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Exclusive Interview: ASPPA Head Brian Graff Blasts 'Stupid' Retirement Suggestions from Capitol Hill (and Others)
Brian H. Graff began serving as Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA) in November 1996. In this capacity, Graff oversees ASPPA's operations, is a member of ASPPA's Executive Committee and, working with ASPPA's Board of Directors, chart the strategic direction for the organization. ASPPA is a national organization of more than 16,000 retirement plan professionals who provide consulting and administrative services for qualified retirement plans covering millions of American workers. In addition to representing the interests of ASPPA's members and its affiliates before Congress and federal regulatory agencies, ASPPA annually conducts more than a dozen industry conferences, and annually administers more than 5,000 examinations leading to various industry-related professional credentials.
Brian spearheaded the creation of the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA), the Council of Independent Recordkeepers (CIKR) and forged a partnership between ASPPA and the National Tax-Shelter Accounts Association (NTSAA). He has testified multiple times before Congress, the Department of Labor and has served as a White House delegate for the National Summit on Retirement Savings. The American College of Employee Benefits inducted Brian and he is listed as one of the top 5 most influential people in the 401(k) industry. Brian received his doctoral degree in law, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in Philadelphia. He holds a bachelor of science in accounting with distinction from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.
FN: Our readers saw a little bit about your background in the intro above, but perhaps you can elaborate on what motivated you to do what you're doing today.
Graff: Well, you know, I've been involved with the retirement plan space for 25 years and I guess when I was in college and law school, I was always intrigued by policy and was always motivated by a desire to make a difference, to contribute to society and to help people in some way. Like most people in this industry, I found it by accident. When I was in my first law firm I was assigned to work with the NFL Players' Association. It was there that I got my first taste of retirement plans and I've been hooked on the issues ever since. I worked on the Hill for a while and, after that, despite offers from other law firms, I felt by going to an association, I'd have a better opportunity to have an impact on the retirement plan industry as a whole.
FN: You've made a name for yourself as protector of the retirement plan, especially from sometimes misguided government "reforms." What do you see as the biggest threats to retirement savers being talked about in state and federal legislative branches?
Graff: To me, and I'm going to get a little broader, everyone talks about tax reform and fiduciary regulations, but I think the bigger threat is a failure of policy makers in DC to understand that retirement policy needs to be looked at from a holistic perspective and not from a parochial view within their own committees. For example, a tax committee will look at retirement policy as a pure tax policy analysis and fail to reflect any thinking on what it means for retirement. What's wrong is that this is consistent across the board. There's no committee with the singular responsibility to look at how to focus on pure retirement policy. A recent Gallup Poll shows the number one economic concern (70% of the respondents between the ages of 30-55) is whether people will have enough money for retirement.
Another threat is that we really have a coverage challenge in this country. Of that 70% that said having enough for retirement is there top concern, 52% have less than $10,000, including 36% that have no savings at all. The difference between having a plan and not having a plan is the key component. Of the 36% who have no savings, 73% don't have a plan at work. For people with a plan at work, only 11% don't save. The critical thing is to get plans at work. The challenge is that there are too many people in this country without access to a retirement plan at work. Many 401k critics claim 50% of the population is without a plan, but the real number is more like 35% – and that's still too much. Our industry needs to come up with proactive ways to address this coverage problem.
The third threat is a failure to provide the value proposition that the industry provides, particularly among advisers. Policy makers do not appreciate the value advisers add to both plan sponsors and participants. The data is pretty compelling when an adviser is involved in terms of participation and savings rates. Both are higher when an adviser is present. The fact that policy makers don't understand the value is the reason we're having debate on the fiduciary standard. The DOL will admit that some people will lose their advisers if they go ahead with their proposals.
FN: What have you and ASPPA done to expose these threats and what can our readers do to help?
Graff: What we've got to do is to continue to educate policy makers. There are still members of Congress that don't understand it's the savings. Congress continues to believe the public prefers the capital gains preference to retirement savings incentives. There are 80 million participating in retirement plans, but only 8 million are taking advantage of capital gains preference. There's an over emphasis on the capital gains preference versus retirement savings. Congress continues to treat tax incentives for retirement as a tax loss instead of what it really is – a deferral. Freezing the limits on tax deductions only produces phony money. It's scored as raising $64 million over 10 years. But it's just a gimmick since, in reality, the taxes are deferred, not eliminated. This is what happens when you just focus on a narrow issue instead of the policy as a whole. This is how you get the stupid suggestions we're seeing from the Hill.
FN: At the NAPA Summit in New Orleans recently, you got into a debate with Teresa Ghilarducci about her idea to require all 401k plans to include index funds. Can you give us a recap of her position and why you disagree with it? [For background, readers may be interested in reviewing "Does the 'Lost Decade' Signal the End of Passive Investing?" and "3 Reasons to Outlaw Index Investing Right Now (and One Selfish Reason Not To) in 5 Acts."]
Graff: There are those critics of the markets who make the argument that we would be all be better off in index funds. While there are periods of time when index funds outperform, they do not do so all the time, as your "Lost Decade" article shows. The issue these critics point out alleges 401k sponsors push participants to "bad" (i.e., "high" fee) choices, so they argue 401k should have at least one index. This is a bad idea. If Congress were to enact such a law, it would suggest passive funds are the place you should put your money. There are just too many outside factors. This is absurdly childish. Today, most plans offer both, because the marketplace is demanding it. The last thing we need is the government deciding where to invest. Net returns matter more than fees. Fees are one factor but only one of many factors. Our industry's obsession with fees can be dangerous. A race to the bottom will not help people who need the help. When you see something as a commodity, then that drives you to focus on fees. But service levels do matter. You wouldn't go to a hospital with the lowest fees. Why would you gamble your retirement future by placing your entire nest with the lowest fee provider?
FN: What's your sense of how the SEC is progressing on the Uniform Fiduciary Standard? Will they ever come out with one, or are they irreconcilably split on the issue? Also, some feel it's better that we get nothing from them rather than a "watered down" version of the current Fiduciary Standard. What are your feelings on this?
Graff: I think it will be very difficult for the SEC to do nothing at this point. There's been so much discussion by the media that it would be very hard politically for them to back away. I do expect them to do something. I know the Commissioner has asked the staff to look at what options are other there. One such option is more robust disclosure. It would something like this: An acknowledgement to the client by the advisor that is signed off by the client stating, for example, "Before you engage the service of this adviser, you acknowledge this advisor is not responsible for monitoring investment and could receive a commission." Why eliminate or change existing standards when we might be better off starting with educating consumers? If I were to predict, I think there is some possibility that they may try the disclosure route first. That's not going to make anyone happy, but that is the essence of compromise.
FN: The DOL seems more likely to come out with its new definition of Fiduciary (a.k.a. the "Fiduciary Rule") that is expected to include IRAs in some fashion. Do you think the DOL will finally "level the playing field" and prohibit self-dealing transactions or will they continue to allow self-dealing as long as it is disclosed?
Graff: There's seems to be no question the DOL will move forward on this regulation. It's only a question of when, not if. It's more likely after the election, but either way it's coming. Our expectation is that it will dramatically change the landscape. The commission exception is not really material. What really is impactful is that many, many, more people that are acting in an advisory capacity will be precluded from getting variable commission based compensations.
FN: We've recently published an article "What Every 401k Plan Sponsor and Fiduciary Should Disclose to Employees: How to Retire a Millionaire (Hint: It's Easier Than You Think)" that has led to at least two subsequent articles in other publications on the concept of a "Child IRA." The concept was spelled out more in this BenefitsPro article "This idea will solve the retirement crisis, guaranteed!" and a more compelling argument in favor of the Child IRA appears in the April edition of Benefits Selling magazine. Since these articles were written, a congressman from Texas has introduced legislation proposing a "Child Roth" – basically a variation on this "Child IRA" theme but with some limitations. What are your thoughts on this "Child IRA" idea? How does it differ in philosophy from what you're seeing being discussed in Congress" Do you think Congress should seriously consider this proposal and what is the likelihood the President would sign such a law?
Graff: Unfortunately, the way we score things is so backward, not only do we help people save, but we help the government. So, for example, the Roth Accounts for Youths Savings, proposed last month by Rep. Rubén Hinojosa of Texas, is said to "not cost the government anything" because contributions are not tax deductible. In reality, this idea will cost the government plenty in lost future revenue. Despite the far greater revenues that would come to the government in future years (not to mention the savings on replacing Social Security), the Child IRA as you propose would today be considered a "costly option" because you're suggesting the contributions are tax deductible.
Incidentally, and not to squash you're enthusiasm, the concept you write of is not a new idea, but it is new again – and I'll give you credit for that. The first time the idea was introduced was in the early the 1990's by Senator Kerry (he called it "Kids Save") – but his proposal had the government contributing to the accounts, not taxpayers. That, of course, is a big difference between what you're suggesting and what he suggested.
The big concern – and one big enough to make this proposal arrive DOA – would be who's going to utilize it? Will your Child IRA idea really just create another savings vehicle for middle-class and wealthy people? I know your proposal allows people to contribute to any child's account, but progressives would argue that unless the government is funding it, only the middle and upper classes will be helped. Sorry to rain on your parade, but until we can change this mindset in America, great ideas like the Child IRA will wither on the vine.
FN: Do you have any other thoughts you'd like to share with our readers?
Graff: Retirement is the number one issue. Proposals like Kids Save and the Child IRA will continue. My feeling is that retirement issues will be with us for at least next two decades. So, hold on to your hats.
FN: Brian, thanks for taking time from your family vacation to speak to us. I'm sure the readers of FiduciaryNews.com appreciate much of what you've done to fight for retirement plans. Keep up the great work and good luck in the future!


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FrankieJo's is a small cafe featuring rustic baking and hearty thoughtful cooking. We believe in the power of food. We love the concept of merging food with gratitude . Taking a moment to eat gives us time to slow down and enjoy life's goodness ,everyday. ...and ... when it tastes great..we tend to stop just a little bit longer !!
FrankieJo's is a neighborhood space. We are here if you want a quick cup of coffee and a breakfast pastry. We would love it if you had time to sit down and be served breakfast or lunch. We can pack a meal for take out. Or if you have time for an afternoon tea service –Joey and Frankie – can host a pretty good tea party!--they've gone way beyond mud pies!
It is our delight to bring pleasure to people through food in a comfortable and relaxed environment.

subset: commoncrawl


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Alchemy Fine Events & Invitations
Depois do sneak peek que fizemos da Sara e do Pedro, hoje podem ver mais imagens deste casamento de Outubro, no blog The Knotty Bride! Obrigada à Sara e ao Pedro por nos permitirem partilhar a história do seu dia!
After the sneak peek we did a while ago from Sara and Pedro's, today this wedding as been featured in one of our favorite blogs: The Knotty Bride! Thanks to the happy couple for allowing us to share their big day!
Ver tudo aqui!
See the all wedding here!
Credits: Brancoprata
Branco Prata is a Portugal based event/wedding company! We do stationery & paper goods, photography, styling & flowers. Hotspot is our notebook, where we post, on a daily basis, the things we find more inspiring and specially the work we do! Welcome!!


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Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has been urged to quit the Gunners by former Liverpool stopper Jerzy Dudek in order to save his international career.
Arsene Wenger has preferred summer signing David Ospina as his number one keeper in the Premier League and has only used the Pole for Arsenal's FA Cup matches.
The French manager axed Szczesny after the Poland international was caught smoking in the showers following the north London club's defeat to Southampton on New Year's Day.
The Colombian international, who initially struggled with injuries, has made the number one slot in the team his own after a string of impressive performances for the in-form Gunners, who have won six straight Premier League games following their loss at White Hart Lane in February.
Former Liverpool star Dudek feels that the Pole should leave the club after falling down the pecking order and wants his compatriot to make a decision sooner rather than later.
"It's a serious matter. If I were in his place, I would wonder whether there are still opportunities to arise at Arsenal and wouldn't wait as long as Fabianski, because you can see that Arsene Wenger is firmly set on David Ospina," Dudek said, as quoted by the Mirror.
The former Poland international is worried for the Arsenal goalkeeper, as he feels that his place in the national team could be jeopardised due to his lack of game time. But he is confident that Lukasz Fabianski, who moved to Swansea City in the summer from the Emirates Stadium, will be an able replacement for Szczesny.
"Fortunately, [Poland] have two other goalkeepers who are able to provide an adequate level in our goal."
"Lukasz Fabianski is in excellent form and, on the other hand, Artur Boruc is very experienced. I think [Adam] Nawalka [Poland manager] will wait to make the decision until the very end. Wojciech is the least likely to play in the match with Ireland," Dudek explained.


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Aaron & Gretal Ulrich
October 2018
Hi. Thanks for your interest in what God is doing in Ghana among the Gonjas.
How We Got Here
The Lord has worked in our lives and given us so much, we feel compelled to give our lives back to Him in grateful service. Aaron is the son of Ross and Cynthia. Gretal grew up in Sugarcreek, Ohio to parents, Paul and Miriam Miller. God crossed our paths while we were at Mountain View Nursing Home in Virginia to do nursing school. Nine months after graduating, we got married and lived in Reading, PA for a year. We asked the Lord about what He wanted us to do.
The opportunity opened up for us to serve in Ghana, among the Gonjas, and we and our authorities had peace about it. So we moved to Ghana in August, 2015 and our son Noah was born later that year. Our son Zed was born in December of 2018. For the first two years, we focused on learning Gonja language and culture and transferring our nursing certification. During that time, God continued to increase our love for the Gonja people and a desire to see Him glorified among them.
The GONJA People
The Gonja people number around 300,000 and are classified as unreached by the Joshua Project. Over half the tribe are Muslims and many practice traditional African religion as well. The Gonja kingdom is still ruled by an intricate chieftaincy system and is spread over a vast area of the Northern region.
We were privileged to witness the complete Gonja Bible dedication in early 2016. Since then, the Gonja Bible has also been recorded in audio – a wonderful thing since approximately less than ten percent can read. We also participated in the dedication of over five thousand 101 Bible Story books in 2017. We pray that God will use these resources greatly in reaching the Gonja tribe.
What We Do
We strongly believe Christ's command to go and make disciples. We have transitioned from full-time learners to disciple-makers. We moved to a rural village called Sheri, in January '18. We believe God wants us to disciple people and families into groups that will make more disciples and form new groups of dedicated Christ-followers. Our goal is to work with the LORD to let the knowledge of His glory spread in an ever-widening circle.
Aaron volunteers at the village clinic. Both of us get called into people's homes to give advice on various ailments when we are visiting in the village. We believe that God is using our physical service as a way of building trust that will make our message more credible.
To get more detailed news of what God is doing here, you may contact us at our email address below to request our monthly newsletters.
We're very glad God brought us here and are grateful for people like you who support Christ's commission through prayer, giving and going. A big "Thank You" to our families, friends, and churches for your faithful support!
Contact Info:
If you'd like ideas of how you can better support the Gonja outreach or if you would like to come serve with us, please contact us using the info below or contact the mission directly through this website.
C/O Charity African Missions
P. O. Box TL296
Tamale, N/R GHANA.


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UCWeb's 'Super 1000' outlines detailed guidelines for 'We-Media Platform' users
| Updated: Aug 23, 2017 11:20 IST
New Delhi [India], Apr 26 (ANI): UCWeb has outlined detailed guidelines for writers and content creators to join the 'Super 1000' Program launched in March 2017. The integrated evaluation will be done under four key indicators including page views, content customization, content category and publishing frequency. The UC News Content team will review quality and the overall influence of the candidate while keeping in mind content originality and legitimacy before giving the final confirmation. 'Super 1000' is a strategic initiative for user-generated content in India and part of We-Media Reward Plan 2.0. Under this program, UCWeb plans to recruit 1000 We-Media writers in India and Indonesia who will be able to earn at least Rs. 50,000 per month, generating varied content across diverse categories. The program has received more than 1,300 applications since its launch in March 2017. One of the first writers to qualify for the program is CricketTrolls, a blog offering latest cricket news, offbeat news, memes and more with an aim to make cricket more fun. The blog enjoys over 3.62 million page views and is earning more than 900 USD per month. Besides an upgrade in Ad revenue sharing model, the We-Media Reward Plan 2.0 program will open the door of opportunity to the most talented writers in the country. The program saw an increase of 200 percent and 350 percent (MoM) in its page views of English and Hindi We-Media content respectively in the past quarter. Other than cricket, contributors can also opt to write on entertainment, politics, tech, health, and lifestyle categories. "Users are embracing diverse digital content and their appetite for such content is being met by UC News. According to our data, there are at least 400,000 self-publishers in India, creating a huge scope to grow the market, especially in niche categories. UC News and We-Media program aim to meet the increasing demand of varied content by users and build a well-established ecosystem. With our strengths in Big Data AI, the UC We- Media Program is opening a gateway to more opportunities in India's content industry," said Head-UC News We-Media, Bruce Zuo. "Getting on board the UC News platform was one of the best decisions. With UC News, you just have to write good content for your readers and not worry about anything else. In addition to that, you can monetize your content. It was so easy to analyze how many page views are we receiving, the kind of articles our readers are liking, and the follower base we are building. We would highly recommend all aspiring bloggers to join the UC News We-Media Platform," said founder CricketTrolls, Anirudh Singh. Anyone with the required qualification can apply or be recommended as a 'Super 1000 We-Media' candidate. Accounts with illegal or inappropriate content or accounts lacking originality will be filtered out of this selection. While the application process is easy, UCWeb's editorial team is on strict watch against illegal content, including fake news, pirates, duplications, and any inappropriate adult content that can erode the reading experience. An active writer who publishes frequently has a higher chance of being selected. Through this program, UCWeb aims to overhaul the digital content landscape in India. The program encourages customized, long-tail content creators who will contribute to India's growing content ecosystem. Content generators with a distinguished identity along with profound insights, perspective and style will be given priority. (ANI)


text: Hi I am clearly new here, can someone tell me what difficult child stands for? My adult son came to my home yesterday demanding money, had a fit made a massive mess in my kitchen with my just picked tomatoes and proceeded to steal my bank card and take 1000.00. I am giving up now and though it makes me very sad, I can no longer allow myself to see him or interact with him. I am reading here but it is hard to follow because I don't know all the anacronyms.


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Thanks for joining Sarah and me for Meatless Monday today. Fall finally arrived around here this weekend and no one could be happier than I am. Is there really anything better than yoga pants, hoodies and warm bowls of soup? I am most surely more of a savory enjoyer of pumpkin. It is a vegetable after all! This Chipotle Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup will warm your belly with whole food goodness. Chipotle Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup The best thing about this healthy soup is that it could not … [Read more...]
Vegan Eggplant and Portobello Mushroom Meatballs
Thanks for joining Sarah and me for Meatless Monday today. I had every intention of bringing you a patriotic red, white and blue recipe today but that just did not happen. What did happen were these amazingly delicious Vegan Eggplant and Portobello Mushroom Meatballs. I promise even your meat loving family members will eat these up! Vegan Eggplant and Portobello Mushroom Meatballs I made a huge batch of these Vegan Eggplant and Portobello Mushroom Meatballs for a dinner party and found all … [Read more...]
The Best of Meatless Monday 2017
Happy New Year friends! Hope you all had a fantastic Holiday and New Year. Thanks for joining Sarah and me today to start off the New Year with some plant based, healthy Meatless Monday recipes. Today I am sharing the most popular Meatless Monday 2017 posts. Hope some are new to you or that you remember how much you wanted to try them. The Best of Meatless Monday 2017 Sheet pan meals were all the rage this year. This Sheet Pan Eggplant Cous Cous and Honey Pineapple Tofu Bowl were among my … [Read more...]
How To Make A Killer Vegetarian Frittata In Under 30 minutes
I love cooking with eggs and they are a great source of protein for me. One of my favorite ways to enjoy them is in a veggie filled frittata. They are so easy to make for dinner and then you have the leftovers to enjoy for breakfast or lunch the next day. Sharing my quick and easy recipe today to for a Killer Vegetarian Frittata in under 30 minutes. How To Make A Killer Vegetarian Frittata -First start off with a skillet that is safe for the stove and oven. Generously coat with olive oil … [Read more...]
Better Than Tuna: Vegan White Bean Salad Wraps
Thanks for joining me and Sarah for Meatless Monday today! Now that the weather is warming up, I am ready to give up my soups for lunch and start thinking about some new alternatives. Tuna Salad sandwiches have long been a classic lunch go to but for vegetarians and vegans not an option. I've come up with a better than tuna vegan white bean salad wrap that I hope you will love as much as I do. I had seen a few similar salads using chick peas to sub out the tuna but after my recent hummus … [Read more...]
Hemp Hearts Are Here To Stay
This post was sponsored by Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts and Sweat Pink however all opinions are my own. #FuelledByHemp #SweatPink As you may have noticed the past few months, Hemp Hearts are all the rage these days! I first tried them out last spring when I was sent some samples from Manitoba Harvest. I had never even heard of them but quickly fell in love and starting adding them to my baked goods. I've since made delicious Pumpkin Muffins & Butterscotch Chocolate & Oatmeal protein … [Read more...]
Summer Veggie Lentil Loaf
Happy Meatless Monday veggie lovers! With Tina off and enjoying her first few weeks of marriage, I have Lisa from Run Wiki joining me as co host today. Please remember to visit her blog today too! I've been wanting to make a lentil loaf for a while so with all of the great summer veggies that are out, I thought it the perfect time to give it a go. I like to think of it as a Vegetarian Meatloaf of sorts. Lentils are a powerhouse in the nutrition world. They are a great source of … [Read more...]
5 Fit Summer Snacks
I don't know about you but all of this summer exercising has me super hungry! I have a few go to healthy snacks I'd love to share with you today. They are all easy to whip up and have on hand for the "rungries". 1. Frozen Grapes- Super simple to prepare. I just rinse and dry them, throw them in a ziploc and freeze for a few hours. At night when I am looking for something sweet or after a sweaty bike ride these are delish. 2. Hard Boiled Eggs with Hummus Bump up the protein in … [Read more...]
Fa-Waffles! Meatless Monday
Happy Monday! Wow these weeks seem to be flying by for me-how about you? You may know from some of my previous posts how much I love hummus, Harissa and Mediterranean foods. I also love Falafel but the traditional preparation is not so healthy. I saw something on Food Network last week about Falafel made into waffles. What?! I had to try it. I kind of just made up this recipe based on my traditional falafel recipe and it was AMAZING! Please join Tina Muir and I for The Meatless Monday link … [Read more...]
"Creamy" Chick Pea & Tomato Soup
Happy Meatless Monday! In keeping with my soup theme all month, I am bringing you another great Winter soup to keep you warm and satisfied. Please join Tina Muir and I as we link up all the best Meatless Monday recipes around. This "Creamy" soup is actually dairy free & Gluten free. The creamy texture comes from the pureed chick peas. They also bump up the protein and vitamins. So grab a bowl and dig in! It's a great way to hide the Chick Peas from those picky eaters too. [Tweet … [Read more...]


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The Data Structures and Algorithms course is a must for anyone who wants to refresh their CS foundations or are new to the industry. I have taken classes with other coding schools in Seattle, but I would say Kal is the best at preparing you for the industry. Kal Academy is such a caring, giving and inspiring community that a lot of alums keep contributing to it even after graduation ...Continue Reading


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Static ropes consist of a core and a sheath. The core mainly functions for weight support, and is made up of individual strands, while the sheath holds said strands together and shields the rope from influences like mechanical wear, chemicals, heat and the like.
The strongest materials used for static rope include nylon, polyester and other synthetic materials. Common types of static rope construction are braid-on-braid, or double braid, and kernmantle. Braid-on-braid rope is constructed with both a braided core and a braided sheath. The core and sheath may or may not be made of the same material. Often, the core material is chosen based on strength, while the sheath is chosen for abrasion resistance. Braid-on-braid rope is very strong. Kernmantle is rope constructed with its interior core (the kern) protected by a woven exterior sheath (the mantle). Its name is derived from the German kern and mantle, which mean core and jacket, respectively.
Kernmantle is designed to optimize strength, durability and flexibility through the core, which provides tensile strength, and the sheath, which provides protection to the core from abrasion. The sheath also determines how easy the rope is to hold, to tie knots in and other handling properties.
The rope's characteristics may be altered to emphasize one strength over the other, depending on the activity for which the rope is made. Static kernmantle, unlike dynamic kernmantle, is made of untwisted core fibers a tight braid, which makes it stiffer as well as less stretchy.
Static rope has a wide variety of applications, for instance in caving, canyoneering and fire rescue operations. While this rope does have some applications in climbing, it is never used as the rope for lead climbing, because it would break a fall too abruptly and possibly lead to injury. On the other hand, abseiling, also called rappelling, which is a descent technique used on dangerous cliff sides and steep slopes, is best done with static rope. This is because static rope reduces bouncing and makes it easier to ascend the rope.


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Modern Sprout is a Chicago-based business that designs, manufactures and sells innovative hydroponic planters for the home. In April, 2013, Modern Sprout launched via Kickstarter and debuted a stylish self-sustaining windowsill planter. The product was well received; in 35 days nearly $80,000 was raised and 700 planters were pre-sold to backers across the globe. Following the campaign Modern Sprout has launched four product lines, secured over 140 retail partners and has garnered national media coverage.
Modern Sprout was founded by Sarah Burrows and her husband Nick. We met Sarah at our summer salon and she graciously offered to debunk five common crowdfunding myths for those of you who are considering raising money for a new product/project in a similar way. Read on to soak up learnings from her personal crowfunding experience!
Someone will steal my idea – I need a patent first.
In general, the mentality of thinking everyone you tell is going to take your idea and turn it into a full-blown business is irrational. I say that with confidence now, but before launching Modern Sprout I was leery of sharing too much. Starting a successful company is so incredibly hard, and 99% of people aren't willing to commit the necessary time, effort or capital and can't stomach the risk. You need to tell people your idea because you need to get their feedback, get connected to someone they know, or get advise based on their area of expertise. Most people will havesomething to offer that will help advance you forward.
If I build it they will come.
Due to the low barrier to entry, crowdfunding sites are over-saturated…and mostly with mediocre campaigns. Even with a strong campaign it's hard to stand out. You'll need to drum up interest through social media, by pitching press, investing in advertising, forging strategic partnerships, etc. We created flyers with free seed packets and placed them in over 50 coffee shops around Chicago – and we had a few backers reference them! If you don't have marketing experience, find a boutique agency and hire them. Marketing is arguably themost important factor to running a successful campaign (disclaimer, as a former marketing professional I might be bias).
I need to have a huge social media network.
You don't – we didn't. I could hardly stand to look at Facebook when we launched our campaign. You do have to putyourself out there, and you will have to engage your family and friends (which was probably the hardest part for me). We sent emails to our personal and professional contacts and asked them to help drive awareness throughout our campaign. We made it easy for people to help us by providing bulleted emails with pre-formatted images, copy points, and relevant links.
I need to have the perfect product first.
I think some of the best entrepreneurial advice is to fail fast. It's not realistic to have everything perfectly in place before you launch; your product will inevitably evolve and you should be prepared to pivot if need be. Unlike securing capital through traditional channels such as loans or investors, the beauty of crowdfunding is that youreally just need a solid idea and killer marketing.
I will have to spend a lot a time building a strategy.
You don't, because you don't need to start from scratch. There's a ton of advice available online and even step-by-step crowdfunding hacks. Here's one we used!
Thanks for sharing Sarah! Your story encourages and inspires, and we can't wait to watch Modern Sprout continue to grow!
Connect with Modern Sprout on Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, Pinterest, and Instagram. Checkout their full line of products on their online shop, or locate a retail partner in your area that sells Modern Sprout planters!


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Kaitlyn and Doug love being by the water -- a couple after my own heart!! She knew that she wanted her engagement session to have a romantic beachy vibe and gave me the opportunity to suggest a location. Of course I knew the perfect place, our favorite beach, Crane Beach in Ipswich!!
On an unseasonably warm (theme of the fall!) September evening we enjoyed a beautifully quiet session together on the beach. As the sky turned to a soft blue and pink hue Kaitlyn and Doug cuddled together, sand between their toes. It was such a joyful session and I can't wait to celebrate with them come next September when they tie the know!! Enjoy a few of my favorite images!!
Hybrid Session | 5dMarkIII & EOS-1V | Kodak Portra 400 | Processed by The Find LabRead More


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I am Starting to Feel "Alive" Once Again!*
Well, it's been a very long road, but after finally finding Lifeworks – "Yes" – not only did I find hope but actual real improvement! Gradually my legs have released. I am walking with so much less pain and moving more freely! I am starting to feel "Alive" again after 8 years of countless doctors, the Mayo clinic and the Cleveland clinic finding nothing wrong. After falling to fracture my hip, being a very active sailor, I knew there just was something the matter!
I am indeed grateful for finding Lifeworks! I feel confident I will be "skipping" again real soon!
PS: forgot to mention, probably the most important part! The very competent staff of the IV room have been wonderful… thank you.
Joanna. M.
*Disclaimer: Individual patient results may vary based on a patient's medical history and other factors.


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Shots Fired at Truck Flying 'Make America Great Again' Flag in Indiana
Several shots were fired at a truck flying a "Make America Great Again" flag and an American flag on a highway in Indianapolis Tuesday afternoon, Fox 59 reported. Luckily, no one was hurt in the incident, which looks like a possible case of left-wing terrorism.
Indiana State Police say a newer white 4-door Chevrolet Malibu with a Louisiana plate pulled up next to the pickup truck. A black male passenger held a handgun out of the window and fired several shots at the pro-Trump truck.
Police say no one was in injured in the incident.
The driver of the Malibu was described as a black male around the age of 23. The passenger was described as a light skinned black male with a sleeve tattoo on his right arm.
The incident came one day before a left-wing gunman opened fire on Republican lawmakers practicing for the annual Congressional Baseball Game.


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an extensive overview with many historical details on ouabain is presented in the book
Ouabain - a gift from paradise
1859 – 1948
In 1859 the English botanist Kirk discovered the rapid onset of cardiac action of Strophanthus glycosides by the careless use of a toothbrush contaminated with seed of Strophanthus. Based on this random discovery the Scottish pharmacologist Thomas Fraser developed on the basis of Strophanthus an alcoholic extract "tinctura strophanthia", which first in England but soon also in France and Germany was used to treat heart diseases. Extracts of different Strophanthus species were used, which contained different glycosides with chemically related structures. For his studies on Strophanthus Fraser had used extracts of Strophanthus hispidus [1]. However, for therapeutic use Strophanthus kombé with the glycoside k-Strophanthin and Strophanthus gratus with the glycoside g-Strophanthin have been used. In 1888 the French chemist Arnaud isolated from Strophanthus gratus the pure active ingredient g-Strophanthin. This has later been isolated also from the African tree Acokanthera ouabaio and had been named "ouabain". Today, in the English literature the term "ouabain" is used internationally as the common name. In the German literature not until the 1970s, the term g-Strophanthin has been used. In 1904 a standardized solution of the pure substance became available that was commercialized by E. Merck, Darmstadt and Boehringer Mannheim: "g-Strophanthin Thoms". This ouabain solution was used both intravenously [17] and orally administered in the treatment of heart diseases. In 1909, the French physician and cardiologist Henri Vaquez introduced the iv-application of g-Strophanthin in France [15a,15b]. Some medical centers in the United States, too, have used the "French preparations" to treat heart diseases [18].
In 1906 the pharmaceutical company Boehringer Mannheim in cooperation with the internist Albert Fraenkel introduced an iv formulation of k-Strophanthin under the trade name Kombetin. An economic success of this product turned out to be delayed. Even 20 years after launch the annual revenues of Kombetin were "only a few hundred marks" [2]. Only after Ernst Edens, University of Dusseldorf, based on systematic investigations had demonstrated the safety of intravenous administration of ouabain and had extended the therapeutic use of ouabain to treat angina pectoris and to prevent and treat acute myocardial infarction, Kombetin has been increasingly used in hospitals and in medical practice. In 1914, Albert Fraenkel was awarded the title Professor "for the fact that he transformed the uncontrollable oral Strophanthin therapy into the qualitative application of digitalis according to pharmacological principles." [12].
In 1934 Edens first published his experience with ouabain in the treatment of angina pectoris [16]. In this publication he claimed "the intravenous Strophanthin treatment is the safest treatment of organic caused angina pectoris including myocardial infarction." Aschenbrenner praised the successes of Edens with the Strophanthin treatment as a "great feat of internal medicine, comparable to the discovery of insulin." Particularly stressed were the advantages over digitalis. Eden himself was convinced: "The time will come, in which failure to timely start ouabain therapy will be condemned as medical malpractice." [3].
Already in 1901, Ludwig Krehl, in whose clinic Albert Fraenkel had carried out his studies with the intravenous administration of Strophanthin, had praised the "often excellent successes" with the "excellent, especially suitable oral ouabain". The Heidelberg pharmacologist Eichholtz in 1947 described in his textbook the use of ouabain "as absolutely the biggest advance in the therapy of heart since Withering in 1785." It should be noted that up in the 1950s in scientific and clinical reports often no distinction was made which Strophanthin, k or g, was used. Due to the fact that the therapeutic effects were largely identical [14] the term "Strophanthin" was used for both, k-and g-Strophanthin.
1949 – 1970, "Strophoral dispute"
For oral treatment with ouabain especially Strophanthus extracts and solutions of pure g-Strophanthin/ouabain have been used. Both solutions lead to unreliable therapeutic results with severe side effects. There have been repeated attempts to improve the efficacy of oral dosage forms of ouabain. Already in the 1920s g-Strophanthin/Ouabain had been available in tablet form [4,5]. In 1949, Boehringer Mannheim "following numerous and insistent requests from the medical practice" [6] introduced a new version of g-Strophanthin formulated as a tablet for sublingual application under the brandname "Strophoral" and was "surprised to note shortly after the introduction that the interest for such a preparation was unusually large."
For Boehringer as surprising as the commercial success of Strophoral and its high acceptance by the physicians "was the literary echo, which the drug created in the pharmacological and clinical literature. It has been almost spoken of a "Strophoral dispute" [6]. In clinical practice, with the use of Strophoral very different experiences have been made, which provoked doubts about the reliability of the therapeutic effects. Subsequently, several medium-sized companies offered many more ouabain-containing preparations for oral application, which were characterized by improved and reliable efficiencies. The database of the German Institute for Medical Documentation and Information records more than 20 orally administered ouabain preparations that have been used in Germany after 1950. Of particular importance were the "Purostrophan Dragees" from Kali Chemie and the "Strophoperm" from Permicutan KG. The Purostrophan Dragees were enteric-coated tablets of ouabain with the addition of sodium lauryl sulfate. Strophoperm was a solution of ouabain with the addition of permeation enhancer for sublingual administration. With both preparations the necessary dosage for reliable therapeutic results have been achieved at a considerably lower dosage than with Strophoral. The daily dose of Strophoral often amounted to 20 - 30 mg ouabain [19], for the Purostrophan-enteric coated tablets 2 -6 mg per day were sufficient [20]. The daily dose of Strophoperm with 0.5 - 1 mg ouabain [21] stood in the magnitude of the daily dosage of iv-administered ouabain.
In parallel to the launch of Strophoral, in the 1950s in Germany drugs based on pure digitalis glycosides, imported from America and England, substituted raw extracts and leaf-based formulations. The new digitalis preparations contained pure active ingredients and replaced the hitherto used extracts and dried leaves of Digitalis. These preparations were advocated to be "modern" and "progressive" while Strophanthus preparations henceforth were stigmatized as "old" and "German" preparations. The scientific dispute focused on the question whether with the new Digitalis formulations equally good or even better effects can be achieved as with the Strophanthus preparations. A great deal of the dispute focused on the question whether Strophanthus preparations are bioavailable after oral administration. While high bioavailability of Digitalis (digitoxin> 90 percent, digoxin> 60 percent) had been determined the bioavailability of oral ouabain had been found to be 2 percent [8] to 15 percent [9]. The knowledge formulated by Edens "every heart needs its own dose of Strophanthin" [3] according to which the individual dose for each patient should be determined by titration – today a common practice for many drugs ("the patients are adjusted to the drug") - was interpreted by the proponents of the Digitalis and critics of the Strophanthus therapy as evidence of fluctuating absorption rates of ouabain. As the large number of follow-on products to Strophoral indicates, the scientific "Strophoral dispute" has hardly hurt at first the acceptance for ouabain by practitioners and thus the practical application. In the early 1970s, more than 99 percent of the world production of ouabain was consumed orally [7].
1971 - 1975, Heidelberg Tribunal
Boehringer Mannheim had developed Strophoral in cooperation with the Stuttgart internist Berthold Kern. In his studies Kern had focused on establishing a systematic classification of heart diseases. His differentiation between diseases of the left ventricle and the right ventricle, which is generally accepted today, was new territory for its time and was initially received with skepticism in science. Kern had in his practice also observed that ouabain is the treatment of choice for diseases of the left ventricle. Therewith he was able not only to confirm the findings of Edens but to also conceptually support them. A key priority that Kern dealt with was the question of the origin of heart attack. He took the view that heart attacks are not caused by impaired coronary arteries but are of myocardial origin. His insights and views he published in 1951 in the book "Die orale Strophanthin-Behandlung" (The oral ouabain-treatment) [10].
In the 1960s, the "cholesterol-fever" reached its first climax. Cholesterol-rich diet was blamed for high cholesterol levels that lead to atherosclerosis and thus by means of impaired circulation to heart failure and heart attack. This dogma today still is the subject of intense scientific debate. In the late 1960s, the head of the science section of the magazine "Bunte Illustrierte", Peter Schmidsberger, took hold of this topic. Previously Schmidsberger had already caused furor with articles about miracle cures for cancer treatment. Other magazines, the radio and eventually television reported about Schmidsberger's campaign.
In his series of articles with provocative headlines he insinuated that doctors by their adherence to false theories of the cause of heart attack knowingly accept the death of patients due to false treatment. As a witness for his allegations he used Berthold Kern. The science organizations responded with harsh statements. Kern was summoned to a public hearing in the presence of the press, radio and television to Heidelberg in the restaurant Molkenkur on November 19, 1971. After a tribunal-like hearing Kern views on the origin of heart attack were rejected. "The attending scientists are of the opinion that it is irresponsible if the theses of Dr. Kern are redistributed to the public before its truthfulness is sufficiently established in a prospective, controlled study." [11] Reputable magazines (Spiegel "Hungernde Herzen", ZEIT "Kein Infarkt für "Bunte"-Leser") took over this judgment. Even if the actual dispute had been the importance of atherosclerosis for the development of heart attack, ouabain was included in the condemnation of Kern's theses. After the Heidelberg tribunal ouabain was officially outlawed in German medicine. It was said to be toxic, non-bioavailable and thus not suitable for the treatment of heart diseases. Sales and market potential were reduced significantly. Even today, the Heidelberg Tribunal is the starting point for frequently spread obscure conspiracy theories.
H. Christophersen quotes in his book "Der Schlüssel zur Infarktverhütung" (The key to infarct prevention) an unnamed head of research of a major pharmaceutical company, who characterizes the situation of ouabain after the Heidelberg tribunal: "We would immediately commercialize g-strophanthin if we could conceal the real name. The name g-strophanthin has been discredited too much in recent decades. Only when a world-wide rehabilitation of the g-strophanthin is done, we can change our position." [13].
1976 – 2012
In 1961 in Germany a Medicines Act was adopted as an obligation of the EU treaties. First, it governed only the registration of substances "whose efficacy is not common knowledge". As response to the thalidomide scandal the Medicines Act was tightened in 1976. Since then for all drugs safety and effectiveness must be proven by appropriate studies. Drugs that had been on the market before 1978 were classified as "fictitiously approved". The manufacturers were obliged to demonstrate safety and efficacy of their products by appropriate studies (Nachzulassung, re-registration) within a generous transition period of 12 years. The implementation of these legal requirements was handled generously. In 1997, a variety of re-registrations had not yet been completed. The "fictional approvals" were extended until the end of 2004. The European Commission initiated an infringement procedure against the Federal Republic. In the process, the Federal government undertook to complete the processing of re-registrations until the end of 2005.
The requirements of the Medicines Act applied for all old drugs including the many ouabain-products. Almost all manufacturers of ouabain products were medium-sized businesses, who did not see themselves in a position to fund the required studies. In addition, with the introduction of beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors by international pharmaceutical companies, new competitors had appeared that smaller companies could not compete with. Of the many companies that have offered ouabain in the 1950s to the 1970s, none exists today. Until 1990, almost all of ouabain preparations had been taken off the market. Strodival, offered by Herbert Arzneimittel GmbH, was the only product left. Herbert Arzneimittel GmbH has been taken over by Brahms Arzneimittel AG, which has been acquired by the Swedish generic manufacturer Meda in 2003. Meda also has not conducted the necessary studies for re-registration of Strodival. End of 2005 the fictional approval for Strodival threatened to be discontinued. A group of doctors, alternative practitioners and patients intervened with the Ministry of Health and the parties represented in the Bundestag, with the aim to obtain an extension. The BfArM (Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health then again extended the fictional approval of Strodival under the condition that the required studies on safety and efficacy of the product had to be submitted until July 2011. Meda has not submitted the requested data. Therefore on July 15, 2011 the BfArM has withdrawn the fictional approval of Strodival. Meda was allowed to sell the Strodival stock already produced. Sales officially ended on August 1, 2012. Since then in Germany as well as in any other country ouabain based drugs are no longer available.
The clinical efficacy of ouabain in the treatment of heart failure is well documented by decades of practical experience. It is still unknown how the effectiveness of ouabain compares to the current standard therapy with beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors. Comparative clinical studies do not exist. This question can therefore only be clarified by appropriate studies.
Endogenous Ouabain
In 1991 ouabain has been identified as an endogenous substance [22]. Ouabain was found in extracts from bovine adrenal gland, hypothalamus, hypophysis, and adrenal gland tumors. In the majority of these studies endogenous ouabain was measured by use of specific antibodies (immunoassays). These results have not yet been verified by chromatographic-spectroscopic methods [23], so that a final identification of ouabain as an endogenous substance is still pending. Despite this fact, the discovery that ouabain may be endogenously produced in mammals and circulates in plasma has fueled the interest in this molecule as a potentially important hormone in normal physiology and disease. The role of the Na,K-ATPase as a signal transducer revealed a novel facet for ouabain in the regulation of a myriad of cell functions, including cell proliferation, hypertrophy, apoptosis, mobility and metabolism. The specific physiological functions of endogenous ouabain are still subject of ongoing research.
The website "endogenous ouabain" lists abstracts of recent publications, which give an overview of the current state of research on endogenous ouabain. This list will be updated as new interesting articles are published. It is noteworthy that in almost all current work on endogenous ouabain there is no reference to the decades of therapeutic use in the treatment of heart diseases. This part of the history of ouabain today is virtually unknown in science.
[1] Fraser ThR, The action and uses of digitalis and ist substitutes, with spezial reference to strophanthus hispidus, Brit Med J, 1885: 904 ff
[2] Berthold Kern, Der Myokardinfarkt, 3. Auflage, Haug Verlag, 1974, page 152
[3] Ernst Edens, Die Digitalisbehandlung, Dritte Auflage, Verlag Urban&Schwarzenberg, 1948
[4] Samolewitz E, Klinische Erfahrungen mit Purostrophan, Medizinische Klinik, 1921, S. 1417 ff,
[5] Bellon E, L'action toni-cardiaque des comprimés d'Ouabaine, Thèse pour le Doctorat des Médecine, Paris, 1922
[6] C. F. Boehringer & Soehne G.m.b.H. (Hrsg.) Für und wider die orale Strophanthin-Therapie / Strophanthintherapie (Studienreihe Boehringer), Mannheim 1952, page 5
[7] Berthold Kern, Der Myokardinfarkt, 3. Auflage, Haug Verlag, 1974, page 166
[8] H.-P. Erdle, K.-D. Schultz, E. Wetzel, F. Gross, Resorption und Ausscheidung von g-Strophanthin nach intravenöser und perlingualer Gabe, Dtsch med Wochenschr 1979; 104: 976-979.
[9] Marchetti G V, Marzo A, de Ponti C, Scalvini A, Merlo L, Noseda V, Blood levels and tissue distribution of 3H-Ouabain administered per os: Arzneimittel-Forsch 1971;21: 1399 – 1403.
[10] Berthold Kern, Die orale Strophanthin-Behandlung, Ferdinand Enke Verlag, Stuttgart, 1951
[11] Journal of Molecular Medicine, 1972;50(6):343-346.
[12] Gillmann H, Stellungnahme zur peroralen Strophanthinprophylaxe des Herzinfarkt, Deutsches Ärzteblatt, 1971: 2929-2936.
[13] H. Christophersen, Der Schlüssel zur Infarktverhütung, Kindler Verlag GmbH, München, 1973, page 113
[14] Pfeifer E, Über die Verträglichkeit und den Wirkungsunterschied von g- und k-Strophanthin. Scientia pharmaceutica, 1960;28:216–228
[15a] Vaquez H, Leconte, Les injections intraveneuses de strophanthine dans le traitement de l'insuffisance cardiaque, Bull. et mem. Soc. med d'hop, Paris, 1909, xvii, 662-679
[15b] Vaquez H, Lutembacher L. Ouabaine. Arch Mal Coeur 1917; 10: 197.
[16] E. Edens, Die Strophanthinbehandlung der Angina Pectoris. Münchn. Med. Wschr. 1934;37:1424 – 1427.
[17] Fleischmann P / Wjasmensky H, Über intravenöse Strophanthintherapie bei Verwendung von gratus - Strophanthinum crystallisatum Thoms, Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift - DMW
1909 Band 35, Heft 21, 918–921.
[18] Levine S A, The Potency of Some French Digitalis Preparations,
Boston Med Surg J 1920; 182:64-66.
[19] Halhuber M, Lantscherat T, Meusburger K. Zur Strophoraltherapie.
Med Klin. 1954;36:1440-1443.
[20] Wiesend W, Über perorale Strophanthinbehandlung, besonders beim Altersherz.
Münchener medizinische Wochenschrift, 1956; 98(26)26:900–904.
[21] Altmann K, Beitrag zur peroralen Strophanthintherapie.
Medizinische Klinik (Munich) 1952;47(14):446–448.
[22] Hamlyn, J.M., Blaustein, M.P., Bova, S., DuCharme, D.W., Harris, D.W., Mandel, F., et al., 1991. Identification and characterization of a ouabain-like compound from human plasma. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88, 6259–6263.
[23] Baecher S, et al, No endogenous ouabain is detectable in human plasma by ultra-sensitive UPLC-MS/MS, Clin Chim Acta. 2014 Feb 7;431C:87-92. doi: 10.1016/j.cca.2014.01.038


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Skype 22.214.171.124Download Screenshots Description
The best program for calls from your PC.
If you're a regular user of IM programs, you must know there is a much more effective and professional way to keep in contact with family, friends, clients, etc. And that way has a name: Skype, a program in many languages which can be downloaded for free.
No matter where in the world you are, or where are the people you want to contact are, with Skype you can make video calls, always for free, with the help of a webcam, and hear the voice of your partners while you see them (at the same time they see you and listen to you). The only precondition for this is that both of you have the program installed on your PC. But the list of possibilities doesn't end there, since Skype also lets you make calls from PC to a landline or mobile at unbeatable prices.
As it has been evolving, Skype has incorporated technical improvements which have enabled it to debug the image quality and sound. Furthermore, it is a program with a unique behaviour, which is extremely simple in handling. Among its extra features, it must be mentioned that you have the possibility of chat sessions in the conventional manner, leaving messages on "voice mail", do call forwarding, send SMS at very low rates, manage contacts in a clean and clear manner, and so on. Enjoy it!


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At Parkway Animal Hospital, we pride ourselves on our punctuality! At many doctors' offices, appointment times are not honored as they should be. We know that you have better things to do than to wait around in uncomfortable chairs reading old magazines! Our appointments make our wait times minimal so that we may optimize the time that both you and your pet spend here. Of course, emergency and urgent care cases are given top priority in the rare event that they arise.
Our warm, friendly reception team will be happy to accommodate any request if we are able.
Call during office hours to make a convenient appointment.
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:30PM
Scheduled Drop-offs
In addition, we offer a drop-off appointment to those clients who cannot stay during a normal exam time or whose animals are coming in for longer procedures. You may call anytime during office hours to make a drop-off appointment and then pick up your animals at a scheduled later time.
Emergency/Urgent Care
Parkway Animal Hospital always has a doctor or technician on call for you. We are members of Jackson Pet Emergency Clinic. If you happen to have an emergency after clinic hours, please call that clinic branch at (731) 660-4343. The doctor on call can answer questions and/or see your pet during an emergency. All follow-up care will be given here at Parkway Animal Hospital.
We are also available for urgent care when the condition is not life-threatening, but you feel your pet needs to be seen before you are able to get an appointment. Our staff will work to "squeeze" you in between scheduled appointments. When you arrive, our receptionists will be able to give you an estimate on how long you may have to wait in order to be seen.
Going out of town? Let your pets vacation with us! Boarding is available year-round. Please call our office during clinic hours to make boarding arrangements for the drop-off and pick-up of your furry companions.


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Since 2015, the Belles and Chimes pinball league has lit up the scoreboards at Blairally Vintage Arcade. They're a gathering of 12 female pinball aficionados, united by a friendly spirit of competition, retro gaming nostalgia and black hoodies with the league name emblazoned in red on the back.
On the second and fourth Tuesdays during their seasons, the Belles meet for tournaments at Blairally, a vintage arcade and bar in the Whittaker neighborhood. Using a randomized group knockout format, the women compete against each other until only one remains, the winner then earns points toward the season's championship. At the end of the season, the top three women take home prizes paid for by league dues.
Despite the competitive nature of league play, Belles and Chimes organizer Katie Sheehan explained that it's much more than just a way to compete.
"Really, this just gives us a space to be girls," Sheehan said. "We're really not that competitive, we're here to spend time together and have some fun."
That feeling of sisterhood has been the main draw for many women getting recruited to the league. Jamie Blair, one of the newer league members, was recruited into the Belles just by hanging out at Blairally.
"When I first moved here, I was so socially uncomfortable, so I just came here and played pinball," Blair said. "Then, Katie [Sheehan] kept coming up and watching my scores and then said 'You know, you should come on Tuesdays.'"
The predecessors to what are now known as pinball games first came around in the mid-19th century, but modern electric pinball machines first became popular around the American Midwest in the 1950s. Until the coin-operated video game craze of the 1980s, pinball machines were a staple in arcades, bars and drugstores throughout the United States, with people of all ages sinking millions of dollars into the machines one quarter at a time.
As gaming went digital and moved into the American home, pinball games faded from mainstream consciousness. However, pinball machines (and vintage games in general) have roared back into fashion in the past few years, with arcade-bars like Blairally and Level Up Arcade fostering a new interest in vintage gaming. According to the International Flipper Pinball Association, over 4,800 pinball tournaments were held in 2017, compared to just 487 in 2009. Pinball leagues like Belles and Chimes are an extension of that nostalgia, with league members often bonding over the pinball machines they grew up with.
Conley Phelps, a Lane Community College student who finished third in the most recent Belles and Chimes season, reminisced about her own memories of pinball growing up in the Chicago area.
"I've been passionate about pinball since I was tall enough to reach the machine," Phelps said. "For me, [pinball] has been a whole thing connected to my development and emotional growth, and I just get lost in pinball games."
Teamwork is a big theme among members of the Belles. Though they don't offer much help to one another on tournament nights, during practice weeks, league members will trade tips and tricks with one another on achieving the highest scores on different machines.
"During a tournament, I won't tell anyone how I did anything on the machine," Sheehan said. "But at the next practice, I'll tell you everything I know."
Even with the tips and tricks under their belt, the Belles explained that practice is the most crucial part of achieving unbeatable high scores on pinball machines. Blair and Phelps will stand in front of one machine and play it "over and over and over again" until they learn the machine's ways. Once they learn a machine, that knowledge sticks.
"Playing a machine is not unlike reading your favorite book, the ride that it takes you on," Phelps said. "The ins, the outs, the ups and downs, the strategies, you know, they become like a friend."
A new Belles and Chimes season begins "sometime in March," according to Sheehan. All are welcome to play and watch alongside the Belles, but official league play is open only to women who pay the $15 league dues.


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Happy Halloween!
Wishing you a safe, happy and spooky Halloween.
We're down in Indianapolis this weekend visiting our good friends Cecil and Rachel. We still haven't convinced them to move to the far superior city of Chicago yet so we only get to see them every once in awhile. It's always a blast when we do.
From where we live it usually takes around 3 hours or so to get to their house so we left not long after Joel got off work, 4:45pm Eastern. Of course traffic sucked. Really badly. We had the brilliant idea to take an alternate route… aaand everyone else had the same idea it seemed because it was just as bad going that way too. We didn't end up getting to their house until a little after 10pm.
That's right. It took over 5 hours for a 3 hour drive. Kill. Me. Now. Luckily most of the time Twitter worked and when it didn't I had Joel to talk to.* There were also some pretty windmills to look at on the way down.
Reminds me of The Netherlands. Oh how I miss it.
I may or may not have stuck my arm directly in front of Joel's face to get this picture. Yes, he was driving. The windmills were a nice break from the constant corn. Because Indiana? Pretty much nothing but corn in 90% of the state. Not that that's a bad thing. If you really like corn.
I remember as a kid I actually loved driving past cornfields that were plowed perpendicular to the road. When I stared at the rows whizzing by there was almost a wave like motion to it. It fascinated me. Honestly, it still does.
Anyway, I expect we'll have a fun weekend as usual. Tomorrow we're just hanging out and Sunday we have plans for a Spanish brunch and fireworks. Epic Fourth of July weekend? I think so.
*That sounds so backward. I really need to try and curb my Twitter addiction. Sorry, Love.
We celebrated my little nephew Jordan's second birthday yesterday. He is such a sweet little kid and he has literally the best smile in the entire world. I can't believe the youngest in our family is two already. Somebody needs to have a baby soon… Not that I'm volunteering or anything.
P.S. The fruit pizza you see in the video? It was as delicious as it was pretty. ::pats self on back::
Four years ago today we gathered together in the simplest of ceremonies and vowed to be together forever. We've had so many ups and downs but through the worst we never stopped loving each other. Joel is still my very best friend and the best husband a girl could ever ask for. I love him more and more every day. Every day is an adventure and I'm so glad I get to spend it with my soul mate.
Happy Anniversary to us
Happy St. Patrick's Day! I hope you had a fabulous day enjoying all things Irish. I also hope you're not too hungover in the morning. I never really was into St. Patrick's Day before. I'm not a big beer drinker and I didn't think I was Irish so I was pretty eh about the whole thing. Last year I found out, on St. Patrick's Day no less, that I am in fact part Irish. Woo hoo! I didn't go crazy or anything. Still no green beer for me. Maybe next year. I did wear green and took Phoebe to a small dog meet up group though. She had a blast and I got to meet some nice ladies and visit while we talked about our "babies".
Even though it was a small dog group Phoebe was still, by far, the smallest one there. She totally held her own though. I'm positive she has no idea she's tiny.
Since it was a special occasion one of the ladies got a liver cake for the dogs. It was from Happy Dog Barkery, the same place we got Phoebe's birthday cake. It was very popular with all the puppies. No, I did not try this one.
The stuff on the right is the cake. On the left is dog ice cream. Phoebe wasn't very interested in the ice cream but she scarfed that cake right up.
It was really fun. Since I haven't been working I have to find excuses to get out of the house more and actually meet some people around where I live. Plus, anyone that would bring their dog to a playgroup understands my love for my dog. It was a great, laid back way to celebrate the day. Plus, no hangover.
We're just leaving my parents' house. Phoebe's party went really well. I'm not going to get home and to the computer in time to post the pictures tonight though. I'll be sure to post them as soon as I can tomorrow along with some little video clips we took. Until then, here's a preview. This is the cake I made for the people. Obviously I'm not a professional cake decorator but it was pretty tasty so it served it's purpose. *smile*
I am not a fan of Valentine's Day. To me it's just a set up for failure and disappointment. Single people feel like crap about themselves because they don't have someone. People who are away from their significant others feel even more like crap because they can't be with the one they love. People in a committed relationship are hurt or disappointed by their significant other because something went wrong, someone forgot or the plans didn't live up to the grand romantic gesture they had in their head.
Not that I judge those that get excited about Valentine's Day. I understand to some it is a very exciting, happy day. Unfortunately, most Valentine's Days seem to be pretty crummy for me. Either I'm out of town or Joel has to work and it seems like we're always sick. There are a few that stand out as particularly awful though and I am positive that they contributed to my cynical attitude about the day. So, for your enjoyment, I present
My top 3 worst Valentine's Days ever:
3. Valentine's Day 2004. I had just turned 18. I was currently dating a boy I had known since I was 12. We'd both had crushes on each other over the years but we'd only started dating officially the previous October. He was a couple years older than me and was a marine stationed in North Carolina. I was young, in love, and convinced that someday we were going to get married. I drove out with his family to visit him at the beginning of February because he was about to be deployed to Iraq. He was deployed on February 12th. I drove back and spent that Valentine's Day a weepy, miserable mess.
2. Valentine's Day 2007. I was 21. Joel and I had been married for almost a year and were celebrating our very first Valentine's Day as a married couple. Despite my cynical attitude about the day I was excited to finally celebrate this holiday like a married couple for the first time. I thought maybe the reason this day hadn't gone so well for me over the years was because I wasn't married and so I was planning on a nice, romantic evening alone with my love. The day dawned and we happily went off to work. Joel was complaining of a bit of an upset stomach but I didn't think much of it. By the time we were both done with work though he was not at all okay. He had some sort of stomach virus and could barely stand because he was in so much pain. I took him home and put him to bed, disappointed because the day wasn't filled with hearts, flowers and romance like I expected. At the time we lived on the second floor of a three story apartment building. Couples lived above, below and beside us. The walls were very thin. I will never forget laying next to my poor new husband, doubled over in pain beside me, while listening to the sounds of three couples, um, enjoying each other. It was like a surround-sound soundtrack to a really lame porno. Definitely not the night I expected.
And my number one worst Valentine's Day….
1. Valentine's Day 2000. I was 14 years old. My whole family, minus my dad and little brother, had been sick with a killer flu for the last couple of weeks. We were all still very sick and were laying on different couches or chairs in the living room listening to books on tape. This was all we had energy for, even watching movies was too much for us because we were just that sick. Our twenty year old family dog lay at our feet. She was sick as well, but for her it was just from old age. My dad came into the room and picked her up to carry her away. She was so old she could barely get up to go outside, she was miserable. Instead of taking her outside to go to the bathroom though he said we should each say goodbye. He was taking her to the vet to be put to sleep. I was so sick I could hardly get out of the chair to hug her. I begged my dad to wait until at least the next day, to please not do it on Valentine's Day. That was appointment that he had though and he didn't know when he could get another one. I understood that she needed to be put out of her misery. She was 140+ years old in dog years. I loved that dog so much though. I still get teary about it ten years later. For me, Valentine's Day will always mark the day my childhood dog died. I miss you, Trixi.
These are the reasons I now choose to skip Valentine's Day. No card company or calendar is going to dictate how or when I show my love for Joel. We love each other very much and we don't need any candy hearts to prove it.
*Long post, lots of pictures. You've been warned.*
My birthday weekend is complete. It was a lot of fun. At the end of part one everyone was hanging out at the hotel, relaxing or taking naps.
Melvin, Anthony and Jordan napping on one couch.
David tried to teach Joel some Xbox 360 shoot-'em-up game on the other couch.
I won't share the other pictures of almost everyone else sleeping in different areas of our rooms. I'm pretty sure they'd kill me. After everyone got their beauty sleep most of us headed over to Joe's Crab Shack for dinner. My dad and Bekah stayed behind because they weren't feeling well.
I ordered a "shark bite" which was not only delicious, it was fun to play with. Yes, my mom is biting my hand in the background.
Here is a much more normal picture of my mom and me. See, we're totally not crazy. Really.
Anthony was "coloring" using Joel's hand to hold the crayon.
Anthony is such a little flirt. Here he is dancing with the waitress.
Happy mommy and son.
Anna and Jordan were being silly.
It was my first time at Joe's and my first time eating crab. I didn't know how to do it. Once I figured it out, yum!
Since it was my birthday I got to be the center of attention for a few minutes. I might have loved it.
My little brother was the camera man so it's a little jerky but you get the idea.
After dinner we enjoyed another night of swimming, hanging out and playing games.
Group shot!
I couldn't have asked for a better birthday weekend.
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THE FURY By Shane Gericke Reviewed
Shane Gericke
Tantor Media
Misfortune seems to shadow Chicago Police Detective Superstition Davis. In a short span of time she's accused of professional misconduct and widowed when her husband is murdered by a Mexican narcotics cartel…and now she's risking her life to infiltrate the cartel and prevent a cache of unearthed Nazi weapons from wiping out half the population of North America. You'd think it couldn't get any worse. But then a botched U.S. Special Forces raid kills the family of the cartel's enforcer, sociopath Jimmy Garcia. He wants revenge—and he wants Superstition to pay.
Rarely are female protagonists written with such unapologetic grit. Superstition Davis is smart, shrewd, potty-mouthed, and a hell of a lot of fun to read. When you first meet her she's flashing her goods on Rush Street in Chicago, trying to hook a John in an undercover prostitution sting. Deeply flawed and highly relatable, she's driven by rage, resentment, and grief through life-threatening sequences. Her disconcerting but human dialog and inner thoughts are laced with wit and humor. Her inner struggles and the story's endless action keep you glued to the pages. Superstition is that uncommon female character who embodies the nightmare of living the American dream, revealing truths about society's dark values in a way that makes you question your own. You won't be able to get her out of your head.
Shane Gericke, former editor of the Chicago Sun-Times, is a New York Times bestselling author whose works have earned praise from crime fiction writers Lee Child, Jeffrey Deaver, and Tess Gerritsen. He's an original member of International Thriller Writers and chairman of the ThrillerFest literary festival, and he has judged the Edgar, Thriller, MWA, and St. Martin's awards. His 2010 novel TORN APART was shortlisted for the Thriller Award and named Book of the Year by Suspense Magazine. He lives in the Chicago suburbs, where he's working on his next thriller.
Ava Black


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Get to know how to use a sewing machine over this 3 part class.
Part 1: You will learn how to wind a bobbin, thread a sewing machine, change needles, sew in a straight line and change directions. You will then move onto cutting out a simple pattern to create a lovely infinity scarf, ready to wear home!
Part 2: We will take your skills further, making a tote bag using zigzag stitches to finish the seams.
Part 3: Lets conquer zips! In this class you will be making a zipped and lined make-up bag.
This is the perfect class for beginners.
The three classes cost 1000RMB altogether, and include all the resources you need and a wide selection of lovely fabrics for your projects!
The remaining dates are:
Part 2: Saturday 12th May 10-12
Part 3: Saturday 19th May 10-12
Clicking the above link will take you to our partner website, 247 tickets. They may list multiple dates for this class. Please ensure you select the right date. Refunds will not be given for a missed class due to selecting the wrong date. In addition, please check our terms and conditions and cancellation policy before booking.


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What David Mamet Understands/
1. It demonstrates that martial prowess has a unique potential to transform situations.
2. It transmits a set of values.
Whether your martial prowess is called "Weakness with a Twist" or "Bloody Elbow," it still demonstrates potency. Your martial arts performance can convey a wide range of different values, from extraordinary discipline, to winning is paramount, to never intensionally hurt someone--but it always communicates--it always transmits. In that sense, it always has a social function.
The film Redbelt is a must see!


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Flaunting a natural, sun-kissed look, Jennifer Aniston covers 'Red' magazine May 2011. The beautiful 42-year-old actress shares a lot of things with the magazine such as life inspiration, fame and her universal appeal, her debut fragrance, but also about singleness and the love of her life.
Gorgeous Jennifer Aniston is the new
cover girl of 'Red' magazine for their May 2011 issue. 'Hollywood's
foremost A-list funny girl', as the magazine calls her, looking
naturally beautiful and glowing, opens up in the interview and
speaks about her career, but also about her single status and true
The 42-year-old actress says that, "elated, my life is in an exciting period". And indeed, her schedule is rather busy right now. The actress is considering both a Hollywood house move and seeking 'an apartment in New York', and she also has two imminent movies, "Horrible Bosses" and "Wanderlust". "There's an unknown quality to it all which I love," she told the magazine. "And you have to consciously create the space for change, otherwise you're just a hamster on a wheel and you're just going to keep doing what you do and there becomes a sort of stagnation. You have to reignite the creative."
Speaking about popularity, Jennifer Aniston says that fame is a beast. "Fame is an odd beast. Because it's not real. There's nothing real about it. Sometimes, you wake up and think, 'I don't know if I'm as big as this beast. Will today be the day when it gets me?' Because you're only one person like everybody else, with veins and a heart, and yet you're projected as almost superhuman. There's certain things that come with that – cameras in your face, lies, rumours, the part of you that wants to give and the part you have to keep desperately to yourself. Because there's so much that's picked at or taken or wanted."
Speaking about her perfume, Jennifer admits that,
"I tried to collect all of the smells that I love in a bottle. I
kind of layer things on, whether it's lotions or serums and oils –
all the things you lather up when you get out of the bathtub and
pamper yourself, all the things that make you feel really clean,
sexy, sensual and refreshed. It took a while, but I think I got
there and I'm very proud of the result. It's a wonderful experience
to work in a perfumery and create something unique."
When it comes to her single status, Jennifer Aniston has a rather laid-back attitude. "But no, I'm not a big fan of dating. I have dinner with male friends and it's instantly, 'that's the new man'. The phone is ringing off the hook from your publicist saying, 'Did you have dinner with so and so?' and it's 'yes, I did and no, I'm not'. So you sort of just meet people," she told 'Red'.
Still, she believes in true love. "You have to have a balance in life. You also have to have your own personal love: what inspires you, what excites you when you wake up in the morning."
As for those speculations regarding her wish for a child, the magazine suggested that she and George should run off together, get married, have three kids and then the world would finally shut up. "That would definitely shut up the world! I could call up George, say, 'Hon, let's just get hitched and have kids...' I should take George to lunch and we can figure out how to put an end to all this... Ha! Well... No," Jennifer said.
For Aniston, lasting friendships remain the foundations of her life. "Where would you be without friends? Where would you be without people to pick you up when you need lifting? As we know, myself and a lot of my friends, we've come from homes that were far from perfect, so you end up almost parent and sibling to your friends, and vice versa. Your own chosen family. There's nothing like a really loyal, dependable, good friend. Nothing," Aniston concluded.
Photo courtesy of RedOnline


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Here's a complaint I hear a lot: "there are too many zombie games!" or "oh great, another zombie game." The first one is a non-issue. How is "too many" even quantified? Hundreds of games come out a day, there's too many of everything. So instead I'll be looking at the second one. Usually, this is said with a dismissive attitude, as though the game instantly loses value in the viewer's eyes. I want to challenge that notion.
First of all, this isn't about personal preferences. If you get grossed out or are just scared of zombies in general, of course you will dismiss the entire theme. Rather, this is aimed toward those who are otherwise interested in a specific game genre but turned off by games that are zombie themed.
So why does this happen? People don't want to play the same game. Players seek out a new game for new experiences and the word zombie is a flag to them that this game is not original. The genre became a victim of its own popularity.
This isn't a fault of the zombie theme. If a game offers you nothing in terms of originality, gameplay, or story, you're probably just playing a bad game. Derivative asset flips are an unfortunate side effect of the genre's popularity, not the main product. Fair enough, you might say, maybe it is unfair to write off the entire genre. But why would we need more zombie games?
The zombie genre excels at this: immediately creating a high stakes environment. This is why the genre is so popular, and why entertainment forms that come out of it can fall flat or be the greatest entertainment of the year. Utilized correctly, this environment provides a gripping tale of complex human behavior like The Last of Us or Telltale's The Walking Dead. The zombie apocalypse should be used as a tool to the good writer, not a crutch. But writing doesn't stop with the characters. The environment should live and breath this incarnation of society and tell a story of it's own.
Outside of narrative-driven games we have the more cut and dry zombie experience. The one fueled by a single goal: survive. These games are driven purely by mechanics and gameplay, and this is something easily overlooked. Mechanically, this gameplay must be driven by the lizard brain; a pure and instinctive adrenaline fueled desire to live. Every reload should be calculated. Every step should be taken with caution. The player must always be in danger, barring the brief downtime in a safehouse. This sort of gameplay is executed almost to perfection in titles like Left 4 Dead and Dying Light. But survival doesn't have to purely reflex-based either. Survival can be a battle of the wits, managing resources, making tactical decisions, and dealing with other people. We see this exemplified in games like DayZ, Project Zomboid, and State of Decay.
This is what the flood of low-effort steam greenlight submissions are missing. This is why almost every game with zombies in the title on the mobile marketplace plays like a game that has nothing to do with zombies. These entries have lost sight of what make the genre great: exceptional gameplay and phenomenal writing. These games don't come from a place of respect for the genre, but one of exploitation.


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GT: Random Shot
This has to be my favorite road going Skyline. I've always been a big fan of the silver R33GTLM road version, but the closest I will ever get to that is the time I unlocked it in Gran Turismo 2. I still love the R33 GTR in standard form (this one has RPF1's fitted but I'll let that slip) and it has to be in the stunning midnight purple which I think is a great colour.
A very original R33 GTR for sale, yours for 159 9 ? g ? I don't know it's definitely for sale though 🙂
GT: Random Shot
Just a quick Ferrari 512 BBi shot to set the motoring theme for January on The College Blog. Class starts again tomorrow and I hope the weather is a little better, have a good week everyone.
Edit: It wont stop raining !


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Avalos Family History
14-Day Free Trial
Avalos Name Meaning
Spanish (Ávalos): habitational name from Ábalos, a place near Haro in Soria province, on the edge of the Basque country. A Basque origin of the place name has been suggested, involving the stem abar- 'kermes oak', but this is highly conjectural.
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press
Similar surnames: Davalos, Aviles, Abalos, Palos, Calo, Valls, Vales, Valois, Vano


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How do I know if my service contractor is qualified?
Our network of more than 10,000 contractors are all approved and insured. They must be qualified to enroll into HBW's program and are monitored regularly and graded by our customers. Preferred contractors in your area earn the highest quality scores from our customers and perform repairs for HBW the most quickly. Your favorite contractors are probably already in our network.


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Friv three, Friv3 On-line Video games
Strike Force Heroes 2 là phiên bản 2 của bộ game tuyệt vời Strike Pressure Heroes. Nevertheless, her career would not endure tremendously in the long run. When the Heath government lost the 1974 general election, The Conservative Party began to doubt Heath's leadership and whereas Thatcher was not the first selection for the alternative, she ultimately became Heath's most fierce competitor. Supported by the members of the fitting wing, Thatcher defeated each Heath and Heath's favourite, Whitelaw. On 11th February 1975, Thatcher turned the chief of the Conservative Celebration and Leader of the Opposition.
It's all the time good to be aware of stereotypes, cliches, and overused tropes, it doesn't matter what you are writing, and that goes double for writing minorities. Straight individuals have a huge pool of tales about straight individuals to select from. In the event that they discover a story they do not like, they toss it and find a new one. But while you're in a minority, with not lots of people writing about you, you do not have loads to select from if you wish to read about folks like you. And seeing the identical old drained storylines is irritating.
And there's nothing … Play More!


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It would be nice to make a living as a composer but I think those days are gone unless some ethical entity creates a streaming service that treats us right. I think it is possible and I think I know how it can be done but I don't have the skills or the ability to get those skills to do it.
When you watch the video and read the article, you will see how Spotify, Apple etc... are stealing from us. They really ripped off American treasure Smokey Robinson.


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Carey, Brycchan (2012) The grief of Divers Friends, or, how eighteenth-century Quakers turned against slavery. In: Buckinghamshire Historical Association Lecture; 15 Feb 2012, Aylesbury, U.K.. (Unpublished)Full text not available from this archive.
|Item Type:
|Conference or Workshop Item (Lecture)
|Event Title:
|Buckinghamshire Historical Association Lecture
|Organising Body:
|Buckinghamshire Historical Association
|Research Area:
|English language and literature
Politics and international studies
Theology, divinity and religious studies
|Faculty, School or Research Centre:
|Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (until 2017) > School of Humanities
|Depositing User:
|Katrina Clifford
|Date Deposited:
|25 May 2012 14:38
|Last Modified:
|25 May 2012 14:39
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(Before Ms. Marvel, part #1)
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It also seems that women were allowed in or near combat theatres during the Việt Nam war, rather than by 1994 as in the real world. This part is implied by Marauders member Arclight, though her role and status in that conflict are unclear. It is also possible, especially in the...
(Jack Monroe profile #3 - early Nomad)
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Monroe eventually captured the maddening marauder. This victory made him realise that he needed to move out of Cap's shadow and strike out on his own. Wherever I may roam Roaming the US on his motorbike to act as a hero and create a Captain America-like reputation for himself,...


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L&R Industries has been taking care of lifting needs in the Midwest for over 30 years. We have cranes from 8 ton to 60 ton all well maintained and inspected with certified operators ready to go out at a moment's notice.
L&R prides itself on maintaining great working relationships with most of the other crane services in the surrounding area. If you need a large crane or a second crane on your lift, we can help. A good lift plan that places the right crane on the right job makes the job go smoothly, safely and stay on budget. Give us a call we will be happy to assist on your next project.


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Recent comments
Can anyone give a date for this photo please? My Dad and his two sisters, Robert, Rose and Ellen Hensher lived with their Aunt Mary nee Cousins(or Elsom) after the tragic death of their mother Rose in 1918. Dad was born in 1915.
Posted by Bev Robertson nee Hensher (guest) on Fri 15 Aug 2008 07:53:49 MST
Amy (maiden name) Grogan
my grandmother is vyror jean willingham. is she in any of these pics?
Posted by Guest on Mon 24 Jul 2006 16:49:10 MST
Anne R Huckell Brown
I think the schoolmistress on the left is my great grandmother, Lydia Huckell (nee Lack).
Posted by Guest on Thu 04 Nov 2004 15:07:06 MST


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By Faith Daily Devotion
Join us over the next 28 days as we study the heroes of the faith and how we can model the legacies they left behind as we prepare for Mission 1:8 Generation Now. Devotionals are written by our First Dallas Staff and feature a special weekly devotion by Dr. Robert Jeffress.
Click here to read today's devotion.