assistant at Bethany College for many years.
She is survived by her brother, Galen Gottschalk, niece Gayla Gottschalk, and nephew Terry Gottschalk, as well as numerous extended family members.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, April 25 at Bethany Lutheran Church, with Pastor Loren Mai, officiating. Visitation will be at the church, beginning at 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service. Burial will follow at Elmwood Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Bethany Lutheran Church or to Bethany Home, and may be sent in care of Christians Funeral Home, 103 N. Washington, Lindsborg, KS 67456.
Funeral Service
About Us
Our funeral home has been family owned and operated for over 100 years. We pride ourselves in providing quality, meaningful funeral services with the utmost integrity to the people of our community.
Our Location
Crick-Christians Funeral Home
103 North Washington Street
P.O. Box 386
Lindsborg, Kansas 67456
Phone: (785) 227-2400
Fax: (785) 227-3688


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LONG POND, Pa. – The staff is already alive and kicking, the sun's going to be coming out and we're set to get 500 miles of racing in from the Pocono Raceway for today's ABC Supply 500, delayed to Monday after heavy rains swept through on Sunday.
Here's a schedule of events for today's activities.
Gates and the paddock open at 8 a.m., with cars going to the grid at 11:30 a.m. ET.
We're then on air on both NBCSN (TV) and the NBC Sports App (streaming online and via the app) at noon ET. The command to start engines will occur at 12:03 p.m. ET and the estimated green flag time is 12:09 p.m. ET.


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- Portfolios
- Research
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- Wealth PMS (50L+)
The consumer electrical and electronics company V-Guard has released it's Q1FY17 results. V-guard has posted a net profit increase of 70%, despite a growth of only 14.70% in its revenue year on year. The company improved its operating margin from 7.93% in Q1FY16 to 10.46% for the current reported quarter.
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Nothing in this newsletter is financial advice and should not be construed as such. Please do not take trading decisions based solely on the matter above; if you do, it is entirely at your own risk without any liability to Capital Mind. This is educational or informational matter only, and is provided as an opinion.
Disclosure: The authors at Capital Mind have positions in the market and some of them may support or contradict the material given above, or may involve a direction derived from independent analysis.


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We are pleased to say that our 2022 Annual Report is now available to download here. Our thanks to the partners, staff and clients of Altor Wealth for their support in 2022.
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Refactory – Uganda
As trustees we are very pleased to be able to say that we have just donated £2,000 to the Refactory Program in Uganda and commited to a further £1,000 per annum. The program was first set-up in 2018 as a partnership between Clarke University, Kampala and the IT sector. The vision is to build aContinue reading "Refactory – Uganda"
2021 Annual Report
We are pleased to say that our 2021 Annual Report is now available to download here. Our thanks to the partners, staff and clients of Altor Wealth for their support in 2021.
Local Fridge
The Altor Foundation was established to take 10% of the gross revenue of the main Altor llp business and to support international and local causes. We will often donate to causes suggested by our staff and also clients of the business. Having given to Ukraine last month, we are back to a hyper-local donation thisContinue reading "Local Fridge"
Along with most people in the UK, the trustees were appalled by the aggression shown to Ukraine. It is difficult to see what any of us can do to prevent what is going on but we can help some of the Ukrainian people affected. At least 3million people have fled their homes to escape theContinue reading "Ukraine"
Sub-Saharan Africa remains the poorest region in the world with more extreme poor living here than anywhere else in the world. A disproportionate number of these are women who live without the infrastructure and resources to support themselves and their families. MicroLoan Foundation's mission is to provide the poorest women in Malawi, Zambia and ZimbabweContinue reading "Microloans"
Bringing Hope
Following a recommendation from one of the partners of Altor Wealth Management, Vaughan Watson, we are pleased to have been able to support Hospices of Hope. Hospices of Hope started work in 1992, providing hospice care in Romania. They have now expanded their work to Serbia, Moldova and Albania. All of these countries lack theContinue reading "Bringing Hope"
In Memoriam
It is a privilege being a Foundation trustee and being able to give money to worthy causes. Sometimes the donations we make are in support of positive fundraising actions being made by partners and staff of the Altor business. In the case of our recent donation of £3,000 to the World Wildlife Fund's Seagrass projectContinue reading "In Memoriam"
Harvesting Water
'Two years ago when my husband died, a mountain of sorrows had broken in my family. From this work all of us have got so much courage. Together we will take care and clean this tank regularly, and clean and sufficient water will be available to all the family members in the house forever. LaxmiContinue reading "Harvesting Water"
Teenage Cancer Trust
As trustees we were prompted to make a donation of £3,000 to TCT as a young person close to us was suffering from a particularly rare type of childhood cancer. Fortunately these cases are rare but for those seven teenagers diagnosed every day, the work of TCT is crucial in providing someone to talk toContinue reading "Teenage Cancer Trust"


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General Hospital (GH) spoilers tease that Nina's (Michelle Stafford) daughter search has seemingly just narrowed. Of course, Nina doesn't know she needs to keep searching just yet! She believes Sasha (Sofia Mattsson) is her long-lost child, but it's all a ruse cooked up by Valentin (James Patrick Stuart).
Once the truth about Valentin and Sasha's deception comes out, Nina will need to find out who her real daughter is. Many GH fans suspected Kiki (Hayley Erin) would turn out to be Nina's kid instead of Ava's (Maura West). That would've been a great story, but Hayley Erin's departure may have thrown off the plan.
There were some hints early on that indicated Kiki might've been the daughter in question, but GH seems to be pointing in another direction now. Perhaps they were forced to shift gears when Erin decided to leave the show. Sometimes exits throw the writes a curveball and they have to adjust.
Regardless, it's doubtful General Hospital will make some sort of posthumous connection. Other than causing major conflict between Ava and Nina, making Kiki Nina's daughter wouldn't accomplish anything. Nina would still be left daughter-less, so what'd be the point? Nina and Ava already have a feud going anyway, which means it wouldn't change much.
Besides, Ava will have her hands full with Ryan (Jon Lindstrom) and the aftermath of Kiki's death. That's enough of a storyline to play. If Kiki wasn't really Ava's daughter, the time for GH to reveal it would've been when she disowned her. Instead, this friction between them will end up being about regrets. Ava's sure to be sorry she wasted these last few months at odds with Kiki.
As for Nina, her daughter hunt should be easier without Kiki in the picture. At least it'll be that way for GH viewers! Willow (Katelyn MacMuller) is currently the top daughter candidate thanks to that fierce faceoff she had with Nina. General Hospital may have made them hate each other so they could shock them with a built-in bond later.
There's a chance Willow's the mysterious birth mom in the Wiley story, too. Nina overheard part of an odd Brad (Parry Shen) and Julian (William deVry) conversation once, so she could land at the center of all this. General Hospital spoilers say there's be plenty of places to go with this Willow daughter angle.
We don't have any other good options on canvas at the moment. Nelle (Chloe Lanier) could be a possibility, but Lanier isn't interested in a long-term stay. It might be a waste to make her Nina's kid. GH could always go off in search of another daughter and introduce a new character, but fans might object since we've already got Willow and Sasha.
Willow's still at the top of the list for the time being, but we'll see how it goes! Regardless, Kiki's demise appears to count her out as Nina's missing kid. We'll give you updates as other GH news comes in. Stick with the ABC soap and don't forget to check CDL often for the latest General Hospital spoilers, updates and news.
RIP Keeks. Much love to my @GeneralHospital family, I'll miss you guys. Thank you for this wonderful, wild ride in daytime. I'll always be grateful to the fans who embraced Kiki through the years, my life wouldn't be nearly this beautiful without your constant love and support XO pic.twitter.com/Cca1U1tehv
— Hayley Erin (@HayleyErin) November 28, 2018
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Veiling of Statues
This old custom of veiling religious images is a way of focusing on the penitential aspect of this liturgical season. It reminds us in a visual way that our faith in all its glory is made possible only through the work of Christ in his suffering and death on the cross. When we cover or remove these holy and sacred images that we are so accustomed to, we are starkly confronted and reminded in a poignant way of all that Christ has won for us.
The tradition is often practiced during the last two weeks before Easter, starting on Passion Sunday (now called the fifth Sunday of Lent) and ending on Good Friday. This time period is known in the old liturgical calendar as Passiontide.
Then the holy images are again revealed for the Easter Vigil to mark the end of the penitential season. The joy of the Easter season and the hope of the Resurrection then comes to the forefront.
If you have holy images in your own home, veil them as a reminder of the hope of the Resurrection that is to come on Easter Sunday!
Resources from: The Catholic Company


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PLEASE HELP THE EAR. IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE IT or TAG IT (not just "Like" it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event. And you might even attract new readers and subscribers to the blog.
By Jacob Stockinger
At 8 p.m. CDT this Friday night, April 30, the music department at Edgewood College will live-stream its FREE online Spring Celebration concert.
Here is the link: music.edgewood.edu
Here is the program:
The Edgewood Chamber Orchestra (below) will perform music by the Austrian composer Johann Nepomuk Hummel, who studied with Mozart and knew Haydn, Beethoven and Schubert (see the Wikipedia bio at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Nepomuk_Hummel; Krzysztof Penderecki, a Polish composer who died a year ago March; and the Argentinean "new tango" composer Astor Piazzolla, whose birth centennial was last month. Soloists include Gwyneth Ferguson on trumpet, and Malia Huntsman on oboe.
The Chamber Singers (below) will offer selections from Broadway musicals and contemporary choral arrangements, including Lord of the Rings by Enya, works from Josh Groban, and the Polish composer Henrik Gorecki.
The Guitar Ensemble will perform Haru no Umi (The Sea in Spring) by the Japanese composer Michio Miyagi (below), and a medley from the 1970s rock group Chicago: 25 or 6 to 4/Saturday in the Park, by Mark Lamm.
The Chamber Winds will perform selections from Crooner's Serenade; Josef Rheinberger's Evening Song (Abendlied, in the YouTube video at the bottom); and an arrangement of John Williams' movie score for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, PLEASE FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR SHARE IT (not just "Like" it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event.
By Jacob Stockinger
TONIGHT, Friday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. in the renovated St. Joseph Chapel at Edgewood College, 1000 Edgewood College Drive, the Concert Band (below in a photo by Ann Boyer) will perform a FREE concert under the direction of Walter Rich.
The program includes Claude T. Smith's Incidental Suite, and Beyond the Horizon by Rossano Galante.
Admission is FREE with a freewill offering to benefit the Luke House Community Meal Program.
On this Sunday afternoon, Oct., 21, the Edgewood College Choirs and Guitar Ensemble also perform at 2:30 p.m. in the St. Joseph Chapel.
Admission is FREE.
The Women's Choir (below top), Chamber Singers (below bottom) and Chorale offer vocal works that celebrate fall.
The choral ensembles are conducted by Sergei Pavlov (below).
The Guitar Ensemble, conducted by Nathan Wysock (below), performs classical and other selections.
Sorry, no word on specific composers or titles of works on the program.


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So far just a few items, but hopefully not too long until I can bring more stuff here.
My own designs is delayed since a few more laces must be produced in China for me.
But I do have the Kryolan make up's I use, so I'm not so far behind.
I hope you like it.


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|09/02/08See invite
|Minneapolis Saint Paul 2008 Host Committee
|Agriculture Breakfast Conference
|Minneapolis Convention Center (1301 2nd Ave S, Minneapolis)
|05/21/09See invite
|Rep. Michael Turner (R, OH-3)
|BBQ Lunch
|Rupli Townhouse (446 New Jersey Ave SE)
|01/27/10See invite
|Rep. Michael Turner (R, OH-3)
|Birthday Lunch
|The Capitol Hill Club (300 First Street SE)
|09/23/10See invite
|Sen. Rob Portman (R, OH)
|The Offices of Davis and Harman (1455 Pennsylvania Ave NW Suite 1200)
|02/09/12See invite
|One Nation PAC
|Kelly S. Eustis, Dan Backer, Esq., Dennis Lennox, Saul Anuzis, R. Clarke Cooper, Colin Hanna, John Knowles, Esq., Brian Osborne
|Scotch & Cigars
|Marriott Wardman Park Hotel (2660 Woodley Road NW)
|07/21/13See invite
|Ohio GOP Delegates
|Robert E Murray
|Murray Energy Fundraiser
|White Palace at Wheeling Park (1801 National Rd., Wheeling)
|10/01/13See invite
|Rep. Steve Chabot (R, OH-1)
|Taste of Cincinnati
|The Townhouse 11 D Street SE (11 D Street SE)
|12/03/13See invite
|Rep. Michael Turner (R, OH-3)
|The Capitol Hill Club (300 First Street SE)


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Archive ref no: NCA-18661
Although the main ideological political and military line has been proved correct, the process of People's War in the past two and half years has given rise to several important new questions. It is necessary to answer them on the basis of the experiences of the People's War. In this regard it is Important to pay serious attention and to be clear on the following points:
1. First of all the development of People's War begs even more theoretical clarity regarding guerrilla zone and base area. We should be clear that the concept of base area is a strategic concept within the protracted People's War. The question of base area is indissolubly linked with protracted People's War. Hence this is a theoretical question. Without a base area, there cannot be any protracted People's War of surrounding the city by the countryside. However guerrilla zone is not related with any strategic or theoretical question of the protracted People's War. Actually guerrilla zone is a tactical and transitional question which arises in the process of building a base area. If guerrilla zone are understood to be as strategically important as base area then it can lead to serious danger of reformism within the military field.
In the International Communist Movement there has been a wrong tendency of assuming guerrilla zone as a strategic and theoretical concept instead of taking it as a tactical and transitional concept. This kind of tendency represents reformism within the military field. In the name of tactics if guerrilla zone is given a protracted form then it will become a strategy. This kind of thinking weakens the role of conscious effort required in building base areas and ignores the necessity of developing guerrilla warfare into mobile and regular positional warfare. In fact such thinking regards guerrilla warfare as "roving rebel guerrillaism" and denies the importance of qualitative leap in the war. That is why this tendency is a reformist thinking in the military field. We must concentrate our attention towards the question of preparing base areas while fighting against such a tendency. It is clear that the process of guerrilla zone is essentially the process of building a base area.
Even though theoretically it was clear, however, such expressions in the past plans as "Preparation of base for guerrilla zone", "Concentrating all efforts to develop guerrilla zone", "Establishing guerrilla zone", have given impression of understanding the question of guerrilla zone in a strategic sense. It is Important to be clear that such expressions were made in the context of immediate tactics and practice. Base area is the only principal strategic question in the protracted People's War.
It will also be a serious mistake to assume that base area will be or should be stable and permanent at once. Comrade Mao has explained different stages of development of base areas in terms of temporary, stable and relatively stable. It is not improbable that once a base area has been established that it can be reverted back into a guerrilla zone or the enemy's territory due to intense suppression by the enemy. In China, many old base areas were lost, recovered and new bases formed and it is by going through this long process that the People's War was victorious.
Along with this it should be clear that not necessarily the base area is or should be built through only one technique throughout the world. Even in China there have been different methods of establishing base areas by either capturing base areas at once by regular red army or through development of guerrilla squads among the masses and by ushering rebellion on the enemy's army units. The question of technique to be applied in a particular place for establishing base areas will depend upon the situation.
In general Com. Mao has given emphasis on having a strong mass base, a strong Party, appropriate terrain for military actions and a people's army for establishing base areas. Even if this is theoretically correct it should not be copied mechanically.
Actually, one of the important questions in differentiating the guerrilla zone and base area is the question relating to the exercise of people's political power. In reality people's political power cannot be maintained in a guerrilla zone. In such places there is a contention for new political power by the guerrillas. Against this, people's political power will be established in the base area and the enemy would be deploying a big force to capture it. From the above analysis one can make a correct opinion about guerrilla zone and base area.
Now it is necessary to discuss whether or not we have arrived at an agenda regarding the question of building base area based on the experience of two and a half years of People's War in Nepal, and what are the concrete conditions regarding building base areas in Nepal. It has already been made clear in the previous analysis of People's War that different levels of development of embryonic people's power have been seen in areas under the three regional commands. Amongst them there is extensive exercise of democratic people's power taking place in the main area of Western region. Such kind of situation has developed because of strong mass base, strong Party, favourable terrain, mass movement throughout the country and elimination of social class enemies by the guerrilla squads and to contain extent defeat of local military strength of the reactionary state. In keeping with the uneven development, main areas of the Central and Eastern regions are also developing systematically towards the same direction.
It is thus clear that the question of building base areas in Nepal has been brought as an agenda after observing the practical situation created by the development of the People's War. However it is not enough to think only this much.
Today, politically the People's War has become established as a parallel force against the reactionary state; however, militarily it is very weak. The present People's War which is forging ahead by giving birth to three types of areas, i.e., main, secondary and propaganda zones, has taken a country-wide form. Taking advantage of deep instability gripping the present reactionary state, the main zone and the overall People's War have been able to get big support from different forms of mass movements and mass mobilisations. Today the enemy is pursuing suppression campaigns throughout the country, while concentrating in the main zones, to nip in the bud of newly formed political power. In future if there is bigger repression than the present one, is there any possibility of building or maintaining base area in Nepal or not? If it is, then on what basic condition is it possible? We should be clear in this regard. Not only in the general theoretical sense but also through the practical experience of the People's War it has shown that it is possible to have base areas in different parts of the country. However this is possible only after fulfilling following conditions in the context of Nepal:
(a) The Party should continuously provide centralised leadership based on a correct policy in a bold manner.
(b) The guerrilla activities must be pursued uninterrupted throughout the country.
(c) Guerrilla zone must be developed around the main zone.
(d) The process of building a strong people's army must be intensified.
(e) Various forms of mass movements must be continuously developed at central and local level.
(f) Constant efforts must be made to create public opinion in favour of People's War in India as well as around the world.
In the process of fulfilling the above principal conditions that base areas in Nepal can take birth, develop and be sustained. Henceforth the Party must pay attention and concentrate its force towards this direction.
2. Based on above analysis related to the base area and guerrilla zone it is necessary to redefine the sub- stages of development of People's War as undertaken by our Party's Third historic extended meeting. These four sub-stages. including final preparation, initiation and continuation, guerrilla zone and base area, have been discussed. From the point of view of theory and policy there is no mistake in the categorization of these sub-stages. However there is scope for confusion, when seen in the light of development and experiences of People's War, that the placing of guerrilla zone and base area in the same level of sub-stages may mean that both zones have equal importance in terms of strategy and theory. This we have clarified above. The four sub-stages mentioned then were based with the aim of solving the practical problem of our development; hence it will be wrong to understand this mechanically.
Today the development of People's War has shown that it has reached the great stage of building base areas. The ensuing plan would be mainly the plan of building base areas. From the point of view of strategic stages this plan will also fall within the plan of strategic defense. We should be very clear about this.
This means we are entering the fourth sub-stage of "base area" and making a plan under it, after passing through "initiation" and simultaneously crossing over the second and third sub-stage of "continuation of initiation" and "guerrilla zone''. While the last Central Committee meeting had designated the Third Plan as the transitional Plan of entering into the third sub-stage from the second sub-stage, it was in fact the Plan of transition from the third to the fourth sub-stage. The reason why we were not able to define this way last time was because we lacked clarity in understanding guerrilla zone and base area.
This analysis will help in qualitatively developing the Party, the united front and the army, keeping in view of preparing base areas. This doesn't mean that there is no necessity for guerrilla zone. The conversion of main zone into base area cannot take place without converting secondary zone into guerrilla zone and without developing guerrilla actions and people's movement throughout the country in a planned way. The matter of fact today is that only by putting the preparation of building base areas in the front can we take necessary initiative to raise People's War to a new height. It can give new impetus to the process of revolutionary transformation of all spheres encompassing ideology, organisation and struggle. This new process of building base areas is going to be a long process involving many plans and campaigns.
3. It has become clear that our main problem today is the problem of development of people's military capability. The experience of People's War and the current campaign of reactionary military operation has pointedly shown that people without military power will have nothing for their own. Now it has become all the more clear that it is only on the basis of military power that the initiative of the people can be increased in future. That is why it has become necessary for the Party to concentrate principal attention on the question of building the army.
In this regard the Party should first of all pay attention to the structure of military organisation. In the past there has been attempts to build military organisation in the form of guerrilla squad, local defense squad and volunteer squad. Based on new demands of development it has now become imperative to have qualitative improvement in this structure. For this it has become necessary to develop people's military power in the form of three categories of main force, secondary force and basic force. The main force will be built of regular guerrillas and that force will be directly under the Regional Bureau. For the time being this force should be maintained at the platoon level keeping the aim of raising it to company level under all the three regional commands. It should be mandatory to have a member of the Regional Bureau as commissar of these platoons. For now, depending upon the mass base, technical capability, geographic area and favourable condition, one more platoon can be made.
By the secondary force, it should be understood as regular guerrilla squads currently functioning under the District Party or to be developed accordingly. This kind of secondary force organisation will also gradually develop ahead through platoon and onwards. Depending upon the level of development of the particular districts, formation of platoon level may be built in a flexible manner. Even then they will remain as supporting force under the leadership of the District Party.
When we say basic force we mean people's militia organised so far in the form of local defense squads. From now on these squads shall be developed as people's militia. The main force should be given priority in terms of weapons, training and technology so as to make it adequately powerful. Every effort should be made so that main force assists secondary and basic force. While for the time being preference will be given to type of actions, guerrilla, the main force will also be practicing mobile warfare. The main zone would be the main area of action for the main force as it is directly related to the requirements of building base areas. But depending upon the needs of the situation this force can be used in any action in any part of the Region. We should be clear that building up of such a force will play a qualitative role in actions against the enemy, in ending localism and guerrillaism, and building the people's army. Hence all Regions, Districts and the over all Party should take special initiative and help in developing this kind of main force.
Among the three forms of forces mentioned above, the main and the secondary force will constitute as part of regular army, where as the basic force will be a militia connected with the daily production work. Depending upon the state of the war and its requirements, different type of coordination between all the three forces must be maintained. Such coordination will be made for any work like propaganda, organisation, production, attack, defense, etc.
Volunteer squads can be constituted for mass actions as according to requirements. However, they are not going to be any permanent type of military formation. Hence it is not necessary to talk about them in terms of permanent formations.
In propaganda zones, particularly within the Vally Region, one or more guerrilla squads must be formed. Right now there will not be any formation at the level of platoon. The existing squads active in those zones will constitute the main force there. Similarly the squads working under the leadership of the District Party would be the secondary force and the defense squads will be the basic force. Even among the emigrants, military formations should be built depending upon the specific situation and a mechanism should be developed so that they can be sent for military actions inside the country.
The above concept relating to main force, secondary force and basic force represents an important leap in the development of the military strength. Only by successfully implementing it ideologically and strategically that we will be able to guarantee the defense and development of the People's War.
4. It has been clarified above that the question of building and operating the democratic people's power is another important question brought about by the experience of two and a half years of People's War. Right now various embryonic forms of local people's power at various level of development are seen to be sprouting in different localities under all the three regional commands. The enemy is exercising extreme fascism to eliminate these embryos of the new state.
Looking at the overall situation two important questions have been raised before the Party regarding the people's power and the revolutionary united front. The first question is related to the defense and consolidation of the local people's power and the second question is how to express in terms of political power and the united front the force of the People's War that is facing centrally the central power of the enemy in the specific situation of Nepal.
If seen in depth it is clear that in Nepal these two questions are closely inter-related with each other. If centrally one is not able to face against the enemy's state by taking appropriate measures of propaganda, organisation and struggle in a relentless manner then it will be nearly impossible to maintain local people's power and similarly, without the foundation of local people's power the central initiative cannot take a revolutionary course. These things have been made clear by the past experiences.
For defending and consolidating local people's power it is important to give serious considerations to the following points:
First Point: Without defeating enemy's military offense through the development of appropriately powerful military force, neither local people's power can be protected nor can it be consolidated. Hence, the first condition for defending local people's power and its consolidation is the development of people's military power.
Second Point: It is important to make sure that different classes, nationalities and sections of people, who are anti-feudal and anti-imperialist, should be encouraged to participate in the new state power through a democratic process. In this regard, everybody should not be coerced to be Maoists. Instead, a serious and responsible initiative should be under taken to involve various political and social organisations, which are against feudal, bureaucratic and comprador bourgeoisie classes in the new state.
Third Point: The process of building a new state should be based on complete democratic system and it should be made clear that, if need be, the people should have right to call back their elected representatives. Here the main point to be noted is to guarantee people's participation in the process of total control. decision-making and running of the new state.
Fourth Point: Attempt should be made to develop the structure of local people's power along Village, area and entire Base Area level, and while doing so the principle of democratic centralism should be followed.
Fifth Point: In areas where people's power is being run or is going to be run the entire masses must be organised under one or the other form of organisation. It is important to take seriously the saying that organised mass is the only "iron fort".
Sixth Point: New state power should make efforts in fulfilling people's daily needs of economic, social and cultural life and to bring continuous improvement in them. And so on.
Because of the economic, political and geographic specificity of Nepal it is not possible to retain such local people's power and base areas, to co-ordinate them, to resist against the enemy's central state and to mobilise support of people all over the country, without a central level initiative. If centrally one is unable to resist the reactionary state by developing people's broad revolutionary united front and if one doesn't play direct role in co-ordinating, assisting the local people's power, then there is clear danger of the local people's power being reduced into a weak and helpless lot.
Today the People's War is no more a local subject. For both the people and the enemy People's War has become a central subject. The enemy is making all efforts from the central level to eliminate the People's War. Not only this, the imperialists and expansionists are also openly coming forward to eliminate it, as Nepal's People's War is not only playing a national but also an international role. Along with this, the revolutionary masses at international level are also coming forward to support the People's War. The enemy has put forward the slogan of the so-called national consensus in order to defend it's reactionary state against the People's War. It has resorted to a strategy of eliminating the People's War through vicious suppression and to isolate it by declaring People's War as enemy of democratic election and by making all the reactionary, reformist and opportunist political groups participate in the coming parliamentary election. Judging from all these conditions it becomes clear why the Party has to take concrete initiations centrally against the enemy's similar strategies.
From this point of view special efforts should be made to organise the central revolutionary united front in the form of the Central Organising Committee of the People's Republic of Nepal and in the same capacity to organise and mobilize for agitation various left, progressive, patriotic and democratic forces of the country against the conspiracy of the reactionary state. Such a central formation will principally work as a means of struggle for the time being and will work secondarily as a means of power. It will primarily emphasize on co-ordinating, refining, defending and developing the local people's power. It will represent the unity of anti- feudal and anti-imperialist masses of the people against the conspiracy at national consensus of the reactionary state. It will propagate the question of new state or old state in the form of a national debate and it will take initiative to continuously bring forward the revolutionary mass movements as an integral part of the People's War. At the same time it will put forward the economic, political and cultural policies of the new state in concrete form while exposing the anti-national and anti-democratic character of the revolutionary state.
5. With the clarity about the main questions mentioned above, a new chain of new improvements and actions in all aspects of organisation including the Party, the Front, the army, the mass front, the forum and departments will be unfolded. It will be discussed concretely in the future Plan.
(Extract from the resolution adopted at the Fourth Expanded Meeting of the Central Committee of the Party, in August 1998.)
The building up of an armed force is the key to establishing a base area: if there is no armed force or if the armed force is weak, nothing can be done. This constitutes the first condition. The second indispensable condition for establishing a base area is that the armed forces should be used in co-ordination with the people to defeat the enemy. The third indispensable condition for establishing a base is the use of all our strength, including our armed forces, to arouse the masses for struggle against Japan.
- Mao Tse-tung ("Problems of Strategy in Guerrilla War against Japan")
Whether originating in the desire for an easy life or in overestimating of the enemy's strength, conservatism can only bring losses on the War of Resistance and is harmful to guerrilla warfare and to base areas themselves.
- Mao Tse-tung ("Problems of Strategy in Guerrilla War against Japan")
The longer the scale of the guerrilla fighting the more important the position of the base areas, and the greater the threat to the enemy's strategic centers and vital communication lines, the fiercer will be the enemy's attacks. Therefore, the fiercer the enemy's attacks on a guerrilla area, the greater the indication that the guerrilla warfare there is successful and is being effectively co- ordinated with the regular fighting.
- Mao Tse-tung ("Problems of Strategy in Guerrilla War against Japan")
History knows many peasant wars of the 'roving rebel' type, but none of them ever succeeded.
- Mao Tse-tung ( "Problems of Strategy in GuerrilIa War against Japan" )


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Wang Jianlin, chairman of China's Wanda group, took a couple of potshots Sunday at the soon-to-open Shanghai Disneyland.
He said that the $5.5 billion Shanghai Disney Resort, which opens for business on June 16, will struggle to become profitable in China. He criticized the characters at the park and warned about Shanghai's poor weather.
Wang, who is one of China's top two richest businessmen, made the remarks in an hour long televised interview on state-owned China Central Television.
He suggested that SDR's costs were higher than those of Wanda and represented a "serious challenge" to the park's profitability. Those costs he said forced SDR to make its entry prices higher than Wanda's own location based entertainment facilities.
Wanda last week announced that it had broken ground on its 11th major theme park in China, near Guilin. That park is to cost $2.5 billion and open in 2020.
"On top of this China already has Wanda – they really ought not to have come to China at all," said Wang. Wanda has a range of entertainment properties that stretch from China's largest private sector cinema chain through to the recently acquired Hollywood producer Legendary Entertainment. It has spent billions buying overseas assets including the Infront sports marketing company, a 20% stake in Atletico Madrid and cinema chains Hoyts in Australia and AMC in North America.
A spokesman for Disney told Variety that Wang's comments "were not worthy of response."
SDR is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and Shanghai Shendi Group comprised of two owner companies (Shanghai International Theme Park Company Limited and Shanghai International Theme Park Associated Facilities Company Limited) and a management company (Shanghai International Theme Park and Resort Management Company Limited). Shanghai Shendi Group holds 57% of the shares and Disney holds the remaining 43% of shares of the owner companies. Disney has a 70% stake and Shanghai Shendi Group has a 30% stake in the joint venture management company.


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Indian Peacock, a brand that is going places with their handloom shirts just completed 100 days. We congratulate them for their immense success. With the launch of a new collection and great plans in the pipe-line, the founders of Indian Peacock Saideep Reddy Borra and Rahul Tamada, aim to empower weavers and get the men's fashion industry to re-think handlooms. When we asked the founders the story behind the brand, the hurdles they have faced and their future plans, this is what they had to say.
"Personally, an ardent fan of handlooms, I used to spend a lot on handloom clothing. The simple, classy ones were always very expensive. Our major goal was to make handlooms more affordable so that these beautiful fabrics become more accessible to men in India. We took a trip down to various cities that have a rich handloom heritage and picked a lot of swatches from all over the country. While we loved a lot of other handlooms too, we chose Ikat as our first stop, not just because the prints are subtle and simple but majorly because the quality of the fabric screamed comfort. Today, I am sure our success mostly lies in the comfort in our shirts. We aim for Indian Peacock to be a go-to brand for all those men who love stylish shirts" says Saideep Reddy Borra [Co-Founder Indian Peacock]
"I think with handlooms; your biggest challenge is the color bleed and shrinkage. We were able to reduce that to a great extent by pre-washing all our fabrics. We did have few issues in the start, but all is well that ends well! Another major issue with handlooms is the time and effort that it takes to weave one fabric and hence, we can't be a fast fashion brand. But we do have some really good plans for the future. We are currently brain-storming on the next designs and we should be having our new collection up in January to kick start the New Year." says Surya Rahul Tamada [Co-Founder Indian Peacock]
The entire team at Wirally too are fans of their shirts and we really can't wait for January! If you still haven't checked them out, do visit their website www.indianpeacock.com and their social media handles fb/theindianpeacock and insta/theindianpeacock


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Post a photo of yourself to share what #motherslove means to use for your chance to win gift cards and more to enter the Alex and Ani Mother's Day Sweepstakes.
Want to see sweepstakes faster? This sweepstakes was listed on Sweeties Secret Sweeps 6 days ago.
Sweepstakes Rating: Okay
Eligibility: US, DC, 18 and older
Entry Dates: April 4, 2016 and end on May 1, 2016 at 11:59 PM ET
Random Drawing: on or about May 3, 2016
Website Entry Form | Official Rules
Take a photo of yourself illustrating what mother's love means to you; include hashtag #motherslove and tag @alexandani and share on @alexandani Instagram, @alexandani Facebook, @alexandani Twitter, or website (link above)
Entry Limit: entry limit unknown
One (1) Grand Prize: Alex and Ani $250 e-gift card; Exclusive ALEX AND ANI bangle set. ARV: $328.00
Five (5) Second Prizes: Alex and Ani $100 e-gift Card


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Sleek design and easy-grip silicone handles bring style and convenience to Cuisinart's quality nonstick bakeware. Contoured for standard oven mitts, two side grips on each piece of bakeware make removing delicious sweets and homemade breads from the oven safe and easy. Professional-branded premium nonstick interior and exterior ensure easy food release and effortless cleanup. The full line is constructed of heavy-gauge steel to provide even heat distribution and consistent baking results. Bake with confidence, with Cuisinart Easy Grip Non-Stick Bakeware.
- Silicone Easy Grip Handles
- Heavy Gauge Steel Construction for Even Heating
- Non-Stick Interior and Exterior for Easy Release and Cleanup
- Thick Rolled Edges Prevent Warping
- Dishwasher Safe
- Limited lifetime warranty
- UPC Code: 068459092137
- Unit LxWxH: 11.80" x 17.50" x 1.00"
- Unit Weight: 2.80 lb
- Warranty: Limited lifetime warranty
Rum Chocolate Balls
Recipe submitted by: Linda Mosley
Servings: 36 Balls
- ½ Cup Butter (salted)
- ½ Cup Icing Sugar
- ¾ Cup Chocolate Chips
- 2 Eggs
- Pinch of salt
- 2 Tablespoons Spiced Rum (optional)
- 1 ¾ Cups Vanilla Wafers, Crushed
- 2 Cups Chocolate Sprinkles
- Bring 1-2 inches of water to a simmer in your saucepan.
- Insert a heatproof bowl within the saucepan, place the chocolate chips in the bowl and stir occasionally as it softens.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and combine the butter, icing sugar, salt, crushed vanilla wafers and two eggs.
- Once the mixture is fully combined, stir in the Spiced Rum (optional).
- Chill for about 15 minutes, until firm enough to roll.
- Roll into balls, cover with chocolate sprinkles and place into baking sheet.
- Refrigerate until firm.
Roasted Buttercup Squash with Wild Rice Pilaf
Servings: 8
- 2 Carnival, Butternut or Acorn Squash
- 1 cup (250ml) Carrots – peeled and fine dice
- 1 cup (250ml) Celery Stalks – peeled and fine dice
- 1 cup (250ml) Yellow Onion – peeled and fine dice
- 1 cup (250ml) Cremini Mushrooms – brushed clean and sliced
- 200g Strip Bacon – sliced 3-5mm
- 1 cup (250ml) Jasmine Rice
- 1 cup (250ml) Brown Rice
- 1/2 cup (125ml) Wild Rice
- 6 cups (1500ml) Chicken Stock
- 1 tbsp. (15ml) Fresh Thyme – leaves stripped
- 1 Bouquet Garni
- Flaked Sea Salt to taste
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper to taste
Preheat oven 350°F, rinse squash, slice off ¼ top, seed and clean core
Sauté bacon in a medium Cuisinart Stainless Steel Fry Pan until crispy
Combine carrot, celery, onion, mushroom, thyme sauté until golden brown
Combine rice, stock and bouquet garni in Cuisinart Stainless Steel Saucepan
Cover Saucepan, bake in oven for 45-60 minutes or until fully cooked


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Protecting chocolate panned goods with a glaze
A chocolate-coated candy has a dull surface right after the chocolate coating phase. Panned chocolate goods must show a glossy surface. A specific glaze is chosen and applied under controlled conditions.
Core products
The core is a panned chocolate sweet.
Ingredients for glazing differ in types and purposes:
- Water-based, sugar and hydrocolloid concentrated solutions: the purpose is to 'seal' the surface to prevent fat migration, harden the surface, offer a smooth surface to the final glazing application
- Alcohol-based solution of resins, essentially shellac resin: the purpose is to 'finish' the surface to prevent water migration from the outside to the chocolate layer, thus avoid sticking, reduce the friction, definitely enhance the gloss
Combination of both above solutions may exist in one form, for some product or for convenience; an alternative to alcohol exists as well. But these options do not yet achieve the same level of shine.
How does it work?
The operation consists in pourring a minute amount of the glaze, disperse it and remove the solvent. It occurs in a rotary pan. The pan has to be thoroughly cleaned prior to glazing. Traces of fresh chocolate tends to prevent a proper glazing, just as does any trace of dust, sugar, etc. The pan needs to be dedicated to this operation. Conversely, traces of glazed chocolate does not hinder glazing.
Pouring of the chocolate items
Dribbling of the ingredient
Dispersion by rotation and friction
Setting by drying
Coating system
The pan is identical to the chocolate coating pan. It has baffles to enhance the rotation and tumbling
Coating system
Rotating coating pan
How do you measure your success?
Key quality features
Chocolate glazing is a rather simple operation with great benefits:
Surface aspect
The surface must be even and void of dull parts
Product integrity
No traces of chocolate should smear the items by shear or melting
The glazed aspect remains intact until the consumption
Key quality parameters
There are specific factors to control
The ingredient is chosen depending on the chocolate item and production contraints. The dosage is precise to avoid discrepancies in processing or on the product
The pan shape and baffle design handle the product without damages
Air moisture and temperature affect the result


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Dear readers,
It is February 7th: seven more days until Valentine's day; and I'm feeling a tremendous social pressure to write about it. For the past hour or so I've been sat in bed, with my laptop on my lap, sipping on my green tea (as I usually do), looking outside the window for some sort of eureka moment of inspiration as to what my Valentine's post should feature. As I am sure you can imagine, I was faced with a seemingly unsolvable dilemma I kept replaying over and over in my head: What can I write about Valentine's day that hasn't already been discussed extensively? As is predictable, there are already
many innumerable posts on 'what to wear for a Valentine's Day date' or 'ideal make-up for a date'. Instinctively, I wanted to think outside the box and write something that interests me and is still relevant and captivating to my readers looking for some last minute Valentine's Day tips (could I be asking for too much?!). Just as I was about to give up, I felt the sweet fragrance of the peonies placed by my windowsill invade the room; a scent which was subconsciously accompanied by my cherished memories of warm summer days… And just like that, I instantly knew what my topic would be.
Every step I have taken in life has been associated to different exquisite perfumes! Given that our mind is a beautiful construct that at a subconscious level creates associations between people and fragrances, I believe that perfume is the key to our memories and speaks the loudest on a subliminal level. It is not by chance that the iconic Christian Dior once stated that a woman's perfume tells more about her than her handwriting. This quote is a reminder that the perfumes we choose to help personify and embody ourselves can be a strong indicative of the image we want to portray. In simpler terms: People's first impression of us is established by the the way we present ourselves and to an extent by the environment we are in. Accordingly, a carefully selected perfume can be a powerful tool to help shape that first impression.
Bearing this in mind, if you are going on a first date with that cute guy you met at that coffee shop and really want to be memorable; or if you are going on a special Valentine's Day date and want to make it distinctive and unforgettable…then keep reading because this is for you.
1. The Classics
You can never go wrong with these classics (there's a reason they've been around for so long!!).
Joy (Jean Patou, 1930) – French couturier Jean Patou had it especially created to send as a gift to his wealthy American clients, many of whom lost their fortunes in the stock-market crash (1929) and could no longer afford haute couture. It takes 10,000 jasmine flowers and 28 dozen roses to produce one fluid ounce of Joy. For many years, it was promoted as being the most expensive perfume in the world, and its not surprising that it is the second best-selling perfume of all times! This perfume is ideal for you if you like intense luscious scents with floral compositions.
Shalimar (Guerlain, 1925) – If you ever wondered what temptation and allurement smelled like, well Guerlain created it. Shalimar was inspired by the devotion of an Indian mogul for his wife and the Shalimar Gardens where they met. It is the first perfume to contain the creamy-sweet vanilla note, and it remains the benchmark for sensual oriental fragrances to this day. This fragrance is perfect for you if you enjoy smelling luxurious and mysterious.
No. 5 (Chanel, 1921) – Five was Chanel's lucky number. She always showed her summer collection on May 5, the fifth day of the fifth month. Described as smelling like a flower garden in the abstract, Chanel No 5 is probably the best-known perfume in the world, and it is no surprise that its the best selling perfume of all times (it also helps that Marilyn Monroe was reported saying that the only thing she wore in bed was a few drops of No 5)! The top notes are composed of aldehydes, bergamot, lemon, and ylang-ylang – a perfect combination for you if you love a strong seductive perfume.
Miss Dior (Christian Dior, 1947) – Mossy and woody with green notes, Miss Dior is a couture perfume in every sense of the word, right down to the bottle, a stylised interpretation of a tailored suit with square shoulders. The fragrance is described as seductive, elegant, sensual and intoxicating nocturnal fragrance, suitable for special rendezvous. It states its femininity with oriental – chypre character and prominent and opulent floral notes; perfect if you love smelling sophisticated. (Alternatively, why not try the newer perfume inspired by this classic, which also happens to be my favourite perfume: Miss Dior Cherie)
2. Glamour and Sophistication
J'adore (Christian Dior, 1999) – J'adore presents a new conception of Dior feminity, a scent so new, modern, glamourous, and so in line with Dior style at the same time – sweet but balmy, slightly sharp floral with fresh mandarin in the top; jasmine, plum, orchid and rose in the heart. Perfect to bring out the sophistication in you.
La Petite Robe Noire (Guerlain, 2009) – Inspired by the elegance and eternity of a little black dress, the perfume exudes Parisian chic and gracefulness. It opens with playful and sparkling aromas of black cherry, bergamot, red berries and almond. Bulgarian and Turkish roses rule the heart, further developing with notes of licorice and smoked black tea. Perfect for a Parisian inspired date!
Dahlia Divin (Givenchy, 2014) – Dahlia Divin's composition is centered around a Sambac jasmine note on a woody-chypre base. Mirabelle plum is at the opening, leading way to the heart of Sambac jasmine and white flowers. The base is woody, made of sandalwood, vetiver and patchouli. This perfume is ideal if you are wanting to portray a luxurious, glamorous, and sensuous image.
In Love Again (Yves Saint Laurent, 2011) – This perfume (inspired by In Love Again, 1999) has a floral, fruity fragrance, with top notes are mandarin orange and black currant; middle notes are grapes, rose and peony; base notes are musk and blackberry. As the name suggests, it is perfectly suited to use in Valentine's day!
3. Irresistibly Mysterious:
Idylle (Guerlain, 2009) – This is what the creator, Thierry Wasser, had to say (and I completely agree!!): (…)And so the fragrance was born: a shower of flowers, of petals, of subtle yet incisive freshness, balanced by sensuality. A nectar of flowers, an ode to life and love, in the warm light of radiant jasmine and the darker warmth of chypre, to express an ambiguity of feeling, and musk, like the scent of cashmere on the skin, a comfortable, intimate, physical sensation. In this combination of the personal, sensual, emotional facet of chypre, and the physical aspect of musk, and the declaration of love with the bouquet of flowers, the inexpressible idea was expressed, tender and ethereal, sensuous and romantic, fleeting and eternal." – Do I need to say anything else?!
Very Irresistible (Givenchy, 2003) – irresistible, modern, floral fragrance. This incredibly feminine fragrance was created of five variances of roses. The opening note of anise, delicately-fresh, brings in an original modern nuance in the classical floral harmony. The sharp and piercing beauty of rose has become milder, even warm and comfortable. As the name suggests, it is perfect to exude irresistible sensuality.
Dior Addict: Eau Sensuelle (Christian Dior, 2012) – Stay in touch with your sensually elegant side with this fragrance that will help you subtly seduce . This delicate floral composition blends rose top notes with a jasmine heart for a scent that's unforgettable. Sweep him off his feet with this daytime scent that lingers for hours on the skin and leaves a touch of fragrance in the air as you exit a room!
Jasmin Noir (Bvulgari, 2008) – This woody/floral scent for her, was created for a woman who expects and deserves the best. The composition opens with green plants juice with gardenia flowers. The heart encompasses Sambac jasmine absolute mixed with sateen almond aromas, while the base introduces dark notes of precious wood, with liquorice absolute and accords of Tonka. A great perfume to exude your mysterious, determined persona.
4. Passionate Provocateur:
Diamonds: Black Carat (Emporio Armani, 2011) – A delightfully exotic oriental fragrance which clings to your skin, leaving you feeling femininely sweet and alluringly provocative. It opens with a floral top note of freesia with a heart of decadent rose that fades into a base of vanilla and benzoin as it dries. Use this perfume on that date to feel powerfully seductive.
La Panthere (Cartier, 2014) – This perfume draws inspiration from the heritage of the house: panther as a symbol of the brand and Panthère perfume from 1986. La Panthère was also the nickname of Cartier's lover and muse Jeanne Toussaint. The new perfume is a symbol of freedom; it represents a woman who is independent, graceful and rebellious. The fragrance is sensual and bold floral – chypre. Its central notes are of gardenia and animalistic musk. The top of the composition exudes greenish – fruity mixture in the form of molecule styrallyl acetates, containing nuances of rhubarb, strawberries, dried fruit, apple and apricot. The heart is dominated by gardenia, selected as the main flower to avoid excessive oriental character and also as not so common ingredient amongst modern perfumes.
I Loewe Me ( Loewe, 2007) – This perfume based on fruity accords in top notes, opulent floral-fruity-spicy heart and deep, sensual base notes. It has luminous and optimistic notes of mandarin and sweet, fruity notes of strawberry and pear. A heart abounds in floral shades of magnolia, skilfully balanced with pink pepper. The passionate heart is accompanied with a sensual trail of musk, sandalwood, warm and soft vanilla and sweet, passionate raspberry trail.
Black Opium (Yves Saint Laurent, 2014) – This new fragrance was announced as a rock'n'roll interpretation of the classic that should highlight the dark, mysterious side of the YSL brand. Notes of coffee, present in large quantities, dominate the scent. Additional accords are pink pepper, orange blossom, jasmine, vanilla, patchouli and cedar. Perfect to feel confident and provocative for that date!
5. Modern Sensuous Temptation:
Karl Lagerfeld for Her (Karl Lagerfeld, 2014) – Enhance your classic style and sweet sensibilities with this gentle and sensual fragrance for women .This feminine scent is the perfect way to brighten your day. Top notes of rose swirl gently in the air, interspersed with hints of peach and lemon. Rich and fragrant, the scent closes with notes of frangipani and magnolia for a result that turns heads wherever you go.
Euphoria (Calvin Klein, 2005) – The fragrance is luminous and luscious like fruits notes of which are captured in it. This perfume is mysterious and appealing like dark exotic flowers. It invites you to enjoy in joys of life. The main notes are rose hip, Japanese apple, green leaves, Lotus, black orchid, red woods, black violet and amber. Perfect for that special date!
Acqua di Gioia (Giorgio Armani, 2010) – Seductive sea aromas in the new fragrance are put into first plan and used as creators' inspiration. Composition of the perfume is compared with woman who is "strong, dignified and free spirit but in perfect harmony with nature". The fragrance was lead by the idea of escape into nature, a heavenly place of real holiday where we restore the energy necessary to body and soul, and where we create natural balance. The structure of the composition pushes the limits from fresh citruses to a floral heart which encompasses aquatic jasmine, dewy peony and pink pepper, while a base closes with cedar, yellow sugar and labdanum.
COCO Madmoiselle (Chanel, 2001) – The composition of this perfume is focused on two characteristic ingredients of Chanel editions – jasmine absolute and May rose absolute. Delicate flowers are enhanced and enriched with a touch of Florentine iris. Top notes incorporate Sicilian oranges, Calabrian bergamot and Sicilian grapefruit. A floral heart is created of pure rose extract and pure jasmine extract, along with a fruity touch of litchi, while its base notes carry a combination of Indonesian patchouli, Haitian vetiver, Bourbon vanilla ad white musk. This fragrance is dedicated to courageous, brave and modern women who prefer luxury and elegance (and are ready to seduce their Valentine's date!)
I hope you found this guide I compiled helpful and that your date goes as well as you smell! (yes, The Girl In A Cocktail Dress creates rhymes..). As a tip, why don't you combine your perfume with the same body lotion for extra long-lasting scent? Alternatively, carry a small vial of your perfume on your purse for emergencies! Let me know in the comments section if I missed out your favourite perfume or if you want any advice on a specific perfume! As always, I leave you with a quote:
"He had preserved the best part of her and made it his own: the principle of her scent." – Patrick Suskind
Mimi ♡


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Bellefonte Area students experience Ecuadorian ecosystems
How would you like to snorkel in Tortuga Bay? Or go whitewater rafting on a river in the Amazon Rainforst? What about relaxing in a hot spring heated by volcanic heat in the Andes? Bellefonte Area students and teacher-chaperones got the chance to experience some of those actives during a school trip in July to Ecuador. Bellefonte Area High School biology teacher Chris Freidhoff accompanied students on a Ecosystems of Ecuador trip spending 11 days traveling across Educator with two other groups from Illinois and New Mexico. Students had the chance to go whitewater rafting, relax in a hot spring, stand directly on the equator, eat different food and visit Cotopaxi Mountain. On the Galapagos Islands, others got to snorkel, visit the Charles Darwin Research Center and observe the Giant Galapagos Tortoises alongside other unique species to the islands. Teacher Kevin Harman said the science department-sponsored trip to the South American country also allowed students to study the ecosystems of Ecuador and study habitats of the rainforest, plains and other areas of Ecuador, including that on the Galapagos Islands. Throughout the year, students were also involved in fundraising efforts to help raise money for the Charles Darwin Foundation. Harman said $350 was raised for the research-based organization that focuses on conservation efforts.


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The Elizabethton Band was in the spotlight on Saturday at Neyland Stadium.
The 'Betsy Band, along with Oak Ridge's band, performed with the University of Tennessee's Pride of the Southland Band during halftime of the Vols' 17-13 win over UMass.
In addition to the halftime performance, Elizabethton's band performed during the third quarter as they took in game action.
Check out our full photo gallery below and check back for more game coverage.
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id="455″ gal_title="09-23-17: EHS Band at UT"]


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My Day 6 poem is my response to the NaPoWriMo.net prompt, which is to use a short line from a favorite book as the title of a poem, write a poem based on that title, and then replace the title with something completely different. I started out with a line from the 2006 translation of Meditations, by Marcus Aurelius:
'…there are two reasons why you should be content with your experience.'
The last time we met,
we went to Disneyland.
I don't remember much
except that it was evening,
we took a couple of photos,
and I think neither one of us
left satisfied.
The summer we first met,
we discovered we had a mutual love
of Karla Bonoff.
You asked me to sing
one of her songs,
but I was shy.
I shouldn't have worn flip-flops
the day we went to Himeji Castle.
The time we went to see
It Couldn't Happen Here
at New Year's
was the last time I went to a theater
where you could sit down
during the middle of a movie
and then stay long enough
to sit through the first part of the next showing
and leave when it got to where you came in.
This episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation
is a clip show.
I haven't been watching long,
but I know a clip show
when I see one.
At the very least,
that was way too much
to fit into a single episode,
especially with the plot
jumping around like that.
(5 April 2021 – posted April 6th)
Wishes sometimes have consequences is available to order from your favorite local bookstore.
IndieBound search: https://www.indiebound.org/search/book?keys=wishes+sometimes+have+consequences
If they can't get it for you, you can always find it on Amazon:
Hardcover: https://smile.amazon.com/Wishes-Sometimes-Consequences-Kevin-OConner/dp/0998878154/
Paperback: https://smile.amazon.com/Wishes-Sometimes-Consequences-Kevin-OConner/dp/0998878162/
Information about my other books can be found here.