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Sabtu, 16 April 2016
Will A Steel Garage Make Life Fun?
There are several kinds of structures, and also depending on the region of the world, objective of the structure, and cost specifications, you may find buildings made in several means. If you desire to develop a residence in the forest, chances are you will utilize regional parts such as timber as well as plants. In Europe, there is a great deal of stone readily available for Metal Building With Living Quarters Plans and standard buildings have heavily relied upon it. In The U.S.A., timber and also metal has been primarily made use of. When it pertains to industrial structures nonetheless, softer material like wood is normally not utilized, because you desire something that will certainly last a long time. So a lot of our modern cities are constructed either with concrete, steel, or both. Normally, steel is used just in a restricted fashion, typically as support rods, inside of concrete structure. However there are increasingly more buildings that utilize metal as the main component, utilizing both more challenging parts like stainless-steel, along with softer ones like aluminum for the exterior covering. There are several reasons you would certainly intend to go with a steel building, and also some problems that you need to ensure in mind. Here are some points you could want to know concerning the topic. The major benefit of metal is strength. When contrasted with nearly other material out there, steel will certainly last longer as well as be stronger. A wood building is economical, yet it is not resilient, and could be susceptible to a number of concerns such as solid winds from typhoons, degradation with age, water, and so forth. Even when compared with various other strong materials like concrete, steel winds up being much more resilient since while it is solid, it is additionally much more versatile. As an excellent example, if you look at regions which were affected by cyclones like in the situation of Katrina, steel structures were the frameworks that remained standing. The factor for this stamina is in the elements that make up the structure of metal blends. Steel is fully immune to pests, they deal with warmth and chilly much better than various other buildings, the construction process has much less waste, as well as the maintenance is normally reduced than with several various other building kinds. Although wooden buildings are more affordable as a result of the wealth of forests, this is gradually altering as our trees become rarefied. And also, a wood building requires a great deal of extra treatment since wood is so much weaker. Ultimately, over the program of a life time, a metal structure finishes up being more cost-effective. This is real for large buildings, however the exact same uses for little structures. If you are considering making a storage building in your yard, you may be tempted to create it utilizing wood panels since it appears less expensive than 20x20 metal carport prices compared to creating a metal building, yet you have to assume concerning exactly what occurs later on. Your metal structure will certainly last much longer, be a lot more immune, and need a lower maintenance cost. In order to create these structures, you might likewise find out that they are simpler to take care of. If you go the premade option, then it actually is a wind to deal with steel buildings. Metal buildings can be found almost everywhere from churches to factories, shops, storage areas, office structures as well as retail facilities. They are additionally much a lot more adjustable because premade steel frameworks are ending up being so preferred. You could often arrange them the means you need, and also years down the road you can alter their plan. With timber, that would certainly require a great deal of job, consisting of potentially changing some planks for new among the right size. Plus, steel goes well with concrete, so you could have a strong concrete flooring together with steel wall surfaces as well as ceiling. Even years later on, your construction will still look modern as well as be strong. Fire is likewise always a possible issue. With a wooden structure, you constantly have a higher risk. Your steel building will not melt down unless temperature levels come to be extremely high, as well as no thief is going to be able to produce a hole in the wall surface to get in, like they might with weaker material. Certainly that is not to state that there is no maintenance in any way. You must take treatment to apply rust-free paint on your steel, or make use of an aluminum finish. In general, there is no question that the long time financial advantages of steel buildings are undeniable, and also if you look at all of the advantages, this is a choice you ought to definitively think about for your following construction job. The advantages far surpass the hassles. There are several types of buildings, and depending on the area of the world, function of the structure, and also expense parameters, you may find buildings made in numerous different means. Metal is fully resistant to pests, they deal with heat and also cold much far better than various other buildings, the building procedure has less waste 30x50 Metal Building Pricing, and the maintenance is normally lower compared to with numerous various other construction kinds. If you are thinking regarding making a storage space building in your backyard, you may be tempted to build it utilizing wooden panels due to the fact that it appears less pricey compared to developing a metal structure, yet you have to think concerning what occurs down the roadway. Steel structures can be located all over from churches to manufacturing facilities, stores, storage space areas, office structures as well as retail facilities. On the whole, there is no concern that the long time financial benefits of steel structures are undeniable, and also if you look at all of the benefits, this is a choice you must definitively take into consideration for your following construction task.
Langganan: Postingan (Atom)


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HÀ NỘI – Vietnamese top tennis player Lý Hoàng Nam booked a slot to compete in yesterday's semi-final of the singles at the Mens' Futures F1 tennis tournament, Becamex IDC Cup, held in the southern province of Bình Dương.
Nam, world No 543, defeated Blake Ellis of Australia, world No 694, 7-5, 6-7, 6-3 in the quarter-final match after two hours and eight minutes.
It was a hard game for the 20-year-old Nam from the southern provine of Tây Ninh. His rival is only 18 and has good skills and physical strength. However Nam found Ellis's weakness and won.
Nam will meet Duldaev Daniyar of Kyrgyzstan, world No 802, in the next round. Daniyar bested No 1 seed Ti Chen of Chinese Taipei, world No 317, in the other quarter-final.
Earlier, Nam and Chen failed in the quarter-final match of the men's doubles after losing to Miliaan Niesten of the Netherlands and Francesco Vilardo of Italy 5-7, 6-7(5). – VNS

subset: commoncrawl


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Why the debt panel is in trouble
"America is going to decide what kind of country it's going to be — are we going to be a socialist, European country, or are we going to be America?" he said Thursday.
Lawmakers give all sorts of reasons when asked why Congress has proved inept in dealing with a $15 trillion debt.
Rep. Xavier Becerra, a Democrat from Los Angeles on the supercommittee, said the economic woes of the country have made it hard to impose steep cuts that could hurt the jobless and underemployed.
"If we had a lot more Americans working, it would be a lot easier to solve some of these issues," Becerra said after a Democratic meeting Thursday. "It's a matter of finding a package that puts America back to work and also gets our fiscal house in order. It's tougher than you think."
Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), another negotiator, said 2012 may help Congress find a deal.
"I think we need to have a real good definitive election," he said.
Boehner put it in more simple terms, declining to entertain the question.
"If it were easy to do, it would've been done already," he said Thursday, ignoring a follow-up.
It's not just partisanship — internal strife is just as big a problem. Both parties try to play it down, but neither are united among themselves. A number of Republicans are willing to shed their anti-tax ideology, and some Democrats are OK with significant cuts to cherished entitlements like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
But members who represent both ends of the spectrum are a loud presence in the Capitol — and the distrust between the two parties is palpable.
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), a leading liberal in the House, called putting entitlements on the table "politically a mistake in many, many ways."
"Going into 2012, without getting a corresponding serious and sincere offer by Republicans — not just tinkering [with] the Tax Code — there's nothing to gain."
Grijalva, the co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said the across-the-board cuts that would largely spare Medicare and leave Social Security untouched are "starting to look like better" than an agreement, calling it the "lesser of two evils."
It's not about political posturing or "adult conversations," aides and lawmakers say. It's a wide gap in ideology and governing philosophy that cannot be reconciled.
"The idea was to get 12 people who could act on their own and I don't think there's the trust, I don't think they have the independence I think that they don't have their constituents ready to accept compromises," said Rep. Henry Waxman of California, the top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee. "Therefore, whether its 535 or just 12, the differences have been too great."
Indeed, on Thursday the two sides appeared far apart over how to balance cuts in entitlements with higher taxes — and each side urged the other give more in order to reach a deal by Monday, two days before the committee is supposed to have a deal to cut $1.2 trillion in deficits over the next decade. If not, automatic spending cuts would take place in 2013.
After a two-hour meeting in the Senate's historic Foreign Relations Committee room, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) emerged Thursday, saying the six Democrats on the panel were ready to accept an offer by Toomey to raise revenues, $250 billion of which would result from new taxes by capping certain deductions.
But Democrats had several concerns with the Toomey plan over its calls to permanently lower tax rates for all income levels combined with its benefit cuts to Social Security and Medicare.
Democrats on Thursday night were putting the finishing touches on their counteroffer that would balance hundreds of billions in new taxes, cuts out of Medicare, Medicaid and hundreds of billions out of discretionary spending — about half of which could come from defense programs. Money from unspent war funds would be used for permanently fixing the Medicare reimbursement rate for physicians and the alternative minimum tax, extending unemployment insurance benefits and pouring money into the nation's aging highway system.
But Democratic sources said final details were still being agreed upon. And Republicans appeared to be uniting behind the Toomey plan, setting up a partisan showdown next week at a committee vote in which both proposals will very likely fail.
Both plans need to get to the Congressional Budget Office by Monday to be judged for their budgetary impact.


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The Olympics are inspiring! I love watching the nightly coverage. The Colorado athletes are making us proud, aren't they? Their spirit and perseverance are qualities to be emulated and we watch with admiration and awe. At this halfway point, the United States has won 20 medals: six Gold, six Silver, and eight Bronze. We're proud to be Americans when we see our own standing on the podium and the Star Spangled Banner is playing.
RE/MAX of Boulder is proud to claim one of the athletes as almost-family. Our own Realtor® Chad St. Onge has a younger brother, Ryan, competing in the Freestyle Aerials next week. Tune in to the NBC coverage on Monday, Feb. 22nd and again on Thursday, Feb. 25th to watch him do some wild and crazy stuff. Or check out his website: www.stongeaerials.com
Colorado Governor Ritter declared Feb. 12, 2010 as "Colorado Winter Olympians Day" to celebrate the 21 athletes from Colorado. We couldn't be more excited and everyone at RE/MAX of Boulder will be cheering Ryan on and wishing all the competitors a safe and successful week.
I hope you have your 2010 Vancouver Olympic App loaded on your mobile device and don't forget that our office has gone mobile. You can text: Boulderco (mls#) to: 48696 to see all the details and photos of every home for sale in Boulder Valley, or visit m.boulderco.com
The Countdown Is Under Way. As of today, you have 71 days to be under contract by the April, 30, 2010 deadline, and closed by June 30, 2010 to take advantage of the tax credits.
Call us today at 303.449.7000 or 800.825.7000 or visit www.BoulderCO.com


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Seahawks' Super Bowl swagger trumps lack of Super Bowl experience
JERSEY CITY, N.J. — The Seattle Seahawks have only one player (wide receiver Ricardo Lockette) on their roster who's been part of a previous Super Bowl team. That lack of Super Bowl experience means nothing in their matchup against the Denver Broncos.
They make up for it by a swagger rare for a young team that's made only two playoff runs together. As you might expect, their most outspoken player would be the first to tell you that.
MORE: Broncos' John Fox has been here before | Super Bowl rankings | Thomas takes dig at Champ Bailey
"I've never seen experience play in a game," cornerback Richard Sherman said "We don't worry about things like that. We didn't have any experience in the NFC Championship either, and we did fine there."
"I think us treating every week like a championship experience, like a championship game has helped us kind of look at every game the same, and every game has a tremendous impact and is of tremendous importance to us. I don't think anything changes this week for us in that regard."
His cohorts in the Seahawks' Legion of Boom secondary concur. Their confidence on defense is bound to swell with the stakes raised.
"Everybody gets to watch us," free safety Earl Thomas said. "I always like our chances, especially on this type of stage."
"An age thing or a young thing doesn't factor into it," strong safety Kam Chancellor added. " 'It's football, it's running and tackling' is what we say to our guys."
It's not just that the Seahawks treat every game like a big one. They also relish it and expect to never be let down by that thinking.
"We just talk about playing well, week in and week out," coach Pete Carroll said. "There's a mentality that should keep us on track. I'm counting on it."
If counting the years on the Seahawks' roster didn't matter before the Super Bowl, why should they now?


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Name Last modified Size Description
Parent Directory - 00README 2009-02-03 17:54 8.0K Makefile 2009-02-03 15:46 583 loghtml.c 2010-06-07 13:19 13K loghtml.c- 2009-02-09 22:57 12K logtxt.c 2009-02-03 16:11 6.0K mimic2.h 2009-02-09 21:33 3.4K txtlog.c 2009-02-03 11:58 6.2K
If you would like help understanding, using, or downloading content, please see our Frequently Asked Questions.
If you have any comments, feedback, or particular questions regarding this page, please send them to the webmaster.
Comments and issues can also be raised on PhysioNet's GitHub page.
Updated Friday, 28 October 2016 at 16:58 EDT
PhysioNet is supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) under NIH grant number 2R01GM104987-09.


text: > > Hi, > > I am using FreeBSD 5.4 with an Intel 810 chipset which has an onboard > soundcard. While everything else works fine, the sound volume is > inexplicably low. I have set snd_ich_load to "YES" in loader.conf, which > is probably all I am required to do. Even when I use Volume Control to > set the PCM to maximum volume (with the 800 W speakers too set to maximum > volume), sound is barely audible in multimedia applications like xmms > and xine. What could possibly be wrong ? Well, are they really 800 watt just speakers or are they powered speakers? If they are just speakers, then your soundcard will not put out enough to power them. If those speakers can actually absorb 800 watt, it will take some bigger current to drive them. You need to run the signal through an amplifier. Now, if they are powered speakers - meaning they have their own built in amplifier, then check them out by running a line level feed from something else to make sure they are on and OK. Make sure it is a line out from something and not the powered output of another amplifier - or even the headphone out, though you could probably use that (headphone out) turned way down if it is all you have available. If the speakers are OK, then you are back to figuring out the sound card and software. ////jerry > > Thanks for any help. > Manish Jain > _______________________________________________ > freebsd-questions at freebsd.org mailing list > http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions > To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-questions-unsubscribe at freebsd.org"


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Our project in Azraq Camp in Jordan with Syrian Refugees is gaining traction. We've just returned for a second time, and are looking forward to our return in September. We teamed up with charity Bold Vision to develop this project, and need your help to carry on bringing joy, colour, and art to the people that need it most.
Please donate here.


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Lamborghini Squadra Corse
Lamborghini Squadra Corse is a division dedicated to motorsport within the Research & Development department. Since 2013 Squadra Corse has provided an integrated approach to Lamborghini driving experiences, right up to entry into motorsport competitions from the Super Trofeo to the GT3.
Lamborghini Esperienza is the first step for those who wish to get closer to the world of Lamborghini, aiming to convey the emotion of the Lamborghini brand and its legendary super sports cars. The Lamborghini Accademia offers fans the chance to drive on track (Track Accademia) or on ice (Winter Accademia). Each Accademia offers two types of program – intensive and advanced – giving the participants the opportunity to take their first steps towards the world of competitive racing.
The Lamborghini Super Trofeo championship, held in Europe, Asia, North America, and the Middle East, offers young and gentlemen drivers their first experiences of the racing world. The GT3 program is designed for more advanced racing drivers who want to compete with the Lamborghini brand worldwide.


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'We don't create jobs, we make careers!'
IBEX Global - Vacancy Alert!
o Title of the Job: Customer support executive - Domestic
o Brief description of the job:
· Answer calls professionally to provide information about products and services, take/ cancel orders, or obtain details of complaints.
· Keep records of customer interactions and transactions, recording details of inquiries, complaints, and comments, as well as actions taken. Process orders, forms and applications.
· Follow up to ensure that appropriate actions were taken on customers' requests.
· Refer unresolved customer grievances or special requests to designated departments for further investigation.
o Working Hours: 9 hour shift
o Requirements (Education): Bachelors qualified
o No. of Vacancies: 10
o Skills & Abilities:
· Proficient with MS Office particularly MS Excel (Spreadsheet)
· Possess Knowledge of Call Centre Operations
· Must be flexible to work in shifts
· Excellent communication skills
o Age limit: 18 to 30
o Perks: Medical Insurance, Permanent Employment Status, PF & Overtime provided, Internal Job Posting, Annual Leaves, Leaves Encashment, Referral Bonus
o Gender: Male & Female
o Job Shift: On Rotation
o Job Type: Full-time
o Salary: 12,000 to 18,000 per month
o Transport: Conveyance will be provided to females only, males own transport.
o Job Location: Karachi
o Last date to apply:
o Send us your CVs on: [email protected]


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Arriving in Duboyne the conditions were far from ideal, rain pouring heavily. Closer to kick off conditions eased with the rain stopping completely and the wind dying down a little . I found myself in unfamiliar territory, alongside some of Irelands elite including David McCarthy the eventual race winner, Joe Sweeney, Mick Clohisey and Paddy Hamilton.
The gun went and so did the main group, finding myself off the back with no shelter I knew it was going to be a tough day. Through the 1st mile marker I still felt composed and relaxed knowing that other athletes would eventually come past me at some stage and that I would need a lot of strength to hold them off. From mile 2 until 3 I felt myself starting to wobble sitting back a little and my legs started to burn. It's been a long time since I've really had to dig deep. Getting through the 3 mile marker was a seriously big mental milestone. I knew that there was only about 5 minutes of running left to go, my track head kicked in and I knew it was time to lift my hips and lean a little forward and prepare to really hurt. With 800m to go I passed an athlete and there was another 20 metres in front. I noticed the 400 metre marker soon after on the road and thats whenever I decided to leave all my effort in Dunboyne, head down pushing for home. I wanted to come across the line knowing that I had given my all.
I will admit that todays race wasn't a complete success, as every reader will know you can always find something to improve on in everything you do. But I realise today was important, I learnt a few things about myself, 1 I Can still mix it with able-bodied athletes and 2 I still know how to grit my teeth and dig deep when things get hard. Both of these will be needed come 11th September.
Now its time to put my head down for the next few week and get another solid block of training in before the Queens 5K road race.
Race Result 18th Place in 21.26


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You learn how to create or repair half-constructs.
Prerequisite(s) Craft Construct, Craft (sculpture) 7 ranks
Benefit(s) You learn how to build half-constructs. Creating a half-construct in this manner works like gaining a cohort from the Leadership feat, except the cohort must be a half-construct, and the creator gains no additional followers. Creating a 1st-level half-construct costs 2,100 gp (with materials costing at least 100 gp included in the cost). Each additional Hit Die (taken as class levels) beyond the 1st adds +2,000 gp to the cost. You may only possess one half-construct cohort at a time, and creating a new half-construct cohort causes the first one to leave you. The maximum starting level of a half-construct cohort is determined in the same manner as the maximum cohort level from the Leadership feat, and after their creation, they gain experience in the same manner as a cohort gained from the Leadership feat. A character with this feat cannot gain a cohort from taking the Leadership feat. Additionally, you can also use this feat to resurrect any half-construct creature, by paying half the normal costs associated with their construction. Half-constructs resurrected in this manner gain one permanent negative level.
The Construct Companion, © 2015 Rogue Genius Games; Authors: The Four Horsemen: Steven T Helt, Stephen Rowe, Dan Dillon.


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On the evening of Monday, March 25, Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺), who stands with President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) in supporting nuclear power, met with Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌), New Taipei City (新北市) Mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫) and Keelung Mayor Chang Tong-rong (張通榮) to discuss the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in Gongliao District (貢寮), New Taipei City, and related issues.
According to media reports, Jiang said at the meeting that "it is true that the government does not have a complete plan on how to handle nuclear waste."
One reason nuclear power plants are so frightening is precisely that "it is true that the government does not have a complete plan on how to handle nuclear waste."
Although he tried to moderate his statement, Jiang's inadvertent admission that the government has no plans for the safe handling of nuclear waste will undoubtedly have an impact on the eventual fate of nuclear power plants in Taiwan.
If Jiang had any academic conscience and political morals, what he should have said was: "It is true that, so far, our government does not have a complete plan on how to handle nuclear waste. Not only that, the US, Japanese, Russian or French governments, despite their advanced use of nuclear energy, also don't have a complete plan on how to deal with nuclear waste."
There are three levels to this statement. On the first level, by virtue of having nuclear power plants, there will be nuclear waste. This waste is not the kind of poison that will be around for a mere 100 years: It is something we will have to live with for centuries.
Without a complete plan for the handling of nuclear waste, why is there so much talk about "nuclear safety? Does it not mean Ma's statement that "without nuclear safety, there will be no Fourth Nuclear Power Plant" is just hot air?
On the second level, be it at nuclear waste storage sites on Lanyu (蘭嶼), also known as Orchid Island, or at any of the nation's other three nuclear power plants, the existing temporary storage sites for nuclear waste are becoming overfull.
Since Ma and his clique have no way of handling the nuclear waste at these sites, how can they go on talking about building a fourth plant and producing more nuclear waste?
Finally, on the third level, at a time when there is no complete plan for dealing with nuclear waste, one wonders what astronomical sums will have to be spent before a solution is found, if ever.
Since it cannot be estimated how deep the money pit of nuclear waste treatment will be, how can Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) go on claiming that "nuclear power is the cheapest" of all energy sources? Does Taipower not include the cost of a final solution for the treatment of nuclear waste in the cost of nuclear energy production?
In short, Jiang's statement that "it is true that the government does not have a complete plan on how to handle nuclear waste materials" is sufficient to poke a big hole in the balloon of lies about how cheap nuclear energy is.
Chang Kuo-tsai is a former deputy secretary-general of the Taiwan Association of University Professors.
Translated by Perry Svensson


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Chroma's Student Art Contest Winners
Chroma, Inc. is pleased to announce the winners of our International Student Art Contest. There were over 270 submissions by students from the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. They used Archival Oils, Atelier Interactive Professional Artist Acrylics and A>2 Student Acrylics to create their exceptional paintings.
The $5,000 Grand Prize was awarded to Kirsten Low from the University of New South Wales (AU), for her painting, Eyes of the Dark Interior . Created with A>2 Student Acrylics, Kirsten developed the painting from an offhand sketch and used the consistency and vibrant colors of A>2 to make a painting that captured the jurors' attention. Regarding her painting, Kirsten said, " I just wanted to create something crazy, fun and surreal, nothing too heavy, so I could just let loose and paint the crap out of the canvas!"
The $1,000 Best Acrylic Prize was awarded to Shannon Gilbert from Virginia Commonweatlh University (US). Historical Perspective was created using Atelier Interactive Professional Artist Acrylics. Shannon said, " Historical Perspective is a reflection on my experience as a guide on the canal boat tours at the James River Canal and Kanawha Canal in Richmond, VA. My work echoes the indistinct recollection of history and the impossibility of truth in memory. Helen Frankenthaler provided the inspiration for my pouring technique, and I adore Edward Hopper's banal and moody scenes."
The $1,000 Best Oil Prize was awarded to Alexander Carletti for Autopsy , painted with Archival Oils. Alexander attends the Adelaide Central School of Art (AU), and said that his moody, reflective painting was inspired by a poem of T.S. Eliot.
Chroma also wishes to congratulate the following students for winning Commendable prizes ($300 art supply gift certificate): Mark Stewart from the Tyler School of Art (US) for his painting, Battle , created with Atelier Interactive Professional Artist Acrylics; Barbara J. Briggs from the San Francisco Academy of Art University (US), for her painting, Wonderful Day , created with Atelier Interactive Professional Artist Acrylics; and Will Pierce from the Maryland Institute, College of Art (US), for his painting, Study , created with A>2 Student Acrylics.


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Janner 'abuse in Parliament'
Lord Janner allegedly abused children in the Houses of Parliament, an MP has claimed.
Labour's Simon Danczuk said he had met Leicestershire Police, who were investigating abuse allegations against the peer, and heard how children were "violated, raped and tortured - some in the very building in which we now sit".
Labour suspended Lord Janner in April when the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced he would not stand trial for historic sex abuse allegations because of the ''severity'' of his dementia.
Addressing the allegations against the peer during a Westminster Hall debate on the CPS, Mr Danczuk said he had discussed the allegations with police which involved children "being violated, raped and tortured - some in the very building in which we now sit".
Mr Danczuk told MPs: "Returning to the case of Lord Janner, the shocking thing is that the CPS admits that the witnesses are not unreliable, it admits that Janner should face prosecution, but refuses to bring a case.
"I know the police are furious about this and rightly so.
"Anyone who has heard the accusations will be similarly outraged.
"I have met with Leicestershire Police and discussed the allegations in some detail. Children being violated, raped and tortured - some in the very building in which we now sit."
Mr Danczuk described the decision not to prosecute the peer as "offending every principle of justice", highlighting a Mail On Sunday report which claimed the peer has attended Parliament on official visits since being declared unfit to stand trial.
The Rochdale MP, a long-time campaigner on historic abuse, said the courts could have held a fitness to plead process which would establish whether Lord Janner was fit to stand trial or not.
Mr Danczuk also said that if he is not fit to face prosecution, a trial of the facts could be held to help victims get some sense of justice.
He criticised Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Alison Saunders for saying such a process would not be in the public interest.
He told MPs: "If Lord Janner really is too ill to face prosecution, then why can't the courts establish this with a fitness to plead process? This would clear up doubts that still linger, for example, why he was still visiting Parliament on official visits after he was declared unfit to face justice.
"Why is he able to contribute to the lawmaking process in the House of Lords but unable to face the law himself?
"If it is found that he is genuinely too ill to stand trial then why not conduct a trial of the facts?
"This would allow the victims to tell their stories and gain some sense of justice.
"The DPP has said that a trial of the facts would not be in the public interest.
"Personally I fail to see how the knowledge that a peer of the realm is a serial child abuser is not in the public interest."
Mr Danczuk added: "The Director of Public Prosecutions has said that Lord Janner will not offend again but the failure to prosecute Lord Janner offends every principle of justice.
"He may not abuse again but the legacy of the abuse continues.
"Its victims need the truth and they need to be heard."
Meanwhile, former DPP Sir Keir Starmer defended Ms Saunders for her handling of "a stark and difficult choice" and praised her for referring the decision to the Victims' Right to Review Scheme, which means independent external barrister will examine her actions.
Sir Keir said: "The decision before the DPP was not an easy decision, it was a stark and difficult choice between two unattractive approaches.
"The DPP has followed the victim right of review policy and put that decision out for a review.
"And I think we should respect the independence she brought to the decision making and the fact that she has had the courage to put that decision out for a review and to that extent I think we should inhibit our comments on the case."
Solicitor General Robert Buckland said the CPS was taking action to prosecute historic sex abusers, including a number of "so-called celebrities" who have been convicted in recent years.
He said: "It is a national emergency, I entirely agree with you and so does the Government.
"And the way in which complainants were dealt with historically in towns such as Rotherham and the town that you represent was wrong.
"There was far too much of an emphasis upon the reliability of the individual, often very young and vulnerable witness, rather than an overall view of the merits of the case.
"That has been quite rightly acknowledged to have been an incorrect approach.
"And I think that the thrust of the work that is being carried out by the Crown Prosecution Service now very much reflects the fact that those lessons have clearly been learned and that there are a number of marked successes when it comes to convictions in cases of that nature.
"A number of so called celebrities who have quite rightly been brought to justice and of course a number of larger conspiracy-based cases involving many, many young and vulnerable complainants and young victims who now have had their voice heard and who now can see that some justice has been brought in order to help them get on with their lives that have been torn asunder by the abuse that they suffered."
Mr Danczuk's comments come a day after he claimed to have urged Ed Miliband to kick Lord Janner out of the Labour Party last year after police told him of "stomach churning" abuse allegations against the peer.
The CPS has said it will review its decision not to charge Greville Janner following a public outcry when it ruled out pursuing him.
The 86-year-old was accused of a string of offences during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s but was deemed unfit to stand trial.
Justice Lowell Goddard, the New Zealand judge leading an independent inquiry into child sex abuse, said she would investigate claims against Lord Janner and could even call him to give evidence.
The peer's family strongly denies claims he used his power as an MP for Leicester to abuse vulnerable young boys at a local children's home.


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For my Grandmother: She loves cardinals. And honestly while I did want to make a bigger pattern, with cute snow covered pines, I knew it would be better to make a smaller, simpler one that she could hang up all year long. I will very likely go ahead and make another one soon... Probably this Victoria Sampler, because fat cardinals are adorable!
I'll finish it by placing it in a small wooden hoop. I just haven't found the perfect one yet!
For my Grandfather: He enjoys hunting and is especially fond of deer (*cry* but at least he butchers them and it fills his freezer, so I can't really judge). So I made him two cute deer cross stitches. I am slightly obsessed with both of them and will probably end up making my own soon.
Here is the pattern (I find a ton of awesome and free patterns on Pinterest): http://www.pinterest.com/pin/290341507202291436/ This pattern was in black and white, really simple, but I wanted to add colors and just chose from the colors I already had on hand.
I loved the effects of using DMC's Color Variations thread, because it was a lovely blend of different shades of green that made the forest and grass look really neat! I believe it was either Emerald Isle or Evergreen Forest. I also obsessively count stitches (because there is nothing more annoying than a stitch being out of place and absolutely ruining the whole pattern... usually only noticing after hours of work *sigh*) and use my trusty Disappearing Ink Pen to mark every ten stitches. The ink does fade a bit while stitching, but you can keep drawing the line and when you are finished, the ink will disappear on its own.
Don't mind my haphazard stitching... there's a method to the madness, I swear.
One thing I changed from the pattern... the buck has a stitch missing where the eye would be... but the doe didn't, and I personally thought it looked weird like that, so that's the only difference between my version and the original pattern. I just filled it in so they are solid silhouettes. I choose a sort of golden brown for the doe and a dark brown and lighter brown of a similar shade for the buck. Doesn't it look adorable? I still haven't decided how I'll finish this pattern, but I'm thinking of possibly making a wood chip filled decorative pillow. They smell amazing! Or maybe I'll just frame it.. I haven't decided yet, but I'll post the finished piece!
The Stag Pattern: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/290341507202291430/ Isn't he majestic?
My grandmother specifically wanted me to make a pillow, because theirs are all old and starting to fall apart (despite being well-cared for). So I looked around and finally decided on this pattern. Now, their other pillows are 12x12" and I really tried to make that work for this pattern. But I was working with the materials I had on hand (our local craft store was out of the shade of Aida cloth I wanted to use), so it came out almost 2 inches taller. That being said, I'm now aiming for a 14x14" pillow and will let you know how it comes out!
I used DMC 14 Count Oatmeal Fabric and DMC 3371 Black Brown thread. I really liked both of these earthy tones and it came out amazing! The pattern would have come out small had I kept with the pattern, but I actually tried out a new stitch. It's known as the double cross stitch. You basically make a cross stitch and then add a second layer of stitches going across and down the middle. You're also stitching over two, so it will cover the space of 4 cross stitches. (Here are some directions if you're not familiar with the stitch - I started with the down and across stitch, followed by the cross stitch, because my reasoning was it might catch on less stuff... so we'll see how that goes.)
See, each of those squares can fit four cross stitches. I also made sure there was a two inch border on the sides, to be sure there was plenty of room for sewing it into a pillow. However, after I finished, I realized I should have measured out the whole pattern and started near the middle of the cloth, because now I have to find a coordinating fabric for the front of the pillow to go on the sides. I'll show you what I mean in a couple pictures...
At this point in the pattern, my boyfriend pointed out that this looks like a bad*** acorn (pardon the language. It kind of does. :)
And it's gone and just looks creepy now.
Finished! It looks awesome! I will definitely be using this stitch for future projects, because the texture is amazing! I admit I am a bit obsessed with feeling it. Up close they look like stars!
Surprisingly it didn't take that long to make. I think I worked on it over the course of 2 or 3 days. Several hours, for sure, but less time than I was expecting to commit to it, which was a bonus!
And finally the Merry Christmas cross stitch pattern (scroll to near the bottom for the free pattern).
Merry came out perfect...
But remember how I was talking about one tiny mistake ruining everything? Yeah, that happened with C. I was trying to finish it at midnight one night, so I could start on a new letter in the morning, and put a stitch in the wrong place... and did not notice. Until I got to s and t. I knew something was wrong immediately once I got to s. Typically I obsessively count stitches, but since I was just lining up the stitches when I was moving on to the next letter, I did not notice that each letter had an extra line. So that became apparent with s and t, as they each came up one line short.
I attempted to fill them in and they looked weird, so I kind of edited both letters and just added an extra line. Now you can barely notice the difference!
Also note to self: be sure to wash plastic hoops before using them, because this hoop made a yellow stain on part of the fabric. :(
Despite everything, I really like how the pattern came out!! The original pattern was made with gold thread in mind, but I went right for the traditional red and green and added a pretty ice blue shade for the snowflakes.
I'm thinking of finishing this pattern as a decorative pillow. What do you think?
There are three more patterns that I would love to share, but will have to wait to share after Christmas. I'm also working on a few other patterns, but they are not finished yet. One is HUGE and will probably take me a year to make (joking! probably..).


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By now you know that I am back to running and enjoying every minute of it. Along with running I also am trying to incorporate other workouts. I have attended a local bootcamp class a few times and also turned to my new App called Gixo! Through my relationship with Fit Approach I was able to download a free version of the app. So far I have tried out a handful of workouts and I really like it.
So Gixo is VERY easy to use. Here is basic breakdown of how it works: First you download the app, fill out some basic profile information and then you sign up for classes and you WORK OUT! There is a variety of different classes and the best part is that you do not need any equipment to complete the workouts. Other people are also taking the class along with you AND you have an instructor that motivates you and prompts you all throughout the class. Here is an example of some of the classes being offered today, along with additional information about the class:
As you can see above you can see the class schedule for the entire week so you could plan out and sign up for your workouts all week long! Once you sign up for a class you get an email letting you know you have signed up and then as the class approaches you get a reminder text! The classes are also short-which for anyone that is busy can appreciate! I know I love sneaking in a quick 15 or 25 minute workout while I can.
Along with a few others, I have taken the class shown above (Circuit Training & Reps). It was a great 25 minute class that got my heart rate up and the sweat dripping! The class is body weight strength training which works perfect for me -I do not have to leave my living room and I can keep an eye on the baby!
During the class you can communicate with the instructor by sending fun little emoji stickers or even a text message. It is really neat to have the accountability of the teacher and even the motivation without leaving my house! Once you complete the class you get a text from the instructor checking in with you (you do not have to answer back if you do not want to) as well as an email with a breakdown of your workout and the playlist from the class.
Today I wanted some motivation during my morning run. Instead of just heading out to run or walk or do whatever I felt like, I signed up for the endurance run/walk. I completed the same type of workout earlier in the week but on the treadmill. I must say this workout is much better completed outside because you get race against your fellow classmates!
I ended up being the only participant during this class but it made for more attention from the instructor and even more motivation. For this workout we started out with some stretches and then started out with an easy warm up run (or walk if you wanted). The instructor then set your goal based on your warm up pace. After the warm up we did intervals of faster pace followed by a slightly slower pace and so on. The cool part was that the instructor set pace/distance goals for each interval and he would tell you how far off your goal you are or to maintain or slow down. Being the only one in the class it was awesome to have the one-on-one attention as the instructor was really a motivator for some of the paces i was hitting! Once again after the class you get a follow up email with your stats from the class (if you run on the treadmill you won't get the stats).
This interval workout FLEW by today and I was happy to have it done! As you can see from the follow up stat email I did miss some goals but just know I was working pretty hard. This has been my hardest run since my return back. My watch (which is new) altered me that it was my fastest 5k and my fastest mile!
Along with the follow up email and text you also can use one of your pictures taken throughout the workout and layer your workout stats on it- making it easy to share on social media!
Overall Gixo has been a great addition to my fitness routine. I plan to continue to complete these workouts as often as possible! If you want to try Gixo head over to www.Gixo.com to get started and add me as a friend- we can take some classes together!!
Disclaimer: I was provided with a free version of the Gixo app through my relationship with FitApproach. I was not compensated for this post or required to write- I just simply wanted to share my thoughts on it!


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Commentators often observe that fans of that particular sport or entertainment property descend or arrive in town "in droves" when a major event is afoot.
Maybe it is because the commentators want to use the word "droves" -- who wouldn't? -- but maybe it is because droves succinctly sums up the situation. And we suspect that "Hairspray" fans both near and far have penned "be in Hollywood from July 31 through Aug. 7" somewhere on their personal calendars (we see those calendars being candy-colored and sparkly, much like one of the outfits worn by the dancers on "The Corny Collins Show").
Why? Because the perennially popular show and movie is getting feted in two ways. First up is a sing-along at Hollywood Forever on Sunday, July 31. The Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles is a beneficiary, and Nikki Blonsky -- Tracy Turnblad from the film -- will make an appearance. Ten dollar donation gets you in, but there's a VIP option, too.
Then, just days later, a starry "Hairspray" stage show opens at the Hollywood Bowl. Nick Jonas! Corbin Bleu! And a mess of other talented people who have earned exclamation points! will star. That's on from Friday, Aug. 5 through Sunday, Aug. 7.
Happy Hairspraying, Hairsprayers!


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Mumbai 12th September, 2015. iProspect, the global digital performance agency of the Dentsu Aegis Network, won eight awards at the 5th Asian Customer Engagement Forum making it the Agency of the Year 2015. The awards included The Marketer of the Year award for Managing Director-iProspect, Vivek Bhargava and Marketing Leader of the year for Executive Vice President-iProspect, Brijesh Munyal. The ceremony was held at ITC Grand Central, on Saturday 12th September. The 5th Asian Customer Engagement Forum was produced under the idea of Integrating Branding with CSR and PR. The Award acknowledged and recognized excellence in Branding, Marketing and CSR.
Vivek Bhargava, Managing Director, iProspect was recognized as the Marketer of the Year for his exceptional contribution of innovative ideas to the Digital Marketing and Advertising industry. Vivek Bhargava is one the pioneers in the Digital Marketing Industry scaling an experience of over 17 years. Vivek's expertise in reviewing the possibilities of publicizing products in the digital space has got him a profound idea on how to bestow the platform productively.
"I have spent my last 17 years guiding the Digital Strategies of brands in the financial, banking, travel and now e-commerce sectors in both Indian and Global Markets. I have spoken at a 100 plus conferences as I believe that increasing digital knowledge of every single individual at the agency, publisher and client level is the key to help organisations leverage digital. It's a moment of great honour that my entire team is being recognized here for the exceptional hard work we have put in for the agency's success. With all the efforts they have put in we were able to yield revenue far beyond our expectations." said Vivek Bhargava on winning the Award at ACEF.
Brijesh Munyal, Executive Vice President, iProspect also shared the stage with Vivek Bhargava as the Marketing Leader of the year for his remarkable services that surmounted the expectations of the clients. Most of the Clients that iProspect have on board today has been retained for over 5 years and the agency attributes this success to Brijesh's skillset and credibility that he offers to the clients.
Apart from the two individual awards iProspect won 3 GOLD awards 1 SILVER award and 2 BRONZE awards totalling to 6 METALS in the Capability Category which brought them the Agency of the year 2015 award. iProspect won Gold for Excellence in Customer Experience for the campaign for Reliance General Insurance and Bronze for the Cleartrip campaign. For Excellence in Digital Transformation the agency won Gold for the Bespoke tool iLIVE CHECKER and Bronze Koovs –Content Integration. Services for Kotak Mahindra Bank and HDFC Life brought the agency GOLD and SILVER awards respectively for Marketing Performance Management.
iProspect had recently won 3 Metals at THE MADDIES for their iSync campaign for the popular e-commerce Website PEPPERFRY. The team aims at transforming from a Digital Media Agency to a Digital Strategy Consulting company that helps clients use Digital as a catalyst and multiplier across every aspect of their Business, rather than only aid them in Customer Acquisition.


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Victoria Justice Really Loves The Weeknd Merch12:47 AM
Victoria Justice was photographed wearing The Weeknd EST. LOGO SPORTS CAP on April 19 in Los Angeles, California.
Produced in partnership with Bravado, this is the third time the actress rocked the the hat from the 2018 RELEASE 001 drop in the past week ($40, shop.theweeknd.com).


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Lush and green and not contrary.
How does my garden grow?
Some plants plain and some plants fancy.
And tomatoes all lined in a row.
Lush and green and not contrary.
How does my garden grow?
Some plants plain and some plants fancy.
And tomatoes all lined in a row.
This year, the family planted an almond tree and a cherry tree. The fruit trees planted in previous years are becoming laden with young edibles. One tomato has shown up, and the bird house is filled to capacity. A little bit of paradise, here.
columnar apples
first tomato
occupied bird house.
We don't have an extra big yard; it's just a regular house lot. But the family makes the most of it. Such is suburban farming.
I am obsessed with the conviction that our human race is devolving because we are losing our capacity for empathy. And I am not alone in believing that is the root of all of the evil in this world.
On the other hand, there is increasing research that is proving how other mammalian species are actually evolving in their capacity to feel and demonstrate empathy. All you have to do is do an online search for "animal empathy," and you can spend the rest of the day being amazed and gratified at the increasingly widespread "humane" behaviors of our non-human brothers and sisters. (Do an online search for any of the areas of human violence in the world today – shootings, rapes, war zones…. — and you will spend the rest of the day, perhaps, starting to believe as I do.)
The tendency for humans seems to be violent. An online search for "human violence" will provide support for that assertion.
But it's really more complicated – and overwhelming – than most folks are willing to admit.
Individual research projects are showing that there are complex connections among the healthy functioning of the brain's "empathy spot," the levels of the aggression hormone testosterone, the harmful psychological (and, perhaps neural) effects of violent sports/games/language, and this crisis of morality that is plaguing our species.
After spending the past few days searching online for perspectives on this issue, the best piece I have been able to find (although there are others) is "Why a Lack of Empathy is the Root of All Evil," by psychologist Simon Baron Cohen, who offers this general definition:
Empathy is our ability to identify what someone else is thinking or feeling, and to respond to their thoughts and feelings with an appropriate emotion," writes Baron-Cohen. People who lack empathy see others as mere objects.
And so we have rampant misogyny, bigotry, border disputes, extreme nationalism, racism,war, violence of all kinds.
What is fascinating to me is that the home of "empathy" seems to be in the brain itself. Scientific research has identified an area of the brain associated with empathy – the anterior insular cortex.
In other words, patients with anterior insular lesions had a hard time evaluating the emotional state of people in pain and feeling empathy for them, compared to the controls and the patients with anterior cingulate cortex lesions," said the researchers.
This area of the brain that has been proven to be affected by a variety of variables, including testosterone levels and exposure to violent media.
One of Baron-Cohen's longitudinal studies – which began 10 years ago – found that the more testosterone a foetus generates in the womb, the less empathy the child will have post- natally. In other words, there is a negative correlation between testosterone and empathy. It would appear the sex hormone is somehow involved in shaping the "empathy circuits" of the developing brain.
Given that testosterone is found in higher quantities in men than women, it may come as no surprise that men score lower on empathy than women. So there is a clear hormonal link to empathy. Another biological factor is genetics. Recent research by Baron-Cohen and colleagues found four genes associated with empathy – one sex steroid gene, one gene related to social-emotional behaviour and two associated with neural growth.
Contrary to what gamer developers would like us to believe, ongoing research is tending to prove that areas of the brain associated with empathy are being affected by constant exposure to violent video and other games.
New preliminary findings suggest that brain activation is altered in normal youths with significant past violent media exposure while viewing violent video games.
The reasons for our devolution are obviously complicated and involve some combination of nature and nurture and the opposite of nurture. As a culture and society, we seem to be intent on denying how we actually are encouraging a diminishment of empathy in favor of greed, selfish amorality, and vested interests — whether they be political, religious, economic, or national.
Of course, it's easier to deny – from climate change to chemical food contamination, to promoting and glorifying violence – than it is to tackle the daunting job of trying to undo what we have done. But if we don't, we will be a dead species before long. We will destroy ourselves from the simple lack of empathy.
I am hoping that some less corporate-manipulated and more holistic researchers will be able to bring together all of the factors that are pushing our species over the precipice of widespread violence and come up with a convincing argument for the necessity to put the brakes on across the board. Coming up with a plan after that is maybe more than government is capable of now. But if we don't….
Having been a fan of speculative fiction my whole life and witnessing the manifestations of many of those "fictional" speculations, I don't hold much hope.
With all of the concern over GMO foods and pesticide contamination, suburban farming has become a big deal these days. Our family has been growing veggies in a small plot of backyard land for several years now. This year I decided to extend our planting areas to other spots around the house. Instead of flowers, I have planted veggies.
Here is my tomato strip, which runs along the fence that separates us from one of our neighbors. I am experimenting with this red plastic mulch which is supposed to make the tomatoes grow faster and better. It sounds a bit like sympathetic magic to me, but there also seems to be some scientific connection, based on light waves and such.
I have planted beefsteak, Paul Rebeson, yellow grape, and green zebra tomatoes, as well as one that will be a surprise because I lost the marker and can't remember what kind it was. If all goes well, we should be in tomato heaven.
This is a small spot at the front corner of our house that gets nice afternoon sun. Before I took it over for a cherry tomato vine and assorted other edibles (basil, kale, mesclun, dill) it was a patch of useless grass. I threw in some marigold seeds around the tomato plant. Bugs and other critters don't like marigolds.
A raised bed space alongside the back stairs to my rooms gets sun all morning, and so I planted watercress, purselane, parsley, and cilantro. I never heard of purseland before I went to the Farmers' Market this afternoon and saw a plant on sale. I like to try a new edible every year, and this is it for this year. Last year's ground cherries didn't fare very well.
An old chiminea that wound up on the front lawn and then lost it's chimney seemed to be a good place to plant some rosemary and hang a fuschia plant. I put the chimney section aside and will probably plant some kind of vine it by the divider my daughter erected to block the part of the driveway where she puts a table and umbrella.
Folks in our neighborhood never use their front lawns, never sit on their front steps. We do. But then, again, we do a lot of things that the other folks in our neighborhood don't do, including home-schooling.
And, for me, the best part of our front yard is this, where I often sit late in the afternoon and read, knit, listen to a book on tape, or just snooze. And from this vantage point, I can watch the hummingbirds visit my little hummingbird garden (more on that another time). In another month, the long branches of the willow and the tall grasses planted behind the swing will seclude it from the driveway and the road. This is my little piece of heaven.
The best time will be summer, when the vines are loaded with tomatoes and beans and peas and, hopefully, the couple of exotic edibles, the seeds of which I planted in March and the seedlings of which I planted today: peach/mango/melon and cucamelon.
With my bum knees precluding any dancing or even minor walking, gardening seems to be the best exercise for me, and I, along with the rest of the family worked up a good sweat today — they tilling and enriching the garden soil and planting some seeds; I tinkering with the little shade garden plots and tending my seedlings. The little orange birdhouse (upper right of photo, below) that my daughter made last year from scrap pieces of wood in the cellar, has just been taken over by a pair of Carolina Wrens.
The Northeast is a marvel-filled place to live this time of year.
I took the photos with my new LG Optimus G Pro from AT&T. I figured I'd treat myself with the money I'm saving by not having to buy cat food and litter any more — and also not having the expense of dance/exercise classes because of my bum knees. One door closes, another door opens.
This afternoon, as the kid from next door sat on our front steps playing Mine Craft on his iPod, my grandson stood nearby, tracking the flight of our resident red-tailed hawk. Suddenly the hawk loosed a feather, and my grandson watched as it caught on a tree branch, and then let go, and finally landed in his waiting hand. He ran into the house shouting that he caught a hawk's feather, wanting to share this miracle with the world.
Two kids, roughly the same age. One is home schooled. Easy guess, which one.
So, you could say that my grandson, Lex, received a message from his totem animal. Such is the spirit mystery of the natural world.
While the rest of the family is planning and preparing their vegetable garden on the more fertile side of the property, I have commandeered the side of the yard where the pervasive roots of the ancient maple that was destroyed during the Snowpacalypse two winters ago make it impossible to till soil or grow anything. Poppies have already spouted in the main stump container, and my mini calla lilies that spent the winter in the cellar are generating buds under the soil of the other.
I emptied the shed of all of the big pots and have begun a kind of container garden that will include herbs, flowers, and all kinds of tomatoes. And garlic. Lots of garlic. The pots are lined up along the nearby fence, which gets sun all afternoon. The soil there is not great, but hostas and wild violets seem to be happy there. I planted three sunflower seedlings and some Creeping Jenny and have lined up the pots, some of which already contain herb and flower seedlings. It is not yet the configuration I want; I will have a better sense of the aesthetics as the bloomings emerge.
In a month or so, it will be fun to compare this photo with one that boasts a more colorful and thriving container garden. There will be some re-arranging and adding to. My projects, be they gardening or knitting or sewing always seem to be continuous ones until something out of my control puts an end to them. Sort of like everything in my life. Circles. Now, there's a metaphor.
I've been looking for some kind of statuary around which to focus the container garden. For the moment, I'm using a cairn that I found (oddly enough) at Home Goods. We already have a Buddha in a little meditation spot in a shady part of the yard.
In the meanwhile, the family continues work on the addition to Lex's "fort." (Original structure is on the right of the addition.) It's going to be a fun summer around here.
A day of almost 60 degrees. We are all antsy for Spring.
My wintersown seeds are hanging in there. The sunflower seeds already have sprouted.
My daughter and grandson are outside starting to get the sunny earth ready for herbs.
The branches of the pruned Harry Lauder Walking Stick tree make an interesting temporary front yard sculpture in the container that eventually will feature flowers.
I got my windowsill garden started with some herb and berry seeds. Usually I think to start doing this in May, when it's really too late. Hopefully I'll have an abundance of heirloom edibles by the time Summer is in bloom.
Obviously, I've cleaned out my blog house, going for a fresh new look. Now, the challenge is to clean the cobwebs out of my head and start to write here again. It's not unusual for bloggers to take a break every once in a while.
I'm also motivated to tune up physically — went to the chiropractor today. Of course, it helps a lot that my daughter (who cooks for the family) has upped our intake of delicious vegetables and cut down the fleshy portions of our meals. That means I'm eating healthier (except for my late night snacking, which I'm trying to control). With Spring will come more walking and a greater willingness to get myself out for the exercise classes at the well-equipped local Jewish Community Center.
My next challenge is to clean out my living space and make room for the new Lazy-boy glider recliner I bought myself for my birthday with my tax refund.
In the meanwhile, I'm still putting out heirloom seeds for wintersowing, even though it's kind of late for that. I can't wait to get out and garden.
My son, who is still job-hunting, has been motivated to publish his late father's novels, which have been sitting on old 5 inch floppy discs in WordPerfect. They are available via Amazon Kindle, and he has put up a website to promote them: www.myrlnbooks.com
The wheels turn.
Spring. Sunshine. Energy. Hope.
Well, it wasn't really THE Apocalypse, but, after a week without heat or electricity or phone, and with temps in the house falling to about 45 degrees at night, it sure felt like it could be.
The snow started a week ago a few days before Halloween, and it looked like this.
In three days, it looked like this:
We lost half of the ancient maple tree, the leaves of which were just beginning to turn, and it probably will have to be taken down completely. We lost pieces of the maple in our front yard as well and portions of various trees that form the edge of the property that borders on conservation land. Two days ago, my daughter went out and bought a chain saw.
With a gas stove and gas-heated hot water, at least we were able to eat and wash the dishes during the icy winter week. Our unheated but enclosed porch became our refrigerator as we tried to save as much food as we could.
By the time that the snow finally stopped, power, phone, and cable lines were loosed or down all along our street (and all over this part of Massachusetts). The storm's strength took out the power so quickly that we didn't have a chance to charge our cell phones and laptops. We husbanded our battery flashlights and the meager amount of dry firewood that we had available.
We all hunkered down in the living room, blockading its doorways with blankets. This is my grandson, trying to keep warm on the mattresses and quilts piled on the living room floor.
Lines began to form at the gas stations until finally there was no gasoline left within an hour's drive of our town. I had about a quarter tank of gas in my car and eventually went out to charge my Iphone.
Thankfully, my daughter and son-in-law had the foresight to move our cars far enough onto the property to avoid any limbs that might fall from our neighbor's rotting oak. One limb did fall — right where our cars would have been. It settled itself over all three power lines that run above our driveway (cable, phone, electricity), blocking our ability to back out when the storm stopped. Eventually, a very helpful neighbor with a chain saw cut off enough of the branches so that the cars could get out; but the limb remained, threatening to take down the lines completely.
The property taxes in this town are pretty high, but the upside of that is that the town set up an emergency shelter in one of the schools, with cots lining the gym and three free meals a day for anyone whose homes were without power. They distributed water bottles, showed movies in the afternoons, and lined the main hallways with chairs and surge protectors so people could charge their phones and laptops. Eventually they even had wifi.
They were staffed with volunteers that paid special attention to all of the elders who flocked there for the only support they had available.
We were finally able to get gas, and then the two main grocery stores opened with generator power. There was nothing available that had to be refrigerated, but we were able to pick up soups and breads and, of course, lots of Puffs tissues.
We got our power back yesterday, exactly (almost to the hour) a week from when the storm began. The tree limbs are off the wires, but we still have no landline phone service.
Having been sleeping in a 45 degree bedroom, dressed in multiple layers — including a hat — and burrowed under two blankets and a quilt, I now am close to understanding what the homeless must suffer in cold weather.
What I wished I had available were old fashioned rubber hot water bottles for my feet and hands and a book light that used regular batteries. I have ordered these in preparation for what I'm sure will be coming down the pike this winter. We also will be buying some kind of generator so that we can keep the house at a livable temperature should we find ourselves, again, faced with this kind of winter misadventure.
But we survived. My grandson is recuperating from an terrible sore throat virus, and my daughter is exhausted from taking care of him, tending the fire, and feeding us all. Hestia lives in her. Me? I was just too cold to be of much help.
Those really were my golden years — those four college years between 1957 and 1961. And so I was willing to help plan our 50th class reunion. I even sewed a big 50th reunion banner and put up a class reunion blog. That was the fun part.
But it turned out that my closest "girl" friends couldn't be there for the part that was supposed to be the most fun. When I checked in with one of them a month before the event, I found out that she had moved into an "assisted living" facility (in the same nursing home building where her husband, also a good friend of mine, was confined to a wheel chair with a deadly combination of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases). She told me that her daughter had taken away her car and license, and so there was no way she could attend the reunion.
(If she is there, will I not be far behind, I wonder. We are the same age, same height, same coloring; we shared wardrobes for four years and together descended on Fort Lauderdale, Florida for one glorious Spring Break. Life is not fair.)
A week before the event, my other close friend called to tell me that she had just had a mammogram and was told to go in for a biopsy. The biopsy turned out to be early Stage 1 breast cancer. She had a lumpectomy yesterday and will proceed with the recommended treatment. Life is not fair.
So, did I have fun at my 50th college reunion?
Well, I have to admit that there was a certain amount of pleasant nostalgia that propelled me through my planning committee tasks. Some things went right. Some things went wrong. What went wrong had to do with logistics; what went right had to do with having a chance to connect with some of the 50-years-older people whom I knew and liked back in those golden years.
As a female college freshman back in 1957, sharing a room in a small "group house," I lived under rules that today's female college freshmen would never tolerate: we had curfew hours, dress codes, no males allowed beyond the front room and not even there after 10 pm. Two of the girls who shared that group house with me came to the reunion. Seeing them again was part of the fun.
At the reunion dinner, a table covered with memorabilia from those golden years included a copy of the annual literary magazine from 1959. No, it didn't include any writing by me. In 1959 I was too busy dancing in college musicals and writing a gossipy column for the college newspaper. And drinking beer. And dating. And joining a sorority. And cutting classes to TGIF. Many of my reunited classmates tell me that they remember me as always smiling and happy. Heh. Why not. Daddy was paying the bills and I was off absorbing the joys of life, the universe, and everything.
That's right. I was no scholar. I managed to balance out my Cs and Ds with a greater number of As and somehow graduated as the B+ person I continue to be. But I digress.
From your absinthe tinted green dreams and
soulless wanderings across deserts of the mind, came truth–
ice-essence truth……
On page 32 of the literary magazine, I find a poem that begins with the above lines — lines inscribed on the flyleaf of a paperback book of Rimbaud's poems by the talented young man who wrote the poem and gave me the book. I learned that he passed away a year and a half ago. I wonder if he had still had that tousled red hair, that red beard, that passionate, dark, beat-poet intensity. He almost seduced me. But I wasn't ready yet, back in 1959.
The literary journal also had some pieces by his best friend, who also was my friend, and whose family became friends with my family after we both married and had kids. He is still writing. We lost touch more than a decade ago, although I had learned about his wife's tragic illness and death sometime along the way.
Bob decided to come to the reunion at the last minute, and we sat together at dinner, recalling those mellow days and nights when we hung out together in front of his future wife's sorority house — he and his dark-haired Irish lovely, and me with my brooding red-headed boy. And he asks me if I am happy. And what I can answer is that "I am not unhappy." We plan to keep in touch. I went and ordered his recent book of short stories.
I supposed the ego-stroking highlight of my class reunion (which was part of the university's Homecoming Weekend) was having a good-looking gray-haired guy (who was a college year behind me) come up to me to tell me that he still remembers the first time he saw me. I was sitting at the long table at the bar we all went to on Friday afternoons. He said that he remembered what I was wearing — a brown skirt and sweater. And I was smiling. And he thought I was gorgeous.
I guess it was a good reunion after all.


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|Cooperative Research Units
Education, Research And Technical Assistance For Managing Our Natural Resources
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|Cooperative Research Units
Education, Research And Technical Assistance For Managing Our Natural Resources
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July 2008 - December 2010
The Chihuahuan Desert Inventory and Monitoring Network (CHDN) is one of thirty-two networks in the National Park Service charged with developing long-term natural resource monitoring plans for their park units. The CHDN is made up of seven national parks, monuments, recreation areas and historic sites in New Mexico and Texas.
The invasion of non-native and exotic plant species is challenging protection and management of resources in National Parks throughout the United States. Ecological and system effects depend on the rate and amount of spread, site characteristics, and the biology of organisms in infected areas. Although initial establishment of non-native plants species can result in increased bio-diversity, prolonged occupancy by non-native species can disrupt user interactions and communities, and ultimately lead to a less diverse biota.
This research will provide information to help in understanding the introduction, spread, and distribution of non-native species and their effects on native habitats. Identification of distributional pathways and estimating the exposure of biotic resources to invasive species through risk assessment approaches, provide the framework for developing conservation strategies to restrict or eradicate invasive species.
Federal Staff: 95
Masters Students: 239
Phd Students: 143
Post Docs: 53
University Staff: 239
Students graduated: 701
Scientific Publications: 1949
Presentations: 4261


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Without a doubt, natural and organic skin care products are rapidly increasing in popularity. This confirmation comes from a recent news story about cosmetic surgery. Even though the sales of these products still account for only a small percentage compared to a billion dollar industry, the percentage continues on growing. The purpose of this article is to help you evaluate of what's available and to choose the best.
When it comes to cleansers, it is best to choose the product that has simple ingredients. It is important to take note that no matter what the product is designed to be used for, an ingredient called as an "essential oil" should be avoided.
There is a misconception here. Most people think that essential oil is a nourishing or moisturizing oil to replenish of what is lost during a shower or due to daily activities.
Just to make it clear, essential oils are not actually oils at all. The truth is, essential oils are water-based concentrated plant fragrances. The term is deliberately made to convey the "essence" of the plant. This is the reason behind its name. Essence is equal to essential.
What we should look for in every organic skin care products are the essential fatty acids. The fatty acids are the major component of sebum, an oily substance being produced by glands beneath the skin's surface.
Sebum serves as the protector on our faces from wind damage and moisture loss. So, every time we shower or wash our faces, we also wash sebum away and the protection at the same time. This is not an effective acne treatment skin care.
There are some plants oils that are more similar to sebum compared to others. Shea butter for instance is closely related to sebum. This type of essential fatty acids can be found in some of the better anti-aging night creams, because it is primarily known to reduce wrinkles, age spots and other visible signs of aging. Of course the effects vary. So you have to make sure the cream you use contains a high grade.
You can expect that you need to pay more for organic skin care products, just like paying more for the foods that are safest to eat. I am sure that you don't have to pay a fortune.
Normally, the typical organic skin care product company charges what the market will considers fair. They conduct research to know what people are willing to pay for their line of products, such as an acne skin care product, and then price their items accordingly. Well, the best companies charge enough prices to make a reasonable profit, but definitely not enough to make them unaffordable.
Before making up your mind to decide of what is the better choice for organic skin care products, comparative shopping will greatly help. By shopping around, you can find organic skin care products that contains highest grade of Shea butter and other nourishing ingredients. There is a high possibility that you can get a great deal on an authentic and effective pure skin care product.


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How To Avoid PMI When Buying A Home
The following article originally appeared on Unison.com.
PMI stands for private mortgage insurance. It's an insurance policy your lender will take out to cover a portion of the amount you borrow in case you ever default on your loan.
This means if you stop paying what you owe on your mortgage and the lender forecloses on your property and suffers a loss, the insurance company will pay out a claim to the lender.
Even though PMI protects the lender, you are the one who must pay the premiums. That's why it's a good idea to avoid PMI when buying a home. It's an extra cost, and it's not something that's necessary to have on your mortgage.
So how do you avoid it? By taking one of these actions:
Put Down 20 Percent
The most straightforward way to avoid PMI when buying a home is to put down 20 percent when you get your mortgage. When you put down 20 percent of a home's purchase price in cash and finance the other 80 percent with a mortgage, your loan presents less risk to the lender.
The more equity you have in a home purchase, the less risky the loan is for a lender. The risk for a lender is that you may default on your loan and the lender must foreclose on you and take the home back for sale. The lender will then sell the home and recoup from the sale proceeds the money they lent on it in the first place. If the lender is forced to foreclose and sell the home in a down market, there's a possibility that they may not get all their money back. Considering that selling a home costs between 6-9 percent of the sales price in commissions and other expenses, just a small drop in home prices can put the lender in danger of a loss on the loan.
Learn how a home ownership investment makes it easier to buy a home.
When you put a full 20 percent down on a home, this initial equity creates a safety buffer for the lender to get their money back in the case of default. The lender doesn't need insurance against the loss because of this buffer.
But a 20 percent down payment helps you in other ways, too. It may help you secure a better interest rate because you look like a less-risky borrower versus someone who puts down a smaller amount of cash. It means your monthly mortgage payments will be smaller since you borrowed less. And in some real estate markets where there is significant competition for listed properties, a 20 percent down offer will appear stronger than an offer with a smaller down payment, and the listing agent may be more likely to consider stronger offers.
Get a Different Type of Mortgage
Of course, coming up with 20 percent of a home's purchase price in cash is no small feat. Sometimes it is really hard. For example, if you want to buy a home that costs $400,000, a 20 percent down payment means saving up $80,000.
You could plan to buy a home later to give yourself enough time to save up the money you need. But life doesn't always work out that way. Sometimes buying sooner rather than later is the preferred way to go, for a variety of reasons.
Or you could consider lowering your budget and looking at lower-priced homes on the market. Buying a cheaper home means you don't have to save up as much to reach that 20 percent mark.
However, that doesn't always work, either. If you're in a seller's market, a highly desirable and competitive area, or simply in a city where real estate prices are higher than average, you might have a difficult time finding a home you like, in a location you like, and home prices could rise in the meantime.
One alternative is to use a different kind of loan called a "piggyback" or "80/10/10" loan, which is basically a second loan in addition to your primary mortgage. You need to save 10 percent in cash for a down payment, and the lender will originate a second loan for an additional 10 percent.
See how a home ownership investment can double your down payment.
This type of loan allows you to finance a home and get a mortgage for 80 percent of the purchase price, without PMI.
However, that second loan is still a loan — meaning it's more debt. It also comes with its own interest rate, which is usually higher than on the primary mortgage. And it usually needs to be paid back in 15 years, rather than 30 years. In other words, this is not necessarily more affordable than simply putting 10 percent down on a home and accepting PMI. And this type of financing is not always available.
Pay a Higher Interest Rate Instead of PMI
If you want to stick with the traditional mortgage and still avoid PMI, there is one other option. You could ask for lender-paid mortgage insurance. That means your lender would pay the mortgage insurance.
However, there is a catch. Your loan will carry a higher interest rate to cover what would have been an additional insurance premium for the coverage. The interest could be up to 0.5 percent higher. With a higher interest rate, you will pay a lot more in interest over time. Essentially, the lender is passing through the cost of PMI to you.
For that reason, this strategy doesn't work for all borrowers. Increasing your mortgage interest rate by even half a point can cost you tens of thousands of dollars over the lifetime of a 30-year loan. And this rate hike lasts as long as your loan does, whereas PMI can typically be removed once you build at least 20 percent equity in your home.
Use a Home Ownership Investment
The efforts you take to avoid PMI when buying a home can end up costing more than the insurance premiums themselves. You need to be careful when accepting higher interest rates or taking out multiple loans to buy your home.
There is another alternative – using a home ownership investment program like Unison HomeBuyer from Unison.com. The way this works is Unison.com will match your down payment funds. That means if you can save 10 percent of a home's purchase price in cash, the company will contribute another 10 percent — giving you a total down payment of 20 percent.
That way, you can avoid PMI when buying a home.
The money provided by Unison isn't a loan and there are no monthly payments or interest charges. Rather, the company invests alongside you in your home. When you eventually sell the home, Unison receives a portion of the appreciation or depreciation in the home's price.
This is a great way to get the funds for a 20 percent down payment and avoid PMI when buying a home. And that's without taking on more debt, paying a higher interest rate, or taking on multiple loans to purchase your home.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Posted-In: unisonEducation Topics Personal Finance General Best of Benzinga
© 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


text: For removing oil, grease, dirt, & brake fluid without leaving behind any residue. Can clean all: brake, clutch & gear parts starter motors & alternators , fuel pumps & engine parts plus glass & metal surfaces before gluing. Due to shipping restricitions can only be sent to UK addresses service items