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Hearts…flowers… amour….. I adore it all!
A few years ago I found these small Martha Stewart candy boxes on clearance. It was one of those things that I wish I had bought more of. The paper rosettes were left over from a Halloween vignette I made HERE.
This handsome French couple was printed out on cardstock, carefully cut out and edged in glitter.
As you may know I save all sorts of craft scraps that I organize by color. This was a great opportunity to use up several bits and bobs.
Pearls, vintage millinery, lace and paper.
The back was finished off with a simple paper punched heart.
I can't decide which is my favorite, but I am leaning towards the pink.
A birds eye view of the top of the boxes.
They will be filled with candy for my two sweethearts~ one who will love the box and one who will love the candy. 🙂
What kind of candy do you like to receive?
I hope you'll join me on Thursday, February 14th!
Linking to:
Our Fifth House, Whipperberry, Funky Junk, Common Ground, StoneGable, Tatertots and Jello, Positively Splendid,The 36th Avenue,Jennifer Rizzo, BNOTP, ASTL, Someday Crafts, French Country Cottage, Kelly's Korner, Bargain Hunting w/ Laurie


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Contemporary knowledge about God, Evolution, and the meaning of human life.Methodology of spiritual development.
Bhagavad Gita/Conversation 12. Bhakti Yoga
Arjuna said:
12:1. Who is more successful in Yoga: those full of love for You or those worshipping the Incognizable Unmanifest?
Lord Krishna said:
12:2. They who fix the mind on Me, are devoted to Me, and constantly aspire to Me — they are more successful in Yoga.
12:3. They who worship the Indestructible, Untold, Unmanifest, Omnipresent, Incognizable, Immutable, Unmovable, Eternal,
12:4. who conquer their indriyas, who are equally calm about everything, who are happy about the good of others — they too come to Me.
12:5. But for those who direct their thoughts to the Unmanifest, this achievement is more difficult; it is harder for them to progress.
12:6. They who have renounced the maya for the sake of Me and keep concentration on Me, practicing Yoga, O Partha,
12:7. — I promptly raise them above the ocean of births and deaths, for they dwell by the souls in Me!
12:8. Fix your thoughts on Me, submerge yourself as a consciousness into Me — verily, then you will live in Me!
12:9. But if you are not able to fix your thoughts steadily on Me — try to reach Me by practicing Yoga, O Dhananjaya!
12:10. If you are not capable of doing constantly Yoga exercises, then dedicate yourself to serving Me, performing only those actions which are needful to Me — and you will achieve Perfection!
12:11. If you are not able of doing even this, then seek Mergence with Me by renouncing the personal profit of your activity; restrain yourself in this way!
12:12. Knowledge is more important than exercises. Meditation is more important than knowledge. But renouncing personal profit is more important than meditation, because after such renunciation peace comes.
12:13. The one who is hostile to no living being, who is friendly and compassionate, without worldly attachments and egoism, even-minded among joy and sorrow, all-forgiving,
12:14. ever content, seeking unity with Me, resolutely cognizing the Atman, having devoted the mind and consciousness to Me — such a loving Me disciple is dear to Me!
12:15. The one who does not injure people and does not suffer from them, who is free from anxiety, elation, anger, fear — such one is dear to Me!
12:16. The one who requires nothing from others, who is pure, knowing, passionless, selfless, who has abandoned all undertakings* — such a loving Me disciple is dear to Me!
12:17. The one who neither falls in love nor hates, who neither grieves nor seeks self-profit, who has transcended good and bad, who is full of love — such one is dear to Me!
12:18. Equal towards a friend and towards a foe, the same towards glorification and disgrace, in warmth and in cold, among joy and sorrow, free from worldly attachments,
12:19. regarding equally praise and blame, laconic, content with everything that happens, not attached to home, determined in decisions, full of love — such a person is dear to Me!
12:20. Verily, all who share this life-giving wisdom, who are imbued with faith, for whom I am the Supreme Goal — such loving Me people are dear to Me above all!
Thus in the Upanishads of the blessed Bhagavad Gita, the Science of Eternal, the Scripture of Yoga, says the twelfth conversation between Shri Krishna and Arjuna, entitled:
Bhakti Yoga.
Vladimir Antonov
Bhagavad Gita
Books(author and editor Dr.Vladimir Antonov)
Classics of Spiritual Philosophy and the Present
How God Can Be Cognized. Autobiography of a Scientist, Who Studied God
Forest Lectures on the Highest Yoga
Bhagavad Gita with Commentaries
Tao Te Ching
The Original Teachings of Jesus Christ
The Gospel of Philip
The Teachings of Babaji
Sathya Sai Baba — the Christ of Our Days
The Teachings of Don Juan Matus
Life for God
Anatomy of God
"Bubbles of Perception"
Agni Yoga
Spiritual Heart — Religion of Unity
Spiritual Work with Children
Atlantis and the Atlanteans
Pythagoras and His School
The New Upanishad. Structure and Cognition of the Absolute
On the Other Side of the Material World
Book of the Warrior of the Spirit
Parables of Lao Tse
Divine Parables
Dialogues with Pythagoras
Lessons of Pythagoras
Parables about the Elder Zosima
Book of Those Born-Again in the Light. Revelations of Divine Atlanteans
Sufi Parables
Parables of the Masters
Story about Princess Nesmeyana and Ivan
To Understand God
Fairy Tales of Grandpa Vanya
Story of True Magic
Teachings of God on the Achieving the Spiritual Perfection
The Saga of Odin
Avalokiteshvara: On Reaching Nirvana
Gold Tablets of Atlanteans
Divine Tales of Slavic Lands
Kayr — On the Path and Travelers
Legend of Rada and Alexey
Ariadne. Pythagoras? School in Crotone
"Fakir. The Science of Miracles"
See also:

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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Nearly one-in-four Canadians perceived disorder in their 'hood: StatsCan
Aerial views of housing in Calgary on June 22, 2013. (Jonathan Hayward / THE CANADIAN PRESS)
CTVNews.ca Staff
Published Wednesday, March 2, 2016 11:44AM EST
Nearly one in four Canadians perceived some kind of disorder in their neighbourhood, ranging from noisy neighbours, litter, vandalism, or public drunkenness. However, less than 10 per cent of those Canadians reported that the disorder was a big problem.
Statistics Canada released a report on Wednesday on Canadian perceptions of neighbourhood disorder. The report was based on the results from the 2014 General Social Survey on Victimization.
The types of disorders measured in the survey included: noisy neighbours or loud parties, people hanging around on the streets, garbage or litter lying around, vandalism, graffiti or other property damage.
People being attacked because of their skin colour, ethnicity or religion, people using or dealing drugs in public, and public drunkenness or rowdiness were also measured in the survey.
Canadians perceived certain types of disorder to be more serious than others, the survey found.
For example, 10 per cent of Canadians perceived drug use or drug dealing to be a problem in their neighbourhood. But only 2 per cent believed that people being attacked because of their skin colour, ethnicity, or religion was a problem.
The survey also found the following:
- Approximately 6.6 million Canadians over the age of 14 (23 per cent) perceived some kind of disorder in their neighbourhood;
- Eight per cent reported that one or more types of disorder were big problems in their neighbourhood;
- The overall proportion of Canadians who perceived neighbourhood disorder decreased two percentage points from 2014 to 2004.
- Compared to 2004, Canadians in 2014 were more likely to state that noisy neighbours or loud parties were an issue in their neighbourhood.
Variation across the country
Perceptions of neighbourhood disorder vary across the country.
A higher proportion of residents in Alberta (26 per cent) and Quebec (25 per cent) perceived disorder in their neighbourhoods compared with the national average.
However, perceptions of disorder were below the national average in Ontario (22 per cent) and New Brunswick (19 per cent).
Women more likely to perceive disorder than men
The survey found that perceptions of disorder generally decreased with age. Nearly one-third of Canadians between the ages of 25 to 34 perceived neighbourhood disorder, and perceptions generally declined with age thereafter, the survey found.
As well, women were more likely than men to perceive neighbourhood disorder, with most of that difference being driven by a higher proportion of women perceiving drug dealing as a problem.
The survey also found that Canadians who lived in the central cores of cities were more likely to perceive disorder than those who lived in the city, but outside the core.
Canadians who lived in neighbourhoods with higher median household incomes, regardless of their individual income, were less likely to perceive neighbourhood disorder.
Top Video
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text:
A new version of GLIntercept has been released:
This is mostly just a bug fix release, but the 4.3 logging entry points have been defined and the debug...
Type: Posts; User: sqrt[-1]
A new version of GLIntercept has been released:
This is mostly just a bug fix release, but the 4.3 logging entry points have been defined and the debug...
I was doing some reading of "RealTime Collision Detection" and I think I found a small optimization
4) Plane intersection extraction - optimization
vec3 ExtractCameraPos2(const mat4 &...
Having a targeted loader is something I have always wanted and had mused about doing it - so I am glad someone is going ahead.
Just a crazy thought, could this be run on a web server somewhere...
I think it may have been logged as this bug (2011-09-12):
Contains a link to the thread that has the fixes.
FYI: I did a presentation at a local game engine meetup on GLIntercept today
Sure, if you can provide the code I can easily slot it into a plugin.
A new version of GLIntercept has been released:
This includes more bug fixes for using a core OpenGL profile, but mostly adds support for the...
I don't think I helped at all, but glad you sorted it out - It ran fine.
You probably need a few more posts on these forums before you can do more things.
I would help more, but the video link is broken and the example app you posted contains no code (and the exe depends on debug dlls I don't have installed)
I think your problem is that you have to duplicate the vertices along the seam so that you don't have texture coordinates that go from 0.9..0 (as you mention in the above thread link)
So instead...
Here are some notes on extracting a camera position from a model-view matrix that I have been playing with.
All code here uses the GLM math library.
1) Simple extraction
If you can assume there...
FYI: If you run with GLIntercept, it will tell you about basic resource leaks on shutown:
Perhaps grab an XML frame with http://code.google.com/p/glintercept/ ?
I also seem to be having trouble searching based on username - trying to find my old posts by clicking on my username only seems to search each sub forum I am in?
Using the advanced search does not...
FYI - I found I had to reset my password.
I have been playing with Radial/Equirectangular environment mapping lately and thought I would release a demo.
It is more of a solution looking for a problem (as I think cube maps are superior) but...
You calling this inside a "const" method?
(or is _m4ModelView const in its declaration?)
OK, so it seems it was just a simple bug in my code to do with core contexts (or perhaps also a bug in Nvidia for still allowing that enum)
I'll do another update when I have some time. (although...
No, what I meant was, can you you change your app to include these OpenGL calls - to see if it is some bug in the AMD driver.
Looking closer at that log file it seems that it is the...
Where in relation to the original log file are the calls to glGetString(GL_VERSION) and glGetIntegerv(GL_MAX_TEXTURE_UNITS, ) that are generating the error?
Straight after the first...
I just tried your sample app and had no issues on Nvidia.
One thing you can do is use GLIntercept against itself - Create a new directory some where and put the opengl32.dll and gliConfig.ini file...
Any info reported by debug info extension?
Do you want to say the vendor/card/OS and driver version?
How big is this texture (memory size wise - and have you verified that it is what you...
Humus did a demo on a way to avoid the mip mapping issue when doing screen space effects:
OK I have just uploaded a new version 1.0.2
This fixes some minor bug in the function parsing and adds the NV_path_rendering extension
The NV_path_rendering extension was actually a pain to...
Actually, given more thought - if this is your app - can't you just start hacking away at your Opengl include header file to exclude extension sections (assuming C/C++) and if you fail to compile,...


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RPG Builder 3D creates video games with MAP-ED, MOD-ED, SCRIP-ED, PIX-ED.
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Articles of interest› All articles


text:
HOUSTON – It's not often you see the Houston Dynamo outworked at BBVA Compass Stadium, but after 45 minutes that was exactly what had happened.
The Colorado Rapids came into Houston's home and consistently beat them to balls, won tackles and put pressure on the home team that had not lost on their home field since June 2011. Simply put, the Dynamo were getting beat in the energy department.
The result was a 1-0 halftime deficit that could have been 2-0 if not for some goalline heroics by Kofi Sarkodie.
RECAP: Houston Dynamo 1, Colorado Rapids 1
"Coming here I think they knew they needed to get in our face and show fight and I don't think we did that in the first half," said midfielder Andrew Driver. "Maybe we came into the game thinking it maybe will just happen. We needed the wake-up call and we've had it now."
That wake-up came at halftime when the Dynamo concentrated on picking up the intensity. Houston came out in the second half and pushed the game, rekindling some of the trademark bite that has made the club an regular participant in MLS Cup.
In the end, forward Giles Barnes rewarded the second half effort with a masterful 66th-minute goal to pull out a 1-1 draw.
While the result coming out of the game was technically positive, the club was not having it. Instead of celebrating a point saved, the Dynamo were focusing on a first half that was, in consensus, not up to their standards.
"They took it to us and we woke up in the second half," Brian Ching said. "For us it feels like a loss because we expect to win at home. It's a lesson learned and we need to pick it up."
That was the feeling for the Dynamo after last week's 1-1 draw against Toronto FC as well. After Sunday's draw, Houston knows it is an issue they have to figure out.
"We're definitely going to have some video sessions this week and watch some of the mistakes that we made and have some harsh reality," said veteran center back Bobby Boswell. "The biggest thing to take away from it is we weren't happy with it. Even if we had gotten a win there at the end we wouldn't have been happy with how we played that game for 90 minutes. That's something we have to work on."
Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com.


text:
Indian, US generic drug firms launch 'Coalition for Affodable Care'
Latest News »
- Air quality in Delhi today best in over a month: CPCB
- Zimbabweans celebrate Robert Mugabe's imminent exit at mass rallies
- India's Manushi Chhillar crowned Miss World 2017
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- Gujarat elections: BJP issues second list, names candidates for Congress held seats
Washington: Indian and US companies making high-quality, low-cost generic pharmaceuticals announced the launch of a "Coalition for Affordable Care" in Washington on Wednesday.
The coalition will take big American pharmaceutical giants head-on, which in the recent past had launched a strong anti-India campaign against the efforts of these companies to provide affordable health care to people in India, and also in third world countries.
The Coalition for Affordable Care, run by the recently formed India First Group, includes the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance that comprises prominent companies such as Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, Lupin Ltd, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd, Cadila Healthcare Ltd (Zydus Cadila) and Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd, who are busy developing new drug discoveries and health treatments for their product pipelines.
The group alleged that forces backed by Big Pharma, including Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the most powerful special interest business lobby in the US, chaired by Pfizer Inc.'s Ian Reid, the Global Intellectual Property Center of the US chamber of commerce, and the National Association of Manufacturers, continued their campaign to downgrade the reputation of these Indian pharmaceuticals.
This was in order to maintain their market share and destroy competition, the Coalition for Affordable Care said in a media statement, adding that it aims to counter anti-Indian, negative advocacy campaigns in this regard.
"Over the past year, there has been a concerted effort underway in Washington to bash India and cast India in the poorest light—on matters of intellectual property protection, on matters of quality, on matters of business credibility," said the India First Group's Ron Somers. "Entire investigations have been launched by the US Government spurred on by the Big Pharma lobby."
"The plain fact remains that the United States and India must work together to develop health care delivery models that provide access—not only for our own populations but for all humanity—or else peace and stability will be compromised worldwide," he said. Somers was the former president of US-India Business Council.
India First Group's mission will be to mobilize like-minded companies who support access to low cost, high quality alternatives to what has become a cocktail of unaffordable branded medicines, the media note said.
Because of the excessively high prices of these medicines, treatment is now beyond the reach of most of the world's population, it said. PTI


text: Payday Lenders Close Operations In Montana News & Features Emilie Ritter · Montana Public Radio · Nov 17, 2010 Listen Story audio 3min 39sec Copyright 2017 Montana Public Radio. To see more, visit Montana Public Radio. Stay Informed The news on your schedule from MPR News Update Email Address* Zip Code MPR News Update AM MPR News Update PM See our Privacy Policy. Must be age 13.


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You can try these similar gifts instead.
Photo Accessories Box
Those who mean the most to you in life deserve only the best. Give them this handsome photo accessories box that holds their favorite treasures and can be personalized with the initials of your choice.


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Artist description:
My drawings look like the have mental problems. [Link] Reference
Flash Draw Created Feb 07, 2010 470 x 338px Unless noted Copyright 2010 kathryntigers.
We encourage you to submit a comment and let the artist know what you think of this drawing. Please log in or join to post a comment.
Post a comment
WOW!!!!! its looking gr8.... someone like my age (its u) i am 13 years old ^_~ we can be friends.
I think your drawings look great! Do you like storms too? I know you like cats! I love storms! Especially with lightning and thunder! 5/5!!!
Nice draw!!


text:
This is an expected behavior. This happens if your primary node accepts readonly connections (which is the default). You can configure your primary to not accept 'readonly' connections and it will fail the readonly connections so you dont accidentally write/update anything from those clients.
Note: Fundamentally Primary nodes are read/write and Secondaries are readonly and this flag is designed to provide a hint to what the application plans to do. It is not designed to prevent writes, it is designed to fail fast at connection time based on the intent with proper server configuration. It is the application's reponsibility to ensure that 'readonly' applications don't write.


text: Okay I think I have finally accepted that I won't be getting my hands on a can of Caferey's Irish Ale anytime soon (not till I go back to england anyways), so what is the best alternative available in America? None of the other 'Irish Ale's come close to the texture or taste so what would any of you 'expects' recommend? so far I've headed towards Boddington's, but that is not what I want. I even thought about creating my own ie some kind of 'Golden' (this may well be a term exclusive to Liverpool, but basicly half lager half bitter)......this might get me close but I'm not sure.


text:
Artist description:
No description entered by the artist. ★
Flash Draw Created Dec 15, 2012 640 x 460px Unless noted Copyright 2012 Michii-Star.
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shes lovely n reminds me of an elf for some reason :p i luv her beautiful blue hair n green eyes--nice nature in the bg :)
Very nice. I love her blue hair and beautiful green eyes (:
lovely flash drawing!


text:
Tuesday Toast: Gloria Steinem
13 Nov 2012
Tuesday Toast: Gloria Steinem
Written by Jody Published in
Tuesday's Toast is a way for us to raise our glasses and tip our hats to some women who definitely deserve a bit of recognition. Recognition for being savvy, being brilliant and for kicking some serious ass.
A Toast to you, Gloria Steinem!
In 1972, she co-founded Ms. magazine, and remained one of its editors for fifteen years. She continues to serve as a consulting editor for Ms., and was instrumental in the magazine's move to join and be published by the Feminist Majority Foundation. In 1968, she had helped to found New York magazine, where she was a political columnist and wrote feature articles. As a freelance writer, she was published in Esquire, The New York Times Magazine, and women's magazines as well as for publications in other countries. She has produced a documentary on child abuse for HBO, a feature film about the death penalty for Lifetime, and been the subject of profiles on Lifetime and Showtime. She now lives in New York City, and is currently at work on Road to the Heart: America As if Everyone Mattered, a book about her more than thirty years on the road as a feminist organizer.
Follow Gloria on Twitter: @GloriaSteinem


text: The RRB Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh has maximum post vacancies from CEN 03/2015 notification. There are total 2844 vacant post to be filled. The RRB Allahabad CEN 03/2015 – Assistant Station Master/ Commercial Apprentice/ Goods Guard/ Senior Clerk/ Time Keeper etc. post are vacant. In this article we are going to list BHARTI DEC 2015 (RAILWAY) for Graduate Degree holders. The 10th/ 12th/ Diploma/ ITI candidate are not allowed to fill ...Read More »


text:
Lebanese-Colombian pop/rock singer Shakira Mebarak makes her English-language debut, after five Spanish-language albums (including MTV Unplugged), according to thisiscyberia.com.
With Gloria Estefan's husband Emilio heading her career as her manager and producer, and with Sony as her label, Shakira released her first English language album.
The new album also comes after Shakira spent two years attempting to improve her English so that her songs wouldn't lose meaning in translation.
The 24-year-old Colombian sex bomb Shakira is one of the most listened to singers in the Spanish-speaking world. But on English-speaking stations, alas, her music may be too little.
Laundry Service, metroactive.com said, spawned her first English-language record." Laundry Service is an interesting record, because it mixes so many aspects of pop: the Latin salsa beats of Estefan's Miami Sound Machine and various New Wave guitar solos, all topped by Shakira's quiveringly precise, octave-shattering vocals and confessional lyrics.
Very few, if any, artists can make the crossover from pop to rock, and with this release Shakira is attempting to make an even more difficult crossing: from Spanish to English.
Shakira has been seen by Caucasians on Pepsi commercials, MTV2 and even the regular (as opposed to the Latin) Grammy Awards.
However, Shakira also plays guitar and writes most of her songs, which allows her to control its content and style, something she is very keen on – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com [1])
[1] http://www.albawaba.com


text:
Trips and Itineraries for Bourges
Top Places To Visit in Bourges 24 Spots
Alto cafe
8 rue Moyenne, 18000
Domaine du Carrou
Domaine du Carrou, Bue, 18300 Bourges
Hotels and Homestays in Bourges 182 Hotels
₹ 3131
chambre calme en centre ville
Weekend Getaways from Bourges
199 Kms from Bourges
Paris is magnetic, plastered across the vision boards of dreamy-eyed, budding travellers around the world. Start with a visit to the Notre Dame Cathedral for an understanding of Paris's multilayered history. When you visit the city's major attraction, the Eiffel tower, try reserving tickets ahead of time, to skip the long queues. Although there are many, many such things and attractions you must visit in Paris, don't miss out on a leisurely walk under the shaded trails by the Seine, or unwind at the lush promenades of Jardin des Tuileries. Attend a poetry reading in an old bookshop and enjoy the illustrious cabaret of The Crazy Horse. This glittering city of light is all about understated, yet glamorised experiences - wandering the Parisian streets, walking the avenues and bridges, listening to the hum flowing out of bistros and bars; musicians in the metro and that particular scent of old, used books at the Shakespeare and Co. Paris is also a shopaholic's Mecca, with a number of high-end shops and hidden flea markets. For those led by their stomachs, don't leave Paris without getting your hands on their baguettes and macarons. And of course, many many glasses of wine.
Getaways · Places to Visit · Hotels · Trips
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182 Hotels found


text:
Kim Kardashian's motherhood nerves
Kim Kardashian has revealed she is "anxious" about becoming a mother.
The reality TV star, who is expecting her first child with rapper Kanye West, admitted she has been taking some tips from her family including mum Kris Jenner and grandmother MJ as she prepares for motherhood.
"As I'm counting the days until I finally get to be a mother, I'm a bit nervous and anxious but also excited knowing that I learned from the very best," she wrote in a special Mother's Day post on her website.
"My mum is a strong and ambitious career woman that despite her busy schedule and the millions of things she has going on, she still manages to put family first and continues to look out for us every day. I'm honoured to follow in her footsteps and make her proud like I am of her."
Kim added: "And also my wonderful grandma MJ, such a strong and inspirational woman in my life! I love you so much!"
The 32-year-old, who is reportedly due to give birth in July, has also been looking to her older sister Kourtney, a mum-of-two, for advice.
"My sister, best friend, and mentor has also taught me so much about motherhood from being the most incredible mum to Mason and Penelope," she explained.
"She is super woman with her ability to effortlessly balance work with taking care of two amazing kids and I am so lucky to have her as my guide and confidant as I too become a mother."
Press Association


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Interior stylists agree that every room should have an element for nature, be it a plant, wooden accents or in this case, artwork. Bring your decor into bloom with this collection of botanical canvas artwork. From fashionable flowers to crisp and graphic foliage, each piece brings a touch of nature indoors for a fresh, calming and welcoming feel. Each Australian-made canvas utilises state of the art printing technology for a flawless, long lasting finish. They arrive ready to hang, and ready to impress!
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text:
The election of Donald Trump to President of the United States of America on early morning Wednesday has spurred protests at colleges and high schools around the country.
Many students have been uploading photos of the protests under the hashtag #NotMyPresident.
At Berkeley High School in California, about 1500 students and teachers walked out of class before 9 a.m., The Los Angeles Times reported.
About 2,000 people protested Trump's election on Wednesday morning at The University of California, Los Angeles. At the height of the protest, a Trump pinata was set on fire in a trash can, according to The Times.
Students also convened at the State House in Boston, Massachusetts on Wednesday in a similar protest of the president-elect.
NOW: Thousands of students at Berkeley High School in CA walked out of class with their teachers, to say that he is not their president. pic.twitter.com/vcKGKDPdE9— KING 5 News (@KING5Seattle) November 9, 2016
BERKELEY HIGH SCHOOL WALKOUT #NotMyPresident #TrumpPresident pic.twitter.com/6HAv7jVAH4— B (@BerenabasG) November 9, 2016
Students at MA state house chanting: "We are Boston and we are pissed" pic.twitter.com/dBiLdvIEvY— Jenifer Mckim (@jbmckim) November 9, 2016
Trump Protest in front of the State House in Boston #Election2016 #NotMyPresident pic.twitter.com/Qj2oo3qrr7— erin (@ErinLaVigueur) November 9, 2016
Hundreds of students at the University of Connecticut also marched on campus to protest.
Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton won the electoral votes for California, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.
Protests on school campuses mounted even in states that went to Trump. About 1000 students at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Iowa walked out of classes, local station WHO reported.
At the University of Pittsburgh, protesters chanted, "No KKK no fascist USA, No Trump."
UPitt riots part 2 pic.twitter.com/55s46LWf0K— reilly (@reidaddy) November 9, 2016
And currently a large protest developing at the University of Texas, where students are blocking a bridge in Austin, ABC affiliate WFAA reported.
Some of the fury on school campuses is likely due to the surprising nature of Trump's win, amid a contentious election cycle.
Almost all of the major election forecasters, including RealClearPolitics and FiveThirtyEight, predicted a Clinton win.


text:
The photo was taken in my sweet home localizated in Joinville - Brasil, the best country in the world!
Joinville, founded in 1851 in Santa Catarina, Brazil, known as The City of Flowers, with a population of about 500 thousand inhabitants and the 13th highest HDI (human development index) of the country, the highest of the state. Source: Wikipedia (Portuguese)


text:
Maria Oldfield
Found 10 Records, 1 Photos and 173,474 Family Trees
Born in France on 1844 to William Oldfield and Martha Underwood. Maria married Johann Jakob Wilhelm and had 14 children. She passed away on 16 Aug 1925 in Lilydale, Tasmania, Australia.
Family Members
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Simply start with yourself and we'll do the searching for you.
Potential photos and documents for Maria OldfieldView All 1 Images
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Surname meaning for "Oldfield"
English (Yorkshire and Lancashire): habitational name from any of various minor places so called, from Old English (e)ald 'old' + feld 'open country'.


text:
The other questions about braces got me thinking. My stepson is seventeen. He has a few crooked teeth but doesn't really seem to care about the way they look. He hates dentists with a flaming passion and usually has to be sedated for even minor procedures because of sensory issues that make it hard for him to tolerate being touched. His mom and dad and I have always kind of thought braces would be more of an ordeal for him than they'd be worth in the end.
So my question is, beyond asthetics, are there medical or health reasons to get your teeth straightened out? I had braces for four years as a teenager, and a retainer for nearly four more, at a cost of $3000, and my teeth shifted back to their original crookedness very quickly after I quit wearing the retainer. Is there any harm in waiting till adulthood to do braces instead of getting them in the teen years?
Asked by Ballad at 2:11 AM on Apr. 6, 2013 in Kids' HealthLevel 45 (193,996 Credits)
My husb is the baby of 9 children. They obviously could not afford to do something like that. Some of his siblings got braces as adults. I think if you consult with an orthodontist or his dentist since they know how he is about dental procedures, and see what they say. My oldest went thru the palatal expander & then braces. After all that, they wanted to break his jaw to align things properly. We told them to pound sand, the poor kid had been thru enough. You have to do what is best for your child & within your budget.
Answer by mrsmom110 at 7:39 AM on Apr. 6, 2013
Answer by Michigan-Mom74 at 2:34 AM on Apr. 6, 2013
Answer by Crafty26 at 7:26 AM on Apr. 6, 2013
Answer by mompam at 12:56 PM on Apr. 6, 2013
Answer by Hollyhock. at 2:21 AM on Apr. 6, 2013
Next question in Kids' Health
Wow I can not believe this I'm still shaking
Next question overall
(Babies (0-12 months))
Similac Baby Bottle


text:
We love the Gorge; something tells us you do, too. We love the west winds (even the east winds), those big rolling swells, and catching up with like-minded friends after cold and windless winters. We love that even when it's not windy, we can still find something to do (as long as it's not windless for too long!). Yes, summer in the Gorge is indeed awesome.
The Gorge wasn't always as we know it today. In the 1980s, windsurfing was new to the area. Beaches were limited; the few windsurfers in the region settled for highway pullouts and hidden campsites. In 1987, CGWA formed to create a unified voice to represent the windsurfing community.
Since those days, our members and partners have helped us create windsurf friendly beaches and events in the Gorge. Here is just some of what we have been able to do:
- Acquired Swell City to ensure long terms access
- Work with Oregon State Parks to build Rowena and Viento
- Get kids on the water through clinics, camps, and drop in sessions
- Build Doug's Beach- and keep it there when the railroad widened
- Contribute funding for the river access ramp at the new Waterfront Park
- Create a new river access point at Luhr Jensen
- Build changing rooms at The Hook
- Host fun events like Windfest, swap meets, and King of the Hook
- Work with regional entities like State Parks, Columbia River Gorge Commission, and regional Ports and Cities to ensure that beaches are built and maintained with windsurfers in mind


text:
People looking for rental apartment north dallas can check the best options available in the region. There are several real estate websites where landlords advertise their apartment rentals and display all the features and facilities of the property. One can choose the apartment that suits his/her requirements and can contact the landlord or dealer involved in the process of renting an apartment. The contact details and information about the location is given on those websites.
A good word of mouth can also help in searching apartments in North Dallas. Therefore, one can take suggestions from friends, neighbours, relatives and others who have experience in this...Read More


text:
Basket-Making 101
It's no secret that Jews love food: We love to prepare it, eat it, and, mostly, make other people eat it. Many of our holidays revolve around a festive meal of some sort, filled with traditional delicacies. Purim, which falls this year on March 20, is no exception.
Most people are familiar with hamantashen, the delicious triangle-shaped pastries filled with everything from poppy seeds to apricot jelly. A lesser-known but even more significant food-related Purim tradition involves delivering food to others. What could be more Jewish?
Mishloach manot — literally "meal delivery" or "sending of portions" — are baskets of food that are prepared for and delivered to friends and family on Purim. It is a mitzvah to provide mishloach manot, and in order to properly perform the mitzvah, a person must create and deliver at least one basket. There are also specific guidelines to be used when preparing mishloach manot: Each basket must contain at least two different food items, the items must be ready-to-eat (no cooking necessary), and the baskets must be hand-delivered on Purim.
Of course, there are many ways to fulfill the mitzvah, and some people like to get a little creative. Baskets can include chocolates, fruit, nuts, smoked salmon, bagels, cookies, pastries — even wine and spirits.
Many families and Jewish organizations have their own traditions surrounding mishloach manot. For the past 10 years, Conejo Jewish Day School in Thousand Oaks has involved its students, faculty, staff and parents in an annual Purim Shuttle, which is part fundraiser, part community-building activity.
"The Purim Shuttle is an opportunity to collaborate and save on waste," says Rabbi Eli Broner, principal of Conejo Jewish Day School.
The shuttle works like this: People sign up to purchase a basket from parent volunteers. The baskets contain various items and a personalized scroll, which lists all of the people who contributed to the basket. In past years, baskets have also included student-produced artwork, poems or crosswords in Hebrew. Parents then divvy up the driving duties to deliver the assembled gift baskets to recipients.
Broner says the school is careful to inform the students of one fact: "These baskets do not count toward performing the mitzvah of mishloach manot."
Mishloach manot must be personally delivered on Purim. The tradition dates back to ancient times when the baskets were symbolic of the Jews expressing goodwill toward one another, and to make sure that everyone had adequate food for the Purim feast.
"I think it helps the kids get excited about the holiday of Purim," says Broner, referring to the shuttle program. "It helps them realize that excitement can come not only from receiving, but from giving. The holiday is about giving … and caring about one another. [Mishloach manot] tells the recipient, 'I've taken the time and consideration to care about you.' That's the most important lesson kids can learn from this mitzvah."
Students at Conejo Jewish Day School also participate in a Secret Mishloach Manot exchange: Each student picks a name and creates a basket for his or her recipient. "This way, everyone receives a basket," Broner says. An additional way the school uses mishloach manot to give back: Some years, the students create and send baskets to senior living facilities in the area.
To those who've never before participated in the mitzvah, Broner says getting together with family and friends to create and distribute mishloach manot helps people feel connected.
"Yes, we are appreciative for the wonderful miracle of Purim, but we don't show appreciation just by partying," Broner says. "We can pay it forward. This is where it goes into action."


text:
Artist description:
A drawing for my best friend Tracy, who has stuck with me from kindergarten to now. A more fun and loyal friend I don't think you can find. Hope you had a wonderful day:)
Java Draw Created Oct 26, 2011 640 x 460px Unless noted Copyright 2011 Carloc.
We encourage you to submit a comment and let the artist know what you think of this drawing. Please log in or join to post a comment.
Post a comment
I love all the purple!
beautiful ! love the colours! 5♥s
This is gorgeous...love the colours and the butterfly. 5♥s Fave and Butterfly Collection
im sure she will love it it is great to have such a special friend 5h
very beautiful gift for your true friend!!! 5+++++
Your friend must feel so blessed to have a talented friend like you to draw this for her. It's lovely! :) 5 ♥s
it is soooo beautiful..really nice
very very pretty draw ... love the color too .
wow.....so beautiful ..nice colors :)
very nice!


text:
x910bt Map Updates
Posted 23 May 2010 - 04:34 PM
Posted 26 May 2010 - 03:22 AM
I don't recall having to re-apply diaftia mods.
Posted 09 August 2010 - 08:14 PM
Does anyone know, or has anyone tried the TA 2009.6 Map Updates from the F Series, and does it work on the x910bt. because the maps on my unit say they are from 2008. Ive done Diaftias mod already but i just want to know whats the best way for me to update the maps without losing any current mod. The only other thing i was thinking of trying was the FX 3.1 mod, but i think that will remove the diaftia mod, but can i just do the diaftia mod again after i load the FX 3.1 Image? I just want to update the maps the easiest way possible.
is diaftias mod free!!!! itried it and i need a password!
Posted 29 May 2011 - 02:37 PM
Posted 31 May 2011 - 04:11 AM
Posted 04 June 2011 - 09:32 PM
do the map updates work on the Avic-Z2??
not sure, but i belive so. Refer to this link:
Posted 14 July 2011 - 05:00 AM
Posted 19 January 2012 - 08:21 PM
Posted 20 January 2012 - 12:41 AM
1. get latest 2011 NT or TA maps/pois that are compatible w/ IGO8.3 from your favourite source (e.g., gpsunderground). put these in the MAP, POI, etc folders of APL2/IGO/CONTENT
2. since unit will not accept these maps out of the box, apply patched files (at a minimum: ezrider [aka igo8]) for your fw version, 3.x or 4.x:
3. ....
4. profit!
Posted 30 January 2012 - 02:33 PM
Posted 24 May 2015 - 09:33 AM
Thank's for all. ..
Posted 21 January 2016 - 08:15 AM
Hi in this link map Q2 2015 for usa ,canada,mexico
avic 710 bt motte/bandit 4.07
Posted 30 June 2016 - 04:50 PM
hi, is there a new link for this map? pls i need 1 for canada and some from us as well as poi's. thanks in advance
Posted 30 June 2016 - 04:51 PM
hi, is there a new link for this map? pls i need 1 for canada and some from us as well as poi's. thanks in advance
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text:
Bear (Dela.) Red Lion Christian Academy junior wide receiver Dhameer Bradley still has one offer and the mail is piling up.
Temple, Oregon and UConn are schools that send mail to Bradley regularly. The Owls have already verbally offered him.
Some other schools contact him via Facebook. Others have attended his games as a show of interest.
Article Continues Below
"I've been to Maryland and Temple this year," Bradley explained.
Actually, Bradley has been to Maryland twice. He attended the Terps' season opener against Miami and he just recently attended their game against Clemson.
"They have a good program," Bradley said of Maryland. "I like their offense."
Temple is another school that has Bradley interested, especially since all the conference realignment talk started.
"I like Temple," he said. "They're on the up and up. I heard they might be moving to the Big East so that's something I like about them."
Purdue, Rutgers, Syracuse and Penn State are four other schools that have shown interest in Bradley.
On the season Bradley has hauled in about 15 receptions for close to 200 yards and a touchdown.


text: I have been struggling with this for days with mixed results. Can anyone suggest the steps for doing this in a simple way? I would be operating from a /home directory. The gui's supplied with gnome don't seem to offer this easily. I have been working with Synaptic and Ark. Take your pick! I am familiar with sources.list.


text:
Would of, should of, could of....agree or disagree....the season is over and Sandra won. Hopefully they will quit doing these AS shows and bring back the original seasons with players, not actors.
Would of, should of, could of....agree or disagree....the season is over and Sandra won. Hopefully they will quit doing these AS shows and bring back the original seasons with players, not actors.
There's no place like home!
yeah, the final 3 ending is horrible. in season 1, a final 3 would have surely resulted in rudy winning (although i doubt he would have been around, if it was known to be a final 3..)... you can bet richard hatch wouldn't have won a final 3, though.... vrs any combination of the last 6 ppl.Originally Posted by northernviewer;3905408;
this season, it may not have changed the ending but at least it reduces the chance of the coattail rider that ruffles the least amt of feathers winning.. i.e. sandra vs russell, sandra still wins. russell vs parv, someone worthy wins. parv vs sandra, i'm not sure.
Essentially, this was Parvati vs. Sandra so Sandra would win that. And Russell and Parvati are both worthy? Now THAT is funny!!!Originally Posted by Darkhosis;3905424;
But see, people who think this way are going to lose anyway. I think the major stragegist is the person who figures out how to take Russell to the finals and not get ousted along the way. Um, Parvati? As much as she creeps me out, I know she's a masterful player in this game, and if she had worked the jury a little better, could have won. Taking Russell to final tribal council turns an F3 into an F2. I'd take those odds. Lots of people there are disagreeable and unpleasant. You deal with it, if you want to win.Originally Posted by CuckoosNest;3905396;
This isnt the Sound of freaking Music were watching.......sdl
Nobody is saying that they are nice people, but Russell and Parvati at least had game... Sandra was just lame.Originally Posted by CrappyCrewSucks;3905428;
I hate to brag but I tried on some earrings that I wore in highschool... and they still fit
Proud member of the Rose Coloured Glasses Club
How so?Originally Posted by CrappyCrewSucks;3905428;
ed: and I'll disagree in regards to a final 2 of sandra vs parvati being the same thing. it isn't. esp if parvati is the one that wins immunity, and chooses to remove russell
You need to read my post a few pages back to see exactly how Sandra won this game. IMHO you and others care to look at brashness instead of the little things that others do to win.Originally Posted by Darkhosis;3905414;
That said, the ONLY way they'd ever be able to change the rules is to do a 50/50 thing - 50 percent of the final decision is the placing in a set of survival challenges then the jury votes - and they automatically choose a winner - 1 per vote. I'm thinking along the lines of something like "Boot Camp," where the final two competed in 6 challenges then the jury voted for a specific one. Most points won.
That said, there is a HUGE set of drawbacks here:
1. They'd have to vote out the last challengee at Day 37 and have the finalists then so it could be two days
2. The jury could STILL possibly decide the winner based on contests. In "Boot Camp," the male boot won 6 of the seven challenges, but the female one won every single of the jury's votes to win out over him.
There's a point here and I agree... I just don't think that future players are going to expose themselves to the risk of siding with Russell. He's like a volatile explosive that could blow apart in your face at any moment.Originally Posted by Alexxxx;3905429;
Further, (and nothing against Sandra, who I feel entire earned the win) I think Parvati lost primarily because she teamed up with Russell. He's poison.
The common sense move is to defuse the bomb and get rid of the charge right off the bat. They did it with Jonny Fairplay is AS, they'll do it with Russa Hayntz if and when he returns.
PS: Man, I hope he spends part of that $100K on a nice dental implant for that missing tooth. Not for nothing, but that - combined with his horrible command of the English language - really makes him look like a hick.
Coach Ken: "Kid, you make this kick and you die a legend."
Curt: "Can I pee first?"
Future players should learn to just not do anything at all, that way right from the get-go they'll have a better than average chance of winning..Originally Posted by CuckoosNest;3905474;
I read somewhere that he has an implant for that tooth, but he chose not to wear it because that was the impression he wanted to make.Originally Posted by CuckoosNest;3905474;
I agree with you about his lack of command of the English language.
He's almost as bad as Sandra.
This isnt the Sound of freaking Music were watching.......sdl


text:
The Jaguars practiced in pads today and here is the injury report:
Did not practice (day off)
DE Jason Babin, RB Maurice Jones-Drew, DT Roy Miller and C Brad Meester.
Did not practice (injured)
S Dwight Lowery (concussion), WR Stephen Burton (concussion symptons), CB Dwayne Gratz (right ankle), CB Alan Ball (groin) and WR Mike Brown (head).
Coach Gus Bradley said Ball could practice Thursday and play Sunday against the Colts.
Limited practice
TE Marcedes Lewis (left calf), CB Will Blackmon (head contusion). LB J.T. Thomas (hamstring) and RG Uche Nwaneri (right knee).
*Lewis returned to practice for the first time since re-injuring his calf three weeks ago. He anticipates playing and Bradley said Lewis could be full-go Thursday in practice.


text: Hey guys, I REALLY need a good random generator, not a seudo random generator that has the SAME combination of numbers every time. I wanted to maybe use the time but I didn't see any functions for converting to an int? So Im stuck with a time_whatever object. Any1 have any ideas for how I can accomplish a good random generator?


text:
Canon Pro9000 Empty Carts
Why not just buy a chip re-setter ?
I recieved this today FWIIW,note all prices in NZ$$.
Your Canon PGI5 & CLI8 ink cartridges can be easily, successfully and very
economically refilled by your good self at prices substantially cheaper than
Canon originals. Details of our refill kits, cartridge capacity and most
frequently asked questions are as follows.
Canon have made your machine in such manner that when you desire to save
money and use a refilled cartridge, to continue to print, Canon, after a
series of messages, disables the ink level indicator system on your printer
by use of chip technology. This in turn opens the potential risk ( not
automatic, but something to be conscious of ), to damage the printhead by
running an empty cartridge for an extended period.
To refill these cartridges which will print perfectly, and avoid any
potential damage to the printhead, you need to either simply use
commonsense, regularly keep a manual eye on the ink levels to ensure that
all cartridges have ink in them, OR at the slightest sign of fading, stop &
top them up OR buy a chip resetter. Think of them like the petrol tank on
your car, it does not matter if it is 90% empty or 90% full, you can still
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Our refill kits provide bottled ink specifically engineered to your
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the larger the quantity purchased, the more economical it becomes.
The recommended refill amount for the CLI8 colour cartridges is no more than
10ml. of ink " per colour "
There are eight colour cartridges in the Pro9000 known as black, cyan, photo
cyan, magenta, photo magenta, red , green & yellow
Prices " PER COLOUR " Per bottle per colour ;
Our smallest colour kit starts at 30ml - ( approx. 3 refills per bottle ) $
$200 or from just $8.35 per cartridge. >
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Due to heavy product demand, delivery time for this product is 4-6 working
CHIP RESETTER : When purchased with any ink above, $79
You can safely store our ink for 18 months or more as long as commonsense
prevails, put the lid back on tightly & store in a cool dark place like a
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Refilling cartridges is not rocket science and you have the added assurance
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text:
LexisLibrary and LexisPSL
Sign up for a free trial today and get full access for a weekTrial
The latest press release from the Association of Business Recovery Professionals (R3) makes interesting reading for a number of reasons. The press release is entitled: "Debt denial - two thirds of those with major financial problems are not seeking advice." In the press release R3 make clear their concern, "that those with financial problems do not think they 'need' debt advice, while those that do seek advice are not always going to the right places for it." I will leave to one side my cynical side and any comments regarding a trade body using findings of an independent (?) survey to bolster an argument as to why their constituent members should be consulted. To do so would be churlish. R3 may also of course be correct in their conclusions that more redress should be made to Insolvency Practitioners (IPs) for this sort of debt information (if this is indeed the underlying subtext that one could take from the press release). The greater use of IPs proposition is one that I cannot of course rebut because, inter alia, the professional JIEB examinations, Statements of Insolvency Practice (SIPs), etc, all mean that an over-indebted individual would of course get more objective, clinical, and thoughtful professional advice from an IP (who is a regulated professional) than if he or she was to go to the unregulated sector. Hence my previous calls for an expansion of the work of the Insolvency Practices Council (IPC). i.e. in my view the unregulated debt advice sector (as borne out by the R3 press release) is in some cases engaging in some rather problematic behaviour, in relation to marketing, let alone actual advice. IPC observation might preclude this at best, or draw attention to the same if nothing else. Generally speaking this sort of behaviour does not happen within the realm of IPs, not least because of the IPC and the Recognised Professional Bodies (RPBs) continuos monitoring of their behaviour. Some people of course take a different view to the competency of IPs (see for example: Insolvent Abuse: Regulating the Insolvency Industry). One of the co-authors (Professor Prem Sikka) of this rather damming report (which must be read carefully and with some caution), has also written relatively recently on these negative IP competency issues in his digital Guardian column.
But these are more specific issues which require more in depth treatment and which therefore will be saved for another time. In this blog entry I will instead concentrate on the very serious issues that the R3 press release gives rise to, namely, debt advice and debtor eduction. I have addressed both these areas elsewhere in some depth in a full length report (the Personal Insolvency Project - PIP) commissioned by the Insolvency Service and Grant Thornton LLP and in two spin off articles (one and two) that appeared in Insolvency Intelligence.
Debt Advice
The R3 press release notes that, "Last month the OFT told 11 financial management businesses to close down websites that 'looked like' governmental or charity advice sites." This is certainly an alarming statistic and follows findings made in the Personal Insolvency Project (PIP) in relation to web advertising by a number of debt management firms (some with IPs involved). That this sort of behaviour is still continuing is very concerning and the Office of Fair Trading and R3 are right to draw our attention to this sort of behaviour. In relation to advice itself R3 note, "According to YouGov's quarterly 'DebtTracker' undertaken in February 2009, only 37% of those who had 'fallen behind with many bills or credit commitments' (the highest levels of debt category in the survey) sought debt advice in the previous 6 months. 65% of all those struggling with bills and commitments who do not seek financial advice thought they did not 'need' advice on their financial problems." At first glance this paints quite an alarming statistical picture. We need more access to the primary source material however before we can make an informed comment as to the seriousness of these findings. R3 President, Mr. Nick O'Reilly, has perhaps seen the whole picture as he is much more unreserved. He notes:
"For anyone to say they do not need financial advice is troubling, but doubly so for those in financial difficulty. The only way to sort personal debt problems is to seek advice early, it's as simple as that...Seeking professional advice does not mean you will immediately be declared bankrupt or have your credit cards taken away. People should not be afraid of that first step. Often it could just be about budgeting, but ultimately it will cost you less if you address these issues early...While it is good that the higher numbers of respondents are contacting recognised bodies such as the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), CCCS and National Debtline, more people should think of contacting a local licensed insolvency practitioner (IP). An IP has undergone a rigorous training programme and has to apply every year to renew their licence. The CAB cannot actually resolve your financial problems or perform the majority of statutory debt resolution procedures and may direct you back to an insolvency practitioner anyway. Over 80% of insolvency practitioners offer their first hour of advice free of charge."
As noted above (by me) Mr O'Reilly's point about IP training and professionalism is certainly true, if you ignore Professor Sikka's recent Guardian comments (above) and more historically Mr. Stephen Aris (whose text is now admittedly rather old and perhaps represents another age, see: Going Bust: Inside the Bankruptcy Business. Andre Deutsch Ltd, London. 1985.) Mr O'Reilly's point about the CAB cannot go unanswered however, especially in light of the new Debt Relief Order (DRO) process which the CAB are entitled to administer as a competent body. The retort to my defence of the CAB and their capabilites will of course be, "Yes, but what about IVAs and bankruptcy as an appropriate procedure? Debt advice should feature the whole gamut of options." My response would of course be - "Yes this is true, but in the context of the CAB are you familiar with the profile of people who attend the CAB for advice?" In the main they are individuals who are economically exactly those who would benefit from a DRO. They are not those who could make use of an IVA or bankruptcy. An IP would therefore be an unnessacary extravagance for the main body of those seeking advice in this way. If I am wrong, Mr Peter Tutton, or some other CAB policy official will correct me. For the very small majority of people who are not atypical of the CAB's clientele all is not lost. As Mr O'Reilly points out the CAB will doubtless refer them to an IP. The R3 press release goes on to give the following statistics:
"When seeking financial advice, 27% of respondents, the highest response for those who sought debt advice, contacted the CAB, 25% the CCCS and 15% the National Debtline. 9% contacted an 'other advice centre' who could be unregulated, while only 7% contacted an insolvency practitioner."
If I was an IP I would be alarmed at this statistic. I would also be grateful that my trade body was fighting my corner attempting to increase business for my services and therefore providing value for money for my subscription. The question has to be asked however: why is recourse to IPs so low in this personal insolvency context? Is it due to a lack of publicity? Are there some general marketing or perception problems? Does the lay consumer think that IPs are for 'more serious' cases than consumer debt? Has this opinion (if it exists) been exacerbated by recent press coverage on the corporate side? Are we seeing more evidence of the negativity of the term 'insolvency' precluding recourse to insolvency procedures and those that administer the same? Is it the case that consumers cannot get their heads around the notion that profit can be made from insolvent estates and that there cannot possibly be professionals who exist who provide search a service? More research in this area is certainly required. Perhaps R3 will be commissioning some research on this topic in the near future. Professor Adrian Walters' recent work on IP discipline and complaints (see: one and two) certainly makes him well placed to offer some insightful commentary on this vexed issue for IPs. The press release perhaps serves as R3's first salvo to bolster redress to IPs. A future R3/YouGov survey may reveal if they have been successful. Another survey body might be needed however as it seems as if YouGov might itself be in need of some IP debt advice according to a recent story in The Times.
Debtor Education
A connected issue flows from debtor advice and that is the vexed area of debtor education. As one of my previous blog entries has argued, debtor education for bankrupts and IVA users does not seem to work. This is the English and Welsh experience to date (in this regard see also PIP, ibid). It should not therefore come as a shock that people are generally less inclined to engage with or discuss their debt issues when they are not as serious (possibly) as that of proven debtors, i.e. ones who have gone through an insolvency process. Should we really marvel that people tend to stick their heads in the sand on this issue? In a previous blog entry I noted that I am no evolutionary biologist. Nor am I a psychologist or educationalist (despite my PGCE). I will not therefore attempt to mull on or speculate as to why debtor education in either the ex ante or ex post sense seems to fail. This is an area which needs deep inter-disciplinary consideration. We are not alone in this quandary. The Canadians have had education programs in bankruptcy for a long period of time. Indeed, in Professor Jacob Ziegel's early 1990's symposium book he cites a very interesting Ph.D. thesis claiming they do not work. (hat tip to Professor Westbrook).
"This is the ultimate statement of where the law on IVAs is to be found in our great common law...
"BPIR is an excellent series, of interest to both corporate and personal insolvency lawyers,...


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Journal of Aging Research
Volume 2011 (2011), Article ID 918782, 6 pages
Driving into the Sunset: Supporting Cognitive Functioning in Older Drivers
1Ergonomics Research Group, School of Engineering and Design, Brunel University, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK
2Department of Psychology, Centre for Cognition and Neuroimaging, Brunel University, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK
3Centre for Mental Health Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
Received 14 December 2010; Revised 17 March 2011; Accepted 31 March 2011
Academic Editor: Lynda Anderson
Copyright © 2011 Mark S. Young and David Bunce. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Citations to this Article [4 citations]
The following is the list of published articles that have cited the current article.
- David Bunce, Mark S. Young, Alison Blane, and Priya Khugputh, "Age and inconsistency in driving performance," Accident Analysis and Prevention, vol. 49, pp. 293–299, 2012. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar
- Siobhan Harty, Redmond G. O'Connell, Robert Hester, and Ian H. Robertson, "Older Adults Have Diminished Awareness of Errors in the Laboratory and Daily Life," Psychology and Aging, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 1032–1041, 2013. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar
- Ilsun Rhiu, Sanghyun Kwon, Sangwoo Bahn, Myung Hwan Yun, and Wooyeon Yu, "Research Issues in Smart Vehicles and Elderly Drivers: A Literature Review," International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, vol. 31, no. 10, pp. 635–666, 2015. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar
- Alison Blane, "Through the Looking Glass," Journal of Glaucoma, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 113–121, 2016. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar


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Local: 719-495-2694
Email: [email protected] Booking Email: [email protected]
Country camping east of Colorado Springs. View of Pikes Peak and the front range from campground. Large pull-through RV/tent sites with picnic tables and adirondack chairs. Handicap shower/restroom. Free WiFi. Srong cell phone signal. Playground. Laundry. Propane. Some trees. Picnic area with firepit and grill. Large dog park. Open year-round. Fully stocked convenient store with gas pumps. Supermarkets and restaurants near by. Reservations recommended.


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Real-estate and mortgage experts said they expect to see a busier fall if record-low interest rates drop even lower.
The Federal Reserve last month announced plans to push interest rates still lower even after they had reached a new record-low of 3.4 percent on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage.
But with rates already so low, is this really an incentive for most buyers?
"In terms of helping South Jersey, it makes it easier for people to qualify for a home loan with a lower interest rate. People are coming off the fence more," said Jim Malamut, a loan originator with Annie Mac Home Mortgage in Pleasantville.
Experts said lower rates are pushing people to refinance their mortgage loans and is working to spur increasing interest in the housing market. This is serving to dry up the surplus demand, which could prod a lethargic building industry in South Jersey.
But the murky jobs outlook — especially in Atlantic County — still makes buying a home a gamble for many residents, he said.
"Casinos affect the employment rate in Atlantic County. People who work at the casinos are scared to go out and buy a house," he said.
Malamut, 29, of Ventnor, said the Fed's program to buy mortgage-backed securities had an immediate effect on interest rates. And in the long term, rates could drop even lower in months to come.
"It's directly related to the economy. If the economy stays on this path, it might fall another quarter percentage point. If things get worse, rates might fall much lower," he said. "You hope the economy is on the right path, but you hear mixed signals."
Nationwide, buyers have taken notice.
Mortgage applications jumped 17 percent in the week after the Fed's announcement last month, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Refinancing applications also jumped 20 percent, reaching a three-year high.
Buyers of homes with loans of less than $417,500 are seeing actual interest rates of just 3.5 percent for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. Buyers with "jumbo" loans in excess of $417,500 are paying an average of 3.8 percent. This compares to rates around 5.1 percent just last year.
Meanwhile, people are refinancing their mortgages at the fastest rates in seven years, according to Lender Processing Services Inc., based in Jacksonville, Fla.
"If they took out a loan at 4.5 percent, today they can save almost a full percentage point," said Herb Blecher, director of loan data products for LPS.
For a $300,000 mortgage, that translates to $3,000 per year in savings over the life of the loan, he said. That is money borrowers can use for home improvements or to pay household bills, all of which helps the local economy.
"Today, it's cheaper to borrow money to build a business — or build a bridge," he said.
The lower interest rates help even "underwater" borrowers who owe more on their homes than they are worth, he said. These borrowers can't reap any cash value from refinancing because they don't have equity. But with a lower interest rate, they are less likely to default on the loan.
Anthony Rizzotte, chief lending officer for Ocean City Home Bank, said borrowers stand to save thousands of dollars.
The bank has written about 20 percent more loans compared to the same time last year, he said. The bank expects to top $100 million in residential lending this year. About 60 percent are refinances. This gives customers more buying power.
"We're seeing a lot of people shorten their term. Instead of paying 5.5 percent on a 30-year loan, they'll pay 3.8 percent on a 15-year loan," he said. "The payment is the same but they save thousands of dollars."
Investment properties are starting to move again in places such as North Wildwood and Ocean City.
"Our numbers are looking good," said Maria Marinelli, president of the Ocean City Board of Realtors.
Marinelli, 47, of Margate, is a broker with Re/Max At The Shore in Ocean City.
Year-to-date sales in Ocean City are up 13 percent over last year, she said. Meanwhile, inventory is shrinking from more than 1,300 listings last year to 921 last quarter. Average prices, too, are holding steady at about $557,000.
"We've definitely stabilized, which is what I noticed earlier this year," she said. "I think you'll see increased sales and, as the numbers get stronger, you'll see more new construction on the island.
Likewise, real-estate offices in North Wildwood have been busy. Both cities see a majority of investment interest from residents in the Greater Philadelphia area.
"In the second-home market, we've seen a surge in August and September," said Don Martin, owner of Don Martin Realty Inc., in North Wildwood.
"Buyers need to have security in their job. That's the bottom line," he said. "I'm not sure lowering the interest rates alone will do it."
Martin said it's somewhat easier to obtain financing than in the first year after the housing-market collapse.
"You don't need a (perfect) 800 credit and 30 percent down," he said. "Banks have loosened up a little."
As a result, the inventory in North Wildwood has started to shrink. Eventually, this will spur new construction in southern New Jersey, he said.
"If you talk to builders, you'll see they're a little more active now, too," he said. "You're seeing more home starts on the island."
Martin is not simply paying lip service to the market. He recently invested in three properties on the island.
"I'm buying. That's all I can tell you. I'm very optimistic," he said. "I'm very confident in the market."
For those with the will and the means, there are bargains to be had, Martin said.
"Your buying power is incredibly strong right now because of the low rates," he said.
Annie Mac's Malamut said buyers have more incentive to act now than even when the U.S. Treasury offered $8,000 tax credits to first-time homebuyers in 2009.
"At the time they were trying to do whatever they could to spur housing. But over the long term, the interest rates coming down are better for buyers," he said. "Rates have come down 2 percentage points since 2010. I'm already getting calls about refinancing loans from two years ago."
The Fed's latest effort to stimulate the economy through bond purchases is aimed at promoting employment. Inflation, the agency's other main concern, has not been much of an issue since the recession. But high unemployment continues to dog southern New Jersey and the national economy.
The state unemployment rate of 9.9 percent in August was much higher than the national average of 8.1 percent, which fell to 7.8 percent in September. And locally the job situation is even worse.
Unemployment remained in double digits in Cumberland (14.4 percent), Cape May (14.1 percent) and Atlantic (13.3 percent) counties in August, in seasonally adjusted federal figures.
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke called high unemployment "a grave concern." More than half of the 8 million jobs lost during the recession have not been recovered.
Contact Michael Miller:


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HisRoom Response: Sorry about the t-shirts, but we state these need to be hand washed or dry-cleaned.
Todd from Seguin/TX/USA
HisRoom Response: We have contacted you and asked that they be returned for a refund. This is not typical. It's possible that the wearer put rough pants on over these which is causing the issue.
Clare from St Paul, MN USA


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Use the tools below to refine your search by only displaying reviews with a certain number of star ratings or to only show reviews from a certain time period. Eg click on '1 star' to just display the reviews we have which received a 1 star rating click or 'Within the last month' to display just reviews posted over the last month.
Written on: 19/09/2010
This is a wounderful book, it not only helps you to prepare healthy balanced and delicious meals but also make you feel good about yourself. It promotes self confidence and creates a new you. This book has made me feel more confident about myself. There is abosoultley nothing to dislike about this book… Read Full ReviewClick here to check out all the books available on Amazon
Written on: 15/02/2005 by krayla (1 review written)
If you want to lose weight this is the only book you need - Celia Hawe, Yoga for Slimmers: The 4-Week Weight-Loss Programme for Body, Mind and Spirit. It is the best book on losing weight and living a holistic life I have ever read.
You must read it… Read Full Review
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Torgiano is a town in Umbria, 10 km southeast of Perugia. It is mainly famous as the headquarters of the wine producer, Lungarotti and for its wine museum, which should not be missed by anyone interested in wine.
Get in
Torgiano is slightly to the east of the E45 highway. From the direction of Rome take a right turn after passing Deruta. There are several ways of reaching it from Perugia but the easiest is to follow signs to the E45, direction Rome, and then follow signs to Torgiano.
Bus Line E012 goes from Piazza Partigiani in Perugia to close to Lucignano.
Torgiano is an important winemaking town and was the first winemaking area in Umbria to obtain the Italian wine certification mark (Denomination of Origin or DOC). It is an uncrowded place and an attractive village to just stroll around.
Get around
Note: while the web sites of both museums have links to English pages they do not appear to work.
Bold textI MORI GELSI - Fattoria Spinola: Bold text Fattoria Spinola, via Entrata 37; email: [email protected] In this country residence, hospitality is as natural and simple as the shaking of a hand, a warm smile, a welcoming glass of wine. Guest accommodation is provided in just a handful of self-catering apartments and cottages, furnished in typical Umbrian country style and equipped with everything you might possibly need for a happy holiday with family, friends, or that special someone. After a peaceful night's sleep, what can be better than to wake up to the sight and sounds of the glorious Umbrian countryside? After having enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, guests might easily be found heading off to explore the town of Torgiano (the center is just 1km away) or relaxing in the grounds of the farm stay, bathing in the sun by the swimming pool or strolling through I Mori Gelsi's extensive vineyards.
Get out
Torgiano is a relaxed and interesting location to base yourself for trips around the many fascinating towns of Umbria. It is within easy reach of Perugia, Assisi, and Gubbio.


text: Chicken or Hen Nesting and Chicks Online Jigsaw Puzzle Spanish > Gallina Visit the links for related printable activities and/or crafts. Activities in English - Spanish Coloring pages English - Spanish Chicken @ Wikipedia.org Related jigsaw puzzles: Chick and eggs | Rooster Click on change cut to change number of pieces and shape. La gallina - The chicken or hen Jigsaw Puzzle Related activities > Birds > Farm > Nest | Rooster | Easter < back to the online jigsaw puzzles index


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RAINBOW – For the seventh year in a row, the third graders at Vallecitos School were given their own dictionaries to keep, courtesy of Rainbow Valley Grange. Grange members have raised the money to pay for the dictionaries each year with bake sales. The books are ordered through The Dictionary Project, a national organization that helps non-profit groups obtain dictionaries in bulk at a reasonable cost to donate to their local schools and other groups that can use them.
Anyone interested in providing dictionaries for other area schools can visit www.dictionaryproject.org for more information.


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b.tempt'd by Wacoal La Parisienne Push Up Bra with Removable Pads 958191
This product was discontinued January, 2015 and is no longer available. Please consider one of the Customer-Recommended Replacements above, or try a new search.
Get the lift you love in polka dots and lace when you put on this supportive bra. Features a floral lace overlay along the cups and polka dot microfiber sides.
Try these keyword searches with similar features:


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Discover Author
James R. Chiles began writing about technology and history while a student at the University of Texas Law School. His first piece was a 1979 Texas Monthly article on the Pantex nuclear weapons assembly plant in Amarillo, Texas. He began writing features for Smithsonian in 1983, and since that time has published features and cover stories there and in Audubon, Air & Space, Harvard magazine, and American Heritage of Invention & Technology. He lives in Minnesota.
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text: Don't Ignore This Chart Silver ETF Forms Rising Wedge Arthur Hill | November 20, 2012 at 02:52 PM The Silver ETF moved sharply lower in October and then bounced with a rising wedge. The wedge is still rising, but broken support turns resistance in the 32.5 area. A wedge break would signal a continuation lower and target a move to next support in the 29 area. Click this image for a live chart.


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journalogging #1 of 4
Thank you to Bonnie for this decadent sample from TeaVivre!!
As I've never tried a straight White, this one completely refashioned my perception and respect for what they have to offer! This Bai Hao Yin Zhen is fragrantly refined and tempered living hayfields yet is also tinged with the slightest salt balance in the cup. The buds were amazingly downy and delicate but tripped the light fantastic when given the chance over five steepings. Simply quite wonderful and a splendid offering from TeaVivre!


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Wednesday, 19 September 2012
WWOYWW . . . Matchbox Dolls
It's been over a month since I have been able to participate in Whats on Your Workdesk Wednesday. It's been a wild month of renovations and lots of tumult. I've hardly been able to create at all. Work on the bath finally finished for good today and things can get back to normal . . . whatever that is!!
I was lucky enough to go to a Craft Crop on this Saturday past. It was my first time ever at an event like that. It was a lot of fun seeing what everyone else was getting up to. I think these kinds of things are wonderful, and you can learn a lot.
I hadn't been sure of what to bring, but I had had an idea in mind for a time for these little matchbox dolls and so that's what I brought. Papers, inks, glue, mod podge, miniature prints of my own artwork, etc. And by the end of the afternoon I had four sweet little girls done. (Those ones up there at the top of this post.)
Since then I've done two more. Here they are in a neat little video thingie. Enjoy.
I really enjoyed making them. There are all kinds of little additions as well . . . flower soft used as grass and flowers by their feet. Painted matchsticks for their legs and feet . . . tiny touches such as a black cat behind the little witch inside the window at the bottom, a hat and scarf behind the snowman girl, etc. The autumn leaves at the bottom of the witch are Martha Stewart foil glitter, leaf colours.
Completely decorated inside and out and all around. I'm really pleased with how they turned out. What have you been up to? I am sure it's something beautifully creative too!
In the meantime why not pop on over to the Stamping Ground to check out all of the other wonderfully creative people and see what they have on their workdesks!
Thanks for looking!!
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riley has yet to fill out a bio.
Evan Higgins posted 2381 days ago
you're the hottest person i've ever met in my lifetime.
i'm so glad i got to date you for over three years.
you're amazin
Evan Higgins posted 2586 days ago
I love you!
riley does not have any awards.
riley is not a member of any communities.


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Well I have nothing to show for my sewing yet but here are some pics out our windows. Wish I could get a picture of the flakes. They are the size of dime and quarters. SO BEAUTIFUL!
P.S. Hopefully will have some sewing pictures later!
our backyard
Our front deck, about 4 inches so far!


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800 app downloads every second and 300 million iCloud users spells success for Apple
Apple is doing well. Very well. Compared to 2012's incredibly quick growth from Q1-Q4, it may seem a little lack luster, but you can be sure that our favorite fruit company is still out performing every other tech company on the planet in almost every category. We've already covered hardware (iDevice) sales and such, but Apple's key strength is in its ecosystem. iTunes and the App Store are incredibly popular, and retail stores are going against the trend by increasing year-on-year.
Since its conception in 2008, the App Store has now been used to download an incredible 45 billion apps, only 4 months after crossing the 40 billion mark. That works out at an astonishing 800 apps every second. The store plays home to 850,ooo apps, with 350,000 of those being optimized specifically for the iPad. The App Store is now internationally available in 155 countries and covers 90 percent of all iOS users, and has paid out an incredible $9 billion to developers in under 5 years.
Although iCloud has had something of a patchy service recently, that didn't dissuade the chiefs from mentioning it in the earnings call. There are now more than 300 million iCloud users set up with Mail/Reminders/iMessage.
Apple retail also got a mention as Oppenheimer took delight in telling us how store revenue has grown year-on-year by 19%, up to a huge $13.1 million.
As you can see from all the coverage so far, there's little negative news here. Apple is still going strong, and it will keep on attempting new things. I'm as excited as ever.


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Germany & Arsenal's Podolski posts celebration pic with Neuer & Müller after France; Mesut Özil posts personal Selfie
The Germany dressing room was a suprisingly quiet and chilled place after their World Cup quarter-final win over France.
There was a strange, anti-climactic feeling to the game, with France failing to really test Germany, and it seemed as though the Germans were pretty comfortable despite the narrow 1-0 win on the scoreboard.
There was no fanfare or euphoria, just quiet contentedness – after all, this is Germany's 4th consecutive semi-final qualification (2008,2010, 2012, 2014), so it's understandable there wasn't a lot to sing or dance about – they're in it to win it this time.
Unused sub Lukas Podolski got the party going somewhat with a picture with Manuel Neueur and Thomas Muller, while Mesut Ozil took a private Selfie in his dressing room spot to celebrate the win, after another quiet and insipid performance from the Arsenal man.
Out of the dressing room and changed for the coach trip, Ozil took a group pic with a few teammates, Khedira among them.
Yeeeeah!! We did it! 1/2 final can come!! #Semifinal #DFB #Team #Rio #germany #Poldi #aha pic.twitter.com/ofA6AIMoA6
— Lukas-Podolski.com (@Podolski10) July 4, 2014


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5 November 2008
The odd drink in pregnancy won't harm baby
IS A light tipple when you're pregnant OK? Lots of expecting mums now say they avoid even light drinking, but the latest study indicates that this may be an unnecessary precaution.
Yvonne Kelly and colleagues from University College London analysed data collected from over 12,000 mothers and children in the UK since 2001. Children whose mothers had one or two alcoholic drinks per week during pregnancy had fewer behavioural and cognitive problems by age 3 than the children of women who abstained completely (International Journal of Epidemiology, DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyn230).
Kelly says that light drinking is unlikely to be physiologically beneficial. Rather, the light drinkers in her study tended to be better educated and have higher incomes than heavy drinkers and abstainers. These people might be more likely interact with their child in a way that helps them do well in cognitive tests, which would affect the results, even


text: MES 30" Digital Gen1 w/ AMNPS, Hickory Pellets My favorite marinade for venison: 1/3 Apple Cider Vinegar 2/3 Cheap Bourbon (why waste the good stuff?) I pour so that the vinegar/bourbon is just below the level of the meat. Liberally sprinkle with your favorite BBQ seasoning, to your liking. I used Texas Brothers BBQ. Flip meat over. Sprinkle with more of the same. Then coat with your favorite Honey BBQ sauce. The brown sugar sauces are great. Dried minced onions were a good addition. Marinade for approx. 24 hours in the fridge (cover with wrap), turning occasionally to keep it moist. MES set at 220*F. I smoked mine for approximately 1 1/2 hours until the meat hit 156*F. If I would do it again (and because the venison was only 1/2" thick) I would probably only take it up to 145-150*F max. The thicker venison steaks were cooked to medium, but the thinner ones were well done. We were pleased as the venison had very little "gamey" taste to it (if any) and the wife was impressed. Leftovers went in the freezer and the 2 dogs also got their "treat".


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Blackguards - New Game Set in The Dark Eye World
Daedelic entertainment, who you might know from their adventure games, have announced their first turn-based RPG set in The Dark Eye world named Blackguards
Daedalic Announces Blackguards, Its First Turn-Based RPG
Bolstered by the success of their celebrated adventure games, the developers at Daedalic Entertainment are now off to new frontiers. This summer, Blackguards, the studio's first turn based RPG will be released.
Framed in a significantly darker story than you usually find in Daedalic games, the player will walk in the boots of a convicted murderer as he travels through Aventuria's wild south. On this journey the protagonist is accompanied by companions of varying loyalty: scoundrels and thieves like the half-elf Niam (and her latent drug addiction) or the lecherous wizard Zurbaran.
Blackguards features hordes of lethal creatures and other enemies waiting to be taken care of on more than 170 unique battlemaps. A number of major and minor quests ensure exciting and diverse gameplay through the campaign.
As can be expected in all Daedalic titles, Blackguards focuses on strong storytelling, now combined with action-packed gameplay and tactical, turn-based combat. Blackguards delivers more than 40 hours of adventure in Aventuria.
Blackguards will be available internationally in Q3 2013.
About the Game
What happens when the only hope of a threatened world lies not with heroes in shining armor but in the hands of a band of misfits and criminals? Blackguards – the new turn-based RPG by Daedalic Entertainment – explores this very question. The player takes on the role of a convicted murderer, who with the help of a team of more-than-questionable characters, must save the world from a dark menace. During the wild chase throughout the South of Aventuria, the world of The Dark Eye, there is more to fight than vicious creatures – chapter by chapter, a story full of intrigue and surprising twists unfolds. But when life and death are in the player's hands, how far will they go to reach their goals?
The first turn-based RPG by Daedalic Entertainment unites the studio's high standard of a suspenseful storytelling and unique characters with gripping battles in elaborately crafted 3D-environments. In taxing campaigns the player takes part in a dark story full of doubt, betrayal and loss.
Whether the player chooses to go into battle as a mighty warrior, a clever wizard or a skillful hunter, the first battle isn't far away. Over 170 individually crafted battle maps full of interactive objects and strategically complex situations lead the player to exotic locations and put them through deadly trials.
You can find two screenshots and some artwork, by clicking on the respective images below.
Information aboutBlackguards
SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Strategy-RPG
Platform: PC
Release: Released


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Dereck Joubert & Big Cats Initiative National Geographic Responds
Dereck Joubert & Big Cats Initiative National Geographic Responds
In response to CapeNature's proposal to allow permits for massive hunting of small predators in South Africa, Dereck Joubert has this to say:
Read the full proposal: & submit your comments to: firstname.lastname@example.com
To Whom it may Concern,
It has come to our attention that there is a draft proposal asking for comments by tomorrow.
The National Geographic Big Cats Initiative is an emergency effort designed to step in as big cats decline. In 50 years we have seen a virtual crash from 450,000 to 20,000 lions, and best estimates of leopards from 700,000 to 50,000. Tigers are all but extinct (900 in India) and cheetah at perhaps 12,000 are in poor numbers. This represents a crash of 95% in that time across the board.
Big cats keep smaller predators in check and what you are dealing with is a very predictable natural response to the extermination of larger predators in an ecosystem. Your proposal however is disturbing because it too is predictable. The outcome will never be a balanced ecosystem and is just one more step in the systematic extermination of all predatory species anywhere near human settlement.
Disturbing also to us is the language you use in this draft, focusing on 'hunting' which is largely now associated with sport and recreation. It seems to me that you are opening up an avenue for a wave of very active sport hunting against smaller predators in large numbers that will end in the eventual annihilation of these species. Like the large cats that keep control of the smaller ones, these mid and small sized predators keep rats and mice and snakes and a range of even smaller animals in check and I have no doubt at all that what you are starting here today will be the end of any natural and balanced ecosystem in your region.
It seems to me that there are lessons to be learned from what we have done and are doing in big cat conservation:
firstly, we would not be spending millions of dollars a year protecting big cats if we had taken a step back when faced with exactly the choice you are facing with smaller predators today.
we are finding it easier to protect livestock that keep predators at bay in conflict zones. It makes sense to place ownership on the livestock owners to fence adequately and protect in a passive not invasive way. Understand that we, humans, and we, agriculturalists are the invasive species if you place it in context. Also it is humans that have the most resources and understanding to prevent conflict.
Livestock and crops are privately owned. Nature and its predators are a national resource. It seems that this initiative is giving the private sector every advantage to enhance their commercial benefit, at the more common prejudice of the nation (and national resource.) in essence if you decide to farm, you need to build in to the business plan the protection of your product, in the same way as a inventor should patent his invention and protect it. If he is not prepared to do that, it is wrong of him to expect the state to kill its own stock to compensate for his lack of foresight. If this were equally distributed in legal terms with a private body owning livestock and another private body owning predators, and one person's stock was harming another's (after all means to protect livestock and crops have been exhausted) there would still be an avenue of compensation first, before the predator would need to be put down.
Lastly the methods that are experimental today will become common practice tomorrow, but the baiting, calling, trapping, and shooting from helicopters is not just seen as bad ethics, poor taste but will also be seem as you using every possible method of extermination and you will have a PR disaster on your hands.
We'd strongly urge you to reconsider if only for the PR impact you are about to step into. The impact on large landscapes of nature is a much more complex issue that distributing permits to shoot it back into submission.
South Africa distinguishes itself in PR today on three basic stories if you trawl the world's newspapers:
It is unable to or unwilling to stop rhino poaching.
It is unwilling to take a stand on Canned Lion hunting,
and it is opening up more and more opportunities to sell lion bone into the bone market. This harms all big cats and all the efforts of conservation world wide.
I would be worried about your adding to that roster of undesirable or uncooperative actions to the international effort to help protect the environment in today's world where all eyes on on environmental abuse and where all eyes are on every action every moment of every day.
I was in a symposium recently on tourism. The overriding comment to the South Africans was: If you cannot protect your rhino, who will you protect me? An extension of that will be drawn from this: If you don't care about your nature, why as a tourist should I care about visiting your country?
It is something to be taken seriously.
Please feel free to contact me for further discussion. I will be following this issue very closely.
Dereck Joubert
National Geographic Big Cats Initiative