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It's time for another Loot Crate reveal! December's theme is…ANNIVERSARY! But first…
Dear Loot Crate,
Will you please start including pants and underwear in your boxes? We have t-shirts and socks, which I love, but if we're going to get Mr. Awesome's wardrobe completely refreshed with your geeky sweetness, we're going to need to change this up a bit.
For those of you not familiar with Loot Crate, here's a little background…If you are a fan of pop culture or video games, you'll love Loot Crate. It's a monthly subscription service that sends you a box of cool products specifically for geeks and gamers alike. Included every month is $40 worth of products and/or redeemable codes for less than $20 per month.
Each month is a different theme, which they announce by the first day of every month. What's included is a surprise, but they don't focus on just one brand; so, there's something to please everyone. There's also an insider magazine with information related to the theme and products in each box.
Now, on to December's Loot Crate reveal!
This month's box was great! I LOVE when they include t-shirts. They didn't this month, but they included my next favorite items – a POP! Vinyl Figurine and socks – both of which were comic book themed. First, who doesn't love Dancing Groot?
As proof of all the hits on my blog for people looking up "Joki", a lot of people, myself included, like a good character mash-up. So, here's the exclusive Joker Batman POP! Vinyl Figurine.
Mr. Awesome exclaimed, "Awesome!" when he saw this exclusive Batman comic book.
Any "Simpsons" fans out there? Here's a wallet showing the whole cast. The magazine says it's resistant. It will be interesting to see how well it holds up being used by Mr. Awesome.
I'm trying to think up the most creative way to use these neat Tetris stickers. Any ideas?
Also included in the box was a Captain America Air Freshener (never thought of Cap being a vanilla sort of guy), a Ghostbuster's Door Hanger, and a 30 day trial of Crunchyroll (streaming anime) – all of which are pretty cool!
Of course, there was a monthly magazine and badge included. I would love to have the cover of the magazine on a t-shirt.
Lastly, there was a box customized for the ANNIVERSARY theme. I'm really liking these special box designs they've been doing the past few months.
If you too want to receive a Loot Crate every month, visit the Loot Crate website. You get discounts for paying for multiple months in advance and you must sign up by the 19th of the month to receive the current month's box. So, you need to sign up by January 19th for January's box. Everyone who signs up is automatically entered to win a mega crate valued at over $750 (this month's was over $2,000)!
FYI, I usually share the next month's theme and discount code on my Facebook page.
Until next month…Loot on!


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OH!!! It is SOO DH's fault … He sent a de-funk Craig's List item that promised a new storage rack/work station in my COE-90 designated work area. HE emailed the no-good listing to me. Now I WANT one! Shelves for my frits,… Read More
Well, actually – Nora was frantically trying to stay on top of the water and I jumped in to get her … in our pond … knee-deep in muck … IN THE COLD! When she didn't come running back to the deck with the… Read More
Life After Maggie … is tougher than I was prepared for. I didn't realize I'd be grieving this much. And it hits me at strange times throughout the day/night. But, I haven't cried today, so I feel like I'm advancing through the… Read More
Minute by minute?? Yeah – that's about right. Here's the scoop: My grandma is rallying; She has a trach, peg tube, foley and a tube in her gallbladder; per the specialist doctors (rehab), she suffered a major neurologic event at some unknown… Read More
Oh my! Put in a full day at DTW yesterday (13 hours) … thank you central scheduling! But, we now have extended family in WA, VA, MO, NC and TX (as well as OH, IN, WI NY and MI). All the pups… Read More
So, I've had 3 kilns running for the last few days. My experiments were … interesting and frustrating, but have potential … maybe. I also have a few other ideas to try. And, I have some sweet dichro (jewelry) pieces almost… Read More
I apparently can't help it and I don't THINK there's a med for it … I'm scoping out a new hobby and chomping at the bit! Since DH has put a temporary kibosh on the 'L' addition to the studio (so –… Read More
Spent the last several days working through my messed up back (not so much an old football injury, but something along those lines …). So – maybe I'm not the domestic goddess I thought I was. Better to plan things out and… Read More
So starts the countdown … for the holidays. Since I've decided to turn my little hobby into a business of sorts, I didn't realize the additional 'stress' I willingly added to my load. Hmmm … crazy me. But it's all good. I… Read More
While I don't hold it against Maggie, the rubbing of the Buddha belly did NOT work for this past Sunday … (must have needed more candles.) And – if I give it much thought, I'm already fearing this weekend, as I watch… Read More

subset: commoncrawl


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Anse Bundren Quotes in As I Lay Dying
"Her [Addie's] mind is set on it."
Unlock explanations and citation info for this and every other As I Lay Dying quote.
Plus so much more...Get LitCharts A+
"I have heard men cuss their luck, and right, for they were sinful men. But I do not say it's a curse on me, because I have done no wrong to be cussed by."
"I told him not to bring that horse out of respect for his dead ma, because it wouldn't look right, him prancing along on a durn circus animal and her wanting us all to be in the wagon…."
"But now I can get them teeth. That will be a comfort. It will."
"So I took Anse. And when I knew that I had Cash, I knew that living was terrible and that this was the answer to it. That was when I learned that words are no good; that words don't ever fit even what they are trying to say at."
"It's Cash and Jewel and Vardaman and Dewey Dell…Meet Mrs. Bundren."


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Monday, April 16, 2007
Tax Day and who is "rich"
Gregory Mankiw, an economist at Harvard, conducted a study about the 'cost' of a tax decrease. If his figures are looked at from another perspective, you can also get the 'cost' of a tax increase...
According to his figures, if Congress would forego 50 cents of revenue, the economy would grow and people would have $2 more income. I think we'd all like the extra $2 and isn't that a small price for the government to pay?
Additionally, the cost of providing the government with an extra $1 tax increase on dividends only nets the Treasury 50 cents, but costs you and me $2 in lost incomee - in addition to the 50 cents in tax. Again - who would be better off with this money - the government or you and me?
And then there was this wonderful study by the Congressional Budget Office which details who is paying what in terms of taxes.
Did you know that people who make more than $43,200 fall into the top 40% of earners and pay 99.1% of all income taxes?
Did you know that people who made more than $87,300 in 2004 (which is easy to do in Toledo with a 2-income household and a decent union wage), are in the top 10% of earners? Did you know that they paid 70.8% of all income taxes and that this was an increase over the 48.1% that such earners paid in 1979?
The 'super rich' (top 1% of earners) in 2004 made 16.3% of the country's income but they pay 36.7% of the income tax. The middle class makes 13.9% of the country's income but pays 4.7% of the income tax. In 1979, the 'super rich' paid 18.3% and the middle class paid 10.7% of the country's income tax.
Basically, because of our form of government, 60% of the people (those who don't pay taxes) can force 40% to pay all the bills. And remember that that 40% starts with earnings of $43,200!
It's redistribution of wealth - the main premise of socialism - in America. What's wrong with this picture?
7 comments:
- save_the_rustbelt said...
I have read most of Mankiw's papers and your summary is rather simplistic, but that can be forgiven considering the theoretical nature of his work.
Mankiw's analysis is not consider "settled" by any majority of economists. The research continues.
Mankiw, by the way, says that workers in Ohio and Michigan should just pack up and move. Obviously the same advice he gave
Bush, who clearly thinks the rustbelt can rot. I suspect Mankiw has given the same advice to Romney.
As far as our "socialism" what should we cut. Medicare? Insider contracts to Halliburton? Insider contracts to mismanage Walter Reed?
On another note, take a look at the Findlay Courier today. Great article on how the Bush administration is neglecting injured soliders. Support our troops!
- Maggie Thurber said...
s_t_rustbelt: yes, the summary is simplistic...sorry about that...
AS for the socialism aspect - there are lots of things I'd cut, starting with subsidies for crops, the department of education, pork projects (like funding for art and museums and all kinds of local programs)...
I'd eliminate anything not identified specifically as a function of the federal government - this is probably one of the reasons I like Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) so much...
Additionally, I think I'm leaning toward a flat tax. Why should those who earn more (for whatever reason) be penalized? Why can't we all pay a 'fair share' instead of expecting that 40% of the population will pay for themselves and the other 60%?
And what happens when some of that 40% decides it doesn't want to pay anything either? If 60% can 'confiscate' earnings from 40%, why stop there? Why not let 70% 'confiscate' earnings from 30%?
I'm reminded of the quote:
"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship."
I fear this is where we are today.
- Kurt said...
Fantastic as always. I urge you check out progressive toledo on my opinion of economic theory, but that is irrelevant to your post (but I think you'll find it interesting).
You mention eliminating federal programs, but does that mean we should eliminate local programs? Where I work, and I'm not able to disclose that at this time (give me a few weeks), I've found that the people who come in to see me see it as a public service. It is nothing of the sort. Indeed, my impression is that most of these people see what I do as similar to picking up a welfare check. They think these services are a right to them (I miss private practice, and I'll likely be going back to it soon. like at the end of the week). But where I work we have ethical obligations, and those who expect government services cannot comprehend these ethical obligations. In the law, we take these obligations very seriously. At least I do.
Regardless, the challenge with a flat tax is that these services would be lost, and imagine that people would actually have to work to receive any benefit? Wow, imagine. That said, I'm all for the flat tax. Well done Maggie, check out PT on a good theory I have.
- Maggie Thurber said...
Kurt - thanks...
As for cuts in spending...I refer to the Federal Government, whose duties and authorities are outlined in the Constitution. Those powers not specific to the Federal government are the purview of the states.
I believe the intent was to allow the states to be the experimentation grounds for various programs and services...with best practices carried over into other states with modifications for the state's population.
Besides, if we didn't pay so much in taxes to the feds, think of how much more we'd have to spend within our own state...NOT that I'm suggesting paying those federal taxes to the state...but you get the drift.
I read an interesting column recently on RIGHTS versus ENTITLEMENTS. I think it was Walter Williams or Thomas Sowell...I'll see if I can find it. Anyway, the premise is that too many people today confuse these two.
Even in health care - a friend wears a button that says that health care is a right. And you're seeing it in your job, too. Somehow, I just can't find these 'rights' in the Constitution...But that doesn't stop people from insisting upon it - usually at someone else's expense.
I'll stop by your blog as soon as my computer is fixed...ugly blue screens of death...several trips to the repair place...more blue screens...NEW repair place...problem identified...several days for parts. Until then, surfing around is a bit difficult...sigh!
- Hooda Thunkit said...
Due to the dumbing down of Americans thanks to our failing public school systems, most of the sheeple haven't a clue, so popular rumor is readily accepted as fact.
There's where the problem begins, IMO.
Still, even the most factually challenged among us quickly learns where the "free" stuff can be had; free to them, that is.
I just wish that they can do well, prosper and learn to hate giving their tax money to support the willing freeloaders that they once used to be; now, that's real justice ;-)
- Russ said...
Interesting comments and I appreciate all of them. As for a "flat tax", though it makes good sense we can forget it. It's been mentioned for decades, but has no chance of advancing. These, however, have EVERY chance of advancing: (1) continuing false idea that there is some determinable "fair share" that "the rich" should be paying but aren't; (2)escalating class envy and hatred towards those who have succeeded and accumulated wealth in the process; (3) pervasive entitlement mentality to go along with a pervasive victim mentality; (4) escalating "global warming" hoax that - make no mistake - is really about advancing a so-called redistribution of wealth and of power, away from G8's (especially the US) and towards "the poor of the world". You will hear of a global tax, and all about how the coming climatic disasters will impact the poor more than the rich, who supposedly caused the disaster to happen. You will hear less "global warming" and more "climate change" - that way, any blip in weather of any kins whatsoever can be used as support for all of the redistribution that is at the heart of it; (5) escalating bigotry towards anyone who has been successful and accumulated anything, such as commonly accepted statements about "the rich", as in they are allcorrupt, they are greedy, they don't want to pay their "fair share", etc. If directed towards blacks or ane thnic group, this would be harshly criticized as the bigotry it is; however, when directed at "the rich" it will be ok; (6) increasing acceptance of determinism, naturalism, evolutionism, humanism, and assorted other 'isms that move us away from personal responsibility, choice, initiative, and investment, and towards "redistribution", socialism, and entitlement.
Now, wasn't that uplifting?
- Maggie Thurber said...
Russ - while I hope your points do not come true, I fear they will...No wonder people are so apathetic about the political process...


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01 Armin van Buuren - Dominator (vs Human Resource)
02 Armin van Buuren - The Ultimate Seduction (vs The Ultimate Seduction)
03 Armin van Buuren - Pull Over (vs Speedy J)
04 Armin van Buuren - Quadrophonia (vs Quadrophonia)
05 Armin van Buuren - 88 To Piano (vs Mainx)
06 Armin van Buuren - Old Skool (Vigel Remix)
07 Armin van Buuren - Old Skool Ping Pong
08 Armin van Buuren - Mini Mix
From starting off as an 'Embrace' album track to becoming an important part of the 'Armin Only Embrace' world tour, the sound of 'Old Skool' has taken the world by storm. Combining the old and the new, it captivated the global audience and proved impossible to resist. 'Old Skool' shines brighter than ever before. But it doesn't stop there.
With his 'Old Skool' mini album, Armin van Buuren takes his fans back to where it all started. Paying respects to the producers who basically invented the genre, he shows the power of timeless dance classics such as 'Dominator', 'The Ultimate Seduction', 'Pull Over', 'Quadraphonia', and '88 to Piano'.
Armin van Buuren's love for classic dance tracks has infected the whole world and he continues to connect the past and the present. Drawing from the best of both worlds, this is 'Old Skool'


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Explore and Restore, a department of Environmental Survey Consulting (ESC), is an environmental education program that combines hands-on science and habitat restoration projects designed to empower students in the world of
science, and to develop a sense of stewardship and commitment to protect our natural habitats.
ESC's Explore and Restore can develop tailor-made programs for each client that addresses specific issues for each site.
Explore and Restore offers the following services:
- Curriculum development: After assessing a client's site and collaborating with stakeholders, a program will be developed combining specific aspects and needs of the site with curriculum for the identified age group.
- Teacher training: After development of the program, teachers can be trained to either run the program on their own, or work in collaboration with Explore and Restore leaders.
- Volunteer program: Working in collaboration with the client, Explore and Restore can train volunteers to become group leaders.
- Experienced team leaders: The Explore and Restore Team can offer, on a limited basis, experienced group leaders to work with inexperienced volunteers until volunteers are confident to run the program on their own.
- Site Development (like Blackshear)
- ESC Explore and Restore can work through Power Your Mission to seek and obtain funding for programs.
- Schools that want to enhance their science curriculum
- Environmental organizations that want to develop educational programs for the community
- Neighborhood organizations that want to create outreach programs for their greenbelts
- Other groups that want an environmental education program for their site
Explore and Restore programs can be developed for:
- School yards
- Wildlife sanctuaries
- Nature preserves
- Other natural areas


text:
Hannah Wright
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text:
Dear Roasters Guild Members,
Listed below are the Roasters Guild Executive Council Nominees for the 2013 election cycle. Each position on the council serves a two-year term. Please review each nominee profile carefully and prepare to vote. There are four (4) open seats on the Executive Council for 2013.
• Wednesday, February 13, 2013: Voting opens
• Monday, March 4, 2013: Online Election closes at 5:00 PM
• Monday, March 11, 2013: Election results announced
For more information on the election process, please review the Roasters Guild bylaws here: http://roastersguild.org/?p=about&sub=handbook.
Nominee Profiles
Colleen Anunu, Gimme! Coffee
Colleen is the cupper, head roaster and coffee buyer for New York based Gimme! Coffee, Roast Magazine's 2013 Macro Roaster of the Year. She is a licensed Q Grader and Q Grader Instructor Apprentice for the Coffee Quality Institute. She serves on multiple SCAA committees, has been part of the SCAA and NCA organizational assessment teams, and volunteers for coffee organizations worldwide. Her mission on the Lectures subcommittee is to bring important high level dialog to the free lecture format, including various Relationship Coffee panels, and the 2012 "Variety Development and The Future of Quality" panel. She believes in a strengthened supply chain, and YOU!
Bob Arceneaux, Orleans Coffee Exchange - INCUMBENT
Bob is the co-owner and green coffee buyer for Orleans Coffee Exchange, and has been in the coffee business for over 20 years. He has been on the EC for the past two years, and also served on the RGEC from 2006-2008. Bob has volunteered for SCAA Exposition in cupping labs and roasting labs, as well as assisting staff at Roasters Guild Retreats. He feels it's important that the RG continue to provide meaningful and educational classes to guild members. Bob chairs the membership committee currently and wishes to help facilitate growth for the guild. Bob is happy to see how RG is providing meaningful content and credible educational opportunities for its members.
Nolan Dutton, Ozo Coffee Roasters
Nolan Dutton is the head roaster and green buyer for Ozo Coffee Roasters and is very active in the Roasters Guild. He currently teaches classes at Expo and RG Retreat as much as he can, and is active in the RG Professional Development Certification Panel. Already working with the RG and the SCAA, Nolan has a constant pursuit of knowledge and the sharing of ideas as a driving force behind everything he does. Believing we are here for community and growth, he roasts to highlight the hard work of the farmers who produce the coffee we all share and love.
Joe Marrocco, Café Imports
I am honored to be nominated for this position. My personal goals within Specialty Coffee have never rested simply with the success of producing a quality product. What drives me is impacting those around me in a positive way, whether through a coffee product, a training, a coffee competition, or simply a conversation. I have a lot of experience in this industry: roasting, cafe', cupping, teaching classes, competing, the list goes on. However, my most meaningful experiences have simply been time spent with real people. I hope to enhance that kind of connectivity within the Roaster's Guild and from it to the larger coffee community.
Sevan Istanboulian, Mystique Coffee - INCUMBENT
Sevan Istanboulian's days as a coffee roaster started in 1995 and he has been an active member of the Roasters Guild since the early days of its inception. Sevan is currently serving on the Education Committee of the Executive Council and has played a pivotal role in the development of some of the critical educational courses for the RG certification program. He is known to most of you as the guardian of the roasting tent during Roasters Guild Retreats.


text:
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We've rounded up the best sports stadiums in Brogborough in our quest to discover brilliant family attractions and places to visit near you. There are 9 Brogborough sports stadiums to pick from. Alternatively, why not explore some other sightseeing days out nearby, including museums and art galleries, or tourist attractions. Find the perfect places to go with your kids and get out on your next adventure!
All the sports stadiums we list are rated according to the ages they are suitable for, facilities and whether they are suitable for rainy days or best when the sun is shining.
Many of the places we list are historic or educational in nature and would be suitable for class trips or as ways to keep the learning up whilst having fun over the school holidays.
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- Pottery Centres and Ceramic Cafes in Brogborough
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Quick Gameplay Thoughts: November 7
Hi folks, ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- **Usual Disclaimers** These posts will often contain talk about future work we're doing, or planning to do, that isn't yet guaranteed to ship. The nature of the work could change or, depending on what we discover, projects mentioned may get delayed or even stopped. If you'd like to see a Tweet whenever a new one of these posts goes up: https://twitter.com/RiotMeddler ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- **Reflecting on Odyssey** We've been looking back at Odyssey a bit recently and reflecting on how it went and what we can learn from it. A few thoughts from that: * There's clearly some interest in PVE within LoL as a substantially different experience, not just as an emulation of PVP play (Co-Op versus AI style). Being able to heavily modify a champion's capabilities and raid style encounters were called out in particular as a lot of the appeal. * Most people tried the mode, and a meaningful proportion put quite a lot of games into it. Digging into it both the mode's gameplay and the mode specific missions mattered quite a bit for people who engaged heavily. * Friction trying to find a team who wanted to do the same missions you did was the most common source of frustration reported by an enormous margin. We should avoid creating those sorts of conflicts again, via things like changing mission designs or helping players group together with common goals. * We'll keep an eye out for another opportunity to try more PVE like this at some point. It's not as inherently replayable as PVP is, but is certainly worth exploring in the future. We should also have a dev blog that runs through some stats from Odyssey in the next month or two, covering things like popularity of the different champions, difficulty completion rates, augment usage etc. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- **Nexus Blitz** As we mentioned a few weeks back we're planning on bringing Nexus Blitz back for another test run from 8.24 onwards: https://nexus.leagueoflegends.com/en-us/2018/10/dev-up-next-for-nexus-blitz/ We're now well into the work on that so wanted to share a few details about how it was going: * We've got a couple new events we're confident in, including one that's especially focused on smaller skirmishes rather than teamfights, in contrast to many of the existing events. * We'll be taking out Snowball Fight. While it had its moments, feedback on it was overall noticeably more negative than other events. * On the rewards side we'll be cutting a couple unsatisfying / frustrating ones like Blessing of Caitlyn and Cursed Minions,and adding some more fun and memorable replacements. * Reshaping of some of the map walls and jungle camp locations is looking promising, giving a bit more of a distinct laning phase and jungle path variety. * The map itself should also end up looking noticeably nicer/less like an early prototype. Not currently expecting it'll be as polished as something like SR for this test, but you should see a fair bit of upgrade aesthetics wise compared to the first version. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- **Preseason** Is still on track for patch 8.23. We're working on some final polish at the moment, including likely taking a bit of sustain out of the game overall to avoid laning phases becoming too defensive and safe. Also testing keeping minion spawn at its current time, rather than getting minions and the jungle onto the map earlier. Main point under discussion there is how to assess the value of that time for the invades and action it sometimes offers, which can be strong high moments, versus the larger number of games where it's unused time spent afk/alt tabbed until laning starts. http://ddragon.leagueoflegends.com/cdn/6.24.1/img/champion/Ziggs.png
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Evems Limited was founded in early 2005 to meet the growing demand for good second hand fire appliances as required by industrial brigades and overseas customers alike.
Please note that our phone number has changed to 01302-954007
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We are Associate Members of the British Fire Services Association which is an organisation which works closely with the U.K.'s brigades and who pride themselves on the fact that their members are of good character. We are also official worldwide distributors for the Firebug Misting range of products.
We have allied ourselves with only the very best in service providers to facilitate customer satisfaction and to ensure a full order book. This has been so successful that we now enjoy a healthy pre-order book of customer's who have advance ordered appliances even before they are built or released from brigade service.
If you do not see the appliance you are looking for then use the "contact us" link provided to register your interest.
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Regarding your #1 (or, alternatively, [A]), there's simply no reason to think that what worked for Trump in the Republican primaries--already a bit of a freak show selection of the electorate--will work in the general election.
Obsessing over last week's or this week's polls is irresistible, but they are pure noise (see here). This essay in the NYRB makes for timely reading (I've been reading the Achen & Bartels book, on recommendation of Jason Brennan, and it is instructive on a number of points). 10% of the electo...
No, Lewis was just 60 when he died. It's not written in the rules, at least not that I saw, but look at the list. Quine, the first winner, was already in his 80s. Putnam, the most recent winner, was in his 80s as well. The award is clearly slanted, as I note, towards "formal" work, with Rawls and Nagel being the exceptions. How seriously they take the 'formal' part (it is a prize in logic & philosophy) will no doubt affect how much longer they can aim for philosophers over the age of 70.
Leiter is encouraging discussion of nominations for the The Schock Prize. I hope our readers chime in for an enjoyable and enlightening conversation. (I vote for Nussbaum.) All nine of the Schock winners thus far were or are eminent philosophers, and most of us can only aspire to emulate the q...
Dennis: your proposed disclaimer wouldn't be accurate, either to my views or to the PGR and the evaluators. Samir: you're right about Northwestern, my oversight. Mark et al: one can have an expert opinion without being a full-time specialist in an area. That was the only point.
Mohan and Mark have made several interesting posts on the results of the 2011 PGR. Here I'd like to consider the makeup of the 20th century Continental Philosophy evaluators. Quoted self-descriptions come from their linked webpages. Bracketed comments are mine. Overall comments are below the fol...


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Sometimes it so happens that no matter how much you diet or work your sweat off in the gym, you are unable to lose weight. This is because we all have certain areas in our body that builds up stubborn fat which is not easy to shed despite all our hard work and dedication. But what if, you could just reduce your problem areas without you having to diet or going to gym? Wouldn't that be great? Well, there exists a treatment called coolsculpting which can actually make it possible!
What is Coolsculpting?
Coolsculpting is a non-surgical fat-freezing treatment which is used to eliminate or reduce stubborn fat which resisted all your efforts of shedding it. The treatment is targeted mainly to your problem areas. This procedure of coolsculpting is a proven treatment, the results of which are visible and long-lasting as well. As the treatment is a non-invasive method of reducing fat, the patients doesn't feel uncomfortable.
What Are The Areas That Can Be Treated With Coolsculpting?
The fact that coolsculpting is the new people's favorite is because it can be used in various parts of our body in order to reduce fats. The areas on our body where coolsculpting can be used are as follows:
- Stomach or Abdomen
- Thighs
- Male Chest
- Under the neck ( Double Chin)
- Back/ Bra Area
- Love Handles/ Flanks
How Does Coolsculpting Work?
Coolsculpting is mainly used to target the fat cells beneath our skin which is treated at such a temperature that it crystallizes and then ultimately dies away. This process of freezing fat cells is known as Cryolipolysis. The fact that fat cells freeze faster than normal cells in our body, there is no damage caused to the skin, nerves or the surrounding tissues in that particular area of your body. As the fat cells crystallise and die away, your body naturally eliminates these dead cells resulting in a more sculpted you.
Benefits of Coolsculpting
Coolsculpting comes with the following benefits that make it better than other fat-reducing treatments:
- Natural Looking Results
- FDA-Cleared
- Convenient and Comfortable
- Non-Surgical Procedure
Now that you know how to get rid of stubborn fats stop wasting your efforts and freeze your fats way at Mediluxe! At Mediluxe they aim to give you a more shaped and beautiful you. Take Mediluxe Coolsculpting treatment and know the difference for yourself.


text: Grand Canyon Ghosts! ooohhh. Ready to go Ghost Hunting? There are some great stories about Grand Canyon Ghosts. You may not have heard them, since they're rarely discussed. But, there have been several several accounts of unexplained phenomenon, mystery, and other signs of paranormal activity in and around the... Read More >


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Cupcakes – Copy, a photo by Christopher OKeefe on Flickr.
Cupcakes we saw on the Cupcake Tour we took in Boston.
Cupcakes we saw on the Cupcake Tour we took in Boston.
This picture of Krakow's Sukiennice (Cloth Hall) marks my first night of attempting low light photography with long exposures.
The exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston is a collection of quilt squares sent from around the world to bring cheer the city of Boston in response to the Marathon Bombing this past spring.
Finding a seven sounded like a challenge, but there are actually two in this photo, though they are of the Roman numeral variety.
A few weeks ago, I was headed out for my morning coffee, when I passed this spot. It was only a few miles from home and I was able to go back to grab my tripod to get a few shots.
This old boat was along the side of the road on the cycle tour I did from Vancouver, BC to Astoria, OR. It is definitely "broken".
This photo always feels more like a painting to me. It is of farmland on Iceland with the Hekla Volcano in the background. It was taken with an iPhone camera through a window out the back of the inn at which we stayed. I think the odd conditions combined with sunset light created the effect that makes it look like a painting.


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Plastic water jugs can be a handy thing to have around the home. Whether they're functional in everyday use or part of your emergency kit, it's important that your water stay clean; therefore, the container must be clean. The challenge in cleaning plastic water jugs is that the opening is too narrow to get your hands into. With the proper know-how and materials, cleaning plastic jugs is not difficult.
Step 1
Rinse out the container with clean, warm-to-hot water to remove any residue inside.
Step 2
Fill the container ¼ to ½ full of hot, soapy water and add 1 cup of white vinegar.
Step 3
Move the bottle around gently to swish the solution all over the inside of the jug.
Step 4
Empty the jug and rinse several times with warm water, making sure that the water from the jug runs clean with no residual soap.
Step 5
Set the jug upside down on a clean towel to drain any residual moisture.


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Tarot Tuesday 07/11
Will I make better friends? The Chariot (reversed) What do you mean, "better" friends? When the Chariot is reversed, it suggests that your driving is pretty terrible, meaning anger and violence can be suggested you as drive your Chariot over others in order to get where you are going. Your ego may be…Details


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* Please note that results may vary by individual and by exercise regime.


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Monday, March 3, 2008
At the table of many Gods
7 comments:
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2008 at 10:36 AM
My simple reply: Yes yes and yes. This isn't exactly a popular view on the East coast, though. It's not easy when the Gods Themselves decide you can't be kept to one pantheon.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2008 at 11:06 AM
Well said, glad I found it, since Hathor is knocking a the door...ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 4, 2008 at 11:32 AM
Very well put, and very true. I could no more ignore the pull of the orixa right now than I could the pull of the Celtic gods unless the latter ordered me to walk away from the former. Some of them get along far too well, though. I'm not sure they'd do that without extremely good cause. ;)ReplyDelete
Thank you for the comments, folks. I'm planning a post shortly on why eclecticism and syncretism aren't the same, which gives more in this vein. There's a big difference between smooshing things together because you want to and honoring the deities of a variety of cultures because they came knocking.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousApril 26, 2008 at 4:13 PM
Very well Said. I am an ADF Druid and we draw much on the Celtic Druids as a template, yet Our Druidry is expanded to all Indo-European cultures. This is our identity and we see other paths as equally valid. Folks and either stress differences or come together with similarities.ReplyDelete
When the Tuatha De Dannan came to Erin, they first wished to share the land with the Fir Bolg. Myth shows they preferred friendliness and hospitality to opposition and hostility.
Hi PatchshortsReplyDelete
I only just saw your reply today and thank you for your comment. I obviously do believe that people can legitimately worship and interact with spirits and deities from many lands. Calling it "Druidism" or "Druidry" when one is worshipping, say, Greek Latvian deities doesn't actually make that much sense to me, though. I respect the research that many ADF folks are doing, but to me ADF's definition of "Druid" is a distinctly modern one that doesn't reflect on historical realities or even acknowledge the fact that each of the various Indo-European cultures has or had their own names for their religious specialists.
Part of my feeling about all of this is that we need to be open and honest about our paths, both personal and collective. Some of that involves calling things what they are whenever possible. I may honor Siberian spirits as a part of my work and as I was taught by an Ulchi teacher, but I don't call that specific part of my practice "Filidecht." This in no way excludes any deity or spirit or culture from the things I do, I just take care not to deal with my Siberian practices as CR, nor do I deal with the Celtic deities within the framework of Ulchi shamanism or refer to them as Siberian.
It's complicated to find the boundaries in personal practice sometimes, especially where technique may be cross-cultural but the individual deities and spirits are not. There should be room for exploration, but some things just are not and never will be Celtic or, in my personal opinion, Druidic -- like Siberian shamanism.
*Calling it "Druidism" or "Druidry" when one is worshipping, say, Greek Latvian deities doesn't actually make that much sense to me, though. *ReplyDelete
Gah. That should read "Greek or Latvian".


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Alcohol Mastery Podcast 13 – No Addiction Drinking – AA
In today's podcast, I answer a couple of comments from the website. The first comment is about it being possible for someone to only drink every so often and not get addicted. The second comment is about AA, Real alcoholics, and what the essential basic element that everyone has to do if they want to quit.
Until next time...
Onwards and Upwards!


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The New York Times recently had a good article about the chemical reactions that cause flaws to disappear and tannins to soften, as well as gadgets sold to effect these changes. I am usually skeptical of both wine gadgets and conventional wine wisdom on this subject.
Wine folks do things like opening bottles and letting them sit for hours in the hopes of letting oxygen enter and cause a reaction that softens the tannins. We call it "letting the wine breathe." How it breathes through that little hole and just the small amount of wine that the air can touch has always been beyond me, but I still do it now and then.
But Mr. Waterhouse maintained that no brief treatment could convert the tannins to less astringent, softer forms, not even an hour in a decanter.
"You can saturate a wine with oxygen by sloshing it into a decanter, but then the oxygen just sits there," he said. "It reacts very slowly. To change the tannins perceptibly in an hour, you would have to hit the wine with pure oxygen, high pressure and temperature, and powdered iron with a huge catalytic surface area."
So why do people think decanting softens a wine's astringency?
"I think that this impression of softening comes from the loss of the unpleasant sulfur compounds, which reduces our overall perception of harshness," Mr. Waterhouse said.
I always suspected as much, but had never seen anyone debunk conventional wisdom in quite that way. There are a lot of other pearls of wisdom in the article that fly in the face of common knowledge.


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Wine makes every meal an occasion, every table more elegant, every day more civilized.
"Wine makes every meal an occasion, every table
more elegant, every day more civilized."
Andre Simon
We believe that the best ideas are the simple ones! Wine to Eat brings the simplicity to the limit: use wine to create the best delicatessen products.
Although simple, this idea pretend to redefine the way the world enjoys wine through Wine to Eat unique products.
Having roots in Portugal is impossible not to love wine. Wine is a part of our culture since forever (we have the oldest demarcated region in the world - but beware telling this to French,
they will not believe. We also have thousand of grape varietals that cannot be found anywhere else (do you know côdega do larinho - We are sure you do not).
We could not agree more with Hemingway when he says "Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world,
and it offers a greater range of enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing".
There are many lovely wines around the world, but for the moment when you think about wine products you realize that they are scarce.
For us, wine is to precious just to be drunk. We want more wine experiences, more wine intensity, more wine discoveries. We want colourful spoons and sweet smiles.
We want wine beyond the glasses. That's way we create Wine to Eat.
Wine has been a part of our culture almost since forever. In Egypt, for example, Wine making has a long tradition which dates back to the year 3000 BC (that is more than 5000 years ago!).
The wine was served during the most important suppers that the world has ever known. Since then it acquired a noble status being always present in the holy ceremonies.
The wine was the drink of nobles, kings and emperor's, the wine-loving Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte once said, "Nothing makes the future look so rosy as to contemplate it throught a glass of Chambertin".
In the 21st century Wine to Eat unique products redefined the way the world enjoyed wine.
Avenida Irmãos Rui e Garcia Lopes,
Nº 10/12
5400-310 Chaves, Portugal
Tel: +351 276 106 297
Telm: +351 919 405 717
We're always looking
for passionat winemakers
to help us create the next great product.
If you'd like to work with us,
share your story.


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Ferrari Store the star of VFNO in Milan
The Ferrari Store has again starred at Vogue Fashion's Night Out, which is taking place today in Milan. The Prancing Horse's own-brand boutique in Piazza Liberty 8 will stay open well into the night, welcoming its guests with cocktails and exclusive DJ sets to celebrate the opening of the week of fashion shows for spring/summer 2014.
The new Ferrari autumn/winter collection will be shown off and it will also be possible to buy exclusive, limited edition T-shirts, made in soft cotton and decorated on the front with the Ferrari Vintage steering wheel and the VFNO logo. Only 100 are available: 40 for women, 60 for men, at a price of 68 Euros each.


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The Nintendo 3DS has one of the simplest and neatest features ever included in a handheld - the StreetPass system. Two 3DSes, when near each other, will exchange data wirelessly, even if the 3DS is in sleep mode. Doing this invites the StreetPassed "Mii" to your Mii Plaza, where they can assist you in a variety of minigames, as well as including some connectivity to specific games (Animal Crossing New Leaf, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, etc.).
But not everyone is as efficient as they could be with their 3DS StreetPass Game. Here are 7 tips that will turn you into the ultimate StreetPass pro!
This should be obvious - your 3DS should always be on you, either jammed into your pockets a little too tightly (probably should go back to cargo jorts for the time being) or in a backpack/bag. Every time you go out to a party, sporting event, or funeral is another lost opportunity if you don't have your 3DS on you.
While you may run into a few StreetPasses randomly throughout your day, it's smart to hone in on where the gamers are and increase your chances. Get efficient and always make sure to stop by GameStop, Best Buy, comic book shops, and Jeremy Ludell's house.
Jeremy Ludell is a huge gamer - everyone knows that. The guy always has his 3DS on him too. One wrinkle we should add to this - the more StreetPasses you gain from a single person, the more valuable that StreetPass becomes. StreetPass Miis in the Find Mii minigame get progressively stronger the more times you encounter them. So aiming to get Jeremy Ludell to StreetPass you multiple times per day could give you just the edge you need to become a StreetPass champion.
Non-daily events like conventions are huge spots for gamers to congregate - and odds are many of the others will have the same idea as you, so there will be 3DSes aplenty. Get Nathan Fillion's autograph AND 40+ StreetPasses? Don't mind if I do!
Also, offer Jeremy Ludell a ride there. I bet Jeremy loves conventions.
Whenever you can, you should take public transportation - buses, subways, trolleys, etc. You'll always be in the presence of others - and people tend to use portable gaming devices significantly more when commuting by public transportation than any other method.
Just a note: Jeremy Ludell gets the 8:10 G train every morning. In case you wanted to know that.
Sometimes Jeremy doesn't leave his 3DS on when he's asleep. So watch him as he slumbers so you can be ready-to-StreetPass when he turns it on in the morning! Or when you wake him up in the middle of the night, your face hovering right above his.
...because you're legally required to attend, and those Jeremy Ludell StreetPasses have really dried up ever since that restraining order (50 yards - juuuuust out of StreetPass range).
But who knows, maybe the bailiff is super into Animal Crossing New Leaf or something.


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Mission Statement
The mouth is home to a complex microflora in dynamic interaction with the host immune response. Investigation of this ecosystem is not only the realm of microbiologists interested in oral microorganisms and biofilm formation but also immunologists who study mucosal immunity as well as oral biologists and clinicians keen to understand the fundamental determinants of oral health and disease.
The aim of the Oral Microbiology and Immunology Group is to provide a forum to promote interest and research in these important areas of biology and biomedical science. We hold regular meetings of our own and arrange symposia at meetings of the British Society for Oral and Dental Research. We communicate via the website, email, Facebook and Twitter and have close associations with other research groups.
OMIG is a research group of the BSODR. The formal constitution for OMIG can be found by following this link.
Current Officers of OMIG
Professor Dave Spratt (UCL Eastman Dental Institute)
Dr Marcello Riggio (University of Glasgow)
Committee Members
Prof Wim Crielaard University of Amsterdam – European Representative
Dr Jonathan Pratten GlaxoSmithKline – Industrial Representative
Ms Rebecca Jones Newcastle University – Postgraduate Representative (2017-2020)
Dr Sarah Kuehne University of Birmingham (2017-2020)
Dr Joey Shepherd University of Sheffield (2017-2020)


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Gents, if you like to look and feel good when you sweat, you will appreciate wearing apparel from Rhone.
Rhone is a premium Athleisure lifestyle, activewear brand for men. They use the best in class, innovative materials and fabrics along with some cool advanced technology to create a truly supreme product. Part of their specical sauce is incorporating silver into the fibers of Rhone garments to create an odor-fighting, antimicrobial fabric, as well as a new Polartec Power Dry patented construction to create a fabric that is quick wicking with maximum breathability. If you're worried about sun protection, Rhone's got you covered. Their garments feature Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) 50 fabrics as well as a Rhone-developed ultra-lightweight, nylon four-way stretch fabric with wicking and quick dry components that allows for maximum performance.
Rhone got their inspiration from various iconic male figures throughout history and plan to inspire us users with cool quotes embroidered on the inside of the garments. As such they want to inspire you to be better and push harder, both personally and professionally, and to be the best version of themselves possible. As Co-Founder & CEO Nate Checketts further states: "At Rhone, when we wear the product, we remember these men and the ideals for which they stood, and then strive to better ourselves each and every day."
If you're in NYC or CT, you're in luck they have just announced the opening of a 4,000 square foot retail storefront and office in Stamford, CT early next year, along with a temporary retail space in Soho, NYC set to open in October through the holiday's. To further their branding efforts, Rhone will also relaunch their online website www.Rhone.com "The Rhone brand has expanded at a rapid rate since our inception in 2013," stated Co-Founder & CEO, Nate Checketts.
It should be noted that the company has some serious support from influential sports, fashion and various media figures including Steve Bornstein, Former President, CEO and EVP of Media for the NFL Network and former Chairman, President and CEO of ESPN; David Stern, NBA Commissioner Emeritus; Ryen Russillo, host of ESPN Radio's Russillo & Kanell; Shane Battier and former NBA player and captain of Duke University's 2001 NCAA championship team.
They're also altruistic and give back to many charitable causes each year to give back and support men in and around their community. Some of Rhone Apparel's most recent charitable partnerships include The Navy SEAL Foundation, Wounded Warrior Project, Testicular Cancer Foundation and The Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
Story By: Christian B
Media By: Rhone


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Based in the beautiful Bitterroot Valley in western Montana, Hammer & Tine was created to satisfy Dan's desire to create tools that are functional works of art; they are intended to be used and admired. Dan is an avid outdoorsman with a culinary background. He takes advantage of many local, natural materials and gets design inspiration from their unique features. This combined with the hand-forged metals, makes certain that no two pieces are exactly the same. Primarily focusing on field and kitchen knives, he has branched out
into forging tools and household items, sewing leather goods, and crafting wooden wares. All of the items produced by Hammer & Tine are completely made from scratch; they are all handcrafted with care here in Montana.


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Fixed Telephony
Purple supply Telephone Systems, Openreach Lines and all accessories that you may need to support the communications of your business.
Which Telephony System is right for your business?
At Purple we have a portfolio of products to fit your business needs.
Purple are not tied to one Manufacturer and therefore can supply you the solution that best suits your needs for both now and the future.
Which Connectivity is right for your business?
A Purple Project Manager will advise you on your connectivity options from Openreach/BT.
By explaining the functionality available we will therefore allow you to choose the services for both now and the future needs of your business.
How can we create your complete solution?
At Purple we understand that it is not just the telephone system that our clients need.
We have the ability to add an array of peripheral products to create the best solution for all of your company current and future requirments.


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LBF Members
Chartered is the industrys gold standard for firms of financial planners. It confirms that we have satisfied rigorous qualification criteria by retaining highly-qualified staff who subscribe to the membership conditions of the CII. It also involves a commitment to continuing professional development and adherence to an industry standard Code of Ethics. You can view the Code at www.cii.co.uk/code. When you use a Chartered firm you are dealing with proven professionals.


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If on the threshold of Olympic Games you are about to show to the rest of the world how much of a devotion you have as a patriot to the United Kingdom then you will love the Xbox 360 Celebration Pack.
Frankly speaking you will pay an arm and a leg for the same Xbox console but that will come with the Union Jack slapped all over the console itself, the Kinect set, and controller.
This "Celebration Pack" for the UK will start rolling out from May 25th onwards. If you still love the idea you will get the set by around $350. Long live the Queen!
Read more posts on Awaregeek »


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Returning from a month's hiatus turns out to be a tricky thing, thanks to the disruptive power of moving home. Steev's moving moving experience is the starting point for a discussion on what home means to us.
We look at the various places we call home, and try to figure out what turns a collection of bricks and stuff, or roads and places, into an emotional connection.
Download Show 19 [MP3, 22.9 MB]
Subscribe to the show via iTunes or Feedburner
Show Notes
- According to Wikipedia: CBeebies
- According to Wikipedia: Peterborough
- According to Wikipedia: Watership Down (film)
- YouTube: Watership Down trailer ↓
- Recorded: 15 January 2014
- Running time: 0:50'00
- Bad language: No
- Feature image source: http://theshoreways.com/blog/?p=328
- Archive.org page


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Join over 7,000 industry professionals at the 2019 Wyndham Global Conference to strengthen your skills and knowledge, advance and grow your business and connect with your Wyndham Community.
Check back closer to Conference for details and download instructions.
To view all conference sponsors, click here
Tuesday, September 24, 2019 - Friday, September 27, 2019 6:00 PM - 10:00 PMPacific Time
Mandalay Bay3950 S Las Vegas BlvdLas Vegas, Nevada 89119USA
Wyndham Events
Copyright © 2019 Wyndham Hotels & Resorts | Privacy Policy
Material Updates to this Privacy Notice
Last Updated: February 4, 2019
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Wyndham Hotel Group, LLC ("WHG") cares about privacy issues and wants you to be familiar with how we collect, disclose, and otherwise use ("Process") information about you. This privacy notice ("Privacy Notice") describes our practices in connection with the information we collect through our websites (the "Websites"), social media pages that we control ("Social Media Pages"), and software applications that we make available for use on or through computers and mobile devices (the "Apps"), that include a link to this Privacy Notice, and through any of our offline activities, such as when you provide your information on the telephone via our call centers or in person ("Offline Activities") (collectively, including the Websites, Apps, Social Media Pages, and Offline Activities, the "Services").
This Privacy Notice does not apply for hotels operated by franchisees (independently owned and operated hotels) of WHG. and/or its subsidiaries or that are managed but not owned by WHG and/or its subsidiaries ("Hotels"). For example, Hotels may use e-mail and other methods of marketing communications to contact their guests and they are solely responsible for these campaigns. Please read each Hotel's privacy notice to understand how it will treat your Personal Information.
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As aggregated or anonymized information does not constitute Personal Information, we may use it for any purpose. If we combine anonymized or aggregated data with Personal Information, we will treat the combined information as Personal Information according to this Privacy Notice.
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What's one ingredient that you can't live without? Passion
What's your favorite type of music to listen to when cooking? Americana
If you could cook for anyone, dead or alive, who would it be? My family
What's your favorite ethnic cuisine? Italian
What's the strangest request you've ever had from a diner? A no egg omelette
What's the best part about being a chef? Eating your work
What's the most challenging part of being a chef? It's a young man's game
If not a chef in the Pine Belt, what city would you like to work in? Puerto Vallarta
Who is/was your food mentor? Chef Jim Hoyt
What's your favorite "guilty pleasure" food? Macaroni and cheese
What's your favorite food to cook? Seafood
Sweet or savory? Savory
Mild or spicy? Spicy
Wine or beer? Beer
Salt or pepper? Salt
Red beans or gumbo? Gumbo


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Project Initiation with Project Management Templates
Project Initiation with Project Management Templates
Within this article, we'll help you to properly scope your projects, by describing:
How to Initiate Projects Successfully with Project Management Templates
Did you know that a large percentage of projects are cancelled before they even reach the detailed planning phase? The most common reason is that they have not been properly defined and scoped, and as a result, they lack the sponsorship needed to ensure their success. If they do manage to secure sponsorship, then Project Managers often find it difficult to control changes to the project scope, as they do not have a clearly defined scope statement to measure against.
For these reasons, it's critical that you initiate your projects as quickly and efficiently as possible, by taking these 6 steps using our project management templates. A description of each step follows:
Step 1: Develop a Business Case
The first step taken when initiating a new project, is the creation of a comprehensive Business Case. A project management templates Business Case describes the business problem / opportunity to be addressed by the project and the alternative solutions available. The potential costs and benefits associated with each alternative solution are also defined.
The Business Case becomes the foundation for the project as it fully documents the reasons for creating the project and the key benefits to be delivered. Once produced, the Business Case should be formally endorsed by the Project Sponsor, before funding is allocated to the project. More info…
Step 2: Undertake a Feasibility Study
A Feasibility Study is completed to identify the likelihood of the alternative solutions actually delivering the benefits stated in the Business Case. Based on the results of the Feasibility Study and the Benefits and Costs portrayed in the Business Case, a preferred solution is identified and once again, is approved by the Project Sponsor.
If you can complete a comprehensive Feasibility Study using these project management templates, then you will greatly improve your chances of delivering your project successfully. More info…
Step 3: Establish the Terms of Reference
Once the problem and solution have been identified, a new project is then defined to deliver the solution. The "Terms of Reference" (ie Project Charter) are documented, which essentially describe what the project sets out to achieve and the boundaries within which it must achieve it.
The project vision, objectives, scope, deliverables, project organization and an implementation plan are all clearly stated in the Terms of Reference document. The Terms of Reference may be otherwise known as a "Project Charter" or "Project Definition Report". More info…
Step 4: Appoint the Project Team
Now that the project is defined, it is time to appoint the team. The Project Board is established and the Project Manager is recruited to take on responsibility for the project. The Project Manager recruits the Team Leaders and they in turn help recruit project staff. Every team member is assigned a detailed Job Description, defining their role and responsibilities within the project. More info…
Step 5: Set up a Project Office
The Project Office environment is then established, as the physical place of residence for the team for the duration of the project. This environment will provide the premises, equipment, materials, tools and processes required to enable the members of the project team to perform their roles successfully. A checklist is used to ensure that the Project Office has been set up correctly and will continue to support the Project as needed. More info…
Step 6: Perform Phase Review
Once the project has been defined and the team have been appointed, you're ready to perform a project phase review. A Phase Review is completed to ensure that all of the required Initiation activities have been undertaken and to provide formal approval to proceed to the next phase: Project Planning. More info…
And there you have it – 6 steps to initiating projects successfully. If you would like to use project management templates to complete each of these activities quickly and efficiently, then read about the Project Initiation Kit. This kit includes all of the templates, forms and processes required to perform the above steps faster than ever before.


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"As Christians, we believe with deepest sincerity that the embrace of homosexual practice, along with other sins, keeps people out of the kingdom of God. And if our society celebrates it, we can't both be caring and not say anything. Too much is at stake. This means it is an oversimplification to say that Christians — or conservative evangelicals — are simply against homosexuality. We are against any sin that restrains people from everlasting joy in God." -Jonathan Parnell
Calling Sin, Sin!
I love the aforementioned quote by Jonathan Parnell, because I believe it truly gets to the heart of the argument I will aim to make in this blog post: homosexuality being sin, robs people of everlasting joy in God! I don't intend to isolate homosexuality as the "unpardonable sin" that many in the conservative Evangelical camp have treated it as throughout the years. To be sure, homosexuality is a sin and should be seen and called out as such. However my goal is not to be condescending or condemning to homosexuals or those wrestling with sexual identity and orientation. My goal rather, is to bring biblical clarity to the widespread confusion in the Church around the topic of homosexuality. This confusion is owing in large part to an adopted abandonment of objective Scriptural authority among many professing Christians, even prominent Christian leaders. Without the objective unwavering truth of the Holy Scriptures to stand on, we naturally defer to science and culture's moving-target philosophy to define anatomy and sexuality in their own subjective terms. This variability of philosophy becomes ultimately self-destructive since it is open to one's own interpretation and subjective experiences. The Scriptures are clear as to what God says and how God feels about homosexuality, therefore being divinely authoritative they bring to bear upon our conscience the absolute standard of God's moral law. Now at risk of sounding antiquated, I have to admit that I see an egregious arrogance in our modern culture that undermines the knowledge of those who have come before us. We do so by assuming our modern epistemology is absolute and far superior to any past generation's, whereby emancipating ourselves from any submission to what has long been understood as orthodoxy. Consequently we are in a dilemma in the Church and our culture where our failure to stand for objective truth; namely the Word of God as binding on all people, has led to a repudiation of the notion that sin is a complete corruption of human nature. Instead it has led to sin being equated with nothing more than honest mistakes deserving of a slap on the wrist at most. I believe this is a fundamental flaw in the modern school of thought surrounding the widespread embracement of homosexuality. And it is also where I believe we must start if we are to engage in any meaningful understanding of how to help our friends and loved ones understand their own wrestling with this sin, as well as all sin for that matter.
A low view of God will always translate into a low view of sin, therefore rather than first driving home the point of the utter grotesqueness of sin (which we must do). We must first properly establish a sound understanding of the Grandeur and Holiness of God! God is the primary, singular and ultimate cause of the universe. As well as the transcendent being who exists from all eternity as three distinct persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) yet one Holy God (Gen 1:26,27;Isa 46:7-10;Matt 28:18,19). God is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, and all things whether in heaven or on earth were created by him and for him (Col 1:16). God does whatever he pleases with what he has created for his own good pleasure and glory (Psalm 115:3). God has perfect freedom and autonomy and owes no one an explanation for anything that he does since he himself is the standard of truth and goodness and is the ultimate and Just Judge of the universe. God is omnipotent and complete lacking nothing whatsoever, he is omniscient and can learn nothing since he himself established all knowledge. God is preeminent and worthy of all glory and praise since he alone established all that there is and governs and gives life to all things. There is only one true and living God and he is the inexhaustible and eternal God of the Bible. God is perfect and holy in every way, and is himself the perfection of beauty. In God's good pleasure he created all that is seen and unseen and established every law that makes up this universe, (i.e. Law of Gravity, Physics, Thermodynamics, Moral Law, etc.). God created all that we observe with our eyes and experience with our senses in such a way that his eternal invisible attributes are clearly perceived in nature, so that they are without excuse who claim there is no God (Rom 1:20). Yet even with this irrefutable evidence before us, many do only to their demise, assert that there is no God. This is the forlorn and logical end of the sinful heart. God is good and his plans and purposes are good. However, sin having entered the world through Adam (Gen 3) has so emphatically corrupted the human nature, that we naturally hate God and perpetually seek to establish ourselves as our own standard of truth and captain of our souls. It isn't that there does not exist an objective universal truth that we are all subject to. It is that we hate that this objective truth exists and so we aim to suppress it at all costs. Sin is utterly atrocious to God because it is an affront to his holiness and goodness. Sin offends God because it undermines his authority and seeks to distort the truth about God. God being holy and eternal must punish sin eternally, therefore sinning is an eternal insult to God. When we underplay the seriousness and wickedness of sin, we prove that we do not truly understand the holiness and justice of God. To make light of sin is to make God out to be a small and tolerant god, rather than the perfect and demanding God that he is, rightfully so. God can not accept anything less than perfection, which is why he had to send his perfect and holy son to make atonement for sin once and for all, for those who repent of their sin and believe in Christ. The picture that the Apostle Paul paints of fallen humanity in Romans 1 is one of sheer depravity and we should really consider the implications.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Rom 1:18–21).
God's wrath is revealed from heaven against man's ungodliness, because by man's unrighteousness he suppresses the truth. Man seeks to abolish any notion of absolute truth as he propagate ideals of relative subjective truths. Human beings are not merely neutral beings who can be persuaded in either direction toward good or bad, not to the extent which God demands. No, that would be paying far too high a compliment. Mankind is dead in sin and is bent toward perpetual unrighteousness, only ever desiring sin and ungodliness. The inevitable end of this corruption of nature is delusion and destruction. This indictment is for all people everywhere and is not aimed at any one sin over against another. For we all have sinned and fallen short, eternally short in fact of the glory of God. God's attributes, power, and divine nature are clearly perceived in all of creation so all are without excuse for their unbelief and impenitence. It is by God's general revelation in nature that we know that there is in fact a God who exists. More than that we have God's special revelation of himself in Holy Writ. This is the specific means whereby we can know God actually and accurately, yes even intimately. Still even with these means of knowing God, mankind does not honor him as God or give thanks to him for all his goodness to them. This waywardness leads naturally to futility of thought and darkened foolish hearts lacking any light of hope. This may seem harsh, but it is the objective truth regarding the human condition and the natural consequence of sin. Without a proper understanding of God's holiness and mankind's depravity, we will never arrive at an absolute congruent conclusion. Instead we will remain inconsistent and circular in our argumentation, further cementing mankind's suppression of the truth.
Experience Is Not Absolute Truth
We must resist the natural temptation to make our experiences absolute. Doing so makes those experiences the lens through which we interpret reality and truth. This comes far too easily to the natural mind, which apart from divinely given spiritual life and awareness, can only think in terms of naturalistic ideologies. I mean by this that as we look at homosexual desire and gender neutrality, there is a God given order that is truly natural and meant to be embraced with thankfulness, which homosexuality just can not conform to. However due to the unwillingness to accept the truth of original sin which we all inherit from Adam, we lean into personal experience and scientific theory to explain why some feel a strong bent toward same sex attraction. Never willing to accept it as a corruption of human nature through sin they justify it as a biological reality wired into that person's DNA. The necessary progression of this train of thought is to subject truth to our personal experience, and impose upon the Scriptures a naturalistic interpretation that validates our experience as not just endorsed by God, but actually a work of God. If we follow this type of reasoning to its logical conclusion the results will be truly horrifying, as to what people will be willing to excuse as God's doing in their life, therefore celebrating it and repudiating any notion of repenting of and renouncing that lifestyle. We are seeing this very thing happening currently with the LGBTQ community, and as Christians we can not both be silent or worst yet celebratory about the destructive nature of their actions, and think that we are being loving to members of that community. It is actually a hatred of the worst sorts to endorse their sin, and we have to see that as a reality if we are to be helpful in any way. This is not to imply that our experiences are meaningless or irrelevant, but rather to say that our experiences are real and deeply meaningful in helping us see the reality of God's testimony in Scripture. I will venture out on a limb to share a deeply personal and horrifying experience that I myself endured as just a small child. I do this not as a means of entreating your pity, but as an example of how experiences no matter how real, are still subject to God's absolute truth.
I was only 5 years old when my mother met her would be husband. At first he seemed rather pleasant and the thought of having a father figure in my life gave me a sense of fulfillment and purpose. They dated seriously for about a year and before long he had moved in with us, their commitment to one another only ever appearing to strengthen. During this time of living with us he proposed to my mother and she gladly said yes. It seemed like a fairy tale of sorts right before my eyes, little did I know it would soon become more of a horror story than anything else. After several months of living together, my mother and I started to realize that my soon to be step-father was quite the enforcer and disciplinarian, yet she didn't make much of it. It didn't take much to get him excited, he often seemed like a drill sergeant than a caring father figure. His methods of discipline were certainly unique and nothing short of cruel. I recall one Saturday morning as a six year old cartoon fanatic waking up without making my bed. running to the kitchen to fetch bowl of cereal, and subsequently leaving the dirty cereal bowl on the table since I didn't want to miss the start of the Power Rangers marathon. I was able to watch about 10 minutes of the first episode before I heard my name yelled so loudly that one would have thought I committed a murder and fled the scene. I ran to see what happened and upon walking into my room, I was met with a flogging from the metal part of my stepdad's belt. He was furious that I hadn't made my bed and that I left the dirty bowl on the table. He proceeded to finish beating me and then made me clean my room and the rest of the house, after which I was given the pleasure of kneeling on rice while holding up flower pots and thinking upon my actions. I'll spare you the details of the other types of punishments he employed to discipline me. Suffice is to say, I often wished he'd just beat me and make me kneel on rice to avoid the other forms of punishment. I learned very quickly that I had to tread carefully around my stepdad, but I noticed that there were days where he was very kind and intrusively touchy with me. He would often send my mother off on errands and make me stay home with him so that she would "not be distracted." During these isolated times, he would lay in their bed and make me lay with him as he would proceed to fondle me and rub himself against me in a very forceful and sexual manner. I was terribly confused as to what was occurring, but for fear of being severely beaten I would comply with his requests. This happened on and off for about 2 years from the ages of 6 to 8 years old. I never dared tell my mother because she seemed to think so highly of him that I thought she'd never believe me if I said something so horrible to her. Needless to say, before long I realized that I was experiencing something very unnatural and unhealthy. I became very confused in my sexuality, and wrestled with same sex attraction even into my adolescence. I never succumbed to my feelings of desiring a homosexual relationship, especially since the older I got I understood that my earlier childhood experience with my stepdad was the initial cause of my sexual confusion. Add to that the fact that it wasn't the dominant pull of my emotional and relational desire, my interest and desires for the opposite sex were far stronger. Many years later I was introduced to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I realized that what happened to me in my childhood wasn't a matter of bad luck, but rather the result of being sinned against by a sinner who had a seared conscious and a depraved heart. Maybe you are gay or wrestle with same sex attraction and have never experienced childhood molestation or rape, well for that I praise God! However, I'm sure if you think back far enough, and for some it may be much further back than others, somewhere along the way you will likely be able to recall the moment where you were either sinned against or you engaged in blatant sin which fed your appetite for self gratifying pleasure.
Transformation Is Possible
In my interactions with family members and friends throughout the years who have homosexual desires and tendencies; I have found that their religious upbringing has often served in making them feel judged and condemned beyond any hope of freedom. This naturally has led many people who want very eagerly, at least outwardly, to be accepted by God and his people to give way to subtle compromises of biblical truth. They surround themselves with "loving" and "tolerant" people who affirm them in their sin and then they impose upon the word of God what Science and the Culture says is true of them. This leads to perpetual confusion and reluctance to see their sin and desires as the enemy of their true Joy. Many who still hold to a theistic world view, not necessarily christian, have gone as far as making bold assertions that God made them to be gay, and that they can not help their same sex attraction, therefore concluding that homosexuality can not be inherently wrong. The major problem with that logic is that it is fundamentally contradictory to Scripture. In fact Paul in Romans 1 proceeds in explaining the progression of those who suppress truth by their unrighteousness. He says:
22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. 28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. (Ro 1:22–28)
We see here that a simple exegetical exposition of this passage makes it clear that it is the result of self exaltation and exchanging the truth about God for a lie that brings upon the offender God's judgement. Exchanging the truth of God for a lie is what leads to a false belief that God approves of and even creates people with homosexual desires. Once that lie is fully embraced, there is no need for the individual who has wedded the lie to feel the burden to change. What we must understand as Christians even if you are a professing christian who is living a homosexual lifestyle or wrestling with homosexual desires, or are simply approving of those who are; is that God sees those desires as dishonorable and the same sex relationship as contrary to nature. What same sex attracted people feel for the same sex is not love, it is actually self gratifying lustful passion. This lustful passion will produce destructive penalties either in this life, or ultimately in the life to come by being judged to Hell eternally. This goes for all sin that remains un-repented of, be it as trivial in our eyes as a "white lie" or as destructive as Homosexual intercourse that leads to HIV Aids and other potentially fatal STD's. The Apostle Paul makes it clear that no one who practices homosexuality will enter the Kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9,10), this is not analogical discourse, but rather matter of fact objective Truth. This ought to grieve us and cause us to be bold in speaking the truth in love and desiring to see the LGBTQ community realize that their lifestyle is not one to be celebrated but rather one that is evidence of a debased mind because they do not see it fit to acknowledge God.
This is not say then that there is no hope, we believe the Gospel offers real and lasting transformation, to die to our sin and live a life pleasing to God. God is not a cruel or unjust God, but he is kind and merciful and has made a way of escape for those who acknowledge their depravity and need for a Savior. We live in a fallen world, and we are subject to the curse that God has placed on this world. We aren't exempt from the curse of sin, rather we endure the same hardships, trials, and temptations. This is to showcase to the world that there is indeed power from on high, to be transformed and to endure the woes of this life with patience and joy. I do not and can not blame God for the sins committed against me in my youth, just like I can not blame God for the sins I myself have committed or commit against others. I forgave my stepdad for his sin against me, and I pray that God had mercy on his soul now that he is deceased and has to stand before God in judgement. It is my eager hope that he was met by grace and reached repentance just as it is my hope for all sinners. We can not make the mistake of being self righteous in assuming that our sin no matter how inconspicuous, is any less egregious than the sins of those with blatantly conspicuous sins such as homosexuality. We must truly love those from the LGBTQ community, and love will translate into calling them to repentance because of God's love and absolute objective truth revealed in Holy Scripture. We must proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ for it is the power of God unto Salvation (Rom. 1:16) and we must trust the Holy Spirit to remove the stony hearts of sinners who are dead in sin and place in them the heart of flesh as a free gift from God. If you feel trapped in your sin or know others drenched in LGBTQ lifestyles, don't waver from the truth of God's word. Instead often remind yourself and them that we were all at one time enemies of God and were under the wrath of God, but in due time through the proclamation of the Gospel, God made us alive with Christ. By Grace we have been saved and this not of ourselves (Eph 2). There is real objective transformation in God's word and we must hold fast to that confidence. There were many homosexuals in Paul's day and many were saved and transformed. Paul speaks of them in this way:
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Co 6:9–11).
Such were some of you he says, but he affirms the effectual work of God's Spirit to wash, sanctify, and justify those who repent and draw near to Christ. So yes, there is real wrestling that occurs regarding homosexual attraction, and for many varying and unique reasons. However, we affirm that this is ultimately the product of sin, and not the working of God. God does not create people to be gay, nor does he endorse same sex attraction or homosexual action. We see clearly from God's authoritative Word that God finds same sex attraction absolutely repulsive. This is not because he is a homophobic cruel God, but because it is contrary to his design and is an affront to the holiness of God. Homosexuality is a self destructive lifestyle that robs people of knowing the goodness of God, and ultimately being satisfied by the pleasure of God's Joy. We can not both genuinely love our friends and family in the LGBTQ community while simultaneously embracing and celebrating their sin. Let's call them in love to repentance and to the hope of the Gospel, that they may be washed, sanctified, and justified subsequently proclaiming with Paul: such was I, but I have been washed by Christ's blood and the Holy Spirit and am thus no longer! Blessings to you from the LORD Jesus Christ in your pursuit of personal holiness!


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Geelong report card: Are the Cats coming or going?
Grade: B
Record: 13-9, 8th, lost elimination final
What went right?: Plenty, actually. The Cats finished with the second-highest percentage in the AFL. Tim Kelly was a revelation in his first season, with the mature-age recruit's performance fuelling discussion about whether lower clubs should get priority access to the best state league players. Tom Stewart went from strength to strength in his second season, earning All-Australian honours, while Mark Blicavs found a home in defence, and youngster Jack Henry also enjoyed a strong year. Tom Hawkins returned to his best, while Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood and Gary Ablett, while not quite at their best, were all strong performers. Despite a slow start to the season Rhys Stanley also found some form in the ruck.
What went wrong?: The Cats won a couple of memorable thrillers against Melbourne, but their record in close games was generally poor. Geelong lost eight games by three goals or less. Had they won even two of those matches, the Cats could have made the top four and things could have been very different. As it was, they only just scraped into the eight and were well beaten by a fiercer Melbourne side. Injuries also played a part, with Geelong's backline tested in the first half of the year because of injuries to Harry Taylor and Lachie Henderson. Nakia Cockatoo, a man the Cats have hoped would emerge as a game-breaker, also couldn't get a good run with his body, playing just two games.
Likely best and fairest: This is a bit of a tough one. Dangerfield, Selwood, Stewart and Hawkins all have strong claims to winning the Carji Greeves Medal, while Kelly and Blicavs should also feature prominently.
One thing they need: The ruck spot continues to be an issue, with Geelong in need of someone to make the position their own. A lack of second tall forward has also been a problem, while a lack of pace is also a concern. Luke Dahlhaus should make the Cats stronger, but it's hard to know whether Geelong are coming or going, especially given Selwood, Hawkins, Ablett and Taylor are all closer to the end of their careers than the beginning. Keeping Kelly - who could yet request a trade back to Western Australia - should also be the aim.
Daniel is an Age sports reporter