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Everyone knows that success and failure in baseball come in cycles -- for players, for managers, for teams, even for leagues.
The cycle that has the American League riding high right now has so many facets and such powerful momentum, the National League has to wonder if their junior partners will defy gravity and never come back down.
"A few years ago, everyone talked about the National League this way, with their young talent and the American League didn't have it," said Frank Robinson, the Orioles assistant general manager and former Most Valuable Player in both leagues. "Now, they talk about the American League. And you could see it coming for a little while, now."
For sure, the most recent era of National League dominance came to an end when its superstars of the 1970s and '80s, like Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Willie Stargell, Mike Schmidt, Steve Garvey and the like, stopped playing baseball and started working on their Hall of Fame eligibility. Once they cleared the stage, they took with them things like the National League's domination of all-star lists, of All-Star Games, of World Series highlight films.
Now, it's the American League's turn. It sports a six-game winning streak in the All-Star Game. It has won three straight World Series and four of the last five. And though the National League has Barry Bonds, the American League has three of the four most glamorous players in the game in Ken Griffey Jr., Frank Thomas and Juan Gonzalez.
The National League has its budding stars, too, like Mike Piazza, Sammy Sosa and Phil Plantier. But the National League, try as it might, simply cannot nominate one marquee player, let alone three, who is as young (25 years or less at the start of the season) as the American League trio.
"Talent of that magnitude is difficult to come by," said Fred Claire, the general manager of the Dodgers. "Those American League players certainly have that type of talent."
Frank Robinson agreed. "There's no one who compares to those three at that age that I can think of," he said. "They're just very talented and gifted, what I call the very special types who come along only every once in a while."
Indeed, no National Leaguer in the age group of that trio has done what Gonzalez, Griffey and Thomas have in the past three seasons: rank among the top 10 in home runs and runs batted in per season. In fact, the only National Leaguers to even appear on both lists were the 29-year-old Bonds (35 home runs per season, 114 RBIs) and the 30-year-old Fred McGriff (34, 104).
"When you see kids like that, my grandmother could tell me they're good," Joe McIlvaine, the general manager of the Mets, said of the American League trio. "They're tough to top, those three guys."
That alone would be enough to cause various shades of green when it comes to league envy; but the American League has even more to brag about: four new, fan-friendly, state-of-the-art ball parks opened since 1990.
This gives the National League even more reason to be called "the senior circuit." The last National League park introduced in something other than an expansion season was Olympic Stadium, the now-infamous monstrosity in Montreal. That happened in 1977.
Olympic Stadium was the last in a chain of multipurpose cookie cutters to be built for National League play. Unfortunately for the National League, that style is now considered by fans and critics alike as aesthetically unpleasing.
By contrast, four of the last five AL parks introduced -- Camden Yards, Comiskey Park, Jacobs Field and the Ballpark in Arlington -- were built solely for baseball.
The National League, with one team (Florida) playing in a football stadium and only two in parks dedicated solely to baseball (Wrigley Field and Dodger Stadium) is in need of relief in this area.
It will come next season when the Colorado Rockies open Coors Field, the first pure baseball park built in the National League since Dodger Stadium in 1962.
"They're on quite a run," Leonard Coleman, the new president of the National League, said in Cincinnati Sunday. "But it's cyclical. We've got some tremendous young stars in both leagues. The National League will be fine."
Winning an All-Star Game would help. Or a World Series. Anything to give the league hope that what goes around comes around, including major-league bragging rights.


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There's a Mercedes-Benz AMG CLK GTR Headed for Auction Aug. 25
This racing-inspired legend could be yours and has fewer than 900 miles on the clock.
Now is your chance to own a rare piece of history that you probably can't afford, a Mercedes-Benz AMG CLK GTR. This Saturday, Aug. 25, RM Sotheby's will be bringing one of just 25 CLK GTRs ever created to Monterey so it can be auctioned off to the highest bidder. And if you happen to be in the top ranks of society, it could be the next track day toy in your garage.
Let's play out a scenario in your head. It's the tail-end of 1998 and you're filthy rich in the midst of the dot-com bubble looking to buy your next car. Of course, you're already quite versed in both money and culture; so clearly you can't be seen in public behind the steering wheel of a layman's Ferrari F355, and your father would turn in his grave should you buy a Lamborghini Diablo. What you need, is a Mercedes. But not just any Mercedes, one drivable on the street, but still built to take on the race track and, of course, has the tri-point symbol of wealth floating above the hood. You're buying a Mercedes AMG CLK GTR.
The CLK GTR was designed in record time. From a sketch on paper in late 1996 to a testing concept in only 118 days, it was one hell of a machine for Mercedes to crank out in such little time. 10 days later, the automaker would bring the car to Spain and the world would soon hear of a Silver Arrows victory for the first time since 1955.
The Germans plucked the 6.0-liter V12 engine from the production model S600 and SL600 and customized it in cooperation with both in-house performance division AMG and partner Ilmor Engineering, increasing the displacement to 6.9-liters. The stout platform produced 612-horsepower and a peak of 568 pound-feet of torque at a staggering 7,000 rpm and its rear-affixed engine was mated to a six-speed paddle shift sequential gearbox. Combined with the roar of the 12-cylinder engine, produced sounds both angelic and hellacious together in harmony.
Once word reached the public of the new track legend, Mercedes began collecting letters from interested buyers in the road cars before they were even built. More than 300 potential customers attempted to purchase the CLK GTR, however, that wasn't happening. In order to comply with Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) standards, Mercedes would only need to build 25 examples of the car, and nearly two years later, they began to do just that. The one-off batch would be delivered during between winter 1998 and summer 1999.
This particular example is branded serial 9 of 25, but is actually much rarer than that. Only 20 coupes were actually built; four cars have tartan interior (one of which was the only right-hand-drive example) and three cars were painted colors other than silver. This makes this particular configuration one of just 13 in its particular configuration, all with only 1,439 kilometers (894 miles) on the odometer.
Upon its release, each car sold for around $1.5 million (1,175,000 British Pounds). In today's money, that's around $2.3 million, or a tad less than a Bugatti Chiron. Sotheby's anticipates this car to fetch between $4.25 million and $5.25 million, a large jump from the two right-hand-drive cars it sold in 2009, both of which sold for less than $1 million.
- RELATEDApollo Automobil Partners With Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Creator HWA to Finish the IE HypercarThe Apollo IE was created as an homage to the 1990s GT1 race cars, and now one of the most iconic DTM teams has its hands on it.READ NOW
- RELATEDWatch an Ultra-Rare Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Blitz Down a Narrow RoadThere's rich, and then there's this.READ NOW
- RELATEDThis 850-Mile Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black Series Costs Less Than College, at LeastIt's one of only 349 produced for the United States.READ NOW
- RELATEDWatch This Crazy Man Headbutt a Moving Mercedes CLKSurprisingly, this didn't happen in Russia.READ NOW
- RELATEDHamilton Leads Silver Arrow Front Row At 2018 F1 Spanish Grand PrixLewis Hamilton primes himself to extend his championship lead.READ NOW

subset: commoncrawl


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FunctionMAX FX20 0.5 mm SMT board to board connectors with a unique floating structure that absorbs mounting misalignment errors in applications where multiple stacking connectors are used. The FX20 series header connector has a floating structure embedded inside the fixed base of the housing. This floating structure offers a degree of play between the contacts during mating of + 0.6mm minimum in the XY directions. The floating contacts self centre in both the X & Y direction and absorb misalignment errors ensuring safe and accurate mating. The floating feature of these FX20 board to board connectors also eliminate stress caused by mounting placement errors and prevent resulting solder cracking and the need for corrective re-work to be done. Large mating guides on either side of the header also allow for an alignment movement of ±1.2 mm in the XY directions. These guides make mating easier, prevent incorrect insertion and ensure that a secure connection is made. The floating feature of these FunctionMAX FX20 board to board connectors enables them to withstand severe conditions in industrial and automotive applications. The FX20 receptacle connectors contain self-cleaning dual beam contacts which offer a high resistance to vibration and increased contact reliability. These dual beam contacts are made of a high conductivity material and have 0.5A current capacity per pin. The clearance between the contact and housing is designed to prevent capillary action, protecting the contact area from solder wicking and flux penetration during assembly.
Floating structure to absorb mounting misalignment
Reliable double beam contact structure for vibration resistance and reliable electrical connection
0.5A current capacity per contact
Self-aligning and self-guiding structure
Withstand severe conditions required by industrial applications and in-vehicle units
Automotive and vehicle applications
Broadcast equipment
Base Station Transceivers
Industrial equipment
Measuring instrumentation
Medical devices
Printers and copiers
Smart meters
FunctionMAX board to board connectors are designed to meet the needs of advancing technologies within the industrial market and offer high performance and maximum functionality. The FunctionMAX range includes connectors with a floating design and connectors with a high-speed transmission rate. The high transmission connectors have a design based on a differential transmission system and offer high-speed signals and excellent resistance to noise. The FunctionMAX range of board to board connectors offer superior performance in diverse environments.
|FunctionMAX FX20
|Number of Contacts
|Number of Rows
|Body Orientation
|Connector System
|Board to Board
|Mounting Type
|Surface Mount
|Termination Method
|Contact Plating
|Contact Material
|Copper Alloy
|Current Rating


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Run Roger Run
SEX: Gelding
BREEDING: Midnight Lute-Sam's Bliss, by War Front
DATE OF BIRTH: April 10, 2014
DATE OF LAST RACE: March 12, 2017
Run Roger Run
Run Roger Run had only two starts on the racetrack before being retired due to a lack of speed. He is a big, athletic, and has a good brain!Roger is easy to ride on the track and is a lovable character in the barn. He has great confirmation, an uphill build and three lovely gaits. Roger would be very well suited for a career in Dressage or any jumping discipline. He has clean legs and no known soundness or health issues. Run Roger Run is eligible for the 2018 Thoroughbred Makeover.


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When he arrived on campus to pitch for the Dolphins, Jacksonville University freshman Tim Cost got the chance to play alongside athletes who were later drafted by Major League Baseball teams.
But none of those baseball stars can say that they will have the same opportunity that faces Cost today. Cost is the incoming president of his alma mater, a school that he says he's passionate about making better than it has ever been.
"I'm an alum. I love this place. I've bled green and gold for 35 years," said Cost, who last week was named to replace retiring president Kerry Romesburg.
Cost gave a sit-down interview with the Times-Union and discussed some of his plans for leading JU starting in 2013. Some of his plans include re-energizing alumni from outside Duval County and helping the university drum up new investors.
"Interacting with CEOs or business leaders is a comfortable place," he said. "And the only reason that matters is because that's what's best for the university."
According to the university's strategic plan, one of the goals for JU going forward is to increase enrollment. Enrollment currently sits at roughly 3,700. Do you agree with raising enrollment and, if so, what number would you think is appropriate for growing enrollment?
We're not talking about adding thousands of new students here. That is not what we're talking about. Each time we can add one to two hundred students over a measured, logical cadence, that is hugely helpful to the university. If this university can go from 3,755 up several hundred over the next several years, it's going to enable us to reinvest in the faculty, reinvest in the staff, reinvest in the campus [and] all of those enhance the student experience. Sometimes people hear that we want to get slightly larger. I think that's true. We are blessed with a fantastic physical space, which can accommodate more students.
Few people in the city know that behind JU's campus is a gorgeous access point to the St. Johns River. The Romesburg administration has labeled that land The Dolphin Green. Students on campus would like to see that land further developed and spruced up a little bit more. Do you feel there's a need to further develop along the river? If so, what would that look like?
Do we have more plans? Yes. The idea that we're done with Dolphin Green would be incorrect. It's a place we believe is going to be attractive to the Jacksonville community as a whole. So, might we bring concerts down there? Yes. Might we bring speakers down there? Yes. Might we put activities down there? Yes. Students feed back to us that they love it. Do they have ideas? Sure. I can't wait for the opportunity to sit with students.
Many leaders on campus and even some trustees say it would behoove the university to raise the retention rate. According to data this university reports to the federal government, the 2010 retention was 60 percent for full-time students. What number would you like to see it raised to and how do you get that number up?
Right now it's between 60 and 70 percent; we'd like it to be between 70 and 80 percent. Ultimately we'd like it to be higher. If you look at the great schools, they're able to retain 8 or 9 out of every 10 students. We're retaining between 6 and 7 out of every 10 students. And obviously we'd like to improve that. We believe continuing to offer attractive scholarship money is important. We believe in creating an attractive campus that they want to work on, we believe retaining great professors is a very important part of that.
The university's graduation rate is another challenge area for JU. In 2010, the overall rate was 40 percent. Where should that number be and how do you get it higher?
No question we have an opportunity to improve it there. I will not position myself now as having the answer. I have it as a very important question - graduation rates, enrollment rates and retention rates. We're going to work very hard on all of them.
As an alum, I know that one of the roles you're excited about is reaching out to alumni outside of Duval County. Do you have a sense for just how many JU alumni are outside of our region? And if you re-energize them, what are you hoping they can bring to JU?
We've got over 20,000 living alums of this university. We don't reach 20,000 alums on a regular basis. We're reaching in the hundreds. We tend to think a lot about North Florida. So a guy like me comes down here and looks at that and says, "If I can get the alums to understand the opportunity that this school - the opportunity of where we're going with this school - alums get excited." Alums love to invest in the value of their own education.
The community knows that you are an alumnus who played baseball for the Dolphins. We also know that you played all four years. What were some of your favorite memories as a pitcher for the university?
I loved the guys I played with. The camaraderie. The quality of athletes that were here - it was as if you took every single best guy from every best team in high school and they all came on to one team. I got to play with guys like Paul Runge, who went on to play for the Atlanta Braves; Rick Scheetz, who was drafted by the Twins; Ralph Albano, who was drafted by the Orioles. Great guys. Loved the university and played hard to win. In terms of a personal recollection, the head coach back then was Jack Lamabe and he had considerable major league experience both as a player and as a pitching coach. And his assessment, and I'm sure it was accurate, was that I was not one of the top four pitchers when I got here as a freshman. So I had to wait my turn as a freshman. Your paper covered the first game I ever pitched. The day before, coach Lamabe walked by me down at the end of the bench and said "You've got the ball tomorrow." That was it. So, I had waited 23 games to get in my first college baseball game. Obviously I was excited. I thought I could help the team. The game was against the University of Akron in Ohio. That was an important day because I thought I could help the team. It was a nine-inning game. I pitched a no-hitter, threw 86 pitches. There was one baserunner and we immediately took him out on a double play, so I faced 27 batters. The team was fantastically supportive. I can remember, when coach Lamabe said I was going to have the ball the next day, mostly being two things: determined and excited. I don't recall nervousness.
You'll have spent three years on the Board of Trustees. What were some of the things you are most proud of as a trustee?
I would never beat my own chest and say, you know, "I personally. …" That's just not the way this board works. It's not the way a good board works; you work in a team. So, I'm pleased that we've done a better job than pre-2009 on creating a strategic plan that we can stand behind, knowing that we can improve it. I think we've been prudent in the financial decisions we've made. We have not shied away from difficult decisions facing higher education.
Khristopher J. Brooks:
(904) 359-4104


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The Midweek results
Tuesday had a field of 25 players competing in a stableford event.
The winner was Rob Dundas (10) with 41 points from Aaron Madsen (11) with 37 points. Ball rundown went to thirty-four points on a countback. Nearest the Pin on the third was Geoff Brown, on the ninth was Brad Grant and on the sixteenth was Shane O'Brien. The NTP second shot on the tenth went to Taki Murakami, whilst the best score holes thirteen to eighteen was shared by three players.
Thursday's event saw the regular Stableford event being conducted with thirty-one players in the competition. The winner of was Tony Pridham (10) with 37 points from Rob Healy (18) with 34 points on a countback. Ball run down went 32 points on a countback. Nearest the pins were Bill Hammen on the third, Steve Daykin on the seventh, Nick Siperki on the ninth and Dave Octigan the sixteenth. Nearest the pin second shot on the eighteenth was collected by Brad Grant and closest to the pin second shot on the tenth was Graham Mear.
The Gold event was not held owing to the inclement weather.
There were two rabbits for the day, being Jarrod Heath and Martin Slack.
The Weekend results
Saturday's event was the Captains' Day. A 4BBB Stableford multiplication event was held, with a "nice" hailstorm in the middle of the round.
The winners of the Men's event were Mark Bettany (5) and Aaron Knight (24) with 55 points.
The winners of the mixed competition were Rod Sargent (3) and Lyn Poulson (24) also with 55 points.
Line balls went to the pairings of Gary Johnson and Nick Jones, along with Linda Terry and Phil Conway. Nearest the pin on the seventh was Peter Vallance and on the sixteenth was Mark Bettany. The nearest the pin second shot on the eighteenth was Rod Sargent, and on the tenth was Dave Octigan. The ladies nearest the pin third shot on the tenth was Millie Cumming.
Upcoming events:
Saturday 20th July – Open Stroke, July Men's Monthly Medal
Saturday 27th July – Open Stableford
Saturday 3rd August – Open Stroke
Saturday 10th August – Club Professional's Day. Irish Stableford, teams of four, Shotgun start at Noon


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What messages will animal activist groups be pushing this year? In a recent PORK poll, respondents weighed in on four topics they think consumers will hear about in 2019: greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), taking meat out of the diet, alternative proteins and animals' legal status.
"There is a need to defend objective truth – especially around food and agriculture – because 'alternative ag facts' harm sustainability," said Alison Van Eenennaam, a cooperative Extension specialist in the field of animal genomics and biotechnology and the Department of Animal Science at the University of California Davis.
Meatless diets
According to a 2019 PORK poll, 38% of respondents said the hot topic of 2019 will be messages attempting to take meat out of the diet. In January, a group called the EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet, Health issued a report suggesting drastic limits on meat and dairy consumption will improve the world's health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs).
During a recent AgriTalk segment with Chip Flory, Frank Mitloehner, professor and air quality Extension specialist in the Department of Animal Science at the University of California Davis, said the report positions their diet as a planetary diet to improve human health and planet health.
"It encourages people to largely divorce from animal-based foods and allow no more than seven grams, which is a ¼ ounce of either beef or pork a day and 1 ½ eggs a week," Mitloehner said. "I call that quasi-vegan."
Alternative proteins
Alternative proteins, such as cell-cultured meat or plant-based meat, ranked a close second in the recent PORK poll. Cellular agriculture has quickly evolved from an internet phenomenon to a serious policy issue. Consumers (and producers) are looking for clarity about what this new technology might mean for their lives.
Part of the cell-cultured meat push is based on increasing concerns about agriculture's impact on GHGs. However, a recent study from the Oxford Martin School found that in some circumstances and over the long term, the manufacturing of lab meat can result in more global warming, reported BBC News.
Legal standing for animals
Animal rights activists continue to push efforts to increase the legal status of animals because they believe that animals should be treated as equal to people – not only in society, but in the courtroom as well. With 21% of PORK's respondents saying this will be a hot topic in 2019, Animal Agriculture Alliance's Hannah Thompson-Weeman agrees that any efforts to afford more legal rights to animals should be viewed as part of a long-term strategy to elevate animals to have the same legal status as people.
"Thus far, efforts by groups like the Animal Legal Defense Fund and the Nonhuman Rights Project to extend personhood rights to certain animals have failed, but their attempts should still be of concern to livestock producers. If one animal is granted 'personhood,' it will embolden activists to push for those rights to be extended to all animals, including livestock and poultry," Thompson-Weeman says.
Greenhouse gas emissions
Animal agriculture is responsible for just 4% of total U.S. GHGs, with pork production being about one-third of 1%, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
"Wrongly focusing on restricting diets distracts from the highest environmental priority – the burning of fossil fuels, which is responsible for a large portion of global greenhouse gas emissions," says Brett Kaysen, assistant vice president of sustainability for the National Pork Board. "It is not true that animal agriculture produces more greenhouse gas than transportation, a frequently-cited but mistaken claim."
Although greenhouse gas emissions came in fourth with 12% of the votes, this is a topic that isn't going away soon and is often woven into other issues pushed by activists.
Mitloehner said, "There is no other sector of society that is more sustainable than agriculture. And for some reason, instead of endorsing it and owning it, people in agriculture are fighting it. We should be the leaders in the field and not the followers."
It's up to farmers to do what they do best, Mitloehner said on AgriTalk.
"We need to not only grow food, but we also need to inform the public as to how we do it," he said. "The public is largely unaware of it. I have never seen a more uninformed public than the one today when it comes to how we grow food, source food, eat food, waste food, etc. Farming communities need to be in the center of this conversation."
Related Articles:
Pork Industry Calls EAT-Lancet Report Radical, Irresponsible
PORK Poll: Hot Topics from Animal Activists
Animal Rights Activists: Watch for the Signs
Will Fake Meat Take Pork's Spot In The Meat Case?


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Petar Ćurković
Assistant Professor
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
and Naval Architecture
University of Zagreb
Petar Ćurković
Assistant Professor
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
and Naval Architecture
University of Zagreb
I am an Assistant Professor at the Department of Robotics and Automation, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (FMENA), University of Zagreb. Before joining FMENA, I was a postdoc in Hod Lipson's Creative Machines Lab at Cornell University, and a researcher in Professor Jerbić's group. Both Ph.D. and B.Sc. degrees I obtained in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Zagreb.
My research interests are focused on the intersection of robotics and optimization. I am developing algorithms that are able to improve performance of the robots, through the optimization of their behavior and their design. A long term goal for my work is to get a robot that is fully designed, programmed, and manufactured in a continuos way by machines, without any human intervention.
To get more information about my work, publications, and scientometric data please visit my google scholar profile.
Recent Work
An example of my most recent work is the development and application of optimization algorithms for structural optimization of dynamically loaded structures. The idea is to optimize the shape of a robotic (or any other) part to meet a certain frequency profile. The figure below shows an initial structure (left) optimized to meet two randomly generated frequency profiles. Five eigenfrequencies were considered.
Initial structure Frequency Profile 1 Frequency Profile 2
Please contact me by mail: first name . last name @ fab . hr.


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lazy sushi
Serves 1
When I'm craving nori rolls but not the rolling, I throw this together.
1 ripe avocado
2-inch cucumber portion
1 nori sheet, cut into short strips
Handful chives or green onions, snipped
Handful mixed sprouts
2 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Use a sharp knife to halve and twist the avocado open, then simply slice a grid through the flesh just to the skin. Spoon the pieces out into a bowl. Halve the cucumber lengthwise and slice into thin half-moons. Toss everything together until the nori goes soft.
© 2009 Jessica Stone www.greenappetite.com


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Meet Chad…
by jleany - Aug 03, 2010
This is Chad Troftgruben.
He is the expert and presenter of LearnKey's Flash CS5 training, which we finished filming last week.
Chad is a freelance media designer who has been working with Flash for a number of years. By applying methods used from his cartoon animation background and ACE certification, Chad provides a simplistic yet creative approach to each lesson he teaches. In 2007 Chad started providing free online video tutorials on Flash and other software. Since then, his tutorials have been viewed by thousands of people, including entrepreneurs, teachers, students and many others.
Chad did a fantastic job in the production studio and for all of you Flash people out there, make sure you watch for the release of this new product – you're not going to want to miss this one!
Sorry, comments for this entry are closed at this time.


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October 13, 2013, 8:40 am, Siena railway station. On platform n. 1 travelers and musicians await the arrival of the "Miss", the steam locomotive n. 640-148 that during the 30s earned this nickname for her way to slink on the Italian rail network pulling carriages and people through Val D'Orcia's beautiful skyline.
We are here to experience the slow travel of the good old times along paths fallen into disuse, cut off from the main commercial routes but kept alive by the passion of associations and local authorities that have decided not to let these places die, because they are an environmental treasure of our landscape heritage.
So, thanks to Stefano Maggi (professor at the Siena University) and to the passion of some retired railroaders, with the support of the Province of Siena and sponsors such as Montepaschi Bank, the Association FVO - Val d'Orcia Railway has brought Trenonatura again on the rails: from the station of Siena in spring and autumn it leads many travelers along Monte Antico / Asciano rail loop, closed to the ordinary traffic since 1994 but now used to promote these lands rich in history, culture and flavors among those who wish to discover a type of tourism now almost lost.
The succulent seasonal offering has not made our choice easy, but in the end we decided to go to the Porcino Muschroom's Festival in Vivo D' Orcia, a small town next to Mount Amiata, that in this season is filled with underbrush scents and the tireless chant of popular songs.
To get there, two hours on a "hundred doors coach", so named because each group of seats was equipped with independent access (ancient wisdom): two hours cheered up by Tuscany hills designed with cypress trees and farmhouses and the songs of musicians that filled the passengers' hands of all types of musical instruments inviting them to join the orchestra.
The atmosphere was that of parties, an itinerant crew running towards places and times to be discovered.
At the halfway point, a stop for a snack, water supply for the "Miss" and connection rods lubrication. Then, arrived at Monte Amiata railway station, we changed means of transport (a bus) and climbed the Apennines, mounts full of citadels and flavors.
Click on a pic to open this gallery
Vivo D' Orcia was waiting for us with its medieval town still inhabited, a market of local products made from honey, mushrooms, chestnuts, figs, walnuts and cheese, a guided tour in the undergrowth to discover local mushrooms, and then a lunch where we ate each three dishes of pici (a local kind of pasta) with porcini mushrooms and zucchini.
We returned to the station with bags full of cookies, flour, mushrooms and jams, while in the valley we could still hear the echo of popular songs and the scent of roasted chestnuts roasted all day without stopping.
A triumph of taste and the little pleasures that many Italian corners are able to give, a one-day trip suitable for people of all ages and intended primarily for groups excursions' lovers, where people chat and get easily in friendly relationship and where the pleasantness of the slow journey is filled by meeting, words and songs.


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VIC CPP40307 Certificate IV in Property Services (Real Estate)(online)
The Victorian Full Real Estate Licence Course / CPP40307 Certificate IV in Property Services (Real Estate) enables you to own or manage a real estate agency in Victoria. As a full licensed agent or principal licensee, you are able to sell and manager property without the need to work through an established agency.
As part of this course, you will have access to twenty-four Units of Competency. To successfully complete this course you are required to complete all twenty-four units upon successful completion you will obtain a Certificate IV qualification in property services.
Each module has Learning Resources and an Assessment tasks, questions and role plays.
Please note, although there are no prerequisites to enrol into the Victorian Full Licence Course, Victorian Consumer Affairs will require you to have at least 12-month full-time experience as an Agent's Representative in Victoria. You must have worked for 12 consecutive months within the past 3 years.
REAA will provide you with all of the course content you will need to complete the assessments and obtain your qualification. We also have a platform in our learning portal where you can message the trainers to ask them any questions you have about the course, content and assessment.
Before you Enrol…
To complete an REAA course transparently, you will need:
- a Laptop, Mac or Windows computers are both compatible (Windows 8 or above)
- the latest version of Adobe Reader (currently Adobe Reader 11)
- internet access at home or work so you can finish the assessments via the online learning platform
Once you enrol into the Agents Representative course with REAA, you should receive a confirmation email. This will contain important information, however if you still have questions, please contact REAA via live chat or enquiry form.
Note: From January 1 2015, the need for ALL students to obtain a UNIQUE STUDENT IDENTIFIER or USI for short, become a national requirement. This means that your Statement of Attainment cannot be issued if you have not provided us with your USI. For more information, or to apply for your USI, visit www.usi.gov.au.
The Course…
REAA recommends an average of 6-8 hours to complete each unit of competency (24 in total) delivered in the course. Please note, these hours are based on REAA's past course completions and this time may vary from student to student. You have up to 24 months to complete the course. The course consists of assessment tasks, questions and video roleplays.
The Victorian Full Real Estate Licence Course / Certificate IV in Property Services (Real Estate) enables you to own or manage a real estate agency in Victoria. As a full licensed agent or principal licensee, you are able to sell and manager property without the need to work through an established agency.
Upon Completion…
Upon the successful completion of your real estate training and assessments, your assessments will be marked by REAA's assessing team. Standard grading times are 7 business days from completion of your course. Once deemed competent in all units you will receive a Statement of Attainment (SoA) from REAA. Following this, you lodge this with Consumer Affairs.
Why Choose REAA?
REAA is a specialised training centre for the real estate industry. REAA provides flexible and blended options for you to get into the real estate industry as a real estate salesperson or property manager. The use of an online learning platform allows the flexibility you need and you can complete the course at your own pace, at any time of the day you like. You have a full 24-months to complete the course from the time of your enrolment to submit all assessments. REAA also offers the fastest turnaround time of your Statement of Attainment with digital assessing software used by the REAA assessing team ensuring you get fast and accurate feedback. Your assessments are marked within 7 business days of your last assessment submission once you notify the team of your completion. Fast-track assessing is available at an extra cost, for more information, please contact us via live chat or via our website enquiry form.
Course Features
- Lectures 24
- Study Time Approximately
- Per Module: 6 - 8 hours
- Language English
- BSBRKG304 Maintain business records
- BSBSMB406 Manage small business finances
- CPPDSM4001A Act as a buyer's agent
- CPPDSM4003A Appraise Property
- CPPDSM4004A Conduct auction
- CPPDSM4005A Establish and build client-agency relationships
- CPPDSM4006A Establish and manage agency trust accounts
- CPPDSM4008A Identify legal and ethical requirements of property sales to complete agency work,
- CPPDSM4080A Work in the real estate industry,
- CPPDSM4007A Identify legal and ethical requirements of property management to complete agency work,
- CPPDSM4009B Interpret legislation to complete agency work
- CPPDSM4010A Lease property
- CPPDSM4011A List property for lease
- CPPDSM4012A List property for sale
- CPPDSM4013A Market property for lease
- CPPDSM4014A Market property for sale
- CPPDSM4015B Minimise agency and consumer risk
- CPPDSM4016A Monitor and manage lease or tenancy agreement
- CPPDSM4018A Prepare and present property reports
- CPPDSM4019A Prepare for auction& complete sale
- CPPDSM4020A Present at tribunals
- CPPDSM4022A Sell and finalise the sale of property by private treaty
- CPPDSM4049A Implement maintenance plan for managed properties
- CPPDSM4056A Manage conflict and disputes in the property industry


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old pond's spring water
clouding with fresh abundance
ripple of tadpoles
Kim M. Russell, 2017
Image found on Pinterest
My response to Carpe Diem Universal Jane #14 Basho's "Old Pond"
Chèvrefeuille tells us that this weekend-meditation is a new episode of the special feature in honour of Jane Reichhold, 'Universal Jane', whose favourite haiku poets included Basho. Jane collected his haiku in her book, The Complete Haiku: Matsuo Basho. He has also shared Jane's article about Basho's well-known own haiku 'frog pond' to inspire our own frog haiku.


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No products
Queensland Blue Couch is a soft, fine leaf grass which has a blue-green colour which mows to a beautiful carpet. Ideal for temperate and sub-tropical areas. Sow from late September to late February. NOT to WA. SEE DISCLAIMER BEFORE ORDERING.
A premium lawn seed, which is ideally suited for most lawns, grown in patches of sun and shade. When mature, exhibits a magnificent deep green colour.
A great lawn seed for high traffic areas & quick to establish, ideal for oversowing.
Contains annual ryegrass as a 'nursery' grass for quick germination to limit weed competition and soil erosion. This provides an ideal situation for the kikuyu seed to germinate and flourish. Kikuyu tolerates clay, sandy and dry conditions and will also self-repair after any damage.
For an extremely hardwearing lawn that will thrive in warm to dry conditions. Contains a nursery cover of easy-to-establish seed blends to provide fast results in 7-10 days.
Kikuyu needs less water than most other lawns and grows in nearly all soil types. Also contains a nursery cover of easy-to-establish seed blends to provide fast results in 7-10 days.
Is a hardwearing budget blend. It establishes quickly, with germination commencing in 7-10 days and is ideal for high traffic areas such as nature strips and back lawns.
A special blend which is suited to both sunny and shady areas. Contains Easy Wetta for water retention and is also blended with slow release fertiliser.
For patching hard to grow shady areas. Contains a slow release fertiliser. Quick to establish, results in 7 to 10 days.
Is a lush, soft blue green couch which mows to a beautiful carpet. Ideal for temperate and sub-tropical areas.
Includes 500g of quality lawn seed which can sow 15 sq. metres or oversow 30 sq metres & 1 kg of special lawn starter fertilizer.
Munns Pixie Sun N Shade is ideal for heavily shaded to full sun areas or gardens that have both. Other benefits include: Drought Tolerant, Hard Wearing and Evergreen lawn that will grow in a wide range of soil types ie clay to sandy. Ideal for new lawns, oversowing existing lawns or lawn repair.


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Hotel accomodation 09 NIGHTS 10DAYS
Tranfers of SIC / priavate basis
Daily breakfast
Access to hotel amenites
Major sightseeings
Any other meal than inclusions
Any trip/ entry ticket
Any travel insurrance
Any visa charge(if applicable)
Any goverment charges or taxes.
About sikkim
Make your holidays in Sikkim and Northeast India quite special. Avail upto 50% discount on Sikkim holiday packages, family vacations, honeymoon tours and weekend tour package booking for 2018/2019 with Tour My India.Quaint villages, pristine alpine lakes, snow-capped mountains, lush meadows and vibrant Buddhist monasteries, Sikkim in North Eastern part of India has been blessed with abundant nature's bounty. A small hill state, tucked away in the lap of Eastern Himalayas is rightly called as a glittering gem of the Himalayan crown. With its tranquil settings and unadulterated mountain air, Sikkim is a paradise for honeymooners and holiday makers. This exotic state is also home to many scenic trekking trails, luring trekkers and adventure freaks from different corners of the world to discover the charm of its unexplored magnetic trails. With our special Sikkim tour packages, you can witness the magical charm of this little gem of Sikkim in an unparalleled way. Providing you with best deals and customized packages keeping in mind, your comfort, requirements and preferences, our team of tour experts leave no stones unturned to make your Sikkim vacation a memorable journey of your lifetime. One major attraction which lures tourists to this enchanting holiday destination located in North East India, is a lookout for peace and solitude that is today lost in the busy lives of metropolitan cities.Sikkim is a state in northeast India, bordered by Bhutan, Tibet and Nepal. Part of the Himalayas, the area has a dramatic landscape that includes India's highest mountain, 8,586m Kangchenjunga. Sikkim is also home to glaciers, alpine meadows and thousands of varieties of wildflowers. Steep paths lead to hilltop Buddhist monasteries such as Pemayangtse, which dates to the early 1700s.
Upon your arrival in New Jalpaiguri Junction Railway Station/ Bagdogra Airport, your private guide will pick you up and begin the 5-hour transfer to Gangtok, the modern capital of Sikkim and a cultural hub. On the way to your hotel, enjoy the heart-beating highland view along the Teesta River. After you check-in to your hotel, you have the rest of the day to spend at your leisure. Overnight stay at a hotel in Gangtok.
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel, and then make the 55 kilometers drive to Tsomgo Lake, a high altitude lake of Sikkim. Apart from sightseeing, here you can also indulge in yak riding. Further, you will visit Baba Mandir (13,200 feet). Spend some time at the temples and then return to the hotel in Gangtok for overnight stay and dinner.
Post breakfast at the hotel drive to Lachung, which is located in Northern part of Sikkim. During the journey, from Gangtok to Lachung, you will be visiting Naga Waterfall, confluence of Lachen Chu & Lachung Chu at Chungthang and Bhim Nala Waterfall. Upon arrival at Lachung, you will be transferred to a hotel for overnight stay and dinner.
Keep the extra batteries ready for your camera as today you will be going to visit the Yumthang Valley, which is also known as the valley of flowers. The movement you will step in the vicinity of the valley, you will be thrilled to see the riots of colours. The pastures of tall wildflowers are a glorious sight on a sunny day. Yumthang Valley is home to Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary, which has over 24 species of the state flower rhododendron. Thereupon, you will visit the hot spring. After your day tour, get back to Lachung for overnight stay at hotel.
Today, post an unhurried breakfast, check-out from the hotel and get transferred to Gangtok. Entirely surrounded by appealing scenery, Pelling is another famous town that should not be missed during your trip. On arrival at Gangtok, check-in to your hotel. In the evening, you can either go for a leisure walk around the town or can indulge in shopping and pick hand woven carpets, traditional motifs, shawls, and blankets. Overnight stay at Gangtok. Dinner and stay at the hotel. Nest destination on the itinerary is Pelling.
From Gangtok, follow a hilly road surrounding the colourful houses, tiny hamlets, and lonely monasteries. In between, you will be visiting for some tea tasting at Temi Tea Garden, see the beautiful miniatures of Chardham and 12 jyotirlingas at the Siddheshwar Dham (Chardham) and lay eyes on the 45 feet high copper statue of Guru Padmasambhava. After the sightseeing tour, continue your ride towards Pelling. Upon arrival at Pelling, you will be transferred to a hotel for overnight stay and dinner.
The seventh day is going to be particularly scenic as you will be going for city sightseeing tour. Today, in the first half, you will be visiting Darap village, Rimbi water Falls, Khecheopalri Lake and Khangchendzongha waterfalls. At the Darpa village, you will get a chance to explore local culture and meet and greet people of Bhutias, Chettris, Tamangs, Rais, Gurungs and Lepchas community. To witness the greet symbiosis of sound and sight, you should visit Khangchendzongha waterfalls. For lunch, you will enjoy a stop at some good restaurant. In the second half of the day, you will be visiting Pemayangtse Monastery, Rabdantse Ruins, New Helipad Ground. Get back to the hotel for overnight stay. Rest of the evening is free to roam around or shop at vibrant bazaars.
On the seventh day, done with your morning breakfast, check-out from the hotel and straight away travel to Darjeeling. During the journey, from Pelling to Darjeeling, you will come across Singhik viewpoint, from where you can enjoy the beautiful view of Mighty Khangchendzonga. The whiff of tea and sound of toy train symbolises that you are somewhere in and around Darjeeling. Upon arrival at Darjeeling, you will be transferred to a hotel for overnight stay and dinner.
Get up at around 4 in the morning and get ready to chase the down over the Mt. Khangchendzongha (28,208 feet) at the Tiger Hill (8,400 feet). Explore the highest point of the region and adore enchanting views from the top, the snow-covered Himalayan ranges. Thereafter, on your way back to the hotel, visit Ghoom Monastery and War Memorial and Batasia Loop. Get back to the hotel, enjoy breakfast and relax. Again get ready as you will go for the sightseeing tour. We take you to some of the important places of interest in Darjeeling including Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, P.N. Zoological Park (Thursday closed), Tenzing Rock, Tibetan Refugee self-help Centre (Sunday closed), Tea Garden (outer view), Ropeway and Japanese Temple. Return back to your hotel and relax. Rest of the evening is free for you, either you can relax or just stroll around. Overnight stay in the hotel.
After breakfast Check-out from the hotel on time & transfer to NJP Railway Station / IXB Airport for your onward journey.


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Wright Stain, Buffered
|500 ml
|1 Liter
|1 Gallon
|Wright Stain Solution, Buffered
|Part 1422A
|Part 1422B
|Part 1422C
Additionally Needed:
|Alcohol, Methanol Anhydrous, ACS
|Part 12236
|Wright Stain Buffer Solution, pH 6.8
For storage requirements and expiration date refer to individual bottle labels.
Newcomer Supply Wright Stain, Buffered for Smears provides a quick staining technique, used for differential staining of cell types in peripheral blood smears as well as bone marrow smears/films.
Technique: Coplin jar or flat staining rack method
Solutions: All solutions are manufactured by Newcomer Supply, Inc.
- Prepare within an accepted time frame, a well-made blood smear or bone marrow smear/film per your laboratories protocol, with a focus on uniform cell distribution.
- Allow slides to thoroughly air-dry prior to staining.
- Filter Wright Stain Solution, Buffered prior to use.
- Prepare 25% Aqueous Methanol Rinse; combine and mix well.
- Distilled water 30 ml or 3 ml
- Methanol 10 ml or 1 ml
- Coplin Jar Method: See Procedure Notes #1 and #2.
- Fix smears in methanol for 15 seconds.
- Stain in Wright Stain Solution, Buffered for 1-2 minutes.
- Place smear directly into Wright Stain Buffer Solution, pH 6.8, 1 to 4 minutes. Do Not Agitate!
- Dip smears in 25% Aqueous Methanol Rinse for 1 second.
- Rinse in distilled water.
- Air-dry slides in a vertical position, then examine microscopically.
- If coverslip is preferred, allow slides to air-dry and coverslip with compatible mounting medium.
- Flat Staining Rack Method: See Procedure Notes #1 and #2.
- Place slides on a flat staining rack suspended over a sink.
- Fix smear by flooding slide with methanol for 15 seconds.
- Shake off excess methanol; apply 1 ml Wright Stain Solution, Buffered to each slide for 1 minute.
- Retain Wright Stain Solution, Buffered on slides, directly add 2 ml of Wright Stain Buffer Solution, pH 6.8 to each slide; gently agitate to mix. Stain for an additional 3 minutes.
- Flood smears with 25% Aqueous Methanol Rinse for 1 second.
- Rinse in distilled water.
- Air-dry slides in a vertical position, then examine microscopically.
- If coverslip is preferred, allow slides to air-dry and coverslip with compatible mounting medium.
|Granules - Purple
|Granules - Pink
|White blood cells
|Chromatin - Purple
|Cytoplasm - Blue
|Cytoplasm - Blue
|Deep Blue
- The timings provided in this procedure are suggested ranges. Optimal staining times will depend upon staining intensity preference.
- Smears containing primarily normal cell populations require minimum staining time; immature cells may require a longer staining time. Bone marrow smears/films may also require a longer staining time.
- The color range of the stained cells may vary depending upon the pH of the buffer and the pH of the rinse water used.
- Alkalinity is indicated by red blood cells being blue-grey and white blood cells only blue.
- Acidity is indicated by red blood cell being bright red or pink and lack of proper staining in white blood cells.
- If necessary adjust buffer pH accordingly to 6.8 +/ - 0.2.
- Lillie, R. D., and Harold Fullmer. Histopathologic Technic and Practical Histochemistry. 4th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1976. 747-748.
- McPherson, Richard and Matthew Pincus. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 22nd ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders, 2011. 522-532.
- Sheehan, Dezna C., and Barbara B. Hrapchak. Theory and Practice of Histotechnology. 2nd ed. St. Louis: Mosby, 1980. 154-155.
- Modifications developed by Newcomer Supply Laboratory.


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Metal casting process involves processes such as pattern making, moulding and melting etc. Casting defects occur due to combination of
various processes even though efforts are taken to control them. The first step in the defect analysis is to identify the major casting defect
among the many casting defects. Then the analysis is to be made to find the root cause of the particular defect. Moreover, it is especially
difficult to identify the root causes of the defect. Therefore, a systematic method is required to identify the root cause of the defect among
possible causes, consequently specific remedial measures have to be implemented to control them. This paper presents a systematic
procedure to identify the root cause of shrinkage defect in an automobile body casting (SG 500/7) and control it by the application of
Pareto chart and Ishikawa diagram. with quantitative Weightage. It was found that the root causes were larger volume section in the cope,
insufficient feeding of riser and insufficient poured metal in the riser. The necessary remedial measures were taken and castings were
reproduced. The shrinkage defect in the castings was completely eliminated.JO - Archives of Foundry Engineering L1 - http://www.czasopisma.pan.pl/Content/101989/PDF/afe-2017-0032.pdf L2 - http://www.czasopisma.pan.pl/Content/101989 PY - 2017 IS - No 1 KW - Casting KW - Shrinkage defect KW - Pareto chart KW - Ishikawa diagram A1 - Chokkalingam, B. A1 - Raja, V. A1 - Anburaj, J. A1 - Immanual, R. A1 - Dhineshkumar, M. PB - The Katowice Branch of the Polish Academy of Sciences VL - vol. 17 JF - Archives of Foundry Engineering DA - 2017 T1 - Investigation of Shrinkage Defect in Castings by Quantitative Ishikawa Diagram UR - http://www.czasopisma.pan.pl/dlibra/docmetadata?id=101989 DOI - 10.1515/afe-2017-0032 ER -


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Our estate is located in Castagnole Monferrato in the province of Asti, at the heart of one of the most prestigious wine-growing areas in the north of Italy.
The winery lies in the production area for Ruchè, a wine shrouded in legend – its extraordinary qualities are said to have proved decisive in the Lombard victory over the Franks at the battle of Refrancore.
Aside from the tales surrounding its origins, the unique palate, and rich colour and bouquet of this wine makes it one of the gems of Piedmontese DOC wine production.
In this rural location, at the heart of a natural amphitheatre of 10 hectares of superb south-facing vineyards, with the protection of the surrounding hills, Tenuta dei Re produces outstanding quality grapes which it makes into three wines with DOC status (controlled denomination of origin): Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato, Grignolino d'Asti and Barbera d'Asti.
Our daily decisions are guided by our attention to the quality of life – ours and that of our children.
We derive great pleasure from making high quality products, safe in the knowledge that we have considered all aspects pertaining to environmental and social harmony, with particular attention to health and well-being.
With the frenetic pace of life today, we believe that being able to offer people time out to enjoy a good glass of wine is extremely rewarding.
Our values have always revolved around our love for the land, and our desire to plant and grow natural products.
Our doors are always open, and we are happy to show you round our vineyards and wine cellars: seeing things first hand and tasting in person are the best way to discover our approach to wine-making.
copyright 2020 | all rights reserved | studiolivio.itBack to top


text:
Registered Pharmacy Premises
We are owned by: Abalane Limited
We operate from a Registered Pharmacy at:
20 Queens Square, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP11 3DF
Our Pharmacy premises are registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC): Registration Number: 1029132
Superintendent Pharmacist:
Our Superintendent Pharmacist is: Mr. Pravinchandra Shah
GPhC Registration Number: 2021472
Comments, Suggestions & Complaints Procedure:
We welcome any feedback you may have about our website, the services we provide or general comments. Please send your suggestions to Mr. Pravinchandra Shah at the address at the top of this page and we will be happy to hear from you.
We aim to offer the highest quality of services to all our customers be this online or in-store and any feedback you give us can greatly help us to achieve a better service.
If you have any complaints about any service we provide please see our complaints procedure page.


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Roy Keane is the cover star of this edition of Shoot from 1997, as Shoot does a feature on the in-form Manchester United player, listing facts about him and comments from team-mates and opponents.
England's recent World Cup Qualifying defeat to Italy got a double page spread with the headline "IT AIN'T ZOLA YET" – A pun on the Italian goalscorer, Gianfranco Zola.
With failure to reach USA 94 still fresh in the mind, with only one team in the group guaranteed to qualify, there was a serious risk that England might fail to qualify for the 2nd successive World cup.
Despite being level with England with a game in hand, Italy fluffed this lead with 0-0 draws against Poland and Georgia to hand the initiative to England, who qualified by drawing their last group game 0-0 …….. against Italy, of course. Italy also qualified, beating Russia 2-1 in a play-off.
Shoot's results service begins by focusing on recent internationals for England (v Italy) and Scotland (v Estonia, in a re-arranged game after the infamous abandoned game the previous October) in World Cup Qualifying action, and friendlies for Wales (v Republic Of Ireland) and Northern Ireland (v Belgium)
In Transfer News that now looks silly : Arsenal want to sign Beppe Singori, Blackburn Rovers want Bobby Robson as manager, and Chelsea want to sign Paul Ince.
Meanwhile, Derby County defender Paul McGrath has put his recent upturn in form down to not drinking alcohol any more.
Jamie Redknapp is now a pundit for Shoot, where readers write letters to him. One reader suggests a European football team. Redknapp dismisses this suggestion but champions a Britain football team.


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- Gary Price recommended the "Google Related" Toolbar Shows Google Content As You Surf
On one hand I tested it and my small personal sites apperantly are not related to anything. But they are not "local business, shopping, or news sites" that the tool is focusing on. On the other hand my clients' site, being all "local businesses" fared well: checking them out with the tool loaded I got a handful of nicely collected info-bites.
- Rick DeJarnette's article on "How To Create Your Digital Footprint With Links" is another plug to use the rel="me" and re="author" attributes to show who the authors of pages are.
Good reminder, that there are other reason to mke sure you show up as the author of a webpage beyond vanity: it will become a ranking factor.
- Matt McGee shared the announcement that "With Its New Explore Box, StumbleUpon Adds Search To Content Discovery"
I've never been a big stumleUpon user, but it is a popular site, so if they do searh, that will infulence traffic. How measurabel and quality the traffic will be only time will tell.
- Greg Finn provided "The Ultimate Guide To "LinkedIn Today" & How To Optimize Your Presence On It"
This is essentially about LinkedIn Today a daily aggregation of "the most shared news on LinkedIn." My little sites may not ever get a headline, but it the system has a voting component, so yo may never know.
- Dax Hamman offered "3 Simple Alternatives To Attribution Modeling For Search Marketers"
I finally understood what "attribution modeling" is and now I need alternatives? Not unless I work for sites and brands that has truely large volume of traffic. It makes little sense for SMBs.
- Matt McGee explored how "Google & Bing (Still) Handle Underscores & Dashes Differently"
The bottom line: for new sites use dashes as word separators in URL.
- Pamela Parker wrote about hoe "Google Testing Unique AdWords Format Designed for Gmail"
I couldn't explain to a client today on the phone that there are ads on Google as she didn't see any. She didn't believe me. I could have just pointed her to this article.
- Tom Schmitz advised on "SEO Copywriting Tips: Optimizing For Multiple Keywords On One Page"
I was surprised to see so many copywriting companies at an SEO conference I attanded on Wednesday. This article reminded me that there is much more to writing for the web than writing personal, journalist or academic pieces.
- Matt McGee picked up that "Google Maps Becomes A Mini-Weather Center"
I couldn't agree more with his opening line: "It's one of those things that you almost wonder why it wasn't there before: current weather conditions on Google Maps." I checked my local map and weather and found it useful right away.
- Rob Snell gave us a "12 Step Program For Improving The Load Speed Of Online Stores"
For my taste it was stuffed with fluff and not a lot of new info, but it could be useful if you never thought of speed issues for ecommerce.
- Carrie Hill asked "Is Your Blog An Asset Or A Liability?"
D'uh, if you don't have long tail visitors, don't post often and don't interact with your visitors than sure it has little or negative value.
- Barry Schwartz confirmed that "Google Testing Frames For Search Options & Search Results"
As much as I hate frames for regular websites, it may make sense for a search engine that is not providing content itself, but directs searchers elsewhere.
- Greg Finn shared the news that "Facebook's 'Like' Button Declared Illegal In Germany"
Uh-oh. I was supposed to work on the website of my first client in Germany this coming week. Better check whether his city is in the state of Schlewsing-Holstein. As the title was misleading, it is only illegale in one state/province of Germany.
Tag Archives: facebook
SEO daily links: new Google analytics, Google+ rapture, social sharing stats
Today's links with my comments in italics:
- Klaas Knook gives advice on how to use the new Google Analytics' dashoard.
When I am ready to switch to the new GA this will be a good starting point on how to use the new features for maximum efficiency.
- Greg Sterling asked Does Google+ Rapture Indicate "Pent-Up Demand" For Facebook Alternative?
As I still have an academic interest in religion I notice religious language when it pops up. Calling the arrival of Google+ a "rapture" puts the technology into an unexpected context. Many of us have been waiting for Google's social networking offer, but I didn't assume that it would be something that can save us. The article is a solid analysis of the aftermath of this feeling, after the tool is available. The analogy to religious terms stopped at the title though.
- Greg Finn shared BrighEdge's analysis and metrics of the usage of "Facebook like" and "Google +1" buttons.
As I expected: Facebook still leads, but G+1 is catching up. I didn't think though that Twitter plugin would be so underutilized.
SEO daily links + mobile devices + landing page
The best skill I learned today: how to make and what's important for a landing page, "any page on a website where traffic is sent specifically to prompt a certain action or result."
The most egoistic fun I had today: checked myyself at socialstatistics.com, a site that tracks and sorts Google+ users based on the number of their "friends" and "followers." If this is a measure of popularity I am one of the least liked person on the block. But it isn't, so I don't care. Except I do possess the folly of liking being compared favorably. At the time I was #8458. Which is a large number, but I could still feel being on top of the world.
The most useful page I looked at today: a page listing tools to test how websites look on mobile devices. It is from last September, so in webtime you might think it is outdated. I don't think it is, even if there are newer tools on the market.
Today's links with my comments in italics:
- Reading the second part of an article on "How To Increase Organic Keyword Conversions": don't put links/ads on top; have important links/messages on every page; have, test, and highlight "calls to action"; check analytics for changes; have an inquiry form, don't have captchas if not necessary.
Good little list of pointers, even if many of them just common sense in my opinion.
- Greg Sterling reported how Ghost of Google+ Haunts Facebook-Skype Event.
Nice observation about the missing elephant in the room, while introducing the new Facebook feature: Skype integration into chat. It was interesting to watch Zuckerberg, as I just watched The Social Network movie two nights before.
- Cyrus Shepard tested how Google+ and Twitter influence Google search ranking.
I loved the meticulous scientific method he used. The results were interesting too:
1. Aggregators & Scrapers Play an SEO Role 2. Retweet – Retweet, Repeat 3. Social Authority = Ranking Potential? 4. Traditional SEO Still Rules - For Now


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Glioblastoma is one of the most devastating forms of cancer, with few existing treatment options. It is also a leading cause of cancer-related death in children and young adults. Scientists have "reverse engineered" brain cancer stem cells gene by gene, uncovering multiple potential targets for this hard-to-treat cancer. This work is a collaboration among the University of Toronto, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), and the University of Calgary. Findings were published online on April 16, 2019 in Cell Reports, making this the first published study to systematically profile a large panel of patient-derived brain tumor cells that have stem cell properties. The open-access article is titled "Genome-Wide CRISPR-Cas9 Screens Expose Genetic Vulnerabilities and Mechanisms of Temozolomide Sensitivity in Glioblastoma Stem Cells." "We think that, in one big experiment, we have uncovered many new targets for glioblastoma, some of which were surprising," says Peter Dirks (photo), MD, PhD, co-principal investigator of the study, Staff Neurosurgeon and Senior Scientist at SickKids. "These glioblastoma stem cells are also resistant to treatment, which is one reason that these tumors are so hard to cure. We need new ways to disrupt these cells specifically if we are going to give people a better chance of survival." The research team also found that adult glioblastoma cells are actually dependent on the same genes that are important for brain development in infancy and early childhood. "This really emphasizes how much research needs to be done to understand the developing human brain," says Dr. Dirks, who, in 2003, was the first to discover the existence of cancer stem cells in brain tumors. The emergence of the CRISPR-Cas9 technology provides a powerful new way to explore cancer biology through genome-wide screens. Dr. Stéphane Angers, co-principal investigator of the study and Professor at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, specializes in the use of CRISPR-Cas9 in cancer. Taking ten unique, patient-derived glioblastoma stem cell cultures collected by the Dirks research team, the Angers lab used CRISPR "cell fitness screens" to determine which genes in the cancer stem cells were required for the cells to survive and to grow, and therefore, important for tumor progression.
"Cancer stem cells fuel the growth of tumors and progression of the disease," says Dr. Angers. "In order to effectively target these cells, having a comprehensive view of the genes controlling the growth programs is critical. If you know which genes are necessary for these cells to survive and proliferate, you can then look at ways to attack or block these genes and stop tumor growth in its tracks."
By systematically knocking out each of the 20,000 genes, one at the time, from each of the 10 patient samples, the Angers team found multiple genetic vulnerabilities and revealed a wealth of data that can be further mined to identify possible drug targets for glioblastoma.
"This is one of the first studies of its kind, where CRISPR screens are performed directly in multiple, freshly isolated patient cells in parallel. This study has provided a massive amount of new information that the research community can now interrogate to help design new treatment strategies. " says Dr. Angers.
One gene identified in the study, known as DOT1L, was found to be necessary for tumor persistence in 7 of the 10 glioblastoma patient tumor cultures. In collaboration with Dr. Samuel Weiss at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, the team used preclinical models to demonstrate the effectiveness of a drug currently used to treat leukemia to inhibit the DOT1L gene product in glioblastoma stem cells.
"We found that blocking this specific protein in this particular form of brain cancer reduced tumor growth and resulted in longer survival in the preclinical model," says Dr. Angers. "This is promising because it uncovered a biological process, not previously suspected to be implicated in glioblastoma, for which a small molecule drug already exists."
In recent years, significant time, effort, and funding dollars have been spent on the genomic sequencing of cancer tumors. While this has given us a clearer picture of the hundreds of genetic mutations present in glioblastoma and other cancers, for glioblastoma it has not led to any significant treatment advances, Dr. Angers says.
"This shows that just knowing about genetic mutations is not enough," says Dr. Graham MacLeod, a post-doctoral fellow with the Angers lab and co-first author of the study. "That is a static picture of cancer. We are learning that we need to better understand the blueprint of how this cancer functions and what specific genes fuel tumor growth in order to attack it."


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Yamaha DTX402K
Digitalt trommesett
Dette settet står utstilt i butikken
The DTX402 sounds combine years of experience creating authentic, top-quality drum sounds with 10 built-in drum kits, including acoustic effects and electronic sounds to help you find the perfect voice. You can easily create your own kits and choose from the various high-quality sounds. Give voice to your musical sensibilities with the expressive range of the DTX. Les her for mer informasjon om produktetSe i nettbutikk


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Posts by Andrea Barnes
Survive or Thrive
Anyone who knows me knows I love music. I love how the notes just go together to form a melody. I love how chords combine to make beautiful harmony, and I love how the beating drums vibrate my soul. But what I love about some songs is how the lyrics stimulate deep thoughts. They evoke…Read More
The Path to a Healthy Lifestyle — Part One
Part of living a healthy lifestyle is learning to love and believe in yourself. We've all had some kind of physical or emotional trauma that plagues our past (in some cases both), but using those negative moments to fuel our motivation to build our strength and embark on a positive outlook on our lives will…Read More


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17 Guilin Road, Xuhui District, 200442 Shanghai, China Show on the map
Excellent location
Choose your room
Business Room is 18 sqm. Room offers king or twin size beds. Breakfast is available at this property. This is a modern building. The hotel has a small lobby. The hotel is located close to Xujiahui CBD and Shanghai South railway station. It is 13 kms to city centre, 45 kms to the airport (pu dong (international)), 1 kms to the airport (hongqiao (domestic)), 10 minute walk to the nearest metro station (line 1), 2 km to the nearest station (shanghai south railway station), 20 minute walk to the nearest bus stop, and 2 km to the nearest fair site (everbright exhibition center).
Reviews: Motel 168 Nanzhan
Useful information:Other names for Motel 168 Nanzhan:
Motel 168
Motel 168 Guilin Road


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Markets Don't Move in a Straight Line
January 2016
Market volatility makes all of us uncomfortable, but unfortunately it is part of the normal investing cycle. The S&P, Dow, and Nasdaq all had market corrections (a drop of 10% or more from recent market highs) last year. That volatility has continued into the new year as we had one of the worst opening weeks in a decade for the U.S. markets. Remember, one day, week, month OR EVEN YEAR does not define an investing cycle.
Though often asked, we do not know what the short term brings - too many variables.
- By many measures the U.S. economy is healthy – perhaps not roaringly robust – but healthy. All numbers are subject to interpretation, but:
- Growth has been steady.
- The unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in 7 years.
Some Insight
We believe the current state of the economy does not point to a recession or therefore a bear market. Some criteria that could point to a bear market include:
- Negative growth of the economy (NO) – The U.S. continues to grow above 2%.
- Spike in commodity prices (NO) – Commodities have been falling over the last year and a half.
- Aggressive Fed tightening (NO) – The Federal Reserve has been very cautious about raising interest rates.
- Extreme stock valuations (NO) – Valuations, in general, are hovering around historical averages.
Your long term goals are our benchmark for success, not the S&P 500 or Dow Jones Industrial Average. We recommend staying invested and maintaining a broadly diversified and balanced portfolio.
We live in a global world and there are many forces at work that can derail investor confidence. Try to filter out the media noise and stay true to your long-term investment approach.
We are ALWAYS available to discuss your concerns, answer questions or review your portfolio. Never hesitate to contact us.
Thank you,
The CFS Group
Disclosure: securities and advisory services offered through Cetera Advisors LLC, Member FINRA / SIPC. CFS is independent of Cetera Advisors LLC. Investors cannot directly invest in indices. Past Performance does not guarantee future results.


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In 2017 I had a radical idea.
Marketing should come with a guarantee!
If you're going to take the trouble to hire someone to write your marketing campaigns, you should expect to multiply your revenue 2x, 5x, even 10x or more.
I can usually do that for you, and I'm willing to back it up with a money-back guarantee. Here's how it works.
I look specifically for two things:
1) You have a product or service with a great story and huge potential.
2) For whatever reason, your story isn't being told, or it's being told in the wrong way.
If your business meets these two conditions, you will get at least $5,000 in value for every $500 you invest with me–guaranteed.
If I can't accomplish this for you, I'll give you your money back.
It's that simple.
How to get started
Just call or shoot an email to BearJacob4 "at" gmail dot com, and tell me a little bit about your situation.
If it looks like I can help you, we'll make an appointment, either in person or by phone/teleconference. I ask for a $500 deposit up front, which puts you on my calendar.
Then, before we even meet, I'll go to work. I'll look at your company's social media, website, and any other material you can send or direct me to. I'll analyze your business, your market, and your competition.
By the time we have our first meeting, I'm usually bursting with ideas and questions. I'll listen to you, and I'll put your feet to the fire. After 45 minutes or so, usually one of the following 3 things will happen:
- You come away with one or more ideas that will easily be worth $5,000 dollars and you can't wait to implement. You can take it from there, and you've gotten ten times the value you paid for.
- We come up with a project or other way that I can work for you and help you. You've already paid $500, and this amount is credited to the cost of the project.
- If either one of us thinks this isn't going to work out, I give you back your money and we go our separate ways with no hard feelings on either side.
It all starts with a simple call, text, or email.
My number is 213-453-1327. The best email is currently BearJacob4 "at" gmail dot com (Sorry I can't just give you a link, but the spambots are invading)


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Dig Yoshi is one of Yoshi's Power-Ups. Yoshi obtains this power by eating a Dig Peanut.
Yoshi gets a brown color and claws instead of fingers, and is able to move freely underground by digging. Yoshi can't stop moving as Dig Yoshi. Yoshi turns back when he either leaves the ground he's inside, or when the time runs out. Yoshi will be sent back to the place he ate a Dig Peanut, after the time ran out.
Game Appearances
Super Mario Star Journey
Dig Yoshi originally debuted in Super Mario Star Journey. In Dig-Dog Bog's mission, Rooming to Underground, Dig Yoshi must dig to underground rooms to obtain a Power Star. In Polar Volcano's mission, Freeze the Place Again!, Wario and Dig Yoshi must reach a switch that freezes the now-active volcano, in order to get the Power Star. In Giant Oak Skyscraper, Dig Yoshi must reach an underground room around the roots of the tree, where a Power Star awaits.
- Dig Yoshi's power is similar to Sonic after using a Yellow Wisp. However, Sonic actually dies after time runs out.
- The Yoshi Mole Tank from the Yoshi's Island series is also similar to Dig Yoshi, although the Yoshi Mole Tank's controls are harder than Dig Yoshi's. Also, the Yoshi Mole Tank must reach a Yoshi Block to turn back normal without warping back, just like every Power-Up in the Yoshi's Island series.
- Also similar form to Dig Yoshi is Digger Kirby from Kirby's Epic Yarn. However, as Digger Kirby, the player must press the 1 button on the Wii remote in order to dig, and must pass a reel gate to return in normal form.


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Introduction: How to Make the Turbo UltraSabre Paper Airplane
Very fast, long range and capable, the Turbo UltraSabre is an improved variant UltraSabre with structural modifications, making the aircraft sturdier and able to fly faster than its basis.
Development of an improved UltraSabre was looked into after the original became popular in late 2013; however, it was unclear what could be done at the time to refine the design, so many months passed with no progress. After improving the Vulcan family throughout the first half of 2014, I had some techniques to apply to the improved UltraSabre design. These improvements (first applied to the Turbo UltraVulcan) enabled better performance and I decided they could be used on the UltraSabre. The application succeeded when a prototype was made, and flight testing validated the design. The new aircraft was approved for publication shortly thereafter.
TAA USAF Designation: F303-3
Step 1: Materials
1 Piece of 8.5 by 11 inch Paper
Step 2: Length, Corner and Airfoil Folding
Fold your paper in half along its length. Then pull the corners into the center. After this is done, pull the creases in toward the center. After completing this, unfold the previous folds then proceed to fold the corners of the original corner folds inward as pictured. After tucking these folds, fold the paper as shown, then cover the folds under themselves once again.
Step 3: Nose Folding
Lay the paper out flat, then pull the nose backward to the trailing edge. Make a mark 1 inch back from the crease, then pull the nose forward, creasing at the mark. Once you have made this crease, unfold it. Then fold the corners down as shown. Pull the nose back forward as shown. Measure 3.375 inches back from the tip of the nose and make a mark. Pull the nose back to this mark, and then make a crease once the marked has been reached.
Step 4: Wing and Winglet Folding; Taping
Fold the airframe in half. Measure 0.75 inches up from the center crease and 0.75 inches from the wingtips along the trailing edge. Fold the wings down, then fold the winglets down. Tape where designated in the image notes. To make the elevators, measure 1 inch from the wing root along the trailing edge and make a mark. From that mark, measure a further 0.75 inches and make a mark. From each of these marks, measure 0.375 inches inward. Then cut along these lines.
Step 5: Flight
The Turbo UltraSabre flies very much like its namesake, despite being more nose heavy. Launches should be done at negative or neutral attitudes at moderate to high speed, (depending on the set elevator deflection). For faster flights, reduce deflection to less than 20 degrees. For slower flights, keep deflection of roughly 25-45 degrees and reduce launch speed accordingly. Additional applicable surfaces include ailerons, slats, flaps, air brakes and rudders. Enjoy!
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like the idea hard to follow
If you explain to me what part of the instructions are troubling you, I can assist you. Without telling me what problems you are having I cannot help.
i will tell u later have to go


text: American's a321T might be the weirdest narrow body commercial plane ever it's a small plane with three very different classes. It flies between SFO/LAX to JFK To start there is first class there five rows of 1-1 seats there great and comfortable. The seat has a have a great and large entertainment system. American also has a fantastic amenity kit (with the most amazing socks ever.) One of my favorite features of the a321T first class is it has access to flagship checkin at LAX and JFK which is a room where you get checked in and after you done getting checked they open a door which leads directly to the front of the security line its awesome. Then we move further back in the plane and we get to business class which has five rows of 2-2 seating flat bed seating. This business class gets the same amenity kit and menu as first, but doesn't have access to flag ship check in its great if your traveling with a companion especially considering its half the cost as first. Moving to the final class we have economy. Economy is a standard refreshed domestic economy with a tv and opportunity to get food and drinks. The main reason this plane is so odd is Jetblue's a321 has 190 seats on it. American's A321T (which is a slightly bigger plane) has 102 seats on it. Boarding is a breeze on it. Despite being weird is wish more domestic planes were like this.


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Today as I was sipping tea, I noticed that chunks of the styrofoam cup were missing. I knew that the cup was fine when I started, so I pondered what could have caused the change. I had added a few pieces of orange peel to the tea for flavoring, and I wondered if the oil from the peel could have had this effect.
I put some orange oil into a new styrofoam cup and swished it around, but there was no noticible effect. Boiling water on its own also had no effect. But the two together began fizzing dramatically and the cup began to crumple. I poured out the solution and found that much of the inside of the cup had been dissolved, leaving just a thin layer that likely would have been dissolved as well if I left the solution in place. This means that I had been drinking dissolved styrofoam in my tea! Eeek!
However, my chemist friend Matt tells me that a styrofoam cup is mostly air, and that after the dissolving, there was a very tiny amount of styrene in solution and that it is not considered a health concern.
Nevertheless, I'll stick to a ceramic mug from now on.


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- Instrument:
- Publisher:
Bolero (Closing Credits from 'Moulin Rouge')
By Steve Sharples
By Steve Sharples
Digital Download
By Steve Sharples. By Steve Sharples. Film/TV. Piano Chords/Lyrics. 3 pages. Published by Hal Leonard - Digital Sheet Music (HX.332304).
Item Number: HX.332304
About Digital Downloads
Digital Downloads are downloadable sheet music files that can be viewed directly on your computer, tablet or mobile device. Once you download your digital sheet music, you can view and print it at home, school, or anywhere you want to make music, and you don't have to be connected to the internet. Just purchase, download and play!
PLEASE NOTE: Your Digital Download will have a watermark at the bottom of each page that will include your name, purchase date and number of copies purchased. You are only authorized to print the number of copies that you have purchased. You may not digitally distribute or print more copies than purchased for use (i.e., you may not print or digitally distribute individual copies to friends or students).
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Helping Others – But No Entitlements
Acts 2:44
All the believers were together and had everything in common.
I remember attending the graduation ceremony for my two five-year-old granddaughters. We saw picture after picture on the big screen of children sharing and having a great time. Children from all walks of life – from various communities – and from diverse ethnicities. Children don't care about our differences as much as their parents do. Children just care if someone is nice and plays nice. I wish we adults could learn something from our children.
Most children learn early in life to share – especially if they have siblings. When they are very young – sharing is something they learn or should learn. It may not come naturally to us all – but thru time and training – most of us learn to share. We take turns in games – we learn to share our crayons and other materials. I know my daughters taught this to our grandchildren – even sharing with their cousins after they learned to share with their siblings. Now – they wouldn't think of letting a classmate go without if they had something and could share.
At some point – blame it on our parents – on our environment – or the sin nature within us – we become selfish and many of us begin to hoard things. We end up with way more shoes than we need or purses – or suits – or jeans – or cars – or whatever we collect. Some of us get jobs that pay us amazing salaries and some of us either save lots or purchase lots. Luke 12:13-21 – 13 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." 14 Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" 15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions." 16 And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' 18 "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain.19 And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' 20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' 21 "This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God."
Do we have more than we need And end up hoarding – or do we share? Do we have more than we need because we are better than others? Luke 12:48b – From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Some of us have a hard time sharing because we believe that everyone could have what we have if they just worked as hard as we have. There may be some truth to that thought – some do not work as hard as others to achieve or accomplish in life. Some do have the mentality that someone owes them – they live on entitlements or the backs of others. But that is a small number I think. Some of us have been blessed beyond our abilities.
If we lived in a perfect world – the society we lived in wouldn't measure a person's worth by dollars and cents but according to the hard work for the community. For instance – why are our teachers valued less (dollar and cents worth) than TV or movies stars. Are not the contributions of our teachers more important to us as a society than our entertainment? What about the value placed on our first responders versus our ball players? If the culture values your job more than someone else's job – should we just bank on our blessing or use it to help others come up to a certain level of living?
My wife is constantly trying to get me to be more generous with the blessings God has given us over the years. Raised by parents and a grandmother that often lived hand-to-mouth – I have saved my whole life. My wife wants me to begin to spend before we are too old to enjoy it or so others can enjoy it. Not knowing how much we will need to live and how long we will live and under what circumstances is always a barrier to being generous with what we have saved. We talked about this Tuesday morning and night at Bible study.
Am I making any sense or simply confessing that I have trouble sharing my stuff? Today's passage says – in the early church – all believers were together and had everything in common. What I imagine is that they all worked – and whatever value their culture placed on their contributions – they shared so that the poorest hard-working family had enough because the wealthier hard-working families shared. A communal setting that really worked. Of course – they all had to be hard working – Paul told them – 2 Thessalonians 3:10 – For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat." We all need to be more generous and to share and to use what God has given us to bless God and others. We need to learn to be more generous!
I do not believe in handouts – rather a hand up. I believe we should all do our part – and then share our blessings with others who aren't as blessed. Entitlements are part of what is making many in our nation lazy. If society is to take care of others – there should be some benefit to society for that help. We should all do out part. Just saying.
Just something for us to think about today as we go on our way.
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The South African-born, Namibian raised small town boy, JP Robberts. Considered the "Michael Bublé" of South Africa, having a number of performances under his belt, including requests to perform for Saudi Arabian Royals.
The Previous Mr. Model Look SA 2015 and current Mr, South Africa 2016 finalist, having done a local movie an international TV commercial, the 27-year-old turned his focus to the music scene and has quickly built his presence as a powerhouse of note.
Changing the world, one random act of kindness at a time, he has proven his worth many times over and maintains his humble personality from his small town beginnings.


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If You Give a Mom a Book: The Kissing Hand
(I think I might be bringing this weekly post back! Read HERE and let me know if you would be interested in participating or reading my post weekly.)
We have a nighttime tradition in our family called hand kisses. It appears that our silly little boys CAN'T (more like won't or refuse) to fall asleep unless both Brian and I have kissed their hand and curled their fingers around said parent hand kiss for them to use sometime during the night.
Later, I discovered that there is actually a book all about this very tradition in our family. We inspired a book! (Just kidding.) I guess there are a whole slew of these books. Look out PaperBackSwap!
And because I knew that I had a review due for SafetyTat . . . it gave me the perfect excuse to buy this book and show you a great way to use a particular SafetyTat product called Tat Kisses!
Tat Kisses are "simply designed to be placed on your child's hand as a reminder that you are always with him, wherever he may be. Great for first day of school or anytime your child needs a little extra TLC."
Easy to apply, these kisses have been a huge hit in our family because now they can visually carry their kiss around all day long. To use, make sure the applicant's had is thoroughly dry . . . I really can't stress this enough. Peel clear backing and apply face down on your child's hand for one minute, applying a damp washcloth before removing white backing.
The Tat Kiss stays on approximately a day or less, depending on how often you wash your hands, though the website claims it can stay on up to 5 days. Additionally, for us it rubbed off with a little elbow grease and water. You can also purchase them with other phrases for $9.99.
Also included with our sample kisses were the products that launched this company. (Bottle not included.)
The story is well told on the Safety Tat website . . .
The idea for SafetyTat temporary child ID tattoos was born of necessity one weekend at an amusement park. On Labor Day Weekend, Baltimore Mom, Michele Welsh and her husband, there with their three small children, felt out-numbered. To stave her panic, she quickly wrote her mobile phone number on each of their arms with a ballpoint pen. As she did this, she thoughtfully explained to each of them the importance of staying close to Mommy and Daddy. She also told them that if they were separated that the number on their arm was a way to reconnect with them.
Throughout the day of fun, Michele had to rewrite the number several times as it smeared or washed off. Several parents in the park stopped her to ask if that was her number on the kids' arms. Each time, they loved the idea.
Once again, the idea of receiving a tattoo was novel to the boys. For privacy purposes, I have not included my phone number. Therefore in lieu of writing God or Jesus, as I have, you would write your cell phone number. What you see on the boys' arms are the new Quick Stick Safety Tats that don't require water and a waterproof marker is included. Simply peel and stick.
However, you can actually purchase the original Safety Tat that has your
phone number printed on the tattoo for $19.95 for a set of 24. Options for customization are possible.
Novel idea? Don't you think?
Oh, and the book – The Kissing Hand . . . what a precious story. As the mommy raccoon gives her little beast a kiss on his hand before he tromps off to school, he returns the love. In a special moment following reading this book and applying our kissing hands, Mr. Smackdown said to me,
"Mommy? How can I give God a kissing hand?"
I replied . . . well, kiss your hand and then raise your hand up to the heavens and tell God that you are giving your kiss to Him.
Mr. Smackdown's response, "No. I'll just kiss my hand and put it right on my heart for Him. Because that is where He is."
Oh, and then he added that his heart was behind his lungs.
Yes. Yes it is.
I was not paid for this post, nor do I have to return these great products. Thanks to MamaBuzz for allowing me to be a part of her group!


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All jury trials in England and Wales are to be put on hold as part of ongoing efforts to halt the spread of Covid-19.
In a statement on Monday, the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett, said no new trials will start and that ongoing trials will be paused while arrangements are put in place so they can continue safely.
Earlier in the week, Lord Burnett, the most senior judge in England and Wales, said no new trials expected to last three days or more would go ahead amid the deepening coronavirus crisis.
But, as pressure from members of the legal profession mounted on the Government to halt court hearings, the extraordinary step of suspending all new trials was taken.
Lord Burnett said: "As the Prime Minister has been telling the country, the spread of Covid-19 has continued to accelerate.
"The clear message from Government is to take all precautions to avoid unnecessary contact.
"A review of the arrangements in our courts is called for.
"I have decided that we need to pause jury trials for a short time to enable appropriate precautions to be put in place."
Lord Burnett said arrangements have been made to conduct as many hearings as possible using telephone, video and other technology, and that HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is "working round the clock" on these new measures.
But he said some hearings, "the most obvious being jury trials", could not be carried out remotely.
He said: "My unequivocal position is that no jury trials or other physical hearings can take place unless it is safe for them to do so.
"Today no new trials are to start. Jurors summoned for this week are to be released, if possible without entering the building, and told that they will be asked to return for trials where specific arrangements to ensure safety have been put in place.
"All other hearings in the Crown Court that can lawfully take place remotely should do so."
The judge said jury trials which have already started should continue if possible, with strict social distancing procedures "at all times and at all places within the court building".
He also said ongoing trials must be adjourned, if necessary, to allow these safety measures to be put in place.
Lord Burnett added: "Considerable imagination and flexibility may be needed to achieve that. This is already happening in some Crown Courts.
"HMCTS will continue to work to ensure that safety measures are in place in all parts of the court building in which trials are already taking place.
"The basic hygiene arrangements urged upon us by the Prime Minister must be available.
"Resident judges, with their staff, will determine whether a trial can safely be continued.
"If it is necessary to adjourn trials already under way for a short period to put those safety measures in place, this must be done."
Lord Burnett said the same considerations will apply to Magistrates' Courts, which will need to continue to deal with urgent work, and that hearings should take place remotely if the facilities exist.
Regarding the civil and family courts, where some hearings were held over Skype last week, he said physical hearings should only take place if a remote hearing is not possible and if suitable safety arrangements can be made.
Lord Burnett said the guidance would be updated as events continue to unfold.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson responded to a question about courts during a press briefing on Sunday, saying: "Firstly, on the courts quickly, many courts are already using video trials, using remote technology to do their business, but we are keeping that under constant review."
Earlier on Sunday, Susan Acland-Hood, chief executive officer of HMCTS, referred to jurors being included in the list of key workers published at the end of last week in response to a query on Twitter.
She added that advice to jurors was: "Don't come if you are vulnerable, or showing symptoms. But otherwise, do come - because justice is not optional."
But a number of members of the legal profession said the courts should not keep running amid the crisis.
Joanna Hardy, a criminal barrister at Red Lion Chambers tweeted: "Put simply - jury trials involve people coming to court.
"And, for the moment, the assembly of groups of people should be stopped because people are dying.
"That isn't a value comparison between justice and death. It's a pause. To take stock. To work out what we do next."
Mukul Chawla QC, a partner at BCLP Law and former criminal barrister, tweeted: "After today's PM briefing and the fundamental importance of social distancing, it is simply unfathomable that the courts are still requiring jurors to attend court.
"They should be told in clear and uncertain terms to stay at home."
Augusta Itua, who works with legal charity Just for Kids Law, said on Twitter that "closing courts is a public health imperative".
On Friday, the Young Legal Aid Lawyers group released a statement calling for immediate action to protect junior legal aid lawyers including "immediately (ceasing) all in-person court hearings".
The group added: "Unless urgent action is taken, there will be a serious impact on vulnerable people who desperately need legal advice and representation at this time."
In a message to the judiciary on Thursday, Lord Burnett said the "default position" in all courts must be that hearings should continue with one or more participants "attending remotely" - either by Skype, video link or telephone.
He also said the Covid-19 pandemic will "at the best ... suppress the normal functioning of society for many months".