text:
Choking on Stepdaddy & Stepbrother's Cum in My Mouth is an often humorous and wry look at a young woman and her stepfather and stepbrother, who decide to keep her chained in the garage for a weekend. They may be able to keep her chained up but her spirit is free as she talks back to them and gets the upper hand, by wearing them both out. After the weekend is over it's a different story and a few weeks later the decision is taken out of her hands as to what her life will be like in the future.
©2013 See You Next Tuesday Press (P)2013 See You Next Tuesday Press
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Johannesburg - The government was wrong to give Swaziland a
R2.4bn bailout, Cosatu secretary general Zwelinzima Vavi said on Thursday.
"We are saying it was a mistake... that's our tax money
you are giving to them," he told a Food and Allied Workers' Union congress
in Johannesburg.
The reality was that most South African workers still did
not earn a decent living wage, yet it was bailing out other struggling
Cosatu said it would take up the battle of the Swazi people
because it wanted them to have freedom. It wanted political parties in the
African kingdom to be unbanned so it could have a democratic multi-party
The trade union federation had sent a delegation to
Swaziland to participate in pro-democracy protests this week. On Wednesday
Cosatu deputy president Zingiswa Losi and deputy international secretary Zanele
Matebula were arrested during protests and deported.
Swaziland is in financial crisis and political parties have
been banned since 1973.
King Mswati III holds the country's ultimate executive,
legislative and judicial power.
Foreign media reported that its government is freezing civil
servant salaries and cutting other costs, including student allowances.
South Africa agreed to loan Swaziland the money on condition
that it be used for economic and political reform.
Vavi urged delegates to show South Africans that politics in
South Africa could be conducted with integrity, morals and principles.
"We are not in the business of taking anybody's side...
We will not be blackmailed into silence by anybody... We are a principled
organisation," he said.
Turning to labour brokers, Vavi said workers wanted a total
ban of the system.
"We want to be hired directly by those benefiting from
our labour."
Earlier this week, Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant said it
was not possible to heed union demands to ban brokers overnight. She said the
Labour Relations Act first needed to be amended and phased out.
Vavi said workers also wanted an affordable and efficient
public transport system to replace the "moving coffins" that
marginalised people were forced to use. He felt the Gautrain was for the elite.
The federation would further focus on water accessibility.
"We are told that we are going downhill and that by
2017, we will run out of water here in Gauteng. This is because we don't have
enough dams."
Water underground was "spoilt" because of mining,
and acid water threatened drinking water and vegetation, he said.
Could someone furnish Mr Vavi with Luthuli House's phone number, the map to Parliament and the SACP's email address?
Why is he telling the unions and us that it was a mistake? As part of the tri-partite alliance, and having members of Parliament in Cosatu, he was part of that initial decision. To pass such a decision and then take to protesting is ridiculous.
Everything feels like a con and a robbery being perpertrated on SA's embattled citizens of all races - we need to find people who talk straight and understand due process.
He doesn't have an email address.
Hehe. Haha.
Swaziland is ruled by a dictator and should not have got one cent of my hard earned tax money. We all know that it will continue to fund Mswati's lifestyle. When are the poor people in the world realize that politicians are nothing but corrupt, lying, thieving thugs and should not be trusted ever and certainly not near election time.

subset: commoncrawl


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Can anyone offer me an alternative to DVDShrink? I need something easy to use that can also take the compressed files and burn them to DVD (I already have a great ripping program).
DVDShrink arrived on my PC loaded with Spyware, and I just don't feel safe trying to download it again.
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+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 21 of 21
Download it from here. AFAIk, there's no malware on the version from this site. The only alternative is to use Nero Recode. DVDFAB HD Decrypter can shrink too, but it doesn't do as nice a job and the function is not available on the free version.
You can download Shrink from Videohelp and there will be no addons. https://www.videohelp.com/tools/DVD-Shrink Use the direct download link.
You'll get better quality output from DVDRebuilder, and it has an option to burn directly to a disc using ImgBurn. DVDRebuilder won't be as fast.
Just be aware that DVDRebuilder won't decrypt anything. You'll need a separate decryption/ripping program with it.
Another to consider, if you don't mind paying for it, is ConvertXtoDVD. It is also only for conversion, not decryption.
I have a great ripping program, What I'm lacking is a viable program that can compress the files, allow me to arrange them in the order I want, and burn them to disk.
I'm still new to all of this, so I'll welcome further assistance. DVD Rebuilder has been 'installing' for more than ten minutes. Is that the norm? Also, online it said that I'll have to download additional things to make the program work? Again, feedback from anyone who has done this will be great.
No need to be rude.
I have a program that will rip the files from the original DVD, free of any copy protection.
Here's what I still need.
I need a good program that will compress the individual TV episodes, arrange them in the order that I want, and burn the to DVD. That's what I'm having trouble coming up with.
DVDShrink did not work for me, and the last program that was suggested was taking loner to install than Adobe Premier and PhotoShop combined.
If anyone can offer additional suggestions, I'll welcome them.
dvdshrink or for that matter dvdrebuilder.
Maybe you need to do some malware scans?
Nice to know this forum is populated by such caring, classy people. And yes, there is a problem with that program (there are scores of reports about it online). My guess is that YOU didn't know that and you know far less about this than you like people to believe.
as you are repeatedly saying that you have some problems with DVDShrink, I believe you... I trust you... bcoz I am not in a position to verify your claim. Other program which is recommended and well supported by author is AVS2DVD which you should give it a try after reading relevant guides and it's support thread. The commercial program which is often recommended here is ConvertX2DVD, later one might have 30 days trial period that you wanna try.
Now you have 2 more programs to start with, ask when you face any problems.
Even if you are looking for a long list of softwares l@@k : HERE -or- HERE.
Last edited by enim; 1st Mar 2014 at 00:34.
Dude, there is nothing wrong with dvdshrink from this site.
Now wherever you dled from, who knows.
As far as speed goes, dvdshrink does its job fast and many have been using it since it first came out without any problems.
Now if you need to shrink by a large percentage, dvdrebuilder is the program to use (it re-encodes).
These are the 2 premier programs to deal with resizing a large dvd back to dvd, none else is needed.
If these don't meet you needs, buy dual layer dvds and forget about using either program, problem solved.
I responded to a thread titled " DVDShrink Alternatives" which was quite enough for me to understand was exactly OP - minns is looking for. Further more, all responses prior me failed to provide the alternatives what OP was looking for.
Where are are tons of choices in whole universe, why we keep insisting something else. It sounds like me, like I went to buy a roll of toilet parer in a departmental store and salesman tried to push me very hard for sand papers. I just wanna have OP all choices available to try. If someone ask me what is the alternative for AVS2DVD or ConvertX2DVD, I would say try DVDShrink. I really Do Not Care, if someone likes me or not, bcoz I have enough very close by at smooching distance who like me.
The Whole lecture I have just given by mis interpreting DVDShrink as DVDStyler. My BiG apology.
My responses are related to following OP's query :
I have a great ripping program, What I'm lacking is a viable program that can compress the files, allow me to arrange them in the order I want, and burn them to disk.
Even if I am over drunk, if OP read my responses, they contain all the details exactly what OP is looking for : "re-arrange and put it back into DVD."
Alternative would be DVDDecrypter (FREE), ANyDVD or DVDFAb, last two are commercial for full features. It is time for me for ZZZZZzzzz.
Last edited by enim; 1st Mar 2014 at 01:20.
I think Minns needs to solve his 'virus' issues. I use DVD SHRINK and DVDREBUILDER for their different abilities. I too have (will continue to) search for a great DVD SHRINK alternative, but nothing offers as many features (Chapter Break slicings, selectivity of features, the ability to merge umpteen Titles from umpteen DVD-FileSets).
But when I have DVD file-sets that need compression, the free DVD REBUILDER will give me excellent results. The pay-for version opens up to a better compression feature but, to be honest, I can't detect the difference by merely watching the video - I have to send it thru frame-counts to get 'the proof'.
DVD REBUILDER's stalling installation might be that whole 'virus' issue OR it might be the AVISYNTH installation. If a prior version exists, sometimes it can't easily be uninstalled or replaced. I handle that manually and DVD REBUILDER has installed more cleanly. Then, after DVD REBUILDER's installation, I recommend going out to AVISYNTH's site and downloading the current version, and installing that. DVD REBUILDER won't care - it's merely a 'front end' to a variety of services, not version numbers.
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Results 1 to 3 of 3
01-28-16, 06:02 #1Registered User
- Join Date
- Jan 2016
- Posts
- 2
Unanswered: [HELP] Creating Small Event/Member DB
Hi All,
I am trying to create a small member-event database for a friend. It will include Member, Submembers, Event. Each Member can have 3 Submembers linked to it. I want to be able to to link Member and Submembers together.
E.G. I Query the db for a name of a member submember or game
I'm come up with a basic design but I'm having trouble deciding what columns fields are related. Any help would be appreciated.
Member 123456789
Name John Smith
Submember1 123456788
Submember2 123456787
Submember3 123456786
EventName Saturday Show
Last edited by t2t; 01-28-16 at 06:17.
01-28-16, 07:30 #2Jaded Developer
Provided Answers: 59
- Join Date
- Nov 2004
- Location
- out on a limb
- Posts
- 13,692
look at normalisation
whenever you see repeating data normalise the table
whenever you see what looks like the same column but with a suffix/prefix thats usually a sign if a potentail problem (probably the most common exception to this is something like address, where address1,2....n are legit). why limit your design to an arbitrary limit of 3?
look at self referencing tables
ferisntance it may make sense to have a table for persons(members), and in that have a mechansim that allows you to define a 'parent' member, look at sub categories. alternatively use a sub table to associate a specific member with another. effectively its a junction / intersection table. look at junction / intersection tables. Or your sub mkemkber table needs to define who the 'sub' member is, their name and who is the 'parent' memebr
if this is an ongoing real system as opposed to say coursework then you'd probably want to add a table for events, a table for tickets/prices a table for purchases by a member
if someone is a memkber then that usually infers they pay a membership fee, that measn a table for membership codes...I'd rather be riding on the Tiger 800 or the Norton
01-28-16, 10:06 #3Registered User
- Join Date
- Jan 2016
- Posts
- 2
Yes it will be ongoing. At the moment we're just doing it in excel and have about 15 events with about 40 members & submembers in total so as you can imagine its quite tedius not being able to quickly lookup this data. Each member has a 10 digit ID number. Just knowing who has purchased for which event should be sufficient enough, No address or anything. How should i deal with setting up a relationship between submembers with members and also linking the game and also what was purchased?


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Seal out drafts with the unbeatable head, face, and neck coverage of a Balaclava. Designed to fit comfortably under a helmet, Bontrager's Balaclava provides non-bulky warmth and moisture management to help keep you warm, dry, and happy.
There are currently no questions and answers for this product.
There are currently no reviews for this product.


text:
LAS VEGAS (Nov. 2, 2016) – The Public Education Foundation is launching the 23rd year of its Scholarship Program and is urging high school seniors to start the application process now. Last year the Foundation awarded more than $1 million in scholarships to students pursuing a post-secondary education.
Most scholarship application deadlines are February 14, 2017. Students can visit The Public Education Foundation's website – thepef.org – for more information about how to apply and which scholarships are available. Over the next few months, as more scholarships are added until the February deadline, students should periodically check the Foundation's website for new offerings.
"These scholarships, in many cases, can make attending college a dream come true," said Judi Steele, President & CEO of The Public Education Foundation.
The scholarships are provided by community leaders, businesses, organizations, individuals and families. The awards range from $500 to $5,000 annually and some are renewable. The scholarships are based on a variety of criteria such as academic achievement, motivation, planned area of study and/or financial need.
Last year, The Public Education Foundation awarded college scholarships to 455 students. Altogether, 631 scholarships were awarded, as some students received multiple scholarships.
In just over two decades, the Foundation has awarded more than 5,440 scholarships totaling more than $10.5 million. The Foundation's Scholarship Program has witnessed remarkable growth since its first year, when 19 students received scholarships totaling $16,000.
About The Public Education Foundation
The Public Education Foundation works to bring about transformational change in teaching, learning and education leadership. For more information about the Foundation, go to thepef.org. "Like" us on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ThePublicEducationFoundation. "Follow" us on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/ThePEFOutLoud.


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People have their own requirements and qualities they want in their new home. Whether you are looking for an urban chapel renovation or a cottage, the Townsville builder has to be aware of your needs. Read more...http://www.jazzhomes.com.au/
Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author.While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server.
(07) 4774 3886
In this home-hunting season, the search has gone more and more aggressive. The need to find a dream home requires a pretty good research in the area. It is possible to have a low supply but high demand.
The investors try to use every trick in the book to get best out the search for a new property. People have their own requirements and qualities they want in their new home.
Whether you are looking for an urban chapel renovation or a cottage, the Townsville builder has to be aware of your needs. The demand of dream homes has gone far more competitive but the availability of the houses on sale has reduced in the past few years. This means that the property you're looking for is already being looked by at least three more people.
If you really want to buy or build your new home you can't afford being passive in searching one. To get the best it is essential to be active and make an initiative to track down the perfect house around.
You might a need a persistent search and a lot of contacts in the area where you want to buy a place with an ability to sweet-talk and to play it tough as well.
Things to consider while you search for a property.
You can hire an estate agent and get him on your side. Every agent aspires marketing a decent property and getting investors are a dime a dozen. Make him believe that you are head and shoulders above the competitors.
You need to squeeze out the information such as why the place is being sold and for how long it's been in the market for sale. You can also ask the purchase rate of that place, as in how many people are looking for that property and the lowest price that could be offered.
Visit the site and ensure it on your own whether it satisfies your requirements and is in the location of your choice.
19 Anjota Street,
North Shore Display Village
Burdell, QLD
4818 Australia
(07) 4774 3886
1300 805 255


text:
- 907851 000000000 907851000000000
Hal Leonard More Accelerate Your Guitar Playing DVD
- Write a Review
The More Accelerate Your Guitar Playing DVD offers easy-to-understand exercises and demonstrations that can be applied to all levels and styles. Clea...Click To Read More About This Product
6-Month* financing available.
Essential skills for the guitar soloist.
The More Accelerate Your Guitar Playing DVD offers easy-to-understand exercises and demonstrations that can be applied to all levels and styles. Clear and detailed instruction is given both onscreen and in the accompanying lesson booklet. Professor Tomo Fujita, in Elements of the Solo, shares his proven method for improving the essential skills required to play guitar with other musicians and to freely express yourself on the guitar. Professor Fujita has been teaching at Berklee College of Music since 1993 and continues to be one of the most sought-after and effective guitar and ensemble teachers. He has played guitar with the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning musical Rent, and has shared the stage with notables such as Phil Collins, Roomful of Blues, and Darryl Jones and the Saturday Night Live Band, to name a few. Additionally, Tomo is the winner of Boston's Best Guitarist Competition, and he has won critical acclaim in Guitar Player and Guitar Shop magazines.
- Scale exercises
- Classical, blues, and jazz etudes
- Ear training
- Reading exercises
- Walking bass and comping
- Rock, jazz, and blues demonstrations
- Author: Tomo Fujita
- Publisher: Berklee Press, Rittor Music and Hal Leonard
- Medium: DVD
- 6" W x 8" L


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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- A few thoughts on the New York Jets' decision to sign future Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed:
1. Worth the risk: Many in the league believe Reed, 35, coming off an unproductive, nine-game stint with the Houston Texans, is washed up. But if the Jets use him properly, as a complementary player in certain packages, this could work out nicely. The Jets' pass defense is ranked 24th, and their current group of safeties has only two interceptions. Reed is one of the greatest ball hawks in NFL history. He has lost some speed, and he's not an aggressive tackler (to put it kindly), but he has rare instincts. If he makes one big play to change a game, it could mean the difference between making the playoffs or sitting at home.
2. Malcontent? Reed turned off a lot of people last week by criticizing the Texans' coaching staff, saying the team was "outplayed and outcoached" in a loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Could this be another Derrick Mason situation? Two years ago, Rex Ryan lobbied hard for the former Baltimore Ravens wide receiver, and he was a bad influence in the locker room; the Jets dumped him at midseason. Clearly, Ryan is sticking his neck out by acquiring Reed, but I don't think he'll be a malcontent. Reed and Ryan go way back -- seven years together in Baltimore -- and Reed respects Ryan too much to cause problems.
3. Familiarity: On the surface, it makes little sense to acquire a 35-year-old safety with seven games remaining in the season. But these are extenuating circumstances. Reed knows the system. He knows Ryan and defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman, two former Ravens assistants. He also knows safety Dawan Landry, a former Ravens teammate. In other words, there won't be a difficult transition for Reed, who practiced Thursday and could be available to play Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. Oh, by the way, the Jets play the Ravens next week. You know they'll get Reed's best in that game.
4. The power of Rex: When John Idzik replaced Mike Tannenbaum as the Jets' general manager, it was assumed Ryan would lose all his power with regard to personnel decisions. Not so. Ryan wanted Reed from the moment he became available Tuesday, and he discussed it immediately with Idzik. To his credit, Idzik showed an open mind, deferring to his head coach.
5. Just win now, baby: This is by far the splashiest veteran acquisition of Idzik's brief tenure, and it shows that the Jets -- a surprising 5-4 -- believe they can do some damage this season. This was supposed to be a rebuilding year. Well, guess what? A rebuilding team doesn't sign an aging safety in mid-November unless it thinks it can make a serious playoff run.


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Haich Versus P is a four-novel series concerning a genocidal war between the human race and carnivorous, extradimensional equines. Originally commissioned by Dan, transcribed by Tom, and then edited into literary format and released by Semeny Licket, Haich Versus P follows the adventures of Delta Squad, a group of young, freshly-trained marines who do battle with the alien and murderous on the backdrop of soviet Russia.
Licket's involvement on the project began on October 15, 2014, during a chance encounter with Dan, seeking a determined scribe to finish bringing the vision of his military epic to life. One year and three finished novels later, that project can finally come to fruition. This Wiki shall function as a chronicle of specific detail to further aid the necessary understanding of the narrative.
Because of the graphic nature of the source material, and the intrinsic properties of the internet, reader discretion is advised.
Haich Versus P: The Firstly can currently be read at the following locations: FurAffinity | DeviantArt | Weasyl
<hero description="Haich Versus P: The Wikily" imagename="Wikia-hero-image" cropposition="0.1971252566735113"></hero>


text:
One of them, owner-operator Matt Hopkins, took his support for the organization to new heights with his early-2014 benefit climb of Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina.Read More
Owner-operator Loren Hutnick leads a rally, driver Mike Hawthorne packs a birthing kit, and Kenneth Dice decides fighting for a CDL is not worth it when authorities can't even make heads or tails of what's required relative to sleep apnea and medical certification...Read More
Drivers Fred Robatcek and Peter Holland had their breakfasts interrupted Thanksgiving weekend last year to help a woman deliver her baby at a Denny's in Texarkana, Ark.Read More
Megan Folkes, dispatcher at Gulf Logistics and Parish Transport in Ellisville, Miss., poses in this photo gallery with a 2003 Peterbilt 379 owned by her dad, Alton Folkes. Megan urged her owner-operator father to fix up a purple Pete, as that's their favorite color.Read More
Nearly 25,000 medical examiners are somewhere in the process of being certified and added to FMCSA's medical examiner registry, the agency has said in response to OOIDA's request for a delay for drivers of the compliance date of the rule.Read More
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has filed a legal petition asking the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to push back the compliance date of the medical examiner registry rule until more agency-certified examiners are available for truck operators.Read More
The story of a driver denied medical certification because of his successfully treated sleep apnea.Read More
When he came upon another trucker who had fallen from his truck that was hanging over the side of a freeway overpass, Ivan Vasovic sprang into action. What transpired was "really like Hollywood movies," Vasovic recalled after accepting the 31stGoodyear North America Highway Hero Award during the Mid-America Trucking Show. Vasovic tells his full story in this illustrated video, which includes the announcement of his honor during the show. Vasovic received $5,000, a trophy and a ring from ...Read More
The science of color has been intrinsically entwined with the psychology of color from the beginning. It's one of the few disciplines that cuts across the boundaries of art, biology, physics, psychology, chemistry and geology.Read More
Teen country-pop outfit Jetset Getset performed its trucking-themed track in the Cincinnati Reds' Opening Day parade on a flatbed behind the truck March 31.Read More


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Sunday, 20th June 2010
I was interested to visit the Satoir Mosque that is situated at Satoir bazar of Boalmari Thana. I was at Madhukhali Thana, and just visited the Deul of Mathurapur. Initially I wasn't interested to visit the mosque, cause only way to reach there using local bus, and it will take around 1-2 hours.
But from local people I came to know that I can hire a motor cycle. So I went to the Motorcycle stand of Madhukhali Bazar, and hired a bike with a driver for 160 taka. The contact is, he will take me to the mosque, and after visiting the mosque, he will get back to this bazar with me. Using the bike, it was really time saving. After two hours I just back to the same place, and when the mosque was already visited.
Actually I was disappointed after visiting the mosque. It was actually 700 years of old mosque, but old one was totally renovated. There are lots of myth available using the mosque.
1) This mosque was built within one day by the order of Allah.
2) The four pillars of the mosque used to laugh and cry sometimes(The reason is the air passing, and it just make a different tone).
3) If you take the brick of the mosque at your house, no insect will come at our house.
These funny myth actually lured me to pass some time at that place.


text:
Fan forum for the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, the Dark Hunter series, and whatever else comes to mind.
forum, compound, black, dagger, dark, hunter, anita, blake, brotherhood, zerosum, fans, discuss, series, whatever, #else, comes, mind, vishous, butch, wrath
Lost Message Board, Lost and General Chat about the show and everything else.
Free forum : For refugees from MyWay and Tek Board II, and for anyone else wishing to participate.
open, forum, politics, general, discussion, moderated, wishing, participate
Free forum : A place for Miami Dolphins fans to talk all things Dolphins, NFL and college football, and anything else.
dolfan, cave, place, miami, dolphins, fans, talk, college, football
Home of all things Battrick Related, Sports and Everything Else
We are a friendly, new group of PaintShopPro enthusiasts, sharing tags, tutorials, and anything else to do with our favourite graphics creation and editing programme. If you share our love of PSP, whether an experienced psp-er or new to this great p
graphics, editing, creations, paintshoppro, learning, sharing, tutorials, forum, group, paintshop, enthusiasts, creating, tags
Winnebago Aspect & Itasca Cambria Class C RV forum group. Where else to meet others with the same RV's that you can ask questions of any issues and concerns? This is the place to discuss
aspect/cambria, owners, forum/group, winnebago/itasca, winnebago, aspect, itasca, cambria, class, place, discuss, motor, homes, issues, questions, make, forum
A place for all of us that don't know where else to go!
world's, smallest, forum, place, that, don't, know, where, #else
Our goal is to bring awareness to missing persons worldwide. We also discuss current events, crimes in the news, sports, entertainment, and whatever else is on your mind. Our members only area gives
drew, peterson, trial, george, zimmerman, trayvon, martin, megan, sharpton, amber, whitlow, isabel, celis, kyron, horman, bashara, jane, brittney, wood
The official message board of Target of Desire. Learn and discuss about Target of Desire and anything else.
A roleplaying forum that has a tendency to feature sci-fi, fantasy, and pretty much anything else. We have a calm community that is plenty open-minded and are welcoming to various types of new members
forum, modern, nationstates, tiberium, command, conquer, wars, tiberian, dawn, mechs, lasers, roleplaying, game, role-play, role, play


text:
Christine Pagniello
Office Hours
Monday - Friday
The Tax Receiver is designated by law to collect all state, county and special fees relating to all properties within the Town of Clifton Park. Tax Bills are mailed to owners and due in January of each year. Citizen taxpayers are welcome to pay taxes in person at Town Hall. Receipts can be provided immediately or mailed to the property owner. Many property owners pay their property taxes through bank held escrow accounts and the mail. The Tax Collector is available to answer questions and explain tax rates, special tax districts and any concerns relating to tax valuations and tax bills. The Tax Receiver is obligated to comply with all state, county and local tax laws, according to the tax warrant levied by the Saratoga County Treasurer's Office. All tax payments are receipted and accounted for by professional standard accounting practices. The Tax Collector deposits all monies and is responsible for distribution of appropriate allocations to the proper agencies. Collects and processes payments for the Old Nott Farm and Rivercrest Sewer Districts.
Mail Tax Payments To:
Town of Clifton Park
PO Box 10788
Albany, New York 12201
**Once payment is received by mail, a paid receipt will be mailed to the property owner.**
Tax Bill Portal
Click Here to View Tax Bills The Town of Clifton Park DOES NOT have a general TOWN TAX. 2017 Clifton Park Tax Collection Dates: January 3, 2017 thru March 31, 2017 ** All Tax Payments received after January 31, 2017 will incur penalty charges.
You can use the online tax system to view and print your property taxes. Click Here to Access the Online Tax System.
Property Tax bills can be viewed and printed online. Click Here to Access the Online Tax System. Also, town officials can mail, fax or e-mail the information to you. Just call 371-5720.
Shenendehowa School Tax Collector 881-0625, Burnt Hills School Tax Collector 399-1413, Niskayuna School Tax Collector 377-4666 ext. 50712
No. Each School District handles their own collection.
Yes, You can now pay your property taxes using a credit/debit card. There is a 2.45% transaction fee for credit cards, $3.95 fee for debit cards and a $1.75 convenience fee for E-checks which is charged by the credit card company (not the town). Go to cliftonpark.org and in the bottom left of the page under "Town and Community Resources," choose the icon "Click here to view or print property tax bills/receipts."
Many residents have their taxes escrowed with lending institutions. It is the responsibility of the lender to notify this office prior to the mailing of bills that they will make payment. In the event that a request list is not received prior to our mailing, the bills are mailed as addressed and becomes the responsibility of the owner to notify his/her lender. All changes of information to a tax bill is done through the Assessor's Office and until this office receives these changes the tax bill will remain the same. If a bill is mailed to a former owner they are supposed to forward the bill to the new owner, or return it to this office. This does not always occur. It you are a new owner, it would be wise to contact this office if you do not receive your bill by the second week of January. If you have a lender, contact them to make certain they requested your bill for payment. The Property Tax Bills are printed from the Assessor's records. For changes of mailing status please call the Assessor's Office at 371-6460.
No. By law the Property Tax Office cannot collect any tax until after January 1st of each year.
Payments may be mailed to our bank lockbox at Town of Clifton Park, PO Box 10788, Albany, New York, 12201, or payments can be paid in person at Clifton Park Town Hall, 1 Town Hall Plaza, Clifton Park, New York 12065, or online with credit card or E-check (fees apply).
The Property Tax Bill is mailed December 31st each year. If you do not receive the bill by January 7th, call the Property Tax Office at 371-5720.
All exemptions are processed by the Assessor's Office. For information please call 371-6460.
Yes. The failure to mail a statement or the failure of a property owner to receive a statement will not affect the validity of the taxes or interest prescribed by law (NYS RPTL 922). In addition, neither the Receiver of Taxes nor any other Town official has legal authority to waive statutory penalty charges. These are fixed by the Real Property Tax Law (RPTL). If they are waived, the collecting officer will be personally responsible. As all records are audited by State examiners, there is absolutely no discretion in this matter. The Constitution and the law of the State mandates the procedure.
NYS RPTL 925 provides as follows: "Payment of taxes by mail, when enclosed in a postpaid wrapper (envelope) properly addressed to the appropriate collecting officer and is deposited in a post office or official depository under the exclusive care and custody of the United States Post Office shall, upon delivery, be deemed to have been made to such officer on the date of the United States Postmark on such wrapper. The provisions of this section shall not apply in the case of postmarks not made by the United States Post Office. A postage meter postmark is not a postmark made by the United States Post Office and, therefore, is not within the provisions of Real Property Tax Law 925. Payments cannot be deemed timely because of a postage meter postmark date on an envelope containing a tax payment (Op. New York State Com. 68-626).
During the first week of March, a late notice of all unpaid tax bills is sent to the owner, and his/her lender if one is indicated on the bill. This notice is to advise you of the March 31st final date of acceptance at this office. Thereafter, all payments are to be made payable to the Saratoga County Treasurer. You must phone their office prior to sending any payments at (518) 884-4724.
Property tax bills show the months that payment may be made and the amounts that apply to each month. If payment is made in January, there is no penalty, the amount shown is the total due for the year. If payment is made in February, a one percent penalty is added to the total amount due. If payment is made in March, a two percent penalty is added to the total amount due, plus an additional $2.00 late fee or service charge.
If you made payment of a school relevy to the County Treasurer prior to January, and the relevy is shown on your tax bill, subtract this amount from your total amount due and send payment of the balance, as well as the copy for this office given to you by the Treasurer's office. Remember, if paying in February add 1% penalty, if March add 2% penalty plus $2.00 late fee.
Payment amount must be exact, please make certain your check is correct.
|20 Nov 2017;
Tap Intermediate II
|20 Nov 2017;
Jazz Dance
|20 Nov 2017;
Congregate Lunch


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22 Results
Jim Freedman
Intrepid Investment Bankers LLC
Making a Difference by Aligning Your Career with Philanthropic Endeavors
Jim Freedman of Intrepid Investment Bankers explains how he is on the front lines of Health Care,...
Adam Abramowitz
Co-founder, Managing Director of Consumer & Pro Electronics
Intrepid Investment Bankers
Disruptive Innovation Is Driving Investments
A spate of successful startups are fueling M&A activity and capital investment
Ed Bagdasarian
Intrepid Investment Bankers
Guts, Glory, and Winning Valuations
Sports, entertainment, and the art of company valuation.
Robert Dalie
Executive Director, Investments
The Summa Group of Oppenheimer & Co. Inc
Personal Health Is Your Most Valuable Asset
The benefits of private concierge medicine
Cycles of Innovation
Payment processing is a massive, global market with many niches and multiple participants. In 2012...
Scott Hansen
Wells Fargo Wealth Management
Dark Pathing
Laying the groundwork for working with your financial advisor on a solid framework
Jonathan Hodge
Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager - Wealth Management
UBS Financial Services Inc.
Data Overload
How new media has created an overt fear of the future for investors
Alan Hopkins
Manchester Financial
Race to the Bottom
Major world economies are devaluing their currencies by printing and creating money in an attempt...
Jeffrey R. Knakal
Partial Liquidity Alternatives
Owners typically work a lifetime building their companies and most have their wealth embedded...
Michele L. Havens
Northern Trust
Learning Resilience From Failure
For many business owners, failures are not the end of the road. Instead, they tend to be inflection...
Brian Levin
Intrepid Investment Bankers
Deal Execution is a Team Sport
What every business owner needs to know about preparing for an executing an M&A transaction
Bruce Munster
Managing Director – Wealth Management & Senior Portfolio Manager, PIA Program
Merrill Lynch Private Banking & Investment Group
Environmental Leadership and Impact Investing
In an increasingly globalized world and economy, investment leadership financially and...
Marvin Padilla
Managing Director, Head of Apparel & Retail
Intrepid Investment Bankers
The Social Consciousness of Branded Consumer Companies
Consumer companies are redefining what it means to be successful
Michael Pagano
Executive Vice President, Private Client Services
City National Bank
Finding and Keeping Your Balance
There is a seemingly endless amount of information related to managing substantial wealth...
Larry Schnaid
Senior Vice President & Senior Portfolio Manager
UBS Financial Services Inc.
Data Overload
Larry Fink said it best. The Chairman of Blackrock, the largest asset manager in the world with...
Michael Schwartz
Galerie Michael, Inc.
A Look at the Aesthetic Imperative
The ability to define art on their terms gives collectors the means to further appreciate works
Nerre Shuriah, J.D., LL.M
First Citizens Bank
Dark Pathing
One of the main objectives of the Private Bank is to build holistic relationships with our clients....
Bruce Simon
City National Rochdale, LLC
Separating Signal From Noise
At City National, we believe that perspective is one of the most integral foundations of investing....
Tristan Snyder
Senior Vice President, Digital Media & Technology
Intrepid Investment Bankers
Silicon Beach
Skeptics believe that Silicon Beach is merely a "passing fad" garnering undue media hype. We...
Jonathan Zucker
Senior Vice President & Head of the Capital Markets Group
Intrepid Investment Bankers
What to Expect When You're Expecting (To Raise Capital)
When you ready to tap the capital markets, focus on what will bring you the greatest value -...


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"It would be a question of the utmost public concern if an undercover officer were effectively permitted to operate without justification, authorisation or oversight in Ireland."
"One more thing is worth remembering: there is no more contemptible company on earth than Shell Oil. .... They watched the Arctic melt and then they decided that would make it easier for them to drill for more oil. People will remember Shell as a watchword for greed the way we remember, all these millennia later, Pharaoh as a watchword for cruelty."


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Lee's Palace Presents
Palma Violets
Lee's Palace
529 Bloor St. West
Toronto, ON, M5S 1Y5
Doors 9:00 PM / Show 10:30 PM
This event is 19 and over
Palma Violets are an English band from Lambeth, London. The band formed in 2011, based on the musical partnership of frontmen Sam Fryer and Chilli Jesson.
The band's musical output is primarily based around the rock genre, with some Garage rock and psychedelic influences. Their first single "Best of Friends" was voted NME's song of the year for 2012. Palma Violets' debut album 180 is currently scheduled for release on the 25 February 2013.
Guards was formed in New York City when Richie James Follin returned from a European tour to a recording studio with nothing in it but a broken electric 12-string guitar and an omnichord. He wrote and recorded a few songs for his little sister to sing on, but ended up singing on the songs himself. He enlisted the help of his friends (Caroline Polachek of Chairlift, James Richardson of MGMT, Loren Shane Humphrey of Willowz) and family (Madeline Follin of Cults) to guest on some songs and they spread the word without his knowledge via twitter and the internet. Then, he decided to give the songs away for free.
Richie James Follin is 27 and he is originally from southern California. He started the Willowz (lead singer and guitarist) when he was 19 in 2002 and has released 4 records with them as well as a solo record and multiple other projects. He also plays guitar in Cults.
Tickets also Available at: Rotate This, Soundscapes, The Horseshoe
Who's Going
Upcoming Events
Lee's Palace
Thu, November 23
Fri, November 24
Meligrove Band
Sat, November 25
Teenage Head
Thu, November 30
Chad VanGaalen
Sat, December 2
Forgotten Rebels


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Sugar and Your Skin
Sugar is completely addictive. Just looking at this deliciously tempting cupcake is making it difficult to concentrate on anything else. And that's exactly the problem. Processed Cane Juice, or table sugar, is responsible for all kinds of ailments, diseases and disorders (including memory loss and attention deficit), yet for most of us, it is part of our daily diet.
Our bodies crave sweetness, which in the world of whole foods is associated with caloric density. But pure sugar has no nutritional benefit like its whole counterparts (fruit, vegetables, and grains). Sugar not only affects your overall health, it ruins your skin.
You don't need to be a nutritional or medical expert to notice that our leading causes of illness can be linked to this sweet stuff.
This article from www.diagnose-me.com does a great job of breaking down the facts about the US sugar addiction. You may find them a bit concerning: Excess Sugar Consumption
Dr. Mercola also has a thing or two to say about sugar. In this case, it is the sugar found in refined, bleached, processed, enriched flour and grains: You Are What You Eat! Grains
Sprouted whole grains are a complete exception to the low-carb diet rules. Brown rice, quinoa, sprouted breads and even some whole grain and sprouted pastas are very nutritious and beneficial to keeping blood sugar balanced and inflammation low. Many of these items are found easily in your local health food stores. If you like to bake your own bread, there's even a company who will send you sprouted dough and recipes: SproutedGrainBread.com
This article from Prevention Magazine online, discusses how sugar consumption leads to skin disorders and premature aging: Face Facts About Sugar
A Great Read: William Dufty's Sugar Blues, goes into great detail about the rise of the sugar sensation and the decline of human health. The book is very inspiring, and will be up on bien-etre book reviews once finished. For now, here are some excerpts we found especially charming:
"Ancient civilizations like those of the Orientals, believed that all disorders of the body and mind proceed from what we eat. As the Oriental sages phrased it, the mind and the body are not two."
"I cannot recall a single doctor (out of the dozens who treated me) who ever displayed the slightest curiosity about what I ate and drank…one night, in one sitting, I read a little book that said very simply that if you're sic, it's your own damn fault. Pain is the final warning. You know better than anyone else how you've been abusing your body, so stop it. Sugar is poison, it said, more lethal opium and more dangerous than atomic fallout."


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With First Tutors: Music you can search for a Llanfairfechan ukulele tutor. Ukulele lessons are a brilliant way to begin an entertaining new hobby, acquire a new skill and gain confidence with ukulele. Try our site to search for Llanfairfechan ukulele teachers and determine which matches your needs so you can begin your ukulele tuition in Llanfairfechan straight away!
First Tutors: Music is the best place to locate Llanfairfechan ukulele tutors in the UK, helping you discover Llanfairfechan ukulele tuition close to home and Llanfairfechan tutors to help with any instrument like piano, violin or guitar. We can help you find Llanfairfechan ukulele tuition or a one-to-one Llanfairfechan ukulele tutor to prepare for ukulele exams and develop your ukulele skills! We order Llanfairfechan ukulele tutors near you according to their tuition charges and proximity to you.
If you are a ukulele tutor wishing to offer your ukulele lessons in Llanfairfechan or throughout the UK, please register with First Tutors: Music or find out more about us here. Becoming a Llanfairfechan ukulele teacher is a great way to re-affirm your own skills through giving ukulele tuition while assisting someone else, all in your local Llanfairfechan area!


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The absolute worst answer to the problem of racism in our country is more racism.
The most foolish remedy to a corrupt government is no government at all.
And yet, we're seeing both of those things in Milwaukee right now. Yes, I realize that the rioters on YouTube and cable news don't represent everyone in Milwaukee but it would be foolish to ignore them.
While we were all busy watching Bolt and Phelps dominate the Olympics, they were cursing at police officers, lighting gas stations on fire and just praying for a member of law enforcement to lose his cool. They were saying how they refused to live with white people. They were threatening to slice open the heads of police officers. They were mocking black police officers. They were calling on people to stop burning down the city and take the violence to the suburbs instead. How noble.
Martin Luther King went to jail. Rosa Parks wouldn't give up her seat. Rioters in Milwaukee are busting the windows out of police cars. Something has changed.
In much of the footage I saw from the weekend in Milwaukee, protesters were chanting the title of that old N.W.A. song. I'll spare you the title. Just know that it's a colorful way of expressing hatred of the police. As the crowd kept chanting, the line of police officers kept backing up. They stood arm in arm, absorbing the verbal assaults of the mob. At the command of their leader, the police fell back a few feet. And later, a few feet more. Finally, they climbed in their vans and left.
The crowd cheered.
They had finally gotten their way.
But is that really what they want?
True, none of us wants the local law enforcement setting up shop in our home. But neither do we want them packing up and moving out. It might make for a catchy song but it's no way to live.
Here's the reality that few people fail to recognize. There is no such thing as anarchy. There will always be government. It might be organized or it might be chaotic. It might be civil or it might be corrupt. But it will always be.
So the angry masses will never get their way. Sure, they might get their local police to leave the neighborhood. But those law men will only be replaced by lawless men who will demand the same authority as those before them only without any system of accountability. In Rwanda in the mid-1990s, the Hutus and the Tutsis couldn't put their hostilities with one another to rest. As a result, the government collapsed. What followed wasn't a group of people who promised to be nice to each other until things got back in order at the capital building. The result was genocide at the hands of local warlords. There is no such thing as anarchy.
There are others who would like to see the federal government become more involved in local police matters. If you think your city's police department has problems, just wait until they have to start taking orders from Washington D.C.
Somewhere along the way, we forgot how to take things on a case by case basis in this country. When one black kid does something foolish, we want to blame his entire race. When one cop does something evil, rather than addressing that specific incident, we'd rather burn the whole system down. The race problems in the country require a surgeon's precision. We have settled for a rioter's brick. The folks at CNN, by the way, prefer the rioters brick. It does wonders for their ratings until the next plane disappears.
A free society depends on a responsible people. When a member of the police department steps out of line, the citizens can and should speak up. But they must speak carefully. They must, as the Bible says, be angry without sin (Ephesians 4:26). Perhaps that's too much to ask for a society that has long since abandoned God. At the very least, they must realize that a properly functioning government is a gift (Romans 13:1-7). There are plenty of good police officers. And your neighborhood needs them.
So the next time you feel inclined to join in singing the lyrics to that N.W.A. song about the police, or worse, acting them out, think twice.
You just might get what you want.
And that's really the last thing you want.


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Sarasota, FL (PressExposure) September 20, 2007 -- Everywhere you look today, it seems as if businesses are integrating Google Mapping technology into their product or service. Whether it's the new iPhone or Trulia.com, consumers are quickly becoming familiar and comfortable with using Google Maps in everyday life to locate businesses, driving directions and real estate. But exactly how are you capitalizing on the Google Map revolution to grow your business?
For the many real estate firms who choose to showcase their listings on an interactive Google Map, they are quickly rising above their competition by offering a better customer experience with the latest web 2.0 technology. Google Maps clearly offers many benefits to the consumer and real estate firm alike. For the consumer, Google Maps greatly simplifies searching and locating properties visually whereas the firm benefits from simplified property marketing and integrated aerial real estate photography of any listing!
If you're considering upgrading your website to offer Google Mapping, consider the Pro Web Property Manager. It's a complete business solution for real estate firms who are looking to become the envy of their competition. With the Pro Web Property Manager, your real estate and rental listings are automatically plotted directly on the Google Map. No programming knowledge or experience is required. For more information, please contact Professional Web Designs at 941-966-9087. Ask about our hands-on, full-access demo and inquire about our free 30-day, no-strings attached, business-level demo.


text: Since grass doesn't grow at the same rate during the growing season, how do you sell your service? a) "x" number of cuts for certain months, then "y" number of cuts for certain other months? b) "x" number of cuts a month during every month of the growing season? c) keep the grass cut at "x" inches throughout the growing season, cutting as need be depending upon need and give an estimate as to how many cuts it would usually entail in the respective months? d) something else entirely? All responses will be much appreciated.


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Stepbrothers (Starlito & Don Trip) – Karate In The Garage (EP)
Awwh shit, the Stepbrothers ride again. Don Trip and Starlito return with a new 6-track EP under their Stepbrothers moniker, and naturally, it's called Karate In The Garage. The title is, of course, a reference to one of the classic scenes from the movie that gave them their name, but it was also one of the craziest tracks from their first mixtape. On this go round they've got Yo Gotti and Red Dot making guest appearances.
Listen below.
Previously: Don Trip & Starlito – Needed Me (Remix)


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GraphicRiver Farming Logo 11555876
Category: Logo Template | Comment: ( 0 )
GraphicRiver Farming Logo 11555876
Logo Template \ Nature
Milk \ Natural \ Logo \ Land \ Industry \ Organic \ Plant \ Vegetable \ Whey \ Tractor
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Logo Template \ Nature
Layered: No; Graphics Files Included: Vector EPS, AI Illustrator; Resolution: Resizable; Minimum Adobe CS Version: CS.
Farming Logo. The logo is very simple and clean. Easily recognized at a glance.
File included .
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- Font download link included
If you have any questions or you want to customize the logo please send me message
Thank You
Ice Cream Van Logo; Colorful House Logo; Ice Cream Logo; Popsicle Logo; Airplane Logo; Horse Logo; Land Clearing Logo.
Keywords: agriculture, barn, botanic, cane, corn, cow, dairy, farm, farmer, farming, food, fruit, grain, grape, grass, harvest, hay, industry, land, logo, milk, natural, organic, plant, planting, produce, sugar, tractor, vegetable, whey.
Download Link


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The first days of the new year are prime dieting-and-deprivation season, but you'll be ready for a treat in a few weeks — and many Bay Area restaurants will be happy to help. Several cities are hosting "restaurant weeks" with dining deals and special prix fixe menus. Here's the scoop:
San Francisco: Sup in style during the city's big Dine About Town festivities from Jan. 15 through 31. Enjoy a two- or three-course prix-fixe lunch for $18.95 or a three-course dinner for $36.95 at more than 80 restaurants ranging from the Burritt Room and Tavern to Luella, Spruce and Waterbar. Get details and the full list of restaurants at www.sanfrancisco.travel/dine.
Berkeley: Twenty restaurants — including Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen, Cafe Rouge, Revival Bar+Kitchen and Comal — are offering dining discounts during Berkeley Restaurant Week, which runs Jan. 13 to 20. Details: http://visitberkeley.com/berkeley-restaurant-week.
Oakland: Rumbo al Sur, Camino, Flora and more than 40 other restaurants are doing prix-fixe menus, priced at $20, $30 and $40, during the city's 10-day "restaurant week" Jan. 18 to 27. Details: http://visitoakland.org/restaurantweek.cfm.
San Mateo County and Silicon Valley: Enjoy dining discounts, complimentary items and prix-fixe deals at two dozen restaurants — including Palo Alto's Quattro, San Mateo's Osteria Coppa and Redwood City's Donato Enoteca — from Jan. 15 to 31. Details: www.smccvb.com/index.php/site/main/share_the_bounty.


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"Bear Paw Flats"
Montana Vacation Rental
Located in the heart of the "Paradise Valley", this quiet, private and comfortable vacation rental is perfect for your stay in Montana. "Bear Paw Flats" is settled on 20 acres with breathtaking views of the Absaroka Beartooth Mountains, Emigrant Peak, and the whole Paradise Valley. Only 15 miles south of Livingston, and 10 miles from Chico Hot Springs, this location is right in the middle of the action. Only minutes away from the Yellowstone River for excellent fishing, and 10 miles away from Bear Paw Outfitters. Located at the end of a traditonal country road.
Studio Style Rental that Sleeps 2 + 1 fold out cot.
Amenities Include: 1 Queen Sized Log Bed, Bathroom with stand up shower, full kitchen stocked with most utensils-cookwear-and some spices,toaster and coffee maker, satellite tv, floor fan, outdoor grill, and patio area. Room for trailer parking.
Price: $125 per night + tax. Weekly and monthly rates available.
Visit us on www.vrbo.com Bear Paw Flats # 600749


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|Home | About | Journals | Submit | Contact Us | Français
The high diabetes incidence among Japanese Americans and Native Hawaiians cannot be explained by BMI. Therefore, we examined the influence of three dietary patterns of "fat and meat," "vegetables," and "fruit and milk" on diabetes risk in the Hawaii component of the Multiethnic Cohort with 29,759 Caucasians, 35,244 Japanese Americans, and 10,509 Native Hawaiians.
Subjects aged 45–75 years completed a baseline food frequency questionnaire. After 14 years of follow-up, 8,587 subjects with incident diabetes were identified through self-reports or health plan linkages. Risk was assessed using Cox regression stratified by age and adjusted for ethnicity, BMI, physical activity, education, total energy, smoking, alcohol intake, marital status, and hypertension.
Fat and meat was significantly associated with diabetes risk in men (hazard ratio 1.40 [95% CI 1.23–1.60], Ptrend < 0.0001) and women (1.22 [1.06–1.40], Ptrend = 0.004) when extreme quintiles were compared. Except in Hawaiian women, the magnitude of the risk was similar across ethnic groups although not always significant. After stratification by BMI, fat and meat remained a predictor of disease primarily among overweight men and among overweight Japanese women. Vegetables lowered diabetes risk in men (0.86 [0.77–0.95], Ptrend = 0.004) but not in women, whereas fruit and milk seemed to be more beneficial in women (0.85 [0.76–0.96], Ptrend = 0.005) than in men (0.92 [0.83–1.02], Ptrend = 0.04).
Foods high in meat and fat appear to confer a higher diabetes risk in all ethnic groups, whereas the effects of other dietary patterns vary by sex and ethnicity.
Native Hawaiians have extremely high rates of obesity and diabetes, but despite their relatively low body weight, individuals with Japanese ancestry are also disproportionately affected by diabetes (1). Among the >44,000 Japanese Americans, 14,000 Native Hawaiians, and 35,000 Caucasians in the Hawaii component of the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC), a previous analysis had found diabetes incidence rates of 15.5, 12.5, and 5.8 per 1,000 person-years, respectively, that could not be explained by BMI (2). Dietary patterns have been identified as additional predictors of disease but have only rarely been investigated prospectively among non-Caucasian populations (3–5). The most commonly identified patterns are the so-called "western," "unhealthy," or "conservative" pattern (3–11), which is high in meat, high-fat foods, and sweets, and the "prudent" or "healthy" pattern, rich in fruit and vegetables (3–8,10,12,13). With the goal to contribute to the prevention of diabetes, we examined the effect of three dietary patterns, "fat and meat," "vegetables," and "fruit and milk," which had been previously identified in the MEC, on diabetes risk (14).
The MEC study was established from 1993 to 1996 to examine diet and cancer among different ethnic groups in Hawaii and California (15). The Hawaii component of the MEC consists of 103,898 members, primarily Caucasians, Japanese Americans, and Native Hawaiians. Subjects aged 45–75 years entered the cohort by completing a 26-page, self-administered mailed survey that included a food frequency questionnaire and asked about demographics, medical conditions, anthropometric measures, and lifestyle factors (16). Although response rates were highest for Japanese Americans (46% for men and 51% for women) and lowest for Native Hawaiians (28% for men and 35% for women), the MEC yielded a representative population as evidenced by a comparison of educational levels and marital status with census data (15). After exclusion of ineligible subjects (10,028 with prevalent diabetes, 8,797 of other ethnic groups, 6,202 with missing covariates, 2,537 with missing dietary information, 812 subjects with unconfirmed diabetes, and 10 with missing information on follow-up or diabetes at baseline), 36,256 men and 39,256 women were part of this analysis.
The detailed identification of case subjects was only available for the Hawaii component of the MEC (2). Subjects with incident diabetes were identified through three sources. A follow-up questionnaire sent to all MEC members in 1999–2003 asked about medical conditions including diabetes and achieved a response rate of 84%. A medication questionnaire administered in 2001–2007 was available for 38% of subjects who had agreed to a blood draw. In 2007, diabetic subjects were identified through a linkage with the two major health plans in Hawaii, Kaiser Permanente and Blue Cross/Blue Shield. After excluding 812 subjects with self-reported diabetes not confirmed by a health plan, 2,251 of the 8,587 subjects with incident diabetes were identified in the follow-up questionnaire, 996 in the medication questionnaire, and 5,340 through the health plans. Annual linkages with state and national death certificate files provided information on vital status.
Based on the food frequency questionnaire calibrated within the different ethnic groups (16), nutrients were determined and Food Guide Pyramid servings were computed using an ethnicity-specific food composition database with information from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and additional laboratory analyses performed in Hawaii (15). Subjects who reported energy, fat, protein, or carbohydrate intakes outside the mean ± 3 relative SDs were excluded.
In a previous analysis, exploratory factor analysis with an acceptable goodness of fit was applied to the MEC (14). Three distinct dietary patterns were identified, and factor scores were obtained for each participant (Table 1). The pattern fat and meat was characterized by discretionary fat, meat, eggs, and cheese and explained 30% of variation. The vegetables pattern (20% variation explained) included high amounts of vegetables and also fruits with a relatively low loading, whereas fruit and milk had high loadings on milk, yogurt, cheese, and fruits and explained 14% of variation. The factor analysis was repeated in each ethnic group and produced similar results (14). Therefore, the patterns are expected to be unchanged after the exclusion of the California component with primarily African Americans and Latinos.
All statistical analyses were performed using SAS statistical software (version 9.2, SAS Institute, Cary, NC). We used Cox proportional hazards regression models with follow-up time as the underlying time metric to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CI for sex-specific quintiles of factor scores in relation to diabetes. Ordinal variables representing the median values for each quintile were used to test for linear trends. The final models were stratified by age at cohort entry and adjusted for ethnicity (Japanese Americans and Native Hawaiians versus Caucasians), BMI (continuous), physical activity (quintiles), education (13–15 and >15 vs. ≤12 years), energy intake (log-transformed), alcohol intake (quintiles), marital status, smoking status (past and current versus never), and self-reported hypertension at baseline. The effect of the fat and meat pattern independent of BMI was determined after stratification by BMI. No major violations of the proportional hazards assumption were observed when examined with Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Schoenfeld residuals.
BMI, median factor scores, and intake from major food groups differed significantly by ethnicity and sex (P < 0.001) (Table 2). Caucasians had higher median scores for the fruit and milk pattern and consumed more dairy foods than the other groups. Japanese Americans had a higher proportion of normal-weight subjects, scored higher on the vegetables pattern, and consumed the most rice. Native Hawaiians were more likely to be obese, to have high median scores on the fat and meat pattern, and to report high energy intakes. Women consumed more dairy foods and fruits than men, who had a higher meat intake. All dietary patterns were significantly correlated with BMI (rs = 0.3 for fat and meat and <0.1 for the other patterns).
Fat and meat was significantly associated with diabetes risk in men with HR 1.40 ([95% CI 1.23–1.60], Ptrend < 0.0001) when the highest quintile of the factor score was compared with the lowest (Table 3). This trend was consistent across ethnic groups although not statistically significant for Native Hawaiians. High scores on the fat and meat pattern also showed a significant trend with diabetes risk in women overall (HR 1.22, [1.06–1.40], Ptrend = 0.004). The association was significant in Japanese American women (Ptrend = 0.045), the group with a largest sample size, whereas it was similar in magnitude, although not significant, in Caucasian women, and showed no association in Native Hawaiian women (Table 4).
The pattern vegetables was inversely associated with diabetes risk in men overall (HR 0.86 [95% CI 0.77–0.95], Ptrend = 0.004) as well as in Caucasian and Japanese American men but not in Native Hawaiian men and not in women. Whereas the fruit and milk pattern was weakly related to diabetes in all men (Ptrend = 0.04), the association was stronger among Caucasians (Ptrend = 0.02) and in all women (0.85 [0.76–0.96], Ptrend = 0.005). Although the risk reduction was similar in all ethnic groups for women, the trend tests failed to reach statistical significance.
Because of the fairly consistent fat and meat results, we stratified the analysis by BMI (Fig. 1). In all men, the risk for diabetes increased with higher factor scores for fat and meat among overweight (HR 1.49 [95% CI 1.23–1.81], Ptrend < 0.0001) and obese (1.57 [1.16–2.12], Ptrend = 0.004) individuals. By ethnicity, the effect was observed in overweight Caucasian (Ptrend = 0.006) and Japanese American (Ptrend = 0.002) men with borderline associations among obese Japanese American (Ptrend = 0.08) and Native Hawaiian (Ptrend = 0.13) men. In women, no significant trends were observed for the entire population; only the trend for overweight Japanese American women was significant (Ptrend = 0.04).
In this multiethnic population, high scores in the fat and meat pattern were associated with elevated diabetes risk among all ethnic groups in men and to a lesser degree in all and in Japanese American women. After stratification by BMI, the effects were primarily seen in overweight Caucasian and Japanese American men as well as in overweight Japanese American women. The vegetables pattern lowered diabetes risk in Caucasian and Japanese American men but not in women, whereas fruit and milk lowered diabetes risk more in women than in men. These findings indicate that the type of food consumed might contribute to diabetes risk beyond its effects on body weight.
The positive association with the fat and meat pattern is consistent with similar patterns in several other cohort studies (4–11) and agrees with a recent meta-analysis that associated red and processed meat with diabetes (17). However, in a Japanese study, the animal food pattern was not related to diabetes risk (3). Meat may be harmful because of its content of saturated fat, nitrites (processed meat), and iron and may lead to hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia (18). Because women had lower loadings on the fat and meat pattern and lower meat intake than men, the use of sex-specific quintiles might explain the weaker associations among women. The more pronounced risk estimates for the fat and meat pattern in overweight than in normal-weight men are consistent with previous studies (6–8), although another investigation did not detect such an interaction (4).
The inverse associations for vegetables in men and fruit and milk in women are consistent with studies that showed a reduced risk of diabetes for subjects adhering to a prudent or healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables (3,4,6,8,10,12,13). However, contradictory results have been reported for vegetables and fruits. Two reports did not detect a protective effect for a prudent pattern (5,7) and one analysis found a protective effect for the high-vegetable pattern but no effect for the high-fruit pattern (10). Whereas fruit but not vegetables were protective in a U.S. cohort (19), vegetable but not fruit intake was protective among Chinese women (20). The protective effects of fruits and vegetables on diabetes have been attributed to antioxidants, fiber, carotenoids, magnesium, and folic acid (21). Some ingredients in fruits, e.g., dietary fiber, may have beneficial effects on glucose metabolism, whereas others, e.g., sugars, may have adverse effects. Dairy products have been associated with diabetes risk due to their high fat content, but low-fat dairy products may have beneficial effects (4,22). Unfortunately, we were not able to differentiate between high- and low-fat products. The inconsistent results for the vegetables and fruit and milk pattern by sex may be due to diverse dietary habits observed in men and women. Women had higher scores on the vegetables and the fruit and milk pattern (14) and relatively higher intakes of fruits and dairy products (Table 2) (15).
Similar to our nonsignificant associations among Native Hawaiians, a report from diverse ethnic groups in Hawaii indicated that ethnicity was a stronger predictor of diabetes risk than dietary patterns (5). It is possible that the high rate of obesity among Native Hawaiians is a stronger determinant of diabetes than nutritional habits (Fig. 1). The smaller sample size of Native Hawaiians, the high intake of total energy, and the low loadings on fruit and milk (Table 2) may have also contributed to the absence of significant associations. The fact that a diet high in animal fat has been associated with intra-abdominal fat deposition and insulin resistance (23) might explain the significant results for the fat and meat pattern among overweight Japanese Americans. Despite their relatively low BMI, individuals of Japanese ancestry seem to be more susceptible to central obesity with a higher proportion of visceral fat than Caucasians (24) that predisposes to insulin resistance (25).
It is necessary to note some weaknesses of this study. Because of the multiple comparisons, some of the findings might be due to chance. We did not have information on the type of diabetes. However, given the median age of 59 years at baseline, >90% of cases of diabetes are probably type 2. The results stratified by BMI should be interpreted with care; residual confounding may be present, and it is unclear whether BMI functions as a confounder or intermediate variable. One limitation of the dietary pattern approach is the difficulty in separating the effects of individual nutrients (8). Because dietary patterns are thought to capture synergistic and antagonistic effects of interrelated nutrients, they may be able to detect the cumulative effect of individual foods whose association with disease risk cannot be detected separately (4). Patterns of diet can also be more easily translated into practical public health advice for diabetes prevention. Other strengths, besides the multiethnic population with a great variation in diabetes risk and BMI, are the large sample size, the long follow-up, and the case ascertainment through health plans (2).
Our findings support previous research that a diet rich in meat and fat predisposes to diabetes independent of its effect on body weight (17), in particular among overweight individuals (6–8). Because our findings were more consistent among Caucasians and Japanese Americans, it seems possible that most of the adverse effect of the fat and meat pattern in Native Hawaiians is mediated through BMI. Our analyses agree with investigations that included individuals with Asian ancestry and reported effects of dietary patterns similar to those in Caucasians (3–5). The results for patterns rich in fruit, vegetables, and dairy products are ambiguous and need to be investigated in other cohorts. A better understanding of dietary factors related to diabetes risk in Japanese Americans and Native Hawaiians will be useful in developing preventive strategies in these high-risk groups. Despite improvements in treatment, ultimately only prevention can reduce the disease burden.
The Multiethnic Cohort was supported by National Cancer Institute Grant R37-CA-54281 (principal investigator [PI] Dr. L.N. Kolonel). The recruitment of Native Hawaiians was funded by Grant DAMD 17-94-T-4184 (PI Dr. A. Nomura). The diabetes project is funded by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Grant R21-DK-073816 (PI Dr. G. Maskarinec).
No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.
Parts of this study were presented in abstract form at the World Diabetes Congress, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 18–22 October 2009.
We thank Mark M. Schmidt and Aileen Uchida at Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research (Honolulu, HI) and Deborah Taira Juarez and Krista Hodges at HMSA, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Hawaii, for their assistance in linking the cohort with the health plans. We also thank Grace Matsuura for her help with the literature review.
The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.
PubMed Central Canada is a service of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) working in partnership with the National Research Council's national science library in cooperation with the National Center for Biotechnology Information at the U.S. National Library of Medicine(NCBI/NLM). It includes content provided to the PubMed Central International archive by participating publishers.


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Seats were just fine for this taller driver, and the backseat was also roomy enough, with plenty of legroom and just enough headroom. And we liked the base mesh-like cloth upholstery. There were plenty of storage places, as well as cupholders, though both of the front cupholders are a little deep for the normal (small) size coffee cups.
Achilles' Heel...er, elbow
The Sonata is pretty close to perfect. Until you consider the steering. Hyundai just hasn't figured out electric power steering yet; it's as if the gear is alright, but the software controlling how it responds with boost is still in beta. While steering straight ahead, on the highway, we had to make way too many minor adjustments and it felt somewhat light. Then, on a twisty stretch of canyon road, we found it not at all enjoyable. As we steered away from center the steering gains a sort of artificial digital feeling; when you need to turn the wheel quickly in the opposite direction—for tight switchbacks, for example—there's a moment when it feels feather light then reinstates that artificial heft in the opposite direction. It can be disconcerting, but for most people who don't take on the twisties every day, it's probably not a deal-breaker.
And otherwise, the Sonata is quite a deal. Our test car was a GLS model, adding the "Popular Equipment Package 3 Plus Navigation," which includes HD Radio, XM NavTraffic/Sports/Stocks, a touch-screen nav system, a speaker upgrade and subwoofer, in addition to upgraded door trim and alloy wheels. The total: a surprisingly low $23,365.


text: Someone responded to one of my previous posts about GroupOn ROI to share a story of bad experiences with participating in a campaign. To that point, I had never heard anyone complain about their experience so I want to share the link to balance the story out. Hope this helps!


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Beautiful Sunday mornings are subject to take pleasure of. Tiring week schedules require time to strengthen family bonds. Snowfall outside with cozy fire in the home is the best one can dream of but weather forecast of heavy snowfall or rainfall may disturb the weekend plans. Concerns are needed to shift to check whether the house is strong and healthy to tolerate the harsh effects of arriving season. It should be seen whether the house can withstand the after effect of a season.
Tiny renovations can be personally checked or can be done by local plumbers and masons available. But one should get a periodic check of walls and roofs by Halifax roofing companies to prevent the house from the adverse effect of upcoming seasons. Roofs and walls associate together to form cozy homes. As walls provide security and privacy, roofs are the basic necessity of a shelter. It is very important that health of walls and roofs is maintained for personal good. Since neglecting the issues related can be a nightmare and may destroy the health and peace of residing family.
Stitch in time saves nine the proverb clearly teaches to complete the work in time as leaving the tasks for last minutes will cause suffering. The climate of Halifax has heavy rains in spring and intense snow in winter. While the snow looks beautiful all over, it is not good for the health of roofs, as the beauty of snow comes along with its harmful effects. In urgent situations, untrained, unprofessional people are hired to fulfill the limited tasks due to limited time which arise new issues shortly.
Usually, people fall into such situation due to unawareness of what harm can snow actually cause to roofs. It is known that snow gets stuck to the chimneys which form cracks; snow also blocks gutters which may result in drainage problems etc. Merely, clarifying these two will not solve the whole issue. People are unknown of the fact that many times roofs collapse due to the weight of snow which increases after the snowfall.
Similarly, in the rainy season the accumulation of rain water causes leakage in-house, the danger increases when the water seeps in electrical appliances. It not only damages the in-house appliances but also the unwanted current passing through appliances may injure kids if not taken care. One can avoid such situations with the help of Halifax roofing companies, who can fix the problems with professional attitude, skills and years of experience.
It is advantageous to hire them due to subsequent reasons:
- Companies are professional in their attitude to serve the customer in given time with years of experience.
- Companies are expert in re-roofing, flat roofing, gutter replacements, Velux window fitting for every kind of roofs etc.
- The combination of skilled labor gets the task completed fast and efficiently.
- Availability of 24×7 is an additional benefit for people with odd working hours.
- Fair estimation of work is provided free of cost (mostly).
- All the work done is covered under Warranty.
- Easy form application and customer support make the process smooth.
Halifax roofing companies are working hard to make homes season proof. It is important that the issues are reported and assigned ahead time so as to get the homes ready for the bad effects of weather strike.


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Democrats and Republicans have two very different visions of America. Which one will make us happier? Who are the happiest Americans
Surveys show that religious people think they are happier than secularists, and secularists think they are happier than religious people. Liberals believe they are happier than conservatives, and conservatives disagree. In fact, almost every group thinks it is happier than everyone else.
In this provocative new book, Arthur C. Brooks explodes the myths about happiness in America. As he did in the controversial Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism, Brooks examines vast amounts of evidence and empirical research to uncover the truth about who is happy in America, who is not, and - most important - why. He finds that there is a real "happiness gap" in America today, and it lies disconcertingly close to America's cultural and political fault lines. The great divide between the happy and the unhappy in America, Brooks shows, is largely due to differences in social and cultural values. The values that bring happiness are faith, charity, hard work, optimism, and individual liberty. Secularism, excessive reliance on the state to solve problems, and an addiction to security all promote unhappiness.
What can be done to maximize America's happiness? Replete with the unconventional wisdom for which Brooks has come to be known, Gross National Happiness offers surprising and illuminating conclusions about how our government can best facilitate Americans in their pursuit of happiness.
©2008 Arthur C. Brooks (P)2010 Audible, Inc.
"Arthur Brooks makes me--how else to put it?--happy. He makes me grossly, nationally happy. If you want to be a real American you need to pause in your life and your liberty and pursue some happiness by reading this book." (P. J. O'Rourke)
"Arthur Brooks may be the most innovative and creative analyst of public policy in America today. His insights are in a different league and may lead to an entirely new approach to thinking through public policy. Gross National Happiness is a must read for every person who wants to understand what policies America needs." (Newt Gingrich)
"Very worthwhile"
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"Another worth read/listen by Brooks"
Arthur C. Brooks is by far on of the best minds we have in America. I listened to this years after it was written. It is timeless. It is spot on today as it was when it was first penned. The chapter on marriage and children should be required reading for anyone getting married and again when they decide to have children.
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Award-winning work
We love celebrating success with our clients and #Winning!
We love hearing that our work has achieved great things for our clients. In fact, we love #celebratingsuccess in general, as we think its important to acknowledge achievement in life, at every level!
Winning industry awards is the fun part of our job. But its not our only driver, so we dont obsess about entering every award going just to hit the headlines. We pick the ones that mean something to us the awards that count to our team.


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Hebrews Chapter 11
Definition of Faith
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
By faith Abel offer to God more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it being dead still speaks.
By faith Enoch was translated so that he did not see death, "and was not found because God had translated him'; for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, move with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would afterward receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;
for he waithed for the city which has foundations, whose builder and make is God.
By faith Sarah herself also received strenght to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.
Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude–innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.
And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.
But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. There God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promised offerup his only begotten son,
of whom it was said "In Isaac your seed shall be called,"
accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
By faith Joseph, when he was dying made mention of the dparture of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
Moses' Parents
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command.
By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.
choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,
esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he looked to the reward.
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.
By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinlking of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should thouch them.
By faith they passed through the Red Seas as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.
Johusa and Rahab
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.
By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.
Many Other Heroes of Faith
And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets;
who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righeousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Women received their dead raised to life again. And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they mithg obtain a better resurrection.
Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.
They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented–
of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.
And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,
God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
Related articles
- Hebrews 11 (biblestudy123.wordpress.com)
- WE WALK BY FAITH NOT BY SIGHT: MIRACLE (via bummyla) (thechristiangazette.wordpress.com)
- Resurrected Faith (via YOU DECIDE) (loopyloo305.wordpress.com)
- Faith in the Blood. (via Rivers of Hope) (thechristiangazette.wordpress.com)
- Is Your Faith Strong? (via ChristianBlessings) (loopyloo305.wordpress.com)
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vegan refried beans (1-2 cans)
soy taco filling ( I use 1-2 boxes Fantastic Foods mix)
1-2 containers vegan sour cream (1 container per seasoning packet)
1-2 taco seasoning packets - make sure its vegan!
shredded lettuce
a couple of chopped tomatoes
green onions
sliced black olives
some chopped avocado
Prepare the taco filling according to package directions. In another bowl mix the taco seasoning packet with the Sour Supreme (1 packet per sour supreme container). I usually use a 9x13 casserole dish to layer the stuff in the following order: beans, meat, sour supreme mixture, lettuce, tomatoes olives, onions, avocado.
NOTE: If you use 1 each of the first 3 ingredients, the layers are a little thin, but if you use 2 you will have some extra (I usually make a mini layered dip out of this for my own private vegan use, since the carnivores inevitably will devour this dip in the first 5 minutes of any social function!) Serve with tortilla chips.


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Step2 Pink Kids Easel for Two-ReviewPost date: January 13th, 2012
Average Customer Rating Out Of 5 Stars Rating:
The Step2 Easel for Two is multifunctional, designed so that it is perfect for solo play or play dates! This popular two-sided easel features a metal dry-erase board on one side and a chalkboard on the other.
The two hinged easels allow two children to exercise their creative skills at the same time.
One side of the easel is a magnetized dry erase board, perfect for the magnetic letters, numbers and signs included with the easel. A clip on each side allows children to draw or paint on paper as well.
Click here for the Latest Discount Price on this Step2 Pink Kids Easel for Two brought to you via Amazon
Here are some great features of the Step2 Pink Kids Easel for Two:
- Includes over 70 foam magnetic letters, numbers and signs to use on the magnetic surface
- Large paper clip on either side can hold craft paper giving your artist additional options for drawing and painting activities
- Deep trays and pencil ledges keep paint, brushes, markers, chalk and erasers within easy reach (art supplies not included)
- For children aged 3 years and up.
- Sets up quickly and folds flat for easy storage
- Minimal adult assembly required
Here's what one of the owners had to say about the Step2 Pink Kids Easel for Two
This is an awesome easel, a must for your home or childcare (if you have the budget for one). I purchased this more than 6 years ago (in red) for my in-home childcare and it's still in perfect condition, no scratches, stains, or problems! H. Saville
Review paraphrased for space – See full review here
See more Best Kids Art Easel reviews, check out this selection of childrens' art easels:
Alex Toys Magnetic Artist Easel
Kidkraft Deluxe Wood Easel – Espresso 62019
Melissa & Doug Deluxe Standing Easel


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Museums and monuments
Support and encouragement for cultural activities of all kinds are provided by a large number of museums, centres, and galleries, many of which are ultimately the responsibility of government ministries. In the provinces many museums traditionally reflecting their region's activities have been expanded and renovated and, like those at Saint-Étienne and Strasbourg, have achieved national importance. It is in Paris, however, that the nation's principal museums are to be found. The Louvre Museum, containing one of the world's great art collections, was extensively remodeled at the end of the 20th century, with a notable addition of a dramatic steel-and-glass pyramid entrance. The Musée d'Orsay, created out of a former railway station, houses a fine, large collection of 19th- and early 20th-century art and artifacts, while the Georges Pompidou National Centre of Art and Culture, with its industrially inspired architecture, concentrates on the 20th century. The centre has an important library and media collection, and the square in front of it provides an open-air stage for jugglers, musicians, fire-eaters, and other street performers. Smaller museums, often containing substantial private collections, are numerous; three of particular interest are the Marmottan, Cognacq-Jay, and Orangerie. In addition to the larger museums, the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais regularly provide the setting for important exhibitions, and many of the national institutes offer French people the opportunity to appreciate works from different cultures. Particularly important in this respect are the Museum of the Arab World and the Museum of African and Oceanic Arts.
Since the 1950s there has been a national program for the conservation and renovation of important historic areas. The medieval vieux quartiers of Lyon have been tastefully restored, as has the 18th-century Place du Parlement in Bordeaux, for example. Many significant buildings have been saved by private funding, and government financial assistance is also available, usually on the condition that the property is opened to the public. In Paris the houses in the Marais district and on the Île Saint-Louis have had their original splendour restored, while around Montparnasse, for example, poor areas of 19th-century building have been bulldozed to make room for fashionable modern apartment blocks. Four structures in particular mark the later years of the 20th century: the entrance to the Louvre; the Bastille Opera; the Grand Arch in La Défense, a futuristic business district west of Paris; and the national library, Bibliothèque François Mitterrand, all of which received the strong support of Mitterrand as monuments to his presidency.
Sports and recreation
Although the French have recently developed a taste for a new range of sporting activities, such as mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and rock climbing, the most common forms of recreation in France seem to be nonphysical or relatively sedentary—talking, reading, eating, going to the cinema, and so on. This no doubt has something to do with the relative absence of programmed physical education at school. Certainly organized sport has a place in French society, however, with cycling, swimming, football (soccer), skiing, tennis, boules (pétanque), and, increasingly, golf, basketball, and martial arts being the most popular activities. Walking and jogging, too, are important, and a national network of paths (grandes randonnées) is well maintained. Popular seaside vacation resorts include Saint-Tropez, Cannes, and Cap d'Agde on the Mediterranean, the Île de Ré and La Baule-Escoublac on the Atlantic coast, and Le Touquet on the English Channel. Inland the French Alps, the Massif Central, and the national and regional parks, such as the Morvan regional nature park in Burgundy, attract campers and hikers. Newer, artificially created attractions include a growing number of theme parks, ranging from Disneyland at Paris to more specialized sites such as the Nausicaä sea-world museum at Boulogne-sur-Mer.
The nation's showcase sporting event is the Tour de France, an international cycling road race that attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators each year. Established more than a century ago, the annual summer race covers some 3,600 km (2,235 miles) over the course of three weeks, finishing in Paris. Football, especially in the larger towns, is extremely popular. The 1998 World Cup was hosted by France and won by a French team led by Zinedine Zidane. More than five million French people ski, and many children have the opportunity to go on school skiing trips in February; the principal resorts are in the northern Alps, notably in Savoy (Savoie). French bowls, or boules, is played by thousands and is highly organized at both national and local levels. Handball has an avid following, and rugby is mostly played in the southwest. Educator Pierre, baron de Coubertin, revived the Olympic Games in modern form in 1896 and founded the International Olympic Committee. Games in Paris soon followed in 1900 and 1924. Chamonix was the site of the inaugural Winter Olympic Games in 1924, followed by Grenoble in 1960 and Albertville in 1992. Olympic highlights include the successes of skier Jean-Claude Killy in 1968, the national football team in 1984, and runner Marie-José Pérec in the 1990s.
Media and publishing
Television and radio
In 1989 the Socialist government formed the Supreme Audiovisual Council (Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel; CSA) to supervise radio and television broadcasting. There are both public and private stations. Programs also have been broadcast and received via satellite since 1984, and cable broadcasting began in 1987.
Television has made a significant contribution to cultural life. There are three state-controlled television channels and more than 100 private ones. More than three-fourths of the population watch television an average of 22 hours per week. Programs are varied, with a number of quality discussions, interviews, and documentary reports, as well as a broad combination of quiz and variety shows and dramas. In the 1980s the literature program Apostrophes enjoyed immense success and had a direct effect on book sales, as did its successor Bouillon de culture. As elsewhere in Europe, however, there has been a tendency to show an increasing number of American films and programs, which is hedged by official efforts to promote French programming; as critics point out, it is less expensive to buy 10 episodes of an American television show than to produce an hour-long documentary. By the 1980s the arrival of the videocassette recorder had created new opportunities for home film viewing, which expanded at the turn of the century with the introduction of digital videodisc (DVD) players.
Although it has been largely eclipsed by television and video, radio still has cultural impact. Two agencies managed by Radio France—France Culture and France Musique—provide the bulk of the cultural programs, but they are often indifferently presented. Major stations such as France-Inter (public) or Europe No. 1 (private) have resorted increasingly to a mix of popular music, news items, quizzes, and talk shows. Smaller private stations cater to specialized interests—for example, Radio Notre Dame (religion) and Radio Classique (classical music). Popular music stations such as Fun Radio and Skyrock have grown rapidly. Since 1994, however, with the aim of protecting French culture, such stations have been obliged to dedicate 40 percent of their playlists to songs in French.