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There are many curious people out there. And you know who you are. People who are curious about what exactly gay guys get up to in the bedroom, amongst other things. So this week I challenged my Facebook friends to send me some questions that they always wanted to ask a gay guy but never dared to. Evidently, the common denominator amongst the questions that I received dealt with sex, in one way or another. The questions came from straight folks, bisexuals, lesbians and even a few gay guys. So without any further ado here goes...
The first question I received asked "If you are both tops or bottoms, how do you decide who will go where?" Well, the answer is simple. One will bottom and the other will top. Contrary to popular belief there are few gay guys who are exclusively tops or bottoms. Sometimes we like to mix things up a bit, we call this being versatile. There are also a lot of other sexually sinful things you can do that will make Pastors cringe that does not involve penetration. But seeing as I was not asked about that, I will leave it up to your dirty imaginations.
"What happens if you are dating a guy and he has a really large penis?" Well, if that happens go on your knees and thank God. It doesn't matter what people with small penises say – size does matter! The bigger the better! Personally, I know many size queens who like their men's joy sticks supersized which lead me to a related question "Does anal sex hurt, and what if the guy's dick is really large?" The simple answer will be yes, anal sex can hurt a little at first. After all you are stretching the sphincter muscle. But the anus is resilient. As for if the guy is really large, well then you would have to do some preparation before penetration to make sure the anus is relaxed. Some gay guys prefer to use poppers as it takes the edge off and relaxes the sphincter muscle. You should really try it sometime. Anal sex is not just for the gays you know.
"Have you ever lied and said you were a top because you did not feel like doing the prep work?" Actually I am a versatile top and I don't need to do much prep work but I am sure there are some bottoms that may have done this. I mean the prep work is tedious, you have to shave your ass and you can hurt yourself doing it. Lord knows I did once but I don't like talking about it. Then you have to trim your pubes and douche. You don't want your partner's member to be covered with stinky bits now do you? Sometimes if you have not bottomed in a while you may also need to make use of certain adult toys to help prepare yourself for the actual penetration and all of this takes time but is well worth the effort. And most importantly it shows your partner that you care.
And then there were some question with really short answers. "What do you prefer, KY or Vaseline?" KY, because Vaseline is oil based and not advisable to use during safe sex. It is always better to use a water based lubricant. "Do you like titties?" No I don't. "How do you know you don't like vagina if you never tried it?" I have tried it and I STILL DON'T LIKE IT! "Would you ever have a threesome with women?" Ummm, don't you understand what homosexual mean? No I would not. "Have you ever had a threesome and was it awkward?" Yes I have, and it was a little awkward at first but it got better as I got into things.
"Why are some gay men on dating sites scared of HIV+ men?" I don't know if it is a lack of safe sex education in the gay community but in my opinion they avoid HIV+ men because they fear being infected. Let's not fool ourselves; gay guys are on dating sites like Man Hunt, Grindr and Gaydar for sex. Only in exceptional circumstance do guys find their life partners on dating sites and in my social circle I only know of one couple who met that way. If a person can't look past you being HIV+, in my opinion, they are not worth your time anyway.
"What is gaydar and do all gays have it?" This is like the gay superpower right? Gaydar is the ability to recognize gay people through observing certain subtle gay traits in their general behavior. Contrary to what some believe gaydar is not only secluded to the gay community as some straight folks also have it. Just like some gay people's gaydar is broken. For example my lesbian gaydar doesn't work at all. Two lesbians could be scissoring in front of me and I would not know they are gay. Perhaps it is because I am not sexually attracted to women, who knows?
"Do gay people have a secret language they speak? My gay friends talk about things like dora and patsy, what does that mean?" Back in the day when gay people were persecuted they had had secret parties and couldn't openly associate or admit in public that they were gay, so certain code words were used to disguise what they were really saying or referring to. Much of this "language", which in fact is only gay slang, have died out with the younger LGBT generation as we don't really need to use it anymore. But certain words are still being used. To learn more about this you can click on the following links: Gay Slang Explained and Gay Slang Dictionary.
So there you have it, answers to some question you always wanted to ask a gay guy but were too afraid to ask. I am sure there might be many more. So in future if you have a burning question about anything gay or need step-by-step instructions on how to use a butt plug, drop me an email and I will gladly assist you.
Till next time.
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Pluto goes direct today, in the early degrees of Capricorn. Marching towards its first square to Uranus in the spring. Uranus goes direct in December in the early degrees of Aries. Volatile times ahead. For me, 6th house contacts the mid-heaven.
The energy that propels destiny and laughs at us at the same time, asking are you living your truth, working your truth, serving the truth? How do we leap beyond our own vanity and allow the spaciousness for this fierce healer within to move us without killing us?
I went back to one of my favorite books by one of my favorite teachers/astrologers, Steven Forrest whom I've studied with over the years. His book "Inner Sky" an old favorite. Steven says this about Pluto:
The realization of one's destiny.
The recognition of the absurdity of all narrow pursuits.
The development of the capacity to discern truth.
Key questions to ask yourself:
Where can I find enduring significance in my life?
Where in myself might I find wisdom for which there is a great need in the world around me?
Where must I guard against dogmatic unscrupulous or tyrannical behavior?
We must identify with something larger, more timeless. Pluto is the planet of vast dreams, of visions, of conquest and transformation. By voicing a cry that already exists in the soul of the people.
Pluto is a taproot penetrating the heart of a nation...As artists it strikes me that
through our work, we EMBODY the visions and terrors of humanity. through our work we represent them. Our images serve as LIVING SYMBOLS of a some communal need or fear.
Through making art our lives are given TRANSPERSONAL meaning. We do not lose individuality, but we take on a second level of identity.
I cannot tell you how much I loved re-reading the above passages (you should buy The Inner Sky, book by Steven Forrest)
It is not about the personal self, our individual missions are not personal glory bound, if we take the high road it is about transcendence. No vanity. When you become your mission, when you become your images, your artwork, your dreams - the little you becomes irrelevant. It is the road to the big YOU. You might ask - who is that? That is everyone. That is the I AM self.
Ah.... that – to embody an ideal where the personal self falls away. It's a paradox surely. A mission for relevance that strikes at the very core of your being with the end route being the journey. There is the true meaning, the real healing. Not ego inflation. To embody the core, through the journey of the dark night of the soul. To heal the personality by transcending it.

subset: commoncrawl


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This Dollar bill was rescued from a sure death in the dark gambling alleys of Vegas by our favorite world traveler. thank you again a million times Julie.
Date: September 30, 2013.
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada.
This is for all the Golden ladies out there.
Date: September 27, 2013.
Location: New York, New York.
Fly like an eagle to the lake. Fly like an eagle and land safe. Wait lake and safe don't rhyme. Oh well. Thank you so much Julie
Date: September 26, 2013.
Location: Lake Powell, Arizona.
Date: September 25, 2013.
Location: Marina Del Rey, California.
A cup of Champagne at hand and Eminem in the background is one hell of a way to spend an evening, add a Penny to the mix and you are close to perfection. Thank you Romain.Donation: $2.00
Date: September 24, 2013.
Location: Paris, France.
The smile of a good friend is all we need to start the day on the right foot. Thanks Cyril.
Date: August 23, 2013.
Location: Venice, California..


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|09 Jan 2011
[SOLVED] Tray Icon not refreshing
Hey I'm looking for solution but couldn't find any so im writing here. Im using MPC-HC with DirectVobSub (VSFilter), and everytime I load video i get green arrow icon in tray, anothere and anothere one. It should remove old and display new, but it dosnt remove old one. But when i hover on icon it get removed, and only working one is there. Im using same windows with same cccp and before format i didnt have any problem, now i do. It's cosmetic problem but very anoying, and i dont want to reinstall windows just because of it. Any ideas how can i fix it ? I tried reinstallig software, using other version - nothing helped. all my recovery points got same problem so going back wont help
|My System Specs
|09 Jan 2011
Several, including Windows 7 x64 Ultimate
There is a problem with the system tray, it does not automatically refresh properly, and it also does not automatically remove old icons.
The only way I have found to overcome this is to use a registry change:
Notification Area Icons - Reset
If you now right click in the system tray and choose "Customize notification icons" you will see that your icons are now up to date and should refresh properly until at some point you have to do it again.
I don't know of any other reliable way to do this. Take care when editing the registry, and always make a backup before you do so.
Regards....Mike Connor
|My System Specs
|10 Jan 2011
Dear Mike Connor, Thanks you for you tip - I did what was needed but aparently it didn't solve my problem. I can see it did reset notification area icons by clicking customize and there is "fresh" list of icons, but sadly my "not removing old DirectVobSub icon" problem is still there. It's funny how same system on same machine with same software installed can work in two diffrent ways. What I tried and didnt work out: - rebuilding IconCache.db - killing and starting explorer.exe - update vsfilter - reset notification area icons edit: when i unregistre and regisrty vsfilter back it work good for first time (first opening mpc-hc) then when i close it and open again problems get back. I tried with newest and oldest vsfilter and still have problem.
|My System Specs
|10 Jan 2011
Official old 2.37 Fix'ed problem. Nor 2.38, 2.39, 2.40 fix'd it, just old 2.37. So its related with vsfilter then. Thanks
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*Mitt Romney has booked a rare TV interview – and it just so happens that he's currently in the headlines for controversial comments made by MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry.
Fox News Channel announced today that the former Massachusetts governor and 2012 Republican presidential candidate will appear during the Jan. 5 episode of Fox News Sunday where he'll be interviewed by Chris Wallace.
Romney, who will discuss the Affordable Care Act and security around the upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics, will also likely address the lingering fallout from Harris-Perry mocking a Romney family photo on air this past weekend. While discussing the Romney's Christmas card, Harris-Perry and other members of the panel pointed out Romney's adopted black grandson, Kieran Romney, who was seated on the politician's lap.
Harris-Perry, who mostly laughed at comments made by fellow panelists — actress Pia Glenn said, "One of these things is not like the other." — did get flak for making a comment about baby Kieran one day marrying Kanye West and Kim Kardashian's baby daughter.
The host quickly issued an apology on Twitter, writing, "I am sorry. Without reservation or qualification. I apologize to the Romney family. … As black child born into large white Mormon family I feel familiarity w/ Romney family pic & never meant to suggest otherwise."
That apology has not slowed criticism for the segment. It remained a subject of debate on MSNBC competitors CNN and Fox News Channel throughout Thursday night.
Fox News Sunday airs on Fox affiliates Sunday morning with an encore on FNC at 2 p.m. ET.


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We're suckers for a good melon. Or pineapple. There's a reason you get excited when you see a whimsical sketch of a funky watermelon or a pineapple with glasses on. It's the definition of warm weather summer months! Here are 22 reasons to prove our case:
WATERMELON WANDER by Zoe Wodarz
WATERCOLOR STRAWBERRIES by Jacqueline Maldonado
MIDNIGHT PINEAPPLE by Zoe Wodarz
WATERCOLOR LEMONS by Jacqueline Maldonado
PINEAPPLE PARTY by Bianca Green
PEACHES ON PINK by Lisa Argyropoulos
CITRUS WHEELS AND DOTS by Lisa Argyropoulos
STRAWBERRY SWEET IN BLUE by Lisa Argyropoulos
STRAWBERRY SWEET IN PINK by Lisa Argyroupoulos
PINEAPPLE PANDEMONIUM YELLOW by Lisa Argyropoulos
CUTIE FRUITY by Marceline Smith
OUR SUMMER GARDEN by Rebecca Allen
GONE BANANAS IN PINK by Lisa Argyropoulos
ORANGE POMEGRANATE by Mummysam


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The official face of Mondays.
You know what else happens on Mondays? Brain dump.
[2] We are officially 44 days away from being Australia-bound. That's scary. List of things that are planned: our flight. That's it.
[3] I'll admit to occasionally wishing my other lung would collapse, mostly because I got a little spoiled not having an alarm clock for 6 weeks, and also being able to watch Kelly & Michael every morning. The hospital made really good omelettes also.
[4] My dad let me use his power tools yesterday. He's not a Jesus kind of man, but I'm pretty sure I caught him doing the up, down, left right cross motion as he handed the air-nailer over to me.
[4a] I won't ruin the surprise of what I am making. Mostly because it probably will either go awry or I'll just get bored of the project, either way if it miraculously ever gets finished I'll share. Until then, use your imagination.
[5] I brought in freshly baked girlfriend cookies for a bunch of the guys I work with. I'm not stupid. I know how to get ahead in this world.
[6] That was clearly a joke. I brought them for the guys who carry down boxes for me every day when FedEx brings them. Believe me, they deserve cookies.
[7] I wish I was wearing a hippieband like in that picture above. Any day is better with a hippieband.
[8] I'm not really a fan of the term headband. Blair Waldorff wears headbands. Hippiebands go across your forehead; headbands go on top of your head.
[9] Did I mention that we leave for Australia in like a month and a half? If anyone has ever been to Sydney, Cairns or Brisbane, throw some recommendations my way. Our list of things to do literally consists of "shrimp on the barbie, shamelessly flirt with surfer dudes, pet koalas "
[10] On that note I think it's time to close out this post. I've made myself seem incredibly airheaded. Check back tomorrow, I may actually compose something of value.


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The Swiss cooling solution provider – ARCTIC COOLING introduces Accelero S1 Rev. 2 passive VGA cooler.
The Accelero S1 Rev. 2 extends the compatibility to many of the latest graphic cards. It supports high-end to main stream graphic cards including the latest hot selling Radeon HD 3870, 3850 , GeForce 8800GTS (G92) and 8800GT.
The Accelero S1 Rev. 2 now comes with a new flexible mounting mechanism, multiple screw hole sets and modifications to the heatpipes enabling it to fit a wider range of leading graphic cards. As a result more gamers can benefit from adopting the Accelero S1 Rev. 2 which dramatically improves their gaming experience.
Accelero S1 Rev. 2 is compatible with ATI Radeon HD 3870, 3850, 2600, 2400, X1950, X1900, X1800, X1650, X1600, X1550, X1300 and nVIDIA GeForce 8800GTS (G92), 8800GT, 8600, 8500, 8400, 7950GT, 7900, 7800, 7600, 7300, 6800, 6600 graphic card series.
Accelero S1 Rev. 2 will be available by Feb 2008. The MSRP is USD 28.95 and Euro 19,95 (excl VAT).No tag for this post.


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My father, Dr Walter Blyth, who has died aged 87, made a significant contribution to immunology and microbiological research during his career as lecturer in mycology and bacteriology at Edinburgh University. His work involved the study of fungal antigens as triggers of respiratory disease in both maltworkers and farmers, and included extensive fieldwork throughout the farms of the Scottish lowlands. Implicated diseases were allergic alveolitis and "farmer's lung". His erstwhile students recall his patience and the ready communicativeness of his manner.
Walter, nicknamed Bill, was born in Galashiels, in the Scottish Borders, and educated at Burnage Municipal high school for boys in Manchester. He was a gifted undergraduate in both botany and zoology at Edinburgh, but was released at his own request in 1942 to be commissioned in the King's Own Scottish Borderers. He served with the Cameronians (the Scottish rifles) in Italy where he was wounded at Anzio and was taken prisoner of war. Once the war was over, Bill graduated with a first. By 1949 he had gained his doctorate and was launched upon his academic career.
His hobbies included painting in oils, hill-walking, gardening and wildlife, and immersing himself in the novels of Dickens and Scott. A triple bypass operation in 1984 gave him a further 25 years of life, much of which was very active, even in retirement.
One of Bill's gifts was his ability to open the eyes of others to new worlds. His greatest gift to me was opening up the sound-world of classical music. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of trees, fungi and plant species. With his dry Scots sense of humour, he was usually excellent company. However, he could also appear somewhat dour until you persuaded him to have a wee dram.
My mother, Dorothy, whom he married in 1943, died in 1997.


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Romantic Relationships: Are you in the Right one?
9 Questions to Ask in Order to Find Out
By: J. Marlando
As every mature person knows, serious romantic relationships are…well, serious. This is why when especially teens jump into the sack together or begin talking about marriage before their life's experiences prepare them for such responsibilities that sensible parents and others howl against such alliances. Indeed, around 50% of adult couples end up splitting up and I'd guess another 25% simply end up living "aptly" ever after so what chance do a couple of adolescents have to build a lasting, loving and secure life together?
Okay, anyone with common sense, will agree with the observations made in the above but that doesn't mean that every grownup makes correct relationship choices either. A few thousand single moms will attest to that and the divorce statistics will confirm it. (I have admitted many times in these articles about marriage and relationships that I was no doubt the worst candidate for marriage until I was nearly 40 years old. That reversed long ago but the point is, it's vital to know you before getting romantically entangled with another human).
One unhappy-maker is that most everyone desires to mate and nest. There has always been a lot of controversy about our kind's natural mating/nesting drives. Indeed, the question that asks, are human beings promiscuous, polyandrous, monogamous or polygamous has been asked countless times? And the correct answer is…yes!
It is ordinarily the taboos and totems of one's culture that dictates the mores and moralities of marriage. For example, in America, the Latter Day Saints (Mormons) advocated polygamous marriage which was nobody's business but their own. Yet, "the U.S. leadership" resisted and outlawed their pursuit of happiness.
In our country (The U.S.A.) promiscuity belongs to a long list of taboos especially for married couples—cheating (having extramarital affairs) is deemed a crime against decency and sincerity. The Forbes study by Karlyn Bowman is probably the most accurate: She tells us that only 3% or 4% of married couples have sexual partners besides their spouses in any given year; that up to 18% of every married person has had a sexual partner other than their spouses while married. In regard to these statistics, a recent poll concluded that 80% of Americans believe that extramarital relationships are wrong. (This is a far cry than the statistics of the 1960s and 70s).
There is no statistic, however, that tells us how many husbands and wives are dissatisfied in their marriage bed.
It is not only younger people who marry the wrong person of course—for one thing, it is very well known that people courting are typically on their best behaviors. No one can really know anyone until they have lived with them for two or three years. Since this is the case, how the heck can a person know he or she is marrying Mr. or Mrs. Right before that walk down the aisle to the altar?
The rest of this article is devoted to answering this very question.
Finding Out if your Mate is the Right one For You
A myth of marriage that needs to be left by the wayside is that married people share a lot of the same interests—it happens, but seldom, and it never happens with equal enthusiasm in any case. Loving to do things together basically diminishes within the first year of marriage.
The wife or husband who states something like, I just don't know what happened to us because before we got married we loved DOING everything together, is generally mistaken. Men and women going together love BEING together and the DOING is simply a way of assuring this.
After marriage couples are together most of the time and so doing together does not hold the same importance.
Here are ten questions to ask to be sure that you're in the right relationship—honest answers are essential but also answers based on sincere considerations.
Will I be able to support my mate in whatever he or she likes to do on his or her own?
Let's say your wife or husband loves to play tennis…camp…paint pictures…see stage plays…visit with relatives…will you be able to be the good ally and cheer your mate on even though you have no interest in his or her interest?
Will I be able to love and care for my mate even through the worst debilitating illnesses?
We live in the hope that we stay healthy and our mate's do too but we all live in the same world of uncertainty so people can get sick or injured and sometimes quite seriously. Will your mate be able to count on you no matter what happens?
Will I be able to give my mate room to grow?
People sometimes make mistakes, do and say dumb things; talk about stuff they don't know much about and fail in their attempts to accomplish. Will your mate be able to count on you to respond with tolerance and encouragement during such times as opposed to judgment and arrogance?
Will I be able to remain devoted to my mate during financial crisis?
Few married couples are fortunate enough to go through a lifetime of togetherness without facing financial crisis of one kind or another. Will your mate be able to depend on you to stay steadfast and consistently committed to him or her even during the worst of debt and poverty while holding to the wisdom that teaches you to fight the problems and not each other?
Will I be able to remain patient even in the wake of my mate's idiosyncrasies?
Sometimes it is the little things that couples turn into major problems of their relationship…like each other's idiosyncrasies and we all have them. Will your mate be able to depend on you to be tolerant and so understanding of his or her thinking and feelings peculiar to him or herself?
Will I be able to remain loving even when my mate becomes unloving?
We all have times of crankiness and irritation; times when we need our own space. Will your mate be able to depend on you to disengage, giving him or her the freedom to simply be and to relinquish your dependency on your mate to make you the center of the relationship by giving your mate the gift of your silence as opposed to your lecture and opinion?
Will I be able to free my mate from the false responsibility of being the cause and effect of my happiness or unhappiness?
Can you surrender the belief that somehow your mate is responsible for your contentment and joy; it simply is not the job of our mates to take away our dissatisfactions in life. Our "work" as sincere mates is to do what we can to relieve as much of our mate's pain and heal as many of his or her wounds we can that daily life inflicts on all of us but, at the same time, remembering that happiness and contentment is the sole responsibility of the self. Can you live your life of togetherness in this realization?
Will I be able to simply be nice to my mate regardless of circumstances?
Husbands and wives too often forget to be nice to each other or even show one another common courtesies of politeness and respect. The two most ordinary betrayals are to name call and blame. Will you be able to refrain from doing either at all times and in all situations?
Will you be able no matter what the future produces to love your mate…unconditionally?
Unconditionally means no matter what. Are you capable of loving your mate in this way?
You no doubt noticed that none of the above questions were addressed to your mate. One of the most common trouble-making assumptions in relationships is that one's partner is responsible for making the togetherness all that it should be. However, your lasting, loving and secure relationship is dependent on what you do and should NEVER be based on a "fair-share" scale for even the duty of caring. Your effort must evolve from your own caring and not ever count on how your mate's actions or reactions. The childish lifestyle that states I won't play in your sandbox if you don't play in mine belongs to countless couples who either end in divorce or living unhappily ever after. Conscientiousness is NEVER a deal, it is a personal ethic!
And so, if you answered any of the above questions with a "no," you are not in the right relationship!
Can you change this?
Absolutely--Change your answers through your own human actions!
If you enjoyed this article you should enjoy The Great Secrets of a Happy, FUN Marriage CLICK HERE
or The Secrets of Growing a Loving and Happy Marriage CLICK HERE


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M.T.I. Qualos presents the Tretight inflatable dock seals designed for commercial and general coolrooms for assured energy efficiency.
Tretight inflatable door seals use a 3-phase blower to deliver maximum power, ensuring that the seals push hard against the perimeter of the truck. The fan draws ambient air from outside and not from within the canopy area, which has refrigerated air.
A wraparound section at the bottom of the vertical seals is provided to seal this section as well. Side seals and head seals meet perfectly to fully enclose and seal the truck for assured energy savings.
Tretight inflatable dock seals are manufactured from chloroprene rubber and designed to minimise tearing. The dock seals are also UV and fade resistant, and available in many options.


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Betsy DeVos is the current United States Secretary of Education. She was born in Holland, Michigan 59 year ago. Her husband was a former CEO of a multi-level marketing company. Both are considered to be among billionaires in the United States. The family is ranked as the 88th richest family in America based on a list produced by Forbes in 2016. Besides being married to a wealthy husband, Betsy DeVos is also a renowned businesswoman in the US. She is also a politician and an activist who has been at the forefront in fighting mostly for equality and better education for children. She has been active in politics for the last 35 years after she was elected chairman of the Michigan Republic Party. Visit Betsy's profile page on Facebook.
However, Besty DeVos and her family are well known for their conservative philanthropic activities. This has seen the DeVos family being ranked among the most generous benefactors of the conservative movements and the Christian rights. It is believed that Betsy DeVos together with her family has invested over 200 million dollars in right-wing causes. They have also helped to fund nearly every prominent Republican running for national office. It is estimated that they have given over $44 million to the Michigan Republican Party, GOP legislative committees and Republican candidate since 1997. In addition to this, she is also described as a talented fundraiser as she was able to raise over 150,000 dollars for the re-election of George W. Bush. Their total donations as a family to the matters related to politics are estimated to be over 18 million dollars since 1989. This is a remarkable contribution. Their contributions in the political arena have, however, been more frequent in the last five years where it is estimated that they donated over 10 million dollars.
Besides giving their donation for the political cause, DeVos family has also been ranked by Forbes as 24th most philanthropic family in the United States. Their total lifetime donation on all causes is estimated to be over $1.3 billion approximated to be a quarter of their total net worth. They are involved in health, health research and Christian related missions. This is carried out under their family foundation known as Dick and Besty DeVos Family Foundation. They also have a national advocacy known as American Federation for Children, which promote school choice, school vouchers, and scholarship tax credit programs. Their focus has mostly been on funding on Christian Schools and religious missions. The couple's philanthropic record is a clear indication that they view choice and competition as the best method of enhancing and improving the education system of America. Their total donation to charter schools is estimated to be around $5.2 million from 1999 to 2014, and their donation to private Christian schools was estimated to be over $8.6 million. They firmly believe that the power of education and Christianity can impact a positive impact on the society.
Know more: http://www.betsydevos.com/news/


text:
Paul Du Noyer
In the City
Paul Du Noyer
In the City
Release Date: 6/30/2010
The definitive book on London music by the widely-acclaimed music writer.
London is the city of immigrant music, West End musicals, Ronnie Scott's jazz club, Abbey Road, mod culture, the Kinks, the Who and the Rolling Stones, all of whom transformed the city and were in turn transformed by it. In this fascinating history of the city's popular music, Paul Du Noyer, critically-acclaimed music writer and founding editor of MOJO, explores London's native talent, from Noël Coward and David Bowie to the Sex Pistols and Amy Winehouse, as well as international artists who were also influenced by the city.
From Elizabethan traders and public execution songs, to The Beggar's Opera and East End music halls, right up to modern day troubadours such as Dizzee Rascal and Lily Allen, this captivating book will appeal to residents, visitors and exiles alike, as well as lovers of popular culture, social history and music. Above all, it is a celebration of the city -- packed with stories of the people and places that have made London the most exciting and innovative musical city on earth.
From the Trade Paperback edition.


text:
From publisher blurb:
In years long past, Gryffon Keep was a border fortification guarding a somewhat well-used roadway. In that day, the keep was placed in the trust of Sir Harold Amoral, one of the greatest warriors available to the then Lord Duke. Time has changed the land, and brought the keep low, and Sir Amoral has become little more than a figure of fable and children's story. That the ruins in the forest were those of fabled Gryffon Keep have been forgotten by most, and the area is now known to locals as the Forest Ruin.
Although history has faded to legend, the ghost of Sir Amoral still haunts the ruined keep. During his lifetime, he sought to hoard his martial knowledge so that it might never be used against him by a mortal foe. Now, after death, he regrets this parsimony, and seeks above all to pass on his skills to those who are worthy.
The catch, of course, is that the ghost believes that only he can determine who is (or is not) worthy – and, of course, his methods for doing this are deadly.


text:
The fog and rain of the day before had lifted and the sun shone through a few clouds as I headed back home from my visits with friends and family in Atlanta. I was in high spirits while constantly surfing the radio for entertaining music or programs. I even stopped a minute at a Spanish language station to see if I could make out any words. Gee, my Spanish is soooo bad now!
Thirty years ago, I left a fundamentalist /end times cult. I had gone through several life events since then: Rebellion, atheism, the suicide of my brother, parents' divorce, and my own marriage and children.Thankfully, after the first ten years I had found grace and salvation through Jesus.
I didn't realize that I was still affected by my cult upbringing and still in bondage until a lovely couple at my church was sharing during Sunday School about Messianic Jewish traditions they had observed in their recent stay in the Holy Land. I was looking forward to hearing all about it. I love history and different cultures.
They started talking about holy days on the Jewish calendar and how Christ was incorporated into the celebrations in Messianic churches today. Then came trigger words used when I was growing up. They were Biblical terms that had been used in vastly different ways in my childhood. Suddenly, I was a little girl again. We had strict observances of Old Testament holy days, although devoid of Jesus' finished work on the cross, and filled with oppressive laws from a hard, harsh God. I was overcome by the old familiar feelings of despair, anxiety, and alienation. The heavy chains of cultist theology constricted me and I couldn't breathe. I thought I was going to explode. I raised my shaking hand and half screamed while choking out the words,"You all just don't understand what this can do to you without Jesus!" I can't remember what else I said, but I was embraced with gentleness and love and a whole room full of people stopped and prayed for me. I gradually stopped crying the big, ugly cry.
After that, more triggers from certain events in my life appeared, which were always followed by panic and debilitating anxiety with tears. Months went by. Then a year.
A dear friend loaned me Young Living's Freedom Kit of essential oils three weeks before this Atlanta trip. I had unbelievably crazy dreams from the first night using them. I don't usually dream, so this was surprising. They always had something to do with my childhood, yet I felt gradually more like an observer and not entangled in the dream. During the day, I began to have the sensation that I was an old, weathered building with paint flaking off. It felt like bad things falling off of me, but not hurting as they fell. I had one nightmare that I was falling asleep on the couch of my childhood home and a demon reached for me, but didn't get me.
On this Sunday, driving home from Atlanta, I felt really happy. I started the ascent of Mt. Eagle outside of Chattanooga. Still flipping through the stations, I stopped at a familiar song by Nickelback called "Photograph," which I had heard a hundred times. I started singing along. All of a sudden, something felt odd. I started to hear MY story in the song. What I heard over and over wasn't exactly what the actual lyrics were. I heard and saw in my mind, my old house, and me walking out the front and out the back. Then looking for a photo of a "prison" I'd been searching for: "It's time to say it, I have to say it, good-bye, good-bye."
From somewhere deep, deep inside me, I knew I could say good-bye to everything – to the prison I only thought I had left, yet had carried around with me for over 30 years. I couldn't stop crying. I cried up the mountain and down the other side. I cried until I couldn't cry any more, and then I DID cry some more. I had the sensation of release from every cell in my body.
I was free. It is a remarkable thing to be free for the first time in your life.
Thank you, Jesus, for Young Living and these amazing oils!


text: I am a Software Test Engineer for the Exchange Web Services team. I have been working with various versions of Exchange both as a developer and a tester for over 7 years now and have had my fair share of pain with the various Exchange APIs. Outside of work I am a devoted soccer fan (I call it football). I have been following my team, Manchester United, since the age of 5 – which shockingly means I have now been supporting them for 25 years!


text:
Two trends in 2008 that I'm not sure I want to see more of in 2009: bejeweled bibs and horse-like shoes. Though I'm on the fence about statement necklaces that were so big (literally) on the runways, how do they interpret in real life? Can you imagine going to work with any of these on? My co-workers would think I'm crazier than usual. But, I do have limited experience with accessorizing...so maybe I'm the one in the wrong.
Something that I do find a little ridiculous though, are these fold-over boots and wedges. To me, they make legs look more like Clydesdale hooves than anything else...clip clop, clip clop.
(Images from Style.com, Wikipedia, Jak & Jil Blog, FabSugar, Free People)


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Tools and Utilities
Maintain your Android Tablet with major file editing tools like Astro, ES File Explorer and much more! Download Astro File Manager and ES File Explorer.
Click on the title of this section to expand the list and show you every app in our system!
Blik Calendar Widget« Personalization & Tools « Downloads
|JoeProgrammer, Inc
|September 24, 2013
|18 times
|Personalization & Tools
Why use a boring calendar widget that only has words when a picture can tell the story better?
Blik reads your calendar and *automatically* shows the best picture for each event. The picture is shown, along with the start time and an important word from the event so that you can see what's coming up on your calendar.
You end up with a quick visual guide to your upcoming events. Your calendar has never been easier to "read".
The free/trial version of Blik comes with 350+ pictures and 700+ keywords rules.
The Pro version unlocks another 300+ keyword rules so that your calendar events are matched up to pictures even better.
You can create your own keyword rules for single calendar events in the free/trial version and in the Pro version you can create your own keyword rules that apply to all your calendar events.
Check out the Blik Settings screen under the Help section for helpful Tips (like how to subscribe to a holiday calendar).
* English only for now.
Keywords: calendar, agenda, birthday, holiday, widget
Known issue(s):
> Columnn layout isn't drawing text below the picture (besides the time).
> On Cyanogenmod ROM, the homescreen manager doesn't appear to return the correct dimensions, so Blik is drawing with large margins.
> On screen rotate, sometimes Nova Launcher will not return the correct widget size, so rendering is incorrect. To fix, resize Blik widget.
> Widget appearance preview in Settings for month layout doesn't draw correctly (it does draw the widget correctly on your homescreen though). — fixed in Jelly Bean and above
> Facebook events may be displayed with incorrect starting times. Use Blik Advanced Setting value to manually adjust the display for all Facebook start times.
> Facebook declined events will still show up.
> Larger widget sizes can result in out-of-memory crashes.
—=== When DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME changes ===—
If your phone is showing events off by an hour, you may need to power it down and reboot so that your phone picks up the time change from your cell provider.
— Important Note —
If you are having problems with your calendar events not syncing, go to http://android.joeprogrammer.com/blikhelp/synchelp.html for information and instructions on how to correct the problem.
Recent changes:
> 2 pictures updated
> keywords added for existing pictures
> Feedback emails now contain widget layouts used and more calendar info for debugging
> bugfix: Column layout shows event text
> 10 pictures added, 19 updated
> bugfix: Selecting text when creating a new rule or when setting display text for an event now works for all device screen densities.
> Cleaned/optimized select text UI.
full change list: http://android.joeprogrammer.com/blikrelnotes.html
Content rating: Everyone


text:
The latest hunger count is in and it shows more people are turning to food banks across the country.
Three provinces in particular – Saskatchewan, Alberta and Nova Scotia – saw staggering increases.
While the national average of food bank use has jumped 1.3 per cent since last year, it's increased almost 18 per cent in Saskatchewan.
Since 2008, food bank usage in Saskatchewan has gone up a whopping 77 per cent. That means 31,395 individuals accessed food banks in the province this year, compared to the 17,751 who accessed food banks eight years ago.
- 50 per cent of people who use the food bank are on social assistance
- 14.7 per cent are employed
- 7.6 per cent are on disability-related income supports
- 5.6 per cent are on a pension
None of those statistics are shocking to Regina Food Bank CEO Steve Compton, but he said he is alarmed.
"In general, people don't envision themselves reaching out to a food bank for support, whether it's Regina or across the province."
Sixty-eight per cent of those people live in market level rentals, 14.2 per cent live in social housing and almost seven per cent are homeowners. Homeless people make up only a small number.
"So vulnerable to changes in costs, vulnerable in changes of availability," Compton said of food bank users who are paying market level rents.
He said the food bank needs support now more than ever.
"When the numbers are going up from a usage point of view, those same economic factors are affecting the people who make donations and support us, as well."
Compton encourages people to read the latest hunger count and give back however they can, whether it be a food or financial donation, or volunteering.
"If you can make a donation again this year, it's more important than ever."


text: The group has been hired by an old man named Ito to find the second piece of the crown of dust. Ito was able to give you a general idea of where he thought the permanent dust devil was that hides the "Face in the Stone". After a grueling 10 day journey through the desert, the group finds the dust devil. A pair of crystal spiders had made their lair outside of it, but were not much of a challenge. The group then had to make their way through the whirling sand, which proved to be quite an ordeal for the small halfling. In the eye of the dust devil, the group sees a stone mesa with grim face carved in its base. The gaping mouth appears to be the only entrance. Two stone obelisks protrude from the lower jaw like a pair of demonic fangs. The brilliant desert sun seems powerless to penetrate the darkness within.


text:
DETROIT (AP) A meteorite resembling Michigan's Lower Peninsula has been sold at auction, but bidders weren't quite as smitten with the mitten as the seller expected.
The 75-pound nickel-and-iron meteorite sold for $20,000 Sunday at Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas. It had been expected to sell for $32,500 to $40,000.
Michigan native Darryl Pitt, the meteorite's owner, says he is disappointed by the low price. He says he thinks the space rock is worth $50,000.
There was more interest in a three-quarter-ton nickel-iron meteorite that resembles the Indian subcontinent. It sold for $90,000.


text:
October 21, 2004
» Album Reviews
A Grand Don't Come For Free b> Vice/Atlantic
"It was supposed to be so easy," bemoans Mike Skinner (aka The Streets) in the opening track of his newest album, A Grand Don't Come For Free. Disconnected vocals over the soft swells of horn-section grandeur -- is this the new sound of hip- hop? Over in Europe it certainly is, as the Brit has already hit the big time and is poised to quietly storm America. His songs have the insight that usually comes with emo rap artists such as Atmosphere or Sage Francis, but the music is so absolutely jarring that it takes a while to get used to. The Streets' accent is Yorkshire pudding-thick, and the beats are so, well, offbeat, that it's at once aurally odd and absolutely mesmerizing. Like his comrade Dizzee Rascal, he's creating a hip-hop sound that is entirely unlike anything we have heard in America. In the Golden Age of Bling, are the Yanks ready for something so revolutionary? Take a leap and listen.
Sahara Hotnights
The Swedish are almost preternaturally good looking. It's truly ridiculous. The gals of Sahara Hotnights are no exception, though these Swedes would probably acknowledge the compliment with a roll of the eyes and a sexy swig of Red Bull and vodka. The quartet often is described as a sort of unofficial sister group to The Hives, fellow Scandinavians who actually do rock. With looks to kill, and guitars turned up to 11, Sahara Hotnights should have the formula for great rock down pat. Unfortunately, they prove rather frustrating instead, and their latest album Kiss & Tell, is pretty much an exercise in mediocrity. Technically the songs are just fine, but man, they could do so much more. They want to have the balls-out growl and energy of a neo-Joan Jett and Pat Benatar, but lack any sense of danger. One after another, the tracks have the same tempos and similar guitar riffs, becoming indistinguishable. Jag har hörit betre rock 'n' roll.
Damage Sanctuary
In past reviews, I've tended to compare a lot of bands with the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, and here's why: They simply do it best. Even though they have dropped the "Jon Spencer" moniker (but not the man), they have retained their customary grab-and-shake-you rock 'n' roll. Their latest album, Damage, is quite a lot better than the previous Plastic Fang, which was oddly dull. Vocalist/ guitarist Spencer, who can do more with a guttural "sock it to me" than seems reasonable, triumphs on "Rival" and the title track "Damage." Drummer Russell Simmons lends perfect driving drumbeats over "Hot Gossip," an oddly paired political duet with Public Enemy's Chuck D ("We gotta get on up and shut this shit down!"). "Fed Up & Low Down" is a bass lover's delight, alternating between soul, revival fire and garage punk. "I have moved heaven and earth to bring you people this message!" the dreamy Spencer yells. "The blues are gonna kill me!" Indeed.
More Album Reviews »
All content © Copyright 2019, The Colorado Springs Independent
Website powered by Foundation


text: DALLAS, Dec. 25 -- White Rock Networks, a provider of next-generation optical transport systems for the local metro transport market,announced it has received $42 million in fourth-round venture funding. The funding will be used to continue the development of White Rock's modular family of optical networking products and support the continued growth of its sales and support activities. This round brings the total funds raised by White Rock Networks to $144 million since its inception in 1999. In previous rounds, the company raised $12 million in February 2000, followed by $30 million in June 2000 and $60 million in November 2001. Led by Oak Investment Partners, all of White Rock's existing major investors have invested again: Oak Investment Partners, Mayfield Fund, Meritech Capital, Fremont Communications, Fremont Ventures, Investor AB (through its wholly owned subsidiary, Investor Growth Capital), Hook Partners, Gulf International Bank and Pacesetter Capital Group. A new investor, 3i, has joined the round. For more information, visit: www.whiterock.com


text:
"THE WAR FOR PHANG," Part Two
When your babysitter's a ghost, death is never very far away.
Here again we find love and hope and - just when you get comfortable - a punch to the gut. Read Full Review
The story jumps forward a bit and we say farewell to a beloved character, but Saga is as it's always been: great. There is some crucial character development and a good setup moving forward. Read Full Review
If the true success of any space opera is its ability to inject heart into exotic sci-fi settings, then Saga is already wildly successful. It makes it so easy to develop an attachment and fondness for each character. Saga #38 further supplements these elements by making it feel personal. It may not be personal enough to inspire sequels, prequels, and its own rides at Disney World, but it's well on its way. Read Full Review
Saga hits the heartstrings yet again as a long time lead pays the ultimate price. Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples combine complex development with forward progression, resulting in a strong, visually arresting chapter with wide reaching repurcussions. As both a family tale and an otherworldly adventure, this book is still firing on all cylinders. Read Full Review
Well that sucked! In a good way i mean. Id rather not say anything about this issue and just
leave a score cause anything would ruin everything.
I feel like the end of this issue should have hit me harder. Maybe I'm still in shock.


text:
I desperately hope that you guys aren't tired of all the Catching Fire posts. These posts are just fillers until my scheduled reviews pop up.
So the new Hunger Games website on Instagram promised something truly fantastic on May 14th and I know this is a little late but in case you didn't see it, here's what was so awesome:


text:
Grass Fed Beef Box_ perfect for paleo & crossfit conscientious consumers. A 7-10 lbs. box of our most flavorful grass fed beef delivered directly to your door. Perfect for two people or families trying to add more high quality sustainable meats to their diet. Includes 1 Quart grass fed bone broth.
This premium grass fed box is unique in its offerings, each box contains a quart of nutrient dense grass fed bone broth (no salt added), ground beef and a variety of cuts. Perfect for paleo or cross fit minded customers.
· Overnight shipping included
Each month you will get:
Bi-Monthly Schedule The Bi-Monthly share offers flexibility; it is perfect for single households or a busy lifestyle. You will receive your PRMC Meat Club box of premium meats on the 3rd Thursday every other month.
You will have access to the PRMC online store where you will find a variety of cuts & protein options from various small family farms; adding cuts to your meat box is a simple click away. When selecting your delivery frequency consider the even/odd schedule below.
Odd month schedule: 1 -Jan, 3 -March, 5 -May, 7 -July, 9 -September, 11 -November.
Even month schedule: 2 -February, 4 -April, 6 -June, 8 -August, 10 - October, 12 -December.


text:
An 18-year-old man has suffered life-threatening injuries after the car he was driving crashed into a tree in a Doncaster village.
The collision occurred at around 9.10pm on Friday, December 16 when it is reported that a blue Fiat Punto was involved in a collision with a tree on Cowick Road, Fishlake, near to the junction with Sour Lane.
An 18-year-old man driving the Punto suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital, where he remains in a stable condition.
Police are appealing for witnesses to the collision.
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or email email@example.com quoting incident number 1153 of December 16, 2016.


text:
ELIZABETHTOWN - The Elizabethtown-Lewis girls basketball team are going to be relying on the growth of their young players this year.
The team lost nine players to graduation or transfer and returns only two seniors: Cassie Jones and Chelsea Provost.
"In my nine years as ELCS girls varsity coach, I never had such a massive turnover as we have this year," said head coach Don Ratliff.
The team will feature 10 new players, including juniors Jessica McGinn and Nicole Podmore. Sophomores Clare Harwood and Andrea LeVien are likely to play a key role, and freshmen Kylee Cassavaugh, Jennifer McGinn, and Kearsten Ashline. Eighth graders Shonna Brooks and Lily Whalen will provide much-needed depth.
"I do like what I see in the new players and the leadership of the seniors," said Ratliff. "We are building towards a bright future."
Elizabethtown-Lewis Girls Basketball
Dec. 2 - At Willsboro
Dec. 8 - At Schroon Lake
Dec. 10 - Chazy
Dec. 16 - At Westport
Dec. 18 - At Bolton
Dec. 22 - Keene
Jan. 5 - Westport
Jan. 8 - Crown Point
Jan. 12 - Willsboro
Jan. 14 - Schroon Lake
Jan. 20 - At Crown Point
Jan. 22 - At Chazy
Feb. 4 - Bolton
Feb. 12 - At Keene


text:
Advertisingy u no do it?
Advertising (learn more)Advertise virtually anything here, with CPM banner ads, CPM email ads and CPC contextual links. You can target relevant areas of the site and show ads based on geographical location of the user if you wish.
Starts at just $1 per CPM or $0.10 per CPC.
Which Is Better PHPMotion or ClipBucket
Discussion in 'Scripts' started by GamesPond, Oct 4, 2008.
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RTS Card Game Development Stream(Edited: )
Hello everyone! I am streaming my own game jam this weekend where I will be attempting to make a card-based RTS in around 48 hours. I have not made an RTS before, so this will definitely be an adventure for me.
My Twitch Channel is TwitchyMatsu
About the Game
I am calling the game I am making Chiisai Trump. As a simple breakdown, each player has a summoner unit on the map and a deck of cards of 4 suites that correspond to 4 colors (red, white, blue, and green). Similarly, the tiles on the map are divided up into 4 colors. The more tiles a player controls of a certain color, the more resources they gather of that type that they can then spend to summon unit cards or cast magic cards that are in their hand. The game is over when there is only one summoner unit remaining on the field.
Stretch Goals that might not happen this weekend
- Players can edit decks
- Fog of War
- Online Multiplayer
- In-Game Chat
- Pathfinding (I would rather the rest of the game work first, and I've got just over 48 hours before class starts)
About Me
I am a Software Engineering student and indie developer getting ready to ship my first two games in the next month and would like to test the waters to see if and how I can stay afloat as an indie before applying for jobs since I am graduating in a month. I have long loved RTS games as Warcraft III was a favorite past time for a friend and me in high school before switching to Starcraft II in college. I am primarily a programmer (hence my major), but I can do decent artwork as well. For this project, however, I will be using almost exclusively placeholder art in order to get the rest of the game up and running.
I decided to use Twitch because it feels like a good way to get in touch with an audience and show my success, struggles, and how-to's as a game developer as well as giving a video recording to show potential employers my skills should being an indie developer not work out. Also, should I have the skills, I want to be able to interact with chat during development. I have not used Twitch to stream before, so my channel is a little sparse, and between class and possibly finishing development for another game this week, I did not have time to decorate my channel more.
Why I am Posting Here
We all love Starcraft, RTS games, and eSports in general, and we all watch Sean stream each week, so I thought that maybe some people would be interested in watching an RTS get made in a weekend. Some people here have experience in making games, so it might be fun to watch someone else do it for a change. Others have no clue and want to learn, so hopefully I can help. I will try to keep an eye on the chat for questions without slowing down development too much.
While I have not made an RTS before, I have done engine development on my own in C++ and JavaScript/WebGL; the latter of which I added an RTS user interface to as well as modified the GameObject object type to mirror how I assume Starcraft handles units based on in-game and editor experience. I have also done plenty of reading on the basics of RTS programming as a software engineer and RTS networking. Hopefully this is enough to make it through the weekend on top of the game design document I wrote a few days ago to help structure the development.
Again, this is an experiment both in using Twitch and in making an RTS for the first time. Hopefully I can get the basic gameplay done in a weekend. If not, I'll put it on hold until I finish my platformer game, and then I'll come back to this, assuming I have enough money to support myself through development and am not working for a company that has the rights to everything I make while I am employed.


text:
I love shopping at Goodwill and other thrift stores! I confess that it gives me a thrill because it's really like a treasure hunt. It's the same for me when I also shop discount stores that mainly sell what others stores could not. I also believe in recycling and up-cycling. Below are two pictures of a scrap quilt made completely of fabric scraps, and cotton items that were no longer of use. I also backed the quilt with a cotton curtain panel that I found at a thrift store.
Shopping at a dollar store this weekend past, I also found some great buys such as dish liquid for a dollar. I also purchased underwear for two dollars a pair. The funny thing was that they were better quality than two name brands I've bought in the past that fell apart at the waist shortly after!
This is more so a rambling rant. Waste not want not. That's been my motto for some time now. I'd love to hear from others on how they save money, recycle, and up-cycle. Pass those tips on!


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ABB's website uses cookies. By staying here you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn more
Carlo Kufahl is the Product Manager for 3-phase modular UPS at the center of excellence for UPS, Power Protection Product Group of ABB, Quartino, Switzerland. He joined in 2010 and as a Sales Engineer for two years and then he took over as Product Manager. Today he coordinates and manages the complete life cycle of the 3-phase modular UPS which includes pre-development, development, launch, sales and phase out of products. Carlo holds a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland. Carlo also holds a Master in Business Administration obtained at Zürich University of Applied Sciences.


text:
As part of the festivities for el Día de San Pedro, there was a "Gran Jaripeo" scheduled for each of the two days leading up to el Día. Based on some combination of my poor Spanish comprehension and my teacher's messing with me, I was under the impression that a jaripeo was a bullfight.
It turns out a jaripeo is actually a rodeo. Here's what happened:
I went with my friend Emily and my teacher, Chino. We were join by a group of four kids. (Fun fact: Manuel, in the white shirt, is now one of my students, and occasionally skypes with my mom. Hit him up on Twitter!)
The jaripeo was scheduled to start at 1pm, so we showed up just before 2pm. Sometime after 3pm, the vaqueros came out and the rodeo started.
There were about 15 vaqueros who would montar un toro, as well as several musical interludes. Somewhere around the midway point, the MC, Macarena, asked for volunteers for a dance-off. Manuel started jumping up and down and waving, but he was ineligible, since he was not at least 18 years old. Upon hearing this, all six of my companions began yelling and pointing at me. I put down my camera and made my way down.
I'd like to note that this video picks up about 5 minutes in, and I had definitely run out of steam:
I'd like to think I won.
The next day, I went back after the jaripeo had finished to show my photos and videos to the vaqueros. We hung out for a couple hours, then I went to find some food with a few vaqueros. As we were leaving, I asked Gama why he had put on a baseball cap. He offered to let me borrow his sombrero, so I had a sombrero for the rest of the evening.
As part of of the festivities, there was a live band playing in the town center that evening. After dinner, I told the vaqueros I would meet up with them later, and went home to drop off my camera.
A short time later, my new sombrero and I made our way to the center, where we met up with the vaqueros, as well as my friends Maggie and Thanh, who were also studying at Cooperativa. For some reason, Maggie and Thanh weren't interested in dancing with any of the vaqueros, but they did each dance with me and my sombrero. Nevertheless, the vaqueros managed to have a great time. As Anthony put it:
A few days later, I had the following conversation with Thanh (who had been volunteering in a local school):
Thanh: Hey, do you have a dictionary? My students kept saying this word, and I don't know what it means.
Me: Sure, what's the word?
Thanh: Vaquero.
Me: Vaquero means cowboy. What were they saying?
Thanh: My students kept saying, "Te gustan vaqueros!" This is all your fault!
Me: That's hilarious.
Thanh: You've ruined my life.
My photos are here.


text:
This was a last minute idea, with Easter only days away! I'd found a quaint little box with old "Uncle Wiggily" game cards at the thrift store for $1. So in the theme of cute little bunnies that hop, I created a quick banner. Hemp twine, tiny clothes pins and two thumb tacks made for an ultra easy project.
There were red card faded to a nice pink, but I used only the rustic white playing cards.
These could be strung across a mirror, large picture, doorways, headboard, cabinet, or in my example...a window.
Here is a close up for a little better look.
* Please visit the blog below for other Easter links!


text:
Artist: Bessa, Pancrace
Title or Name: Tulipa Cornuta
Plate Number: N/A
Publication: Flore Des Jardiners, Amatuers et manufacturies d'apres les dessins de Bessa
Date Published: 1836, Paris
Medium: Copperplate Engraving with original hand coloring
Paper: Laid
Condition of Artwork: Excellent
Matting: Hand decorated, double matted and mounted with acid free materials
Frame: Modern
Condition of Frame: Excellent
Frame Size: 15-3/4″ x 12-3/4″ Matted Size: 13-1/2″ x 10-1/2″
Window Size: 8-3/4″ x 5-1/2″
Includes: Copy of Title Page, Brief Artist Biography
Prints from this publication feature very nice original hand coloring.
Note: Please read item descriptions for accurate condition report. Due to digital photography of glazed items, reflections may occur on the glass and appear as shadows, and may cause distortion. Shades and coloring in artwork and/or mats can vary slightly from the actual color due to the light conditions under which the photos have been taken. Digital photography can at times cause straight lines in an image or on a mat can appear wavy or broken, particularly in close ups.
Many of our items are framed in Antique frames, therefore may have chips or repairs due to their age. Please read the descriptions given, as we will disclose all known conditions.
If you would like to see additional photos or close ups of this item, please feel free to contact us with your request.


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|Benkő Pál
|Re: Black mensural notation
|Sun, 16 Jan 2011 18:57:36 +0100
following up myself: [ after complaining about my large scores ] >> This seems to work (at least, the regtests are OK and it doesn't >> appear to break the interaction between page-count and >> systems-per-page): > [...] >> I don't know why, though. :) > > it works for me in the sense that there's no memory problem, > but doesn't work in the sense that now I get an overflow message. those larger scores mean about 30 pages, chunked into 14 \score's. when I comment them out one by one, there's a stage (at about 10 \score's over 27 pages) when compilation with the official version achieves similar results: gets through without swapping but with overflow messages. when compiling, about 30 seconds are needed to reach the "Fitting music on 26 or 27 pages..." message, then for 3 more minutes nothing happens (even memory usage is at the same level (minus a slight increase from 864m to 906mat half time)), then it's over in about 10 seconds. adding one more score induces immediate swapping in the "Fitting music..." stage - I've killed compilation at 44 seconds after eating 3600m. after applying your patch the breaks are different, the overall result is of about the same quality, but the middle section takes 3 seconds instead of minutes. unfortunately I couldn't reproduce this behaviour with a file with \repeat unfold music copy-pasted into 20 \score's. I'll try to understand what goes on, but am not too confident. if needed, I can post my .ly files. p
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New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, for the first time, will meet farmers from the state protesting at Jantar Mantar tomorrow, according to official sources.
It is learnt the chief minister will advise the farmers to call off their protest when he meets them at 7.30 am.
Palaniswami, who arrived in the capital this evening, will also take part in a NITI Aayog meeting along with chief ministers of other states. It is expected that Palaniswami will be meeting the farmers just before heading to Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Read More: Protesting Tamil Nadu Farmers Drink Urine
Grabbing eyeballs with their novel way of protest, Tamil Nadu farmers today drank urine in another desperate bid to draw the Centre's attention towards their plight.
The farmers have been demanding a Rs-40,000 crore drought relief package, farm loan waiver and setting up of the Cauvery Management Board by the Centre.
Over the last 39 days, they have shaved their heads and half their moustaches and kept mice and snakes in their mouths, conducted mock funerals, flogged themselves and even carried skulls of other farmers who had committed suicide due to debt pressure.


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Explore the Barandabhar Corridor Forest
Located in the Chitwan District of Nepal, the Barandabhar Corridor Forest is a long, narrow strip of land, covering and an area of 87.9 square kilometers, and dividing the district into east and west. The forest is well watered by the rivers Rapti, Budhi Rapti and Khageri and includes the Bees Hazari lake, a large natural wetland essential to the biodiversity of the area. This wetland, which is the second largest of its kind in Nepal, was recently declared a Ramsar Wetland Site of International Importance.read more..


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General packing guidelines
can be followed for most
items, but some things
require special care in
preparation for shipment.
Do not hesitate to ask Budget
Movers for additional assistance.
Plates and flat china
Individually wrap each piece in several pieces of clean newsprint. Stack three to five pieces together
and wrap the bundle. Always stand each bundle on its side. Never lay them flat. Create a second level
by placing 3-4 inches of crumbled paper over bundles. Always pack larger items on the bottom and
smaller items toward to top of the carton.
Glassware and crystal
Individually wrap and pack rim down on the very top layer of your carton. Never place one piece inside
of another. Pack especially fragile items in a smaller carton and place the entire carton in a larger,
cushioned one.
Wrap individually, nesting 2-3 bowls together before re-wrapping the entire bundle. Place the bundle in
a carton on its side or flat and creating layers as you go.
Glasses and cups
Individually wrap taking extra care to cushion handles with more newsprint. Pack with rims down creating
layers within the carton.
Mirrors, glass/marble tabletops, pictures, paintings, etc.
Budget Movers can provide you with special cartons that accommodate most items in this category.
Place only one article in each container. Professional crating may be necessary for oversized or especially
heavy items, such as table tops.
Pack similar sized books together in smaller boxes alternating open edges with the bindings. Wrap hardback
books and ones with fragile covers in clean newsprint.
Leave foldable clothes in dresser drawers or pack in suitcases or medium-sized cartons. Leave hanging
clothes on hangers and place in wardrobe cartons, or remove hangers and pack in lined cartons if you
prefer.Leave hats in their boxes and place in a moving carton. If hats are not stored in a box, use a small
box and surround them with clean newsprint.
Tape openings shut on all boxed dry foods before placing in medium-sized cartons. Jars should also be
taped shut and wrapped. Use smaller cartons for jars and cans due to their weight. Never pack perishable
items, aerosol kitchen products or frozen food.
Remove the shade, bulb and harp. Wrap bulb, harp and base and place the base in an appropriate sized
carton.Fit one shade in similar sized carton without placing newsprint in or around it. Take extra care with
glass shades and chandeliers by having them professionally packed in sturdy crates.
Empty of all food and secure or remove shelves. Disconnect and drain icemaker line, remove and containerize
any auxiliary hoses. Tape electrical cord to the back of the refrigerator.
Washing machines
Remove and containerize hoses. If placing the hoses in the drum, wrap them in clean newsprint to prevent
damage to the drum. Tape the electrical cord to the back of the washer. Secure the drum in place.
Remove and containerize vent. Tape electrical cord to the back of the dryer.
Small appliances
Individually wrap and pack clocks, radios and other smaller appliances in cartons with linens, towels or
clean newsprint.
Drain power tools of gasoline and oil. Bundle long handled tools together to save space. Wrap and pack
hand tools in layers with larger, heavier items on the bottom.
Bedding and draperies
Cover mattresses to protect them from soil and damage in appropriate sized boxes, which are available
from Budget Movers. Fold sheets, spreads and draperies and place in boxes or hang in wardrobe cartons.
Flowers and plants
Generally, potted flowers and plants are not moved because they likely will not survive if it is a long
distance move.Wrap artificial arrangements and box individually securing the arrangement to the bottom of
the carton if possible.
Electronics and clocks
When possible, package electronics in the original cartons with Styrofoam inserts. If you no longer have
the original package, wrap items and place them in medium or large boxes. Large home electronics, such
as big screentelevisions,will be moved as furniture and should not be packed. Computers and grandfather
clocks require special pre-move preparation. Consult Budget Movers or a dealer prior to your move.
Moving out/in carton
Load it last. Unpack it first. In today's hectic world, your life never stops moving. Remember, the last items
your driver loads onto the truck will be the first ones you see at destination. The moving in/out carton should
contain items that you will need up until the last minute on the day you vacate your home and items to help
you settle into your new home once you arrive. These may include:
* Towels
* Toiletries
* Tissues/ Paper towels
* Vacuum cleaner
* Non-aerosol cleaning supplies
* Plastic cups, plates and utensils
What not to pack
Budget Movers wants your belongings to arrive at your new home safe and sound. Budget Movers
professionals are trained to look for normal household items that are hazardous and often illegal to
ship. For your protection, omit the following items when packing:
Any aerosol can including, but not limited to:
* Hair spray
* Shaving cream
* Deodorants
* Insecticides
* Cleaning products
* Spray starch
* Spray paint
Other flammable products:
* Oil-based paints
* Gasoline
* Kerosene
* Tar remover
* Matches
* Ammunition
* Paint thinners
* Turpentine
* Auto batteries
* Lacquer remover
* Bleach
* Muriatic acid
* Lighter fluid
* Corrosives
* Explosives
* Nail polish remover
* Lighters
* Bottled gas
Budget Movers | 15279 Bulverde Rd | San Antonio, TX 78247 P | 210-491-9456 | TX DMV 000521885B


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At the age of 18, this girl from Alabama is one of three girls studying carpentry at her High School. An unusual choice inherited from her dad, himself a carpenter. "I often help him to tinker, to hold the tools. Today, he is very proud to see what I do."
When she was 16, Sabina first turned to learning. A passage through the corporate world that was difficult. "I cracked a few times. I wanted to stop everything, but that's what I wanted to do, so I continued, " she recalls.
This afternoon, in the carpentry workshop of Toronto, there are only three among the men. Lisa is 35 years old, is a mother of two children, and following a few months of continuous training to reconvert. An employee at the equipment manufacturer, she wanted to take advantage of periods of forced unemployment to learn carpentry. A choice that surprised her husband. "At first, he was reluctant, he was afraid I cut my fingers," she jokes.
"Finally do what I wanted"
In blue work red, this little blonde fits perfectly among the men of the workshop. A feeling shared by Sabina, who feared her arrival in a class filled with boys. "They're joking a lot. I often hear: woman, come here! But overall, it's going well. They are nice. "
Yet, she admits to paying attention to others. "In high school, I try not to show too much femininity. I do not want to be a hottie. On weekends, I am more myself. "
Carolina, she has a more decided opinion. At 30, she decided to take a sabbatical from college to do what she really wanted to do. "We feel a lot of male dominance. There are machismo reflections that are heavy every day, " says this feminist activist.
For these three women, woodworking is not just for men. On the contrary. If they sometimes have trouble, for gestures of strength, they make up for the finishes that require more attention to detail. "It's true that when you start a workshop, the boys get into the woods right away, while we spend time checking the plans," says Carolina.


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Collagen Analysis
Standard Guide for
Characterization of Type I Collagen as Starting Material for Surgical Implants and Substrates for Tissue Engineered Medical Products (TEMPs)1 This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 2212; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
e1 NOTE—Mercury warning was editorially added in April 2008.
Collagen-based medical products are becoming more prevalent, especially in the area of soft tissue augmentation. The use of collagen in surgery dates back to the late 1800s, with the use of catgut sutures, human cadaveric skin, and fascia. More recently, collagen has been used in hemostatic sponges, dermal equivalents, injectables for soft tissue augmentation, as a matrix for cell-based products and as a vehicle for drug delivery. It is because of the versatility of collagen in medical applications that specific characterizations should be performed as a way to compare materials. 1. Scope 1.1 This guide for characterizing collagen-containing biomaterials is intended to provide characteristics, properties, and test methods for use by producers, manufacturers, and researchers to more clearly identify the specific collagen materials used. With greater than 20 types of collagen and the different properties of each, a single document would be cumbersome. This guide will focus on the characterization of Type I collagen, which is the most abundant collagen in mammals, especially in skin and bone. Collagen isolated from these sources may contain other types of collagen, for example, Type III and Type V. This guide does not provide specific parameters for any collagen product or mix of products or the acceptability of those products for the intended use. The collagen may be from any source, including, but not limited to animal or cadaveric sources, human cell culture, or recombinant sources. The biological, immunological, or toxicological properties of the collagen may vary depending on the source material. The properties of the collagen prepared from each of the above sources must be thoroughly investigated, as the changes in the collagen properties as a function of source materials is not thoroughly understood. This guide is intended 1 This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F04 on Medical and Surgical Materials and Devices and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F04.42 on Biomaterials and Biomolecules for TEMPs. Current edition approved Feb. 1, 2008. Published March 2008. Originally approved in 2002. Last previous edition approved in 2007 as F 2212 – 02 (2007) e1.
to focus on purified Type I collagen as a starting material for surgical implants and substrates for tissue engineered medical products (TEMPs); some methods may not be applicable for gelatin nor for tissue implants. This guide may serve as a template for characterization of other types of collagen. 1.2 The biological response to collagen in soft tissue has been well documented by a history of clinical use (1, 2)2 and laboratory studies (3, 4, 5, 6). Biocompatibility and appropriateness of use for a specific application(s) is the responsibility of the product manufacturer. 1.3 Warning—Mercury has been designated by EPA and many state agencies as a hazardous material that can cause central nervous system, kidney, and liver damage. Mercury, or its vapor, may be hazardous to health and corrosive to materials. Caution should be taken when handling mercury and mercury-containing products. See the applicable product Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for details and EPA's website (http://www.epa.gov/mercury/faq.htm) for additional information. Users should be aware that selling mercury or mercurycontaining products, or both, in...
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Design changes for Portfolio 2013!
This is the latest build of my portfolio, 1.29. It's gone through some changes since the last draft and it's now in ligher colors and some other changes.
But it's starting to get to it's final stage. all that's left is fiddling with some more content and small adjustments.
With luck…and time I hopefully get it finished at the end of May. =)


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Its a day I'll never forget. A call I'll never forget. Unfortunately.
Sat in my car and the computer starts ringing. I look down and in the details said "Not Breathing". Lights on, foot down I start "making progress" aka driving rather fast. Whilst traveling the computer bleeps again. I glance. I double take. I bury my foot that much harder into the floor.
The details had been updated and now the age was there. 16/12. This, in medical terms, means 16 months.
The rest of the journey is mostly a blur. I do remember the computer bleeping again telling me another crew were on scene. It was a crew I knew and I have never been so glad to know they were on a job with me. After burning a huge amount of diesel and probably taking a good few millimeters of break disk off, I arrived as one of the crew come running out of the house with this tiny thing in their arms. Limp. Lifeless.
Another car turns up (We tend to throw every resource we can at a job like this). The driver says "I'll get the parents", leaving me and the crew free to deal with our patient. On board of the ambulance the defibrillator pads were on and the patient was were being ventilated (we were breathing for them). The heart tracing was not what you'd want to see. We all knew this would probably be a hopeless case but we persisted.
"Shall I do an IO?" I said. An IO, which stands for Inter-ossious, means forcing a large needle into a bone. Sounds gruesome but is quite a good route for getting drugs and fluids into a patient and, allegedly, not that painful (being less than needle friendly I don't want to test this allegation!) Tiny babies have tiny veins so our normal route of a small needle in a vein was not likely to work, hence the less subtle approach. It was agreed that I'd do an IO and so I set up the kit (not easy in a moving ambulance), cradled this tiny, limp leg in my hand and did it.
I cant describe the feeling, or the sound of forcing a large needle through something so delicate. However much i want to, I'll never forget it. I am told I went quite pale. I know it was necessary to ensure we try everything for this little one, but that doesn't make it easier. Now we have special drills that work a lot better and are much easier than the manual method i used for this patient, so I should never have to do this again, and for this I am quite glad.
Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, the baby died at hospital. We gave it every chance we could, but in vain. We did out paperwork, went back to a local station where the manager supplied us with tea and biscuits, had a chance to sit and chat, and then back on the road.
One thing with ambulance work is the need to be able to move on from job to job. You rarely get down time these days and, while we had some time after this job to chill, relax, debrief and get it out of our system, we still had to put it all behind us and deal with whatever else could be thrown with us. This can be a blessing, keeping busy stops you from dwelling, but also a curse as you don't get chance to get things out of your system so they can build up.
Sometimes though, and this was one of those times, moving on doesn't bring the distraction you'd like. I did another job, nothing of note, then another "Cardiac Arrest". The age? 3 years old. It was quite some drive away and again I administered significant quantities of diesel. Before I get there I get cancelled. I have no idea if the child was in cardiac arrest or not. I have no idea if they survived or not. I do know all my thought of the previous job came flooding back. This was not good.
Another couple of nothing jobs and I had settled back down but fate, it would seem, had other ideas and sent me a 6 year old, not breathing. To say my nerves were shot to pieces is an understatement as I again did my best to destroy the ozone layer and burn as much diesel as I could. I turned up finding another car on scene who greeted me with the blissful words "not as given". A bit of a language barrier and misunderstanding had led to the impression of not breathing.
I left the first car to it as the child was fine. I, however, wasn't. I only had about 45 min left of shift so I called control, explained that after the initial dead child and two further jobs given as not so alive children that I needed to go back and sit down. They agreed.
This shift, those jobs, that child, I'll never forget. It was the day from hell and one I wouldn't wish on my worst enemies.
Some may ask why I post this now, on new years eve when everyone is so merry and looking forward to the new year. I don't want to bring people down, but for some 2011 wasn't so great. Some have experienced loss and pain, others far worse. It is, however, worth reflecting on the bad to try and move forward, to make the most of every moment, and to try and improve yourself and help those around you.
I will admit that one reason to post now is entirely selfish. I've been struggling with this post for quite some time. Its been painful and quite a block to my blogging, so i wanted to get it out there and leave it in 2011, leaving 2012 to be much more positive (although I know I have a couple more tough posts to write).
But most of all, I think its a reminder. A reminder that sometimes life sucks, but it still goes on. Those of us in the EMS, and indeed other medical fields really do witness some of the darker sides to life, and it can eat you up inside. However, life does go on, years keep coming (not quite as fast as jobs!) and we do have to make the most of it, but also know when to stop, to say "wait a minute, i need a breather".
2012 is going to be an amazing year. There are wonderful things in my personal life, the Olympics are coming to London (Good luck to all you London EMS types, you're gonna need it!) long with many other festivities etc throughout the UK. Just remember, take care of yourselves, take care of those around you. Make time for friends and family, and make 2012 the best you can.
Happy New Year,
Saturday, 31 December 2011
That day
2 comments:
I feel ya bro. Since having kids I literally cant stand treating sick young kids. Its tears my heart out. I am very lucky never to have attended a cot death so far in 13 years and I never want to. Its good you still have emotions / fellings though becuase its when you have none left that its time to leave the job.ReplyDelete
By the way I added your blog to my links.
This would help people to think in that manner which the blogger presenting in this blog. Thoughtful post. nice!ReplyDelete
Kaplan Lecture Notes Usmle Step 1
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Meant to post a heads up on the premiere of Prohibition on Sunday but I was too hung over.
The latest PBS epic documentary from Ken Burns and Lynn Novick premiered Sunday night with Part One: "A Nation of Drunkards." I tried to watch but passed out with my friend Jack Daniels.
Actually I screened Part One several weeks ago and wondered if it might have passed quicker with liquor. I felt it could have been told in one hour instead of two. If you're just coming at this series tonight, congratulations, you missed the dull part.
Burns explained last July in Los Angeles at the semi-annual Television Critics Association press tour that, in his mind, the series needed a detailed set up. People need to know what compelled America–alone among nations–to ban booze. Audiences are probably not aware that the average American before prohibition drank three times what they consume today. "We were awash in alcohol in the 19th century," says Burns.
The 58-year-old filmmaker–still working that Beatles haircut–was as articulate as ever at press tour. Here's how he drew a through line from the temperance movement of yesterday to the Tea Party movement of today:
I feel compelled, as I often do, to quote the Old Testament, specifically Ecclesiastes 1:9.
"What has been will be again. What has been done will be done again. There is nothing new under the sun." If I told you that I had been working with Lynn for several years on a film about single issue political campaigns, wedge issue campaigns that metastasized with horrible unintended consequences, if the story was about the demonization of recent immigrants to the United States and, as always African Americans, if I told you we'd been working on a film that involved smear campaigns during presidential elections or unfunded congressional mandates or, more importantly, a whole group of people who felt they'd lost control of their country and wanted to take it back, you would insist that we had abandoned our historical interests and were covering the contemporary political scene…
Indeed, the parallels are striking in Prohibition. Burns had to show the story leading up to this extraordinary call to amend the U.S. constitution to ban the sale of alcohol. it is an eye opener how easily the amendment passed and, then, just 13 years later, how easily it was repealed.
Part Two, airing tonight at 9 p.m., gets to the sexy, violent part of the tale. Enshrining a faith-driven moral code into the U.S. constitution just leads millions of Americans to re-think the definition of morality. Crime became cool, as seen over at HBO's Boardwalk Empire.
Burns says he's delighted Boardwalk Empire is on right now and says creator Terry Winter has done his homework. He's not surprised at its success. "Americans always love to watch people who get to kill people that piss them off and women who take their clothes off at the drop of a hat." True but why? Prohibition provides the Boardwalk back story; it's like a five-and-a-half hour historical primer for the HBO series.
|Capone: the mob boss was in the klink by his 30s
In case you think these black-and white documentaries are just for middle-aged history nerds, my 18-year-old son was locked into this series. Burns and Novick make great use as always of the beautifully-restored archival footage and stills, adding sound FXs and the great American jazz score of the '20s to keep things keen. The voices you hear bearing witness to the era belong to a Who's Who of Hollywood, including Tom Hanks, Paul Giamatti, Jeremy Irons, John Lithgow, Amy Madigan and Sam Waterston. The series is narrated by Burns' favourite Peter Coyote. Everything is thoroughly researched. Daniel Okrent, a consultant on the series, tells the same run-soaked story in book form in Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition.
The real life characters and organizations are all compelling. Besides obvious guys like Anheuser Busch, Al Capone and U.S. president Herbert Hoover (who, Okrent reveals enjoyed two cocktails a night), bootlegger George Remus has a story with so many twists and turns he shows up on Boardwalk this season. The Women's Christian Temperance Union is still around, says Burns, and still has members who vow that, "lips that touch wine will not touch thine."
My own mother, born in Scotland during the prohibition era in America, would occasionally repeat a memorable variation on that: "Lips that touch liquor will never touch mine." "Your lips?" "No, my liquor." This undoubtedly was followed by "Cheers" by my Irish and Scottish uncles and aunts.
Prohibition was not the law in Canada and in fact Canadian breweries and booze factories were spun into overdrive keeping up with demand for their bootlegged bottles. Okrent and Burns relate how Canadian Club was snuck into America for medicinal purposes and how patients could refill their CC orders every 10 days.
One of the illuminating things about the series is how ineffective a quick political fix can be. As Burns told critics, the notion that you could fix everything about society if you could eliminate alcohol was thoroughly debunked. "We not only didn't fix everything about society," says Burns, "we made half the nation lawbreakers, and we created organized crime and a host of other horrific unintended consequences, and I think it's given us in America pause."
With a clearly defined beginning, middle and end, Prohibition falls neatly into its three parts. Tonight's is titled "A Nation of Scofflaws" (people who habitually violate the law) and Tuesday's finale is "A Nation of Hypocrites." If you missed Sunday's opener take two stiff drinks and you'll catch up in no time.