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Short intro soundtrack on adventure theme with swells, horns, piano and violins.
Please don't forget to rate it after you buy it. Thank you!
Please, don't forget to rate the purchase in tab «Downloads». And tell me where you use my musical compositions, it's interested for me and I'll post the link to your project on this page! Thank you very much!

subset: commoncrawl


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Stock Insights: Susser, Monsanto, IMAX, Green Mountain June 12th
Susser Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:SUSS): Benchmark Co. increased its target on Susser as the firm expects the company to benefit from falling fuel prices and increased miles driven. The firm maintains a Buy rating on the stock.
Monsanto Co. (NYSE:MON): Susquehanna said their meetings with Monsanto confirmed their view the company;s long-term guidance is conservative. The firm cited its robust breeding and biotech pipeline, favorable trends of adoption in its second generation corn and soy platforms, and further growth in Latin America. Shares are Positive rated with a $97 price target.
IMAX Corporation (NASDAQ:IMAX): After some on the Street suggested that IMAX could be threatened by a new Chinese product called DMAX, Roth Capital dismisses the concern. The firm thinks that DMAX offers nothing new, while IMAX continues to successfully recruit customers in China. Roth maintains a $40 target and Buy rating on IMAX.
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. (NASDAQ:GMCR): After Green Mountain (NASDAQ:GMCR) sold off due to competitive threats from Kroeger (NYSE:KR), Roth Capital doubts whether private label competitors will significantly reduce Green Mountain's market share. The firm doesn't expect consumers to abandon Green Mountain's K-Cup brand in significant numbers and it maintains a $70 target and Buy rating on the shares.
Want news like this in real-time so you can get an edge? Click here for Wall St. Cheat Sheet Pro.


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How to beat caffeine addiction?
Coffee is one of the most commonly consumed beverages globally and contains the highest amount of caffeine amongst all caffeinated beverages. In addition to coffee, caffeine is also present in tea, colas and energy drinks.
The urge to consume caffeinated beverages can be attributed to their psychoactive effects on the nervous system. Caffeine acts as a brain stimulant, increasing alertness and improving your ability to focus. This effect of caffeine depends on a person's age, body mass, liver function and many other factors which impact the metabolism of caffeine in the body. On the flip side, in higher doses, caffeine is known to cause indigestion, palpitations, tremors, headache and insomnia. A lot of research has been done on the medical benefits and risks of caffeine; however, there has been no conclusive evidence to prove that caffeine is completely detrimental. Most of the risks associated with caffeine are attributed to heavy consumption (>6000 mg/day) whereas low to moderate consumption (130–300 mg/day) is considered safe.
Regular consumption of caffeine is associated with tolerance adaptation and withdrawal symptoms. Tolerance refers to the decreased responsiveness to caffeine on repeated use. As proven in several studies, caffeine withdrawal symptoms manifest in headaches, irritability, inability to concentrate, or drowsiness which occur on stopping consumption of caffeine.
Caffeine addiction becomes a major problem when individuals who suffer from medical or psychological problems such as generalized anxiety/panic disorders, difficulties with sleep, heartburn and belching (due to gastroesophageal reflux) get addicted to it. These medical conditions are known to be aggravated by caffeine, and cutting down or avoiding its consumption could lead to withdrawal symptoms.
Caffeine alternatives play a pivotal role in curbing the use of caffeine. Decaffeinated drinks are a substitute for caffeine wherein the caffeine in the coffee beans, cocoa, tea leaves or any other caffeine-containing products is removed by various methods. However, decaffeinating does not guarantee that the final product is totally caffeine-free.
It would be safer for those who consume too much coffee to switch to tea, as it contains less caffeine than coffee. Green tea is a better option due to its antioxidant properties.
Many of us use caffeinated drinks like coffee as stress busters, to relieve anxiety or purely for the pleasure of relaxing over a cuppa! The most effective and safe option to help curb caffeine dependence in this case is by making changes in lifestyle. These include:
· Regular moderate exercise such as walking for at least 30 to 45 minutes, 5–6 times a week.
· Balanced diet with daily intake of fresh fruits and vegetables.
· Healthy sleeping habits – sufficient sleep of at least 6–7 hours; going to bed at the same time everyday.
· Measures to relieve stress such as yoga and meditation.
In a survey on caffeine alternatives, former coffee drinkers indicated the substitutes they used to get over their addiction. While 37 percent switched to herbal tea, 23 percent chose plain water. Other substitutes included milk and orange juice (4.5 percent), regular tea (3.5 percent), soft drinks (4.5 percent) and decaffeinated coffee (5 percent).
While no alternatives can guarantee results, the only sure formula to beat caffeine addiction is determination and commitment towards giving it up.
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Also read:
Coffee doesn't make you more alert
Want to quit smoking? Get professional help
Image: Flickr Creativecommons Dennis Wong


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It's Fabulous Friday Challenge Day over at
This week's challenge for you is to create a projected using rolled paper!
I decided to create a layout that took my distressing technique one step further for this project!
This layout is of my youngest daughter quite a fews back now :/ Lol I hate that they have to grow up...I can just smell that beautiful baby scent just looking at this photo, I never want to forget those moments of holding my children when they were babies and looking into their eyes and them returning the gaze.....I know I will always have them, but as they grow iolder and no longer like to snuggle as much, it kinda breaks me up inside I miss these days and I'm affraid as my youngest grows older these days will be forever gone before I know it!!!
I used Memory Works Simple Stories collection for this layout, a must have for anyone wanting to create a vintage style baby page! It's just darling!
Like I said above the Fabulous Friday Challenge at
Frosted Designs
this week is to create a project using
rolled paper.
I decided I would tear into my paper while scissor distressing it and then gently rolling the cuts inward to create a grungy distressed look with the rolled paper
I also handmade all the flowers and using a rolling technique to create the white roses for my page!
I hope your inspired and will play along with us for your chance to win a RAK from our


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30th of Summertide
As the dust settles from the battle between the group of assassins and the party, numerous heads pop up from the nearby tents that had been trampled in the assassins' rampage. Bloodied and disoriented, most of the residents of the camp try to hide as best as they can, peering at the party through gaps in the rubble of their tents. One such resident, however, stands up and boldly introduces herself to the party. Carl, a human, converses with Taran, Quinn, and Kiet and learns of their situation with the assassins.
After introducing themselves, Taran and Quinn head to the large cabin where they found the camp official earlier that night. Taran smashes the locked door in two and walks inside, finding the official sleeping in a cot behind his desk. She shakes him awake, picking him up by the scruff of his neck and demanding that he do something about the situation in the camp, as well as provide medical supplies. He tells her that he's only a stand-in for the real leader, and tries to shirk the responsibility. Taran drags him outside to show him the camp, but he flees back into his office before long. Kiet, seeing this, goes after him. The official leaves his office and sprints towards the outside of the camp. Kiet tackles him to the ground, but he escapes after a short conversation, dashing out of the outer ring of torches on the edge of the camp. Taran ventures into the swamp to cut down several trees for a makeshift bed, which she builds on top of Banthas's unconscious body. The party sleeps for the remainder of the night.
31st of Summertide
In the morning, the party reconvenes at Banthas and Carl and Taran tie him up with the tattered remains of a few trampled tents. Quinn gags and carries the leather-wearing assassin out of camp with Taran in tow. Upon interrogating him, Quinn and Taran find out that they were sent by the mayor to kill Quinn. Taran, in an attempt to squeeze more information out of him, hacks off a few of his toes. He tells them that the mayor sought the destruction of the Feywilds, and was promised as such by the party responsible for the bounty on Quinn. Desperately, the assassin attempts to crawl away and, begging for mercy, is shot dead by Quinn's arrow. Returning to camp, the party questions the now-conscious Banthas, who doesn't tell them much new information. Taran cuts off both of his thumbs and the party exits camp, leaving him for dead.
4th of Highsun
After another long trek north through the swamps of Apotheon, the party is crossing a shallow river fen when they see the tops of a few tall flagpoles in the distance. As they see this, a massive figure far down the river begins to barrel towards the party. To its side, they see a cloaked human following suit. Attempting to hide among the sparse swamp flora, the party somewhat unsuccessfully conceals themselves in bushes and trees. As the figures draw closer, the massive crocodile snaps its jaws before slowing to a stop as the human taps its side with his hand. Now in view, the party sees the gruff and time-worn face of a middle-aged man under the cloak. He tells them to come out or suffer the consequences. The party reluctantly come out of their various hiding spots and approach the man. He tells them that they need to pay the toll, as the river is his jurisdiction.
The party immediately attacks the crocodile, blasting it with a barrage of arrows and spells as Kiet moves in to engage the man. The man is surprised, but keeps his composure as Kiet unleashes a flurry of blows upon him. He dodges most of them, but as the hits begin to land he starts to regard the party more seriously. Carl, meanwhile, constricts the crocodile with a crackling magical force. After pummeling the crocodile for awhile, it collapses, exhausted and dying. The man, seeing this, panics and sprints off in the direction of the distant flagpoles. The crocodile dies, bloodied and battered, and is skinned and butchered by Quinn. She then feeds a few pounds of its meat to Nogard, who accepts it happily.
17th of Summertide
After killing the Cursed Sisters and escaping their lair, Roan, Kiet, Taran, and Quinn emerge from a tunnel system onto a rocky cliff face above the ocean. Led by the wyrmling that they found in the lair, the party all immediately experience a searing pain that leaves Roan and the wyrmling unconscious. The party then resuscitates Roan, unsuccessfully heals the wyrmling, and gathers their surroundings, before jumping into the waters below and swimming to the nearby beach. Hearing the wyrmling's cries in the distance, Kiet and Quinn decide to scale the cliff face in an attempt to bring it back with them. They discover a glowing purple line on its stomach that shimmers when touched. With great effort, they carry the wyrmling across the cliff ledge and slide it down to Taran and Roan, who are able to catch it as it falls. They then attempt to get the wyrmling walking to no avail. Roan feeds it a crab, which it eats in two bites. Taran and Roan then head off into the inland swamps to catch food for the wyrmling as Quinn and Kiet stay to watch over it. Taran and Roan return with a bundle of dead pythons that they feed to the wyrmling. Quinn climbs up a tree to scout the location of Kaius, which appears as a blob of grey in the distance. Before heading back to Kaius, the party rests for the night, setting up camp on the beach.
18th of Summertide
In the morning, the party sets out inland towards the canal city of Kaius, where the mayor awaits their arrival. They make their way through the swamp, encountering surprisingly little wildlife as they carry the immobile wyrmling. They reach the city gates, crossing one of the three large bridges connecting two the opposite moat walls. As they walk through the town towards the mayor's offices, the townspeople react with a great amount of confusion and fear. Upon reaching the mayor's office building, they see that the guard presence has increased. The guards react to the wyrmling with the same confusion as the townspeople. The mayor, hearing the commotion, comes outside and ushers the party into his offices. Kiet stays out with the wyrmling. The rest of the party converses with the mayor, having left the heads of the Cursed Sisters with the guard outside. The mayor thanks them but asks that they leave within a week to not arouse any more suspicion from the populace. The party seemingly agrees and they part ways with the mayor.
Roan, Kiet, and Taran take the wyrmling to a back alley behind the inn in which they previously stayed. Quinn remains near the offices, darting into an adjacent alley and camouflaging herself with her cloak of elvenkind. She climbs the wooden beams jutting from the office building and stealthily opens the second-story window latch of the mayor's office. Seeing him at his desk, she drops down to the first floor and does the same. She then quietly climbs the staircase to the mayor's office and conceals herself beneath it, hanging by her fingers and feet. Quinn waits until the mayor finishes his work and walks out of the building before swinging back onto the stairs and entering his office.
Meanwhile, Roan, Taran, and Kiet drop off the wyrmling in the inn's back alley. Roan finds a plank of wood amongst the debris behind the inn. Taran cuts it to length and Roan wedges it under the handle of the inn's back door to keep it shut. Roan, Taran, and Kiet then squeeze the wyrmling into Roan's bedroll.
Within the mayor's office, Quinn finds a scattering of paperwork and a small, separate cabinet of drawers on the back desk. She also finds an open journal on top of the desk, which reveals some personal information and sentiments of the mayor. Flipping through the journal, Quinn finds a passage that implies both a connection between the mayor and the orcish invasion and a possible second upcoming invasion. Quinn closes the journal and walks to the small separate cabinet on the back desk. She opens the top drawer and sees a latch on the bottom, which she opens. The latch opens a hidden compartment within the cabinet and Quinn finds a stash of brown-colored foreign paper bills. She takes one, covers her tracks, descends the staircase, and exits through the same ground-floor window before meeting back up with the party in the alley behind the inn.
In the alley, the party makes plans for their next week in Kaius. Quinn shows Roan and Taran the paper bill, and Taran recognizes the writing as Orcish. Deciding to keep quiet for now, the party splits up for the next eight days to regroup and gather information.
Roan spends the week in the smithies and forges, recreating his firearm prototype and finalizing the design. Quinn, albeit unsuccessfully, tries to gather information about the orc threat and the presence of dragons from her contacts in the Blackwater. They both manage to haggle for a decent price for the gems that they took from the Sisters' lair. Kiet and Taran, on the back of Kiet's charm and way with words, hustle a sum of gold from civilians by challenging them to brawls with Taran (all of which she wins).
During this time, Taran decides on a name for the wyrmling: Nogard.
26th of Summertide
On the eighth morning after the mayor's ultimatum, the party wakes to a small group of armed guardsmen at the doors to their inn rooms. Roan is completely naked, which perturbs some of the guardsmen. After getting dressed, the party follows the guard to the mayor's office, where he informs them that it's been a week since he gave them their notice. Quinn immediately shows him the paper bill and demands answers. The mayor is shocked, and through gritted teeth informs the party that what they're doing could put the whole town at risk. He also implies that the situation is out of his control and lashes out at Taran, assuming that she's affiliated with the orcs. After some convincing, the mayor decides to let the party stay in town for a single night more if they unquestionably promise to leave the next day. Begrudgingly, the party agrees. Roan spends the final day finishing his first firearm at the blacksmith.
27th of Summertide
The next day, no one arrives to usher the party out of the city. They wake, equip themselves, and visit the now vital-looking Nogard in the alley behind the inn. After a few minutes, the party is able to help Nogard onto his feet and he takes his first steps since his rescue. As the party slowly make their way towards the northern bridges out of town, they attract a large number of stares from onlookers, both curious and frightened of Nogard. Despite this, they pass out of Kaius without incident.
For the next three days, they travel north through the swamps of Apotheon, living off of tropical vegetation and fauna. Nogard seems to grow healthier by the day, snapping up large snakes as his main form of sustenance.
29th of Summertide
On the night of the third straight day of sloshing through thick swamp mud, the party wades through a wide, shallow river fen and sees a sprinkling of torchlight in the distance. After a few minutes of walking, they come across an encampment of wood-reinforced tents with a ring of torch poles surrounding it. Making their way inside, they are stopped by two guardsmen with spears who direct them to a large wooden cabin structure further in. Upon entering the cabin, they're greeted by a hideously dressed man who treats them with dismissiveness. He arranges for them to have a small tent nearby for lodging, but when Roan spreads five gold on the table, his eyes light up and he offers them both the small tent and a much larger one in an adjacent row. The party accepts, and splits up to rest for the night.
In the middle of the night, Roan, the only member of the party still awake, is modifying blueprints for his projects when he hears a whistling sound in the distance. Less than a second later, an arrow tears through the tent and lands a foot away from Roan. He immediately gathers his equipment and rushes to wake the rest of the party. Roan, Kiet, Taran, and Quinn gather at the small tent and prepare for battle, hearing nothing but the sound of their own breathing. Suddenly, Roan and Taran see four figures approach from the south side of camp, past the wall of now extinguished torches. Two relatively large figures with erratic movements sprint into the camp and over rows of tents as they approach the party. Roan looses two bolts from his crossbows as they run, catching the two orcs in the chest and severely damaging them both. As they get closer, Quinn finishes one off with an arrow to the head and Taran lops off the other's with her axe.
Another figure appears in the darkness, and the three figures now rush towards the party. The figure in the middle careens through the camp, its enormous frame bashing and trampling through the already broken lines of tents. Building speed, the minotaur comes into view and lunges at Taran with its horns, but she readies herself and manages stop the full force of its charge by digging her feet in and grabbing its horns. Looking at the creature, she recognizes it as Banthas, someone who had dealings with her former tribe leader and treated her with respect. Kiet turns his attention to the minotaur and bashes into it with his quarterstaff and fists. Nogard unleashes a torrent of blue energy from his mouth at Banthas, making him roar in pain as some of his jet-black fur hardens into ice.
As the minotaur confronts Taran, one of the figures further back draws a shortbow and lets loose a volley of arrows, one after the other. One catches Kiet squarely in the shoulder and the sheer shock makes him lose consciousness. Quinn fires back at the leather-clad humanoid figure after lighting a torch, and she sees it recoil as her arrow finds it.
Meanwhile, the last figure moves into view as it runs toward to party, and they see Tristan of the Kaius city guard, still in his uniform. He engages Roan, who fires two shots from his newly crafted scattergun into Tristan's ribcage. Tristan's left and right obliques are completely eviscerated as Roan's shots explode outwards. They exchange blows with their longswords until Tristan staggers past Roan and reaches for a blue-colored vial at his belt. He drinks from it, throws it to the ground, and his eyes begin to glow with a bloodshot blue hue as his muscles writhe and grow. He attacks Roan with a renewed vigor, cutting into his midsection with his longsword. Only a few seconds after his consumption of the liquid, however, he freezes and begins to convulse. Tristan falls to the ground with a look of agony and a network of blue veins across his face and neck.
As Roan and Tristan battle, Banthas swings at Taran with a flurry of mighty blows from his enormous greatsword. Taran fights back with a frenzy, cutting deep into his forearms in an attempt to sever them. Banthas roars in rage and his wounds seal up slightly. His greatsword cuts into Taran, and they exchange another bout of massive blows. Roan, after Tristan's defeat, rushes to join Taran. Their combined strength wears on the minotaur, but in one cataclysmic strike he cuts down Roan, who falls to the ground. As the fight wears on, Nogard backs away from the fray, seemingly in fear of the minotaur's presence.
Quinn, now engaging the leather-wearing human in close quarters, strikes at him with her shortsword, which buries itself in his chest. He falls to the ground, begging for his life as he bleeds out.
Banthas, the only enemy still standing, roars again and slams Taran with his greatsword, dealing massive damage. Her eyes flutter closed for a split second before a red tint begins to cover her vision. With a furious vigor, she regains consciousness and chops at Banthas with her greataxe. Upon seeing this, he recoils and is struck with the full force of her attack. He freezes for a moment before falling to his knees and toppling over, barely conscious and still watching Taran with his yellow eyes.
While interrogating Banthas, Taran finds out that the mayor is the one who has sent the troupe to them. Before losing consciousness, Banthas tells Taran that he would not have sought her death had he any choice in the matter.
Quinn stabilizes Kiet and Roan before tying Tristan and the other man up and taking their possessions. On the unknown man, she finds a few vials of black poison. On Tristan, she finds a jar of a familiar blue-colored dust, as well as two vials of a blue liquid on his belt.
16th of Summertide
Having just witnessed the orc fleet sailing away from Kaius, the party climbs down from their building vantage point and joins the crowd in the town square. Roan leads, pushing his way through the masses towards the town crier before an outstretched arm stops him. The man acts aggressive and haughty, but Roan's earnest words disarm him and he introduces himself as Tristan, Lieutenant Captain of the Kaius guard. The party tells him that Verel has been captured by the sea creatures that they encountered previously. Tristan is shocked, but tells the party that they should speak with the mayor for more information about the two creatures should they want any hope of saving Verel. He leaves with several armed guards up the northern path out of the square.
A platoon of guards marches in from the southern path. Between the two lines of guards walks a very small, hunched over old man. Having seen Tristan talking with the party, they approach. The old man introduces himself as the mayor of Kaius, and asks what the party had to discuss with Tristan. After hearing the news, he has them follow him to his offices east of the town square.
There, he tells the party his family name, Melwick, and of his two daughters who disappeared decades ago after a series of unexplained macabre occurrences. Only after seeing them several years ago did he realize what had become of them. He asks the party to investigate an underwater cave off of Kaius' shore that has been discovered by the guard. Roan asks for payment, and the mayor reluctantly offers a sack of coins after rummaging through cabinets for a bit. The mayor offers them a free stay at the local inn, and a guard gives them gold to pay for the room.
The party arrives at a nearby inn, and Roan and Kiet order the strongest the innkeep has. He fills Roan's first tankard with a black, frothy liquid. He chugs it and it tastes incredibly strong. The innkeep gives him a second and Kiet a first. Roan chugs the second without issue, and Kiet drinks his first only to be completely wrecked soon after. The party retires to their single-bed room for the night, in various states of exhaustion and awkward sleeping positions.
Early the next morning, the party is awakened by a loud knock at the door. It's Tristan, looking slightly impatient with them. They strap on their gear and head out back towards the town square, following Tristan. He leads them to a longboat on the beach with two sets of oars and gives the party a sack with five healing potions before wishing them good luck and telling them the approximate location of the cave. They set out in the boat, rowing for about five minutes before reaching a clearly visible sheer cliff in the water below. Roan, Quinn and Kiet dive down, swimming past the jagged cliff face for about fifty feet before seeing a huge figure in the water barreling towards them.
Roan, Quinn, and Kiet make a break for the cave entrance, which is now nearby. Roan fires two crossbow shots at the figure, which recoils but engages the party regardless. The party now sees that it's a grotesque half human half fish monstrosity with long claws. Quinn stabs it with her shortsword and it slashes back with its claws. Taran, hearing the muffled sounds of battle, dives underwater. Kiet pummels the creature with his fists and Roan, moving past it towards the cave, pierces it with another crossbow bolt. Quinn finishes it with a slash of her sword and it floats limply in the water.
Taran now joins the party as they make their way into the narrow mouth of the cave. They see the water's edge and climb out into the cave's entrance, completely soaked. Roan attempts to light a torch, but it's too waterlogged. The party makes their way forward through the only corridor, walking single-file until they reach a huge chamber. Roan and Taran see the edge of two concentric runic circles engraved in the floor. They decide to follow a narrow path to the left which leads them to a massive chasm in the floor. Only a tiny ledge to the right and left provides passage. They make their way back to the large chamber and Kiet touches the circle. He is immediately wracked with paralyzing pain and a green mist jets from the cavern floor.
With Kiet's convulsing body in tow, the party rushes back to the chasm and Roan dries off a torch just enough to light it. They attempt to navigate the tiny ledge towards the only exit that they can see. Taran slips on the sandy surface and plummets before crashing onto a ledge below. Quinn also falls, but Roan manages to catch her and help her back up. He then extends a rope to Taran, barely able to pull her back up. They gingerly cross the rest of the chasm and shuttle through the corridor to their right.
As the party jogs through the corridor, the walls gradiate outwards until they're in another chamber, this time with pathways to the left and right. The left pathway is has a roughly hewn stone exterior. Littering the floor of this room are dozens of mutilated and torn apart corpses, human or otherwise. Blood is caked over the ground, dry and wet. The party hears a writhing, cracking sound from above and they see a multitude of porous cave openings extending beyond their vision. A disembodied arm falls from the ceiling, landing on Roan. He plants his torch in a nearby corpse's ribcage. The party readies their weapons, Kiet still incapacitated by pain.
Two enormous centipede-like insects with squirming tentacles scurry out of two different cave openings, making their way towards the party along the walls. Roan and Quinn pepper one with projectiles and it approaches them, lashing out with it's teeth and tentacles. Taran hacks at the other centipede with her greataxe and Kiet, now conscious, lays into the first insect with his staff and fists. The second centipede engages Taran, paralyzing her with the venom from its tentacles and tearing into her with its bite. Roan draws his sword and slashes at the centipede in front of him. Quinn fires volleys of arrows at the monster in front of Taran. Roan's centipede paralyzes him with its tentacles and gnaws at his ankle. Kiet unleashes three attacks at the centipede near Taran, cracking its hard shell more and more with each successive blow. Quinn finishes off the centipede near Roan with a precise stab to the skull before beheading and bisecting the second.
The party regains their vigor with a short rest and a few potions before passing through the roughly cut stone passageway. Upon entering this cut stone chamber, the party sees the two hags in the center, stirring a cauldron with a mangled arm sticking out. Chained and impaled against the far wall is Verel Dawnbringer, bloodied, broken, and missing an arm at the shoulder. The green-tinged sister immediately rushes at the party, baring her claws.
The party feels the familiar horrifying aura, but shrug it off and steel themselves. Roan lets loose a crossbow shot at the approaching sister, piercing her shoulder. Kiet dashes to the green sister and throws a flurry of staff and fist attacks, crunching into the sister's abdomen. Taran, with two whirls of her axe, cuts a deep cross in the sister's chest, severely injuring her. The blue sister at the pot turns her attention to the party and runs over to engage them. Quinn cuts into the green sister and she collapses. The party, now covered in the first sister's brackish blood, engages the remaining hag. Immediately laying into her with arrows and bolts, the party surges forward. Taran plunges her greataxe into the sister as she retaliates with a swipe of her claws to Taran's face. As Quinn stabs near the sister's heart, tiny black tentacles writhe in the wound. Kiet propels himself through the air with his staff, bludgeoning the hag with it before whirling around to kick her head, crushing her skull. He then plunges his hand into her clavicle, removing a mess of black organs and bones as she falls to the ground, dead.
After defeating the sisters, Roan beheads them and the party moves to the back of the room. They check Verel and find that he's already dead. Taran wraps him in a bedroll. Roan approaches the niche on the far wall, seeing a stone statue of an elven woman wearing a robe that he recognizes as Alva, Goddess of Mercy. As he gingerly puts a cloth on its head and touches it, a drop of the sisters' blood falls from his arm and hits the statue. The figures recesses begin to glow a bright white and a rumbling sound is heard before the statue rotates ninety degrees to the right, exposing a cleanly cut stone corridor. A gentle breeze emits from the corridor, and the party passes through it, seeing light scratch marks on the walls around them. After a short walk, they reach a small square stone chamber lit by four torches in braziers on the walls.
Scattered around the floor are a multitude of rosy gems and gold pieces, as well as a Cloak of Protection, Cloak of Elvenkind, Wind Fan, and a rust-colored Bag of Tricks. In the center stands a stone mound connected to the floor, and in the right corner lies small grey and blue dragon with silver-flecked scales chained to the wall by its neck and tail. The party gathers the scattered items and Roan pulls out a ball from the Bag of Things. A massive brown bear materializes in front of him before promptly lying down in the corner for a nap. Roan approaches the dragon in the corner and attempts to befriend it. It isn't aggressive to him but isn't able to communicate back as he questions it. Seeing its attempts to free itself, the party all grab hold of the chains and, together, rip out the weakened wall that held the clasps. Turning their attention to the stone mound, the party finds that its protected by a magical shield. The dragon, seeing this, rears its front arms and takes a deep breath, its chest filling with a blue glow. A torrent of icy blue flame erupts from the dragon's mouth and the party sees the barrier around the mound melt into nothingness. They then approach it once more and Taran and Roan are able to bash their way into the mound, the stone shell collapsing under their combined force.
As the mound crumbles, an intricately carved stone basin is revealed, containing a sheet of water-like clear class which, in turn, contains a palm-sized frosted glass orb. A small blue aura flickers inside the orb as the mound crumbles. Roan breaks the glass surrounding the orb and it flies in every direction before dissolving into dust in the air. He grasps the orb and is beset by pain: first hot, then cold, then hot again. A blue glow visibly flows from the orb into his veins as he collapses, unconscious. He is resuscitated by Quinn, but as he wakes he finds that both his senses of sight and sound are gone. The orb, now on the ground, is whacked by Taran and as it moves through the room Roan feels his senses rush back to him.
Deciding to head out, the party follows the dragon out through the corridor. Thrashing around in its newfound freedom, the dragon shatters through the chains holding its neck and tail as the party exits to their left in the room with the cauldron. After a long jog down geometrically carved stone hallways, the party finds a staircase that leads up into a gazebo-shaped stone structure. They see the clear blue waters of the Meridian Ocean.
The Kaius midsummer festival's first night begins. The party(Roan, Kiet, Quinn, and Taran) meets in the town square and watches the stage performance. Taran is enthralled, Roan is unimpressed, Quinn watches from the rooftops, and Kiet partakes without qualm. Taran meets Verel Dawnbringer, and he shares some of his roasted pork dish.
The first act, a gnome juggler named Fizzik "Big Impakt" Impakt, finishes his magical performance and the crowd cheers. Quinn and Taran hear strange noises coming from the western road. Javelins rain from the sky and impale Fizzik as well as several civilians around him, killing them instantly. The crowd panics and splits apart, Roan and Kiet hide under the stage, Taran grabs Verel and they seek shelter under a stone awning, and Quinn readies her bow. Orcs flood the square and massacre the remaining civilians without prejudice before dispersing down the perpendicular streets. Five orcs remain in the square.
Quinn and Roan weaken two of the clumped orcs with ranged projectiles. Roan and Kiet move towards the center of the stage's foundation, Kiet slams his head against a beam and falls. Verel engages the five orcs in a frenzy, nearly killing one with his first maul strike. Two healthy orcs flank Verel and severely wound him with greataxes. Taran joins Verel in the fray, lopping off the two flanking orcs' heads with one fell strike of her greataxe. Kiet finishes a dying orc with a dart to the skull. Quinn's arrow splinters off of the armor of a surviving orc, alerting them to her position. Verel crushes the spine of another weakened orc with his maul. Roan's crossbow shot impales the skull of the last surviving orc.
Another orc unit moves in from the northern road and the party flees down the southern street. Verel removes his shirt. Roan breaks down a residential complex door and the party shuttles inside. Kiet searches the upstairs cupboards and finds piles of silverware, Quinn finds a medicine cabinet with one common healing potion, gauze, and antibiotics. She uses it all to treat Verel's wounds. A splintered off band of orcs floods the building.
Roan instantly kills the first orc with a crossbow bolt to the head. An orc at the back of the mob sprints forward, up the stairs, and buries his axe in Roan's clavicle, brutally injuring him. Taran Hacks at the orc's neck, nearly beheading him. Kiet tries to pummel the injured orc with his quarterstaff and fists, but can't find purchase. Another orc attempts to pass the injured orc and fails. Verel crushes the skull of the injured orc with his maul and the corpse falls on the orc behind it, sending them both tumbling down the stairs.
More orcs file into the house and the party, spurred on by Verel, climb out of a southern-facing window and onto the roof of the house. Verel picks up an injured Roan and leads the party across the rooftops to the west. Orcs have now climbed onto the first rooftop, and the party sees the enormity of the raiding party in the square below. They climb off of the building and begin to run north along the beach, where they see four small longboats aground in the sand.
The party destroys three of the boats, piles into the remaining one, and Kiet pushes them off of the sand. The boat stops with a thunk, and a grating sound is heard from either side of the boat. Roan peers over the starboard side and sees a horrific female face staring up at him.
Roan immediately punches the face in the water and it shrieks, recoiling into the strangely murky shallow waters. A blue form rises from the port side, and the first sea hag comes into view. The party steels itself, unaffected by the gaze of the creature, but Verel topples into the starboard side water out of fear. The green sea hag on the starboard side emerges from the water, holding a limp Verel by the neck. She cackles before diving back into the water with Verel and the party sees the forms rapidly disappear into the ocean. Roan and Kiet dash off of the boat and onto the beach. The port side hag makes a claw swipe at Taran, but it barely misses. Quinn makes a sword swipe at the blue hag but she avoids it. The blue hag, upon seeing her ally leave, shrieks triumphantly and dives into the water, swimming in the same direction that the green hag fled.
As the party runs northward to flee the orcish horde, they see another battalion in the distance, blocking their path and able to see them. Roan batters in a residence door to throw off the orcs' trail before shattering through a window to get into an adjacent house. Kiet and Quinn follow, with Taran a few seconds behind.
As Roan lands in the house, the first thing he sees is a javelin thrusting at his face, which he deftly rolls away from. He sees two orcs on the first floor and another on the staircase to the second floor, all equipped with several javelins. As Quinn and Kiet jump through the window, the orc atop the staircase hurls a javelin at Roan, piercing him through the shoulder and knocking him unconscious. Taran jumps through the window and grapples with an orc near Roan. Quinn stabs the orc with her sword, and he circles around towards Roan. Seeing an opportunity, he goes for Roan's pack, taking his prototype firearm and throwing it to the orc on the staircase before readying his guard with two javelins and facing Taran. The orc with the prototype darts up the stairs, across the room upstairs, and out a southern-facing upstairs window. Despite the orc's preparedness, Taran brings down her greataxe with a thundering blow, breaking the javelins and slashing the orc to pieces. Quinn pierces the remaining orc with her sword and he falls.
Quinn finds another healing potion, removes the javelin from Roan's shoulder and administers the draught. His shoulder re-articulates and the party discusses what to do next. Quinn peers out of a southern window, unseen, and sees the large orcish longboat fleet retreating into the ocean. The party hears a clamoring of human voices and three soundings of a deep, morose horn. They climb onto the window and see a gathering of humans in the square and a town crier blowing the horn.


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FRESH BREWED - brown
YOUR NEXT STAMP - anything goes
PAPERPLAY CHALLENGE - autumn
well, they say when you enter something, enter big and I have :)
Oh, Lynn, it's soooooooooooo funny and cute, I love it! Hugs. Miria
Very funny card Lynn))) This bird sounds so great!!! Love the orange on all))) Good job!!
hugs. Larisa.xxx
Absolutely brilliant a fabulous card
love those colours and stripes
Thank you so much for sharing with us at ooh la la this week
LMAO, I was wondering where that little guy was going!!!
FABULOUS card, awesome colours as always!
and I have that leaf stamp set too! :-D
Fabulous card.Love the colours.Such a fun card.Thanks for joining us at Pear Tree Designs :D
Lisa x
What a fun card and love the colours you have used too! Thanks for joining us at Lexi's creations and good luck in the challenge, love Jacky x
Great animal themed card. Thanks for joining us @ Pear Tree Designs. Good luck in your challenges. X
That is just toooooooo fun / funny!HAHAHA!!! Great card! I love the colors and the inside is great.
Thanks for playing along at Freshly Brewed Challenges.
Heather Dennis
Fresh Brewed Designs
What a great card, so fun! Love the colours and the image. Thanks for joining us at Fab and Funky this week x
ha ha! Loving your card!
Very cute! Love it! Thanks for pulling out that leaf stamp, and joining us at the Creative Belli Challenge.
ROFLOL!!!! I Love it!!! Great card!! Thanks so much for playing with us at Daisy Doodles! :)
How fun!!! You really made me smile! I love this card and the sentiment and everything! It is so funny and everything you have done is so perfect! Thanks for joining us at Lexi's. Hugs, Diana
Hey Lynn, I really like this card a lot! I love the fun fall color and layout! Thanks for sharing!
what a fun image! It make me smiling!
So cute!
Thanks for joining us over at CCT this week :)
Hugs x
I can see why you fell in love with him! he is just gorgeous!!! you have coloured him in fabulously!! such a fun card! and I love the birdcadge one too! Hugs Juls
Really funny. I love it.
LOL, too funny! What a great card! Thanks for joining us at Lexi's!
teehee thsi is sooo fun and so cute!! thanks for joining us at YNS!
So cute, so...unexpected...: )
Love it!
What a fun card Lynn love the bright colours xx
Fun card- love the great fall colors! Thanks for joining us at the Creative Belli Blog
LOL LOL LOL, these cards are awesome. I love them :-) Jules ♥


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Obsidian Portal
Sign In / Create Account
Front Page
Adventure Log
Sin City
Front Page
Adventure Log
This was a ... triumph?
Sometimes success hurts.
Testing testing testing.
Ghost Cats (3!): Ghost Cat Harder
Research, Stalking & Blackmail - Oh my
Baby's First Break-In
Moral Dilemmas and (MGM) Grand Plans
Magic ghost cat
david walsh
red reef casinos
Close encounters…
Nick realises that the intruder has breached his "panic room." When he goes to check it, a large feline leaps past him for the open door. It has the waterbottle with the remains of the Acantha clutched in its teeth.
Nick shoots. The thing yowls in anger, but keeps heading for the door. Nick fires again and the animal discorporates into a misty form. It drops the waterbottle and keeps running, through the closed front door and outside.
Han, Vincent, and Stephanie all arrive at about this time. Vincent and Stephanie both see the still-misty form of the cat running into the woods and go driving after it. Han sees something else: the silhouette of a tall humanoid form, slipping behind a tree.
Vincent and Stephanie plow their cars into the woods after the cat. Han gets out of his car to pursue his target on foot.
Neither Vincent nor Stephanie are able to keep the cat in their sights for long. Once he loses the cat, Vincent pauses to take a call from Nick, who warns that he's planted several bear traps around the property.
Stephanie discovers the bear traps the hard way, ending up with a flat tire and a broken axle. Nick phones and warns her to stay where she is until he can come get her.
Han loses his target almost instantly, but rejoins Nick and Vincent without incident. Vincent stays in the front yard to babysit the watterbottle while Nick and Han tow Stephanie back to safety.
The three of them return to see Vincent running back towards the front yard, spear at the ready. He reports that he saw a tall, thin, humanoid figure lurking about the barn.
A visibly upset Nick orders everyone into the house. He tells the group that the creature has been lurking around the farm for years, eating livestock and people.
Nick advises not leaving the farm until morning. He then heads up to the attic to watch for what he calls the Beast. Han follows.
Nick reviews the security camera footage and easily spots the cat entering the house by walking through a closed door. He also spots places where the footage fizzes out, a sure sign that the Beast has been lurking. However, there is no further sign of the Beast and the night passes without incident.
Nick offers Stephanie the use of his truck while he fixes her car. He and Han, both competent mechanics, add a few extra bells and whistles while they're at it.
After work, Stephanie takes a blood sample of a cat to a researcher friend at the University of Nevada. He confirms that the creature's
matches that of a bobcat, but that the cell structure is "off" somehow.
Vincent chats up his "uncle" Daryl about Red Reef Casino. As far as Daryl knows, there's nothing really untoward about the prospective casino, but he does have the impression that whoever's behind the project is trying to be a squeaky wheel.
Trying to identify the mage's potential next targets, Vincent learns that Las Vegas city councillor Cassandra Lawrence has been outspoken against the potential development, previously voting against a motion to rezone the property of the prospective Red Reef Casino. He also learns that another city councillor, Jackson Grant, has recently re-introduced a bill to re-zone the property.
Nick goes looking for a way to keep magic ghost cats out of his house. He finds a reliable-seeming curio shop, but its artifacts are out of his price range.
The group reconvenes decides to check out the prospective Red Reefs property. The current building is a collection of somewhat run-down, single-story housing units, with central facilities connected to a front office.
Vincent enters the office to check it out before chatting up the residents. As he enters, he sees a well-kept man just leaving the building in an expensive car.
In talking with residents and staff, Vincent learns that the owner of the property, Casey Lanier, has been approached by someone at Red Reef Casinos, but doesn't seem willing to sell.
New … friends?
The group leaves the property and is having a lively discussion about protecting Lawrence and Lanier when Nick's burner phone rings. The caller tells Nick that she has some information about the graffiti sigils. They agree to meet in a public place to discuss.
Stephanie posts herself outside the restaurant while Nick, Han and Vincent enter separately. Han and Vincent find themselves a table while Nick goes to meet their informant, an older woman who introduces herself as Alta.
After some dancing around the issue, Alta reveals that she created the graffiti sigils in an effort to track the Acantha, which had tried to eliminate her once before. She had assumed the creature was destroyed until the death of David Walsh proved otherwise.
Alta tells the players that their adversary is Stefan Gowisse, a property manager at
Resorts International. Gowisse is seeking to acquire a property which will allow him to funnel more power into his magics.
Vincent casually walks by Nick and Alta on his way to the restroom. Once inside, he finds little of interest in the purse that he just pickpocketed: her driver's license, which reveals her name to be Alanna Lucente, and a flip-phone with a handful of contacts. Vincent circumspectly returns the purse to her booth on the way back to his table.
Starting Fights and Reading Runes
In which the party obtains some right answers, and some wrong ones
david walsh
the tunnels
In which the party uses their downtime between adventures to cause
Han Zian
returns home after a couple weeks helping his parents through the aftermath of a recent car accident, and more than a couple of awkward conversations after his parents find out exactly what he does for a living. The other characters fill him in on
their previous adventures
Stephanie Schulman
goes to lunch with her friend Rachel Valenzuela. Rachel grills her about an incident where Stephanie asked for some "makeup help" (to visit a crime scene in relative anonymity, but Rachel doesn't know that). Rachel lets Stephanie change the subject, but she makes a point of not being fooled.
Vincent Valenti
spends his downtime searching the city for rumours of ghouls. He finds some interesting things.
Nick Shelley
drags Han out to a nightclub, despite the fact that neither of them have any idea what there is to do at nightclubs. They decide that nightclubs are for being famous people, and draw out their fans with a few well-crafted Tweets.
Nick lets his frustrations get the better of him. No one in the club is willing to pick a fight, but as they leave, they pass a couple of teens silently handing out business cards for a brothel. Nick sucker-punches the closest kid into unconsciousness while Han, dozens of fans, and several filming smartphones look on.
Nick and Han both give impromptu speeches about the evils of human trafficking, because at this point, why not.
A less-than-impressed Han drags Nick out to a coffee shop where they can talk, but Nick's not in a particularly talkative mood.
Morning arrives. The police do not. Stephanie emails around to the group, suggesting they try to find out who summoned the
. Nobody's very thrilled with Nick, but he's not apologizing, so they move on.
The group heads down into the storm drains beneath the city where they fought and killed the Acantha.
Annette Thomas
informs them that to the best of her knowledge, nobody else has come down to the tunnels asking about the creature, and there haven't been any more murders. She's still willing to help, but seems a bit wary of the party now that they're openly claiming to be monster hunters.
As they work their way through the tunnels, Vincent asks around about the graffiti circle that the party had discovered near David Walsh's body. One of the other tunnel residents with a long-standing interest in the occult reocognizes one of the runes the party hadn't yet deciphered as something to do with dowsing or finding. He informs them the rune is of Estrucan origin.
Before leaving the tunnels, the group heads down to the site of the Acantha's most recent murder, as it tried to bait the party into attacking it. The body of the victim has been removed, but the site is otherwise undisturbed, with no trace of graffiti.
Han asks to see the original graffiti, since he's only seen it in pictures. With a keen eye, he's able to confirm that it was used for a real magical purpose. He also suspects that runes were meant to help find someone from Walsh's bloodline.
Before they leave the scene, Nick puts up a series of posters with a picture of the graffiti spell circle and the caption "Have you seen who did this?" He adds the number for one of his disposable phones on tearaway strips at the bottom of each poster.
The party takes another look at the two murder victims who were
residents of the tunnels, Sean Bulmer and Toni Hopf. The two victims don't seem to be related to either each other, or Walsh.
Nick takes a trip to the local county office, and comes away with a geneology of both Bulmer and Hopf, at least what can be put together from publicly available city records.
In trying to learn more about Bulmer, a casino manager, Vincent learns that there is a new prospective casino in the same neighbourhood as Bulmer's place of work, a prospective development called Red Reef Casinos. The casino doesn't exist yet, but its owners have apparently been making inquiries about zoning permits and property sales.
Wondering if there's a connection between Red Reef Casinos and the murders, VIncent does a bit of digging and learns that Toni Hopf, an educational activist, had previously spoken out against the prospective casino, as the property it was aiming to buy would displace a block of low-income housing.
The party decides to call it quits for the day, as it's getting late by now. They go their separate ways and head home. Nick arrives on the farm to discover a dead mouse left prominently on his front porch and a small but noticeable trail of leaves and brush in the hallway just outside his "conspiracy room." He immediately grabs the shotgun by the door, calls Han to request reinforcements, and hunkers down to wait for whatever comes next.
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Spirit of Tasmania and Holland America's cruise ship Noordam have been evacuated at Station Pier in Melbourne after sniffer dogs picked up 'suspicious scent'
Passengers have been stranded for four hours in the nearby port area, standing near the police cordons and waiting for officers to give them the all clear.
The Victorian Bomb Response Unit conducted safety checks at the pier after sniffer dogs picked up a suspicious smell at 12.15pm local time on Friday (Nov 20), but deemed the area safe at around 4.15pm.
A Victorian Police spokeswoman said 'everything has been cleared', and clarified that an earlier tweet published by the service about a 'suspicious package' being found was in fact incorrect.
It is understood that the vessels - which were set to depart at 5.30pm on Friday - will continue running according to schedule.
Mr Brooker said passengers, including those from the United States and Canada, had found shelter in a nearby pub as police inspected the Noordam.
'Police came in to check the pub and are occupying the whole of upstairs,' Mr Brooker said.
'There were paramedics, a couple of ambulances, at least 15 police cars and a lot of detectives [at the scene].'
Along with police tape, officers had also put up plastic water barriers.
Port of Melbourne Corporation chief executive Nick Easy would not comment on the operation but said the pier was in lockdown.
'Those two vessels are berthed at the pier and both were scheduled to depart at 5.30pm but they won't do so now until the area is cleared by Victoria Police,' Mr Easy told AAP.
The Spirit of Tasmania can hold up to 1,400 passengers as well as 500 cars and ferries people daily from Melbourne to Devonport.
Meanwhile, the Noordam has a capacity of up to 1,924 passengers and 800 crew.


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Do you suffer from Seborrheic Dermatitis? Are you embarrassed at the idea of going to a doctor to get help? Well before you go that route you might want to try out these home remedies for the condition. These home remedies are not really full scale methods, more so simple changes that can help improve the condition.
Stop consuming foods that contain a high level of acid
One of the main reasons why you might be suffering from Seborrheic Dermatitis is because you are consuming a lot of foods that have strong levels of acid in them. You can help out your condition a great deal if you just cut back on or eliminate these types of foods altogether. Control is what will be needed. In order to do this you will first need to make out a list of all the foods you eat that contain acid.
What are some foods that contain high levels of acids?
Believe it or not, some of the foods you eat that contain a lot of acid are actually supposed to be healthy for you. For instance, if you consume lots of oranges and other fruits from the citrus family, these foods are high in acid. But some of the more unhealthy foods people consume with high levels of acids are not foods really, but drinks. Drinks such as sodas are very high in acid and need to be cut out from your diet.
Why cutting out foods high in acid will help Seborrheic Dermatitis?
If you have Seborrheic Dermatitis, then you might notice at times that your condition begins to get worse. You might notice flare ups that really make the condition bad. High acidity contributes to this. If you cut out foods high in acid, you can reduce instances of flare ups. If you are dead serious about applying this approach, then you might want to invest some money into hiring a dietician. A dietician can really help you.
Start consuming more water in order to help with Seborrheic Dermatitis
Home remedies for Seborrheic Dermatitis do not have to be complex, and this might disappoint some people. The reality is you need to do simple things on a consistent long term basis in order to see improvement of your condition. How many people with Seborrheic Dermatitis drink enough water each day? Chances are not a lot. People in general should consume at least 8 glasses of water each day.
What does water do to help with Seborrheic Dermatitis?
In order for your skin to fight this skin condition, you need to make sure you are flushing out toxins that might cause it in the first place. In order for this to happen your body must stay properly hydrated. Drinking enough water each day will do this for you. It will also help to keep the skin properly moisturized. Water replenishes the skin and makes it look better. There is only one thing you have to follow though.
You cannot consume lots of other drinks such as coffee, sodas, fruit drinks, energy drinks or alcohol. These drinks tend to take water in order to get them out of your body. So these drinks offset the benefits of drinking water in the first place. The more water that has to go to cleansing your body of these drinks, the less water you have to replenish your skin. Also, you should try to drink filtered water just for safe measure.


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So let's start with Froggy.... A bit sheer on one coat but with 2 coats it's fully opaque. It's a beautiful shimmery green.
Next we have the Evil Queen and let me tell you I am in love with this red!
Following the Evil Queen we have Princess a light blue with a copper shimmer, now I finally know why I wasn't totally in love with Cinderella it's because I was hoping and waiting for this polish...
And of course following the Princess is her Prince Charming, which really reminds me of my prince charming because his favorite color is purple. Now I love this purple it's sheer in one coat like Froggy buy with coat number 2(depending on how thick your coats are) it's perfect.
Last but not least Happy Endings because every fairy tale deserves a happy ending. Happy ending is a rainbow shards in a clear base and I absolutely love it! It adds that charm to the polishes.
I simply love this collection.
Make sure to check out Cult Nails.
Cult Nails - www.cultnails.com
Twitter: @cultnails
Facebook: CultNailsLacquer
Instagram: CultNails
Pinterest: CultNails


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The Bible passage for meditation, prayer, and reflection for the week of October 4-10, 2015, is Micah 6:6-8. Micah, like many prophets, foretold of Israel's destruction because she had abandoned the way of the Lord, choosing instead to worship false gods and follow the demands of godless leaders. In this week's reading, Micah answers a question that many were asking, that many are still asking: What does God want?
With what shall I come before the Lord and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love kindness and mercy, and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:6-8, AMP)
What does God want? Is it a question you have ever asked? Everyone struggles with this question at some point in their life. What does God want from me? Micah's answer then is still a valid answer today. As you meditate on, pray over, and reflect upon this week's verse, consider if you are asking the wrong question. You know what God wants. How are you going to give it to Him?
The Bible passage for meditation, prayer, and reflection for the week of September 27-October 3, 2015, is Hebrews 5:11-14. The author of this letter is unknown, as are the intended recipients. Those who were receiving this letter were Christians who had formally been Jews. They were struggling in their faith and considering returning to their Jewish roots. This letter is one of encouragement and instruction to these Christians.
Concerning this we have much to say which is hard to explain, since you have become dull in your [spiritual] hearing and sluggish [even slothful in achieving spiritual insight]. For even though by this time you ought to be teaching others, you actually need someone to teach you over again the very first principles of God's Word. You have come to need milk, not solid food. For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action), for he is a mere infant [not able to talk yet]! But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law. (Hebrews 5:11-14, AMP)
Have you ever felt like you have hit a plateau in your spiritual growth? The Christians addressed in this letter had not only stopped growing in Christ, but were starting to fall away. They were allowing their daily struggles to overwhelm them, forgetting all that the Lord had done. A relationship with the Lord and living a life pleasing to Him was never promised to be an easy life. But it is a life that requires dedication and commitment in order to grow. Meditate on, pray over and reflect upon these verses. Do you show daily dedication and commitment to the Lord?
The Bible passage for meditation, prayer, and reflection for the week of September 20-26, 2015, is Proverbs 27:1-3. Most of the book of Proverbs is attributed to King Solomon who was extensively known for his wisdom, which was a gift from the Lord. Important to remember, however, is that Solomon lacked a solid relationship with Christ, often failing to follow the instructions given by the Lord, which led to Israel's downfall.
Do not boast of [yourself and] tomorrow, for you know not what a day may bring forth. Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips. Stone is heavy and sand weighty, but a fool's [unreasoning] wrath is heavier and more intolerable than both of them. (Proverbs 27:1-3, AMP)
Are you a bragger? Do you let others boast about your accomplishments or do you personally boast? We are to acknowledge the work we have done, the accomplishments we have made and then move on to our next project. It can be difficult to discern between acknowledging our work and bragging about our work. Carefully examine your actions and words this week and seek change if necessary. Are you a bragger?
The Bible passage for meditation, prayer, and reflection for the week of September 13-19, 2015, is John 21:20-22. Jesus has risen and once again revealed Himself to His disciples. During this time, Jesus and Peter have a discussion regarding Peter's death. But Peter is not satisfied simply knowing his fate.
But Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved, following—the one who also had leaned back on His breast at the supper and had said, Lord, who is it that is going to betray You? When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, Lord, what about this man? Jesus said to him, If I want him to stay (survive, live) until I come, what is that to you? [What concern is it of yours?] You follow Me! (John 21:20-22, AMP)
For many, Peter is a very relatable disciple. He does not always think before he speaks or acts, he speaks when he sometimes shouldn't, he makes mistakes and learns from them, and he is extremely curious. In his heart, he truly loves the Lord, even when he makes mistakes, he still loves the Lord. In this week's passage, Peter's curiosity shows once again. Jesus reminds Peter, reminds us all, that we serve Him in the way that we have been called to serve Him. We do not need to be overly concerned about the lives and works of others, but show our support for them. This week, as you mediate on, pray over, and reflect upon the above passage, focus on your service to the Lord. What are you doing to serve him everyday? What is your role in serving Christ?
The Bible passage for meditation, prayer, and reflection for the week of August 30-September 5, 2015, is John 13:3-15. This was Jesus' final night with His disciples before He was to by handed over and executed. Even then, He still had lessons to teach His disciples.
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?" Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand." Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me."Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!" Jesus said to him,"The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you."For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, "Not all of you are clean." When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. (John 13:3-15, ESV)
What chore do you absolutely despise doing? Cleaning the toilet? Bathing the dog? Washing dishes? Pick your own! Now, would you perform this task for the man who you knew was going to lead to your death in a few hours? Cleaning the feet of guests was a task given to a low-ranking servant. Feet were sweaty, stinky, and caked in dirt and dust from walking. Much like the chore you despise, it was not a task anyone normally wanted to perform. But Jesus did. He wanted to wash the feet of His disciples. Through this act, Jesus showed His love for the disciples and set the example they were to follow when He had returned to heaven. As you meditate on, pray over, and reflect upon this week's verse, ask yourself how can you follow the example set by Jesus? What actions are you going to take this week to follow Jesus' example?


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Anyone else feel like me?
I am new to Diabetic Connect. I was diagnosed 5/21/08. At first I walked daily and was off the insulin in a month. After about 3 months, the walking was not enough and I was back on insulin. Walking did not last since I am living in Michigan and the cold, snow, and ice are things I hate. I got laid off my job, my husband laid off. No insurance. No money. My sugar went crazy. My husband is still out of work. I found a job but make only 1/3 of what I used to make. I cannot get my sugar levels down. Shots twice a day do not help much. My count this morning when I woke was 256. Now I am also having BP problems. I feel like I just do not care. I cannot keep worrying about it. If it kills me (as it did my sister, brother and father) it just kills me. Is anyone else tired of trying to control their sugar. I cannot afford to eat vegetables every day. They are quite expensive and if I am lucky, I have $30 to $40 every two weeks to buy food for my husband and I. I know others must be going through this too. How are you coping and not just giving up? I am real tired right now.
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i am new to diabetic connect also.i too am exhausted from trying to exercise,plan meals and control my blood sugar.i feel lilke giving up,but i can't.each day is new,with no mistakes in it.
gratitude ,a spirit of thankfulness helps.we have been given life,the ability to see and breathe to move.acceptance of all the good we have and to give voice to it instead of fighting with our limitations relieves stress and stops the drain on energy that complaining,making excuses and feeding depression cycle us down into . thank god for clean water to drink,for that job that pays what it does and the vegetables, fruits and whole grains that feed everyone's body with life-not just diabetics.
i gave up for a month and i never want to be in that darkness and lostness again.writing down a food plan and an exercise time each day and committing to it got old-but i am not quitting-don't quit.help me to keep going by starting again,I'll help you to —my prayers are with you and all of us-who feel like quitting!SharonRuane
Thank you Sharon. I am going to get back on my bike when I get home from work today. Please keep the prayers going up for me. Just got more bad news in the mail yesterday. Enough prayers go up and I keep fighting and things will change. I believe that. Thanks again.
It does get stressful dealing with just diabetes all day, every day. But, you poor thing, you've got too much on your shoulders right now. Hang in there. Things have to go up from where you are. They can't get any worse. Come back here often. Most of us have been there, done that. We've all been out of work and terrified, but somehow the things you really need in this life are provided. The garden idea is great because after they're grown, get out your canning equipment (large pot is really the only thing you absolutely need — lol) and put up some of it for the colder months.
Hi,Jann and welcome to DC. I am also T2 i was diagnosed 6/24/08. I am retried chrysler worker I also live in Michigan.
I also i am growing my own gardren of vegs. Which helps for our food bill.My wife is on ssd and her income is low but it helps alot. I still have insurance thank God, they cover my insulin,between my wifes drugs and mine and higher co-pays on meds money goes fast.If you need someone to talk to please feel free to talk to me My e-mail is email@example.com
Thank you for the support. I am at work now. My computer at home died this weekend so I had no way to escape the four walls around me. I rent a place in Hamtramck and there is not much yard for growing. My husband was called to a temporary job doing security by Metro Airport where Chrysler has some vehicles waiting to be shipped out. He will not receive pay until the first week of July but I am thankful there will be a little extra coming in. My BG was 267 when I woke yesterday but today it was only 162 so I am real happy today. Hopefully it will stay below 200 for a while. Thanks to all of you for the advice and support. Wish I could have visited this place over the weekend. Until I am lucky enough to get a new computer I will only be able to get here occasionally while at work. Hope to be able to get back here soon. God Bless!
Hi Ms Jan
You can always grow your veggies in a planter box or such. Check the net of ideas. I found a site tonite www.ehow.com when trying to find out how to get from Baltimore Int'l Airport to Regan national Airport in DC. You can find just about anything on the internet. Good luck.
Hi! Jann,
Welcom to Diabetic Connect. You will enjoy reading the post and learning how other are coping with some of the things you are going through with their diabetes. I understand what you are going through. As we are going through financial problems are selves. Farmers market are a good place to get the vegies you need and save money. There are churches that have food boxes some free and some for a minamal fee. If you and your husband are eating the samethings you can save money. It's the ready to eat and boxed food that cost to much. We buy veggies, fruits and small amount of meat and 1% milk. We buy turkey burger and with Mrs. Dash on it is very good. If you would like some turkey burger recipes that are good let me know. If you buy sugar free items they are expensive and you have to count the carbs in them also. These are just some ideas that have helped us.
Your Friend
Thank you for you reply. I have been eating turkey burger for quite some time now even before being diagnosed. We go to a local food bank but it is once a month and they really mostly have the things I cannot have or do not want like desserts, pasta and canned juices. Occasionally they have bagged lettuce or canned corn and peas. Thanks again JoAnna!
Hello Ms. Jann,
Welcome to the community. I think that the fact that you joined us means that you are not as ready to give up as you might think. I am glad you're here.
Economic hardships are one of the worst things that can hit anyone with a chronic disease. I too am uninsured, working at a fraction of what I used to make, so I can relate to some of what you are going through. I had fallen this winter into an "I can't deal with it" attitude and when one day I got up to a 447, that was enough to wake me up. My husband went out with his last few bucks and bought me enough salad fixings for a few days. It was very touching to me.
One thing that helps us through the summer is that we have a garden. It doesn't supply everything, but it helps fill the gaps a lot. Fresh is always best and veggies are a better choice in almost all situations. Shop your local farmer's markets. The prices are better and the food is fresher. It may take a little more time, but it is worth it to keep veggies in the house.
There are things we can do if we are willing to ask for help. What we had to do for a while was go to a local food bank run by a church. It offers meat, fruit and vegetables. We had to pay, but it was a fraction of what we would pay at a grocery store. Sometimes we just have to be humble enough to accept the help that is out there. That alone can be depressing and make us want to give up.
So yes, I think we all go through times where it seems too hard to keep going the way we know we should. It is natural to reach those walls. The true test of your character is what you do at the wall.
I know that someone out here understands what I am experiencing and some are going through worse times. The night sweats waking me, the fear of losing my car, the inability to control my glucose levels, etc make it so hard to sleep which increases my stress which does not help the BG levels. Vicious circle. Thanks a bunch for your support and suggestions. I feel rather foolish but I need to express how frustrated and tired I am and most people here will understand. Most people that know me have no idea how depressed and tired I am. I keep it to myself. My husband does not even have a clue. He worries over me enough. And feels guilty since he was laid off his job.
Thanks again. I am thankful to have a job when it comes right down to it and now I am thankful for all of you here.
God Bless,
I can so relate. The same year I was diagnosed with diabetes, we had to file for bankruptcy, it killed me. I lost a lot of my home based business I had built after I was laid of in 2006. I was always a responsible person, had great credit...but my income loss came at a very bad time. We lost our car but tried to keep our home. I felt much relief after the bankruptcy, but the hose then became too much and the constant fret of loosing it hung over our family. It was so hard.
Once I decided to let go, a weight was lifted. Doors opened up for us and we are in a safe place now by the grace of god and friends. We are still loosing our home, but now it is not such a burden to us. We have learned to live well on a lot less. Times are tight, and we are but one hic-up away from being homeless. I don't think about it, keep working as much as I can and we make it some how. Letting go is a trite phrase, but it really does work. Sometimes doors do not open until we let go of the door knob we are holding on to.
I know the extra burden to take care of ourselves and our families is so taxing sometimes. There are still days when I just can't motivate myself to do anything. But that doesn't last too long and for the most part, we are very happy. Living simple means that our joy comes from each other and simple things like a fresh cucumber from the garden or home made jam from the blueberry fields. It sounds a little "Waltonish" but we like it. There is a lot less stress that comes with a simple life.
Wow. We did too. I was diagnosed in May and filed in December. Still cannot keep up with the medical bills though. In order to keep the car had to file Chapter 13 so I have huge monthly payments that leave little to live on now that our income is about 1/4 of what it was when we filed. If I let the car go there will be no way to get the 30+ miles to my job. We already rent and owe back rent so we fortunately do not worry about the house too much. Mainly I want to get my sugar and blood pressure under control. I do not want my husband to have to go through what we went through with my sister and father. My brother went quickly but my sister suffered for almost 2 years and my dad about 14 months. I know what diabetes can do and I am trying so hard not to let it destroy me like that.
There will be a light. Sometimes in the storm it is hard to see, but it is out there. Faint and far away, but if you fix your eyes on it, it will grow. I am always accused of being a Pollyanna, but you know, when you face the kinds of things you are going through, it certainly helps a lot to be that way.
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THE Tories are "running amok" while Labour focuses on finding a replacement for Ed Miliband, the party's Scottish leadership favourite Kezia Dugdale has warned.
The Lothian MSP said the UK Labour leadership contest – which still has another six weeks to run – was "too long" and was allowing the Conservatives to forge ahead with controversial policies, including welfare cuts.
She said: "This happened in 2010 when Gordon Brown lost office – we spent far too long debating the future of the party, which I accept is important, but not as important as maintaining our economic credibility and record.
"We let the Tories run amok while we took months to choose a new leader – and the same is happening again."
Since Mr Miliband's resignation following Labour's general election defeat, the party at Westminster has been led by deputy leader Harriet Harman, who is also standing down.
Ballot papers to choose the new UK leader and deputy will not be sent out until August 14 with the result due at a special conference on September 12.
The Scottish Labour leadership contest is a shorter process, with voting already under way and the result due on August 15.
Ms Dugdale used a televised debate with leadership rival Ken Macintosh earlier this week to criticise Labour MPs for abstaining in a vote on the Tories' Welfare Bill, which proposes drastic changes to tax credits.
She said: "Tax credits were one of the best things the Labour government introduced, helping families make ends meet. We failed to defend those families when we failed to vote against that policy last week.
"We failed to stand up for our record as well. I'm proud of that record and I was angry when our MPs didn't vote against it."
She said Labour MPs were trying to make the Bill better and she accepted the need for pragmatism. But she added: "There are times when you have to make a stand and you have to say 'No'. We should have done that last week."
The SNP has capitalised on Labour's abstentions to claim the new 56-strong Nationalist group is now the "real opposition" at Westminster.
But Ms Dugdale said she was less concerned about the SNP than the Tories taking advantage of Labour's distractions.
She said: "It's more about the damage the Tories can do when they think no-one is watching.Changing tax credits in the way they want to is not a small thing. It affects hundreds of thousands of people across the UK."
She said the top priority was to make it clear what the party was about. "At the election, we had 160 different policies in our manifesto, but no-one knew what we were for. People want to know why we are Labour and what we believe in rather than what we would do for them. It's back to first principles – what are they voting for when they vote Labour?
"We need a strong Labour Party articulating why a fairer, more equal society is better for everyone, regardless of their income or background."


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Fisherman's Wharf hotels are on the northern end of San Francisco near many popular attractions. Discover details on the best SF lodging options in this neighborhood including the Sheraton, Holiday Inn Express, and more.
There is a lot to see and do in this district, including the popular shopping area at Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square, and the Alcatraz Ferry Terminal. If you plan on spending a lot of time in this neighborhood or are traveling with children, I recommend staying at one of the hotels recommended below.
You can also easily access the rest of the city from Fisherman's Wharf. Public transportation is a good option, as buses, cable cars, and street cars run frequently in and out of this neighborhood. Getting to Union Square only takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
You will find both recognizable hotel chains and some great local gems in this neighborhood. Many line up along a couple of main streets that are within walking distance to the action and the waterfront.
Below are some of my top recommendations for every budget. They are set up by star rating to make it easy for you to find the type of hotel that works for you. At the top of the page, you will find the four-star hotels. The next section is the three-star hotels—which are the most popular—and the final section includes a couple of two-star recommendations.
Disclaimer: I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.
Before you get started on my list of top options below, here are just a few places to look and see what types of deals you can get on your Fisherman's Wharf Hotels.
Booking: Find great deals all around San Francisco for your upcoming stay!
TripAdvisor: What's the #1 hotel in San Francisco? Read reviews & find hotel deals on TripAdvisor!
You will also find some great deals below for each hotel. All of these deals are offered through TripAdvisor and you just need to click the "Book a Room" link to learn more.
| Around $287 - $541 a night | Book a Room
This boutique hotel is my top recommendation for luxury hotels in Fisherman's Wharf. It is located on the western side of the neighborhood, right across the street from the waterfront, and close to all of the action.
The building was originally a warehouse built in 1907, and was eventually converted into a hotel with a fun nautical theme.
Rooms include a flat screen TVs and high speed internet. They also accept pets.
The Argonaut features views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island. There is an on-site restaurant, bar, and fitness center. In addition, the hotel invites guests to its wine happy hour nightly.
| About $197 - $490 a night | Book a Room
Another one of the great Fisherman's Wharf hotels is the Sheraton. This is a huge hotel that is made up of 6 buildings and includes 531 rooms.They just remodeled in 2009.
The location is great since it is just a couple of blocks from Pier 39 San Francisco. It also has an outdoor pool and wireless internet access.
The rooms in this hotel are spacious and clean. They include coffee makers, desks, and comfortable beds.
| Around $237 - $443 a night | Book a Room
The Marriott is another one of the top Fisherman's Wharf hotels. It is just two blocks from Pier 39 San Francisco. It has 285 rooms that are in one five-story building.
The hotel has an on-site spa that offers massages, facials, and other treatments. It has a two-level health club and sauna that is open 24 hours a day. The hotel also offers wireless internet.
The rooms feature luxurious bedding and bath products. All rooms also include free internet, safes, refrigerators, coffee makers, ironing boards, and hairdryers.
| Around $230 - $527 a night | Book a Room
Located just two blocks from Pier 39 San Francisco, this sleek, modern hotel is in a five-story building with 316 guest rooms.
Guests who stay at the hotel can enjoy the heated outdoor pool and spa tub. They can also access the fitness center that has equipment with individual TVs.
All rooms include luxurious bedding and beds. They also feature 32-inch TVs with premium channels, marble bathrooms, wireless internet, and desks.
The hotel also has a great restaurant and sports bar.
| Around $243 - 466 a night | Book a Room
One of the most popular Fisherman's Wharf hotels is the Pier 2620 Hotel. They offer large rooms, plenty of amenities, and the perfect location for both vacationers and business travelers.
Just three blocks from the water, this hotel is close enough to walk to any location in the neighborhood.
Rooms include free high speed internet, 55-inch flat-screen TVs with media hubs, safes, mini-fridges, coffee-makers, and comfortable beds.
This hotel also features a 24-hour fitness center for guests and a business center for those working during their trip.
|Best Alcatraz
Prison Tours
|Pier 39: Shopping &
|Ghirardelli Square:
Top Things to Do
| Around $213 - $448 a night | Book a Room
This gem is one of the best located Fisherman's Wharf hotels. It offers direct access to Jefferson Street (the main street in the district) through a small hallway and door.
The reason I love this place is because they offer newly refreshed rooms, free Wifi throughout the building, and a state-of-the-art gym. All rooms also offer coffee makers, large windows, and tech-friendly smart TVs.
It's perfect for those wanting a comfortable place to relax with easy access to the local attractions.
| Around $229 - $491 a night | Book a Room
One of the newer Fisherman's Wharf hotels is the Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites. It's also in the heart of the action, just a few blocks from everything in Fisherman's Wharf.
It has quite a few amenities for its guests, including a fitness center and on-site childcare services. All rooms have satellite TV and high speed internet access.
This one of the few hotels that offer complimentary breakfast with your stay. There is also a bar in the hotel so you can kick back and relax after a long day of walking around the city.
This is another great option for those looking for a three-star hotel for their stay.
| Around $228 - $425 a night | Book a Room
The Courtyard by Marriott is another favorite of mine because it is just a block from the water. This location can't be beat at this price point!
The hotel has a restaurant and cafe off the lobby, high speed internet access, and plenty of room to work or relax.
Connecting rooms are available for those traveling in larger groups. You can also access movies in your room if you decide to stay in one night. If you like the Marriott chain of hotels, this is a great option for your stay.
| Around $241 - $428 a night | Book a Room
The Tuscan is another popular San Francisco lodging option in Fisherman's Wharf. This 221-room hotel is conveniently located, making it easy to get around the neighborhood on foot.
Features include an evening wine hour every night, complimentary Wifi, and a traditional Italian restaurant.
The Tuscan also allows small pets for a fee. Enquire directly to learn more.
Lombard Street
to Do In SF
in San Francisco
Around $113 - $172 a night | Book a Room
Unplug and unwind in this historic hotel on the border of North Beach and Fisherman's Wharf. It is simple and cost effective.
The San Remo was built in 1906, and in line with the decorations from that era, does not have phones or TVs in the rooms. (They do, however, provide free Wifi if you choose to bring your device.)
This budget friendly option has few amenities and shared baths.
Around $188 - $385 a night | Book a RoomAnother simple and affordable option is the Wharf Inn. This is one of the Fisherman's Wharf hotels with free parking (a huge money saver).
Located just a block from the water, you can walk to the ferries instead of worrying about driving.
The Wharf Inn does not have many amenities, but is clean and comfortable. It is great for those who spend little time in their room and just need a clean place to crash.
Around $130 - $238 a night | Book a Room
The Travelodge is another one of the budget friendly Fisherman's Wharf hotels.
It is just a few blocks farther out than the others on this list, but is still centrally located for easy access to all the attractions. It's about a four-block walk to the waterfront.
This is a small establishment with only 25 rooms. The amenities are basic, but they do offer free Wifi and TVs and microwaves in the rooms.
These are some of the best Fisherman's Wharf hotels. Many of these do not include parking and charge quite a bit for the convenience.
If you are staying in the city for most of your trip, then there is no reason to rent a car. If you are driving to San Francisco, you will want to enquire on parking fees before booking your hotel as they can run up to $30 or more a night!
San Francisco has a lot of hotels throughout the city. Here are some additional neighborhoods to investigate:
San Francisco Hotels Union Square: Want to stay in the center of San Francisco? If so, then check out this list of great hotels in Union Square. Staying here puts you in the middle of some great nightlife and restaurants. You can also access other parts of the city easily.
Downtown San Francisco Hotels: This page includes a number of hotel recommendations just outside of Union Square. Most are just a few blocks from Union Square and all are still centrally located.
Want to search for hotels by budget instead? If so, here are a few additional options for you to review:
San Francisco Luxury Hotels: Find recommendations for some of the great, historic and luxury hotels located in Nob Hill. You can also find recommendations for some of the newer modern luxury hotels popping up throughout the city.
Cheap Hotels in San Francisco: Want to find something a little more reasonably priced? If you are like me and spend little time in your room, then check out some of these great cheaper hotels. The are clean, yet affordable so great for those looking to spend most of their time out exploring the amazing sites throughout San Francisco.
Hi there! I'm Jill and I love writing about San Francisco travel as much as I love exploring my amazing city. Thanks for stopping by and please contact me if you have any questions before your trip.


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Vonage may have had a nice summer, but its spring and fall clearly have left much to be desired.
In March, a federal jury found that the company had violated VoIP patents held by Verizon. The award was $58 million and 5.5 percent royalties on future revenues. On Wednesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., upheld the findings on two of the three patents. It sent back the third patent -- which involves Wi-Fi technology -- for further review. The award of $58 million and 5.5 percent of royalties also is being reviewed, since it was based on the breaching of all three patents.
These days, losing on two of three counts and having the third reconsidered -- not reversed -- qualifies as the good news for Vonage. The bad news came on Tuesday, when a federal court in Kansas City ordered the company to pay another hefty chunk of change -- $69.5 million -- for infringement on patents held by Sprint Nextel. The company now is trading for less than $1 per share on the New York Stock Exchange.
The obvious question is whether this sounds the death knell for Vonage. The company obviously was struggling with the ramifications of the March decision. It is difficult to see a scenario in which it can continue operations much longer in light of a decision that more than doubles the penalties from the earlier finding.
Russell Shaw at ZDNet sifts through industry thinking on what the decisions mean. The first two reactions cited are from Om Malik at GigaOM and a blogger at Techdirt. Both observers think that the company may not be able to survive. The TechDirt observer adds that it's unfortunate, since Vonage is better at marketing VoIP than the companies that hold the patents.
However, Shaw clearly puts the most stock in the opinion of Richard Doherty, the research director of the Envisioneering Group. Doherty, whose opinions appeared in The Washington Post, thinks that Sprint will be more interested in Vonage's customers than the judicial award. Thus, the decision may lead the companies to make a deal -- one that is highly favorable to Sprint, of course -- or the cellular company may acquire Vonage outright.
The other big question, of course, is what this means for VoIP as a whole. The unfortunate reality is that the death of Vonage, along with the sudden demise this summer of Sunrocket, further marginalizes the standalone sector of the VoIP industry.
Patents may not be the only reason that the sands of the hour glass are running out for standalone VoIP providers. This commentary at New Telephony says that the biggest trend at the Internet Telephony Conference & Expo was the convergence of voice and data applications -- with an emphasis on data -- under the general VoIP label. While there is no conceptual reason that standalone VoIP providers can't offer unified communications, the reason is that the greater complexity and breathe of applications in unified communications scenarios favors companies that are broader and have more services to offer.
This commentary at Tom's Technology Take was posted at about the time that Sunrocket ceased operating. It suggests that the twin meltdowns will be fatal to the standalone VoIP category. The blogger says that the best of these companies will be sold to incumbent phone companies, who will use them to provide corporate and low cost consumer services.
In other words, the technology -- but not the business niche -- will survive.
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