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Education Lobby Aims To Rally Public Support
Like President Clinton, education advocates here are hoping to stave off massive cuts in the programs they hold dear by enlisting public support.
"Education and the economy are the two issues that are going to be discussed on the national level" in next year's elections, Keith B. Geiger, the president of the National Education Association, said at a news conference last week, where education leaders announced they have formed a new coalition, the Education First Alliance.
Education organizations are continuing to work through the Washington-based Committee for Education Funding, an umbrella group of 77 associations and institutions, to monitor budget and appropriations developments on Capitol Hill.
But now that they are faced with a political climate in which proposals such as eliminating the Education Department are being taken seriously, education lobbyists have been forced to alter their strategy to rely more on the grassroots.
Unlike the Democrat-run Congresses of previous years, the Republican-controlled 104th Congress does not often see eye to eye with the C.E.F. Accordingly, the lobbying group has found its access and influence limited.
"We're for whoever supports education, and that has traditionally been one party more than the other," said John Forkenbrock, the C.E.F.'s president and the executive director of the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools. "Now we're dealing with a different set of players and a different set of circumstances."
Pointing to the Polls
Comprising 14 associations, most of which are also C.E.F. members, the Education First Alliance will focus on efforts to capitalize on what its members see as strong public backing for education.
Education lobbyists point to recent public-opinion polls that have consistently found support for federal education spending and a federal education presence embodied in the Education Department.
"This idea is to take the debate out of Washington and into local communities to show the direct relationship between [federal budget cutting] and what is happening in local communities," said Michael D. Edwards, the manager of federal relations for the N.E.A. "The idea is to make education a fundamental public-policy issue from now until whenever--1996 or beyond."
Similarly, President Clinton has focused on proposed cuts in education programs in attacking Republican budget plans, in an effort to protect those programs and to draw a distinction between his Administration, which has made education a big part of its domestic and economic agenda, and his Republican opponents.
Albert Shanker, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, a member of the new alliance, said the alliance aims to spark discussion on education "in every election district in this country."
Organizations participating in the alliance--including groups like the teacher's unions that have traditionally had a strong lobbying presence here as well as others that have been less aggressive--will launch media campaigns, urge parents and school officials to phone and write lawmakers, and organize town meetings, among other activities.
Getting Political
Fred Brown, the principal of Boyertown Elementary School in Boyertown, Pa., served as an illustration of the new strategy.
He holds periodical aluminum-can drives to help pay for his school's drug-abuse-prevention program, which also receives federal support. But now that some G.O.P. lawmakers have targeted the anti-drug program for budget cuts, Mr. Brown has become an amateur lobbyist.
He has invited the state's two Republican senators and his local member of Congress, a Democrat, to visit his school and see firsthand its need for federal funds. Earlier this month, he encouraged the parents of next year's kindergarten class to get in touch with those lawmakers and register complaints about plans to drastically cut education spending.
"We're exerting our political power," Mr. Brown said at last week's news conference.
"Being politically involved is not something we're skilled at or experienced in," he added later. "But we have to drive it home that this is a very serious issue. We're not talking about seat belts on school buses. We're talking about our bread and butter."
Student Aid
Education lobbyists hope the earnestness of educators like Mr. Brown will appeal to Republicans, who have said they are more inclined to listen to folks back home than to veteran lobbyists.
It remains unclear whether the strategy will work.
A similar coalition created earlier this year by the higher-education community, the Alliance to Save Student Aid, appeared to be successful in preventing major federal financial-aid cuts from being included in HR 1158, the $16.4 billion spending-rescissions bill that won final approval from Congress last week. (See related story .)
But the House Budget Committee's plan for balancing the federal budget by 2002, endorsed by the House this month, calls for an end to the in-school interest subsidy on student loans, an idea that was a part of the House Republicans' "Contract With America."
The Senate's budget plan calls for eliminating subsidies only for graduate students.
Vol. 14, Issue 36
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Less Vs More
What habits would you bin and which would you like to do more of?
What habits would you bin and which would you like to do more of?
Something just clicked. No not my bones. Recently, something clicked, inside.
There is nothing greater than feeling a sense of relaxation that comes with happiness. That moment when you are laughing with friends and you look at them and realise you are completely uninhibited. That moment as you open your eyes after a calming meditation or when you look at your partner with love and adoration […]
Some people see sunsets as the end to a day. Yes certainly they do happen at the end of a day, daylight fades and gives way to the night. Darkness helping to illuminate the artificial light or the sparkling stars and mystical moon.
Just some Happy Daffodils, Spring isn't far away … Seasons
Today is a day off for me. From work that is. So here I am sat in my conservatory, the sun warming my back (seriously it's so warm I'm going to be sat in a bikini in a minute, the thermometer says 33 degrees celsius!)

subset: commoncrawl


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America. 1970. Black Vietnam veteran Beau Willie Brown is held in custody, accused of a heinous crime. A story comes to light that sticks in the throat, a story murmured between dark dreams.
*"beau come back from 'nam with empty eyes and hands like stone
the war started long before he got on that plane"*
but i cd only whisper wrestles with being vulnerable and black in white America. Fusing the physical and the poetic, a strange song emerges from the warble of police sirens, the percussion of machine guns, and the chants of voices only you can hear.
Sophie Watson for Tabula Rasa Theatre brings you the world premiere of this fierce and lyrical new play.
To follow the work of anyone in this show, click a name and select Follow. Any new work will show up in your personalised Feed and Notifications.


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Bridget was a hot, sexy, young girl. Andrew and her were both virgins. He completely wanted her. Every moment in life. They live together in a little apartment…..this is how his life turned out.
Andrew was watching his favorite tv show. Just when Bridget knocked on the door. He got up and opened the door. "What r u doing here? I thought u went to go visit ur parents?" "I was…then i realized that they went on vacation. Im sorry if i came too early, u know, back." "Its okay, next time tell me." "Okay, its a deal then." She came in and plopped right on the couch. She started taking off her shirt. Andrew couldn't stop looking, he never seen a girl get undressed in front of him. PERIOD. He started walking away when she said, "where u going?" Andrew couldn't talk, she was taking off her bra too! Then, before his eyes, he saw a young, sexy girl, naked in front of him! He couldn't talk, he was speechless. She walked up to him and asked, "aren't u hot? Take ur clothes off, don't be scared." He started to take his clothes off. He suddenly was completely naked as she was. She offered him to take a seat. He took a seat, even though he was scared on what she'll do to him. She got on top of him as she looked down at his dick. He asked, "What r u doing to me?" "WHY? r u scared or something?"
To Be continued….


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NY Curly Bride
254 5th Ave Fl 2, New York, NY 10001
(917) 566-3921
(917) 566-3921
|Thu - Sun:
12/14/2011Provided by Citysearch -
I met Joseph and Mark team at a wedding show that I attended. Seeing their work in person, I just knew that I wanted them for my wedding day.
I had short hair at the time, but still had enough time to grow it longer before the wedding day. During the consultation, Joseph shared different tips on how to have healthy, gorgeous hair. I followed his instruction, and by the time I did a trial with him, my hair was long enough to do beautiful up do without adding hair extensions.
Thus, I still hadn't decided I'd do half-updo or not. So I decided to leave it all up to him. He told me to bring pictures of wedding dress. From there, he told me what to do with hairstyles and what I can arrange with hairpieces/veils.
It was such a hectic day (Although I bet it's normal) and so many things were going on at the same time, but Joseph and Mark came on time, managed my hair and my 4 bridesmaids' hair so naturally and beautifully, we were just extremely happy with it.
The pearl and Swarovski pins that they put on my hair,
sometimes I look at them to remember my wedding day. It was such a beautiful job they did.
11/19/2011Provided by Citysearch -
Finding Hair Stylist for Wedding/Bridal in New York would be difficult - It's just too much to choose from.
I mean, planning wedding in NYC in general is just painful.
I have a curly hair, and has been going to this curly hair stylist for a couple of month by now - his name is Joseph.
I already got covered for a makeup artist, and Joseph is THE only hairstylist I would get my hair done by. So although my girlfriends are trying to refer me to other hairdresser, I just kept saying no to them.
First thing I did with him was trying to figure how the hair is gonna be done. Full-updo or Half-updo, chignon or straight... But after all I just wanna be looking great at my best.
I sent him a picture of my wedding dress and veil by email. He suggested me a full updo, since he likes how my bridal gown contours my decollete beautifully.
On a trial session 3 months before my wedding, he did 2 hairstyles- one with braids and one simple one. I like the one that is very simple, yet the detail was very elegant so I decided to go for it.
On My wedding day, I had this beautiful venue in New Jersey, and he came all the way from NY, to get my hair AND my bridemaids (6 of those!) in 3 hours. It must be hectic for him listening to him how they'd like to get their hair done, but he was calm, manage the time very well, and all of us just LOVED how we looked.
For those bride-to-bes in Tri-State Area, Joseph is the one you can count on.
11/10/2011Provided by Citysearch -
I am going to make my review simple and clean.
1. I got married last July. Due to the traffic, we were late. So for my stylist, Joe, the time was really limited. The worst part is, I couldn't make a trial either, so we only had discussed about hair over emails/calls. I wasn't sure how it'd be, but he made such a gorgeous hair that matches my dress perfectly.
2. I also had 4 bridemaids AND my mom. My mom was NOT gonna get her hair done, but after she saw how my hair was done beautifully, she was begging Joe to do her hair - Joe did it for no extra charge. He is such a sweetheart.
3. I was a little bit nervous, but he and his assistant put me at ease. They are such nice ones to work with. I wish I could provide them lunch, we had a lot of food from caters.
Overall, I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend him for other bride-to-bes. You won't be regret.
10/31/2011Provided by Citysearch -
??Joseph has been cutting my hair for the past couple months now, you will leave the salon with a great-looking cut that flatters your face and works with (not in spite of) your hair's natural texture, whether it's kinky, curly, wavy, or, as in my case, all three.. ??Joseph starts out with a warm hello and a careful consultation. He listens to what you say, and also does a hands-on check of your hair's texture so he knows what he's working with. ??He kept my length and always gives me an amazing shape, and it never stops getting compliments.
08/24/2011Provided by Citysearch -
Most curly girls know what a challenge our hair can be when we're not sure what to do with it. Over the years I have gone, with great hope, to every premiere salon in New York City only to be left disappointed. I have however finally found the stylist I will only trust my curly locks with - Joseph.
Joseph has expertly tamed my curls. With his artistry and mastery of his craft, over the years, he has given me a beautiful cuts (respecting the length of my hair) and has colored my hair exquisitely. He has also patiently taught me how to leave my home looking as if I just walked out of the salon.
Whether you are getting married or not, I highly recommend booking with Joseph. Because of his skill and his warmth, his star will only continue to rise!
07/28/2011Provided by Citysearch -
I have finally found a stylist that I am super happy with.
Joseph has been cutting my hair for the past years now, you will leave the salon with a great-looking cut that flatters your face and works with (not in spite of) your hair's natural texture, whether it's kinky, curly, wavy, or, as in my case, all three..
Joseph starts out with a warm hello and a careful consultation. He listens to what you say, and also does a hands-on check of your hair's texture so he knows what he's working with. He kept my length and always gives me an amazing shape, and it never stops getting compliments.
07/26/2011Provided by Citysearch -
Mark has been doing my hair for the past several years. When I got married in Boston (my hometown), there was no question that I would fly Mark for the wedding day.
There simply is NO BETTER hairdresser!!!! Mark has always had an ease and grace about his hairstyling work. His same level of prestige, he has no attitude other than a pleasant one. He is easy to communicate with and always delivers exactly what I want. I ended up wearing my hair in an updo for the ceremony and down with an orchid pinned in it for the reception. Mark finessed the transition with ease.
He also did my mother's hair and all my bridesmaids' hairdos. They all wish he lived in Boston so that he could continue to style their hair!
I have long wavy hair and Mark has styled it in every possible way - From sexy dramatic looks to sleek looks appropriate for work events. He is unparalleled and the consummate professional. I highly recommend him and his team at NY Curly Bride wholeheartedly!


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Yesterday was a lovely sunny Sunday, prompting us to take a family walk over the nearby woods and playing fields. All was going well, we had bought ice creams, taken customary Instagram shot and no one was squabbling. Yay happy times!
Ice creams eaten, we went into the woods, the youngest then wanted to play a game of hide 'n seek. Okay all sounds like a bit of harmless fun, right? Yup, that's when it all when a bit wrong.
Jed was going to hide first, so off he went. We could see he hadn't gone far as Mummy and Daddy were cheating watching him in the reflection of each other's sunglasses. My Husband had watched him go off behind some trees so we were loudly making a pretence of checking behind some of the bigger trees we knew he hadn't gone behind, stupidly confident that we knew where he was hiding.
Hang on a minute though, WHERE THE HELL IS HE? He was literally there a second ago but had vanished.
Jed is 9, so he's not a baby anymore, he is my baby though and I still struggle not to think of him as such. My baby had just vanished!
I kept saying to my husband,
"he was there, he can't have got far"
so we carried on looking. After what felt like a very long ten minutes, but was probably only five, the panic started to set in. We literally had no clue where he was.
Our eldest who is 14 was starting to get cranky and was unhelpfully shouting her head off.
"Jed this isn't funny anymore, come out"
Yes thanks for the help darling, that's going to make him come out from his hiding place, NOT!
At this point off we had set in various different directions (thank technology for mobile phones, no one else was going to get lost) calling his name and pleading with him to come out. Nope, still no sign of him.
It was getting to the point my brain is starting to tell me he's been kidnapped, yes I was really starting to panic.
Thank god this was not the case though.
The little Bugger can run!
He had done a complete 180 on us and had run round the outside of the woods and across playing fields to the other entrance to the woods, Mummy and Daddy were looking in completely the wrong place.
It was our other son, along with some school friends who found him in the end, after being dispatched to help find him. Thanks boys!
Fortunately all was well, and Jed hadn't even realised the panic he had caused. Mummy and Daddy though were very close to calling the police and reporting him missing.
Just imagine that phone call!
'Um yes officer, we were playing hide and seek with our 9 year old, and now we've lost him'
Not my finest moment as a parent!
At least I can see the funny side of it now. Though I'm not sure if I will agree to a game of hide 'n seek in the woods again in a hurry.


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According to every news network, the Marathon Bombing suspect is in a boat is cornered in a boat iin the back of Franklin Street.
Via Blake Hounshell and Bing Maps, this is almost certainly it.
For full coverage of the reported standoff, see here >
And here's a street view.
RT @billy_baker: Photo of boat where suspect is hiding, taken from street view Bing map, via WBZ's @peteswire. twitter.com/PetesWire/stat…— Matt Soleyn (@MattSoleyn) April 20, 2013


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Let's face it: We live in a pretty jaded society. In such a "been there, seen that" environment, the promise of a regular ole' waterpark wouldn't be enough to prompt even an eye-roll emoji in response from many people. Thank goodness, then, for an amusement park in Germany whose new, world-first waterslide adds in a dose of scintillating virtual reality in an effort to make us feel something again.
"Ballast originally started by making an experimental headset that can be used underwater," Stephen Greenwood, the CEO of Ballast VR, the company behind VRSlide, told Digital Trends. "Last summer, we were approached by German waterslide manufacturer Wiegand-Maelzer to see if we could build a system that worked on waterslides. The biggest challenge with VR on waterslides, compared to roller coasters or other track-based rides, is that every rider moves at a unique speed — meaning that in order for everything to be perfectly synchronized, we had to invent a tracking system that knows precisely where each rider is and display the VR content at a variable speed."
A bit like the opening credits to the Naked Gun movies, in which a cop car is transported to everywhere from the inside of a pinball machine to the Death Star trench, once VRSlide riders put on their goggles, their perspective changes to give the illusion of them flying through a variety of settings. Sure, the virtual reality looks a bit more like a PlayStation 2 game than cutting-edge graphics, but Greenwood said that the results are surprisingly effective.
"We were skeptical when considering to take on the project," he explained. "But when we did some very early tests, even without the tracking system it became clear that it's a bizarre combination that produces a really thrilling experience. I think it's more fun than roller coaster VR, because there are multiple senses being stimulated — you have water splashing against the rider, unexpected twists and turns when the rider thinks they are going one way in VR, but then actually take a sharp turn in the other direction. Riders can also experience a new world every time they go down, so the same slide can be refreshed as much as the park operators would like."
At present, the slide at Therme Erding, 30 minutes outside Munich, is the only place you can try the experience. However, Greenwood said the company is interested in taking the technology global. "We are currently in discussions with parks outside of Germany to expand," he noted.
Editors' Recommendations


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Useful Information / Links
National Induction Programme for TeachersWeb - www.teacherinduction.ie
This website aims to provide information about the National Induction Programme and to support Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs), mentors, principals and staff in their work with NQTs.
NIPT Workshop ProgrammeAs with previous years, the Induction Workshops are run by the NIPT through Education Centres. You should contact your local centre or visit the Association of Teachers' / Education Centres in Ireland website (www.ateci.ie) for further information.
The Teaching Council (An Chomhairle Mhúinteoireachta)Web - www.teachingcouncil.ie
The Teaching Council is the professional body for teaching in Ireland. It was established on a statutory basis in March 2006 to promote teaching as a profession at Primary and Post-Primary levels; to promote the professional development of teachers; and to regulate standards in our profession.


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Giovanni Davis
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The Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA) commissioned a set of unique Bennett custom awards for their 2015 GSA Awards Dinner Celebration. For the past 21 years, these prestigious awards have recognized the achievements of semiconductor companies in a number of different categories, including outstanding leadership, financial accomplishments, and overall respect within the semiconductor industry. The GSA supports the overall global semiconductor industry and its partners by offering a comprehensive view of the industry. This enables members to better anticipate market opportunities and industry trends, preparing them for technology and business shifts.
The annual GSA Awards recognize semiconductor companies that have demonstrated excellence through their success, vision, strategy and future opportunities in the industry. Specific awards include:
- Most Respected Public Semiconductor Awards
- Best Financially Managed Semiconductor Company Award
- Analyst Favorite Semiconductor Company Award
- Outstanding Revenue Growth by a Private Semiconductor Company
- Outstanding Revenue Growth by a Public Semiconductor Company Award
- Start-Up to Watch Award
- Most Respected Private Semiconductor Company Award
- Outstanding Asia Pacific Semiconductor Company Award
- Outstanding EMEA Semiconductor Company Award
In addition to these awards, the GSA's most prestigious award, the Dr. Morris Chang Exemplary Leadership Award, recognizes individuals, such as its namesake, Dr. Morris Chang, for their exceptional contributions to development, innovation, growth and long-term opportunities for the semiconductor industry.
For these distinguished awards, the GSA commissioned Bennett Awards to create a new custom award design that reflected the achievement, spirit and innovation inherent to the GSA Awards. Bennett Awards created a set of hand-blown glass art awards that were individually unique, reflecting their handmade craftsmanship, yet still were part of an integrated, cohesive design. These unique glass awards were teardrop shaped, with a clear outer form and an opaque blue crystal form inside each award. Each award also had golden freeform linear patterns that added a dynamic, flowing element to the design. These colors were based on the design theme for the event. A special, larger award in the same shape and style was created for the Dr. Morris Chang Exemplary Leadership Award. Each award was mounted on a crystal base with an engraved plate with the award and recipient names.
These awards were presented to recipients at the GSA 2015 Annual Awards Dinner Celebration, held December 10, 2015 at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, California. The event was attended by over 1,500 semiconductor executives, and featured General Stanley McChrystal, former Commander of the U.S. and International Forces in Afghanistan, as the keynote speaker.


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10 Lunar New Year Traditions to Celebrate at OMCA
The Lunar New Year invites us to take stock of the past year, get rid of bad old habits, and begin anew. Start with some advance planning for Sunday's festival. Avoid the long line—buy tickets online, and save $2 off each ticket. Even better, get an OMCA Membership so you can skip the line and come back to the Museum for free. Also, check out the schedule in advance, so you'll make sure to see it all!
2. Take BART.
Part of the Lunar New Year tradition is cleaning your home to make way for good fortune. In the same spirit, choose a cleaner way to commute, and take BART to the celebration. OMCA is only a block away from Lake Merritt Station, making the trip easy. Parking in the OMCA garage opens at 8 am with a flat-rate fee of $7, but it's sure to fill up, so public transportation is your best bet. Additional parking is available for a $5 flat fee at ALCO Parking Garage, 165 13th Street at Jackson Street, and will be open from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm.
3. Come ready to eat!
An important part of the Lunar New Year in many Asian cultures is sharing food with family. At OMCA, learn how to make your own spring rolls, a Vietnamese tradition. You can also enjoy food trucks on 10th street—Bombzies BBQ, featuring pan-Asian flavors, WoKitchen, serving authentic Chinese-style cuisine, and 3 Brothers Kitchen, which has Southeast Asian-inspired food. Blue Oak café will have Asian treats from local restaurants reflecting Oakland's diversity.
4. Get decorated.
Many people go to markets for red and gold decorations, colorful clothing, and food at Lunar New Year. At OMCA, decorate yourself and the little ones with Lunar New Year face paint by volunteers from BuildOn. Special vendors will have great Lunar New Year-themed merchandise for sale including Fabula Tea, a Year of the Rooster book signing with author Oliver Chin, and more in the OMCA Store.
5. Get in the spirit with the lion and dragon dances.
In Chinese tradition, the lion symbolizes good fortune and wisdom, while the dragon is life-giving, powerful, and friendly. Lion and dragon dances are common at festivals, weddings, and of course, Lunar New Year. These ferocious creatures are said to scare off bad spirits and bring in happiness. A roaring lion dance starts off the celebration at OMCA, and the event always closes with a majestic dragon dance. Students from the Buddhist Developing Virtue Secondary School travel all the way from Ukiah to perform these favorites every year.
6. Know your astrology.
2017 marks the Year of the Rooster, one of twelve animals in the Lunar zodiac. People born in the Year of the Rooster are said to be interesting, brave, and talented. Learn more about the symbolism of the Rooster during story time with author Oliver Chin. Make your own Rooster button, and have your fortune told by the School of Yimutology. You might even meet a rooster in-person at the Little Explorers Petting Zoo—an annual favorite.
7. Make some noise.
Loud sounds, like firecrackers, are used on Lunar New Year to scare away bad spirits. At OMCA's celebration, chase the evil away with the sounds of different drumming traditions from Japanese Taiko with Jiten Daiko to Malaysian 24 Festival Drums, to traditional Korean drumming, known as Utdari Samulnori.
8. Savor cultural dance.
Enjoy a range of cultural dances from Gadung Kasturi Balinese Dance and Music to Patty Chu's Chinese Folk Dance Troupe, to energetic K-pop Dance performed by the UC Berkeley Korean Performance Group. Let the sounds and dazzling costumes of these talented groups bring you happiness and excitement for a New Year.
9. Be wowed.
Your jaw will drop with awesome demonstrations of contortion acrobatics by Teri Wing, magic tricks of The Magic of Jade, comedy and magic by Goofball, Vietnamese martial arts by Vovinam America, and Chinese Yo-Yo tricks from Foothill High School students. Just don't try any of these at home!
10. Make something to take home.
Try your hand at a craft like Chinese calligraphy, Japanese doll-making making Chinese lanterns from lucky red envelopes, or Tibetan prayer flag-making e. Construct your own Korean kite and write your New Year's wish on it, and then fly it in the garden, or make a Korean lucky money bag to hold all your good fortune.
The Lunar New Year Celebration and Other Asian Traditions takes place on Sunday, February 12, 2017, from 12 pm to 4:30 pm at the Oakland Museum of California. Tickets are available online.


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Make sure you and your family check the payment table to ascertain out. The commission table is a complete small printed decal displaying the rates of likelihood on the winning blends. If you place on t want in the market to pay the maximum, consider finding a definite less expensive slot machine machine. For example, if you hold on a washing machine with a dollar minimum but a meaningful one dollar maximum, you should learn with one usd to see your current best results. This kind technique is extremely for machines by way of a jackpot. However, this is a real good method to get regular slot sewing machines as well. Trial offer the payout of most your machine. As soon as online casino malaysia sit depressed to a modern machine you definitely have to test any payout percentage.
Put in the perfect few dollars and furthermore see how most you get backed. After some work-time has passed, price out whether or even a not you lso are breaking even. In the instance that you are, hold put! It might just be a shed slot machine! If in case not, move to successfully another machine. As for example, if the customer spend about twenty-five dollars at the right machine over more than half an hour and then only get pertaining to ten dollars back, that s most certainly not a reduce machine. Leave and even find a faster one. Avoid opting a "favorite device." If you make a lot of the attention to just one particular machine, your company won t are as likely on leave it when it stops having to out.
Play multiple models at once.


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Portadown Integrated ECO-School
Article 24; Every child has the right to the best possible health. Governments must work to provide good quality health care, clean water nutricious food and a clean environment so that children can stay healthy.
At Portadown Integrated Primary School helping and caring for the environment is really important to us. We have an Eco Council who help lead ideas in the school and help to keep PIPS green. We have a meeting once a month and discuss issues that are important in our school. We write a newsletter and share it with the whole school community.
Our ECO Code has be developed by the whole school. All pupils, teachers and parents are involved in making the Code REAL in every aspect of school life!
ECO Code:
Together we will make a change
Our Environment is important
Go Green
Eco friendly school
Travel to school actively
Help to pick up litter
Energy saving
Respect our world
The Big Pedal
The Big Pedal will be taking place from Monday, 23rd April to Friday, 4th May.
Could everyone please make a big effort to cycle or scoot to school on these days.
We will enter the best 5 days over the 2 weeks and hopefully we will win some prizes for the school.
The Minibeast Hotel
The Eco Team have been working hard to make our new Minibeast hotel. The minibeast hotel is beside the Afterschool's room, all classes can now use the minibeast hotel as part of their learning.


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New Stig Lindberg print available at Bemz
Iconic 20th century Swedish designer Stig Lindberg would have celebrated his 100th birthday on August 18th. In honour of this milestone, we're introducing his classic Tallyho design - now available as a cover for your favourite IKEA furniture.
Stig Lindberg's playful and sophisticated style shines through in the Tallyho print - a graphic representation of stylised apples - now available as a Bemz cover for your favourite IKEA furniture in both Blue and Nearly Black. Stig Lindberg studied at the Swedish State School of arts, crafts and design in Stockholm, hoping to become a painter. Lindberg was employed by one of the preeminent ceramics houses in Sweden and worked with Gustavsberg's studio until 1980 when he then moved to Italy to establish his own studio. Over the years, he has been awarded gold medals and grand prix at the Triennale Exhibitions.
Retro art
We've chosen Stig Lindberg as a Bemz design partner because of the timelessly beautiful nature of his patterns. In addition to Tallyho, we've reproduced two famous textile designs called Bulbous and Herbarium. These designs have been reprinted by Bemz for the first time since the 1960s, and are available across the entire Bemz range. We feel that they fit perfectly with our feeling of Scandinavian design and the revived interest in retro design.


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A Better Way to Stay
A Grassroots Campaign for the B&B Industry
September-October Updates
PAII has coined the phrase "The Better Way to Stay". This campaign is phenomenal and it is poised to launch with a website dedicated to showing the industry all the components of the campaign. This temporary site will soon be taken down and BetterWaytoStay.com will become a resource room for innkeepers to learn about the campaign, its supporters and its tools. Look forward to learning about the launch of this site any day now.
Many travelers are finding out that B&B's give such personal service that even the finest hotels are not able to accommodate! The relaxation that comes from staying two or more days at a B&B cannot be matched at a hotel. Owners of B&B's care for you like friends, yet give you privacy at the same time. Many have acreage with places to walk, talk and reconnect. Find your perfect place and make a reservation today. www.songbirdprairie.com 877.766.4273


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Getting to the Promised Land
The Happiest Place on Earth... except for Tijuana (CREDIT: Columbia Athletics)
Columbia's official guide to gameday at the Baker Athletics Complex (highly recommended reading):
Step one: DON'T PANIC
Getting around New York City, and Manhattan in particular, is all about your state of mind. If you're an overly aggressive or too passive driver, you will either drop dead of a tension-induced stroke or become the victim of a panic attack, respectively. The city is fraught with double-parkers, Kamikaze cabs with no regard for life and limb, and people who routinely make right turns from the extreme left lane.
But fear not! The road to the Baker Atheltics Complex is filled with special advantages and other options that can make the whole experience livable, decent, fun even.
The key to avoiding disappointment, dyspepsia, and dismemberment is to LEAVE YOURSELF A LOT OF TIME. Other than the Homecoming game which starts at 1:30, and the Dartmouth game which starts at 4pm, the Columbia home games will begin at 12:30 this season, (some times could change, but that's how it stands as of now). With another season's worth of pre-game activities in the works, the worst thing that could happen is that you show up an hour or so before the game and enjoy a good time in the picnic area. Is that so bad? And if you just make it in time for the game, well then you made it. Either way, going early is the way to go.
Baker or Morningside: Make Your Choice Now
Before we talk about getting to the actual game by car, ask yourself where you'd really like to keep you gas-guzzling SUV for the day. Do you want to park it up at the very tip of Manhattan, or do you want to keep it near the Columbia campus where you can spend a very pleasant morning and late afternoon/evening before and after the game? This is not exactly a rhetorical question, as there ARE things to do and see not far from Wien Stadium... but it's not exactly a culinary hotbed, in fact it's quite residential, (in the Baker Field neighborhood of Inwood there are actually a few houses... detached houses in Manhattan!).
My advice would be to park the car near the Columbia campus, which is only 100 blocks or so from Baker Field, (I will discuss how to get to the game from campus and more to do around Morningside Heights later). There is more to do, see, and definitely eat around there.
A path in Inwood Hill Park... yes, this IS Manhattan!
BUT definitely choose one game, and check out Inwood and its environs during the season. Parts of Inwood Hill Park are the only pieces of Manhattan that still look as they did in 1524 when the Dutch explorers arrived.
A few blocks South of Inwood is Washington Heights, a very resurgent neighborhood with lots of interesting Latin restaurants and shops.
The Cloisters... an excellent Marital Bargaining Unit if I say so myself
One Washington Heights highlight about 30 blocks South from the Baker Field is the lovely Cloisters. Most Columbia students get sick of the Cloisters after a few years, (some classes make you go there too many times), but it's a great place for the uninitiated. It's also not a bad date spot. So, if you have a wife or girlfriend who's none too pleased about being dragged to a football game, the Cloisters can be your olive branch. No need to thank me if your lady ends up thinking you're a romantic genius; like Billy Flynn, all I care about is love.
But How Do We Get to Neverland?
The directions to the Baker Complex provided by the athletic department are very good. You can use them with confidence... UNLESS you're coming from Queens, Long Island, or Eastern Brooklyn via the Belt Parkway. If you are one of those people, I'm about to save you anywhere from 45 minutes to 7 hours by urging you to never, never, even if you're a Penn fan, NEVER take the Cross Bronx Expressway!
The Cross Bronx Expressway... dear Lord, why us?
The Cross Bronx Expressway was designed by Robert Moses a brilliant but evil man whose disdain for ordinary people was well documented by Robert Caro in The Power Broker. If you live in New York, drive in New York, or are thinking about driving in New York, you owe it to yourself to read this book. One great section details how the Cross Bronx Expressway was poorly designed from the outset, destroyed good middle class neighborhoods like East Tremont, and virtually guarantees traffic jams at the drop of a hat. And the kicker is, a lot of other urban planners in the 40's, 50's and 60's emulated this man and his designs. Robert Moses is a big reason why driving in America sucks.
So avoid the Cross Bronx, take the Grand Central Parkway to the Triboro Bridge, follow the signs to Manhattan, (DON'T MAKE "THE BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES" MISTAKE AND END UP IN THE BRONX), and THEN take the Harlem River Drive North. Take the HRD to the 10th Avenue/Dyckman Street exit, (this is also the end of the Harlem River Drive, so it should not be hard to miss), go past the first light and then make a right onto 10th Avenue, (you'll be driving under an elevated subway track). 10th Avenue runs parallel to Broadway and will take you straight up to 215th Street, 218th Street, or wherever you want to go in the Baker Complex vicinity.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The Harlem River Drive is officially a parkway, so if you're driving a U-Haul or a big bus of people, you can't take it. Otherwise, you and your sedan, SUV, pickup truck, etc. can enjoy it.
Parking: The Odyssey
Option 1: Donate to CU!
Now if you're going to park near Baker Field, your options are limited, but there ARE options. Your first option is to send a big fat check to the Athletic Department and grab one of the sweet spots in the Baker Complex itself reserved for generous donors. Seriously, I can think or worse ways to spend your money, and having a spot at Baker is like being a shareholder in Berkshire Hathaway during "Buffettstock"... you get to enjoy your investment in a party atmosphere!
Option 2: Parking Garages Ahoy!
Another option is to use one of the several parking garages in the vicinity. There are more and more of them sprouting up along the way to the stadium these days. Last season, the Athletics Dept. worked out a discount deal for fans with football tickets on game day at one of these garages, and I will update you if that is renewed.
The newest garage, (I just noticed it last month), is the facility on 10th Avenue and West 218th Street on the east side of the street.
There are other garages on 10th Avenue and on Broadway not far from the 218th entrance street for Baker Field. These places tend to change their names frequently so instead of trying to look them up, I would strongly advise that you DRIVE slowly and carefully and keep your eyes open for the available lots.
Option 3: Street Parking, or "The Hunt"
Of course, you can try being really sneaky and try to park for free on the residential streets around the area. This is really something for early-birds, as the spots fill up fast. In fact, there aren't a lot of spots to begin with because Inwood is really residential and the local folks like to keep their spots for the weekend. BUT, the eagle-eyed among you may be able to find a nice spot and enjoy knowing that you're a winner even before kickoff by saving a few bucks with a free spot. There are a couple of important pitfalls to avoid:
a) If you aren't really good at parallel parking, don't even think about parking on the streets of Inwood. The hilly terrain makes even seasoned parkers a little nervous, and all those scratched bumpers and fenders on the parked cars are proof of the "goofs" people make from time to time.
b) Inwood is not really a high-crime area, especially during the day, but you should never tempt fate. Lock your cars. DO NOT keep any packages or valuables in plain sight in your car, and you probably should leave them out of the trunk too if you can. This is especially true if you are driving a car with out-of-state plates.
c) Make sure to check the street signs to see if you're parking in a legal spot. Saturdays are usually immune from alternate side of the street parking rules... but not always. You cannot park within six feet, either way, of a fire hydrant, and you also need to give a lot space for bus stops. You cannot block any driveways. And if there's a yellow strip painted on the curb, you can't park there either. A good M.O. is to eye every open spot with EXTREME SUSPICION, the chances are more than likely that the spot is there because it's not a legal spot.
d) You may be hampered even further in your quest for free parking if the NYPD blocks 218th Street at Broadway which often happens on game days. To be safe, just find your way to Seaman Avenue, which runs parallel to Broadway on the WEST and start looking for spots there. You might consider printing out a Google Map of Inwood, NY to learn to navigate the local streets better. Remember to look out for one-way streets and the occasional street fair which often pops up and further kills parking opportunities on the weekends.
Manhattan is a great and unique place. One of the things that makes it so unique is that every inch of land is super-valuable and the chances of any institution setting aside lots of space for occasional parking is not likely or even sane. Most sensible people living in all parts of Manhattan do so without a car, regardless of their economic stature. A day or two driving around here will tell you why.
That's why we have the best public transportation system in the world. And luckily, there are a number of more relaxing and reliable ways to get to Baker Field.
The #1 Train: Just about your best bet
Public Transportation Option 1: From Columbia Campus
You can ditch your car at one of the many parking garages near the Columbia campus, or try to find free street parking, (it's not much easier than Inwood, but doable), and then take public transport from there.
The easiest option is to take the #1 Uptown local subway train which you can pick up at several stations in the area, most notably the 116th Street station right outside the campus gates. If you're walking about the area, you can also find the #1 at the 103rd, 110th, and 125th Street stations. BUT before you descend the station staircases, (and in the case of the 125th Street stop, ascend), make sure you're entering the station on the UPTOWN side. A sign telling you whether you're about to enter the "uptown only" or "downtown only" side will be clearly visible at each entrance. Luckily, you can't go wrong at the 116th station, as any of the staircases will send you to both the uptown and downtown trains.
To ride the NYC subway you will need a Metrocard. I recommend the $7.50 all-day "fun pass" that will allow you a full day's use of the subways AND buses no matter how many times you choose to ride. Unless you're absolutely 100% sure you'll only be going to the game and back, this is a good value. If you are just going to the game and back, go to the booth or the automated Metrocard machines and buy a $4 card, (note: the $7 all-day pass is ONLY sold at the machines, not at the booth). The machines take cash, credit and debit cards.
When you get to the platform, again make sure that you are on the UPTOWN side awaiting the UPTOWN train. Once you get the train it will take 25-35 minutes to get to the 215th Street station and that's where you get off and walk the three blocks uptown to the Baker Field complex.
If the subway isn't for you, for the last several years Columbia has been running free shuttle buses to and from Baker on game days. They usually run from the 116th Street and Broadway entrance, but ask the security guards at the gate to be sure. I'm not sure how long it takes for these buses to reach the stadium, but they will always be slower than the subway. (There is no faster way to get around Manhattan than the subway... none).
A number of NYC buses, (not free, you need a Metrocard), run to the Baker Field area, but I really don't recommend using them. They are extremely slow, (what do you call it when you have sex on a NYC bus? "Joining the 1-mile-an-hour club"), and erratic on the weekends. BUT if there ever is a fire on the subway or something, it's good to know they're there.
Public Transportation Option 2: Elsewhere in Manhattan
It doesn't matter where else you are coming from in Manhattan, you only have two options for getting to the stadium via the subway. Any #1 train station will take you there and so will the "A" train. The A train runs on the far West side of Manhattan, through Brooklyn, past JFK airport, and all the way to a neighborhood where I did a lot of my growing up called Far Rockaway. The uptown or Manhattan bound A takes you the 207th Street stop, which is the last stop. Exit at the 211th Street exit and then you can either walk the seven blocks along Broadway, (about 35% of a mile), to Baker or better yet, enter Isham Park on your left and enjoy a nicer trip that will take you to Seaman Avenue along the left side of the park and you will see Wien Stadium right in front of you at the end of the avenue. This is a more scenic walk and will give you a better idea of what Inwood is like.
Sometimes, service on the 1 and/or A trains is disrupted for track work on the weekends. BUT you can find out beforehand about any service changes by visiting the great website Straphangers.org for all the info. The good news is that the 1 and the A will almost surely never be affected by service disruptions at the same time. In my 26+ years riding the subways I have never seen this happen.
The Marble Hill Station on Metro North
Public Transportation Option 3: The Metro North Miracle
One of the most beautiful ways to get to a Columbia game is on the Metro North commuter railroad. Take the HUDSON RIVER LINE to the Marble Hill stop and simply walk over the footbridge to Baker Field. The views of the Hudson that you will get if you're coming from the North, (if you're looking to go this way from Grand Central Terminal, it's not a terrible idea, but much more expensive than just taking the subway from another station on the West Side), are just great.
Cab Anyone?
You can always try to hail a yellow cab and tell the driver to take you to WEST 218th and Broadway, (don't say "Baker Field," there's a very good chance he won't know what you're talking about), and go that way. I expect the trip will cost about $12-$15 in cab fare not including tip... but it varies.
In NYC there are also non-yellow, so-called "gypsy," cabs that may honk their horns at you and offer you a ride. The official rules in the city say that you can't take a ride with them without arranging it in advance, but I have found they are usually reliable. The price should be about the same as Yellow cab, but they don't use a meter... so make sure you agree on the fare before you get in.
What if I'm coming from New Jersey, and I want to take Public Transportation?
New Jersey Transit trains take you to Penn Station where you can get the #1 and A trains, or a cab. I'm not sure about the reliability of NJT trains or buses on weekends, but perhaps some of my readers would like to chime in about that in the comments section.
Isn't the Subway Dangerous?
Not really. It's dirtier than it should be, but in general it's fine. Here are some subway safety tips for the very cautious. Basically, keep your wallets and valuables secure, try to ride with or near larger groups of people, and try not to telegraph the fact you're a tourist by pulling out a map every two seconds. It's okay to ask fellow riders directions; most New Yorkers like proving they know the City.
I'm Coming from JFK, LaGuardia, or Newark Airport. What should I do?
A cab from Newark directly to Baker is actually not that terribly expensive. But from the other major airports, I suggest you get into Manhattan via a cab and then take the subway, unless you have lots of bags which will make the whole day a pain. In that case, try to get to your hotel first, dump the bags and then follow the directions above.
What if I get Lost?
Go into almost any store you see and ask for help. Store owners can sometimes seem surly, but they'll probably help you. Cops on the street will be good too.
Can't I Just Come with You?
Yes. But you have to babysit my daughters during the game if you do. I'd love the company, but I don't think that will work. I am with you in spirit, I promise.


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Valentino has been one of the chicest brand's in the world for over 30 years, and the latest collection is no exception. I love the timelessness and easiness of these fab pieces from their fall collection. Watch the video to see what I would snatch up from this season's Valentino buy at Net-a-porter.com.
Shop the Haul Here:


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Copyright © 1996-2019 American Musical Supply, Inc. All rights reserved. American Musical Supply reserves the right to correct pricing and/or product specifications in the event of typographical errors found in our print catalog or on our website. If a product is listed at an incorrect price due to such errors or because of inaccurate information received from a supplier, American Musical Supply shall have the right to refuse or cancel any orders placed, whether or not the order has been confirmed and your credit card charged. If your credit card has already been charged for the purchase and your order is canceled, American Musical Supply will issue a credit to your credit card account in the amount of the charge.


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Richard Stark's Parker: The Hunter, by Darwyn Cooke, 2009, IDW Publishing, 144 pages, $24.99
Hot damn what a book! In what is rapidly becoming a banner year for comic books of the crime/noir/mystery persuasion (see, for instance, Britten and Brulightly, the finale of 100 Bullets, the ongoing amazingness of Scalped, Vertigo's new crime imprint, the upcoming Noir anthology and return of Brubaker and Phillips to Criminal, and hey -- even Marvel has gotten into the act with noir versions of its established super-hero properties), Richard Stark's Parker: The Hunter is likely to be crowned as the champ. It's an artistic tour de force.
The story, based on a book by Richard Stark/Donald Westlake, is about a betrayed man exacting his revenge on his betrayers. Except for a flashback that shows us just how he was betrayed, the book takes place in New York City, in 1962. Parker is an independent criminal unaffiliated with organized crime, but his anger-fueled mission seemingly sweeps in just about every lowlife in the five boroughs. Pretty much everybody you meet in the pages of this story will end up getting theirs. Along the way the book throws in action, drama, and some nice black humor.
Part of the fun of the book is watching Parker go about his business. Parker is one bad dude. I'm not just talking about how he's tough, resourceful, and seemingly unstoppable. He's also a hardened criminal who isn't above theft, murder, and whatever else it takes to get what he wants. He's almost like a more stealthy and cunning Terminator. You still root for him, because the other bad guys have no redeeming qualities whatsoever, but he's certainly not your typical hero.
While Parker is captivating and the plot is a blast, the art is truly exceptional. Cooke's drawings are so fluid and the storytelling is so strong that you might zip through this book at a frenetic pace. I'd recommend forcing yourself to slow down (or go back through it once you're done), however, and really look at these images. There's such style and grace on display, and Cooke's line is so confident that it feels like he drew the entire thing without once picking up an eraser (rubber or digital). But it doesn't feel dashed off; it's more like he just knows the perfect place to put each mark and executes it with precision. And Cooke's done his research -- the backgrounds, hairstyles, clothing, furniture, all of it looks fabulous and just so 1962. It's just fantastic.
This is only the first of four planned comic books by Cooke about Parker, which means that there is a whole lot of awesomeness lined up. Get on board now.
DID YOU KNOW? The 1999 Mel Gibson movie Payback also was based on The Hunter. I always kinda dug it, but I got the feeling that nobody else did. I'm guessing I won't be the only one who likes Cooke's version, however.
READ MORE: Here's a twenty-one page preview. And here are three interviews with Cooke about the book:
BUY IT: From IDW here or from Amazon here: Parker: The Hunter
RELATED: Here's my review of Jonah Hex #33, with art by Cooke.
Disclaimer: This review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
That's a wrap.
4 years ago


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RALEIGH, N.C. - The Shaw University men's basketball team opened up the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Conference play with an 87-80 victory over the visiting Hawks of Chowan University Tuesday night inside the historic C.C. Spaulding Gymnasium. The outcome remained in favor of Shaw the entire way as the Bears were able to create separation and claim their third win in a row.
Shaw improves to 5-4 on the year and 1-0 in the CIAA while the Hawks slip to 4-5 overall and an 0-1 start league action.
Senior Savon Goodman (Philadelphia, PA) recorded his second double-double of the season with 33 points and 13 rebounds while senior DeAngleo Stephens-Bell (Jacksonville, FL) produced 20 points, six assists, five rebounds and five steals. Senior Krishaun Myers (Pompano Beach, FL) scored 14 points off the bench in his season debut.
Shaw jumped out to a 6-0 early led by senior Khaliq Williams (Jacksonville, FL) who had four-points in that spurt. The Hawks responded with a pair buckets from Time Hewett that closed the gap to one. With the game tied at 12-12 and 13:32 remaining in the first half, the Bears scored 13-straight points to lead 25-12 over the Hawks.
CU would cut the Bears lead down to single digits but that would be short-lived as Shaw would eventually go on a 14-6 run, capped off by a monster flush from Stephens-Bell to put the Bears ahead 48-31. The Hawks scored back-to-back baskets in the last 1:05 of the first half to trail 48-36 at intermission.
Shaw maintained their lead and control of the second half despite the Hawks efforts to cut the deficit to single digits early on. The Bears had a 15-point lead with 4:19 left to play but CU used a 13-3 scoring effort to close the gap to five-points (83-78). However, Goodman's fourth flush on the night gave the Bears security for the win.
Shaw notched 60 points in the paint and scored 31-points off of the Hawks 19 turnovers while holding a 22-4 advantage in fast breaks. The Bears concluded the game shooting 54-percent from the field while CU shot 44-percent from field goal range.
Hewett led the efforts with 25 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists while Brandon Mayhan scored 19 and Dino Muminvoic added 12 and 10 rebounds, respectively.
Shaw will look to stay in the winning column on Thursday, Dec. 14 versus Elizabeth City State University for a CIAA cross division contest inside C.C. Spaulding Gymnasium. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m.
For the most up-to-date information on Shaw men's basketball and its 13 varsity sport teams, please visit www.shawbears.com.


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|Another Saturday Night
"They're very evocative," she says. "Like scenes from the Hollywood films on TV when we were young. What do you think, Doug?"
"I can see why people like them," he says and I glance at him, wondering why the evasion.
|The Singing Butler
Prints of The Singing Butler now net him a quarter of a million a year and the original - one of a hundred the Kelvingrove borrowed to create the first major exhibition of his work - went for three quarters of a million in 2004. He is Scotland's most successful artist ever.
And the art critics hate him.
|Soho Nights
"He can't paint; he just colours in," said Sandy Moffat. Duncan Macmillan called his work "dim erotica". Jonathan Jones said his paintings were "brainless".
The criticism hurt the working-class guy and sent him south to live in London. But there has been a backlash. "People don't like being told their taste is crap," reported The Scotsman.
So craven critics, once happy to badmouth Jack in print, now ask not to be named. And prominent people are starting to get behind him. There is an emotional content to his paintings, says writer A.L. Kennedy. "There's a sexuality that's really sexy."
|Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe
So an hour after entering the crowded exhibition we emerge into the dim October day, and cross the road to the little cafe where my son and I had chatted about the Tao.
|Love Story
"And why you wouldn't tell us inside," I say.
"I wanted to like them," he says, still hesitant. "I really did."
"But you couldn't?" she says.
"Not much. But with all those people around trying to enjoy his paintings, I'm not going to go, 'I'm an artschool student and Vettriano's crap'. Nobody needs to hear that."
|The Arrangement
"Why didn't you like him," Sis says.
"His technique isn't wonderful and the content is kinda repetitive," he says. "Maybe people read meaning into them that isn't there. Seems to me to be all on the surface. Anything deeper is in the mind of the viewer."
"Did none of the paintings work for you?" Sis asks, and he tugs on the lobe of his left ear.
"The self-portrait was interesting," he says. "There was real feeling in that one."
|The Weight
"Well let's see," he says scratching his chin and smiling. "Good with words, no talent, talks bollocks. I think you should be an art critic."


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Constitutional Court
Judgment no. 177/2016, of 29 March 2016, published on 7 April 2016
Case no. 126/15
In this Judgment, delivered in the context of an appeal against a decision of the South Central Administrative Court, the Constitutional Court held unconstitutional Article 28.1(c) of the Tax Arbitration Legal Framework ("RJAT"), when interpreted as meaning that the concept of "undue decision" does not cover the challenge of an arbitration decision on the grounds of substantial lack of jurisdiction of the arbitration court, due to breach of Articles 20 and 209.2, of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic ("CPR").
Indeed, although recognising that the right to two levels of jurisdiction is not generally constitutionally guaranteed and acknowledging that jurisdiction to decide on its own jurisdiction is a prerogative of any arbitration court, the Constitutional Court states that the arbitrability of tax disputes has particularities that justify a different treatment of tax arbitration courts in relation to arbitration in general.
Thus, the Constitutional Court decided that decisions rendered by arbitration courts with regard to their jurisdiction – which an own jurisdiction but subtracted from a court of the State and extinguished at the end of the arbitration proceedings - cannot cease to be subject to reappraisal by a court of the State.
Supreme Administrative Court
Judgment of 31 March 2016, published on 14 April 2016
Case no. 0411/15
In this Judgment, the Supreme Administrative Court stated that an implicit refusal is not an administrative act that relieves Tax Authorities from their duty of decision, but instead a legal fiction intended to enable the access to courts by taxpayers in cases where the Tax Authorities are in breach of that duty.
Thus, even if taxpayer has not reacted to the implicit refusal, they may obtain a court decision to which the Tax Authorities are bound, through an injunction to perform.
In this context, the Court ruled that the principle of separation of powers is not breached when a court, upon the request of a taxpayer, orders the Tax Authorities to comply with the duty of decision to which they are legally bound and have voluntarily not complied with.
North Central Administrative Court
Judgment of 10 March 2016, made available on 20 April 2016
Case no. 00958/11.4BEAVR
In this Judgment, the North Central Administrative Court ruled that the coverage of losses of a subsidiary company (regardless of the legal form used or of the recapitalisation instrument adopted) is included on the concept of purchase value of the stakes, for the purposes of assessing capital losses upon winding-up proceedings of the subsidiary company, since it corresponds, from an economic substance point of view, to capital increases.
South Central Administrative Court
Judgment of 31 March 2016, published on 11 April 2016
Case no. 06368/13
In this Judgment, the South Central Administrative Court rules that, pursuant to Article 6.4, of the IRS Code, the legal presumption regarding advance payments on profits may only be applied in cases where the amounts advanced to stakeholders are registered in the stakeholders' current accounts as per the company's accountancy.
Thus, if the Tax Authorities intend to make use of this legal presumption, they would have to comply with the burden of proving that the amounts received in the bank accounts held by the stakeholders were recorded (even if without a reference to their origin) in the current accounts of the company's stakeholders.
If the existence of any entry or accounting record concerning the amounts received by the stakeholders has not been proved, there are no grounds to operate the legal presumption provided for in Article 6.4, of the IRS Code.
Administrative Arbitration Centre
Tax Arbitration Court
Arbitration Decision of 12 January 2016, published on 11 April 2016
Case no. 471/2015-T
In this decision, the Tax Arbitration Court decided that a taxpayer that, in the course of its operations, has purchased accommodation units forming part of a touristic development - and waived the corresponding VAT exemption -, may not, in accordance with Article 19.7, of the VAT Code, deduct the entirety of VAT paid on their purchase, when, under the tourism lease contract, it has reserved for itself the right to use the aforementioned accommodation units for its own purpose, for a period not greater than 90 days a year.
In this situation, the taxpayer shall adopt a proportional deduction by applying the actual use method, subject to any subsequent regularizations in the event of change in the initial terms of use of the asset.
Administrative Arbitration Centre
Tax Arbitration Court
Arbitration Decision of 23 February 2016, published on 21 April 2016
Case no. 604/2015-T
In this decision, the Tax Arbitration Court rules – contrarily to with the decision rendered in Case no. 218/2015-T referred to in our March 2016 Newsletter – that a real estate property with licence of use issued to a "fuel station" and to a "fuel service station with sale of food goods", in view of the content of the licences, must be deemed, for valuation purposes, as urban properties of the "commercial" type and not of the type "others".
Administrative Arbitration Centre
Tax Arbitration Court
Arbitration Decision of 15 March 2016, published on 14 April 2016
Case no. 621/2015-T
In this arbitration decision, the Arbitration Court rules that in situations of temporary work whereby an employee is assigned to foreign user, there is a special law that expressly regulates the granting of allowances and establishes their limit (Article 185 of the Labour Code). In other words, there is express acknowledgement in legislation that the payments awarded to these employees are financial awards that do not constitute income for purposes of IRS, since the temporary assignment of the employee to a location far from his habitual residence triggers expenses that they would not have to bear if they had remained at the location of their residence or if their habitual residence had been transferred abroad.
Moreover, the Arbitration Court also states that, in these situations, the use of the concept of "necessary domicile", provided for in Article 2 of Decree-Law no. 106/98, of 24 April, to determine if the amounts paid as per diem allowances comply with "the requirements regarding their provision to civil servants", referred to in Article 2.3(d), of the IRS Code, since this concept is not considered appropriate in cases concerning a provision of service abroad.


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Gin is by far the most exciting spirits category these past few years and with all of the new distilleries and product launches, it seems that the revolution is going to keep on going for quite some time. Here are the latest exciting gin launches that are pushing the category even further in its experimentation including a seaside gin, a shout back to the spirt's history and a gin infused with music. Rock on!
Edinburgh Seaside Gin
The Spencerfield Spirit Company which has been making spirits across the river from Edinburgh for the better part of a decade and which set up the Edinburgh Distillery in the city itself has worked with the UK's top distilling and brewing university, Herriot Watt, to create the recipe for a Seaside Gin. With seaweed, scurvy grass and ground ivy, this gin is perfect for the summer and complements our Gin of the Month, Da Mhile's Seaweed Botanical Gin from Wales.
Gin Lane 1751
One of the UK's most distinguished distillers, Charles Maxwell of Thames Distillers in London, partnered up with The Bloomsbury Club to produce four gins - a London Dry, Navy Strength, Pink Gin, and Old Tom - that celebrate the spirit's rich - and controversial history, particularly William Hogarth's Gin Lane and the 1751 Gin Act. Funny thing is, Maxwell's family has been distilling gin since the date in these new gins' title.
Thompson's Bordelais Gin - France
Thompson's Bordelais Gin was launched by the self-titled "Englishman in Bordeaux", Simon Thompson. His gin, which is set to launch in the UK this week, is made with "15 natural regional botanicals including caviar from Aquitaine, pêches de vigne (vineyard peaches) and locally distilled grapes." Coming from Bordeaux, it certainly makes sense that the gin plays strong on grapes, kind of like gins from the Cognac region like G'Vine, Citadelle and Pink Pepper.
Edgerton Blue Spice Gin
Already having made a splash with its Original Pink Gin, Edgerton is expanding its colourful range with a darker shade of blue. The Spirits Business reports that the blue brand will be marketed to men and that it is "more earthy" than the Pink. The brand is also launching a Crystal Classic that will be available only at Fortnum & Mason.
The Spanish Invasion - Santamania
Madrid's first "urban distiller" invaded its own G&T-loving country last year and has just launched in the UK. With one of the industry's most eye-catching bottle designs, the Spanish gin is likely to turn some English heads.
Sing us a song of gin - Rogue Society's Music-infused Gin
Available only in Australia and its native New Zealand for the moment, the spirits producer Rogue Society has created a limited edition that employs music as a botanical. The gin launched in conjunction with local band Electric Wire Hustle and comes with a free download of their latest EP, Aeons. The distillers admit that they don't know if the music will make the gin taste any better, but they're certainly Aeons ahead of others in innovative marketing ideas!


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This modern floor lamp base offers a twist column with a sophisticated dark stain wood finish.More Details >
Put a twist on your home decor with this fun and stylish floor lamp base. It comes in a dark-stain wood finish with brushed steel accents. Base only, shade is not included.


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- About the Society
- Patient Education
- Professional Education
- Journal
- Events
- Membership
- Board of Directors
- Contact
- Member Login
With acromegaly, you have higher than normal levels of growth hormone circulating in your blood due to continual overproduction by a tumor. To diagnose the condition, physicians must test your level of growth hormone. There are two ways this is commonly done.
IGF Test
Growth hormone secretion by the pituitary gland into the bloodstream leads to the production and release of insulin-like growth factor-one (IGF-I) from the liver and other tissues. If GH levels are high, IGF-I levels will also be high. Because IGF-I levels are much more stable over the course of a day than GH levels, this is often a more reliable test. The IGF-I test can be done with a single blood draw at any time of day, and need not be a fasting sample. For these reasons, it has become the first test ordered to investigate excessive growth hormone secretion in many cases.
Glucose Tolerance Test
Growth hormone production fluctuates widely throughout the day but is normally suppressed after sugar-containing food or drink is eaten or drunk. For patients with acromegaly, sugar consumption will not reduce the high levels of the hormone, as it does for patients without acromegaly. The glucose tolerance test is very reliable and is usually done in initial investigations for the condition. You will take a sugary drink and the doctor will then take and test blood for sugar and growth hormone at intervals over 2 hours.
Click on the graph to compare non-acromegalic and acromegalic GH levels.
Pituitary Function
If acromegaly is confirmed from the results of the tests above, the doctor will want to check that the non-tumor part of your pituitary gland is still functioning correctly. To do this he or she tests your blood for other pituitary hormones. If some are low or missing altogether they will be replaced with specific hormones – pills or injections that may need to be taken for the rest of your life.
Next, the doctor will want to see exactly where and how big the pituitary tumor is. To do this an MRI scan is used. This type of brain scan is not painful. However, it requires the patient to lie in the tunnel-like scanner for about half an hour. A sedative can be provided if you are claustrophobic or anxious about it.


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As part of its mission as a convener and facilitator, RINHS will from time to time act as an administrative partner for others wishing to undertake projects related to Rhode Island's biota, ecosystems, or environmental stewardship or education. Typically this is for groups without their own 501(c)(3) status, for ad hoc coalitions that come together around a single project or event, or for small groups that do not have their own administrative and bookkeeping capabilities. RINHS can meet a range of administrative needs including grant writing and project budgeting, grant submittal and accounting, hiring and administering project personnel, bookkeeping, funds disbursement, and more.
RINHS usually charges an agreed-upon percentage of project funds it handles, although other schemes (flat fees, hourly rates, exchanges of services) may be more suitable to some tasks and projects.
To be considered for fiscal agent services, a project must be within RINHS's capabilities and consonant with its mission.
Past and Current Fiscal Agent Clients Include:
- Rhode Island Rivers Council
- Rhode Island Sea Grant
- URI Graduate School of Oceanography Office of Marine Programs
- Narragansett Bay Estuary Program
If you would like to talk to RINHS about fiscal agent services for your organization or project, please contact the Executive Director.


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Department of Housing and
Urban Development
Veterans Affairs Supportive
The Housing Authority of the City of Carrollton (CHA) received an award for 30 HUD-VASH vouchers to serve homeless Veteran households in Carroll County and surrounding neighborhoods. If you are a homeless Veteran you may be eligible to enroll. Single persons, couples, and families with children are eligible to apply.
What Is HUD-VASH?
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program helps eligible homeless military Veterans secure and maintain decent, stable, and affordable housing by combining the CHA Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance program and supportive services with case management and clinical services provided by the VA.
HUD-VASH is a long term case management, supportive services, and permanent housing support program for chronically homeless Veterans who require these supports to live independently. The program is funded through a partnership between the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Veteran's Affairs (VA). The VA staff provides case management services designed to resolve current homelessness and prevent future episodes of homelessness. HUD funds the HCV rental assistance program, which enables the Veteran to obtain affordable housing. The voucher program is administered through the CHA.
Who is Eligible to Participate?
The HUD-VASH program targets homeless Veterans or Veterans on the verge of homelessness (meaning eviction is imminent). The program is designed to support our most vulnerable homeless Veteran population, including those with medical, mental health, or substance use disorders.
In order to participate in the HUD-VASH program candidates must be VA healthcare eligible and homeless. They must also express a willingness to participate in supportive services provided by the VA. Veterans in transitional housing or residential treatment programs who were homeless prior to entering those programs are also eligible.
Other eligibility criteria…
Income: Total household income must not be more than 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI), which is currently $64,400. Please see income limits, per family size, in the chart below:
|Household Size
|Very Low (50%) Income Limit
Criminal background check: A criminal background check will be conducted on all adult household members age 18 and older. Sex offenders subject to lifetime registration are not eligible for this program.
How to apply?
Referrals: Any VA clinician or community service provider may refer Veterans for the program. Veterans may also refer themselves. Veterans will be screened for the program, to ensure eligibility and clinical need.
Homeless Veterans not currently working with a VA clinician should contact the Health Care for Homeless Veterans Outreach Specialist or a Social Worker at the VA Medical Center to discuss available housing support options, including the HUD-VASH program.
For further information about eligibility requirements or to refer a Veteran family, please contact:
Brandolynn Marenco, Housing Manager
Housing Authority of the City of Carrollton
1 Roop Street
Carrollton, Georgia 30117
(770)834-2046 ext. 112 or by


text: You can find more of the latest UK catalogue news at CataBlogs.co.uk. Clothes Catalogue - Garden Stores - Buy Now Pay Later - Shop at Home Catalogs - Empire Stores Mail Order Catalogue - Great Universal - Empire Stores Head Office - Vertbaudet Catalogue Store - abound Catalogue - www.Empire Stores catalogue - GreatUniversal Online - Empire Stores First Order Discount Code - Express Gifts Catalogue Website - Next Directory Online - Garden Stores - Mail Order Catalogues Gus - www Empire Stores Ltd - Empire Kitchen - Kitchenware Mail Order Catalogues - Free Time Empire Stores Hotels - Empire Stores Product Catalogue Online - Kayes Catalogue Direct - Empire Stores Home Shopping UK - Empire Stores Catalogue UK - Choice Catalogue - . Shop at Home, Flowers for Valentines' Day and Mothers' Day, Currys, Franklin Mint Online, Debenhams UK Online Department Store, Indigo Bookstore, Canada, B&Q UK, Jesopps Great Universal Catalogue . Hinari Kettle + Toaster Kettle and toaster set. ... Beko Gas Cooker Dg582 This is a Cloverleaf item Size: h. 90cm w. 50cm d. 60cm Main oven with separate grill Features: - 4 burners - 1 rapid, 2 normal, 1 simmer - 21 litre full width variable grill - 41 litre main oven - See through double glass doors - Easy clean interior - Oven light - White, silver or stainless steel finish Returns: Once connected, cookers cannot be returned. This does not affect your statutory rights. Please choose a delivery option from the size box below: A - Fast delivery, arranged for the day you want B - Fast delivery and connection, arranged for the day you want We Deliver - You Choose When - Only £4.99 Just enter your phone number when prompted, complete your order, and we'll call you back to agree a convenient delivery date. ... Football Quilt Cover Set Comprising of quilt cover and pillowcase(s). Available with the logos of six of your favourite football teams- Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle Utd, Man Utd, England. 50% polyester, 50% cotton. Machine washable. Available in two sizes. ... Trousers Bootcut Trousers with back elastication. Machine washable. Woven 98% cotton, 2% Lycra elastane. Inside leg: 76cm (30ins) ... Ladies' Reading Glasses Glamorous rimless reader with red bridge and temples. Diamanté detail on front. Four different lens strengths: A - +1.5 B - +2.0 C - +2.5 D - +3.0 ... Pull-On Tweed Skirt fully lined with free belt and fully flat elasticated waist for easy fit.Available in two lengths R: 66cm (26ins) L: 91cm (36ins) Woven 70% polyester, 30% viscose. Lining: polyester Machine washable. ... . Navigate to other parts of the site: Empire Stores Website | Empire Stores Online Superstore. You can keep up-to-date with Empire Stores via our blog, and other online shopping may be found at .


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While we still see the remaining footprints of the global economic turndown of 2008, some areas of the economy are returning to their normal state. I'm happy to report that the luxury real estate market is one of them. Luxury properties can be considered the top ten to twenty percent of the real estate market in any locale or they can be the top percentage of homes in specific destinations of the world, such as Paris or London. Whatever the definition, people with money are finding them and buying them.
Types of Buying Trends
According to a recent report conducted by Coldwell Banker, ultra-luxury clients are shying away from the large traditional homes favoured by their parents and going for houses with clean designs and an open floor plan. They want well-equipped outdoor kitchens and the ability to bring the outside in with large windows showing off beautiful gardens. The study concludes that the more affluent the homeowner, the more likely to purchase a property based on location and lifestyle.
London's Home Buying Surge
London is one of the prestigious cities that draws the attention of luxury homebuyers. While the average price of luxury homes in and around Europe has suffered a decline of 0.4% in the first three months of 2013, the value of London's luxury houses has shown an increase of 8%. In fact, London's average houses in its city centre have breached the £1m price tag. Demand for central London properties outweighed supply by three to one. Why the big boom in London while European market is stagnant? Investors trying to safeguard their savings during Europe's debt crisis and instability in the Arab world made London seem a place they could buy and safeguard their money.
Looking at today's real estate market statistics, they were right.


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The Hy-Vee IronKids youth triathlon is scheduled for Saturday at Stephens Lake Park in Columbia.
The competition will be divided into age groups for senior (12-15), intermediate (9-11) and junior (6-8) participants. The top five boys and top five girls at each level will qualify for the U.S. Championship scheduled for Sept. 1 in Des Moines. Iowa.
Registration is available online through midnight tonight. On-site registration is available Friday from 3-7:30 p.m. at the course.
For more information, visit www.ironkids.com/2012_Schedule/Hy-Vee_IronKids_Columbia.htm.


text: Ralph Waldo Emerson in his famous book ´Nature´ (1838) said that "A nobler want of man is served by nature, namely, the love of Beauty. (...) The simple perception of natural forms is a delight. The influence of the forms and actions in nature, is so needful to man, that, in its lowest functions, it seems to lie on the confines of commodity and beauty. To the body and mind which have been cramped by noxious work or company, nature is medicinal and restores their tone. The tradesman, the attorney comes out of the din and craft of the street, and sees the sky and the woods, and is a man again. In their eternal calm, he finds himself. The health of the eye seems to demand a horizon. We are never tired, so long as we can see far enough".


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A good view from the end of the dock past many of the whale and puffin watching tours.
A nature paradise complete with icecap, glaciers, geysers, volcanoes, and waterfalls, the climate is surprisingly mild (considering its northerly latitude) thanks to the Gulf Stream. Iceland boasts a modern infrastructure – in fact, it's just over 300,000 residents enjoy what is one of the most developed and egalitarian societies on the planet, where most of the energy is provided by renewable sources and virtually all of the electricity is generated from hydropower and geothermal energy.


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A magnet built into the rim temporarily holds any brush with a steel ferrule, allowing paint to drip back into the pail for easy brush clean-up. A molded lip lets you wipe excess paint from the brush.
Replaceable liners are available separately for quick clean-up and to let you switch colors by simply exchanging liners.
Made in USA, it is safe for most paints, stains and solvents, and holds over 1.5l (about 3 pints).
These products are available only at our retail stores.


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Realms In The Firmament - Chapter 200
Chapter 200 - Master Bai's Concern
[Humph. No matter what, there is nobody in this world that can be more important than my disciple. The first thing I should do is to take Su Ye-Yue back to my place. She needs to have a bone-ablution. Her muscles and bones should be replaced with the Universal Spiritual Root and Ingenious Jade Bones as soon as possible.
It will be worse if she gets it later. She is not a child after all...
That power is strong and infinite, but it is in the initial stage. It still needs a long time to truly be able to threaten me. To me, it is now just like a joke.]
Thinking of that, Meng Huai-Qing didn't want to go back to the city anymore. She held Su Ye-Yue's little hand and said gently, ''Let's go.''
She waved her right hand and they suddenly entered the dark from the light. The whole Land of Han-Yang disappeared in their sights. Su Ye-Yue saw endless streams of star rivers.
With her master's, Meng Huai-Qing's, lead, she was like stepping on the stars walking upward.
Meng Huai-Qing's white clothes were floating. She was like a flying star rushing ahead with Su Ye-Yue. Countless spaces appeared and disappeared behind them. The two pretty ladies were going straight up to somewhere above the sky...
After just a short time, they had been through endless spaces and travelled for a long distance.
The Land of Han-Yang should be millions miles away.
It might be further away though.
The war had been changed quietly.
Nobody in the Chen-Xing City knew about it though.
Ye Nan-Tian was on his way to the north. Maybe he hadn't arrived yet. Nobody knew, because his position became a secret. People thought he was still in the capital.
The battles were failing in both the east and the west.
The south had been stable after all. It will never be a problem to the kingdom for a very long time.
The Chen-Xing City was in a huge disturbance. The news about Ling-Bao Hall holding an auction had attracted too many people.
There were too many.
Endless superior cultivators, even those who had been hidden away for decades, were all showing up in the city.
Countless flags of different sects were shown in the Chen-Xing City too.
The big sects, the great sects and those hidden sects were all showing up in the city.
At the same time, two ladies in white with silk on their faces entered the city through the west gate silently.
It was in the bamboo forest.
Master Bai was frowning with a face full of doubts.
[What is going on?]
''Everybody just disappeared.''
A man in black said lightly in front of him, ''Mission failed.''
''Well... I don't know.''
''I heard that at the beginning of the fight, some tourists saw them. It was a tough fight and our men were in great advantage. Although one of Su Ye-Yue's guards was far above our estimation and we failed to get them at once, but we were surrounding them. At the most important moment when they were about to die in our men's hands, suddenly, all of them disappeared...''
''Including Su Ye-Yue?'' Master Bai frowned.
''No dead bodies. Nothing?''
''No. No exceptions. They all disappeared.''
Master Bai took a breath in and frowned.
One more strange thing happened after all those had happened in his life.
He was troubled by the mysterious disappearance of the Heavenly Mystery.
Yet what happened now was much stranger.
He stayed silent for a while and waved his hand to let the man go away. He moved his wheelchair and got to the window. He murmured, ''Was it my mother?''
He concentrated himself to sense his mother, yet there was no trace of his mother in this world.
''She is gone... It shouldn't be her then.'' Master Bai was lost in thoughts, ''Then... What happened? Who can make over a hundred superior cultivators disappear at the same time? Who in this realm can do that? Whoever he is, he should be at at least the grandmaster levels of the Grade of Daoyuan.''
''Would it be...'' Master Bai's body shook and his eyes emitted sharp glows, ''Would it be... the Purple Lotus Decree Master... Is he really in the Land of Han-Yang? And maybe he is recovered to his perfect condition? He is even improved a lot?
Even if he is recovered and improved, how could he dare to challenge me?''
He kept thinking and thinking. He still couldn't figure it out. At the moment, a small eagle flew into the bamboo forest fast.
There was a little bamboo bottle on its talons.
He opened the bottle and there was the recent important news in it.
It was some news that he would never want to know.
'Strange scene happened in the south. There were huge stones falling from the sky all of a sudden. That blocked our attack route. The troops didn't know what to do. It is impossible to get the south down...'
He read the news and then humphed. He finally confirmed something and he sighed and murmured, ''Mother... If you want to come, you just come. Why did you go destroy your son's plan? Is it what you do to punish me for not going back home with you?''
He finally figured it out.
There was no other person who could make such things happen in the world. The Purple Lotus Decree Master might be able to get over a hundred men killed instantly, but he could never do things like moving the mountains and changing the rivers.
Only his mother was capable of that.
Now that his mother had left, the rocks from the sky that kept his men away could never be moved.
He could only accept the truth and bitterly smile.
In fact, Meng Huai-Qing had no idea her own son was the one who planned all this.
She never knew that those men she killed were her son's men.
To her, it was totally an accident. And she wouldn't know the truth, because she was going back with her satisfying disciple.
Even if she got to know it, she wouldn't care about it. She had just killed some ants of her son and just helped another group of ants for her beloved disciple. That meant nothing to her.
As for her son... She would see it as a punishment.
Master Bai was holding the note and said with a dark face, ''Inform Lady Wan and tell her to come back quickly.''
He had just placed an order to summon Wan of The Cloud, and another piece of news came to him quickly. This one had really frightened him.
He failed to kidnap Su Ye-Yue;all his men died;mountains from the sky blocked his army and made him lose the south battle. These could never make him feel troubled. Yet the information he just got had truly frightened him.
'According to the spy's information, there was a mysterious cultivator who took Su Ye-Yue as her disciple. All we know at the moment is that this cultivator is a female with unbelievably strong power. She is elegant and proud. People couldn't dare to look directly at her. Nobody knows about her history or where she is heading. She is missing at the moment along with Su Ye-Yue.'
He felt anxious knowing such truth.
He had to change his plan now as things were out of his expectation so much.
He might need to cancel his whole plan and make a new one.
It was all because of Su Ye-Yue's mysterious master.
Others might not know who that mysterious master was, but Master Bai surely knew her. She had to be his mother.
[Now that mother has Su Ye-Yue as her disciple, I should become like a brother to Su Ye-Yue.
If I do something evil to my sister's family...
Well that...]
He could only bitterly smile, ''My mother will be the first one to kill me... She has been looking for this Phoenix Body for countless of years after all... Now that she has found it, she will surely love the girl like she was her heart... It will be asking for troubles if I mess with the girl at the moment.''
''The question is, the fate is settled. The falling fortune has been pointing at the Kingdom of Chen... How can I change it? If I change it forcibly, I will have to wait another sixty years.''
''At least after sixty years can the fate be changed. But how can I wait for another sixty years?''
He looked at the nebula map and smiled bitterly.
''Oh, mother, my mother. You came and you left, leaving me a serious problem.''
He frowned and smiled bitterly. His eyes were getting sharper though.
''It all depends on human effort. Since Su Ding-Guo can't die, so be it. Those mountains suddenly appeared and the situation was stabilized in the south. Let me do a favor for my sister apprentice then. I will let the army of the Kingdom of Chen live. As long as I can hold Su Ding-Guo and his men in the south and they can't go support the other three sides, their kingdom will still fall.''
''At that time, even if the south was safe for them, the other three battles will collapse.''
''If the kingdom collapsed, Su Ding-Guo won't be able to change anything. He is merely a price with a different family name. He is not a true royal family member after all.''
''Hmmm. What was I thinking. How could I be in such messy thoughts. It actually took me such a long time to figure out such a simple thing. It was an unexpected situation... But Su Ding-Guo is not my problem. My problem is myself.''
''I am not in a good mental state.''
''My heart is in a disturbance.''


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In other action Tuesday Bedford City Council unanimously approved a rezoning request which will allow the former Runk and Pratt assisted living facility on East Main Street in Bedford to become an event venue and bed & breakfast.
Council voted Tuesday to approve the zoning of the property at 812 E. Main Street to allow the use change. Runk and Pratt Health Care Enterprises Inc. will maintain ownership of the facility.
The controversy surrounding the attempt to close Bedford Primary School during budget discussions earlier this year raised up a group of people passionate about what's going on in city and county government.
A $7 million project on Bedford's Stoney Creek Reservoir, mandated by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, began in April and is currently on schedule.
Two county department heads, Sergei Troubetzkoy, the Bedford area's director of tourism, and Jack Jones, director of fire and rescue, came to the board of supervisors asking for permission to redirect funds that they already have on hand.
Bedford County's planning commission unanimously recommended Monday approval of a request by Verizon to increase the height of one of its cell towers by 15 feet. The tower is located off Bethany Church Circle in Forest. The existing tower is 80-feet tall and extending its height requires approval by the Board of Supervisors.
Bedford City Council formally adopted the city's budget for the 2011-2012 fiscal year last week with no discussion. The vote was unanimous. A public hearing on the budget on May 24 drew no speakers.
Delegate Kathy J. Byron (R-Campbell), chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology, last week announced her candidacy for an eighth term representing the 22nd District in the Virginia House of Delegates. Having already secured the Republican nomination, Byron's name will appear on the ballot in the November 8 General Election.
Thanks to redistricting, the Bedford area will now be represented by three people in the House of Delegates when the Virginia General Assembly reconvenes.
This is because the 23rd House District has been expanded westward to include a portion of Bedford County. The 2010 census reflected an eastward population shift, which caused western districts to expand geographically. Lacey Putney's district, which still includes large parts of the Bedford area, now reaches to the West Virginia line.
Residents of Cedar Key Estates in Huddleston are breathing a little easier now.
For some time, the Homeowners Association there has been in a back-and-forth conversation with the Virginia Department of Forestry over the future of the 288-acre Bourassa State Forest. Last month those discussions appeared headed to a contentious public meeting this Saturday when the VDOF will conduct a presentation on the management plan and pending timber sale for the forest, which it has owned and managed since 1988.
The Bedford County Board of Supervisors voted Monday night to spend $265,000 to give county employees one-time bonuses.
The bonuses come from money left unspent as the current fiscal year ends. County Administrator Kathleen Guzi said that the county is ending the fiscal year with a savings equal to 5 percent of the budget, which will go into the fund balance.
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