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Ellen Brown, September 16th, 2010 http://www.webofdebt.com/articles/basel_3.php
The stock market shot up on September 13, after new banking regulations were announced called Basel III. Wall Street breathed a sigh of relief. The megabanks, propped up by generous taxpayer bailouts, would have no trouble meeting the new capital requirements, which were lower than expected and would not be fully implemented until 2019. Only the local commercial banks, the ones already struggling to meet capital requirements, would be seriously challenged by the new rules. Unfortunately, these are the banks that make most of the loans to local businesses, which do most of the hiring and producing in the real economy. The Basel III capital requirements were ostensibly designed to prevent a repeat of the 2008 banking collapse, but the new rules fail to address its real cause.
Why Basel III Misses the Mark
Two years after the 2008 bailout, the economy continues to struggle with a lack of credit, the hallmark of recessions and depressions. Credit (or debt) is issued by banks and is the source of virtually all money today. When credit is not available, there is insufficient money to buy goods or pay salaries, so workers get laid off and businesses shut down, in a vicious spiral of debt and depression.
We are still trapped in that spiral today, despite massive "quantitative easing" (essentially money-printing) by the Federal Reserve. The money supply has continued to shrink in 2010 at an alarming rate. In an article inThe Financial Times titled "US Money Supply Plunges at 1930s Pace as Obama Eyes Fresh Stimulus," Ambrose Evans-Pritchard quoted Professor Tim Congdon from International Monetary Research, who warned:
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cranberry choc-chip cookie mix
to assemble your gift:
- 1 cup (150g) plain (all-purpose) flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup (90g) rolled oats
- ½ cup (90g) brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (75g) caster (superfine) sugar
- 2 teaspoons mixed spice
- ½ cup (95g) dark chocolate chips
- ¾ cup (105g) dried cranberries
- 1.25-litre-capacity glass jar
- preheat oven to 180˚C (350˚F). Place the dry ingredients in a large bowl and add 115g melted unsalted butter, 1 lightly beaten egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix to combine.
- Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls and place on large lightly greased baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper. Flatten slightly and bake for 8–10 minutes or until golden but still slightly soft in the centre. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 20
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subset: commoncrawl


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This page contains links to information and news about how people are using broadband. If you come across an interesting article please let us know by emailing email@example.com
Dorothy's Fibre Story (NI Broadband Film Competition Winner)
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1aOAzB5dh0
Source: Superfast Broadband Northern Ireland
Date added: 26/09/2013
Description: A short film by Northern Ireland school children.
Tomorrow's cities: Sensor networks for the elderly
Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22984876
Source: BBC News website
Date added: 23/09/2013
Description: Sensors used to monitor elderly in patient care.
How to connect a cow to the internet
Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01gh95d
Source: BBC Radio 4
Date added: 19/09/2013
Description: Zoe Barker from Writtle College in Essex explains how cows can be connected to the internet to monitor their health. Using sensors to detect whether a cow is suffering from mastitis or lameness early on could save the UK dairy industry more than £100m a year.


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Thu, 11 August 2016
Toan Lam says we all have the gift of time, however short or long it may be, on this earth. And having unique experiences matters because everything we go through matters. Toan believes life is designed to challenge us so we can grow physically, mentally and spiritually, and it's up to you to focus in on that and pay attention. When you can share your story, and care about sharing your story, the world around you cares and shares with you.
Direct download: Episode_514_-_Toan_Lam.mp3
Category:Business -- posted at: 12:00am CST


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Israeli offer rejected by Lebanese officials
A 55-year-old Lebanese man was killed Sunday by a cluster bomb left from an Israeli airstrike in the village of Kfar Sir near the Litani River.
BEIRUT, Lebanon - Italian soldiers moved into southern Lebanon in trucks and armored vehicles Sunday as the first big wave of international peacekeepers took up positions to monitor a shaky truce between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas. Lebanese officials scoffed at an Israeli call for peace talks.
Israeli security officials said they expect the army to be out of Lebanese territory within the next two weeks, when they decide whether sufficient U.N. forces have arrived in south Lebanon to enforce the truce.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, did not specify when Israel would plan to lift its air and sea blockade. Israel says it has to maintain the blockade to prevent Iran and Syria from providing more weapons and rockets to Hezbollah guerrillas.
The timetable for a pullout coincided with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's call for peace talks.
"How natural, how understandable it would be for the prime minister of Lebanon to respond to the many calls I have made toward him and say, "Come on, let's sit, shake hands, make peace and end once and for all the hostility, the jealousy, the hatred that some of my people have toward you," Olmert said while touring a school in northern Israel.
"I hope this day comes soon. I yearn for it," said Olmert. Lebanese Information Minister Ghazi Aridi responded angrily and quickly.
"Let him dream on. He will never see the day," Aridi said. "Before he talks about peace, he is required to withdraw his troops from Lebanon and lift the blockade."
"Olmert must know that Lebanon will never negotiate with Israel or with him," he told The Associated Press. There is "absolutely no trust between Lebanon and Israel."
"Why should we negotiate with them?" said the information minister. "Israel will not get through peace what it failed to get in war."
His words echoed a widespread Lebanese sentiment that Hezbollah's fierce resistance during the 34-day war was a victory for the group.
Last week, Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora also rejected the idea of talks with the Jewish state, saying that Lebanon would "be the last Arab country that could sign a peace agreement with Israel."
His office issued a statement Sunday restating that position.
The government "is not prepared to listen to such things. Such invitations are rejected before they even happen," it said.
After weeks of delays since the Aug. 14 truce between Israel and Hezbollah took effect, the strengthened U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, has finally begun to take shape. But it could take months for it to reach its full strength of 15,000.
Under the cease-fire plan, 15,000 Lebanese soldiers were also to be deployed to assert control over the Hezbollah stronghold south of the Litani River and to prevent arms from reaching the guerrillas.
The first large batch of peacekeepers arrived in Lebanon on Sunday, with soldiers and marines from two Italian regiments reaching their bases in the south of the country.
An AP photographer saw a few children cheering or waving Italian flags as the long convoy of soldiers made its way to a base in Kalaway, near the southern port city of Tyre.
About 860 troops have arrived, the Italian Defense Ministry said in a statement. The ministry said the troops would not be further deployed until later this week.
The French army said that about 200 troops and 100 vehicles loading onto ships along France's Mediterranean coast and would reach Lebanon by the end of the week.
The Italians will bring the total number of U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon to 3,250 - including the 2,000 UNIFIL troops who were already in place and 250 French soldiers who arrived last week.
Israel raced to destroy Hezbollah arms caches ahead of its impending withdrawal.
French Gen. Alain Pellegrini, who commands UNIFIL, confirmed Israel has been destroying Hezbollah arms in territories it still occupies in the south. The Israeli military said it had demolished an unspecified number of Hezbollah bunkers.
Pellegrini said such actions violated the truce, as do reconnaissance missions by Israeli jets and drones over Lebanese air space.
"The cease-fire is holding for the moment ... but it's fragile," Pellegrini said.
The U.N. cease-fire resolution calls for Hezbollah to eventually be disarmed, but does not direct peacekeepers to take on that task.
Instead, the force will ensure a buffer zone along the Israeli-Lebanese border is free of Hezbollah fighters and arms up to the Litani River, 18 miles to the north.
At the same time, Lebanese troops are supposed to prevent new weapons shipments to Hezbollah from Syria, a Hezbollah ally.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who is touring the Middle East to boost peace efforts, has said that Syria promised to patrol its side of the frontier to prevent arms deliveries, though Israel voiced skepticism it would really do so.
In Tehran on Sunday, Annan said that Iran - which helped create Hezbollah and is believed to be its main supplier of arms and money - was supportive of the U.N.
cease-fire resolution for Lebanon.
Israel's devastating offensive on Lebanon was triggered when Hezbollah guerrillas seized two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid July 12.
More than 850 Lebanese and 150 Israelis died in the conflict.
A 55-year-old Lebanese man was killed Sunday by a cluster bomb left from an Israeli airstrike in the village of Kfar Sir near the Litani River.
Von: 03.09.2006, http://www.helenair.com


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Areas Served
Farm Rescue provides assistance to farm families in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and eastern Montana. Farm Rescue has assisted nearly 400 farm families in crisis since 2006.
To view a composite map of the geographic locations where assistance has been provided from 2006-2014, click on the link below. Blue pins indicate planting assistance; Purple pins indicate haying assistance; Green pins indicate harvest assistance.


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3 Multi-Cyn Pack 16 oz Jars
Greed: Peach Brandy & cinnamon soaked peaches baked into a delicious cobbler topped with Honey bourbon.
Pride: Lemon vodka cake between layers of limoncello lemon curd, and finished off with limoncello buttercream icing.
Envy: Rich RumChata Red Velvet infused red velvet cake layered with a RumChata buttercream icing.
Gluttony: Moist Guinness Stout chocolate cake with Jameson's chocolate ganache and finished off with Bailey's buttercream icing.
Wrath: a smooth bourbon spice cake layered with moonshine soaked apples and topped with RumChata buttercream icing.
Thick and creamy banana pudding infused with banana rum cream, whiskey-soaked bananas, and mini Nilla wafers.
Lust: Godiva White Chocolate infused cheesecake with layers Sangria mixed berries with blueberries and cherries.
Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake: Cheesecake infused with Salted Caramel Crown Royal, Salted Caramel Bailey, and Apple Pie Moonshine Apples.
Cynful Colada: Pineapple Cheesecake with a fresh pineapple curd infused with a Pineapple rum cream.
Sweet Potato Cheesecake: This sweet potato cheesecake, infused with RumChata & bourbon, is the perfect addition to your holiday table.


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Those of you who have been following BookTasty for a while know that one of my favorite genres is fairy tale retellings. I just love seeing what happens when an author adds their own creativity to a classic tale. And you might even know that Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series is one of the most imaginative fairy tale retellings I've read in a while. Cress, the third book in the series is no different…except for the fact that I kind of think it's the best one so far!
Rapunzel's tower is a satellite. She can't let down her hair—or her guard. In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they're plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.
Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she's just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.
When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.
Okay, so book one, Cinder, was focused on the story of Cinderella, while in Scarlet, the second book, we meet Little Red Riding Hood. Well, in Cress, we meet Rapunzel. All of these well known characters have been plucked from their traditional settings and have now been dropped into this rich sci-fi setting. Our Rapunzel isn't a prisoner in a tower but is instead a computer hacker isolated in a satellite that orbits both Earth and Luna. How freakin' cool is that?!
After reading, and loving the first two books, I have to say that Cress is by far my favorite of the series. First you have Cress, who I find that I can so easily relate to. Cress is a hopelessly dreamy-weamy romantic who crushes on none other than one of the criminals she's been tasked with locating. She is the kind of girl who is so innocent and awkward that she hides in embarrassing situations and frequently imagines she is someone else. Awww Cress, I just feel like I get you and your ability to make a situation totally more awkward than it has to be and it's why I love you! Despite her ungraceful ways, Cress is a brilliant hacker and has the ability to draw from internal strength she never could have guess she had.
In addition to the adorable Cress, Cinder and her whole crew are back. We get to see more Captain Thorne, Scarlet, Wolf, Iko, Dr. Erland and even Prince Kai as the group moves closer and closer to stopping Queen Levana in her quest to control both Luna and Earth. With all of these characters there is a lot going on in Cress, but I never once felt overwhelmed. The action was so captivating that I just wanted to keep reading and stay in this imaginative Firefly-like world forever! There is a freshness about Cress that, partly comes from Cress herself and in part comes from the old and new characters mixing to creating exciting new storylines.
I genuinely cannot think of any major flaws, except that I really wanted this 500 plus page book to be even longer. There is so much that I want to figure out and I hated having to say goodbye to these characters, who feel like good friends, for another year before book four, Winter, is released. If you haven't yet started this creative and fun series, please go to your library now and start reading! If you hurry you can get to Cress by tomorrow's release day!
And a big huge massive friendly thank you to Kyle at A Reader's Pensieve who loaned me her ARC! She's pretty awesome, and if you aren't familiar with her blog, you totally should be!
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel &Friends (Feb. 4, 2014)
Format: ARC
Length: 560 pages
Series: Third book in The Lunar Chronicles
Buy the Book: Cress (Lunar Chronicles)


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Virginia REALTORS® Healthcare Options
Fill out this form and you'll get a call from our Benefinder concierge who will help you find the best options for you.
Want to learn more in person?
Attend an event near you – check out the Benefinder Outreach Schedule here.
(PLEASE NOTE: The Benefinder Outreach schedule has been updated as of 10/25/18 – please be sure your event is still available as some dates have been moved or canceled. Thank you.)
Have more questions? Call Benefinder at 1(800) 281-1987.
Want to learn more online?
Register for an upcoming webinar! Ask questions and learn more about new healthcare options from a Benefinder representative.
Benefinder Healthcare Webinar
Nov 14, 2018 12:00 PM EST
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After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
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Or watch a previously-aired webinar now:
Recorded on November 1, 2018.


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Our monitoring has picked up a large number of either "User Login Failure" or "General Authentication Failed" records in the security logs of a number Windows 2012 servers that come from accounts with semi-random names such as "Qualys91101070359349987539517818931".
Based on the times, it seems to be related to Policy Compliance scanning, although the PC report shows the majority of the systems to have authenticated successfully (including most of those which show the auth failures in their logs).
Is this normal behaviour? Is it related to testing of a specific CID?


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[VIDEO] This Terrifying Hyundai Commercial Proves Why You Should Always Watch Your Rearview Mirror
October might be over, but the truly scary time of the year is upon us: election day!
If you enjoy being scared, then you'll appreciate the Halloween commercial that Hyundai Europe released last week. The 30-second video certainly isn't like your normal car commercial; instead of selling you a car, it just wants to have a little fun–at your expense.
WARNING: If you are prone to heart attacks or peeing your pants, do not watch the video below!
At Your Fingertips: Did you know that Hyundai owners can access a virtual driver's manual?
VIDEO: We Dare You to Watch This Video Without Flinching!
The scene takes place in a parking garage, where a man sits in his white Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell SUV. As he distractedly browses through his phone, he notices something in the rearview mirror: a figure–a woman with long hair in a trench coat–standing behind his car. Turning around to get a better look, the figure suddenly vanishes.
Shrugging it off, the man resumes what he was doing–only to see the figure reappear via the rearview mirror…this time in his back seat! Again turning around–instead of getting out of the car, like most sane people would–he doesn't see the woman in his backseat anymore. After a pause, the demonic woman lunges at the screen. BOO!
This short, creepy video by Hyundai doesn't use any words, but will certainly make you jump. Using the oft-exploited tactic of the jump scare, this short video leaves many viewers shaken. Imagine this video unexpectedly popping up as an advertisement while you're waiting for your YouTube video to play!
The video may remind some viewers of other horror scenes that take place in parking garages with supernatural entities attacking inside a car, like that one from Raimi's Drag Me to Hell. Luckily, this wicked Hyundai commercial is nowhere near as disgusting or brutal!
Want to Watch Car Commercials That Aren't Scary? These funny Super Bowl ads will lighten the mood


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Vertical Crowdsourcing (Russia)
|Vertical crowdsourcing 🇷🇺
|Location: Russia
|Definition: Digital technologies harnessed by the state to create semblance of openness, while in practice neutralising citizens activity and exerting control
|Keywords: Russia – FSU – Information – Cyberinformality – Internet – Public opinion – PR – Elite – Public service
|Clusters: Domination – Motivational ambivalence – Control – Informal governance
|Author: Gregory Asmolov
|Affiliation: Department of Media and Communications, London School of Economics, UK
|Website: Profile page at LSE
By Gregory Asmolov, Department of Media and Communications, London School of Economics, UK
|'Vertical crowdsourcing' refers to the ways in which digital technologies can be harnessed by state institutions to create a semblance of openness and participation, while in practice neutralising citizens' activity and exerting control over them. 'Crowdsourcing' in its regular sense refers to 'the practice of obtaining information or services by soliciting input from a large number of people, typically via the Internet and often without offering compensation'[1]. In 'vertical crowdsourcing', state authorities solicit such participation in order to fake or control it.
Social media, social networking sites and crowdsourcing platforms can contribute to the empowerment of individual users, including new forms of civic participation[2][3]. They can also increase transparency and accountability of state activity. Yet those same technologies can also be used by institutional actors to exert surveillance and control over individual users[4][5].
The ambivalence at the heart of 'vertical crowdsourcing' relies on the capacity of digital platforms to simultaneously replicate two layers of the relationship between institutions and citizens. The first layer approaches citizens as subjects for partnership, the while second layer approaches them as objects of governance[6]. While such practices can be found worldwide, this entry focuses on the Russian-language internet (colloquially known as 'Runet') as a case study of the various forms vertical crowdsourcing.
In analysing vertical crowdsourcing, it is helpful to view digital users as occupying two simultaneous roles: subjects taking part in activity directed at specific goals alongside institutional actors; and objects of institutional actors' activity that seeks to control and govern the users.
It is the capacity of information technologies to produce symbolic (i.e. fake) constructions of transparency, accountability and user empowerment that enables their users to be constituted as subjects and objects at the same time: the digital user is a subject in the symbolic dimension, but an object of digital governance in the actual dimension. For instance, while on a symbolic level a given technology may propose an increase in transparency or new opportunities for engagement, on the actual level the user is either prevented from taking part in the activity or/and addressed as an object of control.
There are different types of digital tools that deal with transparency and accountability. One group of tools presents open data about the activities of specific organisations. While open databases can promote crowdsourcing of independent analysis and holding an organisation to account, in some cases they provide only limited information, or the data is not provided in a useable format. Accordingly, while in general open data contributes to transparency, providing such data can also be a symbolic act that portrays an organisation as transparent, while in reality contributing little to transparency.
A second set of tools dealing with transparency and accountability is crowdsourcing platforms that aggregate information about problems and promise to resolve the issues reported. In 2011 as a part of an initiative by President Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian government launched an online platform 'Russia without fools' (Rossiya bez durakov). Medvedev claimed that the purpose of the website was, 'to find the most nonsensical and harmful bureaucratic practices in Russia.' He stated that procedures would be changed and some officials might even lose their jobs on the basis of information crowdsourced from the website. However, the website was closed two years later[7].
Vertical crowdsourcing is often marked by so-called 'Photoshop governance': state authorities using digital technologies to substitute an actual solution in real life with a fake 'solution' in digital space[8].
For example, local authorities in many countries use websites in order to allow citizens to submit reports about various type of problems e.g. potholes and other infrastructural issues. In principle, the submission of a report to the website should lead to action taken by the authorities to resolve the problem. However, such websites can serve as tools that satisfy citizens' need to complain easily, but with no consequent action taken by the authorities – or even worse, the faking of action taken. For example, following the submission of photo of a courtyard blocked by snow to a website run by the Moscow Mayor's Office, a local official reported that the problem was solved by posting a photo showing the yard free of snow. A local blogger reported that the snow was digitally removed with Photoshop, while no actual action was taken on the ground.
The Russian presidential elections of 2012 provided a case of the symbolic construction of electoral transparency. The Russian government rolled out a system of webcams that broadcasted live video streams from 95,000 polling stations in Russia to a dedicated platform (http://webvybory2012.ru), where any citizen could follow the voting in every part of Russia.
The Russian authorities used the project to respond to allegations of electoral fraud by claiming that the presidential elections were among the most transparent in international practice. The project thus enabled the government to create a symbolic construction of transparency that supported the legitimacy of the elections[8]. While in theory the webcams enabled public scrutiny of electoral conduct to be crowdsourced, in practice they obstructed it. Crucially, the platform did not allow any action to be taken once a fraud was detected. It was difficult to retrieve data from the video archive, and the courts that considered cases of election fraud did not have a legal foundation to incorporate the webcam recordings as legitimate evidence.
Another set of digital tools portray citizens' participation as a horizontal, bottom-up action (i.e. regular crowdsourcing), whereas in reality they are controlled and directed from above (i.e. vertical crowdsourcing).
In 2014 the Moscow Mayor's Office introduced a website called 'Active Citizen' (http://ag.mos.ru) with the ostensible purpose of allowing Moscow residents greater participation in decision-making. But independent experts questioned if the website contributes to participation, with some[9] arguing that through online votes the website produces a semblance of participation in decision making and creates the legitimisation of decisions already made by local authorities, while the actual mechanism of participation including online voting is not transparent and is open to manipulation. An online media investigation exposed falsification of online decisions, while an opposition local council member claimed that, 'Active Citizen is used by the mayor's office for imitation of citizens' participation in decision-making by authorities'[10].
Following the extensive wildfire in Russia in the summer of 2010, and the severe flooding in Krymsk, South Russia, a number of independent projects proposed crowdsourcing mechanisms to facilitate horizontal, citizen-based responses to national emergencies.
In 2012, a state-affiliated organisation of emergency responders, RosSoyuzSpas, proposed developing a website (http://dobrovoletz.rf) as a platform to facilitate emergency response volunteering. Any citizen interested in volunteering in emergency response could register with the website. But unlike citizen-based projects, this 'vertical crowdsourcing' platform did not provide data about the specific purposes of activity, and did not allow to the users to select their form of participation. What it actually created was a registry of potential volunteers that was controlled by the owners of the platform. Accordingly, while the official purpose of the platform was supporting citizen engagement in emergency response, its actual purpose was controlling the potential independent volunteers through the development of a digital top-down structure[8].
State-sponsored platforms can be utilised for astroturfing: the construction of a façade of bottom-up participation which is actually concealed activity by a traditional top-down administration, and often has a paid nature. Examples include state-sponsored trolling[11] and state-sponsored vigilantism.
For instance, the MediaGvardia website presents itself as an opportunity to participate in civic internet regulation by finding content which is prohibited according to Russian law (for instance, uncovering so-called 'gay propaganda' such as support groups for Russian LGBT teenagers). However, the website relies mostly on members of state-sponsored youth movements. It thus presents a façade of 'public demand' for the restriction of internet freedoms while in reality the 'activists' are vertically crowdsourced through state support.
Digital platforms and conventional crowdsourcing are typically considered as tools that contribute to transparency and accountability, as well to the participation of users as subjects. But when these tools are used by the state as forms of vertical crowdsourcing, transparency, accountability and participation become merely symbolic. Indeed, the same tools can position users as object of control, contributing to decreasing transparency and accountability and preventing genuine civic participation.
- ↑ Oxford English Dictionary. 2016. Entry on 'crowdsourcing' (Oxford: Oxford University Press)
- ↑ Shirky, C. 2008. Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations. New York, NY: Penguin Press.
- ↑ Amichai-Hamburger Yair, K. Y.A. McKenna & T. Samuel-Azran, E-empowerment: Empowerment by the Internet, Computers in Human Behavior 24 (2008) 1776–1789
- ↑ Morozov, E. 2011. The Net Delusion: The Dark Side of Internet Freedom, New York: Public Affairs.
- ↑ Gunitsky S., Corrupting the Cyber-Commons: Social Media as a Tool of Autocratic Stability, Perspectives on Politics 13.1, March 2015, p.42-54, doi.org/10.1017/S1537592714003120
- ↑ Foucault, M. 1982. "The Subject and Power." In Michel Foucault: Beyond Structuralism and Hermeneutics, eds. H. Dreyfus and P. Rabinow. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 208–26.
- ↑ Zykov, V. 2014. '"Rossiya bez durakov" dolgo ne prozhila', Izvestiya, 15 January, http://izvestia.ru/news/563910
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Asmolov G. The Kremlin's Cameras and Virtual Potemkin Villages: ICT and the Construction of Statehood, in "Bits and Atoms Information and Communication Technology in Areas of Limited Statehood". Ed.: S. Livingston and G. Walter-Drop, Oxford University Press 2013.
- ↑ Babitzky, A. 2015 Aktivnye grazhdane skladirovany na serverah merii, Vedomosti, 23 October, http://www.vedomosti.ru/opinion/columns/2015/10/23/614024-aktivnie-grazhdane- serverah
- ↑ Mazhay, K. and Chesnokov, I. 2015. 'Fiktivnyi Grazhdanin', Yod, 2 June, http://yodnews.ru/2015/06/02/citizen
- ↑ Lawrence, A. 2015. 'Massive LiveJournal Troll Network Pushes Pro-Kremlin Narratives', Global Voices Online, 22 December, https://globalvoices.org/2015/12/22/massive- livejournal-troll-network-pushes-pro-kremlin-narratives/


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Why Choose Us?
Flexible Course Options
Alpha Omega Education has designed 3 unique courses to suit the needs of students from all backgrounds and situations. Our courses are flexible and have been designed to incorporate speed and accuracy to achieve the best results!
Qualified Teachers
Our teachers are highly qualified and skilled to make sure you have the best chance in gaining the score you need. No one wants to re-sit a test so leave it to us so that we can help you get through it!
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Our students receive targeted support through our Triple-A Method: Assess, Analyze, Act. Our method quickly identify patterns of mistakes and our teachers will concentrate on these areas to help you achieve that mark you need!


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Story by: Motsieng Mooketsi
Jouberton: We wrote a story about "The Walk A Mile In My Shoes" community organisation a few months ago, and it seems like everytime we meet with them, they are running a new project.
This NPO was established in 2017 and already it's impactful work it's starting to show off, according Brian Saul, its executive director, The young people who are part of the centre which is based in Jouberton, Ext 7, have literally started running the organisation by themselves.
This is evident as the youth of Wamims have come up with a new project called "Wamims Youth Three Cs. The acronym stands for "Walk A Mile In My Shoes Youth Clean, Cook and Care for the elderly.
Every month they identify an elderly person's home, particularly those that live alone or with their grandchildren, with no one to care for. On saturday 8 September they were in Jouberton, Ext 11 at a house of a very sick elderly woman who lives with her 17 year old granddaughter, the house was identified by one of the youth at the centre.
Brian Saul says the reason they do this project is that they do not only want to preach it to the young people but they want them to live it. These young people are inspired through the three Cs project, "You know serving is something else, when you serve its priceless and you can not put a price tag on it. Said! Brian…further outlining that they have seen a huge difference in the children's lives, and some admit that they used to be lazy but now they are assisting with doing chos at their homes.
During the project boys dress up like women and girls dress like men, to make it fun and funky to ensure that the youth enjoy doing all this great work, after the cleaning a "Potjie kos" pot is cooked and everyone enjoys the feast. This is finished off with fun and playing games.
Every house that is identified and cleaned, is monitored and sustained and renovations are done where necessary. Wamims left the elderly woman with a gocery that will last the woman and her granddaughter for a month. They have also committed to fixing the broken windows of the home.


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Petrolex DA
Our law firm, specializing in petroleum and energy law, provides legal services to the petroleum and energy related industry in Norway and internationally, including tax legislation related to the oil and gas industry.
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Both international and Norwegian oil and gas companies, as well as companies within offshore construction and services are among our clients.
Contractual and regulatory law in the Oil & Gas industry
Petrolex advises oil and gas companies and suppliers in all phases
Tax law
Our tax specialist has long and comprehensive experience
Company law
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Transactions and M&A
Advice on complex domestic and international transactions
Per Harg
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Norwegian and international oil and gas law and maritime law.
Also construction law and contracts.
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Also construction law, HSEQ law and contracts.
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Alexander Holst
Main Fields
All aspect of oilfield service contractors operating in multi jurisdictions world-wide, maritime law, corporate law, securities trade laws, contracts, M & A including debt restructuring and reorganizations.


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Essentials Bundle for Sony Alpha A5100, A6000, A6300, A6400, A6500 Camera & 16-50mm Lens with NP-FW50 Battery & Charger + 3 UV/CPL/ND8 Filters + Tele/Wide Lens Kit
Our Price:
List Price:
Total Savings:
$14.96 (23%)
- Vivitar 3-Piece Multi-Coated HD Filter Set (40.5mm UV/CPL/ND8)
- Precision Design 2.5x Telephoto & .45x Wide-Angle Digital Lenses (49mm/52mm/55mm/58mm)
- Spare NP-FW50 Battery for Sony
- Battery Charger for Sony NP-FW50
- Precision Design 5-Piece Camera & Lens Cleaning Kit
- Precision Design Universal LCD Screen Protectors
- Precision Design 40.5-58mm Step-Up Adapter Ring
Vivitar 3-Piece Multi-Coated HD Filter Set (40.5mm UV/CPL/ND8) with:
Vivitar Series 1 3-Piece
Multi-Coated HD Pro Filter Set
(40.5mm UV/CPL/ND8)
High-quality, all-glass filters at an affordable price.
This Vivitar Series 1 3-Piece Filter Set contains a variety of multi-coated glass filters that will optimize your photography experience, and protect your lenses from scratches and dust. Vivitar multi-coated lens filters are translucent glass placed in front of a camera lens to alter or adjust the light entering the camera and to protect the camera lens. Lens filters improve photographs by giving photographers control over light and allowing them to emphasize the features of a scene that they consider most important. This particular filter kit is a combination of the three filters no photographer should be without.
Filters are one of the least expensive accessories you can use to make big changes in the way your pictures look. Includes filter storage wallet.
Precision Design 2.5x Telephoto & .45x Wide-Angle Digital Lenses (49mm/52mm/55mm/58mm) with:
1 Year Precision Design USA Warranty
2.5x Telephoto & .45x Wide-Angle Digital Lenses
Extend your Telephoto, Wide Angle & Macro capabilities
These handy lenses have been designed to enhance your wide angle, telephoto and macro capabilities, while maintaining the full autofocus and auto exposure operations of your camera.
Construction from durable, lightweight aluminum, these attachments easily fit to the front of most small-diameter lenses with a filter thread, and are themselves threaded to accept filters for further creative effects and picture control. The all-glass lens elements are fully coated to reduce reflections and flare, and will match the optical quality of today's high-performance digital cameras and camcorders. Each lens is supplied with front and rear lens caps, and soft case for protection.
These lenses will fit the following filter mounts: 49mm, 52mm, 55mm, 58mm
NOTE: These add-on lenses work best with standard focal length lenses, such as 18-55mm lenses included with most DSLR cameras.
Spare NP-FW50 Battery for Sony with:
1 Year Manufacturer USA Warranty
Spare NP-FW50 High Capacity Lithium-Ion Battery Pack
A spare battery is an essential accessory. No power, no pictures!
Increase your shooting capacity with this powerful NP-FW50 Lithium-ion rechargeable battery for Sony digital cameras. More powerful than your standard battery, this spare high-capacity NP-FW50 will not put constraints on how you want to shoot. Plus, this rechargeable battery is Memory Free. It can be charged at any time without harm, even if it already has a partial charge, and can be typically charged over 1000 times.
Battery Charger for Sony NP-FW50 with:
1 Year Manufacturer USA Warranty
Battery Charger for Sony NP-FW50
Power up your battery with this convenient travel charger
This Multi-Voltage Rapid Battery Charger plugs directly in to a standard wall outlet or your car's 12V DC outlet, and charges your NP-FW50 battery in approximately 60 to 90 minutes. Its flat-pin, foldable design allows easy storage and makes it the most compact battery charger on the market! In addition, this charger includes a European adapter plug for use in 250V outlets.
Key Features:
Precision Design 5-Piece Camera & Lens Cleaning Kit with:
1 Year Precision Design USA Warranty
Precision Design 5-Piece Lens Cleaning Kit
Essential items for the proper maintenance of your equipment.
It's obvious that the cleaner the lens, the sharper your pictures will be. Dirt, dust, and fingerprints will degrade the image quality of even the finest optics. However, it's equally important to avoid using incorrect cleaning materials which can permanently damage your photo equipment.
This 5-piece cleaning kit contains everything you'll ever need to properly clean your lenses, including a bottle of cleaning solution, lens tissues, cotton swabs, a blower brush, and a microfiber cloth.
Precision Design Universal LCD Screen Protectors with:
5 Year Precision Design USA Warranty
Precision Design Universal
LCD Screen Protectors
Keep your LCD screen clean and protected from scratches.
This package contains 3 Universal LCD Screen Protectors that can be easily cut to size, attached and removed. Each piece protects your LCD screen from scratches and wear, and reduces glare for enhanced viewing. A squeegee card is also included to make application even easier, and to reduce air bubbles. These screen protectors can be used on a variety of electronic devices including digital cameras, camcorders, cell phones, handheld video games, and more.
Key Features:
Precision Design 40.5-58mm Step-Up Adapter Ring with:
1 Year Precision Design USA Warranty
Precision Design 40.5-58mm Step-Up Adapter Ring
The Precision Design 40.5-58mm Step-Up Adapter Ring easily screws onto the front of any 40.5mm lens, and allows you to convert to the 58mm threads of accessory items (such as filters, hoods, flashes and lens converters).
Compatible with the following Sony digital camera:
Alpha SLT-A35
Alpha SLT-A37
Alpha SLT-A55
Alpha A7
Alpha A7 II
Alpha A7R
Alpha A7R II
Alpha A7S
Alpha A7S II
Alpha A3000
Alpha A5000
Alpha A5100
Alpha A6000
Alpha A6100
Alpha A6300
Alpha A6400
Alpha A6500
Alpha NEX-3N
Alpha NEX-5R
Alpha NEX-5T
Alpha NEX-6
Alpha NEX-7
Cyber-shot DSC-RX10
Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 II
Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III
Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV
Reviews are for the first item in the kit:
Vivitar 3-Piece Multi-Coated HD Filter Set (40.5mm UV/CPL/ND8)


text: Hi, congratulations for the new IronPython release 2.7.2. I just updated from RC1 and unfortunatly it seems like there's some change of behaviour concerning sys.version_info. I got some 3rd party scripts which are stumbling over the line "sys.version_info < (2, 4): " which happily returns 'False' on RC1, but a NotImplemented Exception in 2.7.2. Could anybody please verify this? I just signed up to the mailing list just for this problem, so I don't now if for bug reports it's better to directly file an issue on Codeplex. Anyway, thanks for the good work so far, I really enjoy using IronPython in my every day work. Best Regards Daniel


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The Langcliffe Church is a place of welcome, worship, friendship, and authentic faith in Avoca, PA.
Our "vision" for who God is calling us to be is this:
We will be a church that loves people and helps them grow spiritually.
We belong to the Presbyterian tradition, which means that we believe we are "Reformed and always reforming, according to the Word of God."
God is not done with us yet. We are not a perfect congregation. We don't always get everything right. But we're trying to be better, together. We enjoy each other's company, we learn how to be better Christians, and we reach out to the community because Jesus told us to "love the Lord your God… [and] love your neighbor as yourself."
We have services of worship on Sunday mornings at 10:00, where we pray together, sing together, listen to Bible passages, and learn about those passages to discover how God might be using them in our own lives. All are welcome at our worship service to fully participate. Come as you are, dress comfortably or in your Sunday best, and be prepared to engage with God through prayer, songs, and Bible reading. Click here to learn more about what it's like to be a part of this community.
We also worship God through our community and church events, which are all open to the public, without discrimination.
We are a church that actually believes in love, in second chances, and in new beginnings. Are you ready to be a part of God's work in us?
(570) 457-4477


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Today saw us return to (NT) Kynance Cove (a place we last visited in 2004) which doubles up as Poldark's beloved home, Nampara. It is to the west of the Lizard and probably the most photographed and painted location in Cornwall.
We parked in the generous car park high above the cove. As we are members of the National Trust car parking is free for us, but as it is the end of the season it is free for everyone. Yippee!! We left the van and headed over the wild open heathland (known as The Downs). However, nothing can prepare you for the view beyond.
The cove appears below in all its glory. We climbed down the steps and through some artistically strewn rocks… camera at the ready… click..click.. oh no it won't focus. It seems that the camera didn't like the rocks which are called serpentine rocks as they are very black with reds, greens and brown's and wouldn't or couldn't focus correctly.
Once down on the waters edge the turquoise sea tumbles onto the white sandy beach, we had fun taking selfies with this stunning backdrop.
We managed to find an earth geocache while we were there, and in doing so found out some interesting facts about the cove.
Apparently, the cove is formed by a phenomenon known as a tombolo, from what I can understand when the land splits and makes an island, if the tide comes into the void left behind in 2 directions it will deposit sand in both directions, one cancelling the effect of the other leaving a hump of sand in the middle. At least I think that's what it means. You can see what I mean from the photo.
We were unfortunate in not being able to climb up onto the heathland above the dramatic rock known as The Steeple as the access was barred with fencing. However, we ambled up the hill back to the car park then out to the other side of The Downs and enjoyed the entire cove with Asparagus and Gull Island in the background.
IMHO, Kynance Cove is the most stunning of all the coves we've seen and it actually gave me goosebumps being on the clifftop above the cove. If you are ever down in this part of Cornwall you simply must visit Kynance Cove.


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Design Develop Deploy Mug
Android Foundry Progress Administration four piece compulsory education notices.
You are hereby required to post these notices at your place of employ to ensure safety, efficiency, and prosperity for company and country alike!
Featuring the same great art as our full-size posters, in a cubicle-friendly format!


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The TriClub Village will be in the same location as 2017, alongside both the run and bike course, atop Observatory Hill on Stewart St.
The TriClub Village provides the perfect viewing location, forming a barrier for the run and bike course where you can cheer on your teammates all day and into the evening.
Don't miss out on the exhilarating atmosphere of the Oceania TriClub Championship. Rally the troops, don your club colours and pitch your TriClub Tent on Observatory Hill, Port Macquarie this May 6!
TENT BUMP IN - Saturday 5th May From 10AM
- Sunday 6th May All Day*
TENT BUMP OUT - Monday 7th May From 7AM
*Road Closures will be in force all day Sunday, with no access exceptions. Please be mindful of athletes also when crossing on course.
If you have any queries regarding the Oceania TriClub Championship, please email [email protected]


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Redefining north.
by Jennifer Perrine
Who claimed she could bend spoons,
and did, twisting them around her wrists,
bracelets that jangled with silver hunger,
their lunettes humping up her arms
like shiny serpents.
Who invited her feminist friends
to topless teatime, which was just as it sounds,
a dozen of us hiding behind our elbows,
strategically holding mugs of chamomile
while Julie read tarot.
Who once borrowed from me
plaid pants she loved so much
that when I asked for them back, she peed
right there, in the street, in my pants,
which I let her keep.
Who laughed when I asked her for a date,
then kissed me so hard I didn't notice
she never gave me a yes or no, just swung
like Salome down the sidewalk, me licking
her pomegranate gloss.
Jennifer Perrine's first collection of poems, The Body Is No Machine (New Issues 2007), won the 2008 Devil's Kitchen Reading Award in Poetry. Her second book, In the Human Zoo (University of Utah Press 2011), received the 2010 Agha Shahid Ali Poetry Prize. She lives in Des Moines, Iowa.


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After picking you up from your Prague hotel, we drive 40 minutes through Prague and into the picturesque Czech countryside to the clay pigeon shooting club.
Full on-site training in English is given at the start of the activity by an ex-Czech Olympic team trainer, including safety instruction and advice on how to use the gun effectively to hit moving clay targets.
Clay pigeons are launched from electronic voice activated traps, and up to 6 participants can shoot at any one time. Each person gets 50 shots at 25 clays.
Competitors get a marked score sheet, with a diploma presented to the winner.
In between shooting, you can observe the rest of the group from outdoor observation decks or from the rustic wood panelled clubhouse, which serves snacks and drinks.
A light lunch is laid out in the clubhouse and is included in the price, together with a beer at the end of the shooting.
Prague Experience group activities include return transport by taxi/minivan/coach, all necessary equipment and instruction, and an English speaking guide where appropriate.
Note: Participants undertake this activity at their own risk and will be required to sign an injury disclaimer. Insurance is not included - arrange this with your travel insurance company.
What to Bring with you:Just yourselves - equipment is provided.
Trip Prices:Price for groups of 2-3 people:£86/96/2590 CZK per person.
Price for groups of 4-8 people:£75/84/2260 CZK per person.
Price for groups of 9-14 people:£71/79/2146 CZK per person.
Price for groups of 15+ people:£68/75/2034 CZK per person.
Important Information:Advance bookings are essential. Group activities are very popular, so should be booked before your arrival in Prague.
*Free Party Pack*Book this activity and get a free party pack containing drinks vouchers and a party map: more info.


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Training Products
Why AudioSolutionz?
Free Resources
Ron Bowers is Senior Vice President for Frank Mayer & Associates, Inc., an industry leader in the development of retail kiosk and visual merchandising solutions for the Fortune 500 of Retail, Medical, Hospitality, and the Government Sectors. For 30 years Ron has developed some of the largest and most effective digital merchandising programs at retail that connect with branded marketers and engaged consumers. Ron has worked on every aspect of self-service merchandising development in the branded retail, hospitality, government, and education channels with client channel masters, software developers, and hardware providers. He has worked to target client needs and to expand their retail opportunity with the success of deployments that work! Ron is a sought after speaker, thought leader, and writer for the industry. He is recognized as an ardent supporter of industry education and best practices in the digital self-service industry. Ron continues to work on many Industry Associations, including the Customer Engagement Technology World, and as a member of the Board of Advisors and the Digital Screen Media Association Board of Advisors.


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New Patient Information
Contact Information
(608) 263-6191
Internet Resources
The following resources are intended for new cochlear implant patients to prepare them for their appointment, learn more about their device, the implantation process and life with an implant.
- New Cochlear Implant Patient Information Forms (pdf)
- Cochlear Implants: A Communication Tool (pdf)
- The Road to Getting a Cochlear Implant (pdf)
The article, The Road to Getting a Cochlear Implant, is provided by Hearling Loss Association of America from their Hearing Loss Magazine.
Hearing Loss Association of America
7910 Woodmont Ave Ste 1200
Bethesda, MD 20814


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February 5th 2004 Video
On the night of February 5th 2004, 23 migrant workers from China drowned as they gathered cockles from the sands of Morecambe Bay, on the coast of north-west England. This film by John Davis, Alex McErlain and Stephen Yates shows how ceramic artist Vicky Eden responded to this tragic event by creating an installation to commemorate those who lost their lives.
Produced by the Visual Resources Centre at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Selected for the 6th International Film Festival on Clay and Glass, Montpellier, 2008 and then subsequently shown at:
2013 British Ceramics Biennial, Stoke-on-Trent, UK
2011 Castellon Film Festival, Spain
2009 Maison des Metier d'Art, Quebec, Canada
2009 International Potters festival, Aberystwyth, Wales
2008 England Forever exhibition, Rennes, France
2008 International Biennial of Contemporary Ceramics, Vallauris, France
2008 Ceramic Art London, UK


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Yesterday in Austin it was 81 degrees at noon, then snowing at midnight. My sinuses don't know whether old man winter is coming or going, but the calendar is telling me that Santa Claus is coming to town scarily soon. Thus, therefore, anon, I shall present another day of gift guide goodies, this time for all you high class big spenders.
But not so high class that you can afford to buy a diamond encrusted bling ring from anywhere other than Sears -- on sale for $299! Whoo hoo!
I have to say that this guide was crazy hard for me to put together... after all, the only thing I would spend $500 on is a bedroom set or couch from Craigslist. $500 for an unspecified gift offends my sense of frugality, so for you lucky folks with a fat wad of benjamins burning a hole in the pocket of your woolen Armani trousers, I have done my very best to choose luxurious treasures that seem worth their ponderous prices. Breathe easy -- there are no Tiffany key fobs or Hermes boxes included anywhere within this post.
You know what I think is worth spending money on? Gnomes. And if I could get that figure for under $500, I'd pay for that, too. Atilla or Napoleon gnome tables, designed by Starck for Kartell, $315 each, at Y Lighting.
In my opinion, natural fibers are always worth the extra buck (or two hundred). On left: Italian Made Washable Cashmere Blanket, king-sized for $270, at Overstock. On right: Dandy Italian-Made Cashmere Fringed Throw, $200, at Overstock. (Overstock has fantastic sheets, too.)
Did I mention that I'm really cold natured? Sorry about the sketchy pictures, but I know you have all seen these blankets splashed across the pages of glossy blogs everywhere... On the left: Alpaca Fur Blanket available in white, ivory and brown, $499, at Amazon. On right: Yves Delorme Mohair blankets, on sale for $200-$480 depending on size, Heirloom Iron Bed Company.
Yet another blanket, but I saved the best for last: LADAK "Wilhelm" Blanket made of unique recycled materials, $285 and 15% of profits will be donated to an Amsterdam shelter for the homeless, at ReForm School. Make sure you enter "2" into the quanity box and ship the extra one to me!
These Fornasetti plates from his famous "Themes and Variations" series sure beat Precious Moments figurines as great annual gifts for the savvy collector. $206 each, from Unica Home.
Or why not visit New Orleans, DC, Las Vegas and Dubai, this Christmas? notNeutral has introduced four more plates in its "City Plates" series. Hang them on the wall for cultured a mix of sculpture, art and geography. $180 for four, at Supermarket.
Actually, Karly turned me on to Supermarket as a supersource for shopping. They have an awesome assortment of carefully curated art and objects by individuals and small businesses. Case in point: Gold leafed, multi-tiered, Sweets and Desserts Tray, by Blaue Blume, $249 and totally worth it, at Supermarket. Pop-Up Forest in 18k or Silver Plate, by Melissa Borrell, $150, at Supermarket. She also has pop out snowflakes for sale.
Not to be outdone, Generate Design also has some pretty snazzy tablewares. I've had my eye on that War Bowl made of fused soldiers from the Battle of Waterloo (apparently fought between France and Britain, for those of us with holes in out historical knowledge) for months now. Since, I have a $500 imaginary budget now, I think I'll buy one for myself. War Bowl, by mosleymeetswilcox, $389, at Generate. Crazy Cast Banana Bowl -- in gold, of course! -- by Harry Allen, $119, at Generate.
My other obesession besides blankets is ceramics. Of course, I usually buy mine at thrift stores, but with a grown up budget, I'd run with the big dogs. Clockwise from top left: Vintage White Handmade German Vase, $165, at Ornaments and Objects. Blue Sixties German Vase by Horst Kerstan, $365, at Ornaments and Objects. Red Sixties Jopeko Vase, on sale for $200, at Ornaments and Objects. Blue and Gold Eighties Vase by Gerhard Liebenthron, $145 on sale for $85!, at Ornaments and Objects.
I don't have much in this gift guide for kids or gents because at this price point they all want Wiis and iPhones, but for the guy (or gal) who has an anachronist's taste for technology, these digital cameras will fit the bill nicely. And it's never to early to teach junior what a Leica is. On left: Minox Leica Mini Digital Camera with gold dust trim, $350, at Urban Outfitters. On right: Sweet-ass Rolleiflex Mini Digital Camera, $399, at Urban Outfitters. It even comes in red.
For Christmas, ice is always nice. Buy your man these cufflinks made from vintage watches and he'll always remember who loves him, because that's what Christmas is all about: cheesy sentimentality. Omega Rose Gold Cufflinks, $485, at Watch-Cufflinks.com. The ladies will appreciate this faceted cast sterling Form One Ring, $265, at La Pisette. And if you really want to wow her, slip this vintage 80's Italian necklace of silver and paste stones into her stocking. $500, at Carole Tanenbaum vintage.
Meanwhile, I'll take these beauties from Laurie Brown Jewelry, if you please. Rat Bone Necklace cast in gold, $448, at Etsy. Gold Rose Thorn earrings, $282, at Etsy. Actually, I'll take pretty much anything she makes. That lady is a jewelry genius with super style.
Does your special someone have an unsightly gap on the wall... or in their geographic knowledge? This 1957 "Asia" Junior Size Pulldown Map on canvas from Three Potato Four will surely fill the void. $250.
If you know someone who can't see the forest for the trees, give them this orginal acryclic on canvas painting of a Birch Forest, by Lisa Congdon, via Etsy.
Oh, and finally... my favorite gifts of all. BOOKS!
You are probably thinking, what the hell kind of book goes in the "Under $500" category? How about the kind that is chock full of amazing photography, probably a first edition, and definitely SIGNED BY THE ARTIST. Yep, that's right. Us plebes may never be able to afford an original print by the artists I have featured here, but maybe, just maybe, we could afford an artist-signed copy of a book. And almost certainly we could afford an unsigned copy -- just head over to Amazon and check out the price points for each edition. You could buy a whole library of amazing art for $500, or you could buy one signed copy of:
1. My Ghost, by Adam Fuss, $300. 2. Sleeping By the Mississippi, by Alec Soth, $129.95. 3. Shadow Chamber, by Roger Ballen, $155. 4. Subway, by Bruce Davidson, $350. 5. Theatres, by Hiroshi Sugimoto, $650 (yep, I went over budget...). 6. Sally Mann: Gagosian Gallery, by Sally Mann, $453. 7. After the Flood, by Robert Polidori, $375. 8. Gregory Credson, by Gregory Crewdson, $275.
But maybe reading's not your thing. Maybe you just want something flashy and easily digested. Something like this:
Yep, the 24k gold pills by Tobias Wong are back. At $429 from Generate, they come in just under budget. If you buy them for a loved one, better tell them to sell the pills for their gold content instead of ingesting them. Because that would be a waste.


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Links/plugs/feedback welcome.
Slaves of defunct economists
1 day ago
This is what I would like to read in a column of a big paper. But the days of papers are over. And they never had and will not have a correspondent residing in Tallinn.
Hey - if you have contacts in big papers, you're welcome to let them know about this article.
I am stating, on record, that the text in question is released for unlimited attributed reprinting, translation, etc.


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Even though I'm afraid of the dark and would sleep with a nightlight on if I didn't have my husband next to me, I'm not one to pass up a good ghost story. Stephen King rates too high on the horror scale (so high, in fact, that I've never had the gumption to read one), but a creepy, gothic goose-bump-inducing romp through dark houses full of family secrets? Now that's definitely my style.
Enter John Harwood, whose The Ghost Writer currently tops my gothic reading list. (And, no, this is not the inspiration for the recent movie with the same name.) Harwood is a modern writer, but his imagination clearly dwells in the Victorian realm of ghosts and spiritualists, as this novel reads like a Wilkie Collins or Sheridan La Fanu classic.
The Ghost Writer follows Gerard Freeman, a pansy of a librarian, through the first 50 unremarkable years of his unremarkable life, as he tries to discover the truth of his mother's childhood, which was not unremarkable at all. As a young boy searching through his mother's private things (without permission), he comes across a faded photograph of a beautiful woman and a ghost story. He guesses that the woman is his grandmother, but when his mother discovers him in her drawer and beats him to cement message that he must never pry into her privacy again, he realizes that trying to get the real story from her is going to be difficult. A few decades pass, filled with lively letters from Gerard's penfriend, Alice – a paralyzed girl who lives in England and prefers to confine their relationship to the page - until his mother dies, and Gerard determines that he must discover the truth of his mother's past. What he uncovers is far more sinister, convoluted, and eerie than he ever imagined.
Spliced into this riveting narrative are four ghost stories – discovered serendipitously by
Gerard and written by his grandmother – that mostly give the novel real sparkle. The stories are intended to hold keys to Gerard's family's secrets, but the connections are not always as clear as they could be. Still, Gerard's mother's cryptic whisper on her deathbed, "one of them came true," will have you reading wide-eyed and quickly to discover the ways in which stories and family history intertwine in this complex, spellbinding novel.
3 comments:
I loved the stories within the story of this book! Have you read Harwood's The Seance? I think I actually liked that one better as a whole. Very gothic!ReplyDelete
I agree on all counts, Terri B! I loved the stories within the story, too, especially, the one that "came true" As for The Seance, I've read that one, too, and also liked it better. It was super gothic and kinda creepy, and I didn't foresee the twist at the end, did you?ReplyDelete
I'm not sure I completely understood the final twist at the end.ReplyDelete
I know Alice did not exist, and it was Anne who was writing the letters to Gerard, but what about that final page? What the heck happened?
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Does anyone else jump onto an internet site, load things into their shopping cart, resolve they've felt all of the issues they needed to feel after which exit without completing the order? Due to the easy accessibility and easy click of a button to purchase goods, shopping addictions could possibly be a critical danger of on-line shopping. This might come in useful for future referencing to search for different online shopping alternate options. This site is made attainable by the sort individuals who abandon their shopping record at the finish of a visit to the grocery store. There are only three KC space places – in Oak Park Mall in Overland Park, KS, Zona Rosa in Kansas Metropolis North, and on the Nation Club Plaza in KCMO – and the choice is restricted. HomeShop18 has a singular shopping idea that permits you to buy from the convenience of your house when you are relaxing and watching television or while shopping the web or through the mobile app or cellular website.
Many interesting craft sales and bake gross sales are held all year long at Cherryhill Village Mall , and typically there is even sq. dancing within the Terrace Meals Court , which must be added is without doubt one of the most unusual mall food courts in London, Ontario While most malls provide the usual Tim Hortons or Mr. Sub , Cherryhill Village Mall's Terrace Food Court is dwelling to Chelsey's Bakery where you'll find incredible do-it-yourself soups, sandwiches, and salads.
A childhood good friend had a critical shopping addiction, after which it turned out she additionally suffered from bipolar dysfunction. They could already have an inventory of personal shopper assistants out there for you, if you do not have time to shop regionally by yourself. There's a chimney hole excessive on one wall (the place a stovepipe initially went in) with a tin cowl over it. Vicky used some originality to show that cover right into a full moon! There's this one store regionally that has saloon doorways that cover you from crotch to shoulder and nothing extra. I purchase many things on line, as I haven't got a automobile(A camera takes the place of that!) Books, kitchen issues, and even currently, gluten free groceries are on my checklist.
If your shoe dimension is much like mine, do your shoe shopping earlier than coming to Thailand; get your workout sneakers, several pair of labor footwear (Thais favor closed toe black leather-based), going-out-to-some-place-good shoes, sandals, whatever you'll be able to consider that you will need earlier than your journey back to your own home nation.
Centered round Shinjuku Station, a significant transportation hub and the busiest prepare station on the earth, this district is residence to half a dozen major department stores, including a number of firms' flagship shops; in addition to outlets of Japan's largest electronics retailers combined with a host of other shops and boutiques along its streets and underground shopping arcades.


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I often wonder if zombies can breathe under water. Being undead could be a pretty interesting superpower, minus the whole rotting body, attacking humans thing. I used to think that, given the option of any superpower, I'd choose flight or invisibility. But today I realized what my ultimate superpower would be: the ability to live without eating or sleeping.
I've done the math. We spend, at a minimum, 4 months a year nourishing and recharging ourselves. That's a lot of time. Over the course of a lifetime, that adds up to more than 20 years of time. What would you do with 20 more years?
All of the things. That's what.
The reality, though, is that we can't add 20 years to our lives. We can't live without food or sleep anymore than we can move at the speed of light or pass through walls. So then, what's to be done?
Do the things that matter.
I'm still trying to figure out what that means for me. Because sometimes it feels like everything matters, like everything is important, like I must do everything and DO IT NOW.
But I've discovered that, for me at least, doing everything is the same as doing nothing. I make so little progress on each project that I may as well be watching a Lord of the Rings marathon and stuffing my face with marshmallows*, than actually attempting to accomplish anything. *for the record, I love both Lord of the Rings and marshmallows.
So, it isn't just about doing the things that matter. It's about doing the things that REALLY matter.
Prioritize. Make the list long. And then shorten it. And then edit it. And then delete some more. I've started using something I call the "final moments" rule. Morbid, I know, but hear me out: what things, experiences, people, places, and tasks (from the day-to-day to the completely fantastic) would you truly, really, actually be disappointed you didn't get to at the end of your life? Honestly, I ask myself this question every day. Otherwise, the DO EVERYTHING AND DO IT NOW voices start yelling, and once they start they're like princess toddlers in a room full of glitter. Mayhem.
I've started to reality check several times a day – to come to terms with how I'm spending my time and on what. Am I spending my day working toward the things I actually want to accomplish, or am I just movie-marathoning, a mindless zombie trying to breathe under water? I started doing this out of frustration with myself because I don't have a one-track, un-dead mind, nor super powers to elongate my life. My brain is buckshot most of the time, millions of bolts of energy darting in every direction, all seeming to require my attention. But I have a propensity to be able to work well under deadlines and I love to execute plans. So gut checking is helping me get the most out of my time by playing to those strengths.
At some point I'll write about the specifics of my ever lengthening list of goals, how I'm terrified of actually completing them, and why some of them are purposefully impossible. But in lieu of a scientific breakthrough, zombie apocalypse, or toxic-sludge-turned-super-human, it would appear that management and accountability of both time and goals are the first of many steppingstones toward a life lived as if it were extended by twenty years.
Do you have other suggestions? Tricks that work for you or flops that didn't? Serious or silly I want 'em all, so let me know!


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I have been working recently with Cisco Firepower Threat Defense and came across a difficult issue with using a PPPoE connection, where if the interface was using a dynamic IP address, the default route was not pushed from the ISP to the device, so there was no internet connectivity.
A helpful user on the Cisco commuity forum shared his settings, and there is a misleading tick box "Enable Route Settings" under "Devices > Device Management> Interfaces" from the Firepower Management Center which needs to be ticked for this to work. This example is for a BT Infinity (VDSL) connection using the Openreach NTE, but will likely work for other ISPs:
Cisco's description of this tick box in their own documentation is not entirely accurate (source – https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/security/firepower/601/configuration/guide/fpmc-config-guide-v601/fpmc-config-guide-v601_chapter_01101011.pdf page 18):
"Enable Route Settings—To manually configure the PPPoE IP address, check this box and then enter the IP Address."
Whilst this is true if the IP address box is populated, they fail to mention that its required for a dynamically assigned connection to receive a default route!
Hope this helps someone!


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A woman drank "the best part of of a bottle of vodka" before assaulting her Mansfield boyfriend when he ignored her after playing on his X-box for 17 hours.
Katy Sandby got out of bed and hit him in the face during the row at his Langford Road address, on April 17, said prosecutor Robert Carr.
She then picked up the games console and threw it across the room.
When he rang the police she shouted at him aggressively, and he thought she would assault him again, so he went outside.
Michael Little, mitigating, said the six-month relationship between Sandby, 44, and the 25-year-old man was now over, and she was homeless, after moving from the Worksop area.
"She was asking him to come to bed," he said. "He declined and effectively ignored her."
He said the problems stemmed from her 11-year dependency on alcohol, and she had experienced cocaine and heroin problems in the past.
He said Sandby is now sleeping rough in the Worksop area after she was evicted from the Hope for Homeless shelter.
"She needs assistance," Mr Little said. "She says she is at rock bottom."
Probation officer Raqia Bano said: "On the day of the offence her partner had been playing X-box for 17 hours and she was angry because he wasn't paying any attention to her.
"She said she could remember lashing out. She has shown genuine remorse. She was unable to explain why she reacted with physical violence except to say she had suffered domestic violence in the past."
Sandby, of no fixed abode, admitted assault when she appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Thursday.
She was given a 12 month community order, with 30 days of rehabilitation activity, and a six month alcohol treatment requirement.
She was ordered to pay an £85 government surcharge and £85 court costs.


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Darcy "Two Finger" Tyler is a pitcher for the Turtlesburg Tomahawks and general manager Johnny Sins thinks she's taken her team for granted. Add to that the fact that she's missed practice more than enough times and you've got a player who's looking to be traded. When he gives her this news, however, Darcy does what it takes to keep her spot on the Tomahawks. Collapse
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INDIANAPOLIS — J.R. Smith was bellyaching on the bench to his Knicks teammates about not playing during Monday's overtime session against the Suns, according to an eyewitness.
The source said Smith appeared "disconnected" during overtime and reportedly also was late for a team meeting in the hotel before the Knicks faced Charlotte on Tuesday.
He was benched for that night's game versus the Bobcats.
Coach Mike Woodson has refused to comment specifically on Smith's recent benchings, but the surly shooting guard being vocal about playing just 45 seconds of the 5-minute overtime as the Knicks pulled out the 98-96 Garden victory over the Suns was another example of him putting himself ahead of the team.
Woodson criticized Smith on Wednesday on his radio spot for not always thinking about the team first, but said he won't give up on Smith, and balked when asked whether Smith might be traded.
Smith became eligible to be dealt Wednesday, under a provision of the collective bargaining agreement, but Woodson made a trade sound unlikely for now.
"J.R. is wearing a Knick uniform,'' Woodson said on his weekly ESPN Radio spot. "He's here. We're all in J.R.'s corner. That's never going to change. I've been one of his biggest supporters. That will never change. But again, it's all about team. It's not about Mike Woodson. It's not about J.R. It's doing the right things on and off the floor.
"I'm not kicking J.R. to the curb. J.R. is a big part of what we've done here, and he'll remain a big part. But he has to make sure he's on the same page as the head coach.''
Indeed, Smith is now on a zero-tolerance policy, and based on his track record, it's hard to imagine his long-term compliance.
"Nobody is bigger than the team,'' Woodson added. "It's never been about individuals. The success we've had is based on team. That's been my approach from Day One. I got to police players and doing what's asked of them. J.R.'s no different. When he's not doing what he's supposed to do, I got to let him know about.''
Woodson's comments made it clear he was upset at Smith beyond his sneaker-lace capers. Smith was fined $50,000 by the league for untying Shawn Marion's shoe in a game against Dallas and allegedly attempting to pull the same stunt on Detroit's Greg Monroe in consecutive games last week.
Smith had taken the final shot of regulation against Phoenix on Monday, hoisting an air ball. Woodson declined comment after Tuesday's game on why Smith didn't play and did so again Wednesday. Smith said he didn't know why he didn't play, and called it "ridiculous" if the sneaker-lace incidents were "the trigger" for him being on the outs.
Woodson was asked on the radio whether he had spoken with Smith on Wednesday in the aftermath of the player's second game-long benching in four contests.
"After a while, enough talk is enough talk, and the player has to be held accountable," Woodson said. "We're at that point."
It didn't sound as if the benching would last long, however, saying the club still is dependent on his scoring.
"Every player has responsibility and to be held accountable what they do on a ballclub,'' Woodson said. "I'll leave it that. We want the best for J.R. He's got to be more of a pro in terms of his approach to the game. Him doing that will help us from a basketball standpoint. We need J.R. to play, but again he's got to grow up and be more of a pro about his approach.''
Smith admitted Tuesday after the Charlotte benching he wouldn't mind a trade if the Knicks have no plans for him.
"If I can't help the team, no point in me being here," he said.
The Knicks realize Smith has very little, if any, trade value after signing a three-year, $18 million pact during the more stringent luxury-tax era but still are hopeful of getting inquiries.
Smith appeared detached on the bench Tuesday, sitting in the last seat and not joining the huddles to listen to Woodson during timeouts in the first half — something the coach surely noticed again. He often looked up at the scoreboard, watching the in-game entertainment.


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by Jayme Metzgar
This article originally appeared in our newsletter, Tidings of Hope. To subscribe, click here.
Anyone who reads fairy tales know how they typically end: the villain is defeated, and the hero and heroine ride off into the sunset . . . never to be heard from again. The narrative ends where everyday life begins.
At Romania Reborn, our accounts of kids' lives often follow a similar story arc. A child is born into an impoverished or neglectful family and abandoned at birth. After months (or years) of waiting and suffering, he or she is rescued and finally placed into an adoptive family. And that's where the story ends: with our own version of "happily ever after."
So it was a rare treat for me this month to talk via Skype with one of our former Hope House kids, "Stephen" (now 11), and his adoptive dad, Sorin. Despite the inherent awkwardness of a conversation across language barriers, time zones, and internet-quality audio, I nonetheless loved getting a glimpse into the miracle of Stephen's normal, happy, everyday life.
Early Days
I had met Stephen on a visit to Romania in 2005, when he was three years old and still living at Hope House. He easily stands out in memory, his curly hair framing his small face, and an expression of shy intelligence shining from his one good eye. The other eye had been lost in the incident of domestic violence that had initially landed him in state care. Finally safe at Hope House, he was at peace, but not entirely happy. Something was missing.
"Families would come and go from the orphanage, and most of his friends started getting adopted," Hope House director Corina Caba remembers. "He began to pray every night: 'Please God, send me a mother and a father.'"
When he was nearly four, Stephen had the opportunity to receive a top-quality artificial eye in England. Christopher Calow, a Christian eye doctor visiting Romania from the UK, met Corina and told her that an English surgeon could give him a much better eye than anything available in Romania. Dr. Calow and his wife, Patricia, subsequently arranged for a pro bono surgery, transportion, and housing for Corina and Stephen in England.
But God wasn't done answering prayers. When Stephen was five, Sorin and his wife, Adriana, visited Hope House for the first time. Initially, they were interested in adopting a baby. "We were unable to have children of our own," Sorin told me. But as soon as they met Stephen, their plans changed. "We felt a connection with Stephen from the very first visit."
"Stephen was shy. He wasn't the kind to run right into someone's arms," Corina remembers of that moment. "But I remember Sorin going over to him, getting down on his level, and talking to him quietly. You could just see the connection."
Happily Ever After
Today, that instant connection has deepened into an obvious fatherly love, joy, and pride in his son. Sorin speaks glowingly of his adoption experience. The obstacles, if any, were minor compared to the blessings Stephen has brought to the family. "The process of adoption is very natural," Sorin told me, "And the changes in our life have all been positive ones."
Similarly, the loss of an eye hasn't proved to be a barrier to a normal and full childhood for Stephen. His many interests include karate, soccer, riding his BMX bike, swimming, and skiing. At school, he just completed the fourth grade, where he has many friends and excels in mathematics and drawing. His current aspiration is to become an architect when he grows up.
Stephen's family recently moved to a new home on the outskirts of the city, next door to his aunt, uncle, and two cousins. They travel to the mountains every winter for a family skiing trip.
But more than all these material things, Stephen has finally found that "something" he had been missing: love. "We love Stephen, and Stephen loves us. And this is very important," Sorin emphasized. "We give him a lot of love, and he gives us a lot of love. We can't imagine life without him now."


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How needy in your relationship you are can be indicated by the following five proofs. Do not think that being needy equals to having needs.
For centuries women have been told that they should not be too picky and demanding. In some countries women are still ready to keep their wishes and desires to themselves while there are cultures where women are encouraged to fight for their rights. Both of these lifestyles are extreme. Luckily, there are a few ways to avoid being blamed for being selfish.
1. Make it clear what your needs are.
Needs vary and different people want and desire different things. Some want commitment and more time together, others ask for tender words, warm hugs and touched. It's important to be clear about your needs. Do not reward your man if is incapable of providing you with what you need. For example, refrain from telling him how much you love and miss him if you know you will probably not hear from him. Do not be too clingy and never call or text him to remind him that you are still waiting for his reply. Your attention is a reward and if he behaves badly he shouldn't be rewarded. Some respond better when you treat them poorly. If he doesn't provide, let him feel the same way – neglected and abandoned.


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Shake 'n Quake
Rumblings were felt in the Puget Sound on Friday, no doubt a result of the 7-day stretch of cataclysmic and most-depressing headlines which The Seattle Times has been serving up this past week. All this doom and gloom had the very ground beneath our feet quaking in its boots to the tune of a 4.5 seismic shift. I woke up right about that time but it was to the loud if hollow drip sound of our ensuite bathroom tap.
OK, so I'm anthropomorphising things a bit - but for those of us interested in chaos and integral theories, I don't think it's all that outrageous to presume that all this collective ummm, shall we say, funky energy could take its toll. As above, so below and all that good, cause and effect stuff.
If nature was to imitate us humans in dramatic fashion, I can think of no better method than to posit a foundational crack in the ground. Real estate woes are finally real around the Puget Sound, albeit far less than elsewhere in the country. Our bubble doth done burst and oh woe are the dot-com and other gajillionnaires - investments have tanked everywhere and swindlers have made off with their hard and hardly-earned dough, proving once again that money really is the root of much evil.
And still, the layoff tales continue. Those once dead job fairs will now be packed to the hilt with executives looking to pay the mortgage and feed the kids. It's ugly but there are bright spots. I still contend that sometimes opportunity flies in the face of adversity and than some former corporate lifers may find their true calling from these ordeals.
Green Angel
Speaking of ordeals, some of you may recall that we've been waiting a year for word of our green card status (it was supposed to be a done deal last March). We had almost given up even as we have been apprehensive about next month's Boeing layoffs and how that might affect Holy Hub's job.
But we received notification on Thursday that we've been approved and green cards should be in hand within 3 weeks. Or rather, the entire Holy family has been approved except me - I confessed to my Mom that it had something to do with all that anti-Bush and political rant blogging I've been doing these past few years and she said, "I thought so!!" I then admitted that I was only joking and that it was actually something to do with my fingerprints - I have to re-do my biometrics at no cost to me...(like several thousands of dollars, not to mention several hundreds of dollars of advance-parole (out-of-country travel permits) renewal wasn't an additional cost incurred because of their slow-boat to China productivity, but don't get me started). I will be delighted to go back in and dip my foreign finiger digits in ink in order to get our green cards.
So what does this mean? In a word, everything. It means Holy Hub could get on permanent with Boeing if he so chose. It means he can look for other contract work and not be tied to a trade Nafta visa that permits him employment with only the one employer. It means I can work without having my work permit tied to our annually-renewing visa. It means we're still aliens, but we're legal aliens now...thanks Sting - I now have your mantra singing in my head. It means we won't expire for 10 years, we can come and go as we please, and while we still can't vote and could still get the old DHS black leather boot toe to the butt if we "abuse our status" - (whatever that means), but it mostly means.......
We can have a red, white and green party late February/early March! That's right, it will be happy hour at the Schmidt house with red and white wine and green beer.
I feel very blessed and appreciative, if I can rip a page from this blog to gush gratitudinally to the immigration gods for just a moment. Having to potentially move out of the country in 4 short weeks (if the horrific should happen) was not my idea of fun....especially having just bought a house at the height of the market, having just remortgaged to the tune of a full 2% interest rate drop, and having a kid enrolled in one of the top, albeit lottery, schools in the nation, which has literally hundreds of kids on a waitlist waiting for him to pull out. 'Twould not have been a good time to jump ship.
And I can't lie. I'd like to be both witness and change agent in this momentous, rebuilding time in US history. I'm glad it came through in the week following Obama's inauguration (even though I know it was rubber-stamped in the last days of Bush empire). But mostly I'm just happy, happy, joy, joy, glad. Our relief is palpable.
Bachelorette #1
Holy Hub and the kids were all away this weekend - Holy Hub and Holy Daughter on a Brownie overnight excursion and Holy Son at a Scout camp outing - and so I had 28 hours to myself yesterday/today.
I had all kinds of plans for this magical time. I was going to go on a girlie getaway or maybe take some artsy fartsy classes. Or I was going to go see a chick flick or maybe take myself out on a romantic solitary date. I was going to crank tunes and disco dance with my Swiffer Jet mop turned microphone to this and this, without having to hear anyone yell at me to turn it down, tune out and get with the new millennium. I was also going to get six million manuscript pages written and finish all kinds of incomplete projects and just generally be a lean, mean productive machine.
In the end, I pondered all of the above and chose none. I didn't even eat dinner. I just putzed from one thing to another - revelling in the space of having untold number of possibilities yet having the freedom to ultimately choose none.
I did manage to sneak in the time and headspace to read Daniel Pink's book, A Whole New Mind and felt re-energized that I am that scary, random kind of thinker (I'm an ENFP) who will potentially adapt and thrive in this new conceptual age that he insists has dawned. He hints that MFAs will replace MBAs - this has me secretly scoping out local MFA programs - shhh, don't tell Holy Hub that - it could be grounds for divorce.
But more to the point, I think it's exciting to be raising resilient and outside-the-norm-thinking box children in this new age. I sense a creative renaissance emerging - I spoke of this in the previous blog post - such that they will be the amongst the first generation of Cultural Creative offspring who set about lighting the world on fire in a meaningful and engaging way.
How cool is that?
Anyhoo, here's hoping you have a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious SuperBowl Sunday! Go Cardinals!


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This won't surprise you: Florida's a violent place, and so is Miami-Dade.
In fact, you're probably getting whacked with a machete while you read this: while violence and its aftermath costs our nation's economy approximately $460 billion in 2011, Florida accounted for a whopping $34.28 billion all by itself, paying heavily for everything from medical care for victimes to less direct costs like productivity.
That statistic is according to the Institute for Economics and Peace's 2nd annual United States Peace Index, which was issued Tuesday. The USPI takes into account five factors when judging 50 states and 61 metro areas-- homicide rates, the number of violent crimes, incarceration rates, the number of police employees, and availability of small arms -- and then ranks them according to their peacefulness.
Though the study claims the U.S. is at its most peaceful time in 20 years, the Sunshine State isn't going following quietly: for the second year in a row, Florida is the fourth most violent state, and all 6 major metro Florida areas -- Miami-Dade, West Palm Beach-Boca-Boynton, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, Orlando-Kissimmee, and Fort Lauderdale-Pompano -- made the bottom 50 percent, with Miami-Dade coming in a sad 4th behind Detroit, New Orleans, and Nashville.
Perhaps its time to reconsider that rehab bill? Just sayin'.
Check out what violence costs the ten most peaceful and ten most violent U.S. states in 2012:


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|Read most recent stories and your own
|Patron Comments
|Participant come-backs
|What's under your Kilt?
|"Ultimate dumb patron come-back story"
-Nothing is worn, it's all in fine working order!
If you're lucky, just a wee bit o' lipstick...
-I'm a man of few words -give me your hand...
-- "Lad/ lassie, if you don't know by now, what's the use of me telling you?"
-- "Feet. What's under your pants?"
-- (While I'm walking) "At the moment, grass. Soon there will be pavement."
-- "All the nasty stories you can only read about."
-- "My back-up claymore."
-- "A few English peasant girls. You can't see them, but they're there."
-- "A katana. Didn't you see "Highlander?"
I have to remember to try to keep my responses period, but after a while I just get fed up and let them fly.
An Occasional Scot, CA
|Historic Games on-line catalog
|Man-powered wood lathes through history
|Contemporary quotes on Scottish Attire
|Tongue-in-cheek reenactors' glossary


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Available ebook formats: epub mobi pdf rtf lrf pdb txt html
Old Man Crowe lives in the Pacific Northwest;
in a forest on the side of a mountain. He loves
working with words to find the 'best' way of
saying something, or the 'best' way an idea or
image feels like it wants to be expressed. He
would rather be in the process of writing
something than doing almost anything else;
although; not in exclusion to maintaining a
peripheral relationship to human society.
A crow's a crow ya know?


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Prescription drug abuse has become an epidemic that is sweeping the streets of our country. In the northeast, prescription drug abuse in PA, NY, NJ, and CT, is up 26% from 2006. Our teenagers are abusing these drugs, most notably, oxycontin and roxicontin. A poll of high school students revealed that one in twenty admitted to taking one or both of these drugs. Oxycontin is synthetic heroin. It was invented in Germany as a pain reliever without the high euphoric effects of heroin or opium. It was made to be time released when swallowed in a pill form to regulate the high the drug produces yet relieve pain. Teenagers and adults have found ways to abuse oxycontin by injecting the drug intravenously or by grinding up the pills and ingesting them through the nose. Pharmacy robberies have soared through the roof in the last ten years. Home invasions of people who are prescribed this drug have also increased. Adolescents have also been mixing these pills with alcohol. The combination is extremely deadly. Parents or loved ones should listen for the code names the addict has given these drugs to know whether or not they are taking them. The words to watch out for are Oxys, Roxis, blues, and OCs.
The treatment for prescription drug abuse in NY, NJ, PA, and CT, can be handled successfully at Clearbrook Treatment Centers. The first step into successful sobriety from these drugs is a fully licensed, medical detox. The addict on prescription drugs faces a tough road in regards to detox, but can and will be accomplished if they follow the treatment plan outlined by our addiction specialists. Sometimes people that are on prescription drugs think that they are not as bad as those who use the street drugs like cocaine and heroin. This is denial and this denial needs to be addressed. These drugs are killing the same if not more people on our streets every day. Depression during the initial detox can occur as well. This is a physcological dilemma that is also immediately addressed by our staff.
Often times when our loved ones are addicted we don't know what to do. If you are looking for help and to save the life of yourself or someone you love, we assure you that we can help when you thought no one else can.
Hi there, awesome site. I thought the topics you posted on were very interesting. I tried to add your RSS
to my feed reader and it a few. take a look at it, hopefully I can add you and follow.
Drug Rehab
Your drug detox center will help you to complete the physical withdrawal from drugs in a safe and monitored medical environment. Drug detoxification
How much you drink privately and not when operating a vehicle or other machinery, however, is a personal matter, and one that many people deal with the ill effects of. That is where alcohol rehab centers come into play.
alcohol rehab centers


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NBC announced today that Chuck will be returning to the entertainment lineup starting January 10th.
Along with this return date confirmation was the announcement of the many guest stars they'll have churning through the set of Chuck for the 2010 season.
The guests include Angie Harmon (Law & Order), Brandon Routh (Superman Returns), Robert Patrick (The Unit), Kristin Kreuk (Smallville), Armand Assante (Judge Dredd), Steve Austin (WWE Smackdown!) and Vinnie Jones (Snatch).
Returning with Chuck is the usual cast of regulars: Zachary Levi, Adam Baldwin, Yvonne Strahovski, Joshua Gomez, Sarah Lancaster, Ryan McPartlin, Mark Christopher Lawrence, Vik Sahay & Scott Krinsky.
The NBC press release stated:
NBC's action-comedy series Chuck returns to the NBC lineup on Sunday, January 10 with all-new missions and two action-packed, back-to-back original episodes in its season premiere (9-11 p.m. ET) before the series -- starring Zachary Levi in the title role -- moves to its regular day and time (Mondays 8-9 p.m. ET) beginning January 11.
So Chuck not only comes back on January 10th, but we get the next episode on the very next day. Sweet. There was no mention of how many episodes they're planning to air, but hey, January 10th & 11th is good enough for me right now.
Source: NBC


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Thank you so much to Kristin of The Frugal Girl for taking the time to share her blogging tips with us. I'm so excited to be featuring several bloggers this month – real-life successful bloggers – and hearing their thoughts and tips about blogging! So, pour yourself a cup of coffee, sit back, and be inspired!
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your blog:
I blog about cheerfully living on less, and the focus of my blog is not so much on deal-shopping and couponing, but about living simply. For instance, I talk about contentment, avoiding food waste, cooking from scratch (I bake my own bread and make homemade yogurt), thrift shopping, and refurbishing/repurposing old items.
How did you get started with blogging?
I started blogging in March of 2008 because I got disgusted with the amount of food I was throwing away. I thought about how embarrassed I'd be if anyone saw my food waste, and then a light bulb went off and I thought, "Ooh, that's it! I'll show the whole internet what I waste every week, and then I'll be inspired to stop throwing away food!"
So, I started a blog about food waste, and a few months into that, I decided to expand into the topic of frugal living, so I started The Frugal Girl. And since not wasting food is definitely frugal, I continued to post a food waste picture each week (I still do, actually!)
What is the one thing you wish you knew when you started because it would have saved you so much time and energy?
Well, I'm still learning this, but it's important not to let critical comments ruin your day. Though I still struggle in dealing with negative comments, I have gotten a little bit better at taking them with a grain of salt. Also, I've learned that it's best not to get into a long, drawn-out argument with an unkind commenter. A simple, "I'm so sorry you feel that way." helps to keep the conversation short.
What is your balancing secret in managing a blog and a family?
I generally don't blog while my husband is home or my children are awake. So, that leaves me with just an hour or two for my blog each weekday evening after the kids are in bed and my husband isn't home from work.
I'm sure I could grow my blog more if I devoted more time to it, but while lots of people can blog, no one else can be mom to my kids and wife to my husband. So I try to keep that a priority.
What is the biggest mistake you made and how did you fix it?
Well, probably the silliest is that my first blog had the longest url EVER. It was www.
Fortunately, I chose a shorter name when I started The Frugal Girl!
What has been your best readership building tactic?
Hmm. Things like commenting on other blogs in my niche have been helpful, but the central thing is that I focus on producing consistent, authentic content. I think that's what makes people fall in love with a blog, and when people love a blog, they tell other people about it. Word of mouth is one of the main ways my blog has grown.
What has been your most successful way to make money?
Network blog ads (I use BlogHer) have been my largest revenue stream thus far.
What is one tidbit of advice that you would offer to a new blogger, just starting out?
Ooh, can I choose a few?
-Use WordPress. Best blogging software e.v.e.r.
-Include pictures! Even not-so-great pictures are better than none, and your photography skills will improve as you practice.
-Make an About page with a picture of yourself. That's so important to help new readers connect with the person behind the blog.
Still Have Questions?
Leave them in the comments below – then be sure to head over to Kristin's blog – if you've had fun reading her insight here and have been as inspired like I've been, you'll find even more inspiration at her beautiful blog!