text:
Management Profile
I have enjoyed showing you about the railroad, here is more information on the Mesquite Belt and a little about me.
The Mesquite Belt name was concieved during lunch while riding EMS in Bellville, Texas for Austin County EMS. An article called "On the other Side of the Tracks" written by Ray L. Head grabbed my attention. The article started telling of stories on the railroad. The names had been changed not to protect the innocent, but keep those parties from getting in trouble with the real railroad. For example, Houston was changed to Hotson, 'cause during the dogs days of summer, Houston with 100% humidity and 100 degree temps can make you think it is as hot as the sun! In Sealy, where the Katy crosses the AT&SF, now the BNSF, there was a branch line that came off the Santa Fe called the Cane Belt that eventually ended in Matagorda, Texas. In the article I was reading, the name of the Cane Belt had been changed to the Mesquite Belt, because of all the Mesquite trees down the line. That name made perfect sense to me, just as the Cotton Belt represented a major crop on the land, so did the Mesquite Belt. The Mesquite Belt was born!
Houses in the south usually do not have basements, so some sort of layout room was nessesary, since I wanted a large layout. The idea of a depot looking building was an obvious choice. Discovering the book "Katy Standard Plans" made research alot easier, and if I'm going to model the Katy, then why not build a Katy designed depot? Model railroaders such as Tony Koester's Appalachian Midland (AM); Allen McKlellen's Virginia & Ohio (V&O); Doug Tagsold's Denver, Front Range & Western; Eric Brooman's Utah Belt; Brian Kanis' Utah Western; Gil Frietag's Stoney Creek & Western; David Barrow's Cat Mountain & Santa Fe; Gary Hoover's Missouri Kansas & Quincy; Bruce Carpenter's BNSF; and Steven Priest's ATSF Emporia Sub-Division have influenced me greatly.
am a career firefighter for the City of Palestine, Texas;
For more information about our department, check
out the Palestine Fire
Department website. I hold an Advanced Level Structural
firefighting certificate from the Texas Commission on Fire Protection, and
EMT-Intermediate certification from the Texas Department of Health and
Human Services. In February 2003, the City of Palestine and
East Texas was thrust into the national spotlight with the Space Shuttle
Columbia disaster.
Webmaster: Devin M. Jackson
Send updates, information, and comments to:
Devin M. Jackson 903-724-3976
Dispatch Center 1-800-SHIP-MBT
Photos by: Bumper Clayton & The Texas State Railroad
Copyright ©
1987-2007 Mesquite Belt Railroad


text:
The Welcoming Committee (2/2)
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Hidden Meadows
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Green Valley Hold
Elsewhere on Pern
NPC Weyr (NPC)
River Bluff Weyr
Seacraft Hall
Writers: Eimi, Avery
Date Posted: 31st December 2017
Characters: U'kaiah, Kapera
Description: Kapera extends some Dolphin Cove hospitality to a visiting Weyrleader...
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 1 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentions: Cyradis
Notes: Part 2 of 2
And then she let the keys tumble from her hands as she stepped
forward, threw her arms around the bronzerider, and pressed her lips
to his.
The bronzerider was right there with her, deepening the kiss hungrily
as his long arms reached down pull up her skirt to allow her to wrap
her legs around his waist for more easy access as he was quite a bit
taller than she. As he pulled back to allow her to settle herself, he
replied, "It certainly was not a choice I would have made myself. It
has been hard on my family and I."
Kapera shifted her weight to help as U'kaiah moved her and then made
sure to brace herself against his chest. She kissed at his neck and
nipped his earlobe.
"Does it feel a bit like exile out there? There must be some perks to
make it worthwhile..."
After all, he was a handsome bronzerider, and one with rank knots,
which was an attribute that enhanced one's sexual appeal. Surely he
wasn't all alone up there...
"I wouldn't call it exile," he breathed, his fingers sliding up inside the
backside of her undergarments to feel skin. "But nothing makes up for
the time lost with my boys." U'kaiah lifted her slightly so he could
reach the point where throat met jaw with his lips.
The goldrider shivered as his lips met her skin and rocked against his
body. "Not even hearing people call you Weyrleader?" she purred.
"I'd give up all my titles just to hear my youngest call me 'Da'." He
moved down her windpipe to her collar bones. "And you? Any family
"I'm still living the free life. No children, no weyrmates..." She
moved one of her hands behind his neck and lightly applied her nails.
"As long as you're happy." He took a quick look around the room.
"Desk or sofa? Lady's choice."
"Sofa's softer," she said.
The bronzerider nodded and walked them both over. Gently, he lowed
himself to the cushion with her straddling his lap. Leaning back, he
started to work at her top ties. "Are you happy here at Dolphin
She caught his lips again with hers and distracted herself for a
moment with the taste of his mouth before answering.
"Riyanth and I are both healthy, I respect both of the leaders. There
are a few people here I like warming my bed with. It's as good as it
can get, I suppose," Kapera said.
The conversation was put on hold as her dress was pulled down around
her waist and suddenly they both found their mouths and minds were
required elsewhere. As the bronzerider finally fell back into the
soft cushions of the sofa with a contented sigh, he panted, "Well...
they are lucky... to have such an experienced... goldrider to be their
Kapera felt wrung out in the best possible way. She rested her head
against his chest and listened to the pounding heartbeat there. "I've
missed seeing you around," she murmured. "Will you be back to Dolphin
Cove any time soon?"
"Shards, I hope so." Especially if this was the welcome he would
receive! He had not forgotten just how much fun Kapera could be. "If
I do, I will make sure to plan time in the schedule for another chat.
It was nice catching up."
"I'm sure I'll be able to find a place to fit you into my schedule,"
she said with a wink. Depending on the context of his visit, of
course, but if they'd fit one quick romp in her office in this time,
it could surely happen again.
"I suppose you have official business to get to," she said, knowing
she should get up and let him go to that. Hopefully she hadn't left
marks anywhere too obviously on him...
"Ah. Yes. Cyradis is expecting me," U'kaiah nodded. He did the
gentlemanly thing and assisted her in getting her dress back in place
and apologized for any wrinkles he might have caused before standing
to get himself in order. "My duty to Riyanth, of course."
"And mine to Kalamath, tell him hello from me." she said. Looking over
his outfit, she added, "You don't look mussed at all, it should be
fine. Thank you for catching up."
Last updated on the January 16th 2018

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Some utilities blindly stumble forward with plans to build new coal plants, hoping promises and exaggerated claims and a little luck will allow them to continue outmoded operations well into the 21st century. Others get wise and change with the times.
One such utility is the northwestern utility, PacifiCorp.
From the Oregonian:
Why doesn't Santee Cooper follow this prudent utility's lead. Coal isn't a viable option in our state either.
PacifiCorp has backed away from plans to build any new coal plants within the next 10 years, conceding that coal no longer can overcome tightening regulations and environmental opposition.
In recent filings and communications with regulators in
Utahand , the Portland-based company said three coal plants included earlier this year in long-range resource plans and subsequent requests for proposals were "no longer viable options." Oregon
PacifiCorp cited as reasons for its decision: The likelihood of national carbon emissions legislation, which it said makes accurate cost projections and risk assessment for coal plants "futile," and the fact that most of the coal plants proposed around the United States recently have been canceled, denied permits or been involved in protracted litigation.
In a filing with the Utah Public Service Commission, the company said it wasn't excluding coal from its 20-year planning options. But "absent some change in conditions, it cannot be determined at this time whether new coal generation ownership will satisfy the least-cost, least-risk standards that would enable us to consider it as a viable option in our 10 year plans."
Ratepayer advocates and environmentalists called the utility's decision a victory.
"We're encouraged that they seem to be moving away from coal," said Bob Jenks, executive director of the Citizen's Utility Board. "It's a good sign. I also think it's a sign of the reality that they're not going to get approval for it."
The move away from coal is an about-face for a company that generates nearly 65 percent of its electricity from coal.
Until recently, there was a distinct difference in receptivity to new coal plants on the two sides of the company's service territory. In
, where customers make up more than 40 percent of the company's total electricity consumption, regulators and state authorities have been far more willing to consider coal plants. Utah
By contrast, regulators and lawmakers in
Oregon, Washingtonand have sent a clear signal that they don't want any more. California
Earlier this year,
passed a law requiring utilities to serve 25 percent of customer demand with renewable resources such as wind and geothermal by 2025, with interim targets. Oregon Californiaand have their own standards in place. Washington
PacifiCorp's decision to drop coal from its near-term resource plans came after that legislation passed. It also came after
's decision to join the Western Climate Initiative, a group of Western states working on a regional plan to curb carbon emissions, said Marc Krasnowsky, a NW Energy Coalition spokesman. Utah
David Eskelsen, a PacifiCorp spokesman, said there was no connection between
's action and its decision, though the company is certainly aware of increasing state pressures to go green. The question now, he said, is "if not coal, then what?" Utah
The cost factor
Coal-fueled electricity, he said, has been less expensive, and the company's decision to invest in it allowed it to become one of the nation's lowest cost providers of electricity. Uncertainty around coal will push the company toward more gas-fired generators and as much wind power as it can round up, he said.
"If policies change, we'll comply," Eskelsen said, "but we want policymakers to be informed about the consequences on reliability and price. The price impact is unescapable."
Consumers advocates disagree. They contend that climate legislation will dramatically increase the cost of coal power. Moreover, they say, the capital costs for adding a gas plant are low compared with coal, so if a utility is forced to back off using a gas plant or shut it down, it doesn't cost ratepayers as much. By contrast, once utilities sink capital into a coal plant with a 60-year useful life, they want to use it.
Steve Weiss, an analyst with the NW Energy Coalition, also points out that gas-fired power plants, which can be cycled up and down rapidly, are more compatible with the intermittent renewable resources such as wind and solar, which are becoming a larger part of utilities' generation mix.
Natural gas emissions
Burning gas to make electricity still creates carbon dioxide, but at about half the level of an equivalent amount of electricity from a coal-powered plant, Weiss said.
PacifiCorp forecast in May that its overall customer demand would grow by 2.4 percent per year between 2007 and 2016. Most of that growth was skewed toward the east side of its six-state territory, particularly
Utahand . Wyoming
By 2012, the company is projecting the need for an additional 1,700 megawatts of generation capacity. Consequently, it is hoping state regulators will expedite their review of a new request for a proposal it hopes to issue to suppliers in January. That call for bids will exclude coal.


text:
St. Pete March 11-13
Barber April 22-24
IMS/Road May 12-14
Lucas Oil May 28
Road America June 24-26
Toronto July 15-17
Mid-Ohio July 19-31
Laguna Seca Sept. 9-11
Noblesville, IN – Chastain Motorsports will field two cars in the upcoming 2016 Cooper Tires USF2000 National Championship presented by Mazda. Team driver Sam Chastain will field the No. 77 Van Diemen/Mazda and will be joined by at least one teammate for the season.
Chastain Motorsports brings a long resume of open-wheel accomplishments to the USF2000 category, having run the 1997, 1998 and 2007 Indianapolis 500 Mile Races, as well as contesting the 1997 and 1998 IndyCar seasons.
Most recently, Chastain has fielded a multi-car effort that produced race wins in both 2014 and 2015 for aspiring drivers in the F1600 Formula F Championship Series. The team is based out of Indiana, giving it a close proximity to most events, and carries over its open-wheel engineering and team staff from past seasons.
After spending two years in F1600 in 2013 and 2014, Sam Chastain moved up to the F2000 category in 2015, with two podium finishes in his debut season. The 22-year old will now run a USF2000 campaign in 2016 and will be joined by at least one teammate. The team has the capacity to run additional cars should need arise.
Learn more about Chastain Motorsports at www.ChastainMotorsports.com.


text:
Today, I'll focus mainly on the role of the infantry on the battlefield in Lion Rampant, the medieval wargame rules by Dan Mersey.
The Middle Ages features a pretty static infantry: except fiece foot, who were mainly found at the fringes of European territories, the standard infantry unit deployed in a static defensive spearmen armed formation. The main aim was to resist the assualts of enemy's cavalry: superb knights, sergeants or arabs mamelukes. Occasionally they could face some barbaric infantry, classed as fierce foot (let apart for a second the possibility to grade as fierce foot halberdier or sword and buckler, we will come back to this later).
During Dark Age, the situation was similar: the Roman infantry lacked the might of the past, and the Barbarian Infantry, often of low quality (levy, better represented as foot yeoman, IMHO) was used as a rally point for noble cavalry, according to Procopius. Even in the East, against Sassanid, the battles were mainly fought between opponent cavalry.
Things become very different when talking about Classical Antiquity, between the classic Greece and the Roman Empire (principate at last), the infantry was the key of the battles, with cavalry often considerated an auxillary corps, at least until 3rd century AD. With the rules, as they are written, you cannot simulate this in any realistic way. So we must deal with Classical Antiquity separately (i.e. in a other post!)
So, back to Infantry in Middle Ages. In my humble opinion, there is one main issue. Two infantry units (segeants or yeomen) facing each other, causing a situation in which no one wants to attack, because the attacker rolls 5+ and defender 4+. I can see the logic of this: we just said that during this period sergeants formed a defensive formation and all that stuff. But, in some particular context, if you're fielding pretty specular armies (for example two Communals Italian armies) I'd advide to allow a sort of incentive the clash of infantries that happened frequently during the period. It's true (and a bit hollywodian as the author likes) that infantry stood in front of enemies knights, but infantry lines often clashed.
The author probably decided that the variety and interplay of arms would avoid such situations, and it wanted us to focus on different arms, so adding a cavalry unit, or a foot man at arms or a fierce foot unit (not very common during the feudal age), could break the balance, and in most games, this will work. But mono-dimensional armies exist, even if the rules allow you to field max 12 points or 4 units of any determined kind of unit, but nothing could prevent you to field 3 sergeants units and/or foot yeoman units.
During our game, however, sometimes happened (maybe the knight ran away or were deployed at the other side of the battlefield, or whatever) that two units of foot sergeants stood watching each other for an entire game, none of them (rightly) wanting to lose their advantage charging the enemy.
According to rules can give an offensive edge to your sergeants (and yeomen), making them "offensive" : spending 2 points more, the unit's attack become 4+ instead that 5+. Anyway, I think tthat 2 points for +1 attack is too expensive.
What should we do?
- nothing, the troops variety or at least the difference in armour would break the balance.
- add a scenario optional rule, "Guelphs and Ghibellines": foot sergeants and yeomen gain +1 to dice rolled when attacking enemy's foot sergeants and yeomen for no cost. It could break the empasse. Use sparingly only in symmetric games (and under supervision of your parents).
Of course the latter option would diminishing the cost-effectiveness of purchasing offensive sergeants (still attacking 4+ on every enemy unit), but I already consider 2 points a bit too much for +1 when attacking. It's not even useful to break the balance, since the attack and defence are equal in sergeants or yeomen, but you can field 3 units vs 2. If the players with three static sergeants sits down, the offensive minded player will soon finds his men are too few to disrupt 3 enemy's units.
And this is the first issue of Medieval Warfare that could need a fix. Bear in mind I just proposed one of the possible solutions.
Second issue: where are the halbardiers and (later in period) sword and buckler men?
Well, that's an interesting topic: in the rules there are two ways to portray them:
- use offensive foot sergeants or yeomen (the unit costs +2 points) attack and defend on 4+ and lose schiltron, armour as the main unit (3 or 2).
- use fierce foot (4 points) attack on 3+, defend on 6, wild charge! armour 2.
I see none of these option is very used by our local club, why?
Offensive foot (either sergeants or yeomen) are the best way to represent halberdiers, in our opinion, because they retain their defensive capabilities, but they cost too much. Fierce foot aren't really loved because they're wild charger, and stay almost halplessy if they fail to countercharge.
Possible solutions:
- offensive foot cost reduced to +1 point
- add a new upgrade for foot sergeants and yeomen (I really had sword and buckler in mind when I wrote this) (I cannot think about an appropriate name now, let's call them AlternativeOffensive), leaving the hot minded troops as fierce foot.
The unit switch Attack with Move and Attack Value with Defence value. It lose Schiltron special rule, and gain Countercharge Infantry special rule.
So an Alternatively Offensive Foot Sergeants unit (Sword and Buckler for example):
Attack 5+ Attack Value 4+
Move 6+ Defence Value 5+
Shoot - Shoot Value-
Courage 4+ Armour 3 (2 if foot yeomen)
Max movement 6"
By the way, this is exactly how I would represent Early Migration (i.e. Early Dark Age) infantry in those people still using massive infantry charges, instead that relying on cavalry for their attacks (the latter are often referred as Sarmatized Germans). Of course I would also represent in the same manner Celts infantry during Classical Antiquity. But I think this post is already long enough and I shouldtalk about them an other time.


text:
This post might be a tad late but it is because I have pondered, meditated and ruminated enough on the things that need serious editing about myself. See, I am turning twenty this year. I am about to leave the glorious kingdom of teenage-hood. But truth is, I feel like I am just somewhere sixteen and seventeen and that exact kind of mental state needs to change.
Honestly, I am starting the year both being overwhelmed and feeling a bit strange. Overwhelmed because I seem to get anything I have wished for. Not exactly all but some and it's terrifying in some ways. Strange on the other hand because I feel I am not able to fully grasp my balance. Life and people seems getting weirder and weirder and I am "weirded" out myself. Recently, I find myself ricocheting between happiness and loneliness. 2012 was actually an awakening year. I learned a lot of things and whatever those lessons are, it birthed into these resolutions...
This 2013 I'll try to...
-Jog on mornings.
-Wake up earlier and witness the sunrise and not wake up when it's high noon.
-Listen not to reply but to understand.
-Never judge anyone or else I'll just end up being surprised.
-Stop flirting thyself into an awkward situation.
-Stop being the awkward situation.
-Shut up.
-Focus on one goal and work my out to reach it.
-Control emotions, especially when over enthused over something or someone.
-Delete "assume" and "expect" in my vocabulary.
-Not compromise myself too much to others.
-Stop being too polite. Be real.
-Stop being too available.
-Guard my heart.
-Play smart.
-Accept that the world is harsh.
-Walk my talk.
-Be a better conversationalist.
-Guard my health. Eat healthy.
-Meet more people. Widen horizons.
-Go somewhere.
-Increase alcohol tolerance.
-Be more creative.
-Stop being too attached.
-Stop feigning affection. It's OKAY NOT TO CARE.
-Screen my stories. Not everyone's interested.
-Say no to
-Stop always feeling responsible.
-Think before talking.
-Say NO when I mean NO and say YES when I mean YES.
-Stop being nice to people who don't deserve it.
-Grow up. Like seriously.
They don't exactly sound like my usual bubbly self, but I think that is what 2013 is all about for me.
Time to toughen up.


text:
PARIS (MarketWatch) -- Weakness in the U.S. automobile market is the biggest threat facing Nissan Motor Co Ltd. NSANY, +0.09% and is set to last throughout 2008, Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said Wednesday.
"The weakness of the U.S. market is here to stay for 2008," Ghosn said in an interview on CNBC.
Ghosn said while the Japanese yen is strong at the moment, he doesn't believe in "the long-term trend of a strong yen."
-Contact: 201-938-5400


text:
Sometimes what we fail to understand as adults, little children grasp that concept, feeling or gratitude with such an ease that it is really astonishing. Children are honest, true and pure in every respect. Hence you can expect an honest feedback from them; it can be a heartfelt compliment or an outright criticism. But sometimes their little things and deeds make such an impact on us adults that we are left wondering that even though we are the ones with experience and knowledge, it's sometimes the children who are better judges when it comes to making decisions or saying the right things. I have had the pleasure of meeting such a little child full of sense, sensibility and tremendous amount of self respect.
I was on a major shopping spree with my friends in Bandra (Mumbai). And because I love flowers my friend surprised me by bringing a pretty bunch of colourful roses with her. Now after a heavy indulgence in shopping and food, we were heading towards the Bandra Station to catch a train back home. We were waiting at a signal, when a little boy same to our side selling roses. There was something really special about him; he was not like those annoying little children who keep poking you even when you have your face turned against them. So this little boy kept saying "Didi, le lo na fool" (Please buy these flowers). I showed him my own bunch of flowers and told him that I don't need more. That far from disappointing him made him very excited. He got animated and started giving me tips on how to keep the flowers fresh for a long time (by trimming the stems and all).
I and my friend found this little guy way too cute, we decided to give him some money just like that. I took out a Rs 10 note from my purse and gave it to the boy. He took it a little sadly, and said that he sells the flowers at Rs 30. We clarified that the money was not for the flowers but just for him. As soon as I uttered these words, he ran away with the money but not before he threw the bouquet of flowers inside the auto. We craned our necks out of the auto and saw him standing on the divider. He refused to take back the flowers and also our free favour money. Soon the signal cleared out and as the auto started to move ahead, he smiled and waved in our direction.
I have never been able to forget that incident or that boy. He was merely 6 or 7 years old but his self respect and principles were already so strong that they put us to shame. He refused to take any free favours from us. Hats off to the little boy. I always end of comparing him with the beggars who instead of doing or even trying to find any work simply take the easy way out! I just wish him all the good luck and happiness, wherever he is!


text:
ZOIDS HMM Series 1/72 EZ-049 Berserk Fuhrer [Kotobukiya - Model Kit] - Customized Build w/ LEDs
Images via Xiaot
Monday, April 8, 2013
ZOIDS HMM Series 1/72 EZ-049 Berserk Fuhrer - Customized Build w/ LEDs
9 comments:
Awesome LED work! Superb!ReplyDelete
That is awesome.ReplyDelete
It makes me wanna put LEDs into my kits too! :D
Very impressive a lot of work...i wish to put LEDs in my kits *¬*ReplyDelete
that looks sick, i wanna do that to my furyReplyDelete
This looks sick af , how much were the led kits and where'd u buy emReplyDelete
you should have included tutorialsReplyDelete
Imprecionante y bello ZoidReplyDelete
Imprecionante y bello ZoidReplyDelete
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
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text:
Title: Mrs. Oliver Usher
Dates: 1924
Collection Number: 00207
Quantity: 5 items
Abstract: Scenes of Bismarck N.D.
Provenance: The State Historical Society of North Dakota acquired this collection from Mrs. Oliver Usher.
Copyrights: Copyrights to materials in this collection remain with the donor, publisher, author, or author's heirs. Researcher should consult the 1976 Copyright Act, Public Law 94‑553, Title 17 U.S. Code and an archivist at this repository if clarification of copyright requirements is needed.
Access This collection is open under the rules and regulations of the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Citation: Researchers are requested to cite the collection title, collection name, and the State Historical Society of North Dakota in all footnote and bibliographic references.
00207-01 Old State Capitol building, Bismarck (ND) 1924
00207-02 Northern Pacific Railroad Bridge, Bismarck (ND) 1924
00207-03 Memorial Bridge, Bismarck (ND) 1924
00207-04 Liberty Memorial Bridge from river level, Bismarck (ND) 1924
00207-05 Fort Lincoln, Bismarck (ND) 1924
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text:
Meet the man responsible for killing Osama bin Laden (in a movie)
Earlier this week we posed the question of how Osama bin Laden's death would affect Kathryn Bigelow's planning KILL BIN LADEN film. As it turns out it didn't kill the project at all but instead has given it new life.
The LA Times is reporting that Joel Edgerton (ANIMAL KINGDOM THE THING remake) has signed on to star in Bigelow's now-untitled action-thriller about the plot to kill Bin Laden. Edgerton had been approached about the film prior to Bin Laden's actual death but last Sunday's takedown in Pakistan put his deal on the fasttrack. Edgerton reportedly passed on the lead role in Universal's SNOW WHITE to take this part in Bigelow's film.
Edgerton would play one member of the elite military force assigned with finding and killing Osama bin Laden. Writer Mark Boal is already researching the actual operation and will incorporate the actual event into the last act of the film.
With TRIPLE FRONTIER, Bigelow and Boal's planned film with Tom Hanks, on the backburner, the Untitled Osama bin Laden Film is heating up and could film as soon as this summer. Michael Fassbender had once been approached for a role in the film as well and it's unclear whether they'll rekindle talks with him for the project.
|LA Times


text:
Come and hear Michael Crowley read alongside the other winners on Saturday 26th September at Oxford's best bookstore. It's likely to be packed, so come early to get a good seat and browse the shelves and enjoy some of Denis's excellent coffee whilst you're at it.
Still on poetry, I have just been invited to join the poetry team for Herefordshire's Courtyard project 'Making of Me '. This is being rolled out across Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire now and I shall be working in care homes in my locale fairly soon. What a fantastic opportunity this is. I really look forward to sharing new poems and rediscovering old ones. Poetry has so much to teach us about ourselves.
Magma, one of my favourite magazines, often has a section called Presiding Spirits where they ask a poet to produce new work drawing on a poem from the past. I have been re-reading Matthew Arnold's 'Dover Beach'. It's a poem I feel I can have a strong conversation with. There are so many resonances and, of course, the current humanitarian crisis is increasingly urgent. I'm sure I'm not the first person to reply to Arnold's lyric, nevertheless, I feel the need to add my voice.
I'd be interested to know what poems are speaking to you at this moment. Do get in touch.


text:
1269 views
SinsLife: Kissa Sins, Oil That Booty POV / 06.21.2016
Kissa teases by rubbing oil all over her beautiful big round booty. She sits in a clear stool rubbing her booty and pussy all over it. Kissa gets on her knees and sucks Johnny's dick until he bends her over and pounds her in POV finishing with a cream pie!!!
Full Videos SinsLife
Actors: Kissa Sins


text:
Samuel Judson or Sarah Judson born in Alabama
Looking for any living relatives that are kin. Sarah Judson Adair is one of my grandmothers and would like to find living relatives. Sarah married Zachary Taylor Ford. Had a brother named Samuel. Sarah was born in Mobile Alabama, abt.1848Lived most of her married life in Louisiana.
Sincerely,Jennifer S Haston


text:
Quad bike riders are being warned to stay off the sand dunes at Alva Beach.
Burdekin Shire Council's Governance and Local Laws Manager Dan Mulcahy said fences had been broken and fragile dune vegetation had been destroyed.
"This is not a new issue and it costs our ratepayers every time we have to fix a fence," he said.
"Quad bikes are also doing a lot of damage to the fragile ecosystem of dunes.
"Tracks made by the quad bikes allow the wind to significantly change and modify the dune systems leading to erosion and migration of the dunes across infrastructure such as fences and roads.
"The dunes also play at part in protecting the township during cyclones, storms and high tides."
Mr Mulcahy said Council had often repaired damaged fencing which had been cut, removed or lifted to allow bikes to go underneath.
"We don't want to stop people from using the beach, but this sort of damage has to stop," he said.
"Recently a wooden fence at the northern end of the township has been broken, apparently to gain access to the salt flats.
"It's our ratepayers that end up paying for the continual repairs to fences, so if people see anyone damaging fences, please contact Council."


text:
My Etsy Store
Monday, 18 March 2013
Spring Twigs
Have you seen those bundles of twigs or grasses that cost upwards of $15? Yeah, you can make those for free.
I waited until my lilacs started to bud to remind myself that I shouldn't have to put up with this never ending winter for much longer. Snip them, bundle them, tie them.
Also, If you ever find yourself undecided about painting over old brick, you should do it. I think this was the absolute best cheap makeover I have ever done which yielded the biggest impact.
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Petite Pleated Sleeve Dress
Details https://www.belk.com/p/the-limited-petite-pleated-sleeve-dress/1804171PLMGFSP18DR23P.html
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Additional Information
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- 37.25-in. L
- Pullover
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- Machine washable
- Polyester, spandex
Shipping Details
Shipping Details
Shipping your purchase is easy at belk.com. Depending on your shipping method and the destination of your package, you can expect it to arrive within 4-7 business days Shipping Information.
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2 latest ig pics
Okay here's a little story about how stupid I am. I put my iphone to load 18.20 so it defenetly would not die while exercising. I was suppoused to take a bus 19.02 to the gym, but 5minutes earilier I look at my phone and it hasn't load a procent. So then I check the cable and plug wasn't even in the wall.. So now I have to take a later bus. Fuck.
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After a humbling 69-42 loss at Newark last Friday, the Gahanna Lincoln High School boys basketball team has re-evaluated its goals.
After a humbling 69-42 loss at Newark last Friday, the Gahanna Lincoln High School boys basketball team has re-evaluated its goals.
At practice the next day, players and coaches talked seriously about the rest of the season. After a 6-0 start, the loss to Newark dropped the Lions to 8-4 overall, with all four losses within the OCC-Ohio Division.
"We're not going to win the league," guard Stevie Taylor said.
Entering a game last Tuesday against Lancaster, Gahanna was fifth in the league. With one loss each, Grove City and Newark had a two-game advantage over the third-place team.
"It's going to come down to Newark and Grove City for the league title," coach Tony Staib said. "But we still have a lot to play for."
Gahanna has seven games left in the regular season, with four at home. It already has made its trips to Newark and Grove City, and four of the remaining seven league games are against the bottom three teams.
"We'll end with a good record if we can win most of our games," Ian Taylor said. "Although the OCC is out of reach we need to play for the tournament."
Last Friday, Newark went on a 12-0 run to end the first quarter and take a 14-point lead. It led by 21 points at the break.
"You can't get down like that against a high-quality opponent," Staib said. "We battled back a few times, but you just can't get behind early at Newark."
Four Wildcats finished in double figures, led Dane Kopp with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
"They stepped up and were ready to get us back for the game earlier in the season," said Ian Taylor, who scored 18 points. "We let them shoot without a hand in their face and the big man killed us. They outhustled us."
If there is a bright spot for Gahanna, it's this: It may be at full strength soon. Sophomore point guard Stevie Taylor, who missed the majority of the last three games before last Tuesday after suffering a high ankle sprain Jan. 9, is expected back this week.
"He won't be 100 percent, but he'll play," Staib said.
Senior guard P.T. Holliman, an expected starter who had thumb surgery before the regular season, played his first full game against Newark. Holliman was in for nearly 25 minutes, finishing with 11 points, including three 3-pointers.
"When we're healthy we can beat anybody," Staib said. "We have a great opportunity to finish strong and gain momentum for the tournament."
The team has three games remaining before the district tournament draw Feb. 8.
"I'm real confident we can get it turned around," Stevie Taylor said. "We just have to do everything right."
At a glance
Below are the recent results and coming schedule for the Gahanna Lincoln boys basketball team:
Jan. 20-- Defeated Licking Heights 68-39
*Last Friday -- Lost at Newark 69-47. Gahanna shot just 26 percent from the field in the first half.
*Last Tuesday -- Played Lancaster
*Friday -- Home vs. Pickerington Central. Gahanna won 88-64 on Dec. 19.
*Tuesday -- At Pickerington North. Gahanna lost 66-63 on Dec. 23.
Wednesday -- Home vs. Mifflin
Of note: The Lions were 8-4 overall and 3-4 in the OCC-Ohio before last Tuesday.
*OCC-Ohio game


text: Our beloved pets are members of our family. What happens to them when they get sick? Are their diseases different than ours? They get diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular, cancer, arthritis, hip dysplasia, stiff joints, and many others. Are there any new ways to treat their problems safely and effectively with lower cost? Listen to my internet radio show Wednesday February 19, 2014 at 4 pm and listen to Dr. John Hache discuss ways to treat your pets. He and other veterinarians treat their beloved animals big and small.


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Park South Dental Associates
1530, Unionport Road, Bronx - 10462,New York, United States
Conditions such as sleep apnea, malocclusions can be successfully treated with corrective orthognathic surgery. The procedure also treats following issues: Congenital defects such as a cleft palate and Difficulty swallowing, chewing, or biting food. Park South Dental Associates should be your preference when youre in need of a dentist. Book your appointment today.Read More
Morris Park Dental Associates
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Jaw surgery can treat issues such as: Unbalanced facial appearance from the front or side, Inability to make the lips meet without straining. For detailed information on Jaw surgery enquire at Morris Park Dental Associates.The dentist will consult with you the detailed procedure of the treatments and will follow certain steps.Read More
Cabrillo Dental
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Jaw surgery or Orthognathic surgery can resolve issues such as: Chronic mouth breathing and dry mouth and Facial trauma. For detailed information make an enquiry at Cabrillo Dental.The dentist will consult with you the detailed procedure of the treatments and will follow certain steps.Read More
Smiles by Canada
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Jaw Surgery is very one of the most common dental procedures and one of the most important. If youre in need of a dentist then contact Smiles by Canada. We are among the best dentistry in Houston. Our expert would go over the procedure thoroughly with you during consultation.Read More
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Jaw surgery, also known as orthognathic surgery, realigns the jaws and teeth to improve the way they work and to improve your appearance.Read More
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Orthognathic surgery, commonly known as corrective jaw surgery, describes a number of surgical procedures used to correct various facial skeletal deformities that are often associated with a poor bite (malocclusion).The majority of these conditions are developmental, that is, the result of abnormal growth of the jaws. Enquire at Mike Gile, as we are among the best dentistry in Bellevue.Read More
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Contact Dale Wilcoxtoday, to know how Jaw Surgerywould help you achieve alteration that youve always wanted. We are trusted name in dentistry field, and we also boast many famous celebrity clientele.Read More
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Daniel J. Cuttica, D.O.
Request an Appointment
Daniel J. Cuttica is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon, with fellowship training in foot and ankle surgery. He has medical staff privileges at Inova Fairfax and Fair Oaks Hospitals, Virginia Hospital Center, as well as Advanced Surgery Center of Bethesda, and Inova McLean Ambulatory Surgery Center.
Dr. Cuttica has expertise in both common and complex disorders of the foot and ankle. His clinical interests include all aspects of foot and ankle reconstruction, including cartilage disorders and restoration, total ankle replacement, sports-related foot and ankle disorders, arthroscopy and minimally invasive procedures, dance medicine, forefoot reconstruction, and diabetic limbs.
Dr. Cuttica was the recipient of the Robert L. Green award, which is awarded annually to the member of the American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics who achieved the highest combined score in the written and oral orthopedic surgery board certification exams. He has also been awarded for his groundbreaking research on MRI evaluation following surgical treatment of cartilage injuries in the ankle. Dr. Cuttica has also been selected as a "Top Doctor" by Northern Virginia Magazine.
He is a Medical Alliance Member and orthopaedic consultant for The Washington Ballet. He is the author of numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals, which includes extensive research on the treatment and outcomes of cartilage disorders of the ankle. Other topics include a novel technique to harvest bone graft for hindfoot bone fusion, various techniques to correct complex foot and ankle deformities, surgical treatment of various foot fractures, and the use of a new implant for hammertoe correction that does not require the use of pins. Dr. Cuttica also regularly lectures at national orthopaedic conferences.
Currently, Dr. Cuttica is a reviewer for the peer-reviewed journals Foot and Ankle International and Foot and Ankle Specialist. He serves on the editorial board for www.footeducation.com, an educational website peer-reviewed by orthopaedic surgeons with fellowship training in foot and ankle surgery. Dr. Cuttica is also an Assistant Professor of Clinical Orthopaedic Surgery at Georgetown University School of Medicine.
Areas Of Expertise
Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Surgery
Reconstructive Surgery; Sports-related Foot and Ankle Disorders
Cartilage Disorders
Ankle Replacement
Diabetic Limb Salvage
Dance Medicine
Foot and Ankle Surgery
Total Ankle Replacement
Medical Degree
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine; Athens, OH
Doctors Hospital and Grant Medical Center; Columbus, OH
Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Center; Columbus, OH
Advanced Certification in Total Ankle Replacement
American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
Professional Associations
- American Osteopathic Association
- Active Member, American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics
- Candidate Member, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- Candidate Member, American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society
Major Accomplishments
- American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) Award Winning Poster Presentation
- Robert L. Green Award
- Reviewer, Foot and Ankle Specialist
- Authored Numerous Peer Reviewed Journal Publications
Hospital Affiliations
- Inova Fairfax Hospital
- Inova Fair Oaks Hospital
- Virginia Hospital Center
Affiliated Surgery Centers
Advanced Surgery Center of Bethesda
Fairfax Surgery Center
Inova McLean Surgery Center


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Basketball Mania For PC (Windows & MAC)
Download Basketball Mania for PC/Mac/Windows 7,8,10 and have the fun experience of using the smartphone Apps on Desktop or personal computers.
Description and Features of Basketball Mania For PC:
New and rising Sports Game, Basketball Mania developed by Mouse Games for Android is available for free in the Play Store. Before we move toward the installation guide of Basketball Mania on PC using Emulators, here is the official Google play link for Basketball Mania, You can read the Complete Features and Description of the App there.
|Basketball Mania
|Mouse Games
|Last updated:
|November 3, 2016
|Content Rating:
|Android Req:
|2.1 and up
|Total Installs:
|10,000,000 – 50,000,000
|Google Play URL:
Also Read: Pandora® Radio For PC (Windows & MAC).
Android & iOS Apps on PC:
PCAppStore.us helps you to install any App/Game available on Google Play Store/iTunes Store on your PC running Windows or Mac OS. You can download apps/games to the desktop or your PC with Windows 7,8,10 OS, Mac OS X or you can use an Emulator for Android or iOS to play the game directly on your personal computer. Here we will show you that how can you download and install your fav. Game Basketball Mania on PC using the emulator, all you need to do is just follow the steps given below.
Steps to Download Basketball Mania for PC:
1. For the starters Download and Install BlueStacks App Player. Take a look at the Guide here: How To Install Android Apps for PC via BlueStacks.
2. Upon the Completion of download and install, open BlueStacks.
3. In the next step click on the Search Button in the very first row on BlueStacks home screen.
4. Now in the search box type 'Basketball Mania' and get the manager in Google Play Search.
5. Click on the app icon and install it.
6. Once installed, find Basketball Mania in all apps in BlueStacks, click to open it.
7. Use your mouse's right button/click to use this application.
8. Follow on-screen instructions to learn about Basketball Mania and play it properly
9. That's all.


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Shop Announcement:
Happy New Year!
All pieces are handmade by myself in my shed studio in West Mersea, Near Colchester, Essex
Most pieces are made from scratch, to your required size. A few pieces are ready to dispatch.
Thank you
Copper Circle Silver Ring, Stacking Sterling Silver Mixed Metal Rings
This modern design ring makes an ideal gift, worn on its own or stacked with other slim band rings.
The ring has been handmade from 1.5mm sterling silver wire which ring shape has been formed and soldered. Soldered onto the silver ring is a hand-sawn copper circle which has been stamped with the letter V to create a contemporary design.
The pattern on the ring has been oxidised to enhance it's appearance against the shinny copper.
The ring takes between 3 - 5 days to make, and is made to your required ring size.
If you need any assistance in finding the size you need do feel free to message me.
The ring is dispatched by special delivery and sent in a gift wrapped ring box.
Thank you very much for taking a look.
Shipping & delivery
This item will be posted to you by Helen Burgess Jewellery within 5 days of receiving payment.
|Shipping destination
|Additional items
|United Kingdom
Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Germany, France, Spain, Finland, Belgium, Portugal, Poland, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Austria, Latvia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey
|USA and Canada
|Rest of the World
Returns Policy
You have 14 days, from receipt, to notify the seller if you wish to cancel your order or exchange an item.
Unless faulty, the following types of items are non-refundable: items that are personalised, bespoke or made-to-order to your specific requirements; items which deteriorate quickly (e.g. food), personal items sold with a hygiene seal (cosmetics, underwear) in instances where the seal is broken.


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Hope rises in NSE as MTN taps July 2017 for listing
According to a reliable source, MTN may have fixed 'this specific date' to debunk wide-spread insinuations that it was really not keen on actually being listed on the Nigerian bourse, and was only buying time with the plan.
This is to enable it's continue to benefit from the discount granted it on the initial fine sum of N1.04 trillion (about $5.2 billion) that had been slammed on it by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Shortly after announcing its plan to hit the floor of the market last month, some industry watchers actually expressed skepticism over the promise, describing the pronouncement as a way of appealing for consideration over the N1.04 trillion slammed on it as fine for missing a deadline to disconnect 5.1 million unregistered subscribers.
Meanwhile, the plan by the telecoms giant to list next year is already creating excitement, with some industry experts positing that the offer would very likely be oversubscribed when it comes to the trading floor. They also express their optimism that other telecoms operators may before long also become listed in the nation's capital market.
Speaking with BH, an investor in the stock market, Mr. Chris Adams, said the move by MTN will revolutionise the declining value of the market.
According to him, "It is a welcome development which I believe many Nigerians will like to experiment with. As unattractive as the stock market is today, I am optimistic that the MTN listing can lift the market. I will not hesitate to go for the offer."
Recently, it was reported that some local stock broking firms have started lobbying to be part of the proposed listing. But many of them may also be acting in anticipation for the market's rebound.
MTN Group which is currently valued at about $18 billion nets about 40% of the group's profits from MTN Nigeria. With this one can infer that MTN Nigeria could be worth about $7.2 billion. The Nigerian Stock Exchange on the other hand is valued at about N9 trillion ($32 billion). Based on our back of the envelope calculation therefore, the projection is that this single additional listing on the bourse will increase the NSE market value by about 22%.
Since one of the major reasons people invest in any company's shares is for capital gains in the form of dividends and bonuses, the planned listing by MTN is however being viewed with mixed feelings among some analysts.
On the reverse side for example, fears are being expressed by some prospective investors of MTN on the consequent post-listing viability of the firm in the market on account of the drag that the NCC fine which is yet to be fully paid would impose on it and thus lead to a reduction in its profits in the next few years.
When BH contacted MTN Nigeria's public relations and protocol manager, Mr. Funso Aina, there was no response. Also there was no reply to the text sent to his phone before the paper went to bed.
Commenting on the resolve of the service provider to list, the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) Chairman, Mr. Deolu Ogunbanjo, said the telecoms industry would be better off as other operators may also be competing with MTN in stock market.
"It is right step in the right direction. This is what we have been canvassing for over the years, so that our people will have a sense of belonging. This will further empower Nigerians and also protect the interest of MTN. It will be a win-win situation," Ogunbanjo explained.
Shortly after announcing its listing plan, MTN had appointed Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited (together with its affiliates, The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited and Standard Advisory London Limited) and Citigroup Global Markets Limited as its Joint Transaction Advisors and Joint Global Coordinators with Stanbic acting as Lead Issuing House.
The company has been paying dividends every year since 2004 which could be linked to its profit-making capability.
Analysts wager that the benefits of MTN Nigeria listing on the floor of NSE cannot be underestimated. Government will get real value taxes and also gain immensely.
The charges of 5% VAT on commission and fees paid to stockbrokers when shares are bought and sold also offer a boost to the country's economy.
Speaking with BH, the Managing Director of High Cap Securities, Mr. David Adonri, said the MTN listing would buoy the already depressed capital market. But he also stressed that if pressure is not mounted on the telecoms giant, it may yet defer its listing plan.
"It will be a very exciting phase in the history of Nigerian capital market if MTN Nigeria hits the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange as promised. But the reality is that the economy, including the market is in a depressed state. With this development, MTN has the strength and image to make good its promise with positive results in the market," Adonri said.
MTN Group recently reported a $357 million half-year loss and cut dividend payouts. The significant loss was attributed to a hefty regulatory fine in Nigeria and underperformance in its South African home market.
The telecom firm admitted that the fine, a third of the initial penalty, wiped off 474 cents per share, from headline earnings. MTN Nigeria under-performance gave rise to the negative operational results for half-year 2016
To further prove the high probability of MTN listing its shares in the market through Initial Private Offer (IPO), the Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, last week disclosed that the Federal government is proposing to introduce a bill called the Communication Service Tax CST bill which seeks to levy a 9% tax on telecommunication subscribers for users of various communication services such as voice call, SMS, MMS, Data usage from telecommunication service providers, internet service providers and Pay TV Stations.
The bill is being considered as a way to help increase the revenue generation capacity of the Federal government.
According to the Minister, "I have been reliably informed that the projected earnings from this effort is over N20 billion every month, which is an attraction to the government for funding our budget deficits. I must be quick to say that this government has a human face twined around its decisions."
While MTN's plan to list on the floor of NSE has created high hopes in many people within and outside the country, some industry watchers are expressing reservations over what they term its likely negative impact in an already bearish market.
© 2016, Hallmarknews. All rights reserved. Reference and link to this site is required if you wish to reuse any article.


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Instagram is the social media platform of the moment! We all like flicking through the pretty photos, being nosey and seeing what everyone is up to! But there is a lot of value and learning which can be taken away from certain accounts!
I follow a LOT of fitness instagram accounts so it was hard just choosing these top 5. But I think you would all gain something from following them all!
Alex was my first trainer when I joined the gym for the very first time when i was 17 and trying to get fit for a hockey tour to Australia. He has since moved away and now works in London. He uploads workout videos on the daily. They are always entertaining to watch and are brilliant for helping with workout ideas and exercises to try (some are certainly more achievable than others!) He tends to forget his shirt quite a bit too….
Alice currently has 481,000 followers on Instagram, so if you are interested in fitness then the chances are you are already following her! But if you are not then you should be! Her page is full of yummy recipe and meal ideas, as well as some workout videos. She is extremely likeable and relatable too. Downside is, whenever she posts food it always makes me super hungry!!
Hazel is a full time Junior Doctor as well as fitness blogger and youtuber. How she fits everything I genuinely do not know! Her posts are also a mixture of foodie ideas and workout snaps. If I am ever in need of some motivation then I usually head to her social media as it shows me what is possible with my time and to just get on with it! If you have a crazy work schedule too and struggle to fit in work and prep food, then I suggest you go check her out as she is always giving tips on maximising workout time as well as what is in her lunchbox!
Amanda is an American youtuber based in Los Angeles. She is a bikini competitor and is about to enter her first power lifting competition as well. I really enjoy the content of her videos and instagram, as she is always trying to give you information on a certain topic. She doesn't just go down the line of posting the standard 'booty shot' every time she enters the gym. Her captions are usually pretty long and worth taking the extra few moments to read!
The Glute Guy. I am not sure he needs any more of an introduction! He is my go to for choosing the best glute exercises as he is scientific based so everything he talks and writes about is research and evidence backed. If you see me performing a weird and wonderful exercise in the gym, then 9 times out of 10 I have got the idea from him! He tends to write up a lot of his own workouts as well as those which he does in 'the Glute Lab' and it is always really interesting to see what he is currently doing but also why!
PS. If you are not following me on there yet, then i would love you to do so! I share a lot more of my daily happenings over there! Click this link to see!
Who are your favourite instagrammers and why?!
Love Abi xxxx
January Blog a Day 13/31


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|Image Credit
The bright citrus colors automatically made me think of an old, but much loved Stampin' Up set in my collection called Citrus and Such. I also knew that I had created a sentiment with one of my all-time favorite sayings that would work for this so a big part of my design was decided in just the first few minutes of seeing the image and this is the card I ultimately created.
I used some of the smaller stamps in the set to create my background, a larger lemon slice and some die cut leaves to help draw some attention to my digitally printed sentiment and some bright yellow ribbon to finish it off.
Here's the sentiment... just remember that you may use my freebies in any of your personal crafting projects but if you'd like to share it with others I ask that you post a link back to this post so that they can come and download it and see this usage policy. Please do not sell it in any form, pin it, repost it or claim it as your own. Just click on it and then use the 'download linked file' or 'save as' command to save it to your computer.
Happy Crafting!
STAMPS: Citrus & Such (Stampin Up), Sentiment Digi (mine - you can download it here)
PAPER: Accent Opaque Smooth 80# White, Recollections Solids (Michael's)
INKS: Lemon Drop, Orange Fizz & Sour Apple (My Favorite Things)
DIES: Labels Eighteen (Spellbinders), Royal Leaves (My Favorite Things)
OTHER: Grosgrain Ribbon (Michael's)
BASICS: BASICS: Click HERE to check out my crafting tool bag.


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- 71% of millennials would rather visit the dentist than their bank (me included)
- 73% would be more interested in financial offerings from Google and Amazon than from high street banks
- 33% believe that banks will be unnecessary within 5 years and are open to switching banks in the next 90 days (Scratch/ Viacom Media Networks, 2016)
So how can the banking sector engage this digitally savvy, disloyal and demanding audience?
Gone are the days when reps from the high street banks rocked up at Fresher's Week and recruited their customers for life – the 4 UK leading banks are now among millennials' 10 least-loved brands. These digital natives – cash and time-strapped but with high expectations – know what they want and a group of challenger banks are lined up in the race to win them over.
So what do they want and who's winning?
- Ease of transaction and transparency – multiple passwords and not knowing if your payment to account number 007007, sort code 00-70-07 has actually reached James Bond are no-nos
- Real-time information – most banking updates are instant but contactless, albeit an excellent innovation, often doesn't show up for a couple of days
- Personalisation – millennials love it
- Money management tools – to see where they're spending their pennies and meet targets
- …and innovative and digital, preferably an app, The 'Uber' of banking
Since the relaxation of banking rules in 2012 and the launch of the Current Account Switching Service (2013), the Prudential Regulatory Authority and FCA have received 45 banking licence applications! Of these, four large digital challenger banks emerged – Monzo, Atom Bank, Starling Bank and Tandem. Combined they raised £332m through crowdfunding and VCs (Real Business, 2017). These players are still jostling for position – most are still in beta and vulnerable to setbacks. Let's look at four…
- Monzo…the best for prepaid cards
- This pioneering, mobile-only bank has grabbed millennial's attention for more reasons than its snazzy, coral card
- Monzo has just been granted a full, unrestricted banking license by the regulators, having smashed a second crowdfunding record
- Future plans include current accounts, one-click access to third-party financial prod
ucts, retailer loyalty and discount schemes, price comparison sites, investments and even the possibility of switching utility provider or filing your tax return – all this as part of a move toward "banking as a marketplace"
What do we think?
- Monzo has brought a buzz to the banking customer experience by energising it with personalisation – photographs of users, emojis and effective word-of-mouth marketing with 'Willy Wonka-style' golden ticket referrals
- They have created a community which appeals to millennials and engages users in the company's development. The website encourages suggestions (open innovation) and the transparent publishing of their product roadmap on the website increases trust in the brand
- Starling Bank…the best for current accounts
- Starling's goal is simply to build "the world's best current account", no initial prepaid card. They call themselves a 'tech startup with a banking licence' and have partnered with TransferWise to provide cheaper international money transfers and Moneybox to give customers access to a suite of saving and investing tools
- They offer real-time balance check (Starling Pulse) and notifications, overdraft facility with adjustable limits and biometric identification by video
- They are the first UK licensed bank to launch a public PSD2-ready API, the first challenger bank to offer Faster Payments and organise hackathons to encourage open innovation
What do we think?
- Of all the challenger banks, Starling is the most mysterious and guarded about future plans,
but we particularly like their idea of personalised current account numbers and their planned use of AI to offer a personal assistant service, suggesting an alternative coffee shop if you're spending too much at Starbucks
- Atom Bank…the best for savings
- Atom Bank was one of the first challengers to launch, in April 2016 and so far have focused on savings and mortgages. Their USP is high savings rates (until March the best in the market) and low mortgage rates – their new29 % five-year fixed rate is by far the lowest ever seen (the next comparable deal is 1.74% from First Direct
- They are 'UX-ing' banking with personalised colour-themes and logos and selfie and voice biometric log-ins
- In future, Atom plans to use 3D animation and sound to engage its customers through its gaming platform Unity
What do we think?
- While I fancy having my personalised 'Amelia's bank', Atom's current offering seems to target older millennials – younger, cash-strapped millennials will be less interested in a bank offering mortgages and savings products than a payment card or current account, which Atom will only be launching this year
- The 'What's in Store' page on their site engages potential users by informing them of future plans eg. current accounts, instant access savers and credit cards
- …the best for price comparisons
- Newbie Tandem suffered a set-back in March 2017, losing its banking license after funding from a Chinese conglomerate failed due to China's overseas capital controls
- While currently unable to offer full banking services,
robo-based Tandem will for the moment provide a price comparison service. In the future they are hoping to be 'corporate's worst nightmare' – giving customers actionable insights into where they can save by switching eg. energy supplier and then actually switching them
What do we think?
- The fun, animated website gets our vote
- The 'co-founder' community engages millennials by working in 'tandem' with customers to build a bank which reflects their needs (they also offer drinks parties)!
- Tandem stands to increase healthy competition in industries way beyond banking
These are just 4 of a multitude of fintechs looking to revolutionise the world of banking for the next generation – check out also exciting Revolut, Loot and Curve. All challengers offer an enhanced customer experience and increased transparency which was lacking in the incumbent banks, but as yet all are lacking a full product offering. As such they are complementary rather than substitute products. If they want to win back millennials, high street banks should snap up these baby banks in their infancy and allow them to flourish and grow with an independent identity.


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I had this last night too, or something similar. A pop-up "celebrating 10 years of Spark" (wtf?) inviting me to click their link to win something. I just closed it.
The problem with scammers like this is if you close a number down they're using, they'll just open up a new one 5 minutes later, maybe even with a different carrier and under a different name. It's almost like operating one step behind/playing catch-up with scams like these.


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I am an admitted travel junkie. I spend up to 70% of my time making adventures around this work connecting to the beauty of the people and nature all around. In order to get where I'm going I have to get on an airplane.
I make the most of the time I have at airports like this one shown here in SouthEast Asia by practicing #yoga that doesn't require a mat or special yoga clothes.
If you look at my www.alchemyofyoga.com website you'll find all sorts of sequences that do not require touching the ground with your hands. This is built upon a "no downdogs allowed" concept so one doesn't have to be wary of germs or not having the right equipment.
The types of flows I offer are: 1) Standing (like shown here) 2) seated in airport chair 3) using a wall. Enjoy and make the most of the opportunities for Yoga at the Airport. Love yourself, love your day, love your life! Silvia


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Homemade submarine used to smuggle cocaine in Ecuador
If smuggling cocaine onto an airplane sounds dicey, then imagine navigating 2,000 miles on the open sea in a homemade submarine with half a ton of the white stuff and no oxygen tanks.
This 30-foot fiberglass sub can dive just 15 feet and stay under for a maximum of 15 minutes — barely long enough for passing coastguard patrols to disappear. It has no toilet, kitchen or, for that matter, legroom....read more: http://voxxi.com/2014/02/21/smuggling-cocaine-in-ecuador/


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Spencer Spit State Park is a 138-acre marine and camping park situated on Lopez Island in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The park is named for the lagoon-enclosing sand spit on which it rests.
Sunday, April 09, 2017
beautiful. I love this area and the differing ecosystems. state park pass required
Saturday, July 23, 2016
Great beach hike with excellent views of ship traffic. Kids had fun endlessly examining the seashells and even saw a live crab in a tide pool. Hike in an out from parking lot is short but steep.
Saturday, June 01, 2013
Great picnic spot.
Tuesday, February 05, 2013
Short Hike on beautiful beach - can see the WDOT Ferries! Small open house gives the history of Spencer himself!


text: So at Erynn's school they have a car show every year. They use it to learn about transportation and have to actually make a car out of a cardboard box. They then have a "car parade" around the block, then they returned to school and went to a "drive in" movie...complete with popcorn. I won't lie, it isn't my favorite day of the year, but the kids really seem to love it!


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10 o'clock at night, passing through a little town in Western Romania. The name seems irrelevant – I can't imagine I'm ever coming back. There's a McDonald's on the side of the road. Unappealing food seems a fair trade for a quick meal, plus free Wi-Fi. While stopped try yet again to reach somebody in Paris, get a hold of Maite, a girl from Paris I'd previously met traveling in Thailand. She graciously agrees to help and find out what's actually required to fix the registration and to come play interpreter with me when I do finally make Paris (It will be Wednesday morning!). A tiny little space deep inside fights off a little of the all-consuming anger, and tries out hope. The hope's got an uphill battle.
2.30 in the morning, still going strong. Just crossed over from Romania into Hungary. Nothing's really changed. There's a better road coming up closer to Budapest, but we're not there yet – these roads are still built to Romanian standards. Shortly past the new and improved EU-style border (read: completely unattended on the Hungarian side), I attract the attention of a bored Hungarian policeman on the side of the road. He invites me out of the car and points out that the fog lights are a problem (apparently 'problem' in Hungarian sounds a lot like 'problem' in English). Not really in the mood to deal with this, so I just nod and stand there. He moves on to examine the rear of the car, upon learning that I don't have any alcohol or cigarettes, seems to thoroughly lose interest. I drive off, with my bright lights glaring irately. I think he tries to say something else as I'm pulling away, but I'm not really inclined to listen, and he's clearly got better things to do himself, like find people that have alcohol or cigarettes. 30 minutes later I decide to stop, get some sleep, and drive in the morning when there will be no more headlights games to be played.
Austria welcomes me with rain. It's the first country in the Euro zone, so I'm clearly getting closer to Paris (and further from Mongolia…) They even have an exchange shop right at the border, which happily takes my British pounds, Czech kronas, and Romanian somethings. They won't touch the Bulgarian and Albanian money. A bank in Paris would later refuse to touch them too, I think I'm stuck with some souvenirs, just in case I decide to return to Bulgaria and Albania one day. Buoyed by new found wealth, decide to actually be a law-abiding citizen and purchase a vignette for Austrian highways, since I am planning to cover the entire country. 15 minutes later, I speak with Maite, who's checked with La Prefecture in Paris, who appears to have no interest in seeing my car, so turn right around and head to Bratislava, Slovakia for the nearest airport to catch a flight to Paris. File away the Austrian vignette as a souvenir too – sadly, it can't be reused on any subsequent visits.
Same evening, I'm in Paris. Paris feels oddly surreal – much like Berlin and Bangkok had felt before, all cities I've returned to after having previously visited on the trip, so while I'm still certainly a stranger in Paris, I'm not feeling particularly lost. In the morning, I've met up with Maite, and am right back at La Prefecture in Sarcelle. I feel the Liberté, égalité, fraternité sign above the entrance door is mocking me… urge to kill rising! Later to be replaced with urge to drive the car to Paris just so I can smash it through the front doors of La Prefecture and park it in their lobby, maybe then they can check the VIN number on it? My favorite Prefecture employee from last time, commonly referred to as the 'bitch in yellow' doesn't appear to be here – minor victory for mankind! Instead, we have a conversation with a guy who seems nice enough, albeit not at all helpful:
[me] – I need to correct the VIN number on my registration
[him] – you need to produce a document with the correct number
- I don't have one of those
- you have to go to the archives
- can I get it from the archives?
- no, they get destroyed after 5 years
- so how do I correct a number from a car registered 27 years ago?
- you need to get the document from the archives
Urge to kill rising… Eventually, it is determined that I can get an official document from the manufacturer confirming that my car has the VIN number I claim it has, and then La Prefecture might actually be willing to change one of their precious documents. The fact that the mini was manufactured by Rover, which doesn't exist anymore doesn't seem to bother them, or really even intrude on their collective consciousness.
Make a trip to a new mini dealership – they politely point out they only came into existence in 2001, and can't help me with my 1981 car. Try a few Land Rover dealers. On the way to the second one, it occurs to me that I might be cycling through the, seven is it?, stages of grief – I'm not about to let go of the anger, but I do wonder if the inclination to just ditch the car and go hang out on an island somewhere in a remote part of the Indian Ocean, where no one speaks French, falls under denial? The last Land Rover dealer agrees with all his colleagues that their company has nothing whatsoever to do with my Rover, but he does speak English, and has a friend who's owned several classic mini's. A few calls, and four phone numbers later, we arrive at a guy who seems to actually know how to deal with this sort of situation. Not sure what his specific connection to the Rover manufacturer is, but if he can produce a document to ameliorate the people at La Prefecture, I'll be happy to crown him the king of all mini's everywhere!
I wasn't quite in the mood to take a whole of pictures during this detour, but a few sites from Eastern Europe:
A few hours before the Moldovan customs seriously ruined my day… Roadside snack while still merrily on the way East.
Forests and mountains of Transylvania
An alien spaceship was once shot down over Czechoslovakia, but the MiB have turned it into an 'exotic' bridge.
The mini has been left lonely and vulnerable at the Bratislava airport.


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Category / Personal
Protected: somewhat periodic update (unpleasant and otherwise)
Protected: Thinking about life in four (or maybe five) songs
23 years….
Didn't really want to write this in English and, not likely, will be jumping in and out of Spanish as I go... here we go.
I have 4 touch points every year. Those of you who know me know what these touch points represent but, just in case:
- 27 March: Moved to the US as a permanent resident
- 18 June: Dad's birthday (choose to celebrate his birth and life rather than his death on 22 December)
- 25 September: My Birthday
- 31 December: End of year review
This time, for the first time, I've been debating whether I want to stay or not and all the additional baggage that creates and adds to the already baggage heavy mess that is my life.
This March (27th at 0700 Eastern time if you have to know) marks 23 years since I moved to the US (cue Sting's Englishman in New York) and the beginning of a hell of an adventure. I'm positive my life would have taken a far different turn had I stayed in Chile... good or bad I'll never be able to tell and, to be honest, I don't think I want to.
Which makes it even harder to evaluate the impact of the past 5 months on me and what's around me.
I'm privileged and one lucky son of a bitch... I will be the first one to admit that. Even more so since I left FireEye and have been able to do so much in the last few years. I've traveled and I've learned. I've been able to dictate most terms of my life in a way that I've been happy with, with no compromises, and not incuring any financial debt. However, that stability is predicated on a couple thins, like being able to get insurance while not employed (considering I have a pre-existing condition) and being certain that I can enter the country without a problem when I return from overseas travel.
I'm seeing how the first of those requirements is evaporating right before my eyes. As I write this (early march, 2017) congress is voting on a full repeal and replace of the ACA but, if I'm understanding this correctly, the provisions for pre-existing conditions wil be significantly more expensive, if they are available at all. This means that I have to have a full time job or have no isurance... or be denied left, right and center, just like what happened before the ACA was passed.
The second one is more insidious because it may just be paranoia speaking. My other concern is what will happen to naturalized citizens who choose to travel abroad? We didn't think they'd do it to residents or poeple who fought to get in the country legally, did we? This has become such a big fucking mess of us against them and Christian white "majority" against everyone else that it makes me sick... it makes me want to just crawl under a rock and hide there. I'll leave aside the issue I have with denaturalization and how that can become a weapon against immigrants in the future but it is a concern and it is something to be cognizant about.
Let's assume, for a second, that the travel restriction requirement is a figment of my imagination and that everything will be ok. Then what, what to do and where to go... There are many places calling and many reasons why I shouldn't heed the call.
Part of me has been debating whether to go back to Santiago or not and it's not a recent event. I remember when I was there in 1999/2000 and how alien it really felt. I couldn't tell why it afected me so much, how much it had changed or how much I had.
Miro la ciudad, un fantasma sin edad
Después del amor
La lluvia y el smog dibujan a pincel
Tu cuerpo en el balcón
No hay luz en el bar, nadie espera un tren
No hay coches en el boulevard
Y aquí puedo escuchar, el ruido de las estrellas
Cayendo sobre el mundo
Everything, everyone has changed, that's unavoidable. But if the changes involve feeling like an alien in the place you grew up in it's a different story, or is it?
I've always said that the years I haven't been there changed the way I see the place, that not being there for weddings, child births and other milestones in my and my friends' lives changes the way you relate to them and they to you.
¡Ah! cómo hemos cambiado
Que lejos ha quedado
Aquella amistad
Así como el viento lo abandona todo al paso
Así con el tiempo todo es abandonado
Cada beso que se da (cada beso que se da)
Alguien lo abandonará
Así con los años unidos a la distancia
Fue así como tú y yo perdimos la confianza
Cada paso que se dio, (cada paso que se dio)
Algo más nos abandonó
Ok, it's not Santiago... then what? Can I Afford to travel this year at all?
I have to be realistic enough to consider that may not be a posibility
The butterfly effect
The first time I heard about the butterfly effect was in a short story by Asimov... can't remember the title but it had to do with time travel and the results of not following the rules; let's say that the results were not pleasant.
The butterfly effect video below caught my attention not just because of the technical prowess that the demoscene implies but also the lyrics 🙂
Protected: Does it ever end?
Protected: If home is where the heart is then where is home?
2016 in review… (WIP)
2016 is coming to an end and with it another year of balances and patterns found, goals achieved and other goals appearing in the horizon for the first time and some other things both unexpected and others expected but unwanted.
I'll do the review in reverse chronological order to make it easier to get the bad things out of the way and move on to the good, the awesome, the incredible.
Holiday Season
THe holiday season has never been a really pleasant one. I don't like the idea of gifts and I have to contend with having lost my dad for one more year every holiday season. He passed away from complications of cirrhosis of the liver and that has always factored in what I do and how I do things. This year it hit me hard; I don't know if it was the dismal political season and the eye opening revelations about some of the people I considered my close friends but it has also made me wonder about something that popped in my mind as I started writing this (12/23) and it has to do with where my dad grew up and where he lived most of his life.
Antofagasta is a small city (compared to Santiago) and if you're popular (at least during dad's high school years) you were known everywhere and by everyone in your group. Moving to Santiago must have been a shock to his system where he had to start all over again without family support, being younger than most. Don't know the details but I do have to wonder how much of an impact, if any, this life had in him.
I posted it elsewhere but there were two instances where I lost faith in him. When he declined the PhD scholarship to Spain and when he decided to stay single by choice. As it happened with mom years later it would have benefited me, doing high school and maybe a year or two of University in Spain would have led to a very different path but that's another story better told elsewhere.
Q4 (October through December)
Since late November I've been goofing off and writing and researching technologies that I had put on hold when I realized that I couldn't do much of the work I wanted at the quality I wanted while working my ass off.
I got some travelling and conferences done this year too 🙂 I was in london for 2 weeks. Part to go to the Polymer summit, part to make up what I didn't make in September (more later) and part to travel, have fun and relax. I documented the trip and the adventures, the learning and the fun.
I documented the trip on my personal blog (Post filed under London 2016 and London Calling in particular)
After I came back from London I spent a week recovering and working on the get back to the grove of things before jumping into conferences up the wazoo. I was absolutely exhausted but the payout for the three conferences I attended was huge.
An Event Apart and Books in browsers opened my eyes to possibilities and potential of how do we move forward and merge all these awesome technologies to create experiences that will have large impact on our ussers.
Chrome Dev Summit is a strange beast to me. On the one had it's a great place to learn about the way Google sees the future (at least the coming year) of the web and the technologies it embraces. On the other hand it's Google's vision and it's not necessaily shared with other vendors. Most of the time it's ok... Microsoft and Opera are mostly aligned to the same vision and Mozilla and Apple have proved it's not really worth it as developers to fully interact with them...
We'll have to see where things go in this area 🙂
Q3 (June [actually July] through September)
This quarter was my dream come true. I worked at Google developing curriculum for an ILT program for progressive web applications.
It wasn't expected and it wasn't something I anticipated. It was serendipitous and it was random. Udacity posted a job offering for Google... I applied thinking I wasn't going to get it and let it sit there for a few days... thinking it was going to turn into a rejection or not hearing anything from them at all as it happened many times before.
This was also shortly before memorial day so I knew it was going to be a while before I would get my rejection. Imagine my surprise when I get an email from my manager-to-be asking if I'm interested... long story short, I'm asked to submit samples of Github repos and followed up the next day saying I was hired.
I guess I should put this in some context beyond the "fuck yeah, I got the job". Ever since I moved to california Google had seemed like the unattainable goal... the one thing I wanted that I was never going to get. Over the years I realized that working for Google was a means to an end and not an end in and of itself (and it wasn't the only means to the end I had in mind.)
It was an awesome experience. I got to travel (first time in London) and I got to enjoy working with an awesome team and doing something I was really passionate about.
The most ironic aspect of this whole "work at Google" thing is that it happened when I had given up hope on ever working at Google... go figure
Q2 (April through June)
Even though I got the book in January I didn't start reading When Breath Becomes Air until I had calmed down from the "NTT Stress Nightmare". I actually tried to read it a couple times earlier in the year but stopped as I wasn't ready.
When breath becomes air and Being Mortal by Atul Gawande both make the case that how we die is just as important as how we live and in learning how to die well some of people learn to make choices to give them the best quality of life, however long that life may be.
For me this is both a reminder of my dad passing and how much I remember the quality of his remaining days went from acceptable, to bad, to worse, to he's dead and how long (or short as you may choose to use) it was between the different stages. It was about 3 months total.
Being Mortal in particular has also taught me to cherish the living here and now. There is no reason to save yourself and your life for later. The things you'll regret are not the things you did but the things you didn't do.
It is around this time that I started looking for work again. It didn't pan out until the end of the quarter but when it did it did so in very unexpected and rewarding ways.
Q1 (January through March)
By this time it had been 2 weeks since I had left NTT and the Juniper project. I hadn't realized how harmful that project was until I was already out of there. Just like when I left FireEye 2 years earlier I realized that I had no real reason to be there.
I did put the hours and I did put the work but it went unappreciated, I was criticized for things that were fully my right to do and had little to no support from my managers.
It was a very sobering thought that, when I first started considering if I should leave or not, I realized that I left too late to do me much good. I tried hard not to burn my boats but it was very tempting to ask "why am I still here if I'm performing so poorly" when I was criticized because I was not online... apparently when I was too busy trying to get shit done for the same project to pay attention to whinny bitches... it made me think a lot. It made me think and it made me question where my priorities really are.
What I've Learned and Moving Forward
These two quotes summarize better than I ever could what 2016 has been for me. One is new and talks about how short life is and how much we don't make full use of it.
"Everyone succumbs to finitude. I suspect I am not the only one who reaches this pluperfect state. Most ambitions are either achieved or abandoned; either way, they belong to the past.
The future, instead of the ladder toward the goals of life, flattens out into a perpetual present. Money, status, all the vanities the preacher of Ecclesiastes described, hold so little interest: a chasing after wind, indeed."
— Paul Kalanithi, When Breath Becomes Air
The other one is not so new but I've discovered a new dimension to it. Regret is a very powerful force and it will eat you if you let it... the only way to beat regret is to live life to its fullest and without regrets.
It's not the things we do in life that we regret on our death bed, it is the things we do not.
— Randy Pausch, Carnegie Mellon Commencement Speech, 2008
Going forward
You can't really be joyful if you can't be true to yourself, who you are and what you stand for. A lot of the time I fall back on principles and convictions as a way to avoid taking responsibility for our lives and actions. What story am I looking for in others that my own stories are not telling?
I'm finding that, more and more, the quality of presence that I seek to cultivate is being true to yourself and respectful of differences in opinion and character. I may not respect you as much as I once did but will listen to what you have to say and then move on with my decision.
2017 includes the possibility to go back to work with Sarah and the team at Google... don't know if it'll be the exact same team but the possibility sounds really intriguing as did the compliments I got when I asked about possible projects.
If Google falls through then what? The two ideals kinda fell through and I'm not going to get my hopes up that either of them will happen. Will follow up with both of them this week (week of 1/2) and see if anything develops from there
EBay fell through because I refuse to commit to anything for more than a year without re-evaluating where I'm at and if I'm still happy with what I'm doing and how I'm doing it. I need that ongoing feedback loop and I don't know how much of it I'd get if this was a long term project.
What story do you want to tell?
10 years blogging… and I didn't even notice
The first post in this version of the blog is dated September 4th, 2006. I remember living in my second Chico apartment as I typed it. The blog had lived for a year before in a Movable Type installation that I found to hard to manage and even harder to configure (much later I learned that I was running it incorrectly but oh, well...).
Going back through some of the posts it's also interesting to see how much has changed and how many things have stayed the same


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I like Mitt Romney. I supported him for the Republican nomination in 2008, and I support him now (and I have since the primaries began and the candidates were determined). I'm not looking for a Messiah in a presidential candidate, I'm looking for the best candidate, closest to my views, who can win. I believe that Mitt is well-suited to satisfy that criteria. But Mitt's got a conspicuous problem. He [more . . . ]
. . . and happy new year! Yesterday's Los Angeles Times features a cover story decrying money in politics. While the article's authors specifically address and negatively portray "Super PACs," their underlying premises are that: (1) large financial contributions on behalf of political campaigns by individuals and groups corrupts the political process; and (2) voters are unable to think for themselves. For the following reasons, neither premise holds true. Super [more . . . ]
I am voting for Romney. There, I said it. Unfortunately, I don't get to vote in the primary until June because I live in California, one of the few states where Obama is above water. I supported Romney in 2008 because he was the most conservative candidate who had a reasonable chance of getting elected. That is my basic guideline. OK, I stole it off of Bill Buckley but I [more . . . ]
Hello and welcome to Wake Up Winston! Since today is both Christmas and Hanukkah, it is a time of miracles and therefore a great time to start something new . . . like a blog. Given the nature of the day, I'll preface this blog's introduction by wishing you all a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, and a happy, healthy, successful, and prosperous New Year! The primary purpose of Wake [more . . . ]


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DENVER — As he plunked himself on one of Dan Reeves' office chairs six weeks ago, Ricky Hunley half-knew what was about to happen. Hunley had seen the charts, the ones that hang inside the Denver Bronco meeting room. He could read the numbers, for goodness sakes. And if he could read them, so could everyone else.
Tackles . . . Down.
Hustle points . . . Down.
Factor points--the number of times Hunley, an inside linebacker, made a positive impact on a play . . . Down. A lot.
So here he was, the costliest, most publicized, most awaited Bronco player since John Elway arrived here in 1983, glued to a chair like some sixth grader waiting to see the principal.
Reeves glanced up from his desk and then, in that tight South Carolina drawl, told Hunley, in so many words, that he stunk.


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The final contender to take on the current New Zealand flag has been chosen.
The dust hasn't quite settled for the blue and black silver fern design by Kyle Lockwood and its red counterpart could still take out the top spot after the final votes are counted.
New Zealanders now have to choose which of the two flags they prefer in the second referendum in March.
The preliminary results were out on Friday, with a 48.16 percent voter turnout and around 10 percent which were informal or invalid.
The Electoral Commission is expected to announce the final results tomorrow.
3 News


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Welcome to the Amsterdam Climbers network (Ambers)
If you have ANY old climbing rope, caribiners and or mallions then let me know!
Why? Well we have been contacted by an Animal Welfare Training Officer with the European Zoos and Aquariums Association, based in Artis Zoo.
They are trying to source some donations of old climbing rope, caribiners, mallions etc for a welfare and enrichment workshop in Yerevan Zoo, Armenia. (Next up wil…
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text:
By Don Osmond
Monday, Nov. 23, 2009
In case a holiday seems lost between Halloween and Christmas, may I remind you: Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Within a short eight-week time period, it's amazing how a holiday disappears in the shuffle of marketing attention. (But, we'll delve into the marketing foibles of commerce at a later date.)
Thanksgiving is a time for family reunions. A time to come together; sharing gratitude for one another, and the blessings we enjoy.
Family members arrive at their parent's home with side dishes to share. Cousins reunite to swap stories about what has happened since the last reunion.


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ITEM: Amethyst Beaded Necklace.
COMPOSITION: Silver.
GEMS: amethyst chips, oval 26 X 22 mm.
CONDITION: Estate Item, Excellent.
WEIGHT: 103.6 Grams.
MARKS: gold tone.
SIZE: 28" length pendant 1 1/4".
COMMENTS: Just purchased from a local estate, Amethyst chip necklace with a Sugilite pendant. Gushing lilac elegance, this necklace is crafted by hand with amethyst gems in myriad shapes and sizes. This necklace is fun and classy. This necklace is in good Estate Condition. Throughout history amethyst has been used to guard against drunkenness and is thought to be helpful in overcoming addiction. It has been used for hearing disorders, insomnia, headaches and other pain. Some sources suggest it is used to stabilize mental disorders.
Worn to make the wearer gentle and amiable. Amethyst powers include: dreams, healing, peace, love, spiritual upliftment, courage, psychism, protection against thieves, and happiness.
2 other shoppers are interested in this item
Fine Jewelry Watches Coins Antique & Estate Items~Sterling Silver & Unique Collectibles


text:
Client Center
Washings (Esophageal, Gastric, Urologic, Other)Indications
For detection and characterization of endoscopically identified gastrointestinal lesions; for the identification of some microbiologic pathogens (primarily Herpes, CMV and Candida).
Specimen Required
Endoscopically obtained washing (preferably at least 10 ml) of the region of the suspected lesion.
1. Standard endoscopy equipment.
2. Clean plastic specimen container(s).
3. Specimen Requisition
4. Specimen Bag with a biohazard label
Collection Procedure
Using standard endoscopy technique, lavage the area of interest using a physiologic solution. Aspirate the solution and place in a clean specimen container. Label the container with the correct patient information and submit FRESH, WITHOUT FIXATIVE, with the completed request form to CPA. If transport of the specimen will be delayed, the specimen should be refrigerated until transport to the lab.
Detection of suspected malignancy utilizing lavage specimens obtained from cystoscopy (bladder washing, urethral washings); staging of urologic malignancies.
Specimen Required
10 ml (or more) of an appropriately collected cystoscopically derived specimen.
1. Standard cystoscopy equipment
2. Clean collection container of appropriate size.
3. Specimen Requisition
4. Specimen Bag with a biohazard label
Collection Procedure
1. Using standard cystoscopy technique, obtain washing specimens, carefully
denoting specific specimen sites for each specimen on the requisition.
2. Submit the specimen FRESH, WITHOUT FIXATIVE to CPA(within 12 hours)
along with the completed cytology request form. If transport or processing will be
delayed, the specimen should be refrigerated.
3. If DNA ploidy studies are desired, please indicate on the requisition form.
NOTE: Current laboratory policy is to perform DNA ploidy studies only on specimens that show abnormal cytologic findings. If the cytology portion of the examination is negative, DNA ploidy studies will be cancelled by the pathologist unless otherwise specified by the submitting physician.
Complete test requisition including last and first name of patient, patient's date of birth and social security number, body site and source of specimen collected. Label specimen container (using the labels provided on the requisition) with patient's first name and last name, and body site/source. The container must have at least two (2) unique identifiers. Examples of unique identifiers: patient name, DOB, unique bar code, etc. Include pertinent clinical information, i.e., previous malignancy, radiation therapy, drugs, etc. Place container in a specimen bag with a biohazard label. Place the requisition in the side pocket of the specimen bag.
Cunningham Pathology
924 Montclair Road, Suite 200, Birmingham, Alabama 35213 P: 888.553.8584 F: 205.591.5051
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