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WHY GENDER IS NON-BINARY by Lucas Voclere
[Attention: this is a first version. If you have any constructive feedback to help me rewrite it to make sure not to offend anyone nor to spread any misconception, please don't hesitate to let me know on my Facebook page! And if something is offending here, please be sure it wasn't my attention and I will gladly edit what needs to be edited. Many thanks.]
Nowadays, gender studies are gaining a growing wider place in mainstream conversations and debates. For a very long time, it was about men versus women, masculinity versus feminity. We were even told we came from different planets1. Our biological sex assigned at birth was meant to be the only way of defining our gender. Reality is, when we talk about gender, XY = Male versus XX = Female is only a piece of a very incomplete puzzle. My goal here is to evoke different ways of exploring gender. I don't pretend to be exhaustive. I just want to briefly invite healthy curiosity and reflections.
We live in a society that keeps on teaching us gender as a binary system based on biology supposed to determine our identity and our place in that society. There is not only a clear widespread confusion between sex and gender but also a very toxic hierarchisation of genders and what attributes they include. Depending on where we live and the era, the main recognised genders of male and female will be assigned different characteristics allowing to judge the identity and the abilities of individuals simply upon what is perceived to be their gender. I say perceived as we are taught to look at people's physical traits and their look to assume their gender. Assuming is not knowing.
Here, I will debate neither on what is assigned to be male/masculine or female/feminine nor on how those assignments are used to distribute to each of us social, relationship, family, sexual and professional roles depending on our sex. I will not elaborate either on how society discriminates and punishes heavily individuals who refuse to conform with the absurdity of this entire system. I will invite you though to get curious about all of it, maybe starting with some references added here. I am mentioning this for you to keep in mind that there is much wider and complex dynamics at stake. Dynamics that lead to heterosexism, sexism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and many other forms of discriminations making the world we live in sick. For those who wonder, heterosexism is the system of discrimination, prejudice and stigma against non-straight people on the assumption that heterosexuality is superior and holds higher values that should be the norm for all (this is my own-made definition mixing various ones read). I believe at the origin of those dynamics we find the binary conception of gender I believe to be erroneous.
As per the discriminations against non-straight people, one of the main argument we hear to justify the binary cisgender heterosexist system we live in is the one of nature; - nature and biology. So let's take a minute to talk about sex as "either of the two main categories (male and female) into which humans and most other living things are divided on the basis of their reproductive functions"2. Beyond the fact that we are more than our reproductive functions, - hereby why gender transcends sex -, we can easily contest the mainstream definition of sex as being either male or female. Some more accurate definitions include another biological reality: sex is "a person's biological makeup of sex organs and chromosomes that marks them as male, female or intersex"3.
"'Intersex' is a general term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn't seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male."4.
Note that intersex individuals are not hermaphrodites. " A hermaphrodite is an organism with both male and female genitalia"5. We find in nature various plants and animals, - notably some but not all species of snails -, which are hermaphrodites.
Intersex individuals used to be wrongly called hermaphrodites as they were considered to be both sexes, which was another way of asserting the binary system. Either or, or both. They are not both, though they can have some biological elements both of male and female.
It is also crucial to say that intersex and transgender are not the same thing and that being intersex doesn't determine how they identify in terms of gender. As for everyone else, gender is not about our biology but about our identity.
So even if you want to deny that gender transcends biology or even exists, you can not assert that we all are either male or female. Biology is actually not that binary. And even if you deny the existence of gender and believe only in the binary conception, you have to admit that we all are a mix of masculinity and feminity (no matter what you consider to be one or the other) that our biology only can't determine.
Then, it is important to understand that our gender identity and expression are even more rich and complex than our biology is.
Too often sex and gender are used interchangeably when gender is not about or not only about our biological sex.
"Often expressed in terms of masculinity and feminity, gender is largely culturally determined and is assumed from the sex assigned at birth"6
Here "assigned" refers to doctors assigning for all of us at birth a publicly recognised gender that will then appear on any identifiable or administrative paperwork related to us. We are labelled either as male or female. Intersex are denied in their reality and assigned a chosen gender depending on the biological male or female characteristics judged dominant. In many cases, doctors can even practice barbaric surgical procedures to remove the other characteristics. The damaging journey of living in a binary world starts at birth.
The word "assumed" refer to what I said in the introduction about how we are taught to categorise people as male or female depending on what we suppose their genitals are from what we can see of their appearance.
"Culturally determined": gender is about socio-cultural constructs. As previously mentioned, those evolve and differ depending on the place and era we live in. The facts that those do not provide any immutable truth about gender constitutes for me the highest proof of the binary conception to be flawed. It is especially flawed in its assignments of characteristics to male and female and how they are then exploited to create an imbalance and a rapport of force between the two recognised genders.
And gender is not only about socio-cultural constructs. It is about identity and expression. Note that no more than for our sexual orientation we don't choose our gender identity. What we choose is the terms that describe the best who we are. Not to forget that those terms are defined by our socio-cultural context (which includes family, colleagues and entourage), which also influences how we relate to them. We can choose though to reflect on how we want to relate to those terms and how we want to express our gender throughout and beyond them; notably in how we present ourselves to the world (look and attitude).
Note as well that no matter your biology (male, female, intersex) and the sex assigned at birth (male or female), you can identify as a man or a woman without considering yourself binary. And for those of you who identify as binary, please consider that it doesn't have to negate the different reality of many other people.
Gender is non-binary or more than binary, so what is it? I agree with the conception of gender as a continuum or a spectrum. For me gender consists in various layers of/a network of continuums. (Please consider my explanations to be simplified and non-exhaustive.)
The first continuum between male and female is not defined by the sex assigned at birth but how we identify in relation to this assignment. Again, we don't choose our identity, we only choose how we define it, hence our identifications. We can identify with the sex assigned at birth (cisgender), with the other sex (transgender), or with none (agender). Note I say 'the other sex' because I believe 'the opposite sex' is another misleading and toxic misconception. We are not either or, and seeing genders as opposite necessarily creates disturbing power dynamics. No matter how we identify and how we express our gender, we all are a mix of masculine and feminine traits; - at least, of what we conceptualised to be masculine or feminine traits within our socio-cultural context.
This is the second main continuum at stake: the one between masculinity and feminity. Society teaches us all the time, in various extremes and subtilties, to categorise things as either masculine or feminine. It tells us which job, taste, emotion, way of thinking is more feminine or masculine. Those views keep on changing and keep on influencing the collective and individual unconscious. Even languages in many cases attribute a feminine or a masculine to objects and words that have no sex.
Languages show us that despite the misconception between sex and gender, one thing doesn't need one to be assigned the other. If we take the time to reflect on how we are impacted by all of it, most of us might realise that we consider anything and everything at a certain level of masculinity and/or feminity. I think this piece of clothing is feminine. I see this behaviour as masculine. I feel feminine when I do this and masculine when I do that. We clearly need to be more aware and reconsider what we describe and experience as masculine or feminine. We might even need to move on from trying to describe what is either one or another, and consider to stop assigning a gender to all things. Neutrality is probably a more accurate, viable and reliable perception; at the minimum it is a needed conception to reflect on aside the gendered one.
There is a great fluidity in how we conceptualise, experience and express gender. And nothing stay still, neither the society's views nor ours. I might do something I experience at a certain time in a masculine way, - whatever that means for me -, and later on experience the same thing as feminine or neutral. This is because of this multi-dimensional fluidity and the flawed categorisation of everything as male/masculine or female/feminine that more and more individuals identify differently.
They notably identify as non-binary, gender fluid and/or queer (there are many different ways of considering this latter term, about and not about gender and/or sexuality). Sometimes it is about a double identification or more: genderfluid man, non-binary woman7…
I spoke earlier about language. It is important to say that no matter the topic the human understanding keeps on growing in depth and complexity, so it is crucial for the language to evolve. This is what is happening in regard to gender and sexuality with the multitude of newly created terms. Most people who misunderstand gender and are pro-binary, use the argument that those terms didn't exist before and so what they describe. But that is exactly the opposite: it is because things existed without recognition that new words are created to describe them when they are finally acknowledged. That's how language works, evolving to describe a new discovery, knowledge or understanding.
I will stop here. Again, I don't pretend to have been exhaustive on the topic. Gender is way more complex and has unlimited material to explore about social constructs, personal perceptions, identifications, experiences and expressions; and about the continuums and fluidity involved. Not to mention that gender expression itself can be richer than gender identity because as much as we only choose the terms we identify with and not what/how we are, we also can choose how we express our gender identity and play with the fluidity of pre-conceived masculine & feminine traits.
There is also so much more to explore with the fluidity and continuums of sexual orientation and how sexual orientation, gender identity & expression, are only parts of our sexual identity.
1 Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, John Gray
2 https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/sex
3 https://sexetc.org/sex-ed/sex-terms/
4 http://www.isna.org/faq/what_is_intersex
5 https://biologydictionary.net/hermaphrodite/
6 http://www.stonewall.org.uk/help-advice/glossary-terms
7 https://www.teenvogue.com/story/9-things-people-get-wrong-about-being-non-binary
- XY on Masculine Identity, Elisabeth Badinter
- Iron John, Robert Bly
- Intersex Society of America - http://www.isna.org/
- https://www.genderspectrum.org/
- https://www.genderbread.org/
- The myth that gender is binary is perpetuated by a flawed education system - https://qz.com/1007198/the-myth-that-gender-is-binary-is-perpetuated-by-a-flawed-education-system/
- Gender Figure - https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CI390BlUsAALMQP.jpg
- Gender Spectrum - http://scalar.usc.edu/works/index-2/media/the-gender-spectrum
- Genderbread - http://itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/2015/03/the-genderbread-person-v3/
- https://othersociologist.com/sociology-of-gender/
- Men & Masculinities - https://wgac.colostate.edu/education/gender-and-identity/men-and-masculinities/


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Wired - Wirral Information Resource for Equality & Disability Ltd
Charity information
Wired - Wirral Information Resource for Equality & Disability Ltd
Organisational Philosophy
Wired's vision is of a society in which all people are fully integrated and able to lead independent and fulfilling lives.
Wired's mission is to promote the equality, dignity and independence of everyone, regardless of age, disability, economic situation, faith, gender, race, or sexual orientation.
Wired's philosophy is one of empowerment. We believe that people should be supported to take control of their lives by ensuring that they are able to influence the development and implementation of services they need.
Founded 2003
Established: April 2003
Registered Charity Number: 1060105
Phone number: 01516701500View charity accounts on the Charity Commission website

subset: commoncrawl


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The story of Valeant Pharmaceuticals has come full circle.
After all of the controversy around accusations that the company engaged in accounting fraud; after Valeant revealed its use of a mysterious business to drive sales; and after investors have knocked a full 50% off of the company's stock price, the biggest question about the company is something raised almost two years ago: Is Valeant able to generate real growth?
The charge is that Valeant, a pharmaceutical company that has been one of Wall Street's darlings over the past several years, is a roll-up — a company that uses aggressive accounting and serial acquisitions to hide its lack of growth.
This criticism has been leveled for almost two years by Kynikos Associates founder Jim Chanos, who thinks Valeant's reliance on debt-fueled acquisitions and price increases (which has also come under fire from politicians) is unsustainable.
Now that Valeant's shares have been crushed and bond investors have grown wary of the drugmaker's $31 billion debt load, this view has been given more credence. Standard and Poor's on Friday downgraded its outlook on Valeant's credit to negative.
It's not that Wall Street didn't know that Valeant — whose annual revenue is over $8 billion — was aggressive, it's that now investors are starting to ask themselves why.
And now that government officials at both the federal and the state levels have started asking questions, investors are starting to wonder whether Valeant's aggression will stand.
Last week, one of Wall Street's elder statesmen, Berkshire Hathaway vice chairman Charlie Munger, told Bloomberg that Valeant had relied on "gamesmanship" to show value and had a "phony growth record."
Remember Allergan?
Back in May of 2014, Chanos went on CNBC and said: "We're short [Valeant] because it's a roll-up. And roll-ups present a unique set of problems."
Chanos added: "Roll-ups are generally accounting-driven, and we certainly think that's the case in [Valeant]. We think [Valeant] is playing some very aggressive accounting games when they buy companies, write down the assets, and also engaged in what we call spring-loading." Spring loading is a practice in which a company grants investors options before it knows good news is about to come out.
This thesis about Valeant's accounting was front and center last year when the company tried to buy its pharmaceutical rival Allergan with the help of hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman.
It was a hostile bid — meaning Allergan's board was against Valeant's proposed merger — and David Pyott, then Allergan's CEO, made it clear he had issues with Valeant's business model. Specifically, Pyott wasn't impressed that Valeant spent an industry low of 3% of revenue on research and development and lowered the R&D budgets for companies it acquired.
Here's what Pyott said in a May 12, 2014, letter rejecting Valeant's first increased offer:
Valeant's strategy runs counter to Allergan's customer focused approach. In particular, we question how Valeant would achieve the level of cost cuts it is proposing without harming the long-term viability and growth trajectory of our business. For those reasons and others, we do not believe that the Valeant business model is sustainable.
As part of its defense against Valeant, Allergan argued that sales at companies Valeant acquired declined after acquisition.
To illustrate that point, Allergan presented these two slides about the Valeant acquisition Bausch & Lomb.
At the time, Valeant CEO Michael Pearson said he thought Bausch & Lomb would continue to experience double-digit growth, but Allergan's numbers didn't jibe with that: Allergan estimated that Bausch and Lomb would grow at 5%.
This lack of growth, critics argue, means it's imperative that Valeant hikes prices on drugs it acquires and that it keeps doing acquisitions.
This brings us back to Munger's accusations at a conference earlier this year, in which he told investors that Valeant reminded him of 1960s serial acquiring conglomerates like ITT that made money in an "evil way."
"Valeant, the pharmaceutical company, is ITT come back to life," Munger said. "It wasn't moral the first time. And the second time, it's not better. And people are enthusiastic about it. I'm holding my nose."
Meghan Gavigan of Sard Verbinnen, Valeant's representative, did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment on this piece.
Don't bite the hand that feeds you
Valeant's largest shareholder, the mutual fund Sequoia Fund, responded directly to Munger's criticism at its investor day back in May, but that response detailed only the problems with Valeant's accounting model.
Here's what Bob Goldfarb, chairman of the investment firm Ruane, Cunniff & Goldfarb (which holds Sequoia as its flagship fund) said:
My guess, when I saw the comments, was that Charlie might have been targeting Valeant's accounting. If I were going to question the accounting, the principal issue I would have would be with the accounting for the restructuring charges after Valeant makes a large acquisition. The company and the analysts who follow it add back these restructuring charges to derive the company's cash earnings.
In other words, Goldfarb acknowledged that Wall Street wasn't valuing Valeant correctly. He said his company didn't engage in such tomfoolery, but that's not so comforting right now — especially after Ruane, Cunniff & Goldfarb released a letter saying Valeant had caused it "an extraordinary level of pain" last week.
Farther to fall
On Wednesday morning, US Sens. Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) announced that they were opening a bipartisan investigation into pharmaceutical price increases.
"Some of the recent actions we've seen in the pharmaceutical industry — with corporate acquisitions followed by dramatic increases in the prices of pre-existing drugs — have looked like little more than price gouging,"McCaskill said.
Obviously this is a direct attack on Valeant's business model, and the company will be required to send documents about several its drugs to the legislators by December 2. The first hearing is set for December 13.
Also on Wednesday, House Democrats launched an Affordable Drug Pricing Task Force, which is meant to address the same concerns voiced by McCaskill and Collins.
In other words, political uncertainty is high. Who knows what the Senate investigations will find, or what kind of legislation politicians will consider crafting after all is said and done? What is certain, though, is that the Valeant model is about to be put under a microscope.
Don't be surprised if legislators don't like what it seems investors are starting to see.


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CATERING MENU (on-site)
Tony's knows what it takes to make your social celebration or business function the talk of the town. Our menus and services are custom designed for every event. We start with a consultation between our client and our catering coordinator. This enables us to prepare a proposal with several menus and budgets. Our goal is to give our client exactly what they are looking for at a reasonable price.
- Plated Style Dinner Menu
- Buffet Style Dinner Menu
- Appetizer Menu
- Bar Menu
- Luncheon Menu
- Vogue Room Fact Sheet
- About Tony's Vogue Room
Tony's specializes in events of all shapes and sizes. We are only limited by our client's imagination. Through our network of Event Specialists we can provide the best location for your event, Specialty Linens, China, Decorations, Cakes, Floral arrangements, Tenting and Photography.
Call us at 618-462-8384 or E-mail us: email@example.com


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Last week I got to try out really huge ice cubes and this week I got to make ice balls with a silicone mold from the same company! The Bakerolla Ice Ball mold makes 4 tennis ball (or slightly bigger) sized ice balls.
This is an
easy to use soft silicone mold. Very flexible so you just twist and the
ice pops out. Easy to fill, but there is a little over spill. Don't
worry about it though, it won't get out into your freezer. It stays in
the top of the mold then just pops out when you take the mold apart.
Just take it apart over the sink so those spare pieces fall into the
sink and don't make a mess. The ice balls are huge and would be great in
a punch bowl, pitcher or tea or lemonade or a rocks glass with liquor.
First press both sides of the mold together firmly making sure the notches on the 2 ends match up.
Make sure both pieces of
the mold are pressed together completely before filling or you will
have a ring of ice around the middle of each sphere.
To fill the molds just hold a funnel (a normal kitchen funnel) above the hole and pour about 1/2 cup of water into each hole.
pour water across the top of the whole thing till all the molds are
full the turn it slightly to it's side to get rid of excess water. Then
'top off' each sphere hole using the funnel.
Place in the freezer for several hours until solid.
Once frozen, pull the molds apart and pop the ice spheres out of the bottom half.
If you get a ring of ice around each sphere you can chip it off with a butter knife.
You're done! You have 4 perfect spheres of solid ice. I put them into a bowl and put them back into the freezer then refill the molds. I added a bit of food coloring to the water before filling to get the red ice balls to use in Christmas punch. Easy peasy!
You can purchase a mold on Amazon right here.
These are really fun ice cubes to make and would be awesome to put in the punch bowl this holiday season. Don't you agree?
I received this item for free in exchange for an honest review. Opinions, experiences and images are all mine.
This post contains affiliate links. If you chose to purchase something through the link, I will get a small payment from Amazon. It will not affect your purchase price. Click for full disclosure.


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BBC radio drama to mark Reading prison closure
A BBC Radio 4 drama will mark the closure of Reading prison, where writer and poet Oscar Wilde was incarcerated in the 19th Century.
Doing Time: The Last Ballad of Reading Gaol explores the quirkier facts of the prison, which closed on 22 November.
The prison was immortalised in Wilde's poem, The Ballad Of Reading Gaol, published in 1898.
Dramatist Mike Walker said the jail was "so much more than Oscar Wilde - it's the story of thousands of lives".
Recording will start later in the church next door to the Victorian prison, which closed after 169 years under government plans to replace four prisons with a super-prison.
Wilde was sentenced to two years in the jail for gross indecency after his homosexual affair was exposed in 1895.
The play will also reveal why Reading Gaol executioner William Calcott was known as "short drop" and why an employee was sacked for giving a child a biscuit.
Mr Walker, who researched the play using historical documents, said the prison's history was "a treasure trove of weird facts and strange people".
It will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 13 March after its debut on BBC Radio Berkshire and actors include new EastEnders actress Annette Badland.


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Here we'll be discussing the first 5 chapters of Howl's Moving Castle.How one's point of view does alter
Throwing a character a curve ball and seeing what happens is a well-known plot device. In this instance, do you think that Sophie actually benefits from being cursed and forced to re-evaluate who she is? Does being turned into someone so drastically unlike herself mean she takes on another personality? Or does it give her the freedom to be the self she wasn't able to be while stuck in the hat shop?
Please remember to use spoiler tags when discussing specific details of the plot to make reading more pleasurable for everyone!


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High performance CRUD REST API in CodeIgniter, in which we include highly optimised code and improve API execution time.
In this, we used security library for preventing XSS (Cross Site Scripting) issue and SQL injection issue.
Validation of POST parameters are included in this API, So unnecessary data is not added in database.
This CRUD REST API demo is most useful for build android/IOS back-end web service with scalable code.
Big high jump for beginner developers.
We added documentation files in our item. or online API Docs : https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fA8D1qG6_NHYxUOP1kY4f5jQwB2DnP2hRFHuOvlEDxY/edit?usp=sharing


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The Moderns on IMDB
Nick Hart is an expatriate American fictional artist living in Paris among some of the great artists and writers of the time, including Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, and Alice B. Toklas.
Nick is torn between his wife Rachel and Nathalie de Ville who hires him to forge her paintings. He must also contend with Rachel's current husband, Bertram Stone, who does not know that his wife is still married to another man.


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Recommended Links - HummingbirdsHummingbirds.net
Wonderful, detailed information and breath-taking photos and videos are presented in an interesting, well-written format.
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has an amazing website. It's detailed descriptions of the tiny, elusive hummingbird are highly informative and well-organized.
Bird Watcher's Digest.com presents detailed information on a variety of hummingbirds.
A wealth of information about the tiny birds can be found on this comprehensive website.
This highly informative website is concerned with providing information about hummingbirds and ways to protect the tiny birds.
Beautiful photographs and very detailed information abound in this comprehensive website on hummingbirds.
This educational site of the San Diego Zoo contains both close-up pictures and well-written, detailed information on hummingbirds - includes fun activities for kids to help them learn about the tiny birds.
Banding activities are described in this informative site which also gives detailed descriptions for several hummingbirds that migrate through North Carolina.
The National Audubon Society discusses the importance of hummingbirds and several ways to help protect these little birds in your backyard and around the world.
This informative site gives the hummingbird enthusiast a wealth of Information about the 18 species of hummingbirds found in Arizona.
This "ultimate resource center" is filled with an abundant variety of information about hummingbirds including feeding them, making their food, working on projects for them, and so much more.
Perkypet.com is the top destination to find quality Wild Bird Feeders and Accessories. Perky-Pet® and K-Feeders wild bird products are trusted brands to bird lovers everywhere. Interact with nature, relax and build memories that last a lifetime by conveniently ordering from perkypet.com. Happy Bird Feeding!


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We use cookies to make the site simpler. Find out more about cookies
Panto's, festive shopping and family days out - find your perfect Christmas event to make the season bright on the Visit Dorset website!
Apply to vote by post if you are unable to get to a polling station.
Apply to vote by proxy if you aren't able to cast your vote in person.


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Unit 62 - 168 Munira Lane, Atlanta
END UNIT: Floorplan called 'Thaxton.' Create a lifestyle in this modern townhome built by Rocklyn Homes. It features a centrally located family room with hardwood floors, coffered ceilings, plus the warmth of a fireplace. Beautiful granite countertops with island and pendent lighting above. Inviting master spa with tile floors, relaxing Garden Tub, separate shower, vanity/ dual sinks, and walk-in closet. Media room/optional office/ bedroom on terrace level. Community offers clubhouse with swim and tennis. LOW HOA fee, covers water/sewer/trash.
Sewer, Swim/Tennis, Trash, Water
Attached, Garage, Auto Garage Door, Side/Rear Entry
Double Vanity, Entrance Foyer, High Ceilings 9 ft Main, High Speed Internet, Smart Home, Tray Ceiling(s), Walk-In Closet(s)
Dishwasher, Disposal, Electric Oven, Electric Range, Electric Water Heater, Microwave
Ceiling Fan(s), Central Air, Zoned
Walk out balcony, Private Front Entry, Private Rear Entry
Cement Siding - Not Stucco, Frame, Stone
Listings on this website come from the FMLS IDX Compilation and may be held by brokerage firms other than the owner of this website. The listing brokerage is identified in any listing details. Information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. If you believe any FMLS listing contains material that infringes your copyrighted work, please click here to review our DMCA policy and learn how to submit a takedown request. © 2019 FMLS
For issues regarding this website (and/or listing search engine, as applicable) please contact Real Estate Webmasters - 250-753-9893
Listing information last updated on November 21st, 2019 at 4:16pm EST.


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Today I'm sharing a Flip Top box I designed specifically for 3 soaps I found at a local supermarket. They're beautiful in themselves, but I thought I'd jazz them up a bit further!
Happy Birthday Flip Top Box
I wanted to get a box from a single sheet of card, and I thought it would be enough to include a proper lid, but sadly my soaps were just a little too large! So now I have a flip top box for you to try!
I hope you like it! Which colour do you prefer?
- Score long side at 7, 14, 21, 28 cm
- Score short side at 4.5 and 14 cm
See below everything you need to make a Flip Top box at home. Enjoy!
Or click here to browse my online store & buy your favourite products now!
I hope you liked today's project. If so, come back again on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday every week for more inspiration from me!
Don't forget the Host Code with your online orders (see simply stunning giveaways below) and why not think about joining Stampin' Up! and my amazing Royal Stampers?
Crafty hugs, Pip x
Pip Todman aka Queen Pip
Stampin' Up! UK Independent Demonstrator
#QueenPipCards #StampinUp #papercraft #InspiringYourCreativity
Join Stampin' Up! and The Royal Stampers
Click HERE to Join Stampin' Up! for just £99. Choose £130 worth of product and don't pay shipping! Plus 20% off until at least Dec 2018! WOW what an offer. Join my fabulous team the Royal Stampers today or Click here to read about us!
Get A Gift For Shopping
Use my Monthly Host Code 3PBNUVTJ in the Host Reward box on your Basket screen online. For all orders over £25 will receive a share of any Host Rewards. Ordering over £150? Keep the rewards for yourself & still get my gift! Click here to read more . Everyone who orders will get a special hand made card in the post from me too, of course!
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- Fill in the Subscribe form below or on my side bar to keep up to date with all the news, special offers and exclusive projects from Queen Pip Cards & Stampin' Up!


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Our parish is unusual in that we derive the majority of our income from three distinct sources:
First, from the offerings received from our over 200 registered parishioners, as well as donations made by our many visitors. In addition, from the gifts we receive for sacramental services provided to parishioners and friends.
Second, from the proceeds of sales of religious items offered to people around the world through the acclaimed venue of eBay. We have been registered with Ebay since 1999. We are a charitable seller under their "Missionfish" program. We sell under the name " Catholic Auctions". This income, net of expenses, provides for the payment of parish expenses.
Third, from income derived from special gifts made to the parish from concerned individuals, within the greater Providence community, who remain concerned that an "alternate" Catholic voice remains a beacon of hope to people longing for acceptance.
Saint Patrick Catholic Church is a registered not-for-profit Corporation established within the laws of the State of Rhode Island.
Our property is owned by our parish. We are responsible for our own support. Financial updates are available weekly in the parish bulletin and may be reviewed online on the Downloads and Information page of this site.
This parish operates in transparency and honesty and curtails unnecessary expenses exercising proper stewardship of all resources and offerings received.
Donations in any amount may be sent to:
Saint Patrick Catholic Church
2068 Cranston Street
Cranston, Rhode Island 02920


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A lot of geniuses in this video.
Twitter use @_Roarss posted a video that was captioned "When we finally catch the clown that been screaming "NIGGER" at u all morning😭😭😭😭." The video showed black men slapping a white man after he apparently called them n*****. The man fell to the ground as they demanded he apologize. Check out the video and decide if they were justified or if they just made it worse.
When we finally catch the clown that been screaming "NIGGER" at u all morning😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/oKzzimUsk9
— PeeWee Kirkland (@_Roarss) November 28, 2017
Okay so basically i was at the smoke shop and parked i lowkey fucked up and the gu just started goin crazy "you're a nigger this, you're nigger that get out my way
— PeeWee Kirkland (@_Roarss) November 28, 2017
Users had a lot to say about it, including the original poster:
Now y'all will be "NIGGERS" in jail 😂 I'm ready for the charges to be pressed. I'll be waiting on that. So wait, you can call him a nigga but he can't call you one? Lol.
— Papi Chulo 🇨🇴 (@Retro_Kidd23) November 29, 2017
Your actually dumb with your Uncle Tom ass, assault a misdemeanor out here nobody goin to jail maybe some community service lol but continue on with your day
— PeeWee Kirkland (@_Roarss) November 29, 2017
ask all these folks laughing with you to help pay that bail when that man press charges
— mk ciao (@ALLCAPS_) November 28, 2017
I bet he still will. He'll get in his car and go home tell people what happened and say this is exactly why they are "N*ggers". So what change came from beating him up.
— 🥀JOD¥🥀 (@JodeciFinessin) November 29, 2017
Lol on me we the real victims i was jus tryna get some swishers smh
— PeeWee Kirkland (@_Roarss) November 29, 2017


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What is QuickBooks Error Code -6000, -82 ?
QuickBooks Error Code -6000, -82 appears while attempting to open a company file"An error appeared when QuickBooks examined to obtain the company file" shows that QuickBooks can't locate the company file, which is stored in different computer in the network, this error mostly occurs when you are running QuickBooks in multi user mode.
How to fix this issue?
QuickBooks Support suggests more than one solution for this error. Maybe the first suggestion solves the issue of QuickBooks, or you may need to examine all of them to fix the problem.
Note: Make sure that your QuickBooks is up-to-date. It is also suggested to users to download QuickBooks File Doctor , install it and run the company file scan.
Solution 1 – Separate spaces after the company file name and before the extension of company file.
- Terminate the accounts of QuickBooks Desktop on all devices.
- Proceed to the folder which contains your company file.
- Rename the Company File name after Right clicking on it.
- Click on the file, press F2 and separate the spaces from the company file name and file extension.
If error continues, proceed to the next solution.
Solution 2 – Verify the status of hosting of the entire PC.
- Turn off Hosting method for the single user path.
Note: Turning off the Hosting will disable the multi-user services.
- Choose the File menu and picked Utilities > Stop Hosting Multi-User Path.
- When the Stop hosting multi-user path message shows, agree yes.
- When the Company file must be closed broadcast appears, select yes.
- For Multi user path
Note: This failure usually shows that one or more consumer PC are mistakenly set up to host multi-user path.
- On each customer PC displaying the failure:
- Open No Company Open Window and Choose Utilities from File Menu.
- Verify that the menu choice Host Multi-User Path has presented. One or more customer PC might show the menu choice, Stop Hosting Multi-User Path, which shows they are already hosting multi-user path.
- On any customer PC representing the Stop Hosting Multi-User Path, choose the Stop Hosting Multi-User Path choice and follow the timely to switch off hosting.
- Try starting the error file again. The required log-in window should present.
Need a certified technician to fix this error for you, Call QuickBooks Support 1800-396-7703 and get instant solution to your problem.


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Ray of Light Interview No. 36 :: Anna Davies/
Every Friday for the entire 2017 calendar year, I will release a new interview + a newly created mixed media piece of art as part of my weekly Ray of Light Interview Series: Women in Recovery. This series will feature brave, kickass, beautiful women who have chosen to embrace an alcohol-free lifestyle. The light was dimmed for these women when they were struggling with alcohol (either a little or a lot). I wish to honor them for their brave choice to ditch alcohol, rediscover themselves through sobriety + shine bright in the process. You can access links to the entire series by clicking here.
Anna Davies
Vegan. Sober. Feminist. Minimalist. Killjoy.
Instagram: @mx_davies
Do you remember how we first met or came to know one another?
We were lucky enough to be in the first cohort invited to join the secret HOME podcast Facebook group. There are so many wonderful women in that group but there are probably 20 or so to whom I always pay special attention. You are one of them. I love your artwork, especially your gratitude lists. I also love your glasses and the fact that you're growing out your grey hair!
What is your sobriety date? 24 November 2014
Do you count days, months or years connected to your sobriety?
At this stage I count years. Most months, the 24th goes by without me noticing now. Having said that, I recently celebrated 1,000 days in August so I have been more aware of day-counting lately.
Do you use an app or some other method to do this counting? If so, please share.
I use CleanTime Counter. It makes me laugh because it says "Hi! My name is Anna and I am an alcoholic!" on the home screen. The exclamation marks make it sound like it should be read in a really excitable voice.
What recovery modality do you use in your recovery from alcohol?
I don't use a specific modality. I have been to AA meetings and have nothing against the programme (in fact I may go back at some point) but I didn't get sober in the rooms.
Connection with other sober women has been my main source of inspiration and fortitude. I feel like radical self-care is becoming a bit of a cliché but it is very important. For me that includes eating well, drinking lots of water, getting at least eight hours sleep every night, staying away from stressful situations and drama, and saying no to social engagements without feeling guilty. I don't compromise on those things now.
However, it is very much a work in progress and there are still many things I would like to build into a daily practice as part of my recovery: exercise, meditation, reading, writing and reducing my phone use are the main ones.
Do you identify yourself as an alcoholic?
Yes. I know many people don't like the label, and of course I'm conscious of the stigma that comes along with it, but most people's idea of what an alcoholic is are woefully inaccurate and I think an openness to using the label is no bad thing. That's not to say that I introduce myself that way - I just say I don't drink - but I accept it as part of my identity and am content with that for the time being, although I'm open to it changing over time. I also identify with lots of other labels such as addict, sober, teetotaler, in recovery, etc.
What are your top three tools in your sobriety toolbox?
- Therapy. It's been key to understanding who I am and why for a long time I couldn't stand to be with myself without some form of numbing agent.
- Connection with other people in recovery. One of your other Rays of Light, Sandy Ford, said something in the HOME podcast Facebook group which I screenshot and look at often. I'm paraphrasing but essentially she said: We all want to be understood but, when it comes to drinking, don't look to normies for that understanding. No matter how close people have been to addiction or how much they've studied it, unless they've experienced it themselves they don't get it, and looking to them for validation of your experience will always leave you disappointed. You have to connect with people who understand.
- And a fun one: my unlimited cinema card. Drinking was all about escapism for me, and the cinema allows me to do that in a healthy way. I love films and usually go to the cinema around twice a week.
Why or how did you know or decide that you had to quit drinking?
My drinking was problematic from the day it began. I had an alcohol withdrawal seizure when I was 17 years old after drinking to excess one summer. I couldn't moderate even then. I remember a close friend telling me that she thought I was an alcoholic when I was in my early twenties. I also have an eating disorder which started around the same time and my food and alcohol addictions grew together symbiotically throughout my life. I did all the usual things addicts do instead of facing their problems, like moving to different cities, changing jobs and partners, all the time wondering why nothing seemed to make me happy.
I was sober for 18 months in 2010-2011, but didn't do any recovery work around it. And sure enough my addict brain decided that if I could go that long without drinking I definitely couldn't be an alcoholic, right?! I was in Argentina and felt I was missing out on all the red wine (like I didn't know what red wine tasted like) so I started drinking again. The first night was a few sips, maybe half a glass, but within 48 hours I was back to drinking alcoholically, trying to manage debilitating hangovers whilst traveling. I lived that way for the next three years. Towards the end, my life was complete chaos. I was struggling to show up for work and most of the people I cared about had either given up or been driven away. I could be a pretty obnoxious drunk person. My relationship had ended, I was living alone and I was putting myself in increasingly dangerous situations. I had no self respect and I didn't care because I didn't really want to be alive anymore. It had started to boil down to a choice of either get sober or jump off a bridge.
Do you feel you are more or less creative since you have stopped drinking?
If you'd have asked me this question before I started listening to The Unruffled Podcast, I would have said that I'm not creative at all and never have been. I cannot draw, paint or sew. However, I look for creativity in other forms now, such as the way I decorate my home. I appreciate interior design and furniture. I also like photography as a medium and enjoy making pictures for Instagram, although I'm aware that the cemeteries and brutalist architecture I like to photograph is not everyone's cup of tea!
Do you feel you are more productive since you have stopped drinking? If yes, how so?
Yes and no. Because my life is a lot less chaotic now I enjoy having everything in order. Bills are paid on time, my car is serviced, I go to the anxiety carwash regularly, I never run out of toilet paper. However, I also spend quite a lot of time at the cinema, in the bath, or on the sofa watching Netflix.
I guess I've engineered a life that is easy to manage due to organisation and routine. That means I have lots of downtime, so it sometimes feels like I'm not overly productive because I'm not always on-the-go, but that's the way I like it. I've created room in my life for more productivity should I want it in the future.
What has delighted you most since you quit drinking alcohol?
The fact that I can be content with a really simple life. As well as drinking, I was also addicted to a load of other things: food, shopping, smoking, caffeine. I still struggle with my disordered eating as the behaviour is so ingrained but a plant-based diet is helping with that, slowly. As part of my recovery I embraced minimalism. I got rid of probably 75% of my belongings and now only own things that I either really need or really love. Some people assume that removing things from your life somehow leaves you lonely or joyless but in my experience the opposite is true. It's very freeing.
Do you have any advice for those in still suffering or those in early recovery?
For people still suffering I would say: It's not your fault but it is your responsibility, if you don't know where to start then try AA first and if it's not for you try other groups, talk to other alcoholics, ask for what you need, and don't give up. I would also point people to useful websites such as Laura McKowen and Hip Sobriety.
For people in early recovery I would say: keep a routine, remind yourself that you can do more-or-less anything in the world apart from drink or take drugs, stay connected to other sober people, practice self-care, sleep when you need to which will probably be a lot, say no often, set clear boundaries, and treat yourself with the money that you would have spent on alcohol. Oh, and most importantly, don't EVER feel guilty for protecting your sobriety.
Can you recommend three books, bloggers or teachers that have helped you on this path to sobriety?
- Laura McKowen and Holly Whitaker from HOME podcast. These fierce women are changing lives. Finding them was a gift and their blogs and podcast have helped me a lot.
- The Rich Roll podcast. This is a bit of a cheat as you also get all the amazing teachers he talks to. He is a brilliant interviewer, has a fascinating recovery story and is leading the way in plant-based living.
- Caroline Knapp's Drinking: A Love Story. This is one of those books where you start off highlighting salient points and the whole books ends up bright pink. A brilliantly-written story of addiction and recovery.
Are you part of a tribe or a recovery community that supports your sobriety? If so, how did you figure out how to find that tribe/community. What was your path to discovering it?
HOME is my tribe. I've always been a loner and I approached getting sober like I approach most things: on my own. I found HOME when I was in a deep depression around one year into sobriety and you ladies shone your rays of light into my life through my laptop. I am going to have to do a tour of the U.S. one day to visit you all!
I'm trying to cultivate an in real life tribe, too, but it's more challenging. Finding a group of vegan, feminist, sober killjoys to have meet-ups within a small UK city is not easy, especially when you're not naturally outgoing. That's one of the reasons I may go back to AA one day.
What are you most proud of now that you live an alcohol-free life?
I've spent a lot of my life avoiding the truth: trying to be a party girl when really I'm an introvert, calling myself an animal lover whilst wearing makeup tested on animals, denying my queerness, pretending to be happy whilst drinking to blackout most nights.
I'm most proud of the fact that, since I got sober, I have faced many truths despite them being painful at times, and now try my best to live an authentic life in line with my ethics and values.


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Fly fishing for Sea trout on the Rio Grande river in South Argentina, Tierra del Fuego. Iceland Outfitters will arrange a hosted fly fishing trip to Rio Grande on 5th-14th February 2016. Here is a chance to travel somewhere totally different for a fantastic fishing experience. The famous Finnish fly fisher Jouni Rauha will host our group in Rio Grande which is one of the best Sea trout rivers in the world. There is nowhere in the world with as many Sea trout as there are in the rivers of Tierra del Fuego. Apart from being so many they are also very big, the average size of the Sea trout in Rio Grande is 4-5 kg. Although during every season many Sea trout are caught weighing over 8 kg and the biggest ones being over 10 kg. We are sure that you will enjoy both the superb fishing of the Rio Grande and Menendez rivers as well as the outstanding quality of the service, food and accommodation at Aurelia Lodge.
The Rio Grande originates at the White Lake in Chile and is widely considered the finest sea run Brown trout river in the world, flowing west to east into the Atlantic Ocean. The river is roughly 160 km long with 70 km of its length flowing through Argentine territory. The landscape of Tierra del Fuego is a sparsely populated wilderness. Large sheep farming ranches share this land with wild guanacos, grey foxes, beavers and condors, making it a fantastic place to visit. The fly fishing average catch results on the Rio Grande have steadily improved earning it the reputation as the world's finest sea run Brown trout fishery, this being due to access control and a persistent promotion of catch and release, and all this in the last ten years.
Fly fishing will be done on the private Aurelia lodge beat on Rio Grande river, which is a medium size 20-25 m wide river, with gentle gradients and easily waded, gravel-bottom pools. These pools can be covered adequately with a single-handed rod, but double-handers have become popular and deal with the famous Tierra del Fuego winds more efficiently. Aurelia Lodge's pools are ideal fly water, they are varied and interesting with island pools, traditional runs, undercut banks and meanders. Aurelia Lodge offers 9,5 km of double bank fishing on the Rio Grande and 24 km of double bank fishing on the Rio Menendez, a main tributary of the Rio Grande. The Rio Menendez is a smaller, 10-15 m wide river, with more intimate water and is a bit more technical. Wading the Rio Menendez requires a stealthier approach and frequently smaller flies, and presents a challenge that appeals to experienced anglers.
The maximum number of rods is 8 fishing these beats. There is always a local fishing guide per 2 fly fishermen. The local fishing guide will drive you by car to the river and show you where to cast. They speak english adequately and know the fishing places like the back of their hands. Both single and double handed fly rods can be used on the Rio Grande (AFTM class 7-10, rod length 9′-15′). A large Sea trout has plenty of room to run and fishing hours are often allocated when the fishing is best. Fishing is 'catch and release' only. The best season for this excellent fly fishing is from February 1st until 30th of April.
Guests will leave the lodge around 8:00 after breakfast each day, fishing until around 12:00. Lunch will be served in a new comfortable cabin, just 10 minutes from the river and there you can relax, visit the fly shop and enjoy the traditional siesta in spacious double rooms. Guests return to the river between 17:00 and 18:00 and fish through until dusk.
For fly fishing for Sea trout on Rio Grande we recommend 12-14 ' foot double handed rods for lines #8-9 and suitable fly reels with good brakes. Single handed rod of 9-10′ for lines 7-9 will be also fine. Floating, sink tip or intermediate shooting heads are most used fly lines but bring also sinking shooting head for high water conditions. Also Skagit lines with T-8, T-10 and T-14 tips work well here.
Popular fly patterns for Rio Grande: Bunny Leeches, Zonkers, Woolly Buggers black, olive #4-12, articulated string leech types with electric blue flash on #2-4, Woolly worms in different colours #4-12, Girdle or Yuk Bug rubber legs #4-12, Bitch Creek nymphs orange and black #4-12, Bead head nymphs Prince, Hare's Ear #10-14, Traditional Atlantic Salmon flies such as Bomber, Green Butt or other waking dry flies #4-8 for use Riffling Hitch, 1 ½ to 2 inch tube flies, Collie Dog tube flies 3 ½ – 4 ½ long, Sunray Shadow. Only single or double hooks are allowed.
The accomodation for fly fishermen is in the Aurelia lodge, where we can comfortably accommodate 12 guests in 5 twin rooms. The number of rods, howewer, may not exceed 8 licensed anglers. The estancia house has been totally renovated into the fishing lodge, allowing anglers and guests to enjoy spacious rooms, large and fully appointed private bathrooms, a warm and welcoming reception area, and a fine dining room with a great view. You will find an indoor barbacue and bar area is the informal lounge with a pool table and a fly tying place, making it a great place to enjoy the traditional Patagonian Lamb prepared by our chef. In the dining rooms the guests will be provided with delicious local meals and drinks which are all included in the price.
Unhosted or hosted Iceland Outfitters fishing trips. Fly fishing trips to Argentina, Rio Grande will be arranged throughout the fishing season and the packages can be booked according to the client's preferred dates. Anglers fly to Buenos Aires and continue their journey with a domestic flight to Rio Grande. You will most likely need to overnight in Buenos Aires before departing on a morning flight to Rio Grande. The guide will be waiting at the airport to greet you and take you to the lodge by car. The lodge is approximately 83 kilometers from the airport at Rio Grande City and the scenic drive takes approximately an hour and fifteen minutes. After the fishing week the guide will take the anglers back to airport.
Trip dates: Price: USD 5990 high season 1 Feb - 15 Apr (plus appr. USD 150 for a license) Trip length: 6 fishing days, 7 nights at destination. Group size: 1 Host + 3-5 fishermen. Fishing trip is inclusive of: Transport from Rio Grande airport, transportation during the week, accommodation, fishing, meals, wines, drinks and guiding. The fishing trip does not include: Flights to Buenos Aires/Rio Grande and gratuities. Species: Sea trout, Brown trout. Season: 31st January – 30th April.


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I love fashion films and stumbled upon this today while researching for a colab I'm working on. I thought I'd share it with you, love the song, love the freeze frame and Stella Tennant is always a stunner. Hope you like.
MO&Co. Edition 10 Spring/Summer 2014
Photographer: Charlie Engman
Hair:Tamas Tuzes
Make up: Kristin Gallegos
Set design: Andrea Cellerino
Video by Swell NY


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Dursun Karadag grew up in Stuttgart, Germany, and spent a year in California before studying industrial engineering at the Technical University of Ilmenau. He worked in quality management in the automotive industry before founding Venarca. For this he specialized during his semester abroad in Spain on the foundations of starting a business. He is currently studying his second degree in Shanghai, China.
Next to his enthusiasm for classic cars, he has a passion for mechanical watches.
Business Management at the Tongji Zhejiang College in Jiaxing, China
(Subjects of Industrial and Lean Management at the Tongji University in Shanghai, China)
Industrial Engineering with specialization in Mechanical Engineering at the Technical University of Ilmenau, Germany
(Subjects of Business Administration and Statistics at the University Miguel Hernández in Elche, Spain)
Sinan Karadag
Sinan was interested in programming at a young age. In addition to pixelay.com, he is responsible for the Venarca app for Android.
Tom Trautvetter
Tom Trautvetter studied Material Sciences at the Technical University of Ilmenau in Germany. He specialized in nano technology and sensor applications. During his time at Bosch he did research in the field of spark plug erosion for high-performance engines.
Currently he is doing his PhD in chemistry at the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena and working at the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, known for it`s expertise in photonic applications.
In his current studies he does research in the field of Yb-doped fiber lasers for industrial applications.
Material Sciences at the Technical University of Ilmenau, Germany
PhD in Chemistry at the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Germany
Aaron Aznar
Marketing director and real estate agent at spainshopper.com
Statistics at the University Miguel Hernández of Elche, Spain
For questions and suggestions you can leave us a message.


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BIO participates in a loan facility of USD 91.25 million with the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund, the Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO) and the African Development Bank to support the KivuWatt project, which aims at removing and processing otherwise hazardous methane gas trapped in the waters of Lake Kivu for use as fuel to generate critically needed electricity.
BIO and other Global Institutions signed a loan agreement with an East-African railway company, to rehabilitate and upgrade its infrastructure in Kenya and Uganda. The project aims to transform the railway concession into a reliable and operating service for the benefit of the local population, thus boosting economic and social development in the region.
Promoting small-scale renewable energy
BIO has committed USD 3 million to Semsa, the independent developer of a hydroelectric project on the Mezapa River in the rural Department Atlantida, Honduras. The investment program involves the construction of a 9.4MW run-of-the river hydropower station, connected to the local grid. While meeting environmental concerns, the project reduces dependency on conventional fuel and improves infrastructure and employment for the local community.
Boosting the leading dairy processor
BIO has committed USD 2 million to Suu, the leading dairy processor based in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The investment program aims at increasing and modernising Suu's processing capacity and extending its raw milk supply chain. As a result, 2500 existing and 1500 new herders involved in the milk supply chain will obtain a higher and more sustainable income, quality standards will be raised and the country's self-sustainability for domestic milk product supply will be improved.
Making leasing accessible for SMEs
BIO has committed a USD 5 million senior loan to Banco Improsa SA to support the bank in further growing its leasing business in Central America through its offices in i.e. Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. This investment will help increasing the leasing offer to local companies who are often unable to get the credit they need to expand their operations. As leasing services still have a low penetration in the region, the support to Banco Improsa shows a growing perspective.
The first « Single Origin Made in Vietnam » chocolate


text: Customers give their reaction to the news that music and entertainment retailer HMV is going into administration. Some shoppers are left out of pocket after turning up at stores with vouchers only to be told they are not worth anything. The 250-strong chain is the latest casualty of the shift to online shopping, putting 4,500 jobs at risk


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Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (Advanced Reader Copy)
Release Date: June 7, 2011
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Mystery, Adventure
Summary: Jacob Portman grew up listening to his grandfather's fantastic stories about his life at Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, and looking at photographs of children who were peculiar indeed. A levitating girl, an invisible boy… all found a safe haven under Miss Peregrine's watch from the terrible monsters who sought them.
But when Jacob gets older, he realizes that the stories can't possibly be true, and all of those old photographs must have been faked. Meanwhile, his grandfather gets more paranoid every day that the monsters will find him.
When something terrible happens, Jacob journeys to the tiny island that was his grandfather's home to prove to himself once and for all that the stories aren't true. But the truth is far more peculiar than he ever imagined.
As the first young adult novel published by Quirk Books, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children was two of our favorite things from the get-go! And it did not disappoint! Miss Peregrine is silly, sad, creepy, scary, lovely, socially awkward, and everything else you could want from a teen fantasy book. Whatever you think it is about, you are guaranteed to be surprised, and pleasantly so. (A few of those surprises may be spoiled in the following reviews, but if you'd like a better idea of what you're in for with this book, READ ON!)
In a way, this book is two different books, and I loved both of them.
First you start off with this beautiful prologue about a kid hearing amazing stories from his grandfather, and then realizing that the stories aren't true, and that his grandfather is just old and sad. Reading this prologue felt like falling down the rabbit hole–I was sucked in.
Then you find out that this kid, Jacob, grows up to be wonderfully sarcastic and does things like make replicas of the Empire State Building out of boxes of adult diapers because he hates his job. He's clever and observant and extremely ambivalent about being extremely rich, all of which makes him really interesting.
Then something terrible happens, (the tremendous moment of Jacob's "Before" and "After") and you realize this book can go in three ways:
1) Jake goes to the island where his grandfather grew up and discovers that all of the stories were just that: stories, and he learns the painful truths of his grandfather's childhood.
2) Jake goes to the island and discovers that while the stories aren't *real*, they are *true* in some unexpected way
3) Jake goes to the island and discovers that all of the stories are real
When I first started reading, I LEAST suspected the third option. It turns out, this book is LOADED with supernatural shenanigans and a cool and interesting mythology which, although it took a bit of excessive exposition to explain, I was quite thrilled to learn about.
This is where the "two books" feeling occurs to me. I really liked the beginning of the book, and being caught inside Jacob's head and not being sure whether or not he was going crazy. And I really like when you find out he ISN'T crazy, and the adventure really begins and it's magical and fun and exciting! However, I feel that Jacob, whom I liked so much, gets a bit lost once the adventure starts. He still learns new things about himself, but with everything happening, there was just less time for his commentary (although I enjoyed the moments when we did get some–such as his various concerns about snogging his grandfather's ex-girlfriend). But then again, everything happening was awesome, so it was a fair tradeoff.
I loved how disturbing some parts of the book were. Jacob's first sighting of a monster–a hollow, as we learn they're called. Waking the dead man with his empty chest and shredded face. And some of the photographs, the dog-boy one in particular, gave me chills. I wouldn't have minded the creepiness going even further.
Basically, the writing is beautiful, the story and characters are fascinating, and the world is totally believable. This is the kind of book that makes you look around and think that there could be any number of extraordinary things happening, just waiting to be discovered. Reading a book like this feels like waking up.
(For anyone curious for a visual on the monsters, have an Ood!)
((Hugh is COVERED IN BEES.))
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. That is a great title, to start. And the book was great to match. Yes, I actually put down Storm of Swords and read this book and I'm glad!
The beginning is confusing – Jacob's grandfather tells him all these fantastic tales that couldn't be true. However, he seems to have photographic proof – a boy with bees living inside him, a girl who floats above the ground, a teen lifting a giant boulder with one hand. The photos are eerie, but captivating and you grow accustomed to their creepiness that lend the most amazing tone and atmosphere to the story as a whole.
As Jacob gets older, he begins to suspect that his grandfather was not always telling him the truth. From his father he learns that his grandfather did have to leave his home and live in a children's home – but he was really running because he was a Jew living in Poland and the "monsters" that were after him were the Nazis. Jacob eventually tells his grandfather he doesn't want to listen to "fairy stories" anymore and you can tell his grandfather is hurt by this, but doesn't mention the children's home or his strange photos again.
The story continues normally and does remind me a bit of John Green with the somewhat outcast teen boy getting up to shenanigans and just trying to make it through high school and his crappy part time job.
To be honest, even after his grandfather's terrifying death – I was a little bit afraid this would turn out to NOT be a supernatural story at all. Maybe Jacob's grandfather really was just making up stories…
Which is why I was even MORE happy when he finally found Miss Peregrine and I realized that this book is like X-Men/Groundhog's Day/Brigadoon/Supernatural. And apparently when those things are combined, amazing things happen. I mean, if there's one thing I love – it's time travel shenanigans.
The book was an incredibly quick read – really exciting, fast paced plot with tons of mystery and cool stuff to unfold. It's fun to discover the secrets along with Jacob – all of which I found very interesting and totally worth the wind up. It's also cool to see Jacob discover strength within himself – he can have friends, he can take care of himself, girls can be attracted to him, and he can kill monsters.
I also enjoy that this book very obviously sets itself up to have at least one and possibly many sequels, BUT at the same time is satisfying to me as a place to stop. The peculiars are off on their adventure and whether I get to read all about it or not – I'm glad they let me in as much as they did.
Really though – it's all about the photos. They are creepy and strange and just enthralling to look at. It's so amazing that these are real collections – that people have dedicated their lives to procuring and saving all of those amazing relics. It's hard to describe exactly how you feel looking at them – I suggest you try it for yourself!
So, I might be the only one who doesn't like the photographs as they are. On their own, the found images are very cool things, and I know that they're an integral part of the story's structure. Buuut I found the photographs to be kind of distracting. Riggs describes the photos so well in the text, and then he plugs them in for us to see. It's a little redundant. It also felt like those writing prompts on 8th grade standardized tests. Look at this picture, and then write a story about it. It's the inspiration behind the story, but by showing it to us, it's like revealing your outline. There was also one that the story attached to it was super-forced (at least to me). The picture is of a boy in a bunny suit with ridiculously large ears. The way it was worked into the text seemed unnecessary, as if Riggs just wanted to use the picture because it was interesting. I wish the pictures had all been at the end or something, or maybe less of them or cut out the descriptions so it's not repetitive. As it stands, I felt they were rather gimmicky.
Besides that gripe, I really enjoyed this book. It's a big sweeping adventure that's still grounded in the experiences of Jake. As a narrator, I liked that he was so self-aware and a little bit skeptical and a whole lot sarcastic. Reading his interactions with the world was really enjoyable, especially those with the peculiar children. English majory things – I enjoyed the exploration of entrapment. Jake's life before going into the time loop is pretty much planned out – high school, college, work as an executive in the family owned drugstore chain. The peculiars are permanently stuck in one day, an eternal youth that loops continuously. Even though it sounds idyllic, 80 years of the same day is just another prison. Both groups are in a stasis until the creepy wights enter their lives and change everything. As Jake puts it, it's the Before and After. The end of childhood that must come for everyone; it's so Joycean! And a little bit John Green-ian. Except in Jake's case, it comes with time travel, invisible boys, fire-bending girls, and a fight against an evil that wants to take over the world. In short – awesome.
I had a lot of expectations when I started Quirk Books first young adult novel. I was under the assumption that it was a frame story a la The Princess Bride (R.I.P. PETER FALK!!!! ::sniffles::) meets The Island of Dr. Moreau. So basically Abe telling Jacob stories about his stint at Mrs. Peregrine's orphanage. In actuality, the novel ended up being Groundhog Day meets X-Men, with the infinite time loop that the peculiars are stuck in being Bill Murray's purgatory like Groundhog Day and the peculiars themselves being the X-Men, hiding from a world that's frightened of them. Although there are no groundhogs and no matching spandex suits.
There's the headmistress Miss Peregrine who controls time and can shape shift into a peregrine (a falcon for you non-Ornithologists or people who are too lazy to use Google and/or Wikipedia), Emma the fire starter, Millard the invisible boy, Olive who can levitate, Claire who has an additional mouth behind her head, Hugh who has bees living in his stomach, Bronwyn the strong girl, Fiona who controls plants, Horace who dreams of the future, and Enoch who has the ability to transfer life from one object to another. Sadly none of them are blue, can teleport, or have ridiculous sound effects like BAMF! and SNIKT!
The peculiars, as with all superheroes (or in this case prior circus performers- same thing?) have their own villains to battle, in this instance deformed peculiars bent on discovering immortality. After an experiment gone wrong these peculiars morphed into hollowgasts, evil creatures who live in horrible pain that can only be assuaged by eating peculiars. They also have tentacles for mouths, bringing tentacle rape and Cthulhu fetishes to a whole new level (insert cunnilingus related tentacle joke here). After feeding enough they are then able to transform into wights and pass about in normal human society, Jeffrey Dahmer being one such known wight who kept his taste for flesh. The narrator refers to them as "something out of David Lynch's nightmares", a reference I both appreciate and am frightened by. What could David Lynch possibly have nightmares about? Probably something much worse than the man behind Winkie's.
A big selling point of the novel are the vintage photographs that Riggs introduces. The photos scattered throughout the novel intertwine with the plot and often seem to inform/create the narrative. Sometimes this works extremely well, as in the beginning of the novel when Abe is literally showing them to Jacob and less so later on, when the connections to the photos seem forced. Occasionally, but not often, the narrative seems to merely skew off to discuss a non-event merely so the author has an excuse to use the photo. It's like how manatees write "Family Guy". Once or twice I felt this happening with the photos, but it was my only major complaint in this extremely entertaining novel.
-Defies expecations
-THE PHOTOGRAPHS. So cool! And creepy. And REAL.
-The rap lyrics, "I showed her the time, like Doctor Who"
-We love the fantasy, especially because it's
-X-Men/Groundhog's Day/Brigadoon/Supernatural
-We possibly lose Jacob somewhat as a narrator even as he grows as a person
-The use of some of the photos seemed forced–but they're so cool we're not really complaining!
-Um…? (Just read this book, it's GREAT.)
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children: Book Trailer
In lieu of a July Bibliomantic Book Club, the Bibliomantics will be live updating from this year's Harry Potter convention: Leakycon in Orlando, Florida from July 13th through the 17th. Check back here, or follow @Bibliomantics on Twitter for reports on the nerdiest adventure of the summer! (For slightly drunker con commentary, follow the Bibliomantics individually: @yrchmonger, @MsLoudLibrarian, @LavendarLuv3, @loveofstrings.)
Join us in two month's time when we review our August Bibliomantic Book Club Book: Peeps by Scott Westerfeld.


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sporty spice
November 24th, 2009
Good news for the uncoordinated: you don't have to be good at sports to dress for them. Good advice for everyone: you SHOULD dress for them. [ Continue Reading ]
Good news for the uncoordinated: you don't have to be good at sports to dress for them. Good advice for everyone: you SHOULD dress for them. [ Continue Reading ]
Not only did Buffy have a lovely, folky singing voice, she also knew how to put a modern spin on her Cree Indian heritage to create unique and beautiful looks. [ Continue Reading ]
Feel like being the prettiest, coolest, most laid-back girl in the room? You might wanna have a copycat moment with Lisa Bonet. [ Continue Reading ]
Springtime at Marni is totally putting me in mind of Mary Tyler Moore's infamous neighbor, Rhoda Morgenstern! [ Continue Reading ]
Alexander Wang's spring 2010 RTW girls sported my beloved MK's EXACT messy braid on the runway- should I be psyched, or should I take that son of a bitch to court? [ Continue Reading ]
I don't know if they knew or cared about KIDS necessarily- I'm talking about STYLE. [ Continue Reading ]
Remember Clarissa Darling? Let me rephrase that- you better remember Clarissa Darling. Whether you watched "Clarissa Explains it All" or not, whether you were alive at the time or not, whether you even care or not, you should know that her style influnce is popping up all over the fashion world. [ Continue Reading ]
As if her name didn't already make her the most amazing it-girl around, she's also the drummer for The Like and has the kind of personal style that is so incredibly distinct and memorable that it becomes iconic. [ Continue Reading ]


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Scott, Tina and their three sons (Caleb, Luke, Daniel) came to Lake Wales in the summer of 2007. Over these last ten years God has used them to impact our church and community in profound ways. Scott began serving the Lord in the children's ministry of his local church as a teenager in New Jersey. While attending Eastern University in suburban Philadelphia, Scott served as a volunteer staff member with Young Life in the suburbs and later in a Housing Project in Philadelphia.
While attending Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth in the late 80's he served as a Youth Pastor and met his future bride, Tina. They were wed in 1988. The pair then moved to Philadelphia where they served as church planters (NAMB) and started a campus ministry at Temple University.
In 1994, God providentially directed them to serve as the Minister of College/Career for First Baptist Church, Durham, NC. For 13 years Scott and Tina ministered to students from local universities like Duke, UNC, & NCSU. During his later years at FBC Durham Scott's role broadened as he served as an associate pastor administrating and leading out in many areas of ministry in the life of the church. While living in Durham Scott attained a Doctor of Ministry at Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, NC.
Scott and Tina have now been influencing many toward Christ in the Lake Wales area as Scott pastors and Tina teaches at LWHS. Scott is also the chaplain of the LWHS Football Team, serves in leadership with two active coalitions of local pastors, and is on the L.W. Care Center Board. They have raised their three sons in this community they have grown to love. They have led FBC-LW to be more missional than ever. Global, national and local mission trips, as well as local outreach initiatives such as tutoring, Faith Finders Clubs, Divorce Care, a Backpack ministry and Jobs for Life are now a part of the life of the church. Scott enjoys staying healthy by running & gets fired up cheering on his college teams—Florida and Duke. Tina enjoys crafts, Pinterest, and playing on her I-Pad. 1 Thessalonians 2:8 is a verse that guides the ministry of Scott and Tina: "We loved you so much we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us."
Rev. Barry Hooten
Minister of DISCIPLESHIP AND ADMINISTRATION
Before answering God's call to ministry, Barry was a General Contractor in north Alabama. He graduated from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in May of 1995 and came to First Baptist Church of Lake Wales in August of that year. Barry's responsibilities include the educational and discipleship ministries of the church, in addition to church administration and facilities management. Barry and his wife, Lynn, are both natives of Cullman, Alabama, and are the parents of four children. Isaiah 40:31 is the verse which Barry claims for the trying times of his life. "But those who wait on the Lord, shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."
Rev. Charles Little
Minister of Worship Arts
Charles was called to the Music Ministry in November of 1975, while still a high school student. In 1981, he met and later married his wife, Tammy, and they have served as a ministry team in part-time and full-time ministries throughout the southeast. Charles received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in Vocal Performance from The University of Mobile in 1981 and his Masters of Church Music degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1989. His goals in ministry have always been to: 1) seek God's direction, 2) lead and equip the body for worship and ministry, and 3) provide quality opportunities for a diverse people to use varied styles and forms of music, drama and other ministry aids to encounter God on a weekly basis. Charles and Tammy are the parents of three daughters - Emily, Heidi and Rebekah. Ephesians 5:19 & 20 is a favorite verse for Charles because he says it speaks to the need for today's church to be culturally relevant to all ages and diversities of people who gather to encounter God: "Speak to one another with psalms (Songs from Scripture), hymns (Traditional Worship Songs) and spiritual songs (New Praise and Worship Songs). Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord (The object of our worship and the reason we gather)…"
Rev. Matt Simpson
Minister to Students
Before surrendering to the ministry, Matt was pursuing a business career in the insurance industry. He was following his college degree of business and his heart's desire. He had a spiritual awakening that reminded him of his call to ministry as a teenager. Seminary became the next step for him. He married his wife, Jennifer, and they began their ministry and life together at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX. After receiving his Master's of Divinity in December 2000, they moved to Shelby, NC where he served as Associate Pastor to Students at Elizabeth Baptist Church. In December of 2004, God led them to move to Palmetto, FL where he served as Associate Pastor to Students at First Baptist Church of Palmetto. Matt, Jennifer and their two girls have been at First Baptist of Lake Wales since June of 2006. Matt and Jennifer serve in the student ministry as a team and desire to see students grow into a mature relationship with Christ. Matthew 13:44-46 is a passage they hold on to: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!"


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janis carmody - Director of missions
Janis has been with us since December of 1985. Janis serves as the Director of Missions, where she stays in communication with the Missionaries that NCCC supports. She is a frequent Starbucks customer and a very proud Grandma!
josh carmody - Lead pastor
Josh Carmody is the Lead Pastor of New Covenant Christian Church. He has been with the church since December of 1985 and has been on staff since June of 2000. Josh is ordained through the International Association of Ministers (IAM). He married Alicia, the love of his life, on March 12th of 2005. They have two wonderful kids, Madison and Austin, and reside in Fort Dodge. Josh blogs every Monday at clearlycarmody.com
Michael carmody - Associate pastor
Pastor Michael A. Carmody and his wife Janis have been with us since December 1985. As the former lead pastor, and current associate pastor, Pastor Mike (PMAC) is a vital part to the team here at New Covenant. In addition to preaching and playing on the worship team, PMAC also travels and speaks in other congregations while encouraging pastors to live out the call that God has placed on their lives.
doug rushton - children and Care pastor
Doug Rushton serves on staff as our Children and Care Pastor. He is licensed and ordained through New Covenant Christian Church. He has served on staff since July of '96. Pastor Doug and his wife Pam have been married since November of 1986. They have two children, Katie and Kyle, adopted on February 14th of 2003.


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How It Works
Hello and welcome to my newly updated site. Hopefully, things are straightforward when browsing my site, but here are a few pointers that could be helpful in making things simple and easy to use.
Making Appointments
Registration Required. Please register above to make an appointment request.
Click AVAILABILITY Button:
When you click the Availability Button my Appointment Scheduler will load. It is very easy and quick to use. You will be able to check out right from the Scheduler after you chose from the available options your day, time and minutes desired. After you make those selections you will see a button for BOOK APPOINTMENT, which will take you to checkout. Please register first to complete the appointment request. You will be able to check your appointment status from My Appointments.
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Click BUY MINUTES Button:
If you are a returning/regular client, you may click Buy Minutes button to go immediately to checkout to purchase your desired minutes. Calling or e-mailing me for your appointment is perfectly fine after you purchase your time. All appointments are reserved after payment is received. Your payment receipt is NOT your appointment confirmation. Please wait for a separate email to confirm your appointment. You may also check My Appointments to check the status of your appointment.
If you do not want to register, just purchase your minutes and then e-mail me using the contact form or call me so we can schedule your reading.
Thank you,
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A "Muslim" Poet in the Lap of a "Hindu" Mother
in The Oxford History of Hinduism
June 2018; p ublished online July 2018 .
Chapter. Subjects: Hinduism; East Asian Religions. 9968 words.
An intriguing twist in the devotional culture of Kālī in modern India is its spread across religious boundaries, of which a notable example is the poetry of Kazi Nazrul Islam, a...
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A History for Falun Gong
in Falun Gong and the Future of China
June 2008; p ublished online May 2008 .
Chapter. Subjects: East Asian Religions. 9907 words.
This chapter situates Falun Gong in the history of popular religion in late imperial and modern China, seeking to identify genealogical linkages among the late imperial White Lotus...
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"A People Made Holy to the Lord"
in Foreigners and Their Food
August 2011; p ublished online May 2012 .
Chapter. Subjects: East Asian Religions. 5682 words.
This chapter considers the Hebrew Bible's seemingly nonchalant attitude toward the food of foreigners. The Hebrew Bible emphasizes the distinction between "us" and "them", and the...
in Fabulous Females and Peerless Pirs
February 2004; p ublished online April 2005 .
Chapter. Subjects: East Asian Religions. 2204 words.
This chapter talks about the translations of the eight tales in this volume. The author has taken a slightly different tack: the translations are not retellings, but faithful renderings of...
Go to » abstract
Absolute versus Relative Morality
in The Quest for Ecstatic Morality in Early China
March 2013; p ublished online May 2013 .
Chapter. Subjects: East Asian Religions. 6269 words.
Xunzi, Mencius, and Confucius are most frequently cited as a necessary context for understanding the "Xing zi mingchu." This chapter begins the analysis of this broader framework by...
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Acknowledging Diversity in the American Catholic Experience
in Teaching African American Religions
June 2005; p ublished online September 2006 .
Chapter. Subjects: East Asian Religions. 4744 words.
This chapter focuses on the question of how a course on the history of American Catholicism might be framed for a non-Catholic, Protestant, and Southern context. The author of this book has...
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Act Two: Tragedy and Triumph
in Jesus and Muhammad
November 2010; p ublished online January 2011 .
Chapter. Subjects: East Asian Religions. 8202 words.
This chapter traces what might be called the "Second Act" in the lives of the two religious figures: the historical circumstances of Jesus' last days in Jerusalem and the plot against his...
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The Adaptation of Ancestral Ritual to Serve the Royal Imaginary
in Death Rituals and Politics in Northern Song China
December 2017; p ublished online October 2017 .
Chapter. Subjects: East Asian Religions. 15505 words.
After the Song government signed the humiliating peace treaty with the supposed "barbarian" Liao state, a "Heavenly Text" declaring the legitimacy of the imperial family to rule...
Go to » abstract
Adherence and Conversion to Daoism
in The Oxford Handbook of Religious Conversion
April 2014; p ublished online May 2014 .
Article. Subjects: Religion; Religious Studies; East Asian Religions. 14502 words.
The chapter examines adherence and conversion in the Daoist religious tradition. In addition to discussing "conversion" as a comparative category and as a cultural phenomenon in China, this...
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Adso of Montier-en-Der and the Fear of the Year 1000
in The Apocalyptic Year 1000
June 2003; p ublished online October 2011 .
Chapter. Subjects: East Asian Religions. 6159 words.
Christianity has repeatedly experienced events that have given rise to eschatological expectations. Over and over again, people have emerged who, with ambitious curiosity, have attempted to...
Go to » abstract


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Preparing for Print: How to Guide
Designing items for print can be an intimidating experience for some. There are a number of things to be aware of to ensure your print products are successful and design costs stay in budget when providing us with 'print ready files'.
We support both PC and MAC and our designers are able to work with all files from both systems.
Document Bleed
When working with a design file, and when exporting to PDF, ensure the bleed option is selected if your document requires colour right to the edge of the print. The size of the bleed should be no less than ⅛" (0.125 inch). Simply choosing this option does not necessarily ensure graphics will bleed off the document, as the images touching the edge of the document must actually "bleed" over the edge in the layout by a minimum of ⅛".
If your project will be finished with a pole pocket or grommets, please leave at least 3 inches of bleed between the trim and live areas.
Colour Mode
For your document to be produced accurately, the graphics used in your document must be in the correct colour mode and resolution. The required colour mode for printing (digital or conventional) is "4 Colour Process" as designated: "CMYK". Sending an RGB file will require us to convert the mode of the graphic before printing. This function can change the way the colour looks simply because the two colour modes are not entirely compatible. RGB has the ability to display bright Red Green and Blue values that are simply "out of gamut" or out of range defined by the CMYK colour mode, and vice versa.
Due to this incompatibility, the method used to convert the images to a printable mode may be different then the method used by other printing operations. If you traditionally had your publication printed a certain way at another location, there is no guarantee we would know what the indented colour should be. Also, if your document uses graphics printed on other products (such as catalogs, posters, or business cards), each printing technology will have a different way of interpreting the conversion. But if the graphics are already supplied in CMYK mode, no conversion is needed, and consistent colour can be maintained.
For images to print clearly, a specified resolution is required. The minimum resolution for a colour/grayscale image has traditionally been 300dpi. Line art graphics (images displaying either 100% black or 100% white pixels) should have a resolution of 1200dpi (preferably) but can accept 600dpi as a minimum.
Viewing distance is also an important factor in large format printing, keeping the following in mind:
Very close – 0.5-1 metre – 300dpi (minimum resolution)
Close – 1-3 metres – 200dpi (minimum resolution)
Far – 3-6 metres – 100dpi (minimum resolution)
Very Far – >6 metres – 75dpi (minimum resolution)
Spot Colours
When a document must use a specific colour (such as specified by a company logo), PANTONE colours are traditionally referenced. Using a PANTONE colour ensures the appearance will be close to all other instances where the logo is used on other products (letterhead, cards, envelopes…) and will cost you less for items that only require one or two colours. For this to work properly, colours in your document should have common designations. Pantone 301C and Pantone 301U are intended for two types of printing. But if you have all those colours in a single document, chances are it will be printed by the same machine on the same stock on the same page. Choosing which of the two colours are to be used will help your document maintain a consistent appearance.
Also, colours called "Red" are not found in the Pantone system, and is an arbitrary colour. Many times we see colours labeled "Dark Red", "Strong Green" and sometimes are defined by an RGB colour picker. Although we can map "Dark Red" to assume the role of Pantone 485, we need to know this is your intention. Otherwise, the document will be placed on hold until this determination has been confirmed.
We are serious about colour matching for clients requiring specific PANTONEs when printing. If you have any concerns about matching print colours to existing items, we will ask you to provide your PMS colours or items and will be happy to provide samples to ensure accuracy.
Text Documents vs. Layout/Vector Documents
Sending a MS Word file will still require a press quality PDF to be sent. MS Word and many other writing programs do not allow for consistent layout of the material from one version of the program to another. The 3 main reasons for this are:
- Differences in display features between versions of the software. As more visual options are added to subsequent versions of the program, older versions simply do not know how to accurately interpret these new features. This issue is a greater issue if the file crosses platforms (Mac vs. PC).
- Fonts installed in your system will display your document fine – on your computer only. If we don't happen to have the specific font you are working with, and you haven't provided it as part of your print package, we won't be able to see it properly.
- Another issue common to a writing software is that the flow and positioning of content is based on the printer driver associated with the computer that composed the document. While this was a great idea decades ago, it now becomes a very big problem once we open the document knowing we do not have the same inkjet/laser printer as the customers. Each printer has its own interpretation on margins, line spacing and character spacing. It quickly becomes very clear why PDF is the ideal viable method of supplying files for print.
Vector documents produced in Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign or Adobe Photoshop are your best bet for press quality, easy to transfer files and sharp final prints as they scale seamlessly.
When you are working with large dimensions, bitmapped images and files are going to be enormous (at least 300+ MB) and very difficult for your computer to handle; saves can take several minutes as well.
Saving File for Print
When you are done with your designs, files should be saved in EPS or PDF format. PDF is what we recommend for both image and vector based designs as both vector quality and image compression can be managed better.
We strongly recommend the use of "Collect for Output" or "Package" features within your layout software. Chosing this option ensures the document fonts and linked images are placed into a folder along with the layout file. Many times customers send a folder containing "all" the files while the layout document remains opened. This results in an incomplete copy of the file, as the layout file might not have been recently saved, and an older version of the file is sent instead.


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