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Barbarians at the Gates 1. The Nightmare 元明哀
The Emperor has killed himself!
The Barbarians are at the gates!
~Words that would be repeated in 200 years.
Music: Dagger Society Suite
"The empire, long divided, must unite; long united, must divide. Thus it has ever been." A statement uttered in 17th century China that even 400 years ago described the long detached and cyclical world view of the Chinese people~ or more precisely the Han people.
For them who had originated from the Yellow River and farmed by it for over 4000 years, dynasties will always rise, warfare (as they do) will always tear apart the state- Then, as a form of the nature of things proscribed by Daoism, the opposite of yin and yang will switch places and what is order will transform to chaos, and what is peace to war.
This scholarly truism reflected a certain innate privilege of the Han, a privilege that afforded them such detached observations. A privilege that outside people could only dream of: they were gifted with a bountiful land, strong defensible natural barriers, but most of all, they were always able to retain their sovereignty.
Times can change, invaders could come, but always~ the Han Chinese will remain where they are, ruling themselves in different incarnation of the Chinese empire that are differentiated only by Dynastic names.
Imagine that Rome had lived from 5th century onward, not only as the beating heart of Europe exclusively through the Catholic faith but also in its consistent bodily form for 2000 years onwards- where their classics are still relevant, so often referred to by the worthies of all the continent that over the millennium they are still simply known as "the classics," that their allusions are not referred back in some nostalgic Renaissance painting (that at best still gets it wrong,) but could be easily explained by the nearest subject of that nation beside you. Where it still had the powers of military and the continental power to play as kingmakers and persisted in the pampered world view of itself as the center of the cosmos. A dream that many people of that age~ the Balkan people, the Africans, and the Jews could only dream and re-dream.
For 3000 years, barbarians had come, had conquered parts of the Chinese polities for themselves, had established their versions of Chinese sounding dynasties and imitated the ways of the Han people, be they Huns, Gokturks, or Khitans, then, they were driven out, the land reclaimed by the natives in this cyclical fashion. But the Chinese people had never been conquered entirely and subjugated at the hands of a single foreign overlord.
The Foreign Khans
That all changed when Kublai Khan completed his conquest of all of Song Dynasty China in 1279, the Song was the last Chinese polity to fall to the Mongols after a grudging century of resistance, by the time of this feat, 4 great Khans had died, Genghis, Ogedei, Guyuk, and Mongke, had already conquered, depopulated, repopulated, reorganized, and finally ruled from the entirety of the middle east to Russia, from Korea to Bohemia for 40 years.
When it died, it died spectacularly amidst a burning sea, where 1000 ships burned along with a boy emperor and his court that drowned all around him. Like Dan no Ura, but with trebuchets, fire-ships and nearly ten times more soldiers burning. Climatically, when the battle was lost, and the Mongol marines are closing in on the Emperor's flagship, a loyal minister grabbed the 7 year old emperor and lept into the sea together, thousands of concubines and retainers would do so after.
To the Khan, the Empire, that had so long been divided, would be reunited under him.To the Han who had just lost their army, the familiar sovereignty that had been their constant for 4000 years was for the first time in foreign hands.
The Battle of Yamen, as it was known, cemented the last great phase of Mongol conquests in the world, Japan and Java would follow, but Kublai would not lead them personally, and when they failed due to typhoons and diseases respectively, were abandoned so long as they pledged tributes to him and acknowledged him as the ruler of China. They were colonial "tributary" affairs and did not take on personal dimensions of this particular conquest.
Yamen cemented Kublai as the undisputed and first ever full blooded foreign overlord over all of China, so legitimized that he eventually named his empire with a Chinese sounding "Yuan" dynasty. He would be part of China's history because he...has chosen to become China. In time, he insisted his new subjects to view him as their Emperor, of the same procession as the ancient worthies on account that he would fulfill the same ceremonial role as the Son of Heaven and the father of the nation.
Like the cosmopolitan Tang dynasty of the ancient times (who possessed some foreign blood before they fully assimilated into the Chinese culture, and also "assimilated" the Chinese culture to become more liberal and outward looking through their leadership,) Kublai himself was arguably the best candidate to take on this endeavor: a conduit of change.
He was himself perhaps the most scholarly of Mongol rulers (perhaps ever) and also the most "civilized" through a top tier 13th century education with the best tutors from 3 continents. His court was filled with artisans and dignitaries from Persia to Nepal, from the Latin nations (a certain Venetian trader) Tibetan medicine men, to Armenian postmen bringing news of his Khan rivals.
But it is purely because of this entrenched caste system of racial favoritism that his new people recieved the shaft. For in this cosmopolitan, pluralistic society, those first came (first conquered and obeyed) the Khan, was first "served" and thus their race retained the most dignities. And the entire power structure of the Yuan society was a racial totem pole of who the Mongols assimilated first and trusted the most.
~After them came the caste of skillful foriegners: merchants, dignitaries and artisans from Nepal, Persia, Armenia, and Tibet.
Worse yet still, slavery and indentured serfdom, which had been absent from China for nearly 600 years, returned to the land because of the Mongol rule. The southerners would bear this as a permanent caste to be used, and in time enserfed by their overlords in indentured servitude.
Kublai may have been many extraordinary personages to many who appreciated him, and to history itself just through his sheer force of personality. But to the southern Han Chinese, he was just what they had always thought he was: a truly foreign, conqueror whose colonial yoke simply must be broken when the time comes. And it seemed that the empire that had been so ill united, must divide.
Like himself, his early successors were enlightened in their own right, but foreign in manner and treatment of his people, and foreign still with their obsession with steppe politics that frequently sent sons to be drafted to fight afar while Mongol soldiers emptied out the granaries to be requisitioned for their contentions in the steppes.
This forced awkward symbiosis became downright untenable when the court was plunged into institutionalized corruption 20 years after the inauguration of the dynasty, and like the Great Leap Forward of the 20th century. There were many pockets of famine in the south but the court officials simply skipped to mention their occurrence (while skimming the profit of the grain tax) and when rebellions flared up, the court crushed them with the utmost savagery. Millions died in these series of negligence, that soon the southerners began to tacitly believe all of it was calculated. This seesaw back and forth eventually culminated in a series of simultaneous rebellions led by Han rebels aiming to reassert their extinguished legacy, and by 1368, nearly 90 years after the fall of the Song Dynasty, the Mongols were driven out. For the millions of Han Chinese, a native dynasty would again be a reality.
The Ming Reunification of China
The establishment and various organization of the newly risen Ming dynasty are talked in detail in one of my previous articles, as well as the imperial guards and secret assassins. Suffice to say that the new dynasty was vigorous, ambitious, and megalomaniacal.
I will briefly detail Ming's rise, but I would strongly encourage you refer to my other posts for more detailed reading of court life and the checks and balances that kept the empire running, as well as the fashion of its armors and the general construction of Ming armors.
The Ming was founded by Zhu Yuan Zhong, a peasant orphan who had lost both of his parents to the famines. Orphaned before he was a teen, he survived by begging near a Buddhist monastery, and associating himself with the many roving outlaw rebel bands that operated in the area. In many ways because of his grassroot origin and losses to famine he was the perfect avenger to challenge the Yuan. Over the years he was able to rise through their ranks and become one of the foremost rebel warlords in Southern China, after a climactic naval battle (Battle of Lake Poyang) involving nearly a million sailor/ marines with his arch rival in the region.
The practice of Kowtowing, or "to touch one's head" in kneeling submission while the court is in session, took practice during this period (while in the previous Han dynasties the officials stood and walked with the emperor.) The emperor also assumed great powers in intervening in cases with the power to punish and reprieve outside the laws proscribed to the realm. The absolutism so favored by the Khans is here to stay.
It's safe to say that "Han" Chinese culture of the scholarly class (where the power rested in men who had taken the Imperial Exam to become the new governors and magistrates~ the west referred to them as Scholar Bureaucrats or "Mandarins") again reasserted itself during this time. With the escape of the many Mongol officials that followed the last Yuan Khan's wake, the official staffing of the empire were again taken by the Han.
But despite these reassertion of "classical" Chinese traits, the dynasty also took on new ones. One is that the Emperors became increasingly relied on their Eunuchs for the administration of the empire concurrent to the scholar bureaucrats. They possessed such immense powers that some were entrusted as the virtual face of China on far reaching voyages around the world on massive treasure fleets:~ Check out: Zheng He's Voyages.
Muslims also rose in prominence in China during this period because of their support in helping the Emperor himself in his early days and also taking part in ridding off the Mongols. They would be elevated to important military and civil posts.
Trading, namely the exchange of silver with strange fair headed foreigners also rose in importance, the Spanish and the Portugese would establish towns of their own hear Hangzhou, and Macau, the Jesuits would also come to the Ming empire to proselytize the crucified savior who they claimed is also the living celestial King of all Man.
But perhaps the most importantly, the army's status rose to great prominence during the Ming. Forever seeing the Mongol rump state as an un-extinguished threat, the Ming kept a huge army that numbered well over 1,200,000. In 1388 they captured and sacked Karakorum, the capital of the Northern Yuan Khans.
For the Ming, who was born with an instinct of bitter hatred against the steppe invaders, who regarded it as a constant chip on their shoulders, nothing is more bitter than the memories of past humiliation, worse yet, the prospect of an unconquered horde coming back.
The Divide of the Ming
The first few generations of the Ming emperors, although forceful and domineering, was able to accomplish great results in the militaristic, diplomatic and cultural spheres. For through their acumen and forceful personality they were able to keep the levers and pulleys of the government work for their will, however this worked only as long as there are no entrenched parties.
But as the first century of the dynasty passed, court intrigues, the in-pass and then full blown infighting of the various cliques between the scholars and the eunuchs would grind the court into chaos. In fact, during the Tumu Crisis the Yingzong emperor was abducted by the Mongols in a surprise attack. And it is telling that he was befriended by his captor the Khan and was more afraid of being sent back to his younger brother, the sitting emperor.
This middle tier of Ming emperors were all meek compared to their energetic predecessors. Some found distraction in Daoist alchemy, others were endlessly tangled within the web of court politics while asserting little to no powers, enduring simply as pawns of either powerful officials or eunuchs. Nearly all of them did not live past their mid forties due to the high stress of daily rituals proscribed by their ancestor the Hongwu emperor, or died because of the intrigue they were too powerless to stop, all the while the empire's northern frontiers was detached piecemeal to various groups of steppe invaders.
Even the long reined Wanli emperor (Reign: 1572-1620,) who was raised in a relative austere and virtuous manner, succumbed to a great ennui of the constant stalemate and actively detached himself from the affair of state, sought comfort only in his harems. But trouble would follow him there too, several assassination attempts were made on him and against his favorite concubines. His reign would be longest among all the Ming emperors, and though he deftly aided Korea during the Imjin War and suppressed several rebellions, he let the dynasty decline because he thought it was his feeble protest against an endemic partisanship that he simply couldn't destroy himself.
From a modern perspective, the Wanli emperor also lived too long, he died in 1620 (merely 24 years before the collapse of his empire,) his sucessor reigned for only a month before dying, and his successor, reigned for only 7 years before dying at the age of 21. Interestingly, the 16 year old boy who continued after them might just have the curious mix of traits necessary to overhaul the waning empire.
The Dying Gasp
Much of this will echo my previous articles that dealt in detail with the rise of the Manchus and the fall of the Ming.
The 16 year old Chonzheng emperor rose to power in a time of immense strife. In his young brother's days, a whole swath of the empire's frontier rose in a massive rebellion against the imperial court. At its head was Nurhaci, a Jurchen warlord who had united all the various Jurchen clans into a great Kingdom in the north and rechristened them: the Manchus. The Jurchen has been auxiliaries of the Ming empire, and over the centuries had fought for the court as mercenaries and allies. Nurhaci belonged to the tribes that was less privileged than those who were frequently contracted with the Chinese court and has in fact, established himself in thwarting and destroying those allied clans of the Ming in his rise to power.
Chonzheng's brother, the sitting Tianqi emperor initially preferred to stay unattached to the brewing crisis, but when the warlord established total control in present day northern China, Nurhaci lead his newly christened Manchus south in a full scale invasion. The time to intervene was nigh.
Nurhaci tore through the first waves of Ming relief columns, despite being out numbered 4 to 1, Nurhaci demonstrated his strategic brilliance at the Battle of Sarhu by fighting the 4 converging armies piecemeal. Using high initiative and a tried system of trusted subcommanders he was able to pin the dispersed armies while swiftly attacking each yet isolated army with overwhelming assaults. The columns were scattered and the highly mobile Manchu riders won the day. Chonzheng watched as his brother and the nation's generals helplessly attempted to gather an army to relive the north, but rebellions had sprung up in the south, and manpower was needed to be diverted to that theater.
Within years, the whole of the Ming north belonged to Nurhaci, in the former beating heart of the Ming north, he proclaimed himself an emperor worthy of all of China, and donned the dragon robe of the emperor. There would be no great army to stop him between him and the capital. Within another year, the boy Ming Emperor's brother would die leaving the 16 year old to fend for the rattled empire's behalf. In the year of his accession, the Manchus stormed Korea and grinded their support of the Ming to a trickle.
But despite all that seemed to logically oppose him, the new emperor was his own man. Chonzheng's life, as stated by many Jesuits who had lived in China at time had the workings of a classical Greek tragedy.
Like Cassandra from Troy, he had long foresaw the decline of the empire with perfect clarity, and also realized that within such a crumbling system that was initially pioneered by a series of forceful warrior kings that it takes a heavy dose of Ming styled absolutism to pump blood back into the withered veins. In order to inhabit this authoritarian system, the mantle that is his own lineage, he must take down the partisan deadlocks, the disloyal traitors, and the scheming cliques all down to restore imperial dignity. He was idealistic, ambitious, and saw possibilities where his ancestors had only saw hopelessness. He was quiet but always confrontational, preferring to challenge things to its logical conclusions.
That, and the fact the boy emperor's mother was arbitrarily executed by his father when he was only 4 and secretly buried in an unmarked grave, or that all his other brothers had died in their childhood before him did nothing to alleviate his particular sway toward paranoia and ruthlessness~ one that ironically his empire needed at this time. His entire life he watched scheming power blocks lie and cheat to his father and brother, there were plots and covert assassination attempts, there were even imperial nurses and the highest ranking officials that he suspected had poisoned his brother, the same ones who acted as his illiterate father's nanny and fed him lies, forged self aggrandizing decrees in his name behind his father's back, and possibly killed his mother. No, he was very clear he was in a gilded nest of lying traitors.
Naturally, when he ascended the dragon throne, his first immediate prerogatives were to smash the power blocks of the scholar officials and the eunuchs. Where ever he saw concentration of power, he went after them under the prejudice that such cabals were always nests of corruption. To his early credits, his suspicions usually were confirmed. In the civil sphere, it looked like after 80 years of slow fragmentation, the imperial core was again able to wield enough power to restore vitality and loyal service to the bureaucracy.
But as fate would have it, by this great prejudice, he would also undo the most important pillar his empire would be rested on.
For when he turned his persecutions toward the army, he saw his most serious threats from the senior officer core. Especially the meteoric and beloved general Yuan ChongHuan.
Remember the unstoppable barbarian warlord outside the Empire's gates? No one imagined that a little known general heading toward the collapsing front would not only stop Nurhaci, but utterly destroy his army~ and the warlord himself. In the stunning defense of Ningyuan Pass, though severely outnumbered. Yuan's European cannons devastated the besiegers. Suddenly, the great Manchu army withdrew unilaterally along the frontier. Liaoning was recovered, the empire was saved.
The general was arrested on trumped up charges and was publicly executed by slow slicing, or death by a thousand cuts. The emperor had killed the only man who might realize his own dreams to restore the empire, by the very quality that had initially made him a promising autocrat. Thus ensuring the very damnation of the empire he had spend his life trying to save. He would be his own man, in so doing he would die alone as his own man.
The end came no more than a decade later. Massive rebellions have sprung up again in the south, and by this time, there was no Yuan ChongHuan, or much of anyone for that matter to throw themselves between the barbarians and the gate. A peasant warlord named Li ZiCheng, (just like the Ming founder Zhu YuanZhang) assembled a massive host of rebel peasants and assaulted Beijing directly. Stranded, Chongzhen was left with only a few eunuchs and imperial assassins.
Chongzhen, now 33, watched as the imperial gate had swung open without a fight, when he demanded an explanation of the events where were no ministers to report, the entire palace staff had fled, even most of the palace guards, as he watched the suburbs succumb to the soldiery, and the besiegers closing in toward the Forbidden City, after ordering his sons to escape, he gathered the rest of his family and like a Sandanapolus or...Denethor from Lord of the Rings, and demanded their suicides.
Then, he asked for the silk scarf from his attendant.
When the rebel soldiers finally found the hanging emperor, swaying from the "guilty scholar cypress" it was said that there is only a small wooden tablet inscribed "The Son of Heaven" by his side.
Did he thought of the last Song emperor before he perished? Did he thought of the irony, and cyclical patience his own people had long believed? The closing of a cruel circle in bitter imitation, where the unity and division converged, then slit apart while he lived and slipped away from his fingertips?
Music: Dagger Society
What did they say, how did they react when these new barbarians become almost more "Chinese" than they are?
Will be continued with the founding of Qing dynasty and the reign of the Kangxi Emperor next.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has reached an agreement with Crucell on its €24.75 a share purchase offer, despite concerns expressed by some Crucell shareholders that the bid is too low. Payment will be made by a subsidiary of J&J, which currently holds about 17.9 per cent of Crucell shares.
The deal, which will see J&J make a cash payment of around €1.75bn for the biotechnology firm, represents a 58 per cent premium from the price on September 16, the day before the two groups revealed that they were in advanced talks for J&J to buy the 82 per cent of Crucell that it does not already own.
However, some major shareholders in Crucell, including Delta Lloyd Asset Management, Robeco and the Van Herk Groep, have voiced doubt that the offer reflects the true value of the company, one of the few remaining independent vaccine makers. Crucell, which employs 1,300 people, produced more than 115 million doses of vaccine last year for distribution in about 100 countries, most of which are developing countries.
Responding to the concerns, Crucell stated that J&J's offer is in the best interests of the company and that both its management and supervisory board recommend it. It also said that an extraordinary general meeting to inform shareholders will be held, although a date for this is yet to be confirmed.
The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2011, and will allow J&J to develop and commercialise the Dutch company's pipeline of vaccines against diseases such as hepatitis, influenza, typhoid and cholera.
J&J said it will retain Crucell's management and staff, as well as keep the headquarters at Leiden in the Netherlands.
Beautiful things happen when you put the right ingredients together. It's the reason that we mix behaviour change experts with...


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We typically eat bakaliaros and skordalia together. We know it tastes great, but most don't know that this particular combination of foods offers nutritional benefits as well.
Bakaliaros and Skordalia
Bakaliaros (bah-kahl-YAH-ros) is cod that has been preserved in salt and is a classic dish in Greek cuisine, served during Lenten periods – usually on the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary and on Palm Sunday. It is typically fried and often served with a mashed potato garlic sauce, Skordalia. Those who are familiar with this dish know how well these two food items complement each other, particularly in taste! What many don't know, is this combination of foods complement each other for perfect for nutritional assimilation (digestion) and synergy (nutritional density when combined)! Read on to see how.
High in healthy fats
Bakaliaros itself is not a fish that scores high when it comes to the amount of healthy fat it contains. Many other types of fish have significantly higher amounts of omega 3's (i.e. salmon, tuna, and sardines). However, researchers have discovered that when cod is prepared in a specific manner, the amount of healthy fats found in it becomes comparable to the amounts found in its high fat fellow fish. Specifically, when cod is pan-fried in extra virgin olive oil; Greek style. Pan frying with EVOO actually raises the amounts of healthy fats available in the fish. Does this mean that you can pan fry salmon in olive oil and raise the amount of healthy fat available in your Greek style salmon dish? No…there seems to be a saturation point and salmon reaches that point on its own prior to cooking.
Keep in mind that pan frying is key for optimal preparation and not deep frying (which instead destroys the healthy fats found in seafood), therefore we may continue to enjoy the high healthy fat benefits associated with this traditional meal.
Toxicity levels
Many people are worried — and rightly so — about the toxicity levels currently found in fish. These include:
- PCP's (synthetic chemicals that wreak havoc on our bodies by acting like hormones)
- POP's (potential cancer causing persistent organic pollutants)
- anti-depressants
- mercury
These are but a few examples of the types of toxins that we should be worried about ingesting when consuming seafood. The jury still seems to be out in regard to how toxic cod is. Amazingly though, with the addition of the mashed garlic potato salad, it seems that the Greeks have this part taken care of too.
Chelation is the term used when referring to the cleansing and drawing out of heavy metals in the body, like mercury found in fish. The term chelation is Greek in origin (from the word χήλη -"hili", meaning claw) and named when it was believed that certain foods "clawed" out or pulled out certain chemicals from the body through digestion.
One of the most effective ways to detox and or chelate is with the use of raw garlic. Raw garlic is considered to be one of the most potent detoxifiers AND cancer preventing foods out there. As a result, it serves as a perfect pairing for fish helping to remove those unwanted metals AND helping to boost our own immunity to combat any potential cancer causing threats.
Eating fish but don't have access to garlic? Raw cilantro, chlorella, parsley and raw onion ALL have chelating properties and have been clinically proven to help remove heavy metals from the body.
High in resistant starch
Resistant starch functions like a fiber; once ingested, it fills you up and doesn't necessarily become digested. In your system it also serves as a prebiotic by feeding all of the healthy bacteria in your intestine, as it travels on its way out. Resistant starch is considered a superfood for the digestive system and cold potatoes are just one form of this resistant starch.
The cold, mashed garlic potato salad is a phenomenal example of resistant starch that has been around for years, unlike the term itself which has just recently come to people's attention.
Bakaliaros and Skordalia: synergy of health and tradition
Unwittingly, Greeks have been consuming a meal that is almost medicinal in nature for thousands of years. This is also symbolically significant, as many individuals tend to consume this meal frequently during Lenten periods. While the ingredients, when looked at individually, may be viewed as flawed and not so healthy by many, when combined, cooked, and eaten the traditional Greek way, the synergistic health benefits outweigh any possible negatives.
Bakaliaros and Skordalia
- 2-1/2 lb salted cod
- Extra virgin olive oil for frying
- 18 oz water
- Approximately 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus some extra for dredging
- 2-2.25 lb potatoes, boiled
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- juice of 2 lemons
- salt to taste
- Soak cod in water and put in refrigerator. Let sit for 2-3 days, and change the water 2-3 times per day.
- Pat the fish dry with a paper towel. Remove all the bones and cut into portions
- Dredge cod pieces in flour. Chill 2 hours, so it turns into batter.
- Fry each piece 2-3 minutes, until golden.
- Wash potatoes well. Remove skins and boil until tender. Let cool, and chop into small pieces.
- Using a food processor, blend garlic, lemon juice and about 1/2 cup boiling water. Salt to taste. Add in potato pieces. Continue to mix. Drizzle in olive oil to desired consistency.
- Serve together and enjoy!


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The following are book reviews and letters to the editor written by Windbridge Research Center investigators.
Boccuzzi, M. (2016). Book review of: Spirit Voices: The First Live Conversation between Worlds by Mark L. Cowden. Journal of Scientific Exploration, 30, 443-446.
Boccuzzi, M. (2013). Book review of: Telephone Calls from the Dead: A Revised look at the Phenomenon Thirty Years On by Callum E. Cooper. Journal of Parapsychology, 77, 295-297.
Beischel, J. (2011). Mediumship research [Letter to the editor]. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 199, 425–26.
Beischel, J. (2007/2008). Book review of: Ghost Hunters: William James and the Search for Scientific Proof of Life After Death by Deborah Blum. Journal of Parapsychology, 71, 190-195.
[Link opens a PDF document in a new window]
Beischel, J. (Fall 2006/March 2008). Book review of: Parapsychology in the Twenty-First Century: Essays on the Future of Psychical Research edited by M. Thalbourne and L. Storm. The Journal of Parapsychology, 70, 381-387.
[Link opens a PDF document in a new window]
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studying dying, death, and what comes next


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We Protect Your Constitutional Rights
The American Civil Rights Union (ACRU) is dedicated to defending the constitutionally-protected civil rights of all Americans. Every one of our essential rights depends on our ability to freely choose our leaders. America's greatest civil right—self-governance—requires ensuring that our elections are conducted fairly and honestly.
The ACRU monitors and counters organizations that threaten our constitutional rights and promotes election integrity, government transparency and constitutional governance.
The ACRU stands against harmful, anti-constitutional ideologies that have taken hold in our nation's courts, law schools and bureaucracies. While other organizations promote entitlements and immoral license in the name of "liberties" and "identity" politics, the ACRU defends the civil rights for all set forth at America's founding through:
LITIGATION: The ACRU is seeking a landmark interpretation of federal law to ensure the accuracy of voter registration rolls—the key to preventing vote fraud.
AMICUS SUPPORT: The ACRU provides critical constitutional arguments in key civil rights cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and the Appellate Courts.
PROTECTING AMERICAN VALUES: The ACRU works to ensure that those who believe in traditional moral values remain free to hold, express, teach and practice those beliefs—not just in their homes but also in their businesses and in the public square.
DEFENDING THE CONSTITUTION: The ACRU holds that the U.S. Constitution & Bill of Rights is the greatest legal document ever conceived by man and should be interpreted as written, not subject to the prevailing political winds.
Our Voting Integrity Institute
Vote fraud steals your most precious civil right. See how the ACRU's Voting Integrity Institute is working to clean up voter rolls and preserve this right for you and future generations.
Help Us Protect Your Vote
Voting and self-governance requires confidence in our public institutions, especially the integrity of our election process. Help us restore that integrity and confidence.


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We started by conducting an initial consultation with the architect and client on September of 2014, which involved working in with the builder and optimising components based on the desires of the client.
Pre-Wire stated on April 2015 once the plans and structure were set in place. This design involves 10 zones of audio distribution utilising Sonos Connect Amps which have all been centralised in a HUB on the lower ground levels.
All 10 rooms have the tonally matched Jamo IC208 In-Ceiling loudspeakers which pair beautifully with the dynamic Sonos Connect: Amps; all fully controllable from IPads mounted on the walls, with the ability for the client to also control the system from their smart phones and personal tablet devices with a WiFi connection.
The Main Bedroom has a 48" Samsung TV on a Vogel Swing Arm bracket, with connections for Free to Air and Foxtel through a customised Digital Modulation system. Additionally, as per request of the customer, free to air, data and Foxtel modulation points have been run to each of the children's bedrooms in order to future proof the system for when the kids get a little older for future TV Wall mounting, or possible audio system integration.
The AV equipment has been optimised for the Living Room where we have mounted a Motorised Grandview Screen in a hideaway ceiling box. The Epson TW9200 outputs a gorgeous THX & ISF certified image, converting a signal through a BlueStream Balun to send a HDMI content from the Yamaha RXA860 amplifier to power the Jamo IC608 In-Ceiling Speakers with an In-Wall 8" Jamo Active Subwoofer.
Included in this build design was the digital modulation of free to air & Foxtel to the client's gym – mounting a 65" Samsung TV.
Ubiquity Wireless Access points have been programmed and installed in various locations in order to extend and improve the WiFi signal throughout the home. Universal Home Theatre stands behind Ubiquity and their solution for WiFi boosting. This product is ideal for home theatre or AV build / designs. Seeing as all new AV related products have built in WiFi, including TV's, AVR's, Stereo systems & Blu-Ray players, WiFi signal strength is critical for the optimisation & streaming quality / capability of your new AV components.
To simplify the automation and control of this entire system throughout the home, a RTI universal remote solution has been incorporated and designed to make controlling the system a streamline & seamless action. IPads have been mounted on the walls of the home, and have the ability to access & control the system from anywhere within the home within a wireless network range. Using the RTI controller app programmed into the system, the customer can easily pick up any IPad within the home and control areas like the Gym, both Living Rooms, & Main Bedroom allowing full control of any of the Audio / Visual components within those areas. Additionally, the entire house has been wired and fit off with Cbus control which also works in with the audio visual features like blinds up and down with projector screen for optimum viewing.


text:
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text:
策勒蒲公英 ce le pu gong ying
Herbs 5-12 cm tall. Petiole usually suffused purplish, winged in some leaves, base arachnoid; leaf blade mid-green with a green to pinkish midvein, ± oblanceolate, 2-9 × 1-1.5 cm, subglabrous, shallowly pinnatilobed to remotely dentate; lateral lobes or teeth 3-5 pairs, broadly triangular, 2-4 mm, usually recurved, margin entire; interlobes broad or not developed in undivided dentate leaves, margin entire; terminal lobe triangular, margin entire, apex subobtuse, basal lobules or teeth ± recurved. Scapes suffused purplish, ± overtopping leaves, sparsely arachnoid to subglabrous. Capitulum 2.5-3 cm wide. Involucre 8-10 mm wide, base ± rounded. Outer phyllaries 8-11, middle part blackish with a gradual transition into a whitish to white border, not imbricate, narrowly lanceolate, outermost ones 9-14 × 2-4 mm and ca. 3/4 as long as inner ones, ± loosely appressed, border 0.6-1 mm wide, margin glabrous, apex conspicuously corniculate; inner phyllaries blackish, 1.3-1.8 cm, corniculate below apex. Ligules yellow; outer ligules flat, outside striped gray; inner ligules with gray apical teeth. Stigmas blackish. Anthers polliniferous; pollen grains irregular in size. Achene ochraceous brown when unripe but later getting darker and becoming dark brown, 4.2-4.5 × 1-1.1 mm; body spinulose above, ± abruptly narrowing into a subconic 0.8-0.9 mm cone, spinules thin, erect-patent, and acute; beak 5-6 mm. Pappus ± white, ca. 6 mm. Fl. summer. Agamosperm.
● Mountain meadows and pastures; ca. 3100 m. S Xinjiang (Qira).
Taraxacum qirae, a species described from the Kunlun Shan, is clearly a member of T. sect. Borealia. Its closest relative, T. pavlovii Orazova, growing in C Tian Shan of Kazakhstan, differs in having substantially more numerous outer phyllaries and totally different achenes. The geographically closest member of this section, T. karakoricum Soest, lacks the whitish borders to the outer phyllaries and has a different leaf shape. The latter species might be found in China as it was described from the Karakoram of Pakistan, not far from the Chinese border.
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A relaxing head massage is something that anyone would appreciate however it would not work if performed effectively. A human touch head massage is done with gentle movements and light pressure with fingertips and this massage therapy stimulates the nerves within your scalp. A head massage relaxes your mind and body by improving the flow of energy within your nerves and it would improve your mood instantly by releasing stress related hormones from your body. In this page we will be discussing various benefits of different types of head massage performed along with products used for a head massage.
Advantages of a Head Massage:
- Relaxes and reduces stress from your body by increasing the level of good hormones.
- It improves circulation within your head and encourages flow of blood to other parts of a human body.
- It reduces headaches and aids in improving migraines.
- It enhances focus and concentration.
- It induces deep and sound sleep even in sleep deprived people.
- A good massage therapy for head and scalp would encourage growth of hair, improve their quality and strengthen them.
How Head Massage differs from Massage for other body parts?
Head massage differs because your head and scalp doesn't have big muscles like in order parts of your body. There is only some bones along with skin that you can feel. A head massage can be enhanced with the use of certain techniques such as applying certain amount of pressure by using a little bit of energy along with gentle rubbing over someone's head. Head massaging is an art that you can learn and enhance by including various techniques.
Position for a Head Massage: A head massage can be performed while being seated in a massage chair or over a massage table in lying down position. Choice should be with the client. Most of the people would prefer a lying down position for a head massage so that they can relax completely and enjoy the pleasure by falling asleep during massage therapy.
Effective for: Not only your head but a head massage gives positive effects to your mind and entire body. You gain more energy and alertness. A head massage improves your ability to concentrate and would enhance stability of your mind.
Different Types of Head Massages:
Talking about head massages, there are a variety of ways to perform this magical therapy. Some popular techniques include:
- Acupressure Head Massage: This therapy has its roots in to Chinese acupuncture points massage technique that includes focusing on your pressure points to activate your body functionality and to release your tensed muscles. There are certain lines and vessels in your body that sometimes get blocked due to stress or any medical condition. These blockages are opened for improved circulation with the help of acupressure therapy thus lowering pains in various parts of your body especially head, neck and back. Along with that it is also considered a fine treatment for drug addicts and those suffering from sexual dysfunction.
- Ayurveda Head Massage: This massage is connected to Ayurveda techniques used or treatment of various problems and diseases specially related to your skin. This technique includes use of essential oils that have herbs inside them. Different types of herbs are used with various essential oils and they are poured on your head that is followed by a gentle massage over your head. These oils can be used over your head, scalp and hear and not only they give you immense relaxation but prove beneficial for your scalp skin conditioning and hair growth and maintenance. Some oils that are popular for a head massage therapy include:
- Coconut oil – moisturizes your hair and enhances growth.
- Castor oil – Conditions scalp with its anti-inflammatory nature and helps in reducing split ends.
- Almond oil – moisturizes and improves strength of your hair. It is a popular conditioning agent and prevents and treats inflammation around your scalp.
- Sesame oil – moisturizes your hair and prevents graying.
Importance of Steam after a Head Massage:
Usually a head massage is followed by steaming therapy that enhances effects of a head massage:
- It offers humid environment to your hair that makes them softer.
- Moisture is absorbed by your hair that makes them smoother and reduces dryness.
- It gives cleansing effect to your scalp and eliminates dead skin.
- It improves texture of your hair.
- It enhances growth by improving circulation of natural oils.
How to take steam after Head Massage?
Massage spas and salons usually have hair steamers that work well for moisturizing your hair after a head massage. However if you are doing massage at your home, you can get the benefits of steaming at home. Follow these simple steps:
- Take a clean towel and soak it in hot water.
- Wring it out in order to avoid dripping of water.
- Now microwave towel for 1-2 minutes.
- Wrap this hot towel on your head with all your hair inside it.
- In order to retain all the steam from towel in your head, cover the towel with a shower cap or use a plastic bag.
- Let the towel stay on your head until it becomes cold for around 10 to 15 minutes.
Head massage therapy is one of the finest ways of giving yourself a magical experience with your own hands. However it is true that if you can get a head massage from someone else, it would be more pleasing and relaxing. Feeling fingers of someone running through your hair is a feeling that can be better felt than explained. Not only you will feel relaxed but a good head massage would activate your body function, would improve your scalp skin and would make your hair bouncy and healthy. So whenever your life becomes stressed, opt for a relaxing naturally healing head massage and feel super relaxed.


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Opinion handed down May 20, 2016
In Peters v. Johns, the Supreme Court of Missouri resolved the constitutionality of requiring a state representative candidate to register in Missouri for at least two years to be eligible for election.[1] The court ruled with a 4-3 margin that the refusal to register is not an act of "symbolic speech," and that the requirement does not violate either the First or Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution.[2]


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PayDay 2 Discussion
Trainer Tools and Resources
0 option(s) for voting
report(s) filed
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For those crashing, press the unlock masks/patterns/colors keys one at a time, waiting a few seconds between each keys. I noticed my game is getting some strange lag when I press one of those keys, probably from processing all the new stuff you unlocked at once, so I just press one of these keys, then wait until the main menu's background comes back to normal (no lag) and then I proceed to the next unlock key. Just give the game some time to process the unlocked stuff.
Worked for me.
[Edited by Tarli, 9/13/2013 10:41:59 PM]
And Thanks Caliber for the trainer, and thanks for keeping this trainer update to date and inform us that the Trainer is working fine <3
[Edited by Dr_Dark_Templer, 9/13/2013 11:41:31 PM]
[Edited by Dr_Dark_Templer, 9/13/2013 11:42:29 PM]
i know about that, it was a question to them since they have added the offshore option lately, and no the money option doesn't stack it just sets it to 10 mil and thats all.
Ahh, i never use the money...
well.. then just earn it the hard way :P
Is not really hard to make money in Payday
and 10mil should be enough to do anything.
In game, activate trainer, activate options (be sure to wait inbetween options, it lags out a bit), go in to customize mask (patterns in my case), crash.
So what I then did was:
In game, activate trainer, activate options (be sure to wait inbetween options, it lags out a bit),close/save the game, restart (the game), I was now able to use the new stuff
Granted, this might only work if you crash interacting with the game, not if you crash enabling the options.
with the new update and the now greatly reduced payouts would it be possible to put the add money back in instead of just setting it at 10 mil??
the trainer has always had 10 million as the money since it was released. the beta trainer was a beta trainer and no longer functions the same.
ok, i havent used the money option since the beta, so i take it there is not going to be a add money option like the beta then?
* Updated game trainers and cheats daily
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Leonard Cohen embraced the romance and mystery of Montreal
When Stephen Ramsay heard the news, he was drawn to Leonard Cohen's doorstep.
Like so many Montrealers, Ramsay felt an almost cosmic kinship to Cohen — the poet, songwriter and author who died Monday at age 82. So at about midnight Thursday, when news of Cohen's death was made public, Ramsay walked to the makeshift shrine that people had erected outside the poet's Plateau-Mont-Royal home.
"This may sound strange, but his death cast a peaceful light on what's been a pretty difficult week in the world," said Ramsay, the lead guitarist for Montreal pop band Young Galaxy. "In the face of all these politics and mudslinging and hateful rhetoric, it reminded me there's something beautiful out there.
"He had this crazy kind of like — he was so Montreal and so Jewish and so Buddhist and so rock and roll. He made all of these things intersect in this elegant, almost understated way."
That night, a small crowd stood by candlelight and sang Cohen's songs, traded stories about how his mystical lyrics carried them through breakups, loss or made a depressive episode sting just a little bit less.
On a day where fans took to the Internet to post about their surreal encounters with Cohen throughout the city, Ramsay shared his own Leonard Cohen moment. In 2004, Ramsay and his wife, Catherine, had just moved to Montreal from Vancouver when they spotted him sauntering along a sidewalk in the Plateau.
"It was just like, it was as if, it was like a sign," said Ramsay. "I'd seen celebrities before, but this was a living legend in his own place. It was like, I'm walking in his streets, eating in his cafés and felt like this incredible validation of our decision to come to Montreal and make music. It was like a conduit, being in his presence for just a split second."
Ramsay's story echoes a similar anecdote by The Arcade Fire's Win Butler, who tweeted late Thursday that seeing Leonard Cohen on St-Laurent Blvd. was "enough to make me feel like I had a home."
One McGill University professor says Cohen's legacy is unique when compared to the city's other literary icons.
"Look at someone like (novelist) Mordecai Richler — who wrote beautifully about Montreal — it took some people longer to embrace him," said Will Straw, a professor of art history. "One of the great things about Cohen is he didn't get down in the muck of Montreal politics and language divisions the way Richler did. Leonard Cohen loved the romance, the mystery and the gentleness of Montreal. He sort of took the best of Montreal and packaged it into his art."
André Ménard, a concert promoter who worked with Cohen, says he transcended the city's fiery politics and, in doing so, endeared himself to all Quebecers.
"He once told me, he doesn't see anything schizophrenic about being friends with Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau but admiring (Quebec Premier) René Lévesque," said Ménard, co-founder of the Montreal International Jazz Festival. "He was immensely respectful of the two solitudes, this province, its culture and history. The francophone singer-songwriters I knew in my career, they were in awe of him."
Though Ramsay's music is steeped in more of a dreamy, electronic sound than Cohen's gravelly songs, he says he leaned on the poet's work whenever he sought inspiration.
"I would lie back and read his lyrics and hope that somehow I could absorb them," said Ramsay. "He once said about songwriting that it's not glamorous work. You're in the mind and you have to go way deeper than you're comfortable going. I love that."
On Friday, Ramsay said he lay down with his 5-year-old son and played the song Suzanne. The song famously captures a uniquely Montreal moment, where Cohen and a friend walk by the city's harbour to the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours church, where sailors are being blessed before their voyage to sea.
"Montreal was his country. For him, it was a sort of mystical symbol," said Ménard. "He was in the city's DNA and it was in his DNA."


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Splatoon 2 EU Community Cup #7
If you want to register, login with ToornamentLog In
Welcome to the Splatoon 2 EU Community Cup competition!
Be ready for ink battles!
The Splatoon 2 EU Community Cup welcomes Splatoon 2 teams and players of all levels! This is a community tournament on Toornament above all else, so level doesn't matter.
Don't hesitate to take part in the group stages, then in the Alpha and Bravo stages where all teams can continue to compete against each other!
What is Toornament?
Toornament is a platform dedicated to competitive gaming that hosts thousands of tournaments and competitions.
From the community tournaments to the pro events, Toornament provides a solution for organisers to run tournaments, and gives players a good experience while participating.
To participate in Splatoon 2 tournaments, you must have a team of 4 people.
Already have a team? Head directly the Splatoon 2 community Discord
Looking for teammates? You can find them either on the Splatoon 2 Discord or by filling out the dedicated form. Tournament administrators will help you find them.
Only a full team will be accepted in the tournament. Be sure to have your team before signing up.
- Rμ Raven
- Rμ Woomy
- Ru_EzAlex
- Rμ★Shining
- Rμ_Nolle
- Rμ_Lan
- ♪Pika
- ♩|Mark
- ♩|Freeze
- ♩|Boo
- ♩|Tristan
Shinobi Squad Galaxyum
- Vysalix
- Veloce
- Wilxa
- Gautier
- Retr0
- Victor
The Big N
- McFootie
- Nyenakai
- SoundWaves
- Tale
Mist'Ink Theory
- Twenty
- Nalik
- Léa
- Ilyes
- Xenur
- Solène
Fast Ink
- ⌈FῙ★Rαῑ⌋
- [FI]Maria
- KalarMar
- [FI]Airtag
Sea Strivers Coral
- Aioly
- Agent7
- Comuc
- Neiko33
- 69 リゥァイoD
Shinobi Squad Solarium
- Col_Chopper#2427
- gouhlaxie#4893
- hugo#5386
- Arca#8935
- Pierrej#7728
- Totol
- Myst
- Ruka
- Squill
- Para
- Sparadox
- Slate
- Darkzomboy
- eLithius
- Orion
- Manny
- Alge/83
- S★ Mercury
- S★ Mars
- S★ Neptune
- [SC]mat
- astro
Inkxiety Sirens
- Conro
- Brit
- Ebz
- Pannenkoek
- Justice
inkmortal nome
- knjoaquin
- knHABIBI
- knDiego
- knkilotus
Please read all the following rules of the Splatoon 2 EU Community Cup tournaments: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1N63JQzIs5w07UGU9pD_30nyXVXTTfKqt
– The team captain must be present on the Splatoon 2 community Discord: https://discordapp.com/invite/pfSB5dQ at least one hour before the start of the tournament for check-in. You can also get in touch with the organisers and other participants to exchange friend codes.
Reminder that you can use this Discord to find fellow Inklings and Octolings in order to participate in this tournament.
– All players must be at least 7 years of age by the tournament start date in order to take part.
– Substitutions are possible between matches and between rounds of the same game for teams of more than 4 players. They must be announced in advance on the Splatoon 2 community Discord and indicated beforehand on Toornament.
– Spectator mode is strictly reserved for the tournament organisers.


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The offseason continues, but there is plenty of Timbers news to talk about over the past few weeks, especially with the USL season officially completed back on Saturday, October 17th. I'm playing a bit of catchup, but will talk about a lot of items affecting the USL and the Timbers, as the USL wrapped up its 2009 campaign.
The USL did give out its end of the year honors, and some of the boys in green and white were amongst the group of people being considered in the categories of Most Valuable Player, Defender of the Year, and Coach of the Year. In the end, though, the Timbers would only see one award come their way, as coach and GM Gavin Wilkinson would earn his second Coach of the Year title. Wilkinson earned the honor back in 2007 after leading the Timbers to a second place finish, and becomes one of three men to earn this honor twice in their USL coaching career. The Timbers had a truly special season with their unbeaten streak, dominance at home, and glowing statistics, and Wilkinson was a huge part of these achievements. While his competitors for the award had great seasons, I believe the Timbers success on the field tipped the balance for Wilkinson.
However, defender David Hayes and forward Mandjou Keita were shut out of the other two awards by the same player, as Puerto Rico Islanders defender Cristian Arrieta earned USL honors for MVP and Defender of the Year. Arrieta had a great year, tallying 10 goals and 5 assists putting him third on the scoring list, while leading Puerto Rico to a top-flight finish in the USL-1 while the Islanders represented the USL in the CONCACAF Champions League.
My opinion is that defenders that score a lot are a huge novelty in soccer, as forwards are paid to score goals, and with Arrieta scoring like a striker but playing defense, his accomplishment looks more significant versus what Keita did in some eyes. Meanwhile, Hayes had a very good season, but he didn't score as much as Arrieta did, and so for some voters, it's easy to discount what Hayes meant to this team. I also feel that because of Portland's balance across the board with various players contributing, it was tough to pinpoint one specific player that was the center of the Timbers success. Meanwhile, Puerto Rico doesn't perform as well without Arrieta scoring like he did, and so he becomes easy to identify as the key cog. I don't agree with the USL in this case, obviously, as I think Hayes and Keita significantly contributed to the Timbers season, and they deserved individual honors for their accomplishments.
The awards were the middle part of the USL-1 Championship celebration, as Montreal had defeated Vancouver 3 to 2 in Burnaby, BC on Saturday, October 10th, and the same two squads met on October 17th to determine the winner in the two-game aggregate goal series. Montreal scored in the 30th on a penalty kick, then used two additional goals late in the first half to jump to a 3 to 0 lead, and held off the Whitecaps 3 to 1 to win the overall series 6 to 3. It was the third championship USL title for the Impact, and adding their six regular season titles, the Impact are one of the most decorated franchises in the USL.
Before the champagne had a chance to go flat, the schism between the USL and some member clubs started to escalate, as rumors of the potential breakaway of some clubs moved closer to reality. Montreal owner Joey Saputo had indicated in one interview as supporting the USL and some of the changes planned for 2010, but also providing support for some clubs wanting to leave the USL. The surprise of this announcement is the fact that some USL-2 and PDL clubs are unhappy with the direction of the USL, who apparently yield significant control over certain aspects of their member clubs. One of the first casualties that happened was a long time USL-2 franchise, the Wilmington NC Hammerheads discontinued operations. Other news centers around the Minnesota Thunder, who lost their long standing general manager this week to another USL-1 rival, the Austin Aztex. Both situations do affect the Timbers, as they look towards 2010 and what league they will be playing in before they move to MLS in 2011.
Speaking of MLS efforts, Rachel Bachman has provided the first of many updates about the upcoming plans to promote MLS in the Portland area. Timbers owner Merritt Paulson has contracted Nemo Designs to create a marketing program to create a buzz about the MLS Timbers. Nemo has experience in using some non-traditional elements to generate discussion, and they use web tools to monitor traffic about the Timbers, so they can tailor messages based on current trends. The current ads have appeared on MAX, and the Timbers' MLS website has been redesigned to reflect this new campaign.
It's nice to see tangible efforts designed to bring new fans to the fold, especially targeting fans that may not know much about the Timbers and their rich history. What will be interesting to watch is how the tradition and history of the current Timbers is melded with this effort. There are plenty of fans that view this club as "their team", and they have concerns about honoring the path that got us here. Most of the marketing efforts mentioned in the article aren't really going after rabid soccer fans like the members of the Timbers Army, who would come watch their club wherever they play.
It's something that most sports teams have to deal with, marketing to draw in fringe sports fans while not alienating the rabid core of supporters. This is something that many soccer clubs have dealt with, trying to please various groups whose ultimate goals may not always mesh. I do have trust in Paulson and his creative teams, because he understands the market very well and he's talking to various fan groups including the TA to get input. While some ideas might not please everyone, the ultimate goal is clear to make Portland the pride of MLS. When you have some of the best fans around and rabid soccer network already in place, it's easy to see how much potential there is to achieve something truly special.
Finally, Anna Griffin of the Oregonian talks about Paulson in great length in Sunday's Oregonian, talking about his efforts to bring MLS to Portland and find a long term home for the Portland Beavers baseball team. It's a fascinating look into the man, and the process that has occurred up to this point, and the remaining hurdles that remain in solving this issue. In the limited amount of time that Paulson has been in Portland, I'm impressed with his vision and committment to Portland and these two sports franchises, and my hope is that a plan is figured out that will keep both teams in town with financing that makes sense for all parties involved.
Look for more updates as they come up throughout the offseason, as we're just over six months away from the 2010 Timbers season!!


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In 2013, "Star Wars: A New Hope" became the first major motion picture to be dubbed into the Navajo language. more...
December 14 , 1911 : The first explorers reached the South Pole. more...
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Thermal spraying is a coating technique that sprays a heated material over a surface to cover and protect it. Various materials can be used in thermal spraying, but the three most common are metals, ceramics and plastics; before they are heated, they may be in rod, liquid or powder form. Performing a thermal spray can be done to protect or repair a surface material. One of the biggest advantages of using a thermal spray is that it can deposit a large amount of material very quickly. Unlike other coating methods, thermal spraying does not use volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the coating cools quickly and materials that require high amounts of heat to melt can be used in the spray.
A thermal spray can be created using metal, ceramic or plastic, with the most common being metal and plastic. To create a thermal spray, the material — or feedstock — is placed in a furnace that heats the material until it melts. The feedstock can be added to the furnace as a powder, rod, wire or liquid, though liquid is uncommon.
One benefit to thermal spraying is that it coats a surface material with a protective barrier. For example, a surface coated with a strong metal will become more resistant to wear, heat, abrasions and — if the metal spray resists magnetism — magnetic forces. Another benefit is that a thermal spray can repair surface material. A worn iron bar can be sprayed with iron to fill in the worn sections.
Many coating methods only apply several micrometers of material to a surface, which is not very effective if a lot of material is needed to adequately protect the surface. With thermal spraying, the spray can add up to several millimeters of material at once, which is considerably thicker. This means spraying is normally finished in much less time.
Some coating materials and methods require the use of harmful VOCs that can affect people and the environment, but thermal spraying does not require any VOC use. The thermal spray technique forces materials to cool quickly, which allows the coating to settle in a short amount of time. Metal has a high melting temperature, and many other spraying and coating techniques are unable to melt metal. Thermal spraying is able to produce the high amounts of heat required, which allows operators to use a wider variety of materials.
One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted. Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive, this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK!


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High birth rate = classroom lack'
By Michael Lim Ubac, Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines -- As long as population growth is not reined in, government will never be able to wipe out classroom backlogs, according to Education Secretary Jesli Lapus. At the roundtable discussion with President Macapagal-Arroyo on the issues of hunger and poverty on Thursday, the education chief pointed to the relevance of population management in solving the perennial classroom shortage.
"Every minute, four babies are born. In my limited point of view on this classroom shortage, it's like every 10 minutes, I'm short one classroom," said Lapus. The projected population growth for 2007 is 8.7 million based on an annual growth rate of 2 percent. This places the current Philippine population at 88.7 million.
The President said blue-collar jobs like welding and butchering animals were not only in-demand but were also high-paying jobs abroad. "We really need more technical people than management people. College is usually for management people," Ms Arroyo said. Lapus stressed that as the National Career Assessment Examination taken last month showed, more than half of the 1.3 million senior high school students in both the public and private schools did not qualify for a college education.
"There's really a mismatch," said Lapus, because most Filipinos want a college diploma. "So we have 1.1 million college graduates who are jobless, but we have 650,000 jobs unfilled."


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Shipping Policy
At Heavy Duty Tarps, we strive to process every order as quickly as possible. Most orders are ready to ship within 10 business days however during peak periods, such as early spring, this can take a little longer. If you need your order quickly, please let us know as we do try to accommodate rush deliveries.
We offer free shipping to most places in the contiguous United States and Canada. Shipping is normally performed by FedEx ground service for orders up to 120 pounds. For larger orders, we place your order on a skid and either deliver it to you directly or ship it using one of a number of trucking companies. We ship directly from our production facility and we do not have a retail outlet to support customer pickups.
If you live in central Canada or in the northern States bordering Michigan or Ohio, you will generally receive your order within one or two days after it has been shipped. If you live near the west coast, the east coast or in the southern US, your order can take up to a week in transit. We generally send you a tracking number after your order has been shipped so that you can monitor its progress.
If you need your order urgently, we can arrange for air courier service but due to the weight and size of most orders this can be rather expensive. Contact us before placing your order if you need to have it shipped by air so that we can provide you with a quote.
Free shipping is only included on purchases that include at least one tarp. For example, if you just order a few rubber straps we won't be able to ship these to you for free.
If you live in a remote location there is a small chance that we may determine that the cost to ship your tarp is just too expensive. In such cases we may either send your package by mail or we may ask you to pay as small shipping fee. In either case we will notify you in advance of completing your order and you will be allowed to cancel your order if you wish to do so.
For US orders, extra shipping costs of $125 apply to orders shipped to Hawaii and Alaska. In Canada, extra shipping costs of $95 will be charged for orders shipped to the following postal code ranges (first 3 digits only):
A0K through A0K (Newfoundland)
If you live in one of the states or postal zones mentioned above you will be charged the minimum extra postage at checkout. Since the postal service charges extra fees on a per-package basis, if your order requires more than one package we reserve the right to charge additional remote shipping fees to help offset our per-package shipping costs.
In most cases you will not have to sign for your order and if no one is home to receive your package it will be left at your front door. If you do not want this, please leave a note for the FedEx driver advising them that you want to pick up your package at their facility or instructing them to leave the package at an alternate location (such as the side of your house or with a neighbor).
Note that we will replace any items that are lost in transit but we won't replace the item if the courier tracking link shows the item as delivered but no one was there to receive it. So, for your protection we recommend that you make arrangements for someone to be home when your order is to be delivered.
Tailgating Fees
For orders that must be delivered via a skid (generally orders that weigh more than about 150 pounds) our free shipping policy assumes that you have a means of removing your order from the delivery truck. For example, you require a forklift, front-end loader, tractor or sufficient manpower to take delivery of your order from the rear of the truck. If you do not have a means to remove your order from the delivery truck we are charged an extra $85 "Tailgate Fee" which you are responsible for paying.


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Sony Mobile Communications
The United Nations' refugee agency, UNHCR (the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee) has developed a new interactive role-playing game for Android called "My Life as a Refugee". The app lets users experience firsthand what it is like to be a refugee and deal with the same daily dilemmas faced by millions of refugees worldwide. It challenges the user to make difficult decisions based on real life situations, for example if conflict threatened your family, would you stay and risk your lives or try to flee, risking kidnap or torture.
The application was developed by UNHCR as part of a new social advocacy campaign aimed at fighting intolerance and xenophobia against refugees. It has been launched to coincide with World Refugee Day that aims to highlight the dramatic increase of refugees around the world. The latest UNHCR report claimed that 800,000 people became refugees in 2011, the highest figure since 2000, with a further 3.5 million becoming Internally Displaced People (IDP).
Through our support of Refugees United (RU), Sony Mobile has learned that mobile phone technology can provide a vital communication tool among refugees especially when combined with innovative applications like the RU app. This app is accessible from computers and mobile phones and can help displaced people to search for and reconnect with their family and friends while keeping their anonymity.
UNHCR's recent appeal concerning the 'disastrous' flows of refugees and IDP due to continuous conflicts in Central Africa, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, prompted Sony Mobile to support World Refugee Day by donating phones and helping to highlight its campaign through our blog page.
Please go to the following page to learn more about UNHCR and how you can support them: http://donate.unhcr.org/dilemma/?utm_source=unhcr-wrd-eng&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=WRD2012?login=parameters


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Some time ago, I was talking about superhero cartoons and mentioned that somehow people were under the false impression that the Wonder Twins activated their powers by touching their rings.
Then I talked more about it, coming up with a possible reason why this might be the case, even supplying pictures. To make a long story short (too late...), there was an earlier Hanna-Barbera cartoon called "Shazzan" that featured two teens who summoned a genie by touching two rings together and saying his name.
They've been showing some of these on Boomerang lately, and when Chuck and Nancy touch their rings together, they use the same sound as in the Wonder Twins' transformation. Technically, that should be the other way around, since "Shazzan" predates the Superfriends shows, but you get the idea.
I've dug up some video clips, and while you get to see Chuck and Nancy's ring thing, the familiar transformation sound is different in the opening credits.
Wonder Twins (as seen in the opening to the Superfriends)
I figured I may as well go nuts here with the anal-retentive superheroey clarifications, so something that sometimes gets confused with Shazzan is Shazam, the magic word young Billy Batson says in order to change into Captain Marvel. Honestly, I lay some of the blame on Hanna-Barbera for using such a similar word for such a similar circumstance.
Another part of the problem is that to a lot of people, Captain Marvel is Shazam, thanks to legal weirdness. I tried explaining this to my wife the other day, and I'm sure I'll screw up somehow, but here's the gist of it: Back in the '40s, Fawcett Publications unveiled their hero, Captain Marvel. DC Comics (then called National Periodical Publications), publisher of Superman, sued Fawcett in the '50s, saying that Captain Marvel was too similar to Superman, and in 1953, Fawcett stopped publishing the adventures of The Big Red Cheese (best superhero nickname ever).
In the early '70s, DC Comics licensed Captain Marvel from Fawcett and began publishing new stories, which would've been swell but for the fact that between the '50s and the '70s, Marvel Comics (home of Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, etc.) had published their own Captain Marvel, which meant that DC couldn't use the name "Captain Marvel" in the title, so they went with "Shazam!"
DC later bought the rights to the characters, but Shazam remains in the titles of the comics. Here's the opening from an episode of the Filmation cartoon from the early 1980s:
Because of their red costumes with shared lightning motif, Captain Marvel is sometimes confused with the Justice League of America's resident speedster, the Flash. Here's the opening to his show:
And just to be petty, I should mention that one of my biggest pet peeves as a kid was when people referred to the Flash as Flash Gordon. Here's that guy, again from the folks at Filmation. If you like it, the show was just released on DVD, so knock yourself out.
Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon teamed up with The Phantom, Lothar and Mandrake the Magician on a later cartoon called "Defenders of the Earth," which was supplemented by a line of action figures. I got a few of these as a kid and picked up a Flash Gordon figure at an antique store a few years back. The figures were different in that while the rest of each figure was plastic, the forearms were cast-iron, which I guess gave them a little more heft when you used the power-action knob on the back. The cartoon also featured the heroes' children, Rick, LJ, Kshin and Jedda (not to be confused with the Volkwagen Jetta). This show is also on DVD now.
Flash Gordon should not be confused with
Chef Gordon Ramsey,
who should not be confused with Tootie Ramsey,
who should not be confused with Tutti Frutti,
which, of course, should not be confused with Scritti Politti
Is everyone clear on all this now?


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Whether you have questions operating your pellet stove, you need assistance getting the best burn from your wood stove model, or you are simply looking for additional use and care information on any Harman unit, we can help. Below you'll find specific resources designed to help you get the most out of your Harman hearth product, including in-depth FAQs, Owners Manuals, and more.
If you are facing an issue that cannot be addressed by the information listed here, contact your local dealer. Your authorized Harman dealer has extensive training and experience with our specific line of products, and will be able to answer any and all service and troubleshooting questions you may have. Your local dealer is also your resource for any of you service part needs, including parts or services that are covered by your current warranty – we do not ship parts directly to consumers.
Use our dealer locator to get the assistance you need.
Need help? Contact your local Harman dealer or view our troubleshooting and FAQs.
Find the installation and owner's manual for your Harman product.
Browse Harman's warranty section to download our current warranties, including the Hearth and Home Product warranty or Outdoor Lifestyles warranty.
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Have you ever been OK?
What is it you see when you look in the mirror?
Once upon a time in a mind so so far away I used to look in the mirror and place shame upon myself. You see I was so stuck – what I was looking at was anything I possibly could that would give me that ease of "keep pushing", "keep changing" because for me it was what I was used to.
What happened fo me? When did it start for me to lose sight of my soul and only see the shape of my body? The lumps that I had? The way my hips draped over my thighs? What happened for me to see that as my symbol of worth.
The way I would get up daily, weigh myself and either set myself up for what I could relate the feeling to as "self preservation and love" or – ultimately losing my being within the numbers. Losing any confidence I had talked myself into within the past 12 hours that would inherit the same feelings again once done.
Why when I looked in the mirror did I not see my soul? Why did I place my beauty and worth on the physical parts of who I be? Considering I was in the rat race of wanting to be everything different other than who I was, deliberately (this would have me push harder to become that right? With my #grind outlook on life).. let's be real- I was setting myself up for failure!
Well – I can't tell you why, because I feel as though this falls under many life lessons as a by-product of what I became.
BUT I can tell you this, after finding me… peeling away all of the layers of what I once believed my value to be and NOW living a life that when I look in the mirror – my first move, always! Is to look into my own eyes.
I now see beauty. I see the woman that I am. I see a woman that regardless of whatever is thrown her way, she will never lose sight of just how beautiful she is.
I want you to promise me this: you will make a conscious effort to turn around what your cognitive thought pattern was, what your value of beauty has become and learn to look at yourself just as you be. Your beauty finally being measured from that beautiful woman- that has lived, Has learnt, has loved and will continue to do all she can to set herself up with the life she deserves..
The value that you will forever hold is from who you see staring back at you. Not the vessel that brings it alive.
You are so much more than a physical being.
You were created equally beautiful to every human on this planet! You are equally deserving of feeling it. You ARE everything you are meant to be, right now, gorgeous.
Your value is everything you be- not what you physically see.


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Believe it or not, the 40 Gigabit Ethernet era is already upon us. The standard has long since been ratified, and products are shipping. But for the time being, 40 Gigabit Ethernet is having trouble moving out of first gear.
As data centers virtualize more of their servers and storage, the need for speedy network connections increases. But something happened on the way from 10 Gigabit Ethernet to 40 GbE: IT departments are sticking with the status quo and are taking their time upgrading their connections.
You can read my report posted this month in Modern Infrastructure here about why the move to faster Ethernet is and isn't happening across the land.


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Costa Rica's Government-Run Healthcare System
With a government-sponsored network of hospitals and clinics throughout the country, the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) has primary responsibility for providing low-cost healthcare services to the Costa Rican populace. Although sometimes overburdened, this system has worked well for Costa Ricans for the past 60 or so years. Foreigners living in Costa Rica—legal residents only in one of the residence progams like pensionado or rentista—can join the CCSS and get free treatment (everything from check ups to prescription drugs to major surgeries) by paying a small monthly fee–based on income. Tourists and visitors can use Caja facilities only in emergencies.
In 2010, the government made it mandatory for residency applicants to become members of Caja. The monthly payment is 7% – 11% of the applicant's monthly income. A dependent spouse is also covered and able to join Caja under that payment.
Costa Rica's Private Healthcare System
Many of the country's highly trained physicians and some dentists work in the mornings for the CCSS and operate their own offices and clinics in the afternoons and evenings. While private healthcare in Costa Rica is more expensive than that offered by the same doctors and surgeons through the CCSS, the price is still far below that of the average office visit in the U.S. Cost for continued treatments for diagnosed problems will vary, but will almost always be considerably less than comparable treatment in the United States. Dental work, too, is provided at a much lower cost than in the U.S.– prompting a phenomenon known as "medical tourism." Knee replacements, hip replacements, and cosmetic surgeries are some of the most popular procedures done in Costa Rica. On the dental side, implants and teeth whitening are popular. Many patients find that the entire cost of the trip to Costa Rica (including a vacation before or after treatment), including the procedure, is much cheaper than having it done in the U.S.
Three well-known private hospitals, Clínica Bíblica, CIMA hospital, and Hospital La Católica, where many CCSS doctors practice in the afternoons and evenings, offer first-class, ultra-modern services. Affiliated with U.S. hospitals and certified by Joint Commission International, these three private providers have costs somewhat higher than the public providers but still considerably below anything found in the U.S.
Many expats elect to use a mix of public and private care due to the wait times for certain procedures and treatments in the public system. For example, if a Caja doctor requests an ultrasound but the Caja testing facility has a wait time of a couple of weeks, the patient can get the test done at a private clinic and bring the results back to the Caja doctor. Also, many private doctors who also work in the public system can write prescriptions for Caja pharmacies so there's no cost to the patient.
Cosmetic Surgery in Costa Rica
A full range of cosmetic and reconstructive procedures are available in several modern clinics. With the addition of contemporary laser technology, the ability of Costa Rica's plastic and cosmetic surgeons to provide world-class services has been enhanced. Prices are sometimes 50% lower than in the United States, but it is important to note that each case is different, and prices are quoted on an individual basis after a consultation.
Dental Procedures in Costa Rica
From simple fillings to complicated multiple implants and periodontal work, Costa Rican dentists are as qualified and skilled as dentists anywhere–and the prices are far less. This is another growing area of health tourism–foreign patients seeking dental work arrive in Costa Rica in greater numbers every year. Laboratory work, too, is much cheaper in Costa Rica, and materials used are all FDA-approved and imported from the U.S.
*Prices as of 2015
Article courtesy of International Living


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Friday, March 1, 2013
Around The Web
Today is the first day of March, which means spring is right around the corner! I don't think I have ever been so excited for spring as I am now. I miss the warmth of the sun against my skin and I miss spending my days outside playing with Chloe. There is just something so incredibly beautiful about watching everything in nature blossom at the same time.
Here are a few links around the web that I wanted to share.
-- These pictures from Sarah of her trip to the Big Sur are truly breathtaking. I keep coming back to look at them!
-- Love these pictures of the talented Britt Bass in her studio, they are simply beautiful. I am constantly amazed and inspired by Paige Maitland's photography.
-- I saw this video about bullying on Melissa's blog, Dear Baby and thought it was well worth sharing again. It is extremely powerful, touching, and a message that NEEDS to be heard.
-- Last week I wrote a post about nursing my 20 month old and finally coming to the decision to wean her. I have heard so many wonderful things about Dr. Jay Gordon's approach to gentle night weaning. Mike and I decided that the next time he has a long weekend off from work we are going to start the process of night weaning Chloe using this approach. I'm excited, scared, nervous, but very much ready!
-- I really loved this post about skincare on Courtney's blog. As a person who still struggles with acne I understand her frustration completely.
-- And as far as skincare goes I have been really enjoying this face wash and moisturizer from Acure Organics and this body lotion by Jason is amazing stuff.
-- A few new favorite blogs I've been reading lately, those who love, Ruby Hoppen, Three Twenty, and alight.
8 comments:
Jennifer, I loved reading this post, so heartfelt and warm, so many good clicks! And then my blog too! You are way too kind, thank you. And I enjoy reading your words also xReplyDelete
thank you for the great links! and for your words about breastfeeding. i will bookmark that post - and your link to dr. gordon's info - for future reference!ReplyDelete
Two thumbs up for skincare products! Love the post!ReplyDelete
Aree With Umbrella
- AnonymousMarch 5, 2013 at 6:01 AM
Yeay! :) Thanks! Im really enjoying reading your blog as well :)ReplyDelete
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Valhalla Farm
Property featuresEmail AgentEmail Agent
- Outdoor Activities
- Horse facilities
- Refrigerator
- Wood Fence
- Hobby Farm
- Guest House
- Pond on Lot
- Microwave
- Brick
- Dishwasher
- Outdoor Activities
- Range / Oven
- Equestrian
- Country Living
Email AgentEmail Agent
Property descriptionJust six miles northwest of Rockdale, in Milam County, sits the Valhalla Farm situated on over 784.17 AC of native and improved pasture lands. Up until the mid-1800s the Lipan Apaches, Tonkawa's and Comanche Indians roamed the area, often settling along the San Gabriel River, which is the southeastern boundary of the property. In 1834 settlers arrived and a private fort was built in 1940 at Bryant Station to help protect the settlers from Indian raids.IMPROVEMENTS: The property includes two residences, an office and several other structures. The main residence is a 6,541 sf two-story home with several covered porches, outdoor entertaining area with swimming pool, abundant storage and an attached oversized 890 sf garage. There is also a 2,022 sf duplex with attached garage. Other improvements include a combination hay and equipment barn; a combination shop and equipment barn; a vet building with lab and 18 horse stalls; a stable with 40 horse stalls, an office-apartment, tack rooms, feed rooms, and wash racks; an office building; a rehabilitation and exercise building with hydro-treadmills; five horse walkers; a covered round breaking pen; numerous horse paddocks and horse traps; a six (6) furlong (1/8th of a mile) thoroughbred horse racing track; four water wells with buried water lines to all of the improvements; septic systems; stock tanks; 17 miles of wood fencing including the perimeter and cross fencing and horse paddocks.
LAND: Milam County is situated in the rolling prairie of the Blackland Belt of Texas. The soil is mixed; ranging from silty clay and black clay to loamy soils. There are over 600 AC of improved pastures and approximately 163 AC of native pastures. Average annual hay production for this farm is 2,500 Round Bales. There are a variety of soil types on the ranch including Wilson loam, Frio silty clay, Tinn clay, Lewisville silty clay, and Altoga silty clay. Specific sandy loams were put on the race track. Elevation ranges from approximately 406 ft. above sea level at the northwest corner of the farm to approximately 345 ft. above sea level in the bottom land near the river and along the banks of the San Gabriel on the eastern and southeastern borders of the property.
LOCATION: This farm is located on the south side of FM 287, just six miles northeast of Rockdale, a small town in Central Texas. With a population of approximately 5200, the small town atmosphere prevails with both low tax and crime rates. Centrally located east of IH-35, College Station is a 45 minute drive to the east, Austin is 1 hour 45 minutes to the southwest, Houston is a 2 hour drive and Dallas is 2 hours 30 minutes to the north.
RECREATION: Valhalla Farms offers fishing and hunting along the banks of the San Gabriel River. The San Xavier Mission site is just across the San Gabriel River from the farm. Nearby historic sites include Fort Sullivan, several Indian battlegrounds, mission sites and a museum in the old jail at Cameron.
WATER: Valhalla Farms sits on the banks of the San Gabriel River and has approximately 3/4ths of a mile of frontage. There are 11 earthen ponds on the farm of various sizes. The largest body of water on the property is the lake in the center of the race track measuring approximately 6.25 +/- AC. In the bottomland on the eastern side of the property there are several draws and slews that hold water in rainy seasons. There are four 8-inch water wells on the property, which are part of the Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District (POSGCD). These wells supply water to all of the pastures, paddocks, equine buildings and dwellings. There are also numerous stock tanks located on the property for livestock water and recreation.
FENCING: The property is improved with high quality four-rail wood fencing. There are approximately seventeen miles of wood fencing, which is used for perimeter fencing, cross fencing, and paddock fencing.
7099 FM 487, Rockdale, Texas, United States
Texas , Dallas , 75219
Email agent
Fill out the form below to contact the agent for any further information you may need


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Archive for Jillian
Good Times
Like I told you, I didn't experience the layered love embrace of Mother Mexico upon arrival in this country, or really ever. So be it. Some people discover a love of this place that burns like a thousand suns. For others it just burns. I know that sometimes my tart reactions are triggered by the [...]9Mar2010 | Jillian | 2 comments | Continued
On The Town: Wicky's in Playa del Carmen
We are so lucky to be just four hours from the crazy amazing waters of the Caribbean. We don't make the drive very often but when we do it is with gusto and great dedication to pleasure. Laying supine in a beach chair, staring at the sky and taking intermittent dips in the ocean is [...]9Mar2010 | Jillian | 1 comment | Continued
When Mexico is adorable it is wonderfully so. Children chasing chickens in the yard, festivals of colors and lights and saints, spontaneous parades, palm trees, colonial architecture and cheap delicious street food are all undeniably very good things. But when Mexico is awful*, it is terribly so. We've discussed how there is not really anything [...]1Mar2010 | Jillian | 5 comments | Continued
The News Not The Weather
I remember a tempestuous August storm. It was nothing more than a strong summer rain. But sheets of water were falling from the sky and collecting in quick inches on our street and I was scared. My parents flung open the doors and stood outside to marvel at the intensity and I thought, not for [...]25Feb2010 | Jillian | 0 comments | Continued
Things to do in Yucatan Before I Leave aka My Yucket List
Dance all night at The Mambo Cafe We had our wedding reception at this live music venue/dance club at the Plaza Las Americas mall and it was amazing, shiny, loud, and vibrating. But I was a little distracted/overwhelmed/intoxicated and would love to go back to shake my money maker without worrying about our forty friends [...]23Feb2010 | Jillian | 8 comments | Continued
That's Debatable: A Person of Interest
This house maintains that living abroad makes you a more interesting person. Pro To live abroad successfully you have to be adaptable and open to new ways of thinking. Your worldview is cracked wide open, if not totally destroyed and forced into a new configuaration. It's a symbolic death, such as one experienced by the [...]19Feb2010 | Jillian | 1 comment | Continued
Part-Time Paradise is a Full-Time Hell
Believe me I flagellate every time I even think about complaining, so don't get upset and decide that I'm awful. But every holiday must end and even the beach gets boring, especially in a town such as this. Chelem, like the mysterious city Brigadoon, is not meant to exist all the time. It only comes [...]18Feb2010 | Jillian | 2 comments | Continued
Waiting For My Man
We've had one norte after the next blowing through our port, the skies are opaque gray and all the Yucatecans and casi Yucatecans are bundled up and battened down. We drove into Progreso to run errands while the help leveled rubble and planted and washed our pots and pans. I picked up our laundry and [...]17Feb2010 | Jillian | 1 comment | Continued
Mexico Micro and Macro
I would say we keep our distance. I prefer that my hands are clean. I want to want to look more closely at life, to face certain facts about the world, but when I do it's with shock and sad horror. Perhaps I'm too empathetic. Or is it selfish? Or just squeamish. Maybe I would [...]16Feb2010 | Jillian | 5 comments | Continued
The Misfits
What if I've become too strange to go back? strangerinastrangelandyoucantgohomeagainpeoplearestrangewhenyoureastrangertheresnoplacelikehome These are the fleet streaming thoughts that pluck me out of sleep at four am. itsabanditsthatarthurmillermarilynmonroemoviehesthemaniaccharacterinagoodmanishardtofind But I wouldn't say I'm too terribly anxious. Not like the months leading up to leaving. I was a wreck, all panic attacks and acting out. Going home is [...]16Feb2010 | Jillian | 2 comments | Continued
A Nation of Two
As much as we have lived in Mexico these last four years, mostly we have lived alone in a world of our own construct. Throughout our relationship we've always been close. I distinctly remember the year we met, during our ritual of watching The Practice and eating takeout in Malcolm's tiny first floor dorm room [...]12Feb2010 | Jillian | 0 comments | Continued
Life in a Small Fishing Village
It's not that pictureque, actually. Oh, but it can be. I was naive to think it would look like a painting, with colorful masts studding the ocean's swells, happy moppet children playing with their untoys, and beautific faces in church on every Sunday. Those idyllic images do occur. There have been afternoons when fishermens' families [...]11Feb2010 | Jillian | 2 comments | Continued


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