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If I had a nickel for every time I argued with people about mutual funds, I'd have a whole lot of nickels. You know what I'd do with those nickels? I'd invest them in something other than a mutual fund.
I've made these investments in the past. I've worked with people who bought into mutual funds and saw a solid return. Believe me, I've heard all the arguments in support of this investing strategy. While plenty of success stories exist, the downside with mutual funds is bigger than most people think. I'll explain why that is, but first...
When people sell you on the benefits of mutual funds, they're not outwardly lying to you. These accounts offer plenty of diversification; you will have someone with years of market experience in your corner, helping make complex decisions regarding your portfolio; you can certainly have input in the disbursement of your capital and the companies that make up your fund.
Mutual funds also come in a variety of shapes and sizes, which makes them an intriguing purchase. Fill your portfolio with standard assets, or get crafty and look into funds that only deal in precious metals or other resources. Mutual funds cater to all sorts of investment strategies, from standard 401(k)s to short-term savings accounts. Brokers have no trouble finding funds that align with an individual's specific investment outlook.
Sounds good, right? Versatility, flexibility,simplicity. You'd be a fool to want anything less from your investing account.Unless, of course, there was a price to be paid for all these conveniences.Could it be that, on the flipside of the benefits, you're faced with some features that hurt your investment more than they help? For those of you just joining us, the answer is a resounding "yes."
Many, many funds are sold under the guise that you don't pay a transaction fee. But do you really believe that's the case? Do you think your account manager is the only financial agent in the world who doesn't collect fees for his or her services?
If you it's not in the form of transaction fees, you're definitely getting hit in multiple other areas. The most common include:
● Annual Expense Ratio
● Front-end Load Fees
● Back-end Load Fees
The annual charges on the expense ratio can be a real doozy. This charge covers the various services that are theoretically provided during the year, such as compliance, management and marketing. Even if the fee is just one percent, that gets applied to the entire balance of your account. Got $200,000 tied up in your mutual fund? Expect to see a lot of money taken in expense fees. The percentage is typically so small that this cost doesn't raise many red flags in the early going. It's not until a couple years in that you start to see a lot of your returns heading into pockets other than your own.
If the expense ratio hasn't scared you off,don't worry! There's still time for you to lose plenty of money in the form of load fees, which are applied when you first invest or when it's time to cash out. This means a $5,000 investment with an upfront charge of two percent reduces your investment to $4,900, or the sale of $5,000 worth of shares only nets you $4,900. Those numbers might not cause you to panic, but your retirement account will hopefully grow beyond $5,000. Once you're buying and selling $500,000 worth of shares, two percent is no longer just a drop in the bucket.
What's even more depressing is that you might have to pay multiple fees to multiple agents. Some of these expenses don't go to your broker, and are instead collected by companies that regulate mutual funds. Even if your manager is very clear and honest about service fees,there's still a good chance that more expenses are waiting in the wings.
Mutual funds are very popular, but you need to think about why that is. Is it because clients get amazing returns, or might it be that the people selling mutual funds get to pad their own wallets? When you start adding up the various fees, and looking at all the people taking money out of your account, it's obvious why fund managers tend to push these products so aggressively.
Not to toot my own horn, but I win a lot of disputes with this simple question: "What exactly is in your mutual fund?" 99 out of 100 times, the investor has no idea what their money is doing.Personally, that sounds like a terrifying way to save for the future.
I understand that many people plan for retirement without much knowledge of how investments work. This is a better practice than not saving at all, but there needs to be at least a little effort. Don't you want to feel confident about your financial stake in the market? Don't you want to know why your account is over or underperforming?
Unfortunately, lots of fund managers benefit from keeping their clients in the dark. If you pay a small fee for every transaction, you better believe your broker is looking to buy and sell frequently. You aren't going to be consulted before these moves are made, as having a professional make decisions on your behalf is just one of the many"benefits" you're paying for in that annual expense.
In addition to losing money on fees, excessive trading also hurts the overall performance of your account. Over diversification is a real issue for mutual fund holders, as people end up with hundreds of different positions within their portfolios. While there's no set number of companies that you should hold, most experts don't see much merit in diversifying beyond 20 different options.
What happens when you diversify excessively?At a certain point, your risk starts to mitigate your returns. It's like walking up to a roulette table and putting money on 33 out of 36 numbers. Your odds of hitting a winner are great, but you're guaranteed to pick a lot of losers as well. People often claim bigger is better with mutual funds, but that isn't the case. At a certain point, bigger starts to mean badder.
Another significant problem with maintaining too many positions is how chaotic your accounts become. It would take a computer-like brain to adequately manage hundreds of holdings in one account.You can't expect your fund manager to monitor hundreds of different companies,which means he or she probably isn't always making moves at opportune moments.If you ever hear brokers pushing for bigger mutual funds, ask how they effectively monitor multiple clients who own hundred and hundreds of positions.I'm confident they won't have a satisfactory answer.
When you don't know what's in your account,it's impossible to understand the moves your account manager is making and what it all means for your future. It's a better choice to keep the power in your own hands, and to invest in companies you like and industries you trust. Is it possible to accomplish that with a mutual fund? Sure. Will it be difficult and involve arguing with the fund manager? Quite likely.
Rules and regulations usually come to pass out of necessity. Government officials and business owners establish guidelines as a means of looking out for citizens and consumers. Then, almost without fail,problems start to arise. If you're searching for examples of rules that don't actually help the consumer, mutual funds are a great place to start.
As a means of maintaining order and oversight,your fund manager cannot hold onto cash for an extended period. Whenever you put funds into your account, that money will almost immediately be used to acquire new positions. While that is the purpose of putting money into a fund,making immediate moves isn't always in your best interest. This system, and the way these funds are structured, means your dollars have to go toward either a small-growth or a large-growth stock, depending on the type of account. At any given time, the market can be rather hostile toward either of these options,making an immediate purchase a bad idea.
There's also the issue of forced redemption,which most people haven't heard of and wouldn't recognize if it hit them in the face. When the market gets fidgety and investors start to bail on a particular fund, there may be an unexpected rush on redemptions. The result is fund managers scrambling to raise redemption capital, and that often means selling your shares. Even if it's in your best interest to hold a position, your broker might not have that option. This usually happens during a market correction when you want to be weathering the storm, not selling shares and taking a loss.
Generally speaking, these rules don't cause investors to lose their shirts. If that was the case, mutual funds wouldn't get all this love from brokers and consumers. However, these situations are not uncommon and are never explained to investors. If you don't stay on top of your account management, you could be making mediocre moves without even knowing it.
Mutual fund managers are not evil people. They are, however, people who want to keep their jobs and continue supporting their families. While that's a very admirable characteristic, it's also part of the reason you might not get the most out of your account.
Most mutual funds are sold through large firms, and the majority of accounts contain a lot of the same stocks. This is because managers don't benefit from creative, outside-the-box thinking. While an unorthodox purchase might be the best thing for your portfolio, there's no good reason for your account manager to take that risk.
Risk isn't a good stand-alone investment strategy, but it's an important component of diversification. You diversify your mutual fund so if one stock slumps, the others will pick it up. If everyone of your positions avoids risk entirely, you might not own anything that will help you outperform the market. Your money isn't going to disappear, but you'll almost certainly see other investors pass you by. That's not a good strategy for you, but it's exactly how account managers stay out of hot water.
You don't start a retirement account to pay someone else's bills. If you're investing in a mutual fund that's delivering mediocre returns because the manager has no real incentive to work hard for you, it's time to move your money.
How your retirement account gets taxed is important. This is a matter you need to think about ahead of time so you can choose a plan that makes sense for your income, lifestyle and savings goals.For these reasons, mutual funds are probably going to let you down.
What causes mutual funds to be so bad on the tax front is a strange rule that doesn't really apply anywhere else. When a company sells shares and gets taxed on that revenue, you have to pay the bill.Your fee comes by way of a capital gains distribution, spread among the various holders. Here's where it gets ugly: that fee is shared equally, no matter how long you've held the stock in question. Whether you've had that position for five years and seen steady returns, or you just bought in six months ago and have yet to see a dime, you pay the same annual fee as the other people invested in that fund.
This system isn't particularly fair, and it can cost you money for no fault of your own. To me, that's just nuts. You're giving money to a professional investor, losing substantial amounts of cash in the form of service fees, and you stand to pay a tax penalty before you enjoy any of the gains. Why not save some time and just flush the money down the toilet?
Mutual Funds are easy. You might not find an easier way to put your money to work in the stock market, and that's why the appeal is so vast. You know what else is appealing and simple? French fries.They're very easy to eat, always delicious and you can find them for sale almost everywhere. Fortunately, you know that eating french fries all the time is bad for you, even though it's very easy to do.
Just as you worked hard to earn your money,you have to put in a little effort to grow it. If it were easy to get 10 percent returns on every investment, don't you think more people would be striking it rich? There are plenty of stories of people having success with mutual funds, but it shouldn't surprise you that those stories are mostly told by brokers. A product that brings in tons of money will always get glowing reviews from those reaping the benefits.
Instead of taking the easy route and hamstringing your return potential, I urge you to take control of your investments. You may need advice, and there are plenty of advisors out there who aren't going to ding you for every transaction or lead you down the road of over diversification. Find out what markets are performing well, read up on the industries that interest you, and spend your dollars accordingly.
I always have to remind people that mutual funds aren't reinventing the wheel. You're still buying and selling stocks,there are just a handful of people collecting a percentage of your money throughout the process. If you're wondering what my angle is, I'm not the only wealth manager opposed to this type of investing. In fact, most investors who have struck it rich through the stock market have done it through individual shares, not mutual funds. It's not just that these people are savants with a knack for picking a company that's about to explode; smart investors know that every dollar matters, and an account that costs you an annual gains fee and four percent on the front end is not an efficient way to spend.
You should be personally invested in your investing. When you tie your money up in a mutual fund, you pass the buck(literally) to a third party and become much less proactive. Not only that -you lose money as a result of losing control. I know taking the easy route is enticing, but when it comes to your money and your future, you have to be willing to work for it.


text: I began volunteering at Nationwide Children's in October of 2017, and it has truly been an incredible experience. I am assigned to a floor in which I go around and hang out with the kids who could use some extra attention. My floor includes a wide range of illnesses, from mental illness such as eating disorders and depression to babies with respiratory infections. My floor also includes the rehabilitation unit. What I do each time I go in truly varies based on the needs of the day. Sometimes, I spend the whole time playing with and comforting infants whose family members were not able to make it in that day. Other days, I hang out with toddlers or young children to give their parents a little bit of a break to go eat something or make some phone calls. The most important part of my position is making sure that every patient has some attention and is able to have a fun time despite the situation they are currently in. One of the experiences that has touched me the most was when I hung out with a young boy in the rehab unit who wasn't vocal. Although there was an obvious barrier for communication, we were able to communicate in other ways such as hand motions and facial expressions. I felt as though I was able to make a real connection with him even though it was not through the traditional route of talking. Another experience that has stuck with me was also in the rehab unit, where I spent most of my shift walking around the floor with a little boy in a wheel chair. He was full of energy and so happy to be out and about. My experience at Nationwide Children's has been an incredible one, and I look forward to the connections that I will continue to make with the patients and the nurses.

subset: commoncrawl


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The ASPRS (American Society for Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry) has announced that they are seeking abstracts for oral presentations, posters and workshops for their IGTF 2016 conference in Fort Worth, Texas that is being held on April 11 – 15. The abstracts are due January 8, 2016.
Please note that the ASPRS is in the process of transforming itself into a vibrant and exciting geospatial organization that is in the unique position of bringing together the leading academics, scientists and practitioners in the geospatial and remote sensing communities. IGTF 2016 will be the coming out party for the new ASPRS – you don't want to miss it.
About IGTF 2016 – Ft. Worth, TX
The Imaging and Geospatial Technology Forum was created to encompass the broadest terms for our industry, "Imaging" and "Geospatial", while incorporating the idea of "Technology" as this concept is the center and reason we all come together. We selected the word "Forum" instead of conference because 'Forum' means a gathering at a meeting place for the discussion of questions, promoting open discussion and sharing. This sharing of ideas and open discussion is the core value for each event. All these elements together formed the new look and feel for the ASPRS Annual Conference – The Imaging and Geospatial Technology Forum (IGTF).


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It is no secret that putting a new roof on your home is quite the investment. So this just means that any homeowner needs to take measures to ensure their roof lasts as long as possible. Unfortunately, there are some common mistakes that are all to easy to make when it comes to residential roofing, both with roof installation and roof maintenance.
Here are some of the most common roofing mistakes to keep an eye out for.
- Installing the shingles incorrectly – As a rule of thumb, asphalt shingles should never be installed on roof slopes that are less than 2:12. This is so the water and snow will run off properly and you won't have drainage problems or premature wear and tear on your shingles.
- Forgetting about ice damns – This is especially true if you live in a colder climate. Ice dams are when the water pools at the roofline and penetrates underneath the shingles. The water then enters the home through the ventilation and can cause a lot of expensive water damage issues. But you can easily prevent this by adding extra layers of insulation so the water will have a harder time penetrating the home.
- Installing a new roof on top of your old one – Your roofing contractor should remove your old roof completely before installing a new one. This is so they can inspect the inside of your home for any fragile areas that need extra repair or find hidden pockets of water damage.
- Not having attic ventilation – Think of it this way — your attic is just an extension of your roof. So with this in mind, you need to remember to invest in different attic precautions as a way to ensure your roof stays in the best condition possible. One of the most important examples of this is attic ventilation. Without it, moisture can accumulate in your roof and the shingles can wear off prematurely.
- Neglecting the drip edge – A drip edge is meant to protect the rest of your home and when is installed improperly it can cause plenty of damage to your walls, foundation, and even deck. If not, water will spill down your walls, pool at your foundation, and can cause waterproofing problems in your basement.
There are plenty of mistakes that are easy to make when you invest in a new roof. Just keep an eye out for these common errors and you won't have any problems, just a brand new roof ready to be shown off.


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The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other oil companies in Plateau State have donated an ultra-modern science laboratory worth millions of naira to the Government Secondary School Shendam.
Star Deepwater Petroleum Limited, a Chevron Company and parties in the Agbami field – Famfa Oil Limited, Statoil Nigeria Limited, and Petroleo Brasileiro Nigeria Limited, jointly donated the lab.
The laboratory, which was equipped with state of the art equipment, was aimed at supporting government efforts in improving the quality of education in Nigeria.
Speaking at the Handover ceremony, manager Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Chevron, Mr. Michael Kabi said the Agbami field has also assisted the government in raising needed manpower for the development of the country.
Kabi who represented the the director of the company, Richard Kennedy stated that the Agbami Medical and Engineering Professional Scholarship (AMEPS) is aimed at building the capacity of students in Medical and Engineering courses in all states of the federation as a strategy to feed into the national talent pool adding that from 2009, the Parties have invested over N8.4 billion in special scholarship programme.
He pointed out that since inception in 2009, over 16,000 students from all the states in Nigeria have benefited from the scholarship out of which 456 have graduated with first class degrees.


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Good Pub Guide Recommended
Remarkable choice of drinks, a good welcome and bargain food
As well as 500 malt whiskies, the splendid drinks choice in this bustling tavern includes real ales sourced from breweries all around Britain and served from swan-necked handpumps, including Caledonian Deuchars IPA and nine daily changing guests, continental bottled beers, a farm cider and, in a remarkable display behind the counter, 50 gins, 20 rums and lots of vodkas. The several linked traditional bars are warmly understated with cream or terracotta walls, a mix of chairs and tables, a leather sofa and plenty of bar stools on polished bare boards or carpeting; TV, background music and board games. There are circular picnic-sets on a small terrace, and modern tables and chairs set out in front. Disabled access.
Bar food times: 11-7.45; 12.30-7.45 Sun
Exceptionally good value food includes baguettes, peppered mushrooms with garlic bread, giant yorkshire pudding filled with sausages and onion gravy, chilli con carne, all-day breakfast, cajun chicken or burger with french fries, gammon and egg, and puddings such as clootie dumpling or apple pie with custard.
Good Pub Guide Recommended
Beer Award
Price Award
Accepts Credit Cards
Meals & Snacks
Cask Ales
Background Music
Dedicated children area
Worth a Visit Pubs Nearby
Other Pubs Nearby
Good Pub Guide recommended
Worth a visit
Information Only
Pub Closed


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The Matchmaker - Book 2
Paranormal Romance
Getaway Reads, LLC
March 18, 2013
Dual Review
The Matchmaker's Curse – PNR Novel -Regan Black
Reviewers: She Said – Gloria Lakritz / She Said – Penelope Adams
Book two in the Matchmaker series of lighthearted, paranormal romance:
Grant Barclay came to Charleston, South Carolina for a consultation with the Matchmaker, hoping she'd help him identify the magic that will preserve and protect his werewolf pack's territory. What he got was a cursed mark from the Matchmaker and no idea where to find his soulmate.
An English professor, Maeve King believes in the power of fairy tales but prefers a day to day life without the drama. When her best friend becomes a legendary Matchmaker, helping mythical beings find their soulmates, it seems those tales of magic are coming to life all around her… and quite possibly within her.
Want to start with book one? Take a look at The Matchmaker's Mark.
Gloria Lakritz – She Said:
I don't know now which series of Regan Black's I wait for more now. After discovering her Urban FantasyJustice Series a few years ago, I have been addicted to Slick Mikey and all the gang in Chicago. Now Ms. Black has tempted me in 2011 with her first in the Matchmaker series, called The Matchmaker's Mark. After reading it, was also hooked for more. I guess I am a fan.
In the first book, we found ourselves in Charleston SC and met Amy Campbell and Maeve King best friends and colleagues , professors working as t the local college. . Amy inherited Campbell and Company when the Matchmaker of the paranormal and magic community suddenly stepped down. Unprepared for this happening, Amy was thrust into this meeting the grumpy Scot who was now her bodyguard and she had the old Matchmakers left over assistant. Amy was now on her own, whisked away for her own safety by the Scot, her best friend Maeve missed her dearly. She could only contact Amy thru 'Fairie Mail' thru another friend Lily owner of the flower shoppe in town. In the first story Lily met her one and only Dare who was a Wood Elf and Lily found she was the daughter of the Wood Elf King.. Last but not least we met Grant Barclay, who was marked by Amy. More to come in book 2.
In Matchmakers Curse we get an upclose and personal look into the life of Maeve King. I liked her in the first book and now getting to know her better, I really like her. She seems to have it all, she is beautiful, smart, has a great sense of humor, a good job. All is in her favor except men. Maeve loves to date, but after the horrible Valentine's date we begin with, and the make up Valentine's date that continues, we see that she views Lily meeting her happily ever after, and her loss of her best friend Amy, Maeve discovers there must be 'more' to life.
Grant Barclay who was marked by Amy in the first book returns on an errand to find Amy, needing her to help him with his wolf pack. Oh didn't I mention he is a were wolf?
The 'mark' on his arm still bothers him, and we still do not know the what and why of it. What we do know is Maeve's home was vandalized, and then she was attacked and Grant feels the need to 'protect' and the word 'mine' keeps entering his mind when he thinks of Maeve.
As always with Ms. Black, there always is a hint of mystery, a great story, good pacing, fine writing, and sparks that keep the sexual tension up making it a wonderful wonderful read. Maeve has no idea how attractive she is. This makes her so much more attractive. She has no idea she turns heads just walking through a room. Grant fights the attraction, he cannot think that his mark might be Maeve and how could he have a human mate. After all he is a lawyer for the pack and his mother is the Alpha. So much is expected from him. He is one tall dark and hunky man making their relationship sizzle. So now Ms. Black, I await More from your wonderful mind. Two series to hunger for…You have me hooked with both!
Review by Gloria Lakritz
Sr Reviewer and Review Chair for theParanormal Romance Guild
Penelope Adams – She Said:
I have to admit, I'm a huge Regan Black fan, I love her Shadows of Justice series, which is Urban Fantasy/Thriller, and after reading the first book in the Matchmakerseries, discovered she isn't a one trick pony.
Book one, The Matchmaker's Mark, set in Charleston, SC, introduced us to matchmaker Amy Campbell, her best friend, Maeve King, Lily, owner of a local flower shop and daughter of a Wood Elf King, Lily's brother Cade and her fiancé Dare, both Wood Elf Elite Guards. We learned the history of the matchmaker and discovered that things that go bump in the night are not just myths.
Now the Matchmaker has disappeared with her grumpy Scots bodyguard, only reachable by Lily through a special connection, even Mauve has no idea of her whereabouts. We catch up with Mauve, who is feeling restless and misses her friend but is carrying on with her life, despite the fact she know knows the stories she grew up on are not just stories. Adding to Mauve's issues is one hunky, pissed off werewolf, Grant Barclay who was marked by the Matchmaker and desperate to find her so she can help with his packs recent decline in power. Grant and Mauve are on a path that neither could have predicted but will bring more mystical creatures out of the woodwork and into their lives; creatures that everyone thought were myth but will prove to be real indeed.
Ms. Regan takes the world she built in the first book and expands it, giving us a world of elves, werewolves and mythical beings, a world so well written that I found myself longing to walk the streets of Charleston and visit the swamps so I too could meet them. She gives us characters so full of life and spirit that I often forgot I was reading and just immersed myself in her world.
Mauve is the perfect southern lady, smart and witty, beautiful and refined; she can charm any person – male or female – with just a smile and a nice word. Everyone likes her, men stop and stare as she walks across a room and she has no enemies. Well, maybe just one but we won't get into that. She likes her well ordered life as a well respected professor of English Literature and she has an active dating life but has no intention of having a series relationship. Enter Grant Barclay, they met on not so great terms when Lily marked Grant and he's just a tad grumpy about the whole situation. What can I say about Grant, he's an environmental lawyer, one hunky man and a not too shabby werewolf? Mauve irritates and attracts him at the same time. Their chemistry was unmistakable and a hoot to watch.
It was so much fun to revisit this group of characters, they've grown from the people we met in the first book and become a well rounded group of friends. Cade and Grant's give and take (tree hugger and fur ball) is just plain fun. We catch up with Lily through the letters between her and Mauve which each chapter begins with.
I read this book in one sitting. It's a nice mixture of romance, paranormal and mystery. There are all sorts of mythical beings running through the pages, maybe even a ghost or two so the lover of things that go bump in the night will just eat this book up and be left begging for more. I enjoyed the first book; I loved this second one and now have become Ms. Regan's super fan. It doesn't matter if she's giving us Urban Fantasy or Paranormal Romance, I'm going to read it, and she just can't get them out fast enough for me.
Review by Penelope Adams
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
Now that the reviewers have read each other's thoughts…
I certainly couldn't stop gushing all week while reading Regan Black's newest,The Matchmaker's Curse. This author had really inspired me when I read her first book in her Justice Series. Her quick wit, her choice of words and pace had made me stand up and take notice of this new author years ago. Her UF /Paranormal story had me at hello. I have not looked back and was so happy last year when she branched out into something a little more Fantasy yet a Regan Black book, with kick ass heroines and a great storyline.
I agree 100%, I've loved her Justice series from the beginning, and I liked the first book in this series, but I think in this second one she really put her Regan magic to work. There is usually some little something that will bother me about a book, but I had absolutely nothing but a good time with this one. I think one of the things I liked, was even though this is a feel good romance, that didn't stop Ms. Black from adding a little action in here and there. Of course, as you know, I've loved the fact that she set this series in Charleston from the beginning, and expanding it out to the swamps was just enough spooky factor to give me a little shiver.
I also cannot say enough about this book. The Matchmaker's Mark was partly about the mark that was put on the wolf. This sequel, The Matchmaker's Curse, we now open up and expand on the two characters that played a role in the first story, and we had already met. As I said, Maeve was a wonderful character, as Lily is. Both women had a place in my heart in the first book. Dare and Lily's brother Cade are the fluff in this story: this was all about the Curse and the Couple.
I liked the way that while we still had the usual paranormal suspects, elves, werewolves and ghosts, Ms. Black brought us a new myth to explore. We also go little glimpses of what Amy and her Scots were up to through the letters between she and Maeve, which I thought was nicely done. I would have felt something was missing had we not been able to keep up with her. I'll miss the gang now that I've finished the book but, thankfully, we have a little insider information and know there will be more to come so we have something to look forward to.
Good Night, Gracie.
You are right, those letters kept us in Amy's loop. This is looking like an exciting series as well as the Justice series and I am so glad we can expect more from Ms Black to read this year!
Nitey Nite George
Q&A with Author Regan Black
Regan if I sound like I am gushing, I am. Both of these series are so unique. Tell us how you saw the Matchmaker series?
I'm so thrilled you're gushing, thank you!
The Matchmaker series was sparked by all those online dating site ads, combined with my need to take a break and write something a little lighter than the Shadows of Justice series. With my fascination for paranormal romance and urban fantasy, I found myself wondering how mythical and magical creatures would fill out those dating site profiles and manage to find each other in a world overrun by humans.
What better solution than a mythical matchmaker? Once Amy's character and her new world started coming to life, I set out to deliver fun, romantic adventures that would make readers smile.
I will admit to never having heard of your newest mythical creature the Spriggand, do they actually exist in myth?
Yes spriggands are real – well as real as rare mythology gets anyway. I ran across it while researching a suitable opponent for Grant and Maeve. They are supposedly mistaken for fairies, but they are really the ghosts of giants, treasure motivated, and notoriously ugly in their true form.
I took the liberty of giving a spriggand the supershifter ability and an inherent need to steal power rather than hoard gold.
In both books ghosts have made guest appearances, any chance of them having a larger role later?
Definitely! First, because I love to tell ghost stories and there are so many wonderful (and slightly creepy) ghost tales here in Charleston. Second, because Amy has the ability to speak with ghosts, I see this as a potential novella option.
There might even be a ghost on the Matchmaker's team in the future…
How many stories can we expect in this series? And when can we expect another Justice novel?
Well, there's a Matchmaker series novella I'm polishing right now, about Amy's search for her bodyguard as she develops her team. I'm eager to send that one your way.
And I plan to have at least two more novels in the Matchmaker series. Cade (Lily's brother) has a few secrets lurking in his past and of course Mac has a story of his own percolating in my brain. Then there's Gabe (Grant's cousin), Duncan (Mac's brother), and we can't forget the 'bitch with fins' who gave Amy grief in the Matchmaker's Mark…
As for the Shadows of Justice series, two secondary characters from Shadows to Light have been urging me to tell their story. I hope to have that book ready for readers this fall as well as a collection of the 2096 short stories. After that, I think I'm likely to explore a 2096 spin off with the issues Lorine and Jim discovered during their novella, In The Interest of Security.


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The dramatic landscapes of the Taroko Gorge, in central Taiwan, are not to be missed: set in a sub-tropical climate, the area gives visitors a real sense of adventure: green mountains, waterfalls, hanging bridges and countless tunnels dot the region, along picturesque shrines that you will occasionally encounter.
Loads of tours starting in Taipei will take you to the Taroko Gorge, but if you want to do it your way there are trains from Taipei to Hualien, the closest town to the Gorge. From Hualien you will need to catch a bus that takes you directly to the entrance of the park.
Where can you fly from?
Book & more info:
|MAR 12th
|OCT 16th
|OCT 19th
|NOV 1st
|NOV 14th
|DEC 3rd
One of Taiwan's most beautiful natural gems, the Taroko Gorge is not for everyone. Only explorers and adventurers will thrive in this enormous park filled with breathtaking landscapes. Winding tunnels, hanging bridges and a number of shrines are found here, the most famous one being the Eternal Spring Shrine, built to honour the memory of those who died constructing the highway that crosses the island.


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(click to see the top image at full size; the two above are 1:1)
Still getting the hang of LuxRender, and starting to scratch the surface of what it can do, I went back to another picture I was very happy with, last year as a raytrace, and set it up to render again in Lux. Result: fairly stunning, though there were some oddities along the way, like --
I originally had a couple of Austrian pine trees right behind the barbarian here. They show up in DAZ Studio all right, but they're just nor there in Lux, and there's nothing to be done about that. So I replaced them with the young fir trees from Rhodi Design, and also loaded up with grass (also by Rhodi), because I discovered that the grass prop which is problematical in DAZ Studio (and one presumes, therefore, Poser??), is a breeze in Lux. It renders up beautifully.
There where also problems with the skinmap, alas. This is SAV Atlas -- and it's one of the very few characters where I also use the original face morph as well as the skinmap. He's a beauty ... s'why I call this image "Conan Takes a Vacation." And the skinmap looks terrific in a raytrace, but when you come to do the Lux render, you can see "tidemarks" where the patches in which the skinmap is made join together. Obviously, they ought to be seamless, and in Lux, this one ain't. I did a bit of painting, and I also stood some props in front of him to save myself a lot more painting!
Otherwise, it was easy. The render took about 20 hours, and was done at 2000 pixels wide and 1600 high, because I knew I'd have to paint here and there, and I wanted to leave myself space to get in and do it. But what I didn't have to paint was the hair! Miracle of miracles, this is just how it rendered up, and it'll do just fine. I think this is the Akaste hair.
The big tree is the Ultimate Woodland prop (DAZ); and the ferns are from the DM Elven Shed set (Renderosity). The basic sky was done in Lux itself, by changing the values of the "sky light," which is a vastly editable parameter in the Light Groups. But the clouds were done in Photoshop, using the Mystikel Cloud Pack brushes as an overlay.
Next thing I need to work with in Lux is the depth of field ... which I expect is going to be tricky. I'll get some weird and wonderful results before I figure it out. And thing after that will be getting into the Materials editor, and taking control of every little detail. I confess, this image still uses the defaults, and any settings I put on the props in DAZ before sending the scene ti Lux.
Speaking of DAZ (well, any graphical work, I guess), I need a new harddrive. Waaaah! No, it's not busted, it's just full. I'm working with one of the screamingly fast solid state harddrives, and when the system was built for me, the shop kept the price down a bit by using the small boot drive, at just 111GB. Turns out, there's a lot of stuff I use that will only run cleanly off the boot drive ... so the boot drive has consequently filled up in 14 months. I'm scavenging for space now; just managed to get back enough Gigs to keep going for a couple of months while I organize myself one of the new hybrid drives...
A hybrid, you ask? Yep. Seagate came out with some new technology about two years ago. Google the Seagate Momentus XT Hybrid 2.5" SSHD. Uh huh. Speeds are comparable to the SSD (solid state drive), but you can get much higher capacity drives, and at a fraction the cost. In the States, the Momentus retails for as little as $106! Naturally, Australia being Australia, the same thing costs $230 at IT Warehouse, which built my system and will be doing the upgrade, including cloning the original boot drive over.
This is Very High on My Agenda, because I'm seriously running out of room! Have shopped some sales at Renderosity in the last few weeks, got some fantastic new sets and props, and when these are installed, I'm pretty sure I'll be juuuust about maxed out. But, with 500GB on a new hybrid SSHD, I can do all sorts of things ... like, get Poser running on the C: drive, which it demands before it'll install Michael and Victoria ... and then I can also play happily with the Firefly render engine, which admittedly gets fantastic results too. Never been able to do very much with it, because I can't get the figures installed ... and if I do surrender to pure lust and get Vue, I'll definitely need the space. I say "lust" deliberately there. I look at the Vue landscapes, and I just drooooool. Like this, for instance:
The picture credits on these should read: Artur Rosa, and they're borrowed from the E-on site, to show you what I mean about droooooling over the way Vue handles -- not so much the landscapes, as the foliage. Bryce will generate the terrains. It just won't populate them with credible foliage to save its life. You can see from "Conan Takes a Vacation" where my brain is trying to go. Lux is getting me about halfway there, but I honestly don't think the photographic realism you're dying for in the landscape itself will happen outside of Vue --
Though, to be fair, Lux does an incredible job. There are galleries on the LuxRender official site stuffed full of images that I'm still drooling over, and I've promised myself I WILL figure this out. For the moment, though, I'm quite happy with the barbarian's holiday snapshot, and -- well, how good it the figure work, really? As a test, I dropped it into monochrome, to see how convincing it is as a b/w photo, Try this:
...and that's pretty convincing. So... here's the wallpaper version:
...enjoy! It's 1920 wide, and looks a treat on both my monitors, desktop and laptop so it ought to fit most.
Jade, March 3, 2013


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The Pillars
Established by HarperCollins Christian Publishing
HarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP) boasts an impressive publishing legacy encompassing over 200 years of bestselling inspirational Christian content. With a diverse catalog of content, including Bibles, memoirs, children's books, gift books, academic resources, church curriculum, literary fiction, and more, HCCP upholds established publishing traditions, while also harnessing the power of innovation to incorporate advanced technologies and online platforms to reach the widest audience possible.
_ _ _
Managed by Accurance
In the early days of the self-publishing industry, Accurance established themselves as one of the five pioneer firms that laid the path in the late nineties for the million-plus titles that have flowed into the self-publishing industry since then. Accurance established many of the firsts in the industry during the explosion of self-publishing from 1999 to 2005.
Accurance has been in the past, or is presently, the production backbone for half the world's ten largest self-publishing author services firms, early on becoming the industry's largest wholesale production service provider worldwide. Accurance established many of the firsts in self-publishing service, creating operations and flows adopted by their publisher clients, which today are standards for the majority of the self-publishing industry.
Despite the contributions made, Accurance might also be the industry's best kept secret as they have deliberately stayed largely "under the radar" in serving their clients who feared that the knowledge of them subcontracting most or all their work would be used against them by their competitors.
In growing their wholesale production services for the industry, Accurance has established itself by providing best-practices services, many of which match up extremely well with those of most in the traditional publishing industry worldwide. That, in combination with Accurance's reputation for honesty, integrity, and straightforwardness towards all clients, is Accurance's commitment in managing the editorial services for Elm Hill author clients with HarperCollins Christian Publishing in this revolutionary new category of publishing.


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Dubai Airport Duty Free
Dubai Duty Free is a paradise of duty-free shopping located in the Dubai International Airport. With a wide range of cosmetics and perfumes, gold and jewelry, electronics, snuff and alcohol products, which is considered as one of the main airport retail operations in the world.
Dubai Duty Free is famed for its promotions, including luxury car raffle. you can get massive discounts on 20 December, the anniversary of its opening. For example, in 2006, celebrated its 23rd anniversary by offering a discount of 23% for the day.
Dubai Duty Free is open 24 hours a day. Most stores are located in the departure area, although there is a smaller section of the arrivals.
The Middle East is the place to buy gold jewelry in particular. The local souks and modern shopping centers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are full of jewels, gold watches and retailers. Different ct chains can be purchased by the meter, the same way you might with a string of Chandler ships. The fascination that this case is yellow gold, which is more pure, while Western tastes lean toward the white versions. Whatever your preference, it's all here, and you do not find what you want the center can be picked up at the airport, where gold sales have skyrocketed. Last year, Dubai Duty Free (DDF), the exclusive retailer in Dubai International airport recorded more than $ 120 million on sales of precious metal.
Duty United FreeBut other categories you are tempted, and the temptation is something Dubai Duty Free is good at. In 2008 he broke the barrier of $ 1bn in retail sales a floor of 7,000 square meters, with a team of 3,700 staff members who keep the shops open 24 hours a day. The passengers are attracted by the variety of fragrances that are available here and the exclusive releases often take place in this center, several weeks before they can be found in the local UAE market or even the region. This is also the place to buy traditional Arabic Oudh (oil based) fragrances, easily out doing some Western popular scents like Chanel No. 5 on the price.
Liquor, is also wanted in the Dubai Duty Free shops are. For a federation of Islamic states may seem strange to see liquor available at the airport, but due to the large number of people who transfer here from around the world and all backgrounds, alcoholic beverages are in high demand • relatively cheap compared to other airport stores. Other goods include electronics, cosmetics, luxury goods, sports articles about 70 golf clubs are sold each month, designer clothes, children's toys and books in all areas.
Dubai Airport Shopping ConcourseThe design principal tax-free international Terminal 1 is like a big department store and consists of two islands, one of gold, precious stones and pearls, and other luxury pen , lighters and watches (DDF is one of the few retailers that sells Rolex airport), around which there are five major "stores." Two sell liquor and products including snuff habit Casa de Habano which offers an impressive selection of Cuban cigars, is one of the perfumes and cosmetics, one for electronics, and the last is for sports and fashion gifts, including glass Waterford, Swarovski, Wedgwood, Royal Doulton and Christofle.
There are kiosks, great raffles for DDF in the world now famous for luxury cars ($ 139 a ticket) and his new promotion, where you can earn multimillion U.S. $ 5 million if you're willing to part with $ 1,360 for a ticket! Last October, Dubai International doubled its sales area of 7,000 square meters to 15,000 square meters with the opening of the new and highly acclaimed Emirates Terminal 3, which largely reproduces the offer T1, but in the new facility.


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April 2016 Monthly Astrology Horoscope
It's a passionate and vibrant month with an extraordinary opportunity to shift our vibration and shimmy into our magical power. OK, it's also a month where lots of planets are weaving backwards dragging us back to a past situation we may have hidden from. Mars the planet of action, passion and war is going retrograde making us feel as if our energy is not quite right. Pluto is also going retrograde as is Mercury the planet of communication (Saturn and Jupiter are already retrograde) and Uranus. This is serious WOW and urges us to clean up and heal the past. What have you forgotten to complete? Who do you have unfinished karma with? A karmic ex may swing by for another round.
The Aries New Moon is the start of the astrological new year and allows us to leap into a fresh start and new cycle. What do you want to dump and where do you want to go? Impulse, passion and a more open experience is on the cards once we have dealt with our unfinished business. Check your sun sign horoscope but don't forget to look at your Moon and Rising sign video.
Lot's of love
Michele x
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- Capital Reserve
- Revenue Reserve
1. Capital Reserve:
Capital reserves are those reserves, which are not created out of operating profit. In other words, these reserves are created out of capital profits. Profit on sale or revaluation on fixed assets is capital profit, which are generally not available for distribution among the shareholders of the company. The following are some examples of capital profits, which are the sources of creating capital profits which are the sources of creating capital reserves.
- Profit on sale of revaluation of fixed assets.
- Profit on repayment of debentures.
- Profit earned through the issue of shares at premium.
- Profit earned through forfeiture and re-issue of shares.
- Profit on the purchase of running business etc.
Utilization of Capital Reserves:
- To meet future capital losses
- To issue as fully paid bonus shares
- To strengthen the financial position of the business.


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As part of the
Planning Commission the Zoning Committee generally meets 15 days after the City Council Zoning Meeting to review and discuss rezoning petitions. The Committee makes recommendations concerning rezonings, zoning ordinances and regulations to Charlotte City and hears and decides on subdivision variances and appeals. Zoning Committee members are required to attend City rezoning hearings.
Zoning Committee Meeting - Generally 15 days after the City Council Zoning Meeting at 5:30 pm*
Mr. Sam SpencerChairpersonPhone:
E-MailTerm Expires: June 30, 2022Appointed By: City Council (School Board)
Mr. Phillip GussmanVice-ChairpersonMobile:
704-608-1323 Home:
704-347-4943E-Mail Term Expires: June 30, 2020Appointed By: Mayor
Mr. John Ham
704-373-2256 Ext. 208E-Mail Term Expires: June 30, 2022Appointed By: County Commission
Ms. Victoria NwasikePhone:
704-412-3032E-Mail Term Expires: June 30, 2020 Appointed By: City Council
Ms. Cozzie WatkinsHome:
704-562-9303 E-Mail Term Expires: June 30, 2021Appointed By: City Council
Ms. Nancy Wiggins
Home Phone:
704-904-4423Work Phone:
E-MailTerm Expires: June 30, 2020Appointed By: County Commission
Planning Committee
*Dates & Times are subject to change


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Is Naomi going to hire Fissette? Rumors still going on.
Who else is contemplating a coaching change?
End of Season coaching change
Predict WTA Winners and Champions every week.
Post Reply
4 posts • Page 1 of 1
Re: End of Season coaching change
Karolina Pliskova has ended her partnership with coach Conchita Martínez after 10 months of their full-time collaboration, the World No.2 announced via social media today.
"I decided I will no longer work with Conchita," the Czech No.1 posted on Instagram. "It was tough decision, as the season was great. Thank you for all this year, and wish u only the best. Life is a change!"
Re: End of Season coaching change
Sascha Bajin Reveals The Reason For Split With Kristina Mladenovic
"It was really great. I learned a lot and I hope she did a bit too. Her whole family is truly some of the nicest people you meet on tour," Sascha Bajin announced on social media.
"I am sad and it broke my heart that I choose not to continue but I had to think about myself. It's selfish I admit that but if you don't think bout what's best for yourself who else will …? I wish her truly nightingale but the best."
Re: End of Season coaching change
Wim Fisette is the new coach of Naomi Osaka... just read it in the news...
"Never argue with an idiot - they take you down to their level and then beat you on experience"
"Don't wrestle with a pig: you both get dirty, but the pig actually likes it"
Post Reply
4 posts • Page 1 of 1


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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:28 — 39.8MB) | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | Google Podcasts | RSS
Join host Katye McGregor Bennett as she welcomes CEDIA 2018 Board of Directors guests:
Executive Committee:
Dennis Erskine (Chairperson) – President, Erskine Group, Inc. (Vancouver, WA)
Omar Hikal (Secretary) – Principal, Archimedia (Cairo, Egypt)
Henry Clifford – Owner, Livewire, LLC (Richmond, VA)
Rob Sutherland – Managing Director at Inspired Dwellings (London, United Kingdom)
Joe Whitaker – Founder/President at The Thoughtful Home (Creve Coeur, MO)
Newly Elected Board Directors:
Heather Sidorowicz – President/Owner at Southtown Audio Visual (Hamburg, NY)
Matt Scott – President at Omega Audio Visual (London, Canada Area)
The CEDIA Board of Directors defines the association's vision and identifies its strategic direction. These leaders continually connect with members to make sure CEDIA's strategic principles remain relevant and are adaptable to our members' changing needs.
After introducing the guests and having them tell something about themselves, Katye talks with those on the show who will be continuing their service on the CEDIA Board about being a part of the Board, and perspectives on the global organization. The two new Board Directors, Heather Sidorowicz (the first woman to serve on CEDIA's Board) and Matt Scott enter the discussion as Katye asks all about lessons they've learned in the industry along the way, to go along with advice they have for those in the business.
Finally, Katye talks about how CEDIA members should view the 2018 Board and addresses numerous topics in the discussion. Make sure you listen to Dennis Erskine at the end talk about Heather and Matt joining the Board, and both of them talking about what it means to them.
Sit back, plug in and enjoy a very insightful (along with a bit of fun) show with the CEDIA Board of Directors as we live…
The AV Life.


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Dissenting voices at sixth-placed North End - Interview
Thursday, 5th Mar 2020 21:41 by Clive Whittingham
Preston are defying the odds to mount a play-off push against teams with far bigger budgets, but you'd never guess it to read their message boards. We caught up with Deepdale Digest for some insight.
How would you assess/judge Preston's season overall?
DD: - Our season so far has been one of highs and lows; an outstanding start, a tricky spell in November due to injuries, and now some frustrating inconsistency. Still, before the start of the season, if you'd told me we'd be sat sixth with ten games to go, I'd have certainly taken it given how we're punching above our weight and taking on clubs with much bigger budgets.
Five wins from seven has you back in the top six, but three defeats in the last four (albeit against Fulham and West Brom), how are you playing and how's the mood?
DD: Defeats at West Brom and Fulham were frustrating, but there's no great shame in losing to two of the top three teams in the league. The concern comes in a lack of goals; we've scored just twice in the last four games, and one of those was a penalty. Not signing a striker in January may be our downfall in this playoff race, as we don't quite have the firepower to really put teams away when we're on top.
Preston league results so far…
This message board thread has got a bit of surprised attention from QPR fans on our site, disbelieving a team in sixth on a limited budget is coming under so much fire from its own fans – is that just keyboard warriors? What's the general mood?
DD: I think every team has fans that overreact to every defeat, but the mood is a little deflated at the moment. By pushing ourselves into the top six for most of the season, the expectation rises. If we were sitting fourteenth and lost away at West Brom and Fulham, it maybe wouldn't garner such angry reactions as it does when you're sixth. We're really in the business end of the season now, and there's maybe just a little nervousness setting in because we hold that last playoff spot. If you take a step back and look at our season as a whole, we've done better than expected and ultimately control our own fate. With the lack of money we have compared to those in the playoffs and those chasing us down, a bit of perspective is maybe required.
Summer Ins: >>> Tom Bayliss, 20, CM, Coventry, £1.98m >>> Patrick Bauer, 26, CB, Charlton, Free >>> David Nugent, 34, CF, Derby, Free >>> Andre Green, 21, LW, Villa, Loan
Summer Outs: Callum Robinson, 21, CF, Sheff Utd, £7m >>> Marnick Vermijl, RB, Maastricht, Free >>> Andy Boyle, 28, CB, Dundalk, Free >>> Michael Howard, 19, CF, Morecambe, Free >>> Chris Maxwell, GK, Hibs, Loan >>> Tom Stead, 19, CB, Chorley, Free >>> Marnick Vermijl, 27, RB, Maastricht, Free >>> Tommy Spurr, LB, Released >>> Ben Pringle, CM, Released >>> Graham Burke, 25, CF, Shamrock Rovers, Loan >>> Chris Maxwell, 28, GK, Hibs, Loan >>> Connor Simpson, 19, CF, Accrington, Loan >>> Jack Armer, 18, LB, Lancaster, Loan >>> Josh Earl, 20, LB, Bolton, Loan
Winter Ins: >>> Scott Sinclair, 30, LW, Celtic, Undisclosed
Winter Outs: >>> Chris Maxwell, 29, GK, Blackpool, Free
And Alex Neil? Looks to be doing a good job to us but people on there seem to hate him!
DD: Again, some people love to think they know better than Neil. Yes, some decisions are a little baffling, like playing Seani Maguire week in and week out despite scoring just once in his last 28 games, but he's done an incredible job here. People quickly forget that he's still only 38, he has a promotion from this league on his CV as well as a full season in the Premier League. He has clearly improved North End from Simon Grayson's time as manager, but again, people sometimes don't quite appreciate what's right in front of their eyes. Personally speaking, there aren't too many managers in the division I'd take over Neil.
We've often held PNE up as a bit of a model club for ourselves, particularly with wage bill and scouting, with our new tighter budget, but your latest accounts made for unusually grim reading with a ballooning wage bill and big loss picked up by the chairman. How do Preston fans feel about the situation?
DD: - It's a weird situation with our finances, as there are a lot of 'soft loans' to our owner Trevor Hemmings. Compared to many Championship clubs, we're relatively well-run, but we need to sell a big player every year really; in 2018 we sold both Jordan Hugill and Greg Cunningham, and in 2019 it was Callum Robinson who went. 2020 will likely see Ben Pearson and Ben Davies go too, but this is the life of a fairly unfashionable northern club punching above their weight. Fans don't seem too worried just yet, and issues will likely be alleviated if big players are sold this summer - or if we manage to go up.
Player of the season candidates?
DD: It has to be Ben Pearson; the heartbeat of our midfield, the most talented player in the team, the player every opposition fan loves to hate. He's far, far too good for the Championship, and as he's now out for a month through injury, we'll probably see just how important he really is.
Weak links in the side?
DD: The weak area is the attack; as noted, Maguire has only scored once in 28 games, David Nugent and Jayden Stockley have combined for just three goals this season and Scott Sinclair hasn't quite got going yet. Without Pearson, our midfield will lack a little bit of bite too.
Realistic promotion contender this year or destined to fall short?
DD: If you'd asked me a few weeks ago I'd have said we're a real contender, but this patch of three defeats in four has me worried again. I think we can gain a playoff place, but I sadly doubt we have the firepower to make it to the Premier League.
Links >>> Official Website >>> Lancashire Telegraph – Local Press >>> From The Finney – Blog >>> Deepdale Digest – Blog >>> PNE Online – Forum
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May Arts Alive
First Saturday Night Arts Alive!
Saturday, May 4, 2019
Presented by Eureka Main Street. Opening receptions for artists, exhibits and performances are held the first Saturday of each month. For more information, call 442-9054 or go to www.eurekamainstreet.org
BRENDA TUXFORD GALLERY at Ink People 525 Seventh St. 21st Annual North Coast Open Studios – Art Show and Reception. Preview of art from many of this year's NCOS participants, and pick up your guidebook.
HUMBOLDT ARTS COUNCIL at the Morris Graves Museum of Art 636 F St. Performance Rotunda: Piet Dalmolen, solo instrumental guitar, loops and effects, jazz, blues, classics, and experimental tunes. William Thonson Gallery: 28th Annual Images of Water Photography Competition & Exhibition Anderson Gallery: "Divine Providence", Lee Running, Meredith Lynn and Nicole Jean Hill, features selected photographs, works on paper, and sculptures by the three artists that each explore what it means to own and exploit a landscape. Knight Gallery "Picture This…", Pat Durbin, machine quilted pictorial art pieces. Melvin Schuler Sculpture Garden Dan McCauley, sculptures using materials from scrap yards. Homer Balabanis Gallery/Humboldt Artist Gallery: Unique, original gifts. Museum Store/Permanent Collection: Artwork on view by Morris Graves, Glenn Berry, Melvin Schuler and Romano Gabriel.
DISCOVERY MUSEUM 612 G St. Kids Alive Drop-off Program 5:30 to 8 p.m. Kids 3-12 $15 members/$20 nonmembers.
REDWOOD ART ASSOCIATION 603 F St. Humboldt County Youth Art Exhibition 2019, schools include Six Rivers Charter, Eureka High, Fortuna High, St. Bernard's High, South Fork High, and Arcata High. Juried by Kati Texas, Rutabaga Queen and Artist in Residence at Ink People.
DALIANES TRAVEL 522 F St Steven Taylor, and Jennifer Liu, paintings. Music by Angel Fargas.
HUMBOLDT CIDER CO. TAP ROOM 517 F St Dan McCauley, metal art sculptures. Music by Elderberry Rust.
REDWOOD MUSIC MART 511 F St. Music by Tatiana Henrickson.
OM SWEET OM HOT YOGA & DANCE 516 Fifth St. "The Nine Realms of Asgard" (Second series), Steph Godfrey/TUPP, scientific visualization of Yagddrasil and the Nine Realms of Asgard Myth airbrushed, hand-drawn, and inspired by Hubble space telescope imagery, large and small works. "Pentacleiades", large scale astrological works based on the Tarot suit of Pentacles, airbrushed and hand-drawn.
PROPER WELLNESS CENTER 517 Fifth St. Roman Villagrana, muralist, and painter.
DELISH ON FIFTH 440 F St.
SURFSIDE BURGER SHACK 445 Fifth St. "S'Moore Studios Humboldt Farewell", art show and sale featuring fresh, original Cat Food paintings, and prints. Cat Food items for sale include t-shirts, stickers, buttons, Strawberry Cat plushies, and more.
SAVAGE HENRY COMEDY CLUB 415 5th St.
SOULSHINE ARTS & FLAMEWORKING STUDIO 411 Fifth St. Live glass blowing demonstrations.
SIDEWALK GALLERY at Ellis Art and Engineering 401 Fifth St. "New Work", Moses Brown, paintings.
CHERI BLACKERBY MUSEUM 272 C St. On exhibition are works by all of our talented and prolific artists
NORTH OF FOURTH 3rd and C Sts.
C STREET STUDIOS & HALL GALLERY 208 C St. Featuring the works of studio artists.
SAILOR'S GRAVE TATTOO 138 Second St. Tattoo related art, antiques and memorabilia, new works.
MANTOVA'S TWO STREET MUSIC 124 Second St. Music by Adamas.
PHATSY KLINE'S PARLOR LOUNGE 139 Second St.(inside Inn at 2nd and C Sts.) Laci Dane, acrylic on wood.
INN AT 2nd AND C (Historic Eagle House) Historic Ballroom Katie Rose RainbowMaker, oil on canvas.
VISTA DEL MAR First and Commercial Sts.
JACK'S SEAFOD RESTAURANT 4 C St., Suite B Rachel K. Schlueter, abstract paintings.
REDWOOD CURTAIN 220 First St. Theatre Lobby Sonny Wong.
707 BAR (formerly Steve and Dave's) First and C Sts. Barry Evans photography. Music by Dr. Squid.
MENDENHALL STUDIOS 215 C St. (Corner of 2nd and C Sts.) The Kinetic Clubhouse Norman the Half-Fast Unicorn kinetic sculpture on display. Featured artists Kinetic Team Half-Fast; Kira Case, mixed media including acrylic paints, inks, watercolors, and colored pencils; Laura Keenados, AKA Bad Cat Pomegranate pen & ink illustrations, linens, prints cards, and wearables. Bella Designs, Bohemian style, and accessories. Music by Heavy Mello, neo-classical,pop-rock, folk-jazz duo, 6-8:45. Fire dancing by Bella Vita Fire Dance Co. 8:30. C3 Scott Hemphill Studio "Yellow Fin Fish Tale".
CHAPALA CAFE 201 Second St. Kylan Luken, photography.
GOOD RELATIONS 223 Second St. Haley Gallagher, photography.
HUMBOLDT HERBALS 300 Second St. Yael Bentovim, fiber and mixed media art. Music by Trippin' the Dew (Seabury Gould and Brae).
CALLA HANA BOUTIQUE 325 Second St.
STONESTHROW BOUTIQUE 326 Second St.
CALIFORNIA SCIENCE SOLUTIONS 328 Second St. Trevor 'Trog' Rogan, mixed media on canvas.
OTTO +OLIVE 330 Second St. Angela Tellez, boudoir photography.
SIREN'S SONG TAVERN 325 Second St.
BLUE OX BOUTIQUE 325Second St., Suite 102
CLARKE HISTORICAL MUSEUM 240 E St. "Processing Willow Sticks", Shirley Laos, basket weaver and Clarke Museum Board President, leads this interactive demonstration. Community Case: Bliss Dollhouses from Museum's Wasetis collection. Nealis Hall: "Native American Women's Ceremonial Dresses Then to Now", highlights 150 years of dressmaking for ceremony in local tribes. "Inside/Out", mini exhibit features mirrors to provide new angles to view baskets, illustrating details often overlooked on the insides and bottoms of baskets.Main Hall: "From Boom to Bust: Early Humboldt County Industries, 1850-1915". Victorian Room: "Victorian Photography", exploring photography and its role in the Victorian period as a new medium for art and documentation. Art Wall Panorama photos of local towns, many taken arojnd the same period as the Industries exhibit covers. Opera Alley Wall: "Humboldt Rephotographed", collages blending historic images with contemporary photos. From the Special Collections Dept. at HSU Library. Curated by Nicole Jean Hill, Professor of Art, artists include Guliana Sarto, Shana Bishop, Blake Hildabrand, Tyler Boydstun, Rae Medina, Pedro Uribe-Godoy, Ryan Sendejas, Gianne Orozco, Nich Graham, and Cecilia Carabez.
EUREKA VISITOR'S CENTER (inside the Clarke) 240 E St. Music by Dominic Romana.
STUDIO 424 424 Third St. Elaina Erola, watercolors.
NOTHING OBVIOUS 426 Third St. "Homesick Nocturne", Noah T. Sheffler, paintings.
SHIPWRECK! Vintage and Handmade 430 Third St. Emmaly Crimmel, tattoo inspired illustrations, prints, stickers, and tee shirts.
BECAUSE COFFEE 300 F St. "As Above So Below", Rebekah and Hannah Ben-Iesau, mixed media large and small works.
THE CONNECTION at HPRC 334 F St. "Hand-painted hallucinations", by Toad, new works on paper and canvas, Prismacolor marker and acrylic painted landscapes. Music by The Original Anna Banana!, blues, country,rock & humor. Light refreshments served.
HUMBOLDT COUNTY DEMOCRATIC 527 Fourth St. Terrie Ridenhour, retired CalFire Battalion Chief, paintings.
THE MADRONE BRICK FIRE PIZZA & TAPHOUSE 421 Third St. Gregg Beaumont, artist. Live music by The James Zeller Duo.
CLARKE PLAZA Third and E Sts.
CAFÉ NOONER 409 Opera Alley.
RAMONE'S BAKERY 209 E St. Rick Gustafson, photography. Music by Covered with Moss (Scandanavian and Celtic music) with Sam McNeill, Blake Ritter, and Chris Hinderyckx.
BOOKLEGGER 402F St. "Art of the Written Word".
TRUCHAS GALLERY at Los Bagels 403 Second St. Jan Ramsey, oil paintings.
OLD TOWN ART GALLERY 417 Second St. Featured artist Winnie Trump, photography.
KENNY'S CHOCOLATE 425 Snug Alley Rob Hampson, artwork.
ARTS AND DRAFTS 422 First St. Come join us for Karaoke.
LIVING THE DREAM ICE CREAM 1 F St. "Art with Heart," Jenifer Sherman Ruppe and Karan Collenberg.
LAND OF LOVELY Corner of Second and F Sts.
THE LITTLE SHOP OF HERS 416 Second St. Benaldo Rivaldi, paintings.
BUZZARDS NEST ANTIQUES & UNIQUES 420 Second St. Ellen Engels, upcycles Vintage Glassware into artistic objects.
EUREKA BOOKS 426 Second St. "May the Fourth Be With You", special offerings from the Star Wars Universe; some of your favorites, Jedi, Wookies, clones, Mandalorians, will be out and about; and we will be serving blue milk.
MANY HANDS GALLERY 438 Second St. Over 40 local artists.
SEAMOOR'S 212 F St. "The Space Between the Strange And The Waters Beyond Them", Tulasi-Devi and Jocelyn Albee, mixed media.
AMERICAN INDIAN ART AND GIFT SHOP 245 F St.
CANVAS + CLAY GALLERY 233 F St. "ANIMAL CLOUDS", two woman exhibition Anna Sofia Amezcua, and Nichole McKinney, large, abstract, expressionist paintings, and chunky, gestural, clay creatures.
HUMBOLDT BAY COFFEE 526 Opera Alley Gallery Reuben T. Mayes, artwork. Music by Kenny Ray and the Mighty Rovers. 527 Third Street Gallery Sonny Wong, artwork.
TREASURES BY THE BAY 213 F St.
OLD TOWN COFFEE and CHOCOLATES 211 F St. TBA
OLD TOWN ANTIQUE LIGHTING 203 F St. John Palmer, landscape paintings.
BANDIT SAVORY & SWEET 525 Second St. Judy Willis, artwork. Music by Erik Eustis, folk songs. Delectable specials, Bandit Shandys with Humboldt Cider Company Cider, and house-made Roses & Lime, or Orange Blossom Lemonade, and Redwood Curtain Beer on tap.
BACK ROOM GALLERY 525 Second St. "Abstracts in the Back Room," Reuben T. Mayes, acrylic paintings. Live painting with Reuben.
TWO STREET ART LAB 527 Second St. "Don't Forget the Magic", presented by Eureka's Hidden Talent, a collaboration between artists from all walks of life who meet weekly at St. Vincent de Paul Dining Facility weekly.
BLACK FAUN GALLERY Featured artists, Marceau Verdiere and Thomas Fossier.
SYNAPSIS NOVA 212 G St "May the Fourth Be With You", Cabaret & Art Show, intergalactic band of performers embark on a battle between good and evil. Featuring original performances, aerial dance, drag artists, live music, theatre, and clowning. 8 p.m. Art show 5-7:30. Synapsis Collective iss a volunteer-run project of the Ink People.
JUST MY TYPE LETTERPRESS PAPERIE 501 Third St. HSU Printmakers Group Show.
TAILWAGGERS 2 239 G St. Music by John David Young Conspiracy.
A TASTE OF BIM 613 Third St. Maggie Draper, artwork.
HUMBOLDT SKATE LAB 617 Third St.
PIANTE 620 Second St. Therin Brooks, and Georgia Long, paintings.
LOTUS STUDIO 630 Second St. Our art studio is open.
HUMBOLDT HONEYWINE 723 Third St. TBA
ADORNI CENTER 1011 Waterfront St. "Bee Fest", various artists showing bee-themed art.


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Petit Collage Eco Friendly Lunch Box Animals
We have run out of stock for this item.
The Petit Collage lunch boxes are made from cotton canvas with unique bio-degradable coating.
- Age: 3+
- BPA-Free, Phthalate-free, PVC Free
- Roomy, insulated bag keeps food and drinks cold
- Large compartment big enough for a sandwich, apple, drink bottle and more
- Interior mesh pocket suitable for cutlery
- Padded carry handle - comfortable for little hands
- Adjustable carry strap
- Dimensions: 25cm x 10cm x 13cm


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Video: Snapping Turtle vs. Pelican
OutdoorHub Reporters 08.01.16
As kids we all played "eenie meenie miney moe" under the guise of catching a tiger by the toe. Access to tiger toe's is pretty limited for most people, but this statement applies even more so to turtles. Since you have to make the best of what's around, one turtle made a grab for a pelican "toe" instead.
On Lake of the Woods near to Sioux Narrows, Ontario, CBC Thunder Bay reporter Gord Ellis was about to have lunch with some companions. Hanging out close to the group was a pack of white pelicans looking for some fish scraps to eat. Suddenly one of the birds began to act erratically, flapping its wings and attempting to move away from something in the water.
That something, it turns out, was a snapping turtle. As seen in the video below, the snapper manages to latch on to the pelican's webbed foot. The bird thrashes about, trying to break free, and eventually does so a couple minutes later.
Although large enough snapping turtles can do great damage to a pelican, luckily this particular snapper was not of great size. The bite was likely unpleasant, but certainly survivable, and the two involved in this altercation were able to separate and go their own way.


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Futures: Review of the new MacBook Pro
What pro computing could be: https://medium.com/@al3x/what-pro-computing-could-be-73ba8735e18a#.ytd6ndhbs
Back in 2008:
There are other laptops out there, the Dell XPS 13 for example with a 1TB SSD and 16GB ram is £1649, where as the equivalent MacBook pro is £2489. The Dell is the same weight, has a higher resolution screen, later generation CPU, more ports and even comes in rose gold. The 15inch model can go up to 32GB RAM with a 4K display.
I guess people don't want to move away from OSX.
Given that most web apps run on Linux, perhaps there would be a move to Linux laptops. Dell for example will sell laptops with Ubuntu on, though their site still says "Dell recommends Windows" in a disconcerting kind of way. We could do with a major vendor creating a another brand, with which they only sell Linux computers and everything on the site assumes you are going to using Linux, including accessories that are tested to work on Linux and easy to get going with it.
I went from using Windows (which I'd used since Windows 3.1 right up until 8.1), to Ubuntu (which I used for about 6 months on a Dell XPS), to OSx (which I've used for almost 2 years).
I don't have any particular loyalty to the operating system, I just wanted to remove barriers and make things easier for myself by using the same tools as my fellow developers.
The 6 month's of Ubuntu was fine, for the most part, but I really didn't get on with the touchpad or keyboard of the XPS, and it just lacked a certain polish that both Windows and OSx had. (I think I made a post about it somewhere, but I CBA to look for it).
Going forward, however, seeing as my employer will be supplying my computers from here on in, I'll be using what the company uses, which currently is OSx. I'd not have a problem switching back to a Linux system (someone somewhere mentioned Elementraly), but I'd need to find alternatives to some of the mac only tools that I use.
Now the dust has settled, my takeaways are that folk basically wanted the same thing, and a few wanted a 32Gb option.
My "late 2013" MBP works and looks like it did when I got it. I've no need nor inclination to change it atm. Given the new MBP options, I'll probably go for a battery swap when it dies.
I have a spare laptop that I keep updated with Ubuntu. I preefer the consistency of MacOS and the fact stuff just works. That battery life, when I need it, is much better too. The sync with iPad and iCloud obviates a few admin tasks.
I've been wondering whether it was an accident that Apple hit on the MBP design that devs love(d). Devs don't seem to be the (or a) target market now. If so, Apple's left a nice market for someone to step into, although no-one else seems very interested.
I use MacBook Air 2012 at home, it still works fine though I keep running out of space on the 256GB SSD (due to my photography, regularly archive it off to NAS, but still a problem) and screen isn't the best for photos and it doesn't support a external 4K display. I use RedHat desktop at work and I've got a 15inch MacBook Pro Retina 2012 at work (but I don't use it much), which I think it too heavy.
Personally, I like that the new MacBook Pros are lighter (particularly the 13inch), I could probably live with the USB-C ports, though the lack of a SD card slot is bit annoying for me. Mostly the price is too high to justify upgrading. I ran Ubuntu on my Dell laptop for 5 years before I got the MacBook Air and on my desktop has run Linux for a long time, though I don't use it anymore.
When I bought the MacBook Air, it was the same price as anyother Ultraportable notebook and I thought I might do some iOS dev (I didn't).
I got the 512Gb SSD and use 1/4 of it My NAS is via an Airport, and fires up in a second via Finder, so keeping large, less frequently used files there is no problem. More Apple-land integration.
4K support I have, though don't use, but I do use the HDMI (RIP). I'm not a photo dude, but I do use the SD card from time to time, and I've no idea how I'd move pics from camera to MBP without it. The weight doesn't bother me. It's much lighter than anything I've had before.
The new prices are crazy, but it's deductible ¯\(ツ)/¯
Apple being criticised for moving to the open USB-C standard because it isn't as shiny. They can't win, can they?
They stole that function keys label strip idea from the early IBM PCs too - the 'Industry Standard'.
The only thing that was non-standard previously was the magsafe power connector. I think it's good they are moving to USB-C in the long run. However, I don't think it's that unreasonable to expect some overlap in standards, after 20 years of the USB-A port.
It's supported via a cable, isn't it? I remember similar criticisms when they were first to support SCSI but where would we be without SCSI now? OK, bad example.
Yes. The key word here is major, of course: System76 (US) and Entroware (UK) among others are all about this, but they're small…
I'm aware of System76, I put in word "major" to discount them - It seems small companies can't take this on. I wonder what the future for Dell, Toshiba, Lenovo, Acer etc. is, if Microsoft pushes harder with it's own surface devices. Apparently Chromebooks outsell Mac laptops and a Ubuntu laptop would be more capable than a Chromebook, so it seems there is a gap there.
The gaping hole is a Linuxbook, that's as easy as a Chromebook but can have Real Apps added when people get frustrated by the limitations. I hoped the Firefox phone was taking us there. I fear for Linux if any 1 distro wins though, particularly Ubuntu. Imagine if Ubuntu's web apps vision had been shared across all Linux vendors instead of being used as a market differentiator, for selfish #win.
The Linux market had a lot of growing into other OS territory to do before there needed to be any in-fighting between distros. You'd think they'd have learned a lesson from the Unix Wars. '1 more standard to rule them all' never works.
HP have always seemed the obvious choice to go first. Have they remortgaged their souls from Microsoft to Google? If you go on the HP site and find a laptop, Linux isn't an OS choice. If you search for Linux it shows you a few laptops.
An interesting conversation about Dell Project Sputnik, which I thought must have crashed into Mars http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/os-applications/f/4613/t/19670562
A member of the team says we should make more noise.


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Keeping in Touch over Distance
How to Keep in Touch with Your Best Friend Everywhere
Many friends are separated when it comes to going to different colleges. Although you make sincere promises to keep in touch every day, a college life is complicated, and there is always not enough time to call your best friend. In fact, it is challenging to maintain friendship if you do not see your best friend regularly, and both of you have busy lifestyles now and meet new people every day.
Personally, it was hard for me to keep in touch with my high-school friend during the first year in college. On the other hand, despite the fact that both of us were overwhelmed with homework and had busy schedules, we found the ways to communicate with each other. Today, I am going to share these methods with you.
Be ready to make efforts and find compromises
Without considerable efforts and the ability to find compromises, your friendship is at risk of falling apart. My friend and I realize this, so we both try hard to support our relationship. For example, we find time in our schedules to hang out together, and if one of us is too busy, the other one does not get offended. We understand that a college life is difficult, but we still manage to find time for each other.
Be understanding
There will be many factors, such as distance and different interests, that will change your relationship. You will also find only little time to communicate with each other. Moreover, new friends will come to your life. It is necessary to understand all these factors and take them easy. Be patient towards your friend's new way of life, and you will never ruin your relationship.
Take advantage of technology
With the help of technology, nowadays, it is easier to keep in touch over distance than ever before. Contact your friend in social media, call via Skype or Viber, and make plans to see each other. On the other hand, remember that communication via social media cannot substitute real-life conversations.
Build new relationships, but remember about your old friend
Many first-year students want to have a fresh start when they go to college. However, it is also important to remember about the close friend who helped you to overcome numerous challenges on your way. You will certainly meet new people in college, but always be grateful to the person who supported you. Personally, I appreciate what my best friend did for me, and despite the fact that I found many new friends in college, my high-school friend remains #1.
Your high-school relationship may become a life-time friendship if you know how to keep in touch with your close person. Use these tips and never lose connection with your old friends while in college.


text: BTDM, BLE, Bluetooth Classic, WiFi—with so many sensor technologies out there, how do we know the best one to use when gathering data for arterial performance measures? Here is a breakdown of the differences, and which one has been the data collection powerhouse for us. Bluetooth Classes Heard of Bluetooth described as Class 1, Class […]Read more


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This was one of my submissions for the Stampendous! BlogStars Guest Design Team. This card was difficult for two reasons....I find it tough to make "clean and simple" cards since I like to layer on the ribbon and buttons and patterned paper and bling. Plus, it's always hard to make sympathy cards, especially when you're making them for a specific person. This one was for my friend, Larry, who recently lost his Mom. Larry was a really close childhood friend of mine and his Mom was a really special lady, who always had great advice to share. They live in Texas, so this was my version of "The Yellow Rose of Texas".
Inside I stamped "Comfort", "Strength" and "Peace" from the Encouraging Words stamp set. The flower is Ruffled Bloom - I love this flower and reach for it often. Here's another version of the same card made for a friend of the family that is battling breast cancer.
I'll have more to share with you next week, I've been brainstorming and sketching today, and have a few ideas to get inky. I also went to JoAnn's and Archiver's today and got a few new stamps to get inky. Can't wait to play with my new goodies!
It's raining here, I hope it's brighter in your corner of the world. Take time this weekend to get inky!
recipe: stamps: Stampendous Ruffled Bloom, Stampendous Encouraging Words; paper: The Paper Co.; Prismascolor Pencils, Goo Gone, Tortillons; ink: Tsukineko Tuxedo Black; Crystal Stickles


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Keepsakes and Custom Orders
Please allow up to 6 weeks for the creation of your keepsake. Chances are very good that we can have it done in much less time,
but 6 weeks gives a buffer. The more information you share with us the more accurate your completed work of art will be. We work from photographs, from ideas, from thoughts, from
dreams. We make Military Keepsakes - you tell us what you want on them. Family photos - what is a family, if not a puzzle? These will come puzzled but "fixed in place" for easier display,
unless you tell us otherwise. Please please allow enough time to have your work of art completed and to you by the date you need to have it. I cannot stress this enough. With the
Holidays coming up, spend a bit of time deciding now what you would like to gift to those special people in your life. Get your order in early and save the last minute rush of
Custom orders need to be paid for at the time the work is commissioned unless other arrangements have been made ~ Talk to
Below is a slide show of some of the Custom Art we have created. One of my favorites is the Personal Scrabble. I asked for a list of words that would describe the
recipient of the art. With those words I created a Scrabble Board. A very unique gift! I can use single photos, or a group of them and make a collage; I add in elements that make it unique to
you, such as the Arkansas Razorbacks running in the center of the Arkansas Grandchildren puzzle. The grandmother also loves gardens and flowers, so some of those were included as well. We can
make these as personal as you want.
The sizes of these vary from 7" x 9" to 14" square. The prices are from $85 to $250 but . . . the PRICES will vary from puzzle to puzzle depending on the amount of detail you want and the actual size. If you have a memory or an idea you would like to have made into a custom keepsake, talk to me!
We make Military plaques commemorating and honoring the service and sacrifice of our veterans. Tell me what you want it to have and I will do my best to create it for you. These make great
gifts that show how much you appreciate the service of our great men and women of the military. These list for $85. Start a conversation about these. Contact us today.
Diana Chambers (Wednesday, 29 October 2014 22:54)
Would love to order one.
Terry Davis (Friday, 27 March 2015 09:34)
I have two fix-in-place pieces that were customer designed for me.
The beauty and quality workmanship of these pieces of custom
art cannot be truely appreciated on the web. I cannot thank Bobbie
enough for turning my ramblings into works of art with special
meaning as each symbolizes very important aspects of my life.
Ka Riley (Friday, 27 March 2015 09:35)
Love the site and the artsy things you do, Bobbie.
Donna Peterson (Friday, 27 March 2015 12:21)
I think that all of your art is wonderful. You have some great ideas.
Mardella Rowland (Friday, 27 March 2015 13:25)
After "cogitating" your website; it's amazing how talented you are with various mediums! Keep up the good work!
Karen Everett (Friday, 27 March 2015 14:59)
Phenomenal works and so creative!! Wish I could afford one . . . disability makes that extremely difficult. If its God's Will, it will happen!! <3
shirley sessom (Friday, 27 March 2015 15:16)
I do like your page very much, Bobbie. You sell beautiful art very reasonably and deserve to have more viewers and likes on your page.
Anne (Friday, 27 March 2015 20:44)
Your artwork is beautiful and your commitment to bettering our community is amazing. Sending blessings and positive thoughts your way!
Vicki Brasel (Friday, 27 March 2015 23:26)
Bobbie, I am so very grateful for our collaboration on the first piece I purchased from you! It was everything I imagined and more!! And then to purchase 3 more for my collection has made me very happy every time I look at them. You are such a gifted artist and I think everyone that has purchased any thing from you will agree with me!!! :) <3
Margo Porter (Saturday, 28 March 2015 12:47)
Everyone who's seen your art in person at my house comments about it. They think it's cool!
Susan Vosburgh (Wednesday, 08 April 2015 00:47)
I absolutely love these! The animals and the more abstract ones as well...hope to meet up and see them in real - life 3D. I think meditating on "Blackbuck" would help me feel a little less puzzled
myself.... :). Thanks for the contest, it got me in here! If you like my work ( and I live in ABQ now, so the contact info on my site is wrong, but I'm easy to find on Facebook), maybe consider some
bartering.... Good night, fellow artist!
Anne (Wednesday, 08 April 2015 22:03)
Bobbie, your artwork is amazing! I love that someone with a heart as big as yours is able to share your love in SO many beautiful ways.
Amy Hill (Sunday, 12 April 2015 15:31)
Great work!
Sally Alexander McGill (Sunday, 19 April 2015 09:52)
Bobbie, these are beautiful!! You have an amazing talent~
Breanna Perera (Wednesday, 29 April 2015 12:46)
Beautiful and artful puzzles! I love them all!! email@example.com
Michelle Smedley (Thursday, 30 April 2015 02:06)
Some day I will have one of these gorgeous pieces of art!
Linda Arbaugh (Thursday, 30 April 2015 18:31)
Beautiful picture
Julians Russell (Thursday, 30 April 2015 22:43)
love your art!!! It has good spirit to it.
Carol Campbell (Wednesday, 11 November 2015 08:25)
I really like these! Glad that you and hubby work together artistically! :)
Susan Vosburgh (Wednesday, 08 April 2015 00:49)
Ooops, not cheating, just realized you probably were asking for my email address. Please use this one and don't try to go through the dusty old web site. Thanks again!
Linda Wilson McGowan (Tuesday, 24 February 2015 11:30)
I got Draco yesterday - he is so beautiful! Thanks Bobbie!
Steve Noyes (Monday, 16 February 2015 18:43)
Hi Bobby! Just wanted to say again how much we love the "passport photo" puzzle of Rocky, Val's dog. It's truly a one-of-a-kind, "didn't know you could even do that," wonderful surprise of a present. A real hit! Wonderful idea, expertly done. Thanks again!
Kelly Harrison Ryan (Friday, 13 February 2015 09:52)
Hi Bobbie! I just wanted to thank you again for sharing your wonderful artwork with me. Your pictures of my beautiful mountain lion were very good, but there's nothing like seeing this beauty in
person! You're right -- his eyes do follow you. It's like I'm walking past a window & discover this predatory beast watching me from the other side of the glass. The frame is PERFECT, & I
luuuvvvv the interesting 'puzzle' texture. Now, it's just a matter of finding the right spot to display him. ;)
Elizabeth Gonzalez (Wednesday, 05 November 2014 10:23)
Bobbi, this is a wonderful collection and an absolutely delightful gift/decorating idea. I have bookmarked your site with the hope of being able to do a little shopping one day. Thank You so much for sharing your info with me.
Shirley Hirstein- Sessom (Tuesday, 04 November 2014 07:46)
Bobbie, the butterfly rune was the perfect gift for our hosts in Italy, a recently married couple who are giving up the business world and following their dream to have a small working farm.As
neither you or I had knowledge beforehand about their personal metamorphosis, I truly felt that your beautiful art was directed by fate into their home. They were delighted and so was I!
Richard Hoak (Thursday, 30 October 2014 21:23)
Richard Hoak
Today at 6:09pm.
Bobbie, I sincerely wish to thank you for my recent purchases of a puzzle and two shelves. I really had no idea what to get friends, until I shopped at this site. ( I should have shopped here earlier this year for Birthday presents). In any event, these precious items mean so much to me, and in turn, will mean so much to them as well, as they are so 'unique in nature'. It's like walking into a Specialty Shop. Again, Thank You!
Vicki Brasel (Saturday, 27 September 2014 21:26)
I received my second piece of "puzzled in place" art from Bobbie yesterday! Again I was very pleasantly surprised at the beauty of it, pictures just don't do it justice!! I am so excited to have my new hummer and it looks wonderful next to my first purchase!!! I would encourage anyone to ask for what you want, look at all the pieces offered and to buy for gifts or just a special something for yourself. I am absolutely more than satisfied with my pieces and I am sure you will be too!!! Thanks again so much Bobbie, you have made my day!! Love you girl :) <3
Steve (Sunday, 21 September 2014 09:51)
That's outstanding! Love the mouse-over close-up! Keep it up! :-)
Karen (Saturday, 20 September 2014 11:59)
What beautiful work! And quite a selection for all kinds of tastes. Ordered my "must have," but want to see more in person. Thankfully I can soon! Good work, you two!
Vicki Brasel (Friday, 19 September 2014 21:01)
Bobbie, I have loved your art since day one and believe you are continueing to make it even better! You have such a diverse inventory and ideas that anyone would be well served to order anything that you have! I enjoy my piece every day!!! Thanks again!! I look forward to purchasing another piece for my collection! :) <3
The Carpenter's Gardens (Friday, 19 September 2014 16:07)
Dave makes the frames Donna, I do all the cutting of the puzzles. I make the puzzles, he makes the frames ~ between the two of us we make art!
Donna Peterson (Friday, 19 September 2014 12:53)
I think you are very talented to make some very beautiful art work. And I know Dave probably helps with the cutting. Great work guys.
Shirley (Friday, 12 September 2014 08:26)
It is impossible for me to name one favorite...so I went through your photos and came up with these: Pueblo Buffalo, Eternal combat,, The Wheel of Time, Dragon Fly, Dragon Sunrise, Butterfly Rune Lake. When I looked for commonalities for which I chose them I found: choice and richness of color and texture, underlying universal,spiritual themes, imaginative and unique portrayal of sentient beings and their personalities, and mood setting whimsey. In the case of The Wheel of time, I was pulled in and intrigued by the geometric design and color
Daniel (Tuesday, 09 September 2014 12:46)
You guys will never ever get out of your artfully made puzzles what you put into them. The photos here do them no justice, go see them in person everyone, it's worth the trip!!!!!!
Terry Davis (Tuesday, 09 September 2014 10:04)
Pictures fail to show the depth, shine, and stunning beauty of these puzzles. Being part of the creative process is amazing. Seeing my ideas brought into focus as a custom art piece has been very satisfying and we continue to find new details within the images portrayed in "Dragon's Passion." We are both honored and humbled to own such a stunning portrayal of our relationship. And the addition of the "New Beginnings" rune puzzle to our room is such a great positive energy. Thanks again!
cindy hall-blossom (Thursday, 04 September 2014 12:00)
The work here is phenomenal! I've ordered my srt eork.." custom"...


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Vladimir Putin says what he will do after his presidency ends & it's exciting
Moscow, Feb 14: Russian President Vladimir Putin is serving his final presidential term which will conclude in 2024 and the former KGB agent might have already made his post-retirement plans.
In an interview to US filmmaker Oliver Stone a few years ago, 66-year-old Putin said that he had started learning skating at the age of 60 so he could take part in ice hockey, a report in Sputnik International said.
In fact, the Russian leader has said albeit jokingly that he may turn out to be a professional hockey player once his stint with the presidency concludes.
Putin's plan to overhaul Russian economy will cost 1 billion
Putin, who is known for his liking for sporting activities, has been serving as the president of Russia since 2000 when he replaced its first president Boris Yeltsin.
After serving for eight years till 2008, he became the prime minister for the second time after 1999-2000 and after the completion of that term in 2012, he has been serving as the president again. The current one is his fourth term as the president.
"I will join a professional hockey league when I have fewer responsibilities related to my today's job," Putin said while meeting with public figures in Kazan, the capital of Russia's Republic of Tatarstan.
He though added: "I could not stand on skates at all. I just could not stand. In general, it is always interesting to do something new."


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Danny Boyle's graphic new film shocks UK moviegoers, woman faints
HollywoodNews.com: Paramedics had to be called to the premiere of Danny Boyle's new movie after shocked cinema-goers threw up and fainted while watching it.
Boyle's new movie, 127 Hours, sees James Franco take on the role of mountaineer Aron Ralston, who had to amputate his own arm after he was trapped by a boulder.
The scenes were reportedly so gory that many people started fainting soon after it started. A cinema-goer said to UK newspaper The Sun: "It was very graphic. Within minutes of the film, one woman at the back of the cinema fainted twice. Then about 20 minutes in, about 20 women all got up and walked out."
"Some looked as white as ghosts. A man got up in the row behind me to rush out but he was sick in the aisle before he managed to get out. Paramedics were called and they had to come in at the back of the cinema to try and treat people. I've never seen anything like it in a cinema before. The film was really gory, it was really shocking people."
Follow Hollywood News on Twitter for up-to-date news information.
Hollywood News, Hollywood Awards, Awards, Movies, News, Award News, Breaking News, Entertainment News, Movie News, Music News,
Source: Splash News


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