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You don't always find the church where you expected
As I mentioned in my post "An Unexpected Journey with the Church," I'm planning to get together with a group of believers in the Charlotte area in April to discuss how expectations often hinder us from finding fellowship in Christ with one another. Over the next few days, I'm planning to write about various expectations and how those expectations can affect our ability to find fellowship and share our lives with other brothers and sisters in Christ.
Over the last few years, I've found that location is a huge expectation when it comes to the church.
Okay, I know what you're thinking. It's time to harp on church buildings, right? Well, yes and no.
It's true that many, many people expect to find "church" in a specially set aside building, and outside of that building they do not expect to find fellowship. Yes, this is a problem of expectations. But, this same problem of expectations based on location can affect Christians who do not gather in specially designated buildings.
What? That sounds crazy, at first. But, in reality, it's all the same. You see, it IS possible to find fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ in "church buildings," and it is possible to find fellowship with other believers in homes, and it is possible to find fellowship with other Christians in parks and beaches and pubs and any other location.
Expectations get in the way when we ONLY expect to find fellowship in a specific location (whatever that location), and expectations also get in the way when we NEVER expect to find fellowship in certain locations (whatever those locations).
Fellowship is sharing our life in Christ together, and it requires sharing all of our life to grow deeper and deeper in fellowship with one another and with Jesus Christ. When we begin to expect location to affect that ability to share our life, then those expectations (not the location) WILL begin to affect our ability to share our life and find fellowship.
We might expect to find fellowship in a certain location and be disappointed when relationships are not formed or deepened there. We might not expect to find fellowship in a certain location and miss the opportunities that God provides for us to get to know our brothers and sisters better and to serve them.
Are there some locations that are more conducive to building relationships and sharing our lives with one another? Yes, sure. But, we should never discount any location in which we are with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Any location can be a place in which we find and deepen fellowship.
Church buildings? Homes? Parks? Beaches? Office buildings? Schools? Anywhere.
Wherever we are, let's keep our eyes and ears open, discerning what God is doing in our lives and in the lives of the people around us, and we will not be disappointed by expectations related to our location.
Series on Expectations and Fellowship
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Excellent points for any Christian group…or individual.
I agree very much with this article. We Christians get our mind set one way sometimes and miss opportunities God brings along because of it. I was in organized church for years and had the basic casual relationships. Not to say you can't find good fellowship in the organized church, but for me, once I left the institution and started realizing church was not a building, not a place you go, but it was a people, things changed for the better. We are the Church. Jesus is building the Church from living stones, not brick and mortar. We can have fellowship anytime, anywhere, not just on Sundays or inside a building. I have had more fellowship and deeper relationships in the last 2 years with guys outside of organized religion than I did for 15 years in it. Let's face it, we can have fellowship anywhere. We, His Church, can assemble together anytime 2 or 3 gather in His name. That can be in a home, in a park, at a restaurant, in a pub, and yes, even in a church building.


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International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel has been re-elected to the post, the sport's governing body announced Wednesday.
The 62-year-old was chosen for another four-year term in the absence of other candidates at the IIHF general congress in Tokyo.
"Rene Fasel re-elected as IIHF President by acclamation at 2012 IIHF General Congress," the Zurich-based body announced on Twitter.
Fasel has been at the helm of the organization since 1994 and another term should see him eclipse his predecessor Gunther Sabetzki as its longest-serving president.
The German held the post for 19 years from 1975.
Since becoming president, Fasel, also member of the International Olympic Committee's executive board, has played a key role in forging closer ties between the IIHF and the NHL.
He has vowed to do everything in his power to ensure as many NHL players as possible participate in the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.

subset: commoncrawl


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Country newcomer Drake White is taking you into his own private hideaway in his brand-new lyric video for "Livin' the Dream." That's his wife, Alex, co-starring in him with the clip, shot at their five-acre spread just north of Nashville.
Drake tells Rare Country, "We've been out there a year-and-a-half. I've got a little pond on the property. Got some dogs. That's kind of my happy spot. That's where I go to chill out and relax."
As you can tell from the clip above, Drake gets some hard work done on the farm.
He says, "I've always enjoyed projects and always been a do-it-yourself guy. You know, this video was shot out there, and it's just beautiful."
That's him cutting his own fire wood, which leads to another one of Drake's favorite pass times — building bonfires.
"I am a strong advocate for a good fire," Drake says. "I love a good fire and sitting around it. There's a magic that can be sucked out of you around a fire. You know, a man who cuts his own wood gets warmed by it twice."
We know you'll love this song, and we look forward to big, big things to come for Drake White this year.


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San Diego County Fair Junior Livestock Auction
Information: Call the Del Mar Fairgrounds livestock office at (858) 792-4283
Online: sdfair.com/fair
North County agriculture teachers say their students could have a tough time selling their pigs, sheep and steers at the San Diego County Fair this summer.
"Prices at the auction have gone down, where kids are just breaking even or making only a small amount of money," said Marc Reyburn, adviser to Escondido High School's Future Farmers of America chapter. "Home builders that used to come and buy animals are not coming as much."
Figuring in the cost of food and veterinary care, students can spend between $2,000 and $3,000 on a steer before it is fair-ready. It is an investment they may not recoup.
"The cost of feed has skyrocketed in the past couple of years," Reyburn said. "Luckily, we have local Indian tribes that will buy animals, and others that come every year and buy multiple animals."
Local FFA President Robert Archambealt said his two children raise pigs and sheep, which they plan to enter in the fair this year. Each year, Archambealt and his wife buy animals raised by other children.
"We bought four animals last year . . . so they could at least pay for their expenses," Archambealt said.
A reprieve is available this year for savvy students who market their animals in advance.
Last week, San Diego County Fair officials announced changes to the livestock and small-animal competition that will make it easier for students to raise money for their animals.
On Monday, Archambealt and San Marcos High School agricultural teacher Rob Gaebe met with Katie Phillips, the fair's exhibitions manager, to discuss "add-ons." The term refers to donations that are added to the auction sale price of an animal.
Add-ons make it possible for people who don't want to buy a whole animal to donate toward a student's efforts to sell their livestock.
The fair receives 3 percent of the sale price.
While add-ons are standard at other fairs in California, Archambealt, Gaebe and Reyburn said they have been scarce at the San Diego County Fair because in previous years add-on donation forms were not available until the day of the Junior Livestock Auction.
Phillips said the forms have always been available in advance to anyone who asked.
"It just seemed that there was maybe some miscommunication and some (agriculture) leaders weren't aware that they were available in advance," she said.
Phillips said add-on forms should be available to agriculture advisers by mid-April. A software system the fair is implementing this year will make processing the add-on contributions easier, she said.
After meeting with the student advisers Monday, fair officials also agreed to reduce the minimum add-on from $25 to $20.
The student advisers also raised the issue of which animals are allowed to go to auction. Currently, only an animal that has won a blue ribbon can be auctioned. Each student is allowed to auction only one blue ribbon animal.
Archambealt said he and Phillips discussed the possibility of next year adding an additional auction day so more animals could be sold.
"Anything's possible," Phillips said. "I'm not going to say no."Copyright © 2017, The San Diego Union-Tribune


text: The next clean-up for the Joshua Tree Clean Team will be tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. at Highway 62 and Sunburst. Anyone interested is encouraged to join them for one short hour of work. There will be trash bags, grabber sticks, gloves and water available to make the chore more do-able. Volunteers are invited to meet afterwards at the Park Rock Cafe for coffee and conversation. The Joshua Tree Clean Team is grateful to have seven co-sponsors which include, Park Rock Café, Z107.7, Joshua Tree Outfitters, County of San Bernardino Waste Management, Joshua Tree Recreation and Park District, Cal Trans and the Hi-Desert Star. For more information call 760-366-8415.


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34 35th St., Unit 26, Brooklyn, NY, 11232
Digital Day Camp 2009
Digital Day Camp 2009 students engage in lectures and hands-on workshops focusing on art and technology tools, careers in the field, and relevant social and artistic topics. Through their investigations, they will have the opportunity to research current themes in arts and technology, and develop their own project in response to what they discover.
Final projects are promoted through Eyebeam's website, and through a final public event on Tuesday, July 28, from 6–8pm on 19th St between 10th and 11th Ave, beneath the Highline.
This summer's theme focused on creative activism in an urban environment. Students worked with urban planners, software designers, activists, video artists, and even a couple of activist gardeners to dig a little deeper into the fabric of our city, to learn more about how can creatively activate it, and how we can use art and technology to change it for the better. Each student has been selected for their special talents as visual artists, writers, musicians, dancers, or performers to contribute to a final project.
Check out the DDC09 blog here: http://ddc09eyebeam.wordpress.com/
Participating Artist Teachers:
Rebecca Bray and Britta Riley: Eyebeam Residents
Ava Bromberg: College of Tactical Culture
Jon Cohrs: Eyebeam Resident
Sarah Cook: CRUMB member and Eyebeam Curatorial Partner
Jeff Crouse: Eyebeam Senior Fellow
Christina Kral: Eyebeam Alum
Di Mainstone: Eyebeam Resident
Daniel Perlin: Eyebeam Teaching Artist
Adriana Young: Artist; Research Director, Capital B
Student Participants:
Zoe Penina Baker
Caroline Spivack
Brittany Winjham
Lily B. Lasovick
Fernando Reyes Duran
Usman Muyeeb
Natique Allen
Siena Larris
Jade Highleyman
Evonny Escoto
Luther Cherry
Mayte Burgoa
Luis Perez
Spencer Brown
Brandi Edwards
Research: Education, Urban Research
Tags: DDC, DDC09, Digital Day Camp
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When you get your new Kindle Fire, the Silk browser comes preloaded with popular website bookmarks. Here's how to get rid of them and add your own.
Open the Kindle Fire browser and tap Web at the top.
Then tap the Bookmarks icon at the bottom of the screen.
To delete any of these, tap and hold a bookmark until you see the following menu. Tap Delete.
Then tap OK when the Delete Bookmark confirmation message comes up.
Do that for each preloaded bookmark you no longer want. Much cleaner!
Now add the bookmarks that you want. While on a site, tap the bookmarks icon at the bottom. Then tap the plus sign that's displayed on the page's thumbnail.
Type in a name for the bookmark and tap OK.
Do that for each page you want to bookmark. Here I deleted all of the preloaded bookmarks and added eight new ones.
If you haven't done so already, make sure you protect your private data. Enable the Lock Screen password on your Kindle Fire.


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Does Vertical Integration Effect Market Power? Evidence from U.S. Food Manufacturing Industries
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Volume (Year): 37 (2005)
Issue (Month): 01 (April)
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- Sanjib Bhuyan & Rigoberto A. Lopez, 1997. "Oligopoly Power in the Food and Tobacco Industries," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 79(3), pages 1035-1043.
- Caves, Richard E. & Bradburd, Ralph M., 1988. "The empirical determinants of vertical integration," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 9(3), pages 265-279, April.
- Richard J. Sexton, 2000. "Industrialization and Consolidation in the U.S. Food Sector: Implications for Competition and Welfare," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 82(5), pages 1087-1104.
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Spend less time implementing and analyzing compliance for mundane technical tasks and spend more time on strategy and intelligent tasks.
Contrary to classic search engine rankings reporting tool, SambaSaaS automatically reports on key-phrases for which your websites are appearing on Google search result pages.
There's no need to create and manage list of key-phrases with our keyword ranking checker.
Better yet, reporting align automatically with your website search targets when using our automated optimization engine; we include these keywords automatically in your tracked priority key-phrases reports.
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SeoSamba's analytics goes well beyond traditional web analytics, providing multisites stats at a glance, full ecommerce dashboard, deep SEO reports as well as social network analytics. All of it 100% customizable, plus on-demand white label for web agencies and SEO consultants.
SambaSaaS automatically saves optimized versions of your websites and let you go back in time to view and restore web pages previous SEO rules, attributes and content.


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Fracking in California
Wednesday | May 07, 2014 | 6:00 am — 8:15 pm
Sunset Magazine's Menlo Park Campus | 80 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA
Event Navigation
The Food and Environment Reporting Network and Sunset Magazine present a panel discussion on fracking in California and what it means for the future of farming in the Monterey Shale.
Wine and hors d'oeuvres will be served. Please RSVP.Visit Event Website >>
Cost: FreeEvent Phone: email@example.com
Please contact organizer for wheelchair accessibility information.


text: NASCAR officials have deliberated on a new point system behind closed doors for several weeks now. According to inside sources, officials have chosen a new system after carefully evaluating several simpler formulas or even abandoning The Chase altogether.According to inside sources, here are the rejected formulas for a new point system. 1. Jessica Alba IndexUnder this formula, NASCAR officials would meet with Jessica Alba every Sunday night at a nice restaurant of her choosing. Ms. Alba would r ...//more


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Dangers of Lipoma on the Scalp?
I have a lipoma on my scalp. I got opinions from four different doctors and I guess it's uncommon for lipomas to be on the scalp. What are the dangers... READ MORE
Risks and Recovery Period of Deep Lipoma Removal?
I have what is believed to be a lipoma in the small of my back. It is considered large and deep. I have had some pain and a lot of tingling and... READ MORE
What Are the Pros and Cons of Lipoma Removal?
I have a lipoma the size of a golf ball on my middle lower back right above my buttocks. I have never had surgery and I am self conscious of the... READ MORE
Best Way to Remove Large Neck Lipoma?
I have a large lipoma (about 4 in.), on the left side of my neck. What would be my best option to remove it? It's obviously a major eyesore, but I... READ MORE
Risks of Lipoma Removal in the Neck?
I have a lipoma on the front part of my neck and it's growing rapidly. I want a cosmetic removal. Are there any risks involved since its on my neck?... READ MORE
Lipoma Removal from Face - Risk of Facial Nerve Damage?
No pictures at present READ MORE
Facial Lipoma Next To Eye
Hello! My husband is planning to get a facial lipoma removed, and the lipoma is actually right next to his right eye. The doctor's have told him... READ MORE
I've Had a Lipoma In My Left Armpit Since 2003, And This Year Is Started Growing. Can I Use Deodorant?
I've Had a Lipoma In My Left Armpit Since 2003, And This Year Is Started Growing. Can I Use Deodorant? READ MORE
How to Treat Forehead Lipoma on Infant?
My 9 month old has a bump above his eyebrow. His pediatrician and dermatologist both said it is a lipoma and to see a plastic surgeon if we want it... READ MORE
My doctor told me I have a lipoma on the back of my neck. What are the risk of surgery?
My doctor told me from what he could feel and see the lipoma (fatty tumor) is 10 cm by 10 cm. it causes me pain and I'm worried that it has grown... READ MORE
What is the chance of nerve damage from lipoma surgery ?
I have lipoma under my jaw line. The tumor is the size of a grape. I had a ct scan and the doctor says it is against my nerve. I have a little pain... READ MORE
Large Lipoma Removal - Surgery or Liposuction?
I have a large (abt the size of a small lime) lipoma on my upper thigh. I just saw a general surgeon who said it could be removed via surgery (with a... READ MORE
I Have a Lipoma on my Back. Is There a Risk Waiting to Remove It?
I just discovered what appears to be a lipoma (maybe 1" in diameter) on my lower left back. I think it has been contributing to lower back pain.... READ MORE
Lipoma under the armpit. What are the risks of getting it removed?
I went to the doctor's today, & he said I have a Lipoma under my armpit. He said he couldn't do the operation in the doctor's office because there are... READ MORE
Can a change in hormones during pregnancy cause lipomas to grow or multiply?
I have at least 30-60 lipomas in my small bowel and colon. My husband and I would like to try to have a baby and my doctor has said that medically she... READ MORE
My Lipomas is 20cc (From Shoulder to Spine) I Have a SCS, Would it be Able to be Removed?
I am going in for removal of my lipomas and I am concern that it may have attached itself to my Spinal Cord Stimulator...what would happen IF it did READ MORE
How Much is the Chance of a Lipoma Turning into Malignant One(liposarcoma)?
And what is the average duration for this conversion?? READ MORE
I Might Have a Milignant Lipoma. What Does This Mean?
I just had a lipoma removed and they think it might be malignant. I am so scared I know have cancer. It is at the Univ of Penn for tests. What does... READ MORE
How to Remove Fluid Already Collected Under Skin
I did the operation for removing a lipoma one month ago the last two weeks i felt there is fluid collected under the skin which i feel not comfortable... READ MORE


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« Renegades Write the Rules | Leading Blog Main Page | In This World, You Can't NOT Communicate! »
quickpoint: The Long Tail of TalentThe labor markets are changing. With the Internet proximity is not an issue. Chris Anderson describes it this way in Makers: The New Industrial Revolution:
"The Web allows people to show what they can do, regardless of their education and credentials. It allows groups to form and work together easily outside of a company context, whether this involves "jobs" or not. And these more informal organizations are much less constrained by geography; talented people can live anywhere and shouldn't have to move to contribute."
What does this mean? "The new era will not mark the end of the blockbuster, but the end of the monopoly of the blockbuster. So, too, for manufacturing. What we will see is simply more. More innovation, in more places, from more people, focused on more narrow niches. Collectively, all these new producers will reinvent the industrial economy, often with just a few units at a time—but exactly the right products for an increasingly discriminating consumer."
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Unit Level: Introductory
Available as a Student Elective: Yes
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This unit introduces students to the study of journalism and news media. Students will analyse news media from a range of perspectives, including that of the journalist, the audience, the industry, and the media researcher. The unit employs media and communications theories and practical exercises to give students a critical understanding of the field of journalism. It also introduces the essentials of news writing, researching and interviewing.
ASSESSMENT: Internal assignments totalling 2,500 words (60%), two-hour examination (40%)
TEACHING PATTERN: Three contact hours weekly (13 weeks)
Note: Class attendance may still be required
Web dependent - HSome parts of this unit will be taught online
Resource dependent teaching & learning - HIndependent study with provided resources replaces face-to-face or other classes (e.g. lectures)
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This unit includes international cross-cultural issues/skills.
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Hillsborough Payday
Is a small paycheck better than none? Hillsborough school officials think teachers would say so.
The Gradebook has fielded a few questions as to why Hillsborough teachers are getting a paycheck this week for one, lone workday. Deputy Superintendent Dan Valdez, who oversees human resources for the district, explained that it's a function of the calendar around the start of school. This year, it happens that teachers had one workday within the two-week pay period.
"This is not the first year that they get a one-day or two-day check when they get back," Valdez said.
Valdez said there was brief consideration of waiting to pay the teachers for the standalone day in their next pay cycle. But school officials wanted to be consistent with pay practices. Plus, they felt teachers had been too long without pay.
"Teachers went a long summer without anything, and we thought one day would be better than no days," Valdez said.
UPDATE: What is the cost to printing a one-day paycheck?
We asked Gretchen Saunders, Hillsborough's chief business officer. "Luckily, there's no cost," she said, cheering. "Yea!!!"
Hillsborough already was doing a payroll run for year-round employees, so they didn't have to do anything special to pay teachers, too. Since 90 percent of employees do direct deposit, Saunders said there wasn't much paper expended. In fact, she noted that it would have been more costly to reprogram software systems to pay teachers for an 11-day work week, instead of the standard cycle.


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Australian Football Is In My Blood Canvas Tote Bag
Product Color:
Product information
Why get a Canvas Tote Bag Australian Football Is In My Blood? Are you one of those that can't leave home without 50 "essential items" that just won't fit into your pockets? Plenty of room for all your necessities and more. Or simply let it speak your mind! Due to its sturdy fabric it also makes a great shopping bag, which lasts and saves the environment.
This Australian Football Is In My Blood product includes a full side and bottom gusset and extra long handles for easy carrying. Australian Football Canvas Tote Bag made of sturdy 100% Cotton. Measurements: 15" x 18" x 6".
Sku: BL0BL0000004660202020029WHDR00000


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Our product catalog varies by country due to manufacturer restrictions. If you change the Ship-To country, some or all of the items in your cart may not ship to the new destination.


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Reviews for National in Washington
- All reviews 100%
Recent reviews
Most recent
10.0 Excellent
Oct 18 2016
Great experience
Pros: I booked at a place that was off the airport and they worked with me to get the car at the airport. Very nice and professional people.
10.0 Excellent
Sep 20 2016
Pros: Great service, great truck
9.2 Excellent
Sep 6 2016
Great Service and Delivered as Promised
Pros: I ordered a pickup truck and actually was given my choice of the ones they had on site, not just the one selected for me. Staff was friendly, courtesy and very helpful.
Cons: National does not pick up or drop off customers before or after rental, so you are responsible for arriving here and getting back on your own accord.
9.2 Excellent
Jul 16 2016
Pros: Front desk staff was really nice and pleasant.
Cons: I didn't enjoy the car I drove. But that isn't the fault of Kayak.


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PACIFIC GROVE >> High atop a list of things that make only a minimal amount of sense is this room at the Sally Griffin Center, where more than 40 people — a few in their mid-60s, most in their late 70s, 80s and 90s — have been on their feet for almost 90 minutes. They are dancing, marching, tossing their hips to the left and right, circling their arms, stretching toward the ceiling, smiling, laughing, and singing along (loudly) with Buddy Clark and Doris Day:
"Love somebody, yes I do
Love somebody, yes, I do
Love somebody, yes, I do
I love somebody, but I won't say who"
Nobody in the room appears to be gasping for breath, or clutching a side ache — least of all Joan Nattress, the soon-to-be-80-year-old exercise guru in perpetual motion at the front of the class.
"Are we having fun?" Nattress hollers, snapping her fingers in rhythm with the music.
"Yes!" her disciples respond enthusiastically.
"Do we like to exercise?"
"Lift those knees!" she commands. "Higher!"
Nattress is one-part drill sergeant, one part comedienne, one part nagging mom (though she doesn't have children of her own), and one part inspirational speaker to the 72 people who have paid to take this 10-week class through the Pacific Grove Adult School.
"She's been teaching this particular class for 19 years, but she's been teaching fitness since the late 1950s, first to (Colton) junior high students, then as a substitute gym teacher at Pacific Grove High, where I was in one of her classes, and finally at the Pacific Grove Adult School," said her friend, La Verne Baker Leyva, Nattress' 60-year-old co-instructor and boss. "She actually established our Older Adult Program single-handedly."
Nattress "retired" five years ago, Leyva says with a roll of her eyes. In retirement, she teaches fitness and strength training classes (at least one a day) on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. She also takes yoga classes.
"I'm the one who gets paid, so I'm technically the instructor," Leyva explains. "But that's a hoot, because Joan is the one who leads the class most of the time."
Nattress pulls a newspaper clipping from her pocket without breaking stride in the aerobics routine she's leading.
"Every hour you spend sitting on your couch, watching TV, takes 21 minutes off your life," she reads to her class. "You cannot sit for long periods of time."
Another clipping discusses a study released by Stanford and Harvard universities, she says "They've found that exercise is as good as, and in some cases better than, prescription drugs for heart attacks, strokes, and pre-diabetes."
Nattress was born and reared near Philadelphia, moved to Texas to begin her teaching career, spent a brief time in Redding, then got hired to teach physical education to seventh graders at Colton in the late 1960s. Two of her current exercise-class students, Sherri Beck and Janet Light, and Leyva, her teaching partner, had Nattress as their gym teacher in junior high.
"Then I decided to become a bum and took off across the country in a 1969 Volkswagen van," she says. "When I came back in 1972, the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District wasn't hiring anybody — they only hired four teachers that year, when they usually would hire around 100, so I couldn't find a job."
That's when Nattress joined the staff at the Pacific Grove Adult School, where she eventually earned her 35-year pin.
Her current students say the inspiration she exudes during classes is only part of her charm. She's also an aggressive and effective recruiter. One exerciser says she was approached by Nattress on a sidewalk. Another was cornered at a produce market. A third was discovered in by Nattress in a drugstore, like Lana Turner.
"She picked me up four years ago at a Thai restaurant," said Pacific Grove resident Sue Charavonia, a 71-year-old ex-nurse. "I was minding my own business, in the middle of a spoonful of Pad Thai, when she came over to my table and said, 'You need to come to my class.' She threatened me. The woman is a terror."
Nattress teaches nine months out of the year, then quietly disappears every August to live on a small island off the coast New Brunswick, Canada.
"My dad went hunting one day, noticed that the island was for sale, and bought it," she says. "I inherited it when he passed away."
She is the only resident. She has no television there, nor does she have a computer.
"Books, music and some wonderful radio programs... that's my entertainment, and that's a lot of entertainment for me," Nattress says. "I love it."
The love she has for her exercise classes, and the people in them, is at least as strong. Her students are like family, not only to Nattress, but to each other.
"A lot of the people here, their spouses have passed away, so for them this is social, physical, mental ... it's everything," she says. "When you live alone, and you have pain, the pain multiplies. If you come here, where you have friends, that doesn't happen. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't fun."
Dennis Taylor can be reached at 646-4344


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TopRecommendedProfessional.com a website that accepts nominees from the top professionals, worldwide, is pleased to announce the selected top performers for the week of February 19th.
— TRP recognizes Tom Holub as a top professional in Marketing.
"To be successful in today's hyper competitive world business owners must establish themselves as celebrities in the minds of their target markets. If done correctly expert and authority status is attained while, at the same time, both sales and price resistance become neutralized."
For more information or to contact Tom at
TRP recognizes The Spiritual Mall as a top professional in Conscious Products Promotions.
"The most effective thing business professionals with conscious products can do is get their products into platforms and venues that have a conscious-minded audience."
For more information or to contact The Spiritual Mall at
TRP recognizes Anthony Picarello as a top professional in Exclusive Online Lead Generation.
"Many service providers find it difficult to generate a consistent flow of "exclusive" qualified leads to their business. We're able to take this task off their hands so they're able to focus on what they do best."
For more information or to contact Anthony at
TRP recognizes The Inventor of SongPods (R) - the Mystical Musical Wellness Tool as a top professional in servicing Wellness Professionals.
"The Secret to living well: Honoring that everything in life is SACRED - yet not taking any one aspect too seriously! The Balance is lost when designating a part of the Whole as 'all-important' or relegating any part of Life as non-essential. Balance is not static but organic and EVERYTHING is ALIVE!"
For more information or to contact SongPods at
TRP recognizes Gurminder Singh-Kular as a top professional in Marketing
"Being seen as an authority is the most valuable way to increase your perceived value in the eyes of your prospects and clients."
For more information or to contact Gurminder at
TRP recognizes Ascend Consulting as a top professional in Career and Business Coaching.
"Careers and Career Advancement have changed. We are in a new normal, locally and globally. It is essential to establish and maintain a competitive advantage in your field. Telaireus "T.K." Herrin is a bestselling author, coach, speaker and creator of The L.I.P.S. Career Advancement Method™."
For more information or to contact Ascend Consulting at
TRP recognizes Stephanie Atwood as a top professional in Adult Women's Fitness through Nutrition and Movement..
" Women over 40 are not over the hill. As a bestselling author, award winning speaker, nutrition, and fitness coach, I create fun and success for adult women from 35 - 100. With knowledge, humor, and skill we navigate the trials and tribulations of staying fit and happy while growing up."
For more information or to contact Stephanie at
TRP recognizes Darryl Woodberry as a top professional in Media Authority.
"To position one's self as an authority, in your given field ,is first and foremost, the important thing you can do, to increase your perceived value to your market place."
For more information or to contact Darryl at
TRP recognizes Ashley Sage-Taylor Armstrong of Starlight and Sunny as a top professional in Child Birth Education.
"Educating your self and your children is the single most important thing you can do, especially when it is real life lessons and skills. Be brave enough to expand your own awareness by inspiring and being inspired by others."
For more information or to contact Ashley at
TRP recognizes Jim Rigney as a top professional in Marketing and Leadership Consultant.
" If business owners position themselves as the expert authority in their market, it will greatly increase the perceived value for their products or services."
For more information or to contact Jim Rigney at
If anyone who want to nominate a peer as tops at what they do go now to:
Contact Info:
Name: Greig Wells
Organization: Top Recommended Professional
Source URL: https://marketersmedia.com/toprecommendedprofessional-com-announces-top-performers-for-the-week-of-february-19-2014/33703
For more information, please visit http://TopRecommendedProfessional.com
Source: MarketersMedia
Release ID: 33703


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OSL Short Course
Dr. Tammy Rittenour runs a two-week OSL training course for students and professionals,
usually the first couple of weeks in June. Course takers come to the lab to learn a
background in the science and methods of luminescence dating, including sample preparation
and data analysis.
Students learn skills in this aspect of their research, and also benefit by receiving
their results more quickly and cheaply through their labor.


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New to PoetrySoup? Introduce yourself here. Tell us something about yourself.
Can't find a poem you've read before? Looking for a poem for a special person or an occasion? Ask other member for help.
Ways to improve your poetry. Post your techniques, tips, and creative ideas how to write better.
For poets who want unrestricted constructive criticism. This is NOT a vanity workshop. If you do not want your poem seriously critiqued, do not post here. Constructive criticism only. PLEASE Only Post One Poem a Day!!!
Ask PoetrySoup Members how to do something or find something on PoetrySoup.
Below are poems written by poet
Tom Hyam. Click the Next or Previous links below the poem to navigate between poems. Remember, Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth. Thank you.
List of ALL
Hyam poems
Tom Hyam
The poem(s) are below...
The time has come your passing has happened
Your desire to live was never dampened
The great Scottish debate for you to stay or go
I screamed yes, but the haggis of your heart said no
The split of our nation represents the split in my heart
But now the time has come and we must part
Much like our dreams of reaching the sixth form debate final
"Page 32" you crowbarred into conversation
infuriating Ash to the point of self-immolation
your self important boasts of superior knowledge
turned my my weakened soul into watery porridge
You were not a stereotype, despite what many said
Unlike most Scots, you ate more than simply fried bread
Your challenge with crackers so lascivious that I lost my thread
And since then I yearned for a way to do more than simple observe your bed
But your aggression was endearing, cutting and clear
Tearing opponents to shreds, speaking to all that will hear
But I was behind a glass wall, simply shedding a tear
As a limp invitation to a party was the closest I could near
I sit here now and remember our lark
Our time together, characterized by a battle with a shark
The verbal brutality was shocking that situation was stark
But your retorts were quick witted, but often loaded with snark
This took so long to write as my heart still bares scars
An open mouth like yours could give hour long seminars
Yet you still saved me from being bundled into one of Bennet's cars
Yet I must hope that we meet again, underneath heaven's stars
Copyright © Tom Hyam | Year Posted 2013


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Here's a work-in-progress updated version of this patch. It's not completed, but I've settled on: - a log_checkpoints GUC variable to control whether anything is printed or not. This is in line with log_connections, log_autovacuum etc. - when checkpoints are logged, LOG-level is used - the following log output: LOG: checkpoint starting (CHECKPOINT command) LOG: checkpoint complete; buffers written=3.1 MB (9.6%) write=96.8 ms sync=32.0 ms where "checkpoint starting" is obviously printed when checkpoint starts, and "checkpoint complete" when the checkpoint is fully complete. - all information on the progress of checkpoint is collected to a global struct. A global struct sounds a bit ugly, but it avoids the ugliness of littering all functions with multiple return values to pass back information to the caller that's only used to print it out. This makes it easy to add more data points. MoveOfflineLogs should probably be changed to use that as well for the sake of consistency, instead of returning nsegsremoved and nsegsrecycled through pointers. - RequestCheckpoint and CreateCheckpoint was changed to take a CheckpointReason enum as argument, instead of boolean flags. This allows printing a different message depending on the cause of checkpoint, and is also cleaner IMHO. I'm posting now to allow others, and Greg Smith in particular, to review the changes this far, and take over from here. -- Heikki Linnakangas EnterpriseDB http://www.enterprisedb.com
Next: From: Simon Riggs Date: 2007-05-28 20:48:39 Subject: Re: Logging checkpoints and other slowdown causes Previous: From: Tom Lane Date: 2007-05-28 19:24:18 Subject: Re: libedit-preferred by default
Next: From: Simon Riggs Date: 2007-05-28 20:48:39 Subject: Re: Logging checkpoints and other slowdown causes Previous: From: Heikki Linnakangas Date: 2007-05-28 19:59:43 Subject: Re: Seq scans status update


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The threat of deadly toxic residue from methamphetamine (meth) labs in homes and hotel rooms pushed the president to sign a law today mandating thorough cleanup after they are shut down by authorities.
"These toxic sites need to be cleaned properly to ensure the safety of future residents," said the bill's author, House Committee on Science and Technology Chairman Bart Gordon, D-Tenn.
The chemicals used in making this the drug are highly toxic and can infuse the walls, carpet and furniture of any house, apartment or hotel room in which the drug was made, according to public health officials.
Click Here for Full Blotter Coverage.
ABC News reported earlier this year that a minor chemical spill in a hotel could be deadly not only for the meth "cook" but also for other guests staying in the hotel.
"Phosphine gas is just one of the many highly toxic gases that can escape during the manufacture of meth. The gases can be deadly," said Dr. Raymond Fowler of the CDC in Dallas.
The Drug Enforcement Administration reported seizing roughly 7,000 methamphetamine labs last year.
The new bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop model, voluntary, health-based clean-up guidelines for use by states and localities with the goal of making sure the sites of former meth labs are safe and livable.
The legislation also authorizes the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to initiate a research program to develop meth detection equipment for field use. Such equipment will help local law enforcement and first-responders detect active meth labs faster and assist in measuring contamination levels. The legislation also requires a study by the National Academy of Sciences on the long-term health impacts on children rescued from meth labs and on first-responders.
Do you have a tip for Brian Ross and the Investigative Team?


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Sports scoop
AASA soccer registration
The Alexandria Area Soccer Association has summer soccer registration open with an early signup deadline of April 1.
The AASA offers summer recreational leagues for U10 (3rd and 4th grade) players and all tournament play for U11 through U19 soccer players.
The U10 boys and girls recreational league will have players participate in practice and play in four one-day jamborees. This league focuses on basic skills and player development.
The U11-U19 boys' and girls' teams will participate in three tournaments in addition to team practice.
Registrations are only being accepted online at www.alexandriasoccer.org. Teams are filled based on eligibility and order of paid registration. After April 1, only open roster positions will be filled. A late fee will also be assessed after that date.
Peak performance spring junior golf
The Peak Performance Spring Junior Golf Program runs from April 14 through May 21 on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:45-5:15 p.m. at the Geneva Golf Club.
The program is designed for golfers in grades 6-8 who are looking to improve their overall game. The focus will be on improving all areas of the golf game as well as physical fitness.
The program is led by Heartland Orthopedic Specialists' Scott Scholl and Scott Dirck of Scott Dirck's Golf Academy. Call 320-219-7677 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com for more information or to register.


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To order this holiday brochure for FREE delivery to your home or computer, click the GET THIS FREE button.
Travel off the beaten track on a small-group tour or tailor-made itinerary designed specially for you
Celebrate Contours Travel's more than 38 years of leading incredible tours through Latin America, from Guatemala to Panama, including Mexico, Cuba, the Caribbean and West Indies. Get ready to take some of the greatest adventures on earth, each masterfully gathered into a selection of dream tours with Contours Travel.
Contours has focused on tailor made itineraries in Latin America and the Caribbean since 1975, so you are assured to discover all the wonders of Mexico, Central America, Cuba and the Caribbean with confidence.
Contours Travel's new Mexico, Cuba, Central America and Caribbean Islands brochure is a source of inspiration to help you design your ideal holiday. It features classic itineraries that ensure you see the highlights of each country and get a real essence of the region such as Ancient Cultures, Mayan Ruins, Best of Costa Rica and La Bella Cuba.
Contours Travel offers a dazzling array of tour options to suit every discerning traveller passionate for an authentic experience. Travel off the beaten track with confidence and discover all the wonders of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Adventurous but Leisurely
Adventurous tours to leisurely getaways, these itineraries are designed exclusively for the discerning traveller who has a sense of fun and adventure, and are created to include unique sights and experiences, allowing for travel in comfort, at a leisurely pace.
Small Group Tours
Contours Travel offers guaranteed departures and travel in small groups to maximise your experience. Contours Travel has distilled 38 years of experience into these small group itineraries that allow you to travel in leisurely comfort, escorted by an English-speaking expert who will lead you to the major sites and off-the-beaten-track experiences.
Tailor-Made Tours
Contours has focused on tailor-made itineraries in Latin America and the Caribbean since 1975, so you are assured to discover all the wonders of Mexico, Central America, Cuba and the Caribbean with confidence.
Community Projects - get involved
Contours Travel has supported community projects throughout Latin America for many years, and for the first time you are invited to get involved. You can get together a small group of family, friends, or school group and, with our help, find a project - you can work on a number of projects from helping to build school classrooms, shelters, wells and other related farming projects to teaching English. These projects are designed to not only help, but to empower the local peope to take over, control and run the project. There is no better way to experience the heart of a country than living and working in a community. And, there's no better feeling than helping these communities build a better future for themselves.
This brochure covers the regions and holiday types listed below. Click on the links to see more free travel brochures covering the regions and holiday types you are interested in.


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PRESTWICH CC: Heys men get season underway in Knockout Cup against Westhoughton
10:00am Thursday 17th April 2014
10:00am Thursday 17th April 2014
PRESTWICH CC crack open the new season tomorrow with an exciting clash against Westhoughton.
The Heys club plays host to their Bolton League rivals in the first round of the National Knockout Cup.
With the Greene King Lancashire County League season not starting until April 26, the 45-over cup contest will act as an ideal test of early-season form.
Under the leadership of Andy Bradley, the side will be hoping to wrestle back the league title from 2013 winners Denton West.
Carl Hey will be the professional for a second season, but South African signing Ryan Stanbury is not eligible for tomorrow's cup game.
Wickets for the Westhoughton encounter are pitched at 1pm.
The team has already had a taste of the raw outdoors with a trip to Micklehurst last Sunday, where they blew away the cobwebs with a total of 237 all out (Sam Holden 64) before dismissing the home side for 82, with 15-year-old Nathan Bailey claiming three late wickets. On Saturday, Prestwich will travel to Central Lancashire League side Heywood for another friendly.
© Copyright 2001-2017 Newsquest Media Group


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Salon had it right when it stated that libraries are more important than ever.
In our heartfelt but naïve fondness for "quiet, inviting spaces" full of books and nothing else, we fail to realize that libraries are becoming more important, not less, to our communities and our democracy.
One of the main reasons that libraries are more important than ever is because libraries and librarians help sift through the mountains of data that humans are currently producing.
Humans are producing such quantities of data—2.5 quintillion bytes of data daily, to be precise—and on such a steep curve, that 90 percent of all existing data is less than two years old. An overwhelming amount of information, access to which is marked by the same stark inequality that exists between economic classes, demands to be moderated for the public good, and libraries are the institutions that do that.
The risk of a small number of technically savvy, for-profit companies determining the bulk of what we read and how we read it is enormous. The great beauty of the rich, diverse library system that has developed over past century and a half has been the role of librarians in selecting and making available a range of material for people to consult and enjoy. No one pressing an ideology can co-opt this system; no single commercial entity can do an end run around the library system in the interest of profit.
Libraries and librarians help moderate this data in an age when we are really starting to question if there is too much collective knowledge. It's not that libraries are becoming less important as the need for print materials lowers; it's that the public needs to adjust its notion of what it means to be a library.


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By Austin Ogwuda
ASABA— AN articulated vehicle loaded with cement was said to have crushed a pregnant woman and her husband to death.
The incident occurred along Sapele/Agbor road between Umutu/Urhonigbe axis at about 3 pm during the week.
An eyewitness said the husband and wife were on a motorcycle when they met their untimely death.
The truck with number plate GWW 68 AX lost control and smashed the victims to instant death, reports say.


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Guns for Sale - Tikka -- Ithaca LSA-55 Turkey Gun, 12GA/.222, Excellent!
Guns For Sale : Rifle & Shotgun Combos - Item# 9773565
|Buyer Tip: If you're the High Bidder above, you're the High Bidder in this auction. All Auctions are conducted in Pacific Standard Time.
Seller's Description:
Tikka Ithaca LSA-55 Turkey Gun, 12GA/.222, Excellent!
• Tikka Ithaca LSA-55 Turkey Gun, 12GA/.222, sn:53175 -This single shot over/under shotgun/rifle combination, chambered for 2.75" 12 gauge shells and .222 Remington caliber cartridges, and manufactured in Finland by Tikka for Ithaca between 1970-1981, is in excellent condition, and features a 24.5" ribbed barrel, blue finish, folding rear sight, checkered Monte Carlo stock, and sling swivel studs. Comes with a set of mounted rings. The left side of the receiver has a selector switch. There are some minor handling marks, but otherwise in excellent condition overall. See photos.
John's Gun Shop
447 Brooklyn Street
Morrisville, VT 05661
• Never a Reserve •
The firearms we list are not cleaned in any way; we swab out the bore only enough to be able to determine the condition. The photos of the firearm you will be receiving is the one pictured. Each has been visually inspected, however, we have not test fired it.
Please ensure that the firearm you bid on
is legal in your state.
Thank you.
Payment Options: Payment can be made via Bank Checks or Money Orders, Visa, MasterCard, or Discover. (no personal or business checks accepted). Prices are considered a cash discount. 3% additional fee for non-certified payments (using a credit or debit card).
Shipping: Buyer pays a flat $30.00 shipping fee (lower 48) unless otherwise noted.
Returns: We conduct our auctions according to Auction Arms terms and conditions regarding inspection periods, returns and shipping charges. We will not accept returns of weapons (including magazines and other accessories) that have been fired or taken apart in any way.
Payment and Shipping Instructions:
Payment Methods:
Ships Using:
|Buyer Tip: Seller assumes all responsibility for listing this item. If you have any questions regarding this item, you should contact the Seller before bidding. You can contact the seller by clicking on the seller's nickname. The Seller is required to give the Buyer a minimum of three days to inspect any firearm sold through Auction Arms. See the Auction Arms Terms and Conditions for details.


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This year's 17th annual Dallas Farmers Market Friends Hoedown will be a very special celebration. Not only will the annual fundraiser celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Dallas Farmers Market, it will also honor the memory of a special friend of the farmers market, "Mama Ida" Papert.
"Mama Ida" started visiting the farmers market in 1953 as a young bride, new to town. She came every Saturday to buy her produce from vendors who she came to know personally over the years. She was one of the founders of the Dallas Farmers Market Friends.
Come out and sample some fantastic food and wine from over 30 local vendors! The hoedown will be held at Fair Park Thursday night from 6:30 to 9:30. Tickets are $40 for members of the Dallas Farmers Market Friends and $50 for non-members. There are also group rates available.
For tickets and more information, head over to dfmfriends.org.
Have a look at a previous years' hoedown for a taste of what's in store!


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The KitchenAid K5GB 5 qt. Glass Bowl for Stand Mixers is an accessory bowl for kitchen tilt-head stand mixers. The drip-proof spout and side handle let you pour directly from the bowl. Graduated measurements, up to 12 cusps, let you see the exact total amount of ingredients. The solid clear glass design enables you to check mixing progress from every angle. With the form-fitted lid you can blend any batter or sauce ahead of time, store it in the fridge and bake or cook in a pan when you're ready.
- 5 qt. glass bowl with handle
- Glass mixing bowl accessory for KitchenAid tilt head stand mixers
- Graduated measure lines
- Drip-proof spout
- Form fitted storage lid
- Fits all tilt head models expext accolade
- Accommodates larger size recipes
- Clear glass design


text:
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Internet Marketing Round-Up – August 1, 2011
Well another week has passed and the month of August looks like it's going to be a good one. Foursquare finally announced it's allowing businesses to create and manage their own profiles on the popular social newtorking site. Google places continues to get shaken up and now allows users to submit photos to their favorite businesses page. As Hitwise claims Google+'s traffic is down Google releases a new sharable link that Google+ users can use to invite up to 150 of their friends. Not to ruin the excitement let's get into this week's Internet Marketing Round-up.
Search Engine Optimization
High Risk SEO: 33 Ways to Get Penalized By Google – While there are a lot of ethical ways of increasing rankings and driving traffic there are a lot of ways we can also be penalized by Google. For instance, duplicate content and paid links. These are just a couple of the ways you can get penalized by the all mighty Google.
5 Metrics to Quickly Assess Site Quality When Link Building – We all know that the quality of a link can sometimes be hard to determined. This post hopefully makes it easier to assess the value of a link based on the quality the site.
Include Some Q & A to Increase Organic Traffic – You have more experience about your business, your industry than anyone else so use your knowledge and expertise to help others by setting up a Q&A page on your site.
Submit URLs to Google wit Fetch as Googlebot – Webmaster Tool's Fetch as Googlebot feature now allows you to submit new as well as updated URLs to Google for indexing.
Local Search Marketing
Diversity is The Key to SEO Success of Local Businesses – Since Google has removed citations from businesses Google Place's pages local businesses have tried to figure out what they can do to move their listings. Myles Anderson thinks that a mixture of content, links, and reviews will help small businesses prevail in the wake of these changes.
3 Surefire Ways to Increase Visibility and Bring in Customers to Your Local Business – Check your contact page. Does it have your address? Do you have your phone number listed? If not this is a serious problem and is one of the ways you could be missing out on new customers.
Google Places Adds Best Ever Badge Upload Photos – Using Google's Hotpot app users can claim a business the "Best Ever" and it will show in Google Places. Also for the first time users can upload photos to their favorite businesses Places page.
Social Media
Invite Your Friends to Google+ With New, Tweetable Link – Google Engineer Balaji Srinivasan announced this week that Google now allows Google+ users to to invite up to 150 friends to Google+ via a sharable link.
11 Ways to Measure the Value of Social Media – Econsultancy's US Vice President of Research, Stefan Tornquist, covers 11 ways you can start measuring social media. He talks about refining your data so that it becomes actionable, establishing benchmarks, measuring the value of interaction and traffic that turns in to leads and then into sales.
Pages Are Now Self Serve! A New Home for Brands and Organization on Foursquare. - Foursquare announced that brands and organizations can now create their own Foursquare Page where they can add followers, share tips, and collect check ins.
Google+ Usage & Traffic Slows as Buzz Dies Down – Hitewise reports that Google+ visits dropped by 3% and the average time spent on the social networking site declined by 10%.
General Internet Marketing
29 Tips to Make Your Video Marketing Easy – Social Media Examiner covers 29 tips on how to make your video marketing on the web successful. The 29 tips include how to get started, how to create videos people like and how to search engine optimize your videos.
A Step by Step Guide to Effective Online Article Marketing Part II – There is more to online article marketing then just submitting your articles to directories. It's important that you know what the goal of your campaign is and where to find valuable links to achieve those goals.


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Home > Book (Nonfiction) > Other Books > Ireland's Call > Chapter 4
Ireland's Call
Author's note: I am in love with love stories. I wanted to write one of my own and also include my love of... Show full author's note »
Chapters: « Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... 11 Next »
Danielle's New JobIt had been almost two months since Danielle had visited her favorite little coffee shop on the corner down the street. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and the whispers of people discussing their jobs, their drama, and the chaos that filled their lives made Danielle feel somewhat alive. The walls were a deep burgundy color, and the floors were dark hard wood. Everything in the coffee joint was warming and comforting, but nothing could have taken away her feeling of loneliness and heartache, and
This chapter shows what she had to go through just to pay rent and keep a roof over her head.
This man looked cruel; with piercing blue eyes and jet black hair. He had approached her to offer her a job. Now and any other given occasion she would have immediately turned down the offer, being a Call Girl wasn't exactly the job title that she had in mind, but given her circumstances she took him up on the job. Russ Jenkins, that's what the man had called himself. Danielle followed him to a place called Russ's Place. Inside the doorway, just before the living room stood quite a few girls. There were tall blondes, short red heads, and heavy set brunettes. The girls were of all shapes, sizes and colors. Russ had labeled them "Russ's Girls". Any other person would have called these girls prostitutes, but the correct term for a high class prostitute of their level is a Call Girl, or a Female Escort. The idea of working in this line of work made Danielle uncomfortable, but at this stage in her life, the feeling uncomfortable was the last thing on her mind. She was determined to keep herself living, and if that meant working as a high class hoe, she was going to do it.
Danielle started making business quick; it wasn't too hard for her. She was five foot six, one hundred and twenty-six pounds, light green eyes, and dark brown, wavy hair. No man hesitated to choose her for a one night stand and Danielle worked six days a week and had Sundays off. She went to the coffee shop on the corner where she seemed to spend most of her free time, nowadays. There she would order her Irish Crème Latte and sit by the window, watch the people walking the streets, just waiting to see her husband walk by, hoping to make eye contact and him to come rushing into her arms. But every week she had the same ending, going home to her apartment, empty handed and alone. Every time she sat by that window, her chest felt heavy and her breathing slowed down, warm tears filled her eyes and she would begin to sniffle at the runny nose she was developing.
Chapters: « Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... 11 Next »


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In space, no one can hear you sing. Well, unless you record yourself singing there, then post that video on YouTube.
Case in point: Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield's incredible, anti-gravity rendition of David Bowie's "Space Oddity," an awesome song made even more awesome by the fact that this dude is actually singing it in space. The commander, who's currently wrapping up a five-month stay in the International Space Station, uploaded the clip yesterday; it's already racked up over 1 million views.
And, for the record, Bowie also thinks the music video is pretty neat.
Now all we need is for Commander Hadfield and Breaking Bad's Gale Bedecker to do a duet. They'd be the karaoke sensation sweeping the nation!
Read more:
Cleveland hero Charles Ramsey viral interview gets autotune treatment — VIDEO
Michael Shannon does dramatic reading of world's craziest sorority email — NSFW VIDEO
North Dakota anchorman channels Ron Burgundy… by dropping an f-bomb — VIDEO


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July Tax Increase Will Add to Nebraskan's Fuel Bills
Starting in July, drivers will have to pay a little bit more to fill up in Nebraska. The state's fuel tax will increase by 1.7 cents per gallon for the second half of the year.
The total state tax will go to 26.3 cents per gallon on July 1st. That's up from the current 24.6 cents per gallon. The current tax is the lowest it has been since 2008.
State officials can change the variable portion of that tax every six months, based on the amount needed to fund approved highway projects. The increase is expected to bring in more than $20 million.


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Skeletons of massacre victims uncovered at construction siteShanghai Star. 2002-04-11 A workman digs a 4-metre-deep hole at a construction site last week in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, where over a hundred skeletons are buried.
WORKERS discovered over a hundred skeletons while working on a construction site in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, last week, www.sina.com.cn reported.
After two days of digging, pieces of skeletons still could be seen in the 4-metre-deep hole on the site near Xin Nan Men.
After a rough investigation by local experts, the time of burial was estimated to be earlier than the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and the number of skeletons is said to be over 100.
Chen Tingxiang, professor of history at Sichuan University, said that, historically, it was rare to see so many skeletons buried at one spot in Chengdu.
He estimated that these bodies maybe victims from the two massacres, occurring at the end of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). He said the discovery would be a great benefit to historical research.
A expert surnamed Wei from the city's archaeologist team said these skeletons probably come from a massacre which occurred at the end of the Ming Dynasty, following a peasant uprising led by Zhang Xianzhong. He had even set up his capital of Daxi Dynasty in Chengdu.
Pointing to the location of the skeletons, a place near the old walls previously isolated, Wei said these skeletons must belong to the victims of Zhang Xianzhong's battle.
But the site has been seriously damaged by the on-going project. In addition, the site is located in the downtown centre, experts said it was impossible to do further investigation at the site.
Workers said most of the skeletons have been transported to the garbage dump by vehicles, but they were not clear about where the skeletons were being transported.
Wei suggested the skeleton should be arranged well to avoid unnecessary problems. But he said skeletons that are hundreds of years old won't harm people's health.
(Star News)
Copyright by Shanghai Star.


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Former Hawkeye RB Greene signs with Titans
Running back signs with Tennessee after stint with the Jets
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have been busy trying to improve their offense around quarterback Jake Locker during the first two days of free agency.
The Titans announced Wednesday that they had agreed to terms with guard Andy Levitre — the first player they agreed to terms with to kick off free agency — along with running back Shonn Greene and re-signing their own fullback Quinn Johnson. Just before a news conference, they also announced they have a deal with Lions defensive tackle Sammie Lee Hill, and tight end Delanie Walker joined his new teammates after signing his own new deal.
General manager Ruston Webster said he spent the weekend targeting four of these free agents.
"They were the plan, and it's come together," Webster said.
The Titans are trying to rebound from a 6-10 season, and coach Mike Munchak said this portion of the year is all about rebuilding the roster and filling in needs both on the field and in leadership.
"The main thing we're looking at is to become a tough, physical football team and create an identity and look for players who can help us do this ...," Munchak said. "It's a trait that's common in all of them."
Levitre reportedly received a six-year, $46.5 million deal, and the 6-foot-2 guard is one of only three offensive linemen drafted in 2009 to start every game since coming into the NFL with 64 starts at Buffalo.
Greene got a deal that The Tennessean and other outlets say is three years for $10 million. He spent his first four seasons with the New York Jets, has rushed for 3,423 yards and 18 touchdowns on 822 carries. The 5-foot-11, 226-pound Green also has 65 catches for 482 yards, and he scored eight touchdowns in 2012. He is coming off the best year of his career with 276 rushes for 1,063 yards and eight touchdowns rushing.
That's two fewer than the Titans scored rushing as a team, and they see Greene as a perfect change of pace for Chris Johnson.
"He is a nice complement to Chris and an accomplished back in his own right," Webster said. "He is a tough and physical runner who has rushed for 1,000 yards each of the last two years."
The Titans haven't had that kind of option to Johnson since trading away LenDale White in 2010. They ranked 21st in rushing in 2012 but struggled to stay on the field. They ranked last in the NFL averaging just 27 minutes, 18 seconds in time of possession per game in Locker's first full season as a starter.
Tennessee also agreed to terms earlier Wednesday with fullback Quinn Johnson. He has been a lead blocker for Chris Johnson, and the fullback had four carries for 5 yards and caught five passes for 40 yards playing all 16 games last season.
The Titans scheduled a news conference for Wednesday afternoon to introduce their new players and have pushed that back 30 minutes.The Titans still have to address their defense after allowing a franchise-worst 471 points in 2012. Their lone free agent signing was safety George Wilson last month until they reached a deal The Tennessean reported at three years and $11.4 million with Hill on Wednesday afternoon. Hill played 59 career games with 18 starts with Detroit and four sacks. The Titans see him helping defend the run with Hill 6-foot-4, 329 pounds.
|New U.S. Attorney Peter Deegan Jr. sworn ...
|Marion Council passes ordinance changing ...
|Packed races in store for Linn County ci ...


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The pirate site plans to ignore the lawsuits from Elsevier and the American Chemical Society.
Custom Creatures?
January 6, 2015|
San Francisco-based biotech wants to see its technology applied for inventing new organisms.
January 6, 2015|
San Francisco-based biotech wants to see its technology applied for inventing new organisms.
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Associate Professor, Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley. Age: 39
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Chinese farmers' efforts at rearing wild animals may benefit conservation and reduce human health risks.
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Researchers are working to automate the arduous task of identifying—and amending—mislabeled sequences in genetic databases.
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Researchers identify a network that includes many genes previously linked to autism spectrum disorders.
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Ebola, MERS, and enterovirus D68; polio eradication efforts; new regulations on potentially dangerous research
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B cells have commandeered ancient viral sequences in the genome to transmit antigen signals.
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Scientists complete the largest-ever comparative genomic study of birds.


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I was able to buy Manila Ocean Park Tickets at the price of Php 500 with an original price of Php 1,200. Saving 60% is already enough for the value of money spent. I really thank God for this opportunity to buy at a more affordable amount and value added services that entails the ticket. It is not only the Oceanarium that children and adults could enjoy as well as Jellies, Fish Spa, Marine Life Shows, Marine Life Habitat, and Musical Fountain. If just in case all the tabs are unused within the day, it is still possible to go back and use the remaining tab/s. Tickets are valid till December 31, 2011.
I actually ignored this notice from our HR that they have tied up with the Manila Ocean Park in commemorating Women's International Month where tickets are being sold at a lesser price. But when I saw the ticket itself, I felt the excitement and saw the smile that my nephews and niece could have. I have this urge to surprise my family especially my niece and nephews. I immediately called my elder sister and ask her if it's fine to buy for the whole family, and so when I received her confirmation, I immediately bought 13 tickets. It's quite costly but my siblings are there to support me on this hahaha. We seldom go out like this and I think it's a bit fair to enjoy God's creation and beauty plus the happiness that I could see in the eyes of my eldest brother's sons and daughter. It's priceless!
There's no rush to be in the Manila Ocean Park within the month 🙂 though I know that my niece and nephews will surely be excited upon knowing this. My siblings and I still have time to prepare for expected and unexpected expenses. We would like to surprise them with this new adventure. See you soon Manila Ocean Park! 😀


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A decade on from the Angelina Jolie/Mr and Mrs Smith debacle that ended her seven-year marriage to Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston finally spoke out last week about her divorce to the actor. In an intimate video interview with CBS Sunday Morning, she insisted that the two were letting bygones be bygones.
Now, despite The New York Times' attempts to question her further Jen is wisely practicing her silence. When they ventured dangerously into the field of Angelina's recent Sony hack, Jennifer remained safely distant from that inevitable can of worms:
"I don't want to give any fuel to the fire," she said. She is practiced and game enough to permit 30 seconds of conversation about Ms. Jolie and Mr. Pitt. But a full minute is pushing it. Her posture stiffens.
Ten years on, Aniston admits in the interview that she is pretty tired of being asked about Angelina and her ex husband Brad:
"It's ridiculous — that the two names have to go into the same sentence and there has to be a compare-and-despair thing,"
She also admitted she's a little sick of being asked whether her character in upcoming Cake is that loathsome concept of 'likeable', and whether she's worried about that.
You don't see a lot of men getting asked: 'Why aren't you married? Why aren't you having children?' You don't get the 'Well, they seem to play the same thing over and over again,' and some of them do."
Jen, we'll always be fighting your corner.
Hannah Popham @HannahPopham


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Writing a eulogy for a friend or family member is an honor and one of the most difficult tasks that will ever be asked of you. It's an honor because loved ones know you will tell the real story of their family, and it's hard because how do you sum up a person's life in a short funeral speech?
One of the first things you want to do is brainstorm all the your ideas, and then put them into categories. Then make sure you use specific examples and anecdotes to tell the story. For example, my father-in-law always made everyone's birthday cakes. That tidbit had to be included in the eulogy or I would've let the family down.
Once you have determined all that needs to be included in the eulogy, begin writing, and write as you speak. Don't try to be all formal and perfect. Family members need to hear your voice tell a story. They don't need or want a perfect essay read to them. They want memories and the true voice of the deceased and you. You have been chosen for this presentation because you were close to the deceased and the family knows you will tell the story.
Use this opportunity to pay tribute to someone you and they have loved. This is your opportunity to say that final goodbye with stories, passion, maybe a little connection to scripture, and most of all reality.
Don't let this opportunity make you nervous. In fact, it's cathartic because most likely you are also saying goodbye to someone you love. Let the stories and truth flow, and you will comfort the grieving and you will give final peace to all who hear the sweet words you present at a very sad time.
No one should waste this honor of giving a funeral speech to a loved one. Tremendous effort is expected to be heard from your speech. Though it's not that always simple, you can find some guidelines into writing a great funeral discourse at www.eulogiesmadeeasy.com.


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Amanda Witt on Keeping Children Innocent When Lesbians Move In
Early one Saturday morning the doorbell rang. It was a young girl—taller than I am, heavily built, but still a young girl. "Last night we moved in across the street," she said. "And I've heard you have a daughter my age. Can she come out to play?"
I called my eleven-year-old daughter, and she and one of our sons—the seven-year-old—went out to meet the new neighbor. They played with her all morning, building a fort and planning a club, and at lunchtime she asked if she could eat with us, "because we don't have any food in the house yet."
"Sure," I said, and made burritos. After lunch the kids went back out to play some more, but within a few minutes my two came bursting back in, looking bewildered and upset.
The seven-year-old had learned a new word. "Her mother is a lesbian!" he announced.
Cats, Birds & Oaks
At his dramatic announcement all the kids began talking at once, including my nine-year-old son, who had missed the whole interesting episode and now was torn between sharing his recently acquired knowledge of the birds and the bees, and obscuring said information for the sake of his younger brother.
"Lesbians are like a cat trying to marry a bird," he said, then immediately began arguing with himself. "Except a cat and a bird are totally different, and lesbians are the same. So maybe they're more like an oak tree trying to marry an oak tree."
His brother's eyes glazed over. Their sister, frustrated, began to spell out, explicitly, the problem, which provoked the older boy into covering the younger boy's ears, which resulted, inevitably, in a wrestling match.
Desperately I called a halt to the racket and, appointing each child to speak in turn, pieced together what had happened. The conversation seems to have gone something like this:
Neighbor girl: "Do you think being a lesbian is okay?"
My daughter: "No."
My son: "What's a lesbian?"
Neighbor girl: "You know, like, gay."
"What's gay?"
"Oh, you know. Like two men getting married, or two women getting married."
Not Okay
My son's eyes were big as he repeated this to me. He had not yet had "the talk," but he knew marriage was about a man and a woman. "I told her she had to be confused," he said. "Isn't she confused?"
The new girl had waved off his protest. "I'm not confused," she said. "Sometimes women marry women."
"But babies have to have a mommy and a daddy—"
"Well, duh. I have a Dad. He just doesn't live with us anymore. That happens sometimes, okay? It just happens. Women marry women. Or they would, if the government would let them. And"—turning back to my daughter—"you don't think that's okay?"
My daughter, calmly: "No."
"Why not?"
"Because the Bible says it's not."
"No, it doesn't."
"Yes, it really does. Would you like me to show you?"
Neighbor girl: "No. It doesn't matter, because God probably doesn't even exist. Or even if he does, there's no such thing as heaven and hell, and anyway religion bores me. Don't you think it's boring?"
"Whatever. But here's the thing: I know some lesbians. I know them really well. Really, really, really well."
"I bet I can guess," said my seven-year-old, relieved that the conversation was moving away from her anti-religious sentiments.
Neighbor girl: "It's not me! It is so not me. Gross! Not me, not ever."
My son nodded in the direction of the house across the street, where two women were shifting around furniture and boxes in the garage. "I was going to guess your mom," he said.
"That's right," the girl said despondently. "She's a lesbian. But I am not a lesbian. No way. But listen—don't tell your Mom until tonight, okay?"
"Why not?"
"Because then she won't be able to go yell at my Mom until tomorrow, so we can be friends for the rest of today."
My kids looked at each other. Here, finally, was a topic my son completely understood.
"Um, listen," he said to the new girl. "I don't know much about lesbians, but I know my mother. She is not going to go yell at your mother."
"But she won't let us be friends."
"Why not? The girl who used to live in your house—her parents were divorced, and divorce isn't a good thing, either, but we were friends with her anyway. And my mother was friends with her mother."
"It isn't the same thing. Everybody gets divorced—I mean, like duh, my parents are divorced. It's not a big deal. But nobody likes lesbians." We live, mind you, in the left-leaning, religion-shunning Pacific Northwest.
Then the girl began to cry. "Goodbye," she said. "Nice knowing you. Have a good life." My children came home, bewildered and upset.
Still Friends
" Of course you can be friends," I said. "But you'll have to agree to disagree about this. Tell her you can be friends, but she cannot keep trying to persuade you that her mother's behavior is acceptable." They nodded.
"She's really upset," my son said, tears welling up in his eyes. "She thinks that we won't be allowed to play with her." That, of all the mess, is what he understood most clearly: Someone's feelings were getting hurt.
"You can play with her, but she has to agree to disagree. Now, would you like to make brownies and take them over as a welcome-to-the-neighborhood gift?" All the children nodded.
So we made brownies and took them over, and I met the mother and her sexual partner. (We don't call them "the parents," nor can we refer to the mother's "friend," which is likewise a misuse of the language, so we generally call them by name.)
They were pleasant when I welcomed them to the neighborhood, although they looked over my skirt, my lipstick, and my wedding ring with faintly ironic expressions on their faces. (This is my usual experience with homosexuals, both male and female—people with "gender identity issues" amply populated the liberal arts graduate programs from which I received my degrees.) "Quaint," I practically heard them thinking.
That was several months ago. I haven't had much contact with the two women since—they both work, and have long commutes. I have resisted commenting on the bumper sticker on the car in their driveway, which reads, "Narrow-minded people suck," sticking instead to cheerful, neighborly greetings when we happen to be out getting our mail at the same time, crossing the street only once or twice to ask whether they had a good vacation, or whether the new puppy was working out well for the girl.
I did, however, see something peculiar late one night when I went to shut the front blinds. The living room light was on behind me, so I was clearly visible through the window, and I was wearing a long, feminine bathrobe—a peignoir, I suppose, though nothing I wear to cook breakfast should be called by such a fancy name.
As I lowered the blind, my husband came up behind me and switched off the light, and for a split second I saw, across the street, one of our neighbors—the more deliberately masculine one, the one whose clothes, hair, gestures, all proclaim that she has no intention of ever, in any way, looking or seeming feminine.
She was standing in her yard, lit by her porch light, and she was studying us. I only saw her for an instant as the blind fell, but I saw her clearly, and the look on her face startled me—not because she was "checking me out," for she wasn't. Her typical bright irony was, for once, absent; she looked vulnerable, bemused, wistful, and she was running a hand across her brutally cropped hair.
Never Too Young
We've seen quite of bit of the girl. We, after all, are usually home, and her own house is usually empty when she comes home from school. She doesn't often want to play, but she sits, sullen and silent, and watches my children and the other neighborhood children. She doesn't like to read, or to talk about books, but she listens to the other kids discuss their interests.
Sometimes she talks my daughter into walking down the street to ask if another girl their age—a "popular girl"—wants to come out and play. Every time this happens I wince, knowing the "popular girl" will never agree to play with this awkward child—or with my bookish daughter, for that matter.
And she never does. My daughter shrugs off the refusals, taking each excuse at face value. "There are plenty of other kids to play with," she tells the new girl, who nevertheless sulks and blames her lesbian mother for perceived deficiencies in her social life.
She avoids a certain little boy who, when her puppy slipped his leash to frolic with another dog, called the animals "queer." She obtained a cell phone and stands in the driveway talking on it, trying to get my younger son to talk to her friend—"who likes you because I told her you were cute."
"I'm seven," he said. "You're never too young to have a girlfriend," she replied. "I mean, do you want people to think you're gay?"
Other than that, she has not brought up her mother's situation again. I've been listening for it, remembering a remark the wife of one of our church elders made: "My two girls were raised carefully, you know. We taught them God's word, and took them to church, and they're good girls, going to Christian colleges, doing summer mission work. But when it comes to homosexuality, there was just too much pressure—at school, you know, and on TV—to think the Bible is old-fashioned. Just the sheer weight of opinion wore them down. So now they think homosexual behavior is fine."
My husband, in his evening Bible studies with the children, has been focusing on people who decided to make an exception for themselves in obeying certain rules, either because they didn't understand why God made such a rule, or simply because his law conflicted with their desires. He has not been pounding away at homosexuality in particular; we'd just as soon our kids forget it exists for now.
Innocence Grieved
They can't, of course. Our older son, blushing, said at supper one night, uneasily, "I like Aaron. I really, really like Aaron. . . ." Aaron is three years older, and has a pellet gun. Of course he likes Aaron. But he's worried about it now—at nine years old, he's confused about male friendships, about what he feels, about what people might think.
We tried to reassure him, mostly by shrugging it off. "And anyway, you don't want to hug and kiss him," our daughter pointed out.
"Yeah, but I don't want to hug and kiss girls, either."
"One day you will," my husband said. "But there's no rush about that. In the meantime, don't worry about it. Boys like to hang out with boys. It's fine."
It was with relief that we saw him, a few days later, do as he has always done, taking his brother's hand as they ran across the field to the playground.
So some of his innocence has been preserved, though a good bit of it has gone for good. I grieve for that. And I grieve for the girl who brought this unwelcome knowledge into his life, for "what chance," as a Christian friend of mine said, "does she have?" She's not bright, nor is she pretty; she's from a broken home, is living with lesbians, is discontented, and "specializing," as she herself puts it, "in being bored." She has a lot of strikes against her and, making matters worse, is willing to embrace the role of victim.
I do the only thing I know to do: I pray. I ask God to guide my children's thoughts and attitudes. I ask him to guide the new girl's life. He is strong enough to work a miracle there, though it may be a slow miracle, one I may never see.
I have, however, been allowed to see one small step. Recently a new family moved in down the street, and the girl with the lesbian mom suggested that my children go with her to meet them.
"You never know," she said hopefully. "They might be Christians, too."
Amanda Witt discusses Christianity, culture, and life as a homeschooling mother at the weblog Wittingshire (www.wittingshire.blogspot.com). She lives with her husband and three children in Port Orchard, Washington.
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MYXph.com presents the full episode of "All Good Things... The VJ Chino Farewell Special"! In case you missed its TV airing, you can finally catch up on the awesome moments between VJ Chino and VJ Bianca who returned to host the special!
Get ready to burst into laughter and tears as we look back at VJ Chino's wonderful run on MYX - from a VJ Search finalist to one of the best VJs ever! Watch "All Good Things" in full below!
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Frankz Paw Printz Pet Photography > GoldenDoodle > GoldenDoodle DIVA Bracelet
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