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Nike finally gives their big men some love with limited release player exclusives.
Nike has been changing their approach to player exclusive sneakers as of late. Before, player exclusive would remain exactly that, exclusive. However, in recent months rumors have sprung up around player exclusive sneaker designs being available for the general public. It started with a rumored pack of Kobe Bryant player exclusive Air Jordan sneakers, and now we've got rumors of three player exclusive versions of the Nike HyperRev 2016.
A Niketalk (online sneaker forum) user thapointguy discovered that Foot Locker's Launch Locator has three Nike HyperRev 2016 PE's listed in the shoe selector menu. The players in question are even more surprising – DeAndre Jordan, Draymond Green and DeMarcus Cousins. Not to say these players aren't worthy of a shoe, just that over the years big men have become less of a focal point for both the game of basketball and the NBA's marketing efforts. Doubly interesting is that DeAndre Jordan did not make the all-star team, so we have no idea what his player exclusive will look like. Sounds like Nike gambled on him making the team and lost.
Each of the three shoes is listed with a release date of tomorrow, February 19, but there's a catch – the shoes will only be available in each player's city. So if you want Draymond Green's shoe, you'll have to be in the greater Bay Area. If you want DeMarcus Cousins' PE, you'll have to be in the Sacramento area. DeAndre Jordan? Los Angeles. With such a limited release, it seems like Nike isn't ready to fully commit to their talented big men yet.
Head over to Footlocker's site to peep the exact locations.


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Terry Ray
Company: Imperva, Inc.
Title: Chief Product Strategist
Terry Ray is the Chief Product Strategist for Imperva, Inc., the leading provider of data security solutions. Terry works directly with Imperva's largest customers to educate them on industry best practices, challenges and regulations. He also, operates as an executive sponsor to strategic customers who benefit from having a bridge between both company's executive teams. During his 11 years at Imperva, he has deployed hundreds of data security solutions to meet the requirements of customers and regulators from every industry. Terry is a frequent speaker for RSA, ISSA, OWASP, ISACA, Gartner, IANS and other professional security and audit organizations in the Americas and abroad.
Since 2003, Terry has specifically focused his efforts in the data security space working with companies to secure, monitor and audit external and internal, both authorized and unauthorized activities to critical organizational resources.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Pacers and Heat are not learning to like each other. Instead, their contentious relationship seems to be getting worse.
There was all kinds of hostility in tonight's 84-83 Indiana victory at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, which gave the Pacers firm footing in the race for the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed.
Continue reading "Animosity builds in Heat-Pacers rivalry as Indiana wins 84-83 | Video"


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|Caddo, Bryan County, Oklahoma during the Great Depression by Dorothea Lange. Library of Congress.
|Migrant family from Muskogee, Oklahoma. By Dorothea Lange. Library of Congress.
|An Oklahoma landlord tells how he threw out his tenant farmers:
In '34 I had I reckon four renters and I didn't make anything. I bought tractors on the money the government give me and get shet o' my
renters. You'll find it everywhere all over the country thataway. I did everything the government said - except keep my renters. The renters
have been having it this way ever since the government come in. They've got their choice - California or the WPA.
Donald Worster. Dust Bowl: The Southern Plains in the 1930s (New York: Oxford University Press, 1979), 58.
|Migrant family from Idabel, Oklahoma on the road to California. From the Library of Congress.
|When the land betrays: dust storm in the Texas panhandle (Library of Congress)
|Desperation Road: The Great Depression
|Inside this building was once a New Deal relief agency, the Farmer's Crop Insurance Corporation, in Pecan Gap, Texas.
|Poverty does not know race at a farmer's meeting in Oklahoma. Library Of Congress.
|Read an account of a farming family who lived in the Dust Bowl
Learn the "routes of flight" for many tenant farmers and sharecroppers fleeing the farming breakdown
|Questions or comments? E-mail me: email@example.com
|Silting up in Carter County, Oklahoma (Library of Congress)


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$10 for $20 Worth of Skype Credit!
Head over to CollegeBudget to score $20 in Skype credit for only $10! You'll be able to use it on all calls; from your computer and phone, domestic and international.
Click here for more info!
NOTE: This deal expires tonight!
Posted by Kristen at 6:58 PM
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Taliban fighters overran a district in southern Helmand province of Afghanistan, killing the district police chief and threatening strategically important province in the south, a member of parliament said on Saturday.
Abdul Wadod Popal, a member of parliament from Helmand province said Taliban fighters have taken the control of Nawa district early this morning.
He added, the district was surrounded by Taliban for almost three days and Ahmad Shah Salem his brother who was the district police chief was killed in the fight against Taliban early on Monday.
Security officials have not made a comment yet.
Taliban have launched heavy fighting in the province since a long period aiming to capture the strategically important Helmand province.


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It's easy to rattle off the reasons to use promotional pens in your marketing: They're affordable, useful, effective, easily transported, and adaptable to any campaign. And that's just a start.
Custom pens can promote any message and raise awareness for any organization, product or service. They're like slim marketing ninjas. They're swift and powerful at promoting your message, and they shatter through all the marketing noise out there.
If you want to get your message into the hands of new customers, you can't go wrong with promotional pens. Here are five creative ways to use them:
1. Leave-behinds.
When you sign a credit card receipt at a business or restaurant, leave your logo pen to be re-used by employees or the wait staff. The same thing goes at the doctor's or dentist's office: Leave your pen after signing in.
2. Tokens of appreciation.
Hand out custom pens to your staff and suppliers. They'll appreciate the freebie, and they'll likely use the pens outside the office, too.
3. Donations.
Head to your local schools, churches, libraries and community centers with a few boxes of promo pens. These places often have small budgets but big needs for supplies.
4. Direct-mail.
Enclose custom pens in your business mail—not just promotional mailings. They make a nice surprise for the people processing your electrical payment.
5. Extras in gift baskets.
Logo pens are easy to include in gift packages for clients, whether you're giving them promo tumblers or elaborate gift baskets. It's just one more way to get your message in front of them and show them how much their business matters to you.
Now that you have some ideas for handing out your promo pens, check out these brand-name pens you can customize with your logo.
Promo know-how tip:
Use bright, vivid colors to make your pens immediately noticeable. Here are some other tips to get your promotional pens spotted.


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1 of 3
Stefania Yarhi
2 of 3
3 of 3
Tavi Gevinson, 14-year-old fashion blogger recently in Toronto for IdeaCity.
We bumped into each other at IdeaCity where we had just seen a ukulele rendition of George Harrison's As My Guitar Gently Weeps.
Your thoughts of the ukulele? That was amazing, I can't comprehend that a human was doing that.
What does style mean to you? It's changing a lot, I kind of think about it a lot. And my philosophies are changing a lot. I mean I guess style is projecting creativity through what you're wearing and expressing (urgh, that's such an overused word), this is why I like writing... check my blog for the answer.
What is your personal style? Changing a lot. Hormonal, cause it's changing a lot. Yeah.
I feel naked without: clothes. I don't really have a basic, I don't wear make-up, I guess my glasses.
As a style writer, what it is about fashion that gets your pulse going? Really good clothes! A good collection, a really good magazine, an amazing movie with amazing clothes. Um, and general creativity.
What are you talking on for IdeaCity? What Sassy magazine would be like today.
Collar: MiuMiu
Dress: from a Theatre yard sale.
Skirt: was my mom's friend's.
Socks: Happy Socks
Shoes: Pierre Hardy for GAP
Purse: Hayden-Harnett
Glasses: Prescription eye-doctor


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The mystery of the tantra orgasm by use of tantra positions can never really be understood by the uninitiated. There is simply too little authentic information about this phenomenon available.
Only a genuine student of tantra can receive this precious knowledge from a tantra teacher. Under his tutelage, even the secrets of a woman's tantra orgasm can unfold and be put to use.
The woman's tantra orgasm certainly cannot be understood by study of the works of Dr. Freud and veteran sexologists like Masters and Johnson. All that these stalwarts seem to agree on is that women can experience a basic level of orgasm through clitoral stimulation.
Even today, this is the only way many women can achieve an orgasm, but not through clitoral stimulation alone. Ancient tantra answers a burning question: why do men respond so well to genitals stimulation, while most women tend to remain unresponsive to it unless they are already aroused? Read more
Tantra teaches that lovemaking between a man and woman, when entered into with awareness, is a gateway to both sexual and spiritual ecstasy.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Achieving Tantric Orgasm with Tantra Positions
Tantra teacher Acharya Subhojit Dasgupta discusses how women can achieve Tantric orgasm with Tantra positions. I agree with what Dasgupta says about female orgasm, but I don't agree with the assertion that Tantra is dangerous unless practiced under the direct supervision of a teacher. Personal instruction is extremely helpful, but just isn't available to many people. My post The 4 Best Positions for Reaching a Tantric G-spot Orgasms reveals some of what Acharya Subhojit Dasgupta's article does not.
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Specialists in the art and science of living well, Total Health work with their clients to improve happiness, wellbeing and performance – at home and at work. This project consisted largely of illustration work on my part, as well as designing web page visuals to be then handed over to the web developers to build in WordPress.
I also designed an infographic illustrating the importance of health & wellbeing in the workplace. The idea was to design everything with a warm and friendly look throughout the brand in order to give a more inviting feel and help them to stand out.


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We came out of 2007 full of fire, with the passion of the Lover and the dominating radiance of the Sun. The ride was thrilling, but it left us worn down to a Powder. Not a good feeling, but the dross has burned away to leave us purely ready for transformation. Rest easy, that challenge is now behind us.
At the present time we're ready to flow, to Draw Forth new energy after letting go of old, to mix with others like water seeking its own level. Only what's that Block in front of us? Do we go around it, plow through it, or blow it up? Once we put on our thinking caps and resolve this problem, it will lift us up to the next step: march forth.
Ahead of us, the coming year looks more peaceful. With our Candle gently glowing, we can rest in the Earth's structure and soak up the mature wisdom of our being's spreading Tree. If we're feeling indecisive, that's okay; the answer will come in its own time.
It helps to go within, to sift through our treasure Chest of stored memories and feelings and things we know but aren't using. Watch out, though, for that seductive, dark Knight who would lead us down the rocky path of rigid ideals. We'll be fine if we just stay flexible.
This is a lot to remember, so I've boiled it down into a few themes. Read the post below...


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UC Berkeley T-Shirt
Global Architecture Brigades at UC Berkeley (GAB@CAL) is a student-led humanitarian organization dedicated to the design and construction of socially and environmentally responsible solutions to architectural problems in the developing world. They collaborate with rural communities in Honduras to alleviate needs in health and education infrastructure through design and hands-on construction projects. GAB@CAL is a subset of Global Brigades, that provides comprehensive intervention for the recipient community and encourages a cross-disciplinary exchange amongst the participating students. To date, nearly 12,450 student volunteers have participated in Global Brigades programs, benefitting close to 300,000 people globally. I was fortunate enough to create the design for the 2015 t-shirt, and the inspiration stemmed from Honduran culture fused with the UC Cal bear. After multiple sketches, my team and I ultimately chose a 'zendoodle' approach with a tribal vibe. https://www.globalbrigades.org/


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It's very simple! Just inform us about your requirements. We will depute an experienced
company consultant to survey your articles to assess your requirements and specific
needs. The surveying and assessing process helps us in determining the appropriate
packing materials and equipments to ensure complete safety of your goods. Once you
approve our offer, we will finalize packing and deliver according to your schedule
and needless to say, in time and in perfect shape. The only effort on your part
will be to provide us details of the undertaking and let our skilled crew takeover.
Shifted our house hold goods from Ahmadabad to Bangalore.We found the peoples are very good. Committed Company.Prompt delivery.They take very good care at time of packing.
shifting from Ahmedabad to Lucknow on 31/05/16.
very good service and memoriable beheaver by company staff.
you have shifted our h holds to Goa from Anand.
time bound Delivery.Best packing and handling.
thanks yours organisations.


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About the Fisher Legal Group
Trusted & Dedicated Representation in Orlando, FL
At the Fisher Legal Group, we are proud to offer our clients consistent and tenacious legal advocacy. We approach each case individually, offering solutions tailored to the needs of each client. At our firm, we believe that the best case results are achieved through a collaborative effort, which is why we do everything in our power to keep our clients informed and involved from beginning to end.
Over the last decade, the Fisher Legal Group has earned a name for dedicated representation and excellence. We have become a fixture in our Orlando community and earned respect as an effective law firm committed to the best interests of our clients.
Why Should You Trust Us to Handle Your Case?
- Employment Law Award for Seminole County
- Clients' Choice Award from Avvo® in 2012 & 2013
- "Law Firm of the Month" by Attorney at Law® Magazine
- We have decades of collective legal experience
Our dedication to the best interests of our clients has earned us significant representation in the legal industry. We earned the Clients' Choice Award for immigration in both 2012 and 2013 from Avvo®, a national lawyer-ranking system. Our firm was also honored to be named the Law Firm of the Month by Attorney at Law® Magazine. In addition, we received the 2012 Employment Law Award for Seminole County.
Backed By Impressive Results & Many Satisfied Clients
At the Fisher Legal Group, no case is considered too difficult or complex. Our goal is simply to ensure that you receive the comfort and peace of mind you deserve during this difficult time. We aren't here to judge – we are here to offer support, encouragement and guidance, and the skilled legal advocacy you need. When you retain an experienced lawyer from our Orlando firm, you will never be treated as just another case or file number. We will know your name and work with you to help you achieve the favorable outcome you desire.
Our proudest moments involve our successful case results and glowing testimonials from past clients. That's because we are passionate about pursing our clients' well-being first and foremost, and we consider the truest success to be measured by each individual whose case we accept. We pride ourselves on our high level of customer service and our willingness to accept confusing cases that other law firms may reject.
Tough, Informed Advocacy for Your Immigration Case
We specialize in immigration law and are dedicated to helping men and women begin their own American dreams by guiding them through their immigration journeys. Do you have a question about your visa, green card, legal residency status, or citizenship efforts? Don't hesitate to call us to speak to a knowledgeable immigration lawyer in Orlando who can help. Attorney Daniel Fisher hosts a regular, hour-long radio show and serves as a frequent guest speaker on topics related to immigration. With our team's wealth of experience and knowledge on your side, you can rest assured that you will have the best possible chance of receiving the resolution you need and desire for your immigration case.
Set Up Your Free Case Evaluation Today!
No matter how complex or daunting your situation may seem, the Fisher Legal Group is confident that we have the skill to help you achieve peace of mind and to represent you tenaciously and effectively in a court of law. Call our Orlando immigration firm today to schedule a time for your complimentary, in-person case evaluation with a trusted attorney. Help is just a phone call away!
Get your questions answered - Call for a free consultation or assessment of your needs (407) 792-6970.


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Recipes starting with C
cali-caribbean steak street tacos
What's the secret for great tacos? Try Tri-Tip Steaks, combined with an arugula-avocado mix and cashews for a Caribbean-Californian taste sensation.
- Time: 30 minutes
calypso beef soup
A great way to include veggies with your dinner meals.
- Time: 50 minutes
- Complexity: medium
caribbean burgers with mango salsa
Spicy, sweet and oh-so-simple. Ground Beef gets a peppery boost from jerk seasoning, and the freshly chopped mango salsa gives the dish a cool finish.
- Time: 30 minutes
- Complexity: easy
caribbean jerk tri-tip over basil lime salad
While a Tri-Tip is grilling, prepare a salad of lettuce, cucumber, red pepper, onion, basil and mint. The flavor combination will wisk you away to the islands.
- Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Complexity: easy


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Our beloved wife, Grandma, Great Grandma and lifelong friend, Barbara Leona Dickinson, Age 87, has gone to the Lord on January 5, 2018. She was born on March 28, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois. As a child and throughout her life she loved the outdoors.... View Obituary & Service Information
The family of Barbara Leona Dickinson created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories.
Our beloved wife, Grandma, Great Grandma and lifelong friend,...View More
A comforting word from you means a lot.Share a Memory
Send flowers to the Dickinson's family.Send Flowers
Telephone: (909) 425-2920
Fax: (909) 425-2039
Email: Click Here
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Run The Jewel's El-P Shared A 'Blade Runner 2049' Demo Snippet On Instagram
The wildly popular rapper-producer, El-P, shared a clip of his "rejected" score for the upcoming Blade Runner 2049 film, which stars Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford.
Late Friday night, Sept. 22, hip-hop Instagram was lit on fire with a shared snippet of a demo cut produced by El-P for the upcoming Blade Runner 2049 trailer. "Here is a snippet of my rejected (or ignored) Blade Runner 2049 trailer score," he wrote in the caption of his Instagram post, which you can see below. "Honestly, even being asked to demo it up was an honor. All synths done on the Yamaha CS80, which as you may known is the same synth Vangelis used for the original."
READ: Killer Mike And El-P Talk Run The Jewels Origins + Hip-Hop's Maturity
While the Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford-starring sci-fi adventure is slated for an Oct. 6 release date — the upcoming sequel was supposed to feature a score by Jóhann Jóhannsson, but he was reported removed from the project. Flying Lotus has already offered a peek at a new score for the Blade Runner 2022 animated short film, which is directed by Cowboy Bebop's Shinichiro Watanabe.
Listen to the clip below:
some day i'll put out my Bladerunner 2049 trailer score. yes they asked me and yes it was rejected (or ignored). happy they asked though.
— el-p (@therealelp) September 23, 2017
At the top of this year, Harrison Ford revealed why he decided to come back for the Blade Runner sequel. "The character [Rick Deckard] is woven into the story in a way that intrigued me. There's a very strong emotional context. The relationship between the character Deckard — that I play — and other characters is fascinating. I think it is interesting to develop a character after a period of time — to revisit a character."
Blade Runner 2049 hits theaters on Oct. 6 and also stars Jared Leto, Dave Bautista and Robin Wright


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Walking Tours
Explore the German capital on one of our Berlin walking tours
Germany is a country rich in history, and Berlin a city equally rich in historical events. Berlin walking tours explore the proud heritage and equally proud people known as Berliners. This world class city offers some of the best places to visit in all of Europe, and the remarkable sights within the city center are always a perfect place to spend your Berlin visit. Every single one of the Berlin walking tours have been carefully designed to make sure you have a fun-filled and educational journey whether you are a first-timer or an experienced tourist. Professional and charismatic guides lead the way, making sure you see all the best places to visit. With many unique Berlin walking tours ranging from a simple tour of Berlin to an exploration of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, there's sure to be a perfect day waiting for you.
Sightseeing in Berlin is easy with Berlin walking tours
There are various types of walking tours to select from. For instance, if you're interested in the crème de la crème of sightseeing in Berlin, book the 'Best of Berlin' tour. Various guides with different expertise lead this tour where you'll learn about Berlin's chaotic history from the city during the Weimar Republic to Nazi Berlin, to the split city and country during the Cold War and beyond. With loads of fascinating information and eye-opening destinations, you'll be wishing to retake it the following day. But that's not everything. If Berlin's infusive culture and dynamic one-of-a-kind lifestyle interest you, consider going on the Alternative Berlin Experience tour. Sightseeing in Berlin is a breeze with Berlin City Tours.
Berlin Walking Tours
Berlin Walking Tours expose you to one of the most popular destinations in all of Europe. A city adored for its history, its charm, its reputation, and its old-world beauty. Whether you are beginning your first journey to visit Berlin or your thirtieth, be sure to leave some time to enjoy Berlin walking tours through the rich city. A city bursting with affluent cultures and diverse histories is deserving of your full attention and time of thought. Berlin walking tours offer the opportunity to explore all of the stunning experiences and views in a calm and well-thought manner. Begin your German adventure today.
- Categories
- Attractions (16)
- Beer Bike Tour (1)
- Bike Tours (10)
- Bus Tours (11)
- Walking Tours (8)
- Berlin Boat Tours (15)
- Private Boat Tours (8)
- Shore Excursions (7)
- Trabant Tours (3)
- Private Tours (14)
- Activities (4)
- Concerts (2)
- Transfers (4)
- Hop On Hop Off (15)
- Best Deal (7)
- Questions? Call us!
- Destinations
- Berlin (42)
- Friedrichstrasse (5)
- Rostock (3)
- Sanssouci Palace (4)
- Warnemünde (2)
- Potsdam (4)
- Sachsenhausen (3)


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May 06, 2012
"It's a nightmare for old people"
How pitch-perfect is this parody of speeds-and-feeds-based marketing?
[Update: Non-US folks, try this link. (Via Peter Steeper)]
The other day I heard some carrier/handset combo boasting about "wielding the Android 2.2 platform." It's so weird: they burned airtime noting a detail that would confuse most people while (I would think) alienating those geeky enough to grok it.
Recently Approved
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Terms of Use | Privacy Policy and Cookies (Updated)


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Howard County Arts Council Howard County Arts Council
Here's a sample of our volunteer opportunities:VIEW AS
Mission Statement
The Howard County Arts Council was established to serve the citizens of Howard County by fostering the arts. We are devoted to nurturing local artists and arts organizations, furthering the public's appreciation of the arts, and ensuring that the arts are accessible - regardless of age, ability or economic status
To fulfill our mission and goals, the Arts Council sponsors a wide variety of arts initiatives that nurture and strengthen the arts. We award grants and scholarships, provide advancement opportunities for artists and arts organizations, create an environment for open expression and exchange, encourage people - young and old alike - to discover their own artistic talents, and act as the primary voice and advocate for the Howard County arts community.
In addition, the Arts Council oversees the operations of the Howard County Center for the Arts, a multipurpose arts facility in Ellicott City, where visitors can take a class, view an exhibit, or enjoy a performance. In bringing the arts to life in our community, we hope to encourage people with diverse interests and backgrounds to explore and enjoy the arts!
This information
Might be out of date
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Request administrator status and update its information!


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Montgomery Real Estate Agents
We specialize in residential sales, working with both the home seller and the home buyer, mostly in the resale of existing homes in upscale residential areas. We help people find fine homes in all price ranges throughout the Montgomery area.
ANN MICHAUD, Broker/Owner
With over 34 years of Real Estate experience, Ann Michaud succeeds at matching people up with their dream home. An Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR), a Graduate of the Real Estate Institute (GRI) and a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), Ann has completed many hours of advanced study in listing, selling, Real Estate law and investment taxes. She has the education and experience to guarantee that her clients receive the very best service possible. Ann has an active marketing program and is a dedicated, full-time REALTOR® and a licensed broker. She is a member of the Montgomery Area Association of Realtors, Alabama Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, a past president of the Women's Council of Realtors, and former Board of Directors for The Boys and Girls Clubs of the River Region and past President of The Montgomery Capital Rotary Club. The combination of her education, experience and involvement in numerous civic organizations and professional associations is tantamount to her success in Real Estate.
Ann Michaud has remained in the top 5% of REALTORS® in Montgomery by helping families make their homeowner dreams a reality. Through quality service and working full time at full tilt, Ann makes sure that her customers feel confident and secure in their purchase. Her outstanding performance is based on the company philosophy, which is a very effective philosophy for life:
ann michaud's Team of
Montgomery Real Estate Agents
Ann Michaud and the dedicated Real Estate Professionals at AEGIS-Michaud Properties, Inc. work together to make a powerful sales force that is ready to serve you with all your Real Estate needs.
ANNA KATE BOWEN, Associate Broker
RITA PICKETTE, Realtor ®, ABR, MRP
RITA PICKETTE brings to AEGIS a variety of knowledge related to a family on the move. As wife and mother in a military family, she has experienced the importance of details when buying and selling Real Estate. Attention to detail is of the utmost importance along with the ability to relate well with people and listen. Rita obtained her Masters Degree from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia and has had an extensive career background in the Financial Management arena. Since obtaining her Real Estate license in 2001, Rita has had the opportunity to become totally immersed in today's market. As an Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) and a Military Relocation Professional (MRP), she is anxious to help you buy or sell your home. She considers it a privilege to be involved with the AEGIS philosophy of EXCELLENCE, PURE AND SIMPLE….EXPECT IT!
SUE DISMUKES, Realtor ®, ABR
Having lived in the Montgomery area for the majority of her life, Sue is knowledgeable with the Tri-County area and would work hard to negotiate for you as your Agent. As an experienced REALTOR® and Accredited Buyer Representative she knows that service, integrity and results are her priorities when assisting with your Real Estate needs and desires. Sue offers her clients the very best in professionalism, service and results.
DORIS WOLFE, Realtor ®
Doris has over 30 years of Real Estate experience. While working for one of the largest Real Estate companies in Hilton Head, SC, she was awarded the Board Of REALTORS® Lifetime distinguished Sales Award for being a consistent Top Sales Executive. Since moving back to Montgomery in 2006, Doris has continued to strive for excellence while helping people fulfill their Real Estate needs. As a successful and experienced professional, she is committed to offering her clients the highest possible service. Her motto is "Experience has taught me-It pays to listen."
Nam Kim, Realtor ®
Nam Kim joined AEGIS with over 20 years of experience in the Sales and Marketing field. Prior to her career in Real Estate, Nam worked as Marketing Director in a multi-national corporation in her home country of Korea. She has a B.A degree in Communication and MBA focusing on Customer Relations Management which helped her throughout her career.
Nam is very familiar with the moving process since she has moved several times living in many different countries including Hong Kong, Holland and Japan. She is fluent in English and Korean and speaks a little Japanese and Chinese. Happily settled in Montgomery, she has three children: two in college and one in middle-school. Nam Kim will provide you with outstanding service and client satisfaction in your Real Estate transaction.
LEE GOODWYN, Realtor ®
Lee Goodwyn has lived in Montgomery for most of her life and knows all that the River Region has to offer. Her love for helping people is one of the driving forces that led her into a career in Real Estate. As a graduate of Trinity and Auburn, a wife, mother of 2 boys and a former educator, she excels in listening to others needs, clear communication, patience, reliability, and attention to detail. Lee's commitment to customer service, follow up and her happy disposition are some of the qualities clients can expect as she provides excellent service that will make your Real Estate experience as efficient and as stress-free as possible.
LINDA BROWDER, Realtor ®
Linda Browder joined the AEGIS team after retiring from a successful career in Human Resources. She received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Southern Colorado and her Master's degree from Troy University. Linda has deep roots in the community and is an active member of the Montgomery Capital Rotary Club, past President of Business Networking International and the Business Council for Troy University, former Board President of the Family Guidance Center of Alabama as well as having served on the Board of Lunches for Learning.
She is married to Dr. Larry F. Browder and they have four children and two grandchildren. Her positive attitude, attention to detail, community involvement and knowledge of the area is an asset to her Real Estate career. Call Linda today for extra-mile service when buying or selling a home.
SALLY BYRD, Associate Broker
Closing Coordinator/Property Manager
Sally Byrd is my dedicated Real Estate closing coordinator and property manager. She earned a degree in business from Auburn University. Sally has moved many times in her life as the daughter of an USAF colonel. A resident of Montgomery since 1978, Sally has had her Real Estate license for 17 + years. She and her husband, Chuck, are the parents of a daughter, Sarah and granddaughters Harbor & Zelda. Sally enjoys Auburn football games, riding, white water rafting and spending time with family and friends at Lake Martin. A good listener, Sally is patient and understands the needs of our clients.
KELLI GILLIAM, Marketing Director
Kelli Gilliam has been with AEGIS for 17+ years. She has 11 years previous experience in Real Estate Advertising. Kelli and her husband Don have a son, Devin. As the Marketing Director, Kelli photographs our listings, creates amenity sheets for each property, prepares ads for the newspaper and Homes magazines and keeps the website and social media sites current. She makes sure that our properties get the maximum exposure that they deserve.


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Drive the Nürburgring
Drive the Nürburgring with RSRNurburg
The infamous Nürburgring (Known affectionately as the 'Green Hell' is a short 120km drive from the Spa-Francorchamps Circuit. This 21km long circuit is one of the most difficult and challenging race tracks in the world.
You can drive this circuit almost every day of the season, taking advantage of the many public 'Touristenfahrten' sessions, and closed private trackdays.
Also famous for hosting the German Formula One race series (in conjunction with Hockenheim), and the 24h of Nürburgring race, this motorsport nirvana is a must visit for any true petrol head!
More Information and Bookings
Please visit our RSRNurburg site for more information about driving the Nurburgring, as well as for driver instruction, road tours, and track day information!


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Atrise LutcurveMonitor Calibration Software
This program will help you to calibrate your monitor without a hardware calibrator device. High accuracy calibration is achieved by the high sensitivity of the human eye to neutral-color shades. The generated test patterns are based on an scientific article "Measurement of display transfer characteristic (gamma)" by A. Roberts. Multiple display configurations or notebook displays are supported.
As compared to other programs in this class, Lutcurve has high accuracy and flexibility in configuring virtually any monitor. This allows you to get great results even in low-quality TFT LCD displays based on TN-matrix. Best results are on IPS and PVA.
Users Who Should Use Calibrated Displays
- Users working with videos and photos.
- Designers and artists who work with drawings.
- Professional photographers and enthusiasts.
- Software developers and web designers.
- Just web surfers who love the image quality.
Disadvantages of Non-calibrated Displays
- Inaccurate reproduction of colors and shades.
- The loss of image detail in dark and light areas.
- Incorrect image brightness and gamma.
- Ugly and unkempt appearance of web pages.
- Eye strain when working at a computer.
your monitor might need to be calibrated!
Almost all computer monitors and notebook displays might need to be calibrated.
With Atrise Lutcurve, calibration is easy and accurate.
Calibration of Any Display
Atrise Lutcurve lets you correct nonlinearity of displays, especially noticeable on LCD monitors. The count of calibration points is not limited, which means you can calibrate even an aging display.
The quality of the calibration depends on your carefulness and may be very approximate to hardware calibration results and better.
Multiple Display Support
A multi-display PC installation is also supported on all supported OS including XP.
It is possible to match two display colors.
Multiple Calibration Controls
All values are adjusted by numerical values using the Up / Down button controls. The whole process takes about 15 minutes to complete.
Easy Steps to Calibrate
The program walks you through adjustments in a step-by-step manner.
See Before and After
Once the display is calibrated, it takes a bit of time to get over the gee whiz factor that comes from seeing that the images on your display closely match reality.
System Requirements
- OS: Windows® XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 or 10. 32 or 64 bit.
- Manufacturer video card driver installed. Most default Windows drivers cannot change the LUT Table, so visit AMD, NVIDIA or Intel web site to get better one.
- Manufacturer ICM Profile is recommended.
- Minimal display resolution: 1024×768.
Technical Specifications for LUT
- Calibration points: up to 256 (full range).
- LUT precision: 16 bit (full range).
- Curve interpolation: smooth spline.
Calibration Specifications
- Gamma: from 0.1 to 5.0.
- Recommended Gamma: the PC and Mac standard is 2.2.
- White Point: around 6500K.
- Luminance Level: monitor settings, usually 80 cd/m².
- Dark Room environment is recommended.
- Color Space: monitor settings, usually sRGB.
Display Type Compatibility
- Any CRT or LCD display (TN, *VA or *IPS) is supported.
- Multiple monitor connected is supported.
- Windows XP requires separate video cards per monitors.
Ready to calibrate your display?
There is a free trial that works 30 days. Try it for free before your buy.
Download Atrise Lutcurve
The latest 3.x.x, free 30-day trial.
Installer executable, 2.4 MB
32 or 64 bit Windows® XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10 are supported. Program works in a portable mode.
To uninstall use standard Windows settings: Start → Settings → Apps & features. Click the Lutcurve icon and then click Uninstall.
Lutcurve Updates and Improvements
If you have found a bug or an issue, feel free to report it to the author to fix. We can help many users worldwide.
P.S. If you work with video, try our video editor Video Artifact for compression artifact removal.


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April 21 Edition
The macroeconomic stresses seem to have eased a little more with markets rising or stable around the world.
With Budget Night now May 3 we won't have long to wait to see what is happening. The Budget now seems to now be very minimalist with any major reform seemingly off the table. It seems there is going to be some exciting political times until we get there!
Given it is only 2-3 weeks away I guess we just wait and watch. Is seems sin-taxes are also back on the agenda!
Here is a summary of interesting things up until the end of last week:
General Budget Issues.
- Apr 11 2016 at 12:15 AM
Bad timing for company tax cuts
by Brian Toohey
The times could hardly be less propitious for cutting corporate tax rates. Malcolm Turnbull and his Treasurer Scott Morrison now look like postponing the cut foreshadowed in May's budget. They have only themselves to blame for the latest twist this paper reported on Thursday. It is made no sense to raise – then dash – expectations of wide-ranging tax cuts in a budget stubbornly in deficit. Tony Abbott had the timetable right, deferring talk of big tax cuts until a post-election White Paper.
An OmniPoll showed almost no voter support for a company rate cut. That was before the Panama Papers revealed that a single law firm facilitated money laundering, tax avoidance and evasion on a vast industrial scale. The ongoing outrage adds to pressure for the government to do more to crack down on use of tax havens before it cuts the company rate.
Life was so much easier for Paul Keating. He didn't lose much political skin when he lifted the company rate from 46 per cent to 49 per cent during Australia's "golden era" of economic reform in the mid-1980s. The rate then fell in a series of steps usually funded by scrapping corporate tax breaks – it's how John Howard cut the 34 per cent to 30 per cent.
- Apr 11 2016 at 1:45 PM
- Updated Apr 11 2016 at 7:16 PM
Federal debt load 'pushing against' AAA boundary, warns NAB
The Commonwealth's growing debt load is rapidly approaching the point at which Australia will lose its AAA credit rating, warns a report by NAB.
Why NAB chair Ken Henry is worried
by Jacob Greber
Two of the nation's big four banks have warned the federal government risks losing the patience of credit agencies, whose AAA rating for Australia has helped underwrite some of the lowest household mortgage rates on record.
With politicians likely to be tempted into new and underfunded spending promises in the looming federal election, National Australia Bank's global head of policy research, Peter Jolly said Commonwealth debt was now "pushing against ratings agencies' AAA boundary".
Mr Jolly's remarks were echoed by Michael Blythe, chief economist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, who said while the ratings agencies "have been very patient with us; there's a limit to their patience".
"The reality is that we've seen this continued pushing-back of the return to surplus, and even if we manage to get there on the current timetable, it will be the most drawn-out return we've seen," Mr Blythe told The Australian Financial Review.
- Apr 13 2016 at 11:45 PM
- Updated Apr 14 2016 at 6:42 AM
Scott Morrison lays out budget priorities
by Laura Tingle
Treasurer Scott Morrison says next month's federal budget is designed to help more Australians, especially young people, to get into work and off welfare and will invest in education, health and social services, "in a fairer and more sustainable way"
Outlining the aims of the budget to a closed dinner of the Business Council of Australia on Wednesday night, Mr Morrison said the budget would achieve these things in a manner " that taxpayers can afford – rather than higher taxes and higher debt".
"This is the budget that the Australian economy needs now", he said. "It doesn't matter when the election is held, this is the budget that we need to deliver. It will be a budget focused on clearing a path for jobs and growth."
The Treasurer's comments suggesting the government will invest in education, health and social services come despite the government appearing to be at an impasse over what it does about huge and politically contentious spending cuts to health and education outlined in the 2014 budget. Twenty per cent cuts to university funding remain particularly contentious.
10:42pm April 13, 2016
Morrison gives clues about budget
Treasurer Scott Morrison has provided a few clues about the federal government's upcoming budget in a speech to Australia's business leaders.
In a speech to the Business Council of Australia (BCA) overnight, Mr Morrison said his first budget will focus on keeping taxes low, include policies that would make Australia "more innovative, more competitive and more outward looking" and back infrastructure projects.
This is how the government will drive jobs and growth, the treasurer said.
"But it's also how you strengthen our nation's finances - by supporting the revenue gains that come from growth we have, rather than higher taxes," Mr Morrison told the annual forum dinner on Wednesday night.
Moody's warns Morrison on budget, triple-A rating
- The Australian
- April 14, 2016 3:49PM
Michael Roddan
Jared Owens
Treasurer Scott Morrison says comments by a global ratings agency are not a licence to start raising taxes to protect Australia's triple-A credit rating.
Moody's Investors Service says the Turnbull government's preference for spending cuts over policies aimed at revenue raising will make balancing the budget difficult, warning that government debt would continue to climb and put pressure on the nation's AAA-rating.
"The best way to protect our triple-A credit rating is to have a strong budget, a solid budget that is backing growth and that is backing jobs, and that is what out budget will do," Mr Morrison told reporters in his southern Sydney electorate on Thursday.
The warning comes after NAB and JPMorgan both cautioned this week that Australia's AAA credit rating could be in jeopardy unless the government maintains fiscal restraint in the upcoming federal budget.
Moody's senior vice president Marie Diron said Treasurer Scott Morrison's focus on curbing spending to the exclusion of revenue raising measures meant the government's target of a balanced budget by 2021 would make it unlikely to achieve.
Budget 2016: Cristopher Pyne talks up tobacco tax
- The Australian
- April 15, 2016 8:05AM
Jared Owens
Industry Minister Christopher Pyne has spruiked the economic windfall from levying "very high" tobacco taxes, amid speculation that Treasurer Scott Morrison's budget will target smokers.
Labor is framing the budget fight as a debate over "choices" as he offers more spending on schools but also plans tax increases to raise $105 billion over 10 years, including $47.7bn by raising the price of cigarettes to $40 per 25-pack by 2020.
However the policy has been criticised by both Labor MPs — who fear the impact on poorer Australians, who are more likely to smoke — and Tony Abbott, who lashed the policy as a "workers' tax" that could deprive seniors of one of their few pleasures.
Mr Morrison yesterday flagged "revenue measures" in the budget aimed at "reducing the tax burden in other parts of the economy, and wherever possible to continue to drive down the deficit".
Treasurer plays down budget tax hikes
Updated: 1:12 pm, Friday, 15 April 2016
Treasurer Scott Morrison has sought to play down speculation of tax hikes in his first budget, describing such talk as a little too enthusiastic.
Mr Morrison set the hares running on Thursday when he said the May 3 budget would contain 'revenue measures'.
That was taken to mean tax increases, including a hike in the tobacco excise and a crackdown on superannuation tax concessions on high-income earners.
Mr Morrison said his comments were 'entirely unremarkable'.
15 Apr 2016 - 8:30am
What we know, and don't, about the budget
We're less than three weeks away from Scott Morrison's first budget and very little is known about what it might contain.
Source: AAP
15 Apr 2016 - 8:30 AM UPDATED YESTERDAY 8:30 AM
* There won't be a fistful of dollars as the government lives up to its promise of living within its means.
* Prudence, fairness and responsibility will be the catchwords.
* Measures will be included to boost jobs and growth as the economy transitions from the mining investment boom.
* The much-touted tax reform package will be included.
One in two voters is fully reliant on public welfare
- The Australian
- April 16, 2016 12:00AM
Adam Creighton
Sid Maher
Nearly half of voters in the looming federal election will rely entirely on government payments for their incomes, confronting Scott Morrison with a demographic and political powder keg as he frames a May 3 budget relying on spending restraint to rein in the deficit.
Analysis by The Weekend Australian has revealed that more than 44 per cent of voters, almost 6.4 million people, are either public sector employees (1.89 million) or wholly dependent on federal government pensions, allowances and parenting payments (4.48 million). The figure grows further when private sector workers who receive more in welfare than they pay in tax are added.
The Coalition holds seven of the 10 most welfare-dependent seats in the nation while Labor holds three.
ANU researcher Ben Phillips estimated that only 43 per cent of the adult population excluding public sector workers were net taxpayers last year, bringing the actual total voter-dependency ratio to well over 50 per cent.
Health Budget Issues.
Medical device makers slam 'dishonest' claims by health insurers
- The Australian
- April 12, 2016 12:00AM
Sarah-Jane Tasker
Australia's medical technology sector has hit out at what it calls a "dishonest" campaign by private health insurers in their pursuit of price cuts to devices on the prostheses list.
Susi Tegen, chief executive of the Medical Technology Association of Australia, s aid the industry supported reform of the prostheses list and the private health insurance industry, provided it benefited patients.
The prostheses list, which the government uses to regulate how much health funds have to pay for prosthetics, human tissues and device implants, is being redesigned and renegotiated by the stakeholders who use it. The government is also reviewing the private health insurance sector.
Insurers claim high prices for items on the prostheses list — well in excess of what public hospitals pay for comparable devices — have added to premium increases. Funds lowered this year's premium increase in light of the Turnbull government's promise to review the list.
Health reform data 'is not accurate'
- The Australian
- April 12, 2016 12:00AM
Michael Owen
The key justification of the South Australian government's overhaul of its health system — that "we're killing a lot of people unnecessarily" — is not supported by reliable data, an independent review has found.
This comes as ALP national president Mark Butler yesterday called on the state government to halt its health plans for Adelaide's western suburbs, saying it was undermining community confidence with "an unacceptable model and budget".
The latest criticism of the controversial Transforming Health policy, which includes closing hospitals and the moving services, is a blow to Premier Jay Weatherill's case for radical reform.
As justification, the Premier and his Health Minister, Jack Snelling, have relied upon alarming data in a Transforming Health blueprint that says "on average, South Australia experiences 500 more deaths each year in our hospitals compared with other hospitals across Australia".
Patients to shell out for scans and blood tests
April 14, 2016 5:00am
The Cairns Post
BLOOD tests, swabs or biopsies could cost patients up to $30 as pathology services prepare to be hit with Federal Government funding cuts.
The proposed changes, which would occur on July 1, would remove bulk-billing incentives paid to pathology providers to save the Federal Government $650.4 million over four years.
But president of Pathology Australia Nick Musgrave said providers would have no choice but to pass on the costs through a co-payment system.
"We just can't absorb this cut, there will need to be some way of recouping the loss of payments," he said.
NPS MedicineWise says it has reaped $400 million in PBS savings
Michael Woodhead | 13 April, 2016 |
NPS MedicineWise says it has delivered $400 million in PBS savings from its rational prescribing activities since 2010 and is now making inroads into MBS spending on pathology tests and imaging, its annual evaluation report shows.
The agency, which receives around $45 million annually in Department of Health funding, said it had achieved PBS savings of $69 million in 2015 and, for the first time, also achieved significant savings to the MBS of around $33 million, according to its latest evaluation report.
The MBS savings estimates were based on reductions in ordering of CT scans for low back pain and vitamin D tests following feedback sent to GPs as part of the Quality Use of Diagnostics program.
PBS savings the agency said came from programs targeting prescribing of anticoagulants, PPIs, opioids for chronic pain, antipsychotics, lipid-lowering agents and antidepressants.
Health is also clearly still under review as far as its budget is concerned with still a few reviews underway and some changes in key strategic directions. Lots to keep up with here with all the various pre-budget kites still being flown - although narrowing it seems to be largely focussed on Super! Enjoy. Only a few weeks to the Budget.


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CAN Bus decoding in PicoScope
The latest beta version of PicoScope is now available for download. This version includes a totally new CAN Bus decoding function, which can read CAN bus packets at a variety of data rates.
The CAN (Controller Area Network) Bus is widely used in automotive, industrial and medical control systems for reliable signalling between control units in electrically noisy environments. It is a serial protocol, usually with differential signalling although a single-wire version also exists. The PicoScope CAN Bus decoding feature is aimed at vehicle designers, aftermarket equipment designers and advanced troubleshooters, who need to look at more than just fault codes.
Here are some of the highlights:
As an added bonus, this release also includes another new feature:
Zoom overview - when you are zoomed in, a small overview window shows the current display area marked on a picture of the whole waveform. You can drag and resize this area instead of using the zoom tools.
Download PicoScope 6.3.4 beta, free of charge, No registration required.
Please let us know what you think of the new software. You can contact us on the forum.
PicoLog updated
PicoLog is our data logging software for Windows. It works with all our data loggers, and can save data to a file or display it in spreadsheet and graphical formats.
R5.20.8 is the latest maintenance release of PicoLog. Bugs fixed include: "Corruption of .plw files", "repeat immediate mode" and "PicoLog pause button causes program to crash and close".
Come and see Pico products in action, try them out for yourself, and question our experts. On one day in November we shall be holding an Open Day at our headquarters in St Neots, Cambridgeshire (map). Here is a selection of the products that will be on show:
Pico Open Day: 24th November 2009
10 am - 12 noon Morning session
12 noon - 1 pm Free buffet lunch
1 pm - 3 pm Afternoon session
Please email firstname.lastname@example.com to let us know if you would like to attend the morning or the afternoon session, and we will reserve a place for you.
Have you written your own software for use with Pico products?
At Pico we take pride in the number of companies and individuals who write their own software to interface with our products. To show our support for those of you have written your own applications, we will shortly be launching the Pico App Store. Whether your application is freeware, shareware or commercial, our App Store will give you the opportunity to showcase your software to the world. Unlike other application stores, the Pico App Store will be completely free to use.
If you would like us to consider adding your application to the Pico App Store, simply complete the form on our website.
Back in December and January, we released PicoScope with math channels and reference waveforms. You have probably experimented with these features, but you may not have realised that you can use them together. For example, you can save a reference waveform and then use math to subtract it from a live channel. Here's how you do it.
Here is a selection of the questions that have cropped up recently on our support forum and elsewhere:
Q. What is the maximum slew rate of the PicoScope 9211's inputs?
A. The maximum bandwidth is 12 GHz and the maximum slew rate is 28 V/ns. This is calculated from the 10%-90% rise time of 29 ps and the maximum peak-to-peak input of 1 V: 80% x 1 V / 29 ps.
Q. I recently bought a PicoScope 2203. While playing with it for the first time, I noticed some switching sound coming from inside. Is there a relay internally that produces this noise?
A. Yes, this noise is caused by the relays that select the input range. The amount of switching depends on the software in use and the input range that is selected. This is part of the normal operation of the scope.
Please visit Pico Exhibitions for the latest list of exhibitions and trade shows that Pico and its representatives will be attending.
Thanks to our continuing success and growth Pico are always seeking talented people to join our company.
Please visit https://jobs.picotech.com/ to see our current vacancies. We look forward to hearing from you!
Our latest software releases are available as free downloads. To check which release you are using, start the software and select Help > About.
To make sure that your Pico newsletter reaches your inbox every month, add email@example.com to your email address book or safe list. If you found this newsletter useful, please recommend it to your friends and colleagues. Back issues are available from our newsletter archive.
By subscribing to our newsletter, you agree to receive one email a month plus no more than two special announcements a year. Our use of your email address is governed by our privacy policy.
UK Headquarters:
Pico Technology, James House, Colmworth Business Park, St. Neots,
Cambridgeshire, PE19 8YP, United Kingdom
Tel.: 01480 396395 (+44 1480 396395)
Fax: 01480 396296 (+44 1480 396296)
North America Office:
Pico Technology, 320 N Glenwood Blvd, Tyler TX 75702, United States
Tel:+1 800 591 2796 (Toll Free)
Fax:+1 620 272 0981
Asia-Pacific Office:
Pico Technology, Room 2252, 22/F, Centro, 568 Hengfeng Road, Zhabei District,
Shanghai 200070, PR China
Tel: +86 21 2226-5152
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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RRP: $749.00Only $619.95
Ruffoni Tin Lined 26cm Covered Risotto Pan
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Italian copper artisans have meticulously crafted Ruffoni Copper Cookware since the early 1930's by using high quality recyclable materials for its products and packaging.
Copper, provides superior heat conductivity and not only adds beauty to your kitchen but offers substantial energy savings due its thermal efficiency.
RRP: $749.00Only $619.95
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An Occupational Safety and Health Administration complaint claims workers may have been exposed to mercury and asbestos at Eversource's Schiller Station.
A June 12 letter indicates a Manafort Brothers Inc. employee complained that workers were not adequately protected while removing hazardous material. The Portsmouth Herald reports that hospital testing indicates the worker had elevated mercury levels in his body.
Eversource told the newspaper in a statement that it has stopped work at the site and won't resume until "any and all issues are fully addressed."
In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area.
Eversource says Manafort Brothers was hired to dismantle and removed retired equipment, which is related to Eversource's sale of generation facilities.


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Thatcher woke in a pale rocky room on a cot, his head booming with pain. The scent of blood and dust crammed the dry air, and his throat was as dry as sandpaper. He shivered in his own sweat with his right leg feeling like it was being pierced by a dozen hot needles. He removed a blanket from his chest and leaned up. His waist was wrapped in a bandage smudged with dry blood.
People argued in Arabic in the next room. Being fluent in Arabic, he turned his ear toward the wooden maroon door. One man said:
"Don't you understand what will happen to our family if we keep him here?"
A lady argued: "And we know what will happen if the Taliban finds him."
"He brings nothing but danger to our family."
"We're in danger anyhow."
A young Arab lady dressed in a golden, black headscarf and long garment entered the room carrying a ceramic cup. She ambled over, her hazel eyes shining out of her darkened face.
In Arabic he asked, "Where am I? How did I get here?"
"You're safe," she said softly.
Thatcher was relieved the woman spoke Arabic.
A pain bolted from his nerve endings across his spine as she helped him sit up. She handed him the cup filled with water. What else might be in it? He supposed the lady meant no harm as he gulped it down, enjoying the coolness moisten his throat and mouth. She took it, refilled it and handed to him again. He guzzled it like he'd been stranded in the desert near dehydration, and water flowed out of him onto the bed before he could make it anywhere near the bathroom. Shit.
She looked away. "I'll bring you a change of clothes."
He looked away, feeling the blood rush to his face.
She stepped out of the room and returned with clean sheets and a pair of clean underwear.
"Where are my clothes?" he said.
"I'm afraid they're ruined with dry blood. I'll bring you a clean pair of pants and a shirt, but first I need to clean the wounds."
She ambled over and grasped his hands as he struggled to sit up. She pulled and he swung his feet to the rock-hard floor, and hobbled to his feet. He stood there naked except for the urine stained underwear covering his butt and genitals, and the sheath covering his wounds.
The lady faced the other direction while he changed into a fresh pair of underwear. Never would he think he'd dress in Arab's clothing, especially in underwear, where some other guy's junk has been. But he didn't have any other options.
He slipped into the new underwear while the woman changed the sheets on the cot.
"Okay, lie back down for me," she said softly. "I'll clean those wounds."
As he slowly lay back down on the newly made bed, his back wrenched with horrible pain.
"The morphine has worn off." She stepped away and grabbed a needle from a shelf dug into the rock wall. As she clasped his left arm and prepared to stick him with the needle, he grabbed her arm. Their eyes locked. Her face was soft and she wore a silver piercing in the right side of her straight nose. "Its morphine," she assured.
She didn't blink even once. He let go and felt a slight sting as she pricked his upper arm.
She removed the ivory blanket from his legs.
"You must be a nurse," he said.
"My father is a doctor." She removed the binding then grabbed another wet cloth from a rock table beside the bed. "I was a medical student in the United States before my family moved back to Afghanistan."
She ran the warm rag around the gash on his upper leg and he hissed to a sharp pain that pulsated around the area. She meandered across the room into a bathroom and soaked the rag in a sink of water, turning the clear water a pale ruby-red. She returned and applied a clean sheath over the gash.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Your helicopter crashed not far from here. A sharp piece of metal from the wreck pierced your leg, and you got second degree burns to your back. You're lucky to be alive."
Thatcher agreed. But why was he alive?
"I need to wash your back." She grasped the binding around his waist and slowly winded it till it was off. His back itched like dozens of mites were crawling across it. "Don't scratch, you'll make it worse," she warned as he reached around.
He cringed as she rubbed his back with the rag, relieving some of the tingling sensation.
When she was through, she walked out of the room. She returned with a ceramic bowl, smoke steaming out of it. As she set on the table next to him, he was reminded of vegetable soup.
"What's in it?" he asked.
"Goat meat with peas and carrots. Let it cool for a few minutes."
She ambled across the room, grabbed a clean tan shirt and pants and placed them on the end of the bed.
"Here are clean clothes when you feel like changing," she said.
The lady's skin and features were as capable of enticing even a man, whose country considered evil, a terrorist. "Where did you learn English?" Thatcher said. "You speak it well."
"I had a private English tutor when I lived in the United States."
It bewildered Thatcher how anyone could live in the U.S, free, then move back to Afghanistan.
"How did I get here?" He asked.
Her chin dipped to her breasts. She looked at him again with dull eyes. "I found you unconscious a distance from where your helicopter crashed, in a trench."
"Where are the soldiers that were with me?"
She shook her head. Her down turned facial expression spoke for itself.
Thatcher's heart ripped apart as he buried his face in his grazed palms. As much as he wanted, he couldn't produce tears. He lifted his face and exhaled. The lady leaned against the door silent.
"My father and I looked for other survivors." Her thin lips twisted down. "I'm sorry."
He released a painful grunt as he struggled to push himself to the edge of the bed. He needed to contact his base. The woman strode over and gently grasped his shoulders.
"I need to contact the people at my camp and tell them that I'm alive."
"You need time to heal," she said.
I can't just lay here with my platoon searching for me. What if they stopped searching, thinking he was dead? Then he'd be stranded in enemy territory. He'd be killed, or found years later with a long beard, unidentifiable amongst the foreign population.
"How do I get out of here?"
"It's impossible until you're healthier. Never mind Taliban is patrolling the streets night and day."
He gave in and let his body collapse to the thin mattress.
"If we can contact my base,he sighed, "we'd be able to help you and your family."
The mysterious woman sat in a wicker chair beside the cot.
"Several months ago an American military slaughtered innocents in a village not far from here."
He frowned shaking his head.
"My family was among them." She pressed her thin lips together, holding him with her gaze. "My brother was killed in a shoot-out."
What she was telling him made no sense. "Listen," he said. "The American military is here to liberate your people, not kill them""
A spell of dizziness got a hold of him as he clasped his head, hoping it would subside soon.
"Rest." She pulled the blanket to his chest. "We can talk later."
"Why are you helping me?"
She turned as she opened the door. "Because I was able to."
She walked out and closed the door behind her.
He lay there as foreign words reverberated off the walls in the next room. Guns and grenades blasted in the distance. Was it another U.S platoon sent to rescue him?
A loud boom shook the room, sending pieces of rock sprinkling to the floor. Machine guns blazed and men yelled Arabic just outside. Where was his gun, where was his damn gun?! He was an easy target.
Silence returned, except for a door creaking open in the next room and footsteps. Men talked amongst each other in soft voices. Thatcher listened.
One man said, "Some traders tried to bomb us."
"Traders?" another man responded.
"Rebels." There was a pause. "They're taking care of. But we have another problem. As you know an American helicopter crashed not far outside of town early yesterday."
"Yes, I heard."
"A resident said he thought he saw one survivor. Have you seen anyone?"
"Of course I would've told you if I did, Rajab."
Thatcher pulled himself, straining till he was sitting up in the bed. Turning"feeling a sharp pain in his right thigh"he lowered his feet to the floor. As he attempted to stand, he collapsed to the floor. Biting his bottom lip, he swallowed cuss words, as the men continued to talk amongst themselves.
He picked himself up from the floor when a door open and shut in the other room. The voices were gone. As Thatcher grabbed his clothes from the foot of the bed, the lady walked in. There he stood hobbling in his underwear.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"It was the Taliban, but they're gone now." Her coffee-colored face blushed and eyes glowing, she stared at his half naked body. She pulled a rug up and opened a secrete hatch in the floor. "If they return, you'll hide in here," she pointed down into a dark hole.
"I need my gun. Can you get it for me?"
"I'll see what I can do, but my father doesn't trust you won't use it against him."
"I won't." He shook his head. "What did the Taliban want with him?"
She looked at him, and then looked away folding her arms across her chest. "He is in the Taliban."
A frigid wave of doubt rolled through the pit of Thatcher's stomach. "Your father"" He gasped"" He's in the Taliban?"
"Has been for twenty years."
He struggled to slip his injured leg into his pants. He pulled them up and sat slumped on the end of the bed.
"Anyone with that much loyalty to the Taliban doesn't help someone like me""
She shook her head. "We're not all savages like they say we are in the United States. As soon as you're healed, my father will take you to contact your military."
He thought this was ironic, being aided by the enemy. As there was beauty found in women back home, he now knew there was beauty in women here. Perhaps, there was as much kindness here as there was back in the U.S.
She handed him his bowl of soup with a metal spoon dipped inside. He shoveled the chicken and vegetables into his mouth like he was starved. He chewed the meat into tiny pieces in his mouth, savoring the salty taste on his tongue.
The pleasant scent of flowery saffron and roses overrode the stink as she sat down on the bed beside him.
"My father may be Taliban, but he's a doctor at heart," she claimed.
Thatcher tilted the bowl to his mouth and poured the rest of the soup in, and for the first time since waking, his belly was full. "But he's in the Taliban."
"And you are in a military responsible for the deaths of innocent people," she argued. "Our militaries aren't so different."
"Only we aim to help the innocent people here, not fly our planes into your city and detonate car bombs."
"And liberating our people involves dropping bombs on our city, and raiding civilian's homes?"
Without a word, Thatcher placed the empty bowl on the table and slipped the thin wool shirt over his head. The pants and top fit him loosely.
"Why did you come back to this hell?" he asked.
"My family needed me." She took the bowl, walked to the door and shot him a quick smile before exiting.
It wouldn't be long before the Taliban raided their home looking for him. Thatcher raked his hands over his face and sighed. The thought of taking refuge in the home of a Taliban doctor was unsettling. What would happen once they captured him? He'd be put up for ransom or shot on TV for his country to see.
A door opened in the other room. Boots"definitely more than one pair"stomped inside. The voices from earlier returned, more intense this time. Footsteps grew closer to the room. Thatcher grabbed the ceramic cup tight as he crept up beside the door. He tried to count the men by distinguishing their voices.
With his heart hammering, the door opened toward him.
He released a huge breath as the lady stepped in and closed the door. Wide-eyed, she removed the carpet and opened the hatch from the floor.
She gestured for him to crawl in. He lowered his mangled body into the hole and she covered it.
Laying there in dust, he swallowed a lump in his throat as footsteps entered the room. All his times in battle, he was scared at some point. As his colonel told him, being afraid just means you're more aware of your surroundings; the enemy. "Fear will keep your ass alive," the colonel had said.
The footsteps meandered closer to where Thatcher hid, along with the scent of sandlewood.
"You live alone with your father and mother?" the man asked the lady.
"How come a woman as beautiful as you isn't married?"
"Priorities," she responded with a chuckle.
Thatcher's hands started to sweat as there was a pause of silence.
The footsteps faded and the door closed. Another door shut in the next room. Thatcher remained hidden until a light shone in his face as the lady opened the hatch.
"They're gone," she said. "You stay in the room. I need to talk with my father."
"Why do you all have this hideaway?"
"To hide people like you," she responded.
"What's your name?"
She looked at him with a gleam in her eyes. "Alimah" She sauntered out of the room.
He put his ear to the door and listened to Alimah talk with her father.
"We can't keep him here," the father said. "Don't you understand what they'll do to us?"
"Doesn't an innocent life matter to you?"
There was silence.
"Not as much as my family, Alimah. I have to do this for us, end of discussion."
"At least in the United States I could live free as a woman should be allowed. Here I have to pretend I'm ashamed, hiding underneath all these clothes if I don't want to be executed."
Thatcher took a few strides away from the door as footsteps neared.
A man with a long tar-colored beard entered the room behind Alimah, holding a pistol. He wore a long white robe and headscarf. He pushed his reading-glasses up on his large nose, looking at Thatcher from head to toe. "You're in excellent condition, so you should heal fast." the man said. Alimah stood away shifting her eyes back and forth between her father and him.
Her father stepped closer, tightening his grip on the gun. "I'm sorry about what happened to your friends"
"Why would you be sorry for them?" Thatcher said.
The man ignored his comment. "I've cared for you as long as I could. It's only a matter of time before the Taliban find you here""
"Give me my gun. Give me a fighting chance. I can protect your family."
"They would know I gave it to you. And then execute my family in front of my eyes."
"Listen," Thatcher begged. "I can help your family. You don't have to turn me over. Show me a way out of here and I'll make certain my military helps you."
"In the United States people looked at us like we were the enemy only because of our skin and religion. Here, we're treated like everyone else. Why would I want to return to your country? Why would I want to bring my family back there?" he shook his head, his eyes turning cold. "The Taliban has the city surrounded anyhow."
With a downcast expression, the father aimed the pistol at Thatcher. "Please understand why I have to do this."
Thatcher's heart thumped against his chest as he stood defenseless.
"Father, no!" the lady said, throwing her hands out at her father. "The underground passage. We can send him through there. They would never find him."
"Alimah, you're not thinking!"
As the man cocked the gun and stepped closer, she hurried out of the room covering her eyes.
"You know this isn't the only solution." Thatcher put his hand in front of him like they would reflect a bullet. "We can work something out."
The man paused with a weak smile. "Thatcher. That's a strong name, one that people will remember."
Alimah rushed back into the room with a frying pan clasped in her right hand. She swung and slammed it against the back of her father's skull. His body went limp, collapsing him to the floor. He lay there on the rock floor holding his head and his eyes falling back into his head.
His daughter stood over him aiming the pistol's cylinder at her own flesh and blood.
"I am sorry, father." Her brows furrowed, her breaths were heavy. "For moving back here with you!"
She yanked her headscarf off and tossed it to the floor as her long dark hair fell to the middle of her spine. Frowning at her father, she slipped out of her long garment, and stood there in her hunter-green bra and panties, her body tanned and stomach curved. She handed Thatcher the gun. He pointed it at her father, who sat there"his mouth dropped open"watching his daughter.
She gestured toward the corridor. "We need to get to the passage." She led him out of the room and down a rock-hard hall that snaked to the right. Colorful vases, pitchers of men and women and other decorations set in slots smoothly carved into the wall.
"It's too late, Alimah," her father shouted. "They're on there way. Get dressed! The Taliban will kill you for being in your underwear!"
Before Alimah and he reached a spacious room at the end of the hall, the door to the front room screeched open, followed by a multitude of heavy footsteps.
"Qudamah," a voice hollered. "Qudamah."
"I'm in here," the father said.
Thatcher slid his finger to the trigger as he hid behind a corner in the spacious room. There were three tables and more holes in the wall that held ceramics.
Three men stepped into the hall and caught sight of Alimah as she slowly stepped into the hall with the gun."
"Where is the American?" the man grumbled. "And where are your clothes?"
She'd smacked her own father over the head with a pan just to protect Thatcher. What would they do to her once they learned that she protected an American? What would they do to her as she ran around with her body unveiled. Her father seemed too loyal to the Taliban to forgive her.
Before she uttered a word, Thatcher spun around the corner and fired. A slug pierced the man's skull and he crumpled to the floor with blood oozing from his forehead.
"Show me where the passage is," he said, his breaths quickening.
More men stomped their way.
While Thatcher knelt behind a table, waiting for the men to make an appearance, she pulled a section of the floor up, revealing a narrow path that lead into a black chasm.
Realizing he was out of ammo, Thatcher grabbed an ceramic vase from the table and crept to the door as the mens' footsteps grew nearer.
As one tall man stepped into the room, Thatcher whipped around with the vase and shattered it over his head. The man staggered back. Thatcher gripped a sharp piece of the vase"cutting the flesh on his palm"and stabbed the soldier in his throat. Blood spurted all over the pale-bronze floor as the man fell to his back grabbing his throat, and took his last gasp.
Before he could pick up the man's gun, another soldier hit Thatcher over the back, knocking his breath out, and sending a sharp pain pulsating across his spine. Two Arab men garbed in long indigo shirts and pants"their heads covered with turbans and mouths masked with scarves"stood over him yelling with their eyes smoldering. The only thing he understood was. "Lay on your stomach! Lay on your stomach!"
Thatcher rolled to his belly and a lofty man tied his hands with rope. As Alimah begged for them to release him, one soldier smashed her in the face with the end of his gun, sending one of her teeth flying across the room. He then scolded her for being in her underwear. "Get dressed!" the man shouted. "This isn't America! You're not a whore. If i didn't know your father any better, I would've executed myself."
A shot was fired, and the lofty man's knees buckled. Half his scalp hung off as he collapsed face first, his brains flowing across the floor in a mass of blood, like white rocks floating down a river of blood.
Alimah's father swung a rifle–smoke circling from the barrel–around toward the other Arab soldier and fired, blowing half his face off as he was lifted off his feet, his body thudding to the floor across the room.
Thatcher stood there, his pulse racing. The father pulled a knife, stepped behind him and cut the rope from around Thatcher's hand.
"Get out of here," the father said. "Now. Others will be here soon."
Alimah's mother tossed her a pair of ivory trousers and a top. "You can run around in your underwear when you return to the United States," she said.
The father looked at his daughter. "I'm sorry for depriving you of your freedom. I never meant to hold you as my prisoner. Live free as every child should. Don't ever come back here. Never."
Alimah fell into her father's arms, and he squeezed his thin arms around her.
He removed his arms from around her and held her arms as he stared into her eyes. She looked at him and her mother, tears running down her cheeks. "Come with me," she begged. "They'll kill both of you."
"We can't leave our brothers and sisters," the father said. "Not like this. We'll get rid of the bodies, don't worry. Now you all must go."
Her father handed him two pistols. "When you reach the end there will be a stable of jackasses. Omar, my brother, will lead you through the mountains toward the American's base."
Her mother handed Alimah a lantern and she led Thatcher into the underground passage.


text:
The Faces I See...
"Relax!" I told him.
"Your airway problem is more a priority to me than your chest pain. Try to breathe in as much of that steam if possible."
"Relax! Trust me!"
It was a concern if he was having chest pain. Not that I ignored that complaint because it was also a dangerous situation if he was having true heart problems at the same time. As I was listening to his lung sounds with my stethoscope, I asked him at the same time to point where his chest pain was. He pointed to the far right of his abdominal area. He denied having gallbladder problems that he knew of. Except he had beans for dinner and just had 2 bites.
The breathing treatment helped him right away. The wheezes that I heard were not detected anymore by the sensitive end of my stethoscope. I motioned for him to go inside an Exam Room and requested for him to remove his shirt.
"Oh…I'm embarrassed," he shyly uttered.
"Because I'm fat and you're gonna' see that!"
"Sir, I'm not here to make fun of you. I'm here to help you with any medical problem. If you want to be sure that there is no problem with your heart, EKG is the only way that I can do to determine that."
He laid on the table as I applied the sticky stuff (leads) and connected the wirings pertaining to those leads. His EKG reading returned normal. He breathed a sigh of relief.
"What's your last name?" I asked.
"Freeman…"he replied wondering as he knew I already knew since I was holding his chart.
"If you're a "Free Man", what are you doing here?"
He didn't answer. He laughed instead. So hard. I saw 'Anxiety' left. It was precious and what I was hoping for. Even for a minute. It mattered to me. Because we were in a place where Anxiety ruled.
"Thank you, Ma'am…I feel so much better…" I gave him his yellow pass as the Infirmary Deputy looked at him and asked him if he was ready to go back to his unit. He calmly received the yellow note and walked away slowly. Without 'Anxiety'. At least for that moment…
Working behind the prison walls is always hectic. So many faces I encounter. There is 'Depression', 'Fear', 'Worry', 'Jealousy', 'Anger', 'Rebellion' and the worst one I see is 'Pride'. These are the things that cover the inmates and co-workers' faces. These are the veils that hinder them from seeing clearly. These are the same things that help erect the unseen walls and imprison their hearts and serve as barriers to see the true freedom that Christ offers and brings. Such veils can only be removed by believing and trusting completely in Christ.
You know we've been there before. You know we had those faces. We had those veils. "But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, then the veil is taken away. Now, the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, he gives freedom. And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more." (2 Corinthians 3:16-18,NLT)
We have true transformations as our veils are removed. A work in progress that only the Holy Spirit does. The inner change occurs when we continue to follow His leading and knowing more about Jesus. And when we apply what we know about Jesus with the way we live our lives, we become mirrors instead. Mirrors that reflect God's glory.
"7 The law that brought death was written in words on stone. It came with God's glory, which made Moses' face so bright that the Israelites could not continue to look at it. But that glory later disappeared.8 So surely the new way that brings the Spirit has even more glory.9 If the law that judged people guilty of sin had glory, surely the new way that makes people right with God has much greater glory.10 That old law had glory, but it really loses its glory when it is compared to the much greater glory of this new way.11 If that law which disappeared came with glory, then this new way which continues forever has much greater glory." – 2 Corinthians 3:7-11 (NCV)
Leave Your Boots4 days ago
A mother joins her son6 days ago
UPDATE6 days ago
The Good Gardener Prunes!6 days ago
Passion for my job1 week ago
Born to bring life4 weeks ago
Motherhood: A Humble Grace1 month ago
What I Learned This Summer 20194 months ago
Hatred or Love5 months ago
The Promise Is His Presence5 months ago
VISUAL OF A METAPHOR6 months ago
Working with My Dad8 months ago
THE GOD WHO SEES9 months ago
My Choice for Women's Day10 months ago
Change and Growth.2 years ago
Dancing With Dad3 years ago
HAPPY NEW YEAR!4 years ago
Summoned Home4 years ago
God's Creation and Healing4 years ago
No More January Blues4 years ago
Pressure5 years ago
URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!7 years ago
At Work7 years ago
Pondering...8 years ago
Sweetness11 years ago
The Attacker (5/15/09)
The sun was just peeking from the Eastern skies.
Out in the prison's yard, some huge Sheriff's buses were illuminated by the soft glow coming from the lights all over from the tall lamp posts. Their engines were turned on, warming up, before the buses would take the inmates to the different courts where they would have their trials.
Orange-uniformed men were lined up in pairs, joined together with handcuffs and chained, forming a long line. They already had their breakfast and had their morning medications prior to going to courts. Some were fidgeting, as they waited to board those buses.
All of a sudden, all hell broke loose! Two men were engaged in a fight, using weapons they made secretly for a while. Deputies called for help on the radio, both for custody back-up and medical staff, as well.
When the air was cleared and the other inmates were secured, one man was down on the floor. He sustained multiple gashes but two of them were deep. One cut was vertically etched from his left ear going down to the jaw line. The other dangerous cut was horizontal on his left neck, close to the jugular vein. Pool of blood dripped all over the floor. Holding his bleeding neck, he was pointing at the other inmate few feet away, being guarded by the other deputies.
The other man being accused was not hurt. There were no lacerations nor any other signs of trauma. He was obviously very agitated as he was being questioned by those deputies, while the medical staff started treating the other man on the floor. They cleaned the wounds and controlled the bleeding. That man was sent to the nearby hospital.
When the investigation was finalized, it turned out to be that the "downed man who was accusing the other inmate" was the attacker and the other one who didn't have injury was the one attacked. The deputies found out that it was the second attempt to attack the unhurt man. Both attacks on him failed. He was well-prepared after the first attempt on him, that when the second attempt was done, he was able to defend himself and ended up injuring his attacker severely.
[Source: NLT Bible ]:
We also have an "accuser of the brethren." Satan and his army of demons are the enemies of God and of everything good.
"Because God's children are human beings – made of flesh and blood – Jesus also became flesh and blood by being born in human form. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the Devil, who had the power of death." –Hebrews 2:14
Because of what Jesus had done [dying on the cross], we, who live in constant fear of death shouldn't be afraid anymore. Jesus had freed us from that fear so we can live for Him. When we belong to God, we know that death is only the portal that leads into "eternal life". ["Thank You Lord!].
Paul warned us, too that we also battle against the evil forces of Satan, who is a vicious fighter. But to be able to withstand their attacks, we must depend on God's strength and use every piece of His armor. We face an army whose goal is to defeat Christ's church. When we believe in Christ, they become our enemies. They will try any device to turn us away from the Lord.
Fear not! For God has provided His supernatural power to defeat Satan and his army, through His Holy Spirit within us. So, arm yourselves with God's armor.
Let us be strong in the Lord's mighty power. Let's put on His whole armor to resist the enemy's attacks: put on the sturdy belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News, so that we are well-prepared. We will need faith in every battle as our shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed by Satan and his army. Let us put on salvation as our helmet, not forgetting the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Let's pray at all times, on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. We must stay alert and be persistent in our prayers for all Christians everywhere. [Ephesians 6:10-18].


text:
I wake up very late Tuesday morning, leading into the opening minutes of the afternoon, not expecting to see Skyfall later that afternoon at Regal Boulder Station 11 (one of the best Bond movies, but On Her Majesty's Secret Service is still the best), not expecting to double my money on Coyote Moon, my favorite slot machine, at Boulder Station, after the movie, not expecting to go to Wing Stop for dinner that evening, and certainly not expecting to hear from my mother what I hear after I've dressed and walked into the living room:
"You're going speed dating!"
What? Me? Speed dating? Hola. Mi nombre es Rory Aronsky.
Let me back up to 3 a.m. Tuesday morning. I went to bed in the bed that I know is my bed, with all those books on the floor from the library and those which are my permanent collection. I know all those books.
I woke up in the bed that I know is my bed, in the room that I know is my room, pulling clothes that I know are my clothes from the closet that I know is my closet. Everything seems the same. When did speed dating decide to stroll on in?
After I shrug off the shock that feels like five minutes more than the two seconds it took to do so, Mom tells me that she found it in the View section, which is expressly written and printed for all the different areas of Las Vegas. We live in the Sunrise/Whitney area, so we get that section every Tuesday inside our regular Las Vegas Review-Journal.
She tells me to pick up that section of the paper, which is already on top of the rest of the paper, folded out to show the "Arts & Leisure" page, the bottom of which has the "Book Briefs" section. And here is the blurb that I read:
Find love among the shelves at the Date My Book event scheduled from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Friday at the Gibson Library, 100 W. Lake Mead Parkway. Singles are invited to bring a favorite book and chat with other readers in five-minute sessions. For more information, visit mypubliclibrary.com or call 702-565-8402."
I wasn't sure how to react. I'm still not sure how to react. As Mom put it, "It's better than a bar or any other place like that," and that's true. It's in a library, my place of worship, and I'd like to meet other bibliophiles like me. Mom wasn't pushy about it, not hinting that I should find a date, just that I could talk books with people for a while. She doesn't read a great deal, not finding a comfortable spot to do it in yet, Dad picks one or two books a week from the new books section of the Whitney Library, and Meridith reads steadily, but not to the extent I do. Three, four, five books a week, maybe more? I've done it countless times. I'm still writing, I still want to write the books and novels that are always swirling about in my head, but there are just some weeks that I want to chuck all those plans and just read. Perhaps this event would be good for me. I follow Mom's viewpoint about this, and I stick to this about the other possibility: If it happens, then I'll work from there. If not, that's fine. I don't discount the possibility, but I'm not actively searching for a relationship. I've got an enormous city and region, and eventually state, and other states, to explore, I've got books I want to read, and books I want to write, and that's enough for me.
Right now, my library card is at its limit. 50 items. All books. My holds are at the limit of 25. I hope to meet those who do the same as me, who keep the library system running. At the Whitney Library, every Saturday or Sunday, or sometimes Monday, I walk past the other shelves full of holds to get to mine, and I look for the first four letters of those last names that appear as often as mine do, wondering about that person, how many books they read in a week, what their interests are that keep them coming to the library. This may be my chance to know more about them, no matter that this is under the jurisdiction of the Henderson Libraries system and not the Las Vegas-Clark County Library system. In fact, reading the blurb, I thought I could return the then-three, now-five books that I'm done with, before realizing that I'll have to wait until Saturday or Sunday to do that because neither the Gibson Library, nor any other Henderson branch for that matter, will accept my books because Henderson and Las Vegas are separate systems.
They say to bring a favorite book. I know exactly what I'm bringing: The Memory of Running by Ron McLarty and The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. These two novels are always locked in a Battle Royale to become my favorite novel. I've read each one nearly ten times, with more re-readings to come. I'm sure I can talk about a lot in five minutes, so I want to include that. Other topics I have in mind are my love of presidential history, my lifetime goal to read all the Star Trek novels ever published (not as a Trekkie, but as a science fiction wanderer), my other favorite books (Naturally, I don't have just one, and a favorite novel, if that battle is ever won by either of those two novels, would not be my overall favorite book, since I'll never have one), those times I just have to pre-order or order a book from Amazon because I don't want to wait for the library to hopefully get it in, and whatever else might pop up. My side of the conversation will not be pre-planned. I will not have an outline in my head.
I know exactly what I'm wearing: Jeans, both pairs of which I'll put in the laundry today to determine whether I want to wear the lighter-colored jeans (they're not that bright blue, and I could never see myself wearing that kind of brightness) or the darker-colored, and this shirt, called Lose Yourself. After I agreed to this speed dating excursion, I determined which of my four book-related t-shirts would be most appropriate, not only for this event, but also because I'll be wearing it to see Christopher Cross at 8 p.m. that night at Sunset Station. No going home to change. "Lose Yourself" would be best because it's more detailed than my other shirts (save for the rainbow in this shirt) and is suitably low-key for the other outings of the evening, which also includes Fazoli's for dinner (across from Sunset Station), and then the 10 p.m. Spazmatics show also at Sunset Station, inside Club Madrid, where Christopher Cross will just have finished performing before they come on.
I still feel a bit weird about this, not in a resorting-to-meeting-people-like-this way, but because I have my city, I have my state, I have my books, I have my favorite movies, so what else do I need? But you know what? For nine years in Santa Clarita, there was really nothing to do. To even do one interesting thing in a day, you had to leave the valley, but because of the enormous stretch of freeways to get to Ventura or Burbank or Anaheim, you had to make a day of it. Now that I'm living in Nevada, in Las Vegas, I want to do many different things! I want to experience all there is to experience! I want to see if there are any female bibliophiles who are as passionate about books as I am.
And if I do feel a twinge of something upon talking with one of those bibliophiles, well, what better place for it to happen?
Always an open mind. That's how I've lived for two months here, and it's going to stay that way. So I'm going to enjoy myself and let go. No expectations. Just the joy of talking books with those who hopefully flood the holds shelves like I do, who come to the library with big canvas bags to stock up for the week. They're my kind of people, and I should meet them! And so I will.


text:
LNP seeks legal brief on civil unions laws
Queensland's new government has sought legal advice about repealing same-sex civil unions.
Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie has requested a full legal brief from his department about the legislation, The Australian reports.
Mr Bleijie told the paper all aspects of the law were ''open for discussion''.
The legal advice would present options for possible changes, including a full repeal of the law or a partial repeal.
''All options are on the table,'' Mr Bleijie told the newspaper.
''I simply asked for the advice. I'm not in any rush to do it, but we're not going to let it drag on to be a political circus. We want a resolution to it.''
Premier Campbell Newman has publicly supported federal government changes to allow gay marriage.
But the Liberal National Party leader was forced to shelve his personal views when same-sex civil union laws were debated and passed in Queensland parliament last year.
During the election campaign, Mr Newman said an LNP government would look at repealing the laws if it didn't leave couples in ''legal limbo''.
Mr Bleijie told The Australian the LNP was against civil unions, but acknowledged there was a ''human element'' and the party did not want to erode people's rights.
''It would be an untenable situation to put people through if they had the certificate and it caused them to lose rights,'' he said.
''It may be the case that this legislation created no more legal rights than for anyone else across the country. Everything is open for discussion.''
In March, despite the polls pointing to an LNP victory, some couples went ahead and had their same-sex relationships legally recognised under Labor's laws.