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In the interests of even further simplifying the question of 'what should I buy' – and answering many emails and requests simultaneously – I've created this guide to gear, complete with purchasing links and links to reviews (where applicable). For full disclosure, every purchase through one of these links does give me a small commission that helps keep the site going (we run through something like 10 TB of bandwidth a month) but won't cost you any extra. Thanks for the support! MT
You can also find a complete list of my equipment here at B&H.
Last updated 13 May 2020
Ming's currently owned equipment
Cheap, cheerful and/or portable
Apple iPhone 11 Pro** – review Amazon
Nikon Z 16-50/3.5-6.3 DX** – B&H Amazon
Nikon Z 50-250/4.5-6.3 DX** – B&H Amazon
Heavier things
Nikon Z7** – review long-term custom-profiles B&H Amazon
Nikon Z 24-70/2.8 S** – Amazon B&H
Nikon Z 85/1.8 S** – B&H Amazon
Nikon FTZ adaptor** – B&H Amazon
Nikon AFS 24-120/4 VR** – review B&H Amazon
Nikon AFS 70-200/2.8 FL ED VR E** – Amazon B&H
Nikon AFS 60/2.8 G Micro** – review B&H Amazon
Nikon PCE 19/4 E** – B&H Amazon
Nikon PCE 85/2.8 Micro** – B&H Amazon
Zeiss ZF.2 1.4/28 Otus APO-Distagon** – review B&H
Zeiss ZF.2 1.4/55 Otus APO-Distagon** – review B&H Amazon
Zeiss ZF.2 1.4/85 Otus APO-Planar** review B&H
Zeiss ZF.2 2/135 APO-Sonnar** – B&H Amazon
Voigtlander 180/4 APO-Lanthar** – review
Godox V1** (available for multiple systems) – Amazon
Godox XPro** (available for multiple systems) – B&H Amazon
Godox AD400** (system independent but gains TTL with the Xpro remote) – B&H Amazon
Hasselblad V series, and C T*/CF/CFE/CFi lenses** (currently, a 501CM, 4/50 CF FLE T*, 2.8/80 C T*, 5.6/135 CF T* bellows, 4/150 CF T*, 5.6/250 C Superachromat) – quick guide to the Hasselblad V series
Billingham Hadley Small Pro** – B&H
Peak Design Everyday Sling 6L** – Amazon B&H
Peak Design Everyday Backpack 30L** – B&H Amazon
Think Tank Airport Roller Derby** – B&H Amazon
Arca-Swiss P0 Monoball ball head** – B&H Amazon
Arca-Swiss C1 Cube geared head** – B&H
Really Right Stuff TVC-24L tripod** – B&H
Gitzo GT2545T Series 2 Carbon Exact Traveller** – B&H Amazon
DJI Mavic Pro** – Drone diaries B&H Amazon
DJI Mavic 2 Pro** – review B&H Amazon
Sandisk Extreme Pro SD UHSII 300MB/s** – B&H Amazon
Sandisk Extreme Pro SD UHSI V30 95MB/s** – B&H Amazon
Sony G series XQD cards** – B&H Amazon
Apple iPad Pro 11″** – B&H Amazon
Apple magic keyboard for iPad Pro** – B&H Amazon
Apple Mac Pro 2019** – B&H (I have the 16 core/ Radeon Vega 32GB/ 2TB SSD model, with RAM upgraded to 224GB with an OWC kit).
Wacom Cintiq Pro 32″** – B&H Amazon
Previously enjoyed, now rationalised
Nikon D850* – custom-profiles B&H Amazon
Nikon D3500* – B&H Amazon
Nikon AFP 18-55/3.5-5.6 DX VR G* – B&H Amazon
Nikon AFP 70-300/4.5-6.3 DX VR G* – B&H Amazon
Nikon AFS 70-200/4 G VR* – B&H Amazon Note: incredible optics, but not as weather sealed as you might like to think – mine died from ingress of condensing moisture
Nikon Z 24-70/4 S* – review B&H Amazon Replaced by 24-70/2.8 S
Nikon Z 50/1.8 S* – B&H Amazon
Sony RX0 II* – review B&H Amazon
Fuji XF10* – B&H Amazon
Olympus PEN-F* – review additional thoughts B&H Amazon
Panasonic Leica 12-60/2.8-4* – B&H Amazon
Panasonic 12-32/3.5-5.6 compact zoom* – B&H Amazon
Panasonic 35-100/4-5.6 compact zoom* – B&H Amazon
Panasonic 42.5/1.7* – B&H Amazon
Panasonic Leica 15/1.7* – B&H Amazon
Panasonic 30/2.8 Macro* – B&H Amazon
Olympus E-M1 Mark II* – review B&H Amazon
Olympus ZD 12-100/4 PRO* – B&H Amazon
Olympus ZD 60/2.8 macro* – review B&H Amazon
Olympus ZD 75/1.8* – review B&H Amazon
Leica 50/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH* on a various adaptors – B&H Amazon
Hasselblad H6D-100c* – early thoughts B&H
Hasselblad H5D-50c* – review
Hasselblad HCD 4.8/24* – B&H
Hasselblad HCD 4/28* – B&H
Hasselblad HC 3.5/50 II* – B&H
Hasselblad HC 2.2/100* – B&H
Hasselblad HC 3.2/150 N* – B&H
Hasselblad HCD 4-5.6/35-90* – B&H
Hasselblad HC 1.7x TC* – B&H
Hasselblad HTS 1.5x* – B&H
Hasselblad X1D-50c* 4116 edition – review B&H
Hasselblad XCD 21/4* – B&H
Hasselblad XCD 30/3.5* – B&H
Hasselblad XCD 45/3.5* – B&H
Hasselblad XCD 90/3.2* – B&H
Hasselblad XCD 120/3.5* – B&H
Full disclosure: anything purchased from the links gives me a small referral fee; it doesn't cost you any more, but it does help me keep the site running. Thanks for the support! MT
Visit our Teaching Store to up your photographic game – including Photoshop Workflow DVDs and customized Email School of Photography. You can also get your gear from B&H and Amazon. Prices are the same as normal, however a small portion of your purchase value is referred back to me. Thanks!
Don't forget to like us on Facebook and join the reader Flickr group!
Images and content copyright Ming Thein | mingthein.com 2012 onwards. All rights reserved


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Whether it's a game of hoops in the gym below or a round of Modern Warfare 3 on the Panasonic 85-inch plasma display in the loft-like media room above, this space offers all levels of excitement. "The idea of the media room was to create a space that could be used both as a hangout for younger users or as a place for the adults to enjoy while monitoring the kids on the ball court," says lead programmer Dave Ohlendorf of Bekins, a custom electronics design and installation company from Grand Haven, Mich.
The media-room seating area edges up to a net, which catches errant basketballs should things get heated during a game. The space's open layout at the back of the room makes for a unique environment, but presented challenges for the installers at Bekins, who were given the task of creating a gaming-centric A/V system with impressive surround sound and big, beautiful video.
For starters, gymnasiums are notorious for bad acoustics. Luckily, the architects and designers recognized this from the get-go and took the initiative to install acoustic panels around the window and on the ceiling above the stairs to dampen the noise from the ball court. This left room equalization as Bekins' primary tool for dialing in the Paradigm surround system and making the room sound incredible. The front speakers are mounted around the television, the rears to the ceiling beams behind the seating area, and the subwoofers are hidden in custom cabinetry along the front wall. "Because the homeowners wanted the subwoofers to be invisible, the cabinets are engineered to accommodate them," says Ohlendorf. "Working with the custom cabinetmaker allowed us to properly control the heat of the equipment as well as get the most acoustically out of each speaker." Middle Atlantic racks are mounted directly inside the cabinets and slide out and rotate for easy system changes or upgrades (see slideshow).
With the rear of the room open to the gym and windows along the front wall, controlling ambient light in the room was crucial. Bekins used Lutron motorized shades to eliminate sunlight from the windows along the front wall. Meanwhile, the Panasonic plasma provides a bright image, made even more vibrant after Bekins technicians dialed it in to further combat light that streams in from the gym.
If the homeowners are tired of playing video games, they can use an AMX home control app on their iPad to choose something else to watch on any of eight displays around the house—including the media room's plasma TV. An HDMI video-distribution system directs the video, such as a movie that's stored on an Kaleidescape video server, to the appropriate display.
The project was completed in less than four months, proving that performance under fire often nets the best results, much like Steve Nash at the free-throw line. The Bekins team gave the homeowners a modern media room by working around the room's idiosyncrasies and selecting gear that takes this game to the next level.
The Entertainment MVP
The MVP of this theater isn't the larger-than-life plasma display or the surround-sound system—although both certainly shine. It's the Integra DTR-40.2 receiver hidden inside custom cabinetry along the video wall. This receiver features calibration software that allowed the custom electronics (CE) pros at Bekins, Grand Haven, Mich., to find the best positions for the surround-sound speakers in this unusual entertainment space. With its built-in microphone, the receiver performs sound measurements from each speaker by generating tones and analyzing that information. Using that data, it calculates distance settings, speaker levels and equalizer settings. "By itself it can make a big difference in the way a room sounds," says lead programmer Dave Ohlendorf. "With an experienced installer to smooth out any rough edges, it can make for a very powerful tool in making the room sound the best it can."
According to Ohlendorf, the receiver is also very install-friendly. Multiple assignable inputs and RS-232 communications capabilities allow it to be tied to a home control system like the AMX system that manages this house. From the same AMX touchpanel that's used to operate the lights and motorized shades, the homeowners can control the Integra receiver, adjusting its volume, surround-sound modes and other settings.
Check out another extreme game room system here.
Grand Haven, Mich.www.realcoolstore.com
AMDG Architects
Grand Rapids, Mich.www.amdgarchitects.com
Via Design
Grand Rapids, Mich.viadesign-inc.com
Mike Schaap Builders
Holland, Mich.www.mikeschaapbuilders.com
Benchmark Wood Studio
Holland, Mich.www.benchmarkwoodstudio.com

subset: commoncrawl


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The field of artificial-intelligence research (AI), founded more than 50 years ago, seems to many researchers to have spent much of that time wandering in the wilderness, swapping hugely ambitious goals for a relatively modest set of actual accomplishments. Now, some of the pioneers of the field, joined by later generations of thinkers, are gearing up for a massive "do-over" of the whole idea.
This time, they are determined to get it right -- and, with the advantages of hindsight, experience, the rapid growth of new technologies and insights from the new field of computational neuroscience, they think they have a good shot at it.
The new project, launched with an initial $5 million grant and a five-year timetable, is called the Mind Machine Project, or MMP, a loosely bound collaboration of about two dozen professors, researchers, students and postdocs. According to Neil Gershenfeld, one of the leaders of MMP and director of MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms, one of the project's goals is to create intelligent machines -- "whatever that means."
The project is "revisiting fundamental assumptions" in all of the areas encompassed by the field of AI, including the nature of the mind and of memory, and how intelligence can be manifested in physical form, says Gershenfeld, professor of media arts and sciences. "Essentially, we want to rewind to 30 years ago and revisit some ideas that had gotten frozen," he says, adding that the new group hopes to correct "fundamental mistakes" made in AI research over the years.
The birth of AI as a concept and a field of study is generally dated to a conference in the summer of 1956, where the idea took off with projections of swift success. One of that meeting's participants, Herbert Simon, predicted in the 1960s, "Machines will be capable, within 20 years, of doing any work a man can do." Yet two decades beyond that horizon, that goal now seems to many to be as elusive as ever.
It is widely accepted that AI has failed to realize many of those lofty early promises. "Considering the outrageous optimism of much of the early hype for AI, it is no wonder that it couldn't deliver. This is an occupational hazard of many new fields," says Daniel Dennett, a professor of philosophy at Tufts University and co-director of the Center for Cognitive Science there. Still, he says, it hasn't all been for nothing: "The reality is not dazzling, but still impressive, and many applications of AI that were deemed next-to-impossible in the '80s are routine today," including the automated systems that answer many phone inquiries using voice recognition.
Fixing What's Broken
Gershenfeld says he and his fellow MMP members "want to go back and fix what's broken in the foundations of information technology." He says that there are three specific areas -- having to do with the mind, memory, and the body -- where AI research has become stuck, and each of these will be addressed in specific ways by the new project
The first of these areas, he says, is the nature of the mind: "how do you model thought?" In AI research to date, he says, "what's been missing is an ecology of models, a system that can solve problems in many ways," as the mind does.
Part of this difficulty comes from the very nature of the human mind, evolved over billions of years as a complex mix of different functions and systems. "The pieces are very disparate; they're not necessarily built in a compatible way," Gershenfeld says. "There's a similar pattern in AI research. There are lots of pieces that work well to solve some particular problem, and people have tried to fit everything into one of these." Instead, he says, what's needed are ways to "make systems made up of lots of pieces" that work together like the different elements of the mind. "Instead of searching for silver bullets, we're looking at a range of models, trying to integrate them and aggregate them," he says.
The second area of focus is memory. Much work in AI has tried to impose an artificial consistency of systems and rules on the messy, complex nature of human thought and memory. "It's now possible to accumulate the whole life experience of a person, and then reason using these data sets which are full of ambiguities and inconsistencies. That's how we function -- we don't reason with precise truths," he says. Computers need to learn "ways to reason that work with, rather than avoid, ambiguity and inconsistency."
And the third focus of the new research has to do with what they describe as "body": "Computer science and physical science diverged decades ago," Gershenfeld says. Computers are programmed by writing a sequence of lines of code, but "the mind doesn't work that way. In the mind, everything happens everywhere all the time." A new approach to programming, called RALA (short for "reconfigurable asynchronous logic automata") attempts to "re-implement all of computer science on a base that looks like physics," he says, representing computations "in a way that has physical units of time and space, so the description of the system aligns with the system it represents." This could lead to making computers that "run with the fine-grained parallelism the brain uses," he says.
MMP group members span five generations of artificial-intelligence research, Gershenfeld says. Representing the first generation is Marvin Minsky, professor of media arts and sciences and computer science and engineering emeritus, who has been a leader in the field since its inception. Ford Professor of Engineering Patrick Winston of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory is one of the second-generation researchers, and Gershenfeld himself represents the third generation. Ed Boyden, a Media Lab assistant professor and leader of the Synthetic Neurobiology Group, was a student of Gershenfeld and thus represents the fourth generation. And the fifth generation includes David Dalrymple, one of the youngest students ever at MIT, where he started graduate school at the age of 14, and Peter Schmidt-Nielson, a home-schooled prodigy who, though he never took a computer science class, at 15 is taking a leading role in developing design tools for the new software.
The MMP project is led by Newton Howard, who came to MIT to head this project from a background in government and industry computer research and cognitive science. The project is being funded by the Make a Mind Company, whose chairman is Richard Wirt, an Intel Senior Fellow.
"To our knowledge, this is the first collaboration of its kind," Boyden says. Referring to the new group's initial planning meetings over the summer, he says "what's unique about everybody in that room is that they really think big; they're not afraid to tackle the big problems, the big questions."
The Big Picture
Harvard (and former MIT) cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker says that it's that kind of big picture thinking that has been sorely lacking in AI research in recent years. Since the 1980s, he says "there was far more focus on getting software products to market, regardless of whether they instantiated interesting principles of intelligent systems that could also illuminate the human mind. This was a real shame, in my mind, because cognitive psychologists (my people) are largely atheoretical lab nerds, linguists are narrowly focused on their own theoretical paradigms, and philosophers of mind are largely uninterested in mechanism.
"The fading of theoretical AI has led to a paucity of theory in the sciences of mind," Pinker says. "I hope that this new movement brings it back."
Boyden agrees that the time is ripe for revisiting these big questions, because there have been so many advances in the various fields that contribute to artificial intelligence. "Certainly the ability to image the neurological system and to perturb the neurological system has made great advances in the last few years. And computers have advanced so much -- there are supercomputers for a few thousand dollars now that can do a trillion operations per second."
Minsky, one of the pioneering researchers from AI's early days, sees real hope for important contributions this time around. Decades ago, the computer visionary Alan Turing famously proposed a simple test -- now known as the Turing Test -- to determine whether a machine could be said to be truly intelligent: If a person communicating via computer terminal could carry on a conversation with a machine but couldn't tell whether or not it was a person, then the machine could be deemed intelligent. But annual "Turing test" competitions have still not produced a machine that can convincingly pass for human.
Now, Minsky proposes a different test that would determine when machines have reached a level of sophistication that could begin to be truly useful: whether the machine can read a simple children's book, understand what the story is about, and explain it in its own words or ask reasonable questions about it.
It's not clear whether that's an achievable goal on this kind of timescale, but Gershenfeld says, "We need good challenging projects that force us to bring our program together."
One of the projects being developed by the group is a form of assistive technology they call a brain co-processor. This system, also referred to as a cognitive assistive system, would initially be aimed at people suffering from cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. The concept is that it would monitor people's activities and brain functions, determine when they needed help, and provide exactly the right bit of helpful information -- for example, the name of a person who just entered the room, and information about when the patient last saw that person -- at just the right time.
The same kind of system, members of the group suggest, could also find applications for people without any disability, as a form of brain augmentation -- a way to enhance their own abilities, for example by making everything from personal databases of information to all the resources of the internet instantly available just when it's needed. The idea is to make the device as non-invasive and unobtrusive as possible -- perhaps something people would simply slip on like a pair of headphones.
Boyden suggests that the project's initial five-year timeframe seems about right. "It's long enough that people can take risks and try really adventurous ideas," he says, "but not so long that we won't get anywhere." It's a short enough span to produce "a useful kind of pressure," he says. Among the concepts the group may explore are concepts for "intelligent," adaptive books and games -- or, as Gershenfeld suggests, "books that think."
In the longer run, Minsky still sees hope for far grander goals. For example, he points to the fact that his iPhone can now download thousands of different applications, instantly allowing it to perform new functions. Why not do the same with the brain? "I would like to be able to download the ability to juggle," he says. "There's nothing more boring than learning to juggle."


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The Movie:
Directed by Buzz Kulick in 1969, Riot is set in the sweltering Arizona desert where Cully Briston (Jim Brown) does time in a state prison. When the Warden (Frank E. Eyman) heads out for a bit, he gets into a heated argument with a guard named Grossman (Gerald S. O'Loughlin) over some of his racist comments. Angered over the disrespect he's been shown, Grossman goes to Fisk (Jerry Thompson) in the Warden's absence and is told to let it slide but he's not having any of it. He takes it upon himself to put Cully in isolation but before he can get him from his cell to the isolation chamber, he's attacked by a gang of inmates lead by Red Fraker (Gene Hackman).
It seems with the Warden away, the inmates have taken over one of the cell blocks and Grossman wandered into that very wrong place at a very wrong time. From there the inmates start a riot with intentions of making it over the prison walls to freedom. Guards are taken hostage as negotiation pieces but Biston, who dreams of hot ladies in bikinis, has a parole hearing in the not too distant future and understandably he wants to walk away from all of this. When Fraker finds out that the supplies he and his crew stashed away were discovered and confiscated, he figures out another way, at which point he latches on to the media attention that their acts inevitably attract. While he tries to convince the reporters on the scene that this is an organized protest and not a calculated prison break, Briston does what he can to help save a guard who is in rough shape. When the Warden returns, however, Briston realizes that he's going to strike back with an iron fist and that even his minor involvement in all of this could mess up his chances of parole or even worse. With no other choice, the man decide to escape, while the Warden calls in all the armed guards at his disposal to make sure that doesn't happen.
The whole setup for this movie is a bit beyond what most would probably consider to be plausible, but once you get past that, Riot is a pretty decent movie made better than decent by some really solid acting. You'd expect a solid performance from Gene Hackman and that's exactly what you get but big Jim Brown proves to be every bit his equal here. Hackman as Fraker is all business. He's very determined and smart enough to know how and when to coerce and manipulate not only the press but also his fellow prisoners. Hackman fits this character well, he's got a forceful enough personality that he works well in the role and he invests some impressive physicality into the role as well. Brown as Biston is in many ways his opposite and while the Warden is their true enemy, in a lot of ways Biston and Fraker are coming at all of this from very different sides of the spectrum. Biston dreams of earning his freedom through parole, not in taking it from those who have sent him away. He finds himself stuck in the middle in a lot of ways, it makes his character more interesting.
The movie was shot on location, though it did use some sets. You can't really tell when the movie switches from one to the other, it's well edited and the production values are solid. The song by Bill Medley, '100 Years', is also used well in the movie. The use of real life prison guards (and the warden!) is also interesting and adds some authenticity to the movie. The film does have some pacing issues, however. There are quite a few long stretches of dialogue that don't add up to a whole lot. They neither successfully develop the characters further nor do they really add much to the plot, they're simply talky. It's also fair to criticize the movie for building up to a whole lot of nothing. Things are set up well, even if unrealistically, and it seems like the last third of the film really should fire on all cylinders but without going into spoiler territory it sort of fizzles out very quickly at the end.
Riot arrives on Blu-ray in an AVC encoded 1.78.1 widescreen presentation in full 1080p high definition. This is a pretty nice transfer of a fairly gritty looking movie. Film grain is a constant, purists should be happy, and it suits the tone of the movie rather well. Color reproduction is nice and lifelike, never pushed too far or over saturated and adding to the tone, nicely complimenting the picture's atmosphere. Skin tones look realistic, never too pink or orange, and there's no evidence of any noise reduction or edge enhancement of any kind. Detail isn't reference quality as some scenes appear to have been shot a bit soft, but it definitely exceeds what DVD can offer. All in all, this is a nice film-like presentation that should make fans of the movie quite happy.
The only audio option on the disc is a basic English language DTS-HD 1.0 Mono track but it sounds pretty good for the most part. The levels are nicely balanced and there are no issues with any hiss or distortion in the mix. The score and dialogue both sound good and the performers are always easy enough to understand. There's a bit more depth to some scenes that take place inside the prison than you might expect, no complains here really, this is a fine mix that sounds true to the movie's origins.
Aside from a static menu and chapter stops there are no extra features on this disc at all.
Ultimately Riot is worth seeing more for the performances, which do save it, then for any other reason. If you're a fan of Hackman or Brown, check it out, they're both great here and they make all of this quite watchable. The story itself is a bit pedestrian and predictable despite a few decent twists here and there, though the picture is quite gritty and well shot. Olive Film's Blu-ray looks and sounds good but as is typical of the label it's completely barebones. Not likely an essential addition to your home video library, it's still worth seeing. Rent it.
Ian lives in NYC with his wife where he writes for DVD Talk, runs Rock! Shock! Pop!. He likes NYC a lot, even if it is expensive and loud.


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Nonviolence is inspiring and possesses an indomitable spirit. Few things are more unsettling, unpredictable and unstable as the mob spirit in the atmosphere of riot. And nothing neutralises a violent atmosphere more effectively than nonviolent gestures.
The world got to see this in full-color yesterday in the intensification of tensions at the Standing Rock No Dakota Access Pipeline standoff in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Riot police showed up to this peaceful event in Bismark as Native communities gathered to discuss recent court rulings and updates on the Dakota Access Pipeline. Tension was high at first and then this happened that changed the tone.
Note the language in this eyewitness report; tension was high at first, then this happened that changed the tone. Discernible hostility in the atmosphere is a reality. Some would say it is a sociological phenomenon. Others, me included, know it to be spiritual. There are demonic spirits behind violence, hatred and war. Those are only fed by responses of violence, hatred and war. When will we learn?
Demonic spirits are happy when both sides kill each other. Gestures of love and peace break their hold and neutralise them. Instantly there are discernible shifts in the atmosphere.
Black Lives Matter, please take note.
Support the camps at SacredStoneCamp.org & nodaplsolidarity.org
Chip in here to support their bail money fund: https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/d19fAf


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You like to play video games? Well, any purchase from now through October 30th on the Renchi.com website will be eligible to enter into a raffle drawing for a free Socom Gear MEU. All you need to do is to enter the coupon code into the shopping basket. Coupon code: RENCHI-GUN


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It doesn't help that the warnings are often about distant future effects, like sea level rise next century. Farmers in the midwest or in my Central Valley planted trees as windbreaks on their lands, knowing they would never see the trees mature. Their children would be the beneficiaries. It's a noble concept, and sacrificing now for the future of our children sounds good on paper, but has a tendency to fall by the wayside when one is working hard just to put food on the table.
It's the concept of "food on the table" that I want to comment on. The economist Paul Krugman has an editorial in the NY Times that deserves attention. A few snippets:
...But the evidence tells a different, much more ominous story. While several factors have contributed to soaring food prices, what really stands out is the extent to which severe weather events have disrupted agricultural production. And these severe weather events are exactly the kind of thing we'd expect to see as rising concentrations of greenhouse gases change our climate — which means that the current food price surge may be just the beginning...
...But that's not the whole story. Don't let the snow fool you: globally, 2010 was tied with 2005 for warmest year on record, even though we were at a solar minimum and La Niña was a cooling factor in the second half of the year. Temperature records were set not just in Russia but in no fewer than 19 countries, covering a fifth of the world's land area. And both droughts and floods are natural consequences of a warming world: droughts because it's hotter, floods because warm oceans release more water vapor.
Global warming and climate change is a serious problem, and it is not a hypothetical future scenario. The predicted changes started decades ago and are with us today. Sea level is rising, glaciers are melting, mid-latitude forests are burning up and being eaten by pests, Artic ice is disappearing, spring is arriving sooner...and agriculture is being disrupted.
Climate change is literally a bread-and-butter issue. Unfortunately, some of the steps we could be taking now to ameliorate the worst of the effects of climate change are being stymied by political roadblocks. We are arguing as Rome burns, so to speak. There are lots of voices out there, on the radio, TV, and the Internet, and it is hard to know who to trust. I can say this much: politicians may always have an agenda and an opinion on climate change, but few of them are actually educated in the earth sciences. Some have made the effort to learn, but not enough to make a difference yet. The talking heads and pundits, especially the ones with spittle on their chins, don't know jack about climate change, and they don't care to be educated, either. They are parroting the words they have been told to say.
Science is one of the few human endeavours where an objective search for knowledge is still the operative norm. I trust climate scientists more than anyone else in this debate because they are the ones who are measuring the changes and documenting the effects. No human can be fully and completely unbiased, but those who do science quite often come the closest to the ideal.
UPDATE: Another perspective on the possible disruption of global food supplies can be seen here. Thanks to Lockwood for the catch!


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- 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 6 tablespoons marshmallow creme
- Vanilla ice cream
Recipe Preparation
Combine chocolate, cocoa powder, and espresso in a large metal bowl. Bring cream just to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat; pour over chocolate mixture. Let sit for 30 seconds, then whisk until smooth and glossy. Fold marshmallow creme into chocolate. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool, cover, and chill. Rewarm before serving. Serve warm sauce over ice cream.


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Athlete Guide: Click Here
Schedule of Events: Click Here
Creating community around triathlon is our goal and what a great way to do it in the beautiful city of Oakland and Jack London Square. Our focus is to get everyone involved around the Oakland Triathlon Festival. We look forward to your participation.
Sprint Course Distance
.6 mile swim | 12.45 mile bike | 3.1 mile run
Start Time: 6:55am
Relay Teams (2-3 members)
Wave Start Times:
Registration includes:
Water Temperature:
Approx. water temperature in August: 66-68 degrees
Course Maps:
To review all course maps and details: Click Here
Race Divisions:
To review all Race Divisions: Click Here
Confirmed Triathletes:
All athletes should arrive at least 1.5 hours early. This year's event will begin promptly at 7:00 AM.
The Finish:
The Finish includes a post race party with all the fixings: great music, exciting race day announcers, free catered food which includes burritos, chips, granola, fresh fruit, bagels and cream cheese, fresh spring water, recovery drinks, beer and more.
Post Race Massage:
Sports massage services, assessments, ART/Graston, and taping will be provided.
Age Group Awards Male & female (will be given 3 deep):
13-15, 16-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, 85-89,
Athena/Clydesdale Awards:
Race Tattoos/Body Marking:
Race Tattoos will be provided to all athletes at packet pickup and you will be required to apply the tattoos for the event. We will no longer be body marking unless you forget your race tattoos.
Transition Area:
First come first serve, triathlon clubs and teams will have designated rack space.
Preparing for the Race:
Be sure to listen to race day announcers. Nick Tuttle will be your primary announcer for important announcements throughout the day.
Chip Timing:
This race will be timed using a chip timing system. Upon checking in you will receive a chip that is traditionally worn on the ankle. It is the athlete's responsibility to wear the chip during the entire race. If you do not wear the chip you will NOT be timed.
The Athlete is also 100% totally responsible for the return of the chip. Our waiver will have a disclaimer that must be signed that states you, the athlete, must return the chip or be billed accordingly by our timing company. It is the racer's responsibility to make sure that if you cannot attend the race, the chip will be returned within 7 days to USA Productions at the following address. If the timing chip is not returned the participant will be charged $30.
USA Triathlon Sanctioning:
USA Triathlon provides comprehensive insurance coverage to sanctioned events. The coverage provides liability coverage to protect the race director, sponsors, volunteers, officials, and participants. The athlete excess medical coverage protects each participant for the day of the event.
Athlete Excess Medical:
When athletes purchase a USA Triathlon annual license or one day permit, a portion of those fees cover the cost to provide them with excess medical insurance. This coverage only extends to their participation in an USA Triathlon sanctioned event and is only available after the injured party has filed with any primary insurance policies.
Event Liability:
USA Triathlon provides comprehensive liability insurance coverage to sanctioned events. The USA Triathlon policy automatically covers USA Triathlon race directors, sponsors, volunteers, officials, and participants while participating in sanctioned events. Single-event permit can only be purchased through the race director and is $12 at packet pickup or the day of the event. USA Triathlon does not sell single-day permits.
© 2016 USA Productions. All Rights Reserved.


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The most unloved wireless carrier in the U.S. is finally doing something that doesn't screw over its customers. Starting April 8, AT&T will kindly unlock iPhones locked to its network, provided you have fulfilled your contract and your account is in good standing.
Why it took so long for AT&T to unlock iPhones so that customers can swap SIM cards is beyond us.
"Beginning Sunday, April 8, we will offer qualifying customers the ability to unlock their AT&T iPhones. The only requirements are that a customer's account must be in good standing, their device cannot be associated with a current and active term commitment on an AT&T customer account, and they need to have fulfilled their contract term, upgraded under one of our upgrade policies or paid an early termination fee."
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
9to5Mac suggests it might have to do with customers who wrote in to Tim Cook asking for help unlocking their AT&T iPhones. Tim Cook's minions magically convinced AT&T to unlock those requested iPhones.
Maybe Cook was tired of all the email flooding into his inbox all of a sudden. I've got a confession: I sent Tim Cook an email on Wednesday asking him to unlock my iPhone 4 (Doesn't ever hurt to try, am I right?)
Finally, AT&T does something good that doesn't make its customers want to curse it into oblivion. Now iPhone users won't need to jailbreak to unlock their iPhones. It's about time.


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maven 0.8.pre.0-java
maven support for rubygems based on maven 3.0-alpha-6. it allows to use xyz.gemspec file as pom file or the usual pom.xml files. there is also experimentel pom.rb with a ruby DSL. this gem is a stripped polyglot-maven which only includes the pmaven-jruby part. the executable runs only with jruby.
- 0.8.pre.0 - August 07, 2010 java (12 MB)


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Dancing With The Stars Season 14 Troupe: Who Is In and Who Is Out?
With the way they have been switching the Dancing With The Stars Troupe these last few seasons, it almost makes a fan not want to get too close or favor any of them? 🙁 And yet, if it weren't for the Troupe, we wouldn't have the magnificent Tristan MacManus and the beautiful Peta Murgatroyd as teaching pros. "Change is good" though (or "beautiful" as my hair stylist likes to say. 🙂 ) and maybe that is the case this season? From a couple of tweets from Dancing With The Stars 2nd year Troupe veteran, Sharna Burgess, Daria Chesnokova from last season's troupe is out (this is sad. I just loved her, her passion when dancing, and her long hair!). Pro dancer (and girlfriend to Sasha Farber), Emma Slater is taking her place. Sharna has also tweeted that Dancing With The Stars Troupe veteran, Oksana Dmytrenko will be returning. Second year veteran, Sasha Farber, is also returning to the Troupe. According to an Australian dancer named Henry Byalikovat, he has been chosen to be in the troupe for Season 14 as well and he is beyond excited. Below is what he posted at his facebook page;
In LA! Finally settled in.. Got my phone organised, got my place organised and unpacked. Now to shower and get ready for meetings, fittings and rehearsals! DWTS USA Season 14 is going to be amazing WOOOPPPAAAAAAAAAA!
So, as of right now and what we can gather, below is who is dancing in this season's Dancing With The Stars Troupe:
For the Girls: Sharna Burgess, Oksana Dmytrenko, Emma Slater
For the Guys: Sasha Farber, Henry Byalikov
As you might have noticed, the third spot for the Guys is unknown. No word yet (that I can officially find so far? Maybe one of you know more?) if it will be Ted Volynets or Kiki Nyemchek who danced in the Troupe last season? However, if you've been following Ted at twitter, you know he's been posting some questionable tweets eluding to the fact that he might not be dancing this season?
We hope for some official confirmation soon on everything with this subject.
If you'd like to know more on the new dancers above, be sure to check the links under their names. They both sound like they'd be fabulous on the show!!


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The quake that rattled Chile Saturday landed in the record books as the fifth-biggest quake ever measured, an 8.8-magnitude monster that ripped through the South American country and killed some 700 people in the coastal nation.
It came just six weeks after another quake shook Haiti, ravaging the impoverished region and leaving 220,000 dead in its wake -- even though it was nearly 500 times weaker than its Chilean counterpart.
As crews continue to dig bodies from the rubble in both Chile and Haiti, experts wonder: Why was one nation devastated, and the other relatively spared?
- The simple answer: money, Richard Stearns writes for the Seattle Times. Over half of the Haitian population lives on less than $1 a day, Stearns writes, and only half over the age of 15 can read, while in Chile, the average citizen earns $15,000 annually and the literacy rate is greater than 95 percent. "Most of the deaths would have been prevented -- if Haiti hadn't been so very poor," Stearns writes.
- The greater abundance of wealth in Chile means more buildings were structurally sound and able to withstand the quake, scientist Colin Stark writes for CNN. Poverty is "what ultimately kills most people during an earthquake" because it determines how strong buildings are built: and when nations are cash-strapped like Haiti, "it means the choice between building robustly or building cheaply is not a choice at all," he writes.
- Chile also had in place pre-quake a "working democracy" that was able to internally disperse resources to deal with the quake immediately and to fight for victims' safety, Anne Applebaum writes for the Washington Post. "The recovery process that follows a disaster is always deeply political," she writes. "Despite a stronger earthquake and more damaging aftershocks, Chile will return to normal faster than Haiti. Luck has nothing to do with it."
- A mixture of luck and luxury saved Chile from Haiti's fate, according to the Wall Street Journal's editorial staff. The quake's touchdown point -- away from populated areas -- as well as access to free-market fringe benefits like modern health care, technology and education made the nation more equipped to handle a natural disaster, according to the editorial staff: "Chileans have prepared well for the big one."
- Ultimately, Chile was spared the devastating losses of Haiti because of its status as a first-world, economicaly developed nation, Gilbert Mercier writes for the News Junkie Post. The difference between the nations' respective quake recoveries is a "humanely despicable injustice" that can be attributed to Chile's "modern and adequate infrastructure" and solid government: "It is difficult not to be shocked, and quite frankly revolted by the incredible disparity between the consequences, in terms of life and death, of two similar events," he writes.


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Marvel Studios' blockbuster added an estimated $161.8m at the global box office to reach $949m as the international running total climbed by $89.3m to $664.1m. Star Trek Into Darkness enjoyed an excellent first foray to earn $31.7m.
Iron Man 3, released outside North America through Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International, overtook the $657m final tally of Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone to become the 14th highest-grossing international movie of all-time.
It has rocketed to $95.3m in China, $54.1m in South Korea, $48.3m in the UK, $42.2m in Mexico, $37.6m in Brazil and $37.4m in Russia.
The superhero saga stands at $34.8m in France, $33m in Australia, $20.7m in Japan, $19.2m in Italy, $17.9m in Taiwan, $17.4m in Germany, $14.5m in Indonesia, $13,8m in the Philippines, $12.7m in both Hong Kong and Malaysia, $11.4m in India, $10.6m in Spain and $10.5m in Argentina.
Iron Man 3 has overtaken the final international box office of both its predecessors, the entire Spider-Man franchise including last year's The Amazing Spider-Man reboot, The Dark Knight Rises, The Dark Knight, Thor and Captain America.
In other words, Iron Man 3 has grossed more than any other supererhero film except The Avengers on $895m. However Iron Man 3 has overtaken The Avengers in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia and ranks as the biggest release of all time in the latter two territories.
In terms of global box office, Iron Man 3 has passed Iron Man and Iron Man 2, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, The Amazing Spider-Man, Thor and Captain America.
- Paramount Pictures International reported an excellent $31.7m for Star Trek Into Darkness from the first seven territories, led by $13.3m in the UK from 556 sites in a result that beat 2009's Star Trek by approximately 50%.
The sci-fi sequel generated $7.6m in Germany from 627 to beat the first film by 80% and delivered $5.5m in Australia from 263 to finish more than 50% ahead of the 2009 release.
Mexico produced $3m from 573, which was almost three times the opening weekend of Star Trek. The film rolls out in the coming months, arriving next weekend in Russia day-and-date with North America, followed by China on May 28, South Korea on May 30, France on Jun 12, Italy Jun 13, Brazil Jun 14 and Spain Jul 5. It opens in Japan on Aug 23.
Star Trek Into Darkness grossed $2.3m including previews from 57 IMAX screens and according to senior executives the film is on course to at least match the best UK opening weekend.
G.I. Joe: Retaliation has reached $237.9m after seven weekends. Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters stands at $169.1m.
DreamWorks Animations' The Croods grossed $17.3m through Fox International to reach $363.2m. A further $11m in China from the second weekend boosted the running totasl to $47.1m as The Croods overtook The Smurfs to become the biggest non-franchise release and the third biggest animation release in local currency.
- Oblivion added $11.7m through Universal Pictures International to stand at $160.9m and opened well in China on $8.5m from 5,000 sites in the third biggest three-day opening for Universal.
German title Hanni And Nanni 3 opened in German-speaking Europe and Luxembourg on $2.3m and ranked third in Germany on $1.8m from 460 venues. Jurassic Park 3D has reached $9.8m, Mama $71.2m and Identity Thief $38.7m.
- Evil Dead grossed $2.6m through Sony Pictures Releasing International and has amassed $20.3m to date. The horror reboot arrived in Italy on $700,000 from 267.
- Warner Bros Pictures International will launch The Great Gatsby in 49 markets this week folloing the international premiere and opening night gala at Cannes. It arrives this week in the UK, France, Germany, Russia, Italy, Spain and South Korea.


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Home » Customer Support
As we expanded our operations we needed an insurance partner who understood us, was able to scale with us and ensure there was no shortfall in cover or Business Risk. It gave us the confidence to focus on the growth of our business.
It was great to have our Executive team work closely with the Alliance Group consultants. They were able to tailor an insurance program that delivered industry leading and cost effective solutions for our Group
LaMannas is a busy home grown specialty supermarket in a heritage listed building, under 10,000 sqm's of roof at the Essendon Airport. We have grown quickly and Alliance has provided peace of mind every step of the way.
MSC signs deals with diverse clients, diverse locations and an array of products. We needed an Insurance Broker with expertise to cater for all our needs.
Starting FJS Joinery, I needed direction and support when it came to my business insurance needs. Alliance took away all the headaches and gave me peace of mind to focus on my new venture.
We know managing our fleet of staff cars is not our core business. Our priority is providing the level of care our children and their parents expect of us, delivered day in and day out.
I got the run around from a host of finance companies when it came to business equipment needs. The finance consultants at Alliance took the time to understand me and my business needs and then tailored the right solution.
© 2020 Alliance Group.
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How to Contact Bon Jovi
By Celebrity Detective Steve
These are some possible ways to make contact with the legendary rock band Bon Jovi. Listed are email address, phone number, mailing address and more for management Full Stop Management, booking agencies CAA and Live Nation, and brand attorney William Holbrow.
Bon Jovi Manager
Jeffrey Azoff of Full Stop Management
Full Stop Management
1100 Glendon Ave
Suite 2100
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jefezoff
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fullstopmgmt
Bon Jovi Booking
Creative Artists Agency: https://www.caa.com/entertainmenttalent/touring/artist/bonjovi
Live Nation: https://www.smelivenation.com/talent/music/contemporary/booking-bon-jovi/
Bon Jovi Brand/Intellectual Property Attorney
William Holbrow of Buchalter Law Firm
Buchalter Law
1000 Wilshire Blvd Suite 1500
Los Angeles, CA 90017-1730
William Holbrow Phone: (213) 891-5235
William Holbrow Fax: (213) 896-0400
William Holbrow Email: email@example.com
Please feel free to share this valuable article.
More: Celebrity Homes and Lifestyles
- Celebrity Chef Guy Fieri - Santa Rosa, California Click Here
- Rap Superstar Eminem - Rochester Hills, Michigan Click Here
- Legendary R&B Singer Diana Ross - Greenwich, Connecticut Click Here
- Youtube Star Stephen Sharer - Oakton, Virginia Click Here
- New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees - New orleans, Louisiana Click Here
- Judge Judy - Naples, Florida Click Here
- WWE Superstar and Actor John Cena - Land 'O Lakes, Florida Click Here
- Horror Fiction Novelist Stephen King - Casey Key, Florida Click Here
- American Idol Star Arthur Gunn - Wichita, Kansas Click Here
- Joe Rogan - Bell Canyon, California Click Here
Very Important COVID-19 Health Information
Did you know that studies are now revealing a connection between the coronavirus (COVID-19) severity with lack of vitmain D? In countries with high COVID-19 death rates such as Italy, Spain, and the UK, patients were found to have lower levels of vitmain D than countries with lower death rates. Although researchers of course cannot yet claim proof that vitmain D is effective against COVID-19, they have used these encouraging words: "there is strong circumstantial evidence of associations between vitamin D and the severity of COVID-19".
The way I feel about this is that because it is already an established fact that vitmain D helps strengthen the immune system, it stands to reason that it would be effective against a virus that exploits weakened immune systems, such as COVID-19. Beyond the immune system, vitamin D also aids in bone strength and contributes to heart health.
You can browse, search for and select from a huge assortment of important health and beauty products such as vitamins, skin & hair care, protein powder, immune boosting supplements, etc. at Amazon - Link
Best Wishes and Stay Healthy!
By Celebrity Detective Steve
Home | Athlete Houses | Music Houses | Actors Houses | Athlete Addresses | Music Addresses | Celebrity Health | Celebrity Fitness Inspiration | Actors Addresses | Celebrity Contact Directories | More | Privacy Policy | Amazon Affiliate Disclosure |


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Awards, History & Reviews
Read what others have to say about the golf experience at Hunter Ranch:
Golf Digest 4 1/2 Stars - Since opening Hunter Ranch Golf Course has been awarded 4 to 4 1/2 stars every year by the readers of Golf Digest. Making it one the highest rated course in all of California in Golf Digest "Best Places to Play" edition. Hunter Ranch joins a select group of golf clubs in California to receive a 4 1/2 star rating for the quality of the overall golf experience.


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Jamie Kravitz, M.S.
User Experience Design
It's always critical to look at the whole context of an interaction, from what brought the user to this place, to where they want to go once they are finished. Creating that complete experience is central to my work as a User Experience Architect.
I envision and design the experience for the user or customer from start to finish of an interaction with a product or service. Design is an iterative process, so experiences may originate in paper and pencil sketches and evolve into wireframes or low fidelity prototypes before evolving into finished designs.
This work incorporates:
- User Interface Design
- Task Analysis
- User Research Methods
- Visual Design
to create:
- Wireframes
- Interactive Prototypes
- Process Graphics and Visual Comps
- Design Style Guides
Usability Engineering
The interface is always communicating something to the user—if you don't put it in front of real users and see how they respond or have a trained eye look at it, you risk miscommunication with your clients.
I design and moderate usability studies and conduct usability expert reviews to evaluate design artifacts. With experience in scientific research methodology and statistical analysis, I can apply various levels of rigor to projects as needed.
This work incorporates:
- Usability Testing - design, facilitation, analysis, reporting
- Expert Review
- Statistical Analysis
to create:
- Usability Study Reports and Presentations
- Expert Usability Reviews
- Design Recommendations


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Ireland's wild west
Traveling along the edge of Europe, we visit curious birds, explore untamed nature and look deep into the Irish soul.
Cliff spotting
The drop is alarming – 200 meters. High up on the cliffs, the fearful fall flat on their bellies to avoid giddiness. Down below, the Atlantic lashes at the coast as it has done for millions of years. Spray shoots dozens of meters skyward before crashing back down into the depths. Every year, more than 1.4 million people come here, to the edge of Europe. The short stretch of coast to O'Brien's Tower is crowded with daring selfie-snappers, ornithologists with 3000-euro cameras and people who look like they're gasping for breath but are actually just awestruck at this spectacular sight. Walk a mere ten minutes north or south and you're rewarded with complete solitude. The tiny village of Doolin, a two-hour hike to the north, is considered the capital of Irish folk music, and the walk is well worth it. By the time you're in bed, after three Guinnesses in McGann's, O'Connor's or McDermott's Pub, the roaring wind, the crashing waves, the Irish fiddles and pipes all come together in music you'll never forget.
The entrance to the Otherworld is near the Cliffs of Moher
The sound of 1000 HP
Old Ireland is alive and kicking at Spancil Hill Horse Fair, which draws people and horses in their thousands. Old men in flat caps leaning on knotty walking sticks debate the condition of a pony's teeth. The air is thick with the smells of chips (fries), droppings and beer. A hawker is selling horse blankets from the back of his van for 75, okay… 50 euros. Horses whinny, generators hum. Hundreds of animals change hands, but events also include baking competitions, a Miss Horse Fair contest, tug of war and a firework display. Most men are drunk by three in the afternoon. Despite the lively display, the tradition of horse fairs is under threat. In the 1950s, there were still around 300 such fairs, now there are only 50 left. The main ones are Puck Fair in Killorglin (County Kerry) in August, Ballinasloe (County Galway) Horse Fair in October and Spancil Hill (County Clare) in June.
Mingling for singles
"Tea or coffee?" the waitress asks Willie Daly when we meet up at 9 a.m. Daly, 74 years old with a thick white beard and sporting a tatty flannel shirt, gives her an incredulous look: "Whiskey, of course!" On the table in front of him is the legendary Lucky Love Book, a battered binder crammed with loose pages that's all of 161 years old. Daly is a third-generation matchmaker, the last of his kind in Ireland. He arranged his first marriage at the tender age of 15 and has since notched up around 3000 more. "There used to be a great demand for matchmakers," explains Daly, "because only the first-born were prime candidates for marriage, as they inherited the farm. The other seven or eight sons struggled to find brides." So, originally a horse farmer, he began seeking out single women from the region and then from further afield, and eligible ladies would get in touch by letter, telegram and phone.
Since the 1980s, Daly has been organizing a matchmaking festival in Lisdoonvarna. For four weeks, 60 000 love-starved souls flock to the village (pop. roughly 800), where they attend concerts, parties, balls and pub evenings. "There are still so many lonely country farmers and lonely ladies in the towns," says Daly, "I bring them together." Wouldn't it be easier to do it online? Willie Daly frowns. ""Do you want to look a lady in the eyes, feel her touch, be enchanted by her dancing? Or do you just want to press a couple of keys?"
Places of peace and power
There are over 3000 holy wells in Ireland, springs that have been revered as magical places since Celtic times and that are regarded as sources of energy, memorial sites and places of pilgrimage. The waters are reputed to have healing properties. One of the most famous is St. Brigid's Well near the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare. Next to the statue of the saint is the entrance to a tiny grotto. The walls are plastered with obituaries, statues of the Virgin Mary, yellowed newspaper clippings about fatal accidents, photos of Pope John Paul II, rosaries, plastic flowers, soft toys and candles. It smells slightly dank. Behind the grotto, the spring water drips into a basin full of coins and medallions. People once believed that places like these were the entrance to the Otherworld, which was populated by mythical creatures and dead heroes. After Christianization, the holy wells increasingly became places of pilgrimage. Holy trees grow behind St. Brigid's Well, and the faithful tie colored ribbons and clothes to their branches; as they rot away, the illness of the person who tied them is believed to vanish.
Wild about seaweed
When 52-year-old botanist Oonagh O'Dwyer sings the praises of slimy plants growing on the rocks, you could be forgiven for thinking she's describing truffles or fine red wine. "This is the land of plenty," she says, pointing to the exposed coastline at low tide close to the surfer hotspot Lahinch. That dirty brown pile of algae and the sea grass clinging to the rocks hardly looks appetizing. Undeterred, O'Dwyer hops from one slippery rock to the next in her summer dress, a knife in one hand, in the other a basket to hold her pickings. "Look, there's some dulse. Feels like leather, tastes of nuts – delicious!" She's right, the sea vegetable tastes unusual, but flavorsome. "And over here, bladderwrack, perfect for hay fever and arteriosclerosis, try some!" With her Wild Kitchen walks, Oonagh O'Dwyer has been boosting the popularity of seaweed, which has only been hailed as a superfood in recent years. People living along the Irish coast have been aware of the culinary benefits of these sea plants for millennia.
A taste of Ireland
In around 1870, 70 percent of all whiskey sold worldwide came from Ireland; one hundred years later, that figure had dropped to less than one percent. In 1985, there were only three whiskey distilleries in Ireland; now there are 17 and 15 planned.
When the Dingle Distillery opened in the pretty village of Dingle in 2012, it was the first newly built distillery in Ireland in 125 years. Craft distilling has fueled the revival of uisge beatha, the water of life, with innovative ideas. Michael Walsh, 27, is one of the youngest master distillers in the world. "The Irish whiskey business is a bit like a gold rush at the moment," he says. "We're struggling to produce enough to keep up with demand. Gin sales have gone through the roof, too: 98 percent more than last year." Staff, whiskey seminar attendees and visitors fill the distillery hall. Things are going well, but Walsh is cautious: "Our product needs to mature in a barrel for at least three years – and who knows what people will want to drink in three or even 12 years."
Monks and Jedi knights
How did a few dozen monks in tiny boats reach the rugged, seemingly impregnable island off the coast of County Kerry? How did they come to hew 600 steps into the rock and build beehive dwellings 200 meters above the sea? How did they survive with only rainwater, a tiny field and any fish or puffins they could catch? How strong must their faith have been to defy Viking attacks, disease, famine and winter storms for 500 long years. The monks abandoned the island in the 13th century.
The ruins of the medieval monastery on Skellig Michael were made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Only 180 visitors a day are permitted to visit the rocky outcrop, and only between May and October and on calm days. Since scenes in the seventh Star Wars movie, The Last Jedi, were shot on Skellig Michael, fans of the sci-fi saga have joined the history fans and nature buffs here. Some take photos of the guillemots, monks' graves and sea views, others pay homage to the spot where Luke Skywalker hid from the Dark Forces for 30 years.
Lufthansa will be offering weekly flights from Frankfurt (FRA) to Shannon (SNN) in western Ireland, starting in late April. Rent a car and explore the coast from there! To calculate your miles, visit meilenrechner.de


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Patriarchal Metochion of St. Nicholas in Bari is returned to the custody of the Russian Orthodox Church
On 22 January 2012, Archbishop Mark of Yegorievsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate's Management for Institutions Abroad, celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Church of St. Nicholas at the Patriarchal metochion in Bari, Italy, together with Rev. Andrei Boitsov, rector of the metochion.
Archbishop Mark inspected restoration work and suggested that the metochion should be active in receiving pilgrims, arranging exhibition, etc.
On January 23, Archbishop Mark celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the crypt of the Basilica of St. Nicholas where his relics repose.
That same day, the ceremony of official return of the metochion to the custody of Russia took place in the metochion's conference hall in the presence of H. E. Alexei Meshkov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Italian Republic.
Mayor of Bari, Mikele Emiliano, delivered the document of the return of property prepared by urban municipality.
Source: Moscow Patriarchate


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- Home
- Fixed Blade
- Cold Steel
- Cold Steel Magnum Tanto II 13MBII Fixed Blade Knife, 7.5" Plain Edge San Mai Blade
Cold Steel Magnum Tanto II 13MBII Fixed Blade Knife, 7.5" Plain Edge San Mai Blade
Cold Steel Magnum Tanto II 13MBII Fixed Blade Knife, 7.5" Plain Edge San Mai Blade
Product Description
- Blade Length: Approximately 7.50" ~ 7 1/2" ~ 191 mm
- Blade Material: VG-1 San Mai III Steel
- Blade Style: Hollow Ground, Tanto Plain Edge
- Blade Thickness: Approximately 0.1875" ~ 3/16" ~ 5 mm
- Lock Style: Fixed Blade
- Open Overall Length: Approximately 13.125" ~ 13 1/8" ~ 333 mm
- Handle Material: Black Kry-Ex
- Weight: Approximately 11.40 Ounces ~ 323 g
- Sheath: Black Leather
- Special Features:
Lanyard Hole
Made in Japan
There isn't a person working in the knife industry today that knows more about the Tanto than Cold Steel does. It was, after all, Cold Steel who invented and popularized this knife style in the early 1980's. We have spent well over a million dollars persuading the public, both through advertising and live or videotaped demonstrations, of the Tanto's many advantages. We have been producing Tanto's for more than 25 years now, and there is still no factory or custom knife maker around making a Tanto that can approach the cutting, slashing or piercing power of one that is manufactured by Cold Steel.
All of our Tantos feature a deep lustrous satin finish on the hollow ground blade bevels and a contrasting line grain finish on the blade flats. This technique highlights our state of the art grinding methods and emphasizes the Cold Steel Tanto's unique appearance. In addition, the Tantos come with our famous flattened oval Kray-Ex™ handle. The oval shape provides a solid grip and resists rolling or twisting in the hand under hard use, the kind that, over time, would destroy a lesser knife. The use of Kray-Ex™ in knife handles is another Cold Steel innovation. Kray-Ex™ is an unparalleled space age material that won't crack or rot and is immune to the ravages of bad weather.
The tapered, solid steel pommel is another important Tanto feature that should not be ignored. Lynn Thompson designed it to concentrate the full force of a crushing blow in a small area so that even a moderately powerful blow can be remarkably effective in disarming or otherwise incapacitating an attacker.
The knives in the Tanto Series all come with a thick, high quality black leather sheath that is sure to give years of hard service and keep your Tanto at your side, ready for action.
Master Tanto (13BN):This knife features a six inch, VG-1 San Mai III® blade with a restyled guard for increased finger protection.
Tanto II (13MBII): Just two ounces heavier than the Tanto, the Magnum Tanto II provides a full 30% increase in cutting power. Combine that with the visual impact of a tsuba-style (sword) guard and you have perhaps the ideal Tanto. The Magnum Tanto II features a blade made from VG-1 San Mai III® blade.
Tanto IX (13MBIX) & Magnum Tanto XII (13MBXII): These were created in response to popular demand for a longer Tanto. They are available in nine inch and twelve inch blade lengths in our exclusive VG-1 San Mai III® blade.
What is San Mai III® blade? A simple way to think of San Mai III® blade is to imagine a sandwich: The meat center is hard, high carbon steel and the pieces of bread on either side are the lower-carbon, tough side panels. The edge of the blade should be hard to maximize edge holding ability, but if the entire blade was hard it could be damaged during the rigors of battle. For ultimate toughness the body of the blade must be able to withstand impact and lateral stresses. Toughness is generally associated with "softness" and "flexibility" in steel, so that, surprisingly, if a blade is made "tough" the edge won't be hard enough to offer superior edge holding. San Mai III® blade construction provides a blade with hard (higher carbon) steel in the middle for a keen, long lasting edge and tougher (lower-carbon) steel along the sides for flexibility.


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I just want to play Driver: San Francisco to try and figure out how taxi drivers take those hills without launching their vehicles into low Earth orbit. Other crave a little competition. This video is for them.
Give me a large city to roam about in my vehicle, and that's just what I shall do, ignoring everything else in the process. It's problem I have with sandbox games. I want to see everything the game has to offer, and I've a shoddy short term memory. I drive for five minutes, and suddenly everything is new again. I'll probably be falling asleep on my couch with the controller in hand, revving my vehicle into a wall while all of you are off playing cops and robbers or whatever.
Please try and do it quietly.
You can contact Michael Fahey, the author of this post, at firstname.lastname@example.com. You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook, and lurking around our #tips page.


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Tamara.gasselin necesitaba un nuevo diseño de página web y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 83 diseños de 5 diseñadores freelance.
We are two friends who share the same passion for fashion. We love all things pretty and lace! We were inspired by our love of Alice in Wonderland story books and movies and decided to start up an amazing fashion boutique online that will reflect our quirky personalities and all of the quirky things we love. Although we are kinda strange we love sophistication and plush deluxe designs also, that's what makes us so interesting! Think in vogue designs with a little extra sugar!
Our target audience is really for gals like us the 20 something's, scared of thirties, and the yummy mummies! All those fashionistas that don't mind parting with a buck to look too hot for their own good! Also the seasonal buyer who has to have that in-now-out-tomorrow outfit.
We're selling all types of clothing, dresses, tops, jackets, skirts, shorts, pants, jeans. We'll be stocking shoes and accessories as well but no lingerie. The Jewelry will be quirky one off pieces.
This is the face of our business, the only face. We are only online so we need to stand out from the rest….there is a lot.
The website needs to feel homely and at the same time sophisticated. Our product price points vary between the $150 - $800 mark, so the girls that are going to be shopping are parting with a fair amount of dosh and they need to feel like this is a real business not a kindergarten.
Very importantly, we really don't like square boxes and rigid margins.
Basically an easy to navigate website with a lot of visual appeal is what we are after.
We love the Alice in Wonderland theme. We kinda cracked it with Alice though 'cos we had a rocky start trying to incorporate her into our plans to begin with. So maybe incorporate her into the design but make it hard for her to get in to play or that she might be poking around trying to have a look in.
We really love teacups and saucers with pretty flowers and vases with flowers. Picture frames with old pictures and quirky things in them, mirrors and candle arbores'. Toad stools and butterflies, birds and bird cages, dolls and lollypops, and lots of ice-cream and strawberries, animals and ribbons and bows; sounds like chaos!
We need all the usual menu items; check out http://www.superette.co.nz/ these guys have a pretty good setup. They all run on a similar format which we'll basically need to follow just so it's easy to navigate for the not so computer savvy.
We love the way http://www.net-a-porter.com/ website has its products set out (eg http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/94055). When you click on an item you can see how to style it. We have developed a styling aspect that is going to be the central focus of our website so this is really important to get this right.
In the attached zip is the No Alice logo. Also included is a landing page concept that we like but we are always open to new ideas. This would be where the user initially comes to before going to the main page that this contest is for.
So, summed up we need a catalog listing of designers products presented with lots of visual appeal! For an idea of what we mean by a 'catalog listing', refer to
We love pretty websites like:
- http://www.angusandjuliastone.com/
- http://www.lovehate.com.au/ ,
or the ultimate in pretty would have to be
- http://www.alannahhill.com.au/


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Latest News
Pantac Products at Redwolf Airsoft (2007-11-02)Pantac, formerly known under the name "Phantom", are manufacturers of high quality combat gear. They have gained a reputation and attained recognition for their superior quality over those from other manufacturers of airsoft combat gear, while maintaining a favourable price point too. Their products are most notable for their strength and durability, which has a lot to do with their Mil-Spec production process and the quality materials used for their products. Invista 1000D Cordura Nylon is used in the majority of their products, which is known to be long lasting and resistant to abrasions, tears and scuffs. Here are some interesting statistics about Invista Cordura:
Even the most minute of details scream quality, take a look at the chunky UTX clips used and you can see that they are super tough; the zips used are YKK, and if you know your zips, you will know that YKK zips are second to none in terms of quality. All the stitching is done to military specifications too, thus, when you add all this up, what you get is a superb product which is more than adequate for the needs of hardcore airsoft players everywhere.
The quality of Pantac gear is apparently good enough for the boys in Iraq to use for training purposes, the photos below show some of the troops wearing Pantac vests during training
Have a look at our combat vest destruction test to see how tough Pantac vests are:
Also, check out our latest review to find out what makes Pantac so good, click the phantom logo to see more:
Take a look at the full range of Pantac products below:
Take a look at the full range of Pantac products below:


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June 14, 2011
Curtis Stone Recipes
Australian-born, U.K.-trained and U.S.-based chef Curtis Stone charmed audiences on TLC's Take Home Chef, has recently taken on Bravo's Top Chef Masters, and has compiled four cookbooks over the course of his career so far. Try one of these easy recipes from Relaxed Cooking (2009 Clarkson Potter). Serve up his onion tarts at a casual brunch, or treat summer party guests to a crab and avocado dip.
Quentin Bacon


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Congress must demand more accountability
The Pentagon cannot account for more than $8 trillion U.S. taxpayers have given it since 1996, according to a report by the Reuters news agency.
Yet, even as the Defense Department insists it needs more money to defend the nation, officials admit waste and fraud are rampant.
Clearly, the Pentagon is rotten to the core. Members of Congress are reminded of that regularly.
Just this fall, lawmakers learned they were lied to over the purchase of more than $1 billion worth of helicopters for Afghanistan. Pentagon officials in 2011 assured Congress a study had concluded Russian helicopters would be best for the job, so they were purchased. A few weeks ago it was revealed the report actually recommended Chinook helicopters, made in the U.S.
With knowledge taxpayers have of specific cases of Pentagon misspending, it is highly disturbing to realize there is no way of telling whether hundreds of billions of dollars have been wasted or used fraudulently.
Reuters found that at this very moment, the Pentagon has more than $500 billion in contracts that have not been audited.
Defense Department bureaucrats claim their agency is just too complex to be handled by simple, responsible bookkeeping procedures. That is, quite simply, a lie.
Congress should demand the Pentagon account for its spending. Lawmakers should find ways to fire – and possibly prosecute – any top brass refusing to comply.


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Man Enlists One Direction to Help Propose to His Girlfriendby Michelle McGahan | PopCrush
One incredible boyfriend is reaching out to One Direction and the Internet in the hope of popping the question to his girlfriend at 1D's concert on August 11 in Washington, D.C.
Taking to his Tumblr page dubbed 'One Direction Proposal,' he begins:
"My name is Jon, and I'm the luckiest guy on the planet. Why, you ask? It's pretty simple actually. I've found the other half of me, and her name is Alex," he writes, sharing a collage of some seriously adorable pictures of the happy couple.
"Alex is a huge fan of [One Direction], and coincidentally, 'Story of My Life' was playing on the radio the first time we exchanged the L-word. So I can't think of a better way for the two of us to begin our journey than with your help," he writes to the band. "It would be an honor if you can assist in making this date the best (so far) in the story of her life." Aw!
Whether or not the guys of One Direction are able to pull this off, Directioners have already assisted Jon just from their sheer fan-power, getting #1DProposal to trend on Twitter.
The only flaw in his plan? We're not so sure how his girlfriend won't find out!


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by Lou Mancinelli
Inside Threadwell, the quaint classic and custom monogramming shop that opened this June on Germantown Avenue across the street from the Chestnut Hill newsstand and the former Borders building, blue lacquer walls and chrome finishes conjure a lush atmosphere of luxury.
The hum of a sewing machine embroidering cloth fills the air of the shop, located at 8617 Germantown Ave. Inside it feels as if one has stepped into a cozy world free from Avenue traffic.
Owners Molly Ellis and Kate Newport designed the interior of their 400-square-foot shop to be reminiscent of the inside of a jewelry box. There is a modern feel that is at once classic and cool, like a chic city boutique.
Threadwell offers monogramming embroidery for the home, bath and classic gifts for women, babies, children and men. In addition to carrying their own line of sweaters, baby hats, beach bags, cosmetic accessories, napkins, towels and more that can all be monogrammed to accent the item with a personal touch, Ellis and Newport encourage customers to bring in outside items to be monogrammed.
Perhaps a relative has an infant to whom you want to give a personally embroidered pillow. Or perhaps you want to give your child a set of monogrammed bed sheets and a comforter for a wedding or graduation. Or maybe your friend is a senior citizen, and you want to commemorate his/her age with an amusing saying on a sweatshirt.
At Threadwell, Ellis and Newport work with each customer to develop custom designs. Or customers can choose from their permanent library with over 50 monograms and more than 120 colors.
Before she began monogramming, Ellis, 47, a Wyndmoor mother of two sons, studied international relations and German in the early 1980s as an undergraduate at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland.
In the early '90s she moved to New York City, where she took courses at Parsons The New School For Design. She worked in Manhattan for designer Eileen Fisher, who now owns more than 50 stores nationwide.
When she moved to Philadelphia in the mid-nineties, got married and had a family, she "found a great creative outlet in monogramming." In 2004, she opened BE Monograms at 8127 Germantown Ave., next to Laurel Hill Gardens, before BE closed in 2009 and toy boutique Oxford Circus opened in that location.
"Molly and I first connected after I decided that I wanted to open a store on the Hill," said Newport, a four-year Chestnut Hill resident. "I wanted it to be exactly like the one that she used to own. I loved the experience of walking into her former store and gushing over the merchandise, all of it. Molly has a great eye and knows what her customers value. In the beginning, I just wanted to pick her brain about her experiences in the area, and the partnership just evolved from that."
"Threadwell is a 100 percent new store," said Ellis. "It's a newer version. It's a new look. It's like a greatest hits version of BE."
While some of the products may look familiar from the old store, Ellis and Newport have created Threadwell with a new vision. Instead of 50 different women's accessories, there are 10. Instead of 50 different baby spreads, there are 10.
Ellis' old store was more than four times the size of the current location, where customers can walk in to find fresh fruit on a marble table atop a modern carpet that looks likes tiles of various tones of blue. The bright colors of the stores merchandise are a vibrant contrast to its dark walls.
Inside the store, there are alcove-like cutouts designed to titillate a customer's design side. In the back, a room like a cubby in a drawer illuminates the aesthetic element of embroidered monogramming. The room is dark, and the colors reflect off the walls like a sunglass lens.
"It's great to be back," said Ellis.
Threadwell is also doing its part to contribute to the local economy. "We worked out a deal with other retailers on the Hill," said Ellis. "If you buy something from, say, Robertson's or Artisans, we will monogram it for you at a discounted price." That service begins at $15. In all, prices range from $24 to monogram a baby mat to a blanket for $130. They can embroider any size cloth item, but the largest size a monogram can be is 12 inches by 12 inches.
"We want our customers to know that if they can imagine it, we can embroider it," said Newport.
For more information, visit the Threadwell Monograms Facebook page, call 215-384-7631 or email email@example.com. They are open Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays, noon to 4 p.m.


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Victory Road, the name of the PPV says it all. For either Christian Cage, Sting, Samoa Joe or Scott Steiner, a road to victory could begin. A pathway to the Heavyweight championship will open up and one of those stars will be sent down that road to a title opportunity against the "King of the Mountain" Jeff Jarrett. Who prevailed and began their journey?
Each competitor was shown taking the long walk from the backstage area to their respective entrance ramp, all with the same mindset, to enter with fury and emerge with victory. Once the bell sounded, there was no stopping them. Sting and Joe went at it in one corner, while Cage and Steiner ripped and teared at one another in the opposing corner.
Cage and Steiner tumbled to the outside, landing on the mats, while Sting did a number on "The Samoan Submission Machine," hitting the Stinger Splash and applying the Scorpion Deathlock. Steiner and Cage came in to break it up, barreling over the Stinger and picking up where they had left off.
Sting and Steiner rolled to the floor and proceeded to brawl up and down the entrance way, with Sting cracking Steiner with a steel chair. Back in the ring, Joe and Cage duked it out with Joe getting the better of the exchange thanks to a vicious roundhouse spin kick that nearly knocked "Captain Charisma" out.
Cage and Joe then took their turn on the outside, tearing apart the Impact Zone, while Sting and Steiner returned to the ring to do battle. All of a sudden a crew member hit the ring and squirted gasoline in the face of Sting. That crew member turned out to be none other than the champ himself, Jeff Jarrett.
Help came out and took Sting to the back. The match continued with Joe taking firm control. Steiner has gotten much better in TNA, his matches are coming out more and more solid, even elbow dropping Joe through a table on the floor from the apron, however, Steiner nearly dropped Cage on his head after attempting a second rope Samoan drop. Joe made the best out of the situation, attempting to cover both men, but to no avail on either occasion.
Steiner was able to rebound, locking the Steiner Recliner in on Cage, as Joe awoke and locked in the Coquina Clutch on Steiner. Nobody submitted as the three men returned to their feet and fought to the corner. Cage and Joe fought on the top rope with Steiner below them as Sting returned with a bandaged face. Stinger Splash on Steiner cleaned house on all three.
After some more action, Steiner fell prey to a Scorpion Deathdrop that was enough to give Sting the win and the right to face Jeff Jarrett at Hard Justice for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. A disappointed Cage returned to the ring and raised Sting's hand, clapping along for Sting's success.
Match One - Johnny Devine w/ Alex Shelley vs. Shark Boy
Devine showed that he hasn't lost a step since getting injured two years ago. He took down Shark Boy with a couple of nice armdrag type moves. Shark Boy got in the traditional ten count punch as well as a Shark Bite. Devine bit back, only to receive another bite on his rear end. Devine was sent to the floor where Shark Boy catapulted himself on top of Devine. The match made its way back into the ring where Shark Boy hit a neckbreaker on Devine, but couldn't get the three count due to a distraction from Alex Shelley. Shark Boy went to confront Shelley, but received a beautiful Tiger Driver from Devine, giving the "Hot Shot" the win. Entertaining contest. At this stage of the game, Shark Boy is to TNA what Stevie Richards is to WWE.
Winner Via Pinfall - Johnny Devine
Match Rating - 5/10
The show began with an extremely well done hype video. Awesome job, one of the best TNA has put out for a PPV in a long time. Great work!
Match One - The Diamonds in the Rough ("Primetime" Elix Skipper and David Young) w/ Simon Diamond vs. The Naturals (Andy Douglas and Chase Stevens) w/ "The Franchise" Shane Douglas
Battle of the tag teams managed by road agents. The Naturals came out sporting their new "Franchise" tights and new haircuts. Douglas cut a promo before the match then it was right to work. The Naturals had the momentum going in their favor in the early going, but the tide changed once the Diamonds in the Rough began double teaming Stevens. Douglas made the hot tag and cleaned house, hitting a stomp version of the Doomsday Device to pick up the win. After the match Shane Douglas got in the ring and told the Naturals not to celebrate, just to go right to the back. Finally The Naturals look to be back on a winning track.
Winners Via Pinfall - The Naturals (Andy Douglas and Chase Stevens)
Mike Tenay and Don West ran down the card and sent it to the back with Jeremy Borash.
Jeremy Borash was standing by with Christian Cage who cut a promo on his adversaries later on in the program. Cage assured victory and said he would go through Steiner, Joe and Sting to regain his championship.
Next up was a video package for the Rhino/Monty Brown "feud" that led into...
Match Two - "The War Machine" Rhino vs. "The Alpha Male" Monty Brown
This was just a thrown together match, but not a bad start to their feud. This was an out and out brawl. Referee Andrew Thomas earned some points, not only getting hit with the POOOOOOOUNNNNNNNNNCEEEEEE! Period. He also was caught up and hit with a Gore! Gore! Gore! The fight went throughout the Impact Zone before the bell was rung and security broke them apart.
Winner - NO CONTEST
Match Rating - 6/10 (You have to give it up for Andrew Thomas)
In the back, Jeremy Borash was with LAX who draped Puerto Rican and Mexican flags over the TNA Logo and talked about how they were taking over. LAX is another great thing that TNA has going on. They have taken this group and really made them into something special.
They played a hype video for the LAX/Ron "The Truth" Killings/Sonjay Dutt feud which led to...
Match Three - LAX ("The Notorious 187" Homicide and Hernandez) w/ Konnan vs. Ron "The Truth" Killings and Sonjay Dutt
This was an excellent match. The match started out X Division style, with the competitors hitting flips to the outside. Dutt and Killings grounded Homicide with several kicks. Hernandez came in and displayed pure, unadulterated strength, sending Dutt overhead with a slam unlike anything Dutt has ever taken. Killings came in and got in some offence, before tagging back to Dutt and taking out Konnan and Homicide with a dive to the floor. With Dutt alone in the ring, Hernandez attacked, launching Dutt with an insane Razor's Edge-like move for the three count. LAX is red hot and should be the next feud with AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels -- throw some tag gold their way!
Winners Via Pinfall - LAX ("The Notorious 187" Homicide and Hernandez)
Match Rating - 8/10
In the back Scott Steiner provided an entertaining promo where he ranted and raved about his opponents in the number one contender's match, before telling Borash that he didn't care who he had to beat, he was going to win.
Scott D'Amore came out with the former Team Canada members for a special "Goodbye Session." D'Amore spoke to "The Canadian Enforcer" Bobby Roode first. He put him over as someone whole could easily take the Heavyweight championship and wished him the best. Roode hugged Petey Williams and A-1 on the way out, but only slapped the hand of Eric Young. D'Amore then spoke with "The Canadian Destroyer" Petey Williams. He put over Williams as someone who could easily take the X Division championship when he wanted to. Williams hugged A-1, but ignored Eric Young on his way out. D'Amore then moved on to A-1 and told him that he was happy A-1 was a part of the team. A-1 walked right by Eric Young as D'Amore ripped into him. D'Amore blamed the loss of Team Canada on Young. He then took back his Team Canada jacket and pants, leaving Young in the ring in his mismatched socks and boxers. "Don't fire Eric Young" chants and signs were all over the Impact Zone as Young said that he would make a secret plan with his followers and they would make sure that he didn't get fired. He then dove into the crowd as they chanted his name. Amazing segment that showed that Eric Young has a very strong following in TNA.
It was announced that Bound For Glory PPV will take place on October 22, 2006 in Detroit, Michigan. (A PPV outside the Impact Zone? Should be good.)
Mike Tenay and Don West sent it back to Jeremy Borash who spoke with Senshi about his upcoming title defense. Senshi wasn't worried about his mystery opponent and welcomed the challenge.
Match Four - TNA X Division Championship Match - Senshi (C) vs. "The Future" Frankie Kazarian
Kazarian came back with a haircut. He wouldn't cut his hair for WWE, but he would for TNA? This was a Senshi kick fest. Kazarian got in some nice offense, he hasn't missed a step. Senshi hit a Double Stomp from the ground, but it wasn't enough to put away Kazarian. After several kicks, Senshi attempted another Double Stomp, this time from the top rope for the one-two-three. Senshi retains in strong fashion.
Winner Via Pinfall and STILL TNA X Division Champion - Senshi
Match Rating - 7/10
Back in the promo area, Larry Zbyszko told Jeremy Borash that he was going to shave Raven bald and end this feud. Mark "Slick" Johnson ran in and told Zbyszko that he didn't have to do the match, but he would have to leave TNA, however, if he did the match, he was his referee. Zbyszko didn't like any of the news and left disgruntled.
They played a hype video for the Hair vs. Hair match which led to...
Match Five - Hair vs. Hair Match - Raven vs. Larry Zbyszko
Awful, awful, awful. Mark "Slick" Johnson got hit at one point so he couldn't make the count when Raven hit the first Evenflow DDT, however on the second attempt, Johnson was in position and made the count, giving Raven the win. Afterwards, Raven, Don West and Johnson all took turns cutting Zbyszko's hair.
Winner Via Pinfall - Raven
Match Rating - 3/10
In the lockeroom area, Jeremy Borash spoke with Kevin Nash, Alex Shelley and Johnny Devine who were all confident about their upcoming battle with Jay Lethal and Chris Sabin. Nash and Shelley are excellent together.
They played a hype video for the feud between Alex Shelley, Kevin Nash, Chris Sabin and Jay Lethal which led to...
Match Six - Kevin Nash and Alex Shelley w/ Johnny Devine vs. Chris Sabin and Jay Lethal
Lethal and Sabin used their X Division style to ground Nash, as Lethal hit a springboard crossbody and got a near fall on the giant. Nash got back to a vertical base and then it was ground and pound on Lethal. Sabin and Lethal fought back, with Sabin using Nash as a springboard to hit the delayed dropkick on Shelley. Sabin and Lethal hit their finishers on Nash and took Devine out of the equation as well. Lethal was able to roll up Shelley and get the win, causing the Paparazzi and Nash to attack them after the match. Jerry Lynn hit the ring and cleaned house, saving Lethal and Sabin.
Winners Via Pinfall - Chris Sabin and Jay Lethal
Match Rating - 6/10
Team 3D spoke with Jeremy Borash about Abyss and The James Gang, promising tons of violence.
They played a hype video for the feud between The James Gang, Abyss and Team 3D which led to...
Match Seven - No DQ Six Man Tag Team Match - Team 3D (Brother Ray, Brother Devon and Brother Runt) vs. "The Monster" Abyss and The James Gang (BG and Kip James) w/ Father James Mitchell
Another all-out brawl. Brother Runt was tossed into the crowd and surfed the Impact Zone before being unceremoniously tossed back at the ring. The James Gang took a beer break, but Team 3D stopped them from enjoying, low blowing them and stealing their beers. The James Gang went to hit the 3D through a table on Brother Runt, but it was blocked. 3D hit a modified 3D on BG, a flapjack on Kip and several trash can shots on Abyss, but somehow they overcame it. Abyss caught Brother Runt with the Black Hole Slam through the table, picking up the win for his team.
Winners Via Pinfall - "The Monster" Abyss and The James Gang (BG and Kip James)
Jeremy Borash caught up with America's Most Wanted and Gail Kim. Borash said that if they didn't win, it was going to be their last chance against Styles and Daniels. AMW guaranteed victory before walking off for their match.
They played a hype video for the feud between AMW, Gail Kim, AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels and Sierelda which led into...
Match Eight - Six Person Intergender NWA World Tag Team Championship Match - America's Most Wanted ("Wildcat" Chris Harris and "The Tennessee Cowboy" James Storm) and Gail Kim vs. "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles, "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels and Sierelda (C)
Sierelda and Kim showcased some excellent in-ring ability. Styles hit his nip up huricanrana and springboard reverse DDT. Daniels executed a tremendous BME. AMW almost had the win on several occasions, but in end, Styles was able to roll AMW up and get the win in yet another spectacular match.
Winners and STILL NWA World Tag Team Champions - "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles, "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels along with Sierelda
Mike Tenay and Don West hyped the main event before sending it to Jeremy Borash.
Borash spoke with "The Samoan Submission Machine" Samoa Joe who said that he would remain undefeated in TNA.
They played a hype video for the Victory Road Number One Contender's Match leading to...
Match Nine - Victory Road Number One Contenders Match - "Captain Charisma" Christian Cage vs. "The Samoan Submission Machine" Samoa Joe vs. Sting vs. "Big Poppa Pump" Scott Steiner
Winner Via Pinfall and NEW Number One Contender to the NWA World Heavyweight Champion - Sting
Match Rating - 7/10
Chris Sokol is from Long Island, NY and still thinks Kevin Nash had some sort of transformation since leaving TNA. How did he get so entertaining?


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Sunday, 31 July 2011
Estee Lauder Pure Colour Five Colour Eyeshadow Palette Surreal Skies
I got the most natural quad, Surreal Skies (£35).
It contains a slightly metallic coppery sand beige, satin finish clay, shimmery slightly mauve rose, shimmery golden ivory and a cool toned matte brown.
The palette creates a slightly warm, glowy natural look.
I really like the reformulated shadows, the texture feels smooth and they have good pigmentation and blend nicely. The revamp of the pure collection range by Tom Pecheux has enlivened the brand and created quality products now on par with some of the other major names.
I bought this from Boots.
8 comments:
That is a lovely neutrals palette. I shall have to take a look at these on my return! I'm hoping I can do a spot of covert pharmacy browsing whilst I'm away ;)ReplyDelete
Jane x
that looks really lovely on you, very nice and subtleReplyDelete
Beautiful colors in that palette, and they look fantasist on you. I love eye palettes, but I have forced myself to stop buying them. It's hard enough for me to use up (or event dent) a single eyeshadow--a series of palettes could last me and several Zuzu clones three lifetimes!ReplyDelete
I *really* like those colors, though.
Wow! EL has had some really nice palettes lately, and this might be my favorite yet. I love the greyed purples =)ReplyDelete
Beautiful. I do think it's time I start paying more attention to Estee Lauder!ReplyDelete
this palette has nice/soft colors. i think im gonna try to find this at macysReplyDelete
This is beautiful!!! EL has really stepped up its game with the color line! Thanks for showing such great pictures!ReplyDelete
Hi Jane,ReplyDelete
I like your thinking ;) I'm sure you will find something to like from the new duos and palettes, two of the duos have lovely taupes....
Hi luv2smilexo,
Thanks, I was thinking it gives quite a similar look to the BB sand palette I got recently.
Hi Zuzu's Petals,
LOL at Zuzu clones ;)
I have a thing about palettes at the moment and I am not doing to well resisting them :)
Hi Dovey,
I have really changed my mind about EL, use to be I wouldn't give them a look but they have made a lot of improvements of late.
Hi PerilouslyPale,
That could be dangerous, once you start looking you notice how many nice everyday wearable shades they have :)
Hi NarsCupcake,
It is a great easy to wear natural palette :)
Hi Elvira,
Your right, it was such a good thing them getting in Tom Pecheux, their fall collection is quite nice, I had to pick up a few things.. ;)