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Thanks to MindLoveMisery's Menagerie for hosting this week's photo challenge.
Alice was excited to be eighteen and have her coming-out party in society. The young girl who talked nonsense about Wonderland was gone — the adult had almost swallowed her fantastical self completely.
She participated in garden parties, having tea in different settings such as fashionable tea rooms with her mother and girl friends. Alice went out with friends on picnics and sometimes on a double-date with a girl friend, two gentlemen with potential, and of course a chaperone.
Part of Alice always had a difficult time letting go of Wonderland. She knew it as a world infinantly crazy. At the same time, it was a place where she felt at home and life even though hidden beneath words and rhymes, made the most sense out of any place she had visited.
Alice had been around the world. Her father and mother had taken her to Europe. She had seen art and buildings thousands of years-old. She studied countless kings, queens, poets, philisophers, and clergymen as she travelled with a tutor. She had even been to the Orient, stocking up on silk and tea for he friends. Something about having tea, always appealed to her. It wasn't merely Victorian society's obsession with the past-time.
Throughout her travels, Alice found herself thinking about her days in Wonderland. She would consider if her two grand adventures actually occurred. If the dreams she still had of people and creatures in Wonderland — new and old, throughout her life –were true?
Alice could picture her Wonderland friends drinking tea, eating cookies, and talking nonsense; it had all felt real. She missed her childhood, but at the same time thought she had indeed been bonkers. Her friends at school had quickly shown her how odd little girls were treated and mocked, until Alice ceased talking about Wonderland at all.
As she grew-up, she believed she caught glimpses of a furry white rabbit in a vest following her, keeping watch. The White Rabbit would turn his head and smile at Alice, purposefully checking his pocket watch and then waving it at her. She didn't know what the White Rabbit wanted from her and she was never quite sure if he was real. Alice began to ignore the White Rabbit, but he was persistent, even invading her sleep. Her dreams became increasingly vivid and she felt wherever she went, traces of Wonderland and its inhabitants, grasped her with dreamy tendrils.
Since Alice had first returned from Wonderland as a small girl of six, a pair of intense green-eyes and an attractive smile, had haunted her dreams. She knew this man, knew he'd always been watching out for her in the stickiest of situations as she grew up, keeping her safe. Alice had never had the chance to meet this young man, only knew that he lingered in her presence often, and that when he she felt him, she was at peace.
Alice's eigteenth birthday was a grand affair. Several young men and women attended with their families. Last night had been an opulent coming-out ball but tonight was a private affair for Alice and her closest girl friends. The best potential suitors for Alice and her friends were also invited.
She was sipping her tea when her eyes caught the eyes of a man she thought to be about five years her senior. His green-eyes were familiar and glinted knowingly at Alice. She stared at him enthralled; he seemed to know she was drawn to him. His smile was devastatingly familiar, but only in her dreams. Alice wasn't sure she believedher dreams were genuine. Could magic still be real?
The young man was a strange creature to her, as strange as those creatures she'd met in Wonderland long ago. Perhaps more so, if the sins of the flesh the Abbot talked about were as terrible as he said they were. But Alice didn't much care about the Abbot's warnings. She was intrigued and had always been a curious girl; she peered at the green-eyed man considering him.
His suit was finely-made and he smiled at her boldly. He moved towards her, but Alice hid amongst her friends, not yet ready to meet him. Her heart fluttered when her eyes met the young man's mysterious green-eyes again; he was laughing at her shyness.
Alice perturbed by his making fun of her, left her own party and went outside to ponder. She sat on a bench in the garden behind her house. She still tended the roses in the garden but had forgotten the unique song of all flowers, she had sung as a child. Her roses were wilting and dry. She stood up and bent to pick a lone surviving rose. Hearing odd noises she looked up.
She was unsure of where she was at first, the garden had disappeared and Alice stood on a large slippery brown rock in the middle of an ocean. A young man in a boat rowed towards her and the noises she heard was the water lapping against the stone.
"Oh, do hurry, this rock is so small and I think the water is rising," Alice yelled to the man. She waved her arms until the boat was next to the rock and piercing green-eyes met her shocked blue ones. Strong hands gently held her steady as she stepped into the row boat.
Alice was grateful to the man, but then she recognized his face from the party. He pushed his short dark-brown waves from his forehead. His green-eyes knowingly studied Alice. She felt as a if she were a child again, under a teacher's gaze, but the young man was not upset at her; he seemed curious and careful with her instead.
"Alice," the young man said, "Please take a seat so I can row us to safer waters and neither one of us falls in the ocean." Alice obeyed, sitting opposite of the man with her mouth gaping. The man gently closed her mouth, smoothing her skin with the back of his hand.
Alice's face heated and she blushed,"Who are you? And why are you here with me in Wonderland? I didn't think you were real, real enough to attend my party."
The young man's eyes twinkled cheerfully, "I'm Wren, Alice, and I'm here and your here because Wonderland needs us. It was time for you to return and time I met you in person — not only in your dreams." Alice flushed red.
Wren chuckled, "You didn't go easy on our friend the White Rabbit. He's a bit peeved at you for ignoring him so long. He kept waving his prized watch at you. I'm surprised you weren't curious enough to follow him, darling."
"Wren, are you from Wonderland or did you come here as a child too, like me? You've been with me before a great deal. I remember your green-eyes and smile; you keep me safe, but you never say hello. I've never seen how you actually look before."
"Dearest, I've always lived in Wonderland and you're correct, I've been with you when you've visited and I take care you are safe in the outside world. I have a Cheshire Cat who watches you closely, along with my friend the White Rabbit. I haven't always been able to be with you, but when I cannot you can be sure the Cheshire Cat or the White Rabbit are there."
"Why do you keep me safe Wren and why do you call me dearest? I always thought you lived only in my dreams. It's been so long since I visited through the looking glass; do you stand with the Red Queen or the White Queen?"
Wren smiled softly as he rowed the boat effortlessly, Alice peppering him with questions; he listened contentedly as he rowed. "I'm supported by the White Queen Alice, but my influence is greater than hers and so your influence will be greater than any queen as well."
Alice studied Wren. She had been staring her boots shyly, for far too long. It wasn't like her to be shy, when she bubbled with questions. Yet, she could feel herself blush anytime she looked at Wren; his smile brightened when he caught Alice staring.
She brushed the blond hair out of her eyes and in her frilly white dress, balled her hands together on her lap, determined to have a long look at Wren. She was assured she'd seen him before in some form and felt his presence keeping her from harm. Wren was beautiful to Alice; he was handsome and lithely muscled beneath his clothes. He was from Wonderland so she was pleased not to have to hide nonsensical logic from him; he already would understand what Wonderland was like.
She noticed his eyes peruse her and Alice blushed again. Wren reached for her small hand and squeezed it gently, as he stopped rowing the boat. "Alice, you're beautiful. As a girl, I thought you a fascinating girl, defeating the Red Queen and deftly dealing with Time. You had such a tousled head of blond hair and you still do. You've the same inquisitive blue-eyes and you've grown into a stunning woman," Wren told her squeezing her hand again. He seemed genuine and the compliments made Alice flustered.
"Your beauty is also an asset when one has been tasked to guard Wonderland as we have," Wren continued."Beauty can attract and fool people and often, at the same time," Wren said, absently stroking circles on Alice's hand. "It's hard for me to explain. Especially since I've much more experience than you've in life. Humans age slowly in Wonderland –most creatures here do. But as in any land, we have our own ways to protect and our own tyrants to fight. You have proven yourself twice against our foes."
Wren held both her hands firmly, appearing serious, "We have always had two guardians at a time, for a thousand Wonderland years each pair, ensuring Wonderland's survival. Our guardians are a couple; a couple is stronger than one being. I am one guardian, born in Wonderland and familiar with its ways," Wren said.
"The second guardian is you, Alice, born of the outside world. You have learned and come to love Wonderland — though lately you pretend otherwise. You are the second guardian Alice and I've waited forever for you, my other half. You know forever can be a very long time."
Alice blushed and then upon realizing the great responsibility she now had, her face went white, "Why me? Is this why I have never been able to forget Wonderland all these years ? Am I to marry you, a man I don't really know?
Wren grinned at Alice tugging gently on her hands as she tried to free herself from his touch; he chuckled, playfully. Alice began to smile too and as she peered up from their joined hands, she saw the row boat resting on a beach. They stepped over the side of the boat and the vivacity and colour of Wonderland surrounded her as they walked into the forest. The flowers greeted Alice immediately, so happy she had returned.
Wren stopped walking a moment, turning to face Alice. He was heads above her and tilted her chin up to look at him. "My Alice," he began, "Magic is a curious thing. It can find the right people and draw them together. It has always driven me to you. I have loved you since I first saw you."
"That makes no sense."
"But it does Alice. You believe in magic, yes?" Alice nodded.
"Then you know. If you want magical things to happen, you must believe in them. We must believe in each other. And what's knowing? People are together fifty-years in your world and they don't know each other. Often, they've forgotten the magic — the love, between them. Here the world is magic and I will not forget you or our love."
"Wren, I'm particularly fond of you. I've never felt this way, except about you, ever — only in dreams when you visited, when I felt you near somehow. Is that love and is it enough? And I'm only eighteen-years-old, how can I guard Wonderland?
Wren smiled and he gently pecked Alice's lips."We have forever. Forever is a thousand Wonderland years. All your old friends are here. Not those girls who were cruel to you for being you at school. Wonderland needs us both and you will soon know me as I know you. We will even know each other better than most people ever know each other. What you feel for me, I'm so thankful for. And yes it is enough, it is the beginning of love."
"I'm not sure couples should always know each other better. Sometimes secrets are better kept," Alice said thoughtfully.
"Dearest, we cannot have secrets. We have a responsibility but we have a haven in each other and perhaps much later, a child to carry on as guardian with another girl or boy from your world, when forever comes," Wren stated stroking Alice's cheek.
"I can trust you, Wren? I'd rather have the truth in a nonsensical way than an outright lie," Alice said firmly staring at Wren.
He blushed this time, "I will be truthful to you —nonsensically and sensically."
Alice smiled and kissed Wren's cheek before saying,"You never said Wren, who do we guard Wonderland from?"
"From reality, Alice. From those who do not believe in magic. For those who would tell people love is not real and everything has to be logical and make sense. Though our world is much nonsense, we make more sense than the real world. There are always monsters in the midst and as you know, time himself is often one of them. So are Queens and many tyrants, there is always a bad guy somewhere I'm afraid," Wren said a bit tiredly.
Alice stared at Wren, standing on her tippy-toes, and stroking his stumbled cheeks in comfort. She felt drawn to Wren, as if she were in a pleasant fog. Gently her lips met Wren's for a kiss. He kissed her back more intensely and she could feel what she knew was passion between them; it was Alice's first real kiss. They lingered a while, walking and teasing each other, stealing more kisses which were more difficult for Alice to step away from each time.
A stray thought occurrred to her as they walked, "Won't my mother miss me?" Alice asked, "How can I leave her alone?"
"She will believe you married a wealthy heir and will be pleased, as that will be the truth; we can visit her often, though she will be gone for most of your lifetime."
Alice nodded feeling sad, but realizing her duty with Wren. She wasn't afraid, knowing he was with her. She knew their relationship was blossoming and would flourish, perhaps, with 'ups' and 'downs' as couples had — but perhaps, better. Their connection had been built her entire life.
Taking Wren's hand, Alice walked off into Wonderland. How curious her home would be here with Wren and his green–eyes gazing at her with love, and the White Rabbit out of no where, jumping beside them.
©Mandibelle16. (2016) All Rights Reserved.


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Blair Underwood To Broadway Debut In "A Street Car.."
With A Street Car, Front Row Production follows up its highly successful Broadway multi-racial production of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof.
[The Theater]
In a new production of A Street Car Named Desire to be produced by Stephen Byrd and Alia Jones, the role of Stanley Kowalski will be played by Blair Underwood, in his Broadway debut slated for the Spring of 2012.
The production, in a yet-to-be announced theater, will be directed by Emily Mann. Underwood is a two-time Golden Globe nominee.
With A Street Car, Front Row Production follows up its highly successful Broadway multi-racial production of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. That play starred Terrence Howard, Phylicia Rashad, Anika Noni Rose and James Earl Rose, in a directing debut by Debbie Allen. The production later moved to London where it also had a successful run on London's West End, and included Sanaa Lathan as Maggie and Adrian Lester as Brick. In London, the production won the "What's On Stage," and the prestigious "Olivier" awards for Best Revival.
A Street Car Named Desire, Tennessee Williams' Pulitzer Prize winning play, set against the backdrop of New Orleans' gritty French Quarter,
tells the tale of former school teacher and socialite Blanche DuBois; she's forced to move in with her sister Stella and her animalistic husband Stanley, played by Blair Underwood in next year's Front Row production. The fragile Blanche Dubois gets a gritty lesson in the seamy, steamy underbelly of 1940s New Orleans.
Underwood in a man of matchless talent. He has won awards in the worlds of film, television, theatre and literature, as actor, writer, and producer.
Underwood is co-star in The Art of Getting By, opposite Emma Roberts and Freddie Highmore, in an independent film to be released June 17 by
Fox Searchlight.He's been in numerous films and received a Golden Globe nomination and was an Emmy semifinalist for his role as a navy fighter in HBO's "In Treatment," opposite Gabriel Byrne. He also starred in the network series' "The Event," "Dirty Sexy Money," and "The New Adventures of Old Christine."
Underwood is maybe best known as the headstrong attorney, Jonathan Rollins, from the NBC legal drama L.A. Law, a role he portrayed for seven years. He has gained critical acclaim throughout his career, receiving three NAACP Image Awards and 1 Grammy Award.
A Street Car was last seen on Broadway in 2005, starring Natasha Richardson, Amy Ryan and John C. Reilly.
Stephen Byrd is currently the only African American producer of Broadway plays. He is the founder of Front Row Productions, and producer of the first African American Broadway Production of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, the highest grossing pay on Broadway in 2008. Byrd has more than 27 years of experience in investment banking, including as a banker in M&A with Goldman, Sachs & Co., in the London office. He is currently a principal and co-founder of StoneHedge Capital, Inc., a private equity firm.
Byrd supports several community and non-profit organizations, including Safe Horizon and the National Urban Technology Center. He was recently named as one of the most important African Americans by The New York Daily News.
Alia Jones, Front Row Productions Producer, joined the company in 2006. She co-produced the African American revival of Cat on A Hot Tin
Roof. She has more than 15 years experience in developing strategy and leading marketing campaigns for consumer brands, financial products,
web-based educational curriculum and arts organizations.
Jones serves on the board of the National Urban Technology Center; the non-profit organization teaches young people life skills, health
education, and career development through edutainment software.
"Speaking Truth To Empower."
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- Ann GarrisonFebruary 22,2018 @ 08:03 PM
I think you have "Filtered HTML" turned on here. If you switch to "Full HTML," it will probably...
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Apocalypse Now Full Movie
Senin, 07 April 2014 0 komentar
- Duration of movie : 153
- Societies of production : United Artists
- Tagline : This is the end...
- Movie Genre : Action, Drama, War,
- Film Note : -movie_rating-
- Original title : Apocalypse Now
- Release Date of film : 1979-08-15
- Status : Released
- Youtube Id : -youtube_id-
- Average rate : 7.1
- Languages spoken : English
- Vote Count : 304
- Martin Sheen Character (Captain Benjamin L. Willard)
- Marlon Brando Character (Colonel Walter E. Kurtz)
- Robert Duvall Character (Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore)
- Laurence Fishburne Character (Tyrone 'Clean' Miller)
- Sam Bottoms Character (Lance B. Johnson)
- Frederic Forrest Character (Jay 'Chef' Hicks)
- Albert Hall Character (Chief Phillips)
- Harrison Ford Character (Colonel Lucas)
- Dennis Hopper Character (Photojournalist)
- G. D. Spradlin Character (General Corman)
- Jerry Ziesmer Character (Jerry, Civilian)
- Francis Ford Coppola Character (Director (cameo))
- Tom Mason Character (Supply Sergeant)
- Scott Glenn Character (Lieutenant Richard M. Colby)
- Colleen Camp Character (Miss May)
Apocalypse Now Synopsis:
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Ditulis oleh Unknown
Rating Blog 5 dari 5
Ditulis oleh Unknown
Rating Blog 5 dari 5


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2013 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah - Cedar City, UT
For the second year in a row Vision Graphics and Medalist Sports worked hand in hand to create the look and feel of the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah. With the race rapidly becoming a massive international hit in the cycling world, there is no room for second best. The race ran 6 stages that stretched from Cedar City to Salt Lake City. It required top notch creative along with state of the art graphic production. That's where we step in.
Let our in-house design team create eye-popping graphics that promote your brand. Our production team will print your custom event signs on state-of-the-art large format digital printers to produce one-of a-kind graphics for your next event!
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In collaboration with the National Football League, Vision designed, produced and installed the look and décor graphics for the 2013 NFL Pro Bowl. Our goal was to create an environment that was celebratory and engaging using vibrant colors and nature imagery that represented Hawaii. "The feedback has been very positive. Everyone is very pleased and feels like we accomplished what we set out to do," said Vision Creative Director Chris Parada.
Elements of the décor package adorned Aloha Stadium, Hilton Hawaiian Village, Ihilani Hotel, Honolulu Airport, and the streets of Waikiki. It transformed Waikiki and Honolulu into the festive party atmosphere that the Pro Bowl brings to the state of Hawaii.
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Vision's design team created 249 production files that were used to produce 568 elements. These elements were produced at Vision's 70,000 sq ft facility in Salt Lake City and utilizing of a variety of substrates totaling 87,956 square feet. Graphics ranged from door decals, pole banners, stage backdrops, stadium graphics to several gigantic 105 ft x 80 ft pre-game banners and much more.
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Poppy – The sultry temptress
Brown-haired Poppy is a sultry temptress. This curvy 20 year old is full of energy and loves to have a good time. She enjoys being pro-active and loves to fill her days with things such as hiking and bird watching. She also does yoga and Pilates in order to keep fit, and she sometimes takes spin class. She loves to play naughty games where the loser strips and she finds it to be one of the easiest ways to get people laughing and comfortable. It doesn't matter what the game is as long as the client is having the time of his life, she says. She believes that every man loves to have a sexy lady around his arms. She knows that it gives men the thrill of being coveted by other men and she loves giving her clients this feeling. She also likes the concept of being a professional escort as she feels it skips all the baggage of normal dating and having to pretend to have conversation with someone just so that it could lead to something more. She believes it also skips a client the effort of having to try to impress a lady with fancy cars and expensive gifts. She also loves to have a good laugh and she is more than fun to be around. If you are looking for a lovely companion. Poppy is more than capable of fulfilling your every need.


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Today's prompt for Writing 101 is to write a series of anecdotes or vignettes which are defined as " short, episodic scenes or moments that together read as variations on the same subject/story." Therefore, each vignettes needs to have a similarity between them which ties each vignettes to the others.
Tessa feels afraid. Life has become unmanageable for her to take a risk in love because she can't calculate the damage another man could do to her. One guy Ryan, she talked to for a year and he wanted be with Tessa but she was in a relationship at the time. Tessa told Ryan, she loved her boyfriend. She only wanted to be friends with Ryan. He wasn't interested in being friends. The thought of not talking to and seeing him anymore, made Tessa bitterly sad.
Tessa was single and free. It felt wonderful to not have to go out and spend her weekends at her boyfriend Ted's place, not doing much of anything. When she was out, Tessa wanted to be doing something, not laying around all day. A nap was one thing, but sitting and watching the same news channel hours on end as Ted did, Tessa couldn't handle it. She wanted to visit their couple friends and go to fun events on the evenings and a week night once in a while. Her now ex-boyfriend Ted always sat on the couch, eyes on the news or searching the Internet. Tessa left Ted, never looking back.
Freedom flowed through her veins. Tessa was happy and her life was fulfilling. She was working hard each day. Doing the best she could, developing a career. But there were always men who wanted something from Tessa. She didn't want to be mean and say: "I don't want anything from you. You'd only mess up my life and I like my life how it is right now."
To say that would be too honest and being too honest can sound brash and thoughtless and get a woman labelled. Tessa didn't want to damage her career, but often it meant putting up with men, their sexual inuendo and advances.
Greyson is messaging Tessa again. No real conversation occurs between them. He doesn't talk about his days or ask much about hers when they go on dates. Greyson gazes at her and says, "I like you. I like talking to you. Don't you like me?" Tessa is tired of his games.
She tells Greyson, "We've been through this. You don't want a relationship and I do."
He remarks, "Let's sleep together and see how it goes."
Tessa is angry, her attraction to Greyson wanes and she ceases talking to him.
She is dating Phillip now. A new guy who keeps calling her at all times. Phillip won't stop. He's a stranger who somehow had her number in his contacts. Tessa recalls she hasn't had her new cell number for long.
Phillip tells Tessa he is into having a relationship with her but with him too, it comes down to sex. After they have sex he tells her, "We'll see how things go." He is suddenly non-committal and distant towards Tess, except when he wants to sleep with her.
Tessa is exasperated. Isn't she valuable outside the context of sex? Isn't there a guy who will like her for her personality too and want to get to know her!?
Now, whenever Phillip texts or calls Tessa deletes any trace of him from her cell phone.
Some man starts talking to Tessa outside her hair salon, grabbing her arm. She doesn't like it when people she doesn't know man handle her. But Tessa attempts to be polite.
The stranger tells her she's beautiful and keeps complimenting her. She's not attracted to him in the least and he won't let her leave. He keeps stepping in front of her as she tries to take the stairs down to the train.
Tessa had worked in the morning and taken the afternoon off to have her hair done and now this weird man won't let her go home. It's only 4:00 pm but Tessa smells the liquor on the stranger's breath.
"Let go. Leave me alone. My boyfriend wouldn't like you bothering me like this. I need to go home." She tells the man.
The stranger acts offended and she shivers in disgust at his repulsive corporate ego. She hates having to lie to protect herself. To ensure her own security.
Tessa meanders in a popular shopping district, alone on a Saturday afternoon. She's in a boutique and is enthused the clothes are stylish but not overally expensive. Tessa models a blue halter dress and she hears a deep voice remark: "I'd take you out in that dress. You're gorgeous."
Tessa turns, regarding the man who complimented her. He's a bit older, but it doesn't bother her. The handsome man's blue eyes are breath-taking, bright against dark hair and attractive full lips. He wears dark jeans and a blue t-shirt matching his eyes.
Suddenly, Tessa realizes she's been staring at the attractive man and hasn't responded to his compliment. She blushes and her skin goes red."I'm happy you like me in the dress. I wasn't sure about it, but you've made my mind up for me."
The attractive man chuckles and comes up to Tessa, running a hand gently down her arm. She's surprised his familer touch doesn't bother her. He gazes into her eyes and smiles.
"What's a pretty girl like you doing all by herself shopping? You need a guy to hold your bags and make sure douch men don't bother you."
Tessa laughs. "Are you offering to do the job? Because I would definitely have to take you up on that offer. I'm Tessa by the way." She holds out her hand which is shaking a bit and his strong hand engulfs hers and shakes it firmly. A firm handshake, Tessa is impressed.
She smiles as the attractive man runs a hand through wisps of her loose hair. "What's your name?" She asks him.
He grins at her question. "I'm Blake and I'm a university professor in economics. What do you do Tessa?"
" I work in HR for a company. I like talking with different people and helping them." Blake stares at his hands in his jean pockets, smiling at Tessa before touching her cheek with the back of his hand.
Again, his touch doesn't bother Tessa. She craves it. Blake smells wonderful, like the ocean with a note of sandlewood. Blake and her are standing close and Tessa's breathing is picking-up speed with Blake's breath.
"There you are." An elegant woman in a red dress sweeps in. She's thin and willowy and seems like she's a model, on trend and waifish."Who's this?" The model asks, regarding Tessa as if she were a peculiar creature for Blake to be flirting with.
The model's eyes rove over Tessa and back to Blake. Blake sighs and he doesn't appear glad to see the model, in fact; he seems annoyed. He gazes at Tessa appearing apologetic. Tessa has pity on Blake.
"Oh this must be your girlfriend you were telling me about." Tessa remarks to Blake. "She is stunning and you're lucky to have her. I'm sorry I haven't been in touch. I've been busy and I know you have been busy too. I'll let you get back to your girl." The model gives Tessa an odd look and then giggles.
Tessa can't help but feel she's missing something and that the model is making fun of her."Lovely to meet you, " the model says."I'm Cherise."
"I'm Tessa and Blake really loves you." She says. Cherish chuckles and so does Blake.
Cherise smiles at Tessa and Blake. Tessa doesn't know what to say. She feels miserable. because she has met a nice guy and he isn't actually a nice guy. He has a girlfriend named Cherise who's laughing at her.
Tessa was hugely attracted to Blake and wanted to know him better. He pressed the back of his hand to her cheek as Cherise walked away to look at a dress.
"I'm going to try this on," she tells Blake who nods at her. But his blue gaze is focused on Tessa.
"Why did you do that?" Blake says, laughter in his voice. " Cherise is my younger step-sister. She's not my girlfriend. It's gross thinking about her that way. We have the same Dad and I grew up with her."
Tessa's face turns bright red. Redder than it was before. "Oh, I didn't realize. I was trying to give you an out because I thought Cherise was your girlfriend. But I'm glad she's only your sister. You had me worried for a bit."
Blake chuckles again."Are you going to let me take you out tonight in that dress you're buying? I have to drive Cherise to her boyfriends but I can meet you down the street at the Manterra Hotel dining room at 7:00 pm?"
Tessa smiles genuinely. "I'd love to have dinner with you, Blake." She leans up towards Blake and kisses his inviting lips gently for a few moments, keeping her lips against Blakes a meaningful second before walking towards the cash register.
Blake repeats behind her: "7:00 pm at the Manterra Hotel."
Tessa looks back at Blake and smiles."You bet."
©Mandibelle16. (2016) All Rights Reserved.


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Wild House Models in exclusive partnership to sell EVO-t Models
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Rating - All Playlists
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At PurposeGames, our members create the games. We have over 350,000 games and quizzes available for learning, excercise in school, home or at work. Whether it is a map game, multiple choice game or jus a simple geoquiz, you will find it here at PurposeGames. Choose from 12 different categories including Geography quizzes, History games or games about science and medicine.


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For those of you who have published something - either through a known publisher or otherwise, as is now possible - I introduce this thread to offer your work.
My blood brother Capable has created the following works from some of the outstanding texts we've published on forums.
http://www.lulu.com/shop/jakob-milikows ... 74101.html
http://www.lulu.com/shop/milikowski-jak ... 77166.html
http://www.lulu.com/shop/persephone-hou ... 75496.html


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Jess Brown is inspired by beautiful textiles. She began making rag dolls for her children 11 years ago used old cashmere sweaters and recykled fabrics. Together with her children she searched flea markets for antique buttons, trims and other useful materials and started making one of a kind rag dolls.
Jess Brown Design


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My thoughts are often dominated by my daughter, pondering what I want her to know, feel, experience and what I don't. In my mind, for some of the most important things to stick, to become part of her thoughts and beliefs, they need to be instilled early on.
It is important to me that she never feels embarrassed or afraid to be herself, and that she feels free to express her thoughts and feelings, no matter what. I don't want her to worry about being judged by anyone for any reason.
In order for her to learn that, I believe that she has to see it.
In the most sacred of moments, perfectly timed chances, my daughter catch me by surprise, as we walk down a busy street, stand on a crowded train platform or in line at the store, and she invites me into her magical fantasy world.
In these situations, I could become trapped by thoughts of what people will think, but instead, my concern is only with what will go through her mind, what she will take away from the moment.
I joyfully dive in, full of pride and a sense of freedom; I become the monkey swinging from trees, the wolf howling at the moon, the performer belting out some wacky song, with moves to go along with it, whatever creature or character I am directed to be, I become. I join her in that wondrous place between imagination and reality, where anything and everything is possible.
When the moment calls for monster that chases and captures children for dinner, or a hungry, roaring lion to feed its hissing snake baby, or a twinkly, spinning dance across the sidewalk, count me in.
When I see her face light up with delight and admiration, I am satisfied on so many levels, knowing that in that one moment, she received a lifetime of positive lessons and memories.
And so did I.


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Artist description:
Don't know if this is valid though >.
Flash Draw Created Jun 12, 2010 640 x 460px Unless noted Copyright 2010 Dango.
We encourage you to submit a comment and let the artist know what you think of this drawing. Please log in or join to post a comment.
Post a comment
awwwww! It's so adorable! :D I'm very allergic to cats.... BUT NOW I WANT ONE!!!!! XD Definitely 5/5 and fav! Please check out my page! :D
aawwweh its so adorable
so cutee ^^
freakin cute kitty and delicious shades of gray!
super cute! 5/5
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh it's so cute...........
So cute!!! Love its purple striped tail!!! 5h
Very good =D, Perfect. ^^
Very good =D, Perfect. ^^
perfect. Very good =D


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Product: RIBBON Stereo Bluetooth Streamer
Code: RB-BKBL-US
Ships to: US and Canada only.
Package Contents: RIBBON Stereo Bluetooth Streamer, 3 x ear gels, USB cable, AC charger, user guide.
RIBBON Stereo Bluetooth Streamer
Stream To Any Speaker
Ultra-portable Sound You Wear
Twist and Go: With this simple action you can attach the Ribbon to your shirt, t-shirt or jacket and have streaming music at your fingertips without having to touch your phone.
Use Any Headphones
The Ribbon features a standard 3.5mm stereo output so you can use the supplied true-to-life earbuds or your favorite headphones*.
One Touch Music Control
Simply press the controls on the Ribbon to control the track and volume with no need to get out your phone.
Apt-X streaming
The Ribbon includes apt-X for 'wired' quality streaming Bluetooth music. This is as good as it gets for streaming audio fidelity. Simply pair and connect your apt-X enabled device to the Ribbon and you will instantly hear the difference.
* standard 3.5mm stereo headphones are supported by the Ribbon


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The Yoga Pose You Never Thought You Could Do
Can yoga change the world? Kathryn Budig thinks so. "When someone gets onto a yoga mat, they learn how to slow down. When you can get out of that constant storyboard that's being written in your head, you can start to see clearly again. When you can start clearly again you might readjust your attitude or perspective. And that cause a whole lot of love as opposed to a fear-driven, painful place. Yoga is changing the world," she says.
In her AIM True Yoga DVD Budig offers a practice that develops strength both on and off the mat. "We work on very pointed, directed postures in the flow to help strengthen," and off the mat, the practice gives you the strength to "speak your truths" and be emotionally strong. (And in case you're a tech nerd like me, AIM isn't a throwback to the pre-Gchat instant messaging, it's her 'strong is sexy' outlook on yoga and life.)
That's all great, but for the yoga timid like myself, just practicing in the first place can be a challenge. Yoga can be intimidating, especially when you get into class and see people performing crazy poses while you're still learning the different warrior positions (I definitely had to learn that yoga is not a competition!).
But everyone has to start at the beginning, even the instructors--Budig was a former theater girl that was turned onto to yoga by a friend. Although she admits her first session didn't go so well (she thought her instructor was getting fresh with all of the adjustments), after a few classes and an inspirational instructor she fell in love with it. "You don't do yoga, you practice yoga," she says. Every class is a journey and it's okay to not take it so seriously.
"Many postures in yoga take us out of our physical and mental comfort zone. Yoga poses are beautiful and often visually intense, so our brain tells us to stay far away--how could I ever do something so complicated?! With practice, it's all available," Budig says.
One of her favorite poses happens to be one of those poses for me: crow pose. "It was one of the first arm balances I learned how to do. I find when you learn how to do crow pose, everything else starts to make more sense. It's such an empowering pose," she says. However, no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to lift both feet into the air so that I'm flying on my arms. Lucky for me, crow pose is one of the postures Budig breaks down in a tutorial style workshop on her DVD. Here's how to ease into it:
Snapshots taken from AIM True Yoga DVD
Crow Pose
- Place a yoga block horizontally in front of you and bend down, arms outstretched over the block, weight on the balls of the feet, heels up in a perched position.
- Place the balls of the feet on the block, keeping arms outstretched, heels up, in a deep squat with knees open to the side.
- Drop the chest down by walking the arms out in front of you and bow head down while dropping your tailbone towards the ground to stretch the lower back.
- Stay low and walk your hands in, take your knees and work them the outer edges of your arms and take your inner knees and squeeze them around your arms. Go higher onto the balls of your feet and lift your butt up into the air. Keep looking past your fingertips.
- Once you are here, with your elbows directly over your wrists, pick one foot up. When ready, pick the second foot up, let your inner heels and big toes touch, round your upper body. Eventually work towards straight arms as you round and push the ground away.
- Keep breathing then bend your elbows, place your feet back onto your block and release your arms.
AIM True Yoga offers two Vinyasa flows and a demystifying tutorial on four additional poses.
Related Links:
Yoga With Weights Routine For Faster Fast Burn
Get Your Workouts Texted To You
Try Another Challenge With Three CrossFit Sequences!
For daily fitness tips follow SELF on Facebook and Twitter.
Get SELF on your iPad!


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Messina touts grassroots strength
President Barack Obama directed his campaign to build the largest grass-roots effort in history, campaign manager Jim Messina said at POLITICO's Playbook Breakfast.
"We won this election because of Barack Obama and people volunteered and came out in historic numbers," Messina said in his first on-camera interview since the election.
Story Continued Below
When he was hired for the job, Messina said Obama gave him a directive.
"This has to be about the grass roots, we have to go back and run a campaign about the grass roots," Messina said Obama told him. "We built the biggest grass-roots campaign."
After running the most technology-heavy campaign in history, Messina said if he wrote a book about the changes it would be "a big book."
"It would start with hiring really smart people regardless of their age, [giving] them a budget and support and hold them accountable to deadlines and they will build you some really great things," Messina said.
Messina said Google Chairman Eric Schmidt gave him simple advice: "You do not want political people, you want smart people who you are going to draw what you want and they're going to go build it."
So Messina went out and hired someone to head the data department who had never worked on a campaign before.
"He thought we were crazy aliens from Mars and we thought the same of him," Messina said.
But the team was able to create innovative things, including building a tool to let supporters single out their Facebook friends and encourage them to vote.
"I complained about how expensive it was and then we went and built it," Messina said.
( Also on POLITICO: Republicans run from Romney)
Post-election, Messina hedged about his own future. First, he's taking a vacation, after having taken off only one week in the past five years.
Regarding a White House job, Messina said he had done that already, but left open the possibility that he could run an Obama political operation out of Chicago.
Messina insisted that it was Obama's message that drew people into the campaign.
"We built the kind of campaign that made people want to volunteer," Messina said.
To make that happen, the Obama campaign built a technology infrastructure that took every piece of data available and built online applications such as the "Dashboard" for supporters. Messina explained that in 2008 many elements that went viral were untracked by the campaign.
The campaign also ran statistical models every day to determine how much support it had in each swing state. The modeling was accurate about early voting within 1 percentage point and predicted Florida by .2 percentage points, Messina said.
"That's why I knew most of the public polls you were seeing were completely ridiculous," Messina said. "A bunch of polling is broken in this country."


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This download is for the homemade plastic canvas pattern only.
Please do not share or sell this pattern.
Please feel free to contact me if you are unable to download the file, and I will gladly email you the pattern.
Items will not be emailed until payment has been received and cleared.
Digital downloads will be available immediately for up to 14 days after payment.
Buyer pays for shipping.
No refunds or returns.
Please do not share or sell any of the patterns.
No returns and no refunds.


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Huhtamaki North America works to protect the environment through a variety of continuous improvement projects and strategic initiatives specifically designed to reduce our usage of natural resources, materials and energy.
It's a thoughtful, managed approach that helps our business reduce the impact we make on the environment, conserve energy and protect the communities we work in everyday. Learn more Huhtamaki's overall sustainability efforts at huhtamaki.com/sustainability.


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Wednesday, 15 January 2014
Sepia Saturday 211 : 18 January 2014
27 comments:
- ScotSue said...
The impact of war on one extended family.
- 15 January 2014 at 19:31
- ScotSue said...
With apologies - gremlins struck with my first link which seemed to go to last week's posting - here again at no. 3 is this week's contributions.
- 15 January 2014 at 20:05
- Jo Featherston said...
Sorry, had to delete my blog for tbis week as i need to amend something and can't seem to do it on my phone. I hope to repost it on Sunday or Monday at the latest.
- 16 January 2014 at 04:22
- Bob Scotney said...
No gremlins with mine, I hope.
- 16 January 2014 at 15:19
- Postcardy said...
Gremlins attacked my text size on my blog, making it too small. I couldn't figure out how to get it back the way I had it originally, but at least it is more readable now.
- 16 January 2014 at 16:09
- Postcardy said...
I also had gremlins that changed the order of the images in my post when I added a caption to the image!
- 16 January 2014 at 16:13
- Wendy said...
I'm in but that's all I can say.
- 17 January 2014 at 10:07
- Lovely's Blot said...
I'm back and looking forward to reading all your posts. (I have a dog called Gremlin!)
- 17 January 2014 at 13:28
- Kristin said...
Bringing back a post I wrote last year about my great Uncle Hugh Reed Averette who served in the US Navy during WW 1.
- 17 January 2014 at 16:11
- Deb Gould said...
Two 1918 posts in a row for me...what's with that, anyway? No gremlins in Maine...
- 17 January 2014 at 16:52
- B. Rogers, Living in Black Mountain said...
Though the sub-topic seems to be gremlins, I actually stuck to the theme this week. (I expect high honors for this as I stray so often.) I hated the movie Gremlins.
- 17 January 2014 at 19:49
- La Nightingail said...
My post is a little lighthearted for the subject, but I'm hoping everyone will take it in the spirit it's intended. Salute!
- 17 January 2014 at 19:59
- Little Nell said...
Gremlin-free for me, as far as I can see, but I've been doing some tidying up generally on the meme!
- 17 January 2014 at 20:16
- Little Nell said...
Gremlin-free for me, as far as I can see, but I've been doing some tidying up generally on the meme!
- 17 January 2014 at 20:17
- Little Nell said...
Gremlin-free for me, as far as I can see, but I've been doing some tidying up generally on the meme!
- 17 January 2014 at 20:17
- irisheyes jennifer said...
Thank you for the inspiration. My post, entitled 'Those Young Men in Photographs, WW1' will appear on Saturday morning. Best wishes to all. Hope winter/summer is being kind to you.
- 17 January 2014 at 20:23
- Joy said...
Happily no gremlins only an unknown soldier.
- 17 January 2014 at 21:25
- Patrica Ball Morrison said...
The gremlins have been making themselves known, had them here on Monday.they did not freeze to death but ..so far they have disappeared. I will have an unidentified family WWI soldier and card up in a few more hours.
- 17 January 2014 at 21:48
- Anne Young said...
Not all those who served in the Great War were young men. A post about my great uncle, a surgeon who served with the Australian Light Horse.
- 17 January 2014 at 22:20
- Mike Brubaker said...
I've been waiting for this theme with a special story about musicians from WW1. Even as I wrote it up today, I discovered another intriguing link with an early story I wrote about in 2012. Lots of cosmic coincidences.
- 18 January 2014 at 02:17
- Doug Peabody said...
Great topic. I've posted about my grandfather's medal
- 18 January 2014 at 04:13
- Rosie said...
A boat load of soldiers going to war, some to return, some never to return...
- 18 January 2014 at 11:12
- anyjazz said...
A bit of a rant this week. But, with gremlins in my family tree I guess it's to be expected now and then.
- 18 January 2014 at 14:44
- luvlinens said...
The only Sepia I could find this week was Little Georgie Fleming. Please welcome him.
- 18 January 2014 at 21:29
My comment the other day wouldn't go through so I'll say again that this week I have deviated from the theme to continue a bushfire story to match our recent weather,
- 18 January 2014 at 23:10
- TICKLEBEAR said...
I thought I would skip the gremlin infestation since I had been away but ever since I opened the SS page, Google keeps telling me the page has become unresponsive and wants to close it. What have you done to this page while I was gone?!? Alan?!?
As for me, a WW1 post,
Canadian style!!!
Kept it simple,
for a change...
- 19 January 2014 at 04:29
- Jo Featherston said...
Hopefully my post is ok now.
- 19 January 2014 at 08:25


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Still sliding…
The Longest Losing Streaks in Blue Jays history:
12 — May 31-Aug. 10, 1981 (strike year)
11 — Aug. 26-Sept. 6, 1977
10 — June 18-28, 1994
9 — July 17-30, 1977
9 — June 4-14, 1978
9 — April 24-May 3, 2002
8 — May 1-9, 2007 (ongoing)
During the club-worst 12-game slide, Toronto dropped the first 10 games in August. The eight-game losing streak to start this May is the longest slump to begin a month since that 1981 stumble.
ON DECK: Toronto ace Roy Halladay will try to apply the tourniquet on Thursday in the finale of a three-game set against the Red Sox. And as a heads up for you fans, I'll once again field questions during the game on the blog. So feel free to come on the site here during the contest tomorrow to send me Q's about the game in progress or the team in general. I decided to do it at the last minute on Wednesday, but I'm giving a days' worth of advance notice this time around.
Stay tuned for more…


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|Authored By: Polly Pitchford, Full Spectrum Health
|Serve with cole slaw and whole grain sourdough bread.
|Diet Type: Low Fat
|Serves: 6
|Cooking Time: 30 minutes - one hour
|Heat oil in a large soup pot. Saute onion until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except file powder and seafood, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer at least 30 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add seafood and file powder and simmer 5 minutes or until seafood is cooked throughout.
|Printable Version
|E-mail a Friend


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Thanks to Kim881 of Poet's Pub #dVerse prompts for the prompt about fabulous shoes.
Ivory lace and pearl ribbon, pretty shoes I love,
Flower of delicate lace on folded silk peep toes;
Jewels, silken straps, elegant wedge most beloved.
Black lace, four-inch gold heels, length of legs to behold,
Fluffiest white bed, a blue corsette, soles bright pink,
Flower of delicate lace on folded silk peep toes.
Burgundy patent red heels with red wine, wink!
Malbec sliding down your throat, cheese, bread, chocolate!
Fluffiest bed in blue corsette, soles bright pink.
Glorious silver sparkling shimmer mocking,
Until I wear them graceful on stilts, platforms slim.
Malbec sliding down my throat cheese, bread, chocolate.
Tall black boots, supple leather hugs my calves –winners!!
Knee-high boots prized, heels sturdy yet in winter slip,
Until I wear them, graceful on stilts, platforms slim.
Divine pieces of art, solve vexing mishaps,
Ivory lace and pearl ribbon pretty shoes I love.
Knee high boots prized, heels sturdy yet in winter slip;
Ivory lace and pearl ribbon pretty shoes I love.
©Mandibelle16. (2017) All Rights Reserved.


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Well the snow has finally arrived (boo!), so it seems like the perfect time to chase away those winter blues with a visit to a warmer corner of the world. This week I've sought out some much needed sunshine with a girlie break to the sparkling city of Dubai. Along with Prague, Tom Cruise chose this Arabian Gulf city as one of the filming location for his latest flick, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, and it's easy to see why. Not only is there plenty of opportunity to soak up the sun and shop till you drop, but there's also a wealth of chic places to eat, cool spots for cocktails and some seriously super-luxe hotels. Eager to discover the best that the city had to offer I checked-in for some fabulous off-the-radar rest and relaxation at the city's chicest boutique hotel, the Desert Palm.
The Lowdown
My stay at the oasis-like Desert Palm Dubai had me cooing with delight from the moment we were picked up from the airport by a chauffeur driven car decked-out with iced-towels, Voss water and deep leather seats. Even though I knew beforehand that the Desert Palm was home to a world-class polo club as well as an haute hotel, it still came as a something of a surprise to pull up to its frangipani-filled gardens and vast green fields peppered with show-ponies. Far from the madness of the metropolis, while still being close enough to be able to see the cityscape twinkling in the distance, it was obvious why camera-shy celebrities, royalty and visiting Emirati choose the Desert Palm for as their Dubai hideaway.
The hotel was not at all what I expected in this city of superlatives; Dubai boasts the world's biggest shopping mall, the world's tallest fountain, as well as the world's highest bar, highest restaurant and highest swimming pool. All of these are housed in the world's tallest building – the Burj Khalifa which Tom Cruise was brave/mad enough to jump off in his recent flick and they can be reached via the world's highest elevator. In a city that clearly likes to show-off, it wasn't unreasonable for me to expect a lot of big city bling and over-the-top ostentation. Not so at the Desert Palm though, instead of showy affectations the hotel has opted for low-key luxe in the form of sleek creamy-coloured marble floors, shiny dark woods, and tactile furnishings which cleverly highlights its collection of perfectly-positioned artworks and equine sculpture.
First impressions had left me suitably impressed but after a seven-hour night flight and a four-hour leap forward in time we were in dire need of a big bed and a wee sleep. Our room, a Palm Suite, was as swish as the rest of the hotel and surprisingly spacious – spacious enough in fact for two ladies with 50kg of luggage between them to not fight over wardrobe space. And we needn't have worried about sharing a bed too as it was enormous enough for us both to sprawl out without ever risking waking the other. Along with these winning features, our room also had a stunning spa bathroom with monsoon shower and plenty of REN amenities, a baffling array of technology and view over the open-plan lobby and pretty green polo fields.
The Highlights
For a small hotel its highlights are many. Days can be spent lounging by the temperature controlled infinity pool – warmed in winter and chilled in summer for optimum swim conditions – walking or jogging around the perfectly manicured grounds, horsing around at the resident riding school or simply sitting on the terrace watching polo whilst indulging in a spot of cream tea. Tucked away on the lower level of the main building there's also the wonderful LIME Spa which managed to lure us away from all ground-level activities for a whole afternoon with its wonderful massage treatments and hot and cold therapy rooms and showers.
It's when the sun goes down that the Desert Palm really comes into its own though. The hotel's fantastic foodie credentials and buzzing bar pull in an eclectic crowd of trendy expats, in-the-know out of towners and local urban prince and princesses. We booked into Rare, which as the name suggests features a menu of rare meats and prized game, and despite our best efforts to show some restraint ended up nearly bursting out of our frocks after sampling some of the finest steaks we'd ever had the pleasure to try. Although our room was within waddling distance we couldn't resist the warm ambiance and cool vibe of the terrace and ordered up some champagne and shisha at Red Bar. With the city glittering in the distance, the smell of fruity tobacco in the air, and the prospect of three more days at the Desert Palm ahead of us, we agreed that we were experiencing the dreamiest of Arabian adventures.
Star Style
Make a confident and stylish entrance to any hotel lobby with this gorgeous trolley case. Luxury Italian luggage label Brics have teamed up with Missoni to create this limited edition travel candy which will make you the envy of all other guests. Available from www.caseluggage.com
Go There
Emirates Tours www.emiratestours.co.uk offers a 3 night package to Desert Palm, Dubai www.desertpalm.com from £695 per person. Based on two people staying 3 nights in a Palm Deluxe Room with breakfast daily. It includes return Emirates Economy Class flights from London Gatwick and return private car transfers. Valid for travel from 1st July to 15th September 2012.


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MFA Alumni
Sara Ries
Class of 2009
Sara was born in Buffalo, New York, where her parents have owned a diner since she was two-years-old. She received the Best Thesis in Poetry Award from Chatham. Her first book, Come In, We're Open, won the Stevens Poetry Manuscript Competition and was published in June 2010 by the NFSPS Press. Her poems have appeared or are forthcoming in The Buffalo News, Blue Collar Review, and Earth's Daughters. Her poem, "Fish Fry Daughter," was selected by Ted Kooser for his American Life in Poetry column. She is an artist-in-residence at Women and Children's hospital, hosts the Poetry & Dinner Night Reading Series at the Woodlawn Diner, and is a part-time professor at Erie Community College.


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Conclude your quest for the perfect apartment with Essex Apartments in Los Angeles, CA. with strong emphasis on luxury and comfort in each of our apartments in Los Angeles for rent, we aim to echo all your lifestyle needs without compromising on quality and commitment in everything we do. Sprinkled in well-positioned neighborhoods across the city, we offer everything from downtown high-rises to quiet residential suburbs for your lifestyle needs. Delivering the most spectacular amenities to your doorstep, our studio, one and two bedroom apartments are sure to make you feel at home. Whether you're looking for particular features of plush open spaces, you'll find that our Los Angeles apartments for rent help you upgrade your quality of life.
Based in California's Los Angeles County, Los Angeles is the second biggest city in the United States and is a major commercial hub for all types of industries – from finance and retail to tourism and manufacturing. A bevy of private industries, businesses, manufacturing companies and tourism operators serve residents in this bustling cities – offering both consumerism and job opportunities to those living here. Built on a bedrock of diversity, Los Angeles has excellent year-round climate and boasts stunning beauty thanks to gorgeous beaches and lush greenery. Los Angeles is well known for its style, media, entertainment, sports facilities, eateries and much more, making it one of the most desirable cities in the world to call home. If you're thinking of moving to Los Angeles, then you should check out our Los Angeles apartments for rent if you're looking for a higher standard of living without paying a fortune. You'll love how our Los Angeles apartments meet your lifestyle needs immaculately.
Our apartments in Los Angeles for rent are carefully outfitted to bestow you with spectacular city views, plush spaces and world-class amenities. You'll benefit from features like landscaped gardens, swimming pools, private patios, public transport access, barbecue areas, fitness centers and more. Our Los Angeles apartment communities are pet friendly, giving you the chance to bring your furry friend with you.


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This piece, Water Lily Reflection, features a color palette inspired by our water garden.
Mirror is approximately 32x78" with a 5" frame around a 22x68" piece of glass. If you'd like a different size than shown please contact me and we can work together to make a piece perfect for your home!
Wood frame is made with a hand picked mix of repurposed, reclaimed, and new wood, then painted with wood paint that is partially transparent for a more weathered and rustic look and finished with a UV protective varnish to preserve the natural beauty of the wood. Frame is stained espresso. Piece is made to hang horizontally unless requested to hang vertically at checkout. It can also sit on the floor and lean against the wall.
Each piece has hooks on the back for hanging.
Piece is made to order so may look slightly different than pictured item.
Signed on the back with the date. Handmade by Jaclyn.
Shipping to Hawaii may cost an additional amount. Please contact me if you are interested in shipping outside the US and I will calculate the cost. International customers: This item will ship UPS or Fedex. Additional brokerage fees, taxes, and other international fees may apply once the item is in your country.
***Lead times change throughout the year. Please contact me prior to your purchase if you have a specific deadline, or check the homepage for my current lead time. I will contact you shortly after your purchase with an estimated shipping date.
If you like my wood art and furniture, please follow me on Facebook to see new projects and get secret coupons!
Check out my website, www.scrapwooddesigns.com, for more information.
Thanks for looking!
6-8 weeks
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. I'm not responsible for delays due to customs.
Just contact me within: 14 days of delivery
Ship items back to me within: 30 days of delivery
Request a cancellation within: 2 days of purchase
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
Buyers are responsible for return shipping costs. If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value.
Please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
We do custom orders! Just contact us and let us know what size, design, colors, etc. you're looking for and we will go from there!
Our standard lead time is about 6-8 weeks from the time we receive the order to the time the piece ships. This time changes throughout the year but accurate times should be posted on the individual items listings. Depending on your location, you should receive the piece between 1 and 10 days after it has shipped. If you are an international customer, there could be custom delays that we can't control. Let us know if you need the piece earlier than our standard lead time and we can see if our schedule will allow us to rush the piece for you.
We use a wide variety of woods in our pieces including new and reclaimed wood. The individual listings will have more detail on that specific piece, but in general we use reclaimed pallet, fence, siding, flooring, wall paneling, etc. and wood from other home renovation projects. Nail holes, weather damage, hammer marks, and other random beautiful defects are prevalent in the 100% reclaimed pieces.
No, all of our products are made to order unless stated in the listing that it's "Ready to ship". The photos in the listing are of previous pieces unless otherwise stated. However, we make our pieces to be as similar to the listing photos as possible. The wood selection for each piece is totally unique, so there will be differences in the wood itself from piece to piece (eg. some piece will have a lot of old nail holes, some will have more weathered wood, etc).
Yes! We ship worldwide. Please contact us with any questions about shipping to your country.


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Finally, former Red Sox manager Terry Francona is giving credit where credit is due. He said on ESPN last night that the Orioles are the reason he's now a baseball analyst instead of the current manager of the Boston Red Sox.
Gotta throw some credit to Baltimore Magazine's Evan Serpick for picking up on Francona's comment, which reportedly was during an on-air conversation in which Francona gave the Orioles props for playing hard under manager Buck Showalter.
When he was asked what proof he could provide to support his contention that the Orioles play hard every night, Francona didn't hesitate.
"The fact that I'm working for ESPN,'' he said.
Of course, there was a lot more than contributed to Francona's departure, including the fact that some Red Sox players were more interested in drinking beer and eating in the clubhouse than joining their teammates in the dugout during the great Sox collapse of 2011.
But his comment proves that the Orioles are making real progress. Normally, they just get their own manager fired every few years.


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Fusing Camp
Carol Doherty and Robyn Johnson
Wednesday, January 26, 2017
We are excited to offer open studio night for fusers! Are you brand new to fusing? Been fusing for years but need more space than you have at home? Or maybe it is just fun to be out with others who share your passion of making beautiful glass art. For a $30.00 fee we will provide you with access to the tools and space in the shop as well as one kiln firing of your piece, up to 1 sq. foot. Larger pieces and additional firings will be individually assessed. We will provide ideas and demo's each week and have hands on support with two instructors, Our glass molds will also be available for your projects at an additional fee. Beginner to expert, ages 13 and up.
No prior fusing experience required. No prior fusing experience required. If you have not cut glass before, and have a specific project in mind, come in so we can determine the best way to proceed with your project.
Please call to reserve your spot
Times: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Bring: Glass cutting tools, safety glasses
Cost: $30.00 per class
Limit: 14 students


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Starting when she was young, Barleaux found her lifelong passion while taking piano lessons. It was there where she started writing her own music and later developed the confidence to perform her songs.
Starting with her father as the accompanying guitarist at talent shows and open mic nights, she soon broke away and began to develop her own unique sound and style.
After graduating from Berklee with a degree in songwriting, she now lives in the middle of a deeply rooted music scene in Bushwick, and writes, records and performs her own music for a growing audience.
Fresh off releasing her self-titled debut album earlier this month, Barleaux met up with me at The Lunchbox on Norman Ave. in Greenpoint to discuss the new album, her road to Brooklyn and about her plans for the future.
What got you interested in writing and performing music?
I was a shy kid and I think songwriting was a way for me to feel comfortable in my own skin. I went to a private school and I felt really out of place and I remember coming home the first day of 8th grade and writing a song called, "There Are Days When" and I was really excited about it, and I think it was a way of making sense of my feelings.
All through high school, I went to an all-girls' school outside of Hartford called Farmington, and again I was an outcast so I would lock myself in the piano rooms and write songs. I had friends, but I think that was more of what I was into. I didn't really want to become the class president. It was a way for me to establish my identity because I didn't really know what I was into besides that.
Do you remember the first time you performed your own music?
Yeah, I think the first time I played something original was at an open mic in my hometown with my dad backing me up on guitar. I was like 13 and I remember loving it, and all these drunken old people were cheering me on. I used to write a lot and I actually played back some of these old tapes from when I was 15 that I found recently, and they're so funny. I had the same quirkiness on stage that I do now, that awkward banter.
How important is it for you to make that connection with your audience?
That relationship you have with your audience is something you have to build. You have to develop that sense of comfort on stage so you can reach out to them. I like connecting with my audience because it makes for a real experience. You can perform in your living room by yourself, and that's great, but does that mean you're going to be good on stage in terms of who is listening to you? Not necessarily.
That's why it's so interesting with this age of technology right now. Kids are just making beats in their bedrooms. I think establishing that relationship with my audience so young is why I kept with the whole singer-songwriter thing. I like the idea of writing a song and then going to see the reaction.
How do you write your songs?
It happens different ways every time, but mostly the best ones come out all at once, except for the lyrics. They'll be like gibberish mostly. I usually sit down at the piano, it's always different with piano and guitar, but it usually comes out in melody and chords. It's good to have a backbone with anything.
What did it take to record your first album?
I made a Kickstarter and I didn't think I was going to make any money, but I made like $3,500 and I had an idea where I wanted to record. There was this great studio like a block from my apartment in Allston, which is like the hipster part of Boston. I met this guy who worked at the studio through a friend, and he came up to me in a bar and I was totally freaked out. He was like, "I saw your Kickstarter, do you want to make a record?" I was like, "I don't know anything about you," but then I ended up coming around and it ended up turning into a record. I wasn't so set on recoding there, but it just fell into place. I had the funds, we found the studio and we recorded for about a year and a half.
Did you already have the songs written?
I had the songs written but I needed a first record because I didn't even have one. I had EPs before that, but I wanted something very dramatic and orchestral. I wanted real strings and real pianos. It was more like a showcase of everything I had written. It was the best 10 songs of everything I had written up until then.
There are things about this record that were really exciting, like getting the strings arranged. I had all the people come in from Berklee and I had those connections musician-wise. My friend Ben Talmi (from Art Decade) arranged the strings and brought in his string quartet.
I got the funds together, I got the people together, I wrote the songs; it was just all me and it was a showcase. There are songs in there that I wrote when I was 16.
Where you nervous about putting out a self-titled album?
I was, but I couldn't really call it anything else. I played with the title a lot and I was really thinking about it, but I just knew I had to make it self-titled. When you listen to it, there are the self-confessional crush songs of a 16-year-old that were rearranged to be more modern. There are those that are more mad and scream-y. It just showed this whole array. I think I had a lot of anxiety about releasing music because at Berklee I hadn't really done a lot. I was just so intimidated. I played shows in Boston and recorded demos with people, but in terms of really putting myself out there, I didn't have the confidence.
What is it that makes New York such a conducive place to play music?
I think it's the energy of the city that is really inspiring. When you get on the subway, you never know what you are going to see or hear. Sometimes it's discerning, sometimes it's beautiful. Since I've been growing up in or around New York all my life, I knew that I wanted to be here because of that energy. Everyone's in a small space and we have to feed off of each other. That was inspiring for a songwriter because you want to tell a story.
Check out Barleaux's self-titled album and visit her website at Hillarybarleaux.com. Her next show is at Spike Hill, 186 Bedford Ave., with Chamber Band on March 27.


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How to Work with Files and Folders in R
You know how to import your data into R and export your data from R. Now all you need is an idea of where the files are stored with R and how to manipulate those files. Every R session has a default location on your operating system's file structure called the working directory.
You need to keep track and deliberately set your working directory in each R session. If you read or write files to disk, this takes place in the working directory. If you don't set the working directory to your desired location, you could easily write files to an undesirable file location.
The getwd() function tells you what the current working directory is:
> getwd() [1] "F:/git"
To change the working directory, use the setwd() function. Be sure to enter the working directory as a character string (enclose it in quotes).
This example shows how to change your working directory to a folder called F:/git/roxygen2:
> setwd("F:/git/roxygen2") > getwd() [1] "F:/git/roxygen2"
Notice that the separator between folders is forward slash (/), as it is on Linux and Mac systems. If you use the Windows operating system, the forward slash will look odd, because you're familiar with the backslash () of Windows folders. When working in Windows, you need to either use the forward slash or escape your backslashes using a double backslash (\). Compare the following code:
> setwd("F:\git\stringr") > getwd() [1] "F:/git/stringr"
R will always print the results using /, but you're free to use either / or \ as you please.
To avoid having to deal with escaping backslashes in file paths, you can use the file.path() function to construct file paths that are correct, independent of the operating system you work on. This function is a little bit similar to paste in the sense that it will append character strings, except that the separator is always correct, regardless of the settings in your operating system:
> file.path("f:", "git", "surveyor") [1] "f:/git/surveyor"
It's often convenient to use file.path() in setting the working directory. This allows you specify a cascade of drive letters and folder names, and file.path() then assembles these into a proper file path, with the correct separator character:
> setwd(file.path("F:", "git", "roxygen2")) > getwd() [1] "F:/git/roxygen2"
You also can use file.path() to specify file paths that include the filename at the end. Simply add the filename to the path argument. For example, here's the file path to the README.md file in the roxygen2 package installed in a local folder:
> file.path("F:", "git", "roxygen2", "roxygen2", "README.md" ) [1] "F:/git/roxygen2/roxygen2/README.md"


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Every year, they hold the Grammy Awards, and every year, the night ends with one artist holding a jillion little Grammy trophies in their arms and smiling at the cameras, stunned and delighted by their newfound largesse. And this year's Grammys were no different, featuring Beyonce winning a record SIX Grammys, including Song of the Year. Also taking home a Santa's sack of goodies was Taylor Swift, who won four Grammys of her own.
What was seemingly different about this year's Grammys is that no old fogy artist won in ANY of the big time categories (Song, Record, Album, etc). Even the big upset winners were young bucks like Kings of Leon, who won Record of the Year for "Use Somebody." Usually, these awards are dominated by the likes of older artists like Santana, Herbie Hancock, and Robert Plant and Allison Krauss. And, when the old fogies don't win, the trophies are usually reserved for young people who write music that is old at heart (Norah Jones).
This year was different. Not only is Swift a young artist, but she writes music that almost strictly designed to appeal to her age group. The fact that she took home so many trophies in spite of that (and despite offering an extremely lackluster duet with Stevie Nicks for the show) is quite a change of pace. I'm amazed they didn't find a way to make Herb Alpert be nominated in every category and win everything, because that's the usual Grammy move.
In fact, the entire night played more like an auto show than an awards ceremony! LOOK AT OUR COOL, FUTURISTIC NEW MODELS! YOU CAN INVEST IN THE GRAMMYS AGAIN! From Lady Gaga upstaging Elton John to the point where you didn't really know why Elton needed to be there, to Pink singing while performing a Cirque de Soleil routine, to Michael Jackson's children taking the stage and making you feel bad one more time for making fun of their daddy when he was alive, this Grammy night was among the more lively and youthful in quite some time. One can only hope it stays that way.


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Jared Polis really doesn't care what anyone else thinks. If you saw the Colorado congressman speaking on the House floor last month wearing a clip-on bowtie with a polo shirt under his blazer, you know what I'm talking about. He's been this way since he first emerged on the scene.
About 10 years ago, when he was just 28, Polis was one of four wealthy Colorado Democrats who pooled their considerable personal resources to create a state-of-the-art political machine that was ruthlessly effective in turning this once-red heartland state a stunning shade of blue.
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But Polis wouldn't run with that pack for very long.
In 2008, just a few months before Barack Obama accepted the Democratic Party's presidential nomination in Denver, Polis stood in a hotel ballroom near his hometown of Boulder and basked in the glow of his own victory: a difficult primary win over a long-time state lawmaker favored by his former cohorts and the Democratic establishment. It was a win that cost the self-made millionaire some $5 million and all but assured him a safe seat in Congress.
Openly gay and outspoken, Polis came to Congress having made his fortune turning his parents' greeting card company into a couple of e-card websites and an online florist company. He's stood out in Washington from day one, painting his office walls neon yellow and snaring more than the usual share of headlines with his deft use of social media and unexpected policy positions: embracing marijuana legalization, pushing the government to stop minting dollar bills and, just last December, breaking House rules during a floor speech to recognize undocumented immigrants in the gallery above and shouting over the gaveling that Congress was "tearing their families apart."
But none of that's as ballsy—or as consequential—as what he's doing now: Polis is quietly financing a series of statewide ballot measures to allow Colorado cities and counties to regulate, zone and even ban fracking, the commonly used process in which a pressurized mix of water, sand and chemicals are pumped deep below the surface of the earth to loosen natural gas deposits for extraction. As a drilling boom has pushed many wells closer to houses and schools, concerns about possible long- and short-term health effects of air and water contamination and radiation exposure have prompted five Colorado cities to approve municipal bans. But it remains unclear whether the authority to limit oil and gas development resides with the state or with local governments. Polis is pushing to settle that matter once and for all.
His move isn't just an existential threat to what's now a $29 billion annual industry in the state. It's a brazen political power play that's likely to release a torrent of outside spending in swing-state Colorado, jeopardizing the reelection of two fellow Democrats whose names will appear above his own on the November ballot: Gov. John Hickenlooper, an oft-mentioned presidential contender, and Mark Udall, whose reelection bid could determine control of the U.S. Senate.
Ted Trimpa, a Denver power lawyer and strategist once dubbed "the Democrats' Karl Rove," was instrumental in helping Polis and the three other millionaires build Colorado's progressive infrastructure and consolidate power over the last decade. Now he finds himself trying to hold it all together.
He worries that the ballot initiative would splinter a progressive coalition in Colorado that's been so successful that it's now seen as a blueprint for Democrats and Republicans in other states—its many successes attributable to an unusual and lasting harmony, an ability to avoid sticky policy fights that distract from the shared goal: winning.
Resolving Colorado's fracking fight quickly may yet provide other states with a blueprint of how to deal with local control issues around oil and gas, a national example of how compromise and consensus can be achieved even in our polarized times. But if Polis's measures move toward the November ballot, the country may find out that Colorado isn't such a model after all, that coalition politics aren't as easy as this state has made them seem.
"We're a state known for the two sides working together," Trimpa tells me, "but if this initiative makes the ballot, the age of that will be gone for a very long time."
Hickenlooper is Polis's opposite in one important way: He cares what everyone thinks.
I've covered him since he was first elected Denver mayor in 2003 after having worked as a geologist in the oil and gas industry before opening a chain of brewpubs—and I can't count how many times I've heard him frame his political M.O. around his time in the restaurant industry: "There's no margin in making people unhappy," he's fond of saying.
Hickenlooper has made a career of endearing himself to the public by pursuing consensus, imbuing policy positions with a salesman's innate optimism and embracing his personal quirks and natural, affable awkwardness. In a press conference, he once accidentally referred to his lieutenant governor as a "rising sex star." His staffers often hold their breath when the governor's at the mic: "It's like watching a baby cross a highway," one told me once—even though the politically charmed Hickenlooper always manages to get through it unscathed.
He jumped out of an airplane in support of a 2006 ballot measure; running for governor four years later, he disavowed negative ads by taking a shower in an ad of his own to illustrate how dirty he feels after watching them. In 2011, he raised eyebrows when he told Congress that he once drank a glass of Halliburton's finest fracking fluid, trying to underscore how advances in technology have made drilling safer.
That one didn't go over so well.


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Australians are supposed to be the world's burnout masters. Even the best make mistakes, like this aspiring hoon spinning his Holden Ute off the road and into a ditch.
This video, uploaded last week, is just one more reminder that burnouts are harder than they look.
(Hat tip to Brett!)


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Microsoft Unveils Windows 7 Packaging
Microsoft on Wednesday released details about the packaging for its upcoming Windows 7 operating system.
Windows 7 Home Premium will come in a green package, Windows 7 Professional will have blue packaging, and Windows 7 Ultimate will be in black.
"Customers told us they liked the big bold Windows logo and how it clearly communicates that it's Windows 7," Microsoft spokesman Brandon LeBlanc wrote in a blog post. "They like larger typefaces to make it easy to read. They also like the background colors for each edition that make it easier to differentiate between Windows 7 Home Premium all the way to Windows 7 Ultimate. In their own words, the "clean" design gives off a 'fresh' feel."
Microsoft also said that packaging will make it easier to open.
"We've reduced the number of elements in the package down to three: the plastic case, the paper sleeve, and a simple Getting Started Guide," LeBlanc wrote. "The plastic case opens easily like a standard DVD case and it will have a single easy-to-remove seal at the top - and that's it."
The packaging is 37 percent lighter and reduces waste by 50 percent, Microsoft said.
Windows 7 is expected to hit store shelves by Oct. 22.


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FIVB development programmes help grow volleyball in Australia
Earlier this month, the Gosford City Council passed a motion to support the program and the development of volleyball in their regional city.
"Given the growing popularity of volleyball at an international, national and state level, council has resolved to support the development of this sport across the local community," according to the City Council.
"In doing so, council will make the Niagara Park Stadium available for primary and high schools activities including: introductory skills sessions, an Expo event and a base for the future Gosford Volleyball Academy.
"The Council will also assist in locating potential grants to support the further development of this sport at a local level."
The city also recently completed a 24 Hour Volleyball Marathon, to raise much needed funds for the children at the local hospital.
The FIVB's "Cool Volley" campaign aims to attract young people to participate in volleyball and beach volleyball. It promotes volleyball as an easy, fun and competitive way of playing.
Read more about the motion here.


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Tag: system kernel
Re-read The Partition Table Without Rebooting Linux Systemlast updated in Categories File system, Linux, RedHat/Fedora Linux, Sys admin, Tips, Troubleshooting, Ubuntu Linux
If you are using hot swappable hard disk and created new partition using fdisk then you need to reboot Linux based system to get partition recognized. Without reboot you will NOT able to create filesystem on your newly created or modified partitions with the mke2fs command.
However with partprobe command you should able to create a new file system without rebooting the box. It is a program that informs the operating system kernel of partition table changes, by requesting that the operating system re-read the partition table.


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Kids can knit too in this after school class! Any young knitters (7 and up) of all experience levels are welcome to join in and make new friends.
Cost: $25/class - to be paid month-to-month. These classes are not intended as drop-in or one-shot classes. Most of our kids continue the classes through the school year.


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Variety Pack
CoD4 PS3 promo week begins tomorrow, says Infinity Ward
Infinity Ward's announced a week of promotions for the PS3 version of Call of Duty 4, running from tomorrow, September 18, to September 25. This weekend will yield double XP for all online PS3 CoD4 players, and the Variety Map Pack will drop to $5 for the entire week. Have a look at Rob Bowling's […]
Variety Pack headlines
CoD4 gets double XP this weekend, Variety maps halved in price
Infinity Ward's Rob Bowling has confirmed that this weekend – September 13 and 14 – will grant Call of Duty 4 players double XP. In addition, those of you that still haven't bought the Variety Map Pack will be able to do so for half price, or 400 MS Points, over the same period. A […]
PS3 CoD4 Variety Pack is region-locked
From FourZeroTwo: Heads up for international users purchasing the Variety Map Pack for the PS3. The Variety Map Pack is Region Locked, which means that you MUST purchase the version of the map pack which is compatible with the version of the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare game disc that you have. For example: […]
CoD4 PS3 DLC brought forward for Europe
Infinity Ward's Rob Bowling just announced that the PS3 version of Call of Duty 4's Variety Pack will now release on April 24 in Europe as well as the US, not on May 1 as previously announced. From Rob's blog: Last week I let you guys know that the Variety Map Pack would be hitting […]
CoD4 Variety Pack sets new Live download record
Activision's announced that the Call of Duty 4 Variety Map Pack has been downloaded from Live more than 1 million times since it launched nine days ago, a new record. In the same period, Xbox Live members played more than 30 million COD4 sessions and shot though more than 32 million hours of gameplay. "Call […]
CoD4 PS3 Variety Pack dated for US and Europe
According to Infinity Ward's Rob Bowling, the PS3 version of the Call of Duty 4 Variety Map Pack has now passed Sony certification and has a solid release date for both the US and Europe. "I have some great PS3 news for everyone! We have hammered out the details for the upcoming DLC and will […]
CoD4 PC Variety Pack news in "coming week or so"
Infinity Ward director of communications Rob Bowling has confirmed that there's going to be an update on the "potential" release of the Call of Duty 4 Variety Map pack for PC in the near future. "We're getting ready to announce official submission guidelines / location for the Community Map Contest. In the coming week or […]
Slight delay on CoD4 PS3 Variety Pack
According to Infinity Ward, the PS3 version of the Call of Duty 4 Variety Map Pack is taking slightly longer than expected to move through Sony certification but is well on the way and will be available soon. "I was originally hoping we'd have all the details finalized for the upcoming launch of the Variety […]
CoD4 Variety Pack in certification for PS3
The PS3 version of the now-released Variety map pack for Call of Duty 4 has now been sent to Sony for approval, Infinity Ward has confirmed. "The Variety Map Pack DLC and patch required to add the maps to the game have went to certification at Sony last night," said Robert Bowling. "We're shooting for […]
CoD4 Variety Pack goes live at 2.30pm BST
If you're as bored as we are, you'll probably be thankful of the fact that Call of Duty 4's Variety Map Pack will appear on Live at 2.30pm. The DLC adds the Chinatown, Creek, Killhouse and Broadcast that have been shown off amply in recent weeks. Have fun.
CoD4 pack not delayed after all
The Call of Duty 4 Variety Map Pack hasn't been delayed at all, Infinity Ward's confirmed, and should be available for download either today or tomrrow. There's a new movie after the link, showing, you know, shooting. When post confirmation when the update's released.
CoD4 map pack delayed until April 10
According to this, the 360 version of the Variety Map Pack for Call of Duty 4 has now been delayed until April 10. It was supposed to release this week. No reason has been given for the slip, but Infinity Ward said last week that the content had been sent to Microsoft for submission, so […]
New CoD4 multiplayer map action vid
A new video has been released showing one of the upcoming Call of Duty 4 Variety Pack multiplayer maps. Infinity Wards' Rob Bowling said the DLC had been sent to MS for approval last week, meaning we're looking at a potential release of April 3 or 4. A PS3 version announce is forthcoming. Watch the […]
CoD4 Variety Pack DLC goes into certification
According to Infinity Ward's Rob Bowling, "The new Variety Map Pack for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, which is scheduled to be released on Xbox Live in the first week of April (3rd or 4th), was sent off to certification at Microsoft today." The PS3 version of the content will appear roughly three weeks […]
CoD4 to get GotY re-release
According to this, Activision is going to re-release Call of Duty 4 as a Game of the Year edition on 360 next month. It'll be sold in a new box and include the upcoming Variety Pack DLC. No word on price yet, and almost certainly not worth it if you already own the game.
Variety Pack latest
CoD4 gets double XP this weekend, Variety maps halved in price