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All my life I wanted to be a writer. There's just something about the written word that I have always been attracted to. Even when I was a kid, I devoured novels, comic books, magazines; and I would tell myself that some day it would be me writing these things. I would make the New York Times Bestseller List. I knew what that was by the time I was 7 and I wanted to be on it because that's where the really good writers ended up. That meant people were buying their books and reading them. I used to have my Mom take me to the bookstore whenever I had the chance. Continue Reading →
To My Upstairs Neighbors
Dear Upstairs Neighbors.
You don't know me. I'm the guy who lives beneath you that you've walked past a hundred times without saying even a simple hello. The guy who passed by you at the mailbox this morning. You probably don't remember, you were busy yelling at your five year old daughter to stop crying. Your son, who has to be about a year or two younger maybe, he was the one who didn't want to get in the car; shrieking his tiny little head off. You surely know him, the one who likes to stomp around your floor like some kind of pint-sized Godzilla. I think it was him. I never can tell which of you is banging on the floor so hard up there that it reverberates through my apartment like the Drums of Autumn. It sounds like you're remodeling the damn kitchen every morning, around 7:15am. Like clockwork. Perhaps you don't realize you have neighbors beneath you, and this ratty dwelling sure as hell wasn't built before the War. Continue Reading →
The Watch as Survival Tool
Most watches that I've seen friends and family wearing are pretty standard. Two hands and maybe a little window that tells you the date. Maybe they're digital as well, with a few other bells and whistles added to the package. There's nothing wrong with that either.
But if I were going to wear a watch, I think I'd want something a little more advanced. A watch that made a statement on your wrist. Something you might find on James Bond or Rambo when things get kind of messy out there.
Why do you ask? I don't know, maybe because I think it would make me even more awesome than I am right now. Watches have long been considered a status symbol, why else would anyone pay a few thousand dollars for a fancy Rolex or Patek Philippe?
Now I'm not talking about going overboard and getting something like that, I want a timepiece that can give me all of the pertinent information that I need on a moment's notice. I'm talking about the kind of stuff that will really help if I get lost in the woods or stuck in the middle of nowhere. What if I find myself swept out to sea or caught in a bad storm and stranded out on the hiking trail? Then what?
Watches can do more than just tell the time, they can be a survival tool. Tactical watches in particular. Those are worn by some of the biggest badasses who ever badassed. I bet every one of the Expendables wears a military watch. Now talk about a cool watch, tactical watches offer so many different features you're sure to survive wherever you might end up.
With a tactical watch, you have options in the features you can choose from, like a thermometer, altimeter, barometer, and more. You also have options in the way it looks, select a thick, bulky number or a slim watch with a thinner band. You might be asking how I know about all this, I checked out tactical watches. Click here to find out more about what kinds of watches are available.
For myself, I think I'm going with a Casio G-Shock. It's the perfect watch to get me through even the roughest environments, terrain, and life-threatening situations. People will get one look at that baby on my wrist and know that I'm a man to be reckoned with, who doesn't take crap from anybody, and tame the great outdoors without breaking a sweat.
Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. I don't go outside, the only harsh environments I know about are in the Call of Duty video game, and I generally find myself taking crap from just about everyone around me.
But at least the watch will have everybody else fooled…and sometimes that's good enough.
Moving at The Speed of Money
If we did, nothing WOULD EVER GET DONE.
I don't get it. We live in a world where things are instantaneous. Life moves fast. We have supercomputers that can perform something like a million commands in half a second. Information, data, can get from one end of the world to the other in half that time. Networks transmit broadband at speeds that allow us to download just about anything in seconds and present the fastest, most detailed video games and high-definition movies online anywhere in the country.
We have robots that can run up to 20mph for two hours straight. There are 3D printers that can build fully operational firearms and artificial, YET edible, pizza in minutes. Square enables you to accept credit card transactions on your phone. Operating systems on pretty much everything are running at their highest and most rapid capacities yet. Satellites can transmit real-time photographs and imaging throughout the globe. Google has made a car that can DRIVE. ITSELF.
So why the fuck does it take my bank, pretty much any bank in the United States, up to five days to give me my money? If you want to give someone money or receive money it's like we're back in the 1970′s. Sure, there are all kinds of cool ways to do it: mobile apps on your smartphone that let you send money to someone via cell number or email address. Online banking sites that make transferring sums of money pretty much effortless. Just a few keystrokes and, voila, you've transferred money!
Paypal is one of the coolest inventions to come from homo sapiens in a long time. You can buy stuff from eBay with it, your relatives can send you money, even your employer can pay you through the service. I love Paypal. It's pretty great. The fees are getting a little out of hand, but it's a relatively small price to pay for the convenience of, basically, instant money over the Internet. The major banks' mobile apps took the idea and every one of them built their own mini version of it for use on smartphones and tablets.
OK. Now, try to transfer that money from Paypal into your checking account. Type in how much you want to move over, make sure your banking info is correct, click Send or whatever. BAM! You've transferred money to your account…but wait. And yes, you now have to wait. For possibly 3-4 days. Try one of those "cool" fancy mobile apps that your bank offers. Chase, B of A, whichever. Send money from your phone to another account at another bank. Two day wait. TWO DAYS??
How about this one. Ever get a cashier's check? You literally cannot buy one without cash. CASH. As in green money. You can't pay by check, but you can have it withdrawn from you account (instantly, mind you), and they will hand you a cashier's check. If you need a cashier's check for $100.00 and you have $99.99 that is the only amount you can get your cashier's check made out for. It's as good as real money. Your landlord will not accept your rent as cold, hard cash in a paper bag but he or she will gladly accept your cashier's check because they KNOW IT WILL CLEAR, unlike a personal check written in pen and signed at the bottom with a squiggle. But if you receive that cashier's check and deposit it into your account….guess what? You may have to wait up to THREE WEEKS for it to clear. As in 21 DAYS?? Are you people kidding me? It was bought with cash! What's to clear? That's how long a personal check might take, especially if it's a large amount, you know, four figures or more.
The banking system is a complete joke. Everything else in the world has entered the 21st century, except banks. I don't know if these wait times are to combat fraud or the banks just enjoy fiddling with our money, or who the hell knows. Here's what I DO know; if I'm moving fifty bucks from my Paypal account into my checking account – put it there immediately. Catch up with the rest of the civilized world for fuck's sake. I can print a fully automatic gun before my money hits my checking account. Makes me want to put it all under the damn mattress…and I'm seriously thinking about doing just that.
Not One More
By now you've probably heard of Elliot Rodger, the loser who killed six people and then offed himself out in Santa Barbara over Memorial Day weekend. It's a story that we've heard before, told way too many times. Mentally disabled individual has it out for humanity, decides to buy a gun (or several), and then proceeds to carry out their so-called ultimate revenge for the perceived wrongs that have been perpetrated against him, resulting in the deaths of multiple innocent victims. There is no shortage of infamous events; Columbine, Virginia Tech, Aurora, Colorado, the Sikh Temple in Wisconsin, Sandy Hook, the list goes on in a tragic downward spiral of indifference. Yes, indifference. The men and women who have been tasked with running this country have shown exactly that. Now, another black mark in our nation's history: Santa Barbara, California.
Elliot Rodger, son of parents in the movie industry, author of a rambling 137 page manifesto that chronicled all of his difficulties in getting a girl to have sex with him. Long-winded and self-aggrandizing, the manifesto reads like the rantings of a child. Denied something he felt he was entitled to: sex. Jealous of those around him; friends, acquaintances, couples he saw walking down the street, members of his own family, all of whom were sexually active. Spurned throughout his entire adolescent and (short) adult life, Rodger couldn't get a girl. So he vowed to murder them all in a misogynist Mein Kampf for the young adult set. A kid from privilege (his father Peter is a prolific Second Unit movie director), Rodger drove around in a black BMW coupe that his parents bought him because he was aware of a "hierarchy" of popular cars and he needed to have the best one to drive around campus.
When even that didn't get him laid, and despite all his other attempts, there was only one thing left to do. Mass murder. The fact he sounded like a total creep didn't even dawn on him apparently. He stabbed three roommates, and then shot and killed three other people as he drove through crowded parts of downtown Santa Barbara, mowing down bicyclists and causing complete chaos by firing randomly out his car windows. It all ended when he crashed his vehicle and then shot himself in the head.
Yet another incident that has once again sparked the gun control debate. The NRA has been relatively quiet in light of this new tragedy. Even Wayne LaPierre, the organization's mouth piece – a tactless gas-bag and misguided zealot – has known better than to step back on his soapbox, for the moment. But that hasn't stopped other fading icons of diminishing importance from claiming the spotlight and bloviating about the Second Amendment. Rush Limbaugh blamed the movie The Hunger Games (a film that Peter Rodger worked on), saying that film violence spurred this on. Joe the Plumber (remember him?) came out to say that dead kids don't trump his Second Amendment rights.
A pair of true Americans speaking up once again. Here we go once more; mentally ill people are demonized as roundly dangerous. Republican gun-nuts refuse to acknowledge a need for stricter gun controls and nothing gets accomplished. The NRA has such a stranglehold on Congress that every one of them has been turned a eunuch by the powerful lobbying group. People are dying at the highest rates of any country in the entire world as a result of gun violence and nothing changes. The NRA would be perfectly happy if everyone had a gun in their hand, mentally capable or not. Guns for children? No problem – and that's a sad reality. The NRA is all for it.
Richard Martinez, whose son was killed in the shootings, has started a postcard writing campaign. Not One More. Three simple words meant to serve as a rallying cry to Congress. Unfortunately, it doesn't hold any financial or political sway whatsoever; but what it can do is prove how many people in this country have had enough of the NRA and of people like Rush Limbaugh. Always looking for another scapegoat, violence in movies, video games, the blue sky above; when the real culprit is looking them right in the face. They just refuse to acknowledge it. Simply put, it's far too easy for people to get their hands on guns in this country. Stricter background checks do not mean Obama is taking away your guns. It just prevents the wrong people from getting them and incidents like this from happening again.
Ant-Man and a Talking Raccoon
I'm a big fan of Marvel Comics. Ever since I was a kid I've always loved Marvel titles just a little bit more than DC Comics books. Spider-Man, Captain America, X-Men, were just some of my favorites. Their characters just seemed more fully-fleshed out, deeper, more interesting, than a lot of the DC stable. I did love Batman. He always had the best villains. Superman was a little too goody goody for me; a bit too simplistic. He was an alien from outer space who became the boy next door. Wonder Woman was hot but her stories never hooked me. Like the saying goes, "Make Mine Marvel".
The Avengers were far cooler than the Justice League. Iron Man and Batman had their similarities (both gazillionaires hiding behind costumes), but while Bruce Wayne had cooler gadgets and wilder villains, Tony Stark seemed more haunted and conflicted. There was the infamous Demon in A Bottle storyline where Tony nearly drinks himself to death. Frank Miller gave us The Dark Knight Returns where Batman is still guilt-ridden by the death of Jason Todd, the former Robin. Becoming an alcoholic to forget and eventually unleashing his demons on the scourge of Gotham City. Admittedly, both companies had realistic characters, larger than life characters, and some that were way far out there. Cosmic characters that lived in outer space and were looking to rule the galaxy if not just merely the world.
The Golden Age of Comic Books is widely considered to be the run of books that were published between 1938 and 1949. I'd argue that we are in a Golden Age of Comic Book Movies. Before the 80′s most superhero movies were TV films. Then Christopher Reeve became Superman and that was the beginning of a slow but steady increase in comic book movie adaptations. In fact, most of the 80′s was forgettable except for Superman. George Lucas gave us the dreadful Howard the Duck.
Wes Craven made a Swamp Thing movie. There was a Supergirl movie. Then we got Tim Burton's Batman. That opened up the floodgates of the 90′s with some pretty good movies (Batman Returns, The Rocketeer, Blade) and some truly awful flicks (the Joel Schumacher Batman movies, Judge Dredd, Steel, Spawn, this list is a lot longer). Then the 00′s arrived and the quality of the movies improved. Sam Raimi gave us one great and two decent Spider-Man movies, the X-men finally got a movie or two. But for every good film there was a Daredevil, an Elektra, another Punisher movie with John Travolta. But 2005 was a benchmark for comic book fans. Batman was reborn by Christopher Nolan. Marvel became a movie studio and gave us an amazing Iron Man movie, spawning one of the most popular franchises of all time based on a B-list character.
Ever since then, Marvel has become an absolute powerhouse. Not every movie was perfect but a lot of them have been terrific and just about all have been wildly popular and profitable worldwide. They just released the latest Captain America 2 (which was excellent, by the way), and this summer they're releasing Guardians of the Galaxy. Another gamble for sure, it's not one of their best known titles and the characters include a foul-mouthed talking raccoon and a talking tree-like alien. It's a movie that some insiders are claiming that Marvel executives are little bit worried about. Since it's such a strange storyline, taking place primarily in outer space, it's unlike their better known (and better grounded – for comic books, that is) titles. Green Lantern is the closest comparison that can be made to GotG and that movie tanked.
It was a hard sell from the beginning and with the outer space backdrop and alien characters, the movie didn't find an audience. This could be the reason why Edgar Wright left Ant-Man. Another B or even C list title that is often associated with the Avengers, who are much more popular and better known than the Guardians. But then they were two very different titles. The Avengers were typical super-heroes. Guardians has a little bit of irreverent humor that almost spoofs traditional books. But where Ant-Man is concerned, Wright is a popular director who always brings a specific vision to his work. Marvel has been hiring good people to steer its movies but one wonders now that with the company becoming such a money-making juggernaut, do they need (or even want) visionary directors on their movies? Instead, are they looking for guns for hire to crank out product that is overseen on high by executives who realize they've got a winning formula now?
Maybe they're just getting more risk-averse as the budgets get higher and the fan expectations turn loftier. Either way, Marvel has won over my confidence and I look forward to all of their upcoming titles until they give me a reason to think otherwise. Sony on the other hand, has ruined the Spider-Man franchise with nonsense plotting and bad ideas. The last one was terrible and I would love to see the rights to that character return to Marvel, where they belong.
Welcome to Manliness
Hey there, thanks for stopping by! I'm David and I run The Man Version. Here you'll find my thoughts on a variety of topics, all giving you insight into how men do and should think and conduct themselves. Be sure to leave a comment!


text: Board of Directors Mr. Evanson Mwaniki - Non Executive Chairman Mr. Mwaniki, holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from the University of London. He was the General Manager for Shell and BP between June 1989 and December 1994. Over this period Mr. Mwanikis notable achievements included turning around the company from a loss position in 1989 to profitability. He also led the oil industry negotiations with the Government on liberalization of the oil industry, leading to actual decontrol in October 1994 and prepared Kenya Shell & BP Kenya (including restructuring the organization) for effective marketing in the new (liberalized) business environment. Mr. Mwaniki has represented the oil industry in various influential forums. These include the Federation of Kenya Employers and the East Africa Association. Mr. Mwaniki currently sits on the boards of various companies, including British American Tobacco Kenya (Non-Executive Chairman), East African Breweries Ltd, East African Packaging Industries Ltd and Lion of Kenya Insurance Company Ltd. Mbuvi Ngunze - Group Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer Mbuvi holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree accounting option from the University of Nairobi. He is a Chartered Accountant (England and Wales) and is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School's Management Development Program (PMD75). He joined Price Waterhouse in Nairobi in 1990 and was seconded to Manchester in the United Kingdom where he was articled. In the UK, he started off as an Audit Assistant and left 5 years later as an Assistant Manager. In 1995, he rejoined Price Waterhouse in Kenya as Audit Manager, leading audits of various blue chip companies, and also involved in training and recruitment. In 1998, he joined Bamburi Cement (a Lafarge subsidiary) as Finance Manager and was promoted to the Finance Director's position in February 1999. He held this position up to March 2002 when he was appointed Managing Director Hima Cement Uganda (Lafarge). In May 2006, he moved to the headquarters of Lafarge in Paris. He first took up the role of Mission Director in the Group Audit Department for six months, and then was appointed Group Vice President Internal Communications in November 2006. In March 2009, he was appointed General Manager for Lafarge's operations in Tanzania (Mbeya Cement). He joined Kenya Airways in September 2011 as Chief Operating Officer. Mbuvi has extensive Board room experience having served on the Board of Bamburi Cement (from 1999), Hima Cement, Mbeya Cement, and serving as Secretary to the East African Cement Producers Association. Alex Wainaina Mbugua: Group Finance Director (50 years) Mr. Mbugua was appointed the Group Finance Director on 14th July 2008. He is an MBA graduate with specialization in Corporate Finance and a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya. He is also an alumni of Harvard Business School having completed the Advanced Management Program (AMP 183) in October 2012. In the past 28 years, during his highly successful career, Mr. Mbugua has developed significant knowledge and expertise in the fields of finance, strategy, information technology and general management.As Group Finance Director, Mr. Mbugua has been responsible for and overseen certain key milestones for KQ, including chairing of the KQ Ten Year Strategic Planning committee for the development of "Project Mawingu" and presiding over the capital raising for the project. This included the high profile 2012 rights issue offer that raised net proceeds of KES 13.8 billion for KQ. Prior to his current position, Mr. Mbugua held the position of Chief Financial Officer of Africa Open Pit Mines, AngloGold Ashanti in Johannesburg. He also held board positions at AngloGold Holdings (UK) and also in 8 mining subsidiaries spread out in 5 African Countries. Other board positions have included Bain Hogg Ltd and Norfolk Holdings (K) Ltd together with KQ subsidiaries Kenya Airfreight Handling Ltd and JamboJet Ltd. Mr. Dinesh Kapila - Non-Executive Director Mr. Kapila, is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya, Barrister-at-law, Lincolns' Inn, England, a partner in D.V. Kapila & Company Advocates, a practitioner in corporate, commercial and conveyancing matters. He has been actively involved in overall privatization strategy in Kenya as a member of the Parastatal Reform Programme Committee of the Government of Kenya. He has been a member of the Attorney General's Task Force formed for revising and updating laws relating to companies, partnerships, investments and insolvency. He has been a member of New Issues and Economic Rejuvenation Committees of Nairobi Stock Exchange. He has been involved in the restructuring of Kenya Ports Authority as well as National Cereals and Produce Board. He has advised the private sector in matters pertaining to telecommunications, railways, banking, hotels, properties, industries, farming etc. and is a director of several private companies. He joined the Board of Kenya Airways in April 1991, and is currently the Chairman of the Board's Audit and Risk Management Committee, a member of the Board's Staff and Remuneration Committee and also Chairman of the Airline's subsidiary companies, Kenya Airfreight Handling Limited, African Cargo Handling Limited and Kencargo Airlines International Limited. Pieter J.TH. Elbers - Non-Executive Director (44 years) Pieter Elbers is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Air France KLM Group. Since July, 1st 2013 his primary responsibility has been to manage KLM's Passenger Business with € 6.6 billion of revenues, 25 million passengers per year, 160 aircraft, 650 flights per day to 131 international destinations and 20,000 staff. He is also responsible for defining and implementing KLM's strategic fleet development, KLM's main port strategy and enhancing Joint Venture partnerships with SkyTeam and other airlines. Pieter has also served previously as the senior Vice President Network & Alliances, Vice President Network Planning, General Manager KLM Japan & Korea (based in Tokyo), and General Manager KLM Mediterranean (based in Athens). In addition to Kenya Airways, he also sits on the Board of Malfo B.V and Transavia Airlines B.V.and is a Member of the Advisory Board of The National Aerospace Laboratory of the Netherlands (NLR), Advisory Board of International Institute of Air & Space Law (IIASL) and the College Dutch Aerospace/"Lucht- en ruimtevaart Nederland" (LRN). Ron Schipper - Non-Executive Director Ron Schipper started his career in aviation in 1969 by joining KLM as a cabin attendant. He flew for 3 years and was then transferred to cabin crew management where he worked in various management positions until 1979. He left the Netherlands in 1980 for his first posting as Manager Cabin Crew seconded to Nigeria Airways in Lagos. In 1982 he was appointed Sales Manager Kenya based in Nairobi after which he was transferred to the UK in 1984 as District manager Northern England based in Manchester. In 1986 Ron was appointed as General Manager Ghana and in 1989 he spent a brief period in France as interim General Manager France based in Paris before returning to the Netherlands to take up the appointment of Executive Secretary of the Passenger Division. In 1991 he was seconded to Antillean Airlines in Curacao as Managing Director. In 1994 Ron was appointed as VP Africa based in Johannesburg and in 2004 the Near East was added to his area of responsibility. Ron retired from KLM in 2008 and continues to live in Johannesburg. During his period as VP Africa he has been instrumental in the process to link KLM to Kenya Airways which he considers as one of the milestone in his career. Ron has served as Chairman of the Board of the Chamber of Commerce South Africa / the Netherlands, is member of the staff and remuneration committee of the KQ Board, is Board Member of Precision Air and serves as Board Member of AviAssist, a Dutch foundation with focus on African Aviation Safety. Dr. Kamau Thugge - Non-Executive Director Dr Kamau Thugge is the first Principal Secretary, National Treasury. Prior to his appointment as Principal Secretary, he worked as a Senior Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Finance from the year 2010. He has also worked at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in various capacities for over 21 years. He was the Head of the Fiscal and Monetary Affairs Department, Treasury between 2004 to 2005, and the Economic Secretary and Head of Economic Affairs Department, Treasury between 2005 and 2008. He has represented the Permanent Secretary, Finance on the Boards of the Central Bank of Kenya, the Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Kenya, the Kenya Revenue Authority and the Capital Markets Authorities. Joseph William Nduva Muli, EBS- Non-Executive Director Mr. Nduva Muli is the Principal Secretary for the State Department of Transport in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Kenya. The role of the Ministry is to deliver Kenya's ambitious plans to have a world class transport and logistics system for the country that will contribute to the realization of Kenya's national vision to be middle income country before 2030. Prior to his appointment as Principal Secretary, he was the Managing Director of Kenya Railways Corporation where he spearheaded significant reform in the railway sector which culminated in the development and construction of new railways in the country after several decades of decline in the sector. He has held senior management positions in other organizations including the African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF) one of Africa's leading health non-profit organizations and Kenya Airways one of Africa's fastest growing commercial airlines. Mr. Nduva sits on various boards of blue chip companies and state corporations in Kenya including BRITAM, a leading financial services company, Kenya Airways, Kenya Ports Authority, Kenya Airports Authority among others. He also sits of the Board of Kenya Vision 2030 that is taking the lead in delivering the national vision. Mr. Nduva holds a Bachelor's degree in Land Economics BLE) from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Moi University, Nairobi Campus. He has also undertaken specialized training in transport and logistics, strategic management, leadership, and corporate governance from various institutions of higher learning. He has been recognized for his outstanding service to Kenya by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Kenya and awarded Elder of the Order of the Burning Spear (EBS), an award that is one of the highest civilian service awards. Ayisi Makatiani - Non-Executive Director Mr. Ayisi Makatiani is Head of Fanisi Capital Ltd, a company established in 2009 to manage a US$50M Venture Capital/Private Equity fund investing in small and medium-sized enterprises across East Africa. Previously he was head of the African Management Services Company (AMSCO), founded by the International Finance Corporation – the World Bank's private-sector arm. Mr Makatiani obtained a degree in engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology before setting up Africa Online, which became the continent's largest internet service provider. Mr Makatiani is also an adviser to the President in Kenya, a member of the Board of Kenya Airways, was a member of the UN Secretary General's Taskforce on ICT and was vice-chairman of Kenyatta University Council. In 2010, Mr. Makatiani received the national honour and award of the Elder of the Order of the Burning Spear (EBS), one of the highest that can be awarded to a civilian by the Head of State. Voted one of the top 10 CEOs in East Africa several times, Ayisi Makatiani is both a Global Leader for Tomorrow and a Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum Mr. Jos Veenstra - Alternate Non-Executive Director Mr. Veenstra, is a Chartered Accountant. After completing his studies in Business Economics at the University of Groningen in 1991 he worked with KPMG as an auditor. He joined KLM in 1996. He has served in various financial positions for KLM in the Netherlands. During the last four years, he was Vice President Finance and Control for the Engineering and Maintenance division of KLM. He is currently also a board member for KLM UK Engineering Limited as well as EPCOR BV. Currently he is the Holding manager for KLM and responsible for the monitoring of KLM's corporate holdings. He is a member of the Board's Audit and Risk Management Committee. Ambassador Dennis Awori,Non-Executive Director Dennis Awori obtained a BSc (hons) degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Manchester in 1976. He is a graduate of both Ashridge Management College UK, in Business Leadership Program and Emory Business School Management Development Atlanta University. Dennis Awori began his career with Cooper Motor Corporation Holdings Ltd where he was General Sales Manager and then Branch Manager for the West Kenya region. He was appointed Managing Director of Lonrho Motors East Africa (previously named the Motor Mart Group) in 1997. He became Corporate Advisor and Executive Consultant, a post he held until he was appointed the Ambassador of the Republic of Kenya to Japan and Korea in 2004. Upon his return in April 2009, he was immediately appointed Chairman of Toyota East Africa Ltd and Executive Advisor to Toyota Tsusho Africa (Pty) Ltd and in April 2010 he was appointed to the NEPAD. Vincent Rague,Non-Executive Director Mr. Rague is currently Senior Financial Adviser to the Treasury and sits on the Boards of three private equity funds. He has 24 years experience at the IFC and World Bank spanning investments, project finance and banking in Africa, Europe and Asia.He was previously the Chief Investment Office and Global Head of property finance at the IFC and served in a variety of senior management positions including being IFC's first regional representative to South Africa where he was responsible for setting up and managing IFC's office and operations in Southern Africa.Prior to joining the World Bank, Mr. Rague worked at the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Kenya as well as serving on the Boards of several companies during his career abroad. He holds a BA (hons) from the University of Nairobi, an MBA from Darden Business School, University of Virginia and an Executive Development Program (EDP) from Harvard Business School.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Pronunciation: /zuː/
Translation of zoo in Spanish:
noun/nombre (plural zoos)
Definition of zoo in:
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Cultural fact of the day
Bonoloto is a Spanish state lottery established in 1988. The others are the Lotería Nacional and the Lotería Primitiva. As with the Lotería Primitiva six numbers are marked on a ticket showing forty-nine numbers and win the main prize if all the numbers come up in the draw.


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Chart House Restaurant - Redondo Beach
Online Reservations
If you are having a large event, reserve the entire restaurant for the day. Your guests can mingle freely and enjoy all the amentias of the restaurant. Not available for evening events.
The Sunset Room is a private space offering an expansive view of the north coast. This room can be completely separated from the rest of the dining area by simply closing its glass doors. Perfect for special occasions, corporate events & pharmaceutical dinner programs.
America's Cup Room is a intimate and inviting room with floor to ceiling windows and an awesome view of the entire north coastline. The Sunset Room is often used in conjunction with the America's Cup Room, the two spaces complement each other well, and there's an easy flow between them. Combined capacity is Sit-down 100 Standing 125
The Harbor Room is an open area perfect for groups not looking for a private space.


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No-one is a better muse for Louise Gray than Louise Gray herself. The designer is always the funnest girl at a party, and her personal style may draw curious glances from passers-by, but it is always inspired. For the first season, Louise is on schedule and has finally been brought under the New Generation umbrella. Last season her venue was full to bursting with her fans, but this SS '12 show felt more sedate – but just because the venue was bigger, and the fact that Topshop could really do with more speakers so the music fills the old Eurostar station at Waterloo (currently it sounds like someone has turned up their iPod at one end of the catwalk). 'If I were a rich girl' was the theme, and to be honest if I was a rich girl there are loads of this collection I would buy. The vinyl panelled woven trench, the scarlet embellished shorts and the full last two looks. While other designers are simplifying their collections to appeal to more buyers, Louise isn't going to change for money, and while her customers are a very specific minority, they are totally the people that you should hang out with at a party.
- Kay Barron


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Colleges and universities are incorporating different teaching styles and environments to fit the needs of students. Essential to all of this is greater
student engagement and participation. Making students an active part of the conversation builds a richer and more diverse learning experience. With Wacom's
interactive displays, educators can turn static material into active and engaging content. By writing with the pen directly on the screen they can
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RetroSound® Retro Classic Radio RC-900C For 1955-56 Chevy Cars (All Models)
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A suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing is in custody after a day-long manhunt in the area of Watertown, Mass. A violent confrontation in the early hours of Friday morning left a second suspect dead.
Police officers and SWAT team members greet each other after a police assault on a house on Franklin Street in Watertown. The manhunt for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, one of two brothers believed to have carried out the Boston Marathon bombing on Monday, ended with his capture while hiding in the stern of a boat parked in the backyard of a house.
Law enforcement officials are seen in front of 67 Franklin St. after the capture of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the surviving suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings, in Watertown.
Members of the public cheer as police officers leave the scene where Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the surviving suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings, was taken into custody.
Neighborhood residents cheer to news that police have captured Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the surviving suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings, in Watertown. Boston police said on Friday they have taken Tsarnaev into custody and are sweeping the suburban Boston neighborhood where he was captured after a massive manhunt.
This was the scene in Watertown, Mass., after police found suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, hiding in a boat being stored in a yard.
Police found a person they believed to be Tsarnaev about an hour after holding a press conference saying they still had not found him.
Tsarnaev was taken into custody alive but in need of medical attention after a standoff that lasted a little more than an hour.
After the manhunt, the Boston Police Department tweeted, "CAPTURED!!! The hunt is over. The search is done. The terror is over. And justice has won. Suspect in custody."
A Watertown resident took this photo of police searching door to door for the Boston Marathon bombing suspect during the day Friday.
Police say the two suspects carjacked the vehicle in Cambridge, but let the driver go unharmed.
The Boston Bomb squad sets up in Kenmore Square as the manhunt continues Friday morning for the second suspect.
Law enforcement officials stage in a parking lot during the search.
A police officer points his rifle at a man (not pictured) on the ground April 19.
Police officers keep a man on the ground April 19.
Police officers (not pictured) keep a man - who is not a suspect - on the ground April 19.
A man looks out of his door as a SWAT team member knocks on his neighbors door as they search for the remaining suspect April 19.
A law enforcement official stands with his rifle during a search April 19, 2013.
The manhunt started after a police officer for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was shot to death on Thursday night at the school's Cambridge campus. Police then spread out to search for the suspects in a community on edge just days after the Boston Marathon bombing.
The suspects also stole a vehicle and threw explosives at law officers pursuing them in a high-speed chase.
One suspect, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, died during a firefight with police early Friday. According to NBC News, that suspect also had explosives strapped to his chest.
The second suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, was arrested in the Boston suburb of Watertown. He was found hiding in a boat being stored in a yard.
Watertown borders Boston.
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This guitar is fun to play, but the Frets were really rough and scrap the hands. Just needs a bit of a touch up. The playabilit is good, but the action is a little too high. Also, the amp has lots of feature built in but unfortunately, my amp has problem where aprox. 7 of the built in amp types don't work. And this is right out of the box, not over time... So that amp was/is a big disappointment.
disappointed owns this item
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Experience Michiana: June 15th, 2012
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About This Episode
Episode #165
Tonight: "Infernal Device" with James Geisel and Crystal Ryan, Urban Garden Market with Lynn-Joyce Dolson and Donna Ring, Judy Ladd from the Leeper Park Art Fair, and much more!
- Original Airdate:
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David Locke: "Because what happens in this league is, people start shooting threes and they get soft and dont want contact and then they just stay out there all the time. Youre not going to get soft, are you?"Enes Kanter: "I kind of live in the paint, man. Come on. I wont get soft. Dont worry about that."
Have some of the same feeling as others in this thread. Been a fan for about 20 years. Have bought League Pass every year for like the last 8 to watch Jazz, but this year watching less and less and dont even really care if they lose to much (perhaps some of this is so we can get a high draft pick this year ) I admit there is another team I am watching a lot of this year. They are about to get really exciting when an injured player comes back. Would prefer to see the young guys play. Last night almost at the very end of the game all 5 guys on the floor will be free agents next year. Hard to get into the Jazz when the team may be very different next year.
This team hasn't been as exciting as previous teams and I think I know how to fix it.
Let's trade Al Jefferson and Millsap to the Lakers for Gasol and Sacre.
We can start Gasol and Favors.
So what Big Al doesn't fit a D'Antonio offense. I just want to see a truly skilled big man on our team.
Always remember that you are absolutely unique.
Just like everyone else.
-Margaret Mead
in this thread.
interesting thread. i wonder if some who are losing interest would consider them selves to be "fair weather fans."
not saying they are, just wondering what they think. what do you think?
HH, fair weather? Did you read through the thread. A lot of the posters are 20-year fans. Some have been following the Jazz probably since you were in diapers.
So I resist becoming a fan for more than 5 years, finally give in and get invested, and just a few years later everyone's* leaving?


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Federation Commander
A NEW fast paced board game of starship combat!
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Fighters in Borders of Madness
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Joined: 08 Oct 2006
Posts: 3498
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 5:00 pm
Post subject: Fighters in Borders of Madness
This discussion is for fighters and carriers in Federation Commander. Note that this really is almost assuredly Borders of Madness, not Federation Commander proper, so please don't freak out on the title.
Also, please know that such discussions have proven "volatile" in the past. I will ruthlessly slam and delete anything that starts getting out of control. Please keep any comments as constructive as possible.
To start, let me quote Steve's comments about the issue in the "What Ships Do You Want" thread:
Steve Cole wrote:
Carriers: This is a consolidation of several older posts.
We published a Fed and Klingon carrier in CL#37. There are plans to publish a border of madness product for carriers, but given the huge amount of work that went into Briefing #2 (four times the work of an attack product, for a lower retail price than one attack product, and lower sales since the cards were not laminated) that plan is under review. I am not sure how or when we'll do fighters/carriers.
Another issue with fighters is that they tend to have seeking weapons and really really clutter the map. One carrier turns into 12 fighters with 24-48 seeking weapons and the game becomes unmanagable. Several options are under consideration, including not doing carriers, the mythical direct-fire drones rules (which don't work and screw up tactics), and the idea that you have to keep all of your fighters in one hex and all of their drones in one pack. Film at 11.
Federation Commander Answer Guy
Last edited by mjwest on Wed Mar 09, 2011 5:54 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Lieutenant SG
Joined: 02 Nov 2006
Posts: 125
Location: York U.K.
Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 5:26 pm
Post subject:
MJ would it be possible to add to this thread the interim rule suggestion, or at least links to, that the management (i.e. You, Steve etc.) have suggested in the past on other threads. For example the stuff we were talking about on Rom fighters and the SP-B. As this may help to define the current ideas and help give a refference point to start things off from.
Talking of the SP-B it is more than likely going to get a outing in our next campaign round, so I,ll report back on how it gose.
I too hope we all can keep this discussion a civilised one so from the beginning I'm going to state my stance on this topic. I like the idea of fighters but would only want to see them as a BOM addition, and graetly simplifed compared to SFB, so people can pick and choose if they use them and when.
Last edited by Targ on Wed Mar 09, 2011 5:52 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Fleet Captain
Joined: 24 Jul 2008
Posts: 1883
Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 5:28 pm
Post subject:
Is this a thread for whether we want them, whether the should be BoM, how to do them, or anything at all to do with fighters? I'm not really sure.
keeping it brief:
1. I don't want fighters in FC beyond stingers.
2. I don't mind if they stay in BoM.
3. They seem to slow the game down quite badly (even with direct fire).
4. Direct fire seems to more or less work well enough.
5. I'm an FC player and have no interest in SFB, it doesn't bother me in the slightest if tactics are different between the 2 games (they probably already are anyway).
We might be using Fed and Rom carriers/fighters again (in our campaign) over the next couple of weeks, I expect if we do then I'll post more about them then.
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Joined: 08 Oct 2006
Posts: 3498
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:04 pm
Post subject:
storeylf wrote:
Is this a thread for whether we want them, whether the should be BoM, how to do them, or anything at all to do with fighters? I'm not really sure.
OK, I changed the title to reference BoM instead of FC.
This is not to talk about fighters in FC proper. I seriously doubt that will ever happen. This is just to talk about fighters in BoM. Primarly about it is *how* to do them, but the discussion can expand as necessary.
The big things I don't want are:
- "Don't put fighters in Federation Commander!" We are talking BoM, so we should already be good there.
- "I don't want fighters in BoM." OK, make your statement, but let's not argue. This topic is assuming that they will eventually make BoM.
- Arguments. We can discuss things, but if you find yourself saying the same thing a third time, let it go.
Other than that, discuss away! What are your experiences with the current fighter rules? What ways are they broken? What do you like about them? What should be done better? Should we push more for just direct fire fighters? Can direct-fire drones be made to work? Do fighters have to be "stacked"? Is there something that is being missed?
Federation Commander Answer Guy
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Lieutenant SG
Joined: 02 Nov 2006
Posts: 125
Location: York U.K.
Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:25 pm
Post subject:
mjwest wrote:
Do fighters have to be "stacked"?
The problem with ideas like this is we have the Stinger as the base line for fighters and ideas like this, fighters been flown as a 'flight', were discounted when the Hydren were been developed (Personally I think a great idea was missed here to help keep thing s fast and simple) and I really don't like the concept of one type of fighter operating differently from the other at the basic rule level.
Last edited by Targ on Thu Mar 10, 2011 8:29 am; edited 1 time in total
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Joined: 07 May 2007
Posts: 1565
Location: South Carolina
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 1:13 am
Post subject:
Here is an idea to get things moving.
If map clutter and play speed are the main issues, why not simply give fighters direct-fire weapons and take away their drone launching capability?
Give the fighters the normal phasers they have from "that other game." Then give them a toned-down version of a heavy weapon (no overloads). Fighter-photons would do 4 points of damage instead of 8 and could not be overloaded). Fighter-disruptors would do half the damage a ship-fired disruptor would do (round fractions up). Gorn and Romulan fighters would have the plasma-D. I would prefer allowing bolting only to keep with the flavor of the other empires' direct-fire heavy fighter weapons.
Basically, the theme is to cut the amount of damage in half from that of a regular heavy weapon used on ships. Range could also be limited (8? 12? 15?).
I think this would make fighters relevant, but not overpowering. It would prevent map clutter and a slow-down of play other than because of the sheer numbers of fighters themselves.
"Sometimes our best is not enough. We must do what is required." -- Winston Churchill
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Joined: 23 Aug 2007
Posts: 641
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 1:28 am
Post subject:
Direct fire weapons only is just too reasonable to ever see the light of day, instead we'll probably get fighters just as they stand. Honestly I always thought fighters in star trek were a bad idea anyway, how often do you read of a carrier group returning with their fighters.
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Lieutenant Commander
Joined: 23 Aug 2007
Posts: 231
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:11 am
Post subject:
I like the direct fire only idea. Just need a streamlined dogfight resolution system.
Allowing the grouping of fighters into flights doesn't have to change any existing Hydran fighter rules or ship configurations. Just give the Hydrans and any other empire with fighters an incentive to put them in squadrons.
Simply state that two or more friendly fighters in a hex can be grouped into a squadron during 1E2g. Any damage received is taken on the squadron and not the individual fighters. Damage is distributed by the owning player.
This would reduce the analysis paralysis of the firing units trying to pick the individual fighter that is most damaged versus the fighter that hasn't fired which really bogs down a game.
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Joined: 08 Oct 2006
Posts: 3498
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 4:34 am
Post subject:
Monty wrote:
Simply state that two or more friendly fighters in a hex can be grouped into a squadron during 1E2g. Any damage received is taken on the squadron and not the individual fighters. Damage is distributed by the owning player.
I don't think the idea of sharing damage would work. That just opens a can of worms I don't think needs opening.
, I do think you could allow "pooling" of defensive fire. In other words, any fighter in a 'fighter group' can use its weapons in defensive fire phase in support of any other fighter in the group (or, of course, itself).
Federation Commander Answer Guy
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Lieutenant SG
Joined: 16 Nov 2010
Posts: 185
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 4:51 am
Post subject:
mjwest wrote:
Monty wrote:
Simply state that two or more friendly fighters in a hex can be grouped into a squadron during 1E2g. Any damage received is taken on the squadron and not the individual fighters. Damage is distributed by the owning player.
I don't think the idea of sharing damage would work. That just opens a can of worms I don't think needs opening.
, I do think you could allow "pooling" of defensive fire. In other words, any fighter in a 'fighter group' can use its weapons in defensive fire phase in support of any other fighter in the group (or, of course, itself).
Pooling of damage is not necessary. Just make it 3 fighter to a wing. For simplification a fighter's weapons are part of the firepower of the wing until that fighters boxes are all damaged. Group the wings on the SSDs or simply put out some "Fighter Wing Cards" that have the fighters grouped up.
Fire is targeted at the wing and damage rolls from one fighter to the next.
Fighters in wings are never crippled, they are either intact or destroyed. When destroyed the weapons associated with them are also destroyed.
Advantages: a "wing" of fighters counts the same toward the FC stacking limit as a "ship". (ie: 3 miniautures, max).
Wings must be homogenous: 3 fighters of the exact same type (3 A-10s, 3 ZY's, etc).
Here are the ways that this simplifies/streamlines combat:
1) Fewer figurines to move.
2) Less time spent allocating firepower. Instead of saying "this fighter gets 1 disrupter and 3 phaser 2's and that one gets 2 phaser 1's and 2 phaser 3's, etc" in an attempt to guarantee cripples the person would simply say "i'm firiring 1 disruptor, 3 phaser 1s and 2 phaser 2's at that fighter wing".
Fighter wings must move in tandem (ie: the entire wing uses evasive or does not, the entire win moves together). Weapon fire could still be divvied out.
Defensive fire would also be as a unit. If a wing has 3 ph-3 shots they could fire them at seekers targeted at the wing.
This rule could also be used for drones, for that matter. Instead of 3 individual drones fighters could launch "drone swarms". Add 1 damage point per drone (ie: 5 damage to destroy--to make up for the "wasted" damage points lost when a ship has to overkill a drone to guarantee it won't hit) but let the ship fire weapons at the entire swarm. For every drone destroyed the damage goes down by 12.
(Not sure what to do about tractors, maybe a single tractor beam can hold the entire swarm?? still a work in progress/idea).
Just thoughts that I am not attached to one way or the other, but which might be a way to make things manageable.
Dux Volantis
Romulan Star Empire
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jeffery smith
Lieutenant SG
Joined: 11 Oct 2006
Posts: 189
Location: Bothell,WA
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 4:58 am
Post subject: Fighters in Borders of Madness
I like the Idea of "Bolting Plasma D's" for the plasma races. that should work well with the direct fire fighter rules. so would you limit the ISC to plasma fighters ( I do not remember if they have a PPD armed fighter or not).
the Half strength photon/disr type weapons might be a problem because i they do not exist in SFB (correct me if i am wrong on this mjwest).
fun fun fun in the sun sun sun
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Lieutenant Commander
Joined: 07 Jun 2008
Posts: 254
Location: Cary IL
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 5:25 am
Post subject:
Fighters in a BoM product would be fine with me and I would purchase it.
I would also prefer all direct fire fighters with some variants of photons, disruptors and plasmas for the heavy weapons.
No drones. I also would not want to deal with dozens of drones and direct fire drone rules don't appeal to me either.
Plasma bolts for the fighters would probably be easier to manage than standard seeking plasmas.
Having each empire have slightly different fighters would be more interesting too. For example, having the Klingons, Kzinti and Lyrans all use the Z-Y statistics for their fighters might be simpler but less interesting.
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jeffery smith
Lieutenant SG
Joined: 11 Oct 2006
Posts: 189
Location: Bothell,WA
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 5:45 am
Post subject: Fighters in Borders of Madness
to avoid drones. the only thing that comes to mind is take the KZ-D and the ZDAS and swap out the drones for another disruptor (1xPH-3 FA, 2xDisr FA) or replace them with another PH-3(2xPH-3 FA, 1xDisr FA).
fun fun fun in the sun sun sun
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Joined: 08 Oct 2006
Posts: 1577
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 6:15 am
Post subject:
I've been looking at this from an Omega perspective (where things work a bit differently) but I think there might be some useful comparisons.
An FRA strike carrier has a squadron of twelve fighters; eight Dobermans (with phasers, and SRCs on the later models) and four Rottweilers (with a phaser and two light photons). They have a tachyon missile fighter they can swap in place of the assault fighters, but it's not a common option.
Might a similar pattern keep Alpha squadrons in line?
Omega Discussion (v3)
LMC Discussion
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Joined: 16 Apr 2009
Posts: 702
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA, Sol, Gould Belt, Orion Arm, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Universe Beta
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 6:29 am
Post subject:
Let me jump in an support direct-fire only fighters. Even the FED CVS as the option for the A-10. Stop map clutter before it gets worse!!!!
As for dogfighting... NO NO NO. Unnecessary complexity.
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Cotton Tea Towel - Red Border
Act fast! Items with prices ending in $0.99 are final sale.
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Classic cotton. This Cotton Tea Towel brings a classic pattern to the kitchen. Mix and match with other patterned linens, or collect a set to use as napkins or placemats at the table.
100% cotton in Red Border.
17"w x 28"l.
Machine wash.
Made in India.


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Parent Resources
Whether you consider yourself a "hovering" parent or not, the message to parents in the following article about the importance of stepping aside as our children learn to become independent is a good one ... and one of which I need to remind myself often. I'm sure you'll be able to identify with some part of this article no matter if your student is a freshman or a senior. I really enjoyed the thread of comments posted after the article and loved reading the different perspectives of both parents and "children."
I'm a movie person ... meaning, I love movies. One of my favorite lines from the 80's movie Footloose is, "If we don't start trusting our children, how will they ever become trustworthy?"
Blessings to all parents who love their children.
Associate Director
of Alumni & Parent Programming


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Colorado Baptists are challenged at the 59th Annual Meeting to Be The Church
Colorado Baptists got together at Community of Grace Church, Centennial, on October 13-14, 2014 for our 59th Annual Meeting. Tracy Simmons, Pastor of Christ Community Church, Anchorage, AK, along with Community of Grace's worship team, led us in music and worship in each session of the annual meeting. Tracy got into full-time ministry in theRead more →


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Shanna Murray Coasters
No longer available
Cheers! Known for her charming illustrations and hand-drawn decals, New York-based artist Shanna Murray created these wooden coasters just for us. Featuring four different sayings in Murray's signature lettering, they're a festive spot to rest drinks.
Created in collaboration with Shanna Murray.
Learn more
Set of 4.
Wood slices and paint.


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post more, i want to hit 50k already
post more, i want to hit 50k already
yeah its a shame, i quite enjoy the feel of mailing a legit piece of mail on the rare occasion i have to. stuffing it in an envelope, putting a stamp on and walking it over to the post office. feels straight up genteel.
I think my dad single-handedly keeps the USPS in business in my area. He gets mail at least five times a week.
He's such an Ebayer...
We only get bills and official letters in the mail, but I always feel so thrilled when I get a letter.
Originally made by LM:
~ I have said nothing because there is nothing I can say that would describe how I feel as perfectly as you deserve it. -- Kyle Schmidt ~
~Silence is one of the hardest arguments to refute. -- Josh Billings ~
* dragon_berry**Fallen_Wings*


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Urban Vessel
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Drawing People
Most artists at one time or another have yearned to draw a person. Learning how to draw people is easy when you have the top-notch instructors, step by step instruction and the very best tools. Whether you are interested learning how to draw faces, how to sketch people or how to draw a whole person, you will find the keys and secrets right here. Hone your basic drawing techniques, perspective drawing and advanced techniques also! For more great instruction on how to draw people, check here.
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Most of the photos on this site were extracted from reference images (high-resolution tiffs, 20 to 200 megabytes in size) from the Library of Congress research archive. (To query the database click here.) Many were digitized by LOC contractors using a Sinar studio back. They are adjusted by your webmaster for contrast and color in Photoshop before being downsized and turned into the jpegs you see here.
Vintage photos of:
Arthur Rothstein (1915-1985). This American photographer covered everything from the Dust Bowl for the Farm Security Administration to news stories for Look magazine. Arthur Rothstein grew up in the Bronx and attended Columbia University where he helped found the University Camera Club. Arthur Rothstein later worked the Columbia University School of Journalism.


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It has not been public investments in sustainable fuels and modern tools that have led to the re-awakening of the U.S. economy. Rather, it's been mostly private investment in shale gas development...
2007 CEO Forum: Greenhouse Gauntlet
Tackling climate change is a monumental challenge. Power-company CEOs discuss long-range plans for a climate-friendly energy economy.
price be what it will be.
In April the NCEP increased its recommended safety-valve price from $7 a ton of CO 2 to $10 a ton, and changed the rate of escalation to 5 percent a year in real terms, rather than 5 percent in nominal terms. I voted for both changes.
The first question is when will Congress act? Second, how sharply and sternly will it act? Third, how are permits under cap-and-trade going to be allocated? This will be a huge source of conflict among utilities based on their traditional power source.
If the permits are all to be sold, that's the economically efficient option, but it might be too hard on customers of coal-burning companies. If the permits are to be given away for free, that's not fair for other customers. The NCEP suggested half of the credits should be free as a transition mechanism, and that's not a bad place to start.
Hay, FPL: To be effective, a GHG reduction program should be mandatory and economy wide, and should require reductions from all sectors. It should recognize, reward and encourage technological innovation, just as it should acknowledge and reward early action. Our efforts thus far, for example, have had an obvious environmental benefit, but there's a cost associated and, as such, recognition is deserved.
We support a market-based, economy-wide program that directly places a price on carbon emissions, and believe it will have the best prospect of achieving sensible environmental goals and maintaining economic growth. Imposing a price or fee on CO 2 emissions that predictably, steadily and gradually escalates over time offers substantial practical advantages. It will support long-term capital deployment; avoid distortions in the economy; and be more efficient and fair to administer than a cap-and-trade program. It also will support increased R&D funding; provide transitional assistance to economically disadvantaged consumers; and preserve the competitive position of U.S.-based companies.
Instead of being based on a potentially misleading metric like historical emissions, the solutions should look at performance and efficiency. And, while it may be possible to develop a fair and effective cap-and-trade system that accomplishes this end, FPL recommends a more straightforward fee to be imposed equally on all carbon used as fuel anywhere in the nation. The price of all downstream goods would rise in proportion to the use of carbon-intensive fossil fuels in their manufacture and distribution.
It will be important, however, to avoid raising the cost of fossil fuel uses that don't emit CO 2, such as the capture and permanent storage of CO 2, and the use of petrochemicals to make plastics. To that end, mechanisms such as credits, rebates or exemptions should be implemented for non-emitting uses, thus providing an incentive to incorporate new technologies for carbon capture or sequestration.
Saggau, Great River Energy: I think cap-and-trade works better because it allows the free market to value those credits and creates a marketplace for utilities that are progressing a bit faster to benefit economically compared to those that are moving slower. We have seen great success with the SO


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Who are the nailed on fly-halves for the Lions? Jonathan Sexton, sure; Owen Farrell, probably; Dan Biggar, maybe; Jonny Wilkinson, why not?
I'm writing this after seeing Toulon beat Toulouse in a deserved victory that puts them back on top of the French table after briefly falling to second spot.
Before jumping into how Wilkinson fared in the game, I'd just like to cast minds back to July 14, 2001 and Sydney, the day Australia made it 2-1.
A picture has stuck in the mind since that third-Test defeat and that is of Wilkinson sat on the changing room floor distraught after losing the series while his team-mates picked themselves up - after being in a similar state - to go and thank the fans. It was clear Wilkinson was cut deep.
In 2003 he was back Down Under to bury that demon somewhat with a RWC win, which visibly lifted a weight that had hovered over him during his early career. As Lawrence Dallaglio revealed afterwards, Wilkinson seemed under huge pressure throughout the tournament.
Despite the Webb Ellis win, 2001 remains a sore point for many English Lions followers and if Wilkinson's commitment is anything to go by, losing that series is surely stored in his mental locker for fuel. If you haven't guessed, I feel he should be given an outlet 12 years on.
On Saturday in club colours, Wilkinson again showed just what a weapon he could be later this year. Not firing like he would have liked from the tee and with Toulon 19-16 up with ten minutes remaining, Wilkinson switched to the drop-goal, landing two to extend the arrears.
It is such calmness of thought that, surely, is one reason for head coach Warren Gatland to book him a seat on the plane. I mean, only last week in the Six Nations we had England's Owen Farrell eager to pick a fight throughout while Ronan O'Gara became something of a villain when Ireland desperately needed the veteran to be the hero coming off the bench.
There is the notion of picking two fly-halves who will battle it out for the Test jersey (at the moment Sexton and Farrell) with Wilkinson as the third. Why? His off-field presence in the touring party would surely be an asset to all squad members. Should Wilkinson not make the trip, only Ireland's Brian O'Driscoll (of course also selection pending) would have been in Australia 12 years previously. 2001 experience would be a handy tool in the Lions' box.
Of course this will divide opinion but with Gatland revealing in December that Wilkinson "is definitely one we are keeping an eye on", selection is by no means off the table. For now we can only speculate but judging from tonight's intelligent performance, I am sold. Are you?
By Adam Kyriacou


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Today's recipe is for a deliciously silky chocolate bread pudding.
Thanksgiving is one of the most anticipated meals of the year, and if you actually have leftovers, there are a few quick snacks that will satisfy you and the family after the holiday. Krystin Goodwin(@krystingoodwin) has the best foodie makeovers for your Thanksgiving leftovers.
Chef Nino shares his delicious recipe for silky chocolate bread pudding.
Old Homestead Steakhouse in New York City is serving up a feast so expensive it even comes with front row seats to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Buzz60's Leigh Scheps (@LeighTVReporter) shows us some of the items on the menu.
Pumpkin-infused vodka adds a pop of color to an autumn drink called 'The Beast.' L'Apicio's Joe Campanale joins Elva Ramirez on WSJ After Hours.