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21 December 2015
Supergirl S1E8 "Hostile Takeover" review
Supergirl's mid season finale arrived this week, bringing back some characters that haven't been seen since the beginning of the show and some moments that reflect on DC's recent attempt at a live action Superman. Was it a culmination of all the progress made since it's start or a reminder of the wasted potential that defines the majority of the first half of the series?
For a start, it brings back plot elements that were introduced far earlier in the series. It seems to remember the little plot line about Kara's evil super-powered aunt and the whole jail full of escaped alien criminals. Carrying on from their sudden appearance at the end of the previous episode, they fight Supergirl several times over the course of this instalment but their end goal is never really explained. While it intends to show villains with a layered and complex plan, it comes across as messy and confusing.
This episode also brings back flashbacks from Krypton, which is an opportunity that the show has not been taking advantage of. With these returning elements combined it feels like this was an episode that was written along with the initial few and all others in between were either filler or a completely separate story. It would explain the strange disconnect between the episodes and how some feel like they don't fit together, both in tone and narrative. This is exemplified by other smaller elements such as Kara's combat training, of which we only saw her start, but now appears to be an expert. It would make things feel more natural if we saw these progressions throughout the series, if only briefly.
The rest of the episode deals with Kara's boss, Cat, whose email account has been hacked, leaking her personal emails to the world. Of course, she puts the only people we know who work at Cat Co on the case to find out who did it and to try and control any damages that might be caused. For the most part this plot works as it allows Cat to expand on the side of her personality that has made her the most entertaining side character on the show. It also gives opportunity for a few humorous moments, such as discussing the e-mails of Cat asking out Idris Elba and being rejected or ones that show Cat heavily investing into a Jekyll and Hyde musical.
The real focus of the episode is on Kara trying to stop her Kryptonian aunt, Astra. It shows in greater detail than before, some much needed back-story between Kara and Astra through flashbacks that take place on Krypton. The show tries to make us empathise with both characters by showing how close they were before the planet's destruction. But it's too little, too late. If this had been shown earlier in the series then and developed as it continued, or even had been shown a small glimpse into their relationship, then we could have seen the impact this is having on Kara. We could have seen how hard it is for her to fight someone she was so close to, especially someone who has a strong link to her childhood on Krypton. Instead the aunt comes across as a generic bad guy who we know nearly nothing about. By not focusing on the emotions of the characters or character development, they can't expect the audience to care about Astra. It's a shame too as some of the story elements that are raised during this episode start to open up the characters and could start some interesting plot lines.
At the midpoint, a large scale confrontation between Kara and Astra takes place that uses a lot of call backs to Man of Steel. Aside from the fact that it is a fight involving two Kryptonians in a large built up city, there were multiple camera angles that mirror some of the camera work in Man of Steel, such as the shots that follows the back of the character as they punch their opponent through the air or the high angle wide shots used when someone is sent flying through a building. There are even a few destroyed buildings and people in danger thrown in for good measure.
If this was on purpose I'm sure it was display the differences between Supergirl and Clark Kent's last silver screen appearance. They make sure to place a strong emphasis on Kara saving bystanders from falling debris caused from the fight and on the choices Kara has on how to handle a rogue Kryptonian. It seems that even someone in DC was displeased with Man of Steel's decisions. While the action is passable, it's obvious call backs to Man of Steel highlight the differences in budget and CGI between them. While it doesn't take too much away from the episode as a whole, it isn't the most engrossing action and broke my immersion with how rough some of it looks.
There's a moment very near the beginning of the episode that sums up most of my feelings about Supergirl so far. They establish that the escaped Kryptonians can stop the effects of Kryptonite by wearing specific clothing. Alongside the very large ramifications to the Superman mythos it has if this is plot is continued, it just felt like a lazy plot device with ramifications that they haven't thought too far into the future about. A lot of this episode feels lazy, actually. It's not bad but nothing special, which is a only a problem as this is the mid-season finale which should finish on the highest note possible. For every stride they take forward, there's always something holding the show back from it's full potential.
That's not to say it doesn't have its good moments. By bringing back some ideas from early episodes, certain moments in this episode display it's greatest strengths. By combining clever storytelling, Kara's memories of Krypton along with her mother's hologram, it delivers surprisingly deep character moments that show her struggle with her aunt and mother. Along with Cat's position as a surrogate mother for Kara, it highlights a strength of this show and the story it can tell of Kara's unique position of an alien torn between two worlds. One of a child that couldn't, and still can't, understand the decisions that her parents made. It's at its best when we get to see Kara start to realise why they acted that way and the effects it has on her current life.
While the story of Cat's hacked e-mails is wrapped up a little too perfectly, a few twists are thrown in during the last 10 minutes, including one that could have some long lasting impacts on the show (doesn't that sound familiar?). But just as the plot is coming to a conclusion, it just ends in the middle of a fight scene. There is a huge difference between leaving the audience on a cliff hanger and just not showing the end to a story.
Overall, I guess it's both a culmination of all the progress made since the start of the show and a reminder of the wasted potential that defines Supergirl. When the characters, plot and tone all come together, scenes can make the most of the potential of Kara's story, that show her character struggling to find her place in an alien world. At other times, it feels infuriatingly lazy and cheap. I'm hopeful for the second half of the season as the foundations for strong characters and interesting plots have been already set up, but on the other hand when the time comes, I wouldn't be too surprised to see these mishandled and the opportunity wasted.
Posted by Nate
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Saturday, May 23, 2009
Doug LaMarche
8 comments:
Douglas is one of the best artist I encountered in my life. I have the great honor to have 4 pieces of his unique, soul lifting and remarkable work.ReplyDelete
He has touched the hearts of some many people with his karma and genuine way of being. To us (my kids and I) he is a living example, that the sky is the limit. BRAVO DOUGLAS !!!!
The Ruiz-Merroth Family in Newport Beach, CA
Met Douglas on a trip to LA in September this year. Had a great chat and bought one of his amazing paintings unfortunately it had to be small enough to fit in a suitcase.ReplyDelete
Canberra Australia
I just left Venice beach and my own chance encounter with Douglas. I turned, and he was right in front of me. Holding two pieces of art. A three dimensional bust of a female, and a two dimensional collage painting. I asked him if I could take a picture of him- he looked so cool with the orange November sunset behind him- and he obliged. Well, we struck up a conversation and i found him to be just so pleasant. it was so strange- I knew he was holding art, but I didnt really "notice" the art until we started talking. Suddenly his art was so beautiful to me, and to hear him talk about how he made the pieces made the art that much more incredible. I had to own them both and was delighted to find out that they were both available. I didn't even think about how I was going to get these pieces back to Chicago with me and still don't know. It doesn't matter.ReplyDelete
I had my wife and kids with me and could see the wonderment in my kids eyes to hear Douglas talk about his art. This was a magical and chance encounter with a great man. Thank you Douglas!
The Friedlands,
Chicago IL
Great story Robert. I live here in Venice. I always look foreward to visiting with Douglas and seeing his latest art. I was visiting with Douglas on the boardwalk this evening. He had this awesome work of art "Mini Me". A lady and her family came together with Douglas, and this is where it is hard for me explain what happened. They talked, they hugged, they laughed. The lady bought "Mini Me". I am still buzzing from the vibes of that encounter! I have NEVER seen anyone respond to art like that, and then , Douglas is so appreciative and happy that it just amplified the whole scene.ReplyDelete
Next I was going to say that Douglas is a GREAT artist, but that is an understatement- what Douglas creates is much more than art.
Thank's Douglas- see you out there!
Venice, CA
Thank you all for your tributes to Douglas. His spirit, determination, care and talent are truly inspiring to me. I have lost touch with Douglas - if any of you have any contact information for him, please contact me at firstname.lastname@example.com or 323.864.3100. Thank you so much.ReplyDelete
Robert Zuckerman
- AnonymousApril 18, 2011 at 12:22 PM
Doug is such an awesome man. He is a uncle to my best friend steph. For her wedding in September is the first time I had the pleasure to meet Doug. He had done a awesome piece of work for her and her new husband. Then on 4-27-11 we were on the board walk my husband stops looks down and he sees Doug stops me and I started small talk with Doug. Bought a piece if his work. Just so happy to have a great piece of art hanging in my home. We will be getting more. As we walked back to Santa Monica people were stopingg and asking about the art. Love itReplyDelete
Amber wood
Doug is a great artist and I unfortunately lost touch with him about a year ago. The energy is undeniable and I would just love to strike up a conversation with him about art and life. My name is Alex Serna, and if anyone has any idea where he is, please let me know by posting a comment.ReplyDelete
Alex Serna
I used to work at a cafe in Hollywood where Doug painted, and I fell in love with his determination to art, and love of imagination. I have lost contact with him, but I miss his smiling face, and kind spirit. I purchased four of his paintings (which he always gave me a "starving actor's" deal on, and currently, due to moving so much, I have only one painting left of his. I hope wherever you are Doug, that you are well and creating art.ReplyDelete
Thank you, Jared M.

subset: commoncrawl


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I sent Payne a whole lot of questions, and asked her to answer five or six, and to answer all the quick fire ones at the end. She answered nearly all of them! ~Debbie~
What inspired you to write your first book? It was my therapy after a major emotional breakdown.
How did you come up with the title? AdventuresinPayne came into being when I was in so much emotional pain it physically hurt my body. I was feeling sarcastic and I just thought it was some sort of adventure in feeling every sort of pain possible.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? Your soul will go on. Be careful what you invest your time in—thoughts, feelings, words, hobbies even, all of that will go with you through every life.
How much of the book is realistic? Adventures is all fiction, but the emotional aspects are very real and how I was feeling when I originally wrote it in 2012.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor? For my paranormal romances I would most like to emulate Kresley Cole. I love her work and find it pure entertainment.
What are your current projects? Right now I'm working on part two in my AdventuresinPayne series, Discovery. This series is multi-layered and spans not only multiple lifetimes, but also different time dimensions and other planets. It's a complicated love story about three souls dealing with circumstances out of their control. This series is not as 'fluffy' as my Dormant Desires series and AdventuresinPayne isn't so much erotica as it is fantasy fiction romance.
Do you see writing as a career? YES! I would like to make the second half of my life into that of author and be capable of writing multiple books and series.
Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work? Diana Gabaldon. She is amazing at portraying depth of character along with place and time/history. I find combining all of that a daunting task and my writing is simple in comparison to hers.
Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)? Not at all… yet.
Who designed the covers? I've done some, and a friend helped with a couple. I traded a ghost written story for the Alpha and Omega covers. I paid an artist for the AdventuresinPayne, Remnant cover.
What was the hardest part of writing your book? Editing and revision.
Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it? I've learned so much I could write an entire book on just this subject.
Do you have any advice for other writers? It sounds so cliché, but for me it was to just sit and write and then self-publish everything! Blogs, articles and books. All of it I put it up and out there and I learned from the feedback. I wrote daily for almost 2 straight years and nothing helped me more than just putting down words.
What genre do you consider your book(s)? Paranormal, fantasy, romance, and for some romance/erotica.
Do you ever experience writer's block? Often, it helps to write a sex scene.
Do you write an outline before every book you write? No. I get an idea and I think, but then I just start writing. I never know what will happen or when a new character will appear. All my stories have written me. I have to write linearly from beginning to end. I can alter later, but when I'm actually creating I can't seem to jump around. It's gotta be beginning, middle, end… or cliff hanger as seems to be the case with most of mine.
Have you ever hated something you wrote? All the time!
What is your favorite theme/genre to write about? Supernatural humans, paranormal anything. Other dimensions and different species. Anything to do with animals.
And the quick fire, please answer all of these!
Hot or Cold? Cold
Sweet or Savoury? Savoury
Tea or Coffee? Coffee
Coke or Pepsi? Neither
Facebook or Twitter? Facebook
Summer or Winter? Winter
Chocolate or icecream? Chocolate
Ebook or paperback? Audiobook


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Here! I joined Indonesian Club's dinner last saturday. It was fun. I met all Indonesian Students who are studying at Kuching, Sarawak. This event was held on Banquet near by Boulevard shopping center. There were a lot of Lodge International Students. Big thanks to Ella who is the President of Indonesian Club and has invited me on this party.
Dress - unbranded, Hells - my second sister's, Bag - Mango
Some pictures of mine which is i would like to share to you guys :)
I met my work mate when I was working at 100 yen. I miss her (Wendy), she was having her friend's farewell party and this picture is taken by her boyfriend, Hocan. Thank you!
Banquet - Saturday, 02 October 2010.


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The Custom Box chicken is getting bolder and bolder. Today as I was unloading the stuff from Costco, the chicken marched up to the back door and demanded to be fed. Since the cat have learned to self-feed from the bag, we're not good at making sure food gets set out for the bird. This makes the bird unhappy.
So I scooped up a bowl of cat food and let the chicken lead me to her dish under the garden shed. Jeff put away the picnic table while I was on vacation, so I sat on a bench and waited while the chicken eyed me warily. She clucked her disapproval, but she eventually strutted over to have a snack. She wouldn't let me pet her. She was also nervous of Duke, who had come out to see what I was doing.
Duke and Max have turned into a pair of fine animals. It's been a long time since we had shop cats, and we'd forgotten how fun it is. These two are especially good.
Max has developed several passions:
- He likes to eat, especially fresh from the bag.
- He likes to play with bottle caps of any sort — they can amuse him for hours.
- He likes to race. Jeff calls him the "grey cheetah".
I still worry that the cats will venture too close to the road, though I've never seen any sign of this. They do have a bad habit of hanging around in the gravel parking area, greeting everyone in the morning. (They follow us to the back door of the office, and as soon as we open it, they race inside to eat from the bag.)
I'd still bring both cats home in a second, if Kris would let me. I'd even bring home the chicken.
On this day at foldedspace.org
2005 — Helpless In which something is wrong with Simon, but we don't know what.


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Fairfax, VA—Following concerns raised by the National Rifle Association (NRA), the Federal Emergency Management Authority (FEMA) has changed its policy regarding firearms in temporary housing units; storage and possession of firearms are no longer banned at FEMA temporary housing. FEMA officials notified NRA attorneys this weekend that FEMA is in the process of revamping firearms rules for temporary housing parks for all disasters but that they were taking "immediate steps to address this (ban)" at the FEMA Park in Baker, LA.
NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre welcomed this move saying, "It is wrong to force citizens to give up their constitutional rights in order for them to get a needed federal benefit. Our constitutional rights must be preserved even in the face of a natural disaster, a pandemic or a terrorist attack."
NRA chief lobbyist, Chris Cox added, "NRA`s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) worked with FEMA authorities to help right this injustice. We`re pleased that FEMA has formally changed their regulations nationwide on the possession and storage of firearms by law-abiding victims of disasters in their temporary housing parks."
The controversy erupted after the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff`s Department asked FEMA to ban all firearms at temporary trailer shelters where victims of Hurricane Katrina were staying rent-free while they found permanent housing. NRA began to work with FEMA officials to reverse this policy as soon as the directive was issued. The NRA was also prepared to file a lawsuit, if the need arose.
This is the second major victory for the NRA in Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina. Earlier, the New Orleans Police Department was ordered to cease and desist their gun confiscation operations by the United States District Court for the Eastern District in Louisiana. The NRA pledged to tighten language in emergency statutes in Louisiana and other states to ensure gun confiscations do not happen again.
LaPierre said, "The Second Amendment must never be the first casualty of disaster. The breakdown of law and order in the aftermath of a disaster - is exactly the kind of situation where the Second Amendment was intended to allow citizens to protect themselves. After Hurricane Katrina hit, and lawlessness prevailed across the region, many victims depended on their guns for survival against the roving bands of thugs, looters and rapists."
"NRA-ILA will address this at the state and federal level. Efforts are currently underway in the states. The media images of lawlessness are the most compelling images to help us make this argument. When disaster hits, 911 is nonexistent. It is wrong for government to take away the only tool for survival - a lawfully owned firearm - that victims haveunder these circumstances," concluded Cox.


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Kareem Ibrahim wins SSMU presidency
Kareem Ibrahim was elected president of the Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU) last week with 52.5 per cent of the vote. The results were released by Elections SSMU last Friday. Alexei Simakov, the opposing candidate, gained 47.5 per cent of the vote. The rest of the SSMU executive will be comprised of Vice-President (VP)… Keep Reading


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Star Wars Force Awakens #5 Cgc Ss 9.8 Signed Adam Driver Kylo Ren Last Jedi
STAR WARS THE FORCE AWAKENS #5. KYLO REN PHOTO VARIANT COVER.CGC SIGNATURE SERIES 9.8. SIGNED BY KYLO REN HIMSELF.. INCLUDES CELEBRITY AUTHENTICS COA CARD ALSO! SO NOT ONLY CGC SIGNATURE SERIES BUT ALSO CELEBRITY AUTHENTICS VERIFYING (WITH PICTURE OF ADAM SIGNING COMIC ON COA)! The item "STAR WARS FORCE AWAKENS #5 CGC SS 9.8 SIGNED ADAM DRIVER KYLO REN LAST JEDI" is in sale since Friday, January 05, 2018. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Comics\Modern Age (1992-Now)\Superhero\Star Wars". The seller is "order_66" and is located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
This item can be shipped to United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Denmark, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Czech republic, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Estonia, Australia, Greece, Portugal, Cyprus, Slovenia, Japan, China, Sweden, South Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, South africa, Thailand, Belgium, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Russian federation, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Saudi arabia, Ukraine, United arab emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Croatia, Malaysia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa rica, Panama, Trinidad and tobago, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica.
- Certification: CGC
- Publisher: Marvel
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- Main Character: Kylo Ren
- Grade: 9.8 NM/MT


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Large Amounts of Gold Buried Beneath Chilean Glaciers
One of the world's largest unmined deposits of gold lay beneath a series of glaciers at 15,000 feet in the Andes Mountains. However, a company from Toronto named the Barrick Gold Corporation wants to change that. However, in order to reach the gold deposits they must chisel their way through a large glacier. Naturally, environmentalists are not happy.
Environmental activists in the Chilean capital, Santiago, dumped buckets of crushed ice this year outside the local headquarters of the Canadian mining company Barrick Gold Corp. In June, thousands marched in Santiago and the northern Chilean city of Vallenar, shouting slogans such as "We are not a North American colony" and handing out nuggets of fool's gold emblazoned with the words oro sucio — "dirty gold."
The ever-louder protests have drawn Chile's National Congress into the fray. In August, a parliamentary commission began considering a law that would protect the country's glaciers from commercial activities, though it has yet to pass any legislation.
Pascua Lama Glaciers
However, with the price of gold rapidly increasing the past few years, the desire to mine these large, untapped deposits will only get stronger. Will Chile bow to the corporate and economic interests? More info from MiningWatch.
Similar Posts on Geology News:
- Chile Approves Gold Mining Project
- Tracking Kimberlites in Minnesota
- Rubies Found in Greenland
- Landsat 5 Fully Operational After Brief Interruption
- Bacterial Alchemy!


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This list will go back only to when I began blogging. Pictures from earlier finishes are on a thumb drive "somewhere" in the apartment. Some even earlier quilts appear on my web page.
Here I list all types of quilts; if you are interested only in art or modern quilts, see those pages. Over time, I sometimes improve quilt names, so names may change.
Water is Life May (shown in guild show)
Loop d' Loop April
King Cole Meets Magritte April
Border Practice (I know, it could use a better name) November
Welcome Blanket #2 October
Welcome 'Blanket' #1 (from first 9 of the F2F swap blocks) September
Deregulation (Threads of Resistance) May
Dreaming of Water (Stretching Art) January
Mint Swirl April (Riley Blake fabric challenge)
City Squares May
Red "Tahoe" Quilt February
Butterfly Outtakes April
Thirty-Six Fragmenting April (Renamed from a quote "Without Orange There Would Be No Blue" van Gogh)
Skyline (Name switches between "Skyline" & "Skyline View.) April
Truck-print Bunk quilt February
Quilted Snail's mystery quilt (unnamed so far) April
Urban Chickens (It's a Portland Thing) April
Waterfront Park (bridges) bunk quilt May
Saltwater Taffy June
First from 65 Leader/Ender Blocks October
Noah's Ark #1 November
Second from 65 Leader/Ender Blocks December
Chickendale Sampler 2010
Poky Puppy 2010
Four Roses, miniature 2010
Crayon Challenge 2011
A Star is Born 2012
Road Trip 2013
Let's Golf! 2013
Super Baby Bib 2013
Lines and Circles #1 (aka Architecture Quilt) (15-Minutes-of-Play challenge) 2013-2014
Lines and Circles #2 (Project #1 from Master Class with Elizabeth Barton; value study)2014
Riley Blake Challenge for MQG (I know I should come up with a title) 2014
A Hole in the Safety Net (project #2 from masterclass–motion study) 2014
Bridge Lines (Project #3 from masterclass–line study) 2014
Triangles #1 (Project #4 from Masterclass) 2014
Untitled (Project #6 from Masterclass, June) 2014
Lacy Latticework 2014
Weighty Reflections 2014
Cracked Ice 2014
Fading Charms 2014
Sesame Street, Star Round Robin,and Fading Charms 2014


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Husky Announces Plans for East Coast Development
ST. JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR--(Marketwire - March 10, 2008) - Husky Energy Inc. (TSX:HSE) today announced plans to expand its development and exploration drilling activities in the offshore East Coast, Canada. These plans consist of White Rose infill drilling to enhance reservoir recovery and production, bringing White Rose satellite fields onto production in late 2009 or early 2010.
Husky and Petro-Canada have reached a rig sharing agreement with StatoilHydro in bringing the Henry Goodrich, a harsh environment semi-submersible drilling unit, to the Newfoundland and Labrador offshore. The rig is expected to be in the Canadian East Coast in the summer of 2008, for a period of 24 to 30 months. Husky, which has extensive land holdings and drillable prospects in the region, is pleased to secure the rig for approximately 17 months. Husky already contracted the GSF Grand Banks for a period of three years which is currently operating in the offshore Newfoundland and Labrador.
"We are very pleased to partner with StatoilHydro and Petro-Canada in bringing the Henry Goodrich back to the Newfoundland and Labrador waters," said Mr. John C.S. Lau, President & Chief Executive Officer of Husky Energy Inc. "Securing this rig gives Husky the flexibility to advance the White Rose subsea tieback program and drill some exciting exploration prospects in the Jeanne d'Arc basin."
Husky will utilize the Henry Goodrich and the GSF Grand Banks to drill infill producers and injectors to enhance production at the existing White Rose oil pool and progress the White Rose Satellite developments including North Amethyst and West White Rose.
To secure further exploration interests in the Canadian East Coast, Husky has reached an agreement with StatoilHydro to participate in the Mizzen exploration well on Exploration License EL 1049 in the Flemish Pass basin. Under the agreement, Husky will have a 35 percent working interest in EL 1049. The Mizzen well is expected to be drilled with the Henry Goodrich later in 2008.
"Securing the Henry Goodrich rig and partnering with StatoilHydro in the Mizzen exploration well demonstrates Husky's long-term commitment to Newfoundland and Labrador," said Mr. Lau. "We have confidence in this region and look forward to continuing our good working relationship with StatoilHydro."
The Henry Goodrich drill rig is also scheduled to drill a production and a water injection well in the Terra Nova oil field in late 2008 or early 2009 to supplement production and increase oil recovery. Husky holds a 12.51% interest in the Terra Nova oil field.
Husky Energy is a Canadian based, integrated energy and energy-related company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta. Husky Energy is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol HSE.
Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward looking statements or information (collectively, "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. These forward looking statements relate to future events or Husky's future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking statements and are based on Husky's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events, and in this news release include the timing of the arrival of the Henry Goodrich in Canadian waters and the anticipated drilling schedule. Actual future results may differ materially.
Husky's annual report to shareholders and other documents filed with securities regulatory authorities (accessible through the SEDAR website www.sedar.com and the EDGAR website www.sec.gov) describe the risks, uncertainties and other factors, such as drilling results, the receipt of regulatory approvals, changes in business plans and potential delays or changes in plans with respect to development projects or capital expenditures, that could influence actual results. Except as required by applicable securities laws, Husky disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Husky Energy Inc.
St. John's, NL
Margaret Allan
Manager, Administration & Regulatory Affairs
(709) 724-3981
Husky Energy Inc.
Tanis Thacker
Manager, Investor Relations
(403) 298-6747


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The Last Vestige
Your worldview,
As complex and fragile as it was -
A unique thing
In all the universe -
A pricked water balloon.
Little remains
But shreds of you,
Left behind in the memories
Of others.
You are defined
By the shadow cast
Of your stories
And their sorrow.
And then those stories -
The last to go
Are those memories
Held close to the heart
By those who loved you
And then they are gone,
And it is only
The grand-children
Who recall
A fraction
Of the fullness
Of your life.
On a day
And in a moment
That nobody knows,
The last vestige
Of you winks out
With the death
Of the last person
Who knew your name.
I would love to know what you thought about this piece. Please consider leaving a comment.


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Fitness Club (Cologne)
Hello everybody. I am going to join a fitness club in Cologne. When I asked about the price, they said that I can choose the 21 month agreement, and if I leave the country before 21 months,I will not have to pay for the whole period but till the month I will be staying here in Germany. Is how it works? No penalty, no fees If i leave before?
Then do you have any particular fitness club in the city centre to recommend?
Thank you for your kind advice!


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Samways Fine Food Distribution supply delicatessens, farm shops, butchers, fishmongers and coffee shops with a wide range of products from the specialist food sector, from big brands from large manufacturers and importers or new ideas from small artisan producers.
For service and convenience, with over 5000 products available on one invoice, from one supplier, they really have got it covered.
Avlaki is a tiny, but high quality, artisanal operation, based on the Greek island of Lesvos. Their golden organic olive oils have the finest 'gourmet' quality, with a light texture and sensational taste and are best used as 'finishing' oils – to be drizzled over vegetables after steaming, on soups, with a touch of lemon on salads…or just served with bread for dunking. You can use them for cooking but we think that would be a shame – given the taste!
James Chocolates
James is passionate about food and started handmaking chocolates in 1995 when he was working at a delicatessen in Bristol. He was curious to find out how to create chocolates from scratch, so in the evenings he read about chocolate making and then started to blend his own creations in his kitchen at home. James Chocolates have now been having serious fun with good quality chocolate for over 15 years so have been around long enough to know what works! They make a wide range of great tasting British chocolates that are simply but beautifully branded and packaged – proudly combining big flavours with striking designs.
In a Pickle Food Company
In a Pickle Food Company is based in the West Country in Wiltshire, close to Bradford on Avon. Their delicious homemade pickles and chutneys are produced exclusively using fresh seasonal ingredients. Proud winners of Taste of the West and Great Taste Gold Awards, they create all their products to a deliciously high standard.
In a Pickle started life in 2011 and currently there are 11 products in the range, with 2 seasonal items, plus gift packs and catering pails. They supply farm shops, delis and independent stores, throughout the West Country, and further afield.
They're not the only familiar faces you'll see. From the Sausage Shed to Callestick Farm Dairy Icecream, Lodge Farm Kitchen to Mr Chill's Traditional Sweet Emporium, and many more besides, it's almost like a family party!


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It started 20 minutes late
A full day conference will likely get behind schedule at some point during the day. It starts with a three minute delay, then a presentation that's five minutes too long, a break extends an extra 12 minutes, unexpected announcements steal seven minutes, a sponsor drones on forever… Surprise, surprise – by late afternoon your conference is running 20 to 40 minutes behind schedule.
Imagine starting the day 20 minutes behind schedule. When the program finally started at 9:20am there was neither explanation nor an apology. That didn't feel like a good start to the day. The audience could only wonder when the day might end.
"How are you guys?"
That was the opening statement from the conference chair at 9:20 am. That's a ridiculous question at any time because no one can answer that question. No one can speak on behalf of the group. That question is usually posed to satisfy the speaker. The speaker will assume that everyone is happy simply because there is no answer and no one feels qualified to answer on behalf of the group.
I was tempted to shout out "I'm annoyed that you're starting late without an apology and explanation. I'm also insulted that you posed such a ridiculous question. When you ask, 'How are you?' Do you really want the truth?" But I restricted that to my inside voice.
Naturally, there was no reply to his stupid question. He probably didn't care or even realize that we might feel annoyed with the delayed opening.
The second annoying thing about his question was the phrase "You guys" because that's trailer trash talk. The major portion of the audience was university students who expected to enter employment in the business world. If they hope to earn respect they will need to clean up their use of colloquial language. When speaking to a group the correct term is "you".
The smaller portion of the audience was representatives from business. To the students these people might become advisors, mentors, recruiters and future employers. They might already be judging the students based on first impressions.
20 Members of the Team Introduced Themselves
The conference chair then called upon each of his conference team to introduce themselves to the group. Perhaps he thought that portrayed him as a team player. Instead, it was an agonizing waste of time. I appreciate that they were volunteers and deserved recognition but this wasn't the time or best way to recognize them. I believe this choice demonstrated poor leadership and decision making skills.
"Welcome Everyone"
After the lengthy round of self-introductions this was the next phrase from the conference chair.
If he wanted to welcome us then his first words should have been "Welcome". That would have been more effective than "How are you guys?"
"We Worked Really Hard"
Instead of stating the benefits of attending the conference he delivered this lame claim of effort. That phrase is either an excuse or a plea for appreciation. Who cares how hard you worked? That's not important. What can you deliver? How will we benefit? What's in it for us?
Finally, the opening keynote speaker was introduced. His opening slide was the word "Hello". What a thoughtless opening slide! Perhaps this speaker had never delivered a keynote speech. Why was he the keynote speaker? Apparently he was the CEO of a successful advertising agency. During his presentation he chronicled his rise in the advertising industry through several agencies before launching his own company. He offered important insights about connecting with your market and delivering your message. He didn't demonstrate that in his presentation.
"So, what I'm gonna try to do…"
After the Hello slide, this was his opening line. How terrible! The opening line of your presentation, especially a keynote speech must engage the audience and create anticipation to hear your message.
Would that line grab your attention? Would you immediately sit up in your seat and be poised to listen to the rest of the story?
There are several mistakes with that line.
It's trash talk – starting with the word "so" and using the slang "gonna".
It's vague and a waste of seven words.
"Try" sounds apologetic and uncertain. Do you remember Yoda's thoughts on the word Try?
"Do or do not. There is no try."
The speaker's opening line was about himself and his efforts – not about the audience. You'd think that an advertising expert would know the importance of talking about your audience.
What do you do when you're bored in a meeting? Perhaps you check the time or your messages. I glanced at my watch noticed that we were 58 minutes into the program. My consoling thought was "Good thing I wasn't planning to stay all day".
Presentation Tips on Twitter Presentation Skills Club on Facebook
Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives


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How will you remember Maya Angelou who died last week aged 86?
Will you remember her as the poet who, at Bill Clinton's first inauguration in 1993, delivered "On the Pulse of Morning", which asks the nation to look to the future, and leave behind its cynicism?
"Do not be wedded forever
To fear, yoked eternally
To brutishness"
Will you remember her as a memoirist? As a woman who defied the odds? Or will you remember Maya Angelou as a woman who experienced racial discrimination from her birth in Arkansas, her adolescence in San Francisco and LA , but went on to spend her life unafraid to vocalize her beliefs, and show us her life in autobiographies. These memoirs use such lyrical prose it is hard to separate from her poetry. In fact, naysayers have called her poetry nothing more than prose with line breaks.
We see her criticism of the discrimination she endured in her first autobiography, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" , published in 1969.
"If growing up is painful for the southern black girl," she wrote, "being aware of her displacement is the rust on the razor that threatens the throat. It is an unnecessary insult."
I read "I Know Why the Cages Bird Sings" when I first came to San Francisco. I picked it up on a friends recommendation, as Angelou had spent part of her early adolescence in The Western Addition, which by the '80s had displaced a good proportion of a once thriving African-American community. Much of the neighborhood was physically torn down when I arrived.
Woman of Determination Who Loved Life
How this book came to be written I found showed the heart of the woman's determination in the obituary I read in the New York Times.
"But she remained best known for her memoirs, a striking fact because she had never set out to be a memoirist. Near the end of "A Song Flung Up to Heaven," Ms. Angelou recalls her response when Robert Loomis, who would become her longtime editor at Random House, first asked her to write an autobiography. Still planning to be a playwright and poet, she demurred. Cannily, Mr. Loomis called her again.
"You may be right not to attempt autobiography, because it is nearly impossible to write autobiography as literature," he said. "Almost impossible."
Ms. Angelou replied, "I'll start tomorrow."
She went on to write seven memoirs, her most recent being "Mom & Me & Mom" (2013)
This video where she talks about her grandmother is very moving.
Inspirational Teacher
Here are my three favorite quotes of Maya Angelou, which I feel show her spirit, her passion and her love of life:
"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain."
"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style."
"I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life's a bitch. You've got to go out and kick ass."
We have lost an incredible woman, a true American icon, an African-American pioneer. But we are fortunate to have her words to find anywhere we look, to carry with us, and inspire us now she is gone.
What are your favorite quotes or memories of Maya Angelou. What is the best thing you remember her for?
Many Thanks!
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text: It is 1935 and Erneste is "the perfect waiter" at a Swiss hotel where propriety is all. And then Jakob, a devastatingly handsome, fatally selfish 19-year-old, arrives as a trainee. Erneste's tumble into love is swift and absolute. And while by no means blind to the shallow duplicity of their love affair ("He sometimes caught himself yearning for the authentic Jakob while the real one was lying beside him"), he is helpless to protect himself. Helpless when Jakob is seduced by a writer guest and leaves with him for America, and helpless when he receives, 30 years later, a letter from a desperate Jakob begging for money. The truth of the past three decades is haltingly and heartbreakingly revealed as Erneste is forced to confront the banal morals of the man he has allowed to define his life, and his nostalgia is transformed into "the undignified whimpering of a dog that dreads his master's blows as much as it craves them". This is an elegant, unsettling, small masterpiece that bears slow rereading and gratifyingly assumes the intelligence of the reader.


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It may be slipping in the ratings on US TV, but there's one place where Heroes still holds the top spot: The chart of the most pirated television shows on the internet. Huzzah for technology!
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Heroes was downloaded around 1,760,000 times last week, giving it the top spot just ahead of ABC's Lost. Surprisingly, the other shows in the top 10 mirror the broadcast hits for the most part - House, The Big Bang Theory, etc. - with the unsurprising addition of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I must admit, I'm kind of amazed that something like Dollhouse isn't on there, considering its high amount of nerd lure and crappy timeslot (or, for that matter, non-transmission outside the US)... Perhaps the mainstream American television audience is closer to the internet audience than we'd given them credit for... or perhaps the siren song of Family Guy transcends all demographics.
Most Pirated Television Shows Of The Week [THR Esq.]


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Today was a bit of a different day, as the Grade 1's, 2's and Roohi from Prep, joined forces and had a fun day. Here's what we've got to say…
Logan: "My favourite thing was getting to use the i-Pads and the outside games."
Luda (Alex's Mum): "My favourite thing about today was coming to pick up Alex early when I finished work but he was having too much fun to come home!"
Daniel: "I played Chess on the i-Pad with Aaliyah. I taught her some new moves but I didn't always win."
Roohi: "I made new friends. Miniya and lots."
Abass: "I fixed the blocks up. Circles, squares, triangles and another one. I don't know what it called. I think it looks funny like a rectangle but it's not. It has 4 corners and 4 sides. Do you know what shape it can be?"
Alex and Aaliyah: "It was fun drawing the Grade 2's faces. I had to look really close to make it look the same."
Tevi, Miniya and Connor made a lucky dip with all the kids that were here today, so we could take turns to use the i-Pads. They then decided to try put the names in alphabetical order.
Miniya: "It's a bit hard. You have to know the alphabet really good."
Tevi: "I know the alphabet, we had to look at the second letter too. Because Aa in Aaliyah is before Al in Alex."


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David Hemp named Bermuda captain
David Hemp has been named Bermuda captain for this month's series against Uganda. He was widely expected to take over from Irving Romaine, who led the side during the dismal campaign in the World Cup qualifiers in April. Steven Outerbridge, 26, was made vice-captain of the 13-man squad announced on Sunday.
The side was missing several key players; left-arm batsman Glenn Blakeney was ruled out after injuring his knee ligaments, and medium-pacer Stefan Kelly was also not considered. Delyone Borden was not selected due to personal family reasons while work commitments kept Kyle Hodsoll out.
Besides a four-day Intercontinental Shield match, Bermuda will host Uganda for two 50-over matches and a Twenty20.
Bermuda squad: David Hemp (capt), Steven Outerbridge (vice-capt), Irving Romaine, Chris Douglas, Terryn Fray, Rodney Trott, Tamauri Tucker, Jekon Edness, Fiqre Crockwell, Justin Pitcher, Malachi Jones, Jordan de Silva, Kevon Fubler
Irving Romaine has "no regrets" about his time as captain after he was sacked as skipper, three years into a reign that has seen Bermuda lose their ODI status as well qualification to the next World Cup.
"I've enjoyed every minute of my time as ¬captain - I did my best and I have no regrets," he told The Bermuda Sun. "I'm still in decent shape and I'm looking to play for another year or two as a batsman and ¬enjoy my cricket for a while ¬without having to worry about all the other stuff that goes with ¬being captain."
The man to replace him in the short-term is Hemp, the former Glamorgan captain, but aged 38 he hardly represents the cutting edge of youth. Nevertheless, Hemp remains Bermuda's best batsman by a country mile, and will at least offer a steady hand as the team try to claw their way back into the international fold.
Bermuda lost their one-day status during the World Cup Qualifiers in South Africa earlier this year, a calamitous tournament for them which prompted the coach, Gus Logie, to announce that he wouldn't be continuing after his contract expires in September. Logie angered his players by venting his fury at their lack of desire in an interview with Cricinfo.
It is understood that Logie has recommended Hemp to be captain in the interim, and the batsman himself was keenly aware that he is far from a long-term candidate.
"I was fortunate enough to ¬captain at county level in ¬England and to step it up and do it internationally for Bermuda would be a great honour," Hemp said. "It would need someone who is a bit younger than me that could be an understudy for a few years and hopefully learn from my experience."
Batsman Lionel Cann, allrounder Janeiro Tucker and Dwayne Leverock have all retired in recent months, as Bermuda face an uphill challenge to regain international status.


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I've been thinking a lot lately about art and issues, and where the two -if the two -should intersect. Some say no, others say yes. I'm on the fence about whether the arts can and should, to quote a favorite musical, "take on the world's greatest problems, from war to pollution / no hope of solution" -but I keep asking, could culture possibly provide one? Not a day goes by that I don't happily stumble across one organization or another doing good in blending arts and social issues. And yet, I'm left feeling curiously powerless myself most days, wondering why I should have to choose between twin passions and asking if there might be a larger role in bridging the two through 2011.
Rocky Dawuni might have a few answers, for me, and for the many others grappling the arts/issues divide -because he doesn't see a divide at all. The Ghana-born singer-songwriter's 2010 release Hymns For The Rebel Soul (his fifth album) seamlessly, seemingly-effortlessly blends the two, with reggae-and-dance-tinged music delivering a one-two punch of sage wisdom, righteous rage, and ultimately, tuneful grace. Dawuni especially references the work of Bob Marley (to whom he's been compared) and Peter Tosh, artists who, like him, blended the world of art with the world of the personal with ... the world.
Rocky caught mainstream attention when he recorded a version of Bob Marley's "No More Trouble" for Playing For Change in 2009 with a raft of talented international musicians, including the Oneness Choir from India, Jason Tamba from Congo, David Broza from Israel, and... oh yes, one Bono Vox from Ireland (aka Bono). The original's moody, haunting feel gets a global makeover, as artists cross borders mental, spiritual, physical, and even creative to form something altogether more powerful than any collaboration project might suggest. This past summer, Rocky's bouncy tune "African Reggae Fever" became "African Soccer Fever" and was featured on the FIFA World Cup 2010 soundtrack alongside tracks from Baaba Maal, Florence and the Machine, and Michael Franti. The tune also became the official song for the FIFA World Cup 2010 video game. Put it on as a dare to anyone who says they can't dance; within 30 seconds, I guarantee you, they'll be pogoing on the lino, cutting up a rug, and doing the watusi like no one's business.
Alas, I missed meeting Rocky when he was in Toronto last fall Rocky to be part of the We Day event and concert, organized by Free The Children. But I've no doubt he rocked the worlds of the 18,000 students who were present. 2010 was a busy year indeed: months before We Day, he was part of the Vatican-sponsored JOSPfest, and later on, he played the well-regarded Freedom Fest in San Diego. 2011 is shaping up to be busy too; at the end of March he's off to Kenya for Songambele 2011, put on by NGO March Forth Kenya Kids. He's on the Board of Advisors for Jammin Java Corporation. In July he'll be playing the Hollywood Bowl as part of radio station KCRW's Global Soul show -with none other than Stevie Wonder.
Now, you'd think a guy this busy wouldn't have time for social media. You'd be wrong. Throughout the tours, appearances, and recording sessions, Rocky's maintained an active online presence that positively (and I mean that in a true sense) brims with inspiration and excitement. It's heartening to see his regular tweets & Facebook updates -not only is he excited about music, he's excited about meeting people, hearing cool new sounds, exchanging ideas. Rock is excited about life, and it shows. When I interviewed him last summer for a morning radio show in Toronto, he was deep in the throes of football fandom, cheering on his home team as he fielded non-stop calls from friends and relatives. This is a man who deeply understands the meaning of "joie de vivre" and harnesses that optimism for a greater good.
That good was recognized with a prestigious nomination; Rocky's up for the Outstanding World Album at this year's NAACP Image Awards, which happen tomorrow night in Los Angeles. The first part of our conversation, below, features his ideas on the responsibilities of the artist, the dangers of preaching in music, and how much he feels like a spokesman for contemporary issues affecting everyday Ghanians.
How much do you think musicians should feature social issues in their work?
Well, I think every artist has the right to express whatever they feel their art truly represents. When it comes to social issues, every additional voice can always be useful. The platform that a musician acquires is due to the projection and support of the public so I believe the artist has a moral obligation to wield this with a spirit of humility, gratitude and servitude. It also goes a long way when you give back.The art attains transcendence and realness.
In terms of music and politics, there is definitely a link. Whenever the music ventures to represent the everyday aspirations of people it intersects with everyday politics. In Africa most of us have a bigger responsibility to use the medium to articulate political issues and bring them to the fore of social discussions.
How much do you feel a responsibility to include social issues in your work in particular?
Growing up in Ghana, social issues are a constant part of everyday reality. My music strives to project these issues in a way that will inspire action among my audience.
I think it 's the core intent of my musical mission but the important thing is to always maintain a balance so as to avoid blatant preachiness.
How much did the Playing For Change collaboration change your career?
It definitely did, in so many ways. It gave me great exposure and also showed the power of music to cross all boundaries and nationalities.
Do you ever get bothered by outside perceptions about Africa?
On occasions yes I do get bothered. For example, when you meet folks who believe they have it all figured out about Africa solely on the western perspective without any knowledge of the cultural contexts.
Africa's history is very complicated . The root causes of most current political and social challenges can be traced all the way to its history of slavery, tribalism, colonialism and modern schisms. The objective of my music and my work is to project the new Africa: an Africa whose greatness will be restored by a renewed engagement and reconnection with the diaspora . This new Africa will embrace all the promise of modern technologies and democracy while upholding its cultural identity.
Although the current political climate is rife with turmoil and unprecedented economic issues, I am part of an emerging conscious tech-savy intellectual generation who are rising in its wake.
How much do you feel like a spokesman for Ghana?
Well, it comes with the territory. There are so many great things to say about my country in terms of its functioning democracy and freedom of press. Ghana's long term stability has also projected it as a shining example on the continent.
As a musician on the international stage, I always find myself in many instances playing the role of its spokesperson. It's a role I always welcome!
Part two of my conversation with Rocky Dawuni tomorrow, in anticipation of the NAACP Image Awards. We'll be focusing on some of the tunes featured on "Hymns for the Rebel Soul" and Rocky's methods of integrating soulful sounds and real-world issues.
Mar 3, 2011
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text: Hey guys, i've started a little project of a track i have always want to drive on. It's my home town track with the original outfield roadcourse. the roadcourse is about 2.75 miles long. see the picture below for the layout. at this point i'm building the terrain with original BTB textures. I'm trying the mimic the state the track was in in the late 80's and i have lots of video from the Indycar races of that period. I have made the AI for the roadcourse but it has no cameras yet. the track is drivable with Cart Factor cars with no setup work doing laps in the 1:14's and reaching top speeds of about 190 mph down the long back straight that enters the infield part of the track. In the final version the oval will be drivable and both directions of the roadcourse will be drivable too.


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How much will CPP (Canada Pension Plan) and OAS (Old Age Security) pay you in retirement, the Truth about your Retirement Income…
What are the CPP and OAS Opportunities, to Compliment your Retirement?
When we are working with our clients and looking at their income needs in retirement, the first thing we always start with are the benefits that will be provided by the government, such as CPP and OAS. Here we will break down the two income opportunities so you may be comfortable with the numbers that you are using when doing your own retirement planning. If you are asking how much you will receive from CPP or how much will I receive from OAS, below you will find all the answers…
CPP (Canada Pension Plan) Income at a glance.
Here are the current and past CPP maximums to look at when you reach the age of 65, and then we will discuss How to get the Maximums and what rules apply in your own situation. Currently the pensions are indexed to rise, but here are today's values that you can use to start your calculations.
There are two factors that will influence your ability to receive the Maximum Amounts from CPP and here they are.
1. The time you have contributed into CPP:
The time you spend contributing into the CPP system will be the first factor you must consider when calculating how much you will receive in retirement. Currently you must contribute into CPP 85% of your working years. So this means that if you are able to contribute from age 18 to age 65, then you would have to contribute into CPP for 40 years to qualify for the maximum benefit.
This needs to be a consideration for those who have taken time off to pursue higher education, have lived abroad or have spent many of their working years at home supporting a family.
2. How much you have contributed on an annual basis:
The second part of the equation is based upon how much you have contributed on an annual basis, this is called the YMPE or (Yearly Maximum Pensionable Earnings) and it is a measure to make sure you have contributed "enough" into the system over your working years. The YMPE is a more calculated and complicated number to determine if you are eligible for the full benefit.
To find out each years YMPE see the chart on the CRA website on YMPE Limits here.
CPP Maximums for the Last 15 Years
2016 – $1092 per month
2015 – $1065 per month
2014 – $1038 per month
2013 – $1012 per month
2012 – $987 per month
2011 – $960 per month
2010 – $934 per month
2005 – $828 per month
2000 – $763 per month
How do you find out what your CPP earnings will be in retirement?
It is easy for you to find out exactly how much you will receive from CPP by simply visiting the Government of Canada's website designed specifically for providing you the information on your contributions here. Canada Pension Plan Statement of Contributions.
How OAS Works, and are you eligible?
OAS or Old Age Security is provided to all Canadians, whether you worked all of your life or not, so unlike CPP there are fewer requirements for eligibility for this benefit.
Here are the 3 main factors to Receive OAS Payments.
Here are the Resources you will need when Applying for OAS
How Much Could you Receive
What you need before you Start
The OAS Application
After you have Applied
While you are on OAS
1. You must be over the age of 65
So unlike CPP where you can start collecting a benefit as early as age of 60, the OAS benefit will only be available at your 65th birthday. There are no options available to you unlike CPP where you can start collecting a reduced benefit at age of 60.
2. Must be a Canadian Citizen or Legal Resident
At the time you reach the age of 65 and are approved for the OAS benefit, you mus be a Canadian Citizen or Legal Resident of Canada. Even if none of the three stipulations work for you, it is best to check with CRA to see if your country of residence has a shared Social Security Agreement with Canada. See More about Lived or Living outside of Canada here…
3. You must have Resided in Canada for at Least 10 years after your age of 18.
To be eligible, a Canadian Resident must have lived in Canada for at least 10 years after their 18th birthday, and a now Non-Resident of Canada, must have spent 20 years after the age of 18 working to be eligible. Most current residents of Canada do not have to worry about this rule, only offshore Canadians need to be concerned with this calculation.
How Much will you Get from OAS and CPP Combined?
Download your CPP Application Here…
Government of Canada
Application for a Canada Pension Plan
Check out our RRSP Retirement Resource Pages
RRSP Advice that is Personal
How to Maximize your RRSP
5 Things that can Wipe out your Retirement
3 Reasons why I hate RRSP's
How can you plan properly to receive the income you need in retirement?
When planned properly we use the benefits provided by the government as a foundation for retirement planning, remember currently the two systems provide income similar to that of a lifetime annuity with indexing to inflation. This means that the current rules will always provide you an income every month of your life, and will even increase on an annual basis to protect your income against the inevitable inflation that will occur. This makes these types of income bases as a very powerful part of your retirement years.
But will it be enough to support you?
Probably not, but if planned properly over the years, the government benefits will be a great start to your income needs. And with the proper planning, you build off those benefits to create an even more powerful retirement income, as shown below.
If you feel like you are alone in your knowledge before reading this article, you are not alone. The majority of Canadians are not as educated as you are when it comes to CPP and OAS.
Red more here…


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Until then, I'll find things to post on here that aren't too lame. Bear with me :)
Hello there!
I have recently recieved the award called "The Versatile Blogger", and I've chosen YOU as an award-winner, too! There are a few basic rules to follow after getting this super-cool award. To start, the picture of the award is posted on my blog, http://www.girliesayswhat.blogspot.com. I would post it here, but it doesn't let me paste pictures (frowny face). Here are the rules:
1. After getting the award, you must recognize/thank the blogger who has given it to you.
2. Next, share seven unknown facts about yourself.
3. Recommend five deserving bloggers for the award.
4. Let those bloggers know!
Than you for following them rules, and congradulations!
Girlie Says What


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"A garden is a delight to the eye and a solace for the soul." --Sadi
Catch Up: 7/29/12
These pictures of the garden make me laugh! I remember getting to this week and saying "Whoah!" I mean, look at all that growth!! We got a kick out of seeing my mini pumpkins take over the garden. Next time they will be planted elsewhere. haha
|Big leaves for lil pumpkins
|Hip hip hooray for grape tomatoes! Grow!
This concludes the 2nd month of garden growth :)


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Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Mithril Wisdom Inspired
The trouble with me is that I'm all about the Epic. There isn't a huge amount going on in terms of brand spanking new Epic to get excited about. Urban Fantasy? Paranormal Romance? they're everywhere you look. Epic is different, and that's partly why I love it. There's a huge back catalogue of Epic-ness that I want to catch up on, and I'd love to share my thoughts here. But how many people are going to want to read reviews of novels that are, in some cases, five, eight or even ten years old. Probably not so many! And if you take roughly the average size of an Epic Novel to be say 600 pages, well now that takes a time to get through. With a day job and a family it takes me about 2 weeks to get through a DoorStop Tome, which means a long time between reviews.
So on the whole, I guess what this entire ramble of mine is about is...will this ever be a place people will stop by and read? Or am I destined to be forever typing into the void? Do I need to wrestle some ARC's into the mix to get some FootFall? But then does diluting my Epic angle just weaken the whole concept?
Hmmm, I'm not sure. I started this site up as place to enjoy myself and review the books I love to read. But seeing some of the busy and bustling sites around me I feel a bit...daft, almost. You know, I'm that tired at the moment I don't even know if this makes sense. I will have to come back to it after some sleep, and when, hopefully, the whole redundancy situation at work is resolved and I can get my brain back into some sort of coherent state.
Until then...Jamie, you've got me thinking!
11 comments:
I'm always reading too, sorry for not commenting more! Well, you and I are maybe in similar boat-type vessels, so I have been thinking about this too. I'm happy to have my blog be a total ragbag of new books, old books, very old books, and not-about-books-at-all, especially as I think it's mainly friends and family reading mine, so they'll read anything!ReplyDelete
For you, if you'd like to stick with a theme (epics) then I think you should definitely do that. I haven't read a lot of them, so I'll be reading anyway. I think people will always be interested in a fresh perspective though, and in seeing what a total stranger thought of a book they liked (or hated).Replies
Bless you! 2 readers! Honestly, huge smiles here :)Delete
I did a bit more thinking, heaven help me...
really I started this blog to hopefully find some like-minded readers, because no one in my family/friends is into Fantasy, and it can be a lonely obsession!
and just having even 1 or 2 folk drop in to chat books, well, it's mission accomplished really :)
Big thanks for taking the time to comment! :)
Well, perfect then! We can have a bit of a genre book chat and head to bed happy with ourselves! I was interested to read what you thought of Robin Hobb's first Assasin book, because I didn't particularly enjoy that one either (I didn't finish it!) whereas I loved the Liveship series and the new Dragon series. Unpredictable! Anyway, goodnight!Delete
I'm a reader too!ReplyDelete
I know when I first started blogging I felt the same; not many people were reading or commenting and I felt all the effort and time I was putting into writing and reviewing was been wasted.
What I found helped get footfall and traffic to my blog was using all the other types of social media like Facebook, Pinterest, Goodreads ( I see you already have twitter!) This is because I found most people do not use Blogger but use one or more of these other sites. So if you can get a following started on one of these like Facebook (which nearly everyone has) then you can divert traffic back to your Blogger site whilst been able to have a conversation about your reviews and updates on FB. I must say it is hard getting a following on FB but it does pay off in the end!
I hope this advice helps! I'd also just say to keep your reviews coming because I enjoy reading them!Replies
Adam! reader number three! Thank You :) :)Delete
Your advice is really appreciated, thanks for taking the time to comment. I have to confess I *loathe* FB with a passion! but maybe I need to look again. I also need to confess that I've no clue what Pinterest is but I keep hearing about it so I will drag my dinosaur-like self over there and invesitage :) Cheers!
Thanks for the mention, though I figure I'm not the only one who enjoys what you write (see above for proof :P)ReplyDelete
If epic is what you want to focus on, don't compromise that for the sake of gaining extra followers. There's still good reason to look at the older epic fantasy novels; I remember one site that did a reread of A Song of Ice and Fire, but only read the chapters that focused on characters they liked to see if it impacted on the story at all. Maybe taking a different spin on these older epics might work.
If you can get your hands on some epic fantasy ARCs though, it's a good way to pique people's interests ahead of time.
Alternatively, write a series of reviews titled "Why Tolkien is a load of old rubbish". Guaranteed extra readers then, though it might go hand in hand with hate mail ;)
Thank you Jamie!Delete
That's tomorrow's post sorted then :D
I'm going to keep my eyes open more for upcoming Epics, I kind of stopped looking because all I ever see is bloody PNR everywhere I turn! But I'll try and keep up with more of the Epic-friendly publishers. And I think you're right, not compromising is going to be the way I reckon.
Cheers! and thank you for always stopping by and saying hey, I really appreciate it
Not as alone as you think you are :)ReplyDeleteReplies
So it would seem!!Delete
I am Beyond Excited :)
Arg, I had a superlong comment all typed out and Blogger killed it... *cries* will try and redo it from memory:ReplyDelete
*waves* I'm still reading! As for footfall, it takes time and as Adam said cross-promoting on social media helps a lot. That and interacting with other bloggers. It took me over two years to build up traffic to A Fantastical Librarian and now I've moved to Wordpress it seems I have to somewhat rebuild again (or WP analyses pageviews differently). The most important thing is to write about what you love and to have a distinctive voice: just be you! Yes, reviewing ARC's and posting cover reveals and participating in meme's will get you hits, but if people don't get a sense of who *you* are, then they won't stick around. As for epic fantasy, there might not be much traditional epic around (such as Martin, Rothfuss, etc.), but there is plenty more fantasy out there beyond UF and PNR :-D However, if epic is your thing, stick with it and you don't have to focus on new stuff. There are plenty of people only just now discovering fantasy who won't know about those not-so-new books and won't discover them by just walking into a regular high-street chain book store. You might help people discover their favourite book by highlighting an older title.
And Jamie, I remember that reread! I loved the idea. I did some digging, it was by Victoria over at Speculative Book Review (http://speculativebookreview.blogspot.nl/2010/06/george-r-r-martin-experiment-part-one.html). I remember being sad she never got to book 4 :-)
Thanks Mieneke, wonderful advice :)ReplyDelete
everyone is so kind!!
I will keep at it, and it's EPic all the way :)


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1 2 3 4
SALT write up in a Pittsburgh, PA online City Guide
One of the nicest, if not the nicest restaurant in Juneau is called SALT, so we went there on Thursday night. One of the appetizers there was fries topped with a black truffle sauce and a fried egg. I had a king crab bisque that was just so excellent, and then, what everybody expects you to eat in Alaska, a piece of salmon—this one was served over gnocchi. When they brought it to our table, I thought, "they didn't even ask me how I wanted it cooked," but it was perfectly seared on the outside and rare on the inside. Dessert was a chocolate bread pudding. I also had a glass of pinot noir. I usually have beer, but this was the nicest dinner of our trip, so I went with a wine. We ended up going there for lunch the next day because it was so close to where we were filming.
-Rick Sebak - Film Director/Producer and Foodie
Read the full article here.
SALT in the community.
Chef Lionel and David McGivney supporting the Thunder Mountain Highschool ProStart Program.
The Brew Dogs at SALT!
The television show Brew Dogs named SALT "The Best Place in Juneau to Get a Beer." Here's a shot of the camera woman filming behind the bar!
We're the best place for a date!
Juneau residents name SALT the best place to take a date!
SALT is Juneau's restaurant for creative and unique Alaskan cuisine. Ever evolving, our menus reflect our use of fresh Alaskan seafood, butcher cut steaks and local produce, bringing to you the most eclectic and delicious food in Southeast Alaska. Offering the most extensive wine list in Juneau, our selection represents regions from all over the world and our selection is always evolving. By the bottle or by the glass, there's sure to be the perfect pairing for your palette.
Salt is open for dinner 4-10pm Daily.


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Long Island Head Start Long Island Head Start
Here's a sample of our volunteer opportunities:VIEW AS
Please wait . . .
Mission Statement
To provide a comprehensive learning environment to children, respectful of their cultures; and to assist families in reaching self-sufficiency through the combined efforts of parents, community and staff.
Long Island Head Start has 22 centers located in Suffolk County and we work with 1675 children and families living at poverty level or below.
This information
Might be out of date
Do you work for this organization?
Request administrator status and update its information!
Would you recommend Long Island Head Start?
by krishna a. from dixhills, NY (2014-09-18 14:07:22.0)
It is a very useful organization for the care of children providing services to the children in different / many ways . The parents are keen to get their child in head start .


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Stormsisters Debuts 2 New Lipstick Shades
Stormsisters' two new lipstick shades
Courtesy Stormsisters
Following the 2014 launch of its Stormsisters lipstick line, St. Paul–based beauty brand StormSister Spatique has expanded to add two new shades to the collection. Keeping with the theme of the line, both shades are named for some of founder Becky Sturm's favorite Twin Cities women: "Kat," a creamy, bold fuchsia inspired by singer-songwriter Kat Perkins, and "Julie," a matte nude named for makeup artist and educator Julie Swenson. The lipsticks, which are manufactured in Minneapolis by Elixery, are vegan, toxin-free, hydrating, and highly pigmented—though being a pale blonde, I definitely favor "Kat" over "Julie."
Here's a breakdown of the other 19 shades, $22 each at stormsisterspatique.com:
Meghan — Pink shimmery nude
Sandy — Shimmery violet plum
Erin — Frosty golden brown
Alexis – Classic cool red
Miranda — Shimmery mauve
Maria - Warm maple (frost)
Sara – Bright pink
Mary – Berry raisin (frost)
Kathy – Raspberry
Helen – Pinky beige
Katie – Warm ruby red
Amy — Clear semi-gloss
Becky – Tan mauve (Sturm's signature shade)
Michelle – Frosty gold
Susan – Rosy beige
Sairey – Mocha (frost)
Kristen – Pink coral
Allison – Sangria


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Booking.com Price fixing
Ireland like most tourist destinations has become caught up in the web of online Booking sites, the majority of people when Booking a hotel or guesthouse in Ireland believe that they are getting a better deal when they Book with the big foreign Booking engines, in fact they are not getting a better deal and they are in fact delivering a raw deal to small and medium sized hotels as those foreign Booking sites take significant commission from Bookings on such sites. Booking.com allegedly offers 'up to 75%' savings on hotel rooms in their display advertising (see, image below) however, this is a total and complete lie, as these Booking engines have agreed price parity with the actual hotels they are selling, it is simply fraudulent advertising.
Medium and small sized hotels and guesthouses are being bullied by foreign multi-nationals to the point that small and medium sized businesses are going into receivership and often liquidation. Large foreign Booking sites such as Booking.com are harassing small and medium sized businesses into a price-fixing cul de sac, demanding that small and medium sized hotels and guest houses only offer the same room price as being offered by the multi-national bullies.
Booking.com Fraud
Medium and small sized hotels and guesthouses are being bullied by foreign multi-nationals to the point that small and medium sized businesses are going into receivership and often liquidation. Large foreign Booking sites such as Booking.com are harassing small and medium sized businesses into a price-fixing cul de sac, demanding that small and medium sized hotels and guest houses only offer the same room price as being offered by the multi-national bullies.
Hotel Bookings
When people are Booking a hotel or guest house in Ireland they should Book direct on the website of their chosen hotel or phone the hotel or guest house to make a direct booking, this means that the full payment goes directly to protecting Irish jobs and businesses.
However, Irish Hotel and Guesthouse owners are not blameless in this corporate fight between David and Goliath, during the economic boom years many hotel and guesthouse owners sat back and threw money at ill-advised advertising campaigns, that were neither monitored or measured, staff were not properly audited to see if they could add value to the businesses by engaging with more cost-effective online advertising campaigns through social media and so forth.
Irish Hotels
In fact the corporate bullies are doing what they are doing because they can, Irish hoteliers and guesthouse owners have failed to compete on customer service and value for money, and in so doing they have allowed the corporate foreign bullies to dominate the market on price fixing competitiveness. The net effect is that there is no competition, the market has flat lined both in terms of geographical locations and star ratings. The large corporate bullies are not without their sleveens within Ireland, there are companies who are working hand in glove with the foreign bullies ensuring that the market remains flat-lined and small and medium traders have their margins squeezed by inflated commissions, commissions that are protecting jobs in foreign countries while Irish hotels and guest houses go into liquidation and more Irish workers become unemployed.
The time has come for Hoteliers, big, medium and small to get off their assets, get back into the market place through hard graft and innovation and together take on the foreign corporate bully boys. Protect Irish jobs, protect Irish business by Booking Direct on the website of your chosen hotel or guest house.Are we seeing the floodgates beginning to open with the hotel price parity issue? Perhaps so, with news of another attempt at a class action in the US against online travel agencies and hotel chains.
Hotel Price Parity
The latest to emerge has materialised in the state of Texas where an individual, James Smith on San Antonio, who has cited the same names in the industry as last week's class action in California:
Hotel Booking Engines
- Orbitz
- Expedia
- Hotels.com
- Travelocity
- Priceline
- Booking.com
- Sabre
- Trump International Hotels
- Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group
- InterContinental Hotels Group
- Hilton Worldwide
- Starwood Hotels & Resorts
- Marriott
Hotel Price Fixing Court Cases
Smith says he was unable to get the best deal because the hotel (Treasure Island Hotel and Casino) because of an alleged secret agreement between it and Expedia so that customer do not pay less than a "guaranteed minimum mark-up".
He adds that he was forced to pay "artificially inflated prices due to the conspiracy and has been damaged by the conduct" of the defendants.
The documents filed in Texas are almost identical in terms of structure and wording of the complaint, hinting at a wider and coordinated grass-roots campaign emerging.
The California and Texas class actions come just just three weeks after a UK regulator issued a "statement of objections" to Expedia, Booking.com and InterContinental, alleging the two OTAs entered in to individual agreements with the hotel giant which "restricted the online travel agency's ability to discount the price of room-only accommodation".
The defendants in the case(s) are currently keeping quiet, with no commentary emerging from any of the companies cited in the two class actions.


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The BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights announces the release of EU-Israel Trade: Promoting International Law Violations; a report focusing on the current EU-Israel trade practices, specifically looking into trading with Israeli colonies. EU-Israel Trade: Promoting International Law Violations provides context and legal analysis to this economic relationship; and concludes that EU's trade with Israeli colonies is illegal based on the duty of non-recognition, corporate complicity rules and also the EU's own internal legislation.
Besides analyzing the illegality of trading with Israeli colonies, the report also explores the lawfulness of EU trade with Israel proper, taking into consideration the active role of Israel in facilitating the lack of compliance with basic laws of international law, and also in supporting and expanding the colonial enterprise.
The issue of trade is of significant relevance for European countries considering the EU has become the main trading partner of Israel, and as such, a source of economic and financial gains for both Israeli companies and the state of Israel itself. In light of the ongoing and systematic violations of international law carried out by Israel, it is of the utmost importance to determine the legality of this trading relationship.
This is the third paper produced by BADIL Resource Center on the issue of corporate complicity in the oPt, following Corporate Complicity in Violations of International Law in Palestine (2014) and Pursuing Accountability for Corporate Complicity in Population Transfer in Palestine (2015). However, this paper differs from the others in that instead of focusing on specific companies, it addresses the trading relationship between the EU and Israeli colonies in the oPt as a whole, therefore, aiming to become an analytical tool applicable to the activities of all companies incorporated in the EU. As such, the goal of this paper is more far-reaching and it aims to add to previous efforts of different organizations and movements to denounce the unlawfulness of trading with Israel and calls for an end to it.


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Virtual Mining Leads To Virtual Fabrication
I recently read a fascinating story about a Minecraft enthusiast who is pushing the limits of the game world. By gathering elements that hold special properties in the game, known as Redstone, and then pulverizing it into Redstone Dust, players are able to then create wires and simple circuits. Some players have taken to these circuits, and have begun creating larger and larger boards. Then, some have gone further still.
Due to the open-ended world that is Minecraft, there are few imposed limits to the world. As these gamers spent hours and hours simply playing the game, they began to look at the Redstone element in new ways. As the Wikis and blogs began to sprout, more and more players shared experiences and knowledge of the Redstone element. This tinkering of virtual circuits led to building something that seemed impossible – a virtual computer. By combining knowledge of the game elements, simple programming, and a lot of creativity, these players have developed a deeper understanding of the tool they are physically working on.
One of the players involved, Ben Craddock explains: "When you think about computers and watch the long lines of zeros and ones that the machine has to figure out to give you the answer, it is fascinating to be able to understand the cause and effect where each zero and one turns on and off," he says. "There is this very basic, physical thing happening that makes me want to find a way to reproduce it."
What impresses me is the time and dedication that goes into building this virtual computing system. Sure, they could go down to Radioshack and pick up the components to build a basic circuit board and perhaps a small calculator, but what fun would that be? The virtual world as a canvas is undoubtedly more complex and requires more creativity. But this is just wasting time in video games right? Not so, as this designs have caught the attention of game studios, who have begun reaching out to these enthusiasts with real job opportunities.
What do the game creators think? "The calculator was certainly a surprise to us. It was very unexpected and inventive," says David Smith, co-designer for Little Big Planet game. "It showed that the community didn't care what the game was supposed to be and found ways of combining what they had to create what they wanted."
Have a look at Ben's creation, which garnered more views than a certain pop singer.
Are you an avid player in virtual worlds? Please let me know in the comments.
In an effort to keep conversations fresh, Cisco Blogs closes comments after 60 days. Please visit the Cisco Blogs hub page for the latest content.


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Saturation deficit, an index of humidity typically characterized by the difference between the saturation vapour pressure and the actual vapour pressure of a volume of air. The index has the particular utility of being proportional to the evaporation capability of the air. It is sometimes conveyed in terms of absolute or relative humidity rather than in terms of vapour pressure.
The saturation deficit can be expressed as
where e is the actual vapour pressure for a given volume of air and ew is the saturation vapour pressure of the volume at a given temperature. The saturation vapour pressure will rise with rising temperature, and thus the same relative humidity U will correspond to a greater saturation deficit and increased evaporation at warm temperatures. Considering an example where the vapour pressure of a parcel of air at 25 °C is 17 millibars (mb), the air has (31 − 17), or 14, mb less vapour pressure than saturated vapour at the same temperature, and thus the saturation deficit in this example is 14 mb (0.01 standard atmosphere).


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One trillion. This is the number of American dollars allocated for infrastructure projects in China over the next five years. Zhengzhou. This is the location of the latest 'stretching' factory in China pulling steel reinforcement rods to illegal diameters and threatening the lives of countless citizens who will use the infrastructure projects constructed using these substandard materials.
This week a surprisingly small article in British newspaper The Times detailed the discovery of illicit practices at a Zhengzhou 'stretching' factory where steel reinforcement rods used in a number of construction projects had been pulled to a thickness below regulatory standards.
The reasons for this are simple - 10mm wide rods can be easily stretched to a thickness of 8.5mm, creating many additional metres of metal then sold on for profit - but the resolution is not. Despite countless assertions from experts that pulling these essential building components to inadequate diameters will weaken a structure and endanger the lives of its users, construction companies in China are still being found operating under such measures.
This is not a new phenomenon however. In September 2011 a number of construction firms in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province were ordered to stop using thin reinforcement rods which had been stretched below regulatory standards, with Liu Lin, Director of the Construction and Real Estate Management Department under the Xi'an Industry and Commercial Administration Bureau explaining: "By making the steel bar thin, both the processing plants and the construction firms decrease their cost, but these bars will do harm to the quality of the building projects."
Similarly in June this year the construction of the Ninghang high-speed railway was rocked by claims that 2.2km of safety barriers had been wrongfully installed using steel rods pulled from 6.5mm to 5.8mm and 8mm to 6.9mm. The groups leading the scheme were fined 100,000 yuan and the contractor, Hongye Traffic Facility from Yiyang, allegedly blacklisted. Reporting on the case, local news site China.org.cn was told by an official that: "The railway's construction slowed down recently and quality inspectors failed to launch intense inspections as usual, which caused the loophole."
Despite the severity of this issue and the immense ramifications it poses to the safety of civilians, none of the engineers, construction firms or steel research institutes WAN appealed to for comment were happy to venture an official opinion, many keen to state that they had little or no knowledge of the matter at hand.
Thinning reinforcement rods is not illegal but when practiced to excess can lead to a reduction in the effectiveness of the metal. Fan Zhong from the China Architecture Design and Research Group clarifies: "Over-stretching the steel bars will cause them to become brittle and weak, and less resistant to earthquakes," a point confirmed by Wu Chengcai, General Engineer at the Shaanxi Provincial Building Research Institute, who comments: "When a building suffers great external force such as an earthquake, the stronger, standard steel bars will 'stretch' as the building suffers the damage, thus slowing the process of its collapse for people to escape. However, the buildings with the substandard, thin steel bars will collapse very quickly."
With a marked history of earthquakes across the nation, China has upped its building regulations in recent years and yet somehow the practice of illegal steel thinning has continued to thrive. The potential human cost of stretching reinforcement rods for backhand cash is inconceivable for the majority of people but this remains a very real threat as China presses forward with an unyielding construction schedule, leaving many questions unanswered.
Sian Disson
News Editor


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Angelina Jolie's Contradictions Buoy the Otherwise Rote "Salt"
Salt, a spy flick rewritten for Angelina Jolie after Tom Cruise dropped out, has been publicized as the cinematic equivalent of the 19th Amendment: finally, a level playing field for female action stars! This is mostly bullshit, of course — Jolie's Evelyn Salt is not the first action hero to be given a gender reassignment between initial conception and opening weekend (cough, Alien), nor is this the first stunt-heavy film Jolie has carried on her back and sold on her name. What is startling about Salt is the extent to which, in insisting on the moral ambiguity of its protagonist for most of its running time, it gives us an action-hero prototype that Cruise couldn't play and Jolie was born to.
That it flatters the audience by assuming a modicum of intelligence earns points if we're grading on a curve, but this is still closer to product than art. Highly satisfying, often exhilarating, refreshingly unpretentious product.
Angelina Jolie's Rote "Salt"
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- Ancient Science
- angelina jolie salt
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- buddhist science
- cinema news
- Mathematics
- Metallurgy
- science
- srikrishnadevaraya
- technology
- vijayanagara
- world news updates
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Today I will be sharing my reviews on 2 products;
1. Ginvera Green Tea Aqua Whitening Cream
Now, let's start with the Ginvera Green Tea Aqua Whitening Cream first.
Details about Ginvera Green Tea Aqua Whitening Cream and directions to use:
Let's move on. :)
I'll be showing you the colour and texture of this product.
White colour with creamy texture but it is pretty lightweight, not like those thick, greasy cream.
Spread it evenly on your skin and use tapping method for faster absorption of the product.
Within seconds, the product got absorbed into my skin.
The product leaves a white cast on my skin making my skin look radiant immediately. You can observe the difference in the shade of my skin in the photo above.
My thoughts:
I love how lightweight the product is on my skin and I can feel that my skin is able to breathe even though it is in cream form. The product got absorbed into my skin fast and did not feel greasy unless I apply too much of it on my face. I love the scent of flora and green tea. I love it that this product is able to keep my skin matte for long hours but felt that it is not hydrating enough for the dry areas of my face. This product helps to brightening up dull skin immediately but if you are looking for skin whitening then I guess have to use for a longer period of time to view the result.
My rating: 3.5/5
Retail price: $16.90 for 40g
Next is the review on Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream.
Details about Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream and directions to use:
The opening is quite huge, so don't squeeze the tube too hard but I am glad that this BB cream isn't too watery, otherwise too much of the BB cream will flow out.
Let me show you the colour and texture of this product.
This BB cream comes with yellow undertone, so it looks a bit greyish when I spread out the BB cream. This BB cream is creamy in texture yet it is also kind of watery, so the BB cream does not feels heavy on my skin.
Spread the BB cream evenly with slight tapping, and here's how my skin looks like.
The BB cream leaves a powdery finish on my skin.
After the BB cream oxidised, I compared it with my right hand. (My right hand is my original skintone without anything applied on it.)
The left hand looks brighter and the veins are less visible.
Let me show you how this BB cream looks like on my face through the "Before" and "After" photos.
Have you noticed that my skin tone looks more even, brighter, and my dark eye circles were gone?
Yes, I'm also pretty amazed by the results of this BB cream.
My thoughts:
I love the concealing power of this BB cream and the texture did not feel heavy on my skin. The watery creamy texture makes even spreading of BB cream a breeze and the BB cream got absorbed by my skin really fast, leaving no greasy feeling but a powdery finish. I love this kind of powdery finish! :) This BB cream did not make my face looks cakey after all the perspiring and sebum excretion on my face. If you think that the BB cream will make your skin looks pale, no worries because after adding blusher and lip colour, the end result is pretty good. Added goodness is the SPF30PA++.
However, the sad thing about this BB cream is that it gives me a hydrated skin initially but a few hours later (about 1 to 2 hours), the BB cream kind off sank into my fine lines, making my fine lines more obvious than normal, so I would advise to use really moisturising product before this BB cream and everything will be fine.
My rating: 3.5/5
Retail price: $16.90 for 25ml
Thanks for reading and hope these reviews would be useful for you.
If you are interested to try these products, 'Like' Ginvera Singapore's Facebook and fill in your address, and samples of the products will be mailed straight to your house.
Lastly, thank you Ginvera for the products and thank you The Sample Store for inviting me to review them.
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated to The Sample Store and Ginvera, Singapore. Reviews published here are based on my own experiences and opinions. I am not getting paid for sharing these reviews.


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May 23, 2012 in Antiques, Bookstore, Collectible Comics, Fax & Printing Service, Printing, Tourism, Tourism Information, Used Bookstore
The Bookstore
Box 671, 144 Garafraxa St. S.
Durham, On. N0G 1R0
Phone number: 519 369 2974
Contact Name: Nella Monaco-Wells
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Welcome to The Bookstore! We are a Used Bookstore located in downtown Durham. Used & rare books and comics, vintage treasures & collectibles, photocards by a local photographer! Printing, faxes, and special orders for new books We are also the West Grey Chamber of Commerce Tourism Information Centre!
Come on over!
...More than just books!
Our hours are:
Tuesday - Friday 10:00am to 5:00pm
Saturday 10:00am to 4:00pm
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