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In the Name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
I did not know that I was lost. I did not know that I was lost. Not until I hit bottom through a complicated season in my life –at the confluence of addictions, grief, transition, and employment layoff. I must say, sitting in that place in my life that seemed to be a pigsty was truly a deep low. I did not know that I was lost.
Every time I hear today's gospel story, the parable of the prodigal son, I relate closely with the son. The son, who rejected his father, partied away his inheritance, lost everything, and hit bottom. I relate to the son who realized, as he was sitting with the pigs, that he needed restoration and reconciliation. I relate to the son who is welcomed, despite what he did.
The familiar parable of the prodigal son begins with context: the people crowding near Jesus were tax collectors and sinners. This bothered the Pharisees and scribes. They discounted Jesus' legitimacy as a teacher by criticizing his relationships with people who had sinned. In response, Jesus tells 3 parables, revealing that the God of whom he speaks is a God of compassion, joyously welcoming repentant sinners into God's house. Well, that is the simple and short version. We know it's more complicated when humans get involved.
Rembrandt's seventeenth-century painting provides rich depth to the story, about which Henri Nouwen[1] wrote during a particular struggle in his life. From the first viewing until six years later, Nouwen wrestled with God about his journey of being lost and found. He saw himself first in the son, then in the brother and finally in the father. As we gaze on the image, we, too, can see ourselves in three ways reflected in this profound painting.
First the painting draws us toward the son at the moment of The Return. But from what has the son returned? In one short sentence, the gospel tell us that the son had asked from his father his share of the inheritance even before the father had died. It is easy to gloss over what that meant, which was hurtful, offensive, and "tantamount to wishing his father was dead."[2] Although Rembrandt did not paint that precursor scene of the parable, the depth of the pain and conviction of the son is palpable; it is reflected in the depth of the compassion and conviction the father expresses; the depth of a father's love shown in the embrace.
Rembrandt's portrayal wonderfully captures the extent of the son's poverty. His shaven head, as a prisoner. His ragged clothes, barely covering his body. His torn shoes so worn, exposing feet of suffering and misery. The only shred of dignity is his sword – the sword of truth that linked him to the father during his Away – and gave him permission to return.
God wants to restore us to our full dignity so God plants this sword of truth in our souls at our birth, at our baptism, or even before we are born, as we are knitted together in the womb.
Second, the painting draws our eyes toward the tall, stern elder who dominates the right side of the painting. The brother and his father have a similar look: both bearded, wearing large red cloaks, light their faces. But what differences! the brother's facial expression reflects his resentment for having lived his dutiful and obedient life without fanfare.
We all know many elder sons and elder daughters who are lost while still at home – filled with judgment and condemnation, anger and bitterness, where joy cannot exist. Although light reflects the joy of the house, the elder son cannot accept it. By his erect stance, we see how lost he is. This portrayal of the elder is not lost on me; my choice to compare, to be resentful, to despair while desiring love yet not able to let go of resentment.
How can the elder son also be found? Only by God who does not force love, -but goes out to the elder son. "You are with me always." We, too, have the choice to stay in the darkness or to step into the light and invoke the spiritual disciplines of trust and gratitude, accepting God's gift. Without trust, we cannot be found. Without gratitude, we cannot walk in light.
Third, the painting draws our eyes toward the father, whom Rembrandt captured physically:(half-blind, mustached & bearded, dressed in gold-embroidered deep red cloak, a cloak spread out like wings, with large hands on the shoulders of the son.) And, whom Rembrandt captured spiritually:
With infinite compassion, unconditional love and everlasting forgiveness.
At once, human and divine natures fuse. At once, the wholeness of the father represents the God that I want to believe in: one who is present and tactile, one who stretches out arms of blessing, one who always waits and does not push, one who keeps approaching us, offering strong love and belonging.
Look closely at the hands of the father, they are markedly different. [Nouwen writes [3] ]
"The father's left hand is strong and muscular, fingers spread out, covering a large part of the son's shoulder and back. The hand not only touches, but also it holds. The right hand is refined, soft, and tender. The fingers are close to each other and elegant. This hand caresses, strokes, and offers consolation. This is a mother's hand. Rembrandt invites us, through these hands to see God as both Father and Mother, one who is strong and encouraging as well as soft and caring. He confirms and she consoles."
In this image, we are challenged: Are we not called to be this father to ourselves, our neighbors and our creation? Are we not called to accept, to welcome, and to love others with trust and gratitude for the differences they bring into our lives?
I did not know that I was lost, but in my lostness, God found me. In my elder brother resentment and bitter heart, God softened me. In the image of the father, I am confronted as a mature person in faith and wisdom, to be that person, too. God calls us to welcome returning people into our lives, in our community, in our world.
It is a spiritual discipline to choose life and choose joy, not death and cynicism. In the image of the father, God calls us "To be not just the one who is forgiven, but to forgive. Not just the one who is welcomed home, but the one who welcomes home; not just the one who receives compassion, but the one who offers it as well."[4] Rembrandt's painting offers so much. The textures, the colors, the hues, the message beneath the message – all this invites us to see ourselves.
Are you lost?
Because today's good news, captured by Rembrandt, is that God's love is greater than we can ever know. Our compassionate God welcomes us home, blesses us with strong and caressing hands, comes out and calls us to share in love and invites us, too, to welcome, bless and love just as God first loved us.
Welcome home.
[1] Henri Nouwen, The Return of the Prodigal Son (Doubleday Publishing, 1992)
[2] Henri Nouwen, Return of The Prodigal Son, (xxx,xxx, 1983), p. 35
[3] Nouwen, p. 99
[4] Nouwen, p. 122


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This week's craft is brought to you by the letter M (for murder)!
Hello Internet Friends!
So glad you popped over to learn about the On The Go Mustachio! This little bit of upper lip machismo is sure to assist you with all of your future endeavors. I decided to make a nose neighbor this week for 2 reasons:
1. Mr. McCluckin' asked if I would make one in honor of the recently published book Taft 2012 by Jason Heller. It would seem that my favorite rooster was out and about interviewing the author for the podcast Machine Readable.
2. The flying spaghetti monster shower scrub I was working on ended up looking like that creepy clown face from the Saw film franchise, and I personally would prefer to avoid scrub-a-dub-dubbing with that sinister fellow.
Either way it's a great way to fill an afternoon with the joy of sewing and then spend the evening with a flawless disguise for all the liquor store robberies or presidential campaigns you may need to attend.
Tutorial Begins Right Now:
1. Gather your supplies! You will need: felt (or fabric), 1/4″ elastic, matching thread, stuffing, a fabric pen or tailor's chalk, hand sewing needle, a functional pencil, papers, and a sewing machine ready to roll.
2. Decide what shape you want your mustache to take on. I made this one to look like the nose neighbor of former president William Howard Taft mixed with a bit of silent melodrama film villain.
3. Draw out the shape on a piece of paper. Practice a few times, then just go for it. If you are seriously worried you won't get it right simply Google mustache chart and find one you can print. It's best to make sure no point of your mustache is thinner than 1″.
4. Cut out the paper shape, pin it to your felt or fabric, and cut out the mustache twice.
5. Measure the amount of elastic you will need by placing the end of the elastic just under your nose and then wrapping it around your head. Be sure to pull it a little to give it a snug fit. Nobody like a mustache that won't stay on their face.
6. Sew the elastic to one of your mustaches. I prefer a zig-zag stitch to better secure the elastic but do whatever makes you the happiest. It doesn't have to be perfect we will cover this up later.
7. Pin the right sides of your mustaches together; remember the side with the elastic attached is the right side (meaning it will be on the outside when you finish). On the wrong side of the mustache without elastic mark a 1″ to 1 1/2″ opening with your fabric pen or tailor's chalk.
8. Sew the mustache together with 1/4″ seams, back stitching at the beginning and end. Be careful not to stitch upon the elastic. As you get closer to the elastic, carefully pull it to the opening you have drawn on.
9. Inspect your stitches and confirm that you have: a) not stitched over the elastic at all, b) have stitched through both layers of fabric all the way around, and c) have in fact left an opening. If you have failed to do any of these things remove the necessary stitches (or in the case of accidentally sewing off the fabric add the stitches to keep your 1/4″ border).
10. Clip and notch your seam allowances to obtain the perfect mustache shape.
11. Turn the mustache right side out. I often use a chopstick to get the tight spots fully turned.
12. Stuff the mustache with fiber fill. Only stuff it enough to keep the mustache's shape, you don't want to bust a stitch. Again a chopstick comes in handy to negotiate the sexy curves of your mustache.
13. Hand sew the opening shut with a whip stitch.
14. Cut a small patch of your fabric or felt to cover the elastic on the back and sew it into place by hand. I have in a time pinch glued this in place with instant dry craft glue, but it rarely turns out well. Then again if your gang is waiting for you at Ye Olde Liquor Shoppe and you just have to get out the door with your disguise, then by all means!
15. Wear your new mustache with pride.
Bizarre phone photo, please ignore my glazed over stare.
Hope you enjoyed this tutorial as much as I enjoyed making this mustache. Think of all the fun options, a glitter 'stache for a gala, a plaid 'stache for a weekend in the country, a clear 'stache for that avant garde party I know you plan to attend…the options are endless!
So long for now interneters,
Henny Penny

subset: commoncrawl


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posted on here | lookbook
I am finally getting back and have motivation of blogging again. I just really want this cold weather to go away or me go away from this weather, California sounds about just right. Here is my Sunday look, feeling a little preppy and i finally got a chance to wear this baroque shoes i got last Christmas. Hope you like it.
knitwear from hm, black jeans from forever 21 and shoes from aldo.


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By Lawrence Warhall
This week, the New Hampshire Senate will begin holding budget hearings. Last week, budget legislation for state was "laid on the table" because some Republicans refused to pass a budget that increased spending by such a large amount. Part of the budget is funding for the University System of New Hampshire (USNH). The public universities came to the taxpayers with their hands out asking for a combined request of $182 million over the two-year budget period. But there's an issue not being discussed; records show that USNH has a serious debt problem, especially when compared to an equivalent system.
As of June 30, 2016, the University System of New Hampshire's long-term debt obligation is $737,140,000; as of the same date, the University of Maine System's (UMES) debt is $204,480,000. USNH's debt is 260 percent or one half a billion dollars more than UMES's debt. The States of New Hampshire and Maine are equivalent both in population and size of their public-university systems; a difference of 10 or 20 percent in university system debt may be reasonable due to differences in State funding and other factors; but, a difference of 260 percent is outrageous.
Currently, future budget funding for USNH is being discussed by New Hampshire's government; to date, 81 million dollars per year is proposed to be allocated to USNH over the next two years. As outrageous as USNH's debt is, not a penny of taxpayer funds should be committed until USNH explains both the origins of this debt and how they are going to reduce it to a reasonable level.
The following presents a comparison of USNH's to UMES's debt for the period of 2001 through 2016:
Report Year UMES USNH Percent increase
2001 $143,858,711 $203,458,000 41%
2002 $197,437,000 $377,778,000 91%
2003 $178,785,000 $367,181,000 105%
2004 $220,016,000 $382,777,000 74%
2005 $207,896,000 $477,701,000 130%
2006 $302,925,000 $706,489,000 133%
2007 $345,484,000 $694,654,000 101%
2008 $328,877,000 $740,875,000 125%
2009 $312,093,000 $734,665,000 137%
2010 $294,476,000 $706,605,000 140%
2011 $276,719,000 $682,487,000 147%
2012 $273,816,000 $650,788,000 138%
2013 $242,641,000 $622,387,000 157%
2014 $219,694,000 $593,852,000 170%
2015 $217,753,000 $709,121,000 225%
2016 $204,480,000 $737,140,000 260%
Notably, UMES steadily reduced their system debt by 40 percent from a high of $345,484,000 in 2007 to $204,480,000 in 2016. In comparison and in contrast, USNH's debt has steadily grown from 41 percent more than UMES's debt in 2001 to 260 percent more than UMES's debt in 2016.
Per the U.S. Census 2015, New Hampshire has a population of 1.331 million, and Maine has a population of 1.329 million; thus, New Hampshire and Maine are equivalent in population. For Fall 2015, USNH reports an enrollment (headcount) of 28,117 students and that 55 percent of its full-time equivalent students are New Hampshire residents, in its Annual Report for 2016.
For Fall 2015, UMES reports an enrollment of 28,994 students and that 80 percent of its full-time equivalent students are Maine residents, in its Annual Report for 2016. Thus, while USNH and UMES are equivalent in headcount enrollment, USNH serves 25 percent fewer residents than the UMES, and USNH has amassed 260 percent more debt than the UMES.
Two states in the same geographical area, with equivalent populations and university system enrollments; one system serves 25 percent fewer of its state's residents and has amassed 260 percent more debt. Outrageous.
The State of New Hampshire considers itself to be both financially conservative and responsible in its allocation of taxpayer-dollars. Currently, it is considering budgeting and allocating 81 million dollars per year for the next two years to USNH, which has amassed 260 percent more debt and serves 25 percent fewer residents than an equivalent state's university system.
Without an explanation of both the origins of this debt and how USNH is going to reduce it to a reasonable level, any further allocation of taxpayer-dollars to USNH would be reckless, as their outrageous debt accumulation seems unstoppable.


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Episode 58: Colony in Space
This week we cover story #58, Colony in Space! The Doctor finds himself on the planet Uxarieus, where a colony is under attack from monsters and the Interplanetary Mining Corporation wants them off the planet. The natives pose a threat as well, and things really get interesting when an Adjudicator arrives to sort things out -- and it turns out to be the Master!
Question of the Week/Listener Mailbag
Discussion of "Colony in Space" (Charlie 8, David 7, Trevor 7), in which one of the Wanderers takes a nap at an inopportune time!
Connor's Corner
- Trevor
- Twitter: @WhovianTrev
- Tumblr: http://trevsplace.tumblr.com/
- Charlie
- David
- Twitter: @gwythinn
- WWW: http://www.davidsafar.com/
- Tumblr: http://maroonedwhovian.tumblr.com/
Join us next week for our review of Doctor Who story #59, The Daemons! You can stream the serial from Hulu+, rent the DVD from Netflix, or buy the DVD from Amazon.com, the BBC Doctor Who Shop,, or many other fine retailers.
Posted by Wanderers in the 4th Dimension on 06/25/2015 and filed under: Uncategorized : No Comments


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Keller Williams
Why Keller Williams
Why am I affiliated with Keller Williams Realty? - Christie Cannon | Keller Williams Frisco
My affiliation with the fastest growing and largest Real Estate company in the world is no accident! With my business partner and husband holding an independent Broker's license, and given my long experience in real estate – the opportunity to be affiliated with any number of brokerages and companies is available.
I wanted to affiliate my real estate services, and The Christie Cannon Team, with a company whose values closely match my own, a company that offered exceptional tools for their agents to in-turn provide an exceptional home-buying and home-selling experience to each client, and a company that actually listened to suggestions from its agents. That is why we choose to be affiliated with Keller Williams Realty.
Here is the belief system at Keller Williams Realty, simple, clear, effective, and powerful:
Win Win or no deal
Integrity to do the right thing
Customer always comes first
Commitment in all things
Communication seek first to understand
Creativity ideas before results
Teamwork together we achieve more
Trust starts with honesty
Success results through people
It is a belief system, mission, vision, and set of values that mimic our own. We are proud to be part of this culture and commitment to excellence. We are proud to be part of company that focuses not on only on service, but on selfless-ness. Keller Williams Realty is company that understands, and has been recognized, for understanding that the culture of a company is every bit as important as its economic model.
With a business belief system this well-defined, I am assured that my past and current customers always come first. It's Keller Williams Realty's & The Christie Cannon Team's commitment to you.
Christie Cannon REALTOR
The Christie Cannon Team
Keller Williams Realty Frisco
469.951.9588: Mobile
972.215.7747: Office
#1 Keller Williams Agent in the North Texas - New Mexico Region 2016
Voted as one of the BEST Realtors in D Magazine for 2010-2016
Voted as a Five Star Professional 2012-2017 Texas Monthly Magazine
Name among America's Best Real Estate Agents by Real Trends Magazine
Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist
#1 Keller Williams Agent 2011-2016


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Browse our select range of products
Our expert team will find the right parts
for you at competitive prices
Get in contact with one of our two stores
For more information about our East Maitland store, click here.
For more information about our Newcastle store, click here.
Carter's Clutch & Brake Service is your specialist for clutch and brake parts, repairs and expert advice. We stock and source a large range of clutch and brake parts and accessories for all types of automotive, agricultural, heavy vehicle and mining applications.
Our workshops at East Maitland and Newcastle also perform first class mechanical repairs. Our expert mechanics use high quality components, the latest tools, and equipment to ensure that all repairs are completed to the highest standard. For more information about our services and products, or to make a booking, please don't hesitate to contact one of our stores.
We supply and fit a range of top quality products from many different reputable manufacturers. With so many brands kept in stock, we have parts to suit any make or model. To find out more about our brands click here. To enquire about a specific product, contact us today.


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(warning: there might be some spoilers ahead)
Is it too brave of a declaration to say that Aziz Ansari's Master of None is a must-watch television show for millennials? With popular culture riding on the millennial wave, it's easy to get lost and be confused with the numerous references and experiences of the millennial generation. However, with Master of None, millennials will probably have an easy time to relate to the numerous references and experiences of the characters in the show.
The show is centered around Dev (played by Aziz Ansari), a 32-year old actor who is navigating his life around New York City, while juggling his career and several relationships. In the series, viewers will meet Dev's friends, his parents, and his love interest, and how his relationships with these people affect his life. At the same time, viewers will also discover how Dev navigates his career— especially in the aspect of race.
What makes Master of None decidedly different from similarly-themed shows is that it's deliberate in depicting thought-provoking topics, while making it digestible for the viewers to understand it. For example, the episode "Ladies and Gentlemen" tackles the inequality between men and women at work, and how women constantly face the danger of potential sexual predators around them. The episode also shows how we (women and men) can be feminists in our own ways. In this case, Dev showed his support for his female co-stars by giving them the spotlight in the TV commercial that they are working on, after he expressed concern that the women in the commercial are being used for eye candy. On the other hand, the episode "Parents" is a funny, refreshing take on understanding our parents' struggles and victories. The episode comically depicts the struggles and hardships of Dev and Brian's immigrant parents, in order to provide Dev and Brian the comforts that they are experiencing in the present. This episode will make you rethink how we view our relationships with our parents, and how their struggles can help us appreciate them better.
Aside from these thought-provoking topics, the show celebrates its uniqueness through the its depiction of food. The show is a feast for foodies everywhere, with numerous mentions and tacos and pasta for viewers to be excited about. In addition, food in Master of None has been a force in building relationships between the different characters in the show.
When it comes to the millennial experience, Master of None depicts how technology has influenced the millennial generation navigate and face life. The show also depicts Dev's indecisiveness about his future, and his indecisiveness towards his relationships. The indecisiveness, and the increasing reliance on technology are two characteristics that have shaped the millennial generation. As a millennial writing this, we have tools like the internet and social media to show us the numerous options that we can have in order to go where we are supposed to be, but every single day, the choices being presented to us through these mediums have made it more difficult for us to ultimately decide on the path that we want to take.
As a final verdict, Master of None is an offbeat, earnest, and heartwarming show that engages its viewers to rethink and re-evaluate their relationships and life decisions, while enjoying a taco and a glass of iced tea (or a helping of carbonara).


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The other day, i cam across an Instagram contest.
All i had to do, was to follow the "Pull and Bear Singapore" instagram, and then do a print screen of it.
The first 10k followers will be getting a complimentary $100 gift card.
I was the 1768th follower.
Few days later, when i went back to check, the Instagram profile was gone !
I helped to do free advertising through my account.
So was i being scammed ??


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As a Rovinj wedding photographer, it`s always a great pleasure to capture moments in one of my favourite towns on earth. And boy, what a wedding this was! On that sunny Saturday, the Austrian and Croatian guests just arrived at the amazing St`Andrews island wedding to witness the Big day for Anna & Dimitri, young beautiful and very in love couple from Leoben. Dimitri just finished repeating his vows and was fully ready to see the love of his life in her wedding dress.
Just a few hundred meters away, Anna was preparing for the best day in her life surrounded by her best friend and her best man, her beloved brother. Completely relaxed and with a wide smile on her face, she took her father by the hand and slowly entered the ceremony in the garden of Baron Hütterott`s castle.
It was a wedding full of emotions, great speeches and a lot of fun. Enjoy their story.
Venue: St`Andrews Island
Wedding planner: Weddings in Croatia
Florist: Florami studio
Band: LeMond Band
Light design: HaeMlight


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BBC micro:bit (Board)
The BBC micro:bit is a pocket-sized computer that you can code, customise and control to bring your digital ideas, games and apps to life.
The BBC micro:bit is a pocket-sized computer that you can code, customise and control to bring your digital ideas, games and apps to life.
BBC micro:bit is a small, codable device that can be programmed to light up using a series of tiny LEDs. A non-intimidating introduction to programming and making – switch on, program it to do something fun – wear it, customise it, develop new ideas.
BBC micro:bit combines a pocket-sized coding device featuring several sensors and LED's, with a website full of coding languages, helping you get creative – from making your own games to taking selfies, the possibilities are endless. Each element is completely programmable via easy-to-use software on a dedicated website that can be accessed from a PC, tablet, or mobile.
There are two programmable buttons that can be used to control games or pause and skip songs on a playlist. The BBC micro:bit can even detect motion and tell you which direction you are heading in. Built-in Low Energy Bluetooth connectivity enables the BBC micro:bit to interact with other devices and the Internet.
• Microprocessor: 32-bit ARM® Cortex M0 CPU
• 25 LED grid
• Status LED
• 2 buttons
• Reset button
• 20 way edge connector
• 3 axis Accelerometer (Motion sensor)
• 3D Magnetometer (Compass)
• Bluetooth
• Battery connector
• Connector (JST-PH) for adding a battery pack
• Size: 40 x 50mm
• Weight: 8g


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LONG may Blues be something of a bogey team for Liverpool on their home patch, said Steve Bruce.
"I had one of the worst nights of my life when this lot beat us 7-0 at St Andrew's but at Anfield, we've always tended to do OK.
"We defended superbly as a team and our players ran a million miles. When you come to Liverpool, you have to do that. You can't just match them in terms of playing 4-4-2, for instance, which you would like to do ideally.
"You have to try and frustrate them and make sure they can't do what they want. That's what happened, we changed our formation and the game plan worked."
"It's always difficult to pick individuals when it was a team performance," added Bruce, "but Ridgewell and Djourou were excellent.
"You need your goalkeeper and back four to play well whenever you come to Liverpool. They all stuck at their tasks and Liverpool have got an array of talent, haven't they, to come at you with.
"What pleased me was that it wasn't as if they were making chance after chance and missing them all.
"To be fair, we created the best chance for them when Djourou gave the ball away, but Taylor made a good save. That apart, he didn't really have much to do.
"Towards the death, when they were taking risks, had we shown more of a cutting edge and composure, we might have nicked it. To be fair, we were shattered by then and we were making some mistakes."


text: Besides our wide selection, we also offer guaranteed best pricing on Borm Bruckmeier Pub Llc endocrinology and metabolism, with items starting as low as $9.69. At Unbeatablesale.com, we celebrate the quality of our service, not just our products. We take every step we can to make sure your online shopping experience is simple, secure, and efficient.Unbeatablesale.com offers around the clock online ordering and values your privacy; we will not sell or provide your information to any third parties. Shop secure and hassle-free today!


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Bedroom one Trevince
The larger of our rooms, Trevince has two large sash windows with original shutters, looking out over the gardens and across to the aboretum, enjoying the best of any afternoon sunshine.
Our rooms have deep carpets, luxurious 2000-spring mattresses and Egyptian cotton bed linen. Our ample pillows and all-seasons duvets are non-allergenic. Bathrooms are finished in natural stone or marble with heated floors and towel rails, plenty of thick fluffy towels are provided.
The bathroom for Trevince is 'en-suite'.
We are not able to accommodate pets in Trevince.
Tariff & Facilities
- Breakfast
- 1 super-king bed or 2 single beds
- Sitting area
- Flat screen smart TV
- Tea and coffee making facilities
- Complimentary Cornish spring water
- Complimentary daily newspaper
- En-suite bathroom with shower
- Bath robes
- Complimentary 'St Kitts Herbery' toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Ironing facilities on request
- Extra single bed on request (additional charge applies)
- On-site parking
- We are not able to accommodate pets in this room


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Pirate Radio – RPi Zero W Project Kit
Pirate Radio takes advantage of the on-board wireless LAN and Bluetooth on the RPi Zero W, and uses pHAT BEAT DAC and amp to pump out up to 3 W of mono audio with 16 RGB LEDs that are ideal for using as a VU (volume unit) meter.
Assembly time: 30 minutes.
Assembled size of Pirate Radio is 135 × 85 × 70 mm (W × H × D).
- Dual I²S DAC/amplifiers (MAX98357A)
- 3 W per channel
- 2x push fit speaker terminals
- DIP switch to select blended mono or stereo modes
- 16 RGB LED pixels (APA102) in 2 rows of 8
- 6 edge-mounted push buttons
- Software installer and ALSA VU meter plugin
- 5 W 4 Ω speaker with pre-soldered wires
- 3-layer blue acrylic enclosure
- Pi Zero W with single core CPU and built-in wireless LAN and Bluetooth
- Adaptor kit
- 50 cm USB A to micro-B cable (power your Pi from an existing charger or computer)
- Python library
- Female and male headers require soldering
The Python library will allow you to control the LEDs independently, if you wish, and to program the buttons to do whatever you desire.
Note that if you're using Volumio, you can use their GPIO buttons plugin to assign functions to the buttons on pHAT BEAT.
Included in the kit:
- Raspberry Pi Zero W
- pHAT BEAT DAC and stereo amp. with VU meter and six buttons
- Male and female 2 × 20 pin headers
- Single 5 W 4Ω speaker
- Blue acrylic enclosure
- 50 cm USB A to micro-B cable
- USB A (female) to micro B (male) adaptor
- Mini to full-size HDMI adaptor
- Sticker sheet (personalize your Pirate Radio!)
- Comes in a reusable kit box


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Age of Arthur Campaign DayI am pleased to invite you to a one day WAB 2.0 Campaign day at the Polly Bowls Club in Sutton in Ashfield on Saturday 13th February 2016. The cost of the day is £10.00 and includes a buffet lunch and teas and coffees throughout the day. If you are there on time there will probably also be pastries and croissants for breakfast.
I currently have space for 16 players.
Arriving in the morning you will be split into (hopefully) equal sized factions and over the course of the day you will play three games of Warhammer Ancient Battles. Dependent on the results of the game you will either gain or lose territories and gold. The winners of the campaign will be the team of players who control the most territories, and the team that has amassed the most lucre.
If you are planning on staying over on the Saturday night, please let me know and we can arrange to go out for a curry.
Your ArmyPlayers will pick a 1600 point list from the earlier lists (pre-600 CE) in the Age of Arthur supplement. Chosen troops from one of the following lists:
- The Twilight of Britannia
- The Age of Vortigern
- Brittany
- The British Kingdoms
- The Welsh Kingdoms in the West
- The Welsh Kingdoms in the North
- Dumnonia and the Southwest
- The Sea Raiders
- Early Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms
- Early Merovingian Franks
- Early Southern Pictish Kingdoms
- The Picts of the North
- The Attecotti
- Scots-Irish Raiders and Settlers (no chariots!)
- Dalriada
- The Kingdoms of Ireland (no chariots!)
Army List SubmissionPlease submit your lists by Sunday 8th February to email@example.com
GamesStarting at 09:30, during the day you will play in a mixture of singles and doubles games with different scenarios. If you would like to forge an alliance with any specific player or group of players for the event, please let me know and I'll accommodate you. Else, you will be associated with an ally commensurate with your army and situation on the campaign map.
Depending on your game result you will lose or gain up to two of your territories and gain or lose gold.
Special Rules for the Campaign Day
- With the release of WAB 2.0, units that are fleeing may not use the leadership of any character in the unit. Having spoken with James Morris, the author of the El Cid and Age of Arthur supplements, this is not intended and the leadership of any character in the unit may be used.
- Light infantry who start the game deployed in skirmish formation may elect not to field a standard bearer, replace the model with a normal trooper.
- As the campaign is set in mainland Britannia and the Irish only used chariots on 'home turf' you are not allowed the Chieftains Chariot upgrade.
Payment Details
Please may a PayPal payment to email@example.com your place will not be confirmed until Payment is received.Cancellations after Saturday 31st January will not be refunded.
If you have any special needs please contact me before the event and I will try to make any reasonable adjustments.
VenueThe event will be held at the Polly Bowls Club, Sports Ground, 10 Unwin Road, Sutton in Ashfield, Notts, NG17 4HN.
From the South exit junction 28 of the M1 and follow the A38 Mansfield signs. Stay with this dual carriageway through all sets of traffic lights (this is a long stretch, easily five of six miles) until you come to a set of lights with a pub called the King and Miller and a Macdonald's on your left. Filter left and go past McDonalds, turn left at the next set of lights and you are on Unwin Road, the entrance to the sports grounds are on your left, if you get as far as the Unwin Social Club you have gone too far.
The venue can be quite difficult to find as it is behind some buildings off of Unwin Road, however if you look out for the Rugby Club banner, go down the right hand side of the green-panelled building and drive around the rugby pitch the car park and bowls club building are at the bottom.
Please try to arrive at 09:00 for an 09:30 start.
|This is the entrance you are looking for, drive down the right hand side of that green-panelled building and around the sports pitches
|'Satellite' image showing the location of the venue
Local Accommodation
TRAVELODGE MANSFIELDTravelodge have an excellent hotel with plenty of rooms within two minutes' drive or 5 minutes walk of the venue. They've a lot of space and ample parking!
Telephone: 0871 984 6140
Website: http://www.travelodge.co.uk
Address: Lakeside Point, Mansfield Road, Sutton in Ashfield,
Nottinghamshire. NG17 4NP
PINE LODGE HOTELA lovely hotel is the Pine Lodge, situated on the A60 Nottingham Road. It has twenty bedrooms and various prices. Telephone: (01623) 622 308
Address: 281-283 Nottingham Road, Mansfield. NG18 4SE
Website: http://www.pinelodge-hotel.co.uk
PORTLAND HALL HOTELA lovely Georgian mansion of a hotel set in fifteen acres of parkland, the Portland Hall is relatively difficult to find but worth it if you're not bothered how much you spend. It's about fifteen minutes from the venue by car.
Telephone: (0871) 716 1883
Address: Carr Bank Park, Windmill Lane, Mansfield. NG18 2AL
PARKHURST GUEST HOUSEThe Parkhurst Guest House, situated fifteen minutes from the venue by car, is really a bed-and-breakfast so it should suit those on a tight budget.
Telephone: 01623 627 324
Address: 28 Woodhouse Road, Mansfield. NG18 2AF
MANSFIELD GUEST HOUSENext door to the Parkhurst is the Mansfield Guest House, and again if you prefer bed and breakfasts to hotels you can find none better in Mansfield.
Telephone: 01623 629 352
Address: 27 Woodhouse Road, Mansfield. NG18 2AF
- Paul Scrivens-Smith - PAID
- Carl Fisher - PAID
- Andy Hawes - PAID
- Keith Tait - PAID
- Philip Morgan - PAID
- Philip Morgan - PAID
- Ady McWalter


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Wright Out of the Gate – The Cali life
As the adventure continues out here in California, I have made it out to many more tracks, as well as seen new scenery. I do have to admit that it is pretty cool to have so many different tracks to pick from, and even better they are all within about an hour drive from where I am staying in Riverside. The only tough part in the morning is choosing where I want to go riding because there are about 8-9 tracks to pick from. Before I head out to the track for the day, I always have to check if the track in particular is open, as only certain tracks are open on certain days. For me, if I do not know where to go, I normally use Milestone as the place to go as I know they are pretty much always open and it is the closest track for me to go to.
As some of you may have seen on my social media, I have also been enjoying riding some tracks that aren't necessarily considered designated tracks. These tracks are an assortment of corner tracks that have been made by the riders in the area over the years. These tracks are definitely not the typical track you would think they are, even though some of the top pros do train on them. These tracks are made by solely turning laps around them to create a path that eventually will turn into a track. Might I add that these tracks never get groomed or maintained, so they do get very gnarly. Some spots where you ride can have rocks that are sticking out, which makes you have to dodge or switch lines in order to avoid them. The corners get blown out and we have to make a new line, and after a rain, rain ruts will be formed. Sometimes if that is the case you have to create a whole new corner or section to the track. In the end the training that I get out of riding these tracks is unlike anywhere else I have been. With all the rain we have been having here in SoCal I have had the opportunity to ride these tracks out in the desert quite a bit as they are less dusty. Actually, just last week I had the opportunity to ride with Cole Seely at one of these tracks out in the desert. He along with one of the staff guys at Honda that I have gotten to know fairly well while I have been out here, we all got the opportunity to meet up and go ride this awesome track. To get to this track we had to do our fair share of trail riding. After the journey in from trail riding, we were able to get the motos done. I must say there's nothing like climbing to the top of the highest hill in sight to capture the beautiful view. The views out in the hills of the mountains are very breathtaking, and it truly does make me very grateful that I get to do what I get to do.
On a different occasion, after a great amount of rain, a lot of the tracks were closed. Due to the rain, I decided to make my way out to another corner track (this time didn't require a trail ride to get to) where I had gone riding last year. When I arrived there I was surprised to see the amount of people that were there riding at such a remote place. There were more people out riding this corner track in the middle of nowhere than we would normally see at a track at home for practice. Among these people were Dean Wilson, Justin Bogle and a bunch of other pros. It was a blast just having fun with all the guys out there. I must say that these past two days are what makes me love riding my dirt bike, because we can basically do it anywhere anytime and I have fun riding either way.
Recently I will admit that I am pretty good at changing tubes and tires. Since I have been down here I have already had to change up to six tubes on my bikes. I guess my luck in that department just hasn't been too good. With that being said I think it is important that we riders get to know how to work on our own bikes. Being able to fix and maintain our own bikes helps with our general knowledge about the bike we ride. As well, it helps when we do head out to practice days. If things go wrong, we are able to fix the problem and continue on with our day at the track. This can also help on race day by giving feedback to our mechanics as to what a problem may be or as to what we can possibly improve on the bikes. I'm not going to lie, I know that it will help down the road, because I know that one day I will have to do all my own bike work, so why not learn now rather than later.
Last thing, I do admit that with more and more time I have putting in on the Hondas, the more and more I am learning about the bike and the more and more I am loving these new bikes. They are a very well built machine as they handle so well on the track and on the trails. I really feel at one with the bike. I'm very comfortable and confident every time I throw my leg over them. Might I add that I am looking fresher than ever in that new Fox racing gear! This is making me super excited to continue my journey out here in Cali.
As I finish this blog and Valentine's Day has just passed, I am getting ready to go get my girlfriend at the airport, LAX. Being away from home and away from the people I love and care about can be a hard thing to do at times, but it does make me grateful for the days I will be getting to spend with her while she is here. I am really looking forward to playing a little bit of a tourist for a few days, and being able to go see some of the amazing sights and scenes that Southern California has to offer. I find that it is always healthy to shut the moto brain off for a few days and just enjoy the fact that I am here in Cali. Sometimes there is more to life than just motocross.


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All History majors require a minor of your choice, which is not included in the plan, but needs to be considered. A History major may earn a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree. The difference is that a Bachelor of Arts degree requires you to take four semesters of the same foreign language. A Bachelor of Arts degree would be to your advantage, if you are considering a graduate degree in History. Language classes are available through DDN, the internet, and face-to-face.
Fall Semester Choose one or two: HIST-121 Western Civilization I HIST-151 United States History I HIST-257 Early American Indian History and Culture
Spring Semester Choose one or two: HIST-121 Western Civilization I HIST-151 United States History I HIST-152 United States History II
Fall Semester Choose one or two: HIST 152 United States History II HIST-257 Early American Indian History and Culture
Spring Semester HIST-240 Introduction to Public History and Cultural Resources (Offered only in the spring.)
Fall Semester Choose two: HIST-327 European History 1500/1815 (Offered only in the Fall) HIST-300 or 400 elective (3 classes or 9 hours required. Three hours of electives may be earned through an internship.) Non-Western History Option
Spring Semester Choose two: HIST-328 European History Since 1815 (Offered only in the Spring) HIST-359 Recent American History (Offered only in the Spring) HIST-480 Historical Methods & Historiography (Offered only in the Spring) Non-Western History Option
**Part of the requirement is that you must take one of the following Non-Western History options:
One of these is generally offered each year. To make sure this requirement is fulfilled in a timely manner, it is recommended that you take one as soon as it is offered.
**Thirteen History courses are required for the History Major. At least five should be taken during your first two years or four semesters of study. At least eight should be taken during your last four semesters or your junior and senior years.
A minor is NOT required with this major but electives are required to total 120 hours. Students are encouraged to pursue a minor, but to be certified to teach, a content praxis exam must be passed in both the major & minor areas of study.
Fall Semester ENGL 101 Composition I MATH 102 College Algebra Natural Science elective w/Lab HIST 121 Western Civilization I HIST 151 US History I
Spring Semester ENGL 201 Composition II PSYC 101 General Psychology SPCM 101 Fundamentals of Speech HIST 152 US History II HIST 257 Early Am. Indian Hist & Culture
Fall Semester SPED 405 Educ. Sec. Students w/Disabilities Arts & Humanities elective Natural Science elective w/Lab WEL 100 & 100L Wellness & Lab History upper-level elective (3) or ONE of the following (non-western):
Spring Semester EDFN 338 Foundations of Am. Education EDFN 295 Practicum: Pre-Admission EPSY 302 Educational Psychology HIST 328 European History since 1815 HIST 359 Recent American History Arts & Humanities elective
Fall Semester HIST 327 European History 1500-1815 History upper division elective 6-8 credits for minor, endorsement, or degree EPSY 428 Child & Adolescent Development
Spring Semester INED 411 SD Indian Studies EDFN 365 Computer-Based Tech. & Lrng. HIST 476 History of South Dakota HIST 480 Hist. Methods & Historiography History upper-level elective (3) or ONE of the following (non-western):
Fall Semester SEED 408 Planning, Managing & Assessing the 7-12 Diverse Classroom SEED 495 Practicum SEED 450 7-12 Reading & Content Literacy MLED 480 Middle Level Methods SEED 415 7-12 Social Science Methods Arts & Humanities elective
Spring Semester SEED 488 7-12 Student Teaching EDFN 475 Human Relations
Black Hills State University
College of Liberal Arts
1200 University Street
Unit #9003
Spearfish, SD 57799-9003


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In these days, the Los Angeles Times reported that U.S. officials have said: "if the Mullah regime agree to close and widespread inspection of its nuclear facilities by international inspectors, the U.S. might agree to let the Mullahs continue enriching uranium to the five-percent level". Apparently, what you read in the fictional story of "Hajj Hussein Obama and Mullahs: A Love Story" (check Archive) was not really fictional ! The disgusting story of "Obama and Mullahs" has become a very stupid farce. The LA Times published the report on April 28, 2012 , and added: "The Obama administration might support letting the Mullahs continue enriching uranium up to 5% purity if they agree to other U.N. restrictions. Such a deal would face formidable obstacles. US officials hope a new negotiating stance [!], backed by punishing economic sanctions [!], could help end the crisis [!!] The US began [non-secret] talks with the Mullahs on April 14 in Istanbul, and the next Talks are scheduled to resume in Baghdad on May 23. At least publicly, the administration had denied suggestions that it would consider approving any Mullah enrichment effort. But recently, some officials had hinted they might be willing to reevaluate that position, although with numerous caveats. A senior administration official said that if the Mullahs fulfills U.S. and other world powers' demands for strict enforcement of U.N. monitoring and safeguards, 'there can be a discussion' of allowing low-level domestic enrichment, 'and maybe we can get there, potentially'. Public support for the program is widespread in Iran, and the prospects of giving up all enrichment has become a nationalist taboo in Iran". The American media/ politicians are like the Mullahs. They are master at "Khod ro-be Khariat Zadan" ("pretending ignorance"; pretending that you are a donkey and can't understand sth). Obama and Americans change their stupid policy and accept the first Mullah suggestions, but they pretend that it's a new negotiating stance, backed by punishing economic sanctions !!!, that could help end their fake crisis !! Funny Iranians say: "These motherf-u-c-k-er Americans are donkeys, or think their people are donkeys ?! But even the sheep and the donkeys know that these shameless Americans want to accept the Mullah suggestions, and want to make a good deal with the Mullahs. The economic sanctions and torturing the ordinary Iranians just are part of their stupid game for fooling the ultra-stupid people in the West. These motherf-u-c-k-er Americans aided the Mullahs in the killing and torturing the Iranians in 2009, and now they try to torture the ordinary Iranians because they want to say; 'Oh, yah, our sanctions worked well, and that's why we accept the Mullah suggestions !!' These stupid Americans make a fool of themselves, but are Westerners really fooled by this stupid game and these stupid gestures?" This stupid deal is not a special or important thing, because "enriching uranium" is one of the basic rights of Iran or any other country. Even in 2003 they could end this fake crisis over the nuclear issue. Of course, as you know and as the LA times said, some stupid Americans and some Zionists and some stupid racists think that "Iran" and "Iranians" (not "the Mullahs") don't have any right and should be slave. We have already written about these stupid bastards and the Western Hypocrisy, the Western Racism, and the Western Chauvinism . The sick Westerners clearly say: "Even if Iran was a free and democratic country, we would not allow them to have a nuclear program. We would bomb there", and that's why the angry Iranians answer: "Oh, yah, show your true colors, idiots. But Iran, even under the Mullah regime, not only should have nuclear problem, but should have nuke, and should nuke you bastards". Only a few wise Westerners say: "the fundamentalist minority [in the West], whose inclinations toward freedom, intellect, diversity and reason dont place them all that far from the Mullahs [love war and hate Iran]. Frankly, you dont want either group to have a nuke". And the wise Iranians answer: "Yah, we dont want either group to have a nuke. But when all idiots and all bastards in the world have nuke, and when the West didn't care about the freedom, democracy, and human rights in Iran, even the Mullahs should have nuke. When the West and Mr. Stupid Monkey (Obama) betrayed us and the freedom and democracy in Iran, many things changed. And now, we know their true face, and we know that Iran, even under the Mullah regime, should have nuke". Yah, those who sow the seeds of hate, should know that "you reap what you sow".
The West and Mr. Stupid Monkey (Obama) aided the Mullahs in killing and torturing Iranians, and Iranians never forget it, but it's not the whole story. The main issue is: "Why the West and Mr. Stupid Monkey (Obama) aided the Mullahs in killing and torturing Iranians? Why the West and Mr. Stupid Monkey (Obama) love the Mullahs and aided them in suppressing the anti-Mullah movement?" It's what Iranians ask themselves, and we all should ask ourselves. "The Mullahs serve the interests of the US and the West, and that's why they love the Mullahs. A regime that suppresses and silences its young and modern people and play the role of a fake enemy or a pseudo-enemy for the West, is a godsend for the West. They love the Mullahs, not only because they always need a fake or weak enemy, but because they want to plunder the Iranian oil and the Arab's oil, and they want to sell their weapons to the stupid Arabs, and they want to have a permanent crisis over the Jewish state (because it accelerates the arrival of the End of Times), and they want to have a never-ending battle and crisis in the Middle East (until when we have oil), and they want not to allow Iran to revive its glorious past and become a great and strong country again, and they know that the Mullahs, who are Arabs or pro-Arabs, hate Iran and Iranians, and they know that the young and modern Iranians are able to make Iran a world power like Germany or France, and they want not to allow it happens. That's why they love the Mullahs, and they aid the Mullahs in killing and torturing Iranians", wise Iranians say. It's so obvious that the Iranian people saw the true face of the West in the past three years, and they don't allow the US and the West to betray them again. They know that the nuclear issue and its stupid crisis is a farce. Even many Westerners know it, and that's why they say: "This farce has gone long enough. Iran should not have to give up its soul for what is its inherent right under the NPT". Even the dumbest people know what the Western politicians say is bullshit. The people say: "Now, both sides talk about inherent rights under the NPT, and it's so obvious that no one can deny Iran's inherent rights, but the stupid Western media say: 'The U.S. and the EU have imposed harsh sanctions on Iran's oil exports and financial institutions to make the Mullah negotiators more flexible in the nuclear talks !!' . It's a good joke and their stupid gestures are so funny". The media report: "the Mullahs warily welcome U.S. flexibility", and the Mullahs try to pretend that it's a big deal that the US respects Iran's inherent rights under the NPT. Of course, some say: "The Mullah secret talks with the US is not about the nuclear issue. The Mullahs are ready to ignore Iran's inherent rights under the NPT, but they know that no one accepts it in Iran. The Mullahs just want to be free to kill, torture, and suppress Iranians, and the West has no problem with it, of course the Western bastards know that they can't declare it officially. Both sides are great evils and don't care about the human values or the human rights or Iran's rights or any other right. They just want to be sure that they can destroy and plunder Iran and its resources, and the whole Middle East, without any problem". Of course, as some wise guys say, "we should not forget that war game is still part of this stupid farce. Both the Mullahs and the West are eager to destroy Iran, but they just fear that they can't manage their stupid war game. Any war game has disastrous effects on both sides. But it's so funny that even their secret deals can have disastrous effects on both sides. Both sides are really in deep shit, and can't justify their stupid policy and their shameful deals". The wise guys say: "Now, they just torture the ordinary Iranians by the stupid sanctions, and try to pretend that this stupid farce is a real fight between real enemies. But many know the truth, and they also know that the final great loser is not the Iranian people, but it's the West that discredits and dishonors itself". They also add: "Now, all people in all around the whole can understand why the Iranian people should hate Mr. Stupid Monkey (Obama) and the US politicians, and unfortunately, the US as a whole". In these days, when the US tries to make a good deal with the Mullahs, the Ashura traitors and the Iranian mercenaries, like Masoud Behnoud, Ebrahim Yazdi, Ganji, baby Godzila, and other worthless jerks who are paid by the West and the Mullahs, desperately try to implement other parts of the US-Mullah evil plan. They stupidly try to fool the Iranian people again, while they just make a fool of themselves, and the people -even the little kids- only laugh at them and spit on them. It's really funny, and we would write more about this funny but stupid farce later.


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Over the past few years, the increasing trend of suicide attacks across Pakistan have made headlines globally and it was only a matter of time until these episodes were expressed through song. After all, artists are inspired by their surroundings so it shouldn't come as a shock when one goes on YouTube and sees that this notion has made an entry into Pashto pop culture.
Pashto singer Sitara Younas recently released a song, "Khud Kasha Dhamaka Yama", which has become quite popular and is making rounds on the internet. The lyrics of the song are catchy, "Don't chase me, I am an illusion, I am a suicide blast."
At least three versions of "Khud Kasha Dhamaka Yama" are available on the video-sharing site Youtube. One of the videos has over 40,710 views, while the other one has 18,237 views.
However, many of those who have left comments on the site do not seem happy with the lyrics of Younas' new song. "If this is the mentality, I think, we cannot improve our nature in the coming 50 years," comments Sam, a viewer, adding, "try to do something new, not suicide attacks." However, another viewer comments that he has watched the video of the song 100 times and loves it.
Renowned Pashto lyricist Rais Khan Sehrai told The Express Tribune that "Khud Kasha Dhamaka Yama" was written by lyricist Rashid Johar and it was composed by Pashto music director Shakir Zeb. Sehrai said that Shakir Zeb refused to compose this song initially; however, an anonymous influential figure of the Pashto film industry pressurised Zeb to work on the controversial song.
Sehrai also added that he believes it is not appropriate to release such songs and artists have a certain responsibility towards society to project a positive image. "This song has been quite popular after its release," but then again it is always the "wrong things which become popular with the public". Sehrai elucidated that such songs impact society in an adverse way and it is risky to release songs like this.
Pashto poet and senior journalist Farooq Firaq is of the opinion that Pashto or any other language's literature can be classified into classic and popular. "There may be many other poets during the times of Rehman Baba and Khushal Khan Khattak; however, no one knows about them," he said, adding that this song is a part of popular culture.
One of the reasons for such songs being released is that when the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) closed down the Nishtar Hall in Peshawar, several artists associated with the theatre became unemployed. Hence these artists tried their luck in Pashto CD dramas and telefilms, which emerged as a parallel industry — unregulated and often glorifying violence. Firaq argues that the advent of telefilms and soaps on CDs without any censor board has resulted in the release of such songs which glorify violence.
Firaq adds that suicide attacks have left deep imprints on our society and that such songs are a result of overall negativity in society and proposes establishing a censor board — comprising of actors, writers and elders — to oversee and filter such content.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 27th, 2011.


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Conventions | Although WonderCon organizers are still tabulating attendance from last weekend's convention, they say that "by all accounts the numbers for 2010 met or exceeded those for 2009." Last year's event drew about 34,000, a significant increase from the 20,000 that attended in 2008. They also set the dates for the 2011 convention: April 1-3, which undoubtedly means we'll have to endure numerous April Fool's announcements of titles and creative teams. [press release]
Awards | Deb Aoki, Lauren Davis, Tom Spurgeon and David Welsh provide commentary on the 2010 Eisner Award nominees. In case you missed it, I also offered my reactions. [Eisner Awards]
Creators | In an oddly worded post, Clifford Meth reports that 83-year-old comic artist Gene Colan was injured last week, and his being cared for by his children: "In addition, it appears that some of Gene's artwork has disappeared, including pages from Nathanial Dusk and a Star Wars-related piece. The police are involved in the matter." [Clifford Meth]
Business | Lorraine Mirabella has a follow-up on Thursday's foreclosure auction of a Baltimore County, Maryland, mansion owned by Diamond Comic Distributors CEO Steve Geppi. The mortgage lender bought back the nine-acre property for $2.8 million. Geppi and his wife Melinda bought the 19th-century home in 2004 for $4.8 million, and defaulted on the loan in February 2009. [The Baltimore Sun]
Awards | Batman: Gotham After Midnight, by Steve Niles and Kelley Jones, was named Best Horror Comic in the eighth annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards. [Rondo Hatton Awards]
Creators | Using the three-year-old controversy about the Mary Jane "washerwoman" statue as a sort of touchstone, Shannon Donnelly spotlights "the New Wonder Women of Comics" -- female readership, and creators and editors like Karen Berger, Rebekkah Isaacs, Jeanine Schaefer, Gail Simone and G. Willow Wilson (most of whom have been working in comics for years). [The Daily Beast]
Creators | Cartoonist Dash Shaw discusses BodyWorld. [io9.com]
Creators | The Sixth Gun collaborators Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt talk about their upcoming supernatural Western. "There's an interesting alchemy that happens when you take two genres, each with their own language and rules, and then smash them together," Hurtt says. "It's great fuel for the imagination – it keeps us, as creators, from falling too easily into genre conventions, and it keeps the reader from knowing exactly what to expect. With Westerns, there are many tropes and iconic imagery that are so embedded in our cultural consciousness that it's fun to take those things and play off them or against the reader's expectations. And the same can be said of the imagery and ideas of fantasy. This isn't a fantasy dressed as a Western, or vice versa, but instead an amalgamation of the two." [Free Comic Book Day]
Creators | Alex Dueben talks to artist Robert Williams about underground comics, the Zap Comix collective and contributing to this year's Whitney Biennial. [Suicide Girls]
Creators | MediaGlobal profiles writer Joshua Dysart, focusing on his work on Vertigo's Unknown Soldier. [MediaGlobal]
Manga | The story that keeps going, and going and going: Kami no Shizuku (Drops of God), the manga that sparks a wine craze in virtually every country in which it's released. [CNNGo.com]
Pop culture | Is Marvel's Ryan Penagos (aka Agent M) one of the 10 hottest geek guys? [GeekWeek]


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The legal treatment of people caught with child pornography is so harsh that they can end up serving longer sentences than people who actually abuse children. In a 2009 analysis, federal public defender Troy Stabenow shows that a defendant with no prior criminal record and no history of abusing children would qualify for a sentence of 15 to 20 years based on a small collection of child pornography and one photo swap, while a 50-year-old man who encountered a 13-year-old girl online and lured her into a sexual relationship would get no more than four years.
Under federal law, receiving child pornography, which could mean downloading a single image, triggers a mandatory minimum sentence of five years — the same as the penalty for distributing it. Merely looking at a picture can qualify someone for the same charge, assuming he does so deliberately and is aware that Web browsers automatically make copies of visited sites. In practice, since the Internet nowadays is almost always the source of child pornography, this means that viewing and possession can be treated the same as trafficking.
The maximum penalty for receiving or distributing child porn is 20 years, and federal sentencing guidelines recommend stiff enhancements based on factors that are extremely common in these cases, such as using a computer, possessing more than 600 images (with each video clip counted as 75 images), and exchanging photos for something of value, including other photos. Federal agents reportedly found 200 child porn videos on Loskarn's hard drive when they arrested him on December 11.
Ninety percent of federal child-porn prosecutions involve "non-production offenses" like Loskarn's: downloading or passing along images of sexual abuse, as opposed to perpetrating or recording it. As a result of congressional edicts, the average sentence in such cases rose from 54 months in 2004 to 95 months in 2010, according to a 2012 report from the U.S. Sentencing Commission (USSC). The penalties have become so severe, the commission noted, that judges frequently find ways to dodge them, resulting in wildly inconsistent sentences for people guilty of essentially the same conduct.
While the original justification for criminalizing possession of child pornography was that demand creates supply (an argument that has been weakened by the shift to free online distribution), the escalation of penalties seems to be driven largely by the assumption that people who look at these images are all undiscovered or would-be child molesters. Is that true? The USSC found, based on criminal records and additional information in presentencing reports, that one in three federal defendants sentenced for non-production offenses in the previous decade had known histories of "criminal sexually dangerous behavior" (including prior child pornography offenses). Tracking 610 defendants sentenced in fiscal years 1999 and 2000 for eight and a half years after they were released, the USSC found that 7 percent were arrested for a new sexual offense.
Even allowing for the fact that many cases of sexual abuse go unreported (as indicated by victim surveys), it seems clear that some consumers of child pornography never abuse children. "There does exist a distinct group of offenders who are Internet-only and do not present a significant risk for hands-on sex offending," says Karl Hanson, a senior research officer at Public Safety Canada who has co-authored several recidivism studies.
Why would anyone look at this horrible stuff if he was not inclined to imitate it? Troy Stabenow put it this way in a 2009 interview with ABA Journal: "People who watch movies like Saw and Friday the 13th are being titillated by the act of torture and murder. That doesn't mean that they're going to go out and commit torture and murder."
Dean Boland, an Ohio defense attorney specializing in child pornography cases, says a substantial share of defendants were themselves victims of sexual abuse as children and look at these images as a way of working through the trauma. That is how Ryan Loskarn explained his attraction to child pornography. "I found myself drawn to videos that matched my own childhood abuse," he wrote. "I pictured myself as a child in the image or video. The more an image mirrored some element of my memories and took me back, the more I felt a connection."
Taking Loskarn at his word (and what is essentially a dying declaration probably should be given considerable weight), he not only had no desire to abuse children; he was not even titillated by the videos he collected. It hardly makes sense to treat someone like that as a criminal, let alone one who deserves to spend eight years in prison (the average sentence for non-production child porn offenders).
In fact, it is not clear why mere possession of child pornography should ever be grounds for locking people in cages. The Supreme Court's main rationale for upholding the ban on possession was that demand for this material encourages its production, which necessarily involves the abuse of children. But this argument has little relevance now that people who look at child pornography typically get it online for free. Furthermore, people who possess "sexually obscene images of children" — production of which need not entail abuse of any actual children — face the same heavy penalties. "They are not protecting a single child," Boland says. "They are throwing people in prison for having dirty thoughts and looking at dirty pictures."


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Nice Watertown Sd Map
Get directions, maps, and traffic for Watertown, SD. Check flight prices and hotel availability for your visit. Prairie Lakes Wellness Center · Bramble Park Zoo · City Park & Campground · Facilities · Maps · Mount Hope Cemetery · Parks … Continue reading "Nice Watertown Sd Map" →


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As a soprano sings "Ave Maria," a Japanese couple march down the center aisle of a hotel chapel, past white trumpet lilies, to the altar where a US "pastor" stands, gold cross gleaming on white robes.
"Before God and these witnesses, I pronounce you husband and wife," intones Damon Mackey, a California native who took a two-day course to perform weddings on weekends, supplementing his income as an English teacher and part-time actor.
In Japan, where a love affair with Western "white weddings" is leading to a collapse in Shinto ceremonies, a new figure is taking over the altar: the gaijin, or foreign, "pastor."
Only 1.4 percent of Japan's 127 million people are Christians, but Christian-style ceremonies now account for three-quarters of Japanese weddings. To meet market demand, bridal companies in recent years have largely dispensed with the niceties of providing a pastor with a seminary education, keeping the requirements simple: a man from an English-speaking country who will show up on time, remember his lines, not mix up names and perform the ceremony in 20 minutes.
From a small beginning a few years ago, the Western wedding "priest" has suddenly become an established part of modern Japan's cultural tableau. The lure of easy money has prompted hundreds of foreign men to respond to newspaper advertisements here, like the one that read: "North Americans, Europeans wanted to conduct wedding ceremonies."
"Now all the hotels have chapels with someone dressed up as a priest," said William Grimm, a Maryknoll priest who edits the Catholic Weekly of Japan.
faker is better
In fact, the less overtly religious the pastor, the better. Hotel managers generally discourage proselytizing by authentic Christian pastors.
"The companies like the nonreligious guy who just follows the script," said Mike Clark, a Japanese language student who performed weddings before moving home to Canada last fall.
The boom in what some Japanese magazines call "foreign fake pastors" speaks volumes about modern Japan's attachment to appearances and its smorgasbord approach to religion. Japanese often choose Shintoism for childhood age ceremonies, Christianity for weddings and Buddhism for funerals.
"Of course, words are important, but in a ceremony it is more about the whole image," Masahiko Sakamoto, 25, said after watching Kenyon Nelson, a retired businessman from Missouri, perform a wedding at a hotel bridal fair. "And a foreigner fits better into a Western wedding than a Japanese person would."
Maki Oyama, his fiancee, said firmly that she wanted a white dress, a foreign pastor and a hotel chapel wedding. She added, "In soap operas you have more examples of white weddings than of Shinto ones."
rising popularity
The passion for Western-style weddings was first fueled in the 1980s by the televised weddings of Prince Charles and Lady Diana and of the Japanese pop star Momoe Yamaguchi. Since 1996, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the number of Christian weddings has nearly doubled while the number of Shinto weddings has plunged by two-thirds.
Western weddings revolve around love and elevate the bride to a princess, Japanese say. In a tradition-bound Shinto wedding, where the bride is encased in a wig and a kimono, the ceremony often seems to be more about the merger of two families.


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Everyone loves a fun filled camping trip, and these camping birthday party ideas are perfect for creating an event everyone will remember for years to come. Whether it is for your son, daughter or yourself – these party ideas are versatile for everyone. Camping is a great way to learn things about nature, and some great survival skills. Camping Birthday Party Ideas Set up tents as food, … [Read more...]
Plan A Birthday in a Box Party
Birthday in a Box is a great place to check out if you are getting ready to organize a birthday party. Lots of themes to choose from, all your party needs are met at one place. You can shop by theme, by item, party ideas or costumes. You can even get ideas on personalized party planning, birthday toys and first birthdays. Now, this is great if you are in short of time and throwing things … [Read more...]
Planning Birthday Party on a Budget
We all know how special birthdays are. It only comes once a year and that day is all about the child who celebrates his or her birthday. Yes, birthdays are super important! However, budgets and schedules and all kinds of other things come into play. Life doesn't stop because a birthday comes up, so how do you balance making your child's birthday special without spending a ton of cash? Rest … [Read more...]
First Birthday Party Themes from Fisher Price
Our friends at Fisher Price want to help with planning your child's first birthday party. They have quite a bit of first birthday party themes and ideas to share with you. Because they know planning the perfect party can be stressful. The makers of Little People, your child's favorite hands on toys and activities, have introduced a way to make birthday planning fun, exciting, and less … [Read more...]
Superhero Celebration #Giveaway from Birthday Express
***This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links*** Birthday Express has a fun giveaway going on right now and you don't want to miss! If you want the chance to win the ultimate celebration, listen up! Birthday Express is giving away a $1,000 party package to one lucky winner! You can enter every day from now through 5/17. … [Read more...]


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i sell 6s unit Factor Catalyst & Modulator in the shop at 350M (just for display). but the price is negotiable. i will lower the price it if your nego is good for me.
and i need Lesser Power unit, especially Lesser Power IV + Power IV 7s unit and Lesser Power IV + Doom Break II 7s unit.
just give me your prize and i will think it.
PM or mail me ingame : 魂魄ハルモニア


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D-Link DAP-2660 - WIRELESS AC1200 POE ACCESS POIN - SIMULTANEOUS DUAL-BAND IN
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In stock.
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D-Link Corporation is specialized in designing and manufacturing networking and communications solutions. The product line consists of switches, security and wireless devices, broadband devices, media players, storage and surveillance. D-Link Corporation was established in 1986 in Taiwan.


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Unlock your Motorola Galaxy phone by IMEI
- Motorola phone unlocking online.
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All you need is your device IMEI number plus the name of the network your phone is currently locked to. After we receive all the necessary information we will start the Motorola phone unlock process.
Once the unlock has been completed an email containing the code will be sent to the email address given during the form process. Along with your code will be very simple step by step instructions to help you complete your Samsung phone unlock.
It really couldn't be simpler. So what are you waiting for? Unlock your Motorola phone by IMEI today!
Firstly we submit all the information that has been provided in our unlock form (IMEI and Network) and submit it to the Motorola servers as soon as we receive them.
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Then once the Motorola phone unlock has been completed it instantly gets emailed to you with easy to follow instructions. We have made this process incredibly simple, fast and pain free.
The unlock process is pretty much the same for all of our other network unlocks so once you complete one you will be able to unlock any other device you have such as an iPhone or a Samsung device.
If you need a different handset unlocked you can navigate back to the homepage and choose the correct one for you.
However some customers still need that extra bit of help, so we are always ready to answer what ever questions our customers may have. A customer may fill out a support ticket through our help desk or email us directly at email@example.com and a member of our staff will get back to you as fast as humanly possible.
All Motorola Phone Unlock codes are 100% permanent.
Unlocking times vary between networks and how busy each server is at the time of purchase. As a result of this most unlocks can be completed in a few minutes to a few hours. But some other networks can take anywhere from 0-5 Business days to unlock. These unlocks tend to have a more complicated unlocking process.
But don't despair as we are always working with the network carriers to make our process as fast and as efficient as possible. All unlocks are processed directly on the network carriers servers, therefore, making our method the Fastest and most Secure there is.
However we ask that all customers please bear in mind that unlock times can vary and there is no guarantee on actual unlock times. This means that any time given is only an estimate.
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Speedyunlocks.com guarantees that our unlocking service works with any original update or future update to the original software.
However there is no guarantee that our unlocking service will work with a device that has been modified in any way, therefore any unlock purchased will likely not function as intended.
It is highly recommended that you reset your Motorola device back to its original factory settings as there is a high risk of your device not being fully unlocked or the unlock failing outright.
We do not take any responsibility if an unlock does not work due to a device being modified in any way. This is simply because of how an unlock works.
In addition to Speedy Unlocks not accepting responsibility for a modified device, the modified device will also not qualify for our money back guarantee.
Our money back guarantee will only apply to a vanilla device.
It is highly recommended that you know the current network that your Motorola device is locked to. This will allow the unlocking process to progress faster.
You can usually tell what network your phone is locked to by going into your settings > about phone > network. In there you should see your carrier at the very top. This may be different on each device. Therefore it is recommended that you look through your settings to find it.
You do not have to specify the exact network but it is best to know. Some networks cost more than others so buying the cheapest option is not recommended. Their may be additional fees if the network chosen is not the one that your device is actually locked to. Therefore we recommend selecting the correct network carrier upon purchase.
If you do not know the original network carrier we strongly recommend you buy our network check either from the link below or ticking the choosing the "I do not know my network option" when filling out the unlock form. This will cost a little more as a network check will be included with the purchase.
Additionally you can check your network and blacklist status at a much lower price here. This is a cheaper alternative as it is only a network or blacklist check and does not include any unlock.
Simply put. Yes. You will need to insert a new sim card into your Motorola device. Then you will be prompted with an enter unlock code screen.
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Pop your new code in and hey presto your device is now unlocked. Without a new sim card your device will not prompt for the unlocking code and the unlock will not be possible. If you have any issues do not hesitate to get in contact.
However if an unlock has been completed and the device does not prompt you for an unlock code we cannot accept responsibility for the code not working. It is up to the customer to make sure that their device prompts for a code upon insertion of a new sim card. We highly recommend taking this step before purchasing this unlock.
A lost or stolen/blacklisted phone can be unlocked but we will be unaware if it works as intended.
Therefore we take no responsibility for a customer who purchases this unlock with a blacklisted device.
A blacklisted phone is not covered under our money back guarantee and as such you will not receive a refund.
If you are unaware if your phone is blacklisted you can check here or add a blacklist check during the unlock form process.
All our Unlocks are subject to our Money Back Guarantee. On the extremely rare chance that we are unable to unlock your phone, we offer a money back guarantee. Customer Satisfaction is very important to us.
Terms and conditions apply.
– Any Motorola Phone that does not prompt for an unlock code whenever a new sim is inserted.
– Stolen, blacklisted, lost, insurance claimed devices. It may still work, but we can't guarantee it.
– IMEI beginning with 99, don't fret, upon checkout you will be shown how to get your IMEI.
– Wrong Network selected upon unlock form completion.
Check out our terms & conditions for more information about our money back guarantee exclusions.
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A beautiful riverside village just across the water from Falmouth lies Flushing.
Take the Flushing Ferry from Falmouth.
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A beautiful riverside village just across the water from Falmouth lies Flushing.
Take the Flushing Ferry from Falmouth.
From walks to cafes, riverside-beaches to pubs, Flushing is a great village to explore.
There is no better way to arrive in a riverside village than from the water. Take the Flushing Ferry from Falmouth which runs all year round and start exploring.
Flushing is a great place to start walks from. Take the walk along the banks of the Fal River around Trefusis Headland and arrive in Mylor or take the Mylor Bridge and Penryn walk for more of a challenge.
Find the perfect place to stay in Flushing with our places to stay guide.
Start exploring...
A fine selection of holiday homes for every taste & budget.More information
Holiday homes & cottages on the Roseland & Fal River.More information
Cottages set in enchanting and picturesque locations.More information
Offering the ultimate in luxury accommodation.More information


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The Colome Cowgirls used balanced scoring as they defeated Gregory 52-43 on Feb. 15 in Colome. Callie Heath, Mariah Kinzer and Taylor Hrabanek all scored 14 points.
Colome grabbed 28 rebounds and were led by Heath and Hrabanek with 7 each and Kinzer with 6.
Colome had 11 turnovers and 8 fouls in the game.


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Team Sports
Featured categories
More Categories in Team Sports
- Football
- Basketball
- Baseball, Softball & T-Ball
- Soccer
- Tennis
- Other Sports Equipment
- Lockers
- Sports Fan Shop
The Best Team Sports Equipment at Sam's Club
Are your kids involved in team sports? While some children are natural athletes and want to participate in practically every sport, they aren't the only kids who benefit from the team sports experience. When kids of all abilities participate in sports, they end up benefitting in multiple ways. When coaches and mentors are involved, being part of a team can help teach kids respect. Playing team sports also helps to build confidence and provides a social outlet for kids to relate to each other outside of the classroom and without relying on technology. No matter how you look at it, encouraging your kids to play team sports can be a big win for everyone, on and off the field. And when it's time to gear up, consider Sam's Club® your go-to sports store.
Sports Equipment for Basketball, Football, Baseball and More
Whether you're a coach, the parent of a child who plays sports or someone responsible for making sure the members of a sports team have the equipment they need, you'll find it all under one roof at Sam's Club. For basketball teams, there are a variety of practice hoops available, many of which are portable for added convenience. If you're gearing up for football season, you'll find a variety of options for gear, from footballs to agility trainers and goal posts. Baseball and softball players can get outfitted with bats, batting helmets, catcher's gear, pitching machines and more. Of course, the team sports equipment available at Sam's Club isn't just for kids. There's plenty of adult equipment, too. So, get out there and get into the game.


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Fast. Beautiful, high-res screen. Solid HSPA+ 42 speeds. Terrific Web performance. Excellent camera features.
Expensive. Heavy. HDMI out requires an adapter.
Bottom Line
The HTC Amaze 4G has a big beautiful screen, a great camera, and fast HSPA+ 42 speeds, making it a top choice for Android smartphones on T-Mobile.
The HTC Amaze 4G ($259.99 with a two-year service agreement) is a powerful, cutting-edge Android smartphone that's an excellent addition to T-Mobile's roster. Along with the Samsung Galaxy S II ($229.99, 4.5 stars), it's one of only two options currently available if you're looking tap into the carrier's excellent HSPA+ 42 network. With a fast dual-core processor, great camera, and blazing download speeds, the Amaze 4G is a top choice on T-Mobile. The Galaxy S II has a slight edge, but really, if you're an Android fan, you can't go wrong with either one.
Similar Products
Physical Design, Phone Calls, and Internet
One snazzy smartphone, the The HTC Amaze is constructed of brushed aluminum, glass, and soft touch black plastic, and feels very solid in your hand. But at 5.1 by 2.6 by 0.5 inches (HWD) and 6.1 ounces, it's also pretty big and bulky. The rounded edges help to disguise it, but this thing is a beast. Luckily, much of that size is devoted to the gorgeous 4.3-inch, 960-by-540 qHD Super LCD. It may not boast the same penetrating blacks as the Super AMOLED Plus display on the Galaxy S II, but it's sharper and brighter.
The Amaze is a good voice phone. Reception is average, and voices sound clear in the phone's earpiece. Maximum volume is a touch low, but it should be loud enough for most users. On the other end, calls made with the phone sound sharp and clear, with good noise cancellation. The speakerphone sounds fine, but it doesn't get loud enough to use outdoors. The Amaze paired with our Jawbone Era ($129, 4.5 stars), and voice dialing worked well, but voices have a thin, muted quality over Bluetooth. Battery life was average at 5 hours 21 minutes of talk time.
The phone uses T-Mobile's HSPA+ 42 network and 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi. It connected to my WPA2-encrypted Wi-Fi network without a problem. It also works as a tethered modem or Wi-Fi hotspot with the right service plan. Download speeds were downright fantastic. In a series of head-to-head tests against the Samsung Galaxy S II, both phones averaged 13Mbps down and 1.6Mbps up. 13Mbps down is impressive, even if the 1.6Mbps upload speeds pale in comparison to Verizon's 4G LTE network, or even AT&T's recently launched LTE network (which is so new there aren't any phones that support it yet). Still, these speeds are excellent, and as fast as you can get on T-Mobile right now.
Processor and Apps
The Amaze is powered by the same dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 processor as the Galaxy S II, which means that it's extremely fast. It benchmarks better than any other smartphone out there, save for the Galaxy S II, with which is mostly ties. But the Amaze scores higher points for browser performance. In fact, it boasts the highest Web scores we've seen so far, surfing felt incredibly fast and responsive in my tests. Pages load on the Amaze in about half the amount of time it takes for them to load on the Galaxy S II.
The phone runs the latest version of Android, 2.3.4, along with HTC's well-designed Sense UI skin. Sense adds a number of useful, attractive features to Android. You can immediately jump to popular apps from your lock screen, for instance. It also comes with a way to remotely track your phone via a Web site. The address book and email client are both better-looking and easier to use than the standard Android apps. And the best part is that Sense doesn't seem to slow things down at all. On the contrary, the Amaze is super smooth and responsive.
There are seven different home screens you can swipe between, which HTC pre-populates with a number of useful apps and widgets. Some solid apps come preinstalled, like Facebook and Slacker Radio, but there's also a fair share of undeletable bloatware like a T-Mobile app store and T-Mobile TV HD.
T-Mobile recently made this claim for the excellent myTouch 4G Slide ($199.99, 4.5 stars), but is now calling the Amaze 4G's camera, the "most advanced camera of any smartphone." It's a solid camera, but there's a healthy dose of hyperbole in that statement.
There's a dedicated camera button on the right side of the phone. The 8-megapixel camera snaps clear, natural photos with accurate color detail. It also shoots sharp, smooth 1080p high-def video at 30 frames per second both indoors and out. Indoor video performance is exceptional—every bit as bright and clear as video recorded outside on a nice day. There's also a 2-megapixel forward facing camera for self portraits and video chat. It can record video, but it looks somewhat dark and grainy.


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Category: Utilities & Plug-Ins
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Size: 7.72 MB
OS: Windows Vista, Windows
Price: $29.95
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