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ONGOING:?• Bible Study: Noon, Every Tuesday and 6 p.m. Every Wednesday. Wilder House, next to Bethany Presbyterian Church, 431 Wayne St. (Rt. 670) Bethany. All are welcome.?• Cash Bingo: Door open 5:30 p.m., games start 6:30 p.m. Every Tuesday. Texas #4 Fire Co., Grove St., Honesdale. $1100 Progressive Jackpot. Refreshments avail, plenty of parking. Tear-offs. Bonanza and much more. The more that play, the more we pay. Questions call 253-0782.?• The Delaware Valley Arts Alliance Host, APH-O-RISMS, a group exhibition exploring the economy of form: Until March 16 at 37 Main St. Narrowsburg, NY. Gallery Hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For info call (845) 252-7578 or visit www.ArtsAllianceSite.org.?• Fellowship Dinner: 6 p.m. Every Thursday. Abraham House, 861 Maple Ave., Honesdale. Also avail, 4:30 - 6 p.m. Clothing room. Info 253-0390..?• Honesdale Saturday Free Lunch: 11:30 a.m. - Noon. Every Saturday at either St. John's Lutheran or Grace Episcopal Church. Free to the community. For info call Laura at 687-6436.?• Kohl’s Cares Scholarship Program Accepting Nominations until March 15. The 2013 Kohl’s Cares Scholarship Program will award $425,000 in scholarships and prizes to more than 2,300 young volunteers across the country. The Kohl’s Cares Scholarship Program aims to honor youth who have made a positive impact in their communities. To nominate volunteers ages six to 18 for a Kohl’s Cares scholarship, visit kohlskids.com Those?wishing to nominate a youth volunteer must be 21 years or older.?• Mah Jongg: Monday afternoons. Call 570-224-4048 to find out where the game will be located. Beginners and experienced players invited. No fee. Learn and play the game in a non-competitive atmosphere.?• Pierogie Sale: The Browndale Fire Company and Little Spuds Homemade Gourmet Pierogies are working to sell Little Spuds homemade potato and cheese pierogies. All proceeds benefit the Browndale Fire Company. You can pick up frozen Pierogie's on Tuesday or Wednesday from 6 p.m. 7 p.m. at the Browndale Fire Station, Route 247 or by appointment. Price is $6.00 per dozen. Please call 785-5300 or 499-4908 to reserve your order by e-mail at: [email protected].?• Still Looking for Becker Art: Curator Juan Espino continues to look for artwork by Wayne County's own Howard D. Becker for a new exhibit opening in April. If you have a Becker painting that was not used in last year's exhibit and are willing to loan it to WCHS through December 2013, we'd love to hear from you. Although the museum is closed for the winter, you can leave a message at (570) 253-3240 or [email protected] and we'll get back to you.?• Story Time and Play Groups: Community Library, Hamlin. Registration is now open for children ages 6 months - 5 years. For info, 689-0903.?• Tuesday Night Bingo: Weekly. Shohola Twp. Vol. Fire & Rescue. For info call Jean at 559-7525 or 296-4436.?• Wayne Pike Chapter of DAR Needs Your Help: A 2013 exhibit is planed to open on April 20 at the Wayne County Historical Society Main St., Honesdale Museum to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Wayne-Pike Chapter of DAR. Any member or former member of DAR who has photos, objects or documents which would held tell this story is encouraged to contact Sally Malaga at [email protected] or leave a message at 253-3240.?• Winter Farmer’s Market: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday’s - Through May. The Cooperage, 1030 Main St., Honesdale. Produce, dairy, meats, bread, baked goods, granola, maple syrup, soaps, teas, coffee and?• Yoga: Moravian Church, Mondays, 6, Moravian Church, downtown Newfoundland. Everyone is welcome, by donation. Proceeds benefit the church. For info e-mail [email protected] or call 603-848-3930. Do not call the church.
Page 2 of 9 - MAR. 9 (SAT)?• Art After Dark: 6 – 9 p.m. Broad St., Milford. Join the seven art galleries for art, craft, photography and refreshments. The Artisan Exchange, The Golden fFsh Gallery, The Artery, Moon Gravel Arts, The Forge, The Photography Guild, Blue Stone Studio.?• Benefit For Hailey Marie Kerwin: 6 - 11 p.m. Joey C's. Honesdale. Hailey who is 6 months old was diagnosed with severe reflux with apnea spells, major surgery has been done to tighten the esophagus, she has had feeding tube placed and a permanent IV. Hailey requires round the clock care. Her mother, Amanda Dalesky, has given up her job to care for Hailey. This benefit will help with medical expenses. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door, and may be purchased at Super Duper, Apple Day Spa, Waymart Beverage and Dirlam Bros. For more info call Mike F. 251-6869; Linda P. 878-9699; Mary E. 251-8276 or Toni L 470-6450.Gun raffles (funs provided by N.E. Fire Arms) 50/50. Buffet, dessert, beverages, raffles, music.?• DJ Dance Party at the Cooperage: 7 – 10 p.m. The Cooperage, 1030 Main St., Honesdale. This a 21+ BYOB event. DJ Joey C of Beach Lake will keep the beats pumping.?Donations gratefully accepted. Snacks available for purchase. For more info visit www.thecooperageproject.org or call 253.2020.?• Food For Thought Series: From Dairy Farm to Diversification: 10:30 – 11:45 a.m. Wayne County Public Library. Brian and Sam Fox talk about the evolution of their dairy farm to its present day operation as a diversified small farm. They discuss crops, animals, grazing, compost, frugality and financial management. To register/info call 253-1220 or e-mail [email protected]?• Free Lunch and Fellowship: 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. First Presbyterian Church of Hawley, 815 Church St., 2nd & 4th Saturdays. For info call 226-4835.?• Irish Festival: 1-5 p.m. Ski Big Bear. Ski and celebrate the Irish in all of us! The bar will be featuring Killians Red Green Beer. Live entertainment will be provided by "The Celtic Martins Irish Band". Authentic Irish food will be available for purchase in the Scramble including: Corned Beef and Cabbage, Shepherd's Pie, Guinness Beef Stew and classic kid's favorites like hamburgers, chicken tenders and more. Don't forget to wear your green!?• Native Plants in the Landscape: 2 p.m. PPL Wallenpaupack Environmental Learning Ctr. 126 PPL Drive, Hawley. Presenter: Sue Thompson, NEPA Audubon Society. Join Sue Thompson, Proprietor of Mariposa Gardens, a local native plant nursery, for her informative presentation. Sue: 253-4006. No registration required.?• (Not Just A) Craft Fair: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. LaSalle Academy Dickson City Campus (formerly St. Mary's). Cub Scout Pack 21 is currently seeking vendors. Spaces will be 10"x10" and will cost $25. Reservations and information can be found by contacting Sarah Kovolenus by calling (570) 840-5915 or e-mail [email protected]. Admission into the event will cost $1. In addition to the craft fair, there will be a bake sale, snack bar and a raffle.?• Roast Beef Dinner: 4 - 7 p.m. Ledgedale Vol. Fire Co. To benefit Ray Marz and Ruth DiPalma. Mrs. DiPalma is battling pancreatic cancer and is the mother of 1st lieutenant Doug DiPalma. Ray Martz is a twelve year member, fire police officer, and husband of Ledgedale Ladies Auxiliary member Alice Marz. Ray is fighting a lung disease. Adults $10, children ages 12 and under $7.?• Maple Sugaring: 9 a.m. - Noon. Journey’s End Farm, Sterling. Learn the sugaring operation, farm, and protection of the land. Light refreshments avail. Be prepared for walking through muddy conditions. Free and open to the public, but prior registration is required. Call Delaware Highlands Conservancy 226-3164 or 845-583-1010, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.DelawareHighlands.org to register and receive directions
Page 3 of 9 - MAR. 10 SUN?• Victory, A Music And Drama Experience: 11 a.m. The South Clinton Baptist Church is located on the corner of Rt. 296 and Stanton Drive, one mile north of the Waymart traffic light. Arranged by A.M. Summers. The Traveling Ministry Team from South New Milford Baptist Church will conduct VICTORY. Dr. Glendon Summers will be teaching a teens through adult Bible study at 9:45 AM. For info 937-4360.?• WCAA Winter Film Series: Enigmatic Endings: 6 p.m. Wayne County Chamber of Commerce, 32 Commercial St., Honesdale. Film: Queen to Play. $5 donation is suggested, supports the Wayne County Arts Alliance's community programs. Info at 390.4420 or online waynecountyartsalliance.org.
MAR. 11 MON?Brunch with the Bunny: RSVP deadline Mar. 11. Event Mar,. 16. 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Jefferson Township Lions Club Banquet Hall, Lions Rd. The Bunny will have a gift for each child under 12, and their will be craft activities. To reserve seats call 689-2512.
MAR. 12 TUES?• Emily Dickinson's Garden: 5:30 – 7 p.m. Cornell Cooperative Ext, Liberty, NY. Join naturalist Ed Wesely for a virtual tour of the fields and streams that Emily Dickinson knew around Amherst, and of the spring wildflowers that inspired her. Program is hosted Delaware Highlands Conservancy in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension in Sullivan County. Free and open to the public, prior registration required. Call Susan Dollard at 845-292-6180 or e-mail [email protected] to register/directions.?• Honesdale Area Pantry: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Behind the Tri County Beverage Building on Route 6, 214 Willow Avenue in Honesdale. For an emergency need contact a social services agency. In case of inclement weather, please call 253-4646 on your distribution day. For information about how to register with a pantry, you should call 253 - 4262. If you are unable to attend, you may ask someone to pick your food up for you. However, they must have your pantry card and a proxy giving them permission to pick up your food.?• PrimeTime Health Program at Senior Ctr: 10:30 – Noon. Hawley Sr. Ctr. Free Vision & Glaucoma Screening. Come out and have your vision screened and receive valuable information on services, prevention, detection and age related vision loss! Conducted by: Greater Wilkes-Barre Association For The Blind. Visit http://aging.co.wayne.pa.us/ or 253-4262.?• Substance Abuse in Our Community: How to Protect Your Family: 7 p.m. at St. John's Episcopal Church, Hamlin. Learn what you can do if you suspect someone in your family is using. What should you do if you believe a drug dealer is working on your neighborhood block? Find out more about common signs and symptoms of abuse in the senior population
MAR. 13 WED?• Canasta: 6:30 p.m. Second Wednesday. Foundation Room, Column's Museum, 608 Broad St., Milford. Beginners and veterans are welcome to join. $5 donation get you in the game and lite refreshments provided.?• Caregivers Support Group: 1:30 – 3 p.m.. Earl J. Simons Senior Ctr. Guest speaker is Jamie Stunkard, ND CN of Nature’s Grace Health Foods & Deli in Honesdale, will be speaking on various herbs and vitamins that can be used to alleviate stress. He will also talk about relaxation and breathing techniques to help reduce stress. The meeting will be canceled if schools are closed due to inclement weather. For more info or if you need someone to “sit” with your loved one while you attend the meeting, please call Laurie 253-4262 IMMEDIATELY so we have enough time to make arrangements to accommodate you.?• Jazz in the Tavern: 6 – 8 p.m. Chestnut Tavern at Setter's Inn, Hawley. Hosted by Steve Faubel and Friends. Free, the public is welcome to come and enjoy the sounds of jazz. Every Wednesday.?• Lenten Study & Dessert: Milford Untied Methodist Church, 206 E. Ann St., Milford. Coffee & dessert served at 6:30 p.m., talks begin at 7 p.m. Guest speaker Rev. Dr. Lloyd H. Kenyon presents “Turning Points in the History of Christianity” on Wednesday evenings during Lent. All are welcome.?• PrimeTime Health Program at Senior Ctr: 10:30 – Noon. Honesdale Sr. Ctr. Free Vision & Glaucoma Screening. Come out and have your vision screened and receive valuable information on services, prevention, detection and age related vision loss! Conducted by: Greater Wilkes-Barre Association For The Blind. Visit http://aging.co.wayne.pa.us/ or 253-4262.
Page 4 of 9 - MAR. 14?• Boy Scouts of America 2013 Distinguished Citizens Award Dinner: 6 p.m. Best Western Genetti Hotel and Conference Center, Wilkes-Barre. Honoring John Metz, Executive Chairman of Metz Culinary Management and Patrick J. Dempsey, Chairman of Dempsey Uniform and Supply. This event is the major fundraising event for scouting contributing significant funding for the camp facilities, camperships, programming and equipment. Reservations by contacting Becky Mozeleski at [email protected] or Marcel L. Cinquina at [email protected] or 207-1227x226.?• PrimeTime Health Program at Senior Ctr: 10:30 – Noon. Hamlin Sr. Ctr. Free Vision & Glaucoma Screening. Come out and have your vision screened and receive valuable information on services, prevention, detection and age related vision loss! Conducted by: Greater Wilkes-Barre Association For The Blind. Visit http://aging.co.wayne.pa.us/ or 253-4262.?• Representative Mike Peifer of the 139th PA District Speaks: 7 – 9 p.m. Patriots Connectors at the Wallenpaupack High School Library. An open free forum, all are welcome.?• Who Do You think You Are? 11 a.m. Dorflinger-Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary, Blough Bldg. , Long Ridge Rd. and Elizabeth St., White Mills Genealogist Joe Bryer. A lunch will follow. There is no charge for the lecture, but there is a fee for the lunch (members of the Sanctuary $10; non-members $12). Reservations necessary. Call 253-1185 or e-mail [email protected]. Space is limited.
MAR. 15 FRI?• Baked Potato Dinner: 5 - 7:30 p.m. Western Wayne High School Cafeteria. Baked Russet potatoes with hot toppings of chili, cheese sauce and steamed broccoli. Cold toppings shredded cheddar, sour cream, red onions, salsa, green peppers, bacon bits, butter. $8 per person. Take out avail. Snow date: March 16. Sponsored by Western Wayne Band Parents Association.?• Lenten Dinner: 4 - 7 p.m. Jefferson Twp. Lions Club, Lions Rd. (Next to Jefferson Elementary School). Eat in or take-out. Menu includes fish & chips, shrimp in a basket, homemade Manhattan clam chowder, haluski, and pierogies. Each Friday during Lent. Info 689-2512.?• Lenten Fish Fry: 5 - 8 p.m. VFW Post 531, 736 Main St., Honesdale. Fried fish, French fries, coleslaw, dessert & coffee. Adults $10, seniors $9, children ages 5 - 10 $$5, under age 5 free. Each Friday through Lent. Open to the public.?• Military Appreciation Weekend: Mar 15, 16 & 17.Shawnee Mountain. As a special "Thank You" all active Military and their immediate family (spouse & children 18 years and under) will receive free lift tickets and ski or snowboard rentals for any of the 3 days. Also, group lessons and SKIwee children's lesson programs will be made available at a 50% discount. Valid active military picture ID is required and valid dependent cards are required. All branches of our Armed Forces are eligible. For all retired military and reservists and their immediate family a discount of 50% off lift tickets will be offered during the Military Appreciation Weekend. Again valid active military picture ID is required and valid dependent cards are required. All Military and their immediate family are welcome to enjoy any 2-Hours of Snow Tubing for only $15 per session all weekend (with ID). Enjoy the Costume Carnival Day and Parade taking place at Shawnee Mountain on Sunday, March 17 at 1pm. Call 570-421-7231or visit www.shawneemt.com?• Pizza Sale: Pick Up 3 – 6 p.m. Christ Episcopal Church of Forest City, corner of Dundaff and Delaware St.) Cheese pizza $10 or Pagach (mashed potato, cheese & onion) $12. Pre ordering is appreciated by calling 785-3425 and leave a message. Friday during Lent until Mar. 22.
MAR. 19 TUES?• Japan: An Exploration of Geography, Culture, History and Modernity: 5:30 p.m. Wayne county Public Library. Presented by Sheila Vaswani. The series will run Feb. 19, Mar 19, and April 23. Sheila is an excellent speaker and her presentations are exciting.
Page 6 of 9 - MAR. 20 WED?• CSA Info Session: 6:30 - 8 p.m. LCEI, 10 Moffat Dr., Covington Twp. Join a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program to enjoy fresh, seasonal, locally grown produce. Alicia Anderson of Journey's End Farm will discuss the many benefits of joining a CSA and pertinent information on purchasing options, pick-up locations and pricing. $5 per person. Pre-registration is required. For more info/to register, contact LCEI 842-1506.?• Jazz in the Tavern: 6 – 8 p.m. Chestnut Tavern at Setter's Inn, Hawley. Hosted by Steve Faubel and Friends. Free, the public is welcome to come and enjoy the sounds of jazz. Every Wednesday.?• Lakewood Area Pantry: 1 - 3 p.m. Northern Wayne Family Health Center. For an emergency need call 798 - 2859; 798 - 2229. In case of inclement weather, please call 253-4646 on your distribution day. For information about how to register with a pantry, you should call 253 - 4262. If you are unable to attend, you may ask someone to pick your food up for you. However, they must have your pantry card and a proxy giving them permission to pick up your food.?• Lenten Study & Dessert: Milford Untied Methodist Church, 206 E. Ann St., Milford. Coffee & dessert served at 6:30 p.m., talks begin at 7 p.m. Guest speaker Rev. Dr. Lloyd H. Kenyon presents “Turning Points in the History of Christianity” on Wednesday evenings during Lent. All are welcome.
MAR. 21 THUR?• Damascus Area Pantry: 1 - 3 p.m. Damascus Township Building. For an emergency need call 224-4217 or 224-4189. In case of inclement weather, please call 253-4646 on your distribution day. For information about how to register with a pantry, you should call 253 - 4262. If you are unable to attend, you may ask someone to pick your food up for you. However, they must have your pantry card and a proxy giving them permission to pick up your food.?• Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group: 7 - 8:30 p.m. Wayne Memorial Hospital Outpatient Services, Milford Professional Park, 10 Buist Rd. Bldg. #2, Milford. Conference Room #3, take Orange Elevator A to 2nd Floor. A support group for adult survivors of suicide loss, for individuals who have lost a loved one, friend or relative to suicide. For info/pre-registration contact Linda Vose 903-2945 or [email protected] or Donna Decker at 253-8422 or [email protected]. In the event of inclement weather call 253-8100. 3rd Thursday of every month.
MAR. 24 SUN?• Breaking the Code - Understanding the Book of Revelations: 11:15 a.m. Bethany Presbyterian Church. Book written by Dr. Metzger, a free overview study to be held the 4th Sunday of each month. All are welcome.?• Breakfast with the Easter Bunny: 8 a.m. - Noon. Greenfield Vol. Fire Hall, 424 Rt. 106, Greenfield Twp. Enjoy pancakes, eggs, bacon and beverages. $6 for adults and children under 12 are free.?• Bridal Expo: Noon - 4 p.m. The Chateau Resort and Conference Ctr. at the base of Camelback Mountain. Attending brides will be entered to win prizes worth a total of over $20,000 and a grand prize of a winning a complimentary wedding. Over 30 preferred vendors will be represented. Tickets include ‘After-Party' in the Mountainview Lounge. Tickets are free when you pre-register online at NEPAbride.com or $5 at the door.?• Coin Show: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Oblates of St. Joseph Seminary, 1880 Rt. 315, Pittston. Public is invited to buy, trade, sell, coins, free admission, free door prizes.?• Men's Palm Sunday Communion: Service at 7 a.m. Sterling United Methodist Church, 567 Sterling Rd., Sterling. Guest speaker is Judge Raymond Hamill. Breakfast follows at 8 a.m.?• WCAA Winter Film Series: Enigmatic Endings: 6 p.m. Wayne County Chamber of Commerce, 32 Commercial St., Honesdale. $5 donation is suggested, supports the Wayne County Arts Alliance's community programs. Info at 390.4420 or online waynecountyartsalliance.org.
Page 8 of 9 - MAR. 26 TUES?• Tuesdays with Nellie: 5 p.m.. Wayne County Public Library. This mystery book club is fun and different. March’s theme is to read a mystery about herbs, gardening or tea (cozy mysteries). Join us. Each evening is a stand alone event.
MAR. 27 WED?• Jazz in the Tavern: 6 – 8 p.m. Chestnut Tavern at Setter's Inn, Hawley. Hosted by Steve Faubel and Friends. Free, the public is welcome to come and enjoy the sounds of jazz. Every Wednesday.?• Lenten Study & Dessert: Milford Untied Methodist Church, 206 E. Ann St., Milford. Coffee & dessert served at 6:30 p.m., talks begin at 7 p.m. Guest speaker Rev. Dr. Lloyd H. Kenyon presents “Turning Points in the History of Christianity” on Wednesday evenings during Lent. All are welcome.?• Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group: 7 - 8:30 p.m. Wayne Memorial Hospital, 601 Park Ave., Honesdale. Conference Room #3, take Orange Elevator A to 2nd Floor. A support group for adult survivors of suicide loss, for individuals who have lost a loved one, friend or relative to suicide. For info/pre-registration contact Linda Vose 903-2945 or [email protected] or Donna Decker at 253-8422 or [email protected]. In the event of inclement weather call 253-8100.
MAR. 28 THUR?Elizabeth Smart: Speaker: 5 - 9 p.m. Scranton Cultural Center, 420 North Washington Street, Scranton. The launch of the Commonwealth Health Chapter of Healthy Woman. A health fair and vendor expo featuring hors d’oeuvres and door prizes will precede Ms. Smart’s talk, entitled “Overcoming Adversity.” Tickets $25; however, membership for Healthy Woman is completely free. Seating is limited and advanced reservations are required.?To purchase tickets, please visit www.commonwealthhealth.net or call 800-838-WELL (9355).?• GHP Business Owner's and Employees Get Together: 7:30 a.m. A & A auto Parts Store, Rt. 6 at the corner of Tryon St.. All local area business owners and their employees are invited and encouraged to attend. You do not need to be a GHP member.?• Lakeville Area Pantry: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Paupack Township Municipal Building. For an emergency need call 352-6177 or 226-6347 or 226-3115. In case of inclement weather, please call 253-4646 on your distribution day. For information about how to register with a pantry, you should call 253 - 4262. If you are unable to attend, you may ask someone to pick your food up for you. However, they must have your pantry card and a proxy giving them permission to pick up your food.?• Wayne County Genealogy Group Mtg.: 4:30 p.m. Wayne County Public Library, 1406 Main St., Honesdale. Topic “If You’re Irish, Come into the Parlor.” The group is open to beginners and experienced family history researchers. For info call 253-5468 or e-mail [email protected] or [email protected] | {
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Six months and 61 films down, the Kannada film industry has just one runaway hit to its credit. Even bigwigs like Shivarajkumar have not had a good start. With Ullasa Uthsaha fizzling out, Ganesh...... | {
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Description:Ribbon has the power to transform everyday plastic bracelets into shimmering designer bangles. We provide the sturdy plastic bangles, a bright array of ribbon, and a bottle of glue to hold it all together - everything you need to make a wardrobe of five unique bracelets. | {
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Snow Plow Services in Grand Rapids and Lansing Areas
Looking for professional Snow Plow Services in Grand Rapids or Lansing? While a lot of people call themselves “professionals” you can tell who is a cut above the rest by the ice and snow removal plan they present to you long before the snow ever falls. With commercial snow removal services in Michigan, location matters, and when it comes to commercial snow plowing, your “location” will dictate the snow plow services you need and the equipment that’s needed to do it right.
Get a Free Quote
Let’s talk about your commercial snow removal services in Grand Rapids, Lansing, or surrounding area to make sure you have a good plan.
We have been providing snow plow services in Grand Rapids and Lansing for decades, and since we strive to be the very best, we don’t mind telling you what to look for in a quality, commercial snow removal team in Grand Rapids or Lansing so you don’t regret the next company you choose. We just ask you consider us in your quoting process for your snow plowing needs this next season. So here’s what to look for:
Strategic Snow Plowing: Planned Snow Placement
Here at Sneller Snow Systems, we do our homework during the off season in order to ensure that once the snow starts falling, we have a plan in place to meet your specific snow plowing needs. That is why every time we sign up a new client, one of our first steps is to assess the property in question to determine where we should plan to place a snow pile (if at all – but more on that in a moment).
Snow removal companies who do not invest the energy to address such questions ahead of time could wind up placing the snow pile in an entirely inconvenient place. Awkwardly-placed snow piles can restrict access to your entryway, block critical parking spaces, prevent shipments from arriving or departing from your warehouse, interfere with sanitation or mail service, and even hide your sign (or your entire business) from view. Their plan should be more than a quote for square feet of snow removal space and how many inches
Planning snow removal ahead of time makes common sense, around the country, city managers tackle this project every year, hoping to downplay health risks and inconvenience citizens as little as possible, yet you would be surprised at how many snow plow contractors do not have a plan ahead of time, and as the saying goes, “failing to plan is planning to fail.”
We believe your business deserves the same level of care, consideration, and forward planning. Make sure your snow removal contractor has a plan of what to do with the snow.
Complete Snow Removal
Of course, not all properties can sustain a massive snow pile every time the skies let loose. You may have very little land or an infrastructure to which a large snow pile could prove unsafe. In such cases, we arrange to have the snow literally removed off site for you, keeping your property entirely clear and unblocked. You might not normally need snow removal, but what happens in a heavier winter, are you just going to close half your parking lot? Even if you don’t normally need snow removal, you should have a plan and someone capable of taking care of your excess snow.
Forward Planning for Snow Plow Services
Make sure your snow plowing service plan includes what will happen in every scenario. What will happen during an ice storm, what happens with a 1″ snow, what happens in a 24″ snow storm? All that should be spelled out for you. Forward planning can also be done on your part. If you start shopping around for snow plow services on November 1, you will have a harder time getting the snow plow services team you want. We try to leave some extra room for last minute clients, but ultimately we need to ensure we have the staff and equipment to handle everyone’s needs. And good contractor will let you know if they are completely booked for the season and that ensures if they do say yes, you are covered.
Ensure Snow Plowing Equipment is Matched for Your Property
Some commercial lots just need a snow plow mounted on a truck, but what happens with sidewalks? What happens with lots of sidewalks? What happens with large parking lots where a regular snow plow cannot push the snow to the edge? A professional snow plow contractor will have a wider range of equipment that they can match to your specific needs. Everything from a giant front loader with a box plow to specialized machines that remove snow from your sidewalk might be tools in your snow plow contractors tool box.
Look for Experience and Training
When you look for a snow plow services contractor, you want to find out their experience and their training. How long have they been clearing commercial properties? What kind of training do they have? What certifications do they have and are the certifications industry standard certifications like from SIMA or ASCA? What clients have they had for multiple years and can you contact those clients for references? Nothing can replace training and experience in order to ensure a safe property, so be sure to find out more about how long the company has been doing commercial snow removal and what kind of professional training they have received.
Our company has a well-established track record of planning ahead with our clients to meet each one’s specific needs. Although we do have well-honed systems in place that we have carefully crafted over the years, we do not approach each property as if it has a cookie-cutter solution. We take all aspects of each new client into account and devise a plan specific to that individual property. In order for us to know best how to serve you, we prefer to have as much lead time as possible. Then we can study your property, map it out, assign equipment and make sure you are getting the custom approach you need. Once you have contracted with a commercial snow removal service like Sneller Snow Systems, you can concentrate on what you do best and leave the rest to us.
What is more, we have earned our ISO 9001 / SN 9001 certification for the further benefit and security of our clients. Earning this distinction involved undergoing a rigorous, third-party audit to ensure full compliance with industry standards. As holders of this certification, we are able to offer you increased protection against the dreaded slip-and-fall lawsuits that are the bane of any business during winter because we can show the level of service you have received and the third party audit verifies our record keeping is accurate.
While slip-and-fall cases have become tougher to establish in Michigan courts since more recent Supreme Court decisions upped the bar, such cases are still not anything anyone would want to mess around with. Any sort of legal wrangling is expensive, even with insurance; and besides that, the cost of time invested in meeting with legal counsel just to face the case in court is not something most business owners and property managers can spare. Fortunately, contracting with a snow removal company that retains ISO 9001 certification decreases the chances that the other party will even be able to establish a case. Sneller Snow Systems is proud to offer itself as a prime choice in that regard.
The Next Step
Although putting off planning might save you time and energy today, it will cost you much more down the road if you face a winter storm without a strategy in place. We are here to help. If you would like more information about Sneller Snow Systems or our services, or if you have questions about anything else, please contact us or read more about our snow removal services online. We look forward to hearing from you and discussing how we can best meet your needs.
Contact Info
About Us
Since 1984, Sneller has provided professional, reliable commercial snow removal and commercial landscaping services to the Grand Rapids and the Lansing areas. You can learn more about the Sneller team here! We would love to partner with you as well. | {
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Orchestral Tuning
The fourths tuning E-A-D-G, which is today referred to as orchestral tuning was first mentioned by B. Bismantova in 1694, as an alternative to the contrabass tuning G-A-D-G
that he favoured. Although it was widely used in France between 1750 and 1790, another hundred years were to pass before it became established as a standard. Previous to this there were varying preferences, predominantly for the fifths tuning in its three and four string variants. Today, the great majority of double basses are tuned E-A-D-G, as described in almost all teaching books and reference works.
The big advantage of orchestral tuning is that fewer shifts are necessary than with fifths tuning, making it convenient for playing a large part of the literature. In addition, the compass is sufficient for many orchestral works. Since this tuning came to dominate during the 19th century, some composers have taken it into account, although this has in not a few cases led to poor musical compromises, for example in the works of J. Brahms, who even broke off melodic lines when they led below the bottom E.
For this reason, and to do justice to the requirements of older music, Carl Otho "invented" the five-string double bass with the tuning C-E-A-D-G around 1880, and had it patented.
The enthusiasm of conductors for the new instrument (see the guest essay "The Five-String Double Bass") was not wholeheartedly shared by its players, and still is not even now. They often have rather a "love-hate" relationship with the five-stringer. On the one hand, there is no longer the need to omit important notes, or to transpose them an octave (there have even been treatises written on which notes should be played in which octave!) and sometimes there is a genuinely regal feeling of being able to a certain degree to "dominate" the orchestra from below with the lowest notes. But on the other hand, this instrument is far from easy to play. This is due to the greater tension of the strings and the solidity of the bridge detracting from both the speech and the tonal quality. As well as this, the strings are closer together, which makes things significantly more difficult both for the left hand and for the right. Franz Simandl complained of this in his Method. Gustav Laska was also unimpressed by the five-string instrument, and wrote around the year 1920:
"As far as the five-string bass is concerned, I am a decided opponent. All those gentlemen who favour it, almost all the music directors, think only of the low notes which are lacking on the four-string bass, but not of the extreme difficulties which are involved in playing the five-stringer. I have yet to find a double bass player who would say to me that he likes playing the five-string monstrosity. Those who are condemned to it are forever complaining about the wide fingerboard and the extreme extension of the left hand required in order to be able to grip the C string firmly. Ordinary mortals have no conception of what a strain that is, and how tiring! And then the three middle strings, the D, A and E, cannot be bowed powerfully enough because of the need to avoid touching the neighbouring strings. On the `fat-head´, all passages are hard to play."
As an alternative to the five-string instrument, designs were developed for lengthening the lowest string beyond the pegbox. Karl Pittrich of Dresden, G. A. Buschmann and Berliner Max Poike produced mechanisms, which although taken up in the USA and England, remarkably found only a few adherents in Germany.
Today some 20% of all orchestral double bass players use a five-stringer (of which in Germany, the lowest string is tuned to a sub-contra B) or an instrument with the so-called C Extension, while all the rest use exclusively the E-A-D-G tuning, apart from a handful of enthusiastic adherents of the revived fifths tuning. | {
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Guest Cave Girl blogger Heather Seikel shares a few of her new favorite kitchen tool and a Paleo recipe for almond milk!
Looking for something cool and refreshing to make this summer? Why not try your hand at almond milk? First things first, following the K.I.S.S. Paleo recipe practice, I made Vanilla Almond Milk following Michelle Tam’s recipe.
Extensive online research and hands-on comparisons led us to Ninja’s Ultima Kitchen System – which recently found it’s way into our heart and home. With the ability to blend, food process, and make portable smoothies — what’s not to love!
After a few failed attempts at making almond milk before, using ye-olde blender and ye-olde food processor, the “you get what you pay for” saying really is true! The professional performance of the Ninja Ultima Kitchen System blender made for better then anticipated rich, creamy, and smooth vanilla almond milk that was “dare I say it” better then store bought almond milk. | {
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80+ Apple Recipes
*This post may include affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy for more information.
I love Fall, wait I think I said the same thing about summer, come to think about it I think I say the same thing about every season. It must be the change of seasons that I truly love.
Each new season ushers in its own unique brand. Winter is all about warm fires, holidays and hot cocoa, while Spring is all about flowers, fresh air and gardening and Summer, well, that’s all about the sun, sandals and grilling. However, there’s something special about Fall, it’s the only season that memorably sparks all five of the sense. The beauty of the color changes, the sound of the wind blowing through the trees, the feel of the cooler temperatures, the wonderful smells coming from the kitchen and the amazing food that those smells produce. I love Fall!
I have a talented group of folks who join me every week at the Creative Muster and they love Fall too, just look at this list of things that they’ve done with apples. I told you they were talented! When you’re done checking out this list you should check out some of their other Fall creations over at our party, they’ll blow you away, I promise! | {
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What you get with this Hourlie
What is Curatti.com?
Curatti - curated and original articles giving you news, information written by dynamic contributors who have demonstrated success in their own businesses. Featuring people to watch a selected vendor list and much more to come. Covering social business and all its facets. Understanding and utilizing the best information and news, insights from thought leaders who are helping to shape the future in this field.
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I've fallen in love with #PeoplePerHour! As a Top Rated Seller I can help you with promotional services, write phenomenal content for your website, and fulfill all of your business' modeling needs, etc. Being a Top Rated seller on PeoplePerHour has truly been a life changing experience. I'll take care of you from start to finish and beyond. I continue to be amazed by the generosity, inventiveness and professionalism of the people who buy my Hourlies. I want you all to be satisfied, so please reach out and let's work on it! Thanks for being part of the community! I'm here to help, just message me!
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Blogs
Ravello at the Four Seasons celebrates Alba's coveted white truffle
If it's October, it must be white truffle season, and leave it to none other than the Four Seasons Resort to bring in one of the most prized and rare truffles known to man: the Alba white truffle.
For the uninitiated, the white truffle's earthy pungency has been known to elicit wanton utterances of pleasure among its deep-pocketed fan base. The now-famous "Shave this bitch" incident involving P-Diddy is etched in truffle lore, and recounted here in hilarious detail by the restaurant's equally famous proprietor, Daniel Boulud (it starts at the 45-second mark):
Executive chef Fabrizio Schenardi, along with guest chefs from Italy's IFSE Culinary Institute, will prepare the extravagant meal, of which house-made pastas will be an inevitable part. A dessert party in Capa's private dining room follows the feast featuring cannoli, tiramisu, gelato and coffee.
Executive chef Fabrizio Schenardi
Cost of the dinner is $175, which is a relative pittance compared to the cost of procuring one of these nuggets of sybaritic opulence (Schenardi dropped $2,500 per pound). | {
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David Finch reveals his step-by-step process for drawing hands and feet. He starts with simple block shapes, and moves on to more complex shapes before showing how to place fingers and toes correctly. David discusses common mistakes and how to avoid them. He covers fingers and toes in detail, demonstrating how to draw them flat and in foreshortened perspective from multiple angles. He demonstrates some easy shortcuts and tricks, including use of negative space and dynamic folding between the fingers and thumb. Lastly, he draws completed hands and feet from multiple angles, covering the differences between male and female hands and subjects such as drawing claws, fingernail details and shoes. This constructive drawing process teaches you to draw convincing hands and feet without the need for tracing or using reference.
TOPICS:
Drawing Without Reference Material
Block Shapes to Complex Form
Foreshortening and Multiple Angles
Male and Female Differences
Adjusting Proportions for Different Characters
Shoe Variations
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them | {
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Announcing the 2017 awards for London’s faith and belief communities
We are happy to announce the winners of our 2017 awards for London’s faith and belief communities.
Stories of exclusion in London fill the airwaves and flood our social media feeds. At the same time, many Londoners work daily to welcome neighbours from all faiths and beliefs. London’s diverse and vibrant population powers over 24,000 voluntary organisations. That is about one for every 360 Londoners. Many of these organisations are local community projects which draw on their faith or belief as motivation for their community work.
On the 27th of November, 3FF hosted an Evening of Faith Recognition and Celebration. The event recognised the vital work of local communities in making London a welcoming place for people of all faiths and beliefs. The awards were sponsored by The Exilarch’s Foundation and Amersi Foundation, and the event was supported by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London’s Council on Faith.
72 local projects received awards for their services to and for faith communities in London. These projects demonstrate how Londoners from all faiths and beliefs can work together for a fairer and more inclusive city.
For details about each project, please visit the websites of these organisations.
The 40 award winners were recognised for their work in four different categories.
Creating interfaith spaces
London’s neighbourhoods are multi-faith spaces where people with different faiths and beliefs share the same public services and spaces. These effective local projects create community hubs open to all. Lunch clubs, night shelters, and food banks become places where neighbours work together to make people from every background feel welcome and at home. Working at the neighbourhood level, these projects identify people who need support and work over time to connect them to life-saving public services offered by local council and larger charities.
Hosting inclusive spaces
London’s churches, mosques, synagogues and temples provide social connection and belonging in local communities for people from each faith group. When these places of worship open their doors to serve people from all faiths and beliefs, they extend hospitality to the entire local community. These projects mobilise volunteers from faith groups, helping them to live out their faith by helping others. In the process, it increases these groups’ own sense of belonging in London. Some of these projects have been operating for decades, offering connection, advice and support on a weekly basis to their communities. These projects represent the best of London’s faith communities, providing an example for others to follow in making our places of worship into inclusive spaces of hospitality.
Improving health and wellbeing
All the awarded projects reduce social isolation and improve the quality of life of Londoners. These projects have created specialised support for the health and wellbeing of Londoners. Local groups offer drop-in centres for vulnerable people with mental health issues, and for refugees and asylum seekers. Other projects offer specialised health and wellbeing services drawing on their own expertise: support for isolated people in Barnet, interfaith nutrition classes in Woolwich, housing and counselling for women vulnerable to trafficking in King’s Cross, one-on-one counselling for Muslim women in Tower Hamlets, support groups for long-term carers, and accredited counselling programmes for religious leaders in Wandsworth. These effective local projects also work as connectors, referring people in need to specialised services offered by local councils and larger charities.
These projects started small and local, but over time they have established specialised services which extend belonging to faith and belief groups who are often overlooked and excluded. They teach employable skills to young people and connect them with opportunities beyond their neighbourhoods, advocate for better media coverage of faith groups, educate the public about London’s history of migration, provide classes for newly arrived families settling into life in London, offer effective housing solutions to the homeless, and provide key support to people suffering financial trouble in burying their loved ones. These projects represent the power of local groups to build effective social services from the ground up. | {
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Congress is expected to approve three spending bills by week's end that would grant the National Science Foundation a 2.5% bump in it's 2012 budget.
Advertisement
It might not sound like a lot, but a 2.5% budget boost translates to a 173-million dollar increase over this year's funds; that's 173-million dollars that the NSF can put towards everything from cancer research to education & outreach programs.
According to ScienceInsider:
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It's an unexpected turn of events for the agency. Earlier this fall, the Senate passed a spending bill that would have cut NSF's budget by $161 million, and a House of Representatives spending panel this summer embraced a flat budget.
Science lobbyists are hailing the vote of confidence in basic research from Congress and applauding the efforts of Representative Frank Wolf (R-VA) and Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), who chair the relevant appropriations subcommittee in the House of Representatives and the Senate, respectively. NSF officials declined to comment pending final passage of the bill. | {
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TiVo and SDV Play Nice, For Once
In a move that should help create a more streamlined process of watching video in your home (and maybe even reduce your cable bill), TiVo and the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA) have unveiled an external adapter that will connect to your TiVo and allow for cable providers to use switched video without sacrificing the DVR’s functionality. Even better, the external adapter will eliminate the need for yet another set-top box. The adapters will begin shipping to TiVo and other CableCARD device owners in the second quarter of 2008.
Switched video (also called switched digital video) is a term coined by the cable industry to describe the distribution of video through a cable with limited capacity. A non-switched video system will eat up huge sums of bandwidth because any and all available channels must be made available through a coaxial cable. A switched video system, on the other hand, will only make available those channels that have been requested, freeing up much more bandwidth and ostensibly allowing for a considerable amount of cost savings for cable providers.
According to the NCTA, the idea of switched video has always sat atop its list of beneficial developments in the industry, but getting it to work was another matter altogether. It wasn’t until the organization and TiVo decided to collaborate that they were able to come up with an effective, and external, solution.
“Today’s announcement is a major breakthrough resulting from marketplace discussions that provides benefits for consumers and cable operators,” NCTA CEO Kyle McSlarrow said in a statement. “We very much appreciate TiVo’s willingness to work on a marketplace solution that will enable TiVo users to enjoy innovative switched digital services without the need for a set-top box.”
OK, so we now have the ability to use an external adapter to allow cable companies to use switched video, which will allow them to save money, but will those savings get passed on to consumers?
Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer as to whether or not this cost savings will reduce your cable bill. As most cable companies have pointed out, switched video will help the organizations create less costly devices that do not require an OCAP programming environment. And while this may be enough to satisfy a reduction in cost, those same cable companies have been quick to add that a total conversion to the SDV system could take years to complete. During that time, the cost savings will obviously be reduced and the opportunity for a lower cable bill may not become a reality.
Calls have been placed with NCTA asking for a comment on the possibility of a lower cable bill but thus far, the organization has not responded.
Don Reisinger is a freelance technology journalist who covers everything from Google to HDTVs. He currently writes for over 15 popular technology publications, including CNET’s Digital Home, InformationWeek and PC World. | {
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Eran Cutliffe, senior crown prosecutor with the West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service's Complex Casework Unit, said: "I have advised West Mercia Police to charge nine men and two women with various counts of conspiring to convey prohibited articles and conspiring to supply psychoactive substances into a number of prisons in the West Midlands during the period July 2015 to January 2017.
There can be no conviction unless the prosecution shows that the accused knowingly possessed the prohibited articles in his person or that the animus possidendi (intent to possess or malevolent intent to use) is shown to be present together with his possession of such article," the prosecutor said adding that a "bullet is a harmless article without the corresponding gun or firearm to fire it.
For the first time, travellers would be asked to specifically declare any prohibited articles, gold jewellery ( over free allowance), gold bullion and Indian currency exceeding ` 10,000 in the new form, the officials added.
For the first time, travellers would be asked to specifically declare any prohibited articles, gold jewellery (over and above the free allowance), gold bullion and Indian currency exceeding Rs10,000 in the new form, the notification says.
ICAO endorses calling for the strengthening of security screening procedures, enhancement of human factors and utilization of modern technologies to detect prohibited articles and support of research and development of technology for the detection of explosives, weapons and prohibited articles in order to prevent acts of unlawful interference.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. | {
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Alterra Power Announces Resignation of David O'Brien as a Director of the Company
05/23/2012
VANCOUVER, May 23, 2012 /CNW/ - Alterra Power Corp. (TSX: AXY) announces
the resignation of David O'Brien as a Director of the Company due to
his taking a new role with KPMG, the Company's auditors.
Alterra's Chairman, Ross Beaty, said, "David was a great Board member
and we will miss his experience and insight. We wish him all the best
in his new undertaking."
About Alterra Power Corp.
Alterra Power Corp. is a leading global renewable energy company. We
operate six power plants totaling 567 MW of capacity, including two
geothermal facilities in Iceland, a geothermal plant in Nevada, British
Columbia's largest run of river hydro facilities and the province's
largest wind farm. Our 298 MW share of production capacity generates
approximately 1,400 GWh of clean power annually. We have an extensive
portfolio of exploration and development projects, a skilled
international team of developers, explorers, builders and operators and
the financial capacity to support our growth plans.
Cautionary Note regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Information
This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within
the meaning of Canadian securities laws, which may include, but is not
limited to, statements with respect to future events or future
performance, the fulfillment of all conditions precedent to the
obligation of the parties under the agreements, required consents and
third party approvals. This news release also contains statements with
respect to our plans to expand our operations, management's
expectations regarding our growth, business prospects and opportunities
and energy generation capacities. Such forward-looking information
reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information
currently available to management.
You are now leaving Alterra Power Corp.’s website. The views, opinions and information presented are solely of the author and not representative of those of Alterra Power Corp., its directors, officers or employees.
Alterra Power Corp. disclaims responsibility in respect of any third party web sites and any views, information or opinions contained therein. | {
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No T
I've been tired lately. I've been gaining weight and feeling unmotivated as well. I thought that maybe it was because I wasn't sleeping enough and was eating too many donuts.
Then my life changed.
I saw a commercial that talked about "Low T" being associated with ALL OF MY SYMPTOMS!!! It seems obvious that my sleeping and donut-eating habits aren't the culprit. What luck! I just need to rub a gel on my body and everything will be great. I am going to get checked for "low T."
Play this scenario (sans hyperbole) 100 times, and that is what I've been hit with. Multiply that times the number of PCP's in the US, and you see evidence of very good marketing. Testosterone replacement for men has become the new magic bullett, a counterpoint to the request for thyroid tests by my female patients - with one big difference: it's clearly safe to replace a thyroid hormone deficiency, but not so clear with testosterone.
Today's NY Times addressed this very issue, comparing testosterone replacement to one-time dogma of estrogen replacement in women:
Despite beliefs based on observational evidence that estrogen therapy enhanced the health and well-being of menopausal women, when a definitive study was finally done, clinicians and researchers were shocked to discover that the risks of long-term hormone replacement could outweigh its benefits.
Would a similar study of testosterone therapy for men experiencing “andropause” likewise reveal more hazard than help? The answer would be welcomed by an estimated four million men in the United States who have subnormal levels of this important hormone, a common result of advancing age.
Yes, I lived through the estrogen replacement therapy about-face caused by the landmark study, The Women's Health Initiative. The medical community was convinced that estrogen replacement gave a good enough heart disease and osteoporosis risk-reduction that it would easily offset any slight increase in breast-cancer risk. There was even a retrospective study supporting this hypothesis. The WHI not only didn't show a cardiac benefit, it showed an increase in risk. Wyeth pharmaceuticals, the company who makes Premarin and other estrogen replacement drugs (and the company who funded the study) was devastated, and never really recovered.
So now we have commercials for "low T" blasting the airwaves, suggesting a treatment that may not be safe. Is that ethical? Again, from the NY Times:
Late last year, for example, a six-month federally financed study of a testosterone gel put a surprising hitch in efforts to improve the lives of aging men who experience a decline in energy, mood, vitality and sexuality as a result of low testosterone levels. The study, conducted among 209 men 65 and older who had difficulty walking, was abruptly halted when those using the hormone had an unexpectedly high rate of cardiac problems.
The article goes on to point out that the evidence is unclear at this point, and that the study mentioned had flaws. Still, it stirs up the ghosts of hormones past, with the strong possibility that treating "low T" will cause harm. And at least estrogen therapy had clear benefits (osteoporosis) and studies that supported the replacement therapy. Unanswered too is if the therapy increased prostate cancer risk (one of the main treatments for prostate cancer is castration, which is cutting the body's production of testosterone almost completely - no pun intended).
So how should I respond to these men who just want a little "get up and go?" Why is it that I have to fight against a potentially harmful advertising campaign? What is the service (aside from that to investors) the drug companies perform by educating men about "low T?" It puts doctors like me in a situation where we could potentially harm our patients.
So what are the limits to advertising by drug companies? Most people are not in favor of any of such advertising, but the government has so far allowed it. Are there ethical guidelines? Consumers assume these ads are being vetted. I really wonder about this in light of the "low T" campaign that is allowed to go forth despite lack of proven health benefit ("get up and go" doesn't qualify as a health benefit) and significant potential risk. I had a man with known coronary heart disease recently insist on getting checked for "low T." I told him that the no matter the lab result, I would not prescribe it for him. He insisted, and yes, the level was low. | {
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Considerations
Construction and Capacity
The best inversion tables meet industry standards on construction, design, and weight capacity. Users could be seriously injured in the event of a mechanical failure, so we only considered models that demonstrated exceptional construction and reliability. We also considered ease of use to be an important factor.
Range of Motion and Safety Features
Therapeutic inversion involves different degrees of inclination, from a slight angle past vertical to a complete 90-degree hanging position. Users rely on the inversion table's safety features to avoid serious injury. We considered elements such as foot restraints, lumbar support, and inversion adjustments when rating range of motion and safety features.
Additional Features
Some inversion tables include additional features such as training videos, lumbar cushions, and acupressure pads. We're pleased to note the use of memory foam and other comfort items in our exclusive selection, as well. The best inversion tables on our shortlist also incorporate useful features like hand grips and quick-release restraints.
Price
The price points for in-home inversion tables vary widely enough to make cost a consideration. Quite often, the higher-priced units also include more amenities or safety features. However, we found some modestly priced inversion tables that deliver the same level of performance at half the retail price.
Construction and Capacity
Teeter EP-960 Ltd Inversion Table with Back Pain Relief Kit
The Teeter EP 960 is constructed from heavy-gauge steel and weighs a substantial 73 pounds when assembled. We find the instructional DVD to be very helpful, but it's not specifically targeted at any Teeter inversion table model in particular. Total assembly time, on average, is approximately 30 to 45 minutes, and some basic hand tools may be required.
The Teeter EP 960 is designed to fold up for easier storage, but at 73 pounds, it's not exactly portable. Because the manufacturer suggests at least seven feet of vertical clearance for safe operation, room placement is vital.
The EP 960's advertised weight limit is 300 pounds, but many customers feel it could accommodate at least 350 to 400 pounds without risk of mechanical failure. The inversion table must be adjusted for height before use because the pivot point accounts for different centers of gravity. These height adjustments run from 4-foot-9 to upwards of 6-foot-9.
We urge users to add an additional inch or two to their standing height in order to assure a proper balance during use. The inversion table relies on arm movements to control its motion during exercises.
Body Power IT9910 Seated Deluxe Inversion System
The Body Power IT9910 inversion table's most noticeable difference from the other contenders is its seated configuration. We believe this is an ideal solution for those with mobility issues or stability concerns.
The inversion table forms a seat when upright, allowing the user to step into the back board and strap their ankles from a more comfortable position. Once the table inclines, however, it straightens into a traditional flat inversion system.
When the user returns to an upright position to dismount, the table is once again converted to a seat.
The Body Champ table surface and ankle locks are covered with foam padding for additional comfort.
Another useful construction element is the liberal use of foam padding, which is found from the table to the head rest to the ankle lock. Other inversion tables offer foam padding in select areas (like the head rest) but not from top to bottom. However, we do have one reservation about the IT9910's construction. Because it uses a more complicated transition system from chair to table configurations, assembly can take over an hour, and some owners report difficulty following the somewhat vague instructions contained in the owner's manual.
The stated weight capacity is 300 pounds, but a number of users report exceeding that limit and still feeling total support. The heavy-gauge steel frame is comparable to the Teeter EP 960 and other high-end inversion tables. At 71 pounds, this is a professional-grade piece of exercise equipment.
Ironman Gravity 4000 Inversion Table
The Ironman Gravity 4000 is definitely among the heavier inversion table contenders on our list. It's even heavier than one of its strongest competitors, the Teeter Hang Ups EP 960. The Ironman's heavy-duty tubular steel construction earns our praise for its sturdiness and reliability, but its weight does make it more difficult to maneuver.
The unit can be folded for storage, but you'll need some serious muscle to move it around a carpeted surface. The table itself is covered with two-and-a-half inches of memory foam and is noticeably more comfortable than its un-padded/lightly padded competitors.
The Ironman Gravity 4000 also comes equipped with a detachable lumbar support which is especially helpful for users with sciatica or chronic lower back pain. The inversion angles are controlled by an adjustable tether, but there is no secondary safety device. The ankle locks are ratchet-based and ergonomically molded for maximum security and comfort.
Users can reach the extra-long release grips without having to perform deep bends at the waist.
The stated weight capacity is 350 pounds, and based on numerous reports from users, we suspect it could hold even more weight. The height adjustments run from 4-foot-9 to approximately 6-foot-5, and there are handles which allow users to pull themselves back to vertical after deep inversions. Assembly is not especially difficult, but we strongly recommend using a two-person crew to make the job easier. Because the unit is exceptionally heavy, room placement and clearance are important considerations as well.
The Innova ITM4800 follows the industry standard with a rigid tubular frame. It's designed to be foldable for storage, but unfortunately, it can’t be locked in this position. Some owners found that frustrating.
At 57 pounds, it's far from the heaviest table on our list. The table surface is covered with memory foam, and both the lumbar support and headrest are nicely padded and removable. Ankle locks are also lined, though owner opinion is divided about how comfortable these are.
Inversion angles are secured by a pin that makes positioning very straightforward.
Innova ITM4800 Advanced Heat and Massage Therapeutic Inversion Table
This type of security is considered by many to be safer than the straps you see on cheap inverter tables. Users can pull themselves upright after a deep inversion with the help of two extended handrails that are padded for good grip. Furthermore, the ankle locks use a spring-loaded pull pin to secure the user's feet to the bottom of the table.
As with most inversion tables, users may experience an uncomfortable pressure on their ankles during use. Some owners report a need to perform a deep waist bend in order to reach the pull pin after a workout.
The height adjustments on this unit accommodate people as short at 4-foot-10, which is a fairly standard. The upper height adjustment stated on the unit's frame is around 6-foot-6. The Innova's stated weight limit is 300 pounds. You’d struggle to find one with a higher maximum.
One or two owners expressed concern about weld quality, but most say they feel comfortable and secure on the Innova, and our research didn’t turn up any incidents of actual failure. As always, it's important for consumers to follow all assembly instructions precisely. The instructions are fortunately very clear and easy to follow, though buyers may want to use their own hand tools instead of the flimsy tools included in the kit.
Exerpeutic Inversion Table with Comfort Foam Backrest
The Exerpeutic inversion table uses strong tubular steel, but it still manages to weigh 20 pounds less than other contenders. Combined with the ability to fold nearly flat for storage, we give high marks for ease of use to this contender. There have been some concerns among users about the complex assembly process, but the company does label each part with its proper assembly step. The tools included in the box are also exceptionally sturdy -- not the typical metal "universal tool" often included with starter inversion tables.
The tether strap used to prevent over-inversion seems to have more "give" than we might like, but alternative tie-down strapping can be found in automotive sections. Everything else, from the padded table to the ankle locks, feels very secure, according to satisfied customers.
The stated weight capacity of the Exerpeutic is 300 pounds, but our research suggests that it could hold even more than that with a different tether strap in place. This model will accommodate users from 4-foot-10 to 6-foot-6 without trouble. A common practice with inversion tables is to set the machine for your natural height and then subtract or add an inch or two to find the ideal balance.
A properly set inversion table should allow the user to raise and lower his or her body just by changing arm positions. Owners tell us that the Exerpeutic performs better when the height adjustment is one to two inches lower than the user's actual height.
Range of Motion and Safety Features
Teeter EP-960 Ltd Inversion Table with Back Pain Relief Kit
The Teeter EP 960 inversion table uses tethering straps to control range of motion. Users can set the angle of inversion to 20 degrees, 40 degrees, or 60 degrees by attaching the appropriate strap between the frame and the bottom of the table. A full 90-degree inversion is achieved when all straps are removed.
Beginning inversion table users are urged to start out at a 20 or 40-degree rotation and work their way slowly toward 60 or full 90-degree inversions. Most health benefits of inversion therapy are experienced at approximately a 45-degree rotation; we urge first-time inversion table users to be conservative until they feel comfortable. The EP 960 does not offer much padding, but it does feature a flexible back board that bends with the user.
The ankle supports use an advanced triple-locking mechanism that can be adjusted manually for maximum security and comfort. Other inversion table models rely on a spring-loaded clamping system to secure users' feet to the bottom of the table. With the Teeter Hang Ups EP, an extension of the release mechanism allows users to unlock their ankles without having to perform a strenuous bending motion.
The Teeter Hang Ups EP features a triple-locking mechanism for the ankles that can be adjusted manually for maximum security and comfort.
Some people report an uncomfortable weight shift on their ankles during deep or full inversions, but this is a known issue among all inversion table models. Exercisers are strongly urged to adjust their workout times if the stress on their ankles becomes too painful. For those with concerns about becoming accidentally ensnared, the Teeter EP 960 also has special hand grips which allow users to push themselves back to a supported position if they lose momentum or invert too deeply.
Body Power IT9910 Seated Deluxe Inversion System
The Body Power IT9910 has three inversion settings that are controlled by both a strap and a yellow safety bar. The safety bar essentially prevents the table from exceeding the selected inversion angle if the strap should fail. Removal of both the strap and the safety bar allows the table to invert to nearly 90 degrees, but for the safety of users, it does not go completely vertical. Many people find it difficult to return to the original upright position if the table inverts to its maximum. However, it is possible to regain control by using the hand holds as leverage.
The ankle locks rely on a spring-loaded pin for security and can be adjusted for maximum comfort. The table can also be adjusted to accommodate users from 4-foot-9 to at least 6-foot-5.
Ankle discomfort during inversion is a common complaint among inversion table owners; the use of athletic shoes is strongly encouraged, and users should limit their total inversion time to avoid putting too much pressure on their ankles. The additional padding on the Body Power IT9910's ankle locks is definitely a plus.
Ironman Gravity 4000 Inversion Table
The Ironman Gravity 4000 provides a full range of inversion angles, all of which are controlled by an adjustable tether strap and a safety bar attached to the frame. Full inversion seems to be a common measuring stick with many would-be inversion table customers, but for safety's sake, we believe that security and the ability to return to an upright position should be greater concerns. The Gravity 4000 is perfectly capable of going a full 90 degrees, but that's an advanced setting for most beginners. Owners particularly enjoy the relative comfort of the unit's ankle locks and the ruggedness of the frame.
The base of this inversion table is not going anywhere while occupied, and the grip handles make it possible for an unsupervised user to pull out of any inversion situation. The Gravity 4000 is the kind of high-end inversion table that chiropractic patients or those with chronic back issues ought to seriously consider. It's all about trust when it comes to strapping into an inversion table for the first time, and the Ironman Gravity 4000's safety systems have earned that trust.
Inversion on the Innova ITM4800 is handled by a unique four-position pin. Simply screw the pin into the hole at the desired angle, and you have a positive stop. Unlike a strap, the pin won’t stretch or tear.
The angles provided by the Innova follow the industry norm and are set at 20, 40, 60 and 80 degrees from the horizontal. This model will not lock out completely during full inversion, so potential buyers should note that it’s not ideal for ab work or other strenuous exercises. To be fair, though, this inversion table is largely aimed at therapeutic use.
The unit’s leg locks fully support the user’s ankles, but this doesn’t mean that inversion therapy on the Innova is completely pain-free. Some Innova owners recommend the use of athletic shoes for additional security. Others say going barefoot is best. We don't believe the use of snap-on "moon boots" for full inversion would work very well with this particular inversion table, as it is designed more for back therapy and general pain relief than long-term inversion or core exercise.
Exerpeutic Inversion Table with Comfort Foam Backrest
The Exerpeutic inversion table uses an adjustable tether strap to provide many different angles of inversion. First-time users frequently start at a modest 20 to 35 degrees in order to become accustomed to the unit's balancing system. They progress to a back-stretching 50 or 60 degrees before going fully inverted. The Exerpeutic almost reaches a full 90 degrees of inversion, but it is designed more for therapy than for core exercise programs performed from fixed inversion angles.
The ankle locks are secure and padded, but as with many other inversion tables, they are not necessarily very comfortable. Some users advise making general adjustments before mounting the table and then fine-tuning the process after the ankles are firmly in the clamps. A pull pin holds the ankle locks in place, but the user's feet may still slip around while in deep inversion.
Some people use towels or other soft materials to make the ankle locks more comfortable. We recommend using this inversion table for short periods of time to avoid injuries to the ankle joints and upper feet.
Pre-set Rotation Control: The EZ AngleTM Tether Strap is a unique feature that allows pre-set angles at 20, 40 or 60 degrees and provides an easy guide to where the benefits of inversion begin and are fully realized.
The basic Teeter EP 960 package includes the inversion table, a generic owner's manual, and an instructional DVD. This should be enough for most people to get started on an exercise regimen. Advanced exercisers will appreciate the option to lock the unit at a full 90-degree angle. (Some people like to perform core conditioning exercises such as crunches and sit-ups while fully inverted, and the EP 960 locking mechanism will support these activities.)
The company does offer some helpful add-ons that can be purchased in addition to the unit. We're especially impressed by the acupressure nodes that can be attached at various points on the back board. There is also a lower lumbar plate that offers additional support and comfort at mid-range inversion angles. However, potential buyers should note that these additions come at an extra cost.
The original Body Power IT9910 inversion table does not arrive with many extras, such as an instructional DVD or acupressure nodes. However, the model's unique seat conversion is a great feature that's not found on other inversion tables. (Traditional flat inversion tables often require users to perform deep bends from the waist in order to fasten the ankle restraint. With the IT9910, the ankle locking maneuver is almost as simple as tying your shoes.) We also like the fact that the entire unit can be folded and stored relatively easily. Because of the upright seat configuration, however, additional floor space may be required during operation.
Owners can order a special back stretcher/lumbar support plate separately. The extra support provided by this plate gives the lower back muscles something to work against while deeply inverted. For this reason, it may be worth the extra investment.
The Ironman Gravity 4000 includes a few features that we wish were standard on other inversion tables. Teeter Hangups, for example, provides great support with its flexible table but doesn't offer much in the way of padding. The Ironman Gravity 4000 uses a thick layer of memory foam over the entire surface -- not just in strategic areas like the headrest. This additional cushioning makes a difference if the exerciser plans on a longer inversion routine or has difficulty getting comfortable on a hard plastic surface.
The trade-off with memory foam is additional total weight, but many satisfied customers who switched from un-cushioned inversion tables say the difference in comfort is significant.
The other feature we highly appreciate is the lower lumbar support attachment. It could be easily removed, but customers tell us it adds a new level of support for people with lower back issues. Certain inversion angles can put a lot of strain on the lower back; the lumbar support attachment helps the body maintain healthy contact with the table as weight shifts. Other inversion tables offer lumbar support attachments as separate purchases.
If you’re looking for a simple inversion table, the Innova ITM4800 is worth considering. The ankle locks use a pull pin mechanism generally found in higher-end models, and the model includes extended hand grips that help users regain their momentum or return to an upright position without strain.
What sets it apart from the competition in this price bracket is the lumbar pad. The pad features controls for heat and vibration intensity; you either leave it on auto or select options manually. Because it’s attached with Velcro, it can also be used in other positions (or removed completely). A lot can be said for the the Innova’s long power cord, too, as it gives owners much freedom when situating the table.
As a starter or entry-level inversion table, the Exerpeutic does not arrive with many extra features. However, we do appreciate the addition of thick foam on the backboard and on the ankle locks. (Bargain-priced inversion tables often use a hard plastic material for the backboard and minimal padding on the ankle locks.) The unit includes hand grips that help users regain momentum or return to a vertical position.
Some people purchase an arched back-stretching platform and a personal lumbar support belt along with the Exerpeutic.
We also suggest using additional padding, like a small pillow or foam exercise mat, to cover the un-padded areas of the Exerpeutic inversion table.
At $479.97, Teeter Hang Ups EP 960 is among the more expensive of our top five inversion table contenders. However, the initial investment is offset by the unit's nearly hospital-grade construction and performance.
We find that many inversion table customers place a higher premium on durability and personal safety than initial cost. The EP 960 definitely delivers on those elements, and we believe the high number of five-star ratings from customers bears this out.
Very few owners expressed concerns about spending too much money on this inversion table.
Body Power IT9910 Seated Deluxe Inversion System
At Out of stock, the cost of the Body Power IT9910 inversion system is a bit of an investment for most consumers, but it's still more affordable than other high-end contenders.
Because reliability and safety are premium considerations with at-home inversion tables, we strongly urge potential customers to compare the solid steel construction of an inversion table like the Body Power IT9910 with the flimsier aluminum or thin steel gauge frame of bargain inversion tables.
Customers tell us they trust the Body Power IT9910's engineering implicitly.
Ironman Gravity 4000 Inversion Table
The Ironman Gravity 4000 is often compared favorably with the Teeter Hangups EP 960, but at a price of $199.00, it costs far less. All five of our top contenders offer great value for the money, but the Ironman Gravity 4000 includes some elements in the original package that others only offer separately -- if at all.
We highly recommend the use of additional lumbar support, especially during the earliest sessions of inversion therapy, and unlike some other models, the Gravity 4000 from Ironman package includes a detachable lumbar support device!
We also believe the additional padding is worth the investment in a higher-end model like the Ironman Gravity 4000.
At only $134.06, the Innova ITM4800 inversion table delivers high-end performance at an entry-level price. Inversion therapy can be extremely helpful to a lot of people, but it's not for everyone. (For example, some users report a bit of "rebound pain" after workouts.) Investing in a top-tier table without prior inversion therapy experience is not necessarily a good economic decision.
We believe the Innova's lower price puts it right in the wheelhouse for first-time buyers. It's not the cheapest inversion table, but the inclusion of the massage pad means it delivers on both quality and therapeutic levels.
Exerpeutic Inversion Table with Comfort Foam Backrest
The Exerpeutic inversion table packs a significant punch for its incredibly low retail price of Out of stock. It shares many design features with much more expensive models, especially when it comes to capacity and construction.
It's a good choice for those who seek the benefits of inversion therapy but can't afford to invest in a high-end model like the Teeter EP 960 or Body Power IT9910.
(Those inversion tables also provide great performance and durability, but many first-time users will be just as satisfied with a starter version like the Exerpeutic.) Many inversion table specialists urge beginners to limit their initial exercise sessions to 10 minutes a day, so purchasing a less expensive table first and upgrading later does make economic sense.
Pre-set Rotation Control: The EZ AngleTM Tether Strap is a unique feature that allows pre-set angles at 20, 40 or 60 degrees and provides an easy guide to where the benefits of inversion begin and are fully realized.
Although all five of our top inversion table contenders deliver on their promises, we find that the Teeter EP 960 is the one against which all other inversion tables should be measured. It truly is the Best of the Best.
A successful telemarketing campaign may have put Teeter Hang Ups on the consumer radar, but the Teeter EP 960 is not a veritable "As Seen On TV" product. It is a serious piece of therapeutic sports equipment that has earned top ratings from many customers. As one satisfied owner put it, the unit is definitely "hospital grade." Most inversion tables are not known for their flexibility, but the EP 960's backboard provides a natural flex for additional comfort. And while it may not be fully padded like some other inversion tables, the EP 960's design meshes well with the contours of the user.
We especially like the security of the ankle locks, along with the extended release mechanism that exercisers at any fitness level can reach. The strong tether strap prevents occupants from becoming inverted too quickly, and the hand grips ensure a user's ability to return to an upright position. At a cost of $479.97, the Teeter Hang Ups EP 960 may be among the more expensive inversion tables on the consumer market. However, it is packed with extra features like acupressure nodes and a lumbar support plate that are not often found in other models from other companies. Overall, this is by far the best table on the market, and if you're in a position to put quality and safety before price, this is the one to get.
The Ironman Gravity 4000 inversion therapy table costs a little more than the most basic models, but it's still an ideal starter machine for those who are new to body inversion. At a price of $199.00, it's not just an affordable and effective alternative to high-end inversion tables, it offers therapeutic advantages that many do not.
The Ironman's inherent construction elements are typically found on units that cost three times as much. The weight capacity and height adjustments of this model guarantee that most users will be comfortable the minute they step onto the platform and lock in their ankles. The maximum weight recommendation is 350 pounds—as high as you'll find anywhere—and whether you're shorter or taller than average, the Ironman is likely to fit your dimensions very well.
While it's capable of full inversion, this table can also be used for therapeutic use. The table's overall padding is another major plus, especially when compared to the hard, plastic surfaces found on other cheap inversion tables.
If you're looking for a satisfactory inversion table at an affordable price, we strongly suggest that you consider the Ironman Gravity 4000. It’s the Best Bang for Your Buck.
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Virtual Assistant Services
Hire your own trained Real Estate Virtual Assistant to help you become a more dollar productive Real Estate Agent
Our Virtual Assistants are used by busy people from some of these amazing companies.
Virtual Assistant Services & Jobs
Outsource Workers is an Australian based company that specialises in providing trained Virtual Assistants based in the Philippines for Real Estate Agents and Agencies .
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Wendy Russell
Buyers Agent
"All those jobs that you and your people don’t like doing, or just don’t have time suddenly get all the love and attention to streamline your day to day business and system. You have to be mad not to get on board for this value."
Silvio Bevacqua
Ray White Commercial
"The service provided by Outsource Workers was extremely cost effective, accurate and efficient. Once the task at hand was explained they delivered exactly what was asked."
Some call them superhuman, we call them Virtual Assistants.
At Outsource Workers, we provide Virtual Assistants for the real estate industry. As a real estate agent, I’ve experienced first hand the demands of the real estate business. There is always so much work to do; from data entry, responding to inquiries and prospecting. We extensively screen and interview each new Real Estate VA and equip them with the necessary skills to make a real difference to your business from their first day, allowing you to focus on the dollar productive tasks.
A Virtual Assistant is a person who works online and is contracted to render professional administrative, technical and creative services. Whereas before, online assistants were limited to secretarial and virtual assistant services, in today’s global economy, the profession has become an integral component of a company’s business development strategy. By incorporating virtual staff in to your business agenda, you will significantly reduce costs and increase productivity.
At Outsource Workers, we started out by providing Virtual Assistants for professionals in the real estate industry. As a real estate agent, I’ve experienced first-hand the demands of the real estate business. There is always so much work to do; from documentation, responding to inquiries and building a leads list that the real estate agent loses valuable time in focusing on the most important aspect of the business: closing sales!
By delegating a number of tasks to your online worker, the real estate agent is able to free up more time for clients and prospects. Our real estate Virtual Assistants are not limited to answering phones and keeping track of your schedule. They are experienced and trained to help you move the prospect down the sales funnel! Our track record in providing real estate agents highly efficient virtual assistants has inspired us to take our business one step further.
Outsource Workers NOW provides Virtual Assistant services in ANY industry or profession! We’ve long recognized the value of Virtual Assistants and have taken great steps to assemble the best and most qualified candidates to fit your everyday business needs. We help you find and hire the best virtual assistants.
Take your business to the next level and drop us a line or give us a call to find out how Outsource Workers can help you get started with your virtual secretary. At Outsource Workers, we can assure you a Virtual Assistant is indeed a VA….a Valuable Asset!
Get a dedicated Real Estate Virtual Assistant for just a fraction of what an in-office employee would cost!
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Hiring a remote employee frees you up from doing non-essential tasks so you can attend to matters that directly relate to the success of your business. At Outsource Workers, you can be rest assured, your business will be under the care of the best and most qualified virtual hands in the industry! The real estate VA will make you super productive.
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Charles Wiggett
Brisbane Real Estate
"I’ve had enjoyed a great experience with Brett and his team at Outsource Workers, their systems and communication skills are excellent. As a real estate agent it was important that my VA was familiar with real estate software and Brett selected my VA who knew exactly what I did and why."
Geoff Grist
Richardson & Wrench Mosman
We have been using the services of Outsourced Workers for the past three months and cannot fault or be more happy with the quality of service; efficiency in selecting the right VA candidates and ongoing support. If you are considering adding VA's to your team, I have no hesitation in recommending Brett & his team.
Take the next step to streamline your productivity!
A Virtual Assistant is a person who works online and is contracted to render professional administrative, technical and creative services. Whereas before, online assistants were limited to secretarial and virtual assistant services, in today’s global economy, the profession has become an integral component of a company’s business development strategy. By incorporating virtual staff into your business agenda, you will significantly reduce costs and increase productivity.
At Outsource Workers, we started out by providing Virtual Assistants for professionals in the real estate industry.
Outsource Workers NOW provides Virtual Assistant services in ANY industry or profession! We’ve long recognized the value of Virtual Assistants and have taken great steps to assemble the best and most qualified candidates to fit your everyday business needs. We help you find and hire the best virtual assistants.
Take your business to the next level and drop us a line or give us a call to find out how Outsource Workers can help you get started with your virtual secretary. At Outsource Workers, we can assure you a Virtual Assistant is indeed a VA….a Valuable Asset!
Today, virtual assistants are utilized in more specialized industries such as medicine, law and finance managing skill-specific tasks such as bookkeeping, transcription, market research and social media marketing. Virtual assistance work will always be in demand because these offer the client several advantages:
1. Lower Cost – A Virtual Assistant is paid only for actual hours worked and is generally not subject to benefits. At Outsource Workers, our virtual staff start at only AUD $7 per hour. By comparison, a regular office assistant will start at AUD $20 per hour plus benefits.
2. Greater Productivity – A Virtual Assistant has a higher level of competence in ANY required skill simply because they have more experience and training. The VA’s in our database have gone through a stringent qualifying process, highly specialized training and have consistently proven their ability to provide excellent quality of work and service to our clients.
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Finding a VA is easy. Being online workers, Virtual Assistants advertise their services in various social media networks, online job markets and websites.
The real challenge is qualifying your remote staff. Before you hire a VA, you have to make sure the candidate has the required skills and most importantly, the disposition to fit perfectly with the demands of the job.
The first rule of hiring a remote worker is to NOT hire the first one who presents his or her services. You have to build a pool of candidates to test and streamline through a process of elimination. The standard process for qualifying a Virtual Assistant includes interviews, tests on basic administration skills and English proficiency and reference checks on his previous clients and employers.
At Outsource Workers, we’ve already built up a considerable data base of offshore workers who have proven themselves efficient and effective in managing our clients’ needs. From data entry, bookkeeping, lead generation, social media marketing, e-mail campaigns to market research, we have qualified Virtual Assistants for EVERY service your business requires! It doesn’t matter what industry your business is in. We have the candidates to fit the bill!
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Cold calling is a sales technique that has many misconceptions. Over the years, the number of myths on the effectiveness of cold calling has grown even though several companies have experienced great success with it. If you ask 10 marketers their opinion on cold calling, expect six of them to discourage you from including it in your selling toolbox. The reason for this is that most marketers have not taken the time to dispel the myths about cold calling. Here are 9 popular myths about [...]
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Since the new millennium, business conditions have become more volatile. Strategies that focus on coming up with the “Perfect Plan” will only end up failing. In times of uncertainty, you need to focus on strategies that improve business flexibility. Outsourcing to the Philippines allows you the flexibility to safely navigate through economic turbulence.
What are the Advantages of Outsourcing to the Philippines?
Lower Cost of Business – Reducing business cost remains the number one reason why companies outsource to the Philippines. By outsourcing, you capitalize on the lower cost of manpower. You can streamline business costs from 40% to 70% simply by outsourcing services to our remote staff.
Improve Business Productivity – Companies usually outsource non-core functions to the Philippines. This way, they can focus more on the core business of the company. Also, the cost savings companies generate from outsourcing can be used to fund special projects or departments such as Research and Development or Marketing and Promotions.
Increase Business Flexibility – Do you want your company running 24/7 without added cost? Hire a remote staff member from the Philippines that can cover after office hours. Never lose an opportunity and always have inquiries and concerns attended to immediately. This will enhance your business reputation and the quality of your customer service.
Improve Quality of Work – Outsourcing is the ONLY business strategy where you can lower the cost of business without compromising the quality of work. We have many talented candidates who have extensive experience in various skilled jobs in the Philippines. This is why the Philippines continues to be the preferred destination for global outsourcing.
Create Strategic Partnerships – The second reason why businesses continue to outsource to the Philippines is to build strategic partnerships. Companies realize that transitioning to strategic partnerships or ventures is more efficient because they are able to establish new markets for products and services. It is no surprise that eventually companies shift from an outsourcing strategy to offshoring.
Outsourcing has been identified as the “new growth engine” in the Philippines. It has generated millions of new jobs and spurred the economy to new heights of prosperity.
The Philippine government has always maintained a supportive position on the outsourcing industry. There are active discussions in the government to open up or liberalize several key industries to private entities.
Liberalizing key industries such as telecommunications, human resources and public utilities will open up new opportunities for foreign investments and will further lower the cost of business in the Philippines.
Outsourcing becomes a more attractive solution because it will not only streamline costs and improve business productivity but it may open doors for your business to expand your products and services to new markets.
The global outsourcing industry has continued its upward trend since the year 2000. It proves there is a direct relationship between the growth of outsourcing and increasing global business volatility. As economies continue to struggle, the demand for outsourcing services will remain high.
Uncertainty is not a trend; that is the way of the New Economy. With technology constantly evolving, political and economic barriers being torn down, global warming and the continuing influence of the Internet, flexibility is the key to achieving long term growth and sustainable success.
Outsource to the Philippines and watch your business grow in the face of economic turbulence and turmoil!
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Exempt Asset
Definition - What does Exempt Asset mean?
In a chapter 7 bankruptcy, a classification of assets is required in order to liquidate those which are deemed disposable. Non-exempt property or a non-exempt asset is considered disposable. Exempt assets are considered mandatory for life and are allowed to be retained. Examples of exempt property include a house, a car, clothing, a small allowance for jewelry, and any tools which are required in order to work or any machines that are required for the home to stay liveable such as air conditioning and heating units. Appliances which hold substantial value but which are installed in the home are generally exempt as well such as a dishwasher or central vacuuming system. Every bankruptcy jurisdiction follows a set of guidelines that are very close to the federal guidelines in determining what each category can use as a total limit. For example, a homestead exemption in Alabama may be different than the homestead exemption in Texas. The same can also be said of vehicles and other exemptions. It is important that you talk with your bankruptcy attorney or the Trustee about your potential exemptions.
Justipedia explains Exempt Asset
Wedding rings are not always considered exempt; if they are plain bands then they may be exempt, but if the rings hold a substantial value above that of an average wedding ring then the Trustee can order that they must be sold. The Trustee would generally allow for less expensive ones to be purchased in replacement. Only the main home would be considered exempt in a bankruptcy. Vacation homes are eligible for liquidation. Second cars are considered non-exempt in most states, but are allowed in a few bankruptcy jurisdictions. | {
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Michael Dell Feeling Pressure To Up His Bid To Take Dell Private: Reports
Michael Dell's plan to take Dell private as a way to speed up the transformation of that company to become an enterprise solution provider is running into serious headwinds as the Dell special committee is feeling pressure to consider alternatives.
The impact of a negative recommendation by ISS could include an increased likelihood that investors could oppose Dell's privatization bid unless Dell CEO Michael Dell increased his bid for the company.
The pressure is on. Reuters on Wednesday reported that Dell's special committee on managing potential privatization and buyout deals for Dell is recommending that Michael Dell increase his offer if he wants to ensure a successful transition of the company from public to private.
ISS is expected to make its recommendation next week. That will be followed by a July 18 shareholder vote on Dell's privatization bid.
Icahn, in an open letter released Monday to Dell shareholders and the Dell special committee, said the $5.2 billion in debt financing has been raised from lenders.
Icahn, who with Southeastern Asset Management is currently battling Dell over that company's bid to go private, said his strategy, which includes offering $14 per share to most shareholders while keeping Dell a public company, is superior to Michael Dell and his investment partners' original offer to pay $13.65 a share for all shares and then turn Dell into a private company.
Patrick Mulvee, vice president of sales and marketing at Sidepath, an Irvine, Calif.-based solution provider and Dell partner, said that he still hopes to see Dell go private.
"It would help Dell reinvent itself," Mulvee said. "It wouldn't have to worry about reporting every 90 days."
Going private would also be good for business, Mulvee said. "Customers get conditioned to wait for the end of the quarter for the best deals," he said. "So vendors tend to swap margins for revenue. Dell's going private would help both the channel and the manufacturer."
A Dell spokesperson said via email that Dell declines to comment on the reports. The Dell special committee did not reply to a request for more information.
An ISS spokesperson responded via email that ISS is still working on its final analysis and recommendation. "ISS is very consistent with its process -- we never signal our recommendation in advance nor do we comment prior to the release of our analysis and recommendation to our clients," the spokesperson wrote. | {
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As both of you mention, Walt Disney’s work as an animator and as an industry leader exerted a strong influence on the development of the Anime system. What did the Japanese learn from Disney and how were his practices localized for the specific Japanese context?
Ian: Tezuka watched Bambi, 80 or 100 times, depending on which story you believe. He made fanzines of Disney characters. In his manga, “Metropolis,” one of the characters escapes from an evil-doer’s prison by sewing himself inside a giant irradiated rat that looks suspiciously like Mickey Mouse. Anime fans often note that remarkable similarities between Tezuka’s “Kimba the White Lion” and the much later “Lion King” by Disney.
Then again, as Otsuka Eiji noted at conference that Marc organized at Concordia University: “It’s true that Disney’s Lion King stole from ‘Kimba.’ But that’s OK because Tezuka stole from Bambi.” That got a laugh.
In his 2004 book, “The Complete History of Anime” (in Japanese, Nihon no anime zenshi), the anime historian Yasuo Yamaguchi identified a range of influences that reach from aesthetics to labor and business practices:
• The use of exaggerated expressions—for example, the “squash and stretch system” of deforming characters to emphasize their personalities.
• The storyboard system, which allowed Disney to use a variety of sequential pictures to convey the story and the feeling of the scenes to the animators.
• A curriculum for training new talent, which was necessary because with each hit production, animators would be hired away from Disney at higher salaries. Disney responded by developing a system to train new workers.
• The division-of-labor system, which allowed the Disney studio to work on animated shorts and feature-length films at the same time.
• Establishment of the Disney brand—for example, by describing all works as “Walt Disney presents” and polishing the brand image by having Disney himself personally introduce the works.
• The development of merchandising, whereby the licensor of animated characters would receive 3–7 percent of the sales price of goods related to those characters, which was necessary to offset the deficits incurred by animation production (Yamaguchi, Nihon no Anime Zenshi, 2004: 36–38).
The big adaptation of Disney’s ideas comes from relying increasingly on limited animation to make anime more cheaply, and by relying on already-popular manga characters to ensure a wide viewership.
Henry: One of the things many of us think we know about Anime and Manga is that its readership extends well beyond children, that it is much more diverse than would true of similar productions in the west. How is this diversity managed? Some forms of cultural production seem structured around generational or subcultural niches, while others get discussed in terms of their ability to enable transgenerational communication. What can you tell us about the relationship between niche and mainstream as they operate in this context?
Ian: Perhaps the key to the diversity around manga is that it is not well managed, at least not from above. What is managed is incorporating reader responses.
As I discuss in my book’s chapter 5, some writers have pointed out, correctly I think, that manga represents a kind of “democratic capitalism,” in the sense that the most popular works are also the best. They contrast this with music and film, where heavy-handed marketing can make somewhat mediocre productions become big hits. Not so, they argue, with manga. People who love manga read a lot of it. You can read it for free standing in a convenience story, and even manga that is purchased generally gets passed around to at least a few friends.
I’ll never forget when I met one of the founders of Comic Market (the enormous manga fanzine convention), and I asked him what manga I should be reading. He said, “All of it.”
I think that’s the attitude of the serious fans. They go through a tremendous amount of material. Each weekly-serialized magazine comes out with about 20 stories, and the readers are asked to send in postcards evaluating the best and worst three. The major publishers receive about 3000-4000 postcards a week. Popular series keep going, and less popular ones are removed to make way for a few of the legions of amateur artists hoping for their big chance.
Indeed, the diversity makes it difficult to characterize the links between niche and mainstream. Put simply, however, that niche series become mainstream often do so the old fashioned way, by building an audience.
Marc, you draw a useful distinction between toys which replicate the characters and toys which help the consumer to become the character. How central are forms of role-play to the cultural and economic processes you are both describing?
Marc: It’s a complex issue. In my book I note how there’s a shift from characters that you can be or play to characters toys that you can play with. In the late 50s costumes for the various characters were the rage, and children imitated their favorite characters, they became them. For a number of reasons including growing urbanization, the decline of play space and time, and the general rise in income that gave children greater spending power, the 1960s saw the rise of toys that can be played with. Children no longer bought the mask, the gun and the gloves, they bought the Astro Boy replica toy. In that moment they were cut out of a certain kind of play that allowed them to be the character – they could only play with the character.
This was followed closely after by the kaiju monster toy explosion that extended this. What I don’t talk about in my book is that the 70s sees a different shift: the rise of video games, where the character appears on screen. In some ways this was an extension of the character you play with, but it was also an opening towards that earlier form of play: you could feel like you are the character onscreen.
Another space we can see the return to being the character is in cosplay, where you build and inhabit the character for particular periods of time. I think it’s in these moments that you find the collaborative energy that Ian discusses. The character becomes the nexus for a kind of creative, or community-forming activity on the part of the cosplaying fans, and a kind of excitement for the surrounding people too.
The concept of “moe” has been central to the study of Japanese anime, but it may not be familiar to many western readers. What is “moe”? What role does it play in shaping production and reception?
Ian: “Moe” (pronounced “moh-ay”) is a very unusual term. It generally refers to an affectionate yearning, often for young, female characters, and there’s a lot of debate about whether there is a sexual element to this longing or whether it is more about an innocent desire to nurture and protect.
“Moe” also has the same sound, though different kanji character, as “burning.” So, there can also an implication of raging flames of desire.
More precisely, however, “moe” refers to a kind emotional response to visuals, with or without a storyline or world around it. People publish photo books on “factory moe,” for example, aimed at those who respond to the elaborate architecture of refineries or manufacturing plants.
The point of using the term, I think, is to acknowledge the enormous diversity of fascination and desire that can arise from visual elements. Hiroki Azuma, who Marc mentions above, offers an extended discussion of moe in his book Otaku. He makes the point that moe is another departure from the emphasis on story, and even character, focusing instead on elements of characters, like cat ears, a tail, or glasses.
Indeed, the science fiction writer Mari Kotani organizes a regular club event in Tokyo for women who are fascinated by eyeglasses (megane moe). Their response is to the eyeglasses, not the personality of the person behind those eyeglasses. Talk about post-gender!
Many of us have turned to Japan in search of alternative models for consumer-producer relations. What insights did you gain from your research about the ways that fans have sought to insert themselves in the production process around Anime? To what degree do Japanese media producers solicit the active participation of their audiences?
Ian: This is a really interesting question. My experience is that there is a sharp generational difference among Japanese media producers. The higher-ups at major manga publishers and anime studios begrudgingly admit that fan appropriation is something that they have to accept. The manga publishers I spoke to, for example, hate the idea of Comic Market amateur producers using their characters without permission or recompense. But they don’t really fight it either.
Some say that’s because the Japanese legal system would be harder to navigate successfully. I like to think it’s because deep down, they recognize their need to let fans have their spaces of participation.
As I mentioned already, manga publishers very much do solicit the feedback of fans and work these responses into their selections for future issues of their magazines. Anime producers don’t have this luxury because they have to start work six months in advance of broadcast, so they have a much more difficult time incorporating fan ideas.
But when I interview younger media producers, they seem to be aiming to create a very different kind of media object. They want to produce something that can be a “platform” rather than a narrative or some kind of “content.”
They are learning from the success of Miku, Japan’s crowd-sourced virtual singing idol. Miku started as voice synthesizer software that Crypton Future Media released, along with a free-to-use image of her as a blue-haired, 16-year-old pixie. Fans made the music, elaborated on the illustrations, and created their own videos, such that Miku has become one of the leading singing stars today, even though, technically, she doesn’t exist. Or rather, she exists as the social energy of fans that bring her to life.
In this, younger media producers see that openness, not control, can be the key to success. (Isn’t it interesting how copyright control no longer seems the key to making money?) When I spoke to a recent college grad with his own media startup, he similarly spoke of his desire to follow the path to success of the Toho Project, a vast transmedia phenomena that started as an amateur video game.
In both cases (and we could identify others), the success arises from creating something—a character, a world, a certain kind of premise, or a participatory space around something completely different—that others can build upon. To me, this represents a further shift from thinking about media in terms things internal to a world (story, character, premise) and more about creating figurative platforms that others can build upon.
This perspective has the potential to completely transform what we think of as media, and I think it offers some fascinating possibilities for thinking of the politics and pleasures of media. I guess it simply remains to be seen how spreadable these practices can be.
Ian Condry is professor of media and cultural studies in Comparative Media Studies at MIT. He is the author of The Soul of Anime: Collaborative Creativity and Japan's Media Success Story (Duke U Press, 2013). The book explores ethnographically the global spread of Japanese animation, from fieldwork in Tokyo's studios to participation in fan conventions in the US. His first book, Hip-Hop Japan: Rap and the Paths of Cultural Globalization (Duke U Press, 2006), analyzes the way rap music took root in Japan. His research focuses on "globalization from below," that is, cultural movements that succeed, despite skepticism from elites. He is the founder and organizer of the MIT/Harvard Cool Japan research project, which examines the cultural connections, dangerous distortions and critical potential of popular culture. More info: http://iancondry.com
Marc Steinberg is assistant professor of Film Studies at Concordia University, Montreal. He is the author of Anime’s Media Mix: Franchising Toys and Characters in Japan (University of Minnesota Press, 2012), and has published essays on anime, franchising and digital media in Japan Forum, Animation: An Interdisciplinary Journal,Parachute, Journal of Visual Culture, Theory, Culture & Society, Mechademia, and Canadian Journal of Film Studies. Continuing the study of the media mix, his current research project explores the close relation between “contents” and “platforms” in Japanese media industry discourse and practice, from the 1980s to the present. | {
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If you ever told someone that you were looking at using short term cash loans to help afford the emergencies, you would probably hear a gasp and the person telling you not to bother. There are a lot of myths behind short term cash loans and a lot that people do not really understand. There is no doubt that short term cash loans can be risky but there are times that the good outweighs the bad.
The main benefit is that there are no credit checks on short term cash loans, which brings the myth that anybody can borrow the money. This is one of those myths that needs to be set straight; it will all depend on the lender of the short term cash loans over whether you will actually get the money. There are requirements set for them, which will mean that not everybody will be able to get their hands on short term cash loans. The main requirements are your employment status and the amount you earn each month.
The interest rates are a scary thought for many when it comes to short term cash loans. Many people believe that the interest rates are so high that they are not worth it. Yes, the APRs on short term cash loans are high but that is not something that you should worry about too much. These loans are designed for short term borrowing, which means that you will need to pay it back within the first 31 days. Because of that, there are other fees on the loans, which are lower than your overdraft fees or charges for going over your credit limit.
Of course, the problem with the APR levels is that if you do decide to keep the money for longer than you should then you will need to pay them. This is something to bear in mind when you are looking at taking out the loans.
Another scary thought for many people is the damage that the loans can do to your credit rating. Many people believe that having to borrow this money will make you look irresponsible and will damage your credit rating. However, these loans can actually help your rating because you are able to show that you can borrow money and pay it back on time. Yes, they can do damage if you refuse to pay the money back on the date that you agree to; that is the same with any type of loan that you take out.
There are many stories behind short term cash loans and you will need to bear them in mind when you look at applying for one. However, most of the time, the stories are told because not so many people understand what this type of lending is all about. They are an excellent way to bridge the gap between paydays when you are struggling to afford the emergencies one month. However, that is all they are good for; there are many times that you should never consider using them. | {
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Saturday, 30 October 2010
Warning for intemperate language. Which is ironic, since I am always banging on about the wonders of moderation.
May we just stop with the whole liberal elite thing? I mean, really? It used to be one of those stupid things that stupid people say which was so stupid that it blended into white noise. Yeah, yeah, I thought: there go those Real America dog whistles again, sing me something else why don't you? It was this old, creaking plank in a certain kind of culture warrior Republican thinking that went something like: if we could only get rid of those latte-drinking, arugula-eating, Com-simping, fag-lovin', tree-hugging coastal types, then we can all be happy and go hunt some quail. (Or something.) The shining city on the hill would finally be built, without those ghastly liberals who hate America, and we can sit and dream of Ronald Reagan. It's what Sarah Palin means when she calls the Tea Partiers 'real Americans'. Which does slightly beg the question: are all the other Americans fake? Have they been kidnapped by space aliens and replaced with pods?
The odd thing is that the liberal elite idea has crept out from its right-wing corral and is tripping about in general discourse. Quite sensible commentators now use it without inverted commas, as if there does exist a cabal of leftist snobs who party with Arianna Huffington on the Upper East Side and look down their noses at people who shop at Wal-Mart and like guns. It was always an exclusively American thing, but recently one of the crosser bloggers over at The Telegraph has started using it. 'Is this the last gasp from America's liberal elites?' yells the headline. It is a reference to an article by the Nobel Laureate, Paul Krugman, which is, according to Crossly Crossington: 'the pathetic whimper of a decaying liberal Ancien Regime which is spectacularly crumbling'. As a humble blogger, I know my place. I too get grumpy about things, but I would think twice before accusing someone with a Nobel Prize of pathetic whimpering. I've seen Paul Krugman in interviews; his calm speech is the farthest thing from a whimper I've ever heard.
Now the liberal elite meme is knocking at my own door, I am digging in my heels. First of all, I could not bear it if liberal became a dirty word here as it so often is in American discourse. It has a storied and honourable tradition; it is Gladstone and Mill and Keynes. I am not going to have it grubbied up by cross people.
Second, what is this Ancien regime of which the grumpy blogger speaks? Until 2008, the Republicans had been in charge for eight years. Where was the Liberal Ancien Regime then? Buggering off to Paris to have its nails done? It's as if the writer is just making things up out of whole cloth.
Third, and perhaps most important: may we start a campaign to stop 'elite' being used as a term of abuse? Ironically, this derogatory usage has not quite caught on here, despite the British being famously anti-intellectual and fond of tall poppy syndrome. We have a blatant adoration of the underdog. It was the Americans always who were supposed to be puzzled by this, with their straightforward worship of success. The whole notion of the American dream is that John (or even Jane) Doe could become President; by definition joining an elite, for there is nothing more elitist than being the Leader of the Free World. So how is it that it is there that elite is becoming more and more a filthy word?
More ironically still, it was Barack Obama who personified this American dream more than anyone. The child of a single mother, brought up without money or power or houses in the Hamptons, he reached the highest office in the land through sheer hard work and force of personality. He has an elite mind, but his family could not be less elitist if it tried. By contrast, George W Bush came from the nearest thing to a dynasty which a young country without an official aristocracy can produce. His family was old school East Coast, with a compound on Kennebunkport, and friends in very high places, most notably the Saudi Royal Family. The Bushes are even related to Winston Churchill, if you believe the internets. Elitist enough for you?
This is why it baffles me that it is the party of George Bush who is always railing against these sinister elites. Do they not see how silly it makes them sound? And on a more general level, would you not want to celebrate elitism? If you have a surgeon operating on you, or a pilot flying the 747 on which you are travelling, or a professor teaching you history, or a scientist working on a possible cure for your mother with Alzheimer's, would you not want them to be the very best in their field? Would you not want them to be qualified and educated and trained up to their elitist ears?
All right. Better now. Time for some pictures of leaves, to calm me down.
This is the acer. Only two days ago it was a nondescript muddy brown. Now look at it. How did that happen?
Friday, 29 October 2010
I was going to do a whole thing on feminism; then I thought about the nature of prejudice, mostly on account of my increasing obsession with The Trevor Project; then I wondered if I might give you a blast on the Tea Party. But it's Friday, and I've thrown quite a lot of politics at you lately, and so I thought I might do some lists. There must be light and shade, after all. And everyone loves a list.
List Number One.
The oldest brother is currently entranced with collective nouns, or what he more elegantly calls nouns of assemblage. I asked him his current favourites this morning, and here they are:
1. A disworship of Scots. (This is sadly derogatory, for which I apologise to my adopted homeland, but I love the word disworship, which does not get used often enough.)
2. A whisper of snipe. (Remember that part in High Society when Grace Kelly says, in that wonderful affected voice: 'Ah Deluth, it sounds like singing'? I think that a whisper of snipe sounds like singing.)
3. A muster of peacocks. (There is a marvellous martial urgency to this: come on, you damn peacocks, muster, muster.)
4. A fidget of choirboys.
5. A malapertness of peddlers. (I did not even know malapertness was a word. It means impudence or sauciness and comes, of course, from the French. According to the Free Dictionary, this particular collective noun dates back to 1486, when obviously there were many saucy peddlers roaming the streets.)
List Number Two.
My three favourite books to read whilst ill in bed:
1. Don't Tell Alfred by Nancy Mitford
2. The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie
3. The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
I used to feel a furtive guilt about my inordinate love for Georgette Heyer. After all, her books were blatant romances, not Serious Literature. Then one day I heard AS Byatt on the radio, talking of her own adoration for Heyer. I thought: if it's good enough for Antonia Byatt, it's good enough for me.
And on the subject of books -
List Number Three.
Books I know I should love, but do not:
1. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. This is absolute heresy. Lolita is not only a cast-iron classic, but Nabokov is the writer's writer. I have tried three times. Can't do it.
2. Rabbit, Run by John Updike. I know that the Rabbit series is revered by people who know about books. I know that Updike is considered a master of the Great American Novel. I could not find a single thing to love. (Am beginning to wonder if this list was such a good idea; I feel there is a danger of people starting to throw things.)
3. Sons and Lovers by DH Lawrence. Lawrence makes me want to go and lie down in a darkened room. Curiously, I love his poetry, which is beautiful and unaffected and shoots like a silver arrow straight to the heart. I read Snake when I was eight years old, in a big old anthology I think my mother or one of my godparents had given me, and even though I was far too young to read between the lines or get the whole meaning of the thing, the language was so direct and vivid and strong that the image of the snake and the watching man and the searing heat and the sharp moment of regret shot straight into my childish mind and has stayed there ever since.
(Because one of my vices is a shaming streak of intellectual vanity, I would like to keep my end up by saying that I race through Henry James and TS Eliot as if I were reading comics. Oh yes, and Mrs Woolf too. I'm not a complete philistine.)
List Number Four.
Excellent scientific discoveries this week:
1. Dr Eric Anderson at the University of Bath has discovered that male students are busy kissing each other. This is tremendous news. 'The mean gruff homophobic macho man of the 1980s is dead,' said the professor. (RIP those mean gruff homophobes.) My favourite line in the reporting on this: 'It's not yet known how the trend of men kissing extends to non-university segments of the British population.'
2. Researchers at the Universities of California and Harvard have discovered a 'liberal gene'. Which they have sexily named DRD4. Actually, it's not quite as simple as that, although it makes a great headline. There is a great deal of hedging and qualification and nature plus nurture going on. The most fun is seeing how it has been reported. My favourite is from the bastion of rigorous fairness that is Fox News: 'Don't hold liberals responsible for their opinion - they can't help themselves.' (I know; it's like a disease.) The New York Daily News wins my headline of the day award: 'Being a liberal and hating Sarah Palin, may be a genetic trait, scientists say.' This despite the fact that no scientist breathed a word about Mrs Palin, because why would they, when they are exactly the kind of ghastly elites that she so despises?
3. Did you know there was a 'Travelling Salesman Problem'? (This sounds like something from a Carry On film, but apparently it is a very serious matter.) Did you know that researchers at the University of London have discovered that it could be solved by examining the actions of bees? I certainly did not. Dr Nigel Raine said: 'Despite their tiny brains, bees are capable of extraordinary feats of behaviour.'. Apparently, our apian cousins hold the key to solving traffic jams. So hurrah for the bees and their tiny brains.
List Number Five.
Random quotations, because if there is one thing people love more than a list, it's a quotation:
1. 'Why isn't there a special name for the tops of your feet?'
Lily Tomlin.
2. 'All the beautiful sentiments in the world weigh less than a single lovely action.'
James Russell Lowell
3. 'Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.'
Groucho Marx
That's quite enough lists. Here are some Friday pictures.
Viola:
Sedum:
Marjoram:
Leaves and lichen:
Spider's web on the old stone wall:
Tree bark:
Roses:
The inevitability:
(Perhaps before the year is up, scientists will have discovered a can't help putting photographs of dogs on your blog gene. I can only live in hope.)
Thursday, 28 October 2010
Today the oldest brother was visiting, and it was his birthday, so there was a lunch. Despite the new austerity, there were extraordinarily elegant things to eat, and it turns out that the Heavenly Stepfather has a secret stash of 1990 Cheval Blanc, which is not something you drink every day, so I became rather over-excited.
I have been known to be cynical about family, when it is presented in the motherhood and apple pie and oh look everyone is just like the Waltons kind of way. But I must admit that it was very lovely today, with all of us gathered together, gossiping and teasing and chasing off down Memory Lane. Ours is not exactly the perfect nuclear unit. There have been mistaken marriages and noisy heartbreaks and the usual misunderstandings and crossness and non-speaks. Now we are all old enough to have been bashed about a bit by life, we have grown keenly grateful for the good parts. Blood is not always thicker than water, but I start to think that family is like the girl with the little curl: when it is good, it is very, very good.
The curious thing about leaving my desk and going out into the real world is that people always ask about the blog. 'What is it you do, on this blog?' they say, as if I am committing dark acts with farm animals.
It sounds hideously lame. At this stage I usually attempt to change the subject.
'You write recipes?' they say.
'Well, yes,' I say. 'I did a nice pea soup the other day.'
'And politics?'
'Yes,' I mutter. 'The American elections and things.'
The reason it is hard to explain is that I am not quite sure what it is that I am doing, or what the point of the whole damn thing is. I have a horrible lurking feeling that it is all a form of showing off - look at me, with my jazz hands. Who really cares what I think about The Coalition, or the mid-terms, or the keeping of dogs? Until very recently, I did not even put up links to the blog on Twitter, because I felt so shy about the whole shooting match.
'It can be quite funny,' my sister said, today, being supportive. A gentleman who had not visited before wrote yesterday that it was 'not insubstantial'. I love that. I'm thinking of asking for it to be written on my gravestone.
For all that I duck my head and blush when the subject comes up, I suppose one could turn the whole thing round and look at it from a diametrically different angle. The question could be not Why, but Why Not? I think the problem with blogs is that they are so new. There is no hinterland, no tradition, no honourable precedent. Nobody asks an author: why do you write books?, as if it were the most peculiar thing to do. No one challenges a columnist on a newspaper to justify putting her opinions into print. These things have been done for hundreds of years, and are expected and understood.
I'm not entirely certain there is a point. For whatever reason, despite my doubts and moments of reticence, I do love it. I love the freedom of it, because blogging is so young that there are not yet rules. I love the kind comments. I love that people come here from far-flung places, from Tucson to Sydney. I love that the dear readers put up patiently with the endless pictures of leaves and dogs. That is enough for me.
Pictures of the day are of the family.
The Mother:
Heavenly Stepfather:
Younger niece:
The Sister:
The Brother-in-Law is uncertain about all this online stuff, but I could not omit him, so I have bleached him out into an International Man of Mystery, which means that only someone who knows him very well will recognise him:
Oldest Brother's Other Half, who did the miraculous cooking:
Which looked like this:
(Can't really believe that pudding is real life, and not something faked up for a magazine. It was every bit as delicious as it looks.)
The Sister and me, trying not to giggle like six year olds:
The Birthday Boy:
And what he looked like when he was a serious little fellow:
The view from my mother's house, looking west:
And of course the ladyships, who had such a thrilling time that they had to go and have a little lie-down on the grass afterwards:
Well, not exactly substantial. Tomorrow: a great deal of serious thought about fiscal tightening.
There seems to be a bit of a theme developing on the blog over the last ten days or so. I think it must be because the mid-terms are really heating up, so I am geeking out on American politics just now, and there is a certain breed of Republican who cannot countenance the same sex lovin' and will insist on using that delightful bigotry for political advantage. This makes me sad and cross.
Luckily, the dear old interwebs are throwing up plenty of antidote. If you want something to make you smile and cry, watch this:
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
On the very day I indulge in a long rant about how I yearn for the moderate middle, and how tired I am of people taking entrenched positions and yelling at each other across the divide, I stumble upon a beautiful moment of humanity from a most unlikely source.
There, on the tremendous Daily Dish, waiting in my inbox, was a new creed from an American bishop. One of the things that makes me saddest and most baffled is the intemperance of the Religious Right in America (and, to a lesser extent, here). I find it genuinely hard to understand, and you know how I like to understand things.
It is not just about so many in the church having a bizarre fear of The Gay, but for my money the most devastating quote is this:
'I will no longer engage the biblical ignorance that emanates from so many right-wing Christians about how the Bible condemns homosexuality, as if that point of view still has any credibility. I will no longer discuss with them or listen to them tell me how homosexuality is "an abomination to God," about how homosexuality is a "chosen lifestyle," or about how through prayer and "spiritual counselling" homosexual persons can be "cured." Those arguments are no longer worthy of my time or energy. I will no longer dignify by listening to the thoughts of those who advocate "reparative therapy," as if homosexual persons are somehow broken and need to be repaired.'
And if I had to distill it down to one haunting phrase, it would be that last one: 'as if homosexual persons are somehow broken and need to be repaired'.
It is a lovely reminder that in this hot political season, on both sides of the pond, there are shining voices of grace and reason.
PS For some reason, it seems to come from last year, but Andrew Sullivan has only just picked it up. I wonder why it did not become famous long before now, but that's a whole other subject.
When I woke this morning, I found myself thinking of Left and Right, and all the assumptions that shuttle along behind those labels. (These are the kind of things I ponder as I brush my teeth.)
I came of political age under Mrs Thatcher, so I went to the Left. It wasn't a considered decision. There were no politics in the house where I grew up; there was only what would win the 3.30 at Kempton. My father did have an anti-establishment streak; he quite enjoyed startling the respectable element by singing Irish rebel songs at entirely inappropriate moments. Perhaps some of that rubbed off. As a teenager, I read The Beats, and the Existentialists, and went to see a lot of Ken Loach films. (I was also obsessed with Scott Fitzgerald, which doesn't quite fit into this grand narrative, but never mind.) I went to the Left, because it was where the bleeding hearts were. Of course I did, what else would you expect?
Later, when I started thinking more forensically, I stayed there, because I believe in a robust state, think that free markets must be properly regulated, am wary of the amorality of large corporations, and think that while the pulling yourself up by your bootstraps is all very well, some people don't get the good fortune of bootstraps in the first place. The liberal in me also hated social conservatism: the idea that the married heterosexual couple was the ne plus ultra of arrangements, leaving the single mothers, the gays, and those of us who refuse to say I do as implicitly lesser creatures.
Now, something very strange is happening. The Left is angrier than at any time since the miners' strike. It's a curious rage, more than just the fury at losing an election. I think it is something to do with the loss of assumption. The old joke was that the Left was romantic but wrong, while the Right was repulsive but right. I believed this myself; I quite liked being romantic but wrong. You can see it playing now, in the attempt to paint the Conservatives as demonic, rubbing their hands with glee as they bash the poor. The Coalition, with the Lib Dems as the tragic deluded patsies, are hell bent on rewarding their plutocratic buddies while trashing the chances of the underprivileged. It's not politics, or pragmatism, it's class war, because everyone knows that, however much rebranding they try to do, the Right loathes poor people.
I suddenly realise that I held some of these assumptions myself. Not in the extreme good vs evil way, but in a horridly smug assumption that people on the Left were rather nicer than those on the other side. No wonder I drove some of my right of centre friends mad. And there's the point: I actually have right-wing friends, and relations too. The heavenly stepfather is a staunch One Nation Tory, and he is the kindest man I know. It was partly for this reason that I gave up tribalism, before the last election. It had been coming for some time, but now it is official. I can't bear the knee-jerk, school playground, finger-pointing, holier than thou, Manichean shouting that goes on from either side of the ideological divide.
I think the rage of the Left is because they can no longer claim the exclusive mantle of goodness and niceness for themselves. The Prime Minister may turn out to be wrong, politically, but it is patently clear that he is not evil. It is hard to transform a reasonable man into a cartoon monster. On the other side, it was obvious that Gordon Brown, despite his concern for child poverty and the poor of Africa, was capable, at times, of being not a very nice man. There was the petulant dismissal of Mrs Duffy, the fabled shouting at underlings, the hurling of telephones, the employing of the egregious Damien McBride, the overweening ambition.
In government, Labour did some very good things for social democracy. It also did some not so very nice things. There was complicity in extraordinary rendition, the locking up of children of asylum seekers in holding camps, the cosying up to the bankers it now vilifies, the ruthless briefing against anyone, within or without the government, who disagreed with the party line. Ministers who did not stay rigorously on message were cast into outer darkness. (Just ask Frank Field, who thought the unthinkable, just as he was asked, and paid the price.) Journalists who wrote disobliging things were frozen out. Say what you want about Alistair Campbell and Lord Mandelson of Foy as political operatives, but they were certainly not cuddly, fluffy creatures of the light. They were masters of the darker arts.
Just as I was contemplating all this, and recalibrating all over the shop, I came across a piece by Katherine Birbalsingh, the inspirational teacher who gave such a rousing speech on education at the Tory conference, and as a result was sacked by her school. It was a perfect example of Jungian synchronicity, always a good way to start the day. Although she is of the Left, once all the way out on the Marxist wing, she had the temerity to agree with some of the Coalition's ideas on education. As a result, her leftist friends no longer talk to her. Let us contemplate that for a moment. It's not very lovely, is it? It is neither romantic nor right. It's just petulant and stupid.
My principle objection to this kind of tribalism is that it is so intellectually lazy. By definition, there must be ideas on both sides of the political divide that are correct and incorrect. Neither party may lay claim to inerrant brilliance. One side is not automatically nicer and kinder than the other, any more than one side is automatically right. All politicians make mistakes, whichever drum they march to.
As I redefine myself as a small L liberal centrist, I yearn for arguments on the merits. It's not a very sexy thing to ask for, but it's what I want, not just for Christmas, but for life.
And now, to take your mind off the continuous political shouting, which infects the airways like white noise, some soothing autumnal pictures.
Can't get enough of the leaves:
The roses are still flowering as if it were high summer:
The sedum continues to delight:
The lavender is still putting out new buds, to my utter astonishment:
The dear salix is now bereft of leaves, but its bare branches have an austere beauty all their own:
Talking of beauty:
As you know, I sometimes like to fool about with contrast and light and colour and tints and general effects with my photographs. This one is utterly untouched. This actually was the colour of the rowan berries against the sky when I came outside this morning:
Sometimes people wonder why I choose to live in Scotland. This is why.
Tuesday, 26 October 2010
As I skittled through the 487 things which my Google reader said I should read this morning, I stumbled upon something which I thought was such an outrageous piece of good news that I had another Hold the Front Page moment. I was so bullish that I was going to title this post 'In which it turns out we are not fucked after all'. (I apologise for the swear, but it was that good.)
The 2010 Legatum Prosperity Index had come out with its rankings. Dear old Blighty was number 13 out of 110 countries. I thought this was tremendous. We are number 5 in Entrepreneurship and Opportunity, and number 9 in both Governance and Social Capital. Hurrah, I thought, it does not all have to be entropy, all the time.
Digging into the findings (because findings must always be dug into, as any fule no) I discovered even better news. Britain has the fourth largest percentage of people in the world who give to charity. We come second overall in the category of people believing that they can turn to friends or relatives for help, a glorious 96% saying Yes to that question. Grumpy old Britons turn out to have 'very high tolerance for racial and ethnic minorities', and 'extremely high levels of civil liberties'. And the hits just keep on coming: Great Britain has a 'low level of corruption', a 'robust democracy', and a (don't faint) 'highly effective government'.
By this stage, I was almost dancing in the streets. It's Good News Day. Let there be sounding brass. I wondered how the media would cover these astonishing findings. Surely there would be general rejoicing and, perhaps, over at those papers who adore to insist we are all going to three different kinds of hell in twenty-seven handcarts, a tiny mea culpa.
It turns out I rank number one in the world for naivety. Here is the headline over at the Guardian: 'Lord Mandelson: UK's poor place in prosperity league is not indictment of Labour'. I love how Mandy manages to shoehorn himself into the thing, and would expect nothing less from The Prince of Darkness. But 'poor place'? Poor place?
I slunk back to the drawing board, chastened. Clearly, I am misguided and wrong to think that number 13 out of 110 is pretty damn good. Personally, I blame Shakespeare. There is a curious psychological contradiction in the British mind. Because we produced the greatest writer in the world, and because we once ruled the waves, I think we still half believe that we should be number one. We invented cricket, for God's sake. We had The Beatles and The Stones. We bred Churchill and Sir Christopher Wren and Mrs Woolf and Charles Darwin and Hawksmoor and Vanbrugh. From this tiny isle came Jane Austen and Florence Nightingale and Edith Cavell and Alan Turing and Watson and Crick. At the same time, there is the enduring gloomy glass half empty we are all going to the dogs idea that runs through the national psyche like Brighton through a stick of rock. Put these two clashing notions together, and you get the conclusion that number thirteen is rubbish.
The perception twist is also seen in the report itself. For instance, on Safety and Security we rank 23rd, which does not sound that marvellous. Once you read the thing, you see that this number is dragged down by the perception of crime. Only 2% of Britons were assaulted last year, but a staggering 40% do not feel safe walking home alone at night.
I still say it cannot be all bad. I like understated sentences like this: 'There were no casualties from civil or ethnic violence in the UK in 2009'. Or the rather poetic 'Human flight is very low'. Two cheers for low human flight. Despite what you might read in some of the more hysterical tabloids or the antic message boards, the fact is that emigration of 'professionals, intellectuals and the middle class' is the seventh lowest in the world. At least we still have our intellectuals, although historically we do not always love them. (Too clever by half is traditionally one of the most favoured British insults.)
I am going to continue to regard this as a good news moment. I shall go on searching for sunshine if it kills me, whatever naughty Lord Mandelson of Foy and the Guardian headline writers have to say on the matter.
Here is a little symphony in green to celebrate:
Some people of course have far more important things than numbers to think of, like the eating of sticks:
LinkWithin
The Happy Horse
Click on the link to find this on Amazon
Seventy-Seven Ways to Make Your Life Slightly Better
Click on the picture to find this on Amazon
HORSEBACK UK
HorseBack UK is a charity for returning servicemen and women which I support. It features regularly on the blog, so if you want to find out more about it, just click on HorseBack UK in the Labels section below. | {
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Search in the box below
A guide to Tignes
(Toggle out the menu on the map, it’ll show you options to filter results)
Local shops opening hours: usually open from around 7-8am to midday, and then again from 4-5pm to 7-8pm.
Renting gear: we recommendBlack Cats located in the upper part of Val Claret. Although there are several rental outlets between Chalet Club and the ski lifts, all of which are fine, but many of the chain shops can feel like a procession of people in-and-out fast. Black Cats is an independent retailer and take time ensuring you have the correct kit, I’ve been genuinely really impressed. Prices for rental are pretty consistent throughout Tignes, and therefore we recommend Black Cats.
Lessons: for ski and/or snowboard lessons you will find many options, private and group sessions can be booked. Evolution2 ski school has been recommended, ESF are also a local ski school (they have been criticised on local Facebook groups for taking a casual attitude to off-piste safety, I cannot comment as I have no experience of them).
Lift pass: you can buy your pass either at the Tourist Information office, which is between the Interhome office and Parking Du Golf, or, more easily, just go to the ticket office by the lifts and Funiculaire (come out of the apartment, turn left, cross the snow and it’s between all the lifts). Click here for lift price info and prices.
Buses: there’s a free bus service that runs between the various Tignes villages. The buses are most used by people who are heading to ski lifts in Val Claret, or heading to Le Lac bars later. There’s a stop outside the apartment front door.
Lifts around the village: as Val Claret is on the mountain, the village has an upper and lower part. Upper is more handy for restaurants and bars, lower is better for piste access. There are two lifts (regular lifts, not ski lifts) linking upper and lower Val Claret (fortunately equidistant either side of Chalet Club). Turn left or right out of the apartment, look for signs saying ‘Ascenseur’: I believe to the left the lift is called ‘Ascenseur de Bollin’, and to the right look out for ‘Ascenseur de Platineres’ (this is your best option for shops and eating). These are useful to save you negotiating a snowy slope between the buildings.
Eating: the upper part of Val Claret has around half a dozen good restaurants, particularly recommended are; L’Armoise and Le Grattalu. Raclette (huge lump of cheese that you cook at the table and scrape melted loveliness on to your plate), Tartiflette (potato, ham and cheese deliciousness) and Fondu (super-tasy melted cheese and wine that you dunk stale bread into) are all well washed down with a Genepy, or two (local herb alcohol). In Le Lac Bagus Cafe does a decent Pierade too (hot stone that you cook scrumptious meats on). There are a couple of good affordable lunch options down near Rond Pont Des Pistes (by the lifts) Aspen Cafe does huge portions at good prices; if it’s clear check out SnowFood, the hut outside Aspen.
Bars/Nightclubs: we recommend La Couloir best for apres-ski drinks (and they have a telly if you want to watch football or rugby); Arobaze for wifi and house music; Le Melting Pot and Blue Girl Discothèque providing late night options in Val Claret. There are more places in Le Lac too, including Jack’s Bowling alley.
Cashpoints: there are three in Val Claret, one is in the corner of the courtyard between shops (opposite Black Cats and Le Couloir), the second is in a small shopping arcade (near to the Tabac and Cheese shop), the third is at Rond Pont Des Pistes in the lower area near the lifts (on the same block as the toilets).
Pharmacy: there is a pharmacy between the Tabac and the Interhome office.
Nearest fuel: in Le Lac by the mini roundabout, it is more expensive than down in Bourg St Maurice (45 mins away). | {
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We sat and talked until the night,Descending, filled the little room;Our faces faded from the sight,Our voices only broke the gloom.
We spake of many a vanished scene,Of what we once had thought and said,Of what had been, and might have been,And who was changed, and who was dead;
And all that fills the hearts of friends,When first they feel, with secret pain,Their lives thenceforth have separate ends,And never can be one again;
The first slight swerving of the heart,That words are powerless to express,And leave it still unsaid in part,Or say it in too great excess.
The very tones in which we spakeHad something strange, I could but mark;The leaves of memory seemed to makeA mournful rustling in the dark.
Oft died the words upon our lips,As suddenly, from out the fireBuilt of the wreck of stranded ships,The flames would leap and then expire.
And, as their splendor flashed and failed,We thought of wrecks upon the main,Of ships dismasted, that were hailedAnd sent no answer back again.
The windows, rattling in their frames,The ocean, roaring up the beach,The gusty blast, the bickering flames,All mingled vaguely in our speech;
Until they made themselves a partOf fancies floating through the brain,The long-lost ventures of the heart,That send no answers back again.
O flames that glowed! O hearts that yearned!They were indeed too much akin,The drift-wood fire without that burned,The thoughts that burned and glowed within.
The Fire of Drift WoodHenry Wadsworth Longfellow
The Fire of Drift-Wood poemHenry Wadsworth Longfellow
A poem can paint a thousand images in your mind's eye. If you enjoyed this poem and appreciated the lyrics of The Fire of Drift Wood by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow you will find even more poem lyrics by this famous author, together with their biography and picture, by simply clicking on the Poem Index link below ! | {
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The ME Association is receiving questions from people with ME/CFS and from health professionals about various aspects of XMRV blood testing here in the UK. We have therefore summarised all the relevant information that is available at present.
General Advice on XMRV blood testing:
Our general advice regarding XMRV blood testing remains as follows:
Until it has been firmly established that there is a definite link between XMRV and ME/CFS, and an accurate method of testing for the virus in blood samples has been agreed by international retrovirologists (virologists who specialise in this type of infection), there is no point in people with ME/CFS spending a large sum of money on private laboratory testing for XMRV.
This is because:
1 With only one research study so far supporting a link to ME/CFS, and three validation studies not finding any evidence of XMRV in people from Europe with ME/CFS, the link between XMRV and ME/CFS remains uncertain.
2 There is no evidence at present to show that XMRV is a disease causing virus in relation to ME/CFS, or that it causes ME/CFS.
3 Being XMRV +ve does not confirm that someone has ME/CFS - the presence of XMRV cannot therefore, in our present state of knowledge, be used as a diagnostic marker for ME/CFS.
4 Being XMRV+ve is not, at present, an indication for treatment with antiviral medication, or any other speculative prescription-only medication. Antiviral drugs such as AZT can have serious side-effects (including development of myopathy and neuropathy - muscle and nerve damage) and given the fact that the NICE guideline on ME/CFS states that antiviral medication should not be prescribed in ME/CFS, doctors in the UK are unlikely to be willing to prescribe antiviral medication in the current state of uncertainty.
5 The current methods for testing for XMRV may be producing either false positive results or false negative results. The accuracy of commercial testing has not been properly validated.
6 Individual counselling and medical advice should be available to people who take an XMRV test - in exactly the same way that it is given to people before and after taking an HIV test. In the case of commercial XMRV testing, this sort of advice does not appear to be available in the private sector. From the ethical point of view, the availability of informed medical input also apply to research studies if the XMRV result is going to be given to the people involved.
There are further XMRV research studies in progress in Australia, Europe and the USA, and the results will be gradually appearing over the coming months. Hopefully, a clearer picture will have emerged by the end of the year as to whether XMRV is linked to ME/CFS. If this is the case then further research will then need to examine whether the virus is actually involved in causing symptoms in ME/CFS (it may just be a harmless passenger) and whether appropriate antiviral medication needs to be assessed in clinical trials.
XMRV testing: NHS and Private
Testing for XMRV is not available on the NHS and we are not aware of any private UK pathology labs who are testing for this virus, or have the expertise to do so. So the only way to get an XMRV test is to send a blood sample to an overseas laboratory. Further information on the availability of overseas XMRV testing can be found here: http://www.xmrvtesting.co.uk/
One of the commercial laboratories in the US that has been offering XMRV blood tests has now withdrawn this facility until the scientific controversy surrounding XMRV and ME/CFS has been resolved >>http://www.codiagnostics.com/XMRV/diseases.php
Extract from the codiagnostics statement on XMRV:
While XMRV is an infectious retrovirus and will certainly impact the medical community, people with CFS may be better served by waiting for further studies connecting XMRV to CFS prior to investing in a diagnostic. Those who choose to be tested anyway should understand that any testing at this point is research only in aiding to establish the actual prevalence of the virus in the CFS community. Until the scientific controversy surrounding XMRV is resolved, Cooperative Diagnostics has removed its test from the market and will participate in research only.
What should people in the UK do if a blood test shows that they are XMRV +ve?
If you have been informed that as a result of a blood test you are XMRV +ve, this result should be discussed with your GP and/or ME/CFS specialist. The ME Association cannot provide individual advice on lifestyle or drug management in this situation. This has to be a decision for you and your medical adviser.
Retesting XMRV status in the UK
The MEA believes that a small but important part of further research into a possible link between XMRV and ME/CFS is to retest anyone who has sent blood to the US. This process would involve retesting at one of the retroviriology laboratories here in the UK that has been unable to find any evidence of XMRV in the blood samples they have analysed so far. We know that the UK research groups would be willing to do this retesting but this research can only move forward if people are willing to volunteer. The MEA Ramsay Research Fund is willing to assist with the funding of this research.
We have also indicated that all the research groups that have published positive and negative findings on XMRV so far should now test a new cohort of mutually agreed ME/CFS patients. We will then know whether there is agreement or disagreement when blood samples from the same cohort of people with ME/CFS are simultaneously tested. The MEA Ramsay Research Fund would again be willing to help fund a well designed study.
Blood donation and XMRV status
The ME Association has written to Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer, to ask him to reconsider the current advice on blood donation and ME/CFS so that people with a past history of ME/CFS are also excluded from donating blood. The position, at present, remains unchanged in that people with ME/CFS should not donate blood until they have fully recovered. This official advice goes back some time and is not related to XMRV.
Summary of current advice regarding blood donation can be found here:
Most recent statement on the blood donation situation in Canada:
Possible consequences of being XMRV +ve
We have been asked whether insurance companies and others will be placing restrictions on people who are XMRV +ve in the way that this sort of discrimination can take place with people who are HIV+ve. At present, we are not aware of any insurance companies that have introduced any such restrictions, or are intending to do so in the near future. But this is clearly something people will need to think about if they are considering having an XMRV blood test. Remember the relevant question may be whether you have been tested for HIV (or XMRV) and not whether the result is in your medical notes.
It should also be noted that the exact mode of transmission of this retrovirus remains uncertain. If XMRV does turn out to be a disease causing virus similar to HIV, and can be transmitted in a similar way through body fluids, then people who turn out to be XMRV+ will obviously have to take the same precautions in relation to lifestyle, sexual relations etc that apply to HIV. They will also have to cope with some of the restrictions that may occur as a result.
The MEA believes that a small but important part of further research into a possible link between XMRV and ME/CFS is to retest anyone who has sent blood to the US. This process would involve retesting at one of the retroviriology laboratories here in the UK
Click to expand...
does this mean if your in the current UK XMRV study, you will need to be re-tested in the UK?
The MEA believes that a small but important part of further research into a possible link between XMRV and ME/CFS is to retest anyone who has sent blood to the US. This process would involve retesting at one of the retroviriology laboratories here in the UK that has been unable to find any evidence of XMRV in the blood samples they have analysed so far. We know that the UK research groups would be willing to do this retesting but this research can only move forward if people are willing to volunteer. The MEA Ramsay Research Fund is willing to assist with the funding of this research.
We have also indicated that all the research groups that have published positive and negative findings on XMRV so far should now test a new cohort of mutually agreed ME/CFS patients. We will then know whether there is agreement or disagreement when blood samples from the same cohort of people with ME/CFS are simultaneously tested. The MEA Ramsay Research Fund would again be willing to help fund a well designed study.
Click to expand...
Anyone any comment on the rationale of this statement by Charles Sheppard given that this sample swapping/agreed cohort study is aleady underway in the US with six labs participating. Is Sheppard saying, well we still need to do the same here to validate what the US is doing or that if we do it in UK it will further support the case for XMRV in CFS.
Personally, whilst I agree with some of the points he made I found the general tone to be negative.
This article is insensitive to how sick many people are and how much people are suffering. Dr. Shepherd should know that the Hell of ME/CFS is worse than the problems of those being treated for a retrovirus.
2 There is no evidence at present to show that XMRV is a disease causing virus in relation to ME/CFS, or that it causes ME/CFS.
Then why write to Liam Donaldson asking that ME sufferers/past sufferers are not allowed to give blood.
3 Being XMRV +ve does not confirm that someone has ME/CFS - the presence of XMRV cannot therefore, in our present state of knowledge, be used as a diagnostic marker for ME/CFS.
Unless a person has previously been diagnosed with ME?
4 Being XMRV+ve is not, at present, an indication for treatment with antiviral medication, or any other speculative prescription-only medication. Antiviral drugs such as AZT can have serious side-effects (including development of myopathy and neuropathy - muscle and nerve damage) and given the fact that the NICE guideline on ME/CFS states that antiviral medication should not be prescribed in ME/CFS, doctors in the UK are unlikely to be willing to prescribe antiviral medication in the current state of uncertainty.
So why not write to Liam Donaldson and ask that he reviews this immediately.
5 The current methods for testing for XMRV may be producing either false positive results or false negative results. The accuracy of commercial testing has not been properly validated.
Nothing like being positive Charles, give us a couple of months.
6 Individual counselling and medical advice should be available to people who take an XMRV test - in exactly the same way that it is given to people before and after taking an HIV test. In the case of commercial XMRV testing, this sort of advice does not appear to be available in the private sector. From the ethical point of view, the availability of informed medical input also apply to research studies if the XMRV result is going to be given to the people involved.
But it doesn't exist does it?
There are further XMRV research studies in progress in Australia, Europe and the USA, and the results will be gradually appearing over the coming months. Hopefully, a clearer picture will have emerged by the end of the year as to whether XMRV is linked to ME/CFS. If this is the case then further research will then need to examine whether the virus is actually involved in causing symptoms in ME/CFS (it may just be a harmless passenger) and whether appropriate antiviral medication needs to be assessed in clinical trials.
So we'll still need further research because we can't trust those pesky Australians,Americans or other Europeans. Give me strength someone please.
Testing for XMRV is not available on the NHS and we are not aware of any private UK pathology labs who are testing for this virus, or have the expertise to do so. So the only way to get an XMRV test is to send a blood sample to an overseas laboratory. Further information on the availability of overseas XMRV testing can be found here: http://www.xmrvtesting.co.uk/
Glad he's acknowledged that no-one here has the expertise
One of the commercial laboratories in the US that has been offering XMRV blood tests has now withdrawn this facility until the scientific controversy surrounding XMRV and ME/CFS has been resolved >>http://www.codiagnostics.com/XMRV/diseases.php
Extract from the codiagnostics statement on XMRV:
While XMRV is an infectious retrovirus and will certainly impact the medical community, people with CFS may be better served by waiting for further studies connecting XMRV to CFS prior to investing in a diagnostic. Those who choose to be tested anyway should understand that any testing at this point is research only in aiding to establish the actual prevalence of the virus in the CFS community. Until the scientific controversy surrounding XMRV is resolved, Cooperative Diagnostics has removed its test from the market and will participate in research only.
Why give such prominence to Co/Diagnostics? [/I
]What should people in the UK do if a blood test shows that they are XMRV +ve?
If you have been informed that as a result of a blood test you are XMRV +ve, this result should be discussed with your GP and/or ME/CFS specialist. The ME Association cannot provide individual advice on lifestyle or drug management in this situation. This has to be a decision for you and your medical adviser.
Your GP?!!! [/B
Retesting XMRV status in the UK
The MEA believes that a small but important part of further research into a possible link between XMRV and ME/CFS is to retest anyone who has sent blood to the US. This process would involve retesting at one of the retroviriology laboratories here in the UK that has been unable to find any evidence of XMRV in the blood samples they have analysed so far. We know that the UK research groups would be willing to do this retesting but this research can only move forward if people are willing to volunteer. The MEA Ramsay Research Fund is willing to assist with the funding of this research.
We have also indicated that all the research groups that have published positive and negative findings on XMRV so far should now test a new cohort of mutually agreed ME/CFS patients. We will then know whether there is agreement or disagreement when blood samples from the same cohort of people with ME/CFS are simultaneously tested. The MEA Ramsay Research Fund would again be willing to help fund a well designed study.
We'd really like to get out hands on you.
Blood donation and XMRV status
The ME Association has written to Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer, to ask him to reconsider the current advice on blood donation and ME/CFS so that people with a past history of ME/CFS are also excluded from donating blood. The position, at present, remains unchanged in that people with ME/CFS should not donate blood until they have fully recovered. This official advice goes back some time and is not related to XMRV.
[Summary of current advice regarding blood donation can be found here:
Most recent statement on the blood donation situation in Canada:
Possible consequences of being XMRV +ve
We have been asked whether insurance companies and others will be placing restrictions on people who are XMRV +ve in the way that this sort of discrimination can take place with people who are HIV+ve. At present, we are not aware of any insurance companies that have introduced any such restrictions, or are intending to do so in the near future. But this is clearly something people will need to think about if they are considering having an XMRV blood test. Remember the relevant question may be whether you have been tested for HIV (or XMRV) and not whether the result is in your medical notes.
Bet your life the insurance companies act before this gov't does, another reason to have the test done privately, initially?
Do you think he needed superglue to help him balance on that fence. What use is he really? This is typical of a UK doctor trying not to offend the establishment whilst trying to seem understanding of ME patients. He fails on both counts.
Nice posts VDT and MaryB. Glad it is not just me thinking 'Geez, can't he at least appear a little bit upbeat about XMRV?'
Obviously not.
Picture this; Informing your GP you are XMRV +.
'Well Adam that's very interesting news, you are XMRV positive are you and your are sure about that are you?'
'Positive I'm positive doctor. It says so on this letter here'.
Adam passes letter to doctor to read, whilst thinking; I won't bother explaining the ins and outs of false positives, the nuisances of PCR testing methods etc. Can't expect my GP to be clued up on that sort of research.
Retesting in the UK would be opening a can of worms. 2 UK studies have shown they can't find XMRV. Scientists in UK will have to prove they know how to find
XMRV before I would trust them with my blood in my opinion. The investigators would have to admit where they have faulted and write to the journal where they have published. Otherwise it would be like allowing Cooperative Diagnosis to do a replication study.
The MEA believes that a small but important part of further research into a possible link between XMRV and ME/CFS is to retest anyone who has sent blood to the US. This process would involve retesting at one of the retroviriology laboratories here in the UK that has been unable to find any evidence of XMRV in the blood samples they have analysed so far. We know that the UK research groups would be willing to do this retesting but this research can only move forward if people are willing to volunteer.
Click to expand...
Until those UK retrovirology labs have had their OWN methodologies validated, there is no point sending patient blood to them, as Kati said. The WPI has offered ICL a chance to at least begin to do that, but more work would be necessary.
Strange that Shepherd says VIPdx's commercial test "has not been validated" because: (1) it has been, to a significant degree; it is basically the same methodology used in the WPI study which was validated by the NCI and the Cleveland Clinic.. granted, that was small-scale validation within a study, but it did involve other laboratories, and (2) none of the methodologies used by those UK labs have been validated at ALL.
Nice posts VDT and MaryB. Glad it is not just me thinking 'Geez, can't he at least appear a little bit upbeat about XMRV?'
Obviously not.
Picture this; Informing your GP you are XMRV +.
'Well Adam that's very interesting news, you are XMRV positive are you and your are sure about that are you?'
'Positive I'm positive doctor. It says so on this letter here'.
Adam passes letter to doctor to read, whilst thinking; I won't bother explaining the ins and outs of false positives, the nuisances of PCR testing methods etc. Can't expect my GP to be clued up on that sort of research.
Until those UK retrovirology labs have had their OWN methodologies validated, there is no point sending patient blood to them, as Kati said. The WPI has offered ICL a chance to at least begin to do that, but more work would be necessary.
Strange that Shepherd says VIPdx's commercial test "has not been validated" because: (1) it has been, to a significant degree; it is basically the same methodology used in the WPI study which was validated by the NCI and the Cleveland Clinic.. granted, that was small-scale validation within a study, but it did involve other laboratories, and (2) none of the methodologies used by those UK labs have been validated at ALL.
I totally agree with the point most people have made about the MEA's stance being way too negative. What i would also say, in Charles Shepherd's defence, is that alot of that content was written months ago and has not been fully updated to take into account more recent developments.
Charles did a bbc midlands radio interview on 31st march and it was far more upbeat and encouraging about xmrv. He mentioned some of the recent drug studies that have been shown to be effective against xmrv infection and was overall far more positive than this write up suggests. I dont think he gets paid to advise the MEA either so probably hasnt been pushed too hard to give this entire piece a much needed revision.
At this point, I think it makes sense for advocacy groups to stay cautious about XMRV. It will leave them in a stronger position if XMRV does not work out, and if it does, that will be such a significant change for all of us that their earlier caution will be quite by the by.
If we really are close to finding the almost all CFS patients are suffering from a retrovirus rarely found in the general population, this is going to be such a breakthrough that what is meant by 'CFS advocacy' will be changed overnight. At the moment though, I'm still concerned about what will happen if XMRV doesn't work out, and think CFS/ME groups need to be preparing for this too.
At this point, I think it makes sense for advocacy groups to stay cautious about XMRV. It will leave them in a stronger position if XMRV does not work out, and if it does, that will be such a significant change for all of us that their earlier caution will be quite by the by.
If we really are close to finding the almost all CFS patients are suffering from a retrovirus rarely found in the general population, this is going to be such a breakthrough that what is meant by 'CFS advocacy' will be changed overnight. At the moment though, I'm still concerned about what will happen if XMRV doesn't work out, and think CFS/ME groups need to be preparing for this too.
Click to expand...
I agree, Esther.
We can't and shouldn't speculate on stuff we don't know. We should just reflect that research momentum is gathering, and this is all good. We should see ourselves in a win-win position not "lose" should xmrv not hold up. Even if it does, it doesn't look like it will be a straightforward model, so will take time to understand transmission, asymtomatics, progression, treatment etc.
There is also the possibility of identification of ME subsets (eg. with and without xmrv), as has been noted elsewhere before, and this has obvious implications for advocacy too.
"The MEA believes that a small but important part of further research into a possible link between XMRV and ME/CFS is to retest anyone who has sent blood to the US. This process would involve retesting at one of the retroviriology laboratories here in the UK that has been unable to find any evidence of XMRV in the blood samples they have analysed so far. We know that the UK research groups would be willing to do this retesting but this research can only move forward if people are willing to volunteer. The MEA Ramsay Research Fund is willing to assist with the funding of this research."
Why does he want to put XMRV +ve through testing in this proposed UK Ramsey trial when the UK scientist presumeably he will be using have been "unable to find any evidence of XMRV in blood samples they have analysed so far" bearing in mind Annette Whittemore's letter. Where is the integrity? If the UK Scientists really do want to find the truth of XMRV surely it is far more important to work WITH the WPI as opposed to against them to see why their testing is not producing the same results....not just carry on testing positive bloods..he can get those samples from the WPI but he just has to ask for them which they would do if they were being rational. Why would anyone who is XMRV +ve put themselves in the position of being 'used' by the UK scientists. I firmly believe that the best way that XMRV +ve people in the UK can help to get to the truth of XMRV and help other sufferers with ME/CFS in the UK is NOT to donate blood towards this, if the UK scientists do not have UK positive blood they cannot do the science and therefore will not be part of the whole XMRV story. If they do seriously want to be part of the XMRV story then they will have to work with the WPI....and they would do this if they were seriously trying to ascertain why their testing isn't working.
Why does he want to put XMRV +ve through testing in this proposed UK Ramsey trial when the UK scientist presumeably he will be using have been "unable to find any evidence of XMRV in blood samples they have analysed so far" bearing in mind Annette Whittemore's letter. Where is the integrity?
I see your point Fred, but what i was hinting towards, and admittedly i may not have been all that clear about, is that there is probably a considerable difference between what Charles Shepherd currently thinks in terms of XMRV and what the MEA will allow him to say in terms of the content of his statements that are made on their behalf.
I expect he very much has to have has his nhs hat on there, and because of that he will probably be restricted to using just the research papers that have been published (most of which have been negative).
Have you have seen the previous statements on XMRV from the MEA? This will be about the fifth one i think, and a lot of the old points made months ago seem to always get repeated. So i kind of get a different perpective than someone who is maybe reading his statement for the first time, possibly thinking everything that he is saying is fresh and new. | {
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ANA readies fleet as Japan OKs 787 flights
All Nippon Airways is preparing to return its fleet of 787s to commercial service after Japanese aviation officials signed off Friday on Boeing's redesigned battery system. The Dreamliner launch customer, however, won't rush the 787s back into service after a three-month grounding, ANA President Osamu Shinobe indicated in a statement. While the airline is "pleased" Japanese and U.S. aviation officials are satisfied with the battery fix, ANA will fly passengers on 787s "only when we are fully satisfied with the safety of our 787 fleet," he said. After a battery failed, an ANA 787 made an emergency landing in Japan on Jan. 15. It was the second battery failure in a 787 within two weeks, prompting aviation officials in Japan and the United States to ground the Dreamliner fleet. ANA had 17 Boeing 787s at time of the grounding. The Federal Aviation Administration approved Boeing's new lithium-ion battery system last Friday and officially lifted the 787's grounding on Thursday. ANA worked with Boeing during the investigation of the battery failure in Japan. The airline also verified Boeing's proposed modification by working independently of the jet maker with 10 companies and research facilities in Japan, the airline said in a statement on its website. Five Boeing teams are working with ANA to modify the fleet of 787s. Each modification takes about a week, the airline said. ANA hopes to finish modifying its fleet by the end of May. ANA plans to put every 787 through a "proving" flight to ensure the modification work properly. The first such flight is scheduled for April 28. Shinichiro Ito, chief executive officer of ANA, and Ray Conner, Boeing Commercial Airplanes President, will be on board the April 28 test flight, the airline said in a statement today. To re-familiarize ANA pilots with the 787, the airline will conduct about 230 787 flights in the coming weeks. ANA did not specify when it has scheduled the 787 to return to passenger service.Bloomberg News contributed to this report.
CALENDAR
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Main navigation
This goal is a bold commitment to eradicate poverty in all forms and dimensions by 2030. This involves targeting the most vulnerable, increasing access to basic resources and services, and supporting communities affected by conflict and climate - related disasters.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to end all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030, making sure all people – especially children and the more vulnerable – have access to sufficient and nutritious food all year round. This involves promoting sustainable agricultural practices: improving the livelihoods and capacities of small scale farmers, allowing equal access to land, technology and markets. It also requires international cooperation to ensure investment in infrastructure and technology to improve agricultural productivity.
Goal 3- Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
SDG 3 aspires to ensure health and well-being for all, including a bold commitment to end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other communicable diseases by 2030. It also aims to achieve universal health coverage, and provide access to safe and effective medicines and vaccines for all. Supporting research and development for vaccines is an essential part of this process as well as expanding access to affordable medicines.
Goal 4- Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning.
This goal ensures that all girls and boys complete free primary and secondary schooling by 2030. It also aims to provide equal access to affordable vocational training, and to eliminate gender and wealth disparities with the aim of achieving universal access to a quality higher education.
Ending all forms of discrimination against women and girls is crucial accelerating sustainable development. Affording women equal rights to economic resources such as land and property are vital targets to realizing this goal. So is ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health.
To ensure universal access to safe and affordable drinking water for all by 2030, we need to invest in adequate infrastructure, provide sanitation facilities, and encourage hygiene at every level. Protecting and restoring water - related ecosystems such as forests, mountains, wetlands and rivers is essential ti mitigate water scarcity.
Goal 7- Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Ensuring universal access to affordable electricity by 2030 means investing in clean energy sources such as solar, wind and thermal. Adopting cost-effective standards for a wider range of technologies could also reduce the global electricity consumption by buildings and industry by 14 percent. This means avoiding roughly 1,300 mid-size power plants. Expanding infrastructure and upgrading technology to provide clean energy sources in all developing countries is a crucial goal that can both encourage growth and help the environment.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to encourage sustained economic growth by achieving higher levels of productivity and through technological innovation. Promoting policies that encourage entrepreneurship and job creation are key to this, as are effective measures to eradicate forced labour, slavery and human trafficking. With these targets in mind, the goal is to achieve full and productive employment, and decent work, for all women and men by 2030.
This goal aims to promote sustainable industries, and invest in scientific research and innovation to facilitate sustainable development. Technological progress is also key to finding lasting solutions to both economic and environmental challenges, such as providing new jobs and promoting energy efficiency.
Income inequality is a global problem that requires global solutions. This involves improving the regulation and monitoring of financial markets and institutions, encouraging development assistance and foreign direct investment to regions where the need is greatest. Facilitating the safe migration and mobility of people is also key to bridging the widening divide. | {
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Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Screaming Savior - Infinity (2012)
As we reach out to the evil shadows of Shanghai, China, we come across a vicious symphonic black metal band called Screaming Savior. The extreme metal group has recently released their newest album, entitled “Infinity.” The album is ten tracks long and is filled with wicked growls, gorgeous orchestration, and pulverizing drum rolls. The speed of the double bass pedals alone will make your ears bleed.
The album opens with the intro track, entitled “Derivation,” which is sounds like it came straight out of the score from the movie “Dark Knight.” Keyboards and strings slowly surround you with eerie tones pulling you closer into the album. Blaring distorted guitars open up in “Star Of Fatality.” A huge wave of fast pace guitar riffs blast away as double bass pedals rumble violently beneath you. You wont know if you should mosh and just bash your head to the rhythm. Demonic black metal vocals entire in the verses with aggressiveness and power. They also manage to add some screeching violins in the background add a haunting sound to the track. They cry with eerie tones as more evil growls come through and knock you on your ass. Devilish laughter echoes through the end of the track leaving a chill down your spine.
They continue with more beastly beatings in “Sanguinary Salvation.” The vocals are delivered perfectly as you’re hit with wretched words in such a demonic manor. Later you’re introduced to ravishing piano riffs that will take your breath away with its wild range of reckless notes that run up and down the scales beautifully. The guitars follow the melodies to a tee. Meanwhile you’ll also run into uncomfortable shouting lyrics that sound like someone is dying a slow death. Between this and the harsh growls, you’ll be completely swept off your feet. It’s songs like this and “Ocean Of Asura” where the orchestration floats perfectly in the background to where you hardly even notice it. But when you do, its angelic strings will consume you in darkness as monstrous guitar riffs come in and destroy you.
If you like incredibly fast double bass pedal drumming then make sure you check out “Nacha The Demon”. It sends mind blowing bass pedals with detailed fills and rolls from all angles knock you to the floor again and again. Shattering cymbals collide with deafening snares and toms leaving you beaten and bloody. The good news is, you get a short breather with following track “Pray To The Chthonic.” This track contains some gorgeous female humming melodies along with soft soothing strings. Things do become more heavier towards the middle of the two and a half minutes track as slow booming drums begin to rumble as heavily distorted guitars chug away behind them. Eventually you are with more devilish growls. This is the closest thing to a ballad that you’re gonna get from these guys so enjoy it. They definitely show a lot of emotion in the song even though aggressive lyrics are aimed at you towards the end.
If there is one track on this album you do not want to miss it’s “Ode To The Expedition.” The band shows a lighter, more epic side to themselves as high spirited horns open the track with catchy melodies. These horns carry throughout the track as the devilish vocals come through and rip you a new one. Although there are plenty of vicious guitar riffs and exploding double bass pedal drumming, they also throw in some amazingly catchy violin parts that’ll have you up and dancing like you’re doing an Irish jig. They definitely hold some folk like melodies in this one. This is a great all around track that anyone can connect to. It’s got elements for everyone to enjoy and still continues to stay extreme at the same time. Even “Curse Of Dreamland” has some folk parts in it with acoustic guitars and a change up in vocals. Yes that’s right, they add a little clean singing in this one which really takes you by surprise. This is perfectly story telling music that has orchestrated tones that remind you of a score from an adventure movie. They manage to balance out the aggressive guitars and drums with the soothing strings and soft violins and keyboards perfectly. You’re definitely gonna want to replay this track a few times.
For being such a young band, Screaming Savior has definitely stepped up and proven that they are for real. “Infinity” is only their second full length album so clearly they have constantly been busy writing such fantastic and detailed work. This album is an album that you can listen to from beginning to end and not have to skip any tracks. They leave you wanting more that’s for sure. | {
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Turn your stale Super Bowl spread into a Veggie Bowl victory
Super Bowl Sunday. It’s typically a day packed with buffalo wings, burgers, hoagies, cheese steaks and a myriad other meat-filled options. But what do you do when you’re entertaining a group that includes vegetarians? Or if you’re a vegetarian, what do you do when you’re entertaining a group of carnivores?
For many vegetarians, their options will be limited to chip dips and veggie trays. But it doesn’t need to be that way.
“I think what happens is that we get people together, and we tend to rely on the same things year after year,” says Kim O’Donnel, author of cookbooks “The Meat Lover’s Meatless Celebrations” and “The Meat Lover’s Meatless Cookbook.” “It’s automatically, chicken wings or a big pepperoni pizza or big hoagies.”
So what, then, are the alternatives? Because, she says, “It needs to feel satisfying. Putting out a veggie platter isn’t going to cut it.”
The answer, O’Donnel says, lies with umami.
A Japanese word meaning “a savory taste,” umami is one of the five tastes humans experience (sweet, sour, bitter and salty being the others).
“It is the mouth-coding, lingering finish that automatically happens when you eat meat,” O’Donnel says. “It makes you want to smack your lips.”
So while most hosts will head for a simple veggie tray or some kind of pre-packaged, processed faux meat product when faced with the task of appeasing meat-eaters, O’Donnel, a trained chef, is not one of them.
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“Why should we pretend that we’re eating meat?” she asks. “Let’s explore the wonderful world of plants. My whole goal has been, how can I show my meat-loving brethren that vegetarian food is not rabbit food without doing the fake meat route.”
There are ways to coax that umami out of non-meat foods, it just requires a little more work. Some vegetarian items that are particularly high in that umami quotient, O’Donnel says, are mushrooms, smoked paprika, soy sauce, black-eyed peas, roasted vegetables and smoked cheeses.
"The Meat Lover s Meatless Celebrations, by Kim O'Donnel. (Alex)
“Adding that layer of umami to vegetarian and vegan food makes things really savory and delicious, and that’s what helps you forget you’re not eating meat,” she says. “And then, of course, it’s texture. Combining the two, you can make some beautiful, really delicious food.
Lest you think O’Donnel is a vegetarian trying to push the cause for “weird hippie fare” down your throats, think again. Once a daily meat-eater, she says she’s now “70 percent vegetarian.” A former Washington Post columnist, she was one of the first bloggers to pioneer “Meatless Mondays,” offering her readers a meatless recipe every Monday.
“That’s what fueled the fire for my first book,” O’Donnel says. “I got my husband on board. We were both pretty big meat-eaters, and the incremental approach has really worked for us -- a new normal. Now we’re both eating meat a few times a week every day.
“I think you’re going to see more and more meat eaters scaling back, whether it costs too much, whether they’re learning about the environmental impact, all those kinds of things.”
O’Donnel’s latest book, “The Meat Lover’s Meatless Celebrations,” which features a complete Super Bowl menu, and she was kind enough to share an excerpt with us.
“Otherwise known as Men In Tights Day, in KOD land. I don’t know a touchdown from an offsides, but I do know something about television marathon-worthy chow. This year, we’re gonna let go of the chicken wings; I promise it won’t hurt. The plan I’ve cooked up isn’t just leaner on the jeans; it’s downright lip-smacking. The meatball sub — made from lentils — has all the flavor notes of an old-school Italian-American meatball. Tuck it into a bun with some marinara sauce, and you’ve got a champion in your own two hands. Lest you think the quinoa brownies are for the bake sale set, one bite and you’ll be wondering where they’ve been all your life. P.S.: This could do a delicious double-duty during NCAA’s tournament “March Madness.”
LIGHTENED-UP OLD-SCHOOL ONION DIP
I can still see the envelope of onion soup mix that my mother would sprinkle over sour cream, pour into a pretty little bowl, and serve with waffle-style potato chips for her bridge club gals. That memory is etched right around 1975. You, too?
As much as I love an occasional dip-and-chip indulgence, the formula of yesteryear inevitably has me scrambling for a pitcher of water (those seasoning packets can be extraordinarily salty and contain a slew of preservatives better left alone). Enter: a spice blend with stuff from the cupboard (and not the lab) and a mess of caramelized onions doing some magic on Greek yogurt (the lightened-up piece of this recipe).
Kitchen notes: Greek yogurt, which is becoming increasingly available in conventional supermarkets, is super creamy and my preference here. If it’s just not available in your neck of the woods, don’t fret; place a metal sieve over a bowl and pour plain yogurt into the sieve, letting it drain for 30 minutes or so. Although not a deal breaker, the nonfat version is less creamy than its 2 percent or fuller-fat “traditional” counterparts.
Here's what you do:
Over medium-high heat, heat the oil in a 10- or 12-inch cast-iron (or equally heavy) skillet and add the onion slices. Using tongs, turn the onion to coat with the oil. Lower the heat to low and cook, stirring regularly, until the onion is jamlike and caramelized, about 45 minutes. Be careful not to burn.
Season with the salt and pepper to taste and transfer the onion jam to a small bowl. Cover and place in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Transfer the chilled onion jam to the bowl of a food processor and puree. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
The flavors mellow and deepen with time. The dip keeps for 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Makes a scant 3 cups dip.
---
LENTIL MEATBALL SUB WITH MARINARA
It started as a daydream. There’s a guy, let’s call him Luigi, hovering over a cast-iron skillet, delicately turning golf ball-size polpettine, the Italian approximation of meat balls, with Dean Martin’s “That’s Amore” playing on the radio. He’s just poured himself a glass of Valpolicella. My mind’s eye zooms in on the scene, and I notice that these little brown morsels happily dancing in olive oil are not the stuff of pork or veal — but of lentils. I watch how they get golden and even a little crispy. Luigi ladles some tomato “gravy” into a bowl, then he places a few balls on top. The only thing that’s missing is a red checkered tablecloth.
Kitchen notes: Both the lentils and rice must be completely cooled before mixing together and shaping into balls; otherwise you’ll have a goopy, unworkable mess on your hands. You’ll need about an hour of advance prep time before the meatball assembly can commence. The balls can be assembled in advance and cooked when ready to serve, as can the sauce. The recipe yields 26 to 30 meatballs, which make 6 to 8 ample servings. It is important to note that the balls are more delicate compared to their meaty counterparts, and care should be given when frying.
Don’t sweat it if you’re not in the mood to make your own marinara. Should you choose something off the supermarket shelf, choose a brand with as little sugar, salt, and fillers as possible.
Try these in a bowl for a sit-down supper or as a “meatball sub,” perfect chow for watching men in tights on television. For a cheesy topper, I recommend having some sharp provolone or cheddar on hand.
Here's what you do:
Cook the rice: Bring 3/4 cup of the water to a boil, then add the rice. Return to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Off the heat, keep the rice covered for 5 minutes. Measure out 1/2 cup of the cooked rice and transfer to a baking sheet or plate to cool completely. Refrigerate the remaining 1 cup of rice for another use.
While the rice is cooking, prepare the lentils: Place the lentils in a large saucepan, along with the 2 whole garlic cloves and the remaining 6 cups of water. Over high heat, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium. Cook the lentils until tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Drain thoroughly so that the lentils are dry. Allow to cool completely.
While the lentils cook, prepare the marinara sauce: In a medium-size saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat, then add 1/4 cup of the onion and the 3 minced garlic cloves, cooking until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of the dried oregano and stir occasionally to minimize sticking.
Add the tomato puree and stir to combine the mixture. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the sauce can simmer. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve. (For prepared marinara sauce, heat until warmed through over medium heat, cover, and keep warm on low heat.)
Place the cooled lentils and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the lentils are mashed. (No food processor? Use a handheld potato masher.) Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, then add the cooled rice, the remaining 1/2 cup of onion, the remaining 2 teaspoons of oregano, and the grated cheese, salt, black pepper, bread crumbs, and egg.
With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir the mixture until well mixed.
Using a 1/8-cup measure, shape into balls. They will be slightly sticky to the touch. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Over medium-high heat, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a 10- or 12-inch skillet until the oil shimmers. Gently lower the balls into the hot oil, cooking in batches and making sure not to crowd the pan, as they are somewhat delicate and benefit from space. Lower the heat to medium and pan fry on first side for about 3 minutes. Turn (or gently nudge) to second side and cook for 2 minutes.
Transfer the first batch to a baking sheet. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil to the skillet for subsequent batches and cook in the same manner. Transfer the balls to the oven to finish cooking, about 5 minutes; the balls will still be somewhat soft to the touch but will have dried out a bit and will have a slightly crispy coating.
To keep the balls warm while you prepare the broccoli rabe, lower the oven temperature to 225 degrees F.
---
QUINOA-WALNUT BROWNIES
Cakey this brownie is not; it’s fudgy-wudgy all the way. It also happens to be gluten-free: the fl our stand-in is quinoa ground in an electric coffee grinder. The slight graininess doesn’t distract; rather, it teams up with the chopped walnuts to create a toothsome texture. They are, if I may say so, the cat’s pajamas.
Kitchen notes: Quinoa comes in shades of beige, red, and black, and a mélange of all three, sold as “rainbow quinoa.” They work equally well, but the beige yields the finest, powdery texture of all. Use what is available. For these brownies use quinoa that’s been rinsed before packaging. Ancient Harvest, Bob’s Red Mill, Earthly Delights, and Eden Foods all sell rinsed quinoa, as stated on their labels.
Here's what you do:
Grease a baking pan and line with parchment paper with a few inches of overhang so you can easily remove brownies after baking. Grind the quinoa in a coffee or spice grinder until it looks powdery, like flour.
Transfer to a small bowl and add the salt and the baking powder. Pour a few inches of water into a medium-size saucepan and place a metal bowl that fits snugly on top, yet without touching the water, to make a double boiler. Place all of the chocolate and the butter in the bowl and melt over medium-low heat. As the mixture melts, the chocolate will take on a glossy sheen. With a heatproof rubber spatula, gently scrape the sides of the bowl and stir. When the mixture is completely melted, it will be shiny and smooth.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the sugar and vanilla, followed by the eggs, one at a time. Switch to a wooden spoon or rubber stirring spatula, and stir in the quinoa mixture until well incorporated.
Stir in the walnuts until evenly distributed. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and place on a baking sheet.
Bake on the middle rack for 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out with a small amount of residue. You are looking for a fudgy crumb and overbaking will yield a dry result.
Transfer the pan to a rack and allow to cool completely, at least 1 hour. Using the parchment overhang, remove the brownies from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Remove the parchment. If the brownies are still even a little bit warm, expect some breakage. Slice and serve.
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Power
and Precision is a stand-alone statistical power analysis software package that is
used for the calculation of a sample size for a planned study.
The program features an unusually clear interface, and many tools
to assist the user in developing an understanding of power analysis.
It incorporates the ability to create tables, graphs, and reports
with a single click.
Because with this program:
The interface is a pleasure.
The report is both detailed and clear.
The table and graphs are created effortlessly, and they get it
exactly right. | {
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} |
360║ area LED candle light
Separate LED and speaker controls
Whether you're indoors or out, the Heartland wireless speaker was designed to blend beautifully into your home environment. It provides the perfect combination of excellent sound quality and clean design so you can enjoy your music in style. The speaker adds acoustic flare with 4-watt sound. The LED candlelight will set a calming and cozy mood wherever you take it. Its compact design is perfect for indoor use in the living room or kitchen, but is durable enough to stand up to the outdoors on a patio or next to the pool. The speaker's built-in rechargeable battery offers up to 12 hours of playback. This product epitomizes AR's philosophy of product development: close attention to design as well as performance, resulting in great wireless audio combined with elegant design that matches its surroundings. | {
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MHS Dual Enrollment (DE)
What is DE? Dual Enrollment provides High School students the opportunity to take college level coursework for credit which can be applied towards both high school and college graduation requirements. Dual enrollment students take approved college courses through approved college institutions, earning a course grade that will appear on both the college transcript and the Milton High School Transcript. The dual enrollment program covers the cost of tuition, mandatory fees, and textbooks for approved classes. Students may only have to pay course-specific fees and other fees that could be incurred (ex. late registration fee, lab fee, etc.).
Fulton County Schools has set consistent deadlines for all students who are applying to participate in the DE program. All Milton High School students must adhere to these deadlineseven though they may differ from the college deadlines (note: some college deadlines may be before FCS deadlines). For Summer or Fall DE, students must complete both the high school and college application requirements by March 31. For Spring DE, students must complete the high school and college application requirements by November 1.
Who can participate in DE?Important notice: Additional requirements may be implemented for the program year 2020-2021, effective Summer Term 2020. Updates forthcoming. See FAQs. Student Eligibility
A student must be enrolled in and physically attending a participating eligible public or private high school in Georgia or an eligible participating home study program in Georgia.
A student must be approved, by the participating high school or home study program at which he or she is enrolled, to participate in dual enrollment.
Prior to participating in Dual Enrollment, as part of the application process, the student and student’s parent/guardian must complete the Student Participation Agreement (SPA).
A student must have completed the admission process and been accepted and approved by the participating postsecondary institution.
Am I a Good Fit for DE?When considering the DE program, you should understand the characteristics of students who are successful in college classes. DE students become students of the college, not just the high school and should exhibit the following characteristics: | {
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Join me
hello & welcome
Hi, I’m Ngarie. I take photographs of happy people in love on the happiest day of their life. (I know, tough gig…).
As an award-winning photographer based in York, I cover weddings across Perth metropolitan area, South West and the Wheatbelt, of Western Australia | {
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The following article discusses the career of Policy Analyst highlighting what they do, the work environment, how to become, training and certification, education, job and salary outlook.
What We Do
As a policy analyst, you will work with both qualitative and quantitative data, which you will gather and analyze before providing a report. From this, you will come up with new policy reports that display evidence to the benefit of constituents. Additionally, you will look at legislation and policies and find out what their effects are, and also their benefits and flaws. Finally, you will work together with relevant stakeholders in order to find out what are the current needs, viewpoints and concerns.
Work Environment
Generally speaking, you will work very irregular and long hours as a policy analyst. Additionally, you will work both in the field and in offices. Hence, frequent travel is common.
How to Become
Becoming a policy analyst starts with formal education on public policy or political science. You will usually have to work for a number of years before networking yourself to higher positions.
Training & Certification Requirements
A bachelor’s degree in a field such as public policy or political science is required. Additional training in specific special interest areas may also be beneficial. Finally, you must develop a strong network in order to be able to grow into the position of policy analyst.
Education Requirements
Bachelor’s
Job Outlook
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has estimated that there will be a 2% decline in demand for all political scientists between 2014 and 2024, which is well below the national average.
National Salary
The national average salary estimate for Policy Analyst was $68,790. This number is estimated from over 2,103 employees, users past and present job advertisements from Indeed.com. This equates to an hourly salary of $35.83 and monthly of $5,733.
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Most Reported
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$17,000
$153,000
Salary Distribution
Salary by State
The following section lists Policy Analyst salaries in each state around the country. The figures are based on the total number of job postings through Indeed.com. For example, DC had the largest quoted salary of $90,325 while Nebraska had the smallest quoted salary of $27,667.
Alaska – $47,000
Rank: 49th
The average salary ranks 49th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
Alabama – $64,000
Rank: 14th
The average salary ranks 14th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
Arkansas – $50,827 (▼26% Below national average)
Rank: 11th
The average salary ranks 11th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like University of Arkansas.
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Most Reported
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$25,000
$77,000
Salary Distribution
Arizona – $57,217 (▼17% Below national average)
Rank: 45th
The average salary ranks 45th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Maricopa County and State of Arizona.
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Most Reported
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$19,000
$115,000
Salary Distribution
California – $68,670 (●Meets national average)
Rank: 8th
The average salary ranks 8th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like San Francisco Unified School District, University of California-Riverside, California State University, Monterey Bay, and The University of California.
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Most Reported
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$24,000
$136,000
Salary Distribution
Colorado – $70,392 (▲9% Above national average)
Rank: 36th
The average salary ranks 36th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Colorado Department of Human Services, Colorado Department of Personnel and Administration, State of Colorado, and MHP Salud.
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Most Reported
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$2,000
$12,000
Salary Distribution
Connecticut – $73,000
Rank: 4th
The average salary ranks 4th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
DC – $90,325 (▲31% Above national average)
Rank: 1st
The average salary ranks 1st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Department of Labor, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Energy.
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Most Reported
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$25,000
$195,000
Salary Distribution
Delaware – $56,000
Rank: 37th
The average salary ranks 37th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
Florida – $55,610 (▼19% Below national average)
Rank: 30th
The average salary ranks 30th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like MHP Salud.
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Most Reported
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$20,000
$108,000
Salary Distribution
Georgia – $56,000 (▼19% Below national average)
Rank: 5th
The average salary ranks 5th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Office of Planning and Budget.
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Most Reported
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$16,000
$120,000
Salary Distribution
Hawaii – $39,000
Rank: 52nd
The average salary ranks 52nd among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
Iowa – $62,000
Rank: 20th
The average salary ranks 20th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
Idaho – $42,000
Rank: 51st
The average salary ranks 51st among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
Illinois – $57,555 (▼16% Below national average)
Rank: 6th
The average salary ranks 6th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like HSBC.
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Most Reported
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$17,000
$120,000
Salary Distribution
Indiana – $41,159 (▼40% Below national average)
Rank: 25th
The average salary ranks 25th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like State of Indiana.
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Most Reported
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$14,000
$82,000
Salary Distribution
Kansas – $58,000
Rank: 32nd
The average salary ranks 32nd among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
Kentucky – $55,000
Rank: 41st
The average salary ranks 41st among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
Louisiana – $38,003 (▼45% Below national average)
Rank: 34th
The average salary ranks 34th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like ResCare Workforce Services.
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Most Reported
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$14,000
$101,000
Salary Distribution
Massachusetts – $71,512 (●Meets national average)
Rank: 3rd
The average salary ranks 3rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Office of the Secretary of Transportation, Department of Transportation, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and Huxley Associates.
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Most Reported
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$20,000
$152,000
Salary Distribution
Maryland – $79,068 (▲15% Above national average)
Rank: 12th
The average salary ranks 12th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like CyberCoders, State of Maryland, Ripple Effect Communications, Inc., and Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
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Most Reported
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$26,000
$159,000
Salary Distribution
Maine – $56,000
Rank: 38th
The average salary ranks 38th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
Michigan – $64,000
Rank: 15th
The average salary ranks 15th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
Minnesota – $59,010 (▼14% Below national average)
Rank: 39th
The average salary ranks 39th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like MINNESOTA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION, MN Public Utilities Commission, Minnesota Department of Human Services, and State of Minnesota.
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Most Reported
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$24,000
$109,000
Salary Distribution
Missouri – $62,000
Rank: 21st
The average salary ranks 21st among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
Mississippi – $66,000
Rank: 10th
The average salary ranks 10th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
Montana – $53,000
Rank: 43rd
The average salary ranks 43rd among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
North Carolina – $61,000
Rank: 26th
The average salary ranks 26th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
North Dakota – $56,000
Rank: 40th
The average salary ranks 40th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
Nebraska – $27,667 (▼40% Below national average)
Rank: 50th
The average salary ranks 50th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Mutual of Omaha.
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Most Reported
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$7.25
$21.65
Salary Distribution
New Hampshire – $63,000
Rank: 18th
The average salary ranks 18th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
New Jersey – $69,000
Rank: 7th
The average salary ranks 7th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
New Mexico – $55,000
Rank: 42nd
The average salary ranks 42nd among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
Nevada – $48,000
Rank: 48th
The average salary ranks 48th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
New York – $61,760 (▼10% Below national average)
Rank: 2nd
The average salary ranks 2nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Department of Mental Health and Hygiene, Department of Finance, NYC OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER, and Office of the Comptroller.
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Most Reported
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$20,000
$124,000
Salary Distribution
Ohio – $61,000
Rank: 22nd
The average salary ranks 22nd among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
Oklahoma – $59,000
Rank: 28th
The average salary ranks 28th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
Oregon – $66,432 (●Meets national average)
Rank: 23rd
The average salary ranks 23rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like State of Oregon.
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Most Reported
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$2,300
$10,000
Salary Distribution
Pennsylvania – $61,000
Rank: 24th
The average salary ranks 24th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
Rhode Island – $69,572 (●Meets national average)
Rank: 31st
The average salary ranks 31st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like The State of Rhode Island.
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Most Reported
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$32,000
$121,000
Salary Distribution
South Carolina – $63,000
Rank: 16th
The average salary ranks 16th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
South Dakota – $36,096 (▼22% Below national average)
Rank: 47th
The average salary ranks 47th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like South Dakota State Government.
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Most Reported
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$9.45
$28.45
Salary Distribution
Tennessee – $59,000
Rank: 29th
The average salary ranks 29th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
Texas – $51,107 (▼26% Below national average)
Rank: 19th
The average salary ranks 19th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like MHP Salud, Health & Human Services Comm, Randstad, and Express Employment Professionals.
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Most Reported
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$14,000
$115,000
Salary Distribution
Utah – $49,000
Rank: 46th
The average salary ranks 46th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
Virginia – $70,346 (●Meets national average)
Rank: 13th
The average salary ranks 13th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Design Staffing, LLC, Dynamis, Dept of Housing and Comm Dev, and City of Norfolk, VA.
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Most Reported
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$17,000
$160,000
Salary Distribution
Vermont – $44,428 (●Meets national average)
Rank: 35th
The average salary ranks 35th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like State of Vermont.
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Most Reported
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$11.60
$34.90
Salary Distribution
Washington – $63,757 (▼7% Below national average)
Rank: 9th
The average salary ranks 9th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like State of Washington and City of Seattle.
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Most Reported
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$27,000
$115,000
Salary Distribution
Wisconsin – $60,915 (▼12% Below national average)
Rank: 33rd
The average salary ranks 33rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Blueline Consulting, LLC, and University of Wisconsin–Madison.
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Most Reported
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$27,000
$107,000
Salary Distribution
West Virginia – $60,000
Rank: 27th
The average salary ranks 27th among states in the country. There were no current job openings from employers in this state.
Wyoming – $55,368 (▼14% Below national average)
Rank: 44th
The average salary ranks 44th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like State of Wyoming.
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Most Reported
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$2,300
$7,000
Salary Distribution
Top 20 National Employers
According to Indeed.com, the following states had employers looking to hire a Policy Analyst. The quoted salary figure represents the average salary from all job postings by this employer.
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We strive to provide information on this website that is accurate, complete and timely, but we make no guarantees about the information, the selection of schools, school accreditation status, the availability of or eligibility for financial aid, employment opportunities or education or salary outcomes. | {
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Polar Team² Supplemental Kit
The Polar Team² Supplemental Kit enables you to upgrade the Team² system to its full potential. Complete with 10 Team² transmitters, a charger, an adapter and an ID sticker sheet, you can now analyze your entire team’s workout, no matter how many players you have. | {
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Poor and weak being crushed in Gujarat, says Rahul, visits Dalit home (Roundup)
Una (Saurashtra), July 21 (IANS) Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday came down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that in his home state, the weak and the poor were being crushed, even as he visited the home of a Dalit man whose four sons were brutally flogged on July 11 for skinning a dead cow.
Gandhi, who flew into Diu, and from there drove straight to the home of Babubhai Sarvaiya in Samadhiyala village of Una, announced assistance of Rs 5 lakh for the family.
“I met those families and that mother whose sons were beaten up by 40 persons. The father told me that they don’t see any future ahead for them. He was saying that in Modi’s Gujarat we are daily beaten up and crushed,” Gandhi told reporters at Rajkot airport while leaving Gujarat in the evening.
He said in the country, “this is the fight between two ideologies. On one side there are Gandhi, Nehru, Sardar Patel, Ambedkar and on the other side there are RSS, Golwalkar and Modi ji.”
“Whoever raises his voice against this ideology, irrespective of any section, whoever fights for education, whoever was challenging the big corporate, is crushed. I told that mother that she doesn’t need to fear. The people of Gujarat and Congress party are with them,” he continued.
At Rajkot, he met Dalit youths who had attempted suicide in protest and are in hospital.
Gandhi was accompanied by the party’s Gujarat affairs in-charge Gurudas Kamat, state Congress president Bharatsinh Solanki and other party leaders here as well as the party’s Dalit leader Kumari Selja.
“A few days back a video was watched by entire India. I also watched it. Some time back I went to Hyderabad where one youth had committed suicide. The Delhi-based (Central) government attacked his family. It attacked those youths who were seeking their right. Today I visited Gujarat where 11 persons have in separate cases attempted suicide,” the Congress leader said, and added that nobody seemed to have a right to speak.
Jitu, 20, is an engineering student and the only educated member of the family. He said that since there were no work avenues they were engaged in the business of skinning skin of dead animals for the tanneries.
Jitu said, “We don’t want money, but we wish support for sustenance and livelihood. We clear the dirt of the society and this is what we are given in return by the society.”
Gandhi sat with the family and held Babubhai Sarvaiya’s hand as they all became emotional. The Congress Vice President shared tea with the Dalit family, something they are not used to by high-caste people.
He watched the video clip of the assault on the youth at the village, which had gone viral and the incident has been widely condemned.
Jitu, who played the translator during the conversation, later told reporters that, “He gave us a patient hearing and heard the other problems being faced by us. He even shared his number with me, just in case for any future need.” | {
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About Us
Bluefield, VA
Located on Rt. 460 Gov. GC Peery HWY in Bluefield, VA, approximately 10 miles from exit 1 off of I-77, we offer a full line of Can-Am ATVs, Can-Am Spyder Roadsters, Sea-Doo Personal Watercraft. We also provide a full line of Kawasaki ATVs, Utility Vehicles, Sport Bikes, Cruisers and Dirt Bikes. Newest to our family are Sweetwater Pontoons. Our well stocked Parts and Accessories Department, and our fully staffed Service Department are there to meet all your needs.
Beckley, WV
Conveniently located on Eisenhower Drive in Beckley, WV. We have been a BRP dealer since 2007, and we are excited to now be carrying Victory Motorcycles. We are proud of the fact that we are the #1 Can-Am ATV dealer in our district, but we are also passionate about our Can-Am Spyder Roadsters as well as our Sea-Doo Personal Watercraft. We also have a great selection of parts and accessories, our friendly staff and service department are always happy to help you.
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Located on Maple Acres Road off route 460 in Princeton. We carry a wide selection of Polaris ATV's and UTV's as well as Yamaha street and dirt bikes along with their ATV and UTV lines. We are also pleased to be offering Sweetwater Pontoons. Whether in Parts and Accessories or our Service Department our staff is always eager to help you. | {
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iPerceptions Flexing Retail Muscle
NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - September 4, 2007) - iPerceptions (TSX-V: IPE) announced today that
it will be exhibiting at Shop.org's Annual Summit at the Mandalay Bay in
Las Vegas, NV on September 17, 2007. This is the premier gathering of
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Featuring keynotes from some of the most exciting speakers in the retail
industry, sessions for intermediate and advanced retailers, and
unparalleled networking, this is a must-attend event for all online
retailers and iPerceptions will be there to showcase its webValidator
Continuous Listening Solution as well as new and exciting enhancements to
its online customer satisfaction portal.
"Our decision to exhibit at Shop.org 2007 is a result of our growth and
success in the retail sector," said Jonathan Levitt, Vice President,
Marketing at iPerceptions. "With leading online retail clients including
Dell, Panasonic, Reebok and CompUSA, we have firmly positioned ourselves
for future growth in this extremely exciting space," said Mr. Levitt.
"Listening to our customers and increasing online customer
satisfaction are very important to Panasonic," said Oliver Carmona, Senior
Manager, Corporate Brand Marketing at Panasonic. "iPerceptions tools allow
us to monitor and measure our progress," said Mr. Carmona.
iPerceptions personnel can be found at booth 707. Complete demonstrations
of iPerceptions Continuous Listening solution can be arranged prior to
Shop.org 2007 by contacting Richard Zeidel, Vice President, Sales at
877.796.3600.
About the iPSI and the webValidator Solution:
The iPerceptions Satisfaction Index (iPSI) is derived from satisfaction and
experience data obtained from over two million actual visitors, to over 500
Fortune 1000 websites, across ten verticals and contains over 30 million
data points. It is the only index of its kind and is quickly becoming the
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Continuous Listening solution captures the voice of actual online customers
in the context of an actual website visit helping companies learn more
about their customers with satisfaction metrics that quickly turn learning
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satisfaction, the resulting iPerceptions Satisfaction Index (iPSI) helps
companies obtain a clear understanding of the key issues impacting
satisfaction; purchase intent, transaction abandonment, customer loyalty
and the likelihood customers will refer friends and associates to the site.
About iPerceptions:
iPerceptions is one of North America's leading web-focused attitudinal
analytics providers. Its webValidator Continuous Listening solution and its
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InterContinental Hotels, General Motors, Dell Computers, Hyundai, Reebok,
CompUSA, LG Electronics, Toshiba, Choice Hotels International, BMW and
Hilton Hotels. iPerceptions has offices in New York, Toronto and Montreal.
The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this press release. | {
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Maintaining weight loss after the HCG diet
Your life after the HCG diet can be one of the most exciting times for you if you let it. Many individuals experience positive momentum in other areas in their life because of the confidence boost that losing weight can give you. The Drops may have been a weight loss miracle for you but NOW is the time to maintain that body and confidence that you have just generated. Lets take a look at some tips to help you integrate some healthy habits into your life.
1 . PORTION CONTROL
Eat 5 small meals (300-400 calories each) throughout the day rather than 3 large meals. This will keep your metabolism running high so it will burn the fat for you. Portion control is super important for you, especially the type that like to eat out all the time because most restaurants have XL portion sizes. Here is a good trick: Ask the waiter to have half of your meal served and the other half in a togo box. This will save hassle and expectation of finishing the large portions. A Very nice side perk is that it saves you money because you have another meal to eat in a few hours!
2 . DO NOT SKIP MEALS
When you starve yourself, your body says “Yikes, there is no food coming, lets begin to store this food energy”. Then since you are really hungry after skipping a meal the food portion is larger and your body packs those calories away for a rainy day. It seems like it is not important but it could be the difference for you as this will mess with your metabolism that you just improved using the HCG Drops. Don’t waste your jumpstart at a healthy life, keep the momentum!
3 . WEIGH YOURSELF
Monitoring your weight will help you stop gaining weight by creating the awareness. Use a digital scale to weigh yourself at least once per week in the morning just after rising. A study from National Weight Control Registry showed 3500 individuals who had maintained a 60 pound weight loss for more than 1 whole year did so via an interesting habit. Can you guess what it is? That’s right, they have the habit of weighing themselves every morning habitually. So get an accurate scale and be a maintainer!
4 . GET ACTIVE
You just lost a lot of weight, there is no better time than NOW to join a gym class, sports team or running club. Pick up the phone and make the commitment NOW. If you are tight on money or time then just make a commitment to a 10 or 20 minute home work out first thing in the morning when you wake up (after weighing yourself). And if you really are not a morning person and can’t pump out 3 sets of pushups and 3 sets of crunches the here is 25 Easy Ways To Fit In 10 Minutes Of Exercise.
5 . BE POSITIVE
Being positive and seeing the silver lining around even the darkest cloud could be the most important key to staying healthy. Studies show that negative energy and stress can cause weight gain and other health problems. Surround yourself with positive people who lift you up and support you in your life. Also, it has been said that your body sheds four pounds a year from just using the muscles that you use to smile. It also just makes sense, if you feel good and have a positive attitude you are more apt to get out and do things which equals exercise which equals weight loss.
For more info on maintaining your weight after the HCG diet check out this reference >>> HCG Loss | {
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My HQ survived on 500 HP after cons crew. My guerilla worked in such a way, that the heavies didnt get attrackted and stood on their position to the end of the mission. only fighters and a recon came to my hq
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Pokestops… And a Lot of Pokeballs
There has been a good deal written about people going off the beaten track in their attempts to “Catch em all” leading some news providers and commentators to speculate about the dangers of the game. We attempt to unravel the facts from fiction in this section. We start by detailing the criteria for Pokestops and the creators views on safety and education. We then look at examples where pokestops have been removed and that businesses can now request to be a Pokestop. Finally, while colleges and universities do have Pokestops on campus, schools should have any, we consider whether schools should be Pokestops and what the DigCit PLN can do to help schools explore this. | {
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(Solitaire) Alice Solitaire
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Israel ending draft exemption for ultra-Orthodox and Arab Israelis
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish children wear handcuffs as they protest against a uniform draft law to replace the Tal Law on July 16, 2012, in Jerusalem, Israel. The Tal Law, which exempts ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students from mandatory military service, was declared unconstitutional by the High Court in February, and is due to expire in August.
Barak gave defense officials one month to craft a plan to put the new draft procedure into practice in an effort to buy time so they may find an agreed solution.
Barak's order to prepare for the draft came just hours before the expiration of a law that has granted tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews exemptions from military duty, the AP reported.
In a statement Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, said “Starting tomorrow, there’s a new law about equal service. The Israeli military will decide whom to draft, how many to draft – and it will draft.” Netanyahu insisted that the draft plan would lead to members of the minority being forcibly enrolled into the armed forces for the first time, the Telegraph reported. The Telegraph also noted that Netanyahu's comments seemed to contradict the idea that he had previously pandered and protected the ultra-Orthodox community.
"The Israeli military is not ready, won't be ready and doesn't want to be ready" to draft ultra-Orthodox Jews, Porush said. He added that the Israeli military neither needed nor wanted to be flooded with devoutly religious conscripts.
Ultra-Orthodox Jews are not the only group affected by the new order. Arab Israelis will also be forced to join the military.
Ahmad Khalifa from the Arab Institute for Human Rights, told RT, “The Israeli military wants to make us serve, not because they need us, but because they want to control the Arab state of mind and divide us." | {
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Thursday, December 02, 2004
Review - Curley's Cafe
Curley’s has been a Signal Hill lunch institution for a very long time. I can remember eating there in the late 70’s (I think), in the 80’s, and again in the 90’s. I was surprise when my friend Bob suggested a quick lunch there earlier in the week. Like usual, I had forgotten the neighborhood eatery. The building sits on the corner of Cherry and Willow, nestled between two functioning oil wells. It has a very “old” Signal Hill feel to it.
Curley’s is a classic burger and beer joint, and very informal. It has two dinning rooms, one with a pool table and bar. Curley’s also has a patio with a view of well…. two oil wells and a lot of traffic.
I ordered a double cheeseburger; it came with a choice of fries, onion rings, potato salad, or coleslaw. The picture above is accurate. The burgers are large and good; they are reminiscent of a better quality “In N Out” burger. The onion rings were a little too greasy, but they were passable.
I always judge a meal on if I want to eat it but cannot finish. This was one of those cases, I loved the burger, but it was too much food. I could not finish lunch. The bill for a double cheeseburger and a coke was about $10. I little pricy, but worth it. I am sure I will be back again. | {
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ANIMALS
English Riding, Western Style
In my dream life in those days I was in Vienna, Va., or Surrey, England, about to introduce elegantly groomed and bred horses and their equally elegantly groomed and bred riders to the high arts of dressage and stadium jumping. But my eyes, once open, found it impossible to evade the hard, hot, high-desert light of Twentynine Palms and what it revealed--40 mongrel versions of dusty Western tack on 40 mongrel versions of horse and puzzled Western riders.
While I was desperately trying to close the vast imaginative gap between the scenery of Twentynine Palms and the white-fenced and well-ordered Arcadia of my dreams, a large, red-shirted man ambled over.
"Reason I came here," he was saying, as if to himself, "we got this mare won't do nothing but jump out of her corral. But my little girl, that's Mary Pat, says she can ride Peggy, that's short for Pegasus. Anyway, we heard maybe you could do something about her."
Escaping from her corral was Peggy's only distinction. Her mother was a $100 Indian pony from the Morongo Reservation, and her father was uncertain. But I agreed to look at her, and the man signaled toward the group of horses, from which emerged an undersized mare with a more or less black, mottled coat. She was almost entirely hidden under 60-plus pounds of roping saddle. On her back was Mary Pat, 13, anxiously clutching the reins and saddle horn. There was nothing for it but to try her out, but my ignorant heart sank as I went to get my jumping saddle from the trunk of my car. I thought wistfully of the horses I could have in training if only I had a bit more money. If only I lived in Virginia. Or England, or on the Continent, and so on.
I headed Peggy toward an improvised jump made of stacks of old tires. She had never been asked to jump. Indeed, she didn't know the basic gaits--walk, trot and canter--and she weaved and "squirreled," as horsemen say, seeking any avenue of escape, until she found that I was stoic and that there was no escape.
So she jumped the tires. Simply folded up her knee like she was praying and jumped, demonstrating textbook form.
There I was, with a mare I knew I could do anything with--but the owners! Mary Pat had never even seen a jumping saddle. Her father had no conception of what goes into the making of a show jumper.
But then Mary Pat started surprising me. She was the first student I ever had who actually did what I told her to do. Watching her and Peggy, alone with me in the California desert, I thought of the diary of one 19th-Century traveler, who said of Southern California: "The mountains cut the land off from sympathy with the East." I sometimes felt that God was whispering things into the landscape, in the breathing of that child and that horse, of which the East knew nothing.
Then there was the day, very early in Peggy's career, when a Santa Ana was blowing. While she and Mary Pat were already on a competitive course of jumps, the wind blew over the second fence of one combination just enough so that there was no room for a horse to manage a proper landing and takeoff. Any rider would have been forgiven for pulling up, but Mary Pat just got this look on her face and headed her little mare into that jump. Peggy took both fences at once, as one fence.
After that, when we went to horse shows, instead of hearing snotty remarks about Peggy such as, "I think a hunter should look like a hunter, don't you?" we heard a new sort of remark. Things like, "Watch out for that little girl in the blue coat on that Appy. She can jump that horse out of a box!"
One day, at the L.A. County Fairgrounds, Mary Pat and Pegasus came in first in a huge open jumper class against seasoned professionals. But Mary Pat was unhappy because even though they had won, her mare wasn't going right. I said, "Don't be silly, Mary Pat, there are at least 50 professionals here who would be delighted to be going home with the purse you won today!"
Mary Pat set her chin, gave me that look , glared through angry tears and said, "My mare isn't happy. You always told me that what mattered was my mare. " Pegasus seemed to agree. She nodded her head vigorously and stuck her eye next to my eye, regarding me meaningfully.
I remember Gervase Markham, a 16th-Century thinker, who began a treatise on riding with: "Of all creatures, the horse is the noblest." | {
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Warm-up game washed out in Nelson
KARACHI: Incessant rain and a wet ground for the third successive day forced the abandonment of Pakistan’s only warm-up game against New Zealand A in Nelson without a single ball being bowled.
The tourists go into the first Test of the two-match series at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval from November 17 without any match practice in New Zealand conditions under their belts.
Pakistan are seeking to extend a proud record which sees them unbeaten in New Zealand for 31 years and selector Tauseef Ahmed feels the players have the experience and pedigree to make up for the lack of match practice by working harder in the nets.
“The abandonment of the warm-up match is unfortunate but I feel we have a highly professional and capable team management that will ensure that the players make the most of the nets and indoor sessions before the first Test,” he said.
Win or lose, Misbah should stay
Tauseef added that most of the players in the Test side have played in New Zealand conditions before and are equipped to deal with the challenges that the weather and pitches will offer.
“I am hopeful that our team will cope with the conditions considering their previous knowledge of playing in New Zealand,” he said. “The Test team is filled with players who boast a wealth of experience, which should come in handy when they take the field in Christchurch.”
‘Management must decide on Nawaz’
Tauseef feels the team management must ascertain if they need an all-rounder in the eleven or return to their previous combination of seven batsmen and four bowlers, especially since batting all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz failed to impress during the three-match series against the West Indies.
“Nawaz was inducted in the squad on the request of the team management, I am sure they will assess his role and whether they need to play him,” he said.
Mickey Arthur wary of New Zealand’s spin option
‘Shafiq may return to his old number six spot’
The former off-spinner also feels a decision needs to be made over middle-order batsman Asad Shafiq’s batting position after the right-hander bagged a pair against the West Indies batting at number three in Sharjah.
The Karachi-born had scored a century in the Oval win against England batting at number four but most of his best performances have been at number six.
“Shafiq is a fine player and his partnerships with Sarfraz Ahmed lower down the order were greatly beneficial to the team; we need to assess if he needs to return to that role or bat at number three,” he said. “I feel there’s a likelihood of him returning to his old spot.”
The Pakistan squad will travel from Nelson to Christchurch today while the preparations for the first Test are expected to commence from tomorrow.
Pakistan team escorted out of hotel after New Zealand earthquake
Team escorted out of hotel after earthquake
The players were escorted off their hotel in Nelson after an earthquake of 7.4 magnitude struck Christchurch and adjoining areas yesterday.
“We are currently in Nelson and were scheduled to leave for Christchurch yesterday but couldn’t depart due to the earthquake,” team manager Waseem Bari told The Express News.
(With additional input from News Desk)
Published in The Express Tribune, November 14th, 2016.
Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation. | {
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44 pages (PDF version). File size: 4942.005 KB. Includes bibliographic references. The authors considered evaluations of private prisons in nine states including Arizona (p. 13). The other featured states are Massachusetts, Kentucky,...
Winning entries in 2010 Arizona Authors Association Literary Contest in unpublished categories in Essay, Novel, Poetry, Short Story and in published categories of Children's Literature, Fiction, and Nonfiction.
Table of Contents... | {
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Financial Planning
As a business owner, we believe you not only want to grow your business but you also want to grow your wealth and protect your assets. Financial planning is central to the wealth creation process and our strategic alliance with a financial planning group means we can service all your needs.
Financial planning involves formulating a strategy tailored specifically to your financial needs and takes into account your current financial resources, age, lifestyle, investment experience, risk profile and investment time horizon. It is a journey and in the early years when borrowings are high, spending must be carefully planned. In the accumulation years we see debt levels diminish and savings capacity increase. Finally, in the retirement years you reap the dividends from the careful planning in the previous phases.
The need for quality financial advice has never been greater.
Evolving financial markets means more investment alternatives and greater complexity. You need an experienced financial planner that offers quality advice and service to secure and build your financial future. Our affiliated financial planning group offer you this service and they liaise with us on taxation matters to achieve the most tax effective solution for you.
The financial planning process involves a series of meetings and discussions where our financial planners take you carefully through each step of the process:
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Our commitment to your financial security goes well beyond the initial financial plan. It is important not to ‘set and forget’ so as your needs and circumstances change, they adjust the original strategic recommendations to accommodate the changes in your life.
In consultation with you, they will regularly review the performance of your investments and make recommendations based on current trends, changes in laws and your personal circumstances. The frequency of the periodic reviews will be agreed with you depending on your particular needs.
If you're a committed and ambitious business owner looking to accelerate your business success we invite you to book a free, one hour introductory consultation to discuss your business needs. You'll get practical business, tax, marketing and financial advice designed to help you build your business and grow your wealth. To book a time, contact us today on (03) 9326 1244 or complete your details in the box at the top of this page.
Latest Blog
22 May2018-19 Federal Budget Overview
The Federal Treasurer, Scott Morrison, handed down his third Budget on the evening of Tuesday May 8th. We provide a round-up of the changes that may impact you or your business.
More > | {
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Haitian President, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, has issued a decree declaring Thursday and Friday, November 1 and 2, 2001, as one-off non-working public holidays in Haiti.
As per the aforementioned "Arrêté déclarant jours fériés les 1er et 2 novembre, jours de la Toussaint et des Morts", President Aristide has availed himself of the powers given to him in Article 111 of the "Décret du 24 février 1984 actualisant le Code du travail du 12 septembre 1961" to change an annual working holiday into a non-working holiday. | {
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Friday, December 5, 2014
Spectacular incompetence
I have used the phrase "spectacular incompetence" before, but this case may just be the worst. At the time of the year when many blogs are preparing their "top ten" lists for the end of the year, I am wondering if this is the number one case in the "funny if it wasn't so sad and serious" misconduct category.
I am referring to the recently reported case in which a lawyer was disbarred for his incompetent representation of a client in a death penalty case. The attorney had no prior experience in death penalty cases. He devoted little effort to preparing the case and had not tried a murder
in twenty years. He didn’t investigate alibi witnesses and didn’t track his client’s cellphone to find his location at the time of the murders. He was unfamiliar with ABA guidelines for trying capital murder cases. At trial, he informed the jury his client had previously been convicted of voluntary manslaughter, even though prosecutors agreed to a stipulation that the client had a prior felony conviction without further details. Most bizarre is the fact that the attorney showed up to oral argument before the court dressed as Thomas Jefferson.
The court had little difficulty finding the attorney had provided ineffective assistance of counsel and eventually reversed the conviction. | {
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Golden Globes 2018: The 10 Biggest TV Nomination Surprises and Snubs
The Golden Globe nominations are always unpredictable and this year, that was no different.
On Monday morning, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association revealed its nominees for the 75th annual awards show. While shows like The Crown, Game of Thrones, This Is Us, Will & Grace and Big Little Lies were recognized, as well as worthy performances from Sterling K. Brown, Elisabeth Moss and first-time nominee Freddie Highmore (for The Good Doctor), there were several head-scratching omissions and pleasant surprises. You certainly can't say the Globes are boring.
ET breaks down the biggest TV surprises and snubs following the Golden Globe nominations.
HBO
SURPRISES
13 Reasons Why Breaks Through
After getting skipped over at the Emmys, 13 Reasons Why broke through with a Best Actress in a Drama Series nomination for star Katherine Langford. This may be the biggest surprise coming out of nomination morning, as the 21-year-old Australian star will go up against stellar competition in Globes heavyweights Caitriona Balfe, Claire Foy, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Elisabeth Moss. (We’re 99 percent sure she took Mandy Moore’s spot.) Could we expect an appearance from executive producer Selena Gomez come January?
Jude Law Gets Nominated for Being the Pope
It’s no secret the Golden Globes loves star power, so it wasn’t completely out of left field when Law received his fourth career nomination -- his first for TV -- for his starring role in the HBO series, The Young Pope, where he played (you guessed it) a young pope. What is surprising is that a performance that inspired a flurry of hilarious memes and at times, veered into the ridiculous, could be deemed awards-worthy. But hey, it’s the Globes: anything goes!
SMILF Scores Major Love
This very much could be the Little Show That Could. Showtime’s under-the-radar comedy, which premiered in November, received a major boost on Monday with two big nominations -- one for creator/star/writer/director Frankie Shaw and the other for best comedy series. Awards often go back to the same well of the year’s most successful and critically-acclaimed TV, but SMILF’s surprise recognition could help prolong the life of a series (and a creative mind) who may not otherwise receive the attention.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Is Amy Sherman-Palladino’s Awards Ticket
The Gilmore Girls creator has been in the business a long time, but she finally has a serious awards contender on her hands. (Surprising that Gilmore Girls was snubbed for all the major TV awards during its run.) On the heels of three Critics’ Choice TV nominations, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel added two Golden Globe noms, for leading lady Rachel Brosnahan and best comedy series, to its already impressive haul. And we’re pretty certain there’s more to come.
The actor, best known for his comedic work, received a surprise nomination for his dramatic turn in Netflix’s crime thriller Ozark. Let this be a lesson to actors everywhere: Sometimes it's worth stepping outside the box.
NBC
SNUBS
Sorry, Debra Messing
With the Golden Globes airing on NBC, it seemed like a shoo-in for the Will & Grace revival to dominate the comedy categories. Though it did earn two nominations (for best comedy series and Eric McCormack), they failed to recognize Debra Messing. To us, you can’t recognize Will without Grace.
Mandy Moore Doesn’t Repeat
The This Is Us star was one of our picks, but the HFPA failed to hand Moore her second consecutive Golden Globe nomination. To us, her portrayal of Rebecca Pearson this season has been some of her best work yet. Emmys, you’re on the clock.
Veep Is Shut Out
After being nominated for five straight years, Veep -- HB’s awards darling -- was completely shut out in the comedy categories, even for Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ peerless performance. Yeah, we’re shocked too.
Big Little Lies’ Complicated Awards History
This isn’t a snub, so much as a thought -- and it's not exclusive to Big Little Lies, but to nearly all "limited" series who find themselves renewed: With Big Little Lies cleaning up in the limited series categories (and leading the Globe nominations with six), what does this mean for the HBO drama's awards history now that it's officially returning for a second season?
The 75th annual Golden Globe Awards, hosted by Seth Meyers, will air live coast-to-coast on Sunday, Jan. 7 at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET on NBC. | {
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GLCP52 - Lemony Snickets A Series Of Unfortunate Events
Based on the book series and the feature film, this game tells the tale of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire, whose parents perish in a fire. Soon after, they are sent to live with their sinister uncle, Count Olaf, in a cavernous mansion. Now you can help the Baudelaire orphans by using their special skills to journey through 15 missions, from the deep catacombs beneath Olaf's mansion to the gloomy shores of Lake Lachrymose. Collect household items and assemble them into contraptions for puzzle-solving and combat. Wield those items to battle Olaf's minions. | {
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Lisa Sandberg: The halls are filled with lobbyists
As the special session enters its second week, lobbyists in the Capitol are everywhere. While we won’t know for several weeks how much is being spent to keep them in the game, we can assume it’s a lot.
Last week, the watchdog group Texans for Public Justice analyzed lobby spending during the two special sessions last summer and found that some business interests actually hired more lobbyists during the two-month specials than they did during the five-month regular session.
Consider the Chickasaw Nation, an Oklahoma tribe that operates its state’s largest gambling operation. Concerned that Texas might open its doors to competing casinos and slot machines, the Chickasaw Nation raised its lobby contracts by 200 percent, to a maximum of $300,000. RJ Reynolds Tobacco increased its lobby tab 67 percent, to a maximum of $250,000, during the special sessions, according to TPJ, and wound up killing a proposed cigarette tax hike.
Hiring more lobbyists doesn’t always translate to success. Time Warner Cable increased its spending 53 percent by adding two new lobbyists, including U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay’s brother, Randy, to the 12 they already had. But they came out poorly against SBC, which still had them completely outgunned. (According to TPJ, SBC was spending as much as $6.9 million on 237 lobbyists by September, compared to $580,000 by the cable giant).
Sixty-one special interests that were not registered in the regular session hired lobbyists in the special sessions. Among them was the Texas Beverage Association, a soft-drink trade group. The beverage group paid 10 lobbyists up to $255,000 and saw the fizz go out of the junk food taxes.
Andrew Wheat, TPJ’s research director, said it’ll take a month or more for the Ethics Commission to release new figures on special interest lobbying for the current special session. “Anybody who has an interest in property taxes or business taxes will be in there,” Wheat said. | {
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Social Gamers Older in the US Than in the UK
Gaming over social networks like Facebook and MySpace has grown in recent years, and among US residents, it's especially grown among older gamers.
A recent study by PopCap looking at social network sites found 24 percent of the members use them to play games. PopCap estimates about 100 million players are active on social networks, in the US, these players are predominantly over the age of 40, and in the UK, players are predominantly between the ages of 30 and 40.
Social games were less popular among the youth, with casual gamers under 21 ranking at just 9 percent in the UK and 4 percent in the US respectively. UK gamers in their 20's are significantly more likely to play social games than US gamers, with 22 percent of UK social gamers being in their twenties, twice the amount of US gamers in the same age group. The study also indicated that more women are playing social games than men, with 58 percent of the respondents in the UK and 54 percent in the US being female.
Comparisons aside, what does this say? More female and older gamers are being attracted to the simpler social network-based games, though in the UK the ages are lower, possibly reflecting less acceptance of the new technology among older generations. Overall, this is not particularly surprising, given that the mainstream focus tends to be geared towards men in their early twenties with popular titles like Assassin's Creed and God of War. Looking at these numbers, it seems there are plenty of people willing to game, but they tend to gravitate towards games that cater more to their tastes. Not too surprising, all things considered. | {
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Voters' Choice In 2008: Mom Versus Dad
This story was written by David Paul Kuhn.On its current trajectory, the race for president in 2008 may turn voters into children of divorce - forced to choose between Mom and Dad.
The contest comes as something of a surprise. Many strategists expected that Hillary Rodham Clinton, as the first woman to wage a leading presidential campaign, would decide to play down policies, rhetoric and campaign imagery that would remind voters - especially skeptical male voters - of traditionally feminine roles or issue priorities.
Rudy Giuliani, meanwhile, was supposed to have the opposite gender challenge. His image as the crime-busting mayor who rallied his stricken city after Sept. 11 gave him plenty of credibility on strength. What he needed, the thinking went, was to show voters - especially wary female voters - a softer and more empathetic side.
As it happens, the expectation that Clinton and Giuliani would spend much of their time playing against type when it comes to gender politics has turned out to be mostly wrong.
Clinton is indeed concerned about projecting strength. But she is doing it by unabashedly invoking her woman's perspective and presenting her diverse biography with a maternal emphasis. Her campaign tour last week focused on "women changing America." She told stories of raising her daughter, Chelsea, while unveiling a new $1 billion family-leave proposal.
Giuliani, for his part, has decided for now that his best side is his hard side. He speaks of taming crime as if New York City before his administration was an unruly adolescent - lots of potential in need of a firm hand. At every turn, he emphasizes the threats facing the country in an age of terrorism - dangers he says Democrats do not understand. Of his own biography, he says it shows an occasionally flawed person who is nonetheless precisely the kind of aggressive leader the times demand.
If the two front-runners maintain their position, the precedent-shattering 2008 may in the end have a very traditional feel - a contest between two classic American archetypes, each designed in different ways to convey conviction and reassurance.
"If it does come down to Hillary versus Rudy, it is at one level a showdown between the iconography of matriarchal womanhood and the cowboy riding to the rescue," said Susan Faludi, an author who has spent two decades studying gender and American society.
In this vein, Giuliani invokes a mantra on the trail that "weakness invites attack; strength keeps you safe." He stated he would "guarantee" Iran would not use nuclear weapons if he were president. He has defended his conservative credentials, stating, "I gave my blood for the Republican Party," as if politics were combat. He accuses Democrats of supporting "nanny government."
Clinton's latest rhetoric, in contrast, represents a subtle but distinct shift over time in her national profile. As a senator preparing for a presidential run, some commentators perceived that she was positioning herself as an American, Democratic version of Margaret Thatcher - a woman who projected an austere and even martial bearing. Her campaign now believes that she has cleared a "threshold" of being trustworthy on national security, said Ann Lewis, her director of women's outreach. This has apparently given her latitude to put greater emphasis on domestic issues - such as her recent floating of a proposal to give a $5,000 "baby bond" to every child born in the United States - as well as on maternal themes.
Last week at a YWCA in Manchester, N.H., she recounted the struggle to balance her law career with motherhood. "Late one night, [Chelsea] was crying inconsolably. I said, 'Chelsea, you've never been a baby before, and I've never been a mother before; we're just going to have to work and figure this out'" Clinton recalled.
In a revealing contrast to how parental roles are invoked on the campaign trail, Clinton talks more about child-rearing than Republican Mitt Romney - even though he has five sons.
One challenge for Clinton is to promote herself as a believer in traditional values without seeming to abandon her roots as an outspoken feminist.
"She has to build a very big coalition, and I appreciate the difficulty of doing that. A lot of feminists tend to put people off," said Frances Rosenbluth, a Yale political science and gender studies professor. "Hillary already has a reputation as not being quite normal, not quite average, not quite a regular American woman. She's trying to say, 'Yeah, I am.'"
The language of familiarity and comfort is found throughout her campaign. Her official campaign biography presents her as a woman "raised in a middle-class family in the middle of America."
However, Clinton spent much of her life pushing very publicly against the confines of traditional gender roles - a part of her biography with uncertain political consequences.
In a 1969 commencement speech at Wellesley College, she said her generation was seeking a more "immediate, ecstatic and penetrating mode of living," and closed with a poem expressing hope that "hollow men of anger and bitterness" and the "bountiful ladies of righteous degradation" would be left to "a bygone age."
In the 1992 campaign, she stirred controversy when she responded to ethics questions concerning her legal work by saying, "I suppose I could have stayed home and baked cookies and had teas, but what I decided to do was to fulfill my profession."
Many stay-at-home mothers were put off, and she moved the next day to say she meant no offense. Clinton's shift in the past decade away from the most outspoken brand of feminism may be a response to the shift of American women. In 1986, a Gallup poll found that 56 percent of women called themselves a "feminist." By 2001, that number had fallen roughly 30 points, to a quarter of American women.
"My sense of [Clinton] is that she is, before everything else, a supreme pragmatist," Faludi said. "She is certainly careful to avoid spouting women's lib rhetoric, and that goes back to her being a realist, and that goes back to where the culture is."
Republican pollster Kellyanne Conway said Clinton is "an icon of the feminist movement who must run a campaign to appeal to women living in a post-feminist era."
This presents a constant challenge of navigating conflicting sensitivities. At one recent debate, Clinton spoke of her experience standing up to the "right-wing machine." If Democrats want a candidate tough enough, she declared, "I'm your girl."
Some feminists squirmed. "That might not have been my phrasing," said Feminist Majority Foundation President Eleanor Smeal, referring to the use of the noun "girl."
Women are the "critical swing vote" in the coming presidential election, her chief strategist, Mark Penn, wrote in a recent memorandum.
But if next year features a Clinton-Giuliani matchup, polling suggests Clinton faces a formidable challenge winning independent or even Republican women, as her campaign boasts it can do. A Gallup poll taken Oct. 12-14 testing a Clinton-Giuliani race showed that 57 percent of white women, married or single, who do not identify as Democrats, have an "unfavorable" view of Clinton. Nearly thre in four married white women who do not identify as Democrats said they would back Giuliani.
"These are women who want strength in their political leaders, not namby-pamby leaders who appeal to liberal interest groups," Faludi said. Clinton, by these lights, must prove her strength not merely for men but for women, as well.
But Giuliani likewise faces challenges in the gender politics of 2008.
He will be running in the dusk of the Bush era, a time when the traditional masculine political archetype that benefited Republicans for decades may have lost credibility with some voters because of the current administration's failures on Iraq and Hurricane Katrina.
Giuliani, Faludi posited, may find that, "Maybe it was a mistake to bet on 10-gallon-hat politics." | {
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Ripe Green Vanilla Pods
We are at the peak of the harvest season, and during this time, we are harvesting about a hundred beans out of the vanillery every two to three days. Choosing which beans to take requires some pretty sharp observation: the color change can be hard to see in the shady tangle of vines. The beans were pollinated almost a year ago, and a lot of vine growth has taken place since then, burying many of the brooms deep within the growth. In the dim light, it’s easy to mistake the gentle lightening that takes place as the bean matures for the clear signal of true ripeness.
Choosing the moment to harvest any one bean is a bit of a game of brinksmanship. We want the bean to be at the absolute peak of ripeness, but if you miss it or wait too long, the bean begins to split open, preparing to release it’s seeds. At that point, the vanilla pod cannot be sold as a whole bean, although it is still good for making extract. We’re looking for a strong orange-yellow color at the tip of the bean, along with a hint of the split beginning to form.
A passel of ripe beans, these will become Grade A beans when cured and aged.
Oh, and watch out for the sap! Like many tropical plants, vanilla employs a chemical defense against foraging animals. This is due the presence of calcium oxilate crystals, which are small and sharp enough to get into the pores of your skin, causing minor but sometimes pretty painful irritation. During harvest, we’re careful not to touch the sap or get it on the skin. When handling freshly-harvested pods, latex gloves are used, as the sap is hard to avoid once the pods get into the harvest box.
The Grade B Hawaiian vanilla beans are very nice. The beans are a good size, moist and have an oily shine. The aroma was very strong and sweet & reminded me of vanilla caramels. These vanilla beans are excellent quality. | {
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SEC. 1122. It is the sense of the Senate that of the amounts appropriated by this Act under the heading ``RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, AND EVALUATION, NAVY'', $15,000,000 should be made available for the continuing development of the permanent magnet motor.
AMENDMENT NO. 484, AS MODIFIED
(Purpose: To express the sense of the Senate on funding for the procurement of man-portable air defense (MANPAD) systems)
On page 169, between lines 8 and 9, insert the following:
SENSE OF SENATE ON PROCUREMENT OF MAN-PORTABLE AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS
SEC. 1122. It is the sense of the Senate that, of the amounts appropriated by this Act, $32,000,000 may be available to procure MANPAD systems.
AMENDMENT NO. 502, AS MODIFIED
(Purpose: To express the sense of the Senate on funding for the replenishment of medical supply needs within the combat theaters of the Army)
On page 169, between lines 8 and 9, insert the following:
SENSE OF SENATE ON MEDICAL SUPPORT FOR TACTICAL UNITS
SEC. 1122. It is the sense of the Senate that, of the amount appropriated by this Act under the heading ``OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, ARMY'', $11,500,000 should be made available for the replenishment of medical supply and equipment needs within the combat theaters of the Army, including bandages and other blood-clotting supplies that utilize hemostatic, wound-dressing technologies.
AMENDMENT NO. 565
(Purpose: To express the sense of the Senate that Congress should enact an increase in the period of continued TRICARE coverage of children of members of the uniformed services who die while serving on active duty for a period of more than 30 days and make such increased period applicable to children of members who have died since the commencement of military operations in Afghanistan)
On page 169, between lines 8 and 9, insert the following:
SENSE OF SENATE ON INCREASED PERIOD OF CONTINUED TRICARE COVERAGE OF CHILDREN OF MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES WHO DIE WHILE SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY FOR A PERIOD OF MORE THAN 30 DAYS
SEC. 1122. It is the sense of the Senate that--
(1) Congress should enact an amendment to section 1079 of title 10, United States Code, in order to increase the period of continued TRICARE coverage of children of members of the uniformed services who die while serving on active duty for a period of more than 30 days under that section such that the period of continued eligibility is the longer of--
(A) the three-year period beginning on the date of death of the member;
(B) the period ending on the date on which the child attains 21 years of age; or
(C) in the case of a child of a deceased member who, at 21 years of age, is enrolled in a full-time course of study in a secondary school or in a full-time course of study in an institution of higher education approved by the administering Secretary and was, at the time of the member's death, in fact dependent on the member for over one-half of the child's support, the period ending on the earlier--
(i) the date on which the child ceases to pursue such a course of study, as determined by the administering Secretary; or
(ii) the date on which the child attains 23 years of age; and
(2) Congress should make the amendment applicable to deaths of members of the Armed Forces on or after October 7, 2001, the date of the commencement of military operations in Afghanistan.
AMENDMENT NO. 566
(Purpose: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for entry of nationals of Australia)
(1) by adding at the end ``or (iii) solely to perform services in a specialty occupation in the United States if the alien is a national of the Commonwealth of Australia and with respect to whom the Secretary of Labor determines and certifies to the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State that the intending employer has filed with the Secretary of Labor an attestation under section 212(t)(1);''; and
(2) in clause (i), by striking ``or'' after ``national;''.
(b) Section 202 of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1152) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(f) Special Rule for Australia.--The total number of aliens who may acquire nonimmigrant status under section 101(a)(15)(E)(iii) may not exceed 5000 for a fiscal year.''.
(1) by inserting ``or section 101(a)(15)(E)(iii)'' after ``section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b1)'' each place it appears;
(2) in paragraph (3)(C)(i)(II), by striking ``or'' in the third place it appears;
(3) in paragraph (3)(C)(ii)(II), by striking ``or'' in the third place it appears; and
(4) in paragraph (3)(C)(iii)(II), by striking ``or'' in the third place it appears.
Mr. STEVENS. I move to reconsider the vote, and I move to lay that motion on the table.
The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
AMENDMENT NO. 487, AS MODIFIED
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.
Mr. COCHRAN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that amendment No. 487 be modified so as to appear on page 187 after line 18. This request only changes the placement of the amendment in the bill. It does not change the text of the amendment.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment, as modified, is as follows:
On page 187, after line 18, insert the following:
CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION
Salaries and Expenses
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'', for hiring border patrol agents, $105,451,000: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of the conference report to accompany S. Con. Res. 95 (108th Congress).
Construction
For an additional amount for ``Construction'', $41,500,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 402 of the conference report to accompany S. Con. Res. 95 (108th Congress).
Reduction in Funding
The amount appropriated by title II for ``Contributions to International Peacekeeping Activities'' is hereby reduced by $146,951,000 and the total amount appropriated by title II is hereby reduced by $146,951,000.
AVIAN FLU AND THE EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL FOR IRAQ
Mr. OBAMA. I see that the distinguished ranking member of the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, Senator LEAHY is here on the Senate floor. I am wondering it he would take just a moment to discuss with me the critical issue of the avian flu.
Mr. President, an outbreak of the avian flu would be an international calamity. In this age when you can get on a plane in Bangkok and arrive in Chicago or Burlington in hours, we must face the reality that this threat is not a problem isolated half a world away, but is one that could affect people in Illinois, Vermont, and all across America. The director of the Centers for Disease Control recognized the grave consequences this virus could pose to international health when she recently stated
that ``this is a very ominous situation for the globe ..... [this is] the most important threat we are facing right now.'' It is something that is clearly an emergency and is appropriately addressed in the Iraq Supplemental.
At this point, humans contract the virus overwhelmingly by coming into contact with infected animals, and once contracted, the virus is extremely deadly--a 65 to 75 percent mortality rate for humans--especially because there is no proven vaccine for the H5N1 strain. Further, effective treatments for this strain of the virus are not widely available and must be delivered within 24 hours.
The recent trends with respect to the spread of the avian flu are very alarming. Over the last few months, there is growing evidence which suggests that the virus may be mutating and could eventually result in a form that is transmittable from human to human. If this were to occur, it could cause the deaths of millions of people, seriously damage economic activity in Southeast Asia, and cause panic and instability throughout the region. Moreover, because of the dynamic nature of Southeast Asia,
with all sorts of commerce and transport in and out of the region, the virus would likely spread around the world--including to the United States, in a matter of hours or days.
I would ask my good friend, the senior Senator from Vermont, who has a
long history of leadership on international health issues. for his assessment of what needs to be done.
Mr. LEAHY. I would say to the Senator from Illinois that, earlier this year, the World Health Organization convened a conference on this issue. The WHO
concluded that the international community does not possess sufficient plans and resources to effectively respond to an outbreak of the avian flu and that additional resources and attention to this issue are urgently needed. The WHO called for $100 million in new resources from the international community to prevent, and if necessary, respond to an outbreak of the avian flu.
Mr. OBAMA. Just for the record, the $100 million figure is important for our purposes here today. Before the Appropriations Committee put together the supplemental, we discussed the importance of immediately addressing the avian flu before the situation spirals out of control, and that $25 million is an appropriate amount to deal with this critical emergency. I am correct?
Mr. LEAHY. Yes, the Senator is correct. When the Appropriations Committee was putting together the Supplemental, the Majority and Minority, working together, included $25 million to prevent and respond to an outbreak of the avian flu, because of the urgent nature of the situation in southeast Asia.
I would also add that $25 million is one-fourth of the WHO appeal, and as we know, the traditional U.S. share of such multilateral efforts is one-fourth of the total cost. I would also point out that this is the amount that has been authorized in S. 600, the Foreign Assistance Authorization bill that was debated in the Senate last week.
Mr. OBAMA. I also know that USAID has already formulated a rapid response plan to use this $25 million, if it is ultimately appropriated.
Mr. LEAHY. That is correct. The administration urgently needs this money and it will be well spent if appropriated. In fact, the money will be used to address the avian flu and build lasting mechanisms and networks to address other viruses that will undoubtedly arise in southeast Asia. The $25 million to combat the avian flu is important for Southeast Asia and the United States.
ENSURING THE MILITARY DEATH BENEFIT IS TAX FREE
Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise to speak on my amendment No. 497 to ensure that increased military death benefits are tax free.
We know that more than 1,700 servicemen and women have made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan. We don't always focus on the families that have to live their lives without a husband or wife, without a son or daughter, without a father or mother, without a brother or sister.
Already in March, Newsweek estimated that 1,043 American children had lost a parent in Iraq. The stories of these children trying to cope with the reality that a parent isn't coming home will break your heart. But the families of those who die for their country also have to struggle with more mundane challenges, like the loss of the main breadwinner.
Staff Sargeant Kendell Waters-Bey was a 29-year-old Marine from Baltimore. He was one of the first American servicemembers to die in Iraq, among 12 people killed in a helicopter crash.
Michael and Angela Waters-Bey lost their only son; that's hard enough. But 10-year-old Kenneth lost his father. My Maryland colleague in the House, Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger, helped to set up a trust fund to pay for Kenneth's college education.
Another Marylander, Naval Reserve Lieutenant Kylan Jones-Huffman, was killed by small arms fire in Iraq. Lieutenant Jones-Huffman was a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, and he returned there to teach history before being deployed to Iraq.
These are just two of the many families in Maryland and across the Nation that experience the sacrifices of this war every day. They deserve our gratitude--not just words, but deeds.
I'm proud to be a member of the Appropriations Committee. We did what is right to support our troops by reporting out a strong emergency supplemental bill to meet the needs of our men and women in uniform in Iraq and Afghanistan and around the world. We did what is right by increasing the military death benefit immediately paid to the family of a member of our military who is killed.
This bill will raise the military death benefit from just over $12,000 to $100,000.
The supplemental bill also provides a benefit to make the increase retroactive to October 7, 2001, the start of the war in Afghanistan after the September 11 attacks.
The Senate has also rightly adopted the Kerry amendment to ensure that the death benefit increase covers all soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who die on active duty.
I also appreciate the Senate's adoption of the Salazar amendment, to me the so-called death gratuity as fallen heroes compensation. While we understand that no compensation can make up for the loss of a family member, the new name adopted by the Senate recognizes that we are helping the families of our fallen heroes.
I believe just about every Senator shares my view that the military death benefit should not be taxed.
We need to make sure that the full amount is paid to the family of a service member who dies for our country. We are a grateful Nation, and this is one of the ways we express our gratitude.
Under our tax law, the death benefit is excluded from gross income. That means families don't have to pay income tax on it. We don't want the family of a hero who died for our country to be handed the American flag from the casket in one hand, and get a bill from the IRS in the other.
My amendment will make sure that the payments to make the death benefit increase retroactive are not taxed.
I appreciate the support of the National Military Family Association for my amendment.
I also appreciate the support of the Senator from New Jersey, Senator CORZINE, who is a cosponsor of this amendment.
I hope that the Senate will send a strong message that we intend the military death benefit to be tax-free.
Mr. GRASSLEY. I want to thank my friend, Senator MIKULSKI, for her work on this issue. You have called attention to a solemn and critically important issue, and I commend you and join with you in your commitment to ensure that we provide a real and meaningful death gratuity to the families of our brave young men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. And I also share your commitment to ensure that those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice are not forced to pay again--to the IRS,
in the form of taxation of these gratuity payments.
Unfortunately, addressing the tax treatment of these payments on this bill could raise procedural hurdles to getting this bill signed into law as quickly as possible. But as Chairman of the Finance Committee, I pledge to work with you, Senator BAUCUS in his role as ranking member, and the rest of the Finance Committee and Congress to ensure that these gratuity payments will not be subject to Federal tax and to enact any necessary changes at the earliest possible date on the first available
vehicle. I look forward to working with the gentlelady to resolve this issue expeditiously.
Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I rise to support the efforts of my friend and colleague Senator MIKULSKI to protect payments to the families of our brave Americans serving and dying for this country. There are currently 1,254 Montanans deployed overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan with one-third of those deployed coming from our guard and reserve forces. We have lost seven service members since the
war on terrorism began and with each sacrifice I am made more aware of the strength and commitment of our military families.
Senator MIKULSKI has wisely offered an amendment to ensure that the additional death gratuity benefits would not be subject to taxes, just as other death gratuity benefits for military families are tax-free. It is certainly my hope that such an amendment is not needed. However, I have promised to work with Senator MIKULSKI and my good friend, Chairman GRASSLEY, to clarify that this is the case, should there be any question in the future about the tax-free status of these
payments. Certainly, for these families who have already given so much to this country, it is the right thing to do.
the Finance Committee, Senator GRASSLEY, and the ranking member, Senator BAUCUS, for their support of ensuring that death benefits paid to the families of those who give their lives for our country are tax-free. I appreciate their commitment to getting this done through appropriate tax legislation, if necessary, as soon as possible. And I appreciate the help of their staff
on the Finance Committee, who worked with my staff on this issue.
Given these commitments from Chairman GRASSLEY and Senator BAUCUS, I will not proceed with my amendment on this critical supplemental appropriations bill to meet the needs of our troops. | {
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Doctor Answers (45)
Promoted Local Answer
Breast implants and pregnancy.
September 3rd, 2014
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Thank you for your question.
With pregnancy, the breast certainly enlarges. Generally it is not a painful process. Women do get a sense of being engorged. If there are going to be stretch marks it is not from the implant, but from the hormones of pregnancy and the enlargement of the natural breast tissue.
I think of three groups when I think of the post pregnancy breast with implants.
In group one the breasts will swell up, and then shrink up after pregnancy but look about the same. Unfortunately, this is the rarest case.
In group two, the breasts will swell, and then after they shrink up there will be some degree of droop or laxity, which does not require surgery and in fact can sometimes make the breast look even more natural than with an implant alone. This is common.
In the third group the breast will swell up but after it shrinks up it will take on so much droop or laxity that make patients may consider a larger implant to fill out the loose skin, or a lift or tightening of the breast.
Unfortunately you just can't know which group you're going to be in until after childbearing. The key is to know that there are always a options available to you.
Breast Implants and Pregnancy
September 29th, 2012
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Thank you for your question. Pregnancy after having breast implants is quite common. The breast will enlarge during pregnancy but I have never known of a patient who found this painful or who had problems.
The breast gland does atrophy after pregnancy and will probably be smaller than before pregnancy. The implants can help maintain your breast size.
Be careful about weight gain during pregnancy. If you gain too much weight too fast then the breast may sag and require lifting after pregnancy.
Pregnancy after Breast Implants
November 10th, 2009
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Patients with breast implants will notice enlargement of the breasts with the hormonal surge that is associated with pregnancy. This increase in volume will resolve once pregnancy and breast feeding is completed. The enlargement of the breasts may be associated with stretch marks if there is rapid weight gain or enlargement of the breast with pregnancy.
Breast Implants Pictures
How do breasts with implants change with pregnancy?
January 17th, 2012
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Your breasts will change with pregnancy, that is a given. They will enlarge, but the degree of enlargement is going to be different for every woman. Changes will come with that enlargement. At the very least, the skin will become looser, and frequently the breasts will be smaller after pregnancy. Because the skin will stretch, stretch marks may form, and this is also common.
When breast implants are placed before pregnancy, they do sometimes cause stretch marks, but not that often. The occurrence of stretch marks after breast augmentation is unpredictable, but much less common than after pregnancy, so one could say that having implants is not going to result in more stretch marks after pregnancy than if the implants had not been present.
What you may note after pregnancy is that the implants do not sit as high and fill out the breast/skin envelope as before. Some women will then choose to have a second augmentation or lift/augmentation combination, because as they say, the breasts are less “perky”. Using a larger implant will fill up the skin envelope, or if the skin is too loose, a skin-reducing lift can restore the original higher position of the implant. If tightness without change in volume is desire, only a lift can be done.
Breast Implants Before Pregnancy
February 24th, 2011
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About sixty percent of my patients undergo breast augmentation before they have children. However, if a patient is expecting to become pregnant within 6 to 12 months of the augmentation, I suggest that she postpone the augmentation until after the birth of her child. By allowing a year interval, the effects of the surgery will be completely healed and the presentation of the breasts will be easily identified. I routinely place the implants beneath the muscle, which helps prevent adding additional stress to the skin during pregnancy. It also does not interfere with the possibility of breast-feeding. Pregnancy itself frequently causes changes in the shape of the breast, withch are unpredictable. In our experience the breast implants do not cause those changes to be anything more than would be expected.
Breast Implants before pregnancy will have variable results
February 22nd, 2010
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This is really a complicated issue in that unless you have already been pregnant you realy don't know how your individual breasts will react when your milk comes in. Most patients increase by a cup size with engorgement which in most cases won't cause any trouble IF a reasonable sized implant was used in the first place-- that is, one that matched the original breast tissue. In fact, the majority of my patients who get pregnant after having implants do well and probably come out looking better than if they hadn't had implants in the beginning. The breast typically deflates a bit after the first pregnancy and having an implant in place already helps camouflage this.
If however, you have overly large implants to begin with, usually 400cc or more, then the additional increase in size of engorgement on top of tissues that are probably being stretched beyond their limit may just be the straw that breaks the camel's back. Just one more reason to be sure to have a realistic size implant in the first place.
Pregnancy after Breast Augmentation
November 10th, 2009
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Since so many of my patients who have breast augmentation are in their 20's and 30's, it is very common for them to become pregnant afterwards. Most patients will return to their pre-pregnancy breast size once they are done breast-feeding. Occasionally, patients will lose some volume once they have finished breast-feeding but for the most part they remain happy with their size.
Breast Shape After Aug and Pregnancy
March 24th, 2009
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Thanks for your question -
It is a complicated question. It does make some sense that during pregnancy your breast size will likely increase. The implants will probably add to that total final volume - meaning that your pregnancy breasts will be larger with implants than without.
Whether that will lead to stretch marks or breast sagging is impossible to say for sure and whether you would have had the same problems of stretch marks or sagging with or without implants is also impossible to say.
Breast implants and pregnancy
September 9th, 2012
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If you are planning an imminent pregnancy, I would recommend waiting until after pregnancy to have breast augmentation. Women's breasts get larger with pregnancy and breast feeding. Most breast will return to a near baseline size. Some breasts will lose volume and appear deflated and some will stay larger than before pregnancy. There is no way to predict this since it has to do with the sensitivity of the breast tissue to the hormones. Therefore, since it is difficult to predict how the breast will look, I would recommend waiting until after pregnancy, so that a more consistent breast augmentation result can be achieved. If you are going to get pregnant in several years and desire breast augmentation, this would make more sense to have it done before pregnancy. Stretch marks are also somewhat unpredictable. A women can get stretch marks with pregnancy and breast feeding. This can also happen with breast augmentation, although rare. This is dependent on the skin quality and the degree to which the skin is stretched.
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as
a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you
have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute
or initiate a patient/doctor relationship. | {
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Sunday, June 30, 2013
The Card Player (2004) dir. Dario Argento
a.k.a. Il cartaio
Logline: A maniac is on the loose in Rome, kidnapping women and forcing the local police to gamble for the victims' lives through high stakes games of online poker. Detective Anna Mari (Stefania Rocca) must team up with a troubled English Interpol agent (Liam Cunningham) to suss out the killer's location and put an end to his deadly gambling.
For all the predictability of his stories and plots in these later decades, Argento still possesses the ability to surprise his most observant and critical fans. For me, this surprise rarely registers as unabashed enjoyment of the films, but rather as a morbid appreciation for the wild and often wrongheaded filmmaking choices that Argento makes when constructing his numerous variations on a standard issue thrilling theme. It's fascinating that a single director making the same sort of film again and again over a couple of decades could make each feel so different. Tonally and aesthetically, Trauma (1994), The Stendhal Syndrome (1996), Sleepless (2001), The Card Player, and Do You Like Hitchcock? (2005) bear no resemblance to one another, despite the fact that they all share the same well-worn giallo template. Argento's late career is a case that complicates any desire that a critic might have to look at his work through the lens of auteur theory: what was once horror's most distinctive stylistic nightmare vision has fractured like the glass of a broken mirror, producing a run of films that clash with and contradict one another on all possible levels. The influence of producers, distributors, audience expectations, and shrinking budgets have clearly had an effect on shaping Argento's later works, but that doesn't begin to explain the lack of reasonable stylistic and thematic continuity among them.
While a classically defined "auteur" will certainly develop her style and thematic concerns over her career as a director, a viewer should be able (as per the theory) to always recognize the director in her work, particularly if one were to view the director's films chronologically and witness her evolution as it happened. But at a certain point in Argento's career, his evolution as an "auteur" quits being linear: he devolves, rushes forward, backtracks, or floats off into atmosphere. You could pick any film from his later filmography, compare it to either the film preceding or succeeding it, and find each to resemble the work of no one in particular. More often than not, you'll find two films that appear so opposed to the elements and ideas of the other that they couldn't possibly be the work of the same filmmaker. For example, Sleepless, the film Argento made immediately before The Card Player, is the cinematic equivalent of a Luddite, with its stripped-down, old-fashioned procedural approach to the horror-thriller subgenre being placed at the forefront of its concerns. Let's not forget that one of the protagonists of that film, Max von Sydow's Inspector Moretti, actually laments the police's growing reliance on technology, and we see Moretti's distaste for technological advancement mirrored in the film itself both through its narrative (in which the modern cops' tech fails to produce results) and its approach to filmmaking (in which Argento mostly eschews the modern visual effects and cinematography that he had been trying out in previous films with sketchy results).
In my essay on Sleepless here at the blog, I attempted to argue that the film was, in some ways, a conflicted reflection of Argento's own relationship-- and resistance-- to modern horror filmmaking in the early noughties, which had begun to heavily embrace computer technology in place of practical composition. And yet his follow-up film, The Card Player, throws that reading into disarray by incorporating technology (specifically online video poker games) into the plot as a fundamental feature. Whereas Sleepless eschewed technology when crafting its scenes of suspense, The Card Player relies exclusively upon it, often to its own detriment. (These high stakes online poker games, rendered in circa mid-'90s computer graphics and augmented by shoddy webcam A/V, are about as far from visual suspense as can be.) Consequent of this alteration of technology's importance to the narrative, the visual architecture of the screen adjusts to fit it: Sleepless's gorgeous Italian buildings, which gave the film a classically cinematic air, are replaced in The Card Player with cold office cubicles and computer terminals, more befitting a TV cop drama. Any of Sleepless's perceived sentiments concerning the preservation of the traditions and aesthetics of past horror cinema are obliterated by The Card Player's desperate, flailing attempts to be relevant and timely, as if Sleepless itself was a failed nostalgia experiment and The Card Player is Argento's resignation to the changes of the modern era.
So is an auteur still an auteur if he gives up, or stops trying? Were those early films the product of the auteur or those who surrounded him? Those are questions for investigation, surely, but the answers aren't hidden in the films themselves. And, unfortunately, divorcing The Card Player from all of these bothersome queries doesn't reveal it to be a good film of its own unique merit. In fact, it's the worst I've seen thus far, the product of some bizarro world wherein FeardotCom (2002) was a creative and financial success worthy of imitation. What's here is all plot, and that plot hinges (feebly) on the viewer buying into silly things like the police's flagrant irresponsibility (for which they are not held accountable) and the ability of a master hacker/poker player to both remain untraceable and remotely control the police's computer network with a "mega virus." The Card Player feels as if it were made with a TV-watching audience in mind, and thus delivers performances and exposition that are easy enough to digest and recall between commerical breaks. And though it's about as melodramatic and preposterous as any episode of any Law & Order spinoff, its broad storytelling feels more egregious at feature length. It becomes a laughable cartoon, in which the climax literally involves the heroine being tied down to train tracks by the villain as a train barrels towards her. A month into my sojourn into Argento's darker days, I'm beginning to wish that train would barrel towards my station next.
3 comments:
In my opinion you still have the best of late Argento coming your way.
I'd like to see Argento doing giallos with themes such as: parkour, Myspace, planking, Tebowing, kids trying to swallow a tablespoon of cinnamon, someone successfully drinking a gallon of milk in an hour and not vomiting, texting while driving, and Candy Crush.
A giallo based around the high stakes world of internet poker? Dario, Dario, Dario. I read somewhere that this was going to be a sequel of sorts to Stendhal with Asia portraying the same detective. Much as I am 'meh' on Asia, she made a great choice in passing on it. Great review sir and your Sleepless post gave me much to think upon.
Brad, thank you for making me chortle sharply. I want to see his cinnamon swallowing giallo most of all. But let's be honest: his hypothetical circa-2013 social networking giallo would be about Friendster, not Myspace.
I've already watched his Masters of Horror episodes in preparation for the next post. Spoiler: uggh. Regardless, I can't help but be tantalized by the three features left on my horizon. How much worse could things get? I'm open to being impressed. I'm especially open to a little more mumbly, paunchy Rutger Hauer in my life.
I may be mistaken in my comment on you having the best still ahead of you. But I do believe it will be fun. I like The Mother Of Tears despite its flaws. It's obviously no Suspiria or Inferno, but what is?
The problem with Argento is what you mention: no discernible style from film to film. It's like a 'Paul is dead' scenario after Opera, without the admittedly catchy Wings tunes.
Dracula is ridiculous. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when the money men saw it. Somebody probably wanted to strangle Dario. But it has its moments I think. I think.
Picture this: Brenda is alone in her apartment. It's storming. There's a creaking sound. We see a flash of shiny silver as a black gloved hand...shoves a spoonful of cinnamon into her mouth. Giallo gold my friend.
Meltdown 03
Meltdown 02
Meltdown 01
Yellow Days & Nights: 21 Gialli - June 2012
Trick or Treatise
Essays in Terror
The Mission
This website is a love letter to horror cinema. Each post will parse the themes, aesthetics, and cultural assumptions of sundry artifacts of the genre in the hope of establishing the significance of these tawdry films within the larger cinematic canon. There are few feelings like the cozy terror that a horror film imparts, so join me, without fear, in my sojourn into the bizarre, ghastly, offbeat, and macabre genre offerings from around the world. | {
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is co-founder and CEO of ezeep, the Berlin tech company fixing one of the largest pains in IT – printing. Prior to ezeep, Kellert spent time in consulting in London and Berlin helping companies with marketing. In his spare time he loves to help other startups and is either kite surfing, climbing or doing other adrenaline related fun. Tweet @kellert. | {
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Latest Revenue Recognition Guidance From PCAOB
The January 1, 2018 implementation date for new accounting rules on revenue recognition is just around the corner, and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) has been issuing guidance to help companies prepare.
The latest PCAOB Practice Alert, issued earlier this month, addresses areas to which organizations need to pay particular attention. The alert is aimed at external auditors, but the information and insights are equally helpful for the preparers and issuers of organizations subject to audit.
Here are some of the recommended focus areas:
Transition disclosures in financial statement notes – Companies will need to be clear in their disclosures related to the transition to the new revenue recognition standard. Inaccurate or incomplete disclosures could adversely affect the auditor’s report on the financial statements and internal controls.
Transition adjustments –. The PCAOB alert directs auditors to assess risks of material misstatement related to an organization’s transition to the new standard and implement audit responses that address those risks. Auditors will also likely scrutinize data that may not have been audited previously, and any prior-period misstatements found in the current period’s audit. Companies will need to be diligent in the preparation of the transition adjustments, especially as it relates to completeness and accuracy of the actual adjustments as well as mitigation of other potential financial reporting and disclosure risks.
Internal control over financial reporting (ICOFR) – Management’s evaluation of ICOFR across the organization and among outsourced services – and its actions to address shortcomings – is a key area on which the PCAOB is particularly focused, especially: information systems (and the data that is produced), manual processes, management review controls, and review of interim financial information.
Identifying and assessing fraud risks – Preparers and issuers need to be mindful that their auditor will be envisioning elements that would create the conditions for management and others to commit fraud, such as incentives, pressures or opportunities, or a culture that rationalizes cutting corners. Management should be proactive in assessing and mitigating potential fraud risks.
Required disclosures – The alert makes special reference to a handful of key disclosures that auditors should look for, including: disaggregation of revenue; contract assets and liabilities; information about performance obligations, including when a company satisfies its performance requirements significant judgments, and modifications to subjective areas, made in applying the requirements to contracts.
While the basics of the PCAOB report are generally what was expected, there are some significant fresh insights, no doubt sparked by regulatory scrutiny of early adopters. Read a more detailed analysis of the PCAOB alert in our Flash Report, available for download here. | {
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Psychic powers from rulebook - how does it work for Eldar?
Subject: Psychic powers from rulebook - how does it work for Eldar? Wed Jul 04, 2012 4:50 am
I'm not quite clear on how this works. In the Eldar FAQ it says that a Farseer, including Eldrad, can use the psychic disciplines in the rulebook, and for each psychic power purchased from codex:Eldar, generate a new power from Divinatipon or Telepathy.
Does that mean I can pay for Mind War (which is the cheapest power) and swap that for prescience? Effectively, I'm getting a better Guide (12" instead of 6" range) for less points.
Subject: Re: Psychic powers from rulebook - how does it work for Eldar? Wed Jul 04, 2012 5:56 am
spunkybass wrote:
I'm not quite clear on how this works. In the Eldar FAQ it says that a Farseer, including Eldrad, can use the psychic disciplines in the rulebook, and for each psychic power purchased from codex:Eldar, generate a new power from Divinatipon or Telepathy.
Does that mean I can pay for Mind War (which is the cheapest power) and swap that for prescience? Effectively, I'm getting a better Guide (12" instead of 6" range) for less points.
Yes, I believe that's the case. You still need to buy psychic power from your codex and swap it for power in the rulebook. Your idea is what exactly what I planned to do, buy cheap swap for better one
Subject: Re: Psychic powers from rulebook - how does it work for Eldar? Thu Jul 05, 2012 11:25 am
Yes you can. Benefit from fortune.
Although it will be a bit unfluffy... the whole reason they are in the webway is to hide their physic presence from he who always thirst... which is why in my allied list his abilities will be mainly for him and the enemy
Subject: Re: Psychic powers from rulebook - how does it work for Eldar? Thu Jul 05, 2012 12:07 pm
By that logic, Tau and Space Marine can benefit from Guide and Fortune too. Not all psychic powers or abilities benefit battle brothers, ie. IG orders & Sanguinary Priest FNP & Furious Charge which were FAQed to only affect units in their own codex. If it is specified "friendly units" and no FAQ corrects it, then yes battle brother benefits from them.
Depending on your interpretation of the rule, if you believe GW intended Fortune/Guide that states it only affects "Eldar unit" to be mean Dark Eldar units too, which in my view is almost as unlikely as my markerlights able to help Space Marines or Eldar.
Subject: Re: Psychic powers from rulebook - how does it work for Eldar? Fri Jul 06, 2012 6:28 pm
Sorry, If I seem to always try to contradict the possible ideas that arises, but I'm actually just helping by seeing whether it is valid to do so. If not, I'll still do my research but won't raise any possible mistakes as that would just be "to argue for the sake of arguing".
According to the rules, it would seem psychic powers could be overwatched, except when we look more closer.
Page 21, under Resolving Overwatch, last sentence before Overwatch Restrictions.
Paraphrasing: "Any shooting attack that does not use a Ballistic Skill- such as the Necron Monolith's portal of exile - cannot be 'fired' as a Snap Shot."
In my opinion, any psychic power that doesn't use BS cannot overwatch/snapshot, such auto-hits and template/blast powers. However, anything that does use BS can do so, ie. witchfire powers, smite, psychic shriek etc..
Subject: Re: Psychic powers from rulebook - how does it work for Eldar? Sat Jul 07, 2012 3:40 am
I'm not arguing the validity of Warlocks' Destructor , sorry if I didn't mention the exception to template shooting attacks.
But first and foremost, I doubt whether psychic powers can be used in for Overwatch. As of in the 6th ed. rulebook, all psychic powers are separated into types and each of them are "manifested" in a specific phase. As for witchfire powers, it is manifested on the psyker's shooting phase.
This then questions the fact whether such powers can be used outside of that phase, ie. during overwatch. As of now there's nothing that states shooting attacks can only be used in the shooting phase, likewise nothing that states witchfire powers are allowed or disallowed during overwatch.
I've also looked at other forums discussing this particular problem, they have not a reached proper conclusion as they are still much divided in opinion and a FAQ is needed dearly for this matter.
Subject: Re: Psychic powers from rulebook - how does it work for Eldar? Sat Jul 07, 2012 6:53 am
Back to Warlock Destructor on Overwatched, I think it's allowed as it's always on and psyker never needs to cast for it. In effect it's simply a shooting weapon, very much like shooty gifts Chaos Daemons get.
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Subject: Re: Psychic powers from rulebook - how does it work for Eldar? | {
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4 Reasons Why Women Leave Men and How to Never Be ‘The Guy She Left’
Men are often labeled as players who have more trouble committing than women. So why is it that women do most of the leaving?
One of the largest studies on divorce, conducted by law professor Margaret Brinig and economist Douglas Allen, found that women file for divorce twice as often as men do. My personal experience in regards to pre-marital relationships has proven that females also do most of the dumping. Women seem to hold the highest standards and are more often concerned about their relationship, making them the one to do something about it.
Interestingly enough, women are also cited to move on more quickly after a breakup. A study conducted by Professor Robin Simon for the Journal of Health and Social Behavior found that men suffer the most from breakups, based on their general psychology. While women are more likely to talk to their friends about a breakup, men often keep their emotions inside. This can cause negative effects on their mental health, and often leads to harmful behaviors such as excessive drinking.
So, why else do women initiate breaking up? And is it possible to stop her from leaving you before it’s too late?
Reason #1: She feels unappreciated or ignored
The number one reason why women leave men is because they feel neglected. People rely on relationships for three basic needs: love, support and attention. When a partner feels they are not receiving these things, they become fed up and often check out.
Neglect is also a large reason why women cheat. Studies say that while men are more likely to cheat for the sex, women are likely looking to fill an emotional void or receive the attention they are lacking.
Women are more likely to cheat because they are unhappy in a relationship. A biological anthropologist found that while only 34% of women who had affairs were happy in their marriage, a larger 56% of men were happy when they cheated.
So, how can you keep your woman happy and faithful?
Solution: Appreciate her
Remember all of the reasons you fell for her. Remind her as much as possible. It doesn’t get old to hear that you’re loved. Check up on her throughout the day. Ask her how she’s doing. Let her know that you’re thinking of her. Small gestures can go a long way, especially for a woman who has felt neglected in the past. All she really wants is your time and affection, and maybe to stop leaving your beard hair in the sink.
If you can’t satisfy her basic needs, if something is holding you back or if you think her requests are too big, then let her go. She deserves a man who will give her what she wants. She deserves a man who will make her feel worthy.
If you doubt that this person exists, she’ll probably prove you wrong.
Reason #2: You cannot see eye to eye
Since women are more likely to examine the relationship, they’re usually the driving force that keeps it alive. She’s probably the one suggesting changes that can be made or ways to improve communication. This often leads men to believe that women have unrealistic expectations. They find women to be spoiled and unappreciative. If this is the case, the man might feel taken for granted, resenting his partner for her dissatisfaction.
At this point, neither of you can see eye to eye. When both partners believe they are in the right, salvaging the relationship becomes impossible. She wants things to change and you want her to accept them as they are. This stubbornness will get you nowhere fast.
If you don’t want a breakup in your future, there are a few ways to solve this problem. It might just require a little flexibility on your part.
Solution: Be open to change
If you want to save your relationship, you have to accept the fact that things aren’t perfect. If they were, you wouldn’t be on the verge of crumbling. While it’s easier ignoring the obvious issues, sugarcoating doesn’t solve anything. Things have to change, including you.
This doesn’t mean that she’s always right; however, she’ll be more likely to admit to her own imperfections if you do, as well.
Communication is key; so, talk to her. Leading an open conversation will stop resentment from building. It will also prevent you from bottling up your emotions and sabotaging your wellbeing.
Men often regret not expressing themselves enough during a bad breakup. Communicating will not only show her that you’re making an effort; it will give you peace of mind that you tried your best. If you play your cards right, she’ll appreciate your honesty and your concern.
It’s also important that you listen to her side. Put yourself in her shoes. Try to understand how she feels. Even if you don’t totally agree, trying will make her more likely to look at your side, as well.
Worst-case scenario, you agree to disagree.
Reason #3: She has a better support group
Just as women are more likely to talk to their friends about a breakup, women are also more likely to discuss their discontent with friends during the relationship. In this sense, women have more people they can confide in. Strain in the relationship therefore affects men more because it threatens their sense of identity and self-worth, unlike their female counterpart who has a larger team of supporters.
Solution: Communicate better
This is another reason why communication with your woman is so important.You want her to talk to you about her concerns first and foremost. If she feels like she can’t talk to you and instead turns to her friends, their advice might be to break up with you. And you don’t want that.
It’s also important for you to obtain your own support system, someone apart from her that you can speak to about issues in the relationship. This will help you sort through your own feelings before hashing things out with her. These friends will also help you deal with a possible breakup in a healthier manner.
Reason #4: They have already cheated
Using another person to transition out of a bad relationship is a common reason why women cheat and eventually leave their partner. Some women often do it consciously. Others don’t even realize they were looking for an escape route until they’re already out of the relationship.
It’s possible that this situation might just be a way to feel better about infidelity, an after-thought to help her deal with your regret. “I cheated because I wanted out. I did it for a reason.” Unfortunately, it’s difficult to prove the underlying reason for infidelity.
In my personal experience, I have found that men are less likely to admit to cheating, and more likely to stay in the relationship after they’ve cheated. Women, on the other hand, tend to confess more often and/or end the relationship out of guilt, before the truth even gets out.
Other, less common, reasons why women cheat, include:
Revenge
Boredom
Bad sex
The thrill of sexual novelty
Lack of self-esteem
Sexual addiction
Solution: Keep her sexually attracted to you
Sometimes the real problem is strictly physical and there are a few measures you can take to keep that sexual spark alive. Find out which of your qualities she is most attracted to. Does she like it when you work out? Or when you’re showing off your athleticism? Or when you’re being active in general?
Women are attracted to the alpha male qualities you incorporate into your lifestyle. For me personally, I’m most turned on when my boyfriend is working with his hands, whether he’s fixing a part in his car or just lugging around heavy equipment. It’s all the things he does that I can’t do myself. It’s that feeling of need and the reassurance that he can fulfill that need, which translates into the bedroom.
Some of my friends of mine find men most attractive right after working out, when they’re nice and sweaty and swollen. Others are attracted to guys with certain hobbies, like musicians or artists. Find out what her “thing” is and play it up as much as possible. You’ll have her wrapped back around your finger like she was at the beginning.
After the attraction is back, make sure your sexual communication is on point too. If it’s not, neither of you will receive the pleasure you desire. Explore different methods. Discuss your favorite positions. Don’t be afraid to ask your partner to try something new, as long as they’re comfortable with it. Keeping yourself and your partner engaged is the key to a happy, sexually fulfilling relationship.
About the authorOlivia Mello
Olivia Mello is a regular contributor to Wingman Magazine and Elite Daily. She explores the topics of dating and self-improvement, in hopes that her failures will inspire others not to fail, as much. | {
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A recession is a decline in economic activity, usually experienced as an increase in unemployment and decrease in production. Most countries define a recession as a decline in GDP for two consecutive quarters. A sustained recession is known as an economic depression. Many economists believe that periodic recessions are a "natural" part of the business cycle?. | {
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CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR SECRETARY-TREASURER
OF THE LINGUISTIC SOCIETY OF AMERICA
The Secretary-Treasurer is the constitutionally designated chief fiscal
officer of the Society. The responsibilities of the Secretary-Treasurer
shall include keeping the records of the deliberations of the Society
and the Executive Committee, presenting an annual report to the Society,
which shall be published by the Society, supervising publications of the
Society which are not the responsibility of the Editor, and such
functions as may be assigned by the President and the Executive
Committee. Although the Secretary-Treasurer is elected annually, the
recent tradition has been to serve for five consecutive years.
During their term in office, all past Secretary-Treasurers have been
faculty members in residence at their own universities. They have been
able to continue to pursue research interests, to maintain faculty
commitments and to meet administrative responsibilities because the work
of the Society is generally carried out by the Secretariat in
Washington. The Secretariat, currently staffed by 3 employees,
administers and manages the work of the Society under the direction of
and in frequent communication with the Secretary-Treasurer.
Each year, the Secretary-Treasurer receives a modest honorarium in
recognition of service, and is reimbursed for office supplies and the
expense of a telephone line at his or her university office, as well as
for travel on LSA business.
The members of the Ad Hoc Secretary-Treasurer Search Committee welcome
applications and nominations from any member. The Committee would also
be pleased to respond to inquiries about the position and to supply
detailed information on the responsibilities. All applications and
nominations should be accompanied by a curriculum vitae and be sent to
the Ad Hoc Secretary-Treasurer Search Committee, c/o LSA Secretariat,
1325 18th Street, NW, Suite 211, Washington, DC 20036-6501.
The members of the Ad Hoc Secretary-Treasurer Search Committee are:
D. Terence Langendoen, University of Arizona, Chair (langendtarizona.edu)
Barbara Abbott, Michigan State University (abbottmsu.edu)
Ivan Sag, Stanford University (sagrussell.stanford.edu) | {
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º Free Watch Streaming V/H/S 2012 HD Movie Online
Free Watch Streaming V/H/S 2012 HD Movie Online
The V/H/S 2012 is the best movie in 1994 with wonderful rating in imdb, you can Free Streaming this amazing V/H/S 2012 film in the button below with HD quality 1080p or 720p, also you can download this V/H/S 2012 movie.
Synopsis
A POV, found footage horror film from the perspective of America's top genre filmmakers. A group of misfits are hired by an unknown third party to burglarize a desolate house in the countryside and acquire a rare tape. Upon searching the house, the guys are confronted with a dead body, a hub of old televisions and an endless supply of cryptic footage, each video stranger than the last.
Not enough torrents? - Search within torrent files - Check your spelling - Try less or different keywords - Try lower quality torrents,http://www.facebook.com/VHSfilm "THE SCARIEST, RAWEST HORROR MOVIE OF THE YEAR." -- Andy Greene, Rolling Stone When a group of petty criminals is hired by ...,When a group of petty criminals is hired by a mysterious party to retrieve a rare piece of found footage from a rundown house in the middle of nowhere ...,V/H/S (2012) starring Calvin Reeder, Lane Hughes, Adam Wingard, Hannah Fierman, Mike Donlan, Joe Sykes, Drew Sawyer, Jas Sams, Joe Swanberg, Sophia Takal. V/H/S is a ...,When a group of petty criminals is hired by a mysterious party to retrieve a rare piece of found footage from a rundown house in the middle of nowhere, they soon ...,Directed by Simon Barrett, Jason Eisener. With Lawrence Michael Levine, Kelsy Abbott, L.C. Holt, Simon Barrett. Searching for a missing student, two private ...,V/H/S/2 (originally titled S-VHS) is a 2013 Indonesian-American anthology horror film. It features a series of found-footage shorts. It is the sequel to ...,"V/H/S horrifies with sinister short films. In a time when the horror genre has hit an all-time low, V/H/S reminds audiences of what theyve been missing.",V/H/S is a 2012 American anthology horror film. It features a series of found-footage shorts written and directed by Adam Wingard, David Bruckner, Ti West ...,Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, David Bruckner. With Calvin Reeder, Lane Hughes, Kentucker Audley, Adam Wingard. When a group of misfits is hired by an unknown ...V/H/S (2012) - IMDbDirected by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, David Bruckner. With Calvin Reeder, Lane Hughes, Kentucker Audley, Adam Wingard. When a group of misfits is hired by an unknown ...
V/H/S - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaV/H/S is a 2012 American anthology horror film. It features a series of found-footage shorts written and directed by Adam Wingard, David Bruckner, Ti West ...
V/H/S - Official Site"V/H/S horrifies with sinister short films. In a time when the horror genre has hit an all-time low, V/H/S reminds audiences of what theyve been missing."
V/H/S/2 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaV/H/S/2 (originally titled S-VHS) is a 2013 Indonesian-American anthology horror film. It features a series of found-footage shorts. It is the sequel to ...
V/H/S | | Archives | Sundance Institute - Festival Program ...When a group of petty criminals is hired by a mysterious party to retrieve a rare piece of found footage from a rundown house in the middle of nowhere, they soon ...
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Infinity Ward
When Infinity Ward lost two of its founders, Jason West and Frank Zampella, I wondered how that studio would fair. The developer works in tandem with Treyarch on the Call of Duty series. One studio releases an entry while the other works on theirs in a back-and-forth schedule that’s produce a game every year like clockwork. With that loss of leadership, who would enter to fill that void? Better yet, with that messy disruption and the numerous departures, how could Infinity Ward ship its latest game in time?
ECHOES OF WORLD WAR II: At the E3 Activision booth, I saw the same demo that the company showed at the Microsoft news conference. In Hunter Killer, a team of special forces members hijack a Russian submarine and use its missiles to retaliate against the Kremlin. The setup screams Hollywood blockbuster, and in a way, it echoes back to the series’ origins in World War II.
During the special forces escape, they’ll see battleships firing at each other and aircraft carriers slowly sinking. Meanwhile, skyscrapers along the New York waterfront will be set on fire. Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer games even managed to get the Freedom Tower in the distance despite the building not being completed yet.
For someone who grew up collecting comic books in the 1990s, this is deja vu all over again. My two favorite hobbies as a teenager — video games and comic books — have coalesced in my adulthood as I watch this back and forth between Activision and Electronic Arts and the merry-go-round of developers that include Respawn Entertainment, Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games and Visceral Games.
If you didn’t hear the news, former Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella have officially signed with EA Partners and created a new studio called Respawn Entertainment. It’s a move that surprises no one and arrives almost as a counterblow after Activision stole away Visceral Games’ chief Glen Schofield (The guy who helmedDead Space.) and gave him a studio right near EA headquarters in Foster City. That move was like Activision punching EA in the face and saying,”Nyah, nyah.” and EA firing back saying, “You take our people. We’ll take your people.”
The move only serves to intensify a brutal rivalry between the giants. The industry hasn’t seen anything this intense since the Sega vs. Nintendo days, when one company tweaked the other with “blast processing” and “doing what Nintendon’t.” Ah those were the days.
Well, we got it yesterday and we dragged ourselves away from the game long enough to post this video. We unboxed the Modern Warfare 2 Prestige Edition, and I have to say it’s a pretty impressive package. We tried out the night vision goggles, and the interesting thing is that it’s near-sighted friendly. It seems as if there’s two screens inside that make up your vision.
If you’re not a fan of NBA Playoff basketball, then you may have missed the Modern Warfare 2 trailer. It made its debut Sunday during the Cavs and Magic game. After watching the clip, my anticipation for this game has been kicked up a couple of notches. Can’t wait to see if it’s at E3. | {
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Transponder AGV at BASF Ludwigshafen
Ludwigshafen, 10.05.2017 — The transport volume at the BASFLudwigshafen site is around 20 million metric tons per year. BASF has developed a logistics concept that focuses on cost reductions and faster transports. The most important components of this concept are:
Automated guided vehicles (AGV),
new optimized-for-rail tank containers instead of railway tank cars
and a new tank container depot.
AGV with tank container (Photo: BASF)
According to BASF the AGV is a worldwide first that was developed together with the VDL Automated Vehicles. It is a 16.5 meters long carriage with 32 wheels and eight steerable axles, the vehicle has a payload of 78 metric tons. Due to its flat construction it can drive underneath the new tank containers, lift and then move them. Because of the high number of wheels and its steerable axles the AGV remains maneuverable and does not cause any damage to roads even though it can weigh as much as 100 metric tons. BASF says that the duration for the transport of a tank container to one of the 150 loading stations will be cut from 22 hours to 1 hour.
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BASF optimizes logistics at Ludwigshafen site (Video: BASF)
The AGV navigates along transponders embedded in the road surface. The transponders as well as the corresponding transponder antennas have been delivered by Götting and were integrated into the vehicle in cooperation with VDL. The transponders are glass transponders that are especially protected against environmental conditions and have been manufactured by the Pikatron GmbH. The transponder antenna is a new version of the Götting type HG G-98850. Additionally the HG G-45000 (de) safety laser scanners shown in the VDL video above come from Götting.
Privacy info. Embedded YouTube Videos: By default only the thumbnail is loaded directly from our server. If you click on the play button (Opt-In) a connection to the YouTube server is established. Then the video is loaded from the external server. While doing so your IP address and further data is collected by the YouTube server (more information).
Concept of the AGV with transponder navigation and safety scanners (Video: VDL)
Owing to the sophisticated safety features and equipment and the state-of-the-art vehicle control the AGVs can drive together with other traffic on normal streets. Additionally a fully automated tank container depot is constructed at BASF Ludwigshafen until mid 2018. This depot will be trimodal, meaning that goods can be handled via AGVs, trucks and rail.
Götting Quick Guide Last updated: 08/2018
Götting KG founded in 1965, ist an innovative company placed in Lehrte near Hannover (DE) and works worldwide.The company develops and produces wireless data communication systems and sensors for automatic track guidance of so-called automated guided vehicles (AGV). As far as we are informed Götting KG has the largest product range of different components for trackguiding AGV.
Further main topics are traffic technology, RF measuring, wireless data communication in general as well as customized developments for car manufactureres, electronic- and radio broadcasting industry. Currently our company employs 70 professionals of which 32 are experienced masters in engineering and are responsible for research and development.
The core competency of FOX - a special department of Götting KG - is focused on the automation of serial vehicles, especially for the outdoor area (trucks, pay loaders, fork lifts etc.). | {
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Natural Hemp cords are an excellent choice for use in crafts, jewelry making, macramé, scrapbooking, gardening and landscaping. Hemp is a pure and natural eco-friendly alternative to synthetic products and displays the key elements of Mother Nature. Hemp is fully biodegradable. Unlike many other fibers, Hemptique hemp cords are round by nature, and that makes it easy to work with.
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7/12/18 A&G Hr. 3 Resting Smug Face
July 12, 2018•37 min
Jack & Joe take a break from the Strzok testimony to talk to SacBee reporter Sam Stanton about a court victory for panhandlers. Then, it's back to the insane bickering that took place within the Strzok hearing! | {
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How to use JTBD on your website as a freelancer
You don’t hear about how JTBD applies to freelancing very often, so I asked JTBD-expert Alan Klement to join me on a live call to explore the topic. As freelancers we don’t care about complex theory unless it has actionable takeaways you can apply to your business today — and that’s exactly what we tried to create on the call. We discussed a bunch of stuff (and I definitely recommend you check out the full video available at the bottom of this post). Here are the main takeaways we had:
The most important thing about JTBD is that it gives you the ability to understand what’s motivating clients to buy from you.This allows you to create a model for the future that will ultimately help you create a better business. It’s not about using the theory — that doesn’t matter — it’s about being better at doing what you want to do.
You should sell hope to your clients.Your client’s life will improve in some way as a result of buying your service. That’s the entire reason why they’re buying, and ultimately, what you have to sell to them. JTBD will help you uncover that.
The biggest win you’ll get from JTBD is confidence.The reason JTBD will make you more confident is that it will tell you what you need to know about your clients to improve their life. Once you know that, it makes your business a lot simpler. That puts you at ease when pitching your service, helping clients, and providing value.
You should talk to clients in a way that extracts what they really want from you. A central concept in JTBD is interviewing. You interview clients by talking about what they’re looking to accomplish. Developing this skill helps freelancers tremendously when they’re on sales calls with clients, and area most freelancers are not confident in.
Pitching to a team is different than pitching to an individual.Often freelancers look at how they can help a company or business, instead of how they can help individuals within that business. This is a mistake because people are the ones buying your service and these people each have a unique set of reasons for hiring you. It becomes easier to sell a freelance service when you talk directly to each individual’s reason for hiring you.
… and again that’s just scratching the surface on what we covered!
Watch the entire hour-long interview…
Watch the video below to get the video and get notified when I do more of these. We’re already planning on having Alan Klement come back on to do a live client interview deep-dive. Don’t miss it!
The best remote projects.
Hand-picked by designers.
Folyo is a free co-op for freelance
designers that love their business.
Get project alerts, access to our private
Slack and more. | {
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Annex publishers Journal of Clinical and Experimental Research in Cardiology is utilizing online composition accommodation, survey and following frameworks for quality and brisk audit preparing. Survey preparing is performed by the publication board individuals from Clinical and Experimental Research in Cardiology or outside specialists, no less than two autonomous analysts support took after by editorial manager regard is needed for acknowledgement of any citable original copy.
For More Details: annexpublishers.com/journals/journal-of-clinical-and-experimental-research-in-cardiology/jhome.php | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
2SHB 2513 - Prohibiting the practice of transcript withholding and limiting the practice of registration holds at institutions of higher education as debt collection practices. (Hearing is on the Proposed Striking Amendment.) | {
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} |
HOW TO PERFECT THE PLAID
THIS IS A TREND THAT IS ABOUT TO BLOW UP, THE RETURN OF THE PLAID JACKET. THINK GRANDPAS WARDROBE AND ALTHOUGH IN AUSTRALIA WE ARE ABOUT TO HEAD INTO THE WARMER WEATHER DON'T LET THAT STOP YOU FROM INVESTING IN A PLAID JACKET. I LOVE THE IDEA OF WEARING PLAID BACK WITH BLACK AND BLUE DENIM. WEARING IT WITH YOUR CASUAL OUTFITS TO GIVE THEM A MORE POLISHED LOOK. ALSO IF YOUR PLAID JACKET COMES WITH A MATCHING SKIRT DON'T BE AFRAID- WEAR IT BACK WITH A WHITE TEE AND SOME LOAFERS, TRUST ME GIRL YOU'VE GOT THIS. | {
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} |
Gregory
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James W. Cannan Funeral Home - Orchard Park Location
3155 Orchard Park Road
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Map and Directions
About Us
We are honored and privileged to be able to help families and are willing to do whatever it takes to meet your needs. What ever your faith, a traditional wake service or burial, cremation or memorial we will work within your budget to provide you with a service that will meet your expectations. | {
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Outside companies pay to advertise via these links when specific phrases and words are searched. Clicking on these links will open a new tab displaying that respective companys own website. The website you link to is not affiliated with or sponsored by Kohls.com
Dickies 17-inch Laptop Trooper Backpack
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Outside companies pay to advertise via these links when specific phrases and words are searched. Clicking on these links will open a new tab displaying that respective companys own website. The website you link to is not affiliated with or sponsored by Kohls.com | {
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St. Paul Housing Comprehensive Plan (2010)
Comprehensive Plan for Housing for the City of St. Paul, outlining three key strategies: 1) Build on changes in the metropolitan housing market, 2) Preserve and promote established neighborhoods, 3) Ensure availability of affordable housing across the city. | {
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Patch Notes - January 30th 2019
30 January 2019 12:00
Greetings Adventurers,
This week we are starting new events related to the Lunar New Year. We really hope you enjoy them all and to get you into the mood of these festivities, special decorations will be added to all cities in the world of Black Desert Online!
On the other hand, we are excited to introduce two new additions to our game: the "Devour" system, which allows you to convert enhanced gear into Enhancement Chances, and the "Privacy Mode" for those lone wolves that do not like to be disturbed.
We have also good news for those enjoying our new Battle Royale mode as we are introducing two new classes: Musa and Kunoichi!
Please read on below our Patch Notes to know more about our latest additions in detail!
*Please, keep in mind that there will not be maintenance on February 6th due to the festivities taking place in Korea. In order to experience the new events starting that same day, restart your client after 09:00 UTC.
An Injured character starts recovering after it is selected in the Character Selection screen.
The following chart show how much Injury is inflicted per Black Spirit's Rage consumed.
Black Spirit's Rage consumed (%)
Injury (% of Damage that was Inflicted)
100
50
200
100
E.g. A Warrior consumes Black Spirit’s Rage 100% by using the skill Spinning Slash to attack a Berserker with 5,000 max HP. The Warrior will thus inflict a damage of -2,000 HP on the Berserker. The Berserker will then have an Injury of 1,000 HP, or 50% of the damage that was inflicted. The Berserker can then only recover from its HP of 3,000 up to 4,000 HP, until its Injury is healed (at a rate of 10 HP per 5 sec).
“Devour” function has been added.
You can use the “Devour” system to convert enhanced weapon or defense gear into Enhancement Chance.
You can access Devour from the Enhancement window by talking to Black Spirit.
Weapons must be enhancement level +8 or up, and defense gear must be +6 or up.
Weapon Enhancement Level
Enhancement Chance Gain
+8
+4
+9
+5
+10
+6
+11
+8
+12
+10
+13
+12
+14
+14
+15
+16
PRI
+20
DUO
+26
TRI
+33
TET
+45
PEN
+75
Defense Gear Enhancement Level
Enhancement Chance Gain
+6
+3
+7
+4
+8
+5
+9
+6
+10
+7
+11
+8
+12
+10
+13
+12
+14
+14
+15
+16
PRI
+20
DUO
+25
TRI
+30
TET
+40
PEN
+70
Using Devour will consume the item.
Your enhancement chance (excluding Valks’ enhancement chance) must be zero when using Devour.
Privacy Mode has been added.
Privacy Mode allows you to hide your online presence from other Adventurers.
You can enter the game in Privacy Mode by selecting Privacy Mode in the character selection screen.
Some features such as Guild/Friend invitations and whisper will be restricted while in Privacy Mode.
System messages will continue to appear when you kill or get killed by other Adventurers while in PvP mode even when you are in Privacy Mode.
The system message which is sent out to everyone due to obtaining certain items, ranking display will appear to other Adventurers even while playing in Privacy Mode.
When you are playing in Privacy Mode, you will see an icon showing that you are in Privacy Mode, and you will see a message which says that “You are appearing offline.”
Messages which appear to other Adventurers such as when you successfully enhance items will display your message as coming from an “Unknown Adventurer” to other Adventurers.
Your character can now use either a Practice Matchlock (which can be rented with Contribution Points) or a Hunting Matchlock to kill seagulls.
Bosses summoned with a summon scroll by someone else, as well as other adventurers who summon them, will no longer show up on the minimap while the boss is around.
[System]
The order of the tabs within the Guild window will now reset when disbanding a Guild Alliance.
The Apprentice system has been added to Guilds.
After joining a Guild, an adventurer will be an “Apprentice” for the first two weeks.
Like regular Guild members, Guild apprentices can participate in Node/Conquest Wars and Guild missions. They can collect Daily Pay, receive Allowance, and benefit from Guild skills.
The day after the two weeks have passed, the apprentice will automatically be promoted to a general guild member.
Guild Bonus will now only be given out if a Guild has at least 30 members including general members, Quartermasters, Guild Officers, and Guild Masters but excluding Guild apprentices.
It has been changed that you will now recover 600 HP over 30 sec after killing an adventurer.
Musa and Kunoichi can now be possessed in Shadow Arena.
[Musa]
A single-command combo has been added for Musa.
When pressing spacebar + LMB while using a basic attack, skills will be activated according to the order of the list below. If a skill has not been learned yet, the last skill used in the combo will be repeated.
Blooming
Steel Gale
Blind Slash
Dragon Bite
Rising Storm
Basic Forward Attack
[Kunoichi]
A single-command combo has been added for the Kunoichi.
When pressing spacebar + LMB while using a basic attack, skills will be activated according to the order of the list below. If a skill has not been learned yet, the last skill used in the combo will be repeated.
Ninjutsu: Black Moonlight
Flash Slash
Ninjutsu: Shadow Stomp
Tendon Cutter
Kunai Throw
[Sorceress]
High Kick, Shadow Ignition, and Mark of the Shadow have been replaced by Dark Flame, Rushing Crow, and Darkness Released.
Rushing Crow is Quick Slot Available.
[Berserker]
Damage from Predatory Hunt has been increased by 10%.
Damage from Falling Rock has been increased by 30%.
[Dark Knight]
*The chance of learning Nocturne or Hidden Strike from an Unknown Skill Book has been doubled, and the chance of learning Lunacy of Vedir or Air Strike has been halved.
Icons for certain skills which have blocks, crowd control (CC), or grab mechanics will be displayed on top of the skill commands for certain characters in Shadow Arena.
For grab effect skills: A ‘grab (hand)’ icon with a purple background color (if the grab icon is displayed, debuff icons will not be displayed.)
Effects which are not applied to Shadow Arena (such as effects which occur when using skills while on a mount) will not display an icon. Effects which only apply to monsters will also not display an icon.
If you simultaneously have two effects (block and a debuff/grab effect), 2 icons will be displayed.
You can bring your mouse cursor over the icons to see a brief tooltip.
When using Blessing of Kamasylve, you can now obtain a Shadow Arena chest in addition to the Black Rocks you can obtain as rewards for rankings in Shadow Arena.
You can receive one of the following rewards according to your rank for each Shadow Arena match:
You will receive one of the following from obtaining the Shadow Arena Chest:
1st Place Chest
Tungrad Necklace
Tungrad Earring
Tungrad Belt
Ogre Ring
Basilisk's Belt
Orkinrad's Belt
Ring of Crescent Guardian
Narc Ear Accessory
Sicil's Necklace
Memory Fragment x3
2nd-10th Place Chest
Ogre Ring
Basilisk's Belt
Orkinrad's Belt
Ring of Crescent Guardian
Narc Ear Accessory
Sicil's Necklace
Blue Whale Molar Earring
Witch's Earring
Tree Spirit Belt
Ancient Guardian's Seal
Memory Fragment x2
11th-20th Place Chest
Basilisk's Belt
Ring of Crescent Guardian
Narc Ear Accessory
Sicil's Necklace
Blue Whale Molar Earring
Witch's Earring
Tree Spirit Belt
Ancient Guardian's Seal
Forest Ronaros Ring
Bensho's Necklace
Memory Fragment x2
21st-30th Place Chest
Ring of Crescent Guardian
Narc Ear Accessory
Sicil's Necklace
Blue Whale Molar Earring
Witch's Earring
Tree Spirit Belt
Ancient Guardian's Seal
Forest Ronaros Ring
Bensho's Necklace
Ancient Weapon Core
Black Stone (Armor) x4-5
31st-40th Place Chest
Narc Ear Accessory
Sicil's Necklace
Blue Whale Molar Earring
Witch's Earring
Tree Spirit Belt
Ancient Guardian's Seal
Forest Ronaros Ring
Bensho's Necklace
Ancient Weapon Core
Scarla Necklace
Black Stone (Armor) x3
*Added a description about Shadow Arena rewards in the Blessing of Kamasylve item tooltip.
You can now spectate even when a party member is far away during Party mode in Shadow Arena.
Parties will now be maintained even after a Shadow Arena match has ended.
Parties will now be maintained even while standing by after entering Shadow Arena.
Added a Shadow Arena Rankings menu to the ESC menu.
Shadow Arena ranking rewards have been changed as follows.
Before
After
#1: Resplendent Black Rock
#1: Resplendent Black Rock
#2: Radiant Black Rock
#2–10: Radiant Black Rock
#3–5: Sturdy Black Rock
#11–20: Sturdy Black Rock
#6–10: Faint Black Rock
#21–30: Faint Black Rock
#11–20: Rough Black Rock
#31–40: Rough Black Rock
ㄴ
Your AP and DP will now increase when your Black Spirit experiences growth. Your Black Spirit will grow depending on the number of remaining survivors. This information will be marked in a UI at the top right of your screen.
The amount of increase is like the following:
Survivors remaining
AP Increase
DP Increase
40 remaining
3
1
30 remaining
6
2
20 remaining
10
3
10 remaining
15
5
The amount of Fire Bombs you start off with has been changed from 3 to 1.
The decreased movement speed effect for Fire Bombs has been decreased from 50% to 30%.
The Stun duration for Stun Traps has been decreased from 10 sec. to 5 sec.
The maximum amount of points for survival time has been limited to 200 points at most.
The killfeed UI has been improved.
Fixed the issue where you would occasionally not enter into Shadow Arena as a party in party mode for Shadow Arena.
Added a text which explains that you can only play in solo mode when you create and enter a private room in Shadow Arena.
You can now switch the locations of the consumable items with the skill slots on Shadow Arena.
The animation effect after the end of a Shadow Arena match has been changed.
The animation effect at the beginning of a Shadow Arena match has been changed.
Your quick slots will automatically be loaded when you possess a character as Black Spirit.
A special effect has been added for the name of the winners of Shadow Arena matches.
Reworked the Shadow Arena Stats window.
Fixed the issue where the mouse cursor disappeared when a message window appears after clicking on the Shadow Arena button in the ESC menu.
Fixed the issue where the Quick Slot would occasionally not appear when possessing a character in Shadow Arena.
Fixed the issue with buttons disappearing after closing the Settings window in the Shadow Arena Lobby, then toggling the explanation on the upper right hand corner of the screen.
Added tooltips for the “Find Party,” “Shadow Arena Rankings,” and “Settings” buttons in the Lobby of Shadow Arena.
Fixed the issue where Korean text would appear when you click on the macro mode for chatting after entering Shadow Arena.
Fixed the issue where you would occasionally not be able to enter as a party when entering party mode.
Fixed the issue where Marketplace information would be displayed for Shadow Arena items.
Adjusted the size of the Shadow Arena rankings window.
[Game World]
Additional seagulls have been added to Velia and Port Epheria.
[NPC]
Changed the camera view during interactions with NPC Horio Tinya and NPC Ain Greid so that they are in better view.
The monetary value of Tier 1–8 Coursers and Dream Horses have tripled at the Horse Market, Breeding Market, and Imperial Delivery.
Additionally, the Horse Market fees will decrease depending on the Training Level in a future update.
The monsters near NPC Horio Tinya at the Abandoned Iron Mine have moved to another area.
The monster population of Pila Ku Jail has been increased.
Changed the placements of some of the monsters in the Soldier's Grave area.
Adjusted the chances of obtaining Scroll Written in Ancient Language when defeating monsters at the Valencia Monster Zone.
Bashim Base: +20%
Desert Naga Temple: +200%
Titium Valley: -10%
Crescent Shrine: -10%
Gahaz Bandits: -20%
Cadry Ruins: +350%
Centaurus Herd: +20%
Roud Sulfur Mine: +50%
Aakman Temple: -15%
Hystria Ruins: -30%
[Quest]
Fixed the issue where you could not properly complete the “What Happened at the Refugee Camp?” quest if you already learned a Knowledge required to complete the quest.
The NPC for completing the quests below will now be Elgriffin (NOT Margaret).
A Secret Strategy of Conciliation
Recurrence Prevention
Battle of the Elites
The quest Lost Gift (Adventurer's Tome) has been added.
Your character can accept the quest from the Black Spirit if it has completed the quest Black Spirit's Gift (Adventurer's Tome) but does not possess an Adventurer's Tome or Chenga - Sherekhan Tome of Wisdom.
The Ritual quest has been improved. When talking to Martha Kiyen during the quest, the camera will now show you the way towards the hidden area.
The quest that needs to be completed in order to be able to interact with an Unstable Crevice, from which you can get Laila's Petal, has been changed.
Before: Mysterious Companion
After: Into the Sweet Honey Jar
[Knowledge]
Hints have been added for those who do not have yet have Knowledge of the following.
Velia Adventure Journal
Wagon Explosion Incident
Mariano's Cat
Truth About the Charnel House
Clorince's Kindness
Velia Dock
Ruins Management District
Ritual for a Large Haul
Dressed Fish
Goblin Intelligence
Goblin and the Black Stone
Ancient Stone Chamber and Edan
Ancient Stone Chamber Adventure Journal
Murals of the Ancient
Ancient Defense Weapons
Initiating Ancient Defense Weapons
Ancient Stone Chamber, Mural of Prophecy I
Ancient Stone Chamber, Mural of Prophecy II
Ancient Stone Chamber, Mural of Prophecy III
Ancient Stone Chamber, Mural of Prophecy IV
Ancient Stone Chamber, Mural of Prophecy V
Ancient Stone Chamber, Mural of Experience I
Ancient Stone Chamber, Mural of Experience II
Ancient Stone Chamber, Mural of Experience III
Ancient Stone Chamber, Mural of Experience IV
Ancient Stone Chamber, Mural of Experience V
Defense Weapons of the Ancients
Giant Defense Weapons of the Ancients
The Awakened
Iliya Island Adventure Journal
Iliya Island's Ritual for Large Haul
Neutt and Meutt
Meutt and Neutt
Balenos Adventure Journal I
Santo Manzi's Letter
Captured Ogre
Goblin Fence
Monster for a Monster
David Finto's Healthy Food
Balenos Adventure Journal II
Caphras Stone
The Power of Caphras Stones
Harsh Situations at Western Guard Camp
Delegation of Full Power
Grand Chamberlain Takes the Real Control
Loyal Subject Pushed Outward
Serendia Adventure Journal I
An Ill Omen
Orwen and a Mysterious Man
Ambitions of Jordine
A Guest from Glish
Glish Underground Storage
Freharau's Advice
Sword of the Shadow Knight
Jordine Goes to the Watchtower
Order Delivered to Margaret
Artifacts in the Extraction Mill
Serendia Adventure Journal II
Lost Lamb
Al Rhundi’s Journal
Lazy Soldiers
Cruhorn's Errand
Chapel Belfry
Kite Flying
The issue where the “Enhancement Chance” would appear as 100% when having checked “Force-Enhance” button then checking “Use Cron Stone” button on items of Duo level and above has been fixed.
Added a description to the “Remove Guild from the Alliance” button in the Guild Alliance tab for the Guild window (G).
When you need to scroll due to the length of the text at the bottom of the Guild Alliance window, the placement of the descriptions will now be displayed more naturally.
When you bring the mouse cursor over the buttons at the bottom of the repair screen, the mouse over cursor effect will no longer appear.
The “Today’s Playtime” and “Time Passed” display in the Accomplishments section of the My Information window will be displayed in two lines when they are long.
A “?” button which leads to Wiki info page will be displayed in the Recover Max Dur. window.
Fixed the issue where the Recover Max Dur. window would not be moved when selecting certain areas of the title area of the Recover Max Dur. window.
Improved the locations of the Sticker UI, BDO Wiki, and Close buttons on the right side of the Inventory window (I).
The Game Tips, Guild Mount List, and Quick Slot settings window have been revamped.
Fixed the issue where the text at the bottom of the Pet registration window would bleed out of the text box for certain languages.
Fixed the issue where a “?” button would be displayed in the Pet registration window.
The opacity control bar for the Notepad will no longer move after reconnecting to the game.
The cursor in the chat window will no longer bleed out of the window when typing up a long message.
The functionality of the certain buttons in the Guild UI have been changed.
You should no longer see buttons for the following functions for guild members that are not connected to the server: offer a new contract, whisper, invite to a party, appoint as guild master.
You can now see what extra, regional quests are available on the left side of the minimap.
Fixed the issue where the quest information of main quests bled out of their designated windows when they were completed.
You can now click on complete quests in the quest window to read more about the quest in detail.
Fixed the issue with button of the quest summary window being shifted in certain situations.
Added a button which shows your standing while in the Lobby, and the settings and find party button’s locations have been changed.
Fixed the graphical issue with the Marketplace category icons.
[All Classes]
Fixed the issue where the characters would switch to combat status when equipping certain items while in a non-combat state.
[Warrior]
Fixed the graphical issue with the underwear that occurred when wearing the Snowflake outfit.
[Ranger]
Fixed the graphical issue on the shoulders that occurred when wearing the Shudad outfit.
Added a mouseover tooltip for the Black Spirit notification icon, which can be found on the bottom right hand side of the screen.
[Shadow Arena] [Other]
Fixed the issue where the cutscene that played before each match sometimes played twice.
[Updated 01/02/2019]
[General Fixes/Updates]
Added a feature in which the Black Spirit lets you know if you completed a main quest, or if you have not yet obtained the quest. This only applies up until Lv. 15.
Fixed the issue where regions without the Central Market could not exit from the World Map through the ESC key.
Added a button on the notification icon on the bottom right which opens up the quest window.
[Shadow Arena]
Fixed the issue where the AP for Kunoichi’s Sub-weapon would not apply.
Fixed the issue where you obtained Absolute: Divider instead of Dragon Bite for Musa characters.
Fixed the issue where the beginning animation (where the tower begins to form) would not appear.
We are aware of an issue where the color for certain dialogue texts occasionally appears wrong.
We are aware of and currently fixing an issue where skill trait icons for certain skills are not being displayed properly in the Quick Slot in Shadow Arena.
We are aware that the Guild Master rights and commands are visible to other guild members, however, the buttons are not functional. It will be fixed in future maintenance.
We are aware of the issue where the play time Challenge event clock resets upon entering Shadow Arena.
[Updated 31/01/2019]
[Shadow Arena] We are aware of an issue where the AP for Kunoichi’s Sub-weapon is not being applied.
[Updated 01/02/2019]
[Shadow Arena] We are aware of an issue where you bounce when you are a Black Spirit.
[Shadow Arena] We are aware of the issue concerning the missing white foggy dome in the waiting area before the actual match of the Shadow Arena that limits the area you can move around in. As we are working on a fix, please do not stride away too far before the match starts from the starting point for the time being.
[Updated 02/02/2019]
[Shadow Arena] Following condition has been added to the extra reward given for those who are ranked 40th or above.
You must survive in Shadow Arena for more than 5 minutes at least in order to receive the reward.
[Notice]
Your client may force quit if you are playing BDO while using illegal programs.
Reach us on the »forums« to share your feedback, opinions, and suggestions. | {
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ADZbuzz Update July 25
07-25-2018, 02:07 PM
Hi Everybody,
Here is another overview on what is going on in the ADZBuzz Project:
1. Finalizing Revamped ACT Offer
We are currently finalizing the testing of the revamped ADZbuzz Community Token Offer. ACT's represent ownership in ADZbuzz Communities and earn the owner part of the daily profit share based on community activity. Tokens will be sold in batches with the price increasing $1 with every sale.
Every sale we make will also allow ADZAC (ad credits) holders (acquired by burning ADZcoins) to sell their ADZAC's at a certain price they can choose. The price will range from $0.10 per ADZAC at the first batch to $42 per ADZAC at the final batch. All of this will be automated through our exchange. A detailed overview of how this works exactly will be posted when the offer launches, which will happen after our testing has been completed.
This also means that ADZcoin is more of a stablecoin rather than a coin which relies heavily on speculation. ADZcoin represents the ad space on ADZbuzz and all coins will slowly but surely be burned at the same pace we sell ACT's. This will make the price rise gradually as we sell more and more ACT's because ADZ can be burned and sold at the current price of ACT's.
2. ADZbuzz Exchange Rebranding
We are happy to announce that we have acquired the domain "Buzzex.io" which will become the new home of the ADZbuzz Exchange. We wanted to find a general name for our exchange rather than a reference to ADZ and after a long search this was the best option which was still available.
The platform will still be connected to ADZbuzz and the rewards will still be distributed to the ADZbuzz bonus wallet (rebate of trading fees). This means traders can still earn more and more cryptos as they acquire more shares in untokenized communities, which is the unique USP of our exchange.
The improved platform will also be a major update of our current platform and will include:
We will fully focus on our exchange after the launch of our updated ACT offer in order to compete with the top crypto exchanges in the world. This will ensure we can grow the daily profit share further, make ACT's more valuable and help publishers and ACt holders earn more and more on ADZbuzz.
If we're accepted we can not only get more funds for development, an extra income source to increase the daily profit share and increased exposure for ADZbuzz, but there will be numerous ways to earn and spend KIN within ADZbuzz as well which will benefit all ADZbuzz members.
After the research we have done we are confident that ADZbuzz is the type of platform they are looking for to increase usage of KIN. The amount of features we have built over the years along with our growing user-base is a perfect match in our humble opinion, giving us a good chance to be one of the 25 projects to be accepted for the developer program of KIN and get all the benefits of a fruitful collaboration.
Conclusion
Since some people have requested a timeline of what we're working on, i'll end with a short recap:
-> One of these days the revamped ACT offer will be launched. A detailed overview of how this works will be posted shortly after.
-> ADZbuzz Exchange rebranding developments are ongoing and buzzex.io will be its new home. Te exchange will have a lot of improvements when ready.
-> KIN application will be finalized this week, halfway August we'll know if we're accepted.
Thank you Jens for the update, although I still cannot quite understand the ACT offer. The price will increase with every batch but what happens when people buy only part of a community. I think we have to wait once the new system is live to fully understand how it works.
Comment
Thank you Jens for the update, although I still cannot quite understand the ACT offer. The price will increase with every batch but what happens when people buy only part of a community. I think we have to wait once the new system is live to fully understand how it works.
Thanks and yeah it will surely be more clear when it's live.
As for your question, communities will only be sold in batches of 1.5 million tokens starting at $200 and increasing with $1 with every sale. So it won't be possible to buy only part of communities as it was now on the exchange. You can however put buy walls on the exchange as every new community that is tokenized will trade on the exchange.
Comment
Thanks for the update Jens, that's really cool that we are going to have a 'stablecoin' , i was just reading about IBM testing a new cryptocoin that they were calling stablecoin and stronghold to match the USD 1:1. and KIN sounds exciting for the platform too and adcredits to sell, excellent domain name choice too, great new positive stuff = thanks Dev Team!
Hi, the work on KIN application is going on. We'll update when its complete.
The minor optimisations in RSS feature are ongoing but we need more developers to work full time on it to bring the feature upto the level of say, Feedly. As the company expands this will happen.
Bonus Credits are used to claim Non-tokenised Communities. That's the concept which is currently being followed.
Stats page is the privilege of Gold members. We'll talk about it in Gold section.
Hope it helps
Welcome to ADZbuzz!!
1 like
Comment
I was doing some calculations in my head today, about the ACT offer and Adcredits sale, etc. stuff like this. Well if we do the math correct it should be like this. 1st batch of tokens ll be worth 200$ which is currently around 14k Adzcoins(thats how much it ll cost us to buy full community). Am i right?? So if we go forward with math, if you guys ll put buy order for adcredits at 0,10$ per one adcredit it ll mean if you spend all 200$(around 14k adzcoins) that person would be able to get 14k Adzcoins and he would only have to sell 2.000 Adcredits to get them, which is lik 0,0000000.... to whole number of availible adcredits which were gotten by burning coins, which is 15.547.000 (some of them are from Adzbuzz), so there are for sure 10 mil. adcredits from members. Lets go forward with math, if you guys ll be buying them for 0,10$ you ll have to put buy order worth of 1 mil. $ or more + this doesnt include your word that you ll put higher buy offers, to even 42$. I dont know about you guys, i hope i did the math wrong, becouse there ll be surely more than 1 mil. adcredits on sell wall once the revamped offer start again. JensSteyaertcamohitmishra any explenation maybe??
Ps.: Its again "proven" that all the burden ll be on the exchange.
Comment
I was doing some calculations in my head today, about the ACT offer and Adcredits sale, etc. stuff like this. Well if we do the math correct it should be like this. 1st batch of tokens ll be worth 200$ which is currently around 14k Adzcoins(thats how much it ll cost us to buy full community). Am i right?? So if we go forward with math, if you guys ll put buy order for adcredits at 0,10$ per one adcredit it ll mean if you spend all 200$(around 14k adzcoins) that person would be able to get 14k Adzcoins and he would only have to sell 2.000 Adcredits to get them, which is lik 0,0000000.... to whole number of availible adcredits which were gotten by burning coins, which is 15.547.000 (some of them are from Adzbuzz), so there are for sure 10 mil. adcredits from members. Lets go forward with math, if you guys ll be buying them for 0,10$ you ll have to put buy order worth of 1 mil. $ or more + this doesnt include your word that you ll put higher buy offers, to even 42$. I dont know about you guys, i hope i did the math wrong, becouse there ll be surely more than 1 mil. adcredits on sell wall once the revamped offer start again. JensSteyaertcamohitmishra any explenation maybe??
Ps.: Its again "proven" that all the burden ll be on the exchange.
If there are 1 million ad credits on the sell wall, the slots will be filled 1 by one with income from ACT sales. I don't see why you would need to do any math for that. Instead the focus should be on promoting the offer and ADZbuzz + Buzzex to increase the profit share so sell walls get filled faster.
At least that's the plan, if we keep on wasting time with math then it will indeed go slower for everybody. | {
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The Journey from Stats to Stats-Free QC
1. Introducing Stats-Free Quality January 16, 2014
STATS-FREE Quality!
Happy New year! This will to be a pivotal year for laboratory quality control!
In 2014,labs will begin to implement CLSI EP23 guidelines that "The laboratory should manage risk by implementing QCPs (Quality Control Processes) that serve to ensure test result quality is appropriate for clinical use." and "At the least, the ability of the QC procedures to detect medically allowable error should be evaluated."
I have reached the conclusion (and finally found the nerve to say out loud) that the only way to improve quality control is to dramatically change how it is taught and implemented. After decades of teaching "this is what the statistics mean to patient care," it makes sense to me to let the computer calculate and interpret statistics, and teach the people to understand patient risk and respond to action flags.
Forty years ago, in 1974, I became Chief Technologist in the 50 bed hospital in Port Perry, ON. We boiled blood sugars; did tilt-tube pro-times; washed glass pipettes and the flame photometer blew up quite regularly. Forty years ago, we used Levey-Jennings charts with a 1-2s rule. We had peer comparison reports with Youden plots and SDIs. Allowable error limits had been recommended for years(1); Critical Systematic Error was introduced to assess accuracy & precision (2). Ontario launched the Laboratory Proficiency Testing Program.
Twenty-five years ago, in 1989, CLIA 88 was the hot topic. Westgard multi-rules were the recommended standard (3). Westgard was publicizing Q.C. selection grids (4). I was Technical Coordinator for six Northern Ontario labs. We had computerized QC with Westgard Rules. We used the internet to transmit and receive peer reports and an FTP site to send data from remote labs to my office. Twenty-five years ago, the experts recommended setting allowable error limits(1), evaluating method quality(2) and selecting Q.C. rules to match critical systematic error(3). I have been using that process since then. I seem to be in the minority.
Today's analytical processesbear no resemblance to those of 25 to 40 years go. Today's Q.C. practicesare virtually the same. Despite a small mountain of literature and innumerable meetings and committees ... today's labs have not implemented the processes and practices that are required to create clinically-effective quality control.
Let's literally look at laboratory quality differently. I believe it is entirely possible for everyone who cares about laboratory quality to assess medically valididity of patient results - without statistics. This top-down, patient-focused process requires a change in today's philosophy and process, not in the software or controls.
Your Invitation to The Journey from Stats to Stats-Free
25 Years in 25 Weeks
It took me 25 years to reach the conclusion that the only way to improve quality control is to dramatically change how it is taught and implemented. I traveled a unique path to reach that conclusion. It would make no sense to ask you to blindly accept my conclusions without seeing the evidence I have seen. Fortunately, AWEsome Numbers Inc. has provided a platform to allow you to follow my 25 year journey and decide for yourself. Please get involved! Ask, test, question, simulate, challenge, suggest, improve, lead!
With your support, this 25 week series will be an open dialogue on clinical quality! Open doors. No politics or commercialism. Everyone welcome.
I believe there is a Stats-Free way for everyone to understand clinical quality. I hope you will be part of this. Although I call it Stats-Free, it is also free to use the most powerful statistics available - as long as the input and output is verified clinically effective . Let's create an evolving QC processes that continuously improves clinical quality. Enroll in FREE 25 week 'Webinar+' series.Live webinars: Every Thursday, 2:30 PM EST, beginning January 30rd30 minute presentation of each week's topic, plus Q&A.
Jan 30 2:30 EST: Stats-Free QC. The Journey Begins
Feb 6 2:30 EST: "If we only knew then what we know now ... oh wait, we did!"
Link to the 25 week outline, references, discussion forums and more.This week's online discussion: "Do you think it is OK for 1 result in 20 to be medically invalid? That is 50 misleading results in every 1000 you report. Can the error rate ever be guaranteed at zero?"
This 25 week journey concludes in Chicago, July 27th, with an AACC Afternoon WorkshopRisk Based Quality Control – No Stats Required
Planned stops include a full day workshop June 20th, at theCSMLS LabCon 2014 in SaskatoonQ_ality needs U. What do U need?
Where the Stats-Free journey goes from there is up to you!
This change requires YOU.Please join the discussions, spread the word, participate in and follow the studies, be part of the process! Zoe
This is where social media comes in. Spread the word!
Why Stats-Free?
.... because today's Q.C. fails the DIMS test.
1. It isNOT OK for one patient result in 20 to be medically invalid.
The definition of allowable error has drifted in the past 25 years.
The traditional definition: The amount of error that can be tolerated without invalidating the medical usefulness of the analytical result (Carey and Garber - 1989)
Regulatory Definition: The amount of error that can be tolerated without failing requirements established by a regulatory body
Statistical Definition:A statement such as “This result is expected to be within X% of the true result Y% of the time. X is the performance standard. Typical values for Y are 95% (2 SD), 99.7% (3 SD) and 99.9997% (Six Sigma)."
2. There are NOT 192 right ways to do Q.C. In a recent survey, at least one person selected each of 6 sources for the assigned mean, 8 sources for the assigned SD and 4 combinations of Q.C. rules. With these choices, there are potentially 192 different Q.C. practices in use. Insanity: Doing something over and over the same way and expecting a different outcomeAbsurdity: Doing something 192 different ways and expecting the same outcome!
4. We know today's Q.C. is broken. It's time to stop doing what we have always done ...
5. Most lab staff have zero to ten hours education in stats & QC. You cannot possibly teach method validation, statistical QC, Six Sigma, QC design and troubleshooting in that time frame to today's high school grads. In recent surveys, that's what supervisors and techs want new grads to know. Why are we teaching 250,000 people how to interpret a 1-2s flag, when the computer could just tell them what it means and what they should do?
A Different Perspective
Visit AWEsome Numbers on Facebook!Our goal - clear communication between all the stakeholders in laboratory quality.
Please note. I am not being critical of any individual person, institution or organization. I want to express my most sincere respect, admiration and appreciation to Dr. Westgard and so many others. This process does not contradict today's published recommended, principles and processes; it just implements them differently. | {
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Road march, rally demand punishment to culprits
Road march, rally demand punishment to culprits
Our Correspondent, Chapainawabganj
Indigenous people hold a gathering in front of the deputy commissioner's office in Chapainawabganj town yesterday demanding arrest and punishment of the land grabbers who raped a woman indigenous leader in Gomostapur upazila under Chapainawabganj district on August 4. They also reiterated their demand for formation of a separate land commission for the plain land indigenous people in different areas of the country. PHOTO: STAR
Indigenous people at a rally held at Adda of Gomostapur upazila yesterday demanded immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of those who beat up and raped an indigenous woman leader in the upazila on August 4.
Lawmaker Fazle Hossain Badshah of Rajshahi and leaders of different political parties and indigenous leaders spoke at the rally.
After the rally, they started their road march which ended in the afternoon in front of Deputy Commissioner office in Chapainawabganj town.
At another rally there, the speakers said that president of Jatiya Adivasi Parishad, Chapainawabganj unit, was beaten up and raped by a gang of land grabbers at Zinarpur village of Gomostapur upazila on August 4. Since then she is undergoing treatment at Chapainawabganj Sadar Hospital. But police were yet to arrest all the accused.
They demanded immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of those who beat up and raped their leader.
The leaders also demanded a separate land commission for plain land indigenous people.
Later, the indigenous leaders submitted a memorandum to the prime minister through the deputy commissioner of Chapainawabganj, demanding immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of August 4 culprits and a separate land commission for plain land indigenous people.
Several hundred indigenous people, including women, participated in the road march.
The indigenous leader, who was raped and tortured, was also a member of Parbatipur Union Parishad in the upazila. She came under attack while she along with labourers was planting aman seedling on a farmland at noon.
As the labourers fled the scene in the face of attack, three of the gang -- Rezaul Karim, Akbar Ali and Akbar Hossain -- took her to one side of a field and committed the crime.
The attackers also took away her power tiller, two bullocks and a shallow pump machine. | {
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Unlike most other sports, NASCAR has its premier event at the beginning of the season. The Daytona 500 will mark the start for the Sprint Cup, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. looking to win for a second straight year...
With only three more opportunities to win a spot into the 16-driver Chase field, for much of Saturday night's Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway it appeared Jamie McMurray was on his way to doing just that... | {
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4) Can you tell me WHY I (who live in Germany) should have to accept
higher inflation, the devaluing of my currency, to bail out these
RECKLESS and CRIMINAL IDIOTS?
5) Greece was allowed into the
eurozone ON A PACK OF UTTER LIES, prepared by Papademos, an ex ECB, GS
crony who was later UNBELIEVABLY dumped onto the Greeks like some Nazi
Gauleiter. Can you tell me WHY this man is not locked up for LIES and
RECKLESS USE OF PUBLIC MONEY?
6) ALL REPUTABLE ECONOMISTS TOLD
THE EU that the euro COULD NOT WORK, but they ignored it anyway for
their own agenda, a Unitesd States of Europe that NO SINGLE EUROPEAN CITIZEN HAS
VOTED FOR.
I am sick to death of these bailouts. THEAY ARE ALL
ILLEGAL ACCORDING TO EU AND EUROZONE LAW. So is the ECB money-printing.
Now moral pressure is being put on the Germans, who have paid HUNDREDS
OF BILLIONS INTO THE EU over DECADES to allow Borroso and the rest of
the elitist, cronyist scum to earn TWICE the salaries of national
leaders and pay hardly any tax?
I have NEVER felt so angry
about any of the usual lunatic stuff that politicians do as I do NOW. We
are being led by the nose by a large number of quasi-fascist, elitist
and cronist scum who LIE and BREAK THE LAW and who are STILL BEING
RECKLESS WITH OUR MONEY. You'd think their being elected BY US gives
them the right to do ANYTHING they want? The dumping of Papandreaou who
wanted to hold a referendum on the euro was FASCIST and DISGUSTING. I
have nothing but utter contempt for the lot of them and the UK would be
FAR better off outside this sea of illegal idiiocy.
As would Germany, but the guilt from WWII is so deep that the rest can led them by the nose - including France.
Oh yes - France .... now civil servants can retire at 60 again while
the rest of us in Germany have to go on till 67. And you want ME to PAY
for this?
As I said, they can GO TO HELL.
For the
moment, Merkel is doing what the majority of her voters WANT her to do -
that is NOT pour money into a black hole of corruption and idlness. Now
THERE'S a novel thing ... DOING WHAT HER VOTERS WANT. Not the USUAL EU
practice, is it? But how long she can withstand the tsunami of
self-righteous crap from Hollande and the rest (including the CRETINOUS
OBAMA (WHAT THE HELL BUSINESS IS IT OF HIS WHAT WE DO IN EUROPE?) is a
moot point.
I FULLY expect to be royally stuffed by the EU elite in the coming months. SCUM - the lot of them.Write a comment... | {
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You'll tickle their funny bone when you come to the party in our Tickles the Clown Women's Plus Size Costume. Each set comes with a dress, bloomers, shoe covers, and hair scrunchies. The flamboyant pink dress is covered with multicolored polka dots, green and red pompoms, and rainbow-striped short sleeves. A hoop at the mid-thigh hem of the skirt keeps it puffed out for a tent-look. The white bloomers have a matching rainbow ruffles, setting off the green and red pompom shoe covers with rainbow ruffle bed. Tie the pompom hair scrunchies into your do and you'll be read for the ringmaster. Everybody loves a clowncome to the Halloween party in this costume and you'll have them cracking up all night. Add a Clown Wig, Pink Tights, and Clown Gloves (sold separately) to finish the look.
Show off your whimsical side with this cute clown outfit. The Plus Size Tickles the Clown Women's Costume features a dress, bloomers, hair scrunchies, and shoe toppers. The short pink dress is covered with yellow, purple, orange, and blue dots and has short puffy sleeves with matching colored stripes. The collar is white ruffles with colored stripes and there is a red and a green pom pom on the front of the dress. The dress flares at the hem, which is high enough to reveal the sheer and white puffy bloomers with colorful striped trim. The colorful hair scrunchies match the dress and have a green or red pom pom on each. The shoe toppers are colorful ruffled discs with matching pom poms as well. They are held on with elastic straps. Add accessories, like a colored clown wig, clown nose, gloves, tights, and face paint or makeup. The Plus Size Tickles the Clown Women's Costume is a fun family-friendly costume that's going to make everyone smile.
Product Number: 69517F
Material:
100% POLYESTER
Care Instructions:
HAND WASH IN COLD WATER. DO NOT BLEACH. DRY FLAT. DO NOT IRON.
Air Shippable:
Yes
Return Eligible:
Yes
Oversized:
No
Warnings: 14 YEAR WARNING - NOT INTENDED FOR USE IN PLAY BY CHILDREN UNDER 14 YEARS OF AGE | FLAME WARNING - WARNING: KEEP AWAY FROM OPEN FLAME | FOR ADULTS WARNING - FOR ADULTS | {
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Other Pamplin Media Group sites
Pacers trade brutal schedule
With just three experienced players on his roster, coach Mike Melin wasn't sure what to expect from his Lakeridge girls basketball team this season. Well, we know for sure that the Pacers won't be pushovers after they scored a pair of victories last week.
Even though this was supposed to be a rebuilding year, 'we've got some kids who are stepping up,' Melin said after his squad beat Sprague 48-46 last Wednesday and then routed North Salem 62-40 on Friday.
Granted, Sprague and North Salem are not exactly top-10 teams. But, last year, Lakeridge played many of the state's highly ranked teams during the preseason and that approach didn't work real well as the Pacers started the season slowly and had trouble recovering during league play.
'If they were in the top 10, we played them,' Melin painfully recalled.
This year, Melin opted for a slightly easier schedule and the results have been positive so far.
'As young as we are, it's huge that we get some confidence,' Melin said. 'Because, even though we're young, we've got some real potential.'
For a few of the players, that potential is already being realized. Senior guard Kai Schmidt, who is one of three experienced players, is the team's scoring leader after netting 11 points against Sprague and then dropping 23 on North Salem.
Senior center Kiersten McNairy and senior guard Lauren Joyce also are averaging in double figures after the first two games. McNairy scored 11 against Sprague and nine against North Salem while Joyce went for seven and 13 against those two opponents, respectively.
That kind of production wasn't a surprise for McNairy because she played at that level last year. But it was a slightly different story for Joyce, who has been unable to play any games during the last three years because of an assortment of injuries.
Melin was excited about his team's performances in both games last week. Against Sprague, the Pacers trailed after each of the first three periods but they managed to pull out a two-point victory after a solid fourth quarter.
'Kids with less character would have found a way to lose that game,' Melin said.
McNairy and Schmidt tied for team scoring honors with 11 points apiece. The big story, though, was the game turned in by the defense. That defense held Sprague's top player, Kylie Kuhn, who just seven points. It was the first time in her career that Kuhn was held to single digits in scoring.
Kuhn also is an incredible rebounder. At least she was in one game last year when she grabbed a school-record 32 rebounds. But the Pacers held her to single digits in that category as well.
North Salem, the second opponent on Lakeridge's schedule, could have used someone like Kuhn. As it was, the Vikings had no one score in double figures and they wound up being over-matched by the Pacers.
That was the game in which Joyce scored 13. Lakeridge also got nine points from McNairy and a game-high 23 from Schmidt. It's interesting to note that Lakeridge would have won the game even if no one else had scored for the Pacers. But four other players - Courtney Bird, Lexi Ross, Kayla Glanville and Andrea Hopkins - also got their names in the scorebook while combining for 17 points.
It's still early in the season, but Melin likes what he's seen from his team so far.
'Every time we've played (including the preseason jamboree), we've been a little better,' the coach said.
There's still a long ways to go, but people in the Pacers camp are already thinking about the possbility of contending for a playoff spot.
'So far, we're in pretty good shape,' Melin said. 'If the kids keep working hard … we might make a run for that fourth (playoff) spot.' | {
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North Korea says it can now ‘reduce US to ashes’
April 10, 2016
SEOUL: North Korea said on Saturday it has successfully tested a new intercontinental ballistic rocket engine that will give it the ability to stage nuclear strikes on the United States.
The engine’s ground test, if true, would be a big step forward for the North’s nuclear weapons programme, which saw its fourth atomic test earlier this year. But the North may still need a good deal of work before it can hit the US mainland with nuclear missiles. South Korean officials say North Korea doesn’t yet have a reliable intercontinental ballistic missile, let alone the ability to arm it with a nuclear warhead.
The test, announced by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency, is only the latest in a string of what Washington and its allies consider North Korean provocations, including last month’s launch of a medium-range ballistic missile that violated UN Security Council resolutions that prohibit any ballistic activities by North Korea. It was the North’s first medium-range missile launch since early 2014.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner called on North Korea to “refrain from actions and rhetoric that further destabilize the region and focus instead on taking concrete steps toward fulfilling its commitments and international obligations.”
The North has also threatened pre-emptive nuclear strikes against Washington and Seoul and fired short-range missiles and artillery into the sea in an apparent response to ongoing US-South Korean military drills and tough UN sanctions imposed over the recent nuclear test and a long-range rocket launch earlier this year.
Some analysts think young leader Kim Jong Un’s belligerent stance is linked to a major ruling party congress next month meant to further cement his grip on power. The outside pressure and anger caused by bombastic threats and repeated nuclear-related tests, the argument goes, is meant to rally the North Korean people around Kim as he stands up to powerful enemies trying to crush the North.
With typical rhetorical flourish, the North’s KCNA said that Kim was delighted as the “higher-power” rocket engine spewed out “huge flames with (a) deafening boom” during the ground test at the Sohae Space Center in the country’s northwest, the site of its February long-range rocket launch. KCNA did not say when the test was conducted.
The agency quoted Kim as saying that the North can now tip intercontinental ballistic missiles with more powerful nuclear warheads that could keep the US mainland within striking distance and “reduce them to ashes so that they may not survive in our planet.”
The North recently has gone to great lengths to tout alleged advancements in its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. Those claims have often been met with doubt by South Korean officials and experts. The North’s official media on March 9 showed a smiling Kim posing with nuclear scientists beside what appeared to be a model trigger device of a nuclear warhead. Kim declared that warheads had been miniaturized for use on ballistic missiles.
The North has also claimed to have mastered a re-entry technology designed to protect a warhead from extreme heat and other challenges when it returns to the atmosphere from space following a missile launch. It also said it had successfully conducted a high-powered, solid-fuel rocket engine test. Solid-fuel missiles are generally harder to detect before they are launched than liquid-fuel missiles.
The most recent test, like all the North’s atomic and missile claims, will cause worry in Washington and the North’s neighbors, but outsiders have so far been powerless to stop the North’s nuclear progress: international disarmament talks have been stalled for years and increasingly tough sanctions have done little to dissuade Pyongyang from pushing forward. | {
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At St. Joseph Hospital, we are proud to serve the healthcare and medical needs of people throughout Orange, California and the surrounding areas. Find out about our centers of excellence by clicking the option above, or search through all of our services by choosing the letter or search to the left.
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Perinatal Comfort Care
If you are reading this because of a prenatal diagnosis that indicates your baby may die before or soon after birth, our hearts go out to you. The Perinatal Comfort Care team is here to be of support to you and your family through this difficult time. We are dedicated to embracing parents who have made the decision to continue their pregnancy and wish to spend every precious moment with their baby.
Expecting a new baby is a time filled with excitement, anticipation and hope for the future. However, for parents who have been given a prenatal diagnosis that their baby may be born with a life-threatening condition, this can be a time filled with heartbreak and uncertainty. Parents who choose to continue the pregnancy may find themselves alone with limited information and resources. Other family members may also be facing their own unique struggles. In response to the need for more specialized perinatal care, St. Joseph Hospice - in collaboration with St. Joseph Hospital - has developed a Perinatal Hospice Program to help you and your family through this time of uncertainty. You do not have to walk alone.
Here are some comments from parents who have been through this experience and leaned on the Perinatal Comfort Care Program for support:
“We could never imagine going through what we went through without the help of the Perinatal Comfort Care program.”
“We will never be able to repay what this program has done for us and we are very grateful.”
“Everyone at Perinatal Comfort Care was very nice, helpful and understanding. I am grateful that my OBGYN recommended the program. All our wishes were respected and carried through which made us very at ease. I would recommend this program to any parent going through this situation.”
The Program Coordinator admits the parents to the PCC program, facilitates communication with the hospital staff, attends the Perinatal Conference at the hospital and coordinates the PCC team.
The Clinical Social Worker
completes the initial assessment, provides psychosocial support and counseling to the family. The Social Worker assists parents in developing a holistic Birthing Plan and referrals to community resources. The Social Worker will also provide opportunities for the parents and family to participate in memory making.
The Chaplain provides a spiritual assessment and collaborates with the parents to establish a care plan to meet the spiritual needs of all family members. The Chaplain helps families find purpose and meaning in the lifetime of their baby. The Chaplain is also available to facilitate blessings, baptism and other rituals.
The Music Therapist provides an assessment and care plan to meet the psychosocial needs of the family. Through music, the Therapist is available to assist family members in bonding with their baby and exploring their feelings regarding the birth and possible death of their baby.
A Nurse is available in a volunteer capacity to provide education and support to parents and family members to better understand their baby’s diagnosis and what to expect at the time of birth and aftercare.
Volunteers are available to assist the family by providing emotional support and respite.
Our PCC team, along with the mother’s obstetrician and hospital staff, collaborate to provide comprehensive care from the time of diagnosis through bereavement. | {
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(a)[1] The Secretary shall conduct continuing investigations, prepare and disseminate information, and make periodical reports to the public, to the President, and to Congress, with respect to the following matters:
(1)The production and flow to market of fish and fishery products domestically produced, and also those produced by foreign producers which affect the domestic fisheries;
(2)The availability and abundance and the biological requirements of the fish and wildlife resources;
(3)The competitive economic position of the various fish and fishery products with respect to each other, and with respect to competitive domestic and foreign-produced commodities;
(4)The collection and dissemination of statistics on commercial and sport fishing;
(5)The collection and dissemination of statistics on the nature and availability of wildlife, progress in acquisition of additional refuges and measures being taken to foster a coordinated program to encourage and develop wildlife values;
(6)The improvement of production and marketing practices in regard to commercial species and the conduct of educational and extension services relative to commercial and sport fishing, and wildlife matters;
(7)Any other matters which in the judgment of the Secretary are of public interest in connection with any phases of fish and wildlife operations.
For termination, effective May 15, 2000, of provisions of law requiring submittal to Congress of any annual, semiannual, or other regular periodic report listed in House Document No. 103–7 (in which a report to Congress required under this section is listed on page 54), see section 3003 ofPub. L. 104–66, as amended, set out as a note under section
1113 of Title
31, Money and Finance.
Transfer of Functions
Transfer of functions to Secretary of Commerce from Secretary of the Interior by Reorg. Plan No. 4 of 1970, eff. Oct. 3, 1970, 35 F.R. 15627, 84 Stat. 2090, see note set out under section
742b of this title. | {
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Whatcom County filmmaker creating documentary about collecting
If you have an offbeat collection, and you’re willing to talk about what you collect and why, Bob Ridgley may want to talk to you.
Ridgley, who has operated Binary Recording Studio in Whatcom County since 1989, is beginning work on a documentary about collectors, their collections, and the psychology of collecting.
If you show him yours, he’ll show you his. He has a collection of more than 1,000 vintage plaster nodder and bobbing heads from the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s.
Ridgley, a graduate in music education from Western Washington University, is known as “Binary Bob” because of his experience in audio and visual recording techniques. He received the Mary Pickford Award in 2005 from the Whatcom Film Association for his work in motivating local independent filmmakers.
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Question: Before we talk about your collecting project, aren’t you also involved in two projects of timely social significance?
Answer: I am. One is a documentary entitled, “Every Daddy Has a Story” by Julia Clifford from Bellingham. It’s a story about the longest non-violent demonstration in the history of America. For a year starting in 1957, NAACP leaders negotiated with business owners to desegregate restaurants in downtown Oklahoma City, but negotiations failed. In 1958, Julia’s father, a white man with a great conscience, helped to organize a group of 13 children ages 6 to 17. They sat peacefully at Katz Drugstore’s fountain and asked to be served for months. They turned it around!
Q: What’s your other project?
A: It’s called “Eagle or Ostrich.” I’m the sound engineer for this project for Unity Productions. It’s the story of an American Muslim who sets out to achieve his dream — a pilot’s license — in the aftermath of 9/11. In the face of America’s security culture, will the land of opportunity allow him to soar like an eagle, or …
Q: How did you start your own unusual hobby?
A: I was on a film shoot in Portland in the 1980s and we had a lot of down time, so I would cruise the antique shops. There it was — a Hawaiian nodder! I bought it for a couple of bucks and I soon became fascinated by the huge variety of nodders. I have Castro, Krushchev, The Beatles, Kennedy, and more than a thousand others. A lot of them were sold as novelty items and made a political statement. I’m one of four people in the country who have the Fab Four in a box!
Q: What’s your favorite bobbing head?
A: One of my favorites is Reddy Kilowatt (an electrical industry cartoon character). There are only a few left on Earth, and it’s worth $2,000 to $3,000. These plaster nodders are becoming very scarce and they can break so easily, there aren’t many of them left. It’s just addictive and fascinating. But I’m not interested in the more recent plastic ones — they have to be plaster.
Q: So you must feel you really understand collectors.
A: I do. I feel I can relate to these people. What I’m seeking is people with out-of-the-ordinary collections who are really willing to talk about why they collect. For example, I know of somebody who collects unsharpened pencils. Now why would anyone collect them? That’s what I want to talk about about. People who pursue the eccentric and the offbeat.
Q: So you aren’t interested in talking with people with mainstream collections such as stamps and coins?
A: Right. I’m looking for people who love everything from exotic sports cars to the lowly old bottle cap. Who are these people? What drives them? How did they get started? When do they have enough in their collections? Some are pathological, obsessive and calculating.
Q: I remember collecting matchbook covers when I was in second grade or so, and my parents hated it because I’d sometimes have to pick them up off the street!
A: That was during the smokers’ era, in the 1950s, right? There are people who collect bottle caps from that era. What I’m really looking for is people willing to talk about why they feel they need to collect something unusual.
Q: So many things collectors seek are no longer with us. I can remember hunting for soda bottles that could be redeemed for three cents and being real happy to find one of the giant bottles worth five cents! You could make good money for a little kid.
A: Yes, things like ashtrays are now collectible because so few of them are being made. Remember Bakelite? Early Bakelite jewelry, radios and so on are highly desirable.
Q: Are you getting help from local antique dealers?
A: Yes, some of them think this documentary is a cool idea. Terri Krantz, a local antique dealer, is instrumental in helping me. In addition to talking with local people, I plan to interview collectors all over America. Some collectors are shy and some don’t really like talking about what they collect. Some don’t communicate well. I think it all goes back to the cavemen who collected rocks. | {
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A Farmer’s Market In A Ruin Pub
by Jonathan I Hirsch
Budapest: the Paris of Eastern Europe, a city of remarkable beauty and history.
District VII has an energy that is unparalleled by other parts of the city. The reasoning for this may be complicated by its past, but the sense is undeniable. Walking down the cobbled section of Dohany Utca on a Friday night and you will pass in and out of surges of noise and activity, punctuated only by the occasional residential building. At its center is the Great Synagogue , and the tight conglomerate of alleys and streets that surround it.
In the last two decades, the very blight that has left District VII beleaguered has now become its greatest asset. Dozens of vacant complexes have been transformed into multi-roomed bars, each with their own character—the courtyards turned into garden pubs. In keeping with the spirit of the change, many feature an eclectic mix of found objects, repurposed junk, and vintage furniture. Easily the most famous Ruin Pub in Budapest is Szimpla.
It is stunning to see a neighborhood blossom, to watch a city embrace its history while at the same time turning a new leaf. As a native San Franciscan, all too often I have felt that my hometown has failed to preserve its own heritage in the fog that comes with the unceasing march of commercial “progress”.
On Sundays Szimpla opens its gates to local farmers, growers, cheesemongers, and many more for a weekly market. On a sunny afternoon in Budapest, you can buy home-bottled preserves, a colorful array of pickled vegetables, or bag of fresh pears and apples from local merchants. Afterward you can sit in the garden with a beer and be thankful that things once thought to be an eyesore can blossom with a beauty all their own.
On our way out one afternoon, we encountered a lovely non-profit group called the Budapest Bike Maffia, a group of riders who accumulate food donations and deliver them to in-need families every Sunday. We ran back in and bought a bag of produce. They took our picture and told us they’d post it on their facebook page. We left with our baskets full, grateful to have been given a tiny snapshot of the neighborhood’s vibrant new scene, and reminded once again of what progress (at it’s best) should look like. | {
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MADE.By You. For You. {@CHIxMPLS}
Harold’s Chicken Shack
Growing up in Minnesota, KFC and Popeyes were the marquis chicken places aside from a few token spots like El-Amins, Shorty & Wags, and Pizza Gallery. When i came to the city of Chicago, it was clear that one name rang loudest in the conversation over chicken; Harold’s. A Southside institution, Harold’s Chicken Shack has reached national acclaim for having some of the best wings, not only in Chicago; but in the entire United States as well. When driving on the Southside you’ll see a Harold’s in just about every neighborhood stretching down into the city’s south suburbs, you can find them all across the city but they are most prevalent out south. The chicken itself is great, Juicy, Crispy and lathered in a sauce locals have named “Mild Sauce”; it’s like a blend of BBQ, Honey BBQ and ketchup. They provide a variety of sauces but Mild is really the only way to go, if you’re ever in Chicago you CAN NOT leave without eating at one of the many around town. Thank me later. | {
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Fusion Japanese Steakhouse
It is our goal to provide the highest quality food, service, and entertainment in order to ensure customer satisfaction and establish ourselves as a landmark in our community. We offer an extensive menu featuring Hibachi, Fresh Sushi, and a Fusion Asian menu boasting delicious Singapore, Malaysian, Indonesian, and Thai entrees. | {
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Under the Ace Umbrella: Demisexuality and Gray-asexuality
I’ve heard about something called the “Ace Umbrella”. What’s that about?
There’s a gray area between asexuality and non-asexuality. Some people say that they occasionally experience sexual attraction, yet still relate to asexuality. The ace umbrella encompasses asexuals, as well as people in this gray area.
Some people, known as “gray-asexuals”, experience sexual attraction infrequently or not very strongly or possibly aren’t quite sure whether or not what they experience is sexual attraction.
One subtype of gray-asexuals, known as “demisexuals”, can experience sexual attraction only after developing a close emotional bond with someone.
So, if asexuals don’t experience sexual attraction and these people do, why the “umbrella”? What do you have in common?
Many graces and demis tend to feel alienated by or disconnected from the sex-charged culture that they see around them. Most of the time, they do not experience sexual attraction, same as asexual people. When they do, the manner or frequency with which they do does not align with how “everyone else” describes their experience with sexual attraction. In this way, their experiences are often very similar to the experiences of asexuals.
Many times, demisexuals and gray-asexuals will even identify as asexual or something like “asexual with an exception”. The frequency of sexual attraction may be so low that they go years without feeling it, so, for all intents and purposes, they are equivalent to asexual during that period.
But isn’t that just “Normal” sexuality? Most people aren’t attracted to everyone all the time.
Certainly, most people don’t feel constant sexual attraction. However, most people seem to feel it fairly frequently. Often it’s toward a romantic partner, but throughout the day, there might also be the hot co-worker or the random stranger on the sidewalk or the celebrity with the great body. Even if most people don’t act on it, the attraction is still present. Grays and demis aren’t like that. For a gray-asexual or a demisexual, there may be years between episodes of sexual attraction or there may have been only one person that’s ever caught their eye.
So… “Demisexual”? Does that mean they only sleep with demi-gods? Demi Moore?
Unlike “hetero-” or “homo-” or “a-“, etc., which describe the gender(s) that a person is or isn’t attracted to, “demi-” describes the circumstances in which a person may experience sexual attraction. Demisexuals are only capable of feeling sexual attraction after they’ve developed a close emotional bond with someone. Even then, they still might not feel anything.
It sounds like demisexuals are trying to make themselves out to be special because they only have sex with people they love.
Demisexuality is about attraction, not action. It doesn’t mean that people are picky about their sexual partners. It doesn’t mean that they’re “saving themselves for the right person”. When someone says that they’re demi, they mean that they can’t experience sexual attraction unless they’re close to someone. They’re not choosing to repress sexual feelings for others because they don’t have anything to repress.
Furthermore, demisexuality says nothing about who a demi has sex with, or if they even have sex at all. It’s possible to be demisexual and a virgin. It’s possible to be demisexual and repulsed. And it’s possible to be demisexual and sleep with anyone who is willing. Demisexuality is only about the circumstances where one can experience sexual attraction, not about sexual activity.
It’s also important to note that demisexuality is not, in any way, a value judgment against other people. Just because they only experience sexual attraction after developing an emotional bond, that does not mean that they feel there’s anything wrong with people who don’t require that bond to experience sexual attraction.
Okay, so they’re only sexually attracted to people that they love?
Not necessarily. The close emotional bond does not have to be love. It could be friendship, it could be a work relationship, or any number of other strong emotional connections. Something purely platonic might still be capable of triggering sexual attraction.
How long does it take a demisexual to develop sexual attraction after forming the emotional bond?
Every situation is different. Many demis say that it can take anywhere from months to years to come about. Maybe less time, maybe more. It’s not like there’s a chess timer that starts ticking the moment you meet someone, and if you don’t feel sexually attracted to them by the time the hands go all the way around, you’re not going to.
Are gray-a’s just asexuals who have sex?
It’s not about what someone does, it’s about what they feel. If an asexual has sex, they’re an asexual who has sex, not a gray-asexual. If an asexual masturbates, they’re an asexual who masturbates, not a gray-asexual. The difference between “asexual” and “gray-asexual” is one of attraction, not behavior.
It’s not about enjoying sex, either. If an asexual likes sex, they’re an asexual who likes sex, not a gray-asexual. It’s possible to enjoy sex and sexual activities and not experience sexual attraction.
How can someone be “Gray”? You’re either asexual or you’re not. Clear as that.
Is it clear where you fit if you’ve only felt sexual attraction once in your entire life, then never again? Is it clear where you fit if you occasionally feel something that could potentially be sexual attraction, but it’s so weak that a passing breeze is enough to make it stop? Is it clear where you fit if you’re sometimes sexually attracted to people and you like sex, but don’t feel any drive to seek it out and would be fine without it? Is it clear where you fit if you’re not sure what sexual attraction even is, let alone whether or not you’ve felt it? Gray-asexuals live in this land of confusion.
So what is gray-asexuality, then? The description you’re giving is a bit fuzzy.
The definition of “gray-asexual” is intentionally vague. It’s meant to be a catch-all for anyone who feels they fall somewhere near asexual on the spectrum between “sexual” and “asexual”. There’s no strict criteria for what makes someone “gray”, there’s no shining dividing line. If there were, it wouldn’t be a gray area.
It’s a bit like the purple spectrum between red and blue. When you’re close to red or blue, the color can be described as “reddish” or “bluish”. There’s no clear line where being “reddish” stops, but it’s clear that it stops somewhere. I mean, you can’t be one tick away from blue and still describe the color as “reddish”. Gray-asexuality is sort of like “asexual-ish”.
Do demisexuals and gray-asexuals fall in love?
Like asexuals, graces and demis come in all flavors of romantic orientation. Someone can be a heteroromantic demisexual or a panromantic gray-asexual. For a demisexual person, a romantic relationship could potentially be the catalyst for sexual attraction, however, it won’t necessarily happen just because someone’s in love.
Gray-asexuals and demisexuals can be even aromantic and not be romantically attracted to anyone. Additionally, a person can be demiromantic or gray-romantic, which are similar to being demisexual or gray-asexual, but around romantic attraction, rather than sexual.
How can you know you’re demi or gray and not asexual?
Well, if you experience sexual attraction occasionally, that’s a pretty good sign that you’re not asexual.
Aside from that, if you feel like you’re almost asexual, but not quite for some reason, then perhaps gray-asexual would be a better fit. If you’re asexual most of the time, but there’s that one person you’re close to who’s an exception, then maybe demisexual would work.
How can you know you’re asexual and not demi or gray?
If you don’t feel like you’re demi or gray, then you’re not. There’s no 100% surefire way to determine that just because you’ve never experienced sexual attraction before, that you won’t tomorrow. You can be fairly sure that it’s not going to happen if it’s never happened before, but it can’t be ruled out completely. It’s a bit like a scientific theory: It can never be proven entirely, it can only be disproven. After all, everyone who has experienced sexual attraction had a first time, and they probably weren’t expecting it to happen, either.
Look at it this way: There are plenty of straight people in the world. Most of them have never been attracted to a member of the same sex. But how can they know for sure that they won’t be? How can they be certain they don’t have dormant bisexual tendencies? The common response is “Well, I just know“, but really, it’s impossible to know for sure. It’s not something that stresses out a lot of straight people, yet I see a lot of aces worried that they might really be gray or demi.
For me, I’m asexual. I don’t expect that it’ll turn out that I’m actually gray or demi, but if it does, I’m not going to push it away. If I happen to experience sexual attraction one day, then okay, I’ve learned that I’m not asexual after all. I’m not going to let this word that describes me very well right now tell me what to do in the future. You’re not permanently locked into asexuality for the rest of your life once you’ve used the word to describe yourself, so if it no longer fits, don’t try to make it fit.
100 thoughts on “Under the Ace Umbrella: Demisexuality and Gray-asexuality”
I think I’m demisexual. I thought I was asexual when I was younger then just convinced myself I just hadn’t found the right person yet. Ive never had feelings of strong sexual attraction but after being in a relationship for 5 years I usually enjoyed sex but it wasn’t that uncontrollable desire. I always thought I was just suppressed or weird. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who doesn’t function the way the normal population does.
I have know that i was different from a young age (about 5 or so) however i just thought i liked girls. But at the age of 21 i actually started to think about what i wanted in a relationship, as i have never had one. All i wanted was a deep connection, to hold hands with some one, and even, if the mood was to strike; possibly kiss. For me, i don’t really like to label myself, to constrict myself and be put in a box. Im just me. But i suppose if you or i had to, i would be a Homoromantic Demisexual.
Demi-pan here.And I’ve only told a few people (all of whom were well aware of the fact that, prior to this discovery, I’d thought I was “broken” – either an asexual with flaws or a “normal”, if repressed, sexual person) and my only advice is…try to get them to understand where you’re coming from.
And ignore the idiots who insist demisexuality isn’t a thing. No one is saying any sexuality is any better than any other one, nor that non-demis are “impure” or some such nonsense. It’s not about chastity or purity.
It’s that I (or, in this case, we) have a very specific turn-on that acts as a gateway to all other turn-ons or fetishes we might experience: We need to feel an emotional connection. That’s it. That connection can be anything.
We’re not the chivalrous, virtuous, or chaste; this isn’t celibacy with mandates, and it’s not abstinence. It’s just that the thing in our brains that says, “Damn, you’re sexy” doesn’t go off without a connection present, and even then might not appear at all.
One wouldn’t turn to a straight man and ask, “Why don’t you like men? And of the women around you, why don’t you want to have sex with all of them?” So why ask demis the same thing in context? Gender, in that instance, is the gateway turn-on. Well…for us, it’s emotion.
I feel like demisexual more than anything else. I dont have a physical appearance preference, rather, the thing that would attract me to someone is their intellect and personality. I think my current relationship might be in shaky waters because of this im often accused by him of not having a very high libido. But honestly there are some things that two people can share in a relationship that just pales in comparison to sex that i deem more important. God as if the dating scene couldnt get anymore difficult then you add this too.
I’m 100% asexual. Even thinking/reading about sex makes me sick to my stomach, and I want nothing to do with it. I don’t understand how an asexual person can ”like sex”.. how are they asexual if they enjoy sex? I thought sex disgusted asexual people. It disgusts me. Maybe I’m a different kind of asexual. Hmm.
An Asexual is someone who does not experience sexual attraction; the yearning for it; that does not automatically mean their parts do not respond with pleasure when having sex, so they could do it for that reason (or to satisfy their sexual partner). They simply do it out of masturbation not sexual attraction; no physical attraction but just the desire for pleasure; they probably wouldnt get turned on by things that normally initiate sex or experience a need for sex, but again, just the pleasure whether its by masturbation or sex.
actually i should clarify, i meant “the yearning for it with another person”. And porn can still be a turn on to any type of Asexual. So then doesnt that mean they actually desire sex? No, because faced with the option with another person they have no sexual attraction. Also, the part where i said they can do it to satisfy their partner comes more as a “i did this and it made them happy so it made me happy to do it for them,” not necessarily sexual satisfaction.
After this I’m pretty much sure I’m graysexual. The vagueness of it suits me. I mean, I have sexual urges and desires- and I can look at someone and be like “they’re hot”- but when it comes to the actual sex act itself I feel totally disconnected from the act. Like I’m putting on a show or something- it’s just uncomfortable. Whereas when I’m on my own and just “playing around”, I feel much more sexually satisfied. I can be aroused on my own, thinking of someone else, or just plain fantasizing in my head, but if any of them were to ever come true in real life it’d just be weird for me. Graysexual panromantic- I feel like that suits me to a T, but how the hell am I supposed to explain that to people without coming off as an attention seeker or something? You tell people you like the idea of sex but not the sex act itself and they think you’re some sort of prude. Ugh.
i think the EXACT way! wow. i dont feel alone anymore. sometimes i think im not normal at all and its kind of annoying because sometimes i do want to have sex (only with someone i’d like) but when it finally happens its so..weird. i dont know its kind of boring or something because i just dont enjoy it . and i think its going to be like that for the rest of my life. i cant explain that to people because they r always like “you just havent had good sex, i could make you cum you know, i do it right” and stuff like that and ITS SO ANNOYING
Whatwho’sthis, every word you wrote could’ve been written by me. Even some close friends can’t understand it, they just think I have a low libido. They can’t comprehend the distinction between infrequently wanting sex (their understanding) and infrequently meeting anyone who you’d like to have sex with (my reality).
And I never describe myself as “gray-asexual panromantic,” because it’s obscure and complicated, and so much easier to be “straight and usually single.”
So here’s to the gray-asexual panromantics of the world. May we each find what we’re looking for.
Thank you so much for posting this. I recently went through a traumatic experience with an ex that caused a huge shift in my sexuality. I used to be almost exclusively heterosexual heteroromantic, but this is exactly how I’ve been feeling lately. It’s so comforting to know that I’m not alone.
Thank you all so much. It is very good to know that other people feel this way. As of the past year I have been questioning things and upright confused. I have no one to talk to and my parents strongly disaprove of anything but being straight or heterosexual/romantic. It really is great to know that other people know how I feel. I know this was from a long time ago but I felt like I should comment anyway.
Wow… you’ve just managed to put into words how I’ve felt my whole life. The ideas and fantasies can be great when alone, but there’s no real desire for them to actually come true. Or having fantasies that are exciting and arousing which I WOULD like to come true but not actually to do with sex. Trying to explain that one is hard even when people are trying to understand – the response is usually “How on earth can you have an erotic fantasy that isn’t about sex?” I don’t know how to explain it, but they’re the only kind I really have. I guess it’s simply because our brains are wired differently, but I agree it’s very hard to explain how we feel without sounding confused, frigid, prudish or attention-seeking. At least in places like this we can try, and we know we’re all in the same struggle. :)
Never really understood that there is a definition for the way I have felt for so long and others who are like me. I enjoy and always have the fantasy of being with someone who I am attracted to ( which is rare for a dead-on heart-thumping kind ) I could survive for years and have just on someone I have met a few times to imagine us having a relationship of some kind. As I have gotten older ( almost 50 and in full menopause ) I do not even fantazise much about them in sexual; scenerios.
Can I just say this article and website and also the article about masturbation have been so happy I could almost cry. Like, Ugh I guess you’d say I’m heteroromantic but I really have never had sexual attraction. The only time was when I was drunk and I was with this guy I had a crush on and we ended up having sex, but that was only because I liked him A LOT and also I think being tipsy helped relax me. But now that my crush on him is over it’s like: zilch, nada, nothing. So I can pretty confidently say now that I’m demisexual and it just feels really good to just know that about yourself. Ok thanks just thought I’d spew my spiel!
Oh my god, I COMPLETELY agree with you. I’ve never had sex before. I’ve never really wanted to, and in my years before college, I thought it was religiously driven. I’m Catholic, and was raised that way, so it was really instinctual to think I would just wait until marriage. But, in high school I had so many friends who were talking about sex, and wanting to have it, but that they were “going to wait”. I understood, but at the same time, I didn’t realize why they were struggling with waiting. Until, my sophomore year of college, I didn’t think about having sex AT ALL. At first, I thought it was because I was picky. That I had high standards. I even came close to having a boyfriend my junior year, but I still didn’t want to have sex with him. I knew he would want that, but I didn’t want to disappoint him, so I broke off any of the flirting we were doing. As I became a senior, I started being really scared that I actually was being too picky, and that I had unfair standards in my head about what men were supposed to be like. I didn’t want to have sex with anyone, and I kept getting offers and advances that I would have to rebuff. Finally, I had heard about demisexuality. I was really curious about it, and when I went to go look it up on demisexuality.org, I had this epiphany-like moment of understanding, and all of a sudden, I could relax. Knowing how many other people are going through the same feelings is so reassuring.
When I started reading this I was like, wow that sounds exactly like me!!! I’m Catholic too and a virgin and felt the same way, with my friends talking about sex but I didn’t get it at all. I’m a freshman in college and I did have a boyfriend last term and I did love him, but I never felt the desire to have sex with him. At first I just thought, well maybe I will feel that in a few months if this lasts that long. But then whenever I felt like we were getting kinda close to something happening, and I thought he might be wanting to have sex, I would just get scared. I didn’t know what it was at the time, but I would just say I wasn’t comfortable, and he was respectful of that. I definitely enjoyed cuddling and kissing and when he touched me in certain places (yet I never had the desire to touch him), so maybe I might get pleasure from sex if that were to happen. Anyway one of my close friends is also gray-ace, so I started looking into this and talking to her about it, so now I know that I’m gray-ace too! It’s good to know that there’s actually a name for this and I’m not the only one :)
Thank you for this, I’ve always been so confused about my sexuality. Although the fact that I’m hyper-rational always helped to keep the despair of not being “normal” away, it never really helped me figure out what I was. I still don’t have a label for myself, and I feel like I never will, but learning all of this about different kinds of sexualities always eases me, even though I know I still haven’t figured myself out yet. I can’t thank you enough for writing that last paragraph, that was the best thing I could possibly have read.
I’m a sexual person with a partner who used to be sexual but lost most of her sex drive through hormonal changes and is now functionally demisexual or graysexual. I decided I was too young to be celibate and my sexuality is very important to me, but we love one another and wanted to stay together. We decided to become polyamorous, so I now have two romantic partners, one of whom I am sexual with and the other I am affectionate with but not usually sexual with. The thing to understand about relationships with sexuals is that even though sexual behaviour is not important for you, sexual expression is a core part of their aliveness and sense of self. We are both so much happier. Some people become poly to have more sex, and some to have less without feeling they are letting their partner down. Here’s some good info on ethical polyamory: http://www.morethantwo.com
You may not want to share but in what capacity did you two meet? Under what circumstances? The more I consider how I feel and how introverted I can be, it sometimes feels impossible. If you have any suggestions feel free to share. I feel like we could all benefit from some sort of instruction manual moving forward from all of this self realization…lol
I think I’m homoromantic gray-asexual with heterosexual tendencies. Does that even make sense? I was born a girl, but I prefer to be thought of as a male, if any gender; I identify as genderless, but most places don’t set that as an option. I’m romantically attracted to males. I very very rarely feel sexual attraction, but when I do, it is towards females.
Hi! So, I haven’t really chosen a definition yet, because I haven’t felt the need too, and because I haven’t found one that feels right. But reading through this post, I realized… I have no idea what sexual attraction means. Can anyone please explain that to me?
I am no expert but I believe that sexual attraction is a physical response to desire. A person experiences a trigger for the romantic it may be an act of love from the person with whom they are in love or for others it may be the body of a person they find attractive that causes their sexual organs to swell with desire for sexual intercourse. The nipples become erect as does the penis, the mouth becomes wet as does the vagina and the mind has flashes of sex acts with the person causing the trigger.
The physical reaction is arousal. Arousal is different from sexual attraction. There are many things that will lead to arousal (Tight fitting clothes, for example) which have nothing to do with attraction.
I find myself looking at a woman, and fantasies more on how deeply in love we could be, rather than the thought of sex with them. The thought of sex outside of love is repulsive to me, disgusting in a way. I abolish porn, and I can not call a woman “hot” or “sexy” because I find it strange. Almost like I can’t say it.
I used to think I was asexual. I had never felt sexual attraction towards anybody, never thought “they’re hot” or even had any sexual urges. I started going out with my current boyfriend after being friends for three years (so he knew about my “asexuality”) and now we have a very enjoyable sex life. Since he knew from the beginning, it’s not that I wanted to please him, it just happened. With him, it’s somehow different. I wasn’t physically attracted to him at the beginning at all. He’s an amazing person, but even in a non-sexual way (you know, I can intellectually say “this person is good looking”, even if I don’t feel attracted to them) I never thought of him as physically attractive. The thing is, even thought I like sex with him, I still get disgusted at the idea of sex in general, when I read about it, or in films etc. And while I love the experience with him, I could certainly live without it. So this page really touches a chord with me! Thank you x
So, for you, the sex is more an emotional connection, yes? I wouldn’t want to go up and cuddle with a stranger any more than I would want to have sex with them, that sort of thing. But with someone you’re involved with, it’s okay.
I came across asexual and demisexual definitions today,research on trying to understand my non sexual boyfriend. I’ve accused him of cheating and of being gay. I have a very high sex drive. I’m 39 and at my sexual peak. I’ve been divorced for almost 10 yrs and when dating/relationships, I never experienced a man not desiring me or sex!
I feel awful for accusing my boyfriend. He’s not perfect but I know he loves me and I believe I’ve found the reason or root of our continuous frustrations. We have been off n on a year now. We are very close,comfortable,compatible, etc. If we didn’t have any of this,I’m sure I would have gotten rid of him by now. I am ridiculously sexually frustrated!!! But we always find a way back to eachother. I love him very much and I hope we will be able to overcome our differences.
Thanks for the information.
I have always thought of myself as a heterosexual serial monogamist with a finicky sex drive. But perhaps I am a heteromantic demisexual. Labels never fit completely. But they are wonderful for opening the mind and getting people to think beyond themselves. The first steps toward tolerance and acceptance. These labels also start the communication process because each of us have a unique set of preferences that make up our sexuality that our partners need to know and understand.
I think I’m hetero-demi or gray, but I can’t actually tell because I’m a virgin. It’s frustrating, because I’m going to have to have sex just to find out how it makes me feel, so I can confirm. Any advice? I find some guys sexy and hot, and some gross, but when I get to thinking about sex with the hot ones, my excitement gets iffy. Something about the act repulses me, and I’d like to try it and find out that it’s heaven. At the moment, I find sex gross. I can’t tell what I’ll end up feeling about it until I do the deed, and as much as I want to know my orientation, I don’t want sex for the sole purpose of finding out. What I find arousing is touching all over. I’m capable of imagining sex as amazing, but I get to the thoughts of him cumming, and the flesh, and eww. If real sex was like movie sex, with the passion without the nitty gritty details, I think I would be more open to it. In fact, as I write this, I’m currently in the mindset sex is disgusting because I’m having to think of the details. I think I want sex EVENTUALLY, but it’s ok if it doesn’t happen. I do feel very attracted to people, sometimes they happen to be fictional.(I’m very turned on by an anime character at the moment.) I do think what I want from a relationship is emotions, not sex. I want a man who really cares, and won’t get pissed if sex isn’t for me.
You have the right idea, friend. I’m demi, and took years of being sexually active to figure that out. What I can tell you is: in a strong, close relationship full of intimacy (not just sexual, like lots of cuddling and kissing), when sex does happen you’re not often thinking about the nitty gritty details. Yeah, if I thought about the physical, medical details of sex I would think “eww” but in the middle of it I’m thinking “this is pretty great”. Though, getting into too much information here for a second, the best part is afterward when you’re just cuddling and kissing and both of you are coming down from the emotional high of the act.
Yeah, I’m a virgin too and definitely hetero-romantic, gray-asexual. I completely understand about the details of sex being gross when I think about it. I do really enjoy cuddling and kissing, and even being touched, but I never wanted to touch him. When I don’t think about the details, then yes sex sounds like I might enjoy it if that were to happen, but I’m not sure. It would definitely have to be with someone I love romantically, and even then I might be hesitant. But I differ from you in that I never think someone is “hot” or “sexy”. I can look at someone and think they’re cute, more often when I already know them, but also a good amount of time when I first see them. But the sexual attraction has never been there, I’m not even sure what it is. I guess I might’ve felt it a little but not really know for sure. I just like the term gray-ace because it’s for people who might be ace but are confused, like me :)
for me sex and something i would want in an actual relationship are just completely different ball games. i get sexually attracted to people, but i dont want to actually have sex WITH them? or even date them? from that arousal, and never have sexual fantasies about actual people or ones that include myself having sex, just about the act itself, or just about cuddling? sometimes i see a guy that i think i might like to date, but that doesn’t include being sexually attracted to him. romance and sexual attraction and sex are all just in completely different boxes in my brain, i guess that makes me gray-sexual? even though i dont want to have sex with the people im sexually attracted to? like if one of them asked me out or something it would just be weird- i just dont know.
I’m confused. I’ve read about gray asexuality and stuff but I don’t know if it equates to sex drive. To put some context. I’ve identified myself as a gay man. I think women are great but don’t find them sexually appealing. Men… I love them, I constantly see them but I rarely wanna pursue my desires or fantasies. And when I do… They bore the hell out of me. My fantasies are satisfied by some physical contact and within minutes I start feeling uncomfortable. I start worrying about the sheets, the smell and I get bored with them. I tend to think, let’s get off and get you out of my house. But since everybody has a higher sex drive than me, I tend to keep on going, for them.
Sometimes sex is just plain repulsive or overwhelming after a while. I just feel the need to be left alone after the encounter, I feel awkward about people who can go on and on and still want more. It’s weird… I thought I was being picky about people. But coming to think about it, I’ve never fell in love. I have had boyfriends telling me they love me but I can’t reciprocate. Nonetheless I have created some strong bonds but not infatuation or an unstoppable sex desire. I think I’d rather be by myself and fantasize people than having then with me. Also, a sexual encounter can let my body be at peace for months, and that’s why I do it really, so I can focus on my life and not on sex.
And I wonder why people say it’s fun or pursue it so much… I felt I was being nit picky, but it seems I’m not alone. However, I don’t feel that I fall within a specific category.
Could it be that I’m homoromantic and gray asexual? Even if I experience sexual desire but not for long? What about sex drive?
I may not be the best person to talk about this because I’m a straight girl and a virgin, but I’m also gray-ace. Maybe I can help a little. I know sex drive and sexual attraction are two separate things, like you can feel sexually attracted to someone but not want to actually pursue it. (I know this from friends.) I personally have zero sex drive and I’m not sure if I’ve felt sexual attraction before. I feel romantic attraction very often though, and I can truthfully say that I have been in love once before. And arousal is something separate too, for example I’m pretty much ace but can still be aroused. Not that I have any experience with sex, but it’s weird for me to think of people wanting to go on for a while and still want more, I just don’t get it. I think I would get pleasure from sex if it happened, but I’ve never felt the desire, except maybe when I was already in the midst of cuddling and kissing and getting closer. Even then I’m not sure. Anyway, it sounds like you might be homo-romantic and demisexual.
I started getting confused when my friends and I were talking about what type of people we are, meaning where we look first when determining if a person is hot or not. My bi-friend and my trans-gay friend both agreed that they’re ass people, but when they asked me I said face, which confused them. I’ve never stared at someone’s butt and it seems weird to me that you’d be looking there, or boobs or genitals. Is that weird? I can tell if a person’s hot or not but that doesn’t mean I want to sleep with him/her.
Me too. Faces are the most important to me when I look at someone else, and it’s the only physical feature in myself that I worry about because I think my face is my most important part too. Faces are how you interact and see the emotions and get the sympathy and understanding, and love :)
I always felt different than other girls growing up. I never had crushes or even cared about the other boys, mainly because I didn’t talk to them. I wasn’t friends with them. Sure I liked their faces and bodies, but I never actually felt anything more. I have one good male best friend (who has a girlfriend) and I know him very well and I am physically attracted to him, but not romantically. But another guy I had never met before I was physically and strongly emotionally attracted to, but it was after I had talked to him for many months. But we stopped talking and those feelings kinda drifted away and now I feel nothing for him, in either category. I never had any other crushes on boys in my life, and I identify as heterosexual. I thought that I might be a lesbian but imagining being with girls didn’t feel right for me. I used to think to myself, “my boyfriend will have to be my friend first” I realized thats how I am. I am 18 and a virgin and I now identify as demisexual. Do I think Chris Hemsworth is attractive? yes, he has a nice body and features, other hot actors i feel the same way but i cant fawn over them like my friends do and I would never imagine having sex with them. They are nice to look at. But they don’t stir anything in me. I’ve come to an understanding about myself that, if i have a strong, open and close friendship with someone it opens the avenue for romantic feelings, (regardless of physical appearance) if not i cannot be attracted to them at all. It makes me feel better knowing how I feel is not strange in any way, just different from most people ^^
I’ve been thinking about whether I would identify myself as demisexual or not today, and reading your comment and realising that I feel almost the same as you do has really helped me. I’ve been trying all day to put a more precise definition of demisexuality in my head, to see if it was the right thing to identify as, and your comment has helped with that tremendously. Thank you.
I had identified as bisexual for a long time, but that was mostly because I dated both men and women. Now, being older and having considered my attraction to others at length, I find I identify as a panromantic grey-asexual.
It surprises some of my friends, because they figure there’s only gay, straight and bisexual, but they’re getting used to it. I’m a good wingman, but only because I’m an actor. Elsewise, I’m ridiculously unattracted to anyone I’m talking to unless I’ve known them for years, and even then, nope.
Demisexual… demisexual makes so much more sense.
I’ve always hated the idea of sex, since it first started to become prominent in my life. Around 15 or 16, everyone was having sex, my friends convinced me to watch porn with them, would tell me about their sexual experiences, and it sounded awful. But I didn’t want to seem weird, so I went to experiment with a boy, a friend, when I was 18… and we didn’t even get past the kissy-gropey part. The kissing disgusted me. The groping I didn’t even notice, positively or negatively, but the kissing brought home the fact that we were, and would be, exchanging bodily fluid, and that about made me gag.
Since then, I never tried again. I’ve tried my best to imagine myself with people on several occasions, but I get too grossed out, it just doesn’t “turn me on”, so to speak… I do enjoy masturbation. It relaxes me.
And I do find people aesthetically appealing. I can think a lady is very beautiful, I can think a man is very handsome, but I can’t think about myself actually wanting sex with them.
But I would like a family someday (with adopted kids, pregnancy is even worse than sex). And I know I’m capable of loving people very deeply. So, if I truly want someone to stay with me… I think I’d be willing to try and push aside my disgust and have sex with them (and god, do I hope it will be enjoyable for both parties).
My therapist hardcore labelled me “asexual”, but I think demisexual is much more fitting for my situation.
Thank you so much for making this site! It clears up so many years of confusion and self-doubt. Thank you!
That said, I’m not sure what it is that makes you think you are demisexual instead of asexual or grey-a. Having read your comment, it seems as if you’ve never experienced sexual attraction to anyone. I’m not sure if this is true, but if it is then it would point to you being asexual, not demisexual. Masturbation and appreciation of how people look are very common in asexual people, so if that’s why you think you might be demi- then I want to point that out.
One other thing. You say towards the end of your comment, “if I truly want someone to stay with me… I think I’d be willing to try and push aside my disgust and have sex with them”. Just remember that if you’re looking for someone who appreciates you as a person, then they should be willing to stay with you despite your disinterest in sex. There’s no need to do something you truly dislike just to keep someone around.
Agreed. It’s noble and all to want to push aside your feelings of disinterest for the person you love and far be it from me to tell anyone what they should and shouldn’t do with their bodies – if you want to try to experience sex at least once, go right ahead. Use protection. But anyone worth your time and energy will be understanding of your disinterest in sex, and if they have a really powerful sex drive then maybe a nonmonogamous arrangement would work. It doesn’t work for everyone and it may not work for you or them, but it’s worth considering.
I’m consider myself a heteromantic asexual. I still find men aesthetically pleasing, but I have no desire whatsoever to have sex with them. I’ve never actually been in a relationship, so I could be demi, but I’m not sure. I’m also not entirely sure if I can call myself romantic. I feel like I want a relationship someday but I also can’t imagine myself in a relationship. Sometimes I’m not even sure if I’m capable of forming deep, emotional bonds. All I know is that I’ve never felt sexual attraction in my life and the idea of having sex is completely foreign and gross to me.
Thank you for this article. For a long time now I’ve wondered if I’m asexual or aromantic or something, as I have never felt “attracted” in any way to anyone really (although I do enjoy masturbation). But at the same time I’ve never been comfortable calling myself “Asexual” due to my ability to enjoy masturbation and presumably sex if I were to experience it. I believe best grey-asexual describes my experience, so now I have something to tell people when they ask “What’s the matter, are you gay?”
Thank you so much for this article. After many years of confusion I’ve finally identified myself as Grey-A. I’ve told only one person so far. Mainly because it’s something that not many people seem to know about and it’s very hard to explain! Your article on it is to the point and easy to understand which is why in the future anyone I want to tell about it I will refer them here, making things a lot easier. Thanks for this :) from Alanna in NZ
I dont know if this was posted above or not.
Im only 15 but have not found any real attraction to people. But I just found out about the term “asexual” and all its sub regions.
Im wondering..is it normal to be asexual but be attracted to anime characters. Not like you want to have sex with them but just find them cute.
At school, I only admire the guys and girls. Im not attracted to them just say to myself “if I was a boy then I would want to look like that”.
Also, I dont have sexual dreams or fantasies. At night, I just wish there was someone beside me. Is that just being lonely?
Sorry if this all just sounds stupid. But im really kind of confused about all of this. Asexual definitely sounds like me, I even get weird around a sex conversation. I find the whole thing gross. In movies it’s like “is this really necessary?”
That doesn’t sound odd at all! Part of me is saying “I was like that at 15″ and at 23, sex conversations do not bother me in the least but I also know a 22-year-old who is actively repulsed by them but who doesn’t consider themselves asexual or under the ace umbrella.
I also was attracted to anime characters because, quite frankly, I realized the pickings were rather slim in my hometown. I have a very strong heteroromantic drive and a strong desire for intimacy, but when it comes to sex, I can take it or leave it. I can give up having sex for the rest of my life easily, but I could not give up kissing or cuddling, which are seen as more romantic activities. So when I was younger and surrounded mostly by peers who I didn’t find attractive, I fantasized about fictional characters as an outlet for my strong romantic drive. The fantasies never got sexual, and even now I sort of have to forcibly have a sexual fantasy. Whenever exes have asked about my sexual fantasies I always drew a blank.
So you probably are asexual (or demi, or gray, I don’t know, I’m not a label maker) but like me, you have a strong romantic drive that needs an outlet. You may permanently be asexual, or you may wind up in a romantic relationship and realize you’re demisexual or grace but for now only time will tell. It took me years of actively having sex to realize I was demisexual because there just wasn’t great articles like this to clarify the feelings I have and there was still this notion that romantic orientation = sexual orientation = sexual activity. So I’m glad you’re researching this now and saving yourself years of confusion :)
Thank you for this, I’ve recently been trying to figure this stuff out for myself and have had a lot of trouble finding anything that doesn’t make the spectrum of asexuality out as some sort of abnormal medical or emotional problem. I think I’m grace, I almost never feel any sexual attraction (though I adore romance and feel strong romantic feelings) though I don’t hate sex I just don’t think about it or seek it out.
wow. just wow. stumbling up on this site was an eye-opener. i have been thinking of myself being asexual for the past 2 years or so. but mostly i thought it might be due to the hormones after pregnancy and giving birth and also due to the abusive relationship i went through with my ex (he is a sexual person with a strong sexual drive and he sexually abused me). but thinking in retrospective, i came to the conclusion that i might have been asexual or whatever even before meeting him. i dont really know how to identify. i am not straight asexual. i had sex. i enjoyed sex. i have sexual fantasies. i masturbate. but all of this is rare. like litterally once a year kind of thing. like “oh, springtime, hormones kicking in. whoever’s around and showing interest in me…give it a try”. so, i go along. take pleasure about 2 months. never doing anything crazy, just usual stuff. during this time i enjoy sex very much. i am horny. i masturbate and fantasize on the current partner. i also daydream in a romantic way of him (having a happily-ever-after relationship thing going on, children, holding hands, cuddling a lot, kissing, …). but usually, when i hit the 2 or 3 months mark, it just stops. suddenly. i am not attracted to this person anymore. neither physically or romantically. it just stops. having sex all the sudden becomes a burden, an obligation. in the beginning i will think that i might have had just one of those days. like sexual people do have, too, where you are just not in the mood. but within days, i start realizing that i really do not desire anymore sexual activity with this person. like, my libido shut down all the sudden. and also i start getting desinterested by this person. even annoyed. things i liked about him in the beginning start bothering me. i start forcing myself into having sex. starting feeling disusted bymeself for doing so. starting ressenting the parter for forcing me into sex. and around 3 months into the relationhip i call it quits. to the point that i dont want to ever see this person again if possible. at this point i dont masturbate anymore. i will try once in a while (rare) but it will always fail. then i go on with my daily life, just developing one crush over another on several people, mostly unattainable for a certain reason. but still daydreaming on how my romantic life would be with them. a few months pass. maybe a year. and there will be a person who seems to be interested in me. and i will go along. engaging with him. flirting. seducing him. having sex with him. developing romantic phantasies. until we reach the magic 3 months. then, all the sudden, it all seems weird. i feel dirty after having sex. and i call it off. i find a whole bunch of excuses why it didnt work out with this person. ….. in general, i understand the concept of identifying people as hor or sexy. it happens to me that i can think this of a person. but in general, i am so much more attracted to to the idea that this person is just there for me, listening, caring, providing, hugging, crying with me. … i do have a lot of crushs on a lot of people. basically, it all starts very sudden and it all stops very sudden. but lately i switch from one crush to another without any break. i can fantasize about a person for months, only because i saw a picuture of them, being convinced this is the one. as soon as i find out that this person is not single, i dont have a crush anymore but switch on the next “victim” right away. of course, without ever telling them or making any effort to get to know them. …. so basically, most of the guys i dated and had sex with were into me first, showed interest and i always was convinced right away that i am into them and went along. just happend recently. had a crush for a guy who lives in my neighbourhood. he has no clue but i am very informed about everything that is publicly visible on his facebook. went to a concert. a guy was hitting on me, but really in a nice and shy way, we exchanged facebook contacts. and right away the next day the original crush was forgotten and all i think about is the new guy, although i dont find him attractive at all. but i have this idea in my head that he must really be a nice guy and treat me right because of his bad looks he must be very unsuccesfull with women. so he wont be an asshole. … fast forward. i can imagine and fantasize about having passionate sex with him but cannot imagine at all having a long-lasting relationship with him where regular sex (and be it only once every other week) is required after my initial urge has gone away. so…. where do i fit in? asexual? no. because i have a sex-drive. (once in a while. but i can comfortably live without it). demi or gray? no, because i do develop sexual attraction on a lot of persons. my problem is more that i can have sex, enjoy sex, be wild (within my boundaries) for a while. but then all the sudden it stops and i start feeling grossed out by myself and all i want is just a romantic relationship. more cuddling and kissing and talking and having fun. but no sex. only once in a while. but even once a month would seem kind of an effort and not really exciting. what do you think, fellow people? i know this was long, but really really glad to see, that i am not the only one with whatever kind of orientation or sexdrive. i always knew that i am not prude. when i do have sex and enjoy it i am really not.
I’m very romantic and I like to think about being intimate with someone I love, but the idea of sex does not appeal to me. Seems like something that I would have to get used to, but makes me somewhat curious. I found out about aces after wondering if there are people who would rather avoid sex, but would much rather snuggle. I guess that classifies me as one… it’s just helpful to gain a better understanding of what I want. I guess a gray ace would be something akin to bisexuality.
I’m a 50-something male who is sexually attracted to women, enjoy masturbating to internet porn, but have never had a wife or even a girlfriend in my entire life (save for two 3-month flings). And – if I’m perfectly honest – content to stay single.
I’m a mystery to me and to all who know me.
My mother would always enquire if I had “found a nice girl yet” but I would reply “No, I’m fine as I am” and quickly change the subject. Needless to say, my other 5 siblings are in relationships and have their own kids – two are on their second marriages.
It’s not for want of trying either; I have had numerous dates and quite a few one-night stands…but it always felt ‘wrong’ some way or other. And no, I’m not gay either. I just feel ‘right’ being single, that’s the best way I can put it.
You can imagine how awkward it is at work when they find out I don’t have a wife or girlfriend or any plans to get one – when absolutely everyone else is in a serious relationship, even gay colleagues.
I’ve often invented ex wives and even adult kids who’ve flown the nest and don’t keep in touch…just so I fit in.
What the hell’s the matter with me? Do I come under the asexual umbrella?
I do not think you belong under the Ace flag but still likely under the Straight flag. Because you acknowledge you are sexually attracted to women, this would classify you as straight and no asexual, but you could still classify as aromantic, which may very well put you under the Ace flag. But this is just my opinion.
I believe that you are what you think, because only you can truely classify yourself because only you can tell what you really feel like. So maybe you’re under the ace flag, maybe you’re under the straight flag. Maybe you’re aromantic, and maybe you’re not. It’s hard to tell.
First off, nothing’s wrong with you.
To answer your question, given the information at hand, you do not belong under the asexual unbrella.
It sounds like you’re grey-romantic (meaning you rarely experience romantic feelings) based off of your two three month flings.
When I was younger, I was really confused about demisexuality and thought it meant you had a low sex drive. So I was really confused when people would talk about how horny they were or how sexually frustrated they were as if they didn’t care who relieved that tension, but then I got a boyfriend who I cared for very much but didn’t have sex with. I didn’t consider myself demi because I did want sex but more in the “I want to experience this new part of my life I have never experienced before”. (I would discover years later that a lot of my sexual interest is more of an intellectual interest rather than a physical desire) My one time making out with a guy, I had zero desire to have sex with him even though I did get hot and bothered. I got very sexually frustrated while dating this guy (VERY VERY sexually frustrated) and thought that made me sexual.
Then several things happened throughout the course of the next few years (boyfriends came and went, virginity left in a puff of smoke, a few times attempting casual sex with disastrous results, then being single and celibate for 2 years) and I did some research on demisexuality. I realized: wow, this describes me. Outside of a relationship, I have zero interest in pursuing sex and almost never feel sexual desire (the few times were directed at someone I had a close bond to and would last for like 10 seconds). I had for a long time mistaken romantic desire to sexual desire and I have a VERY strong heteroromantic drive. I realized I never sexually fantasized about anyone I didn’t have feelings for. Now I’m in a strong, close relationship with a wonderful man who knows all of my LGBT acronyms and in a strong and close relationship I am basically insatiable. But that doesn’t stop me from being demi. I’m glad this information is out there because young people can avoid years of confusion.
I’ve often wondered where on the spectrum of sexuality I fit since my experiences are a study in contradictions (anyone who knows me would not be surprised by that) and I still don’t really have a good answer for that. I have a high sex drive in terms of desire for release and masturbate frequently. I am also in a long-term monogamous relationship and we frequently have enjoyable sex. I am attracted to other people and I used to identify as pansexual because it was never anything physical that attracted me to them, but more that certain characteristics about them did. But I’ve realized that doesn’t really fit either. Sometimes I wonder if what I feel is actually sexual attraction, or if it’s just a desire to be close to a person I find alluring and wouldn’t mind having sex with.
I know that I’m not romantic. I’ve been married 10 years, but I wouldn’t really say that I love my partner in a romantic way. He’s my best friend, and sometimes we have sex, and it’s pretty much my idea of a perfect relationship. The thing is, I want to get off, and frequently, but I’m not really sure if it’s attraction that I’m feeling. I hate touching and I hate foreplay. When I have sex all I want is to say, “Hey, you wanna?” and go straight to penetration under a specific set of circumstances. I also hate being touched for any reason other than sex by anyone. For this reason I would often rather masturbate, even when my partner is home and interested in sex. Also, even though I enjoy sex with my partner very much and think he is an attractive man, I’m not entirely sure I feel attracted to him. I love the idea of sex, I love porn, and I love erotic novels. But I think I like it because it’s happening to other people. When I have sex, I almost always block out my partner and think of passages of a recently read bit of erotica.
I’m not sure what that makes me. Reading this article made me think I might be a gray-asexual who enjoys physical release and sex but rarely feels attraction. But my experiences vary so drastically from most of the ones described here, and I know everyone is different (part of the reason why this spectrum exists) but now I’m just confused again. Maybe I’m just a regular old bisexual who hates to be touched. There are worse things to be, I guess.
Whatever though, I’m lucky enough to be in a relationship that works for both parties so the label is really more to satisfy my own curiosity than to be any sort of identification or information.
How do you know if you are demi sexual, as opposed to grey a sexual? Is there a clear distinction in the two? I can become attracted to someone only after I form a strong emotional bond with them. However, the sex is still uncomfortable and I can never relax enough to actually want it. It always ends up with me trying so hard to calm my anxiety and appear natural for the other person, which dissolves whatever little attraction that sparked it. I get turned on but only masturbation satisfies me. I keep thinking that maybe if everything worked out exactly how I picture it when I masturbate, I could finally orgasm during sex. But the things I think about are immoral and even go against my own values. They are just fantasy. I am hopeless.
I have just recently been calling myself asexual. When I found the term, I thought that it fit me, but, I have a small libido and do, in fact, masturbate. I was worried that I wasn’t really asexual or that I was lying to people when I told them I was asexual. I have a small desire for sex, but it’s not attraction, it’s just the action itself. When I came across this site, it really helped me a lot. However, I think I might be grey-asexual (nothing wrong with that, but I’m not sure). There is someone there that I wouldn’t mind (and slightly want) to have sex with and (I’m panromantic, by the way) I knew that if I HAD to have sex, it’d be with a guy. I do fantasize, but it’s blank faces not specific people (and if it is, then it’s because I personally think they’d look good, I mean, faces make it seem more realistic and, but it’s not because I’m attracted..unless..that is attraction..) but yeah, I think it might be safer to call myself a grace. But anyway, this site is very good and helpful and just well done to begin with.
That’s exactly how it is with me- when I do feel attraction, it’s towards men or someone I feel really connected to. I have long periods of honestly not thinking/desiring sex, but I do masturbate- usually imagining a character/person I feel a deep connection with. (Sorry for tmi xP)
I worry that I may be lying/deceiving people when I describe myself as demisexual…it’s a confusing road, but I think the “umbrella” and the “spectrum” help a lot because with a spectrum, there is only TWO spots of definity- complete “black” (for example, “regular”/really strong sexuality) or complete “white” (example, asexuality) the rest of the spectrum is all variations of gray.
So if we don’t fit into these two definite spots (“black” and “white”) there isn’t anything to be worried about because it just means you’re in the gray areas like the majority of people. Very, very few people are on the extreme sides of any spectrum (not that there’s anything wrong with fitting the description of an “extreme” side).
Actually majority of people are on the sexual side of the spectrum. The rest of us are minorities especially full asexuals on the opposite side of the spectrum. Studies show that statistically only 1 percent of the population is asexual, although some scientists think it’s probably a bit higher than that.
I’m pretty sure that I’m a demisexual, but I do go through long periods of time when I just honestly don’t feel sexual/don’t think about sex, but there are also periods when I feel a lot of sex drive- not to have sex, though, rather- um…pleasuring myself by imagining sex with someone I feel really connected to. Does that not fit the demisexuality profile? Or is this confusing behavior with attraction like in your article? (i.e. an asexual may have a lot of sex but still be asexual because they don’t feel sexual attraction?)
A friend on Tumblr explained demisexuality to me and I knew almost instantly that THIS was me! It was such a relief. Ever since middle school, I’ve felt like an alien because most of the time I really don’t care/think about sex.
I’ve wondered “what the hell is wrong with me?”
I’m a 24 year old virgin because in the past I honestly didn’t have any interest in having sex, while I did experience feelings of attraction towards men (only men for some reason- is there such a thing as heterosexual demis?)
My parents are psychologists, so I knew about asexuality but that didn’t quite fit me- sometimes I’d have a pretty heavy sex drive, but for long periods of time I just honestly didn’t think about sex- and to be more honest, usually seeing sex scenes in movies actually grossed me out (I remember being 12 years old and a sex scene upset me so badly I cried).
It was all so confusing, even hurtful, but now I feel like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel- I understand myself better and now I’m absolutely determined that there is nothing I need to “fix”!
I am kind of worried about my future though– I want a monogamous relationship so badly- but one with a deep connection and emotional understanding. I want kids so badly too. Can I find love with a man who understands my sexuality?
Demisexual and grey asexual etc have nothing to do with your sexual orientation (who you are attracted to) it’s more about how you’re attracted to them. You could be heterosexual, homosexual, pansexual or any other sexual orientation coupled with demi/grey. For example, I identify as heterosexual grey-a with demisexual tendencies. I like men, which makes me heterosexual; but I’m often not attracted to them in a sexual way (don’t feel sexual attraction like regular sexual people) which (in short) makes me grey-a. In some circumstances if I form a strong emotional bond with a man I will be a lot more likely to feel sexual attraction towards them, which is the demisexual tendencies part.
I feel almost the same way as Alanna… I just found this page because I have been feeling lost…I think I’m a grey-a…with demi-sexual tendencies…but i’m sooo confused ‘cuz I don’t always want a romantic relationship as now… but I’ve been involved in romantic and sexual relationships…Now I don’t want a romantic relationship, but I’m dating a guy who makes me feel great because I don’t feel pressure, he is sweet and funny and I do care about him…and sex is fun and nice with him..
But there have been situations where I have enjoyed the company of a guy and felt attracted to him and enjoyed kissing and holding hands but didn’t want to have sex … I mean, sometimes I see sex as something unnecessary, sometimes I think that cuddling or sleeping after sex, is way nicer than sex indeed. So right now I’m a very confused grey…Beside sometimes I feel attracted to women (mostly tomboys)or trasgender girls…but not in a really sexual way….I mean I would like to date with them, have fun, hang out, hold hands, cuddle and kiss…but not necessarily have sex with them… So I don’t know how to feel…or how to explain this to people…especially to my family who is very conservative and thinks that anything that’s not socially “right” or “acceptable” is just wrong… Somebody please help me
I love thinking about sex, and reading about sex, and sex in general, but I’ve never really been sexually attracted to someone. Kissing grosses me out, and imagining myself in sexual situations disgusts me. There is only one person this wasn’t true for, and she was a very very close friend. She’s the only person I’ve ever comfortably imagined having sex with or kissing, and that was only once we had been friends for a while and had gotten very close. However, in terms of my porn preferences, I love both men and women, as long as I can imagine that I’m not involved in any way. I’ve considered myself demisexual for a bit, but it’s very difficult to accept the label when so many people tell you that it isn’t real, or that I’m just repressed. I’m not repressed, I think sex is great, just not when I’m the one having it… I wanted to thank this article for giving me extra confidence, and also wondered If anyone else recognised how I feel. x
For a long time, I thought there was something wrong with me. I could tell the difference between someone who was attractive and someone who wasn’t, but I didn’t seem to process it the way my peers did. I was the only girl in six grade who had pictures of boy bands on her wall just because my friends did, not because I thought they were “cute” or “hot” or “sexy”. I am 25 and have been sexually attracted to only two people in my lifetime, both of whom I developed a very deep emotional bond with first. The sexual attraction didn’t draw me to them at all, that came after. I thought maybe my mind was just making me careful, or maybe I was just picky, or maybe I was just scared. But the fact that I didn’t see men the way my friends did really bothered me, and I questioned my sexuality for the longest time. But I wasn’t attracted to women, either. I thought I was asexual for awhile, but I did experience sexual attraction to the two men I had a deep emotional connection with. So I didn’t fit there either. I came across the term “demisexual” By mistake one day, and when I looked up the term’s meaning, a light bulb went off in my head and it described me perfectly. I finally feel normal, it feels fantastic that there is an actual word for what I am, and I’m not just weird or afraid of sex. The only thing that bothers me, is that when people ask me what I am, and I tell them, they either don’t believe me, or get offended and think I’m trying to steal the LGBT “Thunder”. Not true at all. So thank you for describing this so perfectly.
I thought I was a gray-ace because I had a sexual encounter just because I wanted to see what the hubbub was about. I did not (and still do not) feel sexual attraction… does that make me asexual, despite my having experienced sex?
I’m Demi and I have in away always knew that, however until a few months ago I never knew the word for it. I told on of my bi friends and he said I was pan. I knew he was wrong but the curiosity to find out what it was called drove me forward. Now when I tell people I’m Demi they ask what it is I tell them. No one has judged me where I could hear them if they did at all. Unfortunately for me, I am sexually attracted to my best friend and she says I’m like a brother.
I’m demisexual and I guess I’ve always known? I’m 17 now so my hormones are raging but I’ve only ever felt sexual desire towards one person, my ex-boyfriend, and I only felt that way when I was still in love with him and even then sometimes I was just like, no thanks man. But my entire life I thought that was pretty common, and I certainly never thought there was some special word and a place on the ace spectrum for it. I just learned the word not too long ago, and when I looked up what it meant it was like a punch in the gut because it fits me so wonderfully.
I’m an asexual grayromantic. It’s kind of been a blocker when it comes to pursuing relationships, but more on topic here: How often does the typical sexual person experience sexual attraction? Or should I say, feel the need to pursue it? I’ve only felt real attraction to four people in my life, and can’t just adapt to any instances of those relationships “not working out”. All four of those times, I’ve felt at least a little pull to be in a relationship with them. If the “average sexual joe” is going through the motions of their life and, I suppose I should say, is actively seeking a sexual relationship, about how many times are they going to see someone they’d actively like to pursue feelings with? (Yes, I recognize that this implies I’m more gray-asexual than grayromantic, but I’m trying to stay focused on the aforementioned.)
Hi! I have a question.
I used to identify as pansexual, but recently I don’t think that’s fitting me anymore? I’ve always had these “swings” of sexual attraction, for as long as I can remember. Either I’ll be really sexually charged, or I’ll be really unattracted to people/things/acts sexually, and sometimes I’ll be sex-repulsed. I don’t identify as asexual, because I’m not, I feel sexual attraction sometimes to people, but I don’t know if I’m gray-ace either because I’ve been really sexual in the past.
Am I gray-ace even though I’ve felt sexual attraction in the past? Am I gray-ace even if I sometimes feel sexual attraction and sometimes don’t? Is there something medically wrong with me? Please help.
if we only still saw people as individuals instead of only members of groups w/ rigid, & rigidly enforced, identities, you would not be worried. i say this from as close to the innermost heart of the innermost inside as anyone could get: it’s BETTER to be unusual. the world STAGNATES when people are too alike, & after it stagnates, it dies slow & stupidly. we’re going through the first stages of this now.
Growing up, I could tell I was a little odd. My friends and family would talk about this person or that as being hot or sexy, and I just didn’t get it. It felt strange to see how so many people were able to judge the f*ckability of someone in a brief glance.
Basically the world was a bowl full of M&M’s—there are thousands of different colors—but they were still all M&Ms to me. To everyone else, though, it seemed to be a bowl full of Skittles; people around me are constantly debating about which skittle tastes the best, saying things like, ‘the blue ones are the best!’ ‘Are you kidding? Red is where it’s at!’ ‘You all are crazy! It’s gotta be yellow!’ ‘I like green and red best, but really anything but purple is good. Purple is nasty!’ Meanwhile, I’m just sitting there like, ‘uh…They’re M&Ms?’ That’s what it was like for me. I wouldn’t like any of the M&Ms until I got to know them very, very well.
I only recently even realized what demi was, but the moment I heard about it, I knew it fit. Before, I always thought I was just some weird version of straight, because I had felt attraction before, but only ever to people I knew very well.
OMG…I just found out about DEMIsexual tonight when someone posted it on my facebook…….I had NO idea there was a name for what I ..am……and have always been…..I thought something was wrong with me and now I know it’s normal and others out there have the SAME type of sexuality……..What a blessed day this is…
My partner or 5 years just demanded to know why I never want to have sex. I said, “I just don’t think it’s that important”. He insists it is very important which I don’t get at all. but I decided to search Google for some answers and it brought me to this website. I thought maybe I’m asexual but not quite because I am usually interested in sex at the exciting beginnings of a relationship but it quickly tapers off for me to the point where I’m utterly repulsed by it. So maybe I’m “Demisexual”. But I’m a bit confused because although our relationship doesn’t have the intense feeling from the beginning, I do feel a special bond with my partner so why don’t I want to have sex with him? Does that still make me Demisexual? I honestly feel like I could go without sex for the rest of my life. If we were to break up, I would like to find an asexual partner. It would be so much less complicated.
I think I’m a pansexual demisexual. flirting goes completely over my head, I leave the room when there’s a sex scene on TV, and porn bores me, except fanfiction (thank you Ao3).
I only feel attracted to someone after a few months. I’ve had one boyfriend five years ago where making out was nice, sex was a fun intellectual challenge, but I was totally disconnected from my own arousal. since then I tried to have a relationship once, but kissing was just too gross and scary(despite knowing the person).
despite all this I do want a relationship, and sex (more because I enjoy pleasing my partner than anything else, my submissive tendencies while annoying do have their uses), although I’m really not sure how I’m going to do that.
that exception has led to a lot of sleepless nights,rtying to find a label that fits me, so it has been a relief to find this site, to hear about others like me, and also to unload without fear of judgement.
Grey-asexual is such a mouth full so i’m going to just say greysexual. I feel genuine attraction to someone like…..once every 2 years or so historically, though i regularly find people physically attractive. Even when i do get a real crush/feel true attraction its easy to just stop feeling anything towards them if for any reason it’s inconvenient at that time. So i think i definitely lean more towards sexual than asexuality but on the other hand…. only getting feelings of any sort once every 1-2 years (in a good year at least) and just being able to completely stop feeling on a whim apparently isn’t normal for most people. Its the worst, people think you’re normal because you’ll say “oh wow look at that cutie” while out and about but then think you’re cold or stuck up when you otherwise turn down all relationships because i just don’t feel a thing. It’s just…. being greysexual is confusing! And people feel the need to give us crap for it all the time to boot since we’re undefined by definition. I really wish i could just be one extreme or the other a lot of the time. | {
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A hand embroidered alphabet designs booklet, including four different sets of designs, using three different types of embroidery. I have always loved embroidery for its quiet, relaxing rhythm. Embroidery is so beautiful, portable, and the perfect way to leave your creative mark on ready-made items or your own sewing creations. Grab a cup of coffee and curl up in your favorite chair and Stitch away!
Note: This is not a how to booklet, it is simply the design templates that you will need.
Copyright
There can be NO resale or reproduction of this pattern in part or whole with out written consent from the designer Samantha Caffee. This includes sharing or forwarding the pattern to anyone except the original purchaser.
No mass production or large quantity sale is permitted using this pattern (greater than 6 dresses) without prior consent from the designer Samantha Caffee.
Dresses made using this pattern for sale must clearly give credit to The Handmade Dress as the designer of the pattern.
Note: www.YouCanMakeThis.com provides this copyright & terms of use policy review as a courtesy to our site users and eBook authors. The copyright policy applies to the associated eBook and is specified and owned by the individual eBook author. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
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