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Please Note: The Examples shown here are the results of GedMatch One to One Comparisons, and should be taken as Examples Only. Your experience with a relationship of the same degree may vary. Please check tables such as those provided at ISOGG to determine what your relationship with your match may be.
Images are shown as "Graphics Only", as the positions are not as relevant, and the current GedMatch default levels of 500SNPs and 7cM have been used.
Example Images
Same Person with Multiple Kits (or Identical Twins)
Estimated number of generations to MRCA = 1.0
All chromosomes show full green on the top and full blue on the bottom
Parent to Child
Estimated number of generations to MRCA = 1.0
All chromosomes show bulk yellow with varying amounts of green or red on the top, and should be full blue on the bottom, sometimes with a very small break, but usually in one single segment.
Full Siblings
Estimated number of generations to MRCA = 1.1 – 1.2
Individual Chromosomes can vary and include any, all or none of the following examples
- long blocks of green and yellow on top, with full blue on the bottom
- Long blocks of green and yellow on top, with blue underneath those sections, interspersed with sections of red and yellow on top and grey on bottom
Other Relationships
|Estimated Number of Generations to MRCA
|Full Siblings
|1.1 – 1.3
|Half Siblings
Aunt/Uncle to Niece/Nephew
Grandparent to Grandchild
|1.3 – 1.6
|Half Aunt/Uncle to Half Niece/Nephew
|includes 1.
|First cousins
|2.0 – 2.2
|First cousins once removed
|2.3 – 2.7
|Second cousins
|Can include 2.8
|Third cousins
|Can include 3.7
|Third cousins once removed
|Can include 4
|Fourth cousins twice removed
|Can include 3.9
Reminder: The Estimated Number of Generations to MRCA may vary from the above mentioned numbers in your situation.
Individual chromosomes can vary and include any of the following
- long sections of yellow on top of blue, interspersed by sections of yellow and red on top of grey.
(as well as other examples already seen of this type)
- Predominantly yellow and red on top of grey with only a small section of yellow on blue
- One or more chromosomes which share no DNA at all
The more distant a relationship you have with your match, the more of this type of chromosome graphic you are likely to see.


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We Train You for Deployment!
Plant4Harvest has a number of training, empowerment and encouragement opportunities.
Online Church Planting Courses
*COMING SOON* Plant 4 Harvest will be offering online courses that planters can take on demand.
School Of Urban Leadership (SOUL)
Plant 4 Harvest offers cohort-based module style courses to prepare planters for deployment. Currently enrolling for August 2018 Cohort. Next Cohort will launch January 2019. Courses include Church Planting Fundamentals, Civic Advocacy and Social Justice and Women in Ministry.
Echo Conference – Our Annual Gathering
Beginning Oct 2019 and thereafter, Plant 4 Harvest will gather all of its planters, pastors, missionaries for mutual encouragement and to learn from some of the most sought after multi-ethnic practitioners and scholars in the country. Part scholarly, part empowerment, this gathering based on Isaiah 42:12 Make God's glory resound, ECHO His praises from coast to coast will be one not to be missed.

subset: commoncrawl


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About 36 hrs ago I awoke to snow blowing around town and soon discovered that it was the start of what was to be a two day storm. With a week of flights scheduled to get the remaining summer crew out of here everyone started thinking about how the weather was going to muck up the flight schedule. Roads were shut, the weather forecaster was going into overtime with predictions, flight schedules were posted tentatively. No one expected the flights schedule for today, wed, to actually make it in. The weather was just too bad.
What no one expected, what no one planned for, was a massive, devastating earthquake to strike in Christchurch New Zealand. All of our operations for the continent are based out of CHC. It's the city we all fly in and out of on our way to McMurdo. It's a city that I have come to love these past few years. Those sentiments are shared by many and so when news of the quake hit, when the gravity of the damage to life and property became apparent work around station came to a halt as people turned towards live coverage on the TVs and the news updates. We all have deep connections to this city.
The pictures and first hand reports were horrifying. There are currently over 500 people affiliated with the program in CHC right now, having reached the end of their season. Monday I said goodbye to a flight carrying over 100 passengers, many of whom I consider friends, some dear, dear friends. With each report of the damage, with each mention of the devastation in the city center my heart sank lower and lower. All of the hotels we use are based in the center.
It's a terrible feeling of powerlessness that one feels being down here. We have all the benefits of the news society we live in but that just makes it worse. Nothing makes you feel more helpless than knowing but not being able to do anything. We can just wait and hope for good news. It's interesting when stuff like this happens, when real life invades our bubble existence down here. I find that it hits me pretty hard, I find myself getting really emotional as I am reminded about all the things and people I love back in the "real" world.
But I am also reminded how much I love being a part of this Antarctic community and how proud I am of it when I see the care and concern folks in the program have exhibited. Within hours of the quake someone had set up a facebook group for people from down here to check in, to let the world (and us, us, us, trapped on the ice) know they were OK. 12 hours later there were almost 500 members, people with some connection to this program. Spreadsheets were developed to track everyone who has reported in so we can all know immediately if someone was OK.
There were a few harrowing hours last night that I spent on the computer constantly refreshing facebook waiting for news of friends. By this morning just about everyone I know has been accounted for (a pretty impressive accomplishment given how we ice people like to scatter as soon was we leave here). But safe doesn't mean sound.
By all accounts Christchurch is a warzone. Many of the hotels we use have been completely destroyed. Friends of mine have lost all of their luggage, their money, their passports. With no place to go they have been turning up at the Clothing Distribution Center (CDC), which is the building that stores all of the cold weather gear we use and is also the terminal we use to fly to McMurdo. It's about 30 minutes by car from the center. People have been walking there, some without shoes. There are over 100 people there right now, living on cots, stranded until flights start happening. No one knows when that will happen.
Things down here are anything but normal. The whole end of the season has been thrown into disarray. The flight schedule is scrapped. There is talk of the summer season (which was supposed to end on Mar 5th) being scrapped and ending early with 2 back to back flights this weekend. The flights will be taking people to Auckland so they can avoid Christchurch. The weather continues to be bad: high winds, white out snow and drifts up to your waist. The open water, which has been so beautiful this past week, continues to expand and is feared to be getting closer to the roads we use to get to our airfield. If the roads wash out we could have problems.
The open water has also started attracting boats to the area. A few days ago the New Zealand warship Wellington was spotted in the "harbor" right outside of town. That was quite a sight. I watched them for a bit and watched the landing ship they launched head towards hut point, where members of the New Zealand Scott Base Station were waiting. More tragically, for the past week or so a sailboat has been hanging around the waters, about 20 miles from town. It was a Norwegian vessel. Yesterday afternoon we picked up a distress signal from the boat. By the time the Wellington was able to arrive at their last reported location there was no sign of the sailboat. The beacon had stopped and we lost contact. The boat is presumed lost with 3 souls on board. More troubling, we believe the boat landed 2 people on the continent who were attempting to setup caches for an overland traverse to the South Pole. Basically there are two people with limited, to no, provisions wandering around the area during a massive storm. This makes me angry beyond belief: they have no business being here so ill prepared.
There are things to be happy for. I am thrilled that all of my friends are safe and accounted for. I am thrilled that the only impact down here will be delays. I am thrilled to be a part of this community. We have problems right now but we will get through them like we always do.
But for now, the storm still lingers, a fog hangs over the water/ice shelf outside of the station and the white of the freshly fallen snow contrasts greatly with the dark, dark clouds in the sky. and in my heart.


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Paintshield Ltd
Business Address: Paintshield Ltd, 4, Morley Court, Morley Way, Woodston Industry, Peterborough. PE2 7BW
Country: England,
Business Email: Send message
Social Media
About Paintshield Ltd
Paintshield Ltd are the premier independent suppliers of Paint Protection and Painted Film products to the European marketplace.
Paintshield Ltd are the premier independent suppliers of Paint Protection and Painted Film products to the European marketplace. Our centre of operations is based in Peterborough, where we are well placed for the shipping of products and the provision of support services to our clients. We offer our own four year warranty on the kits we supply which makes this warranty is highly regarded and after six years is still we believe unique in the UK and probably in Europe.
As suppliers and installers of film products to many of the household names in the automotive market place, we have fitted our products to thousands of car in the last six years. The retail value of the cars we have been involved with runs into hundreds of millions of pounds. All with not ONE outstanding customer issue in the six years of our operations. The maxim we apply is one of "no car leaves our premises that I would not be proud to drive" (Tom Wakeford Managing Director). This ethos provides us with one of the highest levels of repeat business in our industry anywhere in Europe.
Price Match - Paintshield will match any written genuine like for like quotation which is based on and provides the same coverage, material size, quality and warranty terms.
We pride ourselves on our customer service and have successfully met and exceeded the expectations of what we believe to be the most demanding clients anywhere.
We have fully tested the fitting of these products to vehicles which have been re-sprayed or had smart repairs and well understand the implications of supplying this concept to cars already on the road. Whilst supplying the new vehicle market is important to us, we see no reason, why the consumer with a two year old car should be denied access to this concept, purely because the potential interaction of the fitting chemicals with the common smart repair products is not fully accounted for.
We make no pretext of being (or wishing to be), the cheapest in our industry, we are put simply, the best quality you can buy and therefore we believe offer the best overall value for money package anywhere. Due to our high levels of repeat business we know our customers feel similarly. No one brings 7 or 8 cars to you if you do not meet and exceed both quality and value for money expectations.
Through our joint venture Partners we operate in many corners of the world with local Paintshield ™ operations that deliver the same exhaustive and exceptional standards on the international stage.
We recently relocated our head office to Peterborough to allow us to meet the increasing demand for our products and services and have now more than doubled our capability. Whether you are a retail customer or in the Automotive trade our customers peace of mind and satisfaction with our work are the only criteria we apply to every install we undertake.


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Jun 12, 2007
JUNO BEACH, Fla. – To ensure reliable service, FPL crews will be replacing one of three major transmission transformers that serve the cities of Miami, Miami Beach, Key Biscayne and the Fisher Island community. The transmission transformer to be replaced, located at the Miami Beach 40th Street substation, provides service to Miami Beach from Indian Creek south to the Port of Miami, Fisher Island, Virginia Key and Key Biscayne. The replacement work started Monday, June 4th and should be completed by the end of June.
FPL is making every effort to avoid inconvenience to customers. To this end, FPL is re-routing power through two other transformers that serve the area while crews complete the work. Should unforeseen circumstances cause a disruption of service, FPL has contingency plans in place and the capability to re-route power as a result of the built-in redundancy of the system. No critical service such as hospitals, fire, police or the Port of Miami will be affected by the transformer replacement work.
FPL has alerted the cities of the replacement work and has asked the City of Miami Beach for a construction permit for the proper removal of the transformer and installation of the replacement. Also, on FPL's request, Miami Beach will be reserving a number of parking meters in the vicinity of FPL's substation to be able to park the trucks, cranes and equipment that will be used during the replacement. FPL has also contacted the Florida Department of Transportation for the appropriate road permit to allow the transportation of the new transmission transformer from the storage area in Broward to the Miami Beach substation.
Transmission transformers are big in size and voltage. They are on a periodic maintenance schedule and engineering assessments to determine the remaining useful service life. These units last more than 35 years and this particular transformer has been in service for 38 years. Based on industry testing criteria FPL engineers have decided to replace the unit.
Florida Power & Light Company is the principal subsidiary of FPL Group, Inc. (NYSE: FPL), nationally known as a high quality, efficient and customer-driven organization focused on energy-related products and services. With annual revenues of nearly $16 billion and a growing presence in 26 states, FPL Group is widely recognized as one of the country's premier power companies. Florida Power & Light Company serves 4.4 million customer accounts in Florida. FPL Energy, LLC, FPL Group's competitive energy subsidiary, is a leader in producing electricity from clean and renewable fuels. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.FPL.com, www.FPLGroup.com and www.FPLEnergy.com.
Journalists can reach an FPL spokesperson
24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Call: 561-694-4442
Email: email@example.com
Twitter: @FPL_Newsroom (Monitored Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Track power outages online by county or address with our interactive map
FPL Resources
Storm Center
Updated Satellite Coordinates for Interview Opportunities
Storm Guide for Media
How-to guide for working with FPL during a storm restoration (3.5 MB)


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We recently published the announcement that BlackBerry Express was available to download for BlackBerry 10 and at the time we hadn't had a chance to properly play with the new presentation tool from BlackBerry and air our opinions. That time is now and what a beauty the free application is.
One point of interest is that the app (at the time of publication) has a Beta tag in its name. I can confirm that the software is actually final and the Beta name is only there while BlackBerry gather feedback from users. The name 'BlackBerry Express' may not end up being its final name - we'll have to wait and see what users think of it.
I've never been a fan of giving presentations - not because I'm afraid of standing up in front of people, but because I have never been bothered to get the hang of any software that does the job - mainly PowerPoint. Thank god that if the need arises in the future I will be able to now use BlackBerry Express as the application makes it so easy to create a professional presentation - all from your BlackBerry 10 smartphone.
Once you open BlackBerry Express you'll be greeted with two brightly colored tabs. The pink one is an introduction to the app and the orange one gives you a brief tutorial - well worth checking out. Once you have created a/some presentations these too will be listed above the aforementioned tabs.
Before we jump into making a presentation I thought I had better point out that by hitting the 'More' tab at the base of the display reveals where you can create your profile. This information will be shown in the information page and can be enabled in the presentation customization. Not a must, but a nice touch.
Back to business. Making a new presentation is achieved simply by tapping the 'Create new' icon at the bottom of the screen. You will then see three icons appear on the display. These are shortcuts to adding images, text and elements - which include bullet points and chapters as well as images and text.
Selecting the image option will open up your File Manager where you can jump between the device/media card and any cloud storage apps you have set up on your device. Choose the photo and you will be prompted you insert some text. This will appear at the base of the photo in the presentation.
You can add photos, text etc in any order and once you have done so and tapped the 'tick' icon to save you will see your entry appear in a list which contains everything you have added so far. This list can be customized using the icons on the right of each item. You can hold and then drag up or down to reposition which ensures you get perfect final results. At the base of the display you have a 'Play' icon so you can dive into the presentation at any point and view your results so far. If you select the 'More' tab you'll find a couple of extra cool features.
The first is rather straight forward and is 'Export'. This is much the same as sharing and will allow you to share via any accounts you have set up in your BlackBerry Hub. But it's the 'Customize' tab that I like. Here you can tweak a few things, including the Theme, which will give you a choice of color options for the final result - a sweet touch. If you choose the 'Custom' theme you will get a bar under the box which you can slide left and right to alter the colors even more.
And that's pretty much it. Once you have finished, all that is left to do is to connect your BlackBerry 10 smartphone to a TV/Monitor for the presentation via HDMI and you are good to go. You simply just use the BlackBerry screen to swipe to the left to move from slide to slide. Nothing is too complected (which suits me) and the results are pretty amazing.
Whether the name BlackBerry Express stays, only time will tell, although I quite like it. For business users BlackBerry Express will be the perfect free tool to have on your handset. Nice work BlackBerry, bloody nice work.
Download BlackBerry Express for BlackBerry 10
Twitter announces new controls for conversations, available globally now
Twitter has announced that it is changing the way conversations work on Twitter, bringing more control to users so as to make Twitter safer and more comfortable.
Win BIG with the Future Tech Awards Reader's Choice giveaway!
What's the best phone of 2019? Is it the iPhone 11 Pro, Pixel 4 or OnePlus 7T? What about the best laptop, games console, tablet and more? Vote NOW in the Reader's Choice awards and win BIG in time for the holidays!


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"Today, it's not a discussion of if hacking will happen, but when it will happen," declared Chin Eng Tee, Printing Systems Category Lead for HP Singapore, as he kicked off his session on day one of Black Hat Asia 2018. His presentation was aptly titled, "Securing the Workspace: Are You Ready for the New Attacks?"
A sombre note to begin on, but one befitting the reality of the increasingly digitised world we live in today—and those sitting in positions of power are taking notice. How do I know? After making the rounds, it became apparent that cybersecurity has become a primary concern for everyone, from the on-the-ground expert to the CEO. And at Black Hat Asia—a gathering of the brightest and best in information security—there was no shortage of cutting-edge security products, solutions, and research to consider and mull over.
It was clear that Asian companies are still somewhat behind the curve when it comes to information security. Unlike the Black Hat 2017 event held in Las Vegas, most of the attendees happily toted laptops and smartphones, taking selfies without a care in the world. No burner phones or paranoia here.
Understanding cybercrimes and the threats they entail is more fully formed in the West, and a lot of the companies with booths at Black Hat Asia 2018 were on a mission to educate the attendees. Take HP's booth, for example. Their "Weakest Link" presentation and demos were a visual and engaging bombardment of facts and data emphasising the need for print security.
If you thought securing your printer wasn't important, think again. As Chin Eng Tee's presentation clearly demonstrated, network endpoints—which include your cash registers, computers, and printers—are, by far, the hacker's favourite way to get into a system, since they're usually not designed with security in mind.
Such threats will only become more developed and sophisticated over time. When it comes to cybersecurity, companies tend to be more reactive than proactive, but by that time, it's usually too late—the damage has been done. Many people have the misconception that cybersecurity threats only come from downloading items. Modern hackers are far more well-equipped than before, though, which means your everyday generic defences aren't sufficient in dealing with new, evolving threats.
Driving home this message is the appearance of imposing robot figures, brought in by companies determined to demonstrate how serious they are about tackling these issues. For most attendees (myself included), it was simply a great photo opportunity.
Throughout the event, I took away one clear message: Nothing "connected" is truly safe. A frightening notion given there will be some 20 billion connected things in use by 2020, according to Gartner. As silly as it might seem, while your fridge and car get "smarter," you need to, in turn, be smarter about securing them. Start rethinking your information security strategy today, so you don't get left in the dust. Welcome to the 21st century, indeed.


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Sales: 0800 111 6477
Servicing: 01952 643149
Perfect recipes to cook up on your AGA cooker.
Recipes, Tips and more for perfect AGA baking.
AGA devotees explain why they think the AGA is so very special.
Take a look at some of the most notable AGA owners.
Browse images of AGA products in various stunning home settings.
View our collection of AGA videos online today.
Make the most of your AGA cooker's performance.
Find out if AGA is attending an event near you.
Follow us via your social network
Share this page via your social network
Click on the link below to see our blog
©2018 AGA is a trading name of AGA Rangemaster Limited. Registered in England & Wales under Registered Number 3872754. Registered Office Address - AGA Rangemaster, Meadow Lane, Long Eaton, Nottingham, NG10 2GD.


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18.8 kms
1235 Swan Bay Rd, Swan Bay, Victoria
Swan Bay Holiday Park
1 Rating
Want to get the kids of the iPad this weekend? Need some new inspiration for some fun, outdoor, adventures? Here are 1 campsites with drinking water, showers, toilets and family friendly activities near Jan Juc.


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Posted on August 7, 2016
My Road to …. House Show… Yeah
So, still not knowing exactly what I am going to see. But knowing it's something that looks a lot like a RAW branded Live Event house special show. A far cry from the WWE Special that was widely… Read More
Posted on July 27, 2016
WWE Live In London: My Road to… House Show… Yeah
It is 11th March 2016. and the finale leg of my road to WrestleMania. A buddy of mine (Who this week goes under the name Dave Ings) had been unable to make the trip to Dallas. This wasn't… Read More
Posted on July 25, 2016
RedReview: WWE Live in London speculation
So the Analyst and I saw a press release way back in March that seemed to suggest that on September 7 th 2016 the WWE would be making a UK PPV or network special in the O2 Arena,… Read More
Posted on May 15, 2016
WWE Without Sky Sports? Just Wait 30 Days
So WrestleMania is over, this leads to the post 'Mania blues. I made a decision to stop watching WWE (except NXT) for the month after 'Mania. My reason… The WWE Network subscription just got the added value of… Read More
Posted on May 7, 2016
My Road To WrestleMania…. Ends
Here is what it was all building towards… I would like to say I was excited the morning of WrestleMania asI was, but I was also preoccupied. The AT&T Stadium is quite a way from Dallas itself. Despite… Read More
Posted on April 30, 2016
My Road To Wrestlemania 32: WWN Mercury Rising 2016
Before I begin to review this show I need to make a confession. We didn't stay for the full show. Not because the show was bad at all, in fact it was shaping up to be quite the… Read More
Posted on April 27, 2016
My Road to WrestleMania: Jim Ross and Friends Saturday 2nd April 4pm
The House of Blues Dallas is a very "trendy" venue. It wasn't like the hall's where I saw Mick Foley's show or Hulk Hogan's. A few hours before the show my brother and I walked up that end… Read More
Posted on April 25, 2016
My Road To Wrestlemania – WWE Axxess 2016 Review
Thanks to some quick computer work from a colleague at work we just managed to get axxess tickets. The session we attended was at 8am on a Saturday morning. I can't imagine this morning session being the most… Read More
Posted on April 22, 2016
The Road to WrestleMania: Travel Advice For anyone planning a Mania trip
Wrestlemania 32 has happened. I know, I was there, there along with the 101,763 other people. Yes that numbers disputed but there wasn't an empty seat that I could see. Anyway, this blog has always been about the… Read More
Posted on March 28, 2016
Retro Reaction #33.6 Bret Hart Vs Steve Austin
If ever there was a match that brought with it a new era it was this one. WrestleMania 13 could have been a big contender for the worst 'Mania of all time. Nothing seemed to look "must see"… Read More


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Opening Plenary
Captain Scott D. Tingle
The SEI/ASCE Electrical Transmission & Substation Structures Conference is recognized as the must-attend conference that focuses specifically on transmission line and substation structures and foundation construction issues. This event—for utilities, suppliers, contractors, and consultants—offers an ideal setting for learning and networking.
The State-of-the-Industry Conference for Transmission and Substation Engineers:


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The Belltown Community Council extends its congratulations to Captain Deanna Nollette, who has just been promoted to head the Seattle Police Department's Narcotics Section. Captain Nollette had previously served as Operations Lieutenant for the West Precinct as well as the SPD representative to the LEAD program.
We wish Captain Nollette the best in her new role.


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SIECUS Report Faults Gaps In Sex-Education Curricula
Although nearly every state has endorsed teaching sex education in the classroom, the curricula used often omit important information, a report released last week by the Sex Information and Education Council of the United States contends.
Forty-five states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have passed laws or approved policies that require or recommend sex education in schools, the report says. Of those, 40 have developed sex-education curricula. That represents a dramatic increase from 1986, when only three states required that sex education be taught in the classroom, according to SIECUS.
"We applaud the activity that has been going on in the states, and we are delighted that there is a foundation there,'' said Debra W. Haffner, the executive director of SIECUS.
But there are still "huge information gaps,'' the study argues, with less than 10 percent of children receiving comprehensive sex education at every grade level.
Sex-education classes are more likely to teach about families, abstinence, and anatomy and less likely to teach about sexual behavior, fantasy, homosexuality, and masturbation, the state survey found.
Of the states that have programs in place, six have passed laws specifically prohibiting the teaching of such controversial subjects as contraception and abortion.
"Schools are leaving students unprepared and putting them at risk for unintended pregnancy,'' Ms. Haffner said. "People need to have access to information to help them make healthy choices.''
The report urges more states to require teacher training and certification in sex education. Each state should also designate someone to coordinate sex-education policy and issue guidelines for local schools in developing age-appropriate K-12 curricula, it says.
Copies of the report, "Unfinished Business: A SIECUS Assessment of State Sexuality Education Programs,'' are available for $7.50 each from SEICUS Publications, 130 West 42nd St., Suite 2500, New York, N.Y. 10036.--J.P.
Vol. 13, Issue 07
We encourage lively debate, but please be respectful of others. Profanity and personal attacks are prohibited. By commenting, you are agreeing to abide by our user agreement.
All comments are public.


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Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Marc Faber : I strongly agree with Decentralization & Privatization of Schools
Global Gold : What are your thoughts on the privatization of schools? Do you think it's a good idea?
Marc Faber : I strongly agree with decentralization. Generally, in small societies, democracy is more successful than in large societies. In countries like India or the United States, the federal government has become so large that they take decisions that are not necessarily in the interest of the individual. This is different from Switzerland, where we have municipalities, "Gemeinden", and states, "Cantons", with a lot of decentralized power, which I find very desirable. Well, I think that the privatization of the school system is by and large a good idea, but not necessarily everywhere. In some societies, schools that are run by the government are actually quite good, like in Switzerland, Finland, South Korea, Japan, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. However, in others they are a complete failure like in the United States where everyone with a higher income sends his children to private schools. That is very different in Switzerland. Overall, I think in some cases a public school system that is run by the government can be successful, but in most cases, it is a failure.
Marc Faber is an international investor known for his uncanny predictions of the stock market and futures markets around the world.Dr. Doom also trades currencies and commodity futures like Gold and Oil.
Posted by Nicole Bourbaki
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Name: Dan Nichols
Age: 23
Sign: Virgo
Color: Red
Likes: RPG, Idolm@ster, Ice Cream, Nendoroids, Riffing
Dislikes: Stupid People, Reality TV, Faulty Appliances, Hot Weather
First JODDAS VAPD Strip: The Fantasy Has Died
If you do not already know Dan's personality is strongly if not ultimately based on my own. When I created Drew I thought to add myself to my Calvin & Hobbes strips. I wanted to put myself in the comic strip world and Dan was that doorway for me. I designed Dan so that his eyes were hidden because I have a hard time growing up with people looking at my eyes. Being half Korean I always hated people looking me in the eye questioning my ethnicity so the hat is a way for people not to question Dan's race.
For the longest time Dan was Daniel and in the Calvin & Hobbes stage He was a porn/drug dealer with Scott. Back then Daniel was mostly a commentary/straight man of the strips. Daniel I don't believe did anything exciting until towards the end of the Calvin & Hobbes stage. When the Life Sucks stage began Daniel was made into the main character.
Daniel shared more of my personality after the Life Sucks Stage. When Life Stinks stage was starting. Daniel became a character that can be based on me and still be funny. Daniel inherited my sarcasm and my kind nature.
Unlike a lot of my other characters Dan had a stage alongside with Patrick that are not mentioned on any of the other characters pages. Life's Fun was an attempt to get my work in a local newspaper. I got one strip featuring Dan and Patrick into a newspaper, but that was all the paper would publish as I did not get enough "Fan base" after only a single strip.
I attempted to make a change to Dan's character, but ultimately I hated the change and kept Dan the design we still see today.
Dan is a major key character in JODDAS VAPD and though he may not be the most exciting character he's the glue that keeps everyone together hence why his "D" is the end point of JODDAS VAPD.
Dan may be a sarcastic man, and almost cold hearted at times, but his kind nature is prominent. Dan tries hard for his Special Educations degree to help struggling children grow up to be successful. His friends enjoy his presence as he will always stay honest with them, and his darling love Ophelia is the only girl in his life who Dan can share his eyes with.


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She was a strong-willed woman, much beautiful and a free-thinker compared to many women of her times. She read a lot of books, her only source of education.
Her best feature was her hair – long, thick, lustrous – which she kept in a bun.
Her body, however, was weak, owing to seven childbirths and the many winters she had to endure in near-poverty. It was her lungs. The disease, slowly spread, slowly drew off the life in her.
Now, it was time. It was this very moment that he waited so long for – this reunion of sorts. After years and years of not seeing each other, it was very obvious that they missed each other so much. He, however, wanted it to be a different one.
He could feel her life slowly slipping away. It was her breath – laborious yet shallow gasps. He could smell the putrefaction in her lungs. The blood; alive yet not quite so.
She began to speak, to retrospect , to say how much he was like her. How much they were similar.
He couldn't quite explain it – why was he feeling this, this loneliness, this longing, this desire to keep her and this fear of losing her. But he couldn't do much anymore. The disease has already eaten away her body. Her face was gaunt, her bones were showing. Her hair was not as glorious as it once was, but it was still her best feature. Even at this moment of death.
Abruptly, she stopped talking. She began coughing madly.
He knew the time was getting near.
Without warning, she threw up blood. He could smell death inside the room.
He was crushed. He didn't want to lose her. He had to decide fast. There was no time to think about the possibilities and consequences.
In one swift move, he took her inside his arms. Her head fell back freely. Slowly, he sank her teeth into her neck. At that instant, he felt her heart, her weak heart. And their heartbeats became one.
When they reached that point between life and death, he let her go. He slit his wrist and offered the blood to her. She took it and drank weakly. Then her gulps became stronger and stronger.
He stopped her. For a moment she lay on the floor. Moments passed and his blood began to flow through her veins.
Her cheeks began to gain fullness. Her skin was aglow. Her lips were red. Her hair was once more thicker and more alive.
She stood in front of him. Much different from the person that she once was moments ago. He stood there, satisfied with the thought that he will never lose her.
Mother and son. Father and daughter. The beginning of their journey to eternity.
Based on Lestat by Anne Rice.


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Five Top Pantomime Picks for December
The pantomime – a staple of many a yuletide calendar. When booking that annual family pantomime trip, you often find you're spoiled for choice. We here at Fantastic for Families have decid...
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Take the Family Outdoors this Summer!
Spend time together as a family in the Great Outdoors! The summer holidays are upon us, and with the heatwave in full swing, it's the perfect time to head to the Great Outdoors! We're...
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A Fantastic Summer is ahead with Fantastic for Families. If you're approaching the summer holidays with a trepidation, fear not, Fantastic For Families has the recipe for a stress-free, fam...
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Win a Family Ticket to Wild Child Festival, London
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Find different activities across the UK! Which one is your favourite?
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Win 2 tickets to NYO Unleashed in London or Birmingham this weekend!
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Win a signed Awful Auntie book & family ticket to any show!
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Fantastic for Families Awards 2018 winners announced!
UK's most family-friendly arts and cultural organisations recognised
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GIVEAWAY: Win a luxury hamper of Border Biscuits!
We have a huge family-sized portion of delicious, meticulously crafted biscuits to give away, courtesy of the famous Border family biscuitiers. Craft, creativity and care in every crumb!
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What can I do with the family in Newcastle and Gateshead? We talk to Juice Festival
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Win a trip to Mimi & the Mountain Dragon at London's Winterville
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Sudha Bhuchar's new 'Child of the Divide'
A story of family, identity and belonging.
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Win a Family Day admission ticket to Compton Verney
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Naga Munchetty tells us why she thinks the arts are fantastic for families
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Win an Experience Day for your family at the Emma Bridgewater Factory!
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Yikes, I'm late posting this aren't I? These are all projects that I shared/discovered during the month of February on my Crafts by Amanda Facebook page. They have been selected to be featured here because the Facebook audience says they should be! These projects received the highest number of "likes" for the month, and are therefore voted by the CBA readers as their favorites! I'll have the projects shared during March available soon!
All of these projects were shared on my Facebook page. You can find any one of these in the photo gallery, which also links to the blog post. These are also all individually pinned to my Amanda's Favorites pinboard (for convenient repinning). :)
If you would like to see last month's favorite craft projects click here > Great Craft Ideas – February 2014
I hope you enjoyed these projects. Projects, photographs, tutorials and blog posts take a long time to create and write, and generally they do it for free. So if you like something here, or anywhere for that matter, share some comment love. Be sure to tell someone when their project wows you. It's what keeps bloggers blogging and creating new tutorials for everyone to enjoy! It's the little things. :) See you next time.
Amanda Formaro
Latest posts by Amanda Formaro (see all)
- 30 DIY Christmas Wreaths - December 9, 2019
- Christmas Handprint Crafts - December 4, 2019
- Sharpie Snowflake Apron - December 2, 2019


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I made this Quenya Travel Cap for my friend Deike — it's another in a series of LOTR inspired knits... and a late Christmas gift. Deike and Dave Benjoya lead the German Language Studies Group at Freddy's Bar. Quenya is the Grey Elvish language created by Tolkein. So far no one has started a Quenya Language Studies Group, it might conflict with a Tengwar Poetry Slam.
This Elven travel cap fits perfectly under a bike helmet or any plate or scale armor helmet for that matter. All Elven-kind should have one of these when setting out to travel into uncertain weather. This Chulo-style cap is similar in structure to the Mercury Cycling Cap, but it sits much looser on the head. The sides are knit down from the center strap converging into long (20") three-plait braids.
These are Deike's favorite color: chocolate, steel gray, and saffron. I used the four-plait cable as a theme. It's a simple and effective pattern that sits well on a garter ground. The ear flaps tie over the head or around the back, or under the chin.
Rosie and James are always up for a quick hat demonstration. Rosie Rebel is a sketch comedienne in New York's new vaudevillian scene. She works with James at Prospect Perk Cafe.
The saffron bullion marks the back of the hat. I added frog-buttons at the bottom of each ear flap as another way of joining the flaps closed, other than just tying the straps together. These are Deike's favorite colors: chocolate, steel gray, and saffron.
I wanted the top to look like burnished metal plate armor and the sides to look like aged leather so I used cold gray Debbie Bliss "Alpaca Silk" for the braided center strap and a heathered brown Berroco "Peruvia" for the sides of the hat. I have no idea what brand the DK saffron colored yarn is. I know it's made from cashmere and wool. I only had enough to make small well-placed details.
The saffron bullion is a 3/8" plastic button with a crochet slip stitch cover. It gives the button more substance and it stops the peak from curling upwards. Although it's intended to sit on back, Rosie pointed out it looks more humorous when worn on the front. I just think it looks real dorky that way, but to each his own.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
Christmas Time Was Here
Stephanie and I made Christmas dinner for her parents. They ordered a Walbaum's Turkey dinner — 10 lb. turkey, mashed potatoes, cornbread stuffing, and gravy. I watched "A Christmas Story" and "Babes In Toyland" with her parents while Steph got everything in the oven. Dinner was ready near the end of "A Christmas Story." I've actually never seen either movie all the way through. Steph set the table while I ground a new edge on the carving knife. Dinner was perfect with very little effort. How can anyone beat that? Steph made a chocolate pound cake for dessert. After the gift exchange I carved and packed the turkey away for her parents, but we took some of the left-overs for sandwiches. Soon we were off again. We caught the LIRR back to Brooklyn in time for Riley and Marlene's Christmas party in Bed-Stuy.
Marlene made a Hungarian vegetarian goulash with home made spätzle egg dumplings — it was unbelievably delicious. It really tasted like pork! But for good measure Riley made a baked ham. The apartment was packed with people... Dave, Bill and Margie, Owen and Stephie, Morgan, Matt and Adrianne, Shuhei, Pat and Ellen, Ian and Millie, the two cats, a baby... etc. the Holidays seem to be the only time I get to catch up with friend's, although the conversations are always brief and fleeting.
A few beer-runs later, the party came to an end. Five of us got a ride back in Owen and Stephie's car. It was a bit crammed. The people who were waiting for us to pull out of teh parking space laughed as Owen climbed into the back hatch. An idea formed en route "Let's go to Freddy's for a night cap!" Not a bad idea, but it was so packed in there it was un-enjoyable. So in the spirit of Christmas we all walked down the street to O'Connor's.
It was quiet, the crowd was at human scale — 11 people, maybe less. Young Mattie was bartending, nice fella. So we had our last beers and a toast. Adrianne reminded us about her birthday party on Sunday, also known as the bad movie festival. Sunday's featured flick will be "Cool As Ice" starring Vanilla Ice. I think last year's movie was "Glitter" with Mariah Carey. By the time Stephanie and I got home it was around 4:00 am. It's amazing how that last beer turns into a few more. Steph looked through her bag and said "Crap, I left the turkey in Marlene's fridge." Riley and the cats will have a a much deserved treat.
Posted by Unknown at 5:35 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Monday, December 22, 2008
Knit PH at Freddy's: Dec. 20, 2008
Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn had their annual Holiday Bash at Freddy's before our Knit Night. The question was "So who's going to clean up this mess?" his question wasn't about the party it was about the disaster area created by Forest City Ratner now that the Atlantic Yards Project has reached a (permanent) stall due to lack of funding.
Food, family and neighborhood solidarity — Scotty and JP lead the caroling along with Chris Owens and son(s). The Manson Family Picnic gave us a show. Our District (#35) Council leader Leticia James popped in. She got a chance to see Dan and Shabnam's new baby... Shab joined Knit PH recently, she's making hats for baby Seeta. What a beautiful baby girl.
Marina and I were the first of Knit PH to show up since we're both active with DDDB. She's working on beautiful headband/neck warmers that she designed. She did well at the Lyceum craft show. Soon the party was over and Knit PH popped in.
Alexandra was the first to arrive, she had a beer out front while Marina and I cleared the tables, except for the tray of rugelach of course. Soon everyone else popped in with Christmas gift in progress Sarah, Marci, Victoria, Tracey... Adrienne joined our group recently. She met us at Prospect Perk at our last MeetUp.
Victoria brought some carob-coated "M&Ms" from the food co-op. Similar to Fig Newtons, they're always a bit stale, but I like them. Tracey vowed to finish the ribbed scarf she started last winter, I worked on a present for Stephanie, and Adrienne... a pair of gloves and a hat for her hubby. Over snacks and beer, we got onto the topic of Hanukkah. Marci says it isn't an Orthodox Jewish holiday so she doesn't celebrate it. We also had the usual conversation: patterns, knitting tips, Christmas gifts, the sagging economy... etc.
Celebrities who knit and male knitters are very worn-out topics. We seemed to hit a stride with of knitting in movies. Marina brought up the Tita's fantastically long trailing shawl from "Like Water for Chocolate" (1993, Alfonso Arua), Some one pointed out that it was crocheted. Adrienne brought up Edith Piaf knitting in "La Vie en Rose" (2007, Olivier Dahan). I mentioned a few: "Fargo," "Witness," and "Shipping News." Cartoons often use the imagery of knitting to anticipate the arrival of a newborn. But in cinema it's always used as a metaphor that anticipates tragedy or comedy. Here are some of my observations.
Dancing At Lughnasa
(Pat O'Connor, 1998)
One would think that a movie with the word dancing in the title would be a feel-good flick. Not so in this film. Brian Friel's stage play comes to life on the screen. Kate (Meryl Streep) is the family wage-earner in the small Irish town of Ballybeg, Donnegal. The cast of characters are united when their older brother, a priest, returns from Africa after mental breakdown.
Five unmarried sisters feel the financial impact as Kate, the eldest, loses her teaching job. Their eight-year-old nephew redsicovers his father, but says goodbye as he leaves to fight the war against Franco. The women are forced depend on a meager income knitting gloves. But when a knitting factory opens up-river and the WW2 economy falls apart, their situation grows dire. Two sisters leave Lugnasa to find work and better fortune in England but their lives end in tragedy. Now that's Irish!
Breakfast At Tiffany's
(Blake Edwards, 1961)
This brilliant movie is based on a book by Truman Capote. A former call girl, Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) turns a new leaf as she attempts domesticity. She's learned to knit and cook. An old flame Paul Varjak (George Peppard) reunites with her one last time before she leaves for Brazil. No longer a kept man, he is now a successful writer. Holly is trading her life as an escort for one of a Brazilian diplomat's fiance.
But her tarnished past has returned to ruin her future. As they take an after-dinner stroll Holly is arrested for running messages for the notorious Sally Tomato. Free on bail, Paul picks her up in a cab along with her belongings and her cat (named "Cat").
He informs her that José Luis was pressured by his family to end their engagement. In a fit of rage she throws Cat from the cab, but then regretfully calls out as they search in the rain. I saw this at the drive-in when I was a kid. The whole notion that Audrey Hepburn was a prostitute went over my 4-year-old head and I didn't understand why she threw a cat from a moving vehicle. So how does an Upper East Side prostitute afford a Hubert Givenchy/Pauline Trigere wardrobe anyway?
How To Succeed In Business
(David Swift, 1967)
J. Pierpont Finch (Robert Morse) climbs his way to top as a window washer who literally connives his way up the ladder to become VP of Advertising after he buys a book called "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying".
In the scene above, Finch curries favor with his boss by pretending to share the big man's passion for knitting. "You know Mr. Bigley, I feel sorry for men who don't knit. They lead empty lives." "I find that knitting helps me think more clearly. What are you knitting?" "Uhhh. A bird cage cover." Mr. Bigley actually knit English-style correctly, but Finch knits as if he's tryign to solder yarn with two metal sticks. I like Robert Morse, he has a face built for comedy.
Mr. Lucky
(H.C. Potter, 1943)
Hilarity ensues in the 1943 comedy "Mr. Lucky." Notorious gambling magnet Joe Adams (Carey Grant) dodges the draft by assuming a dead man's identity not knowing that the deceased was a wanted felon. Desperate to skip town Adams and his thugs scheme a beautiful society woman, Dorothy (Laraine Day) and her women's War Relief charity ball. He even feigns an interest in knitting blankets for soldiers, but eventually he comes clean and they fall in love.
Broke Back Mountian
(Ang Lee, 2005)
As dutiful wife Alma Del Mar (Michelle Williams) occupies her time knitting, her husband Enis (Heath Ledger) reunites with an old sheep ranching buddy, Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal). Little does she know that the wool is being pulled over her eyes as both men were not in fact tending the flock. And we all know what happened to Heath Ledger. Very sad.
(Joel & Ethan Coen, 1996)
As Jean Lundegaard (Kristin Rudrüd) knits quietly she is unaware that her husband Jerry (William H. Macy) has arranged for her kidnapping in order to get her wealthy father to pay for her ransom.
Two bungling thugs, Carl (Steve Buscemi) and The Swede, Gaer Grimsrud (Peter Stormare), are hired to do the deed. The darkness of a small "Minnesota nice" town is realized when plans go awry and a killing spree ensues.
In this slow-chase abduction scene, a suburban calm is broken. Jean Lundegaard knits while watching TV wearing her pink jogging suit and house slippers. Then from the sliding glass door she sees a masked man. He starts pounding on the glass as she curiously stairs but continues to knit. After about a minute of pounding the glass door finally shatters.
She screams and throws her knitting to the floor and runs for cover. A second masked man enters and at a zomblie-like pace they follow her upstairs. She bursts through the bathroom door running past them with a shower curtain over her head. She screams hysterically, tumbles down the stairs and knocks herself unconscious. "Fargo" is one of my favorite Coen Brother's movies along with "Raising Arizona."
The Happening
(M. Night Shyamalan, 2008)
Elliot Moore (MarkWalberg) and his wife Alma (Zooey Deschanel) run for their lives in a battle against nature and man. This comic vignette demonstrates the correct way to deal with catastrophy: put on a gas mask and make a sweater. But as with most Shyamalan cinematic adventures. Movie Spoiler: Nothing really happens in "The Happening."
Posted by Unknown at 3:19 PM 1 comments Links to this post
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Green Ranger: A Hooded Scarf
No paladin or blade-carrying warrior should be without proper outerwear, especially when stalking the enemy in winter. This is Green Ranger, a long hooded scarf. It's one in a series of LOTR inspired knits. This is a late birthday/ on-time Christmas gift for a friend who is an aspiring Elven Thief. Ori, one of the partners at Prospect Perk Cafe, was kind enough to show it off for me.
Green Ranger is made from 6 balls of Louet "Riverstone" (bulky, 165 yds per skein) and one ball of Filtes Filati "Extra" (bulky, 99 yds per ball). The hood took the longest to figure out. The hood's facing has a sewn hem construction for stability, otherwise it flops around the face too much — which makes it difficult to handle bladed and bow weapons.
I made the top of the hood with "Extra" — it softer on the skin than "Riverstone." Green Ranger is knit from the hood down. Expanding symmetrically into a back panel, which is wide enough to cover the back like a small capelet. Mirrored cables flank the center of the back panel over a mossy ground.
Both moss scarf panels are each about 4 feet long, finished with simple 4-plait braids. It's long enough to wrap over the shoulders and back to the front.
This garment is part hoody, scarf, and Balaclava, but I don't think anyone will remember a name like hood-scar-clava. It's very warm. By the way, I also made that green dragon head on the wall.
Are there any lady Rangers out there? I've met only a few. Although Green Ranger is intended to be a man's garment, Anastasia, one of our Knit PH members proved us wrong. She suggested that it needs a clasp or a button at the neck, for security when evading rogue LARPers while skulking through a bog. Women really know how to wear scarves.
Posted by Unknown at 3:26 PM 6 comments Links to this post
Labels: Knit Patterns, Knit PH, Knitting, LOTR Knits
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Knit At Perk: December 09, 2008
I tried to air out the smell of wet alpaca and cigarettes from my apartment before I set out to Perk. I also forgot where I put my camera battery after I charged it, probably under some pile of yarn or semi-organized stack of paper. So no pictures at Perk this month as we enter "The Gifting Season", doesn't that sound like a horror movie starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen?
"Because we live in an age of... what do you call it?" Lisa asked me in mid-sweater "Douche-bagness?" Anastasia, a print designer, is a new Knit PH member. She mentioned a cultural rift with her pier group and their burdened sense of entitlement. It might be for the fact that she's Russian and most of our white collar Americans are douche bags. "We live in an age of douche-baggery." I replied, and she nodded. I didn't even want to mention ass-hattery, which involves a life-time supply of anti-depressants and supporting your child's poetry hobby well into his late-30s. Anyhow, we're all working on Christmas gifts. Hooray.
Eliza, started her plum sweater over after realizing she was working on smaller needles at the Flatbush Stich n' Bitch in Midwood. A beautiful Cascade Tweed in deep plum — that's worth frogging and starting over. I worked on my moss green LOTR hooded scarf. It seems as if I've been working on this thing forever, ripping it out and re-writing the pattern, ripping it out again... etc. At one point this thing was just too heavy to wear. I re-did the top of the hood in a lighter-weight wool (Filtes King "Extra"), but kept the rest in Louet "Riverstone." It keeps getting bigger, but how long can I keep pushing this Sysiphus-size ball of yarn up a hill?
Naomi is also a new member, she lives in Greenpoint. She braved the G train to knit with us. She wrote me earlier about a Berroco sweater with confusing instructions. After reading the instructions for the left front panel we figured that the first two instructions didn't apply to her size. But the increase v. decrease instructions for the neck and arm went to hell! Eliza took a stab, she's made a few Berroco items. Then she rolled her eyes and shook her head, just as we both did. To add insult to injury, the instructions for the right panel read "mirror the left panel."
Epilogue: We all confirmed that the Berroco instructions are confusing but the sweater on the model looks simple.
Naomi performs in a traveling stage production called "Piaf, Love Conquers All." Piaf was a tricoteuse and a chanteuse. I asked if she knits as Piaf on stage. She said no, but there is a scene where she descends into madness and rips out a sweater. A frogging frog? So before each performance Naomi has to re-knit the same sweater — more like Penelope than Piaf.
Robin arrived at around 8:40 pm. On Tuesday nights she knits with her mother in Queens. I'm amazed she still had the energy after that. She took off her hat and revealed a new short afro. "What happened to your dreads?" I asked. She took out a hat in progress "Brother, I don't even wanna get into that." I reminded her that I still have all the cotton/silk yarn she gave me before she left for Micronesia two years ago.
Soon it was time to go. Eliza asked about my Eskimo Pie hat, I have the hat pattern written down somewhere, I just have to find out where I filed it. I made this Waffle Stitch swatch (below) with bulky Icelandic Lopi, "Cranberry". Can you imagine putting something this rough and itchy against your head? This probably explains why Bjork punched that reporter in the mouth at Don Maung Airport: She was too itchy.
I sent Eliza the pattern. I found instructions on a Japanese site that were so confusing that I thought it was "Knitting as a Second Language", KSL? I re-wrote the stitch pattern using the "row" system.
Waffle Stitch
(Multiple of 2+1) For swatch, cast on 25.
R1: (WS) Purl all.
R2: ∗K1, sl1 knitwise; repeat ∗ until last stitch, k1.
R3: ∗K1, move yarn to front, sl1 by inserting right needle through left side of st†, move yarn to back; repeat ∗ until last stitch, k1.
R4: Knit1, k1tbl, until last stitch, k1.
R5: Purl all.
Repeat R2 to R5.
Note: The slipped stitch is right-twisted twice, first on R3† and then again on R4.
Posted by Unknown at 9:29 PM 2 comments Links to this post
Labels: Knit Patterns, Knit PH, Knitting
Sunday, December 07, 2008
A Still Life with Cat
I have a lot of left-over yarn so I make cat toys for the feline residents at Stephanie's place: Fu Man Chu, Aung San Suu Kyi, and Anne Richards. They lead fairly sedentary lives — I figure if I can't get them to do some sit-ups I can get them to chase something.
The toys get their fare share of wear and tear. One of the orange mice was accidentally tossed through the living room window. Do cat's perceive color? I was told that cat's see with low-chroma vision — which helps them see at night when they seek to pee or barf in your shoes.
I searched the bushes the next morning, but had no luck. I imagine that a dog walked away very excited that it found a cat-scented mouse that fell from the heaven. Considering this is Brooklyn Heights I suspect the mouse was purloined by a puggle, lifted by a labradoodle or confiscated by a cockapoo.
So far the smaller cashmere mice do very well with the cats, as does the fingering-weight alpaca blue sausage. Fu likes chewing on the squid's eyes, but the tentacles confuse him — he prefers the string that's attached to it's head.
The bulky-weight merino blend mice are too heavy to bat around, so Anne Richards (above) enjoys cat-napping with them. She uses them as pillows. Suu Kyi is the most active of the three, but prefers fetching plastic bottle caps to playing with plush toys.
Posted by Unknown at 1:35 PM 0 comments Links to this post
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Food & Drinks
New Italian Restaurant With Unique FlavoursFriday, August 3, 2018 11:47
Italian food is bold and satisfying without being heavy; which is why I enjoy it. It is rich in texture and is more of a celebration of produce where bold flavours are a result of fresh herbs and vegetables. Traditional ingredients play a major role in authentic Italian dining. From the sauces to cheeses and even the cooking methods.
A new Italian restaurant was recently opened in Westlands. Cipressi (pronounced Chipressi) is located at Rhino House, next to Mirage Building along Nairobi's Waiyaki Way. Being an Italian cuisine lover, I was excited to explore what new dishes they will be serving up.
Named after Cypress trees, it is a spacious spot with a casual ambiance. Miniature cypress trees form part of the décor with numerous pots lined across the floor space. "We decided to open Cipressi after the realisation that authentic Italian cuisine is missing in Nairobi," says Bobby Aroura, the co-owner of Cipressi and its sister restaurants, Khazanah and Thai Village at Village Market and Asian Gardens next to the US Embassy.
"Italian food served in Nairobi is not the same as that served in Malindi. Italian restaurants in Nairobi provide dishes that have been influenced by other cuisines available hence it lacks authenticity "he adds. Cocktail prawns, for example, is a popular dish in Italian restaurants in Nairobi. Their recipe, however, gives this dish a unique twist. To make this dish, they use king size prawns battered in a tempura flour to achieve crispiness.
The prawns are then fried, and served with spicy mayonnaise, resulting into a flavourful meal that is different from what you would otherwise find at other restaurants in Nairobi.
The talent behind Cipressi's menu is the Michelin 2 Star executive chef, Silvio Morelli with a wealth of experience spanning across the globe.
We had a chance to indulge in his culinary creations over dinner where we sampled meals such as the Pappardelle pasta with porcini mushroom, white truffle and creamy sauce, Ossobuco ala Milanese —veal in tomato sauce and risotto, and the prosciutto funghi pizza (with roasted garlic, prosciutto ham, mushrooms, mozzarella and tomato sauce).
The Pappardelle pasta was a hearty and comforting decadent dish with lots of cream. The Ossobuco, a slow braised veal dish was tender, tearing off the bone with the slightest touch of a fork. The pizza served up zest and unique tangy flavours from the combination of tomato sauce and prosciutto ham.
If you are a lover of Italian cuisine and would like to take your taste buds on a culinary trip to Tuscany, a visit to Cipressi will be worth your while.
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Next: Writing Methods, Previous: Making New Objects, Up: Top
There are several ways to access slot values in an object. The naming and argument-order conventions are similar to those used for referencing vectors (see Vectors).
This macro sets the value behind slot to value in object. It returns value.
This macro sets the
:initformfor slot in class to value.
This allows the user to set both public and private defaults after the class has been constructed, and provides a way to configure the default behavior of packages built with classes (the same way
setq-defaultdoes for buffer-local variables).
For example, if a user wanted all
data-objects(see Building Classes) to inform a special object of his own devising when they changed, this can be arranged by simply executing this bit of code:(oset-default data-object reference (list my-special-object))
Retrieve the value stored in obj in the slot named by slot. Slot is the name of the slot when created by defclass or the label created by the
Gets the default value of obj (maybe a class) for slot. The default value is the value installed in a class with the
:initformtag. slot can be the slot name, or the tag specified by the
:initargtag in the defclass call.
The following accessors are defined by CLOS to reference or modify slot values, and use the previously mentioned set/ref routines.
This function retrieves the value of slot from object. Unlike
oref, the symbol for slot must be quoted.
This is not a CLOS function, but is meant to mirror
slot-valueif you don't want to use the cl package's
setffunction. This function sets the value of slot from object. Unlike
oset, the symbol for slot must be quoted.
This function unbinds slot in object. Referencing an unbound slot can signal an error.
In OBJECT's slot, add item to the list of elements. Optional argument append indicates we need to append to the list. If item already exists in the list in slot, then it is not added. Comparison is done with equal through the member function call. If slot is unbound, bind it to the list containing item.
In OBJECT's slot, remove occurrences of item. Deletion is done with delete, which deletes by side effect and comparisons are done with equal. If slot is unbound, do nothing.
Bind spec-list lexically to slot values in object, and execute body. This establishes a lexical environment for referring to the slots in the instance named by the given slot-names as though they were variables. Within such a context the value of the slot can be specified by using its slot name, as if it were a lexically bound variable. Both setf and setq can be used to set the value of the slot.
spec-list is of a form similar to let. For example:((VAR1 SLOT1) SLOT2 SLOTN (VARN+1 SLOTN+1))
Where each var is the local variable given to the associated slot. A slot specified without a variable name is given a variable name of the same name as the slot.(defclass myclass () (x :initarg 1)) (setq mc (make-instance 'myclass)) (with-slots (x) mc x) => 1 (with-slots ((something x)) mc something) => 1


text:
"Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or an animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way."
-Martin Luther King Jr.
"Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or an animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way."
-Martin Luther King Jr.
Here is an interesting article sent to me a while ago from a reader. It is both fascinating and disturbing. Enjoy. I have left the link to Geo Engineering Watch.Org at the top of the article so you may visit their site and sign up for email updates if you like. GFS
Former Prominent CIA Officer Shares Details Of The Government's All Out War Against Whistleblowers With GeoengineeringWatch.org
Contact Address
Dane Wigington
P.O. Box-9
Bella Vista, Ca 96008
October 20, 2015
Many ask why there are not more whistleblowers coming forward to sound the alarm on the climate engineering insanity occurring around the globe. Many use the "lack of whistleblowers" excuse to remain in denial about the all too obvious climate engineering atrocities in our skies. Those who use this excuse to avoid facing reality clearly have no clue whatsoever about what the criminal cabal (masquerading as our government) does to anyone that dares to try and expose the truth. Veteran CIA officer, Kevin Shipp, has shown exceptional courage by openly and actively speaking out about the epidemic tyranny in the halls of our government.
Kevin Shipp, former CIA Officer and Antiterrorism expert, held several high level positions in the CIA. He was assigned as a protective agent for the Director of Central Intelligence, a counterintelligence investigator, a Counter Terrorism Center officer, and internal security investigator, supervisor of high risk protective operations and polygraph examiner. Mr. Shipp functioned as program manager for the Department of State, Diplomatic Security, Anti Terrorism Assistance global police training program. He is the recipient of two CIA Meritorious Unit Citations, three Exceptional Performance Awards and a Medallion for overseas operations. He is the author of From the Company of Shadows – CIA Operations and the War on Terrorism. Mr. Shipp has been a regular guest on The American Heroes Channel as an intelligence and terrorism expert and has been the subject of numerous radio interviews and newspaper articles. His website can be found at KevinMShipp.com.
More insight from Kevin is contained within his most recent communication with me, shown below.
Dane. Attached is an expose' of the system classified agencies use to silence whistle blowers from revealing unconstitutional or illegal operations. As a decorated Agency officer and internal investigator, I witnessed this mechanism being used on good, innocent employees, and their families. That is when I decided to expose it. God speed to you in revealing the tyranny that has taken over our Constitutional system. Best, Kevin
In his book "From The Company Of Shadows", Kevin gives a highly acclaimed account of what is happening behind the curtain of government secrecy. After some communications with Kevin, he has supplied geoengineeringwatch.org with the hard hitting statement below which outlines what is done to whistleblowers with shocking clarity. My most sincere thanks to Mr. Shipp for his uncommon and exceptional courage in the fight for the greater good.
Dane Wigington geoengineeringwatch.org
Silencing Whistleblowers
By Kevin Shipp, contributing writer for geoengineeringwatch.org
Why don't more "whistle blowers" come out to expose illegal or unconstitutional secret government operations? If these activities are so illegal, why are people not coming forward to report them?
Over the last fifty years US government intelligence agencies have perfected a complex, sequential system to systematically silence or destroy any employee, including his or her family, who attempts to reveal illegal or unconstitutional activities conducted as part of secret government operations.
As a condition of employment, military and intelligence employees recruited for secret operations are required to sign a "secrecy agreement," or "nondisclosure agreement," before being given access to the position, which offers high pay and status in the organization. This agreement threatens civil and criminal penalties if the employee reveals ANY information regarding the program. Thinking the agreement will only be used for legal purposes and will get them the coveted job, all employees eagerly sign it.
This secrecy agreement was originally designed to protect legitimate classified information, to protect military personnel during wartime and protect legitimate national defense information and technology.
However, because of the binding power of the agreement, government agencies began using it as a powerful tool to silence federal employees who question the legality of certain government operations. It was the perfect tool to threaten, silence or jail any whistle blower who dared to challenge the secret operations of government.
Today, the secrecy agreement is routinely used as an efficient weapon to intimidate or silence employees. Annual refresher briefings are given to remind employees of the penalties for violating the agreement. These penalties include huge fines, termination, financial ruin and even prison – all of which mean the destruction of their lives and their families. Most will not reveal any wrongdoing, no matter how egregious, for fear of calculated, severe retribution.
Aerosol filled skies over New York City
When employees sign the secrecy agreement and are cleared for classified programs, they are not told they are giving up their right to a jury trial, or to sue the agency that hired them. If they try to do so as a whistle blower, they find they have no right to be heard in federal court. Many have found this out when their case was denied; then it was too late. That is part of the system.
If the employee attempts to contact their Congressman or Senator, their representative is blocked from receiving any information about their case, because they do not have the necessary "clearance."
When the employee attempts to blow the whistle to the Congressional intelligence committees, their response is ignored. It is made clear to committee members that they are not to touch such cases, so they refer them back to their Senator or Congressman, who cannot access information involved in their case.
If a courageous employee continues to proceed and blow the whistle, a system of personal and career destruction follows. This begins with promotions being denied, being turned down for sensitive or career enhancing assignments, and their files being flagged, ruining their reputation inside their agency. At this point their career is over. If they go quietly, the retribution stops.
When the employee still continues their effort to report the information, their travel records, personnel records, medical records and security records are searched for mistakes or damaging information that can be used to threaten them with termination. Their telephones and computers are monitored searching for incriminating information. If no substantive information can be found, it is fabricated and placed in their file.
Employees who refuse to back down are then subjected to internal "security investigations," multiple, hostile "interviews," attempting to get them to recant their information, and multiple polygraph interrogations.
In many cases, the employee is commanded to report to the internal medical office for psychological evaluation. If they comply, the evaluation labels them as paranoid, unstable, or disgruntled. This information is placed in their file and is used later to justify the agency's action in the event of outside scrutiny.
If the employee contacts a member of the news media, they are immediately cited with violating their secrecy agreement and criminal penalties are filed against them. Several news media outlets are connected to the CIA and NSA and notify them of the employee's contact.
Finally, the employee is forced to resign after being threatened with termination in kangaroo court meetings where the information fabricated in their files is used against them.
After termination or forced resignation, interest rates on their internal credit union loans are raised to make the payments unaffordable. The release of the employee's retirement funds needed provide for their family are blocked (a felony). The agency black lists them from gaining employment with other government agencies or contractors, further ruining them financially.
Dehumanized, financially ruined and under severe emotional and mental pressure, the employee's family begins to break apart. If the family's foundation is not strong, this results in alcoholism, depression and divorce. In some cases, it has resulted in the employee committing suicide, the ultimate goal of the program of destruction. This silences the employee permanently, obscuring the agency's role in their destruction. It is the perfect crime.
Should the employee still have the resolve to endure this program of career and personal destruction and continues to press for release of the information, or if his family members attempt to sue the agency for the illegal activity, classified agencies will invoke the secretive State Secrets Privilege, which orders the employee and his family not to reveal the information or face prison. If the family's case reaches federal court, the State Secrets Privilege is invoked and the case is shut down – and sealed. Federal judges rubber stamp the censoring of the case without reviewing the case facts.
Now that the employee's case, and in some cases their family's case, is shut down and under seal, citing "national security," the process of silencing the employee is complete. Many are never heard from again, fearing prison if they talk to anyone, including an attorney.
Using attractive awards of multi-million dollar contracts, the US government military industrial complex convinces private corporations that their employees must be cleared and sign secrecy agreements. This includes employees at all levels, from secretaries to CEOs. Once they have signed the secrecy agreement, they are bound to keep all information, including potentially illegal information, quiet, being threatened with the same penalties.
To date, over five million Americans have been required to sign this secrecy agreement and now fall under the shadow of the State Secrets Privilege.
Only a few federal employees have made it through this systematic process of destruction to reveal what they know about the illegal operation they observed. Sadly, some whistle blowers have died "mysterious" deaths or committed "suicide."
Employees in intelligence agencies are aware of penalties contained in the secrecy agreement and the huge risk in violating it, even to expose corruption. Most look the other way to protect their careers, retirements and families. Many have observed the outward signs of the system of personal and career destruction used on others and a culture of fear exists. But, they are not fully aware of all that is being done. The full scope of the system is only known at the higher levels of the organization and is hidden from employees, until its use is necessary.
This is why we do not see whistle blowers coming out and reporting what they have seen. This system has been used and perfected for over fifty years. It is being used because it works.
It works, unless the system is exposed, the whistle blower knows what is coming and prepares for it, and they are supported by private organizations and individuals dedicated to truth in government.
This support is essential, not only to protect the whistle blower and their family, but also to defend our Constitutional form of government from tyranny.
Kevin M. Shipp Author, From the Company of Shadows
I have continued to monitor the frustratingly slow, on again, off again trail of justice for federal Defense Security Service whistleblower, Robert Conley. Conley, a veteran Industrial Security Representative, employed by DSS, has had to traverse a long hard trail in trying to secure justice against his former employer's heavy handed disrespect, waste, fraud, abuse, harassment, and retribution for his whistleblowing after he discovered criminal and civil issues concerning a defense contract between a large aerospace contractor and the federal government.
Conley ran into difficulties processing his case report of an investigation, when DSS officials refused to accept the detailed and extensive investigative report he prepared, after Conley was ordered to cut his investigation short and submit his report. Conley was then ordered to start editing his report. This occurred several times, each time DSS management insisted he take out more of the documented evidence and testimony, that would make the case prosecutable.
Conley refused to sign the now DSS changed reports, which were, after DSS Headquarters manipulation, fraudulent. There was a lot of conflict as DSS tried to force Conley to sign the fraudulent report. Because he could not intimidate Conley into signing the fraudulent report, eventually, the DSS Headquarters manager, Michael McDaniel, signed the fraudulent report himself and then briefed the user agency affected. Since other parties were aware of the issues that were found with this contract, and what the real problems were, things went downhill from there. A massive cover-up appeared to be in process regarding the criminal and civil matters discovered that were issues in this contract, and in this investigation. The DSS manager, Michael McDaniel, who had apparently written, signed, and briefed the fraudulent report, later left DSS and moved directly to employment with a defense contractor. (Keep in mind the functional policy of the U.S. Government appears to be, that once someone leaves federal service, they will not go after them in any legal proceedings, nor will they insist they testify in legal proceedings. If they leave the government, they seem to receive a "get out of jail free card.")
Conley has endured, along with his counterpart, Randall Kelly, (who had oversight of the program for the Marine Corps), vast amounts of harassment, retribution, and abuse. They were both thoroughly beaten down in every way possible by their employers, effectively ending their careers. They have received massive retribution and abuse for reporting theft and fraud involving a government defense contract. They even received threats of various kinds, and at least one death threat passed along through channels, which did not deter them from seeking proper legal resolution of their investigation and case. It has now been fifteen (15) years of struggle with this situation. (Both were forced into premature retirements eventually, as no support or remedy was offered by any of those government entities who are supposed to help whistleblowers.)
Conley has had to endure a long slow process which included making protected disclosures to various parties, as a part of working through the process of trying to get help and put attention on the attendant problems and alleged criminal activities. As a part of the process, the DCIS (Defense Criminal Investigative Service) had an open case filed. This went nowhere fast, and it appeared that a cover-up was likely in progress, as time passed and nothing constructive happened.
Conley then filed a complaint with the DOD OIG. The DOD OIG had Conley's complaint and case for an extended period of time. Much more time passed. The DOD OIG official in charge, had gone to the Washington DC office of the DCIS in search of Conley's "then identified as missing" case, and found Conley's case, with an unworked Congressional Investigation attached, sitting in Director Rick Beltz's office, in a stack of similarly unworked cases on his desk. Apparently, cases that for various reasons certain people, or corporations did not wish to see worked, were being held in limbo in that office. This is absolutely unacceptable, and a betrayal of all integrity that should be demonstrated by federal law enforcement and contract enforcement activities. So, if any of you filed a case with the DCIS in the past couple of decades or so, and never saw any action or results, you might check to see if your case was one of those held in the derailed pile on the Director's desk. I understand Rick Beltz was fired, and the DOD OIG official who was trying to do the right thing was removed from his position and transferred to some other position of less exposure.
The DOD OIG eventually said they would be forwarding the Title 18 Criminal issues to another office for processing. That did not happen, as it appears the cover-up was put into place on the criminal issues, apparently in an effort to protect the implicated defense contractor. Conley's Title 5, Retribution case was upheld by the DOD OIG, whose report concluded he was indeed a whistleblower, and a victim of harassment, retaliation, and retribution forced on him by the Defense Security Service. The DOD OIG directed DSS to make Mr. Conley whole. Director Stanley Sims chose to ignore the report entirely, although he is the Director who received the DOD OIG report. In fact, he seemed, based on documents uncovered recently, to be enraged that Conley would go to the DOD OIG, and that the DOD OIG would tell the DSS what they can and cannot, will and will not, do and what Sims said in these documents could be construed as threats.
Conley's case then spent a very long time in waiting with the OSC for them to consider his case. There again appeared to be a lot of pressure on the investigative agency, this time OSC. It appears that the corporate defense contractor and some of the implicated parties including within the management levels of DOD, and possibly the Pentagon itself, have a great deal of influence and are able to intimidate those who are supposed to investigate and assure justice to whistleblowers and others reporting criminal and civil issues that need to be addressed by the legal system. So, in my opinion, there was something not kosher going on there, and the OSC failed to do their duty regarding this case.
I have been made aware that a hearing finally is going to take place, under the auspices of an MSPB judge regarding Title 5 issues on Conley's behalf.
The hearing will take place at the federal courthouse in Seattle, 915 Second Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98101. I understand it is a public MSPB hearing so if any of you are interested in observing, you may attend. The hearing is scheduled for two days, Monday, January 25 through Tuesday, January 26, 2016.
There is a long list of witnesses and DSS appears to be making effort not to cooperate, or be accountable for their actions, and their lack of decency with regard to how they treat their employees. Throughout the past 15 years, a lot of sudden and insufficiently explained changes have occurred in DSS management levels. Director Stanley Sims, has just left DSS and has gone directly to a lucrative position at a large defense contractor. Industrial Security Director Richard Lawhorn recently left DSS, and has directly taken a lucrative position at another large defense contractor.
There are regulations governing conflict of interest issues, and that prohibit federal employees and officials from using the revolving door to move directly from government oversight positions to defense contractor corporate jobs, where there might be a conflict of interest. I believe there are problems with this succession of DSS employees/managers moving directly from DSS to defense contractors. In fact, I learned that another former DSS Manager, Gregory Gwash, who had left DSS suddenly and directly taken a lucrative position at a large aerospace defense contractor in Seattle a number of years ago, was forced to leave employment with that defense contractor, after a federal AG's office investigation of his use of the revolving door. Expect I will be writing about this DSS situation in more detail at a later date.


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Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
12 October 2013 – 1 March 2014
The internationally renowned Scottish artist John Bellany, who died in August at the age of 71, gifted one of his finest late paintings to the National Galleries of Scotland. The gift was made in recognition of what Bellany called one of the "truly great moments" of his career, the exhibition John Bellany: A Passion for Life which opened at the Scottish National Gallery last year. The artist wrote to the Director and curators at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in spring 2013 and expressed a wish to give his 1992 painting Prague Easter to the collection.
The painting will be on show as part of a new exhibition of works acquired over the last three years, which opens at the Gallery later this month.
Keith Hartley, Chief Curator and Deputy to the Director at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, explained why the work is an exciting addition to the National Collection:-"The work Prague Easter is a significant painting from Bellany's career. This is a major work from a time when Bellany had recovered from his liver transplant operation and had been given a new lease of life. He was sponsored by the British Council to travel and paint in the newly democratised countries of central Europe – Hungary, Czechoslovakia and East Germany (as the two last countries were then called). This painting shows the famous Charles Bridge that spans the River Vltava in Prague. One of the bridge's Baroque sculptures depicts the Crucifixion. The crowds thronging the bridge look as if they were actual eye-witnesses of the historical event. But, as the title tells us, it is Easter – a reminder that Christ rose from the dead on that day. Bellany, too, was given a new life by his operation."
National Galleries of Scotland Director-General John Leighton added:-"This is an extraordinarily generous gift of a truly major work by the late artist; it would be hard to imagine a more appropriate image to commemorate one of Scotland's most important and best-loved artists.Prague Easter is a monumental picture that places Bellany firmly in a great European tradition of Expressionist art, evoking masters such as Munch or Kokoschka, yet conveying a vision that is highly personal and distinctive. It is an unforgettable piece that will be admired and loved by a grateful public in Scotland."


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Next Steps
UK H2Mobility is building on the work it achieved in its first phase, developing a detailed business case for Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) and establishing a framework within which its members can commit to specific actions.
It will identify how obstacles to implementing its roadmap can be overcome, using different tools and mechanisms.
Phase one produced a series of key issues concerning infrastructure, market appeal and fuel production that need to be addressed and these are central to the next stage of the project.
In phase two, the members of the project are now developing a commercial model for building the initial network of hydrogen refuelling stations. Options are being explored for making FCEVs an attractive consumer proposition at an early stage, and the means of establishing a clear pathway, with controls, to the production of low-carbon hydrogen fuel with the right purity for use in FCEVs are being assessed.


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Programs matter!
Whether you're looking for a career or just looking for credits that will transfer well to an institute of higher education, North Central Michigan College has something for you! We are confident that our comprehensive range of programs and courses will help you start your journey through the higher education system.
North Central offers nearly two dozen programs and 40 certificate programs, including cutting-edge new career programs that prepare students to enter the workforce in search of a sustainable career, after only one or two years of full-time study. Some examples of the degrees we offer include marketing degrees, communication degrees, criminal justice degrees, and informational technology degrees. NCMC also offers a number of community college scholarships to help you manage your finances. Some of our more successful programs include nursing degrees, certified nurse aide degrees, Early Childhood Education degrees and marketing/business degrees.
Perhaps you'd like to learn more about North Central's nursing programs. Maybe you're more interested in welding degrees or criminal justice degrees? Our FOCUS 2 tool, an Online Career Assessment Tool, can help you determine which area of study best matches your skills and interests. Find out more information here.


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FLASH SALE! Take 20% with code WOW20 (discount applied at checkout, exclusions apply)
Cangshan believes design is a perfect blend of practical, valuable function and aesthetics. They believe products, especially tools and instruments that are used on a daily basis by creative individuals, should look great and perform perfectly. Knives are essential, so they have designed and crafted their knives with purpose and have kept them elemental in their form and function. Cangshan knives are balanced, the handles are comfortable and their edges are sharp. Their passion to create value is equally important as the hard work and thought that goes into choosing the premier caliber materials that form the foundation of their knives. For Cangshan, value is found in the physical beauty of their products and in their essential functions. The knife has to do more than look great, it needs to perform perfectly. Every knife they design and create is made to bring value to the person using it.