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To the long life of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and
all the Holy Masters of the Buddhadharma.
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Keys to Great Enlightenment is based upon two meditation courses given by the Venerable
Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen to students of Thub-ten Dhargye Ling as commentaries to the
classical root texts: Eight Verses of Thought Training by Geshe Langri Tangpa and The
Thirty- Seven Bodhisattva Practices by the Bodhisattva Togmey Zangpo.
The commentaries were transcribed and revised by Gary
Schlageter and Karen Gudmundson. Under the supervision of Robert Stone, these working
texts were then proofread and edited with the help of Pat Aiello, Paul McClelland, Nancy
Nason, and others. Revised drafts were checked with the author for clarification and
corrections. Overall preparation of the final draft of the book was carried out by Pat
Aiello, Karen Gudmundsson, Gary Schlageter, and Robert Stone. Book design and layout was
skillfully performed by Mooky Ben-David. Printing of the final draft was carried out Pat
and Gabriel Aiello, whose generosity and assistance is deeply appreciated.
Technical Notes
These commentaries focus on practical applications, not on
developing a scholarly work. Thus, technical details have been kept to a minimum. Tibetan
proper names have been written in simplified phonetics to assist the reader.
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All people wish for great happiness and joy, but for a number
of reasons, many times we suffer from recurrent problems, pain, frustration and anguish.
Even though we have many modern conveniences that make our lives temporarily easier, many
of us often focus on the immediate pleasure, and are unaware of the cost and resultant
suffering of what we imagined would bring us happiness. For example, when buying a new
house one usually experiences joy upon the initial purchase. But soon this joy can turn to
anxiety about the mortgage payments, burglaries and costly repairs. This example
illustrates the truth about most objects of enjoyment in our lives. It is common that an
object cultivated for happiness instead turns into suffering and problems.
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There are two main things one must do to become a Buddha for
the benefit of all sentient beings. These are to purify all our negativities and to
collect the necessary merit. To do this first we have to cultivate relative bodhichitta
and absolute bodhichitta. Relative bodhichitta is the aspiration to attain Great
Enlightenment for the benefit of all living beings. Absolute bodhichitta is the
experiential realization that all phenomena are void of inherent self-existence. These two
types of bodhichitta unlock the door to the Mahayana path.
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Preparation for Practice
Motivation for Studying Dharma
The initial step for starting a Dharma action is to develop a proper motivation. This produces a proper session. To substantiate this, we can quote the great Lama Tsong Khapa who said that if our mind is kind or noble, then so will be our path and the teachings. The kind of Mahayana thought we need to correctly generate is a sincere wish to attain Great Enlightenment in order to benefit all sentient beings. The topic of discussion is, of course, a Mahayana teaching, so our effort should be to make ourself a Mahayana being, as well.
Our topic is the quintessence of the eighty-four thousand teachings of the Buddha. It is the system of the supreme vehicle (yana), which helps the fortunate practitioner on his way towards Enlightenment. It is one of the most supreme paths, highly admired by the great beings like Maitreya, Manjushri, and a great many other Bodhisattvas. It was introduced by great trailblazers such as Arya Asanga and Nagarjuna and is the heart essence of the practices of the great Atisha and Lama Tsong Khapa. So, in short, it is the essence of the Graduated Path to Enlightenment or Lam Rim.
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Suffering and the Cause of Suffering
Just as we detest suffering, so do all other sentient beings. Since we detest
suffering, it becomes our duty to eradicate our present suffering and also to prevent the
suffering that might happen in our future lives. This becomes our personal duty.
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The Method for Freedom from Suffering
We cannot eliminate our suffering by means of material objects because material objects do not have the power to eliminate it. We have to gain freedom from a different source. The means by which we can achieve total freedom from all suffering--from all our present and future suffering, as well as all the suffering of other sentient beings--is through Dharma practice, through meditation.
How do we meditate? This is a skill we need to learn. Vasubhandu advises us that, "One should keep very pure moral conduct and be very well-informed." So, as well as maintaining pure morality, we must become well- informed. We do this by receiving teachings from the Lamas and studying the texts which illuminate the subject matter. We need good information and good teachings because without them we cannot properly conduct our meditation. If we have not heard anything about a subject, we cannot understand its meaning. To emphasize this point, the great Sakya Pandita said, "One who is trying to meditate without proper learning is like an armless person trying to climb a rock." We need sound learning, and the way to obtain it is by thorough study.
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How to Extract the Essence of the Dharma Teachings
When we learn a new concept, we should not just stop there. Rather, once we have understood the meaning, we should think about it repeatedly until it becomes a part of our mind. Only then will our meditation be successful. So, we need to follow this procedure: First, gain understanding by listening and by studying; second, think repeatedly about what we have heard; and third, meditate single-pointedly on the concept. These are the three wisdoms: the wisdom of learning, the wisdom of thinking upon what we have understood, and the wisdom received from meditation. These come consecutively, and because studying and listening to the Dharma is the first step, it is the foundation for the other two and thus becomes very important for our personal life. Even if we have received a certain teaching once or twice, we should not be complacent about hearing it again. Instead, we should try to receive teaching on Dharma subjects as many times as possible and then meditate on them. I know some monks who take teachings on certain texts as many as 20 or 30 times and, even then, would like to receive more teachings. So, the more times we hear teachings, the better it is for our understanding. Many lames say that if you attend teachings frequently, even on the same subject, you may not hear anything new, but you will understand something new.
We need to remember that every time we attend a teaching we may gain new understanding even if we are already familiar with the subject. That is a gift from our teachers. Their advice is filled with blessings. Any time we hear a teaching, we can learn some new way to understand it, to adapt it and make it a part of our life, and to bridge the distance between the teachings and our mind. We should not listen to the teaching as a separate entity. Instead, we should try to blend the teaching and its message with our mind. Let them blend into each other; let them go together--that should be our goal. If our mind and the teaching go in two different directions, then even though the teaching may be extremely inspirational or blessed, we will not receive any lasting benefit.
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Regarding the Teachings as a Mirror
We should regard the teaching as a mirror in which we check our actions. Whenever we study or look deeply into Dharma, we should be able to see clearly the reflection of our improper behavior and improper thought.
When we view our bad behavior in the mirror of the Dharma, we should not get upset. We should remember that our purpose in studying Dharma is to expose and uproot our delusions. Still sometimes, when we attend a teaching, we may regard some part of it as a harsh criticism of our lives or as a view we do not agree with. We may even get upset, but that is not the way it should be. There is a Tibetan proverb which illustrates this point, and I would like to share it with you. During one discourse, the lama advised a group of students not to kill lice. But one student was very fond of killing lice, so he did not like that teaching. In fact, it upset him very much. That night, when he returned to his home, he was still upset. So, he got hold of a louse and he said, "Now bring your Lama here to protect you!" The point is that the student lacked the ability to use the mirror of the Dharma to check his actions. Upon hearing the teachings, he should have been able to acknowledge his own mistakes and resolved to learn how to stop himself from killing in the future. He should have been able to make a strong determination not to kill.
Let's remember that whenever we hear or study Dharma, we
should make note of the things we should learn, as well as the ways we can implement them.
The important thing is to use the Dharma like a mirror. Just as we look in the mirror in
the morning for any sign of a black spot on our face, we can use the mirror of the Dharma
to find the black spots in our minds or actions. Once we find the black spots, we can
remove them. For that reason, we compare the Dharma to the mirror.
The key point is to have the correct motivation when we listen to a teaching or study Dharma. Once we adopt the correct motivation, listening and study will be easy. Please keep the proper motivation in your mind at all times.
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The Qualities of Those Attending a Teaching
We need to discuss the attitude with which we should attend the teachings. The Lam Rim teachings discuss the qualifications of the master as well as the students.
The Qualifications of the Master
The teacher should not only have an intellectual grasp of the subject, but, more
importantly, he should also be practicing the teaching in his own life. The teacher should
have the following ten qualities
The Qualifications of the Listener
We have already discussed the motivation with which we should attend the teachings. We need to have a proper attitude. The three elements of the correct attitude are proper motivation, attentiveness, and the ability to retain whatever we have received.
In addition, we should approach the teachings as well as our daily life and daily practice, with the six intentions discussed in the Lam Rim Chenmo. These six intentions are as follows:
1) To regard ourselves as being seriously ill with an illness from many delusions;2) To seek a good doctor who can cure us of our illness our delusions;
3) To regard the teachings as a pill or medication--to recognize that even though we may have found a skillful doctor, we can be cured only by the medication--the teaching itself is the true antidote for our illness;
4) To hold Dharma in high esteem, just as the patient would value the medication he takes;
5) To regard ourselves as chronic patients who must continue the medication program in order to be cured, to persist and be consistent in our daily practice, and to always revere the teachings and the teachers;
6) To be determined to stay on course in our Dharma practice, to decide every single morning to maintain our practice according to the teachings we have receive.
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Graduated Path to Enlightenment and Levels of Attainment
The Lam Rim first teaches us about the human rebirth: how it
is very valuable with its freedoms and endowments, as well as how it is difficult to
obtain and easy to lose. It also teaches us about impermanence and death. Following this
comes the teachings on the law of cause and effect or karma, on the suffering of the three
lower realms, on taking refuge, and so on.
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Initial Attainment
The result of having the initial attainment as our goal is that we are assured of being reborn in one of the three fortunate realms of happiness either the deva (celestial-god) realm, the asura (demigod) realm or in the human being realm. The means by which we achieve this initial attainment is through Dharma works or practices. The kind of Dharma practice that enables us to achieve that result is to abstain from the ten non-virtuous activities and to engage in the excellent moral conduct of the ten virtuous deeds. Cultivation of morality should not be for a day or two, or a month or so, but it should be very persistent and continue for the whole month, the whole year, and even for the span of a lifetime. We should be able to keep lifelong morality.
Additionally, this morality has to be supported by the six paramitas. If we can create within ourselves the qualities to become a very good person, then we will have received at least a minimal benefit out of this human rebirth through such means. Not only should it be supported by the six paramitas, but it should be well-connected with pure prayer or pure dedication. When we talk about dedication, we do not mean a single dedication for the entire life; we mean that every prayer or session, whether an hour long or only a few minutes should conclude with a prayer of dedication. In order for us to attain this level of achievement, we need to cultivate the properties of a very good person, with proper character.
This attainment is achieved through realization of key topics set forth in the Graduated Path to Enlightenment (Lam Rim). These topics include (1) Guru Devotion, (2) Precious Human Rebirth and the Difficulty of Obtaining It, (3) Death and Impermanence, (4) Certainty of Death, (5) Uncertainty of the Time of Death, (6) What Actually Helps at the Time of Death, (7) Types of Rebirths, (8) Refuge, (9) Karma or the Law of Cause and Effect, (10) Ten Types of Karmic Actions, (11) Suffering of Being in Samsara, and (12) Dissatisfaction of Samsara.
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Guru Devotion
In Lam Rim, we introduce the Dharma teachings by discussing how to properly cultivate a spiritual master. The section on Guru Devotion covers three topics: The benefit of cultivating a guru; the loss or disadvantage of not cultivating a guru; and the negative consequences if we antagonize the guru- disciple relationship.
The main idea is that we should regard our guru as a real
Buddha and try to have immense respect for him. This attitude is extremely beneficial for
our spiritual development, so we should always remind ourselves of the kindness of our
guru. Daily, we need to fortify ourselves with the good wish: "Not only in this life,
but in all my future lives, may I always be in contact with these great Mahayana spiritual
masters like the one that I have at this moment."
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Precious Human Rebirth
The next topic presented in the Lam Rim is the Precious Human Rebirth with its freedoms and richness. Again, I would like to quote the great Lama Tsong Khapa, who says that our present human rebirth with its freedoms and endowments is far more valuable than a wish-granting gem. This human rebirth is extremely rare to find, and it can be enormously meaningful and helpful for us. It has great potential. But if we allow it to go by without meaningfully living our lives, then we will not gain any meaningful results and may even have regrets. This human rebirth is adorned with the eight freedoms and ten endowments if we were to lose it without having achieved anything meaningful out of this life, then certainly this would be a great loss.
How can we keep this life from becoming empty and not achieving any meaning? We need to look for some activity or action that makes it meaningful. It is that meaningful action-Dharma work and action-that we are discussing here. The essence we can extract out of this life is divided into three levels of achievement: initial, medium, and highest. If we want to achieve the minimal benefit of this human rebirth, we should at least try to avoid a rebirth in the lower realms or the hell realms or make an effort to liberate ourselves from any chance of falling into any of those lower realms. That is the least we can do with this human rebirth. But just the assurance of not falling into any of the lower realms is not good enough. We have to look further into permanently closing the door to the lower realms and assuring ourselves a rebirth in high status with happiness and prosperity.
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Death and Impermanence
We also need to deliberate on our own death and on impermanence. This is important because if we fail to reflect on death, then we will indulge in negative actions without thinking.
On the other hand, if we do realize the inevitability of
death, we see that many things are not as important as we once thought, and we learn to
set priorities. This helps us to follow the paths that are explained in the teachings.
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Certainty of Death
After we understand the benefits of thinking about death, we
need to contemplate death itself and to convince ourselves of the certainty of our own
death. Intellectually, we know that we are going to die, but we still try not to think
about it. We do need to think about it and to realize that we will die.
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Uncertainty of the Time of Death
Uncertainty of the Time of Death
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What Actually Helps at the Time of Death
What proves to be most valuable at the moment of death? We need to consider that. Does any of the wealth we have acquired give us any support at that moment? We need to consider that, too. Our parents and our friends are they of any help then? The fact is, at the moment of our death, others may share our concern and want to do everything they can to help us, but it is simply beyond them to help at that moment. We start the journey alone and in darkness.
The only friend that can help us at that time is our Dharma practice, if we have done any. Our proper Dharma practice proves to be our dearest and most unfailing friend. It is not the only thing to go with us because our negativities follow us, too. We have to realize that at the moment of death, nothing is of greater help than our Dharma practice. We need to make a firm determination to continue with a very sound Dharma practice.
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Types of Rebirths
We need to consider where we may go once we leave this life. There are only two possible destinations: either the lower realms of suffering or the higher realms of happiness. Of these two possibilities, we are most likely to go to the lower realms. The reason for this is that the cause for rebirth in the lower realms is our own negative thoughts and actions. We do not need to learn negative thoughts and actions from anyone else. We learn them automatically or instinctively, and as a result, we are closer to the lower realms. On the other hand, the cause of a rebirth in the higher realms is the practice of pure morality, patience, and so on. These practices require much effort and hard work from us right now. We need to think, "How would it be for us, if we were in one of those lower realms? Would we be able to tolerate the unbearable sufferings we would experience in those realms?" We also need to ask ourselves, "Can anybody help me out of that situation, or not? Is there anything that can give me refuge?"
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Definitely, there is a refuge. We can be helped by the Buddha,
the Dharma, and the Sangha. Taking refuge in these three is very important. Many of us
feel that if we have taken refuge once, it is sufficient, but that is not true. We should
try to take refuge as often as possible. The more times each day we can go for refuge, the
better. What distinguishes whether or not we are a Buddhist is determined by the presence
of the proper refuge in our mind. If we want to be a true Buddhist, then we need to take
proper refuge in a pure or proper manner each day. Moreover, taking refuge becomes the
foundation for all of the higher Buddhist vows, including the Pratimoksha vows, the vows
of monks and nuns (bhikshus and the bhikshunis), the Bodhisattva vows and the Tantric
vows. If we want to receive any of these three higher vows, we must first take refuge to
build the foundation. When we are to receive an initiation such as Avalokiteshvara, it
also begins with taking refuge. Again, refuge is the foundation, and we build the
initiation upon it. Therefore, taking refuge is very important for all of us.
The Sangha refuge supreme community includes the Bodhisattvas, the Shravakas, the dakas or dakinis, and all the dharmapalas who have attained the Arya path or the transcendental path.
We need to understand that if we take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and the Sangha, they will not fail us. We need to understand the infallibility of that refuge. Not only are they capable of giving us refuge, but they are worthy of being our refuge. For instance, the Buddha is totally free from fear and can relieve others from fear as well. Moreover, he extends his great compassion equally to all beings. If one praises the Buddha and another insults him, the Buddha shows equal compassion to both, and he helps both, whether they benefit him or not. It does not matter. Unlike us, Buddha helps everybody equally. We need to realize that whither or not we receive help is actually up to ourselves. It is beyond any shadow of doubt that Buddha has the power to help us, but he can do so only if we take refuge in him.
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Karma or the Law of Cause and Effect
Taking refuge is not enough. We must also follow the instructions regarding which actions we should take and which actions we should avoid. If we do not, even though we take refuge, we will not achieve nirvana or liberation. We need to realize how important the law of karma (cause and effect) is, and that it is the root of all happiness and prosperity. Once we have strong faith in and respect for the law of cause and effect, once we realize that good action brings happiness and negative action brings suffering we can learn to refrain from negative actions and practice only good.
There is much discussion about karma in the Lam Rim Chenmo, but the important thing we need to remember is that the results of every action are certain. Whatever karma we have created bears similar results. This does not mean that every karma has to bear a result, for there are modifying conditions; we can spoil the seeds. For instance, although we may commit a negative action, we can confess to purify that action and make that seed impotent. Thus, it is said that there is no negative action that cannot be cleansed with the four antidotes or four opponent powers of purification.
We must also realize that any action we have committed, whether virtuous or non-virtuous, will keep on multiplying and compounding day after day. Once we realize this, we can learn to purify every negativity we have committed on that day. We simply cannot afford to let it continue because if we do, even a minute negative action can become huge after some time. We fall into the depth of the negativities if we let a single small one go by. Moreover, we need to recognize that if we haven't committed a particular action whether a virtuous or non-virtuous one, we will not receive the result or face the consequences. To experience the result, we must commit the action ourselves. For instance, the karma created by Tashi would not bear fruit on Ngodrup, nor would the karma created by Ngodrup bear its results on Tashi. Tashi and Ngodrup are two different people.
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Ten Types of Karmic Actions
How many types of karma are there? To summarize them, there are ten types. We can refer to the ten white paths of action and the ten black paths of action. The ten negative paths or the black karmas include three negative actions of the body: killing, stealing, sexual misconduct; four negative actions of speech: lying, slandering, harsh talk, and idle gossip; and three negative actions of the mind: covetousness, ill-will and false views. If we have done any of these ten, we should feel a very strong remorse or regret for our actions. Also, we should try to refrain from committing such actions in the future. The ten white paths of virtue are the opposites of the ten non-virtuous actions.
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Suffering of Being in Samsara
After we have some insight into karma, we need to think about the general suffering of being in samsara. This general disadvantage of being in the vicious cycle of samsara is the uncertainty of our status. We may have a tendency to think that our enemies will always be our enemies and our friends will always be our friends. But this is not so, enemies can easily change into friends and friends into enemies. In what way does our understanding of uncertainty as a general characteristic of samsara help us? Usually we create a lot of unnecessary karma because we have a fixed idea of enemy as enemy and friend as friend. Because of that we keep on committing negative karma, but once we realize the uncertainty of our status, we create less.
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Dissatisfaction of Samsara
The next topic is the unsatisfying nature of samsara. Any samsaric pleasure, no matter how much we indulge in it or how much we enjoy it, never truly satisfies us. There is no samsaric pleasure about which we can say, "I haven't experienced that." We have been cycling in samsara since beginning less time. We have been everywhere and have enjoyed every single samsaric happiness. But do we have anything to show for it right now? No. The pleasures are gone.
We also need to think about how being in samsara requires us to lose our body repeatedly. Every time we lose our bodies and our lives, we experience tremendous trauma not only for ourselves but also for our friends, relatives, and everybody who surrounds us during that life. It is the most traumatic experience we go through in our personal life, and we go through this not once, but repeatedly. Why do we repeatedly have to give up the form we have taken for a particular life? Why are we reborn again and trapped again in the vicious cycle of rebirth? Delusion and karma are the causes of samsara, and they are very much present at this moment. Thus, to stop the cycle of repeated rebirth, we must get rid of delusion and karma.
Another negative attribute of being in the chain of samsara is
the fluctuation of our status. At times we are at the top of cyclic existence and at
others we are on the bottom. For instance, one who enjoys the highest life as a human
being, such as a king, may after death take rebirth on the glowing iron surface of hell
and become indistinguishable from the heat which consumes the body itself becoming one of
the lowest beings imaginable on the surface of hell. Such fluctuations happen in samsara.
Anyone, including professors, actors, singers, and the like, who enjoy a huge number of
fans and admirers may fall into the lower realms and undergo excruciating pain and
suffering alone. For that reason, the Seventh Dalai Lama, Kelsang Gyatso, wrote in one of
his poems for Avalokiteshvara that all the higher ones soon become slaves who are walked
upon by everybody. He also wrote that the beautiful physique of the peasant is like flower
of autumn: it soon vanishes. All of our riches are like borrowed ornaments that we may
enjoy for a brief moment but then must return. What we need to learn from these messages
is that all samsaric things lack meaning or essence. It is best to take this kind of
advice very personally, as if given to us alone by the author. If we can receive every
teaching in that way, at that level, it works very effectively.
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Review of the Lam Rim Topics (For Initial Attainment)
We started by discussing guru devotion, then went on to the cultivation of the spiritual master, and the disadvantages of being in the vicious cycle of samsara. If we have the realization of the freedom and preciousness of this human rebirth, if we understand the difficulty of obtaining such a rebirth, and, more importantly, if we have the realization of impermanence and death, we can reduce our total preoccupation with the pleasures of this life. If we do not, then we can never find the time for Dharma practice because we will always have something else to do. So, it is very important for us to work towards becoming less preoccupied with seeking happiness for this life only.
We have also discussed the infallibility of the law of cause and effect, the law of karma, as well as the general and specific suffering of cyclic existence or samsara. Thinking properly on these topics can also help us reduce our preoccupation with this life and enable us to achieve a better rebirth. The realization of death helps us to have a very strong desire to renounce samsara. It makes us unwilling to take rebirth within samsara under the influence of karma and delusion, and once we have escaped samsara, we can return out of compassion and love for sentient beings. This can happen as a Bodhisattva.
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Medium Attainment
If we wish to achieve medium attainment during this human rebirth, which is liberation from samsara (cyclic existence), we need to cultivate and realize the meaning of the following Lam Rim meditations; namely, strong renunciation of samsara and realization of shunyata.
First, we need to develop a strong renunciation or a strong urge to break free from the samsara. We can develop such an urge to break free from samsara by changing our attitude towards cyclic existence (samsara) itself, so that we perceive it as a glowing iron surface or as a hot ember. The cyclic existence which we are discussing does not require us to look or travel to a distant place or even out of our neighborhood, but rather it is in our every action through which we produce more causes for us to be bound to this ember-like samsara. We produce more and more causes each and every day, don't we? This cyclic existence is analogous to a hot iron surface, but we fail to perceive it in that way. As it says in the Lama Chopa, we see cyclic existence as a very beautiful park. In the Lama Rhoda, it is wished that we become able to sever this attitude- towards samsara. The reason we have this misconception is because we have almost become insane. For those who are mentally insane or incapacitated, it is immensely difficult for them to see even the worst prison as a prison. Under the very strong influence of the three poisonous delusions, hatred, attachment, and ignorance. We fail to see cyclic existence as a most dreadful place; instead we see it as something very desirable. What we need to understand is that cyclic existence is very unpleasant to live in. A right conception or right perception of cyclic existence helps develop the urge to remove ourselves from it. For instance, we would not want to live in a dangerous place surrounded by fear for even a single moment. We would want to try and get out of it as soon as we can.
We need to contemplate these concepts because they don't come easily to our mind. With continuous contemplation, we reach a point where we do not wish to stay in cyclic existence at all. When a very sincere, strong urge to be released from cyclic existence comes to our mind, that is the point at which we have developed a very strong renunciation. We have a strong wish to get out of cyclic existence, but the wish alone does not deliver us. The final deliverance final deliverance from cyclic existence can only be achieved with insight into emptiness.
The wisdom of shunyata can sever the very root of cyclic
existence. We need to understand that without the help of the wisdom that understands
shunyata, even if we spend our entire life in meditation, we cannot break ourselves free
from cyclic existence. There is no way out without the help of the wisdom of shunyata. It
is the key tool or key weapon with that we can cut the very root of ignorance, and thus
cut the root of hatred and attachment which stems from ignorance. Initially we need to
develop renunciation and then work towards the development of insight into the wisdom of
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Highest Attainment
If we wish to achieve the highest level of attainment during this human rebirth, which is the state of Great Enlightenment, we need to realize the meaning of the following Lam Rim meditations: Great Compassion, by either of the two special methods; Engaging in the Bodhisattva activities; and Completing the Five Paths and the Ten Bodhisattva Stages (Bhumis).
We still have some obstacles that need to be overcome, and there is more to be obtained. What we need to do to enable us to overcome all the obstacles and achieve the final attainment or achievements is to enter into the Mahayana path. As we enter the Mahayana path, the first step is the development of Great Compassion (mahakaruna). There are methods or steps that we can follow to help us develop this great compassion. If we follow the supreme method set forth by the great Shantideva, we try to cultivate Great Compassion by the profound method of exchange of oneself with others.
If we follow the steps or traditions set forth by the great Maitreya and Arya Asanga, then we need to develop the following seven steps: (1) recognizing all sentient beings as our mother, (2) recollection of their kindness, (3) an attitude to repay their kindness, and (4) cultivating Great Love towards all. Contemplation on Great Love produces (5) Great Compassion as its result. It comes quite rapidly and arises in our mind. When we have developed this Great Compassion, we become a member of the Mahayana family. It is almost like a passport. Further development and familiarization with great compassion produces (6) the Exceptional Thought. This is an Exceptional Thought in the sense that it is much more forceful due to the strength of our compassion. Our mind has become more forceful and much stronger. A result of the Exceptional Thought is (7) the precious bodhichitta.
The difference between Exceptional Thought and Great Compassion is that with Great Compassion we have a very strong wish or desire that all sentient beings be free from suffering, but we do not have the exceptional sense of personal responsibility that says, "I will look for the means to make them free from suffering." At the Exceptional Thought stage, we accept that personal responsibility. As a result, if we have managed to cultivate the bodhichitta, then we have truly become a Bodhisattva.
The level of attainment that we aspire determines the resultant attainment which we achieve. Maximum attainment should be our goal because it enables us to truly have the means to be of greatest benefit to others and also to fulfill our highest personal goals.
Achieving the Highest Attainment during this lifetime is not something that is beyond our means. However, this task requires us to cultivate the proper outlook and to engage in activities that achieve this result. The following two texts help us to do this. The Eight Verses of Thought Training explains clearly how to develop the mind needed to achieve the Highest Attainment, i.e. the two bodhichittas, and The Thirty-Seven Bodhisattva Practices explains the activities we must do in order to be a Bodhisattva.
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Outline of the Root Verses


text:
Men's Crew Concludes Fall Season In Style
Nov. 11, 2001
A busy weekend for the Cardinal concluded the Fall racing season with outstanding results. The Varsity finished second at the Head of the Lake and the Freshmen placed first in the Redhead Regatta. Both squads secured the winningest records in Fall racing history. (more)
The weekend capped an outstanding Fall season from the Cardinal. The Varsity Eight took second at the Head of the Lake Regatta and the Freshmen won the Redhead Regatta.Both races proved significant, as the Varsity Eight and Freshmen Eights concluded the Fall season with strong results.
Seattle, WA-Saturday in perfect conditions, the Varsity Eight raced with distinction and took second place behind the globally enhanced crew from the University of Washington. Of greater significance was that the Cardinal beat the Oregon State Beavers to the finish line. This was the first time in the last five years where the Cardinal has achieved such a result. 'We feel that our results will be achieved only through the daily effort that we put into our work.' noted senior coxswain Simona Chin. 'This was an excellent opportunity to execute on race day. We will continue to move forward.' The Varsity Four continued the Cardinal effort with a solid effort, finishing seventh out of twenty-two crews in the Open Four.
Open 8+ Results:
Washington 15:16
Stanford 15:46
Varsity 8+ Lineup:
Seat Name Year Hometown
Cox) Simona Chin SR Houston, TX
8) Chris Jones JR Woodlands, TX
7) Nate Schuett SR Hobe Sound, FL
6) Mike Hawkes JR Santa Maria, CA
5) Jamie Schroeder SO Wilmette, IL
4) Stu Scollay JR Sacramento, CA
3) Justin Virgili SR Raleigh, NC
2) Matt Altman SO Seattle, WA
1) Eric Shedlosky JR Old Lyme, CT
Redwood City, CA- In overcast conditions at the Redhead Regatta, Men's Crew continued efforts for Spring racing. The Frosh/Novice squad concluded their Fall season with another first place finish. The Varsity group broke down into small boats, winning all entered events. This concluded the first undefeated Fall season for Frosh crew at Stanford. 'Our results are due to the hard work and daily effort that the student athletes have committed.' noted Coach Amerkhanian. 'We are pleased with the performances and hope to build on the results in the Spring.'
Freshmen 8+ Lineups
Seat Name Hometown
cox) Zack Cooper McLean, VA
8) Sam Mcmeekin London, ENG
7) Eerik Hantsoo Washington, DC
6) Martin Mumford Mill Valley, CA
5) Rob Evans Saratoga, CA
4) Gene Berdichevsky Richmond, VA
3) Brian Belmont Allentown, PA
2) Glenn Bean Reedley, CA
1) Eric Segal Fort Washington, PA
cox) Sam Chang Austin, TX
8) Eric Feeny Woodside, CA
7) Alex Moore Wilmington, DE
6) David Banks Potomac, MD
5) Austin Shoemaker Sarasota, FL
4) Alex Pagon Snohomish, WA
3) Joe Melaragno San Diego, CA
2) Adam Piotrowski Oak Park, IL
1) Jason Stone Naperville, IL
The Cardinal will next see action on their home waters at the Redwood City Race Course on March 29th versus Santa Clara. Be sure to come out and support the Cardinal.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Please logout when you are done using the tool. Closing the browser alone may not log you out. Also, even if there isn't someone in the time slot you would like to use the tool for please reserve the time by creating the event anyway. That way in the case that someone wants to come on right after you, they will see that it is reserved and they can reserve it for when your time slot is up.
Reserve a little bit more time than you think you may need so that it can allow for going over without having to go back to the calendar to reserve more time. When you create the event in the calendar, just name of the event your first name and last initial. That's all that is necessary in terms of info, along with the time you set the event for.


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The Obama administration's effort to stop the so-called "war on women" is going global.
The Department of Labor announced this week that it will award about $1.4 million in grant funding to entities that will help fight labor discrimination in Mexico.
The grant is aimed at helping Mexico enforce its own labor laws to stop sexual harassment and discrimination based on gender. But it's also aimed at stopping discrimination against LGBT workers, and to stop "forced pregnancy testing."
"Countries like Mexico are making welcome progress in reforming laws to better protect workers from discrimination and harassment based on gender or sexual orientation," said Carol Pier, deputy undersecretary of labor for international affairs. "This project will support the Mexican government's efforts to more effectively enforce such non-discrimination provisions of the Mexican Federal Labor Law Reform of 2012."
The grant is expected to help fund work in this area over a three-year period, and the award can go to any commercial, educational or nonprofit group, including faith-based groups, that can outline a way to support that mission.
"The project will focus on improving enforcement of these protections by labor inspectors, increasing employer participation in government social compliance programs that incorporate best practices to combat labor discrimination, and raising public awareness of the recent legal reforms on labor discrimination," Labor said Tuesday.
The Department of Labor will accept applications through November 7, and awards will be announced by the end of the year.
Labor department officials have recently awarded a few other grants to help boost labor law enforcement around the world. In September, Labor announced a $2 million grant to boost Peru's ability to enforce its laws.
Also in September, Labor announced a $10 million grant to implement a "technical assistance project to support global efforts to create safer and healthier workplaces." Another $10 million was offered to "implement impact evaluations globally to expand the evidence base on child labor and forced labor." -- Pete Kasperowicz


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Sunday, January 17th, 2010
ST. Petersburg
Painting with a Twist St Pete
2527 Central Ave.
St. Petersburg, FL 33713
Uncork your inner artist! Bring a friend, a bottle of wine, and your creative spirit to an evening of creativity and camaraderie. We'll provide the paint, canvas, brushes, and a local artist for step-by-step instruction.
2 hr class is $35
3 hr $45
Painting with a Twist St Petersburg Private Party Info
- We do book private parties.
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- If you want to have a private party on a Friday or Saturday night we would need a guaranteed minimum of fifteen (15) people.
- On a weeknight that we usually schedule a class (Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday) the minimum would be ten (10) people.
- If you want to schedule a party on a day we don't usually have a class (Sunday or Monday) or any daytime classes, the minimum is also ten (10) people.
- The cost is $35.00 for a two hour class during the week and on weekends the cost is $45.00 for a three hour class. We allow a 30 minutes grace period at the end of the class – after that there will be a $50.00/hour charge.
- You can choose your painting for the party from our extensive gallery of paintings. By providing criteria, we can send you some selections or you can visit our location and choose from any of the paintings in our gallery.
- Our maximum capacity is 30.
- Please call us regarding special pricing for children's parties.
- If you have any other questions, please call us at 727-327-4488 or email us at firstname.lastname@example.com .
Painting with a Twist Locations
Category: Stores
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The following programs will be offered for the 2018/2019 season. If you have any questions please email the appropriate Division Convenor (contact info below).
Registration Opens: May 1
Season begins: late September
Season ends: early April
Initiation Program 2012-2013 (age 5-6)
The Initiation Programs is a progressive, learn-to-play teaching curriculum. Players learn though participating in practice drills and informal cross-ice games featuring lighter pucks (4oz blue) and smaller nets (3' x 4' or smaller). The Initiation Program introduces the skills of skating, passing, puck control, and shooting in a progressive, one-step-at-a-time manner.
The focus for Hockey Canada's Initiation program is on skill development and FUN without the pressure of winning. At this age, there are no referees, no playoffs, no goalies and no score keeping.
- Cost: $450 ($425 early bird if registering before July 1)
- Approx. 35 on-ice sessions
- Ice-time every Saturday (1:15 pm or 2:15 pm) and Alternating Sunday Mornings 9:00 Stouffville
- Arenas include Clippers Arena and Stouffville Arena
- There will be one "team" of initiation-age players
- On-ice sessions will include small ice activities, fun skills development and cross-ice games with no goalies (boards-to-boards)
Register for the Initiation Program
Convenor: Pete Morra ([email protected], 647-407-6724)
Novice 2010-2011 (age 7-8)
The evolution of a player from the Initiation Program to novice hockey involves a change in the landscape of game play, but the emphasis on skill development remains the core focus.
In accordance with the Hockey Canada development program, and new for the 2018-2019 season, players will transition from half-ice games in the first part of the season to full-ice games in the second part of the season.
- Ice-time every Saturday (1:15 pm or 2:15 pm) and Alternating Sunday Mornings 9:00 Stouffville
- Players will be evaluated at the beginning of the season during three skills sessions and then placed on teams to ensure balanced teams (12-16 players per team)
- Season breakdown (approximate):
o 3-5 development/power-skating sessions
o 10 practices
o 10 half-ice games (first half of season): 3-on-3/4-on-4, no score keeping, players change shifts on the buzzer
o 10+ full-ice games (second half of season): 5-on-5 with score keeping and playoffs
- Tryouts for the Novice Select team will be held in November
Register for Novice
Atom 2008-2009 (age 9-10)
$450 ($425 early bird if registering before July 1)
Games are Saturdays at Angus Glen Arena 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm. Atom HL practices will be alternate Sundays and alternate Mondays
Peewee 2006-2007 (age 11-12)
Games are Saturdays at Angus Glen Arena 4:00 pm, 5:00 pm. Practices will be on Sundays
Bantam/Midget 2001-2005 (age 13-18 )
$425 ($400 early bird if registering before July 1) Games are Monday Nights at 8:00, 9:00 at Stouffville Arena. Previous years attendance was minimal at practices,all ice time are games for this age group
Social Bookmarks (What's This?)


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Studio Initiated
Annually, the USA produces 2.38 million tons of waste generated from disposable cups and plates alone! Disposable plates are thrown away after only one use, creating huge environmental costs. Plate-Oh! is a biodegradable disposable plate with a unique construction of individual layers pressed together. Peeling the used upper layer reveals a clean plate underneath. The user can peel and reuse the plate for up to ten times.
Plate-oh! is a solution that works with consumer behaviors, and not against them. We did not want a solution that no one will buy, but one that will allow us to create an impact. We did this by understanding why consumers are buying so many disposable products in the first place. People enjoy disposable plates because they are cheap and minimize the need for dishes. Plate-oh does not ask consumers to make sacrifices; on the contrary, it is still as economical and convenient as regular disposable plates, but simply better for the environment.
• Spark Awards – Silver
• Red dot Award – Honorable Mention
• IDEA International Design Excellence Awards, Finalist
• A'Design Awards – Silver (Italy),
• Green Dot Awards,
• Green Dot Awards, Honourable Mention


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Over the years the physicists behind the YouTube channel Sixty Symbols have answered some big questions -- like what happens if you stick your hand inside the Large Hadron Collider? Or do physicists believe in God? But now these fine scientists from The University of Nottingham have brought physics to a level that I can personally appreciate. They've hit the streets of Dublin to demystify what goes into the finest of Irish libations, the perfect glass of Guinness Beer. Their inquiry starts with the most obvious question: What creates that thick beige froth that sits elegantly atop the dark brown stout? It sounds like a mundane question. Until you realize it's not. The dynamics of Guinness foam can be explained partly by work done by the Irish physicist Lord Kelvin (1824-1907) long ago. But other aspects of Guinness foam are still being hotly contested by physicists today. Take for example this paper, Waves in Guinness, published in 2008 in the journal Physics of Fluids. Now we'll let Sixty Symbols explain the rest....
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If you'd like to support Open Culture and our mission, please consider making a donation to our site. It's hard to rely 100% on ads, and your contributions will help us provide the best free cultural and educational materials.
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The Physics of Coffee Rings Finally Explained
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Q: Did you hear about the monster with five legs? A: His trouser
A: His trousers fit him like a glove.
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(3: )(2: )(4: )(5: )(6: )(7: 2019)
Who\What introduced you to Curling?My father. When I stopped playing competitive hockey, curling was the logical choice. Pretty much self taught, I got hooked and stuck with it ever since.
Do you have any pre-game superstitions or rituals?I try to do the same things at each event. Normally I find a spot by myself and think about the upcoming game.
What is your career highlight to date?2012 US National Champion
2012 World Championships in Basel, SUI
Who was influential in your curling development?I grew up watching Ed Werenich, Russ & Glenn Howard, & Wayne Middaugh.
What is your favourite sport other then curling?Golf
What is your earliest curling memory?My first of 5 straight provincial junior appearances.
What kind of Training Regimen do you follow?Year round fitness. Continuous on ice practice during the season.
What kind of goals have you set for yourself?Return to the World Championships and improve on our performance.
Medal at the Olympics
What have you learned through curling?Competitiveness and Comradderie
Other Olympic Sport you'd like to try?Luge
Place you'd like to build a curling club?One sheet attached to my house!
Who are your favourite athlete/heros?Professional Golfers
Donald Trump
What other sports do you play?Golf
Do you have any hidden talents?It's not really hidden but my friends have coined the phrase
"the drift is a gift"!!
Any Nicknames?Heater
Any interesting travel experiences?African Safari


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text: Support BladeForums! Paid memberships don't see ads! Kiah, hope all is good with you man! Looks like your staying nice and busy. What's your backlog look like? I'm looking at having another Grayman shipped your way. When you come up for air let me know what your status is. Thanks bro!


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What comes to your mind when you hear of event ticket booking software?
Development in the field of technology has made things easier for everyone and embracing these changes has become the best option for all of us. Event ticket booking software is evidence of how technology has made it easier for businesses to target their clients.
Event ticket booking software does exactly as the name suggests. This software facilitates booking event tickets with the help of the Internet. Although it may seem simple, it has the multiple features available that can be challenging to master for the user. Event ticket booking software, with booking live, can positively affect your business, simply because it can boost your sales tremendously.
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Irrespective of the size of your business, helping you increase your profit is our biggest concern. Therefore, our online booking system of booking live has come up with EPOS hardware so you can retail items on the Web before and after an event. These products can range from mugs to shirts, posters and any souvenir items that may be a hit among event goers. The great thing is that you can use the hardware to collect the payments for both tickets and stock.
We are sure you had no idea about these features before; our software gives you a complete e-commerce solution, and you can now encompass all income generating opportunities.
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Our company products conform to standards such as Chinese GB, US TRA, European ETRTO, and Japanese JATMA and have passed the ISO9001:2008 quality certification.Chat Now
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Oracle 9i Database Administrator Certification combines training,experience and testing to ensure that you have a strong expertise on oracle 9i Database techniques, including backup recovery, Performance tuning and administration.
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9i DBA Certification : OCA
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Wednesday, February 20, 2013
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Adaptive Sports: The Invictus Games
Adaptive International Sports Competition for Wounded Warriors
Adaptive Sports is not just for Wounded Warriors but for anyone disabled or injured. There are even high school adaptive sports teams in public schools, so the acceptance of these athletes as competitors is growing widely across the country and even the world. Thanks to many great Veteran programs, American and Allied Veterans and Organizations, these events are becoming an integral part of acceptance and recovery for all participants. The Department of Veterans Affairs announces annually the schedule for various competitions around the globe.
The Invictus Games
The most popular World Games of Adaptive Sports Competition is the Invictus Games. Invictus is Latin for UNCONQUERED and the INVICTUS GAMES is partly responsible for making Adaptive Sports more popular with the International Community. The Invictus Games are the brainchild of Prince Harry of Wales. As a war veteran himself, Prince Harry was a guest in 2013 at the U.S. Department of Defense Warrior Games where wounded warriors compete as a branch of service teams in adaptive athletic competitions.
After witnessing the spirit and enjoyment the competitors were having, Prince Harry wanted to take the Warrior Games international and the following year created the first Invictus Games, held in London. The U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Veteran Affairs use Adaptive Sports as part of the healing process for injured service members and veterans.
The Invictus Games
Like the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, the Invictus Games use the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation, and generate a wider understanding and respect for wounded Service People. Coaching and research in equipment and gear for the athletes enable vast improvements in prosthesis, training methodology, and technology. In fact, recently in Switzerland, the Cybathlon Competition took place where teams of mechanic engineers, designers, computer programmers, prosthetic companies and adaptive sports athletes organized as teams to maneuver over and through a large variety of athletic and daily tasks from exo-skeleton races to pouring glasses of water.
The Invictus Games have grown to more than 500 wounded warriors of 15 nations: Afghanistan, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Netherlands, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and the United States. ESPN also featured live events and more than 40 hours of television coverage to the opening/closing ceremonies, special features, and events.
The 2016 Invictus Games held in Orlando, FL feature the following ten sporting events that are both team and individual competition: Archery, Indoor Rowing, Powerlifting, Road cycling, Sitting Volleyball, Swimming, Track and Field, Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Rugby, and Wheelchair Tennis.
The 2017 Invictus Games were held in Toronto, Canada.
There are many other Department of Defense and Veteran Affairs programs featuring Adaptive Sports as a model for helping the wounded service members and veterans.
The Valor Games
From the official VA government website: The Valor Games promotes healthy, active lifestyles and is important to successful community reintegration. The Valor Games proudly support such endeavors. World Sport Chicago hosted the first Valor Games in 2011 and all regional events are organized in partnership with U.S. Paralympics and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Through Adaptive Sports and events like the aforementioned athletic competitions, the Wounded Warrior will:
- Experience the feeling of being a part of something again
- Have pride in a new mission in life
- De-stress through physical activity
- Enjoy the camaraderie of team and competition
- And most importantly have an improved quality of life
In the Spirit of the Invictus Games, the competitor's inspirational motto is:
We Came, We Saw, We're UNCONQUERED
Department of Defense and Veteran's Affairs
For more than a decade the U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Veteran Affairs have been using competitive sport as a method to heal wounded soldiers (both physically and mentally). The opportunity for the injured Veterans to have a physical outlet on a team gives hope to those who come home with a "new normal". The wounded warriors' new active lifestyle that is created by their competitive spirit and a physical outlet is both cathartic and strength building. There are many opportunities to participate in these type of programs across the United States as each region of the VA have a variety of training events, competitions, and practices for these Adaptive Sports Athletes.


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Compound in Broccoli and Cauliflower Kills Leukemia CellsPosted June 4, 2013
Nutrition scientists have been proclaiming the health benefits of the bioactive compound sulforaphane, found in crucifers such as cauliflower and broccoli, for the past ten years. Prior research studies have concluded that the chemical directly alters the expression of our genes to lower the risk from many different types of cancer. It appears that mainstream medical science has finally caught on as studies are showing that the extracted compound can effectively treat one of the most aggressive and invasive forms of leukemia that primarily afflicts children.Read More


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Ahote is Kovu's younger half-brother and looks very much like him, except that his fur and mane are notably darker.
He is the last son of Scar and Zira, and is an antagonist in Lion King IV: Rise and Fall of the Sun.
Physical Appearance
Ahote looks almost exactly like Kovu, except that his mane is black, his fur is blackish-brown, and his eyes are a somewhat brighter green.
To be added.


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Edgewood Location
We encourage you to contact us via phone or email. To send us an email, please fill out the form below. For directions to the office, please click on the map. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to get in touch. We're always happy to hear from you!
1851 Old Hwy 66 #B
Edgewood, NM 87015
Appointment Hotline: 505-271-9900
Toll-Free: 1-855-833-8014


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I just finished my registration for the Colfax Marathon that is being held on May 18 th, 2014 right here in Denver. I decided to run this marathon for several reasons. For one I definitely want to run another marathon so that I can take another stab at the 4 hour marker. If you don't know, I ran the Las Vegas Rock 'n' Roll Marathon back in November, but I became sick 2 weeks before the race and actually ran the marathon while having an ear infection. I finished the marathon, but I had to let go any time goal because of the circumstances mentioned before. Other reasons are that this marathon is pretty much on my home turf and if you run marathons, running the one "at home" is probably a no-brainer. And another reason for me to run this marathon is cost. More about that later.
So, I just registered for this race and now have over 5 months' time for training. Well, I do not want to train for 5 months, but I am planning to run a couple other races along the way. Five months is a long time and having nothing in between would probably affect my motivation – especially since I still consider myself fairly well trained from my last marathon and half marathon. I want to run another half marathon in January and then I want to run a half marathon in early February. From there I would start my training for the Colfax marathon – having roughly 3.5 months of time. That is about 2 weeks more time compared to the training cycle for the Las Vegas Marathon + I should be starting at a higher level due "being in training" for the two half marathons. And to top it all off, as always I am doing my daily Kosama workouts. My goal for the marathon training is to push my mileage up into the 50s more regularly and to top out in the sixty mile range. I am also going to buy the book for the Hanson's Marathon Method as I really like their training method and I want to implement a few more pieces into my marathon training plan. The last time I borrowed the book from the local library, but now that I am running more races I think it is time to build up a small collection of important books for running marathons.
Marathon Training Plan
Registration for the Colfax Marathon was easy and the early bird registration fee was just $79 + processing fee + $7.00 for insurance (in case you get sick or to cover other unexpected reasons that would keep you away from running the Colfax Marathon). After my Las Vegas Ear Infection experience I thought that $7.00 for insurance is worth the expense. During the signup process they also offered a customized marathon training plan for $20.00, but I passed on that offer. For one my training routine includes the Kosama boot camp workouts and except for one training plan that I have seen, nobody else can marry the running with the boot camp workout. Second, I bought a full year access to the McMillan Pro Marathon training plan and videos and I plan on fully utilizing this subscription as much as possible. And third, my home-made training plan worked out fairly good and I think with some tweaking it actually turns out to be a great choice.
Colfax Marathon Denver
The Colfax Marathon in Denver offers some great highlights and I am looking forward to run this marathon accordingly. As an example, the marathon course leads through the Denver Broncos Mile High Stadium – twice. Marathoners will also run through the Denver Fire Station #1 which I think is totally cool. The course also covers about seven miles of urban lakes, rivers and creeks – including Cherry Creek and the Platte River, and Sloan's Lake. If you have read my Las Vegas Marathon recap you might remember that there was a long stretch of running into the outskirts of Las Vegas just to cover mileage and that part of the race was very boring and so totally not exciting. At least from looking at the course map for the Colfax marathon this should be less an issue and so I am really looking forward to this event. And of course the Colfax marathon covers Colfax Avenue and downtown Denver as well. It sounds like it will be a fun race. May is a great time to be in Denver. The weather can actually be quite warm already (80s or even 90s are not unheard of), but it can also be freezing cold and snowy. I am hoping for moderate temperatures. I do expect an early morning race start (6.00 AM or something like this) and that works out great for me because I can model my long training runs following that start time.
Maybe this time I can even find some training buddies locally?! I am still thinking of joining a local running club, but are hesitating due to a $220 entry barrier – at the moment that would just add some unnecessary cost without seeing the necessary benefit coming from it. Don't get me wrong, connecting with other runners locally would be a great thing, but at the moment the cost is a bit high for me and the track training that they do is on a day/time where I definitely cannot attend. The weekly Saturday runs might be more an option, but then again I cannot tell for sure if those fit into my marathon training. For now I will try to reach out "by hand" to other people and see if I find a couple folks doing Colfax as well.
Image Source: Runcolfax.org


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Bianews is China's leading new media and technology, China's largest online community editor. We founded on February 14, 2006, is headquartered in Beijing, has a sub-station in Silicon Valley. Bianews since its inception, has been adhering to an open, equitable and professional philosophy, including the Internet, including Web Editor practitioners who provide services to our Chinese Internet practitioners to enhance the overall quality as the highest goal, and to whom were arduous, Phi Sand Picking gold work. We want to be Internet practitioners understand the importance of China's Internet business development positions, we are committed to providing coverage for start-up companies, advocacy services. Since 2006, both the BBS era, media or technology era, or micro-channel self-media age, Bianews are the trend of the beach-goers, and continue to provide quality services to our customers. Up to now, Bianews has been successful for more than 100,000 Chinese Internet industry practitioners have provided free training under a more systematic line, and daily industry news available on the website, writing a column, find the data, exchange and other acts of users has accumulated more than 80 million people. Up to now, Bianews site has 500,000 registered users, Bianews micro letter from the media nearly 100,000 subscribers, Sohu news client more than 1.2 million subscribers, Sina Weibo and Tencent Weibo concern over 500,000 users. Bianews for Beijing Internet Media Association unit, the winner of the "2010 Most Influential Chinese forum hundred", "2010 China's most influential encyclopedia Award", "2013 Best from the media" and "2013 most innovation and technology media, "the honorary title.
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TVXQ fans are in for a long awaited treat this upcoming week, which has been deemed as "TVXQ! Week" by SM and the media.
The individual solos seem to match their personalities and individual charm!
Yunho's solo stunned fans during SMTown Seoul and Japan, "DROP" which was very much a full dance performance piece. It will be released on 9/25/2017 at 6pm KST.
Max's solo, "In a Different Life," is a song that is expected to present his gentle voice and charming vocals… most likely a romantic ballad. Changmin's solo release date was moved up a day, to 9/28/2017 at 6pm KST.
We have already started to relish the teaser photos and we were thrilled to see our U-Know Yunho and Choikang Changmin introduce their songs which will be sold digitally on iTunes! Yunho and Max appeared on SM's IG and other SNS informing us of an upcoming V Live Broadcast today at 6PM KST!
Be sure to download and install the V Live application if you haven't already done so, and join the TVXQ fan project: Let's unite and join other TVXQ fansites who will post 기다렸어 동방신기 in the V Live Chat, and remember to give lots of HEARTS on the chat!!!
#TVXQ #동방신기 for V LIVE, ONCE IT STARTS UNTIL TVXQ NOTICES IT ON THE STREAM: type 기다렸어 동방신기 in the chat (trans: TVXQ we waited)
Of course the highlight of the week will be the YouR PresenT fan meeting in Seoul on 9/30 and 10/1!


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By AJ De Las Alas, Mosaic Staff
I always tell myself I'm going to wake up early in the morning, but so far, that hasn't been working. My alarm was set for 6 AM, but I got up at 8:15 AM. I spent most of today in the newsroom, which is fine because the environment is relaxing and peaceful. Whenever I need help on my stories, I can easily ask the person next to me or one of the editors. Emily sits next to me in the newsroom and is always working diligently. I should probably stop getting distracted and start working hard like her.
For lunch, a few of us went out to try the food truck on the SJSU campus. We each ordered a calzone and were unimpressed with the taste. The calzone was basically an expensive hot pocket but more bland and dry.
I finished my Starbucks story, which is good because now I can put complete focus on my next story. I'll be going to a vigil for the Orlando victims later today, and hopefully, I'll be able to get some good interviews.


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Get the Latest News and Announcements
Advance Ticket Sales & Fast Pass to Great Seats!
Published: May 23, 2016
Fall semester classes begin in September and most continue for 10 weeks. Classes are limited in size and tailored to the appropriate age and skill levels from beginner to the more advanced student. All class fees include complimentary parking.


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Dawn Patrol SUP Session
Don't get us wrong, we love watch SUP surfing in its most progressive form. Aerials, powerful turns, and barrels can really get our blood pumping. But sometimes it's good to slow it down a bit, such as is the case with this dreamy morning session. Clean waves and no crowds equals some quality daydream material. All you have to do is hit play.
The five best videos from 2016.
More SUP surfing.


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Storm Preparedness: 4 Tips For Small Businesses
It doesn't matter what type of small business you are running and operating, it is important that you are prepared for anything. More than likely, especially if you are new to owning a business, the last thing that you are worried about is a hurricane, earthquake or other natural disaster sweeping through and doing damage to your business. However, it could happen, and it could put you out of business if you have not put the effort into being prepared. Here are a few storm preparedness tips:
Tip #1: Identify Some Potential Problems.
Every area has a weak spot when it comes to weather, so you need to figure out what yours is. For example, do you live in an area where wildfires often occur? Or maybe you live in an area where tornadoes are a significant risk? Determine which natural disasters are most likely to occur and identity the risk factor for your business. Then, you can start really preparing your business for disaster.
Tip #2: Consider a Business Impact Analysis.
Do you know what type of impact a potential disaster would have on your business as a whole? For example, do you know how much it could result in delayed or lost sales and revenue or how much of increase it would cause in expenses because of repairs? A business impact analysis can help identify these amounts as well as detect any issues with your disaster preparedness plan, if you have one, such as with your inventory management, customer communication and record keeping precautions.
Tip #3: Develop an Emergency Response Plan.
If you do not currently have an emergency response plan, it is time to create one and ensure that everyone in the building is aware of it. It should be practiced on a regular basis. This particular plan needs to include how employees and customers in the building will be protected, how business operations will be managed, and how communications will occur during and after a potential natural disaster.
Tip #4: Develop a Business Continuity Plan.
In many cases, especially if your business operates online, business is going to continue to go on even though a natural disaster has occurred. Therefore, an important question that must be addressed is how will that happen? As orders continue to come in, though your brick-and-mortar store is closed, how will you fulfill those orders? How will you communicate with suppliers and customers? How will manage to recover any company data that has been lose? A business continuity plan will address these questions and more.
For more advice contact a business such as Welsh Insurance Agency Inc.


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I can't believe that next week is Thanksgiving. Are you ready? Have you selected your guest list? Planned your menu? I know, everyone has their favorites and you need to include them all. But what about the beverages this holiday? Most hostesses will probably offer water during the meal and coffee with dessert. If you are living in the south, you may also be serving sweet tea or a soft drink of some kind.
For today's blog post, I thought I would share some of the holiday cocktails that I have collected on Pinterest. No surprise, this time of year, a lot of them center around apples and bourbon.
These two recipes were found on: Well Plated by Erin and The Speckled Palate, respectively.
For more recipes, check out our Pinterest board.
Have a great Thanksgiving holiday...travel safe.


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CLEVELAND (Reuters) - The banged-up Cleveland Cavaliers got some positive news on Wednesday as Matthew Dellavedova and Iman Shumpert are expected to be fit for Thursday's pivotal Game Four of the NBA Finals.
Feisty Dellavedova spent the night in hospital where he was treated for dehydration following Tuesday's hard-fought win over the Golden State Warriors while Shumpert, one of the team's top defenders, suffered a shoulder injury.
"Delly, obviously, suffered from some fatigue," Cavaliers head coach David Blatt told reporters. "The tank was low, and we're doing everything we can to fill it back up."
Both Australian Dellavedova, who was thrust into the starting lineup after an injury to Kyrie Irving, and Shumpert have managed to contain Golden State's Stephen Curry in winning the last two games for a 2-1 edge in the best-of-seven series.
Shumpert hurt his left shoulder after running into a screen set by Golden State's Draymond Green during the first quarter. He left the court but returned and ended up playing 32 minutes.
It is the same shoulder that Shumpert injured earlier in the season while playing with the New York Knicks when he was sidelined for six weeks.
"He has a bruised shoulder and it's painful, but fortunately no serious damage, and that's really, really good news," said Blatt, who added that he expects both Dellavedova and Shumpert to play on Thursday.
Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes


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Antique Art Nouveau Ford & Sons Burslem Milford Ware Plate 1890-1925
Antique plate by Ford & Sons Burslem.
F & S – Milford Ware Pottery – Large Floral Plate.
1890 – 1925 Art Nouveau – Full stamp on base.
Condition – Good for age of 100 years, this plate has survived two world wars. No chips or cracks. Does have scratches and areas of wear on the patterning. Please see photos.
Strong colouring and a beautifully aged piece.
Approx size: Diameter 11.5″ (29.5cm)
Approx Item Weight: 0.866 Kg


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Trine 2 packs original game for European Collector's Edition
Trine 2 is on its way to PC and Mac very soon, and Europe will be getting a rather swish Collector's Edition to celebrate.
Inside this package (oddly given with the American pricing of $19.99) is the standard artbook and soundtrack, but also a copy of the original game for anyone who might have missed it.
A nice sweep of goodies, then. Trine 2 is still on for release before year's end, though that time frame is narrowing by the day.


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Summer panties are a whole thing. You're wearing shorts or skirts without tights, and you don't want to be wearing a g-string or ugly panties if the wind upblows and you pull a Marilyn. Plus – if you're anything like us – you like to be active, and sit in the grass without worrying about an ant farm breeding up your yahoo. We've gone the whole bike short route, but that leaves us sweaty and with an occasional outbreak of butt zits. We've finally found the perfect happy medium: a high waisted panty that doesn't ride up, looks adorably vintage, is insanely comfortable — and BONUS: is entirely sustainably made from cradle to cradle. We definitely don't want chemicals right near our magic buttons, and the Infinite Support Panty by Swegmark of Sweden is a full cut brief with double layers of fairtrade, organic cotton. This brief shapes the waist and hip, and a splash of lace (and support!) in the middle adds a feminine touch. The dusty pink color means they won't show under a pastel summer dress, and the strong elastic around the bum means no riding up. We want them in every color, and hope they start making more color options, because these are a perfect daily panty.
We got these on FaeriesDance.com, where we always find the best selection of conscious underpinnings and sleep things. Plus: they are committed to providing a complete environmentally conscious shopping experience – all their clothing is made of environmentally sensitive fabrics and low-impact dyes, and they source products from both US manufacturers and overseas manufacturers who take care to ensure that all workers are treated fairly, are safe from sweatshop conditions and receive living wages. They also price all of their products from US manufacturers below suggested retail price. They believe that the more we can introduce and expand environmentally conscious clothing into the marketplace, the better off we'll all be. So they sacrifice a little per-item profit in the hopes of making eco-clothing accessible to a wider audience, and they have an extensive charity program, donating 1% of their gross income to charities that protect our natural world. So – best panties from the an amazing site committed to sustainability? WINNING!
Tags: bras, Panties, underwearPin It
[…] garter belt for extra sass. At the start of this trend, we got a humorous, thoughtful write-up from Girly Girl Army about our high-waisted Infinite Support […]


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- billr255Asked on April 14, 2011 at 10:48 PM
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Hi billr255
Submissions can be shared by including additional email addresses in the "Recipient" field of the notification in question.
Please see this topic in our user guide for more information. (Please note that "Setup & Share" has recently been renamed "Setup & Embed".)
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Late 15th century - Renaissance
Scottish Wars of Independence
Hundred Years War
More Hundred Years War
More Napoleonic
Ancient - Dark Ages
More Ancient - Dark Ages
The Way of the Horse and Bow
Late 15th century - Renaissance
Thanks for looking
"This knight...brought with him...men who had been hardened in certain wars which had raged in their country. They were huge feeders, and deep carousers...often unruly and noisey in their wassail. Though from a remote and somewhat barbarous island, they yet believed themselves to be the most perfect of men on earth."
Swiss Crossbowman, Nancy, 1477
120mm Warriors
destroyer of the Valois Duchy of Burgundy
a nicely detailed bow ratchet still needs completion
Imai/Imex 1/12th scale plastic kits. Very good (& cheap) studies in armor. Left to right - mid-late 15th century Italian/Milanese armor with great bascinet; early 16th century 'Maximilian' style fluted armor; early-mid 16th century tonlet armor for foot combat; early-mid 16th century armor based on that owned by Otto Heinrich, Count Palatine of the Rhine
Late 15th C. Knights from MiniArt in 1/16th scale
L-R: Duke of York; Sir John Sales; German Mercenary
Plan to remount these three as a mini-diorama; something with castle walls & weeds...
Tournament armor with Stechhelm, circa 1500
1/8th (?) scale Aurora
Your questions and comments are appreciated...


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Laboratory Diagnostics
Right Tools. Right Quality. Right Price
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Whether haematology, clinical chemistry, blood gas analysis Or electrolyte determination our product portfolio is as diverse as the needs of veterinarians to create an individual recommendation for their in-house laboratory.
Click below to find out more:
- Edan Blood Gas Analyser
- Samsung PT10V Clinical Chemistry Analyser
- EUROlyser Solo Clinical Chemistry Analyser
- Scil Vet ABC+ Haematology Analyser
- QuickVet Coagulation Analyser


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Green Buildings 101 [F-17-28]
|Erik Backus
|SUNY: Maxcy 104
|2 Sessions 1.5 hours
|Tue 10:30 AM 09/26, 10/03
Print Info
"Green building is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction" (US Environmental Protection Agency). During these two sessions, the presenter will talk about what is a "green" building and how you can make your home into one.
Erik Backus is the Howard E. Lechler Endowed Director of the Construction Engineering Management Program at Clarkson University. Erik teaches courses and does research work in an array of topics related to the built environment including: sustainability, resilience, and life-cycle thinking about infrastructure and buildings. He serves on Clarkson's Sustainability Committee and is an affiliate faculty member in the Institute for a Sustainable Environment. Erik is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve, serving as the Design Engineer for the 411th Engineer Brigade, and as the Vice Chair for the Market Leadership Advisory Board of the Upstate NY Chapter of the USGBC.
Cap: 50


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Friday, August 20, 2010
Kindergarten Already?
PJ started Kindergarten this week!
How could that be?
His mama, our # 1 daughter, Melissa, shed a few tears when she dropped him off at his new school.
You can probably tell from the expression on his face in these photos,
there were NO tears from this big boy!
He loves school!
Posted by Linda Jennings at 5:59 AM
Labels: Family, Grandchildren
7 comments:
- parTea lady said...
PJ really looks delighted to be starting kindergarten - cute photos.
- August 20, 2010 at 8:26 AM
- Angela McRae said...
Just precious! I'll bet the teachers will love him!
- August 20, 2010 at 10:44 AM
- racheld said...
What a happy little fellow---he just glows with anticipation.
We had a new K pupil this year, all the way down in GA, so I didn't get to see her go off in her new outfit, with her new supplies.
Then two more years, and we'll have TWO starting out, one here, and one there. Time flies.
- August 20, 2010 at 3:04 PM
- Bernideen said...
My Grandaughter also started kindergarten- Lily!
- August 20, 2010 at 6:54 PM
- Marilyn said...
What a CUTIE! I love that year thing he's holding. Our kids come on Tuesday and I hope they are as happy looking and excited as your little fellow! ♥♫
- August 21, 2010 at 10:37 AM
- Marilyn said...
What a fun and exciting time for PJ and your family. He has a great smile.
- August 22, 2010 at 6:23 PM
- Marlena said...
Your PJ is the cutest kid! What a joy to be so close to both he and AJ
- August 25, 2010 at 5:36 PM
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Shortly after demolition on the only bathroom in our client's home had begun, she realized that she was having difficulty finding the right finishes and making design decisions. Though nervous that an interior designer would blow the budget and try…Read More
Living Room Design Board: Neutrals with a Pop of Spring Green
Springing into the new season with a fresh spring trend: Neutrals with a pop of color! With spring just around the corner, I was feeling green and chose to take inspiration from a Martha O'hara interior. She used various shades…Read More
Big Reveal of our Storefront Renovation Plans & Meet Our Team at the Ribbon Cutting
Back in December we revealed Our New Look, showing off all the hard-work and renovations we've completed inside the Interiors by The Sewing Room showroom! Last week, on February 17th, 2015, we had a Ribbon Cutting ceremony with the Quad…Read More
Window Treatments for French Doors
Today's Successful Solution is one of my favorites, a French Door with Shutters, and great trim! I think I'll just let the pictures do the talking. My favorite detail is the curved notch at the door handle. Looking for…Read More
Successful Solutions Series: Window Treatments for Sliding Glass Doors
Sliding glass doors give great access to a backyard deck or patio, letting natural light in and allowing visitors to your parties to pass without swinging doors getting in the way. By adding a sliding glass door to your living…Read More
Successful Solutions Series: Window Treatment Ideas for Bay Windows
Bay windows can be a wonderful addition to many rooms of your home. By extending just a foot or two of extra space for a small kitchen and adding a nice cushion, you now have bench seating to pull up…Read More
Announcing a Successful Solutions Series: Difficult Window Treatment Ideas
Architectural details in homes are a HUGE selling point. Windows especially, as they provide natural light, great views, and a connection to the outside. Builders and real estate professionals alike know this. So when you purchased your home, you may…Read More
Dreaming of Warm Designs on a Cold Day
As Midwesterners, I think we are born with an innate ability to talk about the weather. The weather is the best in the Quad Cities around May and September, and though I can rarely complain about the summer heat, I…Read More
4 New Ways to Use Art as a Design Statement in Your Home
I was meeting with a client this week who wanted some new and exciting ways to use art to command attention and create something visually interesting to look at that's not just hanging another framed print on the wall. It…Read More
Peppy Pillows: 4 fabrics, 7 pillows, endless combinations
We love it when clients come to us with a fun idea in mind, but need our help to put it all together! Here, our client wanted to be able to easily change up the look in their living room…Read More


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Spooning for Shallow Water Walleyes
Did you ever have one of those walleye fishing trips where you just couldn't find the right pattern to putRead more
Did you ever have one of those walleye fishing trips where you just couldn't find the right pattern to putRead more
So what's the best way to catch walleyes on lakes and reservoirs whne they are in that transition period betweenRead more
The last period of safe ice typically offers some of the best ice fishing of the year for panfish likeRead more
Winter walleye fishing is dominated by jigging methods. There is little doubt that jigging with leadheads, spoons or jigging/swimming styleRead more
OK – so it's not even ice out yet (far from it in many northern regions) – not typically theRead more
The common fishing tip-up is sometimes referred to as a fish trap. This simple set line approach to winter walleyeRead more
"Thinking back over the years, on every outing, somebody catches a trophy something." – Dave Genz Whether it's a largemouth,Read more
By midwinter on many bodies of water, walleye location can often trend towards off shore structure and in many cases,Read more
From first ice to mid-winter, it happens faster than one would think on the walleye waters we love to fishRead more
A common mistake some anglers make is thinking the world below the ice is static. The mistaken belief that nothingRead more


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Writers Famous Writers from Mexico
45.9k views 302 items
List of famous writers from Mexico, listed alphabetically with photos when available. Mexico is home to many prolific writers, including those who write fiction, non-fiction, poetry, biographies and more. These are some of the best Mexican writers that have ever lived, so if you're a native of Mexico and an aspiring writer then use this list as inspiration to achieve your own writing goals.
This list has a variety of writers in it, from Carlos Bolado to Carlos Pellicer.
This list answers the questions, "Who are popular Mexican writers?" and "Which writers are from Mexico?"You can click on the names of these renowned writers of Mexico in order to get more information about each one. Some of these historic writers may no longer be living in Mexico, but they're all of Mexico descent.


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The swing used to be my favorite playground thing when I was a child, and even until now, I can never say "no" to a swing every time I passed it. A few minutes ago, I sat on a swing, and I realized that life is just one big swing.
From the moment of our birth, we have had our own ups and downs; we have smiled and cried; experienced the best and the worst; sometimes we spend it with friends and other times we'd be alone; we'd look up to the skies in wonder and look down to the grass and ponder. There are moments when we want to be different and stand on the seat and dare ourselves to jump for the heck of it, but most of time, we're simply content with our feet planted to the ground.
Nowadays, though, there is one thing people forget about swings. It's that we were meant to enjoy it.


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A new trend we have noticed lately is rustic weddings. What better favor to receive from a barn wedding than something you can plant in your very own garden? A smart way to use a favor as an escort card as well for a rustic wedding is seed packets. Label each packet of seeds with the guests at your wedding for their initial escort card once they arrive at the reception. The guests can then keep their seed packets as their favors and plant vegetables or flowers later on. It's a great way for your guests to remember your wedding day once the seeds have grown and an easy way to combine escort cards and favors in one small package.
Image from Annie McElwain Photography


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We have four people in our family who are designated on our Xbox one as different colors- colors that don't really define who we each are as gamers. Our 360 is completely different though…we each have a different theme that makes sense to each of us individually.
None of us really care all that much, but I've noticed we do look at more 'pages' on the 360, and maybe that's because subconsciously, we like looking at out theme background.
In the very near future, we will be able to define our accounts with Themes, as we do on the Xbox 360. This will actually be an exciting moment, because I think it will be interesting to see how we have each changed in our views of how gaming defines us. And let's face, those of us who game take out gaming identities very seriously.
Themes And Screenshots Coming To Xbox One, Says Xbox Boss Phil Spencer.
If you've been hoping to spruce up your Xbox One dashboard, Phil Spencer says that your wait will eventually come to a close. Themes, a staple of the Xbox 360 since early in that system's life, will be making the jump to Xbox One.
Spencer made an appearance on The Inner Circle podcast to discuss the current state of the Xbox One and its future. In addition to aesthetic customization features, Spencer also confirmed that the ability to take screenshots will be headed to Microsoft's new-gen system.
This article was written by: Rachel Baker – Click to Become a Patron or to follow on Twitter.


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I listen to World's Finest Podcast which is this amazing podcast that goes through every single episode of the DC Animated Universe. It's come up a few times: what would be a really great comic series that could be adapted into an animated show?
What do you guys think?
At the very top of my list is Identity Crisis. It's my all time favorite arc/book.
And I'd think it'd be totally kick ass if they adapted Fables as an animated series too.
If you're gonna suggest something, link to info about it, please and thank you.