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Artisans Stories
Artisans around the world have been using our themes. And this is what they say.
"The theme has allowed me to craft my own website in such a short time I could have never achieved anyway else"
"I decided to use Artisan Themes' Modules theme for WordPress because of its versatility and because I didn't wanted to depend on some third party to manage my website. To be on hold for two days waiting for someone to fix a typo or add a new illustration could be maddening.
The building process was extremely rewarding. As I moved forward structuring my content the theme always offered every solution I needed at each moment, and even more.
To be able to create modules and re-order them to build sections, activate or de-activate them, and even re-utilize them on different pages without having to manually add all the same content twice has allowed me to craft my own website in such a short time I could have never achieved anyway else."Read the whole interview with Javier and find out more about his experience here »
"Beautiful, functional, with incredible readability. One of the best themes I've used. Nearly perfect. Superb."
"These are very flexible themes for non-developers. I bought multiple licenses of Binder Pro for my sites as they are like LEGOS, with many different useful building blocks to build a page. The theme is constantly updated to align with WordPress latest guidelines, which made my life very easy."
"One of the best themes I have had the pleasure to use in quite a long time (and one of the few that really is a pleasure to use)! Well thought out, beautifully coded, great support, overall an excellent experience. Many thanks!"
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Their design framework makes building your own site from scratch a breeze, but you might not even need to with how many awesome demo sites they include.
Lastly and the thing I like the most, is their support. Whenever I have a question about how to customize something with their themes - their team is always there with a fast and friendly hand. I had such an awesome experience with their support after my first purchase and that's the main reason I chose to buy from them again.
Keep up the awesome designs, user friendly experience and amazing support!"
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Since I wanted to customize the template to the max, I had a lot (maybe too many) questions. Mai had the patience to help me out with every single request. The end result looks perfect and I could not have done it without here. Mai for President!"
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Home » Funny Stories » During World War II…
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During World War II…
An elderly Italian man asked the local priest to hear his confession.
"Father, during World War II a beautiful woman knocked on my door and
asked me to hide her from the Germans. I hid her in my attic."
The priest replied: "That was a wonderful thing you did, my son, and you
have no need to confess."
"It's worse, Father. I was weak and told her she must repay me with her
sexual favors."
"You were both in great danger and would have suffered terribly if the
Germans had found her. Heaven, in its wisdom and mercy, will balance the good
and evil, and judge you kindly. You are forgiven."
"Thank you, Father. That's a great load off my mind. But I have one more
" And what is that? "
"Should I tell her the war is over?"
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subset: commoncrawl


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A few weeks ago, I put out a call on Twitter and on Facebook for detailed posts that people would like to see. I got enough great responses that I'm going to fill the entire month of July – one post per day – addressing these ideas.
By email, Kevin asked "Could you post an article outlining how to get started with slow cooker/crock pot usage and how it saves money?"
Our slow cooker is an essential piece of kitchen equipment in our house. We use ours multiple times per week for a wide variety of meals and ingredient preparation.
How a Slow Cooker Saves Time
In truth, a slow cooker doesn't so much save time but move it. It allows you to do the prep work for an evening meal earlier in the day.
Here's an example. Let's say that we know that a given evening is going to be very busy. One child has soccer practice, another child has dance practice, and my wife has to stay late for an after-work meeting. Our solutions for dinner are now limited. We're either going to eat out, get take-out, or prepare something very quick and dirty at home.
A slow cooker solves this problem. Whenever we arrive home, a good home-cooked meal made from basic ingredients is sitting there fully cooked, hot, and waiting for us. We just set the table and eat – it's far faster than even eating out.
Simply put, a slow cooker moves your food preparation from a point where there are a lot of demands on your time to a point when there are many fewer demands on your time.
How a Slow Cooker Saves Money
Since you're able to make the time transition described above, you've suddenly made it possible to cook at home when it previously didn't really work all that well.
You've either turned a meal eaten out to one eaten at home, or you've turned a prepackaged meal into a fresh, healthier, and probably tastier meal.
In either case, that's a net gain. The gain is clearer when compared to a meal eaten out, but it's still prevalent when compared to a prepackaged meal, as the costs on those are often quite high compared to what you get. Even if your costs are equivalent, the meal you've prepared is of better quality than the prepackaged one.
We also save money by using a slow cooker to prepare other ingredients, such as making shredded chicken, chicken stock, and vegetable stock.
Selecting a Slow Cooker
For your first slow cooker, I'd suggest picking up a very low-end cooker, just to see if you'll use it or not. A low-end slow cooker (or crock pot, as they're often labeled) usually just has a dial on the front that enables you to choose warm, low, or high for settings and is "on" whenever it's plugged in. Straightforward, indeed.
If you find you're using that one a lot, it's worthwhile to invest in one with some more sophisticated features. A timer is a very useful feature, as is a programmable slow cooker that allows you to have the slow cooker adjust from low to high at a designated time. This enables you to put in the ingredients, have the dish start a few hours after you leave, and kick up to high just before you're planning on returning, resulting in a perfect meal. This really adds to your flexibility with using this for family meals when you're out for the day. A good example of this type is the Hamilton-Beach 6 quart programmable model.
Using a Slow Cooker
There's an absolute abundance of slow cooker recipes online. If you're just starting out, I suggest sticking to simpler recipes. One approach I often use is the "five ingredient slow cooker meal." All you really do is combine five ingredients that you like and know will go well together, put the slow cooker on low for several hours, and then enjoy. The post linked there has several examples of this, but you almost can't mess this up as long as you stick to what seems good together to you.
Once you've tried some of these, start digging into the abundance of more detailed slow cooker recipes online. I've posted two different sets of slow cooker recipes over the years (this one and that one) and many of my Friday afternoon food posts are slow cooker recipes. Not only that, there are entire blogs and websites devoted to slow cookers, such as A Year of Slow Cooking.
The only real limit is your creativity (or perhaps ingredient availability in your area).


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Ulster Bank raise €1,300 for local Hospice
Thursday last saw the staff and customers of Ulster Bank, Longford set their business aside in favour of a cup of coffee.
The busy bank set aside some time to raise funds for Longford Hospice Homecare by means of a coffee morning.
Co-organiser of the event, Niamh Donlon explained that the whole team organised the coffee morning, adding that though they were a busy branch, everyone took time out to help. Having fundraised for a number of charities before, it was decided that they would raise money for the hospice this year, to support their work and dedication.
Between staff and customers, the Longford bank managed to raise an incredible €1,300.
Delighted with the total raised, Niamh adds that she would definitely fundraise for the hospice again, as it is close to her own heart. Sadly, Niamh's father passed away from cancer last July, and she explains that until then, she "didn't know what they did or didn't do". However, now she has first hand experience of their dedication.
"It was a huge team effort" Niamh says of the coffee morning. "Without the team we couldn't have generated that amount of income."
The funds raised will be presented to the Longford Hospice in the coming week.


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Trilogy™ Lime (Petunia/multiflora/pelleted)
Latin Name: Petunia x hybrida
Item #: P1908L
Suitable for Containers:
Suitable for Small Pots
Hanging Basket Type
New This Year
White with lime accented blooms have a long shelf life. Plants are less sensitive to daylength than other spreading petunias. Pelleted seed only.
(12 in/30 cm) F1 hybrid trailing petunia. The Trilogy series plant habit is spreading like Tidal Wave but blooms are much tighter together than Easy Wave or Avalanche - which makes this series an excellent choice to replace Avalanche for hanging baskets and the Primetime series for regular beds.
White with lime accented blooms have a long shelf life; flowers retain short internodes even after blooming and plants are less sensitive to daylength than other spreading petunias. Pelleted seed only.
PETUNIA (Grandiflora and Multiflora Singles)
Approx. 210,000 - 280,000 seeds per oz/28 gr. (Annual 12 - 16 in/30 - 41 cm)
GREENHOUSE: Grandifloras for Mother's Day and Easter pot sales are usually sown Dec. 1st. For May - June bedding plant and container sales, sow between Jan. 30th. - Feb. 28th. Seed sown Mar. 1st should produce flowering plants by June 15th. Multifloras are used for mass bedding only.
CULTURE: We use pure Jiffy Mix in our seedling flats, rather than soil mixtures - for better germination. Fill the flat to within 1/4 in/6 mm. from the top and firm (especially the corners), so you don't get erosion when watering. Soak the seed flat thoroughly before sowing, with luke warm water (70°F/21°C) and a good fungicide to prevent disease. Mark the rows 2 in/5 cm apart, and 1/8 in/3 mm deep, 1/2 in/13 mm wide - with the edge of a label or a marking board. If you are sowing several different colors in the same flat - it might be a good idea to place a piece of cardboard across the flat on both sides of the row that you are sowing - to prevent mixtures. Broadcast the seed as thinly as possible in each row. Press the seed firmly into the surface. We do not usually cover with soil - as some colors are light responsive. If you believe in covering the seed - use coarse vermiculite - it retains moisture and allows enough light for proper germination. To conserve moisture, cover seed flats with plastic, glass or paper. For ideal germination soil temp. must be 80°F/27°C (air temp. of 86°F/30°C days and 65°F/l 8°C nights). The soil temp. must not drop below 70°F/21°C. Use bottom heat if possible. Seed will germinate according to color (pinks, blues and whites first - reds last) in 5 - 1 0 days. Do not use cold water- it lowers the soil temp. and weakens tender seedlings. Uncover your seed bed at the first signs of germination, to prevent tall weak seedlings. Grow seedlings cool at 65°F/l8°C. Transplant 4 to 5 weeks after seeding, 1 - 1 1/2 in./3 - 4 cm. apart, and at the same depth as they were when in the seed flat. Grow at 55 - 60°F/13 - 16°C. for stocky plants.


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Cherries have great benefits like provid
Cherries have great benefits like providing nutrients for a healthy heart! They taste great too! Why not get a #plantOgram cherry tree and try cherry ginger scones!
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup dried cherries
3 ounces crystallized ginger, coarsely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 large egg whites
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (optional) http://ow.ly/i/94xSp http://ow.ly/KvnKD


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Toyota Genuine Air Filters Help During Hay Fever Season
Toyota Genuine Air Filters Help During Hay Fever Season – Dec 09, 2013– Melbourne, Australia (AutoReleased) – Toyota is encouraging motorists to talk to their service advisor about checking the condition of their vehicle's cabin air filter at their next vehicle service.
Toyota Genuine Cabin Air Filters significantly reduce potentially harmful microscopic particles – including pollen, dust, ash and mould spores – from entering a car's interior via the ventilation system, and require periodic replacement for optimum performance.
National Asthma Council partnership manager Adam Trumble said cabin air filters can play an important role in protecting drivers and passengers, adding that car owners need to be aware of their fitment when purchasing a car and maintain them during ownership.
"For people with asthma and allergies triggered by pollen, cabin air filters may make the difference between having or avoiding an allergic reaction," Mr Trumble said.
"There have been recorded cases of people sneezing and then having an accident – so it's clearly best to minimise the chances of that happening."
Mr Trumble said that summer brings more pollen into the atmosphere.
"We're in a time of year when pollen tends to be more prevalent – it's what many call the hay fever season because of pollen being a trigger for allergic reactions.
"There are some pollens that have very long seasons, but at this time of year there is more pollen being produced," he said.
Desmond Lew, Toyota Australia divisional manager, national parts and accessories, agreed that contaminants entering cars is an issue for asthma sufferers, and added that all Toyota owners can benefit from renewing their Toyota Genuine Cabin Air Filters when needed.
"Many of us spend a lot of time in our cars, so ensuring that the cabin air filter is fully functional to keep pollution out of the air we breathe makes total sense," Mr Lew said.
"And using a Toyota Genuine Cabin Air Filter means that it was designed as an integral part of the car's ventilation system, ensuring that air flows into the cabin the way it is supposed to."
Toyota advises that cabin air filters should be changed at intervals as determined within the vehicle's Warranty and Service booklet, subject to how and where the vehicle is driven.
For frequent use in high pollution environments, such as motorway tunnels, Toyota recommends regular checks of cabin air filters at Toyota Service Centres.


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GPS, social media, photo editing, streaming music, I have an app for that. You probably do, too. We rely on apps of all kinds to accomplish simple everyday tasks.
When you take the time to download an app, you should be able to expect a certain level of privacy and security to come with it. Unfortunately, that's not always the case.
That's why you need to know about this app that could be sending your personal data to China. Don't forget to share this article with family and friends. Your kids and grandkids might actually be using the app.
What are fidget spinners?
Have you gotten in on the fidget spinner craze? If you don't know what a fidget spinner is, it's a toy that consists of a ball bearing in the center of a multi-lobed flat structure designed to spin along its axis with a simple flick of the finger. Some people find them calming when they use one.
These toys were extremely popular earlier this year. In fact, they were so popular manufacturers started adding extra features to make them even more desirable. One added feature was the advent of fidget spinners with Bluetooth connectivity.
Yep, you heard me right…Bluetooth connectivity. This made it possible to build speakers for music, as well as LED lights, right into the fidget spinner. The LED lights can sync with music for a special light show.
Image: Example of Bluetooth connected fidget spinner with speakers and LED lights.
How your personal data could be at risk
For the ability to control a Bluetooth connected fidget spinner, users need to download an app. A security researcher recently discovered that one of these apps found in the Google Play Store is collecting data from other apps on the user's phone and sending it to a server located in China.
I'm talking about the AiTURE app, which was developed by Shenzhen Heaton Technology in China.
The researcher conducted some tests on apps that were installed on his phone to see how they transmit information to the Cloud. He reverse-engineered Bluetooth communications between the fidget spinner and the AiTURE app. He claims that a large portion of data from his phone is being sent to a server in China.
He said that the app transmitted data regarding all of the other apps installed on his phone in clear text, not encrypted. He thinks that the information is being used to provide customers with targeted ads.
However, it is possible that this could result in zero-day exploits being installed on users' phones. Either way, I suggest deleting the app from your gadget if you or anyone that you know uses it. It's always better to be safe than sorry.
From webcams, sign-ins, to Alexa, don't make these mistakes
When our PCs work normally, we sometimes take them for granted. We recklessly fill up our hard drives with data, download files, install applications and browse the web as we please. But of course, all it takes is one installation of a malicious application to ruin your PC and worse, have all your information stolen.
Click here for 5 security mistakes you're probably making now.


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How to help an overweight chihuahua
If you have an overweight chihuahua you are not alone. According to vets 80% of dogs are overweight. It's a canine health epidemic that is causing serious health problems for our dogs. Chihuahuas, and other toy dog breeds, are very easy to overfeed because they are so small. A tiny chihuahua may only need 150 calories a day, so just a tiny overfeed can start to lay down as fat. A small treat here and there and before you know it, they've had an extra meals worth of calories.
A tiny chihuahua may only need 150 calories a day, so just a tiny overfeed can start to lay down as fat. A small treat here and there and before you know it, they've had an extra meals worth of calories.
Why having an overweight chihuahua is an issue
Being overweight can have lasting health consequences for dogs like; heart disease, diabetes and arthritis. Being too heavy may put pressure on an existing luxating patella. It can also aggravate problems with anal glands because, if the glands are covered in fat they will not easily express.
There is a growing body of evidence that suggests over the longer-term, being overweight can contribute to cancers.
Some chihuahuas are highly food motivated and will scavenge relentlessly. Minnie is one of the greediest dog's ever and is an expert at hoovering up scraps and crumbs. Keeping her weight under control requires diligence, we must monitor her weight regularly.
It can be a daunting task to try and get your chihuahua back into shape, especially if you have got into bad habits.
It requires a shift of thinking, and owners need to realise that the treat or little extra that you give them because you love them, could be shortening their life, contributing to poor health and huge vet bills.
The reality is, we all need to toughen up. Instead of using food to show affection play a game, give a belly rub or go out for a walk.
How to turn around a fat chihuahua
The good news is it's easier than you think, and you don't need to buy expensive prescription foods to get weight under control.
It goes without saying that good habits start from puppy hood and it requires the whole family to co-operate.
First of all, it's a good idea to have only one person responsible for feeding.
No one gives the dogs treats, and if training treats are being used then it must come out of your chis daily food allowance.
Keep the dogs away from the table when the family are eating, teach them to go and lie down or put them into another room. The sad face as they watch you eat is very effective at getting titbits.
Weighing out food rather than just chucking in the bowl is key. Especially as feeding guidelines on commercial dog food are often so vague. Knowing the amount you are feeding will help you make measured adjustments.
Weigh your dog on a regular basis. If he starts to put on weight, then you can reduce the amount you are feeding down by a few grams. Just a 10gm reduction in her food helped Minnie lose 500g and get down to her target weight of 5kg.
Assess your chihuahua's body condition
Vets use a table of body condition to assess if a dog is overweight or malnourished, looking at where your chihuahua is on the scale will give you a good idea of how overweight they may be. For instance:
- Does your chi have a pot belly?
- Can you see his waist or tuck? (The part that goes in after the ribs)
- Are their ribs easy to feel under their fur? If they are cushioned and you need to dig for them, then he is carrying extra fat.
But if you are not sure ask your vet. Most vets are keen for dogs to lose weight and will be happy to help.
How you feed can make it easier to monitor what they are eating
Free feeding is when you put down the food and your chihuahua can eat when he likes. But, if you have cats who can be partial to dog food, or more than one dog it can be difficult to monitor who is eating what.
Meal feeding is when your chi is given dinner at set times. This does make it much easier to monitor the amount. Both methods have pros and cons. You can read more about this here.
What you should feed
Feeding dry food (kibble) can contribute to an overweight chihuahua as again it contains carbohydrate as part of the cooking process. Carbohydrate turns to sugar and dogs find it difficult to process it and the sugar lays down as fat. Even feeding the correct amount can leave you with a fat chihuahua.
We cook for ours, but this is not always practical for everyone so, if you are feeding kibble, feed a good quality one. We like Macadams (available in the UK)
How you assess a good quality dry food can be difficult, the images on the front of the packet will bear very little reality to the actual ingredients. You can get more info about understanding dog food labels in this article.
It is easier to go with meal feeding if you are serving wet food. When Arlo was a pup, we gave him Canagan and Lillie's Kitchen. Both seemed to go down well.
How much to feed your chihuahua?
Counting calories can be difficult with a dog as, at time of writing, there is no obligation to put calories on pet food products. But, having a target weight in mind will help you plot how much your chihuahua is losing.
Dogs need different amounts of food depending on their life stage.
For example, a complete dog male or female will need to eat more than a neutered dog, an older dog will need to eat less than a young dog. As a guide line Healthy Pets Mercola gives us this formula.
Daily calories (canine) = Body Weight (kg) x 30 + 70
To use this formula, first you need to convert her weight from pounds to kilograms. One kilogram = 2.2 pounds, so divide her ideal weight (not her current weight) in pounds by 2.2. 50/2.2 = 22.7, so your dog's ideal weight in kilograms is 22.7. Now our formula looks like this: Daily calories = 22.7 (kg) x 30 + 70. And finally, it looks like this: Daily calories = 751. If your dog eats 750 calories a day, she should drop steadily to her ideal weight of 50 pounds and maintain it.
Books by Chihuahua Power
If counting calories is too complicated and time consuming, then just follow these simple steps to slim down your fat chihuahua.
- Stop or significantly reduce treats.
- Weigh your dog so you can plot progress.
- Weigh out food
- Feed for her ideal weight not her current weight.
It's best to check with your vet if you are not sure how much your dog needs.
Books by Chihuahua Power


text: Hi Patricia - A while back you wrote: <<I would like to know if any of you has information on international funds available to LA NGOs for sustainable agricultural projects. <<Does anyone have information on sustainable agriculture publications in hardcopy or electronic format in Spanish language? I would recommend that you ask Pesticide Action Network. They do lots of international work, and often know about the places doing work without pesticides. They might at least have some leads for you. * Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA), 116 New Montgomery, #810, San Francisco, CA 94105. (415) 541-9140. Fax:(415) 541-9253. Email: firstname.lastname@example.com. Web site: http://www.panna.org/panna/. Hope that helps! Best regards - Patricia Dines


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For the first time ever, a MasterClass instructor is back for a second class. Legendary chef Gordon Ramsay's newest class gives students a way to keep learning—this time with 13 restaurant-inspired recipes Gordon redesigned to cook at home: www.masterclass.com/gr2
Gordon Ramsay is one of the world's most celebrated chefs with dozens of restaurants around the globe that currently hold seven Michelin stars. His signature establishment, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea, holds three Michelin stars and is London's longest-running restaurant to hold this award. Since launching into television more than a decade ago, Ramsay has created and starred in more than a dozen food shows including the top-rated Hell's Kitchen, MasterChef, MasterChef Junior, Kitchen Nightmares and Gordon Ramsay's 24 Hours to Hell & Back — one of the summer's most-watched new series.
In his second MasterClass, Ramsay will teach students how to master the essential skills and recipes needed to cook elevated meals at home. Students will learn how to make sophisticated restaurant-quality dishes for a small group or dinner party, with recipes and ingredients that are accessible to the home chef. Ramsay will demonstrate sophisticated plate presentation; teach students how to save time by preparing ahead, allowing for more time to entertain their guests; and help students gain the confidence to create and host a full and memorable meal at home.
"I decided to teach a second MasterClass based on the incredible feedback I've received on the first, but this time we're going up to another level. In my new class, I share some of my favorite restaurant-style methods and secrets taught to some of the best chefs in the world today. This class will change people's cooking at home in a way that makes it less stressful and more exciting, but more importantly, it will take students to a place where they never felt their cooking could go and give them confidence to create incredible dinner parties."—Gordon Ramsay
"There's really no one quite like Gordon in the world, Not only is he an undeniably outstanding chef and one of the world's most successful restaurateurs, Gordon's also a magnetic teacher. He's brilliant, hilarious and a fuckin' amazing chef. That is why we are thrilled he's teaching another class. Students all over the world took his first class and wanted more. This second class focuses on more recipes and more dishes."—David Rogier, co-founder & CEO of MasterClass.


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June 30, 2012
Magic Mike
The stripteasing scenes are, of course, the eye candy, just like the nude scenes in all those redundant slasher films from the 1980s were strategically inserted to draw a male audience in and on, keeping them waiting for what they may or may not see next. But there's never anything substantial going on in between these moments. Magic Mike is the same way. It has a dull story about the titular star stripper, (played by Channing Tatum) who has dreams of doing something more with his life (specifically, starting a custom furniture business). He sucks an impressionable 19-year-old loafer (Alex Pettyfer) into the biz, much to the chagrin of the boy's older, responsible, drag-of-a-sister (Cody Horn). The boy of course doesn't know how to handle his new-found "popularity" and eventually becomes a druggie.
The dramatic scenes are overly familiar. They're probably the stuff you've seen if you've spent any significant portion of your life watching the WB Network. The actors have no charisma, nothing interesting to do (well, that statement may not be agreed upon by a large portion of the audience). Horn seems like a less exciting version of Kristen Stewart (which makes her a corpse's corpse), Tatum seems to be playing himself, that is, occasionally charming but ultimately lacking in imagination. He turns over a dining room chair and pronounces it a knock-off, because he's a savant for carpentry. Totally believable.
Of course, people aren't lining up to see Magic Mike for its story. But it seems to me a sad state of affairs when nobody cares about the movie itself. You can get eye candy anywhere, from those mindless idiots on the Jersey Shore to an Abercrombie & Fitch ad, but movies are supposed to be capable of more than that. Magic Mike fits in with the summer movie line-up because it too is all about the special effects. Instead of buildings exploding, it's bodies strutting, and flexing and grinding. Magic Mike could have been salvaged by a sense of humor, but it's utterly lacking in wit, and every next step is so painfully obvious that you become increasingly aware of the two hours it takes to get from the beginning to the end.
Matthew McConaughey, who was so funny in an earlier 2012 movie, Bernie, is dizzyingly unappealing in this movie. His character, Dallas, is sort of the emcee of the strip club. He owns the place, but rarely does any of the stripteasing anymore. What's more, he's got plans to move the operation from Tampa to Miami, where they can dream bigger. This presumably means wealthier clientele. But it's such a lame attempt to put something in this movie at stake: does anyone actually care if they are able to successfully relocate?
Steven Soderbergh was able to turn Erin Brockovich into a fun movie by utilizing the natural charm and wit of its star, Julia Roberts. Magic Mike doesn't have that. Channing Tatum may not be the worst actor to grace the screen, but he's got no personality, no genuine star quality or mystery about him to give any durable staying power as an actor. Like all the other dancers, he's about as valuable as his appearance, which, like Magic Mike, isn't sustainable for long.
2 comments:
- Natalie said...
I saw Magic Mike and have to say that while the eye candy was good, that's about all I can even say about the movie. The rest of it was awful. I felt kinda dirty after seeing it too.
- July 11, 2012 at 1:22 AM
- pannedreview said...
Yeah, it's not a good movie at all.
The intended audience may get their 10 bucks' worth in terms of shirtless dudes dancing, but you could feel the energy draining out of the audience as it wore on...and on.
- July 11, 2012 at 3:01 AM
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Sectional doors SECTIOLITE ST40
More than just a sectional door
SECTIOLITE ST40 is the new name for the former door type SPACELITE HTU
SECTIOLITE ST40 combines the opening technology of a sectional door with the product and material related benefits of fibreglass. Offering individual adaptations with many optional accessories, it was conceived to fulfil highest demands in solidity and endurance. A trouble-free operation is ensured by the absence of wear- or risk-sensitive components like torsion springs or protruding hinges. The result is a long-lasting and cost-effective availability of the door.
Fibreglass – a unique material for industrial doors:
- Light transmission up to 78% for bright working areas inside the building
- Diffuse light without cast shadow for a perfect view and a comfortable working environment
- Less need for artificial lighting during the day
- Three colours to choose from: Brilliant, Emerald-Green or Sapphire-Blue
- Optional vision panels made in SAN- double or triple glazing/li>
- Design perfectly combinable with other SECTIOLITE or SPACELITE fibreglass doors and the VARIOPLANplus fibreglass curtain wall
Opening technology with individual design:
- Ceiling tracks made of galvanized steel with 90° deflection. Optionally guided along the roof or vertical tracks
- Solid lateral tracks made of friction resistant aluminium, with detachable covers, for safety reasons closed on three sides
- Opening speed up to 100 cm/s
Reduced cost for operation and maintenance:
- Electric drive with an extremely resistant and enduring gear motor
- Direct drive without additional wear-and-tear-sensitive parts such as torsion springs
- Micro processor control for trouble-free and comfortable operation
- Passive safety: No protruding hinges or reinforcements, no suspending cables or wires, no trapping and shearing edges
- Anti-jamming protection: All stacking doors are equipped with a safety edge. After contact with an obstacle the door stops and re-opens automatically and instantly
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Spire Healthcare – Pharmacy – Liverpool
Contract Value:- £34,000
Completed:- March 2016
Location:- Liverpool
- Turnkey Refurbishment
- Cantilever Laboratory Furniture
- Mobile Units
- Medi Shelving System
- Custom Automatic Roller Shutter
Spire Healthcare is a regular client to iab. As part of a successful partnership iab assisted the client with the design and construction of a new pharmacy. The project included the conversion of an open plan waiting area and consultation room. This project demonstrates iab's ability to get involved with and work closely with professionals outside the laboratory arena. Security and safe storage ranked high in the brief. Storage was maximised using specialist pharmacy shelving, purpose built furniture, a dispensing counter and electrically operated security shutter. During the conversion of the two rooms the running of the hospital had to continue without risk to visitors and staff. This was achieved through zoning off the corridor and arranging non disruptive deliveries. The project was designed to suit the daily running of spires pharmacy staff.


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|While filming Rocky IV, Sylvester Stallone asked Dolph Lundgren to try to knock him out for real. Lundgren hit him so hard that he was sent to the hospital and was in the ICU for 9 days.
|The actor who played the farmer in the movie "Babe" decided to go vegan after working closely with the "extraordinary animals" in the film.
|"Tom and Jerry" was a British slang term from the 1800's, meaning "to fight and cause trouble".
|The movie "Saw" had a budget of $1.2 million and a revenue of $103 million.
|Beyonce Knowles' debut album "Dangerously in Love" earned her five Grammys.
|Mary Gibbs (voice of Boo in Monsters Inc.) was too young to sit to record her lines, so they followed her around with a mike.
|There was a dance epidemic in 1518 (during the Roman Empire) where some people danced for 6 days straight and died.
|'Finding Nemo' is the best-selling DVD of all time.
|Due to the scarcity of metale, the Oscars given out during World War II were made of wood.
|The Three Musketeers author, Alexandre Dumas may not have had the option of many typewriters, but that didn't mean he couldn't keep his writing genres separate. He followed a routine of colour-blocking his creative writing, using pink paper for non-fiction, blue for fiction and yellow for poetry.


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Pain: Are Redheads Really More Sensitive?
Redheads Feel Pain Differently
Redheads have always "enjoyed" wild stereotypes and infamous reputations. Making up only 2% of the world's population, it's no wonder "Gingers" have are not well understood!
In recent years, redheads have been on the minds of medical professionals and scientists for our sensitivity to pain!
Redheads feel more pain and are more sensitive than the rest of the population. They have long earned this reputation within the anesthesiology community.
I just had never heard of it until one walked into my pre-op and exclaimed, "Oh no, you're a redhead! You'll need more anesthesia than a normal person needs!"
I looked at him and asked, "Whaaaat?" and then thought, "What, I'm not normal?"
He explained, with much humor, that redheads always needed more anesthesia than other patients. And although it was officially considered "urban legend", every anesthesiologist knew it to be true from experience.
This new information made me think! Yes, I had asked for more Novocain when the Dentist worked on me. And then they were surprised when I told them I could still feel them working. Luckily, they gave me what I needed. And double lucky that I've needed very few procedures!
I also can't tell you how many time's I've hollered in pain for some ordinary thing, explaining to people that I'm just "sensitive!"
Finally in 2004 some official studies were done on redheads. And now, science has backed it all up!
Sort of...
"Oh, it's all in your head!" Apparently, That's Half Right!
We've all experienced pain. But what is it?
According to Doris Cope, MD, an anesthesiologist leading the Pain Medicine Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, pain is experienced in both our nervous system as well as our emotional brain.
First the impulse is sent through our nervous system to different pain receptors and then our brain interprets it.
There are also many different kinds of pain. Think about cold, hot, prickly, impact, tight muscles, head aches, tingly nerves, numbness, etc. While one person may be able to walk barefoot across the icy driveway in the Winter, that same person may cry like a maniac at a needle prick when giving a blood sample.
This makes it very difficult for medical professionals to diagnose and treat pain. There's lots of room for disbelief on the medical person's side and room for exaggeration on the patient's side when pain drugs are involved.
Not to mention, our cultural bias can persuade medical professionals to think men should be tough and women just complain a lot. If pain is considered "urban legend" among a given population like redheads, it can be a hard battle to fight to get proper relief.
Redheads Have a Gene Mutation
Well, of course we do!
The gene responsible for a human's hair and skin color is the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R). Studies suggest that in 98% of the world's population, the MC1R gene produces dark eumelanin. But in redheads, the gene is mutated so it produces a red-tinged pheomelanin instead.
Studies believe that this mutation is not only responsible for red hair and fair skin, but is also responsible for the way redheads experience pain. Studies have found that the MC1R somehow interacts with certain hormones, including endorphins (endogenous morphine) which play a role in our body's natural pain relief.
So, the gene responsible for red hair and our skin cells' lack of melanin release (tan), may also influence the way our bodies use endorphins.
Studies Reveal Confusing Conclusions
Many early studies tested people on only one kind of pain. For instance, the famous study in 2004 done by the Cleveland Pain Clinic tested people's need for anesthesia during surgery. This showed a 19-20% increase in needed anesthesia during surgery on redheads as opposed to other surgical patients.
Tests done shortly after in 2005 that showed how redheads were more resistant to the effect of Lidocaine during dental procedures (see links below) than the rest of the patients. In a study in 2005, Redheads were also found to be more sensitive to cold.
These studies proved that we needed more painkiller to kill the pain and thus the conclusion was that we experience pain differently.
The research done at McGill University in 2004 confused many, revealing the opposite of the early studies, finding that redheads could take MORE pain.
Studies on pain done with capsaicin (the substance that makes hot peppers hurt) in 2010 published by the Scandinavian Journal of Pain (see link below) found that FEMALE redheads were really tough cookies.They could take more pin-prick kind of pain than test subjects with different hair colors.
And to make it all more confusing, one of my favorite shows Myth Busters, did a segment on cold tolerance by gingers in 2010 finding that, yes, redheads can take more pain than others!
Confused yet?
Why All The Confusion About Pain Tolerance?
After doing this research over a few years, I've come to a couple of conclusions.
- The Anesthesiologists and dentists were looking at one thing. Basically, they were looking at the amount of anesthetic it took to keep the patient from jumping off the table and running away. These drugs contain a combination of three components: an analgesic for pain, a reversible inhibitor of sensation and/or a reversible loss of consciousness. Their information is important, validating what most of us redheads already know, that we just need more please, and thank you! It was not clear which of these elements needed to be increased.
- The McGill study was different: part of it studied the difference in analgesic response while another tested pain threshold (see side links for Time Magazine's article.) It found that those with the mutant MC1R gene could take more pain but were more resistant to common analgesics.
It's been proven that men process pain through different neural pathways than women do. But the studies at McGill and later studies elsewhere, have shown that women with the MC1R mutation do better with analgesics which bond with the Kappa-opioid receptors.
However redheaded men and men in general do better with Mu-opioid friendly analgesics.
Unfortunately for redheaded women, the vast majority of analgesics are Mu-opioid friendly because the others are deemed less effective. Childbirth uses the Kappa-opioid type and redheads are found to need less of it than the other patients.
Exciting Possibilities For Pain Management
These discoveries are exciting, expanding our understanding of pain management. Our aging population suffers with pain at an alarming rate, but pain management lags behind In fact most changes are with prescribing policy, becoming more restrictive for fear of possible addiction.
As quoted by Jeffrey Mogil from the McGill Study so many years ago, "This is a pretty good example of pharmacogenetics, which is something that's causing quite a bit of excitement right now. It's the idea that treatment decisions -- the dose and type of drug -- might be based on genetic status. If you know what genes are relevant to drug responses you can test people beforehand and predict how well they're going to respond and decide whether to use it or not."
Developing more Kappa-opioid friendly analgesics might help chronic pain from migraines, fibromyalgia, and other chronic pain conditions that affect women disproportionately more than men.
Current information about new analgesics, beyond restricting access, are hard to find. The most recent article I found was titled: "Lost but making progress..." which speaks to the need for new research to find better pain medications.
Let's hope for everyone's sake the continued study of the MC1R gene is studies further and will help everyone think about pain management research in a different way.
It seems to me...
...that redheads are probably more tolerant to pain. But based on our genetics, current pain medications do not meet the needs of many female redheads.
Ouch - It's COLD!
But Are Redheads More or Less Sensitive?
I think there needs to be more studying to really answer this question. Identifying the mutant MCR1 gene is a great first step, but the confusing studies are not definitive as to redheads' sensitivity to pain.
I for one am, but I have a Ehlers - Danlos Syndrome which causes chronic pain.
My take away from all of this is that redheads are probably more tolerant to pain. But based on our genetics, current pain medications do not meet the needs of many female redheads.
To think that our mutant gene could be a key to finding out more about pain and developing more effective relief is exciting! I know being a redhead is super special, and now there's one more reason why!
Links For More Information
- Pain sensitivity and experimentally induced sensitisation in red haired females
A small study to investigate pain sensitivity and experimentally induced sensation in red haired females.
- Redheads and painkillers
McGill University's study: Redheads and painkillers
- Study: Redheads' extra pain may cause fear of dentists - CNN.com
Despite two injections of anesthetic, Amy Anderson felt like her dentist was jamming rods into her tooth during a root canal. By why?
- Do redheads really feel more pain? The jury's still out | TIME.com
You may have seen the well-publicized study that shows redheads are more scared of the dentist than other people are.
Wonderful hub. I had a sister who was a Ginger and she had a high tolerance for pain, but when she had reached her limit, she was all down and out and depressed for days.
On the other hand, I know a Ginger who attends church with me and for a young person, she has endured a lot of pain for her age.
So, I guess, and I am wrong, but does it not depend on the person?
Honored to meet you and follow you.
An interesting hub. I was married to a redhead and will make no comment about your conclusions. If your assessment of the pain relievers needed for red heads is correct, then please, push forward with any more research required, at break-neck speed and save the planet.


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Will Leather Goods: timeless accessories
The history of Will Leather Goods founder Bill Adler is familiar: starting on one path and ending on another. Living in California to pursue his acting dream, Adler, supported himself through his hobby of leathercraft. His eponymous belt company, Billy Belts, was launched during the 1981 Screen Actors Guild strike.
Billy Belts soon became a fixture along Venice Beach's boardwalk and his belt business expanded into wholesale. Those belts became the foundation for Will Leather Goods, a collection of rustic, natural leather, canvas and other bags. Which were successful, too, leading Adler to move his operations to Eugene, Ore. Since its launch in 2007 the Will Leather Goods label has found favor across the globe at retailers including Ron Herman, American Rag, Nordstrom and the Isetan department store chain in Japan.
Quintisentially American: with "rugged good-looks, thoughtful functionality, and top-quality materials inherent to artisan craftsmanship" ( their own words), the Will Leather Goods collection is intended to age gracefully with the beauty and patina expected from shrunken soft lambskin and vegetable-tanned hides. The kind of timeless piece sought for one's own personal collection and that their children will fight over long after they are gone.
As the name suggests, leather is the material of choice, either by itself in the supple oil-tanned bags or in mixed fabrication pieces, where it is paired with hand-woven, vegetable-dyed Oaxacan rugs, colorful cotton canvas, repurposed batik-print fabrics and upcycled coffee sacks.
In October 2012, Will Leather Goods opened the brand's first bricks-and-mortar store. A storefront with an industrial vibe created by a high, vaulted ceiling; wooden roof trusses and a huge skylight that floods the room with natural light. And that's far from the only natural thing customers will encounter in the 1,748-square-foot space. The fixtures are crafted from reclaimed and repurposed wood, including slender juniper tree trunks and gnarled slabs of redwood.
In addition to being environmentally friendly, the forest of found wood provides a subtle key to the merchandising. The rough-hewn walnut shelving and dark redwood tables and cases in one area showcase the men's wares, and the women's collection is displayed on shelves and juniper tables.
The goods include leather cuffs ($45), coin purses ($90), belts ($75 to $120) and a series of bags including messengers ($150 to $250), utility totes ($175) and duffels ($250 to $495).


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By Brad Segall
BENSALEM, Pa. (CBS) – President Obama has signed into law a defense spending bill that includes legislation that was sparked by the untimely death of a first responder in Bucks County.
Congressman Michael Fitzpatrick spent more than a year trying to get the measure through both chambers of the House.
The legislation was named for Danny McIntosh, a volunteer Bensalem paramedic who died in the line of duty more than two years ago chasing down a man who fled medical treatment.
Fitzpatrick says the bill closes a loophole that provided federal death benefits only for emergency personnel who worked for municipalities, not volunteers.
"The reason that this legislation was important is that it bears his name and makes certain that no other family like his will hear the words from the Department of Justice that we can't help you," says Fitzpatrick.
McIntosh was just 39-years-old when he died. He left behind his wife and two young daughters. The measure is retroactive so it will help the family.


text:
One serving: 1263 kJ/302 kcal
1 red onion, 2 fat carrots, 2 parsnips, 3 tablespoons of oil, 1 bunch of parsley, 1 bouillon cube or 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cherry pepper
for the liver dumplings:
2 bread rolls, milk to soak the rolls, 6 oz liver, 2 eggs, 1/2 head of red onion, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 bunch of parsley, salt, ground black pepper, marjoram, 1 heaping tablespoon flour
Peel the onion, the carrots and the parsnips, chop the onions finely, the others into small cubes or oblongs. Sauté the onions on hot oil, add the vegetables, stir-fry for
a few minutes. Add the finely chopped parsley and 1 1/2 quarts of water, crush in the consommé cubes and cook until tender. In the meantime soak the rolls in milk, squeeze and mince it together with the liver cut into pieces. Put the liver into the mincer first, then the rolls to avoid wasting the liver. To get the entire roll out of the mincer, push it down with a bit of stale bread. Mix in the eggs. Mince the other onion, sauté with the finely chopped parsley in hot oil, then add to the liver paste. Spice with salt, black pepper and marjoram, mix in the flour. Dip a teaspoon into the boiling soup and use it to form small oblong dumplings of the liver paste. Drop half of them one by one into the boiling soup and cook them until they rise to the surface. Cook the other half of the liver in lightly salted, boiling water, let it cool. It freezes well for later use. Boil the soup for another 3 minutes. Add salt to taste if needed, then add the cherry pepper.
Preparation time: 1 hour
One serving: 1263 kJ/302 kcal


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Holiday Space Japes - Elite: Dangerous Smuggling Video
It's a bank holiday Monday in the UK, which means that the Rock, Paper, Shotgun crew is still writing news and articles about videogames, but instead of posting them here we're printing them off, feeding them directly into a shredder, and then deleting the source files. It's a cruel shame, but that's the world we live in.
Perhaps you still want some entertainment to get you through the day wherever you are, in which case here's a video of someone smuggling illegal goods into an Elite: Dangerous space station. It's nine minutes of interstellar stealth and pleasant space ship noises, with on-screen text to describe the tactics used at each stage, and it's brilliant. Space!
I wrote this post on Friday, which is why I've not fed it directly into a bin.
Elite: Dangerous's space police detect nearby vessels not only with their eyes, but by scanning for heat signatures. That means you can mask your ship by killing your engines and power and relying on inertia to drift past certain security measures, and leads to the thrilling moment above where the player, YouTube user Isinona, thrusts their engines hard, turns everything off, and drifts without control for a full ten kilometers in order to dock with the space station.
After a lengthy-but-efficient alpha process, Dangerous has now entered into beta and access is available for a chunky £50. It's definitely unfinished, so you should read about the game carefully before deciding to commit to buying it at this stage.


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– Jesi Jackson
The Beginner's Guide $9.99 on Steam, currently available with Microsoft, Linux, and OS.
The Beginner's Guide is a narrative that leads you through the lives of two developers, one by the name of Coda, whose games you experience throughout the story, and the other by the name of Davey Wreden, also known for his game The Stanley Parable.
Throughout the narrative, you are walked through several, slightly unfinished games made by Coda, while Davey tells you the life and mind of his friend. He walks you through Coda's mind, his insecurities, and his depression as Coda finds himself unwilling to create more despite Davey's insistence that his games need to be made. Davey insists that Coda's work needs to be shown to the world and that Coda is an artist that needs to be recognized.
The story ends with the last project Coda ever made and a message to Davey, asking him simply to stop. "I need to ask you not to speak to me anymore" Coda says. He elaborates, stating that he wonders if he's making the games for Davey, rather than making them for himself. He implies that making games is what once made him happy and now that Davey had "infected his personal space" by showing people his work against his will, Coda no longer finds any resemblance of joy in it. A stunned Davey breaks down and leaves, literally. He tells the player that he needs some time to himself and you don't hear from him throughout the rest of the game.
Abusive relationships come in many shapes and forms. More commonly, when someone says "abuse" whoever hears it immediately thinks of something physical such as a violent spouse or parent. As unforgivable as physical abuse is, there is another form that plagues many people. It leaves no physical scars or tangible mark so it is often dismissed. Psychological or emotional abuse leaves scars only felt by the abused. It can be found in any type of relationship, from lovers to colleagues to parents. It often involves aggressive manipulation, toying with the victim's emotions like a puppet, degrading their thoughts and feelings, and controlling them through words.
"When I am around you I feel physically ill. You desperately need something and I cannot give it to you" read Coda's words to Davey. Right from the start, Davey explains that he is showing the player these games to convince Coda into making more of them. Even at the end, when Coda asked him to stop, he reiterates his desire to see Coda make more games. Coda increasingly showed signs of feeling trapped as Davey continues guiding the player through more and more of Coda's work. The games began to reflect Coda's mindset in the form of physical cages or having to break down a mental wall. It's a feeling shared by most when they are in an abusive relationship and like most abusers, Davey genuinely believed he had done nothing wrong and that everything he did was in Coda's best interest, despite Coda never expressing that, that is what he wanted.
In several levels, the player is met with a small puzzle: two doors, two switches, and one simple solution. For a second, you are confined within a small dark space surrounded by dark grey clouds. Then you pull the switch on the inside and the door opens and you're allowed to move forward. In the last instance you see this door, Coda is finishing up his letter to Davey. "But I do hope that one day it clicks, and that you make peace with this thing you are wrestling. And when you finally see what I am talking about: don't say anything."
After you open this final door and walk inside, you're met with nothing, but darkness. There is no switch to leave and instead you are left there, the rooms compressing around you as Davey apologizes again and again, begging Coda to create again. You learn a lot about Davey here. You learn that he hates himself, that he needs to feel important. You learn that he used Coda's work to escape from his own self-hatred.
"If I told you how genuinely sorry I was would you come back and make more games". When learning about abusive relationships, you learn early on that often the abuser starts a habit of apologizing to the victim, to convince them to return to them, only to start the cycle of abuse over again. I mentioned before that manipulation plays a big part in emotional abuse. What Davey does here, is almost textbook. He doesn't simply apologize to Coda for breaching his trust and sharing his work without his permission, he apologizes with the idea that if he did Coda would come back and make games again. And Davey would feel whole again.
Playing this game struck something in me. It left me speechless for hours after I had finished it. I was left with the feeling that I had breached the most intimate thoughts of two people I had never met. Whether these two were sincere or a fictitious personification, I'm still not sure. In fact, I wasn't even sure what the topic of this article would be until half way through writing it, when a sense of clarity hit on what I believe is the true nature of Davey and Coda's relationship.
That's what psychological abuse does. It stays clouded in the dark, hidden in plain sight, noticed by no one. It takes effort to find it.
theSebie is an indie game review site started by Cindy back in June 2015. Her and a team of content creators discovered that gaming is a powerful medium that can reflect many of society's deepest issues.


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DEMINT: I agree that we need to devolve a lot of power out of Washington.
Q; Getting rid of it completely, is that a good idea? No more Department of Education?
DEMINT: I can see a role of looking at best practices around the state. But the fact is pretty clear, since the federal government increased its involvement in the '60s, the quality of our education relative to the rest of the world has declined. And we spend more per student than any other country in the world. So I've introduced a bill to devolve a lot of power from the federal government back to the states.
Q: But that's not the same as abolishing it. A lot of money comes from the federal government.
DEMINT: Well, she's very bold to say it. The fact is, education would probably work a lot better without the Department of Education. You can do it in a common-sense, reasonable way that doesn't disrupt any of the activities that we support
|2016 Presidential contenders on Education:
Sen.Ted Cruz(TX)
Carly Fiorina(CA)
Gov.John Kasich(OH)
Sen.Marco Rubio(FL)
Donald Trump(NY)
Secy.Hillary Clinton(NY)
Sen.Bernie Sanders(VT)
2016 Third Party Candidates:
Roseanne Barr(PF-HI)
Robert Steele(L-NY)
Dr.Jill Stein(G,MA)
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Elena Kagan, the youngest justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, wasted no time yesterday jumping into the fray during argument in the latest campaign finance case, McCutcheon v. FEC, according to this Reuters report.
At issue in McCutcheon is the viability of FEC aggregate limits on contributions to candidates and political committees.
Just minutes after the argument began, Kagan fired off a number of worst-case scenarios that might result if the court threw out those limits:
Kagan raised the specter of an individual donor who stays within the base $5,000 limit for a Political Action Committee (PAC) but then – presuming the aggregate limits are lifted – contributes to 100 PACs. She theorized that money could be transferred to U.S. Senate candidates who would know of the original contributions and feel beholden to the contributors.
Under another scenario, she said, an individual could stay within base limits on contributions to candidates, parties and committees but – if facing no overall cap – give a total $3.5 million. "Having written a check for 3.5-or-so million dollars … are you suggesting that that party and the members of that party are not going to owe me anything, that I won't get any special treatment?"
Those scenarios, mocked by Justices Antonin Scalia and Samuel Alito, caught the attention of others, though — including Justice Anthony Kennedy and Chief Justice John Roberts — prompting some to speculate that a decision along party lines might not be forthcoming.
At another point, Kagan took a shot at her conservative colleagues' decision in Citizens United:
Justice Kennedy, who wrote the Citizens United decision, challenged Verrilli about the underpinning of the court's 1976 Buckley v. Valeo ruling that gave government more leeway to put limits on contributions compared to expenditures.
Verrilli said Congress could always write a new law, if it chose, changing the contribution limits.
That prompted Kagan to interject, "And General, I suppose that if this court is having second thoughts about its rulings that independent expenditures are not corrupting, we could change that part of the law." That would mean reversing Citizens United. Said Verrilli, "Far be it from me to suggest that you don't, your honor."


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It usually elicits a response so drenched in ambiguities and equivocations that most seasoned politicians would take notes in admiration.
Alas, no matter how fancy the footwork on the part of the PR, new business prospects are seldom fully satisfied with the answer.
Why would they be?
Being able to measure impact and success is at the core of marketing and business development.
After all, if you can't quantify the impact of your actions, you can't say with any certainty that you are doing the right thing, nor can you 'prove worth'.
For the PR industry, this is a systemic problem.
With good reason many agencies have tried to create their own metrics. However, these are generally all based on a crude numbers game: coverage, speaking opportunities or press meetings secured, tweets, sentiment, competitor analysis and total reach etc.
Securing coverage and knowing someone clicked on a link to it doesn't tell you much about how you've changed the reputation of a business. Data science can change that.
For the uninitiated, data science is the extraction of knowledge from data. In reality, it means some very clever guys with PhDs can use complex algorithms to read huge data sets and find out, among other things, profound insights into the behaviour of people and their relationships with organisations.
By mining a heap of disparate data sets, such as social media activity, demographic info, e-commerce behaviour and interactions with customer service, on a national and individual basis, intangible concepts like what people think and feel about a business can be recorded and measured.
Crucially, this information can be tracked over time.
The impact of a single PR initiative could be analysed, its result quantified and presented back to the business.
Not only does data science present a way to properly analyse PR, it also provides an avenue to make it better and increase its worth.
Analysis can go beyond simply understanding whether a hit in TechCrunch was better than another in the Daily Mail, to working out what messages had a greater impact.
The seemingly incomparable can be compared – the impact of a speaking opportunity at an event versus a social media campaign.
This allows a PR campaign to stack up against other marketing initiatives.
As we all know, in many cases PR is only a small part of a marketing budget, but if we could prove it has a pound for pound bigger impact, then the case for expanding a remit or retainer is much easier to make.
As we all know, in many cases PR is only a small part of a marketing budget, but if we could prove it has a pound for pound bigger impact, then the case for expanding a remit or retainer is much easier to make.
We comfort ourselves by believing that PR is an art rather than a science. However, this mindset can be used as a roadblock that prevents the PR industry from improving its practices and becoming a more rigorous profession.
There is no reason why PRs both in-house and at agencies can't use new techniques, like data science, to prove its worth.
Robert Bownes is director of comms at the data science consultancy Profusion
Robert Bownes is director of comms at the data science consultancy Profusion


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ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli, NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik and Roscosmos commander Sergey Ryazansky launched to the International Space Station from Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on 28 July 2017.
They docked with the Station in the early hours of 29 July after a six-hour trip in their Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft. After orbiting Earth four times to catch up to the International Space Station, the car-sized spacecraft arrived at the Station six hours after launch.
This video includes highlights of their prelaunch preparations, liftoff, docking and ingress into the Space Station.
Paolo's Vita mission is the tenth long-duration mission for an ESA astronaut and the third mission to the Station for Paolo Nespoli.
Vita stands for Vitality, Innovation, Technology and Ability and was chosen by Italy's ASI space agency, which is providing the mission through a barter agreement with NASA. In Italian, "vita" means "life", reflecting the experiments that Paolo will run and the philosophical notion of living in outer space – one of the most inhospitable places for humans.
Paolo's extensive scientific programme includes experiments in biology, human physiology as well as space environment monitoring, materials science and technology demonstrations.
When not performing science, Paolo will work with his colleagues to maintain the Space Station and keep the orbital outpost running smoothly for the crew of six.
Follow Paolo and his mission via paolonespoli.esa.int and the mission blog for updates.


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Hardest Jigsaw in the World - Online
Getting your online game...
Have you tried the full version of Pick & Tick?
Try before you buy: Play FREE for 1 hour.
Enjoy better graphics and more levels.
100% Safe and Secure. No ads. No viruses. Ever!
Can you master this maddening challenge? If not, don't worry, just switch to the 2nd Hardest Jigsaw Puzzle in the World.


text: APEX 2021: THE KEY SHOW TO REVITALISE THE MARKET. FACILITIES The APEX press room in the MECC will be open during the exhibition hours of APEX 2021. The facilities available include a computer with access to internet. There will also be a wall unit containing press information about the exhibitors. You can read through this and other information at the reading table, while our hostess serves coffee, cold drinks or sandwiches during lunch time. Our own photographer takes overall shots of the show and important events, which we supply to the press f.o.c. For pre-show articles you can download photos in high resolution from this website under the heading 'downloads'. PRE-REGISTER AS VISITOR FREE SHUTTLE BUS EXHIBITOR MANUAL LOGIN Supported by: Sponsered by: Time before APEX 2021 If you need any further information on the APEX 2021 event or if you would like to discuss your requirements, please contact the most relevant agent here


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Mexico Rocked By Its Biggest Earthquake in a Century
(CN) – A powerful, 8.2 magnitude earthquake struck the southwestern coast of Mexico late Thursday, killing at least 58 people, toppling homes and businesses, and rattling buildings as far away as Mexico City, 450 miles from the quake's epicenter.
"We are assessing the damage, which will probably take hours, if not days," said Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, in an address to the nation about two hours after the earthquake.
He added, "the population is safe over all. There should not be a major sense of panic."
But even as he spoke, the National Seismological Service registered several strong aftershocks. As a result, schools in at least 10 Mexican states were ordered closed on Friday.
An estimated 50 million people across the country felt the earthquake. According to media reports from Mexico City, the quake sent scores of the city's residents into the street shortly before midnight as walls rocked, power poles swayed, and windows shattered.
Still government officials predicted early Friday that the capital came through the quake in pretty good shape. The fear as sunrise approached was what would be found in the southern states of Chiapas and Oaxaca. The damage there is expected to be severe.
In the immediate aftermath of the quake, Mexico's government issued a tsunami warning off the coast of Oaxaca and Chiapas, but so far, neither has been impacted by significant waves.


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The 15.2 package for raspbian I built was based on the rpi-backports by popcornmix and he was well aware of it, because we exchanged a number of emails as I had discovered a bug and found a solution which he added to his repository (the ffmpeg patches were not added).
And what about the kodi 15.2 package in Raspbian? These are also binaries.
I think you are talking nonsense.


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We love the festive season, and invite you to get creative with us.
Whether it be stars, angels, candles, holly, red ribbons or snowflakes we ask you to envision a Libre infuser with your design – people enjoying peaceful tea moments with your design in their hands!
This year the winning design will be our Libre Special Holiday Edition and include your signature. Enter your holiday design into our contest today.
Bring out your creative inspiration – download our template choices and muse on your favourite meme for the holidays.
Submit your design to enter by April 15, 2018.
We will feature the winning design as the Libre Special Holiday edition and you will receive 30 infusers with your design and signature, to share with friends and family.
The final winner will be revealed LIVE on Facebook from the Las Vegas at The World Tea Expo in Las Vegas in June.
Libre Holiday Infuser Design Invitational Information
The purpose of the contest is to create a holiday design for a Libre infuser. This holiday infuser will have a black- or pearl-toned base, lid, and filter. The design will be printed on the inner glass.
The design may be used in all media to promote the glass – including, but not limited to, online, print, merchandise, and other visual and/or virtual collateral.
The winner will receive 30 Libre 2018 Limited Edition Holiday Design infusers with their winning design. Retail value $890.00 (or a cash prize of $500.00 CAD)..
The winning entry will be revealed via Facebook Live during the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas, NV, in June 2018.
Official Contest Rules:
- Contest is open to any resident of Canada or United States.
- Individuals may submit one entry only. All submissions must be made via the official submission form on this page, and the design must be on the official template. Any other format or submission process will not be accepted as an entry.
- All submitted work must be the original work of the entrant and must not include, be based on, or derived from any pre-existing or third-party designs, trademarks, or copyrighted images, including stock images.
- By submitting an entry, entrant agrees to the following: All Images and rights relating to the Libre infuser Holiday graphic design, including copyright and ownership rights in the media in which the Images are stored, remain the sole and exclusive property of the Artist. This license provides Libre and Feminine Energetics, Inc (the company that owns the Libre brand) with the limited right to reproduce the image on the 2018 Limited Edition Holiday glass and for promotion of the glass in visual mediums including, but not limited to, trade show signage, website, print, and video. Holiday design image will include creators signature.
- Submitting an entry into this contest constitutes permission to share and tag (when provided) your entry via social media for publicity purposes.
- Except where prohibited by law, an entry submission into this contest constitutes permission to use the winner's name, likeness, prize information, and information provided on the entry form for publicity purposes, including social media, without further permission or compensation.
- Libre reserves the right to modify the winning design to better fit the needs of the infuser production and design printing requirements.
- The decision of the Selection Committee will be final.
- The selected winner MUST submit a scalable vector version of the winning design so that it is adaptable to electronic and print media, to reproduction on small and large surfaces, and to use in color or in grayscale. Libre Tea will supply an official template file in .ai and .eps format.
Selection Criteria
A Selection Committee comprised of Libre staff and experienced retail executives will evaluate entries based on the following criteria (though other criteria may be considered):
- Relevance – Does the entry align with:
- the Libre brand values (peace, simplicity, connection, and beauty)
- holiday theme
- Originality – Does the composition exhibit original design, creativity, and imagination?
- Aesthetic Quality – Does the submission command attention? Does it display visual balance and color coordination? Do all the elements work together to create a beautiful, unified, and appealing design?
The five finalists designs selected will be available for customer and community appreciation and comment in late April.
The Selection Committee reserves the right not to select a winner, if in its sole discretion, no suitable entries are received.
How to Enter
To enter the Libre Holiday Infuser Design Invitational, eligible participants must:
- Download the official Design Entry Template(s).
- Complete your design – either by printing the template and drawing your design, or by opening the template in a vector illustration program – eg. Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape – and drawing digitally.
- When Saving your design, INCLUDE YOUR LAST NAME in the file name (eg. SMITH-libre-holiday-design.ai)
- Submit your completed Entry Form and upload your design template by April 15, 2018. ONLY SUBMISSIONS VIA THE OFFICIAL ENTRY FORM will be accepted.
All Contest Entries will receive a confirmation of successful entry.
Download an Official Template
Ready to enter your design?
When you've got a completed design, you can use the form to the right (or below, on mobile) to submit it along with your official entry form.
Remember, your upload format MUST BE one of these:
- .ai (illustrator)
- .svg
- .eps
- AND MUST HAVE YOUR LAST NAME in the filenname
Simply complete the form, upload, and click SUBMIT!


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Trail run series returns to Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park
May 3, 2012
By Staff
A Pacific Northwest tradition returns this month to King County's Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park: The 10th-annual SCOTT Cougar Mountain Trail Running Series.
The series gets under way May 12 with a 5-mile run – the first of five races on various stretches of Cougar Mountain's scenic, 36-mile trail network. Runs of eight, 10, 13.1 and a final race of 31 miles (with an option to run a 20-mile race instead) are scheduled in the following months.
Produced by Northwest Trail Runs and the Seattle Running Club, the race series not only introduces hundreds of people to Cougar Mountain's 36 miles of fantastic trails, but it also benefits King County Parks.
Volunteer work groups from the trail-running community spend an average of 150 hours each year doing trail restoration work, including improving trail surface conditions, invasive weed removal and picking up trash.
Such work has contributed to Cougar Mountain's status as one of the nation's best trail-running locations, according to Runners World magazine.
"Our longstanding partnership creates a fantastic race series for the running community, and greatly benefits all parks visitors with a cleaner and more enjoyable environment," said King County Parks Director Kevin Brown.
"Cougar Mountain is practically synonymous with trail running," said Eric Bone, the trail running series director and SRC member. "The park's large size, proximity to the metropolitan area, variety of terrain and extensive trail network make it an unparalleled recreation venue."
In addition to volunteer labor performed by SRC members, $15 from each racer's individual event fee goes toward King County Parks maintenance and improvements. This support has exceeded $80,000 since the race series' inception.
2012 races
- Race 1 – 5 miles: Saturday, May 12 – $35 preregistered, $45 at race
- Race 2 – 8 miles: Saturday, June 16 – $35 preregistered, $45 at race
- Race 3 – 10 miles: Saturday, July 7 – $35 preregistered, $45 at race
- Race 4 – 13.1 miles: Saturday, Aug. 11 – $40 preregistered, $50 at race
- Race 5 – 50 kilometers or 20 miles: Sunday, Oct. 28 – 50k $62 preregistered, $75 at race; 20-mile $47 preregistered, $60 at race
- Series package for races 1-4 (no 50K): $120
Register in advance at any of three North Face stores: Downtown Seattle, University Village or Bellevue Square. Day-of-race registration and start will be at the Sky Country trailhead off 166th Way Southeast.
Learn more or pre-register online at http://nwtrailruns.com/.
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- These comments are moderated.
- Comments should be relevant to the topic at hand and contribute to its discussion.
- Personal attacks and/or excessive profanity will not be tolerated and such comments will not be approved.
- This is not your personal chat room or forum, so please stay on topic.


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I'm an award-winning writer in Michigan loaded with cool scripts and a pocket full of sunshine.
I have sold 6 scripts. I've had 3 movies produced. I'm also a published author, graphic novelist, and Sr. Writer at Bad Back Productions. I also had a sitcom pilot in development and I had a reality TV pilot (that I wrote for a client) picked up as well.
I've been successful in writing action, comedy, drama, horror, sci-fi, rom-com, comic books, animation, reality TV, and I will gladly provide you with writing samples in each genre upon your request.
Whether I'm writing a script for myself or a client I hold it to the same high standards – the source material must be exciting, inspirational, and capable of creating a cinematic experience.
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text: We run a ZD1200 with 6 networks and 20 AP's. I keep running into issues with AES devices not being able to connect with our network in Mixed Mode (AES+TKIP). The only solutions I've come up with are to change the client network settings to TKIP, or clone the network and change the algorithm on the clone to AES. Neither are ideal when we have guests in our facility


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Pastry chefs continue to rise in prominence Singapore as at least three celebrated dessert makers open standalone confectioneries. The first is Janice Wong of 2am:dessertbar. A two-time winner of Asia's Best Pastry Chef title in Asia's 50 Best Restaurants line-up, in 2013 and 2014, she introduced a pop-up store at Gardens by The Bay. The store has now moved to the first floor of Ion Orchard. The next location has yet to be revealed.
Besides Wong, Japanese chef Kenjiro Hashida of Hashida Sushi – it was awarded Best New Restaurant (Asian) – and pastry chef Cheryl Koh of Les Amis, who earned the title Chef to Watch, will open confectioneries in Mandarin Gallery and Shaw House respectively in April. Both awards were presented by The Peak Selections: Gourmet & Travel last year. Details of Koh's store, including its name, are still under wraps but the 33-year-old Singaporean has a penchant for traditional fruit desserts like strawberry tarts.
Hashida's store will be named Hashida Garo. While the 35-year-old is best known as a second-generation sushi chef, he was trained in Western culinary arts and is renowned for serving Japanese-inspired macaron flavours like yuzu and sakura at the end of meals. Details are still being finalised but these items will be sold alongside a selection of wagashi – traditional Japanese confections.


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Gilda's Improv Team is a monthly improv rehearsal for anyone who has taken Gilda's Club Beginner Improv Class. The team will focus on reconnecting with friends, playing long form improv scenes, deepening improvisation skills and performing at Gilda's Club and in the greater Chicagoland.
Facilitated by: Kat Bovbjerg
Light refreshments provided.