text:
After 3 days rigor mortis had set in, but Stanley came back from the dead, perfectly healthy, as if nothing had happened!
However, by the second day, the family prepared for Stanley's funeral. His coffin was arranged, a burial plot, and a burial gown. By the third day Stanley's blood had congealed in the bottom of his legs and feet and rigor mortis begun to set in. Early in the morning on the third day, Stanley's wife brought the burial gown to the Hospital to prepare her husband. Neighbors gathered outside of the chapel to receive Stanley's coffin. Flowers were laid out for the wake. A death certificate was already signed. But Stanley came back from the dead, perfectly healthy, as if nothing had happened. While his heart was flat line, his brain dead, Stanley had in spirit met for the first time "Jesus Christ of the Divine Mercy".
Divine Mercy testimony: Written by Stanley Villavicencio
Divine Mercy, Testimony
Fr: fwd by firstname.lastname@example.com 2008 Jan 20
Subject: PLEASE READ: The Filipino who saw, spoke, touched and embraced Jesus!!!
This is quite long but IT IS A MUST TO READ.
Bro. Stanley Villavicencio Note: The miracle that happened to him was recognized by Vatican. In Washington DC, he spoke using his dialect, Visayan language, but what came out from his mouth was English. In China, Chinese understood his testimony although he spoke in English while Chinese understand only their language. In Rome, when he spoke before the Cardinals and bishops from all over the world, he spoke in English but what came out from his mouth was an Italian language!!!
Throughout the history of the Catholic Church, many believers are being called by Jesus and Mary to deliver messages to the whole world, and Bro. Stanley is one of them. All messages will accompany a proof that they come from GOD himself. Bro. Stanley's case is no different. There will always be a specific time, date, and location accompanying the message. God gives us every proof that the messages delivered are truly from them. Even the Vatican, which seldom accepts supernatural events, has approved the messages. It is really God's grace that has brought these messages to our ears.
In 1993, there was a miracle that is not well known. The events surrounding it are undeniable, and because of its nature it is surprising that it never made International front page news headlines. It should have done! It never left the tight knit Christian circle, when in truth, it is God and so every human being has a right to be told.
Stanley Villavicencio was born in Bais, Negros Oriental in the Philippines. He was raised a Roman Catholic and had a great devotion to the Sacred Heart (Divine Love) of Jesus Christ. It is a devotion that started when he was in grade school at the Sacred Heart Academy in Bais, Negro Oriental. He married a nurse, Melissa Gantuangco Villar and moved to Cebu in Mambaling. Close to his house was a chapel dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This had a great bearing on his decision to buy the house. Unfortunately, after moving, it was discovered that the chapel was portable, erected only during the fiesta celebration and dismantled afterwards. In 1983, Stanley became Chapel President. A neighbor donated some land close by in order for a permanent chapel to be built for the Christian Community. Stanley was basically an ordinary man. In 1993, he was an employee of AVSECOM (The Aviation Security Command). He also became a member of the Perpetual Dawn Rosary Association in Cebu.
In the Cebu Roman Catholic Community, there is a tradition that whenever a special family occasion occurs in a house hold, the head of the family receives into the home a large statue of the Virgin Mary. March 2, 1993 is a birthday of one of Stanley's children, therefore, that morning, he was to receive the statue. However, when the statue arrived just before eight o'clock in the morning, Stanley was not up and so his mother-in-law received it.
Being concerned, she entered Stanley's bedroom. Stanley, the night before he retired, was perfectly healthy. But this particular morning his mother-in-law found him convulsing. Blood was spurting from his mouth with incredible force. She felt his pulse which was too weak to detect. When she forced open his eyes, they were white. An ambulance was called and Stanley was taken to Chong Hua Hospital in Cebu. He was rushed to the Emergency Room. There, still bleeding profusely from his mouth, and convulsing, he was injected with the maximum dose of Valium to try to stop the convulsions and slow down the huge quantity of blood pouring from his mouth. The doctors ran all sorts of tests. They could not locate the source of the bleeding, nor any kind of illness. They took a blood test with view of giving him a blood transfusion, but his blood count was normal which medically was impossible, it meant that his body was not short of blood, despite the fact he had lost so much blood. Stanley slipped into a coma. His heart beat became slower, his skin color turned gray and then he stopped breathing.
He was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit, where a specialist inserted an Ambue Bag, the end - tracheal tube being placed through his nose, going down to his stomach. This was the only form of life support that the Hospital had available. An I.V. drip was placed into a vein in his hand, running dextrose fluid into his system. However, very quickly, Stanley's organs shut down. He was declared "brain dead". His family at first did not believe this. Mainly because Stanley had shown no previous signs of being ill and the doctors were unable to determine what was wrong.
However, by the second day, the family prepared for Stanley's funeral. His coffin was arranged, a burial plot, and a burial gown. By the third day Stanley's blood had congealed in the bottom of his legs and feet and rigor mortis begun to set in. Early in the morning on the third day, Stanley's wife brought the burial gown to the Hospital to prepare her husband. Neighbors gathered outside of the chapel to receive Stanley's coffin. Flowers were laid out for the wake. A death certificate was already signed.
But Stanley came back from the dead, perfectly healthy, as if nothing had happened. While his heart was flat line, his brain dead, Stanley had in spirit met for the first time "Jesus Christ of the Divine Mercy". Now, the fact is, that all of Stanley's medical records show this happened. He was first in a coma and then dead. Every sequence of his medical attention was, as is the custom, documented. On investigation these records were examined and all medical staff involved, questioned. Stanley came to England in the year 2001. Here, he very kindly gave an interview, in which he described the events and his experience during death, and how after he was sent back with a mission. This is his testimony. No attempt has been made to edit Stanley's account or accent: the way he speaks the English language.
Stanley's words:
"Before I will give my testimony, I just want to inform you that after what happened to me, I was just going round giving my testimony in my own dialect. You see, the Philippines is composed of more than seven hundred islands and almost every island has different dialect. The Philippines is divided into three major parts; Luzon, Mindano and Visayas. I belong to Visayas because I am living in Cebu . So I was giving my testimony in Visayas only, until one time Father Seraphim Mekalanco, the Spiritual Director of the Divine Mercy nationwide invited me to give a talk in Manila. At first, I am happy because I can go to Manila, but then a day before I was so worried because I do not know how to speak the dialect, because in Manila the dialect is Tagalog and I do not know how to speak Tagalog. I was worried and so I asked the Lord 'What shall I do?'
Then the following day, early in the morning Jesus appeared to me, to my dream and said: "Do not worry. Just do your best and I shall do the rest". So I went to Manila and when I am holding the microphone to give my testimony, I am thinking my testimony in my own local dialect, and it came out in Tagalog. So they understand me. "And now comes Father Seraphim, the Head of the Divine Mercy International based in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A. He invited me to give a series of talks in the United States, Canada and Mexico and the problem is, I do not know how to speak the English. So again I was worried and because in Cebu, the owner of the University is a Divine Mercy devotee, so he instructed the English Department to translate my testimony from our local dialect to English and after several months they finished the translation. "They give it to me and it is as thick as this! And they said to me, ' Stanley you memorize that'. And, I said 'No. I cannot memorize it anymore'. Then they said 'Ok you just read it' and I said, 'I cannot read it also because it is my testimony, if I will read it, it will be lifeless.'
So I went to America leaving behind the translation and upon reaching the States I confided to Father Seraphim everything, so Father Seraphim was so worried because my first testimony will be at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington , D.C. And I will be speaking together with Mother Angelica, the audience is almost seven thousand. Father Seraphim was so worried, so I told him, 'Father don't worry. Anyway, I did not come to America to proclaim my mercy, I am here to proclaim God's Mercy'. So when I was holding the microphone, I am thinking of my own local dialect, but then it came out English and after that I already know how to speak English.
"What I am going to tell you is what happened to me. About my own personal encounter with Jesus Christ of the Divine Mercy. When you hear my testimony, I hope it will increase your faith, and that you know that there really is a God and that God is a living God. What happened to me, happened on March 2, 1993. That was a Tuesday and a birthday of one of my children. By the way, I had ten children, but now I have thirteen. And by the way, I am a member of the Perpetual Dawn Rosary.
"It is our practice that whenever there is an occasion at our house, we invite the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and it is also our practice that whenever the Virgin comes into our house it is I who has to receive the Virgin. But on that day, when the Virgin is already in our house, whatever they do to wake me up, I cannot be awaken, so it is my mother-in-law who received the Virgin.
"At eight o'clock that morning, my mother-in-law said, she heard me moaning and moaning. So she tried to look at me in my room and she found me lying in bed. Trembling vigorously. Blood coming out of my mouth forcefully. And it was the sister of my father-in-law, who is a nurse, was present, so attended to me immediately. And as she touches my pulse, she cannot find any pulse anymore - and as she touches my chest, my heart beat is already very slow. And when they open my eyes, both eyes are already in white, so they asked help from our neighbors and they brought me to Chong Hua Hospital . At Chong Hua Hospital, we have four specialist doctors and the doctor said that my chance of survival is one in a million, because my heart beat is already slow.
"As I enter the Emergency Room I cannot breathe anymore, even with the help of oxygen, so they transferred me to I.C.U. or the Intensive Care Unit, so my breathing can be aided, or forcing oxygen inside. At the I.C.U. my trembling did not stop and the blood was still coming out from my mouth, so the doctor injected me with Valium to control everything.
"Because Negros Island and Cebu are just very near, so that day my relatives arrive. Among them is my father who is a doctor and my sister who is also a doctor and the cousin of my wife were already present. By the way, my wife is also a nurse.
"The following day, the doctors called up my wife and asked her permission to take me off of all the life support apparatus. So my wife called up our house and asked that my long sleeve shirt, for my burial be prepared. And my mother-in- law says she has a memorial plan and that her memorial plan is transferable. So she had it transferred to my name. Meaning! I will be the one using her coffin. And it also happened we had a reservation at the Queen City Garden Cemetery in Cebu, because when my father-in-law died in 1987, we bought three lots, so they process all the papers so they can bring me to the Queen City Garden. Meaning, everything is already ready. I have the long shirt to wear for my burial, I have already a coffin to sleep in, I have already a cemetery to live in.
"But God had a different plan, because my wife did not agree to remove the life support apparatus attached to my body. In fact my relatives, they take in turns to watch over me. But it is only my body present at Chong Hua Hospital, because I saw a light, a very big bright light, but not glaring. You can stare at it. It is like a fountain. It is like a fog as it slowly evaporates, until I notice someone is standing in front of me. And when I look at His face, I recognize Him as Jesus.
"As we are looking at each other, He raised His left hand and when He raised His left hand, the clouds above were sucked downwards and when they reach just above us, the clouds keep on turning and changes in color and when it stops it becomes like a video screen. And He showed me the film of my life, from my childhood up to my present. And I notice that every time I do good, it just goes on normally and I also notice that every time I commit a sin, suddenly it would go into slow motion as if He wants to show us that what we have done is wrong, as if He wants to show us that what we have done is a sin. And because I have also committed bigger sins, sins like what we call the mortal sin.
"Every time it shows up, suddenly it would stop, came closer and enlarged it. Then I said to myself, 'Why should this be included? There must be no word of sin saw in Heaven, because it is just too bad to look at, but even if I closed my eyes I could still see it.
"Also I notice that every time I commit a sin, I could feel the heaviness. I could feel the weight. The more I commit a sin, the more the heaviness, the more the weight. And I also notice that every time I do good, for example, if I give something to the poor, I could feel as if I were floating. So it is really true what is written in the Bible, 'That what so every you do to the less of your brethren, that you do unto Me."
"And I also notice that the sins I did not confess to a Priest it is too heavy, and also I notice that the sins that I confessed to a Priest, it is lighter. And we cannot deny anything because the screen is so big and very clear and also the pictures are also big and below the pictures are written the day, the month, the date and the year. And below that it is also written the hour, the minutes and the seconds. So, we cannot deny anything, even the seconds are recorded. In fact, He reviewed my film three times and after our long conversation, He tapped my shoulder and as He was tapping my shoulder, He said to me, 'You go back now, because you still have so many things to do. You still have so many things to finish. If I have something for you or if I have a message for you, I will just appear to you in your dream.'
"After He say that, I was at the I.C.U. of the Chong Hua Hospital . Suddenly I got up. I could feel my body so light and my head suppressed. That when I got up, I removed the oxygen from my nose. After removing oxygen, there is a tube going down into my intestine, so I slowly remove the tube because it tickles me. And after removing the tube, I slowly remove the I.V. from my hand and because there is a nurse who saw everything, and that she was so afraid that she ran away. In fact, she said, one of the heels of her shoes was broken.
"When the nurse returns she has other nurses, doctors and the technicians, they are all running and when they reach me, they put me to bed again. And one of t the doctors put on his telescope and examined me and after a short examination, the doctor put off his telescope, put it beside him and he asked for another. Meaning! He did not believe his telescope. He was given another telescope and he put it on and re-examined me again and after a long examination, the doctor looked at my E.C.G. because every bed in the I.C.U. has its own E.C.G. And he said, since I was admitted at the I.C.U. my E.C.G. was just a straight line, but now they were so surprised because my E.C.G. was working normally and because the technicians were already present, so they subjected me to X-rays, laboratory tests and brain scan. And now, all the results are in negative, meaning, I am not sick.
"The doctors were all surprised and they asked permission to have another set of examinations, because they said there might be something wrong with the apparatus. We consented, and they subjected me again to another ultra sound, laboratory tests and brain scan, all except the X-ray. And again, all the results were in negative: meaning, I am not really sick. So the doctors said 'There is nothing now that we can really do, it is already a miracle.'
"When I woke up, I woke up at eight o'clock in the morning of Friday. If you will count from eight 'clock in the morning of Tuesday, to eight o'clock in the morning to Friday, that is exactly three days. And because of that, the media was alerted. The television, the radio and newspaper. And because our Church, the Roman Catholic Church do not easily believe in miracles, so it has to be investigated and the investigation was led by Cardinal Vidal of Cebu.
"Cardinal Vidal leads the investigation in March. At the middle of September, Cardinal Vidal released a letter confirming what happened to me. And he gives me an endorsement letter, so that I could give testimony around the world. "One of the doctors who was assigned to me at the I.C.U. , he is not just an ordinary doctor because when he took his medical examinations, he got the highest score all over the country and when he entered the Chong Hua Hospital, he was awarded as the most outstanding P.G.I. doctor. He was assigned to me at the I.C.U. from the very beginning, until I woke up. And because he cannot sleep anymore, so he entered the Seminary to become a Priest, and now he is already a Priest.
"From March 1993 up to now, Jesus keeps appearing to me to my dream. That is also accepted by our local Church. Because my Spiritual Director is Msgr Chris Garcia. He is one of the most holiest Priests in Cebu and he is also gifted. He has the gift of inner locution (inner telepathic voice), meaning he can also talk to Jesus. But he cannot see Jesus. But Jesus appears to me, to my dream, where I can see Him, where I can talk to Him, where I can touch Him, where I can even embrace Him. And what is best for us! Every time Jesus appears to me, He also tells my Spiritual Director, so there is a confirmation. That is why, where ever I go, it is embraced by the Church.
"Also during my investigation, the doctors asked the Priest, 'Where does all that blood come from? ' The blood coming out from my mouth is with force and continuously for several hours and why there was no blood transfusion. (Blood count showed no reduced level of blood). So the Priest prayed and after praying the answer that this blood coming out from my mouth is for cleansing. I have to be cleansed because I have to face the Lord - and they also said that is it also said in the Bible, that whoever sees the Lord will have to die, so I have to die. But because I have a mission, so I have to live again.
"Also they ask me: 'Why you? Why did Jesus choose you?' So I answered them. 'May be because I am nothing. May because I have nothing to be proud of except for my sins.' So, when I have a chance to talk with Jesus, I ask the Lord, 'My Lord, my God, why me? I am a sinner. I am a sinful man.' And Jesus answered, "You cannot appreciate the beauty of My mercy unless you experience the misery of sin.' And so I accepted my mission.
"Also so many are coming to me, so I ask the Lord: 'My Lord, my God! So many are coming to me and entrust their problems to me, what shall I do?' And Jesus answered: Just let them pray the chaplet unceasingly and they will be guided.'
"That is why now, in the Philippines, the chaplet is very popular, not only among the Catholics but also the other Church dominions because there are so many miracles that have been attributed to the chaplet. For example: Several months ago, my Spiritual Director, Msgr Chris Garcia, he had a slight stroke. So he was admitted at the Hospital, and the doctor said that he had a brain tumor and that there is a virus in his brain and that he cannot open his eyes because it is too
painful. We went to the Hospital and we prayed the chaplet of Divine Mercy, together with Msgr Chris, and after we prayed the chaplet, several minutes later, he asked for his lap top computer. So you see the power of the chaplet. The miracle of the chaplet.
"The following day, we prayed again the chaplet. The doctors re-examined him and found him negative of everything. So on the third day he checked out of the Hospital as if nothing had happened. Do you see the power of the chaplet?
"Also, one of our Divine Mercy leaders in the Philippines, his wife was ill early in the morning. So they brought his wife to Hospital. The doctors gave him a prescription to buy the medicine and because he has no money, so he has to sell his pig. And the buyer paid him for the pig, but the buyer said that he would get the pig the following day.
"But that afternoon of that very day, the pig refused to stand up and refused to eat. So, he was so worried, because if something happens to the pig, they will be in trouble because, they buy the medicine. So he called all his children and explained to them everything; that they have to pray the chaplet for the pig. So they prayed the chaplet for the pig. But at the middle of praying the chaplet the children were laughing. They were all laughing because they said it was better to pray the chaplet for a human being, but not for a pig.
"He explained it again to them. He explained it again and again. And on the third time that they prayed the chaplet, the children prayed intensely and they finished praying the chaplet. After they finished praying the chaplet, the pig suddenly stood up and one of the children ran and got some food for the pig and the pig consumed everything. And the lesson is, if Jesus answered our prayers for a pig, how much more if we pray the chaplet for a human being.
"We have another leader of the Divine Mercy in the Philippines. He has several acres of rice fields and because he is poor he cannot afford to buy fertilizer, he cannot afford to buy insecticide. So, what he did every morning, he would roam around his rice field and pray the chaplet of Divine Mercy, everyday! Every morning! And also every afternoon. During the harvest time, his neighbors were all surprised, because during harvest time his harvest is much more than those using fertilizer and insecticide. So you see the miracle of the chaplet!
"Where ever I go, so many would ask me how soon is Jesus coming back? Or is the three days of darkness really true? Is the chastisement really true? So I answered them. Jesus said to me 'Don't be afraid'. Jesus said to me, 'Don't be afraid because I will take care of your future. Blessed are those taking advantage of My mercy while it is still the day of mercy but beware, because the day of Judgment is nearer than everyone thinks.' "I asked the Lord, 'What are the sins that You cannot forgive?' Jesus said, 'All sins can be forgiven except if you refuse to believe that your sin can be forgiven.' That is the sin He cannot forgive, because Jesus said by refusing His mercy you are also refusing to believe that He is a God. (That is a sin against the Holy Spirit). That is why Jesus said, Before I come as Just Judge I will open wide the doors of My mercy'. But Jesus continued that it is also written in the Diary of St. Faustina, that 'he that refuses to pass through the doors of My mercy will have to pass through the doors of My Justice.'
"Now, after a long while that Jesus is opening this door of mercy and after a long while He will close that door of mercy. Then He will open that door of Justice. And if He will open the door of His Justice who can enter Heaven? When Heaven is only for the pure, when Heaven is only for the clean. And who are the clean? And who are the pure? All of us are sinners. All of us are unclean. We can only enter Heaven through His mercy, through His love. Without God's mercy, without His love, it is too difficult to enter Heaven. That is why Jesus now is begging us to go out now and proclaim His mercy. Jesus also said, 'Proclaiming My mercy is not enough, you have to put mercy into action, by living as an example of My mercy.' He said, "He who will save a soul will save his own.'
"I am not allowed by the Church to pray or to do healing or lay hands on anybody because Cardinal Vidal said I would just do my evangelization, (tell people what happened to me), because he said, 'there are some who are given the gift of healing, they will also continue their healing.' But then it cannot be avoided that during my talk so many sick people are attending, so Cardinal Vidal arranged a veneration to the image of Divine Mercy, so the sick people will ask directly to Jesus their healing, not through me because I am only a human being. After that, this image becomes a miraculous image, because there are so many instant healings and also sometimes when I give my testimony, people see lights. Lights coming out from His body. That is why there are some ripples in His body (of the image). The light has a heat and the heat destroyed the plastic. Because so many people will say Jesus is emanating lights and sometimes they say that Jesus gets out from the frame, and He will transfer right behind me and they say He is taller than me. And they said each time Jesus gets out from the frame, the frame is empty. And it not only happens in the Philippines. It also happened in Hong Kong, China, in Rome, in New York, New Jersey, all over the States and in Canada and Mexico. So it also happened in Ireland and so during veneration, (showing respect and appreciation) , you have to ask Jesus what favor you want. Because, if what you are asking for is not against His will, He will give it to you. Especially, if what you are asking for comes from the depth of our heart." End of Stanley's words.
It is an amazing testimony. But did it happen? If so, was it a miracle? There is no doubt that medically what happened to Stanley took place. This part of his story is true. He was convulsing, pouring blood, went into a coma and then died. No doctor wants to take a very ill person off of life support equipment. The thing is, medical treatment is not free in the Philippines and law determines that no doctor can remove medical equipment without permission from the next of kin.
Stanley's medical records were examined, all hospital reports regarding him, and all staff involved in his care, questioned over and over again. The investigation first began when peoples talk was picked up by the media. It was given more credence, when a well known doctor resigned to become a Priest, because of what he saw medically, which he deemed as "Impossible, a miracle, an act of God".
A person from the Philippines sent a telegram to Father Seraphim Mekalanco - who is the Director of the John Paul Institute for the study of Divine Mercy, appointed by Pope John II. Father Seraphim received the telegram in Rome. He launched an investigation. Medical records were studied by Cardinal Vidal, Cardinal Sin, and twelve Bishops. Another person who independently examined the medical records was Paul Regan from Malden, who is the founder of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy For the Sick and Dying Institute, in America. The fact that Stanley had died, and woke in full health, with no brain damage is against all the science of nature.
So, yes, this part can be termed a miracle. Certainly one that had the main doctor leave his profession and become a Priest. Certainly enough to have a whole nation's television studios and radio stations, halt every day at three o'clock in the afternoon, to pray the chaplet publicly. To have people of all faiths stop in the street at this time to pray the chaplet. Now, what we have to look at is whether Stanley is being honest about his spiritual encounter. What is convincing is that Stanley described both rays coming from Jesus as white, and not one red and one white as is in the image. The white ray is described as a washing of sin, as in baptism. But Stanley's account would have been obviously more convincing if he described the rays as they are shown in the image and as seen by St. Faustina; but, I think the fact he described seeing the rays differently makes his account more authentic; who would deliberately want to complicate a con?
The other thing than makes Stanley's account believable is that he describes some of the sins he committed and saw. He was President of the Chapel to t he Sacred Heart of Jesus. He saw himself pass the chapel seeing people inside gambling. He saw another time his neighbors in the chapel drinking and gambling and did not stop them. Another time, he saw himself inside the chapel drinking with them. This is not someone trying to show a "holier than thou" image. Quite the opposite.
Stanley himself received a request sent on behalf of Pope John Paul 11 to go to Rome. When asked what language he spoke to the Archbishops, Cardinals and Bishops, given that they were from all over the world, but each would speak Italian, Stanley was very firm that he spoke in English, not a mystical Italian that rose from the Spirit of God. The profound effect that Stanley's experience has had on a whole country is the largest mark of authenticity. In the conversation he said he had with Jesus, he was told that the chapel was not to be used for any other purpose other than that for which it was built. Jesus requested, that the chapel be extended, and a new door was to be placed on it, in the shape of a large heart, representing His Sacred Heart. All the people of Cebu and surrounding areas, contributed material and labor to comply with this request. People of many religious dominions joined together to fulfill this task.
While in England, Stanley offered to answer any questions asked of him.
(Q) "When Our Lord appeared to you, did He appear to you just as in the Divine
Mercy Image. How did He look?"
(A) "When you are in front of Jesus, you cannot just totally describe Him, because He is everything. When you are looking at Him, you cannot describe your happiness, your satisfaction, the peace and everything. In fact, you forget your family when you are in front of Him. All of the pictures of Jesus, there is likeness, but not totally, not exactly, but there is likeness, but you cannot just totally describe Him when you are in front of Him."
(Q) "How would Jesus like our future? What would He like us to be, a part from the Commandments? How would He like our future to progress as years go on? What does He want us to do with our lives?"
(A) "That is why He said that now is the time for mercy".
(Q) "Yes, but with all the problems we have had in Society, with contraception and abortion?"
(A) "Contraception and abortion! All that is a sin. That is why Mary is crying with blood all ready. That's a sin. That's why for example, last night, four ladies approached me and they said after my testimony, they said they are planning for an abortion, but after hearing my testimony, they changed their mind, because they said they do not want to see their films, that the other one killing their own child."
(Q) "Could I ask you, did you actually see Jesus as the gates of Heaven or did you actually see Heaven?"
(A) Cardinal Vidal said that it is the Garden of Eden, because, it's a garden and in it all beautiful flowers. That is why Cardinal Vidal described it as the Garden of Eden."
(Q) "Did you actually see that yourself, or just the clouds and the light?"
(A) "I see it yes. It is the Garden of Eden. By the way, Jesus said to me that we have to pray for His beloved Priests, because He said: "They are My precious jewels and some of them cause My Heart to bleed. But I will bless them abundantly, in time, and in eternity; much more if they will stay longer in the Confessional, because it is in the Confessional that My mercy flows greater than all the sins committed by any living creature".
(Q) "How do we ask our Priest to promote the Divine Mercy? Should we do it very quietly or should we implore him to promote Divine Mercy?"
(A) "Give the Priest some real stuff he can learn, because some of the Priests do not promote Divine Mercy because they do not understand Divine Mercy. You have to inform them, and give them some literature that will guide them. And, you have to pray and ask Our Lord's assistance because we cannot change a person, only God can change a person, so we have to pray".
(Q) " Stanley, because of this Divine Mercy, especially in the Islands of the Philippines, is there a great change in the Philippines? Do they now keep the Sabbath holy?"
(A) "In the Philippines, at three o'clock in the afternoon, all the television stations, pray the three o'clock prayer, and also all the radio stations. And, not only the Catholics are ringing their bells, but also the other Church dominions, because I have also given my testimony to other Church dominions, so at three o'clock every body is ringing their bells and also I find it surprising that the Malls especially in Cebu and Manila, at three o'clock, they would stop and pray that three o'clock prayer. The Feast of Mercy will be celebrated throughout the universal Church. Jesus promised that the souls who are in a state of grace (been to Confession) who receive Holy Communion on that day, at the Feast of His Mercy, will be granted complete forgiveness of sins including their punishment, meaning after the Feast of Mercy, whatever happens to you, you will go straight to Heaven. Because even the punishment is forgiven. Because, when we go to Confession, when we go to a Priest, our sins are forgiven, but the punishment remains. That is why when we die we cannot go straight to Heaven, we have to pass through Purgatory to pay for the punishments of our sins. But during the Feast of Mercy, all the sins and the punishments are forgiven, so that's a very wonderful grace."
(Q) " Stanley, what does Jesus think about other religions and other non Christian religions? Hindu's and all different religions?"
(A) "Well, God's mercy is for everybody, not only for Catholics - because if Jesus is given the choice, He wants all mankind to enter Heaven. But only man loves so much the world, that he does not want to accept God's mercy. He does not want to return to the Lord. In fact, they are just denying their sins."
(Q) "Does Jesus want us to approach people in our work places; strangers, non Christians, to tell them about Divine Mercy? If so, how does He want us to do it? Because it is very difficult to go up to a stranger who does not believe in God or does not know Jesus and try to tell him about Divine Mercy."
(A) "We can do it. We can do it by being an example. We have to show them, that's why Jesus said: Put mercy into action. For example, you visit the prisoners and you explain to them God's mercy. And also at hospital, tell them and you give them the chaplet and you teach them how to pray the chaplet of Divine Mercy. You can do it, because the chaplet is welcomed by other religions, because God's mercy is for everybody, not only for Catholics. That's why Jesus said that we have to multiply our prayer for the sinners because Jesus said that the sinners do not pray for themselves anymore. So we have to increase our prayer for the sinners because their salvation depends on us."
(Q) "If those of us who have celebrated the Divine Mercy Sunday, in a state of grace, if our video is shown to us when we die, would it go back earlier or would it begin at the last Divine Mercy Sunday?"
(A) "Others would also ask me, if your sins are forgiven, it is also forgotten with the Lord, that is true! But during the shooting of the film, you will see everything, because Jesus wants us to see how sinful we are. But then He will forgive us and that is a sign of mercy and it is mercy itself, shooting our film, showing us how sinful we are, then forgiving us. That it mercy itself!"
(Q) "Does Jesus speak to you about His Mother?"
(A) "Yes! He always do. That's why He said we have to pray the chaplet and the rosary unceasingly, as our last weapon against the enemies".
(Q) "One of the problems is the difference between the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and having the image over our fire places, and Our Lord asking for the image of Divine Mercy. Sometimes, the two seem to be in conflict and some prefer the Sacred Heart and some prefer the Divine Mercy?"
(A) "For me it is not conflict. Before what happened to me, since I was a kid I am already a devotee to the Sacred Heart, until I grew up, until I got married. In fact I built Sacred Heart Chapel, just in front of our house. That's why Jesus said, because I ask Him the difference: Love: Love is the Sacred Heart. Love is the flower. Mercy is the fruit. Because you do not have mercy if you do not have love. So love and mercy go together."
(Q) "You talked about the time of mercy and there is obviously a time table, because seventy-years ago on February 22, this image was seen for the first time by Saint Faustina. The Holy Father himself is special because his mission on life is to bring in the time of mercy. Is there a time table that Jesus has for mankind? Because I have heard from radio shows in America, that's not to say prediction, because the time and the place is known only to God, but we are obviously in these final times. What is expected of society when the Holy Father decreed Divine Mercy Sunday in the year 2000, and the Bishops are indifferent to it, because the decree has gone out to the Bishops and therefore they are the ones to instruct the Priests and they wont. We people are basically having to listen to the Bishops and the Priests, but if they don't speak of Divine Mercy or follow the Feast for us to celebrate, how do we raise that up?"
(A) "We raise it up by giving more information to the Priests. Because some of the Priests do not understand Divine Mercy because they have not read about Divine Mercy, so we have to inform them. We can give them some leaflets, but before giving them information, we have to pray for them, that they will accept it, because, as I said, we cannot change a person. That's why we have to pray harder. And also, you see, Divine Mercy devotion is for salvation, saving life, saving souls. That is why the other side is also working the wolf. The other side, will also work double time because what you are doing is saving souls."
(Q) "Does Jesus say anything about the Scriptures?"
(A) "He did not mention it to me."
(Q) " Stanley, how long were you dead?"
(A) "I was clinically dead for three days. "By the way, because I am often asked about that three o'clock prayer in the morning and the three o'clock prayer in the afternoon. Because last year, when I give my testimony at the Vatican in front of all the Cardinals and Bishops, there were twenty-six Cardinals and fifty odd Bishops. One of the Cardinals asked me, 'What is the significance of the three o'clock prayer in the morning. Because there are so many answered prayers at three o'clock in the morning.' And I answered, 'That is the time of His Resurrection. ' And the Cardinal stood up and said that this was true, that in the Book, Jesus and Mary met at four o'clock in the morning. So they said, He must have resurrected at three o'clock."
(Q) "Can you tell me, what was your illness? What did it consist of?"
(A) "Before what happened to me, I am just going good. I have no illness. I am very strong. This is why, after what happened to me, when I woke up, my wife was so stunned. She cannot believe it. So I went down to the billing section and paid the bill. Then I drive the car in going home. That's why one of the Bishops in the Philippines commented that what happened to me was just an emergency meeting with the Lord."
(Q) " Stanley, when you were at the Vatican talking to the Bishops and Cardinals, was the Holy Father there as well?"
(A) "No! He was scheduled to attend, but he was so tired and ill at the time."
(Q) "With the Cardinals and Bishops from all over the world, what language did you speak in? Italian?
(A) "English".
(Q) "Italian?"
(A) "No! I said English".
(Q) "When Jesus was preparing you for this trip to England, did He say anything to you about the people of England ?"
(A) "Yes. People of England are very dear to Him, but then much of them cause His Heart to bleed, because England is losing faith. That is why I am here, to increase faith. And now you heard from me. Do not keep to yourself, you have to multiply. Jesus said that if you save a soul, you save your own." Stanley continues to travel around the world, telling of the amazing event that happened to him and fulfilling the mission that Jesus sent him back to earth to complete, That is, to teach the message of Divine Mercy. To His apostle, Saint Marie Faustina, Jesus made a promise in regard to both the image and the praying of the Divine Mercy chaplet. He gave conditions. What is prayed for, is prayed with a contrite heart. That it is not against His Will, in other words, it is doubtful this promise could be used to gain power and riches, which would be an abuse of His gift. He tells us that when the chaplet is prayed for a dying soul, that soul will receive His mercy and not His Justice. In away, when a promise is given to us from Heaven, then God because He is Just, is obliged to keep it. "Blessings always look small if we hold them in our hands. ut if we learn to share them, we realize how great & precious they are!"
Posted by junrayx at 11:01 AM
Labels: divine mercy testimony: stanley villavicencio


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Cancer and Hair Loss are traumatic experiences that combined makes a tough battle. This is the third part in a series of three where Anne Sarte tells about her journey.
Dealing with Cancer and Hair Loss Part 3
The barber who had shaved the last vestiges of my pre-cancer hair had already left for the evening and I was trying to get accustomed to walking around the house bald. So this is how it feels, I thought. I wish I could say I felt all my hair standing on end, but I had no hair! The sensation came from the pores on my scalp that became ultra-sensitive to the air around me.
When I lay on my pillow that night, the top of my head felt really cold. I used to always have the airconditioner on every time I went to sleep, but that night, I could feel the cold seep through my scalp. I thought I had a fever so I got a beanie and put it over my head the rest of the night. Sleep was elusive that first night because the beanie kept slipping off my head as I turned on my pillow.
Everything, including the scarves I used to cover my head during the daytime, had a hard time staying on. My scalp seemed to take on a slippery feel much like a crystal ball. During the one time that I wore a wig when I went out, I felt my scalp was on fire because the wig was so hot! That was the last time I wore that nasty headpiece and finally decided to go au naturel.
I really cannot understand how Dwayne Johnson, Andre Agassi, or Michael Jordan – who are on the list of the hottest bald men of all time – can go around in public without any problem, while people who go bald because of cancer cause others to feel so uncomfortable. And for most people with this disease, cancer and hair loss go together, so there is not much to do about it.
This double standard had to stop and I thought of doing something about it. I got my smartphone and took a couple of selfies when no one was looking and surprised everyone on Facebook the next day with my clean-shaven pate. Before that time, only my family and a couple of friends knew that I was diagnosed with cancer so when the rest of the world got in on my secret, I received a mixture of reactions from everyone on my list.
To this day, I remain extremely grateful to family and friends who, despite their initial surprise, poured out their love, support and prayers. They sent me messages on my Facebook wall and in my inbox. Some sent me books to read and lots of food to eat. While many were generous in their encouragement and support, some became stoic and did not know what to say. It seemed as if my coming out bald in a public space was an affront to them and someone even told me to take my photo down.
It is true that challenges bring out the best or worst in people, and life events show you who your real family and friends are. That period was the moment of truth – when I started to see the true colors of the people around me and it was both enlightening and liberating at the same time. Before my illness – and before you could see it on me – I was slim and fit, on top of my game, and was doing the rounds of international real estate and financial services.
When I fell ill and was undergoing chemo sessions, I became weak and very sickly because my immune system had buckled down. I had lost a breast and all my hair, yes, but I was, and still am, the same person inside.
I don't think anyone's self-worth should be defined by how one looks, or may appear to look like, at a particular time. After all, beauty, like time, is fleeting but the true essence of a person is found deep within.
In my battle against cancer, I learned seven important lessons that I always go back to until this day:
- The greatest investment you can make in your life is the time you spend with your loved ones, for you do not have forever to be with them.
- The second great investment that we always neglect is our health – we work so hard for money and comforts when we are young, but we spend so much to get our health back when we grow old.
- The people who stick by you in good times and in bad are the only people you really need in your life – the rest are just like driftwood, waiting to be washed over again to another shore.
- We learn to value people or things only when we lose them. I appreciated my body more when I lost my health. I learned the value of my hair when I felt cold and bare. I realized that every function of my body that I took for granted before was important to my well-being. I became aware of the full worth of every single day that I was alive, and was thankful for each moment with my loved ones.
- Do not give anyone permission to pull you down. Each one of us leads unique lives, and no one should ever be allowed to mess with yours.
- My hair mirrored my life. Setbacks were temporary. I learned that even as it went through the entire catagen phase of slowing down and breaking at the roots, it had to go through the telogen process of being wiped out much like a purging of the bad things in my life. It was an inconvenient necessity but it made me look forward to experiencing a rebirth and moving on to its anagen stage when everything starts anew.
For my physical body to heal, I also had to heal myself emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I had to forgive myself and others for past mistakes, let go of the negativities in life, and surrender myself to the one true God who created me.
Text by Anne Sarte
This was the last part in a series of three.
Photo credits: cea + via Flickr
liz west via Flickr

subset: commoncrawl


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MALIBU (CBSLA.com) — Authorities on Saturday continued to work on a power pole that was knocked down by an alleged hit-and-run driver in Malibu.
The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department (LASD) said in a written statement that the accident occurred on Malibu Canyon Road, approximately two miles north of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH).
The LASD says the vehicle struck a power pole, which subsequently caused the signal lights to go out along the PCH. According to Southern California Edison, 3363 customers were also without power as of 8:45 a.m.
Deputies said the southbound lanes at Malibu Canyon Road and Mulholland Drive are closed as well as the northbound lanes of Malibu Canyon Road and Seaver Drive.
Drivers were warned to expect major traffic delays in Malibu and authorities reported that Malibu Canyon Road was expected to be closed for the next 12 hours. For traffic updates, listen to KNX1070.


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David Stenner
Globalizing Morocco
Transnational Activism and the Postcolonial State
Stanford University Press 2019
New Books in African StudiesNew Books in European StudiesNew Books in French StudiesNew Books in HistoryNew Books in Middle Eastern StudiesNew Books in Peoples & PlacesNew Books in Politics & Society July 29, 2019 Zeb Larson
The story of Morocco's independence struggle against France and Spain is a complicated one. Because it occurred around the same time of the long-running war for independence in Algeria, it has received greater scholarly attention. Moreover, Morocco's continuing alignment with both the United States and France after 1956 has deemphasized Morocco's importance, compared to more radical anti-colonial states such as Ghana, Guinea, or Tanzania. Lastly, the sultan's own popularity within his country and the survival of the monarchy today meant that the independence struggle has often been understood through his personality specifically.
David Stenner's Globalizing Morocco: Transnational Activism and the Postcolonial State (Stanford University Press, 2019) enriches our understanding of Morocco's nationalist movement. Stenner examines a collection of previously poorly-studied activists whose work began in the international zone in Morocco and then filtered out into the Arab world, France, and to the United States. Stenner shows how this was accomplished, namely via a decentralized system of activists who worked to win over sympathizers and transform them into allies. One consequence of this was that it was highly effective: Morocco became a global issue for a time, even amidst the competing issues of the early Cold War. At the same time, this approach had a number of weaknesses. The fact that it was decentralized and had no hierarchies also made it relatively easy to co-opt, and many important activists found themselves sidelined in the period after independence.
Zeb Larson is a recent graduate of The Ohio State University with a PhD in History. His research deals with the anti-apartheid movement in the United States. To suggest a recent title or to contact him, please send an e-mail to email@example.com.
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text: On Mon, Apr 27, 2009, Antoine Pitrou wrote: > Stephen J. Turnbull <stephen <at> xemacs.org> writes: >> >> If >> you see a broken encoding once, you're likely to see it a million times >> (spammers have the most broken software) or maybe have it raise an >> unhandled Exception a dozen times (in rate of using busted software, >> the spammers are closely followed by bosses---which would be very bad, >> eh, if you 2/3 of the mail from your boss ends up in an undeliverables >> queue due to encoding errors that are unhandled by your some filter in >> your mail pipeline). > > Besides, I don't care about spammers and their broken software. Maybe you don't, but anyone who has to process random messages does; you have to assume that messages will be broken. -- Aahz (aahz at pythoncraft.com) <*> http://www.pythoncraft.com/ "If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." --Red Adair


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Top of the world! aka Lombard St.
These flowers! The most photographed in San Francisco…
California makes the best succulents
Trip into the Conservatory of Flowers
The Ferry Building-even the vegetables look classy here
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The MD5 algorithm is a 128-bit hashing algorithm. This means that it calculates a 128-bit hash for an arbitrary set of data arriving at its input. This algorithm was developed by Professor Ronald Rivest of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1991 to replace the less reliable predecessor – MD4. The algorithm was first published in April 1992 at RFC 1321. After that, MD5 was used to solve various tasks, from hashing passwords in CMS to creating digital signatures and SSL certificates in md5 files.
The fact that the MD5 algorithm can be hacked was first talked about in 1993. Researchers Bert den Boer and Anton Bossilaris showed that pseudocollisions are possible in the algorithm. Three years later, in 1996, Hans Dobbertin published an article in which he proved the existence of collisions and described the theoretical possibility of hacking MD5. It was not yet a hack, but the world began to talk about the need to switch to more reliable hashing algorithms, such as SHA1 (at the time of this writing, it was already proven that there are collisions in this algorithm, so I recommend using SHA2) or RIPEMD-160.
In the end, I would like to talk a little about protecting your passwords. First, do not use vulnerable hashing algorithms, such as MD5 or SHA1. At the moment, it is worth thinking about using one of the cryptographic hash functions SHA2 or SHA3 (as soon as the relevant standard is published). Second, don't use hashing functions directly. Always try to use "salt" and combine different algorithms. And third, choose complex arbitrary passwords with a length of at least eight characters. Of course, this does not protect you from hacking by 100%, but at least complicates the life of intruders.


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Young Professionals
The ENT Update Europe gives young professionals, along with experienced ones, an excellent opportunity to present their research to an interested and knowledgeable audience. The Digital Lounge enables all delegates to connect and network with each other; scientists from all over Europe and beyond.
The ePosters are displayed digitally in terminals during the entire congress and are accessible for all participants to view. An integrated touch control system offers better presentation possibilities than printed posters.
- Receive a more than 40% discount off of the registration fee
- The winner of each category will receive a prize worth 500 Euros
- Share your ideas so that medical advances and improvements can spread as fast as possible!
Save 200,- € registration fee when submitting your ePoster!
Please consider the relevant guidelines to create your ePoster and use the preset below.


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The American Dream Deferred
Kozol's book is about school finance--one of the more arcane issues in education. School funding is about complex formulas involving property-tax assessments, millage rates, and resource distribution. It is the rubric under which legislators and courts wrangle over the ambiguous (and unkept) promise, expressed in many state constitutions, that every child is entitled to an equal and thorough education.
It all seems very dry and complicated. But Kozol goes beyond the legal technicalities and philosophical abstractions to examine the real implications of the way we fund our public schools--the human costs, the "savage inequalities.''
In 1964-65, as a fledgling teacher, Kozol found devastating poverty and discrimination in an inner-city elementary school in Boston. He poured his outrage into Death at an Early Age, a book published in 1967 that sold 2 million copies, won a National Book Award, and began to awaken America to the decay of its urban schools.
After writing his book, Kozol went to teach in suburban Newton, one of the nation's richest districts. The shocking contrast between schools only a few miles apart has haunted him ever since. Two decades later, in 1988, Kozol embarked on a two-year journey that took him to rich and poor schools in more than 30 urban neighborhoods across the United States. He visited predominantly black and Hispanic schools where sewage backs up into kitchens; where there are no laboratories, textbooks, or playgrounds; where children walk through toxic waste and rotting garbage to reach their classrooms. Not far away, Kozol always found predominantly white schools with the latest in educational technology, fully equipped laboratories, well-stocked libraries, manicured lawns, and happy students in designer clothes. "It is sobering to think,'' he writes, "that apartheid might end in South African schools before it ends in ours.''
The legal battle to close the gap between rich schools and poor schools has raged for decades and is still being fought today in at least 20 states. Invariably, the plaintiffs win in court, but, for the poor children, nothing seems to change.
"These children have done nothing wrong,'' Kozol writes. "They are too young to have offended us in any way at all. One searches for some way to understand why a society so rich would leave them in squalor for so long, and with so little public indig- nation.''
If the lack of indignation is difficult to understand, the resentment and hostility displayed by the more fortunate among us is unforgivable. For example, when several overcrowded predominantly black districts in New Jersey sought to rent facilities in an affluent neighboring white district, they were rejected, according to court documents, on racial grounds. One poor community tried to rent a vacant school in a nearby suburb after its elementary school burned down. The answer was "no.'' And whenever higher taxes are sought to help end the wrenching poverty in some districts, the more affluent reply that money is not the answer.
Asked to describe the worst thing he saw, Kozol replies: "The worst was seeing over and over again the faces and voices of young children in the worst schools, happy and hopeful like kids anywhere. You know their spirit is going to be killed.''
And the best thing? "Teachers,'' he answers, "who refused to give up hope and turned their classrooms into oases.''
Jonathan Kozol was fired from his first teaching job in 1965 for reading a poem by Langston Hughes to his 4th grade class:
What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?
Someday, America may be unlucky enough to learn the answer to that
Ronald A. Wolk
Vol. 03, Issue 02, Page 1-24
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Our Bratislava Apollo centre is a desirable site that's part of Central Europe's biggest business complex. In one of eight modern glass buildings, it's surrounded by useful amenities including retailers, restaurants, banks and more - all on this one self-contained business park. At the centre, you'll be in excellent company.
While our building includes major brands from telecoms and technology, the wider park brings together companies of all sizes, from almost every industry. They choose the site for its extensive amenities and impressive transport links, with the Apollo and Pristavny bridges providing convenient access by bus or car. And with Bratislava Airport just a ten-minute drive away, it's one of our most accessible locations for you and your clients.
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The Blue Whale Inn
Discover a delightful California bed and breakfast Cambria. The Blue Whale Inn is a bed and breakfast located in the charming seaside town of Cambria.
It offers wonderful oceanside lodging for a romantic getaway along the Central Coast of California. Stay at this charming bed and breakfast inn while on a Paso Robles wine tour or visiting Hearst Castle and enjoy spectacular ocean scenery as well.
This California bed and breakfast Cambria has an ideal location on the California coast. Just across the street guests can wander the seaside walking trails meandering in both directions. Binoculars are provided to guests for viewing the coastal wildlife. You might spot a sea lion, seal, sea otter, or even a whale as well as a variety of birds.
We recently stayed at the Blue Whale Inn on our way down to San Diego to visit with our daughter, Melissa. The only thing we regretted about our stay was that it was a one night stop. Next time we will definitely stay longer.
As we checked in, we were greeted warmly by the hosts, Jay and Karen. They helped us with our bags, offered us tea, and showed us to our rooms.
The room was lovely. It was immaculate and tastefully decorated. We loved the fireplace, which came on instantly with the flick of a switch. The marble bathroom came with a Jacuzzi tub and soft robes.
After a walk along the beach, we enjoyed appetizers in the lounge. The appetizers (stuffed mushrooms, artichoke dip, gourmet cheese, and crackers) were prepared by Karen and they were delicious. It was fun talking with the other guests and our hosts and the appetizer hour was over before we knew it.
There are binders in the lobby with menus of local restaurants. We made reservations at Madeline's, which Jay highly recommended. It was so fabulous that we have recommended Madeline's on our restaurant page.
The bed was comfortable and we enjoyed a quiet night's sleep. The next morning we were treated to a delightful breakfast prepared by Karen and served by Jay.
If you are going to California's central coast, we highly recommend Blue Whale Inn. This California bed and breakfast Cambria provides excellent lodging. It is very deserving of its 4 diamond rating from the Automobile Association of America.
This inn is a short drive from the famous Hearst Castle and is located in the heart of California's Central Coast Wine Region. While staying at the lovely inn, enjoy a wine tour:
Paso Robles Wineries
San Luis Obispo Wineries
Contact Information:
Blue Whale Inn
Address: 6736 Moonstone Beach Drive, Cambria, CA 90328
Telephone: (805) 927-4647 or (800) 753-9000
Directions from Hwy. 1: Turn west onto Weymouth Street. Turn right onto Moonstone. Continue on Moonstone until you see The Blue Whale Inn on the right.
A great place to stay while wine tasting or visiting Hearst Castle.
Have you stayed at this California bed and breakfast Cambria? If so, please tell us below how you liked the Blue Whale Inn


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Learning about effective, affordable promotional items is as easy as watching a video. Sometimes you really need to see an item in action to get an idea of how it works. Videos can also help spur ideas about how to use an item in your marketing mix.
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How has your retirement plan performing? How much commission is your provider drawing from your plan? What other fees are you paying? Are you legally liable? Are you ready for the new DOL rules? Navigant Advisory Group services can provide the answer.
YFRAME- Your Fiduciary Responsibility and Management Evaluation Report
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Marco Polo Gateway Hotel Hong Kong
General Description Only steps from the world-famous Star Ferry, Gateway hotel, is situated on the junction of Canton Road and Haipong Road and the hotel is part of the Harbour City, Hong Kong's largest shopping complex, with over 900 restaurants and shops featuring the leading brands in todays fashion world. A short walk takes you to Hong Kong landmarks such as Kowloon Park, the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the Space Museum, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and China Ferry Terminal. The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is only 15 minutes away by the Star Ferry or the ever-efficient MTR subway. The hotel offers the ultimate in comfort in each one of the hotel's 433 guest rooms and suites. The hotel also offers designer appointed guest rooms and executive suites on The Continental Club floor, complete with butler service and broadband Internet access. Gateway hotel's elegant hotel Club Lounge serves daily breakfast, afternoon refreshments, and evening cocktails. The cosmopolitan spirit of Hong Kong is celebrated in Gateway hotel's two delightful hotel restaurants. La Brasserie is the hotel's Parisian brasserie, serving authentic French home cooking, while Coffee Mill offers an international buffet for lunch and dinner. Attractions Restaurants: Coffee Mill is the ideal place for a refreshing snack, tempting buffet or complete meal from the a la carte menu. Open- Daily- 6.00 am to 0.00 midnight La Brasserie The menu features traditional home cooking, accompanied by an extensive selection of wine. A pleasant and unpretentious atmosphere for romantic dining and business entertainment. Luncheon is available from Monday to Saturday. Reservations are recommended. Located on the Lower Lobby. Open- Lunch - 12.00 noon to 3.00 pm/Dinner - 6.30 pm to 11.30 pm Tartan bar Ideal place for a quiet drink to unwind after a hard day's work. The bar boasts a dazzling array of Scotch- more than 40 brands are available, ranging from standard and premium to deluxe and malts, to satisfy the most discerning palate. Live nightly piano entertainment except on Sundays. Open- 12.00 noon to 1.00 am Private Dining - For your convenience, Room Service is available. Our 24-hour service Breakfast - 6.00 am to 11.30 am
13 Harbour City Canton Road
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hotel Facilities
Business Center, Room Service, High-speed Internet, Fitness Room/Gym,
Restaurant, Parking, Swimming pool, Airport shuttle, Disabled Access,
Concierge, Valet Parking, Tour Desk, Massage / Beauty Centre, Bar / Lounge,
Elevator / Lift, 24 Hour Reception, Babysitting / Child Services, Air
Conditioned, Non-Smoking Rooms, Golf Course, Banquet Facilities, Conference
Room(s), Currency Exchange, Multilingual Staff, Safe-Deposit Box, Sauna,
Security Guard, News Stand, Mini Bar, Refrigerator, Cable / Satellite TV,
Secretarial Service, In Room Movies, Bath / Hot Tub, Porters, Wake-up
Service, Meeting Rooms, Coffee / Tea Maker, Hair Dryer, Modem / Data Port,
TV, DVD Player, Laundry service, Garden, Desk, Direct dial phone,
Barber/Beauty Shop, Beauty Salon
Price (approx.)
Review image galleries and guest reviews, or make a booking →


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Growing a small company into a medium-sized company is a lot harder than it sounds.
Over my career I've worked at both small companies (with less than 50 people in a single office), and huge companies (with multiple offices and more than 10,000 people worldwide). Both have their pros and cons, as well as their particular frustrations. But before starting at eyeo, I had never worked at a company making the transition from small, intimate start-up, to a grownup, medium-sized business. When I first joined in February of 2016, we were just 40 people. Today, there are 112 of us. That's nearly 3x growth in less than 2 years.
Now I know first hand just how painful such a transition can be. Recently I've been reflecting on my recent experience to unearth lessons worth remembering. Here are some things that stand out.
With 40 people, direct, organic communication is critical. With 100 or more, direct, organic communication is problematic.
The most striking change I've noticed over the last two years is how people communicate. In the beginning, everyone knew everyone else and who was working on what. Individuals could operate mostly in seclusion. Every employee had regular check-ins with the CEO or CTO. All of us could easily fit into one big room each week to talk about our projects. If something wasn't working, it was obvious who needed to get involved. In this environment, communication was mostly between individual people on an as-needed basis.
But as we grew, organic communication began to break down. More people meant more complexity and variety, making it more difficult to know who was responsible for what. And after a certain number, large groups naturally split into smaller sub-groups. These groups naturally introduced even more dependencies and increased complexity. At some point, direct communication became the least effective way of getting shit done.
In response to these issues, we defined departments and project teams, retooled (or created) processes, and even retooled our tools. The entire company was essentially rearchitected in a matter of months, and we're just now learning whether or not these changes actually make things better (or worse). However, a few things have become clear already.
- Communication works best when it's intentional, inclusive, and consistent. It doesn't work so well when people neglect/ignore processes or other stakeholders.
- Good processes facilitate communication and lead to a final result. Bad processes cause communication breakdowns and lead to endless debate, which results in inaction.
- The more people involved, how you communicate matters just as much as (if not more than) what you're trying to communicate.
We're still learning how to facilitate collaboration between different people and teams and departments. Change is sometimes very difficult, slow, and/or painful. But coming up with potential solutions, testing them, and applying the learnings is the only sure way to improve.
Culture is something that naturally develops own its own. A culture that attracts and retains talent is something you must cultivate.
A culture initially forms whenever there are 3 or more people, and is mostly self-sustaining up to about 50 people. In a company, the founders and first-hires define their core values as a natural byproduct of working closely together on a lot of different things. Closeness and common cause translate quickly into the "way" things are done.
eyeo is no exception. When it was founded in 2011, the company had one product, no real competition, and a rapidly growing user base. Anyone who worked at the company in the early days had get involved in a lot of different projects outside the scope of their core competencies. They sat together in a cramped office for long hours, made decisions as a group, and relied on their instincts. They were passionate about open source development, user privacy, and technical excellence. Success or failure meant the difference between keeping the lights on for another month, or hunting for a new job. Thus, the culture that emerged was felt intimately by everyone, simply because they did everything together and shared the same, basic values. This culture continued to extend and evolve as more people with more skills were added. Even when I joined as employee number 39, the there was still a distinct, cohesive identity.
But then something started to happen around 60-80 people. More newbies questioning how things work or why they are the way they are invariably put pressure on the incumbent culture. Values that were once self-evident were forgotten or challenged, or else they became major pain points that got in the way of delivering results.
For example, one of the foundational values inherent in the initial eyeo culture was self-determination and a flat hierarchy. When you don't have enough people to work on all the things well, everybody works on everything until it's good enough. As long as shit gets done, nobody is going to question your authority, methodology, or decision-making process. So, it's easy to just "take control" of something. When there are multiple specialists working on multiple projects, however, and those projects are dependent on lot of other people, "ownership" gets real fuzzy real fast. Authority, methodology, and decision-making gets questioned more and more often. Our self-determination and flat hierarchy eventually became a constant hindrance, to the point where things weren't getting done because nobody knew (or agreed on) who was in charge to begin with. Today, we're working through these issues and are making progress, but we still have a long way to go.
Another implicit, original value was user privacy. Our primary product was so "privacy-centric" that we didn't know anything about our users. In fact, we were really proud of this lack of information. After all, there can be no privacy issues if no user data is collected in the first place. Yet this quickly became an issue right around the time I joined the company. As a product manager, how was I supposed to propose new features, improve the core user experience, or measure the effectiveness of any particular solution? How was I going to evolve our products into things that served all users, and not just the "techie" crowd? Now we have 4 product managers, 4 designers, and a bunch of marketing and communications folks. Suddenly, not knowing anything about our users on principle has become a liability. As a result, we're constantly challenging the idea that "no data is a good thing", and are working to find ways to collect the data we need to make product decisions in a way the protects our users' identities.
That core culture is still a part of us today, but we're trying to find a better balance between idealism and pragmatism. Time will only tell how successful we are. So far I've learned that:
- A culture that continues to define itself by accident eventually becomes unhealthy.
- The values that attract new employees are sometimes very different than those that retain existing talent.
- Ideals are implicit only until they're challenged; whereas values are challenged only when they're not properly defined.
- In the beginning, the most important duty of the executive team is to hire the right people. Once the company has grown beyond their capacity to manage every single person, then their primary duty is to define and cultivate the right culture.
I suspect that cultivating the ideal culture will continue to be our biggest challenge in the coming years.
As you grow, "us" vs. "them" will mean different things.
With a few dozen or less individuals, everyone at a company thinks of themselves as part of "us" vs. a larger competitor, industry, or system ("them" in the abstract). When everyone knows and works with one another personally, everyone's ass is on the line. If one person fucks something up, the whole ship can come down. Conversely, when any one person succeeds, that sense of success is shared by all so that it's always really the entire company that's winning.
This was true of the company I work for now as well. Whenever our user numbers spiked or we won a legal battle, everyone felt like they directly or indirectly contributed to each success. If there were any internal struggles, they were almost always between individual people. And when we were getting pummeled in the press, it stung the whole organization, not just the guy in charge of public relations.
Then we started to grow from a few dozen individuals to a complex organization comprised of departments, project teams, and management layers. As more people were added, the fewer "originals" there were to share a sense of collective identify with. Instead, people began identifying with smaller groups within the larger group, be it their department or project team. These subgroups started thinking of themselves as "us" vs. other subgroups ("them" in local terms).
Consequently, problems were mostly felt as a struggle between subgroups, and less like existential threats to the whole organization. If something wasn't working, it was no longer because Competitor A was outsmarting us—it was because Department Y couldn't get its shit together. Tensions that mounted between individuals quickly metastasized into ongoing skirmishes between departments or teams, eventually becoming a full blown "problem" that was slowing us down.
Through these challenges I've discovered that the "us" vs. "them" mentality boils down to several things:
- Just as one cannot un-break a coffee mug, neither can a growing company un-change.
- Any change is stressful, and under stress individuals will invariably gravitate to whatever affirms their core sense of identity, including the people who are most like them.
- Unless a company actively nurtures a shared sense of identity, specific subgroups, such as departments or teams, become a proxy for "others like me".
- In either success or failure, therefore, individuals within a large organization will feel it locally (within their subgroup), rather than collectively (as a company).
- If left unaddressed, a company can quickly become a victim of localized "us" vs. "them" mentality.
We've been tackling this issue by opening up dialogues between groups and executive leadership, holding forums to allow people to discuss topics that are important to them with other from across the company, and becoming more rigorous with our processes. There's still a lot of work to do, but already I've seen the barriers between "us" and "them" start to dissolve. Although tensions remain, we're slowly learning how to think like one, single organism again (even though a particular department or project team may only represent one, single leg of that organism).
In conclusion: Growth is painful. Steele yourself for the challenge.
There are a million other things that change as a company grows. Almost all of them are impossible to predict or effectively plan for ahead of time. The most important lesson I've learned going through this transition myself is that growth can be destructive if it's not managed well.
Fortunately, the company I work for has been very careful. We came up with a list of roles we desperately needed, but hired no more than necessary. We took our time to find the exact right kind of people, and have always been rigorous in our on boarding practices. We anticipated the need for more structure and processes, and worked hard to propose the right ones to start off with, realizing that anything we instituted might need to be refined, or may not work at all.
The point is that we're fully aware of how difficult it is to grow in a smart, sustainable way. It's turning out to be more difficult than we imagined, perhaps, but for as long as we're willing to test, measure, learn, and adapt, no problem is unsolvable.
Growing an organization may be hard work, but it's also very satisfying when positive changes take effect. The key is to keep your eyes wide open, and to be fearless when facing new challenges. It's the only way to stay sane while building for future success.


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The Carolian
The Carolian is a 4 bedroom double fronted home extending over three floors, which includes an open plan kitchen and dining area, separate living room, ensuites to two bedrooms and a dressing room to the master bedroom.
On the ground floor, fitted units in the kitchen are complimented by Quartz worktops and a selection of integrated appliances. These include a fridge/freezer, dishwasher, electric double oven, whilst the dining area benefits from French doors to the rear garden. On the first floor the master bedroom has a dressing room and an en-suite, whilst the second bedroom also has an en-suite. The third floor has a double bedroom with separate living accommodation along with under eaves storage.
Ground Floor
- Kitchen – 14'9" x 10'1" – 4.5m x 3.08m
- Dining – 12'9" x 18'3" – 3.89m x 5.56m
- Utility – 7'11" x 5' – 2.43m x 1.53m
- Downstairs WC – 2'11" x 6'8" – 0.9m x 2.05m
- Lounge (max) – 10'3" x 13'9" – 3.15m x 4.19m
- Entrance Hall (max) – 15'7" x 8'10" – 4.75m x 2.71m
- Study (max) – 8'10" x 13'9" – 2.7m x 4.19m
- Plant Room – 3'3" x 5' – 1m x 1.53m
First Floor
- Front Left Bedroom – 10'2" x 15'7" – 3.11m x 4.75m
- Front Right Bedroom – 10'9" x 8'10" – 3.28m x 2.7m
- Plant Room – 4'11" x 2'1" – 1.5m x 0.66m
- Back Left Bedroom – 14'6" x 10'2" – 4.43m x 3.11m
- Back Right Bedroom – 12'9" x 10'9" – 3.89m x 3.29m
- En-Suite – 8'10" x 6' – 2.7m x 1.85m
- Bathroom – 8'5" x 7'3" – 2.58m x 2.23m
- Landing (max) – 11'4" x 12'9" – 3.48m x 3.9m
Loft Level
- Bedroom (max) – 19'2" x 23'3" – 5.85m x 7.09m
- Dressing Room – 6'2" x 8'8" – 1.89m x 2.65m
- Landing (max) – 8'2" x 10'5" – 2.49m x 3.2m
- En-Suite – 8'2" x 5'7" – 2.49m x 1.7m
This specification is designed for Rosebank, Worcester and describes the specific level of specification that is fitted as standard within this site. In addition to the standard specification, a number of upgrades are available via our choices range (subject to stage of build). All properties purchased with us come with Local Authority Building Control (LABC) 10-year Warranty.
Kitchen Area
Quality fitted kitchen with a choice of door fronts and quartz stone worktop. Pre-installed wires/connections (subject to house type) for under pelmet lighting to kitchen units.
Kitchen appliances:
- Electric double oven and hob
- Fully integrated fridge/freezer, dishwasher and plumbing for washing machine or washer/dryer (subject to house type).
See your Sales Executive for options and upgrades within our Choices range.
Contemporary sanitaryware throughout. Family Bathroom: Shower over bath, where no separate shower enclosure, to family bathroom
- Full height tiling to shower enclosures (where applicable)
- Chrome finish towel rails to bathrooms and en-suite
- Carpet to family room (where applicable), dining area, lounge, bedrooms, study (where applicable) stairs and landing
- Ceramic floor tiles to kitchen, utility, bathroom, cloakroom and en-suite
- Wi-Fi controlled under floor heating with zone controls powered by gas boiler
Internal Finishes
- Smooth ceiling finishes
- Painted white throughout
- Staircase with oak base and hand rail with white painted spindles (where applicable)
- Contemporary composite oak interior doors with satin chrome effect ironmongery
- White slim-line finished sockets and switches throughout
External Finishes
- Contemporary external lighting-motion sensor (houses only)
- External tap
- Communal landscaped garden areas with lawns and shrubs
- Landscaped rear garden (where applicable)
- Allocated parking
- Gated access for pedestrian and traffic control at Albert Road Entrance
- Wooden double glazed sash style windows
- Low maintenance UPVC fascia's/soffits
- Indian stone rear patios
Electrical installations:
- Mains operated smoke detector to each storey
- Shaver sockets to bathroom and en-suite(s)
- BT point to living room behind main TV position
- TV point to living room and all bedrooms
- Recessed LED low energy down lights to kitchen, utility (where applicable), bathroom and en-suites (where applicable)
- Communal aerial system (with satellite dish) wired for sky and sky+ (apartments only)
- Video door entry system (apartments only)
- Solar PV panels with Immersun Valves allowing surplus power to be offset against utility bills (houses only)
- Computer network cabling pre-installed behind TV points (ready for connection by others)
Important Notice: These particulars are for your guidance only. Matthew's City and Country Homes are constantly seeking to improve their product range and internal interior designs, and specification may vary. Therefore, the specification cannot be relied upon and must be used for guidance only.


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For those people that don't know me, I can be a little bit socially awkward at times. Don't get me wrong, I know how to socialize and in a lot of situations, I have been the life of the party. However, when there issues dealing with peoples emotions, I have a tendency to clam up or say all of the wrong things. For this story, my intentions were good. HOWEVER! Things took a turn for the worse when i finally decided to be apart of a conversation. I will try to explain the best I can:
I went to a work function not too long ago and the entire time there was an elephant in the room. One of my co-workers asked me why I was just sitting there not saying anything. I being the terribly honest person that I am said "Cause we don't have anything to talk about." I kept telling him over and over again that I'm basically just keeping to myself until I can leave.
In my mind, I start to think maybe I was being a little rude so maybe I should engage in the conversation. Why? Why did I do this? If I could turn back the clock i would. I finally find an opening in the conversation. There was a guy and a girl talking about his former roommate and they go back and forth a bit but what I hear from the tail end of the conversation is roommate, partner, and an ugly situation. Me being me, I turned to the guy and say "You and your partner had a bad break up?" Needless to say, the conversation took a nasty turn very quickly.
The guy at the table went completely and utterly ape shit! The more I tried to clean it up, the worse the situation became. One of my other co-workers was sitting across the table shaking his head. He said he was signaling me not to ask him if he was gay or or to imply that he was gay. I didn't ask him directly. I just heard them talking and decided to jump right in head first. I didn't call the dude gay, I only apologized for implying that he was gay.
Now after realizing that I stepped in it I apologized profusely and then excused myself I left the restaurant under the impression that it was a dead subject. When I got to work that following Monday, it was part two of the drama. I had to tell my chain of command what took place just in case dude wanted to open a case on me.
I've had some time to reflect on the situation and I've come up with what went wrong.
1. I broke my own rule #1 of socializing with my co-workers.
2. I broke my own rule #2 of becoming socially involved with my co-workers. I have found over the years that we can talk about work. I can help you with your issues (Part of my job) but my life and family are off limits. I know that shipboard life requires me to have that camaraderie but this new Navy there are too many pieces of red tape every where.
3. I assumed. I made an ass out of myself.
The jury is still out on #3. I have a lot of openly gay friends and after rolling with them for the last 20 years I still don't think I was wrong in my assumption. However, for today, since I don't want someone to log on and read this and I really catch a case. I'm just going to keep my opinions, on the down low.


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Q&A with Cruden: Simulator for Jaguar Land Rover
Amsterdam-based Cruden designs and manufactures racing and driving simulators. It recently supplied Jaguar Land Rover with a 6-DOF (six degrees of freedom) simulator that is used as a virtual engineering tool by design teams at its Gaydon, UK design and engineering facility. In this interview, Matthew Beecham talked with Cruden's commercial director, Frank Kalff about the simulator for JLR, its benefits and the appetite amongst other OEMs to fine-tune a simulator's motion behaviour to suit their brands.
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Finding the Strongest dB Signal Reading A minimum reading of -90 to -100 dBm outside the home is required for the booster to amplify the signal. The stronger the signal the lower the negative dBm reading, a signal between -65 and -85 is ideal.
Measure the strength of your signal in various areas:
– Using an iPhone: Dial ✶3001#12345#✶, a Field Test screen will appear press down on the home button for a few seconds so your dB reading will appear in the upper left hand corner.
– Using an Android: Download the "Network Signal Info" within the Google Play store. Once installed, you will be able to view your dB strength.
– Finding the Closest Cellular Tower: Go to: http://www.opensignal.com, then enter your location and you will see a map of your area displaying the closest cellular towers then by clicking on "Simple View", the website will display the closest towers for your particular carrier.
Note: Window films that block UV rays may also block cellular signals. If your windows have films applied it may perform better when placed against a wall facing the exterior of the home.
Click here to learn more about SureCall Cell Phone Signal Boosters


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So now that our patio has been in for a couple of weeks, and I've had enough time to rest and recover, we decided to push forward with our backyard transformation by putting in a new flowerbed around the deck.
Here's where we left off with the patio:
The first step in putting in the new flowerbed was to mark the outline with a hose and dig out the edge. Once we had the shape we liked, we scraped off the top layer of grass (and weeds). This actually took a lot longer than I expected because the ground was so dry (yeah, so much for the crazy amount of rain we had a few weeks ago), and the ground was riddled with the rocks the builders put under the deck. Even though it was difficult and took a lot of time, I felt that it was a necessary step to help keep the weeds out (because I hate weeding!).
Next, I installed some lattice under the deck to discourage the dogs from running through the flowerbed to get under the deck.
Then, it was time to lay down the weed block underlayment, and start placing the plants. I don't have any more pictures of the various steps, but just imagine a lot of hot, humid, sweaty digging and lifting and planting and I think you'll have a pretty accurate image of how the day went.
Oh yeah, and lots of re-hydrating...
It took us all day yesterday, but in the end I think the results were well worth it. I feel like the backyard is really starting to come together now, and it's really becoming the kind of place where we can have people over and entertain like we've been wanting since we bought the house.
Before I get to the final results, here's one more shot of the backyard from earlier this year.
And here it is now:
Another to-do list item checked off!


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Adrian, MI 7000 sq ft Brownfield Site Redevelopment New Construction Progress Photos Final Photos
Aldi Inc – Store #19
Lansing, MI Over 15,000 sq. ft renovation of existing building 2500 sq. ft expansion Upgraded building to all LED lighting Final Photos Progress Photos
Dexter Family Dentistry Office Building
Dexter, MI 6300 SF of new construction for a multi-tenant dental-medical office building 4200 SF build-out for a dental office 10 Treatment Rooms Final Interior Photos Final Exterior Photos Progress Photos
Dr. Turke and Thomashow Office
Medical Office Build-Out/Renovation Project Highlights: 1800 square foot renovation of an existing suite 4 Exam Rooms 1 Therapy/Exercise Room 2 Offices 1 Break Room Final Photos
Real Life Barn
Timber Frame Barn – 12,700 square foot New Barn for Real Life Day Camp and Farm will Include: Demolition of existing barn Timber frame 3 Floors Elevator Stave silo (Elevator Shaft) Link to featured article in CAM Magazine Final Photos Progress Photos
Variety Die Addition
Dexter, MI 7500 sq ft building addition PEMB Building Progress Photos
Aldi Inc – Okemos
Meridian Township – Okemos, MI Over 17,000 square foot new construction Energy efficient materials
Novi Town Center, Fountain Shops
Novi, MI 7000 square foot New Construction
Dexter Wellness Center
The 48,000+ square foot wellness center includes basketball courts, a swimming pool, group fitness studios, free weights and cardiovascular equipment, indoor track, designated children's area and more. The wellness center also offers additional tenant spaces for wellness-related services such as physical therapy and massage therapy.
A.R. Brouwer Company renovated an existing 36,000 square foot pre-engineered metal building to house Valicor's corporate headquarters. The renovation included 12,000 square feet of office space and 12,000 square feet of research and development space. A geo-thermal heat system was installed in keeping with Valicor's commitment to environmental sustainability. CLICK HERE for more Project Photos.


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Convention – You're Great
We made a really cute note card at Convention using the I Think You're Great stamp set. I loved the card and decided to recreate it for one of my classes, with a little variation. I stamped the "leafy" image from the stamp set onto Whisper White card using Mint Macaron ink. I added a very narrow strip of designer series paper from the Stacked With Love Designer Series Paper Stack which is now retired but you could use the Everyday Chic Designer Series Paper which is what they used at Convention. I attached the stamped card to Mint Macaron card and then to scored and folded Basic Black card. I stamped the "I think you're great" image onto scrap Whisper White card using Memento Tuxedo Black ink, cut out the "you're" and "great" and attached them to the card front. Lastly I added a few Basic Rhinestones. The basic layout is the same as the one we made at Convention but I just had to add a few more layers. Inside I simply stamped the scallop image onto the bottom of Whisper White card using Mint Macaron ink. Since it was for one of my classes, this gave everyone the chance to use the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to line up the image across the bottom of the card.
Very simple but very sweet, don't you think? Thanks Stampin' Up! for the inspiration.
Bye for now,
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