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She may be one helluva bit of eye candy (note to BBC controllers: why, then, put her on the radio?), but the Versive is proud to bring you the antidote to the pulchritudinous Kirsty Young. Ladies, gentlemen, dog-shit obsessives and all of you who quiver in the closet afeard that your obession with litter and waste is about to be publicly outed on the next episode of the Graham Norton show, take note! We introduce our very own, totally new and entirely uncontrived Dessert Island Discs.
Picturing themselves lounging on an island of tiramisu basking contentedly in the baked Alaskan sun with the breezy waft of lime coulis rivers and the gentle plopping of volcanic geysers languidly gurgling and splurting endless dollops of strawberry crème brulee, our guests select their eight favourite pieces of music and a very special dessert.
All our cast-offs receive a copy of The Selfish Gene, a lifetime subscription to Talk of the Town and the complete works of local rock idol David Coverdale should life ever get dull on our imaginary pudding idyll. They must also nominate a book of their own choosing and a luxury.
This week's cast-off is the Rt. Hon. Jimmy F****** C*** Horace, MP, Secretary of State for Public Discoarse, Keeper of the Queen's Whiskeys and Chairwoman of Saltburn Allotments Association. His selections are below.
Music Selection
Fuckup in B Minor by J. S. Bach
Robert De Niro's Waiting, The C**t by Bananarama
Fuck the World by BandAid
Cuntata for Three Violins and a Rotorvator by D. Shostakovich
Suspicious Cunts by Elvis Presley
Prelude and Fuck by G. F. Handel
Grandma, Fuck Off by St. Winnifred's School Choir
Cunts by Robbie Williams
Dessert: Bitter Chocolate Tart with Soured Cream
For his book, Mr. Horace choose 'Critique of Pure Reason' by Immanuel Kunt. Asked to nominate a luxury, the C**t said this an easy one - 'a rotorf******vator'.
Next week, Lonnie Donnegan-Cross makes some quite startling choices.
Monday, 2 July 2007
Dessert Island Discs
Posted by The Rejuggulator at 16:03
Labels: Jimmy Horace
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19 Feb Nylon vs. Aluminum rings
If you choose to engage in babywearing with a ring sling then you most probably stumbled upon the two common types of rings: aluminum and nylon. The ideal ring is safe, smooth, strong, weld-free and fine in the washer and dryer. Nylon and aluminum rings weigh approximately the same weight. However, there are few precise features of nylon and aluminum rings that pit the two materials against each other. So, which one is better- nylon vs. aluminum rings?
Nylon Rings
Nylon rings are thicker and easier to adjust with some fabric. Additionally, nylon rings are slightly more durable than the aluminum rings. Nylon melted and cooled down in a circular shape unlike metal rings that have a joining. Studies suggest that nylon rings have a firm grip of the fabric making them sturdier and less prone to slippage. For example, the double rings on the Mamaway baby sling is specially designed for extra support and slippage-free ring sling experience.
A bonus for people who travel frequently is that nylon rings slings don't set off the metal detector at the airport.
Aluminum Rings
Aluminum rings are streamlined and fancier looking compared to the nylon rings. They are mostly used by the people who consider ring's appearance as an option. Due to their smaller gauge aluminum rings grip to the slings which has both positive and negative consequences. Aluminum rings slip very little decreasing the chance of mishaps but at times they become difficult to adjust in the slings. As a result, aluminum rings basically go along with wrap conversion slings as the majority of wrap fabrics are too thick to adjust through the wide profile of nylon rings.
Either rings work for number of different application. It depends on your priorities while choosing the ringed sling. As we are discussing type of materials used for rings, it is important to understand the distinction between plastic and nylon rings. Yes, plastic and nylon are not interchangeable. Plastic is flimsy and could be toxic, where as proper nylon rings are firm and non-toxic.
The most important take away is that nylon rings are sturdy and they don't have a joining, unlike aluminum rings that are heated, melted and attached to form a ring. This is important to note because the joining on the aluminum rings rings have a risk of breaking open, whereas there is no such risk with nylon rings. With matters of your baby it is important to understand the makings of the product and the efforts of the company. Choose a ring sling that has a good product life, is ergonomic and that is safe. Remember to choose wisely and fully enjoy your ring sling experience.

subset: commoncrawl


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We offer a range of service options to meet your needs and watch specifications. Send your watch to us in one of our fully tracked and insured pre-paid postage boxes, we'll review your watch and provide you with a service estimate. Or pop into our Hatton Garden workshop for a chat in person.
Have your watch serviced by Hatton Garden master watchmakers by simply sending us your watch in our handy pre-paid postage box. This service is 100% tracked and insured to £15,000, and the built-in foam lining will keep your watch safe and ensure it remains static in transit.
We are situated in the famous London jewellery district of Hatton Garden. We are open 5 days a week and located just a few minutes walk from Farringdon Station and Chancery Lane tube station.
Not sure which option to pick, or have some more questions? Fill our our easy contact form or call us on 020 8127 6377.
Your Breitling watch needs regular maintenance and care to ensure that it continues to operate at showroom standard and looks good as new. Breitling watches are complex instruments, containing numerous delicate parts which require and expert hand to inspect and service – our trained watchmakers at our Hatton Garden workshop treat each Breitling timepiece with the upmost care and attention. By sending your Breitling watch to AMJ Watch Services you can have piece of mind that
A watch is affected by many external factors and unavoidable issues such as weather and general wear and tear – Breitling recommend that you send your watch for a general maintenance service every two years which includes cleaning of the case and bracelet if applicable, changing all seals, checking the movement and watch functions, and changing the battery for quartz watches. You should also have a complete service of your watch every four years which includes refurbishment of the case if necessary, disassembly and cleaning of parts, checking of water resistance and any other repair work needed.
AMJ Watch Services guaranteed a high standard, timely and affordable service which comes with a one year guarantee. We have a range of service options to meet your needs, including our FREE pre-paid postage service – order our fully tracked and insured packaging and your watch will be safely delivered to our workshop in London. Or book an appointment and come in for a chat in person. If you have any questions about our services then please give us a call on 020 8127 6377.


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Well, it's August! And around here we are all just thrilled! Ha. We are trying something very different this month. We are doing a "no spend" month. I'll be honest... the kid's faces are more a reflection of their disdain for mom's photo shoot but their faces reflect a bit of what's been going through my head as we've been mulling around this idea for the past two months.
So what does a "no spend" month look like? Well, for our family it means we are officially on a spending freeze. That means besides the necessity of paying our bills we will be aiming to spend zero dollars outside of our home. Yikes!
No lattes. No gym membership. No Birchbox subscription. No Little Man Ice Cream. No date nights. Nada. Zip. Zilch.
But why? Why a "no spend" month? Well, let's just be honest... we live in a world of excess. And personally, we are just sick of it. It sounds odd, but I feel like it's actually become a reality that excess creates anxiety. It's as shameful as it sounds. We are raising babies in a world where they don't know want or need. Our biggest problem at our house is the mound of laundry that needs folding. And really friends, that's not a problem. That is a blessing.
But while that is the bigger picture that we are aiming to tackle, a "no spend" month is also just a very practical way for us as a family to practice simplicity, to work on discipline and to save some money.
Honestly, I have no idea how this month is going to go. We might fall flat on our faces as we try something new. We've never done anything like this.
Our goal is to not set foot in a single store this month.
For us, this meant that yesterday we did ALL of our monthly grocery shopping. Jeremy and I were at Target until they literally turned the lights off in the store as we loaded our cart with everything to complete our meal plan for the month. Baby shower and birthday gifts were bought ahead of time too.
We so often fall into the trap of running to the store last minute for items and coming out with a cart load of "extras". Isn't that the running joke of Target shopping? You go in for tooth paste and leave with a cart of house pillows and clearance goodies? Well, not this month.
This month, our hair cuts will wait. Our family nights out will be to free local splash pads and ice cream back home. A date night will look like meaningful conversation after we've put our babies to bed and watching the sunset from our back patio.
Truthfully, while I'm a little bit nervous about how this little experiment will go... I'm also really excited for a challenge. One of my favorite song lines goes, "Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same." And while this may be a "little" hard thing... I believe it's the right thing.
I'll keep you posted as our month goes on! I'm excited to share about the lessons we learn along the way! Here's to trying something a little new. Here's to "No Spend" August!
* For an updated re-cap of how our No Spend August went, check out Happy September. You can also read about how our New Year No Spend challenge went in January!


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Product Categories
Contact Us
Jinan Jingpeng CNC Machinery Co.,Ltd
Add: No. 58 Xinxu industry area, Tianqiao district, Jinan, Shandong, China (Mainland)
Contacts: Liang wang
Tel: +86-531-88605317
Phone: +86-13853180734
Fax: +86-531-88772566
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Non-CNC Busbar Punching Bending Cutting Machine JPMX-303CM
Non-CNC Busbar Punching Bending Cutting Machine JPMX-303CM
1.Three working units:
A.Punching unit:
1) United six-dies turn-plate structure, make sure the upper die and the lower die are absolutely in the center.
2) 6 punching dies can punch 6 kinds of holes, no need to replace the dies frequently.
3) Three location modes: locating pin, locating ruler and LED light.
4) No pressing mark on the workpiece surface.
5) Can punch non-standard holes with special dies, for example, square hole, oval hole etc.
6) 2 limit switches. (foot switch & press button).
Punching unit Punching dies
B.Cutting unit:
1) Use sharp shearing, flat incision interface, no droops, no burrs, no waste.
2) Two pressure type to make sure no apex angle.
3) 2 limit switches. (foot switch & press button).
Cutting unit Cutting blade
C. Bending Unit:
Because of only one motor,three working units(punching,cutting,bending units) can't work at the same time.Bending unit can complete horizontal bending,vertical bending,U bending by replacing the processing dies.
1) Horizontal bending.(2 sets horizontal bending dies).The price included in the machine price.
2) Vertical bending. (2 sets vertical bending dies).The price included in the machine price.
3) U bending (1 set).The price included in the machine price.
Horizontal bending Horizontal bending dies
Vertical bending Vertical bending dies
U-bending U-bending die
2.Main advantages:
1) Turret rotate punch, no need change dies, high efficiency, save time.
2) Cutting without any waste, save busbar. cutting adge very flat.
3) The machine has 4 foot-wheels, easy to move.
4) There are two operating modes: manual button and foot switch, which is simply operated.
3.Processed copper busbar samples:
4.Configuration list:
8 sets of punching die 1 set of shearing blade
2 sets of horizontal bending dies 2 sets of vertical bending dies
1 set of U bending die 3 sets of foot switches
1 set of oil filler 1 set of inner hexagon spanner
1 set of hydraulic system sealing ring 1 set of random tools
2 pieces of Limit Switch 1 piece punching location needle
5.Main components:
1)AC contactor, thermal relay, circuit breaker (Schneider):
2)Directional valve & Relief valve ( Yuken ):
7.Certifications:CE & ISO9001:
If you have any concern about our products,you are welcome to come to visit our factory to inspect the machine.Waiting for your kindly inquiry!
Contacting person:Mandy(Sales manager)
Skype/Whatsapp/Mob:+86 15866682515


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* Commodities prop up TSX as financial issues weigh
* Materials surge as gold nears $900/oz
* Barrick takes the top spot on the exchange
* HudBay stock jumps on OSC ruling (Adds details, comments, updates to closing figures)
By Ka Yan Ng
TORONTO, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Toronto's main stock index marched 1.7 percent higher on Friday, carried by strength in gold and oil prices, but the gains were limited by weakness in the rest of the market.
Gold rose to nearly $900 an ounce for the first time since Oct. 10, which helped the TSX's resource-laden materials group gain 6.04 percent. The surge boosted Barrick Gold (ABX.TO) 9.2 percent to C$48.79, making it the the country's largest publicly traded company.
Nearly all fellow gold companies rode the bullion price higher, with some hitting their highest levels in months. [ID:nN23326148]
"It's the story of the day. Gold stocks are definitely leading the charge," said Elvis Picardo, analyst and strategist at Global Securities in Vancouver.
"We're also seeing some good strength in some energy names, and some of the other material stocks. There's a great deal of weakness in the financials ... that's capping a little bit of the upside here."
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE rose 1.67 percent, or 141.41 points, to finish the week at at 8,627.97, down 3.3 percent from the week before. Four of the index's 10 main groups were higher.
Energy issues also helped lift the overall market, staging a comeback as the price of oil rose more than 6 percent.
The energy group was up 3.54 percent with Suncor Energy (SU.TO) (SU.TO) ahead 5.2 percent at C$24.10, while EnCana (ECA.TO) rose 3.3 percent to C$54.50.
The commodity-led rally was held back by continuing weakness in financials, which fell 0.8 percent. Hopes of further aid from Washington helped lift U.S. bank stocks, but the sentiment did not cross the border.
The top moving decliner was Royal Bank of Canada (RY.TO), which closed down 6.6 percent at C$28.08, after hitting a 52-week low of C$28.05. The second biggest mover on the downside was Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD.TO), off 1.7 percent at C$39.
The blue chip S&P/TSX 60 index .TSE60 closed 1.94 percent higher at 518.65.
HudBay Minerals (HBM.TO) was one of the most heavily traded stocks on the index, rising 24.15 percent to C$4.37, after the Ontario Securities Commission ordered the miner to hold a shareholder meeting before proceeding with its planned C$550 million takeover of Lundin Mining (LUN.TO). [ID:nN23371375]
The OSC decision could raise prospects that shareholders will reject a planned HudBay stock issue and the takeover deal will not go through.
"If there's a vote and the deal is voted down then they're not going to have that massive share dilution," said Steve Ibel, institutional equities trader at Beacon Securities in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
"If you're a current shareholder that's positive."
Lundin was the most heavily traded issue and tumbled 22.7 percent to 92 Canadian cents.
Early on, sentiment was hurt by earnings from General Electric (GE.N), which met expectations but were down steeply from the prior year, and the company warned of an extremely difficult 2009. [ID:nN23533557]
The GE news helped pull the Dow Jones industrial average down 45.24 points, or 0.56 percent to end at 8,077.56. The Nasdaq composite index rose 11.80 points, or 0.81 percent, to close at 1,477.29.
$1=$1.23 Canadian Reporting by Ka Yan Ng; editing by Rob Wilson


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Click here to know "Permanently Treatment Of Lip Blackheads".
Teenage is the age group that most commonly linked to struggle with acne attack. However, acne can emerge in any age group and can affect both men and women. It can affect any parts of your body but generally affect facial part, chest, back, shoulder and neck. Many times you can see even herbal products are not giving any good response to acne because that kind of acne is generally caused due to hormonal changes in your body.
How does Acne Form?
If you are suffering from acne condition as an adult, I want to tell you that you are not alone. Yes, your concerns are real and valid. Wanting a clear skin is not something to be dismissed just because of haughtiness of acne. It is not uncommon that you feel guilty or shy due to acne on your skin. Most of the people with chronic health issues have to face the same problem. Hormonal acne is so complicated. Anything that you cannot see with your naked eye such as bacteria, enzymes, hormones and vitamins are very complicated to understand and you can categorize hormonal acne as one of them. I want to give you a greater understanding about the small things happening inside your body that can contribute to an emergence of big issue. There are few signs which indicate that your hormones might be contributing to your acne. If your pimples are cysts, produce pain, breakouts occur at the specific time in each month and pimples emerge always at the same area then your hormones may be causing your breakouts. It's our body's work to balance the hormones delicately to keep everything flowing smoothly. When it comes to acne, the androgen in charge is testosterone. Men and women both produces testosterone but women are more sensitive to extraneous testosterone in their body because they can't use it for normal functioning. Testosterone is in the bloodstream increases sebum production. Sebum can clog the pores of your skin and can cause severe breakouts.
Hormones in the body transmit through bloodstream or you can say bloodstream transmits the hormones and many other tiny things directly to the skin cells. Hormones stimulate the growth of sebum production, skin cells growth and inflammation. Androgen is a type of hormones which directly affects acne by increasing sebum production in sebaceous glands. Androgen can also indirectly affect acne by weakening the skin barrier functions. Healthy skin barriers make skin smooth, keeps skin moisturize and stop entry for bacteria. Weak skin barriers can make skin more prone to acne attack.
Foods For Acne
What you eat can show up on your skin and can also affect your hormones. You might know that western style diet including junk foods, high-calorie foods, high sugar containing foods and non-saturated fat foods can lead to the formation of acne. Over time these types of diet lead to insulin resistance and chronically produce high levels of these acne-causing hormones.
Hormones play vital role in acne formation process. They increase sebum production, inflammation, and skin cells growth. The hormones which responsible for acne are androgens, insulin and insulin like growth factor (IGF1). Androgen has a great impact on the skin whereas insulin and IGF1 multiply the damage caused by androgen. Genes make acne prone skin more sensitive to these hormones. There are many factors other than hormones which can cause hormonal acne. Stress, heat, ultraviolet rays of sun, dairy products, low carbohydrate diet, poor sleep and phytoestrogens can also lead to hormonal acne.
The best thing you can do to control hormonal acne is to have blood that works properly and figure out the root of the problem. That way you can target the problem and treat it effectively. The solution of all these problems is to correct the imbalance of hormones. There are some medicines available which help to get rid of hormonal acne as they can balance your hormones. The easy and effective ways to balance your hormones are change your lifestyle and diet. A proper lifestyle and healthy diet can lead to proper functioning of hormones and thus reduce the risk of hormonal acne.
To know more about natural remedies for acne you can also check this useful information about home remedies for acne.


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My daughter came home from her missions trip to Thailand and I made her thank you cards to send out to her supporters.
JJ Bolton for inspiring me.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
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Paper Candy by Barb Copyright © 2012 Design by Antonia Sundrani Vinte e poucos


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Issue No. 03 - July-Sept. (2013 vol. 35)
pp: 33-39
DOI Bookmark: http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/MAHC.2013.1
Federico Gobbo , University of L'Aquila, Italy
Marco Benini , University of Leeds, UK
This article proposes a methodological approach to the historiography of computing in terms of information hiding--that is, the introduction of levels of abstraction (LoAs) between the human being and the computing machine. This approach applies the LoAs, in terms of the epistemological levelism proposed within the philosophy of information, to the transition from ancient to modern computing. In particular, the black-box metaphor and von Neumann's architectures are discussed. Also, the authors propose a formal LoAs method as a mathematical counterpart. Information itself is then treated as structure-preserving functions so that a LoA can distinguish what kind of information gets hidden when human beings interact with computing machines.
History, Human computer interaction, Mathematics, Information technology, Software engineering
F. Gobbo and M. Benini, "From Ancient to Modern Computing: A History of Information Hiding," in IEEE Annals of the History of Computing, vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 33-39, 2013.


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Did you know?
2017 is the year of vulnerability?
That no matter what
It's cool to be the real you
And the real me
That's vulnerability
No more: frontin-fakin-takin
from your real self
it's time for feeling-loving-opening
To your real self
Cause we're fucking tired of
your Facebook self
your selfie self
your real self
is what we crave
Tell your selfie stick
It can suck my —-
That envelope
and write yourself a letter
tell yourself your heart wants better
I'll look at me.
And realize I ain't as cool
As I said I was last year
Or even that last beer
This year
I'll write with tears
I'll be unafraid
of my beating heart
Telling my brain to
Listen to that pain
The space between the heart and the brain
Imagine the possibility
Imagine the vulnerability
It ain't 2004 no more though
It's 2017, all fresh and so clean
The cool you is the real you
You know that Andre 3000 you
the cool you is the real you
even if it's the you who thinks that
Ja Rule is still cool you
We all want to see it
Let that real one go
You can do it slow
or fast
Let that open-hearted you
do some writing
or some poetry reciting
We wouldn't all be here tonight
if the possibility of real
wasn't so exciting
so inviting
so enlightening
Everyone wants that real you
That always says something true you
That walking with the swagger
of zero ego you
That you anyone can talk to
That vulnerable you
That's the you I want to be introduced to.
This poem is from my most recent book: Graduating From College Me.
I am the author of four books, which can be purchased below. Or, check out www.climbingzine.com for more of my writing.
American Climber Graduating From College Me
You can also subscribe to my indie mag, The Climbing Zine, "America's Creative Climbing Publication".


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Our Price: $6.49
You Save: $12.49 (66%)
Product DescriptionNo Description AvailableNo Track Information AvailableMedia Type: CDArtist: PARAMORETitle: RIOT!Street Release Date: 06/12/2007DomesticGenre: ROCK/POPAh, youth: the exuberance, the energy, the blistering highs and bottomless depths. It's an ideal breeding ground for true rock & roll belief. Hence, the youngsters of Paramore unearth geysers of loud, sugary angst on Riot!, their major label debut and follow-up to 2005's All We Know Is Falling. Small-town musicians who have played together for years, Paramore boasts the appeal of an emo-pop blast developed out of savvy songwriting and musicianship. The sweet spot the band hits--somewhere between Avril Lavigne and All-American Rejects--comes naturally. Lead singer Hayley Williams, barely 18, has big-time vocal depth and genuine charisma besides, and while her singing can sound a little contrived, she delivers with such end-of-the-world conviction that it's an easy flaw to forgive. Bright and catchy melodies abound, but songs like "Misery Business" and "Miracle" also feature razor-sharp cadences and ultra-clean transitions. Too clean, actually. The production is crystal clear, which accentuates the stumbles (mostly on the ballads) and robs these whippersnappers of the messy highs they surely achieve playing live. But some things can't be entirely glossed over, and while the more aged among us will sip our Scotch and make fun of their adolescent shenanigans, we'll also be surreptitiously listening on our iPods after we put the kids to bed. --Matthew Cooke
Customer Reviews:


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"I am not a pet," she muttered, unable to help herself.
He smiled. "This one has spunk. Definitely, not all Producer. What else are you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."How did he know? She looked down at the fire.
"I think you do," he said, amused.
She glanced at him. She'd never told anyone. She wasn't allowed, but her parents weren't here. These two were never going to tell the Lead Producers or Almightys. She could be herself at least while she was with them. She raised her head.
"My father's a House Servant," she said boldly.
"Ahh. Yes. That's it. It's a wonder they didn't kill you at birth."
"Who would do that?" The Producers were a superstitious lot, but even they wouldn't kill a baby.
He ignored her question, tipping his head to scrutinize her. "You were lucky. You can pass as a Producer. Not a good specimen, mind you, but you have enough of their characteristics. I'm sure you've been told to avoid the Almightys as much as possible."
She nodded. After her brothers and sisters had died, she'd begged her father to let her move in with him, but he'd said that they couldn't take the chance of an Almighty even suspecting that she was a mix between House Servant and Producer. Interclass mating was strictly prohibited. She would be safer in the encampment because most Producers barely ever saw Almightys, spending their time toiling the earth and producing all the food for the other classes. House Servants, on the other hand, had daily interactions with the Almightys, since it was their duty to manage the businesses and homes of the ruling class.
"But I can see House Servant around the eyes and ears." He paused. "Hold out your hands."
She clenched her fingers into her palms. No one except her parents had seen this. She'd taken a lot of abuse from the other Producers because of the minor differences in her size, eyes and ears. She didn't want to imagine what they would have done to her if they'd seen her fangs or claws, but he wasn't a Producer. She took a deep breath and extended her arms.
He scooted closer, placing her hands in his much larger one. He peered closely at her fingers, running the pad of his thumb over their tips. "Claws. You have claws."
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text:
Product Categories
Contact Us
MNC Pet Products Co.,Ltd
Factory add:588 South Renmin road,Jiangyan Taizhou Jiangsu China
Marketing: 900-1102 East Jiefang RD,Wuxi,Jiangsu,China
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
SKYPE: mncpet
Emai: firstname.lastname@example.com
Mobile: 86-13952468066 Whatsapp
SKYPE: mncsale
Careful identification of the contradiction between managers and managers, many of which are due to regulatory requirements in the "one size fits all" standard triggered, at present, almost all cities, are in accordance with the dog's body to distinguish can not raise. For example, the media combed, golden hair, Samoyed, Labrador and other large cities in the forbidden dogs, wounding probability is 1 star, but the body qualified, and is usually considered petite cute Beijing, the probability of injury For the 4 stars, the same with the Chow, second only to the Tibetan Mastiff.
In the private sector, there are dog people to stop the police to beat the dog, some people forced the police to beat the dog; in fact, the dog's problem behind the refraction is the contradiction between people. For example, the conflict between dog-lovers and non-dog-lovers is partly caused by irresponsible owners: dogs are not tied to dogs during dog walking and dogs are excreted.
Previous: Pet economy in recent years, the rapid rise
Related Industry Knowledge
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TORONTO, May 12, 2014 /CNW/ - Sprott Asset Management LP ("Sprott") announced today that the Sprott Physical Gold Trust (NYSE Arca: PHYS; TSX: PHY.U) and the Sprott Physical Silver Trust (NYSE Arca: PSLV; TSX: PHS.U) are among a select group of 13 non-equities based exchange traded products ("ETPs") chosen to begin trading on the NYSE MKT on an Unlisted Trading Privileges ("UTP") basis.
Each ETP will be assigned to a specific NYSE MKT Designated Market Maker, which is expected to create a valuable new pool of liquidity with a balanced combination of high-tech order execution and high-touch price discovery.
"We are pleased that both the Sprott Physical Gold Trust and Sprott Physical Silver Trust are among a select group of products chosen to participate in this program," said James Fox, President of Sprott Asset Management. "Trading on the floor of the NYSE will increase the profile of the Trusts and is expected to provide them with additional liquidity over time."
The Sprott Physical Bullion Trusts provide a secure, convenient, and exchange-traded alternative for investors who want to hold physical bullion. And, for certain U.S. investors, may provide tax advantages. To learn more about the Trusts, please visit sprottphysicalbullion.com.
About Sprott Asset Management
Sprott Asset Management LP is the investment manager to the Sprott Physical Bullion Trusts (the "Trusts"). Important information about each of the Trusts, including the investment objectives and strategies, applicable management fees, and expenses, are contained in the current prospectus for the applicable Trust. The prospectus for each Trust can be found on the applicable Trust's website, in the U.S. on www.sec.gov and in Canada onwww.sedar.com. Please read the document carefully before investing. Commissions, management fees, or other charges and expenses all may be associated with investing in the Trusts. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation to purchase securities of the Trusts. Investing in the Trusts is subject to certain risks. See the prospectus of the Trusts for a description of these risks.
SOURCE Sprott Physical Silver Trust
You are now leaving Sprott.com and entering a linked website. Sprott has partnered with ALPS in offering Sprott ETFs. For fact sheets, marketing materials, prospectuses, performance, expense information and other details about the ETFs, you will be directed to the ALPS/Sprott website at SprottETFs.com.Continue to Sprott Exchange Traded Funds
You are now leaving Sprott.com and entering a linked website. Sprott Asset Management is a sub-advisor for several mutual funds on behalf of Ninepoint Partners. For details on these funds, you will be directed to the Ninepoint Partners website at ninepoint.com.Continue to Ninepoint Partners


text:
Yes we have a famous battlefield to tour by car, bicycle, horseback, and even on foot but we boast a wealth of activities beyond those historic acres.
From historic inns to comfy campgrounds, boutique hotels and classic motels, find a range of options when you stay over.
From historic taverns to ethnic cuisine, farm-to-table dining to unique edibles, the tastes of Gettysburg are sure to please every palate.
Gettysburg and Adams County is the perfect four-seasons destination.
These Gettysburg trip ideas will inspire your next getaway!
With adventures to suit every budget, Gettysburg and Adams County businesses offer plenty of packages to help visitors create their dream vacations.
This is a two part event on Saturday, November 10, 2018. Our first part is a battlefield walk and we will meet at Little Round Top and join Ted Chamberlain, aka Joshua Chamberlain, as we walk to the 20th Maine monument with General Chamberlain reminiscing on his service during the Battle of Gettysburg. Free time from 3pm-6:30pm. At 6:30pm we meet at the Dobbin House Tavern for dinner with Colonel Chamberlain.
Entree choices of salmon, prime rib or hunter style chicken. Entree selection needs to be placed at time of registration for the event. A cash bar is available during dinner.
Colonel Chamberlain will present a program following dinner titled "Unrequited Love: Just discovered letters between Joshua Chamberlains granddaughter and her married lover." Dinner will take place from 6:30pm until approximately 9pm. The cost for the event is $55 for adults, $40 for children ages 8 and under.
Little Round Top and Dobbin House Tavern
89 Steinwehr Avenue
Gettysburg, PA 17325


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Compiled by Lisa Phillips of OpDeepState.com
UPDATED November 12, 2017
Hariri's Resignation as Prime Minister of Lebanon is Not All it Seems
He certainly did not anticipate what happened to him. Indeed, Hariri had scheduled meetings in Beirut on the following Monday – with the IMF, the World Bank and a series of discussions on water quality improvement; not exactly the action of a man who planned to resign his premiership.
By Robert Fisk – Beirut
When Saad Hariri's jet touched down at Riyadh on the evening of 3 November, the first thing he saw was a group of Saudi policemen surrounding the plane. When they came aboard, they confiscated his mobile phone and those of his bodyguards. Thus was Lebanon's prime minister silenced.
It was a dramatic moment in tune with the soap-box drama played out across Saudi Arabia this past week: the house arrest of 11 princes – including the immensely wealthy Alwaleed bin Talal – and four ministers and scores of other former government lackeys, not to mention the freezing of up to 1,700 bank accounts. Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman's "Night of the Long Knives" did indeed begin at night, only hours after Hariri's arrival in Riyadh. So what on earth is the crown prince up to?
Put bluntly, he is clawing down all his rivals and – so the Lebanese fear – trying to destroy the government in Beirut, force the Shia Hezbollah out of the cabinet and restart a civil war in Lebanon. It won't work, for the Lebanese – while not as rich – are a lot smarter than the Saudis. Every political group in the country, including Hezbollah, are demanding one thing only: Hariri must come back. As for Saudi Arabia, those who said that the Arab revolution will one day reach Riyadh – not with a minority Shia rising, but with a war inside the Sunni Wahhabi royal family – are watching the events of the past week with both shock and awe.
But back to Hariri. On Friday 3 November, he was in a cabinet meeting in Beirut. Then he received a call, asking him to see King Salman of Saudi Arabia. Hariri, who like his assassinated father Rafiq, holds Saudi as well as Lebanese citizenship, set off at once. You do not turn down a king, even if you saw him a few days' earlier, as Hariri had. And especially when the kingdom owes Hariri's "Oger" company as much as $9bn, for such is the commonly rumoured state of affairs in what we now call "cash-strapped Saudi Arabia".
But more extraordinary matters were to come. Out of the blue and to the total shock of Lebanese ministers, Hariri, reading from a written text, announced on Saturday on the Arabia television channel – readers can guess which Gulf kingdom owns it – that he was resigning as prime minister of Lebanon. There were threats against his life, he said – though this was news to the security services in Beirut – and Hezbollah should be disarmed and wherever Iran interfered in the Middle East, there was chaos. Quite apart from the fact that Hezbollah cannot be disarmed without another civil war – is the Lebanese army supposed to attack them when Shia are the largest minority in the country (many of them in the army)? These were not words that Hariri had ever used before. They were not, in other words, written by him. As one who knows him well said this week, "this was not him speaking". In other words, the Saudis had ordered the prime minister of Lebanon to resign and to read his own departure out loud from Riyadh.
I should add, of course, that Hariri's wife and family are in Riyadh, so even if he did return to Beirut, there would be hostages left behind. Thus after a week of this outrageous political farce, there is even talk in Beirut of asking Saad Hariri's elder brother Bahaa to take his seat in the cabinet. But what of Saad himself? Callers have reached him at his Riyadh home, but he speaks only a few words. "He says 'I will come back' or 'I'm fine', that's all, only those words, which is very unlike him," says one who must know. And what if Hariri did come back? Would he claim that his resignation had been forced upon him? Dare the Saudis risk this?
Read more: Hariri's Resignation as Prime Minister of Lebanon is Not All it Seems
See also: Why Saudi Purge Signals War Footing
UPDATED November 8, 2017
If I told you that Democratic Party lobbyist Tony Podesta, whose brother John Podesta chairs Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, is a registered foreign agent on the Saudi government's payroll, you'd probably think I was a Trump-thumping, conspiratorial nutcase. But it's true.
The lobby firm created by both Tony and John Podesta in 1988 receives $140,000 a month from the Saudi government, a government that beheads nonviolent dissidents, uses torture to extract forced confessions, doesn't allow women to drive, and bombs schools, hospitals and residential neighborhoods in neighboring Yemen.
Read more: Saudi Royalty Arrests Rock Clinton-Obama Regime
We believe the Saudi helicopter was not shot down by Yemen/Iran, but by the white hats in the region. In response and right on cue, Israel sent a cable to all its ambassadors to ramp up diplomatic pressure against Hezbollah and Iran.
See also: "Deep State" Nears War After Trump And Saudi Arabia Make Rapid Moves Against 9/11 Coup Plotters
November 5, 2017
By: Sorcha Faal, and as reported to her Western Subscribers (We believe Sorcha Faal are American Intelligence Operatives)
A stunning Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) report circulating in the Kremlin today states that National Security Agency (NSA) forces loyal to President Donald Trump have moved the "rampage-bloodbath" they've initiated against their "Deep State" enemies to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia—and where, just hours ago, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman began a shocking purge of his government by his ordering the immediate arrest of 10 senior princes and over 38 ministers due to their terrorist money laundering associations with both the Bush Crime Family and Clinton Crime Family—and that includes one of the richest men in world, Prince al-Walid bin Talal. [Note: Some words and/or phrases appearing in quotes in this report are English language approximations of Russian words/phrases having no exact counterpart.]
"Sometimes by losing a battle you find a new way to win the war." President Donald Trump
According to this report, during last months historic visit to Russia, Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz revealed to President Putin that President Trump had been delivering to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman "vast hordes" of NSA intercepted communications showing in "extreme detail" the terrorist money laundering operation being conducted between top Saudi officials and both the Bush and Clinton crime families—with the final delivery of these shocking communications being made this past week by Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner during his "unannounced" visit to Saudi Arabia.
Important to note about these communications delivered by President Trump to Saudi Arabia, this report explains, is that they were intercepted over decades by one of the most powerful intelligence organizations in the world called the National Security Agency—whom even, in 2009, President Obama's CIA Director nominee Leon Panetta was confused about in his mistakenly stating before the US Congress that they were under the control of the Director of National Intelligence—but who are, in fact, under the direct control of the US military.
This Obama Regime failure to fully understand the power of NSA, this report continues, resulted in them never being able to corrupt it like they did the Justice Department, FBI and CIA—and was most effectively demonstrated this past year when NSA Director Admiral Mike Rogers defied Obama and rushed to Trump's side to warn him of what the "Deep State" was doing to destroy him—and that led to Obama's top intelligence and defence officials calling for Admiral Rogers to immediately be fired—but that President Obama was too in fear of to do.
As to why President Obama feared the NSA, this report explains, is because this massive intelligence agency records every phone call and electronic communication made in nearly the entire world—and once having recorded everything, they then store it in their gigantic Utah Data Center from which they can "share" what they have with other US intelligence agencies—and that barely 8 weeks prior to Obama winning his 2008 presidential election, they "not-so-subtly" demonstrated the power of—and that the American actor Shia LaBeouf attested to during his 16 September 2008 appearance on the Tonight Show television programme.
Video published on August 3, 2010 courtesy of nineelevendisinfo
With the NSA alerting the incoming Obama Regime through its Shia LaBeouf "conduit" of what they were capable of, this "warning" was, also, this report continues, a misdirection of their full capabilities—and that was revealed by former CIA operative Edward Snowden in his 2013 NSA Files release proving that not one-out-of-five calls (20%) were being recorded, but that up to 80% of them were.
The full power of the NSA is important to understand, this report says, because unbeknownst to the majority of the American people, it is entirely legal under US law to have these phone calls recorded, it is only illegal when they are listened to without a warrant being issued—and with barely a handful of these people knowing that President Trump has the full legal power to do all by himself.
Known in American Constitutional legal circles as a "Taney Arrest Warrant", this report explains, during the Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln personally issued an arrest warrant for Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court Robert Taney—and though never executed, but confirmed by historical documents as being true, it has never been disputed as a power given by the US Constitution to a President who controls the entire Executive Branch of the government.
In times of national crisis, too, this report details, American presidents have the full legal power to take on all of the duties of the entire Executive Branch—and that President Lincoln did during the Civil War that allowed him to suspend the writ of habeas corpus and arrest more than 14,000 political prisoners and shut down more than 300 newspapers.
With American being warned that it is nearing a new Civil War, this report says, President Trump this past week cryptically began Tweeting and publically stating that he was nearing taking full control over his Executive Branch of government like Lincoln had done before him—and that his leftist "Deep State" enemies are now calling "an impeachable offence"—but that the US Constitution says he has the full power to do—and with Trump, also, being able to wield the fearsome 18 U.S. Code § 2384 – Seditious Conspiracy federal law which states:
If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.
With the Obama-Clinton Democratic Party openly calling for the overthrow of President Trump, who have joined by Hollywood, likewise, calling for Trump's overthrow, and America's elite media trying to take Trump out too, this report continues, all of them are in gross violation of America's sedition and treason laws which strictly forbid such actions—and which the NSA has begun retaliating against.
As explained to President Putin by King Salman bin Abdulaziz last month during their historic meeting, this report explains, the NSA was given a secret warrant 3 months ago by President Trump authorizing them to search for and find potential criminal sexual offenses committed against women and/or children by political persons, Hollywood celebrities and media elites—and when such criminal sexual crimes were discovered, the NSA was to then contact the victims to notify them that the information could become public knowledge in any future prosecutions.
Scouring through decades of intercepted communications (emails/phone calls/etc.) in order to find such criminal sexual offences occurring against women and children by these elite leftists, this report says, the NSA's contacting of these victims created a tidal wave of accusations being made public—and not by the NSA, but by the victims themselves who believed it was in their best interest to make the facts known before anyone else.
With both Hollywood and the US mainstream media elites now being reported to be in total panic over who will be outed next as a sexual abuser, this report details, the Trump-NSA retaliation against the "Deep State" is nearing "bloodbath proportions"—and whose now publically outed sexual predators include Hollywood icons Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey who made numerous videos calling for the overthrow of Trump, and elite anti-Trump media journalists Hamilton Fish, Leon Wieseltier, David Corn, Michael Oreskes, Mark Halperin—and numerous others soon to be destroyed too. [Note: Click on these persons names to learn of their powerful positions and the vile crimes their accused of committing.]
Sexual predators Bill Clinton, Harvey Weinstein, Anthony Weiner and Bill Cosby all given Americas highest civilian medal by President Obama
Like President Trump accomplished against his "Deep State" leftist enemies by publicly outing them for the vile sexual predators they are, too, this report continues, so did he, also, issue another secret warrant to the NSA ordering them to "discover and document" all of the illegal money laundering ties between Saudi elites and both the Bush and Clinton crime families—many of which were long known since the 2004 publication of the shocking research book titled "House of Bush, House of Saud: The Secret Relationship Between the World's Two Most Powerful Dynasties" that begins by asking the most politically explosive question in modern American history:
How is it that two days after 9/11, when U.S. air traffic was tightly restricted, 140 Saudis, many immediate kin to Osama Bin Laden, were permitted to leave the country without being questioned by U.S. intelligence?
In order to keep their vast international criminal money laundering operation ongoing, this report notes, the Bush Crime Family worked jointly with the Clinton Crime Family—with Hillary Clinton being lavished with tens-of-millions of dollars by the Saudis, and their extremist Islamic allies, in order to insure her 2016 US presidential victory—and that was masterminded by Prince al-Walid bin Talal—who in addition to being one of the richest men in world, and called "the Warren Buffet of Saudi Arabia", is a personal friend of the globalist Bill Gates, owns large stakes in too many powerful American companies to count, and as an owner of Twitter, and knowing that his arrest was near, personally ordered President Trump's Twitter account to be deleted—and that Twitter "explained" was done by an employee who was "leaving the company"—which is, sort of, true as Prince al-Walid bin Talal is now living in a jail cell and won't be showing up at his Twitter office anytime soon.
With anyone of sound mind knowing that if Trump became president he would destroy both the Bush and Clinton Crime Families, and use Saudi Arabia to help him to it as they know "where all the bodies are buried", this report says, President Obama, just weeks before the 2016 election, stunningly offered the Saudis more than $115 billion in weapons, other military equipment and training—the most of any US administration in the 71-year history of the US-Saudi alliance—in order to protect himself—but whose "answer" was received today by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arresting everyone having had any contact with anyone associated with the Obama's, Bush's or Clinton's he could find in his nations government.
When the Saudis make you leave from the bottom of your plane, maybe you should get the message they're sending …
…but when their King personally greets you with a red carpet and flowers? No words are needed.
This report concludes by noting that Saudi Arabia's taking down of all those associated with Bush and Clinton Crime Families, just hours ago, was deliberately timed to coincide with President Trump's 12-day trip to Asia where he will be under the "maximum protection" from assassination by special police forces from the nations of Japan, China, Vietnam and the Philippines, none of whom are friendly with the "Deep State" warmongers—with Japan going so far as to create an elite all woman police force to protect the lives of Trump's wife First Lady Melania and his daughter Ivanka—and whose danger of a public execution is all to real as the last American leader to go to war against the "Deep State", President John F. Kennedy, was shockingly abandoned by his Secret Service protectors just minutes before the CIA exploded his head in hail of bullets.
Video published July 27, 2011 courtesy of thetruthwillout
** Editor's note: This video has been mirrored for safe keeping.
November 5, 2017 © EU and US all rights reserved. Permission to use this report in its entirety is granted under the condition it is linked back to its original source at WhatDoesItMean.Com. Freebase content licensed under CC-BY and GFDL.
[Note: Many governments and their intelligence services actively campaign against the information found in these reports so as not to alarm their citizens about the many catastrophic Earth changes and events to come, a stance that the Sisters of Sorcha Faal strongly disagree with in believing that it is every human beings right to know the truth. Due to our missions conflicts with that of those governments, the responses of their 'agents' has been a longstanding misinformation/misdirection campaign designed to discredit us, and others like us, that is exampled in numerous places, including HERE.]
[Note: The WhatDoesItMean.com website was created for and donated to the Sisters of Sorcha Faal in 2003 by a small group of American computer experts led by the late global technology guru Wayne Green (1922-2013) to counter the propaganda being used by the West to promote their illegal 2003 invasion of Iraq.]
[Note: The word Kremlin (fortress inside a city) as used in this report refers to Russian citadels, including in Moscow, having cathedrals wherein female Schema monks (Orthodox nuns) reside, many of whom are devoted to the mission of the Sisters of Sorcha Faal.]
Source: "Deep State" Bloodbath Moves To Saudi Arabia As Trump-NSA Forces Continue Rampage
Coincidence? Saudi Prince Plus 8 Other High-Ranking Officials Dead in Helicopter Crash! (Videos)
So – Trump pushes Aramco IPO (out of the blue), Prime Minister of Lebanon forced to resign, Saudis intercept missiles, 11 Saudi princes arrested, numerous officials charged, and now a dead crown prince near the border with Yemen… Just what is going on in Saudi Arabia?
A helicopter carrying senior government officials has crashed in the Asir Region in southwest Saudi Arabia, killing Prince Mansour bin Muqrin and an unknown number of others, officials and local media report.
Saudi Prince, Other Officials Killed in Helicopter Crash Near Yemen
James Valles reports. (BNO News)
Video published on November 5, 2017 courtesy of BNO News
More from Due Diligence
Massively Major! Shocking Saudi Coup! Something Very Big Going Down in Saudi Arabia & the Mandalay Bay Connection (Videos) click here
Saudi Helicopter Carrying 8 High-Ranking Officials & Prince Bin-Muqrin Crashed Near Yemen Border – All Dead
The news channel Al-Ekhbariya announced the death of Prince Mansour bin Muqrin, the deputy governor of Asir province and son of a former crown prince.
It did not reveal the cause of the crash or the fate of the other officials aboard the aircraft.
The crash also comes after Saudi Arabia yesterday intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile near Riyadh's international airport after it was fired from Yemen in an escalation of the kingdom's war against Iran-backed Huthi rebels. Details are few for now but some headlines report that the high-ranking officials aboard included Crown Prince Mansour bin-Muqrin, deputy Emir of Asir province. He was a son of Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the ex-intelligence chief who briefly was Saudi Arabia's crown prince from January to April 2015.
The incident occurred as the officials were on their way back from an inspection trip to al-Saida al-Sawalha Center in the municipality of Mahail Asir…
A video, believed to be the last one of Prince Mansour alive, was released by the channel, showing him and accompanying officials boarding the helicopter ….
The crash site is reported near Abha, in the south of The Kingdom in the Asir Region, bordering Yemen. The area has seen a number of cross-border retaliatory attacks from Yemen in recent months, reportedly leading to casualties among Saudi troops.
There are sources saying all aboard have died…
So – Trump pushes Aramco IPO (out of the blue), Prime Minister of Lebanon forced to resign, Saudis intercept missiles, 11 Saudi princes arrested, numerous officials charged, and now a dead crown prince near the border with Yemen… Just what is going on in Saudi Arabia?
Courtesy of ZeroHedge
Source: Coincidence? Saudi Prince Plus 8 Other High-Ranking Officials Dead in Helicopter Crash! (Videos)
Saudi Arabia Arrests 11 Princes, Including Billionaire Alwaleed bin Talal
November 4, 2017 by
Credit Ishara S.Kodikara/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
LONDON — Saudi Arabia announced the arrest on Saturday night of the prominent billionaire investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, plus at least 10 other princes, four ministers and tens of former ministers.
The announcement of the arrests was made over Al Arabiya, the Saudi-owned satellite network whose broadcasts are officially approved. Prince Alwaleed's arrest is sure to send shock waves both through the kingdom and the world's major financial centers.
He controls the investment firm Kingdom Holding and is one of the world's richest men, owning or having owned major stakes in 21st Century Fox, Citigroup, Apple, Twitter and many other well-known companies. The prince also controls satellite television networks watched across the Arab world.
The sweeping campaign of arrests appears to be the latest move to consolidate the power of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the favorite son and top adviser of King Salman.
At 32, the crown prince is already the dominant voice in Saudi military, foreign, economic and social policies, stirring murmurs of discontent in the royal family that he has amassed too much personal power, and at a remarkably young age.
The king had decreed the creation of a powerful new anti-corruption committee, headed by the crown prince, only hours before the committee ordered the arrests.
Al Arabiya said that the anti-corruption committee has the right to investigate, arrest, ban from travel, or freeze the assets of anyone it deems corrupt.
The Ritz Carlton hotel in Riyadh, the de facto royal hotel, was evacuated on Saturday, stirring rumors that it would be used to house detained royals. The airport for private planes was closed, arousing speculation that the crown prince was seeking to block rich businessmen from fleeing before more arrests.
Prince Alwaleed was giving interviews to the Western news media as recently as late last month about subjects like so-called crypto currencies and Saudi Arabia's plans for a public offering of shares in its state oil company, Aramco.
He has also recently sparred publicly with President Donald J. Trump. The prince was part of a group of investors who bought control of the Plaza Hotel in New York from Mr. Trump, and he also bought an expensive yacht from him as well. But in a twitter message in 2015 the prince called Mr. Trump "a disgrace not only to the GOP but to all America."
Mr. Trump fired back, also on Twitter, that "Dopey Prince @Alwaleed_Talal wants to control our U.S. politicians with daddy's money."
As president, Mr. Trump has developed a warm, mutually supportive relationship with the ascendant crown prince, who has rocketed from near obscurity in recent years to taking control of the country's most important functions.
President Trump tweeted on November 4, 2017:
Credit Fayez Nureldine/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
But his swift rise has also divided Saudis. Many applaud his vision, crediting him with addressing the economic problems facing the kingdom and laying out a plan to move beyond its dependence on oil.
Others see him as brash, power-hungry and inexperienced, and they resent him for bypassing his elder relatives and concentrating so much power in one branch of the family.
At least three senior White House officials, including the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, were reportedly in Saudi Arabia last month for meetings that were undisclosed at the time.
Before sparring with Mr. Trump, Prince Alwaleed was publicly rebuffed by Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, who rejected his $10 million donation for the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York because the prince had also criticized American foreign policy.
As powerful as the billionaire is, he is something of an outsider within the royal family — not a dissident, but an unusually outspoken figure on a variety of issues. He openly supported women driving long before the kingdom said it would grant them the right to do so, and he has long employed women in his orbit.
In 2015 he pledged to donate his fortune of $32 billion to charity after his death. It was unclear Saturday whether Saudi Arabia's corruption committee might seek to confiscate any of his assets.
Saudi Arabia is an executive monarchy without a written Constitution or independent government institutions like a Parliament or courts, so accusations of corruption are difficult to evaluate. The boundaries between the public funds and the wealth of the royal family are murky at best, and corruption, as other countries would describe it, is believed to be widespread.
The arrests came a few hours after the king replaced the minister in charge of the Saudi national guard, Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah, who controlled the last of the three Saudi armed forces not yet considered to be under control of the crown prince.
The king named Crown Prince Mohammed the minister of defense in 2015. Earlier this year, the king removed Prince Mohammed bin Nayef as head of the interior ministry, placing him under house arrest and extending the crown prince's influence over the interior ministry's troops, which act as a second armed force.
Rumors have swirled since then that King Salman and his favorite son would soon move against Prince Mutaib, commander of the third armed force and himself a former contender for the crown.
Source: Saudi Arabia Arrests 11 Princes, Including Billionaire Alwaleed bin Talal
See also: Arrested Saudi Prince Owns Top 5 Floors of Vegas' Mandalay Bay. Guns Carried Down 3 Floors? – Talal is the second largest shareholder of Rupert Murdoch's 'News Corp' e.g., FOX News and the largest Holy Bible Manufacturer
How US covered up Saudi role in 9/11
Document Exposes Inconsistent Disclosure of Saudi Hand in Campaign Against JASTA
The US Military Knows Israel Did 9/11
Israel's Secret Agenda: Funding Arab Terrorism
Israel & Saudi Arabia are Sisters!
Video published on July 5, 2012 courtesy of Syed Usama Hassan
** Editor's note: This video has been mirrored for safe keeping.
If you have been brainwashed to hate Arabs, you better wake up!
Sunday November 5, 2017 Cafe with Field and Pelitical's Phil Roberts Episode 12
Field McConnell and friends make the connection between the Saudis and the Las Vegas Shooting, and encourage American patriots to have patience and keep exposing the Deep State.
Video published on November 5, 2017 courtesy of Abel Danger
See also: Out of Office: Vacancies, Acting Officers, and Day 301
Washington pharmacist claims members of Congress have Alzheimer's disease – For any medical professional to disclose details about anyone's medical history is a violation of federal HIPAA laws.
To help fight against the Deep State, go to the Campaigns page on OpDeepState.com.


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Launch gig for the new album – "Love Can't Always Be Articulate"
Saturday -
7.30 p.m.
Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church, 155 East 22nd Street, corner of 3rd Avenue
New York
A benefit at Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church in Gramercy to aid with the cost of repairing the 150-year-old stain glass ceiling. This will be the Premiere Performance of Pierce Turner's new album "Love Can't Always Be Articulate" at this beautiful church where he made the recording, utilizing the pipe organ and grand piano. J.C Cady, who also designed the original Met Opera House, designed this 150-year-old New York treasure with its magnificent acoustics.
The musicians will be:
- Pierce Turner on vocals, guitar and keyboard
- Andriette Redmann and Kath Green of Avon Faire on vocals, percussion and keys
- Fred Parcells on trombone and vocals
- John Rokosny on guitar
- Nic Handahl on organ and piano
- Mark Brotter on percussion
Admission is free - we suggest a minimum donation of $10 towards the cost of the gorgeous stained glass ceiling, currently being repaired in South Minnesota. Refreshments will be served.


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My friend, bless her, cut my hair yesterday afternoon. I was going to get a very tiny trim so my hair was still a long-ish length so that I could still curl it, braid it, not use bobby pins, etc.
My split ends (because I know you want to hear all about them) were so bad and my hair was so damaged I told my friend to cut off as much broken-hair as possible so my hair could then grow long but healthy.
It's so bloomin' short. My hair is so short.
Okay. We're okay. I'm okay.
I knew it would be shorter, I just didn't think it would be this short. I look about twelve (why did I get all of those clothes from the kids' section of Kmart!? They don't help!?)
But the truth is…
I actually really like it like this. It's fun (which means it suits my personality? *shrugs* Who knows.) and now it's healthy. The ends are neat and they're having a happy healthy party because they're not splitting and they're not dry. (They've been soaking in a delightful smelling coconut oil, which I highly recommend to hydrate your hair.) (Especially after dyeing my hair, it became so dry, so the oil is a yes from me.) (Did you see my fabulous marketing skills right there?) (The brand of coconut oil is ogx.) (It's also really expensive.)
With my snazzy-fresh-new-haircut, I have already accomplished many relaxing things this morning. I have had a shower, which is always a good sign, and I've flicked through my cookbook and looked at all the delicious looking pictures of eggs.
Actually, this is a very important point.
Campers, I love eggs! As you may know, I love breakfast, and an amazing breakfast that makes you feel good always involves eggs. I would rather go on a date for breakfast than for dinner, because breakfast is so fantastic. (Although still take me out for dinner.) (Not that you, as a camper, will take me out.) (But if you were to.) (Moving on. Quickly.)
So as a short-haired person I have flicked through cookbooks and have written my blog post earlier than usual, which means it won't be ten o'clock and I want to sleep but have to find the brain cells to write something to post on the internet. *cheers*
I have short hair and it's wonderful.
Until tomorrow,


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Essential Presentation Skills
written by Jan D'Arcy
Have you ever seen a glazed look in the eyes of your audience while you are speaking? Are you putting off your customers by going into too much detail in a sales presentation? What did your customer really want to know? A confused mind will say, "No!" Your listeners need to thoroughly understand your ideas before they can accept them.
Here are some presentation skill techniques you can use to give your listeners useful knowledge to help them reach their goals - as well as helping you reach yours.
1. Clarity
2. Associate with the familiar
3. Use concrete examples
4. Adapt to an audience with different levels of knowledge
Technically Speaking:
"You helped our Marketing and Communications Managers condense a lot of detailed material into a short amount of time. The best part was that they took your advice to "make it interactive" and were able to establish rapport quickly and maintain a dialogue with the sales reps throughout their presentations. I think the run-throughs on videotape and your critiques allowed them to shift their emphasis to the audience, delivering information that was needed and useful."
Bob Betz, VP
Stimson Lane
Woodinville, WA


text: By Grace Bailey, Guest Blogger The rooms in your home can also be used for storage without this to decrease their comfort and cosiness. Here are a few simple tricks that will help you use your rooms' space for storage in the best possible way. Storage space in the bathroom [caption id="attachment_2327"...Read more


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Most Frequently Misdiagnosed Cancers: Breast Cancer
The key to beating cancer is early diagnosis. Delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis may cause the cancer to advance and worsen, thus reducing, or even eliminating, a patient's chance for survival If the cancer is allowed to spread without necessary treatment, the chance for a cure diminishes and the risk of significant harm increases. Read more


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Our Craft Acorns for Sale are Northern Red Oak Acorns - with the caps glued on. Acorns are sprayed with craft gloss to give the acorns a shiny appearance. Our craft acorns are the perfect acorns to use for crafts, decoration, display and weddings. Acorns are glued-on-demand. Please check our preparation times below before ordering.
What is the size of craft acorns? Click the ruler image above for size information or click here.
Preparation Time:
25 to 200 Acorns: 2-3 business days
201 to 500 Acorns: 3-4 business days
501 to 1,000+ Acorns: 4-6 business days


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Planning Your Visit
If you were recently in the Emergency Room, or Urgent Care, we will need the entire medical record (NOT discharge summary) prior to your visit to the clinic. Please come into the clinic or into the facility you were seen at, and sign a 'Medical Release' form to ensure we receive your records. You can also email the completed, and signed, form to | firstname.lastname@example.com | and we will fax it to the facility.
If you are coming in for a chronic condition follow up, the medical providers are requesting that your bring your current medication bottle, or a photo of the label.
Download Medical Release Form


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What to Expect When Enrolling into a Mental Health Training
If you wish to make positive contributions in the mental health field, then it's only reasonable that you consider advancing your studies. It's a no brainier,that acquiring more knowledge will help you grow in your career. Enrolling into a master of mental health program can be a good career move for you. Such qualifications can equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to improve the lives of mental health patients. This article summarizes what to expect once you decide to pursue a course in this field. One hopes that you will take up this kind of training once you weigh up the available options.
Become and expert at treating mental health conditions
There are a lot of people suffering from mental health around the world. But the professionals required to treat these types of conditions are quite scarce, making such a career lucrative. If you are searching for a job with good financial prospects and has lots of openings, then mental health training is something you should consider. Enrolling into a masters of health program can really take your career to another another level. A degree in mental health is good enough for you to solve most of your patients' issues on a day to day basis. Enrolling into a masters program is all you need to become and expert.
Research the practice in the area of counseling
As part of your course work as a student pursuing a master degree, you will have to do a lot of research in the field of counseling Such kind of study will be instrumental in helping you broaden your skill and knowledge of this industry. Even though most of the study involves hands on skills, you'll are still required to attend theory sessions before you graduate. However, it is important to note that such a course can also be offered purely online. Most universities have such programs to cater to the needs of students who may not be able to physically access the university. Also, an online program is suitable for busy professionals who may want to increase their knowledge in the field.
Finally, you need to understand your reasons for pursuing this career. If you become a mental health practitioner because of money alone, then you may be disappointed along the road. You need to be passionate about helping people if you want to succeed in this career. Having a genuine desire to help people is highly important.
Researching all the possible choices is important before you commit to something. Ideally, you want to find schools that are dedicated to offering quality education. Consider utilizing the web when researching your options in the mental health space.
Services Tips for The Average Joe


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Omemee Baptist Ladies are having a fund raising garage sale Saturday, May 26 to raise money to help ship clothing to missionaries working in the Philippines.
The sale is being held in conjunction with a huge private sale at 118 Clearview Drive.
Here are the directions to Clearview Drive:
Go north on County Rd 10 from Peace Road to Clearview,
Turn right - watch for signs. Refrigerators, sewing machine, bread makers and much more! Call 705-799-7222 for info.
Family-Friendly Kawartha Lakes Events, Organizations, and Business Connections for tourists and residents of City of Kawartha Lakes including: Bobcaygeon, Fenelon Falls, Kinmount, Omemee, Coboconk, Pontypool,Cameron, Kirkfield, Oakwood, Janetville, Manilla, Carden, Ops, Reaboro, Lindsay, Bethany, Oakwood, Woodville and points in between.
New Here? START HERE
New Here? START HERE
Friday, 25 May 2012
Omemee Baptist Women Hold Yard Sale Supporting Phillipine Missions!
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Randomized parallel list ranking for distributed memory multiprocesors
We present a randomized parallel list ranking algorithm for distributed memory multiprocessors. A simple version requires, with high probability, (Formula presented) communication rounds (h-relations with (Formula presented) local computation. An improved version requires, with high probability, only (Formula presented) communication rounds where (Formula presented). Note that k < ln*(n) is an extremely small number. For n ≤ 1010100 and p ≥ 4, the value of k is at most 2. For a given number of processors, p, the number of communication rounds required is, for all practical purposes, independent of n. For n ≤ 1010100 and 4 ≤ p ≤ 2048, the number of communication rounds in our algorithm is bounded, with high probability, by 118. We conjecture that the actual number of communications rounds will not exceed 50.
|Additional Metadata
Dehne, F, & Song, S.W. (Siang W.). (1996). Randomized parallel list ranking for distributed memory multiprocesors.


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Pilgrims' peninsula
Leaning on a wall in the limpid light of a Greek sunset, overlooking a nondescript Ouranopolis beach and looking south to forbidden Mount Athos, it felt - melodramatically but inescapably - like my last day on earth.
Just a few kilometres away - a few centuries away - was the border of the autonomous monastic republic that members of many Eastern Orthodox churches consider to be halfway between heaven and earth. Only 110 people each day are allowed to visit Agion Oros, the holy mountain, just 10 of them non-Orthodox. The next morning, I would be one of them.
The Athos peninsula, south-east of Thessaloniki in northern Greece, has been a closed community since the 10th century, when the first of its 20 monasteries was established. An edict in 1060 decreed that no woman (not even female animals, except for cats to control vermin) would be allowed to set foot on Athos, a homage to the Virgin Mary, whom legend says landed there on her flight from Egypt.
Getting there required negotiating a bureaucratic labyrinth (see panel, Travel 4), the climax of which was receiving a diamonitirion, the pilgrim's permit that would allow me to spend three nights on the holy mountain, which I obtained just before joining the boat to Dafni, Athos' tiny port.
Armed with this, a daypack with enough clothes for four days and a smattering of Greek, I climbed aboard the Agion Estin. I also had with me a dietary survival kit of four tins of sardines in vegetable oil, two tins of salmon, a packet of snack crackers, a packet of sultanas, a packet of soft nougat with honey and smoked nuts and two honey-and-peanut snack bars; a collection born of fear at what (and how little) the monks would feed me.
Hospitality at monasteries and the smaller offshoots known as skites is part of the pilgrim's progress through Athos. The diamonitirion provides for three nights' accommodation and meals - one night at three different places - and requires of the pilgrim a commitment to abide by the singular Athonite rules, including no music, no singing, no dancing, no radios, no loud talking or laughter, no wearing of shorts, no swimming and a willingness to adapt to the slow rhythms of Byzantine life.
The supply boat-cum-car ferry was packed with pilgrims and monks, some of whom chattered away on mobile phones while others, probably monks who lived outside the monasteries and responsible for buying their own provisions, sold religious trinkets and carved walking sticks.
Among the pilgrims were fathers with put-upon-looking teenage sons, a large group of Croatians, several men apparently kitted out for trekking in the Himalaya, despite the 30-degree heat, and countless Greeks puffing away on cigarettes.
Secular Greece slipped quickly away. Athos came into view, signified by the thick, untouched forest that covered the hills, broken only by occasional tumbledown brick buildings and then, after half an hour or so, by the first of the monasteries, Zografou, high on the hillside.
The boat stopped frequently at the little jetties that served each of the monasteries, offloading people and provisions. At Pandeleimonos, the huge and grandly onion-domed Russian monastery, we disembarked a group of young monks who all looked like Rasputin, with black stovepipe hats and cloaks, long, unkempt beards and ponytails.
At Dafni, I leapt ashore and ran for one of two dusty buses. We zigzagged up the steep hill towards Karyes, Athos' "capital", a time-warpy place of cobblestoned streets, medieval buildings and a startling absence of advertising signs. From there, I planned to walk seven-and-a-bit kilometres to Iviron monastery, where I had reserved a bed.
A few minutes' along the path, I met a pilgrim walking in the opposite direction and looking puzzled. Kostas, too, was heading for Iviron but unsure of the route, so we decided to walk together. An engineer from , he was a frequent visitor to the Holy Mountain who spoke perfect English.
Shortly after leaving Karyes, and after enjoying a spanakopita from a bakery that wafted the most alluring smells, we reached 11th-century Koutloumousiou monastery.
A friendly monk took us on a tour - the church's interior was covered with frescoes and the walls were hung with icons dripping with silver votive plaques and watches left by the pious. In the guesthouse we were offered the traditional greeting of a glass of cold water, a piece of loukoumi (Turkish delight) and a shot of raki.
Fortified, Kostas and I found the trail for Iviron, a winding, up-and-down dirt track shaded by chestnut and pine trees, but hard going where often-sharp stones had been embedded in the footpath. Still, it was a lovely walk across age-old stone bridges and past waterfalls, mainly downhill from the spine of the peninsula where Karyes sat to the northern coast of Athos and seaside Iviron.
The monastery appeared quite suddenly through the trees after a 90-minute walk; a square medieval fortress with massive walls surrounded by market gardens and outbuildings - store rooms, a timber mill, workshops and housing for lay workers.
The buttressed walls of the 1028-year-old monastery were 30 metres high, topped and trimmed with an architectural soup of protruding balconies, boxy rooms, barred windows, chimneys, monks' cells and red domes. The bleak summit of Mount Athos, an imposing 2027 metres above sea level and still with traces of snow on its slopes, appeared to rise directly behind Iviron's main tower.
Kostas and I entered through an enormous wooden gate and crossed a courtyard to the archontariki (guesthouse) and were asked by a soft-voiced monk to sign the guest book.
I was a little put out at the failure to offer the usual refreshments - a glass of water was all we received - but cheered up when I saw the clean, modern room we were allocated: four beds, each with a side table and chair, with clean sheets, blankets, a pillow and a hand towel.
After a rest came the call to esperinos (vespers) at 6pm, made by a monk walking around the courtyard carrying an oblong wooden plank called a talanton and rhythmically striking it with a mallet.
Athos lives on Byzantine time, which marks the beginning of the day at sunset, so, depending on the time of year, clocks will be between three and six hours ahead of Greek time. It also follows the Julian calendar and is 13 days behind the secular world. In so many other ways, it is centuries behind.
I took my place at the rear of the church as monks and pilgrims filed in, most pausing to kiss the icons arranged on the frescoed walls - or the frescoes themselves, which in parts were worn away by generations of kisses. The church was richly ornamented, with a gleaming gold and silver icon screen and a giant diadem festooned with lights that hung from the domed ceiling. Candle holders were lowered and raised by pulleys.
The service itself was a mystery. There was a great deal of monotonal chanting and sitting and standing - but no kneeling - and monks and pilgrims seemed to enter and depart at random intervals, though I quickly learnt to stand and to bow my head when, with a sweet draught of incense and a metallic clash of the censer, a priest swept past giving his blessing.
The monks were like fantasy-novel characters - a host of Dumbledores and Gandalfs in flowing robes and flowing beards, with the occasional Santa Claus thrown in. One rotund old monk with a long, pointy, white beard looked for all the world like a garden gnome.
At the end of the service, the talanton sounded again for dinner, one of just two meals eaten daily, and we followed the monks into the unadorned refectory and sat at communal tables. Meals are eaten swiftly, lasting as long as it takes for a monk to read a story from the life of the saint whose feast day is being celebrated. We ate pasta with vegetables, coarse brown bread and a cucumber-and-onion salad washed down with decent red wine from Iviron's vineyards, and we were done and dusted in 10 minutes.
I wandered into the Iviron gift shop, where items varied in cost from 50 cents for a postcard to $2241 for a hand-made goblet. I could have chosen from a CD-ROM of photographs of the church's frescoes, CDs of the monks' chanting, limited-edition woodcut prints, copy icons and religious paintings, books and embroideries.
The guest master who had met us on arrival was standing outside the gift shop, and he approached me with a smile. "We can sit outside," he said, in a broad Australian accent.
Father Ieremias was born in Coffs Harbour of Greek-Australian parents and brought up there and in Brisbane. His brother was an Orthodox priest in Sydney, and he had been a monk on Athos for more than 20 years, part of the Athonite rebirth that has seen moribund communities undergo a significant recovery in numbers.
Ieremias asked me why I had come to Athos, his tone betraying a hope that I might be considering converting to Orthodoxy. (I had written "Catholic" in the column headed Religion on my registration form, which, notwithstanding my long-lapsed status, was true.) I explained that I was interested in Byzantine art and history and since a visit to the monasteries of Meteora in Greece in the early 1980s had been intrigued by Greek monastic life.
We had a long and interesting talk in the soft evening light, during which he told me why he considered Orthodoxy superior to Catholicism - it sought to raise lay people's spiritual standing to the level of the clergy, while Catholicism sought to reduce the clergy to the people's level.
Life on Athos encourages an early bed, not least because it dictates early rising. Morning service at Iviron on this day was at a civilised 6am and was followed by breakfast, a modest offering of dry bread and lukewarm "mountain tea".
I was bound for Athos' oldest monastery, Megistis Lavras, and as a rumoured boat that would have taken me directly there did not appear to exist, I decided to walk back to Karyes and take the monastery bus. Until a few years ago, access to most monasteries was along rough walking tracks, but modernity had come in the form of minibuses that each monastery owned.
Kostas was bound for Skiti Agias Annis, a monastic offshoot perched high on a clifftop near the eastern tip of Athos, so I said farewell and set off on the walk, which even at 8am was hot and seemed terribly steep. I was in a lather by the time I reached Karyes about 10am. I had a couple of hours to kill before the Megistis Lavras bus arrived, so I broke into my store of supplies and then wandered the silent streets and visited the smoky-dark Protaton church, built in 962 and now undergoing restoration.
Karyes' main street, Holy Ghost Street, is lined with unadorned shops selling everything from toothpaste to silver icons, and there are representative offices for the monasteries as well as a police station, post office, a clinic, a small inn and restaurant. It is a sleepy place that comes alive briefly when the buses from Dafni arrive about 12.45pm and pilgrims cram into the monastery minibuses.
The Megistis Lavras bus took me along the north coast, past Iviron and a host of remote skites and even smaller kellia (cells) that were home to one or two monks, usually an older monk and an acolyte. The Grand Lavra was massive, the size of a couple of city blocks, and sprouted a forest of cranes and scaffolding. Everything being restored was braced and bracketed, and everything structurally intact was being patched and repainted.
I found the guesthouse, where I also found Kostas, who had decided the trek to Skiti Agias Annis was beyond him and had hitched a ride to Megistis Lavras instead. Accommodation was in a 10-man dormitory of saggy beds and lumpy pillows next to a bathroom with a squat toilet and no shower.
The monastery's main chapel - one of more than 20 inside the walls - was astonishingly ornate. At vespers I sat across from a particularly bloodthirsty fresco of the Last Judgement that showed the damned heading down a fiery river towards a devil and the snaggle-toothed monster that would devour them. The devil's face had been defaced, along with all other representations of demons.
Dinner followed (pasta with calamari, tomato-and-onion salad, bread, fruit and red wine), then we returned to the chapel for apodeipnon and a viewing of the monastery's holy relics. The faithful filed into a small room, clutching crucifixes, beads, pictures of loved ones and even scraps of cloth that they rubbed on the gold-encased skulls and fingerbones of saints. Some wept as they kissed the relics or pressed their foreheads against them.
A voluble monk led a tour of the monastery, a labyrinthine grab-bag of architectural styles from the past millennium, then sat us down in the courtyard for a lengthy talk that ranged, according to Kostas, across such subjects as abortion, faithfulness in marriage, communism, terrorism, the left-right struggle in Greece and the evils of smoking. He even included a joke about lawyers.
The talanton woke me just after 3am, and I shambled in the deep dark to the chapel. The next few minutes were like watching a photograph develop as my eyes became accustomed to the half-light of candles and oil lamps and the shapes ghosting past me took form as hooded monks. The service, most of it conducted out of my sight, had a dreamlike quality and I found that sleep could easily be disguised as deep contemplation.
Kostas, who was returning to , travelled with me to Karyes, and we visited Skiti Aghios Andrea on the edge of the town before joining the bus to Dafni. Once Russian, but abandoned in the 1970s - a victim of Balkan politics - the skiti was now home to 17 Greek monks, and its enormous, light-filled church had been wonderfully restored.
The atmosphere on the bus was fetid - the funk emanating from 50 or so unwashed pilgrims managed to fog the windows despite the heat outside - so it was a pleasure to climb aboard the ferry and enjoy the breeze. The sea was absolutely flat and the horizon merged seamlessly with the chalky-blue sky, a disorientation that matched my feelings about Athos.
Kostas had complained about the increasing commercialisation of the peninsula, at the requirement to prebook lodging and said that the monks were more worldly than when he first visited Athos as a child. He was, in essence, at odds with the encroachment of the outside world on Athos.
Travel is both discovery and dislocation, and I had never felt so different as I had on Athos. It wasn't just the day-for-night time shifts, my non-Orthodoxy or the unfamiliarity of the liturgy, it was a host of things - the language, the unapproachability of most of the monks, the burden of patience, humility, resilience and openness to new experiences it imposed on me (ironically, for this is the most closed of societies).
My final destination was Dionysiou, one of the so-called "hanging monasteries" of the south coast that rise almost organically from steep cliffs. The ferry passed Simonos Petras, the most spectacular of all, set 300 metres above the sea, and Osiou Grigoriou before arriving at Dionysiou. It was a stiff 10-minute climb from the port to the monastery.
Despite its proximity to the sea, Dionysiou seemed closed-in and claustrophobic. Its church almost filled the main courtyard, which was starved of light and encircled by a narrow alleyway covered in gloomy frescoes. Access to views of the coastline was denied to pilgrims, who looked instead into the maw of a gully sweeping down from the slopes of Mount Athos.
The church was as dark as the theme of the frescoes of martyrdom. Only one painting lightened the mood: a saint lashed to a large wheel was threatened by a row of spears, but he was being held away from danger by a cheerful little angel fluttering above him.
Dinner was meagre, although the refectory was large and splendidly frescoed - rice soup with dry bread and olives, and no wine - but little mattered when I discovered the hot showers and washed away three days of sweat and dust.
I slept in an eight-bed dormitory with a group of snoring middle-aged men from Macedonia and rose about 5.30am for the morning service. It was Sunday, and the service was followed by a feast of rice with tomato sauce and cups of red wine, followed by cake and a heaped platter of a gluey concoction of breadcrumbs that was carried around the room from one pilgrim to the next, and came with a blessing and the swish of an incense censer.
I left Athos as a new boatload of expectant pilgrims arrived. For me, there had been no epiphany, no road to Damascus. I went hoping to discover the past, and certainly found a version of it, albeit one replete with jarring modern touches. I found Athos to be like staring into a fogged mirror in which things were only half-revealed and half-explained - yet somehow I left seeing myself more clearly.
Maybe that's the secret of Athos. It gives you the time and the space to understand that the real discoveries are made within.
The process
Men can begin the process of obtaining a diamonitirion to visit Mount Athos by phoning the Pilgrims Bureau in Thessaloniki on 0011 30 2310 252 578. Office hours are 8.30am-2pm Monday to Friday, Saturday 10am-2pm. English is spoken. You will be asked the proposed dates of your stay, your occupation, your religion and, possibly, your reason for wishing to visit.
It pays to call several weeks ahead of a planned visit to see if permits are available. Only 10 non-Orthodox are permitted to enter Athos each day.
The next step is to mail to the bureau a photocopy of the identification page of your passport, after which you will receive a letter of confirmation. Two weeks before your visit, you must phone the bureau as reconfirmation.
You must attend the bureau in person, with your passport, at least one day before entering Athos. There you will be given a letter to hand in at the Pilgrims Bureau in Ouranopolis, where, for a fee of 35 euros, you will be given your diamonitirion.
Most monasteries and skites now require advance reservation of a bed. The letter of confirmation from Thessaloniki will include phone numbers for the monasteries. English may not be spoken by monks who answer the phones.
An overnight stay in Ouranopolis means you don't have to take the 6.30am bus from Thessaloniki to be at the bureau for its 8.10am opening. The boat for Dafni leaves at 9.45am; tickets from a small agency on the waterfront.
More info
Getting there: Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways International and Emirates Airlines have one-stop flights to from Melbourne. Olympic Airlines flies from to Thessalonki, from where there are several daily buses to Ouranapolis.
Visa requirements: Australian passport holders do not require a visa
Currency: $A1 is worth about 0.58 euros.
Quote, unquote: "All is quiet now but for the distant breaking of surf on the jetty and the faint echo and clatter of metal plates in the monastery kitchens. The silence and solemnity of the place is hardly designed to raise the spirits, but you could hardly find a better place to order your mind." -- William Dalrymple.


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Ko Tao is literally a divers paradise located in the Gulf of Thailand along with Ko Samui (tourist central, as mentioned before) and Ko Pang'an (The infamous Full Moon Party island) working as a triple threat of Thai archipelago. Ko Tao otherwise translated to English as Turtle Island is world renowned for diving. Actually, it is the cheapest with the highest number of certified PADI divers year after year in the world. Of course, on my way back to Bangkok, I couldn't have let this chance pass up to give it my try in diving. The thing about diving was that no matter your age, or for the most part… physical condition, most people can and with ease dive at their own pace. The only thing that left me worried was how my ears would respond to the water pressure as it is known to be one of the major obstacles in preventing people from diving deep at all. Regardless, it was worth a shot and why not do all or nothing by getting my PADI Open Water Diving Licence.
I knew prior to leaving Canada, that diving was something I really wanted to try to see if it was something for me. With the world being over 70% covered in water, if I really wanted to see the world, this was one way to see an important part of it, the underwater world.
After arriving in Surat Thani and being bombarded with a flurry of touts for ferry and transport services, I finally got it sorted with the company Lomprayah. After some research on pricing, schedules, speed and reliability, Lomprayah seemed to have the best reputation and I decided to go with them. I recommend to book and pay through one of their offices with a confirmation of tickets or else you may be left behind with no seats. They take their reservations quite seriously I found, and will not overbook unlike other Thai companies.
Donsak Pier in Surat Thani.
Pricing and schedule chart. From the airport I remember it being just slightly more pricey (~700 baht). More or less the same.
Their high speed catamarans.
Finally arrived at Ko Tao and DA beach.
Being the furthest of the 3 islands out from the mainland, Ko Tao has the best conditions for diving and snorkeling where the tides are situated so that when seasons change, the dives spots just change to another side of the island. It is what makes Ko Tao special being an island that has good conditions 365 days a year.
The streets are all well developed and paved. Made for easy exploration.
Shops, bars, restaurants, cafes, massage shops, and dive shops were pretty much the only things you see around here in Ko Tao. Oh and 7-Elevens.
Always crave a good burger and fries.
I did my PADI Open Water Course with Davy Jones' Locker. One of the medium sized dive shops where they limit the class sizes. I had originally wanted to attend the Full Moon Party on Ko Pang'an but that would have left me with too little time to complete my course on Ko Tao, so I rather did my diving. Because the Full Moon Party was scheduled when I took the course, most of the island was super quiet and I was the only open water student at the time. In the end, I had a DM (Divemaster) & a DMT (Divemaster Trainee) both accompany me to teach me.
DJL was also one of the dive shops that included accommodation with their courses as long as you dived with them. DJL was connected to the Koh Tao Backpackers Hostel.
8 person room and it was a constant mess. I remember we always left the AC on full so it was ridiculously cold inside the room but humid and freaking hot outside.
Weak showers and always a bad smell. Not the best facilities, but I'll take what I can get. It was just enough.
Out on the dive boat.
I couldn't believe how washed out the colours got from my GoPro. The deeper you descend, the more colours are lost and that's why you need filters. The first colour to go is red. I feel like I need to invest in some filters if I decide to continue with diving. Because for the most part, I was in the middle of the course and was not able to take many pictures, the DMT was kind enough to help me snap a few on my last dive. So imagine these pictures, but with a whole lot of more colour in it… the first time down to 18 meters, was thrilling. Instantly fell in love with it.
Saw some sea turtles, no pics though.
The PADI acronym stands for Professional Association of Diving Instructors and is the world's leading and largest recreational diving membership and diver training organization since its creation in 1966. The program divides diving levels into several sets of standardized techniques with the inclusion of experience. With a PADI diving licence, you can rent equipment and dive anywhere in the world. Along with PADI, SSI, Naui and several others are internationally recognized and you would be able to dive with no problems whichever school you would like to choose.
I completed my course with an old chap from the UK that lived in Australia named Martin and his Divermaster Trainee assistant was Sophie. Thanks to them both for their attentive and amazing instructions. I had a blast.
Wicked palm tree.
Another day another burger to try.
Crepe and a mango smoothie. God I love fruit smoothies.
I don't know why the sudden surge of Western food, probably because of the abundance of it found on Ko Tao. It almost felt like Thai food was scarce and hard to find.
This was actually clean… it got really messy later on.
Good group of us playing Kings. Everyone's a diver or snorkeler here.
Finally, after completing my course successfully and with some good rest, it was time to go home.
Easy to arrange with any travel agent or hostel on the island to get a free pickup with the return ticket to almost anywhere in Thailand. For me… it was a bus all the way back to Bangkok, last time I did this route it was over 13 hours. Fun fun.
Upon leaving, I met a few people that were from Myanmar… how did I know? They spoke Burmese which completely sounds different from Thai and the dead giveaway was some had the Thanaka paste on their faces to protect them from the sun. Typically Burmese. Interesting and quite frankly, took me long enough to discover the minute differences between all of South East Asia's neighbouring countries. Whether it be language, facial features, or culture, I started getting good at telling people apart. =) Huehuehue.
Peace out Ko Tao, see you next time!
Next update, I conquer Indonesia.