text:
Gondola's on the Canal
As unique as Venice is there's one thing that comes to mind when I think of Venice. The Gondola. It's the perfect way to spend an afternoon!
A bottle, I'll take two
Venice is an absolutely beautiful city! It's grandeur and history are a wonder of the modern and ancient world. However, if you slow down a little you begin to see the real charm of the city and its people. This wine display is simple and inviting both in the window as well as hanging in your home.
There was an issue loading your cart. If the problem persists, contact our Support Heroes.


text:
New York's top environmental regulator said Wednesday he's hopeful the state will make...
New York's top environmental regulator said Wednesday he's hopeful the state will make a decision on large-scale hydrofracking by the end of February.
Joseph Martens, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Conservation, said whether or not the state will be able to make a determination ahead of an end-of-February regulatory deadline will rely on when the state Department of Health can finish its review of the state's proposals.
Last week, the DEC opted for a 90-day extension on a Nov. 29 deadline
that would have caused its proposed hydrofracking regulations to expire. The agency could have opted to miss the deadline and restart the rule-making process -- which would have given the DEC at least a year to finalize the proposals -- but instead opted for the three-month extension.
When asked at a Wednesday cabinet meeting if the DEC's decision to opt for an extension is a sign the state will be able to render a decision by the end of February, Cuomo deferred to Martens.
Asked if a decision on hydrofracking would come by the end of February, Martens said: "We hope so."
High-volume hydrofracking was first put on hold by the DEC in July 2008, when its environmental review first kicked off.
In a later interview with Gannett's Albany Bureau, Martens said the 90-day extension is in line with the Department of Health's review is expected to be completed. Three academic experts have been tapped to assist with the health review; two of them have contacts with the state that run through Feb. 13.
"We'll see when we get the Department of Health's report," Martens said in an interview with Gannett's Albany Bureau. "It's an extension. It seems to fit in timing-wise with the track we were on with the Department of Health."
State Health Commissioner Nirav Shah declined to speak about the health review when approached following the cabinet meeting, telling a reporter he's "not going to talk about things in progress." When asked if he's received any materials back from the outside experts, he said: "We're having active conversations."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Yorkshire astronomy enthusiasts have stars in their eyes after an amazing project to dismantle a half-tonne telescope, transport it 200 miles and rebuild it on a nature reserve. Chris Burn reports.
It has been a four year labour of love. But now the stars are shining on a corner of North Yorkshire where a unique scheme to rebuild a half-tonne telescope transported in pieces from its original home in Kent has been completed.
A small band of astronomy enthusiasts have managed to get the telescope up and running on a former dairy farm turned nature reserve - with a new observatory being built from scratch to house the unique piece of machinery.
The telescope is one of the main attractions of the second Dark Sky Festival, which involves stargazing events taking place in the Dales, North York Moors national parks and in Nidderdale.
It has been uncapped in Grewelthorpe, near Ripon, on the land of retired farmers Peter and Irene Foster, who have turned their former dairy farm into a nature reserve that includes stone circles, an Iron Age style round house and now this new spot for stargazing in the new purpose built Lime Tree Farm observatory.
The story behind this extraordinary venture began in 2012 when the telescope was threatened with being scrapped in its home observatory on the edge of London.
Built by an eccentric genius called John Wall, who together with Patrick Moore is one of the legends of British amateur astronomy, he was so distraught at the prospect that he contacted friends in York to see if they could help rescue his pride and joy.
Martin Whipp, chairman of York Astronomical Society, picked up responsibility for finding it a new home and decided to approach the Fosters.
Peter Foster, whose family bought Lime Tree Farm 45 years ago, says his long-standing interest in astronomy meant he was delighted to take on the telescope - if slightly surprised to be asked.
"I was a member of the Harrogate Astronomical Society years ago and we used to have friends at York Astronomical Society.
"They used to come to visit us and vica versa. They would come here for barbecues and things.
"One day somebody knocked on the door who I hadn't seen for about 20 years. That was Martin Whipp and he said he had this telescope which was needing a good home.
"I thought this is a fantastic opportunity to build an observatory for it, They assured me it would be here forever if we could build the observatory.
"The observatory has taken around 18 months or more because the builder has done it in his spare time.
"It has taken quite a while to put the telescope back together again. They had to take it to bits and hire a wagon and bring it back to Yorkshire, It has been stored here for four years. Now it is installed, it looks wonderful. There is still some fine-tuning to do."
Members of the astronomical society with specialist knowledge of telescopes helped piece it back together again with the help of advice from an expert engineer.
Peter, who is in his 60s, says it has been a thrill to have such a powerful telescope available to use.
"I have only seen the Moon so far. But Martin said he did see some of the dust lanes in the Andromeda galaxy which you couldn't see with a smaller telescope. Since I was very small, I have always been interested in just looking at the sky for as long as I can remember.
"About 20 years ago, I bought a good telescope but when you magnified the Moon and you are looking, every half a minute you have to move the telescope a little bit because it appears to be moving across the sky because of the Earth turning. This one actually has a motor drive so can follow the Moon."
Light pollution maps published last year by the Campaign to Protect Rural England revealed that Yorkshire's national parks and AONBs like Nidderdale are amongst the nation's darkest areas.
Glance skywards from the middle of York or Harrogate and you will be fortunate to glimpse more than 20 stars on a clear night, but from rural locations like Lime Tree Farm you can multiple that 100 fold and also see the Milky Way – something nine out of ten British have never seen.
Peter says that the location of the farm makes it an ideal spot for the telescope to be based.
"The farm is not really viable anymore so we've used the land to create a place where people can come wildlife spotting, pond dipping or meditating.
"When folk come here from Leeds and Harrogate and look up they all say 'wow'. They've never seen so many stars.
"It really is spectacular and we can even see the Northern Lights on rare occasions.
"When Martin from the astronomy club knocked on our door and asked if we'd be interested in having a big telescope on the farm we were over the moon.
"We were happy to fund the construction of the observatory and now it's completed we want people to come and enjoy the facility and admire the starry skies we love so much here in Nidderdale."
Martin Whipp says it has taken plenty of work to get the telescope up and running in its new home.
"It would have been a terrible waste to see the telescope broken up for scrap. It's a really powerful instrument which really needs a dark sky location.
"That's where Peter and Irene stepped in to provide a home on their farm. Dismantling and transporting the telescope 200 miles north was a huge task.
"Then we had to get planning permission for an observatory, create the building from scratch and restore the telescope, not to mention lay down two tonnes of concrete just to provide a solid base. At times I thought we'd bitten off more than we could chew But now that people have looked through the scope it has given us all a massive kick."
Martin says: "We had our first proper public viewing session back in December and feedback was brilliant. It's been an herculean job to get this project together, drawing on the donations, expertise, time and goodwill of countless people.
"But when you can see dust lanes in a galaxy whose light has taken 2.5 million years to reach the Earth you know you are in a special place. And that's the thrill we want to share with other people at the observatory."
Peter says there are increasing number of people participating in activities like stargazing to feel a closer connection with the universe and the world they live in.
He says the telescope fits in well with the nature reserve's other attractions.
"Nature is the centre of all things for me. There are a lot of people getting further and further away from it. But quite a lot of people are recognising they want to reconnect with it and they end up here."


text:
Kicking off last Friday, the series Naked City: New York Noir and Neorealism presents ten films, all of which were shot predominately on the streets and in the apartments of Kubrick's native metropolis between the years 1945 and 1953. During the same period, Kubrick was documenting the changing face of the city, first in the pages of Look magazine and eventually on the screen with films such as Day of the Fight and Killer's Kiss.
By working within such specific curatorial parameters, we had to exclude a number of notable film noirs because they either weren't shot on location or they landed too late in the series' time frame. As such, we were left with an intriguing cross-section of films. Many of them may not fully qualify as film noir by most people's definition—although most people don't have a definition of film noir as delightfully far-ranging as the late Raymond Durgnat, who finds noir to be the modern age's answer to a "black" aesthetic dating back to Greek tragedy. Accordingly, we've broadened the series' title to account for works filmed in the Big Apple that share the contours of film noir, particularly this sub-strand of films shot in situ, but lack its fatalistic DNA and gangland grit.
This Friday, the series enters its second weekend with Otto Preminger's Where the Sidewalk Ends, perhaps the purest noir in the lot due in part to the vertiginous decline of its trench-coat-clad anti-hero (Dana Andrews, all darting eyes and clenched jaw) as well as its claustrophobic, after-hours atmosphere. (Preminger's film is also the most studio-bound effort in the series.)
One-upping Preminger's austerity while subtracting Sidewalk's hard-boiled patois, Russell Rouse's The Thief is a nervous Cold War thriller about an esteemed nuclear scientist (Ray Milland, anxious) who is spying for an unnamed foreign enemy. Entirely devoid of dialogue and punctuated by the chiming refrain of unanswered telephones, The Thief offers a sparse, existentialist portrait of an increasingly desperate fugitive for whom New York is an ever-contracting, labyrinthine prison.
The film that rests most squarely in the neorealist camp also happens to follow a protagonist on the run: Morris Engel's Little Fugitive has a threadbare plot-a little boy hides out in Coney Island over the course of a bustling summer day-but a surfeit of personality and local color. This pint-sized drifter, roaming the boardwalk's Carny wonderland and adjoining soda-bottle strewn beach, is Brooklyn's precursor to The 400 Blows' Antoine Doinel.
Rounding out Saturday's "kid noir" double-bill is The Window, in which Bobby Driscoll tries to prove that his upstairs tenement neighbors are murderers. Ted Tetzlaff's film is set in a pocket of New York at once overcrowded and vacant, an uninhabited wasteland that best resembles a city abandoned in haste after a catastrophe.
The series' final weekend begins with two films set on the city's periphery in which brothers betray one another in ruthless cons, and curiously both films have connections to the Hollywood blacklist: Elia Kazan's ripped-from-the-headlines urban opera On the Waterfront ("a film noir, given Brando's negativsm and anguished playing," pace Durgnat) and its spiritual precursor: Abraham Polonsky's taut and tragic Force of Evil.
After these two portraits of internecine strife, the series closes with a curious duo of hot-footed journeys in and around Times Square on the heels of terse outliers: a heavy-hearted ex-boxer (Killer's Kiss) and a war-traumatized stowaway (The Glass Wall). Without a darkly charismatic figure like Marlon Brando or John Garfield to anchor them, these films place the congested vastness of New York front and center, a city as unpredictable as any flesh and blood femme fatale.
Bernardo Rondeau, Assistant Curator, Film


text:
Who is ready for new Catherine Pooler ink??? Me, me, me! Seriously, it's the best ink out there. If you haven't gotten your hands on some, what on earth have you been waiting for? This ink is a game changer!!! Along with 8 new ink colors there are also 3 new die sets and 3 new stamp sets releasing.
The newly released ink colors are perfect for all of your Spring and Summer projects. They are pastel, yet saturated and just plain gorgeous!
To make my card, I started with a 4 x 5 1/4 inch piece of white card stock. I used the circle die to create a mask and then stamped the small floral images included in Simply Stated in little clusters of three. Once the circle was filled, I sponged along the edges with Mint to Be ink and removed the mask. Then I used another circle mask, one size bigger, and covered my inking. Then I heat embossed the Peppermint Stripe Background in white. I was looking to add a subtle detail and this worked out just perfectly! I think the rest of the card is pretty straight forward.
My next card uses the new ink colors Melon Ice, Mint To Be and It's a Boy. It also uses Beautiful You and the Modern Damask Background stamp.
I had a blast making this card, though my original idea looked absolutely nothing like this, the creative process was fun! I started by inking up and then stamping the Modern Damask Background on white card stock, then I sponged with coordinating ink. The flowers were also stamped and sponged, a great way for a non-colorer like myself to add color to a line art image! I assembled the card to create a faux shaker and I'm smitten with the end result.
Happy Mother's Day Card
Beautiful You Card


text:
Mulberry Home
Amara has been working closely with Mulberry Home since our inception and we are pleased to say that we have an incredibly strong partnership with all those in the Mulberry Home team. So much so that for Christmas 2008 Mulberry Home produced "Hamish" the draught excluder exclusively for Amara.
Mulberry is a British design company renowned world-wide for its craftsmanship and quality; it has a clear vision is to be "THE" English lifestyle brand. The company was originally founded by Roger Saul in the 1970s in rural Somerset. Mulberry Home was created using its strength in leather goods as its foundation, to produce many very desirable products for the discerning home owner. Whether shopping for a pillow or a throw, doorstop or log basket, even wallpaper, Mulberry Home has a quintessentially English product that will meet your requirements.
Mulberry Home
26 matching products, priced from $ 150.00 to $ 272.00


text:
This recipe was submitted to my original website www.CancerRD.com years and years ago by Margaret Norrington of Bangor, ME. Thus Margaret also calls this great soup Coast-wise Kale Soup. No matter its name, it tastes great!
- 1 cup of coarsely chopped yellow onion
- 10 cups of vegetable broth (homemade or a low-sodium store version or water)
- 1 cup dried brown lentils (wash in colendar)
- 2 cups of potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (I use Yukon Gold which taste great, look great, and also hold their shape)
- 2 - 4 carrots, peeled and cut into coins ~1/4" thick (I added these for color and their phytochemicals)
- 1 pound fresh kale -wash and then shred or tear into small pieces, remove stems
- 1 package soy sausage (either links or patties - many brands available - or use a sausage made with organic ingredients of your choice)
- Season with salt to taste if needed. I did not add any salt.
- fresh mint sprigs
Serve with a whole grain bread and fresh fruit and a green salad. Nothing else is needed for a nourishing and healthful meal.
Both my husband and 17 year old son declared this recipe a keeper!! My younger son is now 29 years old, so that gives you an idea of how long we have been making and loving this soup!
Enjoy - yum, yum!
Where kale is more than decoration on my plate!
Diana Dyer, MS, RD


text:
TOP conditions and information especially for Siemens AG
Support for your business - right there where it is needed!
We concentrate exclusively within Fujitsu on our customer, the Siemens AG, both nationally and globally. We operate as the "Preferred Partner" for all the Sectors and Divisions within the Siemens corporation and its associated companies. We are the IT Business Partner for the Siemens group operating with a global team of more than 50 employees in close cooperation with our own international subsidiaries.
From the Global Account Siemens Group
Our objective: Not just enhance the IT but improve our customer's overall business. We do this the "Fujitsu Way" - "We act correctly based on the customer viewpoint."
The basis of our portfolio is the strategic alignment towards "Dynamic Infrastructures".
This is a comprehensive portfolio covering IT products, solutions and services:
from PCs and Notebooks to data center solutions and up to Managed Infrastructure und Infrastructure-as-a-Service.
Why not call us?
We can supply you with tailor-made integrated solutions to meet your requirements!
Login to Global Account Siemens WEB Portal:


text:
Smooth Ride Air Suspension for Your Favorite Motorcycles
Platinum Air Suspension was started in 2003 to bring Quality, Value and Innovative Technology to hard-core Custom motorcycle riders. BLEED FEED TECHNOLOGY, developed by Platinum to be the industries best air suspension riding system. At Platinum we believe that your custom Motorcycle should have a custom ride and with Bleed Feed system you get that ride. Ride It The Way You Want.
Platinum took the technology that was used in the trucking & aircraft industry & applied it to the motorcycle air suspension market. This technology allows you to pressure (lift) & back pressure (ride height adjustment / rebound control).
This product will allow you to have a lowered look & comfortable ride at any desired ride height. Platinum is dedicated to manufacture a reliable & quality product that has been tested for the past 5yrs in the motorcycle industry. There is a BLEED FEED & SIMPLE system available for H-D / V-TWINS, METRIC CRUISERS & STREET BIKE applications.
Whether you ride a Harley Davidson, Victory, Indian, Suzuki, Yamaha, Can-Am, Kawasaki, Boss Hoss, Honda, or custom application we have the air ride system for you! Don't see something on our site, please give us a call to see what we can do for you.
Learn More


text:
What better way to end the week than with yet another lavish, happy list of book-recommendations? Our sub-genre is once again that of my beloved historical novels, those perfect embodiments of Horace's famous split mission of delighting and entertaining, so let's get right down to brass tacks, shall we?
When Knighthood was in Flower by "Edwin Caskoden" (1898)
Charles Major wrote this book in 1898 under the pen-name Edwin Caskoden, and it sold like hotcakes. Month after month, year after year, customers would walk into bookstores from Boston to Boise and ask for "the knighthood book" - and long-suffering clerks knew exactly what they were talking about. Major was a hard-working Midwestern lawyer when the book first came out, but it was such a huge best-seller that he was soon able to retire to writing full-time - although none of his subsequent books managed to recapture the fire and fun of this, his debut. It's the story of the love that grows suddenly and unstoppably between Mary Tudor, the sister of Henry VIII, and Charles Brandon, the King's best friend, and in its perfectly-tuned sunlit descriptions, it was the most irresistible piece of historical fiction to appear since Lew Wallace's Ben-Hur. Given the Tudor-mania that's recently been sweeping the reading public, I'm amazed nobody's reprinted this with a trendy cover. If an enterprising publisher were to dig deep enough, they could find a glowing blurb from none other than Theodore Roosevelt
The Romance of Leonardo Da Vinci by Dmitri Merezhkovsky (1902)
The 1963 Washington Square Press edition of Merezhkovsky's monumental best-seller greatly expands the truncated version authorized by the Merezhkovsky in 1901. Despite its limitations (translators and audiences today would likely find them unacceptable), that 1901 translation done by Herbert Trench sold millions of copies around the world - month after month, year after year, customers would come into bookstores from Boston to Brest and ask for "The book about Leonardo" - and long-suffering book clerks knew there could be no other (despite the presence throughout the decades of some very good actual biographies of Leonardo). And with good reason: even in the 1963 translation by Morris Gurin and Helen Gourin (which improves on Trench but is still mighty damn creaky), the glow and pageant of the Renaissance lives again - and the central port of Leonardo is so perfectly researched and rendered that it's small wonder half the used bookstores in in the world accidentally shelve this thing under Biography.
The Devil in Velvet by John Dickson Carr (1951)
Carr wrote dozens of novels, perhaps hundreds, under his own name and many others. He was a quintessential hack, churning out perfectly (and sometimes not so perfectly) plotted mystery yarns at a rate that makes Anthony Trollope look like a slug-a-bed. Carr never took days off from writing, never revised a single word he wrote (a word of his fiction, that is - like many hacks, he could be meticulous about his nonfiction)(his 1963 book The Murder of Sir Edmund Godfrey is very much worth your time), and never agonized over the woof and weave of his plots' deeper meanings. Instead, he just kept at it, even when afflicted with a stroke. In this tangled and immensely rewarding pot-boiler, Carr's intrepid Professor Fenton makes a deal with the Devil that sends him back in time to Restoration London in order to solve a murder. Carr takes great pleasure in summoning all the gaudy details of that oft-fictionalized period, capping everything with his signature puzzles and sudden revelations.
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott (1819)
It's almost a sin to mention the words "historical fiction" without mentioning "Sir Walter Scott" in the same sentence. His book Waverley, first published anonymously in 1814, changed the genre of historical fiction completely - indeed, it would be fair to say it created what we now know as the historical novel. It and all Scott's subsequent novels (none more so than Ivanhoe) exerted an influence on virtually every literate person in the Western hemisphere, and the strength of that influence can never be fully mapped and has thus, to my mind, never been given its proper due. Partly this is due to the uncomfortable fact that Scott is an atrocious writer of English prose - this famous story of the virtuous Saxon knight Ivanhoe, the various villains of King John's court, the sweet young Jewess Rebecca, and Robin Hood himself is a great galloping inelegant thing, full of purple passages and cardboard characters. And yet, Scott wrote with that particular magic that's only vouchsafed to hacks, and his millions of readers over the centuries (long may their line continue!) have willingly surrendered to the spell.
The Lord of the Two Lands by Judith Tarr (1993)
Alexander the Great is a tough choice for a fantasy writer, because his life reads more grippingly - and less believably - than most fantasy novels. Tarr takes the story of the young man who conquered most of the Western world before he was thirty and weaves into it a second narrative, a sinuous story of ancient Egypt and the many temptations it could offer somebody of Alexander's messianic tendencies. The temple priests of Amon send Meriamon, the artistic, insightful daughter of the Pharaoh, to the sweeps of Persia to find this rumored phenomenon, this unbeatable Macedonian warlord and convince him to turn south and come to Egypt, where a godlike destiny beyond his imagination awaits. Tarr creates an Alexander to remember, but even more she creates an ancient Egypt steeped in magic and the pretense of magic - what results is like a turbo-charged variation on the theme of Marc Antony and Cleopatra - a meeting not only of religions but of living gods. A well-made new trade paperback of this wonderful book would be a good idea.
Katherine by Anya Seton (1954)
Publishers have recently been very good at keeping the great, under-appreciated Anya Seton in print, and it's understandable why: in her taut narrative tempos, effective but not cumbersome 'period' dialogue, and powerful female characters, she's an obvious precursor to that Attila the Hun of contemporary historical fiction, Philippa Gregory (a fact to which Gregory herself pays ample and becoming tribute). Katherine is easily Seton's best book, the gripping story of Katherine Swynford, the smart, sharp long-time mistress and later wife of John of Gaunt (and the sister-in-law of that rising man about court, Geoffrey Chaucer). Historians look at Katherine Swynford mainly as the fons et origo of the Wars of the Roses, but no reader of this novel can ever do that - for us, history's Katherine is forever Seton's Katherine, inquisitive, passionate, self-assured yet self-doubting, and thoroughly, three-dimensionally human. And unlike some of her later disciples in the genre, Seton manages to impart something of that complex humanity to almost all of her characters.
Dear and Glorious Physician by Taylor Caldwell (1959)
This immensely popular historical novel about the life of Saint Luke was a best-seller for years, reprinted innumerable times, and month after month, year after year, in bookstores from Boston to Buenos Aires, customers would come in wanting "that Gospel book" - and long-suffering book clerks would know exactly what they meant. The author was prolific, and yet a great many of the novels are resoundingly good, and Dear and Glorious Physician (one of three of her books derived from the New Testament, the other two being Great Lion of God about Saint Paul and the vividly excellent I, Judas co-written with Jess Stearn) is one of her best. Her Lucanus is an early scientific sceptic, a rational young man who resists the Good News even while he's interviewing healed people and talking with Mary, the mother of Jesus. There's plenty of action and character here, but it's the lavishly detailed depiction of the grudging stages by which a deep-thinking man acquires an unthinking faith that's the most memorable thing about the book.
My Lord John by Georgette Heyer (1975)
At this point, need I say it? Month after month, year after year, in bookstores from Boston to Burundi, customers would come in looking for "her last book" and long-suffering book clerks would know exactly what they meant: My Lord John, the big, intensely ambitious historical novel by Georgette Heyer, published posthumously by her husband from the vast sea of notes and plot outlines and written drafts she left behind. Heyer was a monumental best-seller in her day, famous both for her fizzy murder mysteries (picture the novels of Agatha Christie, only well-written) and for her extremely lucrative Regency romances, which fell as the gentle rain from Heaven onto book shop front tables every Christmas and parted customers from their money as gently as a single raindrop. My Lord John - even in this truncated version (I often wonder if some enterprising Heyer archivist someday will give us a much, much longer version of this book - I'd clear my calendar to read it) - is a much weightier matter, the story of John, the nice-guy brother of King Henry V (and, coincidentally, the grandson of the aforementioned Katherine Swynford). The sweep and quiet swagger of this achievement will make just about any reader wish Heyer's public had been a bit less demanding for more of those damn Regencies, so that she might have had the time to do this epic justice.
The White Queen by Philippa Gregory (2009)
I'm well aware that this surprisingly gripping novel of Elizabeth Woodville has been, um, very enthusiastically reviewed elsewhere, but I could hardly let this little round-up of historical fiction conclude without hauling in the very Philippa Gregory we've been hinting at and alluding to, now could I? Gregory of course made her name with The Other Boleyn Girl (bringing us full circle to those damn Tudors!) and its companion Tudor novels, but in this book and its mirror image The Red Queen, she explores the equally-fascinating (though far less popular) period of the aforementioned Wars of the Roses. The idiot ur-realityTV star Woodville is at the heart of that period, the wife of Edward IV and the mother of the famous Princes in the Tower, and The White Queen brandishes the same machinery that brought Gregory mega-success: short, fast chapters, naked first-person narration, and just the right seasoning of book club-friendly anachronisms. This book's portrayal of Richard III will, incidentally, both intrigue and in part infuriate any remaining adherents that wretched character might still have in this day and age.
And there you have it! Not only eight meaty historical novels to tempt you, but also, I can't help but notice as I look back on the list, a handy little illustration of that hoary old concept, the Wheel of Fortune: just look at how many of these authors are now entirely unknown despite once having their names on the lips of bookstore customers from Boston to Byzantium and back. Gregory had better salt something away for the proverbial rainy day.
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
Eight (more) Great Historical Novels!
Labels: anya seton, dear and glorious physician, dmitri merezhkovksy, edwin caskoden, fiction, georgette heyer, historical fiction, ivanhoe, john dickson carr, judith tarr, katherine, lord of the two lands, my lord john, philippa gregory, sir walter scott, taylor caldwell, the devil in velvet, the romance of leonardo da vinci, the white queen, when knighthood was in flower
4 comments:
You just had to link to that, didn't you?
And it's the only link Steve has put into a blog post in 5 years. Go figure.
Thanks, Steve. More for the queue.
I was all excited and wide-eyed after reading Knighthood In Flower's review, but then I noticed that the review he gave for My Love John(or whichever) was exactly that same.
Way to ruin it all... Now your opinion doesnt matter.
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
This category contains videos that are similar to the simplest books beginning readers would use when just learning to read. Each frame of the video represents a page of a book and words in the story appear at the bottom of the screen throughout, making it easy for kids to read and follow along.
There are 11 videos in this category and 0 videos in 0 subcategories.


text:
Bifold Brochure | Volume 9This carefully handcrafted brochure is extremely versatile and can be used for many purposes: portfolio book, corporate brochure, annual reports, case studies, sales catalog, etc. Clean and modern design created with InDesign. This 12 page brochure is standard A5 size, and is compatible all the way back to InDesign CS3. Print Ready, 300dpi, CMYK with bleeds. Character styles and layers were used so its very easy to update text, graphics and colors. Vector logo is included and layered photoshop files are included for the circular image frames. Simply change out the interior images and copy and you're done. This template is perfect for any business looking for a clean, modern style.
Features- 12 Page InDesign Brochure
- Standard A5 size
- Compatible with CS3 and Later
- Includes layered PSD files for circular image frames
- Includes Vector Logo as Illustrator .eps file, also included in the InDesign file
- Print Ready, CMYK, 300 DPI with bleeds
- Layers and Character Styles used, very organized and easy to edit
- Free Fonts used, download links are in the "read me" file.
- Photos in the preview image are used for display purposes and are not included.
About The AuthorHi there, my name is Luke and I am very passionate about design. I take pride in my work and the support I provide to my customers. Any item you buy comes with free support, simply send me an email with the details and I will get back to you quickly. I strive to make all my items user-friendly, and I will put in the extra time needed to assist you with any questions or issues that may arise.
Below you will find all of my items organized into collections. Click on an image to view the entire set. You can also see all of my items in my portfolio. I hope you enjoy my work, feel free to get in touch if you need support, have questions or need a custom quote.


text:
Olga Kurylenko Gossip
Olga Kurylenko gossip, latest news, photos, and video.
The best comedy so far this year: The Death Of Stalin
J. Countess/ GP Images/ Getty Images
Armando Ianucci (Veep, In The Loop) is one of the best satirists working today—certainly the best working in narrative forms. His latest piece of satire is The Death of Stalin, a Cold War era comedy about, you guessed it, the death of Joseph Stalin. Or rather, it's about the bureaucratic scramble that follows the death of Joseph Stalin, as his deputies and the members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party scramble for power. Full Story
At long last, Wonder Woman?
Maybe. Variety is reporting that three actresses have been tapped to screen test for a role in Zack Snyder's Batman vs. Superman, which is being billed as a Man of Steel sequel but feels very much like a pre-cursor to a Justice League movie. The three actresses are Olga Kurylenko, the Fast & Furious' Gal Gadot, and GI Joe: Retaliation's Elodie Yung. Full Story
More good news for Wes Bentley
I posted an article late March about Wes Bentley – how great he looked in Spain promoting his new film There Be Dragons, and how candid he's been about how he f-cked up his life after early success. Click here for a refresher, including his candid NY Times interview in which he details his struggle with heroin addiction, and how he lost everything and had to start over. Full Story
Remember Wes Bentley?
Ricky Fitts! I've maybe seen American Beauty too many times. Anyway, Wes Bentley is back. He was in Spain today promoting a movie we'll probably never see called There Be Dragons with Olga Kurylenko. We'll get to her later. Wes is making something of a comeback. And a rather honest one, I think. Full Story
My Chanel girls …
And a few other bitches. Freida Pinto still riding high. Is supposedly the new face of Estee Lauder (the first Indian to represent the brand) and has been signed onto Woody Allen's latest, and today at Chanel during Paris Fashion Week, officially accepted by Le Karl. Also my love Olga Kurylenko. Full Story
Olga is not demode
My Olga Kurylenko is in Paris for Fashion Week – at Chanel today and look! Blessed by the Karl himself! Karl seems to be quite pleased by this new Bond girl. But of course not quite as taken as he is by Keira Knightley who is very thin and doesn't do anything disgusting … like eat food. Full Story
O is for Olga obsessed!
Someone needs to have a torrid affair with this woman. And I need to know every detail. Because I love her. Maybe Leonardo Dicaprio. Because he's disappoint her. And only Olga could react properly. Only a girl like Olga, with all her Eastern European drama, would take a Ukrainian axe to his groin if for missing lift off. Full Story
Olga in Paris
Oh, and Bond was there too. Am all over Daniel Craig but Olga … Olga is my new favourite. Quantum premiered in Paris yesterday making its way to North America for November 14th. My Olga Kurylenko scaled down the drama and showed off she can be subtle too and Daniel, of course, couldn't be without his Satsuki. Full Story
Russian Red!
As mentioned the other day, am currently OBSESSED with Russians. Those who've screened Quantum of Solace say Olga Kurylenko is explosively sexy. Word is, between Bond girls in the new film, Olga > Gemma Arterton hands down and Olga certainly owned Gemma last night on the carpet. Full Story


text:
This afternoon we carved our pumpkins....
Our tradition is to let the littles draw their own faces on their pumpkins. Once the faces are drawn, Hubby carves them and I help them scoop out the insides.
Such a perfect activity for a perfect Halloween Night.
Hope your Halloween is spooktacular.
Enjoy the pictures....
and Enjoy the Free printable above:)
This post sponsored by


text: ISACA has issued the following white papers to provide constituents with practical and pragmatic information that is timely and relevant regarding issues that have just begun to, or will soon impact enterprise operations. Each white paper is provided as a complimentary PDF download, and a link for your feedback is provided on each white paper landing page. Your feedback is a very important element in the process of the development of ISACA guidance for our constituents and would be greatly appreciated.


text:
Angela Karegeannes necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 49 diseños de 8 diseñadores freelance.
I am in my third year of business and gearing up for a big expansion this summer. My company prepares delicious food and we need an equally delicious graphic.
Please! Create for me a logo that is evokes the relationship between food and the farmers who grow it. I would like something that would pop out well on an apron or business card; something rustic (to reflect our cuisine but also very refined (to show we are professionals).
I have been in business for years and have never had a GREAT logo. I am still using this crazy card that I drew up on photoshop as a temporary thing.
I need a logo that will pop out to people who have not yet been won over by our food. Simple and memorable (people already REALLY know us because of our unique name). My business is called "A Fork Full of Earth". We use farm fresh, seasonal ingredients at all of our events and we are also involved in educating our clients about where their food comes from and why eating locally is so important.
I have tried to do it on my own, but I don't have the skills to create something refined enough for cards, promos, t-shirts and aprons. I also don't have the time to learn how to render what little I do have to a computer.
The best way to know me is to go to my website and read the welcome page. I just can't paraphrase it here. I belong to a huge network of activists, musicians, food lovers and artists. You would be contributing to a great endeavor!
Not a line drawing, but close to it. Something old-world or california-rustic style. I want to evoke the interconnectedness of things, so circles or spirals are great. It should showcase that we really hold good food in high regard.
Our tagline is "food with the farmer in mind".
I would like a logo that features a fork and in some way, with the fork having things growing from it, preferably something food-like. Either the tines are roots into the earth or the fork could turn upwards and the tines could turn into vines or fruits that dangle. I'd like the fork to contact the landscape somehow (which brings in the farm piece), even using negative space would be fine. I am fine with subtlety and prefer it actually, but I really want something that will look great on a t-shirt or apron.
I am also very open to the logo using the name "a fork full of earth" and one of the letters could form into a fork, or a veggie or something...
Color scheme should be earth tone-y, rusty orange, deep blue, dark green, slate gray or silver,heathered colors with texture. One or two colors would be best.
some random words/phrases that come to mind just now:
quaint cafe-y,
tuscan countryside,
wet soil,
*I would like it in vector format please!
If you go to our website you'll get our feel really fast! I don't want it to look woo-woo you know...california hippy...but I don't want it to be unapproachable or forced either. If you go for using the name, it IS all in lowercase!
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


text:
Typology of Adherence in Adolescents: Phase II
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00106678
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : March 29, 2005
Last Update Posted : March 1, 2017
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
|Condition or disease
|HIV Infection
As more HIV-infected adolescents are identified and linked into care, the dyad of medication and medication adherence continues to be an issue for both the provider and the patients. Thus, developing a strategy to assess adherence and barriers to adherence in this population is integral so that interventions can be targeted towards adolescents' specific needs. Our operating premise is that the issue of drug adherence is multi-factorial and that interventions that combine a variety of modalities may be preferred. However, before such interventions can be developed, we must first develop a tool that can be used to assess medication adherence and to identify barriers to medication adherence in this population.
This is a cross-sectional survey designed to assess the most prevalent combination of barriers to HIV medication adherence in adolescents. Specific barriers focused on in this study include mental health disorders, substance abuse, and cognitive-behavioral and structural barriers. In this Phase II study, the Adherence Staging Algorithm and the Participant Assessment Tool, pilot tested and modified based on findings from Phase I of the study, will be used to determine the prevalence of the specific barriers to adherence among HIV-infected youth requiring antiretroviral medication and the most common clusters of specific barriers. A cognitive-behavioral barriers schema for classifying HIV medication adherence in adolescents will be developed and validated.
The study consists of a one-time visit with a face-to-face interview to complete two questionnaires: the Adherence Staging Algorithm to classify the subject's adherence to his/her prescribed medications, and the Participant Assessment Tool to assess the prevalence of barriers to adherence that the subjects may have experienced. The interview takes no more than 30 minutes. In addition, the patient's medical record will be reviewed for HIV-related clinical data such as viral load, CD4, history of medications prescribed, and barriers the patient may have experienced such as mental health or substance abuse problems.
|Study Type :
|Actual Enrollment :
|1200 participants
|Observational Model:
|Time Perspective:
|Official Title:
|Typology of Adherence in Adolescents: Phase II
|Study Start Date :
|June 2004
|Actual Primary Completion Date :
|April 2005
|Actual Study Completion Date :
|April 2005
|Infected through risk behaviors
|Infected perinatally or through blood/blood products.
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|12 Years to 24 Years (Child, Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
|Sampling Method:
|Non-Probability Sample
Inclusion Criteria:
- Between the ages of 12 years and 24 years
- Eligible for ART (antiretroviral therapy) based on US Public Health Service guidelines
- Have been offered and/or prescribed HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy)
- Ability to give informed consent or assent with parental permission, where required
Exclusion Criteria:
- Infected with HIV but do not require ART
- Started HAART but stopped due to medical reasons, (e.g., change in medication guidelines, toxicity, resistance, etc.)
- Females prescribed/receiving HAART for the purpose of preventing mother-to-child transmission
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00106678
|Study Chair:
|Bret Rudy, MD
|Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
|Responsible Party:
|University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|First Posted:
|March 29, 2005 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|March 1, 2017
|Last Verified:
|February 2016
Antiretroviral therapy (ART)
HIV Infections
Lentivirus Infections
Retroviridae Infections
RNA Virus Infections
Virus Diseases
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes
Immune System Diseases


text: Mat Lalonde Ph.D (aka "The Kraken") is a lecturer at Harvard University who specializes in chemical biology but studies human metabolism, nutritional biochemistry, health and athletic performance… for fun. This is a content-packed show – listen up! Exciting news: The Fat-Burning Man Show has been dominating the iTunes charts lately, hitting top spots in the United […]Learn More


text:
Tsunami trash a long-term hazard
The tsunami that ravaged Tohoku in March 2011 swept some 5 million metric tons of shattered buildings, cars, household goods and other rubble into the sea.
About 3.5 million metric tons, according to official Japanese estimates, sank immediately, leaving some 1.5 million metric tons of plastic, timber, fishing nets, shipping containers, industrial scrap and innumerable other objects to float deeper into the ocean.
Marine experts poring over the disaster say the floating trash adds significantly to the Pacific's already worrying pollution problem.
For many years, and possibly decades, items will be a hazard for shipping, a risk for sea mammals, turtles and birds, a hitchhiking invitation for invasive species and a poorly understood threat to wildlife through plastic microparticles.
"In a single stroke, the tsunami dumped 3,200 times the amount of rubbish that Japan discharges annually into the Pacific," said Robin des Bois, a French environmental group that is studying the problem.
"In plastic alone, the volume is the equivalent to several decades of accumulated waste in the Atlantic and Pacific."
Early last year, the first debris started to wash up on the shores of Oregon, Washington and Alaska and British Columbia.
They were foam and floats that have "high windage," meaning objects that ride high on the waves and are easily pushed by the wind.
They were followed by other items that sometimes spoke poignantly of the disaster on the other side of the ocean.
They included a Harley-Davidson motorcycle in a container, a soccer ball with the owner's name on it, a crewless ship and two massive concrete docks on plastic foam floats.
The docks came from the fishing port of Misawa in Aomori Prefecture, yet washed up in Oregon and Washington eight months apart. One dock was rinsed with bleach as a precaution after it was found to be studded with dozens of foreign species of algae and barnacles.
The docks' odyssey may explain why, contrary to some expectations, there has been no massive landfall of debris.
"NOAA's data suggests that the debris is no longer in a mass or a patch," said Sherry Lippiatt, regional coordinator in California for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's marine debris program.
"Rather, it has spread out across the vast North Pacific Ocean since it was introduced nearly two years ago."
Indeed, exactly where the trash is and how much remains is unclear. Much may have sunk or become waterlogged, and scattering means there are no more clusters to be monitored by plane or satellite.
Sightings by passing vessels or fishermen, along with computer models, suggest the bulk of slower-moving debris is located north and east of Hawaii.
Simon Boxall of Britain's National Oceanographic Centre pointed to a circular current, called a gyre, that loops slowly around the North Pacific.
"It heads across the Pacific towards North America, goes down alongside the California coast and then comes round, taking about six or seven years to get back to Japan," he said.
"Most of the debris will follow the gyre," eventually getting trapped in the center of the vortex in the so-called Pacific Garbage Patch between Hawaii and California, he said. "Some of it could stay for the next 30, 40 years."
Debris in the gyre's northern part tends to split off and head toward the coastline of North America, said Boxall.
It means beach walkers are likely to encounter a disturbing but relentless flow of flotsam for years to come.
"Most of it is pretty harmless," reassured Boxall, adding that any radioactive material from the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant was "obviously" an exception.


text:
By Terry Mattingly
(Copyright) WORLD Magazine
WORLD Magazine, November 2000
The Gen-X blond standing behind the Democratic Party placards gave me a
tired smile election morning as I headed into my polling place a few miles
from the D.C. Beltway.
Vote for the Democratic Party, said the signs.
Not this time, sister.
I smiled back, sort of. It was a sad smile. I'm a Democrat and have been
all my life. That used to be a normal thing for people who grew up in
middle-class Bible Belt homes. But I cast my first vote today for a
Republican candidate for president.
Why? Because Gov. Robert Casey of Pennsylvania is dead and I can't write
in his name anymore, that's why. He's the old-guard Catholic Democrat who
was banned from the 1992 Democratic National Convention floor, the man who
told his party's platform hearings: "The national Democratic Party has
embraced abortion on demand. I believe this position is wrong in principle
and out of the mainstream of our party's historic commitment to protecting
the powerless…. Abortion is the ultimate violence. Abortion on demand
has, in my judgment, contributed significantly to an environment in our
country in which life has become very cheap."
Powerful words, coming just a few years before Columbine High School and
so, so much more.
Writing in the name "Robert Casey" every four years got me through the
1990s. But his battles with a broken heart finally ended.
Right, I am one of them, that tiny circle of culturally conservative,
pro-life Democrats. We hold our meetings in telephone booths. We get
sweaty palms listening to the country-club Republicans and the Religious
Right leaders, even though we agree with the latter on many, but not all,
of the moral issues that keep causing earthquakes in American politics.
Back in the 1980s, we even dared to think that the rise of the new
Southern Democrats held out the promise of our party taking a centrist
position on moral and cultural issues. You remember the new Southern
Democrats, the ones with pro-life or moderately pro-life voting
records—people like Al Gore of Tennessee.
But that's an old story. Let me be candid. I didn't vote for George W.
Bush because I am convinced that he is genuinely pro-life. I have no idea
whether he will, in fact, spend any of his precious political poker chips,
when push comes to shove, to try to stop abortions or to help the women
who are ensnared in crisis pregnancies in a society that mainly wishes
they would go away.
I also think Mr. Bush and Dick Cheney are going to march to a basically
libertarian drum when it comes to other cultural issues. I think they will
be in the middle of the road, watching the polling data, when it comes to
sexuality. They aren't going to stomp on gays and lesbians, even though
there will be howls from the Lifestyle Left if any efforts are made to
withhold the government's blessings from active support of their causes in
the arts, education, and law. I think the Religious Right can prepare to
be disappointed, along with the Lifestyle Left.
And I think Mr. Bush's court appointees will be much like his picks in
Texas—country-club conservatives who come out of the mainstream of
American law schools. They'll probably split 50-50 on the divisive moral
issues, just like the folks selected by Ronald Reagan and George H.W.
So why did I break down and vote for George W. Bush?
Here's why: I am convinced that the biggest issue of the next generation
of American life will be free speech, free speech for people who even want
to have the right to stand up in public and take conservative stands on
issues linked to culture, education, morality, and faith. Free speech for
people who want to protest what they cannot embrace.
I think Mr. Bush will have some political incentive — at the level of
courts and legislation — to at least allow moral and cultural
conservatives the option of making their case in the public square. I
think he will stop the government, for example, from harassing the
homeschool movement. I think there is some chance that he may allow
culturally conservative parents other educational options, such as school
vouchers for the poor. He may even lead some private-sector efforts to
promote educational alternatives. Why? It's in his political interest to
do so.
I think there is some chance that his approach to government cooperation
with faith-based social agencies may allow these groups to retain their
free-speech rights when it comes to doctrine and evangelism. I think he
may allow Baptists and Catholics and Jews and Muslims to receive tax
breaks and to cooperate with some government programs without having to
become Unitarian-Universalists, when it comes to matters of sin and
I'm not sure about this, but I think he will have some political incentive
to allow the painful culture wars to continue in modern America. This only
seems appropriate since—outside of the ranks of the media and academic
elites—this country seems to be divided about 51-49 percent on virtually
any moral or cultural issue that matters.
Free speech is painful, but it beats all the alternatives. Let open
debates and free speech continue.
Perhaps even in the Democratic Party.
Original posted at WORLD Magazine: http://www.worldmag.com/articles/4449.


text:
More About Rank Tracker
In this video, we'll cover some additional features of the Rank Tracker module, including historical data, domain metrics, and exporting.
We'll also discuss some of the frequently-asked questions we get about how Rank Tracker works.
Historical Data
Over time, Rank Tracker stores all the data it gathers about your keywords.
Historical Data
To get a more detailed look at my past ranking and backlink data for any keyword, I can view its historical information using this button on the right side of its row on the screen.
Viewing Historical Ranking Data
As you can see, this window shows a graph of the recent ranking activity for the keyword I chose.
Select Date Range
I can use these dropdown controls up here to select the date range I want to have on display - just choose the start and end dates, and then click the Update button.
You can see the ranking results for each selected search engine, each one graphed in a different color.
Viewing Raw Rank Data Chart
I can also view the raw data in a chart format by clicking the Data button down here.
View Backlinks Data Chart
If I click the Backlinks button (1), the same historical information is available for backlinks to the page or domain for which this keyword is ranking.
To get back to the keyword management screen, I can just click the Hide button down here (2).
Domain Metrics
If I want to track information about my domain, such as how many pages are indexed by the search engines and the overall number of backlinks, I can do this with the Domain Metrics feature.
Viewing Your Domain Metrics
Just click on the "View Domain Metrics" button to switch to the screen.
Domains Start as Un-tracked
As you can see, every domain I've entered into this Campaign is visible here.
Initially, each one is set as un-tracked by default. This is because every domain I track consumes 1 unit of my monthly keyword quota.
Track Domain Metrics
I can just select the domain I want to track, and click "Track Metrics". In most cases I'll get my initial results in a few minutes.
In the future this information will be updated weekly, along with my keyword ranking data.
Retrieve Domain Metrics Data
A few minutes have passed, and I can now view my results - I'll just click the Refresh button here.
Historical Domain Metric Data
And just as with keyword data, I can click this button on the right (1) to bring up historical graphs of my domain metrics.
To return to the Keyword Rankings page, I just click this button here (2).
Exporting Data
Rank Tracker allows me to export data about any of my keywords to a file on my computer. This file can be used for analysis or graphing purposes by other applications, including spreadsheets such as Microsoft Excel.
Export Ranking Data by Keyword
To do this, I just select the keywords I want to export (1) and then come down here and click the "Export" button (2).
Select Filename and Folder
I can select the filename and the folder I want the file to be created in, then click Save.
Data is stored in CSV
The file is stored as a "CSV", which stands for Comma Separated Values. Most spreadsheets and database applications can import this format.
Tracking Domains vs. URLs
Some people ask about the difference between tracking Domains versus URLs in Rank Tracker.
Tracking Domains vs. URLs
If you track a domain, every page on that site will be matched against the search results for every keyword in the campaign. If any of the pages are ranking, they will show up in Rank Tracker.
If you track a URL, only that one page will be checked for matches against the results for your keywords.
Tracking Domains vs. URLs
For most purposes, there's no need to track URLs separately. But if you're tracking the rank of something outside your site, such as a YouTube video, you can enter the URL of that video and only that page will be tracked.
When to Track a Domain
For example, imagine I own a website with several pages set up. I simply enter my domain name in order to automatically track every page on my site against all the keywords in my campaign.
When to Track a URL
Now imagine I've also created a YouTube video which advertises my product. I'll enter the specific link to that video's page as a URL in my campaign, so that I won't have to look at the rankings of any other pages on YouTube.com which may rank for my selected keywords.
Domains vs. URLs
And remember, adding URLs and Domains doesn't consume any additional units of your keyword quota.
Also, remember that since Google considers "site.com" and "www.site.com" to be two different domains, even if they point to the same homepage - so does Rank Tracker.
Click-Thru Results
You may have noticed the little blue arrows next to your rankings. These allow me to bring up a copy of the original search engine results pages which were retrieved on the date my keywords were updated.
Only the most recent set of results is available for viewing.
Viewing Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs)
All I have to do is click the arrow, and a window opens up allowing me to view a copy of the pages. Clicking on the page numbers up here lets me flip through and see the full set of results.
Results May Vary
Just remember that this is only a copy of the pages, as seen by the Rank Tracker data gathering systems - it's not live results, and the links are not clickable.
Also, the results might not be exactly the same as you would see by searching Google in your own browser.
This is because Google personalizes the results, based on your location and your search history, while Market Samurai works to filter out the effects of this personalization in order to give you a more neutral, baseline set of results.
Changing Update Day
You can use the dropdown control in the Campaigns screen to change which day of the week your ranking data is updated.
If you decide to change the update day for your campaigns, you may be informed that your next update day is more than a week in the future.
Weekly Updates
Rank Tracker performs weekly updates, and if you change your update day to a day earlier in the week, it can't update any sooner than usual. Instead, it will schedule its next update for the following week.
Changing Update Day Example
For example, I have my updates set to occur on Thursdays. It's now Monday, and I've decided to adjust my update day to Wednesdays.
When I do this, I see that my next update is now scheduled for 10 days in the future - the Wednesday of the following week.
But after that, I'll get subsequent updates every 7 days just as before.
Editing Campaign Settings
As you may know, you can use the Edit button to change the settings for any Campaign. These include the language and region preferences, as well as which search engines are tracked.
Warnings when Changing Campaign Settings
Some changes you make will trigger a warning that this may affect the display of historical data.
This is because if you change settings such as the region and language preference, data will be gathered using different settings going forward, and it cannot be compared with the stored data from the past.
Example of Changing Settings
As an example, I've been tracking my keywords under the "All Regions" setting, and now I decide to switch to "Australia to get local results from Google.com.au.
Example of Changing Settings
Rank Tracker now warns me that this will affect the display of my historical data.
Because I'll be using different settings with Google now, historical graphs including data from both before and after the change would be misleading.
Hidden Data can be Restored
Because of this, if you change some settings Rank Tracker will hide data gathered in the past to avoid confusion. This can mean that all your past ranking data will appear to vanish.
However, if you switch back to your original settings, you'll see your past data become visible again.
So that's a quick look at some of the additional features available to you in Rank Tracker.
- You can study graphs of your past results,
- export them to a file suitable for use in analytical or reporting software,
- view the original data which was used to generate your ranking results,
- and make changes to your campaign settings.
iTunes ServicesPDF Feed iPhone Feed iPad Feed Apple TV Feed RSS Android Feed
More Rank Tracker Lessons
- How to Upgrade Your Plan
- How to Manage Your Campaigns
- How to Manage Your Keywords
- More About Rank Tracker


text:
Veterans Health Administration
VA Continues Reusable Medical Equipment Notification for Veterans
St. Louis Dental Clinic Notifications
The Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) primary mission is to serve our Nation's Veterans. Our Veterans can be assured that VA remains committed to providing safe, high quality care. VA's high standards for quality and patient safety mandate transparency and accountability in its handling of mistakes or failures.
During the course of a routine inspection of the St. Louis VA Medical Center (VAMC), staff found that certain dental instruments had been cleaned in a way different than that recommended by the manufacturers. Errors made in the proper cleaning of medical equipment are unacceptable. VA is making every effort to contact each and every patient potentially affected to explain the situation and to offer appropriate screenings. Screenings and treatment will be at no cost to those affected.
In the past 18 months, VA has implemented more stringent oversight for reusable medical equipment to ensure a safer environment for patient care. In each case where VA or others discover safety or quality of care issues, VA investigates the incident and the actions of individuals involved, notifies affected Veterans and assures that proper corrective, administrative and disciplinary measures are taken.
VA is committed to keeping processes transparent so Veterans and their families never need question our commitment to their care. The data on this page reflects the most current notifications, testing, and results.
|Numbers of Potentially Affected Patients as of January 25, 2011*
|Number of Patients
|St. Louis
|Potentially Affected (Risk Pool)
|Responded to Disclosure Letter or Called VAMC for Appointment
|Declined Testing or Appointment
|Notified of Test Results
|Total Calls to Toll Free Hotline or Call Center
|*These numbers are based on the most current analysis of test results and notifications as of the date stated above. While every effort is made to provide exact numbers, the nature of medical science may result in shifts of this data as new results are determined.
|Newly Diagnosed and Have Been Notified**
|St. Louis
|Hepatitis B Virus
|Hepatitis C Virus
|**These results are not necessarily linked to any reusable medical equipment issues. VA is performing extensive epidemiological testing to determine the time period and to the extent possible, source of known infections. Regardless of time period or source of known infections, VA will provide all related health care at no cost to infected Veterans. We are continuing to notify individuals and are working with homeless coordinators to reach Veterans with no known home address.
VA's Foremost Concern is the Safety of Patients
VA believes that safety lapses are unacceptable, no matter how small the risk. The St. Louis VAMC provides excellent health care to more than 50,000 Veterans a year, and the dental clinic equipment issue does not reflect the level of care provided by more than 2,600 dedicated staff there.
As part of the Department's commitment to reducing and preventing inadvertent safety risks to patients, personnel at the St. Louis, MO Medical Center have been assigned to ensure that affected Veterans receive prompt testing and appropriate counseling at no cost to the Veteran. VA has learned from past public notifications and has improved testing and reporting processes by including epidemiological studies to determine the age, and to the extent possible, the source of infections. In St. Louis, VA honored the requests of some Veterans who preferred to have their blood work drawn, at VA expense, at a private laboratory of the Veteran's choice. Some of those Veterans may require additional blood work to ensure the required epidemiological testing is done to meet VA standards. VA will personally contact any Veterans in need of additional laboratory work. Again, any additional lab work would be at no cost to the Veteran.
The Department takes pride in its recognition as a leader in the health care industry in developing and nurturing a culture of safety at all its facilities. Patient safety managers at all 153 VA hospitals are leading efforts to reduce and eliminate safety risks. Although the risk of cross contamination and exposure to these infections is statistically low, our policy is to treat all Veterans potentially affected, regardless of risk, regardless of cause and without cost to our Veterans.
We deeply regret that this situation occurred and be assured VA is taking all necessary steps to make certain testing is offered quickly and results are communicated in a timely, compassionate manner. VA understands the responsibility and trust Veterans place in us. Staff across VA are doing everything possible to address this situation and prevent it from occurring again.
News Release: http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1918
Read about VA's national improvements to SPD processes.


text:
Taylor Swift beat-boxes with LL Cool J at Grammy nominations concert.
Lady Antebellum make it through a "Blue Christmas" in the studio.
Hunter Hayes describes his love for music and the things it makes him do.
Gary Allan offers free download with donation for Hurricane Sandy relief.
Mumford & Sons cross over to the country charts with "I Will Wait."


text:
Calendar | Community
| Family & Friends in the Armed Forces
| Milestones
Community Action |
Humane Society | YMCA
Annual Route 66 Garage Sales coming
June 13th
Send a link to a friend
[June 05, 2014]
LINCOLN - Once again this year, the
Lincoln community will participate in the Route 66 Garage Sales.
The dates of the sale will be Friday June 13 through Sunday June 15.
Currently the list of participants include flea markets at the
Lincoln VFW and Postville Park.
A market for "His Hands Outreach" located along 5th street there
will be four yards full of merchandise on sale all weekend long.
The Humane Society of Logan County will hold their annual sale at
the Logan County Fairgrounds. Their event has been moved this year
from the beer tent to the 4-H barn at the south end of the
Lincoln IGA will also be hosting a flea market, and some of the
downtown thrift shops will be participating as well.
Tremont Mobile Home Park will hold a community sale. The park
entrance is at 1500 Tremont Street.
[to top of second column]
Maps will be distributed the week before the sale and during
the sale at VFW Post 1756, Postville Park Flea Market,
participating gas stations, the Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau
of Logan County and local thrift shops.
[Text received; ANDREA DYKMAN]
Back to top


text:
Two of my favourite women writers were published in ABC Religion and Ethics on the same day this week.
Dr Helen Pringle (long time collaborator and contributor to Big Porn Inc) and talented emerging young writer Laura McNally, who I've published here a number of times before. Both are contributors to the new Connor Court title Freedom Fallacy: The limits of liberal feminism' edited by Miranda Kiraly and Meagan Tyler. I had the pleasure of attending the Melbourne launch earlier this week and will run some extracts soon.
Disempowered Men? Tanveer Ahmed and the 'Feminist Lynch Mob'
Dr Helen Pringle
…In Australia, this month, a man claimed that he too had been lynched. On 14 March, The Spectator even supplied a picture of the lynching to accompany the first-person account of the victim. The Spectator cover cartoon shows a man of colour swinging from a branch, complete with "the bulging eyes and the twisted mouth" of the "strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees" lamented by Billie Holiday. The lynched man is surrounded by foul-mouthed women, with burning torches and a pitchfork. Like the inscription on the back of a lynching postcard, The Spectator cartoon comes with a caption, so that we might not mistake its meaning: "Lynch mob-ette: Feminists did me in, says Tanveer Ahmed."
Inside The Spectator, Tanveer Ahmed provides an account of his own lynching…Ahmed presents his account of his execution under the sub-heading, "Despite being a pin-up boy for the White Ribbon movement, I made the mistake of attempting to explain male violence."
Ahmed was an Ambassador for the White Ribbon campaign against violence to women when he published an article in The Australian on 9 February entitled, "Men forgotten in violence debate." The title almost makes it unnecessary to read further to grasp the striking new "argument" being made: that men are "disempowered," with the perpetrators being the same "mob-ette" of radical feminist harpies circling the poplar tree.
Unfortunately, Ahmed's argument in The Australian was by no stretch original – not only was it a tired reiteration of cliches, but those cliches were not even his own cliches, having been lifted in part from the writings of other "disempowered men…
In his Spectator attempt at an apologia, "Lynched by the feminist mob," Ahmed mixes his metaphors with abandon in order to explain his plight:
"I have been considerably disempowered after writing about male disempowerment. Wading into the treacherous, virulent, oestrogen laden waters of modern feminism I have learnt that the gender wars are seen by many as a zero sum game, much like poker or derivatives trading."
As he waded, Ahmed says, he was "treated to an orgy of abuse, threats and complete mis-representation." Nurses at his hospital took him aside to ask him how he was doing, articles and letters were published on the net in support of him, unnamed (because trembling presumably) academics approached him on the sly to share how difficult it is to speak openly about "this issue" and Dr Ahmed was invited to speak at a Toronto conference "all expenses paid." …
The Spectator editorial ("Lynch mob-ette") commiserated with Ahmed's fate at the hands of "an angry, vocal, left-wing group of 'celebrities' within the bosom [sic] of the local [feminist] movement." According to the Spectator editorial writer, Ahmed had been "lynched on social media, to the point of threatening his career" by such "oddities." Ahmed himself writes that he was so cowed by "the totalitarian character of the entire episode" that he packed his white ribbon away and "resumed writing prescriptions for psychoactive drugs" at his psychiatric practice. Hard times indeed.
This rhetorical escalation by Ahmed and the Spectator on his behalf goes beyond absurdity into the realm of the grotesque. Words like "totalitarian" lose all meaning when applied to criticism made of a rather dull kind of "argument" about modern masculinity (a predicament that certainly deserves a complex and thoughtful analysis). The completely inappropriate use of such words reaches beyond this one little corner of right-wing looniness, however, as the increasing use across the political spectrum of terms like "crucifixion" in response to criticism illustrates.
However, there is a particularly egregious wrong-ness in the use of the word "lynching" as a response to criticism. This wrong-ness comes from the freight that the word carries because of its entanglement in a history of sustained racial terror…
For Ahmed and The Spectator now to present his predicament as a lynching, both in words and in a captioned picture, is shameful. In Ahmed's case, there is no "blood on the leaves," there is no "smell of burning flesh," no torture, no execution, no terror. There is only the hum of the Airbus taking off for Toronto, with a successful doctor onboard, "all expenses paid."
But words still have meaning, to which they can be recalled. The history of lynching places on us an ethical injunction to precision in our use of the word. And no man was lynched yesterday. Read full article
Gender Neutrality or Enforcement? 'Safe Schools' isn't as Progressive as it Seems
Laura McNally
…Those who subscribe to queer theory would argue that this simply represents progress. From this perspective, gender is inherently fluid and exists in multiple permutations. Queer theory has now gone mainstream, ushered in from the fringes of the academic world to the core of the childhood education system.
For example, Safe Schools utilises definitions like this: "sex is your physical aspects (i.e. your wibbly wobbly bits) and gender is how you feel in your mind in terms of masculine and feminine." Quite apart from the incorrect description of genitals – one that is advised against by health professionals – the idea that gender is a feeling is highly questionable. In fact, the idea of feminine or masculine thinking has long been disputed in the research.
Other topics to which children will be inducted through Safe Schools materials include the use of plastic surgery and hormone treatments to change gendered appearance, as well as how girls should bind their breasts if they aren't comfortable about them. Not only does this promote dangerous practices, but it also has the potential to normalise body dissatisfaction within an already vulnerable demographic – all in the guise of "progress."
Far from being progressive, such campaigns seem somewhat counter-productive. If gender neutrality really is progress, why the focus on classifying gender? How can such programs neutralise gender and yet simultaneously name, categorise and even medicalise it?
Gender itself is a sociological category, a concept designed to examine broad trends between the sexes. Yet it is now erroneously applied to children who are expected to understand and embody a theory usually only the purview of researchers. Suddenly we must scrutinise, analyse and even pathologise natural child behaviour as "gendered."
While this focus on gender appears to be celebrating diversity, it may actually be doing the opposite.
Many people are indeed diverse and non-conforming, and ending discrimination around difference is worthwhile. But there is no consensus in the research on whether putting children into gender categories is helpful or simply premature and possibly disruptive. Theories about gender are dubious at best. As the Safe Schools program demonstrates, many theories still fall back on the archetypes of "feminine" and "masculine" traits, which have long been discarded in the research.
… Accordingly, 51 gender categories are now prescribed for children to choose from. Facebook has followed suit, offering these 51 gender options to users.
Indoctrinating children into these new "gender" categories is not going to resolve stereotypes. In fact, this may merely create a more exhaustive range of gender classifications within which the stereotypes continue to exist. This is not gender neutrality, but gender enforcement.
This may create more confusion, more anxiety and more pressure for children over an issue that is not their burden to bear. Stereotypes need to be done away with and diversity needs to be accepted. If we truly want to be progressive and neutral about gender, perhaps we would be better off just letting children be children. Read full article
'WE INSIST WHITE RIBBON AUSTRALIA TAKE A REAL STAND AGAINST MALE-VIOLENCE-AGAINST-WOMEN', Real for Women campaigns


text:
The maddening part of it all was, besides that poor Biko was in pain, that the people from the Clinic tried to make us the guilty part. They said, we had told them, that we had some pain killers at home! WTF! - Breath deeply! Who has stuff like that at home?
After calling back and forth, it turned out, that the Doctor on duty was allowed to prescribe some pain killers for her (oh my, thank you very much), so my son drove down there (1 1/2 hour drive one way) in freezing rain, to pick up the pills, which took about a minute, and drive back home, watching accidents left and right, and knowing that Biko was home still crying.
He got back at 2PM, I gave her the pill, and she stopped crying almost immedeatly. By then we were all very distraught, and you could feel the tension subside, after she relaxed and finally snoozed a bit.
Back to Biko: The following pictures where taken last night (Sunday), third day after surgery. We bought her a few new chew toys, and put them in the toy bin. She got them out one by one, and tasted them all. We even got a new Jolly Ball, which she took by the handle and showed it all around, wagging her tail. She's a totally different dog now, that she's not in pain anymore.
She doesn't like for Sam to get too close. She's warning him off, when he's pointing his nose in her direction, but on the other hand, she's always lying down in the room he's in.
So, at this point I only wish that her wound is healing fast and without complications.
Thank you all for your well wishes! They are very much appreciated! :o)


text:
Located on 750 acres with a private lake, Walden is the perfect setting to host a memorable event. Our camp offers the opportunity for learning and skills development along with fun and healthy team-building activities.
Our Walden Leadership Centre offers two types of rental programs. You may choose a full programming option facilitated by Walden staff on site, or you can rent the site and facilities to do your own programming. We're happy to discuss options with you.
Walden is an Ontario Camping Association accredited operation. The OCA accreditation assures we have met or exceeded established standards of safe operation.
Help students transition from elementary to secondary school with fun and challenging activities. Older students are selected by your school and trained by our staff to act as mentors and group leaders, leading the younger students through sports and recreational activities. Our staff work with mentors to lead and supervise trust and team-building activities. Teachers need only act in a supervisory role.
Students enjoy sports and recreational activities, while advancing their art skills. Our well-rounded program allows students to develop leadership and social skills along with their art projects.
We offer your teaching staff the opportunity to develop skills in a natural and renewing atmosphere. We provide a variety of indoor and outdoor facilities for sessions, including effective team-building exercises.
Walden provides training, team-building and leadership programs for your sports team. Rotate between team and trust-building, cooperative, sporting, and recreational activities.
Bring students outside of their regular classrooms to develop the skills they need for success. Together with the Camp Director you can create a schedule that best fits your school, and its students and teachers. Our staff and directors can help facilitate the programs in community development, team-building, personal and group challenges, mentoring and leadership. Walden offers the opportunity to learn through hands-on experiences and to promote healthy, active lifestyles.
With our lake and acres of woodland we provide a full range of boating and other water activities, along with sports, outdoor challenges, and team-building activities that are fun for all ages. Talk to us about your group's needs.
Walden is a fully functional summer camp, offering you a retreat from busy everyday life while also providing comfortable accommodations, excellent food, and the conveniences you need to make your event a success.
Camp Walden has an on-site laundry facility available if your group requires it.
We ask that campers and students to do their part in keeping Camp Walden clean. Time can be included in schedules for cabin clean up and packing. We also encourage our campers and students to preserve the natural beauty of our setting by making sure trash outdoors is put in proper receptacles. Kitchen staff maintain a clean dining hall, but we ask that all campers and students do their share by helping to clear the tables and dispose of waste. We appreciate your efforts in helping us to make sure Walden stays beautiful.
We can provide space and A/V equipment for your use any time during your stay with us. A projector, screens and sound system are available. When booking your event please inform us of your A/V requirements.
Camp Walden has an Arts & Crafts building for your use, along with basic supplies. You are also welcome to bring in any additional art supplies you may require.
Our sports fields and playing courts offer plenty of well-maintained sports equipment for you to use. Staff will be on-site to open sheds and collect any equipment you might need to run your program.
Walden does have limited internet access. The leaders of rental groups will be able to use the internet through our main office and computer lab. We do not have wireless access at camp.
We have talented chefs and kitchen staff on-site to prepare meals and snacks daily. Create your school's specific menu by selecting from a list of options or discuss it with us. Most allergy and dietary considerations can be easily accommodated.
Bussing is arranged to meet your needs. Buses can be scheduled before or after your regular school bus arrival times. We offer the latest school bus model, or coaches with professional drivers.
We believe that the success of any program depends on the staff. The people at the Walden Leadership Centre are all chosen for their enthusiasm and commitment. They're here to motivate and inspire participation in young people and to help create memories for the future.
The Walden Leadership Centre's Director, Sophie Lloyd and its Producer, Amanda Attard, are excited to work with you and to help you realize the full vision you have for your event. Sophie and Amanda take pride in meeting with our clients and designing the experience for our school groups, weddings, corporate and social events as well as conferences and adult summer camps. Sophie and Amanda both have a combined total of 15 years of experience in event production and logistics and are so exited to work with you on your next event at Walden!
Our lifeguards and waterfront staff have their national lifeguard certification and are trained in first aid. As well, the facilitators of activities are fully trained in safety and first aid and CPR. Our staff's priority is for everyone visiting Walden to have the best possible experience.


text:
Well... San Francisco, it's been fun, motivating and challenging. We hope to be back soon and permanently. Now back to LA to finish finding the rest of the support team the Lord has prepared for us.
Leaving The City
Explore The City Day
Today our team got to explore and get to know the city together, and I mean the whole city! Here Josh, Kyle and Matt enjoy a well deserved ice cream at the second best ice cream shop in the city, Bi- rite.
Get to Know The City
There are about 900,000 people living in San Francisco, a 7x7 mile area.
39% of those people were born outside the US. It really is a city with no cultural majority.
It has the second highest homeless population in the US.
1 in 5 males over the age of15 are gay.
20% of the city's population cycles out every year.
SF state mirrors the city's dynamics and less than 2% of the students there are Christian.
We Made It
We are in San Francisco now! We met are team last night and they are amazing! Thanks for you're prayers. Today we will begin some work and planning. Here is a pic from my morning walk.
If you're going to San Francisco
Well we are going to San Francisco but no there are no flowers in our hair. We will be up there for 5 days to meet the rest of our ministry team for the first time and to do some pre- school year prep. Please pray over our time there: That the members of our team will get some good time to connect and bond before the school year. That the Lord would guide our meetings and that we would be hearing from Him and His will for the school year. And that the Lord would refresh us and send us back to LA ready to finish up or support. You guys are great! Stay tuned for updates during the week!
Jesus, Story and Dos Equis: Or What I Learned From A Beer Commercial
Have you ever met anyone who doesn't think Dos Equis "Most Interesting Man in the World" commercials are awesome? You know the one: a bearded Hemmingway-esque man in a suit, sitting at a table in some exotic locale surrounded by beautiful local women. The narrator tells of his character as grainy 8mm video of him cliff diving and bull fighting play in the background, "The police often question him just because they find him interesting", "He's a lover, not a fighter, but he's also a fighter, so don't get any ideas".
The commercials tap into a sense of adventure and story most of us don't experience in our own lives. We may have memories and moments of adventure but not a lifetimes worth. I'm reading a book about story right now and one of the author's main points is that many of us don't live a very good story. We can live a comfortable story without a lot of conflict and pretty one dimensional characters and wonder why life is so boring. I think I mostly agree with his sentiments.
But this idea of living a good story got me thinking of where Jesus fits into the picture. He is after all, the main character of the "greatest story ever told" and the center of our lives as believers. In fact one of the crazy things as Christians is that we get to enter into this ever expanding and seemingly never ending story of God as characters, each with a unique part to play…at least that's what is supposed to happen.
I was reflecting this morning on how 'boring' a life with Jesus can seem and how this perception permeates both the Church and society in the West. Let's be honest; for many people being a Christian means believing in the atonement, being as good as possible with the assurance of heaven in the end. To those on the outside looking in, being a Christian seems to be more closely intertwined with having a couple very strong political views and not getting drunk than it does with being a character in the story of Jesus. It is no wonder then, when people are not interested in talking or even thinking about Jesus. Why should they want Jesus if the story we as Christians are often telling is boring?
Think of Jesus in the Gospels, was he boring? Sure maybe in 21st century America the general consensus is Jesus was a some holier than thou dude who spoke in parables and platitudes about morality and some other stuff and definitely sounds mind numbingly dull but the Jesus of the Gospels isn't anything like that! Do you think the disciples would have left everything so they could sit around listening to some soft-spoken guy telling them to "love the little children" while the big eyed Precious Moments cretins smiled angelically up at him? No way! Jesus was unexpected, he was exciting, he was healing people and casting out demons and arguing with the Pharisees and all the while he was claiming to be the climax of the generations long story of
And yet today the very mention of the name Jesus makes people zone out. It can make me zone out. There are weeks when I don't understand or fully grasp the story I am in, when I forget I am actually in the story of Jesus, that I have an important part to play in the community and relationships around me. Usually those weeks are full of selfish pursuits trying to fill a sense of adventure and purpose I mistakenly think Jesus cannot fill. But then some weeks, some mornings like today I remember just how crazy it is to be a follower of Jesus. To believe that God entered into the world in human form in order to defeat death and evil once and for all, that he suffered and died, that he was fully human and fully God, that he rose from the dead, that one day he is going to return to Earth to fully rid the world of evil and heal all of Creation!? Even if you don't believe it you have to admit it's a pretty compelling story. And that's just the story of Jesus; the rest of the story of God, humanity and the world offered in the Bible is just as compelling, just as mind blowing...but we often forget this…we often think of Jesus as a morality to obey, not an adventure to embark on. What's a better story, a relationship or a set of rules?
Part of me wonders if the reason the Left Behind/Rapture theology is so popular in Western Christianity is because it offers a compelling narrative. We are going to be snatched up into heaven and then all hell is going to break lose on earth? That's some pretty intense adventurous stuff. Don't get me wrong, I think its all nonsense and a total misreading of Scripture but it sure is a good story. And maybe it's because of this many people are so passionate about it. I wonder how many people think of the story of their daily lives walking as a follower of Jesus in today's world in the same passionate way. I wonder how often I do. My guess is if I grasped the enormity of the story I was a part of, following Jesus would be infinitely more compelling and adventurous and wonderful and more alive.