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On entering my office, and reaching to open the window, I realised that the screen was dirty, so I decided that I would wash the screen off. Outside I traipsed, and gave it a good wash-off with the hose.
After removing the screen, I saw that the window grille had a few minor rust spots, so I decided to sand it and repaint it.
Between the coats of paint, I used an old painter's trick..
Freshly painted window grille
Of course, it was only natural that the window would need to be cleaned as well....obviously.
When I looked at the sill, it just didn't look fresh enough, so I decided to paint the window sill and frame.
(You can't even see the screen, it's so clean)
Wow, how did I get myself involved in these maintenance chores today? I was supposed to be covering my office chair with new fabric.....maybe tomorrow.
Talk about a worky worky day.


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Multiple Entry Thai Visa
This type of visa used to be very common when visiting Thailand until Thai immigration viewed that many had simply been abusing the visa and living and working in Thailand illegally. Obtaining this visa now has become very difficult in Asia and outside of Asia for this reason. These are the normal options.
From time to time that Thai embassy will issue you a multiple entry marriage visa if you can prove that you have a Thai wife with a marriage certificate and you also need to show them at least 100,000 THB in a Thai bank account in your name. Each embassy has their own rules about this but this is the most used rule at the moment. It is still very difficult to obtain a multiple entry marriage visa in Asia though. This type of visa has 4 'legs' on the visa and you need to leave Thailand every 3 months to activate the next 'leg' of the Thai visa.
The business visa is normally issued as a single 3 month visa however if you can obtain a letter from a Thai company to underwrite you visa then they will normally issue you a multiple entry business visa. Much like the marriage visa you also need to leave Thailand every 3 months to activate the next part of the visa. Again – very difficult to obtain in Asia and also becoming difficult to obtain outside of Asia.
If you are looking at visiting Thailand and need a multiple entry visa then speak to lawyer about your needs and how best to obtain the multiple entry visa in your country. Call us today or speak to us online about your current visa status.
Do it NOW!
40 Comments
Dear staffs,
I have entered Thailand Bangkok with Apec card entry which allows me to stay up to 90 days. Stay valid until 14th June 2016.
However, I have a important business workshop seminar to attend which will be held from 15th to 17th June 2016.
Can I apply an extension of another 7-14 days stay in Thailand in order for me to participate this business seminars
May I know how can it be done for this extension stay?
Looking forward for your reply soon. Thank you very much!
Best Regards,
Hi, I am in Thailand on a 30 day visa waiver. The immigration officer at the airport told me that when I leave Thailand, I will have to "reserve entry visa" on the fourth floor in Suvarnabhumi airport. She also wrote under the visa stamp at the passport that next time I come to Thailand I must get a visa, and made me sign it. My question it is how can I be sure that I will get the "reserved visa" when I leave Thailand? Or visa from a Thai embassy? She told me that now a tourist who can stay in Thailand only two months in one year. This is all very confusing and I just need to be sure that I can return to Thailand one more time to finish some arrangements. Is there a way I can get a visa even though I am in Thailand on tourist visa?
Dear Staffs,
currently I am working in Thailand with a Non Immigrant VISA Type B, single entry. It is valid for 90 days. Is it possible to travel to an other country (Malaysia or Singapore) for a couple of days and re-enter Thailand without any problems? Will my Business VISA still be valid or do I need to get a permission from the Thai Immigration Department to leave the country?
Non Immigrant O – 90 days report: I know, that If a foreigner leaves the country and re-enters, the day count starts at 1 in every case.
But after re-entering the kingdom e.g. at Suvarnabhumi Airport Immigration have I additionally to visit the local immigration office next to my home?
I have an Non-Immigrant-O Visum S, valid for 90 days. Is it possible to receive a 30 day extension at the local Immigration Office?
Hello sir, I have Thai girl friend and we have 1 baby. Can I get o visa without marriage? Baby birth certificate have my name and Tabian Baan have also. Non -O, 90 days and after 1 year can get visa? and how to process, requirement of document, and fees?
Hallo ,
Is it written somewhere officially that a Crew Member allowed to enter Thailand in duty with the general declaration? If yes, where can I find that in a written form?
Thank you.
Dear consultant,
I am a Macedonian (non European) citizen. Together with my husband we want to move, live and work in Thai. What are the best visa options? What is the application process that we need to do and the approximate cost of it as well? The comment that each 3 mounts we need to pass the borders in order to reactivate the visa, is it valid for all working visas? Maybe there is some other, more efficient option that we could choose, or maybe take Thai nationality? Or, are we legal to work if we take a touristic visa?
Looking forward to hearing from you!
If I apply for a 90 day non O visa based on marriage, can I leave the country during the 90 days if I obtain a single entry re-entry permit?
Many thanks.
Hi staffs of Thailand Immigration,
I have been in Bangkok for almost 3 months now as a trainee in a company. I am French and I have an ED Visa non Immigrant which ends on the 27th of November 2016.
I have one question. I would like to go to Bali from the 21st to the 26th of November (next week), so just before the end of my VISA. But it is written that, if you go out from Thailand once with this VISA, it is cancelled. So, if I come back to Thailand on the 26th of November, I cannot extend my ED Visa. Do I have to pay for a tourist VISA at the borders when I come back? Knowing that my flight Ticket to come back in France is on the 1st of January 2017, if I make a tourist visa on the 26th of November it will last only one month (till the 26th of December). Do I have to go to another country before this deadline (26th of December) to get an other tourist VISA of one month? Or, I couldn't accumulate that kind of VISA twice like that?
Sorry for this long message but I am quite lost.
Thank you very much.

subset: commoncrawl


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By Matt Yoder, Awful Announcing
Manchester City won the English Premier League title today in the most incredible fashion imaginable, creating one of the most exciting moments you will ever see in sports. With Manchester United defeating Sunderland 1-0, Manchester City needed a win over QPR to get their first title since 1968. In a huge shock, City trailed relegation threatened QPR 2-1 after 90 minutes and needing two goals in stoppage time to win the title that had slipped from their grasp. That all set up the five most dramatic minutes in sports this year.
Edin Dzeko gave Manchester City a lifeline with a header off a corner kick to equalize at 2-2 in the 92nd minute. Then, in the 94th minute, Sergio Aguero and Mario Balotelli combined at the edge of the box. Aguero latched onto Balotelli's ball, dribbled around a defender, and fired a shot to the left of Paddy Kenny that hit the back of the net and echoed around the world. Aguero's goal completed a remarkable comeback and gave Manchester City the title.
We have four different calls of Aguero's winning goal. First, here's the call by the sublime Ian Darke of ESPN, who has announced his fair share of memorable moments in the last two years...
"I swear you'll never see anything like this ever again... Two goals in added time for Manchester City to snatch the title away from Manchester United! STUPENDOUS!!!


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Mining and the Crypto Space Come Together
"Mining is an integral process for the generation, transmission, and validation of transactions in cryptocurrencies," the report states. "Whenever a transaction takes place and is validated, miners collect these transactions and include them into the block they are currently solving."
With so much growth going into the industry over the next five years, investment interest in cryptocurrency mining stocks will also no doubt increase. On that note, here the Investing News Network (INN) profiles five cryptocurrency mining stocks that are either working towards mining cryptocurrencies, mine a range of digital currencies, or have interests in companies mining cryptocurrencies for investor consideration.
The companies below are listed in alphabetical order, with all numbers and figures current as of market close on April 5, 2018.
1. 360 Blockchain (CSE:CODE)
Market cap: $15.32 million; current share price: $0.10
First on our cryptocurrency mining stocks list is 360 Blockchain, a company that primarily invests in blockchain-based technology. While the company itself doesn't mine cryptocurrencies, its subsidiary SV CryptoLab does.
As of January 2018, 360 Blockchain holds a 60 percent interest in SV CryptoLab. SV CryptoLab expanded its cryptocurrency mining operation to include on-site bitcoin mining in November 2017. According to the release, the cloud-base cryptocurrency mining operation consists of more than 370 ASIC-microprocessors, which will be used to exclusively mine bitcoin.
2. DMG Blockchain (TSXV:DMGI)
Market cap: $34.29 million; current share price: $0.59
DMG Blockchain manages bitcoin mining for third parties at a global scale. The company also manages, operates and develops end-to-end solutions to monetize the blockchain ecosystem.
Its products and services include: 1) mining as a service, which is the management of bitcoin mining described earlier. The mining-as-a-service allows anyone around the world to mine for cryptocurrencies; 2) blockchain-based supply chain platform, which the company is working with licensed producer to create a platform that ensure "complete provenance of controlled products" within the supply chain; and 3) forensics and blockchain analytics, which includes the investigation into bitcoin and ethereum transactions.
DMG announced in mid-March that its flagship cryptocurrency mining facility had completed phase 1 of the study and that phase 2 was officially underway. Phase 2 will allow for the focus on optimizing power systems for cryptocurrency mining, which includes measuring the larger-scale system, energy consumption, peak kilowatt demand, power fact and system harmonics.
The mining facility will be estimated to have power capacity of up to 85 megawatts once complete, with 40 megawatts of near-term power capacity expected to go online mid-2018.
3. HashChain Technology (TSXV:KASH)
Market cap: $106.46 million; current share price: $0.22
Next on our cryptocurrency mining stocks list is HashChain Technology, a company that mines a range of cryptocurrencies. The company is currently mining cryptocurrencies in two low cost and low energy data centers in North America with plans to reach 20 megawatts of mining by the end of this year, with that number increasing to 70 megawatts by the end of 2020.
In April, HashChain announced that it had received a shipment of 3,000 mining rigs to its Montana mining facility. Of the 3,000 rigs received in that shipment, 1,000 were deployed, giving the company 1,870 total rigs operating.
4. HIVE Blockchain (TSXV:HIVE)
Market cap: $369.27 million; current share price: $1.20
Our cryptocurrency mining stocks list wouldn't be complete without HIVE Blockchain, who is strategically partnered with Genesis Mining, a cryptocurrency mining hashrate provider.
HIVE Blockchain owns a GPU-based cryptocurrency mining facility in Iceland, which was completed in May 207, and produces ethereum. In January of this year, the company began its ethereum mining operations in Sweden and expects that the facility will be able to mine bitcoin and bitcoin cash by September. HIVE then announced in late March its plans to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Kolos Norway AS. The Kolos project will run on 100 percent green renewable power.
5. Neptune Dash (TSXV:DASH)
Market cap: $18.85 million; current share price: $0.23
Closing out our cryptocurrency mining stocks list is Neptune Dash, a company that builds and operates the Dash Masternodes. Dash is a cryptocurrency, which the company says was created to meet the scaling challenges of bitcoin. The Masternodes are servers on the Dash network and perform functions on the blockchain network such as InstantSend and PrivateSend.
In short, Dash Masternodes have a range of functions, including: private peer-to-peer transactions between parties; serving as a government function, voting on treasury disbursements of the Dash-block reward assigned to the Dash DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization).
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Technology for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Jocelyn Aspa, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: 360 Blockchain and HashChain Technology are clients of the Investing News Network. This article is not paid for content.
For this and other NEWS and Investing in Mining Stocks.


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Looking to Sell Your Company in the UK? What's the Next Move?February 3rd, 2015
When you have finally decided to sell your company, it is important to consider how the whole process can be done safely. In most cases, people opt for brokers since they are knowledgeable on the latest market trends and can also quickly lead you to a potential buyer. Once you have landed in the hands of a right business transfer agent such as with the professionals at Firm Gains in Aldermaston, chances are you will get the maximum price for your asset. On the contrary, an inexperienced broker will give you a hard time and chances are your business will lie dormant for a long period of time.
Sellers need to have a strategy in place if they are to successfully get help from the best brokers around in the UK. But how does one attract the services of these well-to-do outfits? First of all, a transfer sales agent needs to have some special attributes that will win the trust of the sellers and vice versa. For a good working experience to be had, priority #1 has to be the focus on the sale of the business without question. Brokers need to understand that sellers are simply looking for 'seller brokers' in order to get the maximum gains out of the business in question. Having affordable fees for one definitely will increase a broker's options when it comes to handling clients.
In addition to affordable fees, a broker should also have a track record that is clean and void from all criminal offenses. A business selling broker should not hesitate to give a list of some of the previous clients that he or she has dealt with. Furthermore, a transfer agent should have zeal for his/her job and give the conviction to the seller. At some point, the sellers may ask many questions during the first encounter but the sole purpose of this is to gauge the broker's strengths and weaknesses. Well, as most should know Rome was not built in one day, and this also applies to becoming a business selling broker. There is no way to promise heaven to a seller on the first encounter and claim to do the whole process alone. In fact, this will only increase the seller's doubts. All a broker needs to do is simply involve some other professionals such as accountants and lawyers. Once other such experts are brought into the mix, it will bring a new lasting impression to the client that the agent values the job.
Noted above are just the bare essentials that a seller needs to be aware of before hiring any agency to assist with the sale of his/her company. For more resources on where to find trusted professionals and more like business value calculators, check out Firm Gains that is an advisory service I trust and have had much success with in recent past.


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Our orchard is very conveniently located just 4 miles south of I-40 in Morganton, North Carolina. Please use the map below to locate us.
Apple Hill Orchard & Cider Mill is located at:
2075 Pleasant Hill Avenue
Morganton, NC 28655
GPS Navigation Systems typically send users exiting I-40 near Morganton on a long and indirect route to Apple Hill Orchard and Cider Mill. I-40 traffic should take exit 104, Enola Road, and proceed South (away from Morganton) on Enola Road, for 4 miles. Turn right onto Pleasant Hill Avenue and Apple Hill Orchard and Cider Mill will be on the right within 0.2 miles.
Location Map


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I have a new self-help obsession. It's only been a week and already it's beginning to rival the 'angel train' as possibly the most useful idea I've come across in the world of self-help-ness. I came across my new favourite obsession quite by accident last week: a book I was reading mentioned an online article that sounded useful; I looked it up, then followed another link and found myself reading about MIT.
Initially I thought MIT had something to do with the prestigious academic institution in the US with the same acronym. I soon realised, however, that it stands for Most Important Thing. And those three words pretty much sum up the concept: each day (or I guess it could work just as well for a week or a month, or possibly even a year), you decide what is the most important thing that you want to do. You may even pick a few Most Important Things. The principle seems to be that by simply deciding what your priorities are, you are more focused on achieving them. I was attracted to the notion because I was feeling overwhelmed by an ever-growing to-do list and I wanted some kind of tool for trying to discern where to start & what to focus on.
I've used it for a week now (both for work and for non-work things) and I can honestly say that it is amazing. The focus, do-able goals have not only made me feel like I've been achieving something, but I have been getting stuff done – even if it is as simple as thinking 'I'm going to reply to that email', I feel I'm moving in the right direction again. I feel calm and centred. And that, I guess, really is the Most Important Thing.


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When we visited Piedmont in 2013 we had the pleasure of meeting up with Claudio Fenocchio, a humble and careful man who produces fantastic wine with great respect for tradition and terroir. We spent much of the time talking about different vineyards and how their characteristics affect the wines. Claudio knows his vineyards and their history extremely well and talks about them with great passion. Claudio emphasises that there are only two vineyards that are truly Bussia; Sottana and Soprana. From their home they have a truly amazing view of the area, with La Morra straight ahead, Barolo down to the right and further to the right we can see Castiglione-Falletto, starting with the Villero vineyard.
The estate was founded in 1864, has been in the family for 5 generations and is carrying the name of Giacomo Fenocchio, the father of Claudio, who headed the estate after the second world war and who acquired some of the vineyards that still are within the family. They have vineyards in Cannubi (approximately 40 year old vines), Bussia Sottana (25-40 year old) and Villero (appr. 65 year old).
As mentioned before the estate uses traditional methods, which includes long maceration, usage of indigenous yeast and maturation in large barrels (botti) to ensure no oak flavours make it into the wine.
The wines we tasted
Bussia 2013 – from tank
This wine was of course way to young to be tested, but Claudio gave us the chance to taste the 2013 before malolactic fermentation. The acidity is very harsh at this point and it is more or less impossible to understand the potential of the wine. This was more in the department of education than a tasting 🙂
Bussia 2012 – from barrel
The vines are from the Sottana part of Bussia and of mixed ages, but on average approximately 30 years.
At the time of the tasting the wine was very closed and reduced, though there where signs of fresh red fruit, like raspberries and some orange peels.
The wine is quite harsh in the mouth and the acidity needs to stabilise before we get en proper impression of the wine. There are some balsamic notes, blood orange and ginger. Impressive concentration and a texture that already has fine and sandy tannins. Heavy, but of good quality.
More or less impossible, and not at all fair, to score at this time.
2010 Cannubi – from barrel
From 40 year old vines.
The typical seductive, fragrant perfumes and beautiful rose petals. There are raspberries, some tobacco and the nose shows quite a lot of depth.
The acidity is rather sharp and direct but has a balsamic freshness and is very energetic. We also find fresh red fruit, wild strawberries, raspberries, ginger and some gravel. It is quite persistent and has an impressive balance already.
Texture is already fine sandy and tannins are thick, chewy and of good quality. Enormous potential. This wine needs time to integrate fully but will surely develop in to a wine with good structure and complexity.
2010 Villero – from barrel
From 65 year old vines.
The wine is slow to open up and is a bit reductive but after a while it develops a complex, deep and fresh nose. Fragrant, very delicate with fantastic details, showing both balsamic and floral notes. There are also raspberries and limestone minerals.
The acidity is better integrated than in the Cannubi. Again lots of red berries, distinct blood orange, very ripe, fresh and deep wild strawberries, ginger, nutmeg, loads of fine tuned limestone minerals. Coarse sandy texture and tannins are chewy, thick of high quality.
This is a feminine wine with lots of elegance and fragrance. We are very impressed.
2010 Bussia – from barrel
Quite seductive perfumes and fragrant flowers. Super-fresh, ripe red fruit and hints of solvent. Fantastic nose which shows depth and lots of fruit.
Deeper and a bit earthier than the Villero, but still with the characteristic "Fenocchio freshness". Ripe fruit, boysenberries, blood orange, iron, crushed stone, balsamic notes and herbs. Very balanced already, quite slim structure and persistence. Texture is already polished and tannins are chewy and of great quality.
The wine is very generous with lots of fruit, but it also has complexity, energy and depth.
As always the wines of Fenocchio show great transparency and honesty that celebrate its terroir without adding anything else. In addition, they deliver great freshness, deep aromas and complexity. This was also our first taste of the 2010 vintage and it immediately showed great potential.


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Lakes Camper Hire
Buzz is a fabulous and comfortable T5, with all the mod cons and comforts you need for a trip away. He's a real treat and promises lots of adventures ahead!
- Berths: 4
- Top Speed: 70+ (157 BHP)
- Roof Rack: No
- Type: T5
- Cool factor: Fizzing
Buzz is the latest addition to the Lakes Camper Hire fleet and unlike the other vans is a modern T5 model. For those of you who want all the adventure and fun that a camper promises but with some modern day comfort (and power steering!) then Buzz is for you. He comes with a wind out awning, pop top roof, built in fridge, hob and sink as well as a 3/4 rock n roll bed and further double bed in the roof. The front passenger seat swivels round for extra room when you are parked up and the curtains are all black out to ensure a great nights sleep.
As with all our vans he is fully equipped for a great trip away and drives like a dream.
Prices and availability coming soon, please email or call for further information - firstname.lastname@example.com tel. 07873124999
Buzz can carry and sleep up to 4 people with 2 rear 3 point seat belts. There is electric hook up and 3 electric point in the rear. The front dash has a radio cd player.
Included in the hire are cups, plates, glasses, a kettle and cafetiere, pans, chopping board and knives, cutlery, corkscrew/bottle opener, gas, 2 x camp chairs and a fold away picnic table as well as other useful items. An essentials kit of salt and pepper, oil, tea and coffee, sugar, tea towels, dish cloths and washing up liquid is also provided.
View the availability of all our vans.


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Back To Menu
Sandwiches & Po' Boys
Steak Sandwich
grilled beef tenderloin served on a brioche bun with horseradish aioli, caramelized onion, baby greens, tomato, fontina cheese
Have you tried this item? Pop it!
Help other diners know what to expect by sharing your experience.
1 person has popped this item


text: almost universally-embarrassing homebuilt electric vehicles we've seen pop up so far, the Bricycle electric recumbent bike is up there with the Tesla Roadster in terms of sex appeal -- even though it kind of looks like a futuristic delivery truck. Designed to transport one person as efficiently as possible, the Bricyle (developed by someone named Brian -- clever) isn't completed yet, but it's got a 48-volt electric-assist motor for when you get tired of pedaling through the 21 bicycle gears, and disc brakes for quick stops. Sure, but can you get it in a color besides electric cucumber?


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Let's meet. Whether it's a one-time consultation or consistent advising sessions, we will talk through your business issues and plan actionable solutions.
Digital Marketing
Are you ready for a new website? Do you want to improve your social media presence or e-news? We have plans and resources for all sorts of businesses and all sorts of budgets.
Writing rarely hits the top of the list for most business owners. Let us take business writing off your plate. We write blog and social media posts, website content, e-news and more.
Are we the right fit for your company?
Let's talk. A no-cost consultation is the best way for you to find out if we're a good fit.


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About Careers Newsroom Government OEMs Investors Login Paarts Store AOG
AAR (NYSE: AIR), a leading provider of aviation services to commercial airlines and governments, has completed its first planned overhaul, age exploration and planned inspection of its first U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon (P-8A) aircraft.
AAR (NYSE: AIR), a leading aviation services provider to commercial airlines and governments worldwide, has been named to Forbes' list of "America's Best Midsize Employers" for 2019. This is the second consecutive year that AAR has been chosen for this award, which is based on an independent survey conducted by Statista polling over 30,000 U.S. employees.
AAR (NYSE: AIR) just announced that it will be extending its PW2000 engine support contract with MTU Maintenance for another five years. AAR will be supplying PW2000 parts to support MTU, which is one of the largest engine overhaul providers in the world.
BASF and AAR signed an agreement to serve the aircraft ozone and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) converter market — providing improved airplane cabin air quality and healthier conditions for passengers and crew. BASF selected AAR as a distributor of BASF Deoxo™ aircraft cabin ozone/VOC converters and converter maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) services.
AAR (NYSE: AIR), an independent provider of aviation and defense aftermarket solutions, has been awarded a $10.8 million order from the U.S. Air Force for the production of 463L cargo pallets. The cargo pallets will be manufactured at AAR's Mobility Systems business unit in Cadillac, Michigan.
AAR (NYSE: AIR), a leading provider of aviation services to commercial airlines and governments, received notification from the Department of State awarding the company a new site under the Worldwide Aviation Support Services (WASS) program. Under the task order, the new site in Costa Rica will provide host nation aviation training.
AAR (NYSE: AIR), an independent provider of aviation aftermarket services, has received approval from the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) to serve Japanese airlines that require repair stations to provide JCAB-authorized release certificates.
Recognized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Trois-Rivières at the historic Radisson Gala, AAR, an independent provider of aviation aftermarket services, was presented the Radisson Award for "Services Company for Companies" for 2019.
AAR (NYSE-AIR), an independent provider of aviation aftermarket services, has been recognized as the "Best Aircraft Components Repair & Maintenance Company 2019" in a worldwide poll conducted by International Transport News.
WOOD DALE, Illinois, February 26, 2019 — AAR (NYSE: AIR), an independent provider of aviation aftermarket services, announces that it has won the 2019 Top Shop Award for Best Landing Gear Repair and the 2019 Top Shop Award for Best Wheels and Brake Repair. AAR Landing Gear and Wheels and Brakes Miami received votes from hundreds of airlines and suppliers around the world.


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I will be gone for a while to take care of some family business, but I will return, that's for sure.
Thank you,
J Burns
David, a 36-year-old man heard a noise from the old box of clothes he intended to throw away, and he turn his head somewhat.
A pair of jeans was hanging on the side of the box, its old faded out blue and torn, has seen its days. One end dangling toward the floor and the other end motionless in the box, as if waiting for a chance to devour him. David wore those same clothes for 15 years. He was a construction worker and now he has no use for them. He is an engineer and making more money than he ever dreamed.
David thought about leaving the clothes in the attic as a reminder of how far he's come. But, there is a good chance that rats would discover it and make themselves a home. That is the last thing David wants is an attic full of rats. His nephew used the box of old clothes for hoop shots and just about tore the box up. David could see the box out of the corner of his eye, just staring.
This is the day David planned to do some things around the house, so he continued to clean the kitchen cabinets and wash the refrigerator out. When he went to check the clothes dryer, he glance toward the box and the pair of old worn out jeans was completely on the floor. David tripped over his own feet. "Had those pants been lying there on the floor all the time?" David thought to himself. He did not know for he was so into getting his chores done.
David went back to what he was doing, after ten minutes he looked across the room with a puckered brow, the old jeans creeped into the doorway of the kitchen. David did not pay it any mind. He kept cleaning the kitchen. The jeans moved to David's feet. He hopped on top of the counter. "This is creepy," David thought to himself. He jumped down off the counter hopped over the dreadful jeans and headed down the hall. He could not breathe, and he tried to scream but nothing came out.
Suddenly, the ghastly jeans attack David. It took him around the neck and squeezed the life out of him. David did not know what hit him, and he lay there still, quiet, subdued. The jeans slowly unwound itself from David and walked across the floor in a dashing motion until it reach the comfortable chair David favored. The jeans delightfully curled up in the chair.
"Nobody is gonna throw me away after 15 years of hard labor, I mean nobody, better think again," he thought to himself. The old jeans fell into a deep sleep.
"For there is no friend like a sister in calm or stormy weather; To cheer one on the tedious way, to fetch one if one goes astray, to lift one if one totters down to strengthen whilst one stand."
-Christina Rossetti
Photo credit: http://www.pixabay.com
A young man in his late twenties desperately wants something that belongs to his best friend. He feels that if he had this one thing, his life would be better. Without it, his life is miserable.
David Collins a professional basketball player is not happy in his life. He and Roger has been best friends since high school. They did everything together from going out drinking too much, to double dating. Now David wants something that belongs to Roger, and he is planning a way to get it for himself. In high school, David had many girlfriends, and now it seems he cannot hold on to anyone.
Roger work as a mechanic, and he is a friendly, generous person; he would just about do anything for his family and friends. He has dark hair, striking sapphire eyes and a flirty smile. He is 6 feet 2 inches tall and has a slight limp when he walks. Almita, his long time girlfriend is very hard working and loyal; they plan to be married in the fall. She has long auburn hair with brown eyes. Her smile is inviting and she is average height and weight.
Because David makes so much money-playing ball, he thinks he could get anything and anyone he wants. He is secretly in love with Almita, he has been every since high school, now he wants to meet with her so he could tell her how he feels. However, Almita has refused meeting him and David explains he will not give up until she hears him out.
David got in touch with Almita again. Now she is pondering whether to let Roger know what David has said to her, she decided to meet with David once and for all so he will know that she loves Roger, and nothing can change that. She met David in the park.
"Hi David, how long have you been here in Albany?" asked Almita.
"Since yesterday, how are you?" David asks.
"We are good, why do you want to talk to me?" Almita asked curiously.
"I miss you and Roger but mostly you," David said nervously.
"Look Almita, I am not going to beat around the bush, you know I have always loved you.
"Well David, you know I always loved Roger so this will be a waste of time, I want betray Roger, not under any circumstances." Almita said.
David was so blown over by Almita's respond he knew she was serious. Then they went their separate ways. He was hurt and he realize you just cannot show up in someone's life expecting to get what you want because you want it. In addition, he betrayed his friend and did not give him a second thought. The only way David will be happy is to find his own way in life, not by stealing someone else's girl.
Almita is feeling guilty that she did not tell Roger about this until after the fact. He was very upset with her and David. He stormed out of the house with the door slamming behind him. He has not returned in the last forty-eight hours.
Pnoto credit: http://www.wikimedia.org
My minds reflection
Inspiration | Insights | Perspectives
Nature Inspired: Thoughts & Images
Poetry With A Touch Of Panache
I write because I must
If you'd like to travel with me, google "Travel Spirit Meetup"
with John W. Howell
Cindy Knoke
Contemplations from quakey quirky Christchurch
Navigating the nonsense. Spotlighting the profound.
(Somewhat) Daily News from the World of Literary Nonfiction
Paint Slinger in Inner Space
Creativity is within us all
Art and the philosophy of life
All About Books
I am a lover of perseverance. I am folklore. I am consistency and contradiction.


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Working in a Mental Health Pharmacy as an Assistant Technical Office my main role is to ensure prescriptions are logged on to the system database and are prepared for dispensing, as well as to ensure dispensed medication is sent to wards/teams in a timely fashion.
As a supervisor being part of the management team I was responsible for the day to day running of the store, upholding brand philosophy and working to achieve company goals. To motivate and work alongside the crew building a team mentality. Carrying out daily briefing and delegating tasks to ensure the crew are commercially up to date and have the tools for optimum performance thus enabling a smooth running of the store and maximising profits. Taking on this role has greatly improved my leadership and managerial skills and has created a better brand awareness.
I was mainly working in The Courier department at Next Directory, dealing with customer order inquires. This involved leasing with customers and an external courier company to locate and ensure swift delivery of customer orders. This job has tremendously improved my phone manner and professionalism in dealing with clients.
Working for a company who specialises in a specific segment of the retail industry, having exceptional customer service skills and extensive product knowledge were vital. This role required me to be flexible with my working pattern and duties. Handling customer inquiries over the phone checking stock through the in house system as well as offering customer's advice were all day to day practice.
This course is designed to give you the skills and understanding to work as a designer in all fields of Automotive and Transport Design
This was a intensive one year course designed to help explore multiple Art and Design diciplines.
A levels in Art (B), Biology (C) and Physics (D).
My final Major Design project received media coverage from the Coventry Telegraph News paper http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/coventry-university-student-showcases-project-3024224


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TAP funding grants for Kind und Jugend have now been allocated and the BPA advises that it is highly unlikely that there will be further assistance offered by UK Trade and Investment (UKTi) for 2014. UKTi reduced the number of individual grants for European shows to just 40 this year, and the criteria has been tightened.
Adrian Sneyd, UKTi co-ordinator on behalf of the BPA, said: "In previous years, the BPA has been able to secure further funding to accommodate all exhibitors at Kind und Jugend (69 grants in 2013). However, we are advised that this is not possible for 2014 and as we are already oversubscribed with applications, the UKTi will allocate grants according to its own criteria. We will advise the successful companies as soon as possible. "
There are still a limited number of individual grants available for companies participating in the UK Pavilions at CBME, Shanghai and ABC Kids Expo, Las Vegas - £3,000 and £2,000 respectively – so if you are still considering attending either of these shows you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible.
Full information about both shows and TAP fund application forms are available to download on the BPA website www.thebpa.eu – or contact Simon on 01902 880906, email@example.com or Adrian on 01902 882280, email: firstname.lastname@example.com
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Rule one in British politics, according to Harold Macmillan, was never to invade Afghanistan. Writing this piece I have the uneasy feeling that in British columnar journalism – although hopefully with less catastrophic consequences – rule one may be never to embark on a dispute with Neal Ascherson.
Ascherson knows more, understands more, and has written more about nationalism around the world than most of us will ever come close to equalling. He can call upon an accumulated hinterland of reading, encounters and experience that dwarfs those of us who have from time to time flirted with attempting to emulate him. Plus, he is a Scot, albeit one who basically lives in London.
Nevertheless, after reading Ascherson's summons to vote for Scottish independence this week, an argument must be joined. For Ascherson is an important intellectual luminary in Scotland's existential conversation. He speaks for and gives encouragement to many others on the pro-independence side. His speech in Glasgow a few days ago was clearly an event, described by an online admirer as "hugely significant". His text was immediately reprinted in the Sunday Herald at the weekend. And his views raise issues that resonate not just in Scotland but across Britain and beyond.
In summary, Ascherson says thatduring the course of the 20th century, Scotland went from being a partner in the union with England to becoming a dependency. The result was that London had an authority to which Scotland had to be obedient. Devolution mitigated the authority but also undermined the obedience.
Ascherson then asks why devolution is now insufficient. Two things have persuaded him of this. First, because the Iraq war showed that Britain was not an independent country. And second, because the referendum is an all-or-nothing choice, leaving independence as the only route to a better and fairer Scotland. The campaign, whatever its outcome, is in any case making Scots more independent. Its logical destination, he concludes, is an independent Scotland.
Almost every step in this argument seems to me either wrong or open to serious challenge or qualification. Did 20th-century Scotland really go from partner to dependency? Surely not. It was a partner when the union was agreed and it remains one today. Nor has Scotland become a dependency, either in a constitutional or, even more importantly, in a national or a cultural sense.
Ascherson's belief in Scotland's dependency rests on the argument that the entropy of modern history has reduced Scotland to a place to which London does unwelcome things. This is to blame the Tories for the rise of China. It is true that nations evolve internally as well as externally. Ascherson and writers such as Norman Davies have given masterly accounts of these ceaseless processes. It is also true that Britain has changed massively in Ascherson's lifetime. But these changes have transformed the whole of Britain.
Scotland has not, by and large, been singled out for mistreatment or disruption. Nor, in spite of Scotland's many real historic differences from other parts of the UK (and of the many differences within Scotland itself), has it become politically or ideologically a significantly different place from the rest of the UK since 1950 in the way Ascherson claims.
This assertion of Scottish exceptionalism, which comfortingly casts Scotland as a fundamentally more progressive, more egalitarian and more social democratic place than the rest of Britain, is an important and familiar theme of the independence debate. There are elements of truth in it. But it is often exaggerated, too often allowed to pass unchallenged. For me, it also edges far too close to the view which Ascherson, in his book Black Sea, quotes Eric Hobsbawm as always fearing more than any other, the claim that "We are different from the others – and better".
In reality, opinion polls show fewer fundamental differences of view between Scots and other British people than Ascherson and his fellow idealists allow. Just as importantly, devolution has long recognised Scotland's right to decide a large range of issues about its own evolution anyway.
Ascherson's reasons for dismissing devolution are curious. The Iraq war was certainly a disaster. Yet Tony Blair's embrace of George Bush's war was as much a snub to English, Welsh and wider European opinion, as it was to Scots. Meanwhile it is simply not true that David Cameron's refusal to put the "devo max" option on the ballot paper in September means that more devolution is off the agenda, as Ascherson implies. On the contrary, it is absolutely clear that further powers are likely to be devolved during the next UK parliament, whatever the result of the next general election.
Where Ascherson is clearly right, however, is that the independence debate has energised Britain's debate about itself. Obviously that is true in Scotland, and some of that debate has been the best revival of civic engagement in these islands for many years. But it is also happening in Wales and England, as it should, if not at the same level of intensity. Only yesterday, a Commons committee proposed new tax-raising powers for English local government. The rising chorus of English regional complaints about London is another important sign. Clearly, though, much more needs to be done.
The problems facing Scotland today — systemic problems about balancing fairness and prosperity within a globalised economy in the post-industrial, post-labour movement era — are essentially the same problems facing most developed liberal democratic economies in Europe. They will only be addressed, if they can be, by democratic reforms across national borders, not behind them. The problems are not the fault of the British state and will not be solved by breaking that state up. Scots will decide their destiny for themselves, but Ascherson's case for voting yes is more the product of his romantic radical imagination than a piece of practical and sustainable modern politics.


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I think all of us... especially moms, who deal with all that Mommy guilt all the time... need to be reassured that "It's ok".
It's ok.....
... to have 4 cups of coffee before 9 am.
... to lock yourself in the bathroom when the kids are just too much.
... to sub "chocolate chips" for "fruit" in your oatmeal, as long as the calories match up.
... to paint your nails on the toilet (when locked in the bathroom as mentioned). Just be ready to wait for them to dry.
... to create Ryan Gosling "Hey Girl" pics way too much, because Picnik is closing and you're freaking out.
... to take a personal day and send the kids to daycare, just so you can lay in bed and catch up on the DVR.
... to cry to an Adele song in the car, even when you really have nothing to be sad about.
... to drink another cup of coffee even though you had 4 before 9 am.
Thanks for this AWESOME thing, ladies. I am looking forward to many more "It's ok Thursdays".
(P.S. Come by Sarah Fitness and click "like". Be one of the cool kids).


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Posted by Frank Gordon on
What do you do when you lose your keys?
Home and car keys are among the most misplaced everyday objects. No wonder: they are small and can easily slip from your pocket or bag. Have you ever found yourself in front of your front door or car reaching for keys and discovered they weren't there? That's where the panic starts. Here's what you should do when your keys get lost and some precautions you should take to avoid misplacing them. To begin with, losing your keys will cost you not only plenty of time, but also a pretty penny. You wouldn't believe how expensive some replacements are: sometimes the price of a spare key will be higher than the value of your car. Yes, really! Home keys ...


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Samsung had just made available the official update for the Galaxy S Plus GT I9001, the value pack Gingerbread 2.3.6, dubbed as XXKQD ROM. So, if you want to install the latest Android OS available for your S Plus, then all you have to do is to complete the present step by step guide. The firmware can be OTA applied but only on limited markets, therefore during the next few lines I have described the manual procedure, so that anyone who owns the Galaxy S Plus, model number GT I9001, will now be able to flash the Gingerbread 2.3.6 XXKQD update.
And since there will not be any Ice Cream Sandwich, or Jelly Bean official updates released by Samsung for your Galaxy S Plus due hardware limitations, this represents the perfect opportunity for those who are looking forward in getting a stable and bugs free Android platform. Of course you can anytime learn how to install an Android 4.0 or 4.1 based custom ROM suitable for your phone (you have suitable tutorials explained here on Android.gs, just search through our how to section for the same), but these upgrades are usually unstable and with major issues. Also, the warranty will get void once you decide to apply an unofficial ROM, so you can even end up in bricking your smartphone.
All this can be prevented by updating the S Plus with an official OS, or with the stock ROM, in our case, the value pack Gingerbread 2.3.6 XXKQD firmware. Furthermore, by completing this tutorial you can restore the lost warranty (this if your phone is currently running a beta software), though the factory restriction will once more be installed on your device. That means the root access (if it was previously gained) will be revoked and the bootloader relocked. Also, as the Gingerbread update is being released by Samsung only for your Galaxy S Plus, you don't have to root your device for being able to manually install the same.
We will use Odin for the flashing process, which is a dedicated tool designed especially for these kind of operations (more about this will be presented during the proper steps). Now even though this is an official ROM, it is recommended to backup the Plus data first. This because, you will manually flash the firmware; the OTA variant don't requires the backup. You can save almost everything from your phone, the contacts, the messages, the market apps, the call logs, the EFS folder and more. For suitable backup and restore how to guides you can anytime use our previous tutorials.
Then, as you can already tell, you need to have access to a Windows running computer. On the same you will have to download and install Odin. This implies in having access to the phone USB cord too. Next, on the computer you will use and your handset deactivate the security tools (antivirus included). Enable the USB debugging option on your device by going to "Settings -> Applications -> Development -> USB debugging" and checking the last option. In the end ensure that the S Plus has enough battery life (minimum 60%) for staying "alive" during the installation procedure. Don't apply the next steps for a similar handset with the mentioned phone as you will risk in bricking your Android based device.
How to Manually Update Galaxy S Plus to Official Gingerbread 2.3.6 XXKQD ROM
- On your computer download Odin and the update package from here.
- Extract Odin and the update file.
- On the computer open Odin.
- Turn off the phone and then reboot in download mode.
- You can reach the download mode by pressing the Volume Down rocker key while holding on the Power button.
- Now, you can connect the device with the computer by using its USB cord.
- Once you do that, on Odin, the "added" message should be displayed.
- Also, the ID:COM section should be yellow.
- If not try to reinstall the proper drivers on your PC and then redo the up mentioned steps.
- On Odin click on the "PDA" option and then select the "I9001XXKQD_I9001ODDKP5_I9001DDKP9_HOME.tar.md5" file.
- Next, click on "start".
- Wait until the process ends.
- When done, the phone should reboot automatically and on Odin you should see the "pass" message displayed.
- You can now unplug the USB cord and disconnect your phone from the computer.
So, there you have it; now you know how to manually update your Samsung Galaxy S Plus model number GT I9001 to the official value pack Gingerbread 2.3.6 XXKQD ROM. Remember that by flashing the same you can restore the warranty and apply the stock ROM so it will be a good idea to bookmark this page so that you can use it whenever you need to. In the end, share your impressions with us and tell us how things worked with the above explained step by step guide. Also, subscribe to us for receiving the latest Android news and tutorials.


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JAKE: So this is Text Club 10, and our games this month were Carl Muckenhoupt's "The Gostak" — not sure how to pronounce that, but I guess it's a made up word so we don't have to decide — also Emily Short's "Counterfeit Monkey", and Jonathan Basile's "The Library of Babel." This is a cool set of games that were selected by our discussion guest for this month, Ian Snyder.
These were three games you were interested in or had encountered before & they'd kind of stuck with you, right?
IAN: Yeah, I'd played part of The Gostak before. The Library of Babel is … I guess I haven't played it all the way through, so to speak, it'd be impossible to do so. Counterfeit Monkey was new for me. This set of three all felt sort of … of a similar material.
JAKE: Yeah absolutely. All about the limits of written language, or systematized language. And also about a kind of materiality of language. Pretty philosophical trio.
So The Library of Babel is by Jonathan Basile, it's from 2015 I think? I didn't see a date on the piece itself.
IAN: Fairly recent.
JAKE: And the original story, the Borges story that it's based on is from the 1940s I think. It's pretty old & based on an idea that's even older, that since we have such a narrow set of symbols we use to represent our knowledge it would only take so many books really to systematize all possible knowledge.
I found it interesting, looking back on the story, how much time he spent on all the human affordances of this weird impossible library. He describes how the air circulates and stuff like that.
IAN: One of the things I'd forgotten from the short story is how much care Borges takes describing the library as a library, something that takes time to walk through, to see all of. The are little human communities, each with their own subculture, living all across this space. For me, these constitute one of the major differences between the story and Basile's reflection of the story. All of that kind of gets flattened out when it becomes a website.
JAKE: Totally, in the story there are these rival interpretations — rival religions. They have their own folklore about … for example this messiah figure who they imagine is this person who's read the "index book" which lists the names of all the other books. They're sort of desperately scrambling for that knowledge because their situation is pretty hopeless.
There was also this part in the story about these books that exonerate people — I think he described them as "apologias". There's one for each person and it lists everything you've done and why you did it. And it sort of justifies everything you've done. So people really want to find these books that exonerate them of all their decisions. It's heavy. Jonathan's piece is comparatively pretty playful. It also has the image component with the noisy random pixel canvases.
IAN: Yeah, the image Library of Babel immediately reads to me as just noise. I give up on the image searching so much quicker than I give up on browsing through these little snippets of random letters. I guess it's easier to pluck out meaning from random letters than it is to pluck out meaning from all these pixels stacked on top of each other, even if they are philosophically or conceptually "the same thing."
JAKE: Why do you think that is? Do we just trust text more to be meaningful?
IAN: Maybe there's more latent meaning in a single letter than in a single pixel.
I think the website does a lot of work to make the text approachable. For example there's the "Anglishize" option, which highlights english words or combinations of words, so you can sort of move through and pick out what actually does have literal meaning & what is not recognizable as text.
JAKE: Right, and you can work backwards too. When you sent me a link to the piece, you wrote up your thoughts about it and used their "search function" to find the book and page that had that text in it, and sent me that text. You can say "give me that specific book and I'll see what the context is."
IAN: Yeah, in the end, I don't know how I feel about that search function. A lot of what Borges' story is about, for me, is this Gambler's Fallacy feeling of approaching incomprehensible, vast libraries of random noise. The idea that by carefully picking through it, if I just give it enough time, enough will, I'll eventually find the meaning. After years of work, years of churn through random syllables, I'll find that one word spaced out in the middle of so much nonsense. But the website's search function makes it so immediate. It's right there. You don't have to page through the nonsense at all.
JAKE: Yeah it's like a weird text editor. When I use the search engine, it's like I put that there — I want the book where, I don't know, God put that text there. It doesn't have the same divine charge.
IAN: I think it also brings into question the "trueness" of the website. I'll say that I don't think the website is untrue, or that it is a lie, I think it's doing it's best approximation, where possible, of the library described in the story. But when I search for something on the website, I put in a phrase and it brings up four things: it brings up that phrase surrounded by random noise, it brings up that phrase isolated on a completely blank page, it brings up that phrase on a page with a bunch of random english words and it brings up a book with that phrase as its title. The result with random english words is, to me, the most telling and odd of the bunch.
When you click that result, it will take you to the page in the book containing the phrase surrounded by english words, but if you leaf forward or backward through the pages of the book, you'll encounter a sharp, sudden transition between the nonsense of the rest of the book and this single page filled with english words. This page makes sense, at least in that these words have definitions, but after that page is done it snaps immediately back into nonsense. I guess it's just as improbable as finding that exact phrase in any number of random books, but surrounding itself with other english words foregrounds an arbitrariness and artificiality in a way that finding the same phrase in a bunch of random noise does not.
JAKE: Right, and it is in a perverse way just as likely. Like in Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, when they're flipping a coin and it's just repeatedly "heads" — is this evidence that it isn't random, or evidence that it is random. It's not behaving in any way we can make sense of.
IAN: It's easy to project a human sense of order onto a coin flip that comes up "heads" twenty times in a row, but it ultimately doesn't have anything to do with the previous coin flip or the next coin flip. The sense I get from those pages of english words is… if someone gave you a list of coin flips and you saw a run of twenty heads in a row, you might feel — maybe someone edited this one, you know, maybe they're fudging the numbers just a tiny bit? Surely this didn't really happen.
Did you read the forums?
JAKE: Oh no, I didn't read them. Did you?
IAN: Yeah, I did — not comprehensively. It's funny comparing an actual community of people that has risen up around the website to the communities of people suggested in the short story. I encountered one poster, in particular, who suggested a horoscopy of searching for one's own name and reading the surrounding words on its page. Not dissimilar from certain subjects of the original story at all!
On the other hand, there's a thread collecting "interesting pages," and for the most part it consists of people who have written some funny or crass joke that they want to make people really work to get at. So they list the hex number of the book, the number of the cell, which shelf it's on, which bookcase, volume, page, and after you enter in all of those things you'll find a page that's nothing but a blank space and the word "fuck you."
JAKE: Sure, that make sense because the whole thing is all this labor and sort of pilgrimage, this theater of labor and pilgrimage of basically random text generation. So that's totally the native joke of the site, doing a bunch of work to access nonsense.
So I hadn't played The Gostak before — you said you'd played part of it?
IAN: I had played little bit and hit a wall from which I couldn't progress, and had given up originally. But I kept going and finished it this time.
JAKE: Did you? I wasn't able to finish it, but I did spend a lot of time with it. I think I got pretty far.
IAN: It took me a couple days, actually, of intermittent play. How did you find it, as a first playthrough?
JAKE: It was great, totally baffling. I was really impressed and happy to discover that the vocabulary didn't have a really clean mapping onto english. My first guess was that it was going to be a puzzle about word substitution and I'd keep a little key in my notes and gradually figure out what everything meant. But there are a lot of concepts that don't translate.
IAN: Right, I'm really pleased that it's not a direct cipher to english.
JAKE: Yeah. I found a sort-of "dictionary" online by David Welbourn, did you find that? It's a fan-made dictionary from around the time the game came out. He has this dictionary page and then also a translation of the instructions which I found really useful.
IAN: I did as well. For the longest time, I didn't find his translation of the help instructions, and I didn't translate them myself either. For the majority of my time playing this game I didn't know the word for "help" and I just had to plunge in on my own; I didn't know there were hints, so this dictionary served as my hints getting through The Gostak. Kind of interesting where his definitions map or don't map to my own. Mine were generally much more vague, I felt content to gesture at the general idea of a word or what it connected to, rather than describe it directly. I think he describes "gitches" as birds.
JAKE: Yeah! Are there hints that they're birds? I think I saw that too, and thought "are they birds?"
IAN: Yeah, all we know is what they "do," which is they "leil" things (Welbourn translates this as eat, which is a definition that holds for me too) and they "gomb" and they "degomb" (enter and exit) the "brangy". So, they enter something, they exit something and they eat something.
JAKE: Sounds like birds to me.
IAN: Yeah it could be true of birds, and it could also be true of, say, fishes, or people who are going in and out of a fairground.
JAKE: Yeah totally. I guess once a model like that pops into your head — "I wonder if it's a bird" — you start testing the model against all the behaviors you observe, and if it's true for enough of them then it's a good building block for your understanding. Which is kind of the idea of this nonsense sentence "The Gostak distims the doshes," which is the seed of this game. As I was looking for a dictionary — or hopefully like a walkthrough or something to get me unstuck — I found that this sentence has a history for about a hundred years before this game, as a nonsense sentence that was used to demonstrate how we can derive meaning from syntax alone, even if we don't understand vocabulary.
IAN: It also pops up in a short story, apparently, which I haven't read — a story about someone who pops into an alternate universe where the only difference is that there is a political slogan which is "the gostak distims the doshes" which works everyone up into a fervor, and this character can't get anyone to tell them what a gostak is or what distimming the doshes is. That base sentence can't be divided into meaningful definitions beyond stuff that's self-referential.
JAKE: Right, the sentence is an indivisible block. There are some other truths that are contingent rephrasings of the original sentence. "The Gostak distims the doshes", so we know that "the doshes are what is distimmed by the Gostak."
I spent a lot of time in Gostak fumbling around, and then I'd go back and doatch with the guy … what was his name?
IAN: I want to say he was a Droke.
JAKE: Yeah, doatchin' with the Droke. I tried to doatch with just about everyone else I ran into. They might have been birds or fish or something, they wouldn't doatch with me.
IAN: Yeah nobody doatched back.
JAKE: I got rid of three or four of the glauds.
IAN: Do you remember which ones you got rid of?
JAKE: The droke gave me pretty clear instructions about verbs I could use to make a few of them disappear. There was one I could "rask" which I think meant I picked it up and kept it?
IAN: That's my impression as well. There's an inventory you can look at, and you'll see that in it is the "raskable glaud."
JAKE: So then what happens after you get past the glauds?
IAN: After you get past the glauds, you go into the … is it the "doshery?" I actually wrote down the ending, it's something I want to talk about specifically. I don't remember what the place is called, but you go into the place that has all the doshes. And you see the gheliper. The gheliper comes up a couple times as the entity who has created all of these glauds and made your life a … well, made your life a text adventure. I think she's "vorling" all of the doshes. You attempt to do what the gostak is there to do, to distim the doshes. Because she is vorling them, you can't, and you have to solve one final puzzle which involves lelloing something, turning something on and off, then doing that backwards, putting something in something, I gather, then using an object — basically doing a lot of process to an object to change her state from vorling the doshes into vorling something else. Only then can you distim the doshes.
Once you do so, the game outputs the following:
The gheliper rebs the distimmed doshes, and is dunmile. "My doshes! All my martle doshes!" She tunks you, and vorls the hoff lutt. "You! Everything was so rorm, so tunsel, until you pelled from the bewl, discrenning my glauds, glaking the tophthage, distimming my… distimming my…"
She beckles. "You… you gostak!" It is the snavest thing she could doatch. She could zank you now…
But with the doshes distimmed, her misdeave is skent, and instead, she just flomes stottily and frikes fosken.
You pell at hoff. It's mosky in the delcot – even the gitches are mosky. But the gheliper's friking could be rebbed from the dorl, and maybe even the bewl. The drokes must have rebbed it. Soon they will regomb, and all will be rorm here again.
Of course, the gheliper could always regomb. The gamda, even, could regomb. But for now, the doshes are distimmed. And that's enough for a gostak.
IAN: Does any of that make sense?
JAKE: Yeah, fragments of it. There was a moment where she doatched, I know what that is.
IAN: She did doatch, that's true. A lot of it is words that you would have encountered in the course of play, but a good portion of it is new words that you haven't encountered yet. The word "tunsel", for example, is new.
IAN: I guess the thing about this ending that is most interesting to me is that it feels … the gheliper is sort of the main antagonist in this game, and she's created the obstacles you have to overcome. When you've overcome the obstacles, she has this moment where she can't believe what you've done. She seems angry, or sad, it's hard to tell exactly because very little of the language of this game is given to emotional states. She gestures at you — well, maybe not, she "beckles" and I don't know what that is — and she says "you gostak!" It's the snavest thing she could doatch, apparently. It's interesting to me that at the end of this game that's all about learning the words for things in this alien world, the final moment is a failure of language. She doesn't have any words for you other than "gostak."
You might kind of want, at the end of this game, the mystery to be resolved, and to understand what the gostak is and what you're doing and how everything maps to in english, but there's no word for you except for "gostak." And I, at least, felt the first time I read it … it felt like a cheap "ah, look, you were the bad guy the whole time" ending. But on reflection I don't think that's the case. It feels like there's kind of a pathos there, with the gheliper. The way that she reacts, in disbelief or powerlessly, to what you've done. It's just a bit sad. It's even-handed in the way a nature documentary would be even-handed. A scene of a predator devouring a prey — as a human you want to read into that situation in favor of the prey, there's sadness there, but a good nature documentary will just present it as is. That's the feeling I get with this ending, and I think that has a lot to do with the distancing language that the game has had you learn.
JAKE: You can't bring your preconceptions about gitches or ghelipers, or ideas about who's the hero. I never watched a movie with a cartoon gheliper in it that gave me some moral judgment about ghelipers, the way that I have with foxes. You have this level of distance from the world in this game.
IAN: There is distance, but, at the same time, the language has some surprising confluence with English.
I want to talk a bit about my head-canon etymology for these fictitious words that I developed while playing the game.
JAKE: Great!
IAN: The gostak distims, and we can pick up from playing that dis- is a prefix we may prepend to a verb in order to invert it. We could close something, for example, and later dis-close it in order to open it. So, the gostak's primary action is a kind of negation, they are dis-timming. It is apparent through play, meanwhile, that tim is actually just a synonym, and apparently the less popular variant, of tophth.
JAKE: The plover.net dictionary suggests they both mean something like "darkness," maybe.
IAN: Now, for the most part, Gostakian words are easy enough to pronounce in English. They more or less follow the conventional rules of construction, even if they swing a little guttural at times. Tophth is not such a case, however; it's very rare in english to have a "th" following a consonant especially another soft-sounding consonant such as "ph" (f). If you think about the way your mouth has to move to make those two sounds, it makes sense why we rarely see this. At least, for me, I pronounce "ph" by pressing my upper teeth against my lower lip and blowing, while I pronounce "th" by pressing my tongue against the same teeth and, again, blowing. In order to pronounce both consecutively, I must seamlessly move my lower lip off of my teeth and replace it with my tongue, all without breaking the "flow" of the word or accidentally blowing air through my open mouth and making an "h" sound.
I feel this divide between "tophth" and "tim" is similar in English to the divide between words with French roots and words with Anglo-Saxon roots — consider, for a point of comparison, "swine" and "pig". It's also worth noting the presence of the unvoiced h in "gheliper". Obviously, I can't make any substantive claims about these words roots — after all, this is a conlang, it's even more artificial than living languages — but I do think we can say that this linguistic divide reflects a linguistic divide with which we english-speakers have a lived familiarity, and that our subconscious knowledge of english roots influences how we read this work. It draws just one more dividing line between gheliper and gostak.
JAKE: In Counterfeit Monkey, there was a similar kind of distancing going on with the language. We're in this foreign place, and the way they use language in this foreign place is very different from the way that we the player use and relate to language. By being forced to be super conscious about language all the time, that was making me feel a bit like a foreigner in this place.
IAN: Yeah, the language is interesting in Counterfeit Monkey because it's all very functional. It all must either be able to be modified or unable to be modified. Language in the game serves one of two functions. I think you can hear that a bit, as a reader, at least subconsciously. But I do think another common point between the gostak & counterfeit monkey is that in both I was building up an inventory of words that I'd learned like an inventory of objects. In the gostak that was more inside my own mind — I have all of the words that I know, more-or-less. But in Counterfeit Monkey that's literally in the game — I possess these words in an in-game inventory.
JAKE: Yeah, I did a lot of wandering and I was looking at every description trying to memorize "OK there's a farmer here, there's some sand here," trying to keep all these words in my head in case I need anything that's one letter off from one of these things. It was kind of a weird throwback to pixel-hunting in old point-and-click adventure games.
There's also a map in Counterfeit Monkey, which is sort of unusual for a text adventure. You have a visual indication of where you are and where all the exits are. It was a really nice affordance and easy to use, but I couldn't look at it because I had to be so attentive to the room descriptions, I couldn't afford to get distracted by it.
IAN: Right. It's good that Counterfeit Monkey isn't real-time, I'd be unable to play it. I really appreciated the map. One of the things I always get distracted by in text adventures is all of this "North/South/East/West" business. That's not how I navigate in real life, and I think very few people navigate by cardinal directions.
JAKE: Right, most of the time. Well, Chicago is all a grid … but I didn't use a compass.
IAN: You wouldn't tell people "you have to go west three times."
JAKE: I would! "Go three blocks west."
IAN: That's fair!
JAKE: No, I know what you mean. I've seen a few text adventures play with this. Like in "Winter Storm Draco" — it's got this funny puzzle where you try to navigate using the cardinal directions, and it says "you don't have a compass." Then you have to build a compass before you're allowed to navigate that way.
IAN: I liked that Counterfeit Monkey took the whole "imagining where you are in world-space" out of the equation with the presence of the map. It allows you to focus exclusively on the text and be more capable of picking out those objects that you might need to modify later.
JAKE: Great point. Did you get a chance to look at the source code at all? "The Inform source code for Counterfeit Monkey.
IAN: I poked around a bit — I don't know how to write or read Inform so it was a bit confusing to read through.
JAKE: Yeah, same here. That language is so strange to me, it's always a fun oddity to try to read. It's a weird hybrid of english and logic. But it's also so well commented, this code, that I found it an interesting companion to playing the game. It wasn't too helpful in solving puzzles.
IAN: It did often suggest other possibilities to me, sort of parallel things to what I had done in the past. I could recognize "oh, I guess I could have done that as well to get to this point." But not helpful solving a puzzle you're stuck on.
JAKE: Right. It's actually very systematic! I was trying to solve the puzzle in the bar, the contest where you have to make an item that meets certain criteria that other patrons shout out at you — like an improv game or something — and I was looking for a solution for that in the code. And I discovered that it was really a system — if they ask for something liquid, the code checks the "liquid" property on your item, it was like "Scribblenauts" or something. I was surprised.
IAN: That's probably the most pleasurable part of this game. It promises that this whole thing will be systematized — and so many games make similar promises, I guess the classic is "see that mountain over there? you can go there!" but you actually can't or you can but there's nothing there or it's just a billboarded sprite. But in Counterfeit Monkey it really feels as though you can modify every single thing in the world through this letter-remover. It's just incredible that a person was able to achieve that with a game. It really is massive!
JAKE: Yeah, such an impressive and substantial piece of interactive fiction. Very cool to have gotten to spend so much time with it.
Thanks, Ian, for your time and the great chat!


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It's been gorgeously hot for the past couple of days, summer has arrived! We're quite lucky that our little Tokyo Telephone Tower is by the sea-side, and the combination of sunshine and paddling in the sea never fails to make me reach for the lolita fashion section of my wardrobe. Add to this the upcoming Wimbledon tennis tournament… what could be better than English summer strawberries with a twist of Japanese lolita?
So basically I went a bit crazy for anything ichigo-themed!
Closet Child is great for finding rare prints & themes that may have gone out of favour with current lolita fashion – the Ikebukuro store is probably the least visited, so try there for something more old-school. I picked the Emily Temple Cute dress as, as well as being of my favourite lolita-esque brands, I think it works just as well with a heavily over-the-top outfit as it does a more casual look – pair with ankle socks for a take on a current trend. I couldn't resist the Angelic Pretty yukata – so different from their usual style! I love the pouch from Swimmer – either for make-up or beach essentials, it's the perfect size. I managed to come up with a whole strawberry co-ordinate from Baby, the Stars Shine Bright – say what you will about BtSSB, they really commit to a theme! Finally, no sweet strawberry princess should ever be without matching food – I'm awaiting my next shipment of strawberry Kit Kats as we speak… look out for cherry blossom flavoured ones around sakura time.
Have you ever planned an outfit entirely on one theme? That's one of the many reasons I love Japanese fashion; it's possible to totally go for it with an outfit, and there's a real sense of completeness to every good coordinate.
I'll meet you in the strawberry fields, but for now we're off to eat sausages & watch England lose another match!


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Here's the scenario: there's a gang of thugs outside your house threatening you and your family. Your wife is calling the police while you grab your gun. You fire 4 shots into the grass to scare them away. You injure no one. You get arrested. The instigators walk away free. Right or wrong?
He was arrested for protecting his property and family.
But it's how the Long Island man did it that police say crossed the line.
He got an AK-47 assault rifle, pulled the trigger and he ended up in jail, reports CBS 2's Pablo Guzman.
George Grier said he had to use his rifle on Sunday night to stop what he thought was going to be an invasion of his Uniondale home by a gang he thought might have been the vicious "MS-13." He said the whole deal happened as he was about to drive his cousin home...
"He starts threatening my family, my life. 'Oh you're dead. I'm gonna kill your family and your babies. You're dead.' So when he says that, 20 others guys come rushing around the corner. And so I fired four warning shots into the grass," Grier said.
Grier was later arrested...
Grier also said he was afraid the gang outside his house was the dreaded MS-13. And Nassau County Police Lt. Andrew Mulraine, head of the gang unit, said MS-13 has 2,000 members in the county.
"They're probably the most organized. They almost have a military hierarchy within the gang, so they are the most organized gang we encounter on a daily basis," Mulraine said.
You may think a person has the right to defend their home. But the law says you can only use physical force to deter physical force. Grier said he never saw anyone pull out a gun, so a court would have to decide on firing the gun.
Police determined Grier had the gun legally. He has no criminal record. And so he was not charged for the weapon.
Long Island Man Arrested For Defending Home With AK-47 - Says Many Gang Members Were Coming After His Family
Original posting by Braincrave Second Life staff on Sep 16, 2010 at http://www.braincrave.com/viewblog.php?id=326


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On Thursday, news came down the wire that 35-year old NHL free agent center Pavol Demitra had signed with Yaroslavl Lokomotiv of the KHL. Prior to the signing, Demitra had been rumored to be on the Rangers radar as a possible fit to play with his good friend and Blueshirts forward Marion Gaborik. Demitra confirmed those rumors in an interview with Russian publication Sport-Express on Friday, explaining that a deal had been reached in principle, but delays on the part of the club ultimately lead him to sign in Russia.
Of the options in the NHL the most interesting was from the Rangers. I was interested in playing on attack with my friend Marion Gaborik. But the offer from New York constantly changed because they tried to get under the salary cap. I was offered a very complex contract which included various bonuses. In principle, everything suited me, but the Rangers representatives delayed negotiations without explanation. And we reached the agreement with Yaroslavl in a few minutes. I took a week to think it over, and on Thursday I signed the contract.
The 16-year NHL veteran will travel to Yaroslavl on Tuesday to familiarize himself with his new club before returning home to Slovakia to prepare for the upcoming season. He'll join Lokomotiv for the season on August 20th.
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Thanks, as always.
Not really sure how I felt either way, but it may be a blessing in disguise it didn't work out.
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Getting Started: Cosmetic Makeup
As you are packing up your bags and planning your upcoming cosplay appearance, you should take a moment to make sure you're bringing the right makeup supplies – many of which fall into the category of cosmetic makeup. Although you will probably bring your favorite name brand foundation and powder and perhaps whatever eyeliner you have lying around, there are other useful products you should consider purchasing. We have asked Jez Barraza–a professional makeup artist who has shopped around at local drug stores and department stores–to bring us her recommended list of products that should be included in your cosplay-makeup arsenal.
By storing your makeup in an organized bag, you can keep your make-up together in one easily accessible place. Plus, the risks of forgetting, misplacing, marking, spilling, or powdering any of your costumes is highly unlikely. The best priced bags that I have found are at Sephora. Plus I love that they are cost effective with a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors.
The best products are the ones that combine both. I use Clinique Superbalanced Powder Foundation because it gives you light full coverage with moisturizer and sunscreen that you need for inside and outside photos. It has a swivel top to control the amount of product that comes out while keeping the rest of your product from too much exposure to the air (which can cause contamination or dry out) and has a mirror and applicator included. It costs about twenty dollars, but it's very natural and easy to use. I love mine.
Have you never used a bronzer before? Well, this product works wonders if you want to look like you have sun-kissed skin without using the "fake and bake" tanning salons, spray-on, or lotion. The best part is that a little bronzer goes a long way and you can control the intensity with each application. Plus, it's a good way to intentionally add shadowed contours to your face in place of Ben Nye Character Shadow. Just remember that bronzers come with mixed colors on their palette, so pick one that has a tone close to yours, then go a shade darker. Spend time really looking at the selections they have at your local drug store, because it will give you the opportunity t o experiment with different brands at an affordable price.
This is a good starter eye pencil for basic cosplay makeup. It gives you a straight edge line to accent your lashes with a natural look that is easy to control and it comes with a smudge tip at the top of the stick which is used to create a smokey eye. The benefit of working with a pencil is that mistakes are easily forgiven, allowing you to manipulate the color intensity to achieve the desired effect. Although it's size makes it very portable, it should not just be carried by the ladies. If any guys are looking for an eyeliner for cosplay, you should give this one a try. This liner is affordable and comes in various colors that sharpen with ease. Basically, it can get the job done on a dime and can be applied or re-applied anytime.
Any waterproof all-day cream liner is the best kind of liner because you can control how heavy or how light you want to apply the liner to properly enhance your eyes. You won't need to reapply it because it won't sweat off or rub off. Not to mention, at the end of the night when you're ready to head to the ballroom to get your dance on, you will still look fabulous. HIP cream liner's come in a variety of colors and Sephora brand liners (pencil, retractable, or palette) are also good options.
Maybelline's Line Stiletto is a basic liquid eye liner that you can use for strong lines with dramatic effect. Just remember that liquid liner cannot create a smokey eye effect. It is intended for a harder line such as a sharp cat eye orcorner wing extending past the end of the eyelid. What I like about this product is that the handle is large enough to steadily grip while controlling the precise amount of application desired on the lash line.
This is the topping to your eye make-up because it give your eyes that extra punch that you need to complete that doe wide-eyed look. Just coat the corner of your lashes with a black brown color or black tinted mascara and it will definitely widen your eyes and help you look amazing. I have found several great brands including Maybelline 16hr mascara, Max Factor, Two Faced, and Botanicals – you will need to experiment to see what works for you and the cosplay character you are wanting to portray.
Cover sticks are used to balance the colors in your face and create the appearance of an even skin-tone. To take full advantage of cover sticks, you must learn how to blend the color back into your natural skin. You can use your fingers for faster application and easy blending. If you naturally have dark circles under your eyes, use the yellow corrective stick to neutralize your skin tone and make you appear more awake. Now if you have red dots or blotches on your skin, then use a green corrective stick to hide the redness. Make sure you use it anywhere your skin is uneven before adding foundation, cover-up, or powder and then say "goodbye" to the redness.
A tinted lip balm will help accentuate those pouty lips, in addition to keeping them moisturized and supple so that you can avoid licking your lips. By applying a sheer sheen, you can bring out the natural tones without applying the heavy pigmentation of lipstick. (If the coloring is still too subtle for you, you can upgrade to lip gloss with extra color pigment.) Burt's Bee's has a great line to choose from and well as Blistex lip balms. Just make sure it says tinted before you buy it.
All Nighter is a setting spray and is quite similar to Final Seal, used in theatrical makeup, except it is made specifically for daily makeup wear and is estimated to last 16 hours from application. It's available online and I can only speculate that, as its popularity increases, it will eventually be carried in stores like Sephora.
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The secret to cosmetic makeup is to have fun with these products and experiment! The more you use them, the more you will learn how best to use them. Not to mention, it doesn't hurt to have a friend who's good at color selection or just as a second pair of eyes to help mix and match colors.


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Q&A.; Electricity Free Clothes Washing
The Wonderwash operates by stowing your dirty clothes in the barrel, with hot or warm water and a small amount of detergent and fixing the lid in place. A pressure screw in then tightened on the lid. It is this pressure which the key to the performance of the unit. The notion is that the hot water in the completely sealed and pressurised barrel heats up the air trapped inside. This pressure forces the water and the detergent through the fabrics and separates the dirt and grime rapidly. Rotating the barrel with the handle further agitates the mixture of water, detergent, fabric and dirt. About 2 minutes rotation is supposedly all that is required. The pressure screw is released and the dirty water emptied. The Wonderwash can also be used for rinsing laundry. But it is not a mini tumble drier.
When I was lecturing in eco-design, the Wonderwash made a great case study for innovative thinking. Taking the notion of pressure cooking in the kitchen and applying it to the laundry. It can use 45,000 less litres of water per year, compared to a standard top load washing machine, a saving of nearly 80%. There is also a corresponding saving of roughly 65% in energy and 45% in detergent use.
The down sides are that it uses hot water (tsk tsk) and in the past there have been some issues with the longevity of the plastic structure. Maybe these have been resolved since my days of using one as my sole washer. Laundry Alternative offer them for $43 USD and Lehmans have a made in the USA model, called Wonder Clean for about $45 USD. Plus they have the much more robust James Hand Washer for the tidy sum of $450 USD, but this is more than it sounds like you need
May your wash day blues be a thing of the past, Justin.


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Kanye West deserves our thanks. The gift he promised — or threatened — following the 2015 Grammy Awards is priceless.
In the middle of a rant about the terrible injustice of Beck winning Album of the Year, Kanye had a moment of brilliance. Pure brilliance. As in — I hope he's flooded with heartfelt thank-you notes from sweet little lace-sweatered grannies across the country. It's that brilliant.
"We ain't gonna play with them no more," he told E! in an interview right after the awards show.
See? Brilliant.
While I don't know what Kanye meant exactly, I'm going to interpret it in the broadest possible sense, because that gives me the most possible hope.
Maybe this means he won't be attending the Grammys — no more.
That he won't be hogging the spotlight and delivering long-winded tirades — no more.
And that he won't be subjecting us to his classless, money-flaunting, crotch-grabbing persona — no more.
If you missed the Grammys, you'll need a little context. There were five nominees for the night's most coveted prize — Album of the Year. They were: Beck's Morning Phase, Beyoncé's self-titled album, Ed Sheeran's X, Sam Smith's In The Lonely Hour, and Pharrell Williams' Girl.
Beck won.
He wasn't even expecting it, which made it all the more delightful. His wide-eyed, walk of excitement seemed genuine. Although he's been nominated for Album of the Year twice before, this marked his first-ever win for the biggest prize. And although he's won three Grammys before, the last one was 15 years ago. So this? This was pretty amazing for him, all the way around.
But when Beck took the stage to accept his award, Kanye jumped up, ready to steal the spotlight. Hundreds of faces in the audience went wide-eyed in horror for that split second, fearing he might pull a repeat of his 2009 VMAs performance — the one where he interrupted a young and awestruck Taylor Swift, to say that someone else deserved her award.
But no.
That split second passed, and Kanye hopped back off the stage. He sat down — phew. Bullet dodged. Relief, smiles, even nervous snickers and giggles could be seen amongst the Grammy-goers.
Good one, Kanye, they seemed to be thinking. He's poking fun at himself. Yeah, he's already performed, already taken his share of the spotlight, but this ill-timed moment of comic relief might just show a quirky bit of character.
It was a nice thought, affording him the benefit of the doubt. Sadly, those who thought it turned out to be wrong.
Kanye wasn't trying to be funny. He was just being himself. He fully intended to ruin Beck's moment in the spotlight, but for some reason — maybe a look of embarrassment from pal Jay Z or wife Kim K — he thought better of it at the last second and opted to save his rant.
And what a rant it was. [Watch it here.]
"The Grammys, if they want real artists to keep coming back, they need to stop playing with us," he said in his interview with E! after the show. "We ain't gonna play with them no more. Flawless Beyoncé video, and Beck needs to respect artistry, and he should have given his award to Beyoncé. At this point, we tired of it… What happens is, when you keep on diminishing art, and not respecting the craft, and smacking people in the face after they deliver monumental feats of music, you're disrespectful to inspiration… No, we not playing with them no more."
All of that foolishness because Beck won, and Beyoncé did not. I should probably disclose that I'm not a Beck groupie. I haven't heard a single song on his award-winning album. I've heard some of his work in the past, but it's not really my style. Still, I think the way he handled the situation shows what an incredibly classy and humble and genuine guy he is. Beck brushed Kanye's attacks off by saying Kanye deserved to be on stage as much as anybody, acknowledging that Beyoncé's album was indeed worthy of an award, and then, saying Kanye was a "genius". I hope the last part was high-brow sarcasm, but I tend to think it wasn't, and for that, I have to give him bonus points.
Because let's face it — Kanye peed in the sandbox, and Beck just kind of shook his head and laughed it off.
It really is kind of like one giant Kindergarten sandbox, when it comes down to it. There are musical artists in every possible genre, and everybody is playing together, albeit in different ways. Some are building sandcastles, others are scooping up and pouring out shovels full of sand, delighted in the artistry of those perfect little heaps that form below. And then, there's the kid who doesn't quite grasp the concept. Because I guess sandboxes can be hard. You know the kid I'm talking about, right? The one who is throwing sand in the eyes of other kids, after having taken a tinkle — or a poo — over in the corner. Yeah. That's the one.
That kid is Kanye.
I champion the cause of beauty in its many forms. When people poke fun of others for their appearances, their abilities, or their personal decisions, I am incensed. But boorish, self-serving behavior? For that, I cannot be a champion. In fact, my tolerance level is rather low.
So when Kanye West says "We ain't gonna play with them no more", I find myself doing a little cheer.
Because maybe, just maybe, that means he'll be going to another sandbox. Maybe that means I won't see the latest faux news tidbits on his wardrobe, or his musical artistry, or his intimate escapades with wife Kim Kardashian. Maybe it means I won't see the almost-everything-bared fashion statements, the gold this-and-that, the in-your-face, break-the-internet, give us attention for anything and everything because we are Hollywood Royals charade.
And maybe that also means there will be no tinkling — or pooing — in the sandbox, at least for the time being.
Sarah Elizabeth is a wife and mother residing in a small Southern town filled with rolling green hills and thousands of kind, beautiful faces. She once enjoyed a life with a slightly faster pace as an award-winning television journalist, and marketing professional, but these days, her life is much more quiet. She writes about her daily observations, experiences with Inflammatory Bowel Disease, chronic illness, and occasionally, her love of Jane Austen. Latter-day Jane is her blog. Click here to follow her on Facebook.


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