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Now that the weather has finally turned warm here in the Minneapolis area, many homeowners are getting their outdoor areas ready for use. Once the rains this week are over, you might be planning on some yard maintenance this weekend. That includes your outdoor furniture and structures. And if you've got a fire pit, it probably needs some attention as well.
With some spring cleaning, your outdoor area can become as beautiful as ever for the warmer months. Minnesota seasons are changing, and with it comes to the need to get your outdoor living spaces in the best condition possible.
Use This Checklist for Spring Cleaning Your Fire Pit
Be prepared for the spring and summer months when you break out that fire pit or fire table and get it back in working action.
- Check and replace any batteries, if needed
- Check all the fittings and tighten them if necessary
- Clean any and all loose debris from the burner and other areas
- Make sure the valves freely turn
- Make sure the gas line turns on and works and ensure that the gas tank has fuel
- Check all of the port holes in the burner so that there are no obstructions
Make Sure Your Outdoor Furniture Is Good to Go, Too
The furniture outside is just as important as the fire pit, so you want to ensure that this is taken care of, as well.
- Rinse the furniture thoroughly and let it air dry
- Use a soft bristled brush to clean the frames of the furniture
- Allow the solution to soak into the fabric overnight
Spring Maintenance for Your Pergola or Gazebo
A pergola or gazebo has to also be in the best shape possible, and this means being able to do some maintenance on it to ensure it is ready to for the warm summer months ahead.
- Clean any and all loose debris from on and around the pergola
- Use a low pressure hose to clean the outside of the pergola
- Depending on the wear and tear that the pergola received and whether or not it is wood, it may need to be re-stained and sealed
When the MN spring rolls around, if you've used our checklist here you should be in great shape. Here at Architectural Landscape Design, we can help you continue the prepping for the spring and summer with landscaping additions or changes. Let us make your yard truly stand out and provide you with even more beauty, functionality, and value.
We are a licensed MN landscaping design, installation, and maintenance contractor serving the Minneapolis metro area.


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Brook Hines is a former alt-weekly publisher, branding professional, writer, designer, photographer with more than 20 years' experience crafting campaigns and concepts for clients ranging from hospital chains and financial services, to liberal arts colleges, national magazines, and even radical nuns who were, of course, the most fun to work with.
As owner of Progression Partnership, LLC Brook offers branding and strategy for progressive candidates, businesses, and public interests. Former campaign manager for Alan Grayson.
Hear Brook most Sundays at 7pm on Progressive News Network. Archive at link.
Follow @nashville_brook on Twitter.
Read all of Brook's articles here.

subset: commoncrawl


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No need to think what to wear for party now, just create your design and get your custom clothes get ready within few minutes
Sharing garments as a files across the internet and printing garments like any paper, is not a dream now. Yes now we can print any fabric or any designed as and when required. New age of clothing is here now. Digital clothes has changed the era of fashion.
How it works:
1. You need mold in CAD, either made it of your own or get it done from somewhere.
2. Place your design in the Electroloom and turn it on. Your custom fabric will be created
3. Pull out your fabric from mold.
4. Enjoy your custom fabric
Principle behind it:
Digitize fibers are bond using metal chopsticks and an electric field.This technique create finished product i.e non-woven textile that flexes, folds and flow like any other fabric we wear. A piece of cloth is created using Field Guided Fabrication (FGF).
FGF is essentially an electrospinning process that takes a liquid solution, converts it into solid fibers that are then deposited and bonded onto a 3D mold. The 3D mold is placed inside a chamber with an internal electric field that guides and bonds the fiber onto the mold. Numerous fibers that have been deposited will have formed a single, seamless piece of fabric that will retains the shape of the mold.For now we can have only limited colors and limited number of fabrics like we can have polyester/cotton blend for now and only white color, but in future we will able to have more colors like blue, yellow, green or so and more fabrics like silk/ acrylic .
Electroloom Specifications:
• Total dimensions: 1000mm x 1080mm x 620mm
• Interior chamber: 900mm x 900mm x 600mm
• Maximum mold size: 800mm x 900mm
• Voltage range: 2-19kV
• Computer connection: USB
Price of Electroloom:
Alpha testers starting at just $4,500, and final machine price may raise a total of $50,000.
Enjoy making custom clothes with Electroloom. But once you need to pay good money to have this machine…:)


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Christmas 2016. Merry Christmas!
Christmas Morning
Sunday, December 25, 2016
In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of Christmas, we take a moment to reflect on the true treasures of Christmas. The coming Jesus Christ into the world split history in half. He intervened to reverse death and pain bringing the promise of eternal redemption. All this is summarized in a few verses in Matthew 1.
21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "God with us"). Matthew 1:21-23 (NIV)
There are three things to consider this morning about Christmas:
- PARDON. "He will save His people from their sins." While Christmas presents are fantastic and we are thrilled to get great gifts, we ought to remember the deliverance Jesus purchased for us. Christmas is a time for forgiveness. We remember that this Baby came to be crucified! He came to live a perfect life for us and die a sacrificial death that all our sins might be wiped away!
- "All this took place to fulfill what the Lord has said…" Throughout Matthew, a phrase recurs: "that is might be fulfilled." God had already promised through prophecy all the good things He now gives. We can therefore ask, "What has God promised ME?" He promises us so much. He has great and wonderful provisions for all our future. This is the promise of Christmas.
- PRESENCE. "and they will call him Immanuel (which means 'God with us')." Immanuel is one of the names of Jesus. GOD WITH US. No matter how far you run, He will still be there. No matter what you do, He will still be there. His presence surrounds you and walks with you in all of life. Because of this, we can enjoy His presence – His joy, His peace…and so much more.
As we celebrate Christmas today, remember how much Jesus has given us all another chance. He has forgiven us of so much! Even more, remember the good things He has promised. The future is as bright as His Word to you. Lastly, remember His hand on your life. He has had His eye on you all along. He goes before you.
As we enter a new year, let's walk in these three powerful truths. He is ELEVATING everything in your life.


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REGISTER TODAY for Fox Valley Christian Action's
11th Annual Sporting Clays Tournament
September 27th, 2019
Please join us for this unique event at the exclusive Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation in Dundee, Illinois! There are a wide range of skill levels in attendance ranging from beginners to skilled shooters – no matter where you are on that spectrum. This is a great opportunity to enjoy some rounds with your friends and colleagues.
Proceeds benefit the community ministry of FVCA. By participating in the Sporting Clays Tournament, you help make it possible for our full-time Community Coordinators to equip church volunteers to reach out in friendship to families and also provide weekly after-school programs to students who live in public housing and low-income private housing communities in Elgin and Aurora.
NEW THIS YEAR! REGISTER FOR OUR "SQUAD PACKAGE." This package includes registration for 5, one station sponsorship with recognition, and one 30-minute group lesson with a Class A Instructor in the morning prior to the event! Registration can be found in the options below.
10:00 AM Early Registration
10:30 AM Optional Warm-up Skeet Shoot
11:30 AM General Registration
Shooter registration fee: $500
$300 of each registration fee and 100% of each sponsorship qualifies as a charitable donation under the law to make a difference in the life of a family in a local housing community.
Make your selection and then select Continue at the lower right of your screen.
© 2011 Fox Valley Christian Action | 35W624 Riverwoods Lane, St. Charles, IL 60174 | Phone: 630.584.2222 | email@example.com


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State Farm® Companies
State Farm is a family of insurance and financial services companies that together serve tens of millions of customers in the U.S. Our many lines of business together offer over 100 products.
A look at everything State Farm has to offer:
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the largest auto insurer in the U.S. since 1942. About one of every five cars on the road is insured with State Farm. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is a mutual insurance company and as such does not have any shareholders. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is also the parent company of several wholly-owned subsidiaries that provide property and life insurance, banking products and mutual funds.
State Farm Life Insurance Company was founded in 1929. It is licensed to sell life insurance and annuity products in all states except Massachusetts, New York and Wisconsin.
State Farm Life and Accident Assurance Company began operations in 1961 to meet special requirements for life insurance in New York, Connecticut, and Wisconsin. While licensed in Connecticut, State Farm Life and Accident Assurance Company sells life insurance and annuity products only in New York and Wisconsin. State Farm Life Insurance Company and State Farm Life and Accident Assurance Company have been marketing Variable Products to our customers through State Farm VP Management Corporation since 1998.
State Farm Fire and Casualty Company was formed in 1935 to provide property insurance for State Farm customers in the United States. The product lines written by State Farm Fire and Casualty Company include homeowners, boat owners and many commercial lines. The company has been the largest insurer of homes in the U.S. since 1964.
State Farm Indemnity Company commenced business in 1991 and writes auto insurance in the state of New Jersey for the State Farm group. The company was formed to provide more accurate pricing and risk assessment in this unique market.
State Farm Guaranty Insurance Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of State Farm Indemnity Company, began writing auto insurance business in the state of New Jersey in 2006. All business written by State Farm Guaranty Insurance Company is ceded to State Farm Indemnity Company.
State Farm General Insurance Company was organized in 1962 as a property insurance affiliate. The company has evolved into the primary writer of State Farm homeowners and property liability insurance in the state of California.
State Farm Florida Insurance Company commenced business in 1999, and is the primary writer of homeowners and property liability insurance in the state of Florida.
State Farm Lloyds is an association of underwriters operating under the Lloyds Plan as provided in Texas law. It underwrites homeowners and commercial multiple peril insurance in that state. It began writing business in 1983. The association's insurance operations are managed by its attorney in fact, State Farm Lloyds, Inc., as required by law.
State Farm County Mutual Insurance Company of Texas commenced business in 1960 and is a mutual company organized under Chapter 17 of the Texas Insurance Code. The company writes automobile and fire lines (primarily inland marine) insurance exclusively in Texas.
State Farm Bank, F.S.B. received formal approval for a thrift charter from the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) in November 1998 and is generally referred to as "State Farm Bank". Its focus is on consumer-oriented financial products, complementing State Farm's insurance focus on personal lines. The company is a nontraditional financial institution and does not have branch offices. The bulk of direct customer interaction and product assistance is provided by State Farm agents, augmented by a telephone call center, mail and the Internet.
State Farm Investment Management Corp. (SFIMC) serves as the investment advisor for the State Farm Associate Funds. SFIMC has over 40 years of experience managing investment company assets.
State Farm VP Management Corp. (SFVPMC) serves as the broker/dealer for the State Farm Associate Funds.
Annual Reports
One of the State Farm Companies founding values is financial strength. Our recent annual report tells the story of how we're staying true to that value.
State Farm Bank, F.S.B., Bloomington, Illinois offers deposit and loan products. Other insurance, securities or investment products are offered by affiliate companies.
State Farm Bank ("Bank") is a Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender. NMLS ID 139716. The other products offered by affiliate companies of State Farm Bank are not FDIC insured, not a State Farm Bank obligation or guaranteed by State Farm Bank, and may be subject to investment risk, including possible loss of principal invested. The Bank encourages any interested individual(s) to submit an application for any product(s) offered by the Bank. We also encourage you to obtain information regarding the Bank's underwriting standards for each type of credit or service offered by visiting statefarm.com or by contacting the Bank at 877-SF4-BANK (877-734-2265). Callers who are hearing or speech impaired should dial 711 or use a preferred Telecommunications Relay Service. To apply for a Bank product, you may also see your participating State Farm agent.
Securities, insurance and annuity products are not FDIC insured, are not bank guaranteed and are subject to investment risk, including possible loss of principal.
Securities Distributed by State Farm VP Management Corp.
State Farm VP Management Corp. is a separate entity from those State Farm entities which provide banking and insurance products.
Neither State Farm® nor its agents provide tax or legal advice.


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Ten benefits of learning shorthand
Many people dismiss shorthand as being a relic of the past. 'You don't need to waste time and money learning shorthand,' they say. 'We have Dictaphones now.'
Well, we also have recording apps on smartphones so we don't need Dictaphones, that's for sure. But as Salesforce avers in their article about the fourth revolution, it isn't pragmatic or plausible to live without smartphones.
But we do need shorthand. Why? For journalists and reporters it is 100% essential. And it also has many, many benefits for people who have no intentions of working in the media.
Students, secretaries, lawyers, doctors and other professionals can all benefit from learning how to write in shorthand. Many even invent their own crude system. So whether it is Teeline, Pitman or Gregg, there are many pros to learning shorthand. Here are ten great reasons.
- Writing in shorthand is quicker than longhand. Anything that saves time, money and energy is always a bonus. You will become more efficient in taking notes at meetings, lectures and interviews.
- Using shorthand is the only way to write down quotes in court. Use a Dicaphone and you risk a serious telling off from the Magistrate or Judge. Or at worse, going to prison, as using any kind of recording device is breaking the contempt of court law.
- Shorthand is the only system that can accurately record speech without the use of any electronic recording devices. Think about that for a second. Without computers, shorthand is the only way in the world to write down exactly what somebody is saying without asking them to slow down.
- People who can write in shorthand have improved job prospects. Put shorthand on your CV or resume as an added skill and many potential employers will look favorably on it. For newspapers it is essential and many managing editors will not hire a candidate who cannot write in shorthand.
- International students from India already have excellent English skills so writing in shorthand is ideal for them as it will take their writing and speaking to another level, way beyond English native speakers. India is a competitive jobs market, too, and extra skills like shorthand will improve prospects.
- Shorthand will never run out of battery like a Dictaphone or iPhone. As we mentioned above, shorthand is the only way to write down speech. Pity the poor reporter who misses the quotes from an impromptu press conference because his iPhone battery had died, or it suddenly stopped working.
- Employees with shorthand are chosen for assignments ahead of those that don't. That's right, when the news editor is looking for someone to head out to court or do a great interview, those who can write in shorthand will be chosen first, while the others will be left in the office re-writing wire copy.
- Shorthand secret notes cannot be read by other people! If you make personal notes at home in a diary, or you're in class and don't want another person seeing what you are doing, write in shorthand! Nobody will ever know what it says.
- In journalism interviewees will not be able to see what's being written about them. When you're standing next to somebody in the street making notes about what they're saying, they love to gawp at the notepad. Shorthand allows you to highlight key quotes, without them looking at it and thinking twice before saying 'no, don't put that I said that… actually I don't want my name in the paper.'
- Learning shorthand stimulates new parts of the brain, improves dexterity in the hands and fingers, boosts concentrations, improves listening and language skills and makes handwriting a lot more neater. These benefits are immeasurable!
- Lastly, writing in shorthand is a great conversation starter. People see shorthand notes and ask 'wow, what is that?'… or 'What language is that?'. Older people often recognise shorthand and talk about how they used to learn it in the past. It's a great conversation starter and impresses a lot of people.


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Description Edit
This delicious Irish recipe can be served as a snack (with tea or coffee) or a dessert to finish off a great dinner. You can make this with other fruits in a dough on other occasions.
Ingredients Edit
- pastry dough
- 4 medium apples, peeled, cored, and chopped, red only
- 1 ¾ cup sugar, white only
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, for sprinkling
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon coffee powder, optional
Directions Edit
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line an 8-inch pie pan or baking dish with pastry dough.
- Use a fork to prick the dough. Mix apples, ¾ cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a bowl. In another bowl, mix flour, 1 cup sugar, and butter.
- Mix using a fork until you have a crumbly mixture.
- Put apple mixture in the pie crust and smoothen the surface.
- Cover apple mixture with the crumble mixture.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon coffee powder (if desired) over the crumble.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Serve hot and plain with other fruits or desserts but spoon the baked, fruit-based crumble in a saucer.
Videos Edit
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


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Epson WF-2520 Drivers Download for Mac and Windows
Epson WF-2520 Drivers Download for Mac and Windows
Download and Install Epson WF-2520 Drivers for Mac and Windows
DOWNLOAD ← Epson WF-2520 Drivers and Utilities Combo Package for Mac 10.5 - 10.8
See Page ← Recommended Epson WF-2520 Driver for Mac 10.9 or later
DOWNLOAD ← Epson WF-2520 Drivers and Utilities Combo Package for Windows 10/8/8.1/7/Windows XP/Windows Vista (Windows 32-bit / Windows 64-bit)
Epson WorkForce WF-2520 Drivers Download and Review
There may not be many MFPs in this particular rate variation that focus even more on office needs in comparison to house use. Among some exemptions is actually the Editors' Choice Bro MFC-J430w, which delivers plenty of correlations to the WF-2520. Specifically, just because each printers concentrate on office-related features doesn't imply you can't utilize them in the dual part of residence and also home office laser printer at the same time. That is actually just that you won't locate a lot of components that focus on residence make use of. Neither printer, for instance, uses PictBridge assistance for publishing straight coming from cameras or even the ability to print straight off sd card.
The WF-2520 can easily print and also facsimile coming from, and also check to, a Personal Computer and operate as a standalone photo copier and also facsimile machine. One vital office-oriented attribute is its own 30-page automatic document feeder (ADF), which matches its letter-size flatbed to permit you scan multipage documents and also legal-size paper.
Epson WF-2520 Drivers Software - Just like the Brother color printer, the WF-2520 delivers Wi-Fi, however not wired, system assistance to let you discuss it effortlessly. Discussing is greatest restricted to the dual part of property as well as home office make use of, nonetheless, considering that the color printer's newspaper dealing with is far too restricted for sharing in most offices, along with simply a 100-sheet capacity as well as no duplexer (for two-sided publishing).
Another attribute worth mention is actually support for mobile phone publishing, both for publishing through the cloud and for making use of Apple AirPrint over a regional Wi-Fi relationship. Keep in mind, having said that, that mobile phone printing will not persuade a USB link to your personal computer.
Setup, Velocity, and also Outcome Premium
For my examinations, I attached the WF-2520 by USB cable to an unit functioning Windows Vista. System was mostly standard meals. Nevertheless, it aids a great deal that the color printer is actually uncommonly portable-- along with an impact of just 15.4 through 14.8 inches (HWD) certainly not featuring the frontal outcome tray-- so this will not take up much area on your workdesk.
Both rate and also outcome top quality are actually better called satisfactory, however ineffectual. I timed the printer on our service requests set (utilizing QualityLogic's software and hardware for time), at 2.6 web pages per moment (ppm). For comparison, that makes the Epson ink-jet printer faster in comparison to the more expensive Canon Pixma MG4220 Wireless Inkjet Photograph All-in-One, at 2.1 ppm, yet dramatically slower than the Sibling MFC-J430w, at 4.3 ppm.
For image velocity, all three ink-jet printers were actually relatively slow-moving compared to inkjets typically. However, the WF-2520 was actually slowest of the three, averaging 2 minutes 17 few seconds for a 4 through 6 in its own highest quality method. The color printer's output premium is actually just a touch below average overall. Text quality drops within the rather strict array that features the vast a large number from inkjets, but at the reduced end from the variety. The majority of people should find that appropriate for basic company use like mail and documents. Graphics, however, are somewhat below par. They're over good enough for interior company usage, but whether you consider all of them appropriate for, state, PowerPoint handouts will definitely depend on exactly how important an eye you possess.
Images are par for an inkjet MFP, but just barely, The color printer handled very most photos effectively in our examinations, yet the different colors in one were a little bit of black in relations to a hue-saturation-brightness different colors design, placing that at the reduced side from what I get out of drug store prints. The high quality is undoubtedly acceptable for business materials that might include photos. For house make use of, I 'd name the output around picture top quality generally, which means functional, however certainly not a really good choice if you wish photographes to regularly appear their ideal.
In several techniques, the Epson WF-2520 is actually totally competitive along with the Bro MFC-J430w, with an identical constellation from MFP attributes and also similar report dealing with. For most people, having said that, the Sibling MFC-J430w's faster velocity and somewhat better text quality provides this the upper hand. That leaves the Epson WF-2520 as a perfectly practical choice, yet without any powerful disagreement for selecting this over the competition.


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Dining With Denise Neil
Chili's joining in effort to help injured Wichita police officer
Last weekend, a long list of local restaurants donated portions of their sales to the family of Brian Arterburn, the Wichita police officer who suffered injuries to his chest, abdomen and brain after being run over by a stolen car. He is still in critical condition at a local hospital.
Now, local Chili's restaurants are helping out, too.
The chain's three Wichita restaurants have pledged to donate 10 percent of its sales to Arterburn and its family. Diners simply must tell their servers that they are there to support Officer Arterburn.
The deal is being offered today, Feb. 16, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Chili's at 7887 E. Central, 2333 N. Greenwich, 10520 W. Central.


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There will be no other place that will matter to you as much as your own home. Therefore, you need
Category Archives: Construction & Building
Merits Of Acrow Props
The props were introduced by William de Vigier a Swiss born engineer who later shifted in London in the year
Living For A Better Life!
Due to inflation people cannot even think of building a new home instead they prefer to renovate their house so that
Vital Factors To Consider When Hiring Professionals To Inspect Your Home
Are you looking for professionals who can inspect your home and help you determine if you have a pest problem
Build With Quality, Professionality And Style
The market demands more of the hospitality industry than anything else. Everyone is all about visiting new places, hotels and
Proceeding With A High-rise Construction Project
The world of construction is very interesting. When you are a person that is involved in the field of construction,
4 Things To Consider When Organising An Event
Organising an event is no easy task. Starting from the planning all the way to closing up the last account
How Can You Save Energy?
Are you someone who has always been passionate about saving the environment and you recycle all your products religiously and
Things You Need To Know About The Finest Fencing Options For Your Home
Whether you are working on a project of building a new home or renovating the house that you live in,
Is Your Garage The Way It Should Be?
You might not realise it, but your garage could actually be the area of your house that you enter first.
Professional Services For External Spaces And Their Effectiveness
It can be the difficult task for most of the people to manage their spaces even if they can have
5 Ways To Modernize Your Home
We'd all like to move away from our same old boring homes and modernize the entire setting. Moreover, if you


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Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote, I spend half my time telling Christians to study doctrine and the other half telling them that doctrine is not enough. The tension expressed here is exactly the tension we'll see Paul express in our second week in the Legacy series as we'll look at 1 Timothy 1:1-7.
Last week, we looked at the importance and inevitability of leaving a legacy on those friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers that we interact with regularly. This week, we'll consider what it means to leave a legacy of good theology, or more plainly, what it means to help others think rightly about who God is. A few questions to consider this week as you study the text:
- Can we really make confident assertions about who God is?
- How can an improper understanding of "sound doctrine" be dangerous to our lives and our church?
- What do you think Paul means when he says, "the aim of our charge is love" in verse 5, especially in light of him talking about sound doctrine?
- How do our lifestyles impact the way others perceive who God is?
Some other passages that may help this week are: Acts 20:17-38 and Revelation 2:1-7.
1 Timothy 1:1-7
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, 2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. 5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.


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Over seventy activities take place each week in school at lunchtime and after school to extend and broaden our students' experience. Activities include learning a new language, Young Chefs, building an electric car, producing a radio programme for broadcast on the internet, playing in our brass band, a wide range of sporting activities, Duke of Edinburgh Award and many more.
In addition to activities in school, a great many diverse and challenging educational visits are also organised throughout the year for all our students. These include a Geography Field Course at Hothersall Lodge, Leisure and Tourism visits to Old Trafford, and a range of theatre trips.
Exchange visits afford students the opportunity to experience other cultures and improve their language skills. Every year the Languages Faculty take groups of students to Germany where they stay with host families and later in the year return the hospitality.
Study and cultural trips feature in the school calendar. Visits to Rome and Pompeii support and enrich the study of art and extra-curricular Latin. Recently a group of students from Years 7 to 11 had the opportunity to visit China experiencing a remarkable culture and seeing some of the world's most inspirational tourist attractions. Our Afri-Twin link with South Africa gives students an opportunity to work with students from a very different culture.
In order to challenge our most able students, visits are organised to London to participate in newspaper production and to critically review a West End show. Tours of the BBC and Sky provide a fascinating insight into the world of television. Groups of students have attended Chemistry at Work events and Science conferences at Manchester University. Students can also study Astronomy GCSE after school which adds quite a unique dimension to their education.
Click on the links below to see the latest activities available. This is just a flavour of our exciting programme of enrichment that enhances the wider learning of every one of our students. More details are available on curriculum pages of this website, and a weekly programme is available from our VLE. There is something to interest everyone!
G&T Enrichment 2016
Read more about our 2019 GCSE results... more
Playing for Scotland!... more
© 2017 Saint Aidan's Church of England High School, Cartgate, Preesall, Poulton le Fylde, Lancashire, FY6 0NP
Tel: 01253 810 504 Fax: 01253 810 244 E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


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FORMODAL® - special materials for tool making, mould making and model making - can be supplied from a tiny cube to XXL format.
FORMODAL® materials are characterised by their outstanding machining properties, low internal stresses, dimensional stability and wide range of sizes available.
"Metal World" app
Calculate weights and prices with your smartphone - for free!
Operating systems:
iOS 5.0 & Android
The app can:
- Calculate weights made from almost 300 materials and elements in 22 currently specified formats.
- Compare materials: In the case of non-ferrous metals, EN standards are observed as well as many comparable standards according to DIN, UNI (Italy), BS (British Standard), AFNOR (France) and others.
- Calculate prices: e.g. price per kg, meter, m², piece or total price
BIKAR is ready for takeoff
BIKAR-METALLE GmbH is significantly expanding its aviation sector and is bringing expert knowledge into the company.
Data sheets
You are interested in further information of the mechanical and chemical characteristics of our product group FORMODAL® and other aluminium alloys?
In our internal download area you can find a wide range of information on current information (flyer, brochures, data sheets etc.).
We hope that you will gain some interesting insights into the world of metals.
Just request your personal access data via the contact form!


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Brooklyn Beckham has met numerous celebrities because of his famous parents Victoria and David Beckham. But, the young teen was particularly honored when he got the chance to meet legendary physicist Stephen Hawking on Monday, just weeks after his parents had the opportunity. The social media maven shared the special moment with his 3 million fans on Instagram.
"What an honour to meet Stephen Hawking. Such an inspiring afternoon," wrote the 16-year-old alongside the photograph of himself smiling happily behind the professor.
Along with the very special meeting, the Beckhams enjoyed some family time while in the beautiful English city, taking an iconic boat ride down the River Cam, the main river flowing through Cambridge. The famous family, accompanied by Victoria's parents Tony and Jackie Adams and her older sister Louise, made the most of the U.K. bank holiday weekend as they relaxed on the Cambridge waters.
David took to one boat with his three boys Brooklyn, Romeo, 12 and Cruz, 10, and his in-laws, while fashion designer Victoria took another boat with her sister and 3-year-old Harper.
On his recently opened Instagram account, which has already amassed 6.4 million followers, the retired soccer player shared plenty of snaps of the river ride. One photograph showed the dad-of-four looking as sharp as ever as he took charge of the boat, steering with a pole. "A day on the punting pole," he captioned the picture.
Another stunning shot of the river flowing beneath a bridge surrounded by historic buildings could be mistaken for a scene from Venice. David let the image do all the talking, writing no caption. Of a snap of himself perched on the edge of the boat, David wrote, "Amazing day punting in Cambridge."
Naturally, when word got out that the Beckhams were in town, fans flocked to the river banks to catch a glimpse of the good-looking family, with many posting messages excitedly on social media.


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Created on 11-18-2017 03:09 AM - last edited on 11-18-2017 05:56 AM by cjervis
Does CCA175 need Hive and pig or mapreduce concepts? If yes in which CCA175 topic it is covered .
Created 11-18-2017 06:08 AM
Hi @Manyata111,
Have you looked over the CCA Spark and Hadoop Developer Exam (CCA175) page on Cloudera.com that explains the exam and the skill requirements? We also have a Cloudera Certification FAQ here on the community based on questions asked here.
When you look over the exam page skill requirements, I suggest thinking about how you would accomplish each task. If your plan involves Hive or Pig, be prepared to use them.


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Capital Credits
1. Annual Pay-Out: The cooperative will pay out capital credits on an annual basis until the account is settled.
2. Lump Sum Discounted to Present Day Value: "Present day value" takes into consideration the fact that money presently received has the power to earn more money in the future. Therefore, the amount paid to an estate is discounted by the amount of interest it would have earned if held until it was due.
Address Changes
To ensure that capital credits are properly received, please inform Barron Electric of any address changes.


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*This is the first in my new monthly series, Local Marketing Masters Spotlight, where I highlight local businesses that are doing something really cool with their marketing. If you have suggestions for my next one, please contact me!*
Diet fads. They're literally everywhere. Pills, shakes, bars, cleanses, meal plans, supplements, powders – the list goes on and on. But what do these various forms of weight loss plans have in common? They're all expensive. And with only a select few actually being effective, it's hard to know which one to trust.
Enter: Waite Fusion.
Call me naive, but until recently I'd never heard of "Herbalife Shake Shops." I'd always thought the only way to try the weight loss shake program was to purchase the (expensive) mix and experiment with recipes on your own. Turns out, Waite Fusion will do that for ya!
How I heard
I first found out about Waite Fusion at a St. Cloud Chamber of Commerce event called Chamber Connection. One of the women who work at Waite Fusion, Amy, was attending for the first time, and we started chatting. I asked her what Waite Fusion was – having no clue – and she offered me a coupon to come try a shake for free. I'm fairly familiar with many diet trends, including shakes, so I was excited to give it a shot sometime. Plus, her outgoing, friendly personality was a draw for me. One day at work when I didn't pack a lunch, I decided to try it.
Who they are
Waite Fusion itself is located in a tiny blue house-turned-shake-shop on a busy main road in St. Cloud, close to downtown and St. Cloud State University. From the moment you walk in, customer experience is at the forefront. The music is always bumpin' happy tracks, the young women who work there are extremely friendly and helpful, and the decor is half college dorm half vintage shake shop. Waite Fusion offers 37+ different Herbalife shake flavors and you can purchase them for $7 a piece. The 16oz shake is meant to be a meal replacement, and also includes a "shot" of aloe and a small iced tea. There are also options to start your own Herbalife journey with one of the coaches, if you're interested in that, but you're not obligated to.
What they do well
- The first piece of marketing was apparent before I even entered the shop. The coupon that Amy gave to me to try a free shake wasn't the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen, but it was perfectly informative. It got three immediate points across: Nutritional – not ice cream. Free – no obligation. And Location – very specific directions. Simple and to the point, this is proof that less is more.
- I eluded to this next one above: Customer. Experience. From the moment I met Amy until I bought my first shake, (and one of the reasons I keep going back) Waite Fusion made my quick lunch stop an experience to enjoy. No pressure to purchase the whole Herbalife system. No hesitation or judgement if you ask questions. Just a pleasant experience that leaves you feeling like you've got a new group of friends.
- When I got my first Waite Fusion shake, it was a rainy, dreary day. I opted for the cherry-dipped-cone flavor (yes, that's right) and was pleasantly surprised when I received my simple, Styrofoam cup. A colorful message. "Be someone's sunshine today." Hand-written in Sharpie. So simple. So affordable. And so, SO effective. Because, as a millennial, can you guess what I did next? That's right, I Instagrammed a picture. And you know what happened after that? I had about 5 different people ask me about it. And about a week later? Waite Fusion had at least 2 new customers.
Not only that, but on a large chalkboard "Selfie Station" at Waite Fusion, they have written #WFShakeSelfie – encouraging people to take a selfie with their shake. And when you've got a cute message on it plus you get to humble-brag about being healthy, why wouldn't you?!
PLUS they've started to also use the cups as a way to message their customers – for example the below cup from my visit the other day. What a simple, affordable way to communicate with an already engaged audience.
- Besides the delicious, healthy shakes and the fun, friendly atmosphere, you know what else keeps me coming back to Waite Fusion? Their rewards program. For every shake you buy, you get a point, and for everyone you refer to Waite Fusion, you get two points. Simple enough, but how is that unique from the million bajillion other places that offer rewards programs? Glad you asked. They use the FiveStars points program, which is tied to a mobile app. Every time you visit WF, you just scan your card at the counter, and the points you've earned are reflected in your app. Also, the app pushes out messages to users like "Try our new shake flavor!" or "Double-points today!" or things like that. It's like an SMS program without being an annoying SMS program. And I love it.
What it (likely) Cost Them
I will preface this by saying I do not know if they worked with an agency/partner on strategy, so I can't estimate that cost, but I will say that the efforts listed above are likely not over a $2,500 investment, at most. The coupons? Probably designed, printed and cut in house. The writing on cups? Um, what's the going rate for a pack of Sharpies these days…? And the FiveStars program likely has a monthly fee that they pay to take part in, and is where the bulk of my estimate stems from. Oh, and the customer experience? That's less about investing in marketing and more about investing in the right people to make it happen. So basically, priceless.
I am a loyal Waite Fusion customer. I do not do Herbalife in my own time, nor do I have an interest in starting, but I do love the product. And about once a week or so, I indulge in the product, because I love this company that is selling it. Using your resources wisely and engaging consumers intelligently pays off, and Waite Fusion is proof of that.


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Welcome to South Lincs Leisure
Offering You The Best Possible Service!
South Lincs Leisure was established in 1992 as a small dealership specialising in the sale of new and pre-owned caravans in Lincolnshire, We base our business on the ethics of good old fashioned personal service.
As we have grown we are still run with the ethos of a family run business and have the advantage of being able to give you the time that buying a caravan deserves and take pride in the fact that a high percentage of our custom comes from repeat business.
Based at our site at Kirton End near Boston we are within easy reach of the A1, A16, A17 and A52 main roads and less than an hours drive from Peterborough, Lincoln, Newark, Kings Lynn and Grantham.
New Caravans at South Lincs Leisure
We are proud to be main dealers for new 2019 Elddis, Buccaneer and Xplore caravans and offer a full service, warranty and back-up facility. If you are looking for a new caravan contact our Sales team today on 01205 723 718.


text: Environmental Health and Safety Biosafety Program Services Biological Safety Cabinets Primary Containment: Biological Safety Cabinets Biological Safety Cabinets (BSCs) are among the most effective and the most commonly used primary containment devices in laboratories working with infectious agents. The three general types available (Class I, II, III) have performance characteristics and applications which are described in this appendix. Properly maintained Class I and II BSCs, when used in conjunction with good microbiological techniques, provide an effective containment system for safe manipulation of moderate and high-risk microorganisms (Biosafety Level 2 and 3 agents). Both Class I and II BSCs have inward face velocities (75-100 linear feet per minute) that provide comparable levels of containment to protect laboratory workers and the immediate environment from infectious aerosols generated within the cabinet. Class II BSCs also protect the research material itself through high-efficiency particulate air filtration (HEPA filtration) of the airflow down across the work surface (vertical laminar flow). Class III cabinets offer the maximum protection to laboratory personnel, the community, and the environment because all hazardous materials are contained in a totally enclosed, ventilated cabinet. 1. Class I Class I BSCs are currently being manufactured on a limited basis; many have been replaced by Class II BSCs. A class I BSC does not offer product protection, it does offer personal and environmental protection from the sample used. The Class I Biological Safety Cabinet (Fig. 1) is a negative-pressure, ventilated cabinet usually operated with an open front and a minimum face velocity at the work opening of at least 75 linear feet per minute (lfpm). All of the air from the cabinet is exhausted through a HEPA filter either into the laboratory or to the outside. The Class I BSC is designed for general microbiological research with low and moderate-risk agents, and is useful for containment of mixers, blenders, and other equipment. These cabinets are not appropriate for handling research materials that are vulnerable to airborne contamination, since the inward flow of unfiltered air from the laboratory can carry microbial contaminants into the cabinet. The Class I BSC can also be used with an installed front closure panel without gloves, which will increase the inward flow velocity to approximately 150 lfpm. If such equipped cabinets are ducted to the outside exhaust, they may be used for toxic or radiolabelled materials used as an adjunct to microbiological research. Additionally, arm-length rubber gloves may be attached to the front panel with an inlet air pressure release for further protection. In this configuration, it is necessary to install a make-up air inlet fitted with a HEPA filter in the cabinet. 2. Class II This Biosafety Cabinet is designed to provide personal, product and environmental protection when used properly. The Class II Biological Safety Cabinet is designed with inward airflow at a velocity to protect personnel (75-100 lfpm), HEPA-filtered downward vertical laminar airflow for product protection, and HEPA-filtered exhaust air for environmental protection. Design, construction, and performance standards for Class II BSCs, as well as a list of products that meet these standards, have been developed by and are available from the National Sanitation Foundation International, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Utilization of this standard and list should be the first step in selection and procurement of a Class II BSC. Class II BSCs are classified into two types (A and B) based on construction, airflow velocities and patterns, and exhaust systems. Class II A cabinets are sub-typed into type A1 and A2. Type A1 cabinets are suitable for microbiological research in the absence of volatile or toxic chemicals and radionuclides, since 70% of the air is recirculated within the cabinet. Type A1 cabinets may be exhausted into the laboratory or to the outdoors via a "thimble" connection to the building exhaust system. Type A2 cabinets are similar to A1 but will allow a minimal of radionuclides and volatile or toxic chemical to be used when they are exhausted to the outdoors via a "thimble" connection to the building exhaust system. Type B cabinets are further sub-typed into types B1 and B2. A comparison of the design features and applications are presented in Figures 3.5.4. and 3.5.5, respectively. Type B cabinets are hard-ducted to the building exhaust system and contain negative pressure plena. These features, plus a face velocity of 100 lfpm, allow work to be done with toxic chemicals or radionuclitides. Type B1 will recirculate about 30% air and exhaust 70% through the hard duct. Type B2 cabinets will exhaust 100% of the air. It is imperative that Class I and II biological safety cabinets be tested and certified at the time of installation within the laboratory, at any time the BSC is moved or maintenance is performed , and at least annually thereafter. Certification at locations other than the final site may attest to the performance capability of the individual cabinet or model but does not supersede the critical certification prior to use in the laboratory. As with any other piece of laboratory equipment, personnel must be trained in the proper use of the biological safety cabinets. Of particular note are activities that may disrupt the inward directional airflow. · Sweeping sideways motion of hands in cabinet create eddies in airflow · Repeated insertion and withdrawal of the workers' arms into and out of the work chamber · Opening and closing doors to the laboratory or isolation cubicle · Improper placement or operation of materials or equipment within the work chamber · Brisk walking past the BSC while it is in use · Improper placements of BSC in the lab room. All above have been demonstrated to cause the escape of aerosolized particles from within the cabinet. Class I and II cabinets should be located away from traffic patterns and doors. Airflow from fans, room air supply louvers and other air moving devices can disrupt the airflow pattern at the face of the cabinet. Strict adherence to recommended practices for the use of BSCs and their proper placement in the laboratory are as important in attaining the maximum containment capability of the equipment, as is the mechanical performance of the equipment itself. 3. Class III The Class III Biological Safety Cabinet is a totally enclosed, ventilated cabinet of gas-tight construction and offers the highest degree of personnel and environmental protection from infectious aerosols, as well as protection of research materials from microbiological contaminants. Class III cabinets are most suitable for work with hazardous agents that require Biosafety Level 3 or 4 containment. All operations in the work area of the cabinet are performed through attached arm length rubber gloves or half-suits. The Class III cabinet is operated under negative pressure. Supply air is HEPA-filtered and the cabinet exhaust air is filtered through two HEPA filters in series, or HEPA filtration followed by incineration, before discharge outside of the facility. All equipment required by the laboratory activity, such as incubators, refrigerators, and centrifuges, must be an integral part of the cabinet system. The Class III cabinet must be connected to a double-doored autoclave and/or chemical dunk tank used to sterilize or disinfect all materials exiting the cabinet, and to allow supplies to enter the cabinet. Several Class III cabinets are therefore typically set up as an interconnected system. References U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Primary Containment of Biohazards: Selection, Installation and Use of Biological Safety Cabinets. (Washington: GPO, 1995) National Sanitation Foundation Standard 49. 1983. Class II (Laminar Flow) Biohazard Cabinetry. Ann Arbor, Michigan. 4. Table1- Comparison of Biological Safety Cabinets Type Face velocity (lfpm) Airflow Pattern Radionuclides / Toxic Chemicals Biosafety Level(s) Product Protection Class I* open front 75 In at front; rear and top through HEPA filter No 2,3 No Class II Type A1 75 70% recirculated through HEPA; exhaust through HEPA No 2,3 Yes Type A2 100 Same as IIA1 No if not ducted 2,3 Yes Type A2 100 Same as IIA1, but plena under negative pressure to room and exhaust air is ducted Yes (Low levels/volatility) 2,3 Yes Type B1 100 30% recirculated through HEPA; exhaust via HEPA and hard ducted Yes (Low levels/volatility) 2,3 Yes Type B2 100 No recirculation; total exhaust via HEPA and hard ducted Yes 2,3 Yes Class III NA Supply air inlets and exhaust through 2 HEPA filters Yes 3,4 Yes * Glove panels may be added and will increase face velocity to 150 lfpm; gloves may be added with an inlet air pressure release that will allow work with chemicals/radionuclides.


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Join Us as a Counselor-in-Training
Take a chance to stand out among the rest and have a great time doing it. Enrollment as a Counselor-in-Training at Camp Helping Hands is a great way to fulfill the community service requirements you need for college entrance. Plus, you'll make great friends and have a blast all while you learn new skills and become an active member in your community. Counselors-in-Training are hand-picked by our staff and must have been previously enrolled in our Jr. Counselor-in-Training program. This invitation is restricted to teens in high school.


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1) Derm Renewal Clinical Peel
A professional deep exfoliating treatment, offering the full benefits of AHAs without sting. It promotes skin renewal and moisturization. Brightens the complexion, detoxifies and lightens pigmentation spots. Design for all skin types.
|$98.00 (1 1/4 hr)
|2) Puracne Oxygen Clinical Treatment
This treatment is design to clear skin congestion, control acne and revitalize dull, fatigued and stressed skin.
|$80.00 (1 1/4 hr)
|3) Algomask Facial
This enriched treatment provides immediate and long-lasting hydration. Ideal treatment for sensitive skin, rosacea, couperosed and acne prone skin.
|$105.00 (1 1/4 hr)
|4) Eye and Lip Contour Care
By using thermoplastic mask this treatment is excellent for detoxifying and restoring the healthy glow of aspbyxiated skin. When used as an eye and lip treatment it improves the appearance of chow's feet, drooping eye lids, bags under the eyes and smoothes the lip contour.
|$30.00 (1/2 Hr)
|5) Hydrolifting Facial
Hydrolifting treatment is suitable for all skin types and conditions. Formulated to exfoliate, rehydratem lift and firm the skin for instant radiance and enhanced skin tone.
|$110.00 (1 1/2 Hr)
|6) Sea C Spa
A powerful antioxidant, anti-aging skin care treatment design to delay the signs of aging and to rejuvenate the skin. This treatment reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles, evens out the skin tone and illuminates the skin restoring its youthful appearance.
|$115.00 (1 1/2 Hr)
|7) Botinol
After only one treatment, expression lines appear relaxed, lines and wrinkles are visibly reduced and the skin is plumped. Recommended 4 treatments once a week for the best result.
|$144.00 (1 1/2 hr)
|8) Collagen 90-II
Improves the overall complexion by minimizing the appearance of lines and wrinkles, leaving skin well hydrated and radiant.
|$135.00 (1 1/2 hr)
Eye treatment
Lip treatment


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I spy, with my little eye, something that is beige (the art of swimming through a sea of boxes)
Oh, the boxes. THE BOXES! Sigh. It's like a never ending sea of cube-shaped beige-ness in our old mauve house right now. When will we be unpacked? Soon, perhaps. Maybe eventually. Possibly never? Afterall, we never did fully unpack from our move into our last house – we found boxes that were still packed up from nearly three years ago while preparing to sell our little 1940s home.
It's sad, and a little embarrassing, and quite true.
This time, on the unpacking list of priorities, our kitchen came first, followed by our bedroom. Sadly everything else is still in boxes. Our dining room, our living room, the spare bedroom, the office… The miscellaneous furniture, the random boxes, the extra stuff… it's everywhere.
Please let me present to you Exhibit A: our living room…
Ack eh? Yep, definitely ACK.
It's absolute madness.
My friend Jess (who blogs over at Little Townhome Love) would have had her entire house unpacked by now. And she's probably chortling away (in her lovely, clutter-free living room) at my terribly unorganized and unpacked state as we speak (hi Jess! Love you!) Jess is an expert unpacker. She has unpacking skills that I will never ever ever master. She's like an unpacking ninja, some might say. Others might call her the great relocation guru. She's crazy for corrugation. She's bonkers for bubblewrap. She can unpack an entire house in one, two days tops. She's darn impressive, that's for sure.
Am I jealous? Absolutely. She has unpacking panache that I will never be able to match.
Me? I'm a (painfully) slow unpacker. And I've fully accepted my box-engulfed fate for the next week. Or two. Or twenty. I'm sure eventually I'll be unpacked. I hope.
Until then, look for me under the sea of cardboard.
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Home sweet (old mauve) home
It happened. We've moved into the old mauve house. We're officially home owners once again. And we're officially elated.
Our move wasn't without its fair share of drama, of course. Our second floor bannister was rather ruthlessly torn apart by the previous owners at some point during their departure (likely to facilitate the removal of a box spring or an elephant or something equally awkward and obnoxious.) And there was the discovery that all of our upper-level window screens are missing (so we've been left with a rather stuffy second floor – and while we could open the windows upstairs, we'd likely end up with a house full of wasps.) (And wasps are like little scary flying nightmares, if you ask me.) And there was an ongoing and very frustrating struggle with the past owners who were still slowly removing their possessions from our front lawn more than 24 hours after we'd officially taken ownership of the house, and who didn't actually return for their final load until a full week after our closing date had passed.
Drama indeed! But it's done now. And we're in. And we finally have a house of our own again. And we're absolutely thrilled and happy and giddy and all sorts of silly. It's pretty awesome.
And our move wasn't without its triumphs. Remember how the house used to look like this?
Thanks to some crazy awesome, heroic and rather epic let's-make-a-good-impression-on-the-new-neighbours gardening, courtesy of my mom and dad (hi mom and dad!), our house now looks like this…
It looks so much better! (Thanks mom and dad!) There's still a lot of work left to do, of course, but the house now looks like a real house. And a not too shabby house, at that! One might even call it a cute little old mauve house with character and potential and lots of happy moments destined to happen within.
And, yes, that is a random garden gnome that you see there in our yard. The previous owners left him behind. I call him Harold. :)
We're now faced with the seemingly monumental task of unpacking what appears to be no fewer than a gazillion boxes. In a house with very few hiding places. Yep – apparently little old mauve farm houses don't come particularly well equipped with coat/linen/storage/anything closets. Did people in the early 1900s own winter coats? I'm guessing so. But perhaps they were "casually hang it on the back of the chair" sorta peeps. Or nudists. I'm not sure. Needless to say, I'm already scouring Kijiji for cute (paintable!) wardrobes to fill this gap.
And, regardless of the boxes, the wasps, the drama, the ill-fated bannister, and all of the forthcoming work that'll be required, we're in. We're in! It's ours, squishy floors and tiled countertops and screenless-windows and all.
And I love it.
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Preparing for tomorrow (happy house-owning eve to us!)
Tomorrow we (finally!) get possession of the old mauve house.
Tomorrow I'll do my very first happy dance in my new (sadly, mossy green-painted) living room.
Tomorrow I'll gain access to a fully functioning kitchen and return to cooking and baking and all those sorts of lovely and ridiculously domestic things that make me feel a bit like a 1950s housewife (oh, how I'd love to be a little 1950s housewife!)
Tomorrow we'll be able to sleep in our own bed on our own mattress in our own room for the first time in three long months.
Tomorrow we'll once again have walls to paint, kitchen floors and countertops to obsess over, updated lighting to purchase, new windows to save for, and many many other renovations to plan.
Tomorrow we'll reflect on the amazing generosity of the family members who have provided us with shelter and support during this period of in-between-ness.
Tomorrow we'll set the cats free to explore their new domain for the first time. Tomorrow I will keep my fingers crossed that neither Irwin nor Erik decides to be territorial.
Yep – there will be absolutely no peeing on anything tomorrow.
Tomorrow things get back to normal.
Tomorrow we start moving forward with life once again.
Tomorrow is really really really going to rock. :)
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Feeling sorta saggy (the results are in: our future home is… meh)
So we had our home inspection the other day. The results? Meh. The house needs a lot of work.
Not that any of this was new news to us, of course. Squishy kitchen floors and a little structural wonky-ness? These were flaws we were prepared for.
But still, there were a few surprises.
The workshop that Sweetie was so excited about is about to fall over. Soon. Some careless past home owner cut out all of the rafters, likely attempting to create a more functional ceiling height in the space. But, by doing so, the walls and ceiling have been rendered completely unsupported. Yep, that's right: nothing (beyond a few nails and good fortune) is supporting the walls or keeping the roof from collapsing. And, as you can likely imagine, this is bit of a concern and immediately needs to be fixed according to Mr Inspectorman.
And there are windows that need to be replaced. And jack posts that need to be added to maintain structure. There are spots of siding missing here and there. And the back sunroom is currently being supported by a deck that was never meant to carry the weight of an enclosed room – it most definitely needs to be re-enforced. The central air unit is completely non-functioning. The second story bathroom has enough lean to give you vertigo. And the extremely overgrown and weed-infested backyard needs to be plowed under and re-seeded and completely restarted from scratch.
Oh. And did I mention that the house is mauve? Yep. While watching the inspector poke at prod at our future home, I suddenly realized that the siding is indeed mauve. What colour door looks good with mauve-coloured siding? I'm not sure…
So are we still taking the plunge? Gather up your swim trunks because apparently we're going deep sea diving in Renoville. Yep. Despite all of this, the home inspector said that the house had good-ish bones that just need a little love. And, you know, we have lots of house-loving love to give, it seems.
Only seven-ish weeks till it's all ours. Yay!!! Can't wait to get started on making this house the best little mauve-coloured home it can be. :)
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Our next NEXT house (really skipping ahead a bit here – let's imagine our house-buying world, five years from now, k?)
Soooo… (cue fanfare…)… we bought a house. Yay!!! Home inspection looming, assuming everything goes well we'll be moving in at the end of September. And while sixty days wasn't our ideal closing period (we were desperately hoping for a lovely and quick-ish and nice and tidy little thirty day turn around), we're both super excited to start a new adventure in a new home in a new community.
Which house did we buy, you ask? Remember when I chatted about this house, which, in real life, looks like this…
Yep. We bought that house, squishy kitchen floor and tiled countertops and unruly bushes and far too many tchotchkes and all. Why? Location location location. As much as I tried, I couldn't get that darn place out of my head. I love the little tree-lined street, I love the big and private (and, sadly, rather overgrown at the moment) yard, and I absolutely adore the community. The house is most definitely not perfect, but I couldn't stop thinking about how perfect that house would be for us.
And I don't believe that the perfect house has to be absolutely perfect.
A short while ago, a friend (having heard that we were house hunting) mentioned that a mutual friend had recently purchased a house. In fact, not just any house. A really nice house, he said. With an en suite bathroom off the master bedroom and nice finishes in every room and as move-in ready and as perfect and pretty as any house can be.
Truth? At first I was indeed a little envious. Sigh, how nice it'd be to buy the sort of house where we could simply move in, shuffle the furniture around a little, put our feet up to test the ever-important ottoman positioning and declare that – poof! – we're all settled in. Easy peasy! No painting, no major cleaning, no planning, no obsessing. Just instant comfy-cozy comfort awesomeness from closing day on in. Just… like… that.
But then, when my wits suddenly snapped back into action, I realized that as nice (ok, way better than nice perhaps… let's go with FANTASTIC) as it would be to find and purchase our dream home, we're just not in that position right now. Sure, if we had the available funds and didn't have any other high-priority items currently dominating our monthly budget, and if we both had secure jobs without worry of layoff or strike or other similarly unfortunate potential work-related circumstances, then yes – maybe a sparkly and finished house would be the answer for us. And sure, if we weren't fairly certain that in five years or so we'll be in a much better financial position and able to maybe buy or even (gasp!) build the house of our dreams, a pre-finished no-renos-required sorta house might be blinking wildly on our radar and we might be excitedly planning our fancy-house buying strategy or signing documents on lovely white corian (swoon!) countertops in our newly purchased swanky and perfect kitchen.
But that's not where we are right now. As much as it pains me to type this, our next house won't be our forever house. And as much as I dislike this whole selling/buying/moving/angst-ing process, I've come to terms with the fact that this won't be my last dabble in the rather fickle (and cruel) world of real estate. This house will be yet another stepping stone house, one that we can use to keep our costs down, freeing up money for other, far more important ventures for now, and hopefully enabling us to once again make a profit when we do (a few years down the line) decide that it's time to find "the one."
But, until then, I'm ok with another fixer upper. It's just a house. It's a roof over our heads, walls to keep us warm and safe, and a place that we can settle back into life in. Whatever else it becomes is completely up to us. And I guess that's the benefit of a fixer-upper: we are starting from scratch. The house, despite having a great layout and good bones, needs some work before it'll be the home we want it to be. And, by bringing it up to our standards, we'll increase the value as well. Just like we did with our last house. And just like with did with the house before that.
And, truth be told (since we're divulging everything here!) I am kind of looking forward to finally getting my hands dirty once again. It's been a long two-month paint-free period. I'm missing the fun of planning, and the delight of realizing that I've mysteriously and miraculously somehow managed to choose the perfect paint colour or I've rearranged the furniture in the best pattern possible or found the best deal on a much needed somethingmerother in Ikea's As-Is section.
Yep. I may be entering reno withdrawl.
But soon I will triumphantly hold paintbrush in hand once again and proudly slap some fantastic new colour on our walls in a house that we'll make into a home that's perfect for Sweetie and me and the cats and anyone else who'd like to join us there.
Until then, I'll start planning the fixer-upping yet to come for our next little fixer upper. Quite excited. Quite giddy, in fact! Our new house may not be perfect and sparkly or have an en suite loo or anything else fancy like that, but it'll be perfect for us once we're done with it.
You'll see. :)
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Written in 4th grade as a school assignment while we were reading One Thousand and One Nights (also called the Arabian Nights).
Now my friends, as you can imagine, I once again grew restless and wished to traverse the sea.
Wishing to see other lands, I traveled to a distant port in Persia, joined a merchant trading vessel, and set out for the West Indies. Three days after we set out, a strong wind blew us to a distant part of the sea. I advised the sailors to rejoice while they could, for I knew that we were probably going to meet with trouble. How right I was! Our captain soon came out from his cabin looking very sad indeed, and upon asking what it was that troubled him, he revealed that we were in the exact spot where the horrifying sea monster Eelailesny dwelled.
When the crew heard this, they all began bemoaning the terrible fate that had befallen them. Only the captain and I did not lament, for he was brave and I, though I had heard tales of this horrible creature, had never actually learned the story. From what I picked up, Eelailesny appeared to be a giant serpent, but with two heads.
At that exact moment, a great tremor shook the boat as the first head of the sea monster appeared. At once, all my comrades (including the captain) stared moaning and sobbing like newborns. I alone kept my head. I tied myself to the mast with my turban, and luckily the mast snapped off just at the moment the sea serpent swallowed the boat whole.
I don't know how long I drifted, but it must have been at least 10 days because when I came to, I felt weak and giddy from lack of food. Suddenly I began to spin. Spinning and spinning, I slowly started to sink. Looking about me, I saw that I was headed towards a gigantic whirlpool! Struggling got me nowhere, so weak and exhausted, I let myself sink.
After waiting for some time while I recovered my strength, I looked around and saw that I was in an underground cavern. I examined it and found that it was as desolate as an abandoned island, and that the only way out was the whirlpool.
Looking around, something on the back wall caught my eye. At first I thought it was a jewel, but upon looking closer I saw that it was a small bird, about as big as half my fist, on the wall. It had appeared to be a jewel because of its amazingly colorful feathers that seemed to change color every minute!
Suddenly the bird disappeared and looking around saw it halfway down a stone passage concealed by two rocks. Moving the rocks aside, I followed the bird down the passage and emerged out in the sunlight. The air around me was filled with a very curious sound, and looking up I saw that the air was filled with tiny birds, that looked just like the one I saw in the cavern, but all different colors.
Feeling very tired, I lay down to rest, unknowingly falling asleep. When I awoke, only three or four birds were left. Realizing that they might be of great value, I procured some of them to sell and left to explore the island. After walking for some time, I found a river that was ten feet deep and as many wide. Looking across, I saw that the river was there to deter any passers by from going in there because, in a cave on the other side, was a giant sleeping spider who had come there obviously because of the birds, though I was puzzled as to how it managed to catch enough of those tiny things to feed it.
Going back to the cavern to spend the night, I tried to devise a plan to escape this new peril. At first I thought that if I tempted it with some of the little birds, it would leave me alone, but it would probably want me more, because I was bigger. Thinking about this, I fell asleep.
Continued in Part Two
Repeated use of participial phrases to start sentences: "Feeling very tired,…" "Thinking about this…" – This construction tends to cause lots of problems.
The original document had no paragraph breaks.
On the other hand, I obviously had a wild imagination.


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January 14, 2013
Mediation Monday
2 comments:
- AnonymousJanuary 14, 2013 at 12:50 PM
Love your blog! Maybe we could follow each other on bloglovin or GFC? Please leave me a comment or follow me and I will follow you =)ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 14, 2013 at 1:05 PM
Hola Holly!ReplyDelete
What an amazing quote...so TRUE and INSPIRING! Thanks for sharing and linking up! I appreciate YOU!
~SimplyyMayra :)
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LEUCADIA — For the third consecutive year, Summer Fun on the 101 Leucadia's Music Festival delighted visitors and locals alike June 29 and June 30.
"This is a little like being in a time warp," said Jean Purdue, an Encinitas resident. "It brings up a lot of good memories of when the crowds were smaller and the feel was just more intimate."
Even though the surf music event was described as a bigger version of a "block party," the entertainment and crowd swelled from the previous year.
Surf music — as the genre has become known — emerged on the scene around 1961. It was an extension of rockabilly and 1950's rhythm and blues compositions. Beginning with instrumental compositions, surf music later incorporated vocal harmonies.
The Bel Airs and Dick Dale are the most commonly referred to pioneers in the surf music scene. "Those guys were heavy on the guitar and gave you this driving beat that served as our soundtrack in the early days," said Bob Walker, an Oceanside resident and longtime surfer. "It reminds me of the days when you knew every guy on your local (surf) break and there weren't that many of them."
Headliners Mattson 2, for example, meld jazz with surf, while the band Slacktone exudes a progressive surf sound. "I like the fact that people brought their families, their dogs and just came down to chill," said Mando Rodriguez, a Leucadia resident.
This year's expanded event featured more than a dozen unique music groups plus a beer garden and giveaway drawings. While the performances were free, a $10 donation was requested to benefit the Paul Ecke Central Elementary's "School as a Garden" project.
"I like the fact that the money I donated is going to a great cause," said Pamela Hastings, a Vista resident who brought her family to the event at Roadside Park on July 9. "We got to hang out at Beacon's (beach) and then walk to the park to hear awesome music," she said. "It gives the day a real feeling of beach culture that is far beyond what my kids know."
The school's garden project serves as a "living lab" for students. Organizers said it also acts as a community education hub for all things "green." Included in the themes addressed though lectures and hands-on demonstrations are home energy conservation, reduced footprint on the environment, healthy food choices and opportunities to participate in the emerging green local economy.
Leading by example, Stellar Solar was on hand to power the sound for the bands. "I think walking the talk is important, especially when it comes to events like these that can actually be a burden on the environment," said Stan Simpson, a Carlsbad resident and environmental engineer. "It's a great idea to combine something so relevant to a beach community like surf music and have the benefits go to everyone when it comes to the garden."
The weekend also included a beach clean-up from Moonlight Beach north to Beacon's Beach as well as a surf film on Saturday. "There's never a bad time to clean up the beach," said Niko Wells, 12. "You don't have to wait for somebody to tell you to do it but it's cool when there are a lot of people helping."


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I was talking to an associate a little while ago who has links to groups active in the Middle East. The conversation went this way and that and I started thinking as to how you could resolve the situation.
Historically decades of violence tend to lead to power vacuums that then result in an unexpected alteration of power structures. The one that sprang to mind was the Heraclian-Sassanid wars of the early 7th century that left the Middle East highly exposed to the early waves of Islamic conquest. Arguably you could argue that the exhaustion after the Wars of the Roses in England or the wars between the Protestant Union and Catholic League in Germany in the 17th century saw equally significant long term changes as a result. The Tudor's and Prussia both started on their paths to ascendancy at this point.
So the risk on long term violence in the Middle East is less the threat of Al-Qaeda or IS, or any of the other parties currently involved, as much as the unexpected power structures that arise as a result. Current strategy by the West seems to focus on removing leaders in the belief that they can whack faster than the moles can burrow.
This is broadly similar to the approaches that the Crusaders and the Seljuks applied to rooting out the Nizaris in the 12th and 13th centuries. Caliphs and commanders continued to be assassinated. The threat was only removed when the Mongols, under Kitbuqa, carried out a policy of extermination, genocide really, in the Elburz mountains.
That's not really on the cards today despite the British and Russian armies having similar policies in Afghanistan in the 1880's and 1970's.
Whack-a-mole may work but it seems that we have the possibility to start using big data and analytics to get more predictive confidence in our analysis of warfare in Syria.
One argument in the social sciences is that predictions is difficult as you only have one data set. No other country is like Israel, no city is like New York, no time is like Birmingham in the 1970's
Another argument is that we have little insight into the organisational politics and behaviour of the 2000+ groups involved.
That may be true but I am sure that there are many hundreds of analysts attempting it for the security services of many countries.
This approach is different.
We start modelling the historical data. We have a huge number of cases where fragmented armed groups have struggled for control of a country, driven by ideology or not. Many people, Toynbee among them, have tried to build theories of history, to find patterns from historical human behaviour. That has failed for many reasons, most importantly because historical analysis is bluntly subjective, massively simplifies and is prone to bias. The models that you can build based on the primary and secondary unstructured sources that make up most of the historical record are weak.
However this data can be structured.
How can we structure historical data to allow us to build predictive models?
At this point we need to step back a bit and think about what it is that we would want to structure and why? All the groups in the Middle East (and any militant groups) are looking for power. We can look at people like Greene, Machiavelli, Sun Tzu who are concerned with the nexus of war and power. They give some insight but to a large extent (Sun Tzu excepted) they are more concerned with power being part of the agency of states. and wars being, on the whole, bi-partite.
On the other hand if we look at the academic literature we have Lukes, Foucault, Giddens and others – but they are almost entirely focused on power as a function of the nation state and it's internal and external manifestations (marx after all was focused on the analysis of the power struggle between capitalists and workers).
Finally we have the studies of power within organisations – Handy, Hofstede et al – but modern business organisations are more constrained in the use and abuse of power that Al-Nusra or the PKK. Studies are also highly focused on achieving shareholder value rather than the diverse goals of warring groups.
If you consider a countryside in arms with multiple warring groups, not quite a state of nature, but where status and success is based on being a good war leader, in a tribal sense, then we have very little modern political or organisational analysis that helps us to understand this – in part because of the humanist consensus that we have moved on since the wars of the Renaissance and Reformation which was the last time Europeans faced multitudes of non-state actors fighting.
That humanist movement though is key, especially Gutenberg and the proliferation of printing presses that he released.
By the early 16th century hundreds of books a year were being published.
Unlike today the majority of them were non-fiction and there were also large numbers of pamphlets and broadsheets reporting the news.
The result is that the depth of historical knowledge that we have about the people involved in events grows hugely from a few centuries before. The cast of historical characters grows hugely even in places such as the Balkans and the Germanies where continual warfare was taking place. Importantly there is also far more information about who they were and how they died. A good example is the Munster uprising in 1533 where a number of non-entities, merchants and religious fanatics seized the city and held out for 2 years. We have exceptionally detailed information about those individuals who would never have featured in Geoffrey on Monmouth's writings 4 centuries before.
So the theory is that we can map historical multi sided conflicts through the records of individuals being engaged in them. Mentions in contemporary manuscripts and books is an indication of the importance of and success of figures. In many cases we know the causes of death. John of Leiden was executed. Martin Luther died of a stroke. John of Leiden's movement died with him. Luther's didn't.
By mapping these networks we can then get a much deeper understanding of the historical forces in play. This though only tells us about individual conflicts and doesn't help us generate useful rules predicting future conflicts.
Before I move onto prediction I'll dive into how this can be done. Google and many other institutions (such as the British Library) are busy digitizing their book and manuscript collection. OCR is sufficiently advanced that significant information can be extracted on a programmatic basis. So we can identify actors by location and time period. With some semantic analysis we can identify whose side (if any) they were on, characteristics about them (the proud, the cruel, the fat) and their eventual fate. And we can do their for hundreds of thousands of books.
There are certainly some pretty huge data quality issues – language, naming and spelling conventions for one – duplication and information gaps for another, but we can build very large scale data sets that capture the vast majority of those actors who contemporaries thought were important.
Once the data set is built, or partially populated, perhaps seeding with something like Wikipedia or Encyclopedia Britannica, (which would allow an easy low cost Minimum Viable Product) then you produce the network map. Wikipedia already has links which enable tagging but at a deeper level relationships would need to be assigned on a probabilistic basis – using strong/weak ties as popularised by Granovetter.
The model would also be time sensitive so that the relationship and engagement between individuals could also be related to the exercise of power on the ground. This would require additional modelling. how do you quantify power? Should a historical version of Jane's be developed, or a economic or a territory based model? How accurate would it be? To start with territorial control would probably be sufficient as in many cases that was the measure of success at the time.
So that is a model of a particular conflict (or group of conflicts) in a particular time period. The next step is that you repeat the process for multiple conflicts. Then you start feeding them into an AI
There are a bunch of different ways of doing this. One way is to emulate the AlphaGo team which had a three stage process. First they trained the AI on the data using a deep neural network. Then they used reinforcement learning and had different versions f the AI play off against each other. Finally they used all these results to feed into another neural network that was focused on predicting consequences.
If you look at this way a go board is quite similar to a network of relationships. Certainly there are more positions to play with and more states than the 3 state go board (black, white, empty) but in essence what we have is a game, fact recognised by everyone from the ancient Shahs of Persia with their fascination for Chess (whether they invented it or not), to Sun Tzu and countless European strategists.
I am under no illusions that this would be easy, but once you strip away all the parts you have
- A lot of data
- A game / conflict where rules are consistent over time
- The computing power to understand it
A lot of the predictive power of any programme would really depend on the model. The more complex the model the scarcer the data (or more expensive to collate it), the simpler the model the more nuance that is lost. It's a classic case of Non sunt multiplicanda entia sine necessitate or use the simplest model that gives you useful results. We don't know at what point that is.
I remember a long term ago using a VAX mainframe to try and model the impact of the British Army using a 120mm or 105mm barrel on some equipment. The problem was that the model was so complex that we never got the simulation to give us useful results. It's the same here. We have centuries of unstructured data. How little can we get away with structuring, and to what level and would we get any useful results?
If it worked it would then be possible to start considering, to finally bring drone strikes in, who to kill and when to have the most powerful long term impact on the contact. Cut off one head and two more appear. Continual warfare hydrates the enemy, teaching them how to counter your moves.
In contrast knowing how changes will impact the enemy gives you mastery of the situation and I think deep knowledge of how organisations change in war conditions will be of great value
"Be extremely subtle even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate." Sun Tzu
Sorry it's been a bit of a ramble today. Next time there will be a bit more structure :).


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