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Black Widow of La Porte: Hand Mutilator Section by Section Guide
Ok, so I was a little frustrated by the lack of information on this song and am hoping to provide some information for those who are like me: Not bad at guitar but struggling with this song.
Background on the Song: It is not easy, but by no means the most difficult song out there. I don't think it would look out of place on a list of the top 5 hardest on disc songs in a music game, but it is not as difficult as Through the Fire and Flames or Jordan, but definitely more difficult that Freebird, probably on par with Visions. I would go through the song once on practice mode in order to get a feel for the song and familiarize yourself with the problem sections.
Glossary of terms (some established, others of my creation)
Alt strum: strumming both up and down instead of just down.
Trill: a set of fast alternating hammers between two adjacent notes
Flourish: a short section of hammers usually in a ascending/descending pattern.
Background on me: I am playing the Madcatz Players Edition Telecaster (basically a Rock Band stratocaster with some upgrades that won't help you pass this song). I am able to pass most songs, have all but Raining Blood 5 starred on GH3, so not amazing, but not without skill. Like most players, I was using Hyperspeed 4 or 5 for every runthrough, and 5 on my successful run.
My Star power path on my successful runthrough:
1) Got half full and activated in Serial Solo B
2) Activated at full power about a third of the way into Webspinning
3) Activated accidentally during Super Serial B at half full. Wasn't needed, but really helped.
4) Activated at the tease in Red Hourglass 3A.
Hopefully this will help a few people.
As a result of this path, I was only flashing red when I was forced to activate during the Web Spinning section.
Alternate path (assuming you can hit the chorus Star power phrases and anything easier)
1) Activate after the break in the Serial Solo
2) Activate at time signiture change just at the opening of Root of All evil (the end of Arachnaphobia)
3) Activate when needed during Web Spinning (should have worked back up to half full)
4) Activate during Super Serial A
5) Activate during Red Hourglass 3C
I've included a good video (not me, I'm not that good), but the real way to do this is to go through it on practice. Not only will you figure out the sections that will give you challenges, but you will be able to follow along with the guide in the post below.
I have added the time point in the video to the guide below for the tricky parts, as well as a section of the chart from PathHero, which should help you see what you are dealing with. Don't worry about the blue colour on the chart, it represents the optimal star power path to max out your score for the song. And if you are worried about that, you really don't need this guide.
So, let's start into the song, going section by section.
Hell's Belle
Slow intro, should give you no problems. It contains an easy Star Power phrase. Make sure you get this phrase.
8 Legged Intro
Starts with some chugging chords, has a few alt strums thrown in, but still nothing difficult. If you can not pass this section, you will not have enough skill to pass the song, though it may be your calibration. The end of this section, after the sustain is a star power phrase of chugging green notes and simple chords. Again, make sure you get this phrase.
Serial Solo A & B (0:47)
This is the first real test of the song. The strum pattern changes a few times, there are a lot of fast hammers, and the breaks are not long enough to really build back your rock meter. I found it easier to alt strum the entire section, even strumming the hammers. I was slowly losing my rock meter as a result, but not by that much. If you can get into the break between Serial A and B in the green, you are in good shape. Section doesn't repeat, but is similar enough until the next break, followed by a zig zag section leading into the chorus.
If you are having trouble with this section, or are even entering the chorus deep in the red, you can activate star power to get you through the solo, since you do have enough. It is hard to work your way back up with all the flourishes if you are too low, so it might be best to cut your losses and burn the star power, but do it around the break in the solo.
Chorus 1
Nothing too difficult here, it starts with a star power phrase that you should try to get, but don't be concerned if you miss it. There will be plenty of other phrases (including this one repeated if you are close). There is an alt strumming flourish at the end, but it isn't that difficult. Practice might help, but isn't essential.
8 Legged Break 1
Very similar to the intro with chugging green and simple chords. There is a star power phrase in here as well, but this one you really should try for. You are going to need star power from somewhere, and despite a hand change and some descending chords, this is one of the easiest phrases.
Killer Solo A & B (1:30)
One of the easier solos, but you are still probably not going to master it without practice. The hammers are more on the level of flourishes for most of it, though they do get harder as the solo goes on. If you enterded the section in the green, you will have no trouble, you can just alt strum the trickier sections and get through the section ignoring your multiplier. Do not use Star Power, you will need it later.
Chorus 2
Same as the last one, thought the trick alt strums have changed a bit. Another star power phrase that you should really try for, and it is identical to the phrase in Chorus 1. Hopefully you can build your meter back up into the green.
The opening is pretty difficult, but the hard part doesn't last that long. And it is just some fast flourishes, so you can probably do well enough to muddle through and not really effect your rock meter. The section finishes with a nice break filled with long single sustains, which is another good chance to build your rock meter back. Again, don't use your Star Power.
Root of All Evil 1 (2:12)
Another tricky section with a new time signiture, but not unmanagable. Starts slow and then goes into a long string of hammers. Again, I found it easiest to just alt strum the entire second half, but that might not work for all people. The section ends with a star power phrase made up of 2 sustains, that you really should get, unless you have full star power (but if you have that, are you sure you need this guide?).
Venom Solo (2:23)
This is the hardest part of the song to master. The actual track is a tapping section and the chart was constructed to reflect the speed and randomness of the tapping. As a result, there really is no pattern to follow, just a long string of slider gems. But that is the saving grace, since you can play this on any guitar without strumming, meaning you are never in danger of overstrumming or losing the string and having to strum to catch up.
The trick here is that you can just run your index finger from the green to the orange key as fast as you can, and you will probably do pretty well. The stratocaster's small solo keys mean that you can do this much faster, tough it will work on any guitar (providing you have quick hands, though fortunately, they do not need to be accurate). Using this method on the solo keys in practice, I managed 80-85% accuarcy and a 12 note max streak. In performance, that meant that my rock meter barely budged. I started in the low green and ended in the low green or high yellow every time, without star power. even better, if you do not see a green note or orange note coming up, you can just focus on the centre or that side of the neck.
Root of All Evil 2
A lot of hammers, but they are mostly trills and flourishes. If you alt strum, you should make it through to the end of the section without too much damage to your rock meter. Do not use star power. The end of the section is a star power phrase (one of three before the next really tricky section, which is why I recommended saving your star power for the last little bit), but not an easy one.
Venom Solo 2 (2:45)
By this point, you will think that Guitar Hero hates you. Another tricky section, but it at least starts easy and grows in complexity. The A section ends with a star power phrase, but it is also tricky due to the strum pattern, but hopefully you still have all your star power. Your rock meter is probably taking a hit, but hopefully you are still out of the red.
Root of All Evil 3
More trills and flourishes, but there is a nice break in the middle that should get you to a good spot with your rock meter. The end of the break is a star power phrase, and not a difficult one, so this might be the one needed to top up your energy. Ends with more trills and flourishes. You can activate star power anytime after the break, if you have a full meter, but if you are not at full, wait until you are in the red.
Webspinning (3:16)
This is a zig-zag section on par with Green Grass and High Tides or Freebird and it is *long*. The notes change every bar in the A section and then every half a bar and finally after every 4 notes in the B section. This is the reason why I have recommended saving your star power. Even starting in the green, I was never able to pass this section without star power. If you can, all the power to you, the rest of the song will hold no real challenges.
Chorus 3
Finally, a true break. Fairly similar to the other choruses, but a tricky hammer section in between the A and B sections, though not bad enough to really kill you if you are in the green. The section has another starpower phase, identical to the ones from the previous choruses. Nail it to start rebuilding your safety net (though if you have made it this far, you probably won't need it).
8 Legged Break 2
You know the drill by this point. Very similar to the other 8 legged sections, but a short alt strumming section thrown into middle, though you should be fine.
Chorus 4
Sustains, only minor hammers, really, just a chance to build your rock meter. It contains an easy star power phrase, again, help with the safety net.
Red Hourglass 1
This is a little tricky, but not overly so. There are tricky parts at the end of the A and B sections, but the rest of the section is pretty straight forward. The hammers are simple fourishes, and the strums are just eighth notes. Plus, you have star power if you need it, though I wouldn't use it unless absolutely necessary on the B section, since you will have more trouble with the next section. The C section is the song you hear in the preview, not diffficult, but may cause some people problems.
Super Serial Solo (4:52)
This is the last real test of the song. Divided into 4 parts, the A section is tricky, mostly a long set of zig-zag flourishs, though alt strumming will help, as will your rebuilt safety net, if needed. The B section is all sliders, but not as tricky as in the Venom solo, so you can try to play it normally or do the index finger slide, if you so desire. The C section is eighth notes and chords, but should allow you to build up your rock meter if you need it. D section is tricky and may require star power if you managed to avoid it in the A section, but the pattern is very similar to the first Serial solo. So you might be able to muddle through, since it is far shorter than the first one.
Chorus 5
Same as the last one, use it to build up your rock meter if needed. And yes, there is an easy star power phrase to rebuild your safety net.
Red Hourglass 2 (5:24)
The A and B sections are almost identical to sections in the previous Red Hourglass. There is a tricky transition, but nothing overly difficult. The C section is just some chords and alt strumming sections. Tricky, but nothing that will tank your rock meter, though the transition is pretty long and a little challenging. The D section is largely just 8th note chords, but it starts with some sustained hammer chords (where you strum and hold one note, hammer the second note of the chord). In that section is another star power phrase, so you might get back to usable if you burned your net during during the Super Serial Solo.
Spider Crawl (6:06)
Another slider section representing tapping. There is a pattern this time, but a tricky one, so you might be better off just sliding away with your index finger and keeping your rock meter stable.
Red Hourglass 3
This has a real tease in it. It will sound like the song is ending, but it just keeps going. The A section starts very simple, just strummed eighth notes with a 16th hammer thrown in from time to time, but moves into a tricky hammer and strum section. Alt strumming again should get you through this until the tease section. The B section is short, with trills and flourishes, but not that difficult, so you should be able to muddle through. The C section is a longish hammer section, but not extreme. You can probably make it through with alt strumming, but if you are at all concerned, use your star power. You are right near the end, and it would really be heart breaking to fail when you are so close to the end.
8 Legged Outro
Yes, I said "Outro," but don't relax too much. This is a chance to build back your rock meter, but the pattern has changed from the other 8 legged sections. It isn't more difficult, just different, though they did throw in some 3 note chords to make things interesting.
The Devil Knows Your Name
The end of the song, but not an easy end. 2 sets of 2 fast hammer flourishes, but that is it. The song is over and you are good. Enjoy your achievement.
Nice guide so far, perhaps you could include some images on the different sections? Not everything, just the hardest part of the song.
And I am SO glad I didn't have to do this myself
This guide gave a friend of mine the final push into completing BWoLP on Expert. Nice work
Also, have you mentioned Hyperspeed as a tip?
Hyperspeed is very useful scine you won't get thrown a sick amount of notes at your head
Nice guide. :)
I actually found this song ridiculously easy, but then I'm used to anything that GH can try to throw at me. :p
I can do a hands video if you want, might help. I can consistently get 600K+ (I think :P).
Also, there's absolutely no way Venom Solo is harder than Super Serial Solo. At all. It's not even close really. Serial Solo is quite possibly the hardest section of the song whereas Venom Solo is just simple purple note triplets which you can keep a multiplier at least most of the way. The speed of Super Serial solo and the fact they are slider notes DEFINATELY make it harder. If you are talking about just passing then I understand but as far as 100%ing goes, SSS is far above Venom Solo.
The Venom Solo is actually 32nd notes in 4/4 time, there are no triplets in the solo. The difficulty comes from the sheer lack of pattern. Super Serial Solo, is also very difficult, but it has a pattern, and one that you have seen before in the song. The speed of the solo is the same (16th notes at 180 BPM) as that of the Venom Solo (32nd notes at 90 BPM), so the speed is not the problem. The sheer lack of pattern in the Venom Solo was the reason why I called it the hardest part of the song to master. If you are a person who plays purely on a visual level, it may be easier, but not for audio first players. The difficulty of the Super Serial solo is the strum pattern.
And a hands video might be useful. I made the thread mostly for the trick in the venom solo and the star power path. A hands video might get people to realize that thte song is not at fast as they think.
I don't really see how that's possible. I believe you, don't get me wrong but SSB just feels faster then venom. I can FC venom almost everytime and I can't even hit SSB WITH tapping.
There is NO way Venom solo is faster or at the same speed as SSB. Just compare those 2 vids. Venom solo is so much slower.
No, you are right about that part. Those 3 bars are 16th note triplets. I thought you were talking about triplets in the venom solo. The saving grace of that section is that they are repeating triplets, so you could really master it by building up some muscle memory. And I found it didn't last long enough to really trip me up, though if you read the first post, I did activate accidentaly during this section. But, after talking to you, I might beef up the section on the Super Serial Solo. I managed to pass it first try, but that might not be everyone's experience. Though you should keep in mind that this guide is more for people who are struggling to pass the song, not for people who are trying to master it.
Passing it is easy, FCing is a whole different story. However you are right, SSB is easier to pass then Venom solo because Venom solo is longer. But for players who are a bit better then that, SSB is 100x harder than Venom solo.
this song doesnt look hard at all
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The Bookshop
I lie in bed and think about Ro. I'm so happy for her, yet I feel myself wishing I was happy, too. Seriously, Scarlett, I think, you're still jealous?! I sigh and sneak a glance at Ro, who is sound asleep. Guinevere is up writing something or other.
Am I any bit as unique as they are? I mean, Guinevere doesn't admit it, but she loves to write; Ro -- well, she's not the bravest of people, but she's really smart. What does that make me? Dumb blonde?
Though I didn't feel it coming, a soft tear rolls down my cheek as I contemplate my fate. I need to find my vocation. I need to have a life other than clothes and makeup and accessories.
"Scarlett, get up!" Guinevere calls. "Did you not sleep last night?"
I open my groggy eyes and peek at her. I don't reply to her question, because I know she intended for it to be rhetoric, but in my head I think,no, not at all.I almost don't want to go shopping, but I get up.
We scarf down a quick breakfast and make our way down the streets of New York. What now? They usually count on me to lead when there is shopping involved. "Guinevere, why don't you pick what we do, today. I'm a little worn out," I tell her. She gapes at me as if I just told her that squirrels would be ruling the world, but nods her head. "How about we just walk around, and if we see something interesting we can go ahead with that?" she asks us. Ro and I nod and start walking down the street. We engage in conversation while we walk, talking about when we met. (We were roommates). We didn't like each other at all, and we ended up being best friends. I laugh as I recall our first encounter.
"Hey, guys, I see a really cute bookshop up the street. Can we go in there?" Ro asks.
"Sure," I reply, happy for something more to do.
After walking across the street, we step inside. The walls are beige, with old black and white photographs scattered randomly around the shop. The books are old and dusty, but Ro is plenty happy here, so I sit down on an old couch and look around the room. Almost at once, my eyes stop over a concealed staircase that appears to lead to another part of the shop. I stand up and walk over.
Gazing down the steps, I can see that there are more books. It appears to be a cellar of some kind. I walk down for the same reason I'm nervous -- I have no idea what I will face.
I reach the bottom step quickly, and I am immediately met with more books. One thing peculiar is that the books are all on one side of the wall, and it looks like they are trying to conceal something. Immediately curious, I make to push the bookshelf aside. After a few minutes of pushing and heaving, I am somewhat surprised. For when I pushed the bookshelf aside I found a door.
It is made of thick wood -- about three inches -- and has one of those bronze, rusted locks. It fits to an old key (I can tell by the keyhole) and I search the bookshelf in vain, my curiosity having gotten ahold of me.
After about five minutes of flinging old papers around and tossing books onto the floor, I find what I'm looking for. I insert the key into the lock and turn it. It moves sharply, and I slowly pull the door open.
I take a step into the darkness, look up, and gasp, having found something I didn't believe to exist.
And I scream.

subset: commoncrawl


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I was the co-workers supervisor, I managed the office which is on camera. I pulled checks out of the trash that were not shredded, but partially cut up. I stated to the co-worker that they can't go in the trash that way. I made an air slap motion in the air , that was a joke, and now he is claiming I tried to hit him, he would be next in line for my job. I also made a phone call to corporate LP because another of my co-wokers said the Human Resources manager was watching him and calling our courtesy desk to tell another associate who was scheduled to be there, to go back to another location, that the HR Manager had assigned her too. This got her in trouble. I feel like this false accusation is a trickle down from that and another incident where I was not given my 2nd vacation.
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Hello All,
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Genre: Drama, Action, Thriller
Jake Gyllenhaal
Rachel McAdams
Forest Whitaker
Antoine Fuqua
Duration: 123 min
Quality: HD []
Release: Jun 15, 2015
IMDb: 7.3
Sports dramas are not uncommon among film studios. Almost every sport has received some kind of a film rep at some point. The most popular of these events probably would go to the boxing industry.
Much of this was garnered either from actual boxing celebrities like Muhammad Ali or actors who portrayed their character in the ring like Robert DeNiro in Raging Bull (1980). Of the boxing films however, the franchise that would go down as the best known would be Sylvester Stallone's Rocky (1976) series. What worked with Stallone's franchise was how well grounded and retable its characters were. For this film, there's a certain texture that's brought to the table that not many other filmmakers could put on display for mass audiences. A combo of director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day (2001) and King Arthur (2004) and writer Kurt Sutter (Sons of Anarchy (2008) headed this visual style. And for what it's worth, everything made in this feature shows that everyone was invested in it. It still has its shortcomings though unfortunately.
The story is about the tragic fall and redemption of top-of-his-game boxer Billie Hope (Jake Gyllenhaal) who loses his wife Maureen (Rachel McAdams) after a fatal "accident" during a press conference. Making things worse is that his daughter Leila (Oona Laurence) is taken into child protection services. The idea itself has been seen before, but again the presentation to how viewers will see this story may feel different. Stallone's Rocky (1976) had grounded characters; so does Fuqua but he also grounds the very surroundings of the character. Even while Hope's family lives in luxury, the outside world feels gritty and cold. This is that combination mentioned earlier - Fuqua's direction and Sutter's script do a great job at demonstrating just how nasty things can get before anything gets better. That's also not excluding language and violence. Every scene has a much rougher tone to it, giving it that edge that makes it feel like its more adult oriented. Sadly this is where it falls flat in some places.
While it is Kurt Sutter's first screenplay, it is hard not to criticize him for penning a script with such a tough persona and yet following up with a story so safe. Perhaps this is because the premise has practically given everything away before the movie is even seen. When the only turning point in your film for the main character is when a key player is killed off, it kind of sets up the audience to already know how things will end. Everyone enjoys a well-respected return but it's also very predictable. If the loss of Hope's wife weren't announced in the premise, maybe the death would've been a little more of a throw-off than a plot setup point. So the question is, why make a script with a tone so hard edge only to play it safe like every sequel made after Rocky (1976)? Sutter's only other flaw in his script is that after Hope's loss, the subplot of his wife's murder goes unsolved. It's not even mentioned as to if Hope just wants to forget or feels the rematch was enough - but it at least should be mentioned why.
However, besides these clerical issues everything else does work its best to make you forget about it. Jake Gyllenhaal and Oona Laurence have believable chemistry as a young father and daughter. Gyllenhaal definitely goes all out with his tough guy persona and pulls it off. Considering he's gone through multiple transformations for a lot of his films, it's no surprise here. Even for McAdams reduced role, she too is enjoyable to watch. Plus the supporting cast is well worth it. Forest Whitaker and 50 Cent provided good contrasts to the paths Billie Hope could take and whom he sides with in success. Young actor Skylan Brooks also helps bring some development to Gyllenhaal's role. Then there are appearances from Naomie Harris and Victor Ortiz. As for Hope's main antagonist Miguel Escobar (Miguel Gomez), the motivations are very two- dimensional. Although they could have been more developed, the focus was on Billie, not Escobar.
The boxing matches were well staged and look believable too. There weren't a lot of matches for anyone who wanted a lot though. Helping make the fights feel as real as possible was Italian cameraman Mauro Fiore, who frequently works with Antoine Fuqua. Not only does Fiore keep the camera steady and only highlight what needs to be lit, but he also changes the perspective of some shots. For example, the camera will shift from a theatrical lens to found footage (but professionally) where the camera would be either Hope or Escobar's eyes during the fight. Since this involves movement, the camera won't be steady but it does give the viewer a brief minute to immerse himself or herself into the match as if it were a video game. Lastly, the music composed for the final time by James Horner before his untimely passing is not as immediately recognizable as some of his other works, but it still has its moments. The created tunes can move its audience because of the raw emotion the actors use and how the music plays out with solo piano and strings. A good last effort.
It does have a lot to be entertained with considering how believable the acting is, the emotional music, involving boxing matches and inventive camera-work. Yet with a tone that indulges in having less fluff, more rough, gruff, tough and buff, the script shouldn't play it so predictably. The outcome to this film can be seen even before the movie starts.


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They are no longer so dismissive. In the past month, the Italian government has taken a lead, along with France, in ending the Israeli-Lebanon war and emerged as a potential player in the behind-the-scenes talks to free the two Israeli soldiers whose capture by Hizbullah started the conflict.
As a sign of Italy's increased readiness on the diplomatic front, foreign minister Massimo D'Alema said it wanted to join the US, France, Germany and Britain in talks with Iran on the nuclear crisis.
Italy's desire for a major role predates Romano Prodi's arrival, but he is responsible for this new confidence, positioning the country as an ally of the US, while not as slavish as his predecessor. On becoming prime minister, he withdrew Italian troops from Iraq, but has since shown willing to work with the US in other areas.
Italy, with no seat on the UN security council, is not like the US or Britain. But almost unnoticed it is increasingly active. When the UN asked for troops for a force for Lebanon, even while fighting was going on, Mr Prodi offered 3,000. Jacques Chirac promised France would lead the peacekeeping force and hinted at 3,000 men, but initially offered 200. Italy stuck by its pledge and offered to lead the force.
Why is Italy prepared to risk troops in Lebanon, but not Iraq? The answer is the domestic opposition to the Iraq war, but also because Rome sees its national interest as centring on the Mediterranean. "Italy has gone back to having an important role in international diplomacy, and even more in the Mediterranean area," Mr Prodi yesterday told La Repubblica readers. Mr D'Alema, in comments that will irritate Britain and France, which have never lost interest in the Middle East, said Europe needed to pay more attention to that region, after being distracted by EU enlargement in recent years.
It was in the context of a greater role in the Middle East that Mr D'Alema made his offer to help the European trio of Britain, France and Germany in negotiations with Iran and the US. Although Iran appeared to welcome the prospect, the EU trio may resist, having worked together for the past three years on talks, albeit mainly unsuccessfully. And yesterday Lebanon's Hizbullah leader revealed that Italy has also offered to mediate a prisoner swap.


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27 April 2016
SAP Financial Supply Chain Management (FSCM) is the suit of modules used to manage the cash supply or cash equivalents for the business house. It covers a wide range of modules like in-house cash, treasury management, collection management, cash and liquidity management, dispute management, billeread more..
20 April 2016
J2EE stands for Java Enterprise Edition. It is a powerful platform for the development of web applications. It provides the business logic for an enterprise. Enterprise applications are centrally managed. The aim is to provide developers a powerful set of APIs; on the other hand it shortens the dread more..
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SAP (SAP IS OIL & GAS) has developed and industry solution for the oil and gas industry; it features tools and automated processes designed for the oil and gas sector. SAP IS Oil & Gas is the leading integrated solution for the value-added chain of the oil & gas industry. There aread more..
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Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) is a next-generation presentation system and a complex tehnology. It includes an XML-based markup language: Extensible Application Markup Language (abbreviated as XAML). It was previously known as "Avalon". It utilizes DirectX. Creating WPF applications iread more..
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Seven billion reasons why peace deserves a chance
Words of Peace is an independent charitable foundation
set up by individuals inspired by Prem Rawat's message of peace.
Funded by donations, Words of Peace provides information on, and financial support for Prem Rawat's work,
including his public events around the world, where needed. We also provide access to recent videos and audios
relating to his work, including material recorded at his public talks, and interviews with him.
In 2015 there were more than 845,000 visitor sessions on the Words of Peace website.
Words of Peace is run primarily by volunteers supported by a small number of staff.
Prem Rawat has been traveling to speak to audiences about peace since the age of four. In 2015 alone he spoke to over 493,000 people during a tour that covered 44 cities and 19 countries. Read the story about one man's journey for peace.
My commitment is to peace. In my travels around the world, I've experienced a lot of things — the most baffling of which is people's explanation of why there can't be peace. People focus on the symptoms, but not the disease. My efforts are focused on eliminating the disease — which is, fundamentally, people not being in touch with themselves, not knowing who they are. If we don't take care of the disease, the symptoms will never go away. And we all know what the symptoms look like: greed, war, selfishness, violence, and an increasing loss of trust. Peace is a real thing. Peace resides in the heart of every human being. Peace has to emanate from each of us.Prem Rawat
In 2001 Prem Rawat set up The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF), which works to address the fundamental human needs of food, water and peace. Through a variety of programs and initiatives, TPRF is dedicated to helping build a world at peace, one person at a time so that people can live with peace, dignity and prosperity.
Two of TPRF's long-term programs are: the Peace Education Program, a course with 10 themed workshops to help people discover their own inner resources and the Food for People program, a model food-aid program helping communities to emerge from relentless poverty.


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• The Trust for the National Mall was founded in 2007 as the official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service. Our goal is to restore, improve and preserve America's Front Yard--a public space that evokes the pride and patriotism of our nation. We strongly believes that the National Mall should reflect our country's highest values, and in order to do so successfully, must be maintained to the highest of standards.
The Trust for the National Mall represents the largest public-private partnership in the history of the National Park Service and is charged with the responsibility of bringing the National Mall Plan to life. The plan was approved by the Park Service in 2010, and contains a comprehensive blueprint and detailed action plan to enhance the National Mall's beauty, usefulness, and sustainability.
The Trust for the National Mall plans to raise $350 million from the nation's leading corporations, foundations, philanthropists, and individuals from all corners of America. With their help - and with YOURS - we will not only fund this necessary effort, but we will build a once-in-a-generation movement to create stewards of the National Mall across the country.
Everybody has a stake in America's Front Yard. It is a place where all Americans, and people from around the globe, can gather to celebrate our freedoms, and the beauty of our nation's capital.
The Trust for the National Mall is the official non-profit partner of the National Park Service dedicated to restoring and improving the National Mall. The National Mall is truly America's Front Yard; therefore, we hope to engage all Americans in its restoration and we are dedicated to providing educational and volunteer opportunities for the more than 33 million people who visit the Mall each year from across the country and world.
Ms. Catherine Townsend
national mall, national park service, national mall plan, trust, washington dc
See more addresses
Main Address
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 370
Washington, DC 20004 USA
Fund Raising and/or Fund Distribution (W12)
Environmental Quality, Protection, and Beautification N.E.C. (C99)
Arts, Cultural Organizations - Multipurpose (A20)
IRS Filing Requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
How does this organization make a difference?
Self-reported by organization
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Program 1
THE LOCKKEEPER'S HOUSE: Rehabilitation of Constitution Gardens - Phase 1
The Rehabilitation of Constitution Gardens is designed to be constructed in two phases. Phase one centers around the restoration of the historic Lockkeeper's House, the oldest building on the National Mall, and is 'shovel ready.' Phase One will establish a visual presence to provide a ceremonial entrance, donor recognition, exhibit space and interpretative programming for the Mall. The construction will include a new stone wall, a new entry plaza, the relocation of the Lockkeeper's House from its current dangerous location, exhibit and storytelling devices to enhance the visitor experience, and landscape improvements.
The Lockkeeper's House at the corner of 17th and Constitution Ave. NW is the oldest structure on the National Mall. It not only represents the development and commerce of our Nation's Capital, but has been a witness of our Nation's history. With the birth of the nation and a plan for the "Monumental City," George Washington advocated for canals. Washington viewed them as essential for our economy and "fundamental to our nationhood," as they transported both goods and people.
Construction of the Washington Canal began at the turn of the 19th century, and was later connected to the C&O Canal in the 1830's. At this junction sat the Lockkeeper's House.
There, the Lockkeeper collected tolls and kept trade records as merchandise such as building materials, produce and coal entered the Capital City. Decades later, the Potomac River was dredged to clear navigation channels, resulting in the creation of Potomac Park and the filling-in of the Washington City Canal.
With the creation of Potomac Park, many new opportunities for recreation became available. The Park included tennis courts, a small golf course, bridal paths and a swimming pool in the Tidal Basin. The function of the Lockkeeper's house also changed to meet these needs, serving as a tool shed for park staff and engineers, a watchman's lodge and even a temporary holding cell for Park Police.
Over the last 100 years, the Lockkeeper's House has witnessed our nation's history. From the early to mid 20th century, it rested in the shadows of War Department buildings which existed during our nation's engagement in the two world wars. During the 1960's and 70's, the House witnessed historical civil rights and war protests. And in the late 1970's, it became a part of the American Bicentennial celebration with the construction of Constitution Gardens as it exists today.
Program long term success
Not available
Program success monitored by
Not available
Program success examples
Not available
Population(s) Served
Program 2
The U.S. Park Police Stables are located on the National Mall in an area known as Ash Woods - situated southwest of the Lincoln Reflecting Pool between the Korean War Memorial and the D.C. WWI Memorial. The existing facilities provide stabling for up to 20 horses used daily by the Park Police to patrol the Mall, Tidal Basin, and adjoining park areas. In addition to the stalls, there is a small outdoor paddock; storage space for hay, bedding, feed and other tools and supplies; and a wash stall and tack room.
The United States Park Police Horse Mounted Unit is one of the oldest police equestrian units in the United States. Established in 1934, it consisted of one horse rented from a local stable. As the value of the mounted unit was proven, it expanded to an operational strength that patrols and provides protection in the Washington Metropolitan Area as well as New York and San Francisco.
The Nation's Capital hosts a wide variety of civic functions each year. During the 1960's and the 1970's, the mounted police, in addition to being an attractive unit for display in parades, were found to be highly effective in crowd and traffic management at these functions. The horses were carefully trained and conditioned to maneuver in crowds of people and through heavily traveled roadways so they would not endanger the public, themselves, or riders.
Unfortunately, the current stables and buildings are outdated and no longer meet the needs of the Park Police. The Police require more horses than the facility can handle - and worse - last year, the Park Police's administrative offices, a trailer adjacent to the stable, was condemned for sewer flooding.
The site's location on the National Mall is highly visible. It's appearance and visual impact on the surrounding area and visitors is tremendously important. Improvements are critical. The National Mall Plan, developed by the National Park Service and signed by the Secretary of Interior in November of 2010, calls for the existing stables to be replaced.
The National Mall and Memorial Parks and the US Park Police envision an administrative facility and stable infrastructure integrated into a singular design that functions efficiently using sustainable best practices. The facilities will be secure, welcoming and reflective of the historical character and dignity of the National Mall. The plan also calls for better accommodating the operational needs of the USPP Horse Mounted Unit while providing an opportunity to educate the public about its rich history and modern-day value.
Program long term success
Not available
Program success monitored by
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Program success examples
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Population(s) Served
Program 3
The National Mall is our nation's center stage and the site of some of the most important acts of communication and communion in our country. At the heart of the Mall and visible for miles, the Washington Monument is the literal and philosophical compass for our nation - a timeless symbol of the spirit upon which our nation was founded.
Extending from this central landmark, the Washington Monument Grounds at Sylvan Theater will embody the surprise and magic of the Shakespearean forest that inspired the name of the original theater nearly a century ago.
The redesign of Sylvan Theater is based on the belief that the architectural evolution of the Monument Grounds must enrich the landscape and the park-like character of the Mall. A diverse range of flexible environments will accommodate new amenities to enrich visitor experiences and the opportunity to experience the story of our nation's past and the unfolding of the future.
The reoriented amphitheater defines a new performance horizon bringing all forms of music, dance, theater, symphony, film screenings, spoken word, and multimedia to a new audience.
Adjacent to the amphitheater, the Monument Plaza and Welcome Terrace will become a multi-use destination. This new setting will provide a layered tapestry that weaves together performance, education, recreation, and sustainability to create a compelling new vision for the future of the Washington Monument Grounds.
The design for the Washington Monument Grounds at Sylvan Theater is a collaborative effort between the firms of OLIN and WEISS/MANFREDI. To date, the design has been the recipient of two prestigious international architecture awards:
by Architecture Magazine
by the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design; and the European Centre for Architecture, Art, Design, and Urban Studies.
Program long term success
Not available
Program success monitored by
Not available
Program success examples
Not available
Population(s) Served
Program 4
Dedicated on April 9, 2002, the Memorial honors the little known but widely felt contributions of an important founding father. George Mason wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights and attended the Constitutional Convention in 1787.
The Memorial features a 72-foot (22 m) long stone wall with a one-third larger than life-sized statue of a sitting Mason, his legs crossed, and a circular pool. The site features an extensive perennial garden designed by the landscape architect Faye B. Harwell. The sculptor was Wendy M. Ross.
The George Mason Memorial is located near the intersection of Ohio Drive and East Basin Drive, SW, which is in West Potomac Park, District of Columbia.
The memorial grounds are sorely in need of restoration, including a renovation of new plantings, paving, irrigation system and fountain renovation.
At its location at the southern tip of the Tidal Basin, the George Mason memorial marks the southernmost portion of West Potomac Park. It sits just north of the George Mason Memorial Bridge, one of five spans in the 14th Street Bridge Complex that mark the northwest boundary East Potomac Park.
Motorists can most easily access the memorial from Ohio Drive SW or East Basin Drive SW. There also are several pedestrian and bicycle paths around the memorial and the bridge. Visitors to the memorial are also in easy walking distance to the Jefferson Memorial and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial.
A prominent lawyer from Fairfax County, Virginia, George Mason was instrumental in shaping the government of the United States. Shortly before the American Revolution, he drafted the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which recognized and protected certain rights inherent to all citizens.
Mason was one of seven men sent to Philadelphia to represent Virginia at the Constitutional Convention. However, he was strongly opposed to the Constitution as it was originally drafted and was among the leaders of the opposition. It was not until the Bill of Rights was included that he agreed to sign the document.
Mason's name is not as recognizable as many of his contemporaries, but he was no less important in the shaping of the American legal system as it is known today. He is remembered not only by the George Mason Memorial on the National Mall, but also by his historic home and museum in Mason Neck, VA, and by George Mason University in Fairfax, VA.
The site was originally a 19th century Victorian garden. The McMillan Commission of 1902 designated the area as a national garden, and four fountains were added in 1906. The garden underwent a redesign and reopened as the Pansy Garden in 1929. However, by the end of the 1940s, many of the gardens and all but one of the fountains had been removed due to construction of the 14th Street Bridge. The existing fountain is the only remnat from what had once been 50 acres of nurseries and gardens.
The memorial was specifically designed around the historic fountain to incorporate the history of the site and George Mason's love of gardens.The planting strategy draws inspiration from Mason's plantation, Gunston Hall. The original plan called for several types of perennials that would have been found in traditional 18th-century gardens, like daylilies, coneflowers, irises, black-eyed Susans, and daffodils. The statue itself sits gazing toward the Tidal Basin beneath an ornamental pergola, surrounded by several inscriptions of Mason's quotations. The sculptor used a unique multi-layer patina on the statue's face and hands to give them greater depth and realism.
Now thirteen years old, the memorial is in need of rehabilitation. Several of the flower beds and turf areas have been worn into dirt patches and need new seeding and planting. New, vibrant plants will help attract people back to this often overlooked memorial. In addition, the historic fountain lies empty. Before it was emptied, it was plagued by algae. Repairs and rehabilitation will return the fountain to a beautiful, functioning attraction.
Regular maintenance will be necessary to keep in the site in a condition appropriate for the National Mall. In addition to periodic conservation of the bronze statue, the pergola and benches will need to be protected.
As the official non-profit partner of the National Mall, the Trust for the National Mall is working with the National Park Service to rehabilitate the George Mason Memorial. The Trust has secured financing from the Dr. Scholl Foundation to help finance the work necessary to restore the site.
Program long term success
Not available
Program success monitored by
Not available
Program success examples
Not available
Population(s) Served
The Trust for the National Mall is the official non-profit partner of the National Park Service dedicated to restoring and improving the National Mall. The National Mall is truly America's Front Yard; therefore, we hope to engage all Americans in its restoration and we are dedicated to providing educational and volunteer opportunities for the more than 33 million people who visit the Mall each year from across the country and world.
Social Media
Funding Needs
The National Park Service is facing an estimated $850 million repair and maintenance backlog for the National Mall. Contrary to popular belief, the necessary restoration and preservation efforts are not entirely funded by Congress or other government entities and needs private, foundation and individual support and funding.
External Reviews
Source: greatnonprofits.org
The review section is powered by Great Nonprofits
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Ms. Catherine Townsend
Catherine Townsend is the new president and CEO for the Trust for the National Mall, a non-profit dedicated to restoring, improving and preserving the National Mall: home to the history, heroes and hope of America. With over 28 years of experience working in the non-profit sector, Catherine has dedicated her career to supporting organizations with important missions. In 2014 she developed her own consulting practice, providing coaching and resource support to non-profit CEOs/Executive Directors for their high priority needs. From 2012 to 2014, she served as the President and Executive Director of the DC Public Education Fund, the independent non-profit that invests private funds in progressive initiatives to improve student outcomes at DC Public Schools. Over a period of two years, Catherine led a small team to raise and implement millions of dollars in grant funding for DCPS school improvement initiatives. In addition, she helped refine the brand as a proof point for innovation for DCPS and streamlined the organization for long-term sustainability.
Prior to joining the DC Public Education Fund, Catherine served as Senior Advisor at Townsend Public Affairs (a family-owned business) and launched the Federal practice in Washington, DC in 2008. In addition to supporting client agendas and managing relationships with Members of Congress, Catherine advised the President on firm-wide operations and human resource management for all offices.
Catherine's non-profit career was shaped as she served for 17 years as the Associate Director of Share Our Strength, a national non-profit organization she helped to build from a fledgling organization to a leader in ending childhood hunger (currently known for its No Kid Hungry campaign). Catherine co-created events such as the nationally acclaimed Taste of the Nation and cause-marketing programs, raising millions of dollars annually for distribution in grants to non-profits organizations throughout the United States and in select developing countries. Her strong connections with prominent national chefs resulted in the publication of her cookbook, HOME FOOD: 44 Great American Chefs Cook on their Night Off (pub. 1995, Clarkson Potter) co-authored with Debbie Shore, co-founder of Share Our Strength.
Catherine is an experienced public speaker and has traveled to numerous cities throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as to Africa and South America. She grew up in Southern California and has a B.A. from Scripps College in Claremont, California. She is a member of Greater Leadership Washington class of 2014 and serves on the boards of Playworks DC and Capital Water Polo Club. She is also the founder, commissioner and coach of HoopGirls DC, a girls youth empowerment program through the game of basketball, established in 2004 for ages 8-13 on Capitol Hill.
John E. "Chip" Akridge III
Term: Jan 2007 -
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section, which enables organizations and donors to transparently share information about essential board leadership practices. Self-reported by organization
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations?
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year?
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year?
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership?
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years?


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Toxic Assault Environmental Awareness
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Sexual Assault in the Military
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The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights chose to focus on sexual assault in the U.S. military for its annual 2013 Statutory Enforcement Report. This report examines how the Department of Defense and its... More > Armed Services—the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force (the Services)—respond to Service members who report having been sexually assaulted ("victims") and how it investigates and disciplines Service members accused of perpetrating sexual assault ("perpetrators"). This report also reviews how the military educates Service members and trains military criminal investigators and military lawyers about sexual assault offenses. The topic is both relevant and timely, as Congress is currently considering ways to address this issue. The Commission has authority to examine questions related to sexual assault in the military because the issues involve both sex discrimination and the denial of equal protection in the administration of justice.< Less
Airborne Assault on Holland: An Interim Report
eBook (PDF): $5.00
Highlights the role of airpower as the Allies attempted to penetrate the Siegfried Line and reflects the circumstances of the time. Allied airborne and glider-borne units converged on Arnhem.... More > Unfortunately, stiff German resistance forced their eventual withdrawal. This boldly conceived operation involved the Eighth and Ninth Air Forces in a variety of missions: troop transport, fighter escort, flak neutralization, air cover, and re-supply of ground forces. Originally published shortly after key air campaigns, the Wings at War series captures the spirit and tone of America's World War II experience. Eyewitness accounts of Army Air Forces' aviators and details from the official histories enliven the story behind important AAF operations. Originally published in 1945 by HQ, Army Air Forces, Office of Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence, Washington, DC. This is the edition reprinted in 1992 by the Center for Air Force History, Washington, DC. 62 pages, 2 photos, 1 cover illustration, 6 maps.< Less
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The Hawker Hurricane flew in the Battle of Britain against the German Luftwaffe. While Spitfires took on Nazi fighters, the Hurricanes assaulted enemy bombers. Between 8 August and 21 September ... More > 1940 Hurricanes scored 1,593 kills out of the 2,739 total claimed. The plane was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. This pilot's flight operating manual was standard issue to R.A.F. pilots during WWII. Although this manual has been slightly reformatted to 8.5x11, care has been taken to preserve the authenticity of the text. Please note: British manuals are somewhat sparse in their descriptions and photos when compared to American manuals. Please look at the book preview before purchasing.< Less
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The Muldoon's Guide to IBOLC and Ranger School
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This is for new US Army Infantry Officers and anyone about to attend US Army Ranger School. What you will find here will answer common questions you will have along the same road we are all expected... More > to travel. What you will also find is a unique perspective that may put your mind at ease about some things and open your eyes to things you didn't, and could not, anticipate before your arrival.< Less
Things She Saw and Felt
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my book is a collection of moments- some are as long as chapters, some just a few lines. it is poetry; it is prose; it is commentary on the world. the pages are snapshots of the human existence. the... More > gasp of a page as it scrapes your fingers as they toss it through the air- that's each breath of each human moment.< Less
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You looked up at me with your giant blue eyes, tears streaming from your delicate face. You couldn't stop shaking. Father's sin had destroyed you, taken every bit of light out of those empty eyes. He... More > stands above you with his fist in the air. It was then that I knew; I would kill for you, little sister.< Less
Paranoia and the Fickle Finger of Fate
eBook (PDF): $2.50
In his first published work, Arlow Grant draws on his childhood and 20 years of military experience to give us the character of Harry, a sensitive young boy who joins the National Guard at the age of... More > 14 and fails to see the "irony of getting a school spanking in the winter and being handed his first assault rifle that summer." We meet Harry just prior to World War II, when "chronic parental absenteeism" means freedom for both city kids and rural kids alike. In this skillfully told tale, Grant presents a cast of misfit characters and rollicking escapades that take us through Harry's childhood, his military years, and into the present day.< Less
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Taking P.R.I.D.E.
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Pj55667788.com is a 1 year old domain, situated in Hong Kong. The domain is linked to the IP address 22.214.171.124 which is provided by the hosting company NWT iDC Data Service.
It was registered by Wang Hui Peng , who can be reached at . The site is owned by Wang Hui Peng. Registration details show that it was registered on 02 Dec 2015 through hichina zhicheng technology ltd. and will expire on 02 Dec 2016.


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Mao's costume is the one she wore at the GP events, the purple one. Kanako's costume is the one half black, half purple she wore at the GPF.
Mao's first with 193.69, Kanako is second with 187.52 and Akiko is third with 175.96
No, sorry, I'm not watching live, I just saw a picture on Mao Asada's fan forum with Miki, Mao and Kanako with their coaches, that's why I know what costumes are they wearing
Last edited by Mirunna; 12-26-2010 at 05:12 AM.
I only saw her once too, which is yesterday's SP and I like her too.
Risa has Russia rivals though. I saw the Russia juniors and they have potential too.
Miki's turn now.
Clean one for Miki. Mao or Miki for champion?
1 Miki 2 Mao 3 Kanako.
Argh I was rooting for Mao but I guess Miki champion is also ok.


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ED Magedson – Founder
Ripoff Report
Jay Servidio And Teleteria268 Jelliff Mill Rd New Canaan, Connecticut United States of America
Does your business have a bad reputation?
Fix it the right way.
Corporate Advocacy Program™
i was taken by Jay servido and teleteria. I had hopes of making a little money to suppliment by income. this man took $4,000 of my hard earned money and has yet to provide me with anything.
I have noticed that there are many of you out there who can understand. I want to file a class action suit and want all of you to join me.
Email me your info to (((ROR REDACTED))) with any thing you would like to add.
This man is a scum bag and he can not be allowed to get away with ripping people off.
Who will stand with me.
CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 09/10/2009 06:37 AM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/jay-servidio-and-teleteria/new-canaan-connecticut-06840/jay-servidio-teleteria-teleterianet-teleteriacom-webdesignadultcom-createadul-492591. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content
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#1 REBUTTAL Owner of company
SUBMITTED: Thursday, May 06, 2010POSTED: Thursday, May 06, 2010
I have no idea who this person is.
Why would we take money from someone and not deliver?
We have been in business since 1994 building sites and we have an "A" Rating with the BBB.
This post makes no sense.
If this is a real customer all he has to do is contact me direct and I will make sure he is satisfied.
Are you an owner, employee or ex-employee with either negative or positive information about the company or individual, or can you provide "insider information" on this company?
Advertisers above have met our
strict standards for business conduct.


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It only takes a minute to get started. Fill out our uncomplicated sign up form and login to the website.
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Discovered someone who you find interesting? Send them a few words or just a wink and see what comes of it. With a little luck you'll be on your way to true love.
It only takes a few clicks


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Diamonds in life. Make post after post of what you want. Each request vibrates worldwide. Collect 7 diamonds into the Minecart. Enjoy. You won? Yes? Write your wish / request to the McDiary app. The public "request" is only for courageous. Send post. I believe in Law of Attraction Diary because I have experienced it.
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9:23 PM EDT, Wed May 24, 2017
Rudy Carpenter Rumors & News
- Height: 6-2
- Weight: 212
- Age 26
- Seasons: 4
- College: Arizona State
There doesn't seem to be any recent rumors or news. Please check back again later.
NFL Player News
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Colin Kaepernick
Colin Kaepernick's best fit may be with the Seattle Seahawks | THE HERD
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Brock Osweiler
Browns QB Brock Osweiler expects to win starting job, points to film of last 2 years as proof he's good enough
- 9
Rob Gronkowski
Will WR Julian Edelman take less money in 2018 to stay with the Patriots?
- 8
Ezekiel Elliott
Ezekiel Elliott Unharmed In Reported Car Accident
- 6
Teddy Bridgewater
Vikings miss stubborn Mike Zimmer, but encouraged by determined Teddy Bridgewater


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MLS #1683917 Official listing information! neighborhood - 1 Milliken Rd located in Joelton TN 37080, priced at $225,000, with bedrooms.1 Milliken Rd Joelton TN - MLS #1683917 Close
Commercial for sale in Joelton, TN at 1 Milliken Rd. This commercial is priced at $43,945/acre.
5.12 acs per tax record of commercially zoned land at Exit 31. C1 zoning gives a wide range for potential uses in this growing area. Great opportunity for investment in land for the future or for developing into a commercial venture now.
Listing information last updated on May 23rd, 2017 at 12:02am CDT.
Have any comments or questions about 1 Milliken Rd, Joelton, TN? Ask your question and/or share your thoughts about this property.


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Fear for academics' staff safety at UWC as petrol bombs are found
Management at the University of the Western Cape have called on all staff and students to keep away from campus for their own safety.
This comes after Campus Protection Services "discovered petrol bombs and petrol containers hidden at various places across campus" - prompting the police bomb unit to be brought in to see how dangerous the situation was.
In a message to staff and students' the university said on Wednesday: "Early this morning' Campus Protection Services discovered petrol bombs and petrol containers hidden at various places across campus. The police bomb unit is on campus investigating the matter.
"Campus remains closed and we would like to urge students and staff to desist from going to campus today given the safety and security concerns."
This comes two days after a meeting between the Vice Chancellor and students who had presented a list of 40 demands. The students questioned some of the responses that were given by the executive and demanded "further feedback on the resolution of their demands" within 48 hours.
There was mixed reaction to the petrol bombs being found on social media' with some commentators expressing alarm over the find while others suggesting it was a ploy by UWC management to avoid a planned meeting with students on Wednesday.
- TMG Digital/Cape Town Newsroom


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Abbazia di Novacella Praepositus Kerner 2010
Winemaker Notes
Perfect for antipasti, and shellfish based dishes.
Critical Acclaim
Bright straw-yellow with a green tinge. Highly spicy, perfumed aromas of violet and ginger, with hints of lime and crushed stone. Lively, juicy, very fresh flavors are similar to the aromas and linger impressively on the persistent finish. Impressively balanced, complex and spicy, this kerner has sneaky concentration and great finishing lift and thrust. For those who think nothing but bad things about kerner, this is a must-try wine.
The 2010 Kerner Praepositus is a more textured, creamier wine that the Sylvaner Praepositus tasted alongside it. Layers of fruit caress the palate in this effortless, totally gracious white. Ripe peaches, apricots, sage, savory herbs and wild flowers are all woven together nicely.


text:
i can learn to live without you
i don't want to. i never wanted to
but people move on and i suppose we did too.
i still wish we had both made more of an effort, because i miss the warmth that would curl in my stomach and how it took the etched lines of stress off your face for even a moment.
this isn't a love poem. it's just mourning for lost family
you were never more than a friend,
never anything less than family
and being with you was the only time
i ever felt religion as something even vaguely
resembling "welcoming"
with your grandmother's matzo ball soup
and your father's kind smile
they all knew be my name,
people i've seen and met before,
i was "Laura, dear, you should visit more often!"
and i would always distract your aunt for you
so she didn't start quizzing you on your grades again
you would lead me through Hebrew,
my tongue tripping over the words
as i stumbled through the pronunciations
and you never laughed at me,
not even once.
darling, i miss you so awfully much.
you were my first kiss,
and i was yours -
your mother wasn't happy
when she found out,
but she didn't get mad at me.
i never knew where to put my coat,
i remember.
even after all those years
(thirteen, it had been thirteen years)
i never knew where to put my coat.
you had these sweet sisters,
young and small,
and i think i was the only person
who ever actually wanted to spend time with them.
you were around this constantly,
but i know what it's like to be the youngest,
so i would sit there for hours and play with them
or listen to how their day went.
and your mother is one of the strongest people i knew,
tall and commanding and so kind when she talked to us,
the sort of person that fills up a room without really meaning to,
but doesn't hesitate to use it to her advantage
you had beautiful hair and clear brown skin,
and we would sit for ages on the deck out back,
with you twisting braids into the strands that fell down my back
after, when we were at my house,
we would walk behind the bushes of my mother's garden,
the tall ones that would scratch our knees
but we would pretend we were fearless explorers
and balance our bare feet on smooth rocks
there was a hole in the wood in my fence,
about eye-height, that we would peer through at each other
i remember the day you moved away
though i still came over constantly
but we no longer had the effortless communication we used to
with you stepping on my feet
and me soaking you with the hose
as we laughed in the warm summer afternoons
- we wore each other's clothes a lot
and i don't know what happened to us.
you were my family,
and i was yours.
now we're just.
but i guess i'll find a way
to live without you,
fill myself up with
[edit: callname taken out],
Rabbit Shake,
Redhead Hurricane.
i don't know who you'll use to replace me.


text:
Torture (tor-chur) n. 1. a form of sensual bliss that precedes or deposes sexual release. -- Lady Katrina
There can be no confusion as to the aim of the Herbst International Exhibition Hall's "Torture Exhibition: European Instruments of Torture and Capital Punishment From the Middle Ages to the Present." Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch endorse the touring retrospective of more than 100 gruesome implements of suffering on loan from the Criminal Medieval Museum of San Gimignano, Italy. Since its debut in Florence in 1983, the macabre exposition has drawn thousands of visitors to showings throughout Europe, Tokyo, Argentina, and Mexico and has spawned lectures and debates about human cruelty wherever it has appeared.
"Our commitment is to show how, throughout the centuries, human beings have been tortured, both in body and soul," says exhibition director Aldo Migliorini. "We want to combat violence, torture, and capital punishment against living beings."
That said, it is not only the socially conscious and soberly altruistic who are drawn to a show of this kind. More than a few people in San Francisco would give their eyeteeth to add the gorgeous Catalonian Garrote, with its highly burnished wooden seat, severe iron collar, and perversely pious crucifix-shaped base, to their personal collection or in-home dungeon.
The history of the garrote stretches back to ancient times when a simple pole was driven into the ground and the attached rope was strung around a nearby neck. In Spain, the device was "perfected" for executions by adding a dull iron spike on the inside of the collar that would crush the cervical vertebrae and push the trachea against the immobile constraint by screws that were unhurriedly tightened. This little innovation added agony to the already fatal process of asphyxiation, and was used in Spain until 1975 and in much of Latin America until only recently.
But 26-year-old "Lady Katrina" has other ideas, something involving a deerskin flogger and an adjustable ball stretcher (a soft leather apparatus that straps half-pound weights to her lover's scrotum) available from the San Francisco mail-order company Blowfish.
"It is very stylish, no?" asks Katrina, looking like a ghoulish hand model, running a pale index finger along the smooth wooden edges of the contraption.
Of course, there is no sublimating the intention of the Guillotine -- a towering example of which sits at the front door of the hall guarded by a formidable hooded executioner -- which was actually the attempt of French physician Joseph Ignace Guillotin to make beheading more humane. Or the Bull of Falaride, a hollow cast-iron bull in which men were slowly roasted in Athens.
"Perhaps just a little heat could teach someone a lesson," suggests Katrina. "It is very pretty, anyway."
Indeed, as detailed and lovingly tooled as is the re-creation of the bull, it is not difficult to imagine the beast sitting as an objet d'art in someone's sculpture garden, and the Bull of Falaride is not the only highly ornamental device of torture on display. The Barrel Pillory, popularly used on drunkards and gamblers in 18th-century Salzburg, was often filled with feces and urine before the penitent was lowered inside, but the barrel itself depicts lovely folk scenes painted in watercolors of men drinking beer with their families, carrying sacks of grain, climbing apple trees, and serenading ladies at their bedroom windows. The Branks, Scold's Bridles, and Masks of Infamy are fine examples of metalworks that made their way from 16th-century Scotland to the Americas styled after animal heads, mostly pigs and donkeys, in a most artfully balanced and aesthetically appealing way (if only one were able to overlook the internal spikes, blades, or balls that frequently disfigured the tongues of the back-talking wives who were forced to wear the masks in public). The Oral, Rectal, and Vaginal Pears -- used respectively on blasphemers, sodomites, and Satan's concubines (adulterers) -- are delicately carved and richly adorned pear-shaped mechanisms that open up inside the body with the turn of a screw, thereby mutilating the corresponding orifice, often with fatal results. (Such things are still used in parts of the world today, though they are not so artfully decorated as during the Inquisition.) Perhaps all this might be avoided by simply kissing the exquisitely inlaid Inquisitors' Crucifix, which holds hidden within its religious trappings a razor-sharp dagger. But probably not.
Of course, some of the most ingenious forms of torture require little pomp and paraphernalia. Featured at the Herbst are several small reproductions of historical paintings accompanied by meticulous, grisly descriptions of preferred torture: Flaying Alive, during which the dermal strata is cut through until the knife reaches muscle, where careful undercuts between the muscle and epidermis allow the hide to be peeled away whole as the victim expires from blood loss; Water Torture, in which the incline of the body and hasty bloating through forced water consumption causes the crushing of internal organs and suffocation; and the seemingly innocuous Goat's Tongue, for which a dehydrated goat is invited to lick salt off of the soles of someone's feet until bone is exposed. But even obvious accouterments like the Rack, Saw, Head Crusher, and Skull Splitter benefit from the colorful language employed by the Italian curator of the "Torture Exhibition": The Rack, a must-have item for any well-equipped Italian dungeon between the 1500s and 1700s, lengthened the human body up to 12 inches, causing the very audible separation of joints and ripping of muscle tissue; the Two-Handed Saw was used to dissever the body from anus to throat while the victim hung upside down and spread-eagled (blood flow to the brain kept a person conscious); small spikes in the headband of the Skull Splitter pierced the bone as screws were tightened until the cranial cap cracked off; the elaborate vise of the Head Crusher was tightened around a metal cranium cap until "brains squirt through fragments of the skull."
The language of the exhibit, as extreme as it is, leaves nothing to the imagination, and I am not surprised to see two young boys, once eager to gaze on the Iron Maiden (aka the Virgin of Nuremberg), ask their mother if they can leave after reading about, and gazing at, the medieval practice of Impaling: A well-smoothed conical stake is deftly inserted in the anus and raised in the air, lifting the victim up with it; while gravity slowly pulls the body toward the ever-widening end, vital organs are evaded, allowing the prisoner to live for several days.
But my imagination is limited. While I can see the aesthetic allure and Gothic appeal of the spike-encrusted Interrogation Chair, Lady Katrina sees possibilities.
"They used to heat it up," she says, earnestly considering history for a moment. "It's a precursor to the electric chair."
The Self-Mortification Belt, a body-hugging item made with 220 barbed-wire points designed to push into the flesh, holds special interest for Katrina.
"Masochism in the name of God," she says coolly, turning toward the highly decorative Chastity Belt fixed with tiny metal teeth surrounding a small slit. "Bondage and discipline in the name of property."
"Now, these I like," says Lady Katrina, eyeing the nearby Cat's Paw and Spanish Tickler, metal claws used for ripping breasts, genitals, abdomen, and back. "They're crude but pragmatic."
"I think the appeal of pain and torture has a lot to do with control or, more importantly for many people, relinquishing control," says Greta Christina, the merchandising director of Blowfish mail-order and narrator/producer of the new Blowfish video Our Friend the Volt: Fun and Safety With Folsom Electrical Sex Toys.
While Folsom's electrical wares are not pain toys like the Violet Wand, which sends static electricity skittering across the surface of the skin, they share shelf space with some elegant sadomasochist playthings in Blowfish's brightly painted 16th Street storehouse: like the Wartenburg Neuro Wheel, a small medical device with incredibly sharp spikes used to test nerve response or torment a partner in those "extra-sensitive but difficult-to-torture" places; the Rope Flail, a multitailed whip made from marine-grade nylon, which is hand-washable (a desirable attribute, I am told, since leather flails cannot be disinfected); the Male Chastity Belt, a G-string-style harness with four locking buckles; and the Whippet, an innocent-looking fiberglass rod with a rubber handle that delivers "a sharp, nasty, biting, super-evil sting," among hundreds of other things.
"I really like the talons," says Christina, who, along with the six other people at Blowfish, personally tests every product -- from dildos to nipple clamps to lube to video to Folsom Electric Company's "metal urethral electrode" -- before including it in the catalog. The Long Single Talons from Effigy Metals are the work of a former San Francisco jeweler who now lives in Arizona, where he handcrafts each 3-3/4-inch-long nail out of sterling silver, brass, and copper, or latex-coated brass and copper, each with a stainless-steel point. They, like many of the locally made whips and flails, are each little works of art.
"And they can really scratch," assures Christina. "They are exquisite to look at, beautiful, but they feel very, very intense, very animalistic."
"The experience of pain really helps me break down barriers," explains Christina. "It cannot be ignored. It keeps me very, very present and connected to my partner. I'm sure people have all sorts of psychological explanations for it -- upbringing, environment, endorphins (there's no denying the endorphin high that can be achieved after an intense session of pain play) -- but I think some people are just hard-wired for it."
Like Lady Katrina, 34-year-old Atheris remembers torturing her stuffed animals when she was 4 or 5. By the time she was a teen she was writing hard-core S/M stories. Now she works as a professional domme, and play includes electric toys, needles, whips, floggers, clamps, canes, dildos, strap-ons, wax, and piercing; she also co-stars in Our Friend the Volt, which she assures is more about involuntary muscle contractions and instant tingling orgasms than pain or torture. Still ...
"That feeling of being able to torture a willing victim really gets me going," says Atheris. "I don't exactly know why I get sexually aroused by inflicting pain, but I do. And always have."
"It's like explaining why a person likes broccoli or roller coasters," says Christina.
"It's just as strange to me," says Lady Katrina, "that someone could look at the Scavenger's Daughter [an arm and leg restraint that eventually causes violent cramping of the abdominal and rectal muscles] and not be titillated. Just a bit."
"Torture Exhibition: European Instruments of Torture and Capital Punishment From the Middle Ages to the Present" runs through Oct. 14. The Blowfish catalog can be perused at www.blowfish.com.


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Feed aggregator
Welcome to those who heard Ched on the "RobCast," May 2017
Thanks for listening to the conversation between Ched Myers and Rob Bell (taped on May 3)--and for visiting our website!
Read More.
"The Women, the Authorities, and Jesus' Body: An Easter Reflection (Mt 27:55-28:15)" by Ched Myers
Above: Mikhail Nesterov "The Empty Tomb," 1889.
The Easter narrative in Matthew centers around Jesus' body and a gender struggle.
"Whosoever would follow me must..." Ched Myers
On this Good Friday, as we commemorate Jesus' cross amidst imperial resurgence and war, I offer this excerpt from Who Will Roll Away the Stone: Discipleship Queries for First World Christians (Orbis, 1994), pp 251f, 267.
Mark's invitation to "take up the cross" (Mk 8:34) is the central characteristic of discontinuity with the Domination system.
"Whosever would"--this is one of Jesus' few universal prerequisites for discipleship.
"A Tale of Two Meals" by Ched Myers
This is an edited and updated version of a sermon delivered at an outdoor liturgy on Sunday, August 29th, 2004 at the Greenbelt Christian Arts Festival in Cheltenham, England. I offer it here again because this year Passover and Maunday Thursday coincide in the same week.
This week, Jews and Christians celebrate and re-enact their two foundational meals: Pesach (begun Monday) and The Lord's Supper (Maundy Thursday). Each meal gave birth to a people:
Free Community Webinar: "Art, Theopoetics and Visual Homiletics: An Interview with Ted Lyddon-Hatten."
Ched will talk with artist and theologian Lyddon-Hatten (right). Ted is a Methodist pastor in Des Moines, where he is also Director of the Wesley Foundation and adjunct professor at Drake University. His work is multidisciplinary and often ephemeral.$0.00
Recorded Webinars: "A Time to Break the Silence" (50th anniversary) and the Los Angeles Uprising (25th Anniversary): A Conversation with Sue Park and Hyun Hur
(Recorded April 5, 2017). View this recorded webinar at your convenience.
April 4 marked the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break the Silence" speech at Riverside Church in New York City. Not only was this his most consequential address (King was assassinated exactly one year later); we believe it represents the most significant public oration in U.S. history. In it King was prophetic in both senses of that word—speaking truth to power and anticipating the historical consequences of our collective choices.$9.50
Registration for: "4/29: Remem-bearing and Renewal"
Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the Los Angeles Uprising
Convened by ReconciliAsian and Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries
April 7-8, 2017, Los Angeles
Location: The Way Church, 4050 W. Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90019
Registration: $25 for two-days (includes Saturday lunch); $15 for students with ID$25.00