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Glad you've been able to achieve this!
Your description of what it's like the first few times out sounds like mine. By in large, a "non-event." And that's how it should be.
Congrats, and keep carrying!
This is a discussion on First Few Days Carrying With CCW within the Concealed Carry Issues & Discussions forums, part of the Defensive Carry Discussions category; Picked up my first CCW permit Friday morning and have carried nonstop since then. Has been real interesting. First, I'm in CA and there are ...
Picked up my first CCW permit Friday morning and have carried nonstop since then. Has been real interesting.
First, I'm in CA and there are such few ccw holders, nobody expects it or is looking for it. There appears to be NO postings anywhere forbidding it, unlike many of you in "shall issue" states where it is more common. That makes it much simpler.
Started with a Desantis Nemesis pocket holster the first day. With dress slacks it didn't print like a gun, but there was clearly a big square lump in my pants. Not real comfortable. Next couple of days used my Desantis Stealth as an OWB by reversing the belt clip. This seemed to work better with dress slacks. Concealed just fine under a loose sweater. Today I'm wearing jeans and I moved the clip back and am wearing it IWB just fine. IWB seems much better with jeans than thin dress slacks. My hip is a little sore and I am very glad I have the lightweight PM9. I can't imagine you guys that pack 1911s. I do like the fact that the Stealth has a clip pouch so I am able to have 14 rounds available for a very small 9 mm with single stack clip.
Did the obligatory Walmart ammo run first day. Skipped the nachos due to low-carbing. Have been to Home Depot, Lowes, several resturants...no big deal.
Work has been great...nobody knows except a couple of other Realtors in our office that are also getting CCWs. At least 4 that I know of already have permits though they don't always carry. That makes probably 7-8 in our office that I know of (out of ~100) and there may be more since it's not something one generally discusses. No problem with company policy, our sales manager has had a CCW for years and occasionally packs. Had multiple client appointments and contacts each day including the weekend. Nobody seemed to notice anything.
Church on Sunday felt very strange. I was very glad we went back to choir robes a few weeks back, it felt very "safe" wearing a robe. When I didn't have my robe on, it felt like "everyone" was looking at my lumpy sweater. Was just my paranoia. Nobody had a clue.
Feels great to be legal. Feels great to be prepared. Feels great to be armed.
Glad you've been able to achieve this!
Your description of what it's like the first few times out sounds like mine. By in large, a "non-event." And that's how it should be.
Congrats, and keep carrying!
Political Correctness has now "evolved" into Political Cowardice.
on getting to carry in CA. I have an uncle there that does CCW as well. Have to jump through hoops like a circus tiger as I understand it. The longer you carry, the easier it gets. After a while you start to feel naked when you don't carry.
Do check into the legal locations to carry. Claiming ignorance doesn't usually cut it with an officer.
Good luck. Love the avatar.
eschew obfuscation
The only thing that stops bad guys with guns is good guys with guns. SgtD
Outstanding! I too have just got my ccw. I got mine in the mail the same day you did. I have carried only when Not at work. I carried through a few stores and like you did the walmart run. It does take some getting used to for the hip to start to feel ok, but i have changed the belt i carry it on and things are getting better. Welcome to the family. Safe Shooting.
Ohh P.S are you carrying cocked and locked? If so how do you feel about that.
I carry because I care.
"An armed man is a citizen. An unarmed man is a subject."
"Cling to the Father and His Holy name, and don't go riding on the Long Black Train" - Josh Turner
congrats sounds like your off to a fine start , and i officaly approve of your little kahr too oO( only mad dogs and englishmen buy Rohrbaughs LOL )
My first inclination was to carry with no round in the chamber. However, the more I have read and researched, I no longer think that is smart or safe. I can't count on having use of both hands in an emergency and may not have the time to manually rack the slide. Plus, per the manual, Kahr recommends chambering the first round by using the slide lock instead of racking by hand. By hand seems to not be as reliable.Originally Posted by Gelicious
I have fired almost 400 rounds through this little Kahr and I am convinced that the DAO trigger and the internal design of this gun makes it worthy to carry with one in the tube assuming a decent holster with trigger guard.
So, from the outset I have carried it with 6+1 loaded and ready with 7 more in the extra (longer) clip at front of holster.
Gratz, it does get easier as time go by. Been carrying for about 10 years (but having to change this past year the way that I carry).
When I first started to carry I did so with an ankle holster (which, ironicly, I'm back to) and found that it worked better on the Outside of my strong hand leg (not inside on weak side leg).
Before I got used to it, every now and then as I was walking too close to something you would hear a "thunk" as it hit on what I was passing :(.
I carry my xd. and the first day i carried i diddnt carry with a round the chamber because i was still nervous i think but after fooling around with it cocked and unloaded i have come to see that thouse two safties are perfect and the chance of it firing is almost slim and none unless i pull the triggerOriginally Posted by DParker
I carry because I care.
"An armed man is a citizen. An unarmed man is a subject."
"Cling to the Father and His Holy name, and don't go riding on the Long Black Train" - Josh Turner
Delighted you were able to get your CCW - sounds as tho early days are quickly becoming daily norm
Chris - P95
NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member.
"To own a gun and assume that you are armed
is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!."
http://www.rkba-2a.com/ - a portal for 2A links, articles and some videos.
Congratulations on the license, and the successfull first few days!
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ: Buy These Stickers Here
"A man without ethics is a wild beast loosed upon the world" Albert Camus
Good Job on the Wally World trip, that was a must do.
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USN 78-82/USAF 82-93 Medically Retired
Desert Shield/Desert Storm
DAV Life Member
NRA Life Member
Congrats on the ccw good deal on first few days out .
eventually after you carry awhile you might decide to go to a bigger guna nd then you will realize hey i could ahve packed this thing all along.
Some days a 1911 gets heavy but always rember if it runs out of ammo its a lot easyer to pistol whip someone with steel than polymer
Congrats on your CCW in Cali!!!! Once you get more comfortable you will realize that 99.99% of all people will be oblivious to you carrying. I have a Beretta 92 which is a very large gun. I have carried it a few times and no one gave me a second look.
Excellent DP....after a while, donning your CCW will be a natural as donning a piece of clothing.
USAF: Loving Our Obscene Amenities Since 1947
My first few days carrying felt very strange. I felt like everyone that looked at me knew I was carrying. I had taken a good training course so I knew very well that I do not want to have to pull my gun out and why I do not want to pull it out. The part to understand is that if you look around at the way society is these days nobody pays attention to anything anymore, we have become a society that doesn't talk to eachother face to face anymore. It is either on a cell phone or texting or email. Everyone is too busy to pay attention to how ones clothes might bulge a bit on their right hip.
My wife was not real keen on the idea of me carrying a gun so I did not tell her when I was carrying. She didn't even know until she gave me a hug and a kiss on that first day. I figured if she didn't notice I was doing pretty good. If someone out there knows how I can get my wife over the fear of guns and get her to the range let me know. She is a smart woman and carries pepper spray with her whenever she leaves the house but I would love to get her a little 9 and a CCW too. My 17 year old daughter can't wait to go to the range with me.
George Washington: "A free people ought to be armed."


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Gmail presents a different alternative if you are looking now for free email service. You know out there to find the best one that has illuminated your eyes but you must choose the email service that is most useful for you. We have an inbox organized into different views have -also conferences via Hangouts application to initiate a chat with a group of friends or professionally speaking with colleagues who want to discuss issues of work from a place where people can register for free.
To open a Gmail account, you need only go to www.gmail.com from the browser you want to use. Within the official website look for the link "Create an Account" to go to the form where you will register one email account Gmail to access the many benefits that we get to get our hands on an email account with the company Google (associated to Gmail). After going to the link "Create an Account" we will finally be in the place where there begin the necessary steps to stop create a free Gmail account.
You know you should put your full name in the first instance-then will choose a user name for the new Gmail account type [email protected] Then we create a key that we will always remember (as a suggestion keep in mind that the key is easy to get back to your memory when you want to use your Gmail account). Then you will have to type the password again to verify the information you entered on the form. Remember to put your birth date, gender you belong (man or woman failing) and a phone number to agilicemos the process if we were to lose the email account someday.
Is the turn of to put a address alternative besides email to prove that we are not a spam robot by typing the code letters in the image into the box below. Finally You MUST choose your country, accept the terms of service and pressure inside the blue "Next step" button to continue. Then you can upload a profile picture on your Gmail account or omit step giving the button "Next step" again. It's easy to create an account, register in Gmail. Continue reading

subset: commoncrawl


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I got eyelash extensions on Saturday. I love them. They are very convenient, because I don't have to wear mascara, which used to take up a majority of my makeup routine time. With that said, I've been having kind of an inner struggle about them. Lemme 'splain:
The first real job I had, I worked with a girl who seemed to be really pretty, dark haired and well-dressed. I could tell all the boys looked at her and it made me jealous at first! My hair wasn't as thick and luscious, no matter how much I tried, I could not get my makeup to look as dramatic as hers, I have no hope of ever being as tan. That stuff used to bug me, until she was moved to the desk next to mine and I got a closer look.
Luscious hair? Hair extensions, color from a bottle. Perfectly polished, long nails? Fake. Tan? Fake. Perfect skin? Caked with makeup to make it appear so. Long, dark lashes? Yes, lash extensions. Hollywood white teeth? Bleached.
From close up, she looked totally unreal! Her makeup looked cakey, that's how much she used. She owned expensive clothes, but only a few apparently, since she wore the same thing almost every day.
All my jealousy for her beauty quickly disappeared! I realized I never wanted my beauty to be fake, or for people to think I am pretty, but then on closer look see that I'm just hiding behind a bunch of modifications.
I really debated for a while on whether or not I was going to get the eyelash extensions, because I knew I'd probably like them and get used to them, and forever and ever feel inadequate without them. I'm still not sure exactly why I did get them, but I've decided on a new criteria:
If what I'm doing is enhancing what I already have–and I could feel secure without it–I will do it if I want. If what I'm doing is changing my appearance instead, I won't. I don't want to turn myself into something different.
I am for enhancing the natural. Amen.
Keep up-to-date on my new postings by following me on Twitter. You can also contact me through my website here, email me at firstname.lastname@example.com, or send me a message to my Facebook (show your support and send me a like!) Check out my Pinterest, too! Thank you!


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European Wasps prefer to nest around human habitation, where they can scavenge food and sweet liquids. Large numbers of wasps can be attracted to picnics and barbecues and interfere with outdoor activities. School bins in the playground are often abuzz with European Wasps searching for and feeding on food scraps and entering drink cans.
European Wasp on a drinking strawPhotographer: Otto Rogge. Source: Otto Rogge Photography
Wasps can sometimes be beneficial by removing caterpillars and other such garden pests. However, they make pests of themselves by damaging ripening fruit. To help reduce the number of European Wasps, the home gardener should continually clear all fruit that has fallen to the ground. European Wasps can cause economic loss and problems during fruit-picking in commercial orchards. In New Zealand they have caused considerable losses to the honey industry, but similar losses have not been recorded in Australia.
Adult European WaspsPhotographer: Otto Rogge. Source: Otto Rogge Photography
Factories and shops processing or selling fruit, cakes or soft drinks often have problems with wasps attracted to the smells. The problems occur either when these wasps annoy the workers, or when they are accidentally incorporated in and contaminate food products.
The problems caused by European Wasps are greater in newly invaded places, such as Australia, than they are in their native home of Europe. There are two main reasons for this:
European Wasp nests can contain between several thousand and tens of thousands of individual wasps. If the nest is disturbed, European Wasps are very aggressive when protecting the nest; far more so than native wasps. The sting of the European Wasp does not contain barbs like those found on the sting of a Honey Bee, so a wasp can sting a victim repeatedly; when a bee stings a victim, the barbs on the sting keep the sting in the victim.
Wasps are also able to release an alarm pheromone (or chemical signal) that 'marks' animals that disturb their nest, attracting other wasps to the sting site.
A European Wasp in a drink bottlePhotographer: Otto Rogge. Source: Otto Rogge Photography
The venom from the sting of a European Wasp contains several toxins, which may cause hypersensitive or allergic reactions in some people. Studies have shown that about 10% of people stung more than once become allergic to wasp venom. The greatest health risk posed by European Wasps is if a person is stung in the mouth or back of the throat. The soft tissue in these areas will immediately swell and may cause breathing difficulties. For this reason you should NEVER drink directly from a can or bottle outdoors.
The sting from a European Wasp is more painful than the sting from a Honey Bee. For most people, a painful reminder of the sting, sometimes lasting several days, is the only after-effect they will suffer.
Applying an ice-pack to the sting site helps reduce the pain and swelling. The ice-pack should contain a mixture of ice and water; do not place ice directly on the skin. Some sting victims may have a hypersensitive reaction, while others who have suffered several stings, may develop an allergic reaction. Allergic reactions to a sting may involve puffiness of the skin extending well beyond the sting site, or the development of an asthma-like condition that makes breathing difficult; in severe cases the heart may stop beating. If a victim is suffering breathing difficulties, then a salbutamol inhaler (e.g. 'Ventolin') should help breathing.
When a known wasp-allergic person is stung on a limb, the recommended first-aid treatment is the same as for snake bite: the pressure–immobilisation technique. The limb is kept still while a bandage is wound firmly around the sting site. Wrap the bandage around the limb a few times away from the heart side of the sting (i.e. towards the fingers or toes), then firmly wrap as much of the limb as possible, bandaging upwards to the groin or shoulder. The wrapping pressure should be firm but not constrictive. Seek medical attention as soon as possible. NEVER APPLY A TOURNIQUET.
Hi Shayne,
Unfortunately, it is not part of the Museum's service to offer pest eradication advice - the best thing for you to do would be to contact a couple of pest control companies and go with the one you think is best.
The Museum can offer an identification service if necessary - feel free to lodge an identification enquiry here.
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Malta risks losing 45% EU funding
Gonzi must convince othermember states to give more
Malta faces a sharp 45 per cent drop in EU funding unless the Prime Minister manages to convince the other member states that such a move would result in an "enormous shock" for the island's economy.
The latest figures placed on the negotiation table see Malta's funding reduced to €480 million, a figure described by the Prime Minister as "absolutely unacceptable".
The European Commission had originally proposed to reduce Malta's seven-year funding to €534 million, down from the €855 million it received from the EU in the last seven-year budget.
Lawrence Gonzi yesterday joined other leaders in Brussels to start a painstaking process of negotiation on the EU's next budget, covering the period 2014-2020.
While bigger countries like the UK are threatening to veto the outcome unless there is a significant drop in the overall budget, Malta must make its case to be given considerably more than outlined in the latest proposals.
With the funding it received in the last seven-year budget, Malta has bolstered its infrastructure and boosted its human resources training, which has helped to lift it out of the so-called Objective One group of countries, awarded to regions with low levels of GDP in relation to the rest of the EU.
Now, Malta's relatively vibrant economy as well as the accession of Romania and Bulgaria, which lowered the EU's average income, could translate into a drastic cut in EU funding.
Malta is especially worried about losing around half of its share of the structural and cohesion funds, which are aimed at helping the poorer member states invest in areas like transport and energy in order to catch up with the more developed nations.
The Prime Minister is arguing halving Malta's EU funding would render it unable to attain the "critical mass" needed to consolidate its position and maintain growth.
According to sources, he will have to leverage on the impact that the economies of Romania and Bulgaria have had on the EU average and on Malta's economic status in relation to that standard.
Malta understood its progress over the past seven years made it difficult to demand a funding increase and that some drop was unavoidable, the sources said. But until the EU offered Malta an acceptable settlement, the Government would stand its ground.
"You cannot take a country like ours and cut its funding so drastically because the result will be exactly the opposite of what the EU is trying to achieve," one source said.
Dr Gonzi held high-level meetings yesterday to explain Malta's position and his arguments were said to have been appreciated. Malta is expecting to see a more acceptable figure on the table.
Though Malta's negotiators are keeping their cards close to their chests, the sources said the Government was hoping for a significant increase from the €534 million figure first offered.
Speaking to the press yesterday evening, Dr Gonzi said Malta was arguing it needed a "transition period" and cutting funds so drastically would be an enormous shock for the country's economy.
"We are not expecting what we had before but we will keep doing our best to get the best deal for our country," he said before entering round table discussions.
But as the wrangling begins in Brussels, and EU leaders attending the Council summit prepare to negotiate late into the night, many are predicting that this week will end inconclusively.
What was meant to be a two-day summit is expected to spill over into Saturday but cannot stretch any further, even if no unanimous agreement is reached, meaning the issue could remain unresolved and Brussels bureaucrats must go back to the drawing board.
Council President Herman Van Rompuy wanted to hammer out a deal by the end of 2012 but this means all 27 countries must give their seal of approval.
British Prime Minister David Cameron, who is expected to bring the toughest stand to the summit due to increasing pressure back home, made an early appearance at the summit yesterday morning, showing willingness to hammer out an agreement.
The UK's position has already set the tone of the summit. The European Commission's initial proposal in June 2011 to increase the overall budget from €976 billion to €1.025 trillion has already been tamed. Mr Van Rompuy tabled a €950 billion proposal, €75 billion less than first recommended.
But as the UK demands cuts to reflect domestic austerity measures, other countries are asking for increases, including bigger countries whose economies stand to gain if poorer countries are given more money to spend on their infrastructure and expertise.
Meanwhile, Dr Gonzi said the chapter had been closed on Tonio Borg's appointment as EU Commissioner.
His Deputy Prime Minister had earned a "convincing" vote and the next step was for the Council to officially approve him. Then, Dr Borg would resign officially as Foreign Minister.
Dr Borg will give his last parliamentary speech next week, Dr Gonzi confirmed.
"The next step is that next week we will dedicate it to the Budget in Malta and then we will take all necessary decisions," he said, when asked who will replace Dr Borg as Foreign Minister.
Asked whether Dr Borg's nomination had been risky, Dr Gonzi said the choice was good and the vote was categorical in Dr Borg's favour even though people had reservations on issues that were irrelevant and not about Dr Borg's competence or integrity.
"We should be proud and satisfied," he said, stressing that Dr Borg gave an excellent showing at his hearing and was praised by all.
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6 PLASTICVILLE Railroad Signal Bridges."O SCALE". Fits LIONEL Trains
- Sold for: Start Free Trial or Sign In to see what it's worth.
- Item Category: Toys, Dolls, Games & Puzzles
- Source: eBay
- Sold Date: Jan 02, 2012
- Channel: Auction House
Here is a lot of 6 Plasticville Railroad Signal Bridge kits . Four are in the boxes and 2 are not. Boxes are fair condition. Not sure if kits are complete, but there are alot of pieces in each. The 2 not in boxes look like they were partly assembled or used ina layout. Sold as is, as shown in pictures.I do my best to accurately describe each item. Original as far as I can tell and I do not attempt to restore . Will ship within USA only. PayPal is the accepted payment method. Thanks.


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Member Since: March 19, 2014
Country: United States
The thing is, though, you'd be hard-pressed to find a manufacturer that doesn't have at least one yellow-and-"dark" multimeter design in their catalog. Even big-name, respected brands! Whether it's this Chauvin-Arnoux, this Metrel Tek473, or this kick-ass Megger (which I guess maybe doesn't count, because it's analog?), it's not like the design is really as distinctively and unmistakably theirs as Fluke's trademark is implying.
No public wish lists :(


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God of WarThe Sequel
So what was the biggest challenge in creating a follow up to a huge hit like God of War?
Cory Barlog: I would say the level of expectation from everyone. You're coming in as a new director on a franchise that kind of came out of nowhere and a lot of people were surprised like, "God of War, what's this?" and they play and they're like, "Oh, it's good." Now everybody expects it to live up to a specific level of quality. Part of it may be the surprise factor as well, since it came out of nowhere they're expecting the second one to surprise them as well. So there are a lot of challenges to deal with when you have such a surprising hit on your hands and you've also never directed a game before. So all of those things were massive challenges in the beginning.
I didn't fully understand the pressure at first, so it was cool. I was totally ignorant of it! Then about halfway through the project it really set in like, "Oh... my... God! If I screw this up, I'm working at Burger King!" The fortunate thing is it's the original team. Everybody who is working at this game worked on the first one. We were the ones who made this game what it was, so I had no doubts in my mind we were going to come through with it. The main thing was, "Are people going to grab on to this idea, are they going to roll with us?" Because a lot of people were resistant in the beginning saying, "Why not PS3?" but I think it was a smart choice for us; it was where we wanted to go.
A lot of people would have loved to have seen GoW II on PS3 and Sony sure could have used another 'killer app' for PS3. Can you outline the advantages and disadvantages of making this game for PS2?
CB: I think the big advantages of it is the over 100 million install base. All the people who bought the first game were PS2 owners, so we wanted to stay with that especially because... I want to make the PS3 version of this game, absolutely, but I don't want to make it quickly. I don't want to quickly rush it out the door and be like, "Oh my gosh, we need to get this out!" because we probably would have pushed ourselves to make it around the launch window and I think we would have sacrificed something by trying to take what we had and shoving it in there as quickly as possible. So it was the first thing, and it was the only thing that made sense to us, that the PS2 was still sensible; because this system at first, when we finished God of War I, we thought, "We've totally pushed this system to the limit" and then we started to really look at it and we were like, "Oh wait... we really haven't, there's still a lot of stuff we can do." It's evident in stuff like the screenshots. If you look at the screenshots of God of War I versus God of War II it's like, "Holy cow!" It's really a huge leap forward, just visually. Look at what we're able to push on screen... more characters, higher quality models. So the disadvantages would just be that a lot of people continue to question "Why didn't you do PS3?" The answer to that is if people like II, and a lot of people buy it and it gets responses from the fans that say, "We really like this," then we're totally going to do a third one. It's entirely up to people buying this game and being fans of this game. With the first one, it was the same thing: people liked it, we made a second one.
Will there be any advantages to playing the game on PS3 instead of PS2? Motion sensing perhaps?
CB: No, there were initial plans to do some stuff for that, but it started to distract away from making the main game. The last thing we wanted to do was have anything in the game sacrificed by a nice little extra feature. So there aren't any advantages right now.
How much input did David Jaffe have into GoW II? How often did he come around to give guidance on what's working, what's not, etc?
CB: David who? [laughs] In the beginning, he was like, "Alright, go do what you're going to do" because he was finishing God of War I while I was writing the story for II. I went through, probably, 10 revisions of the story.
I just rewrote, rewrote, and rewrote, and kept going, "What about this? Let's try this." We worked together a little bit after about 6 months refining the story and figuring out where we were going to go. Then it was really just a matter of sounding ideas off of each other... Near the end of the project, like the last 7 or 8 months, it was pretty much all us—the team working independently and charging forward. He had his own games he had to be working on, so it was really our own independent thing by the end of that game.
This is probably not the greatest comparison, but do you feel a bit like Eiji Aonuma when Shigeru Miyamoto put him in charge of Zelda?
CB: Hmm. [pauses] That would mean that David Jaffe is Miyamoto. [laughs] I'm just trying to picture him with that big smile and waving, because that's so not him... or I'm getting a picture of Miyamoto swearing, which is also very funny. [laughs] I think there's a valid comparison there. He created this franchise and it feels like he's just handing it over to me and it's a massive responsibility. I try not to think about it too much, otherwise it would stress me out. I think it's a really good thing for me and I'm really excited about it and I love this franchise, story and character, so I'm all about it, but it's definitely a daunting task. It's not as established as Zelda, so I have a little more say in the establishment of the character; he's still not fully fleshed out. That's what's exciting is I'm really helping mold what Kratos really is, what he eventually will fully become. So that's very cool.
So are you generally a fan of Greek mythology? Did you end up studying a lot of it while working on this project?
CB: Prior to working on the first one, I didn't really know anything. I saw Clash of the Titans and I love that movie, and that was really it. Jason and the Argonauts, Clash of the Titans and then... anything with [Ray] Harryhausen, like 7th Voyage of Sinbad. I was a huge fan of all that stuff, but I didn't really know that much. I mean, I read the Odyssey and the Iliad in high school, but I didn't know anything. Then when I was on the first game, I did a little bit more research, like in the first two weeks I played Rygar and I was like, "Oh, that's interesting." My connection to mythology at that point was "Cerberus!" and he did all those crazy, silly things that game did and I was, "Alright that can't be what mythology is all about"—the crazy, wacky Japanese designed stuff. So I decided I was going to check more of this stuff out, so I started reading a lot more. I do research a lot more; the main thing is I try to take the key elements of it, like there were some points in God of War II where I was trying to be too strict to the mythology. I wasn't really taking the essence of it, the pop culture aspect, and really presenting it. I was going way deep into these wild stories that I thought were fascinating when I was reading them, but really nobody wants to try and remember the 45 different things involved in that. So it's a great baseline for a lot of stuff, there's really cool elements of it, but I didn't know anything about it until I started working on this.
What inspires you as a game designer? Are there other games that have influenced you or perhaps certain books or movies?
CB: It's really everything. I'm like a media vacuum. I watch a ton of movies. I like long format storytelling, so I like a lot of television shows. I like the fact that they're on DVD because I like thirty hours of something, of seeing a character develop; I like 10 seasons of all of that. That to me is awesome to see a character develop over a long period of time. So those kinds of things really inspire me, things like J.J. Abrams, Joss Whedon. The stuff that they do is frickin' phenomenal. It's ironic that a big point of inspiration for me, somebody who is working on this violent, bloody mythological game, was when I saw the Season 6 episode of Buffy, the musical episode that Joss did...
it was so fascinating to watch it behind the scenes and to see how much he struggled to do this. He works his ass off. He had a tight production schedule and he had to shoot this entire thing and all the behind the scenes stuff is just showing him more and more tired, not sleeping for days, going from the set into the studio to record the music, and he just has his hands in everything. Literally, he wrote the music, wrote the scripts, directed everything, recorded everything with some of these guys actually singing some of the music, playing some of the music. That inspired me to go, "I'm not working hard enough." I'm not going to bitch about losing some sleep; this guy is a frickin' dynamo. So that really inspires me to get off my ass and work.
Are there any games that really inspired you? CliffyB mentioned how Resident Evil 4 was a huge inspiration for Gears of War, so is there a game or a set of games that really inspired you?
CB: I definitely dug RE4. I would say that stuff that Ueda did with Shadow of the Colossus. The first colossus that I found when I started playing that game—and I had no clue what to do, I didn't read the manual—I was just riding around and what the f**k is this sword doing shooting light around, and I didn't get it. I'm riding around and I'm like, "Alright this is cool, it's a really beautiful environment but what's the point?" So I get off the horse and just found the first one, not knowing the direction I'm supposed to go, and that first time I saw it, the little hairs on my arms stood up and I was like, "Holy cow!" and it felt like a movie, but then it went immediately back into the gameplay and I was able to run over to it and I was amazed you could run and jump on this thing. That's awesome; that sense of wonder was second to only when I first played Future Wars or Beneath a Steel Sky. These adventure games went from being just text based adventures to seeing this world depicted, which was amazing, and I enjoyed following the path of those characters. So I'm really inspired by adventure games, really good story based games, but I've played everything. Anything I can get my hands on, I play it.
Shouldn't a game that's as hugely anticipated as GoW II have been released in time for the holiday period? Or do you think the industry is too focused on releasing all its big guns during Q4 anyway?
CB: Yeah, I don't get the holiday thing at all because it's so frickin' crowded. In November, everybody's releasing their big games. One year it was GTA, Halo 2... this behemoth of games, all of these games coming out within a month, and when you actually talk to people who play games, most of them don't buy ten games at once. Most of them don't buy two games at once! They go, "I've saved up for a while and I can afford one game." I understand it's the Christmas holiday, it's very important, but to me, I don't get it. I want to be in an open month, when there's just not a lot going on. We're pretty fortunate that the release month we have is pretty clear and [the movie] 300 is coming out right around the same time. How serendipitous is that? This Spartan movie, by a guy I'm really a big fan of because that Dawn of the Dead remake he did was brilliant, is coming out. So I wouldn't, if I had my choice, release by Christmas at all, but it was not my choice at all; it was how everything worked out schedule wise.
Capcom recently revealed that it spent $20 million on marketing for Lost Planet, which is how much it cost to develop the game as well. I find that pretty remarkable...
CB: But they didn't spend that much money on localization of their story to make it more sensible.
...can you reveal how much production and marketing cost for GoW II?
CB: Wow... I don't even know.
PR Rep: Yeah, we can't comment on that but, as far as the overall investment, it's top 3 first party. In marketing, we're doing action figures. We're trying to make a big push to license this out and really make an iconic image with the franchise.
We have some other things down the pipe, but the overall production of this we really raised the bar, what Cory and his team did, but then also working closely with other similar processes of the motion picture industry. So we were over in Prague and we were working with their philharmonic to do the original score. We went over to Abbey Road Studios in London and recorded the brass ensemble and choir. We went over the Warner Bros. and did sound effects with the guy that's worked on Star Wars. We also got some celebrity voiceovers.
CB:: The music in this game is great. The composers from the first game are working on the second game, and they did this amazing soundtrack for the first game. It was just unbelievable. I didn't have as much connection working with those guys for the first game, but in this one, to be able to work with them from the beginning and be able to explain to them the emotional tone that I want throughout the entire game and visually give them ideas and explain "at this point, this is what needs to be happening" and to see all that stuff come alive is unbelievable. Some of the cinematics had no sound and just voiceover for seven or eight months, where were looking at animatics and then final renders with just voice, and then finally when we get the score in the last few months, and you see all this stuff, which was starting to feel stale and, "Bam," the music comes in and it's just un-frickin'-believable. These guys are geniuses, to use the word liberally, because they're frickin' amazing.
Do you know what's going on with God of War the movie? Didn't Universal get the rights to do a movie back in 2005?
CB: They're still in development. I think they're still looking for a script, trying to get it finalized. It's the same thing with anything when they get a property. It seems to be the only person who can guarantee they're going to get a movie made out of a game property is Uwe Boll. [laughs] Everybody else, things are falling through. Who knows where it's going to go?
PR Rep: Its a big collaboration though. That's one thing that Cory and Dave got to make sure it stays true to the roots so that its not just another videogame film.
Right, you guys have got to worry about the sort of image it creates for the brand. If it turns out to be a bad movie, it could tarnish the God of War name.
CB: As lofty as this sounds, I would like for it to be this generation's Conan, the first one not Destroyer, of course. But I think that it has the potential. It has a pretty strong story and it really is up to them, where they want to go with it, what they're going to do with the casting and who are they going to get to direct it. Those are important factors to ensure its quality... I mean, we know that Uwe's not going to be directing or anything like that. [laughs]
Will the GoW franchise make an appearance on the PSP at some point?
CB: That would be awesome. I mean, I've been a big proponent of that concept for quite a while. I want it on every possible system you could put it on. I think it's definitely a possibility. It's not something we haven't discussed but it's not something we're actively discussing right now.
Work's begun on GoW 3 for PS3 right? I believe Jaffe had said in a recent interview that production had started a little while ago...
CB: It was awesome, because I think he said that, and then all these Internet rumors about his HL PSP game was all a ruse! He was always working on God of War PS3! [laughs] He started doing some pre-work on the that, just jotting down notes and ideas and I have a giant war board of index cards covering the entire wall of my office—hundreds of index cards that I'm moving around... ideas and plot points while we're figuring out a structure. But it's really early; it's not like, "Yes, we're going forward." It's more like, "If this goes well on the second one, what would we do on the third one?" It will really be dependent on sales and fan response to GoW II.
Have you as a developer have had much exposure to PS3 yet?
CB: My exposure to it has been tracking games that are out as a player that wants to play but also as a developer. Seeing that Mass Effect was delayed, Assassin's Creed is delayed, Too Human is delayed... all these next gen games that I want to play but also keeping an eye on how long they've been in development, seeing who's experiencing what growing pains with each of these things... hardware independent, just the concept of making a big next-gen game, two or three times the quality of art we did on PS2 or Xbox. You're having to enhance all that, and how long is it taking everybody? That's huge; I'm looking forward to GDC to start chatting with some people, seeing what their experiences have been.
Some people have said the PS3 is difficult to develop for. What are your thoughts on the machine from a designer's perspective and a gamer's viewpoint?
CB: Every system is difficult to develop for when you first get it. Throughout the history of launches, like PS2 comes out and people are like, "Hey, that's really tough. We could have done so much better if we had known this—blah, blah, blah." Until you get familiar with it, you're going to have the things you don't like about it as a developer because we're picky. We're like, "Look, I want it to be like this" or "I wanted this much RAM." You want it all your way like Burger King: "My way, right away!" [The economics of game development have apparently changed—Ed.] But, in the end when you start figuring out the tricks and start going to places like GDC and talking to some people and they're like, "We did this, check this out" ... I wish there was more sharing than there is; everybody's really secretive, but there are some really cool people in this industry that are like, "Look what we did, this is neat," and you learn from them, get pushed and motivated and I think everybody benefits. We can see beyond the fact that they're competition and realize that gamers benefit because it's not as if we're going to do exactly what they're doing. We're inspired by that, and we're going to try and take the next step and integrate that into what we're doing. And it doesn't happen in the first year of the hardware; you weren't seeing really good stuff, like if you look back at PS2 launch titles, or DreamCast launch titles... although, granted, they pretty much had launch titles and then [*makes trumpet noises for Taps*]. It was the same thing with Xbox, with Bloodwake or something like that and people we're like, "The graphics are amazing!" It was all about the f***ing water... it's not like a game even; it's more like a water simulator. So, it's a challenge like everything else but I don't honestly care because in my mind I want to make a cool game; I don't care what the hardware is.
If you weren't currently employed by Sony would you want to design games for other systems? Does the Wii intrigue you from a development standpoint?
CB: It's funny, because a lot of developers are like, "I'd love to develop for the Wii." I don't know, maybe it's me, but I don't like the kiddie games, the cartoony type games... I could care less. I didn't even want a Wii until Trauma Center was announced and I was like, "That's a cool game." Zelda, alright, but I don't want to play a 40-hour game swinging my f***ing hands around. I would totally want to develop something from a developer's standpoint for the 360, but I don't see it as being that dramatically different. Like, the Wii is definitely a different system... and there was a bunch of ideas thrown around for DS stuff. I don't think anybody's really utilized the stylus for handwriting. They do the whole Brain Age thing, but cool ideas like having to sign your name and analyzing your handwriting and telling you about what kind of personality you have...
And train you to forge checks?
CB: Not even to forge checks, but it's like you sign in on your DS game, it analyzes your handwriting which determines what type of personality you are, which then sets you as one type of character. So, everybody who plays the game gets different attributes based upon the analysis of their signature. Granted, I don't think I'll ever be doing something for the DS, but it would definitely be cool.
Lastly, do nerdy people ever jokingly call you Balrog, the creature from Lord of the Rings?
CB: All the f***ing time, dude. I get it seriously though in a lot of articles they're like, "That Balrog!" and then they'll later comment, "Balrog, that's the same thing as the Lord of the Rings thing." So yeah... all the time. There's a Street Fighter II Turbo cabinet that has the boxer, and his name is Balrog, but they misspelled it on the U.S. cabinet, so it says Barlog. I really want to get one of those cabinets but it's freakin' impossible to find, and I also suck with that character. That would be the ultimate: named after me, and I can just dominate you with that character, and rock!
Good luck with that arcade cabinet quest. Thanks for your time, Cory.


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Cadillac Tech Tips - How to fix it Discussion, My passive shock install in Item Specific Cadillac Discussion; I know there have been numerous threads about shock replacement going from active to passive. Here is mine. My original ...
My passive shock install
I know there have been numerous threads about shock replacement going from active to passive. Here is mine. My original shock's air bladders have holes in them and therefore will not keep pressure. Adding ANY load to the car makes the rear sag. I obtained some soft ride shocks for cheap and I am planning a trip soon so I need the load capacity.
First I raised the rear of the vehicle, taking all safety precautions of course. Then remove the wheels. I did each each side one at a time but I did have the complete rear on jackstands.
After removing the wheel, you will be able to see the whole shock assembly and see the air lines that are connected to the shock. To disconnect the air lines, there is a clip on them that you can rotate and twist off the air hose connector. You dont need to completely remove the clip. Once off, make sure the clip is situated back into the grooves of the connector. Here is a good time to clean out the connector with a q-tip before connecting it back to a shock.
Removing the shock is pretty straightforward. There are two nuts to remove from the upper tower in the trunk (sorry no pics, but just remove the side covers in the trunk to access them) and two bolts to remove at the bottom and the shock is free. You will have to disconnect the electrical connectorConnector1.jpg
, just follow the wire to the connector itself. While I was there, I put in my 4.7K ohm resistor to fool the computer that the active shocks were still there.
Sorry the pic didn't come out too well, but all I did was insert each lead into the connector in each receptacle. I covered them in plastic zip lock bags and electrical tape and secured them out of the way. Here is a shot of the resistors I used:
Ninety-nine cents and you will have spares! LOL
Installing is just the same as removal just backwards. Here is a shot of the old vs. the new.Shocks.jpg
Here is a close up of the part number,
and yes it is an ACDelco part! Here are a couple of shots with the shocks installed:
Installed shock 2.jpgInstalled shock.jpg After installing and before setting vehicle down on its own weight, I turned the key/started the car to let the ELC circuit run its test and to let the compressor put residual pressure in the shocks.
Afterthoughts: Shocks were cheap alternative to the active ones. Install was pretty easy and straightforward. Resistors worked like a charm with no error messages on the DIC. Car is back at original ride height no matter who or what is in the backseat and/or trunk.
How do they ride you ask? Ok. That's it. Does it ride like my car used to?? Hellllll no! I cannot wait to put some new actives on! My wife only commented that it "felt bouncier". Trust me, if SHE noticed, there is a difference!
As for right now, these are a great temporary solution for me and may be a permanent solution for others.
Re: My passive shock install
Great write-up! Did you replace the shock mounts and in what shape were they? I'm going to have to do this very soon.
Re: My passive shock install
Update: When using ACDelco replacement shocks, be advised that the replacement shocks need slightly more pressure than originals. It would seem that the ACDelco replacements are made by Gabriel (aka Highjackers). The fix for this (increased pressure) would be to replace the pressure spring in the drier assembly, otherwise the shocks would not fully pressurize and you would hear the top can of the shock "knock" on bumps.--credit goes to mtflight on doing the research on ACDelcos. Details can be found in this post:
I have since installed the Monroe MA822s. Very simple replacement which does not require the drier spring replacement. The ride is great after doing so with no issues.
- 04-04-13 01:36 PM #4Cadillac Owners Member
- Automobile(s): 1996 Cadillac Deville
- Join Date
- Dec 2011
- Posts
- 1
Re: My passive shock install
I know this is an old thread but Im hoping someone will respond. When I had my suspension replaced on my 02 DTS, the moron who did it, completely broke those clips off that the resistor is plugged into. Is there anyway to still make this work?
Re: My passive shock install
You mean the female connector in the 1st & 2nd picture? If so, yes, the resistor could still be soldered right to the wire.


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Canadians! New (?) President's Choice Conditioner!
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 28
Sunday, March 10, 2013 at 06:37PM
: Canadians! New (?) President's Choice Conditioner!
Hey everyone,
I am just getting back into the CG routine after having fallen off the routine for many months. I was at the grocery store scoping out the Suave conditioners (sadly, they had a terrible selection) when I noticed that President's Choice had a new line of hair products.
I picked up the Hydrating formula and I am so excited by the ingredients which include no sulfates or silicones but lots and lots of protein: hair keratin amino acids, alanine, proline, serine, threonine, arginine, lysine...
Has anyone else tried this? I used it today and I'm still waiting for my hair to dry, so I'm not sure how my hair reacted, but nothing negative to say yet.
PC products are sold at Loblaw's company stores in case you're not familiar.
Update: My hair is now dry and it looks amazing! I SOTC and it's so shiny, so defined, smells great. I will definitely be stocking up on this conditioner when it's on sale!
Last edited by jp_squared; 03-10-2013 at
. Reason: Update:


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SYDNEY – As dozens of unpredictable bush fires break out due to the extreme heat affecting many parts of Australia, military-style operations are in full swing at a "nerve center" that harnesses state-of-the-art technology allied to the power of social media.
Already equipped with the world's largest firefighting service, with more than 70,000 unpaid volunteers at its disposal, the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS) deploys information as a key resource in battling the elements.
At the state operations room at the western Sydney headquarters of the RFS, fire officials sit alongside representatives from the police, the Department of Defense, utilities and state bodies to coordinate the fire response.
Before them is a giant digital video wall, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, displaying information about all fires burning in the state, including maps, number of firefighters at the front and weather forecasts.
"This is the nerve center for all the fires that are going on in New South Wales at the moment," media spokeswoman Brydie O'Connor said.
All information — including fire behavior analysis, air resources, number of firetrucks available, streets and homes that might come under threat — is plugged into an online system and is immediately available to all who need it.
The center itself is disaster-proofed, with custom designs ensuring "if there is a major power outage or some sort of catastrophic event in NSW that electricity would still run in this building," O'Connor said.
Combined with the expert analysis and information to track fires, the RFS uses social media to engage with those who need it most: people in the path of danger.
Using its website, a new smartphone app and social media sites, the RFS works on multiple fronts to get the message out, alerting citizens to the nearest blazes and providing timely updates.
"Social media is proving a really effective way to get the message out to the community," explained O'Connor.
"On Tuesday (when temperatures in Sydney hit 42 degrees and the fire rating in the state was catastrophic) we saw more than 80,000 people using our Fires Near Me iPhone app per hour. That is a huge number.
"And with our New South Wales Rural Fire Service website where we publish our major fire updates . . . we saw a million people on that website on Tuesday and given the population of New South Wales (7.3 million) it's a staggering number."
The Fires Near Me app is designed to alert people to bush fire activity in real time, informing them of any bush fire within a 50-km radius of their phone's GPS location and providing data on its size and severity.
At RFS headquarters, where the operations room runs around the clock while bush fires are burning, a team constantly updates the service's Facebook page, Twitter feeds and website.
At the same time, they are taking information from the public.
O'Connor said as the state sweltered under a summer scorcher last week, with more than 150 fires burning, one person was able to use Facebook to check whether his property had been affected.
The man, who was away from home, had heard there was a bush fire near his house and posted a message on Facebook to ask about it. A neighbor assured him the house was still standing.
Observatory damaged
Sydney AFP-JIJI
Australia's top research observatory, which houses telescopes used by scientists from around the world, was damaged by a large wildfire Sunday as hot weather and storms stoked dozens of new blazes.
The Rural Fire Service (RFS) of New South Wales state issued an emergency warning for an out-of-control fire that scorched the Siding Spring Observatory, a remote global research facility.
"This is a large and dangerous bush fire. It is burning in the area around Timor Road near Siding Spring Observatory," the RFS said.
It said two properties in Timor Road had been destroyed and part of the observatory was damaged by fire. The extent of the damage was unclear.
All observatory staff were evacuated before the fire.
Siding Spring, a mountaintop site in the Warrumbungle Ranges about 500 km north-west of Sydney, houses 10 operating telescopes run by Australian, Polish, British, South Korean and American researchers.
Administered by the Australian National University's research school of astronomy and astrophysics, Siding Spring is the nation's major optical and infrared observatory and one of the top facilities of its kind in the world.
A university spokeswoman said all observatory personnel had been confirmed as "safely evacuated and accounted for."
Fire crews battled difficult conditions, with temperatures in the area above 40 degrees Celsius and hot northwesterly gusts of about 60 kph.
The fire was burning across a 4-km front, with a strong southerly pushing the flames to the north and northeast as night fell.
A partner observatory at Canberra's Mount Stromlo was destroyed by wildfires in January 2003 that killed four people and razed more than 500 homes.
Five telescopes, residences and more than a dozen buildings were ruined in the Mount Stromlo inferno, forcing the termination of a number of major projects including a digital survey of the Southern Hemisphere's skies.
In the northern state of Queensland trains were halted Sunday due to fears that tracks would buckle under scorching heat that has seen bitumen road surfaces melt in some towns.
The RFS said lightning storms started about 40 new fires overnight in northern New South Wales. They were fanned by strong winds but most were in remote areas and not a threat to properties.
By Sunday evening there were 134 fires burning across NSW of which 43 were out of control, according to the RFS.


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Hawks run away with Invitational
April 15, 2014 10:40 AM
by TOM PEEL
Max Kirsch, an IUP freshman from Ebensburg, hit an approach shot Monday on No. 2 at Chestnut Ridge Golf Course.
IUP won the two-day Cecil Spadafora Invitational by 10 strokes. See details in the Indiana County Area Sports section on The Indiana Gazette Online. (Tom Peel/Gazette photo)


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Imogen Thomas was spotted wearing towering red heels despite being eight months pregnant.
The Welsh glamour model, who had a six-month relationship with married Premier League footballer Ryan Giggs, was seen sporting extremely high red Alexander McQueen ankle boots as she popped out to get her nails done, the Sun reported.
The 30-year-old former Big Brother beauty teamed the bright footwear with matching lipstick plus black leggings and a beige woollen jumper.
The model, who is due to give birth to her first child next month, chatted on the phone as she tottered along the street in London. (ANI)


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Kanye West Featured in Logo's New Series SCANDALICIOUS Tonight, 5/25
Celebrating only the very best in celebrity rants, feuds and sexy scandals, Logo presents SCANDALICIOUS, a new four-part series uncovering the creme de la creme of headline-grabbing bad behavior and attention-grabbing physiques. Infused with comedic sass from the likes of Alec Mapa and Debra Wilson, the new series of one-hour specials kicks off with the premiere of "Scandalicious: 20 Shocking Celebrity Rants" tonight, May 25th at 8PM ET/PT on Logo.
The "Scandalicious" series includes:
"Scandalicious: 20 Shocking Celebrity Rants" (Friday, May 25, 8PM ET/PT)
We all lose our cool once in awhile but when a celebrity has a really bad day it is game ON! In this one hour special, we'll take a look at 20 shocking acts of celebrity misbehavior. From Charlie Sheen's outrageous rants to Christian Bale's mind blowing meltdown, celebrities like Alec Mapa, Joel Stein, Debra Wilson and more count down the craziest celebrity freak-outs.
"Scandalicious: 20 Extreme Celebrity Feuds" (Friday, June 1, 8PM ET/PT)
Everybody likes a good fight, especially if the brawlers are A-list stars. In this one hour special, we'll count down our favorite 20 celebrity slugfests. Dueling Divas. Bickering Besties. Sparring Spouses. This could get ugly. Luckily we have our trusty panel of celebs featuring Alec Mapa, Jeffrey Self, Debra Wilson and more to put the likes of Snooki, Madonna and Megan Fox in their place.
"Scandalicious: 20 Juiciest Celebrity Scandals of Passion" (July TBD)
Shocking affairs, leaked photos and night vision tapes! When a celebrity gets caught in a scandal, the world pays attention. In this special we will reveal all the dirty details as we countdown 20 of the most memorable and surprising celebrity sex scandals that made the headlines.
"Scandalicious: Sexiest Nearly Naked Celebs" (August TBD)
In this installment, viewers get a good look at some of the sexiest, most revealing and riskiest fashion choices of the hottest stars. From walking the red carpet in their skivvies to going topless at the beach and major wardrobe malfunctions, we'll count down the top skin-tacular celebrity moments.


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Distances are calculated in a straight line and may not reflect actual travel distance.
The Heronry forms part of the original and sought after Burwood Park Estate in this prime location within close proximity of Walton's mainline railway station with its fantastic commuter service to London Waterloo. Arranged over two floors this spacious home provides a perfectly proportioned family house with the emphasis on a bright and light free flowing accommodation, whilst combining contemporary styling and gracious living. The spacious tiled reception hall provides access to the principal reception rooms and leads to the kitchen/breakfast/family room, being the hub of the house, overlooking the southerly facing garden. The kitchen is extensively fitted with a range of eye level and base level units, built in stainless steel appliances and a central island. This room is open plan to the kitchen/breakfast/family room area which has French doors leading out to the garden and double doors leading to the dining room. The dining room to the front of the house has a feature fireplace and double doors leading out to the hallway. The living room which is at the back of the house is a good size and has a feature gas fireplace and doors giving access to the conservatory. There is a spacious study and a separate utility room and a downstairs cloakroom to complete the ground floor. To the first floor there are five bedrooms, the stunning master suite has a double aspect overlooking the front and rear gardens and offers a range of fitted cupboard. The en-suite shower room to the master has feature glass walls and offers a large walk in shower. The guest bedroom also has an en suite and there are three further double bedrooms plus a family bathroom to complete the accommodation.
Located in a rather special environment set within a triangular collection of similar established roads forming part of the original Burwood Park estate. The location is a prime residential road which is located both within walking distance of Walton station (Waterloo in under 30 minutes), as well as Hersham village where there are a selection of local shops, Waitrose supermarket, well regarded schools and nurseries and Burhill and Hersham golf clubs.
This property is located on a generous size southerly facing plot. The front drive is block paved and provides plenty of parking and leads to the double garage. To the rear, the sun terrace is ideal for summer entertaining and expansive lawn area is surrounded by a bank of evergreens, shrubs and specimen surrounds.
5 bedrooms
sitting room
kitchen/breakfast/family room
dining room
utility room
3 bathrooms (2 ensuite)
Contact branch for relevant Energy Performance Certificate


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Our garden is producing wonderful things and I'm inspired daily to use everything we pick. Winter comes all too soon here and it's going to be really sad to say goodbye to all this freshness! So for now I give you my version of a gratin.
Zucchini Tomato Gratin
Beautiful gratin!!
I forgot my first year blogiversary!! I'll be sure to stop by and celebrate 😉
These are all inspiring dishes to make use our local ingredients.
The entire meal looks and sounds delicious.
Your gratin looks fabulous, and I am definitely making that fish for dinner this week! Thanks!
Wow! Now that's a post! I'm not sure where to start, but this is some beautiful food, Marie! I have so many zucchini, leeks and tomatoes ready to pick that your gratin will definitely be put to good use. Wondrous!
Wow, where to start? You gave us a three-fer. My brain is saying fish and gratin, my heart is saying key lime pie.
Love this! I am so stealing that gratin for my next class! It looks so pretty and delicious!
I just had a slice of key lime for breakfast! I found key limes in the city and immediately came home to make it. So delicious! This gratin looks amazing too!
I will be trying all three of these delicious ideas!
I love the zucchini gratin, and I'm going to try the fish recipe on trout that I bought for dinner tonight.
I made a frittata thsi morning with garden produce ..so yummy!
I had the best Key Lime pie in Key West a few years ago but I think yours would give it a run for the money, Marie.
I'll be on vacation soon, so I hope I don't miss your anniversary or give away. In case I do congratulations on having one of the best food blogs ever, and definitly one of my favorites!
Summer is such a wonderful foodie time 🙂
Three recipes, all great. First, the gratin… I have everything growing in my garden and I have vidalia onions. I have the perfect cast iron pan, too. I'm so making this. I don't cook enough fish, so this recipe is easy and perfect.
As for the Key Lime Pie… I made a low-fat one and haven't blogged it yet. I should do that, soon. Key limes are plentiful an inexpensive where I live, because they come from Mexico.
Great menu, Linda. Will you adopt me?
Looks easy breezy, and tasty too!
Oh my gosh what a beautiful display of color and flavor. That zucchini gratin is outstanding and one I must try. Happy number 3 to you!
Marie, I too am from the Chicagoland area (and Italian). I swear you have me drooling with each post. This dish looks great, and I plan on making that "la bomba" dip soon. If you were in my neighborhood I swear I would be at your doorstep everyday looking for scraps 😉 Ariana from PR
Hi Ariana, Welcome to another Chicagoan, were are you from?
Wow, dinner at your place looks good! I'm stopping by!
I love that this gratin isn't super cheesy! It's the perfect way to really let the veggie's flavors shine through!
This gratin sounds AMAZING! I'm a huge fan of all these fresh flavors.
The gratin was on my must make list then I scrolled down and saw the cod! Okay I'll make that too. And I keep on scrolling and dear God my favorite pie is there… sigh I am thinking perhaps next Saturday night dinner!
What a great meal…I could easily devour the whole gratin I think, but the cod looks yummy too!
And the pie-I need to try it. I've bookmarked this post as delicious!
What a wonderful, fresh and healthy meal!
What a wonderful and tasty dish Marie.. I think though that I would be guilty of consuming this on my own. I'm not good at sharing gratins. Anything crumbled with breads and cheeses on top I'm all selfish!
How nice that your garden is producing such a bounty. Oh and that sorta key lime pie…yum!
So excellent, Marie. Someone dropped a bunch of zucchini off to our house last night and I needed another zucchini recipe!
That looks and sounds delicious…and so perfect for super-fresh summer vegetables.
Now that's one mouthwatering dinner! I bought tomatoes and zucchini yesterday so am all set to try this wonderful gratin. I'm always looking for new ways to prepare zucchini.
That is a great way to enjoy some summer vegetables!
Recipes are great, love the fish idea ..quick, easy and tasty. Is it 3 years .. my word, 🙂
Congratulations and well done, to keep it going this long with wonderful recipes to tempt us 🙂
Recipes are great, love the fish idea ..quick, easy and tasty. Is it 3 years .. my word, 🙂
Congratulations and well done, to keep it going this long with wonderful recipes to tempt us 🙂
That gratin looks amazing….wow, it almost looks too good to eat, notice I say almost, because there is no way I could resist it!!! And you made dessert too!!! I'm coming to your house!
Hello there! This looks so yummy, going to try it tonight with all our fresh farmer's market purchases from this morning :). Happened upon your blog recently and wanted to say how much I enjoy it – made your artichoke fritatta recipe from back in 2008 this week, it was fabulous!
20 limes for a dollar! I'd fill up a wagon. And do … something with them. yes, that pie. Love the gratin. We're on our 3rd go-round with zucchini gratin – keep changing the cheeses and the zucchini keeps on coming. Now that herbed sauce sweeps me off my feet!
i made this last night and it was a HUGE hit! i go think the homemade bread crumbs made the difference. thanks
i fixed this last night and it was a huge hit. i do think the homemade breadcrumbs made a difference. would you post your recipe for breadcrumbs?? thanks
I love your gratin! I made zucchini fritters a few days ago which were also very good.
Yoir pie looks amazing! If I go to Key West in a few months as we planned I'll buy you a bottle of Key Lime juice! 🙂
This gratin looks awesome and I plan on making it. Question, though. I would think you would leave it uncovered while cooking and more or less roast the vegetables, instead of covering it which would team it a bit. Is this what happened? Don't want to screw up the recipe when I make it.
Love your blog. Wish I had discovered it earlier.
Zevon, I never covered it, it's always roasting uncovered on high heat.
I made a similar dish last summer but added thinly sliced squash and that was very good also.
I made this gratin a few weeks ago. Huge hit, so flavorful! Even the non veggie lovers went crazy for it. I recently shut down my blog and started cooking my way through yours (I'm enjoying cooking again)…next up is the Ricotta pie, although I cherish my aunt Rose's recipe, I can't say no to the flavors of cannoli).
Thanks for your sweet comments Krissy, So glad you liked it!
Ah, I can't wait to try your zucchini tomato gratin! 🙂 It looks delicious! Thanks for the post!
I just found your blog through Pinterest. I can't wait to try some of your recipes, starting with this delicious Zucchini Tomato Gratin. It looks wonderful!
How long on average does the gratin take in the oven?
I hope you're still maintaining your blog because I have a question. Wondering how long it takes to bake your Gratin?
Wanda, It really doesn't take that long in that hot of an oven, maybe 15 minutes or so, but keep checking so it doesn't burn. I should be nicely golden on top.
[…] this week I made Zucchini Tomato Gratin in a cast iron skillet and served it over a bed of quinoa – easy and delish! I also made a […]
[…] so easy! I had all of the ingredients and I went to town. I did a few things differently from the recipe. I added a bit of mushrooms and fresh mozzarella cheese and I did not add the leeks. It turned out […]
[…] I came across the Proud Italian Cook who has a lovely looking Zucchini Tomato Gratin recipe which I decided to […]
[…] Zucchini Tomato Gratin – Proud Italian Cook link: http://www.prouditaliancook.com/2010/08/zucchini-tomato-gratin.html […]
[…] and Zucchini from the garden are still filling our kitchen. Here is an idea of what to do with them, […]
[…] Check out Marie's recipe here. […]
[…] Check out Marie's recipe here. […]
[…] it, so I made one of our family favorites today at lunchtime; Marie from Proud Italian Cook's Zucchini Tomato Gratin. I figured that baking the zucchini for awhile would soften them up. This is such an incredible […]
[…] Zucchini Tomato Gratin…RECIPE […]


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Macaroni Medley Salad RecipeRead Reviews Be the first to add a review
4.5 3
This salad is so delicious, folks never believe it starts with packaged macaroni and cheese.—Vicky Linn, Corsicana, Texas
Recommended: 25 Potluck Side Dishes to Feed a Crowd
- 1 package (7-1/4 ounces) macaroni and cheese
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 4 hard-boiled large eggs, chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped onion
- 1 dill pickle, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- Prepare macaroni and cheese with milk and butter according to package directions. Place in a large bowl; cool for 15 minutes. Stir in mayonnaise and mustard. Fold in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 6 servings.
Originally published as Macaroni Medley Salad in Taste of Home June/July 1999, p13
Reviews for Macaroni Medley Salad
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text:
Rafael Catena was taking it slow. The 11-year-old wanted to
"start off with something easy" so he was fashioning a long, skinny
leaf out of clay. Sophie Deth, 6, however, was an art-making
machine. She had already finished a butterfly and was starting on a
The art created by Rafael, Sophie and several dozen others will
adorn one of Chicago's newest parks.
Albany Whipple Park, previously an abandoned lot on the
northwest side, is being redeveloped into an insect-themed play
space that will feature a huge spider and spider web climbing
structure. The insects, plants and birds fashioned from clay by
Sophie, Rafael and the other volunteer artists will become part of
a 30-foot-long concrete bench there.
The park will one day be an entry point to an elevated bike and
walking path.
The proposed $60 million Bloomingdale Trail will run along a
stretch of abandoned elevated railroad tracks through Wicker Park,
Humboldt Park, Logan Square and Bucktown from Ashland Avenue west
to Ridgeway Avenue, just north of North Avenue.
No one knows when the nearly three-mile-long path will open.
Plans call for it to be developed in pieces and the entire project
could take 10 years or more.
But once it's open, proponents say the elevated Bloomingdale
Trail will allow families to take long bike rides in the city
without worrying about the kids getting too close to cars and
become a place where families can rise above the bustle of the city
to take a Sunday afternoon stroll. It also will be a safe way for
kids to walk to school.
Along the trail, organizers envision a series of parks and
greenspaces, including Albany Whipple Park, that will serve as play
spaces and access points to the trail, which is, on average, about
20 feet above street level.
The park is an important neighborhood asset because 4,300
children under the age of 10 live within walking distance, says
Beth White, executive director of the Trust for Public Land, one of
the partners on the project.
Cindy Richards is the mom of two who gets her muse from traveling the world, usually with kids in tow. She also writes for TravelingMom.com, where she also serves as editor.
See more of Cindy's stories here.
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text:
Trauma type and posttrauma outcomes : differences between survivors of motor vehicle accidents, sexual assault, and bereavement
Shakespeare-Finch, Jane & Armstrong, Deanne (2010) Trauma type and posttrauma outcomes : differences between survivors of motor vehicle accidents, sexual assault, and bereavement. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 15(2), pp. 69-82.
Accepted Version
(PDF 287kB)
Research examining post-trauma pathology indicates negative outcomes can differ as a function of the type of trauma experienced. Such research has yet to be published when looking at positive post-trauma changes. Ninety-Four survivors of trauma, forming three groups, completed the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) and Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R). Groups comprised survivors of i) sexual abuse ii) motor vehicle accidents iii) bereavement. Results indicted differences in growth between the groups with the bereaved reporting higher levels of growth than other survivors and sexual abuse survivors demonstrated higher levels of PTSD symptoms than the other groups. However, this did not preclude sexual abuse survivors from also reporting moderate levels of growth. Results are discussed with relation to fostering growth through clinical practice.
Impact and interest:
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These databases contain citations from different subsets of available publications and different time periods and thus the citation count from each is usually different. Some works are not in either database and no count is displayed. Scopus includes citations from articles published in 1996 onwards, and Web of Science® generally from 1980 onwards.
Citations counts from the Google Scholar™ indexing service can be viewed at the linked Google Scholar™ search.
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|ID Code:
|Item Type:
|Journal Article
|Additional URLs:
|Trauma, Posttraumatic Growth, Resilience
|Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > PSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITIVE SCIENCES (170000) > PSYCHOLOGY (170100) > Health Clinical and Counselling Psychology (170106)
|Past > Research Centres > Centre for Health Research
Current > QUT Faculties and Divisions > Faculty of Health
Current > Institutes > Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation
|Copyright Owner:
|Copyright 2010 Routledge
|Copyright Statement:
This is an electronic version of an article published in Shakespeare-Finch, Jane and Armstrong, Deanne (2010) Trauma type and posttrauma outcomes : differences between survivors of motor vehicle accidents, sexual assault, and bereavement. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 15(2). pp. 69-82.
Journal of Loss and Trauma is available online at informaworldTM
|Deposited On:
|29 Apr 2010 01:41
|Last Modified:
|22 Jun 2017 14:42
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text:
Firefighters dead in gunman ambush
A gunman ambushed four volunteer firefighters responding to an intense pre-dawn house fire on Monday morning in a town in western New York State, shooting four and killing two before ending up dead himself, authorities said.
The gunman fired at the firefighters when they arrived shortly after 5.30am at the blaze near the Lake Ontario shore in the town of Webster, police chief Gerald Pickering said. The first police officer who arrived exchanged gunfire with the suspect, authorities said.
One of the two dead firefighters is also a town police lieutenant; it was not clear whether he returned fire. An off-duty police officer who was driving by has injuries from shrapnel, Mr Pickering said.
Two wounded firefighters were in critical condition, authorities said.
The fire started in one home and spread to two others and a car, officials said. The gunfire initially kept firefighters from battling the blazes. Police say four homes were destroyed and four damaged.
The West Webster Fire District learned of the fire early on Monday after a report of a car and house on fire on a narrow peninsula where Irondequoit Bay meets Lake Ontario, Sheriff Patrick O'Flynn said.
The fire appeared from a distance as a pulsating ball of flame glowing against the early morning sky, flames licking into treetops and reflecting on the water, with huge bursts of smoke billowing away in a brisk wind.
Monday's shooting and fires occurred in a neighbourhood of seasonal and year-round homes set close together across the road from the lakeshore. The area is popular with recreational boaters but is normally quiet this time of year, Mr O'Flynn said.
Mr O'Flynn lamented the violence, which comes on the heels of other shootings including the massacre of 20 students and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
"It's sad to see that that this is becoming more commonplace in communities across the nation," Mr O'Flynn said.
Webster, a middle-class, lakeside suburb, is now the scene of violence linked to house fires for two Decembers in a row.
See our Comments Policy Comments are submitted under the express understanding and condition that the editor may, and is authorised to, disclose any/all of the above personal information to any person or entity requesting the information for the purposes of legal action on grounds that such person or entity is aggrieved by any comment so submitted. Please allow some time for your comment to be moderated.


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text:
Vico Office Cost Planner Video Tutorials
During Level One Cost Planner Training, we saw how easy it was to set up an initial cost plan without even having a BIM model available.
The interface is still the same familiar Excel-like spreadsheet, but now Level Two training introduces the concept of the "evolving estimate." The cost plan grows in specificity as more and more information is learned about the project. This specificity can also come from previously completed projects, as we will see in these lessons.
We've developed these video tutorials to walk you through the major pieces of functionality in easy bite-sized chunks. Refer back to these videos as often as you like. We'll continue to update the materials as new releases of Vico Office are issued.
After watching these video tutorials on the major features of Cost Planner, please navigate to the FAQs to learn even more. And when you're ready, please feel free to advance to the next level. You can also request to receive the entire video collection by completing the form on the Vico Office Training Videos page.
Vico Office Cost Planner Level 2
Step One: Saving and Comparing Two Versions of the Cost Plan
In Level One, we captured all the information we knew about the project without referring to a BIM model. In this session, we will save that version and date stamp it. This allows us to continue fleshing out the estimate as more information becomes available.
This video offers an introduction to the Compare and Update feature. More detailed explanations of this feature are offered in the Help File and the FAQs.
Caption: What happened to the project since the last meeting? With Compare & Update, you can quickly track changes to your project, see who has added more information, etc. These "project snapshots" allow you to track progress and keep everyone focused on the tasks at hand. You can also use Compare & Update to copy certain elements from a past project (a "reference" project) to your current project.
Step Two: Comparing the Cost Plan to a Reference Project
Now, instead of looking for the differences between the cost plan at the last meeting and the cost plan today, we'll examine how to compare your current project to a past project.
The steps are still the same. Recall that because Vico Office is a database of construction projects, you can "reference" any construction project to which you have access rights. This means you can quickly compare how one medical office building compares to another. But most importantly, since much of the cost component and assembly structures are already complete, you don't have to start from scratch with each new Vico Office project.
Step Three: Using Shared Data
If each recently-completed construction project represents your firm's most up-to-date intellectual property, wouldn't it make sense to harness those means and methods for the next similar project? Because Vico Office is a database of all your construction projects, you are able to do just that. This video illustrates how you can quickly pull in information from the last similar project and take advantage of the learnings on your new project. This video again highlights the Compare and Update functionality to compare your current project to a "reference project" in the Vico Office database and then decide which pieces (a cost assembly or the whole project) to copy.
Step Four: Creating a Comparison Report
Now that you have several saved versions of the cost plan, we can compare the differences between them.
As we learned in Level One Training, the Vico Office Reporting Engine is very powerful because it can draw on all the information captured in the database. This tutorial illustrates how to use a report template to create a Cost Variance Report for your project - this report compares two cost versions side-by-side.
If you are following along with your own copy of Vico Office, you'll want to download the report template for the exercise in this section.
Step Five: Using the Reference Browser
Another way to access previous project data is to select your default reference project. This is a simple set-up operation at the beginning of your project. Not only can you select the default reference project, but you can also choose its color palette so that it is easy to distinguish from your live project data.
In this video we illustrate how to define the defaul reference project in your settings panel. Then from the Cost Plan view, we access the data in the reference project from the Reference Browser menu item. There are three options for copying data: to include component and assembly; to include the formula; or to include the quantities. In this example, we are working with the option to include the formula.
Step Six: Using the Side-by-Side Reference View
Did you know that users can arrange how data is displayed back to them in Vico Office. We call this information display the "view." Some views come standard while other views can be completely customized to suit the user's preferences.
In this video tutorial, we illustrate how to use the preset Reference View to drag and drop cost component and assembly data from the default Reference Project to the current, live project. As explained in the previous video, there are options to copy and paste just the assemblies, their formula, and/or their quantities.
We will also see the dialogue box which helps the user identify which items to overwrite or skip.
Step Seven: Using Auto-Complete
Another way to access previously created content in your firm's BIM projects is to use the Auto-Complete feature in Vico Office. Just as the Google search bar recognizes the phrase you are trying to type to help you hone in on exact language, so too does this feature in Vico Office.
The process begins the same as the other videos in this section. We first need a default Reference Project from which to cull our possible codes and materials.
In the Cost Plan view, we need to select our auto-complete feature from either the Reference Project, from our Current Project, or both. Now we can type a three character start into the cell and the system will offer us all the possible ways to complete the Code numbering or the material name.
There are much more important areas to focus your estimating efforts - memorizing codes and materials is not one of them.
Now that you've seen that setting up an estimating project in Vico Office Cost Planner is just like starting a traditional estimate from scratch; and you've seen that utilizing previous project work is as easy as dragging and dropping and auto-complete; let's advance to Level Three Cost Planner Training. We will learn how to build out our estimate with construction-caliber quantities and quantities by location. You can also request to receive the entire video collection by completing the form on the Vico Office Training Videos page.
And remember, you can always jump over to the Vico Office Client tutorial videos.


text:
Wolfman got nards.
monster wolfman parody nards geek movie
you made my day :D
Monster Squad ftw!
That's it I'm gonna watch it now…LOL Love that movie and the shirt!
This is brilliant
This is PERFECTO!!!!!!
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Login/Create Account
Check Out the new Remax App
Ask About This Home
Beautiful remodeled farm house sitting on 100 stunning acres. This home has been brought back to it's original splendor. The country kitchen takes you back in time, this home makes you feel warm and cozy from the minute you walk in. Not to mention, the covered bridge and brand new barn that has endless possibilities. If you are looking for the property that says "wow", this is it.


text:
>> The super-chic were out en masse yesterday on the streets of Milan Fashion Week — and the were was an outfit for every aesthetic. There were sleek ensembles in black-and-white, retro dresses in printed brights, and glossed-up leather in all shapes and types. Click through to see all those and more — here, in the slideshow.
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The Turkish government is experiencing turmoil and conflict as it awaits news from the Constitutional Court as to its decision of banning or not banning the ruling Justice and Development Party(AKP) as a legal political organization. The Court is reviewing a case brought by the Public Prosecutor who charges the AKP with seeking to undermine the Turkish constitution by working to end its secular base and institute a Muslim centered society which will govern on the basis of sharia law. In recent days, ultra nationalist leaders have urged Prime Minister Recep Erdogan, to stand down from politics if his party is banned in order to avoid further conflict in society. In parliamentary debate, Erdogan disregarded the request, and stated bluntly, "if a politician decides to stand down from politics, it will be due to the will of the people," not because of a judicial decision.
Deniz Baykal, of the opposition Republican People's Party, argued Turkey is fast approaching a decision if the Constitutional Court decides to ban the AKP. "Will Turkey remain a modern nation or become a weird Islamic state of the Middle East?"
However, there is a third option which Erdogan and many members of the AKP are urging– creation of a modern nation which respects the rights of its religious members while also respecting the rights of those who believe in secular principles. If this third path is taken, it offers a model for the entire Middle East.


text:
Insurance Law
Program Overview
Course Descriptions (pdf)
Specialized training and experience to lawyers seeking to enhance their insurance practice or prepare for employment within government or the insurance industry.
The curriculum has been developed in consultation with industry experts and is intended to provide exposure to the many and varied aspects of insurance and risk management. Upon completion of their studies, students will be able to form companies, and oversee the regulatory and governance aspects of insurance company operations.
In addition to the practical aspects of insurance law practice, students will graduate with a deep background in the issues and challenges confronting clients in the property and casualty, life, health and disability, reinsurance and surplus line of insurance.
Degree Requirements
The Insurance LL.M. candidates must successfully complete 12 credits of required insurance law courses and a sufficient number of elective courses to earn the 24 credit hours required. Guest students may earn up to 8 credits.
[ more ]
Insurance Law Links
Olivet College Insurance MBA Program
Insurance Information Institute: Facts and Information regarding the industry, the issues, and resources.
International Risk Management Institute: Glossary of Insurance Terms
For Michigan Industry specific data and current events information, go the website for Insurance Institute of Michigan.
Michigan Insurance statutes: MCL 550.100 - 550.2009
Michigan Administrative Code: For practice before OFIR, the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation.
Michigan Insurance Statutory links and OFIR Regulations and Administrative Rules
National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC): Insurance industry topics of interest, legislative developments, model acts and other states' regulatory website links. For access to state websites, go to the NAIC link for State and Jurisdictions.


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text: The first time I actually watched this film was last night. It certainly made me consider the realm of Star Wars in a new way. An interesting piece of a story Lucas had/has amazing perception into. Anyways, I really liked it, certainly not as a reality, but as a mindfulness. The Academy wasn't ready for you, George, they just weren't ready.


text:
Nudity, drunkenness and hot tubing with four ladies, is the recent allegation against Ashton Kutcher.
The media has focused on the possible downfall of Ashton and Demi Moore's marriage with news of his alleged infidelity and their odd public tweets.
According to ABC News , Ashton tweeted, "When you ASSUME to know that which you know nothing of you make an A[**] out of U and ME" . Early Thursday morning, Kutcher tweeted a link without comment, to his Spotify account, where he was playing the Public Enemy song "Don't Believe the Hype."
Demi took a tweet pic of her "naked back with the message, "remember…..you've got your own back." She seemed more direct on Sept. 23, when she tweeted a quote from Greek philosopher Epictetus, writing, "When we are offended at any man's fault, turn to yourself & study your own failings. Then you will forget your anger."
These may be cryptic messages with the intent to spur the other, yet presenting them via public tweets says nothing about mature communication.
When I read the title "Four naked women, vodka on tap and a hot tub", my first thought is Fun! Juicy!
Our society places such high standards on marital fidelity and how one 'should' behave while married; it seems near impossible to fulfill such standards particularly in our sex infused, adrenaline focused, immediate need gratification culture.
The society of the double edged sword: like it, want it, be it….oops we 'caught' you.
Life is full of temptations.
Resisting some of these temptations can be beneficial to ourselves and our partners.
Yet what temptations to resist and which to partake is to be defined within your relationship and not based upon societal/cultural/religious expectations placed upon you or your relationship.
Maybe Ashton and Demi support a purely monogamous relationship where nudity and sex with others is not supported.
What about more permeable marital boundaries, enjoy the hot tub, the vodka, the beauty of the naked women with a policy of look but don't touch, or even touch safely and with open communication.
Creating an open style marriage does not fully protect the other from betrayal or boundaries crossing yet it allows the opportunity for us to explore whether commitment and fidelity are synonymous and if its necessary to maintain fidelity to maintain a committed marriage.
Monogamy is nearly unattainable in the mind and can be difficult to practice. This challenge is trumped up when one adds fame and fortune.
Statistics show the significant amounts of infidelity that occur in marriages- anywhere between 30% to 50%, yet we continue to hold fidelity as the proof of a strong and successful marriage.
In the Demi/Ashton scenario, I would suggest engaging in effective communication, maintaining privacy and working to define what does and does not work for their marriage.
The rest of us could benefit from doing the same.
You and your partner decide if nudity, vodka and hot tubing work for you…..it does sound fun.