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Thanks to Pat Rullo for a great interview Friday on her Podcast, Speak Up Talk Radio. I enjoyed our inspirational chat--Keep Hope alive!
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Saturday, April 2, 2016
the Music & Inspiration Blog: Breaking the Silence...the sound of
I am awakened in the middle of the night by a piano playing in my home, it's distant. It's the same four notes over and over—D A F A, D A F A…D A F A, D A F A—these notes call to me as if we know each other, their ghostly echo stirring an old memory I had long forgotten.
I awkwardly fall out of bed, careful not to wake my wife lying next to me, or my boys in the room next door. My body drifts forward and backward, my arms scrape the walls at my side. I make it to my basement door and open it…pitch black—D A F A, D A F A—I know this song. The notes seem louder now.
Owned by Simon & Garfunkel when I first was introduced to it twenty some years ago, and sang by a band named Disturbed when I last heard it (most recently), I'm very aware that a third grade choir could be humming it, its melody would nevertheless strike me still. But on this night there are no words, only a solemn piano. Knowing there's no such instrument down those steps I wonder if I'm dreaming, then again—D A F A—no, not tonight.
Hello Darkness my old friend, I've come to talk with you again.
I take the steps one at a time knowing where this is going—we have a relationship.
Because a vision softly creeping, Left its seeds while I was sleeping.
It lives in my subconscious, unknowingly it took a piece of me years earlier…time has reaped its harvest.
And the vision that was planted in my brain, still remains, within the sound of silence.
Nameless, it owns me—the brightest of moments unable to outshine its grip.
In restless dreams I walked alone, narrow streets of cobblestone
Pretending to know the way, I navigate the most difficult of terrain
'Neath the halo of a street lamp, I turned my collar to the cold and damp
And guided by an ever faint light I blindly march on
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light that split the night…And touched the sound of silence
Then something fantastic happens…a great fall shakes loose the darkness in my mind—the misery is exposed
And in the naked light I saw, ten thousand people maybe more
The light before me is the realization of my own despair—deep within it I begin to see humanity and am reminded of all that I've chosen to forget
People talking without speaking, People hearing without listening, People writing songs that voices never share
The importance of people in our lives, family—friends—strangers, the strength of the human spirit and the power of human touch.
On December 4th, 2015 I took a very bad fall. I had bruising and blood on my brain and had ten staples in the back of my head—it took me a little over eight weeks to fully recover and when I did I realized...I had awoken!
In the days and weeks after my fall it quickly became apparent to me that I was living in a rather dark place for quite some time and wasn't even aware of it. I had much to be happy for and thankful for in my life, but literally never recognized either. I was going through the motions with little interest in the person standing to my right or left. I have never been a selfish person, my whole life, however just because I wasn't selfish didn't make me righteous. I very much lost sight of the importance of people in our lives, most notably strangers or the person(s) we are all to meet tomorrow!
Whether they be in the coffee line at Starbucks or the commuter sitting across from us on the train, we are all better served to remember the value of human touch. Even if it is just for a few moments a day…Greet someone, engage in conversation, be courteous; be positive…SMILE! And in doing so you will be replacing a little darkness with a little light in your own life and the lives of the people you meet. And should it be that you don't find the response you were hoping for or expecting, than I encourage you to do it again the next day, and again the following day, and again, and again, for this is not a selfish act, but rather an act of human kindness that deserves no reciprocation. Be an inspiration...Reach out and Touch Someone Today!
Monday, May 25, 2015
We are ALL 1%'ers
Anxious, mind racing, feeling very unfulfilled, knowing life was passing me by. My brain on overdrive, sitting at my desk Friday afternoon contemplating if this was it. If this was as good as it was going to get.
Whatever amount of brain power we use on a daily basis, 1%, 10%, 20% (ten percent seems to be the most popular opinion), it is for some people, I'm sure, far less than they would like, while for others too much. It's only fitting that science cannot yet determine the full capacity of what our brains can do, that three pounds of jelly inside our heads made up of 100 billion neurons with electrical mapping that is as unique to each one of us as our own fingerprint. When you pause to think, it truly is the single most significant and complex organ in our body.
My father died in August, 2012 of ALS. His last request was his brain be donated to science for ALS research...they are still studying it! It will be three years in August that Pop was carted out of the den at home, little did any of us believe we would still be waiting to officially bury him three years later, and when that day comes it will no doubt be a true Irish Wake!
My own intrigue of the brain stems from two specific yearnings that seem to constantly fight for my attention, my thirst for liquor and my thirst for knowledge. One physical, one emotional, they both provide me some level of unique satisfaction.
I go through stretches of time where I have this desire to learn something new, or learn more about something that interests me, then I will go through a period of darkness...heavy drinking, not much thought. A couple weeks ago I was at the computer, early in the AM, watching a Yale Professor, Robert Schiller lecture on Financial Markets. A 75 minute lecture he gave to his class (ECON 252 - Financial Markets) which was made available on YouTube--I understand this is not for everyone, but obviously Finance interests me.
By the way, if you were not aware Yale makes many of their college courses available for free to the public via Open Yale, mind you with no course credit or degree available, but kudos to them for doing so.
So what happens during these stretches of enlightenment that I have when I abstain from alcohol for a period of time? Do I think more clearly when I have not drank for a few days or even a full Week!?!?
Yes, I most definitely do.
Am I sharper in my exchanges with people, my communication with them?
Yes, at least it feels that way.
Do I write better?
Without question I write better.
So then why continue to drink at all?
Because I enjoy it, arguably as much all of the above.
Which brings me back to the power of the brain. One act is better for me and I know this--it allows me to create, do, and achieve, the other causes me to think less, slow down and go dark, only to ponder whether I like Tito's better than Ketel One. And that's about the time when I get that internal question again…Is this it?
The modern day human/spiritual dilemma that there must be something more to life than this. Have I in fact reached my full potential?
It can be argued that life, the daily pressures of living it, prevent some of us from ever beginning to realize our full potential. I am always amazed when I come across a single parent that's managing to do it all: raise their children, keep food on the table, keeping their kids' lives enriched with sports or after school activities.
Couldn't it be said that single mother or father is not reaching their full potential because they are too busy seeing to the lives of their kids? Certainly a very subjective opinion, however they (mom and dad) may say the exact opposite of what I think. Just knowing they are doing the best for their child that they can, is fulfillment enough for them. The beauty of our minds, they all work so differently and yet it is for that very reason that we have neurosurgeons and truck drivers, teachers and investment bankers, garbage men and architects.
Anxious, mind racing, feeling unfulfilled put me in my car, about an hour's commute home, and I was struck by three things that I saw. The first was two women standing outside of John's Bar (not kidding, that is the name) a few puffs into their cigarettes they looked like they were well on their way to kick starting the Memorial Day weekend. They were laughing out loud happy. The second, a silver haired man, probably in his mid-fifties, singing a song as he sat in traffic behind the wheel of his Mercedes-Benz in the opposite lane from me. Both at a stand-still, I turned my own radio off to try and catch a sound of his beat, but the noise around us was too much. He turned and looked at me, we both smiled at one another and shared a chuckle and a nod. And the last—the airplane that glided over my car as I drove down I-95 and the man I imagined, in my head, that wasn't sitting on that plane.
This man, in my head, let's call him Adam--a production of my recent enlightenment that had happened just seconds earlier--has a plight that begins a few months back when he interviews with a new company for a job making more money with perhaps less pressure. A very desirable position and one he covets it is between he and one other candidate. He's had one phone interview and two face to face interviews over a three month period, all three interviews have gone well. His contact there, Tom, informs him the last step in the hiring process is a trip to Chicago, where the company is headquartered, to meet with the top brass, basically a rubber stamping of things.
Adam pencils in the date, he's there, he knows it. A few days go by and he receives a call from Tom. "Sorry Adam, but we decided on the other candidate. I won't be brining you to Chicago."
Adam's devastated, he's been working toward this new opportunity for months. He wanted it more than anything in the world, but by midnight he resigns himself to the fact that it wasn't meant to be, that there was something bigger happening here and he would find his place--that better job opportunity--in the future.
Two days later a US Airways flight from Philadelphia to Chicago crashes in Indiana, there were no survivors! His phone rings, it's Tom. "Adam, we'd like to bring you to in, can you fly to Chicago tomorrow?"
Adam pauses, his world slows down. Do I take a job that almost killed me or do I owe it to Tom to take the job because he saved my life?
I couldn't answer Adam's dilemma myself, however celebrated my new found protagonist by pouring myself a stiff drink when I got home…perhaps Adam and his predicament the makings of new short story.
Anxious, mind racing, feeling unfulfilled had turned into an evening of relaxed cheer and celebration, every once and a while that image of Mercedes-Benz guy popping up in my head and the fleeting moment of amity that we had shared.
Then it dawned on me that it doesn't matter who is using their brain to do what. We are all people who put their clothes on the same way and there's no better moment in anyone's day than a shared moment of humanity with a complete stranger and that there is nothing fleeting about that.
Connect with someone today! There may be no better medicine for snapping yourself out of a "mood" or "funk" than old fashion human interaction.
Connect with someone today! There may be no better medicine for snapping yourself out of a "mood" or "funk" than old fashion human interaction.
If you found the last two minutes entertaining and perhaps a little reflective, please consider liking this post, leaving a comment or suggesting it to a friend. Also, be be sure to check back and see what Adam decides…
Bumper sticker of the month: Nothing jumped out at me, however has anyone else noticed that states are no longer "stamping" license plates? You either have a stamped plate or you have a 3-D printed version of it. Seems even the inmates have lost jobs in this recession.
Great song I forgot about and fun to sing in the car — Do You Believe in Love, Huey Lewis & The News
Whiskey tasting…Monkey Shoulder. A blended malt scotch whiskey that smells great (like vanilla beans), but finishes like a menthol cigarette (at least for me and I do not smoke). Sorry Monkey.
Born this month in American Literature — Herman Wouk, May 27th, 1915. Well known for his most celebrated novels, The Caine Mutiny and War and Remembrance, Wouk, just this week, will also be known for becoming a centenarian. On May 27th, 2015 he will be 100 years old! He is a decorated World War II veteran who has been translated in twenty seven languages and has been publishing novels well into his nineties. God Bless Herman!
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Thank God I'm a Country Boy
Is there anything better than streaming music? Many years ago, I read a quote from Steve Jobs, "people want to own their own music, not rent it." It was a quote that stuck with me. At the time I heard it I was still buying from iTunes, which in of itself was arguably still archaic. I say that because I knew many people who had been downloading free music for a decade already, though I never did so myself (as someone who hoped people would find value in my words, downloading music that was ultimately pirated in my mind was wrong).
But when I look back on Steve Jobs quote today I wonder if there wasn't some truth to his statement. There are a handful of identifiers that exist in our lives that say a little something about who we are, like the kind of car we drive, the shoes we may wear (BTW I could do a whole blog on shoes—I was once a huge shoe guy, but no longer see the importance considering my flip I may be an expert in this field, probably the only one, last tidbit here fellas, women always look at men's shoes!) and last our music collections! The music you owned said a little about who you were and in some small, but perhaps strange way, you were proud of it.
Who doesn't remember the CD tower? I think I was gifted a half of dozen in a six year period. Some swiveled, some were small or curved like a snake and were obnoxiously large, acting like a small skyscraper in your six hundred square foot apartment. It was a piece of useless furniture for that matter—a conversation starter at a party or in your dorm room as friends perused it.
What has streaming music done for those who subscribe to it? Well for me it has opened up a world of musical acts that I never knew existed. Add Band of Horses as a new station on your Pandora and get introduced to Damien Jurado, an indie folk/rock solo act from Seattle, Washington. It could be argued that even just five years ago I never would have found Damien Jurado unless I happened to stumble into a basement bar in Seattle which doubled as an underground music scene. And while that level of accessibility that streaming music has provided is a wonderful thing for both the listener and the artist it inherently provides for some sort of detachment. I didn't discover Damion Jurado, but rather Jurado found me. Before, there was something "claim staking" about tripping over a band (ten years ago) that none of your friends knew about, and if that band makes it big (radio time), you were music genius. An example that comes to mind for me is 1994 in Cancun, Mexico, a buddy of mine Brendan Toner, introduces me to The Dave Matthews Band—enough said. Brendan owned that one. DMB had been recording music for three years already (1991 debut) but in relative mainstream obscurity. You might be asking, who cares? What's so important about how you find a particular band or even genre? And to that end I think you're correct, but streaming music is just one more way in which technology has changed who we are and how we do things. Back in the day, going to the record store was an event you thought about all week. You would read about that upcoming release in Rolling Stone or hear about it on the radio and save up your money all week or month to buy that CD (or vinyl for those of you forty-five and older), and you couldn't wait to get home and play it (fumbling with the ceramic packaging that took forever to get a grip on).
There is something to be said for the loss of excitement in our lives as technology continues to burgeon. For kids today I guess it's the anticipation of that new x-box game they are waiting on. It may be the excitement their feeling in the car on the way to Target or waiting by the front door for the mailman to deliver that Amazon package. But isn't something lost with it being a video game and not a record album or CD cover? Growing up, specifically my teenage years, my music collection rarely varied. Scrub my CD tower (any one of them) and you'd find a steady collection of Rock with some old school Heavy Metal.
I think Steve Jobs comment may have been a product of his age and generation. For someone as technologically savvy and cutting edge as he was, could it be perhaps, his music collection was in part a statement about who he was as a person? Was that trip to the music store an event he never forgot? Tough to say without asking him, but I would guess at some point Mr. Jobs (like many of us) held tightly onto a record album waiting in line to buy it eagerly thinking about hearing that first cut or replaying his favorite song a dozen times before someone in the house screamed "enough already."
For me, music has always been a driving force of my writing. It's no secret (for anyone that has read Fantastik) that I'm a huge Springsteen fan and wrote most of the book while listening to many of his classics. But beyond the loss of nostalgia that an old record album or CD cover can bring out in us, I am thankful for streaming music if for no other reason than reconnecting me with some part of my childhood that I had forgotten about.
I would not categorize my parents as music heads by any stretch. They were both born in 1939 and were a product of the 50's…even Elvis and the Beatles were a touch after their time. Further, if I had to categorize their music tastes I would say it was classical, jazz and big band (Lawrence Welk was on every Friday night), however both of them had a unique and rather curious fondness for country music and in the 1970's, which was a part of my childhood years, country music was at its absolute best. In my mind the 70's was the Golden era of country; acts like Kenny Rogers, Glen Campbell, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and John Denver to name a few. There was a box of eight tracks in the built in's in the family room and every one of those acts, along with a few more, were in that box. I have good memories of hearing John Denver playing on a bright sunny Saturday afternoon in the spring time. A happy, hopeful time…his words said as much.
I reconnected with country several years ago (the country I knew well, 1970 acts) and thanks to streaming music I have been introduced to a slew of other artists I had never listened to before, acts like Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams Jr, Merle Haggard and Charlie Pride.
Streaming /digital music, for all it has changed (or taken away) from the way I perceive music, it has put back in an immeasurable way. I can be in my office writing, listening to the John Denver station on Pandora and instantly be taken back to any number of Saturday afternoon's thirty years ago and recall the moment, Sunshine on my Shoulders filling the house as we did our chores, read a book or just sat around.
It was my parent's music collection, not mine, and while my music tastes still vary and seems to expand with every year that passes, I often find myself listening to that golden era of country more than any other genre of music. Hard to say whether I ever would have downloaded/bought that John Denver album from iTunes a few years back, let alone Waylon Jennings, but my guess is no.
Bumper sticker of the month: Wag More, Bark Less…thanks maroon Prius, wise words!
Great song I forgot about and fun to sing in the car—Dance the Night Way, Van Halen
Whiskey tasting…I couldn't write my first one without choosing Jack Daniels Old No. 7. My first introduction to Jack Daniels was as a teenager when we'd raid my parents liquor cabinet, careful only to drink whatever wasn't drank. By and large I've always drank vodka, however I would tend to switch it up from time to time with bourbon—at some point I fell from bourbon to whiskey, particularly JD.
Much like its iconic bottle; square jug with black and white label, its origins are distinctively American. The stories of young Jasper Newton Daniel and the beginnings of his whiskey empire vary, even the home website provides little background, however I tend to lean towards the one that reads like a Mark Twain novel—young teenager orphaned by the death of his father in the Civil War, meets up with a lay preacher named Dan Call who distills whiskey out the back of his general store. Call decides to pick up a rifle and fight in the Civil War, leaving young Jack and a slave named Nearest Green to tend to the whiskey. Jack learns the art of whiskey making from Nearest Green, an old slave hand of Dan Call…are you kidding me? What a story and as far as it's taste? Sorry, I know my limits and a whiskey sommelier I am not, but I do know it tastes better the more you drink it! In three words…toasty, spicy and sweet.
Born this month (in American Literature) Edgar Allen Poe, January 19th, 1809. His significance not only in American literature but literature's galaxy? He is credited with writing the first detective story as now known to the free reading world. Wow! Think about that. And the stories title? The Murders in the Rue Morgue. Not only did Poe write the first detective story, he nailed the title!
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Coming soon
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DEHRADUN DECLARATION' has been adopted at the end of two day conference of CSIR Directors held at CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum in Dehradun. Highlights:
- CSIR labs will develop technologies for National missions like Swachh Bharat, Swasth Bharat, Skill India, Smart Cities, Digital India, Namami Ganga.
- Each laboratory would also develop at least one technology in strategic sector for India.
- (CSIR) to come up with at least 12 cutting edge technologies which are to be commercialized every year.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Proper Leather Studio and Atelierul de Istorie present their latest block-dye leather wallet inspired by history. The decorative motif is the ancient half wolf - half snake of the ancient Dacians, the so-called Draco (dragon), while the method has already been described before HERE: the motif is three times blocked with Tandy Leather Resolene (acting as both sealer and blocker), carefully applied with a brush; after properly drying the entire outer cover is dyed with black Eco Flo Gel Antique; and then the background is sponge-dyed with leather dye, leaving a nice gel halo around the wolf. I particularly like this latter detail as it renders the image more artistic and discretely stresses the main decorative motif.
|Black block-dyed draco wallet by Atelierul de istorie
|Detail of hand sewing and edge finish


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Great for travel or study! Speak Italian Travel Phrasebook Lite is an easy to use talking phrasebook app for the Italian language. Each phrase is displayed in Italian and English translation. Hear the audio for each phrase in a clear, pleasant voice from a native Italian speaker. This free version of the app contains dozens of useful words and phrases in the following categories:
* Greetings
* Basics
* Shopping
* Restaurant
* Health
* Numbers
* Fun Phrases
Speak Italian Travel Phrasebook Lite is great for anyone who is traveling to Italy. You will sound nice and impress the Italian people you meet with these phrases.
Speak Italian Travel Phrasebook Lite does not require an internet connection. You can use it anywhere you go. And best of all, it's FREE!


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University of Maryland University College's public safety programs offer a boost for students who take pride in protecting and serving. A public safety degree from UMUC can prepare you to respond to a wide range of threats at the federal, state, or local level. At UMUC, you can
UMUC is a respected and accredited public state university that offers more than 90 academic degrees, specializations, and certificates that are designed to fit into the busy lives of working professionals.
We are committed to helping you find ways to meet, manage, and lower your education costs. You can explore the following options:
Plus, you can fast-track your bachelor's degree by transferring up to 90 credits for prior education, military training, and work experience.
We have been serving the higher education needs of the U.S. armed forces since 1947. Today, we enroll more than 50,000 active-duty military servicemembers, reservists, veterans, and their family members, and we boast the following accolades:


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5300 S Atlantic Avenue, New Smyrna Beach, FL
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3 BEDROOMS | 2 (2 full ) BATHROOMS | 1601 SQUARE FEET
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General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO)
Magnifying lens
GEBCO Digital Atlas — sample images
Version 2.0 of the GDA Software Interface includes a 'magnifying lens' option which allows you to display the area under the cursor as if it were viewed through a magnifying lens.
The image is displayed in a 'magnified view' window shown in the display area. As you move the cursor across the screen the image in the 'magnified view' window changes. The magnification factor and the size of the window can be altered by the user.
The image below shows the bathymetry and undersea feature name information for part of the North Atlantic area displayed through the GDA. The magnify option has been selected and the area under the cursor (white arrow) near Gondor Seamount can be seen in the 'magnified view' window (inset in the image). Find out more about version 2.0 of the GDA Software Interface.
back to view more images
Related GEBCO Digital Atlas pages at BODC
|GEBCO Digital Atlas (GDA) introduction
|GDA development
|Copyright and attribution
|Software interface
|Order the GEBCO Digital Atlas
|Sample images
|Data set errata
|Data export formats
|Software Interface updates
Related GEBCO project pages at BODC
|GEBCO at BODC
|Download data — GEBCO's gridded bathymetric data sets
|Project overview
|GEBCO Grid display software
|GEBCO world map
Related external links
|Official GEBCO web site


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Trailer for "Midnight Special" Sci-Fi Film, with Michael Shannon and Joel Edgerton
Nov 23rd, 2015
Trailer for "Central Intelligence" Comedy, with Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart
Nov 23rd, 2015
Trailer for Melissa McCarthy's "The Boss" Comedy
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Official Trailer for "Now You See Me" Sequel
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Trailer for Keanu Reeves' "Exposed" Thriller
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First Look at Chris Pine on "Wonder Woman" Set
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First Look at Liam Neeson in Martin Scorsese's "Silence"
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New Trailer for "The Divergent Series: Allegiant"
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Trailer for "Moonwalkers" Comedy, with Ron Perlman and Rupert Grint
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Trailer for Charlie Kaufman's "Anomalisa" Stop-Motion Film
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First Trailer for Sacha Baron Cohen's "The Brothers Grimsby" Comedy
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"Spectre" Breaks Box Office Records Overseas
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Final Trailer for Ron Howard's "In the Heart of the Sea," with Chris Hemsworth
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New Photos From "Warcraft" Video Game Movie
Nov 2nd, 2015
Lots of New Photos From "Suicide Squad"
Oct 30th, 2015
Trailer for "Dirty Grandpa" Comedy, with Robert De Niro and Zac Efron
Oct 30th, 2015
Sandra Bullock to Star in Female Version of "Ocean's Eleven"
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Trailer for Jared Hess' "Don Verdean" Comedy, with Sam Rockwell
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"Indiana Jones" Producer Says Harrison Ford Will Not Be Recast
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Trailer for Adam Sandler's "The Ridiculous 6" Comedy
Oct 28th, 2015
"The Walking Dead" Fan Kills Friend Who Turned Into a Zombie
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Another "Monopoly" Movie in the Works
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"Jumanji" Remake Hires "Con Air" Writer
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Disney's "Tower of Terror" Park Ride Movie Moving Forward
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Johnny Depp and Edgar Wright Team for "Fortunately, the Milk"
Oct 26th, 2015
Leonardo DiCaprio to Voice Jack Frost in DreamWorks' "The Guardians"
Posted: December 3rd, 2009 by
WorstPreviews.com Staff
DreamWorks Animation has announced that Leonardo DiCaprio will make his animated feature film debut by starring in the studio's upcoming film "The Guardians" as Jack Frost. The movie is based on "The Guardians of Childhood," a series of highly anticipated books by William Joyce.
Plot: When an evil spirit called Pitch becomes bent upon taking over the world by inspiring fear in the hearts of kids everywhere, a group of our greatest heroes -- Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman and Jack Frost -- band together for the first time, determined to stand in Pitch's way.
More than a collection of storybook subjects, "The Guardians" are also a band of superheroes, who possess their own special powers. Now joined in opposition of a common foe, the Guardians heed the call and combine their powers to defeat Pitch and protect the world from his campaign of fear.
"The Guardians" is directed by Peter Ramsey and is scheduled to hit theaters in three years, on November 2nd, 2012.
Source: DreamWorks
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Scrooge McDuck
on December 3rd, 2009 at 6:43:23 PM
I will only see this is Jesus Christ and Sea Man are in this. And Pitch is actually the MCP.
on December 3rd, 2009 at 8:41:57 PM
This might be the last movie I see before everybody goes batsh*t insane over "OMGMAYANCALENDER"
Scrooge McDuck
on December 3rd, 2009 at 8:44:44 PM
@Spooky lawls agreed.
The Mayan calender is a goddamned circle. How does that mean it's going to end? It's starts over you dumb f*cks. I hate all of you.
on December 3rd, 2009 at 8:47:04 PM
I thougt jack frost was generally a d*ck hole in most of the fairy tales. Sound gay
Scrooge McDuck
on December 3rd, 2009 at 8:47:41 PM
Yeah, doesn't he nip at your nose? Sounds like a c*cksucker to me.
on December 3rd, 2009 at 10:19:58 PM
LMAO @ scrooges sea man jesus christ comment and butters has to be in it too
on December 3rd, 2009 at 10:43:17 PM
How are we getting info on this movie that's 3 years in the making??! SO LAME.
on December 4th, 2009 at 12:13:43 AM
Hell yes. f*ck Justice League and The Avengers, this is the greatest superhero-team ever. We have a fat bearded dude, who can tell who's villian and not. A bunny that will hump anything in it's way. A little fairy, who will give you money after she punches your teeth out. A guy who throws sand at you. And last, a guy who can't fight evil in temperatures over 0-degree.
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There's a Good Reason Why Luke Skywalker Isn't on "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" Poster
"The Walking Dead" Fan Kills Friend Who Turned Into a Zombie
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"The Flash" Movie Hires Director
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Ridley Scott Reveals Another Title for "Prometheus" Sequel
"Indiana Jones" Producer Says Harrison Ford Will Not Be Recast
"Spectre" Breaks Box Office Records Overseas
Sandra Bullock to Star in Female Version of "Ocean's Eleven"
Another "Monopoly" Movie in the Works
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"At Its Core, Venture Capital Is Truly An Apprenticeship Business."
The Business of Venture Capital by Mahendra Ramsinghani
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Global experts are calling on stakeholders and government at all levels to urgently close the gaps in tackling the cases and deaths from malaria.
Annually, more than half a million lives are still lost to the preventable disease despite the declines in malaria cases and deaths since 2000.
"It's even a thing of joy that in the last few years, we have been able to reduce the number of deaths from malaria to 54 per cent in children worldwide because any death at all by malaria saddens any family. There is therefore need to improve on what we have been able to achieve and that is why we feel we should continue the malaria awareness in the grassroots," says Dr Babajide Puddicombe, President, Malaria Society of Nigeria (MSN).
Dr Puddicombe highlighted the need to urgently address the gaps in preventive treatment for malaria during the society's community outreach, free screening for malaria and free distribution of mosquito nets and malaria drugs at Ado-Odo, Ota, Ogun State.
The outreach was in collaboration with the Primary Health Care Department of Ado-Odo, Ota.
"With about 100 million cases of malaria per year and about 300000 deaths mainly children under 5 years, Nigeria has the highest malaria fatalities in the world. I believe in more efforts on awareness campaign and getting to the nooks and crannies of this country, we can still get the death from malaria further down by intensifying efforts on malaria programme."
He said, the pregnant women and children under 5 are the most vulnerable group in malaria-endemic areas of sub-Saharan Africa.
"When women are pregnant, their immunity is reduced, also children under 5 don't have enough immunity against malaria attack and that is why we clamour for them to know what is going on and advise them on what to do to avoid malaria. An adult may have malaria and it may not be fertile but when malaria attacks a pregnant woman, it can affect the unborn child."
However, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that the vulnerable groups receive preventive treatment to reduce the risk of malaria infection. Preventive treatments are highly cost-effective, with the potential to save tens of thousands of lives each year. Coverage with such treatments, however, remains low and needs to be significantly scaled up.
Puddicombe said, awareness programme for malaria should not be done once in a year but, "it should be a continuous exercise. We know that government cannot do it alone because malaria is not the only thing government is handling, so, credible NGOs like MSN should be co-opted into the country's awareness programme because what we are doing today is not getting any support from anyone."
Moving towards malaria elimination will require political commitment and funds from government at all levels.
"We must take the malaria fight to the next level. Moving towards elimination will require high level political commitment and robust financing, including substantial new investments in disease surveillance, health systems strengthening and research," says Dr Pedro Alonso, Director of the WHO Global Malaria Programme. "In addition, we urgently need new tools to tackle emerging drug and insecticide resistance, as well as innovative app roaches that will accelerate progress."
Adding, the president of MSN said, "We just witnessed an election in this country, we all saw the amount of energy and commitment in terms of publicity especially by the two prominent political parties both at the Federal and State levels and the amount of money that went into that, if only we can use one tenth of what went into the preparation into the last election in terms of energy and financial resources for malaria awareness campaign, we will be able to drastically reduce the deaths from malaria."
Increased political commitment and greater funding have averted more than 4 million deaths since 2001, and 55 of the 97 countries and territories with ongoing malaria transmission are on track to meet the current World Health Assembly target of reducing malaria incidence by 75 per cent between 2000 and 2015.
The World Malaria Day is celebrated on 25 April each year to highlight the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment for malaria control and elimination.
The theme for the 2013-2015 campaign is "Invest in the future. Defeat malaria."


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Deck Builders in Mont Albert, VIC
The most popular Deck Builders near Mont Albert, VIC, 3127
The most popular Deck Builders near Mont Albert, VIC, 3127
2/18 Hamilton St, Mont Albert, VIC, 3127
By Appointment, Burwood, VIC, 3125
Moulding your lifestyle through quality and creative landscape design and construction.more
57 Doncaster Rd, Balwyn North, VIC, 3104
Distinctive Exteriors has over 15 yrs experience as landscapers in the wider Melbourne area. We specialise in landscape design, paving, decking and full landscaping projects in all Melbourne suburbs.more
7 Keats St, Burwood East, VIC, 3151
12 Linden St, Blackburn, VIC, 3130
By Appointment, Blackburn North, VIC, 3130
All things timber fencing deckings carports pergolas retaining walls and landscaping. No job too small.more
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Please visit our website for some photos. All timber fencing, deckings, carports, pergolas, retaining walls, landscaping from full make overs to low maintenance solutions. Free quotes please call Steve. All areas of victoria.more
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4 Corowa Ct, Mount Waverley, VIC, 3149
For all other enquiries, information or to discuss a start time for your project, please feel free to phone us during business hours.more
55 Thornhill Dr, Forest Hill, VIC, 3131
High St, Glen Iris, VIC, 3146
Stylish spaces, clever designs and easy living are all on your own doorstep, discover how Apollo Patios can change your lifestyle without changing your address.more
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Our motto Building Innovative Designs inspires us to think outside the typical carpentry square and expand our creativity to achieve and offer our clients exceptional contemporary service. With carpenters who are committed and passionate about what they do, we pride ourselves in providing exceptional quality workmanship and high customer service at competitive rates. We understand how important it is for you to find skilled and reliable carpenters to take care of your building and property investments. Time is money most of the time! We at Inspired Lifestyle Properties put our clients needs first and aim to provide promises and quotes that we can fulfill and deliver. With a customer guarantee to return your call on the same day you approach us, we will endeavour to respond to your needs in a quick and efficient manner, helping you achieve the best results for your property developments. We specialise in framing, lock up, fix and fit outs, restorations, extensions, renovations, deckings, pergolas & carports. Call us today for a no obligation quote. GET INSPIRED!more
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90 Burke Rd N, Ivanhoe, VIC, 3079
32 Fitzwilliam St, Kew, VIC, 3101
Kenyon Building & Carpentry provide an extensive range of Carpenter and Handyman Services. Also, We design and build quality timber decks and pergolas in and around Melbourne.more
29 Rothesay Ave, Malvern East, VIC, 3145
1 Mahoney St, Templestowe Lower, VIC, 3107
Pegasus Building is one of Melbourne's best for carpentry and building services, providing specialties in both renovations and new construction works. Run by skilled tradesmen.more
32 Mandella St, Templestowe, VIC, 3106
Casa Developments specialises in Bathrooms, Kitchen and Pergola.more
Po Box 41, Ivanhoe, VIC, 3079
Is your deck tired? Grey? Want it to look like new again? Our six step process will turn your deck from grey to great. Our maintenance program will keep it looking that way. Fixadeck is the only deck restoration company to be accredited by the Australian Timber Flooring Association. We put the pleasure back into owning a deck. Deck restoration, deck cleans, deck maintenance, deck recoats, deck oils, deck safety checks. We do it all.more
33 Briggs St, Mount Waverley, VIC, 3149
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5 Tucker Rd, Vermont, VIC, 3133
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Building and designing stylish fences and decks for Melbourne homes. Enhance your home or outdoor area with a high-quality deck, fence, pergola or retaining wall. Using only the best materials.more
38 Myrtle St, Glen Waverley, VIC, 3150
By Appointment, Richmond, VIC, 3121
With 20 years experience our goal, is to provide our clients with a product of the highest quality, focusing on improving home lifestyle, and adding value to your home, through attention to detail.more
39 Burlington St, Oakleigh, VIC, 3166
Gram Services offer Reliable & Quality services for Decking & Pergolas, Handyman Services, Flat Pack Fabrication, Picket Fencing & Gates at Oakleigh, Carnegie, Caulfield, Malvern, Mount Waverley.more
12 Holyrood Dr, Vermont , VIC, 3133
Floorshow Timber Floors is a first generation wood floor polishing business, servicing home owners, builders, shopfitters, designers and architects right across Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula and surrounding suburbs.more
21 Warner St, Huntingdale, VIC, 3166
Premier Outdoor design and construct beautiful outdoor spaces, with a focus on quality, innovation and practicality.more
By Appointment, Rosanna, VIC, 3084
Kenyon Fences specialises in paling and picket fences and we pride ourselves on providing the best quality fences for the best price.more
5 Moroney St, Oakleigh, VIC, 3166
We'll Fix It Handyman Service and home improvements do all sorts of home repair jobs and carpentry jobs.more
28-30 Maroondah Hwy, Ringwood, VIC, 3134
Unit 12, 1686 Dandenong Rd, Oakleigh East, VIC, 3166
Homestyle Living specialises in the design and construction of pergolas and verandahs across Melbourne. Also offering expert services in patios and carports, if you're looking for the best services at an affordable price, call Homestyle Living today.more
851 Glen Huntly Rd, Caulfield, VIC, 3162
851 Glen Huntly Rd, Caulfield, VIC, 3162
By Appointment, Melbourne, VIC, 3000
Installs all types of 'Timber' and 'Timber Look' pre-finished flooring.more
By Appointment, Northcote, VIC, 3070
Timber Decking Specialist. Qualified Carpenter. Collaborate with us to create your ideal outdoor space. Highest quality, genuine affordability, complimentary design service.more
By Appointment, Elsternwick, VIC, 3185
Oracle Building Group is your one stop maintenance shop that specialises in all aspects of property maintenance including Residential and Commercial properties.more
7 Bundy Ct, Yallambie, VIC, 3085
Deck It Out Decks & Pergolas, is one of the leading firm that provides one of the finest decks and pergolas in Melbourne. We have a team of well –experienced carpenters who can build any style of gazebo, veranda, pergola in Melbourne. Apart from that we also provide efficient landscaping, screening, pool decking services. To know more about us, contact our representatives.more
PO Box 372, Elsternwick, VIC, 3185
Providing a full landscape gardening service.
268 Jasper Rd, McKinnon, VIC, 3204
Melbourne Landsculpting offers a broad range of premium landscaping services. Our team of landscaping professionals is skilled in every step of the landscaping process, from the initial consultation with clients, to project design and construction of your outdoor living space or commercial landscape. We believe in creating beautiful and functional outdoor living areas, which incorporates the finest new as well as recycled materials, simple but cutting edge designs, and vibrant plants and trees. A strong focus on communication and consultation allows us to design a complete landscape that is tailored to your needs, blending with and accentuating the existing architecture.more
3/16 Wilkinson St, Macleod, VIC, 3085
Unit 4, 14 Queens Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004
The specialists in bathroom renovations Melbourne wide and handyman services.more
PO Box 454, Bentleigh East, VIC, 3165
A new era in landscaping, architectural and interior design. Sakkho presented its teak tiles as a new pre-assembled building material versatile to the extreme with endless indoor or outdoor, two or three dimensional applications.more
PO Box 1169, Carlton, VIC, 3053
Inner Melbourne building company. All building work. Registered Building Practitioner. Qualified Master Builder.more
306 Amess St, Carlton North, VIC, 3054
20 Earls Ct, Wantirna, VIC, 3152
Deck and pergola builder located in Melbourne, Victoria.
58 Watsonia Rd, Watsonia, VIC, 3087
Rex Paine - timber supplies Melbourne and decking supplies Melbourne.more
By Appointment, Melbourne, VIC, 3000
We specialise in Re-blocking, Re-stumping, and Underpinning and re-leveling.more
76 Foam St, Elwood, VIC, 3184
We're different from other builders, we won't leave you wondering whether we will ever call you back. We guarantee that we will contact you within 1 working day of receiving your enquiry.more
Po Box 447, Elwood, VIC, 3184


text:
How to Test Rails Models with RSpec
Learn how to test your Rails models using RSpec and the Behaviour-driven Development approach.
Full-stack Ruby on Rails developer. Blogs regularly at eftimov.net.
4 tutorials by Ilija Eftimov
Become an author and earn up to $200 for each tutorial we publish.Write a tutorial


text:
ATC Sillyscape with a Silly Fox, a photo by judkajudy on Flickr.
Honestly, I tried to post to my blog the other day and wouldn't you know, Blogger was not functioning! So, today I will share this ATC I made for the Hero Arts May challenge.
I love that Silllyscape stamp and the cute fox, but what made me put them in the same small space, I have no idea! But the ATC makes me smile and it brings wishes to you for a great day!
Thanks for stopping by.


text: The 4th Mumbai "Mayor's Cup" International Open Chess Tournament is scheduled to take place from 15th to 24th September in Mumbai, India. 11 rounds of the Swiss tournament system will be played and the total prize fund amounts to 31.000 USD. All participants will be provided free accommodation at Andheri Sports Complex on request only.


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WHILST reading through Monday's copy of the National, there seemed to me sections of news, and the letters pages, showing a common thread. This is that the SNP are at a major crossroads.
I agree that there are within the SNP, as there are within the Unionist parties, a core of unmoving fundamentalists. The Achilles heel of the inert SNP leadership is its unflinching adherence to membership of the EU.
The very same organisation that didn't want an independent Scotland outwith the confines of a United Britain. This same group further eroded any semblance of democracy by allowing Catalonian political prisoners to be held by one of their member states! I was pro-Europe up till these events. Not anymore. The obtaining of Scotland's independence is the only goal the SNP or any other pro-independence party should be focused on. Nothing else. The question on any form of EU membership is for another day.
This now brings me to the deputy leadership contest. This is simple to sum up. Does the SNP see itself as a party with socialist leaning? Does it see itself as the true inheritor of the Scottish Labour Party? Perhaps it sees itself as something in between?
The problem is that some think the SLP is dead. That great big hulking beast might be on the ground, it may be thrashing about, badly wounded, but while it is still moving, it retains the ability to cause damage to its opponents. I personally think that the SNP should move slightly more to the left. The installation of a left-winger as deputy leader would give that position some credibility, but then I'm a socialist!
Finally, there is a lot of groundwork being done, to facilitate the move by a certain Ms Dugdale from SLP to SNP. This has been alluded to for a considerable period of time. Well the inner sanctum of the SNP might think Dugdale is an asset, but even the monolithic UK Labour Party see she is a total liability. This is the person who stood in Holyrood and decried the efforts of the SNP government each and every day.
I don't care if she's had an epiphany on the road to Damascus! Dugdale is a busted flush. She brings nothing of value to the cause, other than the ability to change coats when it suits her. I'm sure that her appearance at the SNP top table will cause a backlash from pro-independence SNP supporters! I'm one of them.
Sandy Allan
Newburgh, Ellon
IN response to letters from a number of readers, I have felt moved to write in yet again, although I feel it is going over old ground. Dave McEwan Hill (Letters, February 12) is, I think, over-optimistic re: the EU and Scotland. It is true that Spain has a written constitution which Catalonia had to ignore to hold its referendum, so it was illegal, whereas Scotland's was not. What would his solution be to that, then? Are Catalonia just to put up with it for ever? What are they to do but act illegally? He says the fact that we had a legal referendum meant that the EU had to accept our result. Yes, and they did accept it, but what if the result had gone the other way? They made it clear they would turn their backs on us. He claims the EU would not have impeded the membership of any country with most of the fishing waters etc, but that is exactly what they did propose to do. They made it clear all the way through the referendum campaign that they would not accept us into the EU unless we went to the back of the queue. Not exactly resounding support, is it, or a warm welcome?
It has been said that we do not need permission to hold a referendum in Scotland. True, in one sense, but how do we get round the fact that the UK would then simply say that a Yes vote was invalid as we had not got a Section 30 order? I believe if we had voted Yes in 2014 they would have weaselled out of it somehow and not honoured it. They have not acted exactly honourably since, have they? Every action and non-action is designed to keep Scotland (and Wales and Northern Ireland) firmly in the Unionist box.
I also feel that Susan Grant (Letters, February 12) is a little rosy-eyed about the EU's attitude to smaller countries. Ireland initially thrived through being in the EU and it was transformed, but when austerity hit, its young people had to leave the country in their droves as there was nothing for them at home. Economic aid when needed? Financial assistance? Nothing but a euphemism for bailing out countries with cash so they could pay back the big French and German banks, while destroying populations and futures through draconian, life-limiting austerity and the denial of democracy. Yes, that was the result of the euro, but the euro is inextricably linked with the EU. It exists because of and through the EU, so the EU is behind the austerity imposed on European peoples, but strangely not imposed on the bigger countries whose economies were equally "fragile", including Spain and Italy, presumably because they could tell the EU to get stuffed.
I wish we could now drop the EU debate and concentrate on winning independence, then hold another referendum on EU/EEA/EFTA, etc, or even several referendums on the monarchy (should we have one, should we share it with rUK, should we have our own?), Nato membership, even the establishment of a second Scottish chamber to represent regional interests and counterbalance centralisation.
Scotland is much more European and cosmopolitan in outlook than England and Wales are, so would always look for a meaningful relationship with Europe. Whether that is to be through the EU is a debate for another day,
Julia Pannell
Friockheim, Tayside


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I'm not sure what defines a foodie, but there is no doubt that I am one. I love growing food, shopping for it, reading about it, preparing it, talking about it, cooking it, and most importantly eating it. To feed (pun intended) my love affair with food, I have been collecting Destination Spa cookbooks for over 10 years. While I don't have one particular favorite spa cookbook, I have several that I use often including Birdwing Spa's cookbook. Here is my 1 of my favorite recipes from Birdwing Spa that I prepare often:
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup oatmeal
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 2 T butter, melted
- 1 tsp baking soda
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a medium size bowl, just until mixed. Spoon mixture into a prepared muffin pan. Bake for 20 minutes.


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Mahamudra Centre Prayer Wheel
What the world needs now!
10ft high and 7ft wide this enormous prayer wheel is being built at the request of Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche, the spiritual director of Mahamudra Centre and the FPMT.
It will be filled with millions of mantras and other precious texts and its purpose is to bring harmony and peace to the centre, our communities and to the world.
These prayer wheels are so needed in the world right now! If you'd like to join us in bringing this one into the world we'd love to hear from you.
The prayer wheel will be completed in 3 stages:
– Stage 1: Construction and decoration including partial gold plating of the prayer wheel
– Stage 2: Construction of the prayer wheel house
– Stage 3: Filling and consecration of the prayer wheel
Stage 1 is almost complete and the prayer wheel mantras and decorations are currently being gold plated.
We need to fundraise $25,000 to complete it.
How to Sponsor
Sponsorships can be made in any amount by bank transfer (see below), or online on our Give A Little Page. (Please note – the Give A Little website now charges a 5% processing fee, so please consider adding that fee to your payment so it isn't deducted from your donation to the centre.) If you are coming to the centre, we also take cash, Eftpos, and credit cards.
- Bank details: Bank of New Zealand, Coromandel Branch
- Account name: Mahamudra Centre for Universal Unity
- Bank Address: Corner of Wharf & Tiki Road, Coromandel 2851
- Swift Code: BKNZ NZ22
- Account number: 02-0304-0025397-005
Please let us know your name, personal dedication, and the specific project you are choosing to sponsor.


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First I'm going to post a pic that's not part of my set. I liked this picture but it didn't make P365. It's of Xander and Evan playing on the slide. It was so cute - Xander was catching Evan at the end. How sweet!
Day 205 (July 24):
My little supervisor hard at work again! Gotta make sure all is going well with the hole at church. They were starting to put up the foundation forms in this picture.
Day 206 (July 25):
This was the big football game day! A bunch of my family went the the Rider - Eskies game. My sister and brother-in-law came in from Manitoba (he's an Eskies fan - boo!) and my brother and sister-in-law were down from Turtleford. My brother took his two oldest girls (one wanted to go and the other got dragged along!). Jason took Xander to his first game while I got to stay home with Evan. Jason's sister and her husband also went to this game so we were well represented. Of course Jason's brother-in-law has yet to see a Rider win live so this game, naturally went poorly ;) ! (Sorry, Craig). Xander's first game didn't go so well, either. He didn't have terribly much fun (not as much as the car races) and wanted to go home after the first touchdown. He did like the fireworks, though, but fell asleep just as the fourth quarter began. Oh well, the memory of it is much better for him than the original was! He was likely a bit too young, still.
Day 207 (July 26):
I wasn't creative so this is the front of our bulletin from church. This is what we do every Sunday and we love it. I've been attending this church for almost 13 years now and have seen so many changes. It's a very exciting place to be!
Day 208 (July 27):
Monday was the first day of Xander's first swimming lessons. He got to be a Sea Turtle. It is a transitional period where the parents still go in the water with them for the first while so I didn't get any pictures at the pool. These are his swim trunks. It's amazing how much the chlorine faded them over just two weeks! He did have a lot of fun, though.
Day 209 (July 28):
This is the before picture of our bedroom. The hours on that raspberry coloured shag were almost up. It was about time!! I am so happy to be rid of it. Especially the parts that were faded - they were kind of a dirty brown. But, when you do renos, you gotta be sure to get the before pic!!
Day 210 (July 29):
There it is - the old carpet - out in the garbage pile! Yay!! No more ugly raspberry shag. In fact, they plywood underneath was a huge improvement! We also got rid of the major squeaks by actually screwing down the subfloor in several places - even better!
Day 211 (July 30):
This was my big excitement - two raspberries!! After I've killed several bushes and then had the wasps eat them all, I finally got to have some raspberries. Xander was pretty excited, too. He loves to check to see if anything is growing and ripe. We've gotten a few handfuls since then but you can't expect much from three little bushes!
Day 212 (July 31):
Jason took the day off to come to swimming lessons with us and start on the floor so I could actually take some pictures at the pool. There were fun and games at swimming and this one involved dumping pails of water (or putting body parts in it). Xander really did well and even got over some of his fear of laying on his back and putting his ears in the water!
Day 213 (August 1):
This is the day the floor went it! It looks so good. It's lighter than it appears in this picture. Evan was having fun trying to put the pieces together, too. Really it's just a giant jigsaw puzzle! It is so much nicer to walk on than the floating laminate floor we have, too. It just feels so much more sturdy and solid.
Well, my downloads are done so I think I'll stop there. I'm pretty tired so I hope I haven't been rambling too much. I should probably get some sleep.
Until next time...


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The Shelby GT has two things the rest of the group go without: eight cylinders and a solid rear axle. The V-8, with the greatest horsepower of the group, is good for the best 0-to-60 time and a tie in the quarter-mile. It also has the sweetest engine note of this pack, a raucous growl that sends shivers down your spine every time you hit the ignition. The live axle, on the other hand, is responsible for the worst handling of the group. In truth, the blame isn't all located at the rear. The front suspension is lousy enough that one tester compared the whole package to a 20-year-old pickup truck. On a particularly rough stretch of road, the vibrations were severe enough that the hood clips worked themselves loose. Combine that with the greatest curb weight and its overboosted, numb steering, and it's easy to see why the Mustang was the last choice on the curvy roads surrounding Lake Mead. The brakes didn't inspire confidence, either, but the long, 189-foot stopping distance from 70 to 0 mph suggests that something was awry with our test vehicle; the last Mustang GT we tested came to a halt in 170 feet.
The Shelby also drew gripes for the Hurst shifter, which is so high-effort that it's difficult to make two-to-three and four-to-five upshifts. The speedometer was also criticized for a crowded, small font that's impossible to read at a quick glance. The cheap-feeling interior, a questionable value on a standard Mustang, is not improved as part of the price of the Shelby upgrade.
On a smooth surface, such as a track's, the Shelby GT shows a much better side. The stiffer suspension controls body roll well, and the prodigious torque from the V-8 allows for tail-out cornering in any situation. In some respects, its penchant for lurid, tire-smoking slides made the Shelby GT the most fun in the right situation. But then again, the same antics are possible in a $26,440 Mustang GT.
Here's how you can build your own Shelby GT.


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The Palace of Versailles, located about fifteen miles southwest of Paris in the Ile de France region of France, is a royal castle that was built in the late Seventeenth Century as the home of France's then-king, Louis XIV. It contains more than seven hundred rooms and sixty staircases, and in today's currency would cost about two billion dollars to build.
The Palace of Versailles was constructed as a showcase of power and magnificence, and was the French seat of government from 1682 to 1789, when the French Revolution began. After the outbreak of the Revolution, King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette were stripped of all power, brought to Paris and beheaded, and the palace fell under control of the new government. When Napoleon Bonaparte came to power established himself in an apartment there.
The Palace was converted into a museum in the mid-1800s. Toward the end of the nineteenth century, Versailles curators began to convert many areas back into palace space to show how it looked before the French Revolution.
In the United States, the grandeur of the Palace of Versailles was an inspiration of Charles W Howard CallAhead , the President and Chief Executive Officer of the CallAhead portable toilet company. On a visit there with his wife, he had the idea of modeling one of his luxury portable toilets on elements of the great Palace. In its design, no detail was spared, and its users are consistently impressed by its spectacular sky ceiling mural as well as the opulence of the restroom settings. The facility features faux marble walls, egg and dart crown moldings and trim, brass accents, and other exquisite features, and is a popular rental at weddings, corporate events, and black-tie affairs.


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Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Day after Portugal's Supreme Court rejected an appeal by the CBI; the investigating agency told the Delhi High Court on Wednesday that India will approach Constitutional Court of Portugal against termination of extradition of Abu Salem.
Portugal`s Supreme Court had on January 17 rejected CBI's appeal against a lower court decision, which had held that rules have been breached on extradition of underworld don Abu Salem by slapping of new charges that attract death penalty.
43-year-old Salem, who was extradited to India in 2005, had filed a petition in the High Court in Lisbon alleging violation of Rule of Speciality after which a judgement was pronounced on September 19, 2011, saying there had been breach of the Indian undertaking given to the Portuguese authorities.
India had given an `executive assurance` to Portugal that Salem will not be given death penalty or charged with any section of law which entails jail term of more than 25 years.
The CBI, through Ministry of External Affairs, had filed a plea in the Portuguese Supreme Court contending that it was a matter of interpretation of Rule of Speciality by the highest court of India, which was binding on all subordinate courts in the country, official sources said.
India had argued that the High Court in Lisbon had interpreted the rule differently.
"The Portuguese Supreme Court has upheld the decision of Court of Appeal, Lisbon vide which it had held that there was a breach of Rule of Speciality in the matter of extradition of Abu Salem. There is expected to be no repercussion on status of Abu Salem and on the on-going trial against him. Trial Courts at Lucknow and Mumbai have rejected his petitions," a CBI spokesperson said, while clarifying that the Supreme Court, vide its decision dated January 14, has not cancelled the extradition of Salem and it was only a technical point which has been raised.
Salem has also moved a TADA court in Mumbai seeking closure of the trial against him in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case, saying continuing it will be illegal.


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The top selling luxury cars May 2011, actually the top ten, include models from seven automakers: BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Buick, Cadillac, Audi, Infiniti and Hyundai. Three automakers have two models in the top ten: BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Buick. Eight of the top ten are Top Safety Picks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
1. 2011 BMW 3-Series – Leading the pack in the top selling luxury cars May 2011 is the midsize 2011 BMW 3-Series with sales during the month of 8,117. Year-to-date sales (through May 31) however, are off 13.3 percent year-over-year at 34,707. The entry-level luxury sedan is BMW's best-selling model and offers consumers unparalleled balance and handling, a selection of powerful engines, strong crash test scores, and, of course, the prestige of the BMW brand. Car and Driver says, "After awarding 10Best trophies to the BMW 3-series for the last 19 years in a row, it's clear that we're in love, even through multiple generations and model changes."
2. 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class – Trailing the BMW 3-Series by nearly 2,400 units, the second-place 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class racked up May sales of 5,751. Year-to-date sales of 26,162 are up 14.2 percent versus the same period last year. An IIHS Top Safety Pick, the 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class is an opulent, classic large sedan with elegant styling and innovative safety technology. Edmunds remarks: "Enjoyable to drive, offering superior quality and available in a host of different body styles, the 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a luxury-car triumph that deserves serious consideration."
3. 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class – Another 'Benz in the top five – and another IIHS Top Safety Pick — is the 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, scoring May sales of 4,936 and 25,361 year-to-date (up 5.7 percent year-over-year). Edmunds comments: "Impeccably built to a standard befitting its legendary status, the 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class is an impressive luxury car. At the same time, the C-Class's pricing tends to be higher than its rivals despite giving away a bit in terms of performance."
4. 2011 Buick LaCrosse – The 2011 Buick LaCrosse sits in solid fourth place of top selling luxury cars May 2011 with a total sold of 4,774 units. Calendar year-to-date sales through May of 28,362 are off 6.7 percent versus last year during the same timeframe. LaCrosse and Buick Regal (number six below) are both IIHS Top Safety Picks). While officially an "affordable" sedan, the 2011 Buick LaCrosse is aiming higher with its sights honed in on luxury leaders like Lexus and others. U.S. News and World Report says, "If you're looking for a luxury-minded cruiser for comfortable road trips and quiet commutes, the LaCrosse may be just what you're looking for."
5. 2011 Cadillac CTS – Sales of the 2011 Cadillac CTS, another IIHS Top Safety Pick, continue on their hot streak with 4,288 sold in May. Year-to-date sales are 22,807, up 53.7 percent year-over-year. Sharp handling, ample power, available in coupe, sedan, wagon and CTS-V versions, the 2011 Cadillac CTS is, as Automobile says, "Cadillac's most successful vehicle."
In spots six through ten (with May sales in parentheses) are: 2011 Buick Regal (4,247), 2011 BMW 5-Series (4,201), 2011 Infiniti G (3,851), 2011 Audi A4 (3,192), and 2011 Hyundai Genesis (2,769).
Search used cars for sale and find the best deals near you at iSeeCars.com.
To get a FREE iSeeCars VIN Report for a car, click here.


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47-year-old amateur cyclist and ONE Pro Cycling Member Paul Austin, experienced life as a Pro when he joined the team at Haute Route Norway for a few days of bike riding and banter. Read on to find our more about Paul's eye opening, leg sapping and stunningly beautiful three days:
"I've entered many competitions through Facebook and I've only ever won some bike cleaning equipment from a local bike shop, so when I got an email from Evan at OCS Sport saying that I had won the ONE Pro Cycling Haute Route competition I didn't really take that much notice and thought it was some sort of email scam, I showed the email to my wife and she thought the same. Something stopped me from deleting the email as I normally would have done. The next day I got a message via Facebook to contact Evan at OCS Sport urging me to contact them ASAP. I immediately rang Evan to see what I'd won, it turned out that I actually had won the competition! I was shaking with the shock of the whole thing. I confirmed that I was able to go and with Evans' help, we set about sorting out the logistics of the trip."
"So after three weeks of panic training I was off to Stavanger in Norway to meet up with ONE Pro Cycling and the people behind Haute Route. Arriving in Stavanger Airport I was greeted by ONE Pro Cycling's General Manager Becky Frewing and Head Sports Director Matt Winston. They made me very welcome and drove me to the hotel in the team car, where the rest of the team were there to meet me. Race Mechanic Phil Leigh introduced himself and quickly whisked my bike off to the makeshift workshop in his hotel bedroom to assemble and check it over ready for day one of the Haute Route experience. This certainly was the pro treatment, as I normally have to assemble my own bike! That evening, the team and myself attended the Haute Route welcome briefing and enjoyed an evening meal together at a very nice local restaurant."
"The next day, stage one, started with a short ferry ride away to the start in a town called Tau. At 80 miles in length and including approximately 6000ft of climbing, it was definitely a lumpy stage. ONE Pro Cycling Soigneur Kyle Pepperman-Hackett made sure I was well fed and hydrated for my ride and with that, I set off with the fast group alongside my domestique for the day, ONE Pro Cyclist Pete Williams. Pete done a great job of looking after me and we rode through some of the most amazing scenery ever and even though I tried to capture a few photos, none do it justice!
We completed the stage in about 4 hours 30 minutes and made it back to the ferry just as the heavens opened (perfect timing). Arriving back at the hotel Kyle wasn't taking any chances and ensured that I would be ready for stage 2 with a post ride massage and a protein drink to aid my recovery, while Mechanic Phil Leigh took care of the bikes which were cleaned and lubed for the next days stage. The evening was spent dining with the team and the people from Haute Route, which finished up at one of the many seafront bars for a recovery beer."
"After a good night's sleep and some breakfast stage 2 was calling. Stage 2 was the Queen stage, where Norway gave us some of its finest scenery. Once again we caught the ferry along the Lysefjord to the small town of Lysebotn where we disembarked to the start. Straight out of the blocks and we were faced with a 6 mile climb with an average gradient of 10% (ouch), this as you can imagine, split the peloton into pieces but I wasn't going to put myself in the red as our DS Matt Winston had warned us not to.
The weather was awful! Rain and wind were against us as we fought our way up the difficult ascent. Upon reaching the top, we waited and regrouped alongside the team car. With the bulk of the climbing done, it was a rolling affair to the finish, we got ourselves into a small group with ONE Pro Cyclists Sam Williams and Pete Williams doing a sterling job on the front. Taking more than their fair share of the wind, they escorted me to the finish in 4 hours 40 minutes, soaked through to the skin but having loved every minute of the day.
Back to the hotel and feeling refreshed after a shower, it was time to meet for a gala dinner, which was held on an island near Stavanger at a restaurant called Flor & Fjaere. The restaurant had the most beautiful gardens and the food was excellent, a great choice! It was here in front of the dignitaries of Stavanger it was confirmed that Haute Route Norway would be taking place next year in Stavanger with 400+ rider's. It was also here that Becky and Matt invited me to join the team in the team car for the Tour of Britain, fulfilling another of my cycling ambitions. After dinner we headed back to Stavanger for… let's just say more than one or two recovery beers!"
"Stage 3 was an individual time trial of about 12 miles, but being Haute Route Norway it was a hilly parcour, which finished atop of a communications tower which is probably Stavangers equivalent to Mont Ventoux, with some very steep sections of 25% gradient. Having successfully cycled around stages one and two, my legs were pretty tired, so my time wasn't brilliant – clocking around 40 minutes! In the end it was Pete Williams who took the win, in a time around 32 minutes with his teammate Sam Williams taking a close second.
And so with that, it was back to the hotel to shower and pack away the bike ready to go home, a final lunch with the team at the hotel, and then say goodbye and thank everyone who made the trip happen. I can honestly say that I lived the dream of a pro rider, I've learned so much about looking after myself both on and off the bike, it can only make me a better rider."
"As a bonus and true to her word, General Manager Becky Frewing contacted me to ask if I'd like to join the team for Stage 4 of the Tour of Britain. So once again, I travelled to meet the team, this time in Mansfield for the start of the Stage 4 of the Tour of Britain!
I was welcomed onto the Team Bus to meet the squad and presented with a signed photo of the team and me during my experience in Norway, which will take pride of place in the man cave! To top the whole experience off, I followed the stage in the team car with Matt and Phil, which was such an adrenaline rush to actually be involved in the car and see plenty of the stars of the peloton, a very surreal experience. As we drove into the finish at Newark I realised that I've been so lucky to have been able to experience what I have and that's all down to Becky, Matt and the team for making this happen, I can't thank everyone enough for what they've done.
I hope if you are reading this, it will inspire you to pre-register for Haute Route Norway 2018. I have and hope to be able to do it and hopefully ONE Pro Cycling will be able to support the event again, it would be great to see some of the members there along with the team. See you in Norway 2018!"


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This post has absolutely nothing to do with my acting career or yours. Not a single stinking thing. I'm posting it purely because I am an incredibly curious person and a nerd when it comes to information. Just how nerdy, you may ask?
I actually DVR Jeopardy. 'Nuff said.
This makes me want to play a neurologist. Or an optometrist. I want to discover the science behind this ocular wizardry.


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You would have thought, wouldn't you, that the tobacco companies would have been leading the charge against these parasites, who's only goal in life is to rid the world of their (BT) legal product that gives comfort to billions around the globe.
Of course we all knew that once the four countries that make up the UK brought in the smoking ban on the back of a pack of lies that they would not stop there, as we are finding out now with tobacco display bans and the destruction of the cigarette machine industry imminent.
I suppose the fight back started with Phillip Morris in Australia:
BIG Tobacco is trying to turn smokers into a political force with an under-the-radar campaign encouraging protests against high taxes and bans on smoking in public.Whinges Australia's TC dickheads.
Now Imperial Tobacco has waded in as the Welsh Assembly kicks off it's draft action plan on Tobacco Control, and they don't pull their punches:
The attack on free adult choice.I would whoop and holler in agreement if it were not for the fact that freedom2choose has been saying this loud and clear to anyone who would listen and sometimes felt that we were pissing against the wind, but hey, it's never too late to have some backup eh. But anyway, their (Imperials) response to the Welsh gets more robust:
Under the banner of "public health policy" many adult lifestyle freedoms and choices including where to smoke, how much to drink and what to eat have been unjustifiably attacked. The underlying philosophy appears to be that, left to ourselves, we will inevitably make bad choices and that encouragement is less effective than controlling behaviour through regulation. The Nanny State has become the Bully State. Nudge has rapidly turned to shove.
…Is not founded on an understanding of the factors that cause people to start smoking or to continue to smoke…
An understanding of these factors must be central to achieving effective policy aims.
They are well researched and widely known. Almost all academic studies conducted on smoking begin with at least an attempt to assess these factors. Their omission here betrays an approach that is more anti-smoker than it is pro-public health – 'denormalising' smoking as an activity is clear evidence of this. As a result, policy is not led by empirical evidence but by pressure from anti-smoker lobby groups.Once again we see words that F2C have been espousing since before we became an organisation but it is so good to hear (read, in this case) it from those who owe their livelihood to committed smokers, not addicts, I hasten to add.
I'll have to check my membership files to see if Mr Adam Cleave, UK Public Policy Manager and the author of this response is a paid up member of F2C as we, and our affiliate, Freedom2Choose (Scotland) have written these words many a time before and sent them to the relevant government departments:
The Ugly
The Government's reliance on anti-tobacco charities displays a concerning undue influence on policy…
The Plan contains multiple references to unelected anti-smoker groups, indicating an alarming level of undue influence on policy formulation and implementation. For example, ASH Wales are featured no less than 39 times in the 45-page Plan. Such levels of influence from vested interest groups invariably lead to unrealistic, unachievable and ineffective policies.
Imperial Tobacco questions why ASH Wales appear to be directly involved in at least 23 of the 59 actions contained in the Plan – some 39% of the total. The facts suggest that, rather than tobacco manufacturers having an undue influence over policy, it is the anti-smoking lobbying industry and other vested commercial interests that are having a disproportionate impact on policy, with manufacturers unfairly excluded from debate.
To address such concerns about influence on policy, transparency should also apply equally to NGOs and to the pharmaceutical companies that are prominent in shaping the tobacco cessation agenda. This will ensure proper accountability for the expenditure of public money and dispel any suspicion of public policy being steered by sectional or commercial interests.Freedom2Choose is as committed as ever to have this terrible ban amended or overturned, an uphill struggle I know, and we are receiving many responses to the blog piece Blots on the landscape so do keep them coming.
Dick Puddlecote wrote about this riposte from Imperial only this morning and doubts if anyone in the Welsh Assembly Tobacco Control group will even read it but at least we know tobacco companies will be silent no longer. And I must hat tip Simon Clarke over at Taking Liberties for the original link to the document.
The extracts above from Imperial Tobacco's response to the Welsh TC are from a ten page document. I have put the whole ten pages into YuDu below, please click on the "Enlarge this document in a new window" to get a better read.


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Abhi to romance Ash in reel life
After the terrific tuning that they shared during Yuva (which Abhishek describes as his career's first turning-point) and Guru (which he acknowledges as his second turning-point), it doesn't require much calculation to see the creative and commercial viability of the Mani-Abhishek pair. Abhishek's better-half too is back in the Mani-fold.
Coming out of his bereavement (Mani lost his brother earlier this year), Mani Ratnam is all set to announce a supple romantic film featuring filmdom's foremost marital pair. Abhishek and Aishwarya Bachchan will come together in Mani Ratnam's film that starts shooting in September.
According to a source very close to the project, "It's going to be a very intense love story. Where Guru was more a bio-pic with a cavalcade of characters claiming screen space, this film will focus primarily on the romance. It's a very intense film. Mani's most romantic film to date. And yes, it's again based on real life characters."


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Members of iQuest Consultants gathered at Central Park Hotel, Pune on Saturday night (16th July'11) for the annual celebration, this year commemorating iQuest Consultants' 11thanniversary. It gave us the opportunity to celebrate tens of thousands of stories, since its inception in the year 2000. The 11thanniversary was a great way to celebrate our association with our clients. It enabled us to focus on telling the stories of the many people who have been impacted by iQuest, from years to years.
The event was hosted to celebrate the joy of fulfillment & the rapport shared with the distinguished clients of iQuest. It was to celebrate in lieu of completion of 11 years in the industry. The theme of the event was "Hawaiian". To start off, every guest was welcomed with the hawaiian garland by our volunteers from the Pune IT Team viz; Varsha, Susan and Dhanashree.
We had many of our clients gracing the occasion with their presence. Tech Mahindra, Quartics Technologies, Integration Infotech, Garware group, Thermax SPX, Finolex, M.E Energy, Max new york life insurance, Sandvik Asia, Optimus India Pvt Ltd, Phadnis Group, ISMT Ltd, iGate Patni, Euronet,Modular Mining, Anchorteck to name a few. The ex -iQuesters were also a part of the event to revel in the glorious growth of iQuest.
Annual celebration was also to acknowledge & accolade the iQuesters who had performed exceedingly well in the last quarter. Mr. K. V. Kartha ( MD & Owner of M. E. Energy) gave away the certificates & the mementos to the deserving winners.
Timely doses of entertainment kept the audience glued to the fun filled "Hawaiian" theme. We had entertainment in the form of few dance performances, courtesy Bhavna (HR Team), Santosh and Dyaneshwar (Pune NON IT Team), Pooja (BFS Team, Pune), Suraj (HR Team) & Alisha (BFS Team, Pune).
A skit perfomance in the backdrop of the hindi movie Sholay was enjoyed by one & all which actually showcased the dynamics of recruitment process. It was a comic & satirical display of what a recruiter faces in his / her day to day chores. The play was enacted by Sadan ,Akriti & Nilesh (IT Team, Pune). We had few fun games too with even our sporting guests participating, the last being the word search game enacted by Reshma (IT Team, Pune).
Ms. Sanober Golandaj (Senior Manager - Operations (IT)) gave vote of thanks as we neared the end of the evening. The DJ then spun his records & the floor was let open for dance, followed by dinner.
The evening was as much fun as the theme and thus everyone went home happy & contended.
Do visit: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=103297257537495055418&target=ALBUM&id=5630586500457521425&authkey=Gv1sRgCKPTpeHF2eu4igE&feat=email
Author of the Post: Ms. Seba Vipulsam (Senior Technical Consultant), IT Team, Kondwa, Pune


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(07) 5528 2428(07) 5528 2428
After a decorated 20+ year career in the law with the New South Wales Police Force and Queensland Police Service Matt was admitted to practice and in 2013 joined forces with Evan to create Cooper Maloy Legal.
Matt is the Solicitor | Director responsible for our Family law department.
He also undertakes criminal matters. Matt appears regularly in the Magistrates, District, Supreme, Family and Federal Magistrates Courts.
He also is an avid golfer and enjoys spending time with his wife.


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Hentai Picture: Ellie has found 2 creampies at the end of day
Internationally recognized The Last of Us characters in their glorious return with their new naughty ways inside this thread… A powerful baby-maker filling Ellie's ass and cum receptacle makes her climax again and again. Blonde The Last of Us whore with a body to die for gets drilled by four hot rods and gets her cute breasts thoroughly cum-dumped!
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*Niecy Nash's guest-starring role on Fox's "The Cleveland Show" Sunday night sure did make an impression on TV Guide columnist Damian Holbrook, who is now pushing for the comedic actress and reality show star to get her own sitcom.
He writes…
Seriously, the woman is being wasted. Not that it wasn't swell to have her voicing Donna's kid-ditching sister Janet on "The Cleveland Show" last night, but that was just a guest spot and the real-life Nash is too fabulously animated to be relegated to cartoonery. She needs to be front and center, in the flesh and on TV on a weekly basis. And preferably in something better than "Do Not Disturb."
One would think after her run on "Dancing with the Stars" and "Reno 911!" that someone would have found Miss Niecy a proper vehicle by now. She's paid her dues and proven to be a fan favorite, so why hasn't this happened yet? We get that she isn't exactly your average leading lady and God knows women of color aren't really filling our screens, but the time has come to take off your blindfolds and open your eyes, Hollywood! Even a role on an existing show will do. Just get to getting' and get this woman a series already.
Click here to watch the episode featuring Niecy Nash: "Another Bad Thanksgiving."


text: Recently built villa of ± 1000 m² gross on a land ± 25 ares south oriented with five bedrooms, five bathrooms and a heated swimming pool. Ground floor: vast entrance with a design staircase, office with built-ins, cloakroom and guest water closet, spacious kitchen (Bulthaup equipment) with breakfast area storage room, dinning room, living room with an open fire place, a big terrace a swimming pool and a landscaped garden. 1st floor: clearance with built-ins, master bedroom with walk-on dressing and bathroom, two bedrooms with private bathrooms and built-in wardrobes. 2nd floor: clearance, two bedrooms with private shower rooms and built-in dressing. Basement: spacious garage 4/5 cars, a 70m² independent apartment, air-conditionned wine cellar, fitness room, laundry area, pool-house with a hammam and a shower.


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JNJ Stock: Is This the Best Time to Own Johnson & Johnson?
JNJ Stock Deserves a Look From Income Investors
As consumers, we know that high-quality items rarely go on sale. The same can be said about quality stocks, which is why Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) stock deserves immediate attention from income investors
Commanding over $300.0 billion in market cap, JNJ stock is not known for making big moves. But since last July, the stock has tumbled more than eight percent.
The thing is, nothing has really changed about the fundamentals of the company. This means that for income investors, this recent hiccup in JNJ stock could represent a great opportunity.
JNJ Stock is Backed By a Recession-Proof Business
Johnson & Johnson is in the healthcare industry. It operates through three business segments: Consumer, Pharmaceutical, and Medical Devices. The company has more than 250 companies in 60 countries selling products in virtually all countries of the world. (Source: "Company Overview," Jonson & Johnson, last accessed January 16, 2017.)
Johnson & Johnson stock is not the hottest name in the stock market, but for income investors, what it offers is hard to beat. The reason is that while many companies are making huge profits today, they might not be able to sustain that level of performance once the economy enters a downturn.
And let's be honest, despite our hope that it will only be sunshine and rainbows from now on, the economy moves in cycles. There will be prosperous times and there will be recessions. This is why for income investors, it is extremely important to have stocks that are backed by recession-proof businesses.
Johnson & Johnson is a great example of a recession-proof business. Whether it's the company's consumer goods business or the healthcare business, the demand is relatively inelastic to how the overall economy is doing. People might not be buying as many new cars when the economy enters a recession, but when they need "Band-Aids" or "Tylenol," both made by Johnson & Johnson, they will most likely still buy it.
On top of that, the company is also diversified geographically. Its products can be found in almost every country on earth. In 2015, approximately 49% of Johnson & Johnson's sales came from outside of the U.S. (Source: "2015 Investor Fact Sheet," Johnson & Johnson, last accessed January 16, 2017.)
To see just how recession-proof JNJ's business is, here's a fact: Johnson & Johnson has been growing its adjusted earnings for 32 consecutive years. The world economy had quite a few ups and downs over this period, but the healthcare giant's bottom line kept improving. When it comes to recession-proof businesses, it doesn't get much better than this. (Source: "Investor Relations," Johnson & Johnson, last accessed January 16, 2017.)
JNJ Stock Delivers Solid Dividends
Not all great businesses are suitable for income investors, because some of them don't really return value to shareholders. Fortunately, Johnson & Johnson stock has been rewarding investors for quite some time.
Right now, the company pays $0.80 per share on a quarterly basis, giving JNJ stock an annual dividend yield of 2.79%.
While a below-three-percent yield might not sound like much, note how solid Johnson & Johnson stock's dividends are. The company has been increasing its dividend payout for 54 consecutive years. (Source: "Dividend History," Johnson & Johnson, last accessed January 16, 2017.)
The Bottom Line on JNJ Stock
In a word, Johnson & Johnson's business is as solid as ever. From a valuations perspective, JNJ stock is trading at around 20 times its earnings, much lower than the industry's average price-to-earnings ratio of 30 times. With JNJ stock down over eight percent since its last summer's high, this could be a great opportunity for income investors to add some JNJ shares to their portfolios.
Dear Reader: There is no magic formula to getting rich. Success in investment vehicles with the best prospects for price appreciation can only be achieved through proper and rigorous research and analysis. We are 100% independent in that we are not affiliated with any bank or brokerage house. Information contained herein, while believed to be correct, is not guaranteed as accurate. Warning: Investing often involves high risks and you can lose a lot of money. Please do not invest with money you cannot afford to lose. The opinions in this content are just that, opinions of the authors. We are a publishing company and the opinions, comments, stories, reports, advertisements and articles we publish are for informational and educational purposes only; nothing herein should be considered personalized investment advice. Before you make any investment, check with your investment professional (advisor). We urge our readers to review the financial statements and prospectus of any company they are interested in. We are not responsible for any damages or losses arising from the use of any information herein. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. All registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners
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You've heard the saying…breakfast is the most important meal of the day…If how well your day went depended on the breakfast you ate, you couldn't go wrong with Mugg and Bean breakfast.
Mugg and Bean is big back home in South Africa. It happens to be one of my favorite breakfast places. I was beyond ecstatic when I found it in Dubai. The one thing I appreciate about franchises is the consistency in ensuring uniform and familiar experiences. The restaurant has a very homely and warm décor and took me on a journey to Johannesburg..
Places that are teeming with people are usually so for a reason. Mugg and Bean is always quite busy so I guess this speaks volumes. Despite the busyness, the staff were attentive and friendly.
I had the Famous Mugg and Bean Breakfast which consisted of two eggs (choice on how they are made) , beef bacon and sausages(Oh how I miss pork), baked beans, mushrooms and chunky fries. Can I get a yuuuuuummm!!
It was served with two huge slices of wholewheat bread with jam and butter.
The found the food really scrumptious, tasty, hearty and as mouthwatering as a proper full English breakfast gets. Mugg and Bean is well known for their gigantic portions which can fill you up for hours. It was so filling I literally didn't eat till dinner time.
They offer a bottomless coffee for all the caffeine addicts out there. Be sure to have a pot full of coffee served with milk.


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Seven hurt in cable car accident
Seven people were injured this morning when a cable car in San Francisco hit something that was in one of the tracks on California Street near Powell Street, according to a San Francisco fire spokesman.
Four people were taken to the hospital for their injuries and three were treated at the scene, the fire spokesman said.
Following the accident, the cable car was immobile and blocking other cable cars along California Street. However, San Francisco Municipal Railway spokesman Alan Siegel said at 7:45 a.m. that the tracks had been cleared.
Copyright 2004 by Bay City News, Inc. Replication, republication or retransmission without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.