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In my misspent youth, an old fraud in a punched-out cowboy hat lured the hicks into his carnival sideshow with this pitch: "Shake the hand of the man who shook the hand of Buffalo Bill Cody."
Having never shaken the hand of the man who may have shaken the old Wild West showman's hand (presumably, never washed), we cannot relate whatever enrichment the experience may have provided. But the concept has merit, especially in our dislocated age.
Where lesser lights sense exploitation, your Humble Squire smells opportunity! And a quick buck!
The Blaska Policy Werkes is on task to repurpose one of Madame Brenda's tiny homeless houses (there's a contradiction, if ever!). Park it on the Square. In an endless loop, a tinny loudspeaker squawks: "Step right up, folks. Don't be bashful. Shake the hand of a real, honest-to-gosh conservative!"
Having paid their sawbuck, the curious will note Milton Friedman's Free to Choose on the bookshelf, and assorted issues of National Review, 4-Wheel and Off-Road magazine, and the NRA's Rifleman. And a Bible.
Fox News plays on the flat-screen TV. A crucifix hangs from the wall. A bottle of J. Henry bourbon stands at the ready. A little Dave Brubeck burbles from the stereo speakers, alternating with some Del McCoury and Led Zep.
An LED track spotlight highlights your real-life conservative. He is lounging in a leather easy chair, wearing relaxed fit Dockers, a Badger sweatshirt, and a Harley Davidson baseball cap.
"Don't be afraid, my little snow flake," he soothes. "Come on ahead."
The Madison liberal is shocked. S/he was expecting empty beer bottles, Velvet Elvis on the wall, manure on the boots, tobacco juice on the chin, missing teeth. Dogs under the porch and a Klan hood. Perhaps a Koch brother in the corner, hideous to behold! The smell of sulphur.
But the tiny house conservative (they work shifts, like department store Santas) differs little in appearance from the typical habitué of a Monroe Street coffee shop. Except that he is as likely to own a Ruger LCR as an Apple laptop.
"What do you say?" the conservative prompts his timid visitor, in perfectly good English. (Why, he is not missing a single tooth!) Mother of all shocks, conservative Santa isn't angry! He's actually friendly!
"Want to talk education reform? Personal responsibility? Men in the ladies' room?"
With that, the Madison liberal-progressive-socialist covers his ears and runs off shrieking to the safe space of the Capitol Sing-along.
Congressman Sean Duffy, R-Trumpkinville, has taken some righteous umbrage for calling our fair Madison a Bolshevik redoubt. Our Mayor for Life is particularly aggrieved that the U.S. Rep missed the subtle nuances implicit in that proud day when Paul Soglin pressed the keys to this city into the cold dead hands of El Jefe, the Cuban dictator. (Time to change the locks.)
At the great University, gangs of sociology majors attempt to impose the heckler's veto on conservative speakers. At small Edgewood College, a tiny Post-it sticky note suggesting scholars accommodate themselves to the verdict of November 8 provokes a Def-Con One alert.
In city council chambers, police are blamed for defending themselves against attack and arresting too many criminals. In the cube farms of state government, workers who deviate from pure blue keep their heads down and their opinions to themselves.
Aside from Miss Vicki, Mitch on occasion, and Yours Truly, you're more likely to hear Hmong hymns than the conservative voice in Mad-Town.
When the city's self-described "progressive voice" tries to explain Trump voters, it consults university professors — having never actually encountered one, apparently. Editor Paul Fanlund writes that these boobs are "angry white people out there." (Dig the locution: "out there!") Resuming the quote, they are "men mostly. Guys who lacked education … victims of clever Republican messaging."
Nicholas Kristof in the New York Times:
"We liberals are adept at pointing out the hypocrisies of Trump, but we should also address our own hypocrisy in terrain we govern, such as most universities: Too often, we embrace diversity of all kinds except for ideological. Repeated studies have found that about 10% of professors in the social sciences or the humanities are Republicans.
"We champion tolerance, except for conservatives and evangelical Christians. We want to be inclusive of people who don't look like us — so long as they think like us.
"I fear that liberal outrage at Trump's presidency will exacerbate the problem of liberal echo chambers, by creating a more hostile environment for conservatives and evangelicals."
Understanding the Boobouisie 101
Fanlund cites a Berkley professor [!] to explain the working class. "[She] explains that the white working class generally resents highly educated professionals, often liberal-learning, because they resemble managers who hassle them at work every day."
"Trump promises a return to an era 'when men were men and women knew their place.'" as Fanlund quotes her.
Yeah, right. Archie Bunker stifling Edith. Stereotypes — where would our … acquaintances be without them? Aside from the casual insults, what is striking is the utter unfamiliarity with working people.
Besides, how many HVAC installers, backhoe operators, dairy farmers, over-the-road truckers have college-educated dispatchers "hassling them at work every day"?
"I suspect many Democrats recognize they need to be less defined by identity politics even as they continue to fight racism, sexism, homophobia and xenophobia."
Proving even that as he decries that old demon rum of identity politics, Paul can't resist taking another swig from the jug.
Y'know, Paul, it might help if you actually spoke to some conservatives and/or Trump voters instead of other liberals, progressives, and socialists who think they've uncovered the Rosetta stone.


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Gardening is enjoyed by millions of people from all around the world. While gardening can be very relaxing, it is also a form of exercise, and there are certain tools that will make the exercise more efficient and the work more fun. Gardening also means that there are some times when you will be in need of garden pruning tools to keep your garden looking great. To prune means to cut short a branch or any part of a plant. Garden pruning tools are one of the most basic tools that are required to keep the garden looking and growing beautifully.
As you may have guessed, garden pruning tools come in all different shapes and sizes. There are long reach garden pruning tools for hard to reach places and there are also garden pruning tools that resemble scissors. Hedge and grass shears may also be considered pruning tools.
Long Reach Garden Pruning Tools
Long reaching garden pruning tools are made specifically for reaching places that are out of the reach of a common person, such as higher plants and such. If you use these long reach tools, you might not need the use of a ladder to prune your small trees. The average length of a long reach pruning tool adds around three feet of length to the garden implement. If you have plants that grow quite high, you may be in need of this type of garden pruning tool.
In addition, there are garden pruning tools that are attached to poles to enable gardeners to reach the top of most average trees. These are the extreme in long reach pruners. The device might be a saw or clippers and by pulling an attached rope or wire, it prunes topmost branches and twigs and is usually very effective.
Scissor-like Garden Pruning Tools
You have to think about what you will be pruning before you buy, as some garden pruning tools will not be able to cut through some items. For instance, larger branches will require the use of a saw. The appearance of most handheld manual pruners is usually scissor-like and may be able to cut through some smaller branches. Although their function is similar to scissors, the mechanism that drives these garden pruning tools is different enabling you to cut through garden elements.
Another form of gardening pruning tools is the saw. The manual saws function by cutting branches or plants that are in need of trimming or pruning. Some saws are also used to cut down small trees and branches. Take care when using saws.

subset: commoncrawl


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Type: Parkland Length: 6247 Par: 72 Telephone: 01208 864601
.The Point sits just above the Camel Estuary on the North Cornish Coast, a mile from St Enodoc/Rock. The golf course came under new ownership 5 years ago and has seen dramatic changes. There has been an ongoing redesign of the course under the guidance of architect Tim Lobb, with over half the holes seeing huge improvements. New tees and bunkers on a number of holes as well as enhanced definition on the fairways. The rough has been cut back and sprayed to enable the fescues to thrive and the pace of play improve. The course is a real challenge for golfers of all standards and plays just short of 6300 yards off the back tees. Another feature of the continued investment has been the enormous improvement in the greens, now considered to be among the best in Cornwall. 2017 will see the opening of a brand enlarged new bar with a stunning terrace overlooking the 9th and 18th greens, together with a new balcony outside the restaurant to make the most of the views. The new apartments completed in 2015 have proven a huge success for visitors, who can also take advantage of the Health Club. The Point is home to a thriving members Club which welcomes visitors and societies from all over the Country.
Weekday: Round Ticket - £££
Weekday: Day Ticket - £££
Weekend: Round Ticket - £££
Weekend: Day Ticket - £££
Green Fee Key - £1-£15=£ £16-£30 = ££ £31-£50 = £££ £50+ =££££
From Wadebridge: Take the B3314 from Wadebridge and follow this road for 4 miles. Brown signs showing The Point At Polzeath will become visible. Stay on the B3314 until you see the turning for Polzeath. Follow this road until you reach Carraun Farm Shop and turn left here. The entrance is approximately 200 metres on the right. From Polzeath: Follow the hill up from Polzeath, signposted towards Wadebridge. Turn right when you see Carraun Farm Shop.
Website: www.thepointatpolzeath.co.ukEmail: email@example.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepointatpolzeath
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PointatPolzeath
Trolley Hire
Club Hire
Shower Available
Changing Rooms
Driving Range
Putting Area
Buggy Hire
Tuition Available
Conference Facilities
Corporate Golf
Event Management
Society Golf
On Course Accommodation Available
Leisure Facilities
Read the latest issue of UK Club Golfer online


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Mainstream consumers enter the HDTV market, Greeson says
New research from The Diffusion Group indicates the next six months will likely see the end of the early adopter phase of the HDTV market and the beginning of the mainstream, mass-market adoption of HDTVs.
According to the research, up to a third on non-HD households in the United States are interested in buying an HDTV set in the next six months. Dubbed "HDTV intenders" by the research organization, this group differs from the first to own HD sets when it comes to household income, age and race, and reflects the mainstream market for electronics.
The implications of this shift extend beyond set sales, however. A mainstreaming of the market also will impact the battle between Blu-ray and HD-DVD players, according to the research firm.
This week, HD Technology Update speaks with Michael Greeson, president and principal analyst of The Diffusion Group, about the findings and what they say about where the HD market is headed.
HD Technology Update: HDTV intenders that you identify vary widely from current HDTV owners. How do they differ, and why are these differences beginning to show up now?
Michael Greeson: They differ in terms of some key demographic characteristics. For example, they tend to have lower annual household incomes, are more ethnically diverse and tend to be single. As a researcher, you recognize these types of demographic trends as indicative of a shift in the buying segment, in this case the shift from early adopters to more mainstream consumers.
HD Technology Update: What did you find among this group as relates to the strength of HD-DVD versus Blu-ray in your findings?
Michael Greeson: Among those interested in buying a new HD DVD player, 43 percent express a preference for HD-DVD compared to 20 percent who express a preference for Blu-ray. But what's really important is that 30 percent remain undecided, and this 30 percent can move the market toward one format and away from another and tip the market.
Why do more people express a preference for HD-DVD? For one, consumers who don't know a great deal about HD technology but still want to buy an HD player may be leaning toward names that seem more familiar. Prima fascia, the "Blu-ray" name doesn't say "high-definition DVD" to the ordinary consumer. HD-DVD, on the other hand, says it's a high-definition DVD. Little things like product names may pull the unsophisticated buyer toward HD-DVD. This has nothing to do with technological superiority — sometimes it's all in a name.
HD Technology Update: What role does the relative price advantage of HD-DVD over Blu-ray players have in your findings?
Michael Greeson: I think it has played and will play a very strong role. Early mass-market consumers are going to be much more pragmatic in how they approach this type of purchase. They are much less likely to be driven by the novelty of the technology, its "coolness." They tend to wait for proof of concept and the prices to come down, many of the same reasons so many consumers have yet to purchase an HDTV. And both camps are aware of this.
HD-DVD has certainly been able to leverage price to its advantage, recently rolling out sub $200 players and generating much-improved sales. At that time, the lowest priced Blu-ray-enabled player was a PS3 at $399, and those not wanting a game console would have to pay close to $500 for a standalone Blu-ray player. Of course, Amazon is now listing a Samsung player at around $270, so the Blu-ray camp is well aware of the importance of getting prices down as quickly as possible. They have, however, failed to do so as quickly as HD-DVD has been able to do.
HD Technology Update: How does the game market (Microsoft Xbox with optional HD-DVD and Sony Playstation 3 with Blu-ray) fit into your model of the HD DVD market?
Michael Greeson: We include these platforms in our analysis in large part because the industry does. For example, some of the latest sales numbers show that you have approximately 2.7 million Blu-ray players in use in U.S. households, about 2 million of which are PS3s, begging the question as to how many PS3 owners are using these consoles to watch Blu-ray movies. Our research shows that about 40 percent of next-generation game console owners use these platforms to watch high-def DVDs, a sizable percentage but certainly not the 100 percent that is assumed for usage calculations. Xbox HD-DVD add-ons are a different story. The 269,000 consumers who have purchased these devices are using them to watch DVDs — that's all they're good for.
HD Technology Update: How does VOD and broadband Internet delivery of video content impact this battle between HD-DVD and Blu-ray to dominate the HD home entertainment experience? Do those and other similar factors make the high-def DVD format battle irrelevant?
Michael Greeson: That's a very good question. VOD has been around for several years but has been slow to mature. Only now are we starting to see cable operators build up their VOD movie libraries. Even with cable VOD in full swing, it is still unclear how this will impact DVD sales. VOD is a rental medium and many consumers who will rent the movie on VOD will still buy the DVD.
You're also starting to see HD content float out into over-the-top video services like VuDu, a new on-demand movie service that uses a broadband-connected set-top box to push movies to the TV. Users must spend $399 upfront for the set-top box, after which they can rent or purchase movie downloads to view on their TV. VuDu is now adding HD content. Just last week, "The Bourne Ultimatum" was released on VuDu the very same day it was released on DVD, a critical tipping point for over-the-top. VuDu doesn't allow you to rent this title, but you can buy the download. After a specific period of time elapses, consumers will be able to rent the movie, an arrangement that gives the studios an opportunity to sell full-priced downloads through the service before they begin rental.
When will these services reach critical mass? That's going to take several years, meaning there is a window of opportunity for high-def DVD to take hold before the digital download model gets a foothold in the mainstream market. But if the format war isn't resolved soon and consumers chose to stay with regular DVD, this window may close before high-def DVDs get a foothold — that's the concern.
HD Technology Update: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Michael Greeson: Unless there is some earth-shattering news in this space, like Warner signing exclusively with HD-DVD or Blu-ray, this war is going to continue for another five or six quarters, early to mid-2009. The first to get their player prices down to the level of traditional DVD players will win out. In other words, the camp that best targets the needs of mainstream consumers will be the one left standing.
This is an important consideration. Too often people forget that the real competition is not between Blu-ray and HD-DVD, but between HD and regular DVD. Today, you can buy a DVD player for as little as $50 or an upconverter for $85 to $100, well below even the least expensive HD player at $199. As long as consumers continue to believe that their DVD experience is sufficient in terms of quality and pricing, they will not be motivated to move to HD, especially if the players are more expensive and the titles are two to three times more expensive.
Tell us what you think! HDTU invites response from our readers. Please submit your comments to email@example.com. We'll follow up with your comments in an upcoming issue.


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How I 'Fixed' My Dell Laptop's Power Issue
My main computer that I use is my Dell Inspiron 13 i7359 Convertible 2-in-1 Laptop that I purchased about a year ago, and it has performed very well since then. But two weeks ago I started having some issues. At first the computer started to tell me that the power adapter was not being recognized as an official Dell product and that it would not charge the battery since the power output could not be determined. This continued for a few days but I didn't really pay any attention to it since I usually use it plugged in anyways. But after a few days the laptop just stopped working at all. I couldn't get it to turn on or do anything at all. I tried everything I could think of and searched the internet for answers to no avail. I was thinking that the power supply was powering the computer fine but not charging it so it seemed like it was fine but short from sending my computer to Dell and see what they said and possibly pay for them to fix it, I don't know what I would do to fix the problem.
At this point I was at my wits end I decided to just go ahead and buy a new power adapter and try and see if it works. So I ordered one on Amazon for $40. And when it arrived, sure enough it worked and my laptop started up right away. I was so exstatic that I fixed the problem that I didn't even mind spending that $40.
So if you are having a similar problem with your dell computer, where it isn't turning on and you don't know why, it might be a good idea to go ahead and try a different power adapter. The reason is that Dell laptops require Dell OEM power supplies in order to function properly. If they don't detect that they have a proper power supply they won't charge, won't operate at full power, or possibly won't turn on at all. If you don't want to pay for a new power supply because you aren't sure it will fix it maybe you can try a different one that should work, maybe you can borrow one or use one at a store or repair shop. Try going to a store that sells computer, like Best Buy or Fry's Electronics, and bring in your computer and try to plug it in. Tell them that you bought it there and you want to try a new power supply before you try to return it or something like that. Or try to find a computer repair shop that has a proper Dell power supply that you could use. Tell them that you want to get your laptop fixed but you think that it might work with a new power supply and if it doesn't work you want them to diagnose and possibly fix it. That way if it does work you know that you just need a new power supply and if it doesn't maybe they will diagnose it for free and you can then decide if you want to pay to get it fixed or not.


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Sri Lanka to host Intex sourcing South Asian show in November
26 September 2016 – Intex South Asia, an international textile sourcing show of South Asian region will be held on November 16 -18, 2016 at the Sri Lanka Exhibition & Convention Centre in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Intex is South Asia's only international sourcing fair, showcasing the best in yarns, fabrics (apparel & denim), clothing accessories and allied services from across Asia and the World.
The exhibition brings together textile manufacturers and exporters of yarns, apparel fabrics and clothing accessories from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, China, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia and more.
The trade show is a one-stop sourcing platform to connect with fabric importers, distributors, garment exporters, garment manufacturers, buying houses and buying agents, local and international retail chains, departmental stores, apparel brands, fashion designers and merchandisers.
The Intex South Asia gives access into South Asia, which is not only the second largest garment manufacturing and exporting region in the world but also has a massive domestic market spurred by South Asia's 487 million fashion conscious youth with increasing disposable income and spending power.
The show delivers access to industry developments, networking opportunities and strategic initiatives with other global suppliers from across South Asia and the world to help expand industry and business, in one location, under one roof.


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Hello all. This is just quick post to encourage every Corona developer to consider entering the #ShipJam game jam.
The concept (a brainchild of Laura Tallardy and Eric Kinkead) is a simple one:
If you have at least one unfinished game / app / prototype, why not take some time and polish it up, then submit it before the end of the year.
The goal here is to ship something, not necessarily to ship something perfect. Like any thing else, the more practice you have at shipping products, but better (and faster) you will get at it.
As motivation, you can enter your submission to the #ShipJam and be eligible for prizes, accolades, and respect from your peers.
If you are like me, you probably have a huge bone-pile of partially finished work.
So, join Laura, Eric, Me, and all the others who will be shipping a game or app by the end of the year!


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Esko and Asahi are partnering to improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) in flexo platemaking through the combination of their respective technologies.
Stephan Doppelhammer, business development manager at Asahi Photoproducts Europe, explained: "In our fast-paced and rapidly evolving industry, efficiency, waste reduction and speed to market are critical. By partnering with Esko, we bring together solutions from two world-class companies to create a faster, more efficient and more consistent workflow in flexographic platemaking. Esko Equinox is ideal for converting separations to fixed palette printing, while Esko's Crystal technology reduces the number of platemaking steps required and is making the process more consistent. By adding Asahi's AWP water washable plates with Clean Transfer Technology to the mix, Asahi and Esko customers can take OEE to a brand new level of efficiency while boosting print quality and reducing their environmental footprint."
Gateway Packaging, one of the high-end printer and packaging converter, and one of the largest pet food packaging provider in North America, recently restructured its entire platemaking process with Asahi Photoproducts technology as the core element.
Tharrin Akers, the company's pre-press manager, commented: "When running the Asahi AWP Clean Transfer plates, we were able to run the press at a 17 percent higher speed – 1,640ft/min – and only had to stop for plate cleaning once. And that only required cleaning two plates, consuming 20 minutes. The result was a total production time of 7.2 hours instead of 11 hours in the past and an astonishing 53 percent improvement in OEE over our previous process."


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Excuses, Excuses…
Sorry I didn't stop by and chat on Friday, but the computer had the early morning doldrums and I didn't conquer until after 8:00am (If you look, you'll see I typically blog by 7:00am). I had a Dr. appt. in Louisville, and the blogging fell by the wayside. I wanted to mourn the WSJ article regarding Waterford-Wedgwood and their buyer problems. They are up for sale and no one is looking to buy. Yeow. All of our dishes and crystal are by this iconic company. David flipped out when I told him about the situation. All the plates, bowls, and crystal that were broken flashed before his eyes. "Order everything you need tomorrow before it's too late," he commanded. Alrighty then. I took inventory and order I did, plus more. I mean, the company could go under and what would we do? I took advantage, yes, I did. The boxes have arrived over the past 2 days. All is well in Wedgwood land, and the village of Waterford too. Yes, I ordered a bit of crystal to tide us over. Then yesterday happened, and I overslept. I couldn't blog because I was rushing to get to the office to do invoicing. The reason I'm blogging after 7 am today, is because I made several invoicing errors and got called to the office early to figure out the problems. I was bound and determined to blog today, so you're getting it now. Plus, does it really matter? No one reads this blog anyway.
The other thing I read last week on the Cooking Contests Central site was the announcement of my favorite contests: Betty Crocker, Martha White, and URS, season 3. I have great ideas for all, but I can't blog about them or post recipes yet. If I do, the recipes will be considered "published" and will be disqualified. However, I will give you a delicious cookie recipe from last year called Sticky Figgy Pudding Bars. Eat the bars warm while they are gooey. If you refrigerate them, don't worry, just pop in the microwave until warm. And, do as we did, take a large spoon and just scoop out big helpings and top with vanilla ice cream. Ridiculously delicious!
Sticky Figgy Pudding Bars
Serves: 8-10
1 17.5 oz pkg Betty Crocker "Sugar Cookie" cookie mix
1 stick (1/2 cup) softened butter
2 large eggs
2/3 cup hot water
1 TB instant coffee granules
1 cup dried mission figs, stems removed, chopped
1/2 cup chopped dried dates
1/2 cup chopped dried plums
OR, nix the dates and plums and add a cup more chopped figs
Sticky Sauce, recipe follows.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Pour hot water into a small bowl and add coffee granules; stir until dissolved. Add the figs, dates, and plums, stir. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Place butter in a medium bowl and beat with a hand-held mixer until fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs and beat well (mixture will look curdled).
On low speed, mix in Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix. Add fruit and any remaining liquid. Stir until combined.
Pour mixture into an ungreased 9 x 13 x 2 glass baking dish. Using a spatula, spread evenly in pan. Place in oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until top is puffed and a rich golden brown. While cookie bakes, prepare the sticky sauce. Remove dish from oven and using a skewer, poke holes evenly all over the top of the hot cookie. Brush the hot sticky sauce over the top until it seems the cookie no longer absorbs the sauce. Let cookie set for about 10 minutes before scooping out with a large spoon into an ice cream-lined dessert dish (scoop a couple balls of softened ice cream into a dessert dish. Depress ice cream all around the walls of the dish. Scoop warm cookie into the middle) Yummy.
Sticky Sauce:
6 TB (1/3 cup) softened butter
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Melt butter and sugar in a heavy small saucepan. Stir until sugar is dissolved and butter is bubbling. Stir in heavy cream and cinnamon. Raise heat to medium and bring to a boil. Stir well. Turn heat back to low and brush over hot cookie until cookie cannot absorb any additional sauce (I actually pour all the sauce over the top and let the cookie deal with it!).


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What a great three days we had this week as students put their plans into action, working hard to make their visions for their projects a reality. These three days are always the most impressive, as projects that seemed lofty suddenly become reality in front of your eyes, and students blow expectations out of the water. If there is one thing that has stayed true in all four Innovation Weeks we have run, it is that we don't challenge students they way they challenge themselves when given the opportunity.
After a weekend away from their projects, there was a great deal of energy in the building as the students got back down to work. Now because our students in Gr. 6 & 9 had to write Provincial Achievement Tests (PAT's – government exams in Alberta) during Innovation Week, we waited until after the tests were completed to start our days. Students had brought the vast majority of their supplies in and were laying them out and finalizing plans in their Innovation Rooms. It wasn't long before you heard the buzz of tools, the music from performance groups, and lots of conversation as groups worked together to get their projects underway.
After running three of these in the past couple years, our organizing committee was committed to improving the quality of learning, and we did so on two fronts. The first was incorporating a Design Thinking process that we learned from Ewan McIntosh (and he documents on his site here) and the other was improvements to our Proposal Forms. Spearheaded by Claudia Scanga and Katy Rogal, these forms had added spaces for feedback and reflection as well as better questions to help shape the process for students. They were photocopied on BRIGHT pink paper, and students were expected to have them at all times during the week (see in picture above). As I went around from room to room over these three days, I asked groups about their process, about their guiding question, and about how they met the criteria for the week, and the vast majority could all answer the questions I had for them, and I am quite certain it had a lot to do with our improved forms.
One thing I noticed when talking with students this time around was how much better our students were at managing the time, tackling projects that were achievable, and troubleshooting their own issues. In previous weeks this was definitely a struggle as students were not used to being on their own to guide their learning. We'd see groups choose projects too complex or too simple, we'd see groups struggle when they ran into difficulty, and we definitely saw groups have trouble with managing their own time. I am sure that most schools that would try Innovation Week would see similar issues their first couple times through, but I also see great power in the learning those difficulties provide. There is no doubt our students have learned from their adversity, or the adversity of others, and the improvements in this week are a testament to the three we have run before.
With 414 students participating, 81% of our eligible students (Gr. 9's couldn't participate due to PAT's), it meant we also had most of our teaching staff participating as well. It is a unique interaction for teacher and student as the teacher is not there to do any instruction, but to simply be a resource for support and guidance, and it is often with students from other grades or classes that they don't get a chance to work with. During the three working days, we had a lot of great feedback from teachers, with common themes including high quality projects, great work ethic and excited, focused learning.
As we wrapped up Day 4 on Wednesday, the prospect of the showcase and assembly the next day made for a lot of excited, and some nervous students as they prepared to share all their great work with family, friends, and visiting guests from our division. I'll post the Final Day reflection soon, so stay tuned to see how this great week finished up!


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This section contains 1,387 words
(approx. 4 pages at 400 words per page)
Section 2: Part 6 (pp. 182-195) Summary
This part begins with a present-set narration of a frightening night in which the narrator can no longer hear the sound of the sea. He calls out to Anna's spirit, asking why she isn't haunting him. He concludes by calling for his bottle (presumably his brandy bottle), which he describes as his baby's bottle, his soother.
The narrator then describes a morning with Miss Vavasour by the window, an uncomfortable morning in which the narrator comments on his discomfort and a bump on his head. He then describes the circumstances of the day before which led to his current situation. Colonel Blunden had been led to expect a visit from his daughter and her family, and the entire household was excited for him. When the family doesn't turn up, the Colonel masks his disappointment by retiring to...
(read more from the Section 2: Part 6 (pp. 182-195) Summary)
This section contains 1,387 words
(approx. 4 pages at 400 words per page)


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Leaving home Thursday July 31 just after 5:00, I embarked on a 17-mile walk to I-70 Exit 79 (Ohio), where there is a TA, a Pilot, and several fast food joints. By Friday afternoon I'd arrived at the exit, where the excessive heat and humidity had me pretty beat. Hanging around the TA fuel islands for a few hours that evening, I didn't get a ride, but that was OK because I wanted another night of good rest before hopping into some stranger's truck. So I found a nice place to sleep pretty early that night.
Uncomfortable with TA's layout, I crossed the overpass Saturday morning to check out the Pilot station. Although I usually prefer TA over Pilot, I liked this particular Pilot station, partly because I found out right away that the management had no problem with me being there, as long as I wasn't bugging drivers for money, which I never do. After a few hours with no ride offers, I walked back across the interstate for a light (cheap) lunch at McDonald's, then returned to Pilot, where a driver immediately asked me where I was headed.
When I responded "Anywhere," Vernon Mack told me he was going to Buffalo, then gave me the signal to come on over and get in the truck. So I climbed up into the truck and put my stuff in the sleeper, and we were gone.
A few minutes after we hit the road, Vernon, who is black with some Cherokee, German, and other blood, began telling me about one of his previous jobs. For ten years he worked at Warner Brothers Studios in LA, doing security for live-audience TV shows, a job he acquired after a chance encounter with Queen Latifah, who was largely unknown at the time. Even though I had not even mentioned my interest in making movies, Vernon proceeded to tell me about how I could land an entry-level job at WB, which could lead to cooler jobs like editing. He told me who to talk to and stuff like that. It's something I'll definitely look into whenever I get to LA.
Vernon's load was bound for Connecticut, but he planned to spend almost a full day in Buffalo first, visiting his mom and various other friends and family. By the time we neared Buffalo, Vernon and I had established a healthy rapport. So instead of dropping me off in Buffalo, as was the initial plan, he ended up inviting me to hang out with him and his people, which I did. He also invited me to keep riding with him beyond Buffalo, which was a fine idea with me.
On our night in Buffalo, Vernon parked the truck behind his mother's inner-city apartment. Shortly we rode with his sister to her house, where we hung out with her husband and one of her husband's old friends for a while, drinking a couple screwdrivers and having some nice conversation. Eventually one of Vernon's cousins (Cliff) showed up and took us to a barber shop in another primarily black neighborhood, where we met yet another cousin, Tony (who owns the barber shop), before going off to an apartment in downtown Buffalo, where we hung out and imbibed all night.
The next day, as we sat on the porch of the housing project where he grew up (and where his mom still lives), Vernon pointed to a third-floor apartment in the next building and told me that's where Rick James lived before he hit the big time. Vernon had a lot of stories to tell about Rick James and some other characters that came from Buffalo's projects, but I can't remember enough to retell them.
Late Sunday afternoon we hit the road again, heading east from Buffalo on I-90 to southern Massachusetts, then south into Connecticut, where we spent the night before dropping the load and picking up a new load in New Haven.
Monday afternoon we passed through Norwalk, CT, where I spent a month in 1994 with Katie Hemingway before she broke my heart and sent me home. This was the first time I've been to Connecticut since then. Less than an hour later, in the Bronx, traffic crept along at a snail's pace for about an hour before finally picking up some momentum in the upper tip of Manhattan as we approached the George Washington Bridge, where I finally got a good look at the beautiful and amazing metropolis of New York City. I ♥ NY, so it was difficult for me to just ride right through the city, then watch it slowly disappear from across the Hudson River in New Jersey.
Eventually I could no longer see NYC, so I turned my attention to ugly, industrial New Jersey. Soon we neared Philadelphia, but I never saw Philly because we stayed on the toll road east of the city, in the Garden State. In a nearly never-ending chain of cities that I suppose begins north/northeast of Boston, we continued until the morning hours, passing through Wilmington, then Baltimore, then the outskirts of Washington, DC, then Richmond. Only after Richmond did the hundreds of miles of continuous city finally come to an end. Finally, in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, we arrived near the home of another one of Vernon's cousins (Brad) in Raleigh, NC, where we watched some TV and slept until late in the morning.
Our trailer full of used automobile tires was destined for a small shop in Columbia, SC. As we headed toward Columbia, Vernon called the shop and found out that they close at 4:30, which meant we could not get there in time to make the delivery that day. So we pulled into a Flying J on the north side of Columbia sometime that evening and had plenty of time to relax and sleep before making the delivery Wednesday morning.
Compared to Buffalo and the rest of the northeast United States, which had beautiful weather while we were there, Columbia was HOT!!! I saw a digital sign somewhere that said it was 106 degrees. Consequently, I was glad we'd be heading north again. For the next delivery, we had to pick up in Florence, SC and deliver to Birdsboro, PA (Reading), where we did not arrive until about 3:30 Thursday morning, partly thanks to a couple dumb-ass drivers in Baltimore who, after turning their cars into accordions and basically closing the interstate, probably still haven't learned why it's not a smart idea to ride the ass of the car you're following.
Thursday we picked up another load near Bethel, PA and took it to Bradford, PA (home of Zippo lighters), where we spent the night. Vernon was looking forward to a weekend in Buffalo, so Friday afternoon he went a little bit out of his way to drop me off at a truck stop in Harborcreek (Erie), PA, where I finally was able to finish writing this post (but couldn't send it because there is no free wifi).
I was at the truck stop until yesterday afternoon. Now I'm in Kentucky, on my way to Dallas.
Unless I just can't find any time to type, I plan to write more about my adventures with Vernon. So keep an eye out.
Aimless Video Evidence


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Gandy Dancers at the Fine Arts Center
Date and Time
Monday Jun 10, 2019
June 6, 7, 8, and 10 at 7:30 p.m. with a matinee on Saturday June 8th at 2 p.m.
Fine Arts Center (58 South 100 West Brigham City)
Tickets are $6 for adults, $5 for students, and available online at www.bcfineartscenter.org
GANDY DANCERS: Come enjoy this musical that was written in 1969 to celebrate the Golden Spike Centennial as we bring it back to the stage to celebrate the Golden Spike Sesquicentennial.
Written by Drauca Holmes and Lucille Lawson fifty years ago, the show features a multiage cast of 25 who relive the life and challenges of Brigham City folks in 1869 and highlight the changes brought on by the railroad. Fictional characters parallel real life history, at times humorous and at times heart rending. The show was a hit in 1969 and 1979 and is just under 2 hours long. Please note some colorful language reflects the culture clash between the railroaders, the people that came with them, and the quiet Mormon community of Brigham City.
On stage at the Fine Arts Center on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, June 6, 7, 8, and Monday June 10 at 7:30 p.m., with a Saturday June 8th matinee at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $6 for adults, $5 students, and available on-line at bcfineartscenter.org.Sponsored in part of the Spike 150 program and Box Elder County Tourism.
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Hi! Just waiting for your approval to include this game in the fundraising bundle for Action for Trans Health. If you go to this page and click the link to the left in the lilac banner you should be able to review and approve it: https://itch.io/b/144/action-for-trans-health-bundle
Bus Stop
I took the theme of the Game Jam to heart.
Waiting is the name of the game and thats pretty much what you gotta do when you wait for the bus.
The win condition is very subjective, and losing well...See if you can find out both.
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Dec. 18, 2008
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Sophomore Lena Gipson registered a game-high 19 points and 11 rebounds for her eighth double-double of the season as the Santa Clara women's basketball team faced its fifth straight loss to Nevada, 67-53, Thursday night at the Leavey Center.
The Broncos had three players in double figures. Junior Maggie Goldenberger, playing in her third game this season, added 10 points, while freshman Alyssa Shoji also chipped in with 10 points. Gipson shot 80.0 percent from the field to lead the Broncos' shooting and senior Sara Majors pulled down 10 rebounds.
Nevada led 34-21 at halftime. The Wolf Pack jumped to a 22-point lead, 50-28, at the 13:53 mark on a jumper by Brandi Jones. Although the Broncos fought hard to close the gap the closest they got was the final difference, 67-53. Prior to that, a three-pointer from Shoji made it a 15-point game, 54-39, with 9:08 to play. Another trey from Shoji made it a 15-point game once again at 3:35.
Santa Clara returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 20 in the 2008 Battle of the Broncos. SCU will host Boise State at 2 p.m. at the Leavey Center.


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Diwali 10 at madam tussauds
World famous Madame Tussauds kicked off the UK's season of Diwali celebrations this year by hosting its very first weekend of celebrations which included music, dance and culture the mark the Festival of Lights.
Visitors to the iconic attraction were treated to the classical traditions of India with musicians entertaining crowds on the sitar, flute and the traditional Indian drums, the tabla.
North and south Indian classical dance traditions were also showcased with captivating performances by dancers from Sujata Bannerjee Dance Company and accomplished Bharatnatiyam performer Shivali Patel.
The celebrations which were held amongst wax figures of Shahrukh Khan, Salman khan, Aishawarya Rai and Amitabh Bachchan, wouldn't have been complete without a sprinkling of Bollywood dance.
Visitors and staff alike took the opportunity to join in with Bollywood dancers Emiko Ishii and Krupa Chavda as they performed high-energy Bollywood inspired dance routines and brought the weekend to a close.
Liz Edwards, PR manager at Madame Tussauds, said, "The first ever Diwali Weekend at Madame Tussauds has been a great success! We hope all visitors enjoyed the attraction and we look forward to similar events in future which celebrate the different cultures and traditions of the world and give our visitors experiences they will remember when they visit Madame Tussauds."
Visitors to the Diwali event were also able to enjoy all the attractions Madame Tussauds has to offer including the brand new Marvel Super Heroes 4D.
Diwali09 at Whitehouse
Obama reportedly said on the occasion, " Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists, here in America and around the world, will celebrate this holiday by lighting Diyas, or lamps, which symbolize the victory of light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance… And in that spirit of celebration and contemplation, I am happy to light the White House Diya, and wish you all a Happy Diwali, and a Saal Mubarak."
"Penn-MASALA", world's first Hindi a-cappella group of students at the University of Pennsylvania which combined South Asian music with a Western musical style, performed on the occasion. Indian mithais (sweetmeats) were distributed on the occasion, according to reports.
Acclaimed Indian statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, commended Obama for becoming the first US President to personally grace the occasion, which was held in the historic East Room. Obama reportedly lit the ceremonial diya (oil lamp) amidst chanting of mantras and bowed respectfully before a Hindu priest.
Rajan Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, in this statement, invited Obama to visit a Hindu temple in the near future and participate in an Arti (ceremony performed in adoration of a deity by circular movement of a lighted lamp). Zed also urged him to issue a US postal stamp marking Diwali festival.
Diwali, the festival of lights, aims at dispelling the darkness and lighting up the lives and symbolizes the victory of good over evil. Hinduism, the oldest and third largest religion of the world has about one billion adherents. There are about 2.3 million estimated Hindus in USA.
Diwali 09 at 10 Downing street
"This is a great day for Downing Street, a great day for us and a great day for Britain to welcome you to celebrate Diwali for the first time in Downing Street," Brown said while welcoming top non-resident Indians, including the Indian High Commissioner to the UK Nalin Surie and leading India-born industrialist Lord Swraj Paul.
"This is a historic event and all of you deserve our congratulations for your contribution to Britain," he said, as the celebration was held at the office-cum-residence of the British premier in an impressive manner for the first time in its history.
Brown said it was also an occasion to celebrate the strengthening of the relations between Britain and India [ Images ].
He noted that Indians in the UK have contributed a great deal for the success of Britain, be it in the field of business, art, culture, education and various other diverse fields.
Referring to the presence of a large number of youth, he described the youth as the "future of the country" and said "let us all work together to deal with poverty and injustice any where in the world."
The prime minister and his wife, Sarah Brown lit the Diwali lamp. Idols of Lord Rama, Krishna from the Swaminarayan Mandir were kept there. Also on display were a variety of sweets and different kinds of lights.
Keith Vaz, the ethnic Indian origin Labour Member of Parliament, said India's well-known artist M F Hussain, who was also present on the occasion, would donate one of his arts works to 10 Downing Street.
Hussain said he would donate one of the existing pieces of artwork to the prime minister. He said he planned to return to India and that the Government of India had indicated to him that he should come back to India.
"The government is working out a plan and I plan to go back at the earliest," he said.
Among other dignitaries present on the occasion included leading entrepreneur Sir Gulam Noon and top hotelier Joginder Sangar.


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One & Two Bedroom Apartments
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All dimensions and square footage are approximate. Actual amenities and specifications may vary in dimension or detail. Not all features are available in every apartment. Pricing and availability are subject to change without notice.
Take a few moments to view our floor plans and apply below before your next home is taken, or if you can't stand to waste another second just drop on by for a visit. . Our friendly, professional staff would be delighted to assist you and show you why your Trillium Apartments apartment isn't just another apartment, it's your new home.
All fees / deposits below are required to be paid at time of application:
Non-Refundable Application Fee of $42.00 per person over the age of eighteen (18) (all persons residing in apartment home are required to be on lease). Non-Refundable Administrative Fee $250.00 Refundable Security Deposit Starting at $250.00 ($250.00 is due at time of application)
Pricing and Availability are subject to change without notice.
For further details, please speak with one of Leasing Specialists as we will be more than happy to assist you.


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Hotel loyalty program
I'm not at all surprised to learn that points redemption, as a feature of your program was last in preference, and that guaranteed upgrades was the most desired.
To be perfectly straightforward and honest, I have a very different perspective on loyalty programs than most in my profession. With few exceptions, the vast majority of loyalty programs are neither strategically differentiating for the sponsor nor are they effective at rewarding a supplier's best customers. Continuing my straightforward mode, they are usually me-too, cookie-cutter variations of the reward programs that have gone before them. Points programs were more effective years ago, when there were fewer of them and they had more individuality; but, these days, they tend to be complex and bothersome, where people want simplicity. Worse, as noted, they tend to look alike, creating little additional loyalty for the sponsor.
Loyalty programs, to really optimize share of wallet for a supplier, should embrace all desired benefits/solutions a customer receives, both tangible and intangible. In other words, loyalty can be drawn from everything that contributes to perceived value with the experience. Besides Ritz-Carlton in the lodging industry, the best industry 'loyalty' program I've seen is Wyndham ByRequest. It's clearly well researched. There are no points on this program, but it has:
- Room personalization, driven by a detailed customer profile
- Opportunity to earn miles at any rate on ten participating airlines
- Free 800 calls (I just stayed at a luxury hotel this past weekend while working with a client, and each of my 800 calls to my long distance provider cost $2.00. Wow!)
- Free high-speed Internet access (My laptop has Ethernet capabilities, so I really appreciate this)
- Best available room at check-in
- Express check-in
- Dedicated phone support
- ByRequest manager at each hotel
- Membership offers, such as low package rates at Wyndham resorts
- Review stay history on-line
Whenever I have a choice, I now prefer to stay at a Wyndham. My suggestion is to look, as well, outside the industry for innovation. One example is the Aloha Club of Chart House Restaurants. In addition to other benefits, Chart House has differentiated the program by offering an around the world trip for two for anyone who dines at all their restaurants. So far, several dozen patrons have done so, giving Chart House an incredible amount of free publicity, and attracting many new members for their club program.
Dig Deeper on Customer loyalty and retention
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Are luxury retail loyalty programs necessary?
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Celebrate a Special Woman in Your Life
View the 2013 A Celebration of Women Commemorative Journal!
The commemorative journal is published annually by the Women's Foundation to recognize and celebrate area women and girls. Since 1993 it has included more than 2,300 tributes to remarkable women and girls. It offers a glimpse of the deeply important and enormously varied ways honorees affect their families, friends, community, and professions.
The book will be unveiled on May 12, 2014, at a reception hosted by Polsinelli at their Plaza Vista offices.
Click to view the Reception Invitation and Parking Information.
For more information or to RSVP, please contact Cat at 913-831-0711 ext 23 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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We have moved!
We look forward to seeing you at our new location.
Click Here for More Information
and Directions
Hudson Cardiology is a comprehensive cardiovascular practice, offering modern cardiovascular technology with a personal, patient centered approach. The practice has been solely owned and operated by William M. Hudson, M. D. since its inception. As the sole physician-owner, Dr. Hudson has the ability to offer patient care guided by the medical needs of the individual patient, as well as direct physician-to-patient care and communication.
The staff at Hudson Cardiology is a hard-working group of health care professionals that are dedicated to serving each patient in a friendly, helpful and empathetic atmosphere. Most of the staff has been employed by Dr. Hudson for many years, therefore you can be assured that your needs will be met with experience, efficiency and professionalism. Each patient is treated with respect as an individual with unique and specific needs. This appreciation is the force that guides our efforts at Hudson Cardiology.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in this country and Georgia, in particular, has among the higher rates of cardiac death. However, heart and vascular disease can be detected early, controlled and managed in a manner that can provide longer lives, healthier lives and more quality time with our family and friends. Please visit our Services page to learn more about services offered in our practice.
Dr. Hudson and his staff at Hudson Cardiology look forward to the opportunity to meet you and help you with the evaluation of symptoms which could indicate the presence of a heart or vascular condition.
For established heart patients, we are pleased to be available for help with medical maintenance of your condition with periodic checkups.


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Event box
Local History Room Open Hours
[For Adults] The Local History Room on the second floor of the Washington Avenue Branch is open for those interested in researching Albany's history.
Albany City Historian Tony Opalka will be available to assist with research questions in the local history room during the following hours.
1st Monday of the Month 6-7pm
2nd Saturday of the Month 2-4pm
3rd Monday of the Month 6-7pm
4th Monday of the Month 6-7pm
- Date:
- Monday, October 14, 2019 Show more dates
- Time:
- 4:00pm - 7:00pm
- Location:
- Washington Ave. - Local History Room
- Campus:
- Washington Avenue
- Audience:
- Adult
- Categories:
- Adult Program Local History
Event Organizer
Washington Avenue Branch


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Access to the internet is like a toilet, every home, restaurant and hotel room needs one, but do you tweet on the toilet?
I can honestly say the answer is no, but I am guilty of reading while on the throne. In fact, our downstairs bathroom has a three shelves lines with washroom reading. Slow it down, I have also played Ticket To Ride in there.
A survey of 1,000 people by the marketing agency 11mark found that 75 percent of the populace have used their mobile devices while on the toilet. Among those aged 28 to 35, the figure is 91 percent. Among those 65 and older, however, only 47 percent have used their
mobile devices on the toilet.
According to a New York Times article "one-quarter of Americans say they will not go to the
bathroom without their devices. While 63 percent have answered calls, 41
percent have called someone else while enthroned."...sorry but that is just gross.
Other interestingn data gleaned fromm the report: 20 percent of males have at one time joined a conference call from the toilet. and thirteen percent of American women have participated in meetings from
the john.
I wonder if there is a stat for the number of people who have dropped a smartphone into a toilet? A shitty experience that I am sure many have endured.


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Displaypro™ Business Door Plaques add a professional finish to any office environment. Polished Glass Effect Anti-Shatter Acrylic with Perspex 10-Year Guarantee! UV Digitally printed from our stocked range or personalise your text. Quality Silver Aluminium Standoff fixings supplied.If you select 'Personalise Own Text' due to this being a personalised item, we cannot accept returns unless faulty. Dimensions Size 250m x 75mm
Need a different colour, shape or size? Please contact our bespoke department for a quote.
Need Printed Business Cards, Flyers, Leaflets or Posters? - Please see our Printing Category
Turnaround & Cutoff Time
We aim to ship all Standard Orders within 48 hours Monday - Saturday with a Delivery Aim of 3-5 Working Days.
Next Day deliveries are available if ordered before 12pm. Orders placed after this time may not be dispatched until the following working day.
Please note Lincat products are usually delivered within 3 working days as standard. For fast deliveries on these products please contact us for a quote and availability.
CarriersWe use the following carriers to deliver our orders:Royal Mail, UKMail, Amazon FBA
Order TrackingIf a tracking number is provided by the shipping carrier, we will update your order with the tracking information. You will receive the tracking number in a dispatch confirmation email.
Shipping RatesThe rate charged for the shipping of your order is based on the weight of your products, and your location. Before the final checkout page, you will be shown what the cost of shipping will be, and you will have a chance to not place your order if you decide not to.
Back OrdersIf an item goes on back order we will ship you the part of your order that is in stock. When the item becomes available we will ship you the rest of your order. You will not be charged any additional shipping and handling for the second shipment.


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Let me highly recommend that those of us with computer savvy help our friends and family members who have adjusted gross income less than $56,000 with their state and federal tax returns. [State filing available only in Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi, Ohio, and Pennsylvania]
The Benefit Bank offers free step-by-step online tax preparation support, plus e-filing.
I am a trained volunteer for the Benefit Bank, which also helps low income families apply for state and federal aid programs. It's been a tremendous experience for me to apply my computer skills to directly helping people in need in my community.
Many people are losing their jobs and finding themselves hurting for maybe the first time in their lives. If you know someone who is unsure about their eligibility for aid programs, I encourage you to help them with a "Quick Check" of eligibility at the Benefit Bank Web site.


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Sixty one years after the assassination of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, a 'mahatma' to many but really a cunning politician who had mastered the art of manipulating the Indian National Congress and offering simplistic solutions to the most complex problems, apart from coercing others to toe his line by abandoning food, the story of his murder continues to elicit both curiosity and passion. He was not the first leader to be felled by an assassin's bullet, nor is he the only eminent Indian, or South Asian for that matter, to fall victim to an elaborate murder conspiracy.
But Gandhi's assassination was different. Not only his killers were Hindu, they killed a man who had by then come to be regarded at home and abroad as an "apostle of peace" and symbolized the unique doctrine of 'non-violence'. In those early days of freedom, it was unthinkable that anybody would dare raise a finger, leave alone a gun, at Gandhi. Yet Nathuram Vinayak Godse did the unthinkable, with more than a little help from Narayan Apte, Vishnu Karkare, Gopal Godse, Madanlal Pahwa and Digambar Badge. Godse assassinated Gandhi on January 30, 1948, approaching him during the evening prayer, bowing, and shooting him three times at close range with a Beretta semi-automatic pistol. Immediately after this, he surrendered himself to police. Nathuram Godse, Apte and their accomplices look remarkably relaxed during the trial, unconcerned about the possibility of being sentenced to death – eventually Godse and Apte were hanged; Karkare, Gopal Godse, Pahwa were sentenced to life imprisonment. They never regretted their deed.
Those were terrible days. Hindu and Sikh refugees from Pakistan were struggling to keep body and soul together. Many of them had lost their loved ones in the partition riots — women were raped in front of their husbands and children; young girls were abducted; men were disemboweled; trains arrived laden with dead bodies; people fleeing marauders were set upon with ferocious brutality. Madanlal Pahwa, a young refugee, Malgonkar writes, "reached a place called Fazilka, in Indian Territory, and discovered that another refugee column in which his father and other relatives had set out, had fared much worse. They had been attacked by Jihadi mobs: 'Only 40 or 50 had survived out of 400 or 500…'." Delhi was flooded by nearly one million refugees, all of them desperately looking for food and shelter. They were distraught and traumatized, unable to figure out why their lives had been turned upside down in so gruesome a manner. Nor could they understand the rationale behind protecting Delhi's Muslims. What left them aghast was Gandhi's insistence that Hindu and Sikh refugees should be sent back to Pakistan and Muslims who had left India be brought back. It didn't make sense. Nor did the vicious blood-letting that followed. Meanwhile, Pakistan had launched its mission to smash and grab Jammu & Kashmir and was demanding that India hand over Rs 55 crore, its share of the cash reserve inherited from the departing British colonial Government.
After independence Gandhi used to start Satyagraha on every issue which went directly against the interest of India. Gandhi started hunger strike against sending of troops to Kashmir after Pakistani invasion. He was in favour of ahinsha Satyagraha against Pakistani invaders. In west Punjab, lakhs of Sikhs were killed and their body dispatched by train. In reaction to this, Sikhs started to retaliate here. Gandhi started hunger strike again to prevent it.
The proverbial last straw was Gandhi's threat to go on a fast to force the Government of India to accept Pakistan's demand of Rs 55 Crore. In all fairness, it needs to be recalled that Jawaharlal Nehru was opposed to the idea: He famously declared that giving the money to Pakistan would mean providing it with "sinews of war". The old man was not listening: In the end, Gandhi had his way although people were aghast. But did this gross act of injustice to the people of India and the callous disregard for the sentiments of millions of refugees — half-a-million people perished in the violence, 12 million were rendered homeless — justify Nathuram Godse's action? What inspired Narayan Apte, son of a well-known historian and Sanskrit scholar, to decide on January 13 (the day Gandhi declared he would go on a fast to press Pakistan's demand for Rs 55 crore) that he must turn into a killer? What was Madanlal Pahwa's role in the conspiracy? And why did Badge turn approver?
Godse is often a misunderstood character. He is referred to as a Hindu fanatic. It is often hard to understand Godse because the Government of India had suppressed information about him. His court statements, letters etc. were all banned from the public until recently. Judging from his writings one thing becomes very clear – He was no fanatic. His court statements are very well read out and indicate a calm and collected mental disposition. He never even once speaks ill about Gandhi as a person, but only attacks Gandhi's policies which caused ruin and untold misery to Hindus. Another interesting point to note is that Godse had been working with the Hindu refugees fleeing from Pakistan. He had seen the horrible atrocities committed on them. Many women had their hands cut off; nose cut off, even little girls had been raped mercilessly. Despite this Godse did not harm even single Muslim in India which he could easily have. So it would be a grave mistake to call him a Hindu fanatic.
Then what was the motive behind Godse's act??? Nathuram Godse was a learned man, very sharp and intelligent – editor of "Agrani" (one of the most famous newspaper of that time – with Nana Aapte). In his last editorial of "Agrani" which he changed overnight – he said "Gandhi must be stopped – at any cost" and he justified why Gandhiji's assassination was not only inevitable but also a delayed action and that should've happened LONG AGO.
He knew exactly what he is going to do. In Nathuram's Words – "Assassination is never as easy as picking up a rifle and pulling the trigger, assassination is never an accident. Yes, murder could be an accident but not assassination. In this case of Gandhi, it could never be…"
Did he tamper with an important era of history?? He said – "I differ with the word era. It could be a page, a leaf of history. Certainly not an era. If we don't turn this page today, the rest of the pages of the history of our nation will remain unwritten, blank…"
By seeing the nature of the assassination in public space and Godse's act of turning himself over to the Police, we can see that Godse did not do this for personal reasons. He very well knew that he would be hanged and his name would be disgraced as Gandhi was considered a saint. And again Godse could have ran away and escaped punishment. But he did the reverse. He called a police officer and courted arrest. Before we proceed it would be wise to understand the backdrop of the assassination. The central government had taken a decision — Pakistan will not be given Rs 55 Crores. On January 13 Gandhi started a fast unto death that Pakistan must be given the money. On January 13, the central government changed its earlier decision and announced that Pakistan would be given the amount. On January 13, Nathuram decided to assassinate Gandhi.
Also according to one source, after the state of Pakistan was formed administrative problems started to crop up. Therefore Pakistan came up with a proposal to link East Pakistan (the present day Bangladesh) and West Pakistan. According to the plan a road (you could say an area) 10 km wide would be linking the east division with the west. Now the RSS activists feared that if Pakistan requested Gandhi to sanction such a proposal then Gandhi would readily agree and the Mahatma's would be the final word as he was the father of the nation. They knew that Gandhi was Pakistan's best lobby so they had him eliminated through Godse. I wonder what would have happened if we had allowed a road to be built across our country. I just can't imagine.
In the Hindu Rashtra daily dated 9/7/1947, Godse had given the following message to the fellow Indians. "Brothers! Our mother land has been cut into pieces. The eagles have torn her skin into bits. Hindu women are being raped in the middle of the road. How long can we tolerate this? It's a shame that lakhs of Hindus live like refugees in their own country. Women being raped burn my heart."
He warned Gandhiji "Gandhiji! By approving the Pakistan partition, you have stabbed the nation. Unless you change your activities, you must face harsh consequences. We consider the dividers of our nation as traitors our nation."
In Nathuram's words – "I don't refute Gandhi's theory of non-violence. He may be a saint but he is not a politician. His theory of non-violence denies self-defence and self-interest. The non-violence that defines the fight for survival as violence is a theory not of non-violence but of self-destruction. The division of the nation was an unnecessary decision. What was the percentage of the Muslim population as compared to the population of the nation? There was no need for a separate nation. Had it been a just demand, Maulana Azad would not have stayed back in India. But because Jinnah insisted and because Gandhi took his side, India was divided, in spite of opposition from the nation, the Cabinet. An individual is never greater than a nation. But Gandhi has stared considering himself greater than the nation.
We never opposed a Muslim prime minister. In a democracy you cannot put forward your demands at knife-point. Jinnah did it and Gandhi stabbed the nation with the same knife. He dissected the land and gave a piece to Pakistan. We did picket that time but in vain. The Father of our Nation went to perform his paternal duties for Pakistan! Gandhi blackmailed the cabinet with his fast unto death. His body, his threats to die are causing the destruction — geographical as well as economical — of the nation. Today, Muslims have taken a part of the nation, tomorrow Sikhs may ask for Punjab. The religions are again dividend into castes; they will demand sub-divisions of the divisions. What remains of the concept of one nation, national integration? Why did we fight the British in unison for independence? Why not separately? Bhagat Singh did not ask only for an independent Punjab or Subhash Chandra Bose for an independent Bengal?
At the time of Partition, when Suharawady surrendered only due to political pressure, but only Suharawady, not his followers…they went on with the massacre. Gandhi started his fast; the Hindus put their weapons down. I still remember that day. A poor Hindu told Gandhi, 'I am putting down my weapons because I don't want your death on my conscience but I am staying alone with my family in the Muslim area. That night, before leaving Hyderabad I visited his home. The whole household was screaming, weeping, his only eight-year-old son had been killed by the Muslims. He had no weapon to defend himself. He threw his son's body on my lap and said, "Take his blood to your Mahatma. Tell him, if he goes on fast again, he can finish it by drinking not orange-juice but my son's blood." I could not say anything. Gandhi was the Father of my Nation. For a moment, I was tempted to pull out the Muslims from their homes and chop them down. But I controlled myself. Violence for self-defence is justified; otherwise it is an ill-cultured act. I returned to where Gandhi was staying but he had already left by car. Of course, there would have been no point in meeting him… he would only have prayed for both the killer and the victim.
I am going to assassinate him in the open, before the public, because I am going to do it as my duty. If I do it surreptitiously, it becomes a crime in my own eyes. I will not try to escape, I will surrender and naturally I will be hanged. One assassination, one hanging. I don't want two executions for one assassination and I don't want your involvement, participation or company. (This was for Nana-Apte and Veer Savarkar as they were against Gandhi's policies too; Godse wanted to assassinate Gandhi all by himself and took promise from Nana Apte that he will continue helping Veer Savarkar in rebuilding India as a strong free nation.)
On January 30, I reached Birla Bhavan at 12 pm. Gandhi was sitting outside on a cot enjoying the sunshine. Vallabhbhai Patel's granddaughter was sitting at his feet. I had the revolver with me. I could have assassinated him easily then, but I was convinced that his assassination was to be a punishment and a sentence against him, and I would execute him. I wanted witnesses for the execution but there were none. I did not want to escape after the execution as there was not an iota of guilt in my mind. I wanted to surrender, but surrender to whom? There was a good crowd to collect for the evening prayers. I decided on the evening of January 30 as the date for Gandhi's execution.
It was 4.45 pm when I reached the gate of Birla Bhavan. The security staff at the gate was scrutinising the crowd entering and I was a little worried about them. I mingled with a small group of people and sneaked inside. It was 5.10 pm when I saw Gandhi and his close associates coming to the prayer place from his room inside. I approached the passage from where he was likely to climb the steps of the lawn, in such a way that I was covered by a few people.
Gandhi climbed the steps and came forward. He had kept his hands on the shoulders of the two girls. I wanted just three seconds more. I moved two steps forward and faced Gandhi. Now I wanted to take out the revolver and salute him for whatever sacrifice and service he had made for the nation. One of the two girls was dangerously close to Gandhi and I was afraid that she might be injured in the course of firing. As a precautionary measure I went one more step ahead, bowed before him and gently pushed the girl away from the firing line. The next moment I fired at Gandhi. Gandhi was very weak, there was a feeble sound like 'aah' (There are proof that Gandhi did NOT say "Hey Ram" at that time – it's just made up stuff) from him and he fell down.
Those who were close to me saw the weapon in my hand. They rushed away from the spot. Gandhi had fallen to the ground, I was standing and the crowd had formed a ring around us. After the firing I raised my hand holding the revolver and shouted, 'Police, police'. For 30 seconds nobody came forward and I scanned the crowd. I saw a police officer. I signalled to him to come forward and arrest me. He came and caught my wrist, and then a second man came and touched the revolver… I let it go…"
Trial and execution
Following his assassination of Gandhi, he was put on trial beginning May 27, 1948. During the trial, he did not defend any charge and openly admitted that he killed Gandhi. On November 8, 1949 Godse was sentenced to death for the murder. Godse's legal team was savaged by critics for not introducing considerable evidence that their client was mentally unbalanced and/or manipulated by others. Among those calling for commutation of the death sentence for both defendants were Nehru and Gandhi's two sons who felt that the two men on trial were pawns of RSS higher-ups and, in any case, executing their fathers' killers would dishonour his memory and legacy which included a staunch opposition to the death penalty. Godse was hanged at Ambala Jail on November 15, 1949, along with Narayan Apte, the other conspirator. Savarkar was also charged with conspiracy in the assassination of Gandhi, but was acquitted and subsequently released. Godse stipulated that his ashes were not to be deposited in a body of water according to Hindu dictates, but rather were to be held in storage until they could be deposited in The Sindhu after Pakistan had been reunited with India. For years, his brother kept Godse's ashes over his fireplace and held an annual salute to "the hero martyrs" on the anniversary of the assassination.
Yes! I Killed Mohandas Gandhi and I am Glad I Did It!
That is what Gopal Godse says. Gopal Godse spent 18 years in prison for his role in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. His brother and one other conspirator were hanged by the neck until dead. But it was all worth it, says Gopal Godse. Gopal Godse proudly recounts his role in plotting the assassination of Mohandas K. Gandhi in 1948.


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Fiberglass Pump Is Efficient, Energy Friendly
On-board condition monitoring is now standard on non-metallic versions of the world's most popular process pump, the Goulds Pumps Model 3196.
The ITT Goulds Model NM 3196 is an ANSI chemical process pump that gives customers an alternative to expensive metal-alloy pumps for processes involving highly corrosive fluids. Constructed of fiberglass-reinforced plastic, the NM 3196 pump is up to 20 percent more efficient than competing metal pumps.
The Model NM 3196 now features i-FRAME power ends, which incorporate multiple patented technologies to reduce downtime and lower life-cycle costs. The central feature of this new power frame is the i-ALERT on-board condition monitor, which automatically monitors temperature and vibration, warning users with a flashing LED display if either are exceeding normal parameters. The visual alert makes it easy to spot potential trouble before it occurs, so that operators can react to avoid possible catastrophic failure and resulting loss of production and downtime.
"The NM 3196 design has long been recognized as a cost-effective option for pumping hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, seawater, ferric chloride and other harsh chemicals," said Ed Kupp,


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We're sending files/reports to a remote site from the IFS. We don't use the AS400 ftp command, though I think you could.
We simply map a drive to the IFS folder, and use a SFTP client called WinSCP. it's shareware, and easy to use.
Register Hereor login if you are already a member


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France were made to suffer as they were held to a 1-1 draw by newcomers Haiti, in Wednesday 22 August's Group D encounter at the Soccer Only Field in Gwangyang.
That was hardly the result the crowd expected in the 13
th minute, when Damien Le Tallec set the ball rolling
for the Europeans. Set up by Thibaut Bourgeois's cross, the
France forward's effort seemed harmless enough until goalkeeper
Dorleans Shelson somehow let the ball pass between his legs.
Unperturbed, Haiti struck back eight minutes later, when Joris
Delle brought down Valdo Normil in the area. Peterson Desrivieres
converted from the spot to bring the scores level.
Neither side was able to add to their account after the break, but if anything the game became even more intense, with France's Badis Lebbihi given his marching orders after receiving two yellow cards in the space of three minutes. Francois Blaquart's men responded with shots against the post and crossbar, while at the other end Delle was twice forced to produce saves from long-range efforts. Chances continued to present themselves for both teams and, with a minute to go, France captain Said Mehamha missed an opportunity to take all three points from the penalty spot.
The stalemate means France and Haiti collect their first point of the tournament so far, but while the result will almost feel like a win for the Caribbean nation, the French will surely return to training with a bitter taste in their mouths.


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The CelestiCon game session that we hosted a few months ago solidified some thinking on the MEST System rules. There I encountered several very inquisitive and observant players - more so than normal - and I realized that the existing version 1.5x rules needed to be updated and revised ASAP. And so Aggro and myself decided to update it using many of the concepts we've been stewing over for the past couple of years.
Here's a few of the changes that made the cut for version 2.0:
New Features
- Group Actions made it in! This tremendously speeds up the game during the maneuver portion of each battle. This is an evolution and complete simplification of the Trooper concept posted as a MEST Group entry nearly two years ago. It behaves more like what I created for the Soldiers! game.
- Go Points made it in! This works well with Group Actions. Its a bit more limited but cleaner than the MEST Group entry..
- Reacts made it in! This works well with the Group Actions. Its nearly the same as the version on the MEST Group entry.
- Suppression made it in! This works well with Group Actions. Its nearly the same as the version on the MEST Group entry.
- Magic System made it in! This is a cleaned-up version of the system we used for our Mythos genre from many years back. The Basic Rules with its vanilla genre comes with 9 spells.
- Custom Archetypes made it in! This is a relatively flexible way to generate new archetypes for the vanilla genre. It is an improved version of what was posted to the MEST Group entry.
- Many new traits made it in to support the new custom archetypes.
- Many new weapon made it in the list. I finally corrected Blunderbuss and Coach Pistol, and brought in Automatic Rifle (like the BAR) again. Many new Archaic Melee weapon were introduced, each of which receives the Impale trait. This includes the Long Bow which also has that trait.
Critical Changes
- Hidden status is now more powerful. The 1.5.2 rules have it so that Hidden status awards a die to the Defender for Range Combat. The revised rules disallow targeting a Hidden model for Range Combat; it needs to be Detected first.
- Base dice now carry-over as bonus Base dice. The Rule-of-Three for cascades is gone. This simplification of the math for the main rules makes the game play much faster. I ran the numbers through my Simulator project and basically its a wash; so simple is better.
- "Night, Clear" Lighting is now renamed to "Twilight, Overcast" Lighting. I found this cool link on Wikipedia that I was able to convert into the MEST Visibility scale. As a result, "Night, Clear, Full-moon" will become Visibility OR 4" ... but that is for the Advanced Rules.
- I've discovered that certain traits such as the Leader, Tactics, or Stealthy are very powerful and so I altered point-cost formulas for them. Same goes with the INT (Intelligence) attribute. There were several dozen tweaks to the existing traits and reformulation of all BP values. As a result, for example; being a Leader is now very costly but will be in alignment with its benefits.
- We've expanded the IP spending list to include the equivalent of a "Oops! That's on Wait status" option, and to facilitate the Group Actions concept.
- The Pack Mentality and the Leader traits have been altered to work with the Group Actions concept correctly.
Organization & Edits
- Lots of stuff was moved around. Many rules were edited for clarity. Exceptions were simplified or made very clear. There were lots and lots of edits to make this stuff readable and understandable.
- I tried my best to close loop-holes in concepts and in phrasing. For example, the WYSIWYG concept also applies to terrain. If you can't fit a model into some place upon the battlefield, maybe it shouldn't be there. Also, for example; I did my best to make it clear that any test involving POW is a Morale Test. Rally Tests, Fear Tests, and Bottle Tests are all versions of Morale Tests.
- Friendly Fire has been simplified, as has Multiple Weapons.
- I got rid of a lot of the "rules as written" versus "rules as played" stuff. There were a lot of rules that we no longer used.
Hi-Fidelity Version
The full-color Basic Rules document will need to some more effort because it is an Adobe InDesign file and take a lot of time to edit. What I've learned is that because I did parallel edits with the low-fi version at the same time as the hi-fi version I had been limiting myself by trying not to affect page-count or page-layout too much.
Anyhow, along with the hi-fi version of the rules I'll need to update all of the optional downloads such as the Fantasy Gladiator stat cards, the Retropocalypse stuff, and a few more things. I hope to have all of it posted before the end of the year so that 2015 is the year of MEST 2.0.
Low-Fidelity VersionAs for the low-fi (concise) version of the rules, I'll post the draft of that for download in a few days. The final version of it will require that Aggro and myself double-check with a few more play-tests.


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Old is gold' and arguably, that's never been truer than when it comes to houses. Every house has problems, but sometimes the older they are the better they are. If you are buying a house that is getting on in years, whether 50 or 15, you will definitely stumble upon problems which you will have to take into account. Several Ready to Move in Flats in Ghaziabad, Noida, Delhi, Bangalore and other parts of the country are put on resale by the owners.
First and foremost you have to check as to how many times the house has changed hands. The more people have gone through it, the lower the maintenance. You should have the house inspected by a professional or a house inspector who is able to give you proper advice as to the present condition of the house and the changes you will have to make.
You should draw out a sale agreement covering the inspections and testing, by hiring experienced professionals to evaluate your potential purchase. With a contract protecting you from major defects you can focus on other important aspects of home buying like location, size, character and potential of the home if it is suitable to your family and lifestyle. Look at the quality of the exterior finish, and you can gauge the condition of the house. [Read more…]


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We have gathered the best and most inspiring speakers, mentors and judges for you
Project Manager at nextMedia.Hamburg
Veronika Reichboth
Veronika Reichboth is project manager at nextMedia.Hamburg – Hamburg's joint initiative for the media- and digital industry. Among other tasks, the aim of the initiative is to provide innovative new companies with fertile grounds for successfully building their business models.
Veronika started her career in Brussels, working for different European institutions and a creative agency, as well as a medium-sized IT service company in Hamburg and has been with nextMedia.Hamburg since 2015. Getting to know foreign start-up hubs (such as Cape Town, San Francisco, Lisbon, Tel Aviv etc.) and giving support and advice to founders of the local digital and media sector is what Veronika is passionate about.


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Genre: Spy Thriller/Sci-fi
Premise: A female convict is implanted with the memories of a CIA spy who died under mysterious circumstances.
About: Bold Films acquired this spec a little while ago. The script comes from high concept kings Douglas Cook and David Weisberg, who wrote everybody's favorite, The Rock, as well as the Ashley Judd - Tommy Lee Jones hit, Double Jeopardy. The two have Will Smith attached to one of their other scripts, Greenbacks, about an American ex-pat in Morocco who stumbles upon a plot to disrupt the world's economy by counterfeiting U.S. currency.
Writer: Douglas Cook and David Weisberg
Details: 106 pages – undated (This is an early draft of the script. The situations, characters, and plot may change significantly by the time the film is released. This is not a definitive statement about the project, but rather an analysis of this unique draft as it pertains to the craft of screenwriting).
All right all you spy freaks, I got one for you. Are you ready for CIA agents, double-crosses and a googleplex of chase sequences? Do you go to sleep dreaming of a handheld Matt Damon leaping over speeding trains? If so, Blank Slate is definitely for you. This script is the happy love child of Salt, Safe House, The Bourne Identity and……Robocop? Yes, it takes the familiar spy-chase element and adds a sci-fi twist. Does it work? Let's find out.
Devon Pope is a CIA agent. But we don't know that yet. All we know is that she's been beaten and tortured and shot and now the poor girl is running from somebody. A group of men to be specific. Mustering all the strength she has, she stumbles out onto a street in a last ditch attempt to escape them, only to get PLOWED INTO by a car. She doesn't explode into a mass of gobbledy-gook like that guy in Robocop but she's definitely dead. Or is she?
Devon is transferred to a medical facility where Dr. Michael Franks, a neurologist, is waiting. Devon knew something about someone before she died and the CIA is willing to do anything to get that information. But how do you get information out of a corpse? Easy. You transfer their memories into another person. All you need is to find the right person.
Enter Kenzie Stuart, a half-wit murderer taking up permanent residence at the female Shawshank. Kenzie's here because she popped a few caps into a Walmart shopper in front of her kids. Why she did this is beyond me. All you have to do to kill a Walmart shopper is wait for ten minutes until they have a coronary in their motorized scooter. Then again, that's why she's a half-wit, and that's why she's the perfect candidate to pull the memory transfer.
A few beeps and a couple of boops later, Kenzie has officially taken on Devon's memory. Well, parts of it anyway. The technology is a bit like Windows Vista. Some things work and some don't. One of the problems here is that Devon's life only comes to Kenzie in flashes. But one thing that comes back nice and clear is her CIA training. So she Angelina Jolies her way out of confinement and all of a sudden the CIA has a 50 million dollar experiment running around with the physical capabilities of Bruce Lee.
Immediately afterward, Kenzie remembers, via Devon, that she left a stash of money in a book at a library. Kenzie likes money so it's time to renew that library card. The CIA tries to pursue her but it's not easy anticipating someone's movements who's literally of two minds.
The bad guys (or good guys) chasing her are split into two groups. First there's her boss, the endearing George Onesti. Onesti was one of Devon's best friends and he wants nothing more than to see Kenzie/Devon back safe and sound. The other is Admiral Jerrold Lance, who is so ruthless in his pursuit to terminate Kenzie, that you gotta wonder if he has some ulterior motives.
The library money doesn't work out, unfortunately, but that's okay because Kenzie gets a memory flash that tells her where Devon lived. Surely there will be something to steal there so away she goes. She's surprised, however, to find Devon's husband and daughter at the house. Kenzie ties them up and takes what she needs, but then realizes that her pursuers are going to find her sooner or later, and if she wants to survive, she's going to need to find out who Devon Pope is, and what information she stumbled upon that fateful night.
Blank Slate is a tough script to get a handle on. It's fast-paced and intense, like every action-spy flick should be, but there's something missing here. It starts with the premise. I didn't feel there was enough of a juxtaposition between Kenzie and Devon. Kenzie is a badass who can kick the shit out of anyone. Devon is a badass who can kick the shit out of anyone. Devon, with her training, just does it more gracefully. This mutes the hook to a certain degree, since if you're going to get the most out an idea where one person's mind is transferred into another, you want those minds (and those people) to be as different as possible. If they're both the same (or close to the same), what's the point?
Now obviously their intelligence levels are miles apart. Kenzie is dumb as a rock. Devon is the smartest person in the room. So that difference had potential. But any effort to bring attention to this was limited to Kenzie opining about how weird it was to feel smart. We don't ever get to *see* the benefits of her being smart because Devon's memories are the driving force behind all of Kenzie's actions, not Devon's intelligence.
The narrative also feels clumsy because each of Kenzie's actions is conveniently dictated by a Devon memory right when she needs it. So as soon as the library sequence is over, Kenzie remembers where Devon lives. As soon as she leaves Devon's house, Kenzie remembers where she worked out. I thought this should've been messier, more difficult to discern what to do or where to go next, as it would've forced Kenzie to make some choices, in turn making the story less predictable and the narrative less convenient.
The script must also overcome a protagonist who's difficult to root for. Kenzie is ruthless and unpleasant in most of her interactions with others so I found it hard to get behind her. Part of this is that we know so little about Kenzie and what we do know is pretty horrific. She killed a mom in front of her kids. She ties up Devon's husband and daughter. I don't mind anti-heroes or unconventional protagonists but I wanted at least one reason to care about and root for her.
To me, the best moments of the script were the character moments. When Kenzie starts remembering Devon's life and realizing its messy imperfections. When Devon's husband asks Kenzie about things he never knew about his wife and Kenzie must decide whether to offer that information or protect it – all in the spirit of what Devon would've wanted. When Kenzie gets more insight into her friendship with her old boss, Onesti. These were the moments where I felt closest to the character, and the moments that truly explored this potentially fascinating concept – the idea of being injected with another person's memories.
Also, from a technical standpoint, the story is well-constructed. The central question – what happened to Devon – is a question we want answers to and will turn the pages until we get them. And by keeping our antagonists right behind Kenzie the whole time, the read is very quick, which, as you all know, is the key to any good spec script.
In the end, I think there's a movie here. But we're going to need to know more about Kenzie to make it work. She seems like she'd have a fascinating backstory and if we knew her better, it would elevate every other aspect of the script. I'll be interested to see where this goes after it's developed, but couldn't get into it in this current draft.
[ ] What the hell did I just read?
[x] wasn't for me
[ ] worth the read
[ ] impressive
[ ] genius
What I learned: Remember, whenever you write a protagonist who's abrasive or mean or contains any anti-hero like elements, you need to consider how you're going to make your audience root for them. In both Cool Hand Luke and Pitch Black, two of the more popular anti-hero movies, both of those characters were selfish in their own ways, but they were also charming and funny, which made us forget about what assholes they were being. I don't think a charming Kenzie is right for this particular story, but there are other things you can do. Speaking of the Bourne films, Matt Damon is a pretty abrasive, selfish, at-times-assholish, character in Good Will Hunting. But we see a) how much he loves his friends and b) what a miserable childhood he had, and that helps us sympathize with him. There wasn't a single characteristic in Kenzie that made me identify with or care for her.