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Imagine an autonomous vehicle that you could call like a Uber, use as a mobile office or order a pizza from. Sound crazy? Think again. Toyota's latest concept vehicle the e-Palette proposes to do all of these things and more. The e-Palette is an electric, self-driving pod that can be used for ride sharing, food deliveries and as a mobile store or office. It will be completely electric and fully autonomous as well as customizable according to the requirements of different businesses. It's a concept vehicle designed to meet the future of transportation and mobile business' needs. The partners who have signed on for the project include Amazon, DiDi, Mazda, Pizza Hut and Uber. These partnerships mean that the e-Palette will be used to advance mobility technology and better serve the public.
While for the moment the e-Palette remains a concept vehicle, Toyota says it hopes to launch the project at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.


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Since Wiccans believe in reincarnation, why is Samhain a time where the veil between the living and the dead is the thinnes? I mean, that would mean that ghostly freely roam our plane, but if all spirits reincarnated, where are those spirits coming from?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

subset: commoncrawl


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Debbie Griffiths limits her practice to the area of family law including adoptions, pre-marital and separation agreements, spousal and child support, custody and property division. She also assists families at all stages of the legal process from pre-litigation, mediation, trial and appeal. She also serves as a guardian ad litem for children or parties involved in the litigation process and she is approved to serve as a parenting coordinator.
Debbie has been certified as a specialist by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization in the area of family law since 2008. She is also a NCDRC Certified Superior Court Mediator and a Certified Family Financial Mediator.
Debbie received her J.D. from N.C. Central Law School in 2003 where she attended the evening program while working full time as a paralegal for a residential real estate attorney in Raleigh. She graduated from East Carolina University in 1990 with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Business Administration. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, Debbie worked as a receptionist and legal assistant at a local law firm.
Debbie is an active member of the Wake County Bar Association, the 10th Judicial District Bar Association and the Family Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association. She currently serves on the fee grievance committee for the 10th Judicial District Bar, the Membership Committee of the Wake County Bar, the adoption committee for the Family Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association and the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee of the North Carolina Bar Association. Debbie served as co-editor of Family Forum, the newsletter of the Family Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association, from 2011-2013 and as co-editor of the 3rd edition of the Family Law Deskbook, also published by the Family Law Section. Debbie has also been a speaker at continuing legal education programs both for attorneys and paralegals. In addition to being active in her profession, Debbie is also active in her community serving on the Program Committee for Triangle Family Services.
While she is not at work, Debbie enjoys spending time with family and friends. Debbie has two cats – Lucy, who she adopted from the Wake County SPCA, and Patrick, who she rescued from a high kill shelter in a surrounding county.
Committees and Involvement
- Wake County Bar – Membership Committee
- 10th Judicial District Bar – Fee Grievance Committee
- NC Bar Association Family Law Section – Adoption Committee
- NC Bar Association – Military & Veterans Affairs Committee


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Commercial Truck/Bus. Medium-Duty Truck All-Position / Spread Axle Trailer Position tire. Also Suitable for Straight Trucks and Recreational Vehicles where Stopping and Starting Occur Frequently.
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Bourbon-Soaked Cherries Tiramisu is a luscious dessert you can make ahead of time and indulge in when ready! It's the perfect dessert to compliment dinner!
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, we get a little beer money at no extra cost to you.
You guys! I am SUPER pumped to be helping my amazing friend Kristy celebrate the launch of her Cooking with Cocktails cookbook today!! Kristy and I are totally kindred spirits. I fell in love with her blog years ago when we were in a monthly recipe group. I was assigned her blog, made one of her favorite cocktails as my assignment, and I even liked it so much I renamed the drink after her. Ever since we've found more and more things we both love – bourbon, bacon, food porn, pigs, and totally nerding out in our FB messages with each other. So when it came time for Kristy to start writing her cookbook I couldn't have been more excited for her! I was even a tester for this book for a few months (I'm all about the sneak peek) and everything I tried was crazy good…and oh so boozy! See how pretty…
Follow Bread Booze Bacon on Pinterest
And get this! Kristy took my Jack Daniel's Bacon Mac & Cheese to a whole new level! Doesn't it look so freaking good?!
With our bourbon affinity, I couldn't think of anything better to kick off Kristy's online book tour (or serve up for Valentine's Day) than Bourbon-Soaked Cherries Tiramisu. I had never made tiramisu before, but this recipe popped my cherry. (Ahahahahahahaha!) My husband LOVES cherry desserts and was hovering around the fridge all day just waiting for me to green light him to have a slice. While I'm not a big cherry fan (weird, right?!) I loved this tiramisu. The traditional tiramisu flavors with bright pops of fruity flavor and boozy goodness is pretty damn magical.
Now, Kristy is a pretty hardcore from scratch, farmer's market gal. While that's great, I was on a deadline to make this recipe so I used what I had available for this recipe. So here's a few disclaimers about what I did (and you can do) versus Kristy's recipe. I didn't have time to make Bourbon-Soaked Cherries from scratch (recipe in the book). I totally wanted to, but again, deadline. They are however on my agenda for later because I'm totally making Kristy's Maple Bacon Bourbon Manhattan! Luckily I had a jar of Marker's Mark bourbon cherries in my fridge from the goodie pack Marker's sent me when I made my Belmont Bramble. I'm 100% sure her homemade cherries are the bomb though. Then the store didn't have ladyfingers or baker's chocolate squares, so I used Margherite cookies and chopped up some dark chocolate chips. We make it work around here. This dessert was so good I can only imagine it's even better with the ingredients as planned.
If you don't normally spike your recipes, this cookbook is a great way to get your feet wet…and so is this blog! Kristy's recipes range from simple to advanced and just screams with her style of food. My favorite things about this cookbook, though, is that every recipe has a photo with it. I love knowing what it "should" look like so I know if I'm close to what the cook envisioned. Not to mention Krsity takes beautiful pictures. Food porn guys. It's all about the food porn.
Hungry for more?
You can pick up Kristy's book today!! Right here on Amazon.
- 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 8 ounce container mascarpone
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 cups strong brewed coffee, cold
- 6 tablespoons orange liqueur, like triple sec or Gran Marnier
- 2 tablespoons Kahlua
- 14 ounce package ladyfingers
- 2 large handfuls of Bourbon-Soaked Cherries, pitted and roughly torn
- 6 whole Bourbon-Soaked Cherries, for garnish
- 2 ounces dark chocolate, grated, for garnish
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form, about 3 to 6 minutes. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar, and mix to combine.
- To the whipped cream, add the mascarpone cheese and granulated sugar. Mix until combined and smooth.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the coffee, orange liqueur, and Kahlua.
- Dip one ladyfinger into the coffee mixture for 3 to 5 seconds. Place the cookie into the bottom of a 9-inch x 9-inch baking dish. Repeat until the bottom layer of the baking dish is covered.
- Top the ladyfingers with half of the mascarpone cheese mixture. Spread the cheese mixture into an even layer over the cookies.
- Top the cheese mixture with the ripped bourbon cherries, spreading them evenly around the dish so you get some cherries in every bite.
- Dip the remaining cookies in the coffee mixture and create a layer over the cherries.
- Top the cookies with the remaining cheese mixture and spread evenly in the dish.
- Sprinkle the top of the tiramisu with shaved chocolate. (If you don't have bakers block of chocolate, you can use whole dark chocolate chips or chop up the chocolate chips.)
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours to 24 hours.
- Uncover the tiramisu and cut into 6 portions. Plate the dessert and top each serving with a whole cherry.


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On Tuesday, NaNoWriMo will begin posting covers for the 2011 30 Covers, 30 Days challenge. I was the gleeful recipient of a cover last year (go day twelve!), and I made a collage of the entire collection. For old time's sake, here it is again. Can't wait to see the latest batch!
30 Covers, 30 Days – Redux30 Oct
On Tuesday, NaNoWriMo will begin posting covers for the 2011 30 Covers, 30 Days challenge. I was the gleeful recipient of a cover last year (go day twelve!), and I made a collage of the entire collection. For old time's sake, here it is again. Can't wait to see the latest batch!
I Love the Smell of Inspiration in the Morning14 Dec
The smell… You know that smell of old books? Smells like…a short story.
I've always heard it, how you'll be going about your business, and one day something smacks you across the face, giving you a story to tell where once there was none. Ah, inspiration. I've written hundreds of thousands of words, had bursts of inspiration regarding stories I was already in the midst of telling, but altogether new stories just don't bloom that way for me.
I had a minor taste of it last year when my husband, who was fetching a late night snack from the grocery store, accidentally butt-dialed me. At first, all I could hear was NPR — only, I didn't realize it was NPR. It sounded like my husband was discussing drugs, kidnapping, and smuggling with some woman. A Coen-esque short story bloomed from that, but I've never gone further than the outline.
Today, however, I was reading the blog of John Gall, the book designer who led the 30 Covers, 30 Days project for NaNoWriMo, and he had a link to this…
…an artist, Rachael Morrison, whose project is to go through MOMA and smell each and every one of their 300,000 books, cataloging their unique scent.
I LOVE old book smell. I worked at a circa-1970s library as a teenager, and every time someone would return a book from the much older main library downtown, I'd know immediately and snatch it up to hug it and breathe in its musty scent. Aromatherapy for the hopelessly insane.
I also have an odd love for lists and cataloging.
More than that, however, I could see a woman going about this job, ledger in hand, saw the story unfolding. It has nothing at all to do with the real woman, of course, or the MOMA's library, or anything else. But…ah… It became more difficult not to dive into a story than to put it off. So I wrote my first short story in at least a decade. I'm thrilled! And so grateful to Ms. Morrison and her eccentric art project!
Tell me I'll have this kind of flash again. Tell me where you find inspiration or the odd places it's found you, whether for writing or art or any sort of project.
"30 Covers, 30 Days" 2010 – Final Collection30 Nov
All thirty covers are in! (The last one substituting for the previously blank Day 10.) Some fabulous work this year. I've spent a long time staring at each one and enjoying.
Click here for full scale version
Also, here's the usual way, starting with Monday, November first
Click here for full scale version
Lastly, a traditional calendar view (Sunday through Saturday)
Click here for full scale version
For a full list of titles, authors, synopses, and designers, go to NaNoWriMo's Index of Covers.
Collage: 30 Covers, 30 Days18 Nov
Here's how the NaNoWriMo 30 Covers, 30 Days project is going so far. I'm fascinated. It's doubly amazing, considering each designer gets less than 24 hours to review, design, and execute a cover.
UPDATE: CLICK HERE FOR FINAL VERSION (all 30 covers)
(Day 29 below)
What do you think? Have a favorite? (You know I do. 😉 )
Click here for full-size image
For a full list of titles, authors, and designers, go to NaNoWriMo's Index of Covers.
[I'll be updating this until November 30th, so stop by again to see the latest collection.]
Updated 11/29/2010


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Every single pastel on the planet
Prayed to be invited to the ball...
Prayed to be invited to the ball...
Pastel Biker Jacket- UNIF
Pastel Glitter Hair Bows- Crown & Glory
Grey Off Shoulder Jumper- Missguided
Lipstick- Topshop Saint
Pink Velcro Sandals- La Moda
Pink Slip Dress- Motel Rocks
Blue PU Skater- Own The Runway
Pink Glitter Jelly Sandals- River Island
Pink Tartan Skirt- Daisy Street
Charlotte Bag in Beige- La Moda
First let me start by saying major brownie points to any of you who got the ( kinda, half) quote? You and I are now total BFF's! However saying that we are not here to simply gossip about epic childhood movie's , as much as we all secretly wish we were. You may have realised instead by the ever so slightly cryptic title of today's post that it is indeed a wishlist. Not just any wishlist though, a wishlist suitable for even the most colourful care bear, because today it all about my ultimate spring summer trend...pastels! I love them, I love them, I love them!
Yes I know, I am sorry this must be my third or fourth pastels post now and I promise if it carries on I will seek professional help but I mean come on how perfect are they all! Starting with a creation by one of my favourite lustlist (because I cannot afford to buy instead of lust) brand UNIF who have excelled themselves with this pastel biker ...let's all just take a breath and admire it's beauty. This would seriously jazz up (yep I just said jazz) any simple spring/summer outfit and make even the drabbest of garments ultra 90's cool! Needless to say I have fantasy styled this in my head on many a sleepless night. Hey some people count sheep others style rainbow jackets...what ever does the trick.
This would also happen to look incredible with Motel Rocks new lingerie style slip dress which comes in this darling shade of pastel pink as well as baby blue. Now I think this is the quintessential spring/summer dress. Easy to layer, ultra cool (in both senses of the word) and bang on trend with it's pastel nod to the 90's (aka the most ultimate fashion decade ever).
It's safe to say though that this wouldn't be a stonesgotstyle wishlist without the presence of two things. Number one being some variety of pleather,leather or PVC and you will not be disappointed as I came across a few different colours of this baby blue PU skater skirt on Own The Runway the other night and instantly fell head over heels. How perfect would it look as well paired with this amazing new style, off the shoulder jumper from Missguided. The other being lipstick and after falling hard for the Topshop lipsticks in Lincoln a few weeks back my next purchase will hopefully be Saint, a stunning pastel pink perfect for the (hopefully) upcoming sun.
Now leaving the best till last I have a couple of items that are set in concrete, I have to have, they need to be in my wardrobe right now! They would be this amazing pink tartan skirt from Daisy Street (one of my favourite online stores). And the second being these mega cool, totally spice world, baby pink velcro sandals from La Moda. I don't even think I need to explain this one I mean just look at them, they are actually incredible!
So there you have it guys a few pastel hued item's that I am feeling very deeply now that I need in my life for spring/summer. Let me know what your favourite is in the comments below!
Speak Soon


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Benjamin Netanyahu has attacked a "goodwill" visit to Tehran by Baroness Ashton, the EU foreign policy chief, on Sunday by challenging her to quiz the Iranian government over an intercepted arms shipment allegedly bound for Gaza.
The visit – the first to Iran in five years by Europe's top diplomat – was intended to build momentum towards a comprehensive nuclear deal over the Islamic Republic's suspect nuclear programme following the conclusion of an interim deal late last year.
But even before Baroness Ashton had met Hassan Rouhani, Iran's president, Mr Netanyahu – who bitterly opposed last November's temporary agreement thrashed out between Iran and six world powers – poured cold water on the visit by effectively questioning its basis.
"I would like to ask her if she asked her Iranian hosts about this shipment of weapons for terrorist organisations, and if not, why not," Israel's prime minister told Sunday's cabinet meeting. He was referring to last week's seizure of a Panamanian-flagged ship in the Red Sea by Israeli naval commandos.
"Nobody has the right to ignore the true and murderous actions of the regime in Tehran," Mr Netanyahu added.
"I think that it would be proper for the international community to give its opinion regarding Iran's true policy, not its propaganda."
His broadside came as Israeli forces continued to unload the Klos-C vessel in the southern port of Eilat, where it berthed on Friday night after being given a naval escort following its seizure between Eritrea and Sudan three days earlier.
A container is removed from vessel Klos-C in the Israeli port of Eilat (AFP)
Israeli officials say it was carrying a consignment of weapons that originated in Damascus before being flown to Tehran. The arms – including M302 rockets capable of hitting all parts of Israel if fired from Gaza, for which Israeli officials say they were destined – had reportedly been concealed by bags of cement with Iranian markings.
In an effort to generate maximum publicity, Israel will put on public display at a high profile news conference on Monday attended by Mr Netanyahu, Moshe Ya'alon, the defence minister and Lt Gen Benny Gantz, the army chief of staff.
Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister, has dismissed Israeli accusations of his country's involvement. Mr Netanyahu denounced that denial as "brazen lying" and said the weapons find showed Iran's "true face".
Addressing a joint press conference with Baroness Ashton in Tehran on Sunday, Mr Zarif said Iran was determined to reach a comprehensive nuclear agreement, which he predicted could be achieved within four months.
Baroness Ashton warned that success was not guaranteed.
"This interim agreement is really important but not as important as a comprehensive agreement [which is] ... difficult, challenging, and there is no guarantee that we will succeed," she said.


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Once upon a time, a princess found a long lonely ladder at the far corner of the castle walls. She thought it rather lazy of the gardener to leave it there where someone might trip over it or where it might catch some drops of rain and it would grow rusty and useless.
"Surely, I can't move this myself," she thought.
And in fact, she could not. She tried to move it, but it would not budge the smallest bit.
"Well, if I can't move it, I might as well find out why it was here in the first place."
Even though she was wearing an uncomfortable and ungainly court dress, she thought she might try the steps. Quickly, she realized the endeavor would fail with such heavy skirts and confining stays, and even though she wouldn't usually think herself as brazen as her sister Mina who had been known to dance with the peasants in only her shift at the harvest festival, she decided to remove her first layer of clothing.
"If Mina can dance like a heathen in the name of 'connecting with the kingdom,' at the very least, I can do this if only to find out why our own grounds have been left in such disarray."
Although it was not becoming of a young lady—nobility nonetheless—to curse, the princess swore mightily as she struggled from her dress. At last, she stood before the curious ladder in only a thin white tunic. She removed her shoes and placed them underneath the heap of her garments.
"Now, I am ready to find out the mystery of this silly ladder. Perhaps this is where father ordered the new lanterns to be hung. Or maybe it was put here for some soldier on the lookout," she thought.
Placing her tender little left foot on the first rung and her right hand reaching above her head, the princess began to climb. She was terribly afraid of heights, so she refused to look down as she pressed on toward the top—wherever the top might be. It seemed so far away, and so high, she was not so sure she could see where it ended.
"Of course this has an end, and it will be at the top of the wall where I can sit and rest before scrambling back down to put on my dress before anyone sees me like such a wild, wicked girl that I must appear to be."
The climb was not difficult except that it didn't seem to stop. All at once, the princess noticed that the wall that she had always known to be gray and composed of long, roughly cut stone had changed color. It was a smooth tan, like the dried paste of earth found in the Southern countries.
She stopped her scaling and looked down. She did not see her dress crumpled up near the garden trees, or anything else familiar below her. It wasn't that she could not see the ground, but there seemed to be no ground at all. When she looked up again, she wondered if she were not actually securely planted on a firm-packed ground where the ladder had fallen.
"I'm in a dream. I've fallen. No! I've died," she thought. "That's it. I am most certainly dead."
But the princess was not dead, and she figured this much when she was too afraid to test her theory by jumping off the ladder. To make the best of the situation, she elected to carry on with the climb.
As she ascended this strange ladder, her hands no longer grasped a finely made piece of metalwork, but a shoddy, shaky sham of a ladder. The sky—or what she perceived to be the sky—turned a deep starless lapis. It was pretty, she thought.
Wind picked up, pressing her tunic to her legs, making it harder to climb, but at last, she made it to the very topmost part of the ladder. It still leaned against the stucco-colored wall. She found this problematic because the end of the ladder did not match the end of the wall, and she wasn't sure what would happen if she attempted to go back the way she came. Who knew what would happen? Maybe the splintered wood ladder would turn into a serpent or worse—maybe it would just disappear altogether.
"Well, I guess now I know why that gardener never put this damn thing away," she muttered.
The princess stood on the ladder, her hands smarting from the long climb, and she wondered how she might solve this problem. After some time, she found out that she would not.


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We are an amateur group organising a range of hikes throughout the territory. We welcome residents and visitors of all levels of fitness and experience to join us in exploring the great Hong Kong countryside.
We normally hike 4-6 times each week during the cooler months and 2-4 times during the summer. Details of individual events are visible only to members of the group and we use an RSVP system (which means NO GUESTS PLEASE unless by prior agreement with the hike organiser via the meetup system). But it's quick, free and easy to register, so please come and join us (there's a link below!).
If we don't have any hikes scheduled or you want a particular hike on a certain day etc then please browse our commercial site, www.hongkonghikers.com
Please note that we have been slowly transitioning over from the unreliable meetup platform over the last couple of months. Please sign up at groups.place/hong-kong-hikers
Here is also a handy tutorial of how to register with the groups.place platform and the join Hong Kong Hikers.


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to the teeth(redirected from one's teeth)
to the teeth
To the greatest degree or extent; extremely, completely, or utterly. I know it takes me a long time getting ready, but nothing feels better than being dressed to the teeth for a night out on the town. Everyone in the bar was armed to the teeth, so we felt a little bit nervous sitting down for a drink in there. I have to say, I'm fed up to the teeth with all the people littering on campus!
to the teeth
1. Completely, fully, as in Obviously new to skiing, they were equipped to the teeth with the latest gear. This idiom dates from the late 1300s. Also see armed to the teeth; fed to the gills.
2. Also, up to the or one's teeth . Fully committed, as in We're in this collaboration up to our teeth. [First half of 1900s] Both of these hyperbolic usages allude to being fully covered or immersed in something up to one's teeth.
to the teeth
Lacking nothing; completely: armed to the teeth; dressed to the teeth.


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Nordic Leaders Team Up: Aditro Enters Scrive Partnership
Aditro, the Nordic leader in HR and payroll solutions, has entered into a partnership with Scrive, the Nordic leader in electronic signature solutions. As a Scrive System Partner, Aditro has integrated the Scrive eSign solution into Aditro People, the base of their HR solution. »


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GET INVOLVED and stay informed
Get involved with your neighborhood today!
Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter.
The e-newsletter is published the first Wednesday of the month. We also send an occasional blast to share more time-sensitive information. Sign and and stay informed!
View the e-newsletter archives.
Tax-Deductible Contributions to CIDNA
CIDNA is a 501(c)(3) corporation. As a result, you may make charitable contributions to CIDNA under the tax code.
Please make a contribution now by sending your check to CIDNA, PO Box 16270, St. Louis Park, MN 55416.
You may designate the purpose of your contribution, or you may make no designation, in which case your money would be used for general purposes.
CIDNA has many excellent neighborhood causes for which your contribution would be used, including parks, neighborhood beautification, signs, lighting, housing, and many others.
Volunteer Opportunities
Get involved in your community! A variety of volunteer opportunities are available.
Do you enjoy beautiful gardens? Volunteer to help maintain the gardens at Park Siding Park by watering and weeding throughout the summer. Go to the Calendar for more information.
Do you love Cedar Lake South Beach? Help us keep the beach clean by joining the new Beach Clean Up Crew. The crew will meet monthly. Volunteers needed. Contact email@example.com.
Interested in a particular issue? We have a committee that work on a variety of issue important to neighbors. Learn more at the Committees page.
Contact firstname.lastname@example.com to see how you can participate in your neighborhood.


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26 years in his life.
365 days in a year.
24 hours in a day.
60 minutes in an hour.
=13,665,600 minutes.
It is recorded that Michelangelo sculpted one of his masterpieces and one of the crown jewels of the Renaissance - the acclaimed "David" - at the ripe age of twenty-six. While it may be argued that it was a product of genius, it is also recorded that the world-renown prodigy produced numbers of pieces (research how many) before his masterpiece surfaced.Read More


text: is there anything that can run apps like an itouch with 3G? not really bothered about the phone (i'm happy with 10 pound phones I can loose/drop/throw) but wouldn't mind the hand-held computing side of it. Had a iphone for work earlier on in the year and definitely miss it a bit now.


text: The Anniversary World Tour continues and this time we are in timeless Rome. This Happy Anniversary ecard takes us from the Spanish stairs to the Colosseum, and finally the extraordinary Trevi fountain where you make a wish... and throw a coin in the hopes it will come true. And many wishes have been granted! This is a dreamy anniversary ecard you can send a couple and celebrate their love and time together. Our two golden retrievers are so lucky to be in Rome and they are traveling in style: in the sidecar of a Vespa! How absolutely delightful. Who wants to go? Show of hands please! Send this romantic anniversary ecard today.


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Why Trust a Control4 Integrator With Your Smart Home Upgrade?
Georgia Homeowners Love the Simplicity and Scalability of Control4
So you've decided to upgrade your lifestyle with smart home automation. Whether you're planning a system as part of a new-construction project, or you want to retrofit your current home with the latest technology, there's just one answer: Control4. There are plenty of reasons why you should collaborate with a Platinum-level Control4 integrator when making custom electronic updates to your Georgia home. In this blog, we'll take you through some of the best ones. Read on to learn more.


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Game Preview
Indiana at NU
Ryan Field
Saturday, Sept. 24. 11:00 am CDT
WGN radio internet coverage.
Game Preview: Northwestern vs. Indiana
by Jonathan Hodges
On Saturday, Indiana (4-3, 1-2) visits Northwestern (4-3, 1-2) in what will likely amount to be a game that is essential for both teams' fading bowl hopes in this 2009 season. The Hoosiers are coming off of a home win over hapless-looking Illinois, while the Wildcats are looking to rebound from a loss against Michigan State, which was yet another game they let get away in the second half (NU had a second half lead in each of its three losses this season).
After this game, both teams face very similar schedules, with the ranked trio of Penn State, Iowa, and Wisconsin on tap for both squads down the stretch of this regular season. Both NU and IU do have one "win-able" game left on the slate, though (Illinois for NU and Purdue for IU), making this game that much more important to reach a bowl-eligible 6-6 record.
The Wildcats will also be looking to avenge last year's loss in Bloomington that likely kept NU out of a January 1st bowl game as IU upset the 'Cats 21-19 on a day that saw both QB CJ Bacher and RB Tyrell Sutton go down with injuries. Northwestern does have an all-time 42-34-1 edge over Indiana (the only Big Ten opponent that NU holds an all-time winning record over), but the last five contests have been decided by an average of just 4.4 points per game.
Despite last week's loss, NU's defense has been solid since coming alive in the second quarter of the Purdue game, allowing just 12 points per game from the second quarter of that game onwards. And against MSU, NU's defense held up well outside of a few long passing plays, ironically the same type of performance that doomed the 'Cats against the Hoosiers last year (two long TD passes and a short touchdown following a fumbled kickoff).
Indiana, meanwhile, started the year off strong at 3-0, albeit against lesser competition, before falling to Michigan and Ohio State in consecutive weeks. Then, the bottom fell out against Virginia in a 47-7 loss before finding some redemption against a reeling Illini squad a week ago.
IU's QB Ben Chappell is the reigning Big Ten offensive player of the week following his 333 yard, 3 TD performance last week. The 'Cats know how dangerous he can be, as he engineered Indiana's upset win last year; on the year he's thrown for 1,664 yards and 8 TDs, 7 INTs, and sports a 63.4% completion rate.
The Wildcats, meanwhile, will try to counter with its biggest offensive weapon, QB Mike Kafka, who has 1,755 yards on the season along with 7 passing TDs to just 4 INTs (he has also added 4 TDs rushing). Despite having some costly turnovers in NU losses to Syracuse and Minnesota, he has seemingly turned the corner, putting together an efficient and turnover-free performance one week ago.
Based on the recent history in this series and the fact that both teams will be playing for their bowl hopes, expect an evenly matched and hard-fought game in Northwestern's homecoming football game.
Opening Line:
Northwestern by 5.
Who Should Win:
The 'Cats have been playing better defense of late and have demonstrated an ability to contain the run, an important fact when facing a team whose top two rushers are averaging a collective 4.8 yards per carry. And despite not being able to "dink and dunk" their way to victory against MSU last week, the 'Cats have enough offensive weapons in the passing game to get the job done against the nation's 87th ranked pass defense (in terms of yards). Having this game in Evanston also gives the 'Cats a boost.
Upset Factor:
Just look at last year, when Indiana surprised NU in their 2008 homecoming game thanks to a +5 turnover margin and some big plays (TD passes of 43 and 28 yards). The Hoosiers have offensive weapons at the skill positions (WRs Tandon Doss and Damarlo Belcher along with RBs Darius Willis and Demetrius McCray) and have some bona-fide next level talent on the DL with Jammie Kirlew and Greg Middleton, who have combined for an insane 8.5 sacks and 6 forced fumbles just over half way through this season. As demonstrated in last year's game, all it takes is a handful of big plays to tip the scales in one's favor.
What to Look for:
Northwestern Offense / Indiana Defense:
The Wildcats' offense is still searching for the groove NU fans have seen so many times since Northwestern began fielding the spread offense in 2000. After starting out the year at a decent clip (31.8 points per game through five games), NU has totaled just 30 points in the past two contests, despite one of those games being against one of the nation's worst defenses (statistically).
Kafka has been NU's biggest offensive weapon this year, posting a solid completion percentage and accounting for 12 of Northwestern's 22 touchdowns during the 2009 season. And removing sack numbers, he's run for 280 yards on the year, showing that he still has legs that can do damage as well.
NU's running game, on the other hand, has been the 'Cats' weakness and was all but abandoned last week against MSU, with NU RBs accounting for just eight carries on the day. Coach Pat Fitzgerald confirmed this fact following the game, saying that NU would pass the ball "175 times" if it had to, even if that's not his preferred game plan.
Much of that is due to Northwestern's poor offensive line play: NU has yielded an average of 2.43 sacks per game this year (86th nationally), while Kafka has been hurried another 14 times and has used his feet to escape pressure numerous other times.
That fact doesn't bode well against an Indiana team whose defensive strength is on the line, a line that put the heat on NU last year and will be looking to do so again. Seniors Middleton and Kirlew will be flying in from the edge (did I mention they have a combined 20 TFLs so far this year), while underclassmen Larry Black and Adam Replogle will hold down the middle of a DL that is helping Indiana yield just 3.7 yards per carry this year.
At the next level, there's LB Matt Mayberry, who leads IU in tackles with 58 on the season to go with 2.5 sacks, 6 TFLs, 2 pass break-ups, and a fumble recovery.
Finally, in the secondary, Indiana fields an experienced bunch (all have at least four years in the program), featuring team interception leader (with two), S Austin Thomas. There's also converted WR Ray Fisher who has a couple of pass break-ups to go along with his 33 tackles this year.
The key to this matchup is obviously in the trenches; Indiana has two huge playmakers on the edges and NU has had some major problems on the OL this season, so this is likely to be where the game is won or lost. Assuming Northwestern won't be able to generate much of a rushing attack (again), pass protection is vital to give the 'Cats any chance to move the ball on offense.
Northwestern Defense / Indiana Offense:
As mentioned earlier, the 'Cats' D has performed fairly well over the past few games, and that despite DE Corey Wootton missing the majority of the last two games with an ankle injury, S Brendan Smith going out against Miami (OH) with a hand injury, and S Brad Phillips leaving the MSU game with a shoulder injury. The loss of both safeties was definitely a factor in MSU's successful passing attack a week ago.
Even with those three playmakers out for NU, the 'Cats boast a few more players who can make a difference, like NU tackle leader LB Quentin Davie, who has 53 on the season, including 4 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 4 QB hurries. CB Sherrick McManis was burned on one play last week, but has generally been a lockdown corner and leads NU with 3 INTs and 4 pass break-ups.
A major factor in NU's defensive success over the past three games has been the run defense; even with sacks taken out of the rushing numbers, NU has been yielding an average of just 111 rushing yards per game over the last three contests. Credit DTs Adam Hahn and Niko Mafuli for helping to stuff the run in the middle.
The Hoosiers' offense has been making a living off of the big play this year, with 26 20+ yard offensive plays. They also use a lot of deception on offense (as NU learned the hard way last year thanks to a 28 yard TD toss from WR Mitchell Evans), including some plays from the pistol formation and their version of the "Wildcat" offense with Evans taking the direct snap.
Out of the "Wildcat," Evans is averaging 6.2 yards per carry, but he doesn't have to do it alone as he has RBs Willis and McCray, who both average over 4.8 yards per carry each. Both of those RBs also have breakaway TD runs of 85 and 59 yards, respectively, something NU will have to be careful to contain.
There's also the aforementioned Chappell, who makes some mistakes (7 INTs on the year), but can hit some big plays (6 passes of 30+ yards this year). He's throwing to a talented WR corps, with Doss, Belcher, and Evans making significant contributions.
The key to this matchup again lies at the line of scrimmage. The 'Cats' DL has shown solid improvement as this season has progressed, and they must continue that trend by containing the Indiana running game and forcing Chappell into uncomfortable situations.
Northwestern can't give up the explosion play (like they did last year versus Indiana as well as last week against MSU), either, and will need to generate some pressure from the DL, who has underwhelmed against Big Ten competition so far this year.
Special Teams:
NU P/K Stefan Demos has been rather reliable in his placekicking duties, going 19-of-20 on XPs and 9-of-10 on FGs (his only miss was blocked). Unfortunately, the effects of him handling all kicking duties may be starting to show themselves.
Demos is averaging just 35.1 yards per punt and has placed only 10-of-31 punts inside the opponents' 20 yard line. Northwestern's net punting is 32.5 yards per punt, putting them at 107th nationally.
Kickoffs aren't much better, as he's averaging 61.3 yards per kick and has just one touchback on the year, and NU's kickoff return defense is a middle-of-the-pack 20.7 yards per kickoff allowed.
Although the 'Cats have prevented any big returns so far this year, they aren't exactly sticking opponents deep in their own end, which hasn't exactly helped NU's defensive cause.
Indiana has two dangerous kick/punt returners in Fisher and Doss: Fisher is averaging almost 34 yards per kick return and already has a touchdown return this year, while Doss is averaging 21.4 yards per return. Overall, the Hoosiers are 24th nationally in kick returns, an area that NU must focus on containing, especially since opponents have been close to breaking a few against NU this year.
Indiana's kicker, Nick Freeland, is perfect on 18 XP tries but is just 11-of-17 on field goals with four of his misses coming on kicks under 40 yards.
Although Northwestern's return game has been lacking (to say the least), they'll have an opportunity in this game to get something going. IU is one spot worse than NU in net punting nationally and is 95th on kick return defense, allowing 23.5 yards per kickoff.
NU kick returner Jeravin Matthews had a nice 28 yard return last week (after muffing a kickoff) and has the speed to break one if he can get a hole. He may get his chance this week.
This game may very well be decided by a special teams play, and with both teams having their own respective deficiencies in this phase, there's definitely the chance of a big play from either side.
Miscellaneous Notes:
NU Third Down Conversions:
Northwestern is still doing very well converting its third downs as the 'Cats are 7th nationally in percentage (50.9%) and tied for first in total number of conversions (59). Indiana, meanwhile, is near the bottom in third down conversion defense (84th), allowing a 41.6% conversion rate. That bodes well for the Wildcats building long drives, which is essential given the type of spread offense that NU runs.
Red Zone Offense:
NU is officially 25th in red zone offense (88% scoring rate), but discounting a late drive against Towson where NU was intentionally running down the clock and didn't want to score, the 'Cats have gone 23-of-25 on the year (92%) with 16 TDs. Indiana has been a little less successful, with an 83% scoring rate (61st nationally) and 11 TDs in 24 total trips.
Red Zone Defense:
Both teams have had success stopping teams from scoring in the red zone; NU is 17th nationally, allowing just a 73% scoring rate, while IU is an impressive 5th nationally, allowing a 67% rate. Both teams have allowed just 13 red zone TDs all season.
NU and IU have both had success generating takeaways, with NU 7th nationally with 18 on the year, while Indiana is 23rd with 15. Both teams have positive turnover margins on the season. Northwestern is 3-0 on the year when winning the turnover battle and 1-3 when losing the battle. IU, meanwhile, is 3-1 when generating a positive turnover margin and 1-2 when falling on the negative side. It's clear that the winner of the turnover battle will put themselves in a position to win the game.
Injury Report:
RB Alex Daniel (ankle, out for season), OL Mike Boyle (back, doubtful), DT Jack DiNardo (shoulder, questionable), LB Bryce McNaul (leg, doubtful), CB Justan Vaughn (leg, questionable), LB Ben Johnson (hamstring, questionable), S Brendan Smith (hand, doutbful), DE Corey Wootton (ankle, probable), S Brad Phillips (shoulder, questionable).
The season is continuing to take its toll on the 'Cats. Wootton was limited against MSU and although he's progressing, he hasn't looked anywhere close to last year's performance. Smith is out with a hand injury (he doesn't appear on this week's depth chart), while fellow safety Phillips is "day-to-day" after a shoulder injury at MSU (he had offseason shoulder surgery, it's unknown if it's that same shoulder).
Johnson and Vaughn appear on the depth chart as "or" backups, meaning that they may be close to returning. The key to this game, though, is a solid secondary, and that's tough to do with less experienced guys in the defensive backfield. Hopefully Phillips can make it onto the field Saturday because otherwise, redshirt freshman Jared Carpenter will be thrown into the fire again.
DE Darius Johnson (shoulder, doubtful), DE Fred Jones (foot, doubtful), LB Leon Beckum (ankle, doubtful), DT Jarrod Smith (back, doubtful), CB Chris Adkins (elbow, doubtful), RB Zach Davis-Walker (foot, doubtful), OL Pete Saxon (ankle, questionable).
Indiana is also a bit banged up on defense, but has mostly lost depth and not necessarily the big playmakers. Northwestern can take advantage, though, by going on long sustained drives that can help wear down a D that doesn't have as many guys to rotate in as they would like.
Northwestern 30 - Indiana 28
Expect yet another close matchup between these two teams in a game that will likely be decided on a big "swing" play (e.g. turnover or long special teams return). The 'Cats' D has been rather successful creating big plays as of late and can likely do just enough to put NU over the top.
NU fans know not to be too confident, though, as one only has to look to last year's game to see what can happen even coming into the game as a significant favorite. This game will be hard-fought and hopefully the 'Cats are the ones who can get within one win of bowl eligibility and secure their third consecutive home homecoming win.
Go 'Cats!!!
Previous jhodges commentary


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Bluebird Art represents top professional artists whose recognized quality, commitment to their work, and exemplary creative process make their art a celebrated part of your life.
It All Started With Art School in Italy
Bluebird Art founder, Min Liu, came up with the idea for Bluebird Art after spending a summer at an international art school in Umbria, Italy. Surrounded by professional artists, she saw them create beautiful, provocative works before her eyes. Painting alongside those artists that summer, she often wondered why more people are not seeing - and buying - original works by independent artists but instead opting for mass-produced prints from home decor stores at comparable price points. Moreover, she wished for a way for buyers and art appreciators to connect directly with artists and to follow their creative process. After graduating with her Stanford MBA, Min went straight to work developing the Bluebird Art iPhone app and building the community that is Bluebird Art today. Since 2013, Bluebird Art has become the destination for artists and consumers to come together via the creative process of making. Min hopes that Bluebird Art will enrich people's lives by deepening their understanding of art and bringing more art into their homes.
Host Your Own Private Art Show
Our curatorial team at Bluebird Art can help you host your own art show at your residence. We work with you to curate a fine selection of artwork from our artists. We bring the art, you bring the party. If you're interested hosting an upcoming art show, or have a question about it, please contact Min Liu at firstname.lastname@example.com. Please note that this service is currently only available in the San Francisco Bay Area. Examples of prior art shows: Show in Glen Park, San Francisco with Wendy Storch and Show in Woodside with Nancy Reyering.


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A timeline of Mettler.
Humble Beginnings
Paul Mettler decided to realize his dream of opening his own private physical therapy practice and established Mettler Physical Therapy Clinic, a 1,000 ft² office in Huntington Towers in Champaign, IL.
Important Discovery
Paul Mettler discovered a way to restructure adhesive scar tissue that connects the deeper layers to muscle fascia—without causing further injury. The innovative treatment method was termed MRT® (Mettler Release Technique) and has since been named as Dermal-Fascial Restoration℠.
Rapid Growth
Having outgrown its original office, the practice moved to a 1,500 ft² space in the Trade Center building. Several pieces of fitness equipment were purchased to help serve the needs of Wolfram Research employees. An athletic trainer was hired to develop the fitness side of the practice.
Fitness Component Added
The practice moved again to a 4,000 ft² space in State Street Plaza and was renamed to Mettler Physical Therapy and Health Fitness Center. Limited fitness memberships were added and a physical therapist and physical therapist assistant were hired to assist in therapy.
A New Era of Wellness
The renamed Mettler Center opened its doors at the Crossing. Built from the ground up, the new facility's design included a full fitness gym, group exercise rooms, lockers, a teaching kitchen, physical therapy and massage treatment rooms, offices and a lounge. More physical therapists were hired and fitness memberships began to grow.
A Campus Presence
Mettler Physical Therapy and Fitness Center at the Plaza on Green Street opened to serve University of Illinois students.
Small Business Accolades
Mettler Center won the Small Business of the Year Award from the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce and was named Best Private Practice in the nation by Advance Magazine.
A Focus on the Athlete
Mettler Athletic, a 14,000 ft² facility at Illini Plaza offered cutting edge fitness, sports performance, skill instruction, personal training and physical therapy. With the sports enthusiast in mind, Mettler Athletic became a training ground for athletes wanting to "move to the next level."
Fascia Research Award
Mettler Center received the second place award for clinical usefulness at the The Fourth International Fascia Research Congress (FRC) for its presentation entitled "Use of High Frequency Shear Wave Elastography (HFSWE) to Identify and Evaluate Treatment of Fascial Adhesions"
Healthy Active Aging
Mettler Center at the Crossing employs a team of physical therapists as well as over 75 other staff, including massage therapists, personal trainers, registered dietitians, group fitness instructors, and many other support staff.
Over 1,000 patients per month are treated by Mettler Physical Therapy and we maintain a membership of 1,900 along with many other guest and member visits to massage, personal training, group classes and other services.
Mettler's expanded wellness offerings include Alexander Technique, wellness coaching, fall prevention, private yoga and Pilates lessons, and group fitness offerings such as meditation and classes for those with limited mobility.


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Atkins Advantage single bars are on sale at Albertsons 10 for $10. Buy 10 and receive $3 off instantly. Use 5 $1/2 single bars from 1/4 SS and you'll get 10 for $2. Unfortunately these coupons cannot be doubled or they would have been free, bummer. At $.20 per bar, however, these make a decent snack when you are rushing out the door.
This post may contain affiliate links. See the disclosure policy for more information.


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Hеу, I'm Amy and wеlсоmе tо mу blog.
I write about the women's health and supplements and gіvе уоu free tірѕ аnd аdvіѕе оn hоw you саn find the best nutrients on the marketplace, hands down.
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All the latest news from Gable, including updates on our share price.
Gable applies principles of corporate governance proportionate to its size.
An archive of our financial reports dating back to 2005.
Contact details for our offices in the Cayman Islands, Liechtenstein and the UK.
A range of presentations from Gable.
Contact details for our range of advisors.
© Gable Insurance AG. All rights reserved


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ActionScript is a very powerful programming language used in numerous Adobe Flash and Flex applications. It provides an object-oriented class level environment with many advantages to the average developer. In this example we'll be constructing a video wall pulling the top videos from YouTube's Tech feed.
We will mostly be covering basic ActionScript techniques, thus it is not required to be an exceptional whiz at programming. For this tutorial I'll be using Adobe Flash CS3 with ActionScript 3.0 as the default language.
Building our .FLA File
Each flash project you create should be saved to disk as .fla inside a root directory. I've created a new document 630×575 and saved as YouTube.fla.
Getting familiar with the Flash interface may take a little bit of time. Most of the work we'll be doing is integrated in the lowermost panels. More specifically we'll be dealing with properties and actions.
Properties will allow you to update the current document width/height and other advanced settings. Actions is where all the real fun happens and where our code is stored. Each layer as a series of keyframes which store ActionScript to manipulate transitions and effects.
You'll notice a layers panel towards the top above the project stage. The first layer should be named "Layer1". Change that to Actions and tick the small lock symbol off to the right side. This sets a single layer in our file dedicated to ActionScript code, which means we don't need to go searching around for anything. Locking just ensures we don't accidently place elements in that layer.
Designing Page Views
The next step is to create our physical layout. I've created a new layer titled "views" which is going to house 6 MovieClips. These will actually become placeholders for the dynamic thumbnail shot YouTube generates with each video.
To create these check insert->new symbol or simply tap F8. Here a new menu comes up asking what type of symbol you are creating. Movie Clip is perfect set along 120px width and 90px height. Once the symbol is made alter the clip's instance name to "ytThumb" + 0-5 for each clip. So for example the first would be labeled ytThum0, the next ytThumb1 and so forth.
Now we can move back into our actions panel to start really developing. If you are having trouble with creating each movie clip don't fret. They are not truly necessary at this point, but it does save time to create each instance beforehand.
Beginning the ActionScript Code
Click back on the first keyframe in the Actions layer. From here check the bottom panel and move from properties into actions. The panel will expand much higher and include a text box – this is where our code will go.
To start off we will define a few variables to hold namespace references. These ensure that when pulling data from Google and YouTube's servers we can interpret the return properly. Also we include a
Security.allowDomain call to let Flash know we can trust data downloaded through YouTube.
[sourcecode language="actionscript3″]
var atom:Namespace = new Namespace("http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom");
var gd:Namespace = new Namespace("http://schemas.google.com/g/2005");
var yt:Namespace = new Namespace("http://gdata.youtube.com/schemas/2007");
default xml namespace = atom; // very important!!
var vidCount:int = 6;
var dataArray:Array = new Array();
As an example above we have 3 new namespaces defined as atom, gt, and yt. These correspond with atom RSS feeds and two primary namespaces relating to the YouTube API. By the last line we are setting the default namespace for all XML code to atom.
Without these lines ActionScript will try parsing the return XML from YouTube's API as plain XML instead of an atom feed. This results in bugs and errors flying around, so it's much easier to clear this up first.
We are also creating two simple variables towards the very end. vidCount is used to define how many videos we will pull from each feed. dataArray is currently set to an empty array. A future function will pull this data and feed instances of videos into an array list.
[sourcecode language="actionscript3″]var xmlUrlReq:String = "http://gdata.youtube.com/feeds/api/videos/-/Tech/";
var xmlLoader:URLLoader = new URLLoader();
var xmlData:XML = new XML();
// loader event listener
xmlLoader.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, LoadXml);
xmlLoader.load(new URLRequest(xmlUrlReq));
We now have the defining principles for connecting to an XML page. The XML url we are using is defined outright which contains the standard API call. It is malleable in that you can change Tech to any variable returning video results.
For example http://gdata.youtube.com/feeds/api/videos/-/Gaming/ is a possibility for all gaming-related videos. Our
xmlLoader will store the functions needed to load this API URL and
xmlData is used to store the returning XML code.
After variables are set we need to call our event listener which checks to see when the API has finished loading. At this point we call a new function
LoadXml() which is defined next.
Event Handler Calls
Once the loader
eventListener has cleared our LoadXml function is called. This will parse all of the data we need out of the YouTube API response and store simple variables for access later. Below is the entire function code.
[sourcecode language="actionscript3″]function LoadXml(e:Event):void {
xmlData = XML(e.target.data);
var media:Namespace = xmlData.namespace("media");
var gd1:Namespace = xmlData.namespace("gd");
var elms:XMLList = xmlData.entry;
for(var i:int = 0; i < vidCount; i++) {
dataArray[i]["title"] = elms[i].title;
dataArray[i]["coreThumb"] = elms[i].media::group.media::thumbnail[0].@url;
dataArray[i]["vidURL"] = elms[i].media::group.media::player.@url;
dataArray[i]["duration"] = elms[i].media::group.yt::duration.@seconds;
dataArray[i]["viewCount"] = elms[i].yt::statistics.@viewCount;
dataArray[i]["commentCount"] = elms[i].gd::comments.gd::feedLink.@countHint;
dataArray[i]["favoriteCount"] = elms[i].yt::statistics.@favoriteCount;
loadThumbs(dataArray[i]["coreThumb"], i);
loadText(i, dataArray);
You can see an initial for loop which pulls out elements from each XML file and stores them into an array. This is referenced with each variable call underneath
dataArray[i] would create 6 individual arrays valued dataArray[0-5]. Within each of these we have sub-arrays containing video information.
This includes the core thumbnail, video URL, duration, number of comments, etc. This function is used to pump through all 6 videos inside a loop and extract bits of data from the response. With this data we then create a new array to house all the values we need and pass these into two more functions to display our finished product.
loadThumbs is the first call which requires two parameters. The first param URL is looking for the external jpg thumbnail file while the second holds the index for which video ID we're on (valued 0-5).
[sourcecode language="actionscript3″]function loadThumbs(url:String, index:int):void {
var imgURLRequest:URLRequest = new URLRequest(url);
var myImgLoader:Loader = new Loader();
myImgLoader.contentLoaderInfo.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, thumbLoaded);
function thumbLoaded(e:Event):void {
var myBitmapData:BitmapData = new BitmapData(myImgLoader.width, myImgLoader.height);
var myBitmap:Bitmap = new Bitmap();
myBitmap.bitmapData = myBitmapData;
switch(index) {
case 0:
case 1:
case 2:
case 3:
case 4:
case 5:
We are pulling in another URL Loader to download each video thumbnail. From here we are actually creating a brand new bitmap file inside of Flash to re-create each image.
The benefit here is we can cache each image and store the contents for another query. This would be useful if you were offering access to multiple YouTube feeds and didn't want to call a new request every time a new visitor came to the page.
We have another event listener which calls thumbLoaded once the image is finished. Then we create a new bitmap image variable named myBitmap and store the thumbnail data inside. Afterwards there's a small switch clause breaking down 0-5 for each video ID. The code inside simply targets each Movie Clip and appends
addChild() holding each thumbnail image.
Loading Video Text Data
The last step required is pulling video data from our array and adding this onto our stage. For this we've written a function loadText which takes the current video ID and also the matching data array.
[sourcecode language="actionscript3″]function loadText(id:int, vidDataArray:Array):void {
var myFormat:TextFormat = new TextFormat();
myFormat.size = 13;
myFormat.font = "Arial";
myFormat.color = 0x0066FF;
myFormat.underline = true;
var myDescFormat:TextFormat = new TextFormat();
myDescFormat.size = 11;
myDescFormat.bold = true;
var mytext = this['ytTitle'+id];
var mydesc = this['ytDesc'+id];
var vidTitle:String = vidDataArray[id]["title"];
var vidUrl:String = vidDataArray[id]["vidURL"];
var vidDur:int = vidDataArray[id]["duration"]; // duration in seconds
var vidDurMin:String = Math.floor(vidDur/60) + ":" + vidDur%60; //duration in minutes
var vidViews:String = splitNumber(vidDataArray[id]["viewCount"]);
var vidComms:int = vidDataArray[id]["commentCount"];
var vidFav:int = vidDataArray[id]["favoriteCount"];
mytext.wordWrap = true;
mytext.defaultTextFormat = myFormat;
mydesc.defaultTextFormat = myDescFormat;
mydesc.textColor = 0x333333;
mydesc.text = "Time: " + vidDurMin + "\r";
mydesc.text += "Views: " + vidViews + "\r";
mydesc.text += "Comments: " + vidComms + "\r";
mydesc.text += "Favorites: " + vidFav + "\r";
var htmlstring:String = '' + vidTitle + '';
mytext.htmlText = htmlstring;
The beginning lines use a variable myFormat to create a new text formatting. This is a dynamic way to create text input data and import the settings into a project without physically adding any onto the stage. There is no real benefit of this way other than saving file space. However it is good practice to introduce yourself to both methods and choose whichever works best!
We are creating new variables to hold the video data. More specifically we will be accessing the video's title, URL, duration (and convert this from seconds to minutes), total views, total comments, and total favorites.
Using myText as a new text area we can append these elements with
htmlText. From this each video ID will loop through the XML event handler and add all the images and text onto stage.
With this should complete our code! You can test your movie from control->test movie or ctrl+enter on Windows. If you'd like to reference my project code you can download the archive here. Included are both the .fla file and the .swf finished movie product.
This has been an introduction into developing over YouTube's API. The project was created for the purpose of writing in many different structures and testing different programming styles. ActionScript is very robust and provides an excellent platform for API data manipulation.
[learnmore link="http://media.pelfusion.com/code/actionscript-youtube-api.zip"] Download Source [/learnmore]


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Introduction to Iranian Cinema
Spring 2019
Rhode Island School of Design
"From international film festivals to university campuses, from museums of modern art to neighborhood theaters, Iranian cinema has now emerged as the staple of a cultural currency that defies the logic of nativism and challenges the problems of globalization." Hamid Dabashi writes this in the introduction to his landmark study of Iranian cinema, Close Up: Iranian Cinema, Past, Present and Future (Verso, 2001). This course introduces you to the history of Iranian cinema, from the Iranian New Wave (1960s) to the present. It examines the ways in which it occupies an important place on the scene of global cinema while it "defies the logic of nativism." We will watch some of the most prominent movies by acclaimed Iranian filmmakers Dariush Mehrjui, Ebrahim Golestan, Nasser Taghvai, Amir Naderi, Sohrab Shahid-Saless, Forough Farrokhzad, Jafar Panahi, Abbas Kiarostami, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Bahram Beyzaie, Rakhshan Bani-Etemad, Marzieh Meshkini, Asghar Farhadi, and Kamran Shirdel. We will also look at the works of diasporic artists, including Shirin Neshat, Marjane Satrapi, Ramin Bahrani, Mitra Farahani, and Babak Anvari.
Image: still from Mohsen Makhmalbaf's A Moment of Innocence (Noon o Goldoon), 1996.
Forms, Words, Affects: Theories and Methods of Art History
Fall 2018
Rhode Island School of Design
This class examines different methods of interpretation employed by art historians and art critics to "read" works of art. Each week we will focus on a particular methodological approach central to the production of art historical knowledge such as Formalism, Iconography, Psychoanalysis, Semiotics, Post-Structuralism, Museum Studies, Critical Theory, Queer Theory, Critical Race Theory, Affect Theory, and Postcolonial Theory. The course also looks into the history of the discipline itself by way of reading primary texts written by art historians and thinkers whose thoughts and writings, in one way or another, have shaped the discipline of art history. We will also consider responses from non-Western scholars to the predominantly Western narratives that are at the center of the field.
Image: installation view of Pipilotti Rist's Pixel Forest exhibition, 2016-17.
New Museum, New York.
2017 – 2018
The Global Art World and Its Margins
Spring 2018
Rhode Island School of Design
The promise of globalization to democratize the art world and decrease the gap between canonic centers of art and their peripheries appears today to be no more than an empty pledge. As the art historian Joaquin Barriendos argues, the inclusion of non-Western regions in the Western canons of art and art history has proven incapable of destabilizing the hegemonic positions which Western institutions, as arbitrators of contemporary art, comfortably occupy. This course examines a range of critical responses to globalization in the art world from the mid-1980s to the present offered from a variety of perspectives informed by debates in Marxism, Postcolonialism, Feminism, Anti-colonialism, Nationalism, etc. The goal of this course is first of all to think critically about the relation between Western centers of art and art historical knowledge production and contemporary art located at the margins of Western Europe and North America through an attempt to trace the origins and development of the period known as the age of globalization. We will also explore works of art and curatorial practices that perform critiques of the limits of cross-cultural exchange in the global art world.
Image: still from Zarina Bhimji, Yellow Patch, 2011.
35mm color film, single screen installation.
Art of the Islamic World
Spring 2018
hode Island School of Design
This course examines the history of art, architecture, and material culture of the Islamic world from the advent of Islam to the Mongol invasion of the city of Baghdad in 1258. It is organized around major themes that link the arts of the Islamic world together including the divine words of the Qur'an, royal patronage, geometric and vegetative motifs, religious and secular identities, cross-cultural exchange, figural representation, and aniconism, etc. We will focus primarily on architecture, illuminated manuscripts, calligraphy, and the art of the object, including ceramics, glass, metalwork, wood, ivory, jewelry, and textiles
Image: The Great Mosque of Damascus (Umayyad Mosque), 705–715 CE.
Modern and Contemporary Art of Iran
Fall 2017
Rhode Island School of Design
This course explores developments in the arts of modern and contemporary Iran and their reception in the West by way of a broad introduction to the discourses of artistic production and criticism in Iran and issues of cross-cultural encounter and interpretation. It begins with a historical survey and a review of important movements, significant historical events and their influences on the art production, and significant theoretical issues that appertain to what we have come to know as the "global art world." It then takes up specific themes and studies those through the reading of primary texts and analysis of artworks alongside exploring the lexicon of Western media when writing about Iran's visual cultures and art. The central goals of the course will be to think critically about the relation between history and cultural representation, to examine different Iranian aesthetic traditions and their reception in the West, and to consider the present state of art production and reception in the age of globalization from the margins.
Image: detail from installation view of Shirin Neshat's The Book of Kings at Faurschou Foundation, Beijing.
© Photograph: Jonathan Leijonhufvud, 2013.
2016 – 2017
Contemporary Civilization
2016 – 2017
Columbia University
In Fall 2016, I began teaching Contemporary Civilization. Created in 1919 as a course on War and Peace Issues, Contemporary Civilization, which is the oldest course taught through Columbia's Core Curriculum, offers an overview of some of the text that were, and continue to be, most influential in the formation of Western civilization and thought.
During my 1-year tenure as a Contemporary Civilization preceptor, I introduced to my class the larger epistemic arch of "absent voices." This allowed us to accentuate Western thought's significant reliance on the exclusion of minorities of race, gender, ethnicity, and religion in its formation of the modern subject. I included selections from Gramsci's Prison Notebooks, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak's "Can the Subaltern Speak?" Cary Wolfe's Zoontologies: The Question of the Animal, and Michael Marder's Plant-Thinking: A Philosophy of Vegetal Life to my syllabus in order address those constituencies absent from our philosophical imaginations of the subject, the citizen, and the state.
Image: detail view of Daniel Chester French's Alma Mater sculpture at Columbia University, New York.


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Review: L'Oreal HIP eyeliners VS Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliners
As requested (by kate yeo & amyrleex), I have decided to do a budge proof test on L'Oreal HIP color chrome eyeliners (CLICK HERE for more swatches of the HIP line coming to Singapore!). The first thing that came to my mind when I sawthese L'Oreal HIP eyeliners were Urban decay 24/7 glide on eyeliners. Similar to UD eyeliners, the HIP eyeliners are soft too. If I were to compare, HIP eyeliners are softer to UD eyeliners. Hmmm…I better do a table for a clearer comparison:
When I first apply the eyeliners:
From this picture, you can see that the HIP eyeliners seems to be more pigmented than the UD eyeliners. In fact, the UD eyeliner in zero seems to be lacking the pigmentation among the bunch. For all eyeliners, I swatch with similar pressure and equal number of strokes.
Now under running tap water:
One swipe of the finger when my arm is still wet:
You can see that the UD eyeliners smudge quite badly. The L'Oreal eyeliner did smudge a bit but it is barely noticeable.
Re-applied again, now dry with one swipe of the finger on the bottom part of the swatches upon application:
After 3 hours, another swipe of finger on top part of the swatches:
After another 3 hours, with constant rubbing:
Conclusion: I always thought that the UD eyeliners would be the clear winner but I guess I was wrong? The fact that the L'Oreal eyeliners are softer than UD but still pass the budge proof test shows that the eyeliners are awesome products! However, we must give credit to Urban decay for having a huge variety of colours for us to choose from!
Thanks for reading ~
Swatches are from urbandecay.com and drugstore.com


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Provided by: ubuntu-defaults-builder_0.57_all
ubuntu-defaults-template - create skeleton defaults customization package
ubuntu-defaults-template [ --quiet ] packagename
The ubuntu-defaults-builder project allows you to easily create a "default settings" package for Ubuntu and then build a customized image with it. The main purpose for this is to provide a standard and safe way to create localized Ubuntu images, or OEM custom projects. The ubuntu-defaults-template script will generate a source package with the customizable settings (e. g. desktop/background.jpg and webbrowser/bookmarks-menu.txt). When built and installed, it will take the necessary actions to modify the system-wide defaults for desktops, programs, etc. The first step is to call ubuntu-defaults-template with the target package name as an argument, for example "ubuntu-defaults-french" or "mockbuntu-default-settings". This will create a source package with the given name in the current directory, with a set of (disabled) example configuration files, and a standard debian/ packaging (using mostly dh_ubuntu_defaults). Then you customize the individual configuration files like webbrowser/bookmarks-menu.txt or unity/launchers.txt to your needs, and then run dpkg-buildpackage(1) to build the source and binary packages. Once you install the generated .deb, new users will from then on use the new default settings. After you have done this, you can build installation images using ubuntu-defaults-image(1).
At present you can change the following defaults: · Desktop background image (desktop/background.jpg) · Additional .desktop files (desktop/*.desktop, particularly useful to provide launchers for web applications) · Default desktop session in login managers (desktop/default-session.txt) Supports LightDM and GDM right now. · Default applications (desktop/default-applications.txt) · Webbrowser start page (webbrowser/startpage.txt) · Additional Webbrowser bookmarks in the Menu and in the Toolbar (webbrowser/bookmarks- menu.txt and webbrowser/bookmarks-toolbar.txt) · Webbrowser default search engine (webbrowser/searchengine.txt) · Radio stations in Rhythmbox and Banshee (multimedia/radiostations.txt) · Additional launchers in Unity and Unity 2d (unity/launchers.txt). · Internationalization support (i18n/language.txt, i18n/langpacks.txt, i18n/keyboard.txt) · Additional icons (icons/, *.jpg, *.png, or *.svg, in the directory hierarchy given in /usr/share/icons/hicolor/) · Extra packages (depends.txt and recommends.txt) Except for desktop/background.jpg, all configuration files are simple text files with one entry per line. Lines which start with '#' are ignored and can be used for comments. Each configuration file has comments which document the format and give some example entries.
All configuration files can contain macro variables which will be expanded when building the defaults package. At present, these variables are known: · ${distro_release_number} The release number of the Ubuntu release the package is built on. E. g. "11.04". · ${distro_release_name} The release code name of the Ubuntu release the package is built on. E. g. "lucid". Unknown variables will abort the package build, to avoid unexpected results.
You can run the /usr/share/doc/ubuntu-defaults-builder/examples/make-example to build an "defaults-builder-test" defaults package in the current directory, which will exercise all possible customizations by uncommenting the examples from the configuration files.
dh_ubuntu_defaults(1), ubuntu-defaults-image(1) /usr/share/doc/ubuntu-defaults-builder/examples/make-example https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DesktopTeam/Specs/Oneiric/LocalizedCDImageTools


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To be able to grasp the substance of the music itself is to be willing to begin a never-ending search. The task of the performing musician, then, is not to express or interpret the music as such, but to aim to become part of it. It is almost as if the interpretation of the musical text creates for itself a subtext that develops, substantiates, varies and contrasts the actual text. The subtext is inherent in the score and is itself boundless; it results from a dialogue between the performer and the score, and its richness is determined by the curiosity of the performer.Barenboim is, of course, writing from the standpoint of a solo musician (like a pianist, which he is) and a conductor (which he also is). There is another full set of elements that come into play when the members of a group of musicians add their own subjective and often un-uttered versions of a musical subtext. Musicians all have different reactions to form, dynamics, and harmonic changes, and they all have technical concerns. Everyone has to consider the difficulty of particular passages, and everyone has places in the music where they need to blend, and places when they need to come to the musical foreground. There are also concerns with intonation, counting accurately, and playing the desired articulations with the desired degree of comfort.
Perhaps the only constant in any given performance or reading is the unchanging role of the (usually dead) composer. If the composer is alive s/he would probably prefer to play a constant and unchanging role in a performance too, and simply be a fly on the wall. At least I feel that way. I believe that a composer's responsibility for making choices, sub-textual and otherwise, ends when a piece of music is played "in the flesh."


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Olive Oil Plum Cake
Did you know you can create a healthy Valentine's day (or any day) treat with Olive Oil? This Olive Oil Plum Cake is delicious and nutritious. In fat, most cakes can be swapped to a healthier version by utilizing olive oil instead of butter – check out our recent blog for a go to guide on how to swap butter for EVOL!
NOTE: You could swap regular flour for Coconut Flour for a Gluten Free treat. This goes great as a coffee cake!
You'll need:
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 3/4 up all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 pound firm plums or pluots, sliced
- 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw)
To Bake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9-inch springform pan or a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Line with parchment and lightly butter the parchment. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
- Place the butter in a stand mixer and beat at medium speed until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the olive oil and beat at medium speed for 1 minute, until the mixture is smooth. Scrape down the bowl and beater. Add the sugar and beat at medium speed for 1 minute. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl and beaters between each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extract and beat for 2 minutes at medium speed, until the mixture is very light.
- Turn the speed to low and slowly add the flour. Beat just until incorporated.
- Scrape the batter into the pan and spread it out evenly using an offset spatula. Arrange the plums on top in concentric circles, pressing them down into the batter.
- Bake the cake for about 40 to 45 minutes, until the edges of the plums are beginning to color and a tester comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes on a rack before releasing the sides of the springform or tart pan. Then let it cool completely before slicing.
We found this recipe on New York Time's Cooking (So, you know it's good), but there are so many great variations – if you find a swap you love – let us know!


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If you like life off the beaten track, South West France is the region for you. Dotted sporadically between the southern borders of Bordeaux and the western Pyrénées, this eclectic collection of sub-regions is still relatively unknown and represents an exciting land of discovery for the intrepid wine explorer.
Whilst we don't want to ruin the mystery...... head to Bergerac for exceptional value Bordeaux-style red and white blends, Jurançon, Côtes de Gascogne, and Gaillac for some of France's best value dry whites from local varieties, and Cahors, Madiran and Fronton for powerhouse reds from native varieties Malbec, Tannat and Negrette, with tannin levels that aren't for the faint hearted but are increasingly tamed into ripe silkiness.
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Nothing is better on a cold rainy Portland day than raw "comfort food".
Below is a favorite in my house.
At the time of this photo the cake had only been on the trays for 30 min. Upon completion, they form yummy crunchy edges and the fresh corn gives them a kick.
4 C frozen or fresh Corn
2 Green Onions
1 3/4 C Zucchini
2 Cloves Garlic
1/2 t Fine Pink Himalayan or Celtic Sea Salt
1/2 t Ground Pepper
1/2 t Mustard Powder
1/2 t Nutritional Yeast
1/2 C Flax Meal
Place Zucchini in the food processor and use the shred/ grate blade attachment and set aside the 2 Cups in a large bowl.
Use fresh or frozen Organic Corn, whichever is available to you. Take 2 Cups of Corn, 1/2 Cup of Zucchini, Garlic, Salt, Nutritional Yeast and Ground Pepper, blend well in food processor.
Take the 1/2 Cup of Flax Meal and slowly add to mixture blending well.
Transfer mixture to the 2 Cups of whole Corn , 1/2 Cup of Zucchini chopped Green Onions, mix by hand.
I use a large ice cream scoop to make uniformed patties and then pat down to your desired thickness.
Dehydrate for 4 to 6 hours at 105 degrees. Once done you could top it with your favorite raw sauce. I like to top my Garlic Cakes with a Raw Chive & Sour Cream sauce.


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Picturing the Proletariat : Artists and Labor in Revolutionary Mexico, 1908-1940 Hardback
by John Lear
Winner, Thomas McGann Memorial Prize, Rocky Mountain Council on Latin American Studies, 2017Runner-up, Humanities Book Prize, Mexico Section of the Latin American Studies Association, 2018In the wake of Mexico's revolution, artists played a fundamental role in constructing a national identity centered on working people and were hailed for their contributions to modern art.
Picturing the Proletariat examines three aspects of this artistic legacy: the parallel paths of organized labor and artists' collectives, the relations among these groups and the state, and visual narratives of the worker.
Showcasing forgotten works and neglected media, John Lear explores how artists and labor unions participated in a cycle of revolutionary transformation from 1908 through the presidency of Lazaro Cardenas (1934-1940).
Lear shows how middle-class artists, radicalized by the revolution and the Communist Party, fortified the legacy of the prerevolutionary print artisan Jose Guadalupe Posada by incorporating modernist, avant-garde, and nationalist elements in ways that supported and challenged unions and the state.
By 1940, the state undermined the autonomy of radical artists and unions, while preserving the image of both as partners of the "institutionalized revolution."This interdisciplinary book explores the gendered representations of workers; the interplay of prints, photographs, and murals in journals, in posters, and on walls; the role of labor leaders; and the discursive impact of the Spanish Civil War.
It considers "los tres grandes"-Rivera, Siquieros, and Orozco-while featuring lesser-known artists and their collectives, including Saturnino Herran, Leopoldo Mendez, Santos Balmori, and the League of Revolutionary Writers and Artists (LEAR).
The result is a new perspective on the art and politics of the revolution.
- Format: Hardback
- Pages: 390 pages
- Publisher: University of Texas Press
- Publication Date: 10/01/2017
- Category: Art & design styles: c 1900 to c 1960
Other Formats
- Paperback / softback from £19.45
Free Home Delivery
on all orders
Pick up orders
from local bookshops
Also by John Lear


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HCL Technologies
Arindam Sen is part of the Manufacturing and HiTech Solutions team at HCL Technologies Ltd. His focus is to devise solutions, IPs, and frameworks to address business problems of customers in this vertical. Arindam is a seasoned professional with 19 years of global experience of which 15 years were in Information Technology and four in Production Operations and Supply Chain Management. He has extensive experience in ERP Consulting including Business Strategy and Planning, Product Selection, Solution Building, Competency Development, and Program Management. And he loves to write about Manufacturing, Industries, Manufacturing Supply Chain, Digital Supply Chain, S&OP. Arindam holds a Master's Degree in Management from Asian Institute of Management (AIM), Manila. He is also a CSCP (Certified Supply Chain Professional) from APICS, USA. He completed his Master of Engineering in Production Management and Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering.


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Declan Bogue: Brand new world that's full of corporate waffle
It was Paul Galvin's column over the weekend that sent us over the edge.
First off, a disclaimer. It's not Galvin's fault.
For a man who insists - unlike many - in writing his own column, he has been a sparkling addition to the numerous recently-retired players to offer forward his views on Gaelic games and the general state of the nation.
From the first paragraph, he put me on the back foot by referencing Dublin's 'team personality.'
There was a mention of their ability to 'crisis-manage' at which point I elicited a shudder. Around the half-way mark, he went into overdrive on the whole 'brand' thing. On Dublin dragging the GAA into a whole new world, he 'watched their brand activity these last few weeks.'
Then, 'there is no end to the demand from brands for the Brogans, the McCarthys…'
Mossy Quinn, the former elusive corner-forward, is the commercial manager with the county board and he was commended for 'managing the Dublin brand', which in its own way gives 'players optimum conditions to perform.'
He's not done yet.
'This kind of all-encompassing approach to protecting and leveraging the brand…'
'…preparation and performance and maintaining brand position…'
And then we had 'Will Dublin's brand recruit again?'
On the subject of their vanquished semi-final opponents, 'The question I'd be asking is how best can Kerry build, grow and leverage their brand…while becoming more and more self-sufficient.'
And the kicker; 'What is our mission statement for the future?'
Ah here. I can take chat of brands, but I once spent two full hours in a meeting with the heads of a company trying to tease out what our 'mission statement' was. And as soon as we had it, we were told, everything else would fall into place if we stayed true to the mission statement. Aye, right.
It's not fair to pick on Galvin for this. He is a businessman who probably ploughs through dozens of business manuals - and your reading always informs your writing.
However, this corporate bull is spreading like wildfire in the overall conversations around the GAA. Dropping in references to 'corporate governance' and 'best practise' sorts the Johnny-come-latelies from the veteran committee members.
It has spread from the boardrooms to the fields of play.
True story. A couple of weeks after an Ulster county were beaten this year in their underage competition, one of their selectors was giving a local journalist a steer on his thoughts.
He simply couldn't believe that they had been beaten because, in his own words, 'All the Key Performance Indicators' were in their favour.
This is the way of things now. 'Best Practise' and all that. What it really amounts to is pampering teams by accepting all the responsibility and then hiding them from the wider world.
The managers might term this along the lines of removing 'the variables.' But you have to wonder what harm this is doing to the perspective of players.
This week, the great Donegal and Gaoth Dobhair player Kevin Cassidy called his playing days to a halt after 18 seasons.
For years, he was an accessible and friendly player who had a backstory and a warm welcome. The type of player who one journalist said 'would answer the phone on Christmas Day and give you ten minutes on the record, before half an hour chat.'
Free-thinkers like Cassidy came along at a more carefree time. During his career, that changed. He wasn't terrified into toeing the line and he made his own decisions. One of them, naturally, led to his exclusion from the Donegal squad when he co-operated with a book I wrote many, many moons ago.
You could get anything out of Cassidy, but you never got cliché.
At a time when coverage of the games has slid into a rut of generic quotes and interviews only granted on the basis of promoting a product, Cassidy is already a relic of a time when Gaelic athletes were encouraged to have their own minds, instead of dipping into the corporate handbook.
Belfast Telegraph


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Have you ever touched a surface that felt a little sticky or dirty, and then been unable to fully relax until you washed your hands or used a hand cleanser?
Sweet Basil essential oil knows the feeling!
For Sweet Basil, cleanliness and peace of mind tend to go hand in hand. It's good at both inspiring mental clarity and helping to reduce germs so you feel healthy. You can make a hand cleanser with aloe vera gel and Sweet Basil essential oil that accomplishes both of these things, and use it anytime, anywhere. You don't have to run and find the nearest sink!
This recipe also includes Tea Tree and Clary Sage essential oils. It has a clean, fresh, herbal scent.
Sweet Basil's Super Fresh Hand Cleanser
- 1 oz (28 g) aloe vera gel (Aloe barbadensis)
- 6 drops Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum linalol)
- 9 drops Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)
- 3 drops Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea)
Make this blend in a 1 oz (30 ml) bottle. Combine the aloe and essential oils, shake well, and use a small amount to rub into your hands and cleanse them, even when you don't have a sink and soap nearby.
Aloe-based hand cleanser is so convenient, and it doesn't tend to dry out skin as much as alcohol-based cleansers can. You can even make a version of this blend for kids—it's very easy for children who are over five years old to use, and can help them stay healthy at school or daycare.
Here's a version with a low kid-friendly drop count:
- 1 oz (28 g) aloe vera gel (Aloe barbadensis)
- 2 drops Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum linalol)
- 3 drops Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)
- 1 drop Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea)
Once you've made your first aloe-based hand cleanser, you might get inspired and want to make more!
This essential oil hand cleanser uses skin-nourishing ingredients, including aloe vera gel, so it's gentler than alcohol-based hand sanitizers you can find in stores.
I know a lot of parents and caretakers who are big fans of this hand cleanser. They like that it's natural and that kids can keep it with them and use it on their own without having to ask a grown-up. It's so empowering for kids and it helps keep their hands clean—a great combination!
This recipe is just right for kids who are at least five years old. You can make it in a 2 oz (60 ml) PET plastic bottle, which is small enough to fit in a child's backpack or bag without taking up too much space. The PET plastic is very strong and won't break with rough use. (PET plastic is known as a non-reactive plastic that doesn't leach. In cases where glass isn't ideal, PET plastic is a good choice.)
My Hands Are Clean!
- Just under 2 oz (60 ml) Aloe vera gel (Aloe barbadensis)
- 2 ml Solubol dispersant
- 4 drops Tea Tree essential oil (Melaleuca alternifolia)
- 4 drops Lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia)
- 2 drops Cedarwood essential oil (Juniperus virginiana)
To make it, combine all the ingredients together in the PET plastic bottle. Screw on the lid and shake it gently.
To use it, just spray some essential oil hand cleanser into your palm, and rub your hands together. It feels so good when your skin is dry! I like to use my aloe-based hand cleansers as moisturizers too. (I love that so many Aromatherapy products we can make have multiple uses!)
For kids younger than five, or if you don't want to use essential oils, you can make a hand cleanser with pure hydrosols.
My Little Hands Are Clean Too!
- 1 oz (30 ml) Peppermint hydrosol (Mentha x piperita)
- 1 oz (30 ml) Lavender hydrosol (Lavandula angustifolia)
This one doesn't double as a hand moisturizer . . . but it can double as a surface cleaner in a pinch! It's great to have "on hand" (haha!) when you're eating at a restaurant and want to wipe down the table top.
There are different approaches to using essential oils with little children. The Aromahead Approach for kids under five is extra cautious. For topical use, we prefer to use hydrosols, butters and carrier oils.
Babies' and young children's skin can be so sensitive that essential oils can easily become overwhelming for them. Hydrosols, butters, and carrier oils can often give a child the nudge they need toward rebalancing their health
I recommend making these blends fresh every few weeks.