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POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- The Dutchess County Democratic Committee has voted to recommend Fran Knapp be given another two-year term as the county's Democratic elections commissioner.
The appointment now rests with the county Legislature.
Knapp is a former six-term county legislator and served as the lawmaking body's minority leader for two years.
Knapp said she looks forward to "continuing my campaign to protect voter rights and increase participation in the democratic process."
Dutchess is a "battleground for important local, state and national races on a consistent basis, so we have to be diligent in our charge to ensure efficient and fair elections," she said.
Erik Haight is the county's Republican elections commissioner.
Knapp recently asked a state court to hold a hearing to find Haight in criminal and civil contempt of court for allegedly failing to adhere to a court directive involving voter registration.


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Anyone can make a complaint to ASQA about a provider's delivery of training and assessment. This page explains the complaints process for non-student complainants.
- What types of complaints can ASQA accept?
- Which providers can ASQA investigate?
- What types of complaints can ASQA not address?
- What kind of information do I need to include in my complaint?
- What will ASQA do with the information I provide?
- Will ASQA advise me on the progress or outcome of the investigation?
- Submit a complaint
What kind of complaints can ASQA accept?
ASQA can accept complaints about:
- the quality of training and assessment services being delivered by ASQA-registered providers, and
- the marketing and advertising practices of registered training organisations (RTOs) and organisations claiming to be RTOs.
Which providers can ASQA investigate?
ASQA can only investigate the quality of training and assessment being delivered by providers in its jurisdiction.
ASQA regulates registered training organisations in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, the Northern Territory, South Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania. ASQA regulates some registered training organisations in Victoria and Western Australia, specifically those RTOs that:
- offer courses to overseas students, and/or
- offer courses to students (including by offering courses online) in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, the Northern Territory, South Australia, Queensland, or Tasmania.
ASQA also regulates some providers of English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS).
If you're unsure whether the provider you wish to report is regulated by ASQA, you can find out by:
- going to the national register of training providers and courses, training.gov.au
- searching for the provider by name or code
- selecting the provider name and navigating to the 'Registration' tab. If the 'Registration manager' is listed as 'Australian Skills Quality Authority', the organisation is registered with ASQA.
If the 'registration manager' is listed as an organisation other than ASQA, ASQA does not have jurisdiction to investigate your complaint. You should contact the listed registration manager about your complaint.
What kind of complaints can ASQA not address?
ASQA's legislation allows us to investigate certain types of complaint about registered training organisations and ELICOS providers, where those providers breach the required standards.
However, you may have a valid or serious complaint about a training provider which does not involve the provider breaching the relevant standards. In this case, ASQA may consider the information you have reported, and refer all or part of your complaint to another agency. ASQA may also recommend that you directly contact another party or seek legal advice.
If your complaint does not include issues with an ASQA-registered RTO or ELICOS provider's breach of the relevant standards, your issue may be progressed more quickly if you directly contact the relevant agency from the list below.
Examples of complaints that will be addressed by other agencies include:
|Type of complaint
|Relevant agency
|If you wish to report fraud against the visa system in relation to a student
|Your complaint will be referred to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.
|If you wish to report fraud against state funding bodies
|You will be referred to the relevant state or territory training authority.
|If you are an employee of a training provider and have concerns or a complaint about your pay or employment conditions, including unpaid wages and superannuation
|You will be referred to the Fair Work Ombudsman. You may report unpaid superannuation to the Australian Tax Office
|If you are seeking to report criminal activity such as theft or assault.
|You will be referred to the police in your state or territory.
|If you want to make a complaint about a registered training organisations not registered with ASQA.
You will be advised to submit complaints about registered training organisations
|If you want to make a complaint about an organisation offering training that is not offering nationally recognised training
Unless the complaint relates to marketing and advertising that states or implies the organisation is an RTO or is offering nationally recognised training, ASQA has no jurisdiction in relation to other organisations offering training.
If you have a complaint about such an organisation, you will be advised to contact a consumer protection organisation, or seek legal advice.
When ASQA refers complaints to other agencies, it may also act on all or part of the information received through a complaint if the information is relevant to a provider's registration with ASQA.
What kind of information do you need to include?
ASQA can use the information you report to us most effectively if you provide as much relevant information as possible, for example:
- when describing the issue, be specific. Include dates and times, venues, and the names of people involved, only include details relating to your complaint, and
- attach evidence to support your allegation—this might include emails from a provider, records of conversations, course materials, or website screenshots.
What will ASQA do with the information you provide?
If ASQA accepts your complaint, the ASQA Complaints Team will then review the information you have provided and conduct a risk assessment.
|What is risk assessment?
ASQA takes a risk assessment approach to all aspects of its regulation, including the regulation of complaints. Risk assessment means that regulatory action is targeted at poor performers, and those providers that pose the greatest risk to the quality of Australia's vocational education and training sector.
Following the risk assessment, ASQA makes a decision about what to do with the information you have provided. ASQA may:
- use the information provided in the complaint to inform future regulatory activity
- contact the provider to request a specific action, and/or
- undertake a formal investigation (in the most serious cases).
The outcomes of a formal investigation can include:
- a compliance audit of a provider's registration, which may lead to
- a decision to suspend, cancel or place conditions on a provider's registration.
If ASQA makes a decision to suspend, cancel or place conditions on a provider's registration, this information is published on the regulatory decision register.
For more information on how ASQA handles complaints, refer to ASQA's internal Complaints policy.
Will ASQA advise you on the progress or outcome of the investigation?
ASQA respects both privacy and natural justice considerations in handling complaints. This means that complainants will be advised how their information was used in the regulatory process although in some instances the advice will not be detailed and the process can be lengthy if audit activity is involved.
ASQA also publishes information when it undertakes certain regulatory action against providers in the regulatory decision register.
The register includes information on:
- providers whose registration has been cancelled or suspended
- providers that have had conditions placed on their registration.
This information is only published after all reconsideration or appeal processes are complete.
Submit a complaint
Please submit your complaint using the online complaints form. This form asks you for information that ASQA requires to consider your complaint.
If you are unable to use the form, please contact the ASQA Info line on 1300 701 801.

subset: commoncrawl


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Posted 6 years ago
(1 item)
A fascinating book, "Crystal Premium" produced by Swarovski and released in 2002, in it original box. Once known as the Trendbook, Swarovski decided to design a book which reflected the global behavior of society and fashion, compiled in conjunction with Paris fashion forecasting house Promostyl. The cover of the book is decorated with stunning Swarovski crystals.
From the Swarovski Website: The Crystal Premium will be exclusively distributed to journalists, opinion leaders, exclusive design houses and designers, along with influential customers. The recipient of the Crystal Premium will be able to receive an exclusive look at the various topics, trend related, which will have an influential impact on the various sectors and segments within the market. This new concept allows Swarovski to show our products in a new and innovative way placing more emphasis on fashion and design. We will also be able to provide more advanced information to the market and our customers. The Crystal Premium from Swarovski offers a valuable source of inspiration for creative design ideas. Information advantage and a variety of sources.
This book is number 244 of only 2002 and wasn't sold to the public. Also included is a compact, seen in the pictures.


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Top Definition
Would it
Would't be said that new year's waste of time instead? What'd happen if mere mortals stopped toiling for bread? You will never see the old year again that's gone under an overprotective world heralded out asunder thunder.
by Hercolena Oliver June 15, 2010
The Urban Dictionary Mug
One side has the word, one side has the definition. Microwave and dishwasher safe. Lotsa space for your liquids.Buy the mug


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Legendary Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison is the latest act to be added to the bill of the Hampton Court Palace Festival.
Van the Man, as he is known to his fans, returns to the stage at the historic royal palace having last performed at Henry VIII's home in 2012.
The six time Grammy Award winner will perform some of his classic hits including Brown Eyed Girl, Bright Side of the Road and Have I Told You Lately That I Love You.
Also on the line up for the summer festival, which takes place from June 11 to 25, are The Beach Boys, Jamie Cullum George Benson, Dionne Warwick, Rick Astley and Jason Donovan and Jools Holland.
Two classical evenings with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra will take place in the open air courtyard.
Hampton Court Palace Festival is renowned for creating an unforgettable experience and festival goers can also arrive ahead of the concert to enjoy picnics on the Palace Garden lawn or underneath a gazebo alongside the Thames before the show gets started.
Van Morrison at the Hampton Court Palace Festival; Hampton Court Palace, Hampton Court Road, East Molesey; June 16, 8.30pm; £70 and £60; visit hamptoncourtpalacefestival.com.


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Case Reports in Medicine
Volume 2013 (2013), Article ID 260237, 7 pages
B-Scan and "En-Face" Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging for the Diagnosis and Followup of Acute Retinal Pigment Epitheliitis
1Department of Ophthalmology Croix-Rousse University Hospital and Hospices Civils de Lyon, University of Medicine Lyon 1, 103 Grande Rue de la Croix-Rousse, 69317 Lyon Cedex 04, France
2Sahel Department, Rothschild Ophthalmologic Foundation, 25 Rue Manin, 75019 Paris, France
3Kleber Retinal Center, 50 Cours Franklin Roosevelt, 69006 Lyon, France
Received 23 November 2012; Accepted 19 January 2013
Academic Editor: Aaron S. Dumont
Copyright © 2013 Flore De Bats et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Purpose. To report B-scan and "En-face" spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) findings in acute retinal pigment epitheliitis (ARPE). Methods. Two patients (3 eyes) with ARPE were examined. Fluorescein and indocyanine green (ICGA) angiography, B-scan, and "En-face" SD-OCT were performed in each patient at initial and follow-up visits. Results. Both patients presented with acute onset of blurred vision, and one with bilateral involvement. B-can OCT revealed disruption of the macular retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) inner band layer and photoreceptors' inner and outer segment (IS-OS) junction. Hyperreflective dots were observed in the outer nuclear layer (ONL) above the RPE/IS-OS disruption. Just around these hyperreflective dots, slight thickening of the hyperreflective IS/OS junction was observed. During the late phase, indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) showed a macular cockade-like hyperfluorescent halo. "En-face" OCT showed the same cockade-like appearance with a hyporeflective center and a hyperreflective border matching the pattern observed on ICGA. At followup, as vision improved without treatment, B-scan OCT demonstrated progressive resolution of the hyperreflective and disrupted lesions; "en-face" OCT also showed disappearance of the macular cockade-like halo with a transient discrete hyperreflective macular star at the RPE level in one eye. Conclusion. "En-face" OCT associated with B-scan SD-OCT analysis appears to be very helpful in the diagnosis and followup of ARPE. The pathophysiology of ARPE remains complex and still poorly understood. These techniques help define the location and extent of structural damage occurring in this disease.


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- 91 total posts
- 1 review
- 2 discussions
- 86 comments
- 2 questions
Reviews & Stories
Grammie is 4 weeks post op & looking for some cyber support from post breast reduction friends
I have talked about breast reduction for years. I am a 38DD 5'4" and 130# . Lost allot of weight over the last few years and I am super saggy Sally! I need to either have them reduced or learn not to tuck them into my waist band! What should I expect? I dont do blood and guts very well, when it is my own! The closer it gets the more excited and anxious I am! Tell me it will be worth it,... READ MORE
Questions from Lulu56
What to Prepare for After Breast Reduction, Abdominoplasty at 57?
I am 57, 5'4" approx 135. 38DD. Having reduction and mini abdominoplasty , minor lypo to flanks. What do I need to have at home to be prepared and ow long should I expect... READ MORE
What Can I Use for my Ultra Sensitive Skin 17 Days Post Op, Mini Tummy Tuck, Breast Reduction, Lipo?
My skin is so sensitive, clothes are painful. Is there a lotion I can use that is safe for these new incision sites. I am so uncomfortable. READ MORE
Discussions started by Lulu56
I Am 4 Days Post Op Mini Tummy Tuck, Little Lipo, Breast Reduction. I Like My Results But I'm Emotional?
I Am Feeling Very Emotional About my Reduction, Why?
I wanted a BR for 40 years. Went from a DD to a C? Nit sure yet. Feel flat, no curves, less attractive/sexy. I expected a self esteem boost, not thus emotional let down. I am 4... READ MORE
Recent comments from Lulu56
I did mine at 56 and should have gone it at 26!! I feel so much better and look younger and thinner. You will do great and u will never regret it!! Men actually look me in the eye when speaking to me now! It's great READ COMMENT
You had it all redone? What happened???? I am not 100% happy with my results, 1.5 years later, but age and cost say I am stuck! READ COMMENT
I totally understand your concern. If you are willing to drive about an hour, dr Saha in marshall is outstanding . See my profile pictures READ COMMENT
I just want u to know I am thinking of u!! I have a weird bump just below my ribs. I want my ps to give me options -- so anxious to see your outcome. I thought u were PERFECT before! Can't imagine how u will look after! Be good to... READ COMMENT
You look amazing!!! I am happy with my results except my hips/love handles. She was afraid to take too much for fear I wouldn't have a waist but you are what I had hoped for! Absolutely amazing! I am sure part of it is your diligent... READ COMMENT


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John Warrender's review published on Letterboxd :
One of the many dreadful things about this mechanical romactioncom is that someone, somewhere, watched Midnight Run and thought, "You know what would make this movie better? If Jack Walsh and Jonathan Mardukas were actually IN LOVE!" Though that's better than the other inspiration: the thought that everyone will love to see a burly, malformed man dragging his recalcitrant shrew wife around like the pissy cavegirl she really is.
Respect is due director Andy Tennant for making this wholly unappealing set-up much less disturbing than it could have been. Nevertheless, the entire misguided project deserves censure for playing to the demographic that thinks women need to be tamed by their hubby, and no amount of strong-headed behaviour from Jennifer Aniston is going to soften that message, especially when she pitches that behaviour as "bossy" instead — modulation of tone is not her strong suit, though admittedly she's a hell of a lot more watchable than Gerard Butler. Compared to this farrago, even Killers – directed by no less than my bête noire Robert Luketic — seems like a diverting romp. Still, at least Jason Sudeikis is funny here.


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Contact Us
Thank you for visiting our website. If you need further information or assistance, please feel free to contact our courteous staff. You may contact Blockade Runner at the following address
Blockade Runner Beach Resort
275 Waynick Boulevard
Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
To make reservations online, please visit our reservation page.
For reservations and information concerning best rates and packages, please call 800.541.1161
For group reservations (10 or more rooms), please call 910.256.7115
For additional information please call 910.256.2251
"The staff was amazing!! Everyone is so helpful and friendly, the resort itself is simply beautiful.. we had an wonderful time…"
Shana, Facebook


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Northbound CP trackage rights train blasts through the heavy snow at Norma on UP's Milwaukee Sub. The signal on the right is for the connection to the Harvard Sub.
UP 9442 takes a grain train onto the Harvard Sub connection at Norma (Thatcher Ave) with a final destination of Evansville, WI.
A northbound UP grain train for Janesville rolls over old right of way through Ohare Field on the. In the foreground is the CP C&M Sub followed by the new Milwaukee Sub right of way which was plac... (more)
182 comes off the CP C&M Sub and onto the UP Milwaukee Sub at Shermer for a quick run down the UP to Bryn Mawr where itll get back on the CP and run into Bensenville.
CP 182 creeps southward towards Bensenville seen from the I90 overpass. 'Car trouble...' What can you do???
CP 182 meets a northbound UP coal train at Howard Street in Des Plaines.
Train 281 heads north on the Milwaukee Sub towards Techny where it will get back on the CP C&M Sub.
ICE 6411 leads a CP stack train through Des Plaines on a beautiful spring morning.
281 works up to track speed as they make their way north out of Bensenville Yard towards St. Paul. This train is currently on the UP nearing Deval. The CP uses 11 miles of the UP's Milwaukee Sub b... (more)
CP 281 crosses Rand Road as it heads north towards Milwaukee and points west.
UP 9062 Just passing St Francis Interlocking on the trip South from Milwaukee to Chicago
UP 3985 blasts through the northern suburbs of Chicagoland, returning from Milwaukee alongside US 41.
UP steam special is out of Butler headed back to West Chicago on the old CNW freight belt around Milwaukee.
UP steam heads north to Milwaukee over the old CNW "new line".
A solo blast SOO SD60 leans into a curve south of Deval Jct. with a string of manifest for CP's Bensenville yard.


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Gangland - Blood River (Mexican Gang In Texas) [Full Episode]
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Minnesota man sentenced for arms charge, not terrorism
ELK RIVER, Minn. —Buford "Bucky" Rogers, arrested a year ago in what the FBI called a major terrorist plot, was sentenced on Monday to three years and four months after federal authorities decided to charge him with lesser crimes of illegal possession of a firearm and two small, unregistered explosive devices.
Rogers, 25, has been held in Sherburne County jail since his arrest on May 1, when 50 law enforcement officers and two armored carriers raided his parents' mobile home in Montevideo after the FBI got a tip that Rogers planned an attack on the Montevideo police station and National Guard armory, as well as a local radio tower.
Last Friday, in its presentence memorandum, the U.S. attorney's office conceded "that a broader plot was not discovered," but nevertheless said he should receive a five-year sentence for having the weapons he possessed in a neighborhood with children living nearby. He will receive credit for the year he's already served in jail.
Rogers pleaded guilty in January to possession of a semi-automatic rifle, which he is forbidden to have because he was previously convicted of a burglary, and for possession of two black powder-and-nail explosive devices.
At the time of his arrest in the western Minnesota community, the FBI said that Rogers headed a group called the Black Snake Militia and that it had broken up a major terrorist conspiracy. The FBI later revealed that their information came from a single tipster who had left Rogers' group, whose membership totaled three or four people.
Rogers' attorney, federal public defender Andrew Mohring, contended in a memorandum that federal authorities had exaggerated their claims about Rogers in the aftermath of last year's Boston Marathon bombing and urged he be sentenced to only two years in prison.
Judge: 'I hope we've got your attention'
U.S. District Judge Ann Montgomery said the case received an "inordinate amount of attention" for what turned out to be an ordinary weapons possession offense.
Montgomery began by pressing prosecutor Andrew Winter to assure her that there had been no plot or conspiracy.
Winter conceded, though he disputed Mohring's description of the Black Snake Militia as a purely defensive group. Winter pointed out that Rogers had participated in practice shooting when he was prohibited from possessing weapons.
In imposing a sentence that she described as in between the terms recommended by the prosecution and defense, she said Rogers appeared not to have learned his lesson from previous arrests for weapons possession so it was important to deliver a message to stay away from guns. "
You can't be around anyone with firearms," she said. "You really have to make a change. ... I hope we've got your attention now."


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We have a nice deal in the Kroger deli right now on chicken wings and tenders.
I know with all the football going on, I know I like to have a quick and easy snack available on the weekends. At this price, it would even make a quick dinner option in a pinch!
- Kroger Chicken Wings and Boneless Tenders, $4.99 (reg $6.89)
If you find a deal at Kroger make sure you email me! You can get an entry into this week's Email & Win contest.


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Broadcast Faxing- The single most Effective and economical way to Promote Your Business!!!
I am constantly amazed at how many Business Owners and Managers do not use Bulk/ Broadcast Faxing, especially Food Delivery Businesses. There is no Better Way to get your Business Specials/ Menu out to thousands of customers for less money!
Most companies will spend 100% of their budget on advertising to where people live, but let me ask you, "When are people more likely to eat out, get their oil changed, buy a birthday cake, etc." It is when they are at work doing errands on lunch or break!
A well designed and targeted fax advertisement can get more potential customers than flyers any day, plus it is less than a quarter of a penny to do it. The person being sold to will read your ad as it is at their work and Retail Promotions of Arizona response rates on broadcast faxing versus flyers and direct mail are significantly higher!
Right Now you can get 5,000 1/2 page ads out to prospective business customers for $100, That's Right a Hundred Bucks for 5,000 ads. You cant even buy the envelope for that price.
All Deliveries are report verified and you only pay for completed faxes. If you are a Food Delivery Business, this is a must to broadcast fax your menu/ specials to the closest 5,000 in your area.
B. Brooks
Retail Promotions of Arizona


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I am turning 20 on March 30 and I have a baby boy coming! This was unexpected for me but I am very excited and I can't wait to meet my son. I am a student, I am currently on a break but I will be returning in May. I am working on a bachelor's degree in Journalism and PR Relations. I am hoping to do fashion editing and myabe own my own magazine one day.
I am a model for Abercrombie & Fitch and I can't wait to go back to work! I also do some modeling from time to time. I am here to meet other moms with my interests and to get insight from other women who are young or have had children at a young age.
Hi just wanted to check on you and see how your pregnancy is coming? Well anyways just stopping by. Hit me back when ever
i am glad to hear that all is well with you. my little one's are doing find. We just had celebrated the oldest 3rd birthday last weekend. I hope you have a great weekend too.
Hi Hav,
Just want to check in with u and se ehow you are doing? How the pregnancy is going? I hope al is going well and that you have a blessed Friday.
Welcome to the group!!! -Katrina from Urban Moms In New York City
I would like to invite you to join my new group!!! Its called Family Photo Fun. We have lots of contests going on so you can show off your entire family!!! Heres the link hope to see you and your family in our next contest
Posts with Most Replies


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The jobs report Friday was a ginned-up number but the media and algos don't look under the hood much it seems. Yes, the unemployment rate fell to 8.3% and 243K new jobs were created and perhaps the number itself will boost confidence. My favorite book from college statistics was 'How to Lie with Statistics'. I believe the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) may have ripped a chapter or two from the book. The details were interesting and little reported because the media has soap to sell. First a whopping 1.2 million people vanished from the labor force in 2011. That is a massive seasonal/consensus driven adjustment. The BLS assumes those people aged 55 and higher died from the 2010 consensus. (So much for living longer in the USA!) This means the labor force fell to a 30-year low of 63.7%. Around 113K of the gain in employment came from low wage jobs according to CRT Capital Group. Also part-time jobs rose by 699K, the third highest in history, while only 80K full-time jobs were created. Finally, the ISM Services Report, which rose to 56.8 from 52.6, included an increase in sector employment from 49.8 to 57.3, but perhaps didn't include large sector bank layoffs. Other skeptics included PIMCO's Bill Gross who tweeted: Respected TrimTabs detailed analysis which mocks the BLS and well regarded blogger Jesse's Café Americain. Lack of in-depth or accurate reporting aside, the stock market loved the report as it was "dummy up" time in the media. Other data included rising Factory Orders but missed expectations (1.1% vs 1.8% previous & 1.5% consensus). Now you probably think me a raging bear, but we're long many equity positions but also long the truth. We may rage at the machine, but we need to make money as well. Earnings reports featured Clorox (CLX & XLP) beating $.82 vs $.69 expected and Weyerhaeuser (WY & IYR) also beating estimates $.14 vs $ $.06 expected. Market moving ETFs included: Consumer Discretionary (XLY), Financial Sector (XLF), Industrial Sector (XLI) and Energy Sector (XLE). Meanwhile in the eurozone, there was a dust-up in Greece as three party leaders in the national unity government are opposed to new austerity measures demanded by international lenders forcing a postponement of os a new ¿130 billion bailout. Next former ECB Vice-President, Lucas Papademos now needed to form a coalition government but that effort thus far has failed. Wall Street bulls looked the other way in annoyance. Gold (GLD) prices fell sharply as it was back to "risk on" as bulls scrambled out of the metal and into stocks. The dollar (UUP) which was higher early lost most of its gains late in the day. Copper (JJC) was higher as was crude oil (USO) with the latter more impacted by reports Israel was prepared to attack Iran soon. Bonds (IEF & TLT) were once again lower as stocks rallied. Volume picked up and now markets are much overbought from both short and intermediate views. (See $NYMO & $NYSI) Breadth per the WSJ was quite positive. You can follow our pithy comments on twitter and join the banter with me on facebook. SPY - The SPDR® S&P 500® ETF is a fund that, before expenses, generally corresponds to the price and yield performance of the S&P 500 Index. Our approach is designed to provide portfolios with low portfolio turnover, accurate tracking, and lower costs.
See more details IWM - The iShares Russell 2000 Index Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the small capitalization sector of the U.S. equity market as represented by the Russell 2000 Index. The index represents the approximately 2,000 smallest companies in the Russell 3000 Index.
See more details QQQ - PowerShares Capital Management LLC is passionate about our goal of delivering the highest quality investment management available through one of the more benefit-rich investment vehicles ever created, the exchange-traded fund.PowerShares QQQ¿, formerly known as "QQQ" or the "NASDAQ- 100 Index Tracking Stock®", is an exchange-traded fund based on the Nasdaq-100 Index®. The Fund will, under most circumstances, consists of all of stocks in the Index. The Index includes 100 of the largest domestic and international nonfinancial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market based on market capitalization. The portfolio is rebalanced quarterly and reconstituted annually.
See more details Continue to U.S. Sector, Stocks & Bond ETFs


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All My Children
All My Children is pre-empted today, but will air an encore presentation. The show originally aired October 21, 2008. It's the episode about Jake delivering dire news about Kendall. Even so, Zach comes through for Bianca. Later, Jesse shocks Angie with the truth about Natalia. Then, on Friday, it's back to Pine Valley in the present. It starts out as Ryan and Greenlee can't deny what they feel. Will they give in to temptation? Then, Annie escapes from Oak Haven! Is anyone in danger as a result? Finally, a guilt ridden Amanda pushes JR to drink. Is David's plan working? Find out when you tune in to All My Children this week.
As the World Turns
As Craig bonds a bit with Parker, Jack arrives and is annoyed to see Craig with his kids. However, when he returns to Janet – who is excited to be spending her first Christmas with Jack – she is disappointed that he is in such a good mood after having seen Craig with his kids. Alison wants Lucy to help her and Johnny stay on the lamb as they find a way to get blood samples from Johnny's relatives in hopes of finding a match. Will they succeed or are Johnny's days numbered? Then, before the week is out, Luke will become a bit obsessed with Jade and what's going on with her. Will he get to resolve his issues with her before she is sent back to Florida? Tune in to As the World Turns this week to find out. And don't forget. As the World Turns is pre-empted on Thursday, December 25th. Merry Christmas.
Bold and the Beautiful
With the Holidays upon us, this turns out to be a week of forgiveness and tolerance for the denizens of the fashion world. First of all, an unexpected proposal of marriage is made. Who pops the question? More importantly, will the person who is asked return a positive answer? Shortly thereafter, the Forrester family gathers together to celebrate Christmas. Does the day proceed uneventfully? Here's what we are at liberty to share. What could have been a sad holiday turns into a life-affirming night of forgiveness, joy, hope and family. But later, Stephanie's world comes crashing down when the truth is revealed. Will she be able to back pedal? Then, the week winds down when Rick receives an unexpected visitor who delivers understanding and forgiveness. Does Rick feel he is deserving? Keep your eyes peeled on the Bold and the Beautiful this week and see. But don't forget. B&B is pre-empted on Thursday, December 25th.
Days of our Lives
It may be holiday time but with the end of the year even a fictitious town like Salem can fall upon difficult economic times. Like the rest of the country, firings and layoffs are inevitable. So, Victor takes the opportunity to fire Brady and Philip from Titan. But is it due to the current economic climate or because of something completely different? At the same time, Stephanie fesses up and admits that she'd have a problem with Max moving on with Chelsea. To whom does he make this admission? More importantly, what will this person do with the information? Finally, the week wraps up as the killer pinpoints Rafe's location. Are Rafe's days numbered? Stay tuned to Days of our Lives this week and see.
General Hospital
Merry Christmas. General Hospital is totally pre-empted on Christmas day. Not even an encore episode. But hold on to your remotes, cos on Friday, will promise to be a heart stopper. First up, it's been a long time coming but it's finally Robin and Patrick's big day. Are they in for any surprises? Later, Jason makes a major request of Sonny. He asks him to stop working for the Zacchara's. How will Sonny react? Either way, the rift between the once fast friends and colleagues could be forever unprepared. Finally, Sam and Lucky reach a decision about their relationship. What do they decide? Find out when you tune in to General Hospital this week.
Guiding Light
Olivia announces a change to the living arrangements for her and Emma. How will Emma take the news? From what we gather, Emma will cause Olivia some concern and worry. Will it all work out in the end? Meanwhile, Remy finds Christina in an unlikely location and she shares her past with him. Will this encounter bring them any closer? Bill has an epiphany about Alan. Is he on the right track? Shayne agrees to stay in Springfield for Christmas. What precipitates the change of heart? Could it have something to do with the kiss he shared with an unlikely femme fatale? Tune in to Guiding Light this week to find out, but keep in mind that the show is pre-empted on Thursday, Christmas day. Merry Christmas.
One Life to Live
Oh darn. The holidays are wonderful, except when our soaps get bumped. It's no different for One Life to Live on Christmas Day, when the show is totally pre-empted on Thursday. Fear not, however. Things heat up again on Friday when Todd despairs over losing Marty. It does look like he was really in love with her. Can this loss be his true and ultimate suffering? Shortly thereafter and in a surprise move, Dorian comes through for Rex. Does that mean Shane is getting his Z-Box after all? Finally, the week winds down as David Vickers returns to Llanview. What's he doing back in town? Not only has he returned, it appears that he's a changed man. What caused his redemption? More importantly, do the rest of the denizens of Llanview buy it? Find out when you tune in to One Life to Live this week.
Young and the Restless
The holidays are fun, except when they mean pre-emption of our soaps. It's no different for the Young and the Restless this week which is pre-empted on Thursday, Christmas Day. The good news is there will be an encore presentation of an old episode, so be sure to still tune in. As far as the rest of the week goes, in a conversation with Ashley, Victor recounts painful memories from his time in Mexico. While at the same time, Michael has an extraordinary experience that teaches him about how important he is to the people he loves and how different their lives would be without him. Can you say It's a Wonderful Life? Tune in to the Young and the Restless this week to see just how well they can!
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Getting firsthand information from an actual car owner is one sure way to get an idea of car performance once it leaves the lot. Autobytel features real consumer reviews that give the unbiased experience of a car.
Pros: The look .
Cons: The crew cab has a terrible wind noise from the rear and very bad rear tire noise when the rear seats are folded down.
Advice: Do NOT get the inline 5 if you are looking for gas milage! 19 at best in city a little better on road trips.DO buy an extended warranty. Warranty direct. com has the best deal!I got the I-5 motor, It has enough pick-up to pass in tight spaces and has all the 'get-up' you need. The ride is good but NOT great! It's a little hard riding on rough roads but it's tolerable. I noticed that it has only one keyed door to enter if the remote ever goes out and it's on the passengers side?!?! What's up with that? To GM: insulate the rear of the cab to stop the noise.
Pros: 5.3L engine, very smooth
Cons: lack of external fuel filter, in tank now
Advice: do not get tow package if you want boulevard rideExcellent handling for a long wheel-base pickup. Stiff suspension is standard with tow package, but is excellent when towing. Plenty of power with 5.3 L engine and decent mileage, up to 20 MPG on highway, averaging 17.5 MPG combined. Comfortable seating, even on long drives. Braking is excellent, even with the return to drums on rear. Dual caliper discs with larger rotors on front seem to provide better brake quality than previous years with rear discs. Entire truck is well put together, very tight.
Pros: High Speed 4WD and XM Radio
Cons: General Ameritrac TR Tires -
Advice: Make sure you get options you want up front - dealer told me they can't add fog lights nowPurchased as a commuter vehicle for 100 mile daily winter commute on mountain two-lane roads. Has performed well, although I am not sure if I will keep original tires (General Ameritrac TR) - Will probably change to Goodyear Fortera HL's which greatly improved handling on our Ford Expedition.
Pros: Looks
Cons: Electrical and mechanical problems.
Advice: Do not buy the top of the line to many electrical problems.I traded in a great Silerado for this unbelievable headache.This truck has had numerous electrical problems.Starting the 2nd day I owned it and continues today purchased 9-04 at dealership 9-04 I have had problems with seats,mirrors,rear end,transmisson and compass.I advised GM and filed complaint no satisfaction.By the way it now has 6000 miles and I purchased new 9-04 it is now 10-05.For over 50,000 dollars this would seem to be a great truck.This is one of the biggest regrets I have ever purchased.
Pros: Crew cab - Roomy back seat for mid size truck
Cons: Limited out of weather storage - Bought locking hard bed cover to alleviate problem
Advice: Get a Rhino Liner!Ride a little stiff/bumpy but I did get the Z71 off road package - Very quiet ride for a pickup
Pros: Looks
Cons: Gas mileage
Advice: If you have to pull a boat or haul thingsQuick off the start. Great looking black beauty! Interior is great quality. Easy to read instruments. Comfortable to drive with 6 way adjustable seats. I have not found anything wrong with this vehicle
Pros: safe and comfortable
Cons: not a true family vehicle and gas mileage is bad- expensive vehicle to drive for a family vehicle
Advice: definitely a great truck, one of the best!!We have had our 2004 Sierra for a year, bought it brand new and we LOVE it! Only thing that I can suggest is to get the bed lined. And if you have a baby, it is difficult to get our son in and out as he is growing bigger, only because of the heighth of the vehicle. We are considering a minivan, but I think that I'll cry if we have to trade in our pickup. We feel very safe and comfortable in the Sierra. Drives great and no road noise. Awesome stero. We're gonna try to hold on to it for as long as possible.


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Photos are for members only!!
Peachmate is a 100% free sex site for adults looking for fun with no strings attached.
Escort ads, casual sex groups, personal ads, video chat and much more.
Smart guy with a black eye and some percings in interesting parts of body - searching the cool chika with piercings and tatooes or just any lovely girl)


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It's awfully hard to feel good about arguing former Jefferson County Commissioner Chris McNair should remain in prison.
He's not a young man. In fact, he is 86 and in declining health. As one McNair supporter wrote President Barack Obama: "Please show this man some mercy in his old age."
Perhaps exerting even more of a pull on the heartstrings is the tragedy McNair endured as a much younger man. McNair's young daughter Denise was one of four girls killed in 1963 when Klansmen bombed Birmingham's Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. That grievous evil also played heavily in appeals made to Obama on McNair's behalf. Asked one Idaho resident: "Hasn't this man already served a life sentence?"
It's tempting to say yes and to urge Obama to do just what McNair's supporters have asked once and will ask again in November: Give the man a break. Grant McNair clemency, let him go home to his family, lift the $425,000 debt he owes in restitution.
And why not? By November, McNair will have served 11/2 years of his five-year sentence. That's at least approaching the halfway mark to what would otherwise be McNair's earliest release from prison -- that is, if he gets full credit for good time and gets sent to a halfway house at the earliest possible date. Birmingham lawyer Doug Jones, who is pursuing the clemency requests, has said there's no good purpose for keeping McNair in prison. We don't blame Jones for trying.
There's only one compelling reason to say no. And in the end, it more than outweighs all arguments to the contrary. It's this: McNair committed a terrible crime that betrayed and hurt thousands of people. He was elected to the Jefferson County Commission to serve the interests of citizens. He did just the opposite.
McNair in many ways is the public official most responsible for the sewer scandal that helped usher Jefferson County to financial ruin. McNair oversaw the original sewer upgrade. More accurately, he overlooked the fact contractors were overbuilding and overcharging for the work. Then again, McNair's vision was undoubtedly obscured by the plentiful bribes flowing his way. While other commissioners ultimately got in on the action, the scope of their betrayal paled in comparison to McNair's. Prosecutors tallied $850,000 in bribes for McNair.
As with all public corruption, the intangible damage was enormous. The sewer scandal wrecked Jefferson County residents' trust in their government. But in this case, there were far more tangible damages that were every bit as enormous.
Sewer ratepayers' bills for service multiplied many times over, and still, it wasn't enough to pay the $3.2 billion debt that McNair and other commissioners dumped on their constituents. Later commissioners' efforts to manage the debt led to further corruption and an even deeper hole for the county. Fed up and tapped out, the current commissioners filed for bankruptcy. Even so, the sewer debt is still there, demanding to be paid in some form or fashion. Today's sewer ratepayers probably won't live long enough to see the burden lifted. They'll continue to pay for McNair's crimes every month in their sewer bills.
At some point, McNair's time with the Bureau of Prisons will run its course, and he will go free. Until then, he should continue to pay for his crimes, too.


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The Killeen ISD Education Foundation grant patrol made surprise visits to 14 schools Friday, handing out 20 classroom grants totaling $72,000.
The wide-ranging grants, funded through community donors, will fuel success stories not yet written.
Foundation board members used party whistles, festive music and canned string as they burst into classrooms, often prompting teachers to tears, laughter or both.
At two middle schools, cheerleader squads went along for the deliveries, cheering on the teacher recipients.
At Palo Alto Middle School, where three teacher groups received funding, principal Matt Widacki explained some of the excitement and emotion attached to receiving a grant.
"I had three science teachers who wanted to do three things and I wanted to do all of them," he said, explaining that he would likely have to choose one of the three before receiving the grants.
"We would love to get one grant; now we got all three. This will be amazing."
Palo Alto teachers received $4,755 in funding to plant a garden, something Widacki said the school has tried to do for four years. The other grants will fund projects aimed at forensics ($1,255) and an organism mapping software ($1,495).
Other grants will allow Ellison High School science students to turn 9,400 square feet into a native prairie grass replant initiative ($2,135); Saegert Elementary students to use painted shapes and maps on their PE court ($4,497); and Shoemaker High School to put on a musical ($2,015).
At Smith Middle School, first-year teacher Su Frank wrote a grant request as part of a college course and was shocked to actually win $4,912, which will purchase tiles to allow students a hands-on alternative to paper-and-pencil math work.
At Eastern Hills Middle School, cheerleaders cheered for science teacher Taylor Wusk, whose $4,969 grant will purchase handheld portable devices to gather and analyze data.
The teacher said the PASCO system, which all Killeen ISD high schools and some middle schools already have, will save lab setup time and allow students more time to analyze data.
East Ward Elementary School teacher Tara Russe won a $1,200 grant to allow students to build digital flashcards to improve vocabulary in all subjects.
"I'm overwhelmed," Russe said, as student photography club members snapped her photo. "It's exciting kids will get the opportunity to go further with technology."
Two grants have district-wide implications. A $10,190 grant will expand last year's first elementary Science Olympiad from 13 to 29 schools, with an event planned in the spring at Killeen High School.
The other, a $5,500 grant, which applies to all district middle schools, will help identify and support Duke Talent Identification qualifiers to further their academic talent.
To see the full list of recipients, go to kdhnews.com.


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A Look Back at Issues in the Layers of TCP/IP Model
In terms of data communications, TCP/IP model has remarkable role. TCP/IP is a set of network standards that specify the details that how computers communicate for interconnecting networks. This paper gives detailed information about TCP/IP model and will explain the work of every layer in brief. The complete study of hardware components required for data communication is also provided. The drawbacks or problems originated in the earlier hardware components led to the foundation of new components, there by solving all those problems.
Provided by: ER PUBLICATIONS Topic: Data Management Date Added: Nov 2012 Format: PDF


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Ad Closes: 30 August 2012
Estimated Players Requested: 2 - 5
Posting Expectations: Roughly speaking, I'm looking daily. Give or take. I know life happens sometimes, but daily is what we're shooting for.
This is not the Marvel Universe you know. I am Uatu, known as a Watcher, and it is my duty to observe and record all that happens, but never to use my vast powers to interfere.
This universe is greatly different than what you are accustomed to. Even before things went horribly wrong, many of the superheroes you knew did not exist as you knew them. Steve Rogers, like so many others, did not survive Project: Rebirth. Tony Stark never overcame his alcohol addiction and died due to alcohol poisoning and liver failure. Bruce Banner was not at a gamma bomb test site on that fateful day to save Rick Jones. Peter Parker was met with many complications after the Secret War, but in this dimension he did not ultimately overcome them. The Fantastic Four are decidedly less fantastic.
Things, sadly, get worse from there. The end started with a simple idea. A villain known as The Hood had the simple idea to bring a variety of supercriminals together in something of a thieve's guild, run like a business, operated as a meritocracy, with the intent to make everyone involved very, very rich. It was a revolutionary idea to apply a business model to superpowered crime. A number of other spervillains took note. The Guild was very successful, and it was only a matter of time before a group of the biggest names in crime banded together in something of an Illuminati-like grouping. From there, they started looking at numbers. It became obvious that those who would be classified as supervillains outnumbered the superheroes by over 10:1 odds. Scheming continued, plans developed, and in one night it all came to fruition. That night, evil won.
With no warning, superpowered criminals outright attacked this world's heroes. Some heroes didn't even have time to react as they were completely blindsided. A villain known as Nitro killed over three dozen New Mutants in Westchester singlehandedly. Other heroes were much harder to defeat. Thor was attacked in the Pacific Northwest, and the battle raged for days. At one point, it seemed as if Thor might prevail, until more villains -- who had completed their targets already -- began teleporting in. Mjolnir still rests in a crater in Mt. Saint Helens, as no one has been able to move it since the Norse God of Thunder fell. Hank Pym, known as Giant Man, fell in the midwest; his sixty foot skeleton is now the only bit of shade in a charred and burned out countryside. In New York City, at the Avenger's Tower, many heroes lay dead. The Scarlet Witch began to utter a comment, powered by her wild and chaotic hex abilities, which were whipped into overdrive from rage and grief.
"No more Super--"
It could be theorized she intended to say Supervillains, although we will never know for certain. A throwing blade from one known as Marksman pierced her throat, leaving her to drown in her own blood. At that moment, powers of chaos circled the planet, and many, many beings with superpowers were rendered powerless in a mere moment.
As you can see, the fates have not been kind to Superheroes in this Universe.
Some people, both heroes and villains, slipped through the cracks of the Scarlet Witch's decree. Many went into hiding, as much of the world realized just how much easier life was without rampaging monsters and battles destroying half of a city. Sentinels, as designed by one Reed Richards, patrol major US cities. The function as police, firefighters, and EMTs rolled into one. They also are programmed to detain anyone displaying super powers. These Sentinels have replaced human law enforcement and emergency services, much to the delight of citizens everywhere.
That was ten years ago. Since then, there have been surprisingly no new superpowered individuals brought into existence. Lab accidents and the mutant x gene have not been seen since then. However, it is now 2025, and it is starting to happen. A mutant was born just last year at Sacred Heart out in California. There was a chemical spill earlier this month. An experimental particle accelerator suffered a massive power surge earlier this year.
Superpowered individuals are returning.
These are their stories.
System: Marvel Superheroes Advanced Game RPG (from back in 1986)
Sources: Advanced Player's Guide, Ultimate Powers Book
Player's Handbook and Ultimate Powers Book are all you need.
Character creation will be done by the book using random rolls.
That said, there will be house rules pertaining to creation, to allow players to have some character tailoring options.
Use the Ultimate Powers Book. Follow the steps.
Physical Forms -- roll twice, pick whichever roll you prefer. If you get a duplicate roll, discard the second roll and re-roll.
-- On the Physical Forms table, if you roll 90 - 100 discard the roll and roll again.
Origin of Power -- Do not roll this.
I would rather you choose how you got your power, based on your physical form. It's your backstory, make it interesting and have fun with it. Most importantly, make it yours.
Primary and Secondary Abilities -- There are a number of houserules here.
(You may refer to the Player's Handbook as needed, as it does a better job explaining the Primary and Secondary abilities.)
-- Please note, your Physical Form dictates what table (1 - 5) you roll on for your Primary Abilities.
-- There are seven Primary Abilities (FASE RIP). Roll eight times. I will allow players to assign their stats where they choose. Discard the unused stat roll.
-- Any roll of a natural 100 carries a +1 column shift with it, to a maximum of Unearthly.
-- Everyone gets one roll on the Ability Modifier Table (Player's Handbook). They may choose which Primary Ability to apply the results of the roll to. (No Primary Ability can be reduced below Feeble or above Unearthly.)
-- Factor your Secondary Abilities.
-- It is required that all characters take the "Secret Identity" option.
-- All other Secondary Abilities are factored normally.
Weakness Generation -- Straightforward enough. There are three sections -- Stimulus, Effect, and Duration.
-- For Effect and Duration, discard and re-roll any roll of 91-100.
Please roll for number of powers, number of contacts, and number of talents on the "Powers, Contacts, and Talents Table" in the Player's Handbook, p. 7.
-- Defining Powers is handled in the Ultimate Powers Book. Follow the charts. Remember, you only get a number of powers equal to your Initial Powers rating (or higher if you payed Resource Ranks.) You may roll one additional power, and choose the powers you want out of what you rolled. Please note Optional Powers if you so choose.
-- You may add +1 column shift to a single power of your choice. No power may be raised above Unearthly in this manner.
-- You may sacrifice a rolled power to grant a +1 column shift to another power. No power can be raised above Unearthly in this manner.
-- I will allow a single power stunt to have been learned for one of your character's powers. You can take one as listed in the book if there are examples, or you can make one up and discuss it with me.
-- Power Limitations are an option. Contact me with questions.
Talents are handled in the Player's Handbook.
Lastly, you may reassign your Primary Abilities in light of the Powers you received.
(If you wanted an energy blaster with high Agility to hit and dodge, but rolled armor, claws, and a healing factor, you can reassign your numbers to have a higher Fighting. Don't forget to adjust Health, Karma, etc. as needed due to changes.)
Please "show your work." Show me where you add your extra column shift. Show me what power you discard to increase another. And so on.
I also would like the following:
Predicted Post Rate: 1/day, 5/week, 3/week, etc.
Appearance: 2+ paragraphs.
History/Backstory: 5+ paragraphs. (Include personal history as well as origin story.)
Personality: 3+ paragraphs.
Goals/Motivation: 2+ paragraphs
I have a basic sheet outline in the forums.
It should be noted that for this game, I expect players to work together. I also expect them to be a team of heroes. Karma penalties for killing will be in effect. I fully understand Lawful Good does not mean Lawful Nice. I agree wholeheartedly. That said, I will not have a Punisher Squad. You can be edgy. You can use a means to an end. You cannot execute every purse snatcher or blow up a grade school to take out the villain hiding inside.
This game will not always be lighthearted. This game will not always be overly serious. But my intent is that this game will always be entertaining.


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Irene Adler
Finding the Irene Adler books
I want to express how much I´ve enjoyed reading your Irene Adler series that I just recently discovered. Thank you for writing it. Every reading passage including her interacting with Sherlock Holmes left me the impression of having a bite in a delicious and luxurious chocolate that filled all my senses. I really enjoyed and it trapped me, besides it took me to Europe XIX century with all the details that made the whole experience even more exquisite. It was not easy at all to get your books, but I tried my best and after months I did it and read them all. I liked all the books of course but I have the feeling that is not over yet. I want to know about the tattoo that the gypsy told her she would have done and the love story between Stanhope and the marvelous Nell. I´m in love with all characters. Thank you again for giving this to the world of the classics.
CND: Thanks, Diana! Your email came into an unconnected blog, so I moved it to the proper place, hoping that will get going. Your praise is lavish and heart-warming. This is a time of transition in the print media and publishing world and readers like you who persist in getting all the books make a writer very happy. The entire series will be on e-book soon, as the latter four books already are. That's the way it's going, I'm afraid, for those who prefer print books. Most are still available in new paperbacks.
I never say never, having written almost sixty novels. The Adler books were suspended for seven years and came back, and may do so again. There are no immediate plans, I'm sorry to say.
Irene Adler books
Love love love the Irene Adler series! my favs so far have been the two involving Jack the ripper, real edge of your seat kind of reading! I really like reading these stories that possibly could have been true. its fascinating! Hope to see a new Irene Adler mystery soon!
This comment from came into an earlier, unconnected blog, so I'm moving it to the main one. Still learning to navigate my new web site. 🙂
How could I not love this comment? The Adler novels number eight, and the Jack the Ripper duology books are number five and six, Chapel Noir and Castle Rouge. They are really one book too long to publish in a single volume and are now available in e-book. That's good, because Chapel Noir has been out of print, but Castle Rouge is still available in new paperback. I'd never expected that to happen–the duology not being available in both books–as my mystery novels have stayed in print for years. Nowadays, though, that's not so common in the struggling print media.
The Adler series had a seven-year hiatus between the first four novels and the second four. No new ones are immediately forthcoming, but the first four books should soon be available in e-book, as the last four are:
The series titles are: Good Night, Mr. Holmes, a New York Times Notable Book of the Year as well the winner of both mystery and romance awards, The Adventuress, A Soul of Steel, Another Scandal in Bohemia, Chapel Noir and Castle Rouge, Femme Fatale and Spider Dance.
Books 2-4 had other titles earlier, but those titles were echoed by another series, so that has been fixed now.
Irene Adler's no "Soprano"
Because of a feature called "Google Alert," I can track my books through the webverse. This can be rewarding (finding good reviews or references to my work), or this can be shocking (finding "torrent" and other sites that offer stolen versions of my books) and sometimes it can be maddening.
Often when I wish to comment on an entry or thank a blogger for a good review, I find I'm not allowed to post because the initial "code" numbers and letters aren't visible. No technocrat, I haven't found a way around this barrier.
More frustrating is when I can't post in response to an error. I was a daily newspaper reporter back when celebrity scandals weren't Page One material and reporters needed to get every word right. So egregious misstatements more than annoy me; they scream for correction.
Today, I found a site of a reader/writer who's sampled her first Irene Adler novel, starting with the second, The Adventuress (previously Good Morning, Irene).
says a lot of great things about the book, but in reviewing the next book, also says:
"Remember where I was annoyed that Irene Norton in the Carole Nelson Douglas series is a soprano, rather than a contralto?"
The fact is that I knew Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had described Irene Adler as both a "contralto" and a "prima donna" in error. Like all writers, he was busy 12/7, and didn't know that contraltos don't play leading roles in opera, but are usually nursemaids or gypsy fortune tellers or the like.
The issue of Irene finding "suitable" leading roles for her voice is one I addressed through all eight novels. She sings a "trouser role" (plays a man) in one short story. I searched the operatic canon for the few leading roles she as a contralto might stretch to perform. Even the "reviewers" in the novels have trouble categorizing her, and I recall one fiction reviewer used the term "dark soprano." But the author and Irene herself never call her a soprano. She has a "difficult to categorize" voice that limits her operatic options.
No one should be "annoyed" by my efforts to make realistic as many details of Doyle's "A Scandal in Bohemia" story that introduced Irene Adler . . . while embroidering around the original structure to create a new slant on the characters and story.


text: The Telegraph recorded an increase in monthly unique browsers of more than 10% in October, the highest rise reported for a UK national newspaper website by Audit Bureau of Circulations. The website saw monthly unique browsers increase from 51.4 million in September to 56.9 million in October. It also recorded the second highest increase in average daily traffic, with a rise of 7.8%.


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About Me
- katrina
- My work can be found in REAL: Regarding Arts and Letters, The Jabberwock Review, The Emerson Review, Storyglossia, The MacGuffin, Confrontation, Passages North, SmokeLong Quarterly, elimae, wigleaf, Pank, New Delta Review, and Gargoyle #57, among others. One of my stories has been translated into Farsi by Asadollah Amraee, and many others by Jalil Jafari, two of which have been published in the Iranian journal, Golestaneh Magazine. Currently, I'm an Associate editor for Narrative Magazine. In 2011, I was awarded the Carol Houck Smith Contributor Scholarship for the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Kathy Fish: Interview
I've known Kathy Fish through an online writing site for nearly a decade now. Back in 2003 I asked Kathy to help me with my first flash fiction attempt. I'd noticed her short pieces, saw how even back then, she was a master with the form. Years later, she's still amazing, and her work is playful and intelligent and fresh and will entrance you with its tragic beauty then two seconds later make you laugh out loud. Each of her pieces in her book, "Wild Life" is a glistening, detailed world in miniature, replete with humor, longing and willful creatures.
Kathy has graciously agreed to answer some of my questions about her process, her stories and her writing desires.
Katrina: I'd like to begin with your process. Where do you write? Do you use pen and paper? Computer? A mix of both? Do you have a set time? Number of words? Music? A certain required beverage? What is a typical writing day? What is your dream writing day like?
Kathy: I always begin with notebook and pen. I don't think I've ever started any writing at all on the computer. I need time to scribble. And it's all over the page. If something feels like it might be good I circle it. After awhile something clicks and I know I'm ready for the keyboard. I'm very unstructured. I don't give myself a time limit or word count goal. Coffee is always involved. I know the writing's going well if the coffee gets cold.
A typical writing day is spent messing around on the internet for longer than I ought to until I'm seized with guilt and shut it off. I stare out the window a lot. I take my dog for a walk. I pour another cup of coffee. Maybe after two hours I start to scribble in my notebook. I look out the window some more. My dream writing day is when I get past all of this and go into that beautiful trance, where I forget everything and look up, finally, two hours later and have before me something that feels real and right and pretty decent. A dream writing day is when it feels effortless.
Katrina: "Land and Sky and Cosmo," is a hilarious story of a young woman trying to seduce her boyfriend, full of details such as this one in reference to the woman's uncle telling them how to scare off a bear while camping: "He said make yourself look bigger, wave your arms and yell and he demonstrated and we saw the forest of his armpits." I love that you chose to echo their environment in the description of armpit hair. What was the seed for this piece? How did you come up with such a perfect question to end the piece? I mean, this is a question often unasked, but present in all relationships, and I don't think I've seen it before in fiction offered in just the right moment, said so beautifully and with such hope.
Kathy: I feel, often in my life, that I don't connect in those moments when I most want to. And that the scene plays on nonetheless. It's like small talk when you really want to say I love you. And the scene plays on and we go along and there's so much courage to that. We swallow our disappointments and heartaches and the small ones are just as important as the big ones. That was my seed for this piece. So here is this woman, desperately wanting to connect and she knows it's not happening and she wants to confront that. I'm interested in people who are just about at the end of their rope. She wants answers and she's not getting them. She'd been deceived and it wasn't the first time! That, right there.
Katrina: "The Cartoonist" is brilliant in its subtext and its ability to convey mood and lingering tension. I loved the title which instructs the reader and the last line which completely changed the color of the piece. Can you talk a little about its inspiration?
Kathy: It's narrator as observer. That is her only part in this scene. To observe and sketch. Family dynamics as cartoon. Harried mother with exclamation points all around her head. I wanted to drop the brother in right at the end, just bluntly like that, to show how the cartoonist sees him. Smaller than everything and everyone else, because she sees him as he sees himself. It was just another way in, to write it that way. In my own family dynamic, as a child, I hardly said anything at all. I had six older brothers. I watched and listened and learned and that is what my cartoonist is doing in this story.
Katrina: "Lioness" is so amazing that it made me excited and teary when I read it. You describe the despair, the helplessness, the suffocation a mother feels when her child is ill so damn perfectly. I loved this:
"This house is getting tighter like that vacuum that sucks the air out of things so you can pack your quilts and sweaters and pillows into smaller spaces. You could pack this house into a dresser drawer, open it up in the springtime."
But the moment she imagines a nuclear winter outside on her walk and determines, "This broken planet needs a hero," is the moment in which she seems to find her super-hero strength. Brilliant. You're a mother of four. I can guess what inspired it. However, what were the challenges, if any, in writing this piece?
Kathy: Yes, much of the inspiration for this story came from life. I've had so many times of being home alone for days with a sick child or two sick children and that claustrophobic and desperate feeling of, this is all there is, this will never change, Spring will never come, etc. One of my children went through a period of high fevers and febrile seizures. It was the scariest thing I'd ever gone through. I wanted to take that experience and notch it up, to put my character right on the edge to the point where she believes the snow outside is nuclear snow, that she is the only hope for her child and for humanity. The challenge was letting myself as a writer go to that strange place and letting that peculiar voice take over the story and letting her say the things she did without going, oh this is just too demented. To trust in the story.
Katrina: Your endings are sometimes ambiguous and always artful. I'm thinking specifically of two pieces: "Spin" and "The Bed." In "Spin" your ending mirrors what the protagonist does every day with her son. It's their life in one line. It's also a hopeful line. And in "The Bed" this last line: "I go to him, but I can't get any closer than this," aptly describes a universal truth not only about relationships but about life itself: the distance between people can never fully be breached. How do you come to your endings? Are they easier than beginnings or more difficult?
Kathy: Endings are definitely more difficult for me. And one of my most common self-edits is to cut the last line, ending on the line before it instead. The last lines of my early drafts tend to feel too much like a wrap-up. They feel too neat, often, even contrived in order to achieve that neatness.
I'm glad you felt the hopefulness at the end of "Spin." That's how I wanted that story to feel, that this mother is never going to stop trying to connect with her child. To me, there is such joy in that alone, in stories and in life. It's so not about everything being perfect or all problems being solved, it's about not giving up. The ending of "The Bed" is sadder, more resigned, I think, in its recognition of a connection that will never be fully made.
Katrina: The precision and freshness of your details make me think of poetry. How often do you revise a piece? Do you write line by line, not moving forward until a line is just the way you want it, or do you get a quick draft down and work with it?
Kathy: Thanks, Katrina! I've always been a line-by-line writer, revising as I go. I actually enjoy taking my time, fussing over words and sentences. I have had a few stories that seemed to come out very quickly, but it's not my normal process.
Katrina: Who are some of your favorite authors?
Kathy: Charles Baxter, Amy Hempel, Joy Williams, William Maxwell, Edward P. Jones, Salinger, Tolstoy, Julie Orringer, Raymond Carver, Jane Austen, Flannery O'Connor…also, I love and admire the work of my friends who are writers and who are amazing.
Katrina: You have another collection forthcoming. Would you tell us about it?
Kathy:"Together We Can Bury It" from Cow Heavy Books. It's a collection that keeps evolving. The title has changed three times. It's gone from being a chapbook of flash fiction to a longer collection of both short shorts and longer stories. I really like the mix of work included, the emotional tone of the book as a whole. Molly Gaudry is a gifted and thoughtful editor and just a joy to work with. And the cover is gorgeous.
Katrina: What's next?
Kathy: Is it too much of a cliché to say I'd like to write a novel? Well, I'd like to write a novel. And plays. I'd love to write some plays. I'm feeling a tremendous need to stretch and try new things.
Posted by katrina at 7:16 AM 22 comments:
Labels: Interviews
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Read: "We the Animals" by Justin Torres
At only 125 pages, "We the Animals" by Justin Torres is slight in weight but not in substance. The narrator us tells the story of his growing up with two older brothers, a well-meaning but often ineffective mother, and a mercurial father, mostly using the first person plural point of view.
"We wanted more. We knocked the butt ends of our forks against the table, tapped our spoons against our empty bowls; we were hungry. We wanted more volume, more riots. We turned up the knob on the TV until our ears ached with the shouts of angry men. We wanted more music on the radio; we wanted beats; we wanted rock. We wanted muscles on our skinny arms. We had bird bones, hollow and light, and we wanted more density, more weight. We were six snatching hands, six stomping feet; we were brothers, boys, three little kings locked in a feud for more."
So begins Torres' novel as it eloquently speaks of what it was like for the narrator to grow up in Brooklyn with parents of different cultures, with poverty a perpetual threat, and with a passion for words no one else in the family shared. The narration is spare, precise, lyrical, and Torres' point of view choice aptly captures the swirling, joyous mess that is brotherhood. The brothers in this family are often rolling, wrestling, hitting, a united front against all others, a tumbling trio of lion cubs.
Told in succinct and startling sections, our narrator invites us to witness this family's trials beginning on his seventh birthday and on into his early adulthood. Though there's abuse, it lingers on the peripheral, slightly out of our focus, to allow for the real story: how a person can emerge an individual out of such an all-consuming entity that is family. Metaphorically, the consequence of the narrator finding and claiming his individuality works on both a large and small scale.
An Iowa Writers' Workshop graduate, Justin Torres spent five or six years working on his debut novel and his patience has paid off. "We the Animals" is fierce in its ability to evoke potent emotion with poetic language and veracious insight.
* Review first published in the October 12th edition of The Pilot of Southern Pines
Posted by katrina at 3:43 PM 1 comment:
Labels: Book Reviews
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Elizabeth Gilbert on TED
I've posted this before because it helped me write a draft of one of my novels in about three months. And I'm reposting because I'm in a bit of a writing funk and thinking maybe it might help me again and anyone else who may be in a funk with me.
Posted by katrina at 3:34 PM 2 comments:
Monday, October 10, 2011
Read: Memory Wall by Anthony Doerr
After reading Anthony Doerr's second collection, "Memory Wall," it was easy to understand why it won the prestigious 2010 Story Prize, a prize created in 2004 to promote story collections. The paperback edition, released in July 2011, also includes his story, "The Deep," which won the Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award, a prize that offers the highest cash award given for a short story.
I admired all six stories in the hard cover edition, but my favorites were "Memory Wall," "Village 113" and "Afterworld." The title story, which won the 2010 National Magazine Award for fiction, is set in the not-too-distant future and features a wealthy South African widower beset with Alzheimer's. Through new technology she's able to relive memories that have been medically extracted from her brain and recorded on cartridges. As she becomes more and more reliant on the cartridges, she's visited nightly by a mysterious man and a young helper—a memory thief—in search of one very valuable memory. Everything comes to a head and in the end, Doerr manages to infuse redemption and humanity into an otherwise bleak story.
In "Village 113" a village is about to be sacrificed for the construction of a new dam. Li Quing, a young, earnest man working for the Village Director, is put in charge of relocating everyone. His own mother, a seed keeper, is resistant. The story illustrates not only the struggle between generations, mother and son, new and old, but also the relatively new struggle between nature and technology.
"Afterworld" begins: "In a tall house in a yard of thistles eleven girls wake on the floor of eleven bedrooms." We learn this is the house in which the protagonist Ester Gramm spent her childhood, an orphanage in Hamburg, Germany. Through the course of this beautifully rendered story, we also learn that Ester's imperfection will ultimately save her.
So what makes Doerr's writing special? His stories seem to have it all: imagination, suspense, metaphor, intelligence, verisimilitude and emotional depth. He uses the imagined to more aptly describe reality. But perhaps it's his use of language which has the accuracy and vividness of poetry and his willingness to take on larger mysteries:
"Nothing lasts," Harold would say. "For a fossil to happen is a miracle. One in fifty million. The rest of us? We disappear into the grass, into beetles, into worms. Into ribbons of light." It's the rarest thing, Luvo thinks, that gets preserved, that does not get erased, broken down, transformed. –"Memory Wall"
*First published in the September 18th edition of The Pilot of Southern Pines
Posted by katrina at 11:32 AM No comments:
Labels: Book Reviews
Saturday, October 08, 2011
Passages North-Literary journal
Passages North has a brand new website and Jennifer A. Howard has taken over as Editor-in-Chief.
They have a cool new blog and they've linked several stories and poems in their archives including my story, Blue Moon.
They have a cool new blog and they've linked several stories and poems in their archives including my story, Blue Moon.
Posted by katrina at 3:11 PM No comments:
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PRZOOM - /newswire/ -
Jaén, Spain, 2016/02/23 - A newly developed F-series ANDRITZ SEPARATION decanter has been started up successfully for an olive oil producer in Jaén, Spain - ANDRITZ.com. Reuters: ANDR.VI
In the first extraction phase, the F6000 decanter already achieved a throughput of 300 tons per day.
In addition to the high throughput, the quality of the olive oil is enhanced in terms of flavor and fragrance because the oil contains less contaminants and is processed gently. Further priorities in development work on the new decanter were versatility and flexibility. The decanters deliver lowest oil content in the resulting cake for any variety of olive processed, and they have a scroll design specially developed for olive oil extraction and an adjustable skimmer to control separation efficiency in live machine operation. Another benefit that is relevant for the end user is the low energy consumption.
This successful start-up confirms ANDRITZ SEPARATIONs long-standing experience and good position in the olive oil market.
About The ANDRITZ Group
ANDRITZ (andritz.com) is a globally leading supplier of plants, equipment, and services for hydropower stations, the pulp and paper industry, the metalworking and steel industries, and for solid/liquid separation in the municipal and industrial sectors. The publicly listed technology Group is headquartered in Graz, Austria, and has a staff of approximately 25,000 employees. ANDRITZ operates over 250 sites worldwide.
About ANDRITZ SEPARATION
ANDRITZ SEPARATION is one of the leading global suppliers of technologies and services in the solid/liquid separation sector, as well as for the production of animal feed and biomass pellets. The comprehensive product portfolio for solid/liquid separation comprises centrifuges, filters and drying plants, screens, thickeners, separators, and transportation systems the industries served include municipal and industrial wastewater treatment, chemicals, food and beverages, as well as mining and minerals. The service sector focuses on plant modernization, spare and wear parts, and process optimization.
Agency / Source: ANDRITZ AG
Availability: All Regions (Including Int'l)
Traffic Booster: [/] Quick PRZOOM - Press & Newswire Visibility Checker
Distribution / Indexing: [+] / [Company listed above is a registered member of our network. Content made possible by PRZOOM / PRTODAY indexing services]


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TOBY Thorn wrote his suicide note on the back of a bank statement. The 23-year-old took his own life shortly after moving into a flatshare with friends, stressed to the point of breakdown about student loan and credit card debts amounting to just £8,000.
Only a short time ago, there might have been a functioning mental healthcare system to help young people like him, a safety net to fall back on. But that's not the country the UK is anymore.
Suicide is not a logical response to debt, but fear is. Fear of failure, fear of never making the leap to adulthood successfully. For every young person like Toby Thorn who takes their own life in despair — nearly 2,000 every year and rising — there will be tens of thousands more who fall into anxious depression, who hurt their bodies, who fail to thrive.
Some months ago the prime minister David Cameron spoke contemptuously of people moving from college or university straight on to the welfare rolls. It's beyond hypocrisy that those in power still treat this as a lifestyle choice for the feckless rather than a cruel necessity brought about by the spending choices of the prime minister and his pals.
Plans to remove social benefit for rent from the under-25s are due to be quietly shelved this week. They are being shelved because they are financially unworkable — something that was obvious from the start to anyone with a functioning calculator — and not because they are unjust; something that was obvious from the start to anyone with a functioning conscience.
Debt, student loans and housing insecurity. Never knowing when or if you'll ever have a roof over your head, or enough money at the end of a precarious working week to buy decent food. That's the reality of life for millions of people in Britain today, sapping our energy and sucking away our youth, and it's fortunate for all of us that some are still finding the strength to organise.
UK Uncut, a protest group established to challenge cuts to the UK's public services, are taking over stores to raise awareness of corporate tax avoidance, and this week, students occupied rooms in University College London in protest at the college's plans to build high-end accommodation in east London, a move that will force the eviction of local residents.
Rent is at the centre of it all. Rent and the impossibility of paying it. Rents in some places in London have risen 20 per cent in the last year, while wages for under-30s have fallen by between six and 10 per cent in real terms over the last decade.
In major cities, many of those who haven't been forced out by soaring prices are living two or three to a room or attempting to camp in empty buildings — of which there are thousands in London, since speculation has continued unabated in the recession.
This year the coalition government has criminalised squatting in residential buildings and plans to extend the legislation to commercial properties, a move that may force 20,000 people to choose between homelessness and prison.
At least 75,000 young people in the UK are going to be homeless this Christmas — and those numbers have soared, according to housing charities. It's going to be a cold, hard, angry winter.— The Guardian, London


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Brooklyn, NY
ABOVE THE FOLD is a New York-based agency that represents talent in architecture, urbanism and design. Established in 2012, ABOVE THE FOLD takes the traditional model of in-house business development and brings it into an agency setting, with the mission to advance constructed environments across disciplines.
Overly politicized selection processes and marginalization through misrepresentation plagues a critical form of art. For us construction of the built environment must take a more curated and interdisciplinary approach. A comprehensive understanding of precedents and recent breakthroughs directs the broad selection of clients.
The first agency of its kind, ABOVE THE FOLD offers a comprehensive and global perspective on business development. Agency founder John Patrick studied Economics at Tulane University and has performed business development at the world's most defining practices - The Marketing Directors (USA, 2005-2006); Rockwell Group (USA, 2007); OMA - Office for Metropolitan Architecture (NL, 2007); Bjarke Ingels Group / BIG (DK, 2009); and Allied Works Architecture (USA, 2010-2011).
55 Washington Street, Suite 460
Brooklyn, NY, US , 11201


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I decided to put up this page to help other Allegheny Co. Pa. researchers find their families.
All of the following maps are from the book "History of Allegheny Co., Pa. and are from 1876
Although you can view these maps with your browser, it is
much more effective to download the maps and use a graphics
program so you may zoom in and out.
Note: Crafton, Ingram & Homestead are included in Chartiers Twp.
(This Homestead is an area between Crafton & Carnegie, not what we know as Homestead)
Neville, Robinson & Collier Twps.
If you have comments or suggestions, email me at email@example.com
Return to the Allegheny Co. Maps page
This page last updated 3/2/2000 Number of visitors to this page since 3/3/2000
Census Records | Vital Records | Family Trees & Communities | Immigration Records | Military Records Directories & Member Lists | Family & Local Histories | Newspapers & Periodicals | Court, Land & Probate | Finding Aids


text:
This was a helpful introduction to submitting bug reports: http://www.freshmeat.net/news/2000/02/26/951627540.html Maybe add it to the web site? -- Bruce Momjian | http://www.op.net/~candle pgman(at)candle(dot)pha(dot)pa(dot)us | (610) 853-3000 + If your life is a hard drive, | 830 Blythe Avenue + Christ can be your backup. | Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania 19026
Next: From: Don Baccus Date: 2000-02-26 21:57:00 Subject: Re: [HACKERS] LZTEXT for rule plan stings Previous: From: Tom Lane Date: 2000-02-26 21:35:09 Subject: Re: [HACKERS] LZTEXT for rule plan stings


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From felt to friendship
a meeting of minds, inspiration, interpretation and fibre
by Chrissie Day and Nicola Brown
About the Book
This book offers a fascinating insight into the artistic inspiration and day to day lives of two felters seperated by the Irish Sea. Through the internet, blogging and their love of fibre Chrissie and Nicola met online, started to correspond and could now be considered the best of friends!
They discovered how similar their work ethos was and how their surrounding landscapes inspired, whether the mountains of Ireland or the hills of Teesdale. This book is a joint venture as they discover new fibres, new methods of translating their inspiration into felt and new ways of sharing this knowledge with others. It's not a book aimed as a 'be all and end all' of felting techniques but rather a glimpse into the working lives and inspiration of two totally dedicated felters.
Natural habitat, the built landscape, found objects, recycled materials, shared knowledge, a remembered colour, the shape of a pebble, these are all starting points for many of the felt projects shared in this book.
Features & Details
- Category Crafts & Hobbies
Small Square, 7×7 in, 18×18 cm
120 Pages
- Publish Date May 02, 2011
- Tags Chrissie Day, Nicola Brown, wet felt, wet felting, felting book, Blackstairs Mountains, The Pennines, felt scarf, cobweb felt, cobweb felt scarf, nuno felt, nuno felt jacket, nuno felt scarf, beaded scarf, Icelandic wool, Estonian wool, wool tops, flat felt, flat felting, felting with a resist, three dimensional felting, felt vessel, felt bowl, felt bag, felt purse, felt clutch, wet felted vessel, wet felted bowl, wet felter, felt, felting, Clasheen, Ireland, England, nuno, silk, merino, Zwartbles, Icelandic, batts, sliver, tops, resist, felter, fabric
About the Creator
Inspired by the natural and built environment Chrissie Day and Nicola Brown felt, write, blog and facilitate felting workshops in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States and mainland Europe. Chrissie includes mixed media and knitting in her current work and exhibits nationally now.
Log in or create an account to post a comment.
3 Comments
Cathy Fitzgerald Congratulations to you both on such a great publishing endeavour! And now on the blurb bestseller lists too.
lulu5156 Greetings Ladies,
I just posted my review and giveaway on Craft Gossip Felting: http://felting.craftgossip.com/giveaway/book-review-and-giveaway-from-felt-to-friendship/
Love the book :)
Dawn Edwards Just received my two copies....The book is fantastic!!!! Nicola and Chrissie you've really produced a book to be very proud of. All of your hard work and effort was worth all that you poured into it. Beautifully done...My hat is off to both of you!!! Great job!!!!


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The Christmas Markets in London are one of the best ways to find an original and thoughtful gift; you can even experience rides and live entertainment as you shop! It's also important, after being so selfless in finding all those gifts for everyone else, that you treat yourself to a Christmas tipple, post-shopping trip. Late Night London is here to help – take a look at our two extra special Mayfair bars that just so happen to be next door to the biggest market in town; Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland.
Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland
It's the biggest Christmas Market in London, with some of the best attractions around. Shop some of the most gift-inspiring stalls and then take in a show at the circus. You can even ice skate and take in London at its Christmassy best from the viewing wheel. You're sure to work up a hunger and a thirst – so make sure you check out our two fabulous Mayfair bars and enjoy Christmas drinks in London.
Babble Mayfair
You've ridden the big wheel, you've eaten some crepes and you're laden down with shopping. What you need is Babble Mayfair's laid-back party atmosphere. Located just a few streets away from Hyde Park's big Christmas extravaganza you're sure to appreciate our selection of festive cocktails and seasonal menu. Take the weight off your feet and gather your companions to enjoy a well-earned post-shopping drink. Get yourself in from the chill and chill out in Babble Mayfair – book your space today.
Mayfair Exchange
Sumptuously decorated with a decadent food and drinks menu to match, Mayfair Exchange is one of London's most welcoming bars. Pull up a plush seat in our neo-Edwardian bar and warm yourself up from ice skating or Christmas stall shopping. Our chefs will prepare some beautiful, seasonal food and our bar tenders will muddle you together some mulled wine. Mayfair Exchange is the perfect remedy to shopping-sore feet. Decadent, welcoming and warm; it's got Christmas written all over it.


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Carry-All Pouch
Tidal Waveby Lisa Argyropoulos
Buy a Set of 3 and Save!
Organize your life with our Carry-All Pouches. Available in three sizes with wraparound artwork, these pouches are perfect for toiletries, art supplies or makeup. Even an iPad fits into the large size. Features include a faux leather pulltab for easy open and close, a durable canvas-like exterior and a 50/50 poly-cotton black interior lining. Machine washable.
A Bokeh image that I have captured of a sparkly glitter...please note that it is a macro photo of this substance and the product will NOT have such a texture that can be touched as such. Bokeh basically means to "blur" or "haze" and in my image of "Tidal Wave" this is the result. Bokeh is a popular photographic style. mint, cream, blue, turquoise, aqua, blue, green, bokeh, ombre, photography, abstract art, anomalies are part of the artwork, stripes
All Rights Reserved - Copyright - Lisa Argyropoulos


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Whoa, whoa, whoa… tickets are still available to the Lions-Seahawks game this Sunday because Detroit fans aren't going to make the trip? But this is the weekend's premiere matchup between a 1-6 team and a 2-5 team! Hell, the last time these two teams faced off, the final score was 9-6! Barns: burned. WHEEEEEE!!!
What a Surprise.
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By: PirateSloth11.06.2009 @ 3:37 PM
I could give you one of my season tickets for the game CC if you want to go.
By: Unsilent Majority11.06.2009 @ 3:39 PM
Hmmm. Nothing seems to be happening when I click the "Buy Tickets" button. Perhaps that's the problem.
By: Mike from Stumptown11.06.2009 @ 3:42 PM
Cheering for blackouts? But how can I point and laugh at all the in-game fuckups?
/looks up NFL blackout rules
//realizes Seattle is 175 miles north of local FOX affiliate
Never mind.
By: Christmas Ape11.06.2009 @ 3:45 PM
I think it's revenge for when Seattle fans didn't go to Detroit for the Super Bowl.
By: The_Internet11.06.2009 @ 3:45 PM
Seattle will not have a blacked out game for some time.
However, Seattle fans will have many blacked out games for some time.
By: dudebro11.06.2009 @ 3:46 PM
Now that there's no abnormally slow and shitty white safetys to get blown up, what's the point?
By: The_Internet11.06.2009 @ 3:47 PM
There were no tickets left, FOX bought up half the stadium for everyone that ever met Jerome Bettis
By: jrkumor11.06.2009 @ 3:48 PM
Is this because the Seahawks game is on at the same time as the Sounders playoff game vs Houston Dynamo? Are the Sounders are more popular than the Seahawks?
By: Upstate Underdog11.06.2009 @ 3:51 PM
This might be the last game the Seahawks win all year, their fans might want to show up.
By: Mike from Stumptown11.06.2009 @ 3:52 PM
Now that there's no abnormally slow and shitty white safetys to get blown up, what's the point?
The point is …
is …
is …
OK, I got nothing. You win, dudebro.
By: Rocco11.06.2009 @ 3:54 PM
@UU: They do play the Bucs however. At home. Really shouldn't lose that game.
By: StuScottBooyahs11.06.2009 @ 3:57 PM
A Limited Number Of Tickets Are Available
Limited to 67,000.
By: Vicious11.06.2009 @ 4:02 PM
My good friend from Houston is coming up to see this game. I had to turn the tickets down, namely because I didn't want to spend 6 hours in a car on Sunday to go sit at a crappy football game when I can sit on my couch and enjoy better games on TV. I'm a terrible friend.
By: Charlie Sweatpants11.06.2009 @ 4:13 PM
Eat it, fans of other frequently blacked out franchises. The Lions don't just black out home games, now they black out road games as well. Roar.
By: Bubby Brister's Mop11.06.2009 @ 4:24 PM
Clearly, this is the Steelers fault. I don't know how or why but I've heard whiny emo Seahawk fans blame them for everything else over the past four years, so why not this?
/Thinks the refs called a great game in Super Bowl XL
//Ben was definitely over the goal line.
By: Paul11.06.2009 @ 4:28 PM
Bills Browns sold out no problem.
And people say they'll move the Bills… pshhhhh
By: The_Internet11.06.2009 @ 4:45 PM
where's this blackout talk coming from?
By: pfah11.06.2009 @ 4:57 PM
@Bubby Brister's Mop…..you're obviously blind and a Steelers fan. not sure which is worse.
By: H Cuz11.06.2009 @ 5:10 PM
And just think, that 9-6 game was in a year where Seattle made the playoffs and the Lions started 6-2 or somesuch.
Which means this game is bound to be even worse! Hooray!
By: Captain Caveman11.06.2009 @ 5:31 PM
Clearly, this is the Steelers fault. I don't know how or why but I've heard whiny emo Seahawk fans blame them for everything else over the past four years, so why not this?
Dude, this post wasn't about the Steelers. If I can not bitch about it, maybe you can not bitch about people bitching about it. Bitch.
By: roger goodell11.06.2009 @ 5:40 PM
haha you got served mister bubbly mop
By: City of Industry Football Corporation11.06.2009 @ 5:54 PM
I find it funny that Lofa Tatupu (on IR) is still printed on the tickets.
By: City of Industry Football Corporation11.06.2009 @ 5:55 PM
Come to think of it, good thing they didn't put Edgerin James or an Offensive Line on the tickets.
By: seahawk matt11.06.2009 @ 6:31 PM
Fuck you Ape…. and the joke is on me, I get to sit through this shit game on sunday
By: Nate Newton's van11.06.2009 @ 6:33 PM
Seattle's two-minute drill didn't go to Detroit for the Super Bowl either.
By: Monica Dickey11.06.2009 @ 7:39 PM
I may have to have a "blacked out game" to get through watching Seattle
By: Mike from Stumptown11.06.2009 @ 7:50 PM
That pic needs a "John Carlson is watching you masterbate" caption.
By: Bergh11.06.2009 @ 7:53 PM
Brian Russell is no longer around to put asses in the seats. Future HOF'er sells tickets.
By: BrianRussellFanClubofOne11.06.2009 @ 10:08 PM
The Seahawks have been selling out their single-game ticket and have a multi-year waiting list for season tickets. The problem is the visiting fans not buying tickets, not the Seattle fans. If the Lion or Jaguars fans can't sell out their own stadiums, why would they fly to Seattle in November to see their teams get shutout?
By: wojdak11.06.2009 @ 10:55 PM
Whatever, hate on the Hawks. Least were gonna get a win. And whats really sad, if and when we do win, if Arizona loses, we are not out of the playoff picture. We just need to borrow an offensive line…….
By: jackin'4beats11.06.2009 @ 11:14 PM
Can Seahawks fans stop bitching please? At least your team was good enough to get beat fair and square in a recent Super Bowl. Sheesh.
By: Philly Jim11.08.2009 @ 1:45 AM
…and the possessive case used incorrectly…sheez.


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Many around the NFL believe that the Sunday night thriller between the Patriots and Broncos two weeks ago was an AFC Championship preview.
Kellen Winslow is apparently a subscriber to that notion, as well, despite being currently employed by New England's biggest rival.
"I got the pats vs broncos in AFC championship game and Panthers vs Seahawks in NFC championship," the Jets tight end tweeted Monday in a — later deleted — reply to former Patriots wideout Donte Stallworth, as first noted by Newsday's Kimberley A. Martin.
Both the Patriots and Broncos were tested this past weekend (by the Texans and Chiefs, respectively) before pulling out close wins. Relatively weak remaining schedules make them still the favorites to nab the top two spots in the AFC, though, which would set the stage for a potential Tom Brady–Peyton Manning rematch with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.
The second part of Winslow's prediction isn't looking too shabby, either, as the Seahawks thoroughly demolished New Orleans on Monday to nab the league's first playoff bid and Carolina downed Tampa Bay to win its eighth straight game. A pair of matchups with the Saints still loom for the Panthers, however, giving them the toughest remaining slate of any of Winslow's favorites.
As for the tight end's own team? The Jets are still mathematically alive, but after consecutive three-point efforts in losses to the Ravens and Dolphins, it'll take nothing short of divine intervention to get Gang Green into the postseason.
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