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Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula
1918 (Mintjilpirri, Western Australia) - 2001
Country: Ilpili
Nationality: Australian
Language group: Pintupi
Johnny Warangkula was born in Mintjilpirri, south of Lake Mackay around 1918. Johnny first encountered white civilization in 1930 when he hid in a tree upon seeing a plane, which he understood to be a devil. In 1932 he met an Adelaide University expedition at Mt. Liebig and afterwards, his family moved to Hermannsburg, where Johnny worked as a labourer constructing the airstrip. He continued working in construction, moving around different parts of the desert. In 1954, Johnny was chosen, along with Nosepeg Tjupurrula, as an Aboriginal representative to meet Queen Elizabeth II. Johnny was serving on the Papunya Council when Geoffrey Bardon arrived at the settlement in 1971 and when painting started. Johnny acquired painting material and soon developed his own personal style. He was the first to use the dotting technique to describe vegetation, often applying several layers of overdotting. Johnny remained an important force in the painting movement until the mid 1980s, when his failing eyesight reduced his artistic output. His work often depicted Water Dreaming stories, as well as Yam, Fire, Dingo, Wallaby and Egret. In 1996-97, Johnny took up painting again, executing rough expressionist works inspired by his main Dreamings.
Selected exhibitions:
2018: EXPO Chicago, SmithDavidson Gallery, Chicago, USA
2015: Signs and Traces - Contemporary Aboriginal Art. Cultural institute Zamek. Poznan, Poland
2011: 'Origins of Western Desert Art: Tjukurrtjanu', The Ian Potter Centre, National Gallery of Victory, Melbourne
2001: 'Icons of Australian Aboriginal Art,' Singapore.
1999: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco , USA
1999: 'Tjinytjilpa', Embassy of Australia, Washington, USA;
1999: Flinders Art Museum Flinders University, Adelaide
1993: Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth
1991: Lowe Art Museum, University of Miami, USA;
1989: Australian National Gallery, Canberra
1989: Westpac Gallery, Melbourne
1989: 'Mythscapes', National Gallery of Victoria Melbourne
1988: Wagga Wagga City Art Gallery
1982: London, England
1982: Brisbane Festival
1982: Georges Gallery, Melbourne
1981: National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Holmes a Court Queensland Art Gallery
National Gallery of Victoria
Art Gallery of South Australia
National Museum of Australia Canberra
Orange Regional
Gallery Alice Springs Law Courts
Museum Art Gallery of the Northern Territory Darwin
Flinders University Art Museum
South Australian Museum
Art Gallery of NSW
Artist's locations
view work by Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula
Related artists
- Candy Nakamarra
- Deborah Young Nakamarra
- Debra Nakamarra
- Esther Giles Nampitjinpa
- Peggy Brown Nampitjinpa
- Tjawina Porter Nampitjinpa
- Nyurapayia Nampitjinpa
- Kayi Kayi Nampitjinpa
- Lola Brown Nampitjinpa
- Margaret Brown Nangala
- Theresa Campbell Nangala
- Eva Nelson Napaltjarri
- Monica Robertson Napaltjarri
- Tjunkiya Napaltjarri
- Nancy Gibson Napanangka
- Lorna Ward Napanangka
- Jillian Giles Napanangka
- Barbara Reid Napangardi
- Sabrina Granites Napangardi
- Nyanyuma Napangati
- Gail Porter Napangati
- Kay Rubuntja Naparrula
- Topsy Fischer Napurrula
- Merrilyn Pollard Napurrula
- Ningura Napurrula
- Miriam Jingoonya Nguri
- Nancy Ross Nungurrayi
- Freddy West Tjakamarra
- Peg Leg Tjampitjinpa
- Ronnie Tjampitjinpa
- Ray James Tjangala
- Jake Tjapaltjarri
- Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri
- Thomas Tjapaltjarri
- Walala Tjapaltjarri
- Paddy Lewis Tjapanangka
- Timmy Payunka Tjapangati
- George Ward Tjungurrayi
- Willy Tjungurrayi
- George 'Hairbrush' Tjungurrayi
- Yala Yala Gibbs Tjungurrayi
- Turkey Tolson Tjupurrula
- Graham Tjupurulla


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subset: commoncrawl


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Aida and I took our last skiing trip of the season last Friday. The weather was gorgeous, but the snow has melted some making our runs hard.
After a couple of hours of skiing we decided to drive west on the I-70 see Vail and get a cup of coffee.
Rest of the pictures can be seen HERE.
40.014986 -105.270546


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February 2019 S M T W T F S « Aug 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
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Category Archives: Uncategorized
Home — safe and sound
We have arrived home. Recovering from jet lag on the island.
Posted in Uncategorized 2 Comments
Heading Home
We were up to catch the early tour of Neuschwanstein and it is a beautiful thing that crazy Ludwig did. The first picture is the castle that Konig Ludwig built. The second is his daddy's house right across the valley. … Continue reading
Liechtenstein and Neuschwanstein
We bid a fond farewell to Hanna and Tino this morning and headed off to Liechtenstein. After the nav system decided to loop us around Zurich for a couple of times we finally got straightened out and were off. Liechtenstein is … Continue reading
Zurich, Switzerland
JoAnn and I headed for Zurich by train today. It is a :30 minute ride directly to downtown and I did not have to find and pay for parking. Hanna and Tino started back to work today so we met … Continue reading
Eglisau, Switzerland
We arrived at Hanna and Tinos yesterday. They live in a very nice house on the hill overlooking their village. In many ways their village reminds me of a model train set. In the first picture you can see the … Continue reading
We got up this morning and we headed back to Beaune as we wanted to see the Hopital Du Saint-Esprit prior to moving on. This is a hospital built in the mid 1300's to serve the needs of the poor … Continue reading
Beaune, France
This morning we left Tours for Beaune. Beaune is in the heart of Bourgogne wine country. It was a fairly long drive so we arrived at 3:00. We had arranged a tour of the Patricharch cellar for wine tasting and … Continue reading


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News Briefing: Audit Faults an Education Nonprofit
By Kate Golden on June 9, 2008No Comment
- Forty thousand people – including Condoleezza Rice and Cynthia Nixon – participate in Washington's Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. [Washington Post]
- A federal audit of Teach for America finds that the organization did not properly account for $775,000 in government money. [New York Times]
- The number of smaller private foundations continues to grow. [New York Times]


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Watch the full discussion here:
MFA recently released a new white paper that provides an in-depth look at short selling, explaining what it is and how, through appropriate regulation, it leads to healthier markets.
MFA recently released a video on the importance of information and data security at regulatory agencies. The video outlines three additional steps regulators can take to keep this sensitive and proprietary information safe in the event of a hack or breach.


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Inspired Support are leading specialists in the world of Autism Spectrum Conditions and Learning Disabilities.
Inspired Support Ltd
Working for you in the communities of the North East
Email :email@example.com
Richard Lamb 07825958024
David Winship 07881958054
The Inspired Support team are all great professional mentors and are all DBS checked.
The company is fully insured


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I used the new Carta Bella Hello Again collection pieces that are in the September Gossamer Blue kit and Add-on kit. I just couldn't resist cutting out the words from the 12x12 paper and 6x6 pad. The whole layout was inspired by those fussy cut pieces and everything else just fell into place.
I layered and tucked papers, stickers and tabs to frame out the photos and mixed the alphas included in the Add-on kit to create the title.
Make sure to check out the Gossamer Blue September kit. It's filled with exclusive Gossamer Blue papers, Carta Bella, My Mind's Eye, Teresa Collins, Pink Paislee, and more. While you're there, check out the new community and gallery!


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|The Logistics of Wreck Diving with PADI Dive Center,
Wreck diving with PADI Dive Center Dive Right - Coron is a full day trip for two or three wreck dives. You are on our 19 meter dive boat all day. Lunch is served on-board.
You can choose to dive with a buddy or be guided. You determine your NDL and watch your air supply. We don't limit the time of your dives.
. Experienced wreckers.
All of the wreck diving is a full day trip for two or three dives. Departure is at 9:00 AM with a one hour boat ride to the first dive site. Dive on a wreck and then to a beach or shallow wreck for two hours of lunch, snorkeling, and swimming. Second wreck dive and then an hour back to the dive shop. The boat usually returns between 3:00 and 6:00 PM depending on whether two or three dives are made and the location of the last dive.
.Coron Bay, Palawan
We provide one dive guide for every group of four to six divers if needed. We divide groups according to experience levels. Novices never have to chase advanced divers into small dark holes.
Two experienced advanced open water divers can buddy up and plan their own dive after consulting with the dive leader.
Two wreck diver specialty certified divers can plan their own penetration with proper equipment.
Where the depth and position of the wreck allow for multi-level diving we can supply a 100 cubic foot tank instead of the normal 80 cubic foot tank. This gives you about 30% more usable air time for a multi-level dive.
Limited interior access is allowed for advanced or experienced divers who stay in the light zone within the wreck. The PADI Wreck Diver Specialty class is available for those divers who have completed Advanced Open Water and who desire to learn to make their own penetration.
The nearest recompression chambers are in Manila and Subic Bay. Each location is about one hour away by airplane. We are very careful with our dive profiles and dive planning to avoid decompression sickness problems.
Dive Right's 19 meter wreck diving boat is the largest and fastest boat going out to the wrecks. Of course we have bathroom, drinks, water and covered areas for shade. Our usual limit is 12 divers before we use another boat and split into two groups.
.19 meter "Dive Right 1".
Dive Right - Coron * Request Information Form * Lodging in Manila * History of Coron * Diving in Coron * Diving on Nitrox * Coron's Dive Sites * PADI Diver Training * Lodging in Coron * Air Travel to Coron * Travel by Ship * Telecom in Coron * Travel Agents * Prices * Contact Us * Airport Transfers * Links * Deeper Safety Stops * Money Matters * Underwater Visibility * Technical Diving * Night Life * Advanced Diver Training * Climate * Health in Coron * Deutsche * Wrecks * Non-Diving Activities


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I was tired of the same pink blush day in and day out, so I started looking for something a little girlier with a more natural look and feel. After hearing nothing but positive reviews on Benefit's Hervana blush, I bit the bullet and added it to my cart while purchasing some other things from Sephora.
Like any other boxed blush from Benefit, this comes in cute packaging with a little mirror inside. A brush is included, but this one is angled. I haven't used the brush (I prefer my Sigma angled blush brush) but I've heard it's nice. One of these days, I'll give it a whirl.
There are multiple colors in this blush, and together they create a light, matte, fresh pink color. I like that I don't have to use an extremely light hand to avoid looking like a clown, but I don't have to pack it on either. If given the choice, I would rather build up blush than constantly try to tone it down. There is no shimmer, no glitter, no chalkiness. Just a great, natural, glowy pink color!
I have heard that Benefit's blushes typically have a fragrance. Normally, I'm quite sensitive to smells and pick odors up right away, but this doesn't bother me. I don't really smell anything when applied to my face. Other reviews that mention fragrance (that I've seen) have said similar things - no notable fragrance with Hervana.
This blush is definitely more expensive than drugstore brands, running about 28-30 dollars. If you're not super fair and can pull off many different blush shades with different levels of pigmentation, then you may actually want to get two drugstore blushes for less than the price of this one. However, if you're like me, very fair and very particular about blush colors (having to avoid anything overly coral, brown, orange, bronze, etc.), you'll enjoy this one. It wakens up my face, doesn't go on heavy or cakey, and I like the little kiss of happy it gives my cheeks.


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A high profile delegation of German Parliamentarians is to propose the setting up of a German-funded Technical College in the North.
The German Parliamentarians is led by Chairperson of the Parliamentary Group on South Asia, Petra Ernstberger. They are on a four-day visit to assess the progress of reconstruction and development. The delegation is to recommend that a German Technical College should be built in Jaffna, on the lines of the two German Technical Colleges already operating in Katubedda and Batticaloa. While this is the first visit by a delegation of German MPs since the end of the war, the delegates are scheduled meet with public officials, civil society representatives and religious dignitaries.
During its tour of the Northern Province, they witnessed the progress of the ongoing joint German-Sri Lankan cooperation efforts in demining and resettlement programmes, funded through German Technical Coopertation. Germany wants to assist Sri Lanka in its transformation from a country at war to a society living in peace. In that respect, The German Ambassador Jens Plotner said this visit will give German politicians a first-hand impression on progress made an challenges ahead.


text: Contact InfoOccupation websiteChicago IllinoisUnited StatesSubmitted 5 years 8 months ago by Andrew_Mallis. Share + Share Strike Debt Chicago on Facebook Tweet Strike Debt Chicago! Share Strike Debt Chicago on Google + Reddit Strike Debt Chicago! Suggest an Edit Strike Debt Chicago Chicago IL US Close Comments Suggest an Edit Your name E-mail The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly. Homepage Comment * By submitting this form, you accept the Mollom privacy policy. Show previous suggestions Previously Suggested Edit(s) Twitter Users@StrikeDebtChiTwitter Hashtags: Facebook Page(s): https://www.facebook.com/StrikeDebtChicagoRSS Feedshttp://strikedebtchicago.org/feed/


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- Rush Limbaugh recently compared eco-terrorists to jihadists who force children to become unwitting suicide bombers. Oh, and he encouraged a certain New York Times columnist to commit suicide for the good of the planet. You know, perhaps those 82 pounds he keeps bragging about losing accidentally included a couple pounds of brain cells. Just speculation on my part, of course…
- The Weather Channel is taking it's first tentative baby steps towards becoming a music taste-maker. Who would have thought the phrase "as heard on the Weather Channel" would ever be used for non-ironic marketing purposes? I always thought their horrid, smooth-lite-elevator jazz was the reason we started including a mute button on TV remote controllers in the first place. But maybe that's just me, I guess.
- The Ghost Of Phillies Phanatic Past lives among us.
- Penn Jillette is having a feud of epic proportions with, of all people, his childhood hero Tommy Smothers. Over Glenn Beck, no less. Glenn Beck will do that to ya, people. On a side note, what the heck is going on with Penn's forehead these days? Maybe that's the real issue rather than the usual tiresome libertarian squabbling.
- Jasper County's ongoing war against sagging/slacking pants continues. As Jeff Vrabel astutely points out, where were the fashion police legislators that could have saved us from the excessive flannel purchases of my own misspent youth?
- Back in August for one magical day only, San Francisco's famed crooked, steep, hairpin-turn heavy Lombard Street was transformed into a gigantic Candy Land board game. Sweet! But wherefore art thou, Plumpy?
- Moby did a show the other day at the Rough Trade record store in East London and he totally rocked the house. Yeah, Moby. The same dude who dated Christina Ricci, Natalie Portman AND Kelly Tisdale. *sigh* Some guys get all the luck….
- How many times have you said to yourself, "I friggin' love me some zombies. But if only there was a website in which I could seriously discuss them from a scientific and philosophical context." Like at least 37 times or so, does that sound about right? Well, guess what? The wait is finally over. Warning: be advised that you are now entering a irony-free zone.
Posts Tagged 'Phillies Phanatic'
8 More Things You Didn't Know You Needed To Know (Until Now)Posted: October 22, 2009 in Uncategorized
Tags: Candy Land, Moby, nathan hall, pants, Penn Jillette, Phillies Phanatic, Rush Limbaugh, weather channel, zombies


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Our Listings
123 Youville Street in WINNIPEG: St Boniface Residential for sale (South East Winnipeg) : MLS®# 1122946
123 Youville Street WINNIPEG R2H 2R9 : St Boniface
PRICE REDUCED! Nestled in the heart of St. Boniface across from the Heather Curling Club and St. Boniface Golf Course this cute and cozy two bedroom bungalow offers very affordable living in a great area of the city! Gorgeous nicely landscaped and fenced in backyard complete with a single detached garage, parking pad for extra parking, built in pond, and a large deck, perfect for entertaining! Complete bathroom renovation including new 3 piece tub, vanity, and toilet. Newer flooring, newer counter tops and large room A/C. Freshly painted throughout. 100 AMP service in house along with an electrical panel in the garage. Hot water tank 2010, furnace approx 9 yrs old, shingles 2008. House is in move in condition and ready for immediate possession!
Listed by century21carrie.com
Listing information last updated on May 7, 2012 at 03:48 PM (UTC)


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Mayor of Wexford Cllr Frank Staples says that speaking out about his mental illness was like 'taking away a mask' and is encouraging people to open up.
Cllr Staples, who has been open about his own battle with depression in recent years, said that suffering in silence is like wearing a mask – an ordeal that it can become very exhausting for a person over time.
'It's so exhausting to be covering up mental illness day in and day out,' he said. 'When you talk about it, it can only be described as taking away a mask. You feel instantly better. I encourage people to let down the mask and talk about it.'
'For me as mayor to speak out about my own battle with depression, it has made a huge difference to me,' he continued. 'It feels really good to be open. I know now that if I'm not feeling well, I can talk about it. I don't feel like I am making excuses.'
Cllr Staples acknowledged that it can be difficult for people to seek help themselves when they are suffering from a mental illness. With this in mind, he said it is important for everyone in the community to play their part in tackling the issue.
'I have said before that I feel that anyone with a mental illness is strong. They have to face daily battles but they can't keep fighting forever,' he said.
'We expect people to ask for help when they are struggling but not everyone is able to do that. We all have a huge part to play. It's important to ask those close to you how they are and even though they might not speak out the first time, it might encourage them to eventually open up,' he said.
At a higher level, Cllr Staples said that establishing a 24/7 mental health unit in Wexford is vital, not only for those suffering from mental illness, but for those close to them.
'If somebody is suffering from depression for example, it's good for their family to know that there is 24/7 support available. It gives them reassurance that there is somewhere that they can go if their loved one is in difficulty,' he said. 'Mental illness doesn't only affect those suffering.'
Cllr Staples reiterated earlier reports that the County Council are currently in talks with the government on the possibility of an alternative use for St Senan's Hospital. He said He would like to see a 24/ 7 unit on the grounds of Wexford General Hospital.
'A 24/7 unit is definitely needed in Wexford and I don't think anyone is going to argue that. There has been a lot of speculation about where it should be but I would like to see it on the grounds of Wexford General Hospital as you have access to other services there,' he said.
'I would love to see it soon but I am under no illusions; it takes a lot of time and money. Finding a building is no problem but hiring staff costs a lot of money,' he continued. 'But if we don't at least talk about it, it will never happen.'
Improving education on mental health is also necessary, according to Cllr Staples, who said that many young people may not know if they are suffering with depression.
'More could be done for teens and young people. They might be suffering from depression but don't know the symptoms. There are so many symptoms of depression. They could be going around feeling terrible and not knowing why,' he said.
Cllr Staples made his comments following the release of figures from the CSO, which showed that 405 people lost their lives to suicide in Wexford between 1995 and 2015. Commenting on the figures, he said that they were shocking and very high but said it is likely that they are even higher in reality. He said it is difficult to know for sure why Wexford has one of the highest rates of suicide in the country.
'We have a high rate of unemployment and I am sure that isn't helping,' he said. 'But that's just speculation. I imagine it is linked in some way or another as unemployment puts more financial pressure on people.'
(First published in the Wexford People newspaper: print edition. Also available online at: http://www.independent.ie/regionals/newrossstandard/news/mayor-of-wexford-cllr-frank-staples-speaks-out-about-mental-health-in-light-of-suicide-figures-35215238.html)


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New Delhi : The BJP returned to power in Uttar Pradesh – possibly with a three-quarter majority – after 14 years, during which regional players including the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, held sway.
The BJP secured today a stunning victory in Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, trampling a fragmented Opposition to secure the biggest mandate any party has ever received in the state, as party leaders hailed it as a vindication of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity and his "pro-poor" policies.
The BJP returned to power in Uttar Pradesh – possibly with a three-quarter majority – after 14 years, during which regional players including the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, held sway.
According to the results available by 6 pm, the BJP-plus had won 284 seats in the 403-member Assembly, and was leading in at least 28 more.
UP Election result 2017: The exit polls on Thursday predicted a hung assembly in the key Hindi heartland state of Uttar Pradesh, where Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would emerge as the single largest party, winning anywhere between 164 and 210 of the 403 seats. A victory for Narendra Modi's BJP in Uttar Pradesh, which is home to 220 million people, would boost his chances of winning the 2019 general elections and underscore his popularity after he made himself the face of the party's campaign in the state.
Punjab election result 2017: Most polls forecast a close fight between the Congress, which is seeking to return to power in Punjab after a hiatus of 10 years, and Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), making its debut in the Punjab Assembly election.
Uttarakhand election result 2017: Most exit polls have projected that BJP will emerge as the single largest party in Uttarakhand election 2017, ending the Congress Party's hope to retain its Harish Rawat-led government in the state.
Goa election result 2017: In Goa, too, BJP is seen as the largest party with 15-20 of the 40 Assembly seats. The Congress could be a close second, while AAP, a debutant in the state, could get 2-4 seats.
Manipur election result 2017: Exit polls for Manipur have a split verdict. While some show BJP forming government in the state, others expect the Congress' Okram Ibobi Singh returning for a fourth term. Iron Lady Irom Sharmila, contesting her first election, is expected to have a weak debut.


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Monday, March 7, 2011
Pencil Skirts: How Do They Work?
I have to admit, I think I'm a bit guilty here of picking the most flattering photo I took. Let's call the above the best-case scenario. For comparison, here's one that demonstrates my issues with the high-waist:
Generally, my issue is the fact that I'm short-waisted. That, and my rather large/low bust, means that a high waist only sits about two inches below an empire waist... which I just don't think is all that flattering. To my eyes, it tends to make me look more busty and less slim... which is sort of the opposite effect you'd want a pencil skirt to have, non?
Now, all that being said - I'm still not sure I bought this skirt in the right size. It's sitting a smidge above my natural waist and it's pretty snug... I can sit down, but barely. I'm wondering now if I perhaps should go back and try a larger size... it may sit better on my waist and give me a little more length, at the risk of becoming frumpy in the hips/thighs. Hmm.
4 comments:
I think it looks great, btw. If you can't sit easily though, gotta try another size. Or maybe another brand.ReplyDelete
Thanks - it's hard to be objective about myself sometimes. I think I'm going to try on a size bigger tomorrow and see how it goes, but it may just be a matter of my not being used to wearing this kind of thing. (I'm notoriously "low maintenance"... my love of sewing is more a love of crafting than a commitment to fashion! lol)ReplyDelete
i think it looks awesome too! i'm also short waisted, so i understand how you feel though! i never would say that your bust is low, but if you want a bit of 'lift' change (in town) carries a full range of sizes and are super good at fitting.ReplyDelete
~fellow vancouver sewer :)
@alice - thank you! And, you know, I'm a total novice at this fit and body analysis thing, so I'm not 100% sure about some of these things. With regard to my "low" bust, I don't mean that gravity has had its way yet, but just that maybe my bust is set low on my torso (i.e. the distance from the top of my shoulders to my bust is quite long... I usually have to wear straps on nearly the longest setting)... but then, that might just be a consequence of my bust being large? I'm not sure!ReplyDelete
And I LOVE change - that store is amazing!


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Citric acid and its salts are found naturally in citrus fruits, tomatoes, coffee, apricots, peaches, pineapples, and some berries. In food processing, citric acid or sometimes, its salts are used as a flavoring agent or enhancer to impart a tangy, tart, or sour taste to foods, including beverages, candy, ice cream, baked goods, and chewing gum.
Citric acid is also used as a buffer to maintain acidity in foods such as fruit juices, carbonated beverages, wines, jellies, and sherbet.
As a sequestrant, it removes metal contaminants from food and allows preservatives to work better, maintaining food flavor. Calcium citrate is used as a firming agent in canned tomatoes, and the citric salts, such as calcium, are a vehicle for adding various mineral nutrients.
Citric acid and its salts are safe on the GRAS list and are considered useful and safe additives.


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Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Aims For Government-Ready Security
Locked-down Linux
During Red Hat's official launch event for their new Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 (RHEL 6) release, executives from the company focused heavily on new performance gains. While performance and scalability are key elements of RHEL 6, so too is security.
"We have applied this most stringent level of encryption and we use it ourselves for the package signing for all new packages in RHEL 6," Tim Burke, vice president of RHEL engineering at Red Hat told InternetNews.com " It's using the best technology we have."
The new push for 4096-bit is partially driven by Red Hat's increasing engagement with government contracts that have stringent requirements. Government agencies also tend to require Common Criteria Certification which Red Hat already has for RHEL 5, though not yet for RHEL 6. Burke noted that common criteria certifications are currently underway for RHEL 6, though to the best of his knowledge none of them are complete yet.
Among the new security technologies for RHEL 6 is the sVirt API to secure virtualization. In RHEL 6, sVirt is integrated with SELinux as a way to provide additional security to virtual guests.
"What sVirt provides is a second line of defense for virtual guest containment," Burke said. "The first line of defense is within KVM itself"
Burke explained that there are only a small number of interfaces between the virtual guest and the KVM host, which only exposes a small potential attack surface that can closely monitored and audited. He added that in the event that anyone compromises KVM's base security mechanisms, SELinux can step up to the plate.
"We use SELinux and we label all the resources associated with a virtualized guest, including all the file systems the virtual guest would mount and things like network ports," Burke said.
With all virtual guest resources labeled for access control with SELinux, if a compromise were to occur in KVM and a guest breaks out, the risks could be minimized. Burke noted that if a virtualized guest did break KVM containment in some form of attack, it would likely attempt to manipulate the image of another guest or access files or network ports. Since all those resources are labeled with SELinux, unauthorized access would be prohibited, as each guest has its own label identification.
Going a step further, with the Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization system management layer, the virtualized guest SELinux identifier can even passed along with the virtual guest as part of a live migration.
"sVirt is the perfect example of demonstrating the power of KVM as being integral with Linux," Burke said. "Were it not for KVM being integral to the Linux, we would have had to implement all that stuff twice, like we used to have to do with Xen."
Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at InternetNews.com, the news service of Internet.com, the network for technology professionals.


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You are here: Home » REIPaaS
The main objective of REIPaas is the provision of services under the paradigm of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) in the National Research and Education Networks. With the construction and deploying tools and software, the NRENs can operate and manage their infrastructures with the intention of providing IP networks as a service (IPaas) to virtual research communities.
This project is cofounded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, in the framework of the National Plan of Scientist Research, Development and Technological Innovation 2008-2011 and the European Social Fund.


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Location: St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Our Client Development Manager (Newfoundland and Labrador) will develop our existing client relationships and create an initial client base from which to generate vacancies and placements. The individual will be responsible for the overall growth, development and profitability of the region along with maximising Petroplan's profile and brand across Eastern Canada.
Petroplan has a great reputation as a global specialist recruiter in the oil, gas and energy industry. We haven't diluted our offering over the last 40 years and are renowned in the industry.
This role will have enable the successful applicant the flexibility of working from home.
Is this role for you?
You're good at:
If this sounds of interest to you, we would love to hear from you! Please send your resume to Claire Salter at [email protected]
Please note you must be fully eligible to live and work in Canada to be considered for the role above
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted
Petroplan Ltd is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.
Ref No: BBBH300


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Friday, May 13, 2011
Lace, Lace, and More Lace at Just Magnolia and hÄnglar & stÄnglar Challenge
Happy Friday to each of you!! I hope you are finishing up a wonderful week and are looking forward to a marvelous weekend!! I will be going to St. Louis for a few days for a little R&R and to take a family friend to see the Cardinals and Phillies baseball game as a part of his Happy 90th Year Birthday present!!! So I will report to you when I get back!!! I have pre-scheduled some postings so let's all keep our fingers crossed that Mr Blogger Man is back with us!!!
In spite of all of the Blogger problems...arghhhhhh!!!...today is a new challenge over at Just Magnolia and hÄnglar & stÄnglar Challenge where we are hosted by Claudia who has selected the theme Make it Lacy so we would like to see LACE featured somewhere on your project – either real or faux/punched/die cut/ paper etc. Doesn't that sound like fun?!? So please come on over and play along with us and have a look at the wonderful sample cards done by the other DT members. There are a couple of fabulous prizes this week--Jacobi.nl and Creative Treasures are our magnificent sponsors for this challenge.
For my DT Sample Card I used Bazzill for the base and all double matting is PTI. The DP is from the Crate Paper Portrait Collection and all background panels are machine stitched. The image I have used is that darling little Tilda with Lace Jeans from the Butterfly Dreams Collection at Magnolia-licious. She was stamped on Cryogen White and colored with Copics, adding a touch of Stickles to the lace and hairbow and Liquid Pearls to the buttons. She was cut out with double Nesties and encircled with some sweet lace which was a special gift from the very talented Suzan--thank you so very much, Sweetie!! The midground panel was also encircled with the same lace. For the horizontal I used an organza ribbon tied into a double bow to dangle a silver heart charm from silver cording. The floral treatment is all from Wild Orchid Crafts: 30mm Wild Roses and Hip Rosebuds. To finish the front I used WOC Self-Adhesive Pearls to all corners.
The inside is quite simple. On the first panel I used the same lace from the front with another organza bow and on the second panel a triple Nestie and even more lace! Hey, the theme was MAKE IT LACY so I tried!!!! hahahaha
Thank you so very much for dropping by to have a peek at my little card and you know I love having you here! I would like to know what you think of my little girlie this week. Please come back often! Have a wonderful day and until our next meeting, BIG HUGS for YOU!!!
52 comments:
- Queenie Jeannie said...
So pretty! I love all the lace!!!
- May 13, 2011 at 2:48 PM
- theCook said...
I love your lace!!!! This is so beautiful, love the double framing of lace in both oval and square shape, I would not have thought of it and I love, love it! Did I say I love your card?
- May 13, 2011 at 2:50 PM
- yvon said...
It's gorgeous Jacque, what beautiful lace.
Have fun at the ballgame and happy birthday to your friend.
Hugs, Yvon
- May 13, 2011 at 2:54 PM
- Teri said...
Jacque, it's another beautiful creation from you!!! Just darling!!!
Have a great time on your outing!! It's nice to get away sometimes!!!
- May 13, 2011 at 2:57 PM
- Teri said...
AND... blogger works.... yeeehawwww!! LOL!!
- May 13, 2011 at 2:57 PM
- Sandra1968 said...
Your card is absolutely gorgeous!
- May 13, 2011 at 2:59 PM
- Sabina said...
wow this card is so wunderful. I love it.
Really good card!
Greets Sabina
- May 13, 2011 at 2:59 PM
- Christina C. said...
OMG....Jacque!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is absolutely DIVINE. I adore this beautiful card and the lace is sooooo special!!!! Gorgeous papers...ohhhhh...this is to die for!!!!!!!!
- May 13, 2011 at 3:03 PM
- Dawnll said...
Jacque this is adorable as can be and so lacy cute.
I always enjoy lace especially vintage or vintage looking.
blessings to you, Dawn ll
- May 13, 2011 at 3:08 PM
- Dobra said...
Beautiful work I am full of admiration
- May 13, 2011 at 3:24 PM
- kasia123 said...
Śliczna, pięknie malowana.
- May 13, 2011 at 3:40 PM
- Sharon in Arizona said...
Hi Jacque,
She is one of my favorite Tildas and you have done her up FINE!!! Love the colors you chose and I especially like the lace. You have done a beautiful job with all that lace, doesn't look crowded or overwhelming. Thanks for sharing and have a terrific weedend. "See ya" on Sunday. Hugs, Sharon :o)
- May 13, 2011 at 3:40 PM
- Teresa said...
A truly stunning card.
Teresa xx
- May 13, 2011 at 3:55 PM
- amanda stokes said...
Hi Jacque,
Absolutely stunning card,inside and out :) xx
- May 13, 2011 at 4:03 PM
- Chrissy said...
Very beautiful..love all the lace and those beautiful bright papers...gorgeous
Luv CHRISSYxx
- May 13, 2011 at 4:04 PM
Your work is always so pretty and perfect. Realy joyfull to look at and to learn from
- May 13, 2011 at 4:11 PM
- angelique (anlou) said...
hiya sweetie
this is an amazing card
i just love all the lace
the image is so adorable
did you received my little gift to you?
hugs angelique
- May 13, 2011 at 4:20 PM
- Suzan L said...
Hi Jacque, Your card is so gorgeous inside and out!! I love all the lace!! Big Smile!! And, DP's are so beautiful!!
- May 13, 2011 at 5:16 PM
- Kirsty-Anne (Kitty) said...
Hi Oh I love this so much. Always been a big fan of lace and this is so very unusaual and pretty I like the tiny frills. The inside too is stunning !! Super colours and papers. I love Tilda in jeans too. Kitty :)
- May 13, 2011 at 5:21 PM
- Kelly Neis said...
I love the lace around the card and around Tilda and the inside, so cute. The colors are very cheery and she is so darn cute.
- May 13, 2011 at 5:46 PM
- Suzi said...
Oh Wow!! this is so pretty, I love that lace effect, Tilda is so cute and the inside once again Jacque is stunning. A beautiful creation.
Suzi x
- May 13, 2011 at 5:59 PM
- bernshwag said...
What a cutie pie Jacque! The lace is gorgeous, I love the vintage look of your card!
- May 13, 2011 at 6:43 PM
- Danielle said...
Hello dear Jacque, hope you are luckier than I, my post was deleted... Had to start all over. OH! I love this lacy theme, Tilda looks so precious showcased this way. Toooo cute.`This is inside is totally magnificient.
Havea wonderful weekend.
- May 13, 2011 at 7:31 PM
- Vicky McClean said...
Well Jacque, i love your card as usual and i probably have every piece of lace that WOC do as i love the stuff, so i will probably get involved in this one, hopefully i can come up with something even half as good as yours, enjoy your trip away and thanks for thinking of us here and pre-scheduling your posts so we still get our Jacque fix,as i have had you on feedblitz now for months and dont miss anything you do!!! Hope to hear from you how your trip went soon, enjoy yourself and bye for now!!! xxxx Vick
- May 13, 2011 at 8:20 PM
- Grenouille Greetings said...
I have had house guests and have been a naughty commentator then blogger went down but I have thoroughly enjoyed catching up on your recent makes. Every one of them is beautiful! This little blue jean Tilda is particularly delightful but I have to say my fave from those I have failed to comment on is the post with the gift box and fairy card you made with your mother in mind. It really is divine! Hope you enjoy your trip!
Hugs Lesley
- May 13, 2011 at 8:50 PM
- christina d said...
She is so cute! I love all the lace too.
- May 13, 2011 at 8:58 PM
- Rene said...
Super pretty!!!!
Rene :D
- May 13, 2011 at 9:07 PM
- Angela said...
Gorgeous card! I love the lace framing your card and image. Really pretty. hugs, Angela
- May 13, 2011 at 9:32 PM
- Lori said...
Beautiful lace... I LOVE lace :) Very very pretty Jacque!!! Have a great weekend ♥
Love n hugs, Lori
- May 13, 2011 at 10:18 PM
- Kathy Gerace said...
Your card is just stunning. I love all the girlie lace everywhere! Just gorgeous.
- May 14, 2011 at 12:58 AM
- Fran said...
Gorgeous, Gorgeous, & Gorgeous! Hugs, Fran
- May 14, 2011 at 1:30 AM
- Iulia said...
Oh, so much lace and yet not too much! You are the only one who could have put this together and make it look so gorgeous! Love these papers and the warm feeling they induce and the beautifully colored Tilda! Adorable card, Jacques! It is a pleasure coming by!
Hugs and have a happy weekend!
- May 14, 2011 at 2:56 AM
- Maryann said...
I love lace, so this is just sssssexactly, what I love. You´ve done an outstanding job here on this card. It´s soooooo gorgeous hun. You´ve just made a masterpiece once again. Thanks sooo much for sharing this wonderful idea with us, Actually a bit funny, as I´ve just made 2 cards this week with lots of lace on too ha ha ha. But nothing as great as yours here,
Have a wonderful week-end away with your friend, and a Happy Birthday to him too,
- May 14, 2011 at 3:08 AM
- Rhonda Miller said...
Your card is just beautiful. What a sweet image and I love all the lace. TFS.
- May 14, 2011 at 10:08 AM
- Diana Crick said...
The lace is divine, frothy and sweet!! It adds a lovely softness to your card. Absolutely lovely!
hugs, Diana
- May 14, 2011 at 1:22 PM
- ellabella said...
Totally adorable card! I love the design of your card with the stunning embellishment details!
Hugs, Janine
- May 14, 2011 at 3:11 PM
- Lelishna said...
WoW, Jacque!!! fantastic card!!
Absolutely lovely! ♥♥♥
- May 14, 2011 at 3:13 PM
- Scrubbybubbles(sue) said...
Beautiful as always my friend. :) Can never have too much lace!! heehe
- May 14, 2011 at 4:29 PM
- Candy said...
Gorgeous card, Jacque.
LOVE you lace!!
Hugs, Candy
- May 14, 2011 at 7:04 PM
- Jayne Hayward said...
Oh wow this is adorabe. Love how you have used the lace and the gorgeous colours used. Lovely image and flowers used too.
Jayne xx
- May 15, 2011 at 4:09 AM
- Heidi said...
Very very lacy jacque, love it, you are an inspiration to me. hugs heidi x
- May 15, 2011 at 6:44 AM
- Helen said...
Absolutely stunning.
- May 15, 2011 at 8:04 AM
- Mary Lou said...
Beautiful Hun!! Love all the lace:)
- May 15, 2011 at 9:56 AM
- cabio's craft corner said...
Absolutely gorgeous card Jacque. Love the beautiful lace treatment and the blue flowers make a pretty contrast on this Tilda card :-)
- May 15, 2011 at 12:28 PM
- Sol said...
This is so SWEET!!!. I absolutlely Adore the lace around the card!.. It looks Fantastic!!.. :o).. Cute Tilda today.. An lovely Colours.. and details.
We have been out in our boat this weekend.. And still almost no time to Craft.. ..
- May 15, 2011 at 12:38 PM
- Riet said...
So wonderful card Jacque,I love the image and the colours.
So gorgeous papers.
Hugs Riet.xx
- May 15, 2011 at 3:03 PM
- Traci S. said...
Stunning Card, Jacque! I love how you used all of that lace! I love lace on just about anything! You really found just about any place that you could put it...and did so! The flowers and the pearls look wonderful with this precious child!
I hope your friend enjoys this extra special birthday...and what a gift...time with you! And, a baseball (?) game! I hope the sun is out, and that our weather person is wrong. She is showing cloudy and cool...60's! I hope there is lots and lots of sunshine for you!
He IS Able,
Traci S.
- May 15, 2011 at 4:39 PM
- Kim said...
Absolutely Gorgeous!! You have outdone yourself!! That lace is beautiful and the flowers and pearls are too. Tilda is colored perfectly in great colors. Hope you and your friend enjoy the game. TFS!!
- May 16, 2011 at 8:56 AM
- La Vikinga said...
WOW; another stunning ard! I like the lace, the colours and the very well made inside!
Charlotta (having spring finally) in Sweden sends greetings to YOU!
- May 16, 2011 at 9:46 AM
- sammiej said...
oh my......
so pretty!!
really beautiful!!!
i love lace!!
nice job!!
x sammiej
- May 19, 2011 at 7:24 AM
- jules said...
oh wow this is stunning!!!!!
- May 19, 2011 at 10:43 AM
- Dora said...
O wow Jacque, this is gorgeous, love the colours and beautiful lace. Sorry not been around so much lately, been so busy. Hugs xxx
- May 19, 2011 at 2:22 PM


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Apple paid $85 million in Australian taxes last year on $8 billion in local revenue/
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Apple paid $85 million in Australian income tax last year, despite making almost $8 billion in local revenue according to accounts filed with the corporate regulator.
The Cupertino, California-based company's tax bill is slightly up from 2014 when it paid $80.3 million. However, it's a fraction of its overall $7.9 billion sales revenue (up from $6 billion in 2014), says the SMH.
Apple which is still under audit by the Australian Taxation Office, recorded higher sales, marketing and distribution expenses of $435 million and administrative expenses of $30.7 million. Its profit after tax was $123 million, down from $171.5 million the year before.
Some politicians have blasted Apple and other companies for their tax policies. However, in May 2013, Apple CEO Tim Cook released a statement to the U.S. Senate defending the company's tax policies. In part the statement read:
"Apple is likely the largest corporate income tax payer in the US, having paid nearly $6 billion in taxes to the US Treasury in FY2012. These payments account for $1 in every $40 in corporate income tax the US Treasury collected last year. The Company's FY2012 total US federal cash effective tax rate was approximately 30.5%.1 The Company expects to pay over $7 billion in taxes to the US Treasury in its current fiscal year. In accordance with US law, Apple pays US corporate income taxes on the profits earned from its sales in the US and on the investment income of its Controlled Foreign Corporations ("CFCs"), including the investment earnings of its Irish subsidiary, Apple Operations International ("AOI").
"Apple does not move its intellectual property into offshore tax havens and use it to sell products back into the US in order to avoid US tax; it does not use revolving loans from foreign subsidiaries to fund its domestic operations; it does not hold money on a Caribbean island; and it does not have a bank account in the Cayman Islands. Apple has substantial foreign cash because it sells the majority of its products outside the US. International operations accounted for 61% of Apple's revenue last year and two-thirds of its revenue last quarter. These foreign earnings are taxed in the jurisdiction where they are earned ("foreign, post-tax income").


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Picture credit : Google
Welcome to my blog! I am Anushree Gupta, living near Chandigarh. Worked in a public relations industry for few years and teach in a school now. Have a special liking towards reading, writing, travelling, technology, fashion. Basically, inclination towards almost anything under the Sun which can keep me on toes. Married for five years with a beautiful daughter Radhika :-) Disclaimer: Pictures going along with each post are uploaded from random internet search, unless mentioned.
Friday, February 17, 2017
Toh ek cup chai ho jaye?
Picture credit : Google
6 comments:
Lovely write up....tea refreshes old memories tooo....i m equal tea lover...feel like having ek cup chai with u ...ReplyDeleteReplies
Anytime dear. Let's do this soon.Delete
- AnonymousFebruary 24, 2017 at 3:54 AM
why does a biscuit form bubbles?ReplyDeleteReplies
The answer is as interesting as the question itself, Sir. Biscuits loose some air (pride) when dipped in a tea, in form of bubbles. Pun intended :).Delete
Its almost like you read my mind!! Not that I didn't love my cup of tea before becoming a mother but ever since my infant turned me into a zombie; I have fallen in love with tea on a totally different level.ReplyDelete
And incidentally I was also thinking of how my mom loved her two cups of tea ritual (morning and evening) and I never understood it completely until I became a mom.
I love it how you put into words the warmth daily cups of tea bring into our life by saying "I see love around me over cup of tea".
I completely adored this entry of yours and enjoyed every word of it! :)
Lovely Anu .... Reading ignited that unique thirst of tea specially when I read it now , tea time !!!!ReplyDelete


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Carmen Winant Work from My Life as a Man. "My Life as a Man depicts a single collage deconstructing and rearranging its composition. Resolution is sought but never "found." The book features original text contributions from Matthew Brannon, Moyra Davey, Courtney Fiske, Jim Fletcher, Kenneth Goldsmith, Jonathan Griffin, Geoffrey Hilsabeck, Michael Ned Holte, Sarah McMenimen, […]
Archives for posts tagged 'feminism'
Carmen Winant
Wednesday, 22 April 2015
Valie Export
Thursday, 25 October 2012
Valie Export Work from her oeuvre. "The black-and-white images here are far more quiet. In them the artist uses her body as a kind of measuring or pointing device, leaving us to decide exactly what she is pointing at. She crouches in corners, presses against walls and lies along the ledges of an imposing 19th-century […]
Ann Cathrin November Høibo
Saturday, 4 February 2012
Ann Cathrin November Høibo Work from her oeuvre . "Ann Cathrin November Høibo uses the gallery room as her studio, where she assembles half finished works with new whims and acquisitions. The site specific installations consist predominantly of threads and textiles in various conditions, weaved, draped, laddered, bundled and seducing. Høibo's works are informed by feminist […]


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Thankfully, after reviewing the 2017 Canadian Federal Budget, there is not a lot to report. This reminded us of the Wendy's commercial from 1984 that many of us remember with its popular catch phrase, where's the beef? (See commercial here)
Most notable are the things that did not change in this years proposed budget which include:
- No change to the capital gains inclusion rate which still stands at 50%
- No change to the stock option deduction which remains at 50%
- No change to the taxation of private corporations
- No change to dividend tax rates
- No change to personal income tax rates. For BC residents, our highest marginal tax bracket is now the lowest in the country at 47.7%. That's right….the lowest at 47.7%!
All of these things had been talked about as areas that the government might change and we are pleased that most were untouched for now.
When announcing the budget, Mr Morneau did mention that plenty of work is being done to investigate a few key areas of possible change. One of those areas was the tax treatment of private corporations which has the potential to be quite extensive. For anyone who owns a business structured as a private corporation, keep your eyes and ears open for further developments in the coming months.
For those of you who are interested in a deeper dive into the content of the budget click here for an update from Jamie Golombek of CIBC wealth strategies.
As always, if you have any comments or questions, please give us a call.


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The torch relay came through St. Albert today and the kids and I were downtown to check it out. It was quite cool, and luckily, not too cold (about -6 C) given that we were outside for about 2.5 hours. Here are some shots of the torch including former Olympian Tim Barret who competed, if I am not mistaken, in 4 games in race walk.
The dogs and I had a short 20ish minute walk in the morning and one at night. I resisted the temptation to lift, practice yoga, or any other form of strenuous activity and instead took it quite easy and just had a great day and soaked in the atmosphere. The question now is what to do tomorrow. Yoga? Swim? LHT/HIIT? None of the above? Who knows - I'll decide tomorrow.
Back-tracking follow up: Here is another fantastic sunrise on our way to school. I had to add it.


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Johnson's -State of Iowa
I'm looking for some info regarding my father's side of the family.I don't have much and would really like to get pass this road block. This is what I have.
Curtis Homer Johnson 1939 Iowa to May 8 2001 Red Bluff, Ca Married Mary Lou Katie Hardmeyer
Curtis James Johnson 1913 Iowa to 8/7/2003 Iowa Married Edna Fessler
Curtis James Johnson 1887 Illinois Married Mary Bartle
If anyone can help me with the Johnson or Bartle side I would greatly appreciate it.


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Before You Buy Gold Read This(Common Gold Scams)
Get Bit by the Gold Bug, Not the Gold Dealers
Unfortunately, many customers new to the gold market get scammed by untrustworthy dealers. We have seen many people -- who could have benefited greatly by buying gold - who have had bad first experiences and end up turning away from the industry altogether. We want you to have confidence that gold is a good fit for you. When you learn how certain unreliable gold dealers rip off novice buyers, you can develop confidence that there are gold dealers that can be trusted.
Gold is an unregulated industry. Gold is almost the only financial asset that is not regulated by government. This is beneficial for people who want to buy gold to protect their assets privately, without government tracking. However, it also means that gold dealers can charge any price for their products.
For bullion products this is not a problem. Ungraded bullion coins like gold eagles and gold maple leafs are sold in such high volumes that there is high competition between dealers to keep the price at a low markup over spot. It is relatively easy to shop and compare prices on these items.
Rare coins with numismatic value above the value of their metal content are a different story. Investment-grade rare coins can be a valuable way to diversify your portfolio, but it is more difficult to confirm their actual value. By definition there are not many of these coins, so it is much more difficult, often impossible, to shop around and compare prices. Some unscrupulous gold dealers will charge a 100% markup or more on rare coins. This means that the coin would have to double in value for the customer to just break even on their purchase.
There are many reasons rare coins are a valuable addition to a portfolio. However, rare coins also are the way the most untrustworthy dealers in the industry will try to take advantage of customers. There are many strategies used in the industry to trick novice customers into buying overpriced rare coins:
Government Issued
Many gold companies will use names that sound patriotic, but some will go even further and adopt names that make them appear to be government agencies. They may even have a logo that looks like the seal of a government agency. Be aware: the only US government organization that sells gold is the US Mint. The US Mint deals only with raw bullion products. It does not sell coins that have been graded. If a company tries to sell you a graded rare coin, it is not a government organization.
Some companies will stress that their products are "government issued" and "certified legal tender." It is true that products like gold eagles, silver eagles, and gold buffalos were originally minted by the US Mint. However, just because the products originated from the US government doesn't mean that the company that is reselling them is trustworthy.
The "Bait and Switch"
Many industries will use a "loss leader" offer to attract customers. This is a product that is offered at or below cost to get the customer interested, and then the sales person will try to sell the customer on another product where the profit is made.
In the gold industry companies will often advertise "at cost" gold with little or no markup over the metal's spot price. Then, once the customer is on the phone the company will try to sell them over priced rare coins. Even the US Mint itself charges a premium over the spot price when dealers buy from it. If a company is offering you a coin at the spot price of gold, the company is losing money. Ultimately this company expects to make their money back and more by selling you marked up numismatic coins.
Fancy Advertising
How did you find out about a gold company? When you consider the cost of the TV, newspaper, or magazine ad that they used to get your attention, the company is losing a good deal of money. There is nothing wrong with a company being paid for its services. Simply be aware that fancy advertisements and glossy pamphlets come at a cost.
Facts are facts and fluff is fluff. Evaluate a product or company based on the fundamentals, and not based on fancy advertisements. Higher costs mean higher prices.
Celebrity Personalities
Many celebrity personalities have endorsed gold companies, including TV stars, movie stars, sports stars, politicians, and even a former US Mint director. Invariably, these celebrities are being paid for their endorsement. These endorsements do not come cheap. Ultimately the cost is passed on to you in the price you pay for the product. Even if this celebrity has some particular expertise in the industry, you should not let their recommendation stop you from doing your due diligence to evaluate the company.
A company that mistreats its customers will eventually be ruined by its own reputation. However, when a company is endorsed by a high profile celebrity it can potentially continue to pull in new customers after having scalped its previous ones. Focus on the message, and not the flash of the messenger.
Third-Party Certification
Coin grading companies like NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Corporation) and PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) are in the business of grading the conditions of coins. They are not in the business of grading the reliability of companies. Just because a company is a certified dealer for one of these grading services does not necessarily mean the company is trustworthy. Also be aware that just because a coin has been graded to be of good condition it does not necessarily mean the coin has any numismatic value.
Services such as the BBB (Better Business Bureau) can be a useful tool in evaluating a company. Very few gold dealers have a positive rating with the BBB. If you examine the BBB record on a gold dealer that does not publicize their BBB rating, you may find a list of complaints that reveal an interesting pattern of behavior.
Gold Reporting
Many gold dealers will claim that their products do not have reporting requirements. For a complete listing of which products have reporting requirements see our reporting requirements page.
Shop Around on Investment-Grade Sets and Date Runs
We have spoken with many customers who have purchased rare coin sets from other companies with high mark-ups. When they find out how much less we charge for these products the customers feel cheated and become skeptical of the entire industry. Instead of trusting our lower rates, they begin to wonder how we could be making money at all when we are charging so much less. They wonder how we might also be taking advantage of them.
We hope to catch customers before they have this negative experience. Our goal is education over sales. We want you to understand why the coins you are purchasing have value. Find out why so many other customers have switched to RPMEX after having bad experiences with other companies. Find out why RPMEX has a complaint-free "A" BBB rating. Thank you for giving us the chance to earn your trust.


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Small Appliances and Electronics: Fix It? Or Recycle It?
March 16, 2012Dan JonesNo comments
How many times have you looked at a small appliance and thought about getting it repaired just to realize there isn't anyone to do that anymore? It's tough to find repair shops for electronic appliances, and in most cases, even throwing it out takes a little research.
If the appliance is old and broken, you'll probably find greater value in tossing it and buying a new appliance. Your local county recycling station will often take small appliances. Check their website, or call, for a list of what items they will recycle. Some cities will even pick up small appliances if they are left outside the regular trash curbside.
If you'd rather repair your small appliance, check with the manufacturer first. Their website should have parts and repair information. You can also try calling their warranty/repair number if you'd rather just talk with someone.
Another strategy is to look for a repair shop near you for small appliances — one may still be around. If you are still stumped, check a local retailer that sells the item. Sometimes the store has repaired items in the past and can help source the best repair shop, or in some cases, can repair the appliance themselves.
To avoid repairs all together, the number one way to keep your small electronics running is to read the owners manual and perform regular cleaning and maintenance. Almost every electronic gizmo in a household needs some attention once in a while — and these days most owners' manuals can be found online with a product number or code and the manufacturers name.


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Sunday, March 27, 2011
Ruffled Burp Cloth for Baby
When I was pregnant with my youngest daughter I turned some regular cloth diapers into cozy, soft minky burpies. Now you can find these all over the Internet it seems... some at prices that astonish me. Oh the price we pay for CUTE!
If you have a sewing machine and can sew in a straight line, then there is nothing preventing you from making your own like I did. The ones pictured here are for a friend who is having a baby girl, no worries my baby boy will not be subjected to pink burpies!
Before we jump into the simple diaper cloth burpie (I will do in my next post), let's walk through how I made the smaller ruffled, minky and flannel burp cloth.
I first cut out my flannel and minky fabrics in a rounded shape. I used a burp cloth I had for a pattern, but you could cut one out of paper to the shape and size you desire.
I then pinned the ruffle first to my flannel fabric, since the ruffle I chose was being folded in half. It seemed easier for me to get the ruffle on one piece and then both pieces of fabric later.
Hint: You could make this more simply by adding Ric Rack instead of a more challenging ruffle ribbon like this one.
Pin It Now!
Posted by Carrie's The Created Home at 7:30 AM


text: Do you know how hard it is to make dairy-free frosting? No? Well let's just say it's VERY hard. I did end up using some butter in this final recipe, but you could also use a butter substitute, or maybe possibly try ghee. I tested this recipe about 10 times before I got it just right, so I hope you enjoy. Continue reading "Caramel or Vanilla Buttercream Frosting"


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First Drop!
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Iraqi Kurds to vote on sending forces to Syria
Iraq's Kurdish regional parliament will hold a session on Wednesday to vote on deploying peshmerga security forces to aid Syrian Kurds battling jihadists from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria group, a senior lawmaker said.
The planned vote raises the possibility that the three-province autonomous Kurdistan region will make the decision to deploy forces from Iraq to fight in Syria's civil war independent of the federal government.
"Today, the Kurdistan parliament will hold a session… to give the authorization and allow the president of the region to move forces to the town of Kobane" in Syria, Omid Khoshnaw, the head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party's parliamentary bloc, told AFP.
The strategic town of Kobane, located near the Turkish border, has become a crucial battleground in the war against ISIS, which also holds major territory in Iraq.
Kurdish forces have played a leading role in combating the group in northern Iraq after federal security forces collapsed under the weight of an ISIS-led militant offensive launched in June.
Iraqi Kurdistan has its own security forces, government, borders and flag, but has been reliant on payments from Baghdad for funding.
The region's decision to independently sign contracts with foreign firms to develop its natural resources — a move that could ultimately pave the way for independence — has been a major point of contention with Baghdad.


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Become a fan of the NAMM Oddities on facebook and see occasional audio-related strangeness all year long. You'll also be the first to hear when the Oddities go online each year.
This year it only took me six months to carve out enough time to get the Oddities done. After the last couple of years I'd call that progress. If the Oddities were a person they've be of an age that they could legally consume alcohol in the US. I think I'll have one in their honor to celebrate (not that a fair amount of alcohol wasn't consumed already in the process of writing them.)
After attending the Winter NAMM show for a number of years, I'd noticed that the exhibitors seem to fall into two categories: the established company showing its new (and sometimes vaporous) products and the independent start-up company looking to be noticed by distributors, music stores, potential investors and the music press.
It seemed that every year I spent more of my NAMM time checking out the various small companies that got stashed in some dark corner of the show. Many of the products from these companies were never seen the by the average visitor, sometimes because they only appealed to a small market, or because most people simply couldn't figure out what the hell they were supposed to do.
That isn't to say that these products are ill-conceived or poorly executed. It's just that sometimes they're, well, a little odd. This situation made me think that there ought to be a place for people to come to marvel and wonder at all of these products. Thus, the NAMM Oddities were born.
©2018 Barry Wood


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What are Biblical Examples of Being Pragmatic? Part 3 of Who Should Christians Vote For?
- Abraham had his wife pose as his sister: Genesis 20. It was pragmatic for Abraham (who feared for his life) to say Sarah was his sister, but God had other plans.
- Israel spying out the Promised Land: Numbers 13,14. It was pragmatic to refuse to enter the Promised Land. God kept Israel in the wilderness until an entire generation died.
- Israel defeats Jericho: Joshua 6. A pragmatic person would say marching around a city would have little effect on defeating it.
- Moses' mom did not kill him: Exodus 2. It wasn't pragmatic to hide a male infant. But Israel was ultimately freed because of her actions.
- Hosea didn't divorce Gomer: Hosea 3. A pragmatic Hosea would divorce a woman who returned to prostitution. But God used his love as a symbol for his relationship with Israel.
- Jeremiah kept preaching: Jeremiah 25. A pragmatic prophet would stop preaching after a few years with no results, but Jeremiah kept at it for 23 years.
- Daniel in the lion's den. Daniel 6. A pragmatic Daniel wouldn't have ended up in the Lion's Den.
- Fiery Furnace: Daniel 3. A pragmatic Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego wouldn't have ended up in the fiery furnace.
- Solomon Takes wives: 1 Kings 11. The wisest man on earth decided it was pragmatic to marry and take concubines from other nations, and he ended up worshipping false gods
New Testament
- Ananias and Saul: Acts 9. It would have been pragmatic for Ananias to stay away from a renowned killer of Christians. But then he wouldn't have been there to begin discipling a man who would write half the New Testament.
- Jerusalem Council: Acts 15. It would have been pragmatic to give in to the Jewish believers and make Gentile believers follow Jewish customs.
- Timothy: 1 Timothy 4:12. Pragmatism says that older people know more than younger ones.
- Gamaliel: Acts 5. Gamaliel gave some very bad pragmatic advice.
What are Biblical Examples of Choosing the Lesser of Two Evils? Part 2 of Who Should Christians Vote For?
"And if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you." 1 Kings 11:38
"And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just. " Romans 3:8
- Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary says, "Let us do evil, that good may come, is oftener in the heart than in the mouth of sinners; for few thus justify themselves in their wicked ways.The believer knows that duty belongs to him, and events to God; and that he must not commit any sin, or speak one falsehood, upon the hope, or even assurance, that God may thereby glorify himself. If any speak and act thus, their condemnation is just."
- Albert Barnes Notes on the Bible says, "Whatever is evil is not to be done under any pretence. Any imaginable good which we may think will result from it; any advantage to ourselves or to our cause; or any glory which we may think may result to God, will not sanction or justify the deed."
- Matthew Poole's Commentary says, " The apostle doth not vouchsafe to refute this absurd saying, but simply condemns it, and those that put it in practice."
- Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary says, "Such reasoning amounts to this- 'which, indeed, we who preach salvation by free grace are slanderously accused of teaching – that the more evil we do, the more glory will rebound to God; a damnable principle.' thus the apostle, instead of refuting this principle, thinks it enough to hold it up to execration, as one that shocked the moral sense."
What is the Biblical Standard for Choosing Civil Authority? Part 1 of Who Should Christians Vote For?
[I've gone out of my way to not talk in specifics about this election season, but instead look at principles that should frame our votes in every election, for every office.]
Part 1 of a 3 part series: Who Should Christians Vote For?
Americans have the great privilege of choosing their own civil authorities. Christians in American still have to submit to those in authority over us (Romans 13:1), but every so often we get to choose who those people are. The first Justice of the Supreme Court, Honorable John Jay said, "God is the One who has given us the privilege in this Christian nation of selecting our leaders."
Since we have such an honor and privilege, how then should we choose our leaders? By what standard should they be held? How should we decide who to vote for?
In a time when there are many conflicting messages, I turned to the Bible. What does it say about rulers and civil authorities? Voting for a civil authority is not like voting for a pastor. It has often been said that the US President is not the Pastor-in-Chief. What does the Bible say about selecting civil authorities? How should we expect them to lead?
There are two significant examples of civil leaders being selected from the among Israelites. Before we examine them, let's agree that these are descriptive passages about what happened, and not prescriptive passages about what we must do. Let's also agree that if we hold the Bible to be true, then these passages contain lessons that can be applied to our own modern selection of leaders.
Exodus 18:21a " But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain"
Deuteronomy 1:13 "Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you."
In the Exodus passage, Moses needed help dealing with civil matters, with disagreements among the people. Jethro, his father-in-law, suggested looking for these qualities in the people selected to help;
- God Fearing– They needed a healthy respect for God and the things of God.
- Trustworthy– They were faithful, honest, and could be relied upon.
- Hating dishonest gain– People of integrity.
Similar situation in Deuteronomy, when God told Moses what sort of people to choose:
- Wise– People who were not just knowledgable, but wise.
- Understanding– People who could understand the situation they were presiding over.
- Respected– People who have earned the respect of the community.
That seems like a pretty smart list of qualities to look for in a candidate for any office. Based on those passages my personal list looks something like this:
I will vote for candidates that respect religion and religious freedom. They will be honest, and people I can believe will do what they say they will do. They will be people of integrity. I will look for people who are wise, and competent to fill the office they are running for. I will vote for people who I believe are capable of earning and keeping my respect.
For me, this is the minimum standard for my vote. Notice I didn't mention specific social or economic issues, no foreign policy or immigration or any other political issue. That's not because I don't care about them, I very much do. But issues change as society changes. The bedrock of biblical truth upon which we build our worldview does not.
The 6 qualities of a civil authority listed here are immutable and timeless. You and I may disagree on nuances of issues, but we can agree on this short list. Plus, people who respect religion, and who I consider wise and competent will, in my view, hold positions on issues similar to my own. But if they don't meet the standard of this list, I should keep searching no matter how much they might share my views on issues.
The book of Proverbs is also full of wisdom about civil authorities:
- A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor. Pr 28:16a
- When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan. Pr 29:2
- If a ruler listens to falsehood, all his officials will be wicked. Pr 29:12
- Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. Pr 11:14
- Wicked behavior is detestable to kings, since a throne is established through righteousness. Pr 16:12 (HCSB)
- When a land transgresses, it has many rulers, but with a man of understanding and knowledge, its stability will long continue. Pr 28:2
This isn't an exhaustive list of verses, but you can get a biblical picture of the person we should be looking to vote for. It can be hard to hold to this sort of standard in our current political climate, especially on the national level. It's very easy to allow fear to color your decision.
What if none of the candidates can live up to this standard? What if that horrible candidate wins? I point you to Romans 8:28, and encourage you to remember God is sovereign. While he cares about everything, God's primary purpose is not to fix earthly governments. The Kingdom of Heaven is not about one nation, it's about something far more important.
Dr. Russell Moore from the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission was talking about the 2016 Presidential election and he said, "If you lose an election you can live to fight another day and move on, but if you lose an election while giving up your very soul then you have really lost it all, and so I think the stakes are really high."
Who should you vote for? It may be that you have several choices that biblically qualify for an office, or you may feel you have none. I think the process starts with prayer. Ask God to lead you to the candidate for each office. No one will be perfect, but it's doubtful God will lead you to a candidate that is completely contrary to this simple biblical standard. He won't lead you to a candidate who is not wise, not trustworthy, does not have integrity, is not respectable, who does not respect religion. But you may have to look beyond candidates who get the most media attention.
I encourage you to stick to what you value and vote for someone you can support. Much more important than which party holds what offices is your own relationship with God. Don't betray your values over an election. You have the privilege and the responsibility to participate in choosing your own civil authorities; do it well.
Vote Your Values, Not Your Fears
The wonderful thing about a representative form of government is that we, the voters, can put people who represent us into positions of leadership. These elected officials have the power to represent the things we hold dearest. They have the power to lead our towns, counties, states and nation in a way that reflects who we are.
Unless we vote based on our fears. On the national scale, in our 2 party/binary choice elections we seem to always hear about voting against the worse candidate. If we don't vote for candidate x we will have horrible consequences. These tactics play on our fears.
If we elect people based on our fears, they will govern based on our fears. Is what we fear the best representation of us? Do we really expect our government to improve if we put people in office who represent what we are afraid of, rather than what we value?
I propose a radical alternative in the political climate of 2016: Don't vote against someone you are afraid of. Don't vote against ideologies you fear. Vote for what you value, for the things you hold dear. Vote your values, not your fears.


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ELIT Brand Electrochemical Sensors and Computer-based Instrumentation.
Innovative technology at highly competitive prices.
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to download a printer-friendly (.pdf) version of this document (11xA4 pages).
ELIT solid state ion selective electrodes are fitted with either impregnated PVC or crystalline membranes, depending on which ion is to be detected. They are all mono electrodes which must be used with an appropriate reference electrode and must be inserted into an appropriate ELIT electrode head for connection to the measuring system.
A Quick Guide to Basic Operation
B) Detailed Instructions with Explanations and Discussion
B1) Installation
If the electrode is to be used with a conventional reference electrode, it must be inserted in a Mono Electrode Head (ELIT 101). This head fits in every standard electrode holder and is attached to a cable fitted with a BNC connector which can be connected to any ELIT Ion Analyser (computer interface), or to any pH/mV or ion meter with a BNC socket. Alternative DIN, US, or S7 connectors can be supplied if required.
If the electrode is to be used in combination with an ELIT 8mm reference electrode, then both must be inserted into a Dual Electrode Head (ELIT 201). This system replaces conventional Combination Electrodes and has the advantage that the expensive low noise connectors and cables are not attached directly to the electrodes, the ISE or reference electrode can easily be exchanged independently and the electrode head can be re-used many times with any ELIT electrode. The black plastic protective caps must be removed from the electrodes before use. It is recommended that this is done before inserting the electrode into the electrode holder to avoid placing undue stress on the connecting pin.
B2) Preconditioning
In order to obtain the most stable results, it is recommended that the electrodes are pre-conditioned by immersing both the ISE and the reference electrode in the 1000ppm standard for at least 10 minutes before use. If the voltage is monitored during this period and is seen to settle down to a sensible stable reading then this is a good indication that the system is operating correctly. Optimum wetting and pre-conditioning can be ensured by repeatedly removing the electrodes from the solution, washing and drying, and re-immersing (and waiting for at least two minutes for a stable reading) until three consecutive readings are within 1mV of each other. When the electrode is first used, or after prolonged storage, it may be that this procedure is insufficient and further soaking, overnight or over a weekend, may be necessary to achieve stable readings. In this case it is strongly recommended that the reference electrode is removed and the protective cap (containing outer filling solution) is replaced during this time to avoid unnecessary leaching of the filling solution. After preconditioning, rinse with a jet of de-ionised water and gently pat dry with a low-lint tissue.
Preconditioning/Standard Solution
B3) Calibration Theory.
The operation of ion selective electrodes is based on the fact that there is a linear relationship between the electrical potential developed between an ISE and a reference electrode immersed in the same solution, and the Logarithm of the activity (or "effective concentration") of the ions in the solution. This relationship is described by the Nernst equation:
Note that 2.303RT/nF is the Slope of the line and this is an important diagnostic characteristic of the electrode - generally the slope gets lower as the electrode gets old or contaminated, and the lower the slope the higher the errors on the sample measurements - eg: at S=55, a 1mV error in reading will make about a 4% difference in concentration; at S=26 the difference will be more like 8%. Because of the logarithmic relationship, the slope can most easily be determined as the difference between the voltages measured in two solutions which differ by one order of magnitude - usually expressed as mV/decade. The theoretical value for the slope at 25°C is 59.2 for mono-valent ions and 29.6 for di-valent ions - but in practice these can vary considerably due to failure to meet "ideal" conditions. The critical factor is not so much the actual value of the slope but that this should be as high as possible and remain constant over the range of concentrations and the time period required for the analyses.
The activity of an ion in solution is a measure of the number of ions taking part in any given reaction, in this case those interacting with the ISE membrane. It is always less than the actual number of ions present in the solution (i.e. concentration) because the mobility of the ions is reduced by the presence of other ions in the solution. The higher the concentration of other ions, whether the same or different from the species being measured, the stronger is this retarding effect and the greater the difference between activity and concentration. However, it must be noted that in dilute solutions with low Ionic Strength this difference is small and can be ignored in many practical applications – i.e. the calibration can be made and sample results calculated using the more convenient concentration units.
The relationship between activity and concentration is defined by the activity coefficient
The Ionic Strength (I) can be calculated from I = 0.5 x Sum (ci x Zi2)
Note that it is generally accepted that this formula is only accurate up to about I = 0.1 Molar. At higher ionic strength other factors come into play which make the calculation of activity coefficients virtually impossible and thus most ISEs cannot be used reliably above this concentration.
Table 1 can be used as a guide in deciding whether or not the samples to be measured have sufficiently low Ionic Strength that the activity effect can be ignored - but also see Notes on Measuring Procedures (section B5,3).
Table 1. Activity Coefficients and likely errors (i.e. under-estimate) in concentration measurement for various Ions in different Ionic Strength Solutions.
1) Bring the ionic strength to the same level in both the calibrating standard solutions and the samples by adding a suitable Ionic Strength Adjustment Buffer (ISAB) to both.
2) Dilute the samples to a level where the ionic strength effect is insignificant – but make sure that the detected ion is still within the linear range of the electrode.
3) For samples with complex but known matrix, make up the standards in a similar solution which does not contain the detected ion.
4) Use the Activity Coefficient to calculate the concentration from the activity. The activity coefficient can be calculated for simple solutions with known concentrations of all the ions, but this is not possible in many practical applications, where the samples may have a complex or unknown matrix. NB: the conversion between activity and concentration can be done automatically using the ELIT Chemtools software available with the ISE/pH Ion Analyser. Also see: Ionic Strength and activity calculator (MS Excel file)
5) Use the Standard Addition (or Sample Addition) Method where the voltage is measured before and after a measured small volume of standard (sample) is added to a larger measured volume of sample (standard) so that the ionic strength is essentially the same for both the calibration and the unknown measurement. These methods also have the added advantage that the electrodes remain immersed in the same solution for both measurements, thus minimising any errors due to temperature differences or hysteresis or variations in the liquid junction potential of the reference electrode, and thus can potentially yield more precise results than direct potentiometry; even for low-ionic-strength samples (click for details).
For a complete calibration, a 10,000 or 1,000 ppm standard solution (or 0.1 or 0.01 molar solution, whatever is most convenient) can be diluted sequentially to produce concentrations of, for example, 100ppm, 10ppm & 1ppm or 1, 0.1 & 0.01 mMol (or even lower for some electrodes – see electrode specification sheet). Note that these are concentrations of the ion to be measured, not the salt containing the ion. The easiest way to do this is to pipette 10mls of the higher concentration solution into a 100ml flask, dilute to 100ml with deionized water and mix thoroughly. Then transfer this solution into a 150 ml polypropylene beaker ready for analysis. Then wash and re-use the pipette and flask, taking the next aliquot from the previous beaker.
However, if the approximate concentration range of the samples is known then a complete calibration will not be necessary and standards should be made which closely bracket the sample range. Note that large errors may occur if samples are measured by extrapolation beyond the range of the calibration and it is easiest to calculate the slope, and check the performance of the electrode, if decades of concentration are used, e.g. 10 & 100 ppm or 1 & 10 mmol etc. - because the slope is simply the difference between the millivolts in two solutions which differ by one order of magnitude. Three or more calibration point are recommended in order to confirm the linearity and to detect any errors in diluting the standards, or to define the curve in the non-linear range. Once the slope has been confirmed in the range of the sample concentrations, subsequent re-calibrations can be made more quickly with a single standard in the middle of the sample range (at least on the same day and probably over a longer period for less precise measurements). This is relatively easy using the ELIT ISE/pH Ion Analyser software.
The temperature of the calibrating solutions and the samples should be the same within a tolerance of ±1°C. If ISAB is required then this must be added in equal proportions to all standards and samples. Note that if the electrode specification sheet indicates that ISAB should be added, for example, "2% v/v" then it should be realised that these are only approximate proportions and the critical factor is that all solutions, samples and standards, must be treated in the same way. Thus it is generally easiest to add 2ml of ISAB to 90ml of standard solution (remaining after serial dilution), after the appropriate concentration standards have been made. In this case, 10ml must be removed from the lowest standard to make it the same as the others, and only 90mls of sample should be used.
When the calibrating standard solutions are ready they should be measured in the same way as the samples (see Notes on Measuring Procedures, below) - working from the lowest concentration standard to the highest in order to minimise cross contamination. The mV reading must then be plotted against the log of the concentration (or against the concentration on a semi-log scale) on graph paper or computer graphics package. This is done automatically if an ELIT ISE/pH Ion Analyser (2-channel computer interface) is used instead of a conventional mV/ion meter. The mV reading for the samples can then be used to read the concentration of the samples from the calibration graph. Again, this is done automatically by the ELIT software.
For the most precise results it is best to measure samples soon after calibration; ideally, calibrate before every sample. This can be done initially with two standards to define the slope, then, to save time, with a single standard using the same slope. In practice, the operator must decide what is the best compromise between the increased time needed for frequent re-calibrations and the precision required for his measurements. For many applications, calibrating once every hour or every 20 samples should be sufficient - but much less frequently if monitoring long term changes in a single solution.
B5) Notes on Measuring Procedures
The basic method of measuring standards and samples is as given in the Quick Guide (above). Nevertheless, for the most precise results, the operator should be aware of a number of factors and alternative methods which may affect the quality of the analyses. Thus, if the highest possible precision is required, it is recommended that, before starting any new type of sample, the operator should test the various alternative methods to see which will give the most reproducible results with his particular samples and electrode system.
1) Stirring the solution during measurement ?
2) How long to wait after immersion, before taking a reading ?
Alternatively, it may be more convenient (and quicker) to take all readings after a pre-specified time after immersion. Normally the measured voltage changes fairly rapidly and falls by several millivolts during the first 30 seconds after immersion but then the change gradually gets slower and slower. Taking a reading after 2 - 5 minutes (depending on electrode system) will ensure that the initial equilibration of the ISE is completed and the reading is taken in the shallow part of the curve where the final stabilisation of the reference electrode liquid junction potential is only making small changes to the measured voltage.
A third alternative is to observe the drift in reading as the electrodes equilibrate after immersion and then take a reading at the point where the direction of drift is definitely reversed - i.e. a different electrochemical process begins to dominate.
3) To use ISAB or not ?
4) Cleaning between samples ?
C) Standard Addition and Sample Addition Methods.
The Standard Addition method (also known as "Known Addition") involves adding a small volume of a concentrated standard (e.g. 2 or 5 ml) to a much larger volume of sample (e.g. 50 or 100 ml). The volume and concentration of the standard must be chosen to cause a significant and measurable change in the concentration of the detected ion (and hence in the measured voltage) but should not cause a significant dilution of the sample matrix (so that the ionic strength remains essentially unchanged). The voltage is first measured in a measured volume of the pristine sample. Then a measured volume of standard is added, the solutions are mixed well and a second reading is taken before calculating the concentration of the sample. The Sample Addition method is used in exactly the same way as Standard Addition, except that a small volume of sample is added to a larger volume of standard.
D) Interfering Ions
The biggest limitation and difficulty with Ion Selective Electrode measurements is the problem of interference from other ions. ISEs are not ion-specific. All are sensitive to some other ions to some extent. In many cases the interferences are trivial and can be ignored but in some extreme cases the electrode is far more sensitive to the interfering ion than to the primary ion and can only be used if the interfering ion is absent, or only present in very low concentrations relative to the primary ion. In some systems the interfering ion can be removed by chemical means and special chemicals can sometimes be added to the appropriate Ionic Strength Adjustment Buffer.
The interfering ions and their Selectivity Coefficients (SC=1 if electrode is equally sensitive to both the primary and interfering ions, 0.1 if ten times less sensitive to the interfering ion, etc.) are clearly shown on the individual electrode data sheets. Unfortunately the Selectivity Coefficient is not constant and is dependent on a number of factors such as total ionic strength of the solution, temperature and the actual and relative concentrations of each ion. Thus it cannot be used to make precise corrections for the interference. Nevertheless, the Chemtools package in the ELIT ISE/pH Ion Analyser software can be used to calculate the order of magnitude of the likely interference effects for all ELIT ISEs as a guide for the user in deciding whether or not ISE measurement would be suitable for his application.
If the analyst is unsure if an interfering ion will be a problem, or if he wishes to make a correction for its presence, then it is possible to measure the SC directly in a typical sample and obtain a more accurate assessment of the interference. First measure the concentrations of the primary ion and the interferent in the sample, using the appropriate ISE for each ion. Then add more interferent - sufficient to ensure a significant (say 10%) increase in the signal for the primary ion. The amount to add can be calculated from the initial concentration measurements and the indicative SC quoted in the electrode specifications. Then measure the apparent concentration of the primary ion again and calculate the SC for the interferent from the increase caused by the known amount added. e.g. if the added interferent increased it's concentration by 10ppm and this produced a 1 ppm increase in the measured value of the primary ion then the SC would be 0.1. Subsequent sample measurements can then be made by measuring both the primary ion and interferent and using the measured SC to make a more reasonable correction for the interference. Click here for practical example. These measurements can be made by Direct Potentiometry or Standard Addition, with or without ISAB, depending on whichever method has been chosen for the samples. However, it must be noted that the accuracy and precision of this correction may be quite variable and will need to be tested for validity and reliability for each particular application before being used on a routine basis.
E) Storage and Maintenance
After use, the electrodes should be rinsed with de-ionised water and dried with a paper towel. If the electrodes are in regular use and are kept permanently plugged into the electrode head, then it is not necessary to replace the plastic cap for the ISE after every analytical session. It can just be left hanging in the air. If unused for long periods however, (overnight or for prolonged storage ) it is necessary to replace the cap to protect the membrane from atmospheric oxidation/corrosion or mechanical damage.
The cap for the reference electrode however, should be replaced after each session of use, in order to prevent drying out of the filling solution. Reference electrodes should be stored wet, with the protective cap containing the same solution as the outer filling solution. Loss of solution is minimised by keeping a plug of absorbent material, such as cotton wool, in the bottom of the cap. This should be checked frequently and the solution replenished if necessary.
NOTE 1: Electrodes should never be left in pure distilled or de-ionised water (or any solution which does not contain the target ion) for more than a few minutes at a time - to avoid leaching effects.
F) Fault Finding
Important Diagnostic Note: It is quite normal for the measured voltage in a particular concentration standard to differ from a previous calibration (on the same day or days or weeks before) or from another ISE for the same ion. This does not necessarily indicate a fault.
(1) If the electrode shows a slow response or a low slope, the membrane may be poisoned or coated with a film. In this case PVC membranes may be rejuvenated by carefully washing in pure ethanol, then de-ionised water. Thick deposits can be washed off with a jet of deionised water from a wash bottle. As a last resort, try gentle wiping with a soft wet tissue or lint-free cloth - but be very careful not to scratch the membrane. Protein deposits can be removed by rinsing in a HCl/Pepsin cleaning solution available from several chemical suppliers.
(2) If the ISE is being used with an ELIT 8mm reference electrode and the signal is very erratic and jumps by tens or even hundreds of millivolts then this is probably due to minute bubbles in the reference electrode gel electrolyte. These can develop during transport or prolonged storage. This can normally be cured by holding the reference electrode firmly with the active tip pointing downwards and shaking down several times with a flick of the wrist, as with old medical mercury thermometers ( i.e. down vigorously but up gently so that the gel is propelled towards the ceramic frit and any bubbles away from it).
(3) If the reading when immersed in the 1000ppm standard is 0 mV or an unchanging high value then it is likely that the gel electrolyte in the reference electrode has completely dried out. This may be because there has been insufficient filling solution in the plastic cap or the cap has not been replaced after use. In this case a new RE will be required.
(4) Large deviations in the mV reading may also be due to poor connections in the wiring or moisture on the contacts and in this case all connections should be checked, cleaned and dried. Random deviations of a few millivolts may be due to contamination of the ISE membrane or to external electrostatic fields. In the latter case, if the operator or passers-by are wearing static-producing clothing, it may help to ensure that every one remains still for a few seconds whilst the reading is taken.