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My eldest, but seventh child to join our family (yes, she came through immigration AFTER ShyGuy, which technically makes her the seventh child), turned 11 yesterday. It hasn't been the easiest of times for her. I've thought a lot lately about what a holy mess I was at 11 and 12 years old and I feel a little like trying to sedate myself to get through the next couple of years. Then I remind myself that while Giggles and I are alike in a lot of ways, she's not me. Thank God. She has lived through so many things that she has an entire world view that I completely lacked at her age.
She has lost her birth father to a freak illness, then her birth mother to poverty, and came out the other side of this with a completely different family on the other side of the world. She has been reborn with a completely different name and faith. She has seen horrors that no one her age, or at any age, should ever have to see. She is a mystery to me in so many ways, yet she wears her convictions firmly on her sleeve. You'll always know right where you stand with Giggles. In fact, if you peek over the bathroom stall at her during her first week of school in the U.S., she might tell you just where you're going (that would be hell, and we reminded her that we don't really believe that. She did though, and she wasn't afraid to tell this peeping classmate just that). She may never live that down. It was, and still is, so very her.
Everything that she has lived through would make me into the mess that I was at her age. I was selfish in the very way she deserves to be after having had nothing for so long. I thought the world revolved around me. She knows, firsthand, that it doesn't. I couldn't see past my own faux pre-teen melodramatic pain. She not only sees past her own very real emotional pain, but she thinks about all the ways she will prevent this type of pain from happening to other girls like her. She dreams of fixing in the world in ways I, as an adult, can't even fathom.
Giggles, I am so proud of you. You, and all that you've accomplished in your 11 (well, maybe 12, birth dates are sketchy in Ghana) short years on this Earth, make you my hero. I can't wait to see what you do in the next 11, and for so many more after that.
who wishes everyone would see the beauty of older child adoption.


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The latest entry in the 100 x 100 series.
Legacy Sleep and Stay (@ Scrawlers)
The hotel's old neon sign had been there for decades.
Flashing four words in sequence with a directing arrow
arriving late at the bottom of the sign.
"He was old. It was his time." she says.
Her eyes are red because she's been crying,
My eyes burn because I won't.
We stare at lights changing in front of us,
commanding and shepherding our movements.
We take a left and drive toward the cemetery.
"Stay" I whisper.

subset: commoncrawl


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Visiting to jungle in Hawaii is really a thrill and pleasure one which cannot be expressed in words. To the time of visit, you can search for the vacation rentals for better price. Choose the most luxurious resorts like Hualalai resorts which are nestled among the rich forests for few days and feel relaxed for sure. Such kinds of jungle resorts have won many awards and are listed as one of the best resorts in the big island of Hawaii.
The ecologically friendly resort in this city is located near the jungle beaches. Swim in the beach and watch the spectacular happenings in the forest. Stay in Hualalai Vacation Rentals walk with the wild animals while you are staying in this particular vacation rental. The tourists staying in Hualalai Vacation Rentals will love the serene and resounding atmosphere. The days will pass on slowly at snail phase here. Beware the tigers and lions may walk near the jungle resorts without harming the customers. The customers of particular resort will take hundreds of photos when they stay in these resorts and preserve them like priceless pieces.
Such kind of topmost mystifying resorts will have lots of facilities which the customers can enjoy round the clock. Think intelligently and choose one of these classy resorts for temporary stay. Without hesitation, you can prefer this place. It gives good memories, which you can't forget in life. More places are available within this place, so your days will move fast and you won't get bored. Your holidays are not sufficient to visit all places, because innovative and creative places are available, so you feel overwhelmed by their architecture works. After completing your visit of vacation spot, you can take rest comfortably in the Hualalai resort rooms and they offer best service as well as fulfill your need. Choose this place without any hesitation for spending your honeymoon and make it more memorable one.


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A non-invasive alternative to voter id: on-site photo signatures
I just had a thought about voter id. The fact that you voted is public information. The list of people who voted is out there and available to anyone who wants to look. When you vote, you sign in where your name is, and that sign-in sheet is public.
Someone who votes in your name isn't likely to get caught, because signatures aren't traceable. But if the fact that you voted is public information, why not require a "photo signature" in addition to the written signature? Digital cameras are cheap nowadays, certainly compared to the more and more complex voting process. Why not take a photo with each signature, and allow campaigns to identify people who were voting under a name not their own?
Vote fraud is rarely prosecuted today and everyone knows it. It is easy enough to get a list of names that never vote, and impossible to police stealing votes under those names. That's because it is impossible to positively identify the fraudulent voter in order to prosecute them for their crime.
A photo signature would change that. It would be a fairly simple technique that would make vote fraud more complex rather than making the policing of vote fraud complex. We would then have positive proof that vote fraud occurred and a photo of who committed it.
This would probably have the effect of moving most fraud to absentee balloting; ubiquitous absentee balloting is a fraud problem on its own.
In response to You don't need papers to vote: No, you do not need papers to vote. You just need to walk in and know someone's name.
- How Does Requiring a Voter ID Prevent Election Fraud?
- "Given the incidence of voter fraud—and the simplicity of requiring voters to present a valid ID in order to be able to vote—it's not surprising that 70 percent of likely U.S. voters believe that voters 'should be required to show photo identification such as a driver's license before being allowed to cast their ballot.'"
- Policy Brief on Alternatives to Voter Identification
- The procedures suggested here by the Brennan Center focus on fraudulent voter registrations, not on fraudulent votes (and seem to want to implement only procedures that are easy to bypass).
More vote fraud
- Support the freedom to vote as you wish
- The Reader is proud to offer space for this guest editorial to the American Civil Liberties Union. We prove our independence whenever we align with similar political interests.
- Crowd-sourcing vote fraud detection
- Don't just require a photo id to vote: require taking a photo when signing in, and make that photo public. How you vote is private, but that you voted is currently and should remain public information.
- Stealing Elections: How Voter Fraud Threatens Our Democracy
- John Fund's Stealing Elections is a concise, easy-to-read description of just how much of a disaster is looming toward us when vote fraud finally catches up to a major election—as may already have happened in places like Florida.


text: Why Choose Elevate Services Group As Your Next Information Technology Services Company?Elevate Services Group is a managed information technology solutions provider that offers a unique strategic approach to Business-Driven IT. We have extensive business and technology expertise with experience successfully helping organizations achieve a greater return on their technology investments. We are not a consultant or a traditional managed services company, but we offer reliable, scalable and secure cloud technology solutions including people, process and information technology designed to maximize the return on your technology investments. We do this through a three-pronged approach to Business-Driven IT: Strategic IT Discovery As your trusted technology partner, we begin by using our proprietary DART (Discovery, Assessment, Roadmap and Timeline) methodology to determine where your business sits along the Technology Maturity Model (TMM) and develop a comprehensive roadmap and plan to move from current state to future state technology aligned with your business strategy. Within this process we evaluate the overall business strategy in conjunction with the people, process and technology to develop the business case and most optimal solution for your technology needs moving forward.Managed IT Program Services Once a clear roadmap and timeline has been developed, our program services are designed to deliver the policies, practices and people to complement existing resources and drive your initiatives moving forward. Our program services are designed with speed, structure and scalability using best practices to provide ongoing program support and begin to evolve your technology initiatives from tactical back office functions to more strategic Business-Driven IT initiatives.Managed Cloud Services Finally, in many cases the largest part of the business case for technology optimization lies in the transition to managed cloud services. By transitioning to the cloud, companies benefit from the security, reliability and performance of using cloud technologies and managed services combined with the cost savings that are realized for investment in more strategic business initiatives.


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Home > Accessories > Socks
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Brand: STANCE
Running socks in cool designs that offer superior performance. These socks have a really lovely feel with loads of technical features. They are designed by artists using modern prints, patterns and colours thus offering both fashion and function in a running sock. You'll never think that running socks are boring once you've tried these. Now with Star Wars Force! Keep your Force in stride on your next run...


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Vintage glas gifts are unexpected yet cherished items during the holidays. Dazzle your favorite memories with this vintage and pale blue glass picture frames Pic 159 series from J. Devlin Glass Art. Designed using vintage-inspired patterned glass with pale blue stained glass edging, it adds light to vibrant snapshots and black and white classics. This popular-sized glass picture frame is one of many different shapes and sizes using this design. Browse our full collection of vintage glass gifts. All J. Devlin stained glass picture frames and glass home decorations are lead-free.
Dimensions & Care
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Buff with dry cloth as needed
Shipping and Returns
Now offering free shipping on all orders within U.S.
(exclusions may apply)
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We're excited to announce that we will now ship via USPS to Alaska at the rates listed below:
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Our shipping and processing charges are intended to compensate our company for processing your order, handling and packing the delicate products you purchase, delivering them to you, and covering any related overhead. Orders that are placed before 2 p.m. Central time are typically shipped from our warehouse the same day, some exceptions may apply. Most purchases are expected to arrive within five (5) to seven (7) business days of receipt of the order.
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International Shipping
We only ship to the United States.
Return Policy
At J Devlin Glass Art, we take pride in the quality and craftsmanship of the unique quality merchandise we sell. Attention to the design, materials, safety, and construction of these unique products is our priority. Upon receipt, please inspect your purchase. Notify us of any damage, and we will arrange for a prompt replacement. If, within 30 days, you are dissatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase for a refund of the merchandise value.
We cannot accept returns on items damaged through normal wear and tear. We also cannot accept returns of final-sale items, which are identified by a price that ends in ".99."


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- This event has passed.
May 18, 2017 at 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Event Navigation
We're hiring for Camp Henrico!
A variety of summer camp jobs are available with Henrico Recreation & Parks. No nights or weekends and great pay! Spend the summer leading awesome kids in games, arts and crafts, sports, nature activities, and more.
Stop by for an on-site interview.
You can also apply online at www.henricojobs.com
(keyword: camp)


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Mary Elizabeth Winstead » Scott Pilgrim vs The World
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Gary Oldman
Gary Oldman first started getting attention with his role as Lee Harvey Oswald in the film
. However, I did not show this guy the respect he deserves until his appearance as Stansfield in
The Professional
. In this film Oldman plays a crooked cop who has no problem murdering a poor family over some drug money. Gary Oldman is so devishly twisted in this film that you both hate and love his character.
Gary Oldman furthers his career as the bad - guy - role in
Air Force One
Lost in Space
, and
The Fifth Element
. It turns out that Oldman can play an incredible bad guy, and excels at his roles in each of these films.
After all of his bad-guy roles, it is nice to see Gary Oldman as a good guy in films such as
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
[though creepy],
Batman Begins
, and
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
With these latest roles, Gary Oldman proves that he is not made to be the bad guy, and is probably one of the top character actors in the business today.
Memorable Moments
-Stansfield requests everyone from the police department to assist with taking down Leon. When asked 'everyone', he screams 'EVERYONE!'
The Professional
-Zorg is excited as he thinks he has recovered the four element stones. Upon opening the case his hands tremble and he slams it down stating 'they are not here.'
The Fifth Element
-Zorg makes it a point not to explain the self-destruct button on the weaponry he provides to mercs.
The Fifth Element
-Sirius Black tries to comfort his friend, Lupin, who is slowly becoming a werewolf.
Prisoner of Azkaban
-Sirius Black traps Potter, Hermoine, and Ron so he can attack Wormtail.
Prisoner of Azkaban
Know of a better memorable moment with Gary Oldman?
Let us know
*List of films only in CanMag DB. Check out a full filmography for Gary Oldman at
Gary Oldman on
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He has a big part in the sequel.
Gary Oldman Feels
Rain Fall
In negotiations to star in the Japan-set thriller.
Lionsgate Picks Up Oldman in
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What he was doing there we cannot say.
Freeman and Oldman talk
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Batman Begins
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Film to See:
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Expect many changes and additions in the next film of the 'Potter' series. Cuaron strives at creating a darker setting in this film while offering more story than either of the two previous releases.
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Exposure Bucks Enamel Pin 1"
Regular price $11.00 USD
★ 1 inch in size
★ Silver plated enamel pin.
★ Pin on the back, perfect for pinning on clothing, bags, etc.
Packaged in bubble wrap envelopes. I ship packages every week.
North America: ~10 business days
International: ~15 business days
Artwork by ToasterKiwi


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Saklıkent (the Hidden City)
If one day you get tired of the heat of Fethiye and want to do something different, go to a very narrow and high canyon that cannot get the sunlight and walk through ice cold water. Go to Saklıkent.
Take the Fethiye-Antalya road towards Kemer. After driving for 25 kilometres take the turn to Saklıkent and, once past the sign for Tlos, drive another 10 kilometres to Saklıkent. On the way to Saklıkent you will see lots of restaurants on both sides of the road where you can get a gözleme and ayran
After you get to the village of Kayadibi you leave your car at the canyon entrance and pay your entrance fee. The Eşen Stream bursts forth 100 metres inside the canyon.
It flows so crazily in summer and winter that it makes it almost impossible to progress against the current. You walk on the wooden footpath attached to the canyon walls. You form a one person line and go to the location where the stream erupts. When you watch the picturesque view of the furiously and loudly flowing stream you can enjoy a gözleme ayran or a trout dish in the restaurant.
If you wish to do so, you can cross the freezing water and progress towards the deeper part of the canyon. Do not neglect to get a pair of cloth or plastic shoes. However, if you do not have them tourism is at your service, you can buy or rent them in the "Plastic Shoes Sales Shop" at the entrance of the canyon. The canyon is quite long, with the path at times being rough. If you try to walk it all, the joy may turn into a burden. It is best to go for a few hundred metres and return after that.
However, if you rely on yourself, on your return, throw yourself into the cold waters of the canyon and instead of using the walkway let the current carry you to the end of the canyon.


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March Table Quiz aims to secure release of The New Music
There will be a number of prizes up for grabs on the night of particular interest to film fans, sponsored by brands including Film Equipment Hire Ireland, Women in Film&Television Ireland, The Lighthouse Cinema, Act The Maggot and more. The filmmakers will also be providing some behind-the-scenes extras, including exclusive film prints and posters, as well as cinema tickets and other surprises to come, eager to ensure that no one will leave the evening empty-handed.
- February 21, 2019
- 0
- 2019, Chiara Viale, Cilléin Mc Evoy, Colin McKeown, Crowdfunding, Directed by women, Fillum, Funding, GoFundMe, Irish Film, Irish music, March, Table Quiz, The Grand Social, The New Music


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A few weeks ago, we wrote about the 2017 Pet Obesity Survey conducted by the Association Pet Obesity Prevention. The results were startling and concerning as the rate of pets being diagnosed as overweight or obese is still on the rise.
Pet owners don't seem to be concerned that their pets being overweight opens them up to a multitude of health problems, just as it does for humans.
We wanted to dig a little deeper into some of the Survey results in the hope that publicizing this information will educate pet owners and allow them to see where they stack up to other owners.
The good news is that 58% of Americans at least tried to help their pet lose weight, but 48% stated that their vet never offered any advice or suggestions regarding proper nutrition or calorie guidelines for their pets, so they had to fend for themselves, or get their advice elsewhere.
Both pet owners and veterinarians believe that pet food is healthier than it was 10 years ago, with vets coming in at 76% saying it's better and 63% of pet owners. Both also agreed that people food was not healthy (average of 67%), but only 39% of pet owners and 26% or vets thought that organic pet food was healthier.
When it comes to what pet owners actually feed their pets, dry dog food still reigns supreme with 53% of pet owners and 69% of vets feeding their dogs dry food. Cat owners were a little more evenly split with 49% of owners and 57% of the vets serving their cats dry food over canned.
Raw feeding pets which gained in popularity recently appears, at least according to this survey to be waning with only 28% of owners and 13% veterinarians believing that a raw diet is healthier for their pet.
Our pets also seem to get lots of treats, which may be a contributing factor to their weight issues. 74% of pet owners and vets stated that the regularly give their pet store bought treats.
One of the bigger factors in this obesity crisis is that pets don't get enough exercise. We stress the importance of daily exercise for your pets, but the survey found that many owners don't provide daily exercise. The most frequent excuses:
- Not enough time
- Behavioral problems with the pet
- No access to an exercise area
- Physical limitations of owner
There's lots of food for thought in these results (no pun intended). Owners should take a close look at their pet or have a serious conversation with their vet regarding their pet's condition. If you think your pet looks fat, then they probably are and since YOU are the one responsible for buying the food, preparing it and feeding them, it's up to you to make sure they maintain a healthy weight.


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Saturday, April 19, 2008
A lonely weekend :(
I would normally just go to bed, and if he's lucky, I would be half awake (or sometimes tido mati!, if he's unlucky) when Ayah comes back in the wee hours of the morning. But, as Ayah will be going to KK tomorrow for his alma mater's Old Boys Weekend, I thought I would just wait up for him. I will have to pack his overnight stuff later anyway.
Ayah will be working tomorrow morning, and he'll be leaving for KK in the afternoon - after lunch. So, this morning will be the only sembang-sembang time for us - that is if both of us can actually open our eyes when he comes back nanti! From experience, if Ayah and I went karaoke-ing with my MT friends and spouses, the earliest we reached home was around 4:00a.m, I think?! And I don't think this morning will be any different. Hehehe!
The kids are already asleep - sprawled all over our living room. Hanna's on the 2-seater sofa, Hasya's on the 3-seater sofa, while Hilman's halfway to Hot Wheels Dreamland on the carpet : ALL fell asleep with a book each in his/her hand! You see - we spent about an hour at M*H One-U just now, before having our dinner at TCRS, and Hanna, Hasya and Hilman ended up with 3, 5 and 2 books each, and their Mommy ended up RM238/= poorer! But, it's okay - good investments I always say :)
Daryati brought down all their pillows and blankets/duvet about half an hour ago. She's so used to us sleeping in the living room, with ASTRO watching us sampai suboh, especially during weekends. So much so, there is no need for me to ask her to bring down all the beddings, etc, when one or two of us has fallen asleep in our living room! It is understood. Anyway, at least when Ayah comes back later, he can straight away see the kids when he enters the living room. I'm sure he misses the kids as he had not seen Hasya and Hilman since Thursday morning!
Ayah had to go to a meeting in KL straight from work yesterday and came straight back to SD after that. Hilman and Hasya, on the other hand, went back to their Wan's house in PJ straight after school, and decided to sleep with their Wan after their Thursday night mengaji class there. My bet is, Ayah will try to squeeze and sleep in between Hasya and Hilman when he gets back home later - to lepas rindu :)
As for me, I'm already missing Ayah even though he has yet to leave for KK! Sobs! I am beyond help...I know.
Anyway, looks like I will have to fill my time with quality shopping hours at One-U yet again this weekend, guys ;) Hehehe!
Cheers, y'all. Have a great weekend, wherever you are.
Yahoo!! Ayah tak jadi balik KK!!!! Somehow or rather, not many of his batch could make it for the reunion, so, the organizer has cancelled all plans for the weekend for his batch.
But, daaaannnggg!!! This means no quality shopping time for me at One-U...Hehehe!
20 comments:
- kudo said...
oh tidaaak. and this time the venue is nearer to my home.
nasib baik i tak de kat malaysia, hahaha. kidding, had a good time last time just because of the company. tapi selection lagu tak memenuhi my 'younger' citarasa (not that i can sing anyway).
- April 19, 2008 at 2:44 PM
- wanshana said...
As expected - he came back around 4:00a.m that night (morning!) - and according to him I did not even stir when he came into the living room. Zonked out totally.
Anyway, Nik H*l*ey was there, too. Bagi chan la kat they all. I gather from your blog that you're coming back this July? Maybe you guys can organize a karaoke outing together. I'll tell them, whatever it is, please don't do "My Way". Nanti you sakit jantung. Hahaha!
Hmmmm...I wonder what kinds of songs yang memenuhi your citarasa? If it's anything like that Japanese girl guitar-goreng in your blog, takut Ayah and Nik pulak yang sakit jantung! Hahaha!
But, you'll be surprised - both of them boleh tahan rock jugak, you know!
* Whatever it is - there'll be 2 cardiologists on standby. So, no worries. Hahaha!
- April 20, 2008 at 11:56 AM
- Unknown said...
Amboi Shana,...bab meng'expresi'..tentang perasaan cinta rindu-rinduan..macam u dah jadi pakar lak!!..itu tuan doktor kalu baca ini blog of urs..mesti hati dup-dap, dup-dap...
And the Pucuk dicita ulam mendatang.(tentang shopping itu).jadik..terbalik daa..but its ok..no lonely weekend, kan!!...spare shopping next time...to and fro..to and fro..(emm I wonder if they sell foot massage machine at discounted price...buat kaki lenguh maaa...but come to think of it..shopping help to lessen almost 170calories...berbaloi ape...)and
..One U sekarang ni..macam ramai sgt orang..parking lagi la tak cukup...esp weekend.....
ta ta!
- April 20, 2008 at 2:26 PM
- wanshana said...
Oooopss! Hope I'm not too "over"! Hehehe! Anyway, this blog is just one of my many outlets to express myself.
Tak per...tak per...Shopping tu dah jadi tak penting when Ayah is home! Furthermore, ada lagi cara-cara lain to lose calories maaa! Hahahaa!
One-U tu dah jadi macam our lepak spot. Nearly every weekend we're there. It's just 10 minutes away from our place, and normally we would try to be there by 11:00a.m. Insya Allah masa tu parking okay lagi. If you were to go between 12:00-4:00pm memang gigit jari laaa...
- April 20, 2008 at 9:05 PM
- Kerp (Ph.D) said...
i know how it feels like to be alone on weekends as i had experienced during the recent book fair@PWTC. GF was heavily involved with it for 2 weeks running and for 2 whole weekends i became...well...'paralysed'!
- April 20, 2008 at 11:48 PM
- wanshana said...
Alahai, shiannyer dia...
I know what you mean. Mati kutu, kan? Must be torture for you. Tapi tak per, can make up for lost time in no time, no?
Itulah yang dinamakan "CHENTA", Kerp...
P/S : Is Pinky with a publication, or an event management company?
- April 21, 2008 at 12:47 AM
- Kak Teh said...
wanshana, i had alreay switched on my sympathy kesian mode when i got to the post script! tak apa - the compromise is go shopping together!
- April 21, 2008 at 2:20 AM
- Lee said...
Hi Wanshana, the best things a woman can do is when feeling lonely or whatever, go shopping. Ha ha.
If I own a ladies store I'll put up a sign, "feel lonely? Step in be unlonely', ha ha.
Take it easy and he'll be back soon. Lee.
- April 21, 2008 at 6:36 AM
- wanshana said...
Kak Teh,
Shopping together is a good compromise, but, at the end of the day, I can bet that the amount of stuff bought and money spent will be less than if I were to go shopping alone or with the kids. (Hmmmm...maybe a good thing after all? Hehehe!)
Reason being -
(i) He still feels the discomfort due to his slipped disc after too much walking;
(ii) He will veto any decision I make to buy him stuff, etc! So, maybe out of 5 things I would want to buy for him, he would only agree to one! (But, normally we would balance this by buying more stuff for me and the kids :)
Take care, K.Teh.
P/S : I really miss shopping in London during Christmas and Summer Sales :(
- April 21, 2008 at 8:16 AM
- wanshana said...
Uncle Lee,
That's a really good idea. We have to think of a suitable name for your shop then. Maybe "Lonesome Tonight No More"? :)
Have a good week ahead, Uncle Lee, and take care.
- April 21, 2008 at 8:21 AM
- afsi said...
Dear WS...
KK? is Ayah an alumni from Sekolah Melayu KK?
- April 21, 2008 at 8:35 AM
- wanshana said...
Dear afsi,
Yes - that Sekolah (Ultra)-Melayu KK. Poor thing...Hahaha!
I seem to remember reading somewhere in your blog that you're an OB of that sekolah Lorong Harimau? You poor thing, too! Hahaha!
- April 21, 2008 at 9:48 AM
- Kerp (Ph.D) said...
she's with publication group, Karangkraf.
*have you been to the Curve on monday, right after all the shop opens? we made up our lost time by patronising the mall on that very bluesy day itself. it was so eerily empty we felt like we were the only customers around.
- April 21, 2008 at 11:46 AM
- wanshana said...
I see - I'm sure memang busy giler running up to and during the Book Fair. Being with KK, does she get discounted mags and books? :)
Never had the chance to "potong ribbon" at The Curve (or anywhere else for that matter) on Monday (or any other days for that matter!)
That's my kind of shopping. Would love to be able to shop without having to go through the crazy weekend crowd. Kena tunggu pencen kot? Hahaha!
- April 21, 2008 at 12:43 PM
- Helena said...
wan shana, I cant help myself but smile when reading your post.
Thats the same thing I did last weekend. Hubby went to JB overnight, and me and the 3 kids melepak depan tv kat living room. Until I woke up at 4am and realized that the Astro was watching us sleeping soundly.... haha. Kakak berselubung with her comforter, my younger girl dok tidor kat the 2 seater sofa, whilst my boboy tak sedar diri on the carpet! Teruknya mak dia ni.... hehe.
You kena cari hari shopping ganti you tu.... *wink*
- April 21, 2008 at 2:01 PM
- wanshana said...
I'm sure there are a lot of our kinds out there : "livingroom sleepers"! Hahaha!
I dunno - it's just that homely feeling you get when you start sprawling all over the hall, that is so addictive! Don't you think so? :)
Qadha' shopping? Hmmm...have to look at Ayah's planner - when's the next time he's going outstation. Then kena planning baik punyer shopping spree... Hahaha!
Take care, Helena :)
- April 21, 2008 at 3:07 PM
Hi Kak Shana,
One should get used to being lonely like that I thought when you are married to someone in that profession. But you don't, do you? Even with children around you 24/7, it is not the same when you don't get to see him at end of the day.
Although Iqbal only goes away for courses/seminars/etc like 2-3 times a year. But his busy work schedule just takes him away from home. Sometimes we don't get to see him for days. And when he is back, it is a fight for attention among 4 kiddies and a neglected mommy!
But time apart really makes the heart grow fonder they say. I can vouch for that!!
Men! We can and cannot live without them!! Take care Kak Shana and have a really good day...well my day just started 2 hours ago....
p/s Mustaqim will be 9 in Nov and he has been harassing me for a sleep over for months. Girls senang to layan but boys?? I haven't got a clue?
- April 21, 2008 at 6:04 PM
- wanshana said...
Dear Murni,
Couldn't agree more. If he's not around, feels like the "semangat" is not there somehow, kan?
Would have thought you being a doctor, too, would be kept pretty busy to actually have time to miss Iqbal when he's away :), but, I guess it doesn't matter how busy you are, at the end of the day you would want him to be home with you, kan?
Our kids are so used to their Ayah being away that sometimes they forget that he's actually away! But, of course, their Mommy yang dok count the days for him to come back :)
Hmmmm...sleepover for Mustaqim and friends? Footie in the backyard would be a must; followed by camping, also in the backyard - with campfire + roasted marshmallows, etc. Indoor activities : PS2/3. You can't go wrong, but of course, only during summer. So, you still have 2-3 months to plan ;)
Take care, dear,and do convey our salam to Iqbal and hugs for the kids.
- April 21, 2008 at 8:05 PM
- Formerly known as Superwomanwannabe! said...
Laa OBW ke? Jab tak sebut pun ? Ke dia sebut but I buat tak paham? :-)
OHMYGOD you pun tidur kat living room ye? I dah ada special tilam for that- and maid pun dah paham to "make the mattress !"
And of course lah rindu dendam..sebab kita jumpa husband kita tak selalu macam kawin dengan askar gituuuuwww...
- April 22, 2008 at 2:23 PM
- wanshana said...
Haizal is not really into OBW ni, but apparently sempena tahun "life begins at 40" for their batch, they were planning to have a separate get together in Ipoh after the whole OBW events dah over, etc - which did not materialize in the end. Fortunately. Hehehe!
Bestkan tido kat living room?! Sometimes we would switch off all the lights and watch DVDs (or DVDs watch us) on weekends. Macam home theatre la konon... :)
Errr...bini askar better off than us kot?! Hahahaha!
- April 22, 2008 at 4:53 PM


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Malaysia to roll out wildlife crossing awareness measures after spate of roadkill cases
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is planning to build more viaducts and roll out wildlife crossing awareness at driving schools after recording more than 2,000 roadkill cases on the peninsula over five years, many involving endangered animals.
Between 2012 to 2016, wildlife roadkills have included not only the more common monitor lizards (667 cases) and macaques (393) but also endangered animals such as tapirs (43), according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in a statement this week.
In the first nine months of 2017, the Malayan tapir topped the list of endangered animals killed on the road, followed by Asian leopard cats (14), elephants (2), binturong or Asian bearcats (2) and one leopard.
Johor recorded the highest number of incidents in the past five years with 494 such cases, followed by Kedah (479), Perak (394), Terengganu (310) and Negeri Sembilan (161).
"This totally senseless killing of our animals has to stop and is such a waste of our national heritage," said minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar in a statement on Monday (Oct 16).
According to officials, wildlife roadkill incidents usually occur at night, when the animal is trying to cross a road or highway from one area of forest to another in search of food, mates "or seeking more suitable habitat for its survival".
In August, a pair of tapirs were killed by a motorist at the Gebeng bypass, days after an elephant died when a tour bus ran into it in Perak.
Last year, a critically endangered Malaysian tiger which was pregnant with two cubs was run over by a car headed to Kuala Terengganu.
Malaysia's Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN) has so far installed 236 warning signs at 133 roadkill hotspots to warn drivers to slowdown.
"Please slow down when you see these warning signs," said Dr Wan Junaidi.
"It is indeed disheartening to know that some drivers tend to speed up when they see those animal crossing signs."
Dr Pazil Abdul Patah, the director of the Department of Biodiversity Conservation at PERHILITAN told Channel NewsAsia that his department is in talks with driving schools across the country to incorporate wildlife crossing awareness into their curriculums by next year.
Three viaducts have also been built specifically to help wildlife cross safely, with plans for more.
"It has been positive to see a lot of wildlife have been using the viaducts - elephants, bears, tapirs, deers, wild boars and smaller animals like civet cats and flat-headed cats," said Dr Pazil.
Dr Wan Junaidi told Channel NewsAsia most road builders have been told to create wildlife-friendly viaducts when building through forests and sanctuaries as well.
However, environmentalists are concerned that roadkill incidents will only increase with several major rail projects in the works - including the High-Speed Rail linking up Singapore to Malaysia and the East Coast Rail Link cutting across the Titiwangsa mountain range.
Dr Junaidi said that his officers are providing input on these projects for developers to include tunnels and viaducts for wildlife in their construction plans.


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Dr Karol Mullaney-Dignam featured recently on 'Ireland's national anthems' a radio documentary broadcast on RTÉ Lyric FM. Written and presented by Dr Michael Murphy, Mary Immaculate College, the programme also featured historian Diarmaid Ferriter, musicologist Harry White, Olympic and World Championship rower Sinead Lynch, Director of the Defence Forces School of Music Mark Armstrong, conductor Liam Daly and literary critic Colbert Kearney who is also a grandson of Peadar Kearney who wrote 'The Soldier's Song'.
Listen back to a podcast of the programme at: http://rte.ie/r.html?rii=b16_10667830_2412_30-12-2016_


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It's a well-known secret that moving to a new place can be an extremely stress-filled transitional period in one's life. In fact, most experts rank a house move as one of the most stressful events a person can experience, right after a divorce. If the act of moving itself is stressful – what happens when you are moving during a difficult time?
The first question to ask is: Why now? Sometimes the moving date is not flexible. Maybe you have a lese ending or your business is relocating. If you do have flexibility in your moving date, consider waiting until the stressful time is resolved.
If you can't put the move off consider these tips:
Start planning earlier than you think you need to. The nerve-wracking formula of Too many things to do + too little time can be detrimental for your emotional equilibrium. Even if you are a practiced mover – this time give yourself more time than you think you need.
Call several moving companies:
Don't rely on one estimate. Call several and keep the estimates handy. Many times moving companies are small businesses and they come and go. You don't want to be left in the lurch. If you have scheduled your move and haven't heard anything in a while, don't just assume that your moving company is still providing services. Call just to confirm.
Buy all of your supplies in one go.
You're going to want to get it right with just one trip to the store, so make sure you know exactly what you're going to need for your move. You don't want to get to a couple of weeks before you move and find out that there was a run on packing supplies and what you want is unavailable. And when in doubt, buy extra.
Clean as you pack
When is the last time your ricer cooker has been cleaned? Use this opportunity to sanitize your belongings, wiping items down with disinfectant. That way, when you get to where you are going – all you have to do is unpack. In a stressful time it's best to kill two bird with one stone when you can.
If traveling for your move, plan accordingly.
Need to book flights or hotels for your move? Make refundable reservations and/or only work with companies that offer free cancellations. Ask about cancellation policies before you book so that you don't end up wasting money later on. Like everything else – make your plans early and stay flexible!


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Commercial space for sale in Old Town Anacortes! This was completely remodeled in 2008 with new hardwood floors throughout (except bath and entry), new forced air furnace including ducting, new water heater, new cabinetry, new bathroom and sink area. Roof was redone with Versico Membrane in early 2016.
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These Candy bar or cake bar recipes are so yummy and ALL of them are Gluten free. Check out all the Free Gluten free recipes by following the individual links below. I have to say the Lemon Bar is my favorite!
Insanely Good Chocolate Brownies
Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oat Bars
Grain-Free Fudge Pumpkin Brownies


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Bucket: 25L sus304 stainless steel. Frame Material: 304 Stainless steel, Polish treatment. With ISO9001:2008 certificate and CE Certificate.
Factory with over 12 years experience in this field. Excellent quality, reasonable price and great service. Spare parts supplied for one year, with great customer service to help you troubleshoot your machine. Excellent customer service to help you troubleshoot the machine, which is checked before leaving the factory.HS code - 8434.10 - Milking Machinery (and parts thereof). Spare parts may be offered at little or no cost, depending on the situation in which they are needed.
All decisions will be mutually agreed upon before implementing, within reason. Oz Tin of Udder Balm to ensure a healthy udder!!!! Free Cleaning Supplies Sent with Every Order!! Check out my other items.
The only supplier without any hidden costs! The item "Electric Piston Milking Machine for Cows Single Tank+ EXTRAS Factory Direct" is in sale since Sunday, February 01, 2015. This item is in the category "Business & Industrial\Agriculture & Forestry\Livestock Supplies\Cattle - Dairy". The seller is "qualitycounts403" and is located in Calgary, Alberta.This item can be shipped worldwide.


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By NJC staff
In today's world automotive and diesel technicians are in high demand with strong wages in vehicle manufacturing facilities, oil fields, state and federal agencies, military-civilian and fleet maintenance, small-town shops and corporate dealerships.
So where do these highly sought technicians come from? Companies who care about quality seek out those who have earned their education through a certified Career Technical Education (CTE) program. One set of standout CTE programs resides in Sterling, Colo. at Northeastern Junior College.
Colorado's unassuming, rural landscape is sitting on a treasure trove of automotive expertise. Far removed from the hustle and bustle of city life, Northeastern hosts two highly accredited technician programs for automotive and diesel technicians. These programs provide the backbone and workforce to keep those same far-away cities buzzing.
Layton Peterman and Jimmy Atencio, two of the best educators in the industry, instruct and train future technicians at Northeastern. Peterman is also the diesel discipline chair for the Colorado Community College System (CCCS), and is responsible for keeping the auto and diesel core curriculum updated to current ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) education standards. His hard work ensures that all Colorado programs can meet ASE education curriculum standards. Peterman and Atencio together have more than 50 years of experience in the auto and diesel industry, with more than 20 of those years training the technicians that work in our towns and cities.
Peterman and Atencio have the added benefit of overseeing dual training certifications for those wishing to earn an auto-diesel master technician (ADMT) certificate, which allows students to receive the best of both programs at Northeastern. Students must first earn either the Automotive Technology or the Diesel Technology Associate of Applied Science degree in the first two years, then earn an additional 20 credit hours, dependent on what benefits the students' knowledge, preferences and skill sets. Both programs hold students to the highest of standards, utilizing top-notch equipment and providing students a challenging work environment with hands-on learning opportunities.
Ronnie Pearlman, a 2007 graduate of Northeastern Junior College's automotive technician program, is now employed with Waste Management thanks to her education from Northeastern. Her daily job is to keep service equipment functional and running well to stay on the road.
"Mr. Peterman changed my life. Not only did he give me the knowledge to succeed in my career, but also taught me work ethic, discipline, and the kind of person I strive to be. What sets him apart from most automotive technology teachers is that he doesn't just teach what's in the book, he prepares his students for what the industry is really like. I truly believe I would not have made it this far if I didn't receive the kind of education and experiences that I got from NJC's Auto Tech program."
So, what does the student get out of the Northeastern auto/diesel experience? If you ask Layton Peterman, it's simple. "They're embarking on a challenge that is going to change their life for the better while also getting the biggest bang for their buck. They're also going to get a real-life feel of what it means to go to work day in and day out. For two years we're going to ask them to do things they had no idea they were capable of, and when it's over they're going to walk out of these doors with a promising career and a positive outlook on life. I always look back and think, 'Man these kids are really doing something special at such a young age.'"


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It seems that Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the disgraced former head of the IMF who was charged but ultimately cleared of raping a maid in a Washington hotel, is in the news again. This time it looks like the charges might stick as the Washington Post reported yesterday:
On Monday, the man many thought would one day be president of France will stand trial in the city of Lille in northern France. He's faced with charges he helped procure sex workers for sex parties from Paris to Brussels to Washington. Dubbed the Carlton affair because it involves the Hotel Carlton in Lille, the case stars luxury hotel managers, Freemasons, Viagra, purple carpet and even a brothel owner called "Dodo the Pimp" (Dodo la Saumure). In a charging document that runs 240 pages, French authorities said Strauss-Kahn may have helped organize the affairs, during which female attendants were allegedly paid to have sex with businessmen.
This juicy tidbit reminded me that I had intended to write something about Jeffrey Epstein, the superrich American financier who spent time in prison seven years ago for soliciting prostitutes. The charge hardly does justice to the actual crime, which involved lavishing large amounts of money on impressionable teenage girls, one only fourteen years old, to tempt them into what first looked like a glamorous world. Needless to say, the prospects of giving Alan Dershowitz a blow job must have disabused them of that notion rather quickly.
This year Epstein is in the news again because one of the women who have launched a civil suit seeking damages has identified Prince Andrew and Alan Dershowitz as two of the men that were serviced by Epstein's harem. I will have something to say about Prince Andrew and Dershowitz after putting Epstein under a microscope. He, like Dominique Strauss-Kahn, symbolizes the affinity between economic power and sexual domination that rarely gets discussed in a mainstream media, which sees such scandals as the failings of an individual rather than an economic system.
The best all-round article on Epstein can be found in New York Magazine, a weekly geared to the lifestyles of the middle class and that is ubiquitous to the waiting rooms of doctors and dentists. On December 8, 2007 Philip Weiss's "The Fantasist" appeared. It was subtitled: "Accused of paying underage girls for sex, superrich money manager Jeffrey Epstein is finding that living in a dream world is dangerous—even if you can pay for it." Does the name Philip Weiss ring a bell? It should. He is our estimable comrade from Mondoweiss who made his living as a journalist for glossy magazines before taking on the Israeli lobby.
Epstein had a mansion on 71st street between Fifth and Madison of gargantuan proportions. At one time it was a private school but after Epstein took it over, its 9 stories and 51,000 square feet became devoted to his vulgar Playboy tastes. In addition to Weiss, I recommend Vicky Ward's March 2003 profile on Epstein in Vanity Fair, a magazine with the same sort of gossipy fare as New York, where she revealed a nouveau riche middle-aged man whose tastes would remind you of MTV Cribs, the show in which rock stars or professional athletes walk you through their garish McMansions.
Her article was shrewdly titled "The Talented Mr. Epstein", a nod to Patricia Highsmith's "The Talented Mr. Ripley" that took aim at a lower middle-class youth's homicidal ambitions to break into the world of the superrich. Like Ripley, Epstein came from a humble background in Brooklyn and became consumed with the desire to live like royalty. As we shall see, a crime far less serious than murder allowed him to break into the bourgeoisie.
Ward might not have Epstein's wealth when she was his guest on 71st street but her tastes were far more refined. She notices that the entrance hall was decorated with rows of individually framed prosthetic eyeballs originally intended for wounded British soldiers. Next came an immense foyer where a twice-life-size sculpture of an African warrior was on display. Epstein fielded her questions in the "Leather Room", where she saw a painting of "a huge, Oriental fantasy of a woman holding an opium pipe and caressing a snarling lionskin". Later on, Epstein took her on a tour of the mansion that included a look at the "Computer Room". There she was stunned to see a stuffed black poodle atop a Steinway grand piano. He told her "No decorator would ever tell you to do that. But I want people to think what it means to stuff a dog."
I imagine that Epstein barely made a distinction between stuffing a poodle and his dick into a fourteen-year-old girl. At the time Ward was doing her research, she got word about his turning teenage girls into his sex slaves and submitted an article that exposed his crimes. But editor Graydon Carter decided to exclude the passages that dealt with that. In a January 6, 2015 article in "The Daily Beast" tilted "I tried to warn you about sleazy billionaire Jeffrey Epstein" in 2003", she assesses the consequences of Carter's failure of nerve:
Today, my editor at The Daily Beast emailed Graydon to ask why he had excised the women's stories from my article. A Vanity Fair spokeswoman responded: "Epstein denied the charges at the time and since the claims were unsubstantiated and no criminal investigation had been initiated, we decided not to include them in what was a financial story."
But this wasn't a financial story, it was a classic Vanity Fair profile of a society figure. I don't know—because I never asked him—if Graydon still believed Epstein when in 2007 Epstein was sentenced to jail time for soliciting underage prostitutes. But it has often struck me that if my piece had named the women, the FBI might have come after Epstein sooner and perhaps some of his victims, now, in the latest spate of allegations, allegedly either paid off or too fearful of retribution to speak up, would have been saved.
Honoré de Balzac, Karl Marx's favorite novelist, introduced "Le Pére Goriot" with this epigraph: "Behind every great fortune there is a crime". That was apparently the case with Epstein, who was fired from his first job at Bear Stearns in 1981 after he was discovered making "illegal operations". Like so many others on Wall Street, he used insider information to make trades on St. Joe Mineral Corporation, a Canadian firm. Getting fired from Bear Stearns for improprieties is quite an accomplishment given this firm's history. Along with Lehman Brothers, its heavy investment in collateralized mortgage securities brought it down. In a Vanity Fair article on Bear-Stearns, a Wall Street executive said, "If I had to pick the biggest financial crime ever perpetuated, I would say, 'Bear Stearns.' "
Eventually Epstein started his own firm that was confident enough in its own abilities to stipulate that the only customers would be those worth more than a billion dollars. Only $750 million? Sorry, you need to go to Goldman Sachs.
According to Kay, lining up Leslie Wexner as his first account was critical. Wexner was the CEO of a garment conglomerate called the Limited. Among its most profitable companies was Victoria's Secret, a woman's underwear manufacturer that is notorious for its televised fashion shows in which models traipse down the runway with wings on their back. Apparently Epstein enjoyed sitting in the front row at these events, where he could pick out models young enough for his tastes.
Epstein and Wexner shared a passion besides making money. They were both rightwing Zionists. In another important article titled "How Alan Dershowitz bullied rape victims to protect a serial child molester", written for Electronic Intifada on January 10, 2015, Rania Khalek makes it clear how big-time Jewish money works on behalf of Palestinian oppression:
The Wexner Foundation is deeply involved in Israel advocacy mostly through its Israel Fellowship Program, which brings ten Israeli public officials to Harvard for a fully funded Master's degree program in public administration at the Kennedy School of Government.
With the participation of The Wexner Foundation, Republican pollster and rightwing propaganda consultant Frank Luntz produced the "Wexner Analysis: Israeli Communications Priorities 2003," a "road map" for linking the US' so-called war on terror in Iraq to Israel's war on Palestinians.
The foundation also funds a number of pro-Israel organizations, including Birthright Israel, a sectarian indoctrination program that sends young American Jews on a free ten-day trip to Israel to lure them into immigrating to bolster a Jewish majority and participate in the dispossession and ethnic cleansing of indigenous Palestinians.
Wexner himself is a key supporter and sits on the board of governors of Hillel International, the national network of campus organizations devoted to policing criticism of Israel and attacking the increasingly popular boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement under the guise of "enriching the lives of Jewish students." In 2008, Hillel awarded its annual Renaissance Award to Wexner for giving "critical support and counsel to Hillel."
After Epstein was arrested in 2006, a number of charities and institutions returned the money he had donated but not Harvard University where his $30 million had been used to create a department for Martin Nowak, a scientist whose research in genetics and society impressed Epstein, who has cultivated the support of big-time researchers and politicians alike.
When Nowak invited evolutionary biologist Robert Trivers to speak at a symposium, Epstein intervened to get the invitation revoked as the Harvard Crimson reported:
Some have opined that, with the passing of the Summers administration in 2006, these threats to free speech about Israel have ended. However, in 2007, long after Summers' departure, Martin A. Nowak—Professor of Mathematics and Biology and Director of Harvard's Program for Evolutionary Dynamics (PED) —invited Rutgers biologist Robert L. Trivers to speak on the occasion of his receipt of the prestigious Crafoord Prize in biosciences from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Hours before the scheduled speech and party, according to Trivers, Nowak abruptly rescinded the invitation and said that he was doing so under the orders of someone he would not identify. Also according to Trivers, Jeffrey Epstein later admitted ordering the cancellation and said that he had done so under pressure from Dershowitz. Epstein, a legal client of Dershowitz, had donated the funds used to establish PED, which, according to other sources, depends for its future effectiveness on further funding from him.
Dershowitz, who is also a Faculty Affiliate of PED, had complained of a letter to the Wall Street Journal in which Trivers described Israel's attacks on Lebanese civilians during the 2006 invasion as "butchery." He also called Dershowitz a "Nazi-like apologist" for justifying it, and told Dershowitz to "look forward to a visit" from him if his public justifications continued. Trivers denied any intent to threaten or harm Dershowitz physically. In 2008, it was a professor from outside of PED who ultimately invited Trivers anew. Notwithstanding Dershowitz' dramatic claim to have posted his karate-expert secretary at his office door to protect him, Trivers delivered a brilliant and well-attended speech, which took him nowhere near Dershowitz or his office. That Trivers was disinvited in the first place remains an unwashed disgrace to Harvard, unprecedented since the McCarthy era with regard to any issue other than Israel-Palestine.
Prince Andrew, like Alan Dershowitz, was a bosom buddy of Jeffrey Epstein and a man not inclined to question his obvious predilection for underage prostitutes. Both men vigorously deny having had sex with the women although Prince Andrew has more of a job explaining away the photo that shows him with his arm wrapped around a "Jane Doe" in the civil suit.
I had never paid much attention to the royal family but Andrew is a remarkably sleazy character, not just when it comes to preying on young women. Known as the Duke of York, he was a good pal of Muammar Gaddafi's son Saif. British tabloid The Mirror reported:
In November 2007 Andrew had the first of several meetings with Libyan dictator Colonel Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam, later indicted on charges including torture. And in 2008 he enjoyed a four-day holiday in Tunisia paid for by Tarek Kaituni (a convicted Libyan gun smuggler) before going to Libya and visiting Colonel Gaddafi himself, known as a murderous tyrant and rapist during his 42-year reign of terror.
Of course, this might not have raised eyebrows in Great Britain since the Libyan dictatorship had endeared itself to other powerful figures, including Tony Blair who hailed Gaddafi as an ally in the "war on terror" and gave his blessings to joint exploration deals between Shell and the Libyan state-owned oil company.
As the UK's Special Trade Representative, the Duke had a way of sniffing out lucrative trade deals with oil-rich dictatorships including Kazakhstan. As a wedding gift from Queen Elizabeth, the Duke received a 12-bedroom mansion in Sunninghill Park in 1986. After his divorce with Sarah Ferguson, the Duke moved out and put the property up for sale. Something of a white elephant that architecture critics likened to a Tesco-style supermarket, it languished on the real estate market for five years until Timur Kulibayev picked it up for £15m, £3m more than the asking price.
Timur Kulibayev is the son-in-law of Kazakhstan's president and reputed to control 90 percent of the country's economy. A leading Kazakh banker has alleged that the mansion was bought with money laundered from the proceeds of the sale of a Kazakh oil company to the Chinese. There is little doubt that the Duke has been acting as a middleman between British oil companies and Kazakhstan. The shady purchase of his mansion was surely meant to serve as a lubricant.
When he is not brokering oil deals, the Duke is making connections on behalf of British arms manufacturers. One of the more lucrative deals he has overseen is with the Bahrain dictatorship that has tortured men and women who protested in the streets during the nation's participation in the Arab Spring.
As mentioned above, Prince Andrew will need a good lawyer in the upcoming civil suit based on the testimony that has already been presented under oath. The Mirror reported on January 3, 2015:
Prince Andrew holidayed with Epstein in Thailand in 2001 and was snapped surrounded by topless women on a yacht.
A handyman who spent 11 years working for the tycoon claimed Prince Andrew often had massages when he was a guest at his Palm Beach mansion.
Juan Alessi said the Prince enjoyed daily massages from young women and often emerged "smiling" after rub-downs.
He said the massages were carried out in a private part of the mansion only Epstein and selected guests could access.
Alessi also told how he witnessed parties at the waterfront mansion at which the Prince was present while young girls frolicked in the nude.
One can easily imagine Epstein selling the prince on the healthful benefits of massage, considering what it did for him:
Philip Weiss quotes Epstein's friend Peggy Siegal, a publicist:
"He lives in a different environment," says Siegal. "He's of this world. But he creates this different environment. He lives like a pasha. The most magnificent townhouse I've ever been in, and I've been in everything. I've seen a model of the house in Santa Fe … a stone fortress. A model of the house in the Caribbean—it is not to be believed. I've seen photographs of the apartment in Paris … How did he get himself into that pickle? That's the mystery of Jeffrey Epstein. He's very mysterious. Not that many people get close to him. Not that many people know him."
Indeed, he does live like a pasha although I doubt that Siegal knew enough about Ottoman history to understand how much her words revealed. According to Wikipedia, a pasha is similar to the rank of Duke in British aristocracy. It makes perfect sense that Epstein and the Duke saw the right to buy women for their sexual pleasure as a God-given right. The entire basis of feudalism, after all, is the right of the aristocrat to enjoy a privileged status protected by the Church and the hereditary feudal class system.
"The Marriage of Figaro", one of my favorite Mozart operas, involves Count Almaviva's intention to reinstate the feudal right of an aristocrat to sleep with the bride of a servant. This was a world in which the aristocracy still wielded great power in Europe and as such Mozart's opera was part and parcel of the emerging bourgeois revolution that would abolish such privileges.
In my own view of this hotly contested matter in Marxist theory, I view the bourgeois revolution as one that preserves elements of feudal property relations, particularly in the countryside. The modern two-party system, in my view, is rooted in the compromise between urban manufacturer and rural gentry that was necessary for them to withstand the combined power of worker and peasant. It is the persistence of Labour and Tory in Britain and two-party systems everywhere in the world that demonstrates how bourgeois revolutions are not exactly democratic.
The behavior of a Dominique Strauss-Kahn or a Jeffrey Epstein is just a reminder that men at the top of the capitalist food chain tend to behave like Count Almaviva. The only difference between hereditary rule and bourgeois rule is that in the first case de jure allows what de facto in the second does not. In other words, you better not get caught with your pants down.


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Preakness Saturday's Top 10
Just when you thought we had a weekend without sports, the Preakness Stakes is here to see if Always Dreaming will give us a Triple Crown to cheer for in three weeks at the Belmont. Before the horses hit the Pimlico track, the Kentucky baseball and softball teams are taking the diamond with a lot at stake.
1. Which Non-Derby Horse will Win Money?
Let me start by saying Cherry Wine can go to hell. The horse powered through the mud to ruin my perfectly good trifecta and I'm still not over it. It was a bad day.
This year's field has brought a few of the best Derby contenders who are out to prove the sloppy, packed Churchill track was the reason they did not finish better. Hence, Gunnvera and Lookin' at Lee are all good prices. If you throw them in a trifecta with the prohibitive favorites, Classic Empire and Always Dreaming, you could win some nice coin, but Cherry Wine part two will still probably ruin it.
I don't know which Non-Derby horse has it in them, but if you'd like to share, please. I can't have another year of ruined Preakness bets.
2. The Morning Line Odds
3. And the Winner is:
Classic Empire. He's the Exaggerator to Always Dreaming's Nyquist. If you don't like that comparison, think Affirmed and Alydar, Smarty Jones and Lion Heart or Real Quiet and Victory Gallop.
Dreaming had everything go right for him in the Derby. Pretty much everything went wrong for Empire and he still came in fourth. Even if he doesn't win, this is the last time you'll see Empire at 3/1.
4. The BatCats are Blown Out in Gainesville
After the Cats took the Gators to the woodshed in the first game, Florida returned the favor in Game Two. Kentucky could never get the bats going while Florida ran wild to win 14-3. Kentucky can no longer win the SEC outright, but a win today at 1:00 ET could earn them a share of the SEC East title.
5. The Lexington Softball Regional Continues
While the BatCats struggled, their female counterparts thrived in the first round of the Regional Tournament. The UK Softball team scored five runs on four hits in the first inning and never looked back to defeat DePaul 6-0. Meagan Prince's shutout featured five strikeouts and just two hits.
Kentucky will play for a spot in the Regional Championship today at noon against Illinois at John Cropp Stadium. After a 12-inning first round victory, hopefully fatigue is a factor for the Illini.
6. Is Diallo's Decision Going to Happen?
It could happen at any moment. He's finished with workouts, but his teammates are still trying out for NBA teams. Mychal Mulder recently got a look from the Orlando Magic and Isaiah Briscoe worked out with the Rockets yesterday.
7. Playoffs
The NBA Playoffs have not been the most entertaining basketball. Last night the Cavs beat the brakes off the Celtics 130-86. If you can still appreciate basketball in a blowout, the Warriors are traveling to San Antonio for Game 3, tonight at 9:00 on ABC.
On the other hand, the NHL Playoffs have been thrilling. It's had everything you want in postseason play: game sevens, overtime and epic comebacks, most recently the Ducks' 3-2 OT win over the Preds. They return to the ice tonight in Anaheim with the series tied at 2-2, starting at 7:15 on NBC, following the Preakness Stakes.
8. I Tied a Bow Tie
After years of failed attempts, I finally figured out how to tie a bow tie and I've never been more proud of myself. It's my greatest accomplishment since graduating college and it feels so good.
Feeling like I just tied my first Bow tie pic.twitter.com/9PVs6CPsOo
– Nick Roush (@RoushKSR) May 20, 2017
9. Check Out 75
One of my best friends is in a new film that's not for the faint of heart. Made in Cincinnati by Cincinnatians, it takes a personal look at the heroin epidemic that's ravaging our region. I have yet to see it, but it's airing in a few select theaters in Cincinnati and in the coming months you'll be able to watch it and chill. For a better description, IMDB says,
A crash victim, a housewife and two repressed teens are connected by hard-working therapist Viola, who helps them battle their addictions while two disillusioned detectives struggle with the mounting war against heroin in Cincinnati.
75 Official Trailer from Brand Old Productions on Vimeo.
10. Have a Wonderful Day
On a slow news day, this is the part where we normally say, "KSR in an hour," except there is no KSR in an hour. But if you'd like to listen to any old episodes, click here.


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What exactly is the "open ocean?" According to most countries, the "open ocean" or "international waters" refers to any body of water, usually an area of the ocean, which does not fall under the jurisdiction of any state, country or other governing body. Generally, you can consider "international waters" to begin 12 miles off the coast of any country.
So, say you find yourself shipwrecked some dozen or so miles from the American coastline and a friendly dolphin were to swim up to you. Through a series of clicks and whistles it makes clear that it will swim you safely back to shore out of the goodness of its porpoise heart. But first, it offers you a friendship joint carefully sealed in a waterproof Ziploc bag with a lighter, carried gently in its beak for just such an occasion. According to maritime law, you could without question light up that friendship joint then and there with your new dolphin friend. It could even be in front of a Coast Guard vessel and the US government couldn't do a thing about it. They might even hail you as a hero for improving human-dolphin relations that have been so damaged by the tuna industry and SeaWorld. Once the dolphin towed you back to shore and waved goodbye with a final flip of its tail, you may even expect a parade.
Even though cannabis is technically fair game and legal on the open ocean waters in the above scenario, when you're on a boat or ship in international waters, the rules change quite a bit.
Is Weed Legal in International Waters or the Open Ocean?
In a scenario most scientists and lawyers are calling "much more likely," you're in international waters on a boat owned by someone you either personally know or have arranged payment with, and you have some marijuana on you. What is your legal standing if you choose to smoke reefer before exploring some reefs? Well, it depends.
No matter how far from the coastal shores most boats travel, they are still subject to the laws of the state to which they are registered, as are the people aboard them.
Therefore, if you set sail toward the Pacific from the coast of California, Oregon, or Washington, marijuana should be as legal onboard as it is on shore. As long as you check with the crew to make sure they're cool with it, you could expect that you're good to go. If you're boating into the Atlantic from a non-legal state like South Carolina, maybe go a little more covert on your oceanic journey. For example, sneak an edible beforehand or vape below deck in the bathroom. Those are your two options – although they wouldn't necessarily be legal.
Cannabis' Federally Illegal Status Complicates Things
Per usual, the fact that marijuana is federally illegal throws up roadblocks to those wishing to have some responsible fun with an essentially harmless substance. While you may be legally compliant as you smoke a bowl on the beaches of Big Sur, the moment you leave the shores of California you enter the jurisdiction of the federally controlled Coast Guard.
As long as using cannabis remains a federal crime, anyone the Coast Guard catches in possession may be subject to fines and federal prosecution.
According to the Convention of the High Seas, if your boat or vessel is "home ported" anywhere in the United States, possessing and smoking cannabis on said vessel would still technically be a federal crime. This is true even within international waters. If that weren't enough, the Coast Guard also has the authority to board any boat it chooses even within state waters. While this ability is ostensibly to enforce federal boating safety laws, if they come across any marijuana while inspecting the expiration dates on flares or counting life jackets, it can lead to big problems. According to Boating Magazine, "in states where laws prohibit marijuana possession, the Coast Guard routinely passes cases to state authorities. But boaters busted within, say, Massachusetts waters, will face federal prosecution."
Of course, even if the Coast Guard finds your personal stash as you're floating off the coast of Oregon, all but the most zealous officers will take the amount into account. There's still a couple ounces of weight separating the charges of "possession" and "intent to distribute." For first-time offenders, and those with good legal representation, the Coast Guard civil penalty hearing officer will generally hand down a marijuana-possession fine similar to state levels.
Key Takeaways
So, is there any "high" allowed on the high seas? The answer is: yes and no. Legally, the ship you're on is subject to the laws of the state and country it came from, but not in that order. Every cruise ship bans marijuana use for its passengers and if your vessel is boarded by the Coast Guard, they may prosecute you for any marijuana they find on the course of their rounds.
Until cannabis is federally legal, there may be penalties for marijuana use no matter how many miles you float from the shore. However, if you don't get caught or there's no evidence to find (think edibles or vape), then you're all easy in the ocean breezy – especially if your boat is registered in a legal state.
Of course, as evidenced by our haphazardly plausible scenario from earlier, the above advice all relates to maritime vessels. As long as you're not aboard a ship, the waters are truly free. Maybe that friendly dolphin will swing by and legally share their stash. But don't count on it.
Have you had any cannabis experiences on open waters? What tips do you have to share with others?
- Check out our seed shop or organic CBD products – well worth checking out!
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Sivanandam VENKATESH1, Kannan RAMKUMAR1, Muralidharan GURUPRASATH2, Seshadhri SRINIVASAN3, Valentina E. BALAŞ4*
1 School of EEE, SASTRA University,
Thirumalaisamudram, Thanjavur, 613401, India
firstname.lastname@example.com, email@example.com
2 FLSmidth Pvt. Ltd, Cement and Minerals Projects India,
Chennai, 603 103, India
3 International Research Center, Kalasalingam University,
Srivilliputtur, India
4 Aurel Vlaicu University of Arad, Romania
* Corresponding author
Abstract: Feed-grindability variations (clinker hardness) in cement grinding circuit affects the product quality and productivity of the cement plant. This investigation proposes a generalized predictive controller for cement grinding circuit that is more robust to feed-grindability variations. The main building block of the proposed controller is a new model for cement grinding circuit that directly relates product quality with elevator current and main drive load. The advantage of the model is that the effect of feed-grindability variations on product quality can be easily observed from the output. To develop such a model, this investigation adapts a data driven modelling approach. Experimental data obtained as measurements from cement grinding circuit in a cement mill located near Chennai, India is used to develop the transfer function model based on least squares approach. The model obtained from data driven modelling is used to design a generalized predictive controller whose objective is to optimize the product quality in the presence of feed-grindability variations without breaching physical and operational limits of the cement grinding circuit. The tuning parameters of the proposed generalized predictive controller is adjusted to meet performance metrics specific to cement industries. Our results show that the proposed controller provides better product quality in the presence of feed-grindability variations than other optimization based controllers such as the linear quadratic regulator.
Keywords: Generalized Predictive Controller (GPC), cement grinding circuit, feed-grindability.
>>Full text<<
Sivanandam VENKATESH, Kannan RAMKUMAR, Muralidharan GURUPRASATH, Seshadhri SRINIVASAN, Valentina E. BALAŞ, Generalized Predictive Controller for Ball Mill Grinding Circuit in the Presence of Feed-grindability Variations, Studies in Informatics and Control, ISSN 1220-1766, vol. 25(1), pp. 29-38, 2016. https://doi.org/10.24846/v25i1y201604


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INDIANAPOLIS,Ind (Jan 19, 2015)-- Ashton Harting, 13, was supposed to be in bed--instead he was shot and killed early Monday morning.
Harting supposedly asked his mother if he could go to the gas station near 38th Street and Post Road. She said 'no', saying it was too late and she assumed the gas station would be closed, according to Adrien Small, Harting's father.
The 13-year-old left the house against his mother's orders.
"My son shouldn't have been there at all in the first place," said Small.
Police responded to a call of 'shots fired' on the 3600 block of DeCamp Drive around 2 a.m., IMPD officers tried reviving Harting, but it was too late.
"That's a wake up call, you need to stop doing what you are doing now and start to change your life. That's too young to be out here and get shot for nothing," said Saturn Coe, a friend who attended a vigil in Harting's honor.
Small says at least one of the friends with his son Monday morning is gang-affiliated.
Investigators have indicated that the shooting may have been gang related.
Harting has been arrested in the past, and his older sister, Hunter Horne, admits he got caught up in the 'wrong crowd.' However, she stresses that her little brother is not in a gang.
"Yes, he has had his struggles, but he is not with any kind of gang," said Horne.
Jalen Vaughn remembers the good times with his cousin.
"We used to play in the park, go on walks, work out together and eat together," said Vaughn.
Vaughn says he would talk with Harting about trying to make a better life for themselves--far away from the streets.
"You can't let where you come from define you. You have to step above what people expect you to be," said Vaughn.
Police say there were several witnesses, including Harting's brother. No arrests have been made.
"I hope they are found and punished for life," said Horne.
The family has started a fund to help cover some of the funeral expenses.


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Tag Archives: species extinctions
How can exotic invasions drive native species extinct?
Read the full paper here: Catford, J. A., Bode, M. & Tilman, D. (2018) Introduced species that overcome life history tradeoffs can cause native extinctions. Nature Communications 9: 2131.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged biological invasions, cartoon, comic, comic strip, David Tilman, enemy release, extinctions, invasion ecology, invasion impacts, invasions, Invasive species, Jane Catford, Michael Bode, Nature Communications, plant invasions, species extinctions, species invasions 1 Comment


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A Free Craft Pattern for Each Day of the Year
Home > Calendar > Holiday Crafts
Holiday Crafts - Fabric Christmas Tree
September 16
Fabric Christmas Tree
This project provides instructions for making fabric cones that stack up to make a mini Christmas tree. This is a simple and fun project and works great for using up your fabric scraps. Enjoy making a Christmas tree that looks festive in any room of the house.
Click here for the craft pattern.
More days with holiday crafts you might like:
|Easy Pumpkin Placemat
|Easter Bunny Crafts
|Plastic Bag Rug
|Patriotic Uncle Sam
|Thanksgiving Table Setting
|Sweet Little Strawberries
|Patriotic Earrings
|Handcrafted Valentine


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BALTIMORE, Md. – Bianca Brown (North Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick Township) had six kills including two in a 6-1 run to close the fourth set to help Goucher College to a 3-1 win against Notre Dame in non-conference women's volleyball action on Friday.
Just like the first three sets, the fourth set went down to the wire. Notre Dame held a 23-20 lead only to see the Gophers close out the set and the match with a 6-1 run. Brown capped a 4-0 run with a kill and then ended the match with a kill to close out a 26-24 fourth set and a 3-1 season-opening victory.
Cat Hartley (Colorado Springs, Colo./Cheyenne Mountain) added 24 digs while Kaya Melchor (Mililani, Hawaii/Kamehameha Schools Kapalama) narrowly missed a double-double with 19 digs and eight kills. Virginia Estes (Homewood, Ala./Homewood) added 15 digs. Tes DeJaeger (Norwalk, Conn./Brien McMahon) registered 16 assists and six digs and Vendela Lundgren (Columbia, Md./Howard) added 12 assists. Rachel Chapman (Rochester, N.Y./Churchville Chili) added a team-high 10 kills in the winning effort.
In the first set with the score tied at 14, the Gophers used an 11-5 run to secure the opening set 25-19. Chapman had three kills and a block to help close out the set.
Goucher had the second set slip away after leading 24-21. Notre Dame scored the final five points to tie the match at one set apiece.
The third set was another battle, but with the score tied at 22 the Gophers won the next two points courtesy of Gators attack errors. Freshman Trinity Collier (Cockeysville, Md./Dulaney) closed out the set with a kill to give Goucher a 2-1 set lead in the battle of Baltimore.
Chapman, Collier, Lundgren, Lia Fukuda (Santa Fe, N.M./Monte del Sol Charter) and Nicole Kovach (New York, N.Y./Quest to Learn) all made their collegiate debuts in the match to help head coach Kathy Frankowski earn the win in her Gophers coaching debut.
Goucher, who opened the season with a win for the first time since the 2014 season, returns to action on Saturday at home against Penn State Brandywine. Match time is 1 p.m.


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Smart management of personal finances requires three basic elements: optimising income, reining in expenditures, and choosing the best savings and/or investment strategies. For many people, it's the second element that snags them: one of their biggest challenges is keeping their spending under control.
And for those who spend much of their life online, impulse buying can turn into a serious problem. Perhaps you're experiencing such a problem. If so, you may have discovered that while technology has made money management easier in many ways, it has also made spending far too easy.
That said, don't think that you're doomed to wallow in a never-ending cycle of impulse buying, buyer's remorse, additional buying, and even deeper remorse. If you take a few steps back and look at the ways you're being manipulated into spending, you can use that awareness to steel yourself against the manipulation. Then you'll be better equipped to become a smarter shopper.
The retail industry's not-so-secret weapon
The first thing you need to keep in mind is that you aren't alone in your impulse buying. As a matter of fact, people in the UK spent over £6 billion on impulse purchases, which averages out to roughly £129 per person. Millennials are more prone to making impulse buys than older generations, women are more prone than men, and everyone is more likely to make impulse purchases when they have extra money in their current accounts or available on their credit cards.
Merchants know this, of course, and use all sorts of devious schemes to take advantage of people's spending tendencies. Look at how many impulse purchase items end in the number 9, especially when such a small reduction makes the price appear significantly lower. For instance, dropping the price of a £10 item by merely one pence, to £9.99, leads the consumer to instinctively see a reduction in the number of pounds, which represents a significant savings. That is, at least until the shopper thinks about it for a moment, which is contrary to the very nature of impulse shopping.
Some people are also inclined to grab what they perceive as a great bargain, even if they have little use for the item or already own a similar item for which they had previously paid more. If you find yourself in either of these situations, take a breath – or a day, if you need to – and consider whether the purchase is really going to benefit you. You can always come back if the answer is yes.
The nighttime is the right time for impulse buyers
Although some studies have shown that most impulse buys occur in-store, there's no doubt that online shopping is also a source of problem spending. This can be particularly valid during late-night hours, when infomercials and all-night shopping networks make the bulk of their sales. The insomnia that drives many people to spend the wee hours watching these merchants may even be a part of larger issues that also induce a tendency to over-shop.
Furthermore, some online merchants have been accused of encouraging impulse spending by sending email alerts at the precise times that customers may be most vulnerable, though a retail trade group naturally denies targeting vulnerable consumers. The Money and Mental Health Institute has offered some possible remedies to reduce compulsive purchases, such as implementing regulations that would delay completion of a purchase, pending a confirmation sent by the consumer after a bit of a cooling off period had passed. Other suggested measures include either government or personal restriction of access to shopping channels and online stores, particularly at night. As would be expected, trade groups do not take kindly to such suggestions.
The keyword is "responsibility"
If you have a real problem with overspending, you may be able to get it under control yourself, but you may decide that you require outside help. But you will never make any progress unless you acknowledge that you and you alone are ultimately responsible for the way you spend your money. It doesn't matter how many options and settings the shopping web sites allow to help minimise impulse purchases; if you don't take full responsibility for your spending, you will continue to find a way to squander your money.
Chronic overspending can be one of the quickest routes to a true financial crisis, a situation in which you don't have enough money for necessities, much less for the occasional indulgence. If you find yourself in this kind of situation, you might need a loan. And you likely won't have a lot of good options if your financial situation has compromised your credit. But you can find options, if you just take a bit of time and shop around to see what loans are available and how much each will cost you. Now is certainly not the time to continue following the same impulsive tendencies that got you into trouble in the first place. Once you do manage to get a loan to cover those necessities – and only those necessities – you will need to handle the loan responsibly so you won't make your situation worse.
While some of life's experiences are best decided on the spur of the moment, this rarely applies to financial decisions. Such decisions are best carefully thought out, and based upon good information rather than emotions. Keep a cool head, and you can avoid the kind of traps that uncontrolled impulse spending can spring on you.


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Boost your eShop for summer
A guest post from our partner Digital Marketing Agency Silverbean
With the arrival of summer sunshine (or at least, the expected arrival of it) comes a less sunny outlook for many businesses. The summer season can often result in slower sales as the consuming public makes the most of the warmer weather and the holiday period.
But it doesn't have to be this way. Now is the time to really focus on strengthening customer relationships, smart targeting and promotions and making the most of the down time ahead of busier periods.
ScS celebrate the World Cup through their social media competition #scscelebrations
With vacations, summer hours and weekend trips, fewer people are connected via desktop and laptop computers; browsing instead using smartphones and tablets. Therefore it is important to ensure that you have a mobile responsive site in place, but if costs restrict this, Facebook offers the easy option of setting up a shopping app through their site.
Social networking activity itself is much higher during the summer months; consumers have more time to relax, likely sharing their movements (and uploading many a summer selfie, hot-dog leg shots and Instagram photos of every single food dish from their holiday). With this in mind, it is worth exploring and maximising, your social channels at this time of year to encourage customer engagement and push brand awareness.
Informing your customers of news, promotions, or events works to increase their connection and interest with your brand, rather than going for the cold hard sell every time.
Fly 53 tailors a summer promotion that fits with their brand and offer fantastic discounted deals over 53 days.
The summer period can be a great time to have a clear-out – whether you have the end of line stock or want to refresh your offering, consumers are used to summer sales and respond favourably to this activity. Additionally, it is a great source of revenue that isn't out of line with standard discounting procedures.
Alternatively, perhaps a flash Friday offering – different products at discount prices for a limited period, or Bank Holiday mark-downs. This could again be tied in with social activity by offering new followers or customers that sign up to your emails/alerts a discount code for use in the summer months.
If discounting strategy isn't in line with your business model, summer competitions could also drive traffic – again, social platforms are great for this. Encourage user-generated content using your products, offering a prize that is of significant interest to your target audience (even if it is simply their image on your site). The shop and then share model encourages engagement and is a quick and easy way of spreading awareness using your existing customers. Track such promotions by creating a hashtag that can easily be followed across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google plus, for example, #MyBrandSummer – replacing "brand" with your business name. This way you can log all the activity surrounding the promotion. Be sure to re-tweet or re-blog the best photos or statuses with a prize giveaway or discount reward for the most shares or the best images.
Image: Mocks jump on the back of the Tour De France event, and offer a special discount in relation to it.
With the exodus of one group comes an influx of another. It is worth looking at whether you can promote your business to those who are visiting from abroad. In terms of strategy, is international delivery or providing services abroad a future ambition? Put the first steps in place with tourist-targeted marketing.
Tourists are looking for unique purchases, something they can't get back home – is there anything you can offer that they won't have access to elsewhere? Value is also important to this group, check the exchange rate and make sure you have a great deal for them.
Attracting tourists may take a little extra effort – but if you have more time during the summer months to focus on such activity then this is great. Exhibitions, partnerships with hotels or tourism specific magazines, airports, train companies, travel companies etc. are all good ways to get your brand in front of those visiting. Using a tourist specific page, their own URL, to promote summer-only offerst that are just for them can add to that 'special offer' feeling and encourage purchase.
Yes, really. Larger retailers start planning for Christmas in July to get press coverage in the long lead magazines and to shoot their Christmas buy. There's no reason why smaller businesses can't apply the same model and spend the summer downtime looking ahead and planning for the busier period.
Start thinking about your strategy for the busiest periods and what your marketing will look like – it's always great to get a head start, particularly if other companies, like you, are offering various summer discounts or early-bird pricing for Christmas-specific brochures/flyers/online display advertising/promotion spots/print advertisements if you book in now.
Image: Silverbean are often celebrating one thing or another in the summer months.
Summer is the ideal time for a business refresh. Head out of the office with your team and spend time planning, creative brainstorming and team building to re-engage with each other as well as business objectives. Find an inspiring venue and be stimulated by the new surroundings; discuss possible new concepts and let everyone have their chance to share ideas. Run a few sessions in the morning and spend the later part of the day socialising and getting to know colleagues outside of the office – a BBQ, drinks or experience day is always appreciated and a way of saying "thanks" to your staff.
The summer downtime is also a great chance to do research into new practices, to look at your competitors and to do some courses to learn new skills. Whatever you do, summer shouldn't be a time to get down about lower revenues but a period to reconnect with your objectives and maximise the free time so that you can achieve more than ever during those busier months.