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The period in Britain in the early 20th century, about 100 years ago, is called the Edwardian period, after King Edward Vll who reigned from 1901 to 1910.
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Tour Highclere Castle
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A house with 48 servants
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Megan studied English at university and then went on to write books for Usborne. She's now teaching English to children in a secondary school, where Usborne books make a regular appearance!
A delightful sticker book, both fun and educations... This will keep youngsters entertained for quite a while.
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perfect when visiting English country residences!
It's an excellent book with hundreds of very realistic stickers depicting very precisely the real furniture, utensils, pottery etc! Take it along on a trip to English country residence, what you see in the book is exactly the same what your child will see in a residence. It is lots of fun! We totally love it!
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Why Aren't We Discussing Videogame Violence?
Level With Me, Understand
Everyone? We need to talk.
I didn't feel right playing Far Cry 3 the day after the awful, disgusting, utterly tragic shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. I didn't at all.
I think that says something. I know that says something. But what? That's the important question, and I'm disheartened to see that very few people are discussing it.
But I know why we're not discussing it. That's the easy part. It's because that's the sort of thing the enemy talks about. "Videogames cause violence," they hoot and holler, pitchforks aloft atop their dusty dinosaur steeds. "The medium just belches out puerile filth that teaches our children how to kill. All games should be banned forever. Period end."
The most recent last straw in a string of straws that have broken the camel's back a million times over came when the US' National Rifle Association primarily blamed violent media – games, Hollywood, etc (but especially Bulletstorm and 1989 beat-'em-up Splatterhouse for some reason) – for the recent school shootings. To say that the NRA's stance was rooted in horrifyingly willful ignorance is the understatement of the century, but the fact is, they said it. On a national stage. And the NRA has some pretty serious lobbying power to boot. So what happened next? The same thing that always happens: everyone got super pissed off.
The NRA has quite an affinity for fireworks, and boy did it ever get them. And honestly, it deserved them. It deserved to be publicly denounced by longtime supporters and verbally tarred and feathered for what was frankly a disgusting, opportunistic display in light of such a terrible tragedy. But suddenly, the attention was on them and how completely, incontrovertibly wrong they were. Because that's what always happens: opponents of the gaming industry fly off the handle and end up in Cuckoo Land on the goddamn moon. Whether it was politicians denouncing Mortal Kombat back in the day, Jack Thompson a few years ago, or the NRA now, there's rarely any logic or reason backing their claims. Just loud, knee-jerking agendas and spittle-soaked shouting. They may go on and on and on about how they despise games and all they stand for, but their favorite game of all time is clear as day: the blame game.
So naturally, we take up our tower shields and defend gaming's honor. I mean, I know I do. I love this medium. It's provided some of the coolest experiences I've ever had in my entire life. Of course I'm going to speak up when it can't speak for itself. Unfortunately, in this scenario, there's rarely room for compromise. If gaming's detractors say one thing, we say the opposite. Gaming causes violence? No. There is absolutely no problem with the fact that most big-budget games spill enough blood to make the Red Sea's name literal. None whatsoever.
But can we just drop the fever-pitch finger-pointing and be honest with ourselves for a second? Forget the nutty politicians. Forget the "studies" that have been tailored to say whatever people want them to say. Just breathe, count to ten, and look inward. We take tremendous joy in virtual violence. We squeal with glee when life-giving liquid squirts out of men's necks. Does that cause violence? Probably not. I don't have any concrete reason to believe so, anyway. But it gives violence an active, constant role in our day-to-day lives. We can't just ignore that. We shouldn't ignore that. It'd be outright irresponsible to do so.
And really, that's what this comes down to: responsibility – whether you're a game-maker or a simply a player. Again, I don't think gaming causes violence, but it would be impossible for frequent immersion in violent scenarios – fictional or not – to not have some kind of effect on us. We're humans. We're molded by our environment. Between games and movies and TV and commercials and billboards and everything else, Western (and especially American) culture treats violence like it's perfectly normal. It's just… there. All the time. For me personally, there's still certainly a line between fiction and fact (I could hardly even move after I heard about the shootings in Newtown; I just sort of stared at a wall for a while), but that doesn't mean it hasn't affected people in other ways.
What I'm suggesting, then, is that it's up to us to be aware. Examine yourself. Understand the effect – if any – that violence has had on you and those you care about. Don't let your judgement be clouded by the fact that dumb people believe games to be the new rock 'n' roll comic book devil as heralded by literate people who – gasp – weren't landed gentry. That's not the point, and this certainly isn't conceding defeat or anything like that. But gaming's still a young medium. Heck, the modern world's still young as, well, a thing that exists. It may move at a million miles per hour, but that's no reason to avoid slowing down and taking the time to understand it.
This is something the industry stands to benefit hugely from, too. For one, big-budget gaming's in a thematic gutter. Relentless manshooting gives even the best creators a pretty limited pallet to work with, so we just see the same strokes over and over again. Lo and behold, things finally get interesting when games examine themselves in a truly critical light (see: Spec Ops, etc) or do something new entirely. This is important. This is healthy. This is how an art form grows.
But also, knowing violence's place in gaming and what it really does to us can help us turn these sudden outbursts against the industry from wars of words into semi-level-headed discussions. Yes, the tide of public perception is turning in gaming's favor, but organizations like the NRA still have a lot of pull. And who knows? Maybe they're too far gone. Maybe we can't convince them of anything, and they'll cut a swathe through portions of civilized society in some horrible, backward way. But it'd be utterly – and here's that word again – irresponsible of us not to try. Reasoning with people (especially fundamentally unreasonable ones) doesn't always work, but it's incredibly depressing how often people opt to skip that step altogether.
But maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. And that's why I'm going to start at square one. Within the next couple of days, I'll be publishing a followup piece to this one in which I'll take a very close look at the places where games and violence have intersected with my life. From blissful, naive childhood all the way up to right now. Sure, the whole exercise will be inherently biased, but is there any other way to do it? And if I end up being completely full of shit, please – by all means – tell me. I want to start a discussion. Whether that means you end up contributing your own anecdotes, tearing mine to shreds, or doing something else entirely, that's great! Regardless, I think it's high-time we talk about this topic in an open, frank manner. So, right then. Pause your games of Far Cry 3. Let's get to it.

subset: commoncrawl


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USER EDITORneomichel
How I Met Your Mother is a comedy about Ted (Josh Radnor) and how he fell in love. It all starts when Ted's best friend, Marshall (Jason Segel), drops the bombshell that he's going to propose to his long-time girlfriend, Lily (Alyson Hannigan), a kindergarten teacher. At that moment, Ted realizes that he had better get a move on if he too hopes to find true love. Helping him in his quest is Barney (Neil Patrick Harris), a friend with endless, sometimes outrageous opinions, a penchant for suits and a foolproof way to meet women. When Ted meets Robin (Cobie Smulders), he's sure it's love at first sight, but destiny may have something else in store. The series is narrated through flashbacks from the future, voiced by Bob Saget. The theme song is "Hey Beautiful" by The Solids.
Josh Radnor
Ted Mosby
Neil Patrick Harris
Barney Stinson
Jason Segel
Marshall Eriksen
Alyson Hannigan
Lily Aldrin
David Henrie
S 9 : Ep 24
Aired 3/31/14
S 9 : Ep 23
Aired 3/31/14
S 9 : Ep 22
Aired 3/24/14
S 9 : Ep 21
Aired 3/17/14
12/9/13 (04:02)
3/31/14 (01:28)
3/28/14 (02:45)
3/28/14 (00:20)
relationship woes, jumping back into the dating world, buddies and gal pals, Romantic Comedy, Sitcoms


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Flights to Christchurch from Phuket
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While other MMO games are busy celebrating Halloween this weekend, Hello Kitty Online is getting ready for a celebration of a far greater caliber. Tomorrow marks the 34th Birthday of Kitty White, the big-headed icon we commonly refer to as Hello Kitty, and Hello Kitty Online is preparing a birthday celebration fit for a character that's been on more erasers than the words "I love you." Festivities kick off tomorrow with a weekend-long birthday party, with KW herself appearing in-game, which I suppose we are supposed to be thankful for. "Gee, thanks for showing up at your own party." The celebration continues into the week, with a contest to see which guild can build New York City landmarks the fastest and a charity event called "Food for Friends", in which guilds will produce food items in-game, with the total amount created translated into cash donations made by Sanrio Digital to UNICEF and the Asian Youth Orchestra. Man, I didn't realize she was 34. I feel much better about sleeping with my Hello Kitty pillow now that I know she's completely legal.Hello Kitty's birthday to be held in MMORPG Celebrations, events, charity in Hello Kitty Online begin November 1st, 2008 Hong Kong – October 31, 2008: Hello Kitty turns 34 on November 1, 2008. To celebrate the occasion, Sanrio Digital (www.sanriodigital.com) today announced a birthday party for Hello Kitty that will be held inside Hello Kitty Online (www.hellokittyonline.com), the eagerly anticipated MMORPG. The celebration begins on Saturday November 1st, and will include a birthday party lasting through the week-end, a week-long series of in-game quests and events, and a charity event that lets players convert effort they spend inside the game into real cash donations to charity. Hello Kitty Online is a MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Role-Playing Game) based on the popular Sanrio characters. The game transports players into the cute and cuddly world of Sanrio Land and is fully integrated with official Sanrio portal SanrioTown.com, which utilizes blogs, email, video sharing, games and more to create a digital and social experience accessible at any time, even in-game. The game is currently in Founders' Beta phase. The present version of Hello Kitty Online will shut down on November 8, 2008, to allow the development team to continue work on the game and prepare for Open Beta. Current players, however, will retain their characters and certain benefits in future versions of the game. There are a range of exciting events and activities planned for Hello Kitty's birthday and the final week of the Founders' Beta. 1) Hello Kitty's Birthday Party - November 1-2 Hello Kitty, real name Kitty White, was introduced to the world on November 1, 1974, and was the creation of a young artist named Yuko Shimizu. Today Hello Kitty is one of the most-loved and recognized images in the world, and was awarded the exclusive title of Special Friend of Children by UNICEF. To celebrate her birthday, Hello Kitty will make special appearances in Hello Kitty Online on November 1st and 2nd. In addition, players can expect special mini-events and even gifts to celebrate this special day. 2) Guild Competition: Build New York - November 1-6 It's time to build New York! The guilds of Hello Kitty Online will be competing in a race to build two of New York City's most famous landmarks: The Statue of Liberty and The Empire State Building. Representatives of the participating guilds will be called to trade in their Empire Keys and Liberty Keys for special Empire State and Liberty land certificates. The first guilds to complete building these landmarks will receive formal recognition in the new zone and will be awarded special items in the next version of the game. 3) "Food for Friends" Charity Event – November 1-6 Remembering children who are less fortunate, Hello Kitty Online will host an in-game guild contest called "Food for Friends", in which the efforts of guilds will be translated into donations to charity. Guilds interested in participating will produce raw materials on their farms and craft them into specific food items. Guilds will submit prepared food items to a Game Master. The guilds with the highest contributions will be declared winners. The winning guilds will receive a permanent page on www.hellokittyonline.com, special guild privileges for open beta, and a small feature on their guild including an interview with the guild representative(s) to be posted on official blog and press releases. Based on the total prepared food donated by all guilds, Sanrio Digital will then make cash donations to UNICEF (www.unicef.org) and the Asian Youth Orchestra (www.asianyouthorchestra.com). Please refer to http://www.hellokittyonline.com/us/index.php?c=misc&s=foodForFriends for information on the "Food For Friends" event.
More from Kotaku
Does this have a 14 day trial? I would seriously play it. The mention of a hello kitty guild has be all kinds of curious


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Bridewell Prison
100% Sync Tactic
- Limit prison guard deaths - 0/2
- Reach Hickey within the given time - 2:00
All of the optional objectives occur during the second half of the mission, so don't worry about it for now. When the mission begins, move towards the SSI and Eavesdrop on the cell next door. Once the men are done babbling, go to sleep to trigger the next objective.
Make your way down the stairs and activate Eagle Vision to locate Mason Weems. Speak with Weems to play a game of Fanorana. For the game, Connor doesn't need to win, so place the round chips anywhere on the board during the conversation to trigger the next objective.
Locate the prisoner upstairs with the key and then pickpocket it. From there, go back to your cell and go to sleep to trigger the next set of objectives with Weems.
After Weems explains what to do with the fake key, it's fighting time! Approach the targets in red on the floor and beat them all up to trigger the second half of the mission.
After the cutscene, the warden will stand in front of the cage, so pickpocket him. Once Connor is out of the cell, FOLLOW THE WARDEN. The exit is located just further down from where the Warden is patrolling, so do a Fast Walk past him as he turns and then go up the stairs and into the next area to find Mason Weems.
LIMIT PRISON GUARD DEATHS/REACH HICKEY IN THE GIVEN TIME: These two objectives may seem a bit daunting to complete but with quick reflexes, Connor can reach Hickey within the given time WITHOUT killing anyone. When you enter the VIP area, you will see a lone guard walk up the stairs. The trick is to walk up the opposite staircase from where the guard went. Use the Fast Walk option and walk up the opposite set of stairs and keep going up to the third floor (don't stop to hide, just keep moving).
If you are quick enough, you'll arouse suspicion but you'll be too far away to trigger any open conflict.
On the third floor, there are two guards, so hide in one of the cells. When the guard in front of Hickey's cell turns around, quickly run towards his cell and INTERACT with it to complete the mission. See? No deaths and on time.
Was this guide helpful?


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Judge weighs challenge to cop racial discrimination verdict
Jury's decision in discrimination case challenged
NEW HAVEN -- After listening to three hours of arguments, a federal judge said Monday he needs time to review whether he should uphold a recent jury verdict finding against the town in a racial discrimination case.
Judge Mark R. Kravitz said he was unlikely to order a new trial, but needed to thoroughly review the evidence before deciding whether the verdict in favor of eight Greenwich police officers should be overturned.
"This is a very important case," Kravitz said during the hearing in U.S. District Court in New Haven. "It seems to me that at the end of the day, either the evidence is sufficient or insufficient."
In July, the jury awarded five officers $157,000, finding that some had endured a hostile work environment and were held back from advancement within the police department because of race. The claims of three officers were denied.
Kravitz can overturn the verdict if he finds there was insufficient evidence for a jury to conclude that some of the eight plaintiffs suffered because of a policy of racial discrimination.
Monday's hearing came after the town filed a motion arguing the jurors came to the wrong decision in July after sitting in on a two-week trial.
Lawyers for the officers said Monday they believed the jury thought carefully about the verdict and understood the instructions and evidence.
"There is no question the jury understood the facts," said attorney Lewis Chimes. "I think the jury came to an appropriate verdict and it was well supported." Chimes cited evidence about several officers, some at a supervisory rank, who the plaintiffs' testified hearing frequent racially insensitive remarks from. Chimes said he felt the strongest evidence was the fact that during the three-year term when former Police Chief James Walters was in office, he made 30 appointments to specialized assignments, none of which went to a minority officer.
"That is evidence the jury has accepted, clearly," said Chimes. "There were many, many appointments, and not one of them were to minorities."
However, Kravitz pressed Chimes on the central issue of the case, about whether the first selectman knew about the alleged racist behavior, or was it so widespread that he should have known about it.
Kravitz also asked Chimes why his clients never spoke up before the lawsuit.
"The real problem you have is you don't have any of these people complaining about discrimination," said Kravitz.
Attorney Robert Mitchell, representing the town, told the judge he felt the jurors misunderstood what evidence was needed to prove the first selectmen knew or should have known that a pattern of racial discrimination was prevalent within the police department.
He also said that all eight officers claimed they endured a hostile work environment, but only two officers prevailed on that claim.
"The problem with this case is there are several pieces of weak evidence," said Mitchell. "I don't think taking them together there is sufficient evidence to show there was widespread (racism) that the first selectman would have known about."
Kravitz said the jury's verdict seemed to make it abundantly clear they believed Walters was motivated by race when making his appointments.
"I think you have to say the jury concluded Walters engaged in intentional discrimination," said Kravitz. "The jury doesn't have to believe what (Walters) said."
Kravitz said not to expect a decision in the "short-term." No matter what decision the judge comes to, either side can appeal the decision in the federal Second Circuit Court of Appeals.


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Trees return as Westchester airport issue
Several dozen trees in Greenwich are inching into airspace traversed by jets landing at Westchester County Airport, stirring what could be the start of another border battle between Connecticut tree-owners and the neighboring New York airport.
For Airport Manager Peter Scherrer, it's a case of deja vu.
In 1989, those same trees had grown tall enough to penetrate the airspace pilots then used when landing on the airport's alternate runway. The tree growth prompted federal regulators to mark the first 1,300 feet of the shorter of the airport's two landing strips off limits to pilots.
Now those same trees -- 25 years older and several inches taller -- are breaching the edge of the new flight path. Scherrer said he's already been warned by Federal Aviation Association officials that further tree growth could force additional shrinking of the runway.
For vacationers flying on US Airways, JetBlue or Delta, travel delays could increase if more of the small, corporate airplanes and flight school crafts that now use the alternate strip are forced to use the main runway because theirs has become too short.
That's something Scherrer said he would like to avoid. So he's setting out to resolve the airport's tree problem before the branches actually penetrate the threshold.
"It's my job to keep our runways," Scherrer said on a recent afternoon. "It's my job to keep people who use the runways safe. All we're really trying to do is be proactive and take a look at solutions. What can we do to save this runway for the future? We may never find a solution to the tree issue, but we're going to search for one."
Tree trimming or removal is an obvious option. But Scherrer said that's not a plan he's advocating.
That's because back in the early '90s, Westchester County waged a court battle against the town of Greenwich, the state of Connecticut and several landowners in an attempt to have about 50 trees chopped down so more aircraft could use the backup runway. The county offered to pay the cost to remove the trees, most of which are on land owned by Convent of the Sacred Heart, Fairview Health of Greenwich, the town of Greenwich and a King Street resident.
But a judge ruled that the county had no right to order the Greenwich property owners to chop or top off their trees.
Greenwich tree owners contacted by Greenwich Time this week either did not return requests for comment or declined to comment because they said they had not been notified of the new problem by any authority. Town officials did not return requests for comment.
Scherrer said one alternate solution he and other officials are studying involves realigning the alternate runway so that the trees are no longer anywhere near the flight path. The drawback to this idea, Sherrer said, is it's likely to be very expensive.
Scherrer said he's also considering a plan to install lights that help pilots land safely. The lights, called Precision Approach Path Indicators, are already installed on the main runway.
"If you're high on your landing, the lights appear white to you and if you're low, the lights appear red," Scherrer explained. "When you're spot on, you see two red and two white lights.
"At night, it almost looks like you're landing in a hole because it's so dark, so you want to get as many indicators as possible to make sure the pilot has a sense of where the trees are, where the runway is and so that the landing is safe."
The lights wouldn't solve the tree problem so much as buy time, Scherrer said.
The trees are not currently a safety issue for pilots and airline passengers, he said, but could become one with continued growth.
An FAA spokesman said the agency monitors the tree growth annually and has not found any present safety issues.
All told, the alternate runway is 4,450 feet long, with 1,300 feet marked out-of-bounds due to the trees and an additional 300 feet of usable length on the chopping block next year in order to satisfy a federal safety zone requirement.
If additional tree growth prompts the FAA to cut even more length on top of that, airport officials say it could be detrimental for the airport's economic health.
"Ground delays are less frequent here than they are at most other airports nearby and the reason is because we have two good runways that we can use," said John Johnston, president of the Westchester Aviation Association. "But if all of a sudden there are more delays because that alternate runway can't be used by certain airplanes, you may lose airplanes that move to other airports. So there are economic risks here, too. It's easier to drive to Danbury and take off there than it is to sit here for an hour and a half and wait to take off."


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Mann, Thomas
Mann, Thomastō´mäs män [key], 1875–1955, German novelist and essayist, the outstanding German novelist of the 20th cent., b. Lübeck; brother of Heinrich Mann. A writer of great intellectual breadth, Mann developed literary themes that not only delved into the inner self but also related inner problems to changing European cultural values. To coordinate this dual focus Mann often wrote in a symbolic vein, although in general he was less experimental than many of his contemporaries.
Sections in this article:
- Introduction
- The Children of Thomas Mann
- Fiction
- Essays
- Bibliography
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: German Literature: Biographies


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Rookie quarterback Matt Barkley was probably really excited to meet all of his new Eagles teammates at practice today. They have so much wisdom to impart on him, so much encouragement to give, so much complete disregard for whoever the hell all these new guys are.
To be fair, Mark Barkley sounds much cooler than Matt Barkley.


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We don't have any hard numbers available yet, but the Kinect launch at least looks like a success. Microsoft took over Times Square with a huge event to promote the hardware, there were widespread reports of preorders being sold out at various retailers, and serious pre-show buzz helped to get the message out: Kinect is a big deal.
The big question about Kinect is whether Microsoft needs the hardware to turn a profit this generation, or is this part of a longer-term plan to change how we interact with games and our computers? Our guess is the latter.
The money pit
Microsoft has already poured monstrous amounts of money into the Kinect. The ad campaign alone is said to have a half-billion dollar budget, and the hardware has been featured on Oprah. Ellen even danced along with Dance Central on her show. The message is clear: these are games for people who don't play games. Your mother might even want one!
The hardware itself cost a good chunk of change to develop, and Microsoft purchased entire companies to get at their tech. Microsoft had to create a good amount of new software in order to get all this technology working together in a way that allowed games to be played.
The hardware can't be cheap to produce, either, and the $150 price may not offer much room for a high profit margin. The base is motorized, which adds cost and moving parts. There is a great teardown of the hardware from iFixit, with a list of the included parts. "It's hard to believe that Microsoft is making any money off this device once you factor in the tremendous amount of R&D on top of the complexity of the physical design of Kinect," Kyle Wiens, co-founder of iFixit, told Ars.
There is an IR projector and two cameras on the face of the hardware. Four microphones are included. Kinect has to be started up as if it's another computer hooked up to your 360... which it is. It heats up when in use.
Compare that to the PlayStation Move, which uses existing technology—including concepts we saw back in the PlayStation 2 days—to create something interesting. The Move may be more effective at fine movement, but Microsoft had the burden of creating something brand new, and they weren't afraid to throw epic amounts of money at the project to do so. It's hard to estimate how much it cost to get the Kinect to store shelves, but it wouldn't be shocking if the final tally crept into the billion-dollar range.
So... why?
Microsoft has upped its sales estimate for the Kinect hardware to 5 million this quarter, according to Bloomberg. That's a whole lot of hardware, but it's not going to come close to putting the project into profitability. Does the company care?
Right now the hardware is rather large, and there is no way to attach it to the top of a television without a third-party device. But Microsoft is the only company that has been able to create this sort of interactivity without a single external controller, and that's valuable. A smaller camera with a tighter field of view could be created in the future and clipped to the screens of computers or laptops for hands-free control of elements. Why pay for a touch-screen when you have a camera that can convert any display to a Minority Report-like device?
Our review of the hardware and games looked at the Kinect as a retail product for gaming. In that context it has many problems, but almost all of them can be fixed with better software, which will come in time, and higher resolution cameras, which are constantly dropping in price. In a way, we're still in the prototype phase of this hardware, and it's only going to get better. And Microsoft owns everything here lock, stock, and barrel.
The Kinect could peter out to nothing, as other experiments in new interfaces have, or it could be perfected into a very powerful thing: a discrete piece of hardware that brings motion controls to any device, from your gaming console to your television and on to your computer. Sony may have what's arguably the better solution for gaming today, but Microsoft is taking a very, very long view and is already putting very advanced technology into homes.
The only way the level of investment here makes sense is if Microsoft is trying to get this technology out in the wild while perfecting it for broader use. We already know the company will be taking a look at how we interact with the hardware, which will send information from our Kinects directly to Microsoft. They'll be looking at that data and learning what works and what doesn't while making the hardware smaller, cheaper, and more capable. Where will the Kinect technology go from here? The sky is the limit.


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Michelle Obama Admits America's Biggest Crisis Is the Result of Her 'Midlife Crisis'
When Michelle Obama debuted her bangs last month, America was like, "Ohmygod. Your hair..." and Michelle was like, "I just got it cut! Do you like it?" and America was like, "It's so...bangs," and Michelle was like, "Haha, thanks!"
Out of respect for Michelle, many people pretended the sight of her new bangs did not make them physically ill. Luckily, we can hate them openly now because Michelle has finally revealed that banging out was nothing more than a physical manifestation of her midlife crisis.
The first lady dropped this bombshell during a Skype interview with Rachel Ray (and, apparently, a carton of eggs?) set to air Wednesday:
"This is my midlife crisis, the bangs. I couldn't get a sports car. They won't let me bungee-jump. So instead, I cut my bangs."
Hopefully this means she's planning to let the bangs grow out, and we'll speak no more of them until one day, ten years from now Sasha Obama's roommate Corinne will say something like, "When I was in sixth grade, my mom lived in our guest house for a summer. And then one day she just came home," and Sasha will cover her eyes and yell "Oh my GOD! My mom had bangs for, like, a month! It was so weird! I completely forgot about it."
Unfortunately for Michelle, abruptly cutting off (or growing out) your midlife crisis before it has completed its cycle is like waking up a sleepwalker: extremely dangerous (or possibly fine). Here are some more discreet ways for her to come to grips with her inevitable mortality once she gives up the fringe:
- Get a small tattoo of a butterfly on her lower back; chicken out halfway through; settle for undetailed moth
- Send a Facebook message to her high school boyfriend
- Take a bartending course
- Date one of her students
- Answer the door in a bra
- Whisper a secret to Scarlett Johansson
- Take a trip to the Virgin Islands (U.S.) with Dr. Jill Biden and her frenemy Felicia
- Cut the sleeves off Malia's christening gown and wear it as a crop top
- Start furnishing a secret nursery in the White House's private apartments; fill it with baby shoes she buys because they make her sad
- Come home one day with a full-grown dog and refuse to tell anyone where she got it
Have you had or are you currently having a midlife crisis? How is it expressing itself in your life?


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Magnus,heart wrote:This discussion is getting out of hand. Most probably no one here have had any perception of Chenrezig. So either you are discussing your own visualizations or this whole discussion i very premature.catmoon wrote:
Well.... no. I guess I just don't see why this should be. Chenrezig is a mental perception, and I don't understand why this perception should not be subject to the usual examinations. If he's not a mental perception then no one has ever heard of him, right?
Perhaps if you go back to when Chenrezig was first brought up and then read the ensuing discussion, the actual intent and direction of this conversation will be clearer to you. No one has claimed perception of Chenrezig or anything remotely similar.


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Domestic asset protection trusts have entered advisors' estate planning discussions with some of their high-net-worth clients over the past decade.
DAPTs, which protect assets from creditors, are seen by some as a more palatable alternative than offshore structures with a similar purpose, but estate planning experts question whether this is the case.
"For those who are not ready to make the cognitive leap offshore, then a DAPT is absolutely better than nothing," Jim Duggan, an attorney with Duggan Bertsch LLC in Chicago, said in a statement.
However, because of uncertainties that surround DAPTs, "the plaintiff will be expending significant dollars to litigate in unchartered territory, and litigation risk can often provide ample deterrence," he said.
Alaska was the first state to enact an anti-creditor trust act, and since then a handful of other states, including Delaware and Nevada, have enacted identical legislation, according to the Asset Protection Corp.
These states allow a person to form a trust for his own benefit to protect against creditors—something prohibited in all other states. With DAPTs, creditors have a shortened period of time to challenge a transfer to such a trust. And it is harder for a creditor to prove that a transfer to the trust was a fraudulent transfer.
While DAPTs are relatively easy to set up, these structures have to meet certain criteria in order to be valid. According to the American Bar Association, a DAPT:
- Must be irrevocable or unchangeable
- Should appoint a trustee with the discretion to administer the trust
- Must appoint a corporate or individual trustee that is a resident of the jurisdiction where the trust is formed
- Must contain a "spendthrift" clause, which restricts the transferability of a beneficiary's interests in the trust property—whether voluntary or involuntary—before the trustee actually distributes the property to the beneficiary.
Duggan raises five principal concerns advisors and clients should understand before implementing a DAPT.
1. Conflict of Laws
In the U.S., each state has its own body of law. This creates a difficulty, Duggan said, because in any case involving a fact pattern in which the parties, the conduct or the assets are from different states, the first challenge for the courts is to decide which state's law should control the case.
Since only a quarter of states currently have DAPT statutes, it is probable that states where litigation is taking place are those in which DAPTs are expressly prohibited as being against public policy. In a conflict-of-law analysis, it is difficult to envision any judge in a non-DAPT state agreeing to apply the laws of the DAPT state, Duggan said. Therefore, the conflict-of-law analysis alone creates enough uncertainty with DAPTs that many practitioners advise against them.
2. Full Faith and Credit Clause
Once the conflict-of-law analysis has been resolved and a judgment has been rendered, enforcement of the judgment becomes the next challenge. In short, Duggan said, State A must respect the legal judgments from a court of competent jurisdiction in State B. This is necessary if "sovereignty" is to retain its meaning.
But what happens when State A holds that DAPTs are against public policy and State B holds that they are valid? If the judgment comes from State A, is State B obligated to give deference and enforce? Some argue "yes," others "no," creating more uncertainty.
3. Statutory Exceptions
If the conflict-of-law analysis and the full faith and credit clause are ultimately resolved in a defendant's favor, the statute of the DAPT state itself creates further problems and uncertainties, Duggan said. The exceptions to the DAPT statutory protections will render the DAPT useless in many cases since unlike their offshore counterparts, most DAPT statutes have some "uncomfortable" carve-outs.
Depending on the state involved, the DAPT statutes allow for creditors to invade the trust to pay out claims related to certain tort claims, child support, alimony, property division and tax evasion, among others. Since these exceptions may, in the end, serve to "swallow the rule," many view DAPTs as strong only in name but not in substance.
4. Legal Standards
Variations in the legal standards a court applies when making determinations with respect to a DAPT or Offshore Asset Protection Trust are also of critical importance, according to Duggan. Key differences in the legal standards applied are fraudulent conveyance "lookback," and fraudulent conveyance burden of proof.
In addition, he said, it is important to note that the OAPT jurisdictions also generally offer several features unavailable in the DAPT jurisdictions:
- The plaintiff must post a bond to file suit (to prevent frivolous lawsuits)
- The loser must pay the victor's fees
- Contingency fee arrangements are strictly prohibited.
5. Governed by U.S. Law
Duggan said that perhaps the greatest deficiency of DAPTs is that they are necessarily governed by U.S. law. The DAPT fails to achieve the jurisdictional separation required to fully protect the asset from the caprices of the U.S. court system, and as long as the DAPT is governed by U.S. laws, it will have vulnerabilities that are simply not present offshore. It is perhaps this certainty of U.S. governance that creates the greatest uncertainty in the end.
"For those who can embrace a more global planning structure, the Offshore Asset Protection Trust remains the stronger of the two options," he said.
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Kentucky company used local tobacco to help produce an experimental serum to fight Ebola, which may help save two American aid workers stricken with the deadly disease.
David Howard, a spokesman for Reynolds American Services, said Owensboro-based Kentucky BioProcessing complied with a request from Emory University Hospital in Atlanta and Samaritan's Purse this week "to provide a limited amount" of the compound, called ZMapp.
Kentucky BioProcessing, which was acquired by North Carolina-based Reynolds American Inc. in January, does contract work for many clients, including ZMapp maker Mapp Biopharmaceutical of San Diego.
Howard couldn't confirm that the compound was used on the aid workers, and Emory officials didn't respond by deadline to a call or email seeking confirmation. But The Associated Press, CNN and other media outlets reported that the aid workers have gotten the serum and have improved.
The fact that a Kentucky company focused on plant-based science played a part "is fantastic," said Kenneth Palmer, a University of Louisville professor who is involved in tobacco-based research in Owensboro but not in this project. "The more that (medicines) made in plants are used, the better the acceptance. … It gives tangible evidence of how what we do can be applied to help people."
Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pointed out that ZMapp is not a proven treatment for Ebola but said it's a good example of the intriguing science of growing medicines in tobacco plants.
"We'd love to see tobacco used for health," said Frieden, who was in Hazard, Ky., on Tuesday for a series of talks on health problems in Appalachia. But he added, "We don't have proven treatments or vaccines against Ebola. … This Ebola outbreak is the biggest, worst, most complicated one that the world has ever seen."
Howard said tobacco helps in the production of ZMapp, acting like a "photocopier" to mass-produce proteins used to make the serum. Palmer said three, single-gene antibodies are put into trays of plants at Kentucky BioProcessing and replicate the antibodies after about 10 days.
Palmer likened it to antibodies being produced in the bodies of people or animals after an infection.
"What the plants are doing is pumping out the antibodies," Palmer said. "The plants are used to make the antibodies, and then they purify the antibodies."
"It's faster than more traditional methods," Howard added. "It allows for rapid growth of proteins … on a reasonably large scale."
At the direction of Mapp, the Kentucky company developed a precursor to ZMapp, called MB-003, which was tested in non-human primates and showed good results, published last August in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
Researchers said the treatment previously had been shown to protect all the primates when it was given an hour after exposure to Ebola, and two-thirds of them when given 48 hours after exposure.
'We'd love to see tobacco used for health.'
Dr. Tom Frieden, director Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
In the study published last year, researchers said, 43 percent of infected primates recovered after getting the treatment intravenously up to 120 hours after they were infected and had developed symptoms.
ZMapp was never tested in humans, but even before the latest Ebola outbreak, the companies had planned later this year to begin the federal process to get the drug approved, Howard said.
Meanwhile, tobacco plants also will be used to develop a gel to prevent the transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. University of Louisville researchers announced this week they will lead the international effort, which is being funded by a five-year, $14.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.
The gel — designed to be used during sexual intercourse by people at risk for HIV — is developed using a synthetic copy of a protein found in red algae shown to act against HIV in the lab.
Research is also underway at Louisville using tobacco plants to produce a cheaper version of the vaccine against human papillomavirus, which causes most cervical cancer.
University of Louisville President James Ramsey said all of the tobacco-based research is exciting, particularly in a state where smoking kills at the highest rate in the nation.
"It is ironic," Ramsey said in an interview Tuesday. "We've been a tobacco state, and it's been such a part of our economy, and it's pretty amazing that they can take tobacco and potentially solve some of the biggest health problems around the world."
Laura Ungar also reports for The (Louisville, Ky.) Courier-Journal


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Countless numbers of celebrities have been spotted wearing Canada Goose jackets and vests during cold weather months and for good reason. Canada Goose is responsible for constructing outerwear that will most definitely keep you warm during unspeakably cold weather. Here's the proof.
Canada Goose products are based on a Thermal Experience Index (TEI) to help customers find the warmth they desire when purchasing products, whether it be active pursuits or climbing Mt. Everest. They use coyote fur, one of only three furs that protect from frostbite, to protect around the face. Canada Goose also uses down because it is the world's best insulator. Down provides three times the warmth per ounce as synthetic materials.
Here's the good news and bad news: predictions for this upcoming winter aren't great, meaning we are supposed to be getting hit with harsh weather and snow, but on the plus side we sell Canada Goose jackets and vests that are stylish and effective.
I love the Chilliwack Bomber because it's fashion-forward and will keep you warm. Just because we need to bundle up from the elements doesn't mean we can't look good while doing it, right? Another great piece is the Freestyle Vest. It's great to throw on over a long sleeve shirt or thin sweatshirt for some extra warmth. So don't wait until the snow starts falling to get your hands on these amazing products!


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OKCs Entrepreneurial Community to Host Special Event at Oklahomas Buffalo Lounge at South by Southwest Festival
OpenBeta 6 event to feature Oklahomas most unique and innovative online startupsPublished: Friday, March 4, 2011 7:00 am By: Marcus Elwell
OKLAHOMA CITY, March 3, 2011 Entrepreneurs from Oklahoma Citys interactive community will come together to host OpenBeta 6 as part of Oklahomas presence at the 2011 South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference and Festival taking place in Austin, TX this month. The interactive event will promote innovative Oklahoma business ideas and create business opportunities by connecting people interested in online startups. The goal of Oklahomas SXSW presence is to provide exposure and networking for participating Oklahoma companies and talent to an international audience by showcasing the entrepreneurship and creative capability the state offers to potential investors and partners.
OpenBeta 6 will be held Monday, March 14 from 8 to 10 p.m. as part of Oklahomas SXSW presence at The Buffalo Lounge, located at Friends Bar in downtown Austin, Texas, and will be emceed by successful blogger Becky McCray of Small Business Survival. Oklahoma native Kent Savage, founder of Famecast.com, will kick off with a presentation on the makings of a startup. Following the keynote speech, a dozen of Oklahomas most innovative interactive companies will give lightning talks on various subjects involving innovation and the interactive industry. OpenBeta 6 will be streamed live on http://openbeta.extendedbeta.com/.
Participating Oklahoma Interactive companies include i2E, Oklahoma City Coworking Collaborative, Phase 2 Interactive, iThemes, Grocio, Keynotes, ONEsite, Quibids, Digimedia, Diner Connection, CrowdStory, Crimeseen, Urban Dealight, BuzzDing, Chesapeake Interactive, and Opus Video Productions.
Following the presentations Oklahomas own DJ Ostara will perform for the audience using original Oklahoma music. Also, the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber will present information on the economy and quality of life in Oklahoma. A follow up event will take place on Tuesday, March 15 from 4 to 7 p.m., for additional networking. OpenBeta 6 is an official SXSW 2011 Interactive Party.
SXSW will host more than 30,000 business professionals over a 10-day period in Austin, Texas from March 11-20. The Oklahoma Film & Music Office will host The Buffalo Lounge March 14-17 to help provide exposure for Oklahoma companies and talent. The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber is the Title Sponsor of Oklahomas Buffalo Lounge SXSW presence.
For more information on OpenBeta 6 visit http://openbeta.extendedbeta.com/. To attend OpenBeta 6, RSVP with firstname.lastname@example.com. For more information on The Buffalo Lounge and Oklahomas other SXSW endeavors, friend The Buffalo Lounge at SXSW on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Buffalo-Lounge-at-SXSW/198514356830937 and follow @sxswbuffalo on Twitter.


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The Housewives flunkie is currently filming Social, described as a "re-imagined Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," with Staub as the Robin Leach, visiting "homes of fabulous friends and attending events ranging from birthday parties to black tie affairs."
The irony of Staub—who repeatedly cried poor mouth on RHONJ—hosting a show about rich people on a network called WealthTV (available only to HDTV customers) is very thick. Social's creator Cary Sandoval said that the show plans to "raise awareness [for various charities] and give back to the community." No word yet on a premiere date, but Staub is still shopping around a second show—about her life—but no networks are biting as yet.


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Tunisia - Oasis to Roman Ruins across the Sahara
|Overview • Detailed Itinerary • FAQ's • Testimonials • Dates & Prices
"What I liked about the trip – the scenery and variety of activities, the ease of travel, the history and sites visited, the accommodations and the food."
"I enjoyed the variety of experiences, the flexibility of the leader, and the uniqueness of the trip. It was very well organized."
1-800-741-7956 North America • 0808-234-1714 United Kingdom • 416-588-5000 Worldwide


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People and Brands:
Medium: Discharge printed black silk twill and cashmere
Date: c.1950
Country: USA
Credit: Gift of Mrs. Herbert Berg and Mr. Leon Berg
The patterning on this day dress was achieved through discharge printing: the dress was dyed and then selectively treated with a bleaching agent to create the floral design. This process, and the chemicals it requires, are especially environmentally harmful. As textiles scholar Keith Slater has noted, discharge printing "combines the worst aspects of printing and dyeing."
Object Number: 75.77.1


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|800-Pound Gorilla (Silver)
|'Unleash The Beasts' - Perfect score
|A Load Of Bull (Bronze)
|Unlock issue 5, 'Toro! Toro! Toro!'
|Bull Fighter (Silver)
|'Toro! Toro! Toro!' - Perfect score
|Bulldozer (Bronze)
|Use a stunned vehicle to push another vehicle into a pit (excluding challenge events)
|Cement Mixer (Silver)
|'Mixed Up Mayhem' - Perfect score
|Crazy Eddie (Silver)
|Win an exhibition event on insane difficulty (minimum of 7 opponents)
|Dead Man Walking (Silver)
|'Dead Man At The Gorge' - Perfect score
|Dig It, Baby! (Bronze)
|Unlock issue 8, 'A New Level Of Mayhem'
|Excessive Acceleration (Bronze)
|Win an online race
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|Win an online demolition derby
|Four Car Garage (Silver)
|Unlock every vehicle
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|'Date With Disaster' - Perfect score
|Hang On By A Thread (Bronze)
|Climb out of elimination position after having seen the crossbones
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|Win 5 games in a single online session
|House Rules (Silver)
|Unlock all game options
|Layer Cake (Silver)
|'A New Level Of Mayhem' - Perfect score
|Loyal Reader (Gold)
|Complete the career
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|Moving Violation (Bronze)
|Earn 20,000 mayhem points
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|Paparazzi (Silver)
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|Rabid Beast (Bronze)
|Earn 3,000 mayhem points in a single event (excluding challenge events)
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|Collect 25 career stars
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|Get 100% completion on the career
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|Tickets, Please (Bronze)
|Watch a saved replay in the replay theater
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|Unlock every level
|Two For The Show (Bronze)
|Unlock issue 3, 'Date With Disaster'


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- Shop
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- Simms G4 Cap
Simms G4 Cap
per item
One hat to rule torrential days on the water, this tech-laced lid features seam-taped 3-layer GORE-TEX® fabric, with a Nylon face, for absolute waterproof, breathable performance. A removable leash provides catch-and-retrieve options on windy days, while the plastic buckle closure ensures a secure, comfortable fit for all sizes.FEATURES
APPROX. WEIGHT: 4 oz
SIZES: One size fits most
- Waterproof, breathable, fully seam-taped cap for rainy days on the water
- Removable lid leash
- Plastic buckle closure at the back
APPROX. WEIGHT: 4 oz
SIZES: One size fits most


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At Nourish we know that to accomplish great things, you must be in good health. That's why we provide you with the tools to create the vibrant life you deserve.
Organic and Natural, Gluten Free Goodness.
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We do this by offering healthy and delicious foods, nutrition filled juices, smoothies and cleanses.
Time is precious and so is your health.


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New pictures of Rihanna's new $12 million home have emerged online, and each of them show off the true beauty of the singer's abode. You can check out images of her new palace below.
Located in Los Angeles' posh Pacific Palisades neighbourhood, the house boasts seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms, and 20 parking spaces. The 24-year-old has been tweeting about waking up every morning at dawn to watch the sun rise over her pool and has spoken about its majesty.
"I literally wake up every morning at 5.30ish and stare at my pool til the sun comes up! Just waiting! Is this my life,' she recently wrote on Twitter.
Each room in the building is decorated with luxurious cream and white textiles and has several indoor-outdoor spaces, and the pool also features various mood lights and fountains.
There are also a hoard of lounge chairs and cushioned seats surrounding the premises, whilst aerial photos of the property also show that mature Oak and Sycamore trees line the area.
The home has been recently constructed and is around 11,000 square feet in size, sitting on approximately 33,541 square foot of lot.
However, there are only seven bedrooms inside the property, but it does include nine bathrooms plus a media and a games room for socializing The huge kitchen has ceilings that launch up to 14 feet into the air, whilst the backyard, which is approximately 6000 square feet, features a BBQ, fire pit, sun deck, and jacuzzi.
Rihanna's neighbors in the area will include Seal, Heidi Klum, and Tom Brady, and this is the second property she has purchased this year. The other she gave to her mother, Monica Braithwaite.


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Forum rules | FAQ | Technical help | Announcements | New members start here
Sit seems that Brit Actor Tom Hardy will play Max Rockatansky (aka Mad Max)......he's a great actor but I would have rathered an Aussie play the role given its an Australian movie series set in Australia. Someone like Sam Worthington from Terminator Salvation & Clash of the Titans would have been a great choice.Anyway it will be interesting to see where they will take the series with "Fury Road". There was talk that the movies production was in trouble but things seem to be progressing with filming actualy commencing back in July in Namibia.The title suggests it will be a return of those awesome high octane V8 interceptors and car scenes of the original movie....but if this is a sequal to Mad Max 3, I don't know how it will all work as I thought that gasoline (petrol) had all but disappeared.Bring on 2013!
The original was an Australian movie taking place in Australia and Max was played by an American, so why does it matter?
I went to the Mad Max museum in Silverton in 2011, expensive and small but with a run down kitsch quality that made it worth every penny. http://www.silverton.org.au/madmaxmuseum.html
That is really cool. That guy is definitely into Mad Max to go as far as he did with that museum! Was the Interceptor authentic?
An apocalyptic story set in the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, and almost everyone is crazed fighting for the necessities of life. Within this world exist two rebels on the run who just might be able to restore order. There's Max, a man of action and a man of few words, who seeks peace of mind following the loss of his wife and child in the aftermath of the chaos. And Furiosa, a woman of action and a woman who believes her path to survival may be achieved if she can make it across the desert back to her childhood homeland.
Didn't you guys say that the "299 Days" series included enslaving people who were O- and selling them to the highest bidder? Or was it some other future dystopia that championed that notion??
Is that a yes or a no?
Orleans is set in the years after the fatal Delta Fever has decimated the south, causing the government to first quarantine and then cut off the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas, leaving those still within those areas to fend for themselves.
sorry for lack of capital letters. i have a kitty sleeping on my lap and my left hand is under his head
There is already another thread titled Mad Max Fury Road. Is it worth merging the topics because I am sure it will gather legs as the movie gets closer to release and more trailers come out. Just a thought!!!


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Heart Chakra Art Print (Limited Edition)
Regular price $19.99
Printed on professional fine archival acid free art paper that has a canvas textured with a semi gloss. Print is 8.5 × 11 inches. Painted by Sharron Basanti of Seeds of Shakti.
All prints are signed and numbered on the back. Additional prints won't be offered again in the same size. Limited to 50 copies. Made in Canada.
The print has a white border as per the photo to make framing easier. The print is sold unframed. Please note that the colour may vary, as each computer or mobile screen is different. The prints may not be in the exact colour tone as the card from the Seeds of Shakti Oracle deck.
Copyright for all artwork is retained by Sharron Basanti and is not transferred with sale.
Shipping FAQs & Policy:
All orders, including domestic and international are processed via Canada Post and shipped via air mail on Tuesdays and Thursdays after the order has been processed.
Seeds of Shakti offers flat rate shipping, therefore, you can order as much as you want and the rate does not increase. Rates are as follows in USD: United States ($8.99), Canada ($12.99), Europe ($13.99), and everywhere else ($17.99). Flat rate does not apply to wholesale orders.
All orders shipped outside of Canada do not include tracking or coverage insurance. If you would prefer your parcel to be tracked, please send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com for price options. You can choose the tracking option for US orders at checkout.
The customer is responsible for duty, brokerage, and/or handling fees the product might be subject to in the destination country.
Typically takes 1 to 2 weeks for domestic orders (Canada & US) and 2 to 8 weeks for international orders depending on the postal service of the destination country. Please note that shipping times are estimates, and parcels can be delayed due to weather, holidays, or customs. Seeds of Shakti is not responsible for any delays and cannot gurantee shipping times.
After the parcel is handed over to Canada Post, Seeds of Shakti is no longer liable as the parcel is now the responsibility of the postal carriers. Seeds of Shakti is not liable for any lost or damaged parcels as postal services are not as reliable especially in Asia, South & Central America, and Africa. If an incorrect or old address is provided and the parcel has been shipped, Seeds of Shakti cannot be held responsible for delivery. All sales are final. No exchanges.


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TripAdvisor traveler rating: 5 of 5 stars
We stayed at the Marianna Studios for 2 weeks and cannot fault anything about it-previous reviews have almost said it all!.....
Norwich, United Kingdom
Reviewed 26 September 2012
I have just returned from the Marianna Studios in Tigaki what a lovely place to stay!!...
London, United Kingdom
Reviewed 24 September 2012
We have just got home from the Marianna and want to let everyone know our stay was heaven! This is the best place to stay in Tigaki - Vasillas and Maria are so friendley and helpful….
Manchester, United Kingdom
Reviewed 21 September 2012
Certificate of Excellence


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Pineda 'dialed in' as he faces Yanks hitters
TAMPA -- Right-hander Michael Pineda threw his first live batting-practice session of the spring Sunday morning, said he's feeling "great" and that he's just trying to get ready to pitch in games.
Catcher John Ryan Murphy said Pineda, competing for the final spot in the Yankees' rotation, had "really good" command Sunday but added, "I don't think he's where he thinks he should be yet, but overall, he was pretty good."
Murphy also said Pineda has been focusing a lot more on his changeup, a third pitch to complement his fastball and breaking ball, and it looked "pretty good" against Ramon Flores and Jose Pirela.
"I thought the last five to seven pitches he got dialed in, which to me is a good sign," said Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who watched Pineda throw. "The first time you face a hitter in four or five months, you don't expect guys to be as sharp as they're going to be. But he got better as he went along, which is a great sign to me."
It appeared Pineda was working a little faster than usual, particularly when compared to his rehab starts in 2013, and Murphy noted that Pineda may have been a little jumpy. Murphy said pitching coach Larry Rothschild mentioned it as well and guessed it was a product of Pineda being excited to face hitters for the first time.
Still, Murphy said, even now you can see Pineda's front-line ability every time he throws a pitch.
"He's got the electric stuff. He's got a chance to be a high-end guy," Murphy said. "You can see his potential every pitch."


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Food & Drink
Brick and mortar: Best indie bookstores
By Hilary Davidson, Special to CNN • Updated 1st May 2013
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7 Pictures
In the age of Amazon and e-books, common wisdom claims that brick-and-mortar bookstores are going the way of the dinosaurs. If a national chain such as Borders, which folded in 2011, couldn't succeed in this climate, what are the odds of an independent shop going the distance?
Surprisingly good, it turns out.
I've published three novels over the past three years, and each time I head out on tour, I discover amazing bookstores. While it's hard to beat the Internet for sheer efficiency, virtual book-buying can't satisfy the same itch for discovery that browsing in person can. Moreover, it's become easy to love e-books and local stores since
started partnering with independents to make some 3 million titles available electronically.
The stores that are succeeding offer a mix of author visits, staff recommendations and community outreach that's impossible to replace. While there are incredible indies all over North America, these are my favorites:
BookPeople: Austin, Texas
They say everything is bigger in the Lone Star State, and
seems determined to make that point. This three-story shop has sat on a prime plot of downtown Austin real estate since 1970, and its marquee sign out front lists that day's special guests, which have included former presidents, rock stars and best-selling novelists. What makes BookPeople special is that it's just as welcoming to newly minted authors, too. While every department is fully stocked, crime novels get a lot of love here, especially since the 2012 launch of MysteryPeople, a store within the original store. Big as the store is, it's still a place where handwritten notes from staff line the shelves, personally recommending favorite reads.
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The Poisoned Pen: Scottsdale, Arizona
While its name suggests a criminal enterprise,
The Poisoned Pen
specializes in fiction -- not only mysteries, but historical novels, literary fiction and works set in the Southwest. Still, crime fiction is close to its dark little heart -- beating since 1989 -- and this is a place that stocks its shelves with British and Canadian titles that are often impossible to find elsewhere. The store's owners are so passionate about books that they founded the Poisoned Pen Press in 1997, and it's since become one of the largest hardcover publishers of English-language mysteries in the world. I think of it as the little press that could.
Ben McNally Books: Toronto
If I could give an award for the most beautiful bookstore in North America, this one in Toronto's Financial District would win. With its soaring ceiling, elegant chandeliers, slender columns and leather wing chairs,
Ben McNally
looks like an idyllic private club for book lovers. Some dedicated bookworms have even tied the knot in the store. Beautiful as it is, the shop's biggest strength is its charming staff, who are adept at sussing out any visitor's interests and recommending what to read next. Seductive as their home base is, they also sponsor readings and events around the city.
Mysterious Galaxy: Redondo Beach, California
The first time I encountered the staff of this shop wasn't at the store itself, but at a Noir at the Bar reading in Los Angeles -- a popular crime fiction reading series that takes place in cities across the country. Home base is a shiny new space that only opened in 2011 (the original San Diego store has been operating since 1993), but
Mysterious Galaxy
is hardwired into the local community, hosting author events at schools, its popular Ladies, Lunch & Literacy program at independently owned restaurants, and organizing the Passion & Prose conference for romance readers.
Subterranean Books: St. Louis
opened in 2000, it carried a mix of new and secondhand books; since then, it's shifted its focus to carrying only new books. But they don't try to stock everything. Instead, they've carved out a niche with cult-classic novels, intriguing offerings from small presses, and books about film, pop culture and history. Everything in the store has been personally selected by staff members, so their recommendations are deeply personal.
The Tattered Cover: Denver
Technically, there are three branches of the
Tattered Cover
, and each one is spectacular in its own right. The downtown store near Union Station, which boasts 20,000 square feet of retail space, is where the Dalai Lama reads when he comes to town, and there's the gorgeous Highlands Ranch outpost in the suburbs. My personal favorite is the location on East Colfax Avenue, which remade the historic Lowenstein Theater into a bibliophile's paradise with cozy corners and couches.
McNally Jackson: New York
It looks like an elegant, old-fashioned bookstore, with its tightly packed rows of bookshelves, overstuffed international newsstand and a café that serves rose water and cappuccino. But underneath that elegant surface beats the heart of an innovator. That was clear when
McNally Jackson
introduced its Espresso Book Machine, which takes mere minutes to print library-quality paperbacks from a catalog of almost 4 million titles. (That same machine also allows authors who wish to self-publish in print easy access to a press.)
Book Passage: San Francisco
This shop has two locations, but the tiny one in
the San Francisco Ferry Building
is the one that grabbed my heart. I discovered it while attending a conference, and I was instantly charmed by its towering shelves, spectacular travel section and inspiring view of the water. Two years later, I returned on tour and found the same staff I'd met the first time still working in the store. "We never want to leave," one told me. I didn't either.
La Maison Anglaise: Quebec City
In a city where fewer than 5% of the population is Anglophone, what hope could there be for a store specializing in English-language books?
La Maison Anglaise
, whose name translates as The English House, has been going strong since 1984 in its small space near Laval University. That's partly because its owner, Guy Dubois, is an extraordinary organizer who co-founded the QuebeCrime literary festival, which has drawn superstar writers such as Lawrence Block, Ian Rankin and Daniel Woodrell to town.
Parnassus Books: Nashville
This is the one store on my list that I haven't visited -- yet. But I'll be in Nashville for a conference in August, and
Parnassus Books
is at the top of my sightseeing list. One reason why is that the store was co-founded by Ann Patchett, the author of "Bel Canto" and one of my favorite novelists. I love the fact that she opened this store at the end of 2011 when independent bookstores appeared to be in steep decline. (Patchett decided to open the store after Nashville lost its last local bookshop, saying she had "no interest in living in a city without a bookstore.")
Where do you like to find your next book, whether it's a local bookstore, the library or the Internet? Please share in the comments below.
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Deduno has shoulder examined, may miss start
MINNEAPOLIS -- Right-hander Samuel Deduno had his right shoulder examined by team doctors after his start against the White Sox on Sunday, according to Twins assistant general manager Rob Antony.
Deduno struggled for a third straight start, giving up five runs on eight hits over five innings while hitting three batters. He complained of shoulder soreness after the game, but he checked out OK and remains tentatively penciled in to make his next start on Friday against the Indians.
"The doctors are just going to keep an eye on him," Antony said. "We're not going to rule him out for his start on Friday. But that's subject to change. We'll keep an eye on him and see how he is this week."
Deduno had a 3.17 ERA through his first 13 starts this season, but has a 7.02 ERA over his last three starts to see his ERA for the season rise to 3.82. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said he's noticed a difference in the effectiveness of Deduno's curveball in recent starts.
"It's getting to a certain point and just hanging there right now," Gardenhire said. "And when his arm speed is good, it's snapping pretty good."


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Signs of the Zodiac: Aquarius: January 21-February 19 (Hardcover)
Hard to Find
Find out all about your sign How will you react to difficulties? Which other signs are more compatible with yours? How do you behave in love? And what myths and fables are related to your sign? These and many other questions are answered in this stunningly illustrated book. Compiled by an expert astrologer, it reveals everything you need to know about your characteristics and temperament, work and romance, and personal tastes.


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Explore the remarkable diversity of California, "The Golden State," and its neighbor, "The Silver State" of Nevada, with this attractive and educational map. The California and Nevada map is part of the "Close-up: U.S.A." series of maps which feature a wealth of travel and tourism information as well as an abundance of historical notes. Published in June 1974, this map represents half of a two-piece set, appearing with "California and Nevada: Storied Realm of Glitter and Greenery" travel poster.
Coverage Area: California, Nevada


text:
Generally speaking, there are 2 common types of 3.5 mm connector for mobile headsets in the market. For the first type, microphone connection is made through Ring #1; for the second type, microphone connection is made through the Sleeve. The picture below shows the location of Ring #1 and the Sleeve on a connector.
|Type 1 headset
|Type 2 headset
|Left channel (stereo signal)
|Left channel (stereo signal)
|Ring #1
|Right channel (stereo signal)
|Right channel (stereo signal)
|Ring #2
|Ground connection
|Ground connection
If you can listen to music but are not able to use the microphone on a call, it could be due to that only the Tip and Ring #1 are connected properly. No matter your headset is type 1 or type 2, please make sure the connector is fully inserted to the jack on your mobile phone.
In some cases where the mobile phone is covered with a protective case, special note has to be taken to fully insert the connector of the headset into the jack. If the opening for the connection jack on the case is small, you may need to remove the protective case before connecting the headset to the mobile phone.
If the headphone connector is already inserted fully but the problem persists, contact Philips Consumer Care (Contact Page) for further assistance.
Was this document helpful?


text:
Asked by:
Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB4074598) Installation status: Failed Error details: Code 80070643
Hi there, for a few days now I've had the Windows 7 Update shield next to my Shut Down button no matter how many times it is "installed". Looking in the Update History, I found the title of this post and pasted it. It has failed multiple attempts to install. I have tried the Windows update troubleshooter and that didn't work so I then tried to open CMD and type the command Ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.bak (as instructed by https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/10164/fix-windows-update-errors) but then was hit with "Access Denied" in the CMD.
I think it is also having an effect on my internet as it has been terribly slow when trying to use my PC for online gaming.
My specs:
Windows 7 x64
Nvidia Asus Geforce 970 OC
Intel i7 860 2.8 ghz
14gb DDR3 Ram
I would be grateful for any help. Thank you.Thursday, March 1, 2018 2:04 AM
All replies
Seems that you can't correctly install the update kb 4074598. Have you tried to install it manually from here ?
If you encounter the problem when you manually install the update, please let me know at which part did you have the error, during download or install or configuration.
If you check for update in Control Panel>windows update, please also let me know at which part did you have the error.
Here are some steps that you can do to troubleshoot the problem:
1.Perform a clean boot to disable the third-party software conflict.
2. Run the System File Checker tool (SFC.exe) by taking following these steps:
2.1 Open an administrative Command Prompt window.
2.2 Type following command and then press Enter.
sfc /scannow
2.3 After the scan is finished, try to install updates again.
4. Reset the Windows Update Components, please refer the following link.
How do I reset Windows Update components?
5.Go to services.msc and find BITS and Windows Update, stop them.
Open Windows Explorer and navigate to "C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution".C:\Windows\System32\catroot2
Delete all the content in this folder. (Some files may not be deleted.Just ensure to delete "Download" and "DeliveryOptimation".)
Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help.
If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact firstname.lastname@example.com.
Friday, March 2, 2018 2:50 AM
- Proposed as answer by vivian_zhouMicrosoft contingent staff Monday, March 5, 2018 1:44 AM
Any updates?
If you have any problems, please feel free to contact me.
Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help.
If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact email@example.com, March 5, 2018 1:44 AM
Hi Vivian,
I have followed literally ALL your recommendations (Steps One through Five) as suggested in your post. Nothing works. The following Windows updates download and install, but fail during the configuration process:
2018-02 Preview of Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows 7, 64bit (KB4075211)
2018-02 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows 7, 64bit (KB4074598)
2018-03 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows 7, 64bit (KB4088875)
All other Windows updates download, install and configure as expected so there is nothing wrong with the Windows Update components, although I have reset them as you suggest in Step 4. I have tried to install each of the above updates several times with no success. I have also run full virus/malware scans -- Microsoft Security Essentials (twice) and Microsoft Safety Scanner (also twice). MSE detected and removed a Trojan and the computer is now clear, but the updates continue to fail during the configuration stage (which takes FOREVER!). I'm hoping that someone at Microsoft will be able to fix this, or find a workaround, hopefully sometime before the Security Monthly Quality Rollup is rolled out for April 2018.Wednesday, March 14, 2018 5:07 AM
Go to device Manager to see if there is any unknown device there. If so, update their drivers and make sure all the drivers are up to date.
Then try again.
Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help.
If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact email@example.com, March 14, 2018 9:50 AM
There is one "unknown" device, the Lenovo Touch Pad, disabled since September 2013 because I use a wireless mouse, and has never impacted Windows updates in the past 4 1/2 years. Nevertheless, I tried downloading the 2018-02 Security Monthly Quality Rollup (KB4074598) yet again with the same result -- the update failed in the configuration stage.
I am wondering if the 2018-02 and 2018-03 Monthly rollups and the 2018-02 Preview (KB4075211) have failed because they are not intended for this computer (Lenovo ThinkPad Edge, E531). Each of these updates includes the following notice from Microsoft: "Because of an issue that affects some versions of antivirus software, this fix is being applied only to the computers on which the antivirus ISV have updated the ALLOW REGKEY". I do not use antivirus software like McAfee and others -- I use only Microsoft Security Essentials and Microsoft Safety Scanner, both of which have served me well, having had only one virus since 2013, successfully detected and deleted by MSE.
Wednesday, March 14, 2018 6:44 PM
- Edited by vmclose Wednesday, March 14, 2018 7:04 PM


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AMBOY – Amboy High School's alumni football team hopes its quarterbacks are a real pain for Fulton come Friday night.
One thing is for sure – they are real Paynes.
Luke Payne and his distant cousin, Scott, will guide the Clippers as they take on the Steamers at Fulton High School. Game time is 7 p.m.
Luke, 29, was a quarterback at Amboy in the early 2000s, so leading the offense should not be too big of a deal. Scott, on the other hand, was an offensive guard and linebacker who tipped the scales at about 230 pounds during his playing days.
Scott, 33, got as heavy as 265 pounds 2 years ago before undertaking and committing to the P90X workout system. He is now a svelte 190 pounds, and will split QB duties with Luke.
"Taking the snaps is a little different, but it was easy to get used to," said Scott Payne, who has been a member of the Amboy football staff for the past eight seasons, helping to run the offense.
The Clippers have been getting ready for this game for several months now. They've practiced on Sundays since before Memorial Day, and have snuck in a couple of weekday practices, including Tuesday.
The roster has filled out nicely as well. The Clippers' roster went from about 15 in the early stages to 33 this week.
"It was a little chaotic the first couple of weeks," Scott Payne said, "but when more guys started coming, we got more organized and able to do a lot more things. We started putting in the offense and defense."
One of the late additions was Cody Richardson, 21, an all-state running back a few seasons back.
"I think I should be able to do a little bit," Richardson said. "I don't know how many plays I can play, but we'll see."
On the opposite end of the scale is Ted Gould, 47, a 1983 AHS graduate and the oldest player on the roster.
"It just intrigues me to play again and see what I've got left," Gould said. "I don't know what it is, but it'll be interesting."
Gould is listed at free safety, and tips the scales at about 140 pounds. He admits to thinking twice about mixing it up with people half his age and approaching twice his weight, but decided the positives outweighed the negatives.
"Yeah, there's concerns, but it's the opportunity of a lifetime," Gould said, "to get to play one more time."
In the end, that's what attracts most of the players.
"When you graduate from high school, you look back at all those years, and you wish you could do this one more time," Scott Payne said. "This is the opportunity. It should be fun, and hopefully it will be a fun, competitive game."


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How to Plan a Beer Dinner for Valentine's Day
Beer and food are better together.
Dim the lights, light the candles, and cue the smooth jazz; Valentine's Day is just around the corner. What better way to woo your sweetest than a multi-course meal paired with beer? Skip the restaurant prix fixe scams and get cozy at home, cooking an aphrodiasical dinner together and sipping some delicious beer parings alongside each dish.
Start your romantic repast off right by popping the cork on a bottle of bubbly brew while you cook. Something light and festive: perhaps a beer made with the methode champenoise like Scaldis Prestige or DeuS Brut des Flandres. Pour two flutes and let the fun begin.
Appetizer: Oysters
Oysters are the essential food of love. Besides that, they're just darn good. This recipe for oysters with Irish stout granita brings an added dimension to your pairing by making the beer part of the dish itself.
If you've never tried the classic pairing of stout and oysters, Valentine's day is the perfect opportunity. The toasty flavors of roasted malts offer a counterpoint to the oysters' briny salt. The one makes the other stand out, creating what I like to call an umami tsunami.
Which stouts should you try with this first course? The dry roastiness of an Irish stout like Guinness, Beamish, or Three Floyd's Black Sun Stout will emphasize the briny flavors. To push the meatier umami try a richer, sweeter, and stronger foreign extra stout. Lion Stout from Sri Lanka is a great one to check out.
You can also raise the pairing to a truly-melded level by serving an oyster stout alongside your bivalves. That's right: there are oysters in the beer. Oyster shells and/or meat are introduced into the brewing process to give these beers an earthy brine and calcium-rich texture that makes them perfect to wash down a dozen on the half shell. They can be a bit hard to find—try getting a growler at your local brewery, especially if you're coastal. Porterhouse Oyster Stout is relatively common and quite tasty, with subtle salty mineral notes peeking out from behind a full-bodied, cocoa-licious foreground.
Main Course: Seared Duck Breasts
There's something luxurious about duck for dinner, and this recipe for seared duck breasts with garam masala and grapes is sure to be a home run. Rich texture, spicy and fruity flavors: it's just the thing for a romantic dinner, and though it's fancy-sounding, the recipe is actually quite quick to prepare.
One way to approach this dish is with an equally luxurious, fruity/spicy beer, such as a strong dark ale from Belgium. Pepper, spice, dried fruit and cherry fermentation notes will complement the garam masala and the sauce. The malty richness will pick up the seared surface and subtle sweetness of the duck, and the effervescence and alcohol will leave your palate cleansed. Trappistes Rochefort 10 is a beautiful choice. You also can't go wrong with St. Bernardus Abt 12. (Or get a bottle of each and try both!)
If you want to cut through the richness a bit more, you can rely on the acidity of a fruity sour beer. Flemish brown ales like Liefmans Goudenband or La Folie from New Belgium Brewing in Colorado offer dark, balsamic-drenched, fruity flavors that are a perfect tie-in to the sauce and provide a lovely counterpoint to the spice. Or go further with unsweetened lambic. Cantillon St. Lamvinus is aged on merlot and cabernet-franc grapes, giving it a bright and vinous profile that will work with the sauce, the spice, and the meat.
Another option is to substitute cherries for the grapes in the recipe, and then pair it with a special bottle of New Glarus Belgian Cherry Red or Oud Beersel Oude Kriek Vieille. Both are made with copious amounts of tart cherries that will make a one-to-one match with a cherry version of the sauce. In all of these pairings the beer's acidity will cut through richness of the duck.
Main Course: Vegetarian Option
But what if your love is vegetarian? Check out this recipe for Vol-au-Vent filled with creamy celeriac and wild mushrooms. For a kitschy touch to catch the eye of your beloved, change the star decorations to hearts. This savory, earthy, mushroom pie calls out for the caramelized malt and herbal/spicy hops of doppelbock or English mild.
Doppelbock is brilliant with both mushrooms and roots. It brings a luscious caramelized maltiness that makes the umami in the food stand out. And subtle spicy hops pick up on the herbs. strong>Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock is one of the best, plus it's easy to find. For an outstanding domestic option, look for Troegenator Double Bock from Tröegs Brewing Company.
English mild brings some darker, nutty/roasty flavors to the mix that complement rather than contrast this dish, and the herbal hops are always nice with earthier dishes. These beers also come in at less than 4% ABV, which is a nice bonus when you're trying a few different beers in one evening. Look for Cain's Dark Mild or Moorhouse's Black Cat, or see if your local brewery makes a mild.
Dessert: Chocolate Salted Caramel Tart
Seal the deal with an all-out sensual overload, an intense and decadent chocolate and salted caramel tart—homemade, of course.
But just because it's time for dessert doesn't mean your beer-drinking hours are over: just make sure to get a beer with some serious chops to stand up to the tart.
There are two possible routes: beers that steer toward caramel flavors, and those that are big and bold with loads of bitter and chocolate roast.
To latch into the caramel flavors, barleywine is the way to go. An English version will emphasize the malty-sweet connection, providing just enough bitterness and herbal hop flavor to prevent sugar coma. The salt in the desert will give those hops a little boost. Anchor Old Foghorn is a great domestic version with a little more hops than some. For the full-on malt experience seek out J.W. Lee's Vintage Harvest Ale. You can often find vintage bottles. Grab the oldest one you can get for a mellow and delicious experience.
American barleywines will tend to have a greater emphasis on hops, giving you tangerine and grapefruit overtones that add some depth and complexity to the pairing. Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine is the benchmark, but the hops can be rough. Look for a bottle that is at least a year old. Also worth trying are Avery Hog Heaven Barley Wine and Victory Old Horizontal.
If you'd rather connect to the chocolate flavors in the dessert, go with an imperial stout to complement the tart like a cup of coffee would. Big, bold, and roasty imperial stouts have enough punch to stand up to sweetness, cutting through all the sugar while bittersweet chocolate flavors provide the connection. North Coast's Old Rasputin is a favorite of ours, delivering chocolate and coffee flavors with a strong backing of citrusy hops. Oscar Blues Ten FIDY leans more heavily on the chocolate flavors and molasses sweetness, but is still bitter enough to keep it balanced.
Of course, this is just one possible menu. What beer and food pairings will you serve your sweetheart on Valentine's Day?
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