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by Rick Derris
Finding a job is hard. It takes persistence, confidence and preparation. That
being said, there are things one can do to make the transition from unemployed
to office superstar faster and less frustrating. The number one thing that
alleviates job-finding anxiety is preparation. It cannot be stressed enough.
Proper preparation includes researching the best job sites for one's industry,
having an updated resume always available, and even knowing what to wear.
Job Sites
Whether we like it or not, job search sites are a major part of finding a job.
Find the best job site for your industry. Below are some of the best job sites
around, but there are a ton of job sites out there. Find one you like and visit
it often. However, be sure not to limit yourself. It is a good idea to sign up
for email alerts from multiple sites, that way you can be first to respond to
jobs that are right for you.
Multiple Industry Job Sites
Free Agents Jobs
A great new site. It's like a "visual" craigslist - a simple, intuitive search
solution. Free Agents Jobs offers free email job alerts to keep you in the loop
if your perfect job pops up.
Indeed is a very powerful job search engine. It's like Google, for jobs. When
you click on a job at Indeed.com you will be taken directly to the site where
the job is posted.
Find your city and start lookin'! Craigslist has tons of jobs in every industry
and provides a nice local touch. However, conversion rates are pretty low, so
don't count on an interview.
Specialty Job Sites
For creative and tech professionals. Krop is a fast growing site with great
design and interface.
Joel on Software
Jobs from a specialty software and programming blog. If you're on top of your
game, this is the place to look!
37 Signals
Job board from 37 Signals, internet web application programmers. These guys
produce great web apps! Another great job resource If you're on top of your game!
Creative Hotlist
Great resource for creative positions (designers and such)!
Resume Format: Don't Get Cute!
Use a style similar to business letter formatting. Avoid using elaborate headers
or multi-column layouts. These kinds of flare DO NOT make you look unique, they
make you look unprofessional. If you want to show a bit of your personality, let
it peek through in your cover letter. Your resume should serve to provide a
structured outline of your qualifications, nothing more.
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~ Adverts ~
Glimpses of Nature.
By GRANT ALLEN.
The Strand Magazine (July-December 1897)
Here is an very unusual article from the Strand magazine that is over 100 years old! (It actually looks like a hardback book).
HE lion, we all know, is the king of beasts a Tippoo Sahib of the desert, he treats his subjects with the simple and unaffected cruelty of an Oriental monarch. The tiger is also a somewhat ruthless animal; he prefers to eat his dinner living. But for sheer ferocity and lust of blood, perhaps no creature on earth can equal that uncanny brute, the common garden spider. He is small, but he is savage. Lions and tigers are credited at least with the domestic virtues if we object to the king of beasts that (as Thersites said of Agamemnon) he devours his people, we may be told in extenuation that, like Charles I., he is a good husband and a model Father. No such plea can he urged in mitigation of the misdeeds of that bloodthirsty wretch, the female spider. Not only does this Messalina among small deer poison, and then eat, her prey, but she also often kills and makes a meal upon her own lawful spouse, the father of her children In selecting a garden spider of my acquaintance, therefore, as a theme for a short biography, I did not desire to hold her up to the young, the gay, the giddy, and the thoughtless as a pattern for imitation. She does not point a moral with the ant. On the contrary; she must rank with Seiniramis and the famous queen who dwelt in the Tour de Nesle as a shining example of abandoned and shameless wickedness.
Spiders are not all alike. They are of many kinds, and of various families. So I shall begin by remarking that Rosalind, the particular lady whose portrait I have here presented to you in words, and whose life-history my colleague, Mr. Enock, has drawn for you from nature, belongs to the most familiar race of her kind, the true garden spider, which constructs the best-known and those perfect examples of regular geometrical webs. We called her Rosalind because she was a maiden of hunting proclivities, who lived under the greenwood in our own particular Forest of Arden. But her ways were not lovable. She killed flies in a fashion that would have brought up fresh tears in the eyes of Jacques and she devoured her Orlando with all the callous ferocity of a South Sea Islander.
I will begin at the beginning with my eight - legged friend's biography. Rosalind was hatched in spring from a cosy cocoon or ball of eggs deposited by her affectionate but otherwise cruel, mamma in the preceding October. She was one of a large family-say, seven or eight hundred. The principles of Malthus are unknown in spiderdom. The cocoon was composed of yellowish silk, and attached, as the first illustration shows you (No. 1), to the under side of a piece of trellis-work, against a cottage wall, partly overgrown with ivy. Within this snug abode the tiny eggs, each wrapped in its own internal cover-let, escaped the cold of winter, and hatched out in early spring with the first burst of warm sunshine. It was a bright May morning when they ventured abroad. The tiny spiders, just freed from their shell, with its outer great-coat. let themselves down by short webs to an ivy leaf below, where they clustered for a while, after the queer fashion of their species, in a sort of close-knit creche or communal nursery. Gathering together in a compact ball or mass, like bees when they swarm, the wee creatures began by spinning in common a covering of thin silk, in whose midst they lay rolled up in an apparently inextricable tangle of legs and bodies. That is the universal fashion of young spiders of this kind. But if you touch them with a straw, a strange commotion takes place all at once in the crowded home. The mass unrolls itself. The six or eight hundred small beasts within wake all together to a sense of their responsibilities; the ball, which looks at first like a cherry-stone, divides, as if by magic into so many eager and frightened animals; and the spiderlings disperse like the nations at Babel. Each goes his or her own way helter-skelter in search of a suitable place to commence operations as a general fly-catcher ; and in two minutes the space around is fairly colonized by spiders, who set their snares at once with exemplary industry. I am glad to be able to give them credit for the one -good quality they do really possess; though I am aware that in their case industry is often only another name for consummate greediness.
From the general gathering of the clan in which our Rosalind thus took part she was rudely roused by the touch of such a straw; and, emerging in haste into the open world, the great, cruel world; amidst whose temptations henceforth she was to earn her dishonest livelihood, she cast. about her for a favouring breeze to waft her first-spun threads to some lucky position. It was a delicate operation. Balancing herself with her eight legs on the edge of an ivy-leaf beside her native corner (as you see her graphically represented in No.2), she span, to begin with, a few short ends of silk, which she exposed to a passing current of air by tilting her back up in her most persuasive manner. Where the silk came from, and how she managed to spin it, we will inquire hereafter; for the moment, it. must suffice to say that the wind was polite enough to fall in with her wishes, and to waft one of her threads to a secure position. There it gummed itself automatically by its own stickiness. Mr. Enock, who timed her, reports the interval she took in fixing this first thread as thirty-six seconds. The cable itself was drawn out from Rosalind's spinnerets by the force of the wind, as she stood with her head down and her body protruding ; in little more than half a minute she was climbing up a line 15in. long, which had caught and glued itself on the edge of a jasmine leaf. For the silk is sticky and viscid, like the glue of a mistletoe, when first produced; it only hardens as it dries, so that it can be readily moored in its first state to whatever it touches. You may compare it in this respect to hot sealing-wax, or to the early pulled stage in toffee-making.
In No. 3, again, we see Rosalind's first snare, constructed neatly, with the usual architectural and geometrical skill of her race, between the twigs of the jasmine bush. In the centre she sits, as is her wont, head down-ward. The method of making this snare is so interesting and curious, however, that I shall describe it at some length, with needful explanations.
Rosalind began by letting the wind fix an original base thread, pretty much by accident. As soon as she was satisfied with the lie of this, she formed a few others about it irregularly in a rough pentagon, as you see in the outer part of the web, merely to serve as a scaffolding for her future operations But as soon as she had formed a careless angular figure all round the sphere of her projected snare, she lett down a perpendicular thread from the top of her base, through the centre of her predestined home, and fastened it off at the bottom by gliding down it as she span it. Then, walking up this first rayline again, she set to work once more a little to the right, spinning again as she walked, and fastened a second ray from the centre of the first to one of her outer cables. Next, time after time, she walked back to the centre, ran along the last ray made, trailing a thread as she went, and fastened each new line taut to one of the outer scaffoldings. So at last she had formed a regular set of rays like the spokes of a wheel, but as yet without any spiral connecting threads or mesh-like cross-pieces. The rays of this first framework were stout and thick, composed of several distinct strands, but very little viscid they were built up of many threads each, in a manner to be hereafter described; and they hardened quickly on exposure to the air, for they were intended mainly to serve as beams, not as nets or insect-catchers.
Her ground-plan being thus complete, Rosalind next proceeded with great deliberation to add the meshes of the web (which are the practical insect-catchers) by connecting the rays with the spiral network. In doing this, she followed a regular method. Beginning at the centre, she fastened a thinner cord to one of the spokes, and worked slowly outward, fixing the line to each ray as she went by the aid of her hind legs, which are almost hand-like. Then, reversing the process, she fastened another thread to one of the outer cables, and carried it back through the spokes in a similar spiral to the hub or centre. These two spiral threads are the ones which she specially designed for catching her prey; they are thinner than the spokes, but are closely studded through all their length with. tiny drops of sticky stuff like birdlime, admirably adapted for snaring insects. You can see the drops, if you look close, even with the naked eye; and they are very clearly visible by the aid of a pocket-lens.
How is the web itself manufactured and produced? What is its raw material? Well, to answer that question I must give you here some brief description of the personal appearance of Rosalind and her sisters. The garden spider, you know (and as you can see her in No.6), is a great, soft, eight-legged creature, about half an inch long, though her comparatively insignificant husband is very much smaller and less conspicuous. She consists, in the main, of two parts, the foremost of which, though it rejoices in the scientific title of the cephalothorax (science is always so careful to give things nice easy names while it is about it !), may be more popularly described for most practical purposes as the head; and to this large compound head are attached the eight long-jointed, hairy legs, with the muscles that move them. The other half of the spider consists of the abdomen or stomach, a soft, round bag, quaintly marked like a quail's head, and very squashy in appearance. With this last part of herself, the garden spider spins her snare or web out of the manufactured material of her own body. She spins it of her own digested contents. And as she has frequently to mend the web after various mishaps, which occur in the natural course of business-as when it is broken by the wind, brushed against by passers-by, or torn and mangled by a big fly or wasp - you can readily understand that she must eat in proportion; which is, no doubt, the true cause of her almost incredible voracity. In point of fact, a healthy female spider spends all her time in catching prey and eating it.
In No.4 we have a greatly enlarged back view of the spinnerets from which the threads are produced, and a still more enlarged sideview below of the separate little ducts from which the component strands issue. According to circumstances, she makes her threads simple or compound. The sticky fluid of which they are formed is secreted by powerful. glands in the abdomen; it is then squeezed out through numerous minute tubes, of different calibres, and hardens in most cases when exposed to the air, though the spiral thread with the insect-catching drops on them maintain their viscid nature much longer, so as to gum the flies down, rather than entangle them in meshes, as with the common house-spider.
No. 5 shows us further other interesting features anatomy. The upper figure represents three distinct varieties of the viscid threads, each with its own peculiar type of beads, adapted for catching larger or smaller insects. Every kind has its own beads spread for it. The flies get entangled in these, according to their size; and then, tearing the web to free themselves, find the coils only double round their legs and bodies.
But the spider does not content herself with merely catching insects ; she poisons them as well. We had not watched Rosalind long in her chosen lair before we discovered that she did not live in her geometrical web; that was merely her hunting net; her private residence consisted of a snug little cell or nest, under shelter of a rose-leaf, at a few inches' distance from the centre of the snare and in this quiet home it was her habit to rest unseen, under cover of the shady leaf, until prey came within measurable distance of her sphere of practical politics. But she kept up communications with the seat of war. From the centre of the snare to the nest she had stretched a stout, thick line, along which she could run easily on the slightest indication of a prospective victim looming up in the background. Moreover, this cable or thread seemed to be connected by its different strands with various parts of the snare; at any rate, it acted as a telegraphic communicator between the home, strictly so-called, and the place of business. For Rosalind used always to recline at her ease with one hand-like claw placed steadily on the line of communication; thus seated, she would watch with cat4ike stealth for any chance of a victim. The moment a fly touched the snare, however lightly, it would set up a slight tremor of movement in the indicating thread; and, quick as lightning, informed by touch of its whereabouts, out Rosalind would dart, ready to go straight to the spot and suck that luckless creature's life-blood.
Besides, the bigger the fly or bee, the harder it was likely to struggle; and Rosalind noted well, before starting, the comparative extent to which the line was convulsed, and governed herself accordingly. If a big bumble-bee or wasp fell peradventure into her coils, he plunged exceedingly; and Rosalind, prudently aware of the expected sting, approached the dangerous prey with marked reserve and caution. But when it was only a harmless small fly that struggled in the net, she rushed forth from her lair as bold as brass, seized the body with claws and jaws, and sucked the poor thing dry in less than a minute. Then she flung away its empty skin, or cut it contemptuously out of the web it had injured.
A glance at the second figure in No.5 will show how admirably the spider's foot is adapted for all these various purposes. Adaptation could hardly go further. The spider has claws with which she can hold her web like a hand; and she has also sharp nails which aid her not a little in manipulating her prey and her web. But she has more than all these : the claws themselves, you will note, are provided with toothed or comb4ike edges; and these curious saw-teeth are useful to the spider both in arranging her webs, in weaving them tight or loose, and in feeling the line of communication, when at rest, for indications of a captured insect. If you remember that the spider has no less than eight legs, each somewhat differently provided with special claws and combs, you will understand how formidable a beast she really is to creatures of her own size or smaller.
But beneath the foot in No. 5 are represented those still more terrible organs, the mouth and poison fang. The face is shown, end on-a fullface portrait; and the little knobs above are the eight sharp eyes with which the spider looks out for its prey when captured. Below lie the jaws, with their two movable poison fangs, one of which is open, while the other is folded back into its groove or receptacle like a kitten's claw. This poison fang is supplied with venom from a gland in the head. When the spider catches an insect and desires to eat him at once (as she generally does if he is not very large) she poisons him outright, and proceeds to devour him. So she often does with a wasp or other dangerous insect. But if she wishes to preserve him for future use, she quietly envelops him in a network of web, and keeps him in durance vile, as I shall show you later-a prisoner awaiting his turn to be killed and eaten. Taking her as a whole, therefore, the mother spider is about as fiercely equipped a beast as creation can produce: a monster armed like the tiger and cobra combined; with the claws of a lion and the poison fangs of a serpent; both which she supplements by a treacherous snare, itself a union of the net and the bird-lime trap. No wonder with such an armoury that she has prospered exceedingly in the struggle for existence. And, indeed, you will find garden spiders wherever you go. They are one of the most successful types in creation.
We watched our Rosalind closely through the whole of a season. It was a curious drama of blood and treachery. For the most part she lay concealed like a secret assassin in her nest behind the rose-leaf, seldom spreading her net in the sight of the victim; but sometimes, assuming the role of highway robber, she would boldly rest in the very centre of her snare, with her head downward, waiting for the approach of casual small insects. At such times, we noticed the larger and more intelligent flies usually gave her a wide berth; she seldom caught bluebottles or bees on these occasions of open display; but tiny gnats and midges, less careful or less wise, would get entangled in her web, and at these she would rush out viciously, sucking them dry then and there, and rejecting their empty skeletons with lordly unconcern. Her appetite was unbounded; but she grew so quick, she had so often to remake or repair her broken snare, and she was laying by so constantly for her maternal functions and her eight hundred eggs, that this did not surprise us. The web, indeed, was often torn by wasps or large flies out of all recognition; and at other times it was destroyed by the housemaid or the gardener. On an average, I should say, Rosalind had to rebuild the whole concern about once in three days; and as she was obliged to spin it all out of her own body, this came very expensive. We noticed, however, that she was economically minded, for she wasted no web; I think she ate up all loose ends or remnants: and the central portion, where she occasionally reposed on the look-out for prey, Was free from the viscid beads which elsewhere adorned the cross-pieces. You see, this part of the structure was of comparatively small service as a snare, while the sticky stuff would have interfered with her own freedom of movement. She usually avoided the beaded spiral, and only ran along the stouter spokes or cables.
But the most wonderful scene of all was witnessed when Rosalind found in her net a large wasp or a blow-fly. On such occasions, she was generally resting in her nest under the rose-leaf, with one foot held firmly on the cord of communication. If a light pull only came, she would rush wildly forth, and seize in a frenzy the small fly that caused it. She seemed as if drunk with lust of carnage. But when the strength of the pull showed her that a large bee or wasp was struggling in the web, she would act in various ways according to the needs of the moment. Wasps she approached, we noticed, with considerable fear; she knew their dangerous nature. But she was seldom afraid, even so, of tackling them; though at times, if a very large and truculent specimen got entangled in the web, she seemed to despair of landing him. In such cases, she would cut him out bodily, by biting the threads, and let him drop at once, thankful, like Dogberry, to be rid of a knave. A moderate-sized wasp, however, she would rush out and attack in that frenzy of rage and hunger, a sort of mad, blind rage, which one often notices in fierce carnivorous animals. She would begin her onslaught near the victim's head, avoiding his sting, and envelop him in web, till his wings were pinioned; then she would cautiously approach nearer and nearer to the tail, but give the actual sting a wide berth till the conclusion of operations. The wasp, meanwhile, would keep protruding his poisoned lance in evident fury, striking wildly at the air ; while the spider continued to suck him dry quietly, from the head backward, without the slightest consideration for his feelings as a living animal. I may add (to anticipate an obvious criticism) that I am aware the sting-bearing wasp is a female; I have only treated her here to a masculine pronoun because it helps to discriminate her better in each sentence from my friend Rosalind.
In No.6, our intrepid Rosalind is represented in the act of attacking a blow-fly which has buzzed noisily into the web. The moment her delicate foot on the line informs her that a large insect has got entangled in her toils, she rushes angrily out, and begins at once to envelop him. In this case, however, her intention is not to devour him on the spot; she means to store her larder with provisions for future use, and is as careless as ever of the feelings of her victim. No.7 shows with what bands she proceeds to swathe him. She catches him firmly as fast as she can, so as to prevent his furious struggles from unnecessarily destroying her precious web; then she trundles and bundles him rapidly in a sort of treadmill or merry-go-round, with her front pair of legs; holds on to the web and steadies herself with her two middle pairs; and uses her hind pair, with her comb-like claws, to distribute the silk which she winds in coils about his wings and body. You can see now how useful are her eight legs to her. Each fulfils its own function. In about a minute she has twirled him round and round, and swaddled him firmly in a strong silken covering. I regret to say she does not then proceed to eat him at once, but keeps him imprisoned in torture for an indefinite period, tightly bound in silken cords, till she desires to dine off him. The unhappy fly is bound hand and foot - or, rather, wing and leg-till it is absolutely incapable of the least resistance it is then kept in its close prison with a cruelty more than medieval, and at last devoured alive piecemeal by its ruthless captor. The morals of spiders are scarcely better than those of Chinamen.
Rosalind's changes of costume were also most theatrical and interesting. Like her namesake in the play, she appeared every now and again in a different suit of clothes, and rejected her old ones. The manner of making the new suit, however, and of shuffling off the ~d, was extremely interesting. She moulted periodically; but at each moult the whole external skeleton was sloughed off; like a snake's skin or a lobster's coat, entire; and a new one grew under it.
In No. 8 Mr. Enock has luckily caught our heroine just at the moment of such a moult. She is dropping out of her old skin, by means of her threads; beneath it, the new one has grown, the animal being thus quite literally accommodated with a fresh suit "while you wait." The way the old skin hangs up is curious and typical. At first the new outer coat is soft and yielding, like the freshly moulted skeleton or armour of a crab or lobster; but it soon hardens, and not infrequently ad-vantage is taken of the moult to replace parts that have been accident-ally lost or broken off; such as a leg or a fealer. The economical spider, however, never wastes anything: she does not throw away the old suit; as soon as her jaws have grown hard enough, it is eaten up by the owner, and thus used over again in the production of web or body material. If thrift be a virtue', no beast on earth possesses it more than a spider.
I have left to the last the delicate question of the domestic relations of spiders, which are certainly not of a sort to be commended for imitation. The lady spider, indeed, too closely resembles the late Mr. Deeming and the natives of Fiji in her unsatisfactory notions of conjugal affection. I regret to say it is her reprehensible habit to devour alive her unsuccessful suitors, and sometimes also the father of her own children. These are unamiable traits, but I must not conceal them. You will observe, no doubt, that throughout I have said comparatively little of the masculine spider, and much of his lady; and I have done this of set purpose for spiders are a group in which the dominance of the females is marked and undeniable. The matriarch prevails; the females are the race, and the males exist only as lazy drones, mere idle fathers of future generations. This being so, the mother spider, true to her thrifty ideas, regards them in the light of necessary evils; and being always economical, she thinks it well to utilize them for the purposes of the race by eating them up the moment they have fulfilled their sole and single marital function.
This peculiar habit makes the courtship of spiders a grim tragi-comedy, well worth observing. In No. 9 Mr. Enock has represented one salient scene in the painful drama. And this is the interpretation thereof. Two male spiders have come to pay their court to the supercilious Rosalind. She, good lady, sits unconcerned but watchful in the centre or hub of her snare, apparently careless of the two eager postulants for her hand and heart, but in reality observing them with critical eyes, and ready to rush out and devour them if they fail to please her. The gentlemen, accordingly, have to be very artful. They go through strange antics. Now they approach her cautiously, very much on the alert, ready to pull the string and advertise her of their presence, but also prepared to turn and run, or to cut the line and drop, if she does not regard their advances with favour. Now again they retreat, alarmed at her aspect. Rosalind sulks in her web, and waits to see which of the two she prefers, if either. Should the fit so seize her, she will accept one or other of her ardent suitors; but should she happen to be more hungry than amorous, or else to be disappointed, or in an ill-humour, she may dart out upon them at once, and make meat offhand of her devoted admirer.
Even the successful suitor himself is by no means safe; for it is Rosalind's way, when she tires of a lover, not to nag and quarrel, but to devour him outright, and. look out for another. This saves time and trouble, and is better in the end for the temper of the species.
When autumn comes, Rosalind lays her eggs in a cocoon, and fastens them on the under side of a stone or piece of wood, where they hatch out in spring, and so the whole story of her life begins over again. She herself, meanwhile, retires to winter quarters, where she passes the cold months under shelter in a state of more or less torpidity. It is not known exactly how long a spider lives; but they continue for at least two or three years, and probably much longer. We had Rosalind under examination for two successive summers.
The family to which Rosalind belongs, that of the geometrical spiders, may be placed at the very head of the whole spider order. Its webs are the most perfect in architecture, are the best planned as snares, and have a strict monopoly of the sticky beads, which help to entangle the prey, and which are also, under the microscope, most beautiful objects, decked in prismatic colours, and looking like so many iridescent opals. In shape and markings these spiders are also superior to the common run of eight4egged beasts, though they are certainly less beautiful than some of the lovely green and variegated semi-transparent field-spiders. It would not be going too far to say that the geometrical web-makers are the most advanced and civilized members of the entire group. For there are degrees of evolution among these hunting carnivores. Some of the least advanced kinds merely stalk or hunt down their-prey in the open. These lower savages among the spider tribe lurk under stones or in the crevices of of bark, and rush out at their victims, or spring upon them unawares. One may compare them to such low hunting human races as the natives of New Guinea or the North American Indians. Others, again, construct tubes, with or without trap doors, and catch their prey more or less cunningly near the entrance. Yet others, once more, weave irregular webs, among leaves and twigs, or in the corners of rooms, and trust rather to mere meshes than to sticky substances. But the geometrical orb-weavers, the most advanced of their kind, have learned by the experience of ages how to construct a regular snare, on a fixed ground-plan, and to supplement it by a singular trick of beady bird-lime. It is thus quite clear that there is progress among spiders as among human races, and that some species have progressed much further than others.
Even among the geometrical web-weavers themselves, again, there are marked varieties of progress and culture. For some kinds have only three claws to each foot, while others have more ; and there are. certain species which possess in addition a sort of opposable thumb, so that they can catch things as with a hand, feeling them all round, and grasping their threads as a sailor grasps a cable. Such opposable thumbs are always accompanied by high intelligence, as one sees in man, in the monkeys, in the opossum, and in the parrot.
Indeed, all round, it may be safely said that the spiders as a group stand at the head of the animals with jointed bodies; and that the geometrical tribe in particular stand at the head of all the spiders. Nor must we consider that their cruelty and ferocity put them out of court in this connection; for man himself, taking him in the mass, is one of the most ruthless of animals; and the bees, which by universal consent rank among the highest insects, are the group which most universally slaughter their own brothers, the drones, as soon as the community has no further use for them. The fact is that Nature as a whole is intensely utilitarian each kind fights for its own hand alone, and regard's as little the feelings of other kinds as the fisherman regards the feelings of herrings, or as the fishmonger minds the objection of lobsters to be boiled alive for our human convenience. A race that skins living eels at Billingsgate, and decks its hats with egrets in Hyde Park, has no just ground of complaint, after all, against my poor, misguided, husband-eating Rosalind.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Enigma of the Voynich Manuscript - Mystery Files
The Voynich Manuscript
The Voynich Manuscript
Way back in 1912, Wilfred M. Voynich, a successful book and manuscript dealer of Polish-Lithuanian-American descent, after some negotiation, had managed to acquire a quantity of priceless mediaeval manuscripts and documents from one of his European sources at the Villa Mondragone in Italy.
Most of the purchases were pretty standard fare for those who deal in antiquarian books and documents, but as he sorted through the manuscripts, Voynich noticed one particular book which was very unusual - very unusual indeed! The book which caught his eye was a codex composed of 234 pages of fine vellum (vellum is not a type of paper, it's actually animal skin, stretched and treated to accept writing and illustration).
The book was a remarkable piece of work. Hand written and profusely illustrated with coloured drawings depicting, among other things,
- Strange charts which appear to be astronomical views through a telescope and cells as viewed through a microscope
- Tiny naked ladies in bathtubs which are connected by parts that appear more anatomical than hydraulic.
- Unidentified flowers and plants
- What appears to be illustrations for medicinal recipes
The manuscript was assumed to be some sort of magical or scientific work from the middle ages. Unfortunately, no one knew for sure because no one could read it - The entire book had been written in code. It bacame known as "The Voynich Manuscript"
The Enigma Begins
There was also a letter attached to the manuscript, written in Latin and dated 1666. It was from from one Johannes Marcus Marci of Kronland, (who had once rector of the Charles University of Prague), to the Jesuit scholar Athanasius Kircher in Rome. the letter offered the manuscript for translation, and said that the author was believed to be Roger Bacon (1214-1294). It further stated that Emperor Rudolf II of Bohemia had once owned the manuscript for which he had paid six hundred Gold Ducats.
Voynich began a campaign to have the manuscripts deciphered, and the text became quite famous in the 1920s when William Romaine Newbold proclaimed that he held the key to the decipherment. This would, he said, prove that the text was indeed written by Roger Bacon, furthermore, it would also prove that Roger Bacon had not just dreamed of microscopes - but had actually built one!
Unfortunately, Newbolds cryptolgical solution was disproved in 1931 by John M. Manly. The attempts to pry the secrets from the Voynich Manuscript continued. Through the 1940s and 1960s, William F. Friedman, an eminent cryptanalyst aided by groups of experts, made many brave attempts at deciphering the book, but all to no avail - the book still kept it's secrets.
The enigmatic allure of the Voynich manuscript continues to this day. It has been studied by many cryptographers both professional and amateur, including British and American codebreakers from both World War I and World War II.
Still it continues to defy all attempts at decipherment , and has become a cause célèbre in the field of historical cryptology. No other example exists of the language in which the Voynich Manuscript is written.
The text does not appear to have any corrections at all. Although It is an alphabetic script, the alphabet used seems to vary between nineteen and twenty-eight letters, and none of them bear any relationship to any English or European lettering system.
According to investigators Currier and D'Imperi, there could be evidence that two different "languages" have been used, and more than one scribe, which will almost certainly produce an ambiguous code.
It remains unclear to this day whetherthe Voynich Manuscript actually contains any meaningful text at all, although it has been established that it is not a forgery. Researchers at the University of Arizona performed carbon14 dating on the manuscript's vellum in 2009, which proves that the vellum was made between 1404 and 1438 and the McCrone Research Institute in Chicago found that most of the ink on the document was added not long after this date, confirming that the Voynich Manuscript is indeed an authentic medieval document
In 1961, H. P. Kraus, a New York book antiquarian bought the book for the sum of $24,500. Kraus later re-valued the tome at $160,000. Unfortunately, he was unable unable to find a buyer for the Voynich Manuscript and donated it to Yale University. It is now owned by the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library of Yale University, and is formally referred to as "Beinecke MS 408", it is still best known however, as the Voynich Manuscript.
The mystery of the Voynich manuscript has gripped popular imagination, spawning a profusion of fanciful theories (and even the odd novel or two). and remains an undeciphered enigma to this day.
More on the Voynich Manuscript
Gerry Kennedy and Rob Churchill explore the mystery surrounding the Voynich Manuscript, examining the many existing theories about the possible authors of this work and the information it may contain. They trace the speculative history of the manuscript and reveal those who may be connected to it, including Roger Bacon, John Dee, and the Cathars.
Some of my Other Hubs
- Ancient Astronauts - Strange Story of Nizza Space Ship Sightings
The story I am about to relate here is different. It is not supposition based on vague tales and extrapolations from ambiguous data. This story concerns a happening that occurred in the town of Nizza (Present day Nice in France) in the year of 1608.
- My Local Serial Killer - Peter Moore
Peter Moore was regarded by the parents as a kindly local businessman who was trying to pump life back into a number of cinemas which he owned in North Wales. These were not modern Multi-Plex theatres, but the old-fashioned "Flea pit" type of Picture
- My Local UFO Crash
It was a dark windy night in North Wales - The year, 1974. About thirty miles from where I live, over the Denbigh Moors and nestling beneath the Berwyn Mountains was the tiny village of LLandrillo. Llandrillo, it has to be said, is a very quiet place
Bill, another great hub! You really did some serious research on this one, right?
This is something I have seen in some of my research but never knew all this about it. Is it true that the plants aren't ones that are identifiable?? If that's true, I hadn't heard that before and find that extremelly intriguing!
I love old manuscripts and this is a great article.
Thumbs up again!
Samantha Stacia
Fascinating, I had no idea. Thank you for sharing.
great hub- i guess it might be solved one day when we have really super computers
Hi, I think I remember reading about this a while ago, I believe one of the theories was it was written in Angelic! I know that was a bit 'out there'! lol but people always think if they can't figure it out, it must be supernatural! great hub, cheers nell
Well researched, Gaizy. terrific hub.


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- Scouse bird with a vodka dependency and an acute sense of social observation. Always self deprecating, always blunt. Follow me on twitter WARNING: Non-scousers may not understand language of this blog.
Thursday, 17 October 2013
Venus with love
06:21 | Posted by @scousebirdprobs | | Edit Post
I posted a picture of my new Venus With Love charm necklace on instagram and I couldn't believe how many people were going mad over it.
Basically it's a cross between a charm bracelet and a locket and it's totally customisable to you. You choose a colour locket, a back plate and then you pick which charms you want from their different collections. I got the SB initials ;-) (you're not gettin onto my real initials that easy), a shoe (well obviously), a cocktail, a palm tree, a heart and a flower and loads of little red gems because I thought they looked cute. There's absolutely loads to choose from.
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Sunday, July 31, 2011
Celebration Theatre Presents Spider Saloff in The Roar of the Butterfly
Based on a true story, this musical comedy is a tour de force with characters everyone will fall in love with. In the tradition of Lily Tomlin and Tracey Ullman, Ms. Saloff portrays eight different gender bending characters in this hysterical and moving new show. The scene revolves around a memorial service for Butterfly, an Asian drag queen who has been a colorful and inspirational character in the lives of the attendees - an unlikely and diverse group, all of whom are portrayed by Ms. Saloff.
The Roar of the Butterfly is a comedy with a message and contains poignant moments touching on subjects of diversity, human loss and dysfunctional relationships. This show is not suggested for children under 13 years old without an adult.
Tickets are $35.00 for Wednesday, Friday and Saturday performances, and $30.00 for the Thursday performance. Celebration Theatre is located at 7051B Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood. Click Here for tickets and more information.
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Labels: celebration theatre


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I love the name of this cake, dont know why, maybe mainly because of the words "Lemon Glazed" which has always made me wondering how these would taste. And let me tell you they taste really yummy (that is if you like the taste of the lemon mixed with cake feeling). My husband was hogging at these whenever he could get his hands on the fridge:) ....I actually got inspiration to make these from Maria's blog . However, I followed a different recipe as I did not have the lemon rind mentioned in her blog. But whatsoever, I keep visiting her site just to look at her version of this cake:) . The recipe I followed was from Ina Gartens book "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook" . It came out perfectly good:)
1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1/3 cup lemon extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt (I used just plain salt)
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used lemon extract)
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the glaze
2 cups confectioners' sugar (I just powdered the granulated sugar I had)
3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used same amount of oranje juice I had as I ran out of lemon extract. This infact gave a very nice touch to the flavor of the cake)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (I did not use this, I mixed it with hands), for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, one at a time, and the 1/3 cup lemon extract.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Pour the batter evenly on a greased baking pan, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves and makes a syrup. When the cake is done, let cool for 10 minutes, using a fork prick all over the cake (this is for preparing the cake to absorb all of the glaze going to be poured over the cake) then invert onto a rack set over a tray, and spoon the lemon syrup over the cakes. Allow the cakes to cool completely.
- For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the top of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.


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CENTURY 21 CAPITAL BROKERS offers a whole range of services to help you Buy, Sell or Rent your next home, commercial property or piece of land.
Seller Services
CENTURY 21 CAPITAL BROKERS offers our sellers exclusive representation. Our real estate professionals will provide you expertise in the marketing of your property. Our marketing strategy includes, but is not limited to, advertising in local papers and trade journals, internet based marketing, visible posting of signs on property, as well as marketing through our comprehensive network of real estate professionals. We also have a client list of buyers looking for several types of property. Rest assured that we will work hard to assure you the best price and a timely sale.
As a seller's agent, we would be representing you, the seller, in a real estate transaction. Full written disclosure will be provided as soon as practicable following contact with a prospective buyer. This disclosure will advise the buyer that Century 21 Capital Brokers is acting as the agent of the seller. In the rare case of Dual Agency, where we are representing both the buyer and seller, full disclosure will be made to both the seller and buyer and written consent of both parties will be obtained. Mid America Land & Realty will only act as a dual agent when it is determined to be in the best interests of the seller. Upon listing properties with Century 21 Capital Brokers, we will provide the client with a signed and dated listing agreement as well as any other disclosure information required by law. If your property is exclusively listed with us, we will cooperate and share the listing fee with other brokers possessing qualified buyers. We feel this cooperation is imperative in facilitating the sale of your property and representing you, the seller's, best interest. If you have income property and are interested in a 1031 exchange, we can also work with you in locating other properties and/or facilitating the exchange. We can also assist you with the farm and ranch management of those properties if needed.
We would like the opportunity to sell your agricultural, recreational, commercial, or residential property. Please contact us to discuss your goals and develop a marketing plan. All information provided to us upon original inquiry will be held strictly confidential.
Buyer Services
Century 21 Capital Brokers offers our buyers exclusive representation on properties listed with other brokers. Through a comprehensive network of real estate professionals, we are constantly researching and updating our list of properties for sale in the region. As a result, we are better able to assist you in locating a farm, ranch, recreational, commercial or residential property that meets your needs. We work with cooperating brokers to locate your property at absolutely no cost to you.
As a buyer's agent, we would be representing you, the buyer, in a real estate transaction. In the rare case of Dual Agency where we are representing both the buyer and seller, full disclosure will be made to both the seller and buyer and written consent of both parties will be obtained.
If you are purchasing income property, we will assist you with financial analysis as well as 1031 exchanges. Please contact us for more information on our buyer agency agreements.
Property Management Services
We are striving to build long term relationships and strong customer satisfaction to our owners and residents. The Professional Property Management Team at Century 21 Capital Brokers has a total of 10 years of combined management experience. We believe that by working together as a team, providing a professional working environment, first class tools and technology.


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Tutorial Gift blog, how are you all? I hope you are all well. Just a few days after you have set the broken arm along the keyboard to inquire. The main reason for writing this particular post is a request to one of the brothers.
Today I'll show you how your "yourname.blogspot.com" from "blog.yourname.com" This will bring. Although Google already provides you a tutorial on how you can add a domain to your blogger blog. This tutorial is for all those who are already using Custom Domains with Blogger. If you already have a blogger blog at some Custom domain like www.yourdomain.net, then you might want to add a sub domains to this custom domain like blog.yourdomain.net, gallery.yourdomain.com etc. An example of such a sub-domain is bloggertemplates.bloggerplugins.org It is a blogger powered blog, which i created on the sub-domain. In order to create blogs at sub-domains, you need to create CNAME records for the same.
To create a sub-domain hosting you will need Godady or others cpanel hosting. However, the domain from which you are buying today, I do not see that in this tutorial, you must know the complete works of cpanel. So, your cpanel host will be taken.
How to create sub-domains for your blogger
At first, log in to your hosting panel > Select or go to "Domains" from the menu "Sub-domain" such as image in bellow.
Open the image below to enter your sub-domain name, and "Create" button click.
That Ok. Work done process a sub-domain. Now the sub-domain to connect to the host's.
CNAME Creation on Google Host in part of subdomain
Of course your blogspot site is hosted on a server, and the server must be at Google. But this is the server's IP address or you do not know. However, for today do not need these IP host name server need only blogspot. And Blogspot is the name server "ghs.google.com" I just need to use the name server.
1. Blogspot domain name server of your sub-C panels to add to your DNS zone to be edited. C panel for "Domains" from the menu "Advance DNS Zone Editor" Click.
3. Now you'll see the previous record from the zone and made something out of seikhana need to edit your new subdomain DNS zone. And just like the image below for all information to be added.
- Note www.myblog.domain.com will also do the same.
4. Ok. Google added the DNS sub-domain. Now you have your blog on Blogspot your sub-domain to redirect.
How to redirect your blogspot
2. The Publishing section, select the + Setup a 3rd party URL for your blog
3. After "Already own a domain? Switch to advanced settings "click.
4. The empty space in your sub-domain of entering the URL of your flower click on the Save button.


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- Fonds
- 1929-1984
Fonds consists of patient records, autopsy reports, correspondence, various medical reports from several institutions, and business records including a ledger and daily journals.
Murray, Angus Edward, Dr., 1901-1986
40 results directly related Exclude narrower terms
Fonds consists of patient records, autopsy reports, correspondence, various medical reports from several institutions, and business records including a ledger and daily journals.
Murray, Angus Edward, Dr., 1901-1986
Atlantic Publishers Association fonds
The fonds includes reports (1978-1995), events and conferences (1979-1991), membership (1978-1995), financial records (1978-1991), minutes (1978-1993), correspondence (1978-1985), administrative records (1978-1995), programs (1979-1992), catalogue...
Atlantic Publishers Association.
Bond from George Montagu-Dunk, Earl of Halifax, to James Wooley for securing an annuity of £100
Item is a signed and sealed bond dated 1760 from the Earl of Halifax (George Montagu-Dunk) to James Wooley for securing an annuity of £100 during the life of the Earl of Halifax.
Halifax, George Montagu-Dunk, Earl of, 1716-1771
Business correspondence and balance sheet of Captain Alfred Gould
File consists of business and professional correspondence from various writers, including Captain Stewart Gould (some photocopies). There is also a balance sheet (ca. 1881-1888) showing loans, payments, and ships' earnings.
Gould, Alfred, Captain, 1841-1896
Canadian Atlantic Salt Fish Exporters Association fonds
Fonds consists of correspondence and administrative, financial, and salt fish records that document the Association's operations.
Canadian Atlantic Salt Fish Exporters Association.
Catherine Creighton and family fonds
Fonds consists of papers created and/or accumulated by Catherine Creighton and her family, including those of her husband Graham and children Edith, Anna, Lois, Frieda, and Howard. While the fonds includes correspondence from Wilfred Creighton to ...
Creighton Family
Community Planning Association of Canada, Nova Scotia Division fonds
The fonds includes reports, publications, financial reports, annual reports, meeting notes and minutes, correspondence and general documentation showing the activities of CPAC NS.
Community Planning Association of Canada Nova Scotia Division.
Daily reports from shows and rides
Part of The Bill Lynch Shows fonds
File contains daily reports from the Bill Lynch Shows shows and rides from June to August 1949. The reports are from Halifax and New Glasgow. Areas that are filled out include name of attraction, starting number, finish number, tickets, price, gro...
Daily reports from shows and rides
Part of The Bill Lynch Shows fonds
File contains daily reports from the Bill Lynch Shows shows and rides from June to September 1951. The reports are from Halifax, Saint John, Amherst, Chatham, New Glasgow, Saint Stephen, Woodstock, Campbellton, Fredericton, Bridgewater, Charlottet...
Fonds consists of records pertaining to Dalhousie Art Gallery publicity, exhibitions, collections, openings and events, and administration. Types of materials include press releases, brochures, tickets, a poster, photographs, course information, p...
Dalhousie Art Gallery
Fonds consists of annual reports, records pertaining to interest groups formed within the club, membership information, minutes and agendas, administrative records, newsletters, photographs, and records for committees, events, and finances.
Dalhousie Women's Club.
Fonds consists of documents created and collected by Eyelevel Gallery that reflect all aspects of the gallery's management. The fonds includes artist files, slides, administrative files, publicity files (including press releases), correspondence, ...
Eyelevel Gallery.
Fonds consists of correspondence, newspaper articles written by Cook, published and unpublished manuscripts, published articles, academic papers, association minutes, writings, subject files, financial records, and research files.
Cook, Gregory, A., 1950-
Halifax Visiting Dispensary fonds
Fonds consists of correspondence, financial records, and administrative records such as annual reports and inventories.
Halifax Visiting Dispensary.
Fonds consists of correspondence in association with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia and correspondence regarding his involvement with the Provincial Medical Board. Other papers include financial records, miscellaneous public...
Scammell, Harold L., Dr., 1905-1991
Fonds consists of three cash journals and a cash book with financial records of Dr. McKean's medical practice.
McKean, Harold Ross, Dr., 1910-1991
Income tax returns and other financial documents
Part of Robert Doyle fonds
File contains some of Robert Doyle's financial documents. The documents include an assessment notice for 1973 from the Municipality of Annapolis County, billing information for props and costumes, notes from a financial planning presentation,...
Part of The Bill Lynch Shows fonds
File contains invoices from the Bill Lynch Show, including for an iron roof, a wrench set, bolts, hinges and screws, mirrors, gears and engines for rides, music rolls for a Caliola organ, performers from the Al Martin Agency, a car (1951 Pontiac),...
Invoices, contracts and other documents
Part of Robert Doyle fonds
File contains some of Robert Doyle's financial documents. The documents include invoices from Robert Doyle Designs, invoices from Golder Silk-Screening, limited indenture papers between Weaver's Loft Limited and Industrial Development Ba...
Movement for Citizens Voice and Action fonds
Fonds consists of wide range of records from both MOVE and MOVE coalition members, consisting of administrative records to material on social issues. Records include meeting minutes from the board and staff; material on operations; records on fund...
Movement for Citizens Voice and Action.
Fonds primarily consists of documentation related to publicity, personnel, equity, and the Canada Council for the Arts as well as scripts, production-based records, administrative files, correspondence, PACT files, contracts, annual meeting notes,...
Mulgrave Road Theatre.
Fonds consists of materials created and collected by Norman Creighton, including radio scripts; published and unpublished manuscripts for short stories and articles; correspondence; audio tapes and records; research notes; newspaper and magazine c...
Creighton, Norman, 1909-1995
Papers relating to the estate of James MacIntosh
File consists of an account statement and letter from the Pictou Probate Office dated 1842 relating to fees owed on the estate of James MacIntosh, who died in the 1820s.
MacIntosh, James, fl. 1800
Personal archives of David Renton
Fonds consists of records relating to Renton's personal life as well as his acting and teaching careers. The personal papers include files on specific actors, athletics, clippings and publications, festivals and workshops, financial records, ...
Renton, David, 1934-2006
Plumber's estimate for installation of fixtures and plumbing at St. Patrick's Girls School and architect's notes regarding alterations
File consists of a plumber's estimate for installation of fixtures and plumbing at St. Patrick's Girls School and Dumaresq's notes regarding alterations, probably for the same project.
Dumaresq, James Charles Philip, 1844-1906


text:
Good afternoon HHSE friends. Here's a quick recap of this morning's annual meeting of Shareholders:
1). Eric Parkinson distributed copies of the completed Form 10 filing, including the auditor's report, full financials and notes. The Form 10 was also uploaded to MacReport Media with instructions to publish it onto the S.E.C. Edgar site.
2). Tom Sims presented a line up of current and upcoming new DVD / BluRay releases in the Company's core businesses, including supplier studio titles under the Medallion Releasing label.
3), Fred Shefte discussed the civil litigation against the stock manipulators and perpetrators of false and damaging misinformation against HHSE and its managers. He explained that the HHSE action against these parties will not interfere with a simultaneous criminal investigation by the FBI into these same individuals.
4). Parkinson described many of the funding sources and partnerships that are in place for a variety of original / theatrical caliber productions.
5). A lengthy Q&A followed, with discussions on these issues:
a). Status / timing of VODWIZ launch;
b). Description of current staff;
c). Questions about Ahnume Business Consultants, and whether or not the principals are also officers or directors of either HHSE or NanoTech.
d). Discussion of 2014 results; questions about 2015 and 2016 releases and forecasts.
If the release of the Form 10 to Edgar does not occur pre-market Monday, it was agreed that the company should find a means to make this large document accessible to those not in attendance. The issue of potentially raising the A/S for future debt conversions was not supported by the attendees, and no action was taken in this matter.
The mood among Shareholders in attendance was positive and the general consensus for the company's activities was very good. Onward and Upward!


text:
15 September 2011 By Neil Quiddington
Designs revealed for pylons of the future
The pylon design of the future shortlist has been unveiled by competition organisers Royal Institute of British Architects, the National Grid and the Department of Energy and Climate Change. Simplify have created a brochure detailing the shortlisted design entries.
The public has until October 5 to register their views, after which the panel will meet to decide on the winner.


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Mining Multi-source Data to Study Workplace Activity Patterns. CODS 2016: 20:1-20:2
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T Ras Rolling Co Small Holiday Tin
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We've made gift shopping extra easy this year with the T.Ras Rolling Co. Large Holiday Tin
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This year you can be that thoughtful someone who gets them what they really want.... A Great Smoke!
The Large Holiday Tin comes Packed with:
T.Ras Rolling Co X HerbSave Grinder/ Storage (x1)
T.Ras Rolling Co. Sampler Sticker Pack With Limited Edition Baggie (x1)
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T.Ras X WeKnowBudz Metallic Bart Sticker (x3)
T.Ras Rolling Co. Get Corny Round Sticker (x3)
T.Ras Rolling Co. Branded Farm Sticker (x3)
Bic Lighter (x1)
Over $45 Retail Value now just $29.99 for the Holidays!
Not for use with tobacco, only legal smoking herbs.
Allergen Warning: contains corn


text:
details of terrorism
Paper No. 5870 Dated 12-Feb-2015
by Dr. Parasaran Rangarajan
This article aims to explore the current realities of the investigation of alleged war crimes being conducted by the United Nations (U.N.) with a focus on answering the following questions:
Paper No. 5869 Dated 12-Feb-2015
By R. Upadhyay
Paper No. 5848 Dated 23-Dec-2014
By Dr Subhash Kapila
Pakistan and particularly the Pakistan Army is stunned and stung by the horrific TTP terrorist attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar on December 16 2014 in which over 140 innocent lives were lost. Global sympathy flowed-in but the question that Pakistan needs now to answer as a consequence is that whether it will discard use of terrorism as instrument of state-policy?
Paper No. 5830 Dated 27-Nov-2014
Guest Column by Sameer Patil
Paper No. 5822 Dated 18-Nov-2014
Col. R. Hariharan
Text of an E-mail interview with Dr Parasaran Rangarajan, editor-in-chief of the International Law Journal of London, on November 16, 2014 is reproduced here.
Paper No. 5815 Dated 03-Nov-2014
By Bhaskar Roy
An explosion in a house in Khagragram, Burdwan district, West Bengal, on October 02 opened the eyes of the Indian central intelligence to a burning fire building up in this region. The explosion was purely accidental, while an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was being made. Two of the bomb makers died, and a third was injured. Two women, wives of the two dead men were arrested. They have begun to talk with significant details.
Copyright ©2012. All Rights are Reserved.
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Space Expedition 50 crew touches down in Kazakhstan after 170 days in orbit
#СоюзМС02: есть посадка! Космонавты Андрей Борисенко, Сергей Рыжиков и астронавт Роберт Шейн Кимброу вернулись на Землю. Добро пожаловать! pic.twitter.com/Y7qyL59ozG— РОСКОСМОС (@roscosmos) 10 апреля 2017 г.
Expedition 50 concluded successfully as the Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft's landing module touched down at around 10:20 GMT 146km (91 miles) from the town of Zhezkazgan on the Kazakhstan steppe.
Earth has 3 more people on it as @Astro_Kimbrough, Sergey Ryzhikov & Andrey Borisenko land at 7:20am ET. Watch: https://t.co/KX5g7zfYQepic.twitter.com/zIHBS2I0NS— NASA (@NASA) 10 апреля 2017 г.
"The crewmembers feel well. Medics are examining the space travelers upon return to Earth," the Russian Federal Space Agency's RKA Mission Control Center told RIA Novosti.
What's involved in returning to Earth from @Space_Station? This animation shows the sequence of events. Watch live: https://t.co/KX5g7zfYQepic.twitter.com/cJz9GRv2Rs— NASA (@NASA) 10 апреля 2017 г.
NASA's mission commander Robert Shane Kimbrough and two Russian flight engineers, Andrey Borisenko and Sergey Ryzhikov, boarded the Soyuz spacecraft early on Monday and undocked from the space station at 7:57 GMT.
.@Astro_Kimbrough, Sergey Ryzhikov & Andrey Borisenko undocked from @Space_Station at 3:57am ET. Watch live: https://t.co/KX5g7zfYQepic.twitter.com/1jSfrUbDIW— NASA (@NASA) 10 апреля 2017 г.
While on the mission, the crew researched the influence of lighting on the overall health and well-being of humans in space, examined the genetic properties of space-grown plants, and looked at human tissue regeneration in microgravity.
.@Astro_Kimbrough, Sergey Ryzhikov & Andrey Borisenko have departed @Space_Station on their journey home to Earth after 173 days in space pic.twitter.com/YZXyEbps5I— NASA (@NASA) 10 апреля 2017 г.
Back at the ISS, command was transferred to NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, starting Expedition 51. Whitson becomes the first woman to command two ISS expeditions, as she was in charge of Expedition 16.
Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy and French flight engineer Thomas Pesquet have also stayed at the station for Expedition 51. Two other members are expected to join them in 10 days, after their Soyuz MS-04 blasts off on April 20.
RT correspondent Maria Finoshina caught the emotional moment for Andrey Borisenko's family right after the landing. "Of course we have been worrying, but we are sure of our equipment and that everything will be all right," the cosmonaut's father, Ivan, told RT. "It's not like walking in the park or a trip to another city," Borisenko's wife, Natalia, added. Andrey Borisenko is the cosmonaut behind the RT 360 space project, which has been bringing panoramic videos from aboard the ISS for the first time ever.


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|Empathising with our E.D doctors...
A recent trip to the foreboding, grey box that is the local hospital provided me with an interesting scope on an issue that has been all over the news since what seems like 2007 ( and no for people like me who still think that was three years ago, it is ten. How is that possible?) I divulge, back on topic. Upon my somewhat joyous exit from the hospital, mu jaunty stride was curbed. Eight emergency ambulances parked up along the entrance to A&E. Not just one, or two: eight. All of which were empty of both paramedics and patients, thus leading to my assumption of their wait to hand patients over to emergency physicians inside the department. That was eight patients that doctors couldn't see. Eight teams of paramedics that weren't out helping others who needed it. One more time- eight.
24 hours later, I found myself throwing a hissy fit at the television whilst watching BBC Two documentary 'Hospital'. Scenes aired showed that a particular hospital trust in London started off it's day with no beds. In the entire trust, there were no beds. Surgeons couldn't start their procedures, ambulances were backed up, and both ITU and HDC wards were full. I found myself quite emotionally attached to one patient whom the programme followed, and was throwing things at the television in frustration when a procedure scheduled for him couldn't take place as there was no ITU bed for him to recover in. I'll hand it to BBC Two- well played with that one- takes quite a lot to get me that worked up, I'll be honest.
My conclusion to the events of those 48 hours - something has got to change. As we are being honest, I don't know what. I will say this however; making GP's scapegoats for this is not the answer. The system as we know it worked twenty years ago, very well, but with evolving times, systems have to evolve also. But with the hellish new contracts imposed on our junior doctors, and their wages falling quicker than numbers of New Year gym goers, and patient numbers growing exponentially; someone has to ask- how long can this go on for? My bets are on the ' not very long' option. I'll reiterate what I mentioned previously. Something has got to change. I don't know what, but something has got to change.
Emily Smith
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A Tutor who tooted a flute
tried to tutor two tooters to toot.
Said the two to their tutor,
"Is it harder to toot
or to tutor two tooters to toot?"
"nursery-rhymes-song.blogspot.com" is a free site offering lyrics and music to hundreds of popular nursery rhymes that have been passed down through the ages. Nursery rhymes accelerate phonemic awareness improving children's word comprehension, reading and writing skills. Also, nursery rhymes with actions teach children basic skills; boosts memory, listening skills and following directions.


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Jeff Lindsay is an author of Conquering Innovation Fatigue. See InnovationFatigue.com for more info.
Also follow me on Twitter.
Appleton Resources
- Appleton, Wisconsin
- Restaurant Reviews
- Appleton.org
- FoxCities.org
- Fox Cities Blog
- Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce
- Lawrence News and Events
- Appleton Area Newcomer's Club
- The Hmong People
- Consumer's Guide to Appleton
- City Parks
- The Post-Crescent
- Post-Crescent Blog
- The Valley Scene
- Performing Arts Center
- Appleton Downtown
- AppletonDigital.com
- Religion in the Fox Cities
- Appleton Fun
- Photographs of Appleton
Other Suggested Links
- Travel Wisconsin
- Clark Howard - Consumer Tips
- JeffLindsay.com
- Innovation Fatigue
- Sanity Defense
- Daily Sudoku
Other Blogs from Fox Cities Folks
Monday, November 01, 2010
Magician Jeff McBride Performs at Kaukauna High School Tonight - One of the World's Best Magicians!
Jeff McBride performs tonight, Nov. 1, at Kaukauna High School at 6:30 PM. Jeff McBride is one of the world's best and most theatrical magicians. He had a positive experience in the Fox Valley a few year ago for our Houdini Days, and, as I understand, is coming back more as a favor to the good people he met and the terrific audiences he experiences. Come out and enjoy! 6:30 PM, $15 per person. You'd pay several times that much to see him in Vegas. javascript:void(0)
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The Fish & Wildlife Business Summit recently concluded its 2015 meeting hosted by O.F. Mossberg & Sons in Middletown, Connecticut. This annual gathering of state, federal, industry, and NGO leaders focuses on strengthening relationships to better implement the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) program. The Wildlife Management Institute (WMI), in its ongoing commitment to support user-based conservation funding, facilitated the eighth annual meeting of the group. The summit is the result of a decade-long effort by state fish and wildlife leaders and sporting industry leaders to improve communication among the partners of the WSFR program.
"The fuel that allows us to implement the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation is the WSFR program," commented Jon Gassett, WMI's industry liaison and southeast region representative who coordinated the meeting. "It is vital that the industries that pay these taxes support this model, and that the agencies that receive the funds recognize the roles that those industries play."
Through various formats, including presentations, facilitated discussion, and breakout groups, the Summit attendees narrowed the focus of their efforts for the coming year. Three focal points warranted immediate attention:
1. Marketing and Brand Awareness
The ability for states to use excise tax funding for "Public Relations" is specifically precluded in the statutory language of the Acts. As originally designed, this exclusion was likely appropriate since there were numerous fish and wildlife restoration needs that required significant and dedicated funding. However, the concurrent shift from scarcity to abundance of most game species coupled with the decline in hunter and angler numbers necessitates the need for a concerted effort to stabilize public support for angling, boating, hunting, and recreational shooting by raising the awareness of how conservation is funded in our country. The Summit attendees agreed to focus on corrective language to allow states to collectively and individually dedicate part of their excise tax allocations to this marketing and brand awareness effort.
2. Maintain the integrity of the WSFR Program through fairness of application of the tax and adequate administrative support.
The Summit attendees continued to prioritize the need to assure the integrity of the WSFR program by ensuring that the laws are applied fairly and appropriately. Administrative support for the program, training and coordination with the Internal Revenue Service, and monitoring and evaluating legislative changes to the laws will be the primary focus of this aspect.
3. Promote and facilitate an organic (state level) roll out of industry/state agency partnerships.
Over the past 10 years, vast improvement has been made in building and strengthening relationships between state agencies and industry at the national level. At the most recent meeting, the Summit attendees agreed to prioritize stepping down this effort to the state and local levels. Developing relationships between individual state agency leadership and the excise tax paying industries in their states will undoubtedly pay benefits through mutual support on issues of importance to both entities.
The partnerships between industry, state and federal fish and wildlife agencies, and the hunting, angling, and boating public dates back to 1937 (wildlife) and 1950 (fisheries). Subsequent amendments to both laws in the 1970's and 80's brought motorboat fuel tax (Wallop-Breaux Amendment), archery equipment, pistols, and pistol ammunition into the fold. While the dollars generated through these excise taxes have been a boon to conservation over the last 75 years, adjustments and course corrections to the laws to make them more applicable for today's conservation needs will only make the application of funding more effective and efficient. (Jonathan Gassett)


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CBSG was established in 2002 by a group of professional people with long standing academic and practical hands-on experiences in capacity strengthening program in Bangladesh and overseas. A team of professionals with multi-disciplinary backgrounds enables CBSG to take a range of capacity strengthening initiatives with diverse types of organizations. It is registered with the government of Bangladesh.
CBSG takes the Organizational Development and Change Management approach to institutional capacity building....Accomplishment
Research and survey are very effective tools as well as approaches to planning and evaluation. The result can...Accomplishment
Training & Facilitation CBSG considers professional development an integral part of organizational capacity strengthening. It...Accomplishment
CBSG brings hands on expertise to the services of NGOs and donors to assist them in the effective use of...Accomplishment
Event Management For CBSG, Event Management is a process for delivering assignments. workshops, training,...Accomplishment
We provide hands on paractical training and real life experiences to develop ICT capacity for institutions ...Accomplishment


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KARACHI - Ethnic, sectarian and politically linked violence in Karachi has killed at least 300 people so far this year, a human rights organisation said Tuesday.
"About 300 people have been the victims of violent shootings in the last three months," Zohra Yusuf, chairwoman of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), told AFP.
The HRCP previously said 1,715 people were killed last year in sudden flare-ups of violence in the city, which is country's most populous.
"The figures compiled by our staff and the death toll for the last three months confirmed by the police shows the number of victims of violence was not less than 300," Yusuf said. The figures include the assassination of 49 political activists, while the rest of the victims were people with no political affiliations, the HRCP statement said.
The government has campaigned to end the clashes and deployed hundreds of additional police and paramilitary forces in the city, but the killings have continued with at least 24 people reported dead in the past week.


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Topic: Economy & business
Turkmenistan Job Fair Showcases 1100 Job Opportunities
Ashgabat, 29 July 2005 (nCa) --- A job fair started Thursday in Ashgabat that showcases 1100 new vacancies for the skilled and unskilled workers of Turkmenistan.
Job fairs are held regularly in Turkmenistan to bring together the employers and job-seekers.
This year's job fair features about 90 organizations in the public and private sector that have shown interest in hiring.
Major employers are civil engineering and municipal services firms, transportation enterprises, and construction companies. Most of jobs on offer are in the construction sector.
Turkish companies Gap Inshaat, Hayyat and Polimeks are the leaders in this job fair with 129, 55 and 120 available vacancies respectively.
Public sector has also come up with a large number of vacancies. Major slot is available for heavy vehicle drivers where 150 vacancies are available for trolley bus and motor transport drivers.
There is special emphasis for job opportunities for boys and girls of 16-17 years as they must gain two years work experience before entering the institutions of higher learning.
The next job fair would be held in autumn.
Hiring, however, is not limited to the job fairs. District and provincial centres provide year-round service to match the job-seekers with the prospective employers.
Posted by countryturkmenistan at 1:37 PM


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Lil Wayne is known for his crazy work ethic and because of that he can typically be heard all over the radio, but lately Lil Wayne has been pretty quiet. It is clearly evident that Weezy's current struggles with Birdman and Cash Money Records have been a huge distraction for him, leaving Hip Hop listeners with no new Lil Wayne music. Well folks, Weezy is back to making some noise as he drops a remix to Future's 2013 banger, "Sh!t."
Fans are hoping that this track is the green light to Wayne's second installment of Sorry 4 Tha Wait. He released the first installment of Sorry 4 Tha Wait as fans grew impatient waiting for his last album, Tha Carter 4, to drop. Once again Wayne finds his fans at the edges of their seats in anticipation of his delayed Tha Carter V album. With that being said, Wayne releasing a follow up to Sorry 4 Tha Wait seems appropriate.
Listen To Weezy destroy this Mike Will Made It instrumental while you keep an ear to the street, because this track may just be the beginning to something special. Check out the latest by Lil Wayne below and let us know what you think.
Follow Us On Twitter @Roundtable_Emp


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The Saudi sheep scandal is to be totally honest, an embarrassment to the New Zealand Government. It signals that the Government is so desperate to keep wealthy business people onside that it is prepared to drop our reputation for animal welfare in the poo. It signals something that is becoming increasingly obvious, scandal or not, that the Government of Prime Minister John Key has little real regard for animal welfare, despite the potential hurdles this lack of regard could put up in the way of successful trade talks.
The deal is alleged by Labour and the Greens to have broken the Governments own rules by purchasing procurement advice from a supplier with a commercial interest in a contract for reasons of harming fair competition.
The money spent appeasing a Saudi businessman who cared not one jot for the welfare of the thousands of sheep on board that ship of death is about as pleasant smelling as the god awful rotting stink that must have greeted vets visiting the ship after the complaints were aired. As a nation that prides itself on animal rights, I believe that, provided the risks were deemed acceptable, New Zealand should have ensured a vet travel with the sheep to ensure that they were in reasonable health and not unduly distressed for the duration of the journey. If the risks to the livestock were NOT deemed acceptable, and this appears to be the case, the shipment should have been halted until conditions permitted. The Saudi Arabian businessman who wanted help with the sheep farm should have been made aware of the welfare standards we hold ourselves to and that there would be consequences if we did not abide.
So it is very welcome news to hear that the Auditor General is going to investigate Sheep-gate and try to unravel the thinking behind something that as a New Zealander with a proper set of ethics, I am not proud that the Government of my nation allowed this. Whether any legal action resulting in resignations or other disciplinary measures now takes place, I am not yet sure, but for the time being we should be happy that the Auditor General is on the case.
New Zealand is better than this. And if it is not, it should be.


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Create a Widget or Custom fron-end/backend for my Flash App - open to bidding
Budget $25-50 USD / hour
My App for capturing video is now complete. I'm looking to preferably add it as a widget or integrate with my current wordpress website, however, I'm told flash and wordpress have compatibility issues. Either way I need to get thhis thing functioning with my current site. I can provide details if you accept.
20 freelancers are bidding on average $35/hour for this job
Greetings, Can you please provide me detailed requirements? Please let me know, if you want to review some of our past work as I don't want to bombard you with lot of links at first place. Look forward to hear More
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Hi, I have 7+ experience in Adobe Flash, PHP programming & HTML. I had done a lot of project in wordpress, Magento + codeigniter + cake php, Zen cart. I had done many shopping card projects and now working on wordpr More


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|Wednesday, 09 March 2011 16:03
Zenit set to sign PAOK's Vieirinha - report
Porto to bag percentage of feeFormer Portugal under-21 international Vieirinha will join Russian champions Zenit Saint Petersburg in a €6m move, according to reports.
Zenit are thought to have reached an agreement with Vieirinha's current club, Greek outfit PAOK, and the 24-year-old will sign a four-year contract with Zenit, worth approximately €5m. The ex-Porto would will link up with Portuguese colleagues Fernando Meira, Bruno Alves and Danny at the Petrovsky Stadium.
Vieirinha has been linked with a host of clubs across Europe since catching the eye for PAOK last season, after which he was named the club's Player of the Year. Fellow Russian club CSKA Moscow were also keen on securing the player's signature, but Vieirinha is believed to have opted for Zenit due to the better exposure gained from playing for a club already followed closely by Portugal boss Paulo Bento.
FC Porto will earn just under €2m from the deal, having stipulated a 33% future fee clause when selling Vieirinha to PAOK in June 2009 following a successful loan period in Thessaloniki.
Related article: Vieirinha wins PAOK supporters award
By Sean Gillen
Comments (4)
4 Sunday, 27 March 2011 00:58
he is worth alot more than 6 mil and he isnt going to Zenit. He helped PAOK to a great run in europe this season and i think we are after a lil more money than that. More in the 15/20 mil area.
SLB wanting FCP products
3 Thursday, 10 March 2011 17:39
@ #1
2 Wednesday, 09 March 2011 16:24
SLB wanting FCP products, yea that makes sense.
1 Wednesday, 09 March 2011 16:13
There goes my pipe dream of him playing at the Luz. lol Hopefully he makes a big impact and gets considered for the NT.
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Miraval Life in Balance, about one hour outside of Tuscon, is a very special place. The philosophy of the spa is mindfulness and learning how to live in the present moment. The grounds are beautiful and surrounded by desert. There are many lovely spa treatments you can get (Mom and I got one each daily, including a prickly pear sugar scrub, ayurvedic massage, dreamy creamsicle massage with vanilla oil and orange water, and manicures and pedicures, though there were many more on offer) and pools to bliss out by. There are also fabulous activities from seminars on bringing mindfulness into different areas of your life, to hiking, mountain biking (which I learned to do-- scary but so much fun!), all kinds of aerobics and conditioning classes, yoga, guided meditation, photography, trail riding, and more.
There are also the challenges, which are basically these wild outdoors challenge courses. I didn't think I would partake being a huge fraidy cat, but I ended up completing three of them-- the one where you climb up a 25 foot pole and jump off, the one where you traverse a wire 30 feet up, and the one where you are hoisted 40 feet up on a rope and have to let go and swing like a human pendulum, and it looks a little something like this:
Patch flies through the air with the greatest of ease!
All three challenges were crazy and taught me so much about myself and the way I approach other challenges in life, plus they left me with a new image of myself as this powerful, fearless woman. ROAR!
But, the point of this blog and therefore the topic of discussion today is the cuisine at Miraval. Unlike many other spas, Miraval does not make its guests diet or starve, two things in which I have no interest. In fact, this is one of the reasons I chose this particular spa while doing my research (and also, they are not dry). I did joke that we would all waste away, though, because the food, while delicious, is super healthy and shockingly low-calorie. How do I know? By every dish there is a little card giving you the calories, fat, protein, carbs and fiber along with the suggested serving size. The chefs do a fantastic job of making things that are colorful and tasty using little tricks to make them healthy. And deprivation is NOT on the menu.
There is a set breakfast menu at Miraval with about 6 entree choices each morning. My mom and I fell in love with the smoked salmon on a potato cake. It came with fresh tomatoes, capers and onion, and featured delicious salmon piled on a salty and hot potato hash-brown patty. All this at, if I recall correctly, under 200 calories. I also like the huevos rancheros, which came in under 100 calories. (Crazy, I know.) There is also a breakfast buffet which always has steel cut oatmeal (45 calories for half a cup, according to the card) and fresh fruit, along with egg entrees including a fabulous 150 calorie breakfast burrito in spinach wrap and buckwheat pancakes that were similarly non-fattening. Basically you could eat to your heart's content knowing it was nearly impossible to overdo it. A diet-conscious person's dream come true.
There was also strong, good coffee and other drinks you could order from the coffee/smoothie/juice bar, which also had delicious frozen yogurt. This bar stays open all day from 6 A.M. to 6 P.M., and all the coffee, wheat grass shots, juices and smoothies you could ever want are included in your stay.
At lunch, two different entrees were on offer every day. One was usually a fish, and the other a vegetarian dish or a salad. On the first day, I had a chicken tostada that was FIFTY CALORIES (crazy low) and was actually delicious. From then on I often ordered the fish which included escarole, halibut and more. It was usually great. There was also the buffet which was always available. It usually had a different hot and a cold soup daily (the mango jalapeno cold soup was a favorite), baked sweet potatoes, bean salads, hot entrees such as turkey burgers, a sandwich bar, and a well-equipped salad bar, along with fruit and many tasty and disturbingly low-calorie desserts such as little brownies, tarts, and cookies (which, due to their healthy nature, were hit or miss). Also on offer was iced tea in mango green, china black, raspberry, or prickly pear. We tried them all and loved them. My favorite was mango green.
Dinner was the best part of the cuisine, in my opinion. You sign up outside the smoothie bar every day for your time slot. Like the other meals, this could be taken in Miraval's air conditioned dining room or outside on a patio with a beautiful view of the desert mountains (where my mom and I literally sat every day of the trip, even with the periodic and stunning torrential thunderstorms-- Arizona has a monsoon season, who knew?). The dinner menu had around 5 First Plates including appetizers, soups and salads, and 5 Second Plates which featured a variety of entrees including one or two vegetarian options per night.
Many of these spas don't have alcohol, but Miraval does, which is wonderful. Before dinner, my mom and I would have some of the cheese and veggies that were put out each evening and sit at the bar with the sommelier, Warner Forth. Warner, who has been with Miraval basically since it opened over ten years ago, is incredibly knowledgeable about wine with passion to match, and a fantastic conversationalist. While we chatted, he would recommend one of Miraval's many very good wines by the glass depending on our mood. He also made a killer martini and a lemon drop to die for, his own special recipe, which he gave me permission to post here and is below. This was my favorite part of each evening.
Then we'd move on to our table where we might order a second glass of wine while we ate. Some of my favorite first plates included snow crab claws served with cocktail sauce in a martini glass, and prosciutto and goat cheese salad. The best entrees I had (though all were great) were pistachio-crusted lamb chops and a delicious venison with wine demi-glaze. As always, the calorie and nutrition stats for each dish appeared on the menu and as usual, they were shockingly low.
There was a set dessert list each night along with excellent herbal teas served in a beautiful personal-size cast iron kettle tea set. The desserts included a decent creme brulee, coconut sorbet, hazelnut roulade, and more, and occasional specials. Like some of the other things I ate at Miraval, I found these desserts just too healthy for me to really enjoy. For people who want something sweet and a large-ish portion, the dessert was perfect. I would rather have one bite of something "real" (a.k.a. bad for you) than a huge only-okay dessert any day, so I was not much impressed. (There were a couple of other dishes, too, that couldn't be made healthy without losing their goodness, such as the lobster bisque.) However, I was impressed by the commitment to keep things healthy.
Conclusion: Healthy Gourmet Achieved!
All in all, we were well-fed and well-fueled for each day's adventures. Lovely, leisurely and healthy meals were one of the many pleasures of being at Miraval. I can't wait to go back!!!
Warner's Lemon Drop
2 parts lemon vodka (i.e., Stoli Limon)
1 part Limoncello (an Italian lemon liqueur)
1 part fresh lemonade (fresh lemon juice and simple syrup)
Shake all ingredients together until very cold. Serve in sugar-rimmed martini glass with lemon twist garnish. Enjoy and be happy. (Thanks, Warner!)
PS: Another cool feature is that at every meal, you can ask for little cards to request recipes. The spa will mail them to you or email them, your choice. I have some recipes coming!
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Miraval: Putting the "Eat" back in Spa Retreat
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