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Many owners and breeders are today considering a more natural way to feed, and much has been said and written about the BARF diet (Bones and Raw Food). Certainly, if feeding in this manner fits in with your lifestyle, there is no better method for the health of your animals. Below is an article written by a top Bullmastiff breeder, Mrs Cath Ambler and with her kind permission, it has been recreated here.
"A Question asked by Many Dogs Owners"
This article has been featured worldwide and translated into many languages, and has also featured in many of today's top magazines.
That is a question you have to ask yourself, I did over 5 years ago now and the decision to feed naturally is the best I have made. I believe, and this is my opinion, that my dogs have never looked so good, been so healthy and are so happy and energetic.
Feeding naturally has become my biggest obsession. I truly believe in it and think that everyone no matter how tight of a budget or how busy they are can make a natural diet work for them. It may seem quite daunting at first, I know I thought I would never get the hang of it, there seems so much to remember and so many hang-ups to get over! but I was prepared to give it a go.
Firstly I did some research, I read books, I spoke to people who fed B.A.R.F, then I decided it was now or never, so off I go to the shops and came back armed with a food processor, lots of vegetables, off-cuts of meat and minced beef. At first I was only half committed and still fed a complete as the main part of their diet and every other meal was off-cuts of meat or a vegetable meal with minced beef!
The dogs knew exactly which one they preferred and more and more they would not eat the complete food which meant that they were not getting a balanced diet (not that they were anyway the way I was feeding them) so the time had come to bite the bullet and face up to my biggest fear……I would feed them raw chicken wings!
Now I can tell you that this was going against everything I thought I believed in, I was brought up with the misconception that you should never ever feed poultry bones, especially raw to a dog, but my bible (Give Your Dog A Bone – By Dr Ian Billinghurst) insisted it was the write thing to do. So armed with a First Aid Kit, bowl of water, salt and telephone with the vets number keyed in I fed my first meal of raw chicken wings to my beloved dogs! I felt sick, I was a nervous wreck – they loved them, they ate with such gusto and looked at me like I was wonderful – then I had to admit it was a good idea, so stage 2 had arrived!
Now I was starting to relax with the idea that raw (never cooked) chicken wings were a good idea, and formed the base of my dogs diet, they were now eating herbs, oils (olive, safflower, sesame seed or sunflower – all fresh from the bottle never used oil), cottage cheese, live yoghurt and eggs – shells and all! (a good source of natural calcium). Time to introduce other bones, boy was this diet getting easy, next I introduced lamb bones (raw never cooked), mainly breast of lamb and next with the ribs still attached, the dogs loved their new method of feeding, they were growing in confidence too, no longer did they pick up large pieces and swing it awkwardly around until they had chewed through it, they were now past masters, they were using their paws to eat, they would stand on it and rip and tear, not only exercising their jaws but their neck and leg muscles too!
I was feeling very confident now introducing allsorts – pigs trotters, oxtail, whatever I could get hold of at a reasonable price – liver, heart etc etc. The youngsters I must admit took more readily to it than the older dogs. I expect that this was because they had not been fed on complete for as long and their instincts were more intact. The 7 month old puppies I had knew, how to tear the meat well before the adults – life was looking good!! but just when you're feeling just a little too confident, perhaps even cocky, him upstairs has a way of bringing you back down to earth with a bump just to remind you not to take things for granted!
My first lesson came by the way of my bitch "Bonnie" she was out in the garden one morning and it was obvious that she wanted to go to the loo but she couldn't – she was constipated (nice subject!) well she kept trying and she was getting more and more distressed because she couldn't go, I was getting upset and considering what to do when she started screaming and I mean screaming, all I could do was try to calm her down by stroking and talking to her, without too much detail she eventually passed the hardest stool I ever wish to see, my poor bitch suffered but soon forgot her experience but I learned a lesson I won't forget BALANCE IS IMPORTANT.
I had got so carried away with how clever I was feeding raw bones that I had fed too many and not enough of the other foods. Balance with a raw diet is not and cannot be achieved in every single meal, what you are looking to achieve is a balance over a period of time – anything from 1 to 3 weeks. During this period to achieve the desired balance 60% of the diet should be raw meaty bones and 40% a mixture of the other foods of which vegetables should be fed at least once but no more than 3 times a week. Peace was once again restored – less bones and more meat and vegetables – I was now achieving a balance.
My dogs were now happy, full of life, content with their diet (and going to the loo). What I noticed was that they were utilizing the food they were eating much more than they were on a complete diet, which meant less poop and a better consistency and not smelly; in fact my dogs were no where near as smelly (wind). By putting the vegetables into the food processor to break them down they were able to get all the goodness out of them and so were not just passed through in chunks as they used to be. The reason for this I found was that dogs can't digest whole fruit and vegetables because of the make-up of their cell walls (cellulose), but by eating fruit and vegetables that have been through a food processor can be digested as this has broken down the cellulose and is more like the vegetable matter partly digested in the stomach of the prey animal they would eat in the wild
Another lesson I learned was to balance the vegetables I used so as not to cause diarrhoea, rule of thumb is vegetables grown above ground are stool loosening and grown below ground are stool firming, but vegetables never to be used are onions as they are toxic to dogs, also avoid potatoes as these can aggravate joints
Finally I feel I have the balance right, my dogs eat raw meaty bones as 60% of their diet (not so many as to constipate them) and 40% of their diet is meat off-cuts including heart, liver (offal) etc.. and vegetables (balanced so as not to cause diarrhoea) and all sorts of extras e.g. cottage cheese, live yoghurt etc.. as I mentioned earlier. I also now use a vitamin/mineral supplement daily just to make sure in my mind that they truly are getting everything they need.
Great – the dogs are happy, they look good. If they start to put weight on I cut back on what I give them in a meal; if they lose weight I increase the size of their meals. The look of the dogs tells me what amount to feed.
The first six months pass and I'm quite happy with what I'm doing when disaster strikes! SKIN PROBLEMS like I have never had before, one of my dogs in particular broke out in wet eczema in a big way! What on earth was happening? He had never had this before so why now if this diet was so good? Surely it was supposed to be better for my dogs health? Panic time, off to the vets first to get him sorted, he reacted quickly to treatment and healed in super quick time, while this was happening I was asking questions again, why was this happening?
The answer I got was TOXINS some dogs react like this, because he had been fed on complete for along time toxins had built up in his body, and now he was being fed naturally with raw food he had to de-toxify himself, and it came out through his skin, it happened only once and he healed very quickly (I feel because of the raw diet), but it shook me and at first I admit I questioned if I was right to change to a raw diet! But once I had taken stock of the situation I realized that it was just another stage we were going through, and today over 5 years later I'm convinced it truly was the best decision I have ever made for my dogs, I have far more success situations than bad experiences and once you get used to the idea of feeding raw it doesn't need to be all time consuming, I have fed feed 9 adults and a litter of puppies this way and it is no more trouble than feeding a complete once you are organized.
If you are feeding only 1 or 2 dogs all you will need is a little freezer space, enough to keep food for say a week, you can buy meat scraps (off-cuts) from your local butcher at a reasonable price if you explain you want a regular supply for your dog. Also he will probably give you a discount if you buy 2-3 hearts and a liver for example in one go (you can cut these up in meal size portions and freeze for when needed) or alternatively get a few friends together and buy in bulk or find some one else who already buys in bulk and buy from them!
When you shop for the families vegetables just buy extra for the dog, or check out the quick sale shelf in the supermarket for bargains (dogs don't mind over ripe or slightly out of date fruit and vegetables) or ask the local shops/market if you can have the outside leaves they would normally throw away-and of cause the peelings you would normally throw away from your own fruit and vegetables you just put through the food processor, you can do this as and when you need to feed vegetables to your dog, or you can spend an hour preparing a batch and again putting in meal size portions and freeze. (note if freezing vegetables just freeze vegetable mix and add extra's like oil, cottage cheese etc., once thawed ready to use).
Once you get into a routine its simple you spend a little time each week preparing meals then all you have to do is remember to take out of the freezer the night before the food you want for the next day SIMPLE!
So why do I feed a raw diet?
- My dogs are healthy.
- My dogs are happy and content.
- A nervous dogs temperament was turned around by feeding raw food (that's a story for another time).
- I'm hopefully giving my dogs a longer, healthier life.
The stage I'm at right at this moment in time is I have just raised my third litter of naturally reared puppies from naturally fed parents (and they are great, ask anyone who has seen them!).
Some interesting and informative reading material is :-
Give Your Dog A Bone | By Dr Ian Billinghurst
Grow Your Pups With Bones | By Dr Ian Billinghurst
Food Pets Die For | By Ann N Martin
These books are available either through W. H. SMITHS or on the internet via www.amazon.co.uk
If anyone has any questions they would like to ask about raw diet, I will do my best to answer them either through the Bully News or privately if preferred, you can email me at :- email@example.com you can also visit my web site at :- www.british-bullmastiffs.co.uk
There, you will find links to information on raw diet.


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Supply Skepticism: Housing Supply and Affordability
Growing numbers of affordable housing advocates and community members are questioning the premise that increasing the supply of market-rate housing will result in housing that is more affordable. This article is meant to bridge the divide, addressing each of the key arguments supply skeptics make and reviewing what research has shown about housing supply and its effect on affordability. It ultimately concludes, from both theory and empirical evidence, that adding new homes moderates price increases and therefore makes housing more affordable to low- and moderate-income families. It also emphasizes that new market-rate housing is necessary but not sufficient, and that government intervention is critical to ensure that supply is added at prices affordable to a range of incomes.
The Latest Reform Proposal for the 421-a Program
This report analyzes the potential impact of the most recent reform proposal for the 421-a program on housing development in New York City, which is currently under consideration by the New York State Legislature. In evaluating the proposal, the report finds that the proposed 421-a program's increase in tax exemption exceeds the additional affordable housing benefit by $2.6 to $5.7 million for a 300-unit building. The report also finds that the higher tax break for developers may support a 10-18% rise in hard construction costs without affecting long-term financial returns.
NYU Furman Center / Citi Report on Homeownership & Opportunity in New York City
This report, commissioned by Citi and conducted by the NYU Furman center, analyzes recent home sales data and examines the potential purchasing power of households at various income levels in New York City, as well as the nearby counties of Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester. It finds that becoming a homeowner in New York City's real estate market is a considerable challenge for the vast majority of New York City households due to the city's severely constrained supply of affordable home-buying opportunities. And, according to the new report, homeownership prospects do not necessarily improve by moving out of the city to the surrounding New York suburbs.
Selling the Debt: Properties Affected by the Sale of New York City Tax Liens
This data brief sheds light on the process of tax lien sales in New York City, which affected over 15,000 properties and roughly 43,600 residential units between 2010 and 2015.
It finds that most tax liens in New York City eligible for sale are sold and generate substantial revenue for the city; between 1997 and 2015, the city raised more than $1.3 billion from the sale of tax liens. However, the city also has the power to remove liens eligible for sale from the lien sale list. The report also describes the characteristics of properties with liens sold in New York City between 2010 and 2015, including the property type, their location, and the outcome following the lien sale.
Mortgage Financing for Small Multifamily Rental Properties: What is the Problem?
This study examines the effect of mortgage financing on the long-term viability of the small multifamily rental stock in both Chicago and New York City. It also explores the relationship between the size of the mortgage gap and the condition of the housing stock, and looks for how the financial crisis and Great Recession affected and continues to affect the rate of origination of new mortgages for multifamily buildings of different sizes in the two geographies. It finds that, despite the mortgage gap, smaller multifamily rental properties may be in better condition generally and properties that have mortgages are generally in worse condition than those without mortgages, regardless of size. Moreover, it surfaces a number of possible reasons that can account for the mortgage gaps.
The Latest Legislative Reform of the 421-a Tax Exemption: A Look at Possible Outcomes
This report explores the possible impacts of the new 421-a legislation on residential development in New York City's neighborhoods. The legislation has set in motion three possible outcomes; the outcome should be determined in December 2016. Through financial modeling, this study details the effect each outcome will have on production of housing in different parts of the city. We find that the expiration of the 421-a benefit would likely lead to a disruption in the supply of housing by market rate builders, while a revised program without any increase in construction costs could result in the development of more rental units in many parts of the city compared to what the existing 421-a program would have created.
Quarterly Housing Update: 1st Quarter 2015
Housing prices increased over seven percent citywide compared to the same quarter of the previous year, according to the Furman Center's New York City 2015 Quarterly Housing Update: 1st Quarter, with prices in Brooklyn surpassing the peak level set before the Great Recession. The number of residential home sales increased by five percent citywide compared to the same quarter in 2014. Developers received approval to build nearly 6,000 new housing units in New York City, with projects in Brooklyn accounting for nearly all the growth in new development activity. The number of properties receiving notices of foreclosure was nearly 11 percent lower than it was during the same quarter in 2014. Read the full report.
Quarterly Housing Update: 4th Quarter 2014
The number of properties receiving notices of foreclosure was 25 percent lower in the fourth quarter of 2014 than in the same quarter in 2013, according to the Furman Center's New York City 2014 Quarterly Housing Update: 4th Quarter. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2013, the number of residential sales declined about two percent citywide, and housing prices increased over six percent citywide. Residential building permit rates varied across the boroughs: more units were authorized in the fourth quarter of 2014 than in the same quarter of the previous year in Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island, but the Bronx and Brooklyn saw sizable declines. Read the full report.
Do Homeowners Mark to Market? A Comparison of Self-reported and Estimated Market Home Values During the Housing Boom and Bust
This paper examines homeowners' self-reported values in the American Housing Survey and the Health and Retirement Study from the start of the recent housing price run-ups through recent price declines. It compares zip code level market-based estimates of housing prices to those derived from homeowners' self-reported values. The paper shows that there are systematic differences which vary with market conditions and the amount of equity owners hold in their homes. When prices have fallen, homeowners systematically state that their homes are worth more than market estimates suggest, and homeowners with little or no equity in their homes state values above the market estimates to a greater degree. Over time, homeowners appear to adjust their assessments to be more in line with past market trends, but only slowly. The results suggest that underwater borrowers are likely to understate their losses and either may not be aware that their mortgages are underwater or underestimate the degree to which they are.
Quarterly Housing Update: 3rd Quarter 2014
The number of units authorized by new residential building permits continued to rise in during third quarter of 2014, according to the Furman Center's New York City 2014 Quarterly Housing Update: 3rd Quarter, with Brooklyn experiencing the strongest growth. The number of residential properties sold in the third quarter of 2014 also increased citywide versus the same quarter in the previous year, most notably in Staten Island. Residential housing prices rose by over seven percent in the city overall, and the number of new residential foreclosure filings fell by more than 20 percent in each borough. Read the full report.

subset: commoncrawl


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it's time to say hello with video
Read how the media and advertising landscape have now changed forever
My aim is to create meaningful VIDEO content that reflects your business and personality, the story behind who you are.
A VIDEO can be 1-2 minutes long and adapted with a personalised business message from you, your family, friends or clients.
These are fantastic to share across all your social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Vibe, website or blog.
The mainstream media, advertising and marketing genres have been forced into change thanks to new and emerging technologies.
Some have dragged their knuckles whiles others have emerged as business disruptors.
An example of a media disruptor is the print and online magazine 'Renegade Collective' who bring a whole new meaningful way of dealing with their readership.
These gals have left a lot of others in there wake as they turn heads around the world. They are leading and driving the change.
If you haven't already done so maybe it's time you reviewed how you spend your advertising and marketing dollars. How effective are your campaigns and more importantly is it relevant or even working for you now in this next generation of exciting business opportunities?
Gone are the days when your only advertising choice were newspapers, television or radio.
The 2017 business trends are VIDEO messaging is now the preferred social media tool to start a conversation with your customers, friends or community on Facebook or Instagram.
My VIDEO costs are a lot less than typical advertising with packages starting from $100.00.
The great thing about a VIDEO is they can have a global reach.
VIDEO gives businesses an edge and adds value to your social media and business networks.
As a business owner it is your choice if you want to have a conversation with just the locals or expand your reach to the world.
VIDEO content plays for around 1 to 2 minutes and is ideal for business and product introductions, community events or announcements and news.
Join the sharing economy but start with someone you can trust.
Finally a VIDEO is a gift that keeps on giving.
Each time you have a custom VIDEO made for you, you can house it on your Facebook, INSTA or WEBSITE page for customers to view any time of the day.
Consultations, questions and advice are free!
If you would like to see what digital content I have created so far check out my VIMEO account, I have over 70 films there.
Video is perfect for:
Video is the best way to quickly connect with your customers via social media. Its all about short sharp and entertaining content thats highly shareable.
Online advertising is a highly effective way to connect not only with a local but global market.
Using video on your website is an awesome way to educate new customers about your product & services.
Video has to be one of the best ways to train and engage with staff. Perfect for in-house training or remote training of staff.


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Over the past few weeks, we've been talking to a lot of mobile business professionals--some veterans of the mobile marketplace and many just getting started. With easy and accessible mobile platforms like Android, writing a mobile application is often the easy part, but monetizing your application can be a real challenge. We're going to be talking a lot about different mobile application business strategies this month, but we thought we'd kick this topic off with a few high level thoughts. With so many new players in this field, we're seeing many developers and development companies struggle to figure out how to make money with applications. Choose the right strategy for your application and business. Choosing the right business strategy can be a challenge in any business. In the mobile marketplace, it's essential to have a clear picture of how you're going to make money from your application. Of course, this can be the hard part. This is especially important when you're a team of one or two, with no business background. Try to settle on a strategy that most suits your application (mass-market game with heavy social marketing, vertical market niche app with targeted premium users, etc.) Your business strategy (and business plan) also needs to jive with the amount of time and resources you're willing to devote to the project. There's little point in spending time, effort, and money mass marketing a vertical market application and there's little reason to build premium specialty features into a mass market application. Lastly, make sure your pricing plan works with your business model. Mass market applications are often priced cheaper in hopes of higher volume. Vertical market applications are often priced higher, but provide comprehensive feature sets for their target audience. Focus on one specific business strategy to start. Don't try to please everyone. We see a lot of fledgling developers try to incorporate many different business strategies simultaneously in hopes of reaching the maximum number of users (and thus make the maximum amount of money, right? Wrong!). This can be a huge waste of energy and resources--especially in the short term. The resulting application often has a mishmash of features (trying to satisfy everyone at the same time) and provides a mediocre experience for all users. It also makes it nearly impossible to price the application appropriately. Instead, try to focus on one strategy and do it well. Once you've got a good thing going, consider how to grow your business or application from there by adding other types of users or even different versions of your application. Avoid using the wrong business strategy and adapt as needed. One of the problems right now is that for many, there's not a clear path to success. Instead, you've got people trying everything. This is frustrating for developers (who want to make money on their apps) and especially for users (who are often willing to pay, but only if they get something of value). There's little method to the madness of how applications in a given store are being priced. In any given category, you'll find a bunch of free apps, some cheap ones, some moderately priced ones, plus a couple really "expensive" ones. This would be acceptable if users could determine WHY applications are priced a certain way. Unfortunately, the way that many current application stores, such as Android Market, are functioning now, the features of an application often bear little impact on the pricing of the application. Many applications are priced incorrectly. Some apps where just written and thrown up onto the store and left there to see how they do. Choosing the wrong business strategy ends up hurting everyone-developers and users alike. Users don't trust the pricing schemes or the market to help determine what to buy. A badly priced application in a given category of a store causes market disruption (sometimes planned, but more often unplanned). This is yet another challenge developers need to overcome. Unfortunately, you've got to work with the market and adapt. Pay attention to how your application fits into the broader marketplace and adapt as needed. To summarize: Develop a business strategy that's right for you and your app. Choose only one business strategy and do it well. Don't choose the wrong business strategy, and if you find you chose wrong one anyway, change! Next Up: Free application business strategies
Some Thoughts on Mobile Application Business Plans
Mobile developers are struggling to determine the appropriate business plans for their applications.


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Prep football: Coal Ridge Titans roll, tame Dolores Bears
PEACH VALLEY — Coal Ridge High School's football team hasn't felt this good for a long time. That was pretty easy to see on Saturday.
"This is huge, especially with how things went last year," Coal Ridge senior running back Jared Duran said following the Titans' 47-0 season-opening victory over Dolores. "So to go from the way things went last year to 47-0 today just feels great."
Duran was a big part of that, rushing for 144 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries to pace an offense that finished with 236 rushing yards and 338 yards of total offense. Duran's touchdown runs came from 2, 47 and 4 yards out, with his 4-yard jaunt with 5 minutes, 49 seconds remaining in the third quarter giving the Titans a 40-0 lead to kick in the 40-point, running-clock mercy rule.
The victory also snapped a long stretch of losses for Coal Ridge. Save a win by forfeit to Grand Valley from last season, the Titans' previous victory came in a 27-0 victory against Pagosa Springs on Sept. 28, 2012. The Titans had lost 13 in a row on the field prior to Saturday.
"It's definitely been a while," a smiling coach Kyle Sager said. "This was a good thing to see. It was nice to be able to get everybody in the game and to see this thing develop the way that we'd hoped."
Coal Ridge sophomore quarterback Jackson Sargent finished 6-of-9 passing for 102 yards and three touchdowns, with two of them going to senior wide receiver Tyler Sheerin. Max Bettle had the other TD reception — a 23-yard strike from Sargent with 5:12 remaining before halftime that gave the Titans (1-0) a 21-0 lead following the point-after kick from Luis Hernandez.
The Bears (0-1), who play in the Class 1A Southern Peaks League, didn't have enough manpower to keep up with the 2A Titans. Though Dolores had posted a season-opening 33-6 win on Aug. 23 against Montezuma-Cortez's junior varsity squad, the Bears were limited to just one first down in each half and eight yards of total offense, including negative-two yards rushing. Running back Brandon Donaldson paced Dolores with 26 rushing yards on seven carries.
"It was nice to see the backups, even when they came in, keep going hard throughout the whole game," Sager said.
At first, however, it didn't seem like Coal Ridge's running game — or Duran, for that matter — would be a factor.
After forcing the Bears to turn the ball over on downs on their first possession, Colton Ellis made a diving 35-yard reception on the Titans' first play from scrimmage to set Coal Ridge up with a first-and-goal on the Bears' 6-yard-line. Duran was stuffed for the three-yard loss and no gain on his first two carries, but Sargent hit Sheerin for a 9-yard TD strike with 8:41 on the clock to give the Titans the lead for good.
Duran only had one rush for negative yardage the rest of the game, and his ability to keep his legs moving to shake off tackles helped the 5-6, 150-pound running back gain most of those yards.
"We kind of came out timid with the running game," Duran said. "After that and after we got rid of all of the nerves we at the beginning, the line stepped it up, and that allowed me to step it up."
Coal Ridge continues nonleague play on Friday when the Titans host a much stronger Class 1A team in Meeker, which posted a 46-0 home victory over Roaring Fork on Aug. 29.
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Buzzer beater lifts Glenwood boys to home tourney title (with video)
John Iuele's fadeaway jump shot as time expired propelled the Demons to a thrilling 38-36 overtime victory against the Montrose Indians in the championship game of the Demon Invitational Tournament at Glenwood Springs High School.


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Abedeen provides a safe and nurturing environment that fosters exemplary Islamic education and strong academic excellence.
To deliver a world class educational experience and strive to create, support and maintain powerful, engaged learning in both the Islamic and academic fields. We use innovative techniques to enhance our students' life-long passion for learning through varied instructional strategies and exposure to a variety of science and art discipline.


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Directed by Lasse Halström and based on the novel by best-selling author Nicholas Sparks, DEAR JOHN tells story of John Tyree (Channing Tatum), a young soldier home on leave, and Savannah Curtis (Amanda Seyfried), the idealistic college student he falls in love with during her spring vacation. Over the next seven tumultuous years, the couple is separated by John's increasingly dangerous deployments. While meeting only sporadically, they stay in touch by sending a continuous stream of love letters overseas–correspondence that eventually triggers fateful consequences.
Opens February 5th.


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Sunday, February 7, 2016
Review: Wink Poppy Midnight by April Tucholke
24 comments:
The cover and the title back up the tone you mention about this one. I'm curious to try it.ReplyDeleteReplies
The design team did an AMAZING job with the cover! If you read this one, I hope you like it, Sophia. :DDelete
Ohh, yay for enjoying this book a lot sweetie :D It looks so pretty. And sounds so different. But.. I do not think I would enjoy that romance, lol. But you are making this book seem good :D So maybe one day. Thank you for sharing Alyssa. <3ReplyDeleteReplies
It's very different! And you're right, you probably wouldn't like it. You're welcome - and thank you!Delete
OOoh interesting! I initially thought this would be some sort of fantasy esque read what with that title of the character's names. They're so different and unique. It's odd to hear that this reads as more of a contemporary, but with possible paranormal elements? Sounds like an intriguing read! Great review!ReplyDeleteReplies
Not fantasy at all, not really! Very contemporary with some allusions to ghosts.Delete
Thank you, Jessica!
I love anything weird, and I think this would probably work for me. I have her other books but haven't read them, although I've read many rave reviews of Between the Devil. Thanks for reviewing!ReplyDeleteReplies
You would love this one, Tammy! Definitely read all three books. ;)Delete
Thank YOU!
Okay, I had to do some MAJOR skimming b/c I don't want the magic of Tucholke to be ruined but YAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited that a fan of her first two books liked this one!! April is an acquired taste I've come to learn. I really adored her first two books; I even liked the second one! So I had to request this one and I'm so glad to hear it's just as "off" as her others - AWESOME review!!!! :) You totally made my day, if you couldn't tell....ReplyDeleteReplies
I went into a little detail but not spoiler-y, promise. ;D I LOVED her debut duology! This one was (for me) not AS magical, but definitely magical still. If that makes sense. I hope you love it, Kristin! Happy reading (and best of luck with approval)!Delete
I love weird! This book sounds exactly like the ones I love to read. So glad you enjoyed it!ReplyDelete
Have a nice day, Alyssa!Replies
Weird is different, and very good! If you read it, I hope you love it, Lis. Thank you, and you too!Delete
This does sound strange, but very intriguing! Great review. :)ReplyDelete
Amazing review Alyssa! Wow now I am very intrigued to read a book by April Tucholke, but I am also scare that I am not going to like her books. Because I have heard her books are weird and I haven't read any books quite like that yet so I don't know if I will like them or not. But I really do want to give April Tucholke books a try because I heard nothing but great reviews about her books! So I will most definitely check out her books from the library, and see if I will like and enjoy them or not. Thanks for the awesome post my friend.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you so much! Start with her Between duology, not as "scary", yet still intriguing and intricate. I hope you enjoy, Katiria!Delete
Hmm I was super excited about this book because I thought it was going to be a YA mystery but it sounds like the mystery is not a big part of the book. :( It also seems that this is more of a character-driven plot. I don't know if I will read this now... but I just love love love this cover! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this one :)ReplyDeleteReplies
It's YA and there is a slip of mystery but it's not mystery-focused. Very character-driven, especially on Midnight's part.Delete
You're welcome, Lena!
I like weird books for the most part. I am super intrigued and excited for this so I'm glad to see you liked it Alyssa :)ReplyDeleteReplies
I feel like this one would be right up your alley, Nereyda. :D *nudges*Delete
I did read her previous series and although it was weird and didn't exactly loved it, I fell in love with her writing. It's just beautiful. I can do weird, so no worries there :)ReplyDeleteReplies
Her writing and style are amazing! She is easily one of the most unique and creative writers in the YA world. I hope you enjoy this one, Liza!Delete
I'm so so intrigued by this book and so in love with its cover!! I'm glad to hear that you liked a lot despite the strangeness! And glad to hear no love triangle!!ReplyDeleteReplies
Strange = good! It was an interesting one, definitely a Tucholke book through and through. I hope you enjoy it if you read it, Pili! =)Delete
I love comments! I will always try and reply to your comments, as well as leave some comment love on your blog! :)
Also, this an award and tag free blog. While I am flattered that you would think of me, I really do not have the time to follow up. Thank you!


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Asbestos Testing Melbourne – Asbestos Removalist
Asbestos Testing Melbourne is something which is very important for houses which have been built before the year 2000. These houses contain asbestos which is injurious to health. That is why it's important to get these tests done on a regular basis. For information call us on (03) 9435 4511 or visit our website asbestosremovalist.com.au.


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True FIM—Tripwire FIM: Assessing Change and Maintaining a Desired State
Just because a change is proposed and scheduled does not mean that it was actually made or made correctly. Many changes are intended to make improvements, or to correct problems, so being able to confirm they have successfully been made is critical. Otherwise the improvements are not realized or the problems remain when you think they have been resolved—both scenarios are ingredients for trouble.
Tripwire's FIM not only knows when things change, it can compare what actually changed to what was expected to change. No other FIM can do this at the level Tripwire can. Tripwire FIM provides independent confirmation of change processes and policies.
There are some changes that just shouldn't be made because they pose increased risk to the environment. Critical configuration files are one example. Each of these files contains one or more configuration settings values that must be in predefined states or ranges to meet and maintain security
policy. If any of these files is changed the settings values must immediately reevaluated to determine if they are still within policy. Application executable (.exe) files of a mission critical application are another example of files that should possibly generate an alert if they change for any reason. Tripwire FIM not only knows what has changed, but it also knows if certain files are supposed to change or if the actual change was within policy. Without the ability to analyze change you have little more than "noise".
Maintaining a Desired State
True FIM—Tripwire FIM—allows you to know what state you are in and then maintain that state. This is only possible because of our version-based architecture and our ChangeIQ capabilities which allow us to filter low-risk change (expected) from high-risk change (unexpected). No other FIM has either of these capabilities. Maintaining a desired state is at the core of best practice security. And if you constantly apply best practices you get compliance for free—it is simply a byproduct of daily operations.
Tripwire FIM improves security and proves compliance. All other FIM creates volumes of noise!


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Try turning logging on the pix box and log at the debug level. Then type Term Mon that should put the log to your screen. then have your remote user try to connect via VPN and see if there are any errors showing up.
Register Hereor login if you are already a member


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Job Opportunity: Archives Technician (Cataloger), Term, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DCPosted: May 18, 2015 Filed under: Opportunities: Job Postings | Tags: archives, Cataloging, jobs, museums Comments Off on Job Opportunity: Archives Technician (Cataloger), Term, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
This position is located in the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution (FSA). The galleries are devoted to the research, acquisition, exhibition, care, and management of the collections of Asian art in each museum and American art in the Freer Gallery. The two museums are co administered and share the same staff; however, they maintain separate identities. The collections of both museums are complementary, and provide extensive resources for original research, exhibitions, and the preservation of the cultural heritage of Asia.
The incumbent applies expert research techniques to serve as a manuscripts collections cataloger, responsible for creating online records representing overall collections, series, and item descriptions illustrated with digital representations. The records are made available online through the Smithsonian's Collections Search Center (CSC).
- Cataloging extensive holdings of documents, photographs, drawings and ephemera relating to the history, scholarship and appreciation of Asian and Near Eastern art, archaeological and architecture.
- Link records to digital surrogates uploaded into the Smithsonian's Digital Assets Management System (DAMS).
- Support the identification of portions of collections to be cataloged and made available online and research the accuracy and thoroughness of catalog entries.
Job Posts in Canada this week: Young Canada Works, part threePosted: April 17, 2015 Filed under: Cataloging, Opportunities: Job Postings | Tags: Canada, Cataloging, collections, digitization, programming, research Comments Off on Job Posts in Canada this week: Young Canada Works, part three
Museum Assistant – Research Intern, Langley Centennial Museum, Langely, BChttp://www.civicjobs.ca/101.asp?jobpostingid=26529&description=&provcode=BC&rid=&employer=&location=&pcid=82&searchby=yes&submit=+Go+#.VTEJ2PnF-Ig
As a student employee in the Recreation, Culture, and Parks Division of the Township of Langley, the incumbent will work on a short-term research project at the Langley Centennial Museum. The project will be an investigation into the work of the Royal Engineers – Columbia Detachment 1858 to 1863 and their role in the settlement, development and security of the newly formed Colony of British Columbia and an investigation into the life and achievements of Sapper Philip Jackman – the last surviving member of the Columbia Detachment, community pioneer and former Reeve/Mayor of the Township of Langley.
The Incumbent will also work under the supervision of the Museum's Curator in the areas of collections and exhibitions programs planning, development and execution to the benefit of the greater community and museum visitors.
The Collections Assistant will be an integral member of the Heritage Museum team through their support in the area of collections management. The summer student will work with our Collections Manager to improve collections procedures in the areas of storage, preservation, and expansion of information in the research files and collections database. The Collections Assistant will also have the opportunity to assist in other areas of museum operations including reception and programming.
The Programming Assistant will be an integral member of the Heritage Museum team through their support with museum programs, events, and exhibits. Further, they will be given the opportunity to assist with the development, research, and presentation of several projects. The emphasis of this work will be their assistance with our "Women of Aspenland" program, which currently houses over 80 profiles of local women, and is the largest collection of its kind in Canada. For more on this project visit our website at http://www.wetasiwinmuseum.com. The Programming Assistant will also help with special events as well as tours, and have the opportunity to work in other areas of museum operations including reception, administration, and marketing.
Museum Programs Assistant, Philip J Currie Dinosaur Museum, Wembley, AB
Job Duties: • Participate in promotion of programs through on-line material, school visits and community events • Create and present age-appropriate programming for both the public and school age children • Conduct Bonebed tours • Assist with developing educational material for museum interpretative programs
Museum Assistant, Miles Canyon Historic Railway Society, Whitehorse, YT
The Miles Canyon Historic Railway Society (MCHRS) runs a local, community museum, called the Copperbelt Railway & Mining Museum. The museum assistant will be responsible for the general operations of the Museum.
Program Assistant, Wallaceburg & District Museum, Wallaceburg, ON
The successful candidate will split the majority of their time between expanding the museum's Newspaper Index and running our children's Summer Camp. The student employee will be recording interesting stories and historical details into a computer database for future reference. The Summer Camp will run for three weeks during the course of the contract period. The camp's programs have already been created; the participant will be responsible for delivering, advertising and further developing these programs. In addition, the student will be expected to design and implement one day's worth of new programming.
Researcher and Cataloguer / Digitizer, Holocaust Memorial Museum, Montreal
Description des tâches et des responsabilités: – Numérisation des artefacts et des photos selon les normes de conservation; – Documentation des artefacts et des photos selon les lignes directrices établies; – Transfert des fichiers à un catalogue en ligne; – Assister la Coordonnatrice Musée avec les dons d'archives.
Responsabilités principales : Documenter la thématique générale de l'exposition; Produire un rapport de recherche; Repérer les collections, archives et autres ressources pertinentes pour le développement des contenus de l'exposition; Effectuer des recherches iconographiques.
And a summer job without the YCW stipulations:
Collections Assistant (Museum of Zoology), University of Alberta, Edmonton
Museums and Collection Services, University of Alberta invites applications for a self-motivated and energetic Collections Assistant. Reporting to the Collections Management Advisor (Natural Sciences), the successful candidate will work in a team environment to assist with the reorganization and storage upgrade of the University of Alberta Museum of Zoology's Mammalogy Collection.
Job Posting: Photo Cataloger, Adirondack Museum, Blue Mountain Lake, NYPosted: February 16, 2015 Filed under: Cataloging, Opportunities: Job Postings | Tags: Cataloging, jobs, museum, photography Comments Off on Job Posting: Photo Cataloger, Adirondack Museum, Blue Mountain Lake, NY
The Adirondack Museum (AM) in Blue Mountain Lake, founded in 1957, is one of the premier cultural institutions in upstate New York and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. AM's 65,000 square feet of exhibitions are dedicated to telling the story of one of America's most unique regions, its residents, and visitors. The year-round staff includes 33 employees with an additional 50 seasonal employees added during the open season May – October. The operating budget is approximately $5M. AM is embarking on an exciting period of growth and change. Detailed information about AM and its programs is available at www.adkmuseum.org
The AM has received funding from the Council on Library and Information Resources to hire an individual with strong organizational skills, and great attention to detail, to work with the Collections Department. Under the direction of the Chief Curator, this position will perform responsibilities related to documentation and preservation of the historic photograph collection. The Photo Cataloguer will supervise interns for this project and assist with the development of a catalog manual for visual collections. The position is a temporary (approximately 2 years), full-time position and offers a competitive salary and benefits.
|Candidates must have a Master's Degree in Library Science and two years' experience cataloguing visual materials. Knowledge of museum cataloguing techniques and museum software strongly preferred. The individual must have outstanding research skills and the ability to effectively manage time. Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills as well as strong computer skills (Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook) are required. Send cover letter, resume and salary requirements to:
Adirondack Museum
Attn: Colleen Sage, Human Resources Mgr.
PO Box 99, Blue Mt. Lake, NY 12812
Job Posting: Cataloger/Reference Librarian (Part-time), George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film, Rochester, NYPosted: December 12, 2014 Filed under: Cataloging, Opportunities: Job Postings | Tags: Cataloging, job posting, jobs, museum, reference Comments Off on Job Posting: Cataloger/Reference Librarian (Part-time), George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film, Rochester, NY
Job Title: Cataloger/Reference Librarian (Part-time)
Department: Richard and Ronay Menschel Library
Reports To:Virginia Dodier, Associate Librarian
Status: Part-time – 28 hours per week
Start Date: Immediately
Posting Dates: December 9, 2014 through December 23, 2014
Responsible for cataloging and maintaining online library collection database. Provide reference and advisory services to researchers, staff, students, volunteers and library visitors.
- Catalog and classify library collection materials in all formats and languages, using Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) Connexion and following Anglo-American Cataloging Rules (2nd ed.) (AACR2) and Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH). Both original cataloging and copy cataloging required.
- Manage Voyager Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) modules and OCLC cataloging and interlibrary loan modules. Perform system implementations, upgrades and integration of new modules, as needed.
- Act as liaison to the University of Rochester (UR) for George Eastman House (GEH) library records held in the UR Voyager OPAC system. Serve as first responder for any Voyager issues, troubleshooting and working with the UR support team, as needed.
- Serve as contact person for OCLC and Rochester Regional Library Council.
- Fulfill library reference requests submitted through GEH website, letter, email, or phone.
- Instruct researchers, students, visitors and staff in the use of library catalogs and finding aids, and in the safe handling of library materials. Provide student orientations and tours.
- Manage the serials operation responsibilities, including purchasing. Supervise volunteers in serials processing and record keeping.
- Direct and supervise student workers and volunteers to ensure that work meets standards.
- Assist the Associate Librarian with library policies and procedures, specifically for cataloging and reference services.
- Purchase and catalog library acquisitions. Maintain acquisition records.
- Submit and process all interlibrary loan (ILL) requests for materials not available at GEH, as requested by staff and students.
- Catalog materials for the Conservation Department library.
- Other responsibilities/projects as assigned by the Associate Librarian.
- Supervise students and volunteers. Ensure that work meets standards.
|Minimum Qualifications:
Please submit your cover letter and resume for consideration to Virginia Dodier, Associate Librarian firstname.lastname@example.com
Internships at the Corning Museum of GlassPosted: December 10, 2014 Filed under: Cataloging, Opportunities: Internships | Tags: Cataloging, internship, museum Comments Off on Internships at the Corning Museum of Glass
The Rakow Research Library at The Corning Museum of Glass is currently seeking applicant for a Cataloging intern and for a Public Services intern. More information can be found at: http://www.cmog.org/get-involved/internships.
Cataloging Internship
The Rakow Research Library at The Corning Museum of Glass, the world's foremost library on the art and history of glass and glassmaking, is excited to offer an internship for a library science student interested in the field of cataloging. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work with our book collection, which covers subject areas from archaeology to zoology and everything glass in between. Projects involve modifying and enhancing existing bibliographic records, copy-cataloging, and authority work, but may be tailored to the strengths and/or interests of the individual intern.
The preferred candidate is a motivated problem solver with an interest in cataloging. Applicants should have some practical experience with copy cataloging and the use of authority files. The intern will have strong organizational skills and attention to detail, and will feel comfortable working semi-independently with library materials in various languages. Ability to work in a Windows environment is required. Hands-on experience with OCLC Connexion and the Voyager library system is a plus. Experience with art-related subject matter is preferred but not necessary.
Public Services Internship
The Rakow Research Library at The Corning Museum of Glass, the world's foremost library on the art and history of glass and glassmaking, is excited to offer an internship for a library science student interested in the area of public services. The successful candidate will have the unique opportunity to work with our diverse international patron base, ranging from grade school students to studio artists to advanced scholars. Intern will work with the Public Services Team, in-person and virtual reference work, instruction, creating LibGuides, and planning social media campaigns and the internship may be tailored to the strengths and/or interests of the individual intern.
The preferred candidate is energetic, outgoing, and dynamic. Applicants should have some practical experience with reference, instruction or social media. The intern will have strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
Job Posting: Inventory Coordinator, Kentucky Historical Society, Frankfort, KYPosted: October 31, 2014 Filed under: Cataloging, Opportunities: Job Postings | Tags: Cataloging, historical society, museum Comments Off on Job Posting: Inventory Coordinator, Kentucky Historical Society, Frankfort, KY
KHS is currently undertaking a comprehensive inventory of the museum collection that contains an estimated 100,000-150,000 individual pieces. The project will entail inventorying, describing, and photographing items in the museum collection to help gain physical and intellectual control over the KHS collections. The project will culminate with every object in the KHS museum collections becoming accessible to researchers through the KHS Objects catalog (www.history.ky.gov/objects).
A successful candidate will have a Master's degree in Museum Studies, Public History, History, Art History or a related field. Other minimum requirements include: 1-2 years of experience handling museum collections, cataloging collections, and working with volunteers. The candidate should have 1 year of experience with the operation and maintenance of collections management software programs, Past Perfect 5.0 is preferred. The project does include moving some heavy items so the successful candidate should be comfortable lifting items that may weigh 30-50 pounds. The candidate should also have familiarity with writing for social media platforms such as blogs and Facebook.
Job Posting: Cataloger of Music and Dance, Brigham Young University, Provo, UtahPosted: September 18, 2014 Filed under: Cataloging, Opportunities: Job Postings | Tags: Cataloging, job postings, jobs Comments Off on Job Posting: Cataloger of Music and Dance, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
The mission of this position is to provide accurate and prompt bibliographic records in local and international cataloging databases for the Harold B. Lee Library General and Special Collections materials that relate to music and dance subject areas. This covers all formats including text, digital, audio-visual, and serial, with a growing emphasis on digital manifestations. The mission also includes participating in scholarship, creative works, and other professional development activities associated with faculty status.


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**If you are looking for my post with Clear and Simple Stamps, please scroll down**
Hi again! A few months back, my friend Meredith asked if I would like to be a guest designer for one of her Festive Friday Challenges. Of course, I said yes! :)
Today's challenge photo is so fun and should inspire a lot of unique Christmas cards! It was a little hard for me to get in the Christmas spirit in May, but this inspiration photo encouraged me to think a little outside the box. :)
Immediately upon seeing the trigger word "Sweet", I thought of one of my favorites from Lawn Fawn, Sweet Christmas. I pulled it out and this is what I came up with:
I had so much fun with this one! :) Be sure to check out the Festive Friday blog for more details! Hope you will play along! :)


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The ongoing debate on Conversion vs reconversion ( the so called " Gharwapsi" ) has heated up the political temeprature of country and put RSS and its disciple Narendra Modi in a eyeball to eyeball situation where both can not sustain their position for a long and it would be interesting to watch who blinks first?
Before reaching to any conclusion or drawing the climex picture of this drama it would be more practical to have a look into the background of this power tussle.
On the surface it seems like a power struggle between RSS and Narendra Modi but in actual it is a cold war between Narendra Modi and his old time ideological Guru and former Hindu Hriday Samrat VHP president Praveen Togadia who has to lost his image of Hindu Gladiator to his disciple and old associate and now the premier of country Narendra Modi.
Praveen Togadia is a leader in Hindu ideological family who has changed the whole dynamics and flavor of " Hindutva" politics and ideology since he became General secretary of vishwa Hindu Parishad in late 90's. Praveen Togadia was a known figure in Gujarat for Hindutva brigade but in the period of 90's during temple movement he was limited to the state of Gujarat only and was not among the national Hindu leaders who made headlines during this period as L K Advani, Ashok Singhal, Vinay Katiyar , Uma Bharti and Kalyan Singh. Even in the demolition of Babri Mosque on 6th December 1992 he was never mentioned . Praveen Togadia made headlines first time during the Godhra cranage and its aftermath communal riots. Praveen Togadia become sensational Hindu leaders for media and particularly electronic media which was mostly unknown for Hindu leaders and most of them were not exposed to this medium of media . Praveen Togadia exploited the electronic media and its wide reach with his new kind of uncompromising hardline Hindutva statements catering the audience which always liked to see Bal Thakraey brand of Hindutva on TV screens.
Praveen Togadia was different from typical RSS pracharak attitude and he never shy away from using the media to sensationalise his statements to become headlines . He was also different from typical RSS line in taking responsibilities for violent Hindutva acts without being caught in legal tangles. Neither he disowned his involvement in Gujarat riots and nor he owned it to be caught in legal trap.
Since 2002 Gujrat riots happened it not only changed the dynamics of Indian politics but also changed the internal dynamics of RSS extended family. Praveen Togadia changed the role and reach of Vishwa Hindu Parishad among Hindu society and an organisation which was meant to rehabiliate old retired RSS pracharaks and grow as a charitable religious organisation to work as ritualistic priestly group he took it to new dimensions to infuse politics into it and aspires to create a Hindu vote bank on his own .
After Gujarat riots when state elections happened Praveen Togadia did more political rallies in comaprison to BJP leaders and his startegy of extreme polarisation worked and he along with Narendra Modi shaken entire BJP and RSS leadership who were so worried with media reports after state elections who more often called it the new wave of " Modi Togadia brand of politics" .
It was more often said that since Modi consolidated his postion in state government in Gujarat once he relected in 2007 he done everything to keep Togadia away from state politics and he lost his say in state politics but in my opinion it is more generic assesment. Praveen Togadia since long time desire strong goals and ambitions to create his own Hindu vote bank based on religious symbolism and theory of Hindu persecution and to use this vote bank and support in Indian soil to become voice of Hindus in the whole world.
Those who know Praveen Togadia from the very close realise that although he has imposed a hotheaded rouge Hindu leader image on himself but he is the most intelligent, open minded and well read person in his personal capacity with a exposure of internatioanal politics and theology.
He has the shrewd knowledge and insight of internatioal political situation and he has realised that across the world the surge of far right political force is inevitable and Islamophobia is on the rise .
2014 is the year when Vishwa Hindu Parishad is celebrating its golden jubille year as 50 years ago in 1964 Vishwa Hindu Parishad was formed to get connected with Hindus who were living abroad and connecting Hindus inside country as well.
Praveen Togadia want to use this opportunity to rech out to his Hindu constituency across the country and Hindus abroad as well the latest example is the congregation of of Hindus living abroad in the name of " World Hindu Congress". In this event VHP decalared that in last 800 hundered years it is first time when a Hindu leader is occupying the top post in Delhi. It has put Narendra Modi in difficult position because his poularity in the world depends mostly on the support of indians living abroad who are not averse to the agenda of VHP .
RSS is the fountainhead of Hindu right politics in country and for its chief Mohan Bhagwat individuals does not matter more than their agenda of " Hindu Rashtra" and Praveen Togadia who has successfully fought to the previous BJP government of Atal Biharee Vajpee and forced both of the seniors Atal and Advani to get retire untimely to pave the way for more hard Hindutva leaders has shown his consistency and commitment towards the cherished goal of " Hindu Rashtra" with more loyalty in the eyes of Mohan Bhagwat .
It does not mean that Praveen Togadia and Mohan Bhagwat are so honest in their goal and they are not playing politics either. The manner in which Mohan Bhagwat and Praveen Togadia spoke in the Kolkata rally and waved their hands to the public it was a departure path from the conventional tradition of low profile subdued display of political ambition in public. In that public rally Mohan Bhagwat set the tone and redlines for Nanrendra Modi and later Togadia endorsed those views by declaring that his words are gospel truth for us.
Mohan Bhgwat has openly dared Modi to be ready for more confrontation from their side in near future. Last year RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was forced to abide by the popular demand of the country to endorse Narendra Modi as prime Ministerial candidate for BJP but he was not the favorite choice for him for his track record of undermining organisation and making his own constituency beyond the reach of organisation. Praveen Togadia and his RSS chief does not want this situation to happen at centre and even before this situation arise they want to send the message to cadre and Modi himself that ultimately who is the boss.
Praveen Togadia is not ready to be a subdued player this time and neither he is ready to be limited to the role as a value inhancer for BJP and Modi, he want to be listen this time with his footprints .
It is not a coincidnce that the whole issue of conversion and " Ghar wapsi" has been invoked in the winter session of parliament where key legislations for economic reforms were due and the progress on these reforms would have given Narendra Modi more leverage when president of USA would be visiting India on republic day. Mohan Bhagwat and Praveen Togadia knows very well the meaning of their statements and its repercussions but still they are insisting with their views what could we read between the lines . Mohan Bhagwat and Praveen Togadia were testing the water and they have realised that this is the time to go for kill. The donors of RSS and VHP mostly come from traditional trader community from India and medium enterprises who are averse to economic reform and FDI in few areas and they always feel insecure with growht of MNC's in India and right from 90's since economic reforms begins in the era of Narsimha Rao they have sided with RSS and its affiliates the whole concpet of " Swadeshi" was concepatulised in that period of Rao when RSS and its affiliates aggressively pushed for swadeshi . Since then the whole concpet of " Swadeshi" has swung to left with Anti American tilt .
In this whole debate of Conversion this economic angle can not be overlooked as most of the people from RSS and VHP believes that USA and other western countries are overtly or covertly supporting the cause of prosletysation of Christian missionaries in India. After Gujarat riots when USA state department decided to deny the visa for Narendra Modi from Visiting his country on the ground of Human rights violations it was mostly believed in India among Hindu organisations that it was all had been done in the pressure of evangelical lobby in USA.
Now lot of water has been flown in Ganges since Nanrendra Modi has took over as prime Minister of India and he is trying to repackage himself inside the country and abroad but it seems his journey and riding for governance is not so smooth.
Narendra Modi want to reinvent himself but RSS and VHP let him not allow to ride the path of modernity and liberalism without confronting his ideological baggase. It would be really interesting to watch who blinks first Modi or RSS?


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Israeli PRIDE: A letter to Gender JUSTPermanent link All Posts
What follows is a letter from guest blogger, Barak Gilor, founder of Club 1948, a non-profit organization providing "your alternative connection to Israel", to Chicago-based Gender JUST, described on its website as, "a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, and multi-generational grassroots organization of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Allied (LGBTQA) young people, LGBTQA people of color, and LGBTQA grassroots folks developing leadership and building power through organizing…Gender JUST believes that you cannot fight against sexual and gender oppression without fighting against racism and poverty. Because of this, it is especially important to Gender JUST to fight against racism, classism, sexism, ageism, and able-bodyism within LGBTQA communities."
Dear Gender JUST,
We were recently dismayed and disappointed to hear that the organization Gender JUST has refused to support an LGBT-related event because it is being "co-hosted by a Zionist organization." In justifying their decision to avoid contact with Club 1948, Gender JUST described itself as an "anti-oppression organization," and clearly indicated that it believes Club 1948 to be some kind of "pro-oppression" organization, merely because of our cultural connection to the state of Israel. We are happy to report that the vast majority of LGBT organizations in Chicago do not share this view, and have enthusiastically welcomed the support of Club 1948. Gender JUST's position is saddening to us because Club 1948 is also an anti-oppression organization, and we believe that Gender JUST may have misunderstood the nature of oppression of homosexuality in the Middle East.
Club 1948 is a non-profit organization that supports education and cultural understanding between Americans and Israelis through community events. We are named for Israel's year of independence: "1948" is the Israeli "1776." We do not take specific political positions; we merely take pride in Israeli culture, and in Israel's existence.
Israelis are a diverse and democratic people who work very hard to foster a safe and peaceful home for those of all sexual orientations. Here are a few examples:
Israel has no sodomy or other disguised "anti-gay" laws, many thriving, Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual and Transgender ("LGBT") organizations, annual gay pride parades in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and even members of parliament who actively speak out on LGBT issues. LGBT culture is proudly featured on television, in movies, and visible in the culture of daily life. There was recently a tragic and highly unusual attack by a lone extremist against the LGBT community center in Tel Aviv, which resulted in a massive outpouring of support and emotion from hundreds of thousands of Israelis from all walks of life. If anything, this attack is the exception that proves the rule: Israel and Israelis overwhelmingly understand, accept, and advocate the idea that basic human freedoms apply to LGBT people just as much as to any other person. In fact, it is not uncommon for Palestinian LGBT people to escape TO Israel as refugees FROM their respective Palestinian governments.
In Gaza and the West Bank, Palestinian police ruthlessly enforce what those particular governments perceive as the Islamic principle that homosexuality is an offense of immorality, punishable by torture and death. (There are many around the world who would disagree with this interpretation of Islam.) These are just a few examples of LGBT life in Gaza and the West Bank over the last several years:
Gays who are caught by the Palestinian police are sent to jail and then forced to become undercover police agents, sent to "ferret out homosexuals." One such 21-year old Palestinian gay man was caught by his own brother having gay sex, and turned over to the local Palestinian police. He went through the following ordeal: "to stand in sewage water up to his neck, his head covered by a sack filled with feces, and then he was thrown into a dark cell infested with insects." During one interrogation Palestinian police stripped him and forced him to sit on a Coke bottle (Chicago Free Press). A 17-year-old gay youth recalled that he spent months in a Palestinian Authority prison "where interrogators cut him with glass and poured toilet cleaner into his wounds" (The New Republic). A 33-year-old gay Palestinian man petitioned the Israeli High Court of Justice asking it to grant him permanent residency in Israel so that he may live with his partner, who lives in the central Israeli city of Bat Yam. The man, a resident of the northern West Bank village of Tamon, claimed to fear for his life should he not be able to leave the West Bank and live in Israel (YNet News).
The peace process between Israel and Palestinians, like all peace processes, is a complex one. It requires great understanding and also painful compromises by all involved. To define Israelis, who are a real and complex people, as being "oppressive," is just as narrow minded and naïve as the idea of defining all Palestinian people as "terrorists." Neither definition is accurate or conducive to the quest for peace, security and dignity for all peoples of the Middle East. It is not our intention to address this broad and complex topic in a single letter. Today, we are focused on a specific issue:
It is Club 1948's position that all people, regardless of sexual orientation, are entitled to basic human rights, not the least of which is the right to live a life that is free from fear. This is why Club 1948 sponsored a float in this year's Chicago Gay Pride Parade, in commemoration of the Tel Aviv Gay Pride Parade, which was proceeding during the same month. There are no Gay Pride Parades in Gaza or the West Bank. Perhaps someday there will be. Perhaps we will all play a part in helping to bring that day closer.
We hope that the evolving landscape in the Middle East will bring to Israelis and Palestinians not only safety, prosperity, security and peace, but also that it will bring to the Palestinian LGBT communities the same basic human rights that LGBT communities enjoy in Israel today. Further, we hope that someday the good people of Gender JUST will come to understand what most of the Chicago LGBT organizations already know: as Americans we have so much in common – with each other, with Club 1948, and for that matter the state of Israel, in our shared pursuit of the freedom from oppression.
Club 1948 will continue to support Chicago's LGBT community with PRIDE, because that is part of what Israeli culture is all about. We look forward to the day when Gender JUST will join us!
Sincerely yours,
Barak Gilor
founder, Club 1948
Lilac Epstein
director of public relations, Club 1948
Daniel Pomerantz
general counsel, Club 1948
For more information about Club 1948 visit their website or email email@example.com .


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Our Altar
Example of a Typical Altar Arrangement
A Kindlers altar is primarily a place around which to gather, and since every gathering is a bit different, the altar will often have differences. Nothing on the altar is necessary or required. In fact, the act of coming together and setting the intent that the ground around which we gather is our "altar" we believe makes it so.
Still we believe that having particular ritual tools and symbols, in a particular arrangement on a central altar can help focus the group. The pattern of lights, textures and smells set the mundane-chatter-mind at ease and attract the inner-spirit-child. "Oh, I recognize this - it's time to come out and be with my friends and sing, dance, play and learn together in the realm of Spirit."
Below is one of our more scaled down/functional altars making it easier to see what goes where and why:
Ritual West - Air
We begin with the westward direction of the altar and immediately begin with controversy - which is fitting for the direction that brings us our weather. Many pagans of European-influenced traditions will insist that West equates with Water and East with Air, because for many Europeans the largest body of water was in the West and the weather-bringing Winds originated from the East. The East was also, for centuries, the primary source of influxes of trade, cross-cultural contact and sociopolitical change/upheaval in the form of bands of Eastern invaders.
Kindlers lives on the East Coast of the US in the DC region. In our modern world culture, trade and change can come from almost any direction, but we do notice that the largest body of water is to the East and most of our weather blows in from the West. So that is where we have placed those elements on our altar.
At West you might typically find the following:
- Censing/smudging needs - we tend to use a plain open censor filled with sand and charcoal for burning bulk incense or joss sticks, but you might also find sweetgrass braids, a smudgepot or thurible.
- Fan - both symbolic of Air and useful for smudging.
- Bell indicating the first vibration of Creation, and the carrying of sound through the Air.
- Flint/striker to indicate the spark of In-spiration (may also be at South).
- An Athame or double-edged knife ( perhaps even a sword ). The double edged blade represents the ability of the Sacred Intent and In-spiration to cut through any matter. Since this has overlapping connotations with Fire as well, you will most likely see the athame starting in the West and crossing into the the South as well. Because it cuts to the heart of the matter, it's often very close also to the Center.
The cycles West and Air correspond with are dusk, Autumn equinox, harvest, waning moon/third quarter, ebb tide, one's golden years. West and Air also correspond with communications, travel, weather, the written and spoken word, trade, technology, the breath of inspiration, analytical science or logic, left-brain thinking, reason and intellect, the mind.
Ritual South - Fire
At South you might typically find:
- A lamp, candle or other fire source.
- A representation of the Sun.
- Matches, flint, striker.
- Athame (see West ).
- Wand. The wand requires some consideration. The Wand like the
Athame can cut the air and point in the direction of one's
intent, so it could be thought to live in the West with Air.
Wands are often made of wood, crystal or metal so could be placed
in the North with Earth. We tend to put the Wand at the South.
Wands can either fuel the Fire, grow towards the Sun or point
the way, (like the Lamp) through the constantly changing mundane
world to the flame of Spirit.
We tend to set the Wand across the Athame so they are conjoined, just as Fire and Air are joined in the process of censing, the union of which serves as a means of purification and/or consecration.
The cycles South and Fire correspond with are noon, Summer solstice, flowering season, full moon, high tide, parenthood and/or working life. South and Fire also correspond with intent, passion, choice, knowing one's truth, the spark of one's inner flame and call to Spirit, the will.
Ritual East - Water
At East you might typically find:
- Chalice, drinking horn or other drinking vessel
- Pitcher or Ewer, or even a simple bowl or any other vessel for water
- Cauldron
- Shells or other symbols of Water
- Ritual drink and libation bowl
- Divinatory or scrying tools
The cycles East and Water correspond with are dawn, Spring equinox, growing season, waxing moon/first quarter, neap tide, late childhood as it moves into young adulthood. East and Water also correspond with holism, pattern recognition, gestalt, the sum-greater-than-the-parts, feelings, the subconscious/unconscious, the artistic, right-brain thinking, instinct, intuition, the emotions.
Ritual North - Earth
At North you might typically find:
- Salt cellar or some other container of salt (may also be at East)
- Container of flour/meal, sand, peat, or earth
- Candle snuffer
- Flowers, crystals or other treasures from the Earth
- Mortar and pestle or other implement for rendering herbs (may also be at East)
- Boleen, curfane, white handled knife, or other practical implement often used for snipping, cutting herbs and so forth
- Ritual food, cookies, fruit and so on
- Brighid's crosses, statuary, amulets, pentacle/pentagram
- Scourge
- Drums and noisemakers
The cycles North and Earth correspond with are midnight, Winter Solstice, fallow season, new moon, low tide, birth/Wiccaning and/or death/Croning. North and Earth also correspond with generation and creativity, nurturance, rest, respite, rejuvenation, grounding, protection, sustenance, support, solidity, manifestation, the body.
Ritual Center - The All/the One/Spirit
At the Center you might find the following:
- God and Goddess candles
- Unity candle representing the One, the All, Spirit
- Statuary/icons/objects representing the God/Goddess/Spirit
- Chain, braid or cords; lemniscate, Moebius, spiral or yin/yang
The Center can be thought of as the union of the opposites in the cycle. It can be thought of as the entirety of the cycle - of all cycles. Yet it is that which is beyond or before any cycle as well. The Mystery which finite words or reasoning just cannot capture.
Hey - Why Counterclockwise instead of Clockwise?
Most pagans from most traditions will start with the East because that's where the sun rises and move clockwise or deosil 'round the circle to the North - always in the apparent direction of the Sun looking outward from the vantage point of a person standing on the Earth. Fair enough, we all have a natural experience of this apparent Sun-motion (at least in the Northern hemisphere).
But we Kindlers believe it's also important, especially when trying to contact the connection to Spirit that exists within all of us, to look inward. We believe our society already does enough outward looking and seek to balance that. So, in our Circles, we concentrate on the Earth-motion and therefore start with the West and move counterclockwise or widdershins 'round the circle to North, finally spiralling inward to Center.
Many pagans might consider this backwards or rather as a form of banishing or sending away these energies - our intent is that we are in-voking all the energies of the magickal world to Center so that we may contact Spirit, which after all not only lives outside of us and all around us, but within us all.
How to join or find out more about us
We invite others in the DC metro area interested in our path to join us and find out if this is a direction for you to explore. If you are interested in learning more about us or have questions about the ideas we are exploring, please contact us.
All genuine seekers are welcome. If this is not what you are seeking, then please seek elsewhere and blessings be with you.


text:
Michael L. Bleeker, DMD
Bruxism refers to parafunctional activity of the lower jaw which occurs in most humans at some point in their lives. The grinding and clenching of the teeth are the two main characteristics of this condition, which can occur either during the day or at night.
Bruxism is frequently misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all, because it is only one of several potential causes of tooth wear. Only a trained professional can tell the difference between bruxing wear and wear caused by overly aggressive brushing, acidic soft drinks and abrasive foods.
Reasons of bruxism
Here are some of the main reasons why bruxism should be promptly treated:
Treatment options for bruxism
There is no single cure for bruxism, though a variety of helpful devices and tools are available. Here are some common ways in which bruxism is treated:
Other methods of treatment include relaxation exercises, stress management education and biofeedback mechanisms. When the bruxing is under control, there are a variety of dental procedures such as crowns, gum grafts and crown lengthening that can restore a pleasant aesthetic appearance to the smile.
If you have questions or concerns about bruxism, please ask us!
Dr. Bleeker's assistant was incredible helping me navigate the insurance maze to ensure that I received the maximum insurance benefits that my policy allowed. My particular case was actually a medical condition, but the insurance initially denied coverage, wanting me to see another prosthodontist who was under their plan, or use my dental benefits, which were substantially less. Frankly, Dr. Bleeker is the most qualified prosthodontist for what I needed to have done, and I refused to see anyone else. Deborah was absolutely tenacious in helping me communicate effectively with the insurance company to get approval for the procedure, using the benefits guaranteed by my coverage.
For Dr. Bleeker:
Dr. Bleeker helped me to overcome my hyper nasality. Having been born with a hare lip cleft palate, I had suffered with this condition my whole life, without realizing that it could be rectified. The procedure requires incredibly patience, compassion and skill, and Dr. Bleeker was fantastic. For the first time in my life, I now have normal speech!!!
Elizabeth M.