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Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Vincerò! Vincerò, Vincerò!
Here is what that means:
No more air drying -- I can use my fluffy towels after I shower.
No more picking up after myself immediately when I abandon an empty glass or an apple core.
No more making the bed the fancy way every morning, using every pillow I own.
After just a matter of hours, I already feel once again as though I LIVE here, and am not just maintaining it while waiting for a would-be buyer. I'm not usually a messy person, but I may just throw around some dirty socks, scatter papers across the desk, leave a jacket crumpled on the cedar chest.
Does it sound as though I became a paranoid crazy person while the condo was available for lookers?
Oh yes – that happened right after the phone call from an agent who informed me that a potential buyer was in my parking lot and wondered if he could come in -- that very moment. I dutifully shoved my wet bathing suit back in the gym bag, walked down to the garage and then lurked in a parking lot across from my building.
I think I will enjoy this respite from being on public display.
I will not enjoy the circumstances that led to the respite. But Barbara Ehrenreich says in her new book "Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America" (Metropolitan Books, Oct. 2009) that I don't have to be cheery as I muddle through this new cancer diagnosis and deal with the treatments.
So far I have been numb with despair, pleased at the favorable aspects of the situation, furious at having to deal with this again and grateful that I have such great docs and great friends to help me. All those emotions coursed through me in a 20-minute period, and they loop back through as the day goes on.
It's exhausting.
Tonight I skipped book club (and I love my book club) in favor of climbing into my big soaking tub, where I cried for a bit and then read a New Yorker from two weeks ago, when I was still under the delusion that I was healthy.
Next I headed for the kitchen, where I devoured my 23rd honey crisp apple of the season. Then I spent the rest of the evening watching "Luciano Pavarotti: A Life in Seven Arias," a DVD from the BBC that I bought last Christmas but had never unwrapped.
That did it!
In the car, I let Luciano sing to me all the time -- and this was even better. The astonishing beauty of this man's voice transports me. Though I'm not going to California any time soon, I do plan to spend more time (courtesy of the DVD) strolling the streets of Modena and sitting in the great opera houses of the world, listening to my favorite of The Three Tenors.
And isn't that last line to "Nessun Dorma" an inspiring slogan to carry with me into surgery?
2 comments:
Those odd bits of road and annoyance that wind us the long way home.
Now there is a topic worth writing. Where it is; where it ain't; and the fact that it is just the moment we inhabit. Should we dare.
There are times the detours remind us of the absolute mystery of life. Doesn't mean it don't suck completely at times. But, it is mystery none the less. And there is the Grace.
For another great take on Nessun Dorma, check out the movie "Aria." It's from (I think) the late '80s. A compendium of directors wrote and directed short films using their favorite opera aria. In addition to the transcendent Nessun Dorma, the Liebestod also was beautifully directed. Every short is very well done (IMHO...)ReplyDelete
Best of luck to you on your journey.


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Senators grilled officials from the administration of Gov. Mike Dunleavy Monday, February 18, regarding what are likely to be his least popular budget cuts- cuts to K-12 education.
"Education, I think, is one of the key components in the State's budget that everyone says they support," Sen. Lyman Hoffman (D-Bethel) noted in a Senate Finance hearing Monday.
Indeed, an unscientific online poll conducted by the Senate Majority, of which Hoffman is a member, shows 51 percent of respondents feel education funding is too low. An additional 12 percent say it is "about right."
Yet Dunleavy proposed a $269 million cut to the K-12 foundation formula in the FY 2020 budget he released last week.
"Is this normal? Abnormal?" Senate Finance Co-chair Bert Stedman (R-Sitka) asked for the benefit of the public.
"I certainly couldn't call reductions of this magnitude 'normal,'" responded Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) Commissioner Michael Johnson. "Our state's in a tough spot."
Other education cuts include all pre-K funding and the $30 million in grants approved by the legislature last year.
"In a way, the charade's over," Senate Minority Leader Tom Begich (D-Anchorage) said in a press conference. "We can see what the governor had intended to do. We can see the vision that he hinted at but did not give details to when he was running for office."
Cuts to DEED total $309 million in unrestricted general funds (UGF). That is more than 23 percent of DEED's budget.
"From my viewpoint, I find that completely unacceptable," Hoffman reacted. "How does this administration justify just about a 25 percent reduction in education? What are we trying to accomplish, other than it's a budget issue, and we need to balance our checkbook?"
"The State is out of money and we need to balance our budget," responded Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Donna Arduin. "We're proposing this so that we can get our budget balanced and our fiscal house in order."
"It's all about the checkbook," Hoffman concluded. "It can't be only about the checkbook; it has to be about our obligations to educate students."
"How is the magnitude of this cut to education going to improve outcomes in Alaska for students?" asked Sen. Click Bishop (R-Fairbanks).
When Arduin responded by only mentioning the impact on the budget, Bishop told her, "With all due respect, ma'am, that's the wrong answer."
Sen. von Imhof: Budget "Seems to Be Cuts and Nothing More"
Senate Finance Co-chair Natasha von Imhof (R-Anchorage) noted that school districts' health care costs grew nearly 100 percent in a decade, despite student counts remaining flat.
"Rather than just making a big across-the-board cut and saying, 'All 53 districts, you're on your own. Good luck,' maybe a better approach might have been, 'Let us help you with your highest cost driver and see if we can, as a state, come up with a solution that makes sense that helps everybody.' I'm not really hearing that, and I think that's a problem," von Imhof said.
"We don't control school districts, and we don't control how they spend their money," Arduin responded.
"There just seems to be cuts and nothing more," von Imhof said of the budget. "Was there any evaluation of the impact of these cuts [and] any attempt to mitigate them?"
Arduin told her that OMB and DEED are still at the beginning of the process.
"I would say that the proposed budget that we are looking at here today is being received with less than enthusiasm by this committee," said Hoffman. "I don't see the thought going into this budget of what are our alternatives."
Using an analogy, Bishop told Arduin, "You're a client coming in to the banker. We're the bankers, and you haven't made a very good case why I should loan you some money."
Sen. Peter Micciche (R-Soldotna) said there used to be plenty of teachers interested in working in Alaska.
"Now at the job fairs for teachers, they have more people at tables trying to hire teachers than the teachers that show up for jobs. There are crickets," Micciche told Johnson. "You can't fill the positions that you have open today. Most of it's due to uncertainty. When we support policies such as an oil and gas [tax] to provide certainty so that we increase investment in our state, yet we make our education funding so uncertain, is this going to make it easier to fill the jobs that are available or more difficult?"
"I have no easy answers. Budget cuts are going to be difficult," replied a visibly uncomfortable Johnson. "I can't sit here and tell you that any of this will be easy. It will be tough."
Bishop said he's receiving concerned phone calls about the budget from businesses.
"How does this budget proposal grow Alaska's economy?" he asked.
Arduin repeated a claim that the State's spending has held back the private economy.
There is no evidence to support that claim. In fact, research has shown that this budget would cost over 10,000 public and private sector jobs, only about half of which would be offset with the $3,000 Permanent Fund dividend (PFD).
"You can't govern a state by throwing out types of economic theories and not understand the real world implications of those theories to people," Begich told reporters later.
During the hearing, von Imhof noted the $3,000 PFD would cost the State an amount equivalent to 15 of its 18 departments.
"The governor ran on a campaign to pay a full dividend this year. Without an income tax, really the only way to do it is to cut the budget," she told those in the audience. "The public has a choice. This is what a budget looks like to pay a full dividend. How does it sit with you?"
Sen. Wielechowski: Budget Coming Close to Violating Constitution
Dunleavy's proposed cuts would the reduce the Base Student Allocation (BSA) from $5,930 per Alaska student to $4,880, according to testimony from Heidi Teshner, OMB's administrative service director for DEED.
"Have we ever lowered the Base Student Allocation before?" Stedman asked.
Teshner said there is no record of the BSA previously being lowered.
Article VII, Section 1 of the Alaska Constitution requires the State to "establish and maintain a system of public schools open to all children of the State[.]"
The State has been sued multiple times by plaintiffs claiming the State failed to provide an adequate education.
In Moore v State, the Alaska Superior Court established a four-part test of adequacy: rational education standards; an adequate method of assessing whether children are meeting those standards; adequate oversight of school districts; and adequate funding.
"We're coming, I think, perilously close to violating our constitutional obligation to adequately provide for a public education system in the state of Alaska if this budget passes," Sen. Bill Wielechowski (D-Anchorage) told reporters.
During the hearing, Wielechowski asked Johnson if anyone at the Department of Law had expressed concern over the constitutionality of the budget, to which Johnson replied he had not been contacted.
"Is it your position that schools across Alaska will be adequately funded if we pass this budget, or do you believe that local communities will be required to add additional funds to adequately fund education?" Wielechowski pressed.
"We have answered the question from the senator about adequate education funding. He's asking us for a legal term," Arduin protested to Stedman, who was chairing the meeting.
Wielechowski cited AS 14.07.150, which makes the DEED commissioner responsible "for the preparation and execution of a budget[.]"
"It's your statutory obligation to prepare a budget that meets our constitutional obligation, so I'm a little surprised that you're unable to sit here and say that you have met that obligation, that this adequately funds education," he told Johnson.
Wielechowski noted the $16.8 million cut to pre-K, which eliminates all funding for pre-K grants, Parents as Teachers, and Head Start.
"Study after study has shown that pre-K programs have worked to get especially students in rural Alaska that are somewhat lagging behind into a position where they can go ahead and keep up with people throughout the state," Sen. Donny Olson (D-Golovin) observed.
"Pre-K was one of the required items as part of the Moore v State settlement agreement a number of years ago to improve outcomes in the poorest-performing districts in the state. It has improved outcomes in those districts. By completely eliminating pre-K, you are very likely putting the State in jeopardy of violating the constitution, our constitutional obligation to provide for an adequate public school system," Wielechowski said during the press conference.
"Do you believe that cutting pre-K funding will improve or decrease outcomes in the poorest-performing districts in the state of Alaska?" Wielechowski asked Johnson.
"This is an OMB budget presentation," Arduin interjected after Johnson hedged. "Those things are for another committee another day."
AS 14.07.150 also requires the State Board of Education to approve the DEED budget. However, last week, the Board tabled a motion to approve the budget pending action by the legislature, Johnson reported.
"They can't just duck the hard decisions," Wielechowski told reporters. "That's not how the statute works."
Wielechowski noted that the BSA is also set in statute, yet Dunleavy has proposed to underfund it.
"We should follow the statutes that we have on the books," Wielechowski declared.
Sen. Stedman Appeals to Johnson's Experience as Superintendent
During the hearing, Hoffman drew a comparison between the PFD, which Dunleavy has said is a statutory obligation, and a variety of other laws he proposes to change. The result would be a $420 million shift in tax revenue from local governments to the State.
"The problem is this administration is proposing somewhere around 20 pieces of legislation to change the law," Hoffman said of Dunleavy. "I'm finding it hard to fathom that he plans to pick and choose which laws are on the books and which ones he will enforce and which ones won't he. To me, that's a very large inconsistency."
Arduin told Hoffman that the appropriations in the budget are subject to legislative approval. Dunleavy is trying to submit bills that would permanently match the moves in the budget, she said.
"I understand the political process and how laws are made and not made. I've been at this table for 20 years, Ms. Arduin, so I don't need schooling on that subject," Hoffman snapped.
Hoffman was one of several senators who sought clarity on Dunleavy's intentions should the legislature not approve his budget moves. They emphasized the impact on local communities.
"We're seeing kind of a theme of shifting costs to local governments, which means local property taxes, local sales taxes will be going up to meet this difference. Ms. Arduin… I don't know if you understand that there's a connection here when you remove $300 million, because of federal law, the fund to the cap locally is lowered, as well, so it exacerbates the problem. The locals can't respond with higher funding," Micciche explained of the education formula. "You're actually talking about thousands of local positions that the local districts can't match because if they fund to the cap, they're still put at the same cap because of the trickle-down from the funding formula."
Micciche estimated that the cuts would result in 40-44 kids per classroom.
"Can we adequately deliver an adequate educational product with 44 kids per classroom?" he asked.
Johnson replied that student/teacher ratios would vary.
"Any reduction in funding is going to be difficult for everyone," Johnson said. "I can't anticipate how each district, how each classroom would respond if these reductions are passed."
Teshner testified that the Anchorage School District would see an $85.7 million cut if the budget passed.
"How are they going to be able to wrap their heads around this? It's an impossible question," said an exasperated Hoffman. "This is an impossible task."
Stedman appealed to Johnson's history as the superintendent for the Copper River School District, which is facing a $1.3 million cut to its $6.8 million budget. How will this impact the district, Stedman asked.
"Clearly, Commissioner Johnson, you've got the history as a principal," he said. "Educate us."
As superintendent, "There was never a cut that I found that everybody supported," Johnson replied simply.
Johnson added that to secure the best teachers, districts prefer to have their budgets done sooner, rather than later.
Stedman estimates the State budget won't be completed until mid-May, after many school districts have typically finished their budgeting.
Searching for laxity in school district budgets, Sen. David Wilson (R-Wasilla) asked Johnson about "fleets of planes" that school districts own and districts that offer full-time benefits to part-time volunteers.
Johnson replied that he's not aware of the latter, and there is only one school district that owns aircraft. It is a single plane.
Sen. Micciche: Administration's Claim That Budget Doesn't Raise Taxes "Not a Fact"
Dunleavy has proposed a repeal of local petroleum property tax credits. In FY 2018, local governments brought in $440 million in those taxes. The North Slope Borough's share was $372 million.
If SB 57 passes, all that revenue accrues to the State.
"I'd like to say I'm happy to be here today to present to you, but it wouldn't exactly be true," OMB Policy Director Mike Barnhill said while introducing the proposal.
"It is a significant part of the governor's budget," Barnhill said of the petroleum property taxes.
"A cut of that magnitude is something that would be so debilitating to essentially the breadbasket of the state of Alaska that it would be crippling for years to come," Olson told reporters.
"How did you notify the business leaders and North Slope Borough? Did they read about it in the paper? Did you give them a courtesy call a day ahead of time? Did you discuss it a week to two weeks prior?" von Imhof asked Arduin.
Arduin said the North Slope Borough saw the budget the same time everyone else did, when it was released last Wednesday.
Dunleavy has also introduced a bill repealing the fisheries business tax and the fisheries resource landing tax, which Stedman explained are designed to support local fishing infrastructure. SB 63 would cost communities $28 million, hitting Unalaska hardest.
"With a deficit of the size that we have, there's literally no plan that we can put before this committee some element of which somebody won't hate," explained Barnhill. "If there's some element of this budget you hate, then, unfortunately, it has be replaced by something else."
But the budget bill (SSSB 20) includes $254 million for oil tax credits, $84 million of which would be paid for the current fiscal year.
Wielechowski noted that is a discretionary payment in statute.
"The oil companies don't see anything in here to go ahead and hate," Olson told Barnhill. "They, in fact, probably embrace this budget because they are left harmless. Because of that, I find it somewhat disingenuous that the administration would go ahead and try and present this before us without looking at… another avenue, and that's revenues."
"The governor's been very clear that he is not contemplating raising taxes to fix our budget problems," Arduin jumped in.
"That's debatable," responded Bishop.
"We continue to talk about this approach that was not going to be raising taxes on Alaskans, which is not a fact. It's an approach that doesn't change the State tax rate, but dramatically changes the local tax rate," Micciche argued.
Micciche serves as vice-chair of the Kenai Peninsula Borough (KPB) Local Emergency Planning Committee and president of the Cook Inlet Harbor Safety Committee Managing Board.
Micciche noted that the Coast Guard has requirements of coastal communities that deal with oil export. He asked Arduin if Dunleavy is proposing that KPB raise local taxes to meet those federal requirements that support State oil revenue, or whether KPB should bill the State for its efforts.
After a pause, Arduin said she would come back with a response.
"In the testimony in the Finance Committee, I've been shocked by the OMB Director's responses to legitimate questions from members who have sat at that table for up to 20 years… where she has indicated she did not even consider the implications to local communities, the passing on these taxes, essentially," Begich said later. "For a governor who says he doesn't support taxes, his goal seems to be to push those taxes down to the local level and to charge people those taxes anyway. At the same time… he is raising the amount that we pay to the oil industry in this process. How is that even remotely fair in the minds of the average Alaskan?"
Begich noted that Dunleavy's bill to repeal school bond debt reimbursement (SB 64) would likely violate another education lawsuit settlement, Kasayulie v State.
"Most people don't take it seriously down here," Begich said of the budget. "If you love this budget, you can't possibly like Alaska."
The school bond debt reimbursement program is under a moratorium for new projects until FY 2021, but has not been fully repealed.
Dunleavy is proposing to share a portion of the State's alcohol tax revenue with communities as part of their community assistance payments. SB 62 would cost the State roughly $20 million.
Senate Finance will continue looking at department budgets throughout the week. Next up, after finishing Dunleavy's other administrative proposals, are the University of Alaska, the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, the Judiciary, and the Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT).
Stedman expects the University and DOT presentations to be lengthy.
UA is facing a $134 million cut, while a $98 million cut to the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) would all but end State-run ferries.
This article brought to you by Jimmy Cliff's "Sufferin' in the Land."

subset: commoncrawl


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foxtel schedules
foxtel.com.au There are three ways to order Foxtel On Demand, just click on one of the images below and following the simple instructions.
Telstra T-Box Foxtel
foxtel schedulesFoxtel Box Foxtel On Demand - Discover - FOXTEL
Telstra T-Box. BigPond finds another use.
FOXTEL's online TV Guide makes finding TV Shows and Movie times easier than ever before. Look up what's on TV tonight with FOXTEL's interactive TV Guide.
Foxtel Cup The official FOXTEL TV Guide - FOXTEL –.
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Link My FOXTEL TV Account - CrowdSupport.
I was invited to test drive the new Telstra T-Box. Having seen one in passing at the local Telstra Shop, my initial reaction was: 'not for me thanks – already
Arena Channel: 105 | Arena +2: 154 Great TV Anytime. ARENA is award-winning television, delivering the best in entertainment. Sitcoms that make you laugh, talk shows
Jane Flemming, one of Australia's best known sporting personalities, is set to cover her fifth Olympics as an athletics commentator at London 2012 for the Nine
Does anyone know where I get my account number to enter on the Foxtel website to Link My FOXTEL TV Account. It asks for my smart card number which I've got & an
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SpongeBob SquarePants Episodes | Watch.


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The latest Android 4.4 KitKat has already rolled out to a bunch of smartphones in the wild. Recently, ASUS announced the company is rolling out the latest Android 4.4 KitKat update for the Asus Padfone Infinity as well as the Fonepad Note 6.
The update brings a handful of improvements and new features to both devices, and even removes some of the pre-installed ASUS apps.
The apps which will be removed include Buddybuzz, Car Home, Watch Calendar, My Library, My Bit cast, Pinpal, ASUS Sync, ASUS Echo, AO Link, Birthday Reminder, Mode Manager, System Bar Lock, Device tracker, Floating app and Quick Tool. It's not just the removal of these apps, some of the previous apps will also get enhancements so they are more user friendly.
The updates are pretty big in size, so make sure you are connected to a WiFi network before you decide to save them — the Android 4.4 KitKat update for the Padfone Infinity is sized at 1GB while the Fonepad Note 6 update is 1.15GB.
You can manually install the update by heading over to the source link below, and download necessary files. If you've already upgraded to the latest Android 4.4 KitKat update, let us know about your experience.
Source: Facebook(1), (2), GSMArena


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Every once in a while you really want a taste of some old-fashioned, old-time favorites (that someone else has to cook, and then clean up after) like pot roast, meatloaf, mashed potatoes made with actual potatoes, fried corn and squash casserole, chicken-fried everything...and even a nice plate of fried liver and onions. Black-Eyed Pea has all this and more.
Including plenty of old-timers who love that old-timey food.
See also: - Five fast-food meals to stimulate your 4/20 palate - Jenn in Chains: Wahoo's Fish Taco: No meat, no gluten, no problem - Colorado-based Tokyo Joe's is a fast-food chain that needs to slow down
"Black-Eyed Pea? Those are still around?" I heard that a lot when I decided to visit one of the outposts of this chain, which was founded in 1975 by Dallas restaurateur Gene Street and, after some modest expansion in the 1980s, hit a few bumps in the 1990s. It wound up passing through several hands, until it was purchased in 2001 by Phoenix Restaurant Group, which shaved the chain down to around forty locations, mostly in Texas and Tennessee, with nine franchises in Colorado owned by Stephen and Jim Shaw and Alan Laughlin.
Over the last decade, the Black-Eyed Pea was rebranded as a country-casual chain, like Cracker Barrel -- minus the country store with the horehound candy, which the Pea should look into. It certainly would have been a hit with the clientele at the Black-Eyed Pea at 211 West 104th Avenue in Northglenn, tucked way back in the corner of a scrappy-looking plaza of other shops and restaurants, and right across from a defunct Bennigan's.
Standing in the lobby in a crowd of old-timers, I was treated to décor my own grandma would have chuckled at: items made from dried sticks and ribbons, and butterfly hangy-things made from what appeared to be pantyhose, dangling from the ceiling fans. The poor staff of hosts, servers and bussers all looked like they were doing their best not to have any fun at all, and I was seated in a booth squished between two other booths of very loud, very talkative groups of older ladies. I learned a lot over lunch -- apparently Medicare sucks, there are home remedies for the safe removal of plantar warts, and kids/grandkids are ingrates who expect everything handed to them.
I was soon handed strawberry lemonade ($3.99), and after a few more minutes of listening to the details of mole-removal surgery, I stopped my server and asked for a shot of vodka in my lemonade ($.99). I also ordered pot roast with sides of black-eyed peas and squash casserole ($10.99), the mushroom and Swiss grilled chicken ($11.99) with mac & cheese and house seasoned fries, a senior-sized order of liver & onions ($7.49) with mashed potatoes, gravy and fried apples and a fresh-baked cinnamon roll ($4.99).
My server soon brought out a basket of unnaturally good, honey-kissed wheat dinner rolls that were light and smooshy-middled. I'd barely made a dent on those when my food arrived. The seasoned fries weren't seasoned so much as lightly salted, the macaroni and cheese was blah and bland, and under the sautéed mushrooms and melted Swiss, the chicken was dry -- probably from being done first and waiting under a heat lamp for the other plates. But everything else was just fine, especially the liver and onions, which I hate making at home because the dish reeks up the house, and I don't often get to order in restaurants since most of them don't have it. I got a moderately-sized slice of dark, iron-y, sizzling liver, grilled with a nice, lacy edge of char-bits. The meat was dense, even a little juicy, with hardly any of that annoying connective tissue that turns into grilled rubber bands when cooked. The mashed potatoes were made with reds, had just enough skin to give them texture, and were loaded with pepper and a strangely creamy brown gravy. The fired apples were drippier and more sugary than I like, but that's a personal preference (more apple, less other stuff). The squash casserole was the breakout favorite. I've had plenty of squash in plenty of different dishes over the years, but I particularly enjoyed the simplicity of the Pea's version: chunky-smashed yellow squash baked with cream and lots of green onions. I mixed them around with the side of black-eyed peas, which were acceptably soft, flavored with bits of ham and wisely undersalted. (It's easy to add salt, and impossible to suck salt out.)
The pot roast was just as delicious as it appeared on the menu: The fall-apart strands of beef were smothered in the same cream/brown gravy, but missing the simmered-with-it carrots. Instead, there was half a boiled carrot cut up on top of the meat mound, perhaps as the garnish.
I ordered a cinnamon roll as dessert, since all the other options seemed boring. And since the dinner rolls had been the best part of my meal so far, I wanted to see if the Pea applied the same work ethic to these colossal, meticulously-layered, icing-evenly-distributed cinnamon buns. It did.
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I started packing up my leftovers -- fast -- when I overheard one lady ask another to borrow her nail clippers (and they say younger people have no couth!). I like the Pea's old-timey food, but unless you are retired and/or love hearing a constant stream of chatter about illnesses, things someone else's grandkids do, and where to find the lowest price on bed linens, you might want to load up on extra dinner rolls, get some to-go boxes and beat a quick path out the door. Or perhaps try the Colorado Boulevard location.
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The Passionately Curious
Passion – Strong feeling, intense emotion; violent rage or fury.
Think of a baby…now think about this definition. Babies and young children are basically passionately curious. What becomes of them?
I recently read a quote by none other then Albert Einstein, "I have no special talents, I am only passionately curious". What an understatement!! Where Einstein had the edge was that he never lost his child-like curiosity.
I would say that for the most part, professional artists are passionately curious. This is what drives us all to investigate a subject so intently that we are able to portray it with the skills of a master illusionist. Think about it for a minute. The materials we use to craft our illusion seem rather ubiquitous. We might use paint and canvas, wood, stone, threads or clay but with courage and effort these everyday objects become works of art. It is our child-like curiosity that drives us to create, drives us to see what we can get away with.
We are all born passionately curious but the dog days of school, jobs and drudgery tend to drive curiosity from most of our psyches. We get glimpses of it now and then when asked to create or to change but as Greg Morres (author of Learn Our Heart Virtues) states, for the most part we live with mediocrity, yearning for the passion. No need for despair, this curiosity can be rekindled!
I have been teaching regular classes for beginner/intermediate painters since the end of the summer. I have seen my student's fears of making 'mistakes' dwindle and their willingness to take chances increase. The classes are now ' abuzz' from beginning to end and the students are regularly exploring the 'what if?' principle, often written about by Robert Genn. Their curiosity is definitely on the rise and they are beginning to experience the magic of the brush…..the passion found in their creative spirit.
As a whole it would be nice to see the human race reignite this part of our being….take a chance on relinquishing fears, get re-acquainted with the natural world and ask ourselves "what if?' a whole lot more often than we do now. Keep asking questions but above all keep curious.


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I was so excited to be a part of Vinifera EuroMaster and enjoying the first weeks of Montpellier. On the second week of Vinifera EuroMaster, Montpellier SupAgro organized a trip to INRA Pech Rouge. We attended some workshops about viticulture and enology which was given by Laurent Terragosa, Jean-Philippe Roby, Hernan Ojeda (Director of Pech Rouge), Pilar Baeza, Mark Strobl, Markus Rienth and Alain Carbonneau. We also visited La Clape and Grés de Montpellier.
I picked all these vine leaves up from INRA Pech Rouge Experimental Vineyards to see the differentiations between the leaves of red/white wine grape varieties.


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Drink Your Waterby John Riggio
You gotta drink your water. With rockin' drums, driving synths, and power guitars, your students will get the message of this song, and enjoy it in the process! (from Music K-8, Vol. 24, No. 1)
About the Downloadable OptionThe downloadable version contains all the components the print version would, but in electronic format. Files may be quite large: A high-speed connection is recommended. (Visit the Download Help page for more info.)
About the Audio RecordingsAudio recordings contain full performance and accompaniment only (instrumental) tracks.
Downloadable PDFs, Performance/


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In this sense, and through its network of independent experts in several fields, THERFALIM intervenes to help you achieve your goals.


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Zhipeng Tan is a fascinating Chinese master artisan, plastic artist and designer that dedicated his life to the ancient and endangered technique of lost-wax casting. He graduated from the China Academy of Art and since then he decided to merge his interest in his heritage and in organic forms to create his art pieces. Tan soon discovered that the ancient foundry process of lost-wax casting was the best way to do so.
Tan's inspiration emerges from nature (water drops, tree roots) but also from the human figure (spinal cords, pelvic structures). His sublime and exclusive Lily collection marries the beauty of botanic and the human body. Thanks to the contrasts in his artistic influences, his work travels to the reign of surreal or even abstract, despite keeping its functionality.
There is no doubt that the 33 Step chair is his most visceral work. The name of the chair comes from the 33 vertebrae in the human spine. This innovative artwork inverts the natural structure of the human body, using the pelvis as the seat and resting the cervical vertebrae on the floor.
Although we don't remember it often, the pelvis is the central part of the human skeletal structure, uniting the spine and the legs. It is also a symbol of femininity and motherhood, since it is a "basket" for the female reproductive organs and the place from which humanity is born.
Using a golden coloration on the chair creates a sensation of luxury that is often present classical sculptures. Maybe it is celebrating the conception, the birth of mankind. Although this myth is common in many cultures, China also places maternity in a crucial status in their mythology.
Tan Zhipeng is one of the best international artists supported by the art Gallery All. His works of art were showcased in several editions of the best art exhibitions in the world, like Design Miami/, The Salon Art+Design and Collective Design. We can't wait for another chance to admire his extraordinary art pieces up close.
See More Related Stories
Best of Contemporary Art at Design Miami/ 2018: Gallery ALL
Don't Miss the Design Miami/ 2018 Highlights


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Probably best known for his role as Doc Brown in Back to the Future, Christopher Lloyd has been cast as granddad in the US remake of Only Fools And Horses. He will star opposite John Leguizamo as Del-Boy.
The original Only Fools and Horses ran from 1981-2003; it had one spin-off and a prequel


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The Republic of Ireland didn't have the greatest day on Saturday. After a disappointing 1-1 draw in Tbilisi, Wales scored a vital 1-0 against Austria.
This pair of results put pressure on the Boys in Green as the mid-week clash with Serbia is now a must-win.
1. A very familiar pattern
Ireland have developed an unfortunate habit of failing to build on leads. The early goal brought excitement but also the inevitability that Ireland would sit back and try to hold on to the lead.
The promising start was cancelled out late in the first half and Ireland essentially handed the Georgians the ball for the entirety of the game with the home side at one stage holding 80% possession.
Although Ireland mounted some late attacks, they rarely threatened and the chances should have been coming thick and fast after the goal.
It is a feature of Ireland's game that has become a dangerous pattern which would have resulted in a loss against some of the bigger teams in the group.
2. Ireland lack structure
The game plan was to sit back in Georgia's final third when it should have been to retain the ball. The midfield was disjointed as was the attack. Glenn Whelan failed to hold any meaningful position with Harry Arter failing to pick up any of the scraps during the rare times Georgia were loose in possession.
O'Neill's decision to play James McClean, Robbie Brady and Aiden McGeady was bizzare with McClean in particular too slow to release the ball and failed to lift his head and pick out a through ball for Jon Walters that would have seen the Burnley man clear on goal.
3. Ireland showed Georgia too much respect
After Ireland's goal, they defended as if it was the 90th minute for the remainder of the game. Although the Georgians were strong on the ball, they were afforded more than enough space to do whatever they wanted. Aside from the goal, the home side created very few chances which shows that they do lack quality despite being made look like Barcelona by the Irish.
Georgia looked like the team with something to play for despite already being out of qualification. For a team considered to have a lot of 'heart', Ireland were bland and offered very little.
The heat could be to blame but this wasn't an overly impressive Georgia team but rather one that was given space to knock the ball around at their liberty.
4. Lack of leadership
It was hard to pick out the leaders in today's game with the likes of Jon Walters, Glenn Whelan and Robbie Brady all anonymous.
James McClean was named man-of-the-match but the Derryman was guilty of over committing to challenges that put Ireland in serious danger only for the Georgian's to be wasteful. McClean did, however, show the drive and determination along with Aiden McGeady in the last quarter but Ireland could make nothing of it, this should have been encouraged when Ireland were ahead.
They panicked on the ball, sat too deep and were shocking in possession, the leaders in previous games went missing and will need to re-emerge come Tuesday night.
5. Ireland have it all to do
The Serbia match now looks like a must win in order to see a more straightforward run in.
Ireland will not want to go to Cardiff needing to beat Gareth Bale's Wales and must take advantage of a huge home tie. Martin O'Neill said post match that his side will have to put 'their heart and soul' into Tuesday's crunch tie.
But, the reality is that they will need to be set up to win. Aiden McGeady, although wasteful at times, showed the ball control and ability to beat players that very few in the Irish squad have.
Wes Hoolahan was left out despite being instrumental in the winner in Vienna. These are the types of players that need to feature against Austria as clearly demonstrated tonight, an attritional, defensive performance will not herald wins.
Nick Menezes, Pundit Arena
Read More About: aiden mcgeady, Ireland, james mcclean, Martin O'Neill, shane duffy


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ProteinSmart™ Women's Whey with CLA Drink Mix
- Assists weight loss
- Improves body shape when combined with a healthy diet and exercise
- Supports a strong immune system
- Builds antibodies
- A source of essential amino acides
- Excellent source of protein
DescriptionLorna Vanderhaeghe, the leader in womens vitamins and supplements, introduces PROTEINsmart, a women's whey protein powder with CLA. This hormone and antibiotic free whey protein isolate supports fat reduction and improves body shape when combined with a healthy diet and exercise. PROTEINsmart supports a strong immune system and builds antibodies. Adiitionally it is a great source of all essential amino acids.
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a fatty acid supplement that effectively increases lean muscle mass and enhances fat loss. In a 90-day, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study published in 2000 in the Journal of Nutrition, CLA users experienced fat loss with an average weight reduction of seven pounds and an increase in lean muscle. There was a 20% decrease in body fat. CLA also stops fat from coming back once dieting stops, research has found. According to The Journal of International Medical Research in 2001, those taking CLA who also exercise at the same time increase fat loss and increase lean muscle faster and with lower amounts of CLA. Incredibly, CLA has also been found to help with weight loss even if people don't change their lifestyle. In June 2009, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported on 45 postmenopausal women who were obese and who had type 2 diabetes. They took eight grams (8,000mg) of CLA per day with food for 32 weeks. The women were told not to diet or exercise any differently during the trial. The researchers found that CLA significantly reduced the women's body mass index (BMI) and resulted in a four-pound weight loss.


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Posted in Kuwait forum
I'm looking for new friends to break the working routine we live and learning together. We will go out, restaurants, coffe shops, malls, beach, sea trips, sports, etc. so all are welcome to join for free, yes I will pay all bills for all of us, Why? because I keen to know native English or good speakers due to TOEFL exam. I think I have to pay for that which will be more useful than the boring school.
Good Social circle
posted by Adil Anees in Kuwait forum
Hi all, I am new to Kuwait has just arrived as a Physics Teacher. I am in need of good social circle of friends, where sex, religion, race is not counted. I would love to be ur friend.
Hi romeo and Amr adel
posted by Deleted user in Kuwait forum
To be hounst I don't know if this form is still active and both of you are still looking for friends . Since I also return from Sweden after studying my master . I can't find decent friends ..... So if any of you or even both that will be better just let me know ..... Take care
posted by Amr Adel in Kuwait forum
Hi everyone, i just landed, 10 days ago, feeling terribly bored & always hangout alone..i hope i can make new friends here & hangout..hopefully soon i'll have this problem solved..
bonjour Mr. Richard LUC and SEA
posted by Juliana SD in Kuwait forum
merci :)
hi Mr. Richard and SEA
posted by Juliana SD in Kuwait forum
posted by Sea Breeze in Kuwait forum
I'm looking 4 friends to practice french language
Hi Romeo
posted by Richard Luc in Kuwait forum
I am new in Kuwait and also looking for friends here. I am French and I live in Mahbulla....
hello mohamad
posted by arvin reyes in Kuwait forum
for room painting and other civil works u can contact me 60025192 i have people to work near mangaf with university graduate....d problems with too much corruption...i learned so far in getting license...in kuwait embassy...anywhere...
kuwait visa
posted by mohamad almuttairi in Kuwait forum
Dear ones , am a kuwaiti my self nd i dont know whats worng with thease govements sincw the 15th of feb.2007 nd til now each a few weeks or more of months period nd a new regujustlation is isused no clear vision for labour laws 2 b known 1st nd clear
if i wana open any small buissness such as a parbershop , Bakala, or do some maitanace work repaires or home repaires i have 2 bring A UNIVERSITEY GRADUATE 4 the work of parber ,even n euroup its not a must , nd even so.., how can i find a UNIVERSITEY GRADUATE 4 the job of paint for a room or a house or a Tiles or Ceramick fixing a Uiniversitey Graduate 4 that !!!!?????? i wonder n what field of studey is that IT or Mangment???!!!!!
its seems that some greadey a dvicer said it should be suqeezed b4 opening any visa inorder 2 put it through big mafia agents like some other countrey coz poor people should not seek thier right unless they pay a tax 2 those every countrey labour sharks
i pettey my countrey 2 come 2 this levels of coreption nd i feel sadley 4 the weekness of govrement fight against such unfairness 2 the weekones of all the boors
am a kuwaiti nd n order 2 get a housemade 4 my wife nd young children as kuwait laws must come throught a privite office wud charge me 600KD , why ???!!!! its kuwaiti govremntal help for thouse labour mafia not a help 2 the housemaides or 2 the normal kuwaitey familleys
sorry friend
posted by Romeo A in Kuwait forum
Hello my friend, so sorry to tell you no body can give you correct information about this because no body know, it is government issue.
good luck


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3rd "Africa Focus" Photography competition. Africa in Green
Casa África invites people to take part in the 3rd "Africa Focus" Photography Competition with the subject Africa in Green, which will award photographs that best show the positive aspects of the African continent regarding the environment, renewable energy and economic and social development from a sustainable point of view.
The photographs should also show an optimistic approach so as to do away with the stereotypes that have marked the neighbouring continent for a long time. Casa África, as part of the public consortium made up from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Spanish Agency of International Development Cooperation (AECID), the Government of the Canary Islands and the Town Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is entrusted with the functions of promoting actions and projects that contribute to better understanding and development of all kinds of relations between societies in Africa, Europe and Spain.
- Participants
- Any individual of legal age can take part in the competition.
- Participation by the competitors implies the acceptance of these rules and is subject to the judges' final decision.
- No photographer or employee linked directly or indirectly to Casa África can take part.
d. Each participant expressly authorises Casa África to reproduce, distribute and publicly communicate the images submitted, as well as to adapt them to the necessary medium for their communication. These images will form part of Casa África's archive, which may only be used by them for non-profit documentary purposes. This authorisation does not grant Casa África exclusivity, and the authors may use their own images as per their own criteria In the event that Casa África uses an image in public communication events, the author´s name will always be mentioned.
- In cases that differ from those specified in the previous section (1.d.), Casa África will manage those corresponding rights with each author.
- Subject
- The 3rd "Africa Focus" Photography competition Africa in Green is looking for photographs that best portray the efficient and sustainable use of natural resources on the African continent and how to care for the environment, always from an optimistic approach, and one which reinforces the African continent's current positive aspects, a side which does not usually appear in traditional media. It us about discovering the respect for the environment professed by the societies on the neighbouring continent, unknown landscapes, sustainable projects that promote sustainable, economic and energy development. Images that show positive concepts related to the environment, sustainability, water, urbanism, natural resources, renewable energy and fair trade will be accepted.
- Procedure and selection
- The invitation to send the photographs will remain open from the 15th October to 10th December 14.00 hours (Spanish time).
- Each contestant can take part with a maximum of three (3) photographs. For this, you should send them by email to firstname.lastname@example.com. The photographs should be in JPEG or PNG format with an appropriate resolution and size of between 1.5MB and 4 MB. The participant's following personal details should be included:
- Name and Surnames
- Contact telephone
- Email address
- Date of Birth
- Nationality
- ID No., passport or Foreign residence card
- Address
- Post Code
- Town and Country
- Title of each photograph
- Description of each photograph
- Date and place where each photograph was taken
Competitors that do not include these details in the message could be excluded from the competition.
- We also value the creativity and innovation of the technique used and the way the message is transmitted. The photograph's description and title will also be valued under these criteria.
- The jury will be made up from renowned professionals from the field of the arts. Its composition will be communicated once the decision is published and they will meet shortly after the reception period for the photographs ends. The jury's decision will be published on Casa África's website (http://www.casafrica.es) and on the social networks where Casa África is present.
- Casa África reserves the right to declare the competition void if the number of images presented were not enough or in the case that, in the jury's opinion, the artistic level or reason for the photographs does not fit in with the competition's rules or objectives.
- The photographs may not be older than five years when they are submitted, and should not have received an award in any other contest.
- Prizes.
- Each image could obtain one of the following prizes:
- First prize: 600 €
- Second and third prize: 200€ each one
- The authors of the five prized photographs will be notified of their prize via the email address given for communication.
- The winners must respond to the message received accepting the prize. If no response is received within five working days from when the email is sent or if the email address is incorrect or non-existent, the prize will automatically pass to the following photograph chosen by the jury.
- Payment of the prize will be subject to Spanish tax legislation in force at the time of payment, regardless of the winner's country of tax residence.
- The winners will be able to receive the prize via a bank transfer or a money transfer service. The transfer fees will be charged at the destination account.
- Data Protection
- The competition's contestants and participants are informed and authorise that personal data given when enrolling into the competition, without which they could not take part in the competition, will be incorporated into an automated file, which is held by the Casa África Consortium, and will be used only so as to allow them to take part in the competition.
- Rights of exclusion
- Casa África Consortium reserves the right to rule out and exclude participants from the competition in the following cases:
- If they enrol with false data. Due to this, participants may be requested to verify their data.
- If they fraudulently or artificially manipulate their participation in the competition.
- If the jury consider that the photographs do not fit in with the subject matter set out; contain elements that in any way could be considered contrary to fundamental rights and public freedom; they induce, incite or promote criminal, slanderous, violent actions or that are generally against the law, morality or good customs generally accepted in public order; they are protected by any copyrights or intellectual rights belonging to third parties, without the participant having acquired previous legal permission from the holders beforehand; they violate the right to honour, personal or family privacy or the image of people themselves; they could be considered advertising or have a virus or other elements that could damage the normal functioning of the network, system or computer equipment.
- If any of these rules are not complied with in any way.
- Exoneration of responsibility
- The Casa África Consortium will be exonerated and will not be responsible for the failure of the participant to comply with copyright, intellectual property ownership or that of image, as well as any responsibility that could arise from this failure or defective compliance by the participants of these Competition rules.
Recibe nuestro boletín electrónico semanal con las actividades y noticias de Casa África.
At the opening of the 1st Spain-Ghana Tourism and Trade Forum in Casa Africa, the Ghanaian minister Darko-Mensah said that the African country has much to learn from Spain, but also much to offer "in a relationship in which we all win"
Casa África convenes its Diplomatic Council in Madrid under the chairmanship of minister Josep Borrell
This morning's meeting took place at the Palacio de Viana and celebrated Africa Day. The agenda included the 3rd Africa Plan and the activities of Casa África.
Confiáfrica's activity focuses on training businesspeople and the technical staff of African chambers of commerce on various actions aimed at facilitating business and mutual understanding between people from the Canary Islands and Africa.


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filmsNow Search is a piece of software that promises to help users find movies, celebrity content, and much more. It does look like a piece of software that can be trusted fully at first glance, so we are sure there are users who download it from its homepage (http://www.medianetnow.com/) or the Chrome Web Store (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/filmsnow-search/pcflcdabljbmaodkpkpbepfihonpegjc) willingly. Specifically speaking, there are 164 279 users who have installed this piece of software from the Chrome Web Store, which suggests that it is quite popular. Unfortunately, we have to upset all those users, including you – filmsNow Search is not exactly what it seems to be. Specialists have even decided to classify it as a potentially unwanted program because it might cause problems to users. No, it is not a harmful malicious application, but we cannot call it reliable software either, so you should install another program instead of it. If you have already installed it on your computer, or it has affected your Google Chrome browser without your knowledge, you can remove it at any time. We suggest that you do this sooner rather than later. The next paragraph will tell you more about this browser extension and why it is considered untrustworthy. Read more »
Monthly Archives: January 2018 - Page 7
filmsNow Search
Kool Player
Kool Player is a browser application that has probably made you wonder about its legitimacy because of the advertisements displayed after the installation of this program. Kool Player is a browser plugin allowing you to view online content of different formats. The plugin is considered a legitimate application, but some security experts categorize it as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) just because some adware programs are added to the installer of this application. If you cannot browse the Internet because of all those annoying pop-up advertisements, first remove the cause of those displays, i.e., the adware program disturbing your browsing sessions. But if you find the program Kool Player unnecessary too, you can remove it from the computer by uninstalling it through the Control Panel utility. Read more »
Genocheats Ransomware
Genocheats Ransomware seems to be a malicious file-encrypting program based on open-source ransomware called Hidden Tear. Because of this, there is some hope the decryption tool created by volunteer computer security specialists for Hidden Tear's encrypted files could work on data damaged by this newly created threat. Thus, instead of rushing to pay a ransom, we urge you to try other possible options first. Further, in this report, we will reveal more details about the malicious program, so if you came across this malware, it would be advisable to get to know it better, especially if this is the first time you are dealing with an infection capable of encrypting files. Slightly below the text, we will present a deletion guide prepared by our specialists at Anti-spyware-101.com, so if you need any assistance with Genocheats Ransomware removal, we urge you to check these steps. Read more »
+1-833-889-1888 BSOD Fake Message
If +1-833-889-1888 BSOD Fake Message has been opened on your Desktop out of the blue, it means that malicious software has affected your computer. Specifically speaking, it has dropped a file in the Startup folder and, as a consequence, the fake alert is opened on your screen automatically when your Windows OS loads up. Ignore the alert you see even though, at first glance, it looks like a BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) window displayed by the Windows OS because it only tries to scare you into dialing the telephone number it promotes. You will not contact helpful technicians if you make a call. It is more likely that cyber criminals will pick up the phone and then will try to convince you to purchase an application to fix the problem that has occurred, gain access to your computer, and/or get personal details that could be later sold expensively. Therefore, do not dial telephone number you see. Instead, go to erase malware from your computer fully so that the irritating fake window would not be displayed on your Desktop ever again. Luckily, malware responsible for opening it consists of only one file, so it should not be very hard to erase it. Of course, if you have never deleted any malicious application from your computer before, you should read our article from beginning to end first. Read more »
DeathNote Ransomware
Malware experts at Anti-Spwyare-101.com have recently discovered a newly crafted malware, which goes by the name of DeathNote Ransomware. If you ever happen to encounter this devious piece of software, be sure to do everything in your power to avoid as it exhibits malignant functionality, to put it lightly. If you are not familiar with ransomware applications, you must know that they are infamous for their ability to encrypt vast quantities of data without any notification or authorization. As you can imagine, having this devious piece of software active on your PC could lead to devastating outcomes. If you wish to learn more about the intricate inner workings of this ransomware, be sure to read our article entirely. Additionally, we present a few virtual security tips to help you maintain a secure and clean operating system. Finally, to help you remove DeathNote Ransomware, we include detailed instructions that you can find below this report. Read more »
Heropoint Ransomware
A black full-screen background and a program window-like ransom warning are what you get when your PC gets infected with the Heropoint ransomware. The infection fails to take files hostage because of the coding and the fact that the threat must be removed from the computer should now be your first priority. The Heropoint ransomware is likely to be primed to encrypt files later in the future, which is likely to end up in loss of pictures, music files, and other documents if such data is not backed up to storage devices. If you have the Heropoint threat on your PC, you are lucky enough because your data stays intact, at least at the time being. We invite you to continue reading to find out a little more about the threat, but if you are determined to remove it from the computer this very moment, scroll down to the end of the review to find a removal guide. Read more »
Your Email Accounts Toolbar
Your Email Accounts Toolbar is yet another attempt from the notorious Polarity Technologies Ltd. to earn some easy cash by promoting questionable third parties. This new potentially unwanted program (PUP) comes from a growing family already containing dozens of similar and identical tools, such as Search.hmylocaltransit.co, Search.searchwmtn.com, and Search.hlivetvnow.co, to mention a few. This new toolbar is not new at all. In fact, we have seen several identical ones that provide you with easy access to your e-mail accounts. However, you do not need such an unreliable tool to be able to do so as you can always use the bookmarking function of your browsers. Our malware experts at anti-spyware-101.com say that this PUP affects your Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox browsers only. If you do not want to be exposed to potentially unreliable third-party ads and corrupt links, which may lead to malicious pages or more infections, we recommend that you remove Your Email Accounts Toolbar from your computer. Read more »
Godra Ransomware
Godra Ransomware can mainly show up on your computer if you live in Croatia; at least, our malware specialists at anti-spyware-101.com say that this ransomware program must target Croatian-speaking users. So, the rest of the world might be in the luck this time but this can never be claimed with 100% certainty. This malicious threat attacks and encrypts the usual media and database files to cause the most possible damage to anyone infected with it. All this in order to extort money from you for the decryption software; and, not even a small amount. We do not believe that these cyber villains care about you and your encrypted files enough to send you the decryption software even if they have one. Experience shows that it is more likely that these crooks disappear after your transfer. We advise you to remove Godra Ransomware immediately if you wish to restore order on your system. Read more »
FormBook is a Trojan infection that might slither onto your computer and cause privacy-related issues since it is an infostealer Trojan, as research conducted by specialists working at anti-spyware-101.com has clearly shown. A bunch of different distribution mechanisms might be used to spread this information stealing malware. For example, it might be spread via PDFs with download links, .DOC and .XLS files with malicious macros, and archive files containing malicious executables. FormBook has already affected Aerospace, Defense Contractor, and Manufacturing sectors in the U.S and South Korea, but there is no doubt that these are not its only victims. Unfortunately, it takes time for victims to find out that this Trojan has affected their computers because it slithers onto them unnoticed and performs all activities in the background so that it would not be spotted and removed. If you suspect that this malicious application is active on your computer too and it turns out to be true, erase it from the system as soon as possible no matter how hard it is because this threat will not stop stealing information from your computer anytime soon. Unfortunately, we cannot promise that you could erase it from your system easily because it is extremely sophisticated malware. Read more »
Madbit Ransomware
If you are seeing a window asking to email email@example.com you most likely encountered a threat known as Madbit Ransomware. It ruins user's data by encrypting it with a secure encryption algorithm. As a consequence, the affected files become unreadable, and the victim cannot access them. The only way to restore such data could be backup copies, provided the user has any. The reason it would not be advisable to deal with the cyber criminals behind his malicious program is that there is no knowing if they will keep up to their end of the deal. This is why our researchers at Anti-spyware-101.com recommend erasing the malware instead. If you think paying the ransom might be too risky, we invite you to slide below and use our prepared removal instructions or continue reading our text to get to know Madbit Ransomware better. Read more »


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International Accountancy Practice seeking additional Audit professionals to join their expanding office in Southampton. Levitate Recruitment are keen to speak with Audit Semi-Seniors, Audit Seniors and Audit Assistant Managers looking to develop their career within a dynamic practice.
- Leading multiple audit assignments.
- Responsibility for the planning, fieldwork and completion of the engagement.
- Ensure assignments are implemented in a professional and timely manner.
- Your clients will typically be owner-manage business across a range of industries and will mostly be within the £20m and £100m turnover bracket.
- Provide support and coaching to less experienced team members.
This Accountancy Practice are looking to hire their partners of the future and have designated support and training programs in place to assist those seeking to reach the top in the Accountancy profession.
- ACA, ACCA or equivalent qualified.
- A minimum of 12 months acting as in-charge on audit engagements.
- Ideally you will be currently working in mid-tier accountancy practice.
- You must have the right to work in the UK without the need for sponsorship.
This is just one of a number of opportunities we are recruiting for across the UK and Overseas. Levitate Recruitment are the leading Accountancy Practice and Insolvency Recruitment Specialist.
If you are interested in having a confidential conversation about your career options regarding live or future opportunities, contact Scott Lowes at the Levitate Offices.


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Salty Crew Kiosk
Sun, Sand, Surf & Coffee
Everyone needs time to chill and when you throw in the beach, a beautiful healthy meal and coffee, who can possibly resist?
I love coffee. Actually, scratch that. I love good coffee and when you throw in a breathtaking sunrise, dolphins and the mesmerising rhythmic crash of the waves, I'm in heaven. And my newest find, on the trail for the world's best caffeine hit, has led me here – Salty Crew Kiosk on Port Macquarie's Town Beach.
Now, I could pretend that I am one of the multitude of walkers and joggers, making their way along Port's famous Doctor's Walk, starting my day with a quick 5kms and a damn good coffee, but I'm not. Skip straight to the damn good coffee please and pair it with one of Salty Crew's naturally delicious quick bites and that's me taken care of.
And that was the aim. From the first discussions that Port Macquarie originals, Leasa and Chris Harris had with each other, their vision of the revamped Town Beach Kiosk has come to fruition.
"We wanted to bring the community together at Town Beach and provide a beautiful place where people could socialise and connect," says Leasa. "We wanted to design a place where you could bring the dog and bring the family. As a new mum myself, that was really important."
And, as I arrive at Salty Crew for a weekend lunchtime treat, it's obvious that Leasa and Chris have really hit the mark.
A handful of mothers settle on the edge of the giant timber steps, their children collecting all sorts of goodies from the white sand. With Salty Crew Kiosk literally sitting on Town Beach, it's easy to see why the café has such appeal. No traffic, no manic morning rush, just the wide natural playground which the kids take to immediately, under the watchful eyes of their mums. It's great to see children collecting shells and chasing crabs instead of being glued to a grown-up's iPhone or iPad. The little ones make who knows what out of driftwood and cuttlefish, all while their mums, coffee in hand, actually get a chance to catch up with one another.
To my left is a couple with their two labradoodles, fur salty and sprinkled with sand. After a play at Nobby's, the local dog beach, I can't imagine a better spot to take two exhausted pooches. The dogs rest lazily under the table while their humans make their way through smooth Clandestino lattes and a brekkie of chia pudding for one and smashed avo for the other.
Whether it be a hot cuppa, selected from the range of traditional and herbal teas or one of Salty Crew's chilled smoothies, the vibe is the same. Stop, relax and just take it all in.
Breakfast by the beach or a quick healthy lunch option with million-dollar views to match, Salty Crew uses beautiful, seasonal produce that is locally sourced wherever possible. A mix of acai bowls, fresh salads, tacos or raw desserts, the simple yet tasty options that Leasa and Chris choose for their menus, cater for everyone.
Leasa says, "I have a strong passion for healthy food that's delicious and not boring. We like to show people that you can have healthy food that still tastes great. We're so pleased that our community have really embraced that too."
I grab a cushion from a well-loved cane basket and take my coffee and first ever Poke Bowl, complete with fresh salad and smoked salmon and plant myself on the beautifully weather-worn timber steps to enjoy the uninterrupted view across stunning Town Beach.
Everything about this place forces you to stop and take a breath. You can't help but feel relaxed, and in the busyness of life, places like this are hard to come by and I'm not sure I'll ever leave…
Foodie images provided by Salty Crew are from Sharni Tait Photography
Salty Crew Kiosk is located at Town Beach Reserve
William Street, Port Macquarie


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Hollywood Contenders – Looking at potential Best Documentary Feature contenders
Ahoy there folks! For what is one of my final installments in the annual category/contender rundown, I'm beginning to finish things up by moving on from the big eight categories. Yes, I'm taking a look now at one of the in betweens, or as I call them, the "mini-majors". That's where the focus will now be. This time out, that happens to be the rarely boring and highly unpredictable Best Documentary Feature race. Obviously, this is a rather hard one to pin down early on, or really ever, but as always, I'm feeling more than up for the challenge. Take a gander below and obviously keep in mind that this one also will be more fluid than normal going forward, as lots is still to be decided. Additionally, I'll make up my mind soon about if there's another category getting this treatment after Foreign Language Feature next week. If not, I'll be doubling back to the majors in the next month or two. For the moment though, check this piece out…
Here now are the five documentary films that I actually have currently cracking the unofficial lineup later on this year:
1. Jane – In a wide open field, look to this highly regarded contender to potentially emerge victorious. Between the score by Phillip Glass and the inherent fascinating nature of Jane Goodall, this has a ton to offer. It's hard to know which film leads the pack right now, but this feels to me like the one to beat at the moment. Goodall makes this a crowd pleaser. Don't you dare discount this one, as it strikes me right now as the eventual Best Documentary Feature winner.
2. An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power – Could a documentary sequel take this category? Ever since the Sundance Film Festival, Al Gore's second crack at saving the world has been gaining fans. It hasn't broken through to the mainstream like An Inconvenient Truth, but the name recognition is there. As long as it doesn't seem too repetitive to the Academy, you have to expect this one will be in the race until the very end.
3. Risk – Another possible frontrunner is this look at Julian Assange. Oscar voters who remember that filmmaker Laura Poitras' last project was Citizenfour, on Edward Snowden, may return to her for this one and give her another statue to add to the collection. The subject matter is less savory, which might hurt, but if it gets nominated, it can't be counted out…
4. Chasing Coral – If the environment is what captures voters' attentions, there's a chance that this Sundance alum gets the glory instead. It'll have to fight to be remembered, which never helps, but it's exactly the sort of thing that usually gets into the lineup when all is said and done. As such, placement here seems about right. Time will tell though, as it always does in this hard to predict category.
5. The Final Year – Finally, here's a curveball to consider. In a group that could easily include something like City of Ghosts, Cries from Syria, Icarus, Kedi, or Last Men in Aleppo, this could end up really catching on. A look from the inside at the last year of the Obama Administration, particularly in regards to the main foreign policy players, it's absolutely riveting stuff. Considering how the election turned out, it takes on a whole new light. Sleep on this one at your own risk!
Next in line I'd have these ten contenders (just sans my own personal commentary here) for Best Documentary Feature:
6. Cries from Syria
7. Icarus
8. Kedi
9. Last Men in Aleppo
10. City of Ghosts
11. Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press
12. Human Flow
13. 11/8/16
14. Strong Island
15. Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond – With a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton
And here's another small group to give you 30 contenders in total right now:
16. Step
17. I Called Him Morgan
18. The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman's Portrait Photography
19. Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold
20. Nowhere to Hide
21. Abacus: Small Enough to Jail
22. Voyeur
23. A River Below
24. Gilbert
25. The Rape of Recy Taylor
26. WASTED! The Story of Food Waste
27. The Reagan Show
28. 78/52
29. Get Me Roger Stone
30. Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives
Stay tuned for more ladies and gentlemen, as I'll be looking at Best Foreign Language Feature to wrap this up next week!


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Giant Piggy Bank Program Offers Students Valuable Financial Education
August 27, 2018
Categories: Community, Kids Friendly, Saving Money, Savings
A student banking program in Iowa called the Giant Piggy Bank, sponsored by Peoples Bank, is teaching children how to manage money and the importance of saving.
The program allows students to deposit money into an account managed by student bankers, who are assisted by professionals and school staff.
"I'm a firm believer the road to becoming a financially responsible individual should begin at a young age," said President and Chief Operations Officer John...


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Back to results
Seeds Of Greatness Early Learning Center
190 Quigley Blvd. New Castle DE 19720 US
About Us
Our goal at the Early Learning Center is to prepare children for the next stage of their lives through the development of motor abilities, thinking skills and healthy interactions with their peers.
Business Details
Day care center.
To suggest an edit, please contact your sales representative.


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Terran Guerilla Combat Armor
+40.7 Physical Damage Resistance Rating
+40.7 Kinetic Damage Resistance Rating
+71.1 Energy Damage Resistance Rating
+65.5 Maximum Hit Points
+40% Critical Severity
+10.2% Stealth
+5% Expose Chance
+2 sec Expose Duration
50% of Incoming Damage Converted to Physical Damage-Over-Time (5% applied each sec for 10 sec)
45 sec recharge
Terran Guerilla Combat Armor is a Terran Body Armor. This item is leveless until level 50, and will calculate its effectiveness based on the level of the character that equips it. It is a reward from the inaugural run of the Featured Task Force Operation "Peril Over Pahvo" in March 2019.
It can now be purchased from the Zen Store for 8,000 under the name Evil Lorca's Armor as part of "Mudd's Market", though it periodically goes on massive discounts (upwards of 60% during special promotional sales).
Item Description[edit | edit source]
- Special Ability: Destined for More
These simple blast-shielded chestplates are kept on hand on many Terran Empire vessels for use in arming crewmen and granting basic protection to ground troops facing rebellious elements and insurgents. They contain a refractive surface that passively scatters some sensor fields, granting an increase to stealth capabilities without sacrificing protection. This same refractive layer can be activated to temporarily delay incoming energy, converting it into somewhat less painful physical compressions that spread out its application over several seconds.
Costume unlock[edit | edit source]
Acquisition of this item will grant a tailor unlock for the Terran Guerilla Armor and its leather jacket, named "DSC Terran Guerrilla Jacket", under the "Off Duty - Jacket Loose Long" category.
Notes[edit | edit source]
- The armor and jacket is that worn by Gabriel Lorca in the latter half of the first season of Star Trek: Discovery.
- Once it is obtained, it becomes unlocked for all characters on the account. It can be claimed at no additional cost via the reclaim tab on the Dilithium Store.


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At the tender age of 17 I was a pretty accomplished individual. I had already managed to figure out how the internet catered for teenage boys. I had already tallied up as many hours stood outside the classroom as I ever did in it. I had discovered that Jim Bean made my head go all fizzy, making me unbearably irritating, and I had managed to mould my room into a kind of warm, sticky boy cave where no surface was safe to touch and the line between what was alive and what wasn't was worryingly thin. Lorde on the other hand has merely written and recorded a handful of disgustingly brilliant tracks which have seen her picked up by Universal, banded about as the next MIA and all whilst continuing to impress academically. Amateur.
Lorde is the stage name of 17-year-0ld Kiwi Ella, a slightly mysterious individual who writes and performs her own brand of alternative soul-pop. The quality of material released by Lorde is not only testament to her major label backing but also the outstanding maturity she exudes in her songwriting. Reminiscent of the aforementioned MIA and Swedish siren Robyn, Lorde has already managed to fill an EP with noteworthy singles, an EP available for free via her website. The toughest part of today's post was choosing which track to focus on and although Million Dollar Bills and The Love Club are both stand out tracks, I flipped a proverbial coin and decided to take a closer look at 'Royals'.
From the first few seconds of 'Royals' you know you're listening to a special talent. Lorde's voice is smoky and rich whilst her beats are modern and infectious. The individuality of Lorde spreads from her voice to her genre, she doesn't follow suit with the metallic sounds of the electro-pop world or sit behind a piano talking of love and loss like Regina Spektor but she somehow concentrates the best of both worlds, creating something that feels new, but classic. The track is an attitude ridden tale of riches and excess, the clicking fingers and layered vocals giving the song a diva-like swagger matching Lorde's dulcet tones. The song structure is crisp and minimalistic, using anthemic palpitations and periods of silence and echo to emphasise just how impressive Lorde's lyrics and vocals are. Everything about the track screams experience and maturity. Lorde is clearly an artist who is far beyond her years and if she is this good at 16 then the mind boggles at what we might hear in the next few years. Keep an eye and an ear out for this one.


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The finalists for the annual James Beard Awards were announced this morning. Some of our personal favorites among the nominees include:
Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery in NYC for Outstanding Baker; Highlands Bar and Grill of Birmingham AL and Blue Hill at Stone Barns of Tarrytown NY for Outstanding Restaurant; JoAnn Clevenger of New Orleans' Upperline and Cindy Pawlcyn of Napa's Mustards Grill for Outstanding Restaurateur; Topolobampo of Chicago for Outstanding Service; Bern's Steak House of Tampa and FIG of Charleston SC for Outstanding Wine Program; Slade Rushing of Brennan's in New Orleans for Best Chef: South; and Jason Stanhope of FIG for Best Chef: Southeast.
See the entire list of finalists here. The awards ceremony, hosted by Alton Brown in Chicago, will take place on May 4th.


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Property taxes for Snoopy living in Oahu, Hawaii may be expensive but that's not a problem Sea Isle City property owners have to worry about. Out of the 16 municipalities in Cape May County, Sea Isle City ranks 4th in line below Cape May Point, Avalon and Stone Harbor being the lowest in the county. The current tax rate for 2016 is .672 per $100 of assessed value. A house assessed at $750,000 has a property tax of $5,000. Most home buyers are pleasantly surprised at this fact. Another good reason to choose to buy in Sea Isle City is that the City works very hard at keeping its flood insurance rating with F.E.M.A. above average. This keeps flood insurance rates low, averaging $400-600 per year depending on location and building elevation. If your foundation has the appropriate amount of flood vents, you will enjoy a significant savings. I recently bought a home where the flood insurance was almost $1,700 a year. The owner put in flood vents as part of its renovation and I pay under $500.00. Between low taxes and unusually low flood insurance, buying in Sea Isle City makes that a smart move. Also, I am always surprised how quickly homes sell here. If a home is properly maintained, staged well and priced accurately, it sells. Sea Isle City is a home run when it comes to deciding where to buy a second home, vacation property or an investment property.
Townsends Inlet Bridge connecting Sea Isle to Avalon Now Open
Townsends Inlet Bridge Reopened 2 Weeks ago just before the Food Truck Weekend at Kix in June. However, there is a 15 ton weight limit. See chart below if you're curious.
The TI bridge was indefinitely closed to traffic in early April of 2017 after an underwater inspection revealed a crack and extensive structural damage on the 75 year old bridge. Built in 1939, Inlet Bridge is now a foundational part of the local community as well as the tourism industry in Townsend, NJ and surrounding towns such as Avalon and Sea Isle. It is a crucial part of Ocean Drive and its closing not only created delays and detours for tourists hoping to see the beautiful views, it also made it harder for residents to enjoy the restaurants and local shops. Construction crews built up the bridge with reinforced steel on the support piers, and it is back up and running this afternoon. This is excellent news for local businesses and residents. Although the hope is that eventually a new span will be built in its place, the repairs will do in the meantime.
Most readers will have zero concern that their are vehicles are over the 15 ton weight limit, but just for fun, I've added a chart of various vehicles and their weights. I was sure the Jersey Transit buses were way over the limit but wondered about trucks, vans and motor homes.
Sea Isle City Summer Rental in the Beach Block with an Elevator
13 72nd St., East is a brand new south end beach block condo/townhouse available for summer rental most weeks this season. This home was finished being built early in May 2016 and has 5/6 bedrooms, 5 full bathrooms and a half bath. It has a 4 stop elevator beginning in the garage for loading convenience. There are 3 master bedrooms en suite with decks and 2 middle hall bedrooms sharing a bathroom. There is a possible 6th bedroom set up as a family room with a sleeper sofa and full bathroom. This is a gorgeous home with an ocean view. There are five (5) decks with the main deck off the Great Room perfect for al fresco dining. This home has 2 level HVAC, 5 ceiling fans and is soundproofed well for privacy and comfort. It is on steps to the beach being only 4 houses away. Perfect for large family gatherings where parents, children and grandchildren can all get together to enjoy the sand, sun and surf. Also works well for friends and there families to share with 3 private bedroom suites. This homes sleeps 13 people. There are 2 off street parking spots and all the amenities you would expect in a luxury home. Please call for availability, rates and more details on this property.


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Sep 5, 2018
Dave Gutteridge is a writer and performer who has worked in IT in the past and has recently been caught up in the exciting world of cryptocurrency. He currently works full time writing about cryptocurrency, covering all aspects of the market, including technology and market analysis.
Topics of Discussion with Dave Gutteridge
Finally, Dave offers excellent advice for those who want to learn more about cryptocurrency but are uncertain where to begin.
** Watch his presentation by clicking here! **


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Briggs Jr. Dragster Valve Spring Kit
GoParts™ introduces the latest in valve spring technology for extreme Jr. Dragster engines. Featuring Super Clean™ spring material and several proprietary finishing processes, these valve springs are designed to accommodate up to .600" lift and as much as 50 horsepower, while delivering consistent performance and spring pressure.
Kits Include:
• (2) Application Specific Elite Race Valve Springs
• (2) High-Strength, Steel 10-Degree Valve Lock Sets
• (2) Lightweight, Aluminum Valve Spring Retainers