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Things had been going really well. As of today we are one week into a 6 month plus deployment. Well, I guess things had been going a little too smoothly for me. Time to get some payback karma.
Got completely organized this morning, to the point I even had time to stop and get coffee before taking the boys into the CDC. Dropped them off and was impressed at the rooms, they looked awesome. Bryce cried but he always does. And I was shocked because Ryan was excited, he is never excited in new places. He was telling me all about the toys he saw, it was so cool seeing him so happy.
I finished dropping the boys off and managed to get some errands run around town. When I got home there was already two missed calls from the CDC. I called and they said Bryce was pretty upset but they were going to keep trying. I just assumed once they got him to sleep he would be better. I sat down to start getting the mountains of homework accomplished. Less then 45 mins later they called back. Bryce wouldn't stop crying. I needed to come get him. :(
So I walk into the CDC to get him and the front desk person asks me how I'm doing and I dissolve into a sobbing mess. Sobbing! I don't sob. Poor think looked panicked. She calls the manager who brings me into the office. Meanwhile I'm crying like an idiot. She goes to check on Bryce who had of course finally fallen asleep by now. WTF???? She is so sweet but looking at me like I'm going to turn into her next nervous breakdown at any moment. I mean, this is the first time I've ever met her so its not the best first impression for me. She gives me the option to go back home since he was asleep but really not liking that idea since that would just add another hour of driving onto my day. She offers to let me bring the boys in for drop in hourly care.
The nervous wreck, me, gets Bryce (who cries at me for 5 mins just to show me he was mad at me). Then goes to the next building to get Ryan. Who LOVED it there. He tells me all about how much fun he had with the other little boy who was there. He even pooped on the potty while there. Wow. Didn't see that coming.
We make our way home and I try to get some homework done while taking care of the boys. Lots of e-mails in my account. Looking through and I have an e-mail about the auction from last night. Thinking about how strange that is. I start reading and apparently there was a mix up and two of the prizes I was really excited about (Costco card and zoo pass) weren't supposed to be there. REALLY?! Do I need to get kicked while I'm down? What did I do this week to get such terrible karma? So now I have to give those back, meanwhile my kids are not in good moods and I am now even more behind on my homework. Geez. This is not a good start to my weekend.
It can only get better from here right?


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subset: commoncrawl


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After years of pleas from his fans and just as many middle fingers from Mr. Lucas, we finally have HD, unedited versions of the original Star Wars trilogy! Harmy has released what the studios have never done for us; a completely restored, HD version of the films as originally seen in theaters. Han shoots first. The silly, horrible CGI that was added into various scenes is gone. Kenobi's original Krayt dragon roar that frightens the sand people away is back. Here we have Lucas' original versions of all three films, the ones we the fans have been waiting for since the DVD format dawned many years ago.
The latest version of Harmy's 'A New Hope' is entitled 'STAR WARS DESPECIALIZED EDITION REMASTERED v2.5 MKV' and you can find it at a torrent site near you. This version has some improvements over their v2.0 edition. It is also in MKV format which can be easily ripped to a DVD or Blu-ray via an enoding app like Freemake Video Converter.
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK – DESPECIALIZED EDITION v2.0


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Michael S. Polk
Michael S. Polk
After a valiant 6 year battle with metastatic colorectal cancer, Mike, age 65, of Lakeville (formerly Hastings), MN and Naples, FL passed away at home peacefully on August 28th, 2018 surrounded by his loving family.
Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Lester Polk and Patricia Marie Polk (Johnson); father-in-law, John David (Jack) Little. He is survived by his loving wife of 34 years, Kathy; loving children, Jesse Polk (Sarah), Lauren Tix (Bill), Rachel Parker (Dustin); devoted sister, Lisa Ann Fry (Natt); 7 grandchildren, Brantley, Grayson, Kasen, Tori, Jarrett, Jaylah, and Baby Parker due in Nov 2018; mother-in-law, Dorothy Little; niece and many nephews.
Mike married the love of his life, Kathy, on May 12th, 1984. Mike and Kathy had a relationship that represented unconditional love that didn't go unnoticed. They shared many memories together that will forever be in our hearts.
Mike attended Drake University (Des Moines, IA) on a full football scholarship, graduating with a B.S. in Business Administration with Highest Distinction. He attended William Mitchell College of Law, graduating in January 1979 with a J.D. Cum Laude.
Upon graduation from William Mitchell College he became an attorney practicing personal injury law at the law firm of Sieben, Polk, P.A., consisting of 12 lawyers, located in Hastings, MN. He specialized in civil litigation representing plaintiffs in personal liability, wrongful death and mass tort/complex litigation cases.
Mike was involved in the Dakota County and Minnesota State Bar Associations. He was a board member of the Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association and a past board member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. Mike was involved in the Academy of Certified Trial Lawyers of Minnesota and was a member of the National College of Trial Advocacy. In November, 1986 he was certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a civil trial specialist.
Mike has been selected annually since 2000 as a Leading Minnesota Attorney. He was designated as a "Super Lawyer" according to the publication entitled "Minnesota Law and Politics" in 2000 and thereafter, including several times being designated as one of the top 40 "Super Lawyers." He was named as one of the "best lawyers in America" by the Martindale Hubbell publication. He was also an adjunct professor of law at William Mitchell College of Law.
Mike was a board member of the Hastings Country Club, including serving as president in 1992. He was the chairman of the Hastings Civic Arena campaign to raise funds to build an additional ice arena in Hastings. He served on the Hastings area YMCA leadership campaign committee responsible for soliciting major donor pledges to build the YMCA building in Hastings.
Participation in school athletics was one of the most joyous times of Mike's life, helping build lasting friendships and helping him understand the importance of hard work, competitiveness and coordinated teamwork. He was the 1970-1971 recipient of Dave Knudson Memorial Award for Outstanding Athlete (shared with Steve Madson) and was also named to WCCO's All-State Basketball Team, January 7, 1971. Mike was also inducted into the Northfield High School Hall Of Fame on May 20th, 2007 for his outstanding athletics abilities in multiple sports.
Visitation will be held from 4-8pm on Tuesday, September 4th at Trinity Evangelical Free Church, 10658 210th St W, Lakeville, MN 55044 and also one hour prior to the Celebration of Life to be held at 11am on Wednesday, September 5th, also at Trinity Evangelical Free Church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations will be made by the family in Mike's name to Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation; St. Jude's Children's Hospital; Hastings Family Service; and Trinity Evangelical Free Church of Lakeville.
For guestbook and further information, please visit www.wisefamilyfh.com
Arrangements are being completed by Wise Family Funeral & Cremation Services of Hastings.


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Taylor Swift Talks Her Long Friendship with Selena Gomez!
Taylor Swift is the lady in black after wrapping up a gym session on Friday (May 9) in New York City.
The day before, the 24-year-old country singer was all dolled up while promoting Keds shoes at The Americana at Brand in Glendale, Calif.
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Taylor Swift
"It's been the longest one I think either of us had really," Taylor recently shared to E! News about her BFF Selena Gomez. "When your life changes and you become thrust into this really strange whirlwind where what your life is is different from what other people think your life is. And your life is commented on and your life is written about and fictionalized and all that. Both of us have kind of stuck it out and hung in there through all the different changes we've gone through."
FYI: Taylor is carrying the Dolce&Gabbana 'Agata' handbag.


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Kenyatta sings in defiance
Luis Moreno Ocampo landed at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta airport in May 2010 to listen to victims of the violence that swept Kenya three years ago. While there he pledged that by Christmas he would file charges against six ring-leaders and try them in two cases.
It seems the Chief Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) kept his promise. The "Ocampo Six" made their initial appearance in The Hague last week.
For Ocampo, "accountability day" had finally come for Kenya. But from his office, he must have also heard Kenya's Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta singing Kenya's independence anthem in honour of his father. On the stairs of the ICC, the son of Kenya's founding president Jomo Kenyatta said, "there is nothing to worry about," as he smiled and chanted with friends and government officials. He then took a walk through the park to his hotel in The Hague.
More than 1,300 people were killed and hundreds of thousands displaced, following disputed elections in December 2007. But after the dust settled, the Kenyan parliament voted down a bill to establish a tribunal to prosecute those responsible for the killings, rapes and forced evictions that took place during the fighting.
Want to read more?
If you subscribe to a free membership, you can read this article and explore our full archive, dating back to 1997.


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Last Saturday, May 8, the 16th Annual Sue DeYoung/Judy Edger Breast Cancer Memorial 5k Walk/Run event took place in Charlevoix and raised over $12,500! The proceeds will benefit the Circle of Strength Foundation to provide mammograms for women in need and the Heath Department for free cervical cancer screening program in Charlevoix County.
On behalf of the Walk/Run Board and the Kappa Sigma group, we would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the community, businesses and individuals for continued generous support and involvement. This event could not take place without our wonderful community. We also express our gratitude to the event chairperson, Kendall Hayes, for her many hours of dedication and hard work on this event.
Lisa Hoyt
Kappa Sigma member


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Given the lackluster post-Thanksgiving results reported by Wal-Mart
If some of the nation's malls and strip centers were a little less crowded, it could be the missing shoppers were lining up behind online cash registers at companies like Overstock.com
The closeout retailer did not divulge overall year-over-year comparisons, but did release a few exciting tidbits that prompted investors to bid the shares several dollars higher in morning trading. Sales of apparel and jewelry, for example, were cited as particularly brisk -- a trend that bodes well for online jewelry specialist Blue Nile
The company also noted that its online auction division -- launched last quarter to siphon away some of eBay's
Overstock.com's weekend results are encouraging, particularly considering that most online retailers don't experience a surge in traffic until the Monday following Thanksgiving. Last year, consumers spent more than $300 million in online sales on that day, which has no-so-creatively been dubbed Black Monday.
To date, seasonal online spending has jumped 23% to $5.7 billion, and total holiday sales are expected to rise 25% to top the $15 billion mark. With a new advertising campaign promoting increased brand awareness, and continued consumer preference for discounted merchandise, Overstock.com is well-positioned to capture a healthy percentage of those revenues. Still, with the stock having skyrocketed since this summer to a new 52-week high, that bright outlook has already been factored in. Investors may need to shop carefully before overspending on Overstock.com.
Both Overstock.com and Blue Nile are Motley Fool Rule Breakers selections. You can take a free, no-obligation trial today to our newest newsletter to learn more.
Check out these other items in the Fool's inventory:
Fool contributor Nathan Slaughter owns none of the companies mentioned.


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Well, the drama with Mr. Grey the Goldsmith was over. I never saw him again after that fatal day and have recently found out, through the grapevine, that he is no longer making jewelry due to a medical condition. Despite our tumultuous end, this saddens me because he really was a master at his craft.
To continue...
A month after the firing/resignation at Mr. Grey the Goldsmith's, I became famous...
HAHAHAHA! Well, I didn't exactly became famous, but I had an incredible press opportunity fall into my lap. I had a full feature article written about me in the jewelry trade magazine Lapidary Journal (now known as Lapidary Journal-Jewelry Artist)
|January 1997 - Lapidary Journal
|January 1997 - Lapidary Journal
The writer, Cathleen McCarthy called me and we arranged to meet at a local craft show. I was excited and nervous while she "played" with my kinetic jewelry. Later, she called me for the phone interview. I was really nervous for this and so afraid I was going to sound like a total idiot.
The article was published in January 1997---a few weeks after I lost my job with Mr. Grey the Goldsmith and a few weeks before I started my next (and last) full time job working for another jeweler. (That story may be next!)
Today, Cathleen McCarthy publishes her own blog/on-line magazine for jewelry lovers, The Jewelry Loupe. She also continues to write for Lapidary Journal-Jewelry Artist, as well many other publications.


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The WINDUR project, in which Solute is participating, is active and in due course. One of the activities developed up to now is the installation of meteorological masts to launch the wind measurement campaign in urban environment.
This campaign is under development in the Iberian Peninsula and Spain is the country where most of the meteorological masts have been installed.
When designing the wind measurement campaign, engineers took into account several factors. Chief one: the available wind resource at low heights. The main source used to identify areas of potential interest was the national wind resource map of CENER (National Center of Renewable Energies). It supplied tentative information of the wind resource throughout Spain at 10 meters height and it was very helpful for experts to establish final locations for the met masts. At the same time, several meteorological stations and meteorological masts were consulted to have a better estimation of the existing wind at low heights and contrast the measurements offered by the national wind map of CENER.
Other conditions, which have had a great influence in the site election process, have been:
- Fair representation of various climatological conditions, pursuing to obtain at least one register in each of the climate types Spain offers that are exportable to the rest of Europe such as: oceanic climate, continental climate and Mediterranean climate
- Achieving permissions to perform the installations. Project members have been seeking for support from third parties, performing installations both in private (neighborhood communities, private industrial buildings, business with high electrical consumption) and public buildings (City halls and, in general, public buildings belonging to the public administration)
- Compilation of areas belonging to various typologies and buildings to install the masts. Like the isolated and flat areas with some buildings grouped, the industrial parks in the surroundings of the cities are the best example, urban or periurban areas located between hills. Bearing in mind that elevated zones in the urban environment are the preferred ones to measure the available wind resource, those urban areas with obstacles, buildings and plane roofs
Eight meteorological masts have been installed in the next locations: La Coruña, Cadiz, Valladolid, Huesca(two masts), Guadalajara and Rivas-Vaciamadrid in Spain, and Porto, in Portugal. The aim of installing two meteorological masts in Huesca is to have two measurement points close to each other and analyze the evolution and characteristics of the wind influenced by the most common obstacles of the urban environment and, thus enabling the study the turbulent effects that apply in these kind of sites.
The instrumentation of the masts comprises anemometers, vanes, dataloggers… Additional features will be implemented in advanced phases of the project, like sonic anemometers. These will be installed to measure the turbulence originated by the urban obstacles. These masts are 3.5 meters high and all of them are installed on building rooftops, whose heights go approximately from 4 meters up to 20 meters above the level of the ground.
The goal of the project is to perform the wind resource assessment in eight relevant positions across the Iberian Peninsula and evaluate the data registered to develop a wind resource assessment software tool for urban and periurban areas. This will eventually contribute to the development of the vertical axis wind turbine prototype planned in the program.
In this way, Solute, in collaboration with the Uppsala University of Sweden, continues with its efforts to consolidate its position as a campaign design, installation and management expert company, with valuable wind resource assessment capacities, not only in the open field, but also in urban environments, where the obstacles are bigger as well as the wind turbulence.
Moreover, it empowers its capabilities in the development of Computational Fluyd Dinamics software required to quantify the wind resource in the urban environments. This module will be linked to the own software of wind resource assessment and wind prediction that Solute is developing internally in the project ETSWIND (http://www.solute.es/en/blog/2013/04/02/wind-prediction-and-wind-resource-assessment-etswind-project ). The resultant product will be one of the most complete and competitive software in the market regarding the analysis, assessment and wind prediction.


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Rigidity of functors on spaces
8 Oct 2015 NUS mathematicians have recently discovered the homotopy rigidity of the functor ΣΩ on finite p-local co-H-spaces.
Rigidity is a common theme in mathematics under which a complete information of a collection of the objects under investigation can be detected by some information of the corresponding objects through certain constructive operations. The type of operations they consider is given in terms of functors. The based-loop functor Ω and the suspension functor Σ are fundamental operations in algebraic topology. Their main result is that both functors Ω and Σ are homotopy rigid on simply-connected p-local finite co-H-spaces. The result is obtained by a subtle interplay of homotopy decomposition techniques, modular representation theory and the counting principle.
The Steenrod problem of realizing polynomial cohomology rings initiatedthe cohomology rigidity problem in topology. This problem can be generalized by concerning the rigidity of functors. From the categorical view, the result of Bruner, Cohen and McGibbon can be restated as that the stabilization functor Ω∞Σ∞ is homotopy rigid on finite CW-complexes.A team led by Prof WU Jie from the Department of Mathematics in NUS reported that an unstable analogue of the result of Bruner, Cohen and McGibbon, where the methodology of modular representation theory plays an important role for solving the question.
The homotopy rigidity of the based-loop functor is a difficult problem with great importance in geometry, topology and physics. Under current technology, there are no results on the homotopy rigidity of the based-loop functor Ω that are derived directly by studying Ω. On the other hand, people know that many properties of co-H-spaces have the analogue for H-spaces through the duality of the notions, and the functors Ω and Σ are adjoint. Their research suggests a conjecture that the functor ΩΣ is homotopy rigid on simply-connected p-local finite H-spaces.
Nowadays cohomology rigidity is a common problem and investigates on which subcategory of topological spaces the homotopy type of a space is uniquely determined by its cohomology ring. Currently an important problem in toric topology is the cohomology rigidity for quasitoric.The interplay between homotopy theory and toric topology pushes forward the development of toric homotopy theory as one of the new directions in homotopy theory, where the closed connections between polyhedron products, Whitehead products and Hopf invariants provide a fundamental clue for developing toric homotopy theory.
Decompositions of suspended self-smashes of loops on co-H-spaces. [Image credit: Wu Jie]
1. Berstein I. "On co-groups in the category of graded algebras." Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 115 (1965) 257.
2. Buchstaber V, Grbić J. "Hopf algebras and homology of loop suspension spaces." Topology, Geometry, Integrable Systems, and Mathematical Physics: Novikov's Seminar 2012-2014, American Mathematical Society Translations Series 2, Advances in the Mathematical Sciences (2014) 75.
3. Grbić J, Theriault S, Wu J. "Suspension splittings and James-Hopf invariants." Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinburgh Sect. A 144 (2014) 87.
4. Masuda M. "Cohomological non-rigidity of generalized real Bott manifolds of height 2." Tr. Mat. Inst. Steklova 268 (2010) 252.


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Martini Glasses
Fun And Flirty Martini Glasses
Retro Cool Or Fun And Flirty
There's nothing quite like a martini.
Shaken or stirred, vodka or gin. old school or cutting edge ... the martini is the ultimate classic cocktail.
The martini has been around for generations. And depending on which story you believe, it was invented in hip, sunny California or sleek, sophisticated and slightly edgy New York. We like to think this timeless drink was invented in both places at the same time, since the martini is a little west coast casual and east coast swagger. The best of both worlds, so to speak.
The martini culture is never one to be satisfied. Always creative, always aware. Respect tradition ... and then make it better. Turning heads wherever it makes its presence known.
Ever the fashionable drink, the martini commands attention. Playful and fun one minute, dark and brooding the next.
And so it is with martini glassware. Choose your glassware according to your mood ... or what you want the mood to be. Fun and flirty? Check. Retro cool and mysterious? Can do.
The martini isn't just a drink. It's a lifestyle. Discover yours ...
Martini Glasses Gift Packs. We have the most unique martini glassware online. Shipped FREE, Gift Wrapped FREE, and FREE Gift card. We are sure to please.
Click Here to Order.
Hand Painted Martini Glasses
Hand Painted Martini Glasses
We discovered some really fashionable hand painted martini glasses a few years ago from a specialty online vendor. These beautiful glasses are the ultimate martini party décor, and each is a work of art on its own.
You'll find hand painted martini glasses in a variety of styles and colors. We particularly like the bright colored glasses that remind us of summer every time we hold it in our hands.
Hand painted martini glasses usually can be washed in the dishwasher, but check to be sure. We don't bother ... we simply wash them by hand. That way we don't have to worry about the image fading or the glasses getting knocked around in the dishwasher.
And hey ... washing glasses by hand kinda has a retro feel to it anyway, wouldn't you say??
Lolita Martini Glasses
Do you dare?
The Lolita Martini Glass is one of the newest and hottest martini glasses around. Desired for its stylish art work and unique fashion sense, Lolita martini glasses are sure to liven up any martini party or intimate gathering.
These beautiful glasses are adorned with "earrings" that dangle from the side of the glass. They're made from genuine Swarovski crystals and add the finishing touch to a one of a kind style.
Here's where you can get a closer look at the Lolita martini glasses set ...
Lolita Martini Glasses
Light Up Martini Glasses
Types Of Martini Glasses
There are almost as many styles of martini glasses as there are recipes for martinis ...
Here are a few of the more popular styles:
- Light Up Martini Glasses: The base of the glass holds a small LCD battery operated light, and the glass glows a flourescent color. Perfect for night time gatherings. The glasses are usually made of a durable plastic and can be used over and over. See picture below.
- Stemless Martini Glasses: We like these because they're a little more sturdy and less prone to being knocked over. A stemless martini glass is solid down to the base and provides a unique alternative look to the traditional glass.
- Mini Martini Glasses: As the name implies, these glasses are smaller and are ideal for a martini party. If you want to serve your guests various different martini recipes, mini martini glasses are ideal.
- Disposable Martini Glasses: Perfect for larger gatherings. Use once and place into the recyling bin!
Fun Drinking Related Sites
- Glogg Recipes
Glogg Recipes And All About Glogg
Chambord French Martini
1 1/2 oz Chambord Flavored Vodka
1/2 oz Chambord Liqueur
2 oz Pineapple Juice
Shake ingredients with ice and strain into martini glass. Garnish with raspberries. Enjoy!
Thanks For Stopping By...Cheers!
Does anyone know what the green credentials are of the light-enabled plastic martini glasses? I would like to list them at our store here: http://www.eventsupplies.co.uk/product_listing,19,...


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Budding Love by William Tekede
The date is 25 December 1982. I woke up with a strict schedule in mind. It had taken us a lot of time planning how we would spend the two most important days of December, Christmas and Boxing day.
When I rose from the new reed mat bed that my father had made me days before my arrival from boarding school, my backside was itching. It was nothing serious but the effect of the new acquisition that had drawn bezier curves on my body. The mat had proved too rough for comfort in a night that had proved too cold for comfort. Its discomfort was not a result of poor workmanship. My father would make them with expertise that was the envy of the community.
I had not made the traditional fire to warm my room that night. I had come home outside normal hours. It had rained cats and dogs and the firewood was wet. Because of the great expectations of the coming two days, especially those of this morning, I had offered myself to the unkind weather that I had borne with stupid courage. The only blanket I was using was very thin with one big hole. I would fold it into two halves every night. The side with a big hole would cover my under side while I would cover my top side with the other half and coil into foetus position every night. In later life this became my popular two–in–one blanket that proved not so useful that night.
Since my arrival from Gweru exactly five days before, we had been working in the fields like slaves, so we could cover up and enjoy the Christmas days. I had met my friend Joshua once briefly since my arrival. Our second meeting was on this Christmas day's eve. We quickly exchanged updates and spent the rest of the time fine-tuning our movements of the next two days. Top on the agenda were two subjects, Mary and Betty.
I remember very well how Joshua had confirmed it that night. That Mary had finally given in to my proposal. The knowledge that I had won her heart sent chills down my spine. When I asked Joshua why she hadn't replied my letter, all he could say was,
"...listen, Mary is dying to see you. She thinks now that you are in boarding school, you are the smartest boy she would go along with in this community. She even told George in public to stop bothering her since she is now in love with you. The only reason she couldn't reply to your letter is that she didn't have a postage stamp, but I had already given her the envelope that I had made at her request."
At that moment I could feel my hair rising. What had triggered this hair rising, I was not sure. Was it excitement that I was in love or the mention of George and his loss? I got my mind mixed up.
George had always been an enemy. Firstly because he came from another village and had belonged to the rival camp that was our target. Whether it was about playing football or village fights he had always belonged to the opposition. Secondly, the bad blood between us became a catalyst when he became a rival suitor and sealed our hatred of one another.
Nyaradzai, his sister had always been a stumbling block in class. We were in the same class throughout our primary education. Joshua was a brilliant scholar who always came first in our class and she would come second while I would take a distant third position. The only time I had ever trounced her was when I had cheated on an end of year grade three mathematics test. It was a planned defeat. Since the three of us were in group A, it was easy. We had planned that Joshua would reveal his answers to enable me to copy and that was successful. I remember her sobbing when the results were called out on prize giving day while we enjoyed the proceedings and walked up the podium to receive our prizes.
Mary was the daughter of Reverend Munyoro, while her friend Betty was the second daughter of Elder Ruzivo and both belonged to the Girls on the Move movement in their church. We understood it to be a church ruling that girls would be expected to move in groups of not less than three. We knew that separating the two girls from their group was not just difficult but almost impossible given their reputation and status. All we wanted was time, alone with the two girls. What we would do with them none of us paid attention to that. I had saved enough money from the bus fare that I had been given and that would be enough to buy some biscuits and sweets for the four of us.
The road to the township passes through my place. We planned that Joshua would come to my place or if he was late he would find me at our usual spot where we would wait for Mary, Betty and... who else? We didn't know. Passing on the message to Mary was easy. It was traditional that on such days like Christmas days, good neighbours would feast together. Adults and children would do this in the morning before visiting the township, the center for the best entertainment of the day. Joshua and Mary's families were good neighbours. They belonged to the same church. We concluded that Joshua's sister would deliver to Mary the message of our planned meeting during the morning feast. On Boxing Day, we planned to square it up with George if he interrupted and spoiled our Christmas day.
After rising and stretching myself, I could feel the itching of those mat lines easing. I was still standing before the door rubbing my eyes. The room was still very dark. When I opened the door I could tell it was dawn. I went out and after peeing, I got back into my room and sat upon the mat. I could not afford to sleep any more. My mind was set on the apple of my eye, Mary. The prospect of meeting her was fascinating but each time I thought about it, I found myself shaking, scared and with goose pimples all over my body. I found it very strange that my body was reacting in that manner.
The noise of birds started filtering through the small window or rather a hole in the wall, and I knew it was time to get up and start preparing for the day. My first task was to slaughter a goat that would provide meat for the day. The billy goat had been identified the day before. Although I was supposed to assist my big brother with the slaughtering, I took it upon myself to do it. I thought I was old enough to do it and did not need to disturb my already married brother from his sleep. The pushing factor was that schedule I didn't want disturbed.
When my brother woke up soon after sunrise, he found me carrying a big dish with a carcass in it and heading towards the kitchen door.
"Oh! You are already done?" was all he could say.
He went back into his hut and shut the door before I even responded. When I entered the kitchen, fire was already lit and water in a big black tin was boiling. On my way out, I met my brother's wife just outside the door carrying a bucket full of fresh water drawn from a well six hundred meters away.
After exchanging some good mornings, she passed a comment, that I was an early riser unlike Baba Matwins, my brother, who is always late even when he knows there is something to be done early. She added that it was the reason why they were struggling to make ends meet even with putting enough food on the table to feed their two daughters. She wished she had a son who would grow up to be like me. I only promised her things would be better and did not say much. Not that I didn't care but that my mind was programmed for the day.
I had accomplished my official duty for the day. I didn't have to graze goats and cattle that day. My two nephews had been tasked with that although it was my duty. I went back into my room, not that the house had many rooms but was just a one room round hut we had used with my brother. Now that he was married, he had given up his ownership through being weaned, leaving me to be the only owner. I took a towel and bath soap, bolted out and headed for the stream east of our homestead.
When I reached the stream at the point where we used to take our bath, the water was covered with a soapy mist. This place was meant to be used by male members of our family. It was a rule enshrined in the unwritten constitution of our family.
There was a big boulder at the edge of the pool that extended to cover about a quarter of it. The bigger portion of it was immersed but would always have a small part sprouting out. Without paying much attention to anything within the surroundings, I leaped on to that important part of the big rock.
I had already taken off my clothes. Upon landing on the right spot, a bull frog jumped into the water and swarms across to the other edge of the pool. It left me off balance and frightened. I hadn't noticed it sitting on the rock when I hoped on and had missed it by a second. If it had taken a slow flight, I would have crashed it to death on the spot. Instead, I was the one standing and trembling. I quickly got off the spot and armed myself with two big stones. I took aim and with one strong throw I sent the poor creature sprawling and floating down stream lifeless.
Shortly afterwards, I was on my way home. I noticed something silver lying still across the foot path. When I got closer to it, I discovered that it was a blind worm (Tsukukuviri). Bad omen was registered in my mind; though I could not remember from earlier teachings, whether this would be true when the worm is found still or in motion. I simply stepped off and proceeded.
When I reached home, my father had yoked two of our well trained and loyal beasts and was pulling a cultivator. The mere sight of it got me upset. I knew that timetable was now rendered useless.
He must have realized it when he called me and told me it was a small piece of land that needed to be worked on. I simply hung my towel on the wash line and off we went to the fields.
What was meant to be a small piece took us close to four hours. When we took a small break at some point I got a small lecture of cautioned praise about my official business of the day. The cultivation business was an after thought.
"Son, you did the goat slaughtering well. That's what a man ought to do. You are doing better than your brother. The only problem is that you did it too early as if you had stolen the goat and it was on the wrong place. Animal blood should not be spilled about our homestead, it's a taboo (zvinoyera) and besides, you ruined the goat skin your mother wanted to use for a mat. I am happy with your work my son", he concluded.
Most of the time during the lecture I was nodding my head. He had no problems with this for he knew I was a young man of few words. When the cultivation was over, it was 11:32 AM.
Unyoking Bishop and Voster, I drove them across the same stream I had taken bath earlier on that morning. The two beasts joined the rest of the other animals. On my way back, I washed my legs and hands in the same stream. When I reached home, food was ready. Although I was in a hurry, I did a good job devouring it. After that I stashed some red hot ashes into the iron and took it to press the clothes that I meant to use for the occasion.
Other than my school uniform, it was the only decent set I had. The brown safari suit had been bought for me by my brother from his demobilization money he got paid when he left the army. I was pressing with a wet towel covering the portion of the suit that I was working on. Soon the exercise was over but not without a blemish.
A piece of ash had dropped on to the inner side of the lower part of the right leg of the trousers leaving a hole that anyone observant would see. I cursed my carelessness but was still confident, that I would be outstandingly dressed. Not many if any, young boys and men would afford such luxury. I was dressed to impress Mary and that's all I wanted. With a few coins making music in my pocket I left with my head raised high.
I had concluded that Joshua was already waiting at the meeting point and that I was the one late. I was one hour behind schedule. When I reached at our spot I almost called, "Joshua", as if I had seen him. Until today, I don't remember whether I did it or not. But Joshua was nowhere near to answer. While in that state of puzzlement, I heard voices from a group of some happy girls coming up the hill. If I had been on the right spot I would have seen them all. We had used that spot as our observation post on many occasions.
I ran furtively towards that spot I didn't want anyone noticing and I took the advantage of the neck high grass. Out of those voices none seems to be that of Mary. Only once did I hear the one I assumed to be that of Betty. I was not certain but that voice gave me the assurance I needed.
When I reached the desired point, I went flat on my stomach. Taking cover like a lion preying on a herd of water-bucks, I waited for what was coming my way.
A few minutes later, the group passed by. I slowly rose, taking advantage of a dense shrub. I was standing on the tips of my school shoes peeping to see if my queen was there. Once again the spying business had begun, and it was the first time I was doing it alone.
At first I didn't recognise any of the girls. Most of them were dressed in unusually clean clothes. A few had new dresses. On my second attempt I saw someone looking backwards with expectant eyes. My heart was pumping fast such that I could hear the sound of my heartbeat. I quickly ducked fearing someone would spot me. It had been some time since I had met these community girls and they must have changed a bit. But that someone I saw surely had a good looking face.
When I went for a third peep, two girls had stopped and seemed to be engaged in some discussion. Both were looking back exploring. That is when I noticed and realised that it was Mary and Betty. There was no doubt that the message got to them with the precision that we expected. Mary was the last word for beauty. She looked stunning.
There was a big improvement on Betty compared to when I last saw her first term. I had spent the second term holiday in Gweru. My sister who was married and living in this town had received a letter from home with clear instructions. Never was she to send me home for there was little work to be done and that it could also save money for the third term.
When the news was delivered, it bothered me a lot. All they think I want to go home for was work, work, work and nothing else but work. How mistaken they were. I had also wanted much more than work. My sister knew as much as everyone, that all I wanted this time of the year was to meet my dear friend Joshua. That was not a secret and anyone who knew us did not need to guess on what bound us two together in our companionship.
The point that they had missed was that the two of us had been working on developing partnerships. The same partnerships that growing up boys of our ages would be engaged with the opposite sex. With that at the back of my mind, I had drafted and dispatched that letter to her. It had never been replied to but here I was bearing its full consequences.
Here I was, facing my partner. The result of a protracted process of negotiating that was brokered by Joshua. Where was he to cement this relationship? I didn't want to disappoint her, yet I could not stand to face her in the absence of my broker.
I again went down with some chills I couldn't explain gripping my whole body. I remained down there much longer this time hoping Joshua would pop up. Suddenly I heard the sound of something moving towards me and concluded that Joshua had finally made it. I was wrong. It was a calf that had gone astray.
I had taken a sitting position now that the girls had gone past, and would not notice anything now. There was some distance between us that prevented any form of visibility.
Suddenly a mouse ran across right in front of me. Before I could even wink, I saw a snake in hot pursuit. I jumped, screaming and running towards the path. It was only when I got to this path and ran some fifty or so meters towards the township, that I remembered to check whether the two most important girls were still there. But I was now standing right at the place where they had been standing a few minutes ago. The few leaves and pieces of grass on the ground confirmed my judgement. They were nowhere to be found. They were with the rest of the group afar. That's when I realised I had spent so much time low down after my last peep.
I was now thinking how I would have met Mary in that frightened state, had they waited there a little longer. What kind of a man would she think I was? A man who is supposed to be the defender of his family running right into her arms possibly knocking her down in flight from a snake. But that very morning I had vented my anger on that defenceless bull frog. I cursed and told myself that I was stupid.
A group of some boys caught up with me. They were happy to see me. But still Joshua was not there. I enquired his whereabouts from his young brother Tatenda who was part of this group. He only could reveal that his big brother had left home to catch a bath early in the morning and had still not come back when he left. He assumed like any other member of their family that the two of us were together.
By now we were very close to the township. We could see from a distance that the place was already full. The sound of music and that of the other people singing along could be heard very clearly.
I was the centre of attraction with everyone wanting to know how I was fairing in boarding school. I was already getting annoyed with questioning that went on. Even some distant friends were getting closer. I didn't need the attention at this point in time. All I wanted was Joshua's or rather Mary's company. None of the two were around and that dampened my spirit.
But I knew Mary was there for sure, yet I could not get anywhere closer to her without Joshua. Despite his confirmation, I still could not face my sweetheart alone.
I saw that group of girls I had seen earlier on enter Bobby's shop. They still were moving in a wave clinging together. The reason I noticed them was the two girls who had been engaged in a small talk before my flight. I had spotted what dresses they were donning and that could never have been a case of mistaken identity.
I reassessed my dressing and found out that my safari suit top had green stains on the top pocket. I reviewed events that had taken place at the observation post. Whoever did not look close would think it was a decoration of some sort. I didn't bother much about the stains. I could tell that I was dressed much better than most guys around. Whether it was psychological or real I still don't know.
Bobby's shop was the most popular. I didn't want to go there when everybody in our group seemed to be heading towards that direction. It was a strange thought. A moment ago, I had seen who I wanted to be with the rest of the day enter that shop. So, why this sudden strange feeling, I could not understand it. Looking towards the same direction, I saw George's company enter the same shop and I knew what they were after.
They could have entered there for any other reasons. But I didn't want them in there at this point in time. I could feel some little sweat on my brow. I was angry. My pulse raced I wanted to charge into that shop.
The voice of my cousin's brother greeting distracted me. It was our first meeting since my arrival. I was happy to meet him but could not show him my complete happiness. He was a relief but not what I wanted at this point in time. While we were standing there, that group of girls came out of the shop moving towards our direction. We had gone past two other small grocery shops.
When they were marching past us, Betty stopped and asked me where Joshua was. Mary pretended to want to walk past slowly without saying anything. I only gathered the courage to say, "Hello Mary". She responded with a low voice accompanied by a deep prolonged smile. The dimple in her right cheek was the centre of my attraction. She was very shy and so was I. I was mesmerised.
The answer that I gave to Betty's question on the whereabouts of Joshua, I suppose was satisfactory. No sooner did the two girls go past us. I wanted to see much more of them but they were gone, gone with the wind.
"I meant to ask you about your friend Joshua," my cousin brother Runyararo enquired. "Is he the reason you don't look happy?"
"You know what it is like between me and Joshua, don't you?" was my response.
When I told him I was expecting Joshua to join us soon he simply nodded his head. When I said us I didn't mean him included as he assumed. I meant myself, Joshua and the two lover birds that had just flown past us. I was still staring in the same direction, but they were long gone. I only started to move when George's group was passing by quite some distance from us.
It was good to see them maintain their position. Battle axes were drawn. There was no doubt about the existence of the invisible rift that existed between us. By now, Joshua was the only member missing in my group.
We spend the rest of the day playing the cats and dogs game. Two rival groups having a common subject. The only highlight of the day was when I bought a packet of some Marie biscuits and a bottle of Fanta that were delivered to Mary by the messenger girl. The same girl who had delivered the message about our failed meeting had to do it again. When the delivery was made, she acknowledged by half raising her hand and waving weakly. That indeed sent me on cloud nine. My spirits were raised high, knowing the deal had been sealed.
Those eats had almost wiped my purse and it would have been depressing if they were rejected. I bought a few Mazadzadama (apricot sweets) with what coins I had left. We had to break these into several pieces and shared them among my group of ten boys. We were all satisfied.
When I got home late that evening, Joshua's father was seated with my father. The two were having tea. A medium sized plate full of roasted goat meat had been placed closer to Joshua's father. I knew the man liked meat a lot and there was nothing sinister about my observation. All I got was a warning never to come home as late as that time and I was sent looking for some pepper and more salt. I made the delivery within seconds and went back into the kitchen to get my supper.
When I entered the Kitchen my young sister aged seven years, was complaining about how I had failed to buy her anything and yet, she had seen me buy biscuits and a bottle of Fanta that I had given to Joshua's young sister. Chipo was refusing to serve me food and mother was telling her to stop her nonsense.
I was enjoying my dinner when my mother started telling me about how I had ruined that goat skin she had wanted for a mat. That's when I knew it was meant to be a New Year gift for the District Pastor. She was not angry and did not show any signs of bitterness. It was now, that it got registered in my mind. I had broken so many traditions that morning.
"You saw Joshua's father seated in the Dare with your father", she inquired.
She was telling me what she knew I had witnessed moments before or was it a question. His visit was nothing unusual as far as I was concerned.
"Yes", I answered.
"Joshua had not been seen since he left home this morning. He hasn't eaten his breakfast and everyone is now worried about his whereabouts".
Her remarks about everyone being worried sent me brainstorming. I hadn't thought much about anything other than his failure to fulfil our appointment. He hadn't done anything like that before.
"Don't you worry much my son. Joshua might have gone to visit his uncle in defiance of his father's order."
It was at that point that I realized I had stopped eating. If anyone was worried, then I must have been the one worried most. Not that I sensed any danger. I couldn't fathom why Joshua would choose to desert me at that crucial time in my life. After all, we had spent so much time that evening planning and why he didn't tell me about his plan did not make sense to me. Was he jealous about my Mary? But he was the broker and would not have done such a good job if my thinking was right. So he was keeping a secret from me, we shall see.
With that in mind, I went sleeping. I knew my position very well and there was no preparation to be done. So I threw my body on there with the full knowledge that everything I needed was in place. I was feeling with my fingers to find the corner of the blanket that I needed when I heard the sound of the mat screeching underneath. I realized I was not in boarding school and not on that bunk bed.
I closed my eyes and forced myself to sleep. For a very long time I had my eyes closed but very much awake. At one time I had them open and gazing into the roof above. The sound of a bat flying in and out through that hole in the wall was nothing unusual. I couldn't see anything in that darkness. I gave up sleeping and set up with my back against the wall. I kept shifting positions until I had a dream.
In that dream, we were playing the game:
"Sarura Wako" "Choose your girl"
"Kadeya -deya anendoro chena" "The beautiful one with a white crown"
"Wangu mutsvuku" "My girl is light"
"Kadeya -deya anendoro chena" "The beautiful one with a white crown"
"Anozora ambi" "She wears Ambi"
"Kadeya -deya anendoro chena" "The beautiful one with a white crown"
"Handeyi Darlee" "Lets' go my darling"
"Kadeya -deya anendoro chena" "The beautiful one with a white crown"
Mary and I were hopping away from the line where other girls still stood. I had chosen her and grabbed her without breaching any of the game's rules. In no time, George had his hands on my throat and Joshua was restraining him. He had pinned me down. Then I saw Mary approaching with that deep smile that she had let out once. The dimple was much deeper this time. The next moment George was about to plant his bloody mouth on her lips. Mary turned her head aside and was calling my name. I sprung off the ground charging like a wounded tiger and head buttered him.
When I woke, my brother was shaking my whole body. My head was killing me. I couldn't figure out what time it was. The mere presence of my brother gave me the assurance that it must have been late in the morning.
"The whole community is up looking for your friend Joshua and here you are screaming your lungs out in your sleep", was all he could say.
By the time we reached Joshua's place, Headman Chigutiro was addressing many people who were gathered there. They had searched everywhere and were now exhausted. Even the little ones had played their part except me. So I was the odd one. I got sight of Joshua's uncle among the crowd. I was a bit relieved. I explored further but could not find him. I felt like wanting to throw up.
When we got nearer, Headman Chigutiro's last words were that he had sent a Jinda (Messenger) to Magunje Growth point. Apparently he had been sent to inform the police about the missing Joshua.
Everyone was distracted by young boys who had been sent to tender goats. They were running back screaming.
One of the goats had given birth to two kids. The kid had to be named Boxer later in life. Apparently, when they went into the enclosure to help the kids out, they had seen something very strange and frightening. That strange thing was Joshua's corpse; it was hanging from a pole that spanned this enclosure, to give support to the roof.
When the police got his body out much later that afternoon, Joshua's mother was still wailing uncontrollably.
"I told you Mangwiro. That snake you killed in the morning, Mhunzamusha (Family Destroyer) is no good. Look now what has happened to my son? Ngozi dzekwenyu Mangwiro dzandidyira mwana wangu." (avenging spirits haunting your family have killed my son).
It was sad. I couldn't watch her in that state of pain. Mangwiro Munyoro, Joshua's father looked sad but composed. It was all hysterical. I felt some stomach pains and ended up with a runny tummy.
Joshua had written a letter that was found in the back pocket of his sports short that he wore under an old trouser he had put on that morning. All I remembered from the contents of that letter were the words, "...I have decided to join my sister Pamhidzai." My good friend Joshua had signed his death certificate. I had lost him in the misty of my newly found love. It was a third suicide in the family in recent years.
"Ngozi?," whatever it was, my friend, my dear friend Joshua was gone and gone for good.
On her face I couldn't read anything. It looked just plain. There was not even a trace of that dimple. If anything, she looked like that bull frog had looked like just before I killed it. I wasn't angry. Her shining eyes gave me hope. I knew I wanted more, much more that her posture couldn't reveal now. A lot of what I wanted was lying under her skin. She remained my girl, the delight of my eyes and the desire of my heart, and at that moment Joshua and Betty were born again.
Budding Love was written by William Tekede.
Copyright William Tekede 2009.
William Tekede was delivered on 16 June in the winter of 1967. He was born in the round pole and dagga hut, the family kitchen on Welcombe or Boss Mhosi's farm which lies west of Karoi town along the road leading to Magunje Growth Point. The farm was popularly known as Mhondoro Farm.
In 1973, William started his primary education at Sengwe Primary School. This was after the family had left farm employment and resettled under chief Nyamhunga in the Hurungwe Tribal Trust Land. One Thursday afternoon in June 1978 the school was closed down at the height of the liberation struggle. This development saw William out of school for two years until 1980 when he resumed his education and enrolling for grade six at the same school. After completing grade seven, I then went on to do my secondary education at Pakame Secondary School in Shurugwi from 1982 to 1985. I enrolled to study Librarianship at Harare Polytechnic College from 1987 to 1989 and went back to further my studies from 2002 -2003. I worked in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Department of National Archives of Zimbabwe from June 1990 to September 2006. After 16 years of continuous service at the Archives, I relinquished my position as Acting Chief Librarian and joined National University of Science and Technology in Bulawayo in the city of kings on 2nd October 2006. In June 2008, I was seconded to run the newly established Graduate School of Business Library (GSB) where I am currently working as the GSB Librarian.
Discovering my potential as a writer came about while I was in secondary school. I used to enjoy writing shona poetry which captured the interest of my subject teacher as well as that of my classmates. This interest was watered down by lack of opportunities to publish until late 1990s when I started writing in English for the National Archives newsletter. That experience was a stepping stone. Before this, I used to write a lot in shona until one day I decided to take some of my works to Mai Chisamba. I remember visiting her at the Examinations Branch in Mount Pleasant and my works instantly captured her attention. This visit led to the canned broadcast on ZTV (AM Zimbabwe) of my presentation of one of my shona piece titled "Munhu hunhu" towards end of 1999. That experience was a great motivator. But due to pressure of work at the time I slithered. One day in 2004 some primary school children visited the National Archives to research on one of our national heroes as a school project. It was embarrassing to note that there was very little information available. It was then that I decided to write an article urging Zimbabweans to consider depositing historical material with the Archives. Fortunately it was published in the Herald on 15 September 2004. I followed up on this one with another one which was also published in the same paper on 23 September 2004. A few more others followed suite. That marked the beginning of my relationship with the press.
When I moved to Bulawayo in October 2006, I continued writing and sending my contributions to Chronicle and most of them are published. I enjoy doing this as a public/social service. Sometime in 2007, I received an e-mail from an ex-workmate at National Archives now living abroad who is a renowned author at Storytime informing me about her publications. When I started reading Sarudzayi Chifamba-Barnes's works on the internet, my interest to write short stories was re-activated. I wrote three which I sent to Ivor W. Hartmann without expecting much out of it. But when he responded inviting me to join storytime authors, I felt like it was a call for me to unleash whatever was hidden under the screen of my intellectual stone. I feel being published on storytime is a result of my retrospective desire to become a writer that I have turned out to be and think that I can express myself much better in poetry. For now I think I will concentrate in this area and will strive to continue writing verses in English and Shona.


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Winter is making its presence known.
Nearly all of Nebraska is under a winter weather advisory issued by the National Weather Service.
National Weather Service Meteorologist Cindy Fay in the Hastings office says nearly the entire state is getting wet, in various ways.
"Right now, we're seeing most of the freezing precipitation across the central portions of the state and snow across the western portion, in the Panhandle area," Fay tells Nebraska Radio Network.
Fay expects this to keep up throughout the day and into the evening hours.
"Today is the first day of winter and we are seeing wintery weather conditions with this winter system," Fay says. "So, yes, it is a quick moving (storm) mostly during the day time and we'll rapidly see it wind down as we head through the evening hours."
Freezing drizzle seems to be moving eastward while snow seems confined in the western portion of Nebraska. The Panhandle could see up to four inches of snow.
Fay says the winter weather is expected to have the state in its grip throughout the day and into the evening hours. It should end late this evening, perhaps hanging on until midnight. Below normal temperatures will come in the wake of this storm with dry weather, for the most part.
Fay says there is a chance parts of Nebraska could see a white Christmas.
"We do have another chance for snow," according to Fay. "We're watching a system in the Saturday night timeframe and if anyone is looking for a white Christmas that will be our best chance of getting some snow in that Saturday night, early Sunday morning (period). Other than that, we're looking at mainly dry weather."
Fay forecasts below normal temperatures into Christmas Day and throughout next week with highs in the 20s, lows in the single digits with wind chills near zero.


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Nu-Way Tree Moving Inc. has been serving the area for over 40 years.
Located on Route 47 between Burlington Road and Plato Road in rural Elgin. We have worked with customers of all types and sizes, from commercial entities like landscapers, park districts, schools, golf courses, to government entities like city and state agencies,to universities and hospitals, as well as individual homeowners.
Stocked with a nursery containing over 3,000 trees and featuring a good selection of large shade and evergreen trees, not to mention our 40 plus years of experience, we are ready to help you transform your property.


text:
Harris Bugg Studio is seeking a studio technician, proficient in Vectorworks, for our growing team, working on a variety of public, private and commercial gardens, spaces and landscapes in our Exeter studio. This is a great opportunity for someone with strong 2D and 3D skills looking for interesting projects to challenge and develop their career in an award-winning and flourishing studio.
Job Description
Your normal work duties will include, but are not limited to:
- Developing drawings for concept, developed and technical design issue including but not limited to general arrangements, sections, elevations, construction details and planting plans;
- Other administrative, research, presentation and design work as required
Other requirements:
- Executing work of a high standard with thorough attention to detail and a clear understanding of relevant time limitations to deliver the required items;
- Demonstrating initiative, responsibility and drive in the execution of work;
- Working both collaboratively and independently;
- Maintaining clear, efficient and effective communication with clients, contractors, consultants and other Harris Bugg Studio team members.
- Essential
- We are a Mac-based studio. You must show a good standard of Vectorworks (2D & 3D) with experience of landscape projects and terrain modelling
- Fluency in English language.
- Relevant permit for working in the UK
- Desired
- Indesign
- Photoshop
- Sketch-up
According to experience.
Application process
This is a permanent position with a potential immediate start. Applications should be submitted to email@example.com and include the following:
- Your CV
- Portfolio – please be clear which is your work, and the work that was collaborative or part of a team.
Deadline for applications extended: Wednesday 16th May


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From Germany, a catering service that uses the vegetables supermarkets won't accept
Beeline Reader
We're constantly looking for innovative ways to improve the Springwise experience, and so we're now introducing BeeLine Reader, a new technology that helps you read more quickly and efficiently. To learn more about BeeLine Reader, an award-winning startup funded by Intel Capital, see BeeLineReader.com.
Considering the unequal distribution of food across the globe, the amount thrown away in the West is a big problem. We've already seen France-based Zéro Gâchis help consumers get discounts on food that's about to be chucked, and now Culinary Misfits is a catering service in Germany that only uses the produce that doesn't make it to supermarkets and restaurants due to its imperfections.
Spotted another good idea???
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Many times you have a system that you just can't find the driver for. Especially if it's an older computer with no tag number to easily find the driver on the manufacturers website. Even if you found the right website and web page, some drivers say unknown and it's hard to know what you have in your computer that you could possibly be missing. Here's a neat little tool that can help.
HWiNFO32 – It's a strange name, but does a great job. You can download the latest copy from here http://www.hwinfo.com/
You can tell in the picture to the left, (Click to see full size) it breaks down all hardware you have installed and you can drill down through the menus to see more and more detail and on the right side fo the screen is great detail about that particular device you have highlighted.
The section that says Hardware ID: you can copy that, paste it into Google, yes Google is your friend, and you may be surprised how fast you'll find the right driver. It may not come from the manufacturers website, so be careful what links you click on. I would never recommend downloading drivers from anywhere other than the official manufacturers website, so please use this tool carefully at your own risk.


text:
Crypto-Currency Rhetoric Reflects Conflicts of Interests in the Financial System
Traders Magazine Online News, September 27, 2017
In this guest blog, the current controversy surrounding bitcoin, its detractors and defenders is discussed and thoroughly examined.
All TradersMagazine.com articles are archived after 7 days. REGISTER NOW for unlimited access to all recently archived articles, as well as thousands of searchable stories. Registered Members also gain access to exclusive industry white paper downloads, web seminars, online technology directory, the iPad App, and conference discounts. Qualified members may also choose to receive our free monthly magazine and any of our e-newsletters covering the latest breaking news, opinions from industry leaders, developing trends and trading strategies.


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Hello Stranger,
Welcome to the month of May in which exams happen and the weather gets ever so slightly warmer. This week is a band I have been listening too for around 3 days ish, maybe slightly more and this was because a dear friend of mine let me borrow one of her EP's from them. So as Man Made recently released a new album, which has some of the songs from the EP on it, I thought I would give it a spin and I really really loved it! My dear friend knows me very well. I am so glad they introduced me to them as they are right up my street as Man Made, I would say, sound a bit like Bad Sounds and I want to say Arctic Monkeys as well. It's the perfect band to turn up loud and dance around too with friends. Or with no friends like I do because its more fun that way. It's the best way to get through stressful times like exams or deadlines or friendship/family problems or general other stressful things.
Now as I haven't been listening to this album and band for long at all if you were to ask me what my favourite tracks are from TV Broke My Brain in a couple of months they, most likely, would be completely different to what I have picked out now. One of the first tracks I really loved was track 1, Carsick Cars. I really fell for its upbeat and head bobbing beat that starts from the beginning and makes the song seem whole and very grungy. The guitar that supports this awesome beat is so catchy and is something that I found myself humming long after listening to it. one thing about this song that stands out for me has to be the lyrics and the way they are sung. His voice is so raw and rustic sounding and goes up and down like a rollercoaster but in a cool indie way (there is literally no other way I can describe it). There is also oooo's in this song which sound amazing and give the song its own unique sense of style and vibe. This is one of the songs that I can be found dancing round an empty house to. Kicking my legs up in the air and throwing my head up and down, singing the oooo's as loud as possible. It's an incredible song so much so it's one for the summer, I would say.
One of the other songs that really stood out for me is the title of the album its self, track 10. TV Broke My Brain is another very grunge song that has a bit more of a kick to it than Carsick Cars. This song has a powerful message behind it with a kickass drum beat. It is that type of beat that stops and starts straight back up again and you can also pretend to play the drums whilst listening to it. the lyrics of this song are also so catchy that singing along and using pencils as drums is a common thing to find me doing when I listen to it. TV Broke My Brain is so well put together as everything within the song seemingly merges together to make one amazing and thought-provoking sound. This fantastic track is also a lot better on vinyl on the Carsick Cars EP that my dear friend let me borrow. This song summarises the album perfectly as it has the 'hard-core' and 'grunge' indie feel to it but I would say it's more light hearted than most grunge songs/albums. It's a wonderful song and one I have had on repeat for most of today and its just so catchy.
Overall this album has the right amount of guitar heavy songs, drum/beat heavy song and each one has super perfectly sung lyrics. I really love the way these tunes are all sung as it's a very raw and passionate sound but I could imagine them making it look effortless when performed live. Speaking of live I bet Man Made would be amazing live as they have the right type of songs that would work so well with the crowd. I know this album has literally only just come out but I cannot wait for more music from these guys if this is what their debut material sounds like then I can't wait for the future in music for them.
Buy the album here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/TV-Broke-My-Brain-Man-Made/dp/B01BHGEWXQ
All images found from Google Images, No copyright infringement intended


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Tuesday, January 20, 2009
sick week
6 comments:
- cathy gaubert said...
oh, suesue!!! i am so sorry to hear that y'all are all sick! it's really bad when babies are involved, too...i hope that gabe is on his way to getting better soon. cate was 3 months old a few days ago, and i can't believe that we haven't seen you yet! the next time we are down, we WILL get by to see you!!!
- January 20, 2009 at 8:50 PM
- Amy said...
Suesue, I hope you guys are all on the mend! A house full of sick people is never fun :(.
- January 22, 2009 at 4:30 PM
- kari and kijsa said...
Just catching up on our blogging...stopping by to say hello!
kari & kijsa
- January 23, 2009 at 12:35 AM
- Diane@A Picture is Worth.... said...
Cute cup! I've been sick this weekend. It's the pits!
- January 24, 2009 at 4:14 PM
- Beverly said...
Hi Suesue...thanks so much for visiting my blog....You have some adorable ideas on your blog, too! It is so much fun to meet new gals and find new ideas!! Pleased to meet you!!
- January 25, 2009 at 11:51 AM
- g said...
such a pretty thing must help cheer you up when you're feeling sick. Hope you recover soon.
- January 31, 2009 at 10:06 AM
About Me
- suesueb
- south louisiana, United States
- I'm a stay at home mom of four adult children. I've always been interested in creating and have been sewing since I was a young girl. Everyone loves lagniappe. It's the little extra things in life that make it special, whether it's a sweet, sticky kiss from a child or a great cajun cup of coffee.


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The Amazing Spider-Man trailer, bring it on! I'll admit that I don't usually get this excited about sci-fi movie teaser trailers, but Spider-Man is totally in me. From way back. As long as I can remember, I have loved Spider-Man, his story, his sort wimpy daytime persona, Peter Parker, and his bad-ass superhero persona. I'm sure it has something to do with growing up with an older brother, Spidey's frequent appearances on The Electric Company, and that television version in the '70s, but Spider-Man is totally the best superhero.
Check out the newly released web (pun intended) trailer after the jump!
This upcoming version of the Spider-Man story, which takes us back to Peter Parker's high school days, looks ah-mazing! And how could it not be with an all-star cast that includes Andrew Garfield (The Social Network, Never Let Me Go) as Parker/Spider-Man, a blonde Emma Stone as Gwen, Peter's love interest, Martin Sheen as Peter's Uncle Ben, Sally Field as Peter's Aunt May, Denis Leary (LOVE him) as NYPD Captain George Stacy, Gwen's father, as well as old-timers but goodies Campbell Scott (Dying Young, Singles) as Peter's dad and C. Thomas Howell (stay gold, Ponyboy!) as a character named Ray.
WATCH The Amazing Spider-Man trailer:
If you think all those crazy video-gamesque special effects were cool on your computer screen, wait until we get to watch them up close and personal on the big screen -- in 3D -- in July 2012. God, that's a long time from now.
Are you a Spider-Man fan?


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Hodads plays less like an album and more like a collection of radio ready hits destined for raunchy Netflix soundtracks. Let me make myself clear; this is not a bad thing in the least. On the contrary, The Bad Larrys are on to something huge and come riding in on a tsunami dripping with reverb and aching to break. There honestly isn't a weak link on this record and the more I listen, the more I can't get it out of my head. It's just that good.
Mastered by Pete Lyman (Red Fang, The Jesus Lizard), the album comes off sounding highly polished while retaining its notably vintage tone. Thanks to the equipment at Davis M. Shubs' disposal and home studio of Drowning Fish, the band were able to lay down some seriously timeless tracks that groove so well together you'll be left wondering how they haven't been scooped up by a major label already. All in good time, I suppose.
Stand outs like "7 Foot Vultures" and "I Like You Anyway" flow between the mournful and whimsical in a way that makes perfect musical and lyrical sense. It's amusing how fun the band sounds on tunes like these, making die hard converts out of even the most jaded among us. If I wasn't won over from the start, The Bad Larrys definitely got me with the next track (and ode to early onset alcoholism), "Fired in the Morning".
With lines like, "How did I come in here like Jean Harlow/and waltz right out like the walking dead?!" what's not to love? An apt description of my early twenties, this track will have you raging into the wee hours on any given weekday and wishing you had picked up that extra 15 pack before 11.
I would be remiss if not to mention album closer and The Bad Larrys' latest single, "Rama, Mammon, Abraxas, Ahriman". Tempered with tantalizing keys and kaleidoscopic guitar shots, the revolving main riff is as heavy as the album gets. Vocalist Sean Flynn demonstrates a certain unbridled poise throughout Hodads but really lets loose on the chorus here. Flynn howls the song's refrain with all the punk rock fervor of a young Glen Danzig while still managing to keep up his signature Strokes-esque style.
If you're not already convinced, Hodads is a must for every dedicated music enthusiast. It really is a solid product that vibes easily with psych/stoner and straight ahead garage rock fans alike. Maintaining a healthy balance in mood, the outcome is a fine recording complete with just enough street cred to keep things edgy yet dance-able. If The Bad Larrys are any indication, psych/surf/garage is the new mainstream and make no mistake; you're going to want to get in on the ground floor.
Keep up with everything about The Bad Larrys on their Facebook here.


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This week, Libby Wayman stopped by our meeting to follow up on how the team was doing since her last visit. While we were intending to discuss failure modes & other strategic methods for critically assessing our project, we ended up mainly troubleshooting the issue of back-flow into our water holding tank. This brainstorming session was super-helpful and produced the following idea:
Instead of trying to find the ideal placement of just one non-return valve, why not install two—one above and one below our aspirator? (We realized the reason we weren't observing any chlorination of our water when we had installed a non-return valve below our aspirator was because of the imbalance between the poor check-valves in the pump and the perfectly-sealing check valve we had introduced.) We hope including a second, reliable check valve right above our aspirator will not only return the desired function of our aspirator but also allow us to isolate our actual working device as one contiguous unit that could readily be swapped into various pumps in Dhaka.
Some members of the group began testing this idea on Wednesday—expect more updates to follow!


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Once you gain a basic understanding of cooking, it can be a very pleasurable hobby. By reading this article, you will find yourself becoming a better chef, as well as gaining overall confidence in your skill. You will be able to have fun in the kitchen after you have read these tips.
Spices should be kept somewhere cool and dark. Storing them out in the light and heat will cause them to lose some of their shelf life. To keep your spices spicy and fresh, store them in an area that is cool and dark. These fresh spices will help add flavor to your meals, making them tastier!
You should know a few things before you cook anything on a skewer. Twisted or square shaped metal skewers hold the food better than round ones will.
Getting thin strips of meat is a lot easier if you partially freeze the meat first. Asian inspired dishes such as Chinese and Thai will particularly benefit from this technique. When you freeze the meat, fibers stretch less making it cut easier. Then allow the slices to thaw so they'll cook evenly.
Always bake your crusts a little longer than is absolutely necessary. Rather than pale blonde, they should have a golden caramel color. This is because the golden color lets you know that the sugar from the crust has caramelized, which give it that sweet, yet crisp taste.
Cooking veggies improves the quality of them. Slow cooking, and overcooking, vegetables will destroy their nutritional content and flavor. Using these techniques will mean putting healthier food on the table. Cooking vegetables for only a short amount of time is essential.
To reduce fat and calories in mashed potatoes without sacrificing texture or taste, replace some of your potatoes with an equal amount of cauliflower. Cauliflower has little taste of its own, so it will blend right into your potatoes and pick up flavors from whatever other ingredients you use. At the same time, cauliflowers mash into the same color and texture as potatoes, giving you a fail-proof way to add vegetables and subtract calories from a classic mashed potato dish.
It is always better to choose fresh ingredients for your recipes instead of dried or frozen ones. You will save plenty of money by buying fresh vegetables and other ingredients, and your food will also taste more flavorful.
You need to soak wooden skewers in water for approximately thirty minutes prior to using them. This helps them avoid burning when you cook. Instead of cooking food on a single skewer, opt for two parallel skewers. This prevents the ingredients from sliding off into the fire.
Garlic can add a tremendous amount of flavor to your food. However, when you are cutting and chopping fresh garlic, it can also leave its odor on your hands. After you are done working with garlic and any other odoriferous ingredients, try rubbing your hands firmly on the inside of your stainless steel sink. This will clean your hand and keep the odor from transferring to other foods you are handling.
Make sure to measure the amount of cooking oil you use! Measuring amounts into a cup when cooking instead of pouring guess amounts straight from the bottle lowers the fat you put into your dish. This is the best way to know the amount of oil being added to your food.
Do you ever find it difficult to determine how long you should grill your meat? It's always good to use a high-quality meat thermometer to ensure you correctly cook the inside. If the meat you are cooking is thicker than 4cm, close the grill door halfway to reduce the time it takes to grill.
Fresh Garlic
To cook flavorful veggies that turn out well, use chicken broth. Not only will the chicken broth stop the vegetables from getting stuck to the pan, but it will also make the dish more tasty. Chicken broth is cheap, and can be bought anywhere.
Always use fresh garlic to get the full flavor in your dish. Fresh garlic tastes much sweeter than does garlic that is not fresh. You can recognize fresh garlic from its firm skin and lack of bruises.
When you are cooking pumpkins, first stand the pumpkin upright and then cut it in half directly down the middle. Next, take each half and place them cut side down onto separate baking sheets. Sprinkle some water on both baking sheets, then at 350 degrees bake the pumpkin for about an hour.
It is necessary for all cooks to organize their cooking supplies. If you do not organize them, you will be scrambling around to find where you put everything. Keep things that are similar in the same place. As an example, you may want to keep all of your spices together.
Properly frozen fresh fruit can stay good for up to a year. You will also be able to enjoy certain fruits even when they are not in season.
Explore creativity when you cook. Following a recipe word for word and teaspoon for teaspoon is not always what cooking is about. There are times when adding or subtracting things from a recipe can take the taste to new heights when compared to the original. That is the definition of a true cook!
There's almost always leftovers after serving turkey. Freeze cut turkey in a tightly sealed container. Turkey will stay fresh for a couple weeks and you can use it in sandwiches or a salad.
The night before you cook, try to prepare as much as possible. Doing this will allow you to focus on putting the dish together. You won't waste electricity by letting something cook just a little longer, so you can prep the ingredients for the next step, or be distracted when cooking with hot oil.
It's vital that you ensure that the utensils you cook with are clean prior to cooking. Any food particles left on a utensil could get into the food your are cooking, ruining the taste. This could allow bacteria to easily spread.
Dull Knives
You can reduce your stress level by doing your prep work for an important meal the day or night before the event. Start by getting all of your ingredients in one place to make sure you have whatever you need. Have all ingredients chopped and measured. When the time comes to make the meal, all you need to do is put it all together and cook it!
Use high-quality utensils to cut with in the kitchen. You will be more efficient when you do not have to deal with dull knives; in addition, sharp knives are safer to use than dull knives. Dull knives have caused many more accidents than nice, sharp ones.
If you are including raw onions in a salsa that you aren't going to be serving right away, use cold water and a paper towel to rinse and blot the onions. The reason for this is that when you cut an onion, you release gas with sulfur. The taste of fresh salsa can be negatively impacted by this gas. If you following the rinsing and drying procedure above, the gas becomes inert.
When it comes to sauteing food, do not put too much food in the pan at once. It will add too much moisture, which steams the food and doesn't allow it to saute or get crispy. Keep the pan set on a lower temperature.
A meat thermometer is a great way to show you are cooking meats properly. There is a minimum internal temperature to which a meat needs to be cooked so that it is safe to eat. Meat usually contains bacteria. Make sure you cook your meat thoroughly so that eating meat remains healthy.
You need to properly care for a wooden cutting board. Excess moisture, heat and dryness may cause a wooden chopping board to split and warp. Cutting boards should never be immersed in water, but cleaned with a soapy sponge and rinsed off. If you have a damaged cutting board, you should purchase an oil product that is designed for cutting board restoration. Let the board dry thoroughly before you use it.
Although you may want to impress them with something fancy, never try a new recipe when cooking for someone important. Whether it may be a boss, new in-laws or a love interest, you want to make a good impression with them by the way you cook. Impress them by cooking a meal you already know you can prepare well.
There are a few ways in which you can reheat tortillas. One way is place the tortilla on a rack in a 350-degree preheated oven. Let it cook until the tortilla is at the level of crispiness you prefer. You can also place the tortilla right on top of a gas stove top burner set to a low flame. You will have a better tasting tortilla if you use these suggestions.
Explore the benefits of using a brine in your cooking. Try soaking poultry, such as chicken, turkey, goose or duck, for 60 minutes in a brine solution prior to cooking. This makes the flavor of the poultry exponentially more flavorful.
Keep your spices and herbs fresh by not exposing them to humidity and light. Spices will rapidly lose flavor if exposed to heat, light or humidity. This will ensure your spices will not be as good to use.
Be considerate to those who will be consuming your meals by reserving many spices for later addition. Popular seasonings, such as garlic, hot peppers, herbs, and salts are desirable additions to any dish. People differ in their preferences for the amount and types of spice they like on their food. Allow for your food to be complimented with these spices when the meal is served. This way, everyone can season his meal to taste.
If you are cooking with a certain type of fruit or vegetable for the first time, do some research before using it. Do some research, and you might be surprised at how versatile the new food is. To have a better cooking experience, educate yourself before starting anything new in the kitchen.
Start preparing your meal a night in advance if you have a lot to do on the day you're going to cook. Pre-assembling lasagna or chopping vegetables for stir-fry to keep in your fridge may save you a lot of stress and time when you make a meal for your family.
Prepare as much as you can ahead of time. Often times, you can prepare food prior to cooking by at least a couple days in advance. For certain meals, it is imperative to engage in longer preparation times to yield the best flavors. This works so well that many people find it difficult to stop.
Pungent foods such as garlic, onions, and fish can leave an offensive odor on your hands. You can effectively remove this scent by rubbing your hands on a stainless steel object before you wash them. It doesn't matter whether you use a spoon, one of your sink's corners, or a stainless-steel soap bar. Performing this particular action will eliminate the odor and freshen your hands.
Brine is a wonderful way to cook. Soak chicken, turkey and game poultry in salt water for an hour to create a more flavorful dish.
Leafy greens are very good for you but it may be hard to prepare them. Removing these stems can be difficult. One simple technique is to fold over the leaf lengthwise, then pull the stem out and away from the leafy portion. Cut the stem with a knife. Simply open up the leaf now and enjoy greens that are free from stems.
To get a firm shell for twice baked potatoes or potato skins, use a baking potato with a thicker skin. Red potatoes have very thin skin and are unable to support dense fillings.
Make some flavored butter to add to your dinner rolls or corn for an exciting experience. Make sure that your butter is room temperature by either leaving it on the counter for a while or softening it in the microwave. Combine the softened butter with a few spices and herbs or maybe even a little sauce. Mixing the butter with these items will give them new flavor. Some great ingredients that are worth adding are honey, chipotles, lemon juice or BBQ sauce.
Preparing dark greens can be painstaking, but they provide a great source of nutrients for your body. It can be very difficult to remove the stems. To make it simple, fold the leaf in half lengthwise and break the stem out from the middle. Cut the stem with a knife. Your green is expertly relieved of its stem when you unfold the leaf again.
If you will be juicing citrus fruits, get them extra juicy by putting them in the microwave oven first. Put fruits such as oranges, lemons or limes in for about ten seconds. Roll the fruit across the counter until it cools off before juicing it.
As mentioned before, cooking skills are simple to learn. Cultivating culinary skills is easy when sufficient practice time and a genuine desire for improvement are available. Using the advice in this article will have you well on your way to being proficient in the kitchen. You can enjoy yourself while cooking if you approach the activity positively.
It is important to use color when you are cooking. Colorful additions to your meals will add both nutrition and visual appeal. Add some bright ingredients like cherry tomatoes or baby carrots if your meal looks dull. If you use color, people will want to eat your foods.


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The 5th Annual Party in Pink filled Riverside Park and the nearby streets with many runners, including several children, wearing pink and helping to honor breast cancer survivors while raising money for the VGH Gifts of Hope fund.
The winners were Joe Scieszinski of Cedar Rapids and Angela Nading-Annis of Maynard. Many members of the VS cross country team placed in their age division. Members of the VS Sole Sisters, the 5th grade running club, also participated.
"We had about 450 participants, 80 volunteers and over 50 sponsored donors," says VGH Foundation Director Robin Martin. "It looks like we will have raised $9,000 from the Party in Pink 5K. We were blessed with a perfect day and the Party in Pink 5K committee wishes to thank all who participated and helped to make this a successful event. We appreciate the continued community support over the years. The proceeds from this event will benefit the Survivors of Benton County and Gifts of Hope, a program created to provide mammograms and other services to women who cannot afford the breast cancer detection screenings and other procedures. Make sure you check out our Facebook page /PartyinPink5K."
See more photos HERE.
See complete results here:PIP 5K results