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It can be tough trying to balance the functions of a successful business whilst also keeping your workplace a happy place to work in. Of course, the main purpose of a business is to make sure that you achieve sales but you can forget that your employees are the ones behind that success and they should enjoy what they do to continue it. It can also encourage others to work for you too which is beneficial when you're looking to grow your business. A happy business is a business that thrives and over time you'll come to realise that the steps you've taken will be a valuable investment in the long run.
Hire the right people
The hiring process for any business is an important step in their road to success. If you wish to create a happy environment, hire happy personalities that will contribute positively to your business environment. Of course, it's not all about their personality as achieving goals and targets should be just as important but hiring good personalities can also be beneficial to the overall performance of a team. Look at traits like their character. Do they look for positives in a negative situation? Do they smile often? Do they nurture relationships with other people? There are many elements to consider when hiring a good employee.
Care For Your Employees
One of the most common reasons why an employee chooses to leave a business is because they don't feel valued enough. They just feel …


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Bring a favorite dish from home or store to please the palate and bless the body.
To follow by email:
Enter your email address in the column on the right.
Book mark www.cslsrmanspirit.blogspot.com and visit regularly.
For more information, contact a Core Team member. (list is in column to the right)

subset: commoncrawl


text: I've always loved helping people — it's a passion of mine. When I began a transition in my life to lose weight, build muscle, eat healthier, and become a better me, people would ask what changes I was making and how I could help them. It was then when I realized this was my calling. In my journey so far, in the 5 years I've been training, I've helped people lose weight and keep it off, put on muscle, lower their insulin resistance, strengthen their abdominal area so surgery was avoided, helped with nutrition and meal plans, and guided clients towards an overall happier and healthier lifestyle. I'm constantly reading and learning ways to increase my knowledge in the ever-evolving fitness world. They say when you do what you love you never work a day in your life. It's true. I love this. And I believe no goal is unachievable. I will get you to where you need to be, with lasting results.


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Not great reasons: Most of the links on this now-infamous meme have been taken down by UKIP members, anxious to hide the embarrassing facts they revealed. The vote in favour of marital rape is not so easily removed as it is recorded on the European Parliament's official website.
Everybody loves a good political debate in the letter page of the local paper, right? Everybody but UKIP, it seems.
In the recent European Parliament election, the party of right-wing anti-Europeanism won more votes than anyone else here in Powys. Dismayed, Yr Obdt Srvt wrote to the papers to ask whether those who had supported UKIP were aware of the facts surrounding their chosen representatives.
"Policies put forward by UKIP or by high-level members of UKIP include raising income tax to a flat rate of 31 per cent for everyone (a rise of 11 per cent for the poorest; a cut of…
View original post 628 more words


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Another week, another bizarre turntable for your vinyl(s)!
New turntable device 'LOVE' attempts to (ahem) "redefine and simplify the way music lovers interact with vinyl through smartphone control". Watch this short clip and see if you agree. This is what the NME had to say…. A new "intelligent turntable" that allows users to play vinyl from their smartphone is in […read more…]


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Sunday, October 10, 2010
celebration of bigots in the New York Times
This is a very long and largely celebratory piece about a self-described anti-Islam bigot. But what attracted my attention is the suggestion in the piece that the website Little Green Footballs (a known hateful site) is a rather moderate site that abhors bigotry when it broke with this woman for personal reasons.
Posted by As'ad AbuKhalil at 9:21 AM


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Serves as a top level technical or functional expert, often working on multiple projects and programs.
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********** This role is not yet funded**********
1. Bachelors Degree in a related discipline.
2. Masters Degree preferred.
For more than 50 years, General Dynamics Information Technology has served as a trusted provider of information technology, systems engineering, training and professional services to customers across federal, state, and local governments, and in the commercial sector. Over 40,000 GDIT professionals deliver enterprise solutions, manage mission-critical IT programs and provide mission support services worldwide. GDIT is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status, or any other protected class. #ISDCJ #DPOST


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Trayvon Martin target 'unacceptable,' official says
MELBOURNE, Fla. -- Politics had nothing to do with the firing of a Port Canaveral police officer who brought Trayvon Martin-themed targets to a shooting range, the port's top official said Tuesday.
Rather, Sgt. Ron King was fired because offering the "hoodie-style" targets to fellow officers was "insensitive, unprofessional and unacceptable," said John Walsh, Canaveral Port Authority interim chief executive officer.
"To me, that target is an inappropriate target. I think it is something that is inflammatory and -- whether used as a 'shoot' target or a 'not-shoot' target -- in my opinion is something that an employee of the port should not be using," Walsh said Tuesday during a news conference.
King was placed on administrative leave with pay Friday and given a seven-day notice of termination. He defended himself afterward by posting a YouTube video statement, drawing national media attention and more than 68,000 page views.
Tuesday, Walsh met with Port Canaveral police personnel to review the department's professional code of conduct and solicit feedback. More meetings are planned Wednesday and Thursday.
According to internal investigation documents, King brought targets depicting a hooded silhouette holding a beverage can with a bag of Skittles in its pocket to a training session at the Brevard County Sheriff's Work Farm. Each target has crosshairs across the silhouette's chest.
Martin, an unarmed 17-year-old, was shot and killed by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman last year in Seminole County. Martin was carrying a can of iced tea and had a bag of Skittles in his pocket when he was killed. Zimmerman contends he acted in self-defense.
In his YouTube speech, King speculates that a police sergeant filed a complaint against him as a ploy to discredit Port Canaveral Police Chief Joe Hellebrand.
Walsh disagreed, defending Hellebrand's decision to fire King.
"I don't feel that there are political motives and agendas going on. I see it as an employee-conduct issue," Walsh said.
King said he used the targets as training aids to help illustrate situations when police officers should not fire their weapons. He added that he realized others had used the targets as a "novelty."
The targets were originally offered for sale online last year. The online ad for the targets -- which has since been taken down -- said the sellers "support Zimmerman and believe he is innocent and that he shot a thug."
In an email exchange last year, the unidentified seller told Florida Today news partner WKMG-TV, "My main motivation was to make money off the controversy."
Walsh said he expects King to defend his actions during a private hearing Friday with Hellebrand, per departmental policy. If Hellebrand upholds the firing, King can appeal his decision to Walsh.
Walsh was named interim CEO on March 27. Port Canaveral has more than 220 employees and serves as the world's second-busiest cruise port.
Rick Neale also reports for Florida Today


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Good evening, lovely readers, it's been a busy wednesday night and before I head to bed, I just had to post this photo and scratch my head a little bit...
Here's a photo of Leighton Meester (who is usually one of my favourites) out and about this week, at an American Eagle event.
Can someone please explain to me what happened to her face?
Who did this?
*shakes fist*
Not only is this unflattering on her skin tone, but the colours together are just... mind-boggling. I am slightly disgusted, to be honest.
What are your thoughts?
PS: no, she wasn't at a theme party.
Good night :)


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We would like to show you the information of Vietnam embassy in South Korea. We hope this information is conenient for you if you want to apply for Vietnam visa or for your other issue.
The address of Vietnam embassy in South Korea:
It's inconvenient for you to apply Vietnam visa if you live far away from the local Vietnam embassy. The progress of your application is sometimes failed because of missing passport, important documents. Furthermore, this way takes you a lot of time for applying and waiting. You don't know how the progress of your application is going on. If you want visa urgently whether your visa will be ready in time. This is a big trouble when you are on business, studying, medical problem… Moreover you can't restrain expense, always have to pay additional cost.
In short, apply Vietnam visa online is recommended for you to choose. Because of its convenience, the process of getting Vietnam visa through our website is easier than ever. You can save money and time if you apply with us.
The process of applying online visa is the simplest, easiest, cheapest way for you, because you can apply the application everywhere over the world which set up internet. Every procedure will be processed on internet so no documents required that is the reason you can prevent form missing your original passport or any important documents. You can get your visa after 1 – 2 working days normally, after 1 – 2 working hours urgently and even after 10 minutes if you require. Moreover, your money will be refund 100% if your application is denied.
Our staff will help you save time and get more comforts in your trip. If you have any concerns or queries, you can reach out to Vietnam visa via email at email@example.com, or call +84. 98888 5560.
Applying for a Vietnam visa on arrival online now.
Have a nice trip to Vietnam!
Electronic visa Vietnam (evisa)
Vietnamese visa is a kind of travel documents granted by Vietnamese competent authorities, providing permission to travel to and enter Vietnam. An electronic visa (E-visa) is one of visa types issued to foreigners by Vietnamese Immigration Department via electronic system.
What is an electronic eVisa? What is the difference between a Vietnam visa on arrival and an E-Visa? Which one is better? How do you know which one you need? These are only a few of the questions that can come to mind when traveling to Vietnam. Perhaps you are trying to figure out if you need a E-Visa or if a visa on arrival would be better instead. We're going to clarify the biggest difference between the two and share of the each one.
At the moment, there are two types of visas for foreign visitors who wish to travel to Vietnam: the electronic eVisa and the visa-on-arrival. In order to obtain either one you are required to have a valid passport. Note that citizens of most countries do need to obtain a visa to visit Vietnam and should have one before boarding the plane.
Vietnam eVisa fee, including the Service fee and the Government fee, varies according to the visa types chosen by the applicant and only paid online.
Our Service fee is paid for 24h professional support and the processing time guarantee.
|Normal (USD)
|Rush (USD)
|US$ 20.00 per applicant
|Plus from US$ 10.00 per applicant
|Government Fee (USD)
Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China* (include Hong Kong & Ma Cau), Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Myanmar, Nauru, Netherland, New Zealand, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Timor Leste, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela
(*) Not accept Chinese e-passport holders.
Once approved, the Vietnam E-Visa will have a 30-days validity to travel within the country. You will be able to use the electronic visa to enter Vietnam through 28 different ports of entry.
However, some of the disadvantages of an E-Visa for Vietnam are that only 82 countries are eligible to get it. An online visa is non-extendable and it is a single entry visa. Travelers should also consider that if the application is denied, they cannot obtain a refund from the government of Vietnam.
Vietnam Visa on arrival:The visa-on-arrival has certain advantages worth considering. It is available to all travelers arriving by air and there are types of duration available. Travelers can choose between a 30-day stay or a 60-day stay. American citizens can request a one-year stay visa upon arrival in Vietnam. The processing time takes up to two working days and the visa can be extended.
However, there are some negative aspects about the Vietnam visa on arrival. The total price of this type of visa is unclear. It is available only at five main airports in Vietnam. The visa-on-arrival requires more paperwork than the electronic visa.
To obtain this visa, you need to have a digital passport photo, with the same requirements as those for the E-Visa. You are required to scan the passport photo page. You also need a debit or credit card to pay for the visa fee.
There are a few things you need to know before you apply for a visa-on-arrival. You will need to print the Approval Letter and prepare two photos of yourself. Upon arrival you should present the Approval Letter and the photos at the immigration office located at the airport before getting in the regular immigration line.
You will need to pay an additional "stamping fee" at the airport, besides the fee of the visa. This fee must be paid in cash, and you can use USD or Vietnamese Dong. ATMS are outside the Customs area and you will not be able to take out money to pay for the fee.
If you need to obtain the visa-on-arrival, you still need to complete an online form with your personal detail and passport information and pay a fee with a debit or credit card.
What is difference a single entry visa and a multiple entry visa for Vietnam?
–Single visa for business or tourist purposes: If you hold a single entry visa, you are allowed to enter and exit Vietnam one time only during the visa validity. Once you're leave out of Vietnam, even before the granted expiry date, your visa will automatically become invalid and if you want to come back Vietnam, you need to apply for a new visa. This kind of visa is also called "single entry visa".
For example, if you apply for a 1 or 3 months single entry visa to Vietnam, you are allowed to enter and exit Vietnam once only during 30 or 90 days since your pre-registered arrival date.
– But in case you hold a multiple entry visa, you are allowed to have several stays in Vietnam during your visa validity. It means that with this kind of visa, you can leave Vietnam and then re-enter the country during the visa period without applying for a new one.
For example, if you apply for a 1-month multiple entry visa, you are allowed to allowed to enter and exit Vietnam multiple times within 90 days since you registered arrival date.
Note: For a multiple entry visa on arrival, you only need to have first arrival in Vietnam by air to get visa stamped onto passport at the airport in Vietnam, and your latter arrivals can be by land or sea without following any visa procedure since your visa stamp is already on your passport.
US American citizens is required to apply for valid visas to enter Vietnam for tourism and business purposes and meet the entry requirements:
*US Passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the arrival date.
*Passport has 2 blank pages for visa stamp.
*A Vietnam visa approved or eVisa


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it has been since i last posted on here.... mainly because i couldnt log in =(
ah well had a fantastic day with some of the other RTUK members yesterday even if it did require a 400mile round trip and a severe headache this morning....kept seeing flashing red & blue lights in my sleep.
Too Long!
4 years agoTenshi91
it has been since i last posted on here.... mainly because i couldnt log in =(
Wow its been too long
5 years agoTenshi91
Last time i posted was over a year ago..... so much has happened since...... I have a new job (been doing it for nearly a year).... I am a computer engineer for a very large global company...I left Bedfordshire gamers to focus on my own musical & entertainment career starting my own youtube channel with my own spin on a few games (mostly been minecraft im afraid but some new stuff coming soon have just done a 2hour recording of GTA V that will be condensed down to around 30 minutes)
what else..... got a new car.... well an old car .... a 1997 toyota corrolla that i love (her name is azusa) i have reconnected with one of my best friends after 3 years of not talking and hopefully soon moving into a new place with a decent internet connection..... should start using this a little more as i feel more free typing on here than on any other social media.
you guys just seem to get me!
if you wanna check out my videos my channel is called "TenshiForgotGaming"
and you can follow on twitter @TenshiForgot
love to all =)
its been a while
6 years agoTenshi91
I havent posted a journal in a while so thought it was about time i did once again =)
well it looks like my new job at bedfordshire gamers is gunna be the 1 reason i cant go to rtx =(
im simply not going to have the money for the flights over to austin =(
but on the plus side i will be reporting live from London Anime Con & Working/ reporting live from London Gaming Con over the next few months
to all those going to rtx i had already booked a hotel room if anyone would like it contact me for more details if i havent heard anything by mid feb will cancel it along with my car hire
love to you y'all
feeling quite sad today
6 years agoTenshi91
For those of you that dont already know i am in a band called I Forgot
when our guitarist moved to birmingham in april (ish) we had to quickly find a new one.
thats how i met the friend that changed my life in the best way possible!
Hayden Purcell has only been in my life since april but we quickly became close and i am proud to say he was pretty much my best friend as well as an amazing guitarist.
we knew from the start he was planning on moving to canada for a year and was fine with it but now he has actually gone i feel really sad =(
now i knew i was going to be sad but tonight we had our first band practice without him and as much as our new guitarist stuart rocks its just felt dead without him there
now i now this sounds really homo and i suppose in a way i suppose it is
only a true friend can make as much of a difference in such a short amount of time.
to mark him leaving i created a video on youtube for him (have linked it in my links bank on here)
upon seeing this video haydens response was "omg has it really only been 6 months"
i wish him all the best luck for canada and i know he will be fine as he has gone to my home city the amazing Toronto but i really look forward to his return next year
good luck buddy we miss you already =(
Haydens Farewell
6 years agoTenshi91
my special video made for roosterteeth.com/smackoman
im gunna miss you buddy =*(
The Gauntlet
6 years agoTenshi91
just watched episode 1 and i love it =)
more specifically i think i am falling in love with Ali she is just damn hot and seems to get hotter every time i see her =)
sorry for the random confession but hell this is a journal entry so where else would i put it??
MCM May 13 & RTX 2013
6 years agoTenshi91
Hotels booked for both =) got some amazing hotels at very very good prices =) also with free cancellation just in case.
anybody that went to RTX this year how much is a weekend badge?? just need to check i gots enough money ready by July.
Alpha Brain
6 years agoTenshi91
soo day two of the alpha brain experiment
it hasn't so far increased my focus but definitely made me sleep better last night. though i didn't get any weird dreams (but that could be down to what i was dreaming about).
Alpha Brain
6 years agoTenshi91
Just taken my first dose....hoping it will give me some epic dreams tonight =)
i will update when i wake up tomorrow.
on another bonus less than 24 till ComiCon =)
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Comments (2)
6 years ago
Hi there. I'd like to personally welcome you into the RoosterTeeth-Xbox Live Community group. Please remember to keep the group on watch so you can receive updates about upcoming community game nights and other events.
6 years ago
Tenshi91's Pictures
Tenshi91's Albums
Halestorm 28/09/2012
as promised (i think) images from fridays Halestorm gig in London if i can find a way of changing them down to 2D will be more to come.. also will link to videos which are of average quality =)
No questions have been answered yet


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Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day. I come from an Irish family (my full maiden name was Mary Kathleen McLaughlin) and we always celebrated this holiday A LOT! This is my dad (we affectionately call him Jimmie Mac) and GMan a couple of years ago - when we all celebrated St. Pat's at my house.
We will be having Corned Beef and Cabbage for dinner and I'd like to share the recipe with you. It's a favorite in my house. (If you care to read about the history of the dish, click here -- I always like to get into the history of things!) Having corned beef and cabbage isn't really what true Irish folks prefer ~ but, I digress. You can read the article if you're interested!
If you are wondering where to get a corned beef briscuit, they are in the meat department... at our grocery store it was actually in a special display at the very front because it's close to St. Pat's day. Most of them come with their own spice packet, too. They are simple to make - and cost around $10.
- 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into matchstick pieces
- 10 baby red potatoes, quartered
- 1 onion, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 cups water
- 1 (4 pound) corned beef brisket with spice packet
- 6 ounces beer
- 1/2 head cabbage, coarsely chopped
- Place the carrots, potatoes, and onion into the bottom of a slow cooker, pour in the water, and place the brisket on top of the vegetables. Pour the beer over the brisket. Sprinkle on the spices from the packet, cover, and set the cooker on High.
- Cook the brisket for about 8 hours. An hour before serving, stir in the cabbage and cook for 1 more hour.
What about dessert? Well, you could get fancy and make this Grasshopper Pie from The Pioneer Woman, but alas ~ I probably will run out of time and just serve some Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream instead.


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Paul Weller, Warwick Arts Centre. March 10
The Modfather was on fine form for his intimate gig at Warwick Arts Centre last night.
He played a balance of classic Weller tracks and showcasing tracks from new Album, Saturns Pattern.
The new tracks blended in effortlessly with his classics; White Sky and I'm Where I Should Be from the new album are set to be firm favourites, especially the former with its strong rhythmic beat.
Of some of the older tracks, Porcelain Gods and Peacock Suit from Stanley Road was taken to new heights.
Weller was a bundle of energy playing with a force and conviction which has not diminished over the years.
The crowd was made up of mixture of younger Weller fans along with his faithful followers, who were all on fine form with some of the crowd getting a little exuberant resulting in a good natured tongue lashing from Weller.
It was a real treat for the fans for a living legend to be playing a smaller venue and to get up close and personal with the band. The audience were enveloped in the music and atmosphere that can sometimes get diluted in larger arena style venues, which will follow later this year.
Inevitably there will be some fans who would like Weller to play some of his almost 40 year back catalogue but he rarely does this and songs off the 20 year old 'Stanley Road' are firm favourites that the fans will want to listen to, time and time again.
Weller concluded with two encore's before finally finishing in a rousing rendition of his Stanley Road album classic, 'Changing Man', much to the delight of his knowledgeable and appreciative fans, many of whom treat him with almost religious devotion.
By Sarah Howard.


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Peeved Mass Effect 3 Fans Might Actually Get The Ending They Want
For several years, a growing number of people have enjoyed beating the hell out of Geth, mastering head-shots on husks and trying to save the entire, expanding universe as Commander Shepherd in the Mass Effect series of video games. But without giving too much away, a lot of those same fans are not pleased with how the series finally wrapped up in Mass Effect 3.
There have been online petitions calling for new endings, at least one complaint to the FTC, and seemingly endless stories about whether or not the game's maker, BioWare (owned by current WCIA contender Electronic Arts), should give into fan pressure, especially considering the huge cost and time it would take to get it right — and the risk that whatever BioWare comes up with might still not please everyone.
Now the founder of BioWare has hinted that maybe the angry mob might get some sort of more satisfying with upcoming add-on content for the game.
Here's the statement from BioWare's Ray Muzyka, as quoted on cnet:
"We're working hard to maintain the right balance between the artistic integrity of the original story while addressing the fan feedback we've received. This is in addition to our existing plan to continue providing new Mass Effect content and new full games, so rest assured that your journey in the Mass Effect universe can, and will, continue."
Muzyka suggested that BioWare will release new "content initiatives" that will "help answer [fans'] questions" sometime in April. But first, he asked the game's community to continue playing, and providing feedback. "I'd ask that you help us…by supporting what I truly believe is the best game BioWare has yet crafted. I urge you to do your own research: play the game, finish it, and tell us what you think. Tell your friends if you feel it's a good game as a whole. Trust that we are doing our damnedest, as always, to address your feedback."
So… this appears to be a non-committal commitment to doing something in response to fan feedback.
What is for certain is if BioWare and EA truly want the entire gaming world to hate them, they will create satisfying endings — and then charge a pile of cash to download it.
Bowing to fans, BioWare mulls new Mass Effect 3 ending [cnet]
Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.


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The best early Sam Shepard plays snort and kick like blood stallions—their energy feels raw, almost random; their plots are as screwy as their characters. Many later Shepard plays domesticate the horseplay—and horsepower—of his earlier imagery into well-made structures whose force increases with greater craft and control. Among living playwrights, only Shepard's early mentor, Edward Albee, can vie for how prolifically and profoundly he has remade the American stage. The Michael Chekhov Theater Company, founded by Michael Horn, is attempting the herculean task of presenting all 45 of Shepard's plays, within its inaugural year, in its new black-box space, the Little, Big Theater. Its efforts aren't as hopeless and slapdash as they may sound—most Shepard plays require minimal sets, and the company has been planning and rehearsing for two years already.
Among Shepard's 45 plays, however, a few don't measure up to his own uniquely high standards. Simpatico, written in 1994 when Shepard returned to the stage from his work in film, has too many spices stirred into the pot: its dramatic kick fizzles. The ingredients don't add up. Rather, we're given red herring soup. By the end, the expected wallop of revelation goes sour in the mouth.
Carter, a wealthy businessman in the horse-racing industry, visits his old pal Vinnie, a down-and-out loner who holds pictures and letters from Carter's sordid past. In the opening scene, Carter (Peter Picard) is desperate to protect his reputation, while Vinnie (Tom Pavey) grows increasingly manic attempting to re-establish a lost friendship.
Powerful undercurrents of jealousy and guilt seethe, since the two also share history with Rosie, who long ago eloped with Carter even though she was married to Vinnie at the time. The tension is as tight as a new-strung guitar string—the slightest movement from the actors playing Vinnie or Carter makes a visual and visceral music. Vinnie convinces Carter to go talk to his new girlfriend, Cecilia, who Vinnie claims is pressing charges against him, and Carter agrees once he suspects that Vinnie gave her some of the scandalous pictures.
From here, though, the plot never untangles itself to achieve the same taut level of suspense. The mystery of what the pictures and letters are about is never fully revealed. On the one hand, it is said that Carter, Vinnie, and Simms, a since-reformed fall guy in their scheme, once doctored the mouth tattoos on two racehorses. On the other hand, it is suggested that the photos show Simms in graphic sexual positions with the horses. Exactly how these two stories connect, though, left me befuddled.
Moreover, any—or all—of the characters may be compulsive liars. Since nobody can be trusted, the audience has no hope of figuring out the "real" motivations and events that compel the characters, and the initial force of the plot dissipates.
The play's subtext about each character's futile search for identity thus becomes as contradictory as Matlock putting an epistemologist on the stand who says that none of us can ever reconstruct the past through mere artifacts or identify its causal chains, if there are any. Such limits to knowledge may be true enough for relativist history professors to be mindful of, but without the ability to discover significant clues—without the hope that there is some truth, the gripping mystery of a dramatic plot dies.
Regardless, the fine acting and crisp direction (by Ann Bowen) of the production make it, if not entirely compelling, at least a worthwhile evening of theater. Picard skillfully transforms Carter from a smooth, glad-handing businessman into a shaking alcoholic schlub. Likewise, Pavey's riveting depiction of Vinnie's tissue of lies deconstructs his character like crumbling onion skins so that nothing remains of it by the end.
Gary Lamadore, playing Simms, is convincingly hermetic as he alternates between wry, worldly understatement and overblown confession. Alison Costine similarly manages to conceal the true nature of her character, Cecilia; at first appearing ditzy, she later hints that this may be a deceptive act.
Though the portrayal of these deeply flawed characters displays nuance and force, it cannot overcome the deep flaw in the play's structure. Shepard implicitly acknowledges going against the grain of the detective genre by referencing classic film noir. In fact, Simms sighs and says "wise decision" when Vinnie tells him he stopped going to the movies—they don't make 'em that way anymore.
For all the fascinating unraveling of ultimate motives, the audience becomes confused and frustrated from never hitting the pay dirt of sudden illumination. Instead, the last image of a cell phone ringing unanswered seems emblematic of the unanswered questions that audience members must confront as they leave. Perhaps Shepard intended the play to show the messy cloud of questions we must confront in real life. If so, the play may find few who are "simpatico" in its audiences.


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Hey kids, it's been a while, I know. Things have been hectic and unfortunately the blog is at the bottom of a long list of things that must be done, and done right now. Three flogs from a wet noodle for me. The up side is that I am now on two, count 'em, TWO weeks of lovely, beautiful and in the nick of time vacation, so hopefully things will get back in order around here and I can write about all the adventures I've been having. I strategically took vacation right now in anticipation of the glut from the garden (the glut that really isn't happening, more on that later) in hopes of socking away a much as possible for the winter stores, but also because meine beste Freundin is visiting from Germany and when you only get to see your sista from anotha motha once a year attention must be paid.
As far as putting up for the long winter ahead, things have been going rather dismally. The garden just hasn't cooperated one tiny little bit this year and my whole system is out of whack. Having to fit in putting away a winter's worth of food around a job that takes you away from home roughly 11 hours a day makes for a challenge in the best of times, but throw in other time demands and produce that thumbs it's nose at your schedule and everything gets cranked up a notch. Let's just say my dehydrator has been a lifesaver, and I have developed a new fondness for it for allowing me to toss a bunch of stuff in and go to bed. I love how it does all the work for me while I am sleeping or at work, and I'm not using the freezers to boot! I would love to be able to can everything but the time demand just makes it impossible. With that being said I am hoping to take a day this week or next and spend a whole day canning up lots of pickles. I am also catching on that fermenting is the busy woman's friend.
I've got a batch of sauerkraut on the go now out in the back kitchen, with much more in the works. I just love how I don't have to do anything with it once it's started. Oh kraut, how I love thee. I've got some lovely turnips waiting in the garden that may just become sauerrüben (that's turnip kraut) and I might do beets as well. I'm planning to ferment lots of hot peppers into sauce (if the jalapenos ever ripen I'll use them, but I've got lots of hot bananas so I'll just wing it) and I have about a metric ton of chard that is just begging to become kimchi. With the weather turning cooler at least the fermenting part of my game plan is on track. Work with what you've got, kids.
So without further ado I really should get cracking around here, but I'll leave you with my Grandmother's yummy recipe for bread pudding. I had a loaf of homemade bread kicking around that was on the stale side, so I made this last night. Perfect chilly night comfort food.
Grandma Sandybanks' Bread Pudding
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 quart (4 cups) milk
dash of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (or more)
3 slices (or cups) of ripped up bread
cinnamon or nutmeg (optional, to taste)
raisins (optional, as many as you want)
1. Combine the first 5 ingredients together, then add the bread. I say 3 cups of bread because some people like this more custardy, some not so much. I just use up whatever bread I have until there's no more liquid to cover it.
2. Let the bread soak up the liquid a bit. Squish it down if you have to.
3. Put into an oven proof dish and sit this in a pan of hot water. Bake at 350F until an inserted knife comes out clean. The time this will take will depend on the depth of your dish. If you bake it in a wide, shallow dish it will cook more quickly. I made two last night, one in a loaf pan and one in a 1 qt casserole, and both took about an hour. This stuff is good cold, but heaven when warm.
Just a couple of notes, this recipe is very forgiving. Like I said earlier, use whatever bread you have and don't worry about the exact amount. Bread pudding is one of the ways our grandmothers came up with to use up what needed to be used up. I like more bread in it because I think it improves the texture, but texture is a very personal thing. You can use whatever bread you have too, even waffles. Do what you like. I also tend to use less milk, simply because I don't want to use up all of my milk. Last night I decreased it by a full cup and it was great. I give the original recipe as my Grandma wrote it down so you can go by the base and work from there (and because that's how Grandma did it, and Grandma knew what she was doing). Just wing it, it will be fine. 🙂
Bis später, kids.


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To preserve and promote cultural and natural heritage, the proposed Nation's Oldest Port National Heritage Area Alliance is working with community partners to develop a printed and on-line directory that highlights local and place-based agricultural and culinary resources of the region. This guide will feature area producers, grocers, farmers' markets, farm stands, community supported agriculture (CSAs), fish camps and restaurants who offer locally grown or caught foods, and cuisine prepared from local produce and heritage recipes.
A follow-up meeting is scheduled at 4:15 p.m. Wednesday at the St. Johns County Public Library/Southeast Branch. For information, contact Leslie White, Heritage Area Alliance coordinator at email@example.com and/or David Dinkins, St. Johns County extension director at firstname.lastname@example.com.
The directory under way is a pioneering effort for Northeast Florida to create an agricultural and culinary trail linking suppliers and consumers within the local food supply chain. It will enhance connections between local food producers and food users, facilitating the sale and purchase of fresh foods. Information about local heritage foods, such as shrimp, oysters, datil peppers, cabbage, potatoes, citrus and honeys also will be included; as will locations and schedules of CSAs, regional farmers' markets and farms stands, and a seasonal availability chart for this area.
"I think we are realizing that buying local foods can help our health, the environment and the economy by promoting nutritious diets, reducing food transport related costs, preserving food traditions and stimulating agri-tourism, a form of heritage based economic development," said Leslie White, coordinator for the proposed Nation's Oldest Port National Heritage Area. "Buying local and heritage foods also will be easier and more enjoyable with the guide."
In this guide, local food will be defined as food produced near the nation's oldest port region (St. Johns and Flagler counties) and the oldest continually occupied city of St. Augustine. Heritage food will be defined as locally produced food linked to the region's history and cultural identity, including traditionally grown crops, culturally traditional foods and wild plants unique to this region.
"The local foods guide will document the First Coast's unique culinary offerings and make our resources accessible to residents and visitors alike, so that they may enjoy the bounty of foods our region has to offer. The guide will promote our local foodways in a way that is true to history yet in keeping with the current times. People are seeking out local, sustainable foods and heritage related activities, and this guide will help foster greater interest in both," said Richard Villadoniga, leader of Slow Food First Coast (www.slowfoodfirstcoast.com).
The Heritage Area Alliance, St. Johns and Flagler counties' Extension Services, Slow Food First Coast, First Coast Technical Institute/Culinary Arts Program, Florida Agricultural Museum, the Menorcan Society, and St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum are collaborating on this project and invite other interested groups to participate.


text: Ten Miles 1976-1986 This little project was dreamt up by fellow photographer Sean Johnson. It was prompted by him finding an unused, expired pro-pack of five rolls of 35mm Fuji Provia film, which he was reluctant to throw away. He sent four other photographers a single roll each, with five envelopes, each containing a message. One of these was to be opened just before setting out with our cameras. The idea was that each of us would walk a route we usually drive, specifically looking at those things we miss on a regular basis, swinging by at speed in our cars. My message said 'remember the first time you held a camera'. I can't remember that moment exactly, but I do remember one of the first photographs I ever took. It was with a 110 camera, a narrow plastic box with a tiny fixed lens, and I would make one roll of film last over a year. The only image I now remember from that camera is a portrait I took of my family in our garden. It must have been sometime in the late 70s. My parents are sitting on a curved stone bench, my mother's pink shrub roses in puffy pale bloom behind them, my youngest brother is sitting on my mother's lap, and my other brother (the middle one) is crouching on the lawn a little closer to me. It was sunny, and everyone is smiling except for Rupert (the middle one). Anyway, I lost the print in 1990, in India, during a bout of vomiting sickness in my year-out travelling, and who knows where the teeny-tiny negative got to. The reason I mention it is because my walk in July 2012 began a few yards from that garden. For ten years, I took a blue and white striped double-decker bus to school from Rowledge in Surrey to Alton, in Hampshire. The bus was unmistakable, and Mr Vane-Hunt, the bus driver, was a big, white-haired fellow who inspired respect from all of his uniformed passengers by being generally inscrutable. The fact that I can remember his name when so many of my school-fellows' now escape me must be indicative of his impression on me. I sat in the same seat every year, a window seat on the bottom deck, three rows from the front, on the left. There was a sign behind Mr Vane-Hunt, which said, confusingly, 'Do Not Distract The Driver. Do Not Stand Forward of This Notice'. Confusingly, because I didn't understand the phrase 'stand forward of'. I was a precociously well-read child, and I had a reasonably sophisticated vocabulary, so I worked out that it must be an archaic phrase meaning 'Do Not Disobey This Notice'. This idle confusion over the internal tautology of the notices stayed with me for years. So, my walk took me from my bus-stop on the corner of Chapel Road, within view of the house I grew up in, through semi-rural suburban villagescape to the train station in Farnham. The bus went all the way to Alton, about five miles further, but the dual-carriageway which is now on that leg of the journey just didn't seem worth walking, so I stopped at the station. Almost each picture has some kind of memory or thought attached to it (you can read these by clicking on 'image info; below each image), and the experience of walking the route so incredibly familiar to my childhood self seemed worth recording.


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December 11, 2011 | News, Uncategorized
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With wedding season being 6 months away, now is the time to start thinking about skincare, brow shape, makeup trials, wedding week festivities… Click on Reno Bridal to visit our website for a complete Reno Bridal Package preview or Come to Lime Spa and meet with our Reno Bridal consultant.
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Bring in 4 friends or more for 2 services each and receive a free "Hot Toddy for the Body" body Scrub for the bride ($65)!


text: Intellect, Spring 2014 Download PDF Archives In This Issue Not Deserving or Entitled: Food Insecurity in Philadelphia Author: Nicole Katze '11 (M.A.) Page: 2 A culturally rich, vibrant metropolis with distinct neighborhoods, Philadelphia is the fifth largest city in America and home to more than 1.5 million people. But one in six children living in Philadelphia goes to bed hungry every night. An SJU professor is exploring why. Girls Behind Bars: Education Beyond Lockdown Author: Amanda Sapio '13 Page: 4 Suniti Sharma, Ph.D., assistant professor of education, has conducted extensive research on the literacy and education of females in prison, focusing on how race, class, gender, sexual orientation and other factors lead to incarceration. Ten years ago, she was offered a position teaching English at a female juvenile detention facility. Dangerous Invaders: Researchers Embark on Study of Asian Fruit Fly Author: Patricia Allen '13 (M.A.) Page: 6 A trio of SJU scientists are studying the growth of the Asian fruit fly in the United States. Bird-sonality: What Can Lateral Preferences Tell us About Behavior? Author: Kelly Welsh '05 (M.A.) Page: 8 Does the way a flamingo curves its neck tell us anything about the bird's personality? Psychologist Matthew Anderson, Ph.D., has been researching to find out. Opening to the Past: Oral History Becomes the Aural Record Author: Patricia Allen '13 (M.A.) Page: 10 Amber Abbas, Ph.D., assistant professor of history, has found excitement in learning about places and events directly from the mouths of those who experience them. In an Instant: Photography as Time Machine Author: Nicole Katze '11 (M.A.) Page: 12 Dennis Weeks, M.F.A., captures multiple moments at the same place with his camera and stitches them together, creating scenes that would otherwise never have happened. Like Father, Like Son: What the California Mouse Teaches Us About Paternal Behavior Author: Kelly Welsh '05 (M.A.) Page: 14 Few species of mammals — only about five percent — are bi-parental, with both males and females showing high levels of care to their offspring. The California mouse is among these rare species and has attracted the attention of Elizabeth Becker, Ph.D., who's kind of a rare breed herself.


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Seller Machinery Import & Export collaborates with almost all the metal working manufacturers in Turkey and supplies the World class Turkish metal working machines to the Middle East, CIS nations, North African and Europe.
We offer to our customers the best quality, competitive price and after-sale technical service to the industry that we are aiming to be the leading companies. We not only supply equipment, but also help the client by managing the entire sourcing process in Turkey such as finding manufacturers of metal working machines, technical support , negotiating price , quality control , managing logistic and so on. As part of our quality control services, we also provide miscellaneous services and manage and plan our client's visit to our company and manufacturer factory visits and providing translators. This ensures that the clients can maximize the results of their visit.
We have big experience in metal working machines in Turkish market and we are able to make quotation and make delivery of goods in a short period of time and under the most favorable conditions.
Our services include:
Supplying metal working machines
Factory visit / quality audits
Contract administration
Organizing of Logistics and Shipping
Technic service


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Patent Prints are the perfect way to cherish both the history and design of your favorite inventions. These graphic line drawings are an innovative way to liven up your walls with a touch of knowledge and elegance! We offer them in a range of styles that can strike a balance within any interior. Chalkboard is head-of-the-class smart, sharp and graphic. Blueprint is engineering elegant and as vivid as the sky. Warm Toned is subtle and sophisticated offering a quieter accent. Antique Paper is a pure vintage look that visually captures the history behind each image.
"Because most artisanal products are made to order, creation and shipping time may vary from a few days to a few weeks. Please contact us with any questions or concerns."


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Spring Living with Broste Copenhagen
Chances are if you are on Pinterest you have seen Broste Copenhagen's amazingly beautiful vignettes and photography. To familiarize you, this is a home brand from Copenhagen that stocks the prettiest bowls, plates to pillows and furniture. The spring collection is no different, with pastels, marble and velvet. Here is a peak at the collection.
Images via


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100 Sunset Boutique Hotel
100 Sunset Boutique Hotel is located at Seminyak area and set at lush beautiful garden. 100 Sunset Boutique Hotel is designed with a modern minimalist boutique hotel with clean lines, open layouts, and cool colors, built for the discerning leisure or business travelers.
100 Sunset Boutique Hotel offer one bedroom suits and two bedroom serviced apartments with international standard amenities including Air-Con, LCD TV, and WiFi Internet along with superior customer service functions including laundry and dry cleaning, room service, spa services, 24 hr on call.
100 Sunset offers 28 hotel rooms and 17 apartments. The hotel features Suites, Deluxe and Superior Rooms. Each room is furnished with LCD TV, luxurious furnishings, wifi internet access and sound system.


text: Well I finally made it to episode 100. When I started this I wasn't sure how long I would be able to do this, but as of right now, I am really enjoying creating this podcast and I can't wait to do 100 more. I was hoping to actually have a little more to this podcast, but with everything currently going on, I didn't want to postpone the recording of this one any longer so this will just be a normal podcast. I'm hoping to have my wife on soon to add another voice to the podcast so stay tuned for that. Thanks for listening and enjoy the podcast.


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Having gone to the polls on 4 February, Goa is awaiting the results of the assembly elections with bated breath. Known to be pro-active in terms of exercising its democratic franchise, Goa's 83 percent voter turnout was praised by all. The month-long wait for the results, however, is witnessing controversies around such issues as those of irregularities in the voting process through postal ballots, and the enrollment of around 600 army men as voters in the Navelim constituency. These controversies have cast doubts on whether elections in Goa were conducted in a free and fair manner.
Tag: Goa
Eat Dust is no work of fiction, although one is left wondering at the bizarreness of the truth behind the loot. It is a book however that passes on timeless lore, like the story of Paikdev's spring. As Hartman takes us over hills that once stood in Goa, to the court room, and river side, and traces his own story from Kenya to Goa, one gets a rich context for what is actually, and incredibly, unraveling in Goa.
Northeastern women employed in Goa's spas and salons have come out in protest against unfair labour practices and an unsafe work environment that puts them at risk of sexual assault and compromises their dignity.
The matter came to the fore when a dozen women therapists at a leading salon and spa in North Goa quit en masse on August 20 and, five days later, approached the North East Association of Goa – which represents the Northeastern community in the state and especially the 3,000-odd migrant workers from the region – for help.
The relationship of the Indian elites to Goa is by no means innocent. For that matter, neither is the relationship of India to Goa. Rather, these relationships are built on the willful ignoring of history, to enable Indians to create Goa and Goans not only as property of the Indian empire but as a pleasure park where they can imagine themselves to be in their own little part of Europe.
Goans, or at least those familiar with the Goan Catholic milieu, are in fact also European.
Raiot is excited at publishing first of the extracts from Eat Dust : Mining and Greed in Goa by Hartman de Souza. For a zine published from Meghalaya, the other frontier of Mining in India, it is fitting that we learn from Goa – that raving beach infested greed fest.


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We are happy to announce our Cheapside kitchen is now open in London! It has been the most busiest past few weeks with two openings in two weeks. Call us crazy, but we just want more of you to try our tasty burritos and expand our independent brand.
Here's where to find us:
Pop in for breakfast, lunch or dinner inside of Tesco. We guarantee you won't be able to resist the smell!
We are open:
Mon – Friday: 6.30am – 11pm
Saturday: 8am – 8pm
Sunday: 11am – 5pm
The Burrito Kitchen Team.


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Nearly the whole of America's partisan politics centers on a single question: Can markets solve our social problems? And for years this question has played out ferociously in the debates about how we should educate our children. From the growth of vouchers and charter schools to the implementation of No Child Left Behind, policy makers have increasingly turned to market-based models to help improve our schools, believing that private institutions—because they are competitively driven—are better than public ones. With The Public School Advantage, Christopher A. and Sarah Theule Lubienski offer powerful evidence to undercut this belief, showing that public schools in fact outperform private ones. Decades of research have shown that students at private schools score, on average, at higher levels than students do at public schools—but the Lubienskis point out a fatal flaw in past research. Drawing on two large-scale, nationally representative databases, they show that this difference is more than explained by demographics. Private schools have higher scores not because they are better institutions, but because their students largely come from more privileged backgrounds, which offer greater educational support. After correcting for demographics, they go on to show that gains in student achievement at public schools are at least as great and often greater than those at private ones. Even more surprising, they show that the very mechanism that market-based reformers champion—autonomy—may be the crucial factor that prevents private schools from performing better. Alternatively, those practices that these reformers castigate, such as teacher certification and professional reforms of curriculum and instruction, turn out to have a significant effect on school improvement. Despite our politics, we all agree on the fundamental fact: education deserves our utmost care. The Public School Advantage offers exactly that. By examining schools within the diversity of populations in which they actually operate, it provides not ideologies but facts. And the facts say it clearly: education is better off when provided for the public by the public.
If you're interested send us a request.


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I was on a hunt to find the perfect pair of nude sandals for Cynthia's wedding that aligned with her gorgeous Brooklyn garden theme, as well as ones I could run around doing Maid of Honor duties. After searching and searching, I could not find a pair that I loved more than these Givenchy's—they have been on my radar for the past six months at least, and thought this was the perfect opportunity to pick them up! Not only are they super comfortable and go with everything, they hold a lot of memory for me now as well. Excited to have a solid pair of open-toed shoes to end off the summer with, and bring me well into fall because of the surface area they cover!
Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest / Shop / BlogLovin'


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Listen to Francesc and Dan debating where Coutinho fits in the current Barcelona squad, what he
brings to Valverde's team and what his signing means for club finances and future success. We are then joined by the brilliant Isaiah Cambron from Barcelona Football Blog. The show ends with La Ronda of Quick-Fire Listener Questions.
Subscribe via Apple Podcasts iOS App, the Android Google Play App or Spotify to make sure you never miss another episode!
Running Order:
What does Coutinho bring to Barcelona?
What formation will Valverde use to include Coutinho and Dembele?
Did Barcelona overpay for Coutinho?
Are Barca losing their essence?
How can La Masia become the basis of Barca's first team again?
Will Yerry Mina sign for Barca in January?
Who should Barca sell out of Aleix Vidal, Gomes, Turan, Deulofeu, Rafinha or Alcacer?
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @TheBarcelonaPod to share your thoughts, send questions and engage with us!
Loved this episode? We would be honored if you could leave us a 5-Star review, please. This would help us spread the word and continue to grow the podcast for other awesome Culés like yourself!
The Barcelona Podcast is brought to you by Francesc Tomas (as seen in ESPN, The Guardian) and Dan Hilton (Barcablog). Listen in for the hottest breaking stories from the Camp Nou!


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(Graveyard Queen #2)
Amanda Stevens
Goodreads Amazon
My name is Amelia Gray. They call me The Graveyard Queen. I've been commissioned to restore an old cemetery in Asher Falls, South Carolina, but I'm coming to think I have another purpose here.Why is there a cemetery at the bottom of Bell Lake? Why am I drawn time and again to a hidden grave I've discovered in the woods? Something is eating away at the soul of this town—this withering kingdom—and it will only be restored if I can uncover the truth.
The wonderfully eerie Graveyard Queen series continues with book two, The Kingdom.
In this one, Amelia is in a new location surrounded by new characters, including a new handsome and mysterious man. An odd choice by the author, to write a plot for this sequel that differs so much from the first, especially with the way things were left at the end of book one regarding John Devlin and a ghost who sought Amelia out for her help. Amelia is the same of course, haunted by her knowledge of ghosts and the fact that she can see them, or rather, try extremely hard not to see them. Her parents and aunt are also in this one for a bit, much like the first in the series, but they are the only characters from The Restorer that appear in this sequel. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book - in fact, I did. I rated it the same four stars that I gave The Restorer, just for different reasons.
In The Kingdom, we follow Amelia as she temporarily moves to the town of Asher Falls to restore the town's Thorngate Cemetery. Asher Falls is almost a character itself, a strange and unnaturally feeling place. Amelia feels immediately drawn to the town, like she is supposed to be there for whatever reason, despite the odd personalities of the town's inhabitants and a group of women reminiscent of The Heathers. Asher Falls is the perfect locale for a ghost story - an isolated island with a tragic past, run by a family with old money. Unfortunately, the ghosts don't really play much of a part in this book. Most of the plot is driven by Amelia's feeling of a strange connection to the town and her discovery of an unmarked grave in the woods near the cemetery. While this story line was interesting, it just doesn't have the same sense of urgency as the ghostly murder mystery being solved in book one. I did appreciate the background info about Amelia that we got from this story. There are some secrets about Amelia's heritage that are finally revealed and this helps to set up what I imagine will be the plot in the upcoming book three.
My favorite thing about The Kingdom, other than the awesomely creepy town itself, is the character Thane, who replaces Devlin as Amelia's love interest. I found him to be more personable and a better match for Amelia, especially considering that in book one we spend more than half the book wondering if Devlin is even interested in Amelia. Thane doesn't come attached to two ghosts either, although he is haunted by less ghostly things that do work against the possibility of a long-term relationship. I am hoping that in the next book we get to see both men - oh, wouldn't that be fun! There is also a secondary character that I quite liked, Sidra. She has much in common with Amelia and I hope she somehow works her way into the next book because I was left with some questions about her.


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Parents of children to be baptized are expected to attend information and instruction sessions before the baptism. Infant Baptism are held on the 4th Sunday of January, March, May, July, September and November. Please call the rectory to register.
Confessions are heard one half hour before each Mass, or call the pastor to make an appointment.
The doctrine of the Holy Eucharist consist of that of the Eucharist sacrifice, the sacrificial meal, and the sacrificial food, or to express it otherwise, it consists of the doctrine of the Mass, of Communion, and of the Real Presence.
As to Orders. The supreme task which Christ had to fulfill was his priestly work of atonement which he completed as mediator between God and man. By the union in himself of humanity and divinity Christ is by nature the mediator.
Diocesan policy requires at least four months advance notification.
Attendance at marriage preparation classes and Engaged Encounter are also required.
This sacrament was provided for the sick to strengthen them and prepare them for a happy passage to the hereafter was for centuries an undisputed part of tradition. The ancient prayers accompanying the anointing of the sick are evidence of this.
The sacrament of confirmation completes the sacrament of baptism. If baptism is the sacrament of re-birth to a new and supernatural life, confirmation is the sacrament of maturity and coming of age.


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40-day summer adventure course bring classroom to Yosemite
UC Berkeley's Adventure Risk Challenge program is offering Merced County youths a chance to explore Yosemite this summer.
For six weeks, teenagers will trek amid the park's waterfalls, alpine lakes and granite cliffs.
Outdoor adventures such as rafting, kayaking, rock-climbing and backpacking will be combined with an academic curriculum that strengthens students' English literacy and leadership skills.
ARC is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. The organization and its 40-day summer immersion course was founded on the Outward Bound model and supports reading, writing, public speaking and academic study skills through outdoor adventure and reflection on students' experiences.
Katie Zanto, the program's founder, wants to connect more people to the outdoors.
"Our participants didn't have access to the outdoors like the rest of the community. I had the idea that I wanted to combine outdoor education adventure with literacy instruction," she said.
Zanto founded Adventure Risk Challenge in 2004 in Tahoe, and the group has served Merced County students for five years. Since its creation, the program has helped students become more goal-oriented, improve their English language skills and develop leadership abilities.
All Merced County ninth- through 12th-graders are eligible to apply for the summer course. ARC is a scholarship-based program and partial to full financial support is provided to all accepted students.
First-generation youths, English language learners and all students who are motivated to experience a life-changing outdoor and academic adventure are especially encouraged to apply.
Visit www.arcprogram.org to learn more about the program and download applications for the summer immersion course. Applications are due by April 25.


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Art Deco Architecture
Art Deco Architecture in the Urban American Landscape
Art Deco's most enduring legacy is
undoubtedly in the American architecture erected when the Art
Deco movement was in its prime, spanning 1922-1939.
Architecture, as an art form, brings an aesthetic value to the
public; since the majorities of erected buildings were public
ones, such as skyscrapers, courthouse, schools, theatres and the
like, Art Deco architecture served its purpose well. Even today,
Art Deco architecture is prominently visible form throughout the
American landscape, with many original structures still in
existence and registered as historical landmarks. These
buildings are the fingerprint of the Art Deco movement.
Residential Art Deco Architecture
Art Deco style is a style of contradictions and extremes. It is
unsurprising then, to note that Art Deco architectural styles
zigzag, classical and streamlined moderne were typically
represented on buildings considered being within the public
sphere. However, Art Deco architecture was hardly represented in
the constructions on the exteriors of private residences; most
art deco applications in private homes were in the interiors.
Most private homes looked very traditional; colonial style house
and the Tudor style homes were very popular. Particularly
popular was the type of Tudor known as the "Stockbroker Tudor."
This type was aptly named because it adhered to the Art Deco
manifesto of opulent luxury. The interiors of the so-called
Stockbroker Tudor featured the dark paneled walls, marble
floors, and ornamental flourishes throughout.


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Signature Series
Nail Art Designs - Orlando
Nail art class
Saturday – June 2, 2018
!! Space is limited to the first 30 students, so sign up now. !!
Exclusive Student kit contains over $285 in LE products!
Light Elegance Presents :: Celina Rydén, Signature Series Nail Art Designs
World renowned nail technician and Next Top Nail Artist finalist Celina Rydén hosts an all-day session of hands-on education in the states. Celina infuses every class with not only elite techniques and world-class art, but also adds her insight into social media, photography and growing a salon business. On top of that, she is a genuine crowd pleaser, so prepare for lots of interaction, fun and humor.
This class focuses on two new Celina Rydén Signature Series nail art designs, the Smokey Quartz and the edgy Burlesque.
The Smokey Quartz takes natural materials like crystal, and stone and smoke and takes them to the next level. You'll learn how to create a super realistic crystal texture when sculpting out the nail with clear. This technique can also be used for various types of looks such as icicle nails or even a next level unicorn design.
The Burlesque design adds a little bit of sassiness to your repertoire for those clients looking for something edgy, whether it may be one nail or an entire set. You'll learn different lace techniques, how to use the sheer black to create sexy designs and, of course, how to include our Lace Gels to spice up any set.
You will leave the class with new skills and a little bit of awe after working with one of the industry's brightest and most talented stars. Celina will also be available after the class for photo opportunities, questions and fun.
Students need to bring a curing lamp, table light and an extension cord to the class.
A: You will get an email about one week before the class with the products that you need to bring. I will have some products for you to use at the class and some you need to bring. I would recommend ordering the "Celina Rydén Signature Nail Art Brush Kit" for the nail art classes or bring something similar. Other from nail products you will have to bring your own UV/LED lamp and an extension cord.
A: We will need your full name, email address, phone number, company name and company number for the invoice. If you have a private company then we need your ID number. If you are not a Swedish resident then we will need the VAT number for your company as well.
A: Lunch will not be provided, however I will have coffee, tea and snacks ready for you during the day. There are several lunch places around the salon and I will help you to find the place you want to go to. You can also bring your own lunch if you want to. We have a fridge and a microwave for your disposal if needed.
A: Yes, you'll get a receipt with all the information you need for your bookkeeping after the class is paid for.
A: You can cancel your registration up to one week before the class starts and get your money back minus a fee of 250 SEK. After that there are no refunds.
A: Unfortunately we can't reserve any spots and it's first-come, first-served. You have secured your spot as soon as the money shows up on our account.
A: You won't be able to buy any professional products from me, if you are interested in buying Light Elegance ahead of the class please go to lightelegance.com. There you'll be able to find your closest distributor and buy the products from there.


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It is a joyous and active fall season at Vasudha. Over the past two weeks, students from all over campus—first and second year Vasudha students, Student Sustainability Task Force members, Nason Hall residents, and many others—have been working ardently to finish the newest edition to the Nason building … an organic garden! On October 7, they accomplished their task, having completed the excavation of four perpendicular plots, filling them with topsoil, and creating a mulch path for navigating the garden.
The garden is a very exciting project for Vasudha because it is the first job that the first-years have planned and executed together as a community. For those who have never heard of Vasudha, it is the Earth, Energy, and Environment Living and Learning community on the first floor of Nason Hall. Many students enthusiastically jumped right into the job of building an eco-friendly and sustainable garden; what better way to start their careers in the Rensselaer Environment housing? Behind the planning of this exciting garden adventure and the gathering of those interested is first-year Vasudha student Kenny Campbell '16. Before starting, Campbell contacted the landscaping administration, sought out help in designing the layout of the garden, gathered interested students, and did most of the research that went into the garden's execution.
For fall and winter, all of the work that needs to be done on the garden has been completed, but the project is still far from finished. In the spring, this area is planned to supply local and organic food for anyone on campus who is interested in growing and maintaining plants outside of Nason Hall. In the two outside plots, students plan to plant tall bushes. On the side adjacent to the Nason patio, outside of the Vasudha Lounge, the gardeners also envision a tall fence with a grapevine on its edge. These bordering features will contribute to the creation of a natural sanctuary by blocking out the parking lot and buildings. The goal is for a person to be able to walk into the Vasudha garden and feel the serenity or peace that comes with being in a place filled with nature.
Another part of this natural aura will be the maintenance techniques used on the garden. Before all the plants are added in the spring, xeriscaping will be implemented. Xeriscaping entails growing native flora in order to reduce the need for supplemental watering. Vasudha is looking into finding plants that are dependent on local temperature and precipitation patterns so that the environment will not have to be adjusted too much, thus saving water and energy, and posing less of a risk to the surrounding ecosystem. The fertilizer and mulch that were used to fill the garden floor are also organic. These types of dirt are effective in blocking weeds, which is important for Vasudha's aim in avoiding pesticides completely. Avoiding chemicals will ensure the growth of the cleanest and purest plants.
Another exciting part of the garden is getting to effectuate the use of the compost bin that has been sitting outside on the Nason patio for a long time. Inside the bin lie the remains of past efforts to recycle biodegradable food. These bins have not been emptied in quite some time. The brave Vasudha gardeners plan to do a massive clean out of this bin and start composting before winter brings drastically colder temperatures. If the bin is started soon, the composting will create its own heat as the materials biodegrade. That means that if everything goes to plan, Vasudha can create its own soil during the late fall and winter for use in growing its organic plants in the spring!
The garden has brought together many people from around campus, and it was a great bonding activity for Vasudha, especially the freshmen who made up a majority of the turnout. Transitioning from high school to college can be hard, but getting involved in something as fun as starting an organic garden can easily get rid of (or at least calm) aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa those freshman jitters. It is also thrilling that the first-year Vasudha students were given an opportunity so closely related to their theme housing so early on in the year. It is definitely the start of many other great things to come!


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Patient Consultation
Medical History, Photographic Documentation, Patient Goals
The patient is greeted and, if he or she has not done so already, is asked to fill out a detailed history form. He or she is then taken to the photography room by a nurse assistant, who takes digital photographs and escorts the patient to the examination room. The nurse then downloads the photographs into the network computer.
I then meet the patient. I ask what he or she does not like about his or her nose and what the patient would like me to fix. After the patient explains the goals, I review any prior medical records. After a review of the patient's medical history, I then perform an examination.
Aesthetic Nasal Examination
Detailed anatomic analysis of the nose is an essential first step in achieving a successful surgical outcome. My approach to rhinoplasty analysis in a primary rhinoplasty is well described.10 I use this organized approach to aesthetic analysis for revision rhinoplasty as well (Table 18-1). The nasal analysis in revision rhinoplasty is made more complex by the fact of prior surgical intervention, with subsequent distortion of the pre-existing anatomy.
The first, critical factor is the skin-soft tissue envelope – its thickness, its quality, its integrity, and its mobility in relation to the underlying nasal structures. As analysis proceeds, a critical question that guides examination of each area is, "was it underresected, overresected, asymmetrically resected, or appropriately treated?" Any unoperated areas of the nose are identified. In addition, the presence of possible grafts or implants is considered throughout the examination. A partial list of specific considerations is discussed here.
For the bony dorsum, I examine the osteotomies and assess their position. Are they too high, normal, or too low? Is the bony dorsum straight or twisted, wide or narrow? Will revision osteotomies be required? I look for the presence of open roof deformity or rocker deformity. In addition, I judge whether the bony hump was underresected or overresected. In addition, I palpate the bony hump for irregularities.
For the middle vault, I assess the middle vault width, with special attention directed to the presence of an inverted-V deformity. A narrow middle vault with an inverted-V deformity suggests a need to restore middle vault structural support (i.e., spreader grafts). I make a judgment as to whether the cartilaginous profile was
underresected, overresected, or irregularly resected and whether the middle vault is straight or deviated. In addition, I palpate carefully to ascertain whether the dorsal septum at the anterior septal angle was underresected, contributing to a pollybeak deformity.
For the tip, I carefully examine and assess tip symmetry, projection, rotation, alar-columellar relationship, and lower lateral crural characteristics such as overresection and bossae formation. I palpate to assess tip support. I examine the caudal septum to see if it is straight or twisted. I examine all incisions, both endonasal and external. I examine carefully for the presence of possible grafts.
Functional Nasal Examination
Static and dynamic nasal valve collapse are commonly encountered in revision rhinoplasty patients.11-16 In Becker et al.'s report, 19 of 21 patients with nasal valve collapse reported a history of rhinoplasty.16
Pinching of the nasal sidewall and alar retraction are hallmarks of nasal valve collapse (Fig. 18-2). Observing the patient performing normal and deep nasal inspiration may lead directly to the diagnosis of nasal valve collapse. A "modified" Cottle maneuver, in which the lateral nasal sidewall is supported and elevated slightly with a cerumen curette of similar device, is strongly supportive of the diagnosis when the maneuver results in the patient's report of significant subjective improvement in nasal breathing.
Anterior rhinoscopy is undertaken and may help identify abnormalities such as deviated septum, inferior turbinate hypertrophy, synechiae or scar bands, septal perforation, and other abnormalities. Examination also includes nasal endoscopy when there is a complaint of nasal obstruction.17,18 If indicated, a sinus computed tomography scan may also be obtained.
Pownell et al. described diagnostic nasal endoscopy in the plastic surgical literature.17 They traced the historical development of nasal endoscopy, explained its rationale, reviewed anatomic and diagnostic issues including the differential diagnosis of nasal obstruction, and described the selection of equipment and correct application of technique, emphasizing the potential for advanced diagnostic potential.
Levine18 reported that 39% of patients with a complaint of nasal obstruction had findings on endoscopic examination that were not identified with traditional rhinoscopy. Many of Levine's patients had seen other physicians for this problem and had not received appropriate treatment.
Becker et al. described that, in patients seeking cosmetic nasal surgery who also had nasal obstruction, nasal endoscopy (Fig. 18-3) allowed the diagnosis of additional pathology not seen on anterior rhinoscopy, including obstructing adenoids, enlarged middle turbinates with concha bullosa, choanal stenosis, nasal polyps, and chronic sinusitis.19,20 In their series, additional surgical therapy was undertaken in 28 of 96 rhinoplasty patients because of findings on endoscopic exam. Thirteen patients had endoscopic sinus surgery. Nine patients had a concha bullosa
requiring partial middle turbinectomy. Three patients – all revision surgeries – had persisting posterior septal deviation requiring endoscopic septoplasty. Two patients underwent adenoidectomy. One patient required repair of choanal stenosis.
Table 18-1 Simplified Algorithm for Visual and Manual Nasal Examination in Revision Rhinoplasty*
Primary concerns
Identify primary concerns leading patient to seek revision rhinoplasty.
Skin quality
Integrity, vascularity, mobility, skin thickness (thin, medium, or thick).
For each issue and anatomic area, is problem because of underresection, overresection, asymmetric resection?
Narrow, wide, normal, "wide-narrow-wide"?
Twisted or straight (follow brow-tip aesthetic lines)?
Middle Vault
Assess width. Inverted V? Underresected? Overresected?
Deviated, bulbous, asymmetric, amorphous?
Deviated, wide, bulbous, bifid, asymmetric?
Wide, narrow, or normal?
Columellar-lobule ratio (normal is 2:1 ratio).
Nasofrontal angle
Shallow or deep?
Nasal starting point
High or low?
Straight, concave, or convex: bony, bony-cartilaginous, or cartilaginous (i.e., is convexity primarily bony,
Nasal length
Normal, short, long?
Projection (normal, increased, decreased)?
Does it add anything, or does it confirm the other views?
**There are many other points of analysis that can be made on each view, but these are some of the vital points of commentary.


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The goalie fight is one of those rare and special sightings, like Bigfoot or a Derek Boogaard goal. Only an absolute pacifist doesn't like watching those comically overdressed combatants swing wildly at each other.
On Wednesday night, with just 16.5 seconds left in what would be a 3-0 victory by Pittsburgh over the New York Islanders, Penguins goalie Brent Johnson decided he would skate the length of the ice to square off with the Islanders' Rick DiPietro. They met inside DiPietro's blueline.
Sadly, there was little comic flailing. Johnson ended the bout with one punch.DiPietro chalked it up to Johnson's "long arms." Marc-André Fleury said the right-handed Johnson tricked DiPietro by coming in as a southpaw.
It was reported that DiPietro was sporting some facial swelling after the game. Given his injury history, he could miss the rest of the season. Or he could play in Friday's rematch.
In today's Post-up poll, we invite you to review the video from our four favourite goalie fights and pick your winner. We have a couple of classics from the heyday of the Red Wings-Avalanche antipathy. In the years after Claude Lemieux wrecked Kris Draper into the boards in the 1995 playoffs, the two teams were always trying to settle some score. Unlike Brent Johnson, the bigger man didn't always fare as well here.
Smilin' Ray Emery shows his moves against both Martin Biron and Andrew Peters in a more recent classic and then scrappin' Ron Hextall makes an appearance in his famous set-to with the Leafs' Felix Potvin. Cast your vote below.
Mike Vernon vs. Patrick Roy
Chris Osgood vs. Patrick Roy
Ray Emery vs. Martin Biron (and Andrew Peters)
Felix Potvin vs. Ron Hextall