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Furniture Stores In Tampa Fl was posted on October 31, 2018 at 2:01 pm. It is uploaded on the Furniture category. Furniture Stores In Tampa Fl is tagged with Furniture Stores In Tampa Fl, Furniture, Stores, In, Tampa, Fl..
Furniture
fur•ni•ture
(fûr′ni chər),USA pronunciation n.
the movable articles, as tables, chairs, desks or cabinets, required for use or ornament in a house, office, or the like.
fittings, apparatus, or necessary accessories for something.
equipment for streets and other public areas, as lighting standards, signs, benches, or litter bins.
Also called bearer, dead metal. pieces of wood or metal, less than type high, set in and about pages of type to fill them out and hold the type in place in a chase.
In
(used to indicate inclusion within space, a place, or limits): walking in the park.
(used to indicate inclusion within something abstract or immaterial): in politics; in the autumn.
(used to indicate inclusion within or occurrence during a period or limit of time): in ancient times; a task done in ten minutes.
(used to indicate limitation or qualification, as of situation, condition, relation, manner, action, etc.): to speak in a whisper; to be similar in appearance.
(used to indicate means): sketched in ink; spoken in French.
(used to indicate motion or direction from outside to a point within) into: Let's go in the house.
(used to indicate transition from one state to another): to break in half.
(used to indicate object or purpose): speaking in honor of the event.
in that, because; inasmuch as: In that you won't have time for supper, let me give you something now.
adv.
in or into some place, position, state, relation, etc.: Please come in.
on the inside; within.
in one's house or office.
in office or power.
in possession or occupancy.
having the turn to play, as in a game.
[Baseball.](of an infielder or outfielder) in a position closer to home plate than usual; short: The third baseman played in, expecting a bunt.
on good terms; in favor: He's in with his boss, but he doubts it will last.
in vogue; in style: He says straw hats will be in this year.
in season: Watermelons will soon be in.
be in for, to be bound to undergo something, esp. a disagreeable experience: We are in for a long speech.
in for it, [Slang.]about to suffer chastisement or unpleasant consequences, esp. of one's own actions or omissions: I forgot our anniversary again, and I'll be in for it now.Also,[Brit.,] for it.
in with, on friendly terms with; familiar or associating with: They are in with all the important people.
adj.
located or situated within; inner; internal: the in part of a mechanism.
[Informal.]
in favor with advanced or sophisticated people; fashionable; stylish: the in place to dine; Her new novel is the in book to read this summer.
comprehensible only to a special or ultrasophisticated group: an in joke.
well-liked; included in a favored group.
inward; incoming; inbound: an in train.
plentiful; available.
being in power, authority, control, etc.: a member of the in party.
playing the last nine holes of an eighteen-hole golf course (opposed to out): His in score on the second round was 34.
n.
Usually, ins. persons in office or political power (distinguished from outs).
a member of the political party in power: The election made him an in.
pull or influence; a social advantage or connection: He's got an in with the senator.
(in tennis, squash, handball, etc.) a return or service that lands within the in-bounds limits of a court or section of a court (opposed to out).
v.t. Brit. [Dial.]
to enclose.
Tampa
Tam•pa
(tam′pə),USA pronunciation n.
a seaport in W Florida, on Tampa Bay: fishing resort. 271,523.
Tam′pan, n., adj.
Fl
FL,
Florida (approved esp. for use with zip code).
foreign language.
fL,
foot-lambert.
fl, [Sports.]
flanker.
Fl.,
Flanders.
Flemish.
fl.,
floor.
florin.
flourished.
Furniture Stores In Tampa Fl Collection are not for all, but you enjoy modern rooms, when you've an appreciation of the great traces in craft and architecture. Today, you most likely don't learn how to develop an ideal modern room design and you also may think it is something which the custom stars are responsible for, however you may also feel it with a small shopping, in your home cautiously.
Oftentimes, you should think about today's room like generating your room such as a public, set. The bedroom collection that is modern allows a contemporary art public to be created by you in your room.
Remember, while in the form of contemporary furniture following a function, the bits are obviously able to do their career, but the feeling of the public comes in the fact they lack the design ornaments. Alternatively, the bed room units are contemporary as well as the furniture is clear and crisp indesign and it is frequently a signature cut that will possibly endure by itself or work nicely with others.
You should start oneself, with the mattress, as this is the center of your bedroom memorial display. What to seek out in a Furniture Stores In Tampa Fl Set are smooth designs and contrasting hues. Usually the color of contemporary room sets will undoubtedly be dark, white and red. It might imply white bed black lumber and red pillows. Or you'll be able to search for room packages with material frames, dark mattresses and white glass highlights at the mind of the sleep.
There are many possibilities to possess this different shade to become the key on your bedroom layout. Next look at assistance furniture's pieces you need inside your bedroom. Possibly you can find a whole modern bedroom set that's everything you must complete the appearance you wish to your area. Before shopping, you should produce a list of the things you will need, to have most of the storage you desire, as well as items of feature furniture that is different that'll complement the design you strive at.
Again-this Furniture Stores In Tampa Fl Collection should match the contemporary content and color scheme of black or white wood, steel and glass accents. You might find a dressing table and a really contemporary piece with platinum steel accents that can offer a really pointed look. | {
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Dentist, Chennai
Personal Statement
I want all my patients to be informed and knowledgeable about their health care, from treatment plans and services, to insurance coverage....more
I want all my patients to be informed and knowledgeable about their health care, from treatment plans and services, to insurance coverage.
More about Dr. Gamal Abdul Nasser
Dr. Gamal Abdul Nasser is a renowned Dentist in Vepery, Chennai. He is currently practising at Dr.Gamal Abdul Nasser Clinic in Vepery, Chennai. Don’t wait in a queue, book an instant appointment online with Dr. Gamal Abdul Nasser on Lybrate.com.
Lybrate.com has an excellent community of Dentists in India. You will find Dentists with more than 34 years of experience on Lybrate.com. You can find Dentists online in Chennai and from across India. View the profile of medical specialists and their reviews from other patients to make an informed decision.
Diabetes is a degenerative disease, which affects your metabolism. As a result of metabolic irregularities, every part of the body is affected. The following are early indications of untreated diabetes:
-Increased thirst-Increased urination-Increased hunger
In addition to the ones above, the following are associated symptoms:
-Blurred vision-Headache-Fatigue-Slow healing of cuts-Itchy skin
How can diabetes affect your mouth?
-Diabetes increases the risk of infections and delayed regeneration of damaged/ dead cells. As a result, fungal infections like thrush may develop in your mouth.-Because of poor healing of wounds as a result of diabetes, extensive gum damage may occur.-Periodontitis is a severe effect of diabetes in which your gums begin to move away from your teeth, leading to a formation of pockets between your gums and teeth, which fill up with pus and germs. The damage can be stopped only with gum surgery and removal of affected teeth.
Prevention
The single most effective way to prevent damage to your teeth is to actively control blood sugar content by regularly taking medicines and following a healthy diet recommended by your doctor. Common methods of dental protection go a long way to help prevent oral problems because of diabetes. These include:
-Brush thoroughly and carefully after every meal (wait 30 minutes for food acids to neutralize, and then brush as this helps in effective cleaning)-Use non-alcoholic mouthwash to treat dry mouth and disinfect the oral cavity-Floss at least once everyday-Use a soft bristled toothbrush-Remove your dentures and clean them regularly. Do not sleep putting them on-Quit smoking, chewing tobacco and chewing gums with sugar in them
Gum diseases can be treated and reversed in their initial stages very easily. By getting the accumulated tartar and plaque removed by a dentist, there is a chance that they can get better without much ado
Today it is possible to save teeth if they are in good condition can be saved.For rest all your questions you need to visit clinic treatment, time and cost will depend on what is condition of remaining teeth.
Whitening toothpastes helps temporarily, to get stains removed from teeth take lemon juice in a spoon, dip brush or you can apply with fingertip also, apply over the stained teeth, keep for a minute and the rinse with water. It removes stain and as it contains citric acid/vit c which keeps teeth strong. This procedure should be done twice a week not more. Maintain proper stool habits.
Nylon (or multifilament) floss, waxed and unwaxed, is available in various flavours. Composed of many strands of nylon, this type of floss has a tendency of getting torn between teeth with tight contact points.
Lybrate-user
having small spot on lower teeth please take care of your oral hygiene.
Visit dental surgeon for scaling and polishing of teeth.
Use colgate-white tooth paste.
Rinse with listerine mouthwash. Before going to sleep.
Kindly consult a dentist in person for further suggestion. We need more investigations to decide upon treatment. You may need t. Rebagen 10, morning one tab & one at night for 5 days, along with c. Becosules 5 cap, for five days in the morning after meals. You may consult me in person too. Dental tips: - visit a dentist every six months. Gargle your mouth thoroughly after every meal. Scrub gently to clean your tongue with a tongue cleaner. Floss all your teeth inter dentally & brush twice daily, morning & night, up & down short vertical strokes, with ultra-soft bristles, indicator brush.
No braces does not lead to cancer. Brush twice daily, morning & night, up & down short vertical strokes, with ultra soft bristles orthodontic, indicator brush. Kindly consult a dentist in person for further suggestion. We need more investigations to decide upon treatment. You may consult me in person too.
Wisdom teeth usually make their appearance between the ages of 17 and 21, though it's possible for them to push through earlier or later. Referred to as your" third molars, these four teeth begin to push through the skin like any other tooth, which can cause pain. However, wisdom teeth are much more likely to grow in at an incorrect angle – even sideways – causing impaction that can radiate this pain to the teeth in front of it. | {
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More Patrick Dempsey photos
Patrick Dempsey
Patrick Galen Dempsey (born January 13, 1966) is an American actor, known for his role as neurosurgeon Dr. Derek Shepherd ("McDreamy") on the medical drama Grey's Anatomy. Prior to Grey's Anatomy, he made several television appearances, earning him an Emmy Award nomination. He has also recently appeared in several films, including Sweet Home Alabama, The Emperor's Club, Freedom Writers, Enchanted, Made of Honor, Valentine's Day, and Transformers: Dark of the Moon.
Recent news
15.11.07 - Selena Gomez seems to stay in the spotlight with her personal life. The young singer remains best known for her romance to Justin Bieber. However, things ended between the two and Selena is out there...
15.11.07 - Halle Berry has been through another divorce, but it seems that the famous actress is doing fine. The Hollywood star was spotted on the red carpet for the first time since her marriage to Olivier...
15.11.07 - Gwen Stefani and her former husband Gavin Rossdale ended their marriage back in August. The two have been married for no less than 13 years. However, things ended and Gwen is now dating Blake... | {
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Mukblog: iKON’s B.I. & Sour Cream and Onion Pringles
Get Ready! Pringles Time? 😟
Ever since the Mix and Match era, when iKON’s B.I.REFUSED to give Bobby any of his sour cream and onion Pringles, Ikonics knew that this rapper had finally found his first love in this snack. 😍
B.I. will share anything, from sappy love songs to skinship, but NOT his sour cream and onion chips! 😑
Don’t worry though. If you REALLY want to share Pringles with Hanbin, he might have a spare with him. 🤔
Now Ikonics know the perfect gift to get their favorite leader when they meet him in public, or at a fan sign event.
B.I. is also notorious for being gracious to fans who give him gifts at the airport, and you can bet he will take Pringles as a gift any day! 😁
B.I. has #SnackFever for Pringles, but which snacks give you SnackFever? Try a little with our Mini Box, try a little more with the Original Box, or GO BIG with a huge variety of K-Snacks with our Deluxe Box! We’ve got ’em all for you at SnackFever! | {
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HERE’S A REMINDER THAT RODRIGO TX HAS INCREDIBLE POP
And Perfect Flick Too
Rodrigo TX has some of the best flick and biggest pop in skateboarding. Numbers gave us a little reminder of that this morning with its latest Instagram clip. Everything in this is perfect. Miles Silvas mentioned that a new Numbers video will be dropping later this year in our interview with him from January. This clip definitely heightens the anticipation. | {
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Introduction
FME Server can create Server Apps that allow users to run a workspace and enter parameters without the need to log in. These apps allow users to update datasets on the fly while out in the field using their mobile phone. In this article, we show you how to setup Microsoft SQL and FME Server to respond to bulk feature database edits. If a small number of edits are being made, a single insert can also be set. This is described in the following article Single Edits SQL: Update a Database Using an FME Server App
Requirements
Downloads
Step-by-Step Instructions
Part 1: FME Desktop
Before we begin, we will need to open the two workspaces in FME Desktop to change the parameters to our own Microsoft SQL database.
1. Open FME Desktop
Note: If you completed the Single Edits SQL article, you can skip to Part 1 - Step 4 as you will already have the table loaded into your database.
First, we need to create a table in our database. Open CreateTableInSQL.fmwt and expand the Microsoft SQL writer in the Navigator window. Double-click on Connection to open the connection parameters.
In the Edit ‘Microsoft SQL [SQL_SPATIAL]’ dialog, click the drop-down next to Connection and click Add Database Connection.
Then add your Microsoft SQL database connection parameters. For more information on setting up a Microsoft SQL database connection, please see the article Viewing and Inspecting SQL Data. Once the connection has been added, ensure it is selected, and click OK.
2. Change Table Parameters
There is one more thing to change before we can run this workspace. Double-click on the Microsoft SQL Writer feature type to open the Feature Type parameters. Change the Table Qualifier name to the username of your database. For this example, we are using the dbo username. Once that is updated, click OK.
3. Run the workspace
Save the workspace and then run it. This will create a new table in your Microsoft SQL database called Tree_Survey.
Go into your Microsoft SQL database, or inspect the output in FME to confirm that the table was written correctly.
4. Open Second Workspace
Close the first workspace and then open BulkUploadTreeSurvey.fmw. This workspace reads in an Excel spreadsheet containing an entire neighborhood’s worth of a tree survey. The workspace will also read in the database table that we just created. Then using both data sources, the workspace will determine whether or not the data already exists in the database. Then based on the result, it will INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE the Excel data in the database.
Let’s go through what this workspace does:
a. Reads in the Excel spreadsheet containing all of the tree surveys for each neighborhood
b. Reads in the Tree_Survey database table created with CreateTableInSQL.fmwt. Then tests Tree_ID from the Excel spreadsheet exists in the database. If Tree_ID doesn’t exist, it will move on to the INSERT section. If the Tree_ID exists, it will move on to the UPDATE or DELETE section.
c. Tests to see if the tree has been removed, based on the Removed attribute. If yes, then it triggers the DELETE workflow. If no, then it moves to UPDATE.
d. Sets the database operation with the FME specific attribute fme_db_operation. Additionally, it cleans up any unneeded attributes.
e. Writes out to the same Microsoft SQL database table as the FeatureReader, and sets the database operation based on the fme_db_operation in the earlier AttributeManagers.
f. Cleans up attributes in preparation to write out to a log file.
g. Writes out the Database Operation, Date and which attributes were written to the database in a Microsoft Excel file. This file can be used to monitor changes to the database.
5. Update FeatureReader
In this second workspace, open the FeatureReader parameters and change the Connection to the Microsoft SQL connection you created in the previous workspace. Additionally, click the ellipsis next to Feature Types to Read and select the Tree_Survey in your database. Click OK to close the FeatureReader.
When you update the FeatureReader ensure that the output port yourusername.TREE_SURVEY is connected to the FeatureJoiner Right input port.
6. Update the Microsoft SQL Writer
Next, we will need to update the connection parameters for the Microsoft SQL Writer. In the Navigator window, change the Microsoft SQL connection to your connection, the same way as the previous workspace.
Once the connection is created, open up the Microsoft SQL Writer Feature Type and change the Table Qualifier to the username you used in the previous workspace, in this example, we are using dbo. Also change Table Name, if necessary.
7. Test the Workspace
Before we publish this workspace to FME Server, it is a good idea to test it locally. Ensure that Prompt for User Parameters is enabled and then run the workspace.
In the Translation Parameter Values dialog, select any ONE feature type from the Excel file. You can choose more than one, but it will cause the workspace to run slower.
You can ignore the Microsoft Excel File parameter, this will become relevant in FME Server.
Uncheck Save As User Parameter Default Values
Once the parameters are entered, click Run. This will trigger an INSERT in the database since this is new data. You can inspect the database to confirm this update. As well, you can also view the Microsoft Excel TreeLog, which will include the parameters we just set, the database operation INSERT and today’s date and time.
If you want to test DELETE and UPDATE, rerun the entire workspace and select the SAME Survey to Read parameter as before.
8. Publish to FME Server
Once you have confirmed that this workspace runs successfully with your database connection, it is time to publish it to FME Server.
Before publishing to FME Server, you need to decide if you want your Excel log file to be available to the user running the Server App. If you do not, you can either leave the Excel file to be updated locally on your machine OR you can set it up to update in the FME Server Resources folder.
To update the file to save it to FME Server, expand the TreeDatabase-LogReport writer in the Navigator window. Then double-click on the Destination Microsoft Excel File parameter to open up the edit dialog. In the edit dialog, click on the drop-down next to Destination Microsoft Excel File, then choose User Parameter > FME Server Parameters > FME_SHAREDRESOURCE_DATA. Then after $(FME_SHAREDRESOURCE_DATA) type in \ServerApps\TreeDatabase-LogReport.xlsx
$(FME_SHAREDRESOURCE_DATA)\ServerApps\TreeDatabase-LogReport.xlsx
Click OK. Save the workspace, and then click on the Publish icon in the top toolbar.
In the Publish to FME Server dialog, create an FME Server connection if you do not already have one. Then ensure this workspace is saved to a Repository called ServerApps. Be sure to upload your Microsoft SQL connection. Then register with the Job Submitter service if you want your log file private and/or the Data Download service if you want the log file to be public. The Data Download service will download the log Excel file every time the app is run.
Part 2: FME Server
With the workspace published, we can create an FME Server App. An FME Server App allows users to run an FME Server workspace without logging in. It also allows the user to run the workspace on their mobile phone. For more information on FME Server Apps, please see the article Getting Started with FME Server Apps.
1. Log into FME Server
Log into FME Server with an account that has privileges to create FME Server Apps. Once logged in, go to the Server Apps section and then click on Create.
Additionally, you can create an FME Server App through the Run Workspace Page Advanced section.
2. Create FME Server App
On the Create Server App page, give your app a name and short description. Then select the Repository and Workspace.
Choose which Service you want to use. Remember if you want your log file public, use the Data Download service, if you want it private, use the Job Submitter.
Next, check the Expiration date. By default, apps are set to expire in 10 years. It might be a good idea to set this expiration date to a shorter time. This expiration time can be changed at any time.
Finally, ensure that User Can Upload is enabled. This allows the user to upload a new Excel file to the app.
Now expand the Parameters section, and double-check the defaults for the app. If your parameters have values next to them, click on the Reset button. By setting all the values to blank, this will ensure that the user doesn’t miss a parameter when they enter their own values. Also ensure that all of the desired parameters are being shown in the app, which is indicated by the green checkmark next to each parameter.
Finally, you can expand the Customize Appearance section and add color, text, or images to your final app page.
Once you are satisfied with your app, click OK. You will get a URL that links to your app.
3. Test App
Click on the URL that was provided at the end up the app setup.
Note: To share the FME Server App with anyone, the FME Server must be accesses externally, not internally using localhost.
If you navigated away from the page with the URL, you can access it again by going to Server Apps on the side menu and then clicking on the URL icon next to your app name. | {
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Wednesday, October 08, 2008
New to Ink? What Not To Get...
Thinking of getting a tattoo? If you don't have one already, please read this first!
I have compiled a list of the top five cheesiest tattoos to-date. Nothing says, "sad", like someone showing off that fresh cookie-cutter tat. Most people (myself included) have a tattoo or tattoos that they regret, and ultimately pay to have it covered up. While I'm grateful that I have never sported the following tattoos, I understand that we all make mistakes. If you have one of these, don't take it personal, I'm just trying to help the next generation of collectors.
#1: Arm Bands
Nothing screams narcissistic meat-head like a barbed-wire arm band. It doesn't make you look tough, it makes you look like you've picked up more dumbbells than books.Examples
#2: Tramp Stamp
Don't feel bad for thinking about getting one, as long as you don't go through with it. Ever see a heap of trash peaking out of a dumpster? Get one of these and that's what people will see when you're wearing one of those trendy 'lil tank tops. Don't worry though, you can't see them snicker from behind.Examples
#3: Tribal
Unless this is an ancestral tradition, you have no business going with tribal. You're not George Clooney in, "From Dusk 'Till Dawn", no matter how much tribal you go with. For the ultimate expression of lackluster creativity, see the following formula: Tribal + Arm Band = Dull.Examples
#4: Name That Ex
Don't curse the love of your life by putting their name on you! One for the price of two! Tattoo artists love doing these; it's only a matter of time before you're paying them again for a cover-up. Do you really need an example?
#5: Chinese Symbol
Ever see a Chinese person with a single syllable noun written in English on their body? Me neither, so why is it cool for an American that most likely took Spanish as their second language to get a Chinese symbol tattoo? Answer- it's not. Love, Strength, Peace etc, just keep this in mind- most of the time you end up getting the wrong translation. You look at that fresh tattoo in the mirror and see the Chinese symbol for, "Strength". Go to Beijing and a crowd of onlookers gather to gawk at the stupid American that has, "Diarrhea" tattooed on their arm. No matter what Chinese symbol you choose, the final translation is always, "lame".Examples
4 Comments:
A blog worth reading on forward until the end! :) I really admire the wording in this blog, quite precise to the details but I just might change one or two things, never-the-less, bravo on well choiced words mate.. p.s.>> Thanks for sharing, I actually picked up some knowledge on this one :)-Have an amazing day! | {
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Customer Reviews
Les Alpages de Chantel Reviews
Very luxurious well equipped great views, good rooms with spacious and homely feel. very convenient for the slopes. Will book again.
Bob Gibbs
0 of 0 people found this review useful.
- 27/57/2011
Overall
This is a good ski in ski out property although it is not an ideal location for walking in to the town or rather back from the town at night. The facilities on offer are great for relaxing after a hard days skiing although the pool can get a bit crowded with kids.
Les Arcs 1800 has the most nightlife and the widest selection of restaurants / shops / bars. There is a bus that links the other villages running during the day including stopping at Les Arcs 1600 to link with the funicular to Bourg St Maurice (Main Train Station with connections to Paris and London). | {
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I absolutely love blimps, zeppelins, and other Heavier-Than-Air (HTA) craft. I think the time has come for this technology (which is now mature) to be utilized in new and innovative ways, from sky cranes that can carry large loads that roads and railways cannot handle to sky-going liners that are able to show tremendous views that cannot be seen on the ground. In many places aeroscraft can be used to better our lives without pouring billions and trillions into road and rail infrastructure. One of the more interesting uses of blimps is for scouting, long-endurance AWACs patrols, ballistic missile defense, and Navy resupply (which can be done 3 times faster using blimps). Heavier-Than-Air ships can carry much larger loads than traditional blimps and zeppelins as well and emergency blimps with communication packages can be launched after major earthquakes or attacks to allow emergency services cell phone use in its aftermath. | {
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Special thanks to Sage for bringing us his Whipple Super Charged SS! I think it came out Awesome, we moved the water pump to the other side of Heat Exchanger with a 6061 aluminum bracket, turned pump over and increased water flow. Sage said IATs were lower without the AC even on. This also gets rid of that water line that crosses over behind radiator. Water drops direct from reservoir to pump. I didn’t even have to bleed system at all when filled.
After this change the Whipple Super Chiller Kit is nearly the same as a Maggie Kit. I have one Whipple Kit going to Canada as soon as I get back from Camro5Fest but after that they are available. I will have the Whipple specific parts on display at Indy. | {
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Jonah Smith Band
Help this show trend
Bio
Award-winning songwriter, Jonah Smith was a staple on the New York music scene since his debut record in 2001. In 2012, Smith wrote, produced and released two albums, one of which was nominated for Rock Album of the year by the IMA's. At the end of 2012, he moved to Los Angeles to where he continues to record and perform. This show is a homecoming for Smith who will reunite with his longtime...
more
Award-winning songwriter, Jonah Smith was a staple on the New York music scene since his debut record in 2001. In 2012, Smith wrote, produced and released two albums, one of which was nominated for Rock Album of the year by the IMA's. At the end of 2012, he moved to Los Angeles to where he continues to record and perform. This show is a homecoming for Smith who will reunite with his longtime band as well as a CD release show for a new acoustic EP produced by Andy Stack and Jonah Smith and recorded in Andy's kitchen in Long Island City. Smith is known to lead one of the tightest bands in New York with musicians that can play over four hours of his material on command.
"Mr. Smith's folk songs are equally well suited to downtown lounges and rural front porches, and his languid, easy vocals are pleasantly textured" -New York Times | {
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Home » OneComply releases compliance and licensing solution with support from GameCo
OneComply releases compliance and licensing solution with support from GameCo
19 May 2020
Las Vegas-based GameCo and Vancouver-based OneComply have entered into a service agreement that will see the launch of OneComply, a web-based compliance and licensing solution.
Arguably one of the United States' most strictly regulated industries, the gambling sector is expected to adhere to extensive jurisdictional licensing and investigation processes. Individuals and companies must manually file and submit lengthy applications to each jurisdiction for investigation and approval. This causes confusion on requirements, breakdown in operational and legal efficiencies, and out of date submissions as time goes on.
Founded by a team of former casino executives, tech engineers, regulatory investigators and gaming counsel, OneComply has developed a comprehensive solution that allows gambling and gambling-related companies to store their licensing data and documentation for ongoing governance, regulatory investigation and the immediate creation of jurisdictional applications in secure cloud software.
“While we fully support the need for extensive applications and background investigations, a modernisation of the process is urgently needed as companies look to maintain and grow their business efficiently. As a gaming executive, the amount of time spent not only with accountants and lawyers working on completing the documents but the time spent ensuring this information was consistent across applications and appropriately secured was an exhaustive drain of time and money that is better spent on running business operations,” said Cameron Conn, CEO, and co-founder of OneComply.
“As a licensed manufacturer, we are constantly balancing market demand for our products with the ability to meet regulatory scale. We believe OneComply would reduce time, money and complexity while delivering to the highest common standard,” said Blaine Graboyes, CEO of GameCo.
“We are very excited about the launch of the OneComply solution with GameCo. Support from companies like GameCo has been vital in ensuring the impactfulness of the product. We truly feel this will ease the ongoing stress companies face when meeting application and licensing requirements,” added Conn.
OneComply is currently focusing on the North American Market with full product scalability to meeting global regulatory requirements by 2021. | {
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Right Royal Small Business Promotion What started off as a bit of fun during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations on Twitter in 2012 hasn’t half evolved over the years. In the beginning the idea was simply to create badges for the winning business, something a... | {
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Improve the alignment between the Wikimedia movement's strategy and spending;
Support greater impact and progress towards achieving shared goals; and
Enable all parts of the movement to learn how to achieve shared goals better and faster.
Funded activities should align with the movement's strategic priorities, must be consistent with the WMF mission, must be for charitable purposes as defined in the grant agreement, must be reported to WMF, and must otherwise comply with the grant agreement. The WMF mission is "to empower and engage people around the world to collect and develop educational content under a free license or in the public domain, and to disseminate it effectively and globally."
Each entity that receives FDC funding will need to complete this report on a quarterly basis, which seeks to determine how the funding received by the entity is leading towards these goals. The information you provide will help us to:
Ensure accountability over how the money was spent. The FDC distributes "general funds", for both ongoing and programmatic expenses; these funds can be spent as the entity best sees fit to accomplish its stated goals. Therefore, although line-item expenses are not expected to be exactly as outlined in the entity's proposal, the FDC wants to ensure that money was spent in a way that led to movement goals.
Assess the performance of the entity over the course of the funded period against the stated objectives in the entity's annual plan.
Identify lessons learned, in terms of both what the entity learned that could benefit the broader movement, and how the entity used movement-wide best practices to accomplish its stated objectives.
The purpose of this section is to provide a brief overview of this report. Please use no more than 1-2 paragraphs to address the questions outlined below. You will have an opportunity to address these questions in detail elsewhere in this report.
CHANGES: Please describe how you changed your plans and budget based on the FDC allocation approved by the Board in December 2012, and your rationale for these changes. You can then use the changed plans and budget as the basis on which to report back on the first quarter.
As the round 1 FDC allocation was a bridge funding until round 2, it would be quite lengthy to go through all the changes we made line by line. If you need more details, you can find on our post round 1 reviewed budget for the period from mid November to end of Q2. As an overview, we postponed to after the FDC round 2 any new project, and all recruitements as well (save the administrative assistant). The programmatic budget were sized down to their bare minimum. We removed all planned fundings to support international Wikimedia events (such as the Wikimedia Conference or Wikimania). Regarding Wikimania, we sized down the number of Wikimedia France official representatives to 4 persons plus up to 5 members (as a comparison we had 3 time this year budget last year to support editors to go to Wikimania). The following report is based on our new budget but we tried to use our round 1 proposal basis to makes its reading and comparison with the proposal easier.
HIGHLIGHTS: What were 1–2 important highlights of the past quarter? (These may include successes, challenges, lessons learned.)
Public Domain Day : successful event, with good collaboration with french partners such as the local OKFN reps. Over 80 attendees, a good outreach event to help people understand what is Public Domain.
WIKI-FOCUS: What Wikimedia projects was your entity focused on (e.g., Wiki Commons, French Wiktionary) this quarter?
French Wikipedia : Training sessions targeted toward several different types of new contributors, development of the Framakey-Wikipedia (Wikipedia offline on a USB stick made available online and in some libraries)
Wikimedia Commons : Many uploads from people that benefited of support from Wikimedia France (media accreditations, photo equipment, photo parties) ; a new mass-upload project (the Ancely collection), improvement of the categorization and metrics for photos "supported by Wikimedia France"
GROWTH: How did your entity grow over the past quarter vs. the previous quarter (e.g., Number of active editors reached/involved/added, number of articles created, number of events held, number of partipants reached through workshops)?
Regarding new contributors
Number of new contributors (thanks to Wikimedia France programs): around 400
Number of new articles created : around 200 on fr:WP
Number of files uploaded on Wikimedia Commons by new contributors: more than 100
Total volume of edits : around 1 Mo
About enrichment of Wikimedia content by wikimedians thanks to Wikimedia France
Number of files uploaded "supported by Wikimedia France": around 4,000
The FDC requires information about how your entity received and spent money over the past year. The FDC distributes general funds, so your entity is not required to use funds exactly as outlined in the proposal. While line-item expenses will not be examined, the FDC and movement wants to understand why the entity spent money in the way it did. If variance in budgeted vs. actual is greater than 20%, please provide explanation in more detail. This helps the FDC understand the rationale behind any significant changes. Note that any changes from the Grant proposal, among other things, must be consistent with the WMF mission, must be for charitable purposes as defined in the grant agreement, must be reported to WMF, and must otherwise comply with the grant agreement. The WMF mission is "to empower and engage people around the world to collect and develop educational content under a free license or in the public domain, and to disseminate it effectively and globally."
Table 2Please report all spending in local currency unless US$ is requested.
Please include any in-kind contributions or resources that you have received in this revenues table. This might include donated office space, services, prizes, food, etc. If you are to provide a monetary equivalent (e.g. $500 for food from Organization X for service Y), please include it in this table. Otherwise, please highlight the contribution, as well as the name of the partner, in the notes section.
Revenue source
Currency
Anticipated
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Cumulative
Anticipated ($US)*
Cumulative ($US)*
Explanation of variances from plan
FDC allocation
Euro (€)
73,800
73,800
73,800
96,309
96,309
Due to exchange rate changes, the USD amount is slightly above than when the allocation was approved in November. We transfered the EUR defined during the Round 1
Table 3Please report all spending in local currency unless US$ is requested.
(The "budgeted" column should reflect the total anticipated for the year, the "cumulative" column refers to the total spent to date this year, and the "percentage spent to date" is the ratio of the cumulative over against the budgeted.)
Expense
Currency
Budgeted
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Cumulative
Budgeted ($US)*
Cumulative ($US)*
Percentage spent to date
Explanation of variances from plan
Francophonie and Languages
Euro (€)
19,300
2,133
2,133
25,186
2,783
2nd deployment of Afripedia planned for Q2
GLAM
Euro (€)
10,000
802
802
13,050
1,047
We have found solutions for free-of-charges training sessions and events. More expenses planned for Q2.
Community
Euro (€)
5,875
1,981
1,981
7,666
2,585.21
Communication and pedagogical material
Euro (€)
4,700
1,100
1,100
6,133
1,435
We are working on new material (bookshelfs, annual report), expenses planned for Q2.
Europeana
Euro (€)
30,000
30,000
30,000
39,150
39,150
All expenses were planned for Q1.
Research and Education
Euro (€)
8,500
182
182
11,092
238
Projects to be funded during Q2 (Research award, Wikiconcours)
Semanticpedia
Euro (€)
18,500
0
0
24,142
0
Projects to be funded during Q2
Wikimania
Euro (€)
10,000
0
0
13,050
0
Planned for Q2
Functionning
Euro (€)
67,500
33,754
33,754
88,087.50
44,048
Fundraising
Euro (€)
31,000
40,412
40,412
40,455
52,737
2012 fundraising was much more efficient than expected. Though this is a good thing it generated extra cost, especially in managing the influx of cheques we received.
This section addresses the impact of the programs / initiatives* and objectives your entity has implemented over the past quarter and the progress your entity is making toward meeting this year's goals. We understand that some metrics may not be applicable in this quarterly report, so please add metrics here if they are applicable.
*In the last round, the FDC used the term 'initiative', but this round, we are using the term 'program.'
Progress against these objectives (include metrics and # of volunteers/staff involved)?
Wikimédia France Research Award :
30 votes from selected articles by the jury
2 blog posts for the announcement of the selected papers
delay on the announcement of the winner: done on April 29th
Partnership with Société Française d'Écologie (planned for September 2013)
delayed during the kick-off meeting, planned for September 2013
Work with academic world :
planning of several trainings with researchers working groups (planned for September 2013)
Activities conducted.
Wikimédia France Research Award
What worked and what did not?
We have fallen behind the Wikimedia France Research Award planning and very few community members voted on selected papers by the jury, mainly due to a lack of communication and interest for the whole community on this project.
What is planned for later this year:
co-planification to participate at a study day dedicated to Wikipedia and the science (on the right track)
pre-launching of AMCSTI partnership in order to encourage scientific literacy actors to contribute on Wikipedia (on the right track)
Training sessions were not very successfull because of brevity of the sessions
We due to not organize some training sessions for GLAM institutions because of lack of time from GLAM institutions and us (lack of time and funds to recruite new staff)
Conferences are very successfull : we were invited in the most important annual conference about museums, culture and innovation in France to present GLAM projects for + 300 people with several testimonies by GLAM already involved in GLAM projects with us
Mass upload projects are very difficult because of a lot of work needed by few volunteers able to prepare quality uploads.
Public Domain Day was a very successful project, conducted with OKFN France. We had more people than last year and a lot of speakers and artists to promote Public Domain and remix of Public Domain
Phœbus project continues to be successfull. The facts that the POTY was made because of this project was very pleasant for volunteers involved in the project
Develop offline access to Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects thanks to Wi-Fi networks without Internet connexion. Offline access is shared with a "plug computer" which creates Wi-Fi network. This network shares Wikipedia through the Kiwix software. The project is made with help and support from the Kiwix team, the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie and the Institut Français.
Using the opportunity of this offline deployment where Internet access is rare and expensive, to train people to well use Wikipedia offline, and to contribute on Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects using the poor local connexion, to give them all the keys to become contributors and leaders of the future Wikimedian communities.
Events and workshops in partnership with institutions and communities to present Wikipedia and promote contribution ; creation of new Wikipedia in local languages ; progression of contributions in Wikipedia already active
Realization of a francophone newsletter about the Wikimedia projects (inspired by The Signpost and the French Regards sur l'Actualité de Wikipédia) ;
Coordination to promote the projects outside the Wikimedia world (eg. international organization of Francophonie) ;
Help and sustain to create new chapters in French-speaking countries (Belgium, Tunisia, etc.)
Metrics
Afripédia
Do at least 3 missions to deploy Afripédia with user training
Metrics regarding the 1st deployment:
Having 50% trainers compliant with the objectives fixed in November
Deployment of Afripédia material
Personal activity as a contributor (100 edits, 5 new articles)
Organize 1 presentation of Afripedia project and 1 training session
Metrics regarding Afripédia contributors
All contributors are identified with the Afripédia userbox
Average 4 edits by contributor
Average 15% of contributors are autonomous after 1 month
80% of content is not reverted
Organize the 2nd deployment and training session
French-speaking Wikimedia community
Helping to create (or support the creation of) 2 new Francophone chapters
Organizing a francophone meeting into the Wikimedia movement
Creating at least one project together in the francophone group
Languages
Help to create at least 2 new Wikimedia projects in local languages
Organize a meeting or a project for the contributors in regional languages in France
Progress against these objectives (include metrics and # of volunteers/staff involved)?
Afripédia
Deployment : 50% of trainers are OK (in 5 countries), other did not respond about the deployment. Pages views are not very high now. We had a few problem with stats on the plug computers and not enough people who know that Wikipedia is available with offline access (partial stats).
Afripedia contributors : 100 new users, 12 autonomous (we define an editor as autonomous if he edits again outside the scope of the training sessions), 12 new articles, + 70,000 bytes of text, 226 edits: ok for the retention, no ok for the average number of edits by user, ok for content
Afripedia trainers (people trained at the 1st deployment in November) : 16 editors, 650 edits, 108 new articles, 285,000 bytes of text ==> large difference between trainers : 50% of them are very active on Wikipedia and the other 50% are not active.
February : first report with trainers, help to organize training sessions and stats report for Afripédia
March :
new content available for Afripedia (fr.wikisource [download.kiwix.org/zim/wikisource_fr_all.zim.torrent torrent]), organisation of the 2nd deployment (planned for May-early June)
organize future training session in French Indian Ocean territories to learn how to contribute in local languages
What worked and what did not?
Afripédia
For the most part, what worked is the deployment of the Afripedia project in some countries like Mali, Centrafrican Republic and Chad: trainers are very active on Wikipedia, they are able to train other people to contribute. In these countries, we have the most important part of new editors. In Mali, people has a good reflexion about the way to improve success and work to have a better organization and communication
The plug computer which allows offline access is definitively a good way to share Wikimedia content in poor-access areas. In Mali, people install offline Wikipedia in a lot of computers in country. In the universities, like in Niger, every department wants to have its Afripedia material and we must find a solution to give them (financial and material solution). IFADEM, a network for teachers formation in Africa, wants to buy around 100 Afripedia plug computer to install in primary schools in several countries of Africa
What did not work is the motivation of certain people: they were very enthusiasts during the training sessions and are not serious for the deployment of Afripedia project. They don't answer to emails and we don't know if they have organized deployment and formations. We need to have a support from the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie to coordinate reports and deployment in the different universities (in progress for the 2nd session)
We had some problems to have the right communication on universities : not enough people know that Afripedia is available and free to use. We worked with Malian people to improve communication for students and teachers
French-speaking projects and languages: no progress due to a lack of time.
We need to have a dedicated project manager to sustain these activities: because of the distance and a specific need of support, it is very complicated to be enough in touch with people and to sustain the project day after day without specific people in charge of the projects.
Host Semanticpedia, a website to coordinate work and innovation about semantic extractions of Wikimedia projects (now Semanticpedia is hosted by Inria, a research and innovation institute who is a partner of the project) [6]
Metrics
At least 3 institutional reusers of DBPedia:fr in June
Hosting Semanticpedia website in June 2013
Organize a contest to encourage datavizualisation and other apps to improve Wikipedia (for June)
Progress against these objectives (include metrics and # of volunteers/staff involved)?
Now we have 2 institutional reusers in GLAM institution who work with DBPedia:fr (beta release), the "Cité de la Musique" (national museum of Music) future website and HDA-Lab, the beta-website of "History of Arts", an institutional website hosted by French ministry of Culture to Art education [7]
Stats and evaluation are in progress to prepare hosting of Semanticpedia website by Wikimedia France
1 brainstorming with ministry of culture and INRIA researchers about new semantic projects (especially Wiktionary)
Preparation of hosting
What worked and what did not?
We had a very good visibility after the signature of the partnership in November, with the Ministry of Culture herself. But after this moment, many people from institutions were very enthusiastic about the project without well understanding what it means really. We did not have pedagogical material to explain how functions DBPedia (in French) and spent a lot of time explaining the project.
We need to prepare more communication material and pedagogical material to share with institutions and reusers
We have an active community of reusers outside cultural and institutional world many young entrepreneurs work with DBPedia:fr: we need to better respond to them and encourage them to share their work and work to improve Wikipedia with their innovations.
We did not have enough time to start the dataviz and apps contest but we will start before June to encourage work around Semanticpedia project
Jérémy Cadot (on the left) parries the flèche attack from Andrea Baldini during the final of the Challenge international de Paris (foil world cup tournament in Paris). − Event attended with a Wikimédia France accreditation
A key objective of the funding is to enable the movement as a whole to understand how to achieve shared goals better and faster. An important way of doing this is to identify lessons learned from entities who receive funds, and to share these lessons across the movement. The purpose of this section is to elicit some of these insights, which will be shared throughout the movement. Please answer the following questions in 1–2 paragraphs each.
What were your major accomplishments in the past quarter, and how did you help to achieve movement goals?
We hired in January an administrative secretary who did an important work in structuring administrative and financial issues. She is well integrated within the organisation and provides important support for the activities of the association and its members. We are helped since March by a communication intern, who helps us to strengthen our communication with volunteers, Wikimedians and donors.
Many projects were continued despite the lack of funds and capacity to hire new staff dedicated to the programs: Public Domain Day, various editing workshops for targeted audience and by local groups, training sessions with PhD students which work very well, GLAM partnerships in progress. New projects were postponed to late 2013, pending FDC round 2.
What were your major setbacks in the past quarter (e.g., programs that were not successful)?
Lack of time for Afripedia and French language projects: lot of work needed, very hard to do without dedicated staff. We also had some delay because of work with external partners: difficulties to work on the same calendar (at one time they may be able to work quickly, while we cannot ; and at another time, it might be the opposite).
Wikimedia France Research Award: we had some delays and very little visibility. We had problems with organization and participation: scarce interest came from the Wikimedia community (only very specific people were interested by this project), and our communication was insufficient
What factors (organizational, environmental) enabled your success?
Better visibility for Wikimedia France and well recognition by partners: for many years we worked to be viewed as a strong partner for culture and knowledge sharing, and to have successful partnerships with institutions. Now, when we contact a potential partner to start a project, we are often well-known as "serious partner".
Regional groups: we do our best to support any interesting project hosted by local groups. We have some strong communities in several cities in France, and try to help them experiment local projects and be autonomous for local actions. "Wikipermanences", photo parties, GLAM or educational training sessions are in progress in > 6 different cities in France, with experience sharing between groups and help from staff members.
What unanticipated challenges did you encounter and how did this affect what you were able to accomplish?
Lack of new staff for programs (because of lack of money). We focused on carrying our successful actions without starting brand new projects.
Even though it was an informed decision, it was not anticipated that we would postpone the new ED recruitement to Q2. This resulted in an increase of workload for employees and board members.
What changes might you make in executing your initiatives into the next quarter?
Increase communication for community and outside public. We have a fellow for communication since March for that. We believe that he will help make WMFR's actions be known at a larger scale, and avoid some projects being unsuccessful because of a lack of communication (e.g. Prix de la Recherche)
Staff positions will be more precisely defined in an official document, in order to have missions and objectives of each staff made clear for everyone, to have a better organization and distribution of work between the staff and to better sustain volunteers actions
Is your organization compliant with the terms outlined in the grant agreement?[edit]
As required in the grant agreement, please report any deviations from your grant proposal here. Note that, among other things, any changes must be consistent with our WMF mission, must be for charitable purposes as defined in the grant agreement, and must otherwise comply with the grant agreement.
There were major changes in our plan due to the round 1 FDC gap funding. Mostly we postponed all our new projects to Q3 2013, after the FDC round 2.
We carried on successful and on-going projects, such as GLAM partnerships, education programs and Afripedia.
All new recruitments were postponed to our 2013 - 2014 fiscal year save for our administrative assistant as we believed that this profile would be key to our reorganization.
The departure of our ED represent an important change and led us to hire a HR firm to lead an internal audit of the organisation. The lessons learnt from this audit will be shared with the movement in the coming weeks.
Are you in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as outlined in the grant agreement? Please answer "Yes" or "No".
Yes
Are you in compliance with provisions of the United States Internal Revenue Code (“Code”), and with relevant tax laws and regulations restricting the use of the Grant funds as outlined in the grant agreement? Please answer "Yes" or "No". | {
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1 Wildwood Rd,
Lawton,
OK
73507
Please call or text Stefanie Johnson at 580 583 5238 for the most current and more information on this property and/or to set up a showing. Spectacular 6 bedroom, 6 bath mansion features 2 car garage w/circular drive, sparkling clear Olympic sized in-ground pool and hot tub, pool house, cabana w/bar, 2 pavilions and so much more on 4 acres close to Medicine Park, Lake Lawtonka and across the street from Fort Sill’s Apache Gate.
Home Estimate History
Houses for Sale Nearby
This advertisement does not suggest that the broker has a listing or has done a transaction in this property or properties, nor does it suggest, directly or indirectly that the advertising broker was involved in the transaction. | {
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Local Racetrack Among the Last in Mid-Missouri
CALLAWAY COUNTY - When the sun goes down on this quiet county road, Friday nights get a little louder.
At the end of each week in the summer, people from all over mid-Missouri come to Callaway Raceway to watch drivers fight for the finish line.
As for the competition, 16-year veteran racer Jason Russell said, "It's usually pretty friendly, but once you're on the track it's everyone for themselves."
Drivers from six different racing classes compete on the track's quarter-mile dirt oval to see who will get to the checkered flag first.
"Everybody loves it," said fan Karley Jeffery, "It's the best place to be on a Friday night."
"I've been coming here for six years," said long time racing fan Chase Shaw, "Friday nights would be a lot slower if Fulton didn't have this racetrack."
Callaway Raceway never has a problem filling the bleachers, but other local racetracks aren't able to say the same.
Callaway Raceway's co-owner Betty Atterberry said the only green being seen by most racing businesses is on the "go" light.
"It's hard," she said, "Money is tight."
With the closing of 24 Raceway in Moberly and Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Callaway Raceway is one of the last in a dying breed.
Although the track and the drivers that race there are partially supported by sponsors such as Callaway Bank and the Central Bank of Fulton, Atterberry said the most credit is given to the fans for her track's survival.
"We can get the drivers," she said, "But it's people coming into the stands is what's kept us going."
She said the fans keep coming back because of the track's safe and fun family atmosphere.
"We try to keep the prices down so it's family oriented. We don't sell liquor, either," she said.
Atterberry also said the track saves money through the help of family, friends, and volunteers who do the majority of the work.
Races are scheduled for each Friday through September, weather permitting. | {
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Laziness and procrastination is the killer of creativity, focus and goal. Once you start procrastinate; everything will be undone at the end of the day. Days after days you will find yourself doing unimportant stuffs and extra-entertaining jobs that has nothing to do with your goal and dream. In this infographic; I have curated 6 […] | {
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When I send up the verkramptes, I am always sending up the verkrampte ghosts in me. But I never poke fun at people - it's their ATTITUDES that I find funny. Some of them seem to have their scripts all mixed up.
Soon censorship will become a luxury of the past. When I recently spoke to an okie connected with the censor board about why 'Mad Max' wasn't banned, his reply was that the youth of today must get used to violence as that will soon be their way of life! It's a sobering thought. | {
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But when she arrived at Heathrow on September 22 with her eight-month-old daughter, border officials said her passport had been reported as stolen by the Syrian authorities.
The 31-year-old was only granted access to the UK because she had a second passport - yet it is full with no space for another visa and is due to expire next year.
Ms Erhaim told the Press Association that the actions of the officials suggested that Britain stands by "a legitimate dictator", and that the country was "taking his (Assad's) side against all of those who demand a chance for freedom and defend their basic rights".
She said: "I think if they really believe it was stolen they wouldn't let me in because then I'm going to be a thief and they should have arrested me, at least. But because they knew that it's not a legitimate government against a citizen - it's like a criminal regime against a journalist - that's why they let me in."
The reporter, who studied for a masters in international journalism at City University London a few years ago, said that while she understood Britain has "rules", it needed to adapt them to consider the political implications.
"You're claiming to be friends with Syria but you're acting against the Syrians that you claim you are friends with," Ms Erhaim said.
A Home Office spokeswoman said the Government has "no direct contact with the Assad regime due to the atrocities it has committed against the Syrian people" but that it would be "irresponsible to ignore warnings about lost or stolen passports".
Ms Erhaim claims that Assad flagged her passport as stolen to stop her from travelling outside the country and speaking loudly about "the crimes and the atrocities committed by the regime".
She said her reporting of humanitarian issues in Syria was "obviously" something the regime found "threatening".
Ms Erhaim also accused the British government of being involved in the military operations in Syria without helping those displaced by the war.
"You're bombing the Syrians but you're not actually dealing with the consequences of that bombing which is the refugees. So you bomb their houses but you don't find an alternative house for those that are running away.
"British, Russia, US - those are the countries which are taking the least refugees and those are the countries that are involved in the military operations."
Her comments came as foreign secretary Boris Johnson said he would like to see demonstrations outside Russia's embassy over Moscow's involvement in the Syrian conflict.
But Ms Erhaim said the government simply needed to remove the Syrian president, and that if they wanted to, "they could".
"Removing Assad from power would, I think, be the first step to end the refugee crisis, to end the Isis crisis, to start the negotiations.
"Everything would be starting actually from after that but there is no intention obviously at the moment in the international community to deal with this."
The journalist, who will leave Britain in the next fortnight when her visa expires, said it was "impossible" to return to Syria where she would "definitely be killed under torture".
Instead, Ms Erhaim will return to Turkey using a tourist residency visa, but will be stranded without a passport when it expires next year. | {
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Turkey’s Privatization Administration (ÖİB) is working on a new model to privatize Başkent Doğalgaz, Ankara’s natural gas grid which has seen multiple privatization failures, Ahmet Aksu, the head of the administration has said. A new tender will be initiated as soon as possible, he added. “We could not achieve our goal on Başkent Doğalgaz as our vision has not matched up with that of investors,” he said.
“We are working on a new model [to privatize the natural gas grid] for the next tender bearing in mind [the experiences we have had] from previous tenders. We will hold talks with the Ministry of Energy, the Energy Market Regulatory Authority [EPDK] and the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality.”
Port privatizations
Noting that several properties of various scales are put on tender every day, he said, “Tenders including the İzmir, Derince and Tekirdağ ports and Galataport will be initiated this year.”
The authority plans to privatize the İzmir Cruise Port and four or five marinas this year as well, he said.“Electricity transmission has been broken down into 20 regions and 12 of them have been handed over to the private sector,” he said, adding that the Lake Van and Dicle electricity distribution companies were of top priority in the privatization process.
There are companies in the electricity production field as well as the distribution field, he said. Nearly half of the installed power capacity of Turkey belongs to Elektrik Üretim (EÜAŞ), he added.
Tenders regarding the operating rights of bridges and highways for 25 years will be initiated this year, too, he said, adding that the privatization revenues would be reinvested in new highway construction.Nearly $32 billion of privatization revenue has been transferred to the Treasury since 1984 and it has been used in paying internal and external debts, he said. | {
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BHSU launches a temporary help services program matching students with temporary employment needs in the community
Black Hills State University students are now available to assist local business through a new temporary help program “Jackets on the Job” established by the Center for Business, Entrepreneurship & Tourism (CBET) at BHSU and managed by a work study student.
Businesses are encouraged to contact Jackets on the Job if they have a need for temporary help.
“Now for your temporary help, you can call Jackets on the Job, a new student-based service,” says Barb Zwetzig, director of CBET. “It’s a great opportunity for our students to meet the business community and for the business community to benefit from our skilled and enthusiastic student work force.”
Appropriate workers will be selected from the pool of BHSU students. Zwetzig notes that during the fall semester, the trial start-up period, there are no membership or service fees.
Job requests should be placed during weekday hours of 8 a.m. Monday morning through noon on Friday. Requests for weekend work hours should be placed as early in advance as possible.
More than 40 BHSU students have already applied to participate in this new program and are ready to offer temporary assistance for local businesses. Students are available to help in the following areas: bookkeeping or data entry, gardening, yard clean up, tutoring, servers for events, office help, delivery or errands, inventory management, sales help, computer work, and others.
Call Jackets on the Job at 605-642-6435 with any questions or to request help. Businesses will be asked to complete a form (located at www.cbet-bhsu.org – click the “Jackets on the Job” title, then click the correct application button. It can be filled out and then sent electronically.)
Jackets on the Job is a service of CBET of the College of Business & Technology at Black Hills State University.
BHSU News Archive:
BHSU In the News
Black Hills State University faculty, staff, and students are transforming lives and making headlines with their achievements. See what BHSU is in the news for lately. Email [email protected] or call 605.642.6215 to share your news item. | {
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Kpsc Exam Date 2017
…the application number as well as DOB click on go into button. KPSC Group C Examination Results 2017 will be display as well as download. For more information like response trick, exam outcomes and other even more information refer the main internet site. Examination Name: Karnataka Public Service Payment Name of The Exam: Team C. Vacancies List: 2039 Messages. Date of Exam: Inspect the official…
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…B Model Exam Paper 2018 from the official website which is www.kpsc.kar.nic.in. The board has not yet announced the exam date and it is expected to declare soon on the website. www.kpsc.kar.nic.in, KPSC Group A B Model Question Papers 2018 The candidates can download Karnataka Public Service Commision assistant engineer & principal solved question papers with solutions in pdf format from the official website which…
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…application were gotten for both this blog post. As a result of significant employment drive, qualified prospects had actually requested these Articles by sending out application form to main address prior to target date. Just recently, authority member of KPSC has actually successfully carried out the Composed Examination on Third, Fourth & 18th October 2015 as per taken care of schedule. Newest Update: KPSC FDA… | {
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Mind Hacking: How to Change Your Mind for Good in 21 Days
Have you ever wished you could reprogram your brain, just as a hacker would a computer? In this three-step guide to improving your mental habits, learn to take charge of your mind and banish negative thoughts, habits, and anxiety - in just 21 days!
T. Ward says:"Its too slow and feels like it just doesnt get to the point" | {
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Wolves host franchise’s first outdoor practice on Feb. 11 in Rosemont
The Chicago Wolves welcome everyone to Rosemont’s Parkway Bank Park at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 11, for the inaugural outdoor practice in the American Hockey League franchise’s 24-year history.
Admission is free for the hour-long event that is expected to feature Wolves head coach Rocky Thompson’s team going through practice drills and playing mini-games before encouraging everyone in attendance to join them on the ice for a free skate.
“It’s something different for our guys and a chance for them to have some fun,” said Wolves general manager Wendell Young. “It’s a chance for the fans to see the Wolves up close and the rink is in a cool setting.”
The Chicago Wolves Ice Rink at Parkway Bank Park is located in the heart of Rosemont’s entertainment district and hosts hockey games and public skates. Guests are welcome to bring their own skates while rental pairs are available for $8.
“This unique opportunity will allow patrons of Parkway Bank Park as well as Chicago Wolves fans to view a live practice with some of hockey’s rising stars,” said Parkway Bank Park general manager Bradley Stephens II. “The Wolves have been a longtime partner of the Village of Rosemont and, as the title sponsor of the Chicago Wolves Ice Rink at Parkway Bank Park, we cherish our relationship and love that the Wolves are active in our community.”
The Wolves are riding a franchise-record 10-game home winning streak and return to Allstate Arena on Friday, Feb. 2, to face the Milwaukee Admirals and Saturday, Feb. 3, to meet the Rockford IceHogs in an Illinois Lottery Cup clash. Both games start at 7 p.m. | {
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He-Hog The Atomic Pig (found uncut animated pilot; 1999)
This article has been tagged as Needing work due to its poor formatting and lack of references.
The psychologist scene usually cut out.
Status: Found
Date found: 08 Jul '15
Found by: OLDTPBUSER 2
He-Hog The Atomic Pig was created by John Kricfalusi. A pilot was made in early 1999, but it was rejected. The pilot can be found on the Internet. However, the more commonly circulating version cuts out the psychologist section, where He-Hog consults a distressed woman experiencing puberty. Without that scene, the pilot was shortened from 15 minutes to slightly above 10. That version was circulating since 2013. However, in 2015, the uncut version was posted on YouTube and in higher quality than the other version. | {
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Transit union says legislation will impose hidden tax increases on rider with higher fares, less service
Media Contacts: David Roscow, 202-537-1645 x254
WASHINGTON, DC - The new federal transportation bill fails mass transit, riders and workers, and will lead to more fare increases and service cuts, a hidden tax increase on riders who can least afford it, says the Amalgamated Transit Union in response to Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP–21) reported out by the congressional conference committee.
“This transportation bill is a death blow to public transportation; it not only does nothing to address the American mass transit crisis, but will make it much worse,” says Larry Hanley, international president of the Amalgamated Transit Union. “It’s actually a tax increasing bill that will impose hidden taxes on commuters and transit riders by raising fares while forcing cash-strapped transit systems to cut more service.”
The bill guts provisions from the bipartisan Senate bill, which would have provided much-needed flexibility for transit systems to use some of their federal funding to keep service on the street and create jobs. Conferees also failed to address the commuter tax credit, which would have provided anyone who takes public transit to work the same much-needed subsidy as those who drive each day.
“Our government is spending $2 billion a week to fight wars and rebuild cities halfway across the world, while Congress lets our own cities and their transit systems get worse by the day,” Hanley continued. “From Pittsburgh to Boston to Detroit to Charleston, more and more transit-dependent Americans are being stranded at bus stops and rail stations as cities implement some of the most severe service cuts and fare increases in history.”
In Detroit, the mayor’s proposal of another round of transit cuts is leading some to question whether the system can survive at all. In Boston, bus, rail, and ferry service will be cut on July 1, and almost all modes of public transportation will become significantly more expensive. in September, Pittsburgh’s transit authority will cut 46 of its remaining 102 routes (30 percent), ending service after 10 p.m. on all but 13 bus and rail routes. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Since the beginning of the current recession, more than 85% of transit systems across the U.S. have been forced to cut service or raise fares. Thousands of transit workers have been put out of work.
Meanwhile in 2011, ridership on the nation’s commuter trains and buses hit one of the highest levels in decades, with Americans taking 10.4 billion trips on mass transit – which includes buses, trains, street cars and ferries.
“More and more Americans are relying on public transportation to get to and from work, school, the doctor and other daily tasks and this bill will hit them right in the pocket,” says Hanley. “Congress missed a real opportunity to give transit systems much needed flexibility to use federal assistance to keep service on the street and fares down while creating more jobs.”
Direct investment into transit operations creates jobs and provides infusion into local economies. More than 570 jobs are created for each $10 million invested in the short term. According to American Public Transportation Association (APTA) data, every $1 billion invested in public transportation creates and supports 36,000 American jobs.
In the bill, transit systems serving areas of more than 200,000 people can only use their federal funds for capital expenses such as buying buses and trains and building new stations. With few exceptions they cannot use federal funds for operations. Consequently, many agencies simply don’t have enough funding to maintain essential service while newly purchased transit vehicles sit idly in their lots.
“This bill will not move America ahead for progress, it moves our nation backwards. Americans will hold members of Congress accountable for the effect this bill will have on public transportation,” says Hanley. “We urge Congress not to pass this failed legislation which continues to starve mass transit and further weaken our economic recovery.”
About the ATU
The Amalgamated Transit Union is the largest labor organization representing transit workers in the United States and Canada. Founded in 1892, the ATU today is comprised of over 190,000 members in 264 local unions spread across 44 states and nine provinces, including 3,000 workers at Greyhound Lines, Inc. Composed of bus drivers, light rail operators, maintenance and clerical personnel and other transit and municipal employees, the ATU works to promote transit issues and fights for the interests of its hard-working members. | {
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Are reno and sally dating from the colony
As my amazing luck would have it, though, I m married. I was in the hotel with a stomach ache cursing myself for being so stupid and eating a bunch of crap. You have enough faith in yourself to take this quiz, right? The vibrations of the prop had a very pleasant roll through the house at night and it was very peaceful. The colony sally and reno dating. And with Reno, the 28 year old construction foreman, they achieved it.
How are you going to end a series like this? I suspect the shortage of construction supplies was planned by the producers, to keep us vulnerable and test our ingenuity. What kind of metal do you like? Once again, this family will find themselves having to choose sides. A tail is made of the finest silicone that bends naturally with movement and looks beautifully on film and in print. Возможность не только получить новые теоретические знания, но и ознакомиться со спецификой создания и использования отдельных видов электронных информационных ресурсов в условиях конкретного учреждения, обменяться практическим опытом была предоставлена слушателям в ходе проведения семинаров —практикумов, практических занятий, мастер-классов. A few years later a search was set out to go and find them, are reno and sally dating from the colony, and no trace of them was left behind.
Are reno and sally dating from the colony. Community Discussion. The Adventures of Eric and Goosh: I think reno was one of my favorite characters because he. (The Colony) pictures, bio, dating, movies, Sally Dawson from The Colony is one of the Becka Adams George Willis Jim Armistead Reno. Reno ministrelli is the allpaws pet adoption platform features an obviously pregnant woman arrives on the colony sally dating. Sally, the edge of camp asking for. 17 Jan Unlike in 2. 8, change was no longer a campaign slogan. But, the term still held a lot of weight. Are Reno And Sally Dating From The Colony. Sally is a mechanic, and Reno is a pretty boy you do the math. . Amber Williams - The Logger on the Colony Season 2 - I will. but I don't. stroke victims dating curvy wife sex chanyeol dating alone ep 2 eng sub full irish dating site free vegetarian dating hunter Moorhead Minnesota dallas nude women Beverly Hills California nude an pretty speed dating strategies dating girl birthday present
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Sally Dawson is a 30 year old woman who was forced to join the colony in Season 2. Episode Episode Jim, Sally, Becka, and Sally have to enter a truck full of old pork. They are using it to get oil for a contraption of theirs to work. Episode Читать ещёSally Dawson is a 30 year old woman who was forced to join the colony in Season 2. Episode Episode Jim, Sally, Becka, and Sally have to enter a truck full of old pork. They are using it to get oil for a contraption of theirs to work. Episode Episode Episode Sally and Sian Proctor had to take care of Reno. and Becka while they were quarantined. Episode Sally, Reno, and Becka had to collect food from an abandoned fast food place. Скрыть. The Reno-Sparks Indian Colony is an urban Native American Tribe whose members have Washoe, Paiute and Shoshone heritage. The colony started out as a neighborhood in Reno where Native Americans who worked in local businesses and ranches lived. Читать ещёThe Reno-Sparks Indian Colony is an urban Native American Tribe whose members have Washoe, Paiute and Shoshone heritage. The Tribe has a colony in central Reno, Nevada and a reservation (39°41′31″N °44′44″W / °N °W / ; ) in Hungry Valley, which is about 17 miles north of Reno. The colony started out as a neighborhood in Reno where Native Americans who worked in local businesses and ranches lived. Under the Indian Reorganization Act of , these people formed a tribal government. The Tribe was later granted land in Hungry Valley for a reservation. Скрыть. www.bitsig.website The Colony Interviews Reno MinistrelliFirst off Id like to thank Reno and Discovery Channel for all their help in getting this together for taking the time to answer my questions Were hoping to have more of the participants from The Colony to talk to soon so keep your eyes peeledWPR What was your favorite build My favorite Читать www.bitsig.website The Colony Interviews Reno MinistrelliFirst off Id like to thank Reno and Discovery Channel for all their help in getting this together for taking the time to answer my questions Were hoping to have more of the participants from The Colony to talk to soon so keep your eyes peeledWPR What was your favorite build My favorite build was definitely. the Windmill. I loved working on that project. Regardless of how miserable I was living in such an unsanitary and unsecured environment I found peace in the Windmill. I bonded with it in a sense and I made it mine. There are not many thing Скрыть. Is the Colony TV show cancelled or renewed for a fourth season on USA Network? Former FBI agent Will Bowman (Holloway) and wife Katie (Callies) were raising their daughter and two sons in Los Angeles, but were separated from the younger boy during the invasion and pulled out all the stops to get him back. The third season Читать ещёIs the Colony TV show cancelled or renewed for a fourth season on USA Network? The television vulture is watching all TV cancellation and renewal news Former FBI agent Will Bowman (Holloway) and wife Katie (Callies) were raising their daughter and two sons in Los Angeles, but were separated from the younger boy during the invasion and pulled out all the stops to get him back. The third season kicks off six months after the season two finale, with Will and Katie rebuilding their family in the world beyond the walls. Скрыть. | {
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ERP is often misinterpreted as a system only suited for large, multinational corporations that have been established for hundreds of years and turn over tens of millions of pounds. It is often assumed that only larger companies will reap the benefits, but the truth is quite different. ERP solutions can be just as beneficial for smaller companies, if not more so. Some questions we often get asked are;
Quoting is commonly the first process required in order to receive a sales order. Companies go about quoting their products and services differently. There is no right or wrong way as long as you are making profit and the product is as it should be. Manufacturers quoting methods are often determined by a range of factors. One of the main and most common influences is your competition. Going head to head with other manufacturers in order to win a job often drives prices down, and so in order to win the job you may have to forfeit some of your profit margin. On the other hand, some manufacturers costing method is driven by the industry itself. They may have patent on a unique product that sits in a niche market of its own, meaning that they can determine its pricing structure. | {
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Angkor statue loses (replica) head
Concerns over the impact Cambodia’s booming tourism industry is having on historic sites were underscored on Tuesday when a South Korean holidaymaker posed for a photo with a statue near the famed Bayon temple, knocking the statue’s replica head to the ground, where it smashed into pieces.
A broken statue head lies on the ground near the Bayon temple on Tuesday after a holidaymaker knocked it from its body. APSARA
Kim Jun-hong, a 22-year-old student, was travelling with a Christian tour group, according to APSARA Authority, which oversees the temples in Siem Reap’s Angkor Wat complex. Kim was detained, then released without being charged or fined.
He was also sent to a local hospital to be treated because, as the huge head of the statue shifted, he fell and the replica landed on his leg.
Im Sokrithy, an archaeologist and spokesman for the APSARA Authority, said Kim had asked his colleague to take a photo of him with the statue, “and he went to go hold the statue from behind, and maybe he slipped, I don’t know, but the head of the giant fell down and hurt [Kim’s] right knee, and the head broke as it hit the causeway.”
The statue is one of 54 “giants” lining one side of the southern gateway to the ancient city of Angkor Thom, which encloses the Bayon temple. The other half is a formation of gods of the same number.
“The head is made from cement; it is not the original,” Sokrithy added.
“In the 1980s, there was a lot of looting, so the Ministry of Culture brought the heads of the giants and gods of the South Gate into storage and made a replica from cement to put back.
“This is the reason there are replicas,” he said of the broken head. “They can fall easily because they are cement and the body is stone so they don’t affix properly.”
All the cement heads will ultimately be removed and replaced with sandstone replicas, as they are destroying the stone bodies, he said.
The incident is a fresh reminder of an old problem. As tourist visits to the ancient sites continue to rise, ease of accessibility and the sheer volume of people passing through have made the ageing structures more prone to wear and tear.
Kerya Chau Sun, APSARA Authority spokeswoman, said that damage from visitors to the temples at Angkor Wat is not uncommon, but that this was the first major incident she could remember this year.
“Of course, this is not an isolated incident. But this kind of destruction … has not happened before this year,” she said.
“But in general, some statues, stones and temple walls are affected when tourists don’t take care.”
Chau Sun added that Kim had been released because he had not intentionally damaged the statue.
“So we allowed him to go free and concluded the case without fining him. But we will make the tour company promise that it must guide their customers to be careful around ancient statues,” she said.
APSARA later met with a representative of the Cheon First Church, Chois Suchel, and their tour guide, Lee Yong-chan of the Korea Best Tour Company. Both apologised, according to the APSARA statement.
Chau Sun added that tour companies would be asked to attend a “workshop” where guidelines on how tourists under their watch must behave would be taught.
Dr Thuy Chanthuon, deputy director of the Institute of Culture and Arts at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said authorities should create better signage and clearer paths for tourists to stick to when exploring the temples.
“I think that if people can walk all over the complex as they please, statues will be easily broken,” he said.
Siem Reap received 1.2 million foreign visitors from January to June, up slightly more than 10 per cent from the same period last year, as well as 1.3 million local visitors. Income at the Angkor Wat site increased by more than 14 per cent last year compared with 2012. | {
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Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Here is some good news to start your morning. We wrote yesterday about the annoying and self-aggrandizing "look at me and my New York parties" post on the NY Times' booze blog, Proof, and we were not fans. Turns out no body else likes that blog either.
Today's Proof post is observations of three different "parties" that some guy went to, and is about as engaging as the discarded notebook of a Detroit food critic. Here is the write-up, in full, of one of these crazy New York nights out:
We’d just attended the New York City premier of our pal’s movie, “The Alphabet Killer” in lower Manhattan and hopped my girlfriend’s car to meet at a Mexican restaurant near my old Soho digs for grub and nostalgia. A perfect gang of geeks and nerds cum zeitgeist progenitors of N.Y.C. pop culture: two cartoonists, a novelist, a film editor/photographer, a screenwriter/director, a researcher for “Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” a human resources director, an advertising executive,\ [sic] and a health clerk, congregated to wax poetic on post-apocalyptic ’80s movies. We toasted over a group love for “Night Train to Terror,” a truly awful, obscure horror film that only true blue, card-carrying film psychotronics adore.
The margarita was weak but the company was strong.
Well...aren't you all just fantastic. Like we wrote yesterday, it is completely unclear why this was published by the Times' website. Luckily for us, everyone in the comments section was equally unimpressed. What follows are just a few of the many unedited critiques:
-As a pro-bowl NYC drinker myself, this is a rather dull night out. ‘Zeitgeist Progenitors’? Methinks an amateur in the house.
-I have to agree with George, above. And let’s face it, you’re not really drinking if your out with your your “girl.” You’re just socializing.
-Really, why is this online? You weren’t even smoking; boring.
-Even here in Dhaka, Bangladesh, among the mudflats and stinking alleys, we do better that that. You can start before noon at the Raj era club with gin and tonics, to drive over to a lakeside house to guzzle Singapore beers, and end up late into the night and next morning on a rooftop party with whiskeys and vodka…
-Snore.Back in my day, we would bar hop and intoxicate ourselves with anything at hand until we saw God.Thankfully he would disappear in the morning.
That last one is especially awesome. We want to read about that guy's night out on the town. Dude sounds like he's got (or had) something interesting going on, unlike, remarkably, people who write for the NY Times.
We should probably just ignore Proof from now on, but it's so hard because it could be really fun/insightful/romantic/silly or any number of other adjectives that go hand in hand with booze, but so far, not so much. May we suggest for next time a stronger margarita? | {
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Syria's Chemical Weapons Vulnerable as Conflict Widens
A general view shows Khan al-Assal area near the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, near the site where forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad claim was Tuesday's chemical weapon attack, March 23, 2013.
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As fighting continues between Syrian government troops and a variety of opposition forces, including Islamic militants, there are growing concerns about the security and vulnerability of Syria’s suspected chemical weapons stockpiles.
Syria is said to have one of the world’s largest chemical weapons arsenals, including mustard gas, the nerve agent sarin and VX - the most toxic of all chemical agents. Syria also has the military hardware to deliver chemical weapons such as ballistic missiles, artillery rockets and shells as well as bombs dropped from airplanes.
But experts say there is very little hard data on Syria’s chemical weapons program. Syria decided not to be party to the Chemical Weapons Convention that outlaws the production, possession and use of such weapons.
Most of the stockpile estimates come from intelligence agencies and analysts. They believe Syria’s chemical weapons are produced in four or five facilities and stored in dozens of places throughout the country.
Finding chemical weapons sites
Greg Thielman, an analyst with the Arms Control Association, a private research firm, said the U.S. intelligence community has a pretty good idea of where some of the chemical weapons stockpiles are. But he also issued a warning.
“One recalls how definitively [Defense Secretary] Donald Rumsfeld said we knew exactly where Saddam Hussein’s chemical weapons were and of course he didn’t have any at that point,” said Thielman. “So I’m sure we don’t know all the locations. I’m sure we know some of them, but they are multiple and I know that western intelligence services are trying to keep an eye on the ones we know.”
Thielman said that while there is a chance that these weapons could fall into the hands of militant groups such as Hezbollah or al-Qaida, that threat so far appears to be in check.
“One of the silver linings to the dark cloud over Syria at the moment, is that as far as we know, these large stockpiles of chemical weapons are still securely in the hands of the Assad regime, which means that at least right now, there is not a high danger of the chemical weapons stockpiles being disseminated to non-governmental terrorist groups.”
How to secure chemical weapons
There has been some discussion about what to do to secure the Syrian chemical weapons arsenal if the crisis escalates.
The U.S. Defense Department estimates it would take 75,000 American forces to properly secure the stockpiles.
John Pike, head of Globalsecurity.org, a firm specializing in defense issues, said “Obviously sending in western troops to secure stockpiles in Syria would be a real challenge."
"For the Syrians who spent a long time developing that capability, they aren’t just going to turn it over as soon as the Americans showed up. So you would have to fight your way through the Syrian army in order to get to it,” he said.
Some have called for western nations to bomb suspected Syrian chemical weapons sites.
Bomb chemical sites?
But that idea is rejected by Greg Thielman of the Arms Control Association.
“Sometimes I read that we should attack some of the chemical weapons facilities. I think that is a very reckless charge," he said.
"Any kind of kinetic action against the facilities would likely spread [nerve] agents to innocent civilians - and it’s just a very reckless charge,” said Thielman. “And in light of the enormous cost of the Iraq war in terms of lost opportunities, American deaths, Iraqi deaths, maimed Americans, budget deficits - how can people make these suggestions so casually. It baffles me.”
Analysts reflect western fears that if rebels, combined with militant or Islamist forces, continue to gain control in more areas of the country, Syria’s chemical stockpile will be vulnerable. Depending on who gets their hands on chemical weapons, and what they do with them, analysts warn what happens next is anybody’s guess.
Andre de Nesnera is senior analyst at the Voice of America, where he has reported on international affairs for more than three decades. Now serving in Washington D.C., he was previously senior European correspondent based in London, established VOA’s Geneva bureau in 1984 and in 1989 was the first VOA correspondent permanently accredited in the Soviet Union.
Afghan officials and human rights organizations assert that Pakistani authorities are using deadly attack at school in Peshawar as pretext to push out Afghan refugees More
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by: Seth_DeKooters from: Hartford, CT
May 11, 2013 10:57 AM
Readers of this article remember that it was "discovered" in 2003 by Felix Gundacker, a genealogist working with The Boston Globe, that John Kerry's paternal grandparents were born Jewish as "Fritz Kohn" and "Ida Löwe", in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and changed their names to "Frederick and Ida Kerry" in 1900; and that Voice of America is an agency of the US Government. Mr. Kerry concealed his part Jewish heritage from the voters of Massachusetts most of his adult life letting them believe his was 100% Irish/English..
by: Nora from: USA
May 10, 2013 2:58 PM
why can't we let Israel take care of this..?? the only people who should be concerned about Syrian Chemical weapons are the Muslim Brotherhood Government in Turkey... why should we care?? Assad knows that if he funnels these weapons to the Shiite Hesbulla he signs his own death warrant... the best thing for him to do is to use those weapons against Turkey... i say - good riddance for Turkey' Muslim Brotherhood Government...
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has told his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, that his country could face further consequences to what he called its “already strained economy” if Moscow does not fully comply with a cease-fire in Ukraine. The two met, on Monday, on the sidelines of a U.N. Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, where Kerry outlined human rights violations in Russian-annexed Crimea and eastern Ukraine. VOA State Department correspondent Pam Dockins reports from Geneva.
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There has been a surge of interest in the American civil rights movement of the 1950s and '60s, thanks in part to the Hollywood motion picture "Selma." Five decades later, communities in the South are embracing the dark chapters of their past with hopes of luring tourism dollars. VOA's Chris Simkins reports.
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With the end of summer in the Southern hemisphere, the Antarctic research season is over. Scientists from Northern Illinois University are back in their laboratory after a 3-month expedition on the Ross Ice Shelf, the world’s largest floating ice sheet. As VOA’s Rosanne Skirble reports, they hope to find clues to explain the dynamics of the rapidly melting ice and its impact on sea level rise.
Video
A Lao dam project on a section of the Mekong River is drawing opposition from local fishermen, international environmental groups and neighboring countries. VOA's Say Mony visited the region to investigate the concerns. Colin Lovett narrates. | {
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June 11, 2012
Measuring Up
We are taught from a young age to count and measure things. From our weight and length at birth to the number of years until we take our last breath, so much about our lives is charted, tracked, measured and evaluated.
In school we are taught to identify different quantities and compare them through word problems.
“Timmy has 16 apples and George has 14 apples. Then Sam comes along with 17 apples. Who has the most apples?” Pretty harmless, right? Still I can’t help but wonder if having this concept of measuring and comparing ingrained in us throughout our lives doesn’t lead to some kind of long-term negative effects.
Measuring and evaluating isn’t inherently bad, but the problem it can cause usually has to do with the things we believe measurements are indicative of. Anyone will tell you that based on simple numbers, Sam has the most apples of the three boys (see above).
Fast forward to today… “Allison has 800 friends on Facebook, but Sarah has 1000 followers on Twitter. Kristen is connected to 2400 people on LinkedIn. Which girl is most popular?” See the problem here?
Measuring something that isn’t so concrete, such as popularity, is not as easy as counting or getting out a yardstick. Still we somehow try to measure and evaluate these things with the only tools we have…numbers.
I was chatting with a dear friend and fellow blogger yesterday about how we sometimes feel discouraged going to bookstores because it reminds us of all the books we wish we had written. More and more bloggers are getting book publishing deals and now this feels like one more way to measure success. Or really I should say to measure failure.
Why is it that someone else’s success feels like failure to us? Why do we get hung up in this idea that there is only so much success to go around and someone else experiencing it is taking away a piece of our pie? I am convinced we feel this way because of the way we are taught to measure and evaluate everything from such a young age.
I heard these wise words recently about love: “You can’t measure love. And if you are constantly trying to measure it, you don’t really understand love at all.”
I think this is true about a great many things that, like love, just can’t be measured. Do you ever struggle with feeling like you need to measure and evaluate yourself? I’ve gotten better about giving myself a break in this area, but I still have a long ways to go…and there I go measuring again. | {
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Pisces
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If your sixth sense tells you that something is not quite right over the next few days you must listen to it and take extra care. Facts and figures may tell you one thing but they should never be allowed to overrule your intuition. | {
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A Toledo man was arrested over the weekend on a felony harassment charge after allegedly threatening the managers of his trailer park over a broken toilet.
Paul A. Komara, 48, of Toledo, was charged Monday with harassment, threat to kill, in Lewis County Superior Court.
Superior Court Judge Joely O’Rourke ordered Komara held on $10,000 bail in accordance with a request from the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office.
Komara pleaded for his release, saying he had upcoming medical appointments for “stage-four liver cancer,” and hip replacement surgery.
O’Rourke said she would consider a medical furlough if Komara could present proof of his appointments.
According to court documents and the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a report of a threat with a firearm at 8:49 p.m. Friday in the 100 block of Cowlitz Loop Road in Toledo.
Komara was arrested as he attempted to leave, according to court documents.
The alleged victims, a 56-year-old woman and a 48-year-old man, told deputies a dispute began among the three people because a toilet at Komara’s residence at the park was broken and hadn’t been fixed.
They reported that Komara threatened them while holding an ax and that he also threatened to shoot a witness to the dispute.
He also allegedly pushed the male victim, according to the sheriff’s office. | {
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Mississippi’s sixty-third governor today visited Nevada, a state which has been called “the Mississippi of the west”* because of its largely unskilled workforce and poor public education system.
Governor Haley Barbour, who is term limited, said he “doesn’t see a big (political) difference” between Western and Southern Republicans, either, a contention that will be tested at the Nevada polls if he takes a shot at landing himself in the Oval Office.
Barbour met with Republican party leaders, lobbyists, select legislators and Governor Brian Sandoval, planting his political flag in the state third on the presidential primary calendar.
“I’m here because I’m thinking about running for president,” Barbour frankly told reporters gathered at the Plaza Hotel in Carson City. Operatives in Washington D.C. say he is running and will probably announce sometime in April.
In a brief Q&A session, Barbour rejected the suggestion that Nevada is “a lock” for Mitt Romney and said he plans to compete in Nevada.
Barbour said he didn’t ask Governor Sandoval to support his presidential bid, adding that Nevada’s new chief executive should probably “keep his powder dry” at least until after the caucuses.
On the Issues
When asked about legislation he signed to require a prescription for pseudoephedrine products, a law also being considered here in Nevada, Barbour said the “minor inconvenience” to Sudafed users was worth it and that the restrictions are “working” because arrests are down. Pseudoephedrine is commonly found in cold medications and is the key ingredient for cooking methamphetamines.
Barbour supported storing nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain because “we’ve been collecting taxes for that specific purpose” and said he didn’t think that position would hurt his candidacy here.
When it comes to legalized prostitution, an issue over which Senate Majority Leader and native Nevadan Harry Reid recently stirred controversy, Barbour said that choice is up to Nevadans.
Profile
Barbour’s entry into politics began his senior year of college when he worked on Richard Nixon’s 1968 election campaign. He also ran the 1970 census for the state of Mississippi, later graduating with his law degree from University of Mississippi School of Law.
Barbour quickly moved up the ranks of Republican organizing, running Gerald Ford’s 1976 campaign in the Southeast. In 1982 Barbour was the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate but was defeated by the Democratic incumbent despite an endorsement by President Ronald Reagan. He later served as an aide in the Reagan Administration and worked on the 1988 Presidential campaign of George H. W. Bush.
Barbour served as chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1993 to 1997. During his tenure, the GOP captured both the Senate and House for the first time since 1954.
Barbour was elected the new chairman of the Republican Governors Association in June of 2009 following the resignation of South Carolina governor Mark Sanford.
Barbour’s father was the third governor of Mississippi as well as a U.S. Senator.
___
*Update: A media colleague helpfully explains that Nevada has been called “the Mississippi of the west” in the past for reasons having to do with strained race relations in the 1950s and 60s. Guy Rocha, former Nevada State Archivist, has an interesting post that explains. | {
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We noticed that you're using an unsupported browser. The TripAdvisor website may not display properly.We support the following browsers:Windows: Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome. Mac: Safari.
Owner's description:
Main Description : This beautiful villa obtained from the renovation of a typical Piemontese farmhouse, surrounded by woods and vineyards is set in the tranquility of the Monferrato region, UNESCO heritage site, between the towns Moncalvo and Asti. The “Cascina Nebbia”...
The country house is built in Piedmont style, situated next to a picturesque 18th Century Roman church, which is rarely used - only for very special occasions. On arrival you will be astonished by the beautiful landscapes and complete silence. If you are interested in the finest Piedmont wines and...
Owner's description:
Main Description : This elegant semi-detached house with swimming pool, sauna, indoor jacuzzi and fitness area, lies in the spectacular Monferrato area and is surrounded by nature and vineyards. The outdoor area is equipped with garden furniture, barbecue and thermo-stove where...
It is now possible to experience a moment of absolute relaxation and comfort in a stylish and luxurious ambiance. Bathe in Champagne in the comfort and privacy of your room? Why not!? Or take advantage of the Maison’s on-site Champagnerie: Petit Perlage, and choose from over 40 labels of selected...
Spacious and light filled garden apartment in a recently renovated 17th century farmhouse set amongst the vineyards and hazelnut trees of the rolling hills of the Monferatto region of Piedmont. Recently recognised by UNESCO for its unique vineyards, food and culture. A foodies paradise close to...
Back in the 16th century La Famulenta was a monastery of Jesuit monks. Agriculture was their main activity and their produce fed the surrounding localities of Moncalvo, Grana, Casorzo and Grazzano Badoglio. These villages sit on the rolling hills that are called the Monferrato in Piedmont. In June...
BED AND BREAKFAST
Our bed and breakfast in Rosignano Monferrato is located in a strategic position that combines the tranquility of a secluded spot overlooking the hills and the convenience of being just 10 miles from the center of Casale Monferrato. The structure provides customers three double...
Casa Serena is perched on a hillside in the vineyards of Northern Italy, a 90 min. train ride outside Milan and even closer to Torino ('Turin'). It is an inviting combination of classic Italian decor with a splash of retro fun. The terrace is a serene setting for breakfast or an evening wine, and...
Inside an old farmhouse in the hills of Monferrato, stylish renovated apartment.
Bright and equipped with every comfort, the apartment is arranged on three levels: ground floor living room, kitchen, bathroom and access to the private garden, first floor bedroom with double room, double room with...
BED AND BREAKFAST
Our bed and breakfast in Rosignano Monferrato is located in a strategic position that combines the tranquility of a secluded spot overlooking the hills and the convenience of being just 10 miles from the center of Casale Monferrato. The structure provides customers three double...
Nestled between the hills of Monferrato is located the house, a few miles from Moncalvo.
Very quiet village, where you can relax and take long walks in the vineyards and the nature that surrounds it
Immersa tra le colline del Monferrato é situata la casa, a pochi km da Moncalvo.
Paese molto...
BED AND BREAKFAST
Our bed and breakfast in Rosignano Monferrato is located in a strategic position that combines the tranquility of a secluded spot overlooking the hills and the convenience of being just 10 miles from the center of Casale Monferrato. The structure provides customers three double...
The club is located on the crest of Monferrato hills from where you can enjoy a panoramic view of 360 °, it is independent and differs with respect to the surrounding towns (Godio, Castelletto Merli, Moncalvo), which are within reach in a few minutes with comfortable roads.The house is made of... | {
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S.O.S.! Rihanna Makes Hospital Trip For Injured Rib in Switzerland
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SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 11: Singer Rihanna attends a fan meeting event at the Coexmall on February 11, 2010 in Seoul, South Korea. Rihanna is in South Korea to promote her recent album 'Rated R'. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
Updated at 4:00 PM CDT on Wednesday, Apr 21, 2010
Rihanna made headlines in Europe for a quick stop at a Swiss hospital as her "Last Girl On Earth" tour continued its global trek – but a rep for the superstar says she's fine.
"She had an injured rib and went to have it looked at to be sure it was nothing serious, and it wasn't," the rep toldAccess Hollywoodon Wednesday. "All is OK and the tour is going great."
MTV News UK first reported that Rihanna was "rushed to a hospital" on Monday night.
A spokesman for the hospital told the site, "The singer Rihanna came yesterday evening to the emergency room. We do not know the details." | {
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Mobile SEO
Hi guys, I want to ask you something related to mobile SEO, my company wants to migrate our mobile site, now we have separate URLs, site.com and m.site.com we want to change this for a dynamic serving approach so we can have just one URL so that can help us with SEO, the thing is I read on google that we should put the vary HTTP header, but our it teams said that as we are using Akamai they do not recommend using the Vary header because it could have conflicts with the cache, my question is if we don`t use the Vary header google may have some troubles identifying our content for mobile device or desktop? Thank you very much for your help!!
Selected answers from the Dumb SEO Questions G+ community.
Andres Felipe Echavarria Henao: Hi guys, I want to ask you something related to mobile SEO, my company wants to migrate our mobile site, now we have separate URLs, and we want to change this for a dynamic serving approach so we can have just one URL so that can help us with SEO, the thing is I read on google that we should put the vary HTTP header, but our it teams said that as we are using Akamai they do not recommend using the Vary header because it could have conflicts with the cache, my question is if we don't use the Vary header google may have some troubles identifying our content for mobile device or desktop? Thank you very much for your help!!
Neeraj Pandey: Yes it will not be a clear signal to se if you don't use this. In akamai what is the problem in setting up HTTP header vary? Here it doesn't have anything with cache but it simply tells that on the basis of user agent out pages are changed but for each user agent you can maintain the cache... Still would like some experts to suggest you
Suraj Gadage: + ;Your IT team is absolutely right. CDNs like Akamai usually have problems with Vary HTTP header in terms of caching or serving the right content. Google says that the problem over the Vary HTTP header is with the CDNs and not their guidelines. However, I found a mixed responses on this problem. Below mentioned thread on Akamai community says that caching works as expected by vary header.
Other hand I found someone from Akamai mentioning a workaround on Google Group for using Vary HTTP header. | {
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Tag: Bobby Parnell
Who do you think will make it to the big league bullpen first: Jack Leathersich or Jeff Walters? Here’s what some of our guys had to say: John Bernhardt: Jeff Walters had a breakout season for the B-Mets in Binghamton. Used exclusively in the closer’s role, Walters was lights out setting single season and career […]
Andy Martino of the Daily News is reporting that the Mets have given pitching coach Dan Warthen a two-year contract, according to front office sources. Earlier today, Sandy Alderson confirmed that all coaches the coaches were being retained, but Warthen is the only one to receive a multi-year deal. Warthen has been the Mets’ pitching […]
There was an interesting piece on FanGraphs a couple days ago about Vic Black — titled “Vic Black, Closer In Waiting?” You can already guess what the subject matter dealt with and it was certainly a good read. They jump-started it with a curious quote from LaTroy Hawkins, who spoke about Black: “Some guys have late life on the ball,” […]
Kristie Ackert of the Daily News is reporting that LaTroy Hawkins, undoubtedly one of the best free agent signings of the season for the Mets, has already had discussions with the front office to return in 2014. Hawkins was already having a solid season for the Mets – serving as the team’s setup man. But […]
Well, with the Mets wrapping up their regular season schedule with a 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers yesterday at Citi Field, it’s officially the off-season. In the last official week of the season, Wilfredo Tovar made his MLB debut, and immediately made an impact against the Phillies and Cliff Lee. Meanwhile, Baseball America began […]
Updated 9/29 Andy Martino reports: Terry Collins and the Mets do not have a deal yet for a contract extension, but they are very close. People familiar with the negotiations told the Daily News to expect a news conference midday Monday to announce a two-year, approximately $2 million deal for the manager (that’s a raise […]
Warning !! What you are about to see is an exercise in futility. What if Johan Santana didn’t blow out his surgically repaired shoulder again during Spring Training ? What if Shaun Marcum pitched anywhere near the numbers on the back of his baseball card ? What if Matt Harvey didn’t injure his elbow – […]
Any franchise, any team, any general manager, any manager plays the game to win. That’s as it should be. Every day the Mets put on the uniform and take the field, I’m pulling for them to win. That’s the case in the first week of the season and the last. There is no escaping the altered dynamics […]
According to Adam Rubin on Twitter, Mets closer Bobby Parnell has lost 30 pounds since he began suffering from the herniated disk. However, Collins also added that team doctors believe that Parnell will be ready to go by Spring Training. The hard-throwing righthander had surgery to repair the herniated disk in his neck on September 10. The procedure […]
Two days after LaTroy Hawkins earned the 100th save of his career, righthander Vic Black got a chance to close out last night’s 4-2 win over the Reds. The rookie reliever pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to register his first career save. Black, who was one of the players acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates when the Mets traded […]
Featured Articles
Dave in Spain asks… “What are the chances of Monell getting the backup C job instead of Recker? He’s hitting much better in ST, and has more power. With Edgin and Wheeler going to the 60-day DL there will be a 40-man roster spot open.” Daniel McCarthy replies… Johnny Monell has been tearing the cover […]
With a .281 average and a .703 OPS, Juan Lagares quietly posted solid numbers at the plate in 2014. However, not everyone is sold on his ability just yet. The majority of popular projection systems expect Lagares to regress significantly this season. For example, Steamer projects Lagares to have a .642 OPS while CIARO has […]
Last Spring, the Mets were debating whether to start Ike Davis, Lucas Duda, or even Josh Satin at first base. One year later, Ike Davis is wearing yellow and green in Oakland, and the team is considering a long-term contract for Duda, who is coming off a breakout season. What is unique about Duda as […]
Last week, we began our season previews for this year’s Mets squad as they gear up for Opening Day a week from now. So far, we’ve covered the starting rotation and the bullpen. This week, we’ll cover the catching position, the infield, the outfield, and the bench. Enjoy! Travis d’Arnaud 2014 was a tale of […] | {
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Plot Sim Jae-Bok is married with two children. Due to hardships she went through, she has a wild temper. She gets involved in an unexpected case and begins to regain her true self.
Notes Takes over the KBS2 Mon & Tue 22:00 time slot previously occupied by “Hwarang.” Lee Sang-Yeob was offered the lead male role, but did not finalize. First script reading takes place January 10, 2017 at the KBS Annex Building in Yeuido, Seoul. Main poster for KBS2 drama series “Ms. Perfect.” | {
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Category: Blog
(page 2 of 24)
Last night I had a weird thought about swearing. I’ve written about swearing before, about the fact that I don’t swear more than I did ten years ago yet everyone else seems to (or that is the impression I get). In fact, I don’t swear much at all. When I do let out the odd expletive, it is rarely a biggie. I am a middle-level word swearer and usually only when I am driving.
My children tell me off for saying ‘I can’t be arsed’. or ‘fart’. They are not normal. They tell me they never swear. I’ve never told them not to. They hate me swearing and they appear to hate swearing themselves. I never was a big swearer before I had them, in fact I haven’t changed. My ‘bad’ / ‘good’ habits have obviously rubbed off on them. I don’t object to swearing. I think it is completely normal. It doesn’t turn me on or off. It is just what it is. I have lots of friends who swear. This hasn’t changed me. Again, I don’t know why. I’m quite a susceptible person normally. I have some friends who swear big words. I even have some friends (you know who you are and I love you dearly) who swear the big words in every sentence. I’m not a very angry person so perhaps that is why I rarely swear. But I think that my swearing habits, for whatever reason, are incredibly moderate by 21st-century standards.
The crux of this weird thought is that so long as I’m not driving, I do swear when I type, particularly in Facebook Messenger. I don’t swear hugely often there, but I do swear much more often than I do in the real world. I type the odd ‘fuck’, or, because I am lazy ‘FFS’, or even ‘FML’. I also freely type ‘bloody hell’, ‘shit’ and perhaps ‘crappity crap’. I can be a complete potty mouth in Messenger. Why?
Message to my mum – no rude words here though
Why do I find it easier to spurt forth an expletive through my fingers than through my mouth? Is it because it doesn’t feel so bad if I can’t hear it? Is it because my children can’t see my typing? I’m not sure what the answer is. Swearing doesn’t come naturally to me, normally. It might be because I find written / typed communication far, far easier than spoken communication. The need to swear then must be in me. It just doesn’t use the same channel as it does for everyone else. This is all guess work. I don’t know why typing ‘shitty poo’ for me is easier than saying it.
Well all I can say to to this is I have no conclusion to this weird thought but I think I need to fucking swear more often, apparently it is healthy and a sign of intelligence and I could do with a better mental health and I am reasonably intelligent, most of the time, some of the time. Oh FFS FML!
This morning, as I was waking up, I decided that I’d like to be a man for a week and I’d like to give a man the opportunity to be me for a week. I have always been at the mercy of my female hormonal fluctuations, and more so in the last few years, something which I find most irritating. It seems so unfair.
Lying in bed and thinking about this in the semi-darkness, I wondered whether men feel the same hormonal fluctuations as women obviously do. They don’t menstruate, but perhaps they still have emotional ‘periods’. A google of ‘Do men have periods?’ reveals some interesting thoughts on the matter. The Internet seems to think that they do. This may be psychological, perhaps from living with females who are going through their cycles, or it may be biological. I would need to do more in-depth research to find out (if only I had the time).
Google knows
So, with all this going through my mind, I decided that I’d like to spend some time inside a man’s identity and body, perhaps for a week, to find out first hand. Maybe I’d need a full month. In any case, as I am about to enter my worst hormonal week (the week before the decorators arrive) I thought that now would be a good time to do the experiment (if I can find a willing body).
I wonder if this man would consider swapping with me?
Besides all the interesting observations I could potentially make regarding how society treats ‘male’ vs ‘female’ and whether I’d remember to use the correct public toilet, to stand up to wee and how I’d cope with shaving (I think I’d just let it grow), a very important philosophical question came to me during the consideration of the idea.
To fully ‘feel’ the identity of a male I’d need to fully ‘be’ that male: mentally, emotionally and physically. So I’d need to adopt their self and abandon my ‘female’ self. If there is none of my own ‘self’ in the temporary body I exist in, the question arises: how can I rationalise the experience, analyse it, compare it, and view it from the perspective of my ego? Without my ego to observe, the experience is pointless. If I am fully the ‘man’ I am. Then I have nothing to compare the experience with. Returning to my own body and self, I would not be able to ‘remember’ the experience and put a perspective on it. Yet, if I were to retain some of my self while in the temporary male body, that part of my ego will effect how I act and how I be. I wouldn’t fully be that man. I’d be partly me. The experiment cannot work.
It has become a paradox. I can’t be me in another ‘me’ in order to be that other ‘me’. The scientific and practical impossibility of swapping bodies, emotions and metal states aside, it just could not happen.
That’s a great shame. I guess I’ll just have to weather the storm of the next few days in my own body and with my own emotional ego. I need chocolate.
This is today’s short weird thought. I’ve had three children. They were all boys. I have decided today that the reason that they were all boys is because nature knows that I don’t have any hairdressing talent.
I hope I don’t get a backlash of ‘don’t be so sexist!’ comments now. Please don’t. I’m not trying to be sexist. Boys, of course, sometimes prefer longer locks to shorter locks. Girls, of course, sometimes prefer shorter locks to longer locks (I did). However, percentage-wise, in the general population, not many boys like to sport bows, plaits, French plaits, Dutch plaits, English plaits, ponytails or buns. Some do, I don’t doubt that, but not many. My three boys have favoured short hair for most of their short lives to date. Two of them had lovely shaggy locks as toddlers (and looked adorable). But as they have matured, they have preferred to keep their hair short. I haven’t had to do anything to their hair over the years.
Back to the reason for this thought about nature and hairdressing skills. Last night I babysat overnight for two friends who have four girls (two sets of twins). I’m not used to looking after girls. Again, I’m not trying to be sexist. But all four of these girls have long hair. The eldest two are self-caring. So their hair was not an issue. The youngest two twins, aren’t. That was an issue. This morning I was tasked with ‘preparing their hair’ before dropping them off at school. There are three reasons why this task featured largely in my consciousness.
Firstly, the anticipation of this task brought me a low-level anxiety. Not enough anxiety to register on the anxiety scale but more than chilled with chocolate. Secondly, having me as a novelty babysitter meant that the two girls both had quite high expectations of what they could get away with hair-wise (one twin asked for two side plaits, the other requested one side plait, one side ponytail and a bun on the top with two bows). Thirdly, I’m not used to dressing hair. Mine is bobbed, it’s low maintenance.
When morning came, and everyone had been fed and dressed, I could not put off the task any longer, I had to ‘prepare the hair’. This task took me two attempts with one twin, and one with the other. We needed multiple hairbands, brushes, mirrors and bows. It took about 15 minutes I think all in all.
The result? Disaster. Utter disaster (in my opinion at least, they were happy). They both looked pretty odd. I’m hoping that the school, and their parents, will forgive me later. I’m currently lying low in Wolverhampton.
What I aspire to
So my struggles this morning had my neurons chundering over this topic as I drove to Wolverhampton after throwing the girls at education. Despite being an artist, am I just no good at hair? Are my creative talents firmly stuck in paint, pen and video? I think there is truth in this. I don’t like fiddling with hair, I don’t know why. There’s so much of it. It gets tangled. It catches in my rings. It doesn’t do as it is told. I just don’t like hair. It’s messy. It falls out. I’m clumsy. I’m inpatient. I’m not neat. All those things are not conducive to nice, tidy hair. If I am no good at hair, then is that the reason that nature gave me three boys? Yes. I think so.
I have sometimes longed for a girl-child of my own but in actual fact, I’m happy with my three boys. They are mine. I love them dearly, short hair and all.
I had this weird thought last week after I dreamt that I was licked by a cow in Venice.
Shudder!
This is what I posted up on the old Facebook that morning (because of course everyone in my immediate circle, my Dunbar’s number and beyond, my mum, my son, someone I crossed paths with in 2014 for a week and the people I went to school with needed to know).
My dream
When I woke up, the memory of the sensation of being licked in the face by a cow in Venice was very real. I woke up feeling slightly disgusted. I could still ‘feel’ the sensation of the warm, solid yet a bit fatty tongue moving slowly across my cheek. The tongue (and the cow’s breath) smelt of digesting grass. I could still smell it in the back of my nostrils as I opened my eyes that morning. I could vividly recall the wetness on my cheek after I was licked. It was as if I really had been licked by a cow. The Venice part isn’t so important perhaps. I haven’t been to Venice for over 20 years, whether that is of interest or not I don’t know.
My weird thought is as follows: since I haven’t actually ever been licked by a cow in the face (in Venice or in any other town, city, village, metropolis, or countyside location), how is it that I can recreate it in my dream so well and now describe it as if it really happened? What is it about my imagination that can form such an experience in my head, as if it actually happened? How are we able to ‘remember’ how something feels if we haven’t ever actually felt it in real life?
This also applies to those sorts of dreams we don’t like to talk about in polite company. What I mean by this is dreams where we get a little too familiar than we’d like to in real life with people we have never met perhaps, and certainly, even if we have, never entertained the notion of, familiarity. In my case, I have a list of such ‘lucky’ people: Billy from EastEnders, Jeremy Kyle, a smattering of people I know in the real world who in waking life I wouldn’t ever entertain the notion of a lingering hug never mind anything else, and, lastly, Gordon Brown, the ex-leader of the Labour Party. So how is it that I can imagine what special hugs with Gordon Brown would feel like if I’ve never met the guy or even partook in special hugs or any other type of hugs with him? How does my brain create sensations which to me are quite sophisticated and detailed, to the extent that in my logical head (the tiny part of the my head that is logical) they need to be experienced to be recreated in the imagination? The mind is a fascinating beast if it has this talent. If we take it as given that the mind really can create (note, not recreate) an event such as being licked by a cow or Gordon Brown in great detail then we really are clever. And therefore can we trust our minds? Is there not the risk of a dream being mistaken for a memory at some point in the future? Will I lie on my death bed and tell my great, great, great grandchildren about the time I met the leader of the Labour Party? I hope not.
Phwoor!
What do the scientists have to say about this? I couldn’t find anything on the World Wide Web to help me here. However, I found one website that claimed that vivid dreams are a sign of mental illness.
I do suspect there is something deeply troubling going on inside my head. But I’m not going to go there, right now. Ignorance is bliss and anyway, I’m tired now.
Wide streets
Silent crossings
Relaxed walking
Missing the frenzy of New York
Without the speed walking of New York
No need to rush here, I don’t know why (when politicians seem so frenzied and the running of a country is achieved by workaholics)
Pompous buildings
Neo-classical kitsch? Dare I say that?
Yet it works, it is Washington
‘Look at me!’ the neo-classical buildings scream, so I do and say ‘wow’
Honking horns
Red hand up
Loud, enormous huffy puffy lorries (trucks)
A sense of Trump but a greater sense of neo-liberalism
Speedy taxis
Trees and pavement
Green
Clean
Except the Metro which is grey, grimy and smelly
Intelligence
Hipster bookshops
Bearded hipsters
Skinny ladies who lunch
Bars and good food
IPA with a hint of orange
Books and beer – a good combo
Earnest, young intellectual Americans
Discussing college, work and the books they love
Science and study, not so much art
Health, running, fitbits
Lots of Saturday morning health on display, sweaty pits
Coffee
Homeless friendly, jangling their cups, one man ironically wearing a Trump t-shirt
Dads running with strollers, whooshing past me, sweaty backs, bouncing babies
iPhones
More coffee
Ridiculously pretty houses
Shutters
Georgian style with a authentic yet not at all ‘English’ prettiness
Reminiscent of Anne of Green Gabels and other strong-willed all American young heroines
History, steeped
Politics, leading
Autumn leaves and bright sunshine
The odd cicada in the trees
American drawl, oh so cool and chilled
Shorts, sunglasses, take out coffee
Classical modernist art, not so much contemporary
Heat, so hot, in September
Turrets, so many turrets, why?
Amercan TV – hypnotic – could watch for hours
Medical adverts – sublimely surreal to the point of hilarity
The joy that is people watching
People who interest me, who are they?
I’m not a conversationalist here, there’s too much to see
Do I really need to go back to Newport tomorrow night?
The nerves
The fresh feeling that doesn’t last the first hour
The seatbelt that must have housed a really skinny Minnie before me
The free newspaper smell
The novelty of crappy airline magazine
The spring loaded pocket
The we aren’t moving
I can still use my phone ‘I’m on a plane!’
The safety bit (I won’t listen, I’m in denial)
The safety bit (I feel like I’m at school so I’ll appear to listen yet will secretly think about rude things)
Phones off. Oh no!
Moving slowly
Like a car
Slowly round, then the bloody hell acceleration
Going up
Sucking sweets with fury
Mesmerising view
Like a child
Or the first time
Bumps
My legs jiggle involuntarily
I grip a hand (anyone will do)
The plane levels
The anxiety eases
Food smells so soon
High heels start marching
Pounding the plane carpet
The bright sun above the layer of white
Like a perfect day that is always there yet rarely seen
Like heaven to a child
Feeling on holiday with constant sunshine
Perfect yet nasty food wrapped in perfect yet nasty plastic
The leftovers from the 1950s – impeccably made up waitresses and beautiful waiters
With neck scarves (who wears those now besides these high fliers)
The tiny round windows with frost on the inside
The wind (am I the only person who suffers from aeroplane wind?)
The luxury of back-to-back films
What to watch first?
The comfort of Big Bang Theory
The knee ache
The elbow ache
The lull of the engine
The excitement of a film that is still in the cinema (even when it is crap)
Sleepy yet no sleep
The extra production of snot (see point above re. wind)
Tiny swoosh toilets that smell of old men’s wee
Curtains
Metal cabinets
The 24-hour day that follows you
The glint of sunlight on the wing
The steadyness
Bumpiness when you’re trying to eat like those scouts on Jim’ll Fix It
The morning people who look like death
The middle bit (five hours plus)
The drag
The boredom
The what ifs
The hypnotic phase I won’t remember
Then I’m conscious
The hell which is 2 hours 55 minutes to go
The map
I LOVE the map
The stats: altitude 12,191 meters, time to destination 1.24, headwind -15mph, outside air temperature -67F, distance travelled 3,909 miles, distance to destination 921km, ground speed 524mph, altitude 39,000ft, distance to destination 584 miles
The little plane inching at 550mph passing towns with interesting names (such as New York)
The smelly feet
The chance to read for 8 hours yet I never do
Eating when told
The trays
The person in front of you leaning as far back as they can (they always do to me)
Wondering about the lives of the other passengers (is this their first time?)
The anxiety (yes, I even secretly like that)
The pull-down window blinds that remind me of my childhood Fisher Price plane
The historic sick bag (are they ever used?)
Earphones that hurt like hell
Nearly there
Not yet
Constant thirst
Yet free wine!
Food again?
Another film?
The boredom
And anticipation
Jostling in my emotions
The journey as adventure, the philosophy of motorcycle maintenance
Plastic cups
Sleeping people with mouths agape
Crinkly pillows
Slippers and tooth brushes
Thin pointless blankets
The between nations feeling
The lawless feeling
Yet you must behave or risk coming straight home
That would be embarrassing
The culture of the airline (Korean Air loves Mr Bean, United Airlines The Big Bang Theory)
The really nearly there
Gentle bleeps
Seatbelts
Eating polo after polo to stop the ears
Prepare for landing
I need a wee
Floating through clouds
Suck a mint or seven
Down
Bumps
My legs involuntarily jiggle
Down
Swing sideways
Cityscape
Wow
Closer
Closer
Suddenly land takes you by surprise
Relief
Phones on
Facebook withdrawal
Scroll, text ‘I’m here’
Update ‘I’m here!’
Waiting
Takes ages to get off
I can’t wait to do it again
First, sleep
Today, I had to wait for 45 minutes for something in a waiting room full of people in a place that was too hot with small windows. To most people that probably sounds quite tedious. However, I didn’t mind. I like waiting. That is strange. But I really do.
Why do I like waiting? That is today’s weird thought.
British people are good at waiting. We don’t mind, or we don’t show that we mind, to a point. If we do mind or get to the point when we start minding, we complain but only in a very jolly British way. We complain with humour. We complain apologetically. That is, if we complain at all. Mostly, we just put up and shut up.
People waiting
I am British and I love waiting. I have my reasons. Firstly, if I am waiting then I am not engaged in real life. This is especially so if I have no phone signal (as was the case today). Nobody can get hold of me while I am waiting. They can wait. Bliss.
Secondly, waiting gives me thinking space. All I can do is think while I wait. Thinking is healthy. We all should stop and just think now and then. It’s amazing what your mind can come up with if left to just think.
Thirdly, I love reading really old copies of Women’s Weekly. Who doesn’t?
Fourthly, I love reading the random signs and notices that are always present in places of waiting: the adverts for coping with dementia, what to do if you think you have an STD, how much water you should drink a day, where the local support group for people with random unusual disease meet or the signs that tell you ‘please be patient if you have been waiting a long time’.
Finally, and most importantly, I love people watching and eavesdropping on those people. So for me, waiting is like being in the sweetie shop.
Today, while waiting, I heard all about one woman’s issues renovating her house (and what happened when the curtain rail fell down). I helped an elderly lady of 85 work out what day it is today. I amused a random man with my desperate need to know what a ‘Tilt Test’ is (he asked the receptionist for me, she wasn’t sure). I exchanged mutual carparking horror stories with a lady called Julie Davies. I watched as a doddery old man with a thatched head of pure white hair called John Thomas (the man, not the hair) was called into his appointment. I observed a lady called Florence Proctor amble past to her appointment shortly after John Thomas. I created a life for her in my head (lives in the country, higgldy piggldy house, too many books, cats, loves Radio 4, eats crumpets). I saw a youngish man called Paul with a hat get called into his appointment. I amused a random couple with my grammatical pedantry. I enjoyed waiting. It can be fun, if you make it fun.
The sign that I read about twenty times this morning
If only I had had my sketch pad today, the adventures my pen and I would have had. As it was, I decided that an hour in a random waiting room would make for a great Radio 4 play or Samuel Beckett story. It is an existentialist’s dreamv- waiting for something you don’t want to experience, and waiting patiently at that, and more importantly, being forced to consider your mortality and meaning on this planet while waiting for that thing you don’t want to happen. Arguably, there isn’t anything more exentialist as that.
When my time waiting came to an end, 45 minutes after it began, I hate to admit it but I was sad. And I will miss my new friends: John, Julie, Florence and Paul to name but a few. Perhaps our paths will cross again, in another waiting room somewhere else.
Previously, I’ve blogged an awful lot about Facebook and what it does for me. I’ve also blogged recently about a pathalogical need to be liked, which I seem to be afflicted with. Today, I am thinking about both Facebook and being liked.
Just now I happened to notice that someone has recently ‘defriended’ me on Facebook and my reaction is to feel terribly sad. While I was cooking dinner, I was wondering why I hadn’t heard from this person for a while and so I looked her up. To my shock, we are no longer ‘friends’. I never knew. I didn’t notice it happening. I feel so sad.
My response since then has to worry that I’ve said something bad, stupid, annoying or just been an annoyance in general (I’m rather good at that, I fear). I’ve tried but I can’t think what I might have said specifically to upset this person. I don’t see her anymore. Her child and one of mine used to be classmates. When our paths used to cross on the school playground we always had something to talk about. I like(d) her. So why does she no longer like me? And, more importantly, why do I care so much? Her reasons might not be that deep. She might just consider that since we don’t see each other we don’t need to stay connected.
A couple of months ago I noticed another ‘defriending’ and as with this time, I became quite bothered. This wasn’t a person I had ever met. She was someone I ‘met’ on Mumsnet a few years ago. Our paths had crossed online in our mutual grief over losing a baby. We were Facebook friends for months, years even. Now we are not. I don’t know why. It wasn’t my decision.
A while before that I spotted yet another ‘defriending’. Again, someone I had ‘met’ on Mumsnet. We’d both had babies in November 2009. I had thought we’d got on really well, ‘online’ at least. We nearly met up once. What did I do wrong? I thought she was lovely.
Years ago, shortly after I first joined Facebook, I was ‘reunited’ on Facebook with an old school friend. A couple of months later he defriended me (perhaps my first ‘defriending’). This was back in the days when we could count our Facebook friends on one hand. I was so upset that I actually messaged him to ask him why. He was very polite in his reply. He explained that since we didn’t see each other he didn’t see that it was important that we kept in touch. I was gutted. I respected his decision though. I was upset nonetheless and I still think about it.
There are others. I’m not sure why I notice them. I lost another school friend after we fell out over politics. I had thought we’d been having a healthy debate. She obviously disagreed. I was also defriended by a family member over politics. That stung a lot too. That made me reconsider the way I express my passion for politics online. I have since toned it down.
I value all of these people who seem to want to be ‘friends’ with me
But am I strange in caring so much about people I don’t see deciding that they don’t want to have a connection with me anymore? I’m not sure why it stings so much. I think there are people who aren’t so bothered. I know people who regularly have ‘clear outs’ of Facebook. I’ve never done that. In fact, I’ve never defriended anyone. I couldn’t. I like people, even those who might vote for UKIP or support Donald Trump. They have their reasons. They are still in need of friendship and people in their lives.
I think I need to develop a harder skin though when it comes to people deciding it is Bye Bye Becky. I’m not to everyone’s taste and That Is Ok I guess. That is a hard thing to accept. Surely, I’m amazing!
I just want to say to the most recent loss, not that she will read this, that I’m sorry for whatever it was that made you cut off contact with me. I miss your statuses, even if you don’t miss mine.
I’ve no idea who Elie Wiesel is but I will end my mumblings with his words. It might not be quite true (love is very important) but friendship marks a life at least equally as deeply as love.
Today I’ve had one of those days when things seem to be just being naughty.
I dropped my money in Costa Coffee, my bag kept falling off my shoulder as I walked around Waitrose looking for six Cornish pasties, six Cornish pasties fell out of the oven and dribbled pastry all over the floor, I bumped into a lamppost while scooting home with pasties in my bag, I tripped over a kerb and Excel crashed causing me to lose an hour’s work. I’ve felt cross and upset at things. I’ve been close to tears (the pasty disaster was pretty bad). I’ve been grumpy and sulky. I’ve withdrawn into my introspective world of negative thoughts. Why? Because six pasties fell on the floor, and the rest.
Now the day is ending and thinking back to my annoying day with the benefit of hindsight, I like the idea that inanimate objects can have such a strong influence on my emotional state. They don’t mean to upset me. They are just stuff. They aren’t really conspiring against me. There isn’t ‘something in the air’. I didn’t ‘get out of bed the wrong side’ (I got out of bed the same side as I always do). It is just what it is. It is what it is. It’s all a big coincidence. But it feels as if there is a purpose to the stubbornness of things. It really does feel as if they have been conspiring and laughing in a Mutley hissy toothy way.
A couple of years ago I came across the Object Oriented Ontology school of thought. This is the idea that things aren’t just things and we are superior to things; things have agency. They have just as much right as we, organic beings, to existence. They deserve our respect. This idea was influenced by the mighty Heidegger who was big on ‘things’, their interconnectedness and what they mean to us.
Heidegger described this ‘annoyance’ I describe at objects, or the feeling we get when an object causes us distress, as: ‘the being just present at hand, and no more something present to hand’ (Bakewell, 2016, p. 69). In simpler words ‘the way we focus our troubles on the object that has let us down’. We focus on the object that has caused us annoyance rather than the action we were trying to perform with the object. It is the object’s fault in our eyes. And that failure is symbolic.
Martin Heidegger
When an object fails us, the world is no longer running smoothly. Rather, it is in a state of flux and chaos. We see this failure and flux as a metaphor for our personal failures and negative issues with our life’s path. Imagine the day, a ‘bad hair’ day, when things just keep betraying you. Suddenly, your life is awful, your job is awful, your marriage is a sham! Of course it isn’t really. It’s just normal. The empty stapler and the jamming photocopier didn’t cause your life to crumble. They just happened. Your life is ok.
I like this idea because to me it proves that objects have agency in our minds even if we don’t think about this very often and even if in reality they are just objects. They influence our emotional state even if that sounds nuts. Don’t look at this logically; you won’t like what you see. If you look at it from the perspective of experience, it isn’t at all weird. It happens all the time.
Gentleness.
No hurry.
Pottering.
Endless pottering.
We potter around town.
Eccentricity.
Slow walkers in the middle of the pavement.
One particular old weathered man who sits on a wall, cap on head, watching, amused with eyes glinting as I whizz past him.
Waitrose shoppers everywhere.
Humus eaters.
Cherry tomato pickers.
Coffee drinkers.
Prosecco lovers.
Mothers.
Grandmothers.
Elderly couples with their bags for life.
Rural mothers with their bending over backwards toddlers in shopping trolleys.
Costa Coffee where you have to specify ‘I want it with skimmed milk please’.
Cyclists in red, black and white lycra.
Cyclists filling out my favourite coffee shop smelling of ionised air and sweet sweat.
Cyclists like cats in a cat cafe, climbing over everything.
A man on a mobility scooter who nods his head at me as I overtake him on my non-mobility scooter.
History.
Victorian facades.
Farming.
Muscly naturally bronzed young men.
Slim sinewy young ladies with swishy hair and take-out coffees.
The pungent smell of chicken poo in the early evening.
Blazers at 4pm.
Blazers everywhere at 4pm.
Blazers filling up Greggs, Subway and Jaspers.
The bread of Jaspers, the best I’ve ever tasted.
The free coffee from Waitrose, too good to resist.
The Den, where I can sit and be pretentious with my book.
The gossip.
The town council.
The old lady coffee shops.
The boundary, which is Aldi.
The this is not Telford.
The air of intelligence and good schools.
The place of a good start to life and a good end to life.
How about the in between?
The edge of creativeness not quite getting it right, a bit too water coloury for my taste.
The cockerel at 4am.
The silence at all other times.
The ironic pull between comfort and constraint.
But most of all the coffee.
There is a lot of coffee in Newport.
The coffee.
That is Newport.
Quirky Newport.
Newport, Shropshire.
The Stars Hollow of England.
The town of three fishes. | {
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The complexity definition has appeared during analysis of visual structures perception. The binary model of visual impacts finding was essential here for a possibility of the general (abstract) research. The Abstract Complexity Definition is one of the research results.
The definition meets intuitive complexity criterion and could be a common surface for all existing definitins of complexity. | {
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Prices
COURSES
At Topgear driving tuition we offer several intensive courses that range from one week to ten.
Intensive courses are designed for people who need their licence in a hurry or feel they would learn better in a short space of time.
A typical course will last ten days with a test already booked at the end of your course although more people are going for a semi intensive course over several weeks given the waiting time for practical test around 5 weeks and theory tests are 3.
Whatever course you decide to choose we at Topgear can adapt to suit your needs.
TOP GEAR PRICES
Manual Prices
£28
Automatic Prices
£31
10 Hour Block Manual
£260
10 Hour Block Automatic
£290
7860Student
7859pass
1fail
TESTIMONIALS
Direct and practical, Russell was an amazing instructor, with his methods, patience and friendly approach i feel Russell not only taught me to pass my test but also how to drive safely afterwards, during the time Russell was teaching me he was very consistent and thorough, the structured lessons and the excellent advice and support I have received are the reason i passed 1st time and also the reason i already feel comfortable driving on my own. I will be recommending Russell to any family and friends looking to learn to drive in the future.
Steven
I had a great experience learning to drive with Andy from Topgear. He was a hugely calming influence and was quick to pick up on aspects of my driving that required attention and provided effective solutions to these issues. He always took time to explain everything fully and clearly, and lessons were always varied (both in terms of routes and driving excersises) relevant and provided me with the necessary skills needed to pass my test. I would highly recommend both Andy and the Topgear school to any learner. Massive thanks and all the best! Chris
Christopher
Thanks for all your help John! I’d taken a lot of lessons over the years but just kept stopping for some reason. I then started taking lessons with John who put me at ease straight away and actually made the lessons enjoyable. Brilliant instructor – straight to the point and teaches you to drive for after you’ve passed your test rather than just for the test itself. Any issues I felt I had were dealt with straight away which stopped them becoming bigger problems and built up my confidence quickly. Wish I’d come across Topgear sooner, but better late than never! | {
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Cooke's dad says Oregon State return unlikely
Iowa State's recruitment of Oregon State transfer Hallice Cooke received a bit of a curve ball earlier this week when former Beaver head coach Craig Robinson was fired by the university. After that news, would Cooke, who averaged 8.2 points per game as a freshman last season, consider going back to Oregon State?
“You never know who’s going to come in," Cooke's father, Rob, recently told ZagsBlog.com. "It may not be the person you want. I told him, ‘Just take your time, weigh your options. Just realize you have two more visits left.’” | {
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Parameters
Return Value
If tolerance is negative, the default tolerance is used. The default tolerance
is equal to the product of the machine precision, the largest dimension of the matrix, and the one-norm of the matrix.
The rank is determined by counting the number of diagonal elements of the upper-triangular component of
the QR decomposition whose absolute value is greater than the tolerance. | {
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STOP AGENDA 21
Mikester and Andrea rocked the activist world tonight with a killer sign-making party at Agenda 21 Park, I mean Hance Park in downtown Phoenix tonight. Thank you Ernie for helping with the stencils, we really turned the tables on Miss "I want free publicity" GMO Free Zone!! After attempting to subvert our planning meeting by thinking she could dictate the content of our outreach literature, and trying to get us to furnish DVD's and sell them to benefit her org (LOL!!) she will just have to settle for having our message plastered all over the Tempe / Mill Avenue area whether she likes it or not, hahaha!! I am sure she will not mind taking credit for our work, having attention-whored for it so strongly. Welcome to the R3/0Lution missy, this ain't our first time at the rodeo!!
If you've been missing the fun of the latest activism, you might want to join us on the Stop Agenda 21 Meetup!! You can find out more about the March Against Monsanto, as well as make sure you're on the schedule to witness amazing moments in history like Mikester's ever-so-diplomatic way of setting boundaries at the last one of our meetings Miss "$200 a table" GMO Free Zone will ever attend (if she's smart!!). It went something like this: | {
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Werk(er)ing It
(This was pretty much ready to be posted last night but then I decided to try the WordPress app again because I forgot why I’d quit using it…right. It completely breaks the blog for an hour. Oops.)
This is going to meander a bit, but I promise, I have a destination in mind. A couple of summers ago, I had the opportunity to attend an amazing knitting convention/retreat/gathering in Kent, CT. I got to spend two days taking classes from a couple of my design heroes (that would be Amy Herzog and Norah Gaughan, both of whom I learned a tremendous from, but this is not a blog about that — you can read about that here). It was wonderful, but it was also exhausting, because I am an introvert extraordinaire. You know those personality tests with the sliding scales? I am consistently 0% extrovert. Everything else varies depending on my mood when I take the test, but that is a constant.
So instead of attending what I am sure was a lovely dinner in town with the instructors and other students, I holed up in my hotel room. And I pulled out this book, Make It Mighty Ugly, that I’d picked up kind of on a whim, based on this Twitter account that I follow and really like. I did the first chapter, or maybe two, that night, and really, really enjoyed it. It’s a little workbook-y, so there’s some interactive stuff to do, exercises to kind of get into your head and figure out what makes you you and how to use that to overcome your self-doubt about your own amazing creativity. I was so excited about it that I tweeted about it (I almost never tweet, you may have noticed) (of course, lately I almost never blog, either, so maybe you haven’t noticed so much).
Then after the retreat/conference/whatever I got home and put the book on top of my book pile, which is quite astounding in size and constantly being added to. It did not stay on top of the pile for long…more books were added, some were shuffled around, and it crept closer and closer to the bottom of the pile. It’s the kind of book I feel like I need to have some real good alone, sitting-with-myself kind of time for. I want to immerse myself in it, to devour it with intensity and complete concentration. So I kept putting it off, waiting for The Perfect Moment to pick it back up again. TPM, of course, still has not come.
In the meantime, I have been continuing to follow the author, Kim Werker, and I still find her super inspirational (I’m pretty sure she’s the one who introduced me to bullet journaling, in fact). She has an art journal daily-ish mailing list thingie, and I’ve been wanting to do an art journal, so I subscribed. And in the intro email she said this:
“Actually, it doesn’t matter if you’re ready. The adventure is here! Time to embark upon it whether we’re ready or not.”
Now, she was talking about the art journaling thing, but holy crap did it hit me like a lightening bolt and make me determined to dig that book out and work all the way through it this time! The thing is, the way our various schedules are set up now, I really do have chunks of time that I can pretty easily carve out for spending some quality time with this. It had just been so long since it was on the top of my pile that it never occurred to me to grab it when those chunks of time are available. So. Back to the top of the pile it goes!
This is (most of) my kit. The notebook is one I found at IKEA months(years?) ago. The pouch holds a lot more stuff than it looks like it would (and look! There’s Make it Mighty Ugly so it doesn’t get lost in the pile again!)
But also, art journaling starts tonight. I am taking Kim’s words to heart and embarking on my adventure NOW! The idea is to do some art journaling every day. I know. I know, I always say I’m going to do these every-day-for-a-month/year/week things, and then I peter out. And I might this time as well. But I have also decided that I am okay with that. Because the point, for me, isn’t as much to make it to the end of the month. It’s to try it and see if I like it, if it’s a thing that is meaningful to me such that I want to do it pretty much daily. So I am committing to trying it, and that’s all.
I’m hoping to Insta-blog some or all of these art journal-y things. Those will be short little posts, probably, with pictures of my journal pages (or parts of them), because this thing is supposed to be a community thing — there’s a hashtag (#dailyartjournal) and everything! — so I’m going to try to dip my little introvert toes out into the pool of sharing. Interested in coming along on this journey? Head on over to Kim’s blog and sign yerself on up!
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5 thoughts on “Werk(er)ing It”
My goodness, you have made my heart so, so happy today. And also, I confess that I petered out on the art-journal challenge, myself. But I’m still desperately interested in really giving it a shot! So I’m going to join you in diving in again. Hope you’re up for company. | {
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Happy Memorial Day weekend! It's not only the beginning of a long weekend, but it's FEATURE FRIDAY here at C9! This means we have more fabulous projects from our May guest designers: Lydia, Michele & Zsoka! This week their projects highlight our Bold & Brushy Bundle! If you missed their previous posts, you need to check them out! To learn more about each of them, click HERE for their introductions and see the very hip projects they created with Mix Tape Bundle! Click HERE for their rock solid projects using our Geode Bundle! | {
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Breaking news for everyone's consumption
Multiple Brands of Pet Treats Recalled for Salmonella Contamination
Three pet treat manufacturers on Thursday announced product recalls due to Salmonella contamination — two for contaminated parsley flakes and another for apparent environmental contamination problems.
Kasel Associates Industries Inc. announced a wide-ranging recall of meat-based dog treats suspected of Salmonella contamination. The products were manufactured between April 20 and September 19, 2012 and distributed to a number of retailers, including Target, Petco, Sam’s Club and Costco.
Kasel has previously announced three recall notices for specific products manufactured during this time, after the Colorado Department of Agriculture found Salmonella in a retail sample of a Kasel product. Follow-up testing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found that 100 percent of tested products, as well as 48 out of 87 environmental samples, were contaminated with one of 10 Salmonella strains.
The FDA has received “a small number of complaints” of ill dogs related to these products.
Meanwhile, dog food manufacturer The Honest Kitchen has recalled lots of its Verve, Zeal and Thrive dog food products produced between August and November 2012 because those product included parsley flakes found to be contaminated with Salmonella.
It looks like US companies are just as bad as the garbage coming from China. No one really knows what goes into the dog and cat food or any pet food. You really don’t know for certain what goes into packaged food for humans. There is such as long list of ingredients plus a list that is not on the bag or carton no one ever sees. I don’t buy ground meat anymore since I found out about all the chunks of fat that is ground with the small amount of lean meat found in cheaper ground meat. Some of it has so much fat it looks white in the pkg. | {
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Barack Obama is answering questions on Reddit from 4:30-5PM ET
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Unfortunately the thread is crashing frequently and is in read-only mode due to heavy traffic, but I'm looking forward to seeing his answers to people's questions. Here's a cached copy of the page, but it's likely to be out of date.
This gadget does exactly as promised: it looks like a thumbdrive (sort of) and fries the circuitry of any computer it’s plugged into. It’s made from camera flash parts, is charged with a standard AA battery, and delivers a 300V zap of DC destruction to the port for all your USB-murdering needs. Note that this […]
The Cobham catalog, exposed by The Intercept, features countless pages of surveillance gadgets sold to U.S. police to spy on American citizens: tiny black boxes with a big interest in you. In the creepily bland feature lists and nerdy product names is a whisper of a dark future; perhaps darker than anyone can imagine.
This image depicts the most commonly-found stylesheet colors on the web’s top sites—Paul Hebert did an amazing amount of analysis and this is just one of the intriguing visualizations he came up with. Most of these are obvious staples, especially HTML red and blue, though it’s interesting how far the blue “cluster” is from the […]
The Black Friday Mac Bundle 2.0 is one of the Boing Boing Store’s best-selling Mac bundles yet, and it’s about to come to an end. If you don’t get your copy now, here’s what you’ll be missing:This bundle comes packing 9 top-rated Mac apps in one package, at the hugely discounted price of just $23.99. […]
The Boing Boing Store’s Gift Guide is full of ideas for pretty much anyone in your life like hipster ice cub trays, Xbox controllers, Halo Boards, and even diamond necklaces. As always, all products in the Boing Boing Store come at great discounts, too. Shop by price bucket starting at under $20. Under $20:Bloxx Jumbo Ice Trays […]
Unlike traditional lighters, the SaberLight features an electronic plasma beam that’s both rechargeable and butane-free. This sleek lighter is even approved by TSA, so you’ll never be stuck buying lighters you’ll just have to throw away partially used. For some people, like me, this is a pretty big game-changer. The SaberLight’s beam is actually both hotter and cleaner […]
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Something like 4k+ comments in under 20 minutes. Amazing. Too bad the tough questions won’t be answered. He’s only allowing for 30 minutes to answer any questions, which means, not much of substance will be answered. Though I’d love to see if Mitt Romney would even dare do the same.
I’ve noticed that, when there’s a big breaking story (funnily enough, usually about Obama), HuffPo sometimes gets more comments in a couple of hours on one post than we get on all of BB in a month. There’s an army out there, just waiting to fire.
Sure, but that’s not the whole of his risk expsoure. What if he answers a question and someone posts a reply that reframes the answer as propaganda? Suppose an incredibly racist question — or porn — gets topvoted as a question to ask?
It doesn’t matter to the media, to his opponent, or to the Republican Party in general what his role was in this event, or what he actually said. It’s gonna be guilt by association, and they’ll find some way to frame it that makes it his fault.
In fact, that’s virtually certain, no matter how well the Redditors behave. So I guess, on balance, it isn’t that brave after all. If he walks his dog tomorrow, the RNC will find a way to make that an act of gun-stealin’ socialism.
It’s very cool that he’s doing this, but while he did approach a few of the harder questions (e.g., decisions about the wars, jobs), I wish he answered the other hard ones about drug policy and the dissolution of our liberties. And there’s a massive question/answer ratio disparity.
But who am I kidding? +1 for being on Reddit +1 for Reddit gold, +1s all around
It is kind of hard to tell whether it was WITHIN the HALF HOUR that was scheduled, but it was definately within the hour of the first post. It’s a great start to having an internet ‘town hall’ meeting, but I believe more than half an hour to answer the publics questions should have been allotted. I know he’s a busy man, but it’s more tokenistic than helpful. | {
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TNW Sites
First impressions: Beats 1 is exactly what radio should be
There’s something to be said for human curation. Beats 1 hopes to deliver the best in curation without the headaches we have with terrestrial radio — like ads. Aside from routinely (and excitably) reminding us we’re listening to Apple Music, Beats 1 delivers on that promise. Mostly.
Zane Lowe might have had an interesting beginning to his Beats 1 endeavor, but that was forgotten about an hour in. Once the music started rolling, Beats1 showed its muscle.
The aim of Beats 1 seems to be a worldwide, non-stop radio channel that is curated by actual DJs across the globe. Currently, London, New York and Los Angeles are the headquarters, but it’s pretty clear Beats1 wants to scale.
Beats 1 naturally kicked off with Zane Lowe’s high energy show; cool new music at a feverish tempo tempered by slower tracks. From there, it was more DJs with their take on what good music is from around the globe.
The transition from Zane in Los Angeles to Emmy in New York was noticeable, and that’s probably the point. Emmy isn’t Zane, nor should she try to be. Each DJ has their own — possibly regionally influenced — take.
All told, it’s a successful launch in my view. The DJs have good taste, and the lack of commercials is nice. There are no silly call-in promos or other attention grabbing moves. It’s music, curated by those Apple feels are uniquely qualified to imprint their taste on the world.
Beats 1 also doesn’t play the same tired hits as terrestrial radio tends to. In three hours, I heard a total of three tracks I was familiar with. That’s a lot of new artists I’m being exposed to, and that’s awesome. Zane and his crew can focus on showcasing the best in music, not trying to catch my attention as I scan through signals in my car.
If you hear something you like, the app has the song information listed at the bottom of the screen. This allows you to add it to your Music library, or buy it in iTunes.. Starting a station lets an algorithm choose tracks that sound similar, and sharing the track brings up the familiar Apple share sheet.
The downside is minimal. Tracks are still censored (I get why, but I’ve never liked radio for this reason), and the DJs — while really good — are still figuring the tech out (a few innocuous snippets of conversations we weren’t meant to hear popped up, and Zane seemed to rewind 30 seconds at one point). It’s day one, though, so technical difficulties are forgiven.
Beats 1 is the perfect example of what radio should be. Human curation highlights that algorithms alone just don’t cut it, and the constant flow of tracks (with quick DJ commentary) prove the ad supported model of terrestrial radio has been successfully disrupted.
While Apple has the coffers to get Beats 1 up and running (there’s likely more infrastructure to this than we realize), it’s easily the killer feature we weren’t expecting from Apple Music.
With 90 days to figure out if we’re really interested ahead of being charged for Apple Music, Beats 1 isn’t out of the woods. It’s possible the honeymoon phase is in full effect. The service is cool, but without a fairly constant flow of great music and cleverly positioned exclusives, radio will die a new death. | {
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Watch Now
Guest Cast
Premise: Spyjinks involving two slick agents with the United Network Command for Law Enforcement, which combats an organization called Thrush. Tongue-in-cheek repartee and action sequences employing clever gadgetry lend some zip to the yarns, which also showcase th…
(more) | {
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Provisions are being put in place to deal with snow and ice forecast to affect Plymouth over the next few days.
Plymouth City Council is reportedly monitoring the weather situation closely over the next few days and teams are on standby to deal with any potential problems caused by the bitter cold snap.
ROADS
The Council’s fleet of gritters are pre-treating the city’s primary and secondary routes each night and are re-gritting in the early hours where necessary.
Drivers are advised to check the weather forecast and avoid making journeys in freezing conditions wherever possible. If they do decide to travel they should check their route, drive according to the conditions and take extra care.
There are around 400 community salt bins around the city, which people can use to treat local roads and footways that are not routinely gritted. Salt from these bins should not be stockpiled for use on private property.
Don't get caught out in the snow (Image: File image)
Residents who want to treat pavements and driveways in front of their properties should only need a tablespoon of salt for each square metre. Ordinary table salt and dishwasher salt can also be used.
People should avoid using hot water to clear snow or ice as this freezes and causes even more hazardous conditions.
Read More
Information on which roads are pre-treated and grit bin locations can be found by clicking here. To report an empty salt bin, please call the team on 01752 668000.
ADULT SOCIAL CARE
The council says its Adult Social Care staff are working with all of the council's partners to ensure that some of the more vulnerable members of the community receive the support they need over the next few days.
Residents who have friends, family or neighbours that may be alone, at risk of ill health or elderly are urged to check in on them regularly.
WASTE COLLECTION
Many of us will be waking up to this this morning (Image: Essex Live)
The Council’s recycling and rubbish crews have been asked to arrive for work each morning and residents should leave their bins out as usual.
Managers will assess the road and weather conditions before a decision is taken on whether to embark on rounds or not. | {
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disney.go.com Experience the magic with the latest Browser and Flash plug-in
Server
Server Location
Agb Nielsen Media Research S.r.l.MilanoItaly 45.47, 9.2
Agb Nielsen Media Research S.r.l. Milano is the location of the Microsoft-IIS/6 server. It has 3 DNS records, nsch2.agbnielsen.com, nsit1.agbnielsen.com, and nsch1.agbnielsen.com. The programming language environment is ASP.NET.
IP: 88.47.191.182
Powered by: ASP.NET
Web Server: Microsoft-IIS/6
Encoding: iso-8859-1
The server is faster than 73% of measured websites, at 943 milliseconds. | {
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Upcoming Event - Details
26.03.2013
FIA workshop in Mumbai
In March 2013, FIA organized, jointly with FIM and UNI-MEI, a workshop in Mumbai, India. The meeting was about the improvement of the working conditions in the Indian film industry, with a special focus on the state of Maharashtra.
Fourteen different Mumbai based organizations took part to this workshop. The discussions have been enthusiastic and inspired. Four main subjects were addressed: contractual practices, health and safety, intellectual property rights and the working conditions in the studios. This last issue is particularly important due to the very large number of accidents in the sector.
The aim of this workshop was to define whether a triennial project, which would be funded by the Swedish Trade Union Confederation LO-TCO and jointly run by FIA, UNI-MEI and FIM, was needed and practicable. A project application will be drafted soon, hopefully leading to a better understanding of the Mumbai-based audio-visual workers’ working conditions and allowing improving those.
Three resolutions were signed at this meeting. Two addressing the screenwriters’ and the video editors’ specific demands, and one on the ratification of the Beijing treaty. This last one will be sent to the Indian government to push it to ratify the treaty as quickly as possible. You can download this resolution here below. | {
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Discover Kawana’s secluded coastline
From Point Cartwright in the north to Currimundi Lake in the south, Kawana Beach at nine kilometres long is one of the Sunshine Coast’s longest stretches of sand.
And with ample access points down the coastline, you’re guaranteed to find your own untouched piece of paradise.
Here we share why you need to add Kawana to your Sunshine Coast bucket list, including its natural attractions, family fun activities and the brand-new accommodation providers making the most of all region has to offer.
Natural Attractions
If you’re visiting Kawana for the first time, make sure you start your day at Point Cartwright.
Located at the very northern tip of Kawana Beach - and home to Point Cartwright Lighthouse - the popular surfing break offers spectacular views from Mount Coolum in the north to Kawana Beach in the south.
If you’re visiting from July to November, you might even spot migratory whales making their annual journey along the coastline.
Point Cartwright
At the base of Point Cartwright is the Mooloolah River mouth and La Balsa Park, which offers ample barbecue and playground facilities for families.
From there drive or walk down the coastal track, making sure to check out the more secluded beach accesses along the way.
If you’re visiting the region from mid-January to late March, you may even be lucky enough to spot turtle hatchlings emerge from the sand and make a mad dash to the sea.
Peppered along the coastline are several barbecue and playground facilities hidden away from the hustle of the main strip.
And at the southern end of Kawana Beach is Currimundi Lake.
Loved by families for its calm waters and picnic spots, Currimundi Lake has beautiful parks and walkways to explore.
Kawana coastal path
Tip:
If you’re travelling with little kids, make sure to stop in to Jessica Park on the Nicklin Way. With an interactive playground, half-basketball court, undercover tables and barbecue facilities, it’s got all you need for a fun day out with the family.
Jessica Park
For the family
Once you’ve explored the coastline, there’s plenty of family-friendly activities on offer in and around Kawana.
The adrenalin-inducing indoor playground is home to 70 interconnecting trampolines, providing kids (and their more adventurous parents) with the perfect opportunity to test their gymnastics skills.
LaserZone Sunshine Coast
But if that sounds a bit stomach-churning, pop around the corner to LaserZone Sunshine Coast Warana where you can immerse yourself in virtual reality and experience what it really feels like to be inside a video game.
Where to stay
Aquarius opened its doors in August 2018, offering short and long-term accommodation with sweeping views over the Kawana waterways.
Situated within walking distance of Kawana’s hospital precinct, the hotel is the perfect location for both corporate and leisure guests and boasts brand new facilities, including an outdoor pool and entertainment area with barbecues. | {
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Create a project from a SharePoint tasks list
Microsoft Project Web App is closely integrated with SharePoint Server. In this version of Project Web App, you can create a new project by importing an existing SharePoint Server tasks list or project tasks list.
Import an existing SharePoint tasks list
On the Quick Launch, under Projects, click Project Center.
On the Projects tab of the ribbon, in the Project group, click the arrow under New, and then choose From SharePoint List.
Enter the URL of an existing SharePoint list in the box, and then click Open List.
Map the fields used in the list with the fields used by Project Server 2010, and then click Import. | {
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Coke Picks Mexico President
Coke Picks Mexico President
January 8, 2013
Francisco Crespo has been named president of Coca-Cola Mexico, Coca-Cola says. He takes the role vacated by Brian Smith, who became president of the Latin America Group. Crespo had been working as president for the business unit overseeing operations in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. He has been with the company since 1989. John Murphy takes over his role, moving from his spot as president of the unit overseeing the central portion of LatAm. | {
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24 Hours Taxis – 07707699371 and 07453454499
Sed Cars taxi service provides 24 hour (advanced booking is required for between midnight 00:00 am to 08:00 am) taxi service in Totton new forest . Sed Cars taxi service provide 24/7 service (in advance booking) to all our customers.
24 hour advanced booking taxi services throughout New Forest
Airport Transfer services for all airports.
We cover all New Forest train stations to take you to your destination
Cruise terminals, Port / Ferry terminals pick up / drop off
City Trips and New Forest Tours
We can do minimum 5 miles journey and offer a fix price for over 15 miles journey
Please call us at 07707699371 or 07453454499 for competitive rates on long journeys. We are happy to match or beat any reasonable quote for any type of long distance journey including airports transfers, hotel transfers
Terms & Conditions
Privacy: The information you supply to us is only used to make your journey run as smooth as possible. We do not share or sell your personal details to any third party. We obviously need contact details to deal with any problems should they arise.
We effort to run punctually on very rare ocassions, things might happen sometimes that are totally out of our control because of traffic , accident or breakdown. If such an any delay happens, we will contact you. But if something should delay us when we are collecting you from the airport again we will try to contact you to keep you informed. We might need to call on another company closer to you if the delay is very serious. | {
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Gabourey Sidibe: “I Was Told To Quit Hollywood”
Bennett started blogging about decor when she moved into her new place. Everything hot and haute in the home is her specialty. Not stopping at just her home, Bennett\'s decorative prowess manifested itself in fashion too. She teaches readers how to freshen up their wardrobes with the season\'s \"must have\" items. If you\'re ever clueless on what to wear or how to enhance your home, Bennett has got you covered.
Gabourey Sidibe who made her acting debut in the 2009 film Precious, a role that brought her a nomination for the Academy Award revealed she was told to quit Hollywood by her favorite actress Joan Cusack.
Gabby appeared on “Watch What Happens” with Andy Cohen earlier this week when she was asked a question that gave an unexpected answer. Cohen asked Sidibe, “What celebrity were you most disappointed by when you finally met them?”
“What celebrity was I disappointed by?” Sidibe reiterated. “Oh, and it’s not in a mean way, because I know that she meant well. I met Joan Cusack, who is my favorite favorite — I love her — but, it was before I became [famous] or whatever. I was at some industry party, and she says, ‘Are you an actress?’ And I said, ‘Yeah!’ And she says, ‘Oh honey, you should really quit the business, it’s so image-conscious.'”
Like HelloBeautiful On Facebook To Keep Up With Your Fave Black Celebs!
Sidibe tried to reassure the show’s viewers that she didn’t think Cusack said the comments in a mean way. | {
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Computer Graphics in Engineering Education
4.11 - 1251 ratings - Source
Computer Graphics in Engineering Education discusses the use of Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) as an instructional material in engineering education. Each of the nine chapters of this book covers topics and cites examples that are relevant to the relationship of CAD-CAM with engineering education. The first chapter discusses the use of computer graphics in the U.S. Naval Academy, while Chapter 2 covers key issues in instructional computer graphics. This book then discusses low-cost computer graphics in engineering education. Chapter 4 discusses the uniform beam, and the next chapter covers computer graphics in civil engineering at RPI. The sixth chapter is about computer graphics and computer aided design in mechanical engineering at the University of Minnesota. Kinematics with computer graphics is the topic of Chapter 7, while Chapter 8 discusses computer graphics in nuclear engineering education at Queen Mary College. The last chapter reviews the impact of computer graphics on mechanical engineering education at the Ohio State University. This book will be of great interest to both educators and students of engineering, since it provides great insight about the use of state of the art computing system in engineering curriculum.The role of computer graphics is illustrated by means of examples selected from
a suite of nuclear engineering ... that many of the problems which are central to a
proper understanding of nuclear engineering can be solved only by computer.
Title
:
Computer Graphics in Engineering Education
Author
:
David F. Rogers
Publisher
:
Elsevier - 2013-10-22
ISBN-13
:
You must register with us as either a Registered User before you can Download this Book. You'll be greeted by a simple sign-up page.
Once you have finished the sign-up process, you will be redirected to your download Book page. | {
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Jo Ingles (Ohio Public Radio)
Jo Ingles is an award-winning journalist who began her career in Louisville, Kentucky in the mid 80’s. Through the years, she’s worked in both radio and television as a reporter and production assistant. She’s assisted in the production of a presidential debate for ABC Television news, reported for a major commercial radio station in Louisville, and then came back to her native Ohio to begin working at the WOSU Stations in Columbus Ohio in 1989 to begin a long resume of work in public radio.
After working for more than a decade as a general assignment reporter at WOSU-AM, Jo was hired by the Ohio Public Radio/TV News Bureau where she’s worked for the past 11 years. She’s covered everything from tax hikes to Supreme Court proceedings to educational policies. Jo lives in southern Delaware county with her husband Roger and two children.
There’s a controversy over extended in person early voting hours in Ohio. Democrats are crying foul because some Republican leaning counties have put in place evening and weekend hours while other counties with more Democratic leanings are offering early in person voting only during normal business hours.
Now that backers of a proposed constitutional amendment to change the redistricting process have enough valid signatures to put the issue on the statewide ballot, attention turns to how to sell it to voters. The supporters of the plan already have their mantra…..people not politicians. But now opponents of the plan have a mantra of their own…..protect your vote. Jenny Camper is with a group that plans to fight the proposed redistricting plan.
About 600 backers of President Obama gathered at a union hall in downtown Columbus yesterday to hear Vice President Joe Biden explain Ohio is adding manufacturing jobs now because of President Obama’s bold decision to bail out the American auto industry. Biden said the President has bet on Ohio and America and says it’s paying off with gains in manufacturing jobs. But when comes to betting on America, Biden said it’s fair to question Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s record at his financial firm, Bain Capital.
Democrats, along with President Obama’s re-election campaign, have filed a federal lawsuit against Ohio to try to reinstate the three days of early in person voting before Election day.
In 2008, 93 thousand Ohioans voted in Ohio in the three days before the election. Since then, Republican lawmakers have wiped out the 3 day window for most Ohioans. Only military members and their families can now take advantage of that opportunity. Ohio Democratic Party Chair Chris Redfern says that’s not right.
The National Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate the train derailment in Columbus yesterday. Most of the people who were evacuated yesterday have returned to their homes.
National Transportation Safety Board Member Earl Waynur says the train appeared to have a clear signal when it went into the area where cars derailed. And Waynur says preliminary reports show speed was not a factor.
Last week, President Obama issued an executive order that gives young people who were brought into the country as young children and have lived here all of their lives some protection against deportation. Now a couple of Ohio Senators want to take that a step further in Ohio. Democratic State Senator Charleta Tavares explains her legislation to make college more affordable for children of undocumented immigrants.
Now that Governor Kasich has signed a bill into law that repeals a law he signed and Republican lawmakers approved last year, the next move will likely be a court battle. Democrats, who were successful in getting nearly 400 thousand valid petition signatures to put the repeal on the fall ballot, say they will sue to keep it on the ballot. The Democrats argue this is not a straight repeal because the early in person voting the weekend before the election has not been restored. Republicans who approved the bill last year say they’ve voted to repeal it this year because they want to take co
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is suing C.T.I. Group for calling Ohio customers who were on the National Do Not Call Registry and for violating Ohio’s consumer laws. DeWine says the company, which sells trading and investment software, repeatedly called customers who were on the list or who had asked not to be called.
Majority Republicans in the Ohio House were ready to vote on a bill that would have repealed the controversial election law, but at the last minute, that repeal legislation was pulled from consideration. | {
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We had our free kids fishing derby this weekend. Over 140 kids registered. We stocked over 700 trout from 9 to 13 inches. Thanks to the local buisnesses of Portage and surrounding area every kid left with a prize ranging from rod and reel combos, fishing vests, food, and savings bonds. Each kid was also given a ticket for a hotdog and a soda pop.
Thanks to all who volunteered and donated to make this event possible. | {
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Sunday, June 17, 2012
Preparing For Summer Camp: AllerMates
When it comes to our children, we as parents want to protect them in any way we can. With my kids I do not personally have the issues with the food allergies, but I do know that with several of my friends, there is that issue there. I know that when we have kids over to play, we want to know if there is a certain kind of food that a child can not have, and I know that when it comes to summer camps, parents dont want to have to stress out and worry the entire time about their kids having a allergic reaction to something. I know that at summer camps, you have several different camp counselors that interact with your kids, and everyone needs to know if there is something that your kids are allergic to. Now there are medical bracelets that your kids will wear if they suffer from certain issues like seizures and such, but food allergies are just as dangerous if not more dangerous. So when I was sent information on the AllerMates to review, I felt that the information and the band that I was sent was something that I had to share with my friend who's child suffers from a peanut allergy. Since this is the first year that her child will be going to camp, having the Peanut Allergy Band from AllerMates will help relieve some of those anxieties that she may have had! The AllerMates are not only great to have for camp, but they also make for great bands for your kids to wear for play dates and school!! You can find the full product line of the AllerMates online and you can also shop in stores by using their store finder!!
This was not a paid post and honest/original opinions were used and they are my own. Thank you to the company and/or pr agency who supplied the product for review.
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About Me
I am the wife of a former Marine and the mother of 3 beautiful kids. We live in the Seattle Washington area. I am a stay at home mommy during the day and a blogger in the evenings. I have a beautiful daughter named Estrella, a handsome little boy named Robert, and a adorable baby boy named Wyatt. I love to blog and share amazing product reviews with my readers! | {
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What is a Blockchain?
Even if you’re relatively new to blockchain, chances are that cryptocurrency has made you skeptical of it. While some people speak about this technology as if it were as big as the invention of the internet, many more people have been burned (or know someone who has been burned) by buying late into the fall-winter bull run of 2017-2018.
The worst part about the bull run (yes, beyond the market cap shrinking from over $700 billion all the way back down to $200,000 in a matter of just months) is the damage to blockchain’s reputation. Blockchain technology is here to stay. If it wasn’t a serious technology, then what could explain the blockchain patent war taking place as we speak between IBM and Alibaba?
This article explains what blockchain technology is, what the use cases for it are, how it is used in cryptocurrency, and why it might be here long after cryptocurrency is gone.
Why Blockchain?
Blockchain was co-created at the same time as Bitcoin with the release of Satoshi Nakomoto’s Whitepaper on Bitcoin, developed in 2009. Blockchain can be thought of as an infrastructure technology, in a similar way as the internet or steel. It can be used to build things. We build websites on top of the internet. In a similar way, blockchains can have dApps built on top of them. (Decentralized applications are computer programs that can run without any centralized body or governing agency.)
Blockchain is the highway, dApps are the cars that can ride down it.
dApps run on blockchains through the use of a network of decentralized nodes. One of the biggest use cases for blockchain is distributed ledger technology, which the nodes are responsible for maintaining. Information is stored on a blockchain through the use of establishing individual blocks of information which cannot be altered. The blocks are stored on a distributed ledger (called distributed because it is widespread as opposed to being centralized). The nodes validate the blocks to make sure the information is correct and that a consensus is made whenever a change occurs on a network.
How the information is updated and validated can depend on which type of blockchain you are using.
Types of Blockchains
There are three general types of blockchains which are easy to remember: private, public, and federated blockchains.
Public Blockchains are open-source and can be updated by anyone. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Monero are all examples of public blockchains. The public blockchain is the most common.
Private Blockchains, on the other hand, are created with the intent to be used internally by a company. That company maintains the control of the information as opposed to miners.
Federated Blockchains, the third and final group to be discussed here, are held by the leadership of a group or organization. These types of blockchains do not allow anyone with internet access to access them. They are often seen within the banking sector due to the level of speed that this type of blockchain typically has compared with the other types.
Use Cases for Blockchain
There are many ways in which blockchain can be integrated into the modern retail, tech, accounting, governmental, and transaction industries. It is most widely used now in the tokenization of cryptocurrencies and assets, but in the future, the use cases will be much more ubiquitous and vast.
For now, we’ll look at two increasingly common use cases: tokenization and voting.
In tokenization, investors take an asset such as a hotel and divide ownership between investing parties by way of tokens. Say you own a hotel in New York City that is worth 1 billion dollars. During the tokenization, coins are created at a rate of 1 coin per $1 USD. You and your four partners each own 25%. Thus, each of the partners receives 250 million tokens each. Tokenization would be even more beneficial if that same hotel had 10,000 owners. You might think that it would be complicated to divide that ownership. The fractionation that tokenization allows enables more people to own high-end assets like real estate. A blockchain would be useful for this scenario because it can maintain any transaction of tokens in a way that is immutable and verifiable.
As for voting, a blockchain can help in a similar way: through immutability. A blockchain can prevent voter fraud by uploading votes to a distributed ledger. This ledger allows for anonymity while still protecting identity through encryption. It also ensures that everyone that is supposed to vote is actually the one voting. The blockchain will also allow the results to be fully inalterable. The next presidential elections, at least in the USA, can certainly benefit from voter fraud solutions.
In closing
Whether it’s tokenizing a multi-billion-dollar hotel or securing the interest of the general public in a country election, blockchain is taking the world by storm. But first it has to prove to the world that it can be used for many more reasons beyond cryptocurrency. The large number of blockchain patents being filed from the world’s leading tech companies just goes to show how big of a priority this technology is.
Joe Riviello
Buying.com -Chief Operating Officer- As a technology development and marketing expert, Joe creates engaging, conversion-centric e-commerce experiences and cutting-edge solutions that maximize growth and profit. Joe is the founder of Zen Design Firm, LLC, a 10 year old web development and marketing company designated by e-commerce giant, WooCommerce, as one of just a handful of experts in development on the WooCommerce framework. Joe also serves on the Board of Directors for the Northeastern Economic Development Company and has advised multiple Fortune 500 companies on strategic growth initiatives with a specialization in digital marketing channels. | {
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Major misses on employment send Canadian dollar tumbling almost half a cent
Jan 10, 2014
Malcolm Morrison, The Canadian Press
TORONTO – The Canadian dollar dropped sharply Friday, falling well below 92 cents US amid major disappointments on Canadian and U.S. jobs data.
The loonie was well off the worst levels of the session but still down 0.42 of a cent at 91.73 cents US. Earlier it fell to 91.36 cents US, its lowest level since September 2009.
Statistics Canada reported that the economy shed 45,900 jobs last month, a major miss as economists had expected it to have created about 14,600 jobs in December. The jobless rate came in at 7.2 per cent, up from 6.9 per cent in November.
And in the U.S., the Labor Department said the American economy cranked out only 74,000 jobs as opposed to the 200,000 that economists had forecast.
Expectations had been ratcheted up after payroll firm ADP reported Wednesday that the private sector alone created 238,000 jobs last month, while other data Thursday showed a continuing decline in those filing for jobless benefits.
Traders hoped that the U.S. jobs data would provide some direction on how the U.S. Federal Reserve plans to further reduce its monthly purchases of bonds. The Fed said in December that the key stimulus would be reduced to $75 billion a month from $85 billion, starting in January. It said further adjustments would depend on economic performance, particularly the job market.
It’s been a brutal week for the loonie, which has fallen about 2.3 cents US since last Friday, buffetted by data that showed Canada’s trade deficit grew last fall. Another report showed the U.S. trade deficit dropped 12.9 per cent in November to its lowest level in four years. Imports, including Canadian crude oil, dropped 1.4 per cent.
And the Bank of Canada has turned dovish on interest rates with a hike not expected until next year.
Also, the U.S. dollar has strengthened on speculation about how fast the U.S. Federal Reserve might reduce its massive bond buying program.
Commodity prices were higher with the February crude contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange ahead $1.06 to US$92.72 a barrel.
March copper gained four cents to US$3.34 a pound while speculation about Fed intentions pushed February gold bullion up $17.50 to US$1,246.90 an ounce. | {
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Adaptation of manga series by the same people who brought you Future Diary.
Characters
Daisy is a weird fairy/hallucination who goes around and turns random people into Orders, which basically means that they get super-powers based on whatever they were wishing for at the time. She seems to be mostly doing this for shits and giggles, as she expects to be entertained by whatever interesting things the Orders will do with their powers. And in that regard, she’s been rather disappointed by…
Eiji, our teenage protagonist, who somehow got powers so incredible that he basically wrecked the world by accident when he got them. Ten years later, the scars are still visible all around, and he’s trying to keep as low a profile as possible. Other compelling reason to never ever use his powers again : his little sister is in the hospital because of his past outburst (and his inner monologue makes it sound like she’s barely got six months to live).
Rin is the pretty new transfer student into Eiji’s class, but of course that’s just a front, because it wouldn’t be a Sakae Esuno story without a sadistic redhead stalking the protagonist and being very creepy indeed. She’s an assassin nominally working for a secret council of weirdoes supposedly running what’s left of the world, and tasked with tracking Eiji down. Of course, since her parents died in the catastrophe, she quickly ditches her recon job and goes straight for the kill. Also, she’s an Order with regenerative powers, so she’s basically immortal.
Eiji spends most of the episode whining and panicking, but Rin straight out stabbing his little sister is the straw that broke the camel back. Together with Daisy putting a big range limiter on his ability (so that he can use it without risk of wrecking the whole world), this spurs him into fighting back. Especially as Daisy clarifies that his power isn’t actually to break stuff. He’s really a reality warper, able to bend the world (and people) around him to his will. (With a range now limited to at best the size of a building.) See, his wish as a kid was patterned after his favourite cartoon character, who was about conquering the world for its own good. So hey, Eiji might as well go and conquer the world… starting with the council of assholes who went after him. And Rin is his first draftee, whether she wants it or not.
Production Values
On the one hand, this is very raw looking indeed ; studio Asread isn’t known for producing polished shows, and this is the case here too. On the other hand, there are some great visuals for the initial catastrophic event, with the world just getting broken and fractured in a very unsettling way.
What did I think of it ?
This was certainly a very rough start. The episode spends most of its runtime being miserable and without much direction, spending more effort on histrionics than coherent storytelling. But it all comes together with the final reveal, which gives its protagonist a much-needed agenda, interesting powers that he’s already using creatively (lol at Rin healing Eiji’s little sister without even noticing it for a while – “Wait, why the heck am I doing this ?”), and dynamics with his supporting cast that promise to be fascinating.
This show is of course very derivative of something like, say, Death Note, but there’s enough energy and ideas here to keep it fresh. I’m willing to watch where it goes for a while.
Don’t bother with Ragnastrike Angels (if you can even find it). It’s a glorified 30-second commercial for the mobile game, and it’s over before you even realize it.
With three minutes of runtime, Pan de Peace! (the pun, it hurts !) at least manages to provide a more decent bite of content. It’s yet another adaptation of a 4-panel manga starring four girls with vague lesbian overtones, with the gimmick being that they’re all crazy about bread. Perfectly inoffensive, but nothing particularly distinctive or interesting either ; it’s comfort food, basically. And since I’m on a diet, I’m gonna skip it.
Oh, and just in case, the new JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure series, Diamond is Unbreakable starts off very promisingly. The colour design is even more striking than before somehow, too. And with only 39ish episodes planned, there’s a good chance it’s going to be less bloated than Stardust Crusaders.
As previously mentioned, I won’t be doing a full review of the first episode of Macross Delta, as I already covered a preview of it three months ago. Let’s just say that it’s still as charming, and there are few more minutes of stuff happening at the end. (Since the actual first episode is somehow shorter than the preview, I presume they cut several minutes of fluff earlier on ; none of it is really missed.)
And for completeness’ sake, Sailor Moon Crystal is back, now covering the manga’s “Infinity” arc. On the one hand, given the popularity of the first anime version of it, it’s a no-brainer. On the other hand, the manga version (followed to the letter here) unfolds quite differently, and not always for the better. (The “reversion” stuff in this chapter is particularly silly pseudo-science.) And well, the usual flaws of Crystal are still present, especially the lack of atmosphere.
But who cares ? I bought the whole manga despite not liking it much ; I can certainly watch through this for completionism’s sake. (Especially as “Infinity” isn’t too bad as manga arcs go.)
Shounen Ashibe: Go! Go! Goma-chan is a short kids’ show about a boy (Ashibe) and his pet seal (Goma), adapted from a 4-panel manga series that already got two TV series in the early 90s. To say that it’s very dated indeed is an understatement ; most of the jokes and caricatures seem lifted straight out of the 70s or earlier. Otherwise, it’s perfectly inoffensive, but I’m way too old to be in the target audience.
Onigiri adapts a MMORPG as a series of shorts. Interestingly, it chooses to take the piss out of this fanservice-ladden cliché-fest, mocking thoroughly how male characters aren’t voiced, or having the main characters’ account be suspended because of tool tampering (as I was indeed wondering about the machine-gun and flamethrower whipped out by one of them in this med-fan setting…). To my surprise, most of the jokes are actually funny and delivered with good comedic timing, so I could see myself keeping watching it for a while.
Bishoujo Yuugi Unit Crane Game Girls is a baffling series of shorts, featuring three random girls being assembled so that they can save the world, but with their handlers telling them they’re going to be idols and playing crane games. The joke is in dire need of a punchline, and doesn’t work at all ; and it isn’t helped by fugly Flash-like animation. Skip.
Nope, not doing a full review of Tonkatsu DJ Agetarou. It looks awful and is barely animated, the premise is silly (being a DJ is just like cooking Tonkatsu !), and it quickly got on my nerves. I’ll pass.
Yoko, our point-of-view character, comes from a family that used to be affluent, but recently fell into hard times. She still has a lot of “rich girl” mannerisms, but not the wealth nor the confidence to back it up. She desperately wants to fit in with “commoners”, but her social anxiety got the better of her and she got off the wrong foot with her class. Which is why she’s now spending her lunch breaks in a discrete hidden spot in the school gardens. (Mostly eating bread crumbs, because those are hella cheap.)
Two students from another class, Futaba, an energetic “black hole” who seems to be eating her own weight everyday, and Teru, the class rep adept of social-fu who hides a surprisingly devious nature behind her prim and proper attitude, happen to stumble upon her, and start socializing. Yoko is both baffled and delighted at first, but then gets anxious. What if I say something wrong and they stop being my friends ?
Yamaji used to be an (adult) servant of Yoko’s family for three minutes before they bankrupted, and has taken pity on her. Which means that he’s constantly stalking her and doing stuff like giving her the nearly-expired food he’s gathered in one of his many part-time jobs. On the one hand : dude, you’re creepy. On the other hand, your heart is in the right place, and the show treating you as an annoying but inoffensive joke has some charm.
So far, the three friends are mostly talking about food. Whether it’s the show’s main theme, or merely an ice breaker, remains to be seen.
Production Values
Bright and shiny, as it should be.
What did I think of it ?
Coming in, it sounded like the big selling point was that the show featured three girls instead of the usual four. As it turns out, it’s got a surprisingly effective character study of Yoko’s social anxiety that hit very close to home, as well as many good jokes (such as Futaba one day coming with a whole loaf of bread to eat) and some intriguing character beats (I want to know more about Teru’s hidden depths).
Adaptation of a manga series about a teenage witch attending high school.
Characters
Makoto, our heroine, is of the very low-key kind of witch. Also, she’s has a terrible sense of orientation, and easily gets lost. Technically the Land of Witches consider her an adult by 15, but her parents insisted she finish high school, just in case. So she comes to move in with…
Kei, her cousin she hasn’t seen for years. He leaves deep in the country (which is apparently a popular place for witches), and goes to the same high school she’ll attend.
Chinatsu, Kei’s kid sister, is initially very distrustful of Makoto. It all changes after a few donuts and a broomstick ride.
Nao, Kei’s not-girlfriend, is completely weirded out by the newcomer, having never been exposed to witches before. (“Oops, we’re not supposed to talk about it beyond us and our families !”)
Production Values
Quite nice looking, overall.
What did I think of it ?
So charming ! This is endearing from beginning to end, and it’s really hard to dislike someone as genuinely nice as Makoto. The show also has great comedic timing, like when Chinatsu keeps screaming in joy in the background after the broomstick ride for minutes on end.
In the future, Japan has been half-submerged, and it seems the big thing is naval patrols by ships entirely crewed by women, the “Blue Mermaids”. Before that, though, they have to go through Marine High School, which includes a long practical period where they indeed crew ships with no onboard supervision. Of course, they have already studied and chosen their specialties beforehand : engineers, navigators, communication officers, cooks, doctors… and, er, weaponsmasters. Because those school ships have live ordinance.
The destroyer we’re following, the Hanekaze, has a crew of 31 by my count ; for obvious reason, most of them aren’t really developed.
Akeno, our protagonist, was a surprising choice for captain ; she didn’t have the highest grades, and is a bit clumsy. On the other hand, her essays about seeing the crew as a family must have struck a chord with the instructors. She certainly does seem to have a good head on her shoulders during this episode.
Mashiro, her deputy, is more what you’d expect ; top grades, very serious and by-the-book. On the other hand, she takes more time to process when something unexpected happens, and has trouble handling Akeno and her free-wheeling, casual attitude.
Moeka was Akeno’s childhood friend and they made a promise of becoming Blue Mermaids together… which is slightly impeded by her becoming the captain of another ship. But hey, they’ll see each other back after practical training !
Ms Furushou, their instructor, gives them barely a few words before they’re off for their maiden trip. She doesn’t come with them, of course ; she’ll be waiting at their destination. And when they’re late, she comes on one of the instructor ships and… has it fire at them ??? And when Akeno eventually orders to fire back to cover their escape, Ms Furushou has them branded as outlaws gone rogue ???
What the heck is going on ?
Production Values
Lavish portrayals of the ships and their weapons, of course. Well, at least we don’t get much of the other kind of fanservice.
What did I think of it ?
Let’s be honest : the writers messed up the first half of the episode, with long scenes of nothing happening and way too little being established about either the main characters or the world. That’s really, really boring.
On the other hand, once the unexpected starts happening, Akeno steps up, and we get to see the crew together in action ? That’s much more like it ; and the insanity of the plot twist has a lot of charm in itself. It’s probably a training exercise for the “crew of leftovers” (what does that even mean ?), but it’s a good excuse to have our heroes fend for themselves for a while.
I’m actually quite interested in seeing where this is going, provided it can keep its mystery going.
Yukina, our protagonist, is a ordinary high school girl whose plans for the future include, er, going to Mars. (Second choice : Mercury. Third choice : Jupiter.) Well, not with those grades she isn’t, her teacher awkwardly explains.
Mom won’t have any of it ; after all, if she’s an overachiever herself, why wouldn’t her daughter be able to ? (Yukina just looks mortified at this point.) Mom is the head of a UN facility, after all. And, er, still forgetful enough to leave her cell on the teacher’s desk. Cue Yukina bringing a friend with her to her mother’s workplace so she can hand it back (and give her friend a bit of a tour, because we need more clumsy exposition damnit).
I have no clue what they actually do at this UN facility. Utility mecha for construction work ? Sure, why not. Actual battle mecha teams ready to react when a bunch of mysterious unmanned mecha drop in from space ? Seriously, what are they doing here that’d warrant such an attack ? (And it’s not the last one.)
Other mystery : the big black cube they excavated several decades ago, and have kept in a hall once they got bored of studying it. Somehow, once Yukina touches it, it opens and lets out a naked defrosted samurai who can somehow go head-to-toe with the one mecha who got into the room. And calls Yukina “princess”, for some reason.
Production Values
LOL at Yukina’s hands obscuring the samurai’s body, Austin Powers style. Otherwise, it’s average-looking for a PA Works production, although still great with body language.
What did I think of it ?
This is very average indeed. Most of the exposition is awkward (not helped by the terrible fansubs I watched this with, admittedly), Yukina is the only halfway interesting character introduced so far, and the enemy mechas are a bit weaksauce, both in designs and menace.
In a less busy season, I’d give it the benefit of the doubt and let the familiar genre tropes carry it. As it is, it gets one more episode to become more interesting before I drop it.
Tanaka, our lead character, keeps falling asleep in class. Or at least, he tries to ; most of the time he gets into an uncomfortable position that allows him little sleep. Apparently there’s a whole art to sleeping while sitting at a desk.
Oota, his best friend, is our straight man. I’m amazed by his patience.
Production Values
Okay enough, I guess.
What did I think of it ?
I’m not sure the intended reaction was to put me to sleep, but it’s nicely ironic.
The joke’s just not strong enough to carry an episode, let alone a whole series. Tanaka’s anemic delivery doesn’t help, and the show does little to keep it visually interesting.
Er, fuck if I know. The title seems to be a play on “kizuna” (“bond”), and there’s some talk about achieving world peace ? Anyway, it’s the latest original show by studio Trigger (but without Imaishi involved).
Characters
Agata, our protagonist, is your ordinary student at one of those public high schools where nobody does much studying, and the teachers don’t care. Strangely, he doesn’t feel pain much ; which means that whenever he gets bullied (and it happens often), he just lets it happen and waits it out.
One day, he’s approached by a strange girl named Sonozaki, who starts a long and not particularly coherent spiel about him being part of a modern version of the Seven Deadly Sins, who are the key to achieve world peace. Also, she pushes him down some stairs.
When he wakes up, he finds himself with five other classmates :
– Chidori, his not-girlfriend who always wants him to either step up against the bullies, or at least bring the teachers in ;
– Tenga, the big guy who crushed the bullies earlier on, because seriously ;
– Hisomu, the self-absorbed playboy who thinks he’s way cooler than he actually is ;
– Niko, the chuuni weirdo who keeps getting distracted by her own imagination ;
– and Maki, the high and mighty ice queen who thinks herself above all those losers.
Sonozaki explains that they were all abducted gathered by her agents, and have been given implants to become “Kiznaivers”. The most obvious practical effect is that whenever one of them gets hurt, each of them receives a portion of the pain (which limits the injury for the one actually struck).
How any of this is supposed to achieve world peace, I have no clue. But then, Sonozaki and her crew seem to be into really weird research indeed. And there’s the obvious question of why there are only six of them given the “Deadly Sins” theme (my immediate suspicion being that Sonozaki herself is the 7th). Oh, and I highly suspect Agata’s condition might be due to already having another set of Kiznaiver links inside him (if the cryptic flashbacks are anything to go by).
Production Values
Well, it’s studio Trigger, so expect lots of hyperkinetic action and bold colour choices… and actually, it looks like there’s less shortcuts in their animation than usual. And there’s tons of neat little visuals, from Tenga’s dynamic entry to the mascot-like appearances of Sonozaki’s crew.
What did I think of it ?
Well, that’s certainly intriguing. The plot outright makes no sense, but then it seems to run on nightmare logic more than anything else. It’s fast-paced enough to pull it off, quickly sketching out the main characters with remarkable economy. I’m especially impressed by the “show, don’t tell” approach for Sonozaki : we know nothing about her, but her speech paints a fascinating picture.
This is one of the most interesting shows of the season ; I definitely want to watch more to learn what’s going on here.
Chihiro is a poor 10-year-old kid whose mother has just died. He thought she was his only family, but it seems she was merely estranged for her family (obviously for having him). Which is why, a few days later, his rich uncle comes to pick him up…
Madoka, his mother’s younger brother, is delighted to bring his nephew to his own big house, and THANK GODS this is way less creepy than it sounds. He just seems lonely, and had much affection and respect for his sister. Interestingly, while he clearly doesn’t need to, he does have a job as a costume designer.
Shinozaki, Madoka’s secretary, handles a lot of duties for his slob of a boss. He draws the line at cleaning more than the study where they work, though. The rest of the huge mansion is a complete mess.
Since Chihiro is defiant of Madoka, and doesn’t want to feel indebted to a family his mother clearly wanted nothing to do with, they come to an arrangement : Chihiro will handle domestic duties in exchange for room and board. Also, Madoka got him to wear a custom-designed maid outfit, because he though it’d be funny and Chihiro didn’t protest too much.
Production Values
Thankfully, no fanservice whatsoever.
What did I think of it ?
The synopsis was rather worrying, but this seems to be an inoffensive little comedy about parenting (although one’s not quite sure who’s a parent to whom). The manga certainly doesn’t seem to have raised warning flags, and further episodes look like they’re going to add in age-appropriate love interests for both of our leads.
On the other hand, while it’s pleasant enough, there’s nothing particularly remarkable about it. In a busy season where there are tons of average slice-of-life comedies, I may have to cut this one within a week or two to make my schedule more sensible.
Sakamoto, our lead character, is awesome. Whatever you throw at this otherwise ordinary highschool student, he’ll not only take it in stride, but also look cool while dealing with it. And he’ll never get angry against whoever caused it ; he’s way above such petty shit.
And, er, that’s pretty much it. The episode is split between the tale of three delinquents in his class trying to bully him (hahaha, nope), and the one of the handsome teenage model getting jealous that all the girls think that Sakamoto is cooler than him. (Also, some other random assorted segments to pad things out, like Sakamoto saving a bird during a storm.)
Production Values
Now this has studio Deen putting some effort into it ; it certainly succeeds into making Sakamoto looking like the coolest dude ever. The jazzy score helps a lot in that regard.
What did I think of it ?
Well, it’s not a bad joke. On the other hand, that one joke is all the show has ; can it sustain itself for a full season ? I have some doubts. It runs the risk of getting old very quickly, unless it finds some new crazy stuff for Sakamoto to do.
But hey, I’m willing to give it at least another episode to see where it goes. | {
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51 Gorgeous Winter Decorating Ideas for After Christmas
Winter wonderland backdrops are ideal for a festive Christmas party. Finding creative winter wedding favors has never been simpler. Decorating for the holidays can be quite expensive.
Be certain you add the calendar year somewhere on the ornament so that you can recall when you made them. Because it’s Christmas, you’ll certainly be decorating your house with the most festive decorations. If it’s the angel theme that you pick for your Christmas tree, then it’s most effective to begin searching for creative Christmas tree ornaments.
Among the nicest traditions to start in your family is that of making a few new Christmas ornaments every year. The church decorations may be up only two or three days before Christmas, and should you need to place your own touch then, it is going to be cutting too close. Christmas is about sharing and caring.
As stated by the ad, it was also ideal for decorating windows. If you’re looking for ideas about how to decorate after christmas then have come the correct place below winter decorating inspire. You have the choice of purchasing artificial wreaths that can be found in the current market or you may make one from fresh leaves at home.
Below, you will discover a massive selection of photos and ideas to select from. Using writing styles like calligraphy is one particular example which works and looks really excellent.
No matter in which you put the wreath, avoid adding lots of accessories or ornaments which will wind up making it appear gaudy. You can be a bit creative and implement your own ideas and suggestions to decorate wreaths. Twisting the ribbon may also add a fairly very good effect to the getup.
Throughout the planet, Christmas is among the most well known holidays. There are various ski resorts and mountain lodges to go to.
The guests understand that you are intent on throwing a terrific party! If you are experiencing a more elegant wedding, then you’re able to offer your wedding guests a modest floral arrangement. To assist you on this one, below are some cake tips for your fantasy winter wedding.
As you are aiming for a winter vacation, ensure you’re well equipped for low temperatures. From this, you will be in a position to get the ideal winter vacation spot suiting your requirements. Before you finalize your vacation destination, you may want to determine the length of time your vacation will be. | {
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Air force
It is an apparent sign that Turkey is now willing to take a front-line role in the fight against ISIL militants.
Turkish warplanes have bombed militant targets inside Syria, following a firefight with ISIL near its border on Thursday. One militant and one soldier died… | {
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Special thanks to the organizers and supporters of the festival especially to the Director Monika Paca and Katarzyna “Kasia” Kraus for all the love and hard work they put into realizing this wonderful event. | {
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Watch the highlights of the Samsung Galaxy S III event in a short video
Most of you reading this may have already watched the Galaxy S III launch event when it was being streamed live on May 3. Samsung even released the video for those who may have missed it earlier.
But in case you still haven’t watched it or just don’t have time to sit through an hour long streaming video, Samsung has now released a shorter version that features the highlights from the event. The video fails to show the sheer awkwardness, the bad English and the borderline creepy nature of some of the video sequences displayed during the actual event, nor does it show most of the main features of the actual phone, but if you’re short on time, this should suffice.
If, however, you need to watch the entire event, the video for it is here. | {
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Twitch Chat Encourages Kid To Slap His Mum’s Arse In Bizarre Stream
Twitch streams see a lot of weird behaviour, and now the platform has a crazy amount of young streamers, things are getting downright bizarre.
Credit: Twitch
Twitch streamer Vilija1111 usually streams health and wellness videos which sometimes feature her young son.
She recently streamed herself working out with her son present – and that’s when things got weird.
In the chat, viewers started asking the son to “hit it for us,” referring – of course – to his mother’s butt. Worryingly, the child does what he’s told, which definitely confuses his mum…
Check out the clip below to experience the weirdness for yourself…
Let’s face it, this isn’t the weirdest thing we’ve seen in a Twitch stream…
Twitch streamers are often gifted the best present in the universe – money – from their loving viewers and subscribers. Usually people donating to a streamer are helping to keep their channels alive and well and sometimes it’s to get them a pizza six hours into a stream, and sometimes it’s even more selfless.
Twitch streamer Greekgodx recently came across a selfless fan of his channel, a fan selfless enough to dole out a massive FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS (that’s over $600 USD!) for Greekgodx to be able to give out money or free subscriptions to some of his most adoring fans.
However, Greekgodx had other plans for the kind donation…
He told the stream: “Give [the donater] a Greek-out in the chat…not only has he supported me in top bits, he’s also supported me in money, donations-wise, and subs. Like, thank you mate…thank you, dude. | {
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Ras Al Khaimah wants to avoid the financial problems of fellow sheikdom Dubai and reduce its 5 billion U.A.E. dirhams ($1.36 billion) of debt after funding a development splurge with Islamic bonds, a senior official said.
"We'd like to reduce this structural debt and then bring in partners," Jim Stewart, chief executive of the Ras Al Khaimah government's Investment and Development Office told Zawya Dow Jones in an interview.
Investors will share equity in some of the emirate's 16 government-related companies--which could also sell shares to the public in a few years--or help develop its major projects, said Stewart, from his office this week.
Ras Al Khaimah, the fourth-largest member of the U.A.E. and the last sheikdom to join the federation, wants to reduce its modest debts after watching Dubai allow borrowing to get out of control.
Dubai was forced to call on the financial support of its oil-rich neighbor Abu Dhabi and the federal government after it emerged that one of its largest state-owned companies needed to restructure $26 billion of debt.
"We take no money from Abu Dhabi," he said. "As we go forward, we find that on a macro level, our debt needs are lower in terms of supporting our companies."
The emirate has about AED3.6 billion of sukuk listed on the London Stock Exchange and doesn't have plans for more borrowing.
According to Zawya.com, the government has an ongoing $2 billion sukuk program and sold $400 million of bonds in July last year in the first U.S. dollar sukuk issue by an emirate in the U.A.E. It sold AED1 billion of sukuk in May 2008. Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority, or Rakia, sold a $325 million sukuk in 2007.
The government is rated 'A/A' by Fitch and Standards & Poor's ratings agencies.
Ras Al Khaimah, which has struggled to attract investment on the same scale as bigger emirates like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, has built up raw materials and mining industries. It's also making a foray into real estate and tourism by building resorts and an amusement park along its Persian Gulf coastline.
"We built up this emirate on a needs-basis," he added. "We haven't just gone out and built things. Most of the work we're doing is an expansion of our assets."
Those assets include a maritime free-zone business park and Ras Al Khaimah International Airport.
The emirate is also home to the world's largest tile maker, Rak Ceramics, and is building up its ports to boost trade, while developing docks overseas in Georgia and India. The Investment and Development Office run by Stewart manages the government's investments and acts as a centralized debt management agency.
"In three to five years, we'd look to have key players join us in some of these key assets. Having gone through a rapid period of growth, it's actually very unusual you would own 100% of your airport and ports," said Stewart.
With the airport expected to break-even next year, and real estate projects reaching completion, Ras Al Khaimah will look for "more flexible funding for projects," and expects that its companies will borrow on their own books rather than rely on the government issuing sovereign debt.
It will also look to neighboring emirates for partnerships. "We're well-positioned now to do more, with Dubai, with Abu Dhabi," Stewart said. "Some of our assets fit in well with what they do."
Jadwa Investment, a company part-owned by the Saudi royal family, and CIT, a European property investor, have acquired the King’s Reach Tower on London’s south bank for £60m ($89m) and plan to invest a further £500m in the UK real estate market.
Jadwa has invested £140m in UK property – including Hull’s largest shopping centre in March – and King’s Reach Tower is the fourth joint Jadwa-CIT acquisition.
The price paid for King’s Reach was almost a quarter below the price paid the last time it was sold in 2006, said Jadwa. The purchase of the tower and adjacent podium building includes a planning consent for redevelopment and Jadwa and CIT plan to invest a further £200m in the property.
The government will soon issue several economic laws to regulate the UAE's financial sector and control the flow of hot money in the national economy, Minister of State for Financial Affairs Obaid Al Tayer said yesterday.
Speaking at a session of the Federal National Council in Abu Dhabi, Al Tayer said the new laws, which were compiled by the Ministry of Finance in co-operation with the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), the Central Bank and the Insurance Authority, also deal with bankruptcy and credit, and were necessitated by the fallout of the global financial crisis. They will be referred to the Cabinet soon.
"We benefited from the many lessons of the global financial crisis, and the ministerial committee tasked with following up the impact of the crisis on the UAE economy is still engaged in monitoring the local and international situations," he said.
We are approaching endgame in the negotiations between financial creditors, who are owed US$14.4 billion (Dh52.89bn), and Dubai World.
But there is many a slip twixt cup and lip and this saga, which has been running since last November when Dubai World first called in the restructurers, still has the capacity to surprise.
So far, after the confusion of the initial restructuring announcement, it has gone pretty smoothly. Other restructurings in the region have been far more time-consuming and confrontational. The Investment Dar in Kuwait is still locked in legal wranglings with a rump of dissident creditors; Global Investment House also had a tough time persuading creditors to accept reduced terms.
A Bahraini tribunal has ruled key documents in the Middle East’s most serious corporate scandal of recent years were not forged, as has been alleged.
Lawyers working for Ahmad Hamad Al Gosaibi and Brothers, the Saudi Arabian conglomerate, have alleged that Maan al Sanea, a Saudi billionaire, forged signatures on financial documents to commit a US$10 billion (Dh36.72bn) fraud against the group.
Al Gosaibi claimed the signatures on three financial documents – two credit facility letters and one guarantee agreement – were not signed by Suleiman Hamad al Gosaibi, the late chairman of the family conglomerate, but were forgeries. The documents were all dated June 29 2008.
Doha Bank (DHBK.DO), Qatar's fifth-largest lender by market value, will sell up to $1 billion of bonds by the end of the year if the global recovery is sustained, the bank's chief executive officer said Monday.
"If global financial stability comes in before the year-end we should go for it," Raghavan Seetharaman told Zawya Dow Jones in an interview. "It has to be cost effective."
Seetharaman added that the bank would look to raise debt to strengthen long-term liabilities and hedge against a possible increase in the cost of funding due to interest rate rises in U.S. as the world's largest economy recovers from the worst recession since the Great Depression.
Qatar's currency, like other Gulf Cooperation Council, or GCC, states is pegged against the U.S. dollar.
Rival, Qatar Islamic Bank (QIBK.DO), or QIB, the country's second-largest lender by market value, is said to have delayed in April selling $500 million of Islamic bonds due to uncertainty in regional capital markets. The bank now plans to issue bonds in the second half.
Seetharaman, chief executive since 2002, said that economies dependent on the financial services industry will suffer "a double dip recession", while Qatar's hydrocarbon revenues will protect it from another downturn.
"The world is not yet out of the woods and I foresee a double dip recession," he said.
Doha Bank will have non-performing loans of around 3% of its balance sheet at year end, he said.
In 2010, Seetharaman said the bank's focus will be on growing its Islamic finance arm and small to medium size enterprise funding, and that both divisions could expand by 20% over the next year.
Energy subsidies are the bane of Egyptian budgets, soaking up as much public funds as health and education put together - which is why the government is looking to cut back on energy subsidies in the near future, as Egypt’s finance minister told beyondbrics in an interview.
But you wouldn’t be able to tell by looking at the government’s budget, just adopted for the fiscal year to start in July, which outlines some $12bn still to be spent on supporting the prices of a range of fuels from natural gas for industrial and domestic consumption to the unleaded petrol guzzled up by the swanky SUVs now fashionable among the rich.
“We have a vision [for reducing subsidies] but we don’t publicise it,” said Youssef Boutros Ghali, Egypt’s finance minister, in an interview with the FT . “In the coming months you will see.” | {
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Gallery
What's better than a burger and a beer among friends? Lots of burgers and beers among friends, with a cutthroat competition to boot! So went the Eye Heart SF Burger Brawl, which went down in all of its beefy glory this past Saturday at Fort Mason.
The Brawl featured 10 contestants, including restaurants (The Corner Store, Burger Bar), food trucks (Brass Knuckle, Belly Burgers), and pop-ups (our very own Wes Rowe!). Each stand served burgers in a variety of sizes, from bare-bones sliders to eight-ounce behemoths dripping toppings. Some stands offered sides, should you want some bacon jalapeño mac 'n' cheese or a pickle plate with your 10 burgers.
We saw a wide range of creativity, too—The Boardroom certainly had the most pure burger iteration, simply serving up beef on a bun with squeeze bottles of ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise on hand, while Burger Bar's short rib slider pushed the boundaries of what can really be considered a burger versus a very good cow-filled sandwich.
Skillet-griddled sliders from The Corner Store.
Hot Wes burgers on the flattop.
There were some common issues: most patties were overcooked, and many lacked a texturally interesting crust. Buns ranged from insignificant to bready and stale. But sliders from The Corner Store and Wes Rowe's Hot Wes burger were standouts for their composition, ingredients, and bold flavors.
Wes, hard at work.
Burger tasting remains.
While Wes's close ties to Serious Eats certainly did raise the red flag of nepotism for my judging purposes, his Hot Wes was the favorite of my esteemed burger tasters, as well. What's more, the judges agreed: the Hot Wes was the victor of the Burger Brawl, taking home a shiny trophy and, of course, a lifetime of pride.
Lauren is a Bay Area-native whose serious eater status was sealed when she tried Brie for the first time at the age of 6. Since then, she has lived and eaten extensively in Philadelphia, Brooklyn, and London, before making a grand homecoming to San Francisco where she eats at least an avocado a day. She has been writing for Serious Eats since 2011. | {
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enJOY it is a craft and lifestyle blog from Elise Blaha Cripe. DIY projects, simple recipes, backyard garden updates and many rambles on goal-setting and running a small business.
Over the years I have shared many a post about "green skincare." (The most recent was March 2014.) I've spent the last four years intentionally and unintentionally narrowing down the amount of product I use on my skin. Originally this came from realizing some of the harmful chemicals we slather on ourselves. Then it came from being really busy and having little time to actually slather myself. And more recently, it came from going through my bathroom drawers and realizing it was time to throw out all the product I don't use. (Thank you #konmarimethod.)
And so, I present my "final" post about this crap because I feel like I'm down to so few products and I have used so many of these things for so long that I can't imagine the routine will get more simple.
In that top photo, you are looking at the extent of my skincare and makeup products. Aside from a few chapsticks in various corners of the house this is everything I own. (I added in Ellerie's sunscreen because we love it.)
Some of this stuff - like the Pangea Organics - I have used for the past four years. (It still works great, my skin never rebelled and asked for a change.) Some of it, like the Rocky Mountain Soap deodorant is new this year. All of it is stuff I would recommend, but recommending skincare products is really hard because we all have such different skin and varied needs.
Some of this stuff I pick up at Target, some via Amazon and some I have to order directly from the brand. Links are to Amazon or brand where appropriate and some links here are affiliate.
SUN SAFE : ah, sunscreen. My love language (and where I spend my money). The body stuff I use from Josie Maran I think has been discontinued. :( But I like this or this for face. The body is a bit more white than I'd like but the face products because though they are mineral sunscreens they both rub in well and feel great on my skin.
MAKE UP : this is where I guess I am the most minimalist. It's not that I don't like makeup, but it's never been something I'm good at or willing to spend time learning. Going to Sephora gives me much more anxiety than excitement. And because I don't wear much, when I actually DO take the time, I always feel odd looking at the face in the mirror (like "who is that and why does she think she can pull off that lipstick?") But that Tarte stuff is legit. And I love this mascara (which I started buying in the mini size because I never get through it before it expires). I've started using this (sold at Target) to "enhance" my eyebrows. When I wear lipstick it's either this (in apparently a discontinued color), this (in bali but I think they changed the name to jamaica?) or this (in courage). And if I have something really fancy (which would be like a wedding) I'll wear this under eye stuff, a bit of this in regal ruby on my cheeks and this on my eyelids.
HAIR : I stopped brushing or combing my hair after hopping out of the shower and it's done wonders for my curls. I lightly towel try my hair and then rub this stuff through, first as a de-tangler (just using my fingers) and then I "scrunch" my curls. That's it. Too easy. On the rare occasion that I straighten my hair (every six weeks?) I use the same stuff. I'll use this Redkin stuff if I need to give my hair some extra volume (smells odd but works). I'm back on the Unite shampoo and conditioner train after trying and failing with the Trader Joe's brand.
BODY : we use a variety of chemical free body soaps in the shower. I just pick something up when I'm at Target or Trader Joe's. I love this roll on lotion and this roll-on deodorant. The lotion I would recommend for everyone. The non-chemical deodorant may not be a great fit for everybody. So many factors go into the right deodorant (hormones, activity level, climate) but if you already like natural deodorants and find your body responds to them, then I'd recommend. This hand lotion is the best and I rarely wear polish on my fingernails these days but I have a few (toxic) options on hand.
Here's the list of chemicals to avoid that I always include with posts like this (click to enlarge). It's from the book There's Lead in Your Lipstick. Most (but not all) of what I shared here is compliant with these guidelines, but of course check your labels.
Any product favorites you want to share? The comments sections of posts like these always have more suggestions than I offer. :)
The plus side of the second kiddo is that you're over all the "extras." There is a better understanding of needs vs. frills. I bought super bizarre things for Ellerie (like so many sets of pjs and then she slept in onesies and sleep sacks) but I also stupidly skimped on things that really would have made our lives better. (See below.)
So this post is going to share some of that. I've broken it down into hopefully helpful categories. Yays, Nays and Big Mistakes.
WHAT WE LOVED :
breast pump (love is a long shot here, but you know what I mean) Be sure to try and get one through your insurance before you purchase!
a baby monitor. I bought one, but she's just down the hall and we never used it once. Plus, I realized I don't want to hear every tiny sound. I want to hear the loud sounds. (Obviously we didn't do a video monitor either.)
all those cute PJs
so many cute dresses (this is just me I think. Most people probably love dressing their kiddo up. I kept things very simple and can't imagine I'll switch gears this time.)
WHAT WE SKIPPED (AND WILL SKIP AGAIN) :
pacifiers (just never offered and don't plan to this time)
wipe warmer
bottle warmer
anything fancy to make baby food
a diaper bag (I had a zippered pouch packed with a change of clothes, three diapers and wipes that I threw into my purse when we went out - it stays in the car now that Elle is older).
WHAT WE MISSED OUT ON LAST TIME :
a comfy rocking chair. This was my biggest mistake. I should have bought a comfy rocker long ago and I am so glad we finally got this one.
a newborn friendly stroller. Not having a newborn stroller was my second biggest mistake. We have a BOB Revolution (which we LOVE) but didn't get a carseat attachment and therefore had no stroller option for the first 3 months. I seriously don't know what the hell I was thinking but I am sure that not getting outside contributed to my post-partum sadness. This will not happen again and we are looking at double stroller options (and have heard great things about this Mountain Buggy one!)
a wrap carrier. I had this one, but didn't take advantage of it. I'll try again with this baby.
a hands free pumping bra (I pumped exclusively for nine months and never bought one of these. There are no limits to my WTFs on this.)
Baby "necessities" are so arbitrary. I read some lists of must-haves and they are items that totally didn't work for me. And then I read other lists and I'm like "are you kidding?! you left off the only thing that got me through those first two months." So really, it's a crap shoot. All you need is love. And perspective. And a bit of red wine.
The quick gist is, no grains, no beans, no rice, no dairy, no sugar of any kind, no artificial sugar, no alcohol. It's sort of like Paleo but there are a few differences. There are other guidelines worked into it too like no (or minimal) snacking, no "cheats," and no weighing yourself for 30 days.
We decided to try it without much research. Basically, I had seen a lot of folks (both real life friends and social media friends) talk about it and I was interested. Last pregnancy, I had gestational diabetes (which usually presents around 28 weeks) and controlled it easily by monitoring what sorts of food I ate (basically a low carb diet). I figured this would just be a bit stricter GD diet AND there was a chance that the clean eating would help prevent GD this time around (I'll let you know if that turns out to be true).
Overall, I wanted a reason to feel motivated in the kitchen again. I wanted to refocus our meal prep and stop defaulting to the same (less healthy) meals. I'm not trying to lose weight (I'm pregnant) but Paul said he wouldn't mind dropping a few pounds.
So that's the introduction.
How are we doing 15 days in?
I'd say like a 7 on a scale of 1-10. Dinners are a 10. We are eating more veggies and finding some really fun recipes. The photos at the top of this post are of some dinners these past few weeks. Clockwise from top right : coconut chicken (we are using almond flour) and broccoli sauteed with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, salad with a homemade olive oil and vinegar dressing with steak, Trader Joe's turkey burger (no bun) with mustard, tomato, avocado, caramelized onions and mushrooms & sweet potato fries, sweet potato "nachos" similar to this.
Breakfasts are a 5. Taste wise, I'm so over eggs. I want to wake up and eat oatmeal. Energy wise though, eggs just can't be beat. I am consistently making it until 11:30 before I am hungry again - something I am not sure I have ever said in my life. I'm eating scrambled eggs with avocado and some meat (usually leftover from the night before) and fruit. It's filling but getting boring.
Lunches are fine. Generally, we just eat leftovers (Paul brings them to work and I eat them here).
In the beginning I was snacking a ton. Mostly on fruit, nut butters and Larabars. Now though (actually just in the past few days) I am finding those snacks less necessary. It appears I am adjusting to the new routine. Increasing my weight gradually is important while pregnant though, so I am monitoring that and making sure to get enough food (and obviously, eating whenever I'm hungry).
I feel great energy wise. No headaches, no hunger, no physical cravings, no afternoon crashes. All good news. I am struggling to drink enough water though (just need to commit to it). I've done some reading and while veggies are more fibrous than whole grains, they take a lot more water to process through your system. Good to know. Working on it.
One of the big pros of the program is supposed to be better sleep and a clearer mind. I was getting decent sleep and felt "clear headed" before starting though so I can't say that's improved.
Paul says he feels pretty much the same physically, but better mentally about the choices we are making. So there's that. We also learned Ellerie loves cooked broccoli! So that was a bizarre and unexpected side effect.
In sum: not a lot to report. It's an intense way of eating, but it's 30 days. 30 days. You can do anything for 30 days. If you want a jump start, it could be a great fit. Hopefully I'll have a more exciting update when we complete the program on August 5!
this post is not sponsored or affiliated in anyway. just sharing an update.be sure to check with your doctor before starting a new food routine!
Everything I do with Ellerie these days (besides our book reading routine or trips to the park) feels about five minutes long. Her attention span is growing, but...she's two.
I wanted to share a cute and simple project we made over the weekend... a wooden E for her wall and a few tips for painting with toddlers.
We paint almost everyday that she's home (and at daycare she usually paints too). Normally we keep it simple with watercolors and then my "plan" is to just let her at it (we use a lot of scratch paper and not too much water). She's gotten familiar with holding the brush, dipping the paint, etc. It's pretty normal routine around here.
But this project was a little different because we were going to use craft paint (I actually used the little paints from this craft project but any craft paint would have worked). The wooden letter I picked up at Target in the office supply section for a few dollars.
I knew this could be a brown mess quickly and to try and keep things as simple as possible, I used a different paint brush for each color. I handled the paint dipping and just handed her colors on request. "Purple? You got it. Yellow? You got it. Blue? No, not blue? Okay, purple again? You got it."
Another trick I've learned is that it helps to give her suggestions of what to paint. Like "Ellerie, can you paint Grandpa?" Or "Ellerie, do you want to paint the sun?" or "Can you show mama how to paint a dog?" Of course it's all an "abstract Grandpa, sun or dog" but it gets her excited to connect the paint with the paper (or in this case letter) and she likes to point out later what she painted ("Grandma! Coco! Mama!")
It goes without saying (I hope!) that this was much more "organized" than a normal craft session. I would never say "structure your kiddo's art time!" on a constant basis but it worked well for getting this letter painted and she's SO excited to see it hanging on her wall ("I paint it!").
My last trick is to make sure you date the art! This is what my mom drills into me constantly and I'm working on getting an age on everything.
History of Love by Danielle Krauss / this was not the best book I have ever read, but I enjoyed it for sure. I am still a little confused by the ending; I think I wanted more. More closure? More detail? More? But I sort of think the point was to fade out like that. I smiled a lot while reading this one. The characters had a lot of character.
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins / like everyone, I heard so much hype about this one. It was the "thriller I wouldn't be able to put down!" except, I put it down a lot. Why? I don't know. The main character bugged me so much. Actually everything bugged me so much. I'm in the minority but this one fell flat for me, possibly because my expectations were too high.
All Joy and No Fun by Jennifer Senior / non-fiction?! How rare. This was another one I had heard good things about and I liked it. It was nice to read some of the real science behind while toddlers are crazy and it was really nice to hear some new stories (outside of "this is the hardest but best job I've ever had!") about moms and families. In many ways, I felt like this book helped me feel more relaxed as a parent. I wouldn't say it's a must read because I don't think parenting books are ever a "must" but it's a good one.
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn / Creeeeeeepy. So creepy. I think this is Gillian Flynn's first book and I was expecting a Gone Girl vibe and got something much more gross and intense. But THIS was a book I couldn't put down. It was just one "WTF?" moment after another and I liked that.
The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes / this was a quick chick-lit read...so entertaining and slightly unbelievable. If you're a Jojo Moyes fan, I think you'd enjoy too, but I personally liked Me Before You more.
My name is Elise Blaha Cripe. I live in San Diego, California with my husband and young daughter.
I make stuff like it's my job.
I just launched GET TO WORK BOOK™, a daily planner + goal-setting journal. I also own a shop where I sell rad handmade items. This blog is where I share general life musings, insight into being a small business owner and the occasional craft project.
Unless otherwise stated, all words and photos on this blog are my own. If you use a photo, please link back to this site to provide credit. Under no circumstances, should the text of this blog be copied and re-posted elsewhere unless you have permission from me to do so. Please note, hurtful or offensive anonymous comments will be blocked.
This is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links for shops and products that I love on the sidebars and in posts as well as on my other social media sites (like Pinterest and twitter). If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I receive a small commission. Occasionally I will receive products free of charge or be paid to share about products and services here. This will be clearly noted and please know that when I am writing about something the words and opinions expressed are always my own.
Thank you so much for reading. If you would like to receive blog post updates daily in your inbox, please enter your email address below. | {
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The ORIGINAL gathering place for a merry band of Three Percenters. (As denounced by Bill Clinton on CNN!)
Thursday, August 27, 2009
An urgent appeal for translation(s)
From Pete at WRSA, this appeal has already garnered one excellent translation into Spanish of my call for the victims of collectivism to join us on 12 September in D.C. We need more. And we'll need help distributing them to the various communities. Any volunteers for the Miami Cuban community?
MikeIII
Here's the plan:
1) Translate Mike's appeal from yesterday into as many of the following languages as possible:
2) The translated texts will be made available on this site and as many others as possible.
3) Leaflets can be made from the translated texts and placed in the respective communities of interest locally.
4) Individual freedom fighters can utilize their own contacts within those communities to publicize and increase attendance at the September DC meetings and subsequent pro-freedom events.
Note: Translators should feel free to make idiomatic and other changes needed to have the American English language concepts translate effectively into the subject languages.
Please post your translations below; I will make separate blog entries for each.
Questions/comments, please post below as well.
Time is short, so thanks in advance!
The text:
To All Free Men and Women Who Escaped Collectivist Tyranny: Stand Together With Us
Each of you risked all to escape from savage oppression in your countries of birth and come to America, the land of the free. You bear the scars, within and without, of your old tyrannical masters' evils. You have already paid much to learn the involuntary lessons of collectivist tyranny.
Now, ideological allies of the same collectivists who robbed, tortured, raped, and murdered your countrymen have captured the legislative majority in the American Congress.
Together, though they wrap their arguments in sweet words and false kindness, these socialists plan to destroy every single aspect of the America you love, and in its place, establish another totalitarian hell on earth -- where every single human act must be authorized, regulated, and monitored by government.
You brave men and women, who know far better than native-born Americans what evils these governments perpetrate every day against their citizens, will be the witnesses who will teach others what must be done to save our country.
You, the refugees from tyranny, know that America is the last, best hope for mankind.
Yet many of our people do not see the threat. They lack your wisdom, born of cruelty and oppression. We need your help. You can show them why and how they must stand together.
Join us in Washington, DC on September 11-13 to tell the totalitarians that you will not allow them to destroy America too. Be there as a living witness to the evils of collectivism.
Join us in renewing our oaths to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic.
If the American constitutional republic falls, there is no place else left where ANY of us can flee and still be truly free.
Liberty stands, or falls for generations, right here, right now.
STAND WITH US!
Mike VanderboeghPinson, AlabamaWriting on behalf of The Three PercentSipseyStreetIrregulars.blogspot.comgeorgemason1776@aol.com
8 comments:
I'm working on getting Vietnamese done, and I'll send that and the English version to the Vietnamese newspapers in Northern Virginia as it has one of the largest Vietnamese communities in the states, and they should have the best turn out of all the nationalities, I believe. Plus, they are rabidly anti-Communist, though some of the younger have been brainwashed in our public schools. A few months after I was evacuated from Saigon in '75, I attended a Vietnamese celebration in an auditorium in Little Saigon, and American Communists showed up wearing red arm bands, believe it or not. Well, they didn't stay long as they were chased out of the building primarily by the Vietnamese women brandishing umbrellas! One of the most satisfying sites I have ever witnessed.
"Mandarin" refers only to the spoken dialect (from the Portuguese "mandar" -- to lead -- as it was seen as the dialect of the leadership class). Written Chinese is simply "Chinese" and can be read by speakers of all dialects. The major differentiation in written Chinese is between "traditional" (used principally on Taiwan) and "simplified" (used on the Mainland). Both can be found in overseas Chinese communities.
Is is just me, or are others becoming extremely waryof concentrating so many "good guys" in one place, and that one in the control of others? By September, GWB's ratings had plummented IIRC. That's nine months, just like now
One maxim in many quarters has been to avoid demonstrations, etc. anything that could be turned into a fight. No Fort Sumters, right?
It's an individual/family/unit decision.
I am unable to express how fervently I hope I am wrong in this supposition.
What Does It Mean To Be A "Three Percenter"?
These four principles -- moral strength, physical readiness, no first use of force and no targeting of innocents -- are the hallmarks of the Three Percent ideal. Anyone who cannot accept them as a self-imposed discipline in the fight to restore the Founders' Republic should find something else to do and cease calling themselves a "Three Percenter."
No, I'm NOT Charlie. I am ARMED.
Edmund Burke reconsidered in the light of 20th Century funeral pyres.
"Remember: Evil exists because good men don't kill the government officials committing it." -- Kurt Hofmann.
The Nyberg Battle Flag of the Three Percent
This time we are ALL Davidians. This time, we are all Jews, Kulaks, "counter-revolutionists" and "enemies of the state." We are now a despised minority within a country no longer our own.BUT WE WILL NOT BE DESPISED.
My Blog List
Advice on child rearing from my son.
Everyone should grow up with simulated equipment from a heavy weapons platoon. It gives you a more well rounded education and an appreciation for the finer things in life. -- Sergeant Matthew Vanderboegh, United States Army.
"Progress made under the shadow of the policeman's club is false progress."
I believe that liberty is the only genuinely valuable thing that men have invented, at least in the field of government, in a thousand years. I believe that it is better to be free than to be not free, even when the former is dangerous and the latter safe. I believe that the finest qualities of man can flourish only in free air – that progress made under the shadow of the policeman's club is false progress, and of no permanent value. I believe that any man who takes the liberty of another into his keeping is bound to become a tyrant, and that any man who yields up his liberty, in however slight the measure, is bound to become a slave. -- H.L. Mencken
On the efficacy of passive resistance in the face of the collectivist beast. . .
Had the Japanese got as far as India, Gandhi's theories of "passive resistance" would have floated down the Ganges River with his bayoneted, beheaded carcass. -- Mike Vanderboegh.
In the future . . .
When the histories are written, “National Rifle Association” will be cross-referenced with “Judenrat.” -- Mike Vanderboegh to Sebastian at "Snowflakes in Hell"
"Smash the bloody mirror."
If you find yourself through the looking glass, where the verities of the world you knew and loved no longer apply, there is only one thing to do. Knock the Red Queen on her ass, turn around, and smash the bloody mirror. -- Mike Vanderboegh
From Kurt Hoffman over at Armed and Safe.
"I believe that being despised by the despicable is as good as being admired by the admirable."
From long experience myself, I can only say, "You betcha."
"Only cowards dare cringe."
The fears of man are many. He fears the shadow of death and the closed doors of the future. He is afraid for his friends and for his sons and of the specter of tomorrow. All his life's journey he walks in the lonely corridors of his controlled fears, if he is a man. For only fools will strut, and only cowards dare cringe. -- James Warner Bellah, "Spanish Man's Grave" in Reveille, Curtis Publishing, 1947.
"We fight an enemy that never sleeps."
"As our enemies work bit by bit to deconstruct, we must work bit by bit to REconstruct. Be mindful where we should be. Set goals. We fight an enemy that never sleeps. We must learn to sleep less." -- Mike H. at What McAuliffe Said
"The Fate of Unborn Millions. . ."
"The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves; whether they are to have any property they can call their own; whether their Houses, and Farms, are to be pillaged and destroyed, and they consigned to a State of Wretchedness from which no human efforts will probably deliver them. The fate of unborn Millions will now depend, under God, on the Courage and Conduct of this army-Our cruel and unrelenting Enemy leaves us no choice but a brave resistance, or the most abject submission; that is all we can expect-We have therefore to resolve to conquer or die." -- George Washington to his troops before the Battle of Long Island.
"We will not go gently . . ."
This is no small thing, to restore a republic after it has fallen into corruption. I have studied history for years and I cannot recall it ever happening. It may be that our task is impossible. Yet, if we do not try then how will we know it can't be done? And if we do not try, it most certainly won't be done. The Founders' Republic, and the larger war for western civilization, will be lost.
But I tell you this: We will not go gently into that bloody collectivist good night. Indeed, we will make with our defiance such a sound as ALL history from that day forward will be forced to note, even if they despise us in the writing of it.
And when we are gone, the scattered, free survivors hiding in the ruins of our once-great republic will sing of our deeds in forbidden songs, tending the flickering flame of individual liberty until it bursts forth again, as it must, generations later. We will live forever, like the Spartans at Thermopylae, in sacred memory.
-- Mike Vanderboegh, The Lessons of Mumbai:Death Cults, the "Socialism of Imbeciles" and Refusing to Submit, 1 December 2008
"A common language of resistance . . ."
"Colonial rebellions throughout the modern world have been acts of shared political imagination. Unless unhappy people develop the capacity to trust other unhappy people, protest remains a local affair easily silenced by traditional authority. Usually, however, a moment arrives when large numbers of men and women realize for the first time that they enjoy the support of strangers, ordinary people much like themselves who happen to live in distant places and whom under normal circumstances they would never meet. It is an intoxicating discovery. A common language of resistance suddenly opens to those who are most vulnerable to painful retribution the possibility of creating a new community. As the conviction of solidarity grows, parochial issues and aspirations merge imperceptibly with a compelling national agenda which only a short time before may have been the dream of only a few. For many Americans colonists this moment occurred late in the spring of 1774." -- T.H. Breen, The Marketplace of Revolution: How Consumer Politics Shaped American Independence, Oxford University Press, 2004, p.1. | {
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All about Full Tilt Poker Pro Mike Matusow. Keep up to date on his infamous melt downs, his outbursts, and everything else Matusow. Follow his tournament progress at WPT, WSOP, PPT, and other TV events.
Mikey Links
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Amy Calistri to co-write Mike's book
Well known poker journalist Amy Calistri will be co-writing a book about Mike Matusow. She wasn't quite ready to let the cat out of the bag but Mike announced it to everyone withing hearing distance the other day so she felt the need to confirm it. Here's what Amy said on her personal blog about the opportunity to work with Mike.
When Mike was sentenced on drug related charges back in 2004, I was one of the first people his attorney called from the Courthouse. There are a lot of pros that people want to read about, because they have become ”poker famous.” But Mike has a story; it is hysterically funny, heartbreaking, frustrating, and awe inspiring. During the book interviews, Mike has been articulate and focussed. And like Mike is - he exposes his strengths and his flaws with unflinching candor. Dr. Tim Lavalli (aka the Poker Shrink) and I signed our agreement with Mike last week and we are both incredibly enthusiastic about the potential for this book. | {
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A suicide bomber packed 700kg of explosives, 70kg of other highly explosive white powder, and petroleum derivatives into a volvo. He was challenged by Syrian security in Deraa and he only managed to detonate and kill himself using his explosive vest. The news report shows the explosives and vehicle.
The clip ends with the infamous Saudi suicide bomber auction for Syria which can be seen at: | {
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Legislative Alert: December 7, 2016
On Monday, December 4, the House Democratic Caucus met to coalesce its leadership, beginning with the successful re-election of Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to the position of House Minority Leader by two-thirds of the Caucus membership.
However, the Caucus moved to expand its team by creating a new position of leadership and promoting a prominent junior member (five terms or less served) Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-CA) to that seat.
As part of a rules change, the Caucus also named three other junior members to equally co-chair the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee: Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and David Cicilline (D-RI). That committee is now head by outgoing-Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY), who was appointed by Pelosi in 2015.
Although the process to select the full Democratic leadership team is ongoing, in addition to reelecting Rep. Pelosi as minority leader, the Caucus also chose Rep. Joe Crowley (D-NY) to move to the Caucus Chairmanship and Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) to replace Rep. Crowley as Vice Chair. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) remains as Minority Whip and Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) will stay as the Assistant Leader.
The Legislative Advisory Council will provide additional information as it becomes available.
On December 1, 2016, the House Republican Steering Committee approved its recommendations for committee chairs in the 115th Congress. These include Appropriations: Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NY); Energy and Commerce: Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR); Oversight and Government Reform: Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT); Small Business: Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH); and returning as Chairman of Transportation and Infrastructure: Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA).
However, Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) has announced that the remaining Republican Membership will not receive their committee assignments until January, after they cast their public vote for Speaker on the House floor. Rep. Ryan is expected to win another term as Speaker of the House as a result of that vote, and the 30-member Steering Committee will make committee assignments after his presumptive reelection.
The Legislative Advisory Council will provide additional information as it becomes available.
On Tuesday, November 29, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he has named the Honorable Elaine Chao as his choice for the next Secretary of Transportation. Elaine Chao served on the Cabinet throughout the eight-year tenure of President George W. Bush as Secretary of Labor, and served also as Deputy Secretary of Transportation under President George H.W. Bush from 1989 to 1991. After many years in the public sector, Secretary Chao spent time as the top executive for the United Way of America and is the wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
COMTO extends its sincere congratulations to the new Secretary-nominee and looks forward to working closely with the USDOT team under her capable leadership as the new Administration takes on the challenges of addressing transportation infrastructure issues over the next several years.
COMTO also hopes to continue its robust and productive dialogue with the Department of Transportation and to maintain an ongoing close working relationship with the new Administration’s appointees that will head the various modal departments.
The COMTO National organization looks forward to Secretary Chao’s term and would like to be seen as a resource to her Administration.
Founded in 1971 on the campus of Howard University in Washington, DC, the Conference Of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) was created to provide a forum for minority professionals in the transportation industry. | {
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A2 Milk shares have fallen sharply on a report that Nestle has launched a similar product.
Shares in A2 Milk are sharply lower after a report that global food and dairy giant Nestle has launched an infant formula product that uses the A2 beta-casein protein, the same protein that is the mainstay of A2 Milk’s products.
The New Zealand Herald said Nestle has launched its A2 product under the brand Illuma and that it is already available in China.
A2 Milk shares were 72 cents, or 5.5 per cent, lower at $12.32 at 1252 AEDT, after going as low as $11.86.
A2 Milk says A1 and A2 proteins affect digestion differently and that milk containing only the A2 protein may benefit people who experience discomfort from drinking cow’s milk.
A2 Milk shares have soared since the New Zealand-based company reported in February that its first-half profit had more than doubled and that A2 Milk had entered into an alliance with global dairy giant Fonterra to produce new products and expand into new markets.
A2 Milk also has a supply alliance with Synlait Milk.
A2 Milk has been increasing its market share in Australia and China on the back of strong sales of its A2 Platinum infant formula.
A2 Milk said in February that it expected broader interest in the A1 protein-free category over time.
“Given its pioneering heritage, its comprehensive suite of intellectual property and a business model focused solely on products free of the A1 protein type, the company is well positioned to respond,” A2 Milk had said.
Any claim arising from the information contained on the eDairy News website will be submitted to the jurisdiction of the Ordinary Courts of the First Judicial District of the Province of Córdoba, Argentine Republic, with a seat in the City of Córdoba, to the exclusion of any another jurisdiction, including the Federal. | {
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On August 19, the Independent Party of Connecticut nominated Tom C. Foley for Governor. Foley is also the Republican nominee for Governor. See this story. The nomination was made by party meeting. See this story. Thanks to Timothy McKee for the link.
2 Responses
A very smart move on the part of the Independent Party of Connecticut. Building a 3rd party to where it holds the balance of power, is the only way 3rd partisans are going to have any influence in American politics. | {
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Founded officially in 1996 with the motto ‘Learning not for school but for life’
A city university intertwined with İstanbul’s vibrant cultural life
Leading Turkish university with innovative academic environment and diverse student body
Medium of instruction in English
More than 20.000 students and 22.000 alumni
About 1000 academic staff, each one renowned nationally or globally in their own fields
With the initiation of new innovative programs each year, more than 150 programs in its 6 faculties, 5 schools, 3 vocational schools and 5 institutes
Host of over 1.000 scientific and cultural activities every year at award-winning campuses located in the heart of the city
The only member in Turkey of world’s leading university network Laureate International Universities which provides a quality higher education on an international scale with more than 80 accredited campus-based and online universities throughout the North America, Latin America, Europe, Northern Africa, Asia and the Middle East
More than 550 exchange agreements in Europe, an active participant in the Erasmus exchange network
Full member of European University Association (EUA), International Association of Universities (IAU), EUA-CDE (EUA-Council for Doctoral Education) and OECD/Programme on Institutional Management in Higher Education (IMHE) | {
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History Of The Opera From Its Origin In Italy To The Present Tim
Gluck And Piccinni In Paris
Gluck at Vienna.--Iphigenia in Aulis.--A rehearsal at Sophie
Arnould's.--Gluck and Vestris.--Piccinni in Italy.--Piccinni in
Paris.--The two Iphigenias.--Iphigenia in Champagne.--Madeleine
Guimard, Vestris, and the Ballet.
Fifteen years before the French Revolution, of which, in the present
day, every one can trace the gradual approach, the important question
that occupied the capital of France was not the emancipation of the
peasants, nor the reorganisation of the judicial system, nor the
equalisation of the taxes all over the country; it was simply the merit
of Gluck as compared with Piccinni, and of Piccinni as compared with
Gluck. Paris was divided into two camps, each of which had its own
special music. The German master was declared by the partisans of the
Italian to be severe, unmelodious and heavy: by his own friends he was
considered profound, full of inspiration and eminently dramatic.
Piccinni, on the other hand, was accused by his enemies of frivolity and
insipidity, while his supporters maintained that his melodies touched
the heart, and that it was not the province of music to appeal to the
intellect. Fundamentally, the dispute was that which still exists as to
the superiority of German or Italian music. Severe classicists continue
to despise modern Italian composers as unintellectual, and the Italians
still sneer at the music of Germany as the "music of mathematics."
Rossini, Donizetti, and Verdi have been undervalued in succession by the
critics of Germany, France and England; and although there can be no
question as to the inferiority of the last to the first-named of these
composers, Signor Verdi, if he pays any attention to the attacks of
which he is so constantly the object, can always console himself by
reflecting that, after all, not half so much has been said against his
operas as it was once the fashion to say against Rossini's. The
Italians, on the other hand, can be fairly reproached with this, that,
to the present day, they have never appreciated Don Giovanni. They
consent to play it in London, Paris and St. Petersburgh because the
musical public of the capitals know the work and are convinced that
nothing finer has ever been written; (this is, however, less in Paris
than in the other two capitals of the Italian Opera), but the singers
themselves do not in their hearts like Mozart. They are kind enough to
execute his music, because they are well paid for it, but that is all.
[Sidenote: GERMAN AND ITALIAN MUSIC.]
In the present century, which is above all an age of eclecticism, we
find the natural descendants of Piccinni going over to the Gluckists,
while the legitimate inheritors of Gluck abandon their succession to
adopt the facile forms and sometimes unmeaning if melodious phrases of
the Piccinnists. Certainly there are no traces of the grand old German
school in the light popular music of Herr Flotow (who, if not a German,
is a Germanised Russian); and, on the other hand, Signor Verdi in his
emphatic moments quite belies his Italian origin; indeed, there are
passages in several of this composer's operas which may be traced
directly not to Rossini, but to Meyerbeer.
The history of the quarrels between the Gluckists and Piccinnists has no
importance in connection with art. These disputes led to no sound
criticism, nor have the attacks and replies on either side added
anything to what was already known on the subject of music as applied to
the expression and illustration of human passion. As for deciding
between Gluckism and Piccinnism (I say nothing about the men, who
certainly were not equal in point of genius), that is impossible. It is
almost a question of organisation. It may be remarked, however, that no
composer ever began as a Gluckist (so to speak) and ended as a
Piccinnist, whereas Rossini, in his last and greatest work, approaches
the German style, and even Donizetti, in his latest and most dramatic
operas, exhibits somewhat of the same tendency. It will be remembered,
too, that the great Mozart, and in our own day Meyerbeer, wrote their
earlier operas in the Italian mode, and abandoned it when they
recognised its insufficiency for dramatic purposes. Indeed, Gluck's own
style, as we shall presently see, underwent a similar change. But it
would be rash to conclude from these instances, that Italians, writing
in the Italian style, have produced no great dramatic music. Rossini's
Otello and Bellini's Norma at once suggest themselves as convincing
proofs of the contrary.
All that remains now of the Gluck versus Piccinni contest is a number
of anecdotes, which are amusing, as showing the height musical
enthusiasm and musical prejudice had reached in Paris at an epoch when
music and the arts generally were about the last things that should have
occupied the French. But before calling attention to a few of the
principal incidents in this harmonious civil war, let me sketch the
early career of each of the great leaders.
Gluck was born, in 1712, of Bohemian parents, so that he was almost
certainly not of German but of Slavonian origin.[51] Young Gluck learnt
the scale simultaneously with the alphabet (why should not all children
be taught to read from music-notes as they are taught to read from
ordinary typography?) and soon afterwards received lessons on the
violoncello, which, however, were put a stop to by the death of his
father.
[Sidenote: CHILDHOOD OF GLUCK.]
Little Christopher was left an orphan at a very early age. Fortunately,
he had made sufficient progress on the violoncello to obtain an
engagement with a company of wandering musicians. Thus he contrived to
exist until the troupe had wandered as far as Vienna, where his talent
attracted the attention of a few sympathetic and generous men, who
enabled him to complete his musical education in peace.
After studying harmony and counterpoint, Gluck determined to leave the
capital of Germany for Italy; for in those days no one was accounted a
musician who had not derived a certain amount of his inspiration from
Italian sources. After studying four years under the celebrated Martini,
he felt that the time had come for him to produce a work of his own. His
"Artaxerxes" was given at Milan with success, and this opera was
followed by seven others, which were brought out either at Venice,
Cremona or Turin. Five years sufficed for Gluck to make an immense name
in Italy. His reputation even extended to the other countries of Europe
and the offers he received from the English were sufficiently liberal to
tempt the rising composer to pay a visit to London. Here, however, he
had to contend with the genius and celebrity of Handel, compared with
whom he was as yet but a composer of mediocrity. He returned to Vienna
not very well pleased with his reception in England, and soon afterwards
made his appearance once more in Italy, where he produced five other
works, all of which were successful. Hitherto Gluck's style had been
quite in accordance with the Italian taste, and the Italians did not
think of reproaching him with any want of melody. On the contrary, they
applauded his works, as if they had been signed by one of their most
esteemed masters. But if the Italians were satisfied with Gluck, Gluck
was not satisfied with the Italians; and it was not until he had left
Italy, that he discovered his true vein.
Gluck was forty-six years of age when he brought out his Alcestis, the
first work composed in the style which is now regarded as peculiarly his
own. Alcestis, and Orpheus, by which it was followed, created a
great sensation in Germany, and when the Chevalier Gluck composed a work
"by command," in honour of the Emperor Joseph's marriage, it was played,
not perhaps by the greatest artists in Germany, but certainly by the
most distinguished, for the principal parts were distributed among four
arch-duchesses and an arch-duke. Where are the dukes and duchesses now
who could play, not with success, but without disastrous failure, in an
opera by Gluck?
[Sidenote: GLUCK AT VIENNA.]
It so happened that at Vienna, attached to the French embassy, lived a
certain M. du Rollet, who was in the habit of considering himself a
poet. To him Gluck confided his project of visiting Paris, and composing
for the French stage. Du Rollet not only encouraged the musician in his
intentions, but even promised him a libretto of his own writing. The
libretto was not good--indeed what libretto is?--except, perhaps, some
of Scribe's libretti for the light operas of Auber. But it must be
remembered that the Opéra Comique is only a development of the
vaudeville; and in the entire catalogue of serious operas, with the
exception of Metastasio's, a few by Romani and Da Ponte's Don Giovanni
(with a Mozart to interpret it), it is not easy to find any which, in a
literary and poetical sense, are not absurd. However, Du Rollet
arranged, or disarranged, Racine's Iphigénie, to suit the requirements
of the lyric stage, and handed over "the book" to the Chevalier Gluck.
Iphigenia in Aulis was composed in less than a year; but to write an
opera is one thing, to get it produced another. At that time the French
Opera was a close borough, in the hands of half a dozen native
composers, whose nationality was for the most part their only merit.
These musicians were not in the habit of positively refusing all chance
to foreign competitors; but they interposed all sorts of delays between
the acceptance and the production of their works, and did their best
generally to prevent their success. However, the Dauphiness Marie
Antoinette, had undertaken to introduce the great German composer to
Paris, and she smoothed the way for him so effectually, that soon after
his arrival in the French capital, Iphigenia in Aulis was accepted,
and actually put into rehearsal.
Gluck now found a terrible and apparently insurmountable obstacle to his
success in the ignorance and obstinacy of the orchestra. He was not the
man to be satisfied with slovenly execution, and many and severe were
the lessons he had to give the French musicians, in the course of almost
as many rehearsals as Meyerbeer requires in the present day, before he
felt justified in announcing his work as ready for representation. The
young Princess had requested the lieutenant of police to take the
necessary precautions against disturbances; and she herself, accompanied
by the Dauphin, the Count and Countess of Provence, the Duchesses of
Chartres and of Bourbon, and the Princess de Lamballe, entered the
theatre before the public were admitted. The ministers and all the
Court, with the exception of the king (Louis XV.) and Madame Du Barry
were present. Sophie Arnould was the Iphigenia, and is said to have been
admirable in that character, though the charming Sophie seems to have
owed most of her success to her acting rather than to her singing.
The first night of Iphigenia, Larrivée, who took the part of
Agamemnon, actually abstained from singing through his nose. This is
mentioned by the critics and memorialists of the time as something
incredible, and almost supernatural. It appears that Larrivée, in spite
of his nasal twang, was considered a very fine singer. The public of the
pit used to applaud him, but they would also say, when he had just
finished one of his airs, "That nose has really a magnificent voice!"
[Sidenote: IPHIGENIA IN AULIS.]
The success of Iphigenia was prodigious. Marie Antoinette herself gave
the signal of the applause, and it mattered little to the courtiers
whether they understood Gluck's grand, simple music, or not.
All they had to do, and all they did, was to follow the example of the
Dauphiness.
Never did poet, artist, or musician have a more enthusiastic patroness
than Marie Antoinette. She not only encouraged Gluck herself, but
visited with her severe displeasure all who ventured to treat him
disrespectfully. And it must be remembered that in those days a Grand
Seigneur paid a great artist, or a great writer, just what amount of
respect he thought fit. Thus, one Grand Seigneur had Voltaire caned
(and afterwards from pride or from cowardice refused his challenge),
while another struck Beaumarchais, and, after insulting him in the court
of justice over which he presided, summoned him to leave the bench and
come outside, that he might assassinate him.
The first person with whom Gluck came to an open rupture was the Prince
d'Hennin, the "Prince of Dwarfs," as he was called. The chevalier, in
spite of his despotic, unyielding nature, could not help giving way to
the charming Sophie Arnould, who, with a caprice permitted to her alone,
insisted on the rehearsals of Orpheus taking place in her own
apartments. The orchestra was playing, and Sophie Arnould was singing,
when suddenly the door opened, and in walked the Prince d'Hennin. This
was not a grand rehearsal, and all the vocalists were seated.
"I believe," said the Grand Seigneur, addressing Sophie Arnould in the
middle of her air, "that it is the custom in France to rise when any
one enters the room, especially if it be a person of some
consideration?"
Gluck leaped from his seat with rage, rushed towards the intruder, and
with his eyes flashing fire, said to him:--
"The custom in Germany, sir, is to rise only for those whom we esteem."
Then turning to Sophie, he added:--
"I perceive, Mademoiselle, that you are not mistress in your own house.
I leave you, and shall never set foot here again."
When the story was told to Marie Antoinette, she was indignant with the
Prince, and compelled him to make amends to the chevalier for the insult
offered to him. The Prince's pride must have suffered terribly; for he
had to pay a visit to the composer, and to thank him for having assured
him in the plainest terms, that he looked upon him with great contempt.
This Prince d'Hennin was a favourite butt for the wit of the vivacious
Count de Lauragais, who, as the reader, perhaps, remembers, was one of
Sophie Arnould's earliest and most devoted admirers. One day when the
interesting Sophie was unwell, the Count asked her physician whether it
was not especially necessary to think of her spirits, and to keep away
everything that might tend to have a depressing effect upon them.
The doctor answered the Count's sagacious question in the affirmative.
[Sidenote: THE PRINCE D'HENNIN.]
"Above all," continued De Lauragais, "do you not consider it of the
greatest importance that the Prince d'Hennin should not be allowed to
visit her?"
The physician admitted that it would be as well she should not see the
prince; but De Lauragais was not satisfied with this, and he at last
persuaded the obliging doctor to put his opinion in the form of a direct
recommendation. In other words, he made him write a prescription for
Mdlle. Arnould, forbidding her to have any conversation with the Prince
d'Hennin. This prescription he sent to the prince's house, with a letter
calling his particular attention to it, and entreating him, for the sake
of Mdlle. Arnould's health, not to forget the injunction it contained.
The consequence was a duel, which, however, was attended with no bad
results, for, in the evening, the insultor and the insulted met at
Sophie Arnould's house.
It now became the fashion at the Court to attend the rehearsals of
Orpheus, which took place once more in the theatre. On these
occasions, the doors were besieged long before the performance
commenced; and numbers of persons were unable to gain admission. To see
Gluck at a rehearsal was infinitely more interesting than to see him at
one of the ordinary public representations. The composer had certain
habits; and from these he would not depart for any one. Thus, on
entering the orchestra, he would take his coat off to conduct at ease in
his shirt sleeves. Then he would remove his wig, and replace it by a
cotton night-cap of the remotest fashion. When the rehearsal was at an
end, he had no necessity to trouble himself about the articles of dress
which he had laid aside, for there was a general contest between the
dukes and princes of the Court as to who should hand them to him.
Orpheus is said to have been quite as successful as Iphigenia. One
thing, however, which sometimes makes me doubt the completeness of this
success, in a musical point of view, is the recorded fact, that "the
ballet, especially, was very fine." The ballet is certainly not the
first thing we think of in William Tell, or even in Robert. It
appears that Gluck himself objected positively to the introduction of
dancing into the opera of Orpheus. He held, and with evident reason,
that it would interfere with the seriousness and pathos of the general
action, and would, in short, spoil the piece. He was overruled by the
"Diou de la Danse." What could Gluck's opinion be worth in the eyes of
Auguste or of Gaetan Vestris, who held that there were only three great
men in Europe--Voltaire, Frederick of Prussia, and himself. No! the
dancer was determined to have his "Chacone," and he was as obstinate,
indeed, more obstinate, than Gluck himself.
"Write me the music of a chacone, Monsieur Gluck," said the god of
dancing.
"A chacone!" exclaimed the indignant composer; "Do you think the Greeks,
whose manners we are endeavouring to depict, knew what a chacone was?"
[Sidenote: GLUCK AND VESTRIS.]
"Did they not!" replied Vestris, astonished at the information; and in a
tone of compassion, he added, "Then they are much to be pitied."
Alcestis, on its first production, did not meet with so much success
as Orpheus and Iphigenia. The piece itself was singularly
uninteresting; and this was made the pretext for a host of epigrams, of
which the sting fell, not upon the author, but upon the composer.
However, after a few representations, Alcestis began to attract the
public quite as much as the two previous works had done. Gluck's
detractors were discomfited, and the theatre was filled every evening
with his admirers. At this juncture, the composer of Alcestis was
thrown into great distress by the death of his favourite niece. He left
Paris, and his enemies, who had been unable to vanquish, now resolved to
replace him.
I have said that Madame Du Barry did not honour the representation of
Gluck's operas with her presence. It was, in fact, she who headed the
opposition against him. She was mortified at not having some favourite
musician of her own to patronize when the Dauphiness had hers, and now
resolved to send to Italy for Piccinni, in the hope that when Gluck
returned, he would find himself neglected for the already celebrated
Italian composer. Baron de Breteuil, the French ambassador at Rome, was
instructed to offer Piccinni an annual salary of two thousand crowns if
he would go to Paris, and reside there. The Italian needed no pressing,
for he was as anxious to visit the French capital as Gluck himself had
been. Just then, however, Louis XV. died, by which the patroness of the
German composer, from Dauphiness, became Queen. Madame Du Barry's party
hesitated about bringing over a composer to whom they fancied Marie
Antoinette must be as hostile as they themselves were to Gluck. But the
Marquis Caraccioli, the Neapolitan ambassador at the Court of France,
had now taken the matter in hand, and from mere excess of patriotism,
had determined that Piccinni should make his appearance in Paris to
destroy the reputation of the German at a single blow. As for Marie
Antoinette, she not only did not think of opposing the Italian, but,
when he arrived, received him most graciously, and showed him every
possible kindness. But before introducing Piccinni to our readers as the
rival of Gluck in Paris, let us take a glance at his previous career in
his native land.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: NICOLAS PICCINNI.]
Nicolas Piccinni, who was not less than fifty years of age when he left
Naples, for Paris, with the avowed purpose of outrivalling Gluck, was
born at Bari, in the Neapolitan territory, in 1728. His father was a
musician, and apparently an unsuccessful one, for he endeavoured to
disgust his son with the art he had himself practised, and absolutely
forbade him to touch any musical instrument. No doubt this injunction of
the father produced just the contrary of the effect intended. The
child's natural inclination for music became the more invincible the
more it was repressed, and little Nicolas contrived, every day, to
devote a few hours in secret to the study of the harpsichord, the piano
of that day. He knew nothing of music, but guided by his own instinct,
learnt something of its mysteries simply by experimenting (for it was
nothing more) on the instrument which his father had been imprudent
enough, as he would have said himself, to leave within his reach.
Gradually he learnt to play such airs as he happened to remember, and,
probably without being aware himself of the process he was pursuing,
studied the art of combining notes in a manner agreeable to the ear; in
other words, he acquired some elementary notions of harmony. And still
his father flattered himself that little Nicolas cared nothing for
music, and that nothing could ever make him a musician.
One day, old Piccinni had occasion to visit the Bishop of Bari. He took
his son with him, but left the little boy in one room while he conversed
on private business with His Eminence in another. Now it chanced that in
the room where Nicolas was left there was a magnificent harpsichord, and
the temptation was really too great for him. Harpsichords were not made
merely to be looked at, he doubtless thought. He went to the instrument,
examined it carefully, and struck a note. The tone was superb.
Next he ventured upon a few notes in succession; and, then, how he
longed to play an entire air!
There was no help for it; he must, at all events, play a few bars with
both hands. The harpsichord at home was execrable, and this one was
admirable--made by the Broadwood of harpsichord makers. He began, but,
carried away by the melody, soon forgot where he was, and what he was
doing.
The Bishop, and especially Piccinni père, were thunderstruck. There
was a roughness and poverty about the accompaniment which showed that
the young performer was far from having completed his studies in
harmony; but, at the same time, there was no mistaking the fire, the
true emotion, which characterised his playing. The father thought of
going into a violent passion, but the Bishop would not hear of such a
thing.
"Music is evidently the child's true vocation," said the worthy
ecclesiastic; "He must be a musician, and one day, perhaps, will be a
great composer."
[Sidenote: PICCINNI AT NAPLES.]
The Bishop now would not let old Piccinni rest until he promised to send
his son to the Conservatory of Music, directed by the celebrated Leo.
The father was obliged to consent, and Nicolas was sent off to Naples.
Here he was confided to the care of an inferior professor, who was by no
means aware of the child's precocious talent. The latter was soon
disgusted with the routine of the class, and conceived the daring
project of composing a mass, being at the time scarcely acquainted even
with the rudiments of composition. He was conscious of the audacity of
the undertaking, and therefore confided it to no one; but, somehow or
other, the news got abroad that little Nicolas had composed a grand
mass, and, before long, Leo himself heard of it.
Then the great professor sent for the little pupil, who arrived
trembling from head to foot, thinking apparently that for a boy of his
age to compose a mass was a species of crime.
Leo was grave, but not so severe as the young composer had expected.
"You have written a mass?" he commenced.
"Excuse me, sir, I could not help it;" said the youthful Piccinni.
"Let me see it?"
Nicolas went to his room for the score, and brought it back, together
with the orchestral parts all carefully copied out.
After casting a rapid glance at the manuscript, Leo went into the
concert-room, assembled an orchestra, and distributed the orchestral
parts among the requisite number of executants.
Little Nicolas was in a state of great trepidation, for he saw plainly
that the professor was laughing at him. It was impossible to run away,
or he would doubtless have made his escape. Leo advanced towards him,
handed him the score, and with imperturbable gravity, requested him to
take his place at the desk in front of the orchestra. Nicolas, with the
courage of despair, took up his position, and gave the signal to the
orchestra which the merciless professor had placed under his command.
After his first emotion had passed away, Nicolas continued to beat time,
fancying that, after all, what he had composed, though doubtless bad,
was, perhaps, not ridiculous. The mass was executed from beginning to
end. As he approached the finale, all the young musician's fears
returned. He looked at the professor, and saw that he did not seem to be
in the slightest degree impressed by the performance. What did he,
what could he think of such a production?
"I pardon you this time," said the terrible maestro, when the last
chord had been struck; "but if ever you do such a thing again I will
punish you in such a manner that you will remember it as long as you
live. Instead of studying the principles of your art, you give yourself
up to all the wildness of your imagination, and when you have tutored
your ill-regulated ideas into something like shape, you produce what you
call a mass, and think, no doubt, that you have composed a masterpiece."
Nicolas burst into tears, and then began to tell Leo how he had been
annoyed by the dry and pedantic instruction of the sub-professor. Leo,
who, with all his coldness of manner, had a heart, clasped the boy in
his arms, told him not to be disheartened, but to persevere, for that he
had real talent; and finally promised that from that moment he himself
would superintend his studies.
[Sidenote: PICCINNI AND DURANTE.]
Leo died, and was succeeded by Durante, who used to say of young
Piccinni, "The others are my pupils, but this one is my son." Twelve
years after his entrance into the Conservatory the most promising of its
alumni left it and set about the composition of an opera. As Piccinni
was introduced by Prince Vintimille, the director of the theatre then
in vogue was unable to refuse him a hearing; but he represented to His
Highness the certainty of the young composer's work turning out a
failure. Piccinni's patron was not wanting in generosity.
"How much can you lose by his opera," he said to the manager, "supposing
it should be a complete fiasco?"
The manager named a sum equivalent to three hundred and twenty pounds.
"There is the money, then," said the prince, handing him at the same
time a purse. "If the Donne Dispetose (that was the name of Piccinni's
opera) should prove a failure, you may keep the money, otherwise you can
return it to me."
Logroscino was the favorite Italian composer of that day, and great was
the excitement when it was heard that the next new opera to be produced
was not of his writing. Evidently, his friends had only one course open
to them. They decided to hiss Logroscino's rival.
But the Florentine public had reckoned without Piccinni's genius. They
could not hiss a man whose music delighted them, and Piccinni's Donne
Dispetose threw them into ecstacies. Those who had come to hoot
remained to applaud. Piccinni's reputation had commenced, and it went on
increasing until at last his was the most popular name in all musical
Italy.
Five years afterwards, Piccinni (who in the meanwhile had produced two
other operas) gave his celebrated Cecchina, otherwise La Buona
Figliuola, at Rome. The success of this work, of which the libretto is
founded on the story of Pamela, was almost unprecedented. It was
played everywhere in Italy, even at the marionette theatres; and still
there was not sufficient room for the public, who were all dying to see
it. This little opera filled every playhouse in the Italian peninsula,
and it had taken Piccinni ten days to write! The celebrated Tonelli,
who, being an Italian, had naturally heard of its success, happened to
pass through Rome when it was being played there. He was not by any
means persuaded that the music was good because the public applauded it;
but after hearing the melodious opera from beginning to end, he turned
to his friends and said, in a tone of sincere conviction, "This Piccinni
is a true inventor!"
Of course the Cecchina was heard of in France. Indeed, it was the
great reputation achieved by that opera which first rendered the
Parisians anxious to hear Piccinni, and which inspired Madame Du Barry
with the hope that in the Neapolitan composer she might find a
successful rival to the great German musician patronised by Marie
Antoinette.
[Sidenote: GLUCK AND PICCINNI.]
Piccinni, after accepting the invitation to dispute the prize of
popularity in Paris with Gluck, resolved to commence a new opera
forthwith, and had no sooner reached the French capital than he asked
one of the most distinguished authors of the day to furnish him with a
libretto. Marmontel, to whom the request was made, gave him his
Roland, which was the Roland of Quinault cut down from five acts to
three. Unfortunately, Piccinni did not understand a word of French.
Marmontel was therefore obliged to write beneath each French word its
Italian equivalent, which caused it to be said that he was not only
Piccinni's poet, but also his dictionary.
Gluck was in Germany when Piccinni arrived, and on hearing of the
manoeuvres of Madame du Barry and the Marquis Caraccioli to supplant
him in the favour of the Parisian public, he fell into a violent
passion, and wrote a furious letter on the subject, which was made
public. Above all, he was enraged at the Academy having accepted from
his adversary an opera on the subject of Roland, for he had agreed to
compose an Orlando for them himself.
"Do you know that the Chevalier is coming back to us with an Armida
and an Orlando in his portfolio?" said the Abbé Arnaud, one of Gluck's
most fervent admirers.
"But Piccinni is also at work at an Orlando?" replied one of the
Piccinnists.
"So much the better," returned the Abbé, "for then we shall have an
Orlando and also an Orlandino."
Marmontel heard of this mot, which caused him to address some
unpleasant observations to the Abbé the first time he met him in
society.
But the Abbé was not to be silenced. One night, when Gluck's Alceste
was being played, he happened to occupy the next seat to Marmontel.
Alceste played by Mademoiselle Lesueur, has, at the end of the second
act, to exclaim--
"What a fortunate thing for you, Sir," said the Abbé, "if you could get
new ones."
Of course the two armies had their generals. Among those of the
Piccinnists were some of the greatest literary men of the
day--Marmontel, La Harpe, D'Alembert, &c. The only writers on Gluck's
side were Suard, and the Abbé Arnaud, for Rousseau, much as he admired
Gluck, cannot be reckoned among his partisans. Suard, who wrote under a
pseudonym, generally contrived to raise the laugh against his
adversaries. The Abbé Arnaud, as we have seen, used to defend his
composer in society, and constituted himself his champion wherever there
appeared to be the least necessity, or even opportunity, of doing so.
Volumes upon volumes were written on each side; but of course no one was
converted.
The Gluckists persisted in saying that Piccinni would never be able to
compose anything better than concert music.
The Piccinnists, on the other hand, denied that Gluck had the gift of
melody, though they readily admitted that he had this advantage over his
adversary--he made a great deal more noise.
[Sidenote: GLUCK AND PICCINNI.]
In the meanwhile the rehearsals of Piccinni's Orlando, or
Orlandino, as the Abbé Arnaud called it, were not going on favourably.
The orchestra, which had been subdued by the energetic Gluck, rebelled
against Piccinni, who was quite in despair at the vast inferiority of
the French to the Italian musicians.
"Everything goes wrong," he said to Marmontel; "there is nothing to be
done with them."
Marmontel was then obliged to interfere himself. Profiting by Piccinni's
forbearance, directors, singers, and musicians were in the habit of
treating him with the coolest indifference. Once, when Marmontel went to
rehearsal, he found that none of the principal singers were present, and
that the opera was to be rehearsed with "doubles." The author of the
libretto was furious, and said he would never suffer the work of the
greatest musician in Italy to be left to the execution of "doubles."
Upon this, Mademoiselle Bourgeois had the audacity to tell the
Academician that, after all, he was but the double of Quinault, whose
Roland (as we have seen) he had abridged. One of the chorus singers,
too, explained, that for his part he was not double at all, and that it
was a fortunate thing for M. Marmontel's shoulders that such was the
case.
At last, when all seemed ready, and the day had been fixed for the first
representation, up came Vestris, the god of dancing, with a request for
some ballet music. It was for the thin but fascinating Madeleine
Guimard, who was not in the habit of being refused. Piccinni, without
delay, set about the music of her pas, and produced a gavot, which
was considered one of the most charming things in the Opera.
When Piccinni started for the theatre, the night of the first
representation, he took leave of his family as if he had been going to
execution. His wife and son wept abundantly, and all his friends were in
a state of despair.
"Come, my children," said Piccinni, at last; "this is unreasonable.
Remember that we are not among savages. We are living with the politest
and kindest nation in Europe. If they do not like me as a musician, they
will, at all events, respect me as a man and a stranger."
Piccinni's success was complete. It was impossible for the Gluckists to
deny it. Accordingly they said that they had never disputed Piccinni's
grace, nor his gift of melody, though his talent was spoiled by a
certain softness and effeminacy, which was observable in all his
productions.
Marie Antoinette, whom Madame du Barry and her clique had looked upon as
the natural enemy of Piccinni, because she was the avowed patroness of
Gluck, astonished both the cabals by sending for the Italian composer
and appointing him her singing-master. This was, doubtless, a great
honour for Piccinni, though a very unprofitable one; for he was not only
not paid for his lessons, but incurred considerable expense in going to
and from the palace, to say nothing of the costly binding of the operas
and other music, which he presented to the royal circle.
[Sidenote: PICCINNI'S SUCCESS.]
Beaumarchais had found precisely the same disadvantages attaching to the
post of Court music-master, when, in his youth, he gave lessons to the
daughters of Louis XV.
When Berton assumed the management of the Opera, he determined to make
the rival masters friends, and invited them to a magnificent supper,
where they were placed side by side. Gluck drank like a man and a
German, and before the supper was finished, was on thoroughly
confidential terms with his neighbour.
"The French are very good people," said he to Piccinni, "but they make
me laugh. They want us to write songs for them, and they can't sing."
The reconciliation appeared to be quite sincere; but the fact was, the
quarrel was not between two men, but between two parties. When the
direction of the Opera passed from the hands of Berton into those of
Devismes, a project of the latter, for making Piccinni and Gluck compose
an opera, at the same time, on the same subject, brought their
respective admirers once more into open collision. "Here," said Devismes
to Piccinni, "is a libretto on the story of Iphigenia in Tauris. M.
Gluck will treat the same subject; and the French public will then, for
the first time, have the pleasure of hearing two operas founded upon the
same incidents, and introducing the same characters, but composed by two
masters of entirely different schools."
"But," objected Piccinni, "if Gluck's opera is played first, the public
will think so much of it that they will not listen to mine."
"To avoid that inconvenience," replied the director, "we will play yours
first."
"But Gluck will not permit it."
"I give you my word of honour," said Devismes, "that your opera shall be
put into rehearsal and brought out as soon as it is finished, and before
Gluck's."
Piccinni went home, and at once set to work.
He had just finished his two first acts when he heard that Gluck had
come back from Germany with his Iphigenia in Tauris completed.
However, he had received the director's promise that his Iphigenia
should be produced first, and, relying upon Devismes's word of honour,
Piccinni merely resolved to finish his opera as quickly as possible, so
that the management might not be inconvenienced by having to wait for
it, now that Gluck's work, which was to come second, was ready for
production.
Piccinni had not quite completed his Iphigenia, when, to his horror,
he heard that Gluck's was already in rehearsal! He rushed to Devismes,
reminded him of his promise, reproached him with want of faith, but all
to no purpose. The director of the Opera declared that he had received a
"command" to produce Gluck's work immediately, and that he had nothing
to do but to obey. He was very sorry, was in despair, &c.; but it was
absolutely necessary to play M. Gluck's opera first.
[Sidenote: THE TWO IPHIGENIAS.]
Piccinni felt that he was lost. He went to his friends, and told them
the whole affair.
"In the first place," said Guinguenée, the writer, "let me look at the
poem?" The poem was not merely bad, it was ridiculous. The manager had
taken advantage of Piccinni's ignorance of the French language to impose
upon him a libretto full of absurdities and common-places, such as no
sensible schoolboy would have put his name to. Guinguenée, at Piccinni's
request, re-wrote the whole piece--greatly, of course, to the annoyance
of the original author.
In the meanwhile the rehearsals of Gluck's Iphigenia were continued.
At the first of these, in the scene where Orestes, left alone in
prison, throws himself on a bench saying "Le calme rentre dans mon
coeur," the orchestra hesitated as if struck by the apparent
contradiction in the accompaniment, which is still of an agitated
character, though "Orestes" has declared that his heart is calm. "Go
on!" exclaimed Gluck; "he lies! He has killed his mother!"
The musicians of the Académie had a right, so many at a time, to find
substitutes to take their places at rehearsals. Not one profited by this
permission while Iphigenia was being brought out.
The Iphigenia in Tauris is known to be Gluck's masterpiece, and it is
by that wonderful work and by Orpheus that most persons judge of his
talent in the present day. Compared with the German's profound, serious,
and admirably dramatic production, Piccinni's Iphigenia stood but
little chance. In the first place, it was inferior to it; in the second,
the public were so delighted with Gluck's opera that they were not
disposed to give even a fair trial to another written on the same
subject. However, Piccinni's work was produced, and was listened to with
attention. An air, sung by Pylades to Orestes, was especially
admired, but on the whole the public seemed to be reserving their
judgment until the second representation.
The next evening came; but when the curtain drew up, Piccinni
discovered, to his great alarm, that something had happened to
Mademoiselle Laguerre, who was entrusted with the principal part.
Iphigenia was unable to stand upright. She rolled first to one side,
then to the other; hesitated, stammered, repeated the words, made eyes
at the pit; in short, Mdlle. Laguerre was intoxicated!
"This is not 'Iphigenia in Tauris,'" said Sophie Arnould; "this is
'Iphigenia in Champagne.'"
That night, the facetious heroine was sent, by order of the king, to
sleep at For-l'Evèque, where she was detained two days. A little
imprisonment appears to have done her good. The evening of her
re-appearance, Mademoiselle Laguerre, with considerable tact, applied a
couplet expressive of remorse to her own peculiar situation, and,
moreover, sang divinely.
[Sidenote: IPHIGENIA IN CHAMPAGNE.]
While the Gluck and Piccinni disputes were at their height, a story is
told of one amateur, doubtless not without sympathizers, who retired in
disgust to the country and sang the praises of the birds and their
gratuitous performances in a poem, which ended as follows:--
The contest between Gluck and Piccinni (or rather between the Gluckists
and Piccinnists) was brought to an end by the death of the former. An
attempt was afterwards made to set up Sacchini against Piccinni; but
Sacchini being, as regards the practice of his art, as much a Piccinnist
as a Gluckist, this manoeuvre could not be expected to have much
success.
The French revolution ruined Piccinni, who thereupon retired to Italy.
Seven years afterwards he returned to France, and, having occasion to
present a petition to Napoleon, was graciously received by the First
Consul in the Palace of the Luxembourg.
"Sit down," said Napoleon to Piccinni, who was standing; "a man of your
merit stands in no one's presence."
Piccinni now retired to Passy; but he was an old man, his health had
forsaken him, and, in a few months, he died, and was buried in the
cemetery of the suburb which he had chosen for his retreat.
In the present day, Gluck appears to have vanquished Piccinni, because,
at long intervals, one of Gluck's grandly constructed operas is
performed, whereas the music of his former rival is never heard at all.
But this, by no means, proves that Piccinni's melodies were not
charming, and that the connoisseurs of the eighteenth century were not
right in applauding them. The works that endure are not those which
contain the greatest number of beauties, but those of which the form is
most perfect. Gluck was a composer of larger conceptions, and of more
powerful genius than his Italian rival; and it may be said that he built
up monuments of stone while Piccinni was laying out parterres of
flowers. But if the flowers were beautiful while they lasted, what does
it matter to the eighteenth century that they are dead now, when even
the marble temples of Gluck are antiquated and moss-grown?
I cannot take leave of the Gluck and Piccinni period without saying a
few words about its principal dancers, foremost among whom stood
Madeleine Guimard, the thin, the fascinating, the ever young, and the
two Vestrises--Gaetan, the Julius of that Cæsar-like family, and Auguste
its Augustus.
One evening when Madeleine Guimard was dancing in Les fêtes de l'hymen
et de l'amour, a very heavy cloud fell from the theatrical heavens upon
one of her beautiful arms, and broke it. A mass was said for
Mademoiselle Guimard's broken arm in the church of Notre Dame.[52]
[Sidenote: MADELEINE GUIMARD.]
Houdon, the sculptor, moulded Mademoiselle Guimard's foot.
Fragonard, the painter, decorated Mademoiselle Guimard's magnificent,
luxuriously-furnished hotel. In his mural pictures he made a point of
introducing the face and figure of the divinity of the place, until at
last he fell in love with his model, and, presuming so far as to show
signs of jealousy, was replaced by David--yes Louis David, the fierce
and virtuous republican!
David, the great painter of the republic and of the empire was, of
course, at this time, but a very young man. He was, in fact, only a
student, and Madeleine Guimard, finding that the decoration of her
"Temple of Terpsichore" (as the danseuse's artistic and voluptuous
palace was called) did not quite satisfy his aspirations, gave him the
stipend he was to have received for covering her walls with fantastic
designs, to continue his studies in the classical style according to his
own ideas.
This was charity of a really thoughtful and delicate kind. As an
instance of simple bountiful generosity and kindheartedness, I may
mention Madeleine Guimard's conduct during the severe winter of 1768,
when she herself visited all the poor in her neighbourhood, and gave to
each destitute family enough to live on for a year. Marmontel, deeply
affected by this beneficence, addressed the celebrated epistle to her
beginning--
"Est il bien vrai, jeune et belle damnée," &c.
"Not yet Magdalen repentant, but already Magdalen charitable," exclaimed
a preacher in allusion to Madeleine Guimard's good action, (which soon
became known all over Paris, though the dancer herself had not said a
word about it); and he added, "the hand which knows so well how to give
alms will not be rejected by St. Peter when it knocks at the gate of
Paradise."
Madeleine Guimard, with all her powers of fascination, was not beautiful
nor even pretty, and she was notoriously thin. Byron used to say of thin
women, that if they were old, they reminded him of spiders, if young and
pretty, of dried butterflies. Madeleine Guimard's theatrical friends, of
course, compared her to a spider. Behind the scenes she was known as
L'araignée. Another of her names was La squelette des grâces. Sophie
Arnould, it will be remembered, called her "a little silk-worm," for the
sake of the joke about "la feuille," and once, when she was dancing
between two male dancers in a pas de trois representing two satyrs
fighting for a nymph, an uncivil spectator said of the exhibition that
it was like "two dogs fighting for a bone."
[Sidenote: MADELINE GUIMARD.]
Madeleine Guimard is said to have preserved her youth and beauty in a
marvellous manner, besides which, she had such a perfect acquaintance
with all the mysteries of the toilet, that by the arts of dress and
adornment alone, she could have made herself look young when she was
already beginning to grow old. Marie-Antoinette used to consult her
about her costume and the arrangement of her hair, and once when, for
insubordination at the theatre, she had been ordered to For-l'Evèque,
the danseuse is reported to have said to her maid, "never mind,
Gothon, I have written to the Queen to tell her that I have discovered a
style of coiffure; we shall be free before the evening."
I have not space to describe Mademoiselle Guimard's private theatre,[53]
nor to speak of her liaison with the Prince de Soubise, nor of her
elopement with a German prince, whom the Prince de Soubise pursued,
wounding him and killing three of his servants, nor of her ultimate
marriage with a humble "professor of graces" at the Conservatory of
Paris. I must mention, however, that in her decadence Madeleine Guimard
visited London (a dozen Princes de Soubise would have followed her with
drawn swords if she had attempted to leave Paris during her prime); and
that Lord Mount Edgcumbe, the author of the interesting "Musical
Reminiscences," saw her dance at the King's Theatre in the year 1789.
This was the year of the taking of the Bastille, when a Parisian artist
might well have been glad to make a little tour abroad. The dancers who
had appeared at the beginning of the season had been insufferably bad,
and the manager was at last compelled to send to Paris for more and
better performers. Amongst them, says Lord Mount Edgcumbe, "came the
famous Mademoiselle Guimard, then near sixty years old, but still full
of grace and gentility, and she had never possessed more." Madeleine
Guimard had ceased to be the rage in Paris for nearly ten years, ("Vers
1780," says M. A. Houssaye, in his "Galerie du Dix-huitième Siècle",
elle tomba peu à peu dans l'oubli"), but she was not sixty or even
fifty years of age when she came to London. M. Castil Blaze, an
excellent authority in such matters, tells us in his "Histoire de
l'Académie Royale de Musique," that she was born in 1743.
[Sidenote: THE VESTRIS FAMILY.]
By way of contrast to Madeleine Guimard, I may call attention to
Mademoiselle Théodore, a young, pretty and accomplished danseuse, who
hesitated before she embraced a theatrical career, and actually
consulted Jean Jacques Rousseau on the subject; who remained virtuous
even on the boards of the Académie Royale; and who married Dauberval,
the celebrated dancer, as any respectable bourgeoise (if Dauberval had
not been a dancer) might have done. Perhaps some aspiring but timid and
scrupulous Mademoiselle Théodore of the present day would like to know
what Rousseau thought about the perils of the stage? He replied to the
letter of the danseuse that he could give her no advice as to her
conduct if she determined to join the Opera; that in his own quiet path
he found it difficult to lead a pure irreproachable life: how then
could he guide her in one which was surrounded with dangers and
temptations?
Vestris, I mean Vestris the First, the founder of the family, was as
celebrated as Mademoiselle Guimard for his youthfulness in old age. M.
Castil Blaze, the historian of the French Opera, saw him fifty-two years
after his début at the Académie, which took place in 1748, and
declares that he danced with as much success as ever, going through the
steps of the minuet "avec autant de grâce que de noblesse." Gaetan
left the stage soon after the triumphant success of his son Auguste, but
re-appeared and took part in certain special performances in 1795, 1799
and 1800. On the occasion of the young Vestris's début, his father, in
court dress, sword at side, and hat in hand, appeared with him on the
stage. After a short but dignified address to the public on the
importance of the art he professed, and the hopes he had formed of the
inheritor of his name, he turned to Auguste and said, "Now, my son,
exhibit your talent to the public! Your father is looking at you!"
The Vestris family, which was very numerous, and very united, always
went in a body to the opera when Auguste danced, and at other times made
a point of stopping away. "Auguste is a better dancer than I am," the
old Vestris would say; "he had Gaetan Vestris for his father, an
advantage which nature refused me."
"If," said Gaetan, on another occasion, "le dieu de la danse (a title
which he had himself given him) touches the ground from time to time, he
does so in order not to humiliate his comrades."
This notion appears to have inspired Moore with the lines he addressed
in London to a celebrated dancer.
"---- You'd swear
When her delicate feet in the dance twinkle round,
That her steps are of light, that her home is the air,
And she only par complaisance touches the ground."
[Sidenote: THE VESTRIS FAMILY.]
The Vestrises (whose real name was Vestri) came from Florence. Gaetan,
known as le beau Vestris, had three brothers, all dancers, and this
illustrious family has had representatives for upwards of a century in
the best theatres of Italy, France and England. The last celebrated
dancer of the name who appeared in England, was Charles Vestris, whose
wife was the sister of Ronzi di Begnis. Charles Vestris was Auguste's
nephew. His father, Auguste's brother, was Stefano Vestris, a stage poet
of no ability, and Mr. Ebers, in his "Seven Years of the King's
Theatre,"[54] tells us (giving us therein another proof of the excellent
esprit de famille which always animated the Vestrises) that when
Charles Vestris and his wife entered into their annual engagement, "the
poet was invariably included in the agreement, at a rate of
remuneration for his services to which his consanguinity to those
performers was his chief title."
We can form some notion of Auguste Vestris's style from that of Perrot
(now ballet-master at the St. Petersburgh Opera), who was his favourite
pupil, and who is certainly by far the most graceful and expressive
dancer that the opera goers of the present day have seen. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
* Isaiah Pittman Killed In Drive By In East Palo Alto At 2524 Illinois Avenue
A 20-year-old man was killed in an apparent drive-by shooting in East Palo Alto Thursday afternoon, according to police.Officers went to 2524 Illinois Avenue at about 4:50 p.m. after the Police Department’s Shotspotter system notified them of gunshots in the area, according to police.Arriving officers found East Palo Alto resident Isaiah Pittman on his back in a driveway suffering multiple gunshot wounds to his torso and legs. Pittman was taken to hospital where he underwent surgery, but later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.Witnesses told police the victim had been standing in front of the home on Illinois Avenue when a red older-model sedan drove up and stopped. Two people inside the car with handguns opened fire from side windows and shot the victim several times before driving away.Any witnesses or anyone with information regarding the homicide is asked to call East Palo Alto police Detective John Norden at (650) 853-3177. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
So the income tax people raid Priyanka chopra's home and find Shahid kapoor in his boxers. So what? I mean I'm really sad to see today's standards of journalism falling to such low levels. Here is an issue of national theft and look how unimaginative the news stories are! To make matters worse, here's a pic the stupid channels put up, supposedly shot moments after the IT people entered her home, when Shahid kapoor was trying to flee all the media:
Yep. I know what you're thinking. The guy's still obsessed with his last hit. But then, there was something wrong in these news reports. I put my investigating shorts on, and delved deep like I always do. On clearly examining the pic, you can see one big problem. No, its not that he's wearing that horse thingy on his face, Shahid kapoor has already been seen in public wearing that weird shit. The huge problem with the pic is that he's wearing denims, as opposed to the much reported cheetah print boxer shorts. Clearly the media is, as usual, trying to rip us off with a lie!
But then, what they don't realize is the fact that yours truly is the epitome of active citizen journalism. I went through some serious shit to get hold of this super classified photograph which was the actual pic clicked then the Income tax people raided Priyanka chopra's home.
Well, what can I say... that lucky bastard! Oh and also, Priyanka chopra.......... RESPECT!
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About Me
A software engineer by chance, a tosspot by choice,thinks he's meant for greater things, so feels shouldn't be doing lesser things, finds humor at the most unlikely places, also manages to escape unhurt from these unlikely places, is the last person you'd want to take advice from, is the best person you'd want to take advice on. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Mail Bag
This is a high grade melee facet rough parcel of Montana sapphire. This parcel is 100% natural, no treatment of any kind.
This parcel of sapphire consists of facet grade sapphire from the Missouri River, Eldorado Bar, in Helena Montana. There are 26.50 carats total of hand selected sapphire rough in this parcel. The stones are eye clean and should cut VS -VVS gems.
There are 16 pieces of sapphire rough in this parcel. The photos show the actual sapphire in the parcel. Pieces range in weight from 1.0 cts to 2.52 cts.
Although they may be small, they are clean for cutting or setting in natural crystal type jewelry.
All the facet rough parcels I sell are sold only as a complete parcel, One lot. There is no cherry picking the parcel, if it does not meet your needs, then entire parcel must be returned for a full refund. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Archive for the ‘bread’
Panzanella is one of those dishes that simply screams summer. It is at its best when tomatoes are in season, and, especially, fresh from your own garden.
Panzanella (literally meaning “bread in a small basket) is a Tuscan recipe that, before the 20th Century, was based on onions, bread, olive oil, and basil. It wasn’t until the 20th Century that tomatoes were added; no doubt out of desperation and poverty.
The earliest known description of Panzanella is by the painter Angolo di Cosimo (“Bronzino”; 1503 – 1572). He sings the praises of onions with oil and vinegar served with toast and, a page later, speaks of a salad of onions, purslane, and cucumbers.
The best things about this recipe? It’s easy, fast, and there’s no cooking involved. More reasons it’s perfect for summer.
(some information from wikipedia.org)
A few notes:
1. This should go without saying, but use the best ingredients you can find and/or afford. Panzanella traditionally has few ingredients, so they all need to shine. There’s no way to mask indifferent ingredients in this recipe.
2. Use at least day-old bread. If your bread is too fresh, it will become gummy. Also, use a good European-style crusty bread. Most American-style breads don’t have the hard crust needed.
3. Some Panzanella recipes soak the bread in water and then squeeze it out before using. Others will have the bread soak in olive oil. I use the latter method. I prefer some bite to my bread; I find the water method makes the bread too soggy for my taste. However, if the bread you are using is very hard, then the water method may be the way to go. Be sure to slice the bread into thick slices and soak for about 20 minutes. Squeeze out the water before cutting or tearing the bread. (Perhaps even do half-and-half water and tomato juice.)
5. This salad is really best the day it’s made. You can eat it the next day (just let it come to room temperature after you take it out of the fridge), but the bread will be soggy. Unless that’s what you prefer.
The ingredients (the tomatoes I chose to use were small-to-medium sized, but they still added up to roughly 2 lbs.)
Fattoush is another one of those Middle Eastern salads can be as simple or as complex as you like. It is ubiquitous throughout the region, including Turkey. While it can contain different ingredients, the base is always stale toasted or fried bread.
1. While I have given some measurements here, there are no hard and fast rules other than the bread.
2. English (hothouse) or Persian cucumbers are preferable. They have less water, fewer seeds, and don’t need to be peeled. If you need to use the more familiar salad cucumber, then you will need to peel it (the skin is tough and usually waxed) and scoop out the seeds.
3. If you use large tomatoes, be sure to seed them. If you use cherry tomatoes, don’t bother with seeding. Just cut them in half.
4. Curly parsley is more traditional. However, flat leaf (Italian) is fine.
5. If you use garlic, use less than you think you need. Raw garlic is powerful stuff and can easily take over the rest of the salad.
6. You don’t need to cut the vegetables fine. They can simply be chopped.
1. Prepare the bread: If you are toasting the bread, preheat the oven to 450F. Split the loaves around the outside edge.
Splitting the bread. A serrated knife is especially helpful with this task.
Don’t worry if the loaves aren’t split cleanly. You’ll be breaking them up after they’ve been toasted.
The split loaves. if they’re not perfect, don’t worry. They’re going to get broken up anyway.
Place the split bread directly on the oven rack and let toast until it is a golden brown. Try not to let the bread get too dark or will add a bitter flavor to the finished salad. It should take about 2 – 3 minutes for the bread to toast.
The toasted bread. Once it’s cooled, break it up into bite-sized pieces.
Let the bread cool and then break it up into bite-sized pieces. I generally like to accomplish this by putting the bread into a large zip bag and breaking it up. No mess and the bag can be re-used.
If you decide to fry the bread, heat your oil to 375F. A mix of vegetable and olive oil works well for the flavor. (use pure olive oil, not extra virgin.) Cut the bread into bite-sized pieces and separate them. Fry the bread in batches until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
2. Place all of the prepared vegetables in a large bowl. Add the bread and toss. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss again. Taste for seasoning.
The vegetables ready for the bread and seasonings.
Let the salad sit for about 15 minutes, then serve.
Sahtein!
The salad will keep for a day or two in the refrigerator, but it’s really best the day it’s made.
Soup has been around probably as long as people have been eating. It’s cheap, filling, restorative, and democratic.
Onion soups have been popular at least as far back as Roman times. They were, throughout history, seen as food for poor people, since onions were plentiful, easy to grow, and considered a restorative food.
The modern version of Onion Soup originates in France in the 18th C., made from softened onions and, traditionally, beef broth. Onion soups are likewise found in early English cookbooks and American cookbooks from colonial days to present.It is often finished by being placed under a grill in a ramekin with croutons and Gruyère melted on top. The crouton on top is reminiscent of using bread as “sops”.
Here are a couple of examples of early written Onion Soup recipes:
[1651: France]
“Potage of onion.
Cut your onions into very thin slices, fry them with butter, and after they are fried put them into a pot with water or with pease broth. After they are well sod, put in it a crust of bread and let it boile a very little; you may put some capers in it. Dry your bread then stove it; take up, and serve with one drop of vinegar.”
—The French Cook, Francois Pierre La Varenne, [1651] Englished by I.D.G. 1653, Introduced by Philip and Mary Hyman [Southover Press:East Sussex] 2001 (p. 130)
[1869: France]
“Onion Soup.
Peel 2 good-sized onions (say 7 oz.), cut them, in halves and then crosswise, in thin shreds:
Blanch, in boiling water, for five minutes, to remove their acrid flavour;
Put in a 6-inch stewpan, with 1 1/2 oz. of butter;
Stir over a brisk fire, and, when the onion becomes of a light brown colour, add a tablespoonful of flour, say 1 oz.;
Keep on the fire for two minutes longer;
Add: 1 quart of water; 2 pinches of salt; and 2 small ones of pepper;
Stir till boiling;
Simmer, for five minutes, on the stove corner; taste the seasoning;
Put in the soup-tureen 2 ox. of sliced dried roll, and 1 oz. of butter; our in the soup, stirring gently with a spoon to dissolve.
Serve.”
—The Royal Cookery Book (Le Livre de Cuisine) , Jules Gouffe, translated from the French and adapted for English Use by Alphonse Gouffe [Sampson Low, Son, and Marston:London] 1869 (p. 38-9)
(sources: www.wikipedia.org, www.foodtimeline.org)
************************************************************************************************************************* A few notes:
For myself, I like a lot of onions in my soup; almost stew-like. If you prefer a brothier soup, either reduce the amount of onions or increase the broth.
Because onions do sweeten as they cook down, I don’t recommend using sweet onions like 1015’s, Vidalias, or Mauis. They will make the soup too sweet. Regular yellow onions are just fine. Plus, they’re cheaper.
This soup is traditionally made with beef broth. However, you can use chicken or turkey broth if you want a lighter soup. Or, use vegetable broth to make this vegetarian (or vegan if you omit the Gruyère or use soy cheese).
The best bread to use with this soup is a good crusty European-style bread like a baguette, ciabatta, pain au levain, etc. These will hold up quite well if you decide to make the soup a gratin.
The Ingredients
2 tbsp. Olive Oil
5 lbs. onions, sliced about 1/4″ thick
4 cl. garlic, minced
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 c. dry white wine or unsweetened apple cider (optional)
4 c. beef broth or vegetable broth
Salt & Pepper to taste
Toasted bread or your favorite crackers
Shredded Gruyère, Emmenthal, or Swiss cheese
1. Heat the olive oil in a stockpot or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and the 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon salt (these will help release the water from the onions and make them wilt more quickly).
The onions. I was quite weepy when I finished slicing.
Stir until the onions begin to heat through, turn the heat down to medium-low, cover and begin wilting the onions.
Covering the onions. This steams the onions and helps them to wilt more quickly at the beginning of the cooking process.
2. After the first 30 minutes (stirring after each 15 minutes), uncover the onions (there will be a lot of liquid; it will cook down), add the thyme, and continue cooking until the onions are cooked down as much as you prefer, stirring every 15 minutes. (If you are cooking your onions until they become very soft, you will want to stir them more often as they soften so they don’t begin to burn.)
After 15 minutes. The onions have begun to soften and release their liquid.
After 30 minutes. More wilted and more liquid.
Adding the thyme.
At 45 minutes. I generally cook them further down than this. However, at this point, it’s up to you how much further you’d like to go.
At 1 hour. This is usually where I’ll stop. I don’t necessarily want the onions caramelized, just very soft and sweet.
You want your onions to be soft, but not necessarily caramelized.
3. Once the onions are cooked to your preference, increase the temperature to medium-high, add the white wine or apple cider (if using) and cook until the wine has evaporated.
Adding the wine. Let this cook down until most of it has evaporated.If you don’t want to use wine, use unsweetened apple cider.Or, omit this step all together.
4. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
Adding the broth. You can also use chicken or vegetable broths.
5. If you want to do the more traditional serving method, here it goes: Turn on your oven to broil and place the rack in the top position. Ladle the soup into oven-proof bowls (the best bowls are ones that have handles; you can buy these at any restaurant supply – if you don’t have bowls with handles, place them on a baking sheet), place a piece of the toasted bread in the center and sprinkle on a healthy amount of the cheese. Place the bowls under the broiler for just a minute or two so until the cheese melts and gets brown and bubbly. Carefully remove the bowls from the oven and serve.
If you don’t want to go that route, simply serve the soup with the bread and cheese on the side.
The best breads to use are crusty, day-old, European-style. This is one I made a couple of days before.
Grated Gruyere. You can also use Emmenthal or Swiss cheeses as well. I’m not sure why these became the most common cheeses for Onion Soup, but they are perfect.
I prefer to serve my soup this way. Bread on the side with the cheese on top of the soup. I find it easier to eat and a whole lot less mess to clean up. Of course, if you prefer the more traditonal gratin method, go for it.
One of the great things about having a parent, or parents, who were born and/or grew up in another country is getting to learn and experience mores, manners, customs, and, yes, food that are different than what you might experience daily in the wider world.
My sisters and I grew up with just such a parent. Our father is Palestinian. He’s originally from a town called Nablus. When he was born, it was a part of western Jordan. Now it is in the Occupied West Bank under the supervision of the Palestinian Authority. Dad came to the US in 1960 to go to college. Eventually, he met and married our mom, graduated from college with an engineering degree, co-raised three girls without losing his mind, worked for the same company for 40 years, and happily retired.
Along the way, Dad did impart in us some of his old-world wisdom. Or, at least tried to. And while we didn’t always appreciate the lessons he tried to teach – especially Arabic, which I’m still struggling to learn – we always appreciated the food.
And while my sisters and I certainly ate with glee the kibbeh, sayadieh (fish with rice), mjudarah (lentils and rice), mishi waraq (stuffed grape leaves), and knaffeh (sweet shredded phyllo dough with cheese) our parents made (Mom and Dad each have their specialties), we especially enjoyed breakfast with unrestrained glee.
Breakfast at my aunt’s home in Jordan
Breakfast in the Middle East isn’t necessarily a rushed thing. Well, it isn’t unless one has to rush off to work or school. Breakfast usually starts about 8 or 9 with a nice long chat over coffee. Then, the food comes out. It can be as simple as some jam, bread, and cheese on up to dips, za’atar (spice mix made with thyme, sumac, sesame seeds, and salt), fresh fruit and vegetables, olives, pickles, eggs, and occasionally leftovers from the night before.
Unlike in the West, coffee isn’t drunk at breakfast. It’s used as an aperitif, digestive, at social gatherings, and with the desserts the Middle East is so famous for. Juice, water, or hot sweet tea is drunk at breakfast.
Just to make you hungrier, here’s a picture of my family at the restaurant my cousin Salam owns with her husband. Tarweea. It serves breakfast 24 hours a day. And it’s amazing.
The recipes I’m showing you are ubiquitous throughout the Middle East. Like anywhere else, there are regional variations for each dish. That being said, I’m going to show you the way I grew up eating these dishes and the recipes I learned Palestinian style.
The Ingredients
I will be making several recipes in this post: Ful Mudammas (Fava Bean Dip), Baba Ghannouj (Eggplant Dip), Tomatoes and Garlic Poached in Olive Oil (not sure if this is authentic, but my dad makes it on occasion), and Hummous (which I’ve already made for you, http://www.tartqueenskitchen.com/?cat=63).
Bread is dipped in the olive oil and then the za’atar. It has a wonderful savory-slightly tart flavor. Some people will also make a paste of the two, spread it on bread and toast the bread until the top is nice and bubbly. It’s divine.
We also have some lebneh. It is essentially yogurt cheese. A lovely, delightfully slightly sour treat. Try it spread on bread with some tomato. Oh. Yeah.
Lebneh in olive oil. This stuff is the bomb.
Some farmers cheese is always essential on the table. Jebne Nabulsi (Nablus Cheese) is our cheese of choice. Farmers cheese is used in both sweet and savory dishes. For sweet dishes, it’s usually boiled to remove the salt. The cheese we get in the US is always packed in brine. If you’re able to buy it in Jordan, it’s much fresher. The difference is striking.
The first recipe I’ll show you is for Ful (pronounced “fool”) Mudammas (فول مدمس). It’s a breakfast dish made with fava beans. It’s a dish that’s been traced back to ancient Egypt and is still a very popular breakfast choice throughout the Middle East and parts of Africa.
Now, I use the canned ones. However, if you want to use fresh or used soaked dry beans, it’s up to you.
1. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, mix together the fava beans, onion, garlic, peppers, about 2 – 3 tablespoons of the reserved liquid from the beans, and a pinch of salt & pepper.
Beans in the pot.
Beans, onion, garlic, and peppers ready to make magic.
Heat the mixture slowly, stirring occasionally. Cook about 20 minutes. Add more liquid if the beans become too dry.
Cooking the beans and vegetables. Be sure to not let the beans get too dry.
2. Once the mixture is cooked, taste it for seasoning and some lemon to taste. Remove the saucepan from the heat and mash the beans, leaving some texture. In other words, don’t make them a smooth mash.
Mashing the beans. Leave some texture. Don’t make too smooth a mix.
3. Place the ful on a plate, drizzle over some olive oil and additional parsley.
The finished dish. Enticing, isn’t it.
*********************
The next dish I’m going to show you is Baba Ghannouj (بابا غنوج.). It’s a smooth dip made with eggplant. It can be served as a mezze, a salad, or a side dish. It is sometimes served with sliced or finely diced vegetables on top. Some will use parsley or mint. In some parts of the Arab world, particularly Syria, pomegranate seeds or syrup are used as well.
Traditionally, the eggplant is grilled over an open flame until it’s soft and charred. However, I’ve found the oven is an excellent alternative cooking source.
When buying eggplant, look for ones with a smooth unblemished skin and no soft spots.
The Ingredients
1 eggplant
3 cl. garlic
1/4 c. tahineh, more if needed
Salt and lemon juice to taste
Olive oil for garnish
Pomegranate seeds or syrup for garnish, optional
Parsley for garnish, optional
1. Prep the eggplant. Heat your oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Drizzle some olive oil on the bottom and spread to cover.
Take the eggplant, cut off the top, then cut in half lengthwise.
The eggplant. You want the flesh to be white to off white. and firm. And not too seedy. A lot of seeds can make the eggplant bitter.
Place the eggplant cut side down on the baking sheet. Drizzle to top with a little more oil and put in the oven. Bake the eggplant until it’s soft, about 20 – 25 minutes.
Eggplant ready for the oven.
2. Meanwhile, if you are using pomegranate seeds, time to get the seeds out.
Hello.
When buying a pomegranate, make sure there are no soft pots, the skin is smooth and free of blemishes, and be sure to check for pinholes in the skin. That’s a sign of infestation or spoilage. If you open a pomegranate and any of the seeds are brown or dried out, discard them.
Cut around the equator of the pomegranate just until you break through the skin. Don’t cut all the way through or you’ll lose some seeds.
Pull the halves until they separate. This takes a little doing, but it will happen.
An excellent pomegranate. The seeds are bright, red, and juicy. The membrane is firm and a nice creamy color.
I suggest wearing gloves for this next part. It is now time to separate the seeds from the membrane. It’s really not difficult. Just time consuming. if you can remove the seeds in clusters, all the better. The trick is to break as few seeds as possible and not include any of the membrane (edible, but very bitter).
Removing the seeds from the membrane. Not difficult, but time consuming.
The remains.
You will be rewarded for your hard work.
Your reward. They look like jewels.
3. Check the eggplant. Give it a quick poke with your finger or a fork. If it feels soft, it’s ready to come out of the oven. Take the eggplant halves off the baking sheet and set aside until cool enough to handle.
The baked eggplant. You want the char. It adds a smoky flavor to the final dish. However, be sure not to let the eggplant burn.
4. when the eggplant is cool enough to handle, carefully peel off the skin and discard.
Peeling the skin off the eggplant.
Place the peeled eggplant in a small bowl or dish. Set aside.
5. With a food processor running, drop the garlic cloves down through the feed tube and chop them.
The chopped garlic.
Add the eggplant, tahineh, and a little salt.
Ready to mix.
Puree the ingredients until a smooth consistency is achieved. Add a little lemon juice through the feed tube while the machine is running. When the lemon is mixed in, taste the baba ghannouj for seasoning.
6. Place the baba ghannouj into a bowl and garish with a little olive oil, some parsley, and a few of the pomegranate seeds.
This is delicious. And I don’t like eggplant.
*************************************
As for the Poached Tomatoes and Garlic, I really don’t know if it’s an authentic part of the meal. However, I remember my dad making this dish from time to time, so I do, too. My husband and I like this dish, so I make it for that reason as well.
The ingredients
4 large tomatoes, quartered, core (blossom end) cut out, and seeded
10 – 12 cloves garlic, smashed
3/4 c. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1. Place all the ingredients in a large skillet or shallow saucepan over low heat.
The ingredients ready to be poached.
2. While the ingredients cook, you can mash them a bit if you like. Just cook until the tomatoes have completely broken down, about 30 minutes.
Cooking down the tomatoes and garlic.
All done. Yes, it’s a lot of olive oil. It tastes lovely.
***********************************
Fried Nabulsi Cheese
1. Take a few pieces of the Nabulsi cheese and cut them into smaller pieces (I usually cut them in half crosswise and then again lengthwise). Place them in a bowl and rinse with water several times until it runs clear. Let the cheese soak in the water to remove some of the salt.
Some of the cheese. The shape and saltiness of the cheese depends on the brand.
Soaking the cheese
Before you get ready to fry the cheese, take it out of the water and drain on paper towels.
2. In a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the butter starts to foam, place a few pieces of the cheese in the skillet to cook. Cook until each side is golden brown.
Frying the cheese. Not the most healthy way to cook it, but hey, why not?
Drain the cooked cheese on paper towels and eat while still warm. It doesn’t really keep once it’s cold.
Believe it or not, this is excellent on warm pita bread with a little jam.
**************************
Of course, the one indispensable ingredient for the whole meal. Bread. Khubuz خبز
French Toast. One of the most decadent meals one could ever hope for. It’s a divine meal for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or, yes, dinner.
Admit it. Breakfast for dinner is the best.
Day-old bread soaked in a custard mixture, cooked slowly on a skillet, and served with butter, syrup, powdered sugar, whipped cream, and, even better, fresh fruit. It’s the kind of meal that makes you want to go back to bed on a lazy weekend. I know I do.
But, is French Toast really French? Well, yes and no. No one knows the true origins of the recipe.
Dating back to the 4th or 5th Century, Apicius is credited as having the earliest recipe for stale bread soaked in milk, but not eggs, and served with honey.It was named “aliter dulcia” – another sweet dish.
“Another sweet dish: Break fine white bread, crust removed, into rather large pieces which soak in milk. Fry in oil, cover with honey and serve.” –Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome, edited and translated by Joseph Dommers Vehling
There are also references to the recipe in a 14th Century German recipe “Arme Ritter” – poor knights. In the 15th Century, English recipes for “pain perdu” (French) – Lost/wasted bread (a reference to bread that has gone stale). A similar dish, “suppe dorate” – guilded snippets – was popular in England during the Middle Ages, although the English might have learned it from the Normans (the French who invaded England in 1066) , who had a dish called “tostees dorees” – guilded bread.
“Take slices of white bread, trimmed so that they have no crusts; make these slices square and slightly grilled so that they are colored all over by the fire. Then take eggs beaten together with plenty of sugar and a little rose water; and put the slices of bread in this to soak; carefully remove them, and fry them a little in a frying pan with a little butter and lard, turning them very frequently so that they do not burn. The arrange them on a plate, and top with a little rose water colored yellow with a little saffron, and with plenty of sugar.”
–The Medieval Kitchen, Recipes from France and Italy,
The Oxford English Dictionary cites 1660 as the year “French toast” first made an appearance, in a book called The Accomplisht Cook. That preparation, however, left out the eggs, in favor of soaking pre-toasted bread in a solution of wine, sugar, and orange juice. The Dictionary of American Food and Drink contends that the first egg-based recipe in print didn’t appear until 1870; throughout the tail end of the 19th Century, similar recipes appeared under the monikers “French toast,” “Egg toast,” “Spanish toast,” and even “German toast.”
A highly dubious creation myth holds that French toast owes its creation to an Albany, N.Y., innkeeper named Joseph French. Legend has it that French whipped up a batch of the golden-brown treats in 1724 and advertised them as “French toast” because he’d never learned to use an apostrophe “s.”
1. Use any type of bread you like. When I was growing up, my mom used good old sliced white bread. And it was delicious. Now, I use my personal favorite, challah (Jewish Egg Bread). Buttermilk, sourdough, brioche, and country-style are all excellent choices.
2. Day-old bread is best. If your bread is too fresh, it will fall apart when you soak it in the custard mixture. If it is too dry, you’ll never be able to get the bread soaked through enough to have a moist slice of finished toast.
3. Whole milk. Please. Cream and Half & Half are too heavy. 2%, 1%, and Skim don’t have the richness or flavor you want. Plus, they won’t stand up to the heat.
4. If you like, you can add about 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and/or nutmeg to the custard mixture. I generally don’t, but, if you want to, go for it.
5. I like to use my electric skillet to make French Toast. The temperature is steady and easy to adjust as I need to. If you prefer to use a skillet on the stove, keep the temperature at medium-low. Yes, it takes a little extra time. The results are worth it.
The Ingredients
Beautiful Challah Bread.
1 loaf day-old bread, sliced into 3/4″ – 1″ thick slices
6 eggs, well beaten
2 c. whole milk
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
Butter, syrup, powdered sugar, whipped cream, fruit for serving (one, some, or all of these; up to you)
1. Buy your bread a day or two before you decide to make the toast. A few hours up to the night before, slice the bread into thick slices and lay out on racks. This will let the bread dry out without over-drying. (If you slice the bread the night before and are afraid it might get too dry, cover the bread with a clean dish towel. This will still allow for air circulation but keep the bread from over-drying.)
In a pinch, you can have your oven on low and place the sliced bread in there for an hour to quick-dry the bread as well.
Sliced bread. Nice, thick slices.
Drying the bread. The racks help with air circulation so the bread dries evenly.
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs. The need to be beaten well so that the whites, which can be notoriously hard to break down, are completely incorporated with the yolks.
The beaten eggs. You want to be sure that the whites and yolks are fully incorporated.
3. Mix in the milk, sugar, and vanilla.
Adding the milk, vanilla, and sugar.
The custard ready for the bread.
4. Meanwhile, have either an electric skillet preheated to 275F or a non-stick skillet on the stove over medium-low heat. (f you want to use a little unflavored oil or butter in the skillet, go ahead. I generally don’t.)
5. Take the bread, a slice or two at a time, and soak the bread. Gently press on the bread to make sure the custard mixture is soaking completely through the slice.
Soaking the bread. Gently press down to submerge the bread as completely as possible in the custard. Sometimes, you’ll see air bubbles coming up. That’s a good thing. It means the liquid is displacing any air in the bread.
Flip the bread over and soak the other side.
Soaking the other side. When you press down, there should be no spring-back from the bread. Also, the area around the crust is more dense, so you may not get the same saturation as the rest of the slice. That’s OK.
Carefully lift the bread out, allowing the excess custard to drip back into the bowl. Lay the bread on a plate and repeat until you have enough to put into the skillet without crowding.
6. Transfer the bread to the skillet and let it cook until it is golden brown on one side before flipping. This will help keep the bread from falling apart and cook evenly.
The toast in the skillet. They key to cooking French Toast is low and slow.
Ready for its close-up. A lovely, dense, custard-filled slice of Challah. Yummy.
Once the bread is browned, carefully flip it over. Continue to cook the bread until it is golden brown on the other side as well. It should also “puff” a bit in the center and, when you press it, it should bounce back, like a cake.
After flipping the toast. A lovely golden brown. After a few minutes, the centers should begin to puff up a bit, like a cake.
The finished toast. Notice the density and moistness of the bread. This is what you want.
7. Keep the toast in a warm oven while you finish cooking the rest. Serve with any toppings you like and any sides you prefer.
Heated maple syrup and melted butter. This is my preferred method of dressing my French Toast, waffles, and pancakes. it’s just easier.
Most of us know this dish as basically cheese on toast. Not a bad thing.
It’s actually a dish that was born of poverty in 18th Century Wales. At that time, only the wealthiest could afford meat. Cheese was the “meat” of the poor. Over time, “Rarebit” became the bastardization of “rabbit”.
Most recipes that I’ve found contain some sort of alcohol, generally ale. However, I wanted a recipe that didn’t have any alcohol. And, I finally came across one written by Jennifer Paterson of “Two Fat Ladies” fame. It is different than traditional Rarebit, which is generally a cheese sauce, in that this recipe is more of a souffle-style.
This won’t behave like what most would think of as a souffle. It certainly doesn’t rise like one. The souffle-style comes from the base (cheese and egg yolks) folded into beaten egg whites which makes the topping a souffle effect.
The tomato soup is just a natural paring.
Tomato soup goes with just about everything.
Welsh Rarebit mixed with tomato soup or tomatoes is known as “Blushing Bunny”. Huh.
Now. To the recipes.
*************************
Now, of course, with either of these recipes, you can serve them separately with a simple salad to make a nice lunch or a light dinner. Together, they make a rather hearty end-of-day vegetarian supper.
For the Rarebit, if you want to use other cheeses or all of one or the other, go ahead. However, cheddar is the most traditional. Be sure to use a sharp cheddar. Once you add the egg whites, it will neutralize the flavor of the cheese mixture, so you want a stong-tasting cheese. Longhorn cheddar won’t do.
With summer coming up, fresh tomatoes will be abundant. If you want to use your fresh home-grown tomatoes, by all means, do. Use the equivalent amount to fresh tomatoes. Depending on how “rustic” you like your soup, you can peel and seed your fresh tomatoes before using them in the soup if you prefer. It’s up to you.
As for canned, I use Muir Glen Fire Roasted. If you want to use your fresh tomatoes but would like the roasted flavor, you can either roast your tomatoes on the grill or slow-roast in your oven.
1. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, saute the onions and garlic until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
Sauteing the onions and garlic.
2. Add the red pepper flakes, if using, and cook another minute.
3. Add the tomato paste and, stirring frequently, cook until the tomato paste begins to take on a rust-colored appearance (this indicates the sugars in the tomato paste are caramelizing).
Cooking the tomato paste. The paste is beginning to turn a burnt orange color.
4. Add the tomatoes, rosemary, vinegar, broth, sugar, salt & pepper. Stir until the soup is well mixed. Cover and bring to a boil. Once the soup has come to a boil, uncover, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
After adding the tomatoes, broth, rosemary, vinegar, and spices
Bringing the soup to a boil.
5. After the first 30 minutes of cooking, remove the soup from the heat and remove the rosemary stem. Let the soup cool slightly.
After 30 minutes of cooking.
6. With either a stand blender (in batches) or a stick blender, puree the soup. Make it as smooth or as texture as you like. If you want a super-smooth soup, then pour the pureed soup through a strainer. Taste for seasoning.
Pureeing the soup with a stick blender. (I find the stick blender easier and it uses fewer dishes.)
7. Put the soup back on the stove to reheat over medium heat and just bring back to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the basil. Set the soup aside and let the basil “steep”. | {
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When He Dragged 3 Ikea Bookcases Into His Room, I Had No Idea His Plan. But What He Builds? AWESOME!
1. 6
Having a nice desk that fits all your needs is something that many people do not have, mainly due to cost reasons. A desk that is well built with lots of storage space can be very expensive, reaching to hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
That’s why Vikkie Williams from the blog Little VWS had her husband craft her an amazing desk that would suit all her needs, and the whole thing cost only $112!
The desk is made out of three IKEA bookshelves, and a little extra supplies from the hardware store.
He started out by arranging the bookshelves in a general shape of that the desk will look like | {
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This service is designed to allow HPFF users to alert the staff about inappropriate reviews.
Review:
SiriuslyPeeved says:"You see, my dear friend has been the cause for most of the pain and torment in my life, and I am not being melodramatic. She's the reason I have so many scars, burns, bad hair days, detentions, enemies... the list goes on."
Love it! Steven's voice is so clear already even in this opening chapter, I hope you did well in your challenge!
"Let's just say don't kidnap and destroy Lucy's doll, she will retaliate and you will end up in St Mungo's ... for almost a week ... unable to walk."
Hee! Awesome. I hope more childhood stories of the Weasley kids and young Steven will emerge, this one was great!
My mechanical notes are mainly regarding the formatting, which is always frustrating for me to deal with as well. (I always have trouble with the spacing unless I use paste with plain text, or if it's really being stubborn, the simple editor. :) ) Other than that, perhaps you could consider splitting up some of your longer sentences (especially when there are "howevers" involved) and use semicolons, or break sentences into two for flow. Sometimes I like to read my own stuff out loud and if I run out of breath in the middle of a sentence, I break it off or use a semicolon.
I loved the ending, can't wait to see what hijinks ensue! I really enjoyed this, thanks for requesting!
Author's Response: Thank you so much for doing this review for me :D
I'm so glad that you think that about him, I did actually I came third :-D
I do plan on including more childhood stories, I've just got to think of some hehe.
I always have trouble with spaces on here, they make the gaps huge between the lines, I might try the simple editor, thanks for the tip.
Ooo that sounds like a good idea, I'm going to try that, thank you.
Thank you so much for your review, I really appreciate you taking the time out to do it :-D | {
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One Response to Thornham Magna Bowls Club
I am coming to play at your club soon, was wondering if you can forward me the road name in which the club is situated plus landmarks, tried looking for it from the post code IP23 9HH, but with no luck, yours Mrs Wilson | {
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Hot Cars Deadly for Dogs, Even with Windows Rolled Down
After a number of people across the U.S. have been charged with animal cruelty for leaving their dogs in hot cars, causing the pets severe distress and even death, RedRover, a national nonprofit animal protection organization, is imploring pet owners to leave their dogs at home while running errands or visiting businesses that do not allow pets. Enclosed cars can heat up to dangerous temperatures quickly, even when relatively mild outside, making even short trips dangerous for pets.
Earlier in June, a Buckley, Washington, man was charged with first degree animal cruelty after his dog, Nexus, died locked inside his truck outside Nolte State Park. The two-year-old Golden retriever's body temperature had risen to above 108 degrees and was still hot to the touch when examined hours later after passing. According to the vet, Nexus must have suffered greatly while trapped in the vehicle.
"People often leave their dogs in the car while they shop or run errands, but doing so can literally be a death sentence for your pet," said RedRover President and CEO Nicole Forsyth. "You might think you will be gone for 'just a minute,' but every second counts for a dog left in a hot car. If it's hot outside, leave your dog at home."
Forsyth offered five reasons why leaving a dog in a hot car can be deadly: * Dogs are especially vulnerable to heat-related illness because they can only cool off by panting and through the pads in their feet. * Even seemingly mild days are dangerous. In a Stanford University study, when it was 72 degrees outside, a car's internal temperature climbed to 116 degrees within one hour. * Enclosed cars heat up quickly. In a study by San Francisco State University, when it was 80 degrees outside, the temperature inside a car rose to 99 degrees in 10 minutes and 109 degrees in 20 minutes. * A dog's normal body temperature is between 101 to 102.5 degrees; a dog can only withstand a high body temperature for a short time before suffering nerve damage, heart problems, liver damage, brain damage or even death. * Studies show that cracking the windows has little effect on a vehicle's internal temperature.
"People are under the misconception that dogs are tougher than humans are, that they can handle the heat," Forsyth said. "But the reality is, they are more susceptible to high temperatures and depend on us to keep them safe."
In Nexus' case, a passer-by did call 911 for help at witnessing the dog's distress; unfortunately it was too late. Upon seeing a dog in distress in a hot car, it is imperative to call the local animal control agency or police immediately. Signs of distress include: * Excessive panting and/or drooling * Increased heart rate * Trouble breathing * Disorientation * Collapse or loss of consciousness * Seizure * Respiratory arrest
To learn more about the dangers of leaving dogs in hot cars and to download educational materials to share with others, visit www.MyDogIsCool.com .
RedRover focuses on bringing animals out of crisis and strengthening the bond between people and animals through a variety of programs, including emergency sheltering, disaster relief services, financial assistance and education. RedRover's My Dog is Cool Campaign is designed to get the word out to individuals and communities about the dangers of leaving dogs in hot cars through fliers, posters, and other educational materials as well as educate the media, general public, police, emergency workers and city officials about steps to take to prevent dogs from dying in hot cars. | {
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Special Workshop: Insight to Action
This 2-hour interactive workshop is designed to delve deeper into qualities of mindfulness such as openness, curiosity and the ability to challenge automatic thoughts and assumptions.
In addition to meditative and reflective exercises, we will incorporate the Points of You coaching game which uses images and words to elicit new insights and self-awareness.
Highlights Include:
MEDITATING to awaken our inner magician, the archetype that allows us to see beyond the boundaries we create for ourselves
PLAYING the coaching game Points of You to gain insights about what matters most to us
REFLECTING on and SHARING what we discover in the process
WRITING an action plan to take into our everyday life
The workshop will take place at the Culver City Peak Brain office on Sunday, June 18th from 6:30pm to 8:45pm.
The cost is $40.
Light refreshments will be served!
To RSVP, email Samantha at [email protected] | {
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House of Commons: Scars of Mirrodin Edition!
Noel deCordovaThursday, September 30, 2010
i all, and welcome back to the first post-Scars of Mirrodin Prerelease edition of From the Lab. Every time a new large set is released, I like to complete a traditional puzzle called House of Commons. Created by Chris Millar, House of Commons is essentially a deck-building exercise that uses every common from the latest large set (in this case, Scars of Mirrodin.)
Here's a quick rundown of the guidelines. I had to use four copies of every common to build a lot of decks. So, for example, I couldn't put four copies of Galvanic Blast in all my red decks, and I'd have to use four copies of Whitesun's Passage at some point. The resulting array of decks (eleven, in this case) is spread out across all five colors in a (hopefully) balanced fashion.
Whenever I attempt this puzzle, I always accidentally save some of the best commons for last, making that deck pretty unfair. So I split them up again, leading to some strange results. The four copies of Instill Infection (which, by the way, I witnessed being cast on a Precursor Golem at the Prerelease) became four singletons in four different black decks, which I thought was weird. Melt Terrain and Blunt the Assault were other odd placements.
I also am interested in what color combinations I end up with. Green white, black green, and black blue led the pack with two decks each. Most of the rest contained red, which was strangely difficult to split up. Oh well. Let's see what I came up with!
Next, we have the most infect-oriented deck of the day, containing most of the beatdown poison creatures. Corpse Cur is key as an infected Gravedigger, and Withstand Death serves as excellent creature defense.
Okay, no more infect after this deck, I promise! I had two leftover Tainted Strikes, and I naturally decided to cast them on the fattest commons available to win in one shot. A combination of a Tainted Strike and an Untamed Might on, say, an Alpha Tyrannax would do it. Of course, your fatties can win the game without infect as well. Some cheap black creatures and one of the better removal spells in this format (Grasp of Darkness) rounds this deck out.
This deck is probably the strangest of them all. It was cobbled together late in the process and features random green creatures and random white combat tricks. I guess you try to find Razorfield Thresher or beat down with your makeshift team. To balance a strange creature force, I turned to some powerful removal in Revoke Existence.
Hope you enjoyed this traditional look at the commons of Scars of Mirrodin!
Here is a quick reminder that today is the last day to submit decks for the Build Around Contest, so make sure to get them in if you want me to see your deck. Click the link to the rules of the contest if you're confused on how to begin.
See you next week as we dive full throttle into the exciting new world of Mirrodin. | {
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Wednesday, July 18, 2012
I had posted this cartoon on facebook, and a friend of a friend commented on how fun it was to take quotes completely out of context and run with it. Well, they would know. They'd never do that with, say, Sarah Palin and a "task from God" or anything like that.
It's not out of context. Obama didn't say entirely what he meant to say -- which was to paraphrase what that psuedo American Indian woman Elizabeth Warren had said months ago ... but it's the same thing, and it's what he's been peddling all along and still is today.Yes, government is necessary to protect life, liberty, and property - the three natural rights. And without it setting consistent expectations for the rule of law, success would be limited to plunder. But those rules are the same for everybody, or they should be. No bailouts if you fail, no plundering if you succeed.
Even taking Elizabeth at her word, though, the rich DO pay for the infrastructure out of proportion with the rest of us. When the top 10% of earners pay 70% of the federal taxes ... under what definition of "fair" is it that we vilify them and claim they got there on our backs and that they should pay even more than the more that they're already paying?No, what would be "fair" would be a flat tax. Everybody pays the same rate. With a flat tax rate, the rich pay more, because they make more. The lie that's being peddled here is that they don't already. They do. They not only pay more, they pay at a higher rate than most of us.
Once you decide that an equal rate isn't "fair", what is "fair" becomes pretty arbitrary. Because the problem isn't revenue, the problem is spending, and the problem is spending because people are willing to spend other people's money in wasteful ways that they wouldn't spend it if it were their own. People want more stuff - they vote for it, and then look for someone else to pay for it. Not only are they disconnected from the spending, they are disconnected with the fact that you get less of what you tax and more of what you subsidize. The more you tax production, the less production you get. The less production you get, the less wealth is generated. The fewer jobs are generated. And the kicker for the government is that the REVENUE ... GOES .... DOWN .... (Which Obama admitted during the 2008 debates, but he basically said he didn't care. ) so now there's even less government money to help the people who are now out of work. It sows the seeds of our demise.
He even contradicted himself in his own speech. Even though he implicitly acknowledged that you get less revenue, he turned right around and talked about all of the things we need to "invest" in ... which takes money. Which we would have less of under his "fairness" plan.
I know this is a lot more complicated than the frivolous ideology of "Hope", and "Change" -- but nobody said reality isn't complicated.
To which our facebook commented that it was an oversimplification to say that reducing taxes increases revenue. Sigh. Fill him in some more. Not that I'll convince him. But that's not what stopping echoes is really about. But ok. In for a penny, in for a pound:
Sure it's an oversimplification. 0%*$Whatever=$0, so clearly reducing taxes to zero means no revenue. And, of course, I'm sure you'll acknowledge that a tax rate of 100% (something considered not unreasonable by none other than Obama's father) would make a huge, one-time increase in revenue, but then there would be nothing left to tax next year.
Unless somebody produced something. But why would they? It's just going to be taken away.Which is the basis of the Laffer curve. Everyone agrees there's a curve. Reasonable people can argue over where the "sweet spot" is, but that top rate has been as high as 94% IN THIS COUNTRY (1944). In 1932 it jumped from 25% to 63% (what happened in 1932? Why did the depression last longer than any other recession? What role did the high tax rates sold as the solution play in perpetuating the problem?)
The top tax rate was never below 70% from 1936 to 1980 (What happened in 1980? When people tell you taxes were higher under Reagan than they were under Clinton, what historical context is used? "None" is the answer to that.)
But going to the cut from the debate I included the link to above, in each instance, when the capital gains tax rate was dropped, revenues increased. So apparently 15% isn't too low. And increasing it back to 20% or 28% conversely would move revenue down on the curve. Obama did not disagree with this, then turned around and said we needed to "invest" in things (that cost revenue) and used that to justify raising the capital gains tax rate, because it's "fair". What kind of sense does that make?
Never mind that it's counterproductive. But the purpose of taxes isn't "fairness" -- it's to fund government. And how we do that can be fair, or it can be unfair. And our government was instituted for very specific purposes, not to be an ever-expanding social behemoth. In addition to that, raising rates on one group of people isn't "fair", it's the opposite of "fair". Fair would be "flat" (yes, another oversimplification because I, like my Fair Tax proponent friends, acknowledge that people need a minimum amount to feed and clothe and house themselves -- however, I could still argue against not taxing them at all. If we all know how much we're getting taxed, we will plan accordingly, and so will our employers -- who, after all, are buying our services.)
But otherwise, if "flat" isn't "fair", what *is* fair and who gets to decide that? Nobody in the tax-raising business will *ever* say how much is fair. What's "fair" to them is what they want today, but don't get comfortable, we'll be back tomorrow when we want more.
As to job creators being the "only" economic generators, not even the most serious of the conservative writers on the subject (Hayek, et. al.) argue that. They do argue that the private sector, under free-market conditions, is the most effective economic generator from an efficiency standpoint and from a diversity of product standpoint. More needs and wants are satisfied and more wealth is created under an unplanned, citizen-driven free market system than under government-planned public sector systems. That is shown again and again and again.
And not only is it the most effective, it's also the most moral. Nobody has a right to force another to do something for him. If health care is a right, then someone *must* provide it. Ergo, health care is not a right. Further, if someone *must* provide it, the terms *must* be dictated by a third party. But in a free market system, there are those who need health care and those who provide it, and they agree on the terms between themselves (although the attitude that iinsurance = a prepaid health plan has gotten in the way of this) to the mutual benefit of each ... and no, "benefit" is not always monetary. Charity is a personal thing. Forced charity isn't charity at all. And real charity happens all the time. It used to happen more before the government started on its quest to monopolize it.
1 comment:
"And the kicker for the government is that the REVENUE ... GOES .... DOWN .... (Which Obama admitted during the 2008 debates, but he basically said he didn't care. ) so now there's even less government money to help the people who are now out of work." | {
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All Posts Tagged Tag: ‘Monster Tour’
Rihanna wants all of her fans to know that she’s prepping for the Monster Tour with Eminem. The 26-year-old Barbadian singer is making gratuitous strides to promote the six-city tour. She’s even added her own personal touch to a particular Teen Mom 2 clip. Although the “Love the Way You Lie” singer publicly confirmed the tour on March 19, she decided to … | {
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Day by Day
Saturday, February 21, 2009
I’m tired of wasting money to police nanny-state laws. I’m not impressed when someone in a bar complains, “Here I am, drinking my brain-cell killing booze, lstening to music played at ear-splitting decibels, trying to pick up this woman so I can get in my car, drive drunk to her house, have unprotected sex with her - and this guy is blowing SMOKE into the air!”
The group inside is a coalition who call themselves "Take Back NYU." Members pushed tables and chairs against doors, and the group has a live webcam posted on its Web site.
"[We want the school to] establish new programs that encourage social and environmental responsibility," one student said via the webcam.
The group held a news conference late Thursday afternoon.
Their demands include full budget and endowment disclosure, affordable education, and increased student participation in the university's operation.
"Most important to me is the budget demands," student Jane Bird said. "I think it's gotten out of hand at this point."
There are also other demands that don't concern the budget. The group wants 13 scholarships a year provided for students of the Gaza Strip, and to give surplus supplies to the Islamic university in Gaza.
The reality, from my viewpoint is that this whole thing was really about getting scholarships for Gaza Strip students. I believe the rest of the demands were just thrown in to add legitimacy to their cause. They have not a clue as to the wrath they are asking for upon themselves and our country with such action.
Friday, February 20, 2009
The two pieces of the bill – a 496-page appropriations section, and a 577-page tax package – represent a Herculean effort on the part of staff members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, and the tax-writing Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees.
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama says the $787 billion economic package will help struggling cities, but both Washington and the mayors have a responsibility to spend the money wisely.
Especially with all of the "PORK" in the stimulus package and considering that President Obama signed it into law this week, I think this kind of favorable common sense is a day late and a dollar short.
I have cut a lot out of this, only leaving the information that I find interesting. For more details read the article.
Making Work Pay Credit: The bill provides a credit equal to 6.2% of earnings up to $400 per person (up to $800 per couples who file jointly).Estimated cost: $116 billion.
One-time payments to those who don't work:Estimated cost: $14.2 billion.
Break for higher income families: The bill includes a one-year provision to protect middle- and upper-middle-income families from having to pay the Alternative Minimum Tax. The AMT was intended primarily for high-income taxpayers but has in recent years threatened to engulf those lower down the income scale. Estimated cost: $70 billion.
Temporary deduction for car buyers:The bill would let those who buy a new car, light vehicle, recreational vehicle or motorcycle in 2009 deduct state and local sales taxes as well as any excise tax charged in the purchase. The deduction would be available to those earning less than $125,000 ($250,000 for joint filers). It will be an above-the-line deduction, meaning even taxpayers who don't itemize may take it in addition to the standard deduction. Estimated cost:$1.7 billion.
Even RV's? I see no specifications that it has to be American made. What sense is this?
Temporary credit for home buyers: The bill increases the size of an existing temporary and refundable first-time home buyer credit to $8,000, up from $7,500. It also removes the requirement under current law that the credit be paid back if the buyer stays in the home for at least three years. And it would extend the credit's expiration date to Dec. 1, 2009, from July 1. Those eligible for this credit must have purchased a home after Jan. 1, 2009, and before Dec. 1, 2009.
The full credit is available to those making $75,000 or less ($150,000 for joint filers). Estimated cost: $6.6 billion.
I actually do think this is a good idea. I have mixed feelings about the forgiveness if you stay in the house for 3 years. It is basically an interest free loan.
Health insurance help for the jobless: The bill includes provisions to help eligible jobless workers pay for health insurance under Cobra. Cobra coverage allows newly unemployed workers to keep health insurance provided by their former employers for a period of time.
For workers who have been laid off between Sept. 1, 2008, and Dec. 31, 2009, the government will subsidize 65% of their premiums under Cobra for up to 9 months.
Those people laid off between Sept. 1, 2008, and the day the stimulus law goes into effect, and who did not sign up for Cobra, will get an additional 60 days to do so and receive the subsidy.
The subsidy will be limited to those whose income for the year is $125,000 or less ($250,000 for couples filing jointly). Estimated cost: $24.7 billion.
Another provision provides states funding to help pay for expanded Medicaid rolls for workers who've lost their jobs and can't afford health care on their own or can't get Cobra coverage because their former employer doesn't offer a health care plan. Estimated cost: $87 billion.
Unemployment benefits: The bill provides jobless workers with an additional 20 weeks in unemployment benefits, and 13 weeks on top of that if they live in what's deemed a high unemployment state, of which there are now about 30. Estimated cost: $27 billion.
In addition, the weekly unemployment benefit will temporarily increase by $25 on top of the roughly $300 jobless workers currently receive. Estimated cost: $8.8 billion.
Plus, the first $2,400 of benefits in 2009 would be exempt from federal income taxes. Estimated cost: $4.7 billion.
The bill also provides assistance to help local groups providing food and shelter, elderly nutrition services such as Meals on Wheels, and a program to help food banks re-stock their shelves. Estimated cost: $350 million.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The California Senate has approved a long-awaited budget package intended to wipe out a $42 billion deficit, possibly steering the state clear of a fiscal disaster. The budget awaits approval by the Assembly.
The vote could finally bring a drawn-out budget battle to a close after leaders agreed to ask voters to revise the state's constitution to allow open primaries for legislative, congressional and gubernatorial elections to win state Sen. Abel Maldonado's support.
Leaders also met his demands to remove a provision to increase the gas tax, freeze legislators' salaries in deficit budget years and to eliminate new office furniture budgeted for the state controller.
I think this may just be a landmark. For the legislature to not get money when the state budget is in a deficit, that is amazing enlightenment! Apparently this amazing reform is because they needed a Republican vote to pass it. How quaint.
Incidentally, the octuplets’ father is also the father of Suleman’s six other children, who were also conceived via in vitro fertilization.
According to Suleman’s mother, Angela, the octuplets’ father, is one of her daughter’s “admirers.”
Reportedly, the name David Solomon appears on four of the first six kids’ birth certificates. Earlier this week, the Associated Press reported that the octuplets last names would be Solomon. But, no one knows for sure if David Solomon is actually the name of the hopefully-not-so-proud father.
Whomever donated the sperm that resulted in Suleman giving birth to a total of 14 children likely feels he bears no responsibility for the chaos these children will experience in life. After all, once he provided his sperm to doctors, they were the ones who presumed Suleman to be a competent person and used that sperm to fertilize her eggs. They acceded to her wishes to implant the resulting embryos in her uterus. They tended to her during the pregnancy and delivered the children into the world.
What possible moral failing could be assigned to a man who merely provided the genetic material for a sterile laboratory procedure sanctioned by the law of our land, a procedure that has helped bring millions of beloved children into the arms of good and decent parents?
I believe the octuplets’ father does bear a moral burden for providing the sperm used in this birthing calamity. The 14 children fathered by Suleman’s sperm donor were born to an unemployed mother with psychological problems and no apparent insight into the consequences of her actions. But they are also the offspring of someone she apparently knows, and that person apparently has even less concern for the human lives he helped create.
The Suleman case exposes gnawing ethical questions that are not asked frequently enough about the whole process of sperm and egg donation.
At what ethical cost does a society decide to sever every meaningful connection between millions of human beings and their offspring? When the medical system is shown to be capable of the kind of reprehensible, misdirected creative impulse evident in the Suleman case, doesn’t it begin to support the notion that donors of sperm and eggs have some responsibility to make sure they aren’t helping to create chaos and suffering? Must asexual reproduction be, by its very nature, amoral reproduction?
I say we do a DNA test and if the children are his then hold him financially responsible. In any other case many states would do that automatically.I doubt that anyone who knows this woman doesn't hear the off key calliope music every time she enters the room.
Invitro fertilization is a very expensive process. Where did the money come from for that?
BISHKEK (Reuters) - Kyrgyzstan's parliament voted on Thursday to close the last remaining U.S. air base in Central Asia, dealing a blow to U.S. efforts to use the region as a jumping-off point for its growing campaign in Afghanistan.
Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Kadyrbek Sarbayev said Washington would be given 180 days to wrap up operations after the parliamentary decision was signed into law.
As usual this is going to be highly ineffective and much more expensive than predicted, probably deliberately so. The reality is that the Federal Government forced these banks to make loans to people who shouldn't have had them in the first place. Now ...
Guess you heard that 68% of "the youth vote" went to Obama. My granddaughter called this morning to tell me she was one of them. I replied with this e-mail:
The election of Obama comes down to this. Your grandmother and I, your mother and other productive wage-earning taxpayers will have their taxes increased and that means less income. Less income means we will have to cut back on basic purchases, gifts and handouts. That includes firing the Hispanic lady who cleans our house twice a month.
She just lost her job. We can't afford her anymore.
What is the economic effect of Obama's election on you personally?
Over the years, your grandmother and I have given you thousands of dollars in food, housing, cash, clothing, gifts, etc., etc. By your vote, you have chosen another family over ours for help. So in the future, if you need assistance with your rent, money for gas, tires for your car, someone to bring you lunch, etc....call 202-456-1111. That's the telephone number for the Office of the President of the United States. I'm sure Mr. Obama will be happy to send a check from his personal or business accounts or leave cash in an envelope taped to his front door.
It's like this. Those who vote for the president should consider what the impact of an election will be on the nation as a whole and not just be concerned with what they can get for themselves.
What Obama voters don't seem to realize is that the government's money comes from taxes collected from taxpaying families. Raising taxes on productive people means they will have less money to spend on their families.
Congratulations on your choice. For future reference, you might attempt to add up all you've received from us, your mom, Mike's parents and others and compare it to what you expect to get over the next four years from Mr. Obama.
To congratulate Mr. Obama and to make sure you're on the list for handouts, write to:
Under the law, all public pools and spas must have compliant drain covers installed and a second anti-entrapment system installed when there is only a single main drain. Congress gave all affected pool and spa operators one year to comply with this act. Public pools and spas that operate year-round were expected to be in compliance by Dec. 19, 2008. Seasonal public pools and spas, currently closed, must be in compliance with the law on the day they reopen this year.
The law is named for the granddaughter of former Secretary of State James A. Baker, III. Baker joined Graeme's mother, Nancy Baker, and Safe Kids USA in a three-year advocacy campaign for the legislation. In 2002, at the age of 7, Graeme Baker died in a spa after the powerful suction of a drain entrapped her under water.
I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Even though Bush signed off on it, it was started with Secretary of State James A. Baker III because his granddaughter died. Why was her mother, Nancy Baker, not paying closer attention? So now we all have to pay! I really find this a double whammy as not only is this a required expectation of military life, on an already stretched budget the military and all other non-backyard pools are being required to make this costly replacement/repair. The second part is that pools are not just recreational. Pools are also used for physical therapy for people who need the exercise but can not bear the weight.
Now, all you Andouille purists, no, this is not made with beef, nor is it stuffed in beef intestine. It's pork, pure pork and spices, because I can get pork for $1.29 a pound and so that's what I use to make sausage. But the spices are pure Andouille, to the point where I just ate some and my ears are burning. Great flavor, great kick, and it was smoked until fully cooked over a mix of hickory and black walnut.
The advocates of this stimulus are like the physicians of two hundred years ago. Bleeding the economy does no more to promote it's health than bleeding a patient does to cure the flu. I know there are economists who have figured this out, but I think they are viewed as quacks by their colleagues who work for the government.
I think I can safely say that the American I know and love is gone. Kevin Baker agrees. If anything, he's a bit more pessimistic than I am. I'll I know is that I'm stacking up on ammo.
As usual, the military likes to send me hither and yonder, so I'm heading out way to darn early tomorrow morning. I should be able to post from where I'm at, but don't expect much until the late evenings. | {
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Brentor Church Photo-walk
The next photo-walk will be to the 13th Century Church of Saint Michael De Rupe, near Tavistock, also known as Brentor Church. There is a small car-park at the bottom of the hill and it’s a short walk up to the church. | {
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Jake Galdo, a clinical pharmacy educator at Barney's Pharmacy on Peach Orchard Road, hopes to reduce the stigma around HIV testing and the disease. The pharmacy is one of 24 community pharmacies nationwide that will be part of a pilot program to expand rapid HIV testing and public education through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Barney’s Pharmacy is one of 24 community pharmacies nationwide that will be part of a pilot program to expand rapid HIV testing and public education through a partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Using a community pharmacy to offer testing and then counseling to care will help attract those who need to be screened but who wouldn’t consider approaching an infectious-disease clinic, said Ashlee Riggs, a pharmacy resident at Barney’s from the South Carolina College of Pharmacy. Offering it at a community pharmacy helps to reduce the stigma surrounding the test, she said.
“We have to reduce the stigma and make this a normal thing,” Riggs said. “Otherwise, people aren’t going to ever want to get tested. And that’s where community pharmacies come in because we already have a great relationship with patients about many different disease states. So why should HIV/AIDS be any different?”
The test is available over the counter, but the testing that Barney’s will do is free and has some other advantages.
“If they do (test positive) we can be there to offer support and counseling and linkage to care, which is something they wouldn’t get if they were sitting in their living room alone,” Riggs said.
The program will be an additional service but also an outreach, said Ben Culpepper, a pharmacy resident at Barney’s from the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy.
“Yes, we do want the regular patients that are coming through because the CDC wants everyone to know their status,” he said. “But we’re also wanting to reach out to the community and let the community know that Barney’s pharmacy is a place that they can come to that is safe, confidential, free of judgment and potentially get the screening if they need it.”
Part of the mission will be educating the public that HIV is a chronic disease because of the availability of highly effective medications, said Jake Galdo, a clinical pharmacy educator. Compliance with taking medications is critical, and that is another role for the pharmacist, Riggs said. She said they hope to help patients’ physicians in managing care.
“We can be there with them through the whole process,” she said.
Compliance is much easier than it was in earlier years, Culpepper said.
“There are several regimens that are just one pill once a day,” he said.
The pharmacists at Barney’s have already been trained to administer the tests and are now waiting for supplies to begin, Galdo said. The program will likely begin this month but really get going in December, he said.
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