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OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada allowed the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) to conduct widespread surveillance during the 2010 Group of 20 summit in Toronto, according to a media report that cited documents from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.
The report by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp is the latest potential embarrassment for the NSA as a result of Snowden's leaks, although it remains unclear precisely what information the agency was looking for during the summit.
Snowden has already revealed the agency spied on close allies such as Germany and Brazil, prompting heated diplomatic spats with Washington.
The CBC report, first aired late on Wednesday, cited briefing notes it said showed the United States turned its Ottawa embassy into a security command post during a six-day spying operation by the top-secret U.S. agency as President Barack Obama and other world leaders met that June.
Reuters has not seen the documents and cannot verify their authenticity. One of the bylines on the CBC report was Glenn Greenwald, the U.S. journalist who has worked with Snowden on several other NSA stories.
CBC said the operation was no secret to Canadian authorities and it quoted an NSA briefing note describing the operation as "closely coordinated with the Canadian partner".
The Canadian equivalent of the NSA is the Communications Security Establishment Canada, or CSEC.
U.S. authorities declined to comment specifically on the report.
"As a matter of policy we have made clear that the United States gathers foreign intelligence of the type gathered by all nations," said Caitlin Hayden, spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council.
CBC said the documents did not reveal the targets of the NSA operation, but described part of the U.S. eavesdropping agency's mandate at the Toronto summit as "providing support to policymakers".
A spokesman for Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper declined to comment on the allegations in the report, but said security organizations were subject to independent oversight.
CSEC, which has a very low public profile, employs about 2,000 people. It is part of the so-called Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network that also includes the United States, Britain, New Zealand and Australia.
Last month, Brazil angrily demanded an explanation for media reports which said CSEC agents had targeted its mines and energy industry.
CSEC head John Forster, pressed about the CBC report at a meeting of the House of Commons defense committee, declined to comment on the specifics of Canada's intelligence operations, but appeared to play down the idea his agency had played an active role during the G20 summit.
"Under law, CSEC cannot target Canadians anywhere in the world or anyone in Canada, including visitors. I cannot ask my international partners to do anything that I am not allowed by law to do," he told legislators on Thursday.
Forster's comments left open the possibility that the NSA had requested help from CSEC.
Canada's Defense Ministry, which has overall responsibility for CSEC, says it needs C$461 million ($435 million) to run CSEC in 2013/14, up from C$439 million in 2012/13.
Forster said CSEC needed an extra C$44 million over five years to upgrade a top-secret communications network, adding there was "no direct relationship" between that request and the agency's activities in Brazil. He did not give more details.
The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association and the OpenMedia.ca lobby group announced a lawsuit against CSEC last month, alleging that activities such as spying in Brazil were illegal and unconstitutional.
OpenMedia.ca executive director Steve Anderson said Canadians watching the CBC report would "be shocked to discover just how secretive, expensive, and out-of-control our government's spying activities are".
Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton in Washington; Editing by David Brunnstrom and Sandra Maler
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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Fallen Necropolis
|Talramas Scourge Destroyed (20)
DescriptionThe fallen necropolis to the west can only be assumed to still be filled with Scourge.
While you are at Talramas, <class>, I would ask that you dispatch all of the Lich King's servants that you find within and in the surrounding pools where it fell.
Thank you, <name>.
The Lich King and his Scourge are a blight upon Northrend. We must not stop until they are all truly dead, and his existence is put to an end!
The Lich King and his Scourge are a blight upon Northrend. We must not stop until they are all truly dead, and his existence is put to an end!
You will be able to choose one of these rewards:
|Layered Frost Sandals
|Vial of Renewal
|Reinforced Caribou-Hide Chestguard
|Amberplate Waistguard
GainsUpon completion of this quest you will gain:
- 250 reputation with The Taunka
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The Wowhead Client is a little application we use to keep our database up to date, and to provide you with some nifty extra functionality on the website!
It serves 2 main purposes:
- It maintains a WoW addon called the Wowhead Looter, which collects data as you play the game!
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subset: commoncrawl


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Cincinnati Bengals All Over Chrome License Plate Frame
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FanCave.com & Fan Cave Retail Store offer a no hassle return policy if you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase within 90 days of the sale date.


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LARRY LITTLE | Wink at the man on the moon
Last Saturday night I saw only half the moon.
That was appropriate.
Having been drafted and then begun serving in the Army, in July of 1969 I was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood south of St. Louis, Missouri. My wife and I watched on our small black and white TV as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, with Michael Collins orbiting above, landed on the moon. As you probably know, Armstrong died last Saturday.
After living through all of the failed launches in our early space programs, it was a wonderful moment for us to celebrate a technical achievement, a human triumph, and a moment of unqualified national pride.
Apart from that landing over 200,000 miles away, I had very little reason — in my mind — to be proud of America in 1969. I, like thousands of other men, didn't want to be in the Army, didn't understand why we were fighting in Vietnam, and voted for Richard Nixon the year before because we wanted the war to end. My vote had been a collective one, by absentee ballot spread out on the floor of my Basic Training barracks. Virtually my entire training platoon participated in that decision. My platoon, with young men of all races and educational and cultural experience, was nearly unanimous — Nixon was worth the risk, rather than go with Lyndon Johnson's vice-president, Hubert Humphrey.
Then, thankfully, there were those famous words as Armstrong took that momentous step:
"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
To me, Neil Armstrong's life greatly mattered, even more for what he did after that landing.
All day on that Saturday, Aug. 25, I pondered his public life, his words and even the man whom I had very briefly met years after the moon landing, when he spoke at a conference I attended.
I was the Kitsap County Fair that day with some children, watching them pet the rabbits and the goats. As I watched their smiles, I sensed the need to build for the future on what Armstrong stood for in his public life.
As I helped move lumber around that afternoon, I thought that if I helped a bit more and complained a bit less, something of Neil Armstrong's character might just rub off on me.
His achievement was the spearhead of a massive effort. He was very much part of a team achievement, yet his individual heroics were no less than, say, Charles Lindbergh's. Yet, unlike Lindbergh — who lost his amazing hero status by praising the Nazis just before World War II — Armstrong's public modesty after the landing reminds us that really good people can do great things.
For me, that just might be the primary lesson from his life.
As Armstrong personified, we can achieve without being a self-centered egotist. Not everybody who rises to the top needs be an ass. In fact, since there are plenty of people with fine characters, we don't need to pick those without ethics and morals for our leaders in any endeavor, from football to the presidency.
More often than not, those who work hard, and who quietly make the world better, are the ones who really achieve — who "inherit the earth."
If character counts and should be foremost in our selections of leaders, thinking big and being sure you reach just a bit outside your comfort zone every day, should be the second lesson from the special life of Neil Armstrong.
Thinking of those astronauts in that tiny capsule with equipment technologically less sophisticated than one of our new tiny smartphones, I am amazed on how far outside their comfort zones those men really were.
Perhaps unlike public figures where we praise their actions as we hold our noses, we should ask tougher and more probing and character-revealing questions of our potential leaders. For example, while I am not a Rick Warren fan, the back-to-back interviews in 2008 he did with Barack Obama and John McCain, with identical and very probing questions, was the most revealing of all recent political debates.
While we likely made the better choice in the 1960 Presidential election, we didn't do it the right way when we largely picked Kennedy because he looked good on TV and wasn't sweaty and pale like Nixon in their first debate. Perhaps we did a good job rejecting Michael Dukakis in 1988 based in part on his unemotional but very revealing answer to a question that should have initially evoked intense emotion.
Character counts ... and inspires.
As noted in the Wall Street Journal last Monday, the Armstrong family has a recommendation for those who want to memorialize him:
"Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink."


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Everyone knows green is good. But will buying a green-focused mutual fund mean more green in your wallet?
A lot depends on your investing time horizon and the type of funds you pick.
Michael Herbst, a mutual fund analyst with Morningstar, says that while the green group as a whole sold off pretty hard in 2008, the sector is likely to benefit from the Obama administration's energy and environmental policies, starting with the stimulus package and the green jobs initiative.
"There is validity to the idea that investors in these industries are starting to connect dollar signs to environmental efficiency or inefficiency. The real question is: Over what time horizon are people expecting to realize these benefits?"
According to Herbst, the rewards of increased environmental efficiency are likely to continue to grow and be realized anywhere from five to 20 years out. The issue, though, is "that time horizon may be much longer than many investors have."
If you are looking to capture environmental benefits over a short period—say one to three years—says Herpst, there is a chance you will be disappointed.
Another factor is the kinds of green funds in your portfolio.
The 30-plus green funds that Morningstar currently tracks can generally be divided into two buckets—those that invest in companies directly related to pro-environmental initiatives, such as solar, wind and alternative energy; and those that use a 'best of breed' approach that looks for the most environmentally-friendly companies in various sectors.
Given that, the risk/reward profiles can differ dramatically.
According to Herbst, companies directly related to the environment tend to be smaller and earlier stage companies. "Generally speaking [these funds] are going to be more risky than the broad market."
On the other hand, "funds that use a best-in-breed approach tend to be more broadly diversified in terms of market cap and the types of companies they invest in," he says.
Those risks have largely determined how the funds have performed over the past year, with "some of the more broadly diversified best-of-breed funds have suffered more or less in step with the market as those that focus on smaller caps or earlier stage companies have fared worse."
Matt Patsky, co-portfolio manager of the Winslow Green funds, agrees, and acknowledges that over the last year the performance of his funds—which invest primarily in companies that have a direct positive impact on the environment through their business, has been terrible.
"We've been investing in higher growth, higher beta stocks, which have been hurt," he says, adding that the funds also invest in companies that offer oil alternatives, which have traded down in sympathy with oil stocks.
For 2008, the composite Winslow Green Growth Fund was down a dramatic 60 percent, compared with its benchmark, the Russell 2000 growth index, which shed about 39 percent.
Patsky, however, is quick to add that such a performance is atypical. "Over time, the performance [of the fund, which has been around for roughly 25 years] has been better than the overall market".
As recently as 2007, the fund was up 24.5 percent, compared with 7.1 percent for the Russell 2000 Growth index; in 2006, returns of the fund and index were in-line at around 13 percent and in 2005 the fund returned 9.5 percent, compared with 4.2 percent for the index.
Patsky expects a strong future performance, partly because the economic stimulus package, which includes "the largest dollar amount to stimulate demand for renewable energy."
In addition, Patsky says there are "major secular trends that are causing these types of industries to grow faster than the overall market, regardless of the stimulus package."
For instance, he says that "while fossil fuel prices have trended up, the cost of producing energy from renewable sources has declined and continues to decline. This is particularly true in the solar sector where you are seeing dramatic strides in reducing costs."
Mixed Bag
Some stocks that Patsky expects to thrive are: Nalco Holding , which is a play on water infrastructure, supplying equipment and chemicals for water systems; LSB Industries ,which is a leader in geothermal energy, Itron, which supplies globally automatic meter reading equipment to enable smart grid technology; and Vestas Wind Systems , which trades on the Danish exchange and is the largest maker of wind turbines in the world.
Another green fund that employs a best-of-breed approach to green investing is Portfolio 21, which invests in companies that are taking steps to deal with ecological issues.
"We are essentially looking at companies that are becoming more energy efficient and lean in terms of manufacturing operations," says Tony Tursich, a manager of the fund, adding that the fund also invests a small amount of its money in direct plays on renewable energy companies.
While the performance of the fund has been largely negative over the past several years, it has outperformed its benchmark, the MSCI World Index, over the long term.
Since its inception in 1999, the fund has posted average annual returns of 0.46 percent, compared with -2.33 percent for the MSCI World index. Over the 12-month period ended March 31, the fund is down 37.7 percent, vs. 42.2 percent for the index.
On a three-year, annual-return basis, the fund is down 10.1 percent, compared with a 13.3 loss for the index; over five years, the fund is off 1.19 percent, compared with a negative return of 3 percent for the index.
Going forward, Tursich says there will be government regulations that will increase awareness in the environment, and as people become more aware of ecological challenges and resource consumption, "we believe we are very well positioned going forward."
International Plays
One company that Tursich likes is ABB, a Swiss engineering firm focused on power and automation technologies. He also favors Novozymes, a producer of enzymes that help companies conserve energy, which trades on the Copenhagen exchange.
Another example of a green fund that is even more broadly diversified is the Green Century Balanced Fund, which invests 60 percent in stocks and 40 percent in bonds.
Eric Becker, vice president of Trillium Asset Management, which sub-advises the fund says it uses a stringent set of environmental screens to weed out companies with poor environmental records and actively seek companies with pro-environmental footprints.
This fund is broadly diversified among sectors and is designed to be "an all-weather fund for average retail investors," he says. Becker adds it is also "a fossil-fuel free fund, with no oil or gas companies and no utilities that use fossil fuels to generate electricity".
"We believe that companies that are better managing their environmental profiles are going to be companies that are better managed and more likely to succeed against peers that may be ignoring environmental impacts," he says.
"The companies we invest in tend to have higher margins and lower debt because we look for companies with above average growth and higher quality companies with strong track records in terms of earnings and margins," Becker said.
On a short-term basis, the fund has underperformed its benchmark, the Lipper Balanced Index. Over a three-year period, the fund is down 8.5 percent, compared with a 7.3 percent loss for the index; over five years, the fund is down 3.9 percent versus 1.5 percent for the Lipper index. On a ten-year basis, however, the fund is up an average 4.2 percent, compared to the index, which is up just 0.8 percent.
Looking ahead, Becker also agrees that these stocks will continue to benefit, particularly as energy conservation becomes a bigger issue.
"You're going to start getting real price signals as we put a cap on carbon emissions…it's going to force companies to either reduce their energy intensity or use cleaner fuels or have to pay a price to buy the right to pollute. Companies that embrace more energy efficiency will see better margins," he says.
Solar Stands Out
Some of the stocks that Becker likes are solar ones, which he says are experiencing a difficult period now but going into 2010 and beyond will likely see very strong growth. One such company is Sun Power , which provides the highest efficiency solar cells. He also favors First Solar , which is the leading company in thin film solar panels.
Like Patsky, Becker also likes Itron because it is a play on smart grid technology and it allows utilities to better manage electricity that is being produced.
Some indirect green plays that he likes because of their strong environmental profiles include Chipotle Mexican Grill , which has a large focus on souring local and organic ingredients, as well as healthcare company Baxter International , which has made major strides in becoming environmentally responsible and communicating the resulting cost savings.
While it is important to understand your time horizon as well as the various options available when considering a green fund, Morningstar's Herbst says it is also important that "investors are realistic about their motivation."
"If you are looking purely for investment return, that is one motivation, but if you are looking for something more in line with your environmental principles that is another consideration."


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This is my first story so please go easy on me. Let me set the scene for you; basically I was 17 and had recently lost my virginity to a girlfriend at the time, and broke up merely days before this happening, so here we go.
I was sat in my room, playing a little Xbox after a really long day at work.
Working in a school was really difficult but to top it off on that day I had been called into work for my weekend job as a party organiser because the weekday organiser was off ill, so anyway, I was sat playing when my phone began to ring, it was my ex. "Hello", "Hey Jay" I knew something was up straight away; she was crying her eyes out and could hardly speak, she was sniffling and making really loud exaggerated crying noises. "I have a problem," she continued "I'm pregnant" "But you can't be" I replied, "You told me you were on the pill" "I am .
well was," "And were you when we had sex?" I asked. "Yes" "So how has this happened then?" And she replied with only the words "I don't know" then put the phone down, I was in total shock I couldn't believe that I had been so stupid, all that was running through my mind was that I had ruined my life and I had no idea of what to do. I picked up the phone and rang my boss, she and I were really close and I told her everything, "Hello" she answered.
"Hi Rachael, I have a problem, Ami is pregnant," by this point I was in tears, I felt like my life had come to an abrupt end and I could no longer hold back the tears. "Okay, I'll come and pick you up in five minutes, you can come to mine and have a few drinks to calm down" "Okay" I replied and put the phone down. I sat there in my chair and waited for a few minutes before I realised I still wasn't dressed from getting out of the shower, I had only some boxer shorts on.
I quickly jumped up and went to my dresser, rummaging through the drawers I could find nothing to wear, everything was either creased and would need ironing or just too scruffy to wear. I looked out onto the landing and found a fresh pile of clean washing all folded nice and neatly, I picked out my new jeans and a black polo shirt and put them on. Within seconds of getting dressed; Rachael was at the door, I opened it and stepped out.
It was dark and the rain was falling, so I rushed down the garden path and got into Rachael's Mitsubishi warrior that was parked at the end. Karen looked really nice, casual but nice. She had a white crop top on which was now totally see through from the rain so I could see her pink bra which was struggling to hold her perfect breasts, she had on a short denim skirt so I was able to see most of her legs and I instantly got hard over her image, her red hair fell nicely down her back and she looked over at my and gave a little smile when she saw that I was checking her out.
The drive back to Rachael's house was short, only a mile or so and we were there within minutes as the roads were totally empty.
When we got inside and I went and sat on the sofa and grabbed the television remote from the coffee table in front of me nothing was on really so I just switched over to a music channel and turned it down so that it would just be a little back ground noise. Rachael came in with two glasses of coke and a large bottle of vodka so that I could put my own in depending on how strong I wanted it, we sat and talked for a while then Rachael got up to get another coke from the kitchen, her skirt rode right up as she did so and I could not help but to stare, she turned and I quickly looked at the TV I don't think she noticed because when I looked back round she had not moved her skirt back down and was now bent right over looking into the fridge, she had pink French knickers on which matched her bra, and I could see a small wet patch were her pussy was.
My filled with images of her bare pussy and I stared to ask myself many questions, did she shave? Why was she wet?
Was it because of me? Rachael came and sat back down but was sat much closer to me than she was before, our shoulders were almost touching and she leaned her head slightly towards me, I instinctively turned my head and rested it on hers.
After a little while of just watching music videos Rachael decided to change channel and lent right over me to get the remote, almost resting her tits in my lap as she did.
I instantly got hard and I had to place my hands over my lap to hide my boner. Rachael turned on a really crappy show and my mind starting wondering, from where my head was on top of hers I could see right down her top and got a full few of her cleavage, I was getting more uncomfortable by the second as my boner tried to break out of my jeans.
Rachael started shifting in the chair and she twisted round so that her legs were over my mine which were now propped up onto the table, her legs were beautiful and I could see right up her skirt as I stared my boned popped out from under my waistband were I had just placed it and hit Rachael's leg, she must of felt it but she didn't even twitch, she just carried on looking at the TV.
After a few minutes my boner started to fall ad a broke out into a smile because I thought I had got away with it when Rachael turned to me and said "Am I not turning you on anymore?" I stumbled on my words and could not speak, I was trying to, but nothing would come out. Rachael leaned over to me and kissed me on the lips; I kissed back and opened my mouth when I felt her tongue probing me.
We explored each other mouths for what seemed like only seconds before she broke off the kiss and started moving down my neck, kissing every inch. I leaned over and returned the favour, staring with her neck then slowly moving lower, as I kissed her left shoulder I gently pulled down the strap of her top then moved over to the right and did the same, I grabbed hold of the top and pulled it over her head and chucked it on the floor, all the while kissing her upper body breaking my kiss only to remove the top.
As I worked a little lower I arrived at her breasts, I reached behind her back and undid the clasp of her bra while she took off the straps and let it fall into her lap, I picked it up and chucked it with her top on the floor.
Her breasts were nice and perky, not even a bit of sag and easily a D cup, I started to suck them, starting with the right then the left playing with the other and rolling her already rock hard nipples between my fingers, Rachael's head fell back and she let out a low moan before pushing me back and nearly off the sofa, she turned so that she was now sat on my lap and pulled my polo shirt up and over my head, she kissed my chest then down to my stomach all the while she was gently tickling me with her nails.
She worked her way down to my jeans and unbuttoned them; she pulled them down as I lifted my hips to help, the only thing between her face and my rock hard cock was my tented boxers, she pulled them down and leaned in really close, I could feel her warm breath on my fully erect cock and really wanted to grab her head and force it inside her mouth, but I was really enjoying being teased. She slowly moved up her hand and took hold of my cock, she stuck out her tongue and licked the end then started to stoke it and she looked up at me with her beautiful green eyes then engulfed the whole 8 inches of me.
She began furiously sucking my cock and I wanted to come instantly but I tried to hold it back as I was enjoying it too much, she looked up at me again and the beauty in her face was just too much and I spurted my whole load in her mouth, she kept sucking until she was sure she had every last drop then opened her mouth to show me before swallowing it all.
I decided it was time to return the favour and stood up while she was still in my lap, picking her up along the way and placing her down on the sofa before kneeling between her legs, I pushed up her skirt and admired her panties before slowly peeling them away from her soaking wet pussy and pulling them off her, I leaned in and inhaled her gorgeous scent before opening my mouth and licking her pussy lips, her clitoris instantly got hard and I enjoyed swirling my tongue around trying really hard not to touch her clit as to intensify her please when I did, she started letting out low moans and bucking her hips in rhythm with my licking, after a few minutes of licking I started stroking her pussy lips with my finger and gently pushed it inside her as I stoked my finger in and out of her soaking pussy I flicked her clit with my tongue making her moan every time I did.
Rachael's moans started getting louder and louder before her whole body was shaking with and overwhelming orgasm, her back was arched and her pussy was squeezing my finger tight, after about 2 minutes she finely relaxed back into the sofa and I gently removed my finger, she was breathing really heavily and smiling at me, she sat up and pulled me close by the back of my neck, she started to kiss me passionately and slowly manoeuvred me so that I was led on the sofa, by this time my cock was rock hard again and Rachael straddled my lap with her pussy aiming right at my cock, she looked at me and smiled before slowly sitting on my cock, I grabbed her hips and aided her movements, she started slowly, just bouncing up and down taking in the whole of my cock before lifting up again leaving only the end in, after a few strokes she started to build up speed, gradually getting faster and I began to move my hips in time, we had a perfect rhythm going and I was able to last longer this time.
We were going for ages, constantly changing positions, from missionary, to cowgirl, to reverse cowgirl and the ended in doggy style. Rachael was knelt on the sofa and I was stood up behind her, I was trying hard to pleasure her and even with my inexperience, was doing a good job.
Her head was right over the back of the sofa and she began to bite the leather cushion which was there for show, in order to muffle her moans.
After only a few minutes a could feel that ever so familiar feeling stirring in my balls, I was about to come I pulled out, unsure of weather she was on the pill or not and defiantly not wanting to have a phone from her telling me she is pregnant, so I told her to finish me off with her mouth and she jumped at the chance, she quickly spun round on the sofa and put the full length in her mouth before vigorously stroking my cock and making my come instantly.
After we finished, we collapsed on the sofa in total exhaustion and fell gently into a deep sleep still totally naked. P.S. If there are any women reading this, and would like webcam chatadd me on [email protected]


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Curry-Kuri Squash Soup
It took us several tries to get this soup just right, but when we hit on the idea of using a sweet potato to keep it from tasting watery, the results were creamy and luscious. Tear-shaped kuri squash have a rich, reddish-orange color and nutty flavor—perfect for spicy dishes.
- SERVINGServings
- 1 medium kuri squash (3 lb.), seeded and quartered
- 1 large onion, peeled and quartered
- 2 cloves garlic, halved
- 2 Tbs. canola or olive oil, divided
- 1 large sweet potato, pricked with fork (1 lb.)
- 1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
- 2 tsp. curry powder
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1 Tbs. chopped chives, for garnish
- Heat oven to 350˚F. In center of each squash quarter, set 1 onion quarter and 1 garlic half; drizzle with 1 tsp. oil, and season with salt and pepper. Wrap in foil, and place on baking sheet along with potato. Bake 1 hour, or until squash and potato are soft. Cool 20 minutes, or until easy to handle.
- Heat remaining oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Coarsely chop onion quarters, and add to oil with garlic halves. Sauté 4 to 5 minutes, or until onion is soft. Add ginger and curry, and cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Scoop squash and sweet potato flesh into pot, cover with 6 cups water, and season with salt and pepper. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 30 minutes. Remove from heat, and purée squash mixture in blender or food processor until smooth. Stir in orange juice and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with pinch of chopped chives.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: Serves 8
- Calories: 108
- Carbohydrate Content: 21 g
- Fat Content: 2 g
- Fiber Content: 2 g
- Protein Content: 3 g
- Sodium Content: 167 mg
- Sugar Content: 7 g


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This 76% dark chocolate bar is crafted using cacao beans from the Ba Ria region in Vietnam.
Flavor Notes: Perfectly balanced cacao flavor, with subtle apricot.
Cacao growing in Vietnam is being attempted without success for about 100 years beforeMarou decided to start their operation in Saigon. SamuelMaruta and VincentMourou met in Vietnam during Vietnamese language classes and jungle treks, andhad no chocolate making background when they started the company. The color of the wrappers actually reflects the color of the cacao pods, which are grown in six very small region around Saigon, Vietnam.
Ingredients: Cacao beans, cane sugar.
Net weight: 2.8oz / 80g
Made in Vietnam!


text:
- Yes Residential Treatment Program
- Yes Drug Detox Services
- Yes Family Program
- Yes Alcohol Treatment
- Yes Group Therapy
- Yes Individual Therapy
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Department of Behavioral ServicesADD YOUR REVIEW
Department of Behavioral Services Reviews and Ratings Details
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Reviews at a Glance
Want to explore more options? Browse more treatment centers in Portsmouth or Virginia.
Nearby Cities: Norfolk, Hampton, Chesapeake, Newport News


text: This course exposes the students to the various issues, trends, research, & practice related to the high school to college transition. There is a social justice framework guiding much of the materials assigned & discussed to expose students to the various realities impacting specific student populations. The materials in this course focus on American educational institutions & trends. Course # HPSE-GE 2061 Units 3 Term Summer, Spring, Fall Department


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Welcome to Inspire Me Monday Linky Party!! I'm glad you stopped over, please link up your posts, and stop over to check out some of the other great posts linked up too. Make sure to include the #InspireMeLink hashtag when sharing your posts on social media throughout the week. I will be watching the hashtag and re-sharing the posts on my social media.
Lately In Our Life
Last week wa s another fun and busy as normal week! We enjoyed spending the afternoon at the pumpkin patch. Anthony and Cody were with me to help with Ethan, Gabe, and 2 of our daycare kids that are 1 and 2. Everyone had a great time, they were not very busy which made things really great.
We have had a flu bug going around that has hit 3 of us so far. Gabe got it on Wednesday, I got it on Thursday night, and Ethan got it Saturday night. I'm praying that is the end of it!! I'm also greatful the kids are all old enough to make it to the toilet to throw up now. Those are moments I do not miss at all…
In our homeschool
Ethan and Gabe finished up their learning about the Aztec's. Wow I did not realize how violent of a civilization they were. Even the boys notebooking pages were um… A little violent drawings. There wern't a whole lot of "good" things they did at all. Hopefully the Mayans are a little better. We learned about natural disasters including hurricanes, tsunamis, water spouts, etc.
Dustin, Cody, and Anthony worked on finishing their studies about water in their science. They learned about poisioned water, hard water, filtering water, etc… Their experiment this week was testing all different types of water.
They are working on their reading this week in their Tapestry of Grace. Next week we work together to finish up learning about the fall of the Greek Empire and the start of Islam.
My Posts From The Last Week
Last week I got a new post up a little before the holidays, giving homeschool mamas plenty of time to plan. Scroll down to see what it is!!
- Inspire Me Monday #152 ~ Inspire Me Monday's post from last week, with 2 of my favorite posts and the most popular of the week. Stop over to see if you were featured!!
- Homeschool Management During The Holiday You Need To Know ~ After years of practice we have finally found a great way to deal with homeschooling around the holidays. Slow down and enjoy things are just a few. Head over to find out how we schedule our homeschool around the holidays and what we do with our time off!
The Inspire Me Hosts
Each week we share the most clicked on post as well as choosing our own 2 favorite posts. Stop by each of the co-hosts blogs to see if your post was featured by them this week!! Also follow each of them on their blogs or social media somehow.
Nicole – Mama Of Many Blessings (ME)
Google+ ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram:
Emily- Simple Life of a Fire Wife
Facebook ~ Google+ ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest
Google+ ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Tumblr ~ Instagram
Google+ ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram ~ Hometalk
Last Weeks MOST Popular link:
For last week's Inspire Me Monday party there were 211 links that were linked up last week the most popular post was….
- #201 ~ How To Decorate Your Entryway Beautifully For Fall ~ I am not too much of a decorator. It may because for the last 19 years we have had little kids running around the house. Now our kids are getting older and I still have 4 little ones running around regularly. I know where to head over to when it does become time to decorate! I love how beautifully they have decorated their entryway. Someday I might be able to have beautiful decorations like this.
Below are my 2 choices for the favorite posts of last weeks party.
- #162 ~ Easy Kids PVC Pipe Tent ~ My kids love these type of tenst that you can purchase. The only bad thing is that theyall break within days of putting them up. If there were made with thick PVC pipes like this they would last for quite a long time! I really LOVE this tent. The fabric is beautiful. We may have to make one of these as a Christmas gift!!
- #53 ~ Gluten Free Parmesan Meatballs ~ We are a meatball loving household. Finding a recipe for gluten free is absolutely perfect for us. We will surely be trying these out,thats for sure!!
I've Been Featured Button
Are you were one of the featured blog posts this week? Please grab the featured button below and proudly display on your blog. Congratulations!!
Inspire Me Monday Linky Party
Finally, it's time for the Inspire Me Monday Linky party! You can link up your posts below but make sure to link back here somewhere in your post, on a linky page, or in your sidebar.


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The source of water for the City of Algona is groundwater drawn from 4 wells from the Cretaceous (Dakota Sandstone) aquifer. In 1931, Algona Municipal Utilities' current water treatment plant was constructed on Hall Street with an underground water storage capacity of 300,000 gallons. The plant was expanded in 1963, then renovated in 1986 and 1987. The treatment plant utilizes the high quality water from the Dakota aquifer and then combines aeration, filtration, fluoridation, and chlorination to provide a high quality water that meets all local, state and federal guidelines.
AMU constructed the Hall street water tower in 1933 with a capacity of 300,000 gallons. The water tower on Main Street was constructed in 1968 with a capacity of 500,000 gallons giving AMU a total water storage capacity of 1,100,000 gallons of water.
Algona has over 50 miles of water mains. Algona consumes nearly 250 million gallons of water a year with the typical water customer using an average of 900 cubic feet or 6,700 gallons per month.
Algona Municipal Utilities mission is to provide the best quality water to our consumers. We are constantly striving to improve our treatment process. In 2008, the water treatment plant was changed from gas chlorine to liquid chlorine. This conversion provides a better disinfection residual in our water distribution system and improves the safety of our plant by eliminating gas chlorine. Technology will open many new doors of opportunities in the future. AMU's water utility will be on the door step - ready to take advantage of the possibilities to provide you clean, high quality water at your tap whenever you need it.
Algona Municipal Utilities is Community Owned for Community Benefit. That's our commitment to you, our customer and owner.
Water Emergency Information
Water Pressure and Quality...
Call 295-3584 if you are experiencing problems with water pressure or water quality. An AMU water service technician is available 24 hours a day and will be dispatched promptly.


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Below is a sample of topics central to Positive Psychology. Each item is listed with links to relevant research labs. There are of course, many other areas of research; only a sample is presented below.
Positive emotions:
Barbara Fredrickson at the University of North Carolina, has found evidence that experiencing positive emotions has beneficial effects on our creativity, productivity, and physiology.
The happy medium between being bored or overly challenged, the state of "flow", has been extensively studied by Mihaly Csikszentmihaly at Claremont Graduate University. Csikszentmihaly has examined the benefits of flow for productivity and well-being.
Robert Emmons, at the University of California Davis, has found that training ourselves to focus our attention on what is good in our lives not only has long-lasting effects on our mood, but can also improve our sleep and boost our energy levels.
Character Strengths:
Identifying each of our individual strengths (from wisdom to creativity) has been shown to increase effectiveness and well-being.
Selected Positive Psychology Books:
Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment, by Martin E.P. Seligman
Feeling Good: The Science of Well Being, by C. Robert Cloninger
Flourishing: Positive Psychology and the Life Well-Lived, Edited by Corey L.M. Keyes and Jonathan Haidt
Flow: the Psychology of Optimal Experience, by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Good Business: Leadership, Flow, and the Making of Meaning,by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth, by Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-Diener
The Happiness Hypothesis, by Jonathan Haidt
Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life, by Martin E.P. Seligman
The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less,by Barry Schwartz
Positive Psychology: The Scientific and Practical Explorations of Human Strengths, by C.R. Snyder and Shane J. Lopez
Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity, and Thrive, by Barbara Fredrickson
Pursuit of Happiness, by David G. Myers
Stumbling on Happiness, by Dan Gilbert
Selected Positive Psychology Overview Articles :
Positive Psychology: An Introduction, Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000
What (and Why) Is Positive Psychology?, Gable and Haidt, 2005
A Balanced Psychology and a Full Life, Seligman, Parks, & Steen, 2004
Positive Health, Seligman, 2008
Positive Education: Positive Psychology and Classroom Interventions, Seligman, Ernst, Gillham, Reivich, & Linkins, 2009
Other Related Links:
Albert Ellis Institute (formerly Institute for Rational Emotive Therapy)
American Psychological Association (APA)
Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research
Canadian Psychological Association (CPA)
Canadian Positive Psychology Association (CPPA)
European Network of Positive Psychology
Journal of Positive Psychology
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Participate in the Personality Strengths Project
Participate in Well Being Research
Random Acts of Kindness Foundation
University of Pennsylvania Psychology Department
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Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil slammed by German newspaper BILD as 'biggest loser of 2018'
PUBLISHED: 17:27 20 December 2018 | UPDATED: 17:28 20 December 2018
PA Wire/PA Images
German newspaper BILD have slammed Mesut Ozil by calling him 'the biggest loser of 2018'.
The midfielder has faced a rough few weeks at Arsenal, firstly by picking up a back injury, followed by being left out of the team by boss Unai Emery.
The leading German newspaper took a brutal approach in calling Ozil the biggest loser of the year for his political stance and form on the pitch.
Ozil and Manchester City's Ilkay Gündoğan were criticised by politicians including the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, for meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during his visit to the UK in the spring.
In a meeting at London's Four Seasons hotel weeks before the World Cup the players handed signed club shirts to the leader of Turkey's Justice and Development party. The shirt given by Gündoğan, who holds German and Turkish passports, read: "To my president, with my respects."
The row centred on Ozil's decision to pose alongside Erdogan and give him a signed Arsenal shirt during the Turkish president's election campaign visit to London's Turkish community in May.
The controversial pictures caused public outrage in Germany at a time when German citizens were held on political charges as part of Mr Erdogan's crackdown on free speech in Turkey.
"Looking back on the year, forgetting about the Erdogan theme for a moment and focusing on the sport," thundered BILD, "[Ozil is] still the loser of 2018."
They continued to slate the midfielder for his form at Arsenal in the previous two seasons, as well as making headlines for his antics away from the pitch.
"He doesn't make the Champions League for two years in a row with his team, he failed at the World Cup, loses his place at Arsenal and now in the winter is in the headlines for consuming Nitrous Oxide at a party and is suffering from back problems because he spends too much time on Fortnite."
The paper – who are notorious for having a poor relationship with the five-time German player of the year – didn't stop there when it came to criticising Ozil.
"His crash is so brutal that it's hard to believe. Ozil needs fans, teammates and coaches who stand behind him but with his actions he has lost it in Germany and with everyone.
"He needs to start again, and it is hoped that he becomes aware of this as soon as possible."
Özil, whose grandparents immigrated to Germany from Turkey, announced his retirement from international football after the World Cup in Russia after failing to qualify from a group containing Sweden, Mexico and South Korea before tweeting: "If we win, I'm German. If we lose, I'm an immigrant".
In a separate article BILD accused the Gelsenkirchen-born midfielder of being spoiled by former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, which has changed with the introduction of taskmaster Emery, who it is said is understood to be looking to offload the mercurial playmaker in the January transfer window.
Follow Arsenal writer and German football expert Rosie Tudball on Twitter @rosietudba11
If you value what this story gives you, please consider supporting the Islington Gazette. Click the link in the orange box above for details.


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CHANGE can happen at a core level.
And this core change can happen for you.
You already have all of the resources that you need within you to make the changes that are necessary for a full and satisfying life. And perhaps most importantly, you don't have to do it alone. Working with me gives you both the tools and a viable way to access and use those inner resources to transform your life. I can help you go from where you are to where you want to be.
Counseling may benefit you if you:
- Feel gripped by painful emotions
- Are tense and anxious much of the time
- Know that your marriage or relationship is in trouble
- Are in a major life or career transition
- Are having difficulty coping with loss
- Have unresolved trauma from the past
- Feel alone and misunderstood
- Are bound by an addiction or obsession
- Are procrastinating and avoiding tasks and responsibilities
- Want to feel better about yourself and your life
- Feel stuck and don't know how to move forward
- Want and need support through a challenging passage
I have been counseling individuals and couples in Boulder since 1984.
If what you are doing isn't working, it is time to do something different.
Invest in yourself and begin the conversation that changes you. For detailed information on how my services and programs can help you, browse this web site. A good way to begin is to learn about who I work with and the issues that they face, click on IS THIS FOR YOU?
"Thanks for being a 'calm in my storm' and guiding me to see, hear and feel the messages my soul was giving me when I was lost." - HL, a woman in the midst of a divorce
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Quick Links
You will be considered on the basis of your school-leaving results and your higher education results. Generally, you must have a good academic record and must submit an academic transcript with your application, or submit this as soon as it is available.
The Faculty of Commerce requires students wishing to transfer into the Faculty (either from within UCT or from other universities) to meet the following criteria:
Application for Credit Exemption
Please complete the following form to apply course credits and exemptions :
The following list contains the various courses that are recognised at UCT for degree purposes:
ENTRANCE EXAMS for transferring students
Please confirm with the programme convenor whether an entrance exam is required for your preferred programme/ major. To continue with any Financial Reporting courses at UCT an entrance exam must be written and the entrance criteria met as outlined in the Faculty handbook.
For example: The Financial Reporting (Accounting) requirements are as follows:
For ease of reference the entrance criteria are summarised below:
Students have the opportunity to attain these criteria through an entrance exam:The entrance exam will be either the final examination paper or the supplementary examination paper in the Financial Reporting subject for which you are requesting credit and exemption.
NB: A student who wishes to graduate from UCT in a programme with an Accounting major is required to complete ACC 2012W and ACC 3009W/ 3020W at UCT
Process for students transferring from outside UCT
The student who wishes to obtain credits for University courses successfully completed elsewhere is required to do the following
Other than South African Qualifications
Your application will be assessed individually. If you have not completed Mathematics in your final year of schooling you will not be considered.
Bachelor of Business Science
Bachelor of Commerce
Bachelor of Business Science – Actuarial Science
Holders of other qualifications are considered individually. A Scholastic Aptitude score of 625 for each of Mathematics and Verbal is required of holders of USA school-leaving certificates. IB Mathematical Studies at subsidiary level will not be accepted.


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What are your hours?
You can find our current office hours on our About Us webpage.
What insurance do you accept?
You can find a current list of the insurance providers that we accept on our Insurance and Special Offers webpage.
Where are you located?
Cecil County Office
202-B South Bridge St.
Elkton, MD 21921
Phone: 410-392-2323
Fax: 410-392-2406
Harford County Office
2015-C Pulaski Highway
Havre de Grace, MD 21078
Phone: 410-939-7717
Fax: 410-939-7739


text: Vaxia is a business to business industrial portal specializing in the delivery of Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO). We have put in place a host of well-defined programs and processes that help accelerate talent excellence. It starts with attracting, developing and retaining the right talent for the right roles. Our company employs people from many disciplines, including category managers, supplier force, marketing, sales, human resources, commercials, financing, IT, etc. If you wish to join our company, please provide a little information and we will contact you shortly. (Fields marked with * are mandatory)


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Happy New Year 2016 everyone! Here wishing everyone a great year ahead with lots of happiness and joy.
Once again, thank you for all the support, comments and likes. To another fantastic year ahead for all of us!
Now to share one of my favourite New Year Song by ABBA – wishing everyone : HAPPY NEW YEAR
Enjoy the beautiful song!


text: The AUD/USD pair initially fell during the course of the day on Tuesday, testing the 0.74 area. We turned right back around in order to form a slightly positive candle, but we are getting fairly close to the 0.75 level, an area that should be rather resistive due to the fact that it is a large, round, psychologically significant number, and of course had significance in the past on historical charts. We have notched in selling, as it seems as if the market has been rather well supported recently. Once we break above the 0.75 level, we feel that the Aussie will continue to go much higher.


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Albert, Octavia V. Rogers
Causes of immorality among colored people--Charlotte Brooks--She is sold South--Sunday work.
NONE but those who resided in the South during the time of slavery can realize the terrible punishments that were visited upon the slaves. Virtue and self-respect were denied them.
Much has been written concerning the negro, and we must confess that the moral standing of the race is far from what it should be; but who is responsible for the sadly immoral condition of this illiterate race in the South? I answer unhesitatingly, Their masters.
Consider that here in this Bible land, where we have the light, where the Gospel was 'I preached Sunday after Sunday in all portions of the South, and where ministers read from
The great judgment-day is before us; "for we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ." There are millions of souls now crowned around the throne of God who have washed their robes white and are praising God, although they spent their lives in sorrow, but who will rise up in judgment and condemn this Christian nation. The Spanish Inquisition can hardly compare with the punishments visited upon this once enslaved race. But let me introduce you to some characters that will amply illustrate what I mean.
It was in the fall of 1879 that I met Charlotte Brooks. She was brought from the State of Virginia and sold in the State of Louisiana many years before the war. I have spent hours with her listening to her telling of her sad life of bondage in the cane-fields of Louisiana. She was always willing to speak of "old
She said, "La, my child, I didn't sleep hardly last night; my poor old bones ached me so bad I could not move my hand for a while."
"What's the cause of it?"
"Why, old marster used to make me go out before day, in high grass and heavy news, and I caught cold. I lost all of my health. I tell you, nobody knows the trouble I have seen. I have been sold three times. I had a little baby when my second marster sold me, and my last old marster would make me leave my child before day to go to the cane-field; and he would not allow me to come back till ten o'clock in the morning to nurse my child. When I did go I could hear my poor child crying long before I got to it. And la, me! my poor child would be so hungry when I'd get to it! Sometimes I would have to walk more than a mile to get to my child, and when I did get there I would be so tired I'd fall asleep while my baby was sucking. He
"I have never seen or heard from them since I left old Virginia. That's been more than thirty-five years ago. When I left old Virginia my mother cried for me, and when I saw my poor mother with tears in her eyes I thought I would die. O, it was a sad day for me when I was to leave my mother in Old Virginia. My mother used to take her children to church every Sunday. But when I came to Louisiana I did not go to church any more. Every body was Catholic where I lived, and I had never seen that sort of religion that has people praying on beds. That was all strange to me. The older I got the more I thought
"Aunt Charlotte, did you say you never attended church after I more after leaving Virginia?
"No, my child; I never saw inside of a church after I came to Louisiana."
"What did you do on the Sabbath?"
"La, me! I had plenty to do. Old mistress would make me help in the kitchen on Sundays when I had nothing else to do. Mistress was Catholic, and her church was a good ways off, and she did not go to often to church. In rolling season we all worked Sunday and Monday grinding cane. Old Marster did not care for Sunday; he made all of us work hard on Sunday as well as any other day when he was pushed up. "Most all the planters worked on Sunday in rolling season where I lived. In Virginia every body rested and would go to church on Sunday, and it was strange to see every body working on Sunday here. O,
"I remember my mother used to have a minister to come to see her in Virginia, and he would read the Bible and sing. He used to sing, 'O where are the Hebrew children? Safe in the promised land.' I did not have religion When I came out here. I did not have any body to tell me any thing about repentance, but I always prayed, and the more I would pray the better I would feel. I never would fail to say my prayers, and I just thought if I could get back to my old Virginia home to hear some of my mother's old-time praises its would do my soul good, But, poor me! I could never go back to my old Virginia home."


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Associate Professor - Conservation Biology and Avian Ecology
Dr. Johnson's research interests include conservation biology and phylogenetics.
Dr. Jeff Johnson teaches classes in the following subjects: Biological Resource Conservation and Management, Contemporary Topics in Biology, Principles of Evolution, and Contemporary Topics in Environmental Science and Ecology.
- Doctor of Philosophy, Biology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
- Master of Science, Zoology/Entomology, North Carolina State University
- Bachelor of Science, Biology, Drury University, Springfield, MO
Selected Publications
- The history and range expansion of peregrine falcons in the Thule area, Northwest Greenland (2013)
- Timing of breeding and offspring number covary with plumage colour among Gyrfalcons Falco rusticolus (2013)
- Genetics of plumage color in the gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus): analysis of the melanocortin-1 receptor gene (2012)


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The medical and pharmaceutical disposal needs of todays' busy nursing homes are as unique as they are consistent. Unfortunately, some of the industry's larger disposal companies have found ways to capitalize on that, while making the process far more complex than it should ever be. Like you, we don't see the integrity in things like hidden surcharges, phone-tree nightmares and deliberately complicated billing practices.
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Learn How Much You Could Save on Medical Waste Disposal Services
If you or your staff have had it with the excuses, the long hold-times, and the surprise fees, we invite you to discover why US Med-Disposal, Inc. is trusted by more nursing homes and long-term care facilities throughout Texas. You'll always speak with someone local, and we always go to exceptional lengths to provide the customer service that's unparalleled to anything in the industry.
For more detailed information on our services or to start your free quote, give us a call at 903-675-1583 in Texas or toll-free at 800-256-4794.


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Best Chair Tryp Recliner
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What do you have to do to get fired not only by, but also on the Internet?
If you haven't already heard the shocking, sad tale of Taylor Chapman, who recently accomplished this, here it is (minus its coarser details).
Chapman, a 27-year-old Dunkin' Donuts regular customer, and, ironically, a commercial-video spokesperson, unwisely posted, on Facebook, her profanity-laced, racist-fueled and ultimately self-destructive 8-minute video that got her fired by her South Florida boss, online, in a retaliatory video, after a torrent of online and voice mail condemnations. (Warning: the company video is also profanity-laced.)
The lurid details and condemnations are everywhere on the Net. The fire(her!)storm her video and behavior triggered has even spread to The Daily Show, where she was mercilessly roasted, in an equally vivid, livid skit.
Overnight, she became "the most hated person on the Internet" and poster child for self-sabotaging employees, as a direct result of the venomous, seething, self-indulgent and utterly miscalculated tirade sparked by her outrage. Outrage over what?
1. Not having gotten a receipt with her late-night Dunkin' Donuts purchase
2. Having been told to wait until the next day to collect on the Dunkin' Donuts guarantee of a free meal as compensation for an unissued receipt
3. Alleged "attitude" from the counter server handling her purchase.
At this point, further condemnation of her behavior and video is neither necessary nor constructive. Having allegedly "gone into hiding" and having erased as much of her trail on social media as possible, Chapman has, without a doubt, gotten the amply-made online-community, media and employer's message.
What is much more useful is to identify, in a general way and as a cautionary tale, the kinds of background factors, motivations, thinking and risks associated with such an egregiously failed cost-benefit calculation that can cost not only one's current job, but also future career opportunities.
A Guide to Getting Fired Online
As a warning and an analysis, here is my "how to get yourself fired by and on the Internet" guide:
1. Claim rights, deny obligations: This blunder is responsible for much of the incivility, narcissism, selfishness, self-entitlement and maybe even much of the violence of modern life (e.g., manifested in the exercise of someone's self-perceived right to have your Nikes or iPhone—not just like yours, actually yours, with no offsetting obligation).
Instead of seeing rights as but one side of a fair coin, balanced by corresponding equally important obligations on the flip side, anyone growing up now or in the past twenty years has been bombarded with the culturally approved message that a fair shake and fair toss require a one-sided coin stamped "my rights".
As one's inflated sense of entitlement expands without apparent limit, patience, gratitude and empathy tend to disappear into some black hole of and in the soul.
That's what appears to have made Chapman's rant so natural, so right—a matter of "natural rights", e.g., for a replacement meal on demand, pure and uncontaminated by any notion or awareness of corresponding equally natural obligations, e.g., to be at least civil, maybe even understanding.
Ask yourself this: When, if ever, was the last time you heard or read a mention of the "natural obligations of man" in any discussion, e.g., of Thomas Paine, John Locke, the French or American revolutions, the Bill of Rights and, most importantly, of the "natural rights of man"?
Google it (in quotation marks)—you'll find at least 798,000 results for "the natural rights of man". "The natural obligations of man"?
Only 175.
"The natural duties of man"?
2. Confuse notoriety with fame, celebrity and community: If you want to get fired and maybe sued or even jailed, ignore the difference between being famous, celebrated and being notorious. To increase those odds, also confuse these with community.
That's a lesson now incarcerated, heavily-fined and sued Vancouver hockey rioters are learning after videos of them committing assaults, robberies, firebomb vandalism, etc., in 2011 were used to finger and arrest them.
Because few of us still live in villages or even small towns, whatever sense of community and community acceptance and validation that may have once existed for us is sorely, if even only unconsciously, missed, leaving a void poorly filled by "celebrity".
Fundamentally, celebrity is the state of being familiar to and shown respect by a large percentage of the population; offered unstinting hospitality by many of them; being a target of envy, gossip and sought favors; and feeling that we "matter" to others, including those who barely know us. Reread this list. Think, "village". Now think, "Brad Pitt".
Hence the pervasive, sometimes deadly insistence on "respect" from strangers on city streets, far from any village, among whom are those ready to shoot us for "dissin''" them.
Insecure with whatever validation their failing "community" can offer, they will demand or extort it—or exact revenge if they and you fail.
Completing this perversion and extension of community, celebrity itself has been broadened to include notoriety—fame for doing something awful.
Hence, there is blanketing obliviousness to how utterly different community and notoriety are, among those who expect "community" in-group support for doing something rotten.
Looking for fame, celebrity, "justice" and a sense of community through notoriety may, through a horrible irony and to your dismay, thrust you into an online community much larger, much more aware and much less forgiving of you than any village—and force you to look for another job.
3. Ignore the difference between quantity and quality (of YouTube views, Facebook "likes", tweets, etc.): Chapman gleefully warned the Dunkin' Donuts' staff that her "surveillance" video would be going "viral", unmindful of the full and natural implication of the term: exponential and potentially deadly growth.
That blissfully naïve personal equation of boundless growth with bounty is a reflection of the deeply entrenched "bigger is better", "gigantomania", "growth-is-good", GNP growth fixation of modern economies, societies and cultures.
Somehow, we have come to believe that quantity is good, no matter what its quality or amount, even when it should be abundantly clear it is not.
"I can't wait to post this on Facebook!", Chapman exclaims in the video. This kind of thinking (to the extent that any occurs), fixating on anticipated quantity, recklessly and delusionally equates it with quality.
If you want to get yourself fired, get fired up about racking up a huge Facebook or YouTube pinball score, without questioning the wisdom of the game or what the score really means.
"Can't wait"? If only she had.
4. Mistake your Facebook page for the observable universe: Social media are supposed to be media, conduits and bridges of communication, not self-contained, self-absorbed 2-dimensional social universes that obscure or replace the rest of the world and the people in it. When that is not understood, it becomes easy to imagine that not only is the world flat (as a screen)—as ancient erroneously mariners thought, but also that it is populated only by "friends"—people (who) like us—on our Facebook page.
That's a very dubious and dangerous assumption—not to mention sloppy statistical analysis, given the non-random, selectively screened sample of heavily biased and filtered Facebook friends on which it's likely to be based.
5. Watch and mimic too many Jerry Springer re-runs and other "reality" shows: Maybe we should blame CNN and other news networks for incessantly asking, "How do you feel?" rather than, "What do you think?" Nah. Blame Jerry Springer and his live family feuds and brawls for elevating heat so far above light that an "argument" has come to mean only one thing, not two—war.
Now, letting the world know how we feel seems to be widely regarded as so much more important than either thinking more about what we feel or whether we should be feeling it in the first place. It certainly has become more important than thinking about or of the feelings of others—unless making them feel pain is what we're thinking about.
The upshot is that "honesty" has been reduced to or at least glorified as the emotional bullet to the heart, at the expense of the more thoughtful light shone on the mind.
So, if you have some unfulfilled kamikaze need to vent rather than think, negotiate or empathize, go the Springer route—and, if you can't do it on TV, do it on your own show, on YouTube or Facebook.
6. Fail to grasp the difference between the "privileged perspective" of a video and an imagined "perspective privilege" of the video maker: iPhones and other recording devices are easily misunderstood. The misunderstanding at issue here is to think that because they offer a privileged perspective (that of whoever is doing the filming), they also confer a perspective privilege, namely, to lay indisputable claim to absolute truth and self-righteousness.
It's as though filming is self-validating—in two senses: The video is seen as validating its own content and therefore also as validating the video maker.
To believe that is to imagine that the uniqueness of the video proves its "truth" and to confuse the privileged unique perspective with some presumed privileged knowledge.
That is tantamount to forgetting a genuine truth: Just because it's all in your camera doesn't mean that what it means isn't also all or mostly in your head (case).
Forget that, and you will be one step closer to stepping onto a global stage and falling off a career cliff.


text:
Written by Laurie Lafortune
When a terrible event such as a tornado, wildfire, flood, or other natural disaster happens, it's extremely traumatic for everyone affected. For children, such events can be especially difficult to cope with. Even after the event is over, and they are physically safe, children may have difficulties, (although each child is different and there is no one typical way of responding). Children may be more irritable, less cooperative, have tantrums, or regress from milestones such as being potty trained or sleeping alone. There might be bed wetting, They might become very demanding and seem angry all the time. They might cling to you and be unable to let you out of their sight. Frequent crying, unable to sleep, and general loss of interest in activities or play can also occur.
What can parents do to help children through these times?
Although it is difficult, parents need to keep things together themselves. One dad was asked how he could be smiling and playing with his kids after being evacuated from their home, not knowing if it was still standing, and his response was that he could act 'normal', because it was for his kids. That wise dad knew that his children needed to see their dad interacting, talking, laughing and smiling as he always had. His kids needed the comfort of that consistent adult, sending a message that everything was going to be okay.
It might be acting, or putting on a front, but parents need to appear calm, confident, and in charge. Save your times of adult conversation and worries for when your children are not around. Keep adult concerns for adult conversation. For example, a young child cannot handle the stress of and anxiety of money concerns around food, shelter, clothing, and your job. It's hard enough to deal with that as an adult.
Protect kids from too much live news, updates, and dramatic video. Seeing scenes of the event over and over increases stress as the child relives the experiences. Although they want to know what's going on, you need to filter the information so it does not re-traumatize them. Follow their lead about what they want to talk about, by asking what they have been hearing, and give them answers to their questions, but in a simple way. Don't volunteer more information than they ask about; remember they are children and you need to keep things appropriate to their level of development and understanding. You don't want them to imagine things to be worse than they really are. You can expect to have these conversations frequently with some children, as they try to come to terms with the situation, they may talk often about it and ask the same questions over and over.
To help everyone cope, be sure to eat regular, nutritious family meals, be physically active, and try to get enough sleep. Set some sort of daily routine, even if you are no longer going to work or are living away from your home.
Children can act out their feelings about the events through play. They may want to write a letter or a story, or younger children can dictate a story to you. Drawing pictures can be a good way for children to express their feelings. Find times to have fun and play with your kids, and encourage time with friends. Children may be feeling helpless and powerless. Involve them in ways that they can help with the situation.
A story from Fred Rogers, of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, may help everyone with their feelings of distress and fear: "When I was a boy, and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'" -Fred Rogers.


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Wait For It…
Yuzu's a great addition to the sushi scene; it just needs work on handling a crowd
On a Saturday night at Yuzu, we waited so long for a second round of sushi to arrive that we just paid the bill and left before it came. That's never happened to me at a restaurant.
This lapse in service is both good and bad news for Yuzu, the Japanese restaurant that's named after the Asian citrus fruit and opened in the former Divino Lounge space in Bethesda in April.
Good news, because it meant the restaurant was busy; bad news, because it apparently can't handle a crowd. Our server did try to compensate us during the interminable wait with a free dish of grilled beef, but it was a disappointing substitute.
On a Thursday evening a few weeks later, however, it was a completely different story. We were the only ones in the restaurant for happy hour, and as a result, the service was noticeably attentive.
And so it goes. Yuzu has had its ups and downs since it opened, but offers enough interesting, well-executed dishes to make the restaurant a worthwhile addition to Bethesda's Japanese eateries.
The sushi master is Yoshihisa Ota, 46, who was most recently a partner and chef at Kushi Izakaya in Washington, D.C. His résumé includes a stint as head sushi chef and sake sommelier at Sushiko in Chevy Chase, and he owned his own restaurant in Japan before moving to the United States in 2010.
Given Ota's background, it's not surprising that he knows raw fish, and he's compiled a traditional and authentic roster of sushi and sashimi. Whether it's the salmon sashimi, a selection of nigiri or maki rolls, the blowtorched aburi choices, delicate scallop carpaccio thinly sliced and drizzled with yuzu dressing, or the nightly specials delivered from Japan, such as houbou (blue fin robin), isaki (grunt), or aji (horse mackerel), all are silken, fresh and nicely presented. I'd rank the quality of the fish in the upper tier of local sushi eateries.
As for cooked items, the kitchen does an A-plus job with deep-frying. Don't miss the corn tempura, a house specialty that is truly special. The tennis ball-sized orb looks like a popcorn snack from an amusement park, and though it's stuck together with tempura batter instead of caramel, pulling off the crackly, full-of-flavor kernels is equally fun.
Satoimo—fried soft potatoes that resemble Tater Tots—come in a flavorful dashi broth swimming with onions and herbs. Fried chicken nuggets (called kaarage on the happy hour menu, tatsuta age on the regular menu) are much better than the American original. The dark meat stays moist on the inside, the exterior is super crisp, and the accompanying lime wedges and mound of salt flecked with chili pepper dress it all up. The salty-crunchy combination also goes great with Umeshu, a refreshing plum wine cocktail that I'd recommend be ordered mixed with green tea.
Age nasu dengaku is labeled a "staff favorite" on the menu and it's easy to see why. The deep-fried eggplant half, stuffed with ground chicken flavored with miso sauce, is nothing to look at, but the mixture of fleshy, earthy vegetable and soft, slightly sweet filling makes for a comforting combo.
Miso also is used to marinate the black cod, but the sauce lacks restraint, turning the flesh almost too sweet and syrupy. Instead, opt for the grilled yellowtail cheek—big chunks of cheek meat with a terrific grilled flavor.
Since Yuzu opened, the beige walls have been spruced up with framed tenugui cloth from Japan, but it is still spare and plain, like most Japanese restaurants. A little roof over the sushi bar provides some distraction; the bar is where Ota prepares his reservations-only customized menus known as omakase.
Another thing that's a bit spare is the portions. In fact, you may need to order another round of food to fill up. Just don't come too hungry on a Saturday night.
7345 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, 301-656-5234, yuzubethesda.com
Open for lunch, noon to 2:30 p.m. daily; for dinner, 5 to 10 p.m. daily. Happy hour, 5 to 6:30 p.m. daily.
Small beer and wine selection, plus intriguing specialty cocktails, such as a sake martini. Gourmet hot teas include organic Japanese green tea with yuzu peel.
Strongly recommended on weekends, available on OpenTable. Reservations required for the Chef's Table, available Thursday through Saturday evenings. The chef will prepare a customized meal for $80, $100 or $120 per person.
Sushi sets range from $18 to $35; maki rolls, $4 to $10 (for six pieces); nigiri, $4 to $14 (for two pieces); sashimi, $8 to $15; cooked items, $4 to $15.
Aburi 5 (5 nigiri served aburi-style), natto sashimi (salmon), scallop carpaccio, age nasu dengaku, corn tempura, satoimo, kaarage (or tatsuta age) fried chicken nuggets, grilled yellowtail cheek
Traditional and better-than-average sushi
Street parking and public lots
Carole Sugarman is the magazine's food editor.


text: AmusingName003 23 Posted October 12, 2018 (edited) One of my three accounts has been blocked, for literally no reason that I can think of. This is insanely ridiculous. I've been 3boxing playing completely legit and playing 3 clients legit is a pain in the ass. I've shelled out over $200 already... Sigh... I'm not account sharing, I'm not cheating, I'm just playing the damn game and paying out the ass and now this. Sigh... So friggen ridiculous NC @Juji @Hime Edited October 12, 2018 by AmusingName003 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


text:
My husband told me that we have a lot more debt than I knew about. He has a bunch of credit cards in his name and had been keeping that hidden from me. I am upset and freaked out.
Trust is part of the issue, though when we went through the credit card statements there were no unexplained expenses. Yes, my first thought was that he spent the money on something illicit or why else wouldn't he have told me. The scary part is that we reviewed all the credit card statements and the money is being spent on regular expenses and has added up to over $16,000 in less than a year and a half.
I love him and he is a good father. This is not going to end our marriage. When I asked why he didn't tell me, he said he didn't want me to worry and felt he could get enough OT to hold things together. We've always been on solid financial footing, never late on bills, have some equity in our home, refinanced at a super low rate about 7 years ago (3.375%). Credit score was good, but haven't checked it in a while. Didn't think I needed to. Interest rates are high on the debt. Help! What do we do?
Thank you for your question about what to do about your spouse's debt. I appreciate all the details you provided. I am confident, based on what you shared, that the problem is solvable and that you are in a lot better position financially than most couples who deal with a similar issue. You also have dealt with some of the key relationship issues well, and in a short amount of time.
As I answer the specific question you ask, I will give you my best advice on what you should do, but will also expand my answer to address the points that other people who find out a spouse ran up debt without their knowledge can benefit from.
Not everyone likes suprises, even when it is a present or something good. No one likes finding out that his or her spouse has $16,000 of , "Surprise!" debt. This kind of news can cause a financial and marital crisis.
You and your husband had an existing bond of trust and finanical success, but that isn't a guarantee that this kind of issue won't lead to a communication breakdown, loss of trust, and a downward spiral.
The way that you dove into directly confronting the issue, looking at the statements and getting a clear picture of where things stand will make it easier to formulate a plan of action. If that kind of communication isn't present, this is the time to seek a professional counselor who will help define the outstanding issues and establish a way that communication can lead to a solution based on acknowedged responsibility and the desire to find a good solution, instead of things breaking down into recrimination and blame.
Again, in your case, you took the right first steps, getting a clear picture of what you owe and to whom. It is great that you can trust that your spouse is not hiding other debts. Not everyone is so lucky. Some people find out there is a problem, think that all the cards are on the table and then find out there are other debts that are not accounted for. There is nothing that can address this fully.
Even if you and your spouse pull your credit report to see as much information as possible, there are debts that don't show up on a credit report. A spouse could take out payday loans, pawn some property, or borrow money from family or friends and none of those debts would appear on the credit report.
Spouses that have any degree of distrust should pull theirr own credit report, to ensure that no accounts were opened in their name. After all, if the statements could be hidden for the debts in your spouse's name, it would be possible accounts could have been opened in your name and you wouldn't know.
Debts are not the only part of the picture. Just as debts can be hidden from a spouse expenses can be hidden by someone paying cash. In your case, your expenses are on the credit card statements. The good news in that is that you are not being deceived. The bad news is that the expenses appear to be for regular living expenses. That means you are living on credit which is not sustinable over the long haul.
There may be a silver lining for you in that your husband's desire to keep you in the dark may have caused him to value his attempt to not worry you overthe financial impact of the debt. From what you described, if you have been living on solid footing for a number of years, you may have been budgeting for discretionary expenses that you can now trim, using the savings to pay down your debt. Now is the time to cut out, as much as possible. Take a look at your statements and see what you've been spending on going out to eat, family vacations, expensive holiday and birthday presents. Many credit card companies have tools for categorizing your expenses. Determining how much you can afford to pay toward the debts each month will play a huge part in finding a realisitic and affordable solution you can see through to completion.
The fact that you didn't know debts were piling up indicates to me that the two of you did not have a budget in place that you reviewed together. Now is the time to get one. There are a variety of budgeting apps that can make it easy to keep track of all your income and spending and to find the areas that may make sense to cut out.
You didn't say what state you are in, and, in your case, the issue of whether it is only his legal responsibility or if the debts are shared is not an issue. However, other people who could see this break a marriage would be well served in determining if they are in a community property state or not.
Armed with an accurate budget, and a realistic assessment of what expenses you can trim, you should be able to come up with a dollar amount you can afford to pay toward the debt each month. Again, there is good news for you in this area. You were making all your payments on time. The bad news, that you ran up $16,000+ in less than two years time is not good news.
My rough calculation is that you need to find $800-$1,000 to cut out of your spending, as that is the monthly amount that would add up to the $16,000 in the time-frame you estimated. That is a pretty big reduction. Only you know if it is realistic, with serious belt-tightening. Then the question is how much can you put towards paying down the debt.
You can use the Bills.com Debt Payoff Calculator, immediately below, to help you find the right solution.
It takes a plan, dedication, and effort to solve any debt problem. When it arises from a spouse's choices and it is kept from you, it creates a much bigger problem.
If you work through the obstacles and get to the point where you are on the same page as to what kind of solution works best and is affordable, go for it. Then, stick with the program and see it through.
Life is full of reversals. It is part of the human experience. If you learn from what you go through and use this as an opportunity to thoroughly understand your finances, you can turn this crisis into a long-term gain.
Many people drift along, with no long-term financial plan or goal. When you slay a debt problem, you have an opportunity to use all the money you were using to pay off your debts to some other positive goal. Use it to invest, to put toward retirement, to spend intelligently on experiences that enrich your life but don't impoverish you.


text:
I'm still struggling with writing, reading, LJ which makes me feel sad. But at least I've managed it, to finish this comment_fic.
Title: Five times
Fandom: The Faculty
Characters: Casey / Zeke
Prompt: Any, Any, 5 times she/he didn't have the courage to say 'hello' and 1 time he/she did (slightly changed at the end because this stubborn boy refused to say: Hello ;) )
Word Count: 1270
Rating: PG13
Disclaimer: not mine, of course
The first time he crossed his way was at the small K-Mart of Herrington. He had just moved here with his parents and he hated it. Everything that had made his life bearable, his beloved grandma, the guys from the chess club and Mr. Brown, his art teacher, who had always encouraged him in his dreams of being a famous photographer one day was out of reach now.
The guy was putting some frozen food into his trolly when Casey's eyes fall on him. Tall, the hair slightly messy, as if he would cut it by himself, tight denim and a long sleeved shirt. A good looking guy, for sure not a loser.
The second time he met him was in the park near the lake. Casey liked to hang around here and to take pictures. Suddenly he noticed him, together with another guy who was wearing a football tricot. They talked for a while, finally, the handsome guy grabbed for his backpack and pulled out some small packages. The football guy suddenly looked unsure but then he pulled some money out of his pocket and handed it to the handsome guy. He checked it quickly, then the packets changed hands. Football guy hastily stuffed it under his jacket and rushed away.
The handsome guy looked after him and smirked. Casey's heart was up to his mouth when he lifted his camera to risk some secret shots.
It was at school when he met him for the third time. The first day at a new school was always the worst; he hoped for the best though he actually knew that it would be as always. He didn't like sports, he was not interested in the newest movies or famous clubs and girls always made him feel slightly uncomfortable. He was the geek with the camera, in the best case they would ignore or laugh at him, in the worst, he would end as the punching ball of the bullies at school once again.
Well, he would survive, he always did.
But when he left the school's bus his eyes fall onto a black-red GTO on the parking lot … and the guy beside it. It was him! So he was going to the same school as Casey; he would meet him every day from now on. What a scaring but exciting thought.
"Hey, Zeke," a girl with a much too tight shirt greeted him with a wide smile on her face.
Zeke! Finally, the guy had gotten a name.
Lunch time arrived, most of the other students would go to the cafeteria or to the picknick tables outside to chat about their last summer. No one bothered to talk with Casey. Not that he did care much. He grabbed for the lunch packet his mom had made for him, peanut butter sandwich with salad and ham, an apple and a box of orange juice; he smiled when he found some cookie'n cream drops, too, usually his mom preferred to stay to the healthy food.
Looking for a place where he could be alone he finally ended up at the bleachers. But the moment he had dropped down onto a bench he heard some voices from the bottom.
"So, here we go. Hot bitches with big tits. Hope you like them."
Casey had a hard time to suppress a loud cough. What the heck was going on there?
"Urg … Zeke …"
"Oh, c'mon!"
Zeke's voice sounded obviously amused.
"No need to be ashamed of. Just go wild."
Casey didn't even have the chance to hide when the guy hurried past him; he looks younger, probably one of the juniors. Only a moment later Zeke stepped out from under the bleachers, laughing. When he noticed Casey sitting on the bench, he stopped and eyed him up.
Casey wasn't sure what to do; it wasn't him who had done something forbidden, right, but why was his heart up to his mouth again? What was wrong with him, that Zeke always did get that deep under his skin?
Finally, Zeke put on a slight grin.
"Need some porn," he asked.
"I can offer whatever you want. Magazines. Movies. Hot girls. Bondage. … Gay porn."
What? With a loud thud, his lunch box dropped down onto the ground. Casey's eyes widened in shock; maybe this was just one of his stupid dreams and he would wake up soon, still lying in his bed?
School was over. The day actually hadn't been that bad, no one had bullied or tried to fool him. Well, besides of his first meeting with the player of the school's football team. One look and he knew he should better try to stay out of their way.
Zeke's strange behavior, yes, but Casey finally did come to the conclusion that this was just the way he always acted around others. As if he tried to keep everyone on safe distance.
Nevertheless, the girls seemed to be crazy about him, which was not a surprise, because he was a good looking guy. And everyone showed him respect. Even the teachers seemed to be willing to overlook his escapades, though he didn't seem to care much about school. He preferred to scribble cartoons into his college block instead of following the lessons; he even flirted a bit with the english teacher and made her blush.
Casey knew well enough what his parents would think about Zeke: he was a wild rebel, someone Casey should better not hang around with. Even more, he wished to bring up the courage and say at least: 'Hello' to him; he would have loved to spend some time with him and to find out more about the secrets he did hide for sure.
Suddenly he felt a piercing look resting on him. He didn't even need to look up, he knew it were Zeke's hazelnut brown eyes, watching him. For a short, uncomfortable moment he was sure, that he was able to read his mind.
Zeke didn't need long to find out that this new boy at school would share the physic-course with him.
Casey was his name, Casey Connor, a bit shy. The way he had blushed, when he had teased him at the bleachers: somehow cute. The denim too wide, and an embarrassing, stupid checkered shirt, surely bought by his mom, who loved the shit out of him. Zeke would never admit it, but deep, deep inwardly he secretly envied kids like him; kids with caring parents around. The only love he got from his parents was a monthly check. Sometimes it was hard to put on a smile and to pretend that he enjoyed his role as the bad boy of town.
Zeke knew well enough, that hard times were lying ahead of everyone who didn't fit in. For Casey, this school could turn into a hellhole. And for whatever reason, Zeke had found himself thinking about it tonight how he could make it easier for him. Usually, he didn't care much about others; but again, deep inside he was not as shallow as he pretended to be.
When he entered the classroom after lunch, Casey was already sitting at a table in the last row, alone, as expected. Zeke ignored Marie's seducing smile and dropped down onto the chair beside him.
"Hey," he said.
"You look like a smart head; hope you don't mind to share a lab table with me."
For a moment Casey looked startled, then a pair of amazing blue eyes focused Zeke.
"It's fine by me," he murmured and smiled.


text:
The price of power
Ontario is one of the most expensive electricity markets in North America. If you keep cutting down how much electricity you use, why isn't your hydro bill going down?
Answers from Ontario's energy minister Bob Chiarelli.
Tom Adams answers questions in a web chat.
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