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Bingo on the Box
Bingo on the Box, owned by Palace Group is an online bingo site that allows players to play games live on television. Players can tune in to Freeview, Sky and Cable channels to make this happen. As the game progresses, the television leader board will display the names of the winning players. The games at this site start at 5 pence or above. Players can therefore choose the games according to their gaming needs and the amount of money that they wish to invest.
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The 24/7 bingo on the box.com feature the popular bingo games including 90 ball bingo and 75 balls bingo. Plenty of side games are also available at www.bingo on the box – the most famous of which are video slots, fruit machines, scratch cards, progressive jackpots, table games, video poker and instant win games. With a huge selection of games, bingo players get varied choice in games at the site.
Www.bingoonthebox offers unmatched interactive gaming experience. The software platform used for bingo gaming is Microgaming which is one of the oldest in the industry. The site is very user friendly with fantastic graphics that are laid out well, offering access to favorite games instantly and easily.
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Click on the banner to collect your FREE bingo bonus


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Friday, June 04, 2010
Sweet Love Poem !
All because of you !
When you first arrived,
I thought you was just another girl,
But over time you became much more,
You became my whole world.
I know that it has only,
been but a few days,
But somehow you have poisoned my mind,
You have put me into a daze.
I don't know how you've done it,
This is all very confusing to me,
But when I close my eyes,
You are all I see.
Even now as I write this poem,
All because of you,
I can't think of what to write,
My tongue has become tied too!
I don't know how to describe this feeling,
I don't know what to say,
The only thing I know,
Is that you re perfect in every way.
All because you came into my world,
I no longer know what to say or do,
All except these three little words,
"I love you"
~ Sildaekar.
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Interesting love Thoughts !
You make my heart melt, and my stomach fill with butterflies. You leave me speechless and yet full of laughter... Your such an incredible man.
~ Kimberly.
The star that makes love's dream come true was shining on me when I met you.
~ Darra.
I was afraid of love, I thought love took time, like a fine wine aging in the cellar. I was wrong. Love is there from the moment you see that person, embrace it let it grow, follow your heart, not your mind.
~ Unknown.
In my world, I walked to a different drum. You came along and joined me in my journey. I am now in harmony and at peace in the world of love.
~ Ruth Ruska.
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
Romantic Love Sentences !
Just an ordinary day... started out the same old way, but then I looked into your eyes and knew today would be a first for me... the day I fall in love.
~ Megan.
It's a feeling I can't explain; you're like a girl out of my dreams but yet you seem to be just out of my reach and ever since you walked into my life I've just prayed it will all work out in the end.
~ Matt W.
Meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was a choice, falling in love with you was beyond my control!
~ Gwen.
Don't say you love me unless you mean it because I might do something stupid...like believe it!
~ Gwen.
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Special Love Sentences !
Find A guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot, who calls you back when you hang up on him, who will lie under the stars and listen to your heart beat, or will stay awake to watch you sleep, wait for the boy who kisses your forehead, who wants to show ou off to the world when you're just in sweats, who holds your hand in front of his friends. Who thinks that you're just as pretty without make-up on, one who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares and how lucky he is to have you...The one who turns to his friends with a smile and says, "She's the one!"
~ Honey Daniels
I have found new love, like i've never known before. I find myself waiting for you, in desperation and in hope. You have told me you love me, and it's hard for me to say. Our love is new, but i do love you. If i fall in too deep, i'll find myself in weep. You are my life, my soul and my passion, every waking moment i wish you here to embrace me. So please, if i tell you i love you, promise me i won't get hurt. because i love you and i'll love you like love has never seen before.
~ Anonymous
Monday, May 31, 2010
A Beautiful Love Poem !
My Hidden Love For You !
When I first saw you
I looked into your eyes
I saw a glow about you
I loved all that I could see.
I love to see your smile
Spread across your face
But when it does seem to fade
My heart stars to ache.
I like to hear you speak
Your voice brings me chills
It puts me in a crazy setting
All starts to haze.
Whenever I think of you
I drift to a far off place
Where anything could happen
Where I could love you.
I didn't know what to say
I didn't know how to put it
So I tried to hide it
But it can't be concealed any longer.
I'll try to say it here and now
I'll try to tell you how I feel
I love you girl with all my heart
Will you return my love for you.
~ Martin.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Edith Lettner
(born in 1964, in Linz, resident in Vienna) musician and painter. She received saxophone instruction from Hannes Meixner, Leo Wright and Manfred Balasch, and learned jazz theory with Uli Scherer. She also learned to play the Armenian wind instrument known as the duduk. For Lettner, collaborating with artists from different cultures is an important source of inspiration. Alongside jazz, she deals intensively with eastern and African music, and projects bringing together various artistic expressive means (catharsis, tone pictures). She plays with artists and formations including phone 3 phone, Stefan Wagner Group, keba Cissoko, Celia Mara, Afro Manderg and Zohren Joova. Her compositions can be heard live and on CDS, as well as in the role of theater and film music. In 2005 she founded her own band, freemotion.
Releases: freemotion. 1 CD; phone 3 phone: 3 CDS, Stefan Wagner Group: 2 CDS
Apperances: Wiesen Jazz Festival; Porgy& Bess (Vienna); Centre Culturel Francais Dakar/ Senegal.


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Washington, D.C., USA: "Stroke can happen to anyone at any time. That's why it's important to understand your risk", the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), also known as the Health Department wrote in a public post today, Tuesday.
"New data show that after decades of decline, progress in preventing stroke deaths has slowed. And in many cases, the prevalence of stroke risk factors is increasing among younger and middle-aged adults. This is disturbing, because about 80% of strokes are preventable", HHS said.
"During National Stroke Awareness Month, CDC's Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention will focus on increasing awareness among adults ages 35 to 64 of stroke risk factors, signs, and symptoms" HHS added.
Stroke can happen to anyone at any time
Stroke is not just an older person's disease. Risk factors for stroke such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes are happening at younger ages. Risk factors may not be recognized and treated in younger or middle-aged adults. There are steps that HHS recommends you can take at any age to lower your risk for stroke.
Risk Factors For Stroke
Anyone can have a stroke at any age. But certain things can increase your chances of having a stroke. The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from a stroke is to understand your risk and how to control it.
While you can't control your age or family history, you can take steps to lower your chances of having a stroke.
Here are the risk factors for stroke from the CDC which cites National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention as its source.
Conditions That Increase Risk for Stroke
Many common medical conditions can increase your chances of having a stroke. Work with your health care team to control your risk.
Previous Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack
If you have already had a stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA), also known as a "mini-stroke," your chances of having another stroke are higher.
High blood pressure is a leading cause of stroke. It occurs when the pressure of the blood in your arteries and other blood vessels is too high.
There are often no symptoms of high blood pressure. Get your blood pressure checked often. If you have high blood pressure, lowering your blood pressure through lifestyle changes or medicine can also lower your risk for stroke.
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance made by the liver or found in certain foods. Your liver makes enough for your body's needs, but we often get more cholesterol from the foods we eat. If we take in more cholesterol than the body can use, the extra cholesterol can build up in the arteries, including those of the brain. This can lead to narrowing of the arteries, stroke, and other problems.
A blood test can tell your doctor if you have high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides (a related kind of fat) in your blood.
Heart Disease
Common heart disorders can increase your risk for stroke. For example, coronary artery disease increases your risk for stroke, because plaque builds up in the arteries and blocks the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the brain. Other heart conditions, such as heart valve defects, irregular heartbeat (including atrial fibrillation), and enlarged heart chambers, can cause blood clots that may break loose and cause a stroke.
Diabetes increases your risk for stroke. Your body needs glucose (sugar) for energy. Insulin is a hormone made in the pancreas that helps move glucose from the food you eat to your body's cells. If you have diabetes, your body doesn't make enough insulin, can't use its own insulin as well as it should, or both.
Diabetes causes sugars to build up in the blood and prevent oxygen and nutrients from getting to the various parts of your body, including your brain. High blood pressure is also common in people with diabetes. High blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke and is the main cause for increased risk of stroke among people with diabetes.
Talk to your doctor about ways to keep diabetes under control.
Sickle Cell Disease
Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder linked to ischemic stroke that affects mainly black and Hispanic children. The disease causes some red blood cells to form an abnormal sickle shape. A stroke can happen if sickle cells get stuck in a blood vessel and block the flow of blood to the brain.
Behaviors That Increase Risk for Stroke
Your lifestyle choices – unhealthy diet, physical Inactivity, obesity, too much alcohol and tobacco use – can increase your chances of having a stroke. To lower your risk, your doctor may suggest changes to your lifestyle. The good news is that healthy behaviors can lower your risk for stroke.
Family History and Other Characteristics That Increase Risk for Stroke
Genetic factors likely play some role in high blood pressure, stroke, and other related conditions. Several genetic disorders can cause a stroke, including sickle cell disease. People with a family history of stroke are also likely to share common environments and other potential factors that increase their risk.
The older you are, the more likely you are to have a stroke. The chance of having a stroke about doubles every 10 years after age 55. Although stroke is common among older adults, many people younger than 65 years also have strokes.
In fact, about one in seven strokes occur in adolescents and young adults ages 15 to 49.2 Experts think younger people are having more strokes because more young people are obese and have high blood pressure and diabetes. Read more about the younger face of stroke.
Male Or Female
Stroke is more common in women than men, and women of all ages are more likely than men to die from stroke. Pregnancy and use of birth control pills pose special stroke risks for women.
Race or Ethnicity
Blacks, Hispanics, American Indians, and Alaska Natives may be more likely to have a stroke than non-Hispanic whites or Asians. The risk of having a first stroke is nearly twice as high for blacks as for whites. Blacks are also more likely to die from stroke than whites are.
Signs Of Stroke
Stroke can look different for everyone. Numbness, confusion, trouble seeing, and trouble walking are just a few indicators that you or someone you know may be having a stroke. Knowing the common stroke warning signs and symptoms can help save someone's life—maybe even your own.
Act Fast On Stroke
Every minute counts when you or someone you know is having a stroke; that's why it's important to act F.A.S.T. and call 9-1-1 right away. Call an ambulance so that medical personnel can begin lifesaving treatment on the way to the emergency room.
Acting F.A.S.T. can help stroke patients get the treatments they desperately need. The stroke treatments that work best are available only if the stroke is recognized and diagnosed within 3 hours of the first symptoms. Stroke patients may not be eligible for these if they don't arrive at the hospital in time.
If you think someone may be having a stroke, act F.A.S.T. and do the following simple test:
F—Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
A—Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S—Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is the speech slurred or strange?
T—Time: If you see any of these signs, call 9-1-1 right away.
What Happens at the Hospital
At the hospital, health professionals will ask about your medical history and about the time your symptoms started. Brain scans will show what type of stroke you had. You may also work with a neurologist who treats brain disorders, a neurosurgeon that performs surgery on the brain, or a specialist in another area of medicine.
If you get to the hospital within 3 hours of the first symptoms of an ischemic stroke, you may get a type of medicine called a thrombolytic (a "clot-busting" drug) to break up blood clots. Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is a thrombolytic.
tPA improves the chances of recovering from a stroke. Studies show that patients with ischemic strokes who receive tPA are more likely to recover fully or have less disability than patients who do not receive the drug.2,3 Patients treated with tPA are also less likely to need long-term care in a nursing home.4 Unfortunately, many stroke victims don't get to the hospital in time for tPA treatment. This is why it's so important to recognize the signs and symptoms of stroke right away and call 9-1-1.
Medicine, surgery, or other procedures may be needed to stop the bleeding and save brain tissue. For example:
- Endovascular procedures. Endovascular procedures may be used to treat certain hemorrhagic strokes. The doctor inserts a long tube through a major artery in the leg or arm and then guides the tube to the site of the weak spot or break in a blood vessel. The tube is then used to install a device, such as a coil, to repair the damage or prevent bleeding.
- Surgical treatment. Hemorrhagic strokes may be treated with surgery. If the bleeding is caused by a ruptured aneurysm, a metal clip may be put in place to stop the blood loss.
If you have had a stroke, you are at high risk for another stroke:
- 1 of 4 stroke survivors has another stroke within 5 years.
- The risk of stroke within 90 days of a TIA may be as high as 17%, with the greatest risk during the first week.
That's why it's important to treat the underlying causes of stroke, including heart disease, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation (fast, irregular heartbeat), high cholesterol, and diabetes. Your doctor may give you medications or tell you to change your diet, exercise, or adopt other healthy lifestyle habits. Surgery may also be helpful in some cases.
After a stroke, you may need rehabilitation (rehab) to help you recover. Before you are discharged from the hospital, social workers can help you find care services and caregiver support to continue your long-term recovery. It is important to work with your health care team to find out the reasons for your stroke and take steps to prevent another stroke.


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On Sale
Eyes Backpack - Navy
Make going back to school fun with a new backpack. The perfect size for a child to carry with comfortable padded straps to ease little shoulders. There is enough room for a lunch box, pencil case and books from school, a zippered front pocket and side pockets for easy access to a water bottle. Add a lunch box and water bottle to be completely ready for school.
Charitable bonus: for each bag bought a backpack is donated to an underprivileged child.
29cm (W) x 13cm (D) x 37cm (H)


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Pleasin' Pies Home
About Pleasin' Pies
Pleasin' Treats
Contact Pleasin' Pies
Our pies are 100% hand-made to order, from scratch using the freshest ingredients.
Homemade flaky pastry is
filled with luscious fillings to make each and every pie magnificently pleasin'! We bake comforting old favorites using recipes that have been in our family for generations and we are always experimenting with new delicious flavors. Locally sourced ingredients are used as often as possible and when available.
~Birthday pies
~Gift Certificates
~Pie of the Month Club~
Fruit Pies
Classic pies bursting with luscious and tender fruit.
Pocket Pies and Pie Pops
Your very own (handheld) pie and you don't have to share with anyone (unless you want to!)
Cream, Custard and Nut Pies
Check out our special holiday flavors!
Bars and Cookies
Other irresistible goodies...


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Okay, I know that these terms are beginning to sound a lot alike, but trust me, they are different enough that ignoring their concepts can cause you problems while editing.
Continuity. This is a big one and encompasses two thoughts.
1) The clock read 3:05 seconds ago and now says 6:10. The bad guy was lying face down, now he's face up. And Where did the hole in the floor come from? Okay, this one is an obvious thing, and usually occurs during production while being shot. The Script Supervisor is responsible for ensuring that these little issues never happen. They are easy to avoid, but it is amazing how often they will crop up in professional films. There are websites devoted to continuity mistakes.
2) Continuity in editing (which is the concept that we will discuss) is about watching someone walk through a door, and the shot changes and they aren't as far through the door as they were in the previous shot. They sit down in a chair, change camera angle and they suddenly seem to leap forward in time and are planted in the chair before they ought to be.
So Continuity 101. If someone is walking, they have a rhythm – Left/Right and repeat. If you are cutting from a wide to a close, you must ensure that you got the correct foot coming down at the correct time. You can tell.
A friend of mine insists that the best way to teach editing continuity is to film someone walking to and sitting in a chair, from several different angles and distances – and then cutting it together. It is an oddly complicated thing to do.
How I approach continuity is to think of the action as if it is one shot even if you are seeing it from several angles. If you can watch it as if it is a single action, despite the number of cuts you might make, then you've got good continuity. If your character action is not one smooth motion – despite the number of shots – it will have the same effect as taking a single shot, blade tooling pieces out of it, deleting them, and then watching the action. Jump Cut heaven.
Good Editing!


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"Never sacrifice who you are just because someone else has a problem with it."
I am who I am someone don't like it…that is their problem to deal with. I was not born to impress people with my character. Satisfy one and not the other I pass on that difficult test. I love myself. ~ CarlosyDanielle Cruz
© Wisdom Quotes & Stories
Share your thoughts on what this post means to you...
Are you going through Migraine, Stress, Anxiety, Grief, Phobia, Trauma, Addiction, Depression, Bad Anger, Dyslexia or any other mental issues?
Are you suffering Knee Pain, Sinus, Thyroid, Acidity, Digestion problem or any other disease?
If YES, please book your appointment now at WISDOM HEALING CENTER by filling this form -> https://goo.gl/forms/22adjIAFPNZxRRmR2 & we will contact you soon. To know more about our center, visit our website -> www.wisdomhealingcenter.com
Send us mail at email@example.com for any queries. We are looking forward to hear from you!


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Catherine and Liz will be brunching at the Vern this Sunday. Join them in Pelham Commons at the MVC from 11am-2pm and get your CCAS advising hold removed, or just get some quality advice. All while brunching.
Will they show up in standard "brunch at the Vern on Sunday" garb? Big hats? Pajamas? You won't know unless you show up. Preferably in your big hats and pajamas.
More info, and other advising hold removal party times below….
CCAS students: have an advising hold you need removed for registration? Catherine and Liz can help! And food! Food!
All other students: have scheduling questions and need help? Catherine and Liz can help! And food! Food!
We've got three different hold removal parties coming up:
- Sunday, October 28th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – join us at brunch in Pelham Commons on Mount Vernon! (Buy your own brunch.)
- Monday, October 29th from 12 to 2 p.m. – pizza in the Club Room on Foggy Bottom!
- Wednesday, October 31st from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. – bagels in the Club Room on Foggy Bottom!
If you need your CCAS advising hold removed, remember to bring a completed Advisor Approval Form.
Of course, you can always attend walk-in hours or make an appointment. But then there won't be food.


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Online dating sites and apps like Tinder, Hot or Not and all the other ones are always a source of fun and entertainment. You can rarely take these and the people you find there seriously, but most of the times you'll just have a good laugh. Here are some of the funniest Russians found on online dating sites.
#1 Flexibility
It's a known fact that Russians are the best squatters in the world.


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Other available options
Rose gold, white mother of pearl, sapphire crystal... Ebel is the epitome of luxury. Crafted from two colour gold, this classic ladies' timepiece simple oozes elegance, boasting a shimmering mother of pearl face, set with glistening diamond hour markers.
Innovative and high end watch design from Ebel.
- Brand
- Ebel
- Case material
- Two Colour
- Face colour
- White Mother of Pearl
- Face diameter
- 3 cm
- Face shape
- Round
- Model number
- 1216324
- Movement
- Quartz
- Stone type
- Diamond
- Strap style
- Bracelet
- Warranty
- 3 Years
- Watch feature
- Diamond Set
- Water resistant
- To 50m
Delivery & Returns
At Ernest Jones we provide the following range of delivery options:
- Free Standard Delivery available on orders over £100.
- Free Next Day Delivery available on selected orders over £499.
- Free Click & Collect to any Ernest Jones store in the UK.
For more Delivery Information click here.
Returns policy: you can return items to us by post or in store within 30 days for a full refund or exchange.*
*We cannot refund or exchange pierced jewellery, e.g. earrings, if they have been removed from the original sealed packaging due to hygiene reasons.
Help Centre
There are a number of different ways to contact us if you need help or advice with your purchase.
How to contact us


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1. LOAN PRE-APPROVAL. Before you make an offer, get pre-approved for your loan and submit a pre-qualification letter with your offer.
2. PRE-QUALIFY LETTER AMOUNT. Have the exact offer amount put in the pre-qualification letter by your lender. Don't advertise up-front that you can afford to pay more.
3. PERSONAL STATEMENT. Summit a brief 2-3 paragraph personal bio with your offer to gain more trust with the listing agent and bank. Tell them about yourself, your work, financial situations and your intent to be a good homeowner.
4. LENDER CHOICE. Though you don't have to use them, consider getting pre-qualified by the lender who is holding title on the property. The more they know about your financial situation, the better.
5. QUICK CLOSE. On your offer, put the closing date at 30 days or less to show you are serious. Just going in knowing that the escrow process will probably be extended by the bank but with shorter terms will make you a more attractive buyer.
6. PROPERTY COSTS. Make sure to have a full assessment of property damage and understand costs associated with the property before you make your offer.
7. CONTINGENCY OFFERS. If you make an offer that is contingent on the sale of your current property, you will be less attractive buyer to the bank approving the short sale. It is best to sell your property – or have at least have it in escrow – before submitting an offer on a short sale property.
8. FIND THE RIGHT AGENT. Talk to a real estate professional who understands short sales and can guide you through the purchasing process.


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This is not going to be a typical review were I list specs of the an item and then give an unbiased opinion based on pro's and con's. The review is based on do I regret buying it or not. First up is the G-shock GA-150 white.
Stuff that you might want to know, the light for the watch is amber and turns on by itself if you flick your wrist (you can turn that off by holding the light button for I think 3 secs). It is a matte white that cleans easy with a microfiber cloth and some water. Do I regret buying this watch, NO!
Suggestion: If you want to stay safe and have the glossy white 6900 like everyone else be my guest, this watch is too much flavor for you.
G-shock DW-6900cs Magenta
Maybe you have seen this watch maybe you haven't, most dudes that see you sporting this watch may think your gay but those are just the homophobes being them, dumb. I like the watch because it is different and it is a men's watch. Real talk right now, I do sometimes get approached by gay dudes but not once while wearing this watch. I do not regret buying this watch.
Suggestion: if your not secure with your man hood don't buy this watch.


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R&B singer Sean Kingston is happy to be on the road to recovery after a life-threatening Jet Ski accident and a touch-and-go stay in the Miami's Ryder Trauma Center.
Kingston (real name Kisean Anderson) tweeted this past Sunday, "Feeling alot better! GOD IS GREAT!" He posted a picture of himself making a peace sign and added for his fans, "Thanks for all the prayers and support! Love you ALL!"
The "Beautiful Girls" singer, 21, crashed the Jet Ski about 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 29, after he collided with Florida's Palm Island Bridge. He sustained a broken jaw, fractured wrist, and other injuries from which doctors anticipated he would need six weeks to fully recover.
Miami native Kingston was joined on the watercraft by a female companion, who was also injured in the accident.


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We decided to treat our family to a getaway and chose a weekend in November to visit WorldMark South Pacific Club by Wyndham Golden Beach at Caloundra, a favourite destination of ours. We booked two units for a week to accommodate the family. The resort is located on Pumicestone Passage with beautiful views over the water and the twinkling lights of Caloundra at night.
There was much excitement leaving on Friday and we all arrived to a sunny afternoon. The lure of the pool was too much for the little ones who soon were in their swimmers and frolicking around in the heated pool. The slide into the water quickly became a favourite even tempting the two year old who showed no fear sliding into the water and into the arms of his waiting father. The pools and surrounding areas are beautifully kept and a great place to read a book and watch the world go by.
Dinner that night was to be around the BBQ but unfortunately just before we were ready to eat, down came the rain. A quick rush back to the Unit saw us all enjoying our BBQ on the balcony watching the rain fall. The rain continued on and off all day Saturday, but the girls were able to get some shopping time while the boys took charge of the kids. A family lunch was followed by an attempt to play on the beach but the rain was relentless. The pool beckoned again and even with the rain falling, there was lots of fun to be had in the water, followed by a turn in the deliciously hot spa. A good way of tiring out the kids!
Again we attempted a BBQ only to be beaten by the rain but it was very comforting to eat our BBQ on the balcony all snug and safe out of the rain. A similar night to Friday with a few drinks and board games kept the adults occupied whilst the little ones did not last too long after dinner, falling asleep during their DVD.
We woke to a wet Sunday! However, a yummy breakfast soon cheered us up. As it was Remembrance Day, we all stood around the TV at 11am with our poppies and paid homage to all those who gave their lives for our freedom. The sun came out and it was a race to the pool for another exhausting session. Children and grandchildren were soon packed and on their way home. All vowed they would do it again and even the rain could not spoil a lovely family weekend.
Another couple joined us on Monday and we had five days of lounging around the pool, a visit to Eumundi Markets and the Christmas Shop, a day trip in the hinterland and dining out in the local clubs and restaurants. Golden Beach Resort is a fabulous place to relax with many tourist destinations to visit. No wonder it is a favourite spot of ours.
Terry & Christine
WorldMark Owners since 2005


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While Ian Cathro stressed nothing has changed regarding the future of Hearts winger Jamie Walker, striker Esmael Goncalves admitted the 24-year-old would be irreplaceable if he joined Rangers.
The Ibrox club had bids of up to £600,000 for Walker rejected by Hearts in June and have yet to return with another offer. Cathro, the Edinburgh club's head coach, is irked by constant speculation regarding his player.
Goncalves said finding a replacement for Walker would be virtually impossible should he move to Glasgow. "I hope Jamie stays because he is a big player for us. It is important he stays because I don't think we will find another player like him if he leaves," said the Portuguese.
"If he stays, I think we can do good things. If he has to leave, we will do the job. Myself and Kyle and Cole will do our best.
"Of course, it will take a lot of money to bring in a replacement for Jamie. We have been talking about this and hearing things. If he leaves at the end of next month it will be impossible to find another player like him.
"So, it would be good if the club fixes this situation with Jamie, so we can go forward. It would be a big boost for the club and the fans if he stayed. The fans love him, he has been here since he was young."
Walker rejected a contract offer to make him Hearts' highest paid player earlier this year. His existing deal expires next summer. "I can say there is no situation that warrants this being what headlines are for the next couple of days," said Cathro.
"Naturally, he's on a contract till the end of the season. We would love to have him here for a longer period of time. He's a player who is at a level which should be rewarded as well.
"Those things are in play but I wouldn't go any further than that. If you go further than that it wouldn't really be reality.
It's quite calm. Nothing has changed. Has there been any communication that would infer Rangers will come in again? No.
"There's a period of time to go. Maybe another club might want him. I think everyone has forgotten that's a possibility. Clubs want a good player and Jamie is a good player. You can't sit and pretend there might not be interest between now and the closing of the window.
"But for us to be constantly playing this game when there's no need for it is just boring."


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Mirror Food
There's a marvellous article in the Daily Mirror talking about the "scandal" of the NHS provision of gluten free food. It was also on the front page of the Mail the other day. Apart from the amount of money being wrong, the point about people getting prescriptions after self-diagnosing with gluten intolerance being wrong, it being free rather than normal prescription cost being wrong , and the bit about cakes and biscuits being available being wrong there was actually an interesting point in there – namely "could it be done any better"?
At present J has GF bread provided by the NHS. The local pharmacy can't get the ones he will eat so the dr provides us with a paper prescription – I go there to get this then take it to a different pharmacy that can get it – hand the prescription over then go back nearly a week later to get the loaves. All a bit of a faff.
Wouldn't it be easier and cheaper to be given vouchers for stuff like this – only available to be used on bread, pasta, oats etc and just use them in the supermarkets? J would get a certain amount of them per month/year and use as necessary. It would save a lot on bureaucracy and paperwork I'm sure.
The article in the Mirror seemed to be written by a particularly clueless person who seemed outraged that the NHS was funding "food". "If I want to diet I wouldn't expect the NHS to prescibe me Ryvita and cottage cheese" she says. "There's an obesity crisis and this is adding to it" she says. Oh dear oh dear.


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……..Chevron Announces $18.3 Billion Capital and Exploratory Budget for 2018
….Crude oil exports from both the U.S. and Canada are increasing to higher-priced Asian and other foreign markets.
…….That combines with the fact that American refineries already lead the world in the export of oil products.
………LNG exports from North America to both Asia and Europe are on the rise.
…..All of this presents exciting opportunities for U.S. oil and gas producers to sell abroad, even if the domestic usage side of the equation only changes marginally.
………The next two years – and beyond – will be brimming with profitable energy plays.
ExxonMobil announced today a partnership with retailer Grupo Orsan to open eight Mobil-branded service stations this week in Querétaro as part of the company's entry in Mexico's fuels market. ExxonMobil plans to open 50 Mobil stations in the Bajio region by the end of the first quarter of 2018.
ExxonMobil is the first company to fully leverage Mexico's new energy model and provide an integrated product offering along the entire fuels value chain. The new Mobil-branded stations will be operated by Grupo Orsan and supplied with gasoline and diesel produced by ExxonMobil's refineries in Texas. Fuels will be distributed by rail through two private fuels terminals located in San Luis Potosi and San Jose Iturbide. This is part of ExxonMobil's long-term commitment to invest $300 million in fuels logistics, product inventories and marketing in Mexico over the next 10 years.
"The opening of these first eight Mobil service stations, made possible by Mexico's new energy policy regime, is a significant milestone for the country and our company," said Carlos Rivas, fuels director for ExxonMobil Mexico. "We look forward to helping meet the country's growing demand for energy with a reliable supply of high-quality fuels and a positive customer experience."
"Orsan's partnership with ExxonMobil will increase our competitiveness in the fully deregulated fuels market, supported by a globally prestigious brand like Mobil and a unique marketing offer designed to attract consumers," said Carlos Sandoval, chief executive officer of Grupo Orsan.
With the introduction of Mobil-branded stations and Synergy™-branded fuels in Mexico, ExxonMobil is presenting a breakthrough forecourt and our most advanced fuel formulations. ExxonMobil's Synergy product line increases engine-cleaning power, helping improve engine performance, responsiveness and fuel economy compared to gasoline meeting minimum Mexican government standards. The fuels will be marketed as Mobil Synergy Supreme+, Mobil Synergy Extra and Mobil Synergy Diesel.
ExxonMobil will also launch a Guaranteed Fuels program to help assure Mobil customers, through routine visits to stations, that the fuels meet ExxonMobil's stringent quality requirements and correct quantities are being sold. The program will be supported by an independent company that specializes in inspection, product testing and certification.
ExxonMobil has maintained a presence in Mexico for more than 130 years with other businesses and sales in the country, including chemicals and Mobil-branded lubricants, as well as interest in oil and gas exploration, where the company anticipates continued growth.
About ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil, the largest publicly traded international oil and gas company, uses technology and innovation to help meet the world's growing energy needs. ExxonMobil holds an industry-leading inventory of resources, and is one of the world's largest integrated refiners, marketers of petroleum products and chemical manufacturers. Follow ExxonMobil on Twitter: www.twitter.com/exxonmobil.
About Grupo ORSAN
Grupo Orsan is one of the leading Mexican companies in the domestic fuel sales market. Founded in 1968, it has more than 150 service stations, 1,400 affiliated service stations in its eWallet network, and a fuel distribution service for self-consumption facilities. Its experience has positioned Grupo Orsan as the top diesel distributor in Mexico.


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Today, of all days, I just had to reblog Stephanie L. Harper's poem!
"Solar Eclipse with Sunspots" by Matthew Harper
get knocked up,
plan a wedding in three months
and waddle down the aisle in white pumps
that fit you when you bought them.
Gain a total of forty-eight pounds
while throwing up for forty weeks,
and give birth to a nine-pound baby boy,
who is bigger and cries louder than any other
newborn in the maternity ward.
After you blink once or twice,
find yourself moving across the country
for your husband's engineering job,
with three cats, the six-week old baby,
and all of their respective paraphernalia
crammed into a purple minivan.
Critical Step: Raising Your Boy
To do this, start learning more about more things than you knew existed;
begin appreciating that this cherubic, gorgeous,
but almost alien issue of your loins
sees individual ice crystals in distant clouds,
hears crickets chirping at dusk
over the sound of rush-hour traffic,
View original post 538 more words


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Can CDNs have a positive effect on SEO of international websites?
I wonder if a CDN service can have a positive effect on SEO of the website. Can anybody prove evidence that a CDN is really a good idea?
Let's say CDN helps you for SEO
I am certain that you know how CDN works. So, I will try to explain what impact does CDN have on SEO. CDN provides contents to the users from multiple servers around the globe. Using CDN will make your site load fast. And page loading time is a well-accepted factor for PageRank in SERP. Google always tries to ensure better user experience. Even Google takes several measures to find out the satisfaction about a site for good user experience A fast loading site will ensure your users a good user experience. When you are using CDN, Google will index your site from the nearest location it finds. Most probably it will index your site from your CDN providers US server. It takes us again to the load time. CDN will shorten the load time not only for your users but also for the search engine bot of Google. Short load time for Googlebot will certainly help your site's SEO. And CDN also minimizes the risk of hack and attack and/or crash of your site. As you site is in several servers simultaneously. If all the above-mentioned processes are performed perfectly and hope your CDN will pay you well, then you will get more visitors than expected. User experience will encourage your users to share the contents with their friends and Google will take care of the rest by ranking your site higher. It is the goal of SEO, isn't it?
Like all others, using CDN has also some flaws. CDN needs to be well maintained and configured. In case you run a large scale business with multiple segments and want to keep your users updated with all of these, you must have to maintain it correctly with several data from multiple sources to present correctly on your site. This may not a be a problem, but in case, you should keep this in mind. So, if you cannot configure it the right way, it will create a bad impression to the users and affect you SEO too.
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RYE — Paul J. Holloway has influenced New Hampshire business, politics, philanthropy and state government, but his most enduring legacy may be the improvements he has championed at the state's university and community college systems.
RYE — Paul J. Holloway has influenced New Hampshire business, politics, philanthropy and state government, but his most enduring legacy may be the improvements he has championed at the state's university and community college systems.
After serving for an unprecedented 16 years on the University of New Hampshire Board of Trustees, including three years as chairman and six years as vice chairman, Holloway now chairs the Community College System of New Hampshire. He is using his knowledge of both systems to create new, affordable educational opportunities for the state's high school graduates.
In an interview with the Herald earlier this year, Holloway explained his passion for education.
"Having a good work force, a trained work force and a nimble work force all goes back to education," Holloway said. "If we don't continue to invest in education, those places that do will become the winners. They talk about the New Hampshire advantage; I think the New Hampshire advantage is the people who live here."
Holloway had little money growing up and worked his way through Temple University in Philadelphia. He and his wife, Anna Grace, came to Exeter in 1967 and put $6,000 down to open their first auto dealership. Today, Holloway Automotive Group has revenues of $170 million and employs about 200 people. Holloway's admirers note that many of his employees have been with him for decades, and some have been there since the start.
"He's got great balance," said Richard Gustafson, chancellor of the Community College System of New Hampshire. "He's a strong, effective leader and a good businessman but he has a strong set of values: work, family, giving back. He has employees who have worked for him for 30 to 40 years. This sort of balanced, success-driven model are the characteristics that cause people to mention Paul's name when talking about most influential people."
When current University System of New Hampshire Chairman Ed Dupont was state Senate president, Holloway was leading the USNH board and the two formed a strong bond. Dupont, who is one of the most influential lobbyists in New Hampshire, considers Holloway a political mentor.
"There's been a few times in my career where I needed someone to help me regain my focus, and Paul was one of the people I turned to," Dupont said. "I have an immense amount of respect for him. I respect his work in the automotive industry, but all through that period of time he was also working tirelessly on behalf of the state."
Holloway led the community colleges' legislative efforts to win self-governance and free themselves from operating as a state agency, as they had for 60 years. Gustafson said because the lawmakers and the governor knew Holloway and had confidence in him, they were willing to allow this radical change which, in turn, has liberated the community colleges from regulations and bureaucracy that were getting in the way of higher education.
Once the community colleges gained their freedom, Holloway began working with his allies on the USNH board to build a new, seamless relationship between the community colleges and University of New Hampshire, Plymouth State University, Keene State College and Granite State College. Newly created programs ease the transfer of credits from community to state four-year colleges and universities, and there is a newly created pathway to the four-year schools through the community colleges.
"These changes wouldn't have happened without his leadership," Dupont said. "We now look at higher education not from an institution perspective but from a state perspective."
Since 1988, UNH's Whittemore School of Business and Economics has awarded the Holloway Prize for entrepreneurship, where students compete for $26,000 in prize money. Twenty-nine competitors have gone on to start successful companies.
"Without Paul's vision and support we would not have been able to do what we have done not just in the Holloway Competition but with entrepreneurship overall. He was the catalyst," said Michael Merenda, a 30-year UNH chairman and professor of Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship.
Closer to home, Holloway and his wife, Anna Grace, run the Little Harbor Charitable Foundation, which has gifted $1.3 million to 56 Seacoast organizations working for the health, education and welfare of children. Recent recipients include Cross Roads House in Portsmouth and the Seacoast Science Center in Rye.
Holloway is also an owner of the Wentworth Marina in New Castle.
In addition to his work in higher education, Holloway serves as one of three commissioners for the New Hampshire State Lottery, bringing his focus on customer service and marketing to this challenged entity.
"He's got an unbelievable work ethic," Dupont said. "The day is as long as it takes to get the work done. He's tenacious. He's had a terrific career in the private sector, but what he's done for the state's higher education, his track record is unprecedented."


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What is it about?
The R.U. Not Drinking Much? Society is a place with no pressure to drink alcohol as there are many people who just want to have a good time together without drinking being the main event. This society is open to everyone regardless of whether they drink alcohol a lot or not. They have a welcoming environment, which lets you socialise in and have fun at their events. It provides alternative entertainment for people who cannot or do not want to drink alcohol for whatever reason even if it's just for one night. Therefore, for those who drink, it lets you save money on nights out that would have normally been spent on alcohol but still lets you have a great night.
My experience
I have been a part of the R.U. Not Drinking Much? Society since my first year at university and it's been great so far. I am very comfortable in this society and was happy to meet other people who do not drink a lot of alcohol like me. At their events, I always had an enjoyable time since everyone there is really friendly and they all get along with each other. I like their events and have made lots of wonderful memories. I'm sure the other members would agree that the society is a lovely place to be and hang out with your friends. They have a very relaxed atmosphere, so you'd be warmly welcomed to any of their events even if you just come along to a few of them.
The events
The society has regular events every academic term, usually once or twice a week. They are typically held on a Monday or Friday evening on campus. Some examples of the wide variety of events they organise include board games nights, film nights and off-campus trips. Most of the society's events are completely free to attend as well. Therefore, if you haven't already tried out this society, you should definitely come along to one of their events. You can even invite your friends and family who are not a part of the University since the society has free membership for students and non-students. There is also an optional donation membership for anyone who would like to donate and contribute towards the society's funding for their events. So, if you are interested and have some free time, you can find their events via their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/notdrinkingmuch/


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The vast majority of people use an estate agent to sell their home on the open market rather than privately. There are plenty of reasons for doing so, whether you are marketing a house, flat, cottage, bungalow or studio apartment.
Despite having to pay agents a fee, good ones can be worth their weight in gold. So, what do estate agents offer you if you are looking to sell your home?
Knowledge of the local market
An estate agent's knowledge of the local area, the type of properties for sale within it and the potential demand will allow them to calculate your property's value accurately and realistically for sale. They should be able to substantiate why your home will sell, the kind of buyers that might be interested in it and how best to present and promote the property to that target market. Read more about property valuations.
A database full of potential buyers
An estate agent will already be in contact with a substantial number of potential buyers on their database, buyers who have listed their criteria with the agent and who are searching for property, ready to start viewing homes for sale immediately.
Marketing expertise and power
It is unlikely that any other organisation will be able to market your property like an estate agent can. In today's market, estate agents invest heavily in maximising the potential reach of their audience to give them, and you, the best possible chance of finding the right buyer for your property at the best possible sale price. Your property is likely to be advertised through a number of channels:
- On the Internet, via their own websites and major property portals like PrimeLocation
- 'For sale' board at your property
- At their local branch
- Through the post
- Mobile phone alerts
- In local or national newspapers and magazines
In short, estate agents have the capacity to make sure your property is seen by the right buyers, wherever they might be.
Managing and conducting viewings
Your estate agent will liaise between the potential buyers and you to arrange viewings of your property. The majority will also be present at the viewing to sell your home to the interested parties, as well as being on hand to answer questions that may arise. After a viewing has taken place, the estate agent should contact you with an update of how the viewing went and give you any useful feedback.
Advice and guidance
Should any difficulties or problems arise throughout the selling process, your estate agent will provide you with advice for the best course of action and guidance to overcome any obstacles that may be blocking a quick sale of your property.
Managing the sales process
A good estate agent will regularly check up and down the property chain, and with the solicitors, to make sure everything is running smoothly for the sale of your property. By instructing an estate agent to sell your home, you are employing a company to manage as much of the process as you are comfortable with, taking away many of the stresses and strains of the task.
Negotiating with the buyer
One particular advantage of using an estate agent is that you don't have to negotiate directly with the buyers, which may cause embarrassment and awkwardness for the more faint hearted and may weaken your bargaining position. Your estate agent will be well equipped to manage the negotiation on your behalf and will make sure you get the best deal possible.
For more information, read our how to sell a house guide. Alternatively, you can search for an estate agent on PrimeLocation right now.
related information
- how to sell a house
- choosing an estate agent to sell your house
- how to value your home
- how to get the best from your estate agent when selling a property
- how to prepare your home for sale
Some information contained herein may have changed since it was first published. PrimeLocation strongly advises you to seek current legal and/or financial advise from a qualified professional.


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Going social with your intranet could add significant value to your business, but what are your options for implementation?
Rather than trying to boil the ocean, it's advisable for most organisations to take a phased approach, starting with a high level blueprint for going social with a SharePoint intranet.
The best approach may be to gather key stakeholders together in a small workshop. This normally includes representatives from HR, corporate communications, business strategy and IT. The task for this group (possibly working with a facilitator), will be to investigate specific requirements of the organisation, and put together a high-level plan that can be presented to decision-makers.
Firstly you'll need to socialise the idea of social with key people in the organisation. This will usually involve an introduction to how social networking inside the enterprise actually works, and demonstrate key capabilities such as communities, profiles and expertise location.
The next step involves gathering a subset of your requirements, uncovering possible use cases, and identifying user journeys that illustrate business benefits and strategic alignment.
It is important to understand the maturity of your organisation in relation to information management and your overall organisational readiness for success with social technologies. An important consideration may be how you can leverage your existing SharePoint implementation.
When is a good time to implement social tools? Every organisation is different, and there may be more fundamental issues hampering your organisation other than not being social e.g. findability, document management and collaboration.
Source: UniqueWorld


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Pale blue asymmetrical double layered tunic with the tassel detailing at the hem. It has peach turned over sleeves and a small elephant embroidery on the bodice.
Woven/Knitted: Woven
Body Fabric: Cotton
Lining Fabric: Cotton
Fit: Relaxed fit
Primary Color: Pale blue
Secondary Color: Peach
Neck Type: Round neckline
Closure Used: Buttons in the front
Care Instructions: Dry clean


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THERE'S plenty of events to suit everyone's tastes across Clydesdale this weekend.
There is a school reunion for those who started Lanark Primary School in 1960 at the Cartland Bridge Hotel on Saturday evening while fans of Frankie Valli can enjoy the superb stage show The New Jersey Boys at Lanark Memorial Hall on the same night.
Carluke Bowling Club's opening takes place on Saturday afternoon with an evening social with Sandra & Sol.
Over in Forth the village gala committee is hosting an event in the Royal British Legion with music from The Suspects from 6.30pm.
And the latest Wee Gig concert will see talented young folk star Luke Jackson take to the Roberton Village Hall stage at 8pm.
On Sunday there will be a tea dance with Gordon Cree from 2pm at St Andrew's Church in Carluke while in the evening members of Lanark and Carluke Choral Union will be performing Haydn's Creation in Lanark's St Mary's Church from 7.30pm.


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Tuesday, August 29, 2017
The Shimmer of Marble Glass
ANSWER: It's seems that you've purchased what's commonly known as "malachite" glass. The mineral malachite is a green copper carbonate stone which occurs naturally and has concentric layers. It's especially prevalent in Russia and was a favorite of the czars. The inventors of malachite glass intended it to simulate marble. Many 19th-century glassworks used the term and each created their own variation on this theme. Those items made of this type of glass from the former Czechoslovakia go by another name—Ingrid.
Ingrid is the name of a series of artistic pressed glass items created by Henry Schlevogt and named for his daughter. Henry was the son of Curt Schlevogt, who around 1900 founded a firm in Jablonec, Bohemia, to produce glass beads and buttons. His wife, Charlotte, was the daughter of Heinrich Hoffmann, the owner of a glass company that made and exported sculptures, beads and hollowware.
But Henry knew that the "beads and buttons" business was a difficult one because of the tough competition from so many companies in the area and from other countries. He wrote to his daughter, Ingrid, that knowledge he gained in other countries had led him to create items that were so beautiful that the price wouldn't matter.
At the Spring Trade Fair in Leipzig in 1934, Schlevogt introduced a line of ornamental crystal sculptures, and the same year presented the line at the Chicago World's Fair. The Ingrid brand was born. And while it was Curt Schlevogt who designed most of the molds used to make the glass, it was Henry who knew how to promote their new line of glass. Ingrid was so well received at the Fair that the firm began producing it on a large scale.
Schlevogt reached out to designers working with the Wiener Werkstatte, including Franz Hagenauer, Ena Rottenberg, and Vally Wieselthier, and also to designers who worked for other major glass firms, such as Bruno Mauder, Eleon von Rommel, and Alexander Pfohl. The result was a complete line of ornamental sculptures, perfumes with figural daubers and/or impressed stoppers, liquor sets, toilet sets, devotional items, figurines, table ware, and vases.
Henry Schlevogt utilized the technology at the Riedel glassworks in Polubny, Czechoslovakia, to make this artistic, marbled, pressed glass. But just because his firm pressed the glass into molds, didn't mean that it was of inferior quality. The glass, itself, was pure. Workers ground out the mold marks and frosted or polished the surfaces. They even engraved some of the details.
The most common items are those made of jade green and lapis blue marbled glass. The company's 1939 catalog shows more than 200 crystal and another 80 jade/lapis items.
Schlevogt's crystal perfumes aren't as easily identified. Some appear in the firm's catalogs, but the vast majority have been included in the broad category of Czechoslovakian glass in most listings. The designs for perfumes included bottles in various Art Deco shapes, and stoppers with relief-pressed nudes, couples, flowers, and butterflies.
By 1936, Schlevogt had business representatives in several European cities. When the Czechoslovak pavilion won a Grand Prize at the 1937 Paris World's Fair, Schlevogt's ornamental sculptures by Ena Rottenberg and Josef Bernhard were part of the reason. By 1940, the Schlevogt firm owned more than 1,300 glass molds, coin molds, and hand presses. It had its own cutting, sandblasting, and acid-etching workshops, but continued to have the glass shapes pressed at the Riedel firm.
The Czechoslovak government nationalized the glass industry after World War II and sentenced Henry Schlevogt to prison in Siberia. After his release in 1948, the Communist government in Czechoslovakia t banished him. He first went to Austria, then accepted an offer to manage the glassworks in Romilly-sur-Andelle, France. He sold this firm in 1972 and died in Paris in 1984.
Collectors need to be cautious, however, since the Ingrid molds have been used continuously. In addition, unauthorized versions of Ingrid items have been made from reverse-engineered molds.
To read more articles on antiques, please visit my Web site. And to stay up to the minute on antiques and collectibles, please join the other 17,000 readers by following my free online magazine, #TheAntiquesAlmanac.
Posted by Bob Brooke at 6:13 PM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: Bohemian, Chicago World's Fair, collectibles, Czechoslovakian, glass, Heinrich Hoffman, Henry Schlevogt, jade, lapis, malachite, marble
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Tea for Two or More
ANSWER: Tea caddies are one of the more unique items available to antique collectors. They're good to collect because they don't take up too much room, but their age and quality can make them prohibitively expensive, especially for the beginning collector. Before discussing tea caddies, themselves, it's important to know how the tea trade began and why each of the caddies had locks.
People have been drinking tea since 2737 BC, when, according to legend, a few leaves from a nearby tree blew into Chinese Emperor Shen Nung's pot of boiling water. Apparently, the Emperor took a sip of the brew, only to discover that it was both delicious and refreshing.
Tea brewing and drinking evolved into a ritualistic exercise. During the Ming Dynasty from 1368 to 1644, people brewed the delicate leaves in vessels with lids in which they steeped them in boiled water. Early 17th-century Dutch and Portuguese silk and spice traders tried to introduce Chinese tea to Europe, but it took time to catch on. Even the English, known for their love of a "cuppa," waited until the mid-17th century before trying it. Since tea was expensive, only the aristocracy could afford to drink it.
People believed it was therapeutic as well as delicious. Asians had known the health benefits of tea for thousands of years. And even though Portugal and Holland imported tea 50 years ahead of England, tea remained a precious commodity, so people used it sparingly.
The first recorded sale of tea in England occurred in 1657. At first it was available only in apothecaries, coffee houses, snuff shops and through shops catering for ladies needs. However by the second half of the 18th century smuggled tea was so widely available, that even respectable people bought it illegally for less money.
William Pitt tried to address this problem in his Commutation Act of 1784, which reduced taxes on tea and halved its price. The legitimate imports quadrupled making tea more accessible to a wider section of society.
It wasn't until the 1750s that tea caddies became a home style accessory. The word caddy derives from the Malay word "kati," meaning a measure of weight about 3/5 of a kilo. The 17th century tea containers were bottle shaped tea jars in china, glass, silver, enamel and straw-work covered metal.
Cabinetmakers began to make tea caddies out of wood in box form beginning in the late 1820s. The made the first ones of mahogany in the shape of small chests which contained three metal canisters. They generally came in two styles—simple and ornate.
Both styles shared certain characteristics. Both had handles on top and stood on either bracket feet or a plinth-style base. They had stepped lids and molding of some sort along the edges. Usually, these caddies had straight sides. The fancier tea caddies often had gilded brass mounts and feet. As time went on, cabinetmakers introduced new designs, woods and shapes to their caddies.
Tea caddies came in three sizes—single, double, and triple.
Single caddies could be square, polygonal, oval, or elliptical and sometimes urn-shaped. Tops were mostly flat with sometimes a small loop handle or finial in the center. Escutcheons of inlaid ivory, bone or boxwood surrounded the keyhole. Inside they had a free standing lid. Sometimes, the tops were shaped like pyramids, continuing the proportions of the side panels.
Double caddies were usually oblong sometimes octagonal or oval. They had two lids, or two removable canisters with hinged tops. Some had one lid and a space for a glass bowl that people usually used for storing sugar. Others had a second bowl for mixing the blend of tea.
Triple caddies had either two lids, three lids, two canisters, three canisters or two lids or canisters flanking a space in the center for a glass bowl. They had rectangular shapes and rarely contained two glass jars and a bowl.
Cabinetmakers covered the more elaborate tea caddies in luxurious veneers. Cutting veneers by hand was a highly skilled job. The veneers were much thicker than those used today. This created a problem because moisture could be absorbed into the veneer's edge. To solve this problem, cabinetmakers edged their caddies with strips of contrasting plain wood, usually holly or boxwood or in herringbone designs.
Caddies made of plainer mahogany often had marquetry decoration. Makers inserted per-made panels, mostly of oval shape, of marquetry or penwork enhanced marquetry, onto the box by cutting the veneer to the required shape. The most common designs were in the Neoclassical style of flora, urns, garlands, paterae, lyres, stylized baskets, birds and mythical beings.
To read more articles on antiques, please visit my Web site. And to stay up to the minute on antiques and collectibles, please join the other 17,000 readers by following my free online magazine, #TheAntiquesAlmanac.
Posted by Bob Brooke at 3:07 PM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: antiques, caddies, china, Dutch, England, Holland, mahogany, marquetry, Ming Dynasty, Portugal, storage, tea, trade, William Pitt
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Shaken Not Stirred
ANSWER: Cocktail shakers weren't always this elegant. The first shakers were hollowed out gourds. Back in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia they served to mix liquids together and as such were a practical accessory for books back then. But they lacked the style of 20th-century shakers.
Collectible cocktail shakers arrived just after the invention of the martini. However, there seems to be some controversy as to just when that happened.
It isn't known for certain who first mixed and served the first martini. The best guess places this great event in late 19th-century America. There are several theories as to its origin. One credits a bartender named Jerry Thomas at San Francisco's Occidental Hotel in the 1860s with mixing a special drink for a traveler bound for the nearby town of Martinez. But for some reason, Thomas didn't include the recipe for a martini in America's first cocktail book, How to Mix Drinks, or The Bon Vivant's Companion, that he first published in 1862, until the 1887 edition.
There are those, however, who insist that the martini, consisting of equal parts of gin and dry vermouth, was a New York invention, probably first mixed at the Knickerbocker Hotel by bartender Martini di Arma di Taggia. But if both sweet and dry vermouth were used, then the honor could belong to William F. Mulhall, who served drinks of this sort at Hoffman House, also in New York City, in the 1880s.
Ever since those first concoctions, martinis have been a stylish drink, appreciated not only for the kick they deliver, but also for the accessories used in their preparation and enjoyment. The first recipe calling for an accompanying olive can be traced to 1888, with the v-shaped martini cocktail glass appearing early in the 20th century. Bartenders who made early martinis either stirred the liquors together or poured them from one glass to another to mingle them together.
By the time that Prohibition came to an end in 1933, people throughout the nation enjoyed drinking martinis. Often viewed as the drink of trendsetters and glamour seekers, martinis became associated with movie stars, including William Powell and Myrna Loy. People at the time saw martinis as very American, urbane, high-status, masculine, optimistic, and adult— a drink for the wealthy and the powerful, or those aiming for that status.
Wealthy bon vivants of the 1920s shook theirs up in silver, while their less affluent counterparts turned to glass or nickel-plated models. By the following decade, mass- production made shakers a reality for those with fewer means, manufacturing the shakers in chrome-plated stainless steel.
Every maker of decorative home furnishings made cocktail shakers in the 1920s and 1930s, from Tiffany to aluminum manufacturers. While the Chase Chrome Company, Revere Brass and Copper, and Farber Brothers were leaders in the production of metal shakers, Hazel Atlas, Imperial, Duncan Miller, and Cambridge Glass made them of glass.
As the demand for barware grew in the 1930s, the designs became more varied. Makers produced sleek shakers from silver and silver-plate. Some even sported Bakelite handles and trim. The shakers themselves featured Art Deco designs, from airplanes to dirigibles, dumbbells to golf bags. Some even took on the shapes of modern buildings.
The golden age of cocktail shaker design came to an abrupt end with the beginning of World War II. Metals were earmarked for the production of armaments, and cocktail shakers no longer seemed a priority to a country at war.
While cocktail shakers can be found at garage sales, flea markets, and thrift shops for under $10, the better designed ones can sell for four or five figures.
To read more articles on antiques, please visit my Web site. And to stay up to the minute on antiques and collectibles, please join the other 17,000 readers by following my free online magazine, #TheAntiquesAlmanac.
Posted by Bob Brooke at 12:22 PM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: 1920s, 1930s, aluminum, Art Deco, Bakelite, cocktail, collectibles, drinks, James Bond, martini, shakers, silver, stainless steel, vintage
Monday, August 7, 2017
Periodicals of the Times
ANSWER: Unfortunately, just because something is old doesn't make it valuable. This especially applies to old books and periodicals. Of course, different people have varied reasons for purchasing old periodicals such as these. Before we talk about their possible value, let's take a look at how this type of printed matter got started.
During the Colonial period of the United States, people got their news from small one-sheet flyers and four-page newspapers. During the 1750s and 1760s, these often appeared only once a week, but as the population grew and towns developed, the daily newspaper came into existence. Printing technology also improved, allowing small publishers to print larger numbers of their papers. Some of these early almanacs had a political bent. Such was the case for Porcupine's Political Sensor, a short-lived monthly periodical succeeded by the daily newspaper The Porcupline's Gazette, both published in Philadelphia by William Cobbett.
The Porcupine's Gazette ran for 770 issues. Cobbett, the prolific, controversial and often contradictory, and anti-authoritarian writer, wrote under the pen-name of "Peter Porcupine." In 1796, a few years after he arrived in the United States, he began a monthly periodical called the Porcupine's Political Censor, which he used to poke fun at his political opponents, usually those supporting a pro-French or Jeffersonian- Republican sentiment. Cobbett published his Censor until March 1797, when he replaced it with the Porcupine's Gazette. The first issue appeared on March 4, 1797, the day of John Adams' inauguration. It had a subscription base of about 1,000 readers, which more than doubled within a few months. By November 1797, Cobbett was printing 3,000 copies a day.
Cobbett used the newspaper to support the Federalist party and to strike out against the French and their American supporters during the period of increased tensions between the United States and France. His contentious articles thrived in the politically charged atmosphere, though Cobbett often found himself on the receiving end of libel suits. He filled his newspaper with articles on national and local politics, foreign policy, news from Europe, and economics. Today, issues of the Gazette provide a rich source of information on daily life in Federal Philadelphia, with each issue containing commercial ads and notices, reports of arrivals in the port of Philadelphia, local prices for goods, advertisements for schools and doctors, and much more.
Another form of printed matter was the almanac. These were smaller in size and usually had a number of pages. They were the first periodicals and usually appeared less frequently, often just once a year. They contained articles of interest to the rural society, including information about the weather and farming techniques, plus some local stories. A good example of this type of periodical was The Burlington Almanack, published by Isaac Collins.
Collins was a printer, publisher, bookseller and merchant in Colonial New Jersey. He's most noted for this New Jersey Gazette and New Jersey Almanack, which followed his original one, The Burlington Almanack, a periodical for west-central New Jersey that ran from 1770 to 1777.
He was a firm believer in the freedom of the press and had even refused to reveal his source of a pseudonymous article even though the New Jersey legislative council demanded it. He stood on his grounds as a faithful guardian of the liberty of the press and would not reveal his source unless the source gave him permission. He wrote many persuasive articles on the principle of freedom of the press
The Port Folio was another political periodical, published by Joseph Dennie, an American author and journalist who was one of the foremost men of letters of the Federalist Era. He originally wrote for various periodicals in Massachusetts but in 1800 moved to Philadelphia to found the Port Folio, along with Philadelphia bookseller Asbury Dickens. Writing under the pseudonym Oliver Oldschool, Esq., Dennie composed and published in 1803 a scathing attack on Jeffersonian democracy, for which he was brought up on charges of seditious libel.
The last of your periodicals is The American Magazine, first published in the fall of 1757 and only running for 12 issues and a supplement.
While all of these periodicals are historically important, their condition is rather poor. Even more so than with other antiques, the condition of books and other printed matter is very important. Collectors seek out those in the very best condition. But that doesn't say that no one would be interested in your items. All of them contain a wealth of information about life and culture, as well as the political climate, of the time. Historians and writers working on historical novels and history books would find their contents invaluable.
Selling your periodicals will be challenge, however. It will take a very special person to buy them and finding that person may be difficult.
To read more articles on antiques, please visit my Web site. And to stay up to the minute on antiques and collectibles, please join the other 17,000 readers by following my free online magazine, #TheAntiquesAlmanac.
Posted by Bob Brooke at 1:30 PM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: almanacs, antiques, Colonial, Federal, New Jersey, periodicals, Philadelphia, Thomas Jefferson, William Cobbett
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Mementos of Faith
ANSWER: You are now the proud owner of an aspergillum or holy water wand, used by priests in Catholic and Anglican churches.
The priest uses an aspergillum to sprinkle holy water. It comes in two common forms—a brush that the priest dips in an aspersorium or bucket of holy water and shakes, and a silver ball with tiny holes attached to a stick.
Priests use an aspergillum for the Rite of Baptism and during the Easter Season. In addition, priests use an aspergillum to bless the candles during candlemas services and the palms during Palm Sunday Mass. At a requiem, if a coffin is present, the priest will sprinkle holy water on it. The aspergillum can also be used when blessing other things like houses, pets, crops, and such. The name derives from the Latin verb aspergere "to sprinkle."
Ecclesiastical collectors search antique shops, flea markets and church rummage sales in the hopes of finding objects and furniture used in mostly Christian religious practices. Examples of monastic art, the delicate needlework of cloistered nuns, painted icons, carved candleholders, prayer beads and baptismal fonts originally intended for Christian houses of prayer often command astronomic prices from knowledgeable antique dealers. Cups, bowls, dishes, altar linens and the ceremonial vestments provided the finest examples of craftsmanship and art work.
But, what became of the thousands of beautifully wrought religious utensils, garments and symbols made obsolete by the sweeping changes in Catholic Church policies and the closures of Catholic churches beginning in the 1960s?
Back then, no one wanted the larger-than-life statues, banners appliqued with obscure religious symbols, heavy marble holy water fonts, old-fashioned altar pieces and paintings that graphically depicted the tortured deaths of religious martyrs? Since these weren't quick moving commodities or even investment items for antique dealers, church basements, rectory attics, and parochial school storage areas began to bulge with hand-turned altar railings, huge sanctuary lamps, ornate metal reliquaries and the delicately carved doors of closet-sized confessionals.
Gradually, these outmoded, unwanted and useless items trickled away. Well-intentioned volunteer groups hauled much of this detritus back into the light of day and offered it at fund-raising events such as church rummage sales. When it became necessary to raze a church, the church hierarchy offered old stained glass windows and exquisite, glass door inserts to local antique dealers on a "make-an-offer" basis. Salvage companies carted off the carved lions, fancy wooden fretwork and the masonry arches from above church doors.
Starting in the late 1980s, interior decorators began to incorporate religious artifacts into the interiors of up-scale homes. This trend propelled discarded church surplus into the realm of high style. Pieces now command huge prices at architectural warehouses. Consider the wild popularity of angel items, for example.
Candleholders for weddings and christenings, long pine pews, processional crosses mounted on oak poles and even altars are showing up at large flea markets. Since most churches use flowers during the year for religious services, collectors can find all types of large altar containers and floor vases. Bibles, candleholders, altar linens and crosses of every size and material, as well as religious utensils, such as cut crystal cruets, used by altar servers to present the water and unconsecrated wine to the priest and easily identified by the incised crosses, wheat sheaves and grape cluster motif.
People buy religious items for three reasons. First, they might purchase a chalice because of its artistic beauty. Second, they want it because it evokes an emotional response from their childhood, a time when the family attended Sunday services. And third, some people collect Christian religious items with much the same interest that African cultural memorabilia collectors buy tribal masks. They don't use the masks, but enjoy displaying them, researching them, and using them as unique decorations.
And don't think religious objects appear for sale only in the U.S. Flea market vendors, especially in Mexico City, often have beautiful old vestments on display, as well as santos, carved wooden figures of saints. A small but unique item is the nicho, a three dimensional, recessed shadow box, dating back to the Spanish colonial period. Traditionally, people used nichos as portable shrines for patron saints or pictures of loved ones. The faithful often carry these with them when going door to door in their village asking for donations for the church.
Another item, often found hanging on the wall of a side chapel in a Mexican church, is the retablo. These paintings on tin depict a loved one who is sick or dying. Hanging their image in the church is a way of asking people to pray for them. Other retablos are beautifully handpainted testimonies of faith of the people of a particular Mexican village.
Religious objects mean different things to different people. Many mundane religious items retain value because many ceremonial practices have been eliminated from worship and therefore the elaborate trappings and religious utensils won't be produced in the future.
tin plate frames, or nichos. These 3-d, recessed shadow boxes date back to the Spanish colonial period. Traditionally nichos were used as portable shrines for patron saints or pictures of loved ones. Frescos on tin depicting the 12 apostles, most likely from an altarpiece.
For more on collecting religious objects, read my previous blog on collecting old Bibles, "The Most Printed Book of All Time."
To read more articles on antiques, please visit my Web site. And to stay up to the minute on antiques and collectibles, please join the other 17,000 readers by following my free online magazine, #TheAntiquesAlmanac.
Posted by Bob Brooke at 2:23 PM 1 comment: Links to this post
Labels: Anglican, antiques, aspergillum, Bible, Catholic, chalice, Christian, church, collectibles, Easter, objects, Palm Sunday, religious, statues, vestments
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Michael R. Bryson Sr., 50, of Camp Hill, passed away Friday, March 16, 2018 in West Shore Hospital, Mechanicsburg.
Michael was employed by Ames True Temper. Michael is survived by his wife Girlie Clutario (Floralde) Bryson, his parents; George and Dorothy (Fake) Bryson of Enola, a son Michael R. Bryson Jr., three step-children, two brothers; Kevin, and George Bryson, a sister, Susan Watson. Funeral service will be held at 7:00 PM Monday, March 26, 2018, in the Richardson Funeral Home Enola. A viewing will be held from 6:00PM until time of services Monday at the funeral home. burial will be held at the convenience of the family.


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Antiseptics & Ointments
Clean and treat minor cuts, burns, and abrasions with antiseptics and ointments to prevent infection and promote healing.
Antiseptic Wipes & Sprays
Clean minor cuts and scrapes or disinfect skin with antiseptic wipes and sprays.
Antibiotic Ointment
Treat cuts and scrapes with antibiotic ointment to keep them from becoming infected.
Sterile Water
Flush wounds with sterile water to remove dirt and other contaminants and help prevent infection.
Rubbing Alcohol
Use rubbing alcohol to sanitize tweezers, scissors, and other first-aid equipment or to clean and disinfect skin and minor wounds.
Anti-Itch Cream
Use anti-itch cream for temporary relief from itching and minor skin irritations.
Petroleum Jelly
Apply petroleum jelly to minor wounds to help protect them from infection, or use it to soothe and moisturize dry or cracked skin.
Sting Relief Wipes
Help relieve pain and discomfort from insect stings with these wipes.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Disinfect tweezers, scissors, and other first-aid equipment with hydrogen peroxide.
Burn Relief Creams & Sprays
Soothe burned skin with these creams and sprays. They provide temporary pain relief and help prevent infection.


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Thursday, April 22, 2010
Here Kitty Kitty
Pussy Willows get their quaint name from the buds, called catkins, which is a take on the dutch word for kitten (pussy)...they do remind me of a soft kitten tail! Also, historically pussy willow branches were carried by some East European peoples on Palm Sunday instead of palms because of the scarcity of palm leaves in the northern regions of Europe. Even here in North America, native Indians used the willow species to make medicinal brew since the plants secrete a substance similar to some of our over the counter analgesics. Don't try this at home!
We are not the only ones who find pussy willow desirable. A couple of weeks ago, while on the hunt for migrating waterfowl at a lovely wildlife preserve, I was pleasantly surprised to find a whole grove of these charming bushes. These particular willows are the native American Pussy Willow (Salix discolor) and like their willow tree cousins are a moisture loving plant. Sure enough they were flourishing amongst the cattails and duckweed in a marshy area of Spring Valley Wild life area, just north of Waynesville http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/20055/Default.aspx.
The ones here are the "plain janes" of the family, but provide a host of benefits for many wild life. Besides providing an early pollen source for our native bees and being a host plant for numerous butterfly larvae; the buds are quite tasty to several bird species such as Goldfinch, Grouse and Cardinals. The shrubs themselves provide nesting sites for our avian friends as well.
Soon the furry catkins will pollinate, the stems will sprout leaves and we will no longer be quite as enamored with these fun harbingers of spring, but until then, here kitty kitty...
Field notes from the "B-Lister"
Posted by Robin Wood and friends at 9:34 PM
Labels: Catkins and Pussywillow
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