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Adding to my list of sensors and scanners, if you recall the APOC Radiation Detector I reviewed some time ago, here's another one that I've had for a while and then came across it again recently.
I had backed this on Kickstarter, specifically because I wanted to add to my list of spectrums I could detect, surpassing the Gamma and x- rays, and the occasional Alpha particle. It was for a detector that would connect to an iPhone or similar product and an app to drive the detection process. The app and Device go by the funny name Mr.Ghost, and takes a page from the PKE Meter from Ghostbusters although it's fundamentals are based on the material world rather than the preternatural. The creator goes to lengths to state the app is intended for entertainment purposes only and does not provide true ghost detecting functionality.
EM radiation stands for "electromagnetic radiation" is a wave-like form of energy like microwaves, visible light, and x-rays. EMF stands for "electromagnetic field" and is the near field part of EM radiation. Any time you have electrons moving through wire (like in the power supply of your appliances), it generates an electromagnetic field. Mr.Ghost acts to detect this field and is specifically tuned to detect AC electricity.
The readouts of the app show both the strength of the signal at the top, listed in RMS,
typical readings are 12-60 for fluorescent lights, 20-30 for wall-adaptors, 100-200 for dimmer switches, 200-400 for flatscreen TV's and 2000-4000 for old CRT tv's.
The second window shows either a spectral analysis of the emissions or its waveform, giving you an impression of the nature of the emissions. The spectral analysis starts at approximately 10hz on the left and moves up to 22,000hz on the right.
The third window gives a sliding record of signal strength over time, based on the RMS reading from the main window.
The control sliders at the bottom control sensitivity, and the one below that allows you to set an offset, to baseline the device you are scanning with the Mr.Ghost from. There are also "record" and "send memory" options to capture your particular observations be email.
There are in fact three "modes" to the MrGhost app: primary scanning, gyro-mode and glow-mode. These are accessed by swiping left or right from the main window.
In gyro mode, the main window gives a block of the same scaled-by-colour signal strength as with th primary mode, blue being lowest, through grey to yellow, orange and red to white. It also gauges strength by proximity. The app ties into the iPhone gyroscope to giv you a real time, directional signal. Adjust the sensitivity all the way left, and swing your phone back and forth in gyro mode and see the direction of high powered emitters. Very good if you're trying to pinpoint a obfuscated power source, like faulty wiring, a secreted transmitter or perhaps whatever spook keeps moving the remote control. .
Glow mode fills he entire screen with the signal detection colour of the gyro-mode, but without an extra data, just full screen colour. It glows brighter/hotter based on emission level, it also allows recording of your detected signals if you can film or time-lapse your detection to paint a light-picture of signal strength.
Glow mode fills he entire screen with the signal detection colour of the gyro-mode, but without an extra data, just full screen colour. It glows brighter/hotter based on emission level, it also allows recording of your detected signals if you can film or time-lapse your detection to paint a light-picture of signal strength.
One thing that Mr.Ghost will not detect is the mobile phone you use to drive it and capture the signals. It was designed such that the EMF coming from the iPhone is generally above the 22.05khz cutoff that the detector senses. This means you can use it without having to turn on airplane mode, and without contaminating your data capture. Mobile devices do cause a tiny amount of baseline signal which the offset feature can handle easily. It does not affect functioning.
Overall, his is a fun peripheral and well or together app. It is a bit tricky to get the settings right so you can capture meaningful data, and it's not a professional industrial espionage signal detector, but for what it is, it's totally worth getting and waving around to gauge what all the trappings of modern life are radiating at you.


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Parisienne culture
Paris delivered us with yet another beautiful day, whilst it is still pretty cool, the weather has been sunny, with clear skies.
Regardless today we headed indoors to the Musee de Orsay. The Musee de Orsay was once a railway station, it is now the second largest art gallery in Paris and contains the largest collection of impressionist paintings and many many beautiful paintings, sculptures and furniture.
The view through the old clock, if you zoom the photo a little, you can see the Sacre Couer atop Montmatre
Monets " Luncheon on the grass" the painting is split in two, The story goes that money did not have enough money to pay the rent, so he gave it to his landlord as security until he had the money. The painting was stored in a cellar by Monets landlord and when Monet retrieved it, it had been severely damaged by mould. Monet himself cut the painting into three pieces. The whereabouts of the third peice is unknown.
Van Gogh's "starry night above the Rhone" is just stunning in real life. To be so up close to the painting and see the brush strokes and how he created the effects was just amazing. The phot would never do the painting justice.
To complete our day of culture we attended a concert in Sainte Chapelle. We heard 3 pieces which included vivaldi's four seasons and canon d in major. It was amazing, I kept wondering how on earth these artists could create something so beautiful and to perform it in such in such a stunning chapel, just a Devine experience. One I will remember for a lifetime.
We completed the evening with a bit of a walk along the Seine. I am starting to feel the little tug of sadness that my time in Pariis coming to an end.
But as Dr Seuss says
"Don't cry because it's over,
Smile because it happened"
And I have so many beautiful memories and so many more beautiful places to see, before I head home
Au Revoir
Googy Girl

subset: commoncrawl


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From salads to sandwiches: Summer tomato recipes
Charmaine Broughton, Chef
Published Monday, August 24, 2015 6:59AM EDT
Last Updated Monday, August 24, 2015 10:15AM EDT
Celebrate the end of summer with delicious, and easy to prepare recipes featuring homegrown tomatoes.
Beefsteak Tomato and Garden Salad Sandwich
A cottage loaf is commonly used to make "party spinach dip". This loaded garden sandwich is a perfect way to use up all those tomatoes, and other vegetables taking over your backyard garden (*or any leftover veggies you have left in your crisper). This sandwich takes about 5 minutes to assemble, and because there is no "cooking" it is a great recipe to have children prepare on their own.
- 1 large (500 g - approx.) pumpernickel or whole grain cottage loaf
- 1/3 (75 mL) mayonnaise + 3 tbsp (45 mL) Dijon mustard
- ½ cup (125 mL) chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as: basil, dill, chives
- 2 cups (500 mL) lightly packed baby arugula or baby spinach leaves
- 2 large Beefsteak tomatoes, (cut in thick slices -- about ¼ inch)
- ½ cup (125 mL) thinly sliced cucumber
- ½ cup (125 mL) crumbled goat cheese
- ½ cup (125 mL) grated carrot
- 1 avocado, pitted and thinly sliced
Cut a round cap off the top of the cottage loaf. Reserve top. Hollow out the inside and top of the loaf to make a bread bowl, leaving about ¾ -inch of bread inside the crust. Stir together mayonnaise, mustard and chopped mixed fresh herbs. Spread all over inside of bread bowl and inside the cap. Place arugula at the bottom of bread bowl and layer with tomatoes, cucumber, goat cheese, grated carrot, and avocado. Place cap back on sandwich and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. To serve, remove plastic wrap and cut into 8 wedges.
Rustic Tomato & Peach Salad
Add this refreshing (and no dressing required) recipe to your August salad repertoire. Serve with grilled beef, chicken, or fish off the grill. For a tasty appetizer, finely chop all ingredients and serve on thin slices of sourdough baguette and garnish with shaved crumbled goat cheese or shaved Parmigiano Reggiano and serve as bruschetta. Or, finely chop and use as a flavourful topper for hummus or white bean dip (hummus recipe below) for a tapas style backyard, or dockside nibble.
- 4 plum tomatoes, quartered
- 2 ripe peaches, chopped (*stone removed and skin on)
- 1/3 cup (75 mL) EACH; pitted and roughly chopped black olives and crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup (60 mL) torn fresh basil leaves
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) roughly chopped fresh mint
Place all ingredients a serving bowl and gently toss. Serve immediately. Makes about 6 cups (1.5 L)
Peanut Butter Hummus
For a protein kick, try a simple and delicious after-school snack of hummus and colourful veggies. Prepare the hummus and cut the veggies the night before for a quick and healthy afternoon snack that won't spoil dinner appetites.
- 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) hot water
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) peanut butter *I prefer all natural
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Whirl until smooth. Place on platter and garnish with approx. ½ cup (125 mL) very finely chopped Tomato and Peach Salad. Serve with veggies - carrots, celery, cucumber, red pepper - and crackers. Makes 2 cups (500 mL). Tip: If a thinner hummus is preferred, add additional water or lemon juice to taste.
Grilled Rib Eye with a Roasted Tomato, Peanut and Jalapeno Relish
Grilled steak is a classic -- dress it up with this tomato jalapeno relish with a pleasing crunch from chopped peanuts. Serve with a tossed green salad and grilled vegetables.
- 1 small red onion
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
- 1 pint cherry (or grape) tomatoes
- 1 large jalapeno, cut in half
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp (5 mL) red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) basil leaves, shredded
- 1/3 cup (75 mL) peanuts, coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 lb. (750 g) rib eye steak (*at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick
- Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice onion into 1-inch (2.5 cm) wedges. Place on a baking sheet and toss with 1 tsp (5 mL) oil. Roast, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, if tomatoes are large, slice in half. Discard seeds from jalapeno if you don't want the relish to be super hot. Add both to roasting pan along with remaining 2 tsp (10 mL) oil and salt. Toss. Continue to roast just until tomatoes begin to wilt, about 5 to 6 minutes.
When cool enough to handle, chop onion into pieces about the same size as tomatoes and finely chop jalapeno. Place all in a bowl along with garlic and vinegar. Just before serving stir in basil and peanuts. Taste and a little more salt if you wish.
Grease grill and preheat barbecue to medium-high heat. Remove steak from fridge while barbecue is preheating. Season generously with salt and pepper. Place on barbecue and grill about 12 minutes, turning once for medium-rare. Serve sliced with relish on the side.


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On June 9th, The Woodlands 2000 Trust and Cookswell Jikos held a day long demonstration course in sustainable charcoal making for the Carnivore Restaurant. This method uses the Kinyanjui Barrel Kiln to carbonize small branches and twigs rotationally pruned from trees that coppice well.
|The two kilns (each at 14,000ksh) and a pile of the feedstock; tree branches.
|The best Kenyan 'nyama choma' is always cooked on charcoal, just ask the Carnivore!
|Topping up the kiln and controlling the air flow with the air intakes.
|Mr. Lanius, from the Wildlife Works REDD program participating in some hands on charcoal making training.
|Sealing down the kiln prior to the 7hr cooling phase.
|Excellent lumpwood charcoal made with very little fuss and effort. No axe's, chainsaws, earth kilns, briquetting machines and drying racks.....just a 400ksh machete and a Kinyanjui Barrel Kiln.


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I made a few napkins as gift sets and decided to whip up these cocktail sized napkins for my niece to use when she hosts her tea parties with her dolls and teddies.
I used some fun polka dot fabric and appliqued our Incomparable teddy bear fabric on top for an extra special touch. The finished size is 9x9inches.
Wrapped them all together with some bright pink and white polka dot ribbon...
...and the matching Incomparable teddy bear button.
Anyone for tea and cake?!


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The Opel Meriva has, since its first appearance in 2003, been the star and benchmark amongst the small monocabs.
Why does Opel win so many prizes? Get the details here.
The Opel Meriva is where space meets flexibility. It's the family car that brings style to practicality.
See what makes it so outstanding:
• Stylish, impressive design
• Generous, class leading comfort
• Comprehensive, convincing safety features
• Exceptionally efficient power options
• Universal everyday practicality
Ergonomics is about you. So think of the strain you can save your back with the easy entry through the FlexDoors®, the high seating position with optimal view, or the FlexSpace® seating system and low loading FlexFix® cycle rack. The German AGR (Aktion Gesunder Rücken e.V.) did just that, and then gave its valuable certification to the whole car.
Connectivity makes the difference between knowing and guessing. The Opel Meriva puts you firmly in touch with reality with state of the art systems featuring navi, USB and Bluetooth® connection so your smartphone can become an integral part of the driving experience.
Eye catching but practical, small but spacious, the stylish Opel Meriva fits to modern lifestyles. Easy to get in and out of, a comfortable place to sit and see the world and superbly flexible and convenient, it represents design at its finest.
Step into the feel-good factor. The Opel Meriva brings class-leading comfort to life. With appealing tactile materials, vibrant colors, exceptional storage features and in-depth quality even at base level. The all-round comfort is remarkable, but add the optional AGR certified ergonomic front seats and you're also doing your back a real favor.
With passive safety features including the unique Pedal Release System (PRS), active front headrests, dual pre-tensioned front seatbelts and all-round airbag protection the Opel Meriva takes great care of everyone inside. With active Maximum systems that include Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Stability Program Plus (ESP®Plus) and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), it minimizes the chances that you will ever need to find out how good they are. The Opel Meriva. Safer all over.
The maximum Euro NCAP 5-star rating tells you how safe the Opel Meriva is. What it can't tell about are the really special and unique features, such as the child safety zone when the doors are opened, the advanced Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL) and much more.
With the Opel Meriva downsizing doesn't mean depowering. Opel technology squeezes the last ounce of power out of the smallest drop of fuel. Depending on the model, Euro 6 compliance, Start/Stop system and ecoFLEX are all available.
Opel will use reasonable efforts to ensure that the contents of this Site are accurate and up to date but does not accept any liability for any claims or losses arising from a reliance upon the contents of the Site. Some of the information on this Site may not be correct due to product changes which may have occurred since it was launched. Some of the equipment described or shown may only be available in certain countries or may be available only at extra cost. Opel reserves the right to change product specifications at any time. For the actual product specifications in your country, please consult your Opel dealer.


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The closest library to me closed for renovation until late January, so I'm about to switch to a fancy new library blocks away from where I work. This is a very exciting moment for me. It's like going on a first date. Anyway, I have Three Moments of an Explosion by China Miéville, What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank by Nathan Englander, and The Divine by Boaz Lavie waiting for me there. Needless to say, I'm excited.
- X'ed Out by Charles Burns


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Obama Leaves Monsanto In Charge Of Ending Hunger in Africa
"At the Group of 8 (G8) meetings this past weekend, President Obama and the leaders of the rest of the world's richest nations abandoned their governments' previous commitments to donate $7.3 billion a year to end hunger in Africa, after disbursing only 58 percent of the total pledge of $22 billion and giving less than 6 percent in new money they pledged three years ago.
Instead, rich nations will leave the problem in the hands of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition where private corporations will invest $3 billion over 10 years -- Monsanto has committed $50 million -- beginning in three countries, Tanzania, Ghana and Ethiopia. (Human-rights activists have questioned the inclusion of Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, noting that his authoritarian government has jailed dissidents and banned media access to hunger zones. The Committee to Protect Journalists said in a letter to President Obama that the Ethiopian government "routinely downplays the extent of the crisis by denying journalists access to sensitive areas and censoring independent news coverage.")
The main U.S. spokesperson for the New Alliance is USAID administrator Rajiv Shah. OCA opposed Dr. Shah's appointment because of his work for the Gates Foundation and his position as a board member of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), which actively promote expensive and unsustainable technologies like genetic engineering.
Ronnie Cummins, Director of the Organic Consumers Association, issued the following statement in response to the news:
"Study after study has shown that organic, agro-ecological farming practices on small diverse farms can boost yields in Africa and the developing world from 100-1000% over the yields of chemical-intensive or genetically engineered mono-crop farms. To help the world's two billion small farmers and rural villagers survive and prosper we need to help them gain access, not to genetically engineered seeds and expensive chemical inputs; but rather access to land, water, and the tools and techniques of traditional, sustainable farming: non-patented open-pollinated seeds, crop rotation, natural compost production, beneficial insects, and access to local markets. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) reduce crop yields, and increase pesticide use, even according to USDA statistics. Bill Gates, Monsanto, and Barack Obama may believe that genetic engineering and chemical-intensive agriculture are the tools to feed the world, but a look at the fatal harvest of modern agribusiness tells a different story. Not only can climate-friendly, healthy organic agriculture practices feed the world, but in fact organic farming is the only way we are going to be able to feed the world."
OCA political director Alexis Baden-Mayer prepared the following notes for a talk she gave at the Occupy G8 People's Summit, critiquing the New Alliance:
Contrary to the talking points of President Obama and the other leaders of the G8 nations, the problem of feeding the world isn't about the need to produce more food, it's about stopping the way wealthy countries are subsidizing their richest farmers, grabbing up the best land in Africa, speculating on food commodities in their financial markets, wasting food, diverting crop production to livestock feed and biofuels, and ratcheting up the costs of farming by encouraging the use of expensive and unsustainable GMO seeds, pesticides and fertilizers.
The world already produces more than 1 1/2 times enough food to feed everyone on the planet. That's enough to feed 10 billion people, the population peak we expect by 2050.
70 percent of this food is produced by 3 billion small-scale food producers worldwide.
Nevertheless, 1 billion people on the planet are chronically hungry, and 70% are farmers.
If the G8 actually cared about ending hunger, they'd":...
This well written comprehensive report found at the Organic Consumers Association's site is right on target regarding how totally wrong President Obama and this league of chemical polluters are in their plans to invade Africa with GMO seeds and toxic pesticides. In this time we find ourselves living in this is not the time to rely on failed schemes when there are natural organic ways to grow food that have been proven to give greater yields while preserving soil health and biodiversity. These are methods already being employed by small farmers in these countries being ignored in this process who do not want Monsanto and their tecnology fees, high imput costs and jackbooted tactics employed simply for saving seed that perpetuates poverty. Syngenta as well has a toxic legacy as does DOW. Monoculture and pesticide seeds are not the way to go in bringing food sovereignty to regions of the world already reeling due to more severe and frequent climactic changes. Please read further for more on this and what has unfolded regarding it...
3rd Annual Symposium On Global Development And Food Security
President Obama rubbed elbows with Hugh Grant CEO of Monsanto at this symposium as well as other chemical polluters like Syngenta. If you read the list of sponsors it reads like a who's who of biotech/pesticide pushers (including Dupont, Syngenta and Walmart.) And of course, sponsored by the Bill And Melinda Gates Foundation as well, which like their counterparts are salivating to push these poison seeds onto the people of Africa against their will for profit. Now, what distracting bit of news is the media concentrating on today to hide this? This administration is in bed fully with these corporations intent on a contaminated monoculture world where nature itself is patented and farmers are indebted to them for LIFE. I can only hope resistance to this gets even stronger.
There has also been hum in the blogosphere due to Bono of U2 speaking at this symposium and basically accepting this agreement regarding allowing Monsanto and other companies to have unfettered access to its resources. The hum is because Bono is known as the co-founder of the ONE campaign which is set on alleviating poverty in Africa. Bono in my view has been rightly chastised on his appearance at this symposium by environmental and food rights groups as his own words there basically stated he was going against what he claims to care about by not speaking out for the farmers who were left out of this.
Bono Speaking At Symposium
"A key part of the new alliance is the promise of $3 billion in investments from more than 45 private sector firms around the globe, including U.S. seed, chemical and agricultural equipment companies DuPont, Monsanto and Cargill, for agricultural programs on the African continent in the next few years."
end of excerpt
The link above is his speech. He supports the plan of merging Monsanto, Cargill, Syngenta, etc. in Africa. Just what do you think they want for the Billions they are investing? Do you think the farmers (that everyone conveniently forgets) will have any real say regarding food sovereignty? This entire gathering was a platform for their agenda. He supported it and did nothing to speak out against what Monsanto with their technology agreements and pesticide treadmill has already led to regarding farmer suicides in India and the global contamination and resistance surrounding GMOs. I can't believe he isn't aware of that. He stood at this conference with a group of people whose only aim is to make profit off of Africa's resources and accepted it.
I have been reporting on this for years and find it irresponsible that someone with his clout could not truly stand up for the very farmers who were not even invited to this conference. There were no indigenous people there. No women farmers. No poor farmers. Just reps of Monsanto, Cargill, Syngenta and every other company poisoning this planet for their own gain along with the politicians including Obama supporting them. So, those indigenous farmers, those women farmers, those poor farmers needed a voice, a champion...and what they got was more bowing down of these very companies that have done nothing but toxify this planet for over a century combined.
His acquiescence to these viper companies now being given unfettered access to Africa and its resources whose farmers on the whole do not want them there is wrong. Landgrabbing by governments and multi-nationals in Africa is at an all time high and thousands of people in Africa are being displaced from their land to use that land for biofuel and animal feed and GMOs. BIG money for them, poverty and hunger for those who they throw off ancestral lands! And it isn't only happening in Africa, it is happening in South America as well as in Asia. This is the reality and it is perpetuating poverty, land degradation and climate change.
Bono had a chance to speak out against these deceitful polluting companies and he didn't. He even called Bill Gates his friend and lauded these companies invading Africa. Why?
"A lot of people say the 21st century is about China. Well, ask the Chinese 'cuz they're all over Africa. They figured out by 2050 the population of Africa will nearly double China's. Think about that. Ask Walmart. Walmart invested $2.4 billion in Africa. They see the potential."
"If you listen – and actually at the ONE campaign we really try to listen to what people in the developing world want – they will say, 'We have a lot of what we want already we just can't get to it,'" Bono said. "'Make it easier for us to do business," they tell us, "for our entrepreneurs, for our farmers.'"
"Well, President Obama is talking business this morning. Secretary Clinton is about to talk some business. And we think that's great. They're bringing U.S. companies and African business leaders together. That's exciting."
His words. Tells me he is either totally clueless or just as greedy.
The reality
New Alliance Ignores African Farmers
We Will Eat What We Want/Global Resistance To GMOs
We Will Eat What We Want: Resistance to GMOs
Major players in the biotech industry, such as Monsanto, maintain a battery of lawyers who snoop around and sue farmers for infringing their patent rights even when they (Monsanto) should actually be held liable for having their seeds contaminate the farms of farmers who choose not to cultivate GE crops.
Talking about this biotech industry giant brings to mind the specious philanthropic thrust that is seeking to open the African environment to GE crops and products. The Alliance for a Green Revolution for Africa (AGRA) sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has vigorously denied on various occasions that they intend to use modern biotech tools in their tackling of hunger in Africa. Their denials have met scepticism and the recent revelation that the Bill Gates Foundation was making investments in Monsanto should send clear signals to perceptive Africans and African governments that this Alliance is based on the platform of philanthropic capitalism. This is one sustained means of pushing GE crops and products into Africa.
The other route through which GMOs are pushed into Africa has been through food aid as well as uncontrolled commercial imports. The food aid route became public in 2002 when Zambia exercised her right to choose what sort of foods to allow into her territory and rejected genetically engineered maize as food aid. Zambia was vilified and pressured but refused to buckle. Questions were asked as to why hungry people should choose to stay hungry rather than eat GE products. There were similar pressures on Angola and Sudan in 2004 when they experience food shortages. In some cases nations asked for milled maize as food aid as whole grains could find their way into the environment and contaminate local varieties. We note here that Zambia rejected GE food aid, weathered the storm and produced a bumper harvest the following year. In fact, while the debate raged in 2002 there were good harvests in other regions of Zambia and aid in cash could have assisted the nation to purchase and move such foods to needy areas. Truth is that food aid is big business. The type of aid given is not merely dictated by the fact of hunger.
This article is very comprehensive regarding the myth that is GMO and the attempt to force them on Africa. Agricultural aid must be in the form of access to a biodiverse nutritious food source that farmers can then use to continue to grow and nourish people with.The US grows only those crops that make agribusiness money through technology fees, higher seed prices, higher imput prices and speculation along with subsidies. We do not subsidize biodiversity we subsidize monoculture for the sake of profit and it is hurting not only our biodiversity, soil health and water quality but the livelihoods of small scale family farmers in this country and globally. Fossil fuel driven industrial pesticide agriculture is not "feeding" people it is making them sick and killing them by making them obese, diabetic and allergic. Feeding someone is different than actually nurturing them with truly healthy acccessible food. Subsidies to grow only corn and soy for cash that bring us nothing but corn and soy saturated processed foods in the US filled with GMOs, pesticides and other additives are not making us healthier, they are making a new generation of heart patients, especially in inner cities and poor neighborhoods where access to farmer's markets and healthier foods is less likely to be reality. The day we subsidize broccoli, lettuce, cauliflower, etc is the day I will believe the USDA really cares about health and also spurring jobs in agriculture and not just doing the bidding of Monsanto, Cargill, et al.
And feeding the developing world does not count on employing GMOs or other cockamamie scams that keep farmers in poverty in perpetuity, but giving them access to actual land not landgrabbed by big conglomerates and governments just to use it to grow biofuel and animal feed or holding farmers hostage to growing "luxury crops" that are exported to Western countries that take away land that could be used to grow food to feed people in these countries that would also work to keep prices down. Agroecology is one way we can feed 9 billion people and it is not back breaking or caught up in the fossil fuel /pesticide treadmill that only really feeds the bank accounts of companies like Monsanto. Agroforestry as well as agroecology are already working well in developing nations to increase yields where small scale farmers can also have more control over what they plant by having the ability to save seeds. Conserving water, using cover crops, crop rotation to maintain soil health, CO2 sequestration in soil and working to maintain biodiversity are all essential in feeding a growing population in a world now strained by water scarcity and climate change impacts.
Power to the farmers who keep our Earth healthy!


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Category Archives: Bridal
Lash Extensions
Clients are always asking about Lash Extensions and are enamored by the look of them with no mascara! That's right, no mascara needed when you have lash extensions. You get the look every day without needing anything in addition. We offer Lash extensions at our Salon, Salon Alexander. Lash extensions are a more permanent option that lasts up to 4 weeks. If you would like to maintain the extensions then you would fill every 2-4 weeks depending on how glamorous of a lash you have. The thicker fuller lashes require more touch up to maintain. The lash is attached to your natural lash with platinum bond glue and shed when your lashes shed! The life of each lash are always in different stages so lashes will shed at various times. Lashes are synthetic fiber and are hypoallergenic. We do offer two types of glues so if you do have very sensitive eyes or prone to allergies then we do still have an option for you! For the month of March we have a special for a full set at $125. A $50 savings. Otherwise a full set is $175 and fills range from $55-$75 based on a 2,3,or 4 week fill appt. Fall in love with the latest salon addiction! Amazing option in the summer time to ditch the mascara but always have the look that your wearing it!
To Book your Lash Appt you can call 860-667-7722 or online! BOOK NOW
Photographer Recommendations
Over the years of doing so many weddings we get to meet many photographers and see their work of our clients. Some we even gain relationships and collaborate off season! I have such a respect for photographers and finding the right one that suits your vision is so important. I am not one to ever think anyone with a camera can take a good picture. There's definitely more to it than that. Some have their own niches just like we do in the beauty industry. Like any artist, a passion in a specific category with what they are shooting will show in the end results. We get to have a different view of the process of a photographer but still be an outsider to their world. We are all creative artists to what we do so the respect level for me is high when I find a photographer that produces great work, is easy to work with, and is reasonable to their approach with business and how they handle clients. With that being said, I wanted to give some recommendations based just from my own experiences paired with clients feedback. I make these recommendations not as a benefit to my business in any way for exchange for promotion but, an honest opinion from one artist to another. If your not on my list, I don't mean it as an insult whatsoever.
Starting the list… Catherine Fiehn http://www.catherinefiehnphotography.com/
She is my go to photographer when I need an artistic approach to a photo. What she does with editing amazes me every time. To me with clients she has a journalistic approach paired with something editorial. That's the best way I can describe it! lol We have crossed paths many times on locations with weddings and every year she collaborates with me for the promo of our Wigs for KIds charity event. Her stunning daughter has graced many of our charity promotions. She also documents the Wigs for Kids events for us every year. Not only does she shoot a wedding pretty fantastic but she also is known for her work that she does with pageants. Traveling throughout the U.S. You can check out more of her photos here as well for pageants and child modeling photography. http://www.catherinefiehnphotogenics.com/
Example of a project we worked on…
Next up, Marisa Balletti-Lavoie of Sassy Mouth Photo http://sassymouth.net/
We crossed paths also on weddings. Her name came up initially highly recommended by one of our clients and I had never heard of her work. Not long after she became a name that was quite frequently mentioned via clients so we had to check her out. She is definitely Sassy! lol Very fun to work with and easy going. Her photos have the same kind of fun spirit and always reminds me of something I would see on Pinterest! Even her studio is like you walked into Pinterest in real life! She is very creative and can bring out the best in you in a photo. She too has volunteered her time on a few charity projects we put together as well as done our staff photos on our website and most recently my maternity shoot! As a person self conscience in front of a camera she produced amazing photos that you would not be able to tell how much I hated to smile lol. She does alot of weddings and also has GLAM by Sassy which I also highly recommend for some hot photos of yourself. Everyone should feel comfortable and at ease and she has a knack for dragging it out of you easily with a laugh. Check out GLAM by Sassy too! http://sassymouth.net/GLAM.html
example from my Maternity GLAM shoot..
David Apuzzo, http://davidapuzzo.com/
I initially met David on a wedding that was the first of it's kind I had come across. It was my bride's second wedding with the same man. They had married prior to in another country where her husband was from and then in the states. David came to the salon when she was getting ready and documented the whole thing. It was the first time I saw someone not only capture so much detail with the bride but even for me! He took photos of the salon and things he saw throughout the salon. Details that I thought were so nice to have and never thought of to have either. That made him stand out to me from the beginning. We have since worked on more weddings together and collaborated outside on other artistic projects with myself personally or my staff. His work always impresses me without need for edits outside of what he already knows what to do. Again, his attention to detail and knowledge of what he does is impressive and very respected. As creative beings we have had our differences on a project but we can agree to disagree and work together very well. I find that really important. So that is another aspect to him I appreciate and why also I mention as a great recommendation. His work is versatile and very artistic.
Example from a recent project my staff did with him…
Joe Crawford, http://josephscrawford.com
Foto Joe! Always a pleasure to work with. Although we haven't worked on too many of the same clients I have worked many times on personal projects with Joe and he delivers every time. He brings out another side of the art of what I do and makes me think in his terms… Lighting and not much editing. From my point of view he likes to bring out the rawness of what he sees. He uses lighting in a way I have never seen a photographer do. But when I see the results of what he produces I totally get it. His raw images are fascinating to me as they sit with no edits. I always look forward to when we can work on a project together and lose ourselves in the art of what we both do. He's so easy to work with and an all around nice guy.
example of a project we collaborated on…one of many!
Kevin Stiles… on Facebook.. https://www.facebook.com/kevin.stiles.5?fref=ts
Kevin is not a wedding photographer but I had to have him on my list because of the high respect I have for his work as an artist in general. He is a tattoo artist and does photography more on the side or as a hobby. I'm not sure. But, in a tattoo session with him I was surrounded by is unbelievable art and it was apparent his talent in other realms outside of tattooing He has a niche in photographing nudes. I had zero experience in this category and quite frankly never had interest. He asked to collaborate and I am so happy I did. His photos are always breathtaking and his ability to work with natural light is stunning. I am a huge fan of his work and always love any photo we create together. He can take a woman that is nude and make the photo literally a piece of art. He is a little quirky in his ways and I NEVER know what he is thinking. Because of the overwhelming art he exudes I feel sometimes intimidated and up for the challenge when I work with him. His approach is always tasteful and his eye for what he see is inspiring.
example of a past project:
Rounding out the list… Jerome Braga http://www.studio1923.com/
I have yet to collaborate or work on any projects with Jerome but from an admirer of photography aspect and feedback from clients, he is with out a doubt a person I mention when talking to people. We have often had the same clients and also follow on facebook and instagram. I would say I am definitely a fan. When inquiring on something for myself they were quick to respond and always professional. Unfortunately I was not able to book him at the time because his schedule does fill up and between the both of our schedules being chaotic it just didn't work out. I would say based on what I see with what he captures he is also fantastic with editing and pulling creativity out of a photo. He is always professional when I see him on location and have yet to hear a negative comment from any client I know that has worked with his company.
Example of Jerome's work can be seen on his FB page as well… unfortunately I have no personal photos I have the rights to share. https://www.facebook.com/studio1923
I hope my recommendations were helpful on your search to finding the right fit for your needs. In no way would I want to discredit any other photographers work because I have also seen some others that have done amazing jobs for clients of ours. I was just hoping to share the few that I have had the pleasure of working with more consistently to give an honest opinion. I am back on my hunt to find a newborn photographer for my daughter. any recommendations for me feel free to comment on this blog! Thanks for reading! 🙂
2013 Wedding Trends by: Ashley Stone
Bridal Trends for 2013
Besides all the holiday excitement December is one of my favorite times of year. Wedding season has slowed down and it allows for some time to blog, write for some magazines and beauty sites and do some research for the trends hitting the runway for the next year. Bridal trends are no different than other must haves and must do's throughout the year that are inspired by, fashion designers, celebs, and the go to hair stylists and make up artists in the industry. Every year the trends are a piece of something new and innovative mixed with a touch of something classic and sometimes vintage. The beauty of Bridal trends I find are most are timeless and regardless of what's hot and what's not, Brides seem to always find the perfect look that suits their style. My best advice is be inspired by what you see. Anything can be tweaked to suit your needs, your hair, or your face.
Trends seem to come about from what your favorite celebs wear on the red carpet to the runway. I find celebs and stylists also get inspired by the movies they are working on. The Gatsby will be hitting theaters in 2013 and those 1920's styles will be hitting the aisle as well.
Vintage brides grow in popularity each year but to have so much inspiration tangible on the silver screen I expect to receive many requests for soft waves, pinup style sets, and birdcage veils. To really give yourself a different look, a faux bob can be created to give you that downstyle with the hair still off of your neck without much fuss. Here are some examples of the styles inspired by the 20's
If the styling from the 20's is not your thing maybe you will get inspired by the accessories inspired by that era. Birdcage veils are always a classic piece to give that vintage touch but if you want to stray away from a veil, maybe flowers are a good option! Headbands and fascinators can either be used for the bride or the bridal party as well.
I personally love these looks and am always excited when they make it back to the top choices we see when we travel. Waves are a great style for short or long hair. It gives you the most out of your length. A spiral curl however will make your hair appear shorter. Waves can drop over time but still remain to give you that effortless look that is also big trend this season.
Who doesn't want effortless looking beauty?
Going into a more modern and very popular look are braids! We've all seen some beautiful ways braids can be worn thanks to Pinterest! Waterfall braids are one of the most popular I get requested and I don't see that changing. This technique of braiding can also give that halo effect a flower halo can give that will be popular but also look amazing with the texture of the waves. here are some photos of some of our own work that was requested most recently:
Braids Can also be incorporated into an upstyle
Low buns will be very popular with a clean finish. For a more simple look you can have your style more centered. For a more modern look and to create softness around the face, you can have a style more off to the side.
Make Up this season is also another timeless trend that I love to see. Softer nude looks with one focal point that gives a pop of color. This is a look I feel translates well on everyone whether you wear alot of make up or prefer something more simple. How you play up the eyes can really vary and can give a soft accented effect or a dramatic smokey effect. I was always told they are the window to your soul so what better day to play them up is on the day you marry your soulmate!
Lashes are the ultimate way to add some drama.
Keep in mind, If you play up the eyes I would recommend a softer lip or nude lip. The key is too look fresh and flawless.
Smokey eyes are always a popular request but smokey with color? Yes! Smokey eyes can be done with color. It adds a beautiful effect to the eye and really makes them stand out.
The nude lip really helps to not take away from that one focal point, the eyes!
If you don't wear alot of eye make up then you can play them more natural and wear a bolder lip.
or just go with the "no make up" look
No matter your choice or your taste the make up trend is a clean flawless look. Light contouring to enhance your features and a soft glow. You can have one focal point or just a clean soft pallete. Your choices should always be made with what you feel most comfortable with. I think these trends can satisfy any bride's style and thats what I love as an artist. I love to have options for my clients that can be suitable for every girl. 2013 trends do just that! No matter your skin or hair texture, a timeless look is easily accessible and right on trend with what you see on TV and the magazines! Because who doesn't want to look and feel like themselves and a celebrity on a day that all eyes are on you!
Vintage Brides
Vintage Brides are becoming more and more popular. We come across many looks that are full on vintage or inspired by the look with a modern twist. For make up you can go with the classic red lip with natural … Continue reading
Veil or No Veil?
A lot of brides ask us if they should wear a veil or not on their wedding day. The truth is, in a modern-day wedding, there are no rules with veils. It is totally up to the bride and there is no right or wrong answer. Since we see tons of brides throughout the year, we know that everyone has their own style and preference. Maybe you do want a veil but want something more modern, we have seen it all! You can also decide to make the veil as part of the ceremony and take it off for the reception. Just let your hairdresser know what your choice is because veil or no veil- it's an important part of your wedding day hairstyle. Below are some options for everyone- veil-lovers or not! 🙂
{modern bride? look at this gorgeous cage veil}
{not a lover of the veil? replace with a beautiful headpiece!}
{traditional bride but want to glam it up? Swarvorski crystals are your bff for veils}
We ♥ Weddings
Beauty Entourage is FULL force in wedding season. With October being one of the most popular months for a wedding in New England, our hair and makeup team is in wedding mode, traveling across New England to make our lovely brides and their wedding party even more beautiful. We wanted to share some pictures of recent brides that we absolutely had a blast with!
{Hair: Ashley Stone, Assistant Carly, Make Up Artist: Kayle Photo: Melissa Arel}
{Bridal hair by Marlem with a beautiful floral accessory}
{Make Up: Kayle A Salwocki. Hair: Ashley Stone}
Boudoir ❤
Ladies, have you done a Boudoir photo shoot yet? It is the perfect gift for a special someone in your life or even just to feel sexy and confident. Many of our brides are giving boudoir photo books as the groom's wedding gift and they also serve as the perfect anniversary gift as well! At Salon Alexander, we have some gorgeous classy & sexy looks for your boudoir shoot. Call us today to learn about Boudoir makeup and hair packages. We had an amazing boudoir fashion show this year with Parsons Photography and the Salon Alexander team pulled off the beautiful and sultry hair and makeup.
Fall Weddings
Weddings in September and October and even early November have an advantage in New England- the beautiful scenery. The colors of New England in the fall are breathtaking. Are any of you planning a fall wedding or have had a fall wedding? We would love to see your ideas and pictures and feature them on our blog! Just add on Beauty Entourage's Facebook page! 🙂
Here are a few of our fall wedding favorites.
{loving the orange & yellow warm fall colors for a beautiful fall wedding}
{fall is all about color. Try a bold lipstick to bring out the warmth in your face and hair}
{simple yet elegant side fishtail}
{ Beautiful eyes- purples and greens are perfect for a more dramatic eye on your wedding day!}


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The first developer diary for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier should light your fire if you enjoy any of the following: third-person shooters, robust cover systems, stealthy action games, high-tech weapons and gadgets, war porn, or invisibility. If you laid a check mark next to all of those, you might work at Ubisoft.
The cover system is, well, a cover system—we're more excited about all the opportunities for sneaky kills. We're hoping for a more action-oriented Deus Ex: Human Revolution, but don't quote us on that until we've played it.
Will you be ready for a new third person shooter by the time this drops on May 22? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter.


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When I first saw the Spring 2012 RTW collection from Dolce & Gabbana, I thought "YES...whimsy!"
The designers were inspired by a picturesque summer in southern Italy cerca the 1950s. Even better, D&G took the flora you'd find at an outdoor farmer's market (eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, zucchinis) and splashed them in vibrant prints on midriff-baring bra tops, skirts, mini shorts and fit-and-flare dresses. Such Joie de vivre!
Lace elements were introduced into the collection
We even saw some sensual black pieces and gemstones!
Couldn't you just eat em' up? I want to wear this collection while sipping wine on the back of an antique wooden boat on the Italian coast. Vivid, but true.


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On Saturday night, a special at Amore Cucina, also known as Amore of Wayne, were these Heart-Shaped Crab Cakes served over diced fresh pineapple in a cranberry sauce.
Another appetizer special, fresh Blue Point Oysters, were the perfect start to a romantic dinner with sparkling wine on the eve of Valentine's Day.
By VICTOR E. SASSON
When I put "Amore" in my car's navigation system, nearly a dozen restaurants using the Italian word for "love" appeared.
Amore Cucina in Wayne was the one we were looking for, and the restaurant came through with a romantic, heart-healthy meal on the even of Valentine's Day.
We had tickets to see blues singer Catherine Russell on Saturday night at William Paterson University's Shea Center in Wayne, so the nearby Amore was a natural choice for dinner before the show.
And since we were driving more than 20 miles to Wayne in single-digit temperatures, I decided to stop first at the Costco Wholesale off of Route 23.
The Wayne warehouse is one of only two in the state with a liquor license, and I wanted to pick up inexpensive house-label Kirkland Signature Prosecco and California Cabernet Sauvignon, a total of five bottles.
Good food, good bubbly
After we braved the shopping frenzy at Costco an hour before closing time, we got to Amore Cucina about two hours before we had to leave for the concert.
Service was casual, but that meant we had a leisurely and delicious seafood meal washed down with a bottle of prosecco, which we cooled in an ice bucket the servers provided.
Before we ordered, I toasted my wife on the eve of Valentine's Day.
I started with a Trecolore Salad ($9.95), which was mostly peppery arugula; and a special starter of four Blue Point Oysters ($8.95), served only with wedges of lemon. Perfect.
My wife chose another special, Heart-Shaped Crab Cakes over fresh pineapple in a cranberry sauce ($13.95).
The cakes had a grease-less crust filled with hot crab meat, and the savory forkful I tried contrasted nicely with the sweet fruit.
I was intrigued with a special of Black Linguine with seafood in a light tomato sauce, but to cut down on carbs went with the Flounder Milanese listed on the menu ($21.95), because it was served with more arugula salad, and you can never eat too much of the peppery green.
Like the crab cakes, I bit into a grease-less crust to reach the hot, moist, delicious fish.
My wife also chose from the menu, Fettuccine Mar Monte with shrimp in a light cream sauce ($21.95), but took home leftovers.
We finished with cups of tea and strong black coffee ($2.50 each).
|An Italian classic, Flounder Milanese, was served with a wonderful arugula salad.
I started with a Trecolore Salad with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese in an oil-and-lemon dressing.
Fettuccine Mar Monte included shrimp, fresh tomatoes and asparagus in a light cream sauce.
Amore Cucina has two dining rooms that accommodate a total of about 130.
Short drive to show
Amore Cucina is on Ratzer Road, about 3 miles from the Shea Center for Performing Arts on the WPU campus.
We loved Catherine Russell, who turned back the calendar to the first half of the last century and performed blues song associated with Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Ethel Waters and others.
She was backed by a terrific quartet, especially pianist Mark Shane.
I laughed at the lyrics of one of her songs, a warning to a persistent former lover:
"Now, my man is an undertaker and he's got a coffin just your size."
At nearly every show I've attended, the emcee always gets in a plug for WPU's Shea Center in Wayne, noting how much more expensive it is to go and see the same talent performing in Manhattan.
Of course, what he doesn't mention is the harrowing drive home over poorly lit, winding and descending two-lane township roads where locals think nothing of driving over 50 mph or stay glued to your rear bumper.
Wayne v. NYC
At nearly every show I've attended, the emcee always gets in a plug for WPU's Shea Center in Wayne, noting how much more expensive it is to go and see the same talent performing in Manhattan.
Of course, what he doesn't mention is the harrowing drive home over poorly lit, winding and descending two-lane township roads where locals think nothing of driving over 50 mph or stay glued to your rear bumper.
Amore Cucina, 611 Ratzer Road, Wayne; 1-973-595-7717. Web site: Love is in the air
Shea Center for Performing Arts at William Paterson University, 300 Pompton Road, Wayne. For box office, call 1-973-720-2371.
Costco Wholesale, 149 Route 23, Wayne; 1-973-339-4006.


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Oliver reached the stile at which the by-path terminated; and once more gained the high-road. It was eight o'clock now. Though he was nearly five miles away from the town, he ran, and hid behind the hedges, by turns, till noon: fearing that he might be pursued and overtaken. Then he sat down to rest by the side of the milestone, and began to think, for the first time, where he had better go and try to live.
The stone by which he was seated, bore, in large characters, an intimation that it was just seventy miles from that spot to London. The name awakened a new train of ideas in the boy's mind.
London! — that great place! — nobody — not even Mr. Bumble — could ever find him there! He had often heard the old men in the workhouse, too, say that no lad of spirit need want in London; and that there were ways of living in that vast city, which those who had been bred up in country parts had no idea of. It was the very place for a homeless boy, who must die in the streets unless some one helped him. As these things passed through his thoughts, he jumped upon his feet, and again walked forward.
He had diminished the distance between himself and London by full four miles more, before he recollected how much he must undergo ere he could hope to reach his place of destination. As this consideration forced itself upon him, he slackened his pace a little, and meditated upon his means of getting there. He had a crust of bread, a coarse shirt, and two pairs of stockings, in his bundle. He had a penny too — a gift of Sowerberry's after some funeral in which he had acquitted himself more than ordinarily well — in his pocket. 'A clean shirt,' thought Oliver, 'is a very comfortable thing; and so are two pairs of darned stockings; and so is a penny; but they are small helps to a sixty-five miles' walk in winter time.' But Oliver's thoughts, like those of most other people, although they were extremely ready and active to point out his difficulties, were wholly at a loss to suggest any feasible mode of surmounting them; so, after a good deal of thinking to no particular purpose, he changed his little bundle over to the other shoulder, and trudged on.
Oliver walked twenty miles that day; and all that time tasted nothing but the crust of dry bread, and a few draughts of water, which he begged at the cottage-doors by the road-side. When the night came, he turned into a meadow; and, creeping close under a hay-rick, determined to lie there, till morning. He felt frightened at first, for the wind moaned dismally over the empty fields: and he was cold and hungry, and more alone than he had ever felt before. Being very tired with his walk, however, he soon fell asleep and forgot his troubles.
He felt cold and stiff, when he got up next morning, and so hungry that he was obliged to exchange the penny for a small loaf, in the very first village through which he passed. He had walked no more than twelve miles, when night closed in again. His feet were sore, and his legs so weak that they trembled beneath him. Another night passed in the bleak damp air, made him worse; when he set forward on his journey next morning he could hardly crawl along.
He waited at the bottom of a steep hill till a stage-coach came up, and then begged of the outside passengers; but there were very few who took any notice of him: and even those told him to wait till they got to the top of the hill, and then let them see how far he could run for a halfpenny. Poor Oliver tried to keep up with the coach a little way, but was unable to do it, by reason of his fatigue and sore feet. When the outsides saw this, they put their halfpence back into their pockets again, declaring that he was an idle young dog, and didn't deserve anything; and the coach rattled away and left only a cloud of dust behind.
In some villages, large painted boards were fixed up: warning all persons who begged within the district, that they would be sent to jail. This frightened Oliver very much, and made him glad to get out of those villages with all possible expedition. In others, he would stand about the inn-yards, and look mournfully at every one who passed: a proceeding which generally terminated in the landlady's ordering one of the post-boys who were lounging about, to drive that strange boy out of the place, for she was sure he had come to steal something. If he begged at a farmer's house, ten to one but they threatened to set the dog on him; and when he showed his nose in a shop, they talked about the beadle — which brought Oliver's heart into his mouth, — very often the only thing he had there, for many hours together.
In fact, if it had not been for a good-hearted turnpike-man, and a benevolent old lady, Oliver's troubles would have been shortened by the very same process which had put an end to his mother's; in other words, he would most assuredly have fallen dead upon the king's highway. But the turnpike-man gave him a meal of bread and cheese; and the old lady, who had a shipwrecked grandson wandering barefoot in some distant part of the earth, took pity upon the poor orphan, and gave him what little she could afford — and more — with such kind and gentle words, and such tears of sympathy and compassion, that they sank deeper into Oliver's soul, than all the sufferings he had ever undergone.
Early on the seventh morning after he had left his native place, Oliver limped slowly into the little town of Barnet. The window-shutters were closed; the street was empty; not a soul had awakened to the business of the day. The sun was rising in all its splendid beauty; but the light only served to show the boy his own lonesomeness and desolation, as he sat, with bleeding feet and covered with dust, upon a door-step.
By degrees, the shutters were opened; the window-blinds were drawn up; and people began passing to and fro. Some few stopped to gaze at Oliver for a moment or two, or turned round to stare at him as they hurried by; but none relieved him, or troubled themselves to inquire how he came there. He had no heart to beg. And there he sat.
He had been crouching on the step for some time: wondering at the great number of public-houses (every other house in Barnet was a tavern, large or small), gazing listlessly at the coaches as they passed through, and thinking how strange it seemed that they could do, with ease, in a few hours, what it had taken him a whole week of courage and determination beyond his years to accomplish: when he was roused by observing that a boy, who had passed him carelessly some minutes before, had returned, and was now surveying him most earnestly from the opposite side of the way. He took little heed of this at first; but the boy remained in the same attitude of close observation so long, that Oliver raised his head, and returned his steady look. Upon this, the boy crossed over; and walking close up to Oliver, said,
'Hullo, my covey! What's the row?'
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After Mrs. Corney invites Bumble to stay for tea
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The ancient Indian way or Hindu way of depicting life in its totality is through these three metaphors or symbols. This is a trinity of life. Life is a mystery and it can not be reduced into a knowledge. It can not be reduced into a knowledge means one can not write a book on life and give it to somebody for a reading. Life is more like swimming and cycling. Each individual has to jump into an ocean of life and learn the art of swimming. One can get drowned. This is okay. One has to take a risk. By the way who stops us from being careful and cautious. One can then swim through and float and enjoy life. One has to peddle the cycle on his own. Some other person can not peddle for me. There can not be a proxy for me in life. Somebody can peddle for me while teaching me. My Pa, Mom, Brother, Sister, Friend, Teacher, Guru can peddle for a small distance but only to teach me the art of cycling. And once I learn, I can grow in that art. Nobody can have a mastery over life. This is impossible. Anybody who claims that he has a Mastery over life and he can give the Art of Living has come to a dead-end. And it seems there is no further growth in his life. Keeping these things in mind the ancient Hindus have used symbols and metaphors to depict the whole mystery of life. They used a Trinity of Gods to depict the whole mystery of life.
Brahma is a beginning. It is a beginning of beginning. It is a beginningless beginning. The Hindus call it Anadi. It simply means nobody knows. We have many explanations and without any proof and conclusion. And there can not be any proof or conclusion. And we can have many explanations. And all these explanations are just partial or fragmentary knowledge of the whole reality. And they can not give much insight into the reality of everything. The Hindus also have their own theories of life and the life span of Brahma. The modern scientists say that the universe is some 14.82 billions of years old (this is latest and keeps on changing). And this depends on the definition of the universe. If we believe in the Big Bang theory then the definition of the universe is "all that is". And if we believe into the String Theory then this theory will transport us in a hyperspace of 11 universes. And the Big Bang could be because of the collision of any of the two or many universes or a coalescing of any of the two or many universes. And the moment we step into the String Theory, the definition of the universe will go for a change and "all that is" in the context of a Big Bang is different from "all that is" in the context of the String Theory. And the definition of the beginning will also undergo change and probably the age of that universe - one according to the String Theory, will also go for a change. And probably for this reason and many other reasons the Hindus have said that the universe means all that was, all that is, and all that will be. And the reckoning of a beginning, middle, and an end is just for the heck. They called the existence as Anadi and Ananta (One that is beginningless and endless).
If you wish to know the results of your company then you have to divide the span into years, months, days, etc. And we all know that the history has taken note of it that the emperors have become beggars and the beggars have also become emperors. If Heisenberg's theory of uncertainty is at the heart of everything then Krishna's theory of Nishkam Karma Yoga (Renunciation of the Fruits of Action) is also at the heart of everything. These theories have stood the test of times.
Brahma is that beginning. It is something that has come into creation out of nothing. Nothing has caused it. It is just a nature of nothingness that something may come out of it because the same nothingness is embracing it. It is just like a flower or a fruit which is holding many potential seeds. Nothingness is that ever flowered flower or ever ripened fruit. Brahma means beginning of life. It is just like how a child slips out of a mother's womb. If the Mom is not ready a stupid doctor can not do anything. He may just tear the womb. And we have to probe this. This could just be a money minting device.
Brahma means love of life. He breathes life into everything that comes into existence. He breathes life into the existence itself. If you don't love life it can not move further, it can not grow. Therefore, this is in the nature of a mother that she loves the new born one more than anything else. And hence she nourishes the newborn life. The child then grows and becomes independent Every mother thinks that her newborn child is like Krishna. This is obvious. Then only she can take care of the child. The first symbol is, therefore, the love of life or the beginning of life.
The second symbol is Vishnu. It is the sustenance of life or endurance of life. He is a growth curve of life. The beginning stage to the growth stage. The growth has to be sustained by something. And Vishnu is a symbol for this sustenance. The scientists are trying how long this life can be. They are saying that the human being can live for some 300 years. Recently they have said that very soon they will come with ways and means to stay healthy for at least 100 years. You will be surprised to know that some animals are not dying and they are only growing. I heard that some animals like turtles and alligators are in fact not dying and they are growing. Their cells are growing and their cells are not dying. They may die out of an accident or a disease. Their cells are not dying and they are growing. And the only cells that do not die in a human being are the cancer cells. The ageing process of the human beings and that of the above animals is totally different. The scientists are saying that they have yet not understood the ageing process of the human beings otherwise they can do miracles. Hopefully many more mysteries are hidden in the future - good or bad, we have no idea. Vishnu, therefore, is a metaphor or symbol for sustenance or endurance of life. We can also say him a Life of Love. And from the "Love of Life" we have moved to the "Life of Love".
The third symbol or metaphor is that of Shiva. Anything that has come to be has to cease to be. This is into the nature of things. A small candle of light when all the fuel is burnt out will cease to exist. Are you worried? Please do not worry. Brahma will take care of another new candle of light. Shiva is an end of something. He is the end of play that has begun in the past. He is the end of a beginning. He is the end of the sustenance. He is the end of that endurance. He can also be termed as the beginning of a new inning. You must be feeling that the word "end" is looking negative. You may say that the words "beginning" and "sustenance" look positive and the word "end" looks negative. Then no problem. We can make a small change. Let us call it "transformation". You are right !! In fact, there is nothing called an end. In an eternity, how there can be a beginning and an end. In a timelessness how the time can be an absolute. According to Albert Einstein, the space and time are relative. I am just an ordinary human being and trying to be a better human being. But if you think that you are an Avatara then you can say that you will come in some other Avatar in the future. You can say that you are a Tirthankara and shall come into life in some other form of a Tirthankara. I also suggest that you should meet a psychologist and a neurologist. Because this could be a neurological condition. Who knows? Because more than 80% of the diseases are psychosomatic. Have you not heard the utterances of Krishna in the Bhagavad Geeta? He is again going to come. But when, nobody knows. And in what form, nobody can predict. And in which place, nobody can indicate. And if he comes, how will we reckon? Because, we have already reduced him to be a superhuman and we have imported him into mythology. And who knows, he may come in the era of technological singularity as a cyborg and with an artificial consciousness. This state we can reckon because he will be more than the mythological Krishna. He will be even much more powerful than the mythological Krishna. And he can utter the same Geeta much easily because it is just a question of a few byte codes embedded into the artificial consciousness.
Shiva is, therefore, a transformation of everything. He is a love of death. These are the three symbols - Love of Life (Brahma), Life of Love (Vishnu), and Love of Death (Shiva). Shiva is a God of Dance too. He is a symbol not only for the celebration of life but also for the celebration of death. Through his dance he is saying that there is nothing that really dies. Everything is immortal and eternal. That is what the scientists are saying that not even an electron can be destroyed. Even if you destroy the electron where will it fall. There is nothing outside the existence. Matter is energy and energy is matter. Everything just gets transformed from one form of energy to another form of energy.
There is only one thing that is formless, and that is the Supreme Consciousness. It is not an object and it is the subject itself. It is neither matter nor the spirit. It is beyond the duality of everything in the existence. The human being is a different form of energy. All energies - mechanical, kinetic, electrical, chemical, electromagnetic, thermal, nuclear, etc., are all objective in nature and hence they can be measured and quantified. The Supreme Consciousness is neither a matter nor an energy and hence can not be measured or quantified. And each and every human being is a reflection of this Supreme Consciousness. And it is only the human being who is capable of experiencing this Supreme Consciousness. This is that Trinity and this is that Tatva that applies to everything in the existence. Everything that comes into creation follows this Trinity. And the whole creation itself is this Trinity. It is also called a Swayambhu, that is, it is a self-creating, self-sustaining, and self-transforming mechanism or entity. Let us welcome these three Gods into our lives.


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Hey, Bunnies!
Ready for another challenge post? This time it's...
30 Day Video Game Challenge - Day 4
Your Guilty Pleasure Game
As I have expressed already, I love those weird obscure games that a lot of people don't play or know about. One of my favorite guilty pleasure games is
Space Channel 5
"Hey there, space cats! Ulala here, comin' at you from Spaceport 9."
For those of you that haven't heard of it, it's a story about a pink-haired space channel news reporter named Ulala. She is brand new to the Space Channel 5 and is sent to not only investigate but to rescue civilians that have been kidnapped by these beings called Moroloians. You have to use your awesome dance moves and funky music to become their hero.
If you haven't guessed yet, it's a rhythm and dance game only mixed with Simon Says. Your opponent, whether it's the Moroloians or your rival from Channel 42 - Pudding, will shout out commands that you have to follow. Each stage has a different theme to it and there are many different characters. And the more moves you get down perfectly, the more civilians you save and the more views Space Channel 5 gets!
Part 2 also introduced alternate clothing and accessories for Ulala and a lot of them were pretty cute.
Definitely a favorite series of mine. Most people have never heard of it or if they have, they look at me like I'm crazy. But either way, I'm glad I own these! They were originally on the Dreamcast but you can get them both for the PS2 and Gameboy Advance. Totally give these a try if you love rhythm and dance games!
What's your guilty pleasure game?


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Tecro & Krea
Each project, each site, each client, and each cultural and technological environment, requires a specific, unique, and unprecedented solution devoid from stylistic or branding constraints. This approach results in buildings that function measurably beyond our clients' expectations.
TECRO & KREA is an interprofessional architect partnership set up 1987 by Jacques Poplemon and Jules Croon. The firm mainly specialises in new construction and renovation projects in sectors such as industrial, office and apartment construction, hotels and schools.
Customer continuity for a number of major projects in Belgium and abroad (link to references) is a significant indicator of the degree of satisfaction regarding services provided by TECRO & KREA and co-ordination in the execution of construction projects.


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You will definitely get a solution to no boot disk has been found or has failed from this article.
Sd.central.cmp.server.ni.dll could be brought on by windows system files damage. The corrupted system files entries could be a real threat towards the wellness of your own computer.
There can be many events which might have contributed to the system files errors. An incomplete installation, an incomplete uninstall, improper deletion of applications or hardware. It can also be caused if your computer is recovered from a virus or adware/spyware attack or by an improper shutdown of the computer. All of the above actives may lead to the deletion or corruption in the entries inside the windows system files. This corrupted system file will result in the missing and wrongly linked information and files required for the correct working from the application.
If you have sd.central.cmp.server.ni.dll, it is best to correct it promptly to make certain it doesn't affect your productivity and work.Besides this, the error can make more serious problem.You may not require get in touch with an IT expert to solve this issue. It's graded as being an error signal that's easy to repair. So you do not need deep IT knowledge to fix it.In our article we introduce easy way to fix sd.central.cmp.server.ni.dll.
We advise you to backup the encrypted files before testing those tools since they may damage them. Also, bear in mind that those methods are not 100% effective, but they may also partially work for you.Do these to clear corruption and repair damaged system files.If you are using windows 7 and higher follow the below steps. There is really no magic process to make it faster but you do a some things that will help.
To fix sd.central.cmp.server.ni.dll errors that may have been caused by malware in your computer, you need to follow the simple instruction steps written below.
In general, if you come across sd.central.cmp.server.ni.dll error, you can perform a sfc for your computer. Do not ignore the influence of bad system files, it may lead the unstable of your computer. If a Windows Resource Protection (WRP) file is missing or is corrupted, Windows may not behave as expected. SFC is a free utility that help people scan damaged system files and fix it automatically.
In addition, to fix sd.central.cmp.server.ni.dll error, doing a system restore is really smart and effective.
Generally speaking, common sd.central.cmp.server.ni.dll Error can be caused by the old version of windows system. Therefore, you should check your windows and see if you have updated your system to the latest version.
You may receive such type of error like: blue screen error, dll missing, dll not found problem, neglecting to upgrade windows7, windows 8, windows 10, NT, 2000, ME, XP and so on. They can be a terrible disaster for computer users, which are as a result of corrupted or damaged system files unexpectedly. You could visit a message that says, "Windows continues to be shut down to prevent harm to your computer." Once you get sd.central.cmp.server.ni.dll, be relax! SmartPCFixer offer a effective way to solve these problems.
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Simple Fixes for sd.central.cmp.server.ni.dll Computer Problems!
You may have already decided that the computer problem you're dealing with is too hard to fix yourself. Alternatively, at least not something you're interested spending your time doing.
However, before you call tech support, or run off to the computer repair shop, I get one more shot to convince you to at least try something before you pay someone else for help.
You can quite literally save a lot of money, as well as an equally valuable amount of frustration, by simply following a number of the very easy things below.
Repairs Windows Errors:
Smart PC fixer Enhanced Error Detection Scan is a powerful tool that rapidly locates these errors and removes them from Windows. Smart PC fixer is actually a free pc cleaner and repair software that could clean and repair your PC or laptop in a matter of a few minutes. Upon having decided to test our free pc cleaner, download it and will also find every one of the errors, problems and bugs that lessen the speed of the computer automatically. With a short while PCFix will repair all Windows registry errors! No longer crashed and frozen windows that annoys you on a regular basis! Try our pc cleaner and repair program right now!
Exactly what is SmartPCFixer and the way Would It Work?
SmartPCFixer is a top-ranking error-resolution registry cleaner that will fix your computer errors and optimize the program settings. It is possible to clean, optimize and scan whilst keeping your PC much healthier from it! It helps fix and identify Windows' invalid registry entries. It will keep your PC from freezing or frequent crashes, by running Scan & Cleaner as part of scheduled maintenance. Utilizing it will reduce the odds of you getting a "blue screen", program not responding or lock up.
Checking your computing device to make sure whether it's normal or not. Below is a long list of some preventive maintenance tips you can do for your computer.
1.Cleaning your computer hardware.
2.Download the latest drivers for your own laptop.
3.Make sure that anti-virus software is new on our computer.
4.Running disk software utilities such as ScanDisk and Defrag on your own hard drive.
5.You should remove the useless files and programs at once.
6.If you don't switch off your laptop or computer it could be good to reboot your laptop or computer every several months, unless the computer is really a critical computer say for example a computer server.


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Tales of Death and Witchcraft in San Miguel
By Jesús Ibarra
According to a legend, on nights with a full moon a headless horseman used to ride a black stallion through the streets of San Miguel at midnight. He appeared on Calzada de la Presa, coming from El Charco del Ingenio. He rode into calle Colegio, advanced forward to La Salud Church and continued to the Oratorio, then disappeared in Calle Santa Ana—today Insurgentes.
He was supposed to be a nobleman who had been cruel and despotic with his slaves and workers at his obraje (wool mill), located in what we know now as El Obraje. Because of his crimes, he was condemned to ride, without his head, through the streets of San Miguel. Local historian Graciela Cruz said that this story is a myth that people should stop spreading in respect for the memory of Baltasar de Sauto, who was a very important character in the history of San Miguel during the 18th century and who is buried in San Francisco Church under the floor beside the presbytery.
Baltasar de Sauto
Baltasar de Sauto was born in 1710 at Oquendo Valley, Alava, in the Basque country. He arrived in San Miguel in 1725 when he was only 15 and almost immediately became involved in the economic and political processes of the village. Seven years after his arrival, he became the executor for María Antonia de Urtusuástegui y Sarabia, a lady from one of the wealthiest families in town and the wife of don Severino de Jáuregui. He soon started managing all the family businesses, including the wool mill. He married Juana de Jáuregui, Antonia's adopted daughter.
This wool mill, located at the western part of El Charco del Ingenio, in the place we currently known as El Obraje, was the most productive in the whole area. It earned 70,000 gold pesos a year, equivalent to the production of all the other mills in the region put together. According to researcher Richard J. Salvucci, Sauto's cotton mill controlled about one third of the looms in the village; the other two thirds were divided among the four other wool mills. Sauto also employed members of about 400 families. According to Cruz, Sauto owned several haciendas in the area between San Miguel, Dolores and San Felipe. He was a city councilor and had occupied other positions in the village as well. He was also one of the most important benefactors of the population in times of crisis, drought and hunger.
Cornelia, the witch
In the 1750s, Juana, Sauto's wife, was accused of witchcraft before the Inquisition by a mulatto female slave. She argued that Juana, with the help of an Indian witch named Cornelia—who was famous for the effectiveness of her magic—had tried to poison her husband. Cruz confirmed that the inquisitorial trial of Juana is documented in the Historical Archive of the Bishopric of Michoacán. The document explains that the witch Cornelia helped Juana prepare a series of potions containing mercury to poison the chocolate Baltasar used to drink every evening. The potions had to do with witchcraft, both white and red magic (magic regarding sex), and Juana was also accused of having illicit relations with the administrator of the mill –who, according to Salvucci, was Domingo de Aldama, the father of Ignacio and Juan Aldama, Mexican Independence heroes. According to Cruz, there was a conflict of authority between the mistress and her servants, who used all sort of arguments to accuse her so that she could be punished for having treated them so badly over the years. It was said that she drank mescal or aguardiente, and this increased her bad humor and mistreatment of her servants. Sauto accepted that his wife was behaving badly and sent a letter to the bishop promising to correct her attitude.
The white mulatto
Salvucci said that between 1756 and 1758 there were five murders among Baltasar de Sauto's workers. One of these cases was that of the mulatto slave Marcial de Nava, whose trial is documented also in the Bishopric of Michoacán. Marcial de Nava was a tall, strong, light-skinned young man of black ancestry originally from Oaxaca. While he was Sauto's slave, he killed two Indians by beating them with sticks. He was captured and locked up in the local jail during his trial. Marcial was facing two trials: a civil one because of the homicide and an inquisitorial one because, in order to escape, first from the mill and then from jail, he had written four letters—of which only one was found—in which he claimed he sold his soul to the devil. Sauto asked the Real Sala del Crimen (Royal Room of Crime, a kind of attorney general's office in colonial times) to return his slave since "he was only idling in jail, at the expense of the public treasury;" furthermore, he complained that his investment in Baltasar was not paying off while he was not working. The Real Sala del Crimen rejected Baltasar's petition.
The trial
Baltasar de Sauto had a lot of enemies in the village because of his money and power. Among them were don Francisco José de Landeta, Count of Casa de Loja, and José Mariano de la Canal y Hervás, a young man who was the son of don Manuel Tomás de la Canal. Both men owned cotton mills that were less productive than Sauto's. According to Salvucci, Sauto also had the exclusive concession for using alum, an expensive ingredient used for dyeing textiles, which gave him great power over his competitors. His political influences and his economic power awakened the envy of these men, who instigated an inspection by an agent of the Real Audiencia (congress of the colonial period). The agent was Diego Antonio Fernández de la Madrid, who was the husband of Mariano de la Canal's sister. This resulted in strong accusations against Baltasar, who was said to mistreat and lock up his workers, as well as to perpetuate their indebtedness. The cases of his wife's witchcraft and of the homicide committed by his slave were brought up at his trial. Sauto was exiled to Puebla and then incarcerated in Mexico City. Salvucci said all the workers in the cotton mills of the time suffered under the same conditions, and Sauto's enemies wanted to throw him out of San Miguel to stop his success. The investigation lasted 12 years and, after several tribulations and struggles, Baltasar de Sauto was allowed to keep his cotton mill running.


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The kojack set includes a 3-tier hydraulic bottle jack, 2 x chassis brackets with integral spirit levels, 2 x additional support brackets (twin axle version) and all necessary fittings an fixings.
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|No. of V-brackets in box: 2
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Our delivery charges are based on the overall weight of your complete order. The packaged weight of this product is approx. 7.5000kg. Different delivery options are available depending on your location.UK Mainland
Alternatively, avoid delivery charges by collecting from our shop in North Norfolk!
Copyright © Chris Ashwell 2014-17


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6mm x 6mm Rivets - Silver - Pack of 20
High Quality, super cute 6mm double cap rivets, perfect for finishing off bag handles.
The perfect decoration or thin fabric length shank, 6mm
Easy to install! All you need is a hole/Saddlers Punch, Hammer and our lovely manual setting tool also available in store.
Sold in a pack of 20 rivets
Style - Double capped
Cap Diameter 6mm
Stem/Shank Length 6mm
Please note listing does not include setting tool. Tool is available for separate purchase (subject to availability)
Handy Blog on Rivets: http://www.emkiedesigns.com/all-you-need-to-know-about-rivets-guest-post-kylie-from-handbag-hardware-australia/
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Baseball & Softball Umpire Sunglasses
Protect your eyes from UV rays, dust and pollen with sunglasses from Oakley and Easton hand-selected for umpires. Easton sunglasss provide the best value with a dark lens and interchangeable option that includes yellow lenses. Wear dark lenses for most day games and yellow for darker conditions and night games.Read More »


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An employment contract template or contract of employment is a signed agreement between an employer and employee that sets out essential terms and conditions of an employment. Usually it is a legal document that lays out contract terms of an employment relationship and it can be in writing or verbal. These contracts also outline the rights as well as liabilities of both the employer and employee. Generally an employment contract can include following information such as salary, schedule, duration of employment, general obligations, confidentiality, terms of employment, communications, benefits, future competition and other information related to the employment.
Details of Employment Contract Template
Generally a written employment contract template is more substantial then verbal one therefore written agreement is a great way to clearly define the job, liabilities concern, benefits as well as avoid form any dispute or any misconception about the employment. But before signing the contract you have to make sure that you are comfortable with the every party of the agreement because if you abolish or break the contract there might be a legal consequence. In the contract of employment both the employer and employee incur the duty of the mutual confidence as well as trust to make only legal and plausible demands on each other.
Basically the employment contract templates don't have to be lengthy or massive because more clear and brief contracts are way better than clumsy contracts. These contracts basically lay out the duties as well as function of an employment and make the terms of the employment more predictable. The basic purpose of employment agreement template is to make sure that an employee and employer have a clear understanding of what is expected during the term of employment as well as address the important aspects of the employment such as highlighting the duties of both parties and the repercussions.