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It's Wednesday evening, and a party breaks out.
Attractive women and men congregate. Laughter commences. Beverages flow. Video cameras show up. And then there's a dude dressed like a college mascot.
Start nodding like a bobblehead, flatten the bill of your Orioles cap, add a slight sneer, and oh, yeah, all that's missing is boom-chi-boom music so loud you know there's a Sarasota ordinance about to write itself.
But that's not how we roll during spring break in S-town.
All of the above? It's real. Except the boom-chi-boom.
This gathering was on the Community Foundation of Sarasota County campus, where passionate supporters, one irritated dog and the mascot dude gathered for a uniquely Sarasota event.
There, just a few ticks after 7 p.m., word came that the second annual Giving Partner Challenge had set a new league record.
In 36 hours, philanthropists had pledged $2.78 million. Some donated small, others large. In total, 17,626 donations were made in what Herald-Tribune journalist Carrie Seidman aptly defined as a "36-hour online philanthropy marathon for 285 area nonprofits."
There were distinct winners among the nonprofits, who worked Facebook networks to generate donations from all 50 states and around the world.
The Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Gulf Coast Community Foundation and Manatee Community Foundation -- spurred by support from the ever-amazing Patterson Foundation -- provided more than seed money. Their leadership connected our community.
The Drexler-Sibbet team performance model identifies seven stages a group must go through to become a well-functioning team. The Giving Partner Challenge could be an MBA case study on how to funnel multiple priorities into one success story.
Here's how the challenge worked through the seven stages:
ORIENTATION: Nonprofits understood why they would benefit from joining the challenge. Their causes are different, but they share real-world similarities in raising money and developing a donor stream.
TRUST BUILDING: Sarasota and Manatee have competitive foundations. You can't show up to any major event without seeing foundation officials in networking mode. Yet they saw the value of working together on this project.
GOAL CLARIFICATION: Donors and nonprofits had to understand why an open competition for donations was beneficial.
COMMITMENT: Everyone had to buy into using an online platform to donate and share results.
IMPLEMENTATION: Technology needed to be in place. Nonprofits needed to market well (even if it meant doing the Harlem Shake).
HIGH PERFORMANCE: Did we mention they raised more than $2.78 million in 36 hours? Score.
RENEWAL: Celebration is important. That explains the not-so-impromptu party, the beverages, the pet and the pet's new nemesis, Gilly the Mote Marine Lab shark/mascot.
The list of nonprofits covered everything from the ballet to retired dog track jocks. We're a community with eclectic interests. There's room for every cause.
Let's say you love palm trees. And you worry about our iconic vegetation whenever the temperature drops drastically into the low 50s.
You discover there are other Southwest Floridians who worry whether palm trees stay warm enough during our blustery winters.
So you call a lawyer buddy out on Longboat Key, file a 501c3, and launch Palm Trees in Wool Inc.
Superfluous cause? Maybe. (Wool? How silly. Sarasota is so cashmere.)
Critics would say the Giving Partner Challenge doesn't cure societal ills such as homelessness.
But that's the beauty of the Giving Partner Challenge. Every passion is important. People judge with their credit cards.
Big hearts, big wallets. That's how we roll.
7 stages, one philanthropic win
It's Wednesday evening, and a party breaks out.


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It's unlike few other movies you'll see this year or possibly this decade.
It's unlike few other movies you'll see this year or possibly this decade.
Ford v Ferrari delivers real cinema meat and potatoes.
Roger Ebert on James Ivory's "Howards End".
"The Ballad of Narayama" is a Japanese film of great beauty and elegant artifice, telling a story of startling cruelty. What a space it opens…
An article about the screening of Horace Jenkins' "Cane River" on Friday, November 1st, at the Academy Film Archive in Los Angeles.
Chaz Ebert celebrated her birthday by honoring Victory Gardens Theater in October 2019.
A video essay celebrating Antonia Bird's maligned masterpiece, Ravenous.
An article about the screening of Horace Jenkins' "Cane River" on Friday, November 1st, at the Academy Film Archive in Los Angeles.
A celebration of Yasujiro Ozu, as written by a Far Flung Correspondent from Egypt.
A Far Flung Correspondent weighs in on the MCU controversy.
An interview with the writers of A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.
A celebration of Yasujiro Ozu, as written by a Far Flung Correspondent from Egypt.
This is the story of high school student Carson Phillips (Chris Colfer, from the television show Glee, who also wrote the screenplay). As the film opens, he is killed by a bolt of lightning. From there, it flashes back as Carson recounts his elaborate scheme to gain admission to Northwestern University. He has ambitions to fulfill as a writer, editor and diplomat. And he yearns to break free from the confines of Clover (population 9,000), a colorful, confused suburban trap that seems to let no one escape.
Carson's school has all those familiar types we recognize from high school movies (and high schools), from "The Breakfast Club" to "10 Things I Hate About You." There's the innocent nerd, the arrogant cheerleader, the dumb athlete, the glum goth, the addled drug addict and the closeted stereotypical gay couple. Carson views them as stepping stones to fulfill his plan for college acceptence -- by blackmailing them into writing for his new literary magazine.
His home life features the usual suburban dysfunction, including that fog of denial that haunts unhappy movies like Sam Mendes' "Revolutionary Road" (2008). Here, however, we smirk at the characters' cluelessness. They are deeply unhappy, but would rather live a shallow life of television talk shows than face their demons.
Carson has an alcoholic, over-medicated mother (Allison Janney from TV's The West Wing) who keeps reminding him that she wished she had aborted him. His absentee father (Dermot Mulroney) is little more than a memory who pops up in the occasional phone call. His nursing home resident grandmother doesn't even recognize him as she tells him precious memories of her beloved grandson.
What makes this film rise a bit above the pack is the recurring idea that everyone wants to leave their nests and fly high into the sky, but few are able. Some people get weighed down by their responsibilities. Most people, the movie says, do not spread their wings because they are simply too frightened. They instead talk themselves into despair and fear. Some are so afraid of success and the inevitable disappointments that come with it that they try to quash everyone else's dreams.
So, at first, we dislike Carson as a condescending, manipulative jerk, but we eventually realize that he is the only one willing to act on his ambitions. If I had been like him in high school, wanting to reach my full potential while everyone else told me to just pick a high school stereotype and conform to it, perhaps I would be as frustrated as he is. Interestingly, that peculiar amnesia that comes with aging seems to let us forget some of what we experienced in high school. There are memories in this film that are happy or sad, but all seem to define the characters. Of course, I hope that most of us would not resort to blackmail to reach our dreams.
Director Dannelly's earlier feature, "Saved!" (2004), portrayed a clash between the religious and non-religious students at a Christian high school. That film seemed more original and edgy than this one in its satire about the impious conduct of the devout. Perhaps those characters were more memorable because they provoked deeper feelings from us. Allison Janney is outstanding, though, showing multiple emotions in any given expression, as a hurt, frightened, worn-out mother, while most of the rest of the characters are vivid enough for stock, but not much beyond that.
Nevertheless, "Struck by Lightning" reminds us that while we may hope to find that four-leaf clover, that lottery ticket that will solve all our worries, we are more likely to get hit by lightning on a sunny day.
Omer M. Mozaffar is one of Ebert's Far-Flung Correspondents.
A review of the new Star Wars spin-off, The Mandalorian.
A Far Flung Correspondent weighs in on the MCU controversy.
Our staff choices for the best films from 2010 through 2019.
A review of CBS All Access' The Twilight Zone.

subset: commoncrawl


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- WWE taped another four episodes of NXT on Thursday night at Full Sail University. Here are spoilers:
September 2nd:
* The Ascension attacked Corey Graves backstage.
* Tyler Breeze beat CJ Parker
* Emma defeated Summer Rae. Summer attacked Emma after the match.
* Scott Dawson beat Enzo Amore. Dawson got the win after Alexander Rusev interfered on his behalf.
* Sami Zayn cuts a promo and wants a title shot against Bo Dallas. Dallas comes out and says he can't wrestle because Zayn injured him at SummerSlam Axxess. Zeb Colter and Jack Swagger interrupt Zayn, leading to Swagger beating him down.
* Adrian Neville beat Conor O'Brian. After the match, Rick Victor ran out and The Ascension beat down Neville. Corey Graves makes the save but the show ends with Victor and O'Brian on top.
September 9th:
* Bayley and Charlotte beat Alicia Fox and Aksana. Bayley pinned Fox for the win.
* Corey Graves beat Rick Victor
* Alexander Rusev beat Mason Ryan by submission.
* Jack Swagger beat Sami Zayn after Bo Dallas interfered, by submission. Another standing ovation for Zayn. Dallas came back to the stage and had a staredown with Zayn.
September 16th:
* Enzo Amore and Colin Cassidy beat Scott Dawson and Alexander Rusev by DQ.
* Bo Dallas in-ring segment.
* Paige beat Sasha Banks. After the match, Sasha attacked Paige and left her laying.
* Xavier Woods beat Leo Kruger.
September 23rd:
* Sami Zayn defeated Curt Hawkins
* Aiden English beat QT Marshall.
* Corey Graves, Adrian Neville, Xavier Woods and CJ Parker beat The Ascension, Leo Kruger, and Tyler Breeze. Breeze got pinned when all of his partners walked out on him.


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Connecting to your Videotrend IP camera*
Try the following connection options in iSpy or Agent to connect to your Videotrend IP camera. If an FFMPEG option is available we recommend you try that first as it will often be faster and include audio support. You can also try the VLC plugin in iSpy if the FFMPEG option isn't working.
The settings for Videotrend cameras are built right into our open source surveillance software iSpy and our Windows Service based platform, Agent - click "Add" then "IP camera with wizard" to automatically setup your Videotrend cameras. Start typing in the "Make" box to find your camera. If your camera is not listed in iSpy or Agent then click "Get Latest List" in settings or when on the add camera wizard. If you need to modify the URL then add or edit the Videotrend camera and you can modify the connection type and URL in the video source dialog (button is top of the first tab).
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text:
Total cholesterol is the sum of all cholesterol measured in a
person's blood. This total includes high-density lipoprotein (HDL),
which is sometimes called the "good cholesterol," and low-density lipoprotein
(LDL), sometimes called the "bad cholesterol," and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL).
Cholesterol is measured either in milligrams per deciliter of blood
(mg/dL) or in millimoles per liter of blood (mmol/L).
The ratio of total cholesterol to "good" (HDL) cholesterol is also
important, especially if total cholesterol is high.
Last Revised:
July 13, 2011
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
Rakesh K. Pai, MD, FACC - Cardiology, Electrophysiology & Carl Orringer, MD - Cardiology, Clinical Lipidology
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The new Tupac Shakur biopic isn't just getting attention for its release on the late rapper's birthday.
Actress Jada Pinkett Smith took to Twitter Friday to criticize the new biopic "All Eyez on Me" centered around the rapper. The actress went after the film's inaccurate portrayal of her relationship with Shakur, both in specific scenes and the overall images of the friendship.
Rapper 50 Cent also blasted the biopic on Instagram Friday, referring to it as "bulls—t" and "trash" in the caption of his post.
The biopic's release comes on what would have been Shakur's 46th birthday. The actress commended Kat Graham and Demetrius Shipp Jr., stars of the biopic, despite her criticism of the film. Pinkett Smith ended her series of tweets wishing the rapper a happy birthday.
"Happy birthday Pac, you are cradled in my heart for eternity. I love you," the actress wrote.


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A substantial body of evidence shows that giving vulnerable people money instead of in kind assistance allows them to meet a variety of...
Cyclone Phailin: Stories of Resilience
Cyclone Phailin: Stories of Resilience
Publication info
Because of early evacuation and other preventative measures, millions of lives on the coast of Eastern India were spared from Cyclone Phailin. But its severe storms and rainfalls did wreak havoc in the lives of many.
An elderly woman alone
Shashi Naik has spent most of her life in the BNT Colony village of Ganjam district in Orissa. This frail woman in her 70's has already seen her share of loss before Phailin struck. Her husband passed away years ago, leaving her to look after three sons. While one of her sons died several years ago, the second one ran away from home and the third one left to work in Chennai, where he lives with his family.
Alone in her twilight years, Shashi lived in an asbestos and thatched roof hut. But on the fateful night of October 12 that too was taken from her. Phailin destroyed her house and all her belongings. Now with just one set of clothes and no money, Shashi has moved in with her next door neighbor. Shashi used to earn a living by doing odd jobs for women around her village but post-Phailin, there is no work and she is dependent on government ration for food and the goodwill of her neighbors. Though her son was informed, he had not arrived there by the time CARE's emergency team visited her village. Ganjam is one of the worst-Phailin affected districts in the state.
School is not to be missed!
Lilu Behera and her daughter Akanksha Priyadarshini are a symbol of resilience. Barely 40 years old, Lilu lost her husband, a college lecturer, to illness. Since then, this single mother has been bringing up her daughter on her own. Her daughter, 15-year-old Akanksha Priyadarshini, is a 9th grade student.
All their life the duo has called Subholaya village in their home. With no other possession, the house was all that Lilu had but last week's cyclone destroyed that, too. The roof of their one-room house cracked and began leaking. A day later, part of it came crashing down, forcing the mother-daughter duo to rent a room in their village. A temporary lock has been placed on the house to keep her belongings safe. Lilu doesn't work and depends on her brother Satish Naik, who is also the village school teacher, for support. Satish has his own family and the Phailin has made it tough to support both the families.
Though she has lost almost everything, Lilu doesn't complain. "It was unfortunate but then I have been unfortunate for a while so it's ok. My daughter is safe. I am hoping I will somehow be able to fix the roof of my house and will be able to give up the rented place. That home is the only possession I have of my husband," she says. Despite the personal misfortune, Lilu has ensured that Akanksha's education does not suffer. After the weekend, Akanksha went back to school without missing a day.
A village picks itself up again
A fairly big village, Subholaya was living a pretty prosperous life until October 12, 2013. Majority of the village had had a steady source of income through cashew nuts and coconut trees, the others earn a living through paddy cultivation. Doing well, the villagers had put the nightmare of the 1999 cyclone behind them. But 14 years later, it revisited the area.
"A cashew nut plant takes 15-20 years to grow before it bears fruit. The same goes for coconut trees. The 1999 cyclone had destroyed standing crop then and we replanted these trees," explains Kedarnath Swain, the village head. "Now, when it had started bearing fruit, Phailin has completed wiped it out. We have been set 20 years back. The loss is irreparable. Though we can recover the paddy crop next year, it is lost for this year."
Saline sea water entered the paddy fields, ruining the standing crop there. "We managed to save every single life in this village but without a source of income, what's the point? We no longer have the will or the energy left to replant the cashew crop or coconuts. What if another cyclone hits us? We'll just be setting ourselves for disappointment. We have to look for other source of income," he adds.
As of now the village is dependent on state government aid for food and water. With no electricity in the entire state, and no hope of it getting restored before a month, the village has lost its only source of potable water, a pump run by electricity. They are now getting water from an open well. "The impact is yet to sink in. We are focusing on immediate relief right now but once this is done, it will be difficult to rebuild a life here," Swain adds.
Similar stories were found across different blocks in the district. Ganjam is also home to a special flower called "kewada," whose scent and essence is used in delicacies and perfumes. A liter of kewada oil costs upward of Rs 2.5 lakh in India. One kewada flower sells for Rs 6 (approximately $1.00) in these areas, which have huge orchards of this tree. But Phailin destroyed 90 percentof the kewada crop.
Our response
CARE India's emergency team is on the ground assessing the needs now. We have helped 5,000 children to date with high energy biscuits to stave off hunger and malnutrition. We're also distributing emergency relief items, such as jerry cans, tarpaulins, hygiene kits and solar lamps, and will provide water purification systems to 100 villages. CARE is there for the long run and will support recovery with shelter and livelihood support.


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Man Jailed for Healing Himself of Cancer
The next thing he knew, he was in maximum security federal prison serving a 5-year sentence.
What Happened to Jason Vale Since Then?
The Science Behind Apricot Kernels
The Sunfood Difference
What Else Can Apricot Kernels Do?
It is recommended to start slowly with apricot kernels as they are considered to be a medicinal food. They have relaxing effects and may lower blood pressure, thus it's recommended to only consume 5 per hour, or 6-10 a day.
Check out this customer review for a personal account…
"I've been having these apricot kernels for a few months now, having worked my way up from a couple a day to about 10 or 12 a day (but never more than a few at a time). they are crunchy, aromatic, and slightly bitter, and numb the tip of my tongue when I chew on more than a few at a time. Whatever that particular substance is, it must be working its way into the places I need it most, because I suddenly can't remember the last time I had a very crippling back or joint pain (it's always there if I think about it, but I suddenly have to concentrate on it to find it). I also feel having my maximum amount of kernels in one day lowers my heart rate and pressure a bit (similarly to the effects of eating spirulina and chlorella) and is relaxing, though having low blood pressure to begin with, I don't really need the help. For anyone who does, though, please give these a try. A few kernels go a long way."
Find out what this powerful superfood can do for you…
1 – "Amygdalin induces apoptosis in human cervical cancer cell line HeLa cells." Jilin University, China, 2013.
2 – "Amygdalin induces apoptosis through regulation of Bax and Bcl-2 expressions in human DU145 and LNCaP prostate cancer cells." Kyung Hee University, South Korea, 2006.
3 – "Amygdalin inhibits genes related to cell cycle in SNU-C4 human colon cancer cells." Kyung Hee University, South Korea, 2005.
4 – "Inhibitory effect of amygdalin on lipopolysaccharide-inducible TNF-alpha and IL-1beta mRNA expression and carrageenan-induced rat arthritis." Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Oct. 18, 2008.*
*Sunfood does not condone testing on animals.
Sunfood's "Natural Solutions" does not promote or suggest natural cures, natural healing or natural remedies for any disease, disorder or ailment thereof. This information should be treated as educational material gathered and discovered from various studies, clinical trials and customer reviews. It is designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, and independent conclusions in regards to natural products and alternative health choices. This information has not been approved by the FDA and has not been verified by medical professionals. It is best to consult with your healthcare practitioner before attempting any form of natural cure, natural healing or natural remedy to any health issues.


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|Maison Troisgros
Wine is closely connected with the pleasure of the table. That being the case, we're fortunate that in Roanne region can be found one of the best tables in the world, the three stars of which have been shining for more than 40 years.
Marie-Pierre and Michel Troisgros will be pleased to greet you in their three regional establishements for a unique culinary experience.


text: Organizations are finding that a cloud-based platform for agile software development provides the speed and flexibility they need to respond to opportunities and market changes. But this will not happen overnight. To support cloud adoption, enterprise cloud development (ECD) platforms can provide a secure path for managing development and deployment in a hybrid cloud environment. This research report highlights how organizations are implementing and benefiting from cloud-based agile software development.


text:
Save Up To 50% On Clearance Items! | Shop Now
Save Up To 50% On Clearance Items! | Shop Now
You're Shopping Glen Burnie, MD
Factory style replacement part. Jeep SJ and J-Series (1982-1991) with 5-speed transmission. Jeep SJ and J-Series (1980-1991) with automatic transmission and 4.2L (258) engine. Jeep J20 Pickup (1980-1988). 51-3/4" Long.
With this mission Crown Automotive has been in business for over five decades, delivering original-quality replacement parts at fair aftermarket prices. Crown Automotive has individual parts for sale as well as complete Crown Jeep kits for everything from axle to electrical to transfer case to wiper kits. In recent decades, Crown Automotive has expanded to producing replacement parts for Chrysler and Dodge vehicles as well. Shop Crown Automotive Now


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Lincoln College choirs present spring concert on May Day
Send a link to a friend
[April 30, 2014]
The Lincoln College Fine Arts
Department will present the annual Spring Choir Concert on Thursday.
The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Meyer Theater in the
Johnston Center for Performing Arts on the Lincoln campus.
The evening's program includes "O
Fortuna" from Orff's Camina Burana, "Send in the Clowns" from
Sondheim's "A Little Night Music," "Royals" by Lorde, "Some Nights"
as performed on "Glee," and "Let it Go" from Disney's hit film
Soloists include Chase Doolin singing "Like a Star" and Skylir
Kenning singing "For Good" from "Wicked."
Alan Rasnic and Emily Johnson will perform the duet "Say
Percussionist T.J. Kissel and guitarist Matthew Sheridan will
provide accompaniment.
[to top of second column]
Vocal director Cynthia Fox Fucile said the students have
worked very hard this year. "I'd really like this concert to be
packed," she said. "I'm so proud of the students, and it's going
to be a great show."
General admission is $2.
Concert poster
[Text from file received from
Lincoln College]
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text:
LUNCH DINNER TOGO CATERING1206 E. 53rd Street
Chicago, IL 60615
(773) 324-6227
Whether you're visiting our dining room, carrying out, or throwing a party, Cedars provides its guests with excellent, healthy food in a festive atmosphere! We also feature flavorful kebobs and steaks broiled at 1500 degrees, sealing in juices & tenderness!
Cedars prides itself on a traditional Mediterranean menu that includes Hummus, Falafel, Cous Cous, Shawerma & Kebobs that fill our dining room with magnificent aromas for guests to enjoy as they observe our gallery open-kitchen.
With a BYO policy, guests find that our prices are surprisingly moderate, and combined with splendid food and local popularity, waits are common on the weekend, so be sure to arrive early!


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I was wondering if anyone could give me some insight into the pros and cons of different uses of Joker tiles in Lock-n-Roll.
So basically the way I've been playing, is I'll play until I fill up the board, and am forced to use a Joker to continue. I do my best to set up to board so that each Joker will clear as many dice as possible. If I have 2 jokers, I almost always use them both together at this point.
I was wondering, is this the best way for me to use them? does it sometimes make sense to use one or more Joker(s) before the board is entirely filled up? When I can't make any moves that will clear any dice, or even fit into a clearable pattern, I just place dice in spaces that will generate me the most points, before filling the board, and using my Joker(s). Is this wise?
Try Lock-n-Roll for yourself, as a web-based flash game. The game is also available on iPhone/iPod Touch, and Droid.


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Heart-shaped NAMFLEG openwork pendant is made of 18K gold-plated 925 sterling silver. It features cloisonné enamel decoration and a bail set with cubic zirkonia. Fully handmade.
Pendant diameter – 28 mm
Weight – 6 gramm
Reference number – ps2002
The chain is not included.An exclusive collection of NAMFLEG fine jewelry made of 925 sterling silver was inspired by the legacy of Carl Faberge. In our collections we use the most sophisticated of all enamel techniques called cloisonné enamel. It takes 12 working hours to create one piece of cloisonné enamel jewelry, and all operations are done entirely by hand. Many companies nowadays try to replicate authentic enamel jewelry, but instead of the fire enamel they use cheap and low-quality analogs – beware of fakes.
Namfleg ring sizes are equivalent to the inside diameter of the ring in millimeters. Choose a ring you already own and measure the inside diameter of your ring with a ruler. Now that you know the inside diameter of your ring in millimeters, you can easily choose a right Namfleg size for you. Or you can convert the measurement to US size or British size with our sizing chart right above the Add to cart button.
Credit card
The information on the credit card are forwarded automatically via a coded security system to the PayPal processing without Namfleg OU Estonia or any third party having any kind of access to this data. Even in the event of a possible refund, the complete credit card details cannot become known. This is why a refund is only possible on the card with which the purchase was originally made. The financial information connected with credit card transactions are automatically forwarded with a coded message without Namfleg OU Estonia or a third party having any access to them. Except in the event of a refund on possible returns, this information will never again be used.
Please note that the credit card account is directly debited but the payment is under review by our service provider. We are not allowed to send out the order until the payment is verified. Please be also aware that with credit card payments the billing address and the delivery address must be both either within or outside EU. Online security namfleg.com uses the security software SSL. This is an asymmetrical encoding method in the Internet that protects your credit card data from being overheard or manipulated whilst your credit card data is being transmitted. It is therefore impossible for any unauthorized person to read this data whilst it is being transferred in the Internet
With PayPal, when selecting this option at checkout, you will be directed to the PayPal website to 'log in' and review the amount shown before clicking on 'pay now'. Please be aware that with PayPal payments we are only allowed to send the orders to the PayPal address. For this reason, you need to make sure that the delivery address and the PayPal address are the same.
Free delivery
We'll ship the jewelry to the address you've indicated free of charge. Minimum delivery time is 6 days, maximum – 12 days
7-day money back guarantee
You can exchange your ring for another one if the size doesn't fit you or get a refund if you don't like the jewelry.
Extra 15% off all sale items
You can choose any jewelry you like in our online store, put it into the shopping cart, then enter discount code at checkout and save hundreds of euro
1-year warranty
We create fire enamel jewelry made of 925 sterling silver, inspired by Faberge's technology. It's the most laborious decorative technique called cloisonné enamel. Our customers are enjoying their Namfleg jewelry all their life and value it as their family heirloom.
NAMFLEG offers free exchanges of the rings in case the size of the ring doesn't fit the customer. If you want to exchange your ring for another size, please contact us at email@example.com and we will give you the shipping instructions. The returns are free of charge, but customer bears the cost of shipping the ring to the place of exchange. To get your NAMFLEG ring exchanged for another size free of charge, your ring must not be damaged, altered, used, worn, washed and it must be returned in its original packaging along with all other documents, if any, accompanying it. Damaged rings or rings with signs of wearing shall not be accepted for free exchanges. Please notice that we can only exchange items for another size/color, not for a different model. If you are interested in a different model, you will need to place a new order for it. The returns are free of charge, but customer bears the cost of shipping the product to the place of exchange. Namfleg Estonia OU is not obliged to take the goods back should they have been used, worn, washed or damaged. Please pack the goods the way you received them.
Delivery of damaged/wrong goods
Please contact our service department firstname.lastname@example.com immediately in case you receive wrong/damaged goods (with photo). These goods are going to be accepted as a return and exchanged/refunded. Please follow the usual return procedure when sending these goods back. You will have the possibility to choose the reason why you are sending them back directly in the return-form. Withdrawals, cancellations, exchanges or returns are not accepted for orders of customised products.
Refund timing
Please note that we have up to 30 days of time to complete the refund payment, starting from the day in which we receive your return at our warehouse. Refund payments to credit cards/PayPal accounts normally take up to 5 days from the moment in which we receive the return at our warehouse.


text:
KW-Software GmbH with a new name
With immediate effect, the KW-Software GmbH in Lemgo is operating as
PHOENIX CONTACT Software GmbH.
PHOENIX CONTACT Software GmbH
By renaming the company, we emphasize the continuously increasing importance of software expertise for the intelligent production of tomorrow, where IT and automation are becoming more closely integrated.
At our headquarters in the Centrum Industrial IT (CIIT) in Lemgo, the Phoenix Contact group pools its collective resources in order to be strategically oriented towards the technological requirements of Industrie 4.0.
We look forward to continuing and further developing our business relationship.
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Politics & Government
Even GOP activists are turning against Sarah Palin
ROCK HILL, S.C. — As Sarah Palin wonders whether to run for president, she might want to talk to people in places such as South Carolina.
She'd find her star fading, and her prospects daunting.
Republicans still like her, but now they openly question whether she could or should be nominated for president, let alone elected.
At a recent gathering in South Carolina, the site of a crucial early presidential primary next year, party activists said the former Alaska governor didn't have the experience, the knowledge of issues or the ability to get beyond folksy slang and bumper-sticker generalities that they think is needed to win and govern.
Many are shopping for someone else. They're looking at Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., for example, and seeing what they call a smarter, more experienced candidate who's equally as conservative.
"Sarah Palin with a brain," said Gail Moore, a Republican from Columbia.
While national polls show that Palin still would win the support of about one in five Republicans in a national face-off today for the nomination, she no longer can claim the dominant role she enjoyed when she burst out of the 2008 campaign as the undisputed star of the party. She's also losing ground quickly among independents, who hold the keys to the White House.
"Her major weakness is that she needs to bone up on how the government works," said Don Long, a retiree from Lake Wylie, S.C. "I don't know if she's done as much of that as she needs to."
Long was one of about 150 Republicans who showed up for a fundraising dinner of the York County Republican Party, where they ate barbecued pork sandwiches from Bats BBQ — "You'll love the way we rub your butt" — and talked presidential politics.
Many already had seen potential candidates in person, such as Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, and came this time to hear Bachmann.
In interviews, most volunteered criticism of Palin.
"I like Palin," said Joseph Kejr, a Republican from Rock Hill who works in information technology for a Christian ministry. However, he added, "she's not polished in national government. In terms of leadership, I don't know about her."
"I'm not a big Sarah Palin fan," said Joe Thompson of York, who manages a small business and is the president of the South Carolina District 5 Patriots, a group devoted to the Constitution and against big government spending, taxes and programs. "I like her ideas. I'm not sure she'd be able to manage a lot of things she'd have to handle as president."
"She's not really creative," said Swain Shepperd, a retiree from Rock Hill. "She just repeats what's already been said by others."
Some said she hurt herself by quitting halfway through her term as governor of Alaska, robbing herself of a platform in government.
That shortfall's become more glaring as party activists have cheered on people who are now governing and fighting to cut spending, such as Govs. Chris Christie in New Jersey, Nikki Haley in South Carolina, Rick Scott in Florida and Scott Walker in Wisconsin, as well as Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives such as Bachmann.
Also, Palin could have problems beyond the party. Polls show that the more the American public has seen of Palin, the less they've liked her.
Since she lit up the national stage in the fall of 2008 as the party's plain-talking vice presidential nominee, the ranks of people who have favorable impressions of her have dropped and the number with an unfavorable impression has spiked.
A Gallup poll taken in September 2008, for example, found that 53 percent had favorable views of her and 28 percent held unfavorable views. Last month, the same poll found the numbers were almost reversed, 38-53.
Even worse for GOP activists, she looks weak against President Barack Obama, a crucial factor for Republicans yearning for a champion who can oust the Democrat from the White House.
A recent McClatchy-Marist poll found that Obama would trounce her by 56-30 percent if the election were held now.
That was by far the weakest among three big-name Republicans tested; Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee each fared better against Obama. And it was considerably weaker than her standing just a month before, when she trailed Obama by 52-40 percent.
The key reason: She's lost support among independents, and she gets far less support from that swing bloc than the other two Republicans tested do.
It's been a surprising turn since 2008, said Lee Miringoff, the director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion in New York, which conducts the McClatchy-Marist Poll. Despite a barrage of criticism of Palin by Democrats and the news media, she came out of the election looking as if she'd be the major force for the party's nomination.
"She doesn't appeal to the center, and she hasn't been trying to," Miringoff said.
"There's a general sense among Republicans that this is someone they like being part of the 2012 narrative," Miringoff said. "They don't mind her pushing the edge of the envelope on issues. But there's concern about electability, about polarization. They're not necessarily sure she should be the nominee."
Poll: Obama rebounding, would beat GOP rivals, crush Palin
Obama says he'd stop adding to debt, but that's not true
Breaking silence, Sarah Palin accuses critics of 'blood libel'
For more McClatchy politics coverage visit Planet Washington


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A Link Between Tornadoes and Climate Change? Never!
On May 23, shortly after a deadly tornado wiped away much of the town of Joplin, Missouri, YES! Magazine contributing editor Bill McKibben wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post sarcastically mocking the idea that the tornadoes—or any of the other recent devastating weather events that have destroyed lives, property, and food production—are linked to the Earth's warming climate. "It's far smarter to repeat to yourself the comforting mantra that no single weather event can ever be directly tied to climate change," he wrote. If you start to ask why so many natural disasters are happening, "well, you might have to ask other questions."
Filmmaker Stephen Thomson of Plomomedia illustrated McKibben's op-ed with haunting images of the floods, fires, and tornadoes that presage the global climate catastrophe we're facing. The result is a powerful video that makes it very difficult not to connect the dots—and to ask questions about what we can do to keep today's disasters from becoming tomorrow's normal.
- about responding to the climate crisis at YES! Magazine's 15th birthday party.
McKibben imagines himself in the year 2100, looking back at a century of climate chaos and asking: What did it take to save the world?
What do the deficit, budget, and tax battles now raging across America and Europe have to do with solving climate change? More than you think.
For advice about life after graduation, students at Worcester Polytechnic wanted to hear from peak oil scholar Richard Heinberg instead of Exxon's CEO. Here's what he told them.


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"Henry's Crime"
Keanu Reeves stars as Henry, a man wrongly convicted of a bank robbery who upon his release from jail decides to rob the bank that got him in trouble, with the help of a con played by James Caan. Somewhere along the way he falls in love with Vera Farmiga.
We don't waste our time on anything not worth your time. We celebrate the best of what's coming on film and TV. We cheer when our expectations are met and criticize when we're let down.


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Maiden's Prayer Cocktail (No. 2*)
1/3 Kina Lillet. (3/4 oz Cocchi Americano)
1/3 Dry Gin. (3/4 oz North Shore Distiller's No. 6)
1/6 Calvados. (1/2 of 3/4 oz Groult Calvados Réserve 3 years old)
1/6 Pricota. (1/2 of 3/4 oz Rothman & Winter Orchard Apricot)
Shake (I stirred) well and strain into cocktail glass.
*On the principle that if at first you don't succeed, cry, cry again.
According to cocktaildb Pricota was, "Defunct but highly-respected proprietary brand of English apricot-flavored brandy liqueur. Produced by Humphrey Taylor & Co. of London in the late 18th and 19th centuries," so we'll use the highly respected R&W Orchard Apricot instead.
Again, even though it is a modern gin, I've previously found that the North Shore No. 6 works well with apricot flavors, so I've deployed it here.
My bottle of Cocchi Aperitivo Americano, though it has served me well, is nearing a state of tragic emptiness. Here's hoping someone soon manages to convince the TTB to allow it back into the country.
I've found pleasure in the prayers of both of these Maidens and would be hard pressed to pick a favorite. The sweet-tart No. 1 or the bitter-sweet No. 2.
Both are well balanced, witty, and sophisticated young ladies, err… cocktails!
Chuckle, while I appreciate the bloom of sweet-tart youth, I guess I have come to a point in my life where some bitter-sweet experience is more appealing. In cocktails, that is. Right?
This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.


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Autumn Amanita #08
sold out
Autumn Amanita #08
This doll is a Dancey Pants Disco original. Hand sewn and embroidered, 17 inches tall, and a lover of adventure. Because she is handsewn, she is entirely unique. She is sturdy, but I would not recommend leaving her to fend for herself in a wild playroom! <3
Dancey Pants Disco dolls are not intended for children three and under!
Add To Cart


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Every Gucci shoe is an artistic expression meant to showcase a person's style acumen. Opulent ornamentation abounds in crystals, studding, metallic-leather accents, and other intricate details. Gucci heels, from pinpoint stilettos to inches-thick "flat forms" give you an elegant, towering presence. Gucci sandals can be as simple as a few flirty straps or as predominant as a chunky Mary Jane with buckles that extend from the vamp to the calf.
Some shoes are meant to quietly complement an outfit; Gucci shoes are the kind you build your look around. They take center stage, while the outfit remains a mere backdrop for which to showcase the real stars: the Gucci shoes. For your next black-tie affair, opt for a runway-edition Gucci heel. For a night of dancing, consider a sexy, strappy Gucci sandal. Head out for an afternoon stroll in signature House Web Gucci sneakers. No matter where you spend your time, Gucci shoes are just the right fit.
The iconic house of Gucci makes getting dressed for an occasion something to look forward to, thanks to exacting designs and elaborate details. Experience the magic for yourself — shop the awe-inspiring selection of Gucci shoes at Neiman Marcus today.


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Bridgeport ponders the chicken and the egg
BRIDGEPORT -- The handful of Rhode Island Red chickens crossed their backyard coop as Sue Blagys approached.
"So these are our girls," said the proud owner, who with her family has been raising the hens for three years behind their historic home in the city's picturesque Black Rock neighborhood.
Across town, on a street lined with multi-family homes, the cries of a rooster -- illegal in the city -- lead to one small, fenced-in backyard in particular that has been turned over to several birds.
"It doesn't bother me," said Norma Chambers, who lives within earshot of the house, where at least two roosters were engaged in a cock-a-doodle-doo match this particular afternoon. "I come from the islands (Jamaica). It don't bother me at all."
The city won't solve the "which came first" debate over chickens and eggs. But when it comes to poultry and rules legalizing it, the birds got here first, and now Bridgeport's trying to figure out what to do about them.
The City Council is debating a proposal by Mayor Bill Finch allowing residents who meet a variety of criteria involving the size and location of the coop, food storage and waste disposal -- and who also attend a city-sponsored chicken-tending course -- to raise up to six hens for their eggs.
Finch sees it as a way of encouraging more people to raise their own food.
But at least one council member -- Lydia Martinez, D-137, whose immigrant constituents sometimes keep concealed coops -- is struggling with whether the new policy will hurt those households by forcing them into the open.
"One way or the other, we're going to have people unhappy," Martinez said.
Bridgeport's little-used poultry ordinance requires anyone who wants to raise hens --no roosters -- to obtain permission from the health director. That's it.
Warren Blunt, the city's chief of environmental health who helped draft the newer, more detailed rules, was not aware of any households that had taken advantage of that option.
Luckily, Sue Blagys and her husband, Phil, kept an email they received on Sept. 21, 2010, from then-Health Director William Quinn, granting them permission after a year-long application process to raise chickens.
"Good luck," wrote Quinn.
Blagys, a visiting nurse, joked that the decision was part of a mid-life crisis.
"I didn't want to have an affair. I didn't want a sports car. I wanted chickens," she said.
The Blagys family has owned the home for 101 years, and Sue assumed prior generations kept chickens.
She researched the topic and also took a course in Bethany.
The 8-foot by 20-foot backyard coop was built atop a solid rock foundation to keep predators from burrowing beneath the wire. Tarps are hung in the winter to keep snow out.
At dusk, the hens march up a ramp to an enclosure to sleep.
The small flock eats pellets, meal worms and family leftovers -- even the remains of a scallop dinner. The Blagys' collect and donate the bird feces to people who compost it for garden fertilizer.
Without roosters, there is little noise; just some soft clucking.
If you want chicks, you need a rooster. Otherwise you get unfertilized, edible eggs and a quiet coop.
"Nobody knows they're here," she added, other than neighbors who happily baby sit when the family goes away so they can be compensated with fresh eggs.
Councilman Richard Paoletto, D-138, whose Ordinance Committee last week began reviewing Finch's poultry policy, said anyone who has proof they legally own chickens under the existing law will likely be "grandfathered in."
Everyone else must apply to the Health Department for a permit, he said, even if Finch's proposal doesn't pass.
Martinez, whose East Side neighbor at one point owned a rooster, said as a Puerto Rican she is accustomed to living around chickens. She and friends know of Portuguese and Chinese immigrants raising them as well.
"It's not one culture," she said.
Martinez acknowledged the city must do something about the birds, but is not sure Finch's proposal is the answer.
"Restrictions sometimes get to be too tough on people," Martinez said. "I don't want to burden (people) with too many regulations they cannot follow."
email@example.com; 203-414-0712


text: March 1, 2010 If you're considering filing for your social security benefits, here are five ways to ensure you get the biggest possible check:1. Patience pays off. The longer you wait, the bigger the check. You can start collecting Social Security as early as age 62. If you do, however, you could suffer a reduction in benefits of 25% or more for the rest of your life. And if you continue to work, you could run up against the earnings cap, which in 2010 dings you $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn over $14,160. But wait until your normal retirement age of 66 (for those born between 1943 and 1954; older for those born later) to collect and you can earn as much as you want without trimming your benefits. Plus, that larger first check becomes the basis for future cost-of-living adjustments. SEE ALSO: The Mythical Social Security Crisis of 2011 2. Marriage has its perks. Couples have the most flexibility. Say your husband's lifetime earnings are much higher than yours. You're ready to start collecting benefits based on his record, but your husband is not ready to retire. The solution: Once he reaches his normal retirement age, he can file and suspend, meaning that you can collect your share while he waits to collect benefits until later, when they will be worth more. Advertisement If you have comparable incomes, however, there's a little-known strategy that can boost your total household benefits. Say your wife wants to stop working but you don't. She can claim benefits based on her record. If you are at least 66, you can claim spousal benefits only on her record and put off collecting your own Social Security until age 70, when you qualify for the maximum payout. 3. But you can collect if you decouple. You may be able to collect on your former spouse's benefits, as long as you were married for at least ten years and are 62 or older. (If you remarry, however, you can't collect retirement benefits based on your first spouse's record -- unless your second trip to the altar ends in divorce, annulment or death.) If your ex-spouse dies, you're entitled to a monthly survivor benefit (even if he or she remarried) equal to 100% of what your ex received during his or her lifetime -- assuming it's higher than your benefit. You can even collect your ex's survivor benefits if you remarry, as long as you waited at least until age 60 before you walked down the aisle again. 4. Bide your time. Get a bonus. If you wait until age 70 you can collect even more, thanks to the delayed-retirement credit, which is worth 8% a year. Say your normal retirement age is 66 and at that age you'd collect $1,000 a month. If you wait until you're a septuagenarian, your check would grow to $1,320 -- a full 32% more. If you retired four years early, at 62, your monthly payment would be just $750. With average life expectancies at an all-time high, chances are good you'll be around to enjoy the higher benefits. 5. Ask for a do-over. If you started collecting Social Security and wish you had waited in order to get a higher benefit, you can press the reset button. Honest. You'll need to pay back what you've received -- which could be $100,000 or more -- but the government won't charge you interest. And the taxes you paid? You can request a refund. Essentially, this strategy allows you to take an interest-free loan from the government. Once you repay, Uncle Sam will restart your benefits at the new, higher rate. But it pays to stay in good health because it could take eight to ten years to recoup your investment. Haven't yet filed for Social Security? Create a personalized strategy to maximize your lifetime income from Social Security. Order Kiplinger's Social Security Solutions today.


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Your media agency's mission statement
Whenever you are developing a brand for your business, it is important to know your mission- that is the soul of your brand. Knowing your mission is one of the most important decisions or considerations you should take.
Your mission is what drives every aspect of your business. Business analysts say that it is the anchor for everything you do in the business. Earlier than now, you may not have considered or discovered the importance of a mission statement or its relevance to you. May be you are thinking that mission statements are exclusively reserved for fortune 500 corporations or non-profit organizations.
In the corporate world, most people talk about their mission statements. It is not for nothing that they do so; they do so because they know its importance. The truth is that your mission demonstrates your essential purpose- knowing your mission and working towards actualising the mission will surely accelerate your brand to enviable heights.
If you want to increase your relevance in today's crowded media space, or become innovative than ever- then you should come up with a formidable mission statement. Mission statement is a blueprint for total transformation of your company. If you have a media agency, you should have a mission statement that inspires you to meet up with your client's demands.
Think big, move fastAs an executive director of a media agency, you should learn how to think big, not just any type of thinking, but thinking creatively. This media agency Melbourne provides an excellent platform for powerful and effective innovation.
If you are a creative thinker, it will be very easy for you to tackle broad organizational problems. When you think creatively, you solve complex challenges and then you achieve tangible and immediate traction results.
The only way to be an innovative thought-leader in your establishment is to be a creative thinker, because if you are not creative enough, some professionals will play with your intelligence, and make a lot of money from you.
Be committed to innovationWe are living in a highly globalized world. Things keep on evolving every day. Your media agency should be committed to adapt to the modern technology.
Thus, building a discipline of innovation is the key. Being committed to innovation is not just a lip service. A lot of things are required, true marketing innovation entails strong discipline and structure.
It must be configured in a way that others outside your organization will know what your media agency or advertising agency is doing. Your company should inspire product designers, architects, engineers, anthropologists and so on to do business with them. How diverse is your media agency? This is why we say above that you should embrace creativity or creative thinking.
In the pursuit of your organizational objectives, there is a possibility that things may not initially work as you earlier thought. Don't give up. Failure can be a part way for success. Be ever willing to accept change.
Don't be discouraged or grumble when you fail, instead try as much as possible to learn from it. This will help you to keep moving forward. Moving forward involves meeting your client's targets and also making huge money for your company as well.


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Felim collapsed into the snow, exhausted. It felt like it would be the last fall this time, his limbs stiffening and flesh numb. The adventurer had heard of natives that thrived out here, men who slew bears and made coats of seal fur. But who could build anything out here...?
Just as he felt light start to fade, Felim cast his gaze up to see the sky one last time. He was startled - or would have been, if his body had the energy - to see a furred hood and a leathery face with a toothless grin. "Ho there, brother!" it spoke. "You came to just the right place."
"O Divine Broker, merchant of souls, bless our transaction, make it holy and righteous in Your sight. May those that profit from it be ever prosperous, and earn our reward in Your Sacred Market. Release us from our debts, and grant us lucrative exchange now and forever."
- Prayer before a trade, from Bashad the Spectacular's "The Handbook of Divine Wealth"
Any number of clergymen might be accused of putting their demands for secular wealth over their spiritual needs. Even these, however, would never claim to worship their prosperity. Yet such is the case with the followers of the Way of Divine Wealth, a religion of uncertain history and unabashed cupidity.
A spell for a penny
Red Dogs? his shop isnt on the market, you'll have to wind over behind it, on one of the back streets. Wont be hard to find though, just look for the metal dogs and you've found him.
Should we fail to deliver a good promised within seven days, whence it arrives it shall be delivered free of all charges.
Baldric and Frog's Semaine Promise
The customers who find this elusive little shop may leave with more than a simple love potion in their pocket.
Many think gold and silk are the way to wealth, but people always need to eat and they hate to eat the "same old bland thing". Thus they will always buy herbs, spices, and salt.
The Local Barron does not own this business, but he certain keeps it in business. It was named in his honor by two (now old) men who realized that non wizard generated cold drinks and foods could be profitable. In doing such, they have literally change the country.
The Returning Gem buys and sells goods, like a good pawn shop should.
Brownworks is a leatherworking shop and store. It is not much to look at from the outside. You know it is a leather shop the moment you open the door.
The city is large enough, and filled with enough nobles and rich merchants, that it can support a number of "frivolous businesses". Thus Garden in the City is the first Florist in the city (heck… in The Land).
It is an unassuming brick building. However, it is made assuming because it is surrounded by more traditional timber and plaster buildings. There are no windows and a very plain door. On the door is incribed the name of the establishment Zenorcans. Almost no one knows what goes on in there.
Silver Thread's shop is a tailors shop. The shop mistress and her crew can produce a wide variety of local styled clothing in a wide variety of local cloths. While most clothes are always custom made, Silver Thread's shop actually has premade clothing.
The Silver Chalice is the shop (and market stall) where Fredius Cancian of Amar sells his fine wines. His wines are a bit pricey, but worth the cost as they are generally better than the local wines. (note: He sells finer local wines as well, just they are few and far between).
On the intersection of Noble Avenue and First Street lies Kandorr's Fine Perfumery. The shop occupies the entire building which is built in a classical style with majestic marble pillars and stylish stained glass windows.
Nestled in between the other vendors and shops in the market is a small shop, humble in appearance, yet exclusive in clientele…
Wizard's Shop? Where's the Magic Shop? What sort of rubbish are you going on about sir?
It is a colorful shop, full of dolls, puppets, mannequins, small statues, and other things that are just "shadows" of a human. That is what this shop sells.
It was a single store that sold a variety of good made by a variety of people. It was such a novel concept that most people will dislike it. "It is just not the way we do things around here", they would say. Yet they still buy things here.
The city has clay tiles on its roofs. This is the bane of sneaky thieves in the city. So where do these tiles come from? And why does anyone think there might be an adventure related to this.
The Petty Kingdoms is a region consisting of hundreds of small states. Some are kingdoms, some are city states, some are large farming communities, some are duchesses and baronies and so on and so forth. Within a few miles the PCs might reach a new "country" with completely different rules and norms than the one they left behind. "What do you eat here? Humans ye say? Lets turn around fellas."


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Let $M$ be a open complete manifold with Ricci curvature $\ge 0$. By a theorem of Calabi and Yau, the volume growth of $M$ is at least of linear. I am wondering whether the following statement is true:
Let $p$ be any fixed point in $M$ and $B(p, r)$ be the distance ball of radius $r$ in $M$. Then for any given $R>0$, there exists a constant $c=c(p,R)>0$ such that $Area(\partial B(p, r))\ge c(p,R)$ for any $r>R$.


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NBC is reportedly in talks with Alec Baldwin to join the late-night lineup, according to The New York Times.
The network is said to be in talks with the 30 Rock alum to host a 30-minute late-night program that would possibly replace Carson Daly's Last Call. (Daly is currently the host of NBC's biggest hit, The Voice.)
Jay Leno talks Tonight Show news: "I had a really awkward day today"
With Jimmy Fallon taking over The Tonight Show for Jay Leno and Saturday Night Live's Seth Meyers reportedly in contention to replace him, it seems NBC is looking for a complete overhaul of their late-night lineup.
Would you watch a late-night show hosted by Baldwin?


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Route: 40I, Local
Weather: Clear, 93 degrees, wind 260 degrees at 6 knots
This all started when I received an email from fellow pilot and blogger TJ, of TJ's Flying Adventures, on Wednesday afternoon. He was flying back home to Florida from Michigan on Thursday and would be stopping to stay overnight at Wright Brothers Airport. We made plans to meet for dinner and he, Gina, and I went out for a tasty Italian meal last night. It was great to finally meet up and have a nice conversation over some food and wine. He asked what my schedule looked like in the morning since it would be nice to take me for a ride in his Cirrus. I lucked out - my calendar was completely free of meetings!
I woke up this morning and logged into my email remotely, working from home for about an hour. Then I drove over to the Hampton Inn to meet up with TJ and give him a ride to MGY. After a quick preflight, I climbed into the right seat and he started to explain all the nifty, shiny gizmos in the cockpit. For someone like TJ that does a ton of XC and IFR flying, all that automation and technology is a major asset. Needless to say, it's also by far the most advanced cockpit I've ever set foot in!
TJ's gorgeous airplane on the ground at Dayton Wright Brothers Airport
It's a very comfortable ride, to say the least
Avidyne's R9 system in TJ's cockpit just after takeoff from MGY
We took off on Runway 20 and TJ had Stewart set as a waypoint. He activated the autopilot and the airplane flew us over towards my home 'drome at 2,500 feet. That turbo up front sure performs well - it seemed like we leveled off 30 seconds after takeoff! TJ showed me a couple of the countless functions available in the amazing R9 system. Then he kindly handed me the controls and I flew us around for a few minutes while he enjoyed the scenery below. I was amazed at how responsive the airplane was; TJ said he enjoyed being able to look out the window for a change!
Flying over Stewart in the Cirrus
Lebanon Correctional Institution
I flew us over King's Island and then made a 360 per TJ's request while he loaded an instrument approach into the system. Then he clicked the magic button and the autopilot engaged, flying us to the initial approach fix for the GPS RWY 2 approach into MGY. The airplane guided us right down the extended centerline, correcting perfectly for a rather strong crosswind. TJ set us down softly on the runway and taxied back to the ramp.
Believe it or not, this was actually my first-ever flight in a low-wing GA plane! I certainly lucked out that I was able to mark that milestone in an airplane as slick as a SR22 G3 Turbo. The short flight was a lot of fun - it was amazing to see all that techno-wizardry at work in person. I'm certainly thankful that TJ offered to take me up this morning... and that I was able to accept the kind offer!
Short final for Runway 02 at Wright Brothers
After that fun, there was still some time before TJ needed to hop back in the plane to fly home. The weather was perfect for a Cub flight with the door open... so what do you think we did next? All of you regular readers know where this is going. We hopped back in my car and drove to Stewart and TJ got to experience his first tailwheel - and first Cub - flight!
He was shocked at the simplicity of the instrument panel and got to figure out his own rendition of the "Cub dance" as he squeezed himself into the front seat. I think he got a kick out of our hand-propped start and enjoyed feeling the breeze through the open door once the engine started turning. I explained the incredibly brief CIGAR checklist as I ran through my checks. We rolled onto the runway and were off the ground quickly thanks to a headwind coming almost straight at us.
I'm about to show TJ some quintessential fun in the Cub...
I flew low for a little while, letting TJ take some photos of the foliage and scenery. Staring out the door of a Cub is roughly the polar opposite of the fancy avionics in his Cirrus and he enjoyed the heck out of it. After crossing most of Caesar Creek Lake, I pushed in the power and climbed up to around 3,500 feet. Then it was time for one of my favorite fun pastimes - streamer cutting! Usual buzz-kill disclaimer here.
Once he was ready, out went the roll of toilet paper. I managed to cut it almost at the roll with the right wing. That's good, except for the fact that without the roll attached the remaining paper just kind of flutters in the wind instead of streaming down. No major loss, it just meant that one cut was the only pass I could make at it. TJ still thought it was a ton of fun and I made two steep turns while we were still up high.
He took the controls for a few minutes after I explained the need for proper rudder usage via my "roll hard with no rudder" trick. You certainly see what adverse yaw is all about in a hurry in a Cub. TJ did a nice job flying and handed the controls back, saying "let's see how you land this thing!" The wind was still blowing down the runway and I remained high on purpose. That way I was able to use a large forward slip on short final before touching down relatively softly on the very dry, hard grass. (We need some rain here!)
Here's the video TJ shot with his camera in the Cub
I really should start requiring my new Cub passengers to sign waivers that they won't sue me for causing a new flying addiction. TJ said he had an absolute blast and, well, I can't blame him. Cubs in the summer are everything that's perfect about aviation. I'm glad he had a great time and I'm equally glad we finally met and shared some flight time together!
Flight Track: Google Earth KMZ File
Today's Flight: 0.6 hours
Total Time: 207.0 hours


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Series Was #2 Most Social Cable Reality Show In Primetime
With #Preachersofla Trending Across The U.S.
NEW YORK, NY - October 10, 2013 - The series premiere of Oxygen's much anticipated new docu-series, "Preachers of L.A." delivered 1.1 million total viewers, 529,000 P18-49 and 378,000 F18-49, which marks the network's strongest Wednesday season premiere ever according to Nielsen. Last night's episode delivered Oxygen's second highest rated series premiere in network history among F25-54 (426,000). In the 10pm hour, Oxygen was the #5 cable network among F25-54 and compared to the prior four week time period average, the series premiere saw triple digit growth, up 282 percent in total viewers, 215 percent among P18-49 and 178 percent among F18-49.
"Preachers of L.A." was the #2 most social cable reality program and #3 most social reality program in primetime with #PreachersofLA trending in the U.S. on Twitter during the premiere. The first episode was made available on VOD and Oxygen.com a week early and garnered over 180,000 full episode streams and over 1.1 million page views since the launch of the show site (6/27/13).
On next week's episode, airing on Wednesday, October 16 at 10PM ET/PT, Bishop Gibson and First Lady LaVette invite Deitrick and fiancé Dominique to dinner to question them on whether they are marrying for the right reasons. Pastor Jay Haizlip seeks divine wisdom in dealing with a transgender former church member.
For more "Preachers of L.A." content, fans can visit the official show site to see exclusive video, behind-the-scenes photos, news, interviews and bios. While each episode premieres, viewers can see and interact with real-time content synched to the show, including chats, photos, bonus videos, GIFs and more. In addition, fans can check out the official Facebook page and join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #PreachersofLA.
Source: Nielsen Media Research, LS; SocialGuide.
About Oxygen Media
Oxygen Media is a multiplatform entertainment brand that delivers relevant and engaging content to young women who like to "live out loud." Oxygen is rewriting the rulebook for women's media by changing how the world sees entertainment from a young woman's point of view. Through a vast array of unconventional and original content, including "The Face," "Best Ink," "I'm Having Their Baby" and "Bad Girls Club," the growing cable network is the premier destination to find unique and groundbreaking unscripted programming. A social media trendsetter, Oxygen is a leading force in engaging modern young women, wherever they are, with popular, award winning features online including www.OxygenLive.com, the real time social viewing party that is also available as an app for the iPhone and iPad. Oxygen is available in 80 million homes, and can be found online and on mobile devices at www.oxygen.com. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/OxygenPR. Oxygen Media is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal.


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Jasper County Trails
If you have imagined a Jasper County full of walking, horse and bike paths, you are not alone.
This spring, representatives of Jasper County Economic Development, the National Park Service and the Northwest Indiana Regional Plan Commission held public meetings around the county to solicit input from citizens as to where and what those paths might look like.
The draft vision plan is now on file at your local library, where you can request it from our government documents collection. The plan comes with economic statements, health and quality of life statements, and more.
Did you know, for instance, that "rural residents experience higher rates of obesity and overweight than people living in urban areas," at least partly due to lesser opportunities for community exercise.
Community input played a big role in shaping how this document has come together. Organizers back in April said they had not initially planned equestrian paths for Jasper County until residents expressed a desire for them.
Another part of the plan involves the creaton of a float trail down the Iroquois River that would give water tourists a place to put in and take out personal watercraft, possibly opening the door for a canoe rental operation or refreshments.
Organizers have stressed this plan is simply a vision document to give planners at the municipal and county level a starting point for developing their own trails framework. Each community would have the opportunity to approve the plan at a public meeting.
To learn more, stop in and spend a few minutes browsing our copy of the Jasper County Trail Vision plan.


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The Cohaagen Apparatus is an illegal piece of technology used for memory manipulation.
Arakis's zombie problem went largely ignored, because it was believed that the Shai-Hulud (sand worms) would effectively dispose of the undead walkers. Unfortunately the problem grew until the roving herds of sunburnt ghouls threatened the flow of spice. While observing one of the great reanimated masses over take a Harvester from the safety of an ornithopter, an Imperial Zoologists noted that the sand caked flesh eating revenants walked entirely without rhythm.
Shortly after receiving this report the Bene Gesserits claimed to have a solution to Arakis's hellish resurrections. They asserted to the agents of the great houses that the worms could be drawn to the walkers using an ancient sonic weapon. According to the sisters, exposing the zombies to an antediluvian ballad composed by the great master M. Jackson would force them to step in time.


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Yummy!! $5. 99 at Trader Joes
More posts
- Really nice Barbera d'Asti with hints of cherry and blackberries
- Ca'dipian barbera d'asti 2010
- At Gather 8\20\15 with my amazing wife just before our wine tasting. Marchesi di Gresy 2012 Barbera d'asti
- Trader Joes - $5.99 Delicious!
- Another great reco from Robbie-fruit, body, low tannin, yum. Lobster fettuccine, shrimp Paesano & cheese pizza for ECO.


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The Story of Broke
"America isn't broke—it's broken," read one protest sign at an Occupy Wall Street site. Not long ago, of course, the conversation in Washington, D.C. was all about how "broke" the nation was—too broke, some politicians argued, to pay its obligations to creditors, much less provide basic services for its citizens. The fight over the debt ceiling is on hold, for now, but the Super Committee is still considering massive cuts to the social safety net, based on the argument that the United States can no longer afford to take care of its residents the way it once did.
But is it true? "Every time I looked at ways make our communities healthy, sustainable, and just, I kept coming up against 'nice idea, but we're broke,'" says Annie Leonard, (creator of The Story of Stuff, The Story of Cap & Trade, The Story of Cosmetics, The Story of Bottled Water, The Story of Electronics, and The Story of Citizens United). "So I thought it was time to get to the heart of this argument."
The Story of Broke is an 8-minute video explanation of what she found. "It turns out this whole 'broke' story hides a much bigger story—a story of some really dumb choices being made for us—choices that actually work against us," explains Leonard. "The good news is that these are choices, and we can make different ones."
- How to Liberate America
How is it that our nation is awash in money, but too broke to provide jobs and services? David Korten introduces a landmark new report, "How to Liberate America from Wall Street Rule."
- Occupy Wall Street's Moral Ground
Much of the Occupy movement's power comes from a simple moral message: It's wrong to wreck the world. It's wrong to wreck the health and hopes of others.
- 10 Ways to Support the Occupy Movement
There are many things you can do to be part of this growing movement—and only some of them involve sleeping outside.


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Published at Tuesday, August 06th, 2019 - 04:11:17 AM. Vanity. By Alfred Barrientos.
Each material adds different color, vibrancy, and appeal to your bedroom/bathroom. So when you're shopping for a vanity, consider the existing style of your bedroom and/or bathroom. You want your vanity to shine, but not distract.
Another important interior design aspect of your vanity is the colour. White is a popular color for a large majority of vanities nowadays but there are other options that you could consider as a focal point to your bathroom. The Laminex range of colours is expansive and is definitely worth checking out if you are getting a vanity custom made for your bathroom. The Dante range of bathroom vanities, which is ready made, is also available in a variety of laminex colours.
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Any content, trademark's, or other material that might be found on the Joceedesigns website that is not Joceedesigns's property remains the copyright of its respective owner/s. In no way does Joceedesigns claim ownership or responsibility for such items, and you should seek legal consent for any use of such materials from its owner.


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Brad Cooksey
ACTC is a great school with great professors. The location is convenient and tuition is affordable for students in the tri-state area. I would recommend ACTC to students who are coming out of high school and to people who would like to go back to school and get a degree.


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Large ProductMore Information
Lawnflite MTD ECS180035 230v 1800w Electric Chainsaw 35cm
The high performing, safe and easy to use ECS180035 chainsaw is ideal for all types of sawing work around the house which can be done with cord length. This includes tree trimming and cutting-down of fruit trees, the building of an arbour in the garden, and the cutting of the firewood as well as small wood and branches.
The top quality bar and chain driven by the 1800w high power motor ensures effortless cutting and superior durability.
The automatic chain-lubrication helps to keep things running smoothly and lessens wear-and-tear on the cutting-gear.
The robust hand-guard, included as standard, protects you should the chain slip off the bar.
The oil tank fill level indicator lessens the chance of running dry and damaging the chain and bar.
Fewer vibrations from the handle featuring a partly rubber covering, an ergonomic build, an engine casing made of lightweight yet durable fibreglass -reinforced plastic as well as a slim, well-balanced body are additional deciding factors that speak for an electric chainsaw.
Specification of Lawnflite MTD ECS180035 230v 1800w Electric Chainsaw 35cm
Motor: 1800w.
Voltage: 230v / 50hz.
Bar length: 35cm.
Bar manufacturer: Oregon.
Chain: 3/8" mini.
Chain manufacturer: Oregon.
Chain tensioner: front.
Chain oil tank: 0.2ltr.
Auto chain lubrication: yes.
Cutter guard: inclusive.
Weight: approx 4kg
Lawnflite offer a 2 year warranty as standard on their products.
Each product sold in the UK and Ireland is supported by a nationwide network of specialist service dealers. If your equipment breaks down, a dealer will repair it in their own workshop.
To find your nearest participating dealer please call 0845 273 9730 or visit the Lawnflite website.
Buyaparcel offer delivery throughout the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, Scottish Highlands and other Islands of the UK. In addition we can now also deliver through Europe.
UK Delivery Prices
£2.95 - Royal Mail Second Class (2-5 Days Approx - selected products only)
£3.95 - Standard UK Delivery (2-3 Days Approx)
£5.95 - Next Day UK Delivery (Orders placed before 3.30pm Monday - Friday)
£8.95 - Saturday Delivery (Orders placed before 3.30pm Friday)
£36.00 - Pallet Delivery (2-3 Days Approx - selected products only)
International Delivery Prices
In addition we now deliver through Europe on a 48 Hour Delivery Service as Standard
Zone 1 – £9.99
Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, France, Netherlands, Rep Ireland.
Zone 2- £14.99
Austria, Denmark, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Hungary.
Zone 3 – £19.99
Estonia, Spain, Sweden, Italy, Portugal, Latvia.
Zone 4 – £29.99
Bulgaria, Finland, Romania.
Zone 5 – £49.99
Bosnia, Croatia, Switzerland.
Zone 6 – £59.99
Norway, Serbia, Iceland.
Choose a Delivery Date to Suit You
You also now have the facility to choose a day you wish to have your order delivered on if your order is being delivered via courier or pallet. This can be done at the checkout stage where you will be shown a calendar if you select the book in option. You will have the option of booking in your delivery for a day that is convenient for you. Should you require the order the following day please select the next day option.
Is My Item Available for Next Day Delivery?
If your item is stocked in our immediate picking location it will available for you to choose a next day delivery. This will be highlighted by a green tick and a 1 day dispatch time on the item information.
You will have the option to choose this service if you are purchasing your item for delivery to mainland UK.
What courier will my item be delivered with?
If your item is being delivered in the UK or Ireland, it will be delivered by UK Mail or Royal Mail, with the exception of pallet items. The courier type is displayed on each item but will be confirmed at the checkout stage when you have completed your shopping.
If you are an international customer, your goods will initially be sent via UK Mail, and then exported to either Eurodis or DHL. The appropriate tracking can be provided when necessary.
Details of each courier service we offer are detailed in our Delivery Guide.
How do I track my delivery?
To track your order online, go to 'Your Account' and click on 'Purchase History' for an update on your order.
Our team work extremely hard to get your parcels to your door in the shortest possible time but please note that we recommend you do not book a plumber etc until you have received and checked your goods.
Please note:
- Delivery addresses cannot be changed once the order is placed except in the case of an error, which we will do our best to change, but orders are often shipped quickly after being processed.
- The couriers we use do not deliver to PO boxes or building sites.
Returns at Buyaparcel
We've simplified our returns process! We now offer a no-questions-asked, free returns service within the first 30 days (subject to T&Cs).
You can find our returns information in our Terms and Help page.


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WASHINGTON – People paying high taxes might joke about getting "hosed," but new plumbing will be tax free in some cases in Virginia this weekend.
Virginia's sales tax holiday on Energy Star and WaterSense qualified products lasts through Monday, Oct. 14. Monday is a federal holiday to commemorate Columbus Day.
The tax exemption applies to items costing $2,500 or less and includes everything from toilets and faucets to ceiling fans and refrigerators.
In Northern Virginia the sales tax is 6 percent.
Maryland has a sales tax holiday for Energy Star products coming up in February.
Follow @WTOP on Twitter.


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Was your favorite team's pass defense horrid yesterday? Fear not, because MOST NFL pass defenses were horrible yesterday.
Eleven quarterbacks threw for over three hundred yards yesterday, including the likes of Rex Grossman, Cam Newton, and Mark Sanchez. Just about everyone got in on the action (except the Vikings, who couldn't pass a salt shaker). Last year, only three QBs passed for that many yards in Week 1. In 2009, the number was seven. In 2008, the number was four. Ditto 2007 with four, three in 2006, two in 2005, four in 2004, two in 2003 and you get the idea. In fact, I checked every year going back to 1970 (as far as NFL.com allows) and no other opening weekend had as many 300-yard passers, and we haven't even played all the games yet. It's a record. A RECORD I TELL YOU!
Now, passing yards is a misleading stat that is often driven by game situations, and there were certainly a few lopsided contests yesterday. And certainly there's always going to be some variation in the numbers from year to year. But consider some of the defenses that got shredded over the past three days: Green Bay, Pittsburgh, the Jets, the Giants. Five of last year's top ten pass defenses got torn to pieces. Why? Does this coincide with the trend of shotgun spread offenses proliferating in the NFL this century? Is it dumb luck? Or does it signal short term effects of the lockout on defenses?
We saw a lot of busted coverages yesterday. But opposing offenses were able to get their act together in time to start the season, so it's a bit odd that pass defenses couldn't do likewise.
You can't chalk it up to new coaching changes, because only one team (Carolina) got strafed with a new coach in charge. Many of the teams that got victimized were teams that already had their coaches and defensive systems in place.
So either they all got fat, or they all got complacent or, more likely, the results are proof that, of all elements of the game, coverages need a full offseason of rehearsal, regardless of coaches or personnel. Because just one mistake back there leads to some pretty big plays, especially when teams are more pass happy than ever. Week one was proof of that. And if defenses don't get their act together soon, it'll be more of the same next time around.


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My Favorite Gaming Moments of 2010
|Uh, maybe let's let the big alien lead the pack
(Perfectly) Surviving Mass Effect 2's Final Mission
Mass Effect 2 won me over way before I stepped into the final chapter of the game, but the icing on the cake in Commander Shepard's quest to save the universe was the fact that plot-wise, every single character in the game that I'd spent hours developing a relationship with - racing through the cosmos, fighting aliens, saving planets, or just trying to bone them - were not automatically scripted to survive. Any and all of them (including you, technically) could die in the final mission. For those of you who haven't played many games, this is actually a pretty radical concept. Generally speaking, characters in game are only ever scripted to be killed at certain story-specific points, and the rest of the time you can only watch (or participate in helping) him or her get shot, slashed, drowned or burned alive only to fall unconscious and return to your side moments later.
The way you prevented this from happening mostly depended on how you were playing the game from the very beginning. If you were diligent in spending time with your crew, talking with them between missions, gaining their loyalty through side quests, and upgrading your ship through special tactics each of them knew (and naturally, wouldn't share with you until you became best buds) then you already had a leg-up. At that point, once you actually got to the final mission, it was mostly about just not making stupid decisions (i.e. have the chick with psychic powers to create the psychic force field, send the sentient robot anywhere dangerous, and keep the almost eager to die black guy on the back line of combat).
While there were many strategy guides available explaining what needed to be done, I never had to use a single one. Because I naturally (well, not always apparently as you'll soon see - but if I love a game enough, and I'm still having fun, certainly) play my games this way - with an anal-retentive level of dedication to seeking out every last morsel of content. So to be rewarded with the completion of the last mission, knowing that everyone could have died, but I saved them all thanks to my usually overzealous efforts was the icing on the cake of an altogether fantastic experience.
|Not pictured: crippling self-doubt
Creating a Deadly Metaphor Out of Super Meat Boy's Insane Difficulty Level
They say you can judge a man's character by how he faces his failures. There are moments when I'm faced with falling short of a goal, or rejection and disappointment, and during those times I'll mentally shield with myself with a moment of great success, a story of something I've overcome recently that proved that every failure is a chance to learn, and to overcome. And while I have my fair share of life successes, more often than not my go-to thoughts of success often come from a video game. That's a somewhat embarrassing admission, but what you need to understand is that at any given moment if you were to look inside my brain via some sort of brainwave interpreter, you'd realize my thoughts are mostly game-related to begin with. Hmm - that actually might be the more embarrassing admission, now that I think about it. Ah well, bleep blorp boop!
While recently playing the incredibly difficult Super Meat Boy - a game that often involves dying dozens of times in a row in order to complete a level - my ego was suddenly put on the line when I went through this thought process during a recent play session:
"Huh, this is hard. But that's how I like my challenges. The bar's been set, and I'm about to fly right over it. BRING IT ON SUPER MEAT BOY!!!"
24 deaths later:
"Wow. I still can't beat this shit. Maybe I should skip this level, or come back later. No, wait, fuck that, that's what Super Meat Boy WANTS me to do. Get it together, Shafeek! YOU SHALL OVERCOME!!"
17 deaths later:
"What. The. Fffffffffuckkk. This is an impossible stage. This stage is BROKEN. I HATE IT. RGRHGEIRGFGHDKH I HATE EVERYTHHHIINNNNGGGGG!!"
46 deaths later:
"I...I...I can't beat it. This is supposed to be something I do well. And I can't do it. Games are set up to be won. I have no excuses. If I can't do this...can I win at anything? I shouldn't just give up on this game...I should give up on LIFE."
84 deaths later:
"..." (with teeth clenched, and seriously angry controller gripping)
3 death later - Victory!
"WOOOOOOOOo!!! Yes, Yes YES! Oh, thank god, I'm not a complete failure."
Next stage, first death:
"Time for another game, I think."
I talk a lot about threshold that gamers sometimes pass where the game stops being fun, and I think this kind of exemplifies why I sometimes go to the point of masochism. The eventual victory (assuming I don't kill myself first) becomes that much sweeter.
|Wow, I had no idea the title was so literal.
Realizing Sleep Is Death's Limitless Possibilities
I wrote a post a while back on this fantastic game, so I won't go on too long about how awesome it is here. But suffice it to say although I probably didn't invest as much time into playing it as I should have (I think a sequel or version 2.0 that was a bit more user friendly would do wonders for not only me playing it more, but also for me being able to convince others to play), Sleep Is Death's concept - two players creating a story together, where one plays and interacts in the environment while the other generates the entire world and all its content on the fly - is amazing.
I had some truly inspiring moments trying to react to inventive players circumventing the path I was trying to lay out, all the while trying to craft a continuous, plausible and hopefully entertaining narrative. And on the other side of the table, when I was playing I felt like a part of the storytelling experience. Which got me thinking: one particular angle I hadn't considered before now is how this game could potentially bond two gamers more than other cooperative or competitive setting. This game is ultimately about two minds coming together for an interactive, symbiotic storytelling and game playing experience.
Sleep Is Death is the ultimate sandbox game and an experience every gamers owes it to himself to check out.
(Mental note: bring this game to PAX this year to play with others)
|Sorry, no time to chat. I've got other games to beat.
Shelving Dragon Quest IX's Overwhelming Amount of Content
This is less a 'Favorite Gaming Moment' and more a 'Favorite Moment of Personal Clarity to Occur Whilst Gaming.' It also doesn't just belong to Dragon Quest IX, but this game is the most egregious example of a title that I really enjoyed playing but simply had to draw a line in the sand with, content-wise. I played Dragon Quest IX for easily over 100 hours, and still somehow only managed to scratch the surface.
It's probably not much of an exaggeration to say that Dragon Quest IX has a near endless amount of content. An incredibly large world with dozens of dungeons to explore, treasures to be found (and made, via the game's alchemy system), and of course, character customization. One small example from this last point - you could conceivably make your character(s) a maximum level warrior, then have him jump to a new occupation as a wizard, then a thief, then a priest, etc. Your character(s) would slowly become sort of a god. And you know, there was definitely a moment when I debated doing this. But then I realized that would take more than 3 years of train rides with my DS to do that, and the fact was I had other shit I wanted to do. So I made my half-warrior half-paladin who was just badass enough to beat the final boss - who, in games like this, was not nearly as tough as many of the worlds' other outside-the-main-storyline-enemies - and I put the game down forever, leaving a ton of content on the plate.
As I stated earlier, this sentiment is sort of at-odds with my Mass Effect 2 entry, but even in Mass Effect 2 there were things I chose not to do (ok, one thing - I did not mine every single planet in the galaxy for materials, but that was probably the one really really not fun thing to do in that game). The difference now is my OCD-like behavior in gaming officially has an expiration date - and that date is the moment I stop having a LOT of fun.
Side note: another game blogger's thoughts on this very topic/game. She apparently is still playing (or simply not finishing) DQIX, not seeing the point in beating the final boss both because she doesn't want the experience to end, and because when it does, it will inevitably not be a grand enough punctual mark on the time she invested in it. I say that sometimes that sometimes the punctuation mark really just needs to be the what keeps the game from being an endless run-on sentence in your life, even if that sentence started off awesome but then eventually overstays its welcome and soon makes it clear that no matter where it ends it's probably not gonna be worth all the time that went into reading and/or writing it - but that could just be more of a personal preference...maybe.
|Sadly, by the time he built the Paddle Saw, all the zombies had hitched a ride to Miami
Killing Zombies in Dead Rising 2 with the Kitchen Sink
When I wrote two posts back in November on why I game, I listed my final reason as "Pure, Unadulterated Fun," and I think if I had to describe a concrete moment of pure joy I experienced this year, it was the simple pleasure I got out of discovering, creating, and using all the ridiculous duct-taped weapons I was able to use to fight the zombie horde that had taken over Fortune City in Dead Rising 2. Weapons like:
A Flaming Tennis Raquet:
A Fireworks Rocket Launcher:
A Shotgun/Pitchfork, or 'Boom Stick':
A Parasol/Leafblower, or 'Parablower':
And Finally, an ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR:
I literally could not control the smile on my face while playing with these wonderful toys. Zombies are the perfect video game fodder, and this game (once again, only better this time) threw me into a large space with an endless supply of them, along with a ridiculous number of creative ways to destroy them. Good times, indeed.
That should just about do it for this year. I still have plenty to mess with going forward in my backlog, and with Mass Effect 3, Batman: Arkham City, Portal 2 and many others coming out in 2011, I'm confident this little hobby of mine is no danger of lacking new, amazing moments well into the future.
Happy New Year Everyone!
PS: A little something silly and non-game related with me that was shared with me, that I loved and feel the need to share with you:


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- WiFi
- Car park
- Air conditioning
- Swimming pool
- Pets admitted
- Gym
Choose your room
Rooms are of a good size and all are very pleasantly furnished and decorated using good quality materials. Each room has a personal touch that ensures the guests feel welcome. Bathrooms are in keeping in both style and class. The restaurant is in the part that was originally the old house. Walls are whitewashed and dark woods compliment the high ceiling and original wooden beams. Very intimate and stylish. Approached by a small half moon drive way decorated with stone and mosiac tiling. The hotel is two floors high and looks like a Mykonos house from the outside, but once you step inside you realise the hotel is built in steps and stretches out to the back and sides. A typical Mykonos building with whitewashed walls, individual design and lots of mediteranean blue woodwork. The lobby is small with plenty of comfortable, stylish furniture and seating. Downstairs is a stylish and comfortable cafe. An excellent property. The hotel appears in many guides as "highly recommended" and "exclusive".
Useful information:Other names for Hotel Belvedere:
Belvedere Hotel Mykonos
Belvedere Mykonos


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|Biosequences .. Software .. Molbio soft .. Network News .. FTP
I have received several enquires as of late regarding suppliers of PARTICLE GUNS. As far as I am aware Biorad laboratories both sell and lease a particle gun. This is the gun that Du Pont once marketed. That it is now for sale, rather than being leased, is a new development though its price (>#10,000) is still in my opinion extortionate considering its manufacturing costs. A considerable cheaper version of the gun can be obtained from: SHEARLINE PRECISION ENGINEERING Ltd. 121-125 Cambridge Road Milton Cambridge CB4 4AT UK Tel: ..44 (0)223 420644 Fax: ..44 (0)223 423597 This company do not manufacture the gun commercially but will make them to order. The gun is of the ballistic variety but it can be modified to accept Helium as an accelerant or any other gas if one so chooses. You can design your own modification if necessary. At the function level it works exceptionally well performing as well as if not better than its commercial counterpart. If any further details are required I would be only to happy to supply them as we use this version of the gun routinely as do a number of other labs in the UK and abroad. David Lonsdale


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The mod you are trying to view has ceased development and consequently been archived. If you are a member of this mod, can demonstrate that it is being actively developed and will be able to keep this profile up to date with the latest news, images, videos and downloads, please contact us with all details and we will consider its re-activation.
Hello Gaming Community! First of all, let us appologize for the lack of updates. We are currently in a state of re-working the entire concept of Psycho Hill. The story is getting a new look, however the general idea stays the same. We are also in the middle of reorganizing our entire team, so actual development updates are not going to come as fast as you (and we) might like. However, things are looking fantastic as of nowCome back soon for more updates! Sorry for the inconvenience this might cause. ~Psycho Hill Team PS: A story update will be posted within the next few days!