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How Google uses data when you use our partners' sites or apps.
Your Privacy
Your privacy is very important to us. To better protect your privacy we provide this notice explaining our online information practices and the choices you can make about the way your information is collected and used. To make this notice easy to find, we make it available on our homepage and at every point where personally identifiable information may be requested.
Cookies / Web browser cookies:
Our website, just like many other websites from the internet uses Cookies / web browser cookies for user experience and to keep this website going. But let me explain you a bit about how web browser cookies work, and how these cookies help us give you a better experience: a cookie is basically a tiny file (of information) that is sent from your computer to the server and from the server to your computer. Some ad networks (that we use) also use cookies for various reasons. The good thing about cookies is that you can always disable cookies for this website or any other, but this can impact user experience. ALL web browsers have options to refuse / not sent cookies to the server or even "notify" you when cookies are being sent to the server.
Ad networks use cookies too – ad networks use so called web beacon or cookie / web browser cookie to serve advertising to you. As told bellow, we use several advertising networks like Media.net, Chitika, Infolinks or even Viglinks. Important – the use of cookies / web beacon by ad networks is related to the ad network own privacy policy. We have links to the ad networks privacy policy that we use on the website or might use in the near future. We want to help and explain you exactly how things work!
Google Adsense and the DoubleClick DART Cookie
- Third party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to your website.
- Google's use of the DoubleClick cookie enables it and its partners to serve ads to your users based on their visit to your sites and/or other sites on the Internet.
- Users may opt out of the use of the DoubleClick cookie for interest-based advertising by visiting Ads Settings. (Alternatively, you can direct users to opt out of a third-party vendor's use of cookies for interest based advertising by visiting aboutads.info.)
If you have not opted out of third-party ad serving, the cookies of other third-party vendors or ad networks may also be used to serve ads on your site, and should be disclosed in your privacy policy as well in the following manner.
- Notify your site visitors of the third-party vendors and ad networks serving ads on your site.
- Provide links to the appropriate vendor and ad network websites.
- Inform your users that they may visit those websites to opt out of the use of cookies for interest-based advertising (if the vendor or ad network offers this capability). Alternatively, you can direct users to opt out of some third-party vendor's use of cookies for interest-based advertising by visiting aboutads.info.
- Google, as a third party advertisement vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on this site. The use of DART cookies by Google enables them to serve adverts to visitors that are based on their visits to this website as well as other sites on the internet.
- To opt out of the DART cookies you may visit the Google ad and content network privacy policy at the following url http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html Tracking of users through the DART cookie mechanisms are subject to Google's own privacy policies.
- Other Third Party ad servers or ad networks (like Infolinks + Chitika + Viglinks + Media.net) may also use cookies to track users activities on this website to measure advertisement effectiveness and other reasons that will be provided in their own privacy policies, www.plasticsurgeryneed.com has no access or control over these cookies that may be used by third party advertisers.
- Other ad networks (that might be used in the future):
Read more here:
- http://www.infolinks.com/privacy-policy
- http://www.viglink.com/policies/privacy
- http://chitika.com/privacy
- http://www.media.net/privacy-policy
Collection of Personal Information / Personal identification info
When visiting www.plasticsurgeryneed.com, the IP address used to access the site will be logged along with the dates and times of access. This information is purely used to analyze trends, administer the site, track users movement and gather broad demographic information for internal use. Most importantly, any recorded IP addresses are not linked to personally identifiable information.
We collect / gather user information in a way or another – when you (the visitor) visits our website + by other services that are on our website. But remember – you and our users visit this website anonymously – you don't have to give us any information on your own!
Collection Non-personal Information
We might collect stuff about users when visiting our website. Stuff related to non-personal information like: the type of computer, browser type, internet service providers, etc. Most of these non-personal information is collected by Google Analytics, script we have installed on our website.
Sharing personal information
We never do that! We won't sell or rent any personal identification information. We don't sell or rent emails or any other info. The email you use to make a comment on this website is private and won't be seen by anyone expect the web admin of this website.
Children online privacy act
We never collect information about those that are actually 13 (or we know that are actually 13 or less). Because the website is based/attracts people looking for hair pictures, we believe our website is not made for those 13 or under.
Links to third party Websites
We have included links on this site for your use and reference. We are not responsible for the privacy policies on these websites. You should be aware that the privacy policies of these sites may differ from our own.
We don't control outside links from this website, so we don't take any responsibility for the content / privacy / etc on those websites! But remember that third party websites also use cookies to track related information. Whenever you browse another website from the current website, that website has it's own terms and conditions and privacy policy.
Changes to this Privacy Statement
The contents of this statement may be altered at any time, at our discretion.
If you have any questions regarding the privacy policy of www.plasticsurgeryneed.com then you may contact us bellow using the contact form. You will get an answer from us in the next 24 hours.
Comments or questions are welcome.
Updated – 27 March 2014.


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2013's Women in Film: Strong Female Characters or Overbearing T-Rexes?
I was first introduced to the concept of the Fighting Fucktoy in the 2011 documentary, Miss Representation. For the unfamiliar, the term can be applied to those female film characters who, while may be acting of her own free will, are hyper-sexualized and exist solely for the male viewer. We're all familiar with these characters: Halle Berry's Catwoman, Jennifer Garner in Daredevil, even buxom Angelina Jolie's Tomb Raider, who was forced to wear a padded bra during shooting while already being a busty actress. However recently the focus has shifted, or so we thought, from these sexpot characters into a greater depth of female lead. This year has seen Katniss Everdeen, a female astronaut, and Disney princesses top the box office over the usual testosterone-filled fare. But is their triumph a step in the right direction?
An article titled Goodbye to Strong Female Characters posted by IndieWire argues that it most certainly is not. The article begins:
We are so over Strong Female Characters. Strong Female Characters were useful a few years ago when there was a dearth of women on film and most were so rubber-limbed, glass-ankled, or prone to fainting spells they literally needed to be carried out of danger by a man.
And while it offers some exceptions (Thelma and Louise, A League of Their Own, Swing Shift, A Cry in the Dark, Yentl) the piece admits that these were exceptions that proved the rule. And they are right. But they also argue that women in 2013's cinema take on the role of "strong female" quite literally, where their physical strength overshadows their mental capacities. It even goes as far as comparing these women to T-Rexes. "Strong female characters have become Strong Female Characters, a mutant sub-genus that has less to do with actual women than T-Rexes: physically intimidating, but mentally nonthreatening," it states. This, we can't agree with.
Sure, Sandra Bullock in Gravity was wearing booty shorts the whole movie (likely a decision made by a male studio exec) and Jennifer Lawrence's costumes were tighter and lower-cut than they appeared to be in the first Hunger Games film, but this doesn't change the fact that these women represented intelligence, wit, sensitivity and most of all — humanness. These characters are flawed, they are ambitious, and they are regular. Yes, they are thrust into irregular circumstance, but Bullock and Lawrence were not only relatable, they were worthy of our investment. The same can't be said for some of the male hero's of 2013: Rush's James Hunt, or Wolf of Wall Street's Jordan Belfort.
This is not to say that 2013 was flawless, far from it. Cinema still supports nearly five times more male dominated story lines than female ones, and the fighting fucktoy is far from extinguished. I could write a dozen other articles on what still needs to be changed, but with the flawed, strong, confused, brave, and intelligent women that appeared in films like Hunger Games, Gravity, Frozen, In a World..., Enough Said and more, I can't help but be happy for the strides, however small, we've taken this year alone.

subset: commoncrawl


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OIG is organized into three line elements: the Offices of Investigations, Audits and Evaluations, and Healthcare Inspections; along with the Office of Contract Review, the Office of Management and Administration and the Office of Special Reviews. In addition to the Washington, DC, headquarters, OIG has offices located in more than 30 cities throughout the country.Learn more about this agency
This position will be located in one of the following locations: DECATUR, GA, ARLINGTON, VA, BALTIMORE, MD, BEDFORD, MA, HINES, IL, WASHINGTON, DC, DENVER, CO, KANSAS CITY, MO, LOS ANGELES, CA, SALT LAKE CITY, UT, BAY PINES, FL, AUSTIN, TX, DALLAS, TX, OR SEATTLE, WA.
The Auditor, is located in the Office of Audits and Evals. This position serves as a Senior Auditor, or Auditor in Charge, on an audit team that is responsible for planning and conducting financial and performance audits of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) programs, functions, and operations. The incumbent serves as a Senior Auditor in one of the headquarters-based or field offices assigned to the Office of Audits, VA Office of Inspector General (OIG).
The following are the duties of this position at the GS-13. If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties, and will receive training to help you grow in this position.
-Prepare and conduct audit surveys and program evaluations, which focus on specific audit objectives.
-Develop new lines of inquiry and potential audit areas; ensure that work papers are prepared in accordance with OIG audit procedures and Government Accountability Office (GAO) Yellow Book Standards.
-Participate with the OIG investigative or inspection staff in joint projects and in investigating and responding to Hotline complaints when expertise is required.
-Research issues relating to non-concurrence on report findings, or recommendations, and provide recommendations regarding whether such matters should be referred to higher management officials at the headquarters level.
-Prepare various types of reports, briefings and testimony that cover all major financial and management aspects of VA programs.
Travel Required
25% or less - Travel nationwide under tight deadlines. The incumbent should anticipate frequent walking and standing as a component of this travel.
Supervisory status
Promotion Potential
Job family (Series)
Conditions of Employment
- Please refer to "Conditions of Employment."
- Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
- Must be U.S. Citizens or U.S. Nationals.
The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week on your résumé.
You must meet the following requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.
Specialized experience: For the GS-09, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes:
-Collecting and researching data for studies or evaluations of programs/operations; AND
-Providing input to an audit or evaluation report or preparing work papers; AND
-Researching laws, regulations, guidelines, and approved procedures to provide findings.
EDUCATION: 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree. Attach a copy of transcript or list of college courses designating semester or quarter hours earned to ensure proper credit.
You may qualify by a combination of experience and education. Only graduate level education in excess of the first 18 semester hours may be combined with experience. Credit will be given for partial experience so long as specialized experience and or required education or training meet or exceed the minimum level required for the position. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis.
Specialized experience: For the GS-11, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes:
-Conducting interviews and participating in briefings; collecting, analyzing and summarizing evidence to support conclusions; AND
-Identifying controls over operations and recognizing weaknesses in controls and writing segments of draft reports with appropriate summaries, conclusions and recommendations; AND
-Researching and interpreting laws, regulations, guidelines and procedures.
EDUCATION: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. Attach a copy of transcript or list of college courses designating semester or quarter hours earned to ensure proper credit.
You may qualify by a combination of experience and education. Only graduate level education in excess of the first 18 semester hours may be combined with experience. Credit will be given for partial experience so long as specialized experience and or required education or training meet or exceed the minimum level required for the position. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis.
In addition to the above requirements, you must meet the following time-in-grade requirement, if applicable:
For the GS-11, you must have been at the GS-09 level for 52 weeks.
For the GS-09, you must have been at the GS-07 level for 52 weeks.
Time After Competitive Appointment: Candidates who are current Federal employees serving on a nontemporary competitive appointment must have served at least three months in that appointment.
Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in accounting or in a related field such as business administration, finance, or public administration that included or was supplemented by 24 semester hours in accounting. The 24 hours may include up to 6 hours of credit in business law.
OR Combination of education and experience: at least 4 years of experience in accounting, or an equivalent combination of accounting experience, college-level education, and training that provided professional accounting knowledge. The applicant's background must also include one of the following:
Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 hours of business law; 2.A certificate as Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination; or 3.Completion of the requirements for a degree that included substantial course work in accounting or auditing, e.g., 15 semester hours, but that does not fully satisfy the 24-semester-hour requirement of paragraph A, provided that (a) the applicant has successfully worked at the full-performance level in accounting, auditing, or a related field, e.g., valuation engineering or financial institution examining; (b) a panel of at least two higher level professional accountants or auditors has determined that the applicant has demonstrated a good knowledge of accounting and of related and underlying fields that equals in breadth, depth, currency, and level of advancement that which is normally associated with successful completion of the 4-year course of study described in paragraph A; and (c) except for literal nonconformance to the requirement of 24 semester hours in accounting, the applicant's education, training, and experience fully meet the specified requirements.
The education generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Additional information
- We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. Applicants who apply for this position may be considered for other positions within the Office of Inspector General that require the same knowledge, skills, and abilities.
- This is a non-bargaining unit position.
- We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.
- A one year probationary period may be required.
- Public Trust – Background Investigation will be required.
- Must successfully complete a background investigation.
- If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
- Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
- Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
- Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
- Obtain and use a Government-issued purchase card for business-related travel.
- File a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your application includes your résumé, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your résumé includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your résumé may result in a "not qualified" determination.
Rating: Your application will be evaluated in the following areas: Planning and Evaluating, Research and Analysis, Analytical, Education and Training and Communication. Your application will be rated and ranked among others, based on your responses to the online questions, regarding your experience, education, training, performance appraisals and awards relevant to the duties of this position. Your rating may be lowered if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application.
Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview.
If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)) you must receive a score of 92 or better to be rated as "well qualified" to receive special selection priority.
To preview questions please click here.
Background checks and security clearance
Security clearance
Drug test required
Required Documents
It is anticipated that there will be significant interest in the announcement. As a result, the announcement will close at 11:59 p.m. ET on the date of receipt of the 200th application or at 11:59 p.m. ET on 03/07/2019; whichever occurs first. Any required documents should be submitted at the time that you apply as documents will not be accepted after the vacancy closes.
A complete application includes 1. A résumé, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
All applicants are required to submit a résumé either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.) To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/date/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your résumé. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your résumé to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view résumé tips.
CURRENT AND FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES -- Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment:
- Submit a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows your current (or most recent) grade and competitive service status. (The "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2".)
- If you are currently on a Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA), submit a copy of an SF-50 showing that. Also, you must submit a copy of your DD214 or other documentation showing dates of service and type of discharge and any other applicable documents such as SF-15, VA letters, etc.
- Indicate on your application the highest permanent grade you have held; if this grade is different from your current grade, submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing this grade.
PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL: Submit a copy of your most recent completed annual performance appraisal which includes the final rating. If you have not received a performance appraisal, please explain why in your application.
CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (CTAP) OR INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP) DOCUMENTATION: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents.
If you are applying under a special hiring authority (e.g. Military Spouses, Interchange Agreement, VEOA, VRA, Schedule A Disability, etc.), please see applicant guide for required documentation. In order to be eligible under one of these authorities, you must submit all required documentation as outlined in the applicant guide.
EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION: For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.
A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.
If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.
Recommended Documents:
In addition, we recommend that you submit copies of the following:
- A list of awards received while employed with the Federal Government, if applicable. DO NOT send copies of the awards.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
A career with the U.S. Government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Learn more about federal benefits.
Our comprehensive benefits are very generous. Our benefits package includes:
- Challenging work, opportunities for advancement, competitive salaries, bonuses and incentive awards.
- Ten paid holidays, 13 days of sick leave, and 13 to 26 days of vacation time each year.
- Access to insurance programs that may be continued after you retire.
- A wide choice of health insurance plans, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and no waiting periods. We pay a substantial amount (up to 75%) of the health insurance premiums.
- A retirement program which includes employer-matching contributions.
- Learn more about Federal benefits programs at: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How to Apply
VAOIG has partnered with the Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service to provide certain personnel services to its organization. Fiscal Service's responsibilities include advertising vacancies, accepting and handling applications, and extending job offers.
The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon ET on the announcement's closing date.
VAOIG provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.
To begin, either click the "Create a New Account" button and follow the prompts to register or if you previously registered, click the "Apply Online" button and follow the prompts.
You will be re-directed to VAOIG's CareerConnector system to complete your application process; answer the online questions, and submit all required documents. (To submit supporting documents, click one of the available options; Upload; Fax; or Reuse existing documents. To protect your privacy, we suggest you first remove your SSN). Also, go to "My Account" to view and update your information, as necessary.
To complete, you must click the "Finish" button located at the bottom of the "Application Review" page.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
If you are experiencing system issues with your application, please contact the CareerConnector Help Desk at email@example.com and/or the USAJOBS Help Desk.
Agency contact information
Applicant Call Center
AddressVETERANS AFFAIRS OIG
See "How to Apply"
Parkersburg, West Virginia 26106
United States
Next steps
To check the status of your application for this position, please follow these steps:
1. Login to your USAJOBS account, select the "Applications" section and click on the vacancy you would like to view and have already applied for.
2. Under "application status," click "additional application information" and you will be taken to the CareerConnector website where you can check your application status. The "additional application information" link may not be available if your application status says "Unavailable." This indicates that your application is not complete.
If the "additional application information" link is not available and the vacancy is still open, you can click on the job announcement and "Update Application" to be taken back to the CareerConnector portion of the application.
Fair & Transparent
The Federal hiring process is setup to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.
Reasonable Accommodation Policy
Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should follow the instructions in the job opportunity announcement. For any part of the remaining hiring process, applicants should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
A reasonable accommodation is any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that enables an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job duties or receive equal access to job benefits.
Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodations when:
- An applicant with a disability needs an accommodation to have an equal opportunity to apply for a job.
- An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to perform the essential job duties or to gain access to the workplace.
- An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to receive equal access to benefits, such as details, training, and office-sponsored events.
You can request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application or hiring process or while on the job. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Learn more about disability employment and reasonable accommodations or how to contact an agency.
Legal and regulatory guidance
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/525132700. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.


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Dr. Sounaye Abdoulaye
The role of preaching in the Niger-Nigeria Islamic dynamic.
Dr. Mustapha Gwadabe
The relationships between Traditional brotherhoods and Izala.
Dr. Adam Higazi
The influence of Reformist movements among the Fulani communities in Nigeria and Niger.
Dr. Elodie Apard
The social, political and cultural impact of the Nigerian reformist movements' establishment in Niger.
Dr. Rahmane Idrissa
The hegemony of Islam and its implementation methods, through Arabic and Ajami manuscripts.
Prof. Mohammed Kyari
The evolution of Boko Haram in a transnational perspective.
Prof. Marc-Antoine Pérouse de Montclos
The evolution of Boko Haram movement in Niger.


text:
MOSCOW — Russia on Friday dismissed recent reports of the Syrian government using chemical weapons on rebel-held areas as fabrication.
The U.N. Security Council called for an investigation Wednesday over allegations that government forces have attacked rebel-held areas with poisonous chlorine gas in recent weeks and months.
Syria's government has denied the accusations, which it said were politicized. The U.S. and France said they were looking into the reports, but had no definitive proof.
Russia's Foreign Ministry on Friday vehemently denied that Syria's government was behind the chemical attacks, calling it fabrication.
"Accusations against government forces of alleged use of poisonous chemical weapons continue to be fabricated," the ministry said in a statement, adding that Moscow has "reliable information" proving "such allegations aren't true." But the ministry didn't provide details about the information it said it had.
More than 150,000 people have been killed and millions uprooted from their homes since the Syrian conflict erupted in March 2011.


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Far Cry Primal
Hunting and gathering.
Ah, Far Cry. Ubisoft's stress-relieving franchise which generally involves running, or driving, around beautiful landscapes and shooting, or blowing up, enemies with a nice variety of different weapons. Always packed with loads to do, and loads to find, there is something comforting about dropping into the latest Far Cry game.
But then, with the latest offering, Ubisoft have slightly mixed the formula up by setting it way back in 10,000 BC. So, the cars and guns are out of the window then…
In Far Cry Primal, the player is cast as the suitably primal Takkar, a member of the Wenja tribe who finds himself tasked with reuniting the scattered tribe in the land of Oros. Keeping with the previous Far Cry games, this ancient land is both filled with plenty for the player to do, and looks gorgeous to boot. Filled with wildlife, most of which will happily kill Takkar given the chance, and littered with amazing locations to find, Oros is a land of opportunity, even outside of the main quests. As players find the other members of their tribe, they will need Takkar's help before returning to the settlement and helping it to grow.
Specialists make up the majority of the story in Far Cry Primal. These expert tribes people in given areas are the basis for multi-part quests, that in turn give access to skills, abilities and improvements to both Takkar and the settlement. Prove your skill to the specialists and they will return to your new settlement, along with the other Wenja, and help you out. Of course, they will still need you to do stuff for them – they are needy like that.
But the player will need the help of these specialists, not only to thrive, but simply to survive. It turns out that 10,000 BC is a dangerous time. Aside from the wildlife, there are two other tribes that also want control of Oros, and will happily wipe the Wenja out. The brutal Udam in the cold north will attack without mercy, and the more advanced Izilia to the south, and their love of fire, are not much better. Instead of a single main adversary, these two tribes and their leaders will give the player plenty to contend with in Far Cry Primal. Additional missions will scatter the map challenging the player to take out small campsites and capture bonfires to give access to quick travel, and to destroy larger campsites to reduce the threat. A day and night cycle adds even more peril for the player, so anything that makes Takkar's life that little bit less dangerous is a good thing.
Far Cry Primal makes the wildlife an even more important part of the game than the previous Far Cry titles. Wolves, Bears, Sabretooth Tigers and even Wooly Mammoths all make for imposing adversaries. Some missions will set the player to hunting these animals, but a lot of time will be spent being hunted. However, through unlocking a skill, players will be able to tame most of these beasts, and have them accompany Takkar. These powerful creatures will help protect Takkar against any threat, they can be ordered to attack on demand, and some of them can even be ridden around the wilderness. Riding around on a Wooly Mammoth – still missing the vehicles??
Tamed animals prove to be effective weapons, but the majority of Takkar's offense will come from the club, spear and bow combo. The bow takes care of long distance attacks, but even the club and spear can be thrown rather than simply used in melee. These weapons may seem limited, but they can all be upgraded and improved upon, and set fire to for that matter, through gathering materials and crafting. There are a few other weapons, and the upgrades can make a real difference to how effective a bow or spear is. There are even primitive hand grenades available which have quite interesting effects, such as producing a swarm of bees to harass the enemy.
You will need to gather wood, stone and animal skins to replenish ammunition for your bow and spears, while animal fat will be needed to add some flame. In fact, the crafting system in Primal is even more important than the previous games, with animal skins, bones and meat, along with all manner of flora, being in constant need. From healing items and various weapons upgrades and equipment, to providing huts for your village, there is always more gathering to do. Players will spend a huge amount of time looking for plants or hunting animals to gather materials, which can be a bit monotonous.
The concept in Far Cry Primal is excellent, and relatively unique. There are not many games set in this period of history. But once you get past the novelties of primitive weapons and riding around on animals, it still remains a Far Cry game, albeit with more emphasis on hunting, gathering and crafting. There is a huge amount of stuff to do, and completing the somewhat bland story only scratches the surface. Far Cry Primal may not be Far Cry 5, but it is a damn entertaining diversion that offers something a little bit different.


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All Faiths is a dynamic behavioral health agency specializing in the treatment of families, children and their caregivers who are struggling due to issues of divorce, homelessness, child abuse/neglect, family violence or other crises. Our highly trained staff specializes in trauma-informed treatment methods that create a safe and comfortable environment in which our clients can heal. In addition, All Faiths serves children, youth and their families struggling with mental health and behavioral health issues which impact their success at home, school and in their community.
"You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending."
–C.S. Lewis
In 1956, All Faiths was founded as a safe place for children and families to turn in their most difficult times. We are proud to have created
such a legacy in our community and appreciate that you have entrusted us with the wellbeing of your families for so many years. We hope you'll celebrate with us as we honor our commitment to New Mexico's children with fun activities and opportunities all month long!
"The interview process was very helpful, they made my children feel comfortable and safe. The staff was welcoming and helpful. I received a lot of information from this process."
"This experience has given me strength."
"All of the interviewers, advocates and Safehouse employees are very helpful and knowledgeable. They help ensure not only quality investigations, but long lasting help for victims."
"Para Los Niños has a long-standing relationship with All Faiths and have enjoyed a powerful collaborative relationship through the Multi-disciplinary Team. For the past 15 years, All Faiths' Children's Advocacy Center has ensured that children disclosing abuse are not further victimized by multiple forensic interviews. They are considered leaders in their field and work tirelessly in their efforts."
"All Faiths has been a vital part of our investigations. Not only providing forensically sound interviews in a child friendly setting but coordinating much needed resources for these brave children. The professional staff at All Faiths has always accommodated my unit, day or night with their valuable services."
"I know that we made the right choice coming to All Faiths. I hope to continue to work diligently with my child on his development and hope to continue to help make improvements to his treatment plan. I believe, in my heart, that his improvements toward behavior and structure are direct results of the treatment plan that his therapist has developed."
"Our therapist at All Faiths is amazing. She is very professional, well qualified and is very caring. She is making a tremendous difference in my daughter's life. There has been a significant difference in my child's behavior and healing process. We thank you for all that you do for our children on a daily basis!"


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Monthly update, April 2019.
To mark the 10th Anniversary of Wireless in Wales in October 2018, a sculpture was commissioned from Studio MADE which would combine elements from the world of art, science and technology. The completed work was presented to the Museum during the David Edward Hughes Memorial Lecture on March 15th, 2019. Mark and Angela described the process of designing and creating the work, after studying the Museum's collection, with the intention of transmitting light and sound across interactive digital sculptures. They also described how the exhibition in the Studio at the Denbigh Open Doors weekend was formed, which included images of artefacts from the collection and old videos from the world of radio. A very enthusiastic response was received from members of the audience, and it is hoped to be able to use the sculpture in the future in our work with children and young people. The pictures show Mark and Angela setting up the sculpture and Mark showing Vesi how to use it.
'Geography, Geology and Gemstones' was the subject of Tony Vine's lecture recently. He described how a new interest was sparked in him after retiring, when he saw a bucket full of beach stones and a stone-tumbler nearby. The interest has grown to be a passion by now and he acknowledges that he is a 'Jeweller with a passion for gemstones and fossils '. He gave us an explanation of how gemstones have been formed in different types of rocks over the years and how they come to the surface. He talked about how the continents had moved in the past, noting two points of remarkable interest - Scotland used to be attached to Norway, as the same range of granite mountains can be seen in both countries; the American continent is drifting 2½ cm away from the continent of Europe each year. Tony is pictured with part of his collection of gemstones, jewellery and fossils.
The Museum was buzzing on Saturday morning, March 2nd, when a number of activities were held there at the same time. The Radio Amateurs were busy contacting other amateurs across the world, the children were upstairs enjoying the Craft Morning and the rest of us were enjoying the delights of the Coffee Morning. In addition to this, visitors came from Cheshire to Denbigh to see our collection.
The Radio Amateurs
People enjoying the Coffee Morning
Bryn Humphreys, a Wireless in Wales supporter, is pictured, wearing a radio cap which he bought whilst watching the Le Mans Motor Race in France in 1990, in order to listen to the English commentary. Note the aerial and tuning and volume buttons on the right (of Bryn) and a bag containing the battery on the left.
Two lectures will be held in our series on Friday evenings at 19.00 before the summer:
May 17th, Sue Clark will talk about "The Editing and Manipulation of Photography".
June 21st, Mike Farnworth will talk about "The Welsh in Liverpool".
As part of the Denbigh Midsummer Festival, we will also be holding:
A Summer Coffee Morning and Plant Stall at the Museum, 01/06/19, 10.00-12.00.
A Craft Morning for children aged 6-12, 01/06/19, 10.30-12.30. Please contact the Museum to book a place.
A Quiz Night, 11/06/19, 19.00 - 21.00.
A Hands-on Technical Day for Families, 15/06/19, 11.00-15.00.
A warm welcome to all and thank you for your support.


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— Written by Eliot Kleinberg, originally printed in 2009.
Standard Oil tycoon and Palm Beach developer Henry Flagler died in 1913. His wife, Mary Lily, died in 1917.
Did their ghosts ever return to their mansion, Whitehall, for an otherworldly visit?
In 1974, John Roth, a night watchman at Whitehall, Flagler's former mansion, said he saw the man "just as plain as daylight," in a hallway.
"He was just standing there, wearing a dark suit and tie," said Roth, who claims Flagler appeared to him once, after he awoke from a nap around 3:30 a.m. "I had a good look and then he vanished."
(Why the "gigolo killer" mansion in South Florida was taken off scariest homes list.)
Silver settings reportedly moved from a top shelf to a bottom one inside a locked cabinet. A ceiling lamp and the top to an urn crashed to the floor and plates inexplicably broke.
And another watchman said he saw Mary Lily many times on an upstairs porch.
Retired director Grant Bedford blamed the sightings on overactive imaginations. He said if Flagler's spirit had made an appearance, it would not have been in the 1970s, when the estate had become a museum, but in the 1960s, when his former mansion was a hotel and his belongings were stuffed away in attics. "It would have infuriated him," Bedford said.
Five spookiest places:
1. Bodies under the Norton Museum of Art: The grave of pineapple grower Richard Hone, who was murdered at his home on Plymouth Road in October 1902, was among those found 20 years ago in a crawl space under the Norton Museum in West Palm Beach. Land under the museum once held the graves of about 200 pioneer settlers. Most were moved across the street to Woodlawn Cemetery, but a few remain, like that of poor Mr. Hone, who was sitting at his dining table writing a letter when a gunman on horseback fired at him through the window. The killer was never found.
2. Riddled with ghosts? The Riddle House, the 1905 home of the first city manager of West Palm Beach and the caretaker of the cemetery, is now part of Yesteryear Village at the South Florida Fairgrounds. Last year the hosts of the Travel Channel show Ghost Adventures spent a night locked inside. While there, a birdcage crashed to the floor for no apparent reason in the attic, where it is rumored a man hanged himself. Even back in the 1920s, people were scared of the house. "At night, it would creak," John Riddle said. "My aunt said it sounded like someone was dragging a chain up the stairs. All hired help would leave." He has never seen a ghost in the house but knows several people who have. Some have reported a woman in white, but when approached, she disappeared.
3. King of Creepy? In the 1990s, a manager, two assistant managers, and a janitor at the Burger King on Royal Palm Beach Boulevard claimed to have seen an apparition of a young man who disappeared in front of them. This earned the burger joint a mention in the official-looking Haunted Places by William Hauck (Penguin Books, $16.95).
4. Feel the chill: At the Lake Worth Playhouse, the ghost of Lucian Oakley, the theater's co-founder, who committed suicide, is said to blast cold air at visitors, move heavy objects, and leave a giant handprint on walls.
5. Master of the mansion: In 1974, a night watchman at Henry Flagler's mansion, Whitehall, said he saw Flagler standing in a hallway — quite a trick since Flagler died in 1913.


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Congratulations to Boanerges, our softball team. (For all who are wondering, they have the same nickname as Jesus gave to Saint James the Greater. Check out Mark 3:17 if you'd like to know more.) Boanerges had a great time playing together this spring and is thankful to all of the fans, who cheered them on their way. They look forward to another great season next year. Are you interested in joining our softball team? You'll have a chance to sign up again next spring!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Food And Fellowship
Wondering what our OWLs are up to? They continue to meet on the third Thursday of every month for lunch and fellowship together. All are invited to join them.In the month of June, they came together for some delicious BBQ at Shealy's. Mmmmmmm.... Their next gathering is on Thursday, July 16th, at Vegetable Medley. Be there at noon for some great food and good times!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Come To The Waters
The SC Women of the ELCA had their annual convention this weekend at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church in Lexington, and some of our own ladies from St. James were there in attendance. This year, the theme was, "Come to The Waters," and these ladies celebrated the ways that Christ's living water flows in their lives and in the lives of others around them. Together, they engaged in a service project to collect bingo prizes for five different Lutheran homes in SC. They also attended various seminars that included subjects such as Prayer Journaling, Latino Ministries, and Spiritual Yoga. The ladies of WELCA at St. James invite all of the women at our church to join us as we gather together again this fall to do women's ministries in Christ's name.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
All Aboard
We weren't kidding when we told you that our kids are having fun at Sunday School this summer. Come and check it out for yourselves! We promise that you won't be disappointed.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Crocodile Dock Rocks!
We had an awesome time at VBS this year, as we heard stories about Moses and the burning bush, Pharaoh and the plagues, the Passover of God, the parting of the Red Sea, and Jesus dying on the cross and rising again. In all of these stories, we learned that we should never be afraid, because: God is with us; God is powerful; God does what he says he'll do; God gives us life; & God cares for us! This week, we also talked a lot about what it means to be a baptized child of God, shining God's light into the world. We want the whole world to know just how great our God is!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Summer Sunday School's Not Boring
We kicked off our new Kids' Summer Sunday School this week with a view from inside the whale with Jonah. We also painted seashells, made a big fish craft, and popped bubbles with whale-shaped party blowers! It's fun to learn the stories of the Bible and to remember God's forgiveness and grace.Kids are invited to join us again next week at 9:15 AM for another exciting Sunday School lesson.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Crocodile Dock
VBS begins this Sunday evening at 6PM. All are welcome. We offer snacks, stories, crafts, games, and songs for kids of all ages, and we also have an adult Bible Study based on Mark Allen Powell's book, Giving to God. Don't miss this fun time of learning and fellowship together!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
It's now the season of Pentecost, a time when we remember how God's spirit was poured out like flames of fire and a mighty rushing wind upon His people. What a mighty and all-powerful God we serve!
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I have a Penny Black card to share with you today:
Items used:
Penny Black 'Much Gifted' 3212K
Docrafts Papermania papers
Pink Petticoat sentiment
Stampin' Up! punches
Glossy Accents
Wink of Stella
Dazzling Details
I was so pleased when I got my hands on this stamp from Ebay as it has been on my wish list for a very long time. I paper pieced the presents from the papers but highlighted them with my Promarkers.
Thanks for visiting me today.
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge ' anything goes' 4 days left.
Penny Black Saturday 'use three or more patterned papers' 23 hours left.
Sketch Saturday. 'follow the sketch' 22 hours left.
Simon Says Stamp blog challenge 'anything goes' 5 days left.
Crafting by designs 'anything goes' 24 days left


text: You might look at a bottle of laundry detergent and idly wonder whether the bottle really contains 96 loads' worth of soap. Then you probably keep on using the soap and forget that you ever questioned the wisdom of the label. Fortunately, our clean and fresh colleagues over at Consumer Reports have a calculator and a mission to save us all from inaccurate dosing caps. [More]


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Explore South Africa and discover the best time and places to visit
Welcome to South Africa, Explore and discover the best time and places to visit
On the southern most tip of the African continent is a country called South Africa, marked by several distinct ecosystems. Inland safari destination Kruger National Park is populated by big game. Visit Table Mountain in the mother city, Cape Town. The Western Cape offers beaches, lush winelands around Stellenbosch, Hermanus and Paarl, craggy cliffs at the Cape of Good Hope, forest and lagoons along the Garden Route, Whale Coast Route and the city of Cape Town, beneath flat-topped Table Mountain
No safari to Africa is complete without marvelling at an elite grouping of her most famous residents: The Big 5. Comprised of the lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, and rhino, the Big 5 are the crowning glories and likely the most recognised symbols of Africa.
Join Great White Shark Tours on a shark cage diving trip and see the Great White Shark up close in Gansbaai, near Cape Town in South Africa.
Hermanus Whale Watchers offers boat-based whale watching tours the New Harbour in Hermanus.
Explore South Africa holidays and discover the best time and places to visit
South Africa is one of the foremost responsible tourism leaders in the world, with dozens of gorgeous destinations where communities are uplifted and the environment is protected.
Not only is the V&A waterfront in Cape Town, a top shopping destination in South Africa, This unique shopping centre is also a gateway to major SA tourist attractions
South Africa's climatic conditions generally range from Mediterranean in the southwestern corner of South Africa to temperate in the interior plateau, and subtropical in the northeast.
+27 (0) 28-3123846
+27 (0) 72 7102129
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Audio quality was quite enjoyable
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This peak lies in the vast mountain range of Tethic-Ry, the Shadow lands, to the North bordering the land of Danar. This mountain is rumoured to be riddled with a honeycomb of tunnels delving deep into the bowels of the earth. Drow and other denizens of the earth have been seen around the area. A tribe of nomads have dwelt amongst the crags etching a living from the harsh terrain. Travellers along the trade routes rarely see the Ironwalkers and only during the coldest winters do they venture down into the valleys for food.
This village's only claim to fame was the small but dedicated church to Luthien that stood next to one of the orchards near the Village Square. This claim was short lived, however, when a group of Quartak fanatics murdered the worshipful Brother Mayere and his acolyte and attempted to open a gateway to a place of evil. This ritual was disrupted by a group of travellers, one of who met his death at the hands of diabolic entities. All that now remains of the village are the broken walls and debris of the church and huts.
Port and commercial town, home to the Northern Order of the Knights of the Lance. Right at the harbour mouth lays an enormous granite statue of a humanoid beast with the face of an ape, the wings of a dragon and the claws of a tiger. Legend has it that this statue was constructed by a powerful enchanter to act as a warning to those who were thinking to attack the port, showing them what was protecting its inhabitants. It is centuries old and covered in moss and vegetation. Legend has it that in the Port's time of most need, it will rise up and defend the town. Directly North is the Karid Bay where lies the now infamous Siren's Isle. Now completely submerged, this sunken isle brings Quartak followers from all over the land to glimpse the area where their Lord was given his divine gift.
A large (ish) farming town overseen by the noble Lord Evan Warhorse, a veteran soldier whom is strict but fair to his people. Beneath him are three magistrates who look after the day to day civil and criminal matters. A small group of enlisted militia (of no great importance) is the town's main garrison. Moresidge's mainly produces lamb, wool, beef and tanning leather.
This small hamlet lies to the South of the land, West of Tethic Vorrin, East of the Great Mere. An area of farmland and natural beauty, this region seemed to avoid much of the devastation of the Undead War.
It is famous for is the great stone circle situated outside the local hostelry, The Olde Stew Pot. Three druids who perform the annual ritual of the Festival of Light, which is enacted to protect the land from harm and ensure a fruitful harvest, tend this circle. This ceremony lasts over a weekend and is the scene of much merriment and frolicking! Events included Morris dancing, drinking, the Burning of the Harvest Man (a large wooden constructed figure) and games of various sorts. The whole weekend culminates in the traditional Ritual of the Brave, nicknamed Siren's Balls by the locals. Only those who have played in this game can have any idea of the rules!
Market town and home to the Northern order of the Knights of the Flame. This sleepy hollow is a quiet and respectable town inhabited by farmers and traders who earn an honest days pay. The Order of the Flame recruits many of their new Knights from the locals due to their strength and dedication to their work. A proud, but somewhat elitist group, this Order always seems to be in the thick of it, helping those who require their help.
On the outskirts of the forest of Vorrin lies the rapidly expanding village of Oakham (pronounced Orc 'em). Ruled by a council of five elders, the village is notable for several reasons.
First is its extreme devotion to the village's one hero, Thomas Archer. According to legend, when the village was young, it was terrorised by a strange and terrible beast. The council of elders declared the region unsafe and was about to abandon the village when a young man named Thomas volunteered to track down and slay the beast. Taking his bow and axe, he set off. It is told that four days after Thomas set off, the sound of terrible battle could be heard in the forest. A week after setting out, Thomas returned, wounded, but in good spirits. Now every year the village celebrates the day of his return (Thomas' day), and in his honour, the first-born child of every family (be they boy or girl) is named Thomas Archer and trained in the use of the bow from an early age.
The second notable feature of the village is its production of strong drink. Cider, ale, and the formidable 'Scumble' are all readily available (and consumed) in Oakham. The village inn (unsurprising named 'The Thomas Archer' ) is renowned for miles around for its obsidian bar (actually made from the remains of an enchanted door) and incredibly strong brews.
The village has been self-sufficient in the past but, with the attraction of it's famous bar and brews, is now rapidly expanding to become a town and traders, entertainers and visitors are becoming increasingly familiar sights in Oakham. Bows, arrows, strong ale, cider and scumble, as well as farming produce and forestry are the main exports of the village. There is no militia as such (there is no need when every villager from the age of 5 upwards can use the bow – many expertly – and many every day tools serve) and law and order is maintained by peacekeepers appointed by the council on a rotating schedule.
The people of Oakham (generally referred to as the Thomases) are simple, earthy country folk who enjoy nothing more than a damned good drink and to show off their skill with a bow. They are not stupid, but most have had little exposure to life outside the village and tend to be rather naive and ignorant of the world outside . However, as the village is expanding and attracting more visitors, so are the Thomases increasingly venturing out of Oakham and experiencing the outside world. A small number of Thomases were present at the Festival of Light in Heath Vale a few years ago and one Thomas Archer even served a short stint in the militia in the Moresidge garrison. Love them or hate them, you always know when there's a Thomas around. If you need to find one, just try the local watering hole!
Granite Jaw commands the Deep Earth guild from the great dwarf mine at Emerald Gap to the North East of the land. It is here and only here that the priceless Dragon's Eye gem is mined. It takes years of hard labour and experience to find even a small piece of this unique mineral.
One of the greatest battles of the Necromantic war was fought here. Some say that it was that battle that turned the tide and gave hope to many. Countless numbers of Quartak's children (Grim Walkers) poured against the walls of the great city. As hope was fading fast, it is said that the remnants of General Siren's vanguard appeared from literally nowhere and fell upon the enemy. The legions of Undead gave way under the onslaught and victory was clawed back from the brink of certain defeat.
The large town of Velian lies to North of Nod Gorin, the land of the Grey Bear. The town itself is run by an elected council of 5 local dignitaries or respected members of the community and is thought to be a society of knowledge and reason with little or no crime. This is in part because of the lack of any form of Scathlock and Sil Tek temples in the vicinity.
The Libraries of Musee at Velian are constantly in use with teachers, scholars, scribes and other academics busy collecting data and other snippets of knowledge to wet their appetites. The immense Diamond Hall is one of the most famous vaults of knowledge in the known world. Within its walls it holds the entire history (as recorded by its keepers) of Velian and its neighbouring area. Damrodel, the Master Archivist, has been supervising the library for more than 40 years. His thirst for knowledge has led him to obtain tomes that some would have considered destroyed or merely a legend. Parts of this great complex are off limits to most of the populace. These areas mainly contain information that has been deemed valuable, dangerous or of a nature that the Master Archivist has decreed is not in the public interest. Special permission may be granted upon request to view such information, but only with a valid reason. There is also a smaller restricted section that contains methods, procedures and practices of the enchanter's art. This is even more tightly restricted than the other section and access is only allowed to those of the art and in the presence of the Master Archivist. In its entire history, there has never been a theft from the great library. This is not from want of trying! The local Scathlock church has turned into a challenge for their members to steal just one book from the ' restricted reading ' area. As well as ' just a collection of old books '; the library is also used by Gideon followers as a place of worship. The euphoric feeling of peace and tranquillity in the Hall of Meditation is one not to be missed. Built from the finest white marble, the Hall stands to the south of the main building. It is open to all who wish to enter and be at peace. It is said that if anyone should enter with chaotic or disruptive thoughts they are immediately struck down and gibber quietly on the floor until removed by ushers! One important piece of work sits in the restricted area of the library. The Scrolls of St. Petra were said to have been written by the ancient Gideon monk Petra in his final years. It chronicles the life of a peasant who was later revered as the mortal avatar of Gideon. It shows his humble beginnings as the son of a blacksmith, his interest in the local politics and his eventual persecution and execution by the corrupt council of Elders of whom he attempted to expose as frauds and liars.
Velian escaped much of the Blood War of Quartak and its Drune temple still stands to the east of the town. However, the temple saw much blood shed with the disappearance of its High Mystic, Daigarth, shortly after the Festival of Light in Tethic Vorrin. Reports say that shortly after dispatching acolytes to the celebrations, screams were heard coming from within. Upon the acolytes' return, the temple was found empty save for a few small pools of blood near to the altar. Nothing had been disturbed or stolen and to this day, none know the whereabouts of Daigarth.


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Welcome To Lincoln House Bed & Breakfast...
Kevan and Xueyan welcome you to Lincoln House - a beautiful slate-built B&B Guest House, set in the Cumbrian market town of Keswick in the heart of the Lake District.
Keswick B&B Accommodation with 7 Guest Rooms
Originally a Victorian town house built in the late 1800's, Lincoln House now provides high standard centrally heated B&B bed and breakfast accommodation with 7 large comfortable rooms (most en-suite) catering for a maximum of 14 people. All guest rooms are tastefully decorated and comfortably furnished. Wi-fi Internet is also now available throughout the B&B.
Town Centre Bed & Breakfast with Fantastic Fell Views
The guest house is ideally situated in a quiet cul-de-sac only two minutes walk into the centre of town, with private parking available. Every guest room has fantastic views either towards Skiddaw to the North, and south towards Borrowdale and Newlands.


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Fishing is a favorite pastime here at Lake Mead National Recreation Area. With more than 290 square miles of water surface, you can be sure to find a favorite spot to catch the big one. Popular fish include rainbow trout, catfish, sunfish, largemouth bass, striped bass, smallmouth bass and crappie. Keep in mind that our park lies within two states and each has their own specific fishing regulations. We have all the information you need below to have a fantastic fishing experience.
General Fishing Information
Fishing is allowed 24 hours a day from watercraft, shores or on the park's three fishing piers located at Hemenway Harbor on Lake Mead and at Willow Beach and Katherine Landing on Lake Mohave.
You must carry a valid Nevada or Arizona fishing license to fish Lake Mead or Lake Mohave. You may purchase licenses from the concessioner at the marinas or at local bait and tackle shops.
Largemouth bass, striped bass, channel catfish, crappie and bluegill are found in both lakes Mead and Mohave. Rainbow trout can be found in Lake Mohave. They are released from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service hatchery at Willow Beach every Friday.
Lake Mead has become famous for its striped bass with an occasional catch weighing in at over 40 pounds. Fishing for striped and largemouth bass is good throughout Lake Mead with crappie, bluegill, green sunfish and catfish being more prevalent in the upper Overton Arm of the lake.
Arizona Game & Fish Dept.
5325 N. Stockton Hill Rd.
Kingman, Arizona 86401
928) 692-7700
Nevada Division of Wildlife
4747 Vegas Drive
Las Vegas, Nevada 89108
(702) 486-5127
Additional Information
Current Fishing Reports:
Nevada Division of Wildlife - Weekly Fishing Report
Special Notice:
Invasive Mussel Found at Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Live quagga mussels (a nuisance invasive species) are present in Lake Mead and Lake Mohave. In order to not spread the mussels to other bodies of water, please follow the suggestions below. Effective ways boaters (including personal watercraft, canoe and kayak users) and fisherman can ensure that their boats, vehicles, trailers and other equipment do not spread the mussels to other waters:
Remove all plants, animals, and mud from your boat, anchor, boots and other equipment before you enter and after you leave the water. If traveling to another body of water, rinse equipment and boat hulls with high-pressure, hot water at one of the park's hot water wash stations (see below).
Before leaving the park, drain all the water from your boat, including the motor, bilge, livewell, ballast, hull and anything else that traps water. Leave drain plugs out during transport.
Dry all compartments and equipment completely before entering another body of water.
Last updated: December 5, 2019


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Monday, April 26, 2010
"You need to back off the case," she says as I zip myself up.
I frowned. "What are you talking about?"
She tells me to take a few days, lay low. Now I know she's screwing with me, and I ask her if she is being serious. She responds by handing me a sheet of paper that, typed in what had to be 72-font (jeez, big enough?), were the following letters:
Of course, I recognize them immediately. But I still don't understand what it has to do with me.
"Lizzie, is this a joke? What are you-"
That did it. She grabs me, pushes me so that I slam against the counter (she's never this rough, not even during fun time), and holds the sheet up to the mirror.
"Does this look like a fucking joke?" she screams.
And this time, I see it. Really see it. The letters that were written in backwards were now showing so that they were finally legible. He never wanted me to unscramble all the words; he wanted me to find the one hidden message in them. I didn't know what to say as I looked at the four words that were staring back at me as though taunting me:
5 comments:
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
I know this probably isn't the best of time after the last anagram's solution striking so close to home, but I actually found another message from Conaghan, or whatever sick freak is doing this...ReplyDelete
I took a look back at what was written on Eric's ceiling, this time at the letters that weren't in blood. They are... OWHEINRYOUTEOPINKNGHOOFIIXNEPRECUFIX
Couldn't quite get anything out of that because its a LOT to anagram. So I took a look at the journal entry from the female victim in March. Pulling out the capital letters, I found something disturbing...
Almost the exact same set of letters in almost the same pattern. So I went and separated the letters that were different between the two...
Whoever is doing this isn't just a wacko. They're clearly playing a game, and a twistedly clever, patient one at that since there was a separation of a month between the chances to find this. Whats more, they used a victim's journal scribbles as part of it.
I've been trying to find more messages, but no luck so far. Be careful, Zeke. Something about all this just doesn't feel right...
Hey, Zeke, could you tell us more about the death of Eric's partner? I have a feeling it's important in all this.ReplyDelete
I know most of the story, Lizzie filled me in. I never got it from Eric himself- again, I didn't know him as well- but she filled in the blanks.ReplyDelete
Eric and Mickey were working an undercover assignment against Benedict Montrell, this big-time up-and-rising gang leader who was doing deals with some Russian syndicate to get some heavier weapons, start an inner city war against the other gangs. Mickey maintained officer-status in the ranks while Eric was just a hired gun; the less connection they appeared to have, the better for everyone.
They met out one night to close the deal, they had the goods, Montrell had the payment. I don't really know how, maybe they overheard a conversation or followed him to a meeting with the superiors, but one of Montrell's bigwigs realized who Mickey really was, and realized the cops knew exactly where they all were. Montrell put a gun to Mickey's head and asked if anyone would speak in his defense; no one did. So he pulled the trigger.
All Eric had to do was speak up and vouch for him, but he knew that by doing so, it would call the validity of his cover into question, and with one of them discovered, he couldn't risk it. It wasn't his fault, and no one here blames him, but he blamed himself. That's why he works behind a desk now; he didn't think he could ever trust himself with a partner ever again, or that they would ever trust him.
The story ends with the cops showing up, killing half the guys, Montrell gets convicted and moved out west to await a final sentence. Some of the lower guys got off, and for all I know, they're still around. This all happened a few years ago, back when Eric and Lizzie were still pretty fresh. I didn't join until a while later.
But that's the shortened version, because for some reason when I tried to post the whole story I guess it short-circuited the blog because it went to error. But here it is.
You could tell the chief that whoever has been responsible for these events has turned his or her attention to you? This could considered terroristic threat considering what's been done so far.ReplyDelete


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Bright Club
Bright Club is a collection of comedy-club-style events in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia promoting public engagement by scientists, academics and others with specialist knowledge. It has been described by The Guardian as "a 'thinking person's' comedy night",[1] and by Londonist as "where funny meets brains".[2]
Every event has a number of speakers, normally university researchers, each of whom gives a short, funny talk related to their area of knowledge and a theme for the night. There is a compere, and usually musicians play a set halfway through and at the end of the evening.[3]
Bright Club started at University College London as the brainchild of Steve Cross and Miriam Miller.[4] The first event was held in May 2009 and a Bright Club now happens in London once a month.[5] Bright Club Manchester held its first event in May 2010 and now hosts events every few months. Bright Club Wales held its first event, in Cardiff, in November 2010.[6]
The Centre for Life in Newcastle upon Tyne launched their first Bright Club in July 2011, hosted by their Comedian in Residence, Helen Keen. Two more were held during 2011 and the events will continue into 2012.[7]
Bright Club Edinburgh launched during the Edinburgh Festival with a show on the BBC@Potterrow stage on 24 August 2011 following a preview gig on 26 July.[8] Regular shows take place at the Stand Comedy Club.
Bright Club Glasgow was launched on 17 November 2011 at The Admiral Bar. In 2012, Bright Club participated in Glasgow International Comedy Festival[9] and shows were also included in the programme for Glasgow Science Festival. Regular shows take place at The Stand Comedy Club.[10]
There has been a one-off Bright Club in Brighton[11] and a small number of 500-seater Bright Clubs in the Bloomsbury Theatre.[1][2][5]
Steve Cross won the Joshua Phillips award for innovation in science engagement in a ceremony at the Manchester Science Festival in October 2010.[12]
Bright Club Bristol began in September 2011[13] and operates on a quarterly basis. It is produced by Sounds of Science[14] team who created Geek Pop.
Bright Clubs have also been held in Australia. Bright Club events were held in Sydney in January 2012 as part of the 2012 Sydney Festival[15] and Bright Club Melbourne started in April 2013. The first Bright Club Melbourne event was part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and took place in the Howard Florey Institute.[16]
Bright Club Oxford began in October 2013, running three times a year at the Jericho Tavern pub.
Bright Club St Andrews began in February 2014,[17] running bimonthly during university term time.
Bright Club Dublin began in February 2015, with shows running bimonthly in Whelan's.[18] One-off shows have also run in Athlone and Cork.
Bright Club Galway began in April 2016, with shows running bimonthly in the Róisín Dubh.[19]
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bright Club.
- ^ a b Anthea Lipsett (7 December 2010). "Academics encouraged to share work with the public". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
- ^ a b Rachel H (28 October 2010). "Comedy Review: Bright Club @ Bloomsbury Theatre". Londonist. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
- ^ Matthew Reisz (20 October 2011). "Ionic, isn't it?". Times Higher Education. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
- ^ Carole Jahme (4 November 2010). "Laugh and learn at Bright Club". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
- ^ a b D. D. Guttenplan (19 December 2010). "Academics Making Forays Into Stand-Up Comedy". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
- ^ David Owens (27 November 2010). "New comedy night Bright Club hopes to banish nerdy notions". South Wales Echo. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
- ^ "Newcastle Journal article about Bright Club, Sept 2011".
- ^ Bright Club Edinburgh comprehensively launched http://brightclubedinburgh.blogspot.com/2011/08/bright-club-edinburgh-comprehensively.html
- ^ "Bright Club injects some spark into Glasgow Comedy Festival". STV News. 26 March 2012.
- ^ "Bright Club Glasgow". Bright Club Glasgow.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Steve Bennett (15 May 2010). "Bright Club at the 2010 Brighton Fringe". Chortle. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
- ^ "Comic communicator wins science award". Manchester Science Festival blog. 21 October 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
- ^ "Bright Club Bristol #1 - The First Time". Bright Club Bristol. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ "Sounds of Science work". Sounds of Science. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ "Bright Club No. 1". Sydney Festival. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ "Brains Collide". Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Archived from the original on 23 March 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ "Bright Club St Andrews". Archived from the original on 11 February 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
- ^ Claire O'Connell (29 January 2015). "The first rule of Bright Club is you have to make science funny". Irish Times. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- ^ "Homepage - Roisin Dubh". www.roisindubh.net. Retrieved 20 July 2017.


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This is quite possibly the concept that will save you the most money possible on your wedding.
shoot for the caterers and helped set up their website in return for their free services (we still paid for all the ingredients mind); I'll be photographing the bands wedding this autumn; I'm painting a portrait in return for our photographers services... our little list goes on.
I've also done a few deals with my own photography services, I got a new boiler installed in return for shooting a colleagues wedding (her husband is a heating engineer).
So you see if you look for them, there may be opportunities to do a little skill swapping and save yourself some cash for you own wedding (or in any aspect of your life)
Fact: Times are pretty tough right now and everyone is still feeling the pinch, so lets take money out of the equation if we can. I'm always up for skill swapping my services and you'll find that many others will be too, especially relatively new suppliers and especially in return for web sites, so if you possess the awesome skill of website design you could be onto a winner!
If you don't ask, you don't get. Make sure you drop your trade or skill into a conversation with your supplier, just in case. Whatever you do though don't just go straight in for the kill with something like... "so I design websites, I could redesign yours..." as this may well be taken as a bit of an insult! Mention skill swapping in a casual manner, I know at least 3 photographers and one cake maker that have worked for free in return for a new website, I don't yet know many that have worked for boiler installation, but hey, you never know!
If you are a supplier of any kind who is willing to take a skill swap for your services then get in touch as I'd love to put together a little list of those seeking to swap.
Below is a short list of things that I am currently looking to swap my skills for:
- A decorator to paint the outside of my house
- A swanky new wordpress website for Diamonds & Doodles
- Some bodywork on my van (had a little run in with a bollard...)
- An amazing graffiti artist to make my van look totally awesome (after said damage has been fixed)
Any takers?
{photography: DJB Photography}
Tuesday, 6 May 2014
Skill swapping | Budget Wedding Blog
3 comments:
Hi! We would love to a. Sort the website for you or b. My other half is an accountant and would sort accounts for you!ReplyDelete
Aimee- send me some examples of your websites would you? When's your wedding? xReplyDelete
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The Training Exchangeregistered at Companies Housereg no 4959694Registered addressEaston Business CentreFelix RoadBristol BS5 0HEtel/fax 0117 941 5859email firstname.lastname@example.com
If you transfer or cancel a booking 21 days or more before the start date of the course you will be charged an admin fee of £30 + VAT
No refund will be made for cancellations or transfers received less than 21 days before the start date of the course.
Transfers, cancellations, and other changes to bookings must be confirmed in writing.
1 day courses £125
2 day courses £225*
(* Management & leadership and ASIST courses £275)
Includes training packs, certificates and home-cooked lunch
Concessionary places and group rates are available on each course.
All fees subject to VAT


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The Pomeranian (often known as a Pom or Pom Pom ) is a breed of dog of the Spitz type, named for the Pomerania region in Central Europe (today part of northern Poland and eastern Germany). Classed as a toy dog breed because of its small size, the Pomeranian is descended from the larger Spitz type dogs, specifically the German Spitz. The breed has been made popular by a number of royal owners since the 18th century. Queen Victoria owned a particularly small Pomeranian and consequently the smaller variety became universally popular. During Queen Victoria's lifetime alone, the size of the breed decreased by 50%.
Pomeranians are typically a very friendly, playful and lively breed of dog, but are often aggressive to other dogs. They love to be around their owners and are known to be protective of them. Pomeranians are alert and aware of changes in their environment and barking at new stimuli can develop into a habit of barking excessively in any situation. They are somewhat defensive of their territory and will thus bark a lot when they encounter any outside noises. They are extroverted and enjoy being the center of attention but can become quite aggressive and dominant if not well trained. The use of toys can be an effective tool in encouraging Pomeranians to spend time alone.
Low to average. Pomeranians are intelligent dogs, respond well to training, and can be very successful in getting what they want from their owners.
From 22 to 28 cm / between 1.5 to 2 kg.
Abundant stand-off coat.
Orange, black or cream through white.
(Source: Wikipédia & The Ultimate Dogs, Dog Breeds & Dog Care by Dr Peter Larkin & Mike Stockman, August 2015)


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With digital transformation dominating the business agenda, IT pros are under pressure to create a modern-day tech foundation sturdy enough to drive that change as they head into 2017. What milestones are they aiming for in the year ahead? Where should they direct their limited resources? According to Computerworld's Forecast 2017 survey, IT professionals will… Continue reading 5 key technologies to double down on now
Month: December 2016
How Microsoft will drive enterprise IT in 2017
Microsoft had a fascinating and positive 2016, with new hardware and software launches, as well as some surprising acquisitions. With CEO Satya Nadella's transformation of Redmond nearly complete, we can expect more changes in 2017 as Microsoft's enterprise reach stretches beyond Windows into the wider world of cross-platform computing and the cloud. [ Give yourself… Continue reading How Microsoft will drive enterprise IT in 2017
Machine learning: From science project to business plan
2015 was the year machine learning emerged from the academic closet. No longer was it an esoteric discipline commanded by the few, the proud, the data scientists. Now it was, in theory, everyone's business. 2016 was the year theory became practice. Machine learning's power and promise, and all that surrounded and supported it, moved more… Continue reading Machine learning: From science project to business plan
Oracle survey: Java EE users want REST, HTTP/2
In September and October, Oracle asked Java users to rank future Java EE enhancements by importance. The survey's 1700 participants put REST services and HTTP/2 as top priorities, followed by Oauth and OpenID, eventing, and JSON-B (Java API for JSON Binding). "REST (JAX-RS 2.1) and HTTP/2 (Servlet 4.0) have been voted as the two most… Continue reading Oracle survey: Java EE users want REST, HTTP/2
3 simple steps to compliance in the cloud
We deal with compliance on a daily basis: traffic laws, tax laws, and other regulations. It should be no surprise that there are rules for how we deal with some data, especially data in a public cloud. These rules exist largely in the health care and financial sectors, but other industries have their regulations as… Continue reading 3 simple steps to compliance in the cloud
Devs will lead us to the big data payoff at last
In 2011, McKinsey & Co. published a study trumpeting that "the use of big data will underpin new waves of productivity growth and consumer surplus" and called out five areas ripe for a big data bonanza. In personal location data, for example, McKinsey projected a $600 billion increase in economic surplus for consumers. In health care,… Continue reading Devs will lead us to the big data payoff at last
Build chat bots with Microsoft's Bot Framework
One of the more fascinating trends of this past year was the move to conversational computing. Instead of building complex apps, using bots over services like Facebook's Messenger or Microsoft's Skype can help simplify customer interactions. Using bots is a technique that can also work over internal chat tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams, giving… Continue reading Build chat bots with Microsoft's Bot Framework


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Take Action in Salesforce from Analytics for Communities
Where: This change applies to Lightning communities accessed through Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic. Communities are available in Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer editions. Einstein Analytics is available in Developer Edition and for an extra cost in Enterprise, Performance, and Unlimited editions.
Who: Users with a Customer Community Plus, Partner Community, or Lightning External Apps Plus license can use Analytics for Communities.
Why: Let users create, update, and interact with Salesforce records that underlie the Analytics dashboards they see in their community. Action menus can include object-specific and global actions defined in Salesforce, such as creating cases, updating accounts, and posting to Chatter.
You can also configure bulk action menu options to let users perform actions on multiple Salesforce records with only one click. For example, using the dashboard to filter a set of leads in a table, a user could create a campaign for those leads by selecting the bulk action in the table's menu.
How: Add an action menu to any dataset field, except a measure. You can set up the menu to include any actions available for the field. When an action menu is set up, a dropdown arrow appears in charts, chart legends, and table cells. Records that users access then open in new tabs within the community.
With Analytics bulk actions, you can perform an action on all records shown in a table. You define the bulk action in a Visualforce page that is enabled for Lightning communities. You can also configure the Visualforce page to display the results of the action or show an interactive form. When the bulk action is set up, users can access it in the table's menu.
- Action menus are accessible in dashboards embedded via either Community Builder–based templates or Salesforce Tabs + Visualforce templates.
- Analytics for Communities isn't supported on mobile.
- To access a record from a dashboard's action menu, the user must have access to its objects and fields.
- Users see only actions available to their profile.
- Bulk actions are available only in values tables.
- Visualforce pages and components used in bulk actions must be made available for use in Lightning communities.


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The Engineering Unit Ruhr (EUR) has established cooperation between the faculties of mechanical engineering at Dortmund University of Technology and Ruhr-Universität Bochum in the sense of one joint faculty. This voluntary cooperation of two strong coequal faculties has created a nationwide-leading center for research and education in the field of mechanical engineering in the Ruhr District. EUR uses resources of both universities, unites their strengths, allows for synergies and sets new standards in German academia.
Nationwide and internationally manifest positioning in the increasing competition for excellence in research and education
Structural advancement of Germany's largest industrial region, the Ruhr District, by means of excellent research and education
Academic training of technically excellent and socially skilled engineering personalities with economic understanding
Increasing the Ruhr District's attractiveness as a location of education and research
Internationalization of study programs
Establishing a platform for transferring innovation and cutting-edge technologies to the industry
Deliberate strengthening of research cooperation especially with small and medium-sized businesses and further expansion of research cooperation with large-scale enterprises
Leading the way to integrate the Ruhr District universities
Both faculties are selected academic cooperation partners of ThyssenKrupp and EUR is under its auspices. All in all, the Engineering Unit Ruhr encompasses 36 professors and 4,200 students who are involved in seven study programs:
Mechanical Engineering
Environmental Technology and Resource Management
Industrial Engineering
Sales Engineering and Product Management
Industrial Design and Manufacturing
Teaching Technical Sciences
The two universities have set complementary foci since the Dortmund Faculty of Mechanical Engineering has specialized in Logistics and Production Engineering whereas the Bochum Faculty of Mechanical Engineering is known for its expertise in Construktion, Materials as well as Energy and Process Engineering. Additionally, the examination regulations have been aligned and the partner faculty may participate in the other's appointment procedure. 400 research assistants are involved in EUR which participates in six DFG Collaborative Research Centers and cooperates with two associated Fraunhofer Institutes (Material Flow and Logistics in Dortmund; Safety, Energy and Environmental Technology in Oberhausen). The acquired third-party funds total 20 mio. € per year.
For further information please read our EUR Brochure
Prof. Dr. Ing. Horst Meier
Chair of Production Systems
Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Andreas Brümmer
Chair of Fluid Technology
Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, TU Dortmund


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Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker
Earlier this year, Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker was giving off an "I'm out of here soon" vibe that indicated his current, fourth term would be his last. He certainly thought about it, telling friends that after eight years, he'd like to concentrate on his law practice and his family and be done with the incessant demands of mayoral politics and public relations. (For which Raleigh, a city of almost 400,000, pays the mayor $15,000 a year.) "It's getting close to the time for me to leave," he told the Indy in January.
But on Monday, Meeker announced that he will be on the ballot again in October, running for a record-tying (with the late Avery Upchurch) fifth term. Meeker attributed the change of heart to feeling obliged to stay with the job through the bad economic times, rather than unloading the unpleasant task of balancing Raleigh's budgetwhich may require a tax hike or service cuts a few months after the electionon someone else. (Meeker's all but ruled out a tax hike for fiscal 2009-10.)
And despite his open invitation for "someone else" to get in the race, from January to April, no one did. Political observers note that the two City Council members closest to Meeker's centrist philosophy, Nancy McFarlane and Mary-Ann Baldwin, are just in their second year in office and still learning their way around City Hall. For others, it may be a case of too much responsibility with too little power or salary: As Meeker acknowledged Monday, the public often looks to him for action though he "doesn't have the authority to solve the problem."
In Raleigh's form of government, the mayor and council function like a board of directors, Meeker said, with the city manager acting as chief executive officer and policymaker. Beefing up the mayor's power and the council's, he added, should be the subject of "community discussion," though with Raleigh's high ratings as a place to live and do business, "it seems our system is working pretty well."
Still, it's the case that Meeker, a Democrat, was literally unopposed for re-election in '07 and hasn't faced a tough opponent since ousting Republican incumbent Paul Coble in '01.
Meeker said that, if re-elected, he'll help to lead a campaign for regional bus and rail transportation in the Triangle, including enactment of a half-cent sales tax for transit in Wake, Durham and Orange counties. He predicted the General Assembly will pass the bill to authorize the tax in the current session.
But none of the three counties should take the tax to the voters, Meeker warned, until all three are ready to do so. That probably won't be until 2010 at the earliest, he said. But the chances for voter approval will be much improved if the three vote at the same time, not in separate elections. "This really is a regional market," Meeker said, "and the plan only makes sense if all three counties work together."
This story was first published April 10 on CitiZen, the Indy's Raleigh blog.


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Wednesday, 30 July 2014
Quotes: Buckminster Fuller
"There is no such thing as a failed experiment, only experiments with unexpected outcomes." – Buckminster Fuller, American architect, designer, and author (1895-1983)
Monday, 28 July 2014
Creativity Books List III of III
|Summer 2013 reading pile; Photo © Karen Thiessen, 2013
33. The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo
34. Orbiting the Giant Hairball by Gordon Mackenzie
35. The Accidental Masterpiece by Michael Kimmelman
36. Make Good Art by Neil Gaiman
37. The Medici Effect by Frans Johansson
38. Creativity by Matthew Fox (I have read this twice)
39. Walking on Water by Madeleine L'Engle (I have read this twice)
40. Beware Wet Paint by Alan Fletcher
41. The Art of Looking Sideways by Alan Fletcher
42. Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
43. Thunder and Lightning by Natalie Goldberg
44. Wild Mind by Natalie Goldberg
45. A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit
46. Imagine: How Creativity Works by Jonah Lehrer (to be read as fiction since the author made up some quotes)
47. Drawing from Life: The Journal as Art by Jennifer New (I have read this twice)
48. Writing the Mind Alive by Linda Trichter Metcalf
48. Writing the Mind Alive by Linda Trichter Metcalf
Friday, 25 July 2014
Creativity Books List II of III
|Summer 2013 reading pile; Photo © Karen Thiessen, 2013
17. Guitar Zero by Gary Marcus
18. Shop Class as Soulcraft by Matthew Crawford
19. The Artful Dodger: Images & Reflections by Nick Bantock
20. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami
21. The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guillebeau
22. Rework by Jason Fried
23. Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson
24. Creative Confidence by Tom Kelley and David Kelley
25. Learning by Heart by Corita Kent
26. Switch by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
27. In Pursuit of Elegance by Matthew E. May
28. Walking on Water: Reading, Writing, and Revolution by Derrick Jensen
29. What It Is by Lynda Barry
30. The Everyday Work of Art by Eric Booth
31. The Faith of a Writer: Life, Craft, Art by Joyce Carol Oates
32. The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander & Benjamin Zander
Wednesday, 23 July 2014
Creativity Books List I of III
|Summer 2013 reading pile; Photo © Karen Thiessen, 2013
1. Free Play by Stephen Nachmanovitch (I have read this twice)
2. Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon (I have read this twice)
3. Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon (I have read this twice)
4. The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp
5. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (I have read this three times)
6. The Writing Life by Annie Dillard (I have read this twice)
7. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
8. Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey (I have read this twice)
9. The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
10. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
11. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi
12. On Writing by Stephen King
13. Glimmer: How Design Can Transform Your World by Warren Berger
14. It is Beautiful Then Gone by Martin Venezky (I have read this 4 times)
15. Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith
16. Mapping the Intelligence of Artistic Work by Anne West
Monday, 21 July 2014
Quotes: Buckminster Fuller
"Mistakes are great, the more I make the smarter I get." – Buckminster Fuller
Friday, 18 July 2014
Studio Series: Leaf rubbings
|Rubbings of clover leaves © Karen Thiessen, 2014
Monday, 14 July 2014
Quotes: Sheldon Kopp
"Transformations require that we let go of familiar ways of doing things, without yet knowing what we will do next." –– Sheldon Kopp, American psychotherapist and author (found via ArtPropelled July 8, 2014)
Friday, 11 July 2014
Studio Series: Ampersand repeat pattern
|Ampersand grave rubbing repeat pattern © Karen Thiessen, 2014
Monday, 7 July 2014
Quotes: Derrick Jensen
" Passion, love, hate, fear, hope. The best writing springs from these sources. Life itself springs from these sources, and what is writing without life? –– Derrick Jensen, Walking on Water: Reading, Writing, and Revolution, p. 19
Friday, 4 July 2014
Studio Series: Remington Rand ampersand pattern
|Remington Rand ampersand © Karen Thiessen, 2014
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