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- 200100Power
- 200100Armor
- 20060Agility
- 200200Luck
Hoot Loop was raised by a guild of magicians
in Skylands' most famous traveling circus. At a young age, he perfected illusions and spells that only the very best of their guild could perform, and even mastered the art of teleportation! Soon enough, he became the star of the show, known far and wide as the Amazing Hoot Loop. However, one day an army of Greebles disguised as clowns invaded, determined to destroy the popular circus. It was then that Hoot Loop gave a performance that few would ever forget. Using his incredible powers, he fought off the invaders and saved the circus - to the raucous applause of the many spectators - including Master Eon, who presented Hoot Loop with an opportunity to learn some real magic as a member of the Skylanders.
- Skylanders SWAP Force
- Skylanders Trap Team
- Skylanders Superchargers
- Imaginators


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Jehovah's Witnesses convention to draw thousands to city
Fifth year convention hosted in Fort Smith
Nearly 4,000 Jehovah's Witnesses are heading to Fort Smith for the Jehovah's Witness Annual District Convention.
This is the fifth year the convention will be held at the Fort Smith Convention Center.
The influx of people is expected to boost the local economy.
"The vast majority are staying here in Fort Smith in the hotels and motels," said Kenneth Rader, the service director. "There are some in that area commute, but by and large, they're staying here in the hotels and motels in this area, and they're here for the duration."
A manager at the Fort Smith Courtyard Marriott said the hotel is booked up for the weekend. She said has happened every year the convention has been hosted in Fort Smith.
In past years, the convention was held in larger cities, like Little Rock and Tulsa.
Organizers said they find Fort Smith a hospitable location for the convention.
"We really like the venue here in Fort Smith," said Rader. "This is centrally located for many of Jehovah's Witnesses in Western Arkansas."
Rader said delegates from as far north and Springdale and as far south a Roland will be traveling to Fort Smith for the convention.
The convention starts on Friday and continues through the weekend, wrapping up on Sunday.
Nearly 500 volunteers spent Thursday morning cleaning, setting up chairs and getting ready for the convention.
Organizers said it takes about a year to plan the annual convention.
"Jehovah's Witnesses hold annual conventions each year," said Rader. "There's almost 8 million Jehovah's Witnesses around the world. These conventions are attended by about 15 million."
Rader said the convention is open the public. Doors open at 8 a.m. on Friday.

subset: commoncrawl


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Rob Moore needed a new other design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 20 designs submitted by 7 freelance designers.
Brochure needed for a tradeshow. Size: 8-1/2" x 11". Full-color, both sides.
Custom Flash Tutorials and Presentations
Desired Color Scheme:
see website: http://www.demowolf.com
Accepted File Formats:
Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and/or PDF
See http://www.demowolf.com for logo and colors. Feel free to use other colors than just whats on the website. Full color both sides, although probably less color on the back (but I'll leave that up to your design). The brochure is for http://www.demowolf.com (DemoWolf). I am open to ideas for content and design. Use your design creativity!! The goal is to describe the products and services we offer.
Looking for something flashy, catchy, but professional looking.
Here are direct links to our logo file, and files that were used to create our letterhead and business cards:
http://www.demowolf.com/DemoWolf.ai (wolf image)
http://www.demowolf.com/DemoWolf_500dpi.psd (our logo)
http://www.demowolf.com/DemoWolf_Letterhead.psd (our letterhead)
http://www.demowolf.com/DemoWolf_Bu…_Front.psd (our business card)
http://www.demowolf.com/DemoWolf_Bu…d_Back.psd (back of business card)
Don't feel you HAVE to use all these files (although we do want our logo used).


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Join our summer-long Venice Biennale Coverage!
The 55th Venice Biennale is a microcosm of the global art scene. Running June 1st - November 24th, La Biennale, as it is known, has been the international stage for contemporary art since 1895. National pavilions and special projects that range through artistic disciplines as diverse as architecture, dance and cinema ensure that Venice is the art world's destination this summer.
Our Special Editions are looked to by collectors and art professionals to get the lowdown on the most important fairs and art gatherings around the world.
Check out our latest:
Special Edition: Venice Biennale #1
Our La Biennale Special Edition
There's no better way to get your work seen by the right people.
Email Sunny today to reserve your spot!
Purchase of a Special Edition advertisement includes:
- Placement in our Special Edition that reaches over 60,000 subscribers
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- Three ad designs created by our in-house designers to best represent your work or venue to the world
Choose from two sizes:
300x300 px - $175
The website will be permanently closed shortly, so please retrieve any content you wish to save.


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God's Account
Italian merchants' accounts of the late 14th century often con-tained a special account for the allotment of a portion of the profits for charity. Francesco di Marco Datini's ledger contained such an account in which he recorded his gifts, both in money and in goods to "Christ's Poor." The account was called "God's Account" ("il conto di Messer Domeneddio").
"In some companies, such as that of the Peruzzi, a special pro-portion of the original capital was assigned, at the company's foun-dation, to charity. And in the books of the Compagnia dei Bardi the accounts of 'the share of Messer Domeneddio' were kept in precise-ly the same manner as those of 'the share of Messer Ridolfo', or any other member sharing in the general profits and losses. At the end of the year, when dividends were paid, God's account received an amount equivalent to two shares."
Origo, Iris, The Merchant of Prato: Francesco Di Marco Datini, Penguin Books, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1963, p. 67.


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Cutting Edge MRI Technology
Little Company of Mary offers the cutting-edge 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. The system is the quietest MRI on the market to the extent that there is no ear protection necessary for maximum patient comfort.
The 1.5T MRI delivers high-speed, high-resolution imaging that produces accurate and reliable results with unmatched image quality. The new system design features superior coil technology that allows clinicians to perform multiple exams without repositioning the patient.
In comparison to other higher magnetic resonance machines, the patient friendly 1.5T offers significant advantages including wide frame opening and larger cabin space. The magnet is housed in a comfortable, relaxing environment designed to minimize patient anxiety.
"Residents in the Southwest Chicago area have access to an MRI system with state-of-the-art technology that is designed with exceptional patient care and comfort in mind," said Dr. Irving L. Fuld, Medical Director of Little Company of Mary Diagnostic Imaging Services. "This type of MRI not only decreases imaging time, which is a great benefit to patients, but its imaging quality is second-to-none."
Dr. Fuld adds that the MRI capabilities include non-contrast MRA technique, a method of non-invasive angiography that images the arterial and/or venous system without contrast injection. This is especially useful for patients with decreased renal function because of direct side effects caused by contrast injections. The system also offers sophisticated breast imaging and guidance for breast biopsy.
Little Company of Mary Hospital and Health Care Center's Diagnostic Imaging Department is led by Radiology Imaging Specialists, Ltd., a team of eight board certified radiologists- headed by Irving Fuld, M.D. Dr. Fuld is one of "Chicago Magazine's" best-rated doctors. Patients interested in having their next MRI conducted at Little Company of Mary Hospital should have their doctor call 708.229.6600.


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Taxpayers Deserve Better from the President
President Obama's estimated $17 billion budget cuts for fiscal year 2010 amounts to a measly .5 percent of the president's total proposed spending, and 1.5 percent of the president's proposed deficit for the coming fiscal year. His offerings to cut the budget should be dismissed as unserious. In fact, this is reminiscent of the Bush administration's annual list of minuscule proposed cuts in the face of profligate spending and mounting federal debt.
President Obama says his efforts "are just the next phase of a larger and longer effort needed to change how Washington does business and put our fiscal house in order." Promising more spending and more debt while celebrating relatively insignificant cuts and ignoring the looming entitlement crunch represents businesses as usual, not change. Current and future taxpayers deserved a serious proposal to reduce the government's burden on their wallets and the struggling economy. Instead, the president's first budget represents an attempt to shove the government's hand deeper into the American peoples' pockets and lives.
The president made several questionable statements in his address earlier today. He promised "long overdue investments" in education. But federal spending on education has already increased dramatically with no positive results. He spoke of "undertaking health care reform so that we can control costs while boosting coverage and quality" and "investing in renewable sources of energy." Yet we know any type of reform will mean higher taxes, government rationing, and slower economic growth.


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With over 100 years here in Woodhaven, the outstanding work done by St. Thomas has paid dividends many times over.
The parents, teachers and students at St. Thomas have found a fun and healthy way to raise funds in an effort to give other children an opportunity to attend their school. The 2014 Volleyball Challenge will be held at Monsignor Mulz Hall, 88-08 Jamaica Avenue, on Saturday, May 17. The fun begins at 11 a.m.
There will be four games of volleyball starting with a match between 7th and 8th grade students. Then, a team of parents will face off against a team of teachers. A consolation match between the two losing squads will follow before the grand finale: a match between the two winning teams.
The students are very excited about this event and have been training hard. Salma Sallah, one of the team captains, says that her team is "very athletic" and likes their chances of winning. Of the teachers and the parents she was reluctant to pick sides, but did think that the teachers might have the home-court advantage.
Sallah is excited about this event and says that it promotes "leadership, athleticism and teamwork."
The students, parents and teachers hope to raise money to fund scholarships for future students to attend the school.
"St. Thomas believes in offering scholarships so more children have an opportunity to attend and benefit from what the school has to offer," says Dee Santana, event coordinator for St. Thomas the Apostle School.
Last year, the Woodhaven Cultural & Historical Society was honored to work with the students of St. Thomas on a film entitled "Woodhaven: Diverse Backgrounds United in One History." Indeed, the students of St. Thomas are a vibrant mix of cultures and faiths, and we should all support any efforts to make this wonderful educational opportunity available to even more children.
In addition to funding scholarships, the students hope to raise funds for new front doors for the 88th Street entrance to the school, which has long been on the wish list of parents and teachers alike.
Tickets can be purchased at the door on the day of the event and cost $5 per person and $8 per family (up to 8 people). There will be music and food and raffles - all in all, a great bargain and a fun community event for a good cause.
In addition to buying tickets, you can also support their efforts by becoming a sponsor. Already, Modell's, Sports Authority, and Trader Joe's are on board and Poland Spring is supplying water for the event.
There are four levels of sponsorship available – Bronze ($25), Silver ($50), Gold ($75) and Platinum ($100 and up). "All sponsor names will appear on any printed material at the event," Santana said. "We're also making some large banners to post up at the event and their names will appear on them."
In addition to your name appearing on material, you will be acknowledged by the DJ, who will be entertaining the crowd with music throughout the event. It's a great way to get your business or organization some valued recognition within the community, while helping the students achieve their goal at the same time. If interested in becoming a sponsor, please call Dee Santana at (917) 597-3928.
We hope you'll come out to see who wins the Volleyball Challenge and to help the students help other youngsters within our community have the chance at a quality education.


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September 06, 2011
By: Andrea Deckert
Source: Rochester Business Journal
Ground was broken Thursday at the Moser Baer Technologies Inc. facility in Canandaigua, a move expected to add nearly 60 local jobs.
Moser Baer plans to renovate a 9,400-square-foot portion of the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering's Smart System Technology and Commercialization Center of Excellence, formerly called the Intofonics Technology Center. Moser Baer plans to use the space to produce organic light-emitting diode lighting panels.
After construction is completed in January, Moser Baer has a long-term growth plan to expand and create an additional 150 jobs at the facility.
"Today, we're flipping on the OLED lights and creating 60 new high-tech manufacturing jobs right here in Canandaigua," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., in a statement.
Schumer also announced his new effort to have the Department of Defense establish a $30 million secure chip-fabrication facility at the center, in conjunction with the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering in Albany.


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What began as an idle suggestion by me on Kiwiblog and a quick mockup by Whale Oil has now become a real billboard for the Free Speech Coalition.
It went up this afternoon in Auckland and, weather permitting, Wellington.
Stay tuned for the Tauranga special 🙂
The bottom line, if you can't read it, says 'Authorised as demanded by LabourFirst's and the Greens' outrageous assault on free speech by David Farrar of the Free Speech Coalition…"


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If you have any questions, concerns, comments or suggestions - please don't hesitate to get in touch, we would LOVE to hear from you!
The Very Best Qualatex 5 Inch Pastel Pearl Tone Pearl Pale Blue Opaque Latex Balloons x100 Per Bag. 100% Natural, Biodegradable Latex.
This product was added to our catalog on Tuesday 23 February, 2016.
Pattern (1)
Add Your Tags:
Use spaces to separate tags. Use single quotes (') for phrases.


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Anderson, Henry Hill "Harry" Jr. - 2014 Hall of Fame
Henry Hill
"Harry" Anderson, Jr.
"We must not waver from our determination to offer youth an alternative to our plastic world…"
June 2, 1921 —
Birthplace: New York, New York
Silent Giant
Henry H. Anderson, Jr. has been yachting's predominant international statesman for more than 60 years. At the age of 15, he went on his first Bermuda Race. At 17, he watched his family's friend, Mike Vanderbilt, win the last America's Cup held in the J-Class. In 1958, Anderson was involved in renewing the Cup in 12 Metres. As a representative of the New York Yacht Club, he hosted President and Mrs. Eisenhower on the America's Cup race course. For more than 20 years, he was an America's Cup race official. (In 2013, at age 92, Anderson would twitch his moustache at the Cup multihull event going on in San Francisco). There is nary a noteworthy body of water upon which Anderson has not competed or officiated, a smart waterfront tavern where he has not raised a glass. Presidents and royals take his calls. Communicator, problem solver, philanthropist, and fun-loving friend, sailors – from hall of famers and CEOs to captains -- know him as Harry.
Anderson experienced the Great Depression of the early 1930s as a pre-teen, survived World War II as field artillery captain, was instrumental in introducing the Finn and Raven classes to the United States, and witnessed the initial loss of the America's Cup in 1983, although it was after his watch as Commodore of the New York Yacht Club. Anderson has always seen sailing as education, and has tirelessly supported and promoted it, whether as US Sailing director, college sailing advocate, Congressional Cup judge, or advisor to a wide range of sailing organizations. Anderson chaired US Sailing's Appeals Committee for 25 years. He has been flag officer of nine different yacht clubs.
Anderson's philanthropies include the Ransom Everglades School in Florida, his alma mater, where he is a trustee for life. His name appears on the school's gymnasium and sailing center. He has long been involved as a champion of Yale (class of '42) and University of Rhode Island sailing programs, having donated several fleets of boats, raised funds for sailing facilities, and as an advisor.
A longtime resident of Newport, Rhode Island, Commodore Anderson has sat on the boards of Tall Ships Newport (ASTA), Seamen's Church Institute, the U.S. Naval War College, the Rhode Island Marine Archeology Project, and the Foundation for the Preservation of Captain Cook's Ships.
- Roger Vaughan
Links of Interest:
Biography of Henry H. Anderson - Mystic Seaport Museum
Henry H. Anderson Papers (Coll. 341) - Collection at the Mystic Seaport Museum
"Harry Anderson, Sailing Icon" - June 29, 2010 Sailing World
Newport Harbor Guide - May 2013 dedication to Commodore Henry H. Anderson, Jr.
"Put Variety in Your Courses" - Gary Jobson article in June 2, 2010 Sailing World
Link to book - The Strenuous Life of Harry Anderson - by Roger Vaughan
Sailtraining.org Henry H. Anderson, Jr. Sail Training Scholarship
Ransom Everglades School Harry Anderson '38 Watersports Center


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Retirees: Ramage Publishes Three Books in First Year
The recently retired Dana Professor of the Humanities and Arts starts retirement with a flurry of full-length publications.
It has been a busy first year of "retirement" for art historian Nancy Ramage, the Charles A. Dana Professor of the Humanities and Arts (recently granted emerita status) at the College, with three books coming out in four months. The Cone Sisters of Baltimore (Northwestern University Press, 2008), cowritten by Ramage and her late mother, who was also an art history professor, is a biographical sketch of Etta and Claribel Cone (grand-aunts of Hirschland), who amassed a world-renowned art collection in the early 20th century that included works by Cézanne, Dégas, Gauguin, Manet, and Seurat; these works can now be seen at the Baltimore Museum of Art.
Ramage's two other recently published books concern ancient Rome: The British Museum Concise Introduction to Ancient Rome (British Museum Press/University of Michigan Press, 2008); Roman Art, 5th Edition (Prentice Hall, due out in September 2008), a 192-page book with 170 full-color and black-and-white illustrations covering society, politics, and culture, as well as the legacy of the era; and the updated fifth edition of the volume Roman Art, a widely used textbook Ramage coauthored with her husband, Andrew Ramage, a Cornell University professor emeritus of art history.


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A mistake. An accidental wrong. I was immediately aware of my fault. My conscience rapidly alerted me and once it did, I repented. Then, I felt a sadness and shame. Quickly in my heart the Lord told me not to stay in that place emotionally. I needed to get up from there. I had just listened to a vision, The_Final_Quest_01, by Rick Joyner where he describes how the hordes of hell attempt to ride the backs of Christians. When the Christian doubts fear, shame, or any other mental attack of the enemy, a vulture comes and vomits condemnation on him so that he thinks it is conviction. Well at that moment I saw exactly what he meant. Ephesians 6:10-18 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts, of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your … [Read more...]
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Time To Fight
June 11, 2011 By In Faith 6 Comments
Filed Under: The Final Quest, Using My Weapons Of God, Walking In Faith Tagged With: accident, condemnation, conscience, demons, faith, flee, hope love, hords, mistake, resist, shame, sheild, sorrow, sword, trust, vomit, weapons, word


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This Ferrari F430 was destroyed beyond recognition this past week on a coastal highway outside of Athens, Greece and the unbelievable post crash wreckage is almost hard to believe.
According to witnesses a combination of excessive speed and rain slicked roads in the town of Vouliagmeni resulted in the F430 leaving the road and hitting a tree in the median strip at a high rate of speed Tuesday afternoon.
Amazingly the male driver—believed to be wealthy ship owner I. Leontidis by GTspirit.com—and his passenger survived the crash. Although both were injured, their luck prevailed as shortly after they were both extracted from the Ferrari the car set what was left of itself on fire.
A local news outlet, Vimaonline, captured this video showing what is left of the F430 after the crash and subsequent fire. As you can see, there certainly isn't much of the Ferrari to remove from the road or to suggest that both of the lucky occupants of the supercar escaped with their lives.


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Peeling Apples With a Drill Is Just So Rad
Peeling apples doesn't exactly seem like something that can be cool, which makes this even more amazing.
These workers at a restaurant got fed up peeling apples the old-fashioned way, so they came up with a brand new method, using a drill.
It's faster, more efficient and, well, just plain cool.


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Move over Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton and Charlie Sheen — the New York Congressional delegation is making a run to be the sex scandal kings of the decade.
From Rep. Anthony Weiner (D) to former Reps. Chris Lee (R) and Eric Massa (D), Empire State politicians are baring all and bringing their own version of "Sex and the City" to D.C.
Weiner joined the hall of shame Monday, admitting to sending "inappropriate" photos to at least six women who were not his wife.
Asked about the string of New York sex scandals, local political consultant Curtis Ellis immediately evoked the Rolling Stones.
"This is a sex drive city, baby," he laughed. "I think people are getting de-sensitized to a certain degree. They see this as entertainment value, on the other hand, they say, 'Who gives a damn, if the person's doing a good job?'"
While sex scandals are hardly an exclusive New York problem, the state has certainly had more than its share of public officials caught in compromising positions.
Since 1960, dozens of New York politicians have been the focus of various and sundry scandals involving everything from sex with minors to marijuana possession to charges of corruption. But during the past three years, there has been a marked uptick in scandal-plagued politicians from the state, with six lawmakers caught in sexual peccadilloes. That doesn't include Rep. Charlie Rangel's (D) ethics woes that have stretched over several years and resulted in official censure in December.
Media consultants largely blame the intense media scrutiny and cutthroat politics for the increasing number of storylines more akin to reality shows like Bravo's "Real Housewives of New York City."
"The trend line shows that it's a hotbed of scandal at the state and federal level," said Ron Bonjean, a former GOP leadership staffer.
But Bonjean, now at Singer Bonjean Strategies, doesn't think there is more promiscuous behavior in the state causing the rash of salacious stories. "Because of the large population, the large concentration of lawmakers coinciding with an enormous media, you have the possibility for a lot more scrutiny," he said.
That close examination can have real-world ramifications, with resignations causing political parties to lose seats, or the distraction thwarting a politician's chances at running for another public office.
New York's most recent scandal-tarred son, Weiner, 46, was widely expected to run for mayor of New York City. However, Weiner's ongoing imbroglio involving suggestive photos of himself sans clothing has cast doubt on his potential viability for that office.
Local coverage, particularly in the New York Post, has been intense and merciless.
After originally insisting that his Twitter account had been hacked, the New York Democrat confessed Monday that he sent several lewd photos over the Internet to six women during the past three years, saying he had done "a regrettable thing."
While it's unclear how "Weinergate" will play out, so far the lawmaker has said he will not resign.
Weiner is just the latest New Yorker to face potential ramifications for getting caught with his pants down.
For Lee, who had been a rising GOP star, it was a case of getting caught with his shirt off. The married Republican sent a shirtless photo from the waist up to a woman he'd met online.
Lee resigned hours after the photos became public, and his disgraceful exit served as comic fodder for politicians on the trail during the special election to replace him in the 26th district. (Now-Rep. Kathy Hochul won that election, handing the Democrats another seat in one of the state's most conservative districts.)
During the campaign, third-party candidate Jack Davis reduced the Lee incident to little more than a running joke.
"Jack would always joke that, 'I promise I'll work hard and I won't take my shirt off,'" said Ellis, who served as Davis' campaign manager.
Other scandals haven't been so funny. Another upstate lawmaker, Massa, who became known as "Rep. Tickle," resigned in March 2010 after it became public that he had used inappropriate language directed at staff and also allegedly groped a male staffer.
Former Rep. Vito Fossella (R) opted against running for re-election in May 2008 after it was exposed that he had a child out of wedlock with a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel.
It's not only Congressional New Yorkers who have faced scrutiny over their sexual conquests. Former Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) resigned in 2008 after having sex with a prostitute. After taking office, his replacement, David Paterson (D), also copped to having had extramarital affairs and using drugs.
And New York has a long history of lawmakers facing charges of corruption. Former Rep. Fred Richmond (D) is an infamous example. Richmond faced charges in 1978 for soliciting sex from a 16-year-old boy, and he later resigned his seat as part of a plea agreement for getting caught with marijuana and for making an illegal payment to a government employee.
Still, getting caught in a scandal is not necessarily a career-ender. Former Rep. Adam Clayton Powell Jr., who was expelled from the House after using official funds to pay for personal travel, was re-elected in the special election that had been set to replace him.
Powell famously asked his supporters to "Keep the faith, baby," a motto that was later used as the title of a TV movie about his life.
Perhaps Weiner may want to keep Powell's slogan in mind.
Steve Peoples contributed to this report.


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On the eve of the release of Django Unchained, Ian Sandwell charts the global performance of Quentin Tarantino's most recent films.
The blood may flow consistently in a Quentin Tarantino film, but the dollars do not always follow. Indeed, 2009's Inglourious Basterds marked the first time a Tarantino film had crossed $200m at the international box office and the first time since 1994's Pulp Fiction that the director had managed to register more than $100m in North America.
Inspired by Sergio Corbucci's 1966 spaghetti western Django, Django Unchained is Tarantino's eighth feature and stars Jamie Foxx as the titular slave who is hired by German bounty hunter Dr King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) to eliminate a ruthless gang of killers called the Brittle Brothers. In return, Schultz promises to free Django from slavery and help rescue his wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) from plantation owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio).
Django Unchained is released by The Weinstein Company on Dec 25 in the US, with its international release handled by Sony Pictures Entertainment in the early months of next year, to capitalise on any awards buzz.
Inglourious Basterds, which had a Cannes launch, followed a similar release pattern and went on to gross $321.5m globally. Waltz scooped the best supporting actor Oscar in 2010.
But predicting Django's box-office trajectory is tricky as Tarantino's performances have been a series of peaks and troughs. Following Pulp Fiction's $213.9m global haul, 1997's Jackie Brown saw a decline to just over $70m globally. After a six-year gap, the first part of Tarantino's hotly anticipated two-part revenge saga Kill Bill slashed its way to $180.9m worldwide. Yet the same audience didn't turn out for Kill Bill: Vol. 2, which dipped to $152.2m. There was an even steeper decline for the director's ambitious Grindhouse project with Robert Rodriguez, which grossed just over $50m globally in 2007.
It is a similar pattern when just domestic returns are taken into account, although it is worth noting that Kill Bill: Vol. 2 was within $4m of Vol. 1's tally and even opened higher than Vol. 1.
Adult-oriented fare in the Christmas period can do well. David Fincher's violent action thriller The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo grossed more than $100m following its Dec 21 release in the US last year.
Global appeal
Internationally, the CIS is one of the first major territories to open Django Unchained on Jan 3. Yet the market didn't respond particularly well to Inglourious Basterds, with a $6m return, and provided a similar amount for the two Kill Bill films combined.
Greater success could come from Django Unchained's releases in Western Europe, where it is unleashed in France, Germany, Italy and the UK during the same weekend (Jan 16-18), before opening in Spain the following week (Jan 25).
The UK was the biggest international market for Kill Bill, with returns of $21m for Vol. 1 and $16.9m for Vol. 2. Inglourious Basterds grossed a solid $16.4m. France and Germany were bigger for Tarantino's Second World War-set epic, with tallies of $23.6m and $25m, respectively.
Italy and Spain regularly deliver healthy numbers for a Tarantino film. Inglourious Basterds grossed $13.4m in Italy, while Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 took a combined $13.6m. Basterds grossed $15m in Spain, while Kill Bill took a combined tally of just over $10m.
Kill Bill saw strong returns in Japan, perhaps unsurprisingly given the heavy Asian cinema influence on the first film in particular. Vol. 1 scored $20m, the second highest international territory for the film, and while grosses dropped by half for Vol. 2 to $8.5m, it was still the third biggest international tally for the second film.
Django Unchained will benefit from the track record of Leonardo DiCaprio and Jamie Foxx. DiCaprio is on a sterling run at the worldwide box office (albeit one brought to a shuddering halt by J. Edgar's $79m global gross). Inception took a huge $825.5m worldwide, including more than $290m domestically, while Shutter Island overcame mixed reviews to amass $294.8m globally.
Jamie Foxx helped to propel 2004's Ray to more than $100m globally, the same year his double-header with Tom Cruise, Collateral, shot to $217.8m worldwide. And while Waltz has mainly stuck to supporting roles since his Oscar-winning turn in Inglourious Basterds, Water For Elephants, The Green Hornet and The Three Musketeers all saw global returns of more than $100m.


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Multi-Pulse Automates Precise Clinical Procedures Such as Trophectoderm Biopsy
BEVERLY, MA and TORONTO, ON--(Marketwire - May 2, 2012) - Hamilton Thorne Ltd. (
The Multi-Pulse feature provides rapid, repeated firing of the laser to facilitate removal of cells from an embryo during the trophectoderm biopsy process. Trophectoderm biopsy is considered one of the best methods used to remove cells from the embryos of patients undergoing pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to screen for genetic disease or aneuploidy. Prior to release of the Multi-pulse software, individual laser shots were required to weaken or break the junctions between the trophectoderm cells so that they can be aspirated into the biopsy micropipette. The significant advantage of Multi-Pulse is that one press of the remote footswitch initiates multiple laser pulses in rapid succession for fast and easy cell separation, thereby limiting the amount of time the embryo spends outside the incubator.
"The Multi-Pulse software gives our lasers an automated, precise tool that enables rapid trophectoderm biopsy," said Diarmaid Douglas-Hamilton, Chief Technology Officer of Hamilton Thorne Ltd. "Obtaining FDA clearance is a significant achievement for Hamilton Thorne, and with Multi-Pulse coming standard on our LYKOS™ laser system, we can offer a sophisticated laser system that is truly unique to the clinical market."
Professor Barry Behr, Co-Director, REI/IVF Program, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Stanford University School of Medicine, a long-time user of Hamilton Thorne lasers and a pioneer in trophectoderm biopsy, commented, "The Multi-Pulse capability, which provides the user with the ability to automatically fire the laser multiple times at relatively low power, will contribute significantly to the efficiency and safety of trophectoderm biopsy."
David Wolf, Hamilton Thorne's President and Chief Executive Officer, added, "We saw our sales of clinical lasers significantly grow in the US in 2010 and 2011, due in part to the increased adoption of trophectoderm biopsy as an accepted procedure. With the clearance of our Multi-Pulse software, we expect to see that trend continue to accelerate."
About Hamilton Thorne Ltd. (www.hamiltonthorne.com)
Hamilton Thorne designs, manufactures and distributes precision laser devices and advanced imaging systems for the fertility, stem cell and development biology research markets. It provides novel solutions for Life Science that reduce cost, increase productivity, improve results and enable research breakthroughs in regenerative medicine, stem cell research and fertility markets. Hamilton Thorne's laser products attach to standard inverted microscopes and operate as robotic micro-surgeons, enabling a wide array of scientific applications and IVF procedures. Its imaging systems improve outcomes in human IVF clinics and animal breeding facilities and provide high-end toxicology analyses.
Hamilton Thorne's growing customer base includes pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, fertility clinics, university research centers, and other commercial and academic research establishments worldwide. Current customers include world-leading research labs such as Harvard, MIT, Yale, McGill, DuPont, Monsanto, Charles River Labs, Jackson Labs, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, and Oxford and Cambridge.
Neither the Toronto Venture Exchange, nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the exchange), accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Certain information in this press release may contain forward-looking statements. This information is based on current expectations that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to the Company. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in filings by the Company with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com.
Contact Information:
For more information, please contact:
David Wolf
President and CEO
Hamilton Thorne Ltd.
Lisa Rivero
Director of Corporate Communications
Hamilton Thorne Ltd.


text:
(Reuters) - Molson Coors Brewing Co (TAP.N) said on Tuesday it will launch Coors Light Iced Tea and other new products, as the beer company fights to win a greater share of the struggling beer market.
Molson executives said during a meeting with analysts that the new products should help spur sales so the company can put less reliance on cost-cutting to drive its profit. It also seeks to make beer more attractive to people who have moved on to wine or cocktails.
"Someone else is eating our lunch in the alcohol space," Molson Coors Chief Executive Peter Swinburn said at the meeting, which was broadcast over the Internet.
Coors Light Iced Tea will go on sale first in Canada, where consumers are interested in flavored beers and other refreshing drinks, Molson executives said. They did not, however, rule out an expansion into the United States.
Other new products include Carling Zest, a limited-time-only beer with citrus flavors and an autumn-inspired Leinenkugels beer.
Molson Coors, which is aggressively pursuing the market for craft beers through its Tenth and Blake unit, said its new craft beer Batch 19, is performing better than it expected. With additional roll-outs planned for April, the new beer should be available in over 40 U.S. markets by fall, the company said.
Molson, whose core brands include Molson Canadian, Coors Light and Blue Moon, said it will spend more this year on marketing, given its new products.
Molson shares closed down $1.29, or 3 percent, at $42.04 on the New York Stock Exchange. The Dow Jones Industrial average index .DJI closed down 1.6 percent.
Unlike its larger rivals Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABI.BR) and SABMiller SAB.L, which have large businesses in developing and emerging markets, Molson's sales are concentrated in the mature markets of Canada, Britain and the United States.
But the company said on Tuesday it wants to accelerate growth in developing markets. It will also focus on China, Russia, India and Ukraine, and on the beers Coors Light, Carling and Cobra.
At present, Molson's international division accounts for about 3 percent of its worldwide volume, but the company said its goal is for that unit to become a "significant contributor" to sales volume and profit growth by 2015.
Last month, Molson reported fourth-quarter profit that blew past Wall Street estimates, as price increases, cost savings and an extra selling week helped offset weak sales volume.
Reporting By Martinne Geller in New York; Editing by Bernard Orr


text:
Halloween is here and so should a nice collection of tutorials for all you novice artists out there like the kids that visit us here at Dragoart.com. Today I will be bringing you some fun and exciting lessons that will have you itching to get started. To begin, let's learn "how to draw a spiderweb for kids", step by step. The hardest thing about this web when you go to replicate it in your own unique way, is drawing the first spiderweb lines. Because of this you may want to use a ruler if you have a shaky hand. There is only four drawing steps, so you know making a spiderweb of your own is going to be simple. Anyways, That's about it. I want to get my last lesson uploaded before I call it a night. So stay tuned in to see what it will be next. Peace out people!
DragoArt members upload artwork and drawing tutorials! They are also allowed to leave comments on tutorials, profiles, etc. Many more features, as well; it's way better than just being a boring guest! Register Now!


text:
photo provided courtesy of affairsofliving.com
This dish appeared at my Thanksgiving family feast this year, and was a big hit. It satisfied two things that are an absolute must at any of my family's holiday get-togethers: cheese and cranberry sauce.
I'm from Wisconsin. Cheese makes an appearance at every family meal. And we're not talking fancy little wedges of imported stuff or raw milk cheese from small cheesemakers. No sir, we're talking classic Wisco favorites like multiple tubs Merkts cheese spread and slices of cheddar, colby, or pepper jack hacked from big blocks of the stuff. There is always cheese. And crackers. And summer sausage.
And as for the cranberry sauce? Well, each of my grandmothers make different yet equally delicious cranberry dishes that always seem to be there. Grandma Smith makes a raw cranberry relish that is to die for, a simple combination of raw cranberries, sugar, and orange juice. Grandma Christensen makes a cranberry mold that is spiked with Coca-Cola. And I, for some reason, always succumbed to my strange fascination with the canned jellied variety that lines the grocery store shelves every holiday season. I would insist on having a can of that on the table as well, and I would meticulously slice it following the can ridges. Thus, we would have three varieties of cranberry per meal. Crazy.
Nostalgic for cheese and cranberry sauce, I needed to come up with an adequate substitute that my mom and I could actually eat. My mom is now avoiding sugar, gluten, dairy, and a few other allergens as well. Go mom!
You could choose to serve these two together, as I did, or not, whatever your preference. I enjoyed the combination of the two; the sweet-tart sauce played well with the rich and creamy "cheese", and it looks beautiful. The cheese is soft, reminiscent of the texture of a fresh chevre, with lemon for tartness and miso for a bit of that yeasty "cheesy" quality. This stuff is perfect to spread on gluten-free crackers or celery sticks. The cranberry sauce is totally amazing, sweet and tart and completely guilt-free. You will have plenty of cranberry sauce leftover, certainly enough to serve over some turkey or on its own.
Both were bit hits with everyone at the Thanksgiving party, and my grandparents even asked for some of the leftovers. When it passes the grandparent test, it has to be good, right?
Cashew Pumpkin Seed Cheese ingredients
1 cup raw chopped cashews
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup cooked white beans, drained and rinsed
juice of 1 medium lemon
1 Tbsp South River chickpea miso (soy free)
1 Tbsp water, if needed
- Soak the cashews and pumpkin seeds for 4-8 hours in 4 cups of water. Drain and rinse well.
- Place in a food processor or a Vitamix (I used the latter) with remaining ingredients and process until totally smooth, scraping sides as needed. Mixture will be thick, so it may take a bit of patience to get everything nice and smooth. Add water as necessary, only adding enough so mixture can blend – too much will make your cheese runny.
- Line a bowl with plastic wrap. Scoop cheese into lined bowl, cover bowl with remaining wrap on edges, and chill for 2-4 hours. Cheese will still be soft, but should maintain its form.
- When ready to serve, peel back wrap on top, and flip out onto a plate. Unpeel plastic wrap, smooth as necessary, and serve. If desired, cover with Apple-Cranberry Sauce (recipe below), lemon zest, and a sprinkle of chopped cashew nuts or pumpkin seed.
- HINT: for variations, try adding fresh herbs, sauteed garlic, caramelized onion, or sundried tomatoes. You could also sprinkle chopped parsley, nuts, seeds, or spices in the lined bowl before spooning in the cheese mixture. Make it your own!
Apple-Cranberry Sauce ingredients
Sweet, tart, and brightly flavored, this sauce is delicious cold or warm, and is perfect over the "cheese", stuffing, turkey, or spread on gluten-free muffins. Due to the natural pectin in the apples, the sauce thickens considerably once chilled, and becomes almost as thick as canned whole berry cranberry sauce! This sauce has a special twist: rooibos tea! It adds a lovely subtle flavor that blends well with the sweet apples and tart berries.
2 medium tart organic apples (I used Honeycrisp)
2 cups fresh or frozen whole cranberries
2 Tbsp maple syrup (or agave nectar, brown rice syrup, or other liquid sweetener) – if on a strict anti-candida diet, omit and use more stevia liquid
6 drops plain stevia liquid, to taste (use more if omitting maple syrup)
1/2 cup double-strong brewed rooibos tea
- Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Core apples and chop finely. Place in a small oven-proof dish with cranberries and tea, cover, and bake until totally soft, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven.
- Lightly blend with an immersion blender until partially pureed, leaving some chunks for texture.
- Add maple syrup and stevia to taste.
- Serve warm or chilled. Sauce thickens considerably once chilled.
makes about 1 1/2 cup "cheese", 2 cups cranberry sauce
recipe courtesy affairsofliving.com


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Bar Keepers Friend
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- On metal, porcelain, plastic and fiberglass, the surface should be wet before applying Bar Keepers Friend powder cleanser.
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- Bar Keepers Friend is recommended for use on porcelain cooktops, stainless steel, copper, brass, chrome, fiberglass, glass, laminated and nonporus countertops, cement, ceramic tile, grout and imitation marble.
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Shipping Information
UPS can deliver most in-stock items within 3–5 business days. UPS is unable to deliver to P.O. boxes.
Shipping Rates
The shipping rate varies depending on your order total and shipping destination. View Shipping Options and Charges.
Next Day Delivery
For an additional charge of $26 per address, we can expedite delivery to most destinations. This service is not available for some oversize items, items shipped directly from the supplier (including perishable and custom-manufactured items), out-of-stock items and items to be shipped outside the contiguous 48 states.
Orders received by 9:00 p.m. ET Monday through Thursday will arrive the next business day; orders placed Friday through Sunday will arrive on the following Tuesday.
Return Policy
At Williams Sonoma, we take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our products. Attention to design, materials, safety and construction are our priority. Upon receipt, please inspect your purchase and notify us of any damage; we will arrange for a prompt replacement.
If within 30 days, you are dissatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase for a refund of the merchandise value. An original receipt or gift receipt is required for all returns and exchanges. Returns with a gift receipt will be refunded in the form of a Merchandise Credit for the amount indicated on the gift receipt. Returns with original receipt will be refunded in the original form of payment, cash and check refunds over $100 will be issued as a company check (may take 14 business days from time of request).
For all cutlery returns (knife sets, single knives, cutting boards, knife sharpeners and knife storage), please contact us at 888.922.4108 to initiate the return.
We cannot accept returns on monogrammed, personalized, special-order items, custom upholstery, food, items shipped direct from the vendor or on items damaged through normal wear and tear. Final sale items ending in .97 or .99 cannot be returned.
Made to Order and Final Sale Furniture items are non-returnable and cannot be cancelled once the order is placed.
For returns of items purchased from your Williams Sonoma Gift Registry, we will gladly provide a refund or exchange for the merchandise within 90 days of your event or within 90 days of purchase, whichever date is later. View Full Returns Policy.
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text:
Family law encompasses such issues
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to Select a Divorce Lawyer
Selecting a divorce lawyer to handle your family law case is a
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Any divorce lawyer you consider should have substantial experience
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lawyer will know the tendencies of the various judges in your jurisdiction
and should be able to use this knowledge to your advantage. Additionally,
that lawyer should practice primarily in the field of divorce law.
Often people will hire a lawyer who practices primarily in some
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is a very specialized field that requires particular skills and
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conclusion. (click
here to continue)
and Legal Fees
It is difficult to determine how much a divorce will cost. However,
after reviewing the likely issues, your method for resolving those
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in a divorce, however, is no easy task. Many of the factors contributing
to legal costs are outside of your lawyers control. The personality
and philosophy of your spouses attorney can affect the ultimate
path that your divorce takes. Additionally, the ability of the parties
to cooperate and communicate may also have a significant impact.
here to continue)
to Save Money with Your Attorney and Get Better Results
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access our Divorce Survival Tools and Helpful Divorce Resources
enter your area code and click on the appropriate button below.
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text: To what extent do the wiles of computer algorithms influence our worldview? If social media flattens our political discourse, how can citizens in a democracy engage in dialogue? "Echo chambers," "filter bubbles"—whatever we call them, we know that Google, Facebook, and Twitter mediate our consumption of the news. Media scholar Siva Vaidhyanathan comes to CHF for a probing discussion of the complex role technology and social media play in shaping our beliefs—and to offer some positive solutions.


text:
Congratulations! Your client just called to inform you that you are one of the low bidders, and they would like you to come in for an interview. It looks like all your long, stress-filled days, late nights and working weekends paid off with a possible winner.
This is great news, but the bidding game isn't over. It's just getting started, and you must make your next play carefully. You must nail this interview; it requires serious preparation and a solid game plan.
Prepare the team
The most important element you can provide is knowledge of your estimate. Even though you estimated the job, you may or may not be invited to join the boss, project manager or sales team who will most likely attend and lead the team. Then again, you may be the only one attending. When meeting clients, much depends on your level of experience, presentation skills and confidence.
Regardless, this is not the time for a bruised ego. You must help prepare the team members (even if the team is just one person) by informing them as much as you can about the project. The more details and in-depth information you can provide about what you covered (and especially what you didn't) the better. Don't hide anything. They absolutely must know where your estimate is short, what you missed and how much it is worth.
So if you know you left something out or are heavy on something, isolate these areas of your takeoff, and produce individual cost breakouts for them. By giving your team this information, you will help members accurately answer the client's questions. They will know where they really stand when and if they get a chance to negotiate—especially if they are asked to lower your initial bid pricing.
What should you bring to the table? Less is more, but, walking into a bid review meeting empty-handed will not leave a positive first impression. Still, I don't recommend bringing huge sets of plans. Only bring those that really matter—e.g., the main electrical floor plans, risers, site plan—what's important to make your case.
Bring your copies of the bid form, important specs, your notes and any special pricing breakouts you have prepared. Bring any "pretty" marked-up drawings or, even better, CAD layouts. Nothing impresses clients more than showing you were deep into their project. You will also show them you are savvy with computer estimating and design.
Did you include what we didn't show?
You likely will be asked "Did you include this (insert missing scope here)?" Be careful with quick responses, as your answer could be the deciding factor on whether or not you are awarded the contract. An instant, enthusiastic, "Yes, I did!" might mean giving away $10,000 you didn't have in your bid. Or it may only be $2,000. Perhaps this is a trivial amount compared to the overall contract. But why give away anything, especially if you don't have to?
Perhaps an honest "No" or "I'd like the opportunity to get back to you on this" will take you further into the negotiation process. This is where your premeeting preparation and costing will pay off.
My personal preference is to always tell the truth. Honesty may or may not be your boss's preferred strategy. He may want to draw the question into deeper conversation about the design of the scope and how it could be value--engineered to accommodate the customer's needs. So, again, you need to coordinate, develop a strategy and get your stories straight.
How much do you really know?
Impress upon your clients (and their client, too) how much you understand what their building is about, what its function is and how it is put together. Assure them they will be choosing a company that has thoroughly studied the project, the entire plan set, and all of the specs and is fully aware of the schedule. The more you convince them you didn't just throw a bunch of numbers into a hat and pull out a rabbit, the better the chances that they will want you on their team.
Honesty, integrity, solid facts and knowledge will give you the win more times than lying and faking it. Unfortunately, no matter how well you do, the low bidder might still get the job. Such is life, such is the construction industry.
If you are not selected, don't walk away defeated and discouraged. Chances are you impressed someone who, on the next bid, will be looking at your number a lot more closely and considering it a lot more—even if it is high.
SHOOK has been estimating for more than 23 years. Until recently, he operated a fully staffed estimating company, TakeOff 16 Inc. He is currently focusing on writing, teaching and speaking about electrical estimating. Read his blog at stanshook.blogspot.com or contact him directly at firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Ebook publisher Ella Publishing has announced that they will be closing down on February 1st. The company was co-founded in 2009 by former Simple Scrapbooks staff members Angie Lucas and Lain Ehmann, before being sold in 2012 to Big Picture Classes (which was co-founded by Simple Scrapbooks founding editor Stacy Julian). Ehmann left the company in early 2010 and was replaced by Wendy Smedley. Big Picture Classes was sold to Studio Calico in 2014, and as an apparent result of that transition, the Ella Publishing brand is being discontinued.
The Ella website will disappear on February 1st, and has already ceased sale of the brand's publications. Ella's products are still available for sale through the Big Picture Classes website. until January 31st.Continue Reading →


text:
The Junior Board Volunteer Committee extends the services of the Catholic Charities through works of mercy, kindness and compassion to the needy. Volunteers share the gift of time and self-giving so that the spirit of others may be uplifted.
The Volunteer Committee channels the talents of Junior Board Members to effectively serve the Catholic Charities and their need for volunteers, while also increasing committee membership and expanding the volunteer opportunities available.
All volunteer projects of the Junior Board are run through the Volunteer Committee. Each program has designated Project Leaders, or Co-Chairs, who will sit as members of the Volunteer Committee and stay in regular contact with the Volunteer Committee Co-Chairs. Members of the Volunteer Committee will ensure that an accurate accounting of volunteer involvement is forwarded to the Director of the Junior Board – Carlos Rinconeno. New projects will be added as needed with appropriate leadership assigned.


text:
Alca stared at the screen in front of him his curly fingers bent slowly as they hammered away on the keyboard in a slow but determined fashion.
"Call this poetry will you?" he breathed out to himself with his raspy voice echoing out of his throat.
"If you think that you can get away with defiling Yui-chans literature section then you're dead wrong!"
His crusty lips formed a slight smile as he slowly licked his lips while thinking back to his days in university and poetry studies. Where he had learned everything about poetry from Fyodor Dostoyevsky to Maya Angelou.
"This will teach those no good trolls not to bring their FILTH into MY and YUI-CHANS litterature section!" he announced to himself in glee while he repeatedly hit the f5 button to refresh the page in anticipation of the fools reply.
end of chapter one.
I tried to write better this time! please dont lock it this time!
Chapter two will come soon!


text:
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The morning Alliance Defending Freedom was launched, Dr. Bill Bright told a story about a little boy who was lost in a wheat field. The townspeople frantically searched for the boy, but they couldn't find him. Finally, one of the searchers suggested that they all hold hands and walk together across the field. They found the boy, but sadly, not in time to save his life. One of the searchers lamented, "If we had only linked arms sooner..."
Dr. Bright compared the town's story to the Christian community.
The gathered Christian leaders—more than 30 founders of ADF—recognized that Christians, like the town, needed to unite in order to defend religious freedom before it was too late.
And so, Alliance Defending Freedom was launched on January 31, 1994 to ensure that religious freedom did not share the same fate as the boy in the field.
With that launch, the Christian community gained growing awareness that the threats to its freedom were multiplying. The legal system, which was built on a moral and Christian foundation, had been steadily moving against religious liberty, the sanctity of human life, freedom of speech, and marriage and family. And very few Christians were showing up in court to put up a fight.
By funding cases, training attorneys, and successfully advocating for freedom in court, Alliance Defending Freedom changed that.Alliance Defending Freedom exists to keep the doors open for the Gospel by advocating for religious liberty, the sanctity of human life, freedom of speech, and marriage and family.
It is not enough to just win cases; we must change the culture, and the strategy of Alliance Defending Freedom ensures lasting victory.
To learn more about what we are doing, visit our key issues: religious freedom, sanctity of life, and marriage and family.
Alliance Defending Freedom is transforming the legal system and influencing the culture by building a strong alliance of professionals through several world-class training programs. Whether you are an attorney, law student, pastor, college student, or a supporter of our work, Alliance Defending Freedom has a program uniquely designed to equip you to make an impact.
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Religious freedom has suffered due to the high cost of litigation. Alliance Defending Freedom has provided thousands of allies with critical funding for precedent-setting cases to ensure that the defense of religious freedom is well funded.
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But we can't fund these critical cases without your support.
Your support will allow ADF to continue defending religious freedom.
When Alan Sears was approached to lead ADF, he wanted to make sure of one thing: Alliance Defending Freedom would be committed to winning. And within only a few short weeks of its launch, ADF was funding a case at the U.S. Supreme Court and captured the first victory of many for religious freedom. True to this commitment . . . Alliance Defending Freedom is dedicated to victory.
Winning nearly 80% of all cases.
Playing a role in 56 victories at the United States Supreme Court.
Advocating in hundreds of international legal matters affecting religious freedom.
Across the United States, Christians are being punished for living by their convictions. As current or former clients of Alliance Defending Freedom, the individuals in this video have experienced this firsthand. Join us as we defend these clients and protect their freedom to live consistent with their faith.
Alliance Defending Freedom was created to win, and our success has affirmed religious freedom around the world. We've also trained thousands of attorneys and students who are making an impact.
Take a look at our most significant accomplishments:
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Talks @ Pulitzer: Bangladesh Factory Workers - Rights and Reforms
A year after the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh, garment factories are being inspected. But even the well-lit ones with workers paid above minimum wage still have problems, including a lack of emergency exits. This is the kind of violation that should shut down a factory until fixed, except that in Bangladesh today, inspectors have no enforcement authority: they merely make recommendations. Pulitzer Center grantees Jason Motlagh and Ken Weiss are joined by Sajeda Amin, senior associa
A Celebration of Don Rubin on His 70th Birthday, Part Two
Lectures from "A Celebration of Don Rubin on His 70th Birthday", held on Saturday afternoon, March 29, 2014 at Harvard University. Part Two. For more information, visit http://www.stat.harvard.edu/DonRubin70/.
Intrinsic motivations and trust: finding wisdom within -- Sandra Waddock | IECO - RCC
Sandra Waddock, PhD (Carroll School of Management, Boston College), shares a vision where wisdom is presented as a way of cooperating to the higher good of society taking into account the true, the moral and the aesthetic.
NSC 1406: Contemporary Biology
Chris Parker
Concepts of Biology is intended for the introductory biology course for non-science majors taught at most two- and four-year colleges. The scope, sequence, and level of the program are designed […]
Causes of Inflation in Various Countries and Regions
OpenStax College
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Nicole Dubilier at the 2014 DOE JGI Genomics of Energy & Environment Meeting
By: JGI Nicole Dubilier, Max Planck Institute, at the 9th Annual Genomics of Energy & Environment Meeting on March 19, 2014 in Walnut Creek, Calif.
Itai Sharon at the 2014 DOE JGI Genomics of Energy & Environment Meeting
By: JGI Itai Sharon, UC Berkeley, at the 9th Annual Genomics of Energy & Environment Meeting on March 20, 2014 in Walnut Creek, Calif.
Virtual Maths - 2D Shapes, triangle
Interactive simulation demonstrating calculation of area of a triangle
Hiding from the Holocaust (Jane Marks)
Upon Reflection host Marcia Alvar welcomes Jane Marks, author of "The Hidden Children: The Secret Survivors of the Holocaust." In this 1993 video from the University of Washington, Marks illuminates the lesser-known story of Jewish children who managed to escape and hide from Nazi terror and why these stories have reached the public so slowly.
Engaging students, engaging industry and engaging enterprise
This reflective case study and poster relates to a specific event staged by students and examines the phases and critical points within the whole process. It identifies some key learning outcomes for all involved
District of Literature Festival - Afternoon Session
A day-long celebration reflecting DC's literary past, present, and future (afternoon session). Speakers included Sarah Browning, Regie Cabico, Melissa Tuckey and Dan Vera. For transcript, captions, and more information, visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=6262
Enhancing graduate inter-cultural capability and embedding Internationalisation of the Curriculum at
From implicit to explicit: Enhancing graduate inter-cultural capability and embedding IoC at Griffith Universlty, Australia. Professor Michelle Barker of Griffith University, Brisbane Australia and Dr Viv Caruana of CAPRI, Leeds Met University UK discuss recent work in embedding internationalisation of the curriculum across the full range of disciplines and programmes of study at Griffith. Professor Barker also shares insights from a recent ALTC-funded project focused on intercultural or cross-
JFK Profile in Courage Award - Paul W. Bridges (2014)
In 2011, Paul W. Bridges, then the mayor of Uvalda, Georgia, joined a federal lawsuit filed by the ACLU to stop the implementation of H.B. 87, a law aimed at driving illegal immigrants out of Georgia. As written, H.B. 87 authorized police to demand "papers" demonstrating immigration status during traffic stops, and criminalized Georgians who knowingly interact with undocumented individuals, among other measures. Bridges, a Republican who was elected mayor in 2009, was the only politician to jo
Voedingsmiddelen en voedingsstoffen : Toets - NW voor jou 1: Ontdekeditie Dit leermiddel bevat een evaluatie met drie vraagvormen en een aanvullende correctiesleutel.
Dit leermiddel bevat een evaluatie met drie vraagvormen en een aanvullende correctiesleutel.
Projectes en xarxa. Mirades pedagògiques. Voltem pel món. Mirada de l'alumnat
Durada: 1 min. Vídeo. Departament d'Ensenyament (Generalitat de Catalunya).
Alumnes de l'aula d'acollida de l'escola Beethoven de Santa Coloma de Gramenet ens expliquen les seves vivències en el projecte VPM.
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Description not set
Supporting learning in practice - Health and safety concerns
Supporting learning in practice - Health and safety concerns


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RE: Chapter 37 Round Hill Academy, Union Mills, NC: "I attended the school in 1948 for one year, and have fond memories their. Today my wife and I are professional entertainers, we are, The Mellon Tones, we would love to hear from anyone from that year. Luke Moore, email, firstname.lastname@example.com Comment from Patricia Phillips on Unforgettable Love Story June 29, 2015 Seeks Reader Response
I was looking into my Dula side of my fathers family,his name was William Otis Dula the 3rd his mothers name was Mary Bryant / Dula In and around catawba and caldwell counties and my mother was Mable Worley /Dula was wondering if by any chance we could be related to any of the Dula's in your story.I was born in Hickory,NC.I was named Patircia Novella Dula at birth.
Hi, Georgia! Thank you for posting this. I am a descendant of the John Bradley who died in 1778. I have been trying for years to learn more about him. Would it be possible for me to get in touch with Austin Sherman or anyone else that you may know who has researched him? Thanks!
New information from Dennis Yancey of the Nanney Clan who maintains the Nanney Family Archives page at:http://yanceyfamilygenealogy.org/nanney_archives.htm
The Nanney Clan Reunion is held the 3rd Sunday in August of each year. Round Hill Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, Hudlow Road, Union Mills, NC 28167.
I have a McDowell County fictional short story, "Strong Enough," in Malice Domestic's convention anthology: MYSTERY MOST HISTORICAL. It is available on Amazon.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES 2016 includes my speculative short story "The Mountain Top," about an elderly couple living in a log cabin in the foothills of North Carolina. Retirement is not for the timid especially if the economy collapses and your neighbors are hungry and mean. Originally published in 2015 in FISH OR CUT BAIT anthology. Both available on Amazon.
Released December 2015: Short story anthology Mystery Times 2015 with "Wheels of Fortune," my short story about a nursing home cosmos. Available on Amazon.
My historical mystery is now offered in print and ebook! Look for the anthology History and Mystery Oh My! And the story "Dead Man Hanging." A survivor of the Little Big Horn solves a hotel murder during the historic North Carolina flood of 1916.
My story "Remember Me?" tells of a frightening turn of events at a high school reunion. It is published by Mozark Press with the other stories in That Mysterious Woman. Now Available at Amazon.
Check out short stories at Bethlehem Writers Roundtable. I have one about wolf-dogs in the 2014 Jul/Aug issue, "Pickin' Banjo," and my critique mate Paula Benson has a SF story, "Apple Lure."
The main character in "Dear Courtney" is trapped in a marriage that is less than perfect. The short story is included in the anthology Mystery TImes Ten 2013 on sale on Amazon and at Buddhapuss Ink.
My short spooky tale "The Blue Ridge Wreath" is included in anthology #8 at the Stupefying Stories website. http://stupefyingstoriesshowcase.com
Check out: McDowell County NCGenweb site
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Story Construction
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Tag Archives: Robert Dysart
Episode 15: Cornelius Dysart: Fifth or Not?
Back in Dysartsville Episode 6 James Dysart of Dysartsville, I quoted a source Burke County Heritage, Vol 1, page 163. This article was written by Nell James Elmore quoting information reported by three historians in addition to the records of … Continue reading


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Haystack Situation Looking Worse And Worse: Why Did The State Dept. Endorse This Mess?
from the this-isn't-looking-good deptA couple weeks ago, we noted that there were increasingly serious questions being asked about Haystack, the high profile app that was being championed in the press for supposedly helping Iranian dissidents use the internet to communicate safely. While Haystack's founder, Austin Heap, responded to the accusations by calling it "brain dead journalism," it's increasingly looking like the real brain dead journalism was in the original stories. The deeper people looked at Haystack the worse it has looked, and various experts have ripped the program to shreds, noting massive security holes in the software which likely placed users at risk.
"The more I have learned about the system, the worse it has gotten," Appelbaum said. "Even if they turn Haystack off, if people try to use it, it still presents a risk.... It would be possible for an adversary to specifically pinpoint individual users of Haystack."Giving the increasing levels of criticism, Heap has announced that the program has been shut down, but others have noted that, not only is it still available, but people are using it without Heap realizing it -- which could be quite dangerous if people think it's safe. The more you read, the more this project sounds like pure hype from the beginning and a total mess in reality. Just take the following resignation letter from the program's chief developer who, according to Wired, had recently taken a "hiatus" over questions about the way the program was being developed and pushed:
I would like to stress that I am not resigning in shame over the much-maligned test program. It is as bad as Appelbaum makes it out to be. But I maintain that it was a diagnostic tool never intended for dissemination, never mind hype. I did have a solid, reasonable design, and described it in our brief overture of transparency. _That_ is what Haystack would have been. It would have worked!The whole thing is a complete mess, and it sounds like a situation where some folks were more interested in getting press attention for a very early prototype, which they then pretended was a complete and legitimate product. If you're making a random blogging tool or some web 2.0 service, that's fine. When you're trying to make something that people will rely on so that their government doesn't lock them up and throw away the key, it's not.
What I am resigning over is the inability of my organization to operate effectively, maturely, and responsibly. We have been disgraced. I am resigning over dismissing pointed criticism as nonsense. I am resigning over hype trumping security. I am resigning over being misled, and over others being misled in my name.
There is, of course, plenty of blame to go around here, for the lack of more detailed scrutiny from the press and others, but the really stunning part, of course, is that the US State Department specifically endorsed this product. As Evgeny Morozov notes in his blog post (first link above), that's the true head scratcher:
Just to make it clear: Haystack is not at fault here; the State Department -- I am not so sure. Austin Heap can make whatever statements he likes; the government, however, is supposed to treat such statements with due skepticism and think through the political implications of their endorsement of any technologies. All this fast-tracking stuff would surely reflect bad on the State Department if after an independent security review it does turn out that Haystack has severe security flaws, which its testers -- or other Iranian uses -- may not have been aware of.
And why did Clinton choose to speak about Haystack and not say Tor or any other tool? Also, not very clear. Were the diplomats charmed by all the buzz around Haystack in the media? Possibly. That said, it would be very good to know whether the State Department did ANY analysis/testing of Haystack's claimed capabilities, thought through how well it could scale in Iran, and whether they may be hurting its users in Iran -- current and future ones -- by lining up behind them. Were these questions asked and answered?


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Will the 2010 election be 2006 all over again? 1994? 1946? Whether races are classified as "Likely," "Lean," or "Toss-up," the pros have lots of ways of hedging their bets, Congressional seat to Congressional seat.
Yet that doesn't mean you can't figure out what the electoral landscape will probably look like, based simply off of the predictors' recent history. I'll kick this discussion off with a 2006 article published in the Wall Street Journal:
For the House, the 1994 Cook Report listed 82 Democratic seats as competitive — more than double the 35 vulnerable Republican seats it sees today. Many of those 1994 districts were in the conservative South and had been redrawn to Republicans' advantage after the 1990 census — "low-lying fruit," in Mr. Fazio's words, and "the biggest single reason" in Mr. Paxon's view that Republicans were able to seize Congress.
Whether "competitive" includes seats that are considered "Likely Democrat" is unclear, but in terms of predicting who would control the House simply based on this track record, it wouldn't matter: the result would be the same.
Let's assume two separate 2010 scenerios: one that includes "Toss ups," "Leans Democrat," and seats already likely to go to the GOP, and another scenerio that also includes "Likely Democrat" in the mix. Let's also assume that Cook's success rate will be close to either his 1994 or 2006 predictions, keeping in mind Republicans need a net gain of 40 to capture the House.
This is what we get:
- 1994: Net 54 Republican gains with 82 competitive Democrat seats (66%)
- 2006: Net 31 Democrat gains with 35 competitive Republican seats (89%)
- Toss up and Lean, 2010: Net 40 (66%) or Net 53 (89%) of 60 competitive Democrat seats
- Toss up, Lean, and Likely, 2010: Net 63 (66%) or Net 85 (89%) of 95 competitive Democrat seats
The lowest end says the GOP barely takes the gavel in 2011. The highest end says the GOP takes the gavel… with a 91 seat majority. Let's just say the latter outcome seems highly unlikely.
I bring up the Cook numbers not because they're pure political Gospel, but because I think that it's a lot easier to figure out how the GOP can get to 218 in the House than a lot of people let on. Could the GOP get 40 seats as Cook's 1994 success rate suggest? Yes. Should "Toss-ups" really be understood as 50/50 races? History suggests they should not.
So let's crunch some numbers.
I've aggregated what I believe are the latest predictions from The Cook Report, Sabato's Crystal Ball, Congressional Quarterly, and the Swing State Project. I've assigned numbers to each of the races they've rated and added an enthusiasm multiplier, which I'll explain later. The scale is straightforward: Toss-ups are rated "0", Leans rated "1", Likelies rated "2", and Solids rated "3." Negative numbers mean, based on these four sources, a likely GOP seat takeover; positive numbers suggest better prospects for Democrats. Then, I took the average. As I've said in a prior similar posting, I'm no pro at this, but I think there's a compelling argument to be made. Easy as 1-2-3. Or, rather, 80-60-40-20-10.
And so begins the raw data dump, sorted by my "enthusiasm multiplier" number. Don't worry; a breakdown follows right after the chart:
And now, the breakdown. I've color-coded the seats to reflect what appears to be the consensus surrounding each House race. The "multiplier" is the Cook PVI assigned a numerical value, -3 to 3, which I'm using to simulate enhanced base turnout. (It affects the ordering only fractionally, but I think it reflects the real prospects of the coming election.) I'll also note that the enthusiasm multiplier works against Democrats in Republican districts, but for Democrats in Democrat districts; whether enthusiasm is reflected evenly across the electorate remains to be seen, but insofar as it affects my ratings, it helps as much as it hurts Democrats, and perhaps helps too much.
I'll lay each section out, in order, and leave to you the commenters as to whether the scenario I'm sketching out — a scenario I think is a pretty conservative one — makes a Republican House takeover seem likely. I think it does.
First, the most vulnerable Democratic seats
What becomes apparent in this first, most GOP-favorable grouping is that no seat is favored for Democrats, and many of the seats are currently "Open." The reason? The former occupants generally believed they were toast if they stuck around, with a notable exception in Sestak. Note, too, what I've written in the last row: I think the GOP can win at least 80% of these seats. If they do, that'll add 16 seats to their ranks.
Let's move on.
This list includes all the seats that are considered less than, or including, "Leaning Democrat." Fewer "Open" seats, but lots in Republican districts. Could Republicans take 60% of these? You be the judge. It'd net them 15 more, with any extras gravy. So far, we're up to 31 seats.
The magic number is 40.
This is probably the key set if you're a donor. Chet Davis won his district two years ago with just 53% of the vote. Ike Skelton is in for the race of his life. If the GOP can nab 5 of these 13 seats, they'd be on track to take the House; if they grabbed just a few more, it's likely that races in the 60% and 80% categories are going even better for Republicans than I've set out here. This is likely the Democrats' firewall. At this point, we're 58 seats in.
By my count, we're at 36 seats.
If the Republicans had to run against Heath Shuler 15 times, do you think they could win 20% of the time? If so, add 3. We're at 39.
Upsets, anyone? If you think David Obey and Russ Carnahan are at least somewhat vulnerable, you may believe 10% of the Democrats similarly situated will lose their jobs in November. Two of these 24 leans to likely Democratic seats, and you're at 41.
So what I'm saying is that of the 97 seats that are competitive enough to be worthy of mention by the prognosticators, I think that Republicans can win at least 41 of those seats (42%,) and probably more. There are a couple of seats that could flip on the Republican side, too, namely the Cao, Kirk, and Castle seats, so the GOP will probably have to offset those somehow.
That said, things are looking good for the GOP, as it's pretty likely they'll take the House this year. Frankly, dozen seat buffer is well within the realm of possibility.
Your thoughts? Is there someone on this list that you think is more or less vulnerable? Someone not on the list that should be? And seeing this list, what would be your strategy for donating to candidates if you were going to spread around your dollars? Comments welcome, dare I say requested.
Update: Wondering if your representative is on one of these lists? Hold CTRL-F to initiate the search function in your browser and just type the congressperson's name or district in the dialog box (i.e., MO-3, VA-5, etc.)
Cross-posted at Repurblican and Capitol Tea
This post was promoted from GreenRoom to HotAir.com.
To see the comments on the original post, look here.


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Main Street Station


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[UPDATE: This contest is closed, but a new cigar giveaway contest is now open here!]
Even though I made a point of saying I wouldn't last week, somehow I still left home on Saturday without my camera. So I have no proof of the things I'm about to say. You'll just have to take my word for it.
On Saturday I smoked the Oliva Serie V Double Robusto (5 x 54) with Jose Oliva. I'm tempted to lie and say he flew in to Atlanta specifically to thank me for my favorable review on CigarBeat, but even I don't have delusions of grandeur that large. The truth is that was in town for the final Serie V event before RTDA at Tobacco World here in the Atlanta area. And let me tell you, the event was awesome. Probably the liveliest cigar event I've been to yet.
Jose Oliva brought with him an entire entourage of Oliva representatives from around the south as well a catering crew serving up hot pasta. (Oh the irony! To quote myself in my Serie V review: "This is not a post-pasta cigar!" 🙂 But oddly, it did go nicely with the cannolis.) And of course there was a generous helping of store regulars there, happy to help Mr. Oliva burn through that box of free double robustos. The air was thick and hazy with the rich Serie V smoke and there was a lively game of dominoes at a packed table in one corner.
I found myself spending a lot of time talking with the Florida Oliva Rep Burt. The guy is quite a character, and has been with the Olivas since the beginning. He's been such a part of the Oliva's success that Jose said of him "he is more Oliva than I am", and he proudly sports a Rolex that was part of his lifetime achievement award. Burt is the definition of a proud company man, and a skilled salesman. Without even trying, he talked me into picking up a couple Oliva 2006 Master Blends and a couple Padron 1964's for cigar versus cigar comparison. (I'll admit, I'm not a very hard sell when it comes to cigars.) So I walked away happy with a fistful of cigars, a Serie V buzz and a lighter wallet.
So after this event and my great experience at the recent CAO event, I've decided to make a point to attend more cigar events in the future. (Including RTDA!) But the question is, how do you find out about cigar events in your area? Sure, you can sign up for email updates from your local tobacconist, but that won't keep you in the know on what's happening down the road at another shop! And not all the cigar manufacturers' websites include event information. (So manufacturers don't even have websites!)
Have no fear, I have the answer for you: Cigar Cyclopedia. This website is a gold mine of useful cigar information. And one of the largest gleaming nuggets is their U.S. Cigar Promotions and Special Events Calendar, which is conveniently broken down by state and in chronological order. (A big thanks to the guys at Dog Watch Social Club for mentioning this in one of their recent shows.)
"That's great, Brian. But what about this free cigar you mention in the title?" You ask. Wouldn't it be funny if I never got to that? No? OK. Here's the deal. Recently Cigar Jack had a contest on his blog for a free t-shirt, and I really like the way he set that up. I've been thinking about having one of my own for a while now. But instead of giving away a t-shirt, I'm going to give away a cigar. And not just any cigar! Something that'll really be a treat.
And, as luck would have it, I had the opportunity to buy a few of the Oliva Serie V Double Robustos at this event. As much as I enjoy these cigars, I think it'd be even more fun to share them. So I'm going to send one of these still unreleased cigars to a lucky reader!
So here's the Oliva Serie V Giveaway rules:
- You are allowed two entries to this giveaway. Please note you must be 18 or older to enter. (Sorry, I don't make the laws, I just try to follow them!)
- Your first entry is commenting on this post. Please include the text in your comment "I am 18 or older."
- You may enter a second time by posting a link to this contest on your blog that pingback/trackbacks to this post.
- The winner will be drawn August 10th, 2007. (Or whenever entries slow down enough that making everyone wait becomes a pointless exercise. Totally my discretion here.)
Good luck! If you're not sure whether or not to enter, I encourage you to read my review of the larger figurado and churchill sizes over on Cigar Beat. While these are smooth and tasty full-bodied cigars, they may be a bit potent (especially at the end) for a newbie!
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