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The tale of a never ending animosity; US to announce new sanctions against Russia
On this Wednesday the US Department of Treasury announced its intention to impose new series of sanctions against Russian individuals and entities over the old story of Russia's continued disregard for international norms in the eyes of the United States.
The Treasury Department noted in the announcement that the new sanctions were to target entities tied to "Project Lakhta,", part of an effort tied to the infamous Internet Research Agency and a slew of current and former members of the GRU, the Russian intelligence service, for trying to influence the 2016 US presidential election.
The GRU, or the Main Intelligence Directorate in Russia is the foreign military intelligence agency of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (formerly the USSR′s General Staff). Unlike Russia′s other security and intelligence agencies, such as the SVR, the FSB, and the FSO, whose heads report directly to the president of Russia, Director of GRU is subordinate to the Russian military command, i.e. the Minister of Defence and the Chief of the General Staff. The announcement of new sanctions also included a designation against Victor Alekseyevich Boyarkin, whom the Treasury called "a former GRU officer who reports directly to Deripaska."
For several years, the Russian economy has appeared able mostly to shrug off the effects of a series of Western sanctions tied to its incursions into Ukraine and its election meddling. Buoyed by rising oil prices, the economy even grew modestly this year. But the ruble's precipitous decline may be a clear sign that the sanctions have begun to cloud the country's long-term economic outlook.
It was in this past March that the Trump administration imposed sanctions on a series of Russian organizations and individuals in retaliation for interference in the 2016 presidential election and other "malicious cyberattacks," its most significant action against Moscow since Trump took office.
The never-seen- before sanctions came as the United States joined with Britain, France and Germany in denouncing Russia for its apparent role in a nerve-gas attack on a former Russian spy and his daughter on British soil some month ago, calling it a "clear violation" of international law.
The Treasury Department finally stated in the announcement that Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov as the GRU officers were responsible for carrying out the UK nerve agent attack against former Russian agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia. Petrov and Boshirov previously told the Russian network RT that they were in Salisbury around the time of the attack, but as tourists, not assassins.
On 4 March 2018, Sergei Skripal, a former Russian military officer and double agent for the UK's intelligence services, and his daughter Yulia Skripal were poisoned in Salisbury, England, with a Novichok nerve agent known as A-234, according to official UK sources and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
On 5 September 2018, British authorities identified two Russian nationals, using the names Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, as suspected of the Skripals' poisoning, and alleged that they were active officers in Russian military intelligence. In response, on 13 September the two men were interviewed on Russian television where they claimed they were businessmen and tourists visiting the city.
The surprising fact about Wednesday announcement of new sanctions against Russia was that the news came just on the same day that the US Treasury Department announced it was planning to remove sanctions on some Russian firms, including aluminum giant Rusal and EN+ Group, the company that holds Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska's stake in the Russian aluminum firm.


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What we do
The things we're pretty darn good at
Graphic Design
Branding. Event Marketing. Yearbooks. Stationery. Annual Reports plus much much more. We work with business and organisations of all sizes, beginning the seed of what you do and allowing it to develop through your brand, print material and on.
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Websites and Social media are great platforms for communicating your message – let us help you develop your online presence. Working from simple one page websites through to large multi-page hives of online activity, we'll work with you to create an effective online presence for your brand and organisation.
Film + Content Generation
We work to produce a range of film-based projects – ranging from informative about us + introduction clips for your website through to social media shorts created to generate user engagement.
Hire Us
Recent Works
A look at some of our most recent projects
Client Stories
Some of the nice stuff our clients have said about our work
Our MBC students loved the Yearbook based on the cover alone - never before have I seen year 9 boys excited about a yearbook!
Ferg Inglis
Mandurah Baptist College
Red Licorice not only provide a brilliant & creative service (we love our Transition Personal Training branding, thank you!) they're a joy to work with: honest, reliable, flexible, communicative, passionate and a above all: a lot of laughs! We are big fans of Red Licorice.
Luke + Rachael Burton
Transition Personal Training

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Discover and discuss the manliest content on the Web
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Check out their custom designed sneakers in hand finished dress leathers. Pretty neat concept. I think I am going to have to design myself a few pairs for this next year.


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Sappi to acquire Cham Paper's speciality paper business
Richard Stuart-Turner
Friday, December 8, 2017
Paper producer Sappi has signed an agreement to acquire the speciality paper business of Cham Paper Group Holding (CPG) for CHF146.5m (£110m).
The transaction includes the acquisition of CPG's Carmignano and Condino Mills in Italy and its digital imaging business in Cham, Switzerland, as well as all brands and knowhow. ??
The transaction, which will be funded through internal cash resources, is conditional on the approval from certain competition authorities. It is expected to be completed during Q1 2018.
Sappi said the acquisition will support its diversification strategy, strengthens its speciality and packaging papers footprint and skills and adds 160,000 tonnes of speciality paper to its capacity.??
A Sappi spokesperson said: "The acquisition is fully in line with Sappi's Vision2020 targets and our strategic objectives of investing in high growth segments. CPG had earlier reached a conclusion to focus on their property development portfolio and that their business can grow faster as part of a larger international company.
??"The transaction brings clear benefits to our existing and future customers. It will add products complementary to Sappi's existing portfolio including for consumer goods – flexible packaging papers, food and non-food use and label papers, industrial release – glassine, coated release liner and facestock, and digital imaging – sublimation and large-format inkjet.
"??Sappi said the deal will also generate economies of scale and synergies, accelerate innovation and new product development, improve near-term profitability and serve as a platform for organic growth and further acquisitions.??
Sappi's turnover for the financial year ended September 2017 was $5.3bn (£3.96bn). This acquisition will add €183m (£159m) of sales and approximately €20m of sustainable EBITDA.
?CPG's speciality paper business will continue to operate separately and independently from Sappi until clearances from the authorities are obtained.??
Sappi said details regarding the potential rebranding of the acquired CPG operations will be finalised during the integration phase.
Sappi, which is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, has more than 12,000 employees, manufacturing facilities on three continents and customers in over 150 countries worldwide.
??This acquisition will add 380 more people to the company – 210 based at CPG's Carmignano mill, 120 at the Condino mill and 50 at the digital imaging business in Cham.


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There it is! The announcement I have been dying to share: Lily & Val is opening a Flagship Store in my hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!! It feels so surreal to type those words and even more surreal to see this amazing building with our logo and pink doors. This is happening and I might burst, guys!
How we got here:
Opening a Brick & Mortar store has always been a dream of mine. When Mak and I first discussed the idea, it was in terms of a long-term goal and big thinking. Something that might happen YEARS from now. We wanted that, but for some reason, it seemed unattainable in the foreseeable future. So, we continued running our business as usual. But then something changed. I started feeling a nudging for Lily & Val to expand. Currently, we work out of our home and I felt as though it might be time to explore options. Mak felt the same thing. So we prayed, did a lot of soul-searching, and became open to the idea of a physical location.
Enter this: the space of our dreams. A beautiful brick building nestled in quaint Shadyside/East Liberty on Ellsworth Avenue. We were smitten and the pieces started falling together. With room for exactly what our growing business needs, the location felt like it was made for us; like it was waiting for us to fill it. We sensed an urging that this is where we belong. We showed the space to the Lily & Val team and our families and they too recognized how strangely perfect it was.
So we leaped at the opportunity!
Above: The Lily & Val sign going up on August 18th! One of the most surreal moments!
You're looking at the new home of the Lily & Val Corporate Office, where we will run our online retail and wholesale operation, AND the Lily & Val Flagship Store! We are thrilled to be in this wonderful community and city of Pittsburgh! I am from a suburb of Pittsburgh and Mak and I have lived in the city for over 2 years now. Every day we fall more in love with this town and the amazing, friendly people here. It is my favorite city and I feel honored to be here!
There is so much to tell you all about the retail store! It will feature a cozy, eclectic mix of home decor, stationery, and gifts including our entire line of signature chalkboard art and hand-drawn lovelies. We will also carry a selection of thoughtfully procured, one-of-a-kind vintage finds, products we love, and local, handmade goods!
Some of my favorite parts:
The Print Bar: All Lily & Val prints will be available at the Print Bar! We will offer a selection of framing options here, too.
The Sign & Seal Station™: Every card purchase will include the option of upgrading to our Sign & Seal Station! Here, you will be able to choose from an array of washi tape, crafting supplies, stickers, markers, pens, stamps, and everything you would need to beautify the inside of the card and the envelope! We are huge lovers of snail mail around here and the Sign & Seal Station will be perfect for adding a personalized touch and extra dose of creativity to our cards!
Workshops: I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am to have a space to provide workshops! Chalk Lettering classes in addition to other fun, creative classes will be held right here in our store.
There's more to share, but I won't ruin all of the surprises for now!
During the next few weeks we will be building out the store and I'll certainly be sharing peeks along the way via Instagram! We are planning to hold our grand opening in October (exact date TBD) so be sure to follow along for those announcements! You can also sign up to receive Lily & Val Flagship Store email updates by clicking here.
We are so honored and excited to be part of this neighborhood and can't wait to meet you in person!
This is all truly a dream, guys, and I've had this quote on my heart for that reason. In honor of the big announcement, I'm offering this chalk art print as a FREE digital download! Just click the image below to download the 6″x 6″ image.
If you have any questions at all, I would love to answer them! Please leave a comment below. As always, I am forever grateful for your love and support. Lily & Val has the best customers in the whole world and I can't wait to share this new venture with you. <3
Tell us what you think...
This is amazing!! I can't wait to visit the store! Congratulations!!
What a beautiful storefront! I can't wait to visit when you open! Congrats on making your dreams come true!!!!
Val….this is just so YOU! Everything down to the pink doors….simply magical! So excited to see the next chapter unfold for you and Mak. The future is so bright, I gotta wear shades 🙂 xoxo, ~Lori
Congratulations! I can't wait to tell my family in Pittsburgh about this! …I'll definitely be planning a trip! 🙂
I am so excited for y'all to have a store! I am just sad that I live out in Arkansas and can't drive to it! I am originally from NE Ohio so I might have to convince some family to go to the store for me or with me some day!
I don't know you but I follow you on Instagram and I am constantly impressed with your calligraphy! I'd love to learn as a side interest to my major of communications and minor of art! Congratulations! I hope to visit the store someday- got any tips!?
I wish I lived in Pittsburgh or the USA, even! So exciting for you and your team. I wish you all the best in your endeavours
Vicky calling from the UK… Huge fan of yours! Massive congratulations on living out your dream! I hope to follow in your footsteps on my own journey someday. Lots of love and luck xx
This is so exciting! I live a couple hours from Pittsburgh andhave relatives in shady side! Can't wait to see your shop inperson!!
Congrats from your extended Maryland family!
Val, I'm so excited to see your store! The building is beautiful, perfect for your business. The best part of this adventure will be building community and connecting with people face to face. Congratulations! I'm so looking forward to seeing your store in person one day!
Elsa 🙂
That is very exciting to hear, Congrats!!
As a student of yours, at the Makerie Chalk Lettering workshop in Philly, Pittsburgh is one LUCKY city to have you and your new store! Congratulations and lots of love to you and your team!
Who do I live so far away? Wonderful!
Why do I live so far away? Wonderful!
Congratulations! What an exciting adventure and dream come true. Wishing you the best of luck! Wish I lived near there, Pittsburgh is a wonderful place! I've shared your announcement with a friend who does live there
Congrats! I can't wait to come see the store and take a class! I love your work!
It's gorgeous Val and I'm so very excited for you! Love the Sign + Seal station omg! Definitely have to make a trip west of PA to visit you ASAP now!
So excited for you! This building looks amazing and I love the ideas of the print bar, sign & seal station and of course the workshops! Wish I lived closer! 🙂 All the best in this newest chapter of your journey! Thanks for the printable. I love it!
This is so exciting! Congratulations! Know it will be the cutest shop ever.
Yay! I liv in a suburb of Pittsburgh and cannot wait to visit your brick and mortar store. My sister hops to come in for the opening!
Welcome to the neighborhood! I live around the corner and cannot wait for you to open and to take some of your workshops!!
This is so awesome and it couldn't have happened to a better person! So excited for you!


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text:
Raising the heir to the throne is nanny Elsa Murdoch's dream job—she loves little Princess Zoe and protects her like a lioness.
Enter magnificent Prince Stefanos!
Stefanos throws everything up in the air, and Elsa is not pleased. Yet suddenly she's required to attend royal banquets by his side, ditching her nanny uniform for gowns and jewels.
Is Elsa being transformed from hired help to Her Royal Highness?
Product Details
|Publication date:
|Marrying His Majesty , #4130
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About the Author
Read an Excerpt
Dr Elsa Langham disappeared after a car accident four years ago. Mrs Elsa Murdoch took her place.
The invitation had been sitting on the table all day, a taunting reminder of her past.
The International Coral Society invites Dr Elsa Langham, foremost authority on Coral: Alcyonacea, to submit a paper at this year's symposium in Hawaii.
The ICS hadn't kept up with her change in direction. Eight-year-old Zoe was asleep in the next room, totally dependent on her, and Dr Elsa Langham was no longer an acclaimed authority on anything.
She read the invitation one last time, sighed and finally dumped it in the bin.
'I don't know why they're still sending me invitations,' she told the skinny black cat slinking out from under her chair. 'I'm Mrs Elsa Murdoch, a mother to Zoe, an occasional student of starfish to keep my scientific hand in, and my cats need feeding.'
She rose and took a bowl of cat food to the back garden. The little cat followed, deeply suspicious but seduced by the smell of supper.
Four more cats were waiting. Elsa explained the terms of their tenancy as she did every night, fed them, then ignored five feline glares as she locked them up for the night. They knew the deal, but they didn't have to like it.
'At least you guys go free every morning,' she told them. 'You can do what you want during the day.'
And so could she, she told herself. She could take Zoe to the beach. She could study starfish. She could be Mrs Elsa Murdoch.
Until a miracle happens, she thought to herself, pausing to look up at the night sky. Not that I need a miracle. I really love Zoe, I don't mind starfish and I'm incredibly lucky to be alive. It's just… I wouldn't mind a bit of magic. Like a rainbow of coral to appear in our cove. Or Prince Charming to wave his wand and take away my debts and Zoe's scars.
Enough. The cats weren't interested in wishes, and neither was anyone else. She smiled ruefully into the night, turned her back on her disgruntled cats and went inside. She needed to fix a blocked sink.
Where was Prince Charming when you needed him?
The little boy would live.
Prince Stefanos Antoniadis—Dr Steve to his patients— walked out of Theatre savouring a combination of triumph and exhaustion. He'd won.
The boy's mother—a worn-looking woman with no English, but with a smile wide enough to cut through any language barrier—hugged him and cried, and Stefanos hugged her back and felt his exhaustion disappear.
He felt fantastic.
He walked into the scrub room, sorely tempted to punch the air in triumph—and then stopped dead.
This wasn't fantastic. This was trouble.
Two months ago, King Giorgos of the Diamond Isles had died without an heir. Next in line to the throne of the Mediterranean island of Khryseis was Stefanos's cousin, Christos. The only problem was, no one could find Christos. Worse, if Christos couldn't be found, the throne belonged to Stefanos—who wanted the crown like a hole in the head.
In desperation he'd employed a friend who moved in diplomatic circles and whose discretion he trusted absolutely to search internationally for Christos. That his friend was here to tell him the news in person meant there must be a major problem.
'They told me you've been opening a kid's skull, chopping bits out and sticking it back together,' his friend said with easy good humour. 'How hard's that? Seven hours…'
'I get paid by the hour,' Stefanos said, grasping his friend's hand. But he couldn't make himself smile. 'What news?'
'From your point of view?' As an investigator this man was the best, and he knew the issues involved. 'You're not Crown Prince of Khryseis.'
'Not!' He closed his eyes. The relief was almost overwhelming.
It hadn't always been like this. As a boy, Stefanos had even dreamed of inheriting the throne that his almost pathologically shy cousin swore he didn't want.
But that was in the past. King Giorgos was bound to have sons, and if not… Christos would just have to wear it. Almost twenty years ago, Stefanos had moved to the States to pursue a medical career. His dream since then had been to perfect and teach surgical techniques, so wounds such as the ones he'd treated today could be repaired in hospitals less specialised than this one, anywhere in the world. 'So you've finally found Christos?' he asked, feeling the weight of the world lift from his shoulders.
'Sort of,' his friend said, but there was something in his face which made Stefanos's jubilation fade. His expression said that whatever was coming wasn't good.
'Christos is dead, Steve,' the man said gently. 'In a car accident in Australia, four years ago. That's why you haven't been able to find him.'
'Dead.' He stared at his friend in horror. 'Christos? My cousin. Why? How?'
'You know he left the island soon after you? Apparently he and his mother emigrated to Australia. Neither of them kept in touch. It seems his mother held his funeral with no fuss, and contacted no one back on Khryseis. Three months after he died, so did she.'
'Dear God.'
'It's the worst of news,' his friend said. He hesitated. 'But there's more.'
Stefanos knew it. He was replaying their conversation in his head. His friend's first words had been, 'You're not Crown Prince of Khryseis.'
Christos had been first in line to the throne, followed by Stefanos. But Christos was dead. Therefore it had to be Stefanos. Unless…
'There's a child,' his friend told him.
'A child,' he said numbly.
A little girl. Christos married, but his wife was killed in the same accident. Their child survived. She was four when her parents were killed. She's now eight.'
Stefanos didn't respond. He was staring at his friend, but he was seeing nothing.
He was working on groundbreaking surgical techniques. His work here was vital.
A child.
'Her name's Zoe,' his friend said. 'She's still living in Australia with a woman called Mrs Elsa Murdoch, who seems to be employed as her nanny. But, Steve…'
'Yes?' But he already knew what was coming.
'Christos's death means the child takes the Crown,' he said gently. 'Zoe's now the Crown Princess of Khryseis. That means you're Prince Regent.'
Stefanos still didn't answer. There was a chasm opening before him—a gaping void where his career used to be. He could only listen while his friend told him what he'd learned.
'I've done some preliminary checks. From what I gather of the island's constitution, you'll be in charge until Zoe's twenty-five. The island's rule, and the consequent care of your cousin as Crown Princess, lies squarely on your shoulders. Now…do you want me to find an address for this woman called Elsa?'
Royalty was standing on Elsa's beach.
Sunlight was shimmering from the surface of a turquoise sea. The tide was at its lowest for months. Their beach was a mass of rock pools and there were specimens everywhere.
They'd swum far out to the buoy marking the end of shallow water and a pod of dolphins had nosed in to check them out. They'd dived for starfish. They'd floated lazily in the shallows; floating eased the nagging ache in Elsa's hip as nothing else could. Finally they'd made each other crowns out of seaweed pods, and now Queen Elsa and her consort, Princess Zoe, were marching back to the house for lunch and a nap.
To find royalty waiting for them. Royalty without seaweed.
For a moment Elsa thought she'd been out in the sun too long. The man was dressed like a prince from one of Zoe's picture books. His uniform was black as night, tailored to perfection. His slick-fitting suit was adorned with crimson epaulettes, tassels, braid and medals. His jacket and the top collar of his shirt were unbuttoned, but for some reason that made him look even more princely.
A prince trying to look casual?
Uh-oh. Her hand flew to her seaweed crown and she tugged it off as icy tendrils of fear crept round her heart.
Royalty was fantasy. Not real. Zoe's father had always been afraid of it, but his stories had seemed so far-fetched that Elsa had deemed them ludicrous.
'Look,' Zoe said, puzzled, and the eight-year-old's hand clutched hers. Zoe had only been four when her parents died, but maybe she remembered enough of her father's paranoia to worry.
Or maybe the sight of someone dressed as a prince on a Queensland beach was enough to worry anyone.
'I can see him,' Elsa said. 'Wow. Do you think he's escaped from your Sleeping Beauty book?'
'He's gorgeous,' Zoe said, relaxing a little as Elsa deliberately made light of it.
'He must be hot,' Elsa said cautiously.
'Do you think he came in a carriage like in Cinderella?'
'If he did, I hope it has air-conditioning,' Elsa retorted and Zoe giggled.
Good. Great. Zoe giggling was far more important than any prince watching them from the sand dunes.
She would not let anything interfere with that giggle.
'Maybe he's looking for us,' Zoe said, worry returning. 'Maybe he's from Khryseis.'
'Maybe he is.' Neither of them had ever been to Khryseis, but the fabulous Mediterranean island was part of Zoe's heritage—home to the father who'd been killed when she was four. According to the Internet, Khryseis was an island paradise in the Mediterranean, ruled up until now by a King who was as corrupt as he was vindictive. Zoe's father, Christos, had spoken occasionally of the old King's malice. Now those stories came flooding back, and Elsa's fears increased accordingly.
The man—the prince?—was walking down the sandy track towards them, tall, tanned and drop-dead gorgeous. Elsa stopped and put down her pail. She held Zoe's hand tighter.
A lesser mortal might look ridiculous in this situation but, despite his uniform, this man looked to be in charge of his world. Strongly built, aquiline features, dark hooded eyes. Cool, authoritative and calm.
And then he smiled. The combination of uniform, body and smile was enough to knock a girl's socks off. If she had any socks that was, she thought, humour reasserting itself as she decided it was ridiculous to be afraid. She wiggled her toes deep into the sand, feeling the need to ground herself.
Oh, but that smile…
Down, she told herself fiercely. Hormonal response was exactly what wasn't wanted right now. Act cool.
She met the man's gaze and deliberately made herself match his smile. Or almost match it. Her smile was carefully that of someone passing a stranger. His smile, on the other hand, was friendly. His gaze dropped to Zoe—and his smile died. That always happened. No one could stop that initial reaction.
Instinctively Elsa tugged Zoe closer but Zoe was already there. They braced together, waiting for the usual response. Try as she might, she couldn't protect Zoe from strangers. Her own scars were more easily hidden, but Zoe's were still all too obvious.
But this wasn't a normal response. 'Zoe,' the man said softly, on a long drawn-out note of discovery. And pleasure. 'You surely must be Zoe. You look just like your father.'
Neither of them knew what to say to that. They stood in the brilliant sunlight while Elsa tried to think straight.
She felt foolish, and that was dumb. She was wearing shorts and an old shirt, and she'd swum in what she was wearing. Her sun-bleached hair had been tied in a ponytail this morning, but her curls had escaped while she swam. She was coated in sand and salt, and her nose was starting to peel.
Ditto for Zoe.
They were at the beach in Australia. They were appropriately dressed, she thought, struggling for defiance. Whereas this man…
'I'm sorry I'm in uniform,' he said, as if guessing her thoughts. 'I know it looks crazy, but I've pulled in some favours trying to find you. Those favours had to be repaid in the form of attending a civic reception as soon as I landed. I left as soon as I could, but the media's staked out my hotel. If I'd stopped to change they might well have followed me here. I don't want Zoe to be inundated by the press yet.'
Whoa. There was way too much in that last statement to take in. First of all… Was he really royal? What was she supposed to do? Bow?
Not on your life.
'So… who are you?' she managed, and Zoe said nothing.
'I'm Stefanos. Prince Regent of Khryseis. Zoe, your grandfather and my grandfather were brothers. Your father and I were cousins. I guess that makes us cousins of sorts too.'
Cousins. That was almost enough to make her knees give way. Zoe had relations?
This man's voice had the resonance of a Greek accent, not strong but unmistakable. That wasn't enough to confirm anything.
'Christos didn't have any cousins,' she said, which was maybe dumb—what would she know? 'Or…he always said there was no one. So did his mother.'
'And I didn't know they'd died,' he said gently. 'Zoe, I'm so sorry. I knew your father and I knew your grandmother, and I loved them both. I'm very sorry I didn't keep in touch. I'm so sorry I wasn't here when you so obviously needed me.'
Elsa was starting to shake. She so didn't want to be shaking when Zoe was holding her hand, but it was happening regardless.
She was all Zoe had. And—she might as well admit it— for the last four years Zoe was all she'd had.
'You can't have her.' It was said before she had a chance to think, before her head even engaged. It was pure panic and it was infectious. Zoe froze.
'I'm not going with you,' she whispered, and then her voice rose in panic to match Elsa's. 'I'm not, I'm not.' And she buried her face against Elsa and sobbed her terror. Elsa swung her up into her arms and held. The little girl was clutching her as if she were drowning.
And Stefanos…or whoever he was…was staring at them both in bemusement. She looked at him over Zoe's head and found his expression was almost quizzical.
'Good one,' he said dryly. 'You don't think you might be overreacting just a little?'
She probably was, she conceded, hugging Zoe tighter, but there was no room for humour here.
'You think we might be a bit over the top?' she managed. 'Prince Charming on a Queensland beach.' She looked past him and saw a limousine—a Bentley, no less, with a chauffeur to boot. Overreaction? She didn't think so. 'You're frightening Zoe. You're frightening me.'
'I didn't come to frighten you.'
'So why did you come?' She heard herself then, realising she was sounding hysterical. She knew Zoe's father had come from Khryseis. She knew he'd been part of the royal family. What could be more natural than a distant relative, here on official business, dropping in to see Zoe?
But then there was his statement… I've pulled in some favours trying to find you. He'd deliberately come searching for Zoe.
Prince Regent… That made him Prince in charge while someone was incapacitated. The old King?
Or when someone was a child.
Customer Reviews
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Recommended to anyone who likes the harlequin style books. It was a unique plot and the characters were very likeable.


text: 44,000 sf metal building, concrete floor built in 1972 was home to Boone's Antiques for over 30 years. Located in the Carmel Church business corridor adjoins McKesson Pharmaceutical warehousing and distribution ctr. Within sight of the I-95 interchange exit 104. Richmond 25 Mi; Wash. D.C.75 Mi; Norfolk 80 Mi and Baltimore 110 Mi all on interstate highways. Owner will lease bldg.at $1.50 / s.f.


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Baby showers at the Shrewsbury Lodge
Baby showers are a popular family event and we can offer a superb venue for your party. Our room can be themed to suit your needs and our experienced team will carefully plan & prepare for your special day, paying careful attention to the smallest detail.
Our function room can accommodate up to 80 guests. We offer a selection of delicious cream teas and high teas or we offer a selection of hot & cold buffets.
The Room will be exclusively yours for the time you are with us and you are assured that our team will make your day the best. We leave nothing to chance, and follow your instructions fully.
We also have hotel rooms available at our special rates, for guests staying after a function.
Choose your menu
We offer sit down and buffets options, our food is freshly prepared using the finest ingredients.
Selections of Homemade winter Soups, individual mini desserts or Cheese & Biscuits can also be offered as an optional extra.
Healthy alternatives are also available on request.
Payment for your Baby shower
© Shrewsbury Lodge 2016
Hotel services for Football:
Hotel - Anfield - Liverpool
Hotel - Goodison Park - Everton
Hotel - Prenton Park - Tranmere Rovers


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The Tantric massage will make you feel as if you are in a trance, where physical boundaries dissolve, time disappears, worries and problems no longer seem important, or are forgotten altogether.
We will begin by having you recline on your back with pillows under your head, and a towel covered pillow supporting your hips. Your legs will be slightly apart, your knees just a little bent. Your abdomen, thighs, feet, toes, chest, nipples and fingers are then gently massaged with warm aromatic oil. Nothing will escape attention. Your energy flow is stimulated and senses awakened as your body's sensitivity increases. According to Tantric ideals, your entire body will be massaged, including those particularly sensitive areas "Lingam" massage.
Perceptions of sensuality and lust are located here, but these "intimate" areas are a vital source of joy in life. You will feel relaxed, yet wide awake. You will be coached to breathe correctly, as you sink into a yet more profound level of relaxation. In this very moving ceremony, you will be completely nurtured and pampered in the arms of your goddess, giving you a feeling of comfort and sense of well-being.
A BI-friendly massage can be so relaxing that you may feel like falling asleep right on the table!
A place to nurture minds, bodies & spirits.
Interested in massage and more?


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Mandi Lulur
A traditional treatment from the royal palaces of Centra Java, Indonesia. Prior to her wedding the bride would have this procedure many times to beautify her body and prepare herself for marriage. In the spa a traditional massage is followed by a sweet and spicy yogurt rub, ending in a sunken bath filled with exotic flowers.
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0.70ct Pear Solitaire Diamond Ring CSR013
Classic style diamond engagement ring set in 18k white gold. The centre diamond is a 0.70 carat pear cut diamond with a GIA certificate that is F colour and VS2 clarity.
Ring Ref: CSR013
This style of ring is available from €5100
A wide selection of diamond weights, colour & clarity grades are available in our factory. This ring is available in a variety of metals including white gold, yellow gold, rose gold & platinum.


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Don't wish it was easier. Wish you were better.
Don't wish it were easier. Wish you were better.
The Quote which makes you mentally stimulated, feel something special, or to do something creative.
Don't wish it were easier. Wish you were better.
Successful people are not gifted; they just work hard, then succeed on purpose
Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement.
Unless you puke, faint, or die, keep going
Do your work with your whole heart, and you will succeed - there's so little competition.
Opportunity does not knock, it presents itself when you beat down the door.
Train like you are 2nd, but play like you are 1st...
Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.
Anything you truly want must be worth fighting for.
Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming


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And just for thought...
For a Good Time, Call
He touched me with a gentleness I had not known
but he did not come anywhere near me.
Stroked the softest spot and caused a tidal wave of pleasure,
releasing the woman inside for a few small moments.
His body made love to my own, dancing their own dance,
but he did not make love to me.
I spoke his name in a passionate whisper,
coaxing more and more of him into me with each breath.
He was a genius with my body, more so than anyone before.
Touching the right places and kissing at the right time
but he did not find a way into my heart.
I admit I took him with great enjoyment.
I will not deny that I would invite him into my bed again
but I see our interludes for what they are clearly enough.
I will be no fool for this man, for any man.
My skin is what I offer.
Nothing more.
Leave a Reply.
At the end of the day, I'm just a girl who has been in love with writing her entire life. I am full of quirks, anxieties, fears, joys, laughter. And all I have wanted to do was give the world a smile.
November 2019


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- Home
- Rummy Bonus Offers
- Paytm Offer
Paytm Offer
Get upto Rs.500 Cash back on first ever transaction @ Ace2Three when you add via Paytm Wallet (in addition to the WELCOME Offer)
|Add Cash Amount (in Rs)
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- Minimum cash addition of Rs 50 is required to avail the offer
- Valid on 1 transaction per user
- All cashback will be credited within 48 hours
- Mobile number needs to be verified to be eligible for cashback
- Cash back will be cancelled in case of full refunds or cancellation of order
- Assam, Nagaland, Orissa, Sikkim and Telangana are not allowed to add cash or play for Cash on Ace2Three
- In partial refund case, cashback will be rolled back in same proportionate amount
- In case of any disputes the customer needs to get in touch with the merchant/brand
- RBI mandates that upto Rs. 10,000 can be added in a month to a non-upgraded wallet. In case you breach these limits then cashback will get added to your wallet in the next calendar month. In order to allow cashback to be added earlier, we urge that you request for a wallet upgrade (available under your profile).


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MegaTrade One-on-One Training Program
- Details
- Written by megatrade101.com
The process of targeted, multi-level mentoring is built on a solid foundation of trading experience by each mentor-trainer that would create custom-tailored strategies suited for every serious investor / trader on certain volatile market such as the Foreign Currencies.
What this means is that individuals are assessed and properly guided to develop a comfort level of trading confidence. That can only result into trading consistency and timely trade executions.
There is 'No Holy Grail in trading financial markets! Each training workshop is conducted in real time trading hours that provides specific guidance While serious Traders develop the strategist ability to deliver net positive results that are derived from learning the right trading & Information resource which can only get better in time!
A Typical Trading Station & Training Session


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How Should We Respond To The Persecution Of Christians?
Persecution of Christians is on the rise in many parts of the world. Examples of the persecution that Christians face today include: suicide attacks on churches in Egypt, Nigeria, Iraq, and Pakistan the renewed imprisonment of pastor Youcef Nadarkhani in Iran the plight of Asia Bibi, finally acquitted of blasphemy inContinue reading


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Latest Manor Royal Press Releases
Manor Royal BID responds to Government consultation on planning reform
Manor Royal has issued a response to Government consultation on proposed reforms to the planning system.
The Department for Communities and Local Government's consultation invited comments on a range of changes, including making it easier for communities to create Neighbourhood Plans and the extension of permitted development rights but the business district focused its response to those elements felt to be of most significance to the future functions and form of Manor Royal.
Asked if Manor Royal agreed that there should be permitted development rights for light industrial and storage and distribution buildings to change to residential use, MRBD executive director Steve Sawyer said this was not appropriate for the business district.
"We are concerned that there is distinct lack of control or accountability for the economic function of places like Manor Royal and this can lead to occupied buildings being converted and tenants served notice," he said. "It is important that economic centres like Manor Royal are retained for business use and landlords and property owners encouraged to re-develop sites for these uses."
The availability of employment land in Manor Royal is already in short supply, as evidenced by Crawley Borough Council's Economic Growth Assessment, and the possibility of a second runway at Gatwick Airport would make it even more important to protect land designated for employment uses.
"The effect of these changes, as we have already seen, is to allow buildings to be converted in an unplanned and uncontrollable way setting different uses in close proximity to one another and can have the effect of disrupting normal business operations," Mr Sawyer continued.
"These kinds of changes can only be made in a planned and considered way that this policy change does not allow because it effectively removes any controls that take account of the economic function of a place like Manor Royal and incentivises owners to consider converting commercial buildings - underused or not - to residential."
He added: "As well as eroding much needed employment land in Manor Royal and disrupting business operations, the other unintended consequence of this change has been to undermine the reputation of Manor Royal as a business location by introducing other uses that do not complement the existing business use.
"These allowable changes are also unpopular with the business community, which could impact future investment in the area and further erode the ability of the area to properly serve its intended function as a key employment location."?
You can read the response in full by clicking here


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OTHER RELEASES FROMMonolock
New brilliant EP for Israeli producer Monolock.
more... click to expand contents
Digital Nature Records is extremely proud to announce the launch of Sound Delight, the amazing new EP of Israeli producer Monolock (Sharon Graziani), one of the most talented of the new wave of progressive trance producers from the ever growing Israeli Progressive Trance scene. Following his chart topping releases, Monolock delivers 3 brand new previously unreleased dance floor smashers, filled with rich and flowing grooves, meticulous melodic ideas and explosive dance floor magic, to create a most enjoyable and effective sound.


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More Special Features:
Help us continue to provide the outstanding performances you've come to expect!Support Overview
More Ways to Give:
The National Symphony Orchestra is a full-time, professional symphony orchestra comprised of 96 musicians, presenting a year-long season of approximately 150 concerts each year. These include classical subscription series, pops concerts, summer performances at Wolf Trap and on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol, chamber music performances in the Terrace Theater and on the Millennium Stage, and an extensive educational program. Additionally the NSO's dedicated community engagement projects include NSO In Your Neighborhood (a week of approximately 30 performances in schools, churches, community centers, and other neighborhood venues) and NSO Sound Health, launched in 2013, with performances at the National Institutes of Health, Children's National Health System, and other medical facilities. Auditions are by invitation only and occur as positions become available.
There are no available positions at this time
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
2700 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20566
Directions to the Kennedy Center
Building opens daily at 10 a.m.
Tickets & Information: (202) 467-4600
Toll-Free: (800) 444-1324
Box Office Hours:
Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-9 p.m.,
Sun. and Holidays, noon-9 p.m


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See www.fx-engines.com Team FX America along with Kurt Kellum & Tyler Vik will be available to provide FX support at the upcoming ROAR on 18 – 21 June in Chico, CA. Come and find some tips and tricks how to tune your engine from FX team drivers and discover the power and reliability of FX engines. […]
Posts tagged with Chico
FX Support ROAR Nats by Tyler & Kurt
04 June 2015 07:59 by Phil No Comment
tags: Chico, Silver Dollar RC Raceway
in: 1/8 Offroad, 2015 ROAR Nats, FX Engines
in: 1/8 Offroad, 2015 ROAR Nats, FX Engines


text: Barbeque Rosemary stems make great skewers! (Market LE Items) 8:03:00 AM Farmville 2 , Farmville 2 News Edit Plant Barbeque Rosemary and check out Deoni Cow, Red Cotton Silk Trees and more! Release Date: 30/05/2016 Recipes: Red Cotton Silk Potpourri Heirloom Red Cotton Silk Potpourri Chinese Pistachio Pecan Muffin Heirloom Chinese Pistachio Pecan Muffin Chinese Pistachio Cake Pops Heirloom Chinese Pistachio Cake Pops Siberrian Crab Apple Tarte Tatin Heirloom Siberrian Crab Apple Tarte Tatin Caramelized Siberian Crabapple Heirloom Caramelized Siberian Crabapple Barbeque Rosemary Eggplant Animals: Baby Mini Banteng Black Cow Adult Mini Banteng Black Cow Prized Mini Banteng Black Cow Baby Deoni Cow Adult Deoni Cow Prized Deoni Cow Baby Mini Black Bengal Goat Adult Mini Black Bengal Goat Prized Mini Black Bengal Goat Baby Mini Black Tibetan Pig Adult Mini Black Tibetan Pig Prized Mini Black Tibetan Pig Trees: Siberian Crabapple Heirloom Siberian Crabapple Elder Siberian Crabapple Siberian Crabapple Fruit Heirloom Siberian Crabapple Fruit Red Cotton Silk Heirloom Red Cotton Silk Elder Red Cotton Silk Red Cotton Silk Fruit Heirloom Red Cotton Silk Fruit Chinese Pistachio Heirloom Chinese Pistachio Elder Chinese Pistachio Chinese Pistachio Fruit Heirloom Chinese Pistachio Fruit Crop: Barbeque Rosemary Prized Barbeque Rosemary Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Google Plus About FarmVille2 Your source for the latest FarmVille 2, Country Escape and Tropic Escape information...FarmVille 2, Country Escape and Tropic Escape tips, news gifts and much much more! RELATED POSTS


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$44.00 per kg
73% raw cacao, single orgin and sourced from Peru this dark chocolate is sweetened with coconut sugar. Hand made in Melbourne.
Fair Trade and Organic
Sourced from: Loving Earth
In stock
Hepburn Wholefoods Collective
Located at the Old Police Residence, up the hill behind the Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre, 13 Camp Street, Daylesford.
For all enquiries please email


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|Back To News
Don't think too hard: Defining a genre of photography should be empowering, not restrictive
posted Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at 5:59 AM EST
Defining photographic genres can be quite difficult, and street photography is no exception. It's not always clear what it is, nor how it overlaps with other types of photography such as photojournalism, documentary photography, or even portrait and architectural photography. Eric Kim is a prominent street photographer whose articles we've featured on numerous occasions, and he has made a video discussing what street photography is. While his definition is just his own personal view, he's as good a candidate for defining the genre as anyone.
Eric notes the importance of not letting how you view street photography -- or any genre of photography -- restrict you creatively. When he first started doing street photography, he considered it any type of photography done on the street of people who hadn't first given you permission to shoot their photo. Having a rigid idea of street photography in your head forces your hand to some degree, and can prevent you from shooting the work you want to. For Kim, he likes interacting with people and he wasn't doing this at first because of his conception of street photography.
This brings us to a very critical point: Your idea of a genre of photography need not be fine-grained nor static. Changing your conception allows you the opportunity to be more creatively free. Eric Kim's definition of street photography now is "documenting humanity." It doesn't get much more broad than that. If you want to define it differently, you should! Your ideas about photography inform and reflect your personal style and goals, so let yourself be the photographer you want to be.
As is always the case, Eric's video below is a must-watch for street photographers, but also has lessons that apply to any kind of photography. Check it out below!
To see more of Eric Kim's work, visit his website. You can also head over to his frequently-updated blog for a wealth of free resources that will help you improve your street photography, and your photography in general.
(Seen via Eric Kim)


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The WA Government is offering an additional $5,000 on top of the $10,000 First Home Owners Grant up to the end of this month only. That's only 13 days to go. This effectively means you can get out of renting and own your own home without needing to chip in any of your savings whatsoever. But how does this relate to beer? Well, the $5,000 you previously had to chip in as a deposit can cover 125 cartons of beer. What better way to spend a Government Grant!
On a serious note, the increase of the First Home Buyers Grant to $15,000 is a very real opportunity to get into your own home without needing to spend a cent of your own savings. It's not about what $5,000 can buy you, it's about not needing to dip into your savings to fund a house deposit. And this window of opportunity is diminishing extremely quickly.
If you want to find out if this is for you, then give us a call straight away on 6189 8795 or contact us here and we can qualify you on the spot and help you take the opportunity while it lasts. 13 days to go!


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Part One
Part One: The Far East
How do we want to be remembered? Death poems (jisei) developed in the literary traditions of Japan as early as the seventh century. Later, taking much energy from Zen Buddhism's emphasis on the transiency and impermanence of the material world, the genre spread to China and Korea. Brief as they usually are, these poems consider the…Continue
Added by Barry Spector on December 9, 2019 at 3:59pm — No Comments
Part One
Military madness was killing my country. Solitary sadness comes over me. – Graham Nash
Imagination is not a solitary thing. Unlike fantasy, which is self-centered, imagination implies dialogue – between what is and what could be. Consider that some languages lack the verb "to be." Speakers grow up expecting to communicate indirectly, use metaphors freely and tolerate ambiguity. Metaphors…Continue
Added by Barry Spector on November 19, 2019 at 4:44pm — No Comments
The Spiritual Rape of Indigenous Children by Yahweh's Christians
Rape – it seems that the original meaning of the Latin word was 'to take and run', which describes the ancient warrior practice of looting the defeated group or nation, by capturing and running off with their women in order to have their way with them, obviously without their consent.
Today, Wikipedia describes rape as "a type of …Continue
Added by Steve Staniek on November 12, 2019 at 10:55am — 2 Comments
What shall I send you, dear one,
There in the underworld?
If I send you an apple, it will rot,
If a quince, it will shrivel;
If I send grapes, they will fall away,
If a rose, it will droop.
So let me send my tears,
Bound in…Continue
Added by Barry Spector on November 5, 2019 at 6:15pm — No Comments
Narcissism has been making the news lately. People are concerned that some politicians and CEOs may be narcissists. To understand what is going on in the world today and to recognize how you and I can be happy, successful, and positive influences, it is helpful to view narcissism on a continuum, and to live out its positive sides and…Continue
Added by Carol S. Pearson on October 22, 2019 at 10:30am — No Comments
It's fall and I don't know if this is happening to you, but all areas of my life are pinging and needing attention all at once—work, finances, health (I'm determined to lose my 10 extra pounds), love (I'm surprised at this one…), my creative muse (wish I had more time to devote…), and family (I need to fly to Iowa to help clean out and sell…Continue
Added by Kim Hermanson, Ph.D. on October 7, 2019 at 11:08am — No Comments
"Having gratitude for the body's role in deepening one's spiritual practice is important. The lived experience of one's practice through the body is a different process than reading about those practices. It is like the difference between reading about wine versus drinking wine. The latter can lead to mystical intoxication.".....…Continue
Added by Payam Ghassemlou Ph.D. on September 29, 2019 at 9:16pm — No Comments
How Am I Like Yahweh-Jehovah?
A few months ago, blogger Barry Spector asked me a deep question on another blog, that I had not heard since Grade 1 catechism class…"How do I embody Yahweh-Jehovah?"
My internal Catholic robot, rusty from inaction, jumped in with: "We were made in the image of god, to know love and serve him."….I believe Barry's question was aimed more at my…Continue
Added by Steve Staniek on September 4, 2019 at 5:30am — No Comments
Part Seven
It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. – Jiddu Krishnamurti
…divide us those in darkness from the ones who walk in light… – Kurt Weill
The price of hating other human beings is loving oneself less. – Eldridge Cleaver
Denial and fear; fear and denial, all electronically mediated. Do you remember the anthrax scare of 2001 – how it targeted only…Continue
Added by Barry Spector on August 28, 2019 at 3:31pm — 1 Comment
Part Four
Every person you meet should be regarded as one of the walking wounded. We have never seen a man or woman not slightly deranged by either anxiety or grief. We have never seen a totally sane human being. – Robert Anton Wilson
Lesley Stahl on U.S. sanctions against Iraq (1996): We have heard that a half million children have died. I mean, that's more children than died in…Continue
Added by Barry Spector on August 28, 2019 at 3:22pm — No Comments
Part One
Cut loose from the earth's soul, they insisted on purchase of its soil, and like all orphans they were insatiable. It was their destiny to chew up the world and spit out a horribleness that would destroy all primary peoples. – Toni Morrison
I have lived on the lip of insanity, wanting to know reasons,
knocking on a door. It opens. I've been knocking from the inside. – Rumi
Added by Barry Spector on August 28, 2019 at 3:06pm — No Comments
Whatever Happened to the Woodstock Generation?
Through scientific understanding, our world has become dehumanized. Man feels himself isolated in the cosmos. He is no longer involved in nature and has lost his emotional participation in…
Added by James Newell on August 22, 2019 at 1:30pm — No Comments
I've always had trouble voicing things… speaking up for myself, calling out deception, and owning my own value and worth. When I was growing up, my mother would always tell me, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." I wasn't sure that whatever I was thinking was nice, so I stuffed my thoughts and…Continue
Added by Kim Hermanson, Ph.D. on August 13, 2019 at 3:36pm — No Comments
Leadership today is too often viewed as a function or role conferred only by some authority. Yet, whether you are a parent, a teacher, a supervisor, a CEO, president of a country, or someone who acts because something needs to be done and no one else is doing it, you can lead successfully only if other people actually want to follow you, collaborate…Continue
Added by Carol S. Pearson on August 7, 2019 at 10:30am — 1 Comment
Jung's Cross is Traceable to Annunaki Slavers
Jung's Marriage of the Minds
The Red Book documents Jung's attempts to reconcile or integrate his conscious mind with his subconscious mind (soul), in order to achieve a healthy wholeness of self. As a student of the human psyche, including his own, he wanted to comprehend the structure and internal dynamics of the subconscious, and its relationship to the conscious mind. The core of this…Continue
Added by Steve Staniek on July 27, 2019 at 6:16am — 7 Comments
Part One
July 4th 2019: A Salvadoran father and his young daughter drowned in the Rio Grande River. Families separated. Concentration camps. Children subjected to inhuman conditions amounting to torture while their parents are deported. Mothers told to drink from toilets. Border Patrol agents posting racist and misogynist cartoons on Facebook. Every day now we hear heartbreaking news from the borderlands. How, we…Continue
Added by Barry Spector on July 18, 2019 at 2:47pm — No Comments
Announcing "Earth, Climate, Dreams"—the BOOK! 13 in-depth conversations with Depth Psychologists on how we address these critical topics in the Age of the Anthropocene.
Contributors include Jungian analyst Jerome Bernstein; climate scientist and Jungian,…Continue
Added by Depth Alliance on July 17, 2019 at 3:00pm — No Comments
Many people who talk about distressing life experiences in therapy are never given the opportunity to work with the experience in the arena of their imagination. Please click on the link below for the complete article:
Added by Payam Ghassemlou Ph.D. on July 9, 2019 at 9:31pm — No Comments
Part One
Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them. – Albert Einstein
What is now proved was once imagined. – William Blake
The situation is so dire that we can't afford the luxury of realism. – Caroline Casey
My book Madness at the Gates of the City: The Myth of American Innocence first appeared in 2010. Since then…Continue
Added by Barry Spector on June 29, 2019 at 1:04pm — No Comments
Part One
Readers of this blog may recall that one of the basic aspects of the myth of American Innocence is what I have called the Paranoid Imagination. Previous essays on this subject include The Paranoid Imagination, Porn (Parts …Continue
Added by Barry Spector on June 20, 2019 at 6:03pm — No Comments


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Our private dining table can seat between 10-16 people for a sit-down lunch or dinner.
£32pp for 2 courses / £37pp for 3 courses (including Christmas Crackers, excluding 12.5% service charge).
No room hire. Room availability from 12pm-5pm for lunch or 6pm-midnight for dinner.
Please note: As we have very limited availability for our private dining room in December, we recommend calling to enquire about a specific date. We would also suggest enquiring at our two sister restaurants; The Bird in Hand W14 and The Oak W12 on Goldhawk Road as they still have good availability for the festive period.
We can also host standing drinks parties from Sunday to Wednesday evenings, 6pm-midnight for up to 55 guests.
£200 room hire & minimum spends (excluding service charge) apply.
Again, please note we have limited availability for this as well. Please get in touch directly with a specific date in mind.


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An Inside Look at Retirement Living
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Following my post about indoor cycling studios being TNBT, news from New York that Jake Gyllenhaal has helped SoulCycle sell out their classes after being spotted at one of their classes.
Here's the New York Daily News article.
His star power will no doubt help raise the popularity of indoor cycling studios over here too.
[SoulCycle is coming to London in 2014, but see the previous post for studios that are already in the capital]


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The next big demographic revolution is upon us, and it's Latinx, according to Nielsen.
Stacie de Armas, the company's VP of strategic initiatives and consumer engagement, stressed the community is setting the pace in technology adoption, given the vast gap in age counterparts.
The U.S. Latinx community makes up 18% of the population. Last year alone, it contributed 51% of the total growth of the U.S. population. The median age of U.S. Latinx is 28. Compare this to the median age of non-Hispanic white at 43.
"The community is a lot younger," said de Armas at CES in Las Vegas on Wednesday. "Even when you look at same age Hispanics to non-Hispanic whites, you see all these differences with engagement with tech.
"Typically you imagine folks 18 to 24, regardless of their ethnic background, having the same tech adoption rates whether you're a millennial or Gen Z, but that's not what we see," she said. "We see the Latinx community way over indexing for a lot of these digital, social behaviors."
A recent Nielsen (which uses terms Latinx, Latino, Latina, and Hispanic interchangeably) study found that 60% of the U.S. Hispanic population is under the age of 34, compared to around 40% for the non-Hispanic white community.
But more interestingly, the research revealed that one-third of the U.S. Hispanic population is aged 18 or younger. This means Hispanics will be pace-setting tech adoption in the years to come.
Marketers fall foul of engaging with Latinx because many assume they tick the box by putting out a non-Hispanic white-angled campaign in Spanish with no regard to cultural nuance, said de Armas.
"Simple put, there is a predisposition among Latinos regardless of generation or whether you're bilingual," she continued.
This story first appeared on campaignlive.com.


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The first woman ever to be named Surveyor/ICE Municipals 'Engineer of the Year', Dana leads a team of around 500 engineers and asset managers, who are responsible for more than £15bn of infrastructure including maintaining London's arterial roads, all 6,200 traffic lights, around 1,800 bridges, 12 tunnels and more than 1,000 miles of footway.
In recent years, Dana has overseen a range of major engineering schemes as part of TfL's continuing £4bn Road Modernisation Plan. These include strengthening the Hammersmith flyover and the successful implementation of the Olympic Route Network for the London 2012 Games. In the coming years, her team will also help to deliver the new Silvertown crossing in east London, which will help reduce congestion from nearby Blackwall Tunnel. She has also been a driving force behind the 100 Years of Women in Transport campaign, which celebrates the role of women in the industry.
London's Transport Commissioner, Mike Brown MVO, said:
'I'm delighted that Dana has been recognised with this New Year's honour. In the fifteen years she has been at TfL, as well as being an exceptional engineer, she has also been a true ambassador for promoting equality and helping hundreds of female graduates and apprentices to get their first step on the engineering ladder.
'With the Capital's population continuing to grow, the work that Dana and her team do day and night to keep our roads safe for all road users will become even more important as we continue to support the economic growth of London and the UK.'
Mayor of London, Boris Johnson MP, said:
'Dana has an outstanding track record and this recognition for her sterling work to improve transport in London is well deserved. Her integrity, dedication and professionalism are well known in the industry and our city has benefitted hugely from this during her time at TfL. It is people like Dana who will be essential in helping London respond to the challenge of growth as the city develops.'
Dana Skelley, said:
'It's an immense privilege to receive this honour, which I hope will encourage more women to consider a career in transport, including engineering. Women are increasingly playing an important role in major projects across London, and with more companies now offering young people apprentice and graduate opportunities, together we can help ensure the Capital continues to grow and prosper.'
TfL continues to mark 100 Years of Women working in Transport, commemorating women taking on roles on buses and Tubes in the First World War, and being involved in building landmarks such as Waterloo Bridge, often called the 'Ladies Bridge', which opened in December 1945.
For more information about the 100 Years of Women in Transport, please visit tfl.gov.uk/YOWIT or follow on Twitter at @transportwmn
Notes to Editors:


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Web testing for agile teams. Usetrace automates manual repetitive testing. Paying customers, seed funded. No1 agile testing service by 2015
- Stage Not Set
- Industry Software
- Location Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
- Currency USD
- Founded February 2012
- Website usetrace.com
Company Summary
Usetrace is the first automated end-to-end testing tool that doesn't require any adoption, skill nor knowledge about testing. Usetrace is a SaaS that imitates humans using web browsers. We target agile teams developing web shop. We have paying customers. We have seed funding from four investors. We are going to raise next investment round on 1st quarter 2014. We are looking for advisers experienced in B2B SaaS and growing global companies.


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Skillogalee HousePrice from $290
Skillogalee House, one of the most luxurious self contained accommodation venues in the Clare Valley, has been lovingly and tastefully restored back to a stylish country residence.
The House is set in well established gardens overlooking the large dam and some of the most photographed vineyards in the Valley.
The House features 3 bedrooms. 2 with king-size and one with a queen-size bed. One room has an en-suite while the other two share an indulgent bathroom with free standing 2 person bath.
There is a cosy sitting room with open fire, a well equipped kitchen which overlooks the dining/seating area which itself opens onto the patio and garden. The House also boasts an office with computer and internet access and a second TV.
Full reverse cycle air-conditioning (and under-floor heating in the bathroom) will ensure that guests are pampered. The house is self catering and comes fully equipped and with delicious breakfast provisions.
Perfect for a romantic getaway for 2 or a luxury holiday with friends or family.
A perfect base to explore the wonderful Clare Valley.
From $
290 to $
We charge per person for the accommodation. The house sleeps 6 but if 1 or two people book they still get use of entire house.
Entity Facility
Family Friendly
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This slim multi-function writing tool features a classic silhouette with a modern matte black finish. Contains one blue ink ballpoint, one red ink ballpoint, and one 0.5mm mechanical pencil in a twist-action barrel. Body constructed of brass with spring steel clip and matte black lacquer. Measures 5.25".


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Federal IT leaders and professionals should check in with these blogs regularly to stay on top of IT modernization, cybersecurity, cloud and more.
Pauline Roberts teaches math and science, and Rick Joseph teaches digital literacy and social studies at Birmingham Covington School in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Their "Doing Business in Birmingham" project won first place in the Collaboration category at Microsoft's 2012 Partners in Learning Global Forum. Read Roberts's blog at notjustateacher-pr05bps.blogspot.com or follow her on Twitter at @pr05bps. Read Joseph's blog at nftih.blogspot.com or follow him on Twitter at @rjoseph852. Learn more at doingbusinessinbirmingham.wikis.birmingham.k12.mi.us.
Copyright © 2019 CDW LLC 200 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Vernon Hills, IL 60061


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I have been in the speaking industry for over 20 years … as both a high paid speaker and a presentation trainer as well as owning a booking agency for speakers. I see so many brilliant speakers challenged with getting the attention of meeting planners.
Speakers struggle to get booked for these 10 reasons:
- No speaking platform: What is a speaking platform to begin with? It is the core foundation of who your market is, what your message is and how you are positioned.
- Too generic of a message: Most speakers say "I help my audiences get healthy, make more money, grow their business, be better leaders, etc…" Millions of other speakers say the same thing. The key is to have a very strong point of view on your topic and speak about it in real-world terms. For example, most presenting coaches sell confidence. As a presentation coach, I believe that confidence is overrated. In my marketing, I talk about how stress sitting in the body affects posture, voice, body language and energy so the most confident person could still read badly if they are carrying stress, pain or trauma. What is your point of view and how does it differentiate from other speakers?
- Not targeted enough positioning: As you develop your message, it is essential to position and target it to the challenges and needs of a specific market. While other presenting coaches pitch 'confidence' to financial services events, I am stating the fact that only 14% of advisors are female because they feel icky doing the male style of push selling. Then I go on to explain that women love to build relationships and how my talk will help them do that. See the difference? Generic = no gigs. Specific and targeted = standing out and lots of gigs!
- Items missing from their speaking package: It includes your top 3 talk titles and descriptions, 100-word bio, 100-word introduction, 300-word bio, headshot, in action pictures, a speaker one sheet, a speaker reel, testimonials, press listings, client list and more. It is what the meeting planner needs to book you AND the materials she needs to promote you as part of the event. Click here to get the full list of what you need in your platform
- Not networking in the right circles: I see a lot of speakers go to general networking groups that have a wide variety of people. It is far more effective to choose markets that you speak in and go to their events. If you have a great topic for attorneys, look up local associations and publications. Mark down what events they have coming up. Go out and be your genius. Bam! Suddenly you are right in front of your target market and connecting with influencers in the industry and meeting planners.
- Unable to leverage circles of influence: Part of being in circles of influence is #5, learning where to network. The other part is knowing how to look at your current connections, discovering who they know and learning to ask in a way that is positioned and delivered with power. For example, if you see a call for speakers for a conference, find out WHO is the decision maker. Look that person up on Linkedin and discover who in your connections is connected them. Ask for a personal introduction.
- Ineffective strategy: Strategy? What strategy? Like any part of your business, it is key to have a system to get booked and block out a set amount of time every week to work on getting gigs. Your strategy needs to include how you are going to do targeted lead generation, connect with meeting planners, pitch them, follow up and close the sale.
- Unable to ask the right questions to meeting planners: Once you do connect with meeting planners, it is important to ask them the right questions. Most speakers lead with their story and what they do instead of focusing on the needs of the audience. Some of the right questions include:
- What do you want your audience to do as a result of this event?
- When you think of past presenters, what did you and your audience love and not love about them?
- Where are your audience struggling when it comes to _______ (your topic)?
- Showing their credibility in a way that is not succinct and pitched specifically to the gig: The meeting planner doesn't care about your story, what you have achieved and your knowledge base. What they DO care about is HOW your story, achievements and knowledge can shift and change their audience and propel them into action. When you are pitching and having a conversation, it is important to understand the unique challenges of the target group and industry and position your brilliance to show how you are the solution.
- Lack of negotiation skills: Too many wonderful speakers are asked to speak for free to 'get exposure' and then get frustrated and feel de-valued. If you are asked to do a free gig to promote yourself or you are asked to speak for a lesser fee, learning to negotiate will give more money and promotion.


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Trump Claims He has No Interest in Russia
Democratic National Committee's emails were hacked and the matter is being investigated by the FBI. Speculations say that there may be hands of Russians but nothing has been identified for sure. Based on that, on Wednesday during a news conference, GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump was asked about Russia.
Trump said while talking to a reporter in Florida, "No, I have nothing to do with Russia. How many times do I have say that? Are you a smart man? I have nothing to do with Russia."
He acknowledged that there was only one transaction when he bought a house in Palm Beach, Florida many years ago for $40 million. He said, he sold it to a Russian for $100 million including brokerage commissions.
Although Trump says that he has no interest in Russia but many evidences suggest that Trump Organization has in the past, been interested in spreading business in Russia.
In 2007, Trump said, Russia is one of the hottest places in the world for investment, "We will be in Moscow at some point."
Some more evidence show Trump's interest in doing business in Russia. Way back in1987, he went to Moscow, looking for a suitable site for a luxury hotel, but noting materialized. Once again in 1996, he planned to build a condominium complex in the country that fizzled out. One more unsuccessful attempt by Trump in Russia was when signed a year's deal with one New York development company to survey opportunities for a Trump Tower in Moscow.


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Engineering tool chain for efficient and iterative development of smart factories
Entoc focuses on the engineering of smart factories as they are established in different domains like a highly automated body shop in truck manufacturing, partly automated final assembly in car production or machine building. Due to a dramatic increase of the complexity of production facilities, the efficiency of the engineering tool chain has to be improved by at least 20%, which can be facilitated by using smart tools. The main goals of the project are to develop standardised modelling strategies and to optimise the engineering tool chains used for complex production plants.


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Robert New
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer."
John F. Kennedy
I was Born in upstate New York. My grandparents were dairy farmers. My father worked in paper mills, my mother was an executive secretary/accountant. I have one brother. My wife, Linda and I have four children, ten grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
Linda, our youngest son and I moved to Smyrna in 1989. Since then we have seen many changes, with the population now over 47,000. Even with all it's growth Smyrna maintains a small town atmosphere. Making it a desirable place to live, raise a family and even retire in.
I have been a residence of Rutherford county for the past 27 yrs. I have been involved in local politics since moving here. Have helped on several campaigns and have run for office in the past.
I am a Registered Nurse. I have been a health care professional for the past 40 yrs. I have worked in Intensive Care, in the Emergency Room and Long Term Care. I have worked in Home Health Care for the past 22 yrs. This is where I felt I could do the most good. I retired last year.
It is through my direct patient care with residents of Rutherford and surrounding counties' that I have became aware of more than just meeting their physical needs.
My job has taken me into the homes of various socio-economic groups. I have cared for children, but mostly adults of all ages. My teaching has often included making referrals. connecting the patient with the right support groups, being a good patient advocate, and being their voice.
I have been in the city, suburban, and rural areas, on dirt roads to see all my patients. Although they have various medical and financial needs, they also share many common needs and concerns. Our senior citizens and veterans hold a special place in my heart as I've enjoyed working closely with them.
I am a licensed pilot, a CPR instructor, a member of the American Legion. I served in the Army. Member of SiMA, former president of ABC League. My wife and I have various interests. We enjoy traveling to Florida's Gulf coast. We attend Highland Heights Church of Christ in Smyrna. We enjoy spending time with the family.
for Smyrna Town Council


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Glass Straws
5 25 $5.00 - $25.00
per item
Help save the earth- one straw at a time!
Did you know that each day we use 500 million plastic straws in the US alone! They stay on this earth for generations -- the plastic is entering the ocean and our food.
Purchase one for yourself or a bunch to offer guests in your home. Your drinks will taste better and you'll be making a positive impact on our planet.
8" long, available in straight or bent styles.
Handmade by Chicago artist Kimberly Polka.
Made from borosilicate glass and annealed in a digitally controlled kiln for maximum durability.


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I recently subscribed to Green Chef and opted for the Vegan meals for 2 package (which arrived while I was still on my Juice cleanse! talk about frustrating!).
I have belonged to a CSA in the past and loved getting fresh, organic food delivered to my door, so I thought, hey why not sign up for these mail order meals where everything is pre-measured and planned out for you and all I have to do is follow the recipe?
So far we have made 2 of the meals: Ginger-Curry Tempeh Salad which was our first solid meal after the cleanse, and tonight was the Hearts of Palm Sandwich.
The Ginger-Curry Tempeh Salad was delicious and made enough so that we each had seconds (remember, we were coming off a cleanse and dying for REAL food!) The directions were extremely easy to follow step by step with visuals! I was so proud to post my pics on social media!
Tonight, while I was at the office seeing a nutrition client, hubby chose to make the Hearts of Palm sandwiches. This meal was not gluten free, as it is served on toasted baguettes, but I decided I would give it a go. I have never had Hearts of Palms before so I was intrigued. I liked it overall, however, the instant I took a bite of the meal I tasted a strong pungent herb, and when I questioned my husband as to the ingredient he confirmed my suspicion of oregano. I love oregano oil for medicinal purposes, but I do NOT like it seasoning for my food! So if we make this meal again, it will be Sans Oregano. He also enjoyed making the meal because it was so explicitly clear (we like organization if you can't tell?)
Tomorrow we are making meal #3 White Bean Fritters with Garlic fries, arugula salad and aioli. And we have 3 new meals waiting in the fridge for us from our second delivery which arrived last night!
Honestly, I am really liking this mail order meal stuff! I love that it's 100% organic, vegan, mostly gluten free (that was an option to select from, as was vegetarian, and paleo for my non veggie friends), and practically everything is included just shy of the frying pan and knife and cutting board.
If you are a busy working mom like me, someone who has a busy schedule but wants to eat healthy but doesn't have the time to devote to searching through recipes, and is tired of eating the same old meals, I HIGHLY recommend checking into Green Chef!
Let me know if you try them out and what you think! Happy cooking!


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Table, Roasting & Cooking Sea Salt, All Natural
Gray Sea Salt is an unrefined natural salt, enriched with elements, especially magnesium, with a taste reminiscent of the sea and winds of Celtic Brittany. Guerande is harvested by hand and celebrated in kitchens throughout the world. Guerande is excellent as a finishing as well as a table salt.
A completely natural salt, it is light grey in color, rich in minerals, enhances flavors spectacularly and is a favorite in kitchens throughout the world. Guerande enhances all recipes, and it is particularly good with seafood, steaks or anything else you can find in a French kitchen.


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Published November 5, 2018
Student proposals for the reuse of a former manufacturing complex in the heart of Lockport could be implemented as part of a $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant awarded to the city by New York State.
Developed through a spring 2018 urban planning studio, the concepts present options for the adaptive reuse of Harrison Place, the former manufacturing facility for automotive parts-maker Harrison Radiator.
The hulking facility – spanning 480,000 square feet across five buildings – sat vacant for years after Harrison Radiator moved its operation to another facility in Lockport in the late 1980s. Today, however, the site is being viewed as a critical connector between downtown Lockport and surrounding residential neighborhoods. The historic canal city has seen a boost of reinvestment in recent years, including the restoration of its Flight of Five Locks and the emergence of tourism amenities and microenterprise developments in the downtown corridor.
Leveraging the buildings' open floor plans and flexible space, site owner Greater Lockport Development Corp. has found success in developing the space as an incubator for start-ups. Over the past five years, over 50 small businesses have taken occupancy of most of one building, bringing with them more than 250 employees.
Yet city officials needed a bigger vision for the site. Brian Smith, president of the GLDC and a 2014 graduate of UB's Master of Urban Planning program, turned to his alma mater and former professor Harry Warren, to conceive the studio.
"We came to UB in search of big ideas," says Smith, who is also director of planning and development for the City of Lockport. "We wanted to think about the design and programming of Harrison Place, as well as its context as a gateway building to downtown, and as a connector to the surrounding residential neighborhoods."
Working under the direction of Warren, who has since left UB, students conducted site visits and reviewed economic and market research to inform their proposals. Reviews and consultation with Smith and other Lockport business and community leaders refined concepts into master plans for the site.
The studio's final report is packed with design ideas that tap the site's potential for mixed-use development with live-work-play appeal. In addition to concepts for loft apartments, office space and street-level retail, students offered strategies to improve the accessibility and walkability of the site, convert its expansive roofs into green space and solar arrays, and generate new public space for the community.
Several of those ideas could go forward as part of the $10 million state grant, which will inject new resources into downtown Lockport development efforts, from streetscape improvements to capital projects like Harrison Place. Selected as the Western New York regional winner, Lockport was one of 10 communities across the state to receive the award.
Smith, who wrote the student's recommendations in the final proposal, says the studio's concepts have brought new energy to the project. "Working with the studio was a refreshing exercise that brought a new perspective with modern planning and architecture philosophies to our project.
"The end result was quality research, powerful visuals, and a list of recommended action items that we are now taking steps to implement," he added, noting that the city has already begun working with property manager Mancuso Business Development Group to prioritize projects for implementation.
Thomas Mancuso, who also advised the student projects throughout the semester, said he left the final review last spring inspired and ready to get to work. "If you go back to visit Lockport five years from now, you are going to see a lot of different things."
Students focused their design proposals on the site's most captivating space – Building 3 – which features a glass-enclosed atrium with three-story heights and strong potential for a mix of residential, office and retail uses.
Three teams of students each presented their master plan concept with preliminary sketches, detailed floor plans and space programs, and recommendations for building and site design.
Harrison Complex: Through improved pathways and bike-sharing stations, and added bust stops, this project aims to connect the current site to the surrounding neighborhoods and the city's expanding greenway system. Low-cost landscape improvements would open the space to events, with street-level programming to offer canal-heritage themed activities, such as a Maritime center and historic boat displays, a theatre, and food market. A rooftop brewery and greenspace above Building 3 would connect to the heritage theme of the site through copper brewing kettles and themed seating. A solar array atop Building 3 would generate energy for the site.
Harrison Gardens: Emphasizing sustainable development, Harrison Gardens proposes to maximize the site's green infrastructure and minimize its environmental impact. First-phase improvements include bike-racks, new street lighting and pathways connecting the site to the Erie Canal Heritage Trail, a community garden and event space. The alleyway between Buildings 2 and 3 would feature street-level retail with apartments and a startup business center on the floors above. Ecofriendly treatments include cisterns and bioswales throughout the site, a rooftop solar array, the creation of a new glassed-in atrium in Building 2, and the use of bricks from select site demolition to pave the parking lot and alleyway.
LifePort: A mixed-use destination for millennials, LifePort would provide flexible office space for start-up companies and mix of apartment types. Recreational and lifestyle amenities including a food market, fitness center, restaurants, a brewery and gallery space would complete the live-work-play environment. Site residents and guests can retreat to the roof for lush walking paths, a green "maze," and seating areas. Buildings 2 and 3 would be connected by a glass walkway, offering views of a refurbished water tower on the site and the neighborhoods and cityscape beyond


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"[The intro to MR analytics] was extremely helpful and well presented. I am really pleased about this, as my aim is to increase confidence in quant and this was clearly a major step forward"
Siegfried Ertl, Brand Scientist, Branding Science
'RT @Finn01: As the curtain closes on another marvelous #esomar Fusion event, let me thank i) the fab work of our prog committees in selecti…'


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As Nelly shouted to the world in 2002, it's hot in herre. Really hot. Washington DC is currently experiencing a record-breaking heatwave that has me thankful for our pool membership while also giving my flashbacks on our brief time in Texas. The infamous capital-area-swamp humidity isn't helping. My coarse thick hair is weeping for SoCal and my body is wondering why my husband chose to pursue a land-locked career in the Army rather than along the coastline in the Navy. That being said, I really do love living here. But I'd like it even better if were in a cute little bungalow within walking distance of a major body of water.
Clay was home for the majority of the weekend, which meant we attempted to squeeze in as much family time as we possible could. Which is how we ended up kayaking at noon in 99 degree weather – looking back, not our brightest idea. The kids managed to keep the complaining to a minimum and they powered through but we waved the white flag around the two hour mark.
In effort to keep this space from flatlining, I am really trying to write more. Not that I think anyone is chomping at the bit to devour my words but it's nice to a place that I get to completely cultivate as my own. I may not be the next voice of my generation but I sometimes say things that make my friends and family laugh and the people who live with me seem to think I'm the cat's pajamas. That has to be worth something, right?
I've noticed an uptick in readers as of late. Either Russia is really refocusing their efforts or some of the words I've written over the past few months have resonated with various members of the world population. Although, I do hope it is not those who aren't actively seeking to destroy our well-being. So it seems like as good of a time as any to answer a few questions that may help you get to know me a little better.
Zodiac sign? I am a Pisces. I don't really care though because I haven't checked my horoscope since middle school. And even then I only did it because I was desperate for friends and it felt like every.single.girl in our school was obsessed. Back then, my tragically fragile self-esteem would take it personally that the horoscope for Pisces was always located at the bottom of the newspaper section. As if it were an after thought – if only I were a Cancer or a Sagittarius or a Leo. Is it possible to feel rejected by a newspaper horoscope section? Because I'm pretty sure I was continuously rejected by mine during my middle school years.
Three annoying things. (1) Slow talkers. Unnecessary pauses are positively grating and life is way too short to extend words beyond their required syllables. (2) Lack of turn signal. I've spent way too many minutes fantasizing about enrolling in the Police Academy, working hard, making close friends, and graduating with honors – only for the privilege of pulling over drivers who refuse to use their damn turn signal. Book em', Danno! (3)
An embarrassing moment. I have had a lot of embarrassing moments over the years. Without elaborating (perhaps a future post?), some of them include: falling down a staircase in my wedding gown during our reception in front of everybody on the dance floor, inadvertently asking my 9th grade math teacher how big his "thingy" was in front of the class, raising my hand during English 101 as a college freshman and asking the professor to describe phallic because I wasn't familiar with the word, and a very unfortunate incident involving unpasteurized cheese.
Five dishes you wouldn't want to live without? (1) Double-blanched French fries. (2) Beef tenderloin/filet mignon. (3) Maryland blue crab. (4) Fresh shrimp. (5) Pho.
Well – this seems as good of a place as any to close the post. I thoroughly enjoyed writing it. However, it remains to be seen if anyone enjoys reading it. For those who have made it thus far – thanks. And for those who bailed at an earlier paragraph – you missed out on learning that I am able to sing "Little Black Backpack" by Stroke 9 without needing to look at the karaoke screen.