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Listen up, ladies. Summer is here (just ask your hair) and it's time to lay back, let loose and let the 'fun you' out to play! Sure, you can plan a couple of lazy beach weekends with your #besties, but don't let the months fly by without catching the eye of a summer hottie to hang around too. You've worked that yoga booty too hard all year not to have someone appreciate it. It's time to give your never ending search for Mr. Right a much–needed rest. Have fun with flirty Mr. Right-Now who's looking your way this summer.
If you need permission to lean in to a fun summer fling, consider this the green light (you're welcome). We've learned a lot from Taylor Swift, but if there's one thing we hold on to it's that when you get invested in a relationship too quickly, you may end up writing some super empowering Grammy winning songs… but, you know, you get really sad first.
Let Taylor be your guide for how to avoid a summer romance #fail. We can't all channel our heartbreak into hit songs, but we sure do love 'shaking it off' to hers.
1: Confidence is Key
First step, get on board with this whole summer fling thing. We'll wait. Up to speed now? Good, cause there's no time to waste with insecurity. When on the prowl for your summer boo remember to just be YOU.
If you pretend to be into something you're not, all summer long you'll be super uncomfortable. And we know you hate fakers… so why waste your time!? Confidence is a look that never goes out of Style. So, chin up, buttercup, you're this summer's It Girl. It's time to own it.
2: Lower the Bar
When looking for summer lovin' keep your head out of it the game. Don't go sizing up every guy at the bar, wondering how they'd look at your grandma's kitchen table at Sunday dinner.
Instead, get your flirt on and focus on having a little fun. Don't shy away from eye contact when you're on the prowl. Flash your killer smile and let the guys know you're interested. Trust us, they'll come to you. And then stand back, because that's when Sparks Fly.
3: Easy Listening
A little conversation goes a long way when you want to know if he's worth your time. No need to discuss your personal definitions of world peace, just see if you have anything in common. You've gotta make sure there isn't a Blank Space between that adorable pair of ears.
He may not have to meet Grandma anytime soon but we know you need witty banter to keep your interest. If you're struggling for conversation then you're going to get bored fast, and this is the summer to keep things exciting. All in all, if he makes you laugh (and blush) we'd consider him a keeper.
4: Be Available – Literally
Ok, so you found the beau you're sweet on. Excellent. But you're not Out of the Woods just yet. One magical night together does not a summer fling make. Keep the momentum moving; make sure you've got enough free time in your schedule to let him for him to surprise you with spontaneous meet-ups or last minute dates.
When Mr. Right Now texts asking you to drop everything and go water skiing, you want to be able to say yes to the swimsuit (and life jacket – cause for real, how often do you really go water skiing?). Do yourself a favor and keep your calendar open so you don't feel guilty about bailing on the flea market with Mom or Sunday brunch with your girls.
Summer is for vacations… sometimes that means your social life needs one too. It's hard work getting invited to every wedding/boozy brunch/open mic-night/picnic in the park/potluck bbq/outdoor concert series/etc/etc. A few feelings might get hurt at first but everyone will understand when they see your adorable Instagrams of the mystery guy who's been stealing all your time.
5: Spice it Up
Chances are you're not in the middle of a steamy romance every summer (unless you're Taylor, of course). When you get to be one of the lucky ones who put romance novels to shame (or Hallmark Channel movies TBH) then you better live it up and enjoy every last minute.
Try stepping out of your comfort zone every once in awhile. Do something crazy… at least by your standards. A little on the shy side? Shake It Off and take the stage at karaoke in the hottest little tassel dress. Show your man your wild side and suggest a daring adventure to share together like skydiving or rock climbing.
We all know summer doesn't last forever. What are the chances this romance will? Make the most of it and leave him with a memory he won't forget.
6: Mind your Texting
We know you're thinking about him in a 24/7 kind of way. It's ok, we won't tell – but we will tell you how to make sure you're on his mind all the time too. Above all else, play it cool. It's an age old trick the male species has been perfecting for centuries and one of the few things women aren't better at.
It's ok to check in every once in a while so he knows you're thinking of him. But save all those gifs and memes about how much you're dreading Mondays for your gal pals. Keep the random texts and snaps to a minimum or he might think you're getting too attached. It's ok if you are, but you don't want him to feel like you've branded him as "Mine!"
7: No Judgments Here
When you're together, keep the 'honeymoon phase' alive. We know All Too Well the best part of any new relationship is the excited butterflies at the start. Those sugary-sweet sentiments help you overlook the flaws sure to drive you nuts as you invest more in the relationship.
Do your best not to pass judgment on your partner in crime. Chances are he's already aware of whatever you'd point out and – unless you're willing to put in the relationship-level-work to help him fix it – no need to stir the pot (that's his mom's job).
8: Give Him Something To Remember You By
Leaving your guy with a memento is a nice way to show him your time together felt special. Just exercise caution when choosing your little "forget me not". Anything too personal could come across as creepy (i.e. locks of your hair. Just don't).
Stay away from gifts costing big bucks or run the risk of making his manhood feel threatened (that whole hunter and gatherer thing, you know). Keep the gift sentimental, like a pic of you two in a classic silver frame. Or give him something he'll actually use, like a BBQ sauce set. Whatever gift you choose, make sure to deliver it with a kiss! You'll be guaranteed a spot in his Wildest Dreams.
9: Keep it Flirty
In this Story of Us you're the heroine, so put your best self forward. Don't bog him down with your deepest, darkest fears. A summer fling is for showing off the fun, smart and sexy goddess who takes charge of what she wants (or fakes it until she makes it).
Dress as good as you feel around your man. Go ahead and show a little skin in an off the shoulder top or one of our flirtiest sundresses, something to make you feel like the vixen he knows you are. Embrace it, girlie. You're the leading lady in this story. Don't be afraid to dress the part.
10: No Bad Blood
When it's time to say goodbye to the man who's kept you company all summer, take care not to turn your sexy fling into a big regret. Remember he has feelings too (gasp!) and there's a good chance he may be – or already has – fallen for the temptress that is you.
If you just don't have the same feelings that bubbled up at the start of summer, Girl woman up and tell him the truth. Nobody likes a breakup, but everyone deserves dignity when going through it. No 25 second breakup calls here (shame on you, Joe Jonas). You and your summer lover may not be Forever and Always, but you had this summer. And that was definitely something to remember.
To Be Continued… Maybe?
If you just can't stand the thought of ending it and things are still going strong, girl, it's time to face facts. You've got a Love Story on your hands. Take a chance and broach the subject with your may-be-boyfriend to see if you two can make it work in the 'real world'. If he feels the same way then go ahead and make that leap to definitely-your-boyfriend and girlfriend. And then warn him about having to meet Grandma.


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- 4 chicken breast halves
- 2 large onions, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup splenda brown sugar
- 2 tbs white wine vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- Use cooking spray to grease a large baking dish.
- Place chicken in the dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Preheat oven at 425 degrees F.
- Heat pan on medium with cooking spray.
- Add garlic and onions and top with more cooking spray.
- Cook onions until soft. Then, add brown sugar, vinegar, and salt to taste.
- Cook for about 7 minutes and remove from heat.
- Place onions on top of chicken breasts and bake for 20 minutes.
(source: http://americanfood.about.com/od/meatsandpoultry/r/caronichic.htm)

subset: commoncrawl


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Capital Festival Productions would like to thank the generous support of the sponsors at our festival.
If you're not a sponsor and would like to donate, please email us for more information.
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Contributions from Community Members
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• LEGO Club of Victoria
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In the hot summer months, it's hard to avoid over-watering your lawn, but saving water is paramount during this time. According to the U.S. Geological Society, about 40 percent of all freshwater is used for irrigation.
To date, many academics and government officials have argued that putting a price on carbon – most commonly through taxes or emissions trading – is all that is needed to overcome every possible barrier to delivering cost-effective energy efficiency improvements.
The Department of Energy's L Prize challenged the lighting industry to develop high-performance, energy-saving replacements for conventional light bulbs that will save American consumers and businesses money.
Summer is the ideal season for vacations, and whether you plan to spend your days beach bumming, hiking with friends or visiting out-of-town relatives, these tips will help reduce your at-home energy consumption as much as possible while you are away.
Sprint's headquarters irrigates its campus via a a rainwater collection system, which has proven to be a boon for both the company's bank account and the environment.
Mr. Peanut is arriving in Washington, D.C. – by way of his new biodiesel Nutmobile – to open a new urban park, Planters Grove, in Northeast D.C.
Advances in DNA 'fingerprinting' and other genetic techniques are making it harder for illegal loggers to get away with destroying protected rainforests.
As many people deal with tightening their belts and trimming expenditures, they struggle with the dilemma of saving the planet or saving cash. Here we offer a few tips on how you can do both at the same time.
The designation encompasses the 92,665 square miles of the country's exclusive economic zone on its Pacific and Caribbean coasts.
Researchers have created a system, called EnergJ, that reduces energy consumption in simulations by up to 50 percent, and has the potential to cut energy by as much as 90 percent.
Klaus Reichardt, CEO of Waterless Co., said his conclusion is based on a new book, "The Big Thirst," by Charles Fishman.
PepsiCo has begun offering five options of eco-friendly, recyclable and compostable cups to Foodservice customers in the United States through company-owned and independent bottler distribution systems.
Despite the dry climate, the Omni hotel in Fort Worth, Texas, has installed a rooftop herb garden on one of its terraces shaded from the hot summer sun.
The rotational grazing technique, which has been adapted for a variety of livestock worldwide, calls for cattle to graze in small areas for shorter periods of time before moving onto other pastures.
Seventy-eight percent report electricity cost savings, two-thirds indicate heating/cooling and paper savings, and 60 percent are cutting costs on water.
Stella Middle Charter Academy will implement environment-based education in science and history/social science from California's Education and Environment Initiative.
Winners will be announced in October at the WaterSmart Innovations conference in Las Vegas.
Using grant funding, the municipal water district is working toward Water Reliability 2020 goals.
The Center for Neighborhood Technology and American Rivers gathered the latest research and produced a guide to help communities assign economic value to such structures as green roofs, rain gardens, and permeable pavement.
The Florida city's You Win-We All Win conservation program has exceeded its original goal.


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Parents Alert: Hemorrhoids in Teenagers
Teenagers might have difficulties in discussing with you about something they have noticed "down there." It would be the last thing that they would like to ask from you - hemorrhoids. At their stage, they feel that it is very embarrassing. However, as a parent or guardian, you need to barge in and also help your teenager. You cannot just let it pass by. Imagine the discomfort and the pain your teenager is feeling. You need to be there for your young adult son or daughter and offer the best possible solutions.
Hemorrhoids in Teenagers: Where to Start
Ask the following questions to your teenager and also help make your own findings. You need to discuss with your teenager that he or she needs to speak and discuss with you so that you can treat correctly the hemorrhoids.
- Ask if your child is experiencing rectal bleeding.
- If it does, thorough and immediate investigations have to be performed.
Observe Your Son or Daughter
Any time he is watching the television or eating is he jumpy or squirmy? Is he or she reluctant to sit in a chair? Is he scratching his back part if he knows no one is looking at him? Is there a bloodstream on your children's underwear? Does your child stays in the toilet for a long period of time. These are possible signs and symptoms that your youngster is constipated which are related to hemorrhoids.
Hemorrhoids in Teenagers: Your Child's Diet
Even though your youngster is a young grownup already, you have to monitor his / her diet in order to promote good health and growth. During this period, there are so many changes that happen in your child's life. The physiological changes could greatly affect the nutritional needs and the rapid growth of muscles and bones especially in order to boys. This is also the time wherein your child is becoming independent. Teenagers are starting to decide what they would like to eat. Sometimes, your youngster experience peer pressure that will affect their food intake. As a parent, you need to take actions in order to help your child struggling with hemorrhoids. Start with a well-balanced diet.
Offer different starchy carbs such as breakfast time cereals, rice, bread, pasta, couscous, chapattis and also potatoes.
- Make vegetables and fruits readily available at home.
- Serve at least five servings a day.
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Give your teenager two to three serving helpings of dairy products like yogurt, milk as well as pasteurized cheese.
Serve two servings of food high in protein like eggs, meat, seafood, pulses as well as beans.
Avoid Serving Fatty Food Items.
Control the consumption of foods and drinks rich in sugar.
Injection Sclerotherapy for Hemorrhoid According to the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER), about half of Americans aged 50 years and above experience signs of hemorrhoids or piles. The disorder is characterized by soreness, itching, and bleeding in the anus or...
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Hemorrhoids in Teenagers: Other Tips
Partner the following nutritional habits together with the above mentioned foods to consume:
- Drink eight in order to 10 glasses of water.
- Inspire your son or daughter to consume frequently water through offering him or her sippy tumbler in order to bring anywhere.
- Do not miss meals.
- Always eat regular meals especially breakfast.
- Additionally, it increases one's concentration and help start the day right.
- Involve your child to be able to actions such as exercises and sports.
- It is needed for the actual bone development as well as to improve overall fitness.
For more tricks to deal with hemorrhoids please visit http://how-to-cure-hemorrhoids-fast.blogspot.com and http://how-to-get-rid-of-hemorrhoids-at-home.blogspot.com.
For French go to http://traiter-les-hemorroides-naturellement.blogspot.com and http://hemorroide-faits-traitements.blogspot.com.
For Spanish visit http://tratamiento-de-las-hemorroides.blogspot.com For Italian go to http://come-curare-emorroidi-modo-naturale.blogspot.com.
For German Born Visit Http://Hamorrhoiden-Behandlung-Hausmittel.Blogspot.Com
For Portuguese check out http://como-curar-hemorroida-naturalmente.blogspot.com.


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A lucrative technology contract that was supposed to bring Accenture Ltd. accolades has instead turned into a costly embarrassment accompanied by a tongue-lashing in the British Parliament.
Accenture sinks in U.K. quagmire
In late February, Member of Parliament Richard Bacon said his government's project to digitize medical records, for which Accenture is a lead contractor, shows "all the classic signs of a huge information technology failure."
"Every (doctor) you speak to spits blood when you talk about it," Mr. Bacon thundered.
Irritated parliamentarians aren't Accenture's only problems across the pond. The consulting firm's deal with the U.K. National Health Service (NHS), signed with great fanfare in December 2003 and expected to reap Accenture $3.3 billion over 10 years, has turned upside down.
The firm now expects to lose $800 million through 2007. Accenture CEO William Green has personally assumed responsibility for the project, which represents 1% of the firm's total annual revenues.
Frustration with the deal has reached these shores as well. Shareholders are asking why Accenture shouldn't cut its losses and walk away. Others say walking away would make it harder for Accenture to win more contracts in the global push to digitize health records. Still others wish the company would just make the British problem go away.
"We'd like to not hear NHS come up in the future," says Ken Kuhrt, research analyst for Ariel Capital Management LLC in Chicago, which owns 13.9 million Accenture shares.
The outcry over the British quagmire reached a crescendo late last month when Accenture announced, in its second-quarter earnings conference call, that it would take a chargeoff related to the contract of $450 million. That reduced second-quarter profits to $69.7 million, or 11 cents a share, from $209.8 million, or 35 cents a share, in the year-earlier period. The news sent Accenture's share price down 9%, just days after the stock hit a 52-week high of $32.66. Shares closed at $29.03 Friday.
An Accenture spokesman says the company is determined to renegotiate with the British. "We plan to realign the conditions and obligations of the contracts with our client to reflect the current reality," he says.
But an NHS spokesman in London says the agency expects Accenture to live up to the deal's original terms. "There is currently no renegotiation of the contract," he says.
What went wrong? The problems began last year, when Accenture first announced delays. This year, Accenture said, iSoft PLC, a company it hired to write software for the digital records system, failed to deliver the software on time, which put the project further behind schedule.
Accenture now says it will incur increased costs due to the delay and that the delay is causing some British doctors and health care providers to use digital records systems from other suppliers. That will reduce the revenue Accenture had expected from the deal.
iSoft declines comment except to say that it is working with Accenture and NHS to resolve the problem.
In seeking a renegotiation, Mr. Green is hoping to change the deployment schedule to reduce losses. But it may be too late, and some wonder why Accenture didn't protect itself from subcontractor error in the original contract.
"It's frustrating," says Bob Smith, portfolio manager for Baltimore-based T. Rowe Price Group Inc., which owns 18.5 million Accenture shares. "You'd think there would be some clause (in the contract) that you would be relieved of some cost, but they had none. That's not common sense."
At this point, Mr. Smith sees little hope of salvaging the deal. "I don't think it will ever become a good contract," he says.
But if Accenture chooses to walk away, it could seriously damage the firm's reputation and its chances to help other countries and health systems convert from paper to computerized health records. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, for example, has tapped Accenture for a smaller digital records pilot program that could grow into a larger project.
"Other countries around the world are looking at (this project) very closely," says Jonathan Edwards, London-based research director for health care for research firm Gartner Inc. in Connecticut. "They are looking at the vendors involved in the project."
Then again, maybe Accenture would be better off avoiding big, long-term contracts. Competitive bidding for those deals can often put the winning firm in a poor negotiating position.
"It's a delicate balance, bidding to win business at the same time you have to have a good, tight control over the financial side," says Paul Chew, equity research director for Baltimore-based Brown Investment Advisory and Trust Co., which owns 1.14 million Accenture shares.
Mr. Chew admits that part of the reason companies go after multibillion-dollar contracts is because "we as investors tend to be overly excited about big-dollar contracts."
"The reality is, the bigger the contract, the lower the profitability," Mr. Chew says.
©2006 by Crain Communications Inc.


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Search engine optimization campaigns can require a lot of work, especially for websites that weren't designed with search engine ranking in mind from the beginning. SEO is not usually completed in a single day, with most requiring work over the course of several weeks, months, or even years, depending on the site and the keywords you're trying to rank. Maintenance should also be taken into consideration when planning an SEO campaign, as most strategies have to be updated over time to keep them relevant and the site ranking against the competition.
One important factor that's often overlooked when running SEO campaigns is data management. SEO campaigns can accumulate a lot of important data to which more than one person may need access.
In this article, we'll take a look at a few data management techniques that can help keep your SEO campaigns running smoothly and, more importantly, your clients happy.
|Good data management is just one piece of running a successful SEO campaign. (Image credit: hybris.com)
Keeping Track of Keywords
Keywords are some of the most important data you'll need to collect and analyze when running an SEO campaign. Depending on how many campaigns you manage, you may have to collect, store, and analyze hundreds or thousands of keywords that are relevant to one specific website.
Using a keyword manager can help keep track of the keywords you use on a daily basis. Look for a keyword manager that allows you to add or delete keywords easily, tag the keywords for categorization and running reports, and import and export large amounts in CSV format. If you have multiple teammates working on the same campaign, it may be useful to find a service that stores data in the cloud so it can be accessed from anywhere.
Since keyword research is vital to a successful SEO campaign, make sure you keep track of your data in real time by using a data integration provider like Syncsort.com.
Link Management
Just like keyword management, link management is equally important when running a successful SEO campaign. Depending on how large the campaign is, you may have a hundred different links or a few thousand. Your data management software should be able to keep track of the status, the type of link, and the website on which the link is located. Look for a provider that allows you to search and filter through links, manage multiple campaigns, and import and export large volumes of links in CSV format.
If you have multiple people working on the same link-building campaign, it's important that everyone has access to the same real-time data. Choose a data management provider that offers a cloud-based storage solution that everyone can access and edit. Keeping team members on the same page is crucial to running a smooth campaign. Your clients will thank you for it.
Creating Content
Creating fresh, unique, and captivating content is just as important as picking the right keywords to focus on during your SEO campaign. If you don't create content, you'll have a hard time getting the website to rank against the competition. Keep track of the content your team creates for each campaign, where the content was posted, how many views it's received, and the keywords it contains. It can be helpful to keep track of the URLs so you can update your linking strategy later on, as well.
Keeping Track of Account Information
Depending on your SEO strategy, you may need to create accounts for a variety of social networking, bookmarking, and marketing sites and services. Everyone working on the campaign should have access to this information so that no time is lost tracking down basic information like usernames and passwords.
Since these accounts can contain sensitive data, your data management practices should include security so that only the people who need the information have access to it. If your data management software allows you to set permissions, make sure you include everyone who needs it, and password-protect it to keep unauthorized people out.
Keeping Track of Results
SEO is a process that takes time and dedication, along with good research since search engine algorithms are constantly changing. Since SEO is an evolving process, it's a good idea to keep track of the results on a consistent basis. Good data management practices allows you to compare the results week to week, month to month, and even year to year. If you're running a campaign for a client, keeping track of historical data allows you to show your performance over a selected period of time.
Consider keeping track of direct navigation, referral traffic, and search traffic, both percentage and exact numbers. It's also a good idea to keep track of which search engines your traffic is coming from, and what keywords and phrases are being used to find the site. In addition, keep track of the conversion rate by search query term or phrase. Knowing where your sites' conversions are coming from enables you to revise your strategy in the future and focus on the tactics that are working.
Good data management practices are just as important as the campaign itself. If you're unable to track the results of your campaign, you may end up wasting time and effort on strategies that aren't working. More importantly, if the SEO campaign is for a client, you need to be able to show the progress you've made over a specified period of time. If the client can't see any positive results, they may be more likely to look elsewhere for help.
Good data management practices allow you keep track of your keyword research, link building, content, account information, and the results of your campaign. If you're not using data management to your advantage, now is the time to start.
Also See:


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The World Economic Forum's (WEF's) Global Agenda Council on Emerging Technologies has compiled a list of the top 10 emerging technologies it believes will have the greatest impact on the state of the world in 2012, in order from lowest to highest in terms of the potential to provide solutions to global challenges.
1. Informatics for adding value to information
2. Synthetic biology and metabolic engineering
3. Green Revolution 2.0 – technologies for increased food and biomass
4. Nanoscale design of materials
5. Systems biology and computational modelling/simulation of chemical and biological systems
6. Utilization of carbon dioxide as a resource
7. Wireless power
8. High energy density power systems
9. Personalized medicine, nutrition and disease prevention
10. Enhanced education technology
The greatest impact on the world is provided by processing the information available to humans. The quantity of information now available to individuals and organizations is unprecedented in human history, and the rate of information generation continues to grow exponentially. Yet, the sheer volume of information is in danger of creating more noise than value, and as a result limiting its effective use. Innovations in how information is organized, mined and processed hold the key to filtering out the noise and using the growing wealth of global information to address emerging challenges.
Artificial Intelligence and in particular Qualitative Models, which extract the most relevant information, are pieces of the solution. This is the key technology included in the "Cognitive Brain for Service Robotics" of Cognitive Robots, a very broad technology, which not only can be used for service robotics but for Internet application as well. The basics of our work are included in this book.
By Darren Quick February 15, 2012


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If you follow me on Twitter, you would know that I am heavily into my weather stuff and that I have running every six hours a few scripts that I have mashed together to generate visible weather maps for the temperature, wind speed, rain and pressure for the British Isles. Now when these maps have generated, they can be quite hefty. The last weigh-in I did for the maps was 73.2MB, which if you're wanting to quickly browse them and you're not on a 4G or decent WiFi connection end up loading quite slowly.
I did however... [read more]
Tags: pngquant, png, compression, image, free


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I cannot begin to tell you how beautiful Saturday night was at the Nasher! I have
been to a lot of weddings but I have to say Justin and Molly's was the best! Everyone at the Nasher did a fabulous job: thorough, thoughtful and meticulous. Our guests continue to comment on how delicious the food was and noticed that there was always a waiter close by and easy access to a bar. Thank you both for working with Jordan Payne and with Justin and Molly to ensure the wedding they had dreamed of. Thank you for taking such good care of us Saturday night and babysitting me for the last eight months.
Warm Regards,
Jeanne & Berry Cox
There are not enough words to describe how perfect Sara and Paul's reception
at the Nasher was Saturday evening. I have already thanked God for the incredibly beautiful evening, but I wanted to thank both of you as well for the flawless execution of the event. All the months of planning came to a glorious climax Saturday. I can't begin to relay the compliments we received from our guests. Honestly, I think many of them were blown away by the magical setting. Many had no idea that a private event could be booked at the Nasher, and some had not been to the sculpture garden before. They will go back. We were told time and time again by various friends that it was the most beautiful wedding they had ever attended. Steve and I feel the same way and we are very proud of the wedding we gave our daughter.
I have high standards and expectations of food and service when I go to a restaurant, and certainly, when I host an event. (Plus, we all know, I'm a bit of a 'nervous nelly.') From the first bite of my appetizer (yum) and delicious mint julep, I was impressed, and as I looked up from my wonderful dinner to check the wine service and spotted an army of staff, hovering over the guests, I completely relaxed for the first time in days (OK, weeks), and enjoyed the evening immensely. Your staff did an awesome job and I hope you will thank them for us. Our compliments to the chef – the food was excellent. Our band, Motion, was great, and we danced and partied till midnight. They played a great Mustang Sally for me! So much fun! Most importantly, Sara and Paul had a marvelous time, and seemed so very happy – Sara told me her cheeks hurt from smiling so much! I understand fully, now, the phrase 'radiant bride!' This wedding was one of the most beautiful and memorable nights of our lives.
Thank you again, for all you did to help make that happen.
Sally Powell
Mother of the Bride
Wow! What a perfect evening at the Nasher. So many of our guests said it was
the best wedding they had ever been to. The garden looked better than amazing and the food and service was excellent. It was fun and picture perfect. Thank you both for all your hard work. I think that Britt had the wedding she had always dreamed of.
Gail Murphy,
Mother of the Bride
On behalf of the Texas Capital Connection, Connie Mahmood and I want to thank you and the professionals at both Wolfgang Puck and the Nasher Sculpture Center for making our event a great success.
The setting was magnificent and the ability to use the patio all evening added to the aura. Your wait staff provided excellent service for wine and sparkling water plus passed appetizers throughout the evening. They kept the food supply replenished so no one was disappointed. I can personally attest to how great the food was after climbing on the scale at home.
Museum attendants were very courteous and those that wandered through the gallery were most impressed with the exhibit.
It was a pleasure to work with you during the planning process and we also appreciated the two of you being there Wednesday night to make sure everything ran smoothly because it certainly did.
The Nasher will be on all our minds as a place to recommend and consider for future events.
Best regards,
Jim Nadeau
Regional Managing Director
Executives Unlimited, Inc
I just wanted to thank you all for making sure our event went so well on the 29th. I've heard nothing but positive feedback about every aspect of the event, from the beautiful space, the preparedness of the staff, and the absolutely wonderful catering. I can't wait to work with Nasher again in the future!
Thank you so much!!
Erin LaRocque
Assistant to the Vice President, Enrollment Management
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
What a resounding success! The PwC 65th Anniversary Celebration included the most delicious, the most inviting setting, and ambiance beyond compare. Working with you both was a joy. Thank you for your every consideration.
Lou Ann Monroe
Price Water House Coopers
I am writing on behalf of the UNT System to thank you and your team at the
Nasher Sculpture Center for your able assistance and care which contributed to the success of last Thursday's UNT Dallas luncheon. A large and distinguished audience of Dallas leaders attended the event and was introduced to the importance of the University through messages conveyed by Mayor Rawlings, President Price, and chancellor Jackson. The Nasher Center provided a beautiful setting, your staff were very professional and helpful, and the meal was delicious.
Thank you for permitting us to share your very special setting for part of an afternoon and for your caring assistance. I am personally very grateful.
Bill Lively
UNT Office of Strategic Partnerships


text:
The Roberts/Smart Centre welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.
Student Placements are only available through the College or University's program placement department.
We are always accepting résumés for part-time, on-call Youth Counsellors. Only those considered for an interview will be contacted. Please forward a copy of your résumé to firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Vivaldi email help
Drexxl last edited by
Hello! I want to use the Vivaldi email client as find it convenient, but i want to keep my old email adress, is there a way to merge them or just change the Vivaldi one? Please any help would be appreciated! /Drexxl
There is no Vivaldi email client yet. If there were, you obviously could use any email address on it you wanted to. Email client, integrated into the Vivaldi browser, will be released as soon as it is ready.
There IS Vivaldi webmail, but as far as I know you can only use Vivaldi-domain email addresses on it. Unlike, say, GMail, it cannot as far as I know fetch your POP3 mail from other domains' servers and serve it to you via the GMail interface, nor can it send mail using a return address which originates in another domain (a fictitious address, which you can set GMail to use as return address, if you have already set up GMail to fetch mail from that other server.


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Original Look Magazine from October 22, 1963 - Interior of a new 1964 with toddler playing on the passenger seat
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Adelaide police have arrested 12 men connected with two bikie gangs after a violent brawl at a city nightclub was captured by security cameras.
Police said 13 members of the Hells Angels and 12 members of the Finks clashed violently about 5am on May 29 at the Hindley Street venue.
They attacked each other with bottles, glasses, metal bollards and heavy metal bar stools, with several members of the group suffering serious head injuries.
Detective Inspector Steve Taylor, from the Crime Gangs Task Force, said the incident showed the true nature of the relationship between bikie gangs.
While they had recently portrayed themselves as law-abiding citizens who were united in the fight against SA's anti-gang laws, the opposite was actually the truth, he said.
"These pictures show members of motorcycle gangs are not ordinary citizens who ride motorcycles on weekends as a fun get together," Det Insp Taylor said.
"They are not unified, they are violent offenders who have no problem playing out their differences in public.
"This violence has included shootings, bombings and stabbings."
Det Insp Taylor said it was lucky no one was killed in the latest incident.
No arrests were made on the night, with police launching a major investigation involving about 170 officers.
They raided clubrooms operated by both the Finks and the Hells Angels on Friday.
Those arrested included seven members of the Finks, including the club's sergeant-at-arms, one member of the Hells Angels and four people associated with the Hells Angels.
They were all charged with aggravated riot, a recently introduced offence which carries a 10-year maximum jail term.
The 12 were granted police bail on strict conditions and will appear in court at a later date.


text:
Allen's Ducklings, 2010
Artwork Shop
8 x 6 x 1 in
Artist Statement and Description
My brother rescued these little ducks, dropped, still in their eggs, by their heedless mothers into our snow-fed pond in the early spring. He raised them in ever-larger straw filled boxes in our dim basement, among the toys, tools and sprouting tomatoes, until they swam, first in the laundry sink then in Allen's blue wheelbarrow and finally in the raucous company of their parents in the pond, warm now from the summer sun.
The ducklings were drawn on copper and plastic by Kay Bradner using a diamond tipped drypoint needle. They were printed. a la poupee, in an edition of 20 unique books by her daughter, Claire Kessler-Bradner, at their San Francisco studio in the summer of 2010. The text is letterpress, printed by Rebecca Peters at Reb Peters Press in Oakland, CA.
Dedicated to: Snuggles, Quack, Spot, Limpet, Fluffy, Racer, Shaker, Dicy, Ram, Peeper, Snow White , Tiger and Elmer


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Aside from the guy dancing in the frog outfit and a video featuring a chorus of bad singing, Statehouse advocates gathered yesterday for a serious message to state lawmakers: Come back to work.
Aside from the guy dancing in the frog outfit and a video featuring a chorus of bad singing, Statehouse advocates gathered yesterday for a serious message to state lawmakers: Come back to work.
Legislators are out of town on a summer break that could last through the November election, if they do not find motivation to come back sooner.
The liberal Progress Ohio, Ohio Citizen Action, Common Cause Ohio and the Ohio Coalition for Homelessness and Housing in Ohio held a Statehouse news conference to urge lawmakers to return and get busy on some major legislation that was not completed before they departed more than three weeks ago. The bills involve redistricting, foreclosure assistance, payday-lending restrictions, corporate campaign disclosure and anti-employment discrimination for gays, among others.
"We are here today because the legislature is not," said Brian Rothenberg of Progress Ohio, who, like many at the news conference, sported a T-shirt that read: "My lawmaker went to the Statehouse and all I got was this ... Bullfrog."
The shirts referred to lawmakers finding time to make the bullfrog the official state frog.
A fight over control of the House in November and a behind-the-scenes struggle among Senate Republicans over who will be president in 2011 have contributed to inaction, Rothenberg said.
The House and Senate passed separate plans to take the politics out of drawing state legislative districts. New lines will be drawn in 2011 based on the new census count, and the party that controls the five-member State Apportionment Board can gerrymander the lines to its benefit.
"We all admit this is a problem," said Catherine Turcer of Ohio Citizen Action. "Yet, we're stuck. It's time for compromise and time to work together."
To make the November ballot, the redistricting issue must be passed by Aug. 4. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Kettering, reported "good progress" from a meeting last week that included him and House Speaker Armond Budish, D-Beachwood.
The proposal would need a three-fifths vote in each chamber. Husted said he continues to struggle with finding agreement in the two minority caucuses - House Republicans and Senate Democrats.
"We have agreement on what the problems are. We are narrowing the scope of what the solutions are," Husted said. "Trying to sell this to people, though, when they are not forced to focus on it over the summer is proving to be very challenging."
Bill Faith, a housing advocate, urged the Senate to move payday-lending legislation that would prohibit lenders from charging to cash their own checks and limiting origination and credit-check fees. Faith said some Republican Senate leaders, including President Bill M. Harris, R-Ashland, have said they are willing to look at the payday issue, but others, including some with aspirations of replacing Harris in 2011, oppose the bill.
On foreclosure, a number of provisions have passed the House but stalled in the Senate, including those that would regulate loan servicers, fund more foreclosure counseling and protect renters.
Legislative delay, Faith said, "only continues our economic woes as a state."
The House would "welcome an opportunity to pass many of these bills into law," said Keary McCarthy, spokesman for Budish.
Maggie Ostrowski, spokeswoman for Harris, said the legislature passed jobs bills in May and June to boost wind- and solar-power generation, implement Ohio's new casinos and assist the auto and telecom industries.
"The legislature doesn't have to be in voting session to be working on legislation."


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Crystal-clear Fender clean and a bevy of tonal options.
Simple to use and versatile enough for any style of guitar playing, there's a Champion amp that's right for you whether you're looking for your first practice amp or affordable stage gear. The 20W Champion 20 features a single 8" Special Design speaker, with great amp voices and effects that make it easy to dial up just the right sound - from jazz to country, blues to metal and more.
It features a single channel that has selectable amp voicings, including Blackface, British, Metal, Jazz and Tweed, for a wide array of tonal variety. Each channel offers selectable FX, including delay, chorus, reverb and more.
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text:
Isaiah 62:6-12 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
6 I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem;
8 The Lord has sworn by his right hand
10 Pass through, pass through the gates!
11 The Lord has made proclamation
New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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- Club Info
- House League
- Outdoor House League
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- High-5 All Abilities Team
- Competitive
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Congratulations Samantha Chang!
Congratulations Samantha Chang!
Unionville Milliken Soccer Club is #STRIKERPROUD of Samantha Chang! Samantha Chang will be representing CANADA at the FIFA U17 Women's World Cup in Jordan from September 30th to October 21st!
Samantha is a natural leader and a true team player. In addition, she is a dead ball specialist. Although she plays Centre back for the national team, Coach Alex Morales would tell you she is the best box to box midfielder in the country at the U17 level.
At just 16, Samantha Chang is already committed to the University of South Carolina which is currently ranked 8th in the NCAA rankings.
UMSC celebrates Samantha Chang, and wisher her a fantastic tournament in Jordan!
#strikerproud #nationalpathway #proud


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Trần Lệ Xuân (22 August 1924[2] – 24 April 2011), popularly known as Madame Nhu, was the de facto First Lady of South Vietnam from 1955 to 1963. She was the wife of Ngô Đình Nhu who was the brother and chief adviser to President Ngô Đình Diệm. As Diệm was a lifelong bachelor, and because she and her family lived in Independence Palace, she was considered to be the first lady.
Known for her incendiary comments attacking the Buddhists of South Vietnam and the American influence in the country, she had to live in exile in France after her husband Nhu and her brother Diệm were assassinated in 1963.
Trần Lệ Xuân was born into a wealthy aristocratic family in Hanoi, French Indochina, then part of the French colonial empire. Her given name means "Spring's Beauty" [2] Her paternal grandfather was close to the French colonial administration, while her father, Trần Văn Chương, studied law in France,[3] and practicing in Bac Lieu in the Mekong Delta before marrying into the ruling imperial dynasty.[4] Her father also served as the first foreign secretary for Indochina under Japanese occupation.[5] Her mother, Thân Thị Nam Trân, was a granddaughter of Emperor Đồng Khánh and a cousin of Emperor Bảo Đại.[6]
She dropped out of Lycée Albert Sarraut, a prestigious French school in Hanoi. She spoke French at home and could not write in Vietnamese; as an adult, she drafted her speeches in French and had them translated into Vietnamese.[3] She gained a reputation in her youth as a tomboy who loved ballet and piano, once dancing solo at Hanoi's National Theatre.[7] She had an elder sister named Trần Lệ Chi (who married the Frenchman Etienne Oggeri and changed her name to Lechi Oggeri) and a younger brother, Trần Văn Khiêm.[8]
When she became an adult, her mother introduced her to a series of eligible young men, but she insisted on Nhu. He was fourteen years older and referred to her as "little niece" in accordance with Vietnamese custom.[9] In 1943, aged 18,[10] she married Nhu, and converted from Mahayana Buddhism to Roman Catholicism, her husband's religion. After an uprising by the Viet Minh in August 1945, her brother-in-law, Ngô Đình Khôi, the eldest of the Ngô brothers, was buried alive, and Nhu and another brother, Ngô Đình Cẩn, were forced to flee.
She, her mother-in-law and her eldest daughter, at the time a baby, were captured. Thinking her piano was a radio for communicating with French colonialists, the Viet Minh blew it up and then exiled her to a remote village for four months, where she lived on two bowls of rice a day.[7] The French dismissed Nhu from his post at the National Library due to his brother (Diệm)'s nationalist activities, and he moved to Đà Lạt and lived comfortably, editing a newspaper, where his wife bore three more children.[3]
Madame Nhu's brother-in-law, Diệm, had been appointed Prime Minister of the State of Vietnam by her mother's distant cousin, Emperor Bảo Đại, after the French had been defeated at the Battle of Điện Biên Phủ. At the start of 1955, French Indochina was dissolved, leaving Diệm in temporary control of the south.[11]
A referendum was scheduled for 23 October 1955, to determine the future direction of the south. It was contested by Bảo Đại, the Emperor, who advocated the restoration of the monarchy, while Diệm ran on a republican platform. The elections were held and Diệm won 98.2% of the votes. As a result, Diệm eliminated the Emperor Bao Dai and became the first president of South Vietnam.[12][13]
After the election, the couple moved into the Presidential Palace. Madame Nhu was influential on government policy and, since her brother-in-law, Ngô Đình Diệm, was unmarried, she was regarded as the First Lady of South Vietnam.[3] Madame Nhu frequently talked to the Vietnamese, French and foreign press quite candidly.
In 1962, she had a statue erected in
In the early 1960s, Madame Nhu popularized a tight-fitting version of the traditional áo dài (long dress) that was considered controversial in its day, due to its tight fit and low-cut neckline. According to Boi Tran Huynh, a scholar of Vietnamese visual arts, "To foreigners, this collar made sense, given the tropical conditions, but conservatives saw it as too suggestive for Vietnamese women."[84]
Madame Nhu kept a personal diary during her position as First Lady of South Vietnam. Her diary is dated from 1959 through to 1963 and is in the possession of United States Army Captain James Văn Thạch.[81] The diary is in the initial steps of being authenticated by the Hoover Institution Library and Archives, at Stanford University.[82]
In early April 2011, she was taken to a hospital in Rome where she died three weeks later, on Easter Sunday, 24 April 2011.[1][2][79][80] News of her death was announced by her sister Lechi Oggeri, while family friend Truong Phu Thu was interviewed by BBC News afterwards.[78]
In her last years, she lived with her eldest son, Ngô Đình Trác, and youngest daughter, Ngô Đình Lệ Quyên, in Rome, and was reportedly working on a book of memoirs to be published posthumously.[78] Her memoirs would be written in French and would be translated into Vietnamese and Italian.
In the 1990s, she was reportedly living on the French Riviera and charging the press for interviews. In 2002, she gave an interview to journalist Truong Phu Thu of Dân Chúa Mỹ Châu, a Vietnamese Catholic community publication. It was published in October 2004. The article stated that she was living in Paris and working on her memoirs.[78]
In 1993, she sued her parents' insurance company to prevent it from awarding their death benefit because she contested the validity of their wills. Her parents allegedly changed their wills, disinheriting their son Khiem and Madame Nhu and making their sister Le Chi the sole beneficiary.[77]
On 2 November 1986, Madame Nhu charged the United States with hounding her family during the arrest of her younger brother, Trần Văn Khiêm, who was charged in the strangling deaths of their parents in their Washington, D.C. home after being cut out of their will.[2]
In November 1982 in Rome Madame Nhu accorded to Judith Vecchione[75] a first significant interview on the historic events in Vietnam. Vecchione was a producer for "Vietnam, A Television History".[76] The series was subsequently aired on PBS in 1983.
The military government of Vietnam under General Dương Văn Minh confiscated all of the property in Saigon that belonged to Madame Nhu and her family, and she was not allowed to return to South Vietnam. She went to Rome briefly before moving permanently to France with her children. Her daughter, Lệ Thủy, died in 1967, at age 22, in an automobile accident in Longjumeau, France.[74]
In the aftermath of the coup, the statues of the Trưng Sisters that Madame Nhu had erected with her own facial features were demolished by jubilant anti-Diệm rioters.[73] The Times of Vietnam office was also burned down, and the newspaper was never published again.[73]
In response to the killings of Diệm and Nhu, she immediately accused the United States, saying "Whoever has the Americans as allies does not need enemies",[71] and that "No coup can erupt without American incitement and backing".[68] She went on to predict a bleak future for Vietnam and said that, by being involved in the coup, the troubles of the United States in Vietnam were just beginning.[68] She called the deaths an "indelible stigma" against the Americans and said "My family has been treacherously killed with either official or unofficial blessing of the American government, I can predict to you now that the story is only at its beginning."[68] She invoked biblical analogies, saying "Judas has sold the Christ for thirty pieces of silver. The Ngô brothers have been sold for a few dollars."[68] When asked if she wanted asylum in the United States, she said, "I cannot stay in a country whose government stabbed me in the back. I believe all the devils in hell are against us."[72]
On 2 November 1963, Diệm and Nhu were assassinated in a coup d'état led by General Dương Văn Minh (Armed Forces Council) with the understanding that the United States would not intervene. At the time of the assassinations, Madame Nhu was in Beverly Hills, California, traveling with her 18-year-old daughter, Ngô Đình Lệ Thủy.[68] Her other children were in Vietnam at the family retreat in Đà Lạt and she feared that they would meet the same fate as their father.[69] The children were not harmed by the generals and were flown out of the country into exile in Rome, where they were placed in the custody of their uncle, Archbishop Thục. Madame Nhu later flew to Rome to join them.[70]
In the wake of the tumultuous events, Madame Nhu appeared on NBC-TV's Meet the Press on 13 October 1963, defending her actions and those of the South Vietnamese government. "I don't know why you Americans dislike us ... Is it because the world is under a spell called liberalism? Your own public, here in America, is not as anti-Communistic as ours is in Vietnam. Americans talk about my husband and I leaving our native land permanently. Why should we do this? Where would we go? To say that 70 percent of my country's population is Buddhistic is absolutely true. My father, who was our ambassador to the United States until two months ago, has been against me since my childhood."
She denounced American liberals as "worse than communists"[65] and Buddhists as "hooligans in robes".[66] Her father did not share the same beliefs and followed her around the country rebutting her comments,[64] denouncing the "injustice and oppression" and stating that his daughter had "become unwittingly the greatest asset to the communists." She predicted that Buddhism would become extinct in Vietnam.[67]
Despite the United States Vice President Lyndon Johnson's advice for her to stop damaging relations with inflammatory remarks, Madame Nhu refused to back down, describing herself a "scapegoat" for American shortcomings and failures. She went on to accuse the administration of betraying her family, saying "I refuse to play the role of an accomplice in an awful murder ... According to a few immature American junior officials—too imbued by a real but obsolete imperialist spirit, the Vietnamese regime is not puppet enough and must be liquidated."[64] She accused the Americans of undermining South Vietnam through "briberies, threats and other means" to destroy her family because they "do not like" it.[64] She further mocked Kennedy's entourage, asking why "all the people around President Kennedy are pink?"
Madame Nhu arrived in the United States on 7 October, and her arrival was greeted by the United Nations' launching of an inquiry into the repression of Buddhists in South Vietnam.[64] Kennedy had resisted the temptation to deny her an entry visa and his administration soon came under a flurry of verbal attacks.[64]
In the 29 September 1963 meeting with Diệm, McNamara bemoaned "the ill-advised and unfortunate declarations of Madame Nhu",[61] who had described U.S. military advisors as "acting like little soldiers of fortune".[61] McNamara said that such comments would damage bilateral military cooperation and deter American officers from helping the South Vietnamese forces.[61] Lodge denounced the comments and said, "These men should be thanked, not insulted."[62] However, one of his aides lost his composure and asked if "there were not something the government could do to shut her up."[61] Diệm was stunned by the comments and retorted that "one cannot deny a lady the right to defend herself when she has been unjustly attacked", saying his sister-in-law was entitled to freedom of speech.[61] But McNamara reinforced the point, noting to Diem that "This is not satisfactory. The problems were real and serious. They had to be solved before the war could be won."[63]
The issue resulted in an awkward confrontation when U.S. Defense Secretary Robert McNamara and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Maxwell Taylor, traveled to Vietnam for a fact-finding mission about the progress of the war. One of the purposes of the mission was to achieve, in the words of President Kennedy, "a visible reduction in influence of Nhus, who are symbol to disaffected of all that they dislike in GVN. This we think would require Nhus' departure from Saigon and preferably Vietnam at least for extended vacation."[60]
In Madame Nhu's first destination, Belgrade, she said in an interview that "President Kennedy is a politician, and when he hears a loud opinion speaking in a certain way, he tries to appease it somehow", referring to the opposition to her family's rule.[57] She continued: "if that opinion is misinformed, the solution is not to bow to it, but the solution should be to inform."[58][59]
There was also speculation that she could turn up at the United Nations in New York and embarrass South Vietnam and the U.S.[56] Bundy said in a meeting that "this was the first time the world had been faced with collective madness in a ruling family since the days of the czars" and her comments provoked much debate on how to get Diệm to silence her.[57]
Madame Nhu's comments were such that President National Security Council deemed her a threat to U.S. security, and told the then United States Ambassador to South Vietnam, Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. to seek her permanent removal from South Vietnam.[55]
When acting U.S. ambassador William Trueheart warned that development aid might be withheld if the repression orchestrated by the Ngôs continued, Madame Nhu denounced it as "blackmail". Nhu and Diệm, fearing a cut in aid, sent Madame Nhu to the United States on a speaking tour. She departed South Vietnam on 9 September 1963 in an expedition that brought widespread international scorn to her family's regime.[54] She had predicted "a triumphant lecture tour".[55] She left on 17 September for the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting in Yugoslavia, followed by a trip to Italy and possibly to the United States, where she had an invitation to speak before the Overseas Press Club of New York.
Following the pagoda raids, Trí Quang was given asylum at the U.S. Embassy after Ngô Đình Nhu's plans to assassinate him were uncovered. Madame Nhu gave a media interview in which she called on government troops to invade the American embassy and capture Thích Trí Quang and some other monks who were staying there, saying that the government must arrest "all key Buddhists".[52] In a media interview, her husband responded to his parents-in-law by vowing to kill his father-in-law, claiming his wife would participate. He said "I will have his head cut off. I will hang him in the center of a square and let him dangle there. My wife will make the knot on the rope because she is proud of being a Vietnamese and she is a good patriot."[53]
Her comments further stoked open infighting with her parents, who would eventually disown her and seek refuge in the United States. Her father, Trần Văn Chương, the ambassador to the United States, resigned in protest,[48][49] along with all but one of the staffers at the embassy.[50] Chương charged Diệm with having "copied the tactics of totalitarian regimes".[48] His wife, who was South Vietnam's observer at the United Nations, resigned and spoke of mass executions and a reign of terror under Diệm and Nhu. She predicted that if Diệm and Nhu and Madame Nhu did not leave Vietnam then they would inevitably be killed.[51] Madame Nhu claimed Buddhist leader Thích Trí Quang "spoke for many intellectuals who had repeatedly ridiculed her."[52]
The United States, in a position of some leverage owing to the considerable US aid flowing into South Vietnam, in August 1963 wished to give President Diệm a chance to rid himself of both his brother and Madame Nhu. In a cable drafted by Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs, Roger Hilsman, to Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge, Lodge was instructed to advise Diệm of a call for "the removal of the Nhus from the scene."[46] U.S. President Kennedy supported the message in the cable upon its approval by most of his advisors.[47]
This occurred after [44] A few days after the raids, Madame Nhu described the deadly attacks on the Buddhists as "the happiest day in my life since we crushed the Bình Xuyên in 1955", and assailed them as "communists."[45]
In July, the US government rejected a request from her to travel to the United States for a public speaking tour, fearing a public relations disaster.[41] On 3 August, she called the Buddhists "seditious elements who use the most odious Communist tactics to subvert the country."[42]
Her own father went on radio to condemn her comments.[20] A Confucian, Chương said that the regime had alienated "the strongest moral forces", implying that they had lost the Mandate of Heaven. She responded by calling him a "coward". Her mother said that "There is an old proverb in my country which means 'one should not make oneself or one's family naked before the world'... I was sick... Now, nobody can stop her ... She never listened to our advice."[10] After these comments, the U.S. ambassador, Frederick Nolting, told Diệm that if he did not denounce his sister-in-law's comment in public, the Americans would have to stop supporting him, but he refused to do so, and assailed the monks.[40]
Madame Nhu publicly mocked Thích Quảng Đức, who performed a self-immolation on 11 June 1963 in a crowded Saigon street to protest against the shooting of Buddhists by Diệm's regime. Nhu labelled it a "barbecue" and stated, "Let them burn and we shall clap our hands."[37] She further offered to provide more fuel and matches for the Buddhists, noting his "barbecuing" was not "self-sufficient" because "imported gasoline" was used.[39] The monk's suicide followed Ngo Dinh Nhu's repression of the Buddhist-fueled protests and was responsible for the regime's continuing instability. According to historian Howard Jones, these comments "all but put the finishing touch on the Diệm regime".
On 8 June 1963, Madame Nhu released a statement through the Women's Solidarity Movement accusing the Buddhists of neutralism, effectively accusing them of being [30][38]
When she heard that Diệm was to sign a statement offering compensation to the families of Buddhist protesters shot dead by the police of his brother Ngô Đình Cẩn, she was reported to have thrown a bowl of soup at him.[37]
The following year she instructed her Women's Solidarity Movement to oppose American attempts "to make lackeys of Vietnamese and to seduce Vietnamese women into decadent paths."[35] As relations became strained, she publicly accused the Americans of having supported the 1960 coup.[36]
Diệm reacted to the bombing by cracking down on political dissidents and further tightening control of the press.[32] Madame Nhu added, "[y]ou open a window to let in light and air, not bullets. We want freedom, but we don't want to be exploited by it."[33] In a radio interview in late-1962, she mockingly remarked that American journalists were "intoxicated with communism."[34]
On 27 February 1962, two dissident Republic of Vietnam Air Force pilots, Nguyễn Văn Cử and Phạm Phú Quốc, bombed the Independence Palace, the official residence of the Ngô family, with the aim of assassinating them. One bomb landed in a room where Diệm was reading, but failed to detonate. The family escaped to the cellar unhurt, except for Madame Nhu, who sustained an arm fracture while running for cover.[31]
She often exerted her influence through bouts of shouting. Sometimes when she disagreed with a proposal or decision that had been made inside the palace by some ministers or other senior public servants, she would verbally abuse them and intimidate them into adopting her preferred stance.[30]
As her husband's influence grew, as did her own vicariously, so did American distaste for them. [29]
Madame Nhu claimed that she and her husband were responsible for Diệm's triumph over the Bình Xuyên in the Battle for Saigon in 1954.[26] She claimed it was the family's destiny to save South Vietnam.[27] Following the collapse of the coup, her influence in the family began to rise.[28]
She had a message to Diệm's opponents: "We will track down, neutralize and extirpate all these scabby sheep."[24] French journalist François Sully wrote that Madame Nhu was "conceited, and obsessed with a drive for power that far surpasses that of even her husband ... It is no exaggeration to say that Madame Nhu is the most detested personality in South Vietnam."[25] Sully was promptly expelled from Vietnam by the Ngô family.[26]
Madame Nhu exerted influence with her fiery attitude, often abusing Diệm and Nhu, who bowed to her angry tirades. Madame Nhu was frequently mocked by the media for her ostentatious flaunting of power, and was sometimes called the "[20] She once stated "Power is wonderful. Total power is totally wonderful."[21] She once told a group of American congressmen, "I'm not exactly afraid of death. I love power and in the next life I have a chance to be even more powerful than I am."[22] U.S. Defense Secretary McNamara noted that "I saw Madame Nhu as bright, forceful, and beautiful, but also diabolical and scheming—a true sorceress."[23]
During her brother-in-law's presidency, Madame Nhu pushed for the passing of "morality laws" outlawing abortion, adultery, divorce, contraceptives, dance halls, beauty pageants, boxing matches, and animal fighting, and closed down the brothels and opium dens. She was widely mocked by the public who regarded her as a hypocrite,[3] with older Vietnamese believing her décolleté gowns to be sexually suggestive, in addition to widespread rumors of her own infidelity. Her family received further scorn as her sister Trần Lệ Chi, who was married to Nguyển Hữu Châu, had a French lover named Etienne Oggeri, and critics alleged that Madame Nhu introduced the laws so that her sister's husband could not get a divorce. Since he was extremely wealthy, the Ngô family would have lost highly valuable assets. In addition, her brother, Khiêm, used his government connections to bilk rich entrepreneurs.[3] Diệm had stated before becoming President, "The history of China bears witness to the grave crises brought on by the empresses and their relatives."
Howard Jones says "Madame Nhu was chauffeured in a black Mercedes and wore a small diamond crucifix",[10] and "wore form-fitting apparel so tight that one French correspondent suggestively described her as 'molded into her ... dress like a dagger in its sheath.' On formal occasions, she wore red satin pantaloons with three vertical pleats, which was the mark of the highest-ranking women of the imperial court in ancient Annam."[18]
Her father became the ambassador to the United States while her mother was South Vietnam's observer at the United Nations. Two of her uncles were cabinet ministers.[16] Her parents resigned their posts in 1963, in protest over the treatment of Buddhists under the regime of President Diệm and disowned their daughter.[17]
[15] officers and public servants into joining her "movement".ARVN She pressured the wives of [15] The statue cost US$20,000, a substantial sum at the time, given that South Vietnam was a developing country, but she was undeterred by criticism about largesse.[14]
Bảo Đại, Dương Văn Minh, South Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh, Mekong Delta
Japan, Vietnam, French colonial empire, Hanoi, Laos
Ngô Đình Diệm, State of Vietnam, Vietnam War, Vietnam, Bảo Đại
Vietnam, Bangkok, Seoul, Manila, Huế
Nguyễn Dynasty, Ngô Đình Diệm, Huế, Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh
Buddhist crisis, Gautama Buddha, Ngô Đình Diệm, Saigon, Madame Nhu
South Vietnam, Cambodia, Army of the Republic of Vietnam, Coup d'état, Ngô Đình Diệm
Gautama Buddha, Buddhism, Huế, David Halberstam, John F. Kennedy
David Halberstam, White House, Buddhist crisis, John F. Kennedy, South Vietnam
Ngo Dinh Diem, Mekong Delta, Buddhist crisis, Nguyễn Khánh, French Indochina


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Photography Classes in Fremont NH
Interested in taking photography classes in Fremont NH? Whether you are a hobbyist, professional, or beginner, the most effective approach to improving your photography abilities is through hands-on training with skilled instructors.
There are many accredited photography schools in New Hampshire. Photography classes cover topics such as digital capture, lighting techniques, exposure, composition, outdoor photography, and many other basic and advanced camera techniques. Growing into an accomplished photographer can result in a successful professional career or lifelong hobby.
There are many Photography Classes in Fremont NH:
- Fremont Studio Photography Classes
- Fremont Photography 101
- Fremont Digital Photography Classes
- Fremont Nature Photography Classes
- Fremont Editorial Photography Classes
Fremont NH Photography Classes
Chester College of New England
40 Chester St
Chester, New Hampshire 03036-4331
Phone: (603) 887-4401
7.13 miles away


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CLAREMONT, CA. – The Pomona-Pitzer Men's Track & Field Team made their 2019 debut at the Occidental Dual Meet, competing against runners and field athletes from Occidental College on Saturday afternoon. With a couple new events introduced at the meet, the Tigers prevailed at the meet, outscoring the Sagehens 69-57. The Sagehens took first place in seven events at the meet and saw thrower Warren Hosseinion break the meet record in the discus with the score of 38.67 meters.
"It was awesome get our season started today with our annual dual meet with Occidental," said Head Coach Jordan Carpenter. "Today's meet was all about breaking off the rust and getting back into competition mode. It is always a fun meet to come to as we get to run a number of relays and events that are not typically contested at the collegiate level. This takes some pressure off and lets us just go have some fun in the first all our effort of the year."
Freshman Dylan Madden impressed in his collegiate debut, taking first in the 400 Meter Dash at 51.56 seconds, just .08 seconds faster than second-place Caldwell Biddle of Occidental. The Sagehens continued to show their traditional dominance in the distance race, winning the 4x1600 Relay as Oliver Chang, Edmund Havener, Joe Hesse-Withbroe, and Liam Jones took first at 18:12.69.
In the jumping events, Evan Johnson won the High Jump with a mark of 1.73 meters while Elliot Raskin tied for first with teammate Nick Kapule in the Pole Vault at 4.25m. Ethan Hardacre took first in the Triple Jump at 12.38m and the Long Jump at 6.23m.
In addition to winning the Discus Hosseinion also took second in the Shot Put at 11.50m and Hammer Throw at 30.08m.
Up Next: The Sagehens will compete again next Saturday as they make their home debut at the Pomona-Pitzer Collegiate All Comers on February 16 at 10:30 a.m.


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Do you think it's time to brush up on your knowledge of online technology? The Entry Level 3 Certificate in Digital Skills is the ideal place to start your journey.
The course content is interactive, flexible and reflects the key competencies jobseekers need to build their confidence and digital ability to be able to apply for work online.
The Certificate in Digital Skills is the qualification for learners who admit to having little or no prior experience of IT. But it also can be a gateway course for people interested in progressing their knowledge further.


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Posted: Dec 15, 2018
ANNVILLE, Pa. - The Hood College men's basketball team led at halftime but Lebanon Valley could not miss from 3-point range in the second half, going 8 of 10 in the final 20 minutes to defeat the Blazers 92-85 in a Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth contest.
Inside the Box Score
- Mason Wang scored 23 points to lead the Blazers, hitting 6 of 12 field goals and dishing out four assists. He went 10 of 10 at the free throw line, the most attempts in a game without a miss for a Hood player since Justin Bowens went 10 of 10 in December 2012.
- Evan Wang had a season-high five steals and finished with 14 points on 4 of 7 shooting. He was perfect on five free throw attempts.
- Three other Blazers reached double figures in scoring, led by Michael Riley's 14 points. Anthony Pearson scored 11 points and Tyler Evans had a career-high 10 points.
How it Happened
- The Blazers led for the entirety of the first half and took their biggest lead, 36-29, on a pair of free throws by Evans with 2:56 left in the period. Two free throws by Mason Wang made it 38-32 just over a minute later but the Dutchmen scored five points down the stretch to cut the Hood lead to a point at halftime.
- Jeremy Deihm opened the second half scoring with a pair of baskets to give LVC a 41-38 lead. Hood pulled within a point, 49-48, on a jumper by Wang with 15:34 left in the game but Zach Tucker hit a 3-pointer on the next possession for the Dutchmen.
- Lebanon Valley shot 62 percent in the second half and led by as many as 10. Tucker had 15 points in the half to finish with 27 in the contest.
- Jason Green scored 14 off the bench, while Diehm's day ended with 13. AJ Catanzaro was a perfect 3 of 3 from 3-point range and had 10 points.
- Hood responded to LVC's strong day behind the arc with a 24 for 30 effort at the free throw line (80 percent).
- The Blazers held a 24-15 edge in points off turnovers and 17-9 in second chance scoring.
- Hood fell to 7-4 overall and 2-3 in the MAC Commonwealth. LVC is 4-7 and 1-3.
Up Next
The Blazers will play an exhibition game at Division I UMBC on December 21 at 1 p.m. before taking on another Division I program, Robert Morris, on the road in a regular season game on December 29.


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Selected colour: Dark blue
About DON
Style: 0934696000C0059778
- For the Don, Moncler takes its technical know-how to a whole new level: the versatility of the nylon rainwear fabric is used to its full potential to construct a high-performance down quilted jacket that is perfect to face the first cool days of the season, but is also very feminine and rich in refined details that make it an outerwear piece to always have in the front of the winter closet.
- Nylon rainwear jacket
- Down quilted
- Attached hood with black knit trim, elastic drawcord and metal toggle
- Die-cast zipper front closure
- Double pockets with die-cast zipper closures
- Hood chin guard with black painted snaps closure for all of the colourways
- Adjustable nylon rainwear cased elastic belt with painted snaps closure
- Adjustable cased elastic cuffs with ribbon and painted snap closures
- Moncler logo label on left side
- Medium length
- Slim fit
EXTERIOR: 100% Polyamide / Nylon; LINING: 100% Polyamide / Nylon; PADDING: 90% Down, 10% Feather
We provide free pick up for your returns: you have 15 days from delivery to follow our quick and easy return procedure. For further information visit the Returns and Refunds section.


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The Resurrected Jesus
John 14:3, 18 and 28 Jesus promised he would come to us.
Acts 2:33 The holy spirit is that which was promised.
2 Corinthians 3:17 and 18 The spirit is the Lord.
Colossians 1:27 Christ in you
Ephesians 1:20-23 The resurrected Jesus is not the same as the Son of man seen
in the Gospels. He has a whole new life, mission, and authority.
Revelation 1:5
Faithful witness 3:14, 19:11
First-born of the dead 1:17 and 18; Colossians 1:15-20
Ruler of the kings of the earth 17:14; 19:11-16
Loves us and released us from our sins by his blood 5:9
Made us to be a kingdom, priests to his God and Father 5:10
2:1 Seven stars are the messengers; seven lamp stands are the churches.
2:8 First to be raised, but not the last; last because no one else is the Messiah
2:12 Sharp two-edged sword 1:16, 2:16, 19:11-16
2:18 Eyes, a flame of fire 2:20-23
3:1 Jesus has authority in heaven and earth.
3:7 He has the authority to decide who enters and does not John 5:25-28
3:14 Beginning of the creation Colossians 1:15-20
5:1-14 The only worthy one
« back to sermon archive


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color palette: folk
Remember the apron that has me all inspired? I chose some colors of DMC embroidery floss to accompany the things that I'm making in the style of this apron. I've been enjoying putting it together in smaller combinations, which I'll share soon, but for now here's the whole palette!
The colors in the photo are a bit bolder than the real deal, but in photos or in person, I think they're quite a combination and I want to use them on all kinds of things. Here's the DMC numbers:
And just for fun, here's an iPad pic that I took while finding the colors:
There was lots of trying different shades against the apron, then looking at them all together, separately, switching things around, and it was all around lovely.
3 comments:
OOOOH we can't wait!ReplyDelete
I love so much that you do groupings of the floss...i can't tell you how many times i see your posts and go running out to buy the grouping that you show. thank you for doing those posts...it helps to see the colors you've put together (so much better than what I choose).ReplyDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Rockbox mail archiveSubject: small bugs
From: Eric Linenberg (elinenbe_at_umich.edu)
Date: 2002-10-05
all on recorder:
--if you hold down F2 the shuffle mode text "jumps"
--F1 should bring up quick menu with down as an option for keylock.
--F1+ON = ID3 info screen. This should include all info that is
Page was last modified "Jan 10 2012" The Rockbox Crew


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Bhanwari case: Divers recover watch, bone pieces
"A wrist watch, some pieces of bones and a few articles, including a ring and a locket, were recovered from the canal. It is subject to verification whether the articles were of Bhanwari Devi," a police official said. The recovery was made by a joint team of police and CBI.
The Rajasthan government has stopped water supply to the canal to enable the investigators to locate the remains of Bhanwari. Kailash Jakhar, an accused in the case, had told CBI that he and his accomplice Bishnaram Bishnoi were handed over Bhanwari`s body on September 1, 2011 after which they burnt it in a crater near Jaloda and threw the remains in the canal.
CBI officials said they will bring Bishnaram at the spot in Jaloda village, about 150 km from Jodhpur, for verification of these articles.
The divers had on Friday recovered a wooden bat, a poly bag containing two country made revolvers, a few bangles and bone pieces from the canal. A team of Central Forensic Science Laboratory had on Friday sent the ashes collected from the site, where the body was allegedly burnt, to New Delhi for a DNA test to ascertain if they were the remains of Bhanwari, while a CBI court extended the custody of sacked Rajasthan minister Mahipal Maderna, arrested for his alleged role in her disappearance.
Bhanwari had gone missing on September 1, 2011 after a CD allegedly showing her in a compromising position with Maderna was circulated in the political circle.


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Plastic Problems
Text and Images by Henrylito D. Tacio
Filipinos, particularly businessmen, seemed to heed the advice that was given to Oscar-nominated Dustin Hoffman in the 1967 thought-provoking movie The Graduate. In the said movie, the tyro actor's character asked for some advice on career direction. "Plastics, my boy. Plastics," he was told.
By following the advice, plastic is now one of the country's top pollutants of canals, rivers, and other waterways. Unfortunately, most of these buoyant materials end up in the open seas.
In a report released a few years ago, the Ocean Conservancy singled out the Philippines as one of five countries from where majority of plastics originates. Also on the list were China, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand.
"As rapidly developing economies, these countries are now passing through a typical stage of economic growth as consumer demand for disposable products grows more rapidly than the waste management infrastructure," the report said.
The word plastic is derived from the Greek plastikos, which means "capable of being shaped or molded." It refers to their malleability or plasticity during manufacture, which allows them to be cast, pressed, or extruded into a variety of shapes—such as films, fibers, plates, tubes, bottles, boxes, and much more.
What plastics are made of
Various plastics are used in the manufacture of each consumer item. For fibers and textiles, polyester (PES) is used while carbonated drinks bottles, peanut butter jars, plastic film, and microwaveable packaging, the material used is polyethylene terephthalate (PET). High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is used for detergent bottles, milk jugs, and molded plastic cases.
When manufacturing plumbing pipes and guttering, shower curtains, window frames, and flooring, polyvinyl chloride (PCV) is used while it is polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) for food packaging. Outdoor furniture, siding, floor tiles, shower curtains, and clamshell packaging come from low-density polyethylene (LDPE).
Bottle caps, drinking straws, yogurt containers, appliances, car fenders (bumpers), and plastic pressure pipe systems are made of polypropylene (PP). Packaging foam, food containers, plastic tableware, disposable cups, plates, cutlery, and compact discs and cassette boxes come from polystyrene (PS).
High impact polystyrene (HIPS) is made for refrigerator liners, food packaging, and vending cups. Fibers, toothbrush bristles, tubing, fishing line, and low strength machine parts (like under-the-hood car engine parts or gun frames) are made from polyamides (PA) or popularly known as nylons.
If you're wondering what those electronic equipment cases (e.g., computer monitors, printers, keyboards) and drainage pipe are made of, it's acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). Eyeglasses, riot shields, security windows, traffic lights, and lenses are made of polycarbonate (PC).
Polyurethanes (PU) is currently the sixth most commonly used plastic material. It is used in cars such as cushioning foams, thermal insulation foams, surface coatings, and in printing rollers.
These days, plastics are part of Filipinos' daily life, according to Juvinia P. Serafin, senior environmental management specialist of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), a line agency of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Plastics come in the form of credit cards, food containers and packages, utensils, sachet packs, kitchen wares, toys, and furniture.
Single-use plastics
But the most popular of them all is plastic bags. "Since they were introduced in the 1970s, plastic bags have infiltrated our lives," wrote Caroline Williams in New Scientist. "Globally, we carry home between 500 billion and a trillion every year—about 150 bags for every person on earth, or, to put it another way, a million every minute and rising."
This alarms environmental groups in the Philippines as plastic bags are used only once. Other single-use plastics include straws, coffee stirrers, soda and water bottles, and most food packaging materials. The country's so-called "sachet economy" has also contributed to the proliferation of plastics. Products sold in single-use sachets include instant coffee, shampoo, cooking oil, food seasoning, and toothpaste. Once they're used, they are just thrown away.
In a news dispatch, British Prime Minister Theresa May dubbed the single-use plastic items as one of "the greatest environmental challenges facing the world." Barry E. DiGregorio wrote in an article that "disposed plastic materials can remain in the environment for up to 2,000 years and longer."
Associated Press quoted Sherri Mason, chair of the geology and environmental sciences department at the State University of New York at Fredonia, as saying: "We have to confront this material and our use of it, because so much of it is single use disposable plastic and this is a material that doesn't go away. It doesn't return to the planet the way other materials do."
Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu agrees. "Plastic, particularly those for single-use packaging, has greatly contributed to the degradation of the environment," he points out. "Plastic pollution continues to poison our oceans and injure marine life. When not properly disposed, they clog waterways and cause flooding."
According to the Washington, D.C.-based Worldwatch Institute, 50 percent of the plastic the world produces is used once and discarded. "Globally, we discard 500 billion plastic bags," it reports. "We recycle only five percent of the plastic we produce. Sunshine breaks plastic down into smaller pieces, but it doesn't go away."
Much ado about plastics
The United Nations Environmental Program says between 22 percent and 43 percent of the plastic used worldwide is disposed of in landfills, where its resources are wasted, the material takes up valuable space, and it blights communities.
But why so much ado about plastics? For one, they never go away. Plastic is a material made to last forever, yet 33 percent of all plastic—water bottles, bags and straws—are used just once and thrown away. "Disposed plastic materials can remain in the environment for up to 2,000 years and longer," said DiGregorio.
For another, plastics affect human health. Studies have found that toxic chemicals leach out of plastic and are found in the blood and tissue of nearly all of human beings. Two broad classes of plastic-related chemicals are of critical concern for human health: bisphenol-A and additives used in the synthesis of plastics, which are known as phthalates. This was found out by a study conducted by the Arizona State University Biodesign Institute.
Exposure to them is linked to cancers, birth defects, impaired immunity, endocrine disruption and other ailments, it said.
Another reason: plastics spoil groundwater. Landfills come into mind; buried beneath them are toxic chemicals from plastics which, drain out and seep into groundwater, flowing downstream into lakes and rivers.
What is alarming is that most of the plastics end up in the oceans. "Over 80 percent of ocean plastics comes from the land—it is discarded and not well managed, and thus leaks into the ocean," the Ocean Conservancy reported. "Only 20 percent is thrown directly or purposefully into the ocean from ships, drilling rigs, etc."
The Ocean Conservancy study found out that 75 percent of leakage comes from waste that is uncollected by waste management systems, while 25 percent of leakage happens from within the system itself.
Unknowingly, plastics attract other pollutants. "The toxic chemicals that leach out of plastics can accumulate on other plastics," a report stated. "This is a serious concern with increasing amounts of plastic debris accumulating in the world's oceans."
Chelsea Rochman, writing for Scientific Reports, said that fish, exposed to a mixture of polyethylene with chemical pollutants absorbed from the marine environment, "bioaccumulate these chemical pollutants and suffer liver toxicity and pathology."
Plastics likewise threaten wildlife. Wildlife become entangled in plastic, they eat it or mistake it for food and feed it to their young, and it is found littered in even extremely remote areas of the Earth. In the world's oceans alone, plastic debris outweighs zooplankton by a ratio of 36-to-one, study showed.
Large plastic items can entangle and kill a wide variety of organisms including marine mammals, sea turtles and fishes. Ingested plastic products (cigarette lighters, plastic bags, etc.) can harm seabirds, marine turtles, and fishes.
The World Wildlife Fund for Nature claimed that nearly 200 different marine species die due to ingestion and choking from plastic bags.
"Discarded plastic bands encircle mammals, fish, and birds and tighten as their bodies grow," reminded the Washington, D.C.-based World Resources Institute. "Turtles, whales, and other marine mammals have died after eating plastic sheeting."
Recently, a whale in Thailand was found on the beach dead after swallowing 80 plastic bags (about eight kilograms).
Microplastics harm
Another concern: microplastics, which are generally less than 5 millimeters in diameter. "(These) can harm juvenile fish which can ultimately harm fish stock," Serafin said.
In addition, microplastics can provide the medium for the bioaccumulation of potentially toxic pollutants in the food chain. "Plastic particles can absorb industrial and agricultural pollutants causing damage to fish organs," Serafin added.
Environmentalists caution against burning those plastics to get rid of them completely. Scientists say that chlorine-based plastics, when incinerated, contribute to the formation of dioxins, a poisonous waste that forms when chlorine is exposed to extreme heat.
"Dioxins are considered highly toxic and are implicated in weakening the immune system, affecting fetal development and causing a skin disorder called chloracne," wrote Chynthia P. Shea, a former staff member of the Worldwatch Institute.
Just some thoughts about Styrofoam. It is made from the plastic polystyrene, which is based on building blocks called styrene monomers. When you drink your steaming cup of coffee or spoon your chicken noodle soup out of a Styrofoam cup, you also take in small doses of chemicals that leach from it.
"Trace amounts of styrene as well as various chemical additives in polystyrene migrate into food—particularly when liquids are hot," explains Dr. Olga Naidenko, a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group. But the US Department of Health and Human Services says that the levels released from food containers are very low.
Possible solutions to single use plastic problem
There are several ways of skinning a cat and so there are some solutions to the problem at hand. "Let us go back to basics," Cimatu urged. "We used to bring a glass bottle to the sari-sari store when we buy cooking oil and vinegar. Let's do the same now."
Eligio Ildefonso, the EMB's national solid waste management commission executive director, supports a ban on single-use plastic items throughout the country. "Single-use plastic is what its name says, for single-use," he said. "It cannot be recycled and reused; people have no motivation to recover it. It has no further use so it should be discouraged."
Instead of plastic bags, Ildefonso encourages the use of eco-bags when buying wet and dry goods. "Eco-bags can be reused. You can wash them and they do not contribute to solid waste," he pointed out.
Meanwhile, Worldwatch contends that the environmental and social benefits of plastics must be weighed against the problems that the durability and high volume of this material present to the waste stream.
"Plastics help to reduce food waste by keeping products fresh longer, allow for the manufacture of life-saving healthcare equipment, reduce packaging mass compared with other materials, improve transportation efficiency, and have large potential for use in renewable energy technologies," Worldwatch said in a press statement. "But plastic litter, gyres of plastics in the oceans, and toxic additives in plastic products—including colorants, flame retardants, and plasticizers—are raising awareness of and strengthening consumer demand for more sustainable materials.
Along with reducing unnecessary plastic consumption, Worldwatch says that finding more environmentally friendly packaging alternatives, and improving product and packaging design to use less plastic, many challenges associated with plastics could be addressed by improving management of the material across its life cycle.
"Businesses and consumers could increase their participation in collection in order to move plastic waste toward a recovery supply chain, and companies could switch to greater use of recycled plastics," Worldwatch suggests. "Governments must regulate the plastic supply chain to encourage and monitor recycling."
And now, some good news. Some manufacturers have recently introduced biodegradable or compostable plastic bags, made from starches, polymers or polylactic acid, and no polyethylene.
During the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, the organizers were able to collect 76 percent of the food waste generated at the sports venues and the athletes' village by using biodegradable food utensils and plastic bags that composted as easily as the food and eliminated the need to separate the garbage.
This article was published with permission from Gaia Discovery (www.gaiadiscovery.com).
Tags: Henrylito D. Tacio, Panorama


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The Best Fat Burning Supplements for Your Cutting Cycle
TAKE THE QUIZ to get product recommendations on the best supplements that will get you to achieve your goals.
The first group are diet pills. Diet pills cause weight loss through fat loss, an water loss. This action is primarily due to appetite suppression. In short, the less you eat, the less calorie intake. This process can certainly makes diet pills one of the best fat burning supplements, but definitely not ideal for muscle mass.
The second group are muscle enhancers. Muscle enhancers are ideal for burning fat and adding very lean muscle mass. muscle enhancers are not always the best fat burning supplements because they are designed to promote very lean muscle, increase strength, and therefore improve lean mass.
Perhaps the best fat burning supplements are thermogenic fat burners like "clen". These fat burners are anti-lipogenic, which means they destroy fat on a molecular level. Thermogenic means the body temperature is raised, which means more calories burned even during rest.