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One of my blog readers told me that I have been of a serious bent of mind lately. I took that as a gentle request to lighten it up. Others have asked after learning that I have been reading books like Irenaeus' Against Heresies or John of Damascus' Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, if I ever read lighter fare. When I answered, "Yes, I enjoyed Hugo's Hunchback of Notre Dame very much," they rolled their eyes in disbelief. It seems they, too, in their non-confronting manner were encouraging me to get a life. Deep theology, philosophy, and science make for a dull boy, not to mention exhausted readers.
Okay, this week we all get a break. I'm going to relate a short and hopefully humorous story that I was reminded of recently when I had the chance to visit one of my old friends during my daughter's wedding.
I worked in a camp in the mountains of Colorado during the first two summers of my college career. I would have worked a third summer except my father wasn't a happy camper with me earning only twenty-five dollars a month—chump pay even in the seventies. Somehow my father had seen how the summer camp experience suited me, so he forgave my not securing a real job—like I said, for two summers, anyway.
Summer camp was where I first met my aforementioned friend whose name is Brad. We became fast friends, and before long were known far and wide as the BB brothers. We were also counseling partners.
The camp where we worked was divided in a girls' side and a boys' side. This meant that during joint-activity times, the boy counselors could meet with the girl counselors and kindle all those romances summer camps are famous for. I digress. Each side was comprised of five or six cabins with two counselors assigned to each cabin. The BB brothers had the Arapaho cabin. Our friend Bill and his partner had the Apache cabin next to us.
Every morning we would have to wake the kiddies, make sure they dressed and ordered their areas, and herd them off down the hill to the lodge for breakfast. The counselors had to stay behind and feel inside all the sleeping bags to see if there were any bed-wetters. Brad always stuck me with that job (see, Dad, I earned my lousy twenty-five a month). I don't remember what Brad did during those daily inspections—probably groomed himself for Betty-Lou, who was from the Chippewa cabin; Brad and Betty-Lou had the first of the great summer romances that year.
On one of those typical mornings we noticed the Apache mob heading down the hill without Bill (he never stayed behind for any reason), so Brad and I went next door to find out why. Bill had decided to sleep in, and was still lying on his bunk when we arrived. On the nightstand by his bed was a brand new bar of Irish Spring deodorant soap.
Brad said, "Look, Bruce, Irish Spring!"
"Yes," I replied, "guaranteed to leave you clean and fresh like the green of Ireland."
Brad removed his jack-knife from his pocket, and opened the blade. Grabbing the bar of soap, he said in his best Irish brogue, "Notice the green and white stripes!"
Bill quickly intervened, "You cut into that and I'll kill you."
Non plus, Brad replied, "Manly yes, but Bill uses it too."
That's it--no morals, philosophical implications, or theological metaphors, just life in the raw from my rapidly receding past. See you next week.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
A Little Light Reading
One of my blog readers told me that I have been of a serious bent of mind lately. I took that as a gentle request to lighten it up. Others have asked after learning that I have been reading books like Irenaeus' Against Heresies or John of Damascus' Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, if I ever read lighter fare. When I answered, "Yes, I enjoyed Hugo's Hunchback of Notre Dame very much," they rolled their eyes in disbelief. It seems they, too, in their non-confronting manner were encouraging me to get a life. Deep theology, philosophy, and science make for a dull boy, not to mention exhausted readers.
Posted by Bruce Kokko at 2:56 PM 2 comments
Monday, October 24, 2011
Mayella's Dilemma is Everybody's Dilemma
My daughter has to read To Kill a Mockingbird for English. Apparently, everyone has had to read that novel for English. I never did. We had to read The Godfather and other intellectually stimulating books of that kind when I was in High school. I may have seen the movie with Greg Peck, but I don't remember the story; so I decided to read the book.
I can see why TKMB won the Pulitzer Prize; it is a beautiful piece of writing—penetrating in its understanding of the human condition, and tragic in its exposé of racism in 1930's America. Yet even in that, TKMB is not heavy-handed, but attempts to gently guide both the interested characters and readers out of the darkness of prejudice; TKMB makes its case from a Christian worldview. The protagonist father and lawyer, Atticus Finch, is perhaps the best definition I've come across of what Jesus meant when He said, "Blessed are the meek."
It would be only a few years after TKMB hit the bookstores that the Civil Rights Movement ushered in a new America. Interestingly, TKMB wasn't cynical of such a future event, but presented itself with an undercurrent of optimism for love triumphing over hate. It perhaps could have been no other way because the story was told from a child's perspective. It seems TKMB saw something good in people, and accurately foretold a new era of openness and equality in our great country. I worry, though, that the specter of racism still lurks just beneath the surface of American society. I hope I'm wrong.
But as important as it is to stamp out racism, that is not the topic of this posting. Nor do I believe TKMB was written solely as a polemic against racism; it is far too good a work to be that mono-dimensional. A recurring theme in TKMB, and one we should all take heed, is trying to walk in the shoes of another person before we jump to hasty conclusions and judgments of him/her. Another way to state this is we need to try to see everyone as God sees them. And this I intend to do with the character Mayella Ewell.
In case you are like I was up until a few days ago and have never read TKMB or it's been too long, I will reprise the situation with Mayella for you. She was a poor illiterate white nineteen year old who was forced by her equally white and illiterate father to trump up rape charges against a poor but gentle African-American man named Tom Robinson. What really happened was Mayella, in the manner of the Pharaoh's wife with Joseph, hungry for love and attention, made advances at Tom. Her father witnessed this, and in the confusion Tom ran away; Mayella's father beat her, and then fabricated the rape to save face.
Tom ends up in court looking at an electric-chair with his name on it, defended by Atticus Finch. Mayella is on the witness stand, and Atticus is questioning her.
Here is a brief snippet of what transpires:
After the prosecuting attorney referred to Atticus as "big bad Mr. Finch," Atticus opens his questioning.
"Miss Mayella," he said, smiling, "I won't try to scare you for awhile, not yet. Let's just get acquainted. How old are you?"
"Said I was nineteen, said it to the judge yonder." Mayella jerked her head resentfully at the bench.
"So you did, so you did, ma'am. You'll have to bear with me, Miss Mayella. I'm getting along and can't remember as well as I used to. I might ask you things you've already said before, but you'll give an answer, won't you? Good."
"Won't answer a word you say long as you keep on mockin' me," she said.
"Ma'am?" asked Atticus, startled.
"Long's you keep on makin' fun of me."
Judge Taylor said, "Mr. Finch is not making fun of you. What's the matter with you?"
Mayella looked from under lowered eyelids at Atticus, but said to the judge: "Long's he keeps on callin' me ma'am and saying Miss Mayella. I don't hafta take his sass. I ain't called upon to take it."
Isn't Harper Lee a brilliant writer; you get sucked in with even that little piece of her novel.
What we must see is that Atticus was not patronizing Mayella. He was doing his job, but his treatment of Mayella was genuine; Atticus treated everyone with respect and decency, in and out of the courtroom. Mayella knew his reputation, so she knew in her heart that he wasn't stroking her. So why did she react the way she did? That's the question I want to answer because it says something about all of us.
Mayella was a squashed person. Any self-respect or self-worth she may have had had long been beaten out of her by a vile, angry, ignorant, cruel man called her father. All she wanted was to be loved and desired and respected. Of course she did; we all want that because God created us to walk in love and holiness. For this reason she threw herself at poor Tom. Now Atticus was offering her genuine respect and worth, and she pushed it away; she never confesses the truth of what happened that hateful afternoon. If she had, she would have opened up for herself the love and respect she sought. People would have forgiven her, even Tom, I have no doubt. Her father would have probably come down hard on her, but I suspect the town folk would have rallied around her—certainly Atticus would have; she'd have been safe, and young enough to make something of herself. Yet despite all that promise calling out to her, Mayella didn't confess; she didn't because she was afraid.
Here's my point (long in coming, I know). Mayella feared a beating, but she feared being wrong even more. To admit she was wrong meant giving up her last vestige of control; she must be seen as right, or lose her precious self-sufficiency. Her dilemma was either to take hold of the hand of love extended to her and start down the road to being an authentic human being, or forfeit it all for her pride--to find the love she desperately wanted and needed by loving Tom, or turn it inward to harden into hate.
Mayella faced the same dilemma we all face. God extends His hand to each of us in love for us to become the authentic humans He created us to be forever with Him in love and holiness; all we need do is admit we have been wrong in our selfish-ambition and turn back to Him and love Him by obeying Him.
Will we turn back to a faithful and loving God and truly live, or will we cast our lot with Mayella and die with our alleged self-sufficiency?
Listen to what the Scriptures tell us:
Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,
"Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks! "Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness. "There your fathers tested me and tried me, and they saw my works for forty years. "Therefore, I became provoked at that generation and said, 'Their hearts are always wandering and they have not known my ways.' "As I swore in my anger, 'They will never enter my rest!'" Hebrews 3:7-11 (NET)
Posted by Bruce Kokko at 7:31 PM 0 comments
Sunday, October 16, 2011
God's Vision is the Real Deal
Vision provides the impetus for progress. As humans we revere our visionaries. Only recently one of the greatest visionaries in human history passed away. Many have mourned his passing, some even venerate him. We love visionaries. They see what we wish we could see, dream the impossible, and then somehow make it happen. And we reap the benefits.
I've been a great dreamer. As far back as I can remember I have set before myself visions to aspire to. When I took up the violin, I dreamed of becoming a great violinist. I polished my violin, admired it in its case, learned all I could about music, composers, and violin music. Today, I can hardly speak of being a violinist without couching it with a thousand caveats and apologies. Why didn't I achieve my vision? I never wrote it down, but I easily could have in precise terms; so what went wrong? Simple, I didn't practice enough. And what practice I did, I did wrong. Someone once said practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect. They were right.
Juxtaposed to this glorious musical vision of mine has been an even grander vision to be a great scientist. I remember when I was in Junior high my next-door neighbor, who worked for the atomic energy commission, handed me a radioactive piece of uranium about the size of a large walnut (yes, you heard me; this was back in the days when one could build a nuclear reactor in his garage, and nobody cared). He then admonished me: "You know, Bruce, you play at being a scientist; you're never going to amount to anything unless you work at it."
A year passed by, and after not submitting a project to the local science fair, my teacher scolded me in front of the entire ninth grade science class: "Bruce, you're nothing but a tape-recorder. You know a lot of facts, but you don't know what to do with any of them!" Certainly he had no tact, and my already miserable life in Junior high became more unbearable after that.
But he was right, and so was my neighbor. I've maintained many grandiose visions in my lifetime, but failed to work hard enough to achieve any of them. That is why after fifty-five years I remain more of a consumer than a producer—a state I loathe. Sure I am trying to catch-up, but the nerves aren't as good as they used to be, and it seems the old brain is running out of room; everything has been so hardwired over the years I have to work twice as hard as I would have had to in my youth just to reach the starting box. One cannot go home again.
Companies teach the importance of a vision. No doubt some of them actually believe this. My experience has been that visions are something the employees spend hours of company time drafting, and post around the facility to admire and inspire. But the executives pay little heed to these vision statements, despite the lengths they go to endorse them. The reason is the real short-term vision is always to make as much money as possible with the least cost; and the long-term vision is to continue making increasingly more money each year without incurring increasing costs. There is nothing wrong with these visions; they drive the economy, after all. It would be better if they were upfront about it so everybody could do their jobs with minimal rancor, frustration, and disillusionment.
We see then that there is vision few have the resources, talent, luck, and power to realize; it is a genuine vision that when executed is truly a wonder to behold. There is another kind of vision that is little more than day-dreaming; and there is third type of vision fabricated by the powerful to placate the masses.
Don't misunderstand me, having a vision is essential if we are ever to progress; vision is a good thing. The trouble is within the framework of human society, visions can more often than not be elusive, corruptible, and devastating; how many people have died without realizing truly great visions because they had been cheated, or were unable to find that right place at the right time, or were too lazy? I grieve for them all because in every case failure arose out of weakness in humankind.
However, there is another vision, one that we can count on despite our corruption, one which is not duplicitous, nor unattainable, nor subject to chance. In fact, this vision was conceived in eternity before the creation of time and space. It is a vision wrought by love and guaranteed to happen because it is God's vision.
As I have pondered my last several blogs I worried my readers might see me as insensitive somehow; no one has attained to the lofty goals I have enthusiastically espoused. I'm afraid my readers will walk away one by one, disgruntled by my idealism. I do understand.
But it hasn't been idealism; I haven't been trying to sell you a bill of goods; I have been trying to give you a vision, not one of my own making but God's vision—at least as best we can understand it from what He has revealed to us. And this vision is not idealistic, because it is doable. We think it is only a fantasy because so few have even come close to embracing God's vision for His creation. This is so not because the vision is untrustworthy, but because we have forgotten the vision and supplanted it with a series of our own visions, and in the process lost trust in God.
I haven't harangued on being authentic human beings, the kingdom of heaven, true freedom and on and on because I want us to feel guilty, or miserable, or hopeless; quite the contrary, I want us to rediscover the true vision and hope we have in Christ so we can effectively walk in Christ today so both ourselves and those who witness our walk and like what they see can be a part of God's glory, for His glory, forever. Without knowing God's true vision in creating us and the cosmos, it becomes too easy for us to lapse back into selfish-ambition, which if not repented of is fatal.
God's vision is certain to happen; God has proven Himself faithful because Christ is alive. Let's embrace that vision, "working out our salvation with fear and trembling," as Saint Paul taught us. And we know we will succeed because of what Paul said immediately after this, "for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort – for the sake of his good pleasure – is God."
God's vision is not an ideal but a reality for all those who love Him by doing what He says. God will have His vision. And He has made it possible through the faithfulness of His son, Jesus the Christ, to be a part of that most certain vision. It behooves us, then, to let go of all the distractions and sin that blind us, and by the power of Christ remain fixed on the vision of God's glory for His glory; for God's vision for us is His glory and He is glorified through it. God's vision is the real deal.
Posted by Bruce Kokko at 9:05 PM 0 comments
Monday, October 10, 2011
Faith, it ain't easy
The apostle, Thomas, has often been called doubting Thomas because he was the last of the eleven apostles to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. When Jesus confronted him, and Thomas felt the nail holes in Jesus' hands and placed his finger on the wound in Jesus' side, Thomas finally believed.
What Jesus then said, as with all things Jesus taught, was true: "Thomas, you believe because you see me; blessed are those who don't see me yet still believe."
Faith is a difficult proposition for us humans because we are sentient creatures. When Moses left the Israelites to go up the mountain and receive the Law from God, he was gone a long time. As the time passed and still no Moses, the people became impatient and agitated. We can only wonder if they weren't pacing back and forth in the desert thinking about the certainty of home and hearth back in Egypt on the one hand, and an unfulfilled promise of a paradise flowing with milk and honey on the other.
Finally, with no sign of Moses, the people caved in and cast an idol for themselves. The golden calf they constructed gave them something to see and touch, and, perhaps more importantly, a measure of control.
The Israelites were quite wrong in what they did. Every time I read that account I shake my head in disgust. God had proved Himself faithful time and time again in objective and observable ways. He had protected Israel through all the plagues, liberated them from their oppressors in Egypt, parted the Red Sea for them, routing the pursuing Egyptians in the process, and went before them day and night as a visible pillar of fire. God miraculously fed and watered them. Yet, with the first sign that their leader, Moses, wasn't coming back, the people panicked, and, forgetting everything they had witnessed, took matters into their own hands.
I mean, how stupid and fickle could they be? If I was given a tenth of what God had given them in terms of validating whom He is, I would never worry about another thing again.
How stupid and insensitive can I be? I'm a Christian. By that I'm supposed to mean my leader, Jesus the Christ, has temporarily disappeared to the mountain, where He is writing His laws on my heart, so that when He returns we can be one together in the eternal paradise flowing with milk and honey--the kingdom of heaven. And He has given me the Holy Spirit to teach me, strengthen me, and light my way during the long slog through the dark and treacherous desert. God has given me all He had given Israel and more; yet, at the first sign of trouble in my life, I panic, and more often than I care to admit, take matters in my own hands.
Faith is tough. It's hard to keep our eyes focused on God whom we cannot see, and hope in a promise so long in coming.
Dense stands of trees of doubt tower all around us, cutting off much of the light. Many of these have grown from saplings we planted, ourselves. For example, debt overwhelms us in our pursuit of the American dream to the point that we start to doubt God's faithfulness. Of course, everyone else has planted their trees, including those spiritual forces opposing the kingdom of heaven. Regardless, selfish-ambition provides the seeds, and conceit cultivates and nurtures the forest.
There is no paucity of persons urging us to turn back, claiming that nothing lies beyond the trees except more trees. And in the midst of a burgeoning darkness, we wonder if they might be right.
None of this should surprise us. Jesus taught us that the gate leading to Life is narrow, and few would go there. He also said the times will become so dire that even those who truly love Him will begin to doubt.
His words should bolster our resolve to remain patiently fixed on Him, clinging, despite the doubt screaming in our ears, to the certain hope we have in Him; we need His strength because His words also tell us that faith ain't easy.
Posted by Bruce Kokko at 3:29 PM 1 comments
Monday, October 3, 2011
"Be Still..."
Back in the day (you know you're getting old when you can refer to your college years as back in the day), my then agnostic brother and I had one of our frequent debates. He asked me that infamous question designed to silence the theist: "Can God build a rock so big that he cannot lift it?"
The answer is God can do anything that isn't impossible. Some will balk at this claiming that I have limited God. This is, of course, the objective of the above query; the agnostic wants to force the hapless theist into admitting that God has limitations, and therefore show there is no God.
But only God knows what is truly impossible because He created all things, including knowledge. From what He has revealed about Himself to us, one impossibility is God ever ceasing to be Himself; God will never contradict His own nature because God cannot not be God. We cannot add anything to this because who and what the boundless, incomprehensible God is forever remains beyond us; it is impossible for us to ascertain what an action might be that would constitute God contradicting Himself, except what He has told us: "God is neither tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone with evil."
Instead of despairing on account of the inscrutability of God, we should rejoice and heave a deep sigh of relief. Our biggest encumbrance as Western people is our need to explain everything. But God is infinitely greater than our intellect because He is truly God. We can be glad in this because we know the God we are confronting is really God and not some invention to placate our particular whims. The fact that God is unchangeable should comfort us because it means we can totally trust Him.
In order to put feet on the last point, I must remind us of a historical event critical to the restoration of Mankind and, ultimately, the cosmos. God freeing the Israelites from their captivity in Egypt was a pivotal moment in history because it, in objective terms, illustrated for us all 1) Mankind's plight that is its captivity in death, 2) that only God can save us from our plight, 3) that the means of liberating us would come through the nation of Israel, culminating in the crowning moment of history, the incarnation of God, Jesus the Christ, and 4) God's faithfulness to His promises. It requires the whole Bible to prove these points. I want us to see from them that we can trust God.
God chose Moses to be His instrument for leading Israel out of captivity. During the course of those events, Moses twice asked God for God's name. The first time, God answered simply, "I AM." This speaks to God's infinite, unchangeable, and inscrutable being that transcends existence. On the second occasion, God's answer regarded His character: "I will show mercy on whom I will show mercy, and compassion on whom I will show compassion."
The Hebrew word translated mercy is khanan. God will be gracious, particularly in forgiving sins. The Hebrew word rakham, translated compassion (above), means a deep, abiding love. The word's noun root means womb. God will cradle us like a baby in its mother's womb.
Therefore, don't wait to approach God until you have Him all figured out because that day will never arrive. Instead, simply admit you are lost because you have forsaken Him, and turn back to Him, confessing Jesus as King, and trust Him by doing what He says. And even though you cannot know all the whys, you can be confident that God will provide the grace to succeed and for the pardoning of your mistakes, and you will be forever safe--even should there be great affliction for a time.
Cherish in your heart these words from our God: "Be still and know that I am God."
Posted by Bruce Kokko at 4:58 PM 0 comments


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CSU East Bay landmark building ready to implode
CSU East Bay's landmark Warren Hall is about to be toppled
A landmark steel and concrete building, towering high in the East Bay hills and condemned as an earthquake hazard, will fall in a powerful series of timed high-explosive blasts Saturday.
On Wednesday, a team of experts known as "blasters" began placing dynamite and a powerful explosive called RDX to bring down Warren Hall, where generations of students and administrators at the California State University East Bay campus in Hayward had studied and toiled since 1971.
Imploding the 13-story building is in the hands of Controlled Demolition Inc., a Maryland firm known for destroying skyscrapers, bridges, towers and chimneys around the world for more than 65 years.
On Wednesday, Warren Hall was tightly controlled, an empty shell surrounded by chain-link fencing and patrolled by campus police and sheriff's deputies.
J. Mark Loizeaux, president of the demolition company, assured a visitor that the scheduled "implosion," set for about 9 a.m. Saturday, will pose no hazard to nearby buildings or people, or to homes and offices anywhere in Hayward or beyond.
"It will have no impact on anything on or near the campus," said Loizeaux, whose father, a professional forester, founded the company in 1947. "What we do is very predictable and very safe. We will be monitoring the ground motion from the explosion, although any vibrations will be extremely faint."
Close to a fault
Warren Hall has been empty since January 2011, after the structure was deemed the worst seismic hazard in the California State University system. It stands only 2,000 feet from the Hayward Fault, which scientists have long warned is the most likely among all the faults in the San Andreas system to next rupture into a large earthquake.
"We call bringing down Warren Hall an implosion," Loizeaux said, "We're often called on to control blasts so tightly when a building is extremely close to other structures, and the entire building must fall in on itself entirely within its foundation perimeter.
"But Warren Hall stands next to an empty hillside, and weighs some 12,500 tons, so I'd call this more of a toppling - although I'd be very surprised if any of it falls more than 35 feet away from its foundation."
The demolition will require 750 sticks of dynamite to destroy the reinforced concrete walls of the understories, and 320 shaped charges of RDX for the steel girders, Loizeaux said. It will take 13 to 14 seconds for the entire building to fall, "that's after I say 4, 3, 2, 1 - and fire!" he said.
In Bakersfield earlier this month, a man lost a leg and four other people were injured during the demolition of two towers of a PG&E power plant by a different company when chunks of the wreckage flew into a crowd of more than 1,000 spectators.
Keeping people safe
No spectators will be injured, Loizeaux said, because the Warren Hall blast will be so tightly controlled that debris will only fall close to the explosion site.
In fact, spectators won't be allowed anywhere near the implosion site. In preparation, the entire Cal State East Bay campus of 343 acres will be closed to the public at 8:30 p.m. Friday and will not be reopened until 6 a.m. Monday.
Although Loizeaux predicted that ground tremors from the explosion will be extremely small, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, Cal State Hayward, UC Davis, UC Berkeley and other institutions are placing a wide network of seismic sensors on the ground for miles around the blast site.
Their seismographs will record the effects of 12,500 tons of steel and concrete as it hits the ground in one big mass and spreads seismic signals across the Bay Area.
The seismographs could help scientists detect unknown faults long hidden beneath the East Bay's sediments and understand the varied distribution of the next big earthquake's ground shaking as it hits flatlands and hills, said geologist Rufus Catchings of USGS in Menlo Park.
The sensors will also help scientists determine how fast seismic waves from a future Hayward quake are likely to travel through the East Bay terrain, he said. It could provide a critical calculation for other scientists at Berkeley who are now developing "early warning" instruments that could save lives when the next big one hits.
David Perlman is the San Francisco Chronicle science editor. E-mail: email@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Some iOS7 wallpapers
I made myself a few calm, colourful and simple iPhone wallpapers to complement the new iOS7 (which I LOVE), so thought I'd share them here too. Just click the 4 or 5 link below each one to get the right size for your phone and save to your camera roll. Enjoy! Anyone else loving iOS7?


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Tropical hibiscus grow well in summer heat
One of the most joyful blooms you find in the summer are those of the hibiscus. They can be dramatic. Some of the hundreds of varieties will grow flowers as large as a child's head. Now lets talk color! Look for hibiscus in all shades of pink from soft to hot, shades of red, white, yellow, peach, purple and orange.
According to Herbs 2000 website, hibiscus have grown for centuries around the rim of the Indian and Pacific oceans. The name comes from the Greek word "hibiskos," given by the Greek physician Dioscorides in the 1st century to the marshmallow plant, a close relative of the hibiscus. The old species Hibiscus rosa-sinesis is believed to have been grown in China for thousands of years. The first Hibiscus Society was formed in Hawaii in 1911 and soon after this lovely flower was named the symbol of Hawaii. Today you can find both American and international hibiscus societies.
Some of the popular varieties of hibiscus are Lord Baltimore, Fireball, Blue River II, Luna Pink Swirl, Luna Rose, White Rose Mallow (a Texas native) and Scarlet Rose Mallow. Relatives of the hibiscus are Rose of Sharon, okra, cotton, the Confederate Rose and hollyhock.
It is easy to care for this tropical beauty no matter which hibiscus variety you choose. They prefer temperatures between 60-90 degrees F, regular water and good drainage. When they are in their blooming stage give 'em lots of water — daily water until the weather cools off. Hibiscus grown in a container like their roots to have a tight fit (slightly root bound). I've never had great luck turning hibiscus into any more than a summer annual but ambitious gardeners can try to bring the container hibiscus inside during cooler temperatures.
Hibiscus need lots of nutrients in order to bloom well. Use a blooming booster fertilizer with high potassium content. Try diluting a super bloom product quite a bit and use it with every watering during the blooming season.
You could consider planting hibiscus with Joe Pye weed for a showstopping effect. The huge flowers grow 4-6 feet tall and would blend well with the hibiscus tendrils. Miscanthus is a popular ornamental grass that would meld well with hibiscus with its dense clumps of arching, grassy foliage. The perennial turtlehead would be a good compliment as well with its pink and white flowers, as would be ageratum. It's easy to share your hibiscus with root cuttings or air-layering. Share or borrow a few cuttings with your neighbor and spread the blooms.


text: So I just saw the new RR pics and description. What can I say, I want one. Now I have no business riding one, although I did spend two days on one at the California Superbike school. I just think that this is the peak of technological brilliance of motorcycle creation and I think, why not? Just because I am nowhwere near able to experience the extremes this bike affords, why should I not enjoy the range of those talents to my extent? If we all were placed on bikes according to our abilities, then many of us would be on Rebel 250s, no? Just thinking.


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IRONMAN Lake Tahoe has been discontinued.
DiscontinuedFind an Event ▻
Thank you for racing with us in Lake Tahoe. We appreciate the efforts and support of the city, volunteers, sponsors, and everyone else involved in putting on this race. We would also like to thank all of the athletes who have raced with us here. We appreciate your dedication and understand your disappointment at not being able to race. Please consider one of the following IRONMAN events:
IRONMAN Canada, Whistler, Canada
IRONMAN Muskoka, Ontario, Canada
IRONMAN Coeur d'Alene, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho


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Our luminous 2012-2013 season will have, as its December
centerpiece, The Brotherhood of the Star, our beloved Christmas/Epiphany
production around Spanish music of the Old and New Worlds. We'll also
be exploring, in our other season programs, illumination and
spirituality in North American and medieval European music, including
the American première of a beautiful production from The Boston
Camerata's 2011 Reims, France residency. Your participation is
Stay tuned for more program and ticket information
at bostoncamerata.org.
The Boston Camerata | P.O. Box 120751, Boston, MA 02112 | 617.262.2092 | All Rights Reserved 2013 The Boston Camerata


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What to Know Before Opening a Bed and Breakfast
Opening a guesthouse or bed and breakfast can be a emotionally rewarding way to meet people from all over the world while making an income – or it can be a money-draining, back-breaking attempt to keep up with the demands of the hospitality business.
On Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal featured a four-story mansion in Park Slope on the market for $4.75 million. The owner, Liana Paolella, initially opened up the house as a bed and breakfast out of financial necessity. But she says she kept the business running for 25 years because she loved sharing the home's historical character with people.
Maintaning the home's historical details, which included parquet floors, carved fretwork, stained-glass windows and marble sinks, became a "labor of love," she says. She was also rewarded with intense intellectual conversation around the breakfast table, describing the atmosphere as salon-like.
Sometimes entrepreneurs are glad they opened a bed and breakfast — and sometimes the results are less satisfying, as this article from The Journal illustrates.
Peter Scherman of The B&B Team, a consultancy that advises innkeepers, suggests entrepreneurs put the brakes on dreams of hosting engaging political debates over an antique oak table, at least until they have conducted some due diligence about the regulations and financial implications of starting your business. Here are some tips from Schermann and Mary White, founder of BnBFinder.com and author of "Running a Bed and Breakfast for Dummies."


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New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said there is mounting evidence that Bank of America, Wells Fargo and other banks violated the terms of a settlement designed to end mortgage servicing abuses.
Schneiderman, who has said he plans to sue Bank of America and Wells Fargo for failing to live up to their obligations under the deal, said other states had found similar problems.
"Several other states have identified similar recurring deficiencies by the participating servicers," Schneiderman said in a letter dated Thursday to the monitor for the settlement, former North Carolina Banking Commissioner Joseph Smith. The letter was obtained by Reuters on Friday.
The $25 billion settlement was brokered last year between five banks and 49 state attorneys general. The other banks are JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, and Ally Financial. The banks agreed to provide relief to homeowners and comply with a set of servicing standards to atone for foreclosure misconduct.
(Read More: Ally to Pay $2.1 Billion to Settle ResCap Claims)
In his letter, Schneiderman did not identify which other states had provided evidence of banks failing to abide by the settlement. Nor did he identify the banks with recurring deficiencies.
He said his letter to Smith and a concurrent one to a monitoring committee had started the clock on a waiting period before lawsuits could be filed against the banks. The settlement authorizes the monitor to first work with a mortgage servicer to correct any potential violations and sue if the servicer does not fix the errors.
Schneiderman said on May 6 he planned to sue Bank of America and Wells Fargo when the waiting period was over.
Bank of America has said it did not commit any violations. Wells Fargo said it was committed to abiding by the settlement. Representatives for the two banks were not immediately available for comment on Friday.
Schneiderman has said that, since last October, his office had documented 339 violations of standards—210 by Wells Fargo and 129 by Bank of America—dictating the timeline for banks to process mortgage modification applications.
_ By Reuters


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Getting Started with a Printable "Couponer's Kit"
Improve your couponing skills overnight with this downloadable kit. The kit contains Excel forms, Word documents, and a number of graphics in PDF form that you can use to move from beginning couponer to expert saver. Just click on each of the following and save the documents to your hard drive so you can print or use them later.
Weekly Meal Plan Form: When it comes to creating the perfect meal plan, all the things you have to consider, from saving money to your busy schedule, could make your head explode (hopefully not literally). Use this form to get the most out of your time.
Meal Planning Theme Ideas: A themed approach often helps you create meal plans. Need ideas? Here's a list of possible themes.
Coupon Binder Cover: Whether you clip coupons or not, you'll still need a place to keep and organize them. Many couponers prefer to use binders for this task. Use this sheet as a cover for yours.
Category Labels for Coupon Binder: Print these labels out for use in organizing your coupons within your binder.
Grocery Price Book Form: Your Grocery Price Book will be one of the most helpful items in your saving toolbox. You can create your own using a spreadsheet or a good old-fashioned paper and pen. Here is an example you can use to get started.
Produce Seasonal Chart: Produce is always less expensive when it's in season. Use this chart to find out when to buy your favorites!
Seasonal Sale List: Produce isn't the only thing that's seasonal. Use this handy list to track the best times to buy many of your favorite products.
Some of these files have been stored in ZIP archives for easier downloading. If your computer can't open ZIP archives, try downloading the free trial of WinZip. For more on opening Zip files, check out these articles at Dummies.com:


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4K - Ultra High Definition - is unlike anything else when it comes to picture quality. Over four times the resolution of standard high definition, UHD provides incredible crispness, dramatic detail, bright, vivid colors and deep, rich blacks.
A more robust color spectrum means a picture that appears more natural and life-like. In addition creating colors from Red, Green and Blue adjustment points, PurColor also uses Magenta, Cyan and Yellow which creates the wide color gamut.
HDR Premium displays HDR content from new generation Ultra HD Blu-ray, HDR streaming content and HDR content. HDR - High Dynamic Range - combines peak brightness and improved black levels along with stunning color to create a greater sense of reality with everything you watch in 4K Ultra HD. A television equipped with HDR Premium supports high dynamic range content so it can display HDR movies and shows that have been mastered to reveal a spectacular picture with more colors and cinematic image.
UHD Dimming technology scans the entire picture on the TV and adjusts the brightness to provide deep darks and bright whites, reducing image distortion and providing a crystal clear picture
For content that isn't filmed in Ultra HD, this TV has a 4K upscaler, which upgrades lower resolution content to near-UHD quality providing enhanced detail and optimized picture quality.
The Smart TV is designed to give you an experience beyond channel flipping. Connect to and browse the internet, access programs through apps such as Netflix and Hulu, watch live TV, and check out social media all through one easy-to-browse navigation experience.
Access apps like Netflix, Hulu, and Youtube, listen to music, find live sports, share content from compatible Samsung devices all from the Samsung Smart Hub®
Connect your mobile devices to your TV and watch videos, view photos or listen to music directly from those mobile devices. When connected you can turn your device into a TV and watch in another room in your home. Your device can also function as a remote.
The touchpad lets you navigate quickly to pick what you want to watch, perform voice commands and use the remote like a mouse; just point and click.
Enjoy 4K Ultra HD resolution and High Dynamic Range (HDR) content that delivers greater clarity with Micro Dimming Pro and a fuller spectrum of color with Wide Color Enhancer. Access your favorite content quicker and easier with the new Samsung Smart TV platform powered by a Quad-Core Processor.
The Samsung LED TVs 2016 43" Class KU6300 6-Series 4K UHD TV by Samsung Electronics at Wilcox Furniture in the Corpus Christi, Kingsville, Calallen, Texas area. Product availability may vary. Contact us for the most current availability on this product.
Samsung LED TVs are all about redefining the television viewing experience. Vivid colors are created with color enhancing technology which results in a truly life like picture. Dramatic contrast between bright and dark colors add definition and bring to life, whatever you may be watching.Samsung LED TVs come with many different features including Smart TV capabilities, 3D technology and ENERGY STAR ratings. Of course, 4K Ultra High Definition TVs are part of Samsung LED collection. Amazing clarity and picture, like nothing seen before, 4k UHD TV has 4x the resolution of standard 1080p high definition.
The Samsung LED TVs 2016 collection is a great option if you are looking for Electronics in the Corpus Christi, Kingsville, Calallen, Texas area.
Browse other items in the Samsung LED TVs 2016 collection from Wilcox Furniture in the Corpus Christi, Kingsville, Calallen, Texas area.
This item has been tagged as: Televisions, TV, TV's, LCD Televisions, Plasma TV, Plasma Television, Home Entertainment, Home Theater Appliances, TV Set, Television Set, Boob Tube, Small Screen, Tube, TV Box, Television Receiver
Nothing on this page may be copied or reproduced without explicit permission.


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Official Website of the City of Milwaukee
CALL for Action (414) 286-CITY | Click for Action
Common Council
Oct. 11 Council members to attend RUHS track ribbon-cutting ceremony
Oct. 9 Statement from Alderman Ashanti Hamilton: Milwaukee residents deserve a Milwaukee hearing on MPS buildings bill
Aug. 23 MEDIA ADVISORY: Villard Avenue Day Festival is Saturday
Aug. 12 Statement from Alderman Alderman Ashanti Hamilton: Community violence concerning, proposed solutions lacking
July 16 Committee shifts more community development funding directly to local organizations
May 29 MEDIA ADVISORY: High school students will march against gun violence, deliver petition to local leaders
May 9 Statement from Alderman Ashanti Hamilton: Proposal deserves a closer look...and perspective
Apr. 9 Milwaukee Jobs Act components get boost from Council
Apr. 1 Statement from Aldermen Coggs, Perez, Hamilton, Bauman, Murphy, Kovac, Zielinski, Davis and Hines: Referendum on same-day registration a
chance to make residents' voices heard
Feb. 28 Common Council approves two new facets of Milwaukee Jobs Act
Feb. 15 MEDIA ADVISORY: Alderman Hamilton hosting Black History Month Read-In on Monday
Jan. 4 NAACP's One MKE town hall encourages civic engagement
Dec. 12 STATEMENT: Alderwoman Coggs, Alderman Kovac, Alderman Hamilton, and Alderman Pérez on Public vetting process needed for Fire and Police Commission appointments
Dec. 5 STATEMENT: Alderman Hamilton on Governor's continued attempts to disenfranchise voters warrant arrest
Oct. 10 STATEMENT: Pattern and practice of potential police misconduct warrants federal investigation
Oct. 1 STATEMENT: Alderman Kovac, Alderwoman Coggs, Alderman Pérez, and Alderman Hamilton on GE Foundation Demonstration Schools
Sept. 28 Common Council members question Medical Examiner on Williams investigation
Sept. 26 Common Council members to meet with Medical Examiner on Williams investigation
Sept. 24 MEDIA ADVISORY: Common Council members will call for U.S. Attorney investigation into Derek Williams death | JOINT STATEMENT: U.S. Attorney's insight needed in Williams death investigation
Sept. 21 Housing Resource Fair will feature key agencies, workshops
Sept. 14 Council members set for NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner
Aug. 21 MEDIA ADVISORY: Villard Avenue Day Festival is Saturday
Aug. 16 MEDIA ADVISORY: Atkinson, Capitol, Teutonia Festival is Saturday
July 24 Common Council approves Milwaukee Jobs Act initiative | Jobs Act File
July 18 REMINDER: Nelson Mandela Day film screening, event taking place today
July 17 UPDATED: Film screening, event to mark Nelson Mandela Day
July 13 STATEMENT: Alderwoman Coggs, Alderman Hamilton, and Alderman Pérez on Chief Flynn should provide answers in public forum
June 1 Tool drive, renovations part of Tool Loan Center open house Saturday
May 16 Alderman Hamilton volunteering to help renovate Tool Loan Center
May 1 STATEMENT: Alderman Ashanti Hamilton on Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin lawsuit
Apr. 25 Historic restoration of Garden Homes residence to be showcased
Mar. 29 Milwaukee Jobs Act measure seeks input on path to creating jobs
Jan. 6 ONE MKE Summit Seeks Collective Outcomes
Nov. 21 Taking Action to Create Jobs, Restore Economic Security
Oct. 3 MEDIA ADVISORY: Council Committee to Take up Free Birth Certificate Measure TODAY
Sept. 30 Alderman Hamilton Encourages City to "Love the Library"
Sept. 29 Alliance can be Job Creating Engine, Alderman says
Sept. 23 Council Members to Participate in NAACP Annual Event
July 27 Be The Change Celebrates First Students to Complete Program
July 8 CORRECTED MEDIA ADVISORY: Festival is Saturday at Atkinson, Capitol, Teutonia
July 7 MEDIA ADVISORY: Festival is Saturday at Atkinson, Capitol, Teutonia
June 27 Panel Sends "Plan A" District Boundary Option to Common Council | "Plan A" Map
June 24 Budget Provisions Would Negate City Benefits Ordinance
June 21 Public Works Committee to Receive Flooding Task Force Recommendations
June 21 Be the Change Youth Leadership Program Launches
June 20 Redistricting Goes to Committee | Plan A Map | Plan B Map
June 9 Flooding Study Task Force to Vote on Recommendations
June 1 Proposed Aldermanic District Boundary Plan Released
June 1 MEDIA ADVISORY: Public to Get Chance to Draw Trial Aldermanic Districts
May 10 Common Council to Begin City Redistricting Process
Apr. 20 MEDIA ADVISORY: Diversity Questions To Come Before Committee
Apr 13 Residency and Retention Go Hand in Hand
Apr. 4 Public Forum Tonight on State Budget and its Ramifications for MPS and the Future of Education in Milwaukee
Apr. 3 MEDIA ADVISORY: MPS Town Hall Meeting Monday at Riverside will be hosted by Three Alums now on Common Council
Mar. 16 Time is Now for Milwaukee to Speak Against Residency Bill
Feb. 17 City of Milwaukee Common Council Members Standing with Wisconsin Workers
Jan. 19 Alderman Bauman's Insightful Planning Makes Marriott a Better Project
Nov. 11 Common Council "On Board" in Rail Support Letter to USDOT Sec'y Ray LaHood | Letter
Oct. 25 STATEMENT: Ald. Hamilton on "Milwaukee Promise" Amendment Looks to Measure Efficacy
Sept. 17 Villard Square Brings Housing, New Library, Jobs and Hope
Aug. 18 STATEMENT: President Hines, Alderman Hamilton Criticize FEMA Decision, Praise Mayor Barrett for Continuing the Fight for Funding
Aug. 13 MEDIA ADVISORY: Villard Avenue Day Festival Tradition Continues This Saturday
Aug. 13 STATEMENT: Flooding Response: A Call for All Hands on Deck
Aug. 9 MEDIA ADVISORY: Alderman Hamilton Hosts Town Hall Meeting
July 28 MEDIA ADVISORY: Ald. Hamilton to Help with Clean Up
July 23 Power Substation Damage Causes Street Light Outages
July 9 MEDIA ADVISORY: Alderman Hamilton Promotes ACT BID
June 25 Alderman Hamilton, Common Council President Hines to Join in Inaugural Community Event
May 25 Sponsors Issue Statement on Approval of Milwaukee River Greenway Overlay Legislation
May 20 Alderman Hamilton New President of Milwaukee Public Library Board of Trustees
Apr. 1 Public Input Sought on Milwaukee River Greenway Overlay Zone
Mar. 15 Milwaukee Honored with Cultural Diversity Award
Mar. 2 STATEMENT: President Hines, Aldermen Praise Governor Doyle and Mayor Barrett for Bringing Talgo to Tower
Jan. 7 STATEMENT: Ald. Hamilton on Urgency of MPS Legislation
Oct. 1 Mayor, State Rep., DOA Secretary and School Board Director to Discuss MPS Issues in Public Forum Tonight
Sept. 30 Mayor, State Rep., DOA Secretary and School Board Director to Discuss MPS Issues in Public Forum
Sept. 18 MEDIA ADVISORY: Public Works Project Incorporates Wheel Tax Dollars and MORE Worker Provisions
Aug. 11 MEDIA ADVISORY: Five and Alive: Villard Avenue Day Festival to Mark Fifth Year
Jun. 10 Alderman Trumpets Support for United Negro College Fund Event
Jun. 9 MEDIA ADVISORY: Job Fair Today
Jun. 8 Bishop's Creek Development Brings Jobs To Local Residents
Mar. 25 STATEMENT: From Alderman Hamilton
Mar. 25 Benefits Ordinance Approved by Common Council
Mar. 3 MEDIA ADVISORY: News Conference on Community Benefits Ordinance Following Council Meeting Today
Mar. 2 Common Council Committee Approves Benefits Ordinance
Nov. 20 MEDIA ADVISORY: Cousins Ribbon Cutting To Celebrate Grand Reopening
Sep. 9 Milwaukee Opportunities For Restoring Employment (MORE) Ordinance Ready For Committee
Sep. 5 MEDIA ADVISORY: Villard Avenue Day Festival Marks Its Fourth Year
Sep. 2 STATEMENT: Ald. Ashanti Hamilton On Discrepency Of City Services
Apr. 22 Council Members See Relevance In Play About City's Open Housing Protests
City Hall
200 E. Wells Street
Room 205
Milwaukee, WI 53202
(414) 286-2221
Phone: (414) 286-2228
Fax: (414) 286-3456
President's Appointments Interest Form
Summer 2018
Summer 2017
Fall 2015
Summer 2015
Summer 2014
Summer 2013
Winter 2011
Spring 2011
Winter 2009
Fall 2008
A limited number of booklets can be obtained by contacting my assistant at 286-2228. You can also download and print your own version of the directory, or call 286-CITY to instantly be connected with any city service.
Design by City of Milwaukee


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The Thief and the Miser/
Rosebrough's Ramblings on Exodus - The Thief and the Miser
Email your questions or comments to: firstname.lastname@example.com
Fighting for the Faith is Listener-Supported
Please partner with us by clicking one of our friendly yellow buttons. You can join our crew or make a one-time gift. We depend upon your generosity to help bring Fighting for the Faith to you and the world.


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Bulk SMS Service Darjiling
We are providing Bulk SMS Sеrvісе in india. We offer Dіѕtіnguіѕhеd Sеrvісеѕ, 24/7 Customer Suрроrt аnd Lowest Rаtеѕ соuрlеd wіth the Bеѕt Sеrvісеѕ in Darjiling. We successfully hаrnеѕѕеd the power of mоbіlе соmmunісаtіоn tоеnѕurе the desired mеѕѕаgе is dеlіvеrеd tо іntеndеd audience wіth іn thе rеԛuіrеd tіmе durаtіоn.
Well it's hard not to notice that mobile revolution has hit. Just about everyone owns a mobile phone; in fact ninety percent of the users keep their mobile phones within the reach 24 hours a day. That's the great news for smart business owners like who can now take the advantage of this revolution with cost effective text messaging. With text messaging you can reach customers wherever they are. You can text them discount and special offers to instantly drive traffic and purchases during slow times, you can text to your clients to confirm appointments and it's in reminders to drastically reduce the missed appointments. Effective text messaging could be developed for virtually for any business.
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By Rob Glidden
Staff Writer
Southington school officials are delighted with the district's scores on the Connecticut Mastery Tests (CMTs) and the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT) for the 2011-2012 school year, and are preparing to adapt when the test goes through significant changes in future years.
The CMTs, which evaluate student skills in reading, writing and mathematics, are issued each year to students in grades three through eight. Fifth and eighth grade students also take a science-related portion of the test.
In all grades across all subjects, Southington students exceeded the state average when it came to the percentage of students meeting the goal on the exams. The "goal" benchmark is what school officials hope students achieve each year, and this percentage is what the federal programs like No Child Left Behind (NCLB) examine to see if students are making adequate progress.
In grades three through five, there are no 2012 percentages that are lower than the 2011 results. If it weren't for fifth-grade mathematics (which, at 89.5 percent, remained exactly the same as 2011), the scores would be consistently higher in those grades.
"This is a great report card for Southington and it affirms the work that has been going on in the classrooms," said Assistant Superintendent Karen Smith. "We did not see any significant negative changes at all. It's been a continuous rise for us and the trend data makes us very happy."
There were only three instances of lower scores in the CMT results, the largest of which is a 6.9 percent decrease in eighth-grade writing. However, there is also a 9.1 percent increase in seventh-grade writing, which is an example of looking at the test results laterally in order to get a better sense of the strengths and weaknesses of groups rather than simply comparing the scores to the year before.
"That kind of data is equally important," Smith said. "It tells the story of one student or one class through the years."
The CAPT evaluates tenth-grade students in mathematics, science, reading and writing.
This test is different because students only take it once and progress can not be tracked in the same way that scores for elementary students are over the years.
Scores for the district's sophomores went up in three out of the four sections of the test – 3.9 percent in math, 5.2 percent in reading and 3.4 percent in writing. The percentage of students meeting goal on the science section dropped by 2.4 percent.
"I continue to be impressed at how well our kids are doing," said Board of Education Chairman Brian Goralski. "We will really start getting into the results when the detailed presentation comes before the board."
The school is also preparing for when the tests will be overhauled in the 2014-2015 school year as part of the "Common Core State Standards" initiative. Smith that these tests would be more computerized and more tailored to individual students.


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Swimming Pool Blog
by Rob Cox, May 01, 2011
How to easily Change your Pool Filter Sand
When Should You Change Pool Filter Sand?
- Every 5-7 years
- When water clarity becomes difficult
- When length of time between backwash is short
How Do You Get to the Sand?
First, drain the tank by removing the drain plug on the bottom of the tank. Allow several hours or overnight for full drainage.
Side Mount Valves: Use the filter dome removal wrench to remove the top dome on the filter. Reach in and push the baffle out of the way.
Top Mount Valves: With a hacksaw, cut the incoming and outgoing pipes at a point which allows 3" of clear pipe to use a coupling or union to reattach the valve after changing the sand. After cutting the pipes, remove the clamp assembly where the valve joins the tank. If no clamp exists, the valve likely threads into a collar in the top of the filter tank. After removing the clamp, twist and wiggle upwards. Pry with large flathead screwdriver if needed. Cover the standpipe with an upside down cut, or plug or small towel.
How Do You Remove the Pool Filter Sand?
- Shop Vac
- Scoop with a large cup or coffee can
- Use caution as you reach the bottom of the tank, not to bump the laterals.
- You can leave a little in the tank, under the laterals.
How Do You Replace the Pool Filter Sand?
- Add enough water to cover to cover laterals
- Pour sand into the top of the tank
- Use only 45-55mm graded pool filter sand, or use alternative sand like ZeoLite
- For Top Mounted valves, cover and stabilize the center standpipe.
- For Side Mounted Valves, reach in the tank and rotate the baffle left or right
- Be careful not to breath in the sand dust
- Fill to proper level, consult tank label or owner's manual for proper amount
Here's a video on replacing the sand in a side mount, Purex Triton II sand filter:
For more information on replacing pool filter sand, see our Pool Info article Changing Pool Filter Sand


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What an inspiring flick! Joy is simply awe-inspiring.
Jennifer Lawrence is a girl with the golden goose. She never fails to deliver. Her portrayals are powerful. Her eyes are so riveting that it is hard not to empathize with the pain she wears. Her demeanour dons a skin that is hard not to relate to and she makes you sway to her rhythm. The natural act she puts on is unmatched.
David O' Russell cashes in on Lawrence just right. To helm Joy as a character so marred by spears of life that she forgets her true talents is what he tries to manifest. Bludgeoning her further are intricacies that end up in a chain reaction and pile her under the boulders of responsibilities. That's where the flick takes off. It is a pleasant perspective taken in a diegetic tone by her grandma Mimi, played by Diane Ladd, an optimist with a very kind heart, sadly clouded like any grandmother is. Sidelined and unseen she keeps pointing out the good in her, and occasionally making Joy believe that she was special.
"Maybe your dreams are on a hold right now."
The bit about creation was an eye-opener. On behalf of all the creators across the world, I would like to thank Russell to have given it a proper coverage. If we don't look at the reel life for a second and focus on the real, so many of us have dreams that we started up with, a natural flair that promised us silently our true purpose in life, but alas life happened to us and we got skimmed to the footpath, diverged.
Russell's take is just brilliant when he focuses on the pointlessness of relations, tangled ways of the living, and the insanity of it all. He subtly delves into the territory of epiphany with Joy's dreams, the only point I felt the flick's balance missing as he tries to blend in melodrama and humour at the same time. The epiphany bit sadly needed more emphasis.
However what unfurls thereon is a constant struggle to prove the mettle, the malice in commerce and the hopelessness that doesn't seem to stop, until it does. It is quite inspiring for people who have put their dreams on hold. There are so many people who point their fingers at you when you are doing something good, succeeding at it, so many near ones who reek of jealousy and try to pull you down, something which Russell captures magnificently.
He uses exceptional screenplay to dignify the fallen talent, and weaves some great words. The rest is picked up by the cast really well. There are bits that shatter you to pieces, despair that boils you up but you can't simply help but marvel at the perseverance of Joy as she fights everything and comes out a victor.
If you wanna feel inspired just go for it!


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Jay Carney: We knew instantaneously about those Benghazi emails — everybody did
**Written by Doug Powers
Jay Carney held a press gaggle Wednesday and addressed emails that were sent just a couple hours after Benghazi alerting the White House and others that an Al Qaeda affiliated group had claimed responsibility for the attack on the 9/11 anniversary. Carney's reaction? Everybody knew about that:
Carney acknowledged today not only that the White House knew, but that it knew "instantaneously":
"The email you're referring to was an open-source, unclassified email referring to an assertion made on a social media site that everyone in this room had access to and knew about instantaneously."
Instantaneously. Yet the Obama administration claimed for weeks that they were giving Americans the best available information.
Hillary Clinton on Wednesday said all the fuss over those emails is "cherrypicking a story" — something that is only proper if anger over a video is the culprit with absolutely no evidence to back it up:
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton downplayed State Department emails that show the White House was alerted that a militant group had claimed responsibility for the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi on the day of that attack.
"The Independent Accountability Review Board is already hard at work looking at everything, not cherrypicking one story here or one document there," Clinton said at the Wednesday press conference. "But looking at everything, which I highly recommend as the appropriate approach to something as complex as an attack like this."
If they were waiting to gather all the information before saying publicly who was responsible for the attack and what the motive was, why the immediate focus on the video? The attack took place on the anniversary of 9/11, but the administration's initial reaction was to downplay what should have been at the top of a painfully obvious list of possibilities. Instead they decided to run with the video story. Here's Hillary the day after the attack:
There is no higher priority than protecting our men and women wherever they serve. We are working to determine the precise motivations and methods of those who carried out this assault. Some have sought to justify this vicious behavior, along with the protest that took place at our Embassy in Cairo yesterday, as a response to inflammatory material posted on the internet. America's commitment to religious tolerance goes back to the very beginning of our nation. But let me be clear – there is no justification for this, none. Violence like this is no way to honor religion or faith. And as long as there are those who would take innocent life in the name of God, the world will never know a true and lasting peace.
On the surface it would appear that Hillary broke her "no cherrypicking" rule on day one after the attack, but in fairness to her she didn't set that standard until, uh, yesterday.
And forget that Joe Biden was still claiming last week that all available intelligence at the time pointed to spontaneous anger over a video being the cause of the attack.
So far there's been no explanation why information in emails from State Department officials on the ground in a country where a US consulate was under siege don't qualify as "available intelligence" while rumors originating from who-knows-where saying the attack was caused by a YouTube video do.
More at Twitchy.
**Written by Doug Powers
Twitter @ThePowersThatBe
Big surprise! Guess who made Harry Reid lie about Romney's taxes in 2012
April 1, 2015 10:14 AM by Doug Powers
Barred from entering the US? Try making some generous campaign contributions
December 17, 2014 09:03 AM by Doug Powers
Alison Grimes sets gold standard for dodging question about voting for Obama
October 9, 2014 04:37 PM by Doug Powers
Ohio woman indicted for vote fraud in 2012 and previous elections
March 11, 2013 08:51 PM by Doug Powers
Jimmy Carter: Obama 'ran across the room' to thank my grandson for finding the '47 percent' video
February 22, 2013 10:58 AM by Doug Powers
Categories: 2012 Campaign, Barack Obama, Jimmy Carter, Media


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Consumers have been snacking more in recent years to bridge the gaps between meals as they juggle longer work hours and commute times, hectic family schedules and all-around busier lives. And the trend shows no signs of slowing, further fueled by -- of all things -- the growing wellness movement. Health-minded people who view snacking as a healthy habit are eating smaller portions of foods more frequently throughout the day.
An eye-opening new study by the NPD research firm (Port Washington, NY) found that consumers with the "healthiest" lifestyles are the most frequent snackers. Another surprising finding is that fresh fruit is consumed more often than any sweet or salty snack food, making it the top snack choice of U.S. consumers, beating out chocolate, potato chips, nuts, cookies and other traditional snacking favorites. It's important to note, however, that while fruit is the top snack across all snack occasions -- as a meal and in-between meal snack -- salty snacks remain the top in-home and away-from-home snack for in-between meal snacking.
The findings in NPD's Snacking in America study -- which shed light on the behaviors, choices and motivations that drive snacking consumption -- can help vending operators better deliver the products their patrons want and capture a bigger market share in a competitive market that is currently dominated by snacks that originate from home.
"Our frequent snacking is a result of our hectic lifestyles, need for convenience, increasing desire to eat healthier foods, and simply to enjoy what we eat," said Darren Seifer, NPD food and beverage industry analyst. "There is, however, a complexity to snacking behaviors based on demographics, 'needs states' and attitudes. Food manufacturers and retailers will need to align their business strategies with the appropriate consumer behaviors in order to capitalize on consumers' penchant for snacking."
More than half of consumers (53%) reported that they snack more than twice a day, while 11% snack five or more times a day, according to NPD. Kids are the heaviest snackers, with 62% of those 2 to 12 years old snacking multiple times daily. Only 17% of consumers do not snack, while 30% consume only one snack a day.
A separate study by The Hartman Group, a Bellevue, WA-based research firm also found that snacking has reached new heights, so much so that today's Americans snack more than they eat traditional meals. The research firm, which said almost any food and beverage could be consumed as a snack, found that 52% of all eating occasions among U.S. consumers in 2012 were around snacking -- up from 49% in 2010.
Its findings suggest that Americans consume 2.35 snacks a day. Specifically, 41% eat two snacks a day, 24% eat three, 17% consume one, 13% eat four and 4% consume five or more.
A key finding in NPD's research -- counter to conventional views on snacking -- is that the more consumers snack, the healthier their eating behaviors. NPD found that consumers following the "healthiest diets" snack twice as often as those with "less healthy" eating habits. Women reportedly "outsnack" men, and their choices tend to skew toward better-for-you selections.
People considered to have the healthiest diets eat 36% more snack meals a year than the average consumer, according to NPD's "Snacking in America" report.
This compares with those with "moderately healthy" diets, who reportedly eat 1% fewer snack meals than the average consumer, and those with the "least healthy" diets, who eat 29% fewer.
The report also found those following a "most healthy" diet eat a wider variety of healthy snacks such as fruit, yogurt and bars.
Likewise, some 57% of respondents in the Hartman Group survey said it's important that snacks be healthy, despite the fact that chips and soda were the two most popular "snack foods" they said they consume.
"We are no longer as averse to snacking as we used to be. Instead, snacking may be viewed as one way to improve healthy eating habits," said NPD analyst Seifer.
Consumers in the NPD study ranked liking the taste of a snack as the leading motivator for making a selection. Their other motivations included hunger, having a craving, it being their favorite snack, the snack being simple and easy to eat, and it having a nutritious benefit.
The Hartman Group found that while 28% of consumers said they snack when they "want an indulgent treat," many said there's no particular driver for snacking. More than a quarter (27%) of respondents described snacking as an impulse, while 16% said they snack when they don't feel like preparing a meal, and 14% said they snack when they "feel stressed or anxious."
Some 57% of respondents said it's important that snacks be healthy, despite the fact that chips and soda were the two most popular snack foods they said they consume.
Fresh fruit is the top snack food consumed across all snack occasions -- as a meal and in-between meal snack, and is the fastest growing, as consumers focus on health and eating right, according to NPD's Snacking in America report. But it's currently least likely to be consumed on the go.
However, salty snacks -- which are the snacks most often purchased on impulse -- continue to be the top choice for both in-home and away-from-home in-between-meal snacking. After salty snacks, the most popular in-home, in-between-meal snacks are fruit, frozen novelties, cookies, candy and gum and crackers, according to the NPD study. The top away-from-home snack choices for between meals, after salty snacks, include frozen sweets, burgers, French fries, candy and donuts.
One of the reasons that fruit holds the top snack spot is that it's eaten throughout the day, and is thus included on more snack occasions than other choices. During the two-year period ending March 2012, fresh fruit was consumed as a snack on 10 more snack occasions a year than chocolate, the next top snack food, and 25 more occasions a year than potato chips, the third-most popular snack food, according to NPD.
NPD's snack research found that fresh fruit ranks No. 1 in five of the six need states that drive consumption -- health and weight, hunger satiety, convenience, routine/habit, and satisfying a craving.
Another factor contributing to the popularity of fresh fruit is that it is a favorite snack among all ages, according to NPD. Consumers 65 and older eat the most fruit, followed by children under 12. Teens ages 13 to 17 eat the least fruit, but their consumption increases as they get older. Another aspect of fruit consumers, other than age, is the type of snackers they are. Healthier snack consumers snack more often between meals and eat a wider variety of healthy snacks, and fruit is the top go-to snack for these consumers.
"Taking the who, what, when, and where of fresh fruit consumption into account, the point to be made is that fresh fruit is a top-of-mind snack with most consumers," said NPD's Seifer. "Among the opportunities this trend presents to producers and produce retailers to market and merchandise fruit around the activities during which it is most likely to be eaten, usage can be expanded with packaging innovation and promotions for on-the-go activities when it's least likely to be consumed."
Morning snacks are reportedly driving the strongest growth in the category, when nutrition seems to be a greater motivator, according to NPD. In-home morning snacking has shown the strongest growth in recent years, with an increase of 22 morning snacks a person since 2002.
Together, the morning meal and snack occasion are the top foods eaten. Over a two-year period ending Feb. 2012, 19% of consumers said they ate breakfast and at least one morning snack, up from 16% in 2004.
The morning hours between 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. are considered to be a clearly defined breakfast meal time; selections are primarily motivated by what's readily available and quick and easy to eat, with cold cereal and bread among the top items consumed, according to NPD. But there are also two separate and distinct morning snack occasions: an early one focused on nutrition and health and a later one to satiate appetite until lunch.
Morning snacks tend to be chosen for portability and to satisfy the consumers' taste need, according to the research. Fruit is the number one morning snack category both in and away from home.
While snacking is evolving from a late-night nibble to a morning fuel source, evenings remain the most common daypart for at-home snacking, according to NPD.
The Hartman Group found that consumers snack most often later in the day. More than half of consumers reported snacking between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. (56%) and/or between 5 p.m. and midnight (51%). Additionally, 34% said they snack between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m.; 31% between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.; and 17% between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m.
A majority of snack foods (81%) is sourced from home and is either consumed at home or carried to eat at work or school, according to NPD's data. Supermarkets are the source of half of all snacks, and superstores like Target and Walmart and club stores also command a large share of snack purchases.
Snacking is a planned behavior, according to the study, with nearly two-thirds of snack foods purchased more than 24 hours before consumption. And more than 90% of American households contain traditional salty snacks, such as chips and pretzels.
Consumers reported that they most often snack during leisure activities, with watching TV topping the list. Only 10% of snacks are consumed at work or school, according to NPD's data.
The Hartman Group found away-from-home consumption to represent a larger share of the snack market than NPD's figures, with 3 of 10 consumers polled saying that they most often eat snacks at home. However, similar to NPD, only 12% of those polled by Hartman reported snacking at work, and 7% said they snack "on the go."
While much of the talk about snacking has been that busy consumers are "grazing" more and eating snacks as meal replacements rather than eating defined meals, NPD research suggests that consumers are less likely to skip their breakfast, lunch and dinner mealtimes today than they were five years ago. But they often describe these meals as "mini-meals."
The Snacking in America report found that although Americans still carve out main meal times, the number of items they eat at each main meal has declined over time, and consumers snack between meals often.
Dinner is the only meal occasion that consumers consider to be a full or complete meal, rather than a mini meal, according to the snacking report. However, the average American today has only 4.1 food and beverage items at dinner, compared with 5.3 items in 1985.
Snacking is filling the gaps between traditional main meals, according to NPD. Today, 20% or one out of every five in- and away-from-home eating occasions in the U.S. is a snack. In comparison, breakfast accounts for 28% of eating occasions, dinner for 27% and lunch for 25%. (Those percentages do not include skipped meals.) More than half of Americans (53%) are snacking two or three times a day. Many, for example, report multiple eating occasions during the morning.
While vending operators tend to see wide-ranging consumer snacking preferences and patterns based on demographics, geographic region and a host of other factors, gaining insight into the broad trends driving the category's growth can go a long way in satisfying patrons and increasing sales.
In-Home and Away-from-Home Meals by Occasion
% of meals
Top Snack Foods Consumed by Snack Origin
Charts: The NPD Group/NET and CREST services, year ending Feb 2012
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We are in the stretch drive in the race for No. 1 and a number of teams stepped up their performances in Week 12 to make a bid for the ultimate consolation prize. (Check out the six biggest soul-crushing losses of 2012.)
Take the New York Jets for instance. The team went to epic lengths to make a late-season push for the No. 1 spot. And if you want to think of something scary, consider this. The Jets are a truly awful NFL team. They really haven't scratched the surface yet because they've yet to use Tim Tebow. It's like he's their secret weapon in the race for No. 1.
The No. 1 pick in the draft, that is.
So who will be the No. 1 pick? Well, our Bucky Brooks has gone into great detail right here. Make sure you check it out.
Undaunted, we will continue our look at those teams competing to have the No. 1 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, no matter who the top dog is. And until we have a better name, we will continue to refer to this space as the Fans for Barkley.
And without further ado ...
Others receiving votes: New York Jets (4-7); Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9)
Team fortunes can turn on one play, one game. And when the Panthers look back on the 2012 season and wonder how they failed to be No. 1, they will look at that special teams fumble recovery late in the fourth quarter that cost them. The Panthers might have put themselves into a hole even they and coach Ron Rivera can't dig themselves out of.
The Cardinals were the darlings of the NFL (at least to me) during the first month of the season, as they raced out to a 4-0 mark. But the loss to the Buffalo Bills launched this team into a race for No. 1. Those four early wins really hurt this team's chances. You have to wonder if this late-season drive is too little, too late. No matter how impressive Ryan Lindley is.
Don't say this doesn't mean anything to the Raiders. The club lost its cool in a loss to the Bengals on Sunday, so you can tell the stakes are high. The Raiders also appear committed to a real run at No. 1 with a possible move to Terrelle Pryor at quarterback. It's not going to be easy for the Raiders, though. Dates with the Chiefs and Chargers still loom. The Raiders will have to be at their absolute worst to get past either of them.
This is how low the Chargers have sunk in recent years. All the team needed to do to not blow the game against the Ravens was to keep them from converting a fourth-and-29. And only the Chargers could find a way to make that happen. But congratulations to A.J. Smith, his mission to take the Chargers from 14-2, best team in the NFL to the worst in the league is nearly complete. I mean, that's what he was doing when he hired Norv Turner, right?
Nobody really believed the Eagles were contenders for the No. 1 spot. They've gone out of their way to prove they belong. When the Eagles needed a big play to go against them (like a special teams fumble), the Birds found a way to make it happen. Honestly, a home loss to the Panthers isn't an easy thing, but the Eagles pulled it off.
Got a comment or a question? Don't waste your brilliant, biting flame in the comment section, hit Rank up via Twitter or via Facebook. Also be sure to catch the latest on the "Dave Dameshek Football Program".


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Kylie Bisutti, a former model who won the Victoria's Secret Angel Search competition in 2009, does not have heavenly memories of her former employer.
In her new book "I'm No Angel," the 23-year-old claims she "felt like a piece of meat" working for Victoria's Secret and opted to trade in her lingerie for a quiet life in Montana.
In an excerpt obtained by the New York Post, Bisutti recalls laying on a bed in little clothing while a photographer encouraged her to pose more provocatively.
"That's when it hit me. I was being paid to strip down and pose provocatively to titillate men. It wasn't about modeling clothes anymore; I felt like a piece of meat," Bisutti writes. "The next day, I broke down and started sobbing. I was in my bedroom and dropped to my knees and started to pray. 'God, why did you have me win the Victoria's Secret Angel competition if it was going to make me feel this way? I'm not honoring my husband. I just want answers!'"
Bisutti announced back in February 2012 that she was quitting modeling to reserve her body "for her husband." In doing so, she gave up a multimillion-dollar deal. She's currently living the quiet life in Montana.
While we think it's great the former model followed her heart and stood up for what she believed in, we can't help but wonder … if you agree to be a Victoria's Secret model, shouldn't you know what you're getting yourself into?
We asked our "omg! Insider" community to chime in on the topic.
"I think it's brave. Anyone that gives up a great career to serve God deserves my respect. Way to go. " AndreaKCC tweeted.
"I can't imagine being a VS model is terribly fulfilling. However if she donated her income to needy that would serve God," MomsThoughts wrote.
Stephen Dimmick wrote on Facebook : "We were born naked and the biggest sin is that people have been taught to be ashamed of their bodies."
"She knew what she was getting in to, but she can grow as a person and decide it's not the life for her... good for her for making up her own mind and not letting anyone convince her to continue something she wasn't comfortable with," Dianne Shook Brubaker posted.
Perhaps Andre Drew put it best (and most PC): "For me its in the middle. I'm sure she knew what she was getting into, I mean come on its Victoria secret. But on the other hand if she felt tht her religion wasn't really right with her line if work then she should get out if they are treating her 'like a piece of meat'"
Victoria's Secret released a statement to People, saying:
"Ms. Bisutti has made numerous fabrications and misstatements of fact regarding her brief association with Victoria's Secret. In 2009, Ms. Bisutti won an online amateur modeling competition and hasn't worked for us since that year. The prize for the winning contestant was the unique opportunity to a one-time walk in the 2009 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Ms. Bisutti also participated in a swim photo shoot in 2009. That was the extent of Ms. Bisutti's involvement with Victoria's Secret. She was never a Victoria's Secret 'Angel' as defined by the terms of our Angel model contract. And contrary to Ms. Bisutti's claims, she was never offered any subsequent modeling contracts or opportunities with Victoria's Secret despite her multiple appeals for further work. She has repeatedly fabricated her work experience with Victoria's Secret — including a relationship that simply did not exist."
What do you think? Tell us in the comments!
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ThunderBolt Smartphone Tricks to Remember
Here's an assortment of handy, time-saving tricks for you to keep in mind while you use, abuse, or excuse your new Android OS ThunderBolt smartphone:
Dictation! You can speak into the phone as an effective and quick alternative to using the onscreen keyboard.
Long-press the Home soft button to recall recently used apps.
The Quick Lookup app can be used to define a term, translate text, or look things up on Google, Wikipedia, or YouTube.
Feel free to add and remove icons and widgets on the Home screen as you see fit. It's your Home screen.
Choose a new skin for the phone's interface by touching the Personalize button on the Home screen and choosing the Skin command.
Press and hold a key on the onscreen keyboard to confirm that your stubby fingers have selected the right character.
Quickly put the ThunderBolt into Vibration mode by pressing the Volume Down button until the phone jiggles.
When you're on the phone, press the Power Lock button to lock the phone and turn off the touchscreen.
Use the kickstand to keep the phone propped up on your desktop.
Whenever possible, try to use the ThunderBolt's Wi-Fi Internet connection, to avoid incurring data usage charges.
Use the Search soft button to look for information on the phone, on the Internet, or in a specific app.


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Two Sweet Donut, Watercolor Donut Birthday Party Invitation for Girls
Two Sweet Donut, Watercolor Donut Birthday Party Invitation for Girls
from 70.00
Introducing Kitty Meow's Two Sweet Donut, Watercolor Birthday Party Invitation for Little Girls
Loving this design, but prefer it for a different occasion? Not a problem! Fill out the event information form accordingly, and I'll do the rest.
Each 5"x7" invite is printed on a card stock of your choice (all lovely options!) and comes with a white A7 envelope.
Interested in kickin' it up a notch and including a colored envelope? Please reach out personally so we can chat different color options and additional cost.
If you need more than 100 invitations, please contact me and I'll be happy to set up a custom listing for you.
Paper Type:
Envelope Addressing:
the details
The low down on the KittyMeow Boutique design & production process:
- Make sure you fill out the event form completely when checking out. Super important to make sure your ducks are in a row before purchasing.
- A digital proof will be emailed to you by next business day.
- Once you give FINAL approval on your design, your order will be sent to print immediately. Any possible reprint charges incurred after client's final artwork approval will be at the expense of the client. Please proofread diligently before giving final approval. Orders sent to print cannot be canceled.
- If you are adding on Envelope Addressing please email over your complete guest list in spreadsheet format to firstname.lastname@example.com.
- Order will then ship out in 2 additional business days via USPS Priority Mail.
- Your beautiful invitations will be in hand in 3 additional business days!
Have additional questions?
Check out the FAQ page to hopefully find the answer you're looking for.
Still not finding the answers to your questions? Drop a note!
Thank you for perusing beautiful, personality-filled paper goods at Kitty Meow: A Creative Boutique!
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Top New Games Out On Switch, PS4, Xbox One, And PC This Week -- November 10-16, 2019
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text: |Alankuda is a beautiful stretch of beach in Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka. The beach is home to some of the finest beach hotels in Sri Lanka and they are easily some of the most popular hotels in Kalpitiya. The hotels on Alankuda Beach are well placed for guests to enjoy some of the fantastic activities and excursions Sri Lanka has to offer. This includes but is not limited to kite surfing, whale watching, dolphin watching, water sports, and safari trips.


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At Westlake Chemical, everyone contributes talent.
We work together to enhance peoples' lives through our products and presence in the communities in which we operate. We are a competitive player in the petrochemicals industry and focus our talents on delivering strong business results. We invite you to enhance your work life and career experience by applying your talent here.
Westlake Chemical is a historically stable and growing international company. We hire competent, flexible people who work across a broad range of disciplines. From well-trained plant operators, to resourceful engineers, to multi-faceted professional staff, everyone has a chance to make a significant, visible contribution.
At Westlake, you will have the opportunity to grow in an entrepreneurial environment, where we continue to build on our business success by reviewing business opportunities and finding ways to improve.
As a solid company, Westlake has the resources to be smart about its growth and talent.
We were recently awarded these distinguished recognitions:
Forbes Top 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in America (2010, 2012, 2015)
Fortune 500 (Ranked at #352, 2018)
Fortune 1000 (Since 2012)
Forbes Global 2000 Company (Since 2013)
Russell 1000 (Since 2012)
Houston Chronicle 100 (Since 2011). Ranked #1 in 2011 and 2018.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Westlake Chemical is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.


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CBS this morning added four series to it's fall schedule, moved "Two and a Half Men" to Thursdays and "The Mentalist" to Sundays, and "Two Broke Girls" to a new slot on Monday.
Among the newcomers, dramas "Vegas" and "Elementary" get the Tuesday and Thursday slots, respectively, leading into local news.
CBS announced "Elementary" (pictured above), a contemporary take on Sherlock Holmes in New York City, stars Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu; "Vegas," a drama inspired by a real-life sheriff and his battle with a powerful mobster for control of Las Vegas in the 1960s, stars Dennis Quaid and Michael Chiklis; "Made in Jersey," starring Janet Montgomery as a smart first-year lawyer with working-class roots practicing at a prestigious Manhattan law firm; and "Partners," a comedy about two very different life-long best friends and business partners and their significant others, starring David Krumholtz and Michael Urie.
The full CBS lineup is below.